Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 24 hours in Hefei, Chinas emerging innovation and tech hub People's Daily Online) 10:19, July 19, 2024 Which city has been the fastest developing city in China in recent years? Many people give the answer: " Hefei! Two years ago, Hefei's aggregate economic ranking was outside the top 80 cities in China, but today it is ranked in the top 20. Hefei's economic turnaround is inseparable from scientific and technological innovation. In a 2023 report produced by publication Nature, a well-known scientific magazine, Hefei was placed at 13th in a ranking of the world's scientific research cities. In innovation driven Hefei, what does a day look like Time: 8 a. m. Battery expert Xu Aiqin: "Powering up the leading industry" It is the daily work of battery expert Xu Aiqin to find a balance between battery life, charging, weight and cost performance. Battery expert Xu Aiqin is testing battery safety(People's Daily Online/Chen Hao) The automotive industry is the premier industry of Hefei city, Anhui Province. In recent years, Anhui automotive industry pioneering company Jianghuai Automobile Co., Ltd. (JAC) has adeptly navigated the changing landscape, focusing on the new energy vehicle (NEV) sector. In 2011, upon graduating from Hefei University of Technology with a masters degree in Vehicular Engineering, Xu committed herself to the growing field of NEVs. She has since been a part of the development of 10 new pure electric vehicles for JAC. At 8 a.m., Xu arrives at the battery safety test cabinet. Today's task is to observe the safety performance of the new batteries at extreme conditions, including testing the batteries at temperatures up to 130. In the battery field, thermal runaway safety, - that is, ensuring the safety of the entire battery pack when a single cell fails is of the utmost importance, Xu explained. After investing a great deal of time and effort, JAC has introduced a revolutionary new battery design. The new design, which is in the shape of a honeycomb, achieves thermal isolation, electric isolation, and thermal decoupling creating a much safer battery. Each battery undergoes 100 consecutive explosion tests, in which there is zero tolerance for any thermal spread following a single cell combustion, added Xu, emphasizing the strict safety standards in place. Small sized yet powerful battery packs are driving NEVs forward and are helping to promote the development of Hefeis premier industry. In 2023, Hefei produced 1.34 million vehicles, Time: 2 p.m. Entrepreneur Han Dongcheng: "The core technology that cannot be bought" "Today, Im not holding the usual script, said University of Science and Technology of China President Bao Xinhe on June 22 at the schools graduation ceremony. Being able to deliver the speech without notes was not because of a sudden boost in memory, but thanks to the assistance of Han Dongcheng, a PhD graduate majoring in optics at the university, Bao added. The picture is Han Dongcheng, who is conducting the experiment. (Photo by Xu Ganjiang) The "help" Bao refers to is the "Interactive aerial imaging technology" independently developed by Han. This technology allows an image of Baos script to appear in the air in front of him, without it being visible to anyone else. Whats more, people can operate and work on the displayed images in the same manner one would use a computer screen. After finishing with visitors in the morning, it was already 2 p.m. These days, many people visit Anhui Easpeed Co., Ltd., which was founded by Han in 2016. At that time, he was still a first-year masters degree student at the University of Science and Technology of China. "The key to the realization of air imaging is in the glass, says Han. In Anhui Easpeed Co., Ltd., there is a room stacked with substandard glass. "Each piece represents a failure and the beginning of a new attempt, added Han. With the successful development of the negative refractive slab lenses, or DCT-plates, and the sensors required for interaction, Anhui Easpeed Co., Ltd. has mastered the interactive aerial imaging technology. "Core technology can't be bought, exclaimed Han. Looking back on the journey, Han reflected emotionally regarding how the technology was once controlled by others. Today though, the company has repositioned itself from follower, to competitor, to leader in the industry. As a now industry leader, the company has been able to apply its technology in fields such as displays, medical equipment, automobiles, home appliances, and more. The company is currently valued at 3 billion yuan ($ 412 million). In Hefei, technological entrepreneurship is thriving. The city has cultivated 188 national-level specialized and innovative "little giant" enterprises, over 8000 national high-tech enterprises and 11,000 national science and technology based small-medium sized enterprises. Time: 8 p.m. Key technical expert Sun Hantao: "The industries of the future are already here" At 8 p.m., Sun finished his day's work. Recently, as the key technical expert of China Telecom Quantum Group, Sun is particularly busy. "We are currently working with several enterprises, using the recently announced 504-bit Xiaohong chip, to develop a full-scale quantum computer. The system will be integrated into the independently developed Tianyan quantum computing cloud platform, which will be made available to users across the globe, said Sun. Sun Hantao discusses technical issues with his colleagues (People's Daily Online/Chen Ruotian) Sun, born in the 90s, is from Henan Province, central China. Ten years ago, after graduating from Jilin University, he directly entered into a PhD program at Peking University, studying quantum transport. In 2019, he entered the industry and joined a major internet company in Hangzhou. At the beginning of this year, he relocated to Hefei and became the leader of the quantum computing technology department of China Telecom Quantum Group, where he is responsible for the group's cloud platform construction, physical machine control and other work. The achievements of Sun and his colleagues are obvious to all. Taking the cloud platform as an example, the "Tianyan" quantum computing cloud platform has currently integrated the same 176-bit superconducting quantum computer as the Zuchongzhi No. 2, achieving leadership in both real machine and simulation capabilities. Sun reveals that the group has also developed a quantum programming framework based on domestically produced instruction sets, as well as an ecosystem for quantum computing education and industrial applications, effectively securing control over both hardware and software. "The number of quantum enterprises in Hefei ranks first in China, including a premier enterprise in the industry like China Telecom Quantum Group," said Sun. Sun will continue to work hard to contribute to the development of the industry. With the efforts of people like Sun, Hefei quantum information, fusion energy, deep space exploration and other future industries will be developed. Time: 2 a. m. Researcher Liu Xiaodi: "Devoted to the Cold Bench of basic research At 2 a. m., Liu sat in front of the testing instrument and carefully observed the changes of hydrogen under different pressures. "It takes at least 10 hours to charge the hydrogen into the press and to record the data, said Liu. For her, doing experiments all night is common. Liu Xiaodi is doing research, and for her, doing experiments all night is common(People's Daily Online/Chen Hao) Liu is a researcher at the Institute of Solid State Physics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 2013, after graduating from the University of Science and Technology of China, she sat on the cold bench, a term for unheralded tasks, for basic research and dedicated herself to the production of metallic hydrogen. "Almost all of my work revolves around this main thread, said Liu. The production of metallic hydrogen is known as the 'Holy Grail of High Pressure Physics', which explains just how difficult the task is. "Creating ultra-high pressure is one of the most difficult problems," according to Liu. There is speculation that to get metallic hydrogen, pressures of 5 or 6 million atmospheres are required. For context, 10,000 atmospheres are roughly the equivalent pressure created by an elephant stepping on something while wearing high heels. In the experiment, she operates a press using diamond anvil cells (DAC) to apply pressure to the hydrogen. "At present, our pressure is close to the pressure needed to produce metallic hydrogen, said Liu. "It gives us great confidence," Liu remarks, indicating that through the optimization of the press, diamond anvil cells, and the process involved, it will soon be possible to achieve ultra-high pressure. With ultra-high pressure achieved, it will be possible to successfully produce metallic hydrogen, allowing for the exploration of its novel properties including superconductivity and superfluidity. When Liu Xiaodi walked out of the laboratory, there was already daylight. This is an ordinary 24 hours in innovative Hefei. A new day, and it all begins again. (Pan Yidan, as an intern, also contributed to this article.) (Web editor: Sheng Chuyi, Liang Jun) Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady, right, talks with Flo and Scot Rice, Rosie Yanas-Stone and Gail McLeod after a hearing in the civil lawsuit against the parents of the accused Santa Fe High School shooter Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Judge Jack Ewings County Court No. 3 at the Galveston County Courthouse. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News/Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News Flo Rice and her husband Scot pose for a portrait Thursday, May 26, 2022, at the SSGT Willie de Leon Civic Center in Uvalde. She was injured during a school shooting in 2018 in Santa Fe. The couple stopped in Uvalde while returning from a vacation to offer help. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Chris Stone, father of Chris Stone, one of the ten victims of the Santa Fe shooting, gets a smudged eagle feather waved over his head as Woolsey Walking Sky during the cedar ceremony during the fifth year anniversary remembrance ceremony and dedication of the Warrior Spirit sculpture at Santa Fe High School on Thursday, May 18, 2023 in Santa Fe. Karen Warren/Staff photographer People embrace outside the Alamo Gym where students and parents wait to reunite following a shooting at Santa Fe High School Friday, May 18, 2018 in Santa Fe. Michael Ciaglo, Staff Photographer / Houston Chronicle Emergency responders at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas on May 18, 2018. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Staff Photographer / Godofredo A. Vasquez Students gather near Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas on May 18, 2018. Officials confirmed shots were fired on the campus. Godofredo A. Vasquez The U.S. Department of Justice rebuffed a request to investigate the police response to the 2018 mass shooting at Santa Fe High School that left 10 dead and 13 injured. Survivors, victims families, state legislators and a congressman sent the request to the DOJ in April, saying there are still open questions six years later about why it took so long to stop the massacre and detain the suspected gunman. The department responded a few days later with a one-page memo erroneously saying the families had requested an investigation into the 1999 Columbine High School shooting and referring them to the FBI, according to a copy of the exchange families made public this week. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I was floored, said Flo Rice, who was a substitute teacher at Santa Fe High School when she was shot in the leg. I found it ironic that they thought that they were responding to Columbine. It was just disrespectful and demeaning, and I personally found it hurtful, to just receive a form letter when there was no thought put into it. I dont think they read anything that we sent. Rosie Yanas Stone, the mother of 17-year-old victim Chris Stone, called the DOJs response a disgrace, and that is walking all over the graves of our kids. The Department of Justice and the White House did not respond to requests for comment this week. The public has been unable to get critical details about the shooting because the accused gunman has been declared mentally incompetent to stand trial, so evidence related to law enforcements response and school preparedness has not been released. Michael Matranga, a retired Secret Service agent who used to lead safety and security for Texas City ISD, wrote the seven-page letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting an outside probe. Though the department has investigated other school shootings, including the May 2022 massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde and the February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, it has not gotten involved in Santa Fe. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This tragic event has become known nationally as the Forgotten Shooting, not because those who were impacted have forgotten, but because unlike the others there has been no prosecution, nor investigation as to the successes and failures of those responsible for the life safety of the staff and students on May 18, 2018, Matranga wrote. In the letter, he said there is evidence the school district failed to adequately protect its students and that law enforcement did not react as quickly or forcefully as it should have. He also wrote that police did not set up an incident command, the district never notified the public of an active shooting and students were never evacuated and transported offsite. Matranga said he was horrified when he saw the DOJs response to the letter, and he hopes federal officials will put themselves in the position of the victims, the victims families. Advertisement Article continues below this ad You cant move forward without closure without any type of indication of what went wrong, Matranga said. So I would ask people to look at this unbiasedly and ask themselves: Why? Why is Santa Fe different? Why is it that we havent had our own third party investigation? Flo Rices husband, Scot, said officials still have to answer why they didnt immediately confront the then-teenage shooter. After Flo was shot, she called her husband, and he raced to the school to get her. Scot remembers hearing gunshots when he was first on the phone with Flo, and by the time hed gotten to the school about 10 minutes later, I could still hear bullets flying. The couple believes the shooting lasted somewhere around 45 minutes, and they wonder what police were doing in that time. But they cant verify exactly what happened without detailed access to crime scene information, which the local district attorney has declined to release publicly. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Officials have never released a detailed timeline of the shooting, including an account of the shooters movements or whether there was a prolonged exchange of gunfire with police who responded to the scene. Initial reports said the situation lasted about a half hour and that police had exchanged fire with the shooter for roughly 15 minutes before he exited a classroom with his hands up. Santa Fe ISD police did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday. The Department of Justice responded to Santa Fe families' letter with a one-page memo erroneously saying they had asked for an investigation into the Columbine shooting. Courtesy of Scot Rice There are so many failures that we know happened and that they have not brought out to the light and it would show that the failure in Santa Fe is just like Uvalde, Scot Rice said, referencing the widely criticized police response to the shooting at Robb. Officers there waited 77 minutes to confront a teenage gunman with a semiautomatic rifle, even as children were calling 911 and pleading for help. Some families have seen the information that they believe warrants an external investigation. Last year, the Texas Legislature approved a bill allowing Santa Fe survivors and victims relatives to review video footage from the school shooting as long as they signed a non-disclosure agreement. The district attorneys office has said the public release of video and other on-scene evidence could jeopardize a future criminal trial, though that prospect grows more unlikely the longer the accused shooter is institutionalized. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Stone, who lost her 17-year-old son Chris at Santa Fe High School, has reviewed about two and a half hours of footage. While her NDA prevents her from discussing the videos contents in detail, she said the evidence confirmed suspicions she already had that law enforcement and school officials had not responded appropriately. There are certain things that Ive known about police response, that I already knew, and the video just confirmed it, Stone said. There was more confirmation on the schools part of their negligence. Everything thats on the videos, it will come out. If they dont do whats right, the community still needs to know what I saw. State Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, authored the bill that gave the families access to the footage. He also wrote a letter of support for their request for an investigation. The response from Bidens DOJ is nothing short of insulting and disgraceful, Middleton said. The victims and families of victims of the Santa Fe school shooting deserve answers and an investigation from the DOJ. The DOJs shameful non-response did not even get the schools name right. Moving forward, Stone said the DOJ first needs to apologize and then it needs to take action. The families are still pushing for an outside investigation, and if the DOJ does not follow up, some of them plan to fly to Washington, D.C. later this year and camp outside the office until someone gives them answers. Presidential politics followed Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., to the U.S. border with Mexico on Friday, as he expressed confidence that President Joe Biden would put country first in deciding whether to continue his pursuit of a second term, while putting the blame for national security threats at the border on former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress. Kaine sidestepped overtly political questions in an online press conference arranged through the U.S. Senate not his campaign for re-election to a third term in November but he said his position on Bidens candidacy hasnt changed, despite intensifying efforts by many Democrats to persuade the president to withdraw from the race against Trump, who accepted the Republican nomination on Thursday night. I believe that Joe Biden is going to make the right decision for the United States, put country first, he said from his hotel in McAllen, Texas. I dont have any doubt that the decision Joe Biden makes is going to be the patriotic one for the country. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., attended a roundtable discussion Friday at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts about tourism and business conditions in the city. Asked if he felt Biden should withdraw from the race, Warner said only, I want to keep the conversation going. He said he wanted to keep his own conversations with Senate Democrats quiet. Warner said the last time he talked to Biden was before the debate, about intelligence matters. Meanwhile, Biden on Friday appealed for party unity to take on Trumps dark vision, working to hold off pressure from Democrats at the highest levels for him to bow out of the 2024 election to make way for a new nominee and avoid widespread losses. As more Democratic members of Congress called for him to drop out Friday bringing the total since his disastrous June 27 debate against Trump to at least 30 Biden remained isolated at his beach house in Delaware after being diagnosed with COVID-19. The president, who has insisted he can beat Trump, was huddling with family and relying on a few longtime aides as he tries to resist efforts to shove him aside. Biden said Trumps acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee showcased a dark vision for the future. The president, seeking to move the political conversation away from his fate and onto his rivals agenda, said Friday he was planning to return to the campaign trail next week and insisted he has a path to victory over Trump, despite the worries of some of his partys most eminent members. The Democratic National Convention is in Chicago from Aug. 19 to 22. A poll of 1,000 Virginia voters released Thursday by Emerson College Polling/The Hill showed that 45% said they supported Trump and 43% backed Biden, with 11% undecided. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points and was conducted after the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania. Border security The challenges of security at the border against undocumented migrants, human trafficking and the flow of fentanyl and other narcotics is a central issue in the presidential election and his race for a third term in the Senate. Hung Cao, his Republican opponent, raised the issue in a speech to the Republican National Convention on Tuesday night. Were losing our country. Under Joe Biden, millions of illegal aliens clutter our borders, said Cao, who fled Vietnam with his family at the end of the war in 1975. As an immigrant to this great country, let me be very clear to everyone who comes here: Dont ask for the American dream if youre not willing to obey the American laws and embrace the American culture, he said. But Kaine faulted Republicans for missed opportunities to adopt comprehensive immigration reforms and invest in border security at least three times since he entered the Senate in 2013. I ascribe it to the refusal of Republicans to meaningfully embrace immigration reform and border security, he said of security risks at the border. In 2013, the Senate passed legislation to spend $45 billion to enhance security and customs controls at the border, but Kaine said Republicans in the House of Representatives blocked the initiative. He said the Senate unveiled a similar initiative in 2018 that would have invested $25 billion in border security, but Trump, then president, reversed his position and blocked the legislation. Earlier this year, Kaine said Republicans in the Senate blocked a bipartisan immigration package that would have invested more than $20 billion to enhance security and control the flow of undocumented migrants into the U.S. We shook hands on a tough deal, and as soon as we unveiled it, Candidate Trump said, Dont vote for it, he said. Cao was among Republicans who publicly opposed the deal, Kaine said. My opponent, as soon as President Trump called the play, he said, Im going to do whatever President Trump said. He came out against the bipartisan deal. Even a deal that the border patrol agents supported, my opponent opposed. In early February, Cao issued a statement opposing the bill. This bill is crap, he said then. I wouldnt vote for this garbage. Cao: Every state is a border state In a press release on Friday, Cao accused Kaine of opposing the mass deportation of illegal immigrants, as Trump proposes to do if elected, and renewed his support for building a wall along the southern border. Without a border, every state is a border state and every city is a sanctuary state, so we need to protect this country by securing the border, he said. Cao responded to Kaines press conference: Tim Kaine has done nothing to secure our border, but hes done plenty of photo ops instead. President Trump and I will secure the border, and kick the criminals, thugs, and drug dealers out of our country. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Kaine touted passage of the National Defense Authorization Act late last year that included provisions he had introduced with Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, to disrupt trafficking of fentanyl. He also cited a national security package that Congress adopted this year with provisions he had proposed to allow the U.S. to sanction transnational criminal organizations involved in opioid smuggling across the border. Kaine arrived in the Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday night to see firsthand both the challenges of border security and some of the successes in technology deployed in the Brownsville District of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to detect illegal shipments of fentanyl in cargo trucks seeking to cross the border. The good news is the investments weve been making in fentanyl interdiction technology are working, he said. We just need to do more of it. Kaine said he had meet with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials and observed use of the technology at border crossings on both cargo and pedestrian bridges. He also met with prosecutors in the U.S. Attorneys Office and law enforcement, including the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as Sister Norma Pimental, human rights advocate for people seeking asylum and refugee status. Later on Friday, he was scheduled to meet with border patrol agents before returning to Virginia and, on Saturday, going back onto the campaign trail. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, the Republican nominee for vice president, will also be campaigning in Virginia soon. On Friday, his campaign said Vance will deliver remarks at a rally in Radford at 6 p.m. on Monday. The rally will be in the Dedmon Center at Radford University. Doors open at 3 p.m. The 2024 Republican National Convention in photos City shuts down Cancun real estate project selling lots with falsified documents Cancun, Q.R. A Cancun real estate project reported for selling lots with falsified documents has been closed. The lots being sold and resold with falsified documents was finally shut down June 26. Dozens of people who bought the lots are out hundreds of thousands of pesos. According to state officials, the scam has amounted to more than 200 million pesos. Real estate lots for less than 350,000 pesos were being sold by a company called Global Martinez for the eventual development of Cuidad Varuna. The new residential development was near the Cancun International Airport. On June 26, municipal authorities in Cancun permanently closed Oriolo Residencial, owned by the Global Martinez real estate company for building without permits, not having subdivision plans or a subdivision license authorized by the Municipal Secretariat of Ecology and Urban Development. Through the companies Ciudad Varuna and Inver Varuna, the real estate company Global Martinez defrauded hundreds families by selling lots on land owned by the nation where the Maya Train will pass. The 250 square meters lots they were selling was on land that belongs to the federal government for Maya Train development. The company has been selling lots on the 413 hectares of land for around four years. The real estate project was permanently shut down June 26 of this year after illegally selling government owned lots. Numerous buyers took advantage of the small down payment and easy 120 monthly installment plan to pay for their lots during the first stage of selling. However, they soon found out that the land they bought actually belongs to the government. There have been allegations of internal corruption. Roman Meyer Falcon, the Secretary of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development (Sedatu), says the that title of ownership of the project was falsified with official documents. He says that the titles, public officials names and signatures of officials were falsified and an attempt was made to register these titles in the Public Property Registry. It was then that the Public Registry contact the Secretaria de Desarrollo Agrario, Territorial y Urbano (Sedatu) to verify signatures and names. Meyer Falcon said they verified the titles as being false. In March of 2022 , Sedatu requested the Public Property Registry of Quintana Roo to carry out the immobilization and securing of the property. He also requested, through a document, that the Municipal Cadastre Office of Benito Juarez refrain from granting permits, authorizations or licenses on the Varuna property. However, the Global Martinez company, through the commercial and investment promotion companies it established between July and September 2021, continued to sell the lots. Despite requests from Sedatu, the titles to Ciudad Varuna were irregularly registered in the state public registry. In December 2023, the agency filed complaints with the Attorney Generals Office of the Republic (FGR) and the state (FGE) for the falsification of the title of ownership of the 413 hectares. Dozens of buyers are said to be out around 200 million pesos. In response to protests from defrauded customers demanding their money back, Global Martinez s sellers are offering to move them to other real estate developments such as Camelias Residencial or Oriolo Residencial, despite the latter having already been closed. On June 26, Cancun City Hall officials visited the site themselves to shut it down. A minute-long video of its closure was posted on social media by Pablo Gutierrez Fernandez, the Secretariat of Ecology and Urban Development who said we kindly call on citizens to take care of their assets and seek advice before investing in a property. The Oriolo Residential Complex was closed for not complying with the necessary permits for its construction. Suspect wanted in 2004 murder of Arizona woman extradited from Mexico Mexico City, Mexico The suspect in the 2004 sexual assault and murder of an Arizona woman has been extradited from Mexico. On Thursday, the Attorney General of the Republic (FGR) extradited Sergio R to the U.S. to face charges. Sergio R was considered a fugitive by the United States government. He was wanted by the Superior Court of the State of Arizona in Maricopa County for the crimes of homicide and sexual assault, the FGR (Fiscalia General de la Republica) reported. In July 2004, Sergio R sexually assaulted a woman and subsequently strangled her to death. Following the efforts of the FGR, the Government of Mexico granted the extradition of the defendant to the Government of the United States after achieving his arrest in March 2023 in Rosarito, Baja California, they reported in a statement. The suspect was handed over at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) to U.S. federal agents for his transfer. If theres one particular type of person that the worlds most important citiesNew York, Washington, D.C., Londonneed more than any other its the saint. Of course, we need saints everywhere, but the cruciality of our cities as centers of culture means we have a special need for virtuous Christians to be in citiesfirst to sanctify them but also to take advantage of the abundance of resources and learn from the innovations found there. We need Christians driven by a love for Christ to live in cities and skillfully navigate them, sanctify them, and contend with the other philosophies and religions in them. In a recent interview with Bishop Robert Barron, Dr. Patrick Deneen expressed dismay at what he sees as our economic systems tendency to take college graduates away from local and regional settings. Instead, graduates go to cities like Washington and New York to take jobs working for consulting firms, senators, and courts, where they have less of a positive impact on society. He called on young college graduates to shift their thinking and become valuable stewards of society and admired people within smaller, local settings. Dr. Deneens point is well taken: it is important to have good people in local settings to lead their communities. And it is indeed a wonderful vocation to spend ones life bettering a small community, especially if that place is lacking human capital and strong church leaders. Further, hes right to be concerned that many bright and ambitious college graduates take jobs that, while beneficial for their wallets and social status, may not be so morally beneficial to society. However, the notion that these graduates should shy away from the cosmopolitan corridors of power neglects the importance of these places for the faith and the world. Cities like New York are characterized by diverse personalities with differing skill sets and ideas who meet up and create. Diversity begets more diversity. This phenomenon is what the late political philosopher Gerald Gaus called autocatalytic diversity. The high levels of diversity in cities strongly fuel cultural, social, and political innovation, and many of societys most significant cultural currents are developed in them and flow from them. Because of the importance of cities as both cultural battlegrounds and cooperation zones, it is imperative for Christians to be active there. Cosmopolitan Christians will have the opportunity not only to sanctify the centers of our civilization but also sanctify their own souls by cultivating virtue. The late Presbyterian pastor Tim Keller elaborated on these themes frequently. Cosmopolitan Christians have always been central to the Christian faith. Many of the most influential early Christians were skilled navigators of urban environments who spent the most important parts of their careers in these places. Think about how many of the Church Fathers lived out their vocations in the most important cities of the Roman Empire. Even St. Anthony the Great, the legendary monk credited for helping found Christian monasticism, twice left his isolated ascetical abode in the Egyptian desert to support persecuted Christians in Alexandria against the Romans and the Arians. St. Paul is the most obvious of the cosmopolitan saints, as he spent nearly all his time in cities, where he was in constant contention with both fellow Jews and Gentiles. Even Christs own ministry in Jerusalem can be characterized in a similar way. (After all, who is the hero in the parable of the Good Samaritan?) The active, sanctifying presence of the ancient worlds Cosmopolitan Christians was essential to the faiths success in the Roman Empire, not only in terms of evangelization but also in learning how better to solve the problems facing the faith. An example of this is the use of Greek philosophical language in solving the problem of how to articulate the Holy Trinity. Neoplatonism had a strong intellectual presence in third-century Alexandria, one of the largest, most diverse cities in the empire. This pagan philosophy had a huge influence on the Church Father Origen. He took the term hypostasis(often translated person) from Greek philosophy and was the first one to use it to refer to distinctions made between the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. This term would also become essential to the formation of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in the fourth century. Learning from people with different approaches to life means benefitting from their vocabulary, education, and differing perspective. They also do not have many of the same blind spots we do. Not to mention the many ways they can benefit and learn from us as well. What might Cosmopolitan Christians navigating, sanctifying, contending, and learning in cities look like today? In addition to heroic, saintly vocations like that of Mother Cabrini, sanctification of the world by the laity could mean integrating faith with secular vocations such as joining and starting Young Catholic Professionals chapters. It could mean integrating faith with innovative forms of art found in citiesjust take a look at gospel drill as one example. Cities are environments in which Christians can find myriad opportunities to meld faith with whatever their calling or special talent may be. A cosmopolitan environment also allows for strong opportunities for Christians to develop Christian virtues. Biblical and patristic literature tell us that in these diverse environments, we ought to maintain good conduct (1 Pet. 2:12) and to be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence (1 Pet. 3:15). We are also told to contend for the faith (Jude 1:3), which requires courage. A couple of common conservative reasons for not wanting to live in a city are that it can be very unpleasant (crime, crowds, high cost of living) and that you (and, where applicable, your children) will be surrounded by impious values. There is obvious truth to both concerns. There is even data on how people in areas with greater diversity show lower levels of community participation and happiness. However, overcoming these things are an important part of cultivating virtue and can play up the importance of creating a community within a community by becoming an active member of a church, which could help mitigate some of these downsides. Also important to note is that the crucial factor in handing down the faith to children is a warm and fully faith-integrated family lifenot necessarily a faith-friendly cultural environment. So, young Christians, consider establishing your presence in New York or London (or, depending on your language skills, Rome, Paris, Berlin, or Tokyo)! They need you, the culture needs you, and you can benefit from what these cities have to offer. Take on the attitude that Tertullian had toward the cosmopolitan society of his time: We sojourn with you in the world, abjuring neither forum, nor shambles, nor bath, nor booth, nor workshop, nor inn, nor weekly market, nor any other places of commerce. Live out the Christian life, build a presence at the source of our culture, and sanctify the future of our civilization. Most 70-year-olds do not spend their time biking from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. Mike Glauser is not most 70-year-olds. The Utah State professor began his trek in Florence, Oregon, on June 3 and made his way into Virginia, traveling from Radford to Lexington on Wednesday. His 44-day journey is supporting Pedaling to End Poverty, which Glauser said has already raised about $450,000 throughout his trip. Our hope is to get hundreds of people to donate small amounts and become aware of our program, Glauser said from a gas station near Buchanan on Wednesday. It actually works; weve won some national and international awards and we really have had a lot of success actually bringing people out of poverty. Glauser estimated the program will receive at least another $50,000 in donations through donors pledging a certain amount for each mile he bikes. What we are suggesting is that people donate (an amount) per mile, he said. A penny per mile is $40 (total). The charity is part of a Utah State program that puts 100 students each year through entrepreneurship training. The students involved learn to mentor people in business startups, then go around the world to work with families that live in extreme poverty. The goal is to double or triple the household income of that family, get their kids back in school, help them get some shelter and improve their homes and lifestyle, Glauser said. In 2022, 9% of the global population lived on less than $2.15 per day, according to the World Bank. There have been so many different programs that have been launched to help solve that problem, and weve created one that actually works, Glauser said. We love that it changes the lives of our students and we love the fact that theyre doing a lot of good in the world. For 13 years, Glauser has worked as the executive director of Utah States entrepreneurship center. Ten years ago, he biked an identical cross-country route to support a similar program. Now in his second trip, he has had ample experience with Southwest Virginia. (Virginia) has beautiful canopies and trees and lots of shade, beautiful farms and fields and extremely friendly people, from end to end and border to border, Glauser said. Its one of the prettiest states we go through. Were getting used to the rolling hills, the up and down, which we really kind of like. Before hitting Virginia and after starting in Oregon, Glauser and his team passed through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky. They plan to finish in Yorktown on Saturday. As Glauser and his team approach the final few days of their trip, he emphasized a desire to raise awareness for Pedaling to End Poverty. The goal is to expose the US to our program, that we have something that works, to get more students involved and to raise enough money to keep growing the program so more and more people can have that experience and more families can climb out of poverty, Glauser said. Those interested in supporting the charity can visit pedalingtoendpoverty.org. Travelers wait in Terminal 1 for check-in at Hamburg Airport, in Hamburg, Germany, Friday July 19, 2024. A widespread Microsoft outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world on Friday. (Bodo Marks/dpa via AP) Bodo Marks/AP Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport sleep in a jetway for a delayed United Airlines flight to Dulles International Airport due to a widespread global outage early Friday, July 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. Stefanie Dazio/AP Numerous passengers wait in front of a black display board at the capital's Berlin Brandenburg Airport, in Schonefeld, Germany, Friday July 19, 2024, after a widespread technology outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world. (Christoph Soeder/dpa via AP) Christoph Soeder/AP Commuter disembark a Great Northern railway train at Hunt's Cross station in Liverpool, England, amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks, Friday, July 19, 2024. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP) Peter Byrne/AP Passengers walk at Victoria train station, in London, amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks, Friday July 19, 2024. (Aaron Chown/PA via AP) Aaron Chown/AP The logo of Microsoft is seen outside it's French headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux, outside Paris, Monday May 13, 2024. Microsoft users worldwide, including banks and airlines, reported widespread outages on Friday, July 19, 2024 hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. Thibault Camus/AP This shows a general view of a Great Northern railway train at Hunt's Cross station in Liverpool, England amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks, Friday, July 19, 2024. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP) Peter Byrne/AP A traveler at Los Angeles International Airport sits in a jetway for a delayed United Airlines flight to Dulles International Airport due to a widespread global technology outage disrupting flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. Stefanie Dazio/AP A view of the apron from the visitors' terrace at the capital's Berlin Brandenburg Airport, in Schonefeld, Germany, Friday July 19, 2024. A widespread technology outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world. (Christoph Soeder/dpa via AP) Christoph Soeder/AP A plane takes off at the capital's Berlin Brandenburg Airport, in Schonefeld, Germany, Friday July 19, 2024. A widespread Microsoft outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world on Friday. (Christoph Soeder/dpa via AP) Christoph Soeder/AP Passengers walk through Terminal 1 at capital's Berlin Brandenburg Airport, in Schonefeld, Germany, Friday July 19, 2024, after a widespread technology outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world. (Christoph Soeder/dpa via AP) Christoph Soeder/AP Passengers wait in front of check-in counters at the capital's Berlin Brandenburg Airport, in Schonefeld, Germany, Friday July 19, 2024, after a widespread technology outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world. (Christoph Soeder/dpa via AP) Christoph Soeder/AP WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) A global technology outage grounded flights, knocked banks offline and media outlets off air on Friday in a massive disruption that affected companies and services around the world and highlighted dependence on software from a handful of providers. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said that the issue believed to be behind the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue affected Microsoft 365 apps and services, and escalating disruptions continued hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The website DownDectector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon, and airlines including American Airlines and Delta. News outlets in Australia reported that airlines, telecommunications providers and banks, and media broadcasters were disrupted as they lost access to computer systems. Airlines in the U.K., Europe and India reported problems and some New Zealand banks said they were offline. Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion and that they were observing a positive trend in service availability. The company did not respond to a request for comment. It did not explain the cause of the outage further. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz posted on social media platform X that the company is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He said: This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. New Zealand's acting prime minister, David Seymour, said on X that officials in the country were moving at pace to understand the potential impacts of the global problem. I have not currently received any reporting to indicate these issues are related to malicious cyber security activity, Seymour wrote. The issue was causing inconvenience" for the public and businesses, he added. Israels Cyber Directorate that it was among the places affected by the global outages, attributing them to a problem with Crowdstrike. The outage also hit the countrys post offices and hospitals, according to the ministries of communication and health. Meanwhile, major disruptions reported by airlines and airports grew. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the U.S., the FAA said the airlines United, American, Delta and Allegiant had all been grounded. Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport slept on a jetway floor, using backpacks and other luggage for pillows, due to a delayed United flight to Dulles International Airport early on Friday. Airlines, railways and television stations in the United Kingdom were being disrupted by the computer issues. The budget airline Ryanair, train operators TransPennine Express and Govia Thameslink Railway, as well as broadcaster Sky News are among those affected. Were currently experiencing disruption across the network due to a global third party IT outage which is out of our control, Ryanair said. We advise all passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their scheduled departure time. Edinburgh Airport said the system outage meant waiting times were longer than usual. Londons Stansted Airport said some airline check-in services were being completed manually, but flights were still operating. Widespread problems were reported at Australian airports, where lines grew and some passengers were stranded as online check-in services and self-service booths were disabled. Passengers in Melbourne queued for more than an hour to check in, although flights were still operating. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Airline operations in India were disrupted, affecting thousands. The privately-owned IndiGo airlines told the passengers on X that the Microsoft outage on Friday impacted airline operations in India, inconveniencing thousands of passengers. Several airlines made statements on X saying that they were following manual check-in and boarding processes and warned of delays due to technical problems. Hong Kongs Airport Authority said in a statement that the outage was affecting some airlines at the citys airport and they had switched to manual check-in. Amsterdams Schiphol Airport said on its website that the outage was having a major impact on flights to and from the busy European hub. The outage came on one of the busiest days of the year for the airport, at the start of many peoples summer vacations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In Germany, Berlin Airport said Friday morning that due to a technical fault, there will be delays in check-in. It said that flights were suspended until 10 a.m. (0800GMT), without giving details, German news agency dpa reported. Zurich Airport, the busiest in Switzerland, suspended landings on Friday morning but said flights headed there that were already in the air were still allowed to land. It said that several airlines, handling agents and other companies at the airport were affected, and that check-in had to be done manually in some cases, but that the airports own systems were running. At Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport, some US-bound flights had posted delays, while others were unaffected. Australia appeared to be severely affected by the issue. Outages reported on the site DownDetector included the banks NAB, Commonwealth and Bendigo, and the airlines Virgin Australia and Qantas, as well as internet and phone providers such as Telstra. Hospitals in Britain and Germany also reported problems. Several practices within the National Health Service in England reported that the outage had hit their clinical computer system that contains medical records and is used for scheduling. We have no access to patient clinical records so are unable to book appointments or provide information, Church Lane Surgery in Brighouse in Northern England said on the social media platform X. This is a national problem and is being worked on as a high priority. The NHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In northern Germany, the Schleswig-Holstein University Hospital, which has branches in Kiel and Luebeck, said it had canceled all elective surgery scheduled for Friday, but patient and emergency care were unaffected. News outlets in Australia including the ABC and Sky News were unable to broadcast on their TV and radio channels, and reported sudden shutdowns of Windows-based computers. Some news anchors broadcast live online from dark offices, in front of computers showing blue screens of death. In South Africa, at least one major bank said it was experiencing nationwide service disruptions as customers reported they were unable to make payments using their bank cards at grocery stores and gas stations. The New Zealand banks ASB and Kiwibank said their services were down. An X user posted a screenshot of an alert from the company Crowdstrike that said the company was aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to its Falcon Sensor platform. The alert was posted on a password-protected Crowdstrike site and could not be verified. Crowdstrike did not respond to a request for comment. ___ Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The controversial Project 2025 might not only threaten people's human rights if passed, but it could also potentially spell the end for free weather reports in the whole US too. First spotted by The Atlantic, included in the 881-page manifesto are plans to dismantle the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the two agencies responsible for providing regular weather reports across the country. Project 2025 authors claimed the agencies have "become one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry," and in turn, pose harm to the "future US prosperity." These NWS and NOAA are the same government units that issue thunderstorms, heat waves, tornados, and flood warnings to citizens as damages caused by severe weather disasters continue to rise due to climate change. Project 2025: Reallocate NWS, NOAA Functions to Private Services The conservative-led plan proposed to have many of the agencies' "functions limited" or reallocated to other agencies. While private weather institutions are providing regular weather notices, most services are tied behind paywalls or are reliant on the NWS data. Experts have long raised issues with the rise of more privatized weather-related services as it could affect the public's access to the best climate data available, not to mention its vulnerability to biases due to the limited regulations around digital weather reports. Defunding NWS, NOAA Could Worsen US Disaster Response This was not the first time the NWS and NOAA were at risk of being defunded or entirely shut down as internal politics in the government interfered with disaster and climate change response. Similar issues surfaced during former President Donald Trump's term, who has been associated with several Project 2025 architects, as he kept citing inaccurate figures to minimize the threat of climate change to Americans. And it seems like the Project 2025 180-day outlook intends to do the same thing again after the upcoming 2024 Elections. With a huge majority of the country's stronger heat waves during summer and more intense hurricanes during the wet season, defunding the agencies responsible for monitoring weather changes could lead to catastrophic results. FILE PHOTO: An Air India Boeing 777 plane is towed at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Air India said on Friday a plane sent to pick up passengers stranded in Russia has departed for San Francisco after the previous day's flight made an emergency landing there. An Air India airplane flying from Delhi to the West Coast city made an emergency landing in Russia after the crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area, its second such incident on the route in just over a year. In a statement, Air India said a team, including crew and security personnel, were on board the ferry flight and that it had set up a dedicated hotline for anyone wanting to reach out to passengers. Many carriers, including U.S. and European Union airlines, avoid Russian airspace following the war in Ukraine, but Air India uses that route, giving it a flying time and cost advantage on U.S.-bound flights. The Indian embassy in Russia said on social media platform X that a team of three senior officials and an interpreter have reached Krasnoyarsk airport to assist the passengers. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement that about one-third of the passengers are U.S. citizens, adding that it has been in contact with a number of passengers and their family members. The Boeing 777 aircraft, carrying 225 passengers and 19 flight crew, made a precautionary landing safely in the Russian region of Siberia at the Krasnoyarsk International Airport, the airline said in a statement. The airport said the flight's crew had been moved to hotels, and passengers were in the international departure area, which angered some of those stranded, according to social media posts. Mayank Gupta, whose mother was on the flight, wrote on X he was "sad and angry" that her medicines and luggage remained on the airplane. A passenger said on X that people were struggling to get food and water, posting a photo showing some passengers sleeping on the floor inside the airport area. The airport said the plane landed due to an activated smoke detector. Shortly after the incident, Russia's civil aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya, said the aircraft had taxied to a parking spot after landing and there had been no signs of a fire or smoke onboard. Boeing deferred to Air India for comment on the incident. Russia banned many foreign carriers from its airspace in retaliation for Western sanctions over the Ukraine war, and many countries and airlines also banned their planes from crossing over all or part of Russia. The bans have redrawn air routes and upset business models for some airlines that now need to fly around the world's largest country. United Airlines cancelled many of its non-stop U.S.-India flights due to the issue. In June 2023, an Air India Boeing plane on the same route was stranded for a day after reporting a technical issue. Air India sent an aircraft a day later to pick up the stranded passengers. (Reporting by Urvi Dugar, Kanjyik Ghosh, Gnaneshwar Rajan and Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru, and Lisa Barrington in Seoul, Ron Popeski, Aditya Kalra and Aditi Shah; Editing by Franklin Paul, Lincoln Feast, Jamie Freed, Miral Fahmy and Diane Craft) By Tora Agarwala GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) - A fleet of taxis, a security escort, and a harrowing six-hour journey brought Asif Hussain and about 80 other Indian students back home on Friday from Bangladesh, where violence has erupted between protesters and security forces. At least 20 people have been killed in the clashes this week - most of them in the capital Dhaka - with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets to scatter protesters who also torched vehicles and establishments. The protesters oppose a system of quotas for government jobs. Some mobile internet services were cut off on Thursday and telecom links remained widely disrupted on Friday. For Hussain, who studies at a private medical college in Bangladesh's Manikganj district, about 50 km (30 miles)from Dhaka, being cut off from his family in India was especially "stressful". "Our college was not affected by the violence but we heard there was trouble in the town (about 15 minutes away)," he told Reuters. As news came in of students being killed in Dhaka, Hussain and about 80 others from his college hired private taxis to travel to the border that Bangladesh shares with India's eastern state of West Bengal, about 170 km away. The Indian High Commission (embassy) in Bangladesh also provided the students with a security escort after they requested for it, Hussain said. Leaving their college at 2.30 a.m., the group reached the border six hours later but crossed it only in the afternoon after clearing immigration. For Hussain, the journey will continue for another day as he travels to his hometown, Dhubri, in Assam state. "It has been very scary...I have (still) not been able to speak to many of my friends in Dhaka," he said. Around 8,500 Indians are studying in Bangladesh - many of them pursuing medicine - India's foreign ministry says, and about 15,000 Indians live in the country. Bangladesh's history is closely intertwined with India, which intervened on the side of Bengali nationalists in their 1971 war of independence against Pakistan. India's Meghalaya state, which too shares a border with Bangladesh, is also helping to evacuate people, with officials saying more than 350 students from India, Nepal and Bhutan have entered through this route so far. In an advisory, India urged its citizens in Bangladesh to minimise movement outside their residences. The foreign ministry on Friday said that all Indians in Bangladesh were safe. Nepal similarly said it was "closely monitoring" the situation in Bangladesh, where around 3,000 of its citizens study and another 50 work with the United Nations and other international organisations. (Reporting by Tora Agarwala, Additional reporting by Kathmandu newsroom; writing by Sakshi Dayal; editing by Angus MacSwan) Dr. Antonis Armoundas was studying electrical engineering at the National Technical University of Athens in his native Greece when he decided the subject was a bit too dry for his taste. "I couldn't find any meaning to what I was doing," he said. So, he started looking into biomedical engineering, which applies engineering's problem-solving tools to biology and medicine to improve human health. His interest piqued, he dug into a senior thesis on the topic, then pursued a master's degree in biomedical engineering from Boston University and a doctorate in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Along the way, Armoundas' passion for medicine grew. "I felt like I was serving a purpose that was more meaningful," he said. "Medicine became my main passion, but using engineering principles in medicine provided that meaning." Armoundas now studies the ways artificial intelligence, or AI, can improve health care. He is principal investigator at the Cardiovascular Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He talked about his AI work with American Heart Association News as part of "The Experts Say," a series in which specialists explain how they apply what they've learned to their own lives. The following interview has been edited. How is AI being used in the field of cardiology? We know that AI is used in every aspect of cardiology, including in the diagnosis, classification and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. I chaired the writing committee for an American Heart Association scientific statement earlier this year where we addressed the main areas in which it is applied. Some examples of how it's used include interpreting cardiac imaging and matching genetic variants to health-related traits to better understand genetic risks for disease. We know that AI has even exceeded the performance of medical experts in some cases when interpreting cardiac imaging. It can detect subtle, non-visually detected signatures in data to make a more accurate diagnosis. How do you use AI in your work at Massachusetts General Hospital? My focus is to try to improve in-hospital and out-of-hospital patient monitoring. Regarding in-hospital monitoring, we want to integrate all patient-related information available in order to make the best possible decisions with these patients. That means being able to predict and prevent adverse events. We also aim to use AI to help determine the optimal time to discharge a patient. We don't want to keep patients longer than they should be staying or discharge them faster than they should. AI can help make those decisions. It will integrate information obtained from different sources that is dynamically changing during a patient's hospital stay, such as electrocardiograms, blood pressure and electronic health records. Since we can't have a doctor next to the patient all the time, AI can collect all this data and integrate it, see if certain parameters are being exceeded. Then it can make a recommendation, perhaps that patient X should stay one extra day. With respect to out-of-hospital monitoring, we know many, many people use wearable devices such as smartwatches that collect data, such as whether someone is having an irregular heart rhythm. Many devices are not medical grade, so we can't fully trust these data yet, but we're heading toward better technologies. We want to use the data these devices collect to make decisions about when a patient should be coming to the hospital. We don't want to bring someone to the hospital for a checkup without a reason, but we also don't want to bring them too late when their condition has worsened. AI can help us make better decisions about when they should come in, which could not only improve care but also reduce costs, which is another significant benefit. How does AI account for non-measurable data, such as how a person feels? We do need to recognize and integrate how the patient is feeling their symptoms into this process. We need more than a person's vital signs and how those may be fluctuating. But there are apps that can record this by asking questions. How do you feel during or after exercise? How is your mental state? Do you have an appetite? It can be a questionnaire and the person can log into the app every day to report how they are feeling. All these states of being can be integrated with the other data we collect. Do you use AI outside of work? AI has entered every aspect of our lives, whether we know it or not. It is used in navigation systems in the car to help us assess traffic and choose the optimal route to get somewhere. It is used to determine whether an email is spam. It is used in social media to direct our interests to certain topics. We may not pay attention to it or understand how it's being used, but it has entered our lives to stay. The foundational principles behind AI are not new. They have been taught for many years back, but they were not called AI or machine learning. The AI research and development today is enabled by an explosion in the volume of data we collect, as well as the vastly increased computational power that is available to process these data. When a new technology appears, I may not use it directly in my work, but I will experiment with it. For example, I'm taking a paper I've written and I want to see how well a new application of AI can understand it, whether it can generate an accurate summary of what I wrote. I've also had discussions with my son, Alkinoos, who is a 22-year-old, second-year medical student, about a project he's doing to compare a physician's opinion in making a diagnosis to how well AI could make a correct diagnosis using the patient's symptoms, physical exam and diagnostic and lab tests. Even more importantly, he wants to know whether AI could guide the process of decision-making for a physician. Could AI help improve the prognosis or management of a case? How might AI be used in medicine in the future? The future is the integration of all this data. We want to take all these disparate aspects of clinical knowledge, genomics, data taken from wearable devices and electronic health records and our medical history and integrate it into systems that can make optimal predictions about a person's health. I'm fascinated by the integration of data for multi-organ systems research that is, how medicine is starting to be addressed holistically, not focusing on a single organ problem but rather the body as a whole. For example, how a person's mental state is linked to cardiovascular disease. Each one of us is different and we need that personalized care to improve outcomes. This is the hope of AI in medicine, the transition one day to providing equitable care and improving outcomes on an individualized basis. covers heart and brain health. Not all views expressed in this story reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. Care and Feeding is Slates parenting advice column. Have a question for Care and Feeding? Submit it here. Dear Care and Feeding, My nearly 6-year-old is a bit of a creepy child. She likes cemeteries and talks about death a lot, like almost constantly, but not in a worried way. Shell poll the family who we think will die first, ask how bodies die and what happens to them after, and call sparklers gravestone dust. She generally enjoys talking about family members and pets who have died. All of this is very chipper and curious. We are not religious, and I give straightforward answers. It doesnt bother me, but should I be worried? Should I be telling her not to talk like this to others? I dont want to send her the message that death is inherently scary or taboo, but I also dont want her to weird other people out. P.S.: Shes not really into scary things, like scary movies or books or haunted houses; its not a full on horror kid vibe. Wednesday Addams Dear Wednesday, Its very likely that this fascination with death is just a phase that your daughter is going through. It also may be the case that she ends up having a better relationship with death than most people. I wouldnt be worried, but I would caution her that other people are not always as comfortable with the subject and that she should be sensitive to that, particularly among her peers. You should also discourage her from topics like whos gonna die first, because they can be upsetting, no matter how well someone understands and accepts death. Make sure she knows that the death talk should be reserved for home and not brought to school to freak out her classmates. Explain that death is a natural part of life, but also one that can make people sad and scared, and that she should avoid talking about it with people aside from her parents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Want Advice on Parenting, Kids, or Family Life? Submit your questions to Care and Feeding here. Its anonymous! (Questions may be edited for publication.) Dear Care and Feeding, We live in an affluent part of Connecticut thats pretty significant in pop culture (the median home price is about $3.5 million). We have a daughter who is a great student and a great person overall. She doesnt actually care about material things that much. She wears typical clothing thats normal for a 16-year-old, and she doesnt care too much about the newest electronics and just utilizes whatever works. With that being said, we are open with her that our lives arent typical and that we need to be cognizant of our privilege compared to 99 percent of the world. We make sure shes not bragging or making fun of people who arent in our situation; my wife didnt grow up in this type of environment, and I just dont condone it regardless. Advertisement Well, my daughter just turned 16 and all of her best friends received cars for their birthdays. Their cars are the same and cost $150k. We are buying her a car, but theres no way am I spending that kind of money for my 16-year-old. The thing is, now shes slowly not being invited to as many events with her friends, and I dont see her hanging out with them as often. She seems more sad than usual. I dont want to ask her best friends parents if anythings wrong because I dont want to embarrass her if they decide to ask their daughters about this. Every time I talk to my daughter, theres nothing wrong, even though its obvious that there is. What could be going on and what am I missing? No Affluenza Dear No Affluenza, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its possible that your daughter is experiencing some disconnect with her friend group, and being left out of the car party might have spurred that on. (Not that you did anything wrong; spending $150k on a teens first car is pretty ridiculous.) And/or there could be other issues between her and her pals. If shes not willing to open up to you, perhaps shed be game to talk to a therapist. Kids her age have a lot going on, and it may be useful for her to have a neutral party she can speak to; some teens just find it too embarrassing to talk to their parents about whats going on in their lives. Advertisement It could also be the case that the friend group issue appears bigger than it is and your daughters just more emotional lately because shes on the roller coaster ride that is puberty. Its not uncommon for teens to just feel sad, or mad, or malcontent. However, since you have the means, I think the best thing to do would be to find her a professional to speak to. Choose someone who has experience working with teenagers. In the meantime, keep asking questions. Gently share observations in a non-accusatory, non-judgmental way: Hey, Ive noticed that youre spending less time with the girls lately. Is anything going on? Advertisement Advertisement Finally, dont be afraid to talk to your daughter about some of the differences between your family and her friends. Explain why youre choosing the sort of car for her that youre getting and acknowledge that its understandable for her to compare it with her homegirls luxury whips. Let her know that anyone who would treat her as less than because she doesnt have a $150k car isnt someone she should be friends with in the first place. She may not want to hear it, but she needs to. Advertisement Advertisement Catch Up on Care and Feeding Missed earlier columns this week? Read them here. Discuss this column in the Slate Parenting Facebook group! Dear Care and Feeding, I have a seven-year-old son whos extremely sensitive to certain smells and foods. Its been quite challenging navigating his needs. The other day at the playground, I found myself in an awkward situation with another mother. I know that her daughters lunch had a strong smell that has been bothering my son, so I decided to mention it, even though I felt awkward doing so. I tried to explain how these odors were disrupting his school day and affecting his appetite. I approached her politely, hoping for some understanding. However, she completely dismissed my concerns and suggested that my son could just move away if he didnt like it. I was taken aback; it felt like she didnt care about my sons well-being at all. Advertisement Advertisement My husband thinks I could have handled it better, but Im not sure what else I could have done. I was just trying to advocate for my son. His sensitivity to smells and foods is already such a challenge, and these strong odors are making his school days unbearable. He shouldnt have to suffer because this other mother packs food that is not appropriate for a childs school lunch. I approached the other mother calmly, hoping she might change her mind out of common decency. Instead, she refused to consider any changes; she even resorted to profane language. I hate seeing my son struggle like this. I refuse to let him dread school lunches because of someone elses insensitivity. What else can I do to get the other mother to comply with my request? Im open to any and all suggestions, even if I have to go over her head or pursue legal options. I know it may sound drastic, but my childs welfare is at stake, and I need somebody aside from me to take this situation seriously. One Angry Mama Bear Dear Mama Bear, Advertisement Advertisement I can imagine how difficult it must be for you to watch your son struggle with his sensitivity, but thats not reason enough for another parent to change what they send their child for lunch. Its one thing if were talking about a play date, but its not fair to expect other children to adapt what they eat just because hes in the vicinity. You dont know what sort of food-related issues the other kids may be dealing with that may require them to eat foods you consider odorous. You dont say what this food was, but its also worth considering that so-called ethnic food is often pungent, leading kids who bring it to school to be teased about it. It would be culturally insensitive to suggest that they start bringing other dishes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is there perhaps a scent that your son can smell when hes triggered by something unpleasant, like an essential oil that he can carry in his backpack. You should talk to your sons teacher and perhaps principal about making adequate accommodations for him; unfortunately, that may have to entail him sitting by himself. It may suck, but if thats the only way you can avoid him dealing with uncomfortable smells, then its necessary. Perhaps he can have an assigned seat in the cafeteria where other kids have to maintain their distance, or maybe he can eat by himself in a classroom. Sorry to say, but there isnt much else you can do. I realize that many classrooms have gone nut free to accommodate student allergies, but a sensitivity to smell is much more subjective and difficult to plan around. The specific smells that repulse your child may be carried by the foods his classmates need to survive. Advertisement Advertisement Dear Care and Feeding, I am not sure what, if anything, I can do to help my little niblings, who are growing up in a house with two very actively addicted parents. My sister-in-law was recently hospitalized for alcohol poisoning, and we have also discovered that my brother is drinking daily to excess. Child Protective Services visited them, but they dont seem to be moving forward with requiring AA, parenting classes, or therapy. We think my brother and his wife must have put on a good dog-and-pony show when the case worker visited. Advertisement I know I cant make someone be ready to get clean and sober, and if my brother didnt have kids I think Id feel more accepting of that. But these little humans deserve a home thats not scary, unpredictable, and sometimes dangerous. Is there anything I can do, other than continuing to support my brother and encourage him to seek help? I feel like someday these kids are going to come ask me why I didnt save them, and Im not going to have a good answer. Niblings in Need Dear Niblings, Advertisement Are you in a position where you could take care of your brothers kids? It would be ideal for them to be removed from their home and cared for by someone responsible. Your brother and SIL may actually be willing to consider letting you have them, at least temporarily. If you can do it, make the offer. These kids deserve a safe place to live with a responsible adult caregiver. If not you, is there anyone else in the family who may be willing and able? If taking the kids isnt an option, do your best to remain as constant in their lives as possible because they need a stable grown-up to turn to. Take them on weekly outings, text them each night to see if they made it home safely, call frequently. Do everything you can to make sure these children know that someone loves them. Also, pay close attention to the kids and their living conditions. You may end up making the difficult decision to report your brother and SIL to the authorities if you find that your niblings are in real danger. Unfortunately, theres no guarantee that theyd be placed in the care of a loved one and the foster system is certainly not something youd want for them to have to navigate. However, if their home is truly unsafe, it may be better for them than what they are experiencing now. What have you and your family members said to your brother and his wife about their issues? Has there been any attempt at an intervention? If not, consider finding an addiction specialist and bringing folks together to confront them. Perhaps hearing from you guys will, at the very least, convince them that they need to make other arrangements for their children for the time being. Jamilah For More Parenting Advice, Listen to the Care and Feeding Podcast When the storm chasers in the original Twister happen upon an unprecedented weather event, they cant believe their luck. Helen Hunts meteorologist is practically giddy with excitement when she informs her colleagues that its the biggest series of storms in 12 years, one lined up right after the other, adding that the National Severe Storms Laboratory has never seen anything like it. But by the time Twisters picks up the story nearly 30 years later, extreme weather is no longer such an extraordinary occurrence. At least in Tornado Alley, the vertical strip in the Central U.S. where the movies take place, dramatic and destructive storms are regular enough that you can build a business plan around them, whether youre a land baron buying up properties at fire-sale prices or a social-media star like Glen Powells Tyler Owens, who steers his specially modified pickup truck into harms way and flashes a gleaming grin to the camera amid the chaos. For Tyler and his band of thrill-seeking misfits, who call themselves the Tornado Wranglers, its not enough to just catch up with the storms. They have to master them. For an unabashedly overblown (in every sense) blockbuster, the original Twister has surprisingly modest stakes. After watching her father get sucked up by a tornado when she was a child, Hunts Jo Harding has dedicated her life to research that, if successful, would increase the warning time before storms strike from three to 15 minutesenough time for more people to get to safety, sure, but hardly enough to do anything about the rest of the destruction those storms typically wreak. (According to one estimate, a four-day tornado outbreak in April caused more than $2 billion in property damage.) The logic of sequels requires that Twisters raise the stakes, and so Daisy Edgar-Jones meteorologist Kate Cooperwho, like Hunts character, is driven by the tornado-related loss of loved ones, and similarly spends the bulk of the movie in a white tank topisnt out just to give people an even longer head start. Shes out to, in her words, tame tornadoes, using hyperabsorbent materials to starve them of the moisture on which they feed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite three decades of technological leaps, deploying Kates hoped-for solution still involves driving trucks through wheat fields at high rates of speed and hoping that the storm gets close enough to suck up their payloadbarrels full of, in this case, sodium polyacrylate, the same substance that, as one character points out early on, is used in diapers. Back in 2005, diaper gel magnate Peter Cordani proposed a much grander plan, using a fleet of 747s to dump the material into hurricanes, and scientists and entrepreneurs have proposed grander methods still, plans they hope could mitigate and even reverse the effects of climate change itself, like altering the composition of clouds so they reflect greater amounts of sunlight. Because as a long-term rise in global temperature has gone from a possibility to a virtual certainty, something else has also become clear: Warnings, no matter how stern or severe, simply arent enough. Advertisement Related From Slate Twister Almost Ruined Storm Chasing Back in the 1990s. The Sequel Has Hobbyists Battening Down the Hatches. Read More But focusing on larger solutions would require admitting larger problems, something Twisters director Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) has been reluctant to do. A few weeks ago, Chung made an appearance at the Hollywood Climate Summit, along with real-life scientists who testified to the movies accuracy. Climate change is a very real thing that were all dealing with, and were seeing the effects of that, said the films tornado consultant Sean Waugh, and characters in the film talk frequently about how much worse things have been of late. Because tornadoes are extremely localized phenomena, scientists have had difficulty pinpointing exactly how rising global temperatures affect them, but the storms have behaved differently in recent years, appearing more frequently in clusters, and some theorize that we will see more and more destructive thunderstorms as temperatures continue to rise. Advertisement Advertisement Chung, who was raised in rural Arkansas, is attuned to what he calls the reality of whats happening on the ground. Unlike the first movie, Twisters reflects an awareness that the sight of homes being shredded by churning winds is not merely a spectacle to be offered up for easy consumption. But Chung also deliberately avoids any mention of what might be contributing to that reality. Preaching messages, he told CNN, is not what I think cinema should be about. So no one in Twisters talks about why things might be getting worse. They just are, and we all have to deal with it. Advertisement Or maybe we dont? Instead of a message about climate change, Chungs movie puts forth a different idea: Dont sweat it. Science has got this. Theres little evidence that the diaper-gel solution could actually stop tornadoes, and decades of other proposals, including one that involves using satellites to bombard the atmosphere with microwaves, havent borne fruit either. But in Twisters, it just takes combining new discoveries with old onesKates particles and the chemicals that have been used for so-called cloud seeding since the mid-1940salong with a combination of intuition and sheer bravado. All you have to do is believe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These geoengineering solutions are especially attractive because they dont require any change. We can keep consuming to our hearts desire, secure in the knowledge that some smart person, now or in the future, will figure out a way to fill the hole faster than were digging it. The trouble is that when their powers arent enhanced by the magic of Hollywood screenwriting, these solutions remain largely theoretical, and the unforeseen negative consequences of altering the planets chemistry could be severe. Thats not counting the fact that most geoengineering proposals factor in worldwide cutbacks in carbon emissions equal or greater to the ones laid out in the Paris Agreement in 2015. Geoengineering, a study concluded last year, is not a quick fix for climate catastrophe but one that could require as long as a century to make a lasting difference. During Twisters climax, the characters take shelter in a small-town movie theater, but the building isnt strong enough to withstand the raging storm outside; the walls are torn away, and bodies fly out through the hole where the screen used to be. The problem is quite literally more than a movie can contain. Among former President Donald Trumps most concrete plans for a second term in office is some kind of nationwide deportation initiative to remove 15 million to 20 million immigrants via the use of military force. Trump himself has talked about it at length, as has his anti-immigration architect Stephen Miller. It was jarring on Wednesday to see the power of this message at the Republican National Convention, as attendees carried signs promising Mass Deportation Now and chanted, Send them back! It also put in stark relief the terror that a future Trump administration holds for Americas millions of undocumented immigrants. Project 2025, the wide-ranging road map crafted by right-wing think tanks and former Trump officials to guide hiring and policy in a second Trump term, features a 37-page Department of Homeland Security plan penned by former (unlawfully acting) DHS official Ken Cuccinelli. It outlines, among other extravagantly draconian procedures, a military deployment along the border empowered to conduct immigration enforcement. The Republican national platform now officially includes carry[ing] out the largest deportation operation in American history. The details vary, but the basic contours are that active-duty troops, from either National Guard units or one of the federal military branches, would conduct operations in urban areas in particular, arresting undocumented immigrants and putting them in military-run camps. That Trumps arrest targets exceed estimates of the national undocumented population suggests that theyd be rather cavalier about whom theyre arresting and caging and why. Think of Trumps chaotic first Muslim ban, which initially had almost no parameters and was read to illegally bar reentry for green card holders before being overturned in court. After detention, targeted immigrants could be placed in military aircraft and flown, well, somewhere. Advertisement At his RNC speech on Thursday, Trump repeated his bizarre and farcical claim that migrants are coming from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums, and terrorists at levels never seen before, before once again pledging the largest deportation operation in the history of our countryeven larger than that of President Dwight D. Eisenhower many years ago. This latter bit is an explicit reference to Operation Wetback (yes, that was its real name), a 1954 initiative to round up and deport hundreds of thousands of presumed Mexican immigrants that not only violated their civil and human rights but, historians agree, also targeted U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. That was a military-style operation using an armed Border Patrol, but Trump seems enthusiastic to go whole hog and just use the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This shockingly fascistic design hasnt really come into the public consciousness for a number of reasons, including its sheer breadth, but also because its easy to wave away as patently illegal. Troops are prohibited from conducting any domestic law enforcement under the longtime principle known as Posse Comitatus, and so this plan is dead before it can start, right? Sort of. That picture has now been complicated by the Supreme Courts ruling in Trump v. United States, in which the justices decided that presidents are fully immune from prosecution for any conduct that involves a core constitutional power. In fact, such official actions cant even be used as evidence in other investigations. Much of the commentary around this ruling has homed in on the possibility of a reelected Trump using the Justice Department to go after political enemies or try to steal an election (again), but its hard to think of a presidential power as clear-cut as dominion over the military. The presidents role as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States is the first power explicitly given in Article 2 of the Constitution. Although the ability to formally declare and wage war is granted to Congress, operational command is fully vested in the executive and is perversely less limited when the president is calling upon troops for uses other than war. Advertisement Advertisement Posse Comitatus, no matter how integral we consider it to our contemporary polity, is not a constitutional principle. In fact, it emerged only in the 1870s, as a direct backlash to the use of federal troops during Reconstruction. In the new calculus SCOTUS has laid out, core presidential powers like control of the military fully trump statutory constraints like this as far as presidential accountability is concerned. Put more simply, SCOTUS all but gave Trump the green light to violate Posse Comitatus with no conceivable civil or criminal repercussions. He cannot be sued or prosecuted as long as he has engaged in official acts, with the only course of action being the political remedy of impeachment, which has already twice failed to result in a conviction for Trump. Advertisement Advertisement The ruling directly covers only the president, not any lower-level officials who would still be constrained by federal law, a stipulation that would be a lot more reassuring if the power to grant Reprieves and Pardons werent a few lines after control of the military. Posse Comitatus is a federal law and, as far as I can tell, has no state-level equivalents, which means Trump would also be immune from offering and issuing pardons to any military officers who carried out criminal mass arrest, detainment, and deportation-operation orders. Advertisement Advertisement There would still be some avenues for targeted noncitizens and their local officials to fight back. The refusal by state and local governments to go along with Trumps efforts is arguably the only thing that prevented the administration from ever reaching the staggering numbers of removals that characterized the early part of the Obama era. Although once steadfast support for undocumented immigrants has recently softened in dense, migrant-heavy urban areas like New York City, mayors and governors will not be keen on hostile military operations in their jurisdictions, though what little precedent exists tends to have the military prevailing in a face-off with local authorities. Advertisement People who have not received orders of removal and are not within the parameters of expedited removal generally have a right to an administrative trial in the immigration courts. Those detained without due process could make an obvious appeal to the separate constitutional right of habeas corpus, or the principle that the government cant detain you without cause. Habeas petitions often end up being something of a last-ditch effort for detained immigrants; in one successful example, several medically vulnerable people were released from immigration detention during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Related From Slate John Roberts Just Delivered a Big Gift to Billionaires Read More If troops just start rounding people up, theres a straightforward argument for a habeas violation, though Trumpworld seems to be mobilizing to counteract this by going heavy on the talk of immigrant invasion, now a part of the official RNC platform and enthusiastically voiced by Trump VP pick Sen. J.D. Vance. This terminology as applied to humanitarian immigration is chosen carefully as rebellion and invasion, the only two constitutional rationales for suspending habeas corpus. Does this definition of invasion remotely make sense from a legal standpoint? Well, thatll be for an increasingly reactionary judiciary to decide. If Trump commits crimes in the meantime, of course, hes totally immune. Advertisement Advertisement Just to be clear, theres no reason to believe that Trump and his entourage of open authoritarians fundamentally place much stock in following the law on principle. But they understand the utility of the stamp of legal compliance on fascistic political movements, which can much more easily claim legitimacy if they are slotting into existing frameworks instead of blowing everything up. This was an undergirding idea of Millers relentless anti-immigrant machinations during Trumps first term, finding legal pretexts through which to shoehorn in wide-ranging restrictions that went well beyond what the laws were intended to do. (Again, see the Muslim ban.) Advertisement Advertisement The apex example was probably Title 42, the near-total border asylum restriction and expulsion program that most casual news observers still dont realize was technically enacted as a COVID countermeasure. It was in effect through roughly the last year of Trumps administration and the first two of Bidens despite what everyone could see was a phony premise (best exemplified by the fact that the government was expelling migrants who had tested negative for COVID, effectively neutralizing its own basic argument for having the policy in place). There are plenty of practical challenges to this kind of operation, to the extent that even some former Homeland Security officials consider it all but logistically impossible. But at least on the legal front, the Supreme Court has essentially cleared the way for Trump to try, not by having it tethered to any ostensible legal authority but by untethering the ability to use the military from any standard civil or criminal consequences. Around 12 a.m. on Friday, soon after Donald Trumps Republican National Convention stem-winder ended, James Fallows, the former White House speechwriter who has been an astute analyst of his successors work ever since, tweeted: Of the maybe 10,000 political speeches Ive heard over the years, this was overall the worst. Not having immersed myself in the enterprise as deeply as Fallows, I cant assess whether Trumps was the worst, but it could be a standout for weirdest and most jam-packed with egregious, megalomaniacal lies. As many have commented, the first 15 minutes or so presented a Trump we have never seen, a new man in the wake of Saturdays assassination attempt: subdued, almost modest, questing for unity. Then, his eyes shifted away from the teleprompter, and for the next hour or so, it was the same old grievance-laden Trumpthe stolen election, the weaponized prosecutors, the medias failure to give him credit, the dozens of people (ranging from kings and prime ministers to mechanics and waitresses) who, in the conversations he recounts, refer to him as sir. His words about foreign policy and world politics were particularly brazen in their mendacity. Lets go over his more notable eyebrow-raisers: Our opponents [meaning Joe Biden when he took office in 2021] inherited a world at peace and turned it into a planet of war. Its true Trump didnt start any conflicts, but the world was rife with warsand 65 U.S. service members were killed in battle, 45 of them in Afghanistan, during his term. (By contrast, 16 have been killed since Biden became president.) Advertisement Under President Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under President Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under the current administration, Russia is after all of Ukraine. Under President Trump, Russia took nothing. Not quite. Russias war to take the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, which began in 2014, continued all through Trumps term. (From 201422, before Vladimir Putins all-out invasion of Ukraine, about 14,000 soldiers on both sides were killed.) Trump assisted Russia by refusing to deliver Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine unless President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to dig up dirt on Bidens son Hunter, who worked for a Ukrainian energy company. (This blackmail was the subject of Trumps beautiful phone call with Zelenskyand of Trumps first impeachment trial.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps contempt for Zelensky makes this next comment particularly risible: The horrible war with Russia and Ukraine would have never happened if I was president. In fact, given the blackmail and Trumps consistently friendly attitude toward Putin, the Russian president would have assumedand, if Trump returns to the White House, will continue to assumethat he can get away with anything in this war. In fact, Trump has told Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (a Putin ally whom he praised in his convention speech) that his plan to immediately end the war is simply to cut off all aid to Ukraine. The war caused by the attack on Israel would never have happened if I was president. Iran was broke. Iran had no money. Now Iran has $250 billion. Iran supported Hamas over the years, but so did many other countries in the regionand, in any case, it didnt take a lot of money for Hamas to launch its Oct. 7 attack. Advertisement Trump also claimed that Biden and his team took off all the sanctions, and they did everything possible for Iran, and now Iran is very close to having a nuclear weapon, which would never have happened. This is nonsense on so many levels. Iran is close to building an A-bomb because, in 2018, Trump scuttled the Iran nuclear treaty, which Barack Obama and six others had signed three years earlier and which Iran was obeying. However, Biden never lifted the sanctions; maybe he should have, to get talks back on track, but he didnt. Advertisement We stopped the missile launches from North Korea. Now North Korea is acting up again. Except for a brief period when Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held two summits (both of which went nowhere because each overestimated what the other was willing to give up), North Korea never stopped missile launches. In 2019 it tested 13 short-range missiles (Trump brushed them away, but the South Korean and Japanese governments were concerned) and started testing a new rocket engine for an intercontinental ballistic missile. Just before Trump left office in January 2021, Kim said his country could miniaturize, lighten, and standardize nuclear weapons to load them onto short- and long-range missiles. Advertisement Advertisement I got along very well [with] North Korea, Kim Jong-un. Hed like to see me back too. I think he misses me, if you want to know the truth. Trumps delusional bromance with the worlds most evil and oppressive dictator continues. During their summitry, Trump praised Kims love letters and said the two fell in love. Kim knew how to push all his buttons. Trump is more susceptible to sycophancy than any leader outside a Marx Brothers movie. In another dizzying moment during the RNC speech, Trump boasted that the head of the Taliban had called him Your Excellency. Trump added, I wonder if he calls the other guy [meaning Biden] Your Excellency. I doubt it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It doesnt take much even for terrorists and mass murderers to slide Trump into their pockets. His remarks on Afghanistan were also distortions of the truth. He said that he and the Taliban leader had negotiated a great plan for U.S. withdrawal, but the other guymeaning Bidengave him everything, including Bagram Air Base. Trump said he would have kept Bagram because of its proximity to China. All this is rubbish. Trumps emissary negotiated a deal, behind the backs of the Kabul government, amounting to total, unconditional U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He didnt even demand a Taliban cease-fire as a precondition, as State Department specialists had urged. Bidens execution of the pullout was disastrous, but Trumps deal set the stage: The Kabul government was doomed by the time Biden entered the White House. There was no provision to hang on to Bagram. Advertisement Perhaps most jaw-droppingly, there was this remark about Israels Iron Dome system, which has successfully shot down many rockets and artillery shells fired by Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Iran-backed militias: Advertisement Ronald Reagan wanted this many years ago, but we really didnt have the technology. Now we have unbelievable technology. And why should other countries have this and we dont? No, no, were going to build an Iron Dome over our country, and were going to be sure that nothing can come and harm our people. The multiple levels of sheer ignorance here are staggering. First, Iron Dome was a co-production of the U.S. and Israel. We could have it if we want, but it fits Israels defense needs, not ours. It flies at roughly twice the speed of sound and is designed to shoot down short-range missiles and shells across a range of 2 to 43 miles. The U.S. military has air-defense systemsthe Patriot and the ship-based SM-3that are much better designed for our needs. Advertisement Related From Slate When Trump Promises to End the Ukraine War, Heres What He Really Means Read More In any case, none of these systems is well suited to defend against intercontinental ballistic missiles fired against the United States. (They have a range of more than 6,000 miles and fly at a speed of 20 times the speed of sound.) Reagans Strategic Defense Initiative, known as Star Wars, envisioned a layered defenseweapons in space, at sea, and on the groundtracking and shooting at Soviet ICBMs at various phases of their flight. The U.S. has been spending about $10 billion a year trying to perfect this vision, with mixed success at best. Trump seems to think Iron Dome is like a dome. In any case, he has no idea what it is, what its for, how it worksor how difficult it is, despite 30 years of expensive R&D and testing, to protect the United States from missiles fired from thousands of miles away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I could go on and on. Trumps view of the world is a fantasy, and his ideas of how to fix its problems are magic. I could stop wars with a phone call, he said in Milwaukee. I will end every single international crisis that the current administration has created. I will end the devastating inflation crisis immediately. Well start paying off debt and start lowering taxes even further. Under my plan, incomes will skyrocket, inflation will vanish completely, jobs will come roaring back, and the middle class will prosper like never, ever before, and were going to do it very rapidly. What is his plan? To return to the White House. Everything else, he seemed to suggest, will follow, almost automatically, from that providential arrival. Only I can fix it, Trump boasted at the Republican convention in 2016. He didnt then, and theres no sign he can do it now. An acquaintance of mobster Marian Kocner is appointed to a plum state post, EU directives promise to transform labour laws, and Pride Bratislava returns with police protection. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Good evening. Here is the Friday, July 19 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes. State to send special flights to return Slovaks hospitalised abroad Two Slovak government aircraft, pictured at Bratislava Airport. (Source: FB: Foreign and European Affairs Ministry of SR) The Health Ministry has confirmed that three Slovak patients who are in a serious condition and have been hospitalised abroad will be brought back home. They includes Denis in China and two other patients in the USA, including 25-year-old Alexandra in Philadelphia. The Slovak Spectator reported on the cases of Denis and Alexandra last week. "The Health Ministry is in direct contact with the Interior Ministry Air Unit, which, in cooperation with Slovak rescuers, will carry out the repatriation," the ministry stated. Specific dates have been set for the government flights. The aircraft for the patient from China is scheduled to depart on July 27, 2024, and repatriation of the patients from the USA will take place on August 1, 2024. Health Minister Zuzana Dolinkova thanked everyone who is assisting with the transportation. The ministry says the US transfer will also involve Alexandra, who was severely injured in a motorcyle accident in central America, but her father say he currently has no updates. MORE STORIES FROM THE SLOVAK SPECTATOR WEBSITE Politics: The director of a recently opened, state-funded Slovak cultural centre in London has documented ties to fraudster and accused murderer Marian Kocner. The director of a recently opened, state-funded Slovak cultural centre in London has documented ties to fraudster and accused murderer Marian Kocner. Good news: With a new week comes a new selection of feel-good stories from our colleague Radka: read about great bustards spotted near Bratislava, turning waste into sensors, and a medal-winning Slovak para-karate fighter. If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, consider buying our no-ads online subscription; a monthly print copy of The Slovak Spectator will be sent to your address in Slovakia. Thank you! FEATURE STORY Slovakia's labour law revolution Katarina Matulnikova (Source: Courtesy of Wolf Theiss) Slovakias labour laws are set for a dramatic overhaul as EU directives on gender equality, pay transparency, and gig economy regulations are transposed into Slovak legislation. These could lead to major changes in how we work and how wages are handled; Jana Liptakova has interviewed a labour law expert to bring you the low-down. EVENT FOR THE WEEKEND The enchantment of Trencin Castle at night Each castle is even more mesmerizing at night. (Source: Pexels) Ever wondered what a mediaeval castle feels like at night? Now's your chance to travel back in time and experience the enchantment of Trencin Castle with a special night-time guided tour. Learn more about this and other castles to visit. IN OTHER NEWS Police will implement security measures for the Pride Bratislava 2024 event on Saturday, July 20, to ensure public order and safety, as well as smooth traffic flow. Drivers should expect traffic restrictions starting around noon in central Bratislava, particularly around Namestie Slobody, Dunajska, Karadzicova, 29. Augusta, and Dostojevskeho Rad. Authorities advise avoiding these areas from the afternoon to evening and following police instructions. (TASR) Drivers should expect traffic restrictions starting around noon in central Bratislava, particularly around Namestie Slobody, Dunajska, Karadzicova, 29. Augusta, and Dostojevskeho Rad. Authorities advise avoiding these areas from the afternoon to evening and following police instructions. (TASR) During a mountain storm, its crucial to descend to lower elevations and seek shelter in a hut, cabin, or other low-lying cover. Avoid open areas, bodies of water, tall trees, and poles. Milada Estokova from the Public Health Authority of Slovakia advises staying away from metal structures and electronic devices, sitting on insulating materials, and keeping your limbs close to your body to minimize the potential of lightning strikes. When moving as a group, spread out by at least three metres to reduce the risk to the group. (TASR) Milada Estokova from the Public Health Authority of Slovakia advises staying away from metal structures and electronic devices, sitting on insulating materials, and keeping your limbs close to your body to minimize the potential of lightning strikes. When moving as a group, spread out by at least three metres to reduce the risk to the group. (TASR) Global technical issues are affecting local telecom operator Telekom and the Slovak branch of insurer Allianz, causing temporary closures of some call centres. Telekom reports that while calls, data and messages are functioning normally, its systems are currently unable to process customer requests at stores or contact centres. Allianz's call centre and web services are down, and its offices have been closed since noon; updates will be provided as the situation evolves. (TASR) Telekom reports that while calls, data and messages are functioning normally, its systems are currently unable to process customer requests at stores or contact centres. Allianz's call centre and web services are down, and its offices have been closed since noon; updates will be provided as the situation evolves. (TASR) The first two of Slovakia's 14 new F-16 fighter jets will arrive in Slovakia on the evening of July 22. A ceremony will be held at Kuchyna Airbase, near Malacky in western Slovakia, where the jets will be stationed temporarily. Attendees will include Defence Minister Robert Kalinak, President Peter Pellegrini, and other notables. The police are reminding drivers of traffic restrictions for the AC/DC concert on Sunday, July 21, near the Old Airport in Vajnory, Bratislava. They have provided schematic maps for arrival routes from the southern (Exit 14 towards Ivanka pri Dunaji) and northern (Exit 18 towards Bernolakovo) directions. Any updates on traffic changes will be communicated to the public as needed. (Source: TASR) WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND It will remain warm, but partly cloudy with occasional showers or rain, and isolated thunderstorms. Daytime temperatures will range from 24C to 32C, with warmer conditions expected on Sunday. (SHMU) JULY 20, 21, 22 NAME DAYS IN SLOVAKIA: Saturday Ilja and Elias, Sunday - Daniel, Monday - Magdalena Thank you for subscribing and reading. It means a lot to us. P.S. If you have suggestions on how our news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk. Follow The Slovak Spectator on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram (@slovakspectator). https://sputnikglobe.com/20240719/houthis-long-arm-what-we-know-about-militias-drone-fleet-1119432209.html Houthis' Long Arm: What We Know About Militia's Drone Fleet Houthis' Long Arm: What We Know About Militia's Drone Fleet Sputnik International The Houthis dramatically escalated their operations against Israel, flying a drone into downtown Tel Aviv and slamming it into a building 100 m from the US Consulate. 2024-07-19T17:23+0000 2024-07-19T17:23+0000 2024-07-19T17:23+0000 military israel middle east houthis houthi us consulate https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/07/13/1119432324_0:0:869:489_1920x0_80_0_0_1f97b33c360fa8e790f2198296e15d9d.jpg The Houthis dramatically escalated their operations against Israel early Friday morning, flying a large, explosive-laden drone into downtown Tel Aviv and slamming it into a building 100 m from the US Consulate. Heres what we know about the Yemeni militias drone potential:The Houthis say Fridays attack was carried out by the Yafa, a mysterious new ultra long-range airplane-style drone with radar-evading capabilities.The Samad series consists of a whole lineup of spy and strike drones, including the Samad-1 a surveillance UAV with a 3.5 m wingspan and 500 km range, and the Samad-4, a 3 m long strike drone with a 5 m wingspan, a 2,000 km+ range, and a 50 kg payload, which may include twin unguided bombs on hard points under its wings.The Houthis also operate Qasef-1 and Qasef-2K kamikaze drones simpler, low-cost, low-operational range UAVs believed to have taken design cues from the HESA Ababil and featuring a 30 kg warhead. Qasef series drones have a range of 150-200 km, a two hour flight endurance, and a three km flight ceiling. These drones have been used extensively by the militia to target US and British warships in the Red Sea in recent months.Theyre complemented in the strike drone category by the Waaed, another Houthi loitering munition with looks outwardly similar to Iran's Shahed 136 (the latter is 3.5 m long, 2.5 m wingspan, 200 kg mass, 50 kg warhead and top speed up to 185 km/h).The Houthis insist that their equipment is homegrown, and Iranian officials have also repeatedly emphasized that the Yemeni militia does not receive weapons from the Islamic Republic. That said, Iranian media have not denied the transfer of weapons technology to the Houthis, leaving it to the militia to build the armaments using domestic capabilities.The militia rolled out the Khatif-1, a small, tele-guided strike drone with an estimated 10 kg payload and a range of a few dozen km, in 2021.An upgrade of that drone featuring an x-shaped tail instead of a v pattern known as the Khatif-2 was spotted at a parade in 2022, but its characteristics are unknown.The Houthis also operate the Mersad-1 and Mersad-2 series of surveillance drones thought to be based on a reverse-engineered Boeing RQ-21s Blackjack a 2.5 m long, 37 kg UAV with a 4.9 m wingspan, 93 km range and top speed of 170 km/h. The Houthi version's characteristics, including what sort of payload it can carry, remain shrouded in mystery.Another reverse-engineered American UAV in the militia's arsenal is the Raqeep - a copy of the RQ-11 Raven. That tiny US drone was introduced into service with the US military in 2004, and exported to Yemen sometime before 2014-2015 Houthi-led revolution in Sanaa. The small, 0.91 m long, 1.9 kg drone has a 1.37 m wingspan, a 30 km/h cruising speed and 10 km range. It's powered by an electric motor. The Houthi version reportedly has a 15 km range and a 98 minute operational duration. israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov do houthis make drones, what drones do houthis have, what kinds of drones does ansar allah have, are houthi drones iranian https://sputnikglobe.com/20240719/hungary-sees-no-battlefield-solution-to-ukraine-conflict-backs-negotiations---szijjarto-1119426891.html Hungary Sees No Battlefield Solution to Ukraine Conflict, Backs Negotiations - Szijjarto Hungary Sees No Battlefield Solution to Ukraine Conflict, Backs Negotiations - Szijjarto Sputnik International Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Szijjarto said on the sidelines of the UN that his country sees no "battlefield solution" to Ukraine and called for negotiations to begin. 2024-07-19T02:51+0000 2024-07-19T02:51+0000 2024-07-19T02:51+0000 world peter szijjarto donald trump hungary ukraine european union (eu) the united nations (un) sputnik white house https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/05/15/1118568059_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_3b5f51564726f68a86491cffdf91b933.jpg "We see no battlefield solution. We only see a solution around the negotiating table, and in order to have a result around the negotiating table, everybody should sit there and hope that a ceasefire can be established soon, and taking advantage of this chance so peace talks would be carried out," Szijjarto said on the sidelines of the UN. Peace talks could begin as soon as later this year if former US President Donald Trump retakes the White House in the 2024 presidential election in the United States, Szijjarto added.Szijjarto also said that the European Union (EU) needs to break from the United States and pursue peace in Ukraine and elsewhere. Hungary urges the European Union to develop its own strategy focused on restoring the legitimacy of diplomatic channels, Szijjarto said. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240717/china-with-hungary-ready-to-contribute-to-political-settlement-in-ukraine---wang-yi-1119398326.html hungary ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International hungary peace deal in ukraine, peace negotiations in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240719/one-killed-seven-injured-in-explosion-in-tel-aviv---reports-1119427040.html One Killed, Seven Injured in Explosion in Tel Aviv - Reports One Killed, Seven Injured in Explosion in Tel Aviv - Reports Sputnik International The Ansar Allah (aka Houthi) movement in Yemen took credit for an explosion in Israel's Tel Aviv that killed one and injured several more. 2024-07-19T03:34+0000 2024-07-19T03:34+0000 2024-07-19T03:34+0000 world jerusalem houthis ansar allah tel aviv middle east sputnik newsfeed https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/0f/1117340561_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_bf5fdf91f577c78a3db73e88c0f938a0.jpg A spokesperson for the Yemen Ansar Allah movement (aka Houthis) took credit for the attack.Media reported earlier that an explosion occurred near the consulate of the United States in Tel Aviv. A US official said that the embassy office was not damaged and no US citizens were harmed in the attack, according to Axios.The Tel Aviv fire department said a drone may have been used in the attack, but the air raid siren was not going off before the explosion.During searches, emergency services found the body of a lifeless man in an apartment near the location where the explosion occurred, the Post said, adding that seven people were taken to hospitals with minor injuries. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240709/uk-navy-reports-suspected-attack-on-merchant-ship-near-yemen-1119311469.html jerusalem tel aviv Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International attack in tel aviv, attacks on israel, drone bombing in tel aviv, iron dome failures https://sputnikglobe.com/20240719/russian-court-sentences-wsj-journalist-gershkovich-to-16-years-in-a-maximum-security-colony-1119430787.html Russian Court Sentences WSJ Journalist Gershkovich to 16 Years in a Maximum Security Colony Russian Court Sentences WSJ Journalist Gershkovich to 16 Years in a Maximum Security Colony Sputnik International The Sverdlovsk Regional Court has sentenced American journalist Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal newspaper Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison in the espionage case. 2024-07-19T12:13+0000 2024-07-19T12:13+0000 2024-07-19T12:28+0000 russia evan gershkovich court russia wall street journal central intelligence agency (cia) sergey lavrov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/07/13/1119430940_0:247:2762:1801_1920x0_80_0_0_b684708b7fa5384c00fa745249a38f69.jpg The Sverdlovsk Regional Court has sentenced American journalist Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal newspaper Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison in the espionage case.On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia had clear evidence proving Gershkovich's involvement in spy activities. According to investigators, in March 2023, Gershkovich, as instructed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), collected secret information in Russia's Sverdlovsk Region about the activities of Russian defense enterprise Uralvagonzavod, which produces and repairs military equipment.Russia's Federal Security Service arrested Gershkovich in March 2023 on suspicion of trying to collect classified defense information for the United States while he was on assignment in Yekaterinburg. The Wall Street Journal denied the charges and Washington argued the reporter had been detained "wrongfully." https://sputnikglobe.com/20230819/russia-refutes-speculations-about-prisoner-swap-of-gershkovich-whelan-urges-us-to-continue-talks-1112724592.html russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian court, american journalist evan gershkovich, prison in the espionage case https://sputnikglobe.com/20240719/russias-vladimir-region-hosts-dialogue-international-discussion-club-tackling-cultural-heritage-1119431710.html Russias Vladimir Region Hosts Dialogue International Discussion Club Tackling Cultural Heritage Russias Vladimir Region Hosts Dialogue International Discussion Club Tackling Cultural Heritage Sputnik International On July 19, the Regional House of Friendship in the Russian city of Vladimir hosted the "Dialogue clubs The Preservation of Cultural Heritage as a Factor of Strengthening Statehood session. 2024-07-19T18:19+0000 2024-07-19T18:19+0000 2024-07-19T18:45+0000 russia vladimir russia vladimir region middle east central asia china turkiye sri lanka azerbaijan https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/07/13/1119431837_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_7e56730b2404175dca8d94e4754a9f4f.jpg Eleven countries took part in the Dialogue Discussion Club addressing the preservation of cultural heritage held in Russias Vladimir region on Friday.All the countries attending and speaking at the event today have their own unique cultural heritage that they are striving to preserve and enhance for future generations, Vyacheslav Kartukhin, head of the Dialogue International Discussion Club, told Sputnik.He believes that the importance of such events is driven by the current geopolitical situation and the growing significance for Russia to foster bilateral relations with China, Central Asian nations and the Middle East.Delegates from India, China, Turkiye, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan are taking part in the clubs regular session focused on the topic of The Preservation of Cultural Heritage as a Factor of Strengthening Statehood.Dr. Sonu Saini, an assistant professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, highlighted the benefits of studying the Russian language. He mentioned that individuals returning to India after learning Russian have job opportunities as translators, interpreters, and researchers in organizations like BRICS and the SCO.The event shed light on the positive prospects of cultivating ties between Russia and other countries, emphasizing the importance of communication and understanding.As Russian-Indian ties progress, so do work perspectives, Dr. Saini added.Todays event goes beyond the countries attending the Dialogue Club, as all the participants share a common understanding on the preservation of the world's cultural heritage, Chen Xinyu, associate professor at the Beijing Administration Institute, told Sputnik.That cultural heritage has no borders, it transcends languages, it transcends countries, it transcends nations, it transcends ethnicities, and it is something that all human beings in the world have in common. So, we hope that through this kind of dialogue and exchange, we can better promote the protection of the world's cultural heritage, Prof. Chen said.Fotso Takam Joseph Pascal, a delegate from Cameroon also spoke with Sputnik on the sidelines of the discussion club. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240515/russia--islamic-world-kazanforum-in-pictures-1118447063.html vladimir russia vladimir region central asia china turkiye sri lanka azerbaijan belarus kazakhstan tajikistan kyrgyzstan turkmenistan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International regional house of friendship, vladimir, vladimir region, dialogue international discussion club, preservation of cultural heritage as a factor of strengthening statehood https://sputnikglobe.com/20240719/scholz-rejects-zelenskys-request-to-shoot-down-russian-missiles-in-ukraines-airspace-1119426431.html Scholz Rejects Zelensky's Request to Shoot Down Russian Missiles in Ukraine's Airspace Scholz Rejects Zelensky's Request to Shoot Down Russian Missiles in Ukraine's Airspace Sputnik International German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected a proposal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's request that Western countries shoot down Russian missiles in Ukrainian airspace. 2024-07-19T02:06+0000 2024-07-19T02:06+0000 2024-07-19T02:06+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine volodymyr zelensky olaf scholz boris pistorius ukraine poland russia nato https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/03/1117096587_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_50e54b6ff3ee70bea5e1ff8b3a26565d.jpg Addressing the fourth meeting of the European Political Community in London on Thursday, Zelensky again called on Western allies to shoot down Russian missiles and drones in Ukraine's airspace, as they did with Iranian missiles and drones during the recent attack on Israel. In late May, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that Berlin and other allies did not seriously discuss the possibility of shooting down Russian missiles or drones over Ukraine as this would mean direct participation in the conflict. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Zelensky signed a 10-year security cooperation pact earlier in July that includes a provision on a mechanism that will allow them to shoot down Russian missiles and drones heading for Poland while they are in the Ukrainian airspace. White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby has pushed back on the idea, stating that the Biden administration does not want to see the conflict escalate as a result of Poland downing Russian missiles over Ukraine. Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated on Monday that the military alliance will not be directly involved in the Ukrainian conflict, limiting its aid to helping bring down Russian warplanes. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240718/orban-says-working-to-shift-eu-leaders-ukraine-crisis-policy-from-pro-war-to-pro-people-1119417540.html ukraine poland russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International german involvement in ukraine, olaf scholz on ukraine, will germany attack russia https://sputnikglobe.com/20240719/trump-says-bullet-came-quarter-of-inch-of-taking-his-life-painful-to-tell-what-happened-1119427513.html Trump Says Bullet Came 'Quarter of Inch' of Taking His Life, Painful to Tell What Happened Trump Says Bullet Came 'Quarter of Inch' of Taking His Life, Painful to Tell What Happened Sputnik International Former US President Donald Trump has shared that a bullet during the assassination attempt against him came one-quarter of an inch of taking his life, and this story is just too painful to tell. 2024-07-19T04:51+0000 2024-07-19T04:51+0000 2024-07-19T04:51+0000 americas us donald trump pennsylvania republican national convention assassination assassination attempt https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/07/0d/1119366520_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_2427ce49505a21cca44e30c95a6f7250.jpg "As you already know, the assassins bullet came within the quarter of an inch of taking my life," Trump told the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Thursday night, adding that he will share what happened. "And you'll never hear it from me again a second time because its actually too painful to tell." Trump also expressed gratitude to the American people for their love and support following the assassination attempt. Trump said he is still alive by the grace of God, adding that the shooting was a providential moment. The Republican nominee also paid tribute to Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who was killed at the Trump rally shooting in Pennsylvania. Trump said that some $6 million has been raised to date to help his family. On Saturday, a 20-year-old man tried to assassinate Trump at a campaign rally in the state of Pennsylvania, but the bullet from the gunman's AR assault rifle grazed Trump's right ear. US Secret Service agents killed the gunman moments after he was able to fire several rounds toward the stage, killing one spectator and critically injuring two others. The FBI continues to investigate the shooting, but the suspect's motive remains unknown, according to US law enforcement. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240718/classified-details-of-trump-assassination-attempt-reportedly-more-alarming-than-public-info-1119424669.html americas pennsylvania Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International former us president donald trump, assassination attempt, donald trump, taking his life https://sputnikglobe.com/20240719/two-residents-of-russias-kursk-suffer-injuries-as-drones-crash-in-city-1119427661.html Two Residents of Russia's Kursk Suffer Injuries as Drones Crash in City Two Residents of Russia's Kursk Suffer Injuries as Drones Crash in City Sputnik International Two residents of the Russian city of Kursk have suffered wounds and burbs as debris from several drones has crashed on the city streets, Acting Governor Alexei Smirnov said on Friday. 2024-07-19T05:13+0000 2024-07-19T05:13+0000 2024-07-19T05:13+0000 russia russia kursk belgorod region russian defense ministry drone strike ukrainian drone attacks on russia https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0f/1116795632_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_6bb5f24894f2a041a26423ef33e01d5a.jpg The Russian Defense Ministry said earlier on Friday that Russia's air defense systems shot down 19 Ukrainian drones over Russia's territory overnight, including 11 drones over the Kursk Region, three drones over the Belgorod Region, and five drones over Crimea and the Black Sea. Smirnov also urged citizens not to approach and touch the wreckage of missiles and drones and report them to emergency services. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240718/russia-develops-state-of-the-art-mobile-anti-drone-system-1119414429.html russia kursk belgorod region Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian city of kursk, acting governor alexei smirnov, drones crash, several drones has crashed https://sputnikglobe.com/20240719/un-court-says-israels-settlement-activities-violate-international-law-1119431473.html UN Court Says Israel's Settlement Activities Violate International Law UN Court Says Israel's Settlement Activities Violate International Law Sputnik International The International Court of Justice (ICJ) finds that Israel's settlement activities in the Palestinian territories violate international law, ICJ President Nawaf Salam said on Friday. 2024-07-19T14:36+0000 2024-07-19T14:36+0000 2024-07-19T14:36+0000 world middle east palestine israel the united nations (un) international court of justice the hague israeli settlements jewish settlements east jerusalem https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/1b/1117588378_0:136:3159:1913_1920x0_80_0_0_1a004c0a7e74cc86cb20f53653127997.jpg As the presiding judge noted at the beginning of the hearing, the UN court concluded that it had jurisdiction to issue an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories. In addition, the authority has enough information on this issue. Israel's settlement policy does not comply with its obligations under international law, Salam told the court. He noted that Israel's settlement activities in violation of international law continued to expand. Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is de facto annexation, which violates Palestinians' rights to self-determination, he added. The Palestinian delegation called on the court to declare Israel's occupation of its territories illegal as it could be the last hope for a two-state solution. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240522/european-trios-recognition-of-palestine-constitutes-big-failure-for-us-israeli-diplomacy-1118588511.html palestine israel the hague east jerusalem Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International gaza genocide, is israel committing genocide, whats happening with gaza, israeli genocide against palestinians, will israel be charged with genocide, whos backing israel, un hearing on gaza, current developments in gaza, whats happening to palestinians, us military aid to israel, us arms supplies to israel, us violating international law, what weapons is israel getting from us, israeli strikes, israel strikes gaza, israel kills civilians, operation in rafah, incursion into rafah, palestinian statehood, palestine independence, israeli hostages, jewish hostages, how many people did hamas abduct, west bank settlers, jewish settlers in west bank, violence in west bank, jewish settlements in west bank, why are there jewish settlers in west bank, sanctions against jewish settlers in west bank, white house new sanctions, us sanctions against jewish settlers in west bank https://sputnikglobe.com/20240719/us-missiles-in-germany-again-why-is-berlin-betraying-its-national-interests-1119428814.html US Missiles in Germany Again: Why Is Berlin Betraying Its National Interests? US Missiles in Germany Again: Why Is Berlin Betraying Its National Interests? Sputnik International The elites of US and Germany did not bother to discuss the deployment on German soil of American missiles aimed at Russia. Meanwhile, it is a breach of a 1990 treaty. 2024-07-19T20:28+0000 2024-07-19T20:28+0000 2024-07-19T20:28+0000 tomahawk east germany west germany european union (eu) world https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107646/64/1076466474_0:132:3001:1820_1920x0_80_0_0_b690c107dedc3e76b2ddf6425a680a44.jpg The governments of both the US and Germany confirmed that in 2026, the American side will begin deploying long-range missiles in Germany. This dangerous move, reminiscent of the worst years of the Cold War, is officially explained by the need to contain resurgent Russia.Gunnar Beck, an expert on European law and former vice president of Identity and Democracy group in the European Parliament, notes that there was no public discussion of this dangerous development in Germany, specifically no discussion in the Bundestag. No details of the deal have been revealed.Beck notes the few dissenting voices still audible in Germany belong to the parties, which the European Union and especially the European Commissions chairwoman Ursula von der Leyen try to marginalize:There are people on the right and on the far-left which have been criticizing [the deployment]. The German public, by and large, is not war loving. But, of course, there is a lot of propaganda emphasizing that any attack against Ukraine is an attack against Europe as a whole it is the position of the EU and German government, Beck told Sputnik.The situation is reminiscent of the early 1980s, when the US deployed Pershing missiles in West Germany presumably countering a possible aggression by the Soviet Union. The only difference is that this time Americans promise not to put nuclear warheads on SM-6 missiles, Tomahawks and even some hypersonic weapons. These missiles will be carrying conventional warheads that will still make Germany a target for a Russian retaliation starting from 2026.Beck indicated that American and West German propaganda of that epoch used the same arguments as now. It was said the ability of NATO allies to protect themselves was the best guarantee for peace, etc., but in both cases it was misleading propaganda based on fears and not facts:Indeed, Moscow acquiesced to the reunification of Germany in 1990 and withdrew its troops from East Germany in 1994 without a single shot fired. Unfortunately, it is often forgotten now that these concessions were part of the Two plus four agreement, whose terms Germany and three other signatories are breaching now. It was signed on September 12, 1990, by the two (East Germany and West Germany) plus four (the Soviet Union, USA, the UK and France, former members of the anti-Hitler coalition).Moscow then obliged itself not to prevent the reunification of Germany and to withdraw its troops by 1994 from the territory of the late German Democratic Republic. Both obligations were fulfilled. Now, here is how the obligations of Western powers were breached, in the words of Beck:It should be noted that the German constitution prohibits the supplies of German weapons to the zones of armed conflict. However, Berlin is officially pumping up Volodymyr Zelenskys regime with weapons worth tens of billions of euros.Beck states the subsequent events showed the deceitful nature of the Western propaganda of the 1980s: Moscow indeed had no intention of invading Europe and withdrew from Germany at the first opportunity. Unfortunately, its goodwill was abused by Western allies.Now, many Germans suspect a remake of the that deceitful intimidation: a poll conducted by Forsa Institute revealed 47% of Germans think the planned deployment of US weapons will only increase the possibility of a Russia-NATO conflict.However, Beck notes this substantial part of German public opinion is not organized and its will has no chance of influencing the European Commission or even the government of Germany. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240710/west-to-supply-ukraine-with-squadrons-of-f-16-fighter-jets-1119326732.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240713/natos-calls-for-surging-defense-spending-fuels-winds-of-war---politician-1119360603.html east germany west germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Dmitry Babich https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0e/1116778495_0:120:720:840_100x100_80_0_0_9bf47040bc46073fb920d272be7bc29d.jpg Dmitry Babich https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0e/1116778495_0:120:720:840_100x100_80_0_0_9bf47040bc46073fb920d272be7bc29d.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Dmitry Babich https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/0e/1116778495_0:120:720:840_100x100_80_0_0_9bf47040bc46073fb920d272be7bc29d.jpg deployment; the need to contain russia; reunification of germany; breach of obligations; western powers Vito Cucci, co-owner of Chateau Grande Hotel also the owner of numerous other successful hospitality businesses has a side gig: horse racing. Turns out hes a winner there too. His three-year-old, Dornoch, recently won the $2 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets at Saratoga Race Course. New Jerseys horse racing fans can see the big-hearted Dornoch race at the upcoming Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Racetrack, Oceanport, Saturday, July 20. To celebrate his win and show his support for horse racing, Cucci is bringing the legendary Belmont Stakes trophy to the hotel to display from Tuesday, July 16 to Friday, July 26 from 11 a.m. 10 p.m. The public is invited to drop in for photo opportunities during that time. (Due to the high interest shown in the trophies, if planning on dining at Orchard Park reservations should be made in advance at (732) 554-5714 or online orchardparkbydb.com) Also on display will be the Hambletonian Trophy, presented by The Hambletonian Society to the winner of the Hambletonian Stake, prestigious second leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, which is scheduled for August 3 at the Meadowlands Racing & Gaming. This perpetual trophy on display is a silver bowl that has been used since 1939. A smaller replica, which the winning owners receive, is crafted by the world-renowned silversmith Ubaldo Vitali of Maplewood, N.J. His work has been presented to the Queen of England, and in numerous exhibitions such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Yale University Art Gallery, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Cucci, owner of Belmar Racing and Breeding LLC, also owns Standardbred trotters racing at Freehold Racetrack, the Meadowlands Racetrack and other harness racing tracks. His horse that he bred, Cool Papa Bell, won the Hambletonian in 2022. In a private dinner at Orchard Park by David Burke, Cucci is celebrating the win with his partner in Dornoch, MLBs World Series winner Jayson Werth, and some of horse racings most influential VIPs from New York and New Jersey in a Meet and Greet at the Hotels adjoining restaurant Orchard Park by David Burke on Friday, July 19. The dinner is not open to the public. Media is invited to take interviews and photos at 6:30 p.m. Also attending will be two-time Belmont winning jockey Luis Saez and Dornochs trainer Danny Gargan; Hall of Fame driver and president of the Hambletonian Society John Campbell, among other horse racing VIPs. Dornochs win took place on June 8, 2024 before a crowd of 50,000. Dornoch captured the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes in a 17-1 upset returning $37.40 for a $2 win wager. The Triple Crown is a series of three races for three-year-olds: Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. The historic and beautiful acorn-shaped Belmont Stakes Trophy was commissioned by August Belmont Jr. in 1896 in memory of his late father the namesake and founder of Belmont Stakes. Werth said on the Fox broadcast. Horse racing is the most underrated sport in the world, bar none. This is as good as it gets in horse racing; this is as good as it gets in sports. We are all thrilled! said Cucci. Jayson Werth is a fantastic ambassador for horse racing. The public display of the trophies at Chateau Grande under strict surveillance is a rare opportunity for the general public to see them up close off site. Generally, they are kept at the racetracks. New Jersey needs horse racing, explained Cucci. Scenic farm landscapes of green, productive fields and animals are under constant pressure of development. But farms are important to what makes New Jersey a desirable place to live, work and recreate. The horse racing industry helps to keep open spaces and stabilizes our communities providing a healthy ratio of farms to development. Open spaces should not be looked at as merely potential tax ratables. This view is shortsighted and omits the fact that open space provides cleaner air and a general sense of wellbeing to all, while not requiring expensive services that congested areas need. When farmland is developed, you cant get it back. Thankfully, Governor Murphy and the state legislators acknowledged the value of the horse racing industry in New Jersey and signed off on the budget, which included the renewal of appropriations for the industry. It definitely helps to strengthen our industry and fosters growth. The number of jobs created by horse racing alone in the state is huge. A state of New Jerseys size and population could also use a northern casino to help fund the horse racing industry. (Chateau Grand Hotel) It was an action-packed night at MGM Northfield Park on Wednesday, July 17 when rivals Sugar Instead and Jurassic Hattie battled for dominance in the third leg of the Ohio Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies. The rivals were forced head-to-head as only one $136,986 division went behind the gate. Leaving from the second and third posts, respectively, Sugar Instead and Jurassic Hattie battled out of the gate. Guided by Kurt Sugg, Jurassic Hattie found herself on top with 4-5 favourite Sugar Instead and Brett Miller securely in the pocket. Not to be intimidated, Jurassic Hattie set fractions in :28.1, :59, and 1:27. It was in the final turn that Miller urged Sugar Instead to challenge Jurassic Hattie. Sugar Instead answered the call, grabbing the lead and cruising to a 2-1/2-length win in 1:55.3. Roxanna and Aaron Merriman completed the top three finish order. Trained by Virgil Morgan Jr. and owned by Joyce McClelland and Larry Wills, Sugar Instead is five-for-five in her three-year-old season. The daughter of Volstead has bankrolled $521,186 in lifetime earnings with a 12-for-16 record. The first leg of the Buckeye Stallion Series for two-year-old colt trotters was completed during Wednesday's card with the winners taking new lifetime marks in each of the four $27,397 divisions. Tom Cruiser notched his first career win in the first division. The Long Tom gelding got away third after leaving from the trailing ninth post position. Chris Lems moved Tom Cruiser first up at the half-mile marker and the gelding powered on to trip the wire in 2:02.3. Scott Cox trains Tom Cruiser for owner/breeder G Peters. Good Envy (Cameron McCown) finished a half-length behind in second with I Dont Play Nice (Anthony MacDonald) third. Despite an early miscue behind the gate, Sweet Harmony took the second division in 2:02.2 by one length. At the first quarter pole, Sweet Harmony and Ronnie Gillespie were 13 lengths off the leader. The gelded son of Uncle Peter charged the field. When the leader, Oaxaca Harry (Trevor Smith), made a break, Sweet Harmony glided by for his third victory in four starts. Gillispie trains for owner Anthony Miller. Lovelle (Ryan Stahl) was second and Oh Yes (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rounded out the top three. Cowboy Poker took the third and fastest division of the night in 1:59.2. After the dust settled, Cowboy Poker worked his way to the top for an opening quarter in :29.4. Guided by Brett Miller, the Marseille gelding never looked back and set remaining fractions in 1:00 and 1:29.4 en route to the 2-3/4-length victory. The first-time starter is trained and co-owned by Jim Arledge Jr. along with Paul Phillips, Laura Baker and Paul Baker. Oso Fast (Lems) was second while Letsgotoparis (Kurt Sugg) held on for third. In the final division, Flying Tom and Wrenn won in wire-to-wire fashion in 2:01 by two lengths. It was the first career victory for the gelded son of Long Tom. He is trained and co-owned by Tye Loy alongside David Wills, Richard Coad and Douglas Gregory. Last Call Romero (Greg Grismore) rallied for second with Nelli Up (Lems) finishing third. Ohio Sires Stakes action continues on Sunday night, July 21 at Northfield Park with the second leg for two-year-old colt and filly pacers. The Buckeye Stallion Series will continue on Monday, July 22 at Northfield when freshman colt pacers take to the track for the second leg. First race post time is 6 p.m. (With files from Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association) A CrowdStrike outage affecting computer systems around the world Friday also hit Longviews PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center, but patient care wasnt interrupted. Debra Carnes, senior director of marketing and communications, said all of the hospitals computers went down as of noon Friday and staff had to reboot them. However, patient care was not impacted and any scheduled appointments were able to proceed as planned. As of 3 p.m., computer functionality was fully restored, she said. The outage was caused by a faulty update to CrowdStrikes cybersecurity system for Windows, according to a statement by the company. CrowdStrike is a U.S. cybersecurity company that provides software to companies around the world and across industries. Government services and businesses such as airlines, hospitals and banks reported issues relating to the outage. Texas closed all of its driver license offices Friday morning and billboards were blackened in New York Citys Times Square, while hospital visits were suspended in Houston and an emergency surgery canceled in Kentucky due to the outages. Editors note: The Associated Press contributed to this story. 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: Qantas Cabin lighting inspired by the colors of the Australian landscape and grounded in circadian science will be on Qantas' upcoming Project Sunrise ultra-long-haul flights to help minimize jet lag and improve customer well-being. The design, which includes simulations of sunsets and sunrises, is a result of more than 150 hours of testing in the Airbus Customer Definition Center in Hamburg, where representatives from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Center, Qantas, Airbus and Caon Design Studio created and tested hundreds of lighting patterns and sequences in an Airbus A350 cabin mock-up. Light plays an important part in controlling our body clocks. By manipulating the timing, strength and wavelengths of light during a flight, it is possible to help passengers adapt to a destination's time zone while in the air and reduce jetlag. Last year Qantas and the Charles Perkins Center released preliminary findings from the world-first research flights on how optimizing the timing of light, meals, and exercise in-flight affects jetlag. Now they are going one step further by adjusting the color of light. "It's great to see circadian science being translated into practice," said Associate Professor Sveta Postnova, an expert in circadian modeling at the Charles Perkins Center and the School of Physics. "The new lighting scenarios for the A350 were developed to optimize the circadian effects of light at different times during flights while accounting for the light appearance, ambience, safety, and hardware requirements on board. It was a true collaborative effort." The trial produced 12 unique lighting scenes specifically for the Project Sunrise flights. Some of them include: "Awake": A broad-spectrum blue-enriched lighting to help customers adjust to the destination time zone and help them stay alert and awake "Sunset": An immersive transition from a daytime mode into dark that moves through the colors of a sunset into a night sky with moonlight and slow cloud effects to relax customers and prepare them for sleep. "Sunrise": Dynamic lighting effective for a transition from night to day that replicates an Australian sunrise rolling from the front of the cabin to the rear. The Charles Perkins Center advised the wavelengths for light that most strongly affect a person's body clock, using melanopic illuminance. Regular illuminance is a phenomenon that tells our body how bright light is for our eyes. Melanopic illuminance is the impact of that light on our circadian rhythm. High melanopic illuminance means a lot of light is available to adjust the brain's central clock. The researchers found blue-enriched light with high melanopic illuminance helps shift body clocks, and long-wavelength light (such as red) with low melanopic illuminance helps prevent the clock shifting in an undesired direction. Various scenarios were implemented and tested, and adjusted for eye comfort and appearance, during lighting workshops held in Hamburg. Lighting sequences are tailored for each flight to help passengers adjust to destination time zones before they land. Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said that the scientifically informed lighting design was another critical component of the preparation for Project Sunrise flights, which will connect Australia's east coast non-stop with London and New York. "These world-first flights have been an opportunity for us to work with experts and build on our experience of long-haul flying to rethink the inflight experience with a focus on customer well-being and combating the effects of jetlag," said Wallace. "One of the things that was clear from the research is the importance of light cycles and brightness in setting the body clock and that was the basis of this testing. "Combined with the design of the cabins, specialized meal planning, and the movement program, this unique lighting sequence will help improve our customers' comfort in the air and minimize their jetlag when they arrive at their destination." The airline revealed the customized lighting schemes at Airbus' Airspace Customer Showroom in Toulouse, where a life-size mock-up of the Project Sunrise Well-being Zone is being temporarily displayed. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A Crowdstrike office is shown in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Friday, July 19, 2024. An overnight outage was blamed on a software update that cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike sent to Microsoft computers of its corporate customers including many airlines. Credit: AP Photo/Haven Daley Airlines, banks, hospitals and other risk-averse organizations around the world chose cybersecurity company CrowdStrike to protect their computer systems from hackers and data breaches. But all it took was one faulty CrowdStrike software update to cause global disruptions Friday that grounded flights, knocked banks and media outlets offline, and disrupted hospitals, retailers and other services. "This is a function of the very homogenous technology that goes into the backbone of all of our IT infrastructure," said Gregory Falco, an assistant professor of engineering at Cornell University. "What really causes this mess is that we rely on very few companies, and everybody uses the same folks, so everyone goes down at the same time." The trouble with the update issued by CrowdStrike and affecting computers running Microsoft's Windows operating system was not a hacking incident or cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike, which apologized and said a fix was on the way. But it wasn't an easy fix. It required "boots on the ground" to remediate, said Gartner analyst Eric Grenier. "The fix is working, it's just a very manual process and there's no magic key to unlock it," Grenier said. "I think that is probably what companies are struggling with the most here." While not everyone is a client of CrowdStrike and its platform known as Falcon, it is one of the leading cybersecurity providers, particularly in transportation, healthcare, banking and other sectors that have a lot at stake in keeping their computer systems working. "They're usually risk-averse organizations that don't want something that's crazy innovative, but that can work and also cover their butts when something goes wrong. That's what CrowdStrike is," Falco said. "And they're looking around at their colleagues in other sectors and saying, 'Oh, you know, this company also uses that, so I'm gonna need them, too.'" Delayed flight schedules are displayed on a screen at LaGuardia Airport in New York on Friday, July 19, 2024, after a faulty CrowdStrike update caused a major internet outage for computers running Microsoft Windows. Credit: AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura Worrying about the fragility of a globally connected technology ecosystem is nothing new. It's what drove fears in the 1990s of a technical glitch that could cause chaos at the turn of the millennium. "This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except it's actually happened this time," wrote Australian cybersecurity consultant Troy Hunt on the social platform X. Across the world Friday, affected computers were showing the "blue screen of death"a sign that something went wrong with Microsoft's Windows operating system. But what's different now is "that these companies are even more entrenched," Falco said. "We like to think that we have a lot of players available. But at the end of the day, the biggest companies use all the same stuff." Founded in 2011 and publicly traded since 2019, CrowdStrike describes itself in its annual report to financial regulators as having "reinvented cybersecurity for the cloud era and transformed the way cybersecurity is delivered and experienced by customers." It emphasizes its use of artificial intelligence in helping to keep pace with adversaries. It reported having 29,000 subscribing customers at the start of the year. The Austin, Texas-based firm is one of the more visible cybersecurity companies in the world and spends heavily on marketing, including Super Bowl ads. At cybersecurity conferences, it's known for large booths displaying massive action-figure statues representing different state-sponsored hacking groups that CrowdStrike technology promises to defend against. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz is among the most highly compensated in the world, recording more than $230 million in total compensation in the last three years. Kurtz is also a driver for a CrowdStrike-sponsored car racing team. After his initial statement about the problem was criticized for lack of contrition, Kurtz apologized in a later social media post Friday and on NBC's "Today Show." Porter Passengers wait at Toronto Pearson Airport on Friday, July 19, 2024, after a faulty CrowdStrike update affected computers running Microsoft Windows, causing a major internet outage. Credit: Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP "We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption," he said on X. Richard Stiennon, a cybersecurity industry analyst, said this was a historic mistake by CrowdStrike. "This is easily the worst faux pas, technical faux pas or glitch of any security software provider ever," said Stiennon, who has tracked the cybersecurity industry for 24 years. While the problem is an easy technical fix, he said, it's impact could be long-lasting for some organizations because of the hands-on work needed to fix each affected computer. "It's really, really difficult to touch millions of machines. And people are on vacation right now, so, you know, the CEO will be coming back from his trip to the Bahamas in a couple of weeks and he won't be able to use his computers." Stiennon said he did not think the outage revealed a bigger problem with the cybersecurity industry or CrowdStrike as a company. "The markets are going to forgive them, the customers are going to forgive them, and this will blow over," he said. Forrester analyst Allie Mellen credited CrowdStrike for clearly telling customers what they need to do to fix the problem. But to restore trust, she said there will need to be a deeper look at what occurred and what changes can be made to prevent it from happening again. "A lot of this is likely to come down to the testing and software development process and the work that they've put into testing these kinds of updates before deployment," Mellen said. "But until we see the complete retrospective, we won't know for sure what the failure was." 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Two Master of Accounting students in the UO's Lundquist College of Business are shaking up the academic publishing world with a new paper on a timely topic: artificial intelligence and blockchain. Jordan Brewer and Dhru Patel are interested in the intersection of accounting technology and how blockchain could help address some of the more concerning areas of AI. The article "Navigating the challenges of generative technologies: Proposing the integration of artificial intelligence and blockchain," is scheduled for publication in the journal Business Horizons and is co-authored with Alex Murray, an assistant professor of management and adviser to the student club Oregon Blockchain Group, along with Dennie Kim at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. It's relatively rare even for doctoral students to co-publish research papers with a faculty mentor, and it's almost unheard of for students at the master's level to publish, let alone on their first try and with no revisions requested. In fact, the article is being fast-tracked for publication because it addresses the modern topic of misinformation distribution, including deepfake videos, pictures and text, Murray said. In their paper, Dhru, Brewer, Murray and Kim propose a responsibility and transparency-centered solution involving blockchain, the online ledger system used for cryptocurrency and other transactions. Specifically, the authors describe how integrating blockchain ledgers into AI addresses several of its current challenges, including "hallucinations" linked to biases and hate speech. Their proposed solution would help ensure factual information and accountability to help prevent misuse. "In the absence of meaningful regulations on AI, we suggest ways in which a technological infrastructure built on blockchain can mitigate the detrimental effects of AI," Murray said. In other words, integrating blockchain technology into AI enhances reliability and accountability, all while keeping people's data private, Patel explained. Brewer and Patel are members of the Oregon Blockchain Group, which was formed to educate and empower on blockchain and other cutting-edge technologies. Patel serves as executive adviser, and Brewer is director of venture capital. Both are on track to graduate this June with jobs lined up at public accounting firms. Jordan is headed to Morgan Stanley in New York, and Dhru will join PWC in San Francisco. Patel said he has been involved in the technology for some time. He was particularly interested in how integrating blockchain could positively change the culture aspect of the world-changing technology of AI. Brewer said the project has only accelerated his interest in the topic. "I plan to continue to write and keep these topics top of mind in the accounting industry," he said. "I'm interested in how research could turn toward enhancing human productivity rather than replacing it, and how we can make gains in our output as a society. Maybe the United States could earn enough GDP to erase our debt. If anything can enhance productivity to that level, I think it will be AI." Up next for the Lundquist College team is additional research, following up on things they learned from the current project. Patel said the research raised several issues that can be pursued further. One topic they want to delve into is how AI tools are being used and influenced by major industry players, while the public is still struggling just to get an even footing in the fast-moving AI world. "Collective organization could overpower corporations," Patel said. "We are looking into creating incentive structures around that." In the end, Murray said AI has the power to restructure the ways people interact as a society, positively and negatively. "Through a techno-deterministic lens, we won't love the outcomes given how the tech has advanced so far," Murray said. "Left on the current pathwithout the transparency, verifiability and decentralization of blockchainAI will likely be used to automate and surveil, particularly by unscrupulous governments and organizations." More information: Jordan Brewer et al, Navigating the challenges of generative technologies: Proposing the integration of artificial intelligence and blockchain, Business Horizons (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2024.04.011 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: Ford announced plans to add a third plant for its 'Super Duty' pickup trucks in North America. Ford announced Thursday it would invest $3 billion to expand production of its "Super Duty" pickup trucks at a Canadian factory, at which it has previously pushed back plans for electric vehicles. The announcement gives the US carmaker a third manufacturing center in North America from which to produce the giant pickup trucks, which have been a major profit driver in recent years. Under the plan, the Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario will manufacture up to 100,000 more units of the vehicles, with production commencing in 2026. Ford plants that produce the trucks in Kentucky and Ohio are operating at "full capacity," Ford said. The vehicles are often used by emergency response officials, as well as in the mining, utility and construction industries. Oakville had previously been slated to produce EVs, but in April Ford announced it plans to push back a new three-row electric vehicle from 2025 to 2027, part of a wave of announcements by automakers delaying EV investments because of slower than expected growth in the American market. Ford, which has emphasized investments in hybrid vehicles, said the Oakville plant when finished will be a "fully flexible plant," implying it could produce EVs down the road. The company also said it "remains committed to developing a growing and profitable electric vehicle business, including three-row electric utility vehicles." Ford did not immediately respond to an AFP query about the 2027 EV timeframe. "Super Duty is a vital tool for businesses and people around the world and, even with our Kentucky Truck Plant and Ohio Assembly Plant running flat out, we can't meet the demand," said Ford Chief Executive Jim Farley. "This move benefits our customers and supercharges our Ford Pro commercial business." 2024 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The Microsoft Windows blue screen of death happens when the operating system cannot load correctly. Credit: Microsoft Computer systems across Australia and overseas have failed this afternoon after an update was pushed out by global security software provider CrowdStrike. The software affected by the update appears to be the CrowdStrike Falcon platform, which is installed by businesses or other organizations on desktop computers and notebooks to provide security monitoring. What's happening? The software failure has caused a major IT outage affecting organizations across Australia and around the world. The websites of the Commonwealth Bank, Telstra, the ABC and many others have been affected, according to crowdsourced outage reporting website DownDetector. The big four banks, Telstra and major media organizations including the ABC and Foxtel have had services go offline. Customers are not able to use EFTPOS to pay for goods and services in many businesses. Telstra has reported that the Triple Zero Emergency Call service is still operating as normal. How bad is it? DownDetector currently shows that a large swathe of Australian businesses are experiencing some form of outage brought on by the software failure. DownDetector is an online outage reporting tool provided by the global network intelligence and service provider Ookla. The number of businesses that have ceased operation is staggering. Major airlines, banks, shops, and many other businesses have been forced to suspend trading or providing services. Thousands of people will now be stranded at airports around the nation on a Friday evening, and bus and train services will potentially be affected. A number of large Australian websites have reported IT outages. This list shows the increase in reports. Credit: DownDetector.com.au What exactly went wrong? The problem appears to have been caused by a software update gone wrong. A newly released version of CrowdStrike's cybersecurity software reportedly caused Windows computers to crash and display a "blue screen of death"a standard error screen that happens when the operating system cannot load correctly. Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator, Michelle McGuinness, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that "There is no information to suggest it is a cyber security incident." What is being done? In a post to a Slack channel of computer administrators, a CrowdStrike representative said "the bleeding has been stopped", indicating that computers that have not already been affected are unlikely to be hit in future. Notifications from CrowdStrike are being sent out to customers or posted to support pages that can only be accessed with a login. However, the process of fixing affected computers might be very time-consuming. CrowdStrike advised customers that an affected machine needs to be booted into "safe mode", and then a specific file will need to be deleted. This process is likely to need to be done manually, so there is no easy fix that can be applied to many machines at once. Government action More information on the CrowdStrike software outage should soon be available from the Australian Cyber Security Centre. The National Emergency Mechanism group will meet shortly, co-chaired by the National Emergency Management Agency. Do I need to worry about my Windows computer? Home computers should not be affected by what's happening. CrowdStrike typically provides its Falcon security platform to large businesses and enterprise customers. 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: A sign for Microsoft offices is seen, May 6, 2021, in New York. Microsoft Corp. has agreed to pay $14.4 million to settle allegations that the global software giant retaliated and discriminated against employees who took protected leave, including parental and disability, the California Civil Rights Department announced Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File Microsoft users worldwide, including banks and airlines, reported widespread outages on Friday, hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. The cause, exact nature and scale of the outage was unclear. Microsoft appeared to suggest in its X posts that the situation was improving but escalating outages were still being reported around the world hours later. The website DownDectector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon, and airlines including American Airlines and Delta. News outlets in Australia reported that airlines, telecommunications providers and banks, and media broadcasters were disrupted as they lost access to computer systems. Some New Zealand banks said they were also offline. Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was "working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion" and that they were "observing a positive trend in service availability." The company did not respond to a request for comment. It did not explain the cause of the outage further. Australian outages reported on the site included the banks NAB, Commonwealth and Bendigo, and the airlines Virgin Australia and Qantas, as well as internet and phone providers such as Telstra. News outlets in Australiaincluding the ABC and Sky Newswere unable to broadcast on their TV and radio channels, and reported sudden shutdowns of Windows-based computers. An X user posted a screenshot of an alert from the company Crowdstrike that said the company was aware of "reports of crashes on Windows hosts" related to its Falcon Sensor platform. The alert was posted on a password-protected Crowdstrike site and could not be verified. Crowdstrike did not respond to a request for comment. 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: New research uses AI and knowledge about how adaptive radar signals behave in a wide variety of specific terrains to greatly improve its performance. The researchers have also released an open-source data set of 100 virtual landscapes ranging in complexity from the Utah Salt Flats (left) to Mt. Rainier (right) to let others build off of their work. Credit: S. Venkatasubramanian et al The world around us is constantly being flash photographed by adaptive radar systems. From salt flats to mountains and everything in between, adaptive radar is used to detect, locate and track moving objects. Just because human eyes can't see these ultra-high frequency (UHF) ranges doesn't mean they're not taking pictures. Although adaptive radar systems have been around since World War II, they've hit a fundamental performance wall in the past couple of decades. But with the help of modern AI approaches and lessons learned from computer vision, researchers at Duke University have broken through that wall, and they want to bring everyone else in the field along with them. In a new paper published July 16 in the journal IET Radar, Sonar & Navigation, Duke engineers show that using convolutional neural networks (CNNs)a type of AI that revolutionized computer visioncan greatly enhance modern adaptive radar systems. And in a move that parallels the impetus of the computer vision boom, they have released a large dataset of digital landscapes for other AI researchers to build on their work. "Classical radar methods are very good, but they aren't good enough to meet industry demands for products such as autonomous vehicles," said Shyam Venkatasubramanian, a graduate research assistant working in the lab of Vahid Tarokh, the Rhodes Family Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke. "We're working to bring AI into the adaptive radar space to tackle problems like object detection, localization and tracking that industry needs solved." At its most basic level, radar is not difficult to understand. A pulse of high-frequency radio waves is broadcast, and an antenna gathers data from any waves that bounce back. As technology has advanced, however, so too have the concepts used by modern radar systems. With the ability to shape and direct signals, process multiple contacts at once, and filter out background noise, the technology has come a long way in the past century. But radar has come just about as far as it can using these techniques alone. Adaptive radar systems still struggle to accurately localize and track moving objects, especially in complex environments like mountainous terrain. To move adaptive radar into the age of AI, Venkatasubramanian and Tarokh were inspired by the history of computer vision. In 2010, researchers at Stanford University released an enormous image database consisting of more than 14 million annotated images called ImageNet. The map of the matched case RFView example scenario. The blue triangle is the platform location, and the red region is the range-azimuth area for radar processing. The elevation heatmap overlaying the left image depicts the simulation region. Credit: IET Radar, Sonar & Navigation (2024). DOI: 10.1049/rsn2.12600 Researchers around the world used ImageNet to test and compare new AI approaches that became industry standard. In the new paper, Venkatasubramanian and his collaborators show that using the same AI approaches greatly improves the performance of current adaptive radar systems. "Our research parallels the research of the earliest users of AI in computer vision and the creators of ImageNet, but within adaptive radar," Venkatasubramanian said. "Our proposed AI takes as input processed radar data and outputs a prediction of the target's location through a simple architecture that can be thought of as paralleling the predecessor of most modern computer vision architectures." While the group has yet to test their methods in the field, they benchmarked their AI's performance on a modeling and simulation tool called RFView, which gains its accuracy by incorporating the Earth's topography and terrain into its modeling toolbox. Then, continuing in the footsteps of computer vision, they created 100 airborne radar scenarios based on landscapes from across the contiguous United States and released it as an open-source asset called "RASPNet." The article on RASPNet is posted to the arXiv preprint server. This is a valuable asset, as only a handful of teams have access to RFView. The researchers, however, received special permission from the creators of RFView to build the datasetwhich contains more than 16 terabytes of data built over the course of several monthsand make it publicly available. "I am delighted that this groundbreaking work has been published, and particularly that the associated data is being made available in the RASPNet repository," said Hugh Griffiths, Fellow Royal Academy of Engineering, Fellow IEEE, Fellow IET, OBE, and the THALES/Royal Academy Chair of RF Sensors at University College London, who was not involved with the work. "This will undoubtedly stimulate further work in this important area, and ensure that the results can readily be compared with each other." The scenarios included were handpicked by radar and machine learning experts and have a wide range of geographical complexity. On the easiest side for adaptive radar systems to handle is the Bonneville Salt Flats, while the hardest is Mount Rainier. Venkatasubramanian and his group hope that others will take their ideas and dataset and build even better AI approaches. For example, in a previous paper, Venkatasubramanian showed that an AI tailored to a specific geographical location could achieve up to a seven-fold improvement in localizing objects over classical methods. If an AI could select a scenario on which it had already been trained that is similar to its current environment, it should substantially improve in performance. "We think this will have a really big impact on the adaptive radar community," Venkatasubramanian said. "As we move forward and continue adding capabilities to the dataset, we want to provide the community with everything it needs to push the field forward into using AI." More information: Shyam Venkatasubramanian et al, Datadriven target localization using adaptive radar processing and convolutional neural networks, IET Radar, Sonar & Navigation (2024). DOI: 10.1049/rsn2.12600 Shyam Venkatasubramanian et al, RASPNet: A Benchmark Dataset for Radar Adaptive Signal Processing Applications, arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2406.09638 Journal information: arXiv County in E China's Jiangsu witnesses impressive progress in crystal, wearable nail industry People's Daily Online) 15:52, July 19, 2024 An aerial photo shows a crystal market held in Donghai county, Lianyungang city, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Photo/Zhang Kaihu) Donghai county in Lianyungang city, east China's Jiangsu Province, renowned for its burgeoning crystal industry, is experiencing a booming tourist season. A large crystal market is held every five days, attracting thousands of traders per session. As a global hub for crystal distribution and a major crystal-producing area in China, Donghai county now boasts 17,000 online crystal stores on e-commerce platforms, with over 50,000 people directly employed. Last year, the total transaction value of the county's crystal industry surpassed 40 billion yuan ($5.51 billion). The county has also achieved impressive success in the wearable nail industry, producing more than 100 million sets of handmade wearable nails last year, accounting for over 70 percent of the total output in China. The rapid growth of the wearable nail industry has contributed to employment in the county, with around 55,000 individuals, including flexible workers paid by the piece and stay-at-home mothers, capitalizing. In recent years, Donghai county has focused on advantageous, characteristic, labor-intensive and new industries to further promote employment and entrepreneurship, aiming to boost industrial development and increase the income of locals. (Intern Xing Yawen contributed to this story.) State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code DENMARK Since 1985, Marlon Fox of North Charleston has paid a total of $215,000 in student loan debt. His payments stem from $60,000 he borrowed in the 80s. My battle started years ago, Fox said at an event highlighting the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Congressman Clyburn, U.S. Secretary of Education Cardona at Voorhees U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, left, and U.S. Congressman James Clyburn speak with GEAR UP students at Voorhees University in Denmark. Because of the program, Foxs balance of $120,000 was canceled. His story is one of many. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Education announced that 35,000 more individuals were granted student loan forgiveness through the PSLF program. The recent round forgave $1.2 billion in student debt. We need to keep fighting harder to make sure that accessibility and affordability are available for everyone in this country who wants to get ahead on higher education, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said during a visit to Denmark on Thursday. Cardona and U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn made stops at Voorhees University and Denmark Technical College as part of the fifth Investing in America Tour. At Voorhees, Cardona and Clyburn talked to students who participate in Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. GEAR UP is a federally funded program designed to promote college enrollment and improve graduation rates. The program is funded by a $30 million, seven-year grant. Currently in its fourth year, over 4,000 students have participated in the program. PSLF programs impact The PSLF program, introduced by Congress in 2007, cancels the student loan debt of public servants. To qualify, borrowers must have worked in public service for 10 years and have made 120 months of qualifying student loan repayments. The first borrowers for the PSLF program were eligible for relief in 2017, pursuant to the requirement of 10 years in public service. By 2021, the PSLF program had only helped 7,000 borrowers. Through the Biden Administrations reforms to the PSLF program, borrowers forgiven by the program increased to 946,000 with a total of $69.2 billion forgiven. Every two months, another 50,000 people become eligible for forgiveness. Thats what the future is. Are we going to keep doing this or are we going to stop it with a new administration? Thats one reason Im riding with Biden, Clyburn said. Student loan repayment Foxs battle with his student loan debt left him wondering where his payments were going. Whenever he requested his payment records, he would only receive records from the year 2000 and beyond. They lost my records from 1985 through 2000, Fox said. Records after 2000 were well-documented. They would never prove to me that I actually owed the money, or how it got that high, he said. But after Clyburn got involved, the lender switched its tune. They would say that couldnt have happened but they were quoting things that had to come from the record they said they didnt have, Fox said. Even though he made on-time payments and was never penalized, navigating his debt was difficult, Fox said. If were serious about where we want to be in terms of leading the world as manufacturers and making sure that our schools are competitive with other countries, we have to take a serious look at what I consider to be almost criminal behaviors of some of these loan companies, Cardona said. Administrations efforts The Biden Administrations original federal student loan forgiveness plan was stopped by the Supreme Court in a 6-3 ruling in 2023. The plan, estimated at $400 billion, would have cancelled up to $20,000 in student loan debt for eligible borrowers. The administration then introduced the Saving on a Valuable Education plan. SAVE is an income-driven repayment plan which aims to lower monthly payment costs. Fighting the good fight to help people make payments in an affordable way thats what the SAVE plan is. We want people to pay off their loans, we dont want them to go into default, Cardona said. As the SAVE plan is challenged in court, the administration has placed 3 million borrowers on forbearance. Forbearance temporarily postpones payments without penalty. Judges in Kansas and Missouri filed an injunction that said the administration could not lower monthly payments or forgive some student debt. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals then allowed part of the SAVE plan to continue so monthly payment costs could drop from 10% to 5% of discretionary income. But on Thursday, the 8th Circuit Appeals Court ruled in favor of an injunction that temporarily blocks all parts of the SAVE plan. Because of Republican lawsuits, today, payments will double, Cardona said Thursday following news of the injunction. Some of these folks who are fighting this have gotten debt relief themselves. Some of these folks are the same ones that support tax breaks for billionaires, Cardona said. Although Republicans accuse the Biden Administration of overreaching, the Higher Education Act does give him the authority, Cardona said. The Higher Education Act of 1965 provides financial support for colleges and students. We want to fix this problem and make higher education more affordable. Were just warming up, Cardona said. The administration is also putting pressure on colleges to ensure theres a good return on investment. Some for-profit colleges take advantage of students and the only thing they got out of it was debt and a degree that didnt really help them get earning potential, Cardona said. Although the future of these student loan forgiveness plans is uncertain, those whose debt has been canceled, like Fox, can finally enjoy their relief from the burden. Last week was my first full week off that Ive taken for vacation in 20 years, Fox said. He and his wife have another trip planned for Maui. Anthony Smith taking his oath office as he is sworn in as a Minister of Government. (Photo source: Dominica News Online) One day after addressing the Antigua and Barbuda parliament to explain why he was leaving the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) and declaring himself an independent member of parliament, Anthony Smith was sworn in as that countrys Minister for Agriculture, Land, Fisheries and the Blue Economy, in the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party led government. On July 17, Smith was allowed by the Speaker of the House to address parliament to give his reason(s) for resigning as a member of the opposition UPP. As he was about to begin his address, the Opposition members walked out of the parliament, returning only when Smith had finished his address. The opposition had earlier objected to the Speaker granting Smith the opportunity to address the Parliament. Despite the oppositions absence, Smith proceeded with his statement. He said, "When someone has a different political view than you, it does not mean that that person is your enemy. And to the good members of the United Progressive Party, when persons support the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, it does not mean that that person is your enemy. Smith added, "the United Progressive Party that I joined four years ago, it is not the same United Progressive Party today. Addressing his constituents, Smith apologized to those hurt by his decision but emphasized, "I had to take what was the best decision in the best interest of the people of All Saints West and the people of Antigua and Barbuda. He also asserted that "their [the UPPs] wicked plans to end my political career have failed miserably. The Opposition MPs returned immediately after Smiths speech which was met with a standing ovation from the ruling partys representatives. Smith, a newcomer to politics, had submitted his resignation letter to the UPPs General Secretary on July 15, citing "a misalignment of values that cannot be reconciled. The young businessman turned politician had caused questions to resurface about the leadership of the UPP after he sharply criticised party leaders for their handling of the leadership race early this year. He stated that he felt he was marked for challenging current UPP Chairperson D Gisele Isaac and supporting Richard Lewis, as highlighted in a leaked endorsement letter signed by all UPP MPs. With this recent development, Antigua and Barbudas political landscape has seen a significant change as former opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Anthony Smith, became the first Independent MP to join the executive. Prime Minister Gaston Browne expressed his confidence in Smiths capabilities during the swearing-in ceremony. Smith stated that he was totally committed to making a significant contribution towards the advancement of his constituents and the people of Antigua and Barbuda in general. Browne also suggested that Smiths previous political environment was detrimental to his growth, describing it as "toxic and hindering his development. He commended Smith for seeking greener pastures to better serve his constituents. Addressing his decision, Smith emphasized the importance of national development, acknowledging that while some people may be hurt by his choice, he was elected to serve and lead the people of All Saints West and Antigua and Barbuda as a whole. President of the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), Dr Godwin Friday has blasted the ruling Unity Labour Party regime for overlooking opposition parliamentarians in the rebuilding exercise, following the destructive passage of Hurricane beryl, July o1, 2024. "We are one people. We must come together and support those badly affected, the NDP leader declared during a press conference hosted by the NDP, last Wednesday at the partys headquarters, Murrays Road, Kingstown. The Opposition Leader took issue with the government for what he referred to as an absence of planning in the build up to the passage of hurricane Beryl. "We shouldnt be scrambling every time in the wake of a hurricane, Friday observed. Going forward, Dr. Friday wanted that period to be characterised by unity .. a moment to "set aside differences and work together for the common good. And promised, "We are doing whatever is necessary to be constructive in the process. In that light, he spoke of his party plans to help children from the Southern Grenadines on their return to school. The NDP expects to raise $100,000 which will take care of the venture. But he optimistic that the appeal will raise as much as $200,000. At present, the partys headquarters is being used as a hub for collection and distribution of supplies and Dr. Friday promised proper management and distribution of relief supplies, assuring "that supplies get to the people in a speedy and transparent manner. Monies raised will also be used to help affected households with supplies and to rebuild their homes. "Government assistance is not always done to the extent needed and in a timely manner, he observed, but regardless the priority ".. is to get people back to their homes, and for businesses to reopen, Dr. Friday emphasised. The Opposition Leader pledged to "continue to visit persons affected in the communities, and "to continue to advocate on your behalf. On a wider national concern, the Opposition leader urged the government to have measures in place for "strong economic growth nationally. Friday was flanked by his opposition parliamentary colleague, Terrence Ollivierre (Southern Grenadines) and Daniel Cummings: West Kingstown. Ollivierre was a picture of sadness and hurt but he said he was heartened by the kindness and resilience the residents showed. "We have to rebuild these islands, Ollivierre stated. The Shadow Minister in the Education Ministry, he wanted the schooling of primary and secondary school students to continue on the islands where the students belonged. He doesnt accept the idea of building temporary structures on mainland St. Vincent to accommodate the Grenadines students. Put us in a place where our lives could be as normal as possible, Ollivierre quips. (See accompanying story.) Daniel Cummings cancelled other activities to assess the situation in West Kingstown. His take was, "a government that cares will deal with this (recovery) in a non-partisan way. "To have political operatives being part of the team is simply not acceptable, the West Kingstown representative lamented. "People are refusing to go to the centres because of the behavior of those political operatives, Cummings added. Skilled police work, in conjunction with the assistance of villagers, may have prevented a heinous crime, or blood bath in South Rivers on Tuesday. Up to press time yesterday (Thursday), six persons including two women were assisting the police with investigations, and charges are expected to be laid by today (Friday) in connection with that incident during which bandits stormed the building of the South Rivers branch of the General Employees Corporate Credit Union (GECCU), but were only able to take off with a purse, containing only documents, due to the combined and pro-active work of the police. THE VINCENTIAN was reliably informed that based on police intelligence, the original target was not South Rivers, but because of the combined efforts of the police stations from the Eastern Division led by superintendent Hesran Ballantyne, and included the Georgetown, Colonaire, Owia, and Sandy Bay Police Stations, police officers were placed at all the institutions in that division, which deals with money transactions. However, shortly after 3 p.m., the intelligence revealed a change in target, but because of the proactive measures taken, the police were already on the scene in South Rivers and saw the car that dropped off the bandits who had entered the GECCU building, as if they were going to do normal business. The lawmen heard someone scream "robbery from inside the building, and the police fired a shot at the car but it was able to speed off. The assailants, who were already in the building, ran back outside and opened fire on the police. The police returned fire, and the bandits ran in the direction of the community centre. The police, assisted by villagers, were able to apprehend three of them, and later that evening another one was taken into custody. Investigations continued, and the others were subsequently picked up with the assistance of other units of the Police Force. The car allegedly involved was abandoned at Mt. Grenan. It is alleged that a false registration number plate was used. Police also retrieved a purse with all its documents, no cash, as well as the firearm allegedly used in the process. The foiled attempt to rob the GECCU South Rives branch, followed on a May 10 daylight robbery of the Barrouallie branch of the Teachers Co-operative Credit Union. The report at the time was that gunmen stormed the office and got away with an undisclosed sum of money. No arrests have been made in relation to the Barrouallie robbery. And despite the failure of the attempted robbery, GECCU issued a statement on Wednesday in which it advised that as a result of the attempted robbery which took place at its South Rivers Office on Tuesday 16th July 2024, the office will remain closed until further notice. "We deeply regret the negative effect which the incident has had on our employees, members, the community of South Rivers and the general public. We are reviewing our security protocols and measures will be put in place to enhance security at all offices of the credit union. We remain committed to the safety and security of all stakeholders, the statement read. Parliamentarians debated a Supplementary Estimates and Supplementary Appropriation Bill on July 18 which is facilitate access funding, over and above what was approved in the 2024 Appropriation Bill (Budget), to finance the rebuilding effort in the wake of the passage of Hurricane Beryl. Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves announced on radio on July 14 that the Finance Standing Committee of the House of Assembly was expected to meet on July 17 to consider the Supplementary Estimates and Appropriation Bill, before going to Parliament the day after. "This is the first set of Supplementary Estimates and Appropriation Bill for this stage of addressing the disaster and the consequence of Hurricane Beryl, Gonsalves made clear. There was a lot of focus on relief and cleaning up, he added, and gave early indication that, "We will have to go back to the House for additional appropriations, and cited that the current situation was similar to that of 2020 during the COVID pandemic and 2021 following the volcanic eruptions. The amount appropriated in 2021 was EC$117 million, but this time the number was expected to rise to EC$140 million. Dr. Gonsalves noted that while money was allocated to housing in the 2024 Budget, the bulk of the appropriated funds will have to be directed to homes that were damaged by both the volcano and Hurricane Beryl. By way of procedure, the other avenue opened to government to access additional funds to finance the rebuilding programme post-Beryl, is the route of Special Warrants. This could prove cumbersome and protracted. The route of a Supplementary Estimates and Supplementary Appropriation Bill legally circumvents the challenges inherent in the Special Warrant route. It is a supply bill or spending bill that authorizes the expenditure of government funds for specific spending. Two men were shot and killed on Saturday 13th, in the community of Pole Yard, Arnos Vale, while another man was taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH), where he was treated and discharged. The deceased were identified as Jomarl John, a 30-year-old vendor, and 17-year-old Jason St. Rose, a student of the St. Vincent Grammar School. both residents of Pole Yard. Sixty-three-year-old Sylvanus Matthias sustained gunshot injuries to the leg. In its first release in relation to this incident, the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) said it was investigating the double homicide. "Preliminary investigations have revealed that on July 13, 2024, Jomarl John and a 63-year-old retiree (former security guard) were at a business place in Pole Yard when an unknown mask gunman entered and opened fire. Both John and the retiree were shot and John was pronounced dead at the scene. The retiree was taken to the Kingstown Hospital, where he was treated and discharged, said the police press release. The release further noted that the 17-year-old student was shot at a location a short distance from the business place and was also pronounced dead at the scene. One resident in the community told THE VINCENTIAN that two hooded gunmen took advantage of the darkness of the community that is without electricity, to carry out their murderous act. The elderly male resident who requested anonymity for fear of a reprisal attack said that in all his life he never expected the country to be in such a sad state. "The criminals are running the country red and its like the country do not have police or a minister for security. I have two children and it is a good thing they dont live in this country anymore, said the resident. Jomarl Johns girlfriend, Curtisha Simmons, said Jomarl was her boyfriend of six years and she was devastated by his death. She said that she was inside the house where they shared while he was in a shop adjoining the house. She said that she heard the sounds of gunshots and feared the worst. Simmons said that Jason was found face down at the back of the shop and he appeared to have been shot in his shoulder, in his ear and temple, while her boyfriend was shot multiple times in his head and throat. As far as she was aware, Jomarl was not in any dispute with anyone and she was puzzled as to why he was killed. The bereaved girlfriend said that both Jomarl and Jason were very good friends and it was Jomarl who looked out for Jason in his time of needs. Meanwhile the St. Vincent Grammar School paid tribute to Jason on the schools Facebook page. "There are simply no words that can appropriately express the shock and sadness in the St. Vincent Grammar School Community when one of our own, Jason St. Rose, has been taken away from us so violently. This is a tragedy that impacts each and everyone of us as Jason in his own way was interwoven into the fabric of our school. During this difficult time, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and all those who mourn his untimely passing. As a school community, our thoughts and prayers are with them as we all navigate this immense loss, the statement read. The homicide count for 2024 now stands at 28. (TBTCO) - Gia xe SH moi nhat thang 10/2024 tai ai ly ang giam soc, mot so phien ban ang uoc ban re hon gia e xuat, ay la ieu hiem co cua dong xe Honda. Trong khi o, gia xe Vision tai ai ly ang o muc thap chua tung co, tinh trang oi gia cao gan nhu a khong con. Mott MacDonald, a leading global engineering, development, and management consultancy, has had its regional headquarters (RHQ) licence approved as it continues to strengthen its presence in Saudi Arabia. Mott MacDonald is one of the first 40 UK companies to receive a RHQ licence from the Ministry of Investment (MISA) in Saudi Arabia. The licence enables Mott MacDonald to expand its business by continuing to engage directly with government entities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This follows the opening of the consultancys new office in Riyadh last September at the start of an important phase of further investment in the country. The employee-owned consultancy has a team of more than 70 people based at its Riyadh office, which is the headquarters of Mott MacDonalds Saudi business, formed in 2022 under the Ministry of Investment scheme for foreign-owned entities. The company has been providing strategic advice and engineering consultancy in Saudi Arabia since the 1960s, helping to accelerate economic, social and environmental development, said the company in a statement. Its international advisory and sector specialists have been providing strategic support to key public and private sector clients and partners over the past year and it is a key partner in delivering Saudi Arabias Vision 2030 growth and development plans, including its giga projects. The company plans to significantly grow its Saudi business over the next 12 months by creating career development opportunities for Saudi nationals on major projects, it stated. Rick Hopper, the Managing Director for Saudi Arabia, said: "We have been involved in projects that support economic growth and social development in the kingdom for many decades, and being granted the RHQ licence enables us to build on this legacy by supporting its transformation." "We are creating a sustainable business that is led locally, drawing on our international engineering and advisory expertise to push new boundaries of technical excellence," he added. According to him, Mott MacDonald has a strong focus on attracting and training recent Saudi graduates as well as adding mid- to senior-level experts. The British company launched its graduate programme, LEAD, in January to mentor and develop early career professionals and support young engineers to achieve chartership. Over the past year, the firm has made several senior management appointments, including sector leaders for energy, the built environment and transport, as well as recruiting senior project leaders, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Tech industry leaders from around the world gathered in Ras Al Khaimah for the Re: Sustainable IT Summit, to discuss sustainable hardware practices in businesses and explored avenues to circularity in the IT sector. Organised by Circular Computing, a British remanufacturer of used laptops with a remanufacturing facility based in Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (Rakez), the summit drew participation from around 65 global companies, including giants like Microsoft, Dell, HP, Atos, Lenovo, Google, HSBC, Sharaf DG, DHL, Acer, Jackys, and Canon. One of the key highlights of the event was a survey conducted among IT leaders, which shed light on the importance of sustainable hardware practices in businesses worldwide. Rallying cry Discussing the findings, Founder and CEO of Circular Computing Rod Neale, said: Our summit was as much a rallying cry as it was an eye opener for those in the driving seat in the tech industry, who I hope now are starting to see remanufacturing as the new new and a way to achieve circularity in the IT sector. Overall, the consensus is clear: pre-used tech will be the future. The question is, how quickly are we going to get there? Commenting on the summits success, Rakez Group CEO Ramy Jallad, said: We congratulate Circular Computing on orchestrating such an impactful event in Ras Al Khaimah. This is a step forward in fostering a more sustainable approach within the tech industry, aligning with global environmental goals and promoting circular economy practices in the IT sector. It is essential for both enterprises and individuals in the emirate to embrace and advocate for environmental sustainability. This not only supports the UAEs initiatives against climate change but also highlights our dedication to sustainable development. Actual needs During the event, speakers urged stakeholders from both the private and public sectors to consider a simple yet effective step toward enhancing their IT infrastructures sustainability. They proposed evaluating the actual needs for state-of-the-art laptops versus the feasibility of deploying high-quality remanufactured ones, which could significantly reduce e-waste, lower CO2 emissions, and help organisations meet their 2030 climate targets. Further illustrating the practical impact of sustainable IT practices, Circular Computing recently signed a $33 million landmark contract with the Irish Government to deliver sustainable IT solutions for the next four years. Under this agreement, the company will supply its remanufactured laptops from Ras Al Khaimah to Ireland, further expanding its global footprint and reinforcing the viability of remanufactured technology in meeting modern computing needs. Other EU countries will be watching this move with interest and may look to incorporate into their policies.--TradeArabia News Service Investors need to be extra cautious about the luxury sector, but also be alive to the major emerging opportunities, warns the CEO of one of the worlds largest independent financial advisory and asset management organisations. The warning from Nigel Green of deVere Group comes as Hugo Boss shares recently plummeted by approximately 9% in German trading this week, highlighting the troubles confronting high-end fashion brands. The German fashion house has reduced its fiscal 2024 sales outlook to between 4.20 billion ($4.57 billion) and 4.35 billion. Burberry's woes Burberry, another major player in the industry, recently replaced its CEO, Jonathan Akeroyd, as it projected a first-half operating loss and suspended its dividend, citing waning demand for luxury goods. In an effort to attract cautious consumers, luxury brands, including Burberry and Versace, are slashing prices by up to 50% in China, according to reports. Green says: The luxury sector is experiencing a significant pullback in consumer spending, driven largely by Chinas economic growth slowdown. As one of the world's largest markets for luxury goods, Chinas economic health profoundly impacts the sectors overall performance. Chinese economy The Chinese economy is grappling with several challenges, including sluggish GDP growth, declining exports, and a real estate market slump. These factors have collectively dampened consumer confidence and reduced discretionary spending among Chinese consumers, who had previously been avid buyers of high-end products. Luxury brands are feeling the pinch as Chinese consumers, particularly with the wealthy and middle class, become more cautious with their spending. The phenomenon of luxury shame, where individuals are less inclined to flaunt their wealth due to the prevailing economic uncertainty, appears to be getting a major foothold. This cultural shift further exacerbates the challenges faced by luxury brands, affirms the deVere CEO. The slowdown is not limited to fashion; it extends to luxury automobiles, jewellery, and high-end electronics, all of which are seeing reduced sales in the Chinese market. Recalibrated strategies As the ripple effects of Chinas economic slowdown extend beyond its borders, global luxury brands are recalibrating their strategies. Many are focusing on strengthening their presence in other markets and enhancing their online retail platforms to mitigate the impact. However, the immediate outlook remains challenging, with significant implications for revenue growth and profitability across the sector. Investors, therefore, need to consider these dynamics when evaluating opportunities within the luxury market. He continues: This phenomenon, characterised by a reluctance to flaunt luxury goods, could potentially become a global trend. As economic uncertainties persist, we expect consumers worldwide will become more judicious in their luxury spending, favoring brands that embody discreet, timeless elegance. The concept of "hushed luxury" understated, high-quality products that do not overtly display their brand is likely to gain traction. Brands that have spent decades building a reputation for class and heritage are likely to fare better in this environment. The shift towards more subtle and refined luxury items suggests that consumers are prioritising quality and longevity over ostentation. For savvy investors, this evolving market presents significant opportunities. Discreet luxury Focusing on brands that align with the emerging preference for discreet luxury is likely to be a sound strategy. Companies with a strong heritage, commitment to quality, and reputation for understated elegance are well-positioned to thrive in the current climate. Understanding these consumer trends and the underlying economic factors is crucial for making informed investment decisions. Green concludes: The luxury market, while currently facing challenges, is not disappearing. Instead, it is evolving. This evolution presents significant opportunities for investors who can identify and capitalise on these shifts. A failure to do so will mean that investors could easily get financially caught off-guard.--TradeArabia News Service Powerelec Bahrain 2024, an international trade fair and conference on solar, renewables, storage, power and electrical industry will open in September in Manama in the backdrop of governments in the Mena (Middle East & North Africa) region actively seeking to reinforce and sustain circular economy initiatives to meet decarbonisation goals through energy transition. The three-day expo being organised by Verifair, kicks off on September 23 this year under the theme 'Bahrains Net Zero Ambition Unfolding Renewables, Green Hydrogen for a Sustainable, Decarbonized Economy.' Some of the biggest names in the entire renewable energy industry will be attending the event. The shows key partners include the Dubai Renewable Energy Business Group (DREBG), Dubai Chamber of Commerce, and the Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA), among others. "This landmark event will provide a platform to explore and engage with the opportunities presented by the Kingdom of Bahrains ambitious decarbonization initiatives," remarked LK Verma, the Chairman of DREBG. "We look forward to this pivotal events positive impact on the renewable energy landscape in Bahrain and beyond," he stated. During the event, the DRBEG members will be showcasing the latest advancements in the renewable energy technologies and capabilities, aligning with Bahrains drive towards a sustainable future, said Verma, who is also the Founder and Managing Director of Orange Overseas FZE, Powernsun, PnS One, Pvmarket & Areem. Across Mena, the focus on decarbonisation has gathered strength over the years, and as per Bahrains National Energy Strategy announced at COP 26 in Glasgow, the kingdom remains committed to achieve a 30% reduction in emissions by 2035 and total neutrality by 2060. "Bahrain is at the cusp of leading the region in renewable energy adoption," said Hinde Liepmannsohn, the Executive Director of Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA), which has partnered with Verifair for the show. "Powerelec Bahrain will play a pivotal role in strengthening the renewable energy communitys role to meet the targeted objective by bringing all the stakeholders on one platform," noted Liepmannsohn. MESIA, she stated, was taking proactive steps to position the kingdom as a sustainable energy pioneer and fulfil the countrys Net Zero commitment by 2060. The principal sponsor of Powerelec Bahrain is JA Solar and headline sponsor is Sungrow, she added. Lei Wu, COO of Overseas Strategic KA Center & MEA Region, Sungrow, said: "Bahrain is creating a lot of new opportunities for solar and wind energy, and we are elated to present our extensive product portfolio to the local clientele. We are eager to support Bahrain in achieving its sustainability objectives and to work alongside it to transition to a green economy." According to International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), energy transition towards renewables is well under way in the region. Irenas World Energy Transitions Outlook (WETO) has projected that 26% of the total primary energy supply in the region will be from renewables by 2050, resulting in a CO2/year reduction equivalent to 1.1 Gt. The renewables sector jobs also could touch 2 million by then, up from 542,000 in 2017. Jeen Joshua, the Managing Director of Verifair, said: "The commitment by governments in the Mena region to contribute to limiting the global temperature rise to below 1.5 degree C as per the Paris Agreement has spawned a robust energy transition movement across the region, opening up huge opportunities for businesses in the green technologies space." "Powerelec Bahrain is a unique platform in this context to leverage business growth and contribute to the Net Zero movement," he added.-TradeArabia News Service COSL Drilling has awarded Soiltech a contract for treating contaminated water on the harsh environment, semi-submersible drilling rig COSLPromoter, with startup in the third quarter of 2024. This is a substantial contract for Soiltech. COSLPromoter is working for Equinor in Norway, under a contract which could have a duration of up to five years. We are proud to be awarded this contract by COSL which is a leading drilling contractor on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Our focus is to deliver sustainable waste treatment services to COSL, by reducing the waste as much as possible on location, and thereby reducing the amount of waste sent to shore for disposal. This contributes to reduced carbon emissions and lower cost, says Jan Erik Tveteraas, Soiltechs CEO.--TradeArabia News Service Dar Al Handasah Consultants, (Shair and Partners), a Sidara Company, has announced that it has secured a major contract from Saudi oil giant Aramco for both its existing and new infrastructure projects. As per the deal, which is under an amendment to an existing framework agreement, Dar Al Handasah will provide consultancy services, including engineering, design and project management work. The amendment, awarded in December 2023, provides for additional five years of general engineering and project management services infrastructure (GESi) and can also be extended up to 3 additional years, said the company in a statement. This award effectively extends a previous GESi framework agreement that Dar signed with Aramco in 2019 and builds on a historical relationship that dates back to 1957, and that has been characterized by the successful delivery of innovative and transformative projects across various sectors, it added. Dar is the founding member of Sidara, a global collective of the worlds brightest and best planners, designers, engineers, and consultants with over 20,000 professionals and over 300 offices across all geographies, who have come together on a shared mission: to advocate for the world as we would for our own home. Sidaras pillar firms include Dar itself, Perkins&Will, TYLin Group, Currie&Brown, and Penspen. On the new framework agreement, Dar and Sidaras Chairman and CEO Talal Shair said: "We are privileged to continue supporting Aramco in achieving its strategic objectives." "We believe the new agreement validates and spotlights our contributions and provides us with an opportunity to continue to bring exceptional value to Aramco, leveraging the best of our expertise and capabilities, and that of all Sidara Companies," he noted. Dar has been active in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia since 1957, successfully delivering more than 600 projects for over 100 clients. With seven offices across major cities in the Kingdom, the company currently employs over 3,000 employees, including more than 1,000 Saudi nationals. Beyond its contributions on numerous Aramco projects, Dar has played a role in many of the ambitious visionary giga-projects that are currently in development across the kingdom, particularly those that support the achievement of Vision 2030.-TradeArabia News Service Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) has affirmed that all technical systems at Bahrain International Airport (BIA) are fully operational and unaffected by the recent global technical issue. BAC added that it is proactively monitoring the global situation and working closely with the relevant authorities to implement any necessary precautionary measures. BAC advised all passengers to check the status of their flights with their respective airlines before arriving at the airport. Delays due to external factors The BAC added that in reference to recent local media reports regarding the cancellations, delays or rescheduling of some flights, these disruptions were not related to BIA's technical systems and were due to external factors and are being actively managed by the respective airlines. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi Meanwhile, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said is monitoring closely the ongoing situation with IT outages due to a third-party provider affecting the aviation sector worldwide. We advise that all passengers arrive at the airport at least three hours before their scheduled departure time, the airline said. Our teams are working closely with the relevant stakeholders across our network to ensure a seamless travel experience for all our passengers, the airline added.--TradeArabia News Service Twice a month, community resource groups come together to provide information, program sign up, medical testing, food and essential items for the homeless population in Casper. There are an estimated 501 people experiencing homelessness on any given day across Wyoming, based on the most recent point-in-time survey in January. The Community Action Partnership of Natrona County is one of those organizations. The organization offers resources for the homeless and low-income individuals in the area. At the outreach events, Community Action Partnership mainly provides information on its programs including health care, case management and rental assistance. The organization also has a healthcare bus which travels to different locations to provide easy-to-access health care. They also have an in-person office to provide more elaborate services. Between the bus and the office, Community Action Partnership is able to provide imaging, prescriptions, labs, mental health counseling, primary care and specialists. Community Action Partnership healthcare services are only available to those who are currently homeless or at risk of being homeless. This includes those in transitional housing, hotels, couch-surfing and shelters. The Natrona County office of Department of Family Services also assists during the bimonthly event. They provide information on how to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Personal Opportunities with Employment Responsibilities and Low Income Energy Assistance programs. Family Services Benefit Specialist Erin Fischer said that, starting in August, they will also provide hygiene kits for individuals who stop by. The main attraction at the community outreach events is the Natrona County Health Department bus. The county health department supplies individuals with food, backpacks, sunscreen and other essentials. During the winter months they provide blankets, hats and scarves. These items are available as they are donated. They also have a mobile health unit on site to provide HIV and Hepatitis-C testing. These rapid tests are done with just a simple finger prick, according to Madilyn Larson, the Wyoming AIDS and Education Training Coordinator. In addition to the testing, the health department provides brochures on other services they provide. The department may also have sexual health kits and feminine hygiene kits available. The outreach event is held twice a month, on the second and fourth Fridays. A homeless Wyoming woman has been arrested and charged with two counts of conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. Jennah Jo Gerstner, born in 1997, was charged as part of a larger bust in Natrona County that culminated in nearly four pounds of suspected methamphetamine being confiscated. Gerstner told police she did not ever deliver drugs but that she was homeless and needed the money. Each count is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and an up to a $25,000 fine. The Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigations in March identified two people as the primary suspects in the distribution of large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Natrona County. Charvel Martinez, born in 1998, and her partner, Gerstner were identified as co-conspirators. A search warrant of the primary suspects hotel room in Evansville in March yielded 2.6 pounds of suspected meth, roughly 2,730 suspected fentanyl pills, other controlled substances, scales, three semi-automatic rifles, one semi-automatic handgun and $4,562, according to an affidavit. Text messages between Martinez and the primary suspects allegedly show the duo would help distribute drugs in the state. A confidential source identifies Martinez and Gerstner as being involved in the distribution of controlled substances in the Guernsey area, according to court documents. The duo was arrested in Laramie County in May and roughly 140 fentanyl pills were seized during a traffic stop, according to an affidavit. Gerstner in a police interview denied transporting four pounds of meth but did say that they were trying to get involved because we were homeless, and we didnt want to be homeless. Gerstner repeatedly denied ever transporting controlled substances, according to an affidavit. 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. Employees of the largest housing provider for unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S. have repeatedly sexually abused and harassed children in their care over the past eight years, the U.S. Justice Department alleges. Southwest Key employees, including supervisors, have raped, touched or solicited sex and nude images of children since at least 2015, the DOJ alleged in a lawsuit filed Wednesday. At least two employees have been charged since 2020, according to the lawsuit. Southwest Key disputed the accuracy of the claims in a written statement late Thursday. Based in Austin, Texas, Southwest Key is the largest provider of housing for unaccompanied migrant children, operating under grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It has 29 child migrant shelters 17 in Texas, 10 in Arizona and two in California with room for 6,350 children, according to the complaint. The companys largest shelter in Brownsville, Texas has a capacity of 1,200. The suit alleges one incident, in 2021, at the providers shelter in Tucson that a 15-year-old child reported a male youth-care worker entered his bedroom without knocking while the child was lying in bed and touched the childs buttocks. The child reported his discomfort with the workers touching and said the worker kept going into my room like six times without knocking and without another employee present, in violation of Southwest Keys policies. Allegations of child sexual abuse at Southwest Keys Tucson residential facility were featured in a 2018 ProPublica investigation based on police reports from immigrant youth shelters. The companys Arizona facilities also came under fire in 2018 after a series of allegations of physical abuse and inadequate staff vetting, prompting the Arizona Department of Health Services to initially seek to revoke the licenses of all 13 of its locations, before a settlement agreement allowed the company to continue operating with conditions, the Arizona Mirror reported. The settlement imposed $73,000 in civil penalties and compelled Southwest Key to hire a third-party consultant to oversee quality-management systems, as well as agree to unannounced inspections by ADHS personnel for two years, according to the Arizona Mirror. ADHS, which licenses behavioral health residential facilities like Southwest Keys, did not immediately respond to the Arizona Daily Stars Thursday request for information on how Southwest Key sites were monitored after 2019. Vulnerable migrant children placed in large congregate-care centers are too often the victims of abuse, said Roxana Avila-Cimpeanu, manager of the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Projects childrens legal program. The Florence Project is the only nonprofit legal service provider in Arizona that provides pro-bono legal and social services to detained children, she said. We have seen this pattern of abuse and mistreatment and the lack of accountability for years, Avila-Cimpeanu told the Star on Thursday. We have seen the government rely on these massive congregate-care facilities, and we have seen theres not effective oversight on the federal side or on the state side. Health and Human Services reported 7,762 children at all of its contracted facilities on May 31, according to the most recent data on its website, which does not break the numbers down by shelter or provider. The department declined to say how many children were currently in Southwest Keys care or if the agency continues to assign children to its care. The lawsuit, which provided details of some of the alleged abuse, asserts that authorities received more than 100 reports of sexual abuse or harassment at the providers shelters since 2015. Among the suits allegations: An employee repeatedly sexually abused three girls ages 5, 8 and 11 at the Casa Franklin shelter in El Paso, Texas. The 8-year-old told investigators that the worker repeatedly entered their bedrooms in the middle of the night to touch their private area, and he threatened to kill their families if they disclosed the abuse. At the companys Casa Kokopelli location in Mesa, an employee took an 11-year-old boy to a hotel and paid him to perform sexual acts for several days in 2020, the suit alleges. At the same location in 2019, a teenage girl reported that she felt uncomfortable with her clinician who asked her graphic questions about her sexual experiences, telling her to look him in the eyes when she answered, while looking her body up and down, the complaint said. The Star left multiple messages at the companys Tucson location on Thursday, with no response. Southwest spokesperson Anais Biera Miraclea said Thursday that the provider is still reviewing the complaint, which she said does not present the accurate picture of the care and commitment our employees provide to the youth and children. The ADHS website shows that eight Southwest Key residential facilities in Arizona shut down in January 2022, including its Tucson residential facility. The counseling facility located at the same address, 1601 N. Oracle Road, is listed as active. Two other Southwest Key residential facilities in Arizona closed in May 2022 and another in July 2023. Six Southwest Key counseling facilities remain active in Arizona, according to the ADHS website. Children in Southwest Keys care were threatened with violence against themselves or family if they reported the abuse, according to the lawsuit. It added that testimony from the victims revealed staff in some instances knew about the ongoing abuse and failed to report it or concealed it. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Thursday that the complaint raises serious pattern or practice concerns about Southwest Key. HHS has a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, inappropriate sexual behavior, and discrimination, he said in a statement. The lawsuit comes less than three weeks after a federal judge granted the Justice Departments request to lift special court oversight of Health and Human Services care of unaccompanied migrant children. President Joe Bidens administration argued that new safeguards rendered special oversight unnecessary 27 years after it began. Thats another source of concern for Avila-Cimpeanu of the Florence Project. The Flores settlement was based on a case brought by a young child that resulted in protections for immigrant children, she said. That critical protection has now been replaced by insufficient regulations governing the care of migrant minors in custody, she said. The regulations actually lack things like oversight, transparency and licensing requirements, she said. Children in care today have even less oversight than when the incidents in the (DOJ) complaint happened, and so were very concerned with that continuing lack of oversight and accountability. Jimmie Tramel Tulsa World Scene Writer Follow Jimmie Tramel 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 It came as a surprise, albeit a pleasant one, when the Rolling Stones a legendary band on a stadium tour announced in May they were coming to the Ozarks to perform at an amphitheater. The Hackney Diamonds Tour has taken the Stones to stadiums in some of the nations biggest cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Houston, Atlanta and Denver. On Sunday, July 21, you can add Ridgedale, Missouri a few miles south of Branson to the list. This is happening because conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris lent his Midas touch to creating what is described in promotional materials as the most beautiful outdoor amphitheater in North America and a musical postcard from Mother Nature. Thunder Ridge Nature Arena, which has a guest capacity of 18,000, is situated on 1,200-plus acres of land and offers views of not just the stage but Table Rock Lake and Arkansas Boston Mountains. Morris has described Thunder Ridge Nature Arena as a gift of the Ozarks to the world. If youve experienced Morris other endeavors, you know hes going to go big and that includes (keep reading) venue amenities and food options. Booking the worlds biggest rock band to play Thunder Ridge is the epitome of going big. The Rolling Stones Thunder Ridge gig was announced in May. What took place to convince Mick Jagger and his band mates to come to the Ozarks? It all started with a fishing trip. An Associated Press story said Morris took a friend on a fishing trip to Canada about a decade ago. The friend was Chuck Leavell, a former member of the Allman Brothers Band who has been the Rolling Stones primary touring keyboardist and musical director since the early 1980s. Said Morris in the AP story: We were on this pristine little stream, he hooks on this big fish (and) he said, John, this is like the happiest day of my life. If you ever need a favor, you let me know. Morris laughed when recalling the story. Continuing, he said, A couple years ago we were working on this, and I said, Chuck, remember that day you asked if there was anything you could do for me? How about you get the Rolling Stones to Ridgedale, Missouri? In advance of the big day, Thunder Ridge hosted guests Monday with the intent of showcasing the venues world-class food offerings. Prepared by Thunder Ridges chefs, and featuring a wide array of locally inspired dishes, culinary stations were set up in the venues 200-year-old White River Party Barn for a tasting experience of Thunder Ridges finest food and beverage items, according to a press release. Custom concession food items included Morris premier grilled bison dogs, house-smoked barbecue brisket sandwiches (hand-carved with executive chef David Wrights competition BBQ sauce) and roasted ears of corn, plus street-style corn with cilantro, tajin, cotija cheese and Mexican creme. The bison dogs and the brisket sandwiches came with TR-branded potato buns. Premium food selections included hand-carved herb-crusted prime rib with au jus and horseradish sauce; arugula pear salad with bacon, candied pecans, feta and bacon vinaigrette; all-beef cheeseburger sliders; smoked garlic rope sausage with spicy mustard and Uncle Bucks kettle chips, bass bites, house-made candied bacon and trail mix. Among dessert options: mini apple and cherry pies, banana walnut cake, banana pudding, stuffed cookies with raspberry and dulce de leche flavors and a smores kit. Wright made it clear in interviews that Thunder Ridge will, of course, have standard concession items, but the aim is to have food choices unlike any other venue in the country, all while aligning with a goal of conservation. For instance, the smoked trout on toasted crostini appetizer is locally sourced from the Mountain Springs Trout Park in Highlandville, Missouri. Thunder Ridge is also dedicated to conservation, a news release said. Guests learned about conservation and sustainability efforts implemented throughout Thunder Ridge, including plates made from fallen palm fronds, agave fiber straws and eco-friendly Green Stripe cold cups. Thunder Ridge is equipped with state-of-the art suites and boxes. There is even on-site lodging. Founder suites will double as accommodations for fans who wish to stay overnight after shows. And, for guests seeking the ultimate event experience, there is a 120-foot-tall Veterans Tower named in honor of Morris dad, John A. Morris, who fought in World War II at the Battle of the Bulge. The four-story tower has three suites each featuring two floors with private bars, outside decks, fireplaces, sleeping accommodations for 10 guests and panoramic views. A fact sheet said the Thunder Ridge experience begins the moment guests leave their cars and have the option of taking a complimentary tram ride to the arena entrance that is home to the Thunder Ridge Fan Zone an elevated interactive guest experience immersing fans in a pre-show extravaganza of food trucks, music, DJs, live bands, outdoor family games and outdoor vehicle and Tracker boat displays. A non-smoking and cashless venue, Thunder Ridge is the result of a decade in planning, development and construction. Luke Bryan, Imagine Dragons and Pitbull are among music artists scheduled to perform at Thunder Ridge in the two months that follow the Rolling Stones visit to Ridgedale. BROKEN ARROW Activity east of the Creek Turnpike in Broken Arrow is a reminder that a $93 million, 12,500-seat outdoor amphitheater will be a new addition to the areas roster of music venues. The Sunset thats the name of the amphitheater will rise on property located north of New Orleans (101st) Street adjacent to the Creek Turnpike and near Broken Arrows Rosewood Elementary School and Events Park. As of May 27, the park temporarily halted the booking of events in order to facilitate construction of public infrastructure improvements and the development of the Sunset at Broken Arrow amphitheater. The citys website said the closure is necessary to ensure the safety of construction teams and visitors to the park. Dirt has been moved, and machinery is on site. Sunset at Broken Arrow LLC plans to begin construction on the amphitheater later this year and finish by late 2025 or early 2026. Last Monday, it was announced that the Oklahoma Department of Commerce is partnering with the city of Broken Arrow and Wagoner County by providing up to $39.5 million in matching funds through the Enterprise Zone Incentive Leverage Act. This will help fund necessary infrastructure improvements for development of the amphitheater, hailed as a public/private partnership. The city committed to improve the public infrastructure (at a cost of approximately $28 million) in and around Events Park. VENU, known as Notes Live when the project was announced, committed approximately $71 million to build the amphitheater. Asked about the $39.5 million in matching funds from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Aaron McColloch, media relations director for the city of Broken Arrow, said that, in simplest terms, the state is not writing the city a check for $39.5 million. Instead, the state has committed 3.55% of future state sales tax generated from the expected development of restaurants, hotels and retail in the Tax Increment Finance District that was created in the area. McColloch said the city will fund the public infrastructure improvements, which have already begun, and will receive an increment of future state and county sales tax collections, as well as the city sales tax, from the TIF. That revenue will be used to help pay back the city for the cost of new roadways, water lines, sewer lines, stormwater lines and parking. Public infrastructure advancements that can be seen so far, according to McColloch, include: The south section of the new 43rd Street just east of Rosewood Elementary School. This new roadway is part of the plan to increase ingress/egress points at Events Park to mitigate traffic congestion and help drain the parking lot empty within 40 minutes of a concerts end. The installation of a new sanitary sewer line. The widening of the main entrance into Events Park. The news release about the project getting a boost from the Enterprise Zone Incentive Leverage Act says the Oklahoma Department of Commerce determined that the amphitheater is more than $100 million revenue positive to the state through June 2049. With the investment, the state acknowledges that the amphitheater has the potential to become a significant tourism destination. This project is one of only four other projects that have taken advantage of the Leverage Act, said Jon Chiappe, the Oklahoma Department of Commerces director of research. We hope that, through this collaboration, more communities will consider this program. The news release says the Leverage Act allows the state to stack capital with a partnership of private and local government funding by matching sales tax collections at the local level with state tax dollars. The incentive can be used to support a particular project located in an enterprise zone or in support of a major tourism destination project that would positively impact a nearby enterprise zone. A news release includes quotes from Broken Arrow Mayor Debra Wimpee and City Manager Michael Spurgeon about the importance of the amphitheater project and the states newly announced support. In January, the city of Broken Arrow approved the Tax Increment District No. 5 plan, which involves implementing a new sales-tax-only TIF boundary that covers the Broken Arrow Events Park and adjacent nonresidential properties in a specific location. In addition to the amphitheater, the TIF is expected to include the development of restaurants, hotels, a convenience store and potential future opportunities with Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow. Tax increments will be used to pay for or reimburse infrastructure project costs for up to 25 years. Wagoner County partnered with the city and agreed to capture a portion of its new incremental county sales tax revenues (100% in 2024-27, 75% in 2028-29, 50% in 2030-31 and 25% in 2032-33) for infrastructure improvements. When the amphitheater debuts, the venue will be operated by and booked in partnership with Live Nation. Curtis Killman Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Curtis Killman 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 A Sapulpa man whose life-without-parole sentence was overturned on jurisdictional grounds was ordered Friday to serve a 30-year prison term for a murder in which the victim was stabbed nearly 100 times. Chief U.S. District Judge John F. Heil III sentenced Arnold Dean Howell as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. Howell, 31, pleaded guilty in August to one count of second-degree murder in connection with the 2015 Creek County stabbing death of Michael Mondier Sr., 67. Howell will serve 30 years in prison for the harm he has caused, said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. My office remains steadfast in its commitment to seek justice for victims affected by criminal violence. Howell admitted to killing Mondier in Mondiers home during a robbery attempt. Howell was initially tried and convicted of first-degree murder in state court. A judge later sentenced him to life without parole in accordance with the jurys recommendation. His judgment and sentence were later overturned by a state appellate court following the U.S. Supreme Courts 2020 landmark McGirt decision, which declared the Muscogee Nation Reservation still intact. The ruling caused Howells state judgment and sentence to be overturned due to Howells tribal citizenship and the fact that the crime occurred within the Muscogee Nation Reservation, which, combined, prevent the state of Oklahoma from prosecuting him. Federal prosecutors picked up the case in 2021, charging both Howell and his sister, Katherine Elaine Freeman, with first-degree murder in Indian Country. A judge in December ordered Freeman released from custody and the charges dismissed after determining that she was incompetent to stand trial and likely couldnt be restored to competency. In his plea, Howell admitted to stabbing Mondier 93 times, using a second knife after the first one broke. Howells plea called for a judge, should he opt to accept the deal, to sentence him to serve between 30 years and 45 years in prison. Heil chose the low end of the sentencing range. The Tulsa World is where your story lives Steve Metzer Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Steve Metzer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today OKLAHOMA CITY A judge acted on Friday to permanently ban enforcement of a controversial law that prohibits the state from doing business with financial institutions thought to be hostile to the oil and gas industry. Oklahoma County District Judge Sheila Stinson issued an order to make permanent an injunction she had issued in May against enforcement of the law known as the Oklahoma Energy Discrimination Act. The judge ruled that, among other things, the law was unconstitutionally vague. Phil Bacharach, a spokesman for Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, said the AGs Office will appeal. The law, passed in 2022, prohibits state contracts, including pension system investments, with financial institutions that have policies thought to discriminate against oil and gas interests. It calls for the state treasurer to keep a list of banks and other financial firms with environmental, social and governance policies that would put the companies at odds with the states oil and gas industry. Companies listed in 2024 have included BlackRock, Wells Fargo & Co., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America, State Street Corp., Barclays and Climate First Bank. Former Oklahoma Public Employees Association President Don Keenan filed a lawsuit last year asserting that enforcement of the Energy Discrimination Act would be costly to state pension systems. Additionally, Keenans attorneys argued that the act was unconstitutional in that it would force pension systems to drop fund managers that it might otherwise prefer to keep. Keenan drew support from the national Alliance for Prosperity and a Secure Retirement. This is a victory for the states current and future retirees, and its taxpayers, board member Tim Hill said. Judge Stinsons decision helps keep politics out of public finance. Bacharach said Stinsons action on Friday didnt come as a surprise as she had earlier indicated a substantial likelihood that Keenan would prevail in the case. We plan to appeal and hope we will be able to repair the damage at the Oklahoma Supreme Court, he said in a statement. The Tulsa World is where your story lives 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 At least two members of Oklahomas congressional delegation say Secret Service Director Kimberly A. Cheatle should resign, with U.S. Sen. James Lankford joining 1st District Congressman Kevin Hern on Friday. Hern called for Cheatles departure on Wednesday, following what many members of Congress said was an unsatisfactory briefing by the director concerning the July 13 assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Appearing on Newsmax Friday morning, Lankford recounted an incident at the Republican National Convention during which he and three other Republican senators confronted Cheatle. Cornering Cheatle in a security and law enforcement hospitality area a few hours after the Wednesday briefing, the senators demanded answers, including why Trump was allowed to take the stage at the Pennsylvania rally where he was wounded, considering that a person who turned out to be shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks had already been identified as suspicious. Cheatle said she would answer the senators questions but considered their current location inappropriate. They then followed her from the room, up an escalator and across a concourse before Cheatle disappeared into another room. The director does need to resign, said Lankford, who as a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has some oversight of the Secret Service. The American people have lost trust in her, Lankford said. Thats very clear at this point. She came out even in our call and said, Hey, mistakes have been made. But then she immediately shifted to the local law enforcement that was in that area of the perimeter. Cheatle spent more than 20 years in the Secret Service, including a stint protecting President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, during his time as vice president in the Obama administration. She was director of security for PepsiCo for three years prior to becoming Secret Service director in 2022. During last weeks confrontation at the RNC, Lankford said he told Cheatle: I serve on the Homeland Security Committee; we have already reached out to you and your office. We want you to be able to appear before us next week. Are you coming? Weve not gotten an answer back from you. We can do a public hearing, yet your teams been stalling that. Cheatle did not reply. On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin told Newsmax he didnt understand why Trump, now the official Republican nominee for president, was allowed on the stage at the rally. Nineteen minutes before the shooting took place, meaning nine minutes before (Trump) took the stage it was 10 minutes into his speech that President Trump got shot they were already actively looking for (Crooks), Mullin said. Mullin, who is close to Trump and spent time in his box during the convention, noted that Trump frequently takes the stage late. When they realized they couldnt find (Crooks), they could have easily put something on the teleprompter that said, Hey, technical difficulties, meaning the president needs to leave the stage without having to interrupt the speech and cause a big scurry. But they did nothing like that. Nothing, Mullin said. On Wednesday, Hern issued a statement calling for real accountability in the form of Cheatles resignation. Congress should do its work in getting to the bottom of how this grave attack on President Trump and our country was allowed to happen, Hern said. The American people deserve to know all the facts and catastrophic failures that led to an assassination attempt on President Trump. One member of the audience at the rally was killed by the gunfire, and two others were seriously injured. The Tulsa World is where your story lives OKLAHOMA CITY An Ardmore teacher is under fire after Libs of TikTok reposted a comment made on social media about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. Germany has overtaken Italy to become the biggest buyer of Vietnam's coffee in both volume and value by spending over US$380 million on more than 112,000 metric tons from the Southeast Asian country in the first half of this year, according to the Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association (VICOFA). In January-June, Vietnam exported coffee to more than 80 countries, earning US$3.1 billion. Germany accounted for the highest, at $383 million, followed by Italy with $276 million and Japan with $238 million. Besides the top three, other key markets for Vietnamese coffee exports in the period were Spain, Russia, the U.S., Indonesia, the Philippines, the Netherlands, and China. Vietnam is the worlds largest producer of Robusta coffee and ranks second globally in export output, following Brazil, Nguyen Nam Hai, president of the VICOFA, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday. Vietnamese coffee is increasingly known and recognized all over the world, Hai added. According to data from the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Vietnamese exporters shipped out nearly 893,000 metric tons of coffee in the first half of this year, earning $3.1 billion. Compared to the same period of last year, the export volume decreased 11.4 percent but the export earnings surged 33.2 percent, according to VTC News. Of the total export volume, 112,249 metric tons came to Germany. Although this quantity was 13 percent lower than in 2023, the European country still topped the list of Vietnamese coffee imports in terms of volume, followed by Italy with 86,588 metric tons and Spain with 64,301 metric tons. Explaining why Germany has replaced Italy as the largest importer of Vietnamese coffee, Hai told Tuoi Tre that Germany is home to coffee corporations that are among the worlds largest and many of them buy the bean from Vietnam. Germany is also a country that supplies coffee to large roasters around the world, such as Neumann Group - a company that handles and processes Vietnamese coffee, Hai stated. Italy also has many large corporations like Lavazza Group, which is the worlds seventh-largest coffee roaster, but the network of coffee groups in Germany has developed fast and wide over the past few years, leading to an increase in Vietnamese coffee imports, Hai explained. Regarding prices, Hungary was the market importing Vietnamese coffee with the highest average price at $6,800 per metric ton. It was followed by Israel at $6,099 per metric ton, Poland at $5,586, Laos at $5,314, Singapore at $4,909, Myanmar at $4,856, Romania at $4,230, New Zealand at $4,189, the Philippines at $4,107, and others, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A delegation of Indian firms active in the mechanical, construction, energy, waste management, infrastructure, and railway industries have traveled to Ho Chi Minh City to sound out investment and business opportunities as well as expand their reach in the Southeast Asian nation. Rohit Sharma, Head of ASEAN and Oceania at the Confederation of Indian Industry, stated at a business matchmaking conference on Thursday that before their trip to Vietnam, Indian businesses had researched and identified emerging opportunities for cooperation with Vietnamese partners in the mechanical, construction, and energy sectors. These industries are the strengths of Indian enterprises. Specifically, some Indian products are widely sold in several nations, Sharma underlined. India is one of Vietnams 10 largest trade partners, said Dao Minh Chanh, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Center. Statistics from the General Department of Vietnam Customs indicated that bilateral trade between the two nations reached US$14.36 billion in 2023, skyrocketing over 60-fold from 2000, making India Vietnams eighth-biggest trade partner. The import-export turnover between Vietnam and India amounted to $7.18 billion during the first half of 2024. Of the total, Vietnam shipped goods worth $4.37 billion to India. Among these exports were smartphones and parts, computers, electronic items, machines, and devices. The Southeast Asian nation mainly imported steel and pharmaceutical products from India. Ho Chi Minh City recorded revenue from exports to India at $240 million between January and June, up 18 percent year on year. Both Vietnam and India are focusing on the development of the mechanical, electricity, electronics, digital technology, and energy industries, so this is the best time for firms from the two nations to cooperate in these fields, Chanh said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Major U.S. carriers including American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines issued ground stops on Friday morning citing communication issues, less than an hour after Microsoft resolved its cloud services outage that impacted several low-cost carriers. It was not immediately clear whether the call to keep flights from taking off were related to the earlier Microsoft cloud outage. Apart from American and Delta, UAL and Allegiant Air too grounded flights. The FAA did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Low-cost carriers Frontier Airlines, a unit of Frontier Group Holdings, Allegiant and SunCountry had earlier reported outages that affected operations. Frontier said late Thursday that it was in the process of resuming normal operations, and that the ground stop had been lifted. Frontier said earlier that a "major Microsoft technical outage" hit its operations temporarily, while SunCountry said a third-party vendor affected its booking and check-in facilities, without naming the company. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said the department was monitoring the flight cancellation and delay issues at Frontier, adding that the agency will hold the company and all other airlines "to their responsibilities to meet the needs of passengers". Delta commercial airliners are seen at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., April 5, 2024. Photo: Reuters "The Allegiant website is currently unavailable due to the Microsoft Azure issue," Nevada-based Allegiant said in a statement to CNN. Allegiant did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for a comment. Frontier cancelled 147 flights on Thursday and delayed 212 others, according to data tracker FlightAware. 45 percent of Allegiant aircrafts were delayed, while Sun Country delayed 23 percent flights, the data showed. The companies did not give details on the number of flights impacted. Microsoft said its outage started at about 6 pm ET on Thursday, with a subset of its customers experiencing issues with multiple Azure services in the Central U.S. region. Azure is a cloud computing platform that provides services for building, deploying, and managing applications and services. Separately, Microsoft said it was investigating an issue impacting various Microsoft 365 apps and services. President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 78) Dennis Francis will pay a visit to Vietnam from July 21 to 23, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The coming visit by President Francis, at the invitation of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, will be the first time that a UNGA president has visited Vietnam, the ministry's spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said at a press meeting in Hanoi on Thursday. During his three-day stay in Vietnam, President Francis will hold talks with Minister Son, meet with other senior Vietnamese leaders, and take part in a number of other activities. The visit is scheduled at a time when relations between Vietnam and the UN have grown increasingly deeper and more effective since Vietnam became a UN member in 1977, stated Hang. The spokeswoman underscored that the UNGA 78 presidents visit will contribute to promoting cooperation between the two sides in a deeper and more effective manner. Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) shakes hands with President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly Dennis Francis in a meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the U.S. in September 2023. Photo: Vietnam Government Portal As a proactive and positive UN member country, Vietnam has contributed substantially and extensively to the UNs activities in all areas including peacekeeping, security, and development cooperation. The Southeast Asian country has also taken on several successful roles at the UN, including two terms as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and is currently a member of the UN Human Rights Council, the spokesperson added. In September last year, during his trip to the U.S. to attend the high-level General Debate of the UNGA 78 and other activities, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with the UNGA 78 president, who highly appreciated the UN-Vietnam relationship and said he was really impressed by the Southeast Asian countrys socio-economic development achievements. President Francis also praised Vietnams active and dynamic role, as well as its rising position on the global stage, including its involvement in UN peacekeeping activities. He spoke highly of the countrys cooperation with the UN in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, climate change response, and food security. The UNGA 78 president also hailed Vietnams achievements in poverty reduction and national development, which he said should be shared to the world. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam has filed its Submission on the Limits of the Extended Continental Shelf Beyond 200 Nautical Miles in respect of the Central Area of the East Sea to the United Nations (UN), according to the Vietnam News Agency. Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN, and a Ministry of Foreign Affairs delegation led by Ambassador Trinh Duc Hai, vice-chairman of the National Boundary Commission, presented the submission to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday. On the same day, the foreign ministry issued a statement regarding the submission. Vietnams submission on the extended continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, after other relevant coastal states in the East Vietnam Sea have submitted their own submissions since 2019, is to exercise the rights and obligations of states parties to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as provided in Article 76 of the convention to which Vietnam is party, the statement says. Accordingly, when a coastal state has a continental shelf extending beyond 200 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, the coastal state shall submit relevant information and data to the CLCS for consideration and recommendations on the limits of the extended continental shelf. Vietnam affirms that its submission is without prejudice to maritime delimitation between Vietnam and other relevant coastal states in the East Vietnam Sea based on UNCLOS, according to the statement. This submission is Vietnams third to have been presented to the CLCS. In May 2009, Vietnam filed its own submission on the extended continental shelf in respect of the north area of the East Vietnam Sea, and a joint submission with Malaysia on the extended continental shelf in respect of the southern part of the same waterway, according to the statement. In the Note Verbale delivered to the CLCS at that time, Vietnam affirmed that it would submit a submission on the extended continental shelf in respect of the central area of the East Vietnam Sea at a later date. The statement also included Vietnams reiteration of its sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracels) Islands and Truong Sa (Spratlys) under international law in the East Vietnam Sea, and the rights over its maritime zones in the same waters established in accordance with UNCLOS. Vietnam is committed to being ready to resolve and manage all disputes and differences over territorial sovereignty related to Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, as well as maritime delimitation between Vietnam and relevant coastal states in the East Vietnam Sea, by peaceful means, according to the statement. Hanoi also pledges to join other countries in the region and the international community to maintain peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and overflight, and sustainable development in the East Vietnam Sea in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS. On this occasion, Ambassador Giang and the delegation of the Vietnamese foreign ministry expressed their gratitude for the UNs support for Vietnam in its filing of the submissions in line with relevant regulations of the UNCLOS and CLCS. Also on Wednesday, the Permanent Mission of Vietnam to the UN sent a Note Verbale to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to state Vietnams position on the Philippines submission on the limits of the extended continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles in the East Vietnam Sea on June 14, 2024. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! What you need to know today in Vietnam: Politics -- Dennis Francis, President of the United Nations General Assembly, will visit Vietnam from July 21 to 23, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. This will be the first Vietnam visit by a UN General Assembly president. -- Vietnam presented to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf its Submission on the Limits of the Extended Continental Shelf in respect of the Central Area of the East Vietnam Sea at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday morning (local time), according to the Vietnam News Agency. Society -- A court in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday sentenced Shawn Han Sxe Siang, 42, and Loh Si Yu, 25, to 3.5 years and three years, respectively, in jail for theft. The Singaporeans stole seven bags from famous brands such as Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Gucci Deco, and others from a shopping mall in Ho Chi Minh City from August 6 to 9, 2023 for resale in Singapore. They claimed to have committed the crime out of their dire straits in the city-state. -- It is forecast to rain both in northern and southern Vietnam on Friday. -- On Thursday, police in Thanh Hoa Province, north-central Vietnam announced that they had just dismantled a transnational fireworks transportation and trading ring, arresting five suspects and seizing 225.8kg of various types of fireworks. -- Authorities in Binh Thuan Province, south-central Vietnam have approved a plan to spend VND88.5 billion (US$3.5 million) closing the Binh Tu landfill in Tien Thanh Commune, Phan Thiet City to reduce pollution and its long-term impact on residents' lives. -- The Da Nang City People's Committee announced on Thursday that it had submitted a proposal to the People's Council on covering the cost of purchasing smartphones for low-income and near-poor households in the city. Business -- Rohit Sharma, Head of ASEAN and Oceania at the Confederation of Indian Industry, stated on Thursday that before their trip to Vietnam, Indian businesses had researched and identified emerging opportunities for cooperation with Vietnamese partners in the mechanical, construction, and energy industries. -- On Thursday, the General Directorate of Vocational Education and Training under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs and Grab Vietnam held a conference to summarize and evaluate the cooperation and support for the development and enhancement of skills for technology drivers after three years of implementation. Thousands of drivers in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City have been trained in safe driving, emergency handling, English communication, passenger support, and personal financial management, with online training sessions receiving over 24,000 views and 4,700 interactions and comments on social media as of June 2024. -- The Ho Chi Minh City taxman has said that they suspended 2,766 individuals and business representatives from going overseas over their tax debts in the first six months of this year. World News -- "ChatGPT maker OpenAI said on Thursday it was launching GPT-4o mini, a cost-efficient small AI model, aimed at making its technology more affordable and less energy-intensive, allowing the startup to target a broader pool of customers," Reuters reported. -- "U.S. President Joe Biden is continuing to conduct official business while experiencing mild upper respiratory symptoms associated with his COVID diagnosis, his doctor said on Thursday, adding that the president's vital signs remain normal," according to Reuters. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! As 2G mobile services are scheduled for termination in Da Nang City, located in central Vietnam, from September this year and local residents will be unable to use mobile phones with 2G technology, the municipal administration has sought to support poor and near-poor households in purchasing smartphones with 4G or 5G technology. 2G, short for second-generation cellular networks, allows services such as phone calls, text messages, picture messages, and multimedia messages. However, the technology does not let users download data, send and receive emails, or access the Internet. Da Nang will be the first locality in Vietnam to shut down 2G services, forcing mobile device users to shift to smartphones. The coastal city currently has some 3,810 households using mobile phones with 2G technology. Some 3,810 households in Da Nang City, central Vietnam do not have smartphones. Photo: Truong Trung / Tuoi Tre The Da Nang administration said on Thursday that it had proposed the municipal Peoples Council provide financial support of VND2 million (US$79) to each poor and near-poor household whose members do not have smartphones. Each household will receive the support once. The Vietnam Telecommunications Authority under the Ministry of Information and Communications has also announced that telecom enterprises would provide 2,010 smartphones to households in Da Nang. As a result, the city will give financial support to the remaining 1,800 households. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Vietnamese court has given jail terms of up to three years and a half to two Singaporean nationals for stealing luxury branded handbags from high-end trade centers in Ho Chi Minh City. The Peoples Court of Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday sentenced Shawn Han Sxe Siang, 42, and Loh Si Yu, 25, to 3.5 and three years in prison, respectively, for theft. They were arrested in August last year after stealing seven handbags of famous brands from large trade centers and shops in the city. They told the court that their challenging living conditions in Singapore had driven them to steal expensive handbags in Ho Chi Minh City and bring them back to Singapore for resale. At the hearing, Shawn and Loh expressed repentance and remorse, apologized to local authorities and the victims, and asked the court to give them light sentences so that they could soon return to their families. The two earned university degrees in Singapore and before their arrest, Shawn was an engineer while Loh worked as a salesperson, according to investigators. According to Vietnamnet, they arrived in the city on August 6, 2023. That evening, they visited Marc Jacobs, a luxury fashion shop in downtown District 1, and stole a handbag worth over VND6 million (US$235.4). To successfully carry out the theft, Loh engaged the shop's sales assistants by asking questions about various handbags, diverting their attention and creating opportunities for Shawn to steal. Using this same tactic, the two continued their shoplifting spree at local trade centers and shops over the next few days. On August 9, 2023, after stealing a Louis Vuitton bag worth VND36 million ($1,413) from a store at the Union Square Shopping Center in District 1, the two were detected and detained by a security guard of the center, who then handed them over to local police. The Singaporeans stole seven luxury handbags in total from August 6 to 9, police officers said after searching their hotel room, where they hid the stolen items. The total value of the stolen handbags, which include well-known brands such as Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Gucci Deco, and others, was estimated to exceed VND102 million ($4,000). Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Television dramas can change peoples perceptions and can subvert prejudice by opening up new worlds and experiences to audiences. Speaking at the Future Vision summit this week, showrunner / director / producer Tony Ayres (Clickbait, The Slap, Fires) said writers had a unique ability to shift perceptions. The greatest tool at the storytellers disposal is Point of View, he said. That, is whose eyes are we telling the story through? By suturing an audience to a characters point of view we temporarily live in the skin of another human being. We experience the world as they experience it. We feel their heart beating in our chests. So, if we tell stories of people who are not usually seen on our screens, which is something that I seem to be drawn to recurringly, and if we tell these stories well enough, we have a chance to subvert peoples prejudices and expectations of these marginal groups. And the perfect example of that is the beautiful House of Gods. Another way of phrasing this: storytelling is a form of norm engineering. Norm engineering is the idea that you can change peoples behaviour by changing what people accept as normal. People then act differently and not because their individual beliefs are suddenly and radically transformed, but because they believe that a bigger, more diverse world is the norm. And because we are all social creatures, our behaviours adjust accordingly to this wider realm of possibility. Ayres cited the recent outcome of the vote for same sex marriage, convinced that television programmes had an influence on a wider level of acceptance. For me, the best example of norm engineering was the recent change in attitudes to gay marriage in Australia. At a certain moment in history, our television screens first trickled with, and then became flooded by, lesbian, gay and transgender characters who were living perfectly ordinary lives like Modern Family, or Will & Grace, or extraordinary lives like the couple in The Last of Us, said Ayres. I believe that attitudes towards homosexuality and sexual diversity in Australia became increasingly tolerant, in part because television open the Overton window of what was normal, in terms of both sexuality and family. We have extraordinary examples of this, like Please Like Me, The Newsreader and Wentworth. Its not a literal connection, its a poetic connection as well as Point of View. The other great weapon in the storytellers arsenal is Truth, he continued. I mean, we all sit around in Writers Rooms, we shake our heads, we think, Nah, I dont believe that. That isnt true. We cant do that. Or we say, Yes I recognise this. It feels true and its really cool. And we then construct sequences of events, which assume a meaning for an audience. But only if they believe it. (Reuters) -Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has deployed a fix for an issue that triggered a major tech outage that affected industries ranging from airlines to banking to healthcare worldwide, the company's CEO said on Friday. Microsoft said separately it had fixed the underlying cause for the outage of its 365 apps and services including Teams and OneDrive, but residual impact was affecting some services. "This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed," CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said in a post on social media platform X. The issue stemmed from a defect found in a single content update for Microsoft Windows hosts, Kurtz said, adding Mac and Linux hosts were not impacted by the issue. Shares of CrowdStrike tumbled nearly 12% in premarket trading, while Microsoft was down 1.4%. A massive IT outage was disrupting operations at companies across multiple industries on Friday, with major airlines halting flights, some broadcasters off-air and sectors ranging from banking to healthcare hit by system problems. "We're deeply sorry for the impact that we've caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this, including our company," Kurtz told NBC News' "Today" program. "Many of the customers are rebooting the system and it's coming up and it'll be operational," Kurtz said. "It could be some time for some systems that won't automatically recover." CrowdStrike's "Falcon Sensor" software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, known informally as the "Blue Screen of Death," according to an alert sent by CrowdStrike earlier to its clients and reviewed by Reuters. The travel industry was among the hardest hit with airports around the world reporting delays and issues with their system network, while banks and financial institutions from Australia and India to South Africa warned clients about disruptions to their services. (Reporting by Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Sriraj Kalluvila) EXCLUSIVE: Heres a trailer for The Divided Island, a doc about the ongoing Cyprus problem that is set for a UK cinema release on November 1. Directed by Turkish Cypriot Cey Sesiguzel, and co-produced by Greek Cypriot Andreas Tokkallos, the film aims to bring an unbiased and shared understanding of a complex issue that divides their people. More from Deadline Tomorrow (July 20) marks the 50th anniversary of the Turkish intervention and partitioning of Cyprus in response to a coup detat backed by the Greek military junta. Nicosia remains Europes only divided capital, with the north largely inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and the south by Greek Cypriots. The Divided Island aims to foster a narrative that aims towards a peaceful future solution. It challenges often-hostile narratives in the media, focusing instead on the pursuit of truth through deeply personal interviews from those whose lives, homes, and country were torn apart, and younger generations of Cypriots who year for a peaceful reconciliation. The subject matters the film deals with are relevant to everyone, regardless if they have any connection to Cyprus or not, said Sesiguzel. Ultimately, I hope the documentary highlights the humanity and complexity of this issue in a way that sparks conversations for generations to come. London-based Two Fresh Productions is debuting with the feature doc. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Minsk Regional Court in Belarus sentenced a German national to death last month, human rights activists reported on Friday. The man, Rico Krieger, was put on trial in May on charges of terrorism as well as "being a mercenary", "creating an extremist group", "intentionally damaging a vehicle", and "illegal operations with firearms, ammunition, and explosives". The sentence is said to have been delivered in late June, according to the activists. No other details, including whether Krieger is still alive, are known about the case at this time. According to Krieger's LinkedIn profile, he had been working at the German Red Cross since 2021 as an emergency medical technician. He was also listed as working at the US embassy in Berlin as a security guard between 2014 and 2017. Silencing dissent continues A former Soviet republic, Belarus is the last country in Europe still to apply the death penalty, executing several people each year by firing squad. Many of the charges in Krieger's case carry a death sentence for sabotage-related acts by a sentenced terrorist, a law introduced in May 2022 as part of President Alexander Lukashenko's crackdown on protesters. Lukashenko has also been subject to EU and US sanctions for his tacit support of Russia's war in Ukraine, but also his authoritarian rule and violent suppression of democracy. Since the vast protest movement of 2020 against Lukashenko's re-election in power since 1994 many opponents have been charged and arrested for attempting or preparing an act of terrorism. A number of opposition figures were sentenced to long prison terms, and independent NGOs and media were banned and branded as extremists. It is believed that Krieger's court case is part of a recent escalation in persecution of Lukashenko's regime. Earlier this month, the Brest regional court opened proceedings against 63-year-old Natallya Malets, who is charged with "facilitating extremist activities" for allegedly wiring funds to political prisoners 125 times. She is facing up to six years in prison. On 8 July, the Hrodna regional court began the trial in absentia of journalist Aliaksandr Ales Kirkevich on the same charge. It remains unclear what Kirkevich, a writer and local historian, did to be charged with the offence. The charges brought up against him in March also accuse another independent journalist, Iryna Charniauka, of the same crime. (Reuters) -A gunman on Friday shot and killed a nationalist former member of Ukraine's parliament known for vociferous campaigns to defend the Ukrainian language, authorities said. Police pressed on through the night with a wide search for the man alleged to have shot Iryna Farion, 60, on a street in the western city of Lviv. Lviv Regional Governor Maksym Kozytskyi said on Telegram that Farion had died after being taken to hospital. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, writing on Telegram, said investigators were for the moment linking the shooting either to Farion's political activity or to a personal motive. Police and Ukraine's SBU security service were working together to track down the assailant, he wrote. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was receiving regular reports on efforts to capture the gunman. He said any act of violence was to be condemned. Farion, a linguist, became a member of the nationalist Svoboda (Freedom) party in 2005 and was elected to parliament in 2012, but failed in subsequent attempts to win a seat. She had also served on the Lviv regional council. She gained prominence for frequent campaigns to promote the Ukrainian language and discredit public officials who spoke Russian. In 2018, when Ukraine was fighting Russian-financed separatists who had seized territory in the east, she called for a drive to "punch every Russian-speaking person in the jaw". In the early months after the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Farion denounced Russian-speaking fighters of the Azov regiment who defended the port city of Mariupol for three months. Although Ukrainian is the sole state language of Ukraine, many residents speak Russian as a first language, a legacy of Soviet rule, when Ukrainian was under official pressure. Promoting the language has long been an important issue, with parliament passing legislation to entrench its use in public life and in the service industry. (Reporting by Ron Popeski and Olexander Kozhukhar; Editing by Sandra Maler and Cynthia Osterman) By Stephanie van den Berg and Emily Rose THE HAGUE (Reuters) - The United Nations' highest court said on Friday that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements there are illegal and should be withdrawn as soon as possible, in its strongest findings to date on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The advisory opinion by judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), known as the World Court, was not binding but carries weight under international law and may weaken support for Israel. "Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law," President Nawaf Salam said, reading the findings of a 15-judge panel. The court said Israel's obligations include paying restitution for harm and "the evacuation of all settlers from existing settlements". In a swift reaction, Israel's foreign ministry rejected the opinion as "fundamentally wrong" and one-sided, and repeated its stance that a political settlement in the region can only be reached by negotiations. "The Jewish nation cannot be an occupier in its own land," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement. The opinion also angered West Bank settlers as well as politicians such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, whose nationalist religious party is close to the settler movement and who himself lives in a West Bank settlement. "The answer to The Hague - Sovereignty now" he said in a post on the social media platform X, in an apparent appeal to formally annex the West Bank. Israel Gantz, head of the Binyamin Regional Council, one of the largest settler councils, said the ICJ opinion was "contrary to the Bible, morality and international law". 'NO COMPLICITY' The ICJ opinion also found that the U.N. Security Council, the General Assembly and all states have an obligation not to recognise the occupation as legal nor "render aid or assistance" toward maintaining Israel's presence in the occupied territories. The United States is Israel's biggest military ally and supporter. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called the opinion "historic" and urged states to adhere to it. "No aid. No assistance. No complicity. No money, no arms, no trade...no actions of any kind to support Israel's illegal occupation," Palestinian envoy Riyad al-Maliki said outside the court in The Hague. The case stems from a 2022 request for a legal opinion from the U.N. General Assembly, predating the war in Gaza that began in October. Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem - areas of historic Palestine which the Palestinians want for a state - in the 1967 Middle East war and has since built settlements in the West Bank and steadily expanded them. Israeli leaders argue the territories are not occupied in legal terms because they are on disputed lands, but the United Nations and most of the international community regard them as occupied territory. In February, more than 50 states presented their views before the court, with Palestinian representatives asking the court to find that Israel must withdraw from all the occupied areas and dismantle illegal settlements. Israel did not participate in the oral hearings but filed a written statement telling the court that issuing an advisory opinion would be "harmful" to attempts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The majority of states participating asked the court to find the occupation illegal, while a handful, including Canada and Britain, argued it should refuse to give an advisory opinion. The United States had asked the court not to order the unconditional withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territories. The U.S. position was that the court should issue no decision that could hurt negotiations toward a two-state solution on a "land for peace" principle. In 2004 the ICJ gave an advisory ruling that an Israeli separation barrier around most of the West Bank was illegal and Israeli settlements were established in breach of international law. Israel dismissed that ruling. (This story has been corrected to fix the former Palestinian foreign minister al-Maliki's title in paragraph 13) (Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg, James Mackenzie, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Bart Meijer.; Writing by Toby Sterling; Editing by Ros Russell, Peter Graff and Andrew Heavens) By Inti Landauro MADRID (Reuters) - Begona Gomez, the wife of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, appeared before a judge on Friday but declined to answer questions about corruption and influence peddling accusations in a case that led her husband to consider resigning in April. Friday's hearing in Madrid is part of a preliminary investigation into whether Gomez used her position as the premier's wife to secure sponsors for a university master's degree course that she ran. "Our position is ... that this process is totally groundless," her lawyer and former Interior Minister Antonio Camacho told reporters after Gomez had left the tribunal. "My client has not testified not because she has something to hide, but because her attorney recommended her to do so." Gomez was allowed to enter and leave the courthouse through the underground parking, avoiding dozens of reporters outside. She has not commented publicly on the case, but Sanchez has vehemently denied the accusations against her, saying they were baseless and orchestrated by right-wing political foes. In late April, Sanchez took a five-day break from his duties to weigh whether to resign after the court opened the investigation, but ultimately decided to stay on. The case was brought through a unique Spanish legal instrument, the "people's accusation", which allows private individuals to bring criminal complaints against third parties. Judges can choose whether or not to act, and not every accusation has led to a judicial investigation. The complaint against Gomez was filed by Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), an anti-corruption activist group led by Miguel Bernad, a lawyer and politician who has stood as a candidate for a far-right party in European elections. Another far-right party, Vox, also joined the plaintiff and its lawyer, European lawmaker Jorge Buxade, told reporters he will ask the investigating magistrate to call Sanchez to testify. The investigation seeks to evaluate Gomez's conduct since Sanchez became prime minister in 2018, the court said. Contracts related to European Union funds will be probed separately by the European Prosecutor. (Reporting by Inti Landauro, Emma Pinedo and Guillermo Martinez; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) As mentioned in my review of Abel Ferraras Dangerous Game, which was just recently released by Cinematographe: Ferrara is often a master of transgression, situating the viewer in the kind of oppressively mordant reality that many of his stories play out within. Bad Lieutenant is no exception to the rule, as it depicts New York City in the early 1990s as this dirty, godless land that the main character is allowed to use and abuse under the guise of the law. But if we take Keitels central role as the modern epitome of a Christ figure -- what writer/actor/collaborator Zoe Lund wanted to depict in the film then we can explore the fallacies of messianism. And oh boy, does Ferrara explore the depths of those fallacies in full, unadulterated view. Bad Lieutenant follows, surprise, an unnamed NYPD police lieutenant played by Harvey Keitel as he abuses drugs, juggles family life, beats up perpetrators and gets into all kinds of unholy stuff. But that doesnt remove the massive weight that our lieutenant feels about the nature of his job; how the power given to him by the law has never felt good, it only has taken things out of him that hes desperate to replace. Naturally, our lieutenant wants to do better, to be a better person. Is it too late? To put it bluntly, Bad Lieutenant is loose in structure but not in intensity. Ferrara said that it was important that he abuse drugs during the production, but not the actors. Why? To Ferrara, depicting the kind of divine intervention that the lieutenant experiences requires the form and aesthetic of a drug addict atoning for their sins. Thats why the film itself is both hazy and comes in fits and starts like the body being shaken awake as its passing out from an overdose. No wonder the film earned an NC-17 rating, as its probably the best depiction of debilitating drug addiction in both form and function than any other film. The religious guilt that the lieutenant feels comes directly from the idea of policing in general. Is it his job to serve the people? To beat up bad guys? To act as a messiah with a badge? Everything he experiences makes him fall out of faith, so he abuses everything he can to feel closer to God since hes closer and closer to death. When a nun is sexually assaulted and the lieutenant immediately claims he will find vengeance, the films central issue with God is blown wide open. In a world where violence is aided, abetted and carried out by the institutions were supposed to rely upon, does God exist or has he ever? I dont think Ferrara attempts to answer such a question, but he makes everything so uncompromising that the transgression becomes more essential to understanding the film than digging into the finite details of the story. All in all, Bad Lieutenant is every bit the uncompromising work that Ferrara set out to make. And all the criticisms lodged at it arent necessarily invalid, but its telling when someone watches this despairing, loose downward spiral of Keitels lieutenant and comes back whining about the story not being straightforward or very fleshed-out. This guys a bad cop doing bad things, that both tell you the leverage he has in society and his moral state. What you take from it in terms of text and subtext speaks to what troubles Ferrara and Lund most rather than whats actually happening on screen. Ferrara brilliantly refuses to make easy work of all the moral murkiness at play. Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-rays Bad Lieutenant does bad shit in 4K Ultra HD with a two-disc release that comes with a BD100 for the 4K disc and a BD50 for the standard Blu-ray. Both discs are housed in a standard amaray case with an o-card slipcover over it. The 4K disc offers the feature and commentary, while the standard Blu-ray offers the main feature in HD accompanied by all the supplements. Both discs boot up to standard menu screens with options to play the film, set up audio and video, plus explore bonus features If theres one true thing about the Rocky franchise, you never count out the champ until that bell rings. After a disastrous fifth outing and a few career ups and downs, Stallone was ready to take another swing with the Philly pugilist. Time healed enough wounds that Sly crafted a heartfelt story about a man trying to reconcile his past while finding a place for himself in the future. The idea of a long past-his-prime boxer stepping back into the ring seemed like a joke, but Stallone pulled it off. If Creed hadnt come along, this film would stand true as a fitting send-off for the Italian Stallion. Since 2006 Ive seen this film dozens of times. Caught it a couple of times in the theater, DVD, Blu-ray, and now we have it in 4K. What makes this release special is Stallone took a page out of his Rocky IV playbook and gave this film a new Directors Cut. At roughly an hour fifty-six, the film runs about fourteen minutes longer but features many new character-building moments, interesting scene extensions, and alternate takes. An early scene extension is the opening credits where Rocky wakes up and goes about his morning routine. Instead of just feeding the turtles and throwing sweets to the birds, we see Paulie is living with him after Adrians death. He has a coffee cup with his name on it and everything and we see Rocky is still taking care of his best friend all these years later. The next obvious change is when Rocky meets Geraldine Hughes all-grown-up Little Marie. In this new version, the bar has far more patrons milling about, and we get to see Rocky reconnect with bartender Andie (Don Sherman). Its a little more personable as more people from the old neighborhood chat with Rocky during his grief tour. Its not as straightforward as when it was just Stallone and Huges in their Theatrical scene, but we pick up more history and character pieces that glue the background stories together. But the best change, the one that really pulled the heartstrings is a scene extension after Paulie gets fired. Instead of coming into the restaurant, grabbing a drink, and leaving, he has a full-on breakdown in the back alley. Burt Young was always a great actor, but its this scene that explains why all love Paulie. He may be an insecure jerk, but deep down he has a heart and this is a hell of a moment. After that, the film plays very much the same as before. A little change here, a small alternate take there, but nothing radically different. The one thing I wish this cut had done better was to give Antonio Tarvers Masson The Line Dixon more time to be his own character. We hardly know him or understand who he is other than that other boxer making him the weakest opponent of the franchise. This isnt a full-on redo of the film like Rocky vs Drago: Rocky IV Ultimate Directors Cut. Stallone didnt reframe the movie to 2.35:1. The color timing is the same as the Theatrical. The music choices are the same. Whats different is it has that much more heart to it with a few new scens. Rocky movies have a knack for making you feel the feels and choke up a bit, but this new cut of Rocky Balboa really lands some misty-eyed gut punches. It was already a very good movie, but now its a great sequel. Theatrical Cut - 4.5/5 Directors Cut - 5/5 Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Rocky Balboa enters the 4K ring with a two-disc 4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook from Warner Bros. Both Theatrical and Directors cuts of the film are on the same BD-100 disc, with the same old BD-50 disc serving up the Theatrical Cut in 1080p. The discs get their own trays in this stylish SteelBook that maintains the black and white with red accent theme of the old Best Buy SteelBooks. The disc loads to a static image main menu that lets you choose which cut of the film to watch. Bangladesh students' protest over job quota leaves 32 dead, thousands injured At least 32 students have been killed and over 2,500 others have been injured in the students protest over quota in government jobs, media reports said Friday July 19, 2024 Friday July 19, 2024 2:41 PM , ummid.com News Network Dhaka: At least 32 students have been killed and over 2,500 others have been injured in the students protest over quota in government jobs, media reports said Friday July 19, 2024. The students have been demanding reforms to a controversial quota system that gives advantages in job placements to family members of freedom fighters. Why students are protesting? The students from Dhaka University (DU), the most prestigious varsity of the country, are protesting against a 1971 law providing reservation in government and civil services jobs in capital Dhaka and other cities of the country. As per the law, 50% of the government jobs would be filled not based on merit but through affirmative action favoring women and residents of less developed areas. The most controversial section of this quota system is that 30% of civil service positions and public sector jobs are reserved for the relatives of those who fought for Bangladesh's independence in 1971 and are called war heroes. It is alleged that the reservation system is misused to favour the supporters of the ruling Awami League party. The demonstration escalated when pro-Awami League supporters intervened, entering the DU campus and violently attacking the students. The protests took an even ugly turn Thursday as the demonstrating students set fire to the country's state broadcaster, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on the network seeking to calm the escalating clashes. The students protests started after the Bangladesh High Court restored the quota system in public sector jobs, superseding a 2018 decision by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government to scrap it. However, the Supreme Court stayed the High Court's order after the government's appeal, setting a date of August 7 to hear the government's challenge. Meanwhile, the authorities in Bangladesh shut down the cellular network and internet service across the country following the violent clashes between security forces and students. The violence further prompted the local authorities to shut the Metro rail inside the capital alongside the railway services to and from Dhaka since Thursday afternoon. [Source of the images: Social media/X] Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Israel is unlawful occupying power, ICJ in landmark ruling The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a landmark ruling Friday July 19, 2024 said Israel is an occupying power which has unlawfully occupied the Palestinian land that must end earlier than later Saturday July 20, 2024 0:00 AM , ummid.com News Network The Hague: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a landmark ruling Friday July 19, 2024 said Israel is an occupying power which has unlawfully occupied the Palestinian land that must end earlier than later. The UN Court also said the Palestinians living under the foreign occupation have right to self-determination. The West Bank and East Jerusalem are occupied territories in which Israel has status of occupying Power, the International Court of Justice said in 83-page ruling which it called is an advisory opinion. With regard to the Courts finding that Israels continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is illegal, the Court considers that such presence constitutes a wrongful act entailing its international responsibility. It is a wrongful act of a continuing character which has been brought about by Israels violations, through its policies and practices, of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force and the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. Consequently, Israel has an obligation to bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible, the ICJ said. ICJ Ruling Background The UNs highest legal body for hearing disputes between states issued its advisory opinion Friday in response to a 2022 request from the General Assembly . This case is separate from South Africas genocide case against Israel , which has led to previous damning interim rulings by the International Court of Justice that Israel has so far ignored. The ICJ in its ruling also said that the Israeli settlements are maintained in violation of international law. Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law", the ICJ said. The court also ruled that Israel systematically discriminates against Palestinians and that its occupation is de facto annexation. It also ruled that Israel has abused its status as the occupying power in the West Bank and east Jerusalem by annexing territory, imposing permanent control and building settlements. Its opinion said that Israel should pay reparations to Palestinians for damages caused by the occupation and that the UN security council, the General Assembly and all nations have an obligation not to recognize the occupation as legal and not to give aid or support to maintaining it. Triumph for justice The Palestinian presidency has warmly welcomed the ICJ opinion, calling it a triumph for justice, affirming that the Israeli occupation is illegal. The presidency viewed the ICJ decision as a reaffirmation of the Palestinian peoples right to self-determination, their land, and their statehood, it said. The presidency emphasised that amidst the ongoing Israeli aggression and genocide against our people in Gaza and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, the ICJ ruling renews hope among our people for a future free from colonisation, on the path to achieving their absolute and non-negotiable right to self-determination and liberation. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained defiant after the ICJ opinion, refusing to recognise occupied Palestinian territory. The Jewish people are not conquerors in their own land neither in our eternal capital Jerusalem nor in the land of our ancestors in Judea and Samaria, he said in a post on X, referring to the occupied West Bank using its Israeli name. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home 'Treating with highest priority': Microsoft after major BSOD outage IT major Microsoft Friday reassured users after its services, mainly Windows and Microsoft 365 apps, were disrupted due to what is called as the "Blue Screen of Death" or "BSOD" error Friday July 19, 2024 3:31 PM , ummid.com News Network San Francisco: IT major Microsoft Friday reassured users after its services, mainly Windows and Microsoft 365 apps, were disrupted due to what is called as the "Blue Screen of Death" or "BSOD" error. "We remain committed in treating this event with the highest priority and urgency while we continue to address the lingering impact for the Microsoft 365 apps that are in a degraded state," Microsoft said in a statement. "Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions," the company added. Microsoft Windows users across the world are currently experiencing the "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD) error, which is causing their systems to suddenly shut down or restart. "Something super weird happening right now. Just been called by several totally different media outlets in the last few minutes, all with Windows machines suddenly BSoDing (Blue Screen of Death)", Troy Hunt, Microsoft Regional Director, wrote on social media platform X. Companies and individual users from across the world are sharing the videos and snaps of the computers with blue screen. An update for business software security, Crowdstrike, has caused the 'blue screen of death' to a number of major companies worldwide, including the airline industrypic.twitter.com/X3mZZFUMuP Dexerto (@Dexerto) July 19, 2024 The images and videos from airport, malls, departmental stores and offices are also being shared by the social media users. "Holiday mood, in Microsoft style", mutliple users wrote. Microsoft has not confirmed how the error occurred. IT experts said Blue Screen errors, also called black screen errors or STOP code errors, can occur if a serious problem causes Windows to shut down or restart unexpectedly. Multiple reports however claimed that the error is the result of a faulty update from cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike. Reports further said that CrowdStrike is aware of the crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor. "Our Engineering teams are actively working to resolve this", the company said. Cybersecurity experts meanwhile are asking Microsoft to clarify if the "blue screen of death" is because of Crowdstrike's update or are these two separate incidents that have caused outages worldwide. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home UPSC probe confirms (IAS) Puja Khedkar faked her identity The Union Public Service Commission Friday said its investigation has confirmed Puja Khedkar, probationary IAS Officer, faked her identity to avail attempts beyond the permissible limit Friday July 19, 2024 6:37 PM , ummid.com News Network New Delhi: The Union Public Service Commission Friday said its investigation has confirmed Puja Khedkar, probationary IAS Officer, faked her identity to avail attempts beyond the permissible limit. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation into the misdemeanour of Ms Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022. From this investigation it has been revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her fathers & mothers name, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address, the UPSC said in a press statement issued today. FIR against Puja Khedkar The UPSC further said it has filed an FIR against Puja Khedkar and initiated action to cancel her appointment. The UPSC has initiated a series of actions against her including criminal prosecution by filing an FIR with the Police and has issued a show cause notice for cancellation of her candidature of Civil Services Examination of 2022, debarment from future exams and selections, the UPSC said. Puja Khedkar had "cracked" the Civil Services exams 2022 and was supposed to join as Assistant Collector Pune in June this year. She however made the headlines after she started demanding separate cabin, accommodation, staff, car, royal seal and more for which she was not entitled to as a trainee and probationary officer. After her demands were not met, she forcibly occupied the Additional Collector's office in Pune. Puja Khedkars out of the way style irked her bosses forcing Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase to take the matter to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, consequently she was transferred from Pune to Washim. Meanwhile, reports surfaced that Puja Khedkar used fake medical illness certificates and also lied about her income to avail the benefits of the OBC quota. 'Judiciary will take its course' On her part, Puja Khedkar talking to reporters after the UPSC notice said judiciary will take its course. "Judiciary will take its course. Whatever it is there I go through it and decide", she said when asked to comment on the UPSC show cause notice. Acting swiftly on the UPSC complaint, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has initiated legal proceedings against probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, following allegations of document forgery and cheating in her dealings with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Time of India reported. Authorities confirmed that charges have been filed under several sections related to forgery, cheating, the Information Technology Act, and the Disabilities Act. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. HA NOI Viet Nam has many opportunities to promote rice exports in the second half of this year, even though India could change its rice export policy in the next few months, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT). India is considering easing restrictions and allowing the export of white rice with a fixed tax rate. In addition, the authorities can also abolish the 20-per-cent tax on parboiled rice exports and apply a fixed tax rate for this product. India's five-per-cent broken parboiled rice was offered at US$539-545 per tonne last week. The ministry said that if India abolishes and relaxes its rice export policies, rice prices will fall. However, the demand for rice in countries around the world is still high, so Viet Nam still has many opportunities to promote rice exports in the remaining months of 2024. Viet Nam's five-per-cent broken rice was offered for sale at $565-570 per tonne on July 12, the lowest level in more than half a year. While rice export prices from Viet Nam fell to their lowest level in a year, Thai rice prices also fell due to weak demand and the market is waiting for the possibility of that decision from India. Specifically, Thailand's five-per-cent broken rice dropped to $570-575 per tonne, the lowest level since early April, down from $585 last week. However, Viet Nam's export rice price still increased by nearly 10 per cent over the same period. According to the Import-Export Department, MoIT, after a long period of export prices rising, the fall in Vietnamese rice price was simply down to the trend of the global rice price. If the relaxation of India's rice export policy is approved, the global rice supply is expected to increase. So, the rice prices in Asia are likely to cool down, because India is still a large rice exporter in the world with over 20 million tonnes each year. Viet Nams rice exports in the first six months of 2024 was still a bright spot, with volume of 4.68 million tonnes and turnover of $2.98 billion, up 10.4 per cent in volume and 32 per cent in value over the same period last year. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) expects Viet Nam to export about 8 million tonnes of rice this year, earning more than $5 billion. In the last months of the year, the main export markets of Vietnamese rice were still the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Ghana, Malaysia, and Singapore. The success of the rice sector is the fruit of a concerted effort spanning research, production and trade, with high-quality seeds delivered to farmers' hands, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao uc Phat said. Phat, who is chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), said the market now needs resilient, low-emission and quality rice varieties that adapt to climate change, adding that related research should help farmers achieve higher selling prices. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung uc Tien affirmed that the ministry now places top priorities on high-quality seed production, major export products and the formation of quality varieties with high yields, which are disease-resistant and can adapt to different climates. Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nguyen Hong Son, meanwhile, attributed the countrys remarkable development in the rice industry to three major achievements. These include the diversification in plant genetic research disciplines, a research workforce that matches regional standards and the robust growth of the domestic seed industry. Son suggested businesses commission research from institutes because each firm has different foundations in terms of rice varieties, working capabilities and investment goals. Investing in research from the outset allows new products to best meet business objectives. However, public-private partnerships (PPP) between the sides face challenges due to Government Decree No. 70/2018/N-CP, on planning the management and use of state property formed through implementing scientific and technological tasks using state funds. As per the decree, companies do not have ownership rights over rice varieties even if they contribute to the research process. According to Tran Kim Lien, chairwoman of the Vietnam Seed Group (Vinaseed), the regulation against transferring exclusive varieties makes it difficult to advance public-private partnerships. Delays in the adoption of a new variety and difficult resources mobilisation occur when all businesses involved await transfer approval after the recognition of the variety. Lien has proposed MARD promptly issue a list for transferring plant variety rights to businesses. Simultaneously, transparent technology transfer should take into account business participation based on conditions and needs. The ministry also needs to provide early guidelines on public-private partnerships to mobilise social resources for rice breeding research. Acknowledging the challenges, Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, director of the MARDs Department of Science, Technology and Environment, noted that the decree poses significant obstacles to research institutes in their plant variety transfers to businesses. However, the intellectual property law has eased such bottlenecks by granting plant variety ownership upon registration. VNS HCM CITY Vietnamese and Indian businesses have great potential for cooperation in various sectors, a networking event between them heard in HCM City on July 18. In his opening speech, ao Minh Chanh, deputy general director of the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of HCM City (ITPC), said trade between the two countries increased more than 60 times since 2010 to $14.36 billion in 2023, making India the eighth largest trading partner for Viet Nam. In the first half of this year it was worth $7.18 billion, with Viet Nams exports to India estimated at $4.37 billion. Chanh said: India is always one of Viet Nams strategic trade partners. The two countries have immense potential to boost cooperation further, especially in the mechanical, electrical, electronic, digital technology, and energy industries, high export earners for both countries. Both Viet Nam and India are focused on developing these industries, he said. Its a good time to further enhance co-operation in these sectors. He expected the two sides to find more import-export opportunities, which would help develop their comprehensive strategic partnership. Tran Hoai Nam, vice chairman of the HCM City Association of Mechanical and Electrical Enterprises (HAMEE), said with their advantages such as strategic locations in Asia, young workforces, large markets, and fast-growing economies, the two countries could cooperate in sectors such as manufacturing, mechanical engineering, infrastructure, renewable energies, information technology, and scientific research. Rohit Sharma, head of the ASEAN and Oceania Division Confederation of Indian Industry, said Viet Nam is an ideal investment destination for Indian companies, where they have invested over $2 billion directly or indirectly through third countries. He said Indian companies from India and elsewhere attending the business networking event uniformly expressed a desire to cooperate with Vietnamese firms in various sectors, such as technology, high-tech manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and tourism. Automation and skill training also offer great cooperation opportunities for the two countries. Prasannakumar R Shetti, chief representative Indonesia of Schwing Stetter (India) Pvt Ltd., said his company is looking for dealers/distributors for its construction equipment and then would seek investment opportunities in Viet Nam. Organised by ITPC in collaboration with the Indian consulate general in HCM City, CII and HAMEE, the event sought to connect Vietnamese and Indian businesses in industries such as paints and chemicals, agriculture and services, waste management, concrete equipment, infrastructure, construction, energy, IT and logistics, exchange experiences, update technologies, and explore opportunities to export their products to each other. VNS HA NOI Cambodian cashew nuts account for 55.5 per cent of Viet Nam's total import turnover in the first half of this year. Data from the General Department of Viet Nam Customs shows that Viet Nam imported nearly 1.5 million tonnes of cashew nuts in the first six months of this year, worth US$1.8 billion, an increase of 8.4 per cent in volume and 3.4 per cent in value. Of which, over 780,700 tonnes of cashew nuts from Cambodia were imported into Viet Nam, worth up to $1 billion. Cashew imports from the Cambodian market alone increased by 36.7 per cent in volume and 28.1 per cent in value compared to the same period last year. Viet Nam is the world's number one cashew kernel exporter. However, the country's domestic supply of raw materials for processing is still limited so businesses have to import cashew nuts in large quantities. In addition to Cambodia, businesses also import a large amount of cashew nuts from Africa. However, the situation of importing poor quality cashews to impersonate domestic cashew brands is increasingly common, which reflects badly on the Vietnamese cashew brand. In terms of exports, Viet Nam exported 353,500 tonnes of nuts in the first six months of this year, worth $1.94 billion, up 26.2 per cent in volume and 18.7 per cent in value year-on-year. Viet Nam's average cashew export price reached $5,502 per tonne in the first six months, down 6.4 per cent over the same period last year. VNS OTTAWA To further advance collaboration projects marking 30 years of Canada's development support for Viet Nam, the Vietnamese Trade Office in Canada recently held a working session with Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen. In the meeting, the Canadian official emphasised the role of the Vietnamese community in the host country in fostering bilateral cooperation, and highlighted new opportunities for Vietnamese people and businesses, as well as Canadian enterprises to participate in significant projects in Viet Nam. Canada's development assistance to Viet Nam began in the 1990s. To date, with nearly 200 programmes totaling US$1.35 billion, Canada has significantly contributed to poverty reduction, industrialisation, and modernisation efforts in Viet Nam. These projects have not only improved livelihoods but also built capacities for various communities and localities, aiming for inclusive and sustainable development. In addition to projects targeting vulnerable groups such as women and marginalised communities, and those on enhancing national governance capacity, a standout feature of Canada's official development assistance (ODA) is to assist Vietnamese people in sharing their knowledge, skills, and goods with the world. Many improvements in the production of rice varieties, peanut, pomelo, dairy cattle, pig, and other crops and livestock have significantly increased the income of rural households participating in these projects. Over the recent years, to support Viet Nam's industrialisation process and its combat against climate change, Canada has had many practical projects to support the Southeast Asian country in protecting the environment, managing pollution, and monitoring emissions. It is also a long-time partner in building industrial pollution management capacity for Viet Nam, helping address the impact of climate change and move towards sustainable economic growth. Canada is also a source of experience in new technology and high-quality human resources training as well as of green finance supply, thus helping Viet Nam in its green economic transition process, said Hussen. The minister shared that in early 2024, he chose Viet Nam as the first country in the Asia-Pacific to visit in his new position, showing his interest in strengthening the Canada-Viet Nam Comprehensive Partnership. During this visit, he announced that Canada will continue to support Viet Nam with about $30 million for projects aimed at sustainable growth, helping Viet Nam expand trade and investment, increase supply chains' resilience, and build a green and sustainable future. According to the minister, Canada's development assistance projects will create numerous opportunities for collaboration between businesses of both countries, particularly for technology and innovation firms operating in the fields of energy transition, renewable energy, and clean technology. These development support activities can bring about commercial cooperation opportunities and potential for businesses from both countries, he added. VNS HA NOI The total passenger output through airports reached more than 54 million passengers in the first six months of this year, equal to 97 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Viet Nam (CAAV). In terms of the domestic market alone, Vietnamese airlines transported more than 17 million domestic passengers in the past six months, equal to 82 per cent compared to the same period in last year. Due to difficulties in aircraft fleets, airlines have had to adjust and reduce supply on domestic routes, which is why the domestic market decreased compared to the same period last year and 2019. Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air are the two airlines with the largest domestic market shares with 42 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively, followed by Bamboo Airways (7 per cent), Vietravel Airlines (3 per cent), Pacific Airlines and Vasco (4 per cent). The seat utilisation ratio on domestic routes has been maintained at over 80 per cent and on international routes at over 70 per cent. If the domestic market declines in output, the international market is the bright spot in air transport results. In the first six months of this year, more than 20 million international passengers travelled, up 38 per cent year-on-year. Vietnamese airlines transported nearly nine million international passengers in the past six months, a year-on-year growth of 28 per cent, accounting for 44 per cent of the international passenger transport market share. Of which, the market shares of Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air are 17.8 per cent and 24.5 per cent, respectively. The output of goods through the airport reached more than 721,000 tonnes in the first six months, up 26 per cent year-on-year. More than 228,000 tonnes of domestic goods passed through the aiport and 492,000 tonnes of international goods. VNS HA NOI The market ended the week with a sharp decline, dealing a heavy blow to the previous session's recovery efforts. Meanwhile, foreign investors returned to net selling after two consecutive net buying sessions. The VN-Index on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) finished the day at 1,264.78 points, down 9.66 points, or 0.76 per cent. On the southern bourse, the breadth was negative as 248 stocks ticked down, while 89 increased. Liquidity still remained low at VN18.5 trillion (US$725.8 million), a decrease of three per cent from the previous session. The VN30-Index, tracking the 30 biggest stocks on HoSE by market capitalisation, also dropped 4.06 points, or 0.31 per cent, down to 1,302.32 points. The number of decliners surpassed gainers in the VN30 basket by 21 to nine. Large-cap stocks in the banking and manufacturing sectors led the market's downturn, with Vietnam Rubber Group - Joint Stock Company (GVR) posting the biggest fall in market capitalisation of 4.3 per cent, contributing to a decrease of 1.4 points in the VN-Index. Banking stocks also saw poor performances on Friday. The Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BID) posted a decline of 1.65 per cent, the Vietnam Technological and Commercial Joint Stock Bank (TCB) fell 1.27 per cent and the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (VCB) tumbled 0.57 per cent. Losses were capped by gains in some pillar stocks, led by the Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MBB). Shares of the lender rose 2.01 per cent, contributing more than 0.66 points to the VN-Index gain. It was followed by Vinhomes JSC, which rose 1.07 per cent and the Asia Commercial Joint Stock Bank (ACB) increasing by 1.21 per cent. According to experts from Saigon-Hanoi Securities JSC, short-term investors should maintain a reasonable proportion. Medium to long-term investors should hold onto their current portfolios, and any new positions should be carefully evaluated based on second-quarter business results and year-end prospects of leading companies. As for the VN-Index, investors should patiently wait for the index to break out of the current short-to-medium-term accumulation trend before making any new decisions. The Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX) index also finished lower on Friday afternoon, declining 0.81 per cent to 240.52 points. During the session, more than VN1.3 trillion worth of shares were traded, equivalent to a trading volume of over 67 million shares on the northern bourse. Foreign investors returned to their net selling spree as they net sold over VN350 billion on HoSE. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Industry and Trade is developing and is expected to submit presently a Viet Nam Steel Industry Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050 one of its efforts aimed at supporting the struggling steel industry. It is expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister and the Government in September 2024. To alleviate difficulties for the steel industry, the ministry has proposed that the Ministry of Finance review, update and adjust import tax policies for certain steel products with significant price fluctuations. They have also proposed that the State Bank of Viet Nam direct and encourage commercial banks to implement preferential credit packages to support steel investment, production and business. Additionally, on June 14, 2024, the Ministry issued Decision No. 1535/Q-BCT to investigate anti-dumping measures on steel products from China and South Korea. They also received a valid dossier for an anti-dumping investigation on HRC from India and China. According to customs data, Viet Nam imported 886,000 tonnes of hot-rolled coil (HRC) in June, amounting to 151 per cent of domestic production. Imports from China accounted for 77 per cent. The import price of HRC from China was low, averaging US$560/tonne, $45-108/tonne less than other countries. In 2023, Viet Nam's steel production capacity was around 28 million tonnes per year, including 7-8 million tonnes of HRC and 14 million tonnes of construction steel, meeting domestic and some export needs. The steel industry relies on 42 per cent scrap steel (mainly imported) and 58 per cent blast furnace production using iron ore. The domestic production of HRC is eight million tonnes per year, while the demand is 10 million tonnes, making the industry dependent on imports and vulnerable to price changes. Most domestic enterprises produce basic steel products for real estate and lack high-quality products for the mechanical and manufacturing industries. The oversupply of domestic steel and increased imports intensify price competition. Additionally, global market instability and rising international shipping costs pose risks for the industry. The Vietnam Steel Association (VSA) has urged the government to develop and enforce technical standards to prevent non-compliant steel imports. They also recommend support for steel export enterprises to handle foreign trade defense measures. To strengthen the steel industry, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is finalising a draft to propose the Law on Key Industrial Development, aiming to develop the steel industry into a national foundation industry, meeting domestic needs and rapidly increasing exports. VNS Movie lovers had the chance to experience first hand some of the best new films in Asia at the a Nang Asian Film Festival 2024 (DANAFF II). Although just in its 2nd year, the event proved to be a big hit with lovers of the silver screen. HA NOI Artists including Vietnamese and expatriates are invited to apply for grants to create art and culture collaboration projects between the United Kingdom and Viet Nam. The Connections Through Culture Grants will be awarded to new international collaborations to help the artists develop their work. The projects are required to include at least one UK-based applicant and one applicant based in Viet Nam. It also allows both teams to develop a deeper understanding of each other's cultures and work processes. These grants can spark big ideas and major collaborations, according to Donna McGowan, Director of the British Council Viet Nam. "Were proud to be providing this support, keeping the doors open for artists in both countries to make connections and showcase their talents on the international stage," said McGowan. "Connections Through Culture grants not only create meaningful artistic exchanges, but help to bring greater understanding that will enrich the global creative landscape," she added. Since its first time introduced in 2019, there have been 16 grants awarded in Viet Nam. Le Thi Quynh Chau, from the Centre for Culture Preservation and Economy Development (CPED) received a grant in 2021. She and her counterpart the UK designer Victoria Ho carried out project 'Weaving a Better World: Including Craft to Reset Sustainable Fashion'. It is based on Ta Oi womens designs on traditional craft to reset sustainable fashion. Ta Oi ethnic group is located in the central Thua Thien Hue Province. "I personally really feel proud that we could finally have, not just the manual, but also the training and contest to bring more attention on Deng textile and lead bead, a kind of weaving with beads" said Chau. "With the grant, I could connect through cultures online with Victoria Ho from London even during the pandemic to promote the textile not just in Viet Nam but also in the UK." This year, applicants in Viet Nam can apply for grants of up to 10,000 (US$13,000) for projects. Applications are welcome from all artforms, however proposals responding to climate change and diversity and inclusion may be prioritised during final decision making. Potential applicants can find more details, including an application toolkit with valuable tips and detailed insights into the programme, on the British Council website. VNS HA NOI - A series of Xuan Que Huong 2025 (Homeland Spring) programme will be held in Japan in January 2025. It is the biggest cultural event held annually for overseas Vietnamese by Ministry of Foreign Affairs' the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. "We hope that organising the programme will promote the image of Viet Nam and its people to Japanese people," said Viet Nam Consul General Vu Chi Mai in Fukuoka Prefecture. Xuan Que Huong 2025 will be held by the Vietnamese Consulate General in Fukuoka, in collaboration with Vietnamese Association in Japan. The event will take place from January 4 to 5 in Saitama Prefecture and in Fukuoka from January 10 to 12. The highlight of the event will be two contests: Miss Culture - International Friendship and International Child Supermodel 2025. "I believe that Homeland Spring 2025 will continue to attract a large number of Vietnamese community in Japan and international friends to participate," said Nguyen Manh ong Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs. In recent years, the Vietnamese community in Fukuoka has successfully organised programmes including the Miss Viet Nam - Japan Friendship and an Ao Dai Fashion Week. - VNS HA NOI Politburo member, President To Lam, who is also chairman of the National Defence and Security Council, presided over the 5th meeting of the council for the 2021-2026 term. During the meeting, the council discussed and reviewed achievements in various fields, particularly the public security force, along with national defence, security and foreign affairs matters. Politburo members attended Thursday's meeting, including Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Vice Chairman of the council, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, member of the council , and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang, member of the council. Participants also reviewed the implementation results of Resolution No 05-NQ/TW of the 13th Politburo regarding the organisation of the Peoples Army for the 2021-2030 period and beyond, as well as Resolution No 12-NQ/TW on strengthening the People's Public Security force to become a truly clean, strong, regular, elite, and modern force to meet the requirements of the modern world. On behalf of the council, President Lam acknowledged and said he highly appreciated the preparation for the session, as well as the significant, strategic-oriented comments from the council members on major topics that are crucial and impactful on Viet Nams national security and foreign affairs. The President emphasised that the implementation of Resolution No 05-NQ/TW has achieved significant results, with the People's Army organisation being streamlined to be lean, strong and effective. The highest goal remains ensuring the People's Army can win any war, defend the nation and be a source of pride for the Vietnamese people and nation. The implementation of Resolution No 12-NQ/TW, with its determined and methodical approach, has also yielded significant results. The People's Public Security force has been reorganised into a streamlined, effective and efficient four-tier structure, ensuring national security and safety for every citizen, thereby fostering socio-economic development. In light of the complex and unpredictable global situation, the council analysed and assessed the world, regional and domestic situations and their impacts on Viet Nam. The Party and State have adopted many policies and solutions to ensure the highest national interests and foster solidarity in the Mekong sub-region and ASEAN, ensuring that Viet Nam is a crucial element in international political integration, the global economy and human civilisation. President Lam urged continuous monitoring, research, analysis and timely evaluation of global, regional and domestic situations, especially strategic issues impacting Viet Nams national defence and security. This is to provide timely recommendations to the Party and State, ensuring proactive and well-prepared responses to all situations. VNS HCM CITY Two former directors of Vietnam Register are among 254 defendants being tried on multiple charges, including bribery, forgery of seals, embezzlement, and abuse of position and power. The defendants pocketed over VN40 billion (approximately US$1.58 million) in bribes. On Thursday morning, the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City opened the preliminary trial for the case that occurred at Vietnam Register and various local vehicle registration centres. Tran Ky Hinh, former Director of the Vietnam Register from January 2014 to July 2021, is charged with receiving bribes and abusing his position and power while performing official duties. ang Viet Ha, former Director of the Vietnam Register from August 2021 to September 2022, along with 132 co-defendants, are charged with receiving bribes. One defendant, o Trung Hoc, aged 63 and a former Head of the Inland Waterway Ships Department at Vietnam Register, is being tried in absentia for receiving bribes. The investigation revealed large-scale, systemic corruption in the state management of motor vehicle and inland waterway vessel registration, causing severe damage over a long period. Violations occurred at the Vietnam Register, various motor vehicle and inland waterway vessel registration centres, and the Motor Vehicle Inspection Department and Inland Waterway Ships Department in several localities. The indictment from the People's Procuracy of Ho Chi Minh City states that although the officials were responsible for managing the quality, technical safety, labour safety, and environmental protection of vehicles, the leadership of the Vietnam Register, from departmental heads to registration centres, colluded to instruct registrars to accept bribes from vehicle owners and intermediaries to overlook violations. Hinh received over VN7.1 billion ($280,000) from subordinates. After his retirement, Ha, his successor, received over VN8.5 billion ($336,000) in bribes in just over a year. In October 2022, when the police began investigating the registration units' violations, Ha, fearing exposure, returned VN5 billion ($197,000) to Tran Anh Quan, acting Head of the Motor Vehicle Inspection Department. Ha then asked Lai Thai Phong, former Deputy Chief of Office, to "monitor" the investigation at the registration centres. Phong claimed he would ask Nguyen Van Chung, who had numerous connections with the police, to help. Ha then asked Quan to retrieve the returned VN5 billion ($197,000) and send it to Phong to deliver to Chung. However, Chung misappropriated the money instead of gathering information. After being arrested, Ha filed a complaint against Phong and Chung. Judge Huynh Van Truc will preside over the trial, which will involve over 200 lawyers on the defence team. Additionally, nearly 60 individuals and organisations, including victims and parties with related interests, are attending the trial. Notable victims include the 73-01S Registration Centre (victim of embezzlement by former accountant Truong Thi Anh Van), ang Viet Ha (victim of fraud by Nguyen Van Chung), and Huynh Van Tien, former Director of Tan A ong Company (victim of fraud by Nguyen Thanh Le, former Director of Vietship Company). The trial is conducted in person and online at two locations: the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City and Chi Hoa Detention Centre (T30)Ho Chi Minh City Police. According to Pham Ngoc Duy, Chief of Office at the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City, the court will summon relevant defendants to the main court when questioning related charges. Defendants in detention will follow the proceedings online from the T30 Detention Centre. Defendants on bail must attend the trial in person throughout its duration. The trial is expected to last for three months. VNS President To Lam paid state visits to Laos and Cambodia his first overseas trips in his new position as president of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam from July 11-13. The visits were made at the invitations of General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, and Cambodian King Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni. The visits were the outcome of high-level agreements, especially the meeting between the Communist Party of Viet Nam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, and the Cambodian People's Party. The comprehensive results of the visits will create new milestones in the development of the relations between Viet Nam and the two Southeast Asian neighbours. In less than three days, President Lam had 32 talks and meetings with high-ranking leaders, students and overseas Vietnamese; and visited economic organisations in the host countries. Leaders of Vietnamese ministries and agencies also held working sessions with their partners from Laos and Cambodia to exchange specific cooperation ideas. VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on July 18 chaired a meeting with heads of Vietnamese representative agencies abroad to discuss the promotion of economic diplomacy to boost the country's economic growth in the second half of 2024 and the following years. The event was connected with the overseas representative agencies and the Peoples Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities via videoconference. Highlighting the positive socio-economic results in H1, PM Chinh said economic diplomacy has obtained many encouraging, substantive, and effective achievements. He held that since there are more difficulties and challenges than opportunities and advantages at present, ministries, sectors, localities, especially the diplomatic sector and overseas representative agencies, must steer clear of subjectivity or losing vigilance but show strong determination, exert great efforts, and take drastic and focus-driven actions. Vietnam is prioritising economic growth, so the traditional growth drivers, namely consumption, investment and export, must be renewed, PM Chinh said, asking the overseas representative agencies to focus on bolstering exports, and to do that, they need to promote export markets by helping foster economic, trade, investment partnerships, people-to-people exchanges, and tourism. At the same time, the country is stepping up new growth drivers, which are digital economy, circular economy, green economy, sharing economy, and knowledge-based economy, with innovation, science - technology, and the fourth Industrial Revolution being the stepping stone for development, he said, adding that the agencies should increase attracting investment to help fuel the new growth drivers. It is necessary to connect other countries, economic regions, and economies in the world with the Vietnamese economy, connect global businesses with Vietnamese firms, and connect Vietnamese localities with other countries so as to capitalise on opportunities for development, the Government leader stressed. PM Chinh noted that Viet Nam is negotiating more free trade agreements (FTAs) and enhancing political and diplomatic relations to create a favourable environment for economic, trade, and investment development. Given this, businesses need to actively coordinate with the representative bodies abroad to introduce Vietnamese products, especially those in demand, to the world, he said. The PM asked for stepping up the expansion of Middle Eastern and South American markets, increasing the export of Halal products, and pressing on with the negotiation and signing of FTAs with countries in the Middle East, Africa, and South America. The overseas representative agencies should keep a close watch on other countries trade remedies against Vietnamese exports in order to carry out early response measures, he said, adding that they also need to make use of the tourism recovery trend to help fuel domestic manufacturing, business activities, and peoples livelihoods. In addition, the agencies, together with enterprises, ministries, and sectors, need to work out new and breakthrough measures to attract investment and finance for development, call for technology transfer from foreign partners, and grasp scientific - technological development trends as well as smart management skills to apply, the PM said. PM Chinh also requested the representative bodies to protect the rights and legitimate interests of overseas Vietnamese while promoting favourable conditions for the communities to settle down in the host countries and contribute to the homeland. The Foreign Ministry affirmed that economic diplomacy has been implemented effectively in the first half, which has contributed to maintaining a favourable environment for national development and resource mobilisation, consolidating growth drivers, and assisting localities and enterprises in removing obstacles in investment projects Economic affairs continued to be a key focus in 36 high-level diplomatic activities since the beginning of the year, producing many substantive and specific outcomes as seen in the signing of many cooperative agreements with partners. The country has welcomed many big foreign groups such as NVIDIA, Apple, Intel, Google, Infosys, Siemens and business delegations comprising hundreds of companies from North Europe, the US, Canada and Japan. Viet Nam has also made the most of the 16 FTAs it has signed with 60 partners while pushing ahead with negotiations on upgrading some existing FTAs and new ones. However, participants noted that economic cooperation with some strategic regions has not matched the framework of relations, the handling of problems in projects has not been drastic enough, and efforts to tap potential markets have failed to produce breakthrough results. The delegates proposed that economic and technology contents continue to be included in working agenda of high-level external activities, and more information be provided to enterprises on the demand, potential and laws of other countries for higher effectiveness of economic diplomacy. VNS JAKARTA Deputy head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations Truong Quang Hoai Nam and Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn have compared notes on matters regarding the blocs cooperation and connectivity, as well as Viet Nams engagement in the grouping. At their meeting in Jakarta on Thursday, Kao Kim Hourn spoke highly of Viet Nam's attaching importance to ASEAN and prioritising its engagement in the bloc. The two sides exchanged views on opportunities and challenges facing ASEAN in the context of regional and global uncertainties, and that ASEAN is about to enter a new period after it completes the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. They agreed on the importance of promoting cooperation, and maintaining solidarity and unity within ASEAN as well as its centrality, for a community strong in politics and closely linked in economy, and with harmony, for the sake of residents and businesses, and for peace, security, stability and development in the region and the world at large. The Secretary General briefed the Vietnamese official on positive developments in the building of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and relevant plans. Nam touched upon opportunities to step up cooperation between political parties of ASEAN member countries, and suggested the Secretary General continue supporting the Vietnamese officials who are working or wishing to work at the ASEAN Secretariat. Viet Nam will continue its close coordination with other member countries to contribute to the ASEAN Community, he pledged. VNS NEW YORK Viet Nam shared ideas on specific steps that parliaments can take to promote the implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs), especially Goals No 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, and No13 on climate change, at the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) held in New York from Tuesday to Thursday. The Vietnamese delegation, led by Vu Hai Ha, member of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the National Assembly (NA)'s Committee for External Relations, held that the world has faced many difficulties and challenges, slowing down the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with many SDGs lagging behind scheduled. In that context, the promotion of the role of parliaments an important governance mechanism with close relations with SDG No16, has a significant meaning in strengthening actions of the parliament in each country as well as the joint efforts of the international community in realising the 2030 Agenda and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) action strategy on peace, cooperation, and sustainable development. At a discussion on strengthening adaptation and climate finance for a sustainable and resilient world, Viet Nam highlighted that climate change is one of the biggest global challenges, a serious problem for humanity that even has life-or-death impact on some countries and communities in the world. As a developing country hard hit by climate change, over the recent years, Viet Nam has always proactively and actively participated in regional and international agreements and commitments on responding to climate change, affirming the determination to develop a green and sustainable economy, aiming for net zero emissions as committed at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26). To effectively respond to climate change, Viet Nam suggested that the international community consider it the highest priority in every development policy of each country, and the highest ethical standard of every organisation and individuals. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation on the principle of equality and responsibility among countries, with the effective support and participation of international cooperation mechanisms and organisations, aiming to connect and supplement resources, promote technology transfer, share experiences, and provide technical and financial support. Viet Nam also underlined the need for strengthening legislative work to legalise international commitments agreed upon by countries at UN Climate Change Conferences and related international events. The HLPF is designed to connect parliamentarians to assess efforts towards the SDGs at the global level. It provides an opportunity for parliaments to exchange best legislative practices on sustainable development. VNS Buenos Aires Argentinas Resumen Latinoamericano newspaper has run an article hailing the 1954 Geneva Agreement on the Cessation of Hostilities in Viet Nam as the first and extremely important victory of Vietnam's diplomacy after the ien Bien Phu Victory earlier the same year, creating the premise and legal basis for the long resistance war of the Vietnamese people. The article, published on July 18 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Agreement (July 21, 1954-2024), emphasises that with the signing of the agreement, for the first time in history, France and other powers must recognise the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Viet Nam, Laos, and Cambodia. This is a victory in Viet Nam's steady, courageous, and confident diplomatic struggle to protect justice and national interests, it affirms. The article appreciates the roles of then Deputy Prime Minister Pham Van ong, then Deputy Minister of Defence Ta Quang Buu, and Colonel Ha Van Lau who was then special military expert and assistant to Deputy Minister Buu in the tense negotiations. It quotes former Deputy PM Vu Khoan as saying that the Geneva negotiations demonstrate a solid and persistent but flexible diplomatic struggle. At that time, the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam decided to choose the cessation of hostilities and accepted diplomatic solutions, creating favourable conditions for the general offensive and uprising to liberate and reunify the country 21 years later. Khoan said Viet Nam fought with all its might. From the beginning of the negotiations, the Vietnamese side did not take the 17th parallel as the provisional military demarcation line. Then Deputy PM ong made many proposals, from the 13th, 14th, and 16th parallels, to create more favourable conditions for the revolution. However, due to the correlation of forces at that time and the relationship between major countries, the Vietnamese delegation had to accept the final agreement on the 17th parallel along the Ben Hai river in Quang Tri as the temporary boundary between North and South Viet Nam. The article affirms that the value of the 1954 Geneva Agreement victory remains valid, demonstrating the desire for peace and friendship of the Vietnamese people, as well as the soundness of President Ho Chi Minhs diplomatic thinking in which peace must go with independence, freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. VNS HAVANA Cuban Minister of Justice Oscar Manuel Silvera Martinez has called on the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice to support and share experiences with its Cuban counterpart in applying information technology and digital transformation in law-making and judicial management, as well as in inspection and review of legal documents. During a meeting with Deputy Minister of Justice ang Hoang Oanh who is leading a Vietnamese delegation to Cuba from July 17 19, the Cuban official thanked the Vietnamese ministry for its goodwill and determination in supporting and sharing useful experiences with the Cuban ministry. For her part, the Vietnamese minister congratulated the Cuban people on achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba over recent times, expressing her delight at the enhancement and expansion of the special and traditional cooperation and friendship between Viet Nam and Cuba in general, and between the two ministries in particular. She affirmed that the Vietnamese ministry will do its utmost to support and share experiences with its Cuban counterpart, and briefed her host on coordination between the two ministries and relevant Vietnamese agencies to implement a technical assistance project for the Cuban ministry to enhance its capacity for law building and legal enforcement. The officials valued the active coordination between the two ministries in effectively implementing the 2024-25 Cooperation Programme through flexible methods. They inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the Judicial Academy of Vietnam and a specialised school of the Cuban ministry. They said the MoU serves as an important legal basis for performing specific cooperative activities in training legal staff and the training of officials holding judicial positions between the two institutions. Martinez suggested that based on the document, the Judicial Academy of Viet Nam and the Cuban school should research and coordinate in organising short-term training programmes, including those for Cuban lawyers. While there, Oanh had a working session with Chairman of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of the Cuban National Assembly Jose Luis Toledo Santander, during which the host appreciated Viet Nam's support for Cuba in the process of drafting its 2019 Constitution, and in amending and perfecting Cuba's legal system. The Vietnamese delegation visited the Faculty of Law of the University of Havana, the specialised school of the Cuban Ministry of Justice, the association of Cuban law firms, and the Fidel Castro Ruz centre; and laid a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh Monument in Havana. VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Friday chaired a government conference on digital transformation with ministerial and local leaders, stressing joint efforts and comprehensive actions to accelerate the process. Reports from the meeting showed that digital transformation is being implemented with cohesion and determination at all levels, and positive progress is being made in implementing Project 06. This aims to enhance the application of population, identification, and electronic authentication data in support of national digital transformation in the period 2022-2025, with a vision for 2030. The development of e-government continues with efforts placed on offering online public administration services for the people, with about 16.4 million accounts registered on the National Public Service Portal. The digital economy and digital society maintain strong growth with the increasing number of Vietnamese digital products and exports, totalling US$117.3 billion in 2023. Revenues from software and IT (information technology) services also reached $13 billion in the same year. Industrial digitalisation is gaining traction in various ministries and sectors, with revenues from e-commerce rising from $13.7 billion in 2021 to $20.5 billion in 2023. Cashless payments are widely available, with 87 per cent of the adult population having bank payment accounts reaching 87 per cent, exceeding the target of 80 per cent by 2025. Digital transformation has also made social welfare, education, health care, and insurance more convenient for people. According to the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC), world reports show that Viet Nams digital economic growth rate has increased over the years. Regarding digital economic growth in ASEAN, Viet Nam has moved from ranking sixth in 2020 to third place in 2021, before topping the chart in 2022 and 2023. The 2022 Government AI Readiness Index placed Viet Nam 55th globally, while other countries in the Southeast Asian bloc such as Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand ranked second, 29th and 31st respectively. In regards to cyber security, Viet Nam is placed 25th out of the 194 countries and territories in the ranking. Viet Nams assessments also showed that the national digital transformation index (DTI) maintained steady growth over the years, reaching 0.71 points in 2022. Other indexes on e-government, digital economy and digital society also witnessed high growth rates between 45 and 55 per cent. Praising the improved management of national digital transformation, PM Chinh underlined that this must be an inclusive process with the focus placed on digital human resources development, prioritising resources for digital economic development and e-government and digital infrastructure development. It needs to include digitalised management with the application of AI, as well as perfecting the policies and frameworks for digital transformation. In addition, more efforts should be placed on the awareness and actions of the leaders, developing policies and frameworks in alignment with international practices, promoting the digital economy, digital society and digital citizens and accelerating the development of national digital infrastructure as well as cyber security. PM Chinh also stressed that it is necessary to ensure comprehensive implementation of digital transformation and Project 06 for the benefit of the people, as well as resources for national digital transformation, online public services, human resources for digital transformation and emerging industries, as well as a balance of benefits between the state, the people and businesses for sustainable economic growth. VNS HA NOI The Politburos notice on Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trongs health and assignment of Politburo member and State President To Lam to take charge of the work of the Party Central Committee, Politburo and Secretariat has received great attention from officials, Party members, and people in Ho Chi Minh City. Lieutenant Colonel La Huu Vinh, from the HCM City Association of War Invalids who has been a Party member for 50 years now, said that local officials and Party members are especially very concerned about the Party chiefs health, especially in the context that the Party, army, and people are striving to complete all tasks and heading to the 14th National Party Congress. Their great attention shows the sentiments, love and respect from all officials, Party members, and people to the leader who has acted as the core of solidarity, leading the entire Party, army, and people in realising revolutionary tasks in the new period, the veteran Party member said. Vinh held that the assigning of Lam to take charge of the work with responsibilities and power as provided by the Politburo is a proper decision which is suitable to the objective reality and in line with the Partys regulations, ensuring the smooth overall management of the Party Central Committee, Politburo, and Secretariat. He showed strong support to the call from the Politburo for peoples absolute trust in the Party leadership and State management, strengthening the solidarity, unity, and joint efforts, continuing to bring into play important and comprehensive achievements and results that the country has gained, striving to overcome all difficulties and challenges, and fulfilling all the targets set by the 13th National Party Congress. The national history has proved that the attainments the whole Party and people have gained over the past 40 years of comprehensive national reform result from the solidarity and unity of the entire Party, people and army, and are evidence of the maturity and strength of the Party, Vinh underlined. Officials, Party members, and people in the northern mountainous province of Lang Son agreed that after nearly 40 years of renewable under the leadership of the Party and State, Viet Nam has gained outstanding achievements in socio-economic development, and Party building and rectification. They showed their belief that with the consensus and determination of the entire political system, the army and the people, Viet Nam will be more powerful, prosperous and civilised, and happier. Luong Van Dung, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Council of Chien Thang commune, Chi Lang district, said that one of the key successes of the Party is consistently taking Party building and rectification as a core issue, ensuring that the Party maintains and enhances its leadership role in the revolutionary cause. Meanwhile, Nguyen Van Hoang from Lang Son citys Chi Lang ward, who is former Vice President of the citys Viet Nam Fatherland Front Committee, stated that the Partys personnel work strictly adheres to Party regulations. Recently, under the Partys leadership and the State's management and governance, all aspects of the country's economic, political, and social life have continued to develop steadily. In the northern port city of Hai Phong, many officials, Party members, and residents expressed absolute trust in the Party's leadership. According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Anh Tuan, Deputy Political Commissar and Head of Politics at the Military Command of Cat Hai district, the people of Hai Phong in particular and the country at large can take pride in the political system of the Party and the State. Witnessing the remarkable developments of the nation and Hai Phong, the city's residents firmly believe in the Party's leadership and will continue striving to overcome all challenges and difficulties, well fulfil the goals set by the 13th National Party Congress, and help maintain political stability, safeguard independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national security, ensure social order and safety, and boost socio-economic development, said Tuan. The Party leader has repeatedly emphasised the importance and immense significance of solidarity and high consensus within the Party and the political system, the officer said, adding the countrys revolutionary history has shown that with a high spirit of solidarity and consensus, despite difficulties and challenges, the Party remains united and cohesive, and comprehensively leading and directing all aspects of the social life, thus creating a substantive leap across all dimensions, helping enhance Vietnam's position and reputation in the international arena. It is noteworthy that in the context the entire Party, army, and people are turning towards the 14th National Party Congress, which includes the goal of selecting individuals who are both talented and virtuous to shoulder the responsibilities of leading the country, the requirement for solidarity and unity within the Party and among the people to fulfill the revolutionary mission of the entire nation becomes even more crucial in the current phase. VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception in Ha Noi on Friday for Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Soltan Bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, who is on an official visit to Viet Nam for the third political consultation between the two foreign ministries. Welcoming the second visit to the country by the minister, PM Chinh expressed satisfaction with the recent developments in bilateral ties and the fruitful outcomes of political consultation between the two ministries. He suggested both sides work closely together to facilitate the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially those at high level, to strengthen political trust and open up new cooperation opportunities. Highlighting the vast potential for economic collaboration, he urged Qatari businesses and investment funds to expand their presence in Viet Nam in areas of mutual interest such as oil and gas, infrastructure, agriculture and reen ports as well as emerging sectors like green technology, semiconductor and electric vehicles. Both sides should engage in discussions to finalise and sign cooperation agreements on consular affairs, trade, investment, locality-to-locality and people-to-people exchanges, thereby creating a favourable legal framework to deepen and diversify the bilateral relationship, he said. On global and regional issues of shared interest, the PM underscored the importance of settling disputes through peaceful means based on respect for international law, for the sake of global and regional peace, cooperation and development. At multilateral forums, the two countries should further enhance mutual support and consultation, bolster ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) cooperation. Al-Muraikhi, for his part, agreed with the hosts proposals, informing him that during the political consultation, both sides discussed and proposed specific measures to boost bilateral ties, especially in politics-diplomacy, investment, trade, oil and gas, infrastructure, agriculture, Halal industry, labour, culture, education-training, and people-to-people exchange. He expressed readiness to step up mutual support at multilateral forums, especially in the face of global challenges and difficulties. He concurred with the PM on the crucial role of settling conflicts through peaceful means in line with international law, in order to foster global and regional cooperation, peace and stability, for the development and prosperity of both nations. Host and guest agreed on the need to promptly hold the third Joint Committee meeting to conduct a comprehensive review of bilateral collaboration and develop a programme for Viet Nam-Qatar cooperation across all areas in the near future. VNA/VNS HA NOI Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong a dedicated communist soldier, exceptional leader and person of great intellect, courage and compassion passed away on July 19, 2024. At 80 years old, with nearly 57 years of Party membership, 14 years as General Secretary, more than two years as President and over five years as National Assembly Chairman, Nguyen Phu Trong consistently devoted himself to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation. Alongside the Central Committee and the Government, he led the entire Party, the people, and the armed forces to achieve many significant and historic accomplishments. A lifetime of struggle and sacrifice for the revolutionary cause Nguyen Phu Trong was born on April 14, 1944, in ong Hoi Commune, ong Anh District, Ha Noi. He joined the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV) on December 19, 1967, and became an official member a year later. Since then, Nguyen Phu Trong has been highly conscious of self-improvement and training with a steadfast and beautiful orientation, often quoting lines from poems and songs that he cherished: If you are a flower, be a sunflower; if you are a bird, be a white dove; if you are a stone, be a diamond; if you are a person, be a communist and "Even with a second or a minute left, I will continue to fight without giving up." For 57 years, Nguyen Phu Trong stood firm in the ranks of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, remaining absolutely loyal to the Party, the Fatherland, and the People. In all circumstances, he demonstrated the intellect and bravery of a resilient communist, steadfast in Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minhs ideology, aiming for national independence and socialism. He maintained, promoted, and spread the pure revolutionary ethics, the pioneering, exemplary nature, and continuously studied, trained and closely connected with the grassroots and the people. Significant contributions across various important positions Nguyen Phu Trong held many important positions entrusted by the Party, the State, and the People, including member of the Party Central Committee (from the 7th to the 13th tenure), member of the Politburo (from the 8th to the 13th tenure), General Secretary (from the 11th to the 13th tenure), President (from October 2018 to April 2021), Chairman of the National Assembly (the 11th and 12th tenures), Editor-in-Chief of the Communist Review, Secretary of the Ha Noi Party Committee, and Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council. He made significant and crucial contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation, especially in the period of renewal, building, and defending the Fatherland. Over the last three terms, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made substantial contributions to national development, especially during the period of accelerating industrialisation, modernisation, international integration, and implementing the strategy of national defence in the new situation. Internationally, Trongs anti-corruption efforts have garnered commendation and support. His initiatives have enhanced Viet Nams global standing, showcasing the countrys commitment to upholding the rule of law and fostering a conducive environment for foreign investment. The transparency and predictability engendered by his policies have made Viet Nam an attractive destination for international businesses, further bolstering the nations economic growth. Despite his high positions, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong remained humble, simple, and sincere. In his speech when receiving the 55-year Party membership badge, he modestly stated: Everything I have done is insignificant compared to the education and training of the Party; the guidance of the previous Party members; the cooperation and support of comrades and colleagues; and the encouragement and support of the people, particularly from the agencies where I studied, worked, and served. An outstanding theorist and scientist of the party As General Secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong demonstrated his role as a core leader, together with the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat, to build unity, consensus in will and action within the Party, and achieve high unanimity within the political system. He led the entire Party, the people, and the armed forces to overcome difficulties and challenges, achieving many important accomplishments across various fields, enhancing the country's potential, position, and international prestige. Not only a talented leader, Nguyen Phu Trong was also an outstanding theorist and scientist. As the theoretical flag of the Party, he made significant theoretical contributions, including the research work "Some Theoretical and Practical Issues on Socialism and the Path to Socialism in Viet Nam." Through rigorous arguments, deep analysis, and practical insights, he summarised the development history of contemporary world and Viet Nam's revolution, scientifically affirming that the only correct path for the country's development is socialism. Nguyen Phu Trong emphasised that the Vietnamese people had undergone a long, arduous, and sacrificial revolutionary struggle against colonial and imperial domination to protect national independence and sacred sovereignty for the freedom and happiness of the people. National independence associated with socialism is the fundamental, consistent policy of the Party, the principle of the Vietnamese revolution's success, and a key point in Ho Chi Minh's ideological legacy. Advancing to socialism is an objective requirement, the inevitable path to achieving freedom, prosperity, and happiness for the Vietnamese people. Beyond this major theoretical work, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made many contributions to specialised theoretical fields. These include the books: Vietnamese Culture Imbued with National Identity (June 2024); "Resolutely, persistently fighting corruption and negative phenomena to contribute to building more transparent and stronger Party and State (February 2023); Several issues about military policy, national defence strategy in the cause of building and defending the socialist Viet Nam Fatherland in the new period; "Promoting the tradition of great national unity, building a richer, stronger, more civilised, and happier country" (November 2023); "Building and developing a comprehensive, modern Vietnamese foreign policy and diplomacy, imbued with the identity of "Vietnamese bamboo" (November 2023). These books by the General Secretary received special attention and were highly appreciated by scholars, researchers, and the people, not only for their ideological value and content but also because of the author himself a person of intellect and character who consistently upheld the goals and ideals chosen by the Party, President Ho Chi Minh, and the people. Valuable lessons in fighting corruption and negative phenomena General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong always deeply remembered Ho Chi Minh's words: A nation, a party, and each individual, no matter how great and attractive they were yesterday, may not be loved and praised today and tomorrow if their hearts are not pure and if they fall into individualism. He understood that the Party must know how to correct itself and rely on the people to reform, and reform must start from the top. Thus, he directly took on the role of Commander-in-Chief (Head of the Steering Committee) of the war against corruption with an uncompromising spirit, stating that anyone who hesitates or refuses to act should step aside. This war created strong trust among the people. As head of the Central Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Corruption and Negative Phenomena, with high political determination, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong led decisively, persistently, comprehensively, methodically and deeply, with breakthroughs linking anti-corruption and negative phenomena with Party building and political system reform. Many ideas, viewpoints, guiding principles, and action principles in fighting corruption and negative phenomena initiated and directed by the General Secretary have proven effective, affirmed through practice, and brought valuable lessons in both theory and practice. This war was systematic and theoretical. Its theory was fundamentally reflected in the work "Resolutely, persistently fighting corruption and negative phenomena to contribute to building more transparent and stronger Party and State (February 2023) by the General Secretary. This war had clear objectives and the decisive factor was the direct, tight, comprehensive and regular leadership of the Party; relying on the people and listening to the people. Particularly, the example of consistency between words and actions, persistent struggle without rest, and the unity between years of contemplation and specific actions in the fight against corruption and negative phenomena by the General Secretary. The anti-corruption and negative phenomena work achieved many important results, creating strong changes in the awareness and actions of the entire political system, increasing the trust of officials, Party members, and the people in the Party, State and regime. Among the most notable achievements of Trong's campaign is the handling of the PetroViet Nam scandal. This case, involving top executives and government officials, epitomised the entrenched corruption within state-owned enterprises. By addressing such high-profile cases head on, Trong demonstrated an unflinching commitment to dismantling the networks of corruption that hindered national development. Former Politburo member inh La Thang, for instance, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in mismanaging state resources. Another significant case under Trong's anti-corruption drive was the trial of former Minister of Information and Communications, Nguyen Bac Son, and his deputy, Truong Minh Tuan. They were convicted for their involvement in the notorious Mobifone-AVG deal, a scandal where they received millions of dollars in bribes to facilitate the acquisition of a private television company at an inflated price, causing massive losses to the state budget. Both were handed lengthy prison sentences, highlighting the campaign's reach into the highest levels of government. Trong's efforts have also extended to the banking sector, plagued by corruption and financial misconduct. The prosecution of high-profile bankers such as Pham Cong Danh, the former chairman of Viet Nam Construction Bank, and Ha Van Tham, the former chairman of Ocean Bank, underscores his commitment to eradicating financial crimes. Their cases revealed extensive networks of fraudulent activities and embezzlement, leading to significant prison sentences and the recovery of substantial sums of money. The practical evidence proves that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong fulfilled his mission as the country's top leader in protecting the nation's survival and development through two parallel paths: law and culture. Law represents the seriousness and civilisation of a state, of a nation, while culture represents the soul and virtues of a people. A leader who earned the people's trust and lived among the people In any position, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong always adhered to and exemplified the four virtues "diligence, thrift, integrity, righteousness" taught by President Ho Chi Minh. Step by step, he matured and dedicated his entire life to the Party and the people. At the same time, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong consistently demanded that each agency, locality and cadre fully understand their responsibilities, wholeheartedly focus on the common good, and prioritise the interests of the Party, the nation, and the people above all else. He emphasised that political, ethical, and lifestyle standards, particularly the effectiveness of their work and the reputation of themselves and their families, should be the primary measures of evaluation. He stressed the importance of using these criteria to accurately assess, select, and place cadres in the right positions, creating a cohesive, united and strong team. People across the nation have always held deep respect and trust for General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong a true communist, a talented leader who consistently aligned his words with actions, and who used the people's needs as his benchmark and ultimate goal. He was always close to the people, cared deeply for them, and had a profoundly compassionate heart. When he received the 55-year Party membership badge on the occasion of the 93rd anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong recalled lines from the famous work "How the Steel Was Tempered" by Soviet author Nikolai Alekseyevich Ostrovsky who wrote: "The most precious thing for a person is life and the honour of living because we only live once. Live so as not to regret wasted years or be ashamed of mean and cowardly actions that earn the people's contempt. So that when we die, we can say: All my life and all my strength were dedicated to the noblest cause in the world - the cause of fighting for national liberation, human liberation, and bringing happiness to the people." He also quoted, "Steel is forged in red fire and cold water, and it knows no fear!" and lines from poet To Huu: "Even with a second or a minute left, I will continue to fight without giving up!" For his many great and outstanding contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation, on July 18, 2024, the Politburo awarded General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong the Gold Star Order the highest honour of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. VNS Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee, has significantly shaped the nation's international relations through his unwavering dedication, profound intellect, and steadfast commitment to fostering global partnerships. From his humble beginnings in ong Hoi Commune, ong Anh District, Ha Noi, to his esteemed roles as President, National Assembly Chairman, and General Secretary, Trong's life is a testament to his tireless efforts in enhancing Viet Nam's position on the global stage. His strategic vision and diplomatic acumen have been pivotal in forging strong international alliances and advancing Viet Nam's interests worldwide. This photo essay captures key moments of his extraordinary journey, reflecting his leadership in international diplomacy, his interactions with global leaders, and his enduring legacy in strengthening Viet Nam's role in the international community. HA NOI General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong passed away on Friday afternoon at the age of 80. Despite whole-hearted treatment and care from the Party, the State, leading medical professors and doctors and his family, due to old age and severe illness, the Party leader breathed his last at 1.38pm on July 19, 2024 at Central Military Hospital 108. Here is a translation of the article titled "PARTY GENERAL SECRETARY NGUYEN PHU TRONG - AN EMINENT LEADER WHO DEVOTES HIS WHOLE LIFE TO THE COUNTRY AND PEOPLE" written by Politburo Member, President of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam To Lam. He wrote: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, a thinker, a culturalist, a theoretical flag of the Party, and an eminent student who has constantly studied and followed great President Ho Chi Minhs ideology, morality, and lifestyle, has devoted his lifetime to the revolutionary cause of our Party and nation, as well as the country and the people. Being tested through the revolutionary practice for more than 55 years, and with his strategic vision, sharp thinking closely linked to practice review, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong and the Party Central Committee have creatively applied and developed Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's ideology and constantly built a purer and stronger Party; built a socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, and for the people; and supplemented, perfected and led the successful implementation of the renewal policy, building our country with such a fortune, strength, international prestige and position today that it had never enjoyed before. The Party affairs and building have held a particularly important position during his revolutionary life. Creatively applying Ho Chi Minh's ideology on Party building, comrade Nguyen Phu Trong has deeply clarified the nature of the Party and its role in the national renewal and the building of the ruling Party through the reality of renewal in Viet Nam. Then, he and the Party Central Committee have worked out and led the successful implementation of strategic policies on Party building and rectification; resolutely and persistently fought individualism and degradations within the Party, and corruption and misconduct, while constantly improving revolutionary ethics, mettle, intellectual level, and pioneer role and promoting good traditions and close-knit ties with the people. Under the Party leadership, headed by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, our Party has demonstrated its mettle and wisdom, leading the entire Party, people and entire army to win numerous great achievements in the cause of national renewal, defeat all sabotage plots of hostile forces, and build a truly "moral and civilised" society. As Chairman of the National Assembly and Party General Secretary, he is always concerned with the issue of building a socialist rule-of-law state of the people, for the people, and by the people. Under the leadership of comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, for the first time our Party has issued a Resolution on continuing to build and perfect the Vietnamese socialist rule-of-law state in the new period, setting the goals of "perfecting the Vietnamese socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, and for the people, led by the Communist Party of Viet Nam; having a complete legal system that is strictly and consistently implemented; respecting the Constitution and the law, and respecting, ensuring and effectively protecting human rights and citizens' rights; State power being unified, clearly assigned, closely coordinated, and effectively controlled; a professional, rule-of-law, and modern administration and judiciary; the State apparatus being streamlined, pure, and operating effectively and efficiently; a contingent of cadres, civil servants, and public employees with sufficient qualifications, capacity, true professionalism, and integrity; modern, effective national governance; meeting the requirements of rapid and sustainable development of the country, becoming a developed, high-income socialist-oriented country by 2045. Thoroughly grasping the ideology of Ho Chi Minh and deeply recognising the important role and position of culture: "Culture is the soul of the nation", "As long as culture endures, the nation endures", Nguyen Phu Trong, an eminent leader on the Party's cultural front, has dedicated significant efforts to building an advanced culture rich in national identity which really serves as a spiritual foundation of society, an endogenous strength, and a crucial driving force for national development. Under the leadership of Nguyen Phu Trong, the documents of the 13th National Party Congress comprehensively and profoundly address the cultural sector. The national conference on culture, held after more than 70 years, marked a milestone that connected the ideology and actions of the entire Party, people and army in strongly promoting the role of culture in national construction and defence, fulfilling the aspiration for a prosperous and happy country. With profound political insight and strategic thinking, Nguyen Phu Trong, along with the CPV Central Committee, developed Viet Nam's foreign policy, summarised practical experience and shaped the "Bamboo Diplomacy" art. Under the leadership of the Party and directly General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the Bamboo Diplomacy identity has been strongly promoted, creating historic turning points and substantial changes in Viet Nam's relations with major partners. Viet Nam's position, prestige, and image as a reliable partner, active and responsible member have never been shining on the international stage and Viet Nam has never integrated so deeply into the global economy, international politics, and human civilisation as it is today. In his concurrent roles as State President, Chairman of the National Defence and Security Council, and Commander-in-Chief of the Viet Nam Peoples Army, Nguyen Phu Trong always paid profound attention to the People's Army and People's Public Security. He focused on building strong and united army and public security forces. He frequently reminded the armed forces of deeply absorbing, studying, and following the ideology, morality and lifestyle of President Ho Chi Minh, stressing that Honour is the most sacred and noble thing and urging them to wholeheartedly serve the country and the people, rely on the people while working, be truly loyal, respect, and love the people, maintain close ties with the people, protect their interests, and make them increase their trust and support. Under the leadership of the Party and directly General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the mission of building an elite, streamlined, strong, truly pure clean and strong army that meets the requirements of the new situation has achieved significant results. The public security and military forces have been staying united and closely working together, truly serving as the sword and shield, and the two wings of a bird, to safeguard peace and stability for national development. Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong's consistent thought is about the people, the humans, the wholehearted devotion and service to the people, building humans and taking the people as the subject and the centre of the renewal process. Regarding the Party, he affirmed our Party must take the highest sense of responsibility to the people, take care of the material and spiritual lives of the people"; "the Party's policy that does not reflect the interests of the people, the country, and the nation, and is not aligned with the rule of historical evolution, is a wrong policy, "close connection with the people is the rule of existence, development and operation of the Party, and the decisive factor creating the Party's strength. Analysing the difference between the socialist rule-of-law state and the capitalist rule-of-law state, he clearly stated that "the socialist rule-of-law state is different from the capitalist rule-of-law state in terms of nature: the rule of law under the capitalist regime is actually a tool to protect and serve the interests of the bourgeoisie, while the rule of law under the socialist regime is a tool to express and exercise the people's right to mastery, ensure and protect the interests of the majority of the people". Regarding the socialist market economy, he held that a basic characteristic, an important attribute of the socialist orientation in the market economy in Viet Nam is that the economy must be linked with society, economic policies must be unified with social policies, and economic growth must go hand in hand with the implementation of social progress and equality in every step, every policy and throughout the development process. "Every economic policy must aim at social development goals, encouraging lawful enrichment along with hunger eradication and poverty reduction, taking care of people with meritorious services and those who are in difficult circumstances." Under the leadership of comrade Nguyen Phu Trong, our Party has issued resolutions on socio-economic development, ensuring national defence and security in six economic regions across the country until 2030, with a vision to 2045, set goals, visions, directions, and solutions to create strong and breakthrough development, contributing to successfully realising the country's goal of 100 years under the Party's leadership, 100 years of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. By the middle of the 21st century, our country is set to become a developed nation, fulfilling President Ho Chi Minhs desire of bringing our country to be on par with the powers on the five continents. All his life, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has persistently devoted himself to the revolutionary cause of our Party and nation with an iron spirit and will, and has not stepped back in the face of obstacles and difficulties. He affirmed himself a great personality, considering honour as the most sacred and noble thing", upholding the principles and devoting all his life to the country and the people. He is truly a typical example in terms of pure revolutionary morality, "fairness and impartiality", simple lifestyle, democratic, dedicated and scientific working style, and respect and love for people. He has been highly respected, trusted and loved by officials, Party members and the people, and esteemed and highly appreciated by international friends. We firmly believe that under the Party leadership, we will steadfastly apply and creatively develop Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's ideology, and the theory of the Party's renewal line; persist with national independence and socialism; and the principles on Party building. The entire Party, people, and army will stay united and unified, and join efforts to capture opportunities and overcome challenges, building a truly pure and comprehensively strong Party and political system; rapidly and sustainably developing the country, and firmly safeguarding the Fatherland; turning Viet Nam into a developing country with modern industry and upper middle income by 2030 when the Party marks its 100th founding anniversary, creating a solid foundation to achieve the goal of becoming a developed, high-income socialist-oriented country by 2045 when the nation celebrates its 100th founding anniversary. VNA/VNS HA NOI Ha Noi has promoted the development of craft villages that produce lotus-based products, integrating tourism and enhancing the impression of the local area. The initiative aims to create unique products which attract tourists to experience the beauty and culture of the lotus in the city. Nguyen Manh Quyen, deputy Chairman of the People's Committee of the city, said that in Vietnamese culture, the lotus symbolised purity and clarity, embodying the spirit and identity of the Vietnamese people. Beyond its spiritual and religious significance, the lotus was a versatile plant offering nutritional and practical uses. Most parts of the lotus plant can be used as food, medicine or high-quality materials for the textile industry. Luu Thi Hien, owner of Hien Xiem Lotus Tea in Tay Ho District said her family had a long tradition of making lotus tea. In the past, it was mainly for personal use and gifts during holidays. "As the market economy developed, more people sought out lotus tea as a unique gift of Ha Noi, increasing demand and leading us to expand our family business," she said. Her family currently rents seven ha of West Lake to cultivate Bach Diep lotus. According to Hien, producing one kilogramme of lotus tea requires 1,500 lotus flowers, costing several million ong. "West Lake lotus tea, known as the 'tea of the ancients,' offers a delicate, refreshing flavour. The taste results from the blend of tea leaves and the fragrant Bach Diep lotus," she said. La Quang Khanh, director of Me Linh Lotus Village Cooperative, said that they cultivate 50 ha of lotus, including Bach Lien and Bach Diep varieties, originating from the West Lake. From May to September, the cooperative harvested and supplied the market with 8,000 to 10,000 lotus flowers daily. In addition to meeting local demand for lotus flowers, the cooperative also collaborated with Tam Tra Thai Cooperative in the northern province of Thai Nguyen and Bac Son Tea producers in Ha Nois Soc Son District to supply lotus flowers and leaves. Both lotus flowers and lotus tea have been recognised as three-star and four-star One-Commune One Product (OCOP) products by Ha Noi. The lotus flowers and lotus tea were supported by Me Linh District to build the brand of 'Bach thien sen Hai Linh' that showcased at various fairs and exhibitions. The OCOP lotus tea consisted of fresh and vacuum-dried varieties. To enhance quality and diversify products, the cooperative planned to introduce lotus tea bags and lotus leaf tea by the end of this year, he said. Ha Noi has developed numerous specialty products made from lotus, reflecting the city's cultural heritage and providing economic benefits. The products include Hien Xiem lotus tea in Tay Ho District, Quang An lotus tea in Tay Ho District, am Long lotus seeds in Ba Vi District, lotus leaf tea in Soc Son District, lotus heart tea in Thanh Tri District and Ngo Thuc green sticky rice with lotus seeds in Nam Tu Liem District. Among the 2,723 OCOP-rated products in Ha Noi, there are 18 lotus-based products. Integrating ecotourism According to associate Professor ang Van ong from the Institute of Vegetables and Fruits, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Viet Nam's distinct regions each had characteristic lotus varieties. There are pink lotus in the Mekong Delta province of ong Thap, white lotus in the coastal central province of Hue, and Bach Diep lotus in West Lake in Ha Noi. Bach Diep lotus was a valuable species, requiring preservation and development. To restore and expand the Bach Diep lotus variety, the citys Agriculture and Rural Development Department, the Institute of Vegetables and Fruits and the People's Committee of Tay Ho District have implemented the project 'Building a lotus production model associated with developing ecotourism along the value chain in Tay Ho - Ha Noi'. The project also aimed to link lotus cultivation with ecotourism in Tay Ho District. In addition to the renowned West Lake lotus tea, the lotus-themed feast, a unique culinary tourism product, is popular in uong Lam ancient village, featuring over ten lotus-based dishes. Lam Thi Na, owner of a restaurant in the village said; Initially, we offered a few lotus dishes like lotus sticky rice, lotus root salad and lotus seed sweet soup. Then many visitors suggested creating a specialised lotus feast to attract tourists and now its a popular order among visitors to the village." Textile industry materials Today, lotus cultivation in Ha Noi's suburban districts supplies high-quality materials for the textile industry, producing fragrances and starch. The unique lotus silk, crafted by artisan Phan Thi Thuan in Phung Xa Commune, My uc District, is particularly notable. Thuan's lotus silk scarves, a potential five-star OCOP product, are used by the Government Office as gifts for foreign dignitaries. Currently, Ha Noi has over 600 ha of lotus cultivation, with plans to expand to 900 ha by next year. Major cultivation areas include My uc (188 ha), Ba Vi (70 ha), Me Linh (65 ha), Phuc Tho (25 ha), Ung Hoa (25 ha), Bac Tu Liem (25 ha), Tay Ho (19.6 ha) and Quoc Oai (18 ha). Nguyen inh Hoa, deputy director of the citys Agriculture and Rural Development Department said the department tasked the Agricultural Promotion Centre and the Institute of Vegetables and Fruits to test over 30 new lotus varieties in the city. Then the department had selected 20 lotus varieties that shown excellent adaptability to Ha Noi's soil. The lotus varieties include specialised lotus types for roots, flowers, silk and seeds with high yield and quality. Advances in science and technology have extended Ha Nois lotus season from April to November. VNS HA NOI Despite efforts by traffic police, the number of traffic violations remains high, particularly those involving driving under the influence of alcohol. From the beginning of the year, the traffic police force has implemented many measures to ensure traffic order and safety, addressing key behaviours that lead to traffic accidents such as drink driving, speeding, overloading and carrying more passengers than allowed. In the second quarter of this year, the number of traffic accident fatalities decreased by more than seven per cent and traffic congestion decreased by over 70 per cent compared to the same period in 2023. In the first six months of the year, traffic accident fatalities decreased by nearly 11 per cent and traffic congestion decreased by nearly 66 per cent compared to the same period in 2023. Major General Nguyen Van Trung, Director of the Traffic Police Department, told Viet Nam News Agency that the traffic order and safety situation remains complex, with traffic accidents in the second quarter increasing by over 11 per cent and traffic injuries increasing by over 22 per cent, compared to the same period in 2023. Three particularly serious traffic accidents in Ha Tinh, Ninh Binh and ak Lak provinces resulted in sixteen deaths, mainly due to driver negligence. Accidents mostly occur on national highways and at night and early morning. All traffic accident perpetrators were men, mostly aged 28-55, with motorcycles involved in over 50 per cent of the accidents. Trung said that in the second quarter, over one million traffic violations were handled, with 275,130 cases of alcohol violations, accounting for 22, 23 per cent of total violations. In the first six months of this year, out of over 2.1 million road, rail, and waterway traffic violations, there were over 501,000 cases of drink driving, accounting for 19,85 per cent of all violations. In HCM City, in the second quarter of 2024 alone, nearly 40,900 thousand cases of alcohol and drug violations were handled, an increase of 10.9 per cent compared to the same period. Ha Noi's Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, Duong uc Tuan, said that in the second quarter of this year, Task Force 141 of the city's police detected and handled 2,151 cases of drink driving. In ong Nai Province, the provincial police deployed over 14,000 patrol teams to handle traffic order and safety violations, detecting 123,300 cases in the first six months, with over 16,700 of which related to alcohol violations, marking an increase of over 7,000 cases from the same period last year. Ngo Tan Phuong, Vice Chairman of Bac Ninh Province, said the province directed the police to intensify patrols and handle traffic violations, focusing on key behaviours leading to traffic accidents, such as drug and alcohol violations and speeding. In the first six months of the year, authorities penalised nearly 28,500 cases, with almost 12,000 involving alcohol violations. This represents a 101 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2023. In Ha Tinh Province, where the traffic accident situation is severe, there were 233 accidents resulting in 111 deaths and 160 injuries in the first six months of the year. These figures reveal a 40 per cent increase in accidents, a 13.3 per cent increase in deaths, and a 67 per cent increase in injuries compared to the same period in 2023. The provincial Traffic Safety Department leader said that over 80 per cent of accidents were due to the awareness of road users, with alcohol violations accounting for 14 per cent. Despite determined enforcement, alcohol violations remain the highest among all violations. Each day, over 5,000 cases of alcohol and speeding violations are handled," Major General Trung said. "Over 20 per cent of traffic accidents are related to alcohol use. This is a matter we have focused on addressing resolutely, but the situation has not improved significantly. Vice Chairman Phuong of Bac Ninh Province stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to reduce traffic accidents, focusing particularly on behaviours like alcohol and speeding violations. He highlighted proactive local measures to ensure traffic safety, tailored to regional needs, including the development of a 'Traffic Safety Province'. In Ha Noi, Vice Chairman Tuan recommended intensifying inspections and enforcement of traffic regulations. He proposed that the Ministry of Transport advocate for increased penalties on specific violations known to cause congestion and accidents, such as alcohol violations, overloading and speeding. Major General Trung urged local authorities to strictly adhere to government directives aimed at enhancing road safety and order. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Public Security has proposed using electronic tags to monitor individuals under house arrest to prevent their disappearance or reoffending. Under the Criminal Procedure Code, house arrest is a measure applied to an accused to ensure their presence when summoned by an investigating agency, the People's Procuracy, or the court. Individuals under house arrest must hand in a written pledge to fulfil their prescribed obligations, including submitting to the supervision of the local commune-level government or military unit. The Ministry affirms that the current practice of monitoring individuals under house arrest faces significant challenges due to the absence of electronic devices. Authorities often struggle to track the whereabouts and activities of these individuals, leading to some instances when people have escaped and wanted notices have had to be posted by law enforcement agencies. To address these shortcomings, the Ministry proposes the implementation of electronic monitoring devices, especially electronic bracelets or anklets, for individuals under home arrest. These devices provide real-time location tracking and identification capabilities, enabling remote monitoring. They also have tamper-proof mechanisms to prevent unauthorised removal or tampering. The Ministry has cited successful examples from countries like Japan and Thailand, where electronic monitoring has proven to be an effective and cost-efficient alternative to traditional methods. If the proposal is approved, its costs will be covered by the State budget, including the expenses for procuring and maintaining the devices and running an electronic monitoring management centre. VNS The report surveyed 250 executives across the region from private and public companies, most with revenues over $1 billion, on their evolving strategic goals and the forces driving portfolio reviews. Five key external forces are driving this need for portfolio rebalancing. First, navigating geopolitical tensions cause dislocation of marketplaces, supply chains, and trade partners. Second, capital efficiency regulation require companies to disclose capital returns below the threshold. Third, the rise of investor activism in Asia is putting pressure on companies to address underperforming assets and divest non-core businesses. Fourth, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria and the road to net-zero trigger boards and executives to undertake deals and divestment to transition to a green portfolio. Fifth is private equity's increasing role as an investor and potential partner in asset portfolio optimisation choices. The survey found that active portfolio management is becoming pivotal for how executives and boards are adjusting to these external forces. The report advocates a move towards an active portfolio management mindset, focused on building resilience and transformative growth through capitalising on growth opportunities and synergies as and when they arise. Strategy, risk, and transactions leader of Deloitte Asia-Pacific Jiak See said, "The forces reshaping the global economy are profoundly impacting companies across Asia-Pacific. Whether it's geopolitical tensions, sustainability imperatives, or investor pressures, businesses must be proactive in rebalancing their portfolios to remain competitive and divestment ready. Deloitte's report underlines the need for a more dynamic portfolio review process that aligns with businesses strategic vision for long-term growth and value creation. According to the research, more than half of the survey respondents reported that ESG considerations were frequently discussed during their most recent divestiture. ESG factors now play a central role in companies strategic decision-making, including shaping the criteria by which they assess their portfolios and rebalancing activities. The impact of ESG on individual companies varies widely by sector and their market position. Companies need to be alert both to the risks and the growth and value opportunities that a growing focus on ESG concerns brings, and the survey suggests that sellers with a clear ESG story are six times more likely to receive a higher-than-expected deal value. Almost all respondents are now considering alternative exit strategies alongside conventional divestment with private capital, and private equity, to the fore. Record levels of dry powder mean that private equity buyers are hungry for investment opportunities in Asia-Pacific, though sellers need to adapt their approach, engaging potential buyers earlier in the process and being open to a wider range of deal structures. Among the business leaders surveyed, the vast majority (79 per cent) of executives expect to make two or more divestments in the next 18 months. Interestingly, 95 per cent have abandoned a sale in the last 12 months, suggesting a need for businesses to do more to be divestment ready. In an era of exponential technology and a heightened focus on ESG, active portfolio management will be one of the keys to corporate success. We will increasingly see acquisitions and divestments driven by a desire to accelerate decarbonisation journeys and/or to acquire advanced technologies, making mergers and acquisitions an enabler of purpose as well as profit goals, added David Hill, CEO of Deloitte Asia-Pacific. Based on the analysis of the report findings, businesses are encouraged to take the following high-impact actions. Business should adopt an always-on mindset for portfolio reviews, dedicating resources and board-level oversight to align assets with the businesss strategic direction. They should also assess portfolios on their strategic fit, value creation potential and resilience. Companies should apply this tripartite advantaged portfolio review frequently and comprehensively. In addition, businesses are encouraged to maximise value from poor-fitting assets by developing a compelling story and asset track record. They can also integrate ESG as a central component of portfolio assessment and rebalancing. They carefully consider tax implications and opportunities in portfolio rebalancing transactions across the Asia-Pacific region. Muralidhar M.S.K., strategy, risk, and transactions regional managing partner of Deloitte Southeast Asia, said that apart from being a good corporate practice, active portfolio management is a valuable strategy for companies to address new regulatory and investor pressures for resiliency. "In Singapore, for example, listed companies that have rebalanced their capital structures in recent years have outperformed the market," he said. "Companies should therefore stay nimble and ensure that their assets are aligned with their overall strategic direction. If they are not, companies should be willing and able to move quickly to divest or engage with partners who can help them maximise value for shareholders and achieve their strategic objectives. The latest move -- amounting to $1.2 billion in student debt -- brings to 4.76 million the number of people "who benefitted from our various debt relief actions", he said in a statement. US President Joe Biden speaks on economics during the Vote To Live Properity Summit at the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 16, 2024. Kent Nishimura / AFP The borrowers, who will get an average of $35,000 in debt cancellation, include teachers, nurses, police officials and first responders. The announcement came on the final day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where Donald Trump will accept the Republican nomination for the November election. Biden vowed Thursday to "never stop working to make higher education affordable - no matter how many times Republican elected officials try to stop us." Earlier this year Biden unveiled fresh plans to reduce student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans, in his bid to win over young voters. That was after the conservative-dominated US Supreme Court last year struck down the Democrat's earlier proposals to cancel several hundred billion dollars of debt. Last month he cancelled debt owed by 160,000 people, while earlier in the year he announced a student debt relief for 150,000 others. Biden unveils election battle plan: 'Bidenomics' President Joe Biden is making a big bet on the US economy powering him to re-election next year with the unveiling of a "Bidenomics" pitch to voters this week. Biden unveils AI order aiming to 'lead the way' on safety President Joe Biden issued an executive order Monday on regulating artificial intelligence, aiming for the United States to "lead the way" in global efforts to manage the technology's risks. On July 18, Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee approved the settlement of investment registration documents to expand the BESI project. On July 11, the SHTP Management Board issued a dispatch reporting to Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee for consideration and approval of BESI's phase 2 expansion project. BESI was granted an investment licence by the SHTP management board on October 3, 2023. In February 2024, the Dutch maker of chip equipment inaugurated a 2,000 square metre plant with capital of $5 million in the first phase of the park. For the second phase, BESI plans to build the factory covering two hectares, which is slated to start construction in June 2025. The SHTP management board realises the goal and scale of BESI's phase 2 project in line with Lot I-14.6, with an area of 1.98ha. The plot is expected to attract factories manufacturing equipment and machinery used in microchip production lines. Another Dutch high-tech firm, VDL, also confirmed its plan to build a new semiconductor component factory in northeast Vietnam. The schedule is for the first modules to leave the new plant to supply international customers by the end of the first quarter of 2025. VDL, which has other locations in Singapore and China, said many of its customers are following a China+1 strategy to diversify their manufacturing base. VDLs global customers are asking for even better global coverage, with local production for the local market. About 60 colleagues will initially join us in Vietnam, the company said, without disclosing the size of the investment. Supporting industry required for semiconductors Experts are warning that Vietnams semiconductor industry can strongly develop only when it has a supporting industry. Vietnam welcomes Indian interest in hi-tech and semiconductor sectors The Vietnamese government opens its arms to Indian entrepreneurs and businesses to invest in high-technology, semiconductors, and digital technology, according to Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Bui Hoang Phuong. The announcement gives the US carmarker a third manufacturing center in North America from which to produce the giant pickup trucks, which have been a major profit driver in recent years. Ford to invest $3 bn in Canada on 'Super Duty' pickup production, Photo: ford.com Under the plan, the Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario will manufacture up to 100,000 more units of the vehicles, with production commencing in 2026. Ford plants that produce the trucks in Kentucky and Ohio are operating at "full capacity," Ford said. The vehicles are often used by emergency response officials, as well as in the mining, utility and construction industries. Oakville had previously been slated to produce EVs, but in April Ford announced it plans to push back a new three-row electric vehicle from 2025 to 2027, part of a wave of announcements by automakers delaying EV investments because of slower than expected growth in the American market. Ford, which has emphasized investments in hybrid vehicles, said the Oakville plant when finished will be a "fully flexible plant," implying it could produce EVs down the road. The company also said it "remains committed to developing a growing and profitable electric vehicle business, including three-row electric utility vehicles." Ford did not immediately respond to an AFP query about the 2027 EV timeframe. "Super Duty is a vital tool for businesses and people around the world and, even with our Kentucky Truck Plant and Ohio Assembly Plant running flat out, we can't meet the demand," said Ford Chief Executive Jim Farley. "This move benefits our customers and supercharges our Ford Pro commercial business." Ford to cut thousands of jobs in transition to electric: US media US carmaker Ford is preparing to cut several thousand jobs to reduce costs and intensify its transition to electric vehicles, US media reported on Wednesday. Ford confirms cutting 3,000 jobs as it pushes towards electric US auto giant Ford confirmed Monday it is eliminating around 3,000 jobs, mainly in North America and India, as the company pushes to accelerate its transition to electric vehicles. Vietnam has significant potential to produce and export Halal products, given its abundant raw material sources and location in Asia, where about 62 per cent of the world's Muslim population lives, Ly Thi Kim Chi, chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City Food and Foodstuff Association, shared information at the seminar "Halal Market: Concept, Potential, and Challenges" held on July 13 in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam is one of the world's largest exporters of agricultural products, with many key items such as rice, rubber, tea, cashew nuts, coffee, and pepper. The country's territory is close to Halal markets in Asia. Within Southeast Asia, Indonesia the world's most populous Muslim country, is a potential market for Vietnamese businesses, said Chi. According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, spending on Halal food by the global Muslim community is increasing, projected to reach $1.9 trillion in 2024 and $15 trillion by 2050. Notably, the Southeast Asia-South Pacific region is a potential export market for Halal products, with about 860 million people following Islam and consuming Halal food. This region is the largest consumer of Halal food globally, with about $470 billion, of which Southeast Asia accounts for $230 billion and South Asia-South Pacific $238 billion, Nguyen Tuan, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Center, shared at the seminar. Furthermore, Vietnam is actively implementing the project to develop relations with countries in this region during 2016-2025, including high-level declarations with some key partners on cooperation, promoting export-import, and certifying Halal products. More export opportunities for Vietnamese Agricultural products Vietnam is also an important link in many leading regional economic connections, with 16 free trade agreements (FTAs), including some new-generation FTAs. However, to export food and agricultural products to the Muslim market, businesses need to comply with Halal standards as regulated by GSO. Also discussing about this issue, on July 12, the Trade Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Industry and Trade also organised a seminar on promoting trade to the African-Middle Eastern market with the theme "Potential to Promote Halal Agricultural Products in the Middle Eastern Market." The seminar attracted a large number of import-export businesses and agricultural product sectors to participate both in person and online. To ensure compliance with these standards, businesses need to obtain Halal certification. This certification will serve as proof for customers that the company's products have been inspected and fully meet Halal standards, said Le Chau Hai Vu, food quality Halal consultant and director of Consultech JSC. Although there are promising growth signals in agricultural exports to the Middle East, Vietnamese agricultural products have not yet created a strong brand and face fierce competition with agricultural products from other countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, and Brazil. Nguyen Minh Phuong, head of the West Asia, Africa Division - Asia-Africa Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, agreed that the Middle East had large demand for Halal products, especially agricultural products, with huge potential for Vietnamese goods and products. To effectively enter the Middle Eastern market, Vietnamese businesses should also prioritise research to gain an in-depth understanding of market trends. This includes familiarity with the region's religion, language, and business culture, as well as insight into consumer preferences and sensitivities regarding religion and culture, said Phuong Tran Trong Kim, first secretary, in charge of the Vietnam Trade Office in Saudi Arabia, recommended businesses should study market preferences and local regulations on quality management and food safety. Besides that, enterprises can proactively send product samples for promotion, display at the Trade Office and Embassy, and participate in trade promotion delegations to the area, bringing product samples for promotion, directly connecting, and using company products as diplomatic gifts. Additionally, the current trend in Saudi Arabia is towards a green, healthy life and sustainable environmental development. Organic, and environmentally friendly products are beginning to be highly valued and will be in demand in the near future. Therefore, businesses should consider producing in this direction to increase export value. Specifically, it is necessary to build a unique brand for products alongside selling, packaging, and labelling according to the importer's requirements. Halal food exports offer Vietnam big opportunity Halal food is a promising export product for Vietnamese companies to pursue though they may face challenges. Representatives from the Department of Industry and Trade of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and the Korean Energy Agency (KEA) at the meeting on July 18. (Photo: VNA) Can Tho Ha Vu Son, Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho, on July 18 received a delegation of the Korean Energy Agency (KEA) led by its President Lee Sang-hoon who came to seek investment opportunities in the city. The KEA President said that the Republic of Korea (RoK) is making continuous efforts to support the establishment of a sustainable energy system in the international community and contribute to achieving global carbon neutrality. As part of those efforts, the KEA has implemented many projects abroad over the past 10 years to support climate change response and economic growth in other countries including Vietnam. He wished that the RoK and Vietnam including Can Tho city will cooperate in the field of carbon neutrality. He informed that KEA staff in Hanoi are performing energy audit work to help save energy and improve efficiency for factories, adding that the KEA is trying to expand the work to industrial parks. Informing the delegation about the city and the projects that it is calling for investment, Son said that the city hopes the Korean agency will help it connect with Korean businesses to attract investment to its key projects. He cited as examples an airport-city project worth 5 billion USD and two seaports to facilitate the exports of goods from the Mekong Delta region. He added that the city will assist and share experience with other Mekong Delta localities in the field of carbon neutrality and energy efficiency in industrial parks. MB committed to supporting South Korean businesses Luu Trung Thai, chairman of Military Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MB), reaffirmed the bank's commitment to developing a comprehensive digital platform to enhance interaction efficiency and expand opportunities for the South Korean business community investing in Vietnam. The 22-year-old, who has played once for England, was suspended in January 2022 by Manchester United following allegations of attempted rape and sexual assault but prosecutors dropped charges in February 2023. He spent last season on loan at Getafe in La Liga. Marseille sign Greenwood from Man Utd amid controversy, Photo: vietnamnet.vn "Olympique de Marseille are delighted to announce the signing of Mason Greenwood from Manchester United. The 22-year-old striker has signed for the club following a successful medical," said the French club on their website. Marseille made no mention of the allegations in their statement. They called Greenwood "a precocious talent" and an "English nugget". The southern club, eighth in Ligue 1 last season, said their new striker will wear the number 10 shirt but did not specify the length of his contract or mention any fee to Manchester United. However the deal is reported to be worth an estimated 30 million euros ($32.7m). "We wish Mason all the best in his future career," said United on their website. Before the transfer became official, Marseille's left-wing mayor Benoit Payan told French media: "I don't want my club to be covered by shame." Greenwood has always denied the allegations. "I did not do the things I was accused of, and in February I was cleared of all charges," he said when he joined Getafe. "However, I fully accept I made mistakes in my relationship." Greenwood made his debut for Manchester United aged 17 years and 156 days in the Champions League in 2019 and his Premier League debut four days later. He made his debut for England in September 2020. The forward made 129 appearances and scored 35 goals for United but had not played for the Premier League club since January 2022. Greenwood scored 10 goals in 36 games for Getafe last season. His arrival in Marseille comes the day after the official departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the Gabon international who was Marseille's top scorer last season. Marseille face Sunderland in a pre-season friendly on August 3 in Bradford, where Greenwood was born. If he plays it could be his first game in England since he was arrested in January 2022 following allegations made against him. A worker operates equipment at a PV Power plant. PV Power has proposed the implementation of the Clean Energy Production Complex project in Ninh Thuan province, which is worth nearly 4 billion USD. (Photo: VNA) Ninh Thuan The Petrovietnam Power Corporation (PV Power) has proposed the implementation of the Lam Son Clean Energy Production Complex project, with an investment of nearly 4 billion USD in Ninh Thuan province. The complex will consist of three components: a 1,440 MW pumped-storage hydropower plant with six units; a 3,500 MWp solar power project; and a 350 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The total electricity output is expected to reach 5.87 billion kWh per year. The total investment is estimated at 3.98 billion USD, with a land use requirement of approximately 184.2 hectares for the pumped-storage hydropower plant and 2,000 hectares for the solar power project. The project is set to commence in 2026 and is expected to be operational by the end of 2030. It will utilise advanced storage battery and pumped-storage hydropower technologies to convert the less stable solar power into a reliable and flexible electricity supply, thereby realising the model of self-production, self-consumption solar power in Ninh Thuan. This aims to harness development potential and meet the goal of making Ninh Thuan a central hub for energy and renewable energy in the country. The Ninh Thuan provincial leadership agreed and expressed their willingness to facilitate PV Power's preparation of the project documentation. They also urged PV Power to proactively implement the investment procedures early and work closely with relevant departments and local authorities to prepare and submit the project proposal for approval by central ministries, aiming for operation in the investment phase of 2026 - 2030. With eight power plants currently in operation, totaling 4,205 MW of generation capacity, PV Power is the second largest listed company in terms of maximum capacity, only after the 7,000 MW capacity of Power Generation Corporation 3 (GENCO3, stock code PGV). PV Power's total generating capacity is equivalent to about 5.4 per cent of Vietnams total designed generation capacity. According to a report at the recent mid-year business review conference, PV Powers leadership stated that the total revenue of the corporation in the first six months of the year was estimated at 16.169 trillion VND, reaching 97 per cent of the plan and equivalent to 100 per cent of the same period last year. It is estimated that in the second quarter of 2024, PV Power achieved nearly 10 trillion VND in revenue. PV Power secures $300 million loan to fund LNG plants PetroVietnam Power (PV Power) has signed a short-term loan agreement worth $300 million with Citibank and ING to supplement capital for the Nhon Trach 3 and Nhon Trach 4 power plants, which are the first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-to-power plants in Vietnam. On July 18, Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD announced prices for its first three models in Vietnam: the Dolphin, SUV Atto3, and Seal. The vehicles are priced at approximately $26,300, $30,600-34,600, and $44,000-52,000, respectively, considered high compared to petrol and other EVs in the same segment. Liu Xue Liang, BYD Auto's general manager for Asia-Pacific said, We have been cautious in researching the market for more than 10 years. The pricing strategy reflects our thorough research. BYDs prices in Thailand are notably lower, with the Dolphin priced at approximately $15,760 and the Atto 3 at $22,520. Other Chinese brands like MG4EV and Haima 7X-E also face similar pricing challenges, with the latter having to cut prices by $5,200 recently to stimulate demand, yet is still struggling to pull in buyers. Over 10 Chinese EV manufacturers have entered the Vietnamese market in recent times, including MG, Chery, Wuling, Haima, Omoda, and Jaecoo. However, charging infrastructure remains a significant concern for potential EV buyers in Vietnam. Vo Minh Luc, BYD's executive director, noted that the company plans to collaborate with other enterprises for charging solutions rather than developing its own network. "Customers can use portable chargers or wall-mounted 7kW units provided with the vehicle. However, this approach raises concerns among urban residents about charging convenience and availability, especially for long-distance travel," he said. Nguyen Minh Dong, director of Duc Viet Technology Consulting, stressed that charging stations are the backbone of the EV industry. The development of a robust charging infrastructure is crucial for the growth of EVs, he said. In contrast, VinFast leads with 150,000 charging points nationwide and continues to invest heavily in expanding its network. Despite previous announcements of a $250 million investment to build an EV assembly plant in Vietnam, BYD shifted its focus to Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia, importing vehicles into Vietnam. Liu noted that establishing a manufacturing plant in Vietnam would depend on long-term strategies and market conditions. The expansion of Chinese EV manufacturers in Vietnam occurs amid global oversupply and new 100 per cent tariffs in the US on Chinese-made EVs. This competitive landscape is driven by BYDs integrated supply chain, which lowers production costs, particularly for batteries, the most expensive EV component. Meanwhile, the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association (VAMA) predicts that Chinese manufacturers will likely produce affordable EVs for the Vietnamese market. With government policies aimed at reducing fossil fuel vehicle production by 2040, the demand for EVs is expected to surge. The VAMA also highlights the growing pressure on locally assembled vehicles due to rising imports. Following the elimination of import duties on ASEAN cars in 2018, many domestic products struggled to compete with imports from Thailand and Indonesia. This competition is expected to intensify post-2025, when import duties from the EU and UK drop to 30-35 per cent. Nguyen Chi Sang, chairman of the Vietnam Association of Mechanical Industry said, "Companies like Hyundai Thanh Cong are already producing and assembling hybrids and EVs in Vietnam, such as the Ioniq5 and Santa Fe hybrid." Sang also noted that maintaining current production levels is essential for continued investment in green vehicle production to offer consumers diverse options. JBIC offers $36 million loan to fund office building development in Ho Chi Minh City The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) will lend $36 million to Phuong Nam 3A-1 Real Estate Business and Investment JSC to develop an office building in Ho Chi Minh City. VinFast seeks $250 million loan from Indonesian banks for Subang Assembly plant According to a report on July 10 by Bloomberg, VinFast, the Vietnamese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, is seeking a loan of approximately $250 million from Indonesian banks to construct an assembly plant in Subang. Illustrative photo (Photo: vneconomy.vn) Hanoi The Authority of Information Security (AIS) under the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) and Meta - the parent company of Facebook have launched the Identifying Scams campaign in Vietnam for 2024. The campaign aims to help social media users to avoid six of the 24 online scam types that the AIS identified as "hot spots" in Vietnam. These are investment scams, job scams, financial scams, loan scams, lottery scams, and impersonation scams. During the campaign, a series of images and short videos on how to recognise and deal with online scams will be posted on Meta's social media platforms and the National Cybersecurity Centre's (NCSC) information portal managed by the AIS, as well as on Meta's "We Think Digital" website at wethinkdigital.fb.com. Notably, the campaign will feature contributions from prominent content creators in Vietnam to widely disseminate practical and easy-to-remember tips that help social media users protect themselves from online scams. Nguyen Phu Luong, Deputy Director of the NCSC, emphasised that social media is a fertile ground for cybercriminals to carry out scams. He warned that just a moment of carelessness, a lack of awareness, and people can fall into traps at any time. He said raising public awareness about online scams is one of the AIS's top priorities. When inpiduals, especially vulnerable groups, learn how to recognize and be wary of fraudulent tactics, it can help reduce the prevalence of online scams, he said. Last year, Meta implemented the first phase of the Identifying Scams campaign tailored for Vietnam. Accordingly, millions of social network users accessed wethinkdigital.fb.com to get useful information. The event, running to July 22, was organised by Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC), in tandem with Thai-backed Central Retail Vietnam, part of Thai retail giant Central Group. The event provides worthwhile opportunities to present Vietnamese products in modern distribution systems The event aims to helping businesses strengthen cooperation with distributors, expanding output markets and bringing products closer to consumers. The highlight of the event is the booth range displaying and introducing products belonging to diverse industries such as packaged and processed foods, tea, coffee, spices, confectionery, health products, agricultural products, and more; prioritising organic products of around 40 businesses out of nearly 100 registered applications. Within the framework of the event there will be a programme on connecting and bringing Vietnamese products to Central Retails supermarket chain, with the participation of more than 100 businesses. Along with this, Central Retail Vietnams product line leaders will evaluate and select products to put in their supermarket shelves, striving to meet the diverse needs of customers and enhance customer experience with quality shopping services. According to Ho Thi Quyen, deputy director of ITPC, Thailand is Vietnam's largest trading partner in ASEAN, with a total two-way trade value approximating $20 billion in 2023. Currently, the two countries are striving to reach $25 billion two-way trade value in 2025. The event aims to bring Vietnamese products to wider domestic and international consumers through Central Retails supermarket chain. At the same time, it will create opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to further grow, improve product quality and expand output markets not only domestically but also internationally, affirming their position in the global marketplaces, Quyen noted. Thailand is the ninth-largest foreign investor in Vietnam, with 735 projects worth $14 billion in total. In the first six months of this year alone, the total import-export turnover between the two countries is estimated to reach $9.5 billion. Of which, Vietnam's export value to the Thai market touched $3.9 billion. Opening the domestic arena to pharma distribution Vietnams pharmaceutical market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world. However, although the market is growing rapidly, production capacity can only meet about half of domestic demand. Shinhan Life Vietnam launches new insurance distribution channel Korean-backed Shinhan Life Insurance Vietnam Co., Ltd. officially introduced its financial consultancy FC Channel today, underlining the companys strong commitment to implementing sustainable and long-term growth strategies in the Vietnamese market, while providing Vietnamese customers with access to comprehensive and tailored financial protection solutions. Eight people have come forward to accuse former Waco-area priest Anthony Odiong of misconduct, and two new sexual assault charges have been filed involving McLennan County women, Waco Police say. A task force in Florida on Tuesday arrested Odiong on felony child pornography possession charges based on a Waco warrant. Police previously said they discovered the nude image of a young girl on Odiongs computer account while they were investigating a sexual assault allegation against him. Odiong was jailed in Collier County, Florida, and is expected to be transferred to McLennan County. Odiong, 56, served as pastor at St. Peter Catholic Student Center near Baylor University and at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in West from 2007 to 2012. He served as a minister in the New Orleans suburb of Luling from 2015 until he was removed last December. In a news release late Thursday, Waco Police continued to encourage anyone victimized by Odiong to come forward, with privacy guaranteed. You are not alone, and you do not have to live with the trauma of this experience alone, the statement reads. The Waco Police Department stands ready to assist survivors, no matter where they may be. Arrest warrants in the two sexual assault cases, both from the Waco area, indicate that the Waco Police Department began its investigations in March. Both involve female parishioners who were seeking spiritual direction during Odiongs ministry period in Waco and West, according to the affidavits. A woman referred to in the affidavit as Mary Doe alleges on multiple occasions between 2008 and 2011 she submitted to sexual intercourse with Fr. Anthony Odiong due to his authority and position as a priest in the Catholic Church. During spiritual direction sessions, Mary Doe told investigators, Odiong used grooming and manipulative defense breakdown and progressively made sexual advances, starting with kissing, then fondling and ultimately sexual intercourse, according the affidavit. Mary said she could not revoke consent or say no to Fr. Odiong due to his authority as a Catholic priest, the affidavit states. Mary Doe was astonished when she read a story in The Guardian news site about a similar claim a woman made against Odiong in his parish in Luling, Louisiana. She went to Waco police with her case, though she believed the statute of limitations had expired. However, police investigators said that under state law, statutes of limitations are waived in sexual assault cases when there are similar offenses against five or more victims, according to the affidavit. A second accuser soon contacted Waco police after reading The Guardian coverage, police said in the affidavit. Jane Doe described seeking spiritual direction with Odiong during a difficult time in her marriage in 2010. She told investigators Odiong offered to be her spiritual husband and later progressed to open-mouthed kissing and groping, according to the affidavit. He also ordered her to give in to her husbands demand for anal sex and to return to describe the experience to him, despite her opposition to the practice based on her Catholic beliefs, the affidavit states. Anthony Odiong orchestrated the sodomizing of Jane Doe and thus committed the act of sexual assault as defined in Texas Penal Code 22.011, the affidavit concludes. In the affidavits, investigators say they talked to another woman who accused Odiong of using his authority as a spiritual director to coerce her into a sexual relationship with him in McLennan County from 2010 to 2023. Three other women told investigators that Odiong attempted to coerce them into sexual contact while at the St. Peter church in the 2007-2012 time period, the affidavit states. Odiongs reported behavior included unwanted kissing and hugging while aroused, causing the victims to flee for fear of sexual assault, the affidavit states. Waco investigators spoke to the woman in Louisiana mentioned in The Guardian coverage. She also described a sexual relationship that began with spiritual direction sessions, the affidavit states. Odiong has not had authorization to minister in the Austin diocese, which includes McLennan County, since 2012, and the diocese in 2019 notified him that he was barred from any ministerial duties in this diocese based on complaints about his behavior with women. That letter was forwarded to the archbishop of New Orleans, but Odiong continued to serve in Luling until late last year. The Fort Worth diocese in February warned churches that Odiong was continuing to be involved in the Austin diocese without permission, and ordered churches to warn parishioners not to associate with him. Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (18 July 2024) The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. Units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 57th Motorised Infantry Brigade, 125th Territorial Defence Brigade, and 13th National Guard Brigade near Volchansk, Liptsy, and Staritsa (Kharkov region). Two counter-attacks launched by units of the AFU 92nd Assault Brigade were repelled. The AFU losses amounted to up to 160 Ukrainian troops, six motor vehicles, one 152-mm Bogdana self-propelled artillery system, one 152-mm D-20 howitzer, and two 122-mm D-30 howitzers. Units of the Zapad Group of Forces continue to take more advantageous lines and positions. Losses were inflicted on formations of the AFU 21st, 60th, 115th mechanised brigades, and 1st National Guard Brigade near Torskoye, Ivanovka, and Krasny Liman (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 520 Ukrainian troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, one 122-mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, one U.S.-made 105-mm M119 howitzer, and one Anklav electronic warfare station. Six AFU ammunition depots have been destroyed during the day. As a result of active offensive actions, units of the Yug Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front lines. Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of the 24th, 54th mechanised brigades, 46th Airmobile Brigade, and 79th Air Assault Brigade near Maksimilyanovka, Katerinovka, Chasov Yar, and Verhnekamenskoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 540 Ukrainian troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, and 10 motor vehicles. In the course of counter-battery warfare, two UK-made 155-mm FH-70 howitzers, three 122-mm D-30 howitzers, two U.S.-made 105-mm M119 howitzers, one UK-made 105-mm L-119 howitzer, one AN/TPQ-50 counter-battery warfare station, and two Anklav electronic warfare stations were neutralised. Five AFU ammunition depots were destroyed. Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on formations of the AFU 32nd, 110th, and 151st mechanised brigades near Toretsk, Novozhelannoye, and Veseloye (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Seven counter-attacks launched by units of the AFU 41st Mechanised Brigade and 144th Infantry Brigade were repelled. The AFU losses amounted to up to 290 Ukrainian troops, one U.S.-made MaxxPro infantry fighting vehicle, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer, and two 100-mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank guns. Units of the Vostok Group of Forces improved the tactical situation and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 72nd Mechanised Brigade near Ugledar and Vodyanoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 120 Ukrainian troops, one tank, four motor vehicles, one UK-made 155-mm FH-70 towed howitzer, one 122-mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one Nota electronic warfare station. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 118th Infantry Brigade, 124th, and 126th territorial defence brigades near Novodanilovka (Zaporozhye region), Kuibishevo, and Novotyaginka (Kherson region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 125 Ukrainian troops, eight motor vehicles, two U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzers, one 122-mm 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station. Moreover, two ammunition depots and one AFU materiel depot were destroyed. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces destroyed the infrastructure of one military airfield, as well as engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 127 areas during the day. Air defence units shot down one MiG-29 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force, three French-made Hammer guided aerial bombs, six U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 74 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. Units of the Black Sea Fleet wiped out 10 uncrewed surface vehicles in the Black Sea waters. In total, 629 airplanes and 277 helicopters, 27,783 unmanned aerial vehicles, 552 air defence missile systems, 16,608 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,379 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 12,037 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 23,800 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. Tags: WtR PEPIN, Wis. Angie Bocksell stood in the shade of a sprawling swamp oak tree. She was soaking in a picturesque afternoon on her fifth-generation dairy farm and discussing the state of American politics. This centuries-old tree, it occurred to her, is the perfect symbol of her family's place in a politically shifting America: firmly rooted in one place, resistant to change around it. "Farmers are the people with roots in our area like that 300-year-old swamp oak," Bocksell said. "Farming on the same land and watching the cultures change around us." Her conservative politics grow from those roots. Her Christian faith bristles at an increasingly permissive American culture. Her frugal farmer mindset disapproves of President Biden's government spending. Big government's COVID-19 measures went against her rural self-reliance and common sense. She's doesn't love Donald Trump his divisiveness, his pompous attitude but she feels she has no other choice. "He's just going to cause more divide, and I don't like that," Bocksell said. "But I want to vote for things that make sense for us as citizens. I can't vote for Joe Biden." The votes of people like Bocksell are of vital importance in 2024, with Wisconsin again among a handful of crucial swing states. And her region called the Driftless Area for its hilly landscape untouched by ancient glaciers has experienced voting shifts among the most drastic in the nation. Of more than 3,000 counties in America, there are only 206 so-called "pivot counties" that voted for Barack Obama twice before swinging to Trump in 2016, according to Ballotpedia, a nonpartisan digital encyclopedia of American politics. Nearly 90% of those counties stuck with Trump in 2020. The biggest concentration of pivot counties is in the Upper Midwest, with more than 40% of them in the Driftless, a region that stretches across the nexus of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and a bit of Illinois. It's in Bocksell's home county, Pepin County with its 7,500 residents, touristy Mississippi River towns, towering blufftops and resilient farm economy where that political swing is most stark. "What Obama and Trump have in common is they said, 'The system isn't working, and I'm going to do something different,'" said Anthony Chergosky, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. "That resonated with a lot of voters in Wisconsin, particularly in the western part of the state that 'you're getting a raw deal' message." Half a century ago, this region, whose small towns and rolling hills of farmland feel more rural New England than Midwest, was a hotbed of hippies and progressivism. Pepin County has leaned blue for generations. Before Trump, it voted Democrat for 10 consecutive presidential elections, with Richard Nixon its last Republican winner in 1972. But Trump didn't just win Pepin County: He demolished Hillary Clinton by more than 23 percentage points. And although Biden in 2020 defeated Trump by 7 million votes nationally, Pepin County swung further right, with Trump winning by more than 26 percentage points. The significance of the rightward drift in the Driftless is evident with Wisconsin again predicted to be a swing state. In 2020, it was one of three states that pushed Biden to an Electoral College victory; Biden won Wisconsin, Georgia and Arizona by fewer than 45,000 votes. The idea of one county swinging nearly 40 points from Democrat to Republican in a dozen years mystifies even its residents. Wisconsin political experts point to several factors: a Badger State independent streak swayed by singular candidates, the national trend of rural America getting redder while urban America gets bluer and places like the Driftless feeling ignored by political elites. Wisconsin politics are a unique beast. Its two U.S. senators are Tammy Baldwin, a progressive and the nation's first openly gay senator, and Ron Johnson, a staunch Trump ally and COVID vaccine skeptic. Its state legislature has neared a Republican supermajority for a decade, but political pundits here attribute that to gerrymandering: Wisconsin remains evenly divided and a presidential bellwether. That doesn't mean it's filled with moderates. Political observers see pockets of ultra-progressives and of ultra-conservatives. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll and a professor of law and public policy at the Milwaukee law school, points out that the Democratic Party of the 1960s talked about progressive issues like civil rights while continuing its New Deal legacy in rural America: rural electrification, farm support programs, outreach to blue-collar workers. But the Democratic message no longer resonates in the Driftless, he said. "Democrats don't speak a whole lot to the rural residents of southwestern Wisconsin, where counties are 90%-plus white and where the biggest community in the whole county may be 10,000 people," Franklin said. "It's like a switch was turned between 2012 and 2016 here. " 'The born-heres and the moved-heres' Minnesotans often refer to the Driftless as Bluff Country. Winding roads rise from the Mississippi River bottoms and disappear into lush blufftops. Pat Malone, who runs the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension office in four Driftless counties, said her great-uncle compared it to his homeland: "It's as beautiful as Ireland," he'd say, "without all the damn rain." On Wisconsin's side, fishing boats sit near riverside homes. Then the land rises east into barely populated forests. The region's feeling of isolation despite its proximity to the Twin Cities it's barely more than an hour's drive from the Minnesota State Capitol to Pepin County is its biggest selling point and biggest challenge. Residents love the simplicity and slower pace, but plenty of spots remain without cell service or broadband internet. "That's the way the world is viewed around here: 'Do you live on the ridge or in the valley?'" said Ben Wojahn, a farmer outside Viroqua who also works for Vernon County. "People who are from here, who grew up here for many generations, often they tend to be more conservative. Then there's a massive wave of newcomers (that) just got ignited with COVID. So people who made money somewhere else can buy up land from underneath the locals." Alan Nugent is one of those outsiders. He moved from the Twin Cities to the Bohemian riverside village of Stockholm 20 years ago with his now-husband. Stockholm is to Pepin County what Austin is to Texas: a liberal enclave restaurants and art galleries and Nugent's Stockholm Pie and General Store, recently named America's best pie shop within an increasingly conservative area. Residents here joked after Trump's 2016 win that they should decorate the town in black bunting. Nugent knows it's silly to see an urban-rural divide in the whitest and geographically smallest county in Wisconsin. Still, he sees it. River towns survive on tourism and lean liberal; blufftops have urban folks' expensive second homes and progressive politics, though many don't vote in Wisconsin; farming communities over the bluffs, centered on the county seat of Durand, are Trump's base. "There's always been a difference between the born-heres and the moved-heres," Nugent said. "It's a microcosm of what's happening in Minneapolis and the rest of Minnesota, or Madison and Milwaukee and the rest of Wisconsin. The divide is intense here, but the divide existed before. I just don't think it was a negative thing." That changed in 2016, Nugent said. Trump gave voice to rural conservatives who felt ignored or denigrated, both by D.C. elites and this area's urban transplants, and Nugent felt their backlash. It got to the point where a Pride event that Nugent helped organize was canceled this year after local conservatives protested. "They voted for change with Obama, and the change they wanted didn't happen," Nugent said. "With Clinton, it felt we were moving back to the old school again, where no one gives a damn about them. Trump was able to convince them that he actually gave a damn." Frustration with big government Tom Milliren is a self-made man. He married his Durand High School sweetheart 49 years ago, then bought his first piece of Pepin County farmland. There were hard times, but Milliren persisted. Now he owns 1,000 acres and operates 10,000 more. He's always been conservative. But what solidified him as a Trump-style Republican wasn't anything headline-grabbing like immigration or culture wars. It was when Milliren began serving on the county board and grew frustrated with big government. The federal government always tells them what to do despite not knowing the area, Milliren said. It tells farmers they can't build in flood zones "We know where the high spots are, and it's our money," he lamented yet he sees million-dollar beach homes get wiped out by hurricanes then built back up. When a tenth of an acre is needed from a farmer to build a bridge, Milliren asks the farmer himself: easy. But federal grants stipulate land acquisition plans, costing $10,000 or more. "I'd like to sit down with some of those guys and say, 'Do I look so stupid that you're gonna tell me what to do all the time?'" Milliren said. "The people haven't changed. The politics changed. What was blue is now red. They're so far left they're going to run off the road. I don't care which party you are let's have some common sense." Not every Driftless farmer feels like Milliren. John Rosenow owns a compost business and dairy farm in neighboring Buffalo County. In the 1990s, starved for good workers, Rosenow began hiring Mexican immigrants. He's become an immigrant advocate, helping others hire Mexican workers. Politics aren't as important to him as, say, milk prices, and recent financials have been brutal. Still, he fears a return to the Trump years, when anti-immigration policies spooked his workers and a trade war cost Rosenow $50,000. "Overnight, we lost $4 per hundredweight," Rosenow said. "I can't afford to have Trump be president again. All the talk about shipping everybody out of here, every (farm) was two or three people short. A lot of people went home. That ended after about six months, because it was all talk." There are certainly MAGA diehards here, like 64-year-old Galen Erickson on his farmstead outside Pepin. An outbuilding has a weathered "TRUMP-PENCE" sign; Erickson blacked out Pence's name for his disloyalty to Trump. Erickson said he wants gas prices to rise to $6 a gallon before November so Trump wins. "I love his honesty," Erickson said of Trump. "He tells it the way it is. People don't like that. Women don't like it. I love it." But the Driftless sensibility seems less MAGA stronghold than an isolated area pushed rightward from a frustration of being ignored. Conservatives here may not be thrilled about Trump, but they say they prefer him to urban-centered Democrats. People like Sue Fedie. Fedie's family has been in Pepin County since the mid-1800s, when her great-great-grandfather built a grist mill here. She lives next door to her 89-year-old parents and runs the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum. (Fedie is a distant cousin of the author, who was born just outside Pepin.) She's seen the political divide widen in recent years. Outsiders have injected money into the economy, though so many AirBnbs strain the housing stock. Old-timers resist urban transplants and their politics, preferring life to stay the same. She's a small-government conservative with a quiet liberal streak on some social issues. ("Don't tell my dad," she laughed.) She'll vote Republican because conservatives allow people to keep their wealth. But she turns the television off when either candidate appears. "I'd like politics to be calmer," Fedie said. "I have to vote for a conservative candidate, I have to, because I don't care for liberal candidates in general. I just wish politics had more dignity. But we don't have any other choice right now." A dozen hospitals and organizations across the country will get a financial boost to help them launch programs to strengthen and diversify the nursing workforce and address issues that are driving many to leave the profession. The 2024 Health Equity and Nursing Innovations Fund Awards, with financial support from AARP and others, provide nearly $275,000 in grants for projects that offer innovative solutions that create systemic change in nine states and Washington, D.C. Members only This years grants are especially focused on nurse recruitment and retention strategies that alleviate stress and promote healthier work environments. Nurses are leaving the profession at alarming, unsustainable rates, said Susan C. Reinhard, chief strategist emeritus for the Center to Champion Nursing in America. The number of stressors on nurses keeps multiplying, and many of them have to do with the workplace itself. Learn How AARP is Working for You AARP is your fierce defender on the issues that matter to people 50-plus. Read more about how were fighting for you every day in Congress and across the country. The grants are administered by the AARP Center for Health Equity through Nursing and funded by AARP, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses and the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, an initiative of AARP, AARP Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The winning projects hail from California, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Washington state. They include: A Stress First Aid program to boost nurse resilience and retention in New Jersey A Nurse Manager Academy in Ohio to improve workplace mental health challenges, provide leadership effectiveness training and more Join Our Effort to Strengthen Nursing Nominate a nurse for The DAISY Award and help nurses get the recognition they deserve. A program to promote safe driving for night shift nurses in Texas A rural nurse leadership training program in Washington state A program to promote collaboration and meaningful recognition of nurses in Washington, D.C. Simulation training to address violence in the health care setting in North Carolina AARP has a long history of working to strengthen nursing. This year, we teamed with The DAISY Foundation to encourage public gratitude for nurses. Read more about this years Health Equity and Nursing Innovations Fund Awards and see the full list of 2024 winners. Collective Artists Network, Indias leading new media entity, centred around pop culture, launches into the world of AI through the acquisition of Galleri5. This strategic move underscores Collective Artists Network's commitment to scaling the creator and content ecosystem through technology. Galleri5 is at the forefront of AI-powered content solutions and influencer marketing technology. Its suite of solutions, including AI visual content generation, creator intelligence, campaign management and trend forecasting, empowers Indias largest retailers and brands to connect meaningfully with their audiences. The team comes with deep experience in engineering, community engagement, and retail strategy to redefine brand engagement and customer experience for the digital age. Vijay Subramaniam, Founder and CEO of Collective Artists Network, stated, "This acquisition of Galleri5 is a giant leap in integrating deep tech and AI into our ecosystem, enhancing our ability to provide cutting-edge solutions for our talents, content platforms and brands. By leveraging advanced AI technology, we can drive more impactful and personalized storytelling, trendspotting and research which will further solidify our position as a leading new media company centred around talent." "Over the past 9 years, galleri5 has operated at the crossroads of creators, AI, and social trends, leading award-winning influencer campaigns and developing cutting-edge AI and data solutions," said Rahul Regulapati, Founder of galleri5. "Our journey has been about challenging the status quo and redefining brand engagement. Partnering with Collective Artists Network provides us with an expansive platform to scale our vision and build an even greater legacy." This acquisition follows a series of strategic moves by Collective Artists Network to bolster its position in the new media landscape. Just last week, Collective Artists Network acquired Terribly Tiny Tales, a text-first flash fiction platform. In September 2023, the company acquired Indias largest tech-powered student community - Under 25 Universe, aiming to empower student culture and provide opportunities within the creator ecosystem. As Collective Artists Network continues to evolve and expand, its commitment to fostering quality storytelling remains unwavering. Whether through creators, directors, producers, or artists, the company is dedicated to supporting and empowering voices that shape and reflect contemporary culture. By integrating cutting-edge technology and focusing on talent and pop culture, Collective Artists Network is well-positioned to become a leading new media company in India. Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF) the CSR arm of Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has started operations of Telemedicine Clinics under its Sparsh Sanjeevani healthcare initiative in Talegaon, Pune, Maharashtra. Inaugurated by Shri Girish Mahajan, Minister - Rural Development & Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of Maharashtra, 5 Telemedicine Clinics will serve Pait, Kadus, Wada, Navlakh Umbre, and Sudumbre villages in Talegaon. These clinics will provide necessary medical consultations and healthcare services remotely, augmenting primary healthcare infrastructure in such villages. Commenting on the inauguration of Sparsh Sanjeevani Telemedicine Clinics in Maharashtra, Puneet Anand, AVP & Vertical Head Corporate Affairs, HMIL said, Under Hyundais global vision of Progress for Humanity, the Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF) through its Sparsh Sanjeevani healthcare initiative has created a network of telemedicine clinics in the underserved corners of India, augmenting existing primary healthcare facilities. The 5 new clinics bolster the network to 40 tele-medicine clinics, operational in 8 states across India, with an aim to ensure that even the most isolated communities receive the care they need. Through diverse initiatives undertaken under HMIF, we will continue to sow the #SeedsOfGood in India, fostering sustainable development and promoting holistic societal growth. 99acres, one of the pioneering real estate portals in India, has collaborated with Tollywood's powerhouse, Rana Daggubati, to launch a gritty campaign in Telugu, #ManaLoManaMaata. This digital campaign is set to transform the way people search for property, leveraging the larger-than-life action hero persona of Rana Daggubati. In a captivating video, Rana, a resident of Film Nagar, defends his locality against resident reviews, showcasing his deep connection to his neighborhood. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 99acres.com (@99acresindia) The campaign, conceptualised in-house, aims to promote 99acres.coms Ratings & Reviews & Price Trends features. Ratings & Reviews and Price Trends are groundbreaking tools that empower consumers to make informed property decisions. Residents share insightful reviews of their societies and localities, providing potential home buyers with candid and comprehensive insights about the neighborhood. Further, Price Trends help buyers understand present and historical property prices in the area. Rana Daggubati's powerful reactions to these insights as a resident himself, illustrate how they offer a complete picture of lifestyle, connectivity, environment, safety, and price appreciation. 99acres has rapidly expanded coverage to include resident reviews and price trends for over 10,000 localities across India, making it the go-to platform for anyone looking to buy or rent property. Zee Business, one of the leading business news channels in India, has announced its highly awaited special show - Union Budget 2024 -Majboor ya Mazboot, set to air on July 23, 2024 7 am onwards. This exclusive broadcast will provide a comprehensive analysis of the Union Budget 2024, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and its potential impact on the countrys economic trajectory. As India strides forward into a new era under Prime Minister Narendra Modis third term, the Union Budget 2024 is expected to chart a strategic vision for sustained economic growth. The budget aims to balance development and fiscal prudence. As per the latest BARC data, Zee Business is known for its precise business news reportage with 57.5% viewership as compared to its peers in the Industry. (Source: BARC | HSM | 22+ M ABC | Week 2824 (Rolling Avg. 4 weeks) | 0600-2400 Hrs | 4 Business News Channels | Market Share %) The upcoming Majboor ya Mazboot show will critically examine whether the Union Budget 2024 establishes a robust foundation (Mazboot) or faces significant constraints (Majboor). Viewers can anticipate in-depth discussions on key budgetary announcements and their expected impacts on various sectors such as development, infrastructure, and innovation. The show will feature insightful conversations with economists, industry leaders, and financial analysts, helping viewers decode the budget's complexities and providing a clear understanding of its implications for different sectors and the overall economy. Anil Singhvi, Managing Editor of Zee Business, expressed his enthusiasm about the upcoming show, stating, The Union Budget 2024 is a pivotal moment for Indias economic future. Our special program, 'Union Budget 2024 - Majboor ya Mazboot,' is designed to offer citizens with a thorough analysis and expert perspectives on the budgets implications. Zee Business remains committed to delivering insightful content that enables our audience to make informed decisions. Pankaj Rai, Business Head of Zee Business, further emphasized the shows significance, highlighting, As we embark on this new phase under Prime Minister Modis leadership, the Union Budget 2024 will be crucial in shaping Indias economic policies. We are committed to delivering insightful content that empowers our audience to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving economic landscape. Majboor ya Mazboot aims to simplify complex budgetary details into accessible information, ensuring our audience can comprehend and leverage the potential opportunities and challenges presented by this budget. Zee Business Majboor ya Mazboot looks forward to empowering citizens to make informed decisions by understanding how this budget will shape Indias economic future. Alabamas four automaking plants and affiliated factories contribute $10.8 billion to the states economy. Thats according to a new report from Autos Drive America and the American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA). The two collaborated on an economic impact survey looking at the reach automakers have in terms of investment and jobs. According to the report, the auto industry has invested $14.5 billion in Alabama. Last year, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Hyundai, and Mazda-Toyota produced 1.124 million vehicles, with $10.7 billion in autos purchased from U.S. suppliers. As far as jobs, the industry created 88,947 total jobs, generating $6.4 billion in total compensation. That includes more than 17,000 direct jobs, and 64,000 indirect jobs. According to the report, every direct automaking job supports 3.5 additional jobs in Alabama. In revenue, the industry generated $892 million in state and local taxes, and $1.5 billion in federal tax receipts. Alabamas five automakers produce 20 different vehicles - Genesis GV70 and electric GV70; Hondas Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline; Hyundais Elantra, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe and Tuscon; Mazdas CX-50; Mercedes-Benzs EQE SUV, GLE Coupe, GLE SUV, GLS SUV; Mercedes-Maybachs EGS SUV and GLS, and Toyota Corolla Cross and Cross Hybrid. You never know what youre going to see, or what kind of fish tale youre going to hear, at the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. Maybe itll be a new state record. Or a shark trying to eat a trolling motor. Or just a contender in the Rodeos popular most unusual category. The 91st rodeo was scheduled to get under way on Friday, July 19, 2024. To illustrate the variety that just might be on display at the Rodeo site on Dauphin Island over the weekend, here is a rogues gallery of past oddities and incidents. During the 2022 Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo, April and Jeremy Jones of Saraland had an unexpected encounter with a large spotted eagle ray that landed in their boat.Courtesy of April Jones That time a ray jumped in a boat In the 2022 Rodeo, a Saraland woman and a spotted eagle ray both ended up the worse for wear after a collision. April Jones, her husband Jeremy Jones, their eight-year-old son Gunner and her husbands grandfather were out in waters off the Sand Island lighthouse on the rodeos opening day when something smashed into her and chaos erupted in the back of their boat. It turned out that a large spotted eagle ray had somehow landed in the boat. Once the boat got to shore, bystanders helped transfer the heavy creature to the water but Jones needed treatment for a bruised shoulder, and the mama ray left behind four pups that didnt survive. A load of lionfish caught by Lee Ford of Theodore, Ala., arrive at the scales on the final day of the 2016 Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. (Sharon Steinmann/ssteinmann@al.com)Sharon Steinmann/ssteinmann@al.com Lionfish Lionfish are an aggressive invasive species that look spectacular but do a lot of damage to some of the native species prized by coastal anglers. Fortunately theyre also pretty tasty, so theyve been fair game at the rodeo for a few years now. This load of the brightly colored predators was caught by Lee Ford of Theodore in the 2016 rodeo. A 410-pound tiger shark caught by brothers Mark and Danny Winstanley is hoisted onto the dock on the final day of the 90th Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. The brothers were fishing from "Hey Sport," a Contender boat that Danny Wistanley's son Dillon, then 12, won in a drawing at the 2003 rodeo.Lawrence Specker | LSpecker@AL.com Sharks Theres a fair chance youll see a state record or two fall at the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo. In 2023, Brett Rutledge weighed in 1,019-lb. tiger shark that eclipsed a record set more than 30 years earlier. That wasnt the only shark-related news at the docks in 2023: When brothers Danny and Mark Wistanley arrived at the dock to weigh in a 410.6-lb. bull shark, they did so in a boat that Danny Wistanleys son Dillon won in a rodeo drawing in 2003, when he was 12. When people say the rodeo is a family tradition, theyre not kidding. Brad Williams of Mobile holds the longtail seabass he brought to the scales Saturday afternoon, July 19, 2014, at the 81st Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo in Dauphin Island, Ala. (Mike Brantley/mbrantley@al.com)Mike Brantley/mbrantley@al.com Thats a weird one Speaking to AL.com 2014, marine scientist and rodeo judge Bob Shipp described the creation of the rodeos most unusual category as one of the most fun things we ever did here at the rodeo. Fisherman had always caught some rarities and oddities, Shipp said, but once the category was added it became a point of pride to bring them in and show them off. Among the 2014 standouts was a colorful longtail sea bass caught by Mobile native Brad Williamson. Did someone say shark? Ben Raines, a reporter for AL.com at the time, was fishing in the 2016 rodeo when a shark tried to eat his trolling motor. Raines gave up on catching any snapper at that particular spot but did shoot some video. A shark scientist suggested the animals sensitivity to electrical fields might have been behind its interest. Chandler Wilson reaches out to touch a large Warsaw grouper caught by Joel Kessler of Spanish Fort as Anna-Claire Brown looks on during the 82nd Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo on Dauphin Island, Ala., Sunday, July 19, 2015. (Mike Brantley/mbrantley@al.com)Mike Brantley/mbrantley@al.com Thats another weird one Even well known species can have varieties that are eye-catching. The Warsaw grouper is not necessarily the pretty one in the family, but they can grow to weigh more than 400 pounds. Kyle Davis says he didn't have any great expectations for the bonito he weighed in at the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo in July.Courtesy of ADCNR The record that almost wasnt In the 2021 rodeo, Kyle Davis pushed more than 70 miles offshore in a single-engine, 21-foot boat, hoping to land a big tuna. He landed some big bonito and weighed in a 22.24-pounder. Disappointed with his lack of a tuna haul, he thought about cutting up the bonito for bait. But it turned out the big one set a new state record, confirmed a couple of months later. A unusual spinycheek scorpionfish is displayed to the public during the final day of the 82nd Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo on Sunday, July 19, 2015, in Dauphin Island, Ala. (Mike Kittrell/mkittrell@al.com)Mike Kittrell/mkittrell@al.com Also very weird They dont come much uglier than the spinycheek scorpionfish. This bright red example was photographed at the 2017 ADSFR. A tracking map shows the travels of a tarpon caught by Hollie Tew during the 2019 Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo and tagged by scientists. The line shows the sequence of data point, not the exact path of the fish; it likely traveled around a marshy peninsula in southeast Louisiana rather than through it. (Courtesy of the Mississippi State University Marine Fisheries Ecology program)Courtesy of the Mississippi State University Marine Fisheries Ecology program A tarpon with legs In July 2019, Hollie Tew of Fairhope became the first woman to win the rodeos tarpon category. She also was part of an effort in which anglers worked with researchers, notifying them of catches so they could meet on the water and put tacking tags on the fish. Tag data showed that one of the four tarpon caught by Tew went on to cover more than 200 miles over the next couple of weeks, spending time off Louisiana and Mississippi. Jaylyn Babitch with the the Dauphin Island Sea Lab displays an unusual red cornet fish to the public on the opening day of the 82nd Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo on Friday, July 17, 2015, in Dauphin Island, Ala. (Mike Kittrell/mkittrell@al.com)Mike Kittrell/mkittrell@al.com Showing off A red cornet fish displayed on the opening day of the 82nd Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo on Friday, July 17, 2015, shows just how exotic the rodeos display area can get. Many of the most unusual contenders wind up on ice there after theyve been identified, and its one of the biggest attractions at the rodeo site. In this case, the fish was brought in by fishermen who werent even taking part in the rodeo. They just wanted people to see it. As former President Donald Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday he laid out his vision for running the country. He painted a dire picture of the state of the U.S. and outlined a range of actions he planned to take. But his comments were marked with a myriad of false and misleading information that distorted the facts around immigration, the U.S. economy and his previous accomplishments. Here are the facts. IMMIGRATION TRUMP: The greatest invasion in history is taking place right here in our country they are coming in from every corner of the earth, not just from South America, but from Africa, Asia and the Middle East theyre coming from everywhere, and this administration does nothing to stop them. They are coming from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums, and terrorists at levels never seen before. THE FACTS: Trump spent much of his address discussing immigration and the mass influx of migrants into the U.S., repeating several false and misleading claims, including that it has caused a crime surge. He cited recent high-profile and heinous crimes allegedly committed by people in the country illegally as proof. But the suggestion there has been a spike in violent crime nationally as a result of the influx is not supported by facts. FBI statistics do not separate out crimes by the immigration status of the assailant, nor is there any evidence of a spike in crime perpetrated by migrants, either along the U.S.-Mexico border or in cities seeing the greatest influx of migrants, like New York. In fact, national statistics show violent crime is on the way down. Studies have found that people living in the country illegally are less likely than native-born Americans to have been arrested for violent, drug and property crimes. A 2020 study published by the National Academy of Sciences found considerably lower felony arrest rates among people in the United States illegally than legal immigrants or native-born citizens. There is also no evidence to support that other countries are sending their murderers, drug dealers and other criminals to the U.S. ECONOMY TRUMP: We had the greatest economy in the history of the world. THE FACTS: Thats far from accurate. The pandemic triggered a massive recession during his presidency. The government borrowed $3.1 trillion in 2020 to stabilize the economy and Trump left the White House with fewer jobs than when he entered. But even if you take out issues caused by the pandemic, economic growth averaged 2.67% during Trumps first three years, which is pretty solid. But its nowhere near the 4% averaged during Bill Clintons two terms from 1993 to 2001, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In fact, growth has been stronger so far under Biden than under Trump. Trump did have the unemployment rate get as low as 3.5% before the pandemic, but the labor force participation rate for people 25 to 54 the core of the U.S. working population was higher under Clinton. The participation rate has also been higher under Biden than Trump. AFGHANISTAN TRUMP, on the U.S. troops from Afghanistan: We also left behind $85 billion worth of military equipment. THE FACTS: Those numbers are significantly inflated, according to reports from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, which oversees American taxpayer money spent on the conflict. The $85 billion figure resembles a number from a July 30 quarterly report from SIGAR, which outlined that the U.S. has invested about $83 billion to build, train and equip Afghan security forces since 2001. Yet that funding included troop pay, training, operations and infrastructure along with equipment and transportation over two decades, according to SIGAR reports and Dan Grazier, a defense policy analyst at the Project on Government Oversight. We did spend well over $80 billion in assistance to the Afghan security forces, Grazier told the AP in August 2021. But thats not all equipment costs. In fact, only about $18 billion of that sum went toward equipping Afghan forces between 2002 and 2018, a June 2019 SIGAR report showed. Another estimate from a 2017 Government Accountability Office report found that about 29% of dollars spent on Afghan security forces between 2005 and 2016 funded equipment and transportation. The transportation funding included gear as well as contracted pilots and airplanes for transporting officials to meetings. If that percentage held for the entire two-decade period, it would mean the U.S. has spent about $24 billion on equipment and transportation for Afghan forces since 2001. But even if that were true, much of the military equipment would be obsolete after years of use, according to Grazier. Plus, American troops have previously scrapped unwanted gear and, prior to the withdrawal, disabled dozens of Humvees and aircraft so they couldnt be used again, according to Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command. Though no one knows the exact value of the U.S.-supplied Afghan equipment the Taliban have secured, defense officials have confirmed it is significant. President Biden on Friday pushed back on rising pressure from fellow Democrats to drop out of the race amid widespread questions about his age and fitness to beat former President Trump and serve another term in the White House. The embattled Democratic incumbent insisted he would return to the campaign trail next week after he recovers from COVID, even as more lawmakers called on him to step aside. I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record, Biden said in a statement. Top aides portrayed a united front backing Biden but acknowledged the 81 year old faces a tougher road to victory after three weeks of raging criticism of his shaky performance at last months debate and a series of less-than-convincing appearances since. We have a lot of work to do to reassure the American people that, yes, hes old, but he can win, Biden campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillon told MSNBCs Morning Joe show. Dillon conceded that polls show some slippage in Bidens support since the debate but a silver lining is that Trump appears to be struggling to gain much support. They have questions, but they are staying with Joe Biden, she said. NBC News reported that some Biden family members have started to discuss a potential Biden exit from the race behind closed doors. White House spokesman Andrew Bates trashed the report, which quoted two unnamed sources, and predicted it would be proven wrong. That is not happening, period, he said. The individuals making those claims are not speaking for his family or his team Keep the faith. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) Friday became the third sitting Democratic senator to call on Biden to end the campaign, along with more than 20 House lawmakers. Trumps rambling speech on Thursday night at the Republican National Convention could give ammunition to Biden loyalists urging him to stay in the race because the Republican former president showed his own flashing political liabilities on a national stage. Some Democrats say Trump may have reminded voters why he is so divisive and missed a big opportunity to effectively deliver a message of unity after he survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally last weekend. This is the first good thing thats happened to Democrats in the last three weeks, said David Axelrod, a Democratic strategist said on CNN. [Trumps speech] really reminded everyone why Donald Trump is fundamentally unpopular. Biden himself remained out of sight Friday as he battles what his doctors say is a mild case of COVID-19. Bidens campaign took a series of fresh hits Thursday as reports said former President Obama has told allies that Biden faces an increasingly uphill battle to stay in the race and beat Trump. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have told Biden to his face that he should strongly consider leaving the race, other reports have said. Fellow Democrats fear Biden could lose to Trump and drag congressional Democrats down to defeat with him. The political clock is ticking loudly for Biden and Democrats, who have just over three weeks before they gather for their own convention. If Biden does step aside, party leaders would want as much time as possible to prepare for whatever happens next. Most Democrats believe Biden would endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor to ensure an orderly transition and give the party the best possible chance of unifying to beat Trump. Harris would have an easier time than other candidates taking over Bidens campaign war chest, experts say. But others say he could allow some kind of contest between Harris and other wannabe Democratic White House candidates before or during the convention. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Friday she believes Bidens opponents are seeking to force both him and Harris off the ticket so they can replace Harris with a more moderate pick. The Democratic National Committees rule-making body plans to meet Friday and is expected to press ahead with plans for a virtual roll call in early August to nominate the partys presidential pick, a move that could short-circuit any convention floor fight. 2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Whoever sprayed a north Birmingham adult birthday party with bullets this weekend did so with fully automatic gunfire, killing four people and wounding 10 others. Its become a common scene in Birmingham and beyond. Where police investigators used to retrieve a dozen or less shell casings from a crime scene, they now are tasked with picking up and logging dozens -- if not hundreds. The culprit, experts say, are Glock switches - also known as auto sears or a button or a giggle switch - which can unleash 20 rounds per second or 1,200 rounds a minute. Switches have permeated the firearm possession of young people, said Marcus Watson, the Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Birmingham. Most of the urban areas have been hit with an unbelievable amount of these devices that have turned a semi-automatic gun, and sometimes a rifle, into a fully automatic machine gun that wreaks absolute havoc in the neighborhoods, Watson said. Theres no place that device has a purpose in the United States, he said. Were cracking down. Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona, flanked by federal, county and city leaders including Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond and Mayor Randall Woodfin, on Thursday announced the launch of Operation Flip the Switch, an initiative targeting the illegal switches which are machine gun conversion devices. The violence that we are seeing in our communities is flagrant and unacceptable, Escalona said. Machine gun conversion devices have no place in our community. Though small in size, a switch is deadly, and a lot of innocent people can be injured with pull of the trigger, she said. Its almost impossible to control the spray of those bullets. Escalona said switches are present throughout Alabamas northern district even in Tuscaloosa and Huntsville but are most prevalent in Birmingham and Jefferson County. A switch is about one inch long and can be made of metal or plastic and can be made on 3D printers. The device fits onto the back of a handgun and allows the user to switch between semi- automatic gunfire and fully automatic gunfire. When they first started, we were seeing them imported, even from other countries, Escalona said. Now we have started seeing them manufactured here with the 3D printer. Under federal law, the device itself is considered to be a machine gun, not just a gun accessory. No one is permitted to own, possess, or use a switch, Escalona said. The maximum sentence for a conviction in switch cases is 10 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system, and suspects can and will be held from the time of arrest until trial. If you are convicted, you will not serve your time in Alabama, Escalona said. So its a way to take people out of the community to give that community a chance to rebuild. Alabama has no state law governing switches, so the cases are prosecuted federally with a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Woodfin and Thurmond said state legislators need to create laws so the problem can be tackled on more than one front. Roughly 40 cases have been prosecuted in the Northern District of Alabama in recent years, but Escalona said under Operation Flip the Switch, they are now prioritizing switch cases, as well as increasing training for law enforcement officers so they know what to look for and who to call if they encounter a switch. Educating the community is also going to increase under the operation, again letting residents know what to look for and who to call. Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama is part of the initiative, and tipsters who lead authorities to switches or 3D printers manufacturing the devices could get anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars in reward money. Woodfin said crime is down double-digits in Birmingham, though homicides have increased. So far this year, there have been 91 homicides in the city. At this time last year, there had been 79 slayings. There is a subset of people in our community who dont care about our community, Woodfin said. Weve got to take those people off the streets. Theyre riding around with these Glock switches. Their intent is to inflict massive amounts of casualties and carnage, he said. Too many people are being killed even this past weekend. Birmingham police have taken about 1,000 guns of the streets in the first half of 2024. Since Woodfin took office, the police chief said, theyve confiscated about 17,000 guns. The mayor acknowledge that the criminals likely arent watching or reading the news, but said their mothers, grandmothers, family and friends are. So, our conversation with them is very direct or simple your son, your loved one, your grandson will have to sit down for 10 years if theyre riding around with this, he said. Im quite confident that information will get out. Asked why more people dont come forward, Thurmond had this to say: Im going to be real honest. If it doesnt affect them, they dont care. There are a lot of people who watch what goes on in our city and other parts of the state, but if it doesnt directly affect them, they just dont care, he said. Escalona said switch prosecutions are unique in that they are evidence-bases cases which typically dont require witnesses to testify. This is one way, she said, you can anonymously help your community without subjecting yourself to danger or retribution. Conservative journalist and political talk show host Lou Dobbs died at the age of 78. On Thursday, former President Donald Trump paid tribute to Dobbs, the former CNN and Fox Business veteran, on his social media platform Truth. The Great Lou Dobbs has just passed away, Trump posted. A friend, and truly incredible Journalist, Reporter, and Talent, Trump continued in a post on Truth Social. He understood the World, and what was happening, better than others. Lou was unique in so many ways, and loved our Country. Our warmest condolences to his wonderful wife, Debi, and family. He will be greatly missed! Dobbs official X account announced the news minutes after Trumps announcement. Its with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of the great Lou Dobbs, the post read. Lou was a fighter till the end - fighting for what mattered most, God, his family, and the country. Lous legacy will forever live on as a Patriot and a great American. We ask for your prayers for Lous wonderful wife Debi, children and grandchildren. Dobbs joined CNN in 1980 as a host and reporter covering business. In 2011, he went to Fox Business, where he hosted the top rated show Lou Dobbs Tonight through the election of Trump and until it was canceled in 2021. The reaction to the news was immediate. My good friend and @FoxBusiness host, @LouDobbs, just passed away. What a great and godly man! The highlight of my week was my Friday night segments with this courageous journalist. I was honored to pray with Lou earlier today before the Lord took him to heaven. Praying for pic.twitter.com/jqxjuCJ1Tj Dr. Robert Jeffress (@robertjeffress) July 18, 2024 The great Lou Dobbs has passed away at 78. President Trump has issued a statement calling Lou a truly incredible Journalist, Reporter, and Talent unique is so many ways, and loved our country. RIP Lou. pic.twitter.com/lpzg82NaJP Paul A. Szypula (@Bubblebathgirl) July 18, 2024 .@LouDobbs has passed. 78 years old. Smart guy, always enjoyed speaking with him. Much sympathy extended to his family. Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) July 18, 2024 I am saddened to hear about the passing of the great Lou Dobbs. My heartfelt condolences go out to the Dobbs family during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/GxNVEBt94e Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) July 18, 2024 Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on The Opening Kickoff on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily. A major internet outage affecting Microsoft is disrupting flights, banks, media outlets and companies across the world, with problems continuing hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. Airlines and airports in the United States, Europe, Australia, India and elsewhere were reporting problems, with some flights grounded. Retail outlets, banks, railway companies and hospitals in several parts of the world were also affected in what appeared to be an unprecedented internet disruption. Heres the Latest: Banks in South Africa experience service disruptions for several hours CAPE TOWN, South Africa In South Africa, at least two major banks said they experienced service disruptions as customers complained they werent able to make payments using their bank cards at grocery stores and gas stations or use ATMs. Both said they were able to restore services hours later. Southern African regional airline Airlink also reported that its IT network and telephone lines were down because of what it called a global network outage, but said flights were not affected. London Stock Exchange experiencing disruptions, but trading not affected LONDON The London Stock Exchange says it is experiencing disruptions from the technology outage that has created chaos around the globe. The LSE says its regulatory news service was not working Friday morning but the outage had not affected trading. We are currently experiencing a third party technical issue which is impacting some of our services, a London Stock Exchange Group spokesperson said in a statement. The exchange says its trying to resolve the problem as soon as possible. Long queues at many airports around the world, but some systems back online Long queues have formed at many airports around the world as the global internet outage hit check-in procedures for flights although in some locations systems were now back online. Berlins Brandenburg Airport was gradually returning to normal operations, the airport said in a statement, though some airlines had been forced to cancel flights after being hit with the outage from 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT). Passenger handling continued with some restrictions. Departures took place with restrictions. There are still waiting times. Unfortunately, some flights had to be canceled by the airlines. The airports systems have been restarted and we are gradually returning to normal operations, the airport said. German-based airline Eurowings, a budget subsidiary of Lufthansa, says it had to cancel German domestic flights as well as services to and from the U.K. because of disruption to its check-in and boarding processes. It called on people traveling inside Germany to book train tickets and submit them for reimbursement. In South Korea, several low-cost airlines reported problems, triggering delays in passenger boardings at Incheon international Airport, the countrys biggest airport, airport officials said. Jeju Air Co. said it was experiencing problems with ticketing and other services on its website. Air Premia Inc. said key services on its website, such as ticket bookings, cancellations and online check-ins, were not working. The website of Eastar Jet Co. wasnt accessible as of early Friday evening. Incheon airport officials and the countrys Transport Ministry said they were checking details of damages. AirAsia announced on its Thai Facebook page that its reservation and check-in system had been impacted and encouraged passengers to go to airports early as they might face slower check-in and longer queues. In the U.S., United Airlines said that the outage was impacting its computer systems and warned customers of potential flight delays. The carrier said some flights are resuming and it is issuing waivers to make it easier to change travel plans within its website. Cybersecurity company at heart of IT outage says the issue is not a cyberattack or security incident LONDON The chief executive of the cybersecurity company at the heart of a worldwide Microsoft outage says it is working to fix a defect sent out in a Windows update. This is not a security incident or cyberattack, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on the social platform X. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. Kurtz said there was a defect in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts were not affected. The company referred customers to its support portal for updates. Pharmacy chains in Norway report problems with providing prescription medication HELSINKI Two pharmacy chains in Norway said they are having problems providing customers with their prescription medicine and are facing substantial connection delays due to the global network problems. Several branches of the Apotek1 pharmacy have closed across Norway after being affected by IT issues which also shut down the chains online sales, the Norwegian news agency NTB reported. The Boots drugstore and pharmacy chain also ran into problems delivering products to clients in Norway. Boots said that due to global network problems, you may experience challenges with ordering and possible delays in dispatches, NTB reported. Paris Olympics organizers say some Olympic delegations arrivals have been delayed PARIS Paris Olympics organizers say some Olympic delegations arrivals, as well as the delivery of some uniforms and accreditations, have been delayed because of the outage. The organizers said in a statement that ticketing and the torch relay have not been affected. Our teams have been fully mobilized to ensure the continuity of operations at optimum levels, organizers said. Internet outage causes problems at most doctors offices across England LONDON Britains National Health Service says a global internet outage is causing problems at most doctors offices across England. NHS England said in a statement that the glitch was hitting the appointment and patient record system used across the health service. The state-funded NHS treats the vast majority of people in the U.K. The NHS said the issue was affecting the majority of family doctors practices, but was not hitting the 999 number used to call for emergency ambulances. Airlines across the world report disruptions to flights Airlines across the world, from Thailand to Australia, India, the United States and several European countries, reported disruptions to check-in systems and other issues that caused flights to be grounded or delayed. With athletes and spectators from around the world heading to France for the Paris Olympics, the Paris airport authority says its computer systems are not impacted by the global outage, but several airlines and airports elsewhere are. As a result, this situation has an impact on the operations of airlines at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly airports: delays in check-in, delays and temporary suspension of some flights. Our teams are mobilized to orient and assist passengers, the airport authority said in a statement. In the U.S., the FAA said the airlines United, American, Delta and Allegiant had all been grounded. Thailands Suvarnabhumi Airport, a gateway to one of the worlds most visited cities, reported that some airlines were forced to check in passengers manually due to outages to their systems, while in the countrys second largest airport of Don Mueang, Air Asia was also checking passengers in manually. Director of Tourism of Thailand, the countrys tourism authority, told state broadcaster Thai PBS the issue was with Navitaire, an e-commerce platform for air travel, and up to six airports had been affected. In Germany, flights at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport were halted for several hours from Friday morning due to check-in problems, while some flights were cancelled. An airport spokeswoman said flights resumed after 10 a.m.. Issues were also reported in the busy European hubs of Amsterdam, Zurich and Rome. Baltic container hub in Poland suspends business WARSAW Baltic Hub, a major container hub in the Baltic port of Gdansk, Poland, says it is battling problems resulting from the global system outage. Their entry gates are temporarily closed and they have suspended business, the Baltic Hub said in a statement. British broadcaster back on air LONDON Britains Sky News was broadcasting again after the outage knocked it off the air during the morning. The news anchor referred to printed notes as Sky News got back on the air. The broadcaster was able to deliver news online, on its app and website during the broadcast outage. Milans stock exchange index information restored ROME Borsa Italiana, the company that manages Milans stock exchange, said the correct disclosure of the index FTSE MIB has been restored. Earlier Friday, the company had said that the index had not been updated, without providing additional information. Israels Cyber Directorate attributes outage to cybersecurity platform Crowdstrike JERUSALEM Israels Cyber Directorate said on Friday that it was among those affected by the global outages, attributing them to a problem with the cybersecurity platform Crowdstrike. The outage also hit the countrys post offices and hospitals, according to the ministries of communication and health. A recording playing on CrowdStrikes customer service line said, CrowdStrike is aware of the reports of crashes on Microsoft ports related to the Falcon sensor. It attributed the problems to one of its products used to block online attacks. It said callers should monitor its customer support portal. An Alabama man is accused of fatally shooting his wife and four children inside their home overnight, according to officials with the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Alabama District Attorneys Office. Brandon Allan Kendrick II, 32, is facing five counts of capital murder. The charges are four counts of capital murder of a child under the age of 14, and one count of capital murder in the slayings of two or more people in one act. He was booked into the Bibb County Jail shortly before 3:30 a.m. Friday. Bibb County Sheriff Jody Wade said they received a 911 call at 8:18 p.m. about a child that had been shot on Greentree Drive area of Bibb County. They arrived to find five people shot - including four children under the age of 10. Officials say two of the young victims were the suspects children and two were a nephew and niece. Alabama State Trooper Cpl. Reginal King said the child victims were ages 2, 6 and 9. Two of the children were 6 years old. Three of the children were dead on the scene. The wife and another child were airlifted to Birmingham hospitals where they later died. Charging documents against Kendrick say he shot his wife, 24-year-old Kelse Kendrick, in the head with a handgun. The names of the slain children have not been released. Kendrick was still at the home and was taken into custody. Its a helluva thing for all the first responders that went out until the scene and were there until daylight this morning,' Wade said. Its been a long night. A motive has not been disclosed. He hasnt told us anything as far as a motive,' Wade said, and I dont know what motive he could give us that would justify what he did anyway. Kendricks grandfather is the pastor at Oasis of Praise church in Bessemer. Thank you for all your prayers. There will be corporate prayer at the church tonight at 7,' the church said in a Facebook post. Pastor wanted us to relay to all those asking if they can do anything -Tell everyone asking if they can do something that they can be at church Sunday at 10a.m. The State Bureau of Investigation is leading the probe. ALEA and district attorney officials said more information will soon be released. A missing Alabama man found dead in his burned car had been shot to death, according to new court records. Christian Moore, 23, disappeared in the early-morning hours of Thursday, July 11, 2024, from his home in Newbern. His body was found Sunday. A woman, 24-year-old Aravis Arlexus Thomas, was initially charged with corpse abuse, tampering with physical evidence and first-degree criminal mischief. On Thursday, Dallas County officials added a murder charge for Thomas, court records show. Charging documents state Thomas killed Moore with a gun that Thursday. A motive has not been disclosed. Moores 1999 Chevrolet Silverado was found later that Thursday in Dallas County. Fourth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Robert Turner said the discovery was made by sheriffs deputies when they responded to a call about a burned vehicle slightly off the road. The truck was towed to a local wrecker service. After deputies learned of Moores disappearance, they remembered the vehicle they had towed and made the connection. It was only after they heard about the missing person did they look into the vehicle and discover the charged remains, Turner said. Moores remains were discovered Sunday. Charging documents against Thomas state that blood was found inside a Valley Grande home and allege she put Moores body and other evidence in the passengers seat of the truck and set it on fire. Thomas, of Valley Grande, was taken into custody earlier this week. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump used the spotlight of his partys national convention on Thursday night to call for the firing of the leader of the United Auto Workers, escalating his ongoing feud with Shawn Fain, whose union labeled Trump a scab. Trump made his comment after saying China was building auto plants across the southern border in Mexico and planning to sell Mexican-assembled vehicles into the United States. The United Auto Workers ought to be ashamed for allowing this to happen, Trump then said. And the leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately. And every single auto worker, union and non-union, should be voting for Donald Trump. The should be fired comment wasnt in excerpts of Trumps prepared remarks provided by Trumps campaign to reporters ahead of the speech. The United Auto Workers, which is headquartered in Detroit, endorsed Democratic President Joe Bidens reelection in January. This November, we can stand up and elect someone who wants to stand with us and support our cause. Or we can elect someone who will divide us and fight us every step of the way, Fain said at the time. Thats what this choice is about. The question is, who do we want in that office to give us the best shot of winning, of organizing, of negotiating strong contracts, of uniting the working class and winning our fair share once again, as our union has done so many times in our nations history. We need to know whos going to sit in the most powerful seat in the world and help us win as a united working class. A spokesman for Fain didnt immediately respond to a request for comment about Trumps new remarks Thursday night. However, the UAWs social media account labeled Trump a scab and a billionaire in a post on X. We know which side were on. Not his, the union said. Fain scored victories for his union last year in a round of high-stakes negotiations with Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Stellantis NV. In April, the UAW won a union organizing election at Volkswagen AGs plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a breakthrough for the union into a foreign-owned assembly plant in the South. A court-appointed monitor has been investigating allegations that Fain and his team demanded a subordinate take action to benefit his fiancee and her sister, according to a court filing. Bidens administration has supported policies to promote electric vehicles and to boost the manufacturing of batteries and other parts needed for them in the U.S. In April last year, the administration released the strongest ever tailpipe emissions standards that were expected to push automakers to accelerate the proportion of electric vehicles. As he has repeatedly in the past, Trump vowed in Thursdays night speech to end electric vehicle mandates if hes elected in November. He contended the move would save the U.S. auto industry from complete obliteration. Bidens supporters have contended that supporting the transition to electric vehicles is required to ensure the U.S. plays a dominant role in the future of the auto industry. Also, on Thursday, Trump said he would impose tariffs of 100% and 200% on cars being built by Chinese companies in Mexico. They will be un-sellable in the United States, he told the crowd. So far, the number of jobs in vehicle and parts manufacturing in Michigan has held relatively steady during Bidens term in the White House, decreasing by less than 1% to about 165,000 jobs in May, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. During Trumps four-year term, the number of jobs in vehicle and parts manufacturing in Michigan fell by 5% to about 166,000, according to the bureaus tracking. (Detroit News Staff Writers Breana Noble and Robert Snell contributed.) 2024 www.detroitnews.com. Visit at detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. President Joe Bidens grasp on the Democratic presidential nomination appeared to be slipping Thursday, as he weighed increasingly public warnings from his partys top lawmakers while in isolation for a COVID-19 infection at his Delaware beach house. Biden surrogates insisted that the president was not wavering and remained dedicated to running, but the pressure kept building. The president, experiencing mild symptoms, fielded phone calls from his campaign team and discussed the political crisis threatening to consume his reelection bid. Speculation over if, when, or how Biden might step aside dominated the political conversation ahead of rival Donald Trumps formal acceptance of the Republican presidential nomination in Milwaukee. The harshest blow: a report in the Washington Post that former President Barack Obama told allies Bidens pathway to victory was greatly diminished and that he believes his former running mate needs to seriously consider if his campaign remains viable. Then, reporting in the New York Times cited several people close to the president who said he had begun to accept the notion he may not be able to win and would need to drop out of the race. One senior Biden aide insisted the president was still running and there had been no change in his view, while other allies who remained loyal to him suggested a manufactured pressure campaign. But even longtime Biden associates acknowledged his rapidly degrading support within the party. Chris Coons, a Democratic senator from Bidens home state of Delaware, said the president had been asking for advice on polls and about his standing among senators. I think he weighs very seriously the input of those he trusts and admires, those whove served with him, Coons said in an interview with CNN, adding that Biden deserved time to make the path forward clearer for the American people. John Hickenlooper, the senator from Colorado, became the latest Democrat in the upper chamber to publicly suggest that it was in the interest of the country for Biden to step aside. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in issuing statements stopping well short of denying they had pressured the president to exit the race or expressing support for Bidens candidacy. And Blackstone Inc. executive and billionaire Democratic donor Jon Gray said he hoped Biden considered that the presidency was a very challenging physical job. Democratic senators in competitive races are on the precipice of calling on Biden to step aside, with the only question being when and how to announce their position, according to a Senate aide who requested anonymity to discuss internal thinking. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong, Sen. Jon Tester -- who is up for re-election told the Daily Montanan. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term. Those close to Biden described a rising sense among allies that the end might be near, or even inevitable. With the president isolated due to his diagnosis and increasingly relying on a small circle of loyal aides, however, it was difficult to discern how exactly Biden was processing the latest developments, according to people familiar with the matter. Biden still planned to proceed with scheduled campaign travel next week, ABC News reported. But the president was also more receptive to hearing out calls to exit the race and had asked for polling on how Vice President Kamala Harris would perform atop the ticket, the network said. Some Biden allies believed that outsiders were looking to drive the president from the race by suggesting he was open to stepping aside. Others said it was clear that Biden would reconsider his standing, considering the damage his campaign has sustained. In either case, the presidents illness is virtually certain to stymie his efforts to respond to critics who have called on him to demonstrate he has the stamina to make the case against Trump and serve another four years. The result is a political environment that has left Biden aides exasperated, and with few opportunities to escape the death spiral consuming his campaign. Prediction markets on Thursday saw Harris as more likely than the incumbent president to win the election. Senior Democrats are betting the rising pressure from party lawmakers and close friends will convince Biden to drop out of the race as soon as this weekend, Axios reported Thursday morning. In Milwaukee, the frustration was palpable as deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks spoke with reporters. Fulks chided the media for focusing their questions on fellow Democrats calls for Biden to exit the race, while insisting Biden was feeling fine and continuing to make calls and do work. The campaign, he said, was not working through any scenarios where President Biden is not on the top of the ticket. The sooner we get past talking about this and talking about whats at stake and what weve heard for the first three nights of this convention, and what were going to hear tonight from Donald Trump, the better off, he added. But Bidens diagnosis is likely to sideline him for days after Trumps nominating convention. That will hamper the presidents ability to regain momentum at a time when the Democratic uprising over his candidacy has intensified, with more prominent party members nudging him to exit. In an interview with Univision taped Wednesday shortly before his diagnosis, Biden said he did not feel betrayed by those urging him to step aside while acknowledging that questions about his age were valid after his terrible debate. And so people are now saying, Well, that was only one thing, but hes 81 years old. What happens in 84 years old, hes 85 years old? Biden said, amid bouts of coughing. If Biden continues to test positive for COVID for an extended period, hed be unable hold the type of rallies, interviews and other events fellow Democrats have urged him to do. Even if he does return to the campaign trail or participate in interviews from home, he could deliver poor performances if his cough, fatigue and congestion persist. Biden is still experiencing mild upper respiratory symptoms and continues to take Pfizer Inc.s Paxlovid to ease them, his doctor, Kevin OConnor, said in a letter released Thursday by the White House. Nor has the president proved able to change the narrative, even in the days before his diagnosis. Hickenlooper said in an interview with Reuters late Wednesday that he believed Biden was working towards a decision on whether to stay in the race. Thats his decision to make, but certainly theres more and more indications that that would be in the best interests of the country, I think, Hickenlooper said when asked about Biden stepping down. Schumer flatly told Biden it would be better for Democrats if he ended his bid, ABC News reported earlier Wednesday. Jeffries said to Biden he was a drag on the partys congressional campaigns, according to the Washington Post. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told him privately he could not defeat Trump, CNN reported. Asked about the report, Jeffriess office offered no signal of support for the president. On behalf of the House Democratic caucus, he directly expressed the full breadth of insight, perspective and conclusions reached about the path forward after extensive colleague-to-colleague discussions, according to a statement. Bidens team had sought to use a two-day visit to the battleground state of Nevada to quiet talk about his age and acuity and shore up support among Black and Latino voters, who have shown signs of drifting away from him. On Wednesday, the president was set to speak to a UnidosUS gathering in Las Vegas when the organizations president told attendees that Biden was unable to appear because he fell ill. It was a disappointing end to a trip that was intended to stabilize his campaign after three weeks of turmoil set off by his faltering debate performance against Trump. Biden appeared to be in a weakened state as he traveled to his Delaware home to self-isolate. He walked slowly up the stairs while boarding Air Force One and appeared to receive assistance while getting into an SUV upon landing. _____ (With assistance from Jenny Leonard, Erik Wasson and Steven T. Dennis.) The Associated Press contributed to this report. _____ 2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A Lauderdale County man currently faces more than 1,000 charges related to possession and production of obscene matter, and likely will face further counts in days to come, according to authorities. Jimmy Davis Shook, 68, of Waterloo, is being held in the Lauderdale County Jail on $400,000 bond. Lauderdale County Director of Investigations James Distefano said Shook was originally arrested on Tuesday at his home. Investigators, acting on a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, went to the home and found Shook with a laptop actively displaying images of child pornography. He was arrested on five counts of possessing obscene matter containing visual depiction of persons under 17 years of age, and released on $75,000 bond. Distefano said investigators then combed through several storage devices found during a search and found enough to charge Shook with 505 counts of possession, and 500 counts of production. The production counts deal with downloading or transmitting images from one device to another. Investigators have not uncovered any evidence that Shook was creating images, Distefano said. In 2000, as Democrats were attempting to steal the Presidential election in Florida, an article written by Jon Dougherty and David Kupelian titled How Democrats Steal Elections shed light on the tactics used. What unfolded in Broward County was not new, but a replay of well-honed methodology. The authors interviewed Bob Haueter, chief of staff to the California Assembly Republican Caucus, as well as Republicans such as former California Assemblyman Pat Nolan. Open disclosure: Nolan was convicted in a federal corruption probe and upon release has worked with Chuck Colson -- another fallen-but-reformed public figure -- to reform the criminal justice system. Nolan investigated elections he knew were stolen but unclear as to methodology. Nolan stated, in reference to a local election: after the election, Democrats 'brought in their junkyard dog lawyers from around the country and basically harassed the local registrar -- got in their faces and demanded to handle ballots' -- which were of the same type now in dispute in Palm Beach. Mr. Nolan tracked down an attorney, one Tim Downs who readily admitted the Democratic strategy as well as methods. From the piece: "Downs told me, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, 'You get me within 100 votes and I can steal any election. "The first rule is, you keep counting until you're ahead. And if that doesn't put you ahead, you recount, re-recount -- you keep counting until you're ahead. Second, "the more times those ballots are handled, the more chance there is that chads will break loose" and be disqualified. Third, "the minute you're ahead, you stop and declare yourself the victor." The term close once meant a hundred as being the cheatable spread. That was then and this is now: The story, originally incorrectly debunked by various fact checkers. now makes 200,000 to 300,000 votes to be within the cheatable spread. Achieving large-scale fraud requires two things: Mail-in ballots and outdated voter rolls. Which brings us to the lawsuit filed by the Arizona Republican party against the Democrat Secretary of State Adrian Fontes. In Arizona the outdated voter rolls are the subject of the stated litigation. Democrats like Governor Katie Hobbs and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes are fighting to delay the updating of Arizonas voter rolls, which have over 500,000 registered voters who should be removed, for various reasons. It appears the cheatable spread in Arizona may be up to 500,000. From the complaint filed for the litigants we have: Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act (the NVRA), 52 U.S.C. 20507, which requires states to conduct a general program that makes a reasonable effort to remove the names of ineligible voters from the official lists of eligible voters Again, from the complaint filed: a review of other reliable data sources shows that Arizona has between 1,060,000 and 1,270,000 unaccounted-for voters on the state voter rolls. Did I say the cheatable spread was 500,000? It may well be over a million. Hanging chads are now so old school. Secretary Fontes in two years has failed to develop a program to rectify this situation. His excuse has consistently been that its program is in development. For two years? The only recourse now is in the courts. Wishing to join in the litigation were two Democrat Non-Government Organizations (NGOs): Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans ) and Voto Latino. A look at their websites indicates that the AARA supports far leftist Ruben Gallego (D) for senator and the Voto Latino group is fighting for social justice and rights for the LGBTQ crowd. I think it fair to say that neither group will be supporting President Trump in November. These two organizations filed a motion to intervene, which if approved would allow them to use their considerable resources (Voto Latino is a national organization) to actively assist and participate in the defense of Secretary Fontes. Put another way: We would have outside Democrat groups fighting, in court to defend a violation of national law by a fellow Democrat. Both groups would likely proclaim themselves to be simply fighting for voter rights, as well as free and fair elections for all. If that is true, why would they fight to keep ineligible people on the voter rolls? Fortunately, this past Friday, Judge Dominic Lanza of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona denied this request. Judge Lanza, a Harvard Law school graduate, is one of 234 Judges appointed by President Trump. These judges serve to confirm the importance of having a President in office to appoint judges who are not national embarrassments such as we have seen in confirmation hearings regarding Biden nominees. This win for the Republicans did not make national news, nor did it make local news, but it should have. There are people fighting to improve the integrity of elections. Those would be the same people fighting to help elect Donald Trump. There are also people fighting to maintain voting rolls filled with hundreds of thousands of ineligible voters. Those would be Democrats, Fontes and Hobbs among them, as well as multiple 501c3 NGOs. This skirmish was won in court last week, but the real battle still lies ahead. Image: Public Domain As a staunch member of the religious right, a pastor associated with fundamentalism, and a strong advocate of Jewish and Christian values, I would like to welcome the Catholic J.D. Vance and his Hindu wife, Usha, to leadership in the Republican Party. It sounds odd for a fundamentalist (let alone an evangelical) to be big tent, but I think it is time that the religious right recognize that conservative principles transcend a strict adherence to the doctrines of evangelicalism, and that if we are going to see a right-wing revival, we need all who hold to right-wing principles, not just the evangelicals. In fact, a right-wing revival is simply a revival of Western culture, and we need to realize that Western culture was built largely sans evangelical, even though the evangelicals have carried the torch for the past 60 years. As a pastor, Im strong-as-goats-breath strong that local churches should be strict in their doctrine. The local church is not the place for a big tent doctrine. However, I also recognize that the local church is not the same as the Republican party. Rather, the Republican party is built on republican principles of freedom of the conscience free from government intrusion as well as freedom of expression in faith, family, values, and doctrine. I can be comfortable (and am) with a GOP that doesnt hold my particular doctrines on soteriology, eschatology, and ecclesiology (etc.) because I want local churches and individuals to have the freedom to develop and express those doctrines according to the dictates of their conscience, values, heritage, etc. I welcome J.D. Vance, the Catholic convert, to the top echelon of leadership because, quite frankly, evangelicalism has produced spineless political leadership and has been pitiful at producing leaders of substantive thought. Though I am not a Roman Catholic, and I think much of their doctrine is a huge misunderstanding of the role of the apostle Paul for believers today, versus their love of the apostle Peter and his message to the nation of Israel, I have to acknowledge that there is a vein of conservative Christian thought that is strongly intellectual and robust in argumentation. This is true from the days of the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella (and their huge influence on Western Civilization), to thinkers like the well known philosopher G.K. Chesterton and modern influencers like Matt Walsh and Michael Knowles of the Daily Wire. Evangelicalism, on the other hand, has produced leftists like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, globalists like George W. Bush, and wishy-washy leaders like Mike Johnson and Mike Pence. Evangelicalism is so pragmatically driven that they have few bedrock principles to evangelize a new generation of conservative political activists. If the GOP doesnt welcome robust thinkers like Vance, it will be an aging group of political losers shouting, Get off my lawn! Sadly, evangelical political leaders have been spineless. They say the right thing but rarely follow through. We need robust thinkers with steely veins. This is really nothing new. Evangelicals greatest friends have always been less than kosher outsiders. Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump are prime examples. Going back in history, even men like Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, and Dwight Eisenhower came from the conservative but not deacon material stock. J.D. Vance is a thoughtful Catholic, and Im not afraid of that. There are two streams of Catholicism: those who use and abuse it for heritage and votes, and those who engage in robust Catholic thought, which is deeply doctrinal and seeks the wisdom of Scripture for the development and continuation of Christian heritage. Vance is the latter type of Catholic, whereas Pelosi and Biden are the former. Its time to welcome the huge number of thoughtful and faithful Catholics into the GOP fold. Regarding Vances Hindu wife, Usha, many conservative Hindu people in America (like Vivek Ramaswamy) can be friends, not foes, to Christian values. These first- and second-generation Indian immigrants are tremendously hardworking, robust in their thinking, and very patriotic. As strict constitutionalists, we must recognize that our forefathers insisted that no religious test be required for holding office. This, I believe, is a good thing. There is a world out there that evangelicals dont even recognize. It includes Protestants, Catholics, Hindus, Jews, and even the religiously unaffiliated. Many of these individuals strongly support the same principles of republican liberties held by the GOP. The right needs those votes now more than ever. Instead of screaming about multiculturalism and the mixing of religious doctrines on the republican stage, lets welcome these people to achieve greater political ends. We can focus on doctrine in the local church (and lets do it better than we have been). Randy White is a pastor, conservative thinker, Bible teacher, and publisher living in Taos, New Mexico. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Forty years ago, after the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, I remember watching ABC anchor Frank Reynolds violently slam his fist on the desk when he was given some conflicting information about the presidents fate. The ABC brass quickly marched Sam Donaldson out to co-host, hoping to keep Reynolds calm. The country was shocked and somber. While the left disliked Reagan, no one that I remember expressed a hint of joy that he had been shot or sadness that hed survived. Fast forward 43 years, and we have another maverick Republican president (albeit not in office at the time) who was wounded by a would-be assassins bullet. This time, while most of the country was shocked and appalled, there was a significant element of the press and the left who argued that the president was responsible for the shooting, as others openly wished the shooter hadnt missed. Image by Vince Coyner, using AI. Whats interesting is that, as every day goes by, weve found out more about the utterly absurd events that put Trump at risk. We discovered that the DEI clown running the Secret Service diverted Trumps usual detail to protect her patron, Jill Biden , leaving Trump with the practice squad. Worse, we learned that the building upon which the would-be assassin set himself didnt have a sniper on it because the roof was sloped so a Secret Service sniper might fall offand that authorities knew the killer was there for more than 20 minutes before the first shot rang out. Agents were even in the building itself ! The most charitable assessment is that those in charge are utterly incompetent imbeciles. A less charitable assessment would conclude that they were somehow complicit in the attack. But, of course, if this were a set-up, its just the latest attempt to destroy Trump. The Democrats conspired to sabotage him beginning before he was president and never gave up. There have been lies about Russia, kids in cages, Good people on both sides, suckers and losers, and (a Biden favorite) Trump encouraging the drinking or injecting bleach. He was impeached for talking with Ukraine , investigated for allegedly trying to coerce Georgias Secretary of State to create votes after the 2020 election, and impeached for inciting that January 6th Insurrection , even though no such insurrection occurred, that he urged people to be peaceful, and that Twitter shut down his efforts to calm the crowd. The countless manufactured court cases have just been more of the same. All this while Democrats and their mouthpieces in the Propaganda Ministry have been telling Americans that Trump is a threat to the nation , calling him Hitler, and suggesting that if he gets into office, hell never leave. Donald Trump has been on the defensive for the last eight years. Whats more, his supporters have been abused, harassed, thrown in jail and, as happened to Ashli Babbitt on January 6th and Corey Comperatore on Saturday, killed. All this presents a picture of America that is much different than the one that the Democrats and their fellow travelers in the swamp and the media want you to think exists. According to them, its Republicans who are the party of violence and destruction. On Tuesday night, Joe Biden inadvertently highlighted this perception. He told the NAACP, And when you peacefully protested George Floyds murder, Donald Trump called for the National Guard to go after you. Thats pure gaslighting. Contra Bidens assertion, I dont remember the Floyd riots being particularly peaceful. There were riots across the country, more than a dozen people died, numberless businesses were destroyed at a cost of billions, and that entire summer was full of violence. Showing excessive restraint, Trump never called out the National Guard, leaving it to mayors and governors to control these communities. Nor is this gaslighting limited to 2020. I dont remember particularly peaceful protests after the death of Michael Brown or Freddie Gray. Thinking back even further, I dont remember Seattles WTO protests in 1999 being peaceful, nor the World Bank protests in Washington the next year. And the Democratic National Convention in 1968 wasnt marked by peaceful protest either. And more recently, weve seen the Hamas-supporting thug wing of the Democrat party unleash violence and chaos across the country. During that Floyd-inspired Summer of Love, Democrats were calling for and supporting violence against the fiction of systemic racism. And now, even as they claim never to have encouraged violence, theyve been telling their sheeple for years that Trump is the new Hitler , a threat to freedom, and a threat to our democracy. They and their cronies have suggested that if he gets back into office hell likely never leave . One wonders, given the lefts extraordinary propensity for violence, what might have happened if, rather than Trump being shot, it was the sainted Barack Obama in the crosshairs when he was a candidate? And what if the attempt had been successful? I can only imagine that the resulting cataclysm would have made the Summer of Love look like a Boy Scout campfire. But it wasnt Barack Obama, and there werent any riots. As a matter of fact, there werent any protest marches, there werent any threats of violence, there was nothing. And thats the difference between Republicans and Democrats. One seeks to govern and advance its agenda through debate, legislation, and the ballot box, while the other seeks to use slander, intimidation, and violence to achieve its means. The last time Republicans were given a proverbial punch in the facethe stolen 2020 electionwhat did they do? They protested in Washington, and almost all of them were doing so peacefully, as Trump had implored them to. Unfortunately, Democrats conspired to leave the Capitol largely unguarded and then decried the GOP when the predictable chaos ensued after police and agents incited a riot by firing stun grenades and rubber bullets into the peaceful crowd . This, of course, was labeled an insurrection, but it was nothing of the sort. Whatever it was, it was not equivalent to the Democrats 2020 Summer of Love, with burning cities, widespread violence, and murders of innocent people. Thats simply not the Republican way. The bottom line is that Democrats think we live in a democracy, while Republicansfor the most partunderstand we live in a republic. The former is the hallmark of tyranny of men, while the latter defines a nation based on freedom and rights guaranteed by a constitution. So that is where we stand today. Were not at a hot war, but then were not far from it. The Democrats and their comrades in the media, along with their Antifa, BLM, and pro-Hamas stormtroopers, have made it clear that a GOP victory in November will essentially put America where Germany was in the early 1930s. That logic, taken to its logical conclusion, effectively asks the famous question: If you could go back in time and kill Hitler, would you? Many of us might say yes. Well, Democrats are telling us that were facing the same threat now in the form of Donald Trump. Given the level of gullibility and mental illness that characterizes the left, how many of them will not choose to become martyrs for the cause or, at a minimum, foot soldiers? Lets hope this attempted assassination has a silver lining, which would be that the rhetoric on the left is dialed down a few notches, and a few Democrats start listening to sources outside their silo. If Amber Rose can do it, maybe a few million others could too, and there just might be hope that Trumps coming victory wont trigger a leftist cataclysm. Oh, dear -- we have another problematic top statesranking to confront. This one, from CNBC, ranks states for their business climate. While these ranking methodologies are not usually worth the time of day, I mention this one to show yet another example of how subjective measures can be manipulated by leftists who dont really do anything useful. However, this one deserves some attention because it highlights how misguided they are. Its not worth spinning ones head over all their individual state details, but its instructive to focus on Texas because CNBC ranked it last in quality of life, while incongruously ranking it third in business overall. This is perplexing because their peculiar methodology places a heavy emphasis on quality-of-life constituents that leftists drool over, such as voting rights, and inclusiveness (LGBTQ, and all that accompanies it, including trans sensibilities). Despite Texas scoring low in their conjured QOL measures, it ranks very highly in overall business attractiveness. CNBCs specific QOL methodology states, in part, With unemployment low and workers still in short supply, companies are seeking to locate in states that can attract a broad array of talent. That makes quality of life an economic imperative. Thats curious: it cant be that much of an economic imperative, for Texas (again, 3rd in business, yet 50th in QOL). Further betraying their brazen bias in determining QOL scores is their emphasis on voting rights. Wait a minute! Texas properly requires a photo ID to vote. Nevertheless, they are very flexible indeed, allowing voters to cast a provisional ballot if they dont have an acceptable form of photo ID. Furthermore, the forms of ID they accept are wide-ranging. Now then, to a reasonable citizen who values our civic responsibility and demands voting integrity to preserve our cherished right, Texass voting laws are quite reasonable. They should contribute to a higher QOL score, not lower. Outside the CNBC perverted eco-chamber of leftist groupthink (for example, of how they cherry-pick constituents of QOL), theres real life. CNBC admits that People keep pouring into the state (Texas) with Americas worst quality of life. People including Elon Musk, the worlds richest, self-made man, bringing a plethora of high-paying jobs with him. He already moved Teslas headquarters from California to Texas. A few days ago, he announced that SpaceX and X will also move their headquarters to Texas. Part of his reason is rejection of the innocuous-sounding inclusiveness that CNBC touts in their methodology. Specifically, hes fleeing the tarnished state of California because of an insane trans student privacy law that bars school districts from requiring parental notification of gender ID changes by their children. The rankers at CNBC are liberally-perverted; one may very well question their choices of what elements constitute QOL. But even indulging their liberal slant (such as emphasis on inclusiveness/LGBTQ and their progressive interpretation of voting rights), a state may achieve a very high QOL by rejecting leftist demarcations. That is, a high QOL might actually flourish where reasonable restraints are put on otherwise unrestrained public LGBTQ antics, and by not treating them specially (essentially, unequally). CNBC obviously pays leftist homage to notions of inclusiveness, but a high QOL standard might actually shun some of that baggage. Instead of their dubious delineations, QOL might well entail deference to parental rights when educators-cum-indoctrinators come for our kids. Likewise, requiring a photo ID to vote adds to QOL. One wonders: in next years QOL rankings, will they assign higher scores to jurisdictions that encourage illegal aliens to vote? I started by suggesting that one must take these subjective rankings with a grain of salt. This is evidenced by comparing last years WalletHub ranking of Texas as 9th in QOL, while only assigning it as 32nd for the economy. Thats 41 places higher than CNBCs QOL ranking, and 29 places lower than their (mostly) equivalent business ranking. Somethings askew, but who can trust survey results these days? They dont really make America better in any way whatsoever. With nothing more productive to do, lefties are likely to conduct them, thereby prejudicing results to favor social activism. Any acronym that features NBC hints at deceitful reporting under the auspices of the Dem-NBC progressive propaganda machine. The absurd placement of Texas as the last state for QOL -- based on scores that many consider favorable for a wholesome and salubrious lifestyle -- make me wonder if CNBC stands for Correspondents and Newscasters who Blur Communication. And thats being polite. Image: CNBC The Tik Tok video clip thats gone viral on social media features six Ugandan kids standing on a wall as though its a stage. The small one up front is standing behind three stacked plastic milk crates. A pretend microphone made of a stick and a garbage bag rolled up into a ball is taped to the top. Those milk crates are his podium. Two boys on both sides flank the group while holding toy rifles. A group of six smaller Ugandan kids stand below facing the group on the wall. These kids are the pretend-audience. The actual soundtrack of Donald Trumps speech in Butler, Pennsylvania plays as we hear the moment the attempted assassination happened. The kids reenact every moment of this event. They fall to the floor. They crouch behind the podium while the sound of gunshots blaze. Then the group on the wall clusters around the small boy playing the role of Trump. They imitate the Secret Service agents escorting Trump off stage, as the Trump actor punches his fist in the air three times and mouths the word, Fight in sync with Trumps audio. This is a Different Level People may react differently to such a video less than a week since the shooting took place. This took me back instantly to a moment in my career where I learned the importance of something similar to this. As a crisis communicator, I was working with a company involved on an environmental issue that had global implications. We were saying and doing all the right things. My client was highly effective at making its case to people in places like Washington, D.C., on Wall Street, and in newsrooms. Our approach was fact-based, which in the court of public opinion is a lot like how lawyers make their case in an actual courtroom. Words and logic built on top of each other like a brick on top of a brick that forms a mosaic that makes sense to the people the company cared most about. We thought we were winning on the issue. Then one day the CEO came in with a single crayon drawing in his hand. He had gotten a letter from one child which depicted a boat with his companys logo crudely drawn on the side. The men in the boat were killing wildlife. Keep in mind, this was not an orchestrated campaign where teachers told their classes to do this. No, this was just one child. The CEO said, We have to change everything. Once it gets to this level, you have to change. He was one of the most savvy executives Ive ever worked with, and he was right. Immediately, the company and our team pivoted. We went from a defensive posture, showing how the company wasnt the poor environmental citizen it was accused of being (it really wasnt), but instead went on the attack. But its aim was not at its critics. Rather, it became the leading advocate for the very issue that was being used to attack the company. It set the narrative and it led the way in ways it really didnt have to. And it came out on top. No Words I thought of this instantly when I saw those Ugandan kids in that video. The assassination attempt on former president Donald J. Trump has rapidly reached a level in the global culture that few things ever do. The real-life drama, the exhibition of raw courage, the pure grit, and the defiance that Trump exhibited in that moment. The fact that we know he had no ability to have anticipated it makes it all that much more stunning and shocking at the most basic of human levels. His response: the fist pump, the call to Fight three times, that unflinching look into the crowd with his head exposed to even more danger, above his security team. The blood on his face and on his right ear. Even Trumps worst critics deep down could not deny that this is a man of conviction and strength whom they have underestimated. When Donald Trump responded as only he would, the action transcended borders, cultures, ages, and languages. Even a group of kids who range in age from five to 10 in Uganda instantly understood what they witnessed on that video. Around the world, children and adults, Americas friends and foes saw the exact same thing. The power of something like this cannot be overstated. Once you see signs that a thing has reached this level in the culture, things will change whether you like it or not. In this case, no amount of talking points, fake media narratives, lawfare, or political smear campaigns can erase the deep-seated impression Trump left throughout society in this one moment. Does this guarantee him an election victory? No. As weve seen, the opposition has its way of doing well when the ballots are counted. But there is one thing no one can doubt at this point. Donald Trump has established himself as a once-in-a-generation global leader. And that is what the majority of people around the world crave right now. Tim O'Brien is a veteran corporate communications consultant and crisis communicator who operates OBrien Communications in Pittsburgh. Image: Trump White House The past few days have been nothing short of tumultuous. First, the world witnessed an unprecedented global internet failure. Then, in rapid succession, Israels Iron Dome experienced a deadly failure as a drone attack from Yemen slipped through, killing one and injuring 10, in Israel, marking the first deadly Houthi attack on Israeli soil. All this happened within 24 hours of former President Donald Trumps clarion call for an Iron Dome to protect the United States in his RNC convention speech. Coincidence? I think not. Someone is trying to demoralize our past and future president. Lets examine the timing. Trump delivered a powerful speech, waging a verbal war against cartels and terrorist nations like Iran, promising a fortified America if given a second term. Within a day, the world experiences a massive internet outage, followed by a breach in one of the most sophisticated defense systems, the Iron Dome. Are these just random events, or is there a more sinister message being sent to the world? There is a growing suspicion that dark elements behind the scenes are already working to undermine a potential second term for Trump. These events serve as a stark reminder that the battle for Americas future is already underway. The cyber-attacks and defense breaches sound like a warning shot, possibly indicating that formidable forces are prepared to wage a silent, yet devastating war against Trumps vision for a stronger, more secure America. Trumps address was a direct challenge to powerful adversaries: drug cartels that poison our youth, and terrorist regimes that seek to destroy our way of life. His promise to build an American Iron Dome was a bold declaration of intent to safeguard the nation. However, the recent breaches demonstrate that our enemies are not idly waiting. They are actively testing our defenses, probing for weaknesses, and sending a clear message: they will not back down easily. The Iron Domes failure is particularly alarming. Israel, a nation perpetually on the brink of conflict, relies heavily on this defense system. If such a robust shield can be penetrated, it raises serious questions about our own vulnerabilities. Trumps vision of an impenetrable defense might be more challenging to realize than anticipated, especially with enemies who have already infiltrated our borders. The reality is, America is already under attack. Sleeper cells of terrorists, embedded on U.S. soil, are likely being activated as we speak. These operatives are just waiting for the right moment to strike, and the recent events might just be the beginning. The global internet failure and the Iron Dome breach could be seen as a prelude to more coordinated attacks aimed at destabilizing the nation. The world sees Trump as the probable victor in the upcoming election. This perception alone is enough to trigger preemptive actions from our adversaries. They are ramping up their war against the U.S., anticipating a tougher stance on security and foreign policy. The battle for Americas future is not just about ballots and campaigns; it is about safeguarding the nation from threats that are becoming increasingly bold and sophisticated. In conclusion, the recent global internet failure and the Iron Dome breach are more than just isolated incidents. They are likely interconnected events, signaling the beginning of a covert war against Trumps vision for America. As we move closer to the 2024 election, it is imperative that we recognize the magnitude of the threats we face. The war for Americas future has already begun, and it is up to us to stand vigilant, prepared to defend our nation from enemies, both foreign and domestic. Jerry McGlothlin is a seasoned political commentator and CEO of Special Guests Publicity. He is known for his insightful analysis and strong opinions on contemporary political issues. Image: Public domain. Somehow, I don't think Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle expected to be chased around the luxury suites above the Republican National Convention by a dogged Senator, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, along with three other Republican colleagues. But that's what she got, and here is the video: Sens. Barrasso and Blackburn confront USSS Director Cheatle at the RNC. Good for them. pic.twitter.com/JDWacOR1Kg Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) July 18, 2024 Naturally, the response of some was this: Whatever blame Secret Service director Kim Cheatle deserves for the colossal security failure of last Saturday in Pa., the Republican Senators harassing her in the hallway of the GOP convention in Milwaukee Wednesday did themselves no credit. They will have her before them and Brit Hume (@brithume) July 18, 2024 And it may be how many bystanders felt. After all, we have seen it done by leftists to conservatives in restaurants and on home doorsteps and the like. But the chasearound reflects the reality that Cheatle and her cronies have been trying to bury the news about her agency's failure to execute its one job, which is protecting presidents and other dignitaries from assassination. They didn't do it, and Cheatle has outright lied, blamed others, cited ridiculous rationales. and obfuscated the matter, as well as refused to resign, and now she's getting away with it. Most noteworthy, she tried to blame the local cops for the fact that a rooftop, offering a would-be assassin a perfect clean shot against former President Trump, was completely unguarded by Secret Service agents charged with President Trump's protection, and the would-be assassin crawled right over the cops inside to mount the roof. She also claimed that guarding the roof was impossible because the roof was sloped, which it was, just slightly, posing an unacceptable security hazard to Secret Service agents, never mind Trump or the bystanders, which was why it was left unguarded. That was absurd, as the snipers who were on other rooftops, were perched on more peaked roofs than that one. Would that she had the same concern for agent safety when Joe Biden's German Shepherds were ripping into Secret Service agents and leaving blood on the floor of the White House in one case -- 24 times. It was one or the other, but of course, she never did get that information across in hearings. Why was that? Well, because the Senate Democrats who call the shots are also trying to sweep the whole thing under the rug. According to Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin: The USSS Senate briefing was unbelievably uninformative. Only 4 questions were allowed. The rest of us are supposed to submit questions. I already have. Awaiting a response. Not holding my breath. pic.twitter.com/PJUpCYXOPz Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) July 17, 2024 Four questions? Johnson sent out a list of his own questions, none of which were satisfactorily asked or answered. Meanwhile, Sen. Ted Cruz criticized the hearings as stonewalling, too: Cruz, who is among the Republican lawmakers calling for Cheatle's resignation, said she was unable to explain how Crooks had gotten onto the rooftop from where he opened fire, during a briefing with senators on Wednesday. "They asked the head of the Secret Service: how did the guy get to the top of the building?" Cruz said on his podcast. "She said, 'Well, I don't know.' The hell do you mean you don't know? This was four days ago, five days ago and you don't know how he got up to the building? Is there a more important question that you're dealing with?" Cheatle should "be fired yesterday," Cruz said. "It was the most spectacular failure." But Blackburn was unrepetentant, telling Fox News: MILWAUKEE Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn doubled down on her demand for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to answer questions about the assassination attempt against former President Trump. "Director Cheatle can run, but she cant hide. If she has time to sweet-talk folks in a luxury suite at the RNC, she has time to answer how the Secret Services failures resulted in President Trumps near-assassination," Blackburn told Fox News Digital on Thursday. "The last thing she should be doing is celebrating herself while rank-and-file agents are working around the clock to provide security in Milwaukee." During the third night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday, Blackburn and fellow GOP Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., James Lankford, R-Okla., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., confronted Cheatle over the security failures to prevent an assassination attempt on Trump's life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. The bad thing is, she fully expects to get away with it, answering no questions and taking no responsibility, despite being in a position of public trust on a big taxpayer salary. The only thing left, then, is for Marsha Blackburn to chase her around. It's exactly what she deserves. Image: Twitter video screen shot When you import the Third World, you become the Third World. And when you import Islam, which is a religion that has violence as one of its mandates...well, violence happens. Thats why in Leeds, in Englands ancient County of Yorkshire, the streets are aflame, and the police are retreating before Muslim rioters. Heres a little personal history to set this one up: In 1981, I realized my long-standing dream of spending my junior year abroad in England. However, my excitement was tempered by a certain sadness. My dream was about London, Oxford, Cambridge, or some other ancient British city. Those were the real England. That Leeds was in Yorkshire, one of Englands most historically interesting counties (e.g., it was Richard IIIs power base and Charlotte Brontes home), didnt resonate with me. I didnt want to go to some ugly industrial town. That just shows how stupid 20-year-olds can be. Image: Leeds. X screen grab. In fact, not only did I have a fantastic year, but what I learned upon arriving in England was that Oxford, Cambridge, and London were already then very international cities, filled with tourists, foreign workers and students, and immigrants. Meanwhile, Leeds and the surrounding towns, such as Bradford, were still quintessentially British. My friends all had deep roots in the country. Everyone had some variation of a British accent, and I grew adept at identifying their region of origin. I was seeing the real England, just as Id always dreamed. That England is gone. Although I left slightly more than 40 years ago, I might as well have left 100 years ago. Thanks to Labours policy (which the Conservatives followed) of importing into England the former Empire, along with nations that werent even part of the one-time British Empire, the British people who have genetic and historic ties to the land are becoming a minority. In the year from 2022 to 2023, England and Wales added over 600,000 people. In 2021, before those additions, almost 15% of the UKs population consisted of immigrantsand theyre mostly young and enthusiastic about having children. India and Pakistan accounted for 15% of the migrants. We can guess that all the Pakistani migrants are Muslim, while we dont know how many of the Indian ones have been. Call it The Empire Strikes Back. One of the Muslim immigrants main settlement patterns, according to a non-Jewish Yorkshire woman I met in 2004, is to settle deliberately in Jewish neighborhoods and then to drive out Jews through covert and overt intimidation. She said that the old Jewish neighborhoods in Yorkshires industrial cities, such as Leeds and Bradford, as well as in cities such as the Midlands Birmingham, were totally Muslim. As of 2021, Islam was the second-largest religion in the UK, at 6.5% of the total population (and note that this was before the past three years of mass immigration. Also in 2021, Muslims were 15% of Londons population and 8% of Yorkshires population. Those percentages have surely grown. In the most recent elections, Muslims won political offices across the UK, especially in Yorkshire. One of the first things the new Labour government has done is to re-fund UNRWA, which is Hamas. The problem with Muslim migrants is that a substantial number arent just seeking a better life for their families, whether because of genuine economic opportunities or more generous welfare policies. Instead, theyre seeking to expand the Caliphate, a mandate that their faith places upon them. Wherever they go, they believe that Mohameds jihad requires them to take control. Thats why its always important to pay attention to Peter Hammonds observations about the nature of Muslim immigration. Heres a 2010 summation that reflects Yorkshires growing Muslim population: When Muslims approach 10% of the population, they tend to increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions. In Paris, we are already seeing car burnings. Any non-Muslim action offends Islam, and results in uprisings and threats, such as in Amsterdam, with opposition to Mohammed cartoons and films about Islam. With that in mind, heres the most recent news from the Harehill district in Leeds, an area only a few miles from the student digs where I once lived: West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has admitted it did not tackle the blazes caused by rioters in Leeds because it was too dangerous. Chaos erupted on the streets of the northern city on Thursday evening, with rioters setting a double-decker bus alight and overturning a police car in scenes that were condemned by the Home Secretary and the mayor of West Yorkshire. The riots are thought to have broken out after social services removed four children from a family in the inner-city area of Harehills at about 5pm. This dry reporting doesnt give a sense of what happened in Leeds. These videos, many of which come from rioters (just as the most vile and violent footage of events in Israel on October 7 was the proud product of the Hamas perpetrators), give you a sense of the violence: Leeds tonight showed the world the consequences of mass immigration. You give them a home, you give them benefits, you give them safety and they give you hell. Ungrateful scroungers. pic.twitter.com/HsQULVSUwK Ashlea Simon (@AshleaSimonBF) July 18, 2024 Two imbeciles setting fire to buses in Harehills, Leeds. They dont even cover their faces because they dont fear the law.@WestYorksPolice arrest them. The law needs to make an example of them. pic.twitter.com/h89SLr6DMM Chris Rose (@ArchRose90) July 18, 2024 The UK has fallen. There are now race riots on the streets of Leeds - and no leading politician is prepared to speak up about it (Farage and Reform UK aside). Leaders turn a blind eye to Islamist takeovers of London. THIS CANNOT GO ON. WE ARE LOSING OUR COUNTRY! pic.twitter.com/B7ux2TNRNo Dan Wootton (@danwootton) July 18, 2024 Riots have erupted in Harehills, Leeds tonight after Social Services took children away from a Roma Gypsy family, with a police car overturned and a bus now set on fire. Britain needs to stop importing people with an alien culture and value system. Enough is enough. pic.twitter.com/QJ4NKPaEUy Cillian (@CilComLFC) July 18, 2024 Migrant riots in Leeds. Migrants riot in Whitechapel. Migrants get a slap on wrist for robbery. Migrant gets a slap on the wrist for attacking emergency service worker. This just today in Britain. Sick of it? Join us next Saturday. We must take our country back pic.twitter.com/SfPTQfCVkv Tommy Robinson (@TRobinsonNewEra) July 18, 2024 And of course, what happens in Leeds doesnt stay in Leeds. London, which has twice the Muslim population, is getting infected: On the same day there was migrant rioting in Leeds, England, protesters also carried out unrelated unrest in Whitechapel, a Muslim and migrant area of London. The London rioters were attacking in solidarity with riots happening in their country of origin, Bangladesh. pic.twitter.com/hsNREm0IQ4 Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) July 19, 2024 Whatever you do, dont expect the Labour government to take action. This is its base. Ill leave you with what Tucker Carlson said about Western governments (including America) when it comes to immigration and their complete disdain for and even malevolence toward the people who built the countries that the leaders are deliberately reconfiguring. (I cant figure out how to queue up a start time for Rumble videos, so just go to 6:20.) What Tucker is sayingor at least the way I understand itisnt that only white people should live in Western nations. Im the child of immigrants, but they came here legally, embraced American values, sent me to public schools that still taught those values, and turned me into a person who is law-abiding, hardworking, and loves her country. Until quite recently, this was the Western immigration model, and it worked. Its obvious that Tucker is talking about a new model, which is the wholesale replacement of the West, at incredible speed, with people who have no ties to, knowledge of, or respect for the countries theyre entering. Instead, significant numbers hate their new homesthe values and the peopleand openly seek to conquer them. There was nothing surprising about the assassination attempt against Donald Trump. To watch the scene play out in real time, it was possible to be struck by feelings of sadness or nausea. Certainly, those in attendance at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, will be dealing with the shellshock for the foreseeable future, and the loved ones of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who died shielding his family from danger, will never be the same. All this grief weighs heavily on the soul of America, but is it unexpected? No. The events that unfolded over this past weekend seemed the predictable result of a fracturing country. In the aftermath of 9/11, America came together for a moment to remember that we are all compatriots. Whatever petty disagreements taking place at the time were set aside as the job of sifting the debris was thrust upon us. I have often wondered if that would be the case today. If America were attacked, I suspect that instead of fostering unity, it would only serve to drive a wedge further between the people. There would be those who might think that America deserved her ill fortune for some perceived idea of collective guilt over historical injustices and others who would blame a lack of patriotism that left citizens vulnerable in the face of aggression. There would be pejoratives and accusations slung back and forth, and the rubble would remain in the streets. How did this happen? It is impossible to say with conviction that there is only one answer. It was probably a culmination of factors that led us to this pathetic moment in time. A glorification of shooters in the post-Columbine world. The rise of social media that algorithmically pushed people to more extreme views on the right and left. Perhaps it is the decline in religious adherence that used to place Democrats and Republicans side-by-side in the pews at least once a week. Whatever the root causes, it is clear that the fissures that have always run through the country have grown into ugly, jagged craters. No doubt we will see calls to turn down the rhetoric, as though it is the words that are the problem and not the violence itself. This is a well-intentioned and ultimately futile endeavor. Words are simply there to communicate thoughts and intentions. That is all they do. Changing the words does nothing to change the feelings behind them, and it is the feelings that are the problem. People now look across the political aisle and no longer see their fellow citizens, they see immoral people bent on the destruction of the country. They see enemies. Unless that changes, the unfortunate fact is that only more violence will follow. Throughout history there have been countless existential battles against foes that wish to destroy Western Civilization. The wars against fascism and communism in the twentieth century are the most obvious examples. Can anyone in America today say that what they face from their political opposition matches those threats? Do any politicians truly believe that democracy is on the ballot or that this could be the last election ever held? Of the 350 million Americans alive today, my guess is that barely a fraction of a percent believe such a thing to be true, yet it seems to be all we hear from the media, and it only takes one person to shoot at a president. There is no obvious solution to the problem at hand. The polarization of society along ideological lines will no doubt continue but recognizing it as a problem would be a nice place to start. Understanding that having people who differ on tax policy, immigration, or abortion is not a threat to our way of life but part of a healthy republic where ideas are tested through the democratic pressure cooker. At the same time, recognizing that anyone who excuses or justifies violence to achieve a political end should be stigmatized and excised from polite society is a must. Debating with those with whom you disagree is wonderful. The ability to voice your opinions and reject convention is one of the most fundamental freedoms we hold dear. Even the occasional barb now and then can be forgiven, but it is important to remember the most fundamental fact that we are all Americans, and beyond that, we are all humans. Image created by Andrea Widburg. Donald Trump has become unique in American history. He has survived and prevailed against so many plots of evil hypocrisy, so many creatures of wickedness risen against him, trying to take him off course, to destroy him, his circle, and his supporters. There have been many great presidents, but perverted ideologies and pervasive new technologies have enabled a depth of vilification and persecution of Trump unparalleled in American history. Yet he triumphs. It brings to mind the fantastical sagas of Greek mythology. Im thinking Odysseus (AKA Ulysses) and that triumphant warriors ten-year saga to get back to country, wife, and son. Trumps odyssey of miraculous survival is also coming up on ten years, from the iconic down escalator in his golden palace in 2015 to the fervently hoped for re-inauguration of 2025. The Odyssey of Homer is a vast poem based in Greek religious mythology. Though inspired by the fact of the contemporary Trojan war, the tales of the epic poem could not have happened. We Americans look at the incompetence, injustices and crimes committed by evil media and government the ignored Constitution, the smashed borders, the collusion with private industry to destroy our freedoms and sicken us and we say, This cannot happen in America. And yet year after year since 2015, the dark phantasmagoria continues. Even before Trumps first inauguration, the Department of Justice, the Cyclops, a monstrous beast who sees the world with only one eye, was bugging and infiltrating the new administration to hobble Trump. Ludicrous accusations like Russia-Russia-Russia, absurd impeachments, and current panoply of lawfare, including a reported government permission to shoot to kill if he objected to the ransacking of his own home. The Cyclops of mythology adopted the habit of imprisoning, crushing, and eating Odysseuss companions. Consider Trump associates (lawyers, consultants, and employees) George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, Allen Weiselberg, General Flynn, Peter Navarro, Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, and Jerome Corsi. Its a testament to the courage of these men that only Michael Cohen was turned. The one-eyed DOJ was blind to a nationwide crime spree in the summer of 2020 but persecuted thousands of Americans, and even killed a few, in the J6 insurrection hoax. In the Odyssey, the lotus-eaters lived on an island of perpetual stupor, lulled into losing a sense of urgency about their own lives. Maintaining a constitutional republic takes so much energy. The lulled are too stuporous to understand the medias accommodation to the rigged election, endless investigations that get to the bottom of things without penalty to the perpetrators, the ongoing invasion, and so on. Trump is rescuing the American people from their languor, not by blaming them, but by challenging them to greatness. Odysseus was not a perfect man, and neither is Donald Trump. Odysseus was faulted for hubris, for giving his name when he should have kept it hidden. The jealous-minded and those distracted by the unimportant also fault Trump for his pride. The hero who stands up for his beliefs cannot be self-effacing. The mythological heroes of any time do not falter, do not doubt themselves or their cause unto facing death, which is why history honors them through the ages. Dedicated to a true hero: Corey Comperatore. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Conspiracy theories are like navels: everybody has one. Ive suggested, here and at my home blog (enter trump in the SMM home page search bar to find the related, detailed, articles) two primary possibilities: (1) The Secret Service, top to bottom, is incredibly, wildly incompetent. Or (2) Elements of the Secret Service, whether without direction or with direction from higher authorities, have been creating vulnerabilities with plausible deniabilitylike sloped roofs?!hoping someone would take advantage of those obvious vulnerabilities and kill Donald Trump. One can go a bit further and suggest, without getting too far into tinfoil hat territory, someone within the Mummified Meat Puppet Administration (MMPA) is encouraging suggestible people to take advantage. In the meantime, consider this from Matt Walsh: Graphic: X/Matt Walsh screenshot Put that way it seems implausible. How could a 20 year-old with no known tactical skills so completely defeat the Secret Service (SS), particularly when we now know multiple supposed SS snipers were in the building he mounted, who repeatedly saw him doing incredibly suspicious things like using a rangefinder as much as an hour before shots were fired? That would seem to go somewhat beyond mere SS incompetence, doesnt it? And so does this: Graphic: X/HealthRanger Screenshot Is HealthRanger going too far in going too far? Not too long ago, entertaining any idea along these lines would have been thought nearly impossible, but from at least the Age of Obama to the MMPA, the government has been so weaponized against Normal Americans, and has so blithely thrown away its credibility, what HealthRanger suggests is not beyond the realm of possibility. Probability? Thats another matter. In order for this particular theory to pan out, pretty much everyone in that building would have had to have been in on the plot. There were apparently a number of law enforcement officers beyond SS snipersand their spotters?in that building. Could they all be in on it? If only SS agents were allowed in the building, thats a slightly stronger case, but we dont know any of that at the moment. Were there windows in that building providing a line of fire at Trump? Did they have screens, and could the windows be partially or fully opened and the screens removed and replaced so quickly no one outside could notice? If so, were the angles right? Would it have been possible for someone shooting from those windows to hit Trump, or were there too many people in the crowd in the way, a crowd that would be moving constantly and unpredictably? There are reasons snipers seek the high ground. Does the trajectory of bullets fired from those windows match the dead and wounded in the crowd? There were plenty of people near the building pointing out the assassin on the roof. Where were they in relation to possible windows? Would they have been in the way and would they have been able to tell from where the shots came? What did they see, and more telling, what didnt they see? Were any bullets recovered from the bodies of the victims, and if so, what are the ballistics? Do they match the assassins rifle? This measure arguably disproves the theory: shooting from ground level at a man standing on a stage requires an upward trajectory. The photo of a bullet track passing Trump indicates the opposite: Graphic: X/Haraz. N. Ghanbari Screenshot Notice the bullet is tracing a slight downward trajectory, impossible if it was fired from ground level, a point lower than Trump standing on an elevated stage. This alone would seem to falsify the theory. What would also mitigate against it is in order for this plot to work, they would have had to know precisely when the assassin was on the roof, and their shot(s) would have had to have been timed precisely to when he was in position to shoot. How much easier would it have been for a professional using a genuinely high-powered rifle, from a greater distance, well concealed and using a suppressor, to have fired one sure, killing, shot? The effect, and potential kindling of a second civil war would have been no less than engaging in a complicated, hard to time plot with the 20-year-old assassin had he been successful. What makes investigations like this challenging is every possibility must be falsified, every variable eliminated until the truth, including a precise timeline, is established. What makes this particular investigation virtually impossible is who is going to believe what the government, a government known for ignoring and violating the law, for destroying and withholding evidence, for serial lying to Americans, for harassing the innocent, a government so desperate to keep its death grip on power it will do anything, has to say? The hell of it is its their own damned fault. 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. Update: Pinterest has reached out to deny these claims that the social media giant suffered a Majo data breach affecting user data. Pinterest says there were no compromises and user data was never accessed. Pinterest may have suffered a major data breach affecting millions of users. While the company has denied any breach of its system, a hacker has leaked a database allegedly containing 60 million rows of Pinterest user data. They publicly posted a partial database on a popular leak forum. It contains six million records, including email addresses and IP addresses. The leak primarily impacted Pinterest users in the US and France. Alleged Pinterest data breach primarily impacts the US and France Spotted by Cyber Press, a hacker named Tchao1337 recently leaked a database containing six million records of Pinterest user data. It says that its a partial database from a 2024 breach with 60 million rows of data. The hacker is unsure about the source of the leak, so it isnt clear who extracted the data from Pinterests system. The exact timeline of the breach is also missing, and so is the full extent of the exposed information. However, Cyber Press verified that the public database contained email addresses, usernames, user IDs, and IP addresses. As such, it poses a series security threat to affected Pinterest users. The leaked information can be misused by hackers and threat actors for phishing attacks and identity theft. There is also a risk of unauthorized access to online accounts. If you have a Pinterest account, you should stay vigilant and change your passwords. That said, Pinterest has outright denied the breach. We have investigated this claim. Our investigation has found no evidence of a compromise of our system or user data, a company spokesperson told Cyber Security News. In the meantime, VPN provider Surfshark launched an investigation and found that the leaked database indeed contains information about Pinterest users. It says 6.8 million IP addresses were leaked. Of that, 1.91 million IP addresses, and the same number of email addresses, belong to US users. Accounting for almost 28% of all exposed data points, the US was the second-most affected region behind France. The leak exposed the personal data of 1.97 million French Pinterest users. India, China, and the UK are the next three most affected regions, with over 216,000 users. Brazil, Micronesia, Germany, and Japan had over 100,000 affected users. Over 200 million US users have had their emails leaked in 2024 According to Surfshark, this leak takes the total number of leaked email addresses in the US this year to over 207 million. The firms cybersecurity research hub reports that nearly four billion emails have been leaked in the US since 2004. You should change your passwords at regular intervals and avoid clicking on suspicious links. Enabling 2FA (two-factor authentication) helps secure your account in the case of a data breach. Google will launch the Pixel 9 Pro in August, and some lucky people will get a special pre-order gift. However, it seems that the promo will be available in just a few regions. The Google Store describes the gift as a limited-edition collectible. The Pixel 9 Pro special pre-order gift will not only be limited in terms of regions but also in available units. For starters, only buyers based in Australia, Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan will be able to try to get it. Also, the Google Store says it will be a special gift for our first orders. It seems that just pre-ordering the device wont be enough, so interested parties must act quickly. Some regions will get a Pixel 9 Pro with gift and a special box for the first pre-orders The Google Stores in Australia, Japan, and Singapore try to keep the gift a bit mysterious. They say it is a piece of Google Pixel design history. However, the one from Taiwan ruins the surprise a bit by saying that it could be a set of original Google Pixel design posters. Anyway, there may still be more surprises in the box. Regarding the box, it will also be different from the normal one. According to the image, the box has a thicker cardboard cover, similar to a book. The cover is engraved with the multicolored G Google logo in the center and Google Store just below. Its interior is black, and it also appears to use a thick material. In general, the box is quite elegant and even decorative. It seems that vanilla Pixel 9 buyers will not receive something similar. Google Stores say the gift is exclusively for the first orders of our new Pixel 9 Pro phones. Also, there is no news yet on special pre-order gifts for other markets. The company is likely to offer promotions such as discounts on Google products or even free accessories in multiple markets. However, it would be great if this special Pixel 9 Pro with a more elegant box and limited edition posters reaches more regions. Samsungs redesigned Galaxy Buds 3 Pro wireless earbuds have build quality defects. Over the past few days, several users have reported various quality control issues on the buds. The problems are so widespread that the company has halted sales of the new pair. It offers a refund or exchange for customers who pre-ordered the earphones and received defective pieces. Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sales temporarily halted due to build quality defects Launched alongside the new foldables on July 10, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are Samsungs newest and most desirable pair of premium wireless earbuds. The stemmed design may be called an Apple AirPods knock-off, though it has some originality of its own, the new buds excel in sound quality and call clarity, their primary functions. They offer premium features for an immersive music experience. Samsung started taking pre-orders for the new pair immediately after the launch event. Early buyers received the pair a few days later, with more units delivered this week. Unfortunately, things didnt go as planned for the company. While it hoped for a strong word of mouth to boost sales, build quality defects in the manufacturing process have forced the Korean firm to temporarily halt Galaxy Buds 3 Pro sales. User reports on social media and online forums, including Samsungs official community forum, say the Galaxy Buds 3 Pros ear tips are too fragile. They can tear easily when removing them from the buds. Users have also noticed uneven gaps and poor finishing on the body. Some units have quality issues with the Blade Lightsthe LED light strips arent aligned perfectly on the front of the stem. Samsung acknowledged the issues and offered a refund or replacement for early buyers. We deeply apologize for the quality issues that have been raised with some of the products you purchased during the pre-sale period, the company said in an official statement. Before the official launch in Korea on the 24th, we will do our best to thoroughly check all processes to prevent similar incidents from happening again. The new Samsung buds are no longer available on Amazon and Best Buy After two weeks of pre-orders, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are supposed to be generally available on July 24. While Samsungs official statement in Korea suggested it still plans to proceed with the sales on the same date, at least in its home country, the buds are facing a lengthy delay in the US, and potentially several other markets. Samsungs US website says the new buds will now ship on August 28. Best Buy has stopped accepting pre-orders and no longer mentions a release date for the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. It only says that the buds are coming soon. Amazon US, meanwhile, has entirely removed the listing. The product page now returns an error. Hopefully, Samsung will sort out these manufacturing issues soon and re-open sales of its new wireless earphones globally. You wouldnt want to order a pair anytime soon though. The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 series tablets could be powered by Dimensity 9300 Plus chipset. The South Korean tech giant may be ditching the tried and tested Qualcomm Snapdragon SoCs (System on a Chip). Entire Samsung Galaxy S10 series getting Dimensity 9300 Plus? Samsung has remained loyal to Qualcomm and steadfastly preferred the latters flagship offerings for its smartphones and tablets. However, moving forward, Samsung could expand its horizons and move beyond Exynos and Snapdragon SoCs. According to reliable tipster Ice Universe, Samsung is switching to MediaTek SoCs for the upcoming Galaxy-branded tablets. Specifically speaking, the entire Galaxy Tab S10 series could pack a MediaTek Dimensity 9300 plus chip. It has been confirmed that the Galaxy Tab S10 series will all use the MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chip. ICE UNIVERSE (@UniverseIce) July 18, 2024 Samsung hasnt officially announced the series yet. However, some rumors suggest the company wont offer a base model of the Galaxy S10 tablet. This makes Ice Universes claim even more interesting. It is important to note that such rumors have routinely appeared in the past. However, Samsung kept on proving them wrong. While the exact reason to avoid MediaTek SoCs isnt clear, several experts suggest Samsung intends to steadfastly position its tablets in the premium category. MediaTek has been steadily improving its offerings. However, despite significant gains in terms of efficiency and processing power, the companys chipsets are still majorly considered for budget and mid-range category smartphones and tablets. Will Dimensity 9300 Plus match a flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC? It appears Samsung may be shifting to MediaTek primarily due to rising costs. However, it is also possible that the company is looking to expand or diversify its supply chain. Samsung could have embedded its Exynos chipsets in the Galaxy Tab S10 series. However, the companys chipsets still havent comfortably beaten Qualcomms flagship SoCs. Opting for Dimensity chips could adversely impact Exynos especially when Samsung is reportedly readying Exynos 2500, a flagship-grade SoC. MediaTek Dimensity 9300 Plus announced. Specifications 9300+ 3rd Gen 4nm TSMC process CPU 1 3.40GHz Cortex X4 3 2.85GHz Cortex X4 4 2.0GHz Cortex A720 GPU Arm Immortalis-G720 MC12 12 core, Hardware ray tracing LPDDR5x & LPDDR5T RAM support UFS 4.0 + MCQ pic.twitter.com/xNoKI3GIku Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) May 7, 2024 MediaTek has officially announced the Dimensity 9300 Plus SoC. It is a flagship octa-core chipset capable of hitting 3.4GHz. It supports LPDDR5T/LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 + MCQ storage. The MediaTek NPU 790 packaged inside the Dimensity 9300 Plus supports Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI). Theres a 12-core GPU onboard which claims to support up to 4K gaming at high frame rates with hardware-accelerated raytracing. Some of the other notable features include support for Wi-Fi 7, 5G, and Bluetooth 5.4. Air passengers told to go home if flight cancelled following global IT outage Thousands of airline passengers whose flights have been cancelled due to the global IT outage are being urged to leave crowded airports. Some 167 flights scheduled to depart UK airports have been axed, with others delayed, while 171 flights due to land in the UK were cancelled, following the technical glitch. Passengers were forced to wait in long queues for check-in desks and to pass through security at airports such as Gatwick, Luton and Manchester. Aviation analytics company Cirium said 5,078 flights or 4.6% of those scheduled were cancelled globally on Friday, including the 167 UK departures. Ryanair, which said it was forced to cancel a small number of flights today, told passengers: If your flight has been cancelled, we kindly request that you leave the airport as the IT outage means we cannot currently assist passengers at the airport. Edinburgh Airport said: Anyone whose flight is cancelled is asked to please leave the airport and contact their airline directly. Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said her department was working at pace with industry and across Government on the issue. We continue to work with our airport colleagues to minimise the impact of the global IT outage on passenger journeys. Flights continue to be operational and passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest flight information. pic.twitter.com/j98zZmZNET Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) July 19, 2024 A traveller at Gatwick Airport said he had been queuing for more than three-and-a-half hours ahead of a flight to Miami, Florida. Dean Seddon, 42, from Plymouth, told the PA news agency: There are just people everywhere, there must be 400 people in this queue for the check-in desk Im at its just bedlam. Lance and Penny Spraggons said they had been waiting in a queue to check in at the West Sussex airport for more than an hour. Mr Spraggons said: The biggest problem is the lack of information. Rail services are being affected by the outage (Aaron Chown/PA) The queue at Stansted snaked outside the main terminal building. Courtney Kemal, 32, who had been in the queue for around two hours by late morning, said her two sons aged five and seven were obviously getting stressed. Rory Boland, editor of magazine Which? Travel, said passengers due to travel today will naturally be deeply concerned. He went on: If you can, avoid checking in a bag as queues for check-in at the airport will be long and IT failures typically lead to lots of lost bags. Passengers wait at Victoria railway station in London as services are affected by the IT outage (Aaron Chown/PA) If you do check-in bags, make sure you keep medication, keys and any other essentials in your hand luggage. He said passengers will not be eligible for compensation for delayed or cancelled fights due to the extraordinary circumstances, but airlines have a duty to look after them, including providing meals, accommodation and alternative flight bookings if necessary. UK air traffic control provider Nats said its systems are operating normally. Friday is the busiest day of the year so far for UK air travel with 3,214 departing flights as thousands of families embark on summer holidays at the end of the academic year for many schools. We are affected by the global Microsoft issues, so passengers may experience some delays while checking in and passing through security. Passengers should still arrive for their normal check-in time. We apologise for any inconvenience and are working to resolve the issue as pic.twitter.com/T9adpYELxW London Gatwick LGW (@Gatwick_Airport) July 19, 2024 Several US carriers grounded flights, including United, American Airlines and Delta. Train service information website National Rail Enquiries warned passengers of widespread IT issues across the entire network, although most train services ran as scheduled. South Western Railway said all its ticket vending machines had stopped working due to IT issues. UK transport networks have been thrown into chaos by the global IT outage. There are long queues at airports, while trains are also disrupted because of the problem. Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said her department is working at pace with industry and across Government on the issue. Consumer group Which? advised airline passengers to avoid checking in luggage if possible. Microsoft is currently experiencing a global outage which is impacting select systems at Heathrow. Flights are operational and we are implementing contingency plans to minimise any impact on journeys. Please check with your airline for the latest flight information. pic.twitter.com/s6Psd6pHUB Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) July 19, 2024 Long queues formed at airports such as Gatwick, Luton and Edinburgh. Ryanair advised passengers to arrive at airports early as it switched to manual check-in. A traveller at Gatwick Airport said he had been queuing for more than three-and-a-half hours ahead of a flight to Miami, Florida. Dean Seddon, 42, from Plymouth, told the PA news agency: There are just people everywhere, there must be 400 people in this queue for the check in desk Im at its just bedlam. Its one of those things where you kind of know were not going to fly, but you dont want to leave because you dont know. (Staff are) doing the best they can but they dont actually know when its going to be fixed, so it is frustrating, but you kind of feel for the staff as well. Rail services are being affected by the outage (Aaron Chown/PA) Lance and Penny Spraggons said they had been waiting in a queue to check in at the West Sussex airport for more than an hour. The couple are booked to fly to Paris to mark their 55th wedding anniversary by going on a cruise starting on the River Seine. Mr Spraggons said: The biggest problem is the lack of information. We got here and we didnt know what was happening until we saw the queues. A spokeswoman for Heathrow, the UKs busiest airport, said the outage was impacting select systems. She went on: Flights are operational and we are implementing contingency plans to minimise any impact on journeys. The queue at Stansted snaked outside the main terminal building. Passengers wait at Victoria railway station in London as services are affected by the IT outage (Aaron Chown/PA) Courtney Kemal, 32, who had been in the queue for around two hours by late morning, said her two sons aged five and seven were obviously getting stressed. The business student, from Romford, east London, said their Ryanair flight taking them on an eight-day holiday to Magaluf, Spain, was due to leave at 12.40pm and they had arrived at 9am. She said she had heard nothing from the airline and we had no warning of this. Rory Boland, editor of magazine Which? Travel, said passengers due to travel today will naturally be deeply concerned. He went on: If you can, avoid checking in a bag as queues for check-in at the airport will be long and IT failures typically lead to lots of lost bags. If you do check-in bags, make sure you keep medication, keys and any other essentials in your hand luggage. He said passengers will not be eligible for compensation for delayed or cancelled fights due to the extraordinary circumstances, but airlines have a duty to look after them, including providing meals, accommodation and alternative flight bookings if necessary. We are affected by the global Microsoft issues, so passengers may experience some delays while checking in and passing through security. Passengers should still arrive for their normal check-in time. We apologise for any inconvenience and are working to resolve the issue as pic.twitter.com/T9adpYELxW London Gatwick LGW (@Gatwick_Airport) July 19, 2024 UK air traffic control provider Nats said its systems are operating normally. Friday is the busiest day of the year so far for UK air travel with 3,214 departing flights as thousands of families embark on summer holidays at the end of the academic year for many schools. Aviation analytics company Cirium said 1,396 flights have been cancelled globally, including 43 UK departures. Several US carriers have grounded flights, including United, American Airlines and Delta. Train service information website National Rail Enquiries warned passengers there are widespread IT issues across the entire network. Among the operators affected are Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway, Southern and Thameslink. National Rail Enquiries said: Some train operators are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice train cancellations. Additionally, other key systems, including real-time customer information platforms, are also affected. South Western Railway said all its ticket vending machines had stopped working due to IT issues. It advised passengers to purchase your ticket online, on the train or speak to a member of station staff. Industry body the Rail Delivery Group said most trains are still running across the country. Ms Haigh said: We are aware of IT failures impacting several transport operators and terminals today, and were working at pace with industry and across Government on the issue. There are no known security issues at present. If youre planning to travel today, please follow operator advice and check ahead before leaving. Manual check-in may be required at airports and there may be flight and train cancellations and delays. The cost of childcare over the school summer holidays is now more than 1,000 per child on average, a survey has suggested. Fewer than a fifth of local authorities in England have enough holiday childcare provision for full-time working parents and costs have risen since last year, according to the Coram Family and Childcare charity. It found families in the UK pay on average 1,049 for six weeks of holiday childcare for a school-age child, which is 635 more than they would pay for six weeks of after-school childcare during term time. The research, based on surveys from local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales between April and June, suggests the cost of holiday childcare has risen by 6% on last year. The average cost of a place at a holiday club in the UK is now approximately 175 per week 2.5 times higher than the cost of an after-school club during term time, the charity said. Wales has the highest weekly price at 209, followed by England at 173 and Scotland at 167. Availability of provision in England has fallen this year, the survey found, with just 17% of local authorities reporting that they have enough holiday childcare for parents working full-time in all areas compared to 24% in 2023. In England, just 3% of local authorities said they had enough holiday childcare for disabled children in all areas. Working parents also face a huge disparity in price and availability of holiday childcare places depending on where they live in the UK, the report found. Families in the south east of England pay an average of 216 per week which is 23% more than the national average across the UK, while in central London families pay an average of 153 a week. In March 2023, then-chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced that eligible families of children as young as nine months in England would be able to claim 30 hours of funded childcare a week by September 2025. Working parents of two-year-olds in England have been able to access 15 hours of funded childcare during term time since April as part of a staggered rollout of the Governments childcare expansion. This is due to be extended to working parents of all children older than nine months from September this year, before the full rollout of 30 hours a week to all eligible families a year later. The charity is calling on the Government to extend funding to support working families and carers with childcare during the school holidays. The report concluded there is a clear gap in childcare provision during school holidays and a pattern of increased costs and low availability of places, particularly for children with Send. It added: The additional investment in funded early education places and wraparound childcare is very welcome, and has the potential to make a real difference to children and families during term-time, but not including school holidays means it is still impractical for many parents to work, and leaves others facing unaffordable costs every school holiday. Ellen Broome, managing director of the charity, said: Too many families dread the onset of the summer holidays. Rather than a time for families to rest, play and have fun together, many parents worry about how to pay for holiday childcare during the long summer break. And with ever growing shortages of available childcare, finding a place will be a challenge this summer, particularly for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send). Coram is calling on the Government to expand provision of school holiday activity and food programmes, and provide more funding to holiday childcare providers to meet the needs of children with Send. A Local Government Association (LGA) spokesperson said: Access to holiday childcare provision is vital for families and can have a positive benefit on the development of children. While councils recognise the importance of ensuring there is sufficient provision available for children with Send, it can be difficult to ensure the right provision is available, particularly given the challenging situation that many providers face at the moment. Councils work closely with providers to improve access to holiday childcare provision for children with Send but without concerted investment and recruitment of quality staff this will be difficult to deliver. A Department for Education spokesperson said: Too often, childcare is unavailable or unaffordable, particularly for disadvantaged children or those with additional needs, and we are determined to rebuild opportunity for every child. Local authorities are expected to offer the equivalent of six weeks of holiday activities and food programme provision, which provides meals, activities and free childcare places to children from low-income families. Businesses and institutions around the world have been been knocked offline after a major IT outage, believed to have been caused by a faulty update to widely used cybersecurity software. The outage is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices in England but there is currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services, NHS England said. The health service said patients should attend appointments unless told otherwise and should only contact their GP if it was urgent. The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with a GP appointment and patient record system. If you have an appointment please do attend unless you are told otherwise. If you need help use 111 online or by phone and in an emergency call 999. https://t.co/M4QxHP2GqM NHS England (@NHSEngland) July 19, 2024 Major infrastructure including airlines, train companies, banks and media outlets have ground to a halt after their computer systems were knocked offline or leaving devices showing the so-called Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). In the UK, Sky News went off air, while Britains biggest train company warned passengers to expect disruption because of widespread IT issues, as did many major airlines and airports. Across England, GP surgeries have reported being unable to book appointments or access patient records as their EMIS Web system went down. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) also said services in community pharmacies, including the accessing of prescriptions from GPs and medicine deliveries, are disrupted today. Around the world, banks, supermarkets and other major institutions reported computer issues disrupting services, while many businesses have been left unable to take digital payments. Microsoft has confirmed it was aware of and fixing issues with its cloud platform, Azure, but many cybersecurity experts have reported the potential source of the issue as global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which provides cyber attack monitoring and protection to many major businesses. Experts have said a flawed update to CrowdStrikes Falcon Sensor software could be the source of the problem. CrowdStrike has not issued a statement on the issue, but calls to the companys technical support phoneline were met with a recorded message which said it was aware of reports of crashes on Windows relating to the Falcon sensor. CrowdStrike has advised affected customers to log on to their customer service portal for assistance. Overnight, Microsoft confirmed it was investigating an issue with its services and apps, with the tech giants service health website warning of service degradation that meant users may not be able to access many of the companys most popular services, used by millions of businesses and people around the world. Cybersecurity expert Troy Hunt also reported seeing issues at CrowdStrike, with Australian telecoms firm Telstra posting to X, formerly Twitter, that the worldwide outage was because of a global issue affecting both Microsoft and CrowdStrike. Sky News was knocked off air (Sky News/Screengrab) Among the impacted firms are Ryanair, with the airline posting to its website: Potential disruptions across the network (Fri 19 July) due to a global third party system outage. Affected passengers will be notified and any passengers travelling across the network on Fri 19 July should check their Ryanair app for the latest updates on their flight. We advise passengers to arrive at the airport three hours in advance of their flight to avoid any disruptions. We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers by this third party IT issue, which is outside of Ryanairs control and affects all airlines operating across the network. Edinburgh Airport said the IT outage is causing longer waiting times. A spokesperson said: An IT system outage means wait times are longer than usual at the airport. This outage is affecting many other businesses, including airports. Work is ongoing to resolve this and our teams are on hand to assist where we can. Passengers are thanked for their patience. Rail services were affected (Peter Byrne/PA) Meanwhile, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) parent company of Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern warned passengers to expect delays because of the issue. According to service status monitoring website Downdetector, users were reporting issues with the services of Visa, BT, major supermarket chains, banks, online gaming platforms and media outlets. GP practices across England took to social media to report they cannot access the EMIS Web system. It is understood that NHS hospitals are currently unaffected by the outage. EMIS Web is the most widely used clinical system for primary care in the UK. It enables GP practices to book appointments, examine records and includes a clinical decision support tool as well as helping with admin. Solihull Healthcare Partnership in the West Midlands said there is a national issue with EMIS Web. It said on X: Unfortunately there is a national issue with EMIS Web our clinical computer system. This will affect our ability to book/consult with patients this morning. Windrush Medical Practice in Witney, Oxfordshire, said it is continuing with emergencies but urged patients with routine concerns to wait until Monday. Other GP surgeries hit by the outage have said the issue will have a big effect. Central Lakes Medical Group in Ambleside wrote on X: Were impacted by the IT outage. This will have a big effect on us, so apologies in advance for the inconvenience caused, and delays on the phone. Cybersecurity experts said that the widespread access CrowdStrikes Falcon Sensor had to business systems meant an issue with the platform would have widespread effects. Toby Murray, associate professor in the School of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne, said: CrowdStrike Falcon has been linked to this widespread outage. CrowdStrike is a global cybersecurity and threat intelligence company. Falcon is what is known as an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) platform, which monitors the computers that it is installed on to detect intrusions hacks and respond to them. That means that Falcon is a pretty privileged piece of software in that it is able to influence how the computers it is installed on behave. For example, if it detects that a computer is infected with malware that is causing the computer to communicate with an attacker, then Falcon could conceivably block that communication from occurring. If Falcon is suffering a malfunction then it could be causing a widespread outage for two reasons one: Falcon is widely deployed on many computers, and two: because of Falcons privileged nature. Falcon is a bit like anti-virus software: it is regularly updated with information about the latest online threats so it can better detect them. We have certainly seen anti-virus updates in the past causing problems e.g. here. It is possible that todays outage may have been caused by a buggy update to Falcon. An independent MP who campaigned on a pro-Gaza platform said he could not be in Parliament on Friday because he had to deal with a potential death threat. Shockat Adam, MP for Leicester South, said that he welcomed the Governments decision to restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) in a post on X, formerly Twitter. But he said that he could not be in the House of Commons to hear the Foreign Secretary David Lammy announce the move to overturn the suspension of funding to the UNs main agency providing aid in Gaza because he was dealing with a potential death threat. Mr Adam wrote: I welcome the Government finally restoring funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after this was abruptly withdrawn by the Conservatives, denying Palestinians life-saving aid. Today, this victory is a result of the powerful mass movement. I welcome the Government finally restoring funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after this was abruptly withdrawn by the Conservatives, denying Palestinians life-saving aid. Today, this victory is a result of the powerful mass movement. pic.twitter.com/0KQGiJQgXC Shockat Adam (@ShockatAdam) July 19, 2024 Hundreds of thousands of people have joined peaceful marches, and voters from all backgrounds, including of all faiths and none, sent Labour a clear message at the general election. This silence has consequences. Now, the Government must go further. We demand an immediate end to British arms sales to Israel, the recognition of the state of Palestine and the withdrawal of the legal bid to block the International Criminal Court from seeking an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Regrettably, I could not be in the chamber today as I was dealing with a potential death threat. I want to thank the Leicestershire and Cambridgeshire police for their professional, prompt and courteous assistance in dealing with this incident. Aggressive behaviour towards me and my family has become commonplace, but I can assure my constituents it will not deter me from my duties. Several senior Labour figures were defeated at the general election by independent candidates amid discontent with the partys position on the war in Gaza. Mr Adam unseated Labour frontbencher Jonathan Ashworth. Mr Ashworth retweeted a post on Friday that noted Mr Adam was not present during the UNRWA announcement. Mr Ashworth commented: But our MP in Leicester South said his victory was for Gaza. Where is he? The Foreign Office paused any future funding for UNRWA in January due to allegations that staff from the aid organisation had been involved in the October 7 Hamas attack which began the latest outbreak of violence in the Middle East. Mr Lammy told the Commons the Government was reassured that UNRWA is ensuring it meets neutrality standards and is strengthening its procedures, including on vetting, after Catherine Colonna, the French former foreign affairs minister, carried out an independent review. Restoring funding to UNRWA was one of a series of demands related to Gaza that Mr Adam and four other independent MPs, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, outlined in a letter to the Foreign Secretary on Monday. Leicestershire Police were contacted for comment. Cambridgeshire Police could not be reached. More than 15,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel this year as more people made the journey on Thursday, according to new Home Office figures. Some 317 people travelled across the busy shipping lane in six boats, in the first recorded arrivals since Monday when 427 people made the crossing in seven boats. This brings the provisional total of migrants arriving via the English Channel in 2024 so far to 15,076. This is 9% higher than the number recorded this time last year (13,774) and 0.2% down on the same period in 2022 (15,106), according to PA news agency analysis of Government data. (PA Graphics) Boats continued to cross the Channel on Friday. It comes as one person died and 71 others were rescued in an incident off the coast of northern France on Wednesday, sparking a rescue operation involving French coastguard, Border Force and the RNLI. All the rescued migrants were returned to Calais. The Home Office denied there had been a change in policy amid reports the Border Force vessel had returned migrants to Calais for the first time ever. It is understood the migrants were brought to the French port at the request of the French, and that rescued people are routinely taken to the closest safe port which could be in France by UK vessels under the countrys international maritime obligations. Thousands of people have arrived in the UK, figures show (Gareth Fuller/PA) The death comes after four migrants died in the English Channel on July 12, which Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday was a chilling reminder of the human cost of people smuggling as he vowed to tackle the issue at the European Political Community summit. Speaking on Friday, armed forces minister Luke Pollard welcomed the effort by Border Force to make sure that we are tackling that cross-Channel smuggling operation thats going on. Asked whether there was a new policy for Border Force to return small boats to France, he told LBC Radio: Well be working out the full policy and how it works. Im afraid its not as simple as taking every single boat back to the French shore. But what we have seen is French ships intercepting some of those dinghies travelling across the Channel and returning to France. Wed like to see more effort put in place like this, so were stopping that illegal trade. Andrew Malkinson was convicted of a rape he did not commit - Jordan Pettitt/PA Andrew Malkinson has claimed there are at least half a dozen other innocent people jailed in the UK for offences they did not commit. Mr Malkinson, whose wrongful conviction for rape was overturned by the Court of Appeal after he spent 17 years in jail, said it was a human rights atrocity unfolding in plain sight but behind closed prison walls. He was freed last summer after judges accepted DNA evidence linking the rape to another man and ruled that he had been wrongfully imprisoned in 2004. An independent review of the Criminal Cases Review Commissions (CCRC) handling of his case found that he should have been freed a decade earlier after the body missed chances to correct the miscarriage of justice as early as 2009. Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, is seeking to sack Helen Pitcher, the chairman of the commission, over the failings. Ms Pitcher apologised to Mr Malkinson for the CCRCs errors but has not resigned. Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Mr Malkinson said: I know at least half a dozen people who I am convinced are innocent. But the process is so deeply flawed that these people are not getting access to justice and they are languishing in prison for decades. Its like a human rights atrocity happening in plain sight behind closed walls. Treated like scum Asked if Ms Pitchers apology was enough, he replied: No, its not. Its far, far too late. Weve been asking for an apology since the beginning, when it was overturned on July 26 2023. It seems to me very strongly like this is the most reluctant apology when all avenues have been explored for her to seek a positive outcome. The CCRC lost its way many years ago and its been letting down many, many inmates in prison, some of whom, I have no doubt, have taken their own lives due to being rejected. Thats no joke. Mr Malkinson said an official apology about the handling of his case had come 'far, far too late' Mr Malkinson confirmed he was seeking compensation but said it was a long process with an unnecessarily convoluted pathway. He said he was having to live on Universal Credit payments of 360 a month and gift cards from supermarkets because I cannot afford to eat. Mr Malkinson added that he was suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The [CCRC] chair has to go and the culture has to change as well. Theyve got the wrong approach to miscarriages of justice, he said. I cannot describe what its like to be in jail serving a life sentence for something you know you didnt do. Its the most horrific, nightmarish existence. Youre not living. Youre existing at a very, very miserable level, and its awful. Youre treated like scum. Its just unbearable, constantly unbearable. Abortion providers in Australia will be required to register with a US-based certifications company to advertise on Google. Photograph: mihailomilovanovic/Getty Images The Australian abortion and contraception provider MSI says Google is forcing the organisation to pay thousands of dollars a year to a third-party US company to keep advertising its telehealth services in Google search. Under a new health and medicines policy introduced by Google in May, providers offering telemedicine services globally must be certified and comply with local laws. From August providers in Australia will be required to register with the Portland, Oregon-based certifications provider LegitScript to keep advertising their services. MSI said it would cost more than $4,700 in registration and annual fees but the price may vary. These fees are separate to the costs of advertising the services. The organisation has argued that forcing healthcare providers into expensive third-party verification with a US-based company ignores the regulations and inspections under Australian state and federal governments that MSI is subject to. It argued this puts an extra hurdle up in getting advertisements online. The managing director of MSI Australia, Greg Johnson, said access to abortion and contraception services would be threatened if MSI could not advertise telehealth services, particularly to those based in regional areas. We already have extensive consumer protections in place through Australian regulatory bodies and quality assurance programs, he said. Googles new policy just adds an expensive, opaque layer of red tape and will ultimately cause harm to people who need care. MSIs director of clinical excellence, Dr Catriona Melville, said it was concerned the US-based company was making decisions influenced by the US political climate surrounding reproductive rights. Related: Abortion is essential healthcare so why isnt it universally affordable and accessible? | Ronli Sifris We believe that Australian healthcare policy should be determined by Australians, not by the political landscape of another country. A spokesperson for Google said the policy covered all telemedicine ads and was not specific to abortion providers. This helps ensure that people can safely access these services, while complying with relevant laws and industry standards, the spokesperson said. Many telemedicine providers in Australia and around the world have completed this certification process and are successfully running ads on our platforms. The spokesperson said LegitScript was a globally recognised accreditation body used by companies around the world, and Google relied on LegitScripts expertise to ensure user safety and advertiser compliance. There were no exceptions to the policy, the spokesperson said, but added Google was working with MSI to clarify the policy and requirements. LegitScripts senior communications manager, David Khalaf, said the companys goal is to make the internet safer and more transparent by protecting consumers from the online sale of fraud and violative products. By partnering with companies including Google, Facebook, Microsoft and TikTok, our Healthcare Merchant Certification program ensures that pharmacies and telemedicine companies advertising on these platforms have demonstrated compliance and are operating within all laws and regulations of their applicable jurisdiction, he said. MSI has previously experienced issues with advertising its services in Australia through Google in 2019 and 2022 over the wording of abortion services. MSI Ghana also reported in March that its use of the term pregnancy options had fallen afoul of Googles ad policy in the country. Google denied this, arguing that the ads may have been rejected for targeting people based on sensitive health categories such as pregnancy. Those Australians affected by the MediSecure hack may never find out their information was taken. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA The 12.9 million Australians caught up in the hack on electronic prescriptions provider MediSecure may never be told their personal information has been compromised, with the prime minister saying on Friday he wasnt aware if he was one of the victims. On Thursday evening, the administrators for MediSecure which went into administration after the hack revealed 6.5TB of data had been compromised after a ransomware attack on a database server, which was discovered by the company in April. Related: MediSecure reveals about 12.9 million Australians had personal data stolen by hackers in April MediSecure restored a backup of the server and determined that the information taken included contact information, Medicare and concession card information, and prescription information for the 12.9 million Australians who used MediSecure for prescription delivery between March 2019 and November 2023. Those affected may never find out their information was taken as MediSecure has said the dataset is complex and it is not practicable to specifically identify all individuals and their information impacted by the incident without incurring substantial cost that MediSecure was not in a financial position to meet. The administrators also said MediSecure had no resources for the public to contact them to see if theyre affected by the incident. The office of the home affairs minister, Clare ONeil, did not comment on whether the government would step in to advise those affected. Prior to going into administration, the company had sought a bailout from the federal government to keep operating but that request was denied. A sample of the data was posted on the dark web, however the national cybersecurity coordinator, Lt Gen Michelle McGuinness, advised the public not to go searching for the data as it only feeds the cybercriminal business model and may be a criminal offence. I understand many Australians will be concerned about the scale of this breach. I encourage everyone, whether impacted in this incident or not, to be alert to being targeted in scams, McGuinness said in a post on X. Be on the lookout for scams referencing the MediSecure data breach, and do not respond to unsolicited contact that references the data breach experienced by MediSecure. On Friday the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said the hack was still under investigation by the Australian federal police and he was not aware if he was one of the 12.9m caught up in the breach. He said it was a very significant cyber event. I understand many Australians will be very concerned about this data breach that affects up to half of the Australian population, he said. It is not the first and it wont be the last. It is something that we are very conscious of as a government and we are working with the private sector, as well as with our agencies, because these issues can be an issue of national security but they can be an issue as well of the privacy of individuals. MediSecure was one of two electronic prescription services operating in Australia until late 2023, when the Australian government awarded the service exclusively to another company, Fred IT Groups eRx Script Exchange. eRx is not affected by this attack. Bamburgh, in Northumberland, has been voted the UKs best seaside destination for the fourth consecutive year. Photograph: PindropandHop/Getty Images Bamburgh, the Northumbrian village known for its sprawling sand dunes and imposing castle, has retained its title as the UKs best seaside destination for the fourth consecutive year. A survey of 4,700 people by the consumer group Which? placed the Northumberland coastal village as the nations favourite, ahead of Portmeirion in Gwynedd and St Andrews in Fife. The north-east coastal villages 1,400-year-old castle, which was once a Norman stronghold, dominates the skyline, while tourists are also attracted to the large, sandy beach. Bamburgh scored a destination score of 86%, with participants asked to mark destinations on a number of measures including beaches, value for money, attractions and parking. Those that responded to the online survey said that they liked Bamburghs magnificent and unspoiled beach, as well as the dramatic views of the castle. The village scored five stars for its peace and quiet, and five stars for its seafront and pier. Portmeirion, in north Wales, scored 83% and St Andrews, in Scotland, 82%, while fourth-placed Tynemouth in Tyne and Wear, north-east England, scored 81% and fifth-placed St Davids in Pembrokeshire, Wales, scored 80%. At the other end of the table Bangor, also in Gwynedd, Wales, was voted the worst seaside destination, scoring just 42%, while Mablethorpe in Lincolnshire was second-worst, scoring 46%. Related: 10 of the best piers and promenades in the UK: readers travel tips Bangor, which is only 30 minutes drive from Portmeirion, scored one star for its seafront and pier, as well as for its food, drink, and scenery. Respondents noted that while Bangor had suffered from some shop closures in the town centre, it nonetheless had some really good restaurants, amenities and a wonderful pier. Some respondents noted that Mablethorpe felt rundown in places, but others praised its lovely, enormous, clean beach. Rory Boland, the editor of Which? Travel, said: While you may have your own favourite coastal spot, this years survey shows that its worth looking beyond the most famous resorts this summer, to the lesser-visited hidden gems in every corner of the UK. Boland, who is a graduate of Bangor University, defended the Welsh town saying that while it had hit hard times, it still had a number of great attractions. He said: Part of the problem too is that many of its best attractions, set back from the main town, are little known. The 1,500ft, grade II Garth Pier is a Victorian triumph and remains much the same as when Lord Penrhyn opened it in 1896. A screen above the entrance to the baggage claim area on Friday 19 July at the Portland International Jetport in Portland, Maine. Photograph: Gregory Rec/AP Services began to come back online on Friday evening after an IT failure that wreaked havoc worldwide. But full recovery could take weeks, experts have said, after airports, healthcare services and businesses were hit by the largest outage in history. Flights and hospital appointments were cancelled, payroll systems seized up and TV channels went off air after a botched software upgrade hit Microsofts Windows operating system. It came from the US cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, and left workers facing a blue screen of death as their computers failed to start. Experts said every affected PC may have to be fixed manually, but as of Friday night some services started to recover. As recovery continues, experts say the outage underscored concerns that many organizations are not well prepared to implement contingency plans when a single point of failure such as an IT system, or a piece of software within it, goes down. But these outages will happen again, experts say, until more contingencies are built into networks and organizations introduce better back-ups. In the UK, Whitehall crisis officials were coordinating the response through the Cobra committee. Ministers were in touch with their sectors to tackle the fallout from the IT failure, and the transport secretary, Louise Haigh, said she was working at pace with industry after trains and flights were affected. Many people are being affected by today's IT outages impacting services across the country and globally. Ministers are working with their sectors and respective industries on the issue. I am in close contact with teams coordinating our response through the COBR response system Pat McFadden (@patmcfaddenmp) July 19, 2024 A Microsoft spokesperson said on Friday: Were aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform. We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming. Texas-based CrowdStrike confirmed the outage was due to a software update from one of its products and was not caused by a cyber-attack. Its founder and chief executive, George Kurtz, said he was deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused to customers, adding there had been a negative interaction between the update and Microsofts operating system. CrowdStrikes stock price fell dramatically over the course of the day, dropping by as much as 13% at some points in trading. Related: From trains to retail, how CrowdStrike outage caused havoc across industries Elon Musk, owner of Tesla, said the outage caused a seizure to the automotive supply chain while banks in Kenya and Ukraine reported issues with their digital services, and supermarkets in Australia had problems with payments. Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) the parent company of Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern warned passengers to expect delays. According to the service status monitoring website Downdetector, users in the UK were reporting issues with the services of Visa, BT, big supermarket chains, banks, online gaming platforms and media outlets. The Sky News and CBBC channels were also temporarily off-air in the UK before resuming broadcasting, while Australias ABC was also affected. In financial services, Metro Bank reported problems with its phone lines in the UK and Santander said card payments may be affected. Monzo said some customers were reporting issues, while some bankers at JP Morgan were unable to log on to their systems and the London Stock Exchange said there were problems with its news service. Troy Hunt, a leading cybersecurity consultant, said the scale of the IT failure was unprecedented. I dont think its too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history, he tweeted. This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except its actually happened this time, he added, referring to the millennium bug that worried IT experts in the run-up to 2000 but ultimately did not cause serious damage. The UKs chartered institute for IT, the BCS, said it could take days and weeks for systems to recover, although some fixes will be easier to implement. In some cases, the fix may be applied very quickly, said Adam Leon Smith, a BCS fellow. But if computers have reacted in a way that means theyre getting into blue screens and endless loops it may be difficult to restore and that could take days and weeks. Alan Woodward, a professor of cybersecurity at the University of Surrey, said the fix required a manual reboot of affected machines and most standard users would not know how to follow the instructions. Organisations with thousands of PCs distributed in different locations face a tougher task, he added. Its just sheer numbers. For some organisations it could certainly take weeks, he said. From Amsterdam to Zurich, Singapore to Hong Kong, airport operators flagged technical issues that were disrupting their services. While some airports halted all flights, in others airline staff had to check-in passengers manually. Among the companies affected on Friday was Ryanair, Europes largest airline, which said on its website: Potential disruptions across the network due to a global third-party system outage We advise passengers to arrive at the airport three hours in advance of their flight to avoid any disruptions. Heathrow, Europes biggest airport, said it was working hard to get passengers on their way. A spokesperson for Heathrow said: We continue to work with our airport colleagues to minimise the impact of the global IT outage on passenger journeys. Flights continue to be operational and passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest flight information. In the US, flights were grounded owing to communications problems that appear to be linked to the outage. American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines were among the carriers affected. Berlin airport temporarily halted all flights on Friday. The aviation analytics company Cirium said 5,078 flights 4.6% of those scheduled were cancelled globally on Friday, including 167 UK departures and 171 arrivals. GP practices in the UK said they were unable to access patient records or book appointments. Surgeries reported on social media that they could not access the EMIS Web system. It is understood that 999 services were unaffected by the outage, but the Royal Surrey NHS Trust, in the south of England, declared a critical incident and cancelled radiotherapy appointments scheduled for Friday morning. The National Pharmacy Association confirmed that UK services could be affected. A spokesperson for Keir Starmer said they were unaware of the problem having any impact on government services, but added they recognised the impact it was having more broadly. Reports from the Netherlands also suggested there may be problems within the health service. The Israeli health ministry said the global malfunction had affected 16 hospitals, while in Germany the Schleswig-Holstein university hospital in the north of the country said it had cancelled all planned operations in Kiel and Lubeck. Ted Wheeler, the mayor of Portland, Oregon, issued an emergency declaration stating that certain essential city services including emergency communications were affected by the outage. Were obviously not on air - were trying @SkyNews Breakfast pic.twitter.com/ZKvVacRgUY Jacquie Beltrao (@SkyJacquie) July 19, 2024 The University of Surreys Alan Woodward said the outage was caused by an IT product called CrowdStrike Falcon which monitors the security of large networks of PCs and downloads a piece of monitoring software to every machine. The product is used by large organisations that have significant numbers of PCs to ensure everything is monitored. Sadly, if they lose all the PCs they cant operate, or only at a much reduced service level, said Woodward. Steven Murdoch, a professor of security engineering at University College London, said many organisations could struggle to carry out the fix swiftly. The problem is occurring before the computer is connected to the internet so there is no way to fix the problem remotely, so that requires someone to come out and fix the problem, said Murdoch, adding that companies and organisations that have cut back on IT staff or outsourced their IT work would find their ability to address the problem hampered. However, Ciaran Martin, the former chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, said that unlike adversarial cyber-attacks, this problem had already been identified and a solution had been flagged. The recovery is not about getting on top of the situation but getting back up. I think its unlikely to be very newsworthy in terms of ongoing disruption this time next week, he said. The problems for businesses in the US were also compounded by problems with Microsofts Azure cloud computing business that occurred on Thursday. Reuters contributed to this report Steve and Scott Johnson in their last photograph together in 1988 the year Scotts body was found at the bottom of a cliff in Sydney Harbour. Photograph: Steve Johnson Steve Johnson would be forgiven for turning his back on Australia, the nation that took more than three decades to properly investigate the death of his brother, Scott Johnson, at North Head, Manly, in 1988. Yet he has an affinity with this country, a connection that appears to transcend crime and punishment. The 65-year-old US IT entrepreneur is speaking to me via Zoom from California before he travels back to Australia for the 26th time, on this occasion not to attend a courtroom or plead for justice but to promote his memoir, A Thousand Miles from Care. Its been almost 36 years since his first visit under the worst of circumstances. Forced to scrape together the fare and leave his wife, Rosemarie, and their newborn to take the long flight to Sydney, he landed in a baffling mystery about the sudden death of his younger brother. At Manly police station Johnson was told that his high-achieving, 27-year-old mathematician sibling had jumped naked from an escarpment at Blue Fish Point on Sydney Harbour, leaving his clothing in a neat pile on the clifftop. In 1988 you couldnt look stuff up on the internet and I had no experience with police, he says. They said it was particularly common for homosexuals, as they put it, to suicide in this particular cliff. So I went back to America still kind of believing in the police, even though I was totally confused. He could not rest. In 1989 Johnson successfully lobbied for an inquest but the New South Wales coroner agreed with police. Johnsons consequent grief, frustration and need for justice kicked off a three-decade odyssey. We were in our 20s, with barely enough money to get to Australia to try to find out what happened to Scott, he says, recounting those early days. Its not difficult to imagine the man on my screen as a devastated young father arriving at the police station in 1988. He recalls details with clarity. This emotional precision is a hallmark of Johnsons memoir, which strips away the prevarication of NSWs justice system and recreates a time when gay men kept their private lives as invisible as possible when interacting with authorities. In death all too common in the era of HIV/Aids and a gay-hate crime epidemic institutions could get away with sweeping assumptions. Now Johnson is driven to ensure lasting change by seeing the recommendations of Australias world-first commission of inquiry into LGBTQ+ hate crimes implemented. Collective hush The title of Johnsons book turns Manlys old beachy slogan Seven miles from the city, a thousand miles from care on its head, opening a window on how naive Australia was about its gay-hate tradition. He argues that only a cross-section of northern beaches police, a network of criminal gangs and the beat-going gay community really knew what a risky place North Head could be in the 80s. The book offers a chance to get to know Scott better, through recollections of the brothers upbringing in a struggling California family who nevertheless found space for inspiration. Related: My brother Scott Johnsons killer is finally behind bars. But there are others still at large | Steve Johnson Long the unwitting poster boy for gay-hate crime victims, Scott comes into focus as a quiet, intelligent child who achieved early success in mathematics, using calculus to model the surface of Venus by the age of 21. After coming out to Steve in 1984 he moved to Australia to undertake a PhD and live with his partner, the musicologist Michael Noone. As his relatives, colleagues and partner all attested, Scott had everything to live for. According to Johnson, Scotts immediate family accepted his sexual orientation. There were concerns he might contract HIV/Aids but nobody imagined gay-hate violence. There was a collective hush among all of Scotts friends when he died, Johnson says. Ive learned since then that gay men would be reluctant to report attacks because they didnt trust the police. I think its one of the things that created beats, these out-of-the-way places you could go where you wouldnt be seen going into a gay bar. Somebody once referred to the Manly beat as a shy mans beat because it was way off the beaten track and it was easy to be free there, with these dramatic cliffs and the waves crashing below. Pivotal to unlocking the mystery of Scotts death was a 2005 letter Johnson received from Noone. It contained newspaper clippings about that years coronial ruling that gay-hate crimes had taken place at Bondis clifftops. That scenario had never been mentioned by the police or anyone else, he says. As soon as I read that, I knew thats what happened to Scott. It took Johnson hiring his own sleuth in 2007 and two more coronial inquests for a homicide investigation into Scotts death to be opened in 2018. Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty The extraordinary apotheosis of Johnsons quest came in 2022 when Scott White, the man finally accused of murdering Scott, unexpectedly stood up in court and repeated guilty five times as the charge was read, despite earlier denying responsibility. Related: For families of LGBTQ+ hate crime victims, our tragic loss was compounded by NSW police who turned away with a sorry, mate | Steve Johnson It was pretty clear that he was talking to me, and he had made up his mind what he was going to do, Johnson recalls. When he turned to look at me over his shoulder, it did seem like there was some humanity there. White was sentenced to 12 years in prison but the judges acceptance of his guilty plea was overturned on appeal. After a plea deal, White is serving nine years for manslaughter. Johnsons memoir reveals the difficult emotional terrain his family worked through to come to terms with the lesser sentence. He was behind bars, he had pleaded guilty, he had confessed, and he was willing to write some of the details into his agreed facts, Johnson says. He adds: I certainly didnt feel like I had any choice but to try to discover what happened to Scott he would have done the same for me. Along the way many good people joined me, because they wanted to do the right thing and I think many of them also felt strongly about Scott. He was a beautiful man and, along the way, we learned about many other beautiful men. Part of the reason I wrote the book was to help other people who wonder whether its worth fighting. Hey, this aint right The memoir stresses that Steves death was never a cold case, it was an old case that grew older every day an investigation was delayed. Despite his belief in there being good police officers, Johnson describes the NSW forces ferocious stubbornness. The way that the police force seems to operate is that anyone criticising them needs to be shut down, he says. That goes for locals, it goes for outsiders like me, it goes for police officers who raise their voice and say, Hey, this aint right. But Johnson witnessed positive change at a talk to aspiring detectives given by Det Ch Insp Peter Yeomans, the officer who led the investigation that brought White into custody. I was there to speak for what its like to deal with the New South Wales police as a victims family and there are a few things that I recommended they think about, he says. I said there wasnt anything that they could do that would be more effective than taking responsibility for their mistakes. As I started to walk back to my seat, I got a standing ovation. Joe Biden departs the White House on Monday. Photograph: Michael Reynolds/EPA A beleaguered Joe Biden entered potentially the most decisive weekend of his 50-year political career on Friday as the growing list of Democratic members of Congress calling on him to step aside surpassed 30, with the latest being the Ohio senator Sherrod Brown. Biden is recovering from Covid-19 in self-isolation at his home in Delaware and reportedly feeling angry and betrayed by allies and speculation mounted that he might be preparing to announce his withdrawal from the race. Advisers were reported to be discussing the details, timing and setting of a possible withdrawal announcement, and a mood of resignation before Bidens departure was said to be rampant among his campaign staff. Related: Biden reportedly open to 2024 rethink as Pelosi steps up pressure campaign With six in 10 Democratic voters telling an AP-Norc Centre for Public Affairs Research poll released on Friday that Kamala Harris would make a good president, allies of the vice-president were making discreet preparations for her to assume the top of the presidential ticket, courting donors and crafting a new message to be used in the event she becomes the candidate. A rare glimmer of light for Biden came in a letter on Thursday signed by more than 1,400 Black female supporters, who argued that he should remain the candidate, and that any attempt to change the ticket would circumvent the will of millions of voters who participated in a democratic process in the primaries. Another public statement of support on Thursday came from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman, who during an Instagram live stream on Thursday urged Democrats to reconsider their efforts to push Biden out. On Friday, Bernie Sanders also urged support for Biden. The Congressional Hispanic caucuss campaign arm also announced on Friday that it was endorsing Biden, which is no surprise given the groups opposition to Trump but noteworthy at a moment when the president is fighting for his political life. Another Trump presidency would be disastrous to the Latino community across the country, the groups chairwoman, Linda Sanchez, said. But with more than 30 Democrats in Congress, including the leading California representative Adam Schiff, having now called on Biden to step down, the president was said to be angry at senior figures in the party for encouraging the discontent. Chief among them is Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker who has tried to persuade Biden of his declining poll numbers, as well as Barack Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton, who Biden reportedly feels have undermined him through their conspicuous silence. Late on Friday evening, Senator Brown released a statement: At this critical time, our full attention must return to these important issues. I think the president should end his campaign. After weeks of defiantly stating that he will remain the Democratic nominee, despite concerns about his age and mental acuity in the wake of last months disastrous debate against Donald Trump, some media outlets were reporting that Biden was reconsidering his position. Reality is setting in, a source close to Biden told the New York Times, adding that it would not be surprising if Biden announced his withdrawal soon to allow Harris to take the nomination. I dont see how [Biden] can outmanoeuvre the sustained attacks, Politico quoted a Democratic figure close to the White House as saying. It feels like the ending is near. Bidens resolve had reportedly been shaken by a combination of the intensive machinations of Pelosi, fresh poll data from swing states showing his path to an electoral college victory narrowing, and a boycott by key donors, the latest of whom reportedly was the Silicon Valley billionaire Michael Moritz. Pelosi, long one of his most important allies, is said to have used her knowledge of polling data and the political map to persuade him that his position is weak. Biden has repeatedly insisted that he has polling evidence showing he could win, relying on data from his aide Mike Donilon. But when he made the argument to Pelosi in a recent phone call, she told him to put Donilon on the phone so she could counter it with her own polling and implying that the president was not being kept informed, the New York Times reported. Public pressure intensified further on Thursday when the Senate Democrats Jon Tester of Montana and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico publicly urged Biden to step aside. Many more than the 30-plus congressional Democrats who have publicly called for his withdrawal have done so in private. Four House members Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Chuy Garcia of Illinois, and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin issued a plea jointly Friday. They wrote to Biden: Mr President, you have always put our country and our values first. We call on you to do it once again, so that we can come together and save the country we love. Three further separate calls were made by Zoe Lofgren of California, a close Pelosi ally, Sean Casten of Illinois, and Greg Landsman of Ohio, whose seat is one of the Republicans top targets in Novembers election. Allies of Pelosi depicted her as exercising sensitivity towards Biden by recognising his achievements as president, long record of political service and the fact that he has Covid while subtly using gentle persuasion. Shes like a magician, one source told the Hill. Shes extraordinarily intentional. Shes trying hard to keep the balance and helping him reach a decision by gently pulling, never pushing. That cut little ice with Bidens allies, one of whom compared his fate to Julius Caesar. People who have known this man for 30, 40 years are stabbing this man in the front and the back, a senior campaign and administration aide told Politico. They are JULIUS CAESAR-ing this man. Biden himself was reported to share such sentiments, telling aides that he feels hurt and betrayed at how the partys leading figures who he has previously derided as elites have tried to push him out. One Biden ally told NBC News that the party leaders now trying to force him from the ticket were to blame for Trumps victory in the 2016 election. Can we all just remember for a minute that these same people who are trying to push Joe Biden out are the same people who literally gave us all Donald Trump? In 2015, Obama, Pelosi, [Chuck] Schumer [the Democratic Senate majority leader] pushed Biden aside in favour of Hillary; they were wrong then, and they are wrong now, the source said. Perhaps we should learn a few lessons from 2016; one of them is polls are BS. And two, maybe, just maybe, Joe Biden is more in touch with actual Americans than Obama-Pelosi-Schumer? Bidens campaign chair, Jen OMalley Dillon, continued to stress that Biden had work to do but said the campaign did not have its head in the sand. Emphasizing that Bidens campaign trail appearances have been reassuring to the campaign, she said: The more and more people that see Joe Biden out there post-debate they are reassured. Such defiance seemed increasingly rare inside the Biden campaign, however, with CNN reporting that some staff had undergone a quiet quit process. I dont think you can find a person who is off the record saying he should stay in, one said. Theres a growing sense that its game over. Lauren Gambino contributed reporting Bob Newhart: to his British admirers, he was the antithesis of the American stereotype thoughtful, understated, apologetic, courteous and slightly hesitant - Everett/Shutterstock Bob Newhart, who has died aged 94, was the first American comedian to win fame through long-playing records featuring deadpan monologues that reflected wry bewilderment at everyday aspects of 20th-century life. To his many British admirers, Newhart was the antithesis of the American stereotype: thoughtful, understated, apologetic, courteous, slightly hesitant. One of his best-known droll disquisitions was The Driving Instructor which, like many of his set-pieces, fell resonantly on British ears: How do you do, you are Mrs Webb, is that right? Oh, I see youve had one lesson already. Who was the instructor on that, Mrs Webb? Mr Adams. Im sorry, here it is: Mr Adams. Just let me read ahead to kind of familiarise myself with the case. How fast were you going when Mr Adams jumped from the car? 75! And where was that? In your driveway! How far had Mr Adams got in the lesson? Backing out, I see, you were backing out at 75 and thats when he jumped. Newharts dry, mordant humour, wafting from the Dansette record players of the day or from radios that many still thought of as wirelesses, caught the nervy tenor of the times, but it was just as effective when applied to historical characters, perhaps never more so than in an imaginary telephone conversation between Sir Walter Raleigh and the non-comprehending head of the West India Company in England on the subject of Raleighs new discovery, tobacco: You can chew it! Or put it in a pipe! Or you can shred it up And put it in a piece of paper. Ha! Ha! Ha! And roll it up Ha! Ha! Ha! Dont tell me, Walt, dont tell me. Ha! Ha! Ha! You stick it in your ear, right? Ha! Ha! Ha! Oh! Between your lips! Then what do you do, Walt? Ha! Ha! Ha! You set fire to it! Ha! Ha! Ha! Margaret Thatcher chose this track among her selections on Desert Island Discs. Newharts subtle, low-key and off-the-cuff style struck a chord with anyone who had ever tried to catch a bus (in one of his routines, bus drivers are taught to pull away from the kerb as little old ladies hobble up at the double), or had tried to teach a woman to drive a car (he subtitled his driving instructor routine the worlds most daring profession). In the mid-1970s, during a British tour, he famously reduced Princess Margaret to tears at a gala performance at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane. But although much of his material had transatlantic appeal, it was Americans who recognised Newharts deadly satirical bite, when he dilated on such subjects as Tarzan and Jane, Right-wing bigots, all-powerful labour unions and Americas restrictive immigration policies. George Robert Newhart was born on September 5 1929 in Chicago, where his father, a heating engineer, was part-owner of a plumbing and heating supply business. He had three sisters, one of whom became a nun and taught chemistry at a local high school. At St Ignatius High, young Bob acted in school plays and entertained his classmates with imitations of James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and Jimmy Durante. His 1960 comedy record made him America's most talked-about comedian, and led to his own television show - Rex Features Having studied accountancy, in 1952 he graduated from Loyola University in Chicago with a BSc in Commerce and went into the US Army, spending his two years of military service keeping personnel records. Returning to Loyola, he enrolled in law school but dropped out after six months and began a series of jobs as a copywriter, a clerk in a cigar store, a state unemployment office and finally what he described as a maladjusted accountant who used to make the petty cash come out all right by digging down into his own pocket. To relieve the boredom, in his spare time Newhart acted in a suburban theatrical company. He and his friend Ed Gallagher also amused themselves by making lengthy and antic telephone calls to each other, with the idea of selling recordings of them to radio stations as a way of breaking into show business. Although the plan fell through, Gallagher had recorded some of Newharts monologues on a home tape machine and sent them to a Chicago disc jockey, Dan Sorkin, who found them hilarious. One concerned the rookie security guard at the Empire State Building who telephones his boss on the night King Kong climbs up it. Well, sir, the guard stammers, I think hes about 17 or 18 storeys high, depending on whether we have a 13th floor. On the strength of three of his monologues, Warner Brothers Records signed Newhart and booked him to appear at a nightclub in Houston, Texas. During his two-week residency in February 1960, six of Newharts routines were recorded live and released on April Fools Day as the album The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart. When the record immediately vaulted into the charts, Newhart made several network television appearances and, almost overnight, became Americas most talked-about comedian. Uncomfortable in cabaret the drunks, he complained, interrupted his flow Newhart also had misgivings about becoming over-exposed on television, but in 1961 NBC made him an offer he was unable to refuse: his own networked weekly half-hour show. But within a few months, The Bob Newhart Show had run into difficulties, writers and producers left, and the sponsor withdrew. Although it was pulled after a single season, the show was nominated for an Emmy award. Later Newhart became a regular guest star on The Dean Martin Show (24 times) and The Ed Sullivan Show (eight times), guest-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on 87 occasions. In the 1970s, in a revived Bob Newhart Show for CBS, he played a psychologist, with Suzanne Pleshette as his wife, and in 1983 returned to prime time with a new sitcom, Newhart. Newhart's marriage to Virginia Quinn in 1963 - David Smith/AP His later ventures into television were not successful: in 1993 his sitcom Bob, about a cartoonist, was cancelled during its second season, and in 1997 a show called George and Leo was scrapped before the end of its first season. More recently, however, he won the affection of a younger generation of viewers and an Emmy as Professor Proton in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory (2013-2018). Newharts film credits included Don Siegels Hell Is for Heroes (1962) and his portrayal of Major Major Major in the 1970 film of Catch-22. The film role for which he will probably be best remembered, through annual television repeats, is that of Will Ferrells adoptive father Papa Elf in the 2003 Christmas comedy Elf. Interviewed by CNN for the films 20th anniversary, Newhart said: Without question, the part of Papa Elf outranks, by far, any role I may have ever played. He knew when he saw the script that Elf was destined to be another Miracle on 34th Street. As Papa Elf in the 2003 Will Ferrell comedy Elf - Avalon/Alan Markfield Newhart won many show business awards, including three Grammys in 1961. Many of his later albums sold well in Britain, including Behind The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart (1961), The Button-Down Mind on TV (1962) and The Best of Bob Newhart (1971). His last British tour was in November 1999, when Newhart celebrated 40 years on stage. The last time I appeared in London was 25 years ago, he noted. Somebody must have liked me and said we must have this guy back soon. His autobiography, I Shouldnt Even Be Doing This, appeared in 2006. Bob Newhart married, in 1963, Virginia Quinn, who died in April 2023. Their four children survive him. Bob Newhart, born September 5 1929, died July 18 2024 The Prime Minister hailed Mr Zelensky's visit as a 'very special moment' - Benjamin Cremel/PA Sir Keir Starmer has rebuffed Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskys request to fire Storm Shadow missiles deeper into Russian territory. Mr Zelensky urged the Prime Minister to show your leadership by removing limits on how the long-range missiles, gifted by the UK, can be used when he addressed the Cabinet on Friday. It is understood that the UK and other allies allow Ukraine to fire long-range missiles defensively at targets on Russian soil near the border but not offensively or deep into Russian territory. Sir Keir reiterated the existing position, declining to promise he would change the rules, when he met Mr Zelensky one-on-one before the Cabinet meeting, according to Downing Street insiders. Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president addressed the UK Cabinet in person - Richard Pohle/The Times The exact agreement specifics about how the Storm Shadow missiles can be used by Ukraine as it fights against the Russian invasion are not published. UK government figures also do not discuss the details in public, which has at times caused confusion about Londons exact position. Public comments made at Sir Keirs trip to the Nato conference in Washington last week led to uncertainty about the stance. Mr Zelensky became the first foreign leader to attend a meeting of the British Cabinet in person since 1997 on Friday when he spoke to Sir Keirs top team. The Ukrainian president urged the British Government to help with Kyivs long-range capability. Mr Zelensky told the meeting: We are still missing the main answer to this question. I ask you to show your leadership in this and please convince other partners to remove the limits. But speaking after the visit, Downing Street said there was no change to our position on weapons. A Number 10 spokesman said: We have been providing military aid to support Ukraines clear right to self-defence against Russias illegal acts in accordance with international humanitarian law. Equipment provided by the UK is intended for the defence of Ukraine. Earlier in the day the Defence Secretary had signalled the UK would allow Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles for defensive strikes against targets in Russia. In an interview with BBC Radio 4s Today programme, John Healey said the delivery of the missiles does not preclude Mr Zelensky from using them to hit targets inside Russia. Were providing weapons to Ukraine for their defence of their sovereign country, Mr Healey said. And that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia. But that must be done by the Ukrainians, it must be done within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law. Asked whether Mr Zelensky can hit where Russian missiles are coming from, the Cabinet minister said these are complex questions and insisted he would not discuss the details of those sorts of things in public. We are continuing very intense discussions with the Ukrainians because we as a country want to do everything we can to support Ukraines effort to fight for their freedom. Officials have previously expressed that the use of Storm Shadow to hit targets inside Russia could draw the UK into a conflict with Russia. Meanwhile, Sir Keir has hailed a very special moment as Mr Zelensky visited Downing Street for the first time under his premiership. The Prime Minister greeted Mr Zelensky with a hug and a handshake outside No 10, before sitting down with him for bilateral talks and hosting him at a historic Cabinet session. The president of Ukraine became the first foreign leader to address the meeting of senior UK ministers since Bill Clinton, when he was US president in 1997. In the bilateral meeting, Sir Keir said the UK was united in our Parliament in supporting Kyiv for as long as possible. The Prime Minister also said the visit was a very special moment and showed the esteem youre held in... in this country and around the world, as he promised Britains unshakeable support. Later on Friday, Mr Zelensky spoke on the phone with Donald Trump. He said on social media platform X that he had congratulated the former US president on securing the Republican nomination, condemned the assassination attempt on him and agreed to arrange a meeting in person. Mr Trump said on Trump Social that he appreciated Mr Zelensky for contacting him because I, as your next president of the United States, will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives and devastated countless innocent families. He added: Both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity. Kamala Harris could be in the frame to replace Joe Biden as the Democrats' candidate - Kevin Mohatt/REUTERS Allies of Kamala Harris are said to be working behind the scenes to position the vice president as the best replacement for Joe Biden if he steps down as the Democratic nominee. The uncoordinated effort involves prepping talking points which show Ms Harris is the partys best hope of defeating Donald Trump in November, sources told Politico. The group is quietly preparing to show she is qualified to lead the ticket in her own right rather than simply because it would be remiss to overlook the first female black vice president. It comes as the president, 81, is facing intense pressure to step aside and pass the torch to a younger candidate, following weeks of criticism from members of his party regarding his mental faculties. On Friday, Mr Biden said he was looking forward to returning to the campaign trail as his team brushed aside speculation he will step down in the coming days. Joe Biden has been urged to step down by senior Democrats - Susan Walsh/AP While not plotting to oust Mr Biden, a team of Ms Harriss former staffers, members of the Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights leaders are preparing an army to be ready to defend her candidacy if he does step aside. There is an effort quietly afoot to position an apparatus to turn on the lights when the time is right, one insider told Politico. Two or three days ago, people were quiet. And now, as of yesterday especially, people were like, We need to be ready, the former Biden aide said. They are young in their infancy, but they have grown stronger by the hour. Some Democrats are not convinced Ms Harris is the best choice to beat Trump. Recent polling circulated within the party shows her beating Mr Biden but behind the average alternative candidate. There is a unique tension for Ms Harris, 59, in that she cannot be seen to be making plans to undercut the president. In recent weeks her team reportedly criticised the Biden team for undermining her chances of winning during a conversation with a Democrat politician. According to The New York Times, a White House staffer speaking to a member of Congress denigrated Ms Harriss chances of defeating Trump compared to Mr Biden, while also urging them to continue to support the Democrat leader. Ms Harriss team are understood to have told the Biden administration that they should not belittle the vice president while trying to shore up support for the president. Mr Biden has also privately said he believes he has a stronger chance of beating Trump compared to Ms Harris, which is one of the factors keeping him in the race, two sources told The New York Times. Four days after his television debate with Mr Trump, the Biden campaign sent out a lengthy fundraising email to supporters, which included polling numbers intended to bolster his position at the top of the ticket. At the end of the day, wed switch to candidates who would, according to the polls, be less likely to win than Joe Biden the only person ever to defeat Donald Trump, the email said. However, the polling numbers included figures showing Mr Biden and Ms Harris both losing to Trump with 45 per cent of the vote compared to 48 per cent for the Republican nominee. Ms Harriss team did not sign off the email, with several interpreting it as the campaign attempting to tarnish her, according to The New York Times. If Ms Harris were to run instead of Mr Biden, her rumoured potential running mate picks consist of a string of white, male Democrat governors. Names circulating include Democrat rising stars Josh Shapiro, the Pennsylvania governor, Californias Gavin Newsom and JB Pritzker of Illinois. Democrat grandee Nancy Pelosi has reportedly advised the president to consider his position - SUSAN WALSH/AP It came as New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned that many of those calling for Mr Biden to exit the race also want Ms Harris removed from the ticket. If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave that they will support vice president Harris, you would be mistaken, she said. She added that Democratic leaders needed to be fully honest with voters. If theyre going to come out and say all their little things on background, off the record, but theyre not going to be fully honest, Im going to be honest for them. Im in these rooms. I see what they say in conversations, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said. Ncuti Gatwa stars as The Doctor in the sci-fi series - Nwaka Okparaeke The future of Disneys $100 million Doctor Who deal is in doubt after the latest series was met with an underwhelming reception, according to a report. The deal was announced by the BBC with great fanfare in 2022. The corporation called it an exciting global partnership, while Disney bosses said they were thrilled to bring the iconic franchise to audiences in 150 markets around the world. However, according to the industry website Deadline, ratings for the new series and the new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa - have failed to impress Disney bosses. The site reported, noises that [the deal] may not last beyond its initial two seasons are already reverberating around international TV circles, and one source close to the production tells us that they feel its future hangs in the balance already. Rating in the UK are down on average of almost 1.5 million people per episode since the fifteenth doctor took over - Madame Tussauds London Ratings in the UK are down by an average of almost 1.5 million per episode on the previous series, which starred Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, according to Deadlines measure. In the US, Doctor Who reached seven on the list of most in-demand series on Disney+, behind The Simpsons and the Star Wars spin-offs. A senior US ratings source described the ratings as underwhelming, while a Disney insider told Deadline they were okay but not stellar. One industry source said: The ratings are a problem. [The BBC] can talk all they like about young viewers but theyre still down from the specials and down from the Jodie series. I imagine serious conversations are happening. Disney will want to see results. There is also speculation that Gatwa will also leave after the next series is broadcast - Sophie Mutevelian The source said it would be a disaster for the BBC if Disney pulled out. Given that Disney has spent all of this money, the question becomes what the BBC will do if they pull out, they said. There is also speculation that Gatwa, who will lead a West End production of The Importance of Being Earnest at the end of this year and recently appeared in the Barbie movie and Masters of the Air, could leave after the next series is broadcast. Deadline quoted a source predicting that the final episode has been left open-ended, with the possibility remaining that Gatwa could regenerate into his successor. A BBC insider said: Season 2 is currently in production and the spin offs are underway, so it is way too early for us to be commenting on any future deals and anything else is just pure speculation. Disney was approached for comment. Mr Burton has taken over from Mr Mitchell as headteacher, with a new team of staff - Channel 4 Educating Yorkshire will return to the screens next year after a decade off air. The new series will show how Thornhill Community Academy in Dewsbury has changed since its debut in August 2014. Educating Yorkshires first series was watched by millions, with its most famous scenes showing English teacher Matthew Burton helping year 11 student Musharaf overcome his stammer. In the new series, Mr Burton has taken over from Mr Mitchell as headteacher, with a new team of staff. The programme is part of a collection which started with Educating Essex in 2011, and most recently focused on Harrop Fold School for Educating Greater Manchester in 2020. The programme is part of a collection which started with Educating Essex in 2011 - Gary Calton Mr Burton said he was excited to welcome the cameras back into the school for several months. He said: The national challenges the profession faces are well publicised, and at Thornhill, Im really proud of how our staff and students work together to thrive through those. Our values - work hard and be nice - are at the centre of all we do. I have no doubt that viewers will see those come to life in our brilliant community. Storylines will show how teachers deal with challenges such as mobile phones in the classroom, the national school attendance crisis, and issues such as teenage anxiety and exam pressure. It will also show the pressures on school bosses amid a teacher recruitment crisis which sees nearly a third leaving the job within five years. Storylines will show how teachers deal with challenges such as mobile phones in the classroom - Gary Calton Rita Daniels, Channel 4 commissioning editor, said: Telling the complex story of young people in Britain in 2025 is crucial for Channel 4, and what better way to do so than through this iconic, much-loved school? It will be fantastic to see Mr Burton in charge, and I look forward to watching him seize the reins with full gusto. Much has changed for British teenagers since we were last at Thornhill Academy. It will be fascinating to see how practices have developed and adapted since the burgeoning impact of social media, the Covid epidemic and the intense pressure to deliver good results. The show will be produced by Twofour, which is part of ITV Studios, with Yorkshire-based talent being recruited to work on the series. The Walton county sheriffs office described the bear as stressed, depressed, lemon zest. Photograph: Walton County Sheriff Police in Florida are urging people to stop taking selfies with a depressed black bear spotted loitering morosely on a roadside. The unhappy animal took up residence on the north side of Highway 98 in Santa Rosa Beach earlier this week and, according to a Facebook post by the Walton county sheriffs office, quickly attracted unwanted attention from passing motorists. Onlookers were trying to take selfies with the bear and hes clearly not in the mood for pictures. The bear has shown signs of severe stress, the post said. It described the large male bear as stressed, depressed, lemon zest and urged the public not to approach a black bear at any time, especially those that are showing aggression like this big fella. Rangers from the Florida fish and wildlife conservation commission (FWC) were dispatched to investigate after a call from the sheriffs office reported crowds of onlookers stopping to take photos of the bear, which was sitting beside a telegraph pole. An FWC spokesperson said in a statement that by the time its officers and biologists arrived, the bear had dispersed and walked off into the adjacent woods. It said that, based on images shared with staff: The bear did not appear to be injured. It may have just been overheated and was resting before moving on. Black bears are a common sight in many areas of Florida, especially in the spring and summer when juveniles begin to leave their mothers home ranges and seek out new habitats. Typically, bears will move along on their own. If you see a bear, give it space, dont try to approach it, and never feed it, the spokesperson said, pointing to the advice website bearwise.org. Crowding around any bear is never recommended, as bears can become defensive when threatened. Always give bears as much space as possible. In February, a homeowner in Santa Rosa Beach recorded a video of a black bear walking through her yard and knocking on the front door. Other recent encounters elsewhere in Florida have included a bear touring the campus of the University of Florida in June; and the capture and relocation of a black bear in May after it was spotted roaming Fort Myers downtown. Authorities said in every case the bear involved was looking for food. There are an estimated 4,050 black bears living in the wild in Florida, according to FWC figures. Last month Ron DeSantis, the states rightwing Republican governor, signed into law a controversial bill that allows the public to shoot and kill bears for a perceived threat to a person, pet or dwelling. The legislation was drawn up by the Republican state congressman Jason Shoaf, a keen hunter according to his biography, who claimed in February that bears high on crack were breaking into peoples houses and tearing them apart. At the time the Guardian was unable to find a single documented incident of any bear in Florida ingesting crack, and Shoaf did not return a request for clarification. Police at the site of the disused Crown Paints factory in Coolock, north Dublin on Monday 15 July, attending to an earlier fire. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA A disused factory in Dublin earmarked to house asylum seekers has been set on fire following a protest at the site. More than 1,000 people were protesting at the former Crown Paints building in Coolock on Friday night, in the north of the Irish capital, and gardai were on the scene. A number of speeches were given outside the derelict factory, with protesters seen holding signs that read Irish Lives Matter and The Irish People. A police spokesperson said: Gardai are currently responding to a public order incident occurring at a premises on the Malahide Road, Coolock. A small fire which broke out at the same location a short time ago is being attended to by Dublin fire brigade. No injuries have been reported. The protest had moved on to the gardai station in Coolock before returning to the disused building as disorder broke out among the crowd, PA reported. The protest was organised by a group called Coolock Says No protesting against government plans to use the former factory to house asylum seekers. Organisers said in advance that it would be a peaceful event after violent scenes in the area earlier in the week. But after a number of the protesters dispersed, a fire broke out at the factory. Taoiseach Simon Harris warned that anyone who engages in thuggery while taking part in protests at Coolock would face the full rigour of the law. Speaking in Donegal, he said: In relation to protest, anybody in Ireland is legitimately entitled to protest, it is a key tenet of our democracy and it is something I would always support the right that people have to protest. Related: This is cleansing: Dublin sends in police and buses to dismantle tent city But I have to say what we have seen in recent days has not been that. What we have seen in recent days has been an attempt by a relatively small number of people to engage in lawlessness, to engage in thuggery and to engage in criminal activity. That is why there have been several arrests, it is why more than 19 people appeared before the courts in recent days. It is why a number of people have now been charged with criminal offences. Violence escalated at the site earlier this week when agitators, some masked, set machinery on fire and hurled rocks, bottles and fireworks at police. A security guard was taken away on a stretcher and several police vehicles were damaged. It comes amid increased tension in Ireland in relation to asylum seekers. Earlier this week, people armed with knives and pipes reportedly attacked 15 asylum seekers sheltering in tents in central Dublin, forcing them to flee. The attack reportedly occurred after asylum seekers from Somalia and Palestine erected a makeshift camp on City Quay and some tents were slashed and thrown in the Liffey River after the refugees fled to a police station. Since 2022 there has been a sharp increase in arson on properties across the country linked to accommodating asylum seekers, with a riot erupting in Dublin last November. Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the court's ruling, saying 'the Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land' - ABIR SULTAN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Israel has illegally annexed large swathes of Palestinian land through its settlement policy, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on Friday. The 15-judge panel ruled in a non-binding advisory opinion: Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law. The court stated that Israels extension of its domestic law to the West Bank, notably to the settlements and over settlers, as well as its assumption of broad regulatory powers by virtue of the prolonger character of the occupation, entrenches its control of the occupied territory. Israel should end as rapidly as possible its presence in the West Bank, the court added, concluding that an evacuation of all settlements is needed to allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes. While the ruling is non-binding, it is one of the most significant rulings by an international court since the first settlements were constructed in 1967. Israeli officials are concerned the verdict could be used by Western countries, including the US, to impose sanctions on settlers or on Israel itself. The United Nations and most of the international community regard the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem as occupied territory. The country did not officially co-operate with the legal proceedings but worked with allies behind the scenes to have its arguments heard in court, it was reported. Bodies exhumed from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip - APAImages/Shutterstock Israeli army forces demolish four Palestinian homes with heavy machinery during a raid in Jericho in the West Bank on July 18 - Issam Rimawi/Anadolu The verdict stressed that Israels permission for and protection of settlements led to violence against Palestinian civilians. It called on the UN General Assembly as well as the UN Security Council to consider taking further action. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, welcomed the ruling as a victory for justice and called on Israel to end its occupation immediately. The ICJ ruling is unlikely to lead to any change in the Israeli governments policies, with pro-settlement ministers a key part of the prime ministers coalition. False decision Responding to the verdict, Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the courts ruling as a false decision. The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land - not in our eternal capital Jerusalem, not in the land of our ancestors in Judea and Samaria [West Bank], he said. No false decision in The Hague will distort this historical truth, just as the legality of Israeli settlement in all the territories of our homeland cannot be contested, he added. Isaac Herzog, Israels president, also rejected the one-sided and ill-judged advisory opinion of the ICJ. Their words undermine the entire notion of the process of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Betzalel Smotrich, the hard-Right finance minister, and Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister, also slammed the courts ruling, instead calling on the government to annex the West Bank. Israel took control within the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza and the Golan Heights in the six-day war in 1967. It annexed the Golan Heights in 1981 but would later withdraw from Gaza in 2005, pulling out some 8,500 Jewish settlers. Some 500,000 Israelis are estimated to live across the West Bank, with some living in outposts deep in Palestinian territory. Settler violence against Palestinians has grown in recent years, in particular since the Oct 7 attacks. Kemi Badenoch told the Commons that Labour MPs now represent half of all green belt constituencies - LEON NEAL/GETTY IMAGES Kemi Badenoch has admitted the Tories made mistakes on housebuilding after Labour attacked the last government for leaving behind a chronic shortage of homes. The shadow housing secretary suggested her party should have made more systemic change to the planning system but warned Labour was set to repeat the same errors. She predicted that new Labour backbenchers will swiftly turn into Nimbys as they are inundated with complaints from voters. Speaking in the Commons, she pointed out that Labour now represents half of all green belt constituencies, which is up from just 15 per cent before the election. Her remarks came after Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, struck a softer tone as she insisted locals will still be consulted on new developments. Labour has vowed to overhaul planning laws and bulldoze through opposition to developments to build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years. As part of those plans the Government has said it will start allowing building on grey belt land in the green belt such as disused car parks and wasteland. Mrs Badenoch, who has been tipped to run for the Tory leadership, said Ms Rayner would quickly come up against internal opposition to her housebuilding drive. I know what we shouldve done that we didnt do, and I know that theyre going to make the same mistakes, she said during a Kings Speech debate. Its not that 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament is unachievable, its that its going to require the sort of systemic change which they are not ready for. Mrs Badenoch said that whilst Labour had been outwardly pro-building, many of its new MPs had spent the election campaigning against local developments. Many of them have been thinking theyd get into government and concrete over lots of Tory constituencies, she told the Commons. Three weeks ago just 15 per cent of the green belt was in Labour constituencies, now its 50 per cent. They arent Tory constituencies now, they are Labour. They are now your voters and youre going to have to tell them that youre going to do something that many of you promised locally that you would never do. Labour has vowed to overhaul planning laws and build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years - MATT CARDY/GETTY IMAGES The shadow housing secretary predicted Cabinet members would protect their own areas, meaning more houses would be built in backbenchers seats. In these new Labour constituencies in the green belt, as it becomes clear to their voters whats happening, those MPs are going to receive a lot more emails. Many of those voters on whom their narrow and slim majorities now rely will be writing to them. Theyre going to want a lot of public meetings. The shadow housing secretary said Ms Rayner had been stitched up by Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, who had handed her an undeliverable policy. She added: Her colleagues, the Prime Minister, the Chancellor, and their many advisers have written a manifesto and made promises that are not deliverable and theyve hung them around her neck and said Ange, you go out there and you sell it. I will be here to say I told you so when the targets are missed. Mrs Badenoch, who previously served as business secretary, also used her speech to warn that high migration was putting pressure on housing. She said Labours plans to fast-track the applications of 90,000 asylum seekers previously earmarked for deportation to Rwanda would require more homes. The ex-Cabinet minister also warned Ms Rayner she would have to tackle growing sectarianism after Labour lost a number of seats to pro-Palestine candidates. This election we saw independent MPs win seats off Labour on the back of sectarianism and integration, failures a problem Labour continually denies exists even as we are watching riots in Leeds, she added. Ms Rayner told the Commons that Britain is being held back by its housing crisis and criticised the Tories for leaving the new Government a mountain to climb. She said that completions of new homes are set to hit their lowest level since the Second World War with the Tories leaving behind a chronic housing shortage. But she also sought to downplay concerns that Labour is planning to impose huge new housing developments on local communities without their consent. It is right that local people have a say over what kind of houses are built and where because our aim is not to build big but to build well, she said. We want to see more local plans and more engagement with local leaders to build the houses that people want in their area, working together with them. Her remarks come after Sir Keir said that under his Government locals will only have a say over how, not if new homes are built. David Lammy has announced that the Government will immediately lift a block on payments to UNRWA - Neil Hall/Shutterstock Labour has restored taxpayer funding to a UN agency that was implicated in the Oct 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel. David Lammy announced that the Government was immediately lifting a block on payments to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary said he made the decision after the UN gave him personal reassurances that it was tightening up the vetting of new recruits. Rishi Sunak cut off funding to UNRWA after allegations emerged that some of its staff were involved in the Oct 7 attacks, in which 1,139 Israelis were killed. A further 251 were taken hostage by Hamas, of whom 116 are still unaccounted for. Mr Lammy said UNRWA provides vital aid to the 2.2 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza, many of whom are without basic food and sanitation. He announced the decision in the Commons, telling MPs that no other agency can deliver aid at the scale needed to tackle the humanitarian catastrophe. Its already feeding over half of Gazas population, he said. It will be vital for future reconstruction, and it provides critical services to Palestinian refugees in the region. I was appalled by the allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the Oct 7 attacks, but the UN took these allegations seriously. We are reassured that UNRWA is ensuring they meet the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening their procedures on vetting. UNRWA provides aid to Palestinians trapped in Gaza - Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu Mr Lammy said Western allies such as Japan, Norway and the EU had all restored funding to the UN refugee agency, which he thanked for its life-saving work. He added: This Government will act too. I can confirm that we are overturning the suspension of UNRWA funding. The Foreign Secretary said the UK would provide 21 million of new cash to the agency, some of which would be used to fund internal reforms. Israel has claimed that dozens of workers from the agency took part in the Oct 7 attacks by distributing ammunition, abducting hostages and coordinating transportation. Mr Sunak suspended taxpayer funding to the agency immediately after the allegations emerged in January, while the UN ordered an independent inquiry. Catherine Colonna, a former French foreign minister, headed the inquiry and made 50 recommendations including the setting up of a neutrality investigations unit. But her initial report found that Israel was yet to provide supporting evidence for its claims that UNRWA staff had taken part in the attacks. Mr Lammys announcement was welcomed by charities, who said the restoration of funds was long overdue and couldnt come soon enough. Save the Children said: UNRWA plays a vital role in providing food aid, shelter and medical care to children in Gaza. Without funding more innocent lives would be lost. Human Rights Watch said: The decision to reinstate funding to UNRWA will save lives and should be applauded. It hopefully heralds a more robust and mature approach to British foreign policy. But some senior Tories raised concerns about the decision and questioned whether it had been made too swiftly given the concerns about UNRWA. Richard Holden, a former Conservative Party chairman, said he was concerned by the Governments decision to resume funding to the UNRWA. UNRWA schools have been repeatedly used by terrorists to both store weapons and launch attacks and over 100 UNRWA staff have had links to terrorist groups in the region, he said. He urged Mr Lammy to give UK taxpayers the reassurance that they need, an unequivocal assurance, that Hamas has no links to UNRWA in Gaza. The Taxpayers Alliance also questioned the decision, saying the agency had attracted enormous controversy over its role in perpetuating the conflict in Gaza. It said: If ministers want to keep pumping vast amounts of cash into the global quangocracy, they need to demonstrate value for money for UK taxpayers. Mr Lammy also used his appearance in the Commons to urge the Israel Defense Forces to pull troops out of Gaza. Israeli soldiers have been operating in the Strip since the Oct 7attacks in an effort to neutralise Hamas. The ground invasion has caused huge casualties, with Western countries putting increasing pressure on Israel over civilian deaths. Mr Lammy, who has ordered Government lawyers to assess Israels compliance with humanitarian law, said Palestinians were trapped in hell on earth. He added: I have to be frank Britain wants an immediate ceasefire. The fighting must stop, the hostages must be released, much much more aid must enter Gaza. But the Foreign Secretary also rebuffed calls from Left-wing MPs for Britain to impose a complete ban on arms exports to Israel, saying: Israel is a country surrounded by people who would see its annihilation. It would not be right to have a blanket ban. The newly discovered self-portrait, which will be on display in Barnard Castle in a new exhibition of Cornishs and LS Lowrys work. Photograph: Claire Collinson Photography An unseen self-portrait of one of the most popular northern English artists of his generation has been discovered hidden on the back of another painting. The discovery of a new work by Norman Cornish arguably the most famous artist to emerge from the north-east of England in the 20th century was made during preparations for a big show of works by him and another titan of northern art, LS Lowry. The exhibition, at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, County Durham, aims to celebrate the two artists as extraordinary storytellers of everyday life in northern England. The self-portrait was discovered a month ago by the Bowes Museum conservator, Jon Old, who was working on Cornishs painting Bar Scene, from the collection of Durham county council. Old said that Bar Scene had an unusual backboard set into its stretcher. Puzzled, he decided to remove it. To my surprise it revealed this wonderful other painting on the reverse, which was quite magical. He said he felt very privileged to have been the first person since Norman Cornish to see this self-portrait. Vicky Sturrs, the Bowess director of programmes and collections, recalled a colleague belting down the corridor saying Jons found a painting! It is so exciting and shows why conservation is so important, she said. Its not just about caring for objects, its about finding out more and thats why this discovery is so incredibly special. I think we all now might be hovering around Jon when he does conservation. Both paintings, front and back, will be on display, although it does mean one will have to be upside down at various points of the day. The self-portrait is clearly from Cornishs younger days, and while it is rough and ready it does have a raw power to it. I love it, said Sturrs. The immediacy of it just speaks to me and I love the brush, being able to see the way that has gone on. The exhibition includes more than 50 paintings, sketches and drawings by Lowry and Cornish side by side. The painters both depicted working-class northern life, but were different in a number of ways. Lowry, a rent collector from a middle-class background, was an outsider looking in while Cornish, a miner for 33 years, was very much an insider he was painting his people, said Sturrs. The notion that Cornish, who died in 2014, was just about painting flat-capped working-class men drinking pints, or families queueing for the chippy, is disabused by a number of works. One with an arresting edge to it is entitled Crucifixion (1960), a watercolour of a crucified miner on a telegraph pole, painted on a page from the Radio Times. It expresses how Cornish felt about the treatment of miners how he felt they were treated like enslaved people and spoken to like convicts. Another painting, of his wife, Sarah, peeling a potato, is regarded by his family as a pitmans Madonna. The exhibition will show, Sturrs hopes, how the two artists, who knew and respected each other, were on a par which raises questions of why Lowry is so much better known and more highly regarded than Cornish today. There are, for example, no Cornish works in the Tate collection. Hannah Fox, the executive director of the Bowes, said she hoped the show might go some way to redressing the balance. Normans work should be seen as important as Lowrys and should be more widely recognised. It is in the north east. Everybody knows Norman Cornish. So we want to make sure everyone else does. Kith and Kinship: Norman Cornish and LS Lowry is at the Bowes Museum from 20 July until 19 January Vaughan Gething, theWelsh Labour leader, will leave his position at the end of the summer - MATTHEW HORWOOD/GETTY Vaughan Gething has claimed he was never accepted as the First Minister of Wales in the wake of his resignation. The Welsh Labour leader announced he would resign on Tuesday after four of his ministers quit following a series of scandals. Mr Gething lost a confidence vote last month following the collapse of his deal with Plaid Cymru and a row over donations he accepted from a man convicted of environmental offences. In an interview with BBC Wales News, the 50-year-old who resigned just 118 days after taking office appeared to blame his fellow Labour politicians for his political downfall. Everyone has to look at themselves and what theyve done, Mr Gething said. Members across the movement in Wales had a one-member-one-ballot contest, [in] which I succeeded. There was an opportunity for all of us to get behind that result, as has happened after every other leadership contest. That hasnt been possible. Gething with Sir Keir Starmer during the general election campaign - WPA POOL/GETTY Insisting he had tried to keep the party together, he added: Ive done everything I can to be kind, to be generous to other people. People have not been prepared to accept the membership result with me as the leader and in less than four months its not possible for me to continue. Mr Gething added he had deliberately brought people in from different wings of his party in an attempt to unite Welsh Labour. He said it was nonsense to suggest he could repay the six-figure donation his campaign accepted from a company run by David Neal, who was convicted twice for environmental offences. I dont know about you. But I dont have a spare 200,000 lying around, he said. Mr Gething plans to stay in his post over the summer while his successor is chosen by Welsh Labour, with a timetable for the leadership contest set to be decided this weekend. Mark Drakeford, his predecessor, said it was the right thing for him to stand aside because he had been unable to escape a series of controversies. John Healey, the Defence Secretary, insisted Mr Gething had made the decision to quit of his own accord rather than being forced to stand down by Sir Keir Starmer. Hes made the decision, Keir Starmers thanked him for that decision, Mr Healey said. Gething feels he was never 'accepted' by the Welsh Labour membership - CHRISTROPHER FURLONG/GETTY Hes stepped away. Weve got some very able people in the Welsh Assembly government and we come off the back of a very strong Labour performance at the general election. He hasnt been dumped; hes resigned, hes made that decision. Now, the Labour Party will elect a new leader. Mr Gethings downfall nonetheless came as a blow to Sir Keir, who had backed Mr Gething prior to the confidence vote and described him as doing a good job. The pair regularly appeared together during Labour election campaign events in Wales. Labour won 27 out of 32 Welsh seats in the Commons at the general election, having won 22 out of 26 in the previous poll prior to the boundary review. Sir Keirs party achieved 37 per cent of the vote in Wales, down by four per cent, while Plaid Cymru, which accumulated four seats, won 15 per cent. The Conservative Party and Reform UK received 18 and 17 per cent of the vote in Wales respectively but did not win any seats under the first-past-the-post system. Keir Starner knows he needs Emmanuel Macron and a future French government to complete the reset after the damage caused by Brexit, noted Le Monde. Photograph: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images Keir Starmers promised reset of the UKs ties with the rest of Europe has drawn a positive response in European media, with one longtime journalist rejoicing that she will never again have to cover Britain as a basket case. The prime minister told leaders at a meeting of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire on Thursday that he wanted to draw a line under years of fractious relations with the rest of Europe. The relaunch was greeted with a sense of relief that after years of chaotic leadership in London a new age of cooperation was beginning. Annette Dittert, the longtime London correspondent for the German public broadcaster ARD, was effusive about the vibe shift. Starmer managed to restore Britains reputation in Europe within a day. Astonishing achievement in such (a) short time, Dittert tweeted. [W]ithin a day is maybe a bit over the top, but still: what a complete change of tone and such a relief not having to report on Britain as a basket case any more. Der Spiegel noted that after the long ice age between Berlin and London, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and Starmer got along well. It said the new prime ministers performance in Blenheim could mark the beginning of a new tandem for Europe. The news magazine said that given the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House and the weakening of President Emmanuel Macron in France, Europe needed new fulcrums of power. In the German delegation, there is hope that the cooperation with the British government under Starmer will significantly intensify, on the bilateral and the European level, on security and defence issues, on economic cooperation but also on delicate issues like migration, Der Speigel said. Impressions from today's European Political Community meeting at Blenheim Palace. #EPC2024 pic.twitter.com/yCA1dbFAJJ German Embassy London (@GermanEmbassy) July 18, 2024 In France, Le Monde noted the difference between the two countries leaders Starmer on an upward trajectory on the back of a landslide election and Macron weakened by his snap election. But, the newspaper added: The British leader knows he needs the French president, and a future French government, to complete the reset of relations between his country and the EU after the damage caused by Brexit. In Italy, La Repubblica wrote: The rapprochement with the EU is now official. The London correspondent of the Spanish daily La Vanguardia said it was not the B word that was occupying leaders minds any more, but the R word. The Labour leader made it quite plain that he doesnt just want to reset the relationship with Europe, but also to recover the UKs world-leading role based on respect for the law and for international law thus reversing down the path embarked on by Boris Johnson and followed by his successors, Rafael Ramos wrote. In Ireland, the Irish Times noted the diplomatic lovebombs Starmer was scattering. As the leaders were driven out of Blenheim Palace in fleets of black cars in the early evening, the warmth of the days sunshine remained in the air. Starmer will hope the warmth also persists in his relationships across Europe, it said. Maria Ramirez, who covers the UK for the online Spanish newspaper elDiario.es, noted the messaging at Blenheim had been very clear. Starmer was speaking at a forum that included EU members and around 20 European governments and institutions, she wrote. But the new Labour governments interest is focused on improving relations with the EU, with which it wants a reset. A police car was flipped on its side and a bus set alight after unrest broke out in Leeds on Thursday evening and residents were advised to stay at home. Footage appeared to show people throwing objects at the police vehicle before it was pushed over in Harehills, east of the city centre. The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, condemned the shocking scenes and attacks, saying disorder of this nature has no place in our society. A local restaurant owner said the chaos was linked to children being taken into care, adding that some people in the community responded by setting fires and throwing stones. Police said they were called to an address in Luxor Street at 5pm on Thursday where they found an ongoing disturbance involving agency workers and children. More people started to arrive and the agency workers and children were taken to a safe place. No uniformed police appeared to be present at the scene of the main disturbance beyond 9pm, staying a few streets away, though a police helicopter was monitoring the scene from above. West Yorkshire police promised a full investigation into all criminal offences including damage to vehicles from fire. [All criminal offences] will be fully investigated by detectives from Leeds CID and the forces homicide and major inquiry team. We want to make it very clear that the full weight of the law will be brought against those responsible. The mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, said: Im reassured no one has been seriously injured but suggest those who are using this to inflame community tensions to think again. Earlier, as the disorder took hold, a bus was set alight on Foundry Approach, sending flames towering above the red brick houses and creating thick black smoke that could be seen for miles. The bus burned for several hours as local people threw on water gathered from nearby homes. As the crowd built, West Yorkshire police said: More officers have been deployed to the area to assist with the management of this incident. Some road closures are also being implemented and people are advised to avoid the area at this time. Riesa, a pharmacy dispenser who did not want to give her last name, and who lives off Harehills Lane, said: They were attacking police cars, throwing things at the police cars anything they could pick up off the floor really. Rocks from the garden, rubbish, drinks, anything. Looking out the window, you can see that people were attacking cars that were just at the traffic light trying to go past them, but they wouldnt turn around because I think they were getting quite scared because there were so many people. There was a bus at the lights, obviously stopped by all these people as well. He was trying to get past, obviously he couldnt, so he just reversed and just stopped basically outside my street, and just left the bus there because he felt he was in danger. I did see people throwing things at the bus before the driver had got out. Someone threw some glass at the bus. A spokesperson for First Bus in Leeds said two of its vehicles were caught up in the disorder but there were no injuries to drivers or passengers. One of our vehicles has been set on fire but was empty as the customers had earlier been transferred to another bus together with the driver. All services are being diverted from this area of Harehills for the safety of our staff and customers. We will follow the advice of the police in deciding when normal routes will resume and update customers as soon as we can. Another smaller fire in a road junction on Harehills Lane was kept alight, with people throwing on debris. One witness, Usmaan, described seeing police retreat earlier in the day in order to calm the scene. Police decided to disengage, I spoke to a sergeant and he said they decided to retreat to de-escalate it and the fire was starting to settle down. Then riot police came and sparked everything up. Bricks were thrown and then the riot police retreated. Then they lit the bus on fire. People in the streets around the scene offered shelter and drinks to others on the street. This is too much, said one local woman. I havent seen anything like this here. Her friend added: Its like something from a movie. One slightly built teenager in a balaclava was throwing bins on the fire. He told the Guardian he was 16. Harehills Green party councillor Mothin Ali was at the scene from about 5pm attempting to defuse the situation. He took a wooden crate from a man attempting to throw it on the bus fire, telling him: Think before you act. There are kids in [these houses]. Some of us did this 10 years ago and we saw our whole lives destroyed. Use your brain. No injuries had been reported, West Yorkshire police said. Some people expressed frustration at the absence of a visible police presence, though it did appear to de-escalate the situation. One man said: The police dont care about our area. Theyve just left, theyll let us deal with it. Salma Arif, councillor for Gipton and Harehills, warned residents to stay at home in a video she posted on social media alongside an East Leeds neighbourhood policing inspector. Arif said: There is an ongoing situation currently in Harehills, were aware of that so police is here. We are asking everybody in the area to please stay at home at this moment in time. With PA Media Police guard the remains of a double-decker bus which was set alight last night - Asadour Guzelian Public disorder broke out in Harehills, a part of Leeds, yesterday. Large crowds smashed up a police car, looted a delivery van, pelted police vans and officers with missiles, and burned a double-decker bus to the ground. The trigger? Apparently, social workers trying to take one or more Roma children into care. A visit from social services is far from remarkable amidst the social and family breakdown underway in modern Britain. But it would seem that some in the multicultural community of Harehills were simply not going to stand for agents of the British state daring to interfere in their tribal affairs. A crowd soon formed and morphed into a mob. The police attempted to maintain and regain control on a couple of occasions, including through the mobilisation of more specially trained public order officers who attended with riot shields and riot vans. But the mob united in a seemingly gleeful desire to send representatives of British authority packing successfully saw them off, pelting the officers and their vans with bricks and anything else they could get their hands on. Social media was awash with clips and live streams of the violence complete with the demoralising scenes of police officers, cars and vans fleeing the scene, surrendering the streets to the mob for the night. Such scenes may be celebrated by troublemakers, but put fear in the hearts of the law-abiding who, in these moments, come to realise how wafer thin the veneer of law and order is in modern Britain. There was chatter and expectation on some of the feeds that the army would need to be deployed. All too predictably, nobody turned up save what seemed to be a solitary police helicopter keeping an eye on things. There will, no doubt, be decision logs and rationales that set out why the police took the decision to withdraw and let the buses, fires and mob burn themselves out. But, if we were being really honest about it, wed acknowledge that the British police simply dont have anything like the clarity of mission, political backing or range of tactics and kit that their Continental or North American peers do. Political and policing leaders in West Yorkshire may think that they successfully got away with standing back last night, but there is no escaping the fact that had the police urgently needed to take back the streets, its far from clear that they would have been able to. The Irish Garda learned this the hard way after serious disorder spilled onto the streets of Dublin last year. Theyve upped their game, including the roll-out of large capacity irritant sprays that the rest of the world but not Britain make regular use of during public disorder. What scale of public disorder and ensuing damage, destruction or loss of life will be required for our police and political leaders to learn similar lessons? We also need to be honest about something else. What we saw in Leeds yesterday is not a new phenomenon. We have seen how local populations react to the legitimate activity of police officers, teachers, and in this case social workers. Some, with or without the help of rabble rousers, default to tribal allegiances with often violent and threatening consequences. When this occurs, do we really want to be a country that allows the mob to run amok? Smashing up police cars, burning buses, and looting delivery vans should never be considered acceptable behaviour. It merits a response in the moment, even if it risks bursting the bubble of Britain as Europes multicultural success story. We have, of course, also allowed a new religion to take hold of our institutions that celebrates and champions difference, irrespective of whether the differences are compatible with our own values and laws. We must not let the discussion of these grave national challenges be shut down or mischaracterised by those who would label such legitimate concerns, shared by a law-abiding majority, as far right or divisive. They may bristle at any suggestion that multiculturalism is not a runaway success, but if we cant talk about the problems we face, we will never solve them. Quantum computers, heralded for their unprecedented computational power, could soon possess the capability to breach the encryption systems that protect critical infrastructure, financial markets and personal bank accounts, according to a leading scientist. Speaking to Yahoo Finance Future Focus, director of IBM Research at Zurich, Dr Alessandro Curioni, explained that quantum computers leverage subatomic particles for calculations, enabling them to perform tasks at speeds unattainable by today's traditional computers. "As a result of the development of quantum computing, all our sensitive data will be exposed," Curioni said. The scientist then listed the types of sensitive data that could be in jeopardy, such as "healthcare data and financial data." He also warned that even digital signatures on contracts could be forged. While the exact timeline remains uncertain, Curioni emphasised that once quantum computers achieve sufficient power, they will be capable of breaking current cryptographic technology. "We do know that a quantum computing machine, probably before the end of the decade, will be powerful enough to break the standard cryptographic technology that is used today," he noted. Read more: Cash still king for illegal transactions, not crypto, says Chainalysis exec This looming event, known as 'Q-Day,' signifies the moment when quantum computers can crack cryptographic keys. These keys are complex codes used to secure data, ensuring it remains accessible only to authorised users. The implications of such a breach are profound, threatening personal banking information, financial systems and national security by exposing protected government and infrastructure data. Global race for quantum supremacy Curioni pointed out that the race to develop the first powerful quantum computer is fierce, with significant investments from nations worldwide. When pressed on where in the world the first powerful quantum computer that can crack cryptographic technology could come from, Curioni said: "it could come from any nation that invests enough in the development of this technology." Read more: How will AI change the world of scamming? | The Crypto Mile He cited a report that said out of all the nations vying to win the race for quantum computing supremacy, "two countries show exponential investment in this area, the United States and China, where most of the developments are happening." The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has also alerted financial institutions about the potential cybersecurity risks that quantum computing could introduce. Recent data shows that 95% of respondents believe quantum computing will significantly impact cryptographic security, yet only 25% of firms are addressing this threat. Despite the looming risks, IBM (IBM) is proactively developing solutions to safeguard current systems. Curioni highlighted the creation of Quantum-Safe cryptographic algorithms designed to withstand quantum computer attacks. These advancements are part of a broader effort to ensure data security in the quantum era. Quantum computing potential Beyond the security concerns, Curioni highlighted the transformative potential of quantum computing. He described it as one of two major computing advancements this decade, alongside artificial intelligence. He described how quantum computing is poised to revolutionise various fields, including drug discovery, materials science and logistics optimisation. Read more: Sovereign agents: Your own personal AI assistant? | The Crypto Mile "Quantum computing will allow us to revolutionise how scientists simulate nature, enabling better material design and drug discovery. This could lead to the development of new antibiotics or novel treatments for currently incurable diseases," Curioni said. Additionally, quantum computing's ability to solve complex optimisation problems could significantly enhance logistics and financial operations. Quantum computing and AI The most exciting prospect, according to Curioni, lies in the synergy between quantum computing and machine learning. This combination is expected to drive the most significant societal impact, leveraging the strengths of both technologies to advance numerous sectors and improve global problem-solving capabilities. Read more: What are bitcoin rune etchings? Curioni added that as the quantum computing revolution approaches, the scientific community and industry leaders are preparing for its immense potential and its challenges to help ensure a secure and innovative future. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. The Chancellor talked about her desire to secure a trade deal in an interview with The Telegraph in February - Shutterstock/Thomas Krych Rachel Reeves wants to revive UK-US trade deal talks if Donald Trump wins the US presidency in November, The Telegraph can reveal. The Chancellor talked about her desire to secure a trade deal if Trump returned to the White House in an interview with The Telegraph in February. The remarks, not published at the time, offer an insight into how Ms Reeves, now two weeks into her time at the Treasury after Labours election victory, could approach a Trump presidency. The prospect appears increasingly likely after the Republican convention this week saw the party rally around its candidate following an assassination attempt. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on Joe Biden to drop out of the race from his Democratic Party colleagues, with speculation that could happen as soon as this weekend. A UK-US free trade deal was held up by Eurosceptics as a big potential benefit from Brexit during the 2016 EU referendum campaign but, eight years on, it has not materialised. An agreement came close to being secured near the end of Trumps first term, when Boris Johnson was prime minister, but talks ground to a halt under Mr Biden, who has not pursued bilateral trade deals. A trade agreement came close to being secured near the end of Trump's first term, when Boris Johnson was prime minister - Getty/Saul Loeb Ms Reeves said no when asked if she grimaces at the prospect of a Trump presidency when speaking in February to The Telegraph. Ms Reeves said then: I would like to do free-trade deals with countries all around the world. She added: We would look to do deals around the world, including with [the US] but also with Canada. And that deal obviously broke down recently. Pressed specifically on a US-UK deal, Ms Reeves said: Look, it would have to be in Britains national interest. And that would mean having tough negotiations in a whole range of areas. But I would like to break down some of those barriers for trade to help great British companies being able to export all around the world. A Treasury insider confirmed on Friday that the position remains her view: We obviously want to improve trade relationships with all countries, including the US. The reopening of negotiations could become an early area of common ground for a Labour leadership that has spent months thinking about how to engage with a Trump presidency. Lammy mends fences David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary who was severely critical of Trump when a back-bencher, has spent time developing relationships in pro-Trump Republican circles. He has met with JD Vance, the US senator named as Trumps vice-presidential candidate this week, and has praised Mr Vances book Hillbilly Elegy. Trump and Mr Johnson often talked about delivering a great trade deal between their two nations when both men were leading their countries. The talks were making progress in 2020, with most chapters different policy areas in the negotiations closed after many rounds of formal discussions. However, agreement was not reached on the thorniest issues, including access to agricultural markets, before Trumps election defeat in November 2020. There is no guarantee that Trump would adopt as positive a position towards striking a deal with the Labour Government as he did with a Conservative one, according to a former senior UK diplomat in Washington DC. The former diplomatic source told The Telegraph: If there is a deal, it could be a fig-leaf deal. I think under Trump it would be fairly minimal. I cant see him particularly wanting to do a favour to a Labour Government. I think it would be different to the atmospherics with a Johnson government a few years ago. The US presidential election is held on Nov 5, with any switch in the White House taking place on inauguration day, Jan 20 2025. Evan Gershkovich listening to the verdict from the glass-covered defendants box at the court in Yekaterinburg. Photograph: Dmitri Lovetsky/AP A Russian court has found the US journalist Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in prison, after a trial widely described as a sham. Gershkovich, 32, denied the charges and pleaded not guilty during the secretive court proceedings in Yekaterinburg, mostly held behind closed doors. His employer, the Wall Street Journal, described the verdict as a disgraceful, sham conviction. The trial was concluded with unusual haste, raising hopes of a prisoner swap involving the journalist, something that has long been the subject of private discussions between Russian and US officials. Footage from the courtroom showed Gershkovich, dressed in a T-shirt, watching impassively from inside a glass defendants box, as the judge read out the sentence of imprisonment for a term of 16 years in a penal colony with a strict regime. The court ordered his mobile phone and reporters notebook to be destroyed. Earlier on Friday, the prosecution had asked for an 18-year jail term. President Joe Biden said the US government was pushing hard for Gershkovichs release, adding: There is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime. The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, called the sentence despicable. Gershkovich was arrested while reporting in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg last March, becoming the first US journalist since the cold war to be accused of spying in Russia. He had been held in Moscows notorious Lefortovo prison, but was returned to Yekaterinburg for trial. The prosecutors claimed Gershkovich was collecting secret information about a military factory in the Urals involved in Moscows war effort in Ukraine on the orders of the CIA, a claim he, the Wall Street Journal and the US state department have dismissed as ludicrous. He had been granted official accreditation to work as a journalist by the Russian foreign ministry. This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist, the Wall Street Journal said in a statement released after the verdict. We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evans release and to support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until hes released. This must end now. . The press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders described the sentence as outrageous and called for Gershkovich to be released immediately. The US embassy in Moscow said: Regardless of what Russian authorities claim, Evan is a journalist. He did not commit any illegal actions. Russian authorities have been unable to provide evidence that he committed a crime or justification for Evans continued detention. The United Nations human rights office said it had serious concerns with the sentencing. Journalists should be able to perform their essential professional functions work in a safe environment without fear of reprisals - in line with Russias international human rights obligations, it said in a statement. The trial was held behind closed doors, which is common in espionage cases. Journalists were allowed briefly into the courtroom when the hearings began last month. Gershkovich appeared with a shaved head, in line with Russian regulations. Russias foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, claimed on Wednesday that Moscow had irrefutable evidence Gershkovich was involved in espionage, but gave no details. Russian authorities have made nothing public that would suggest guilt, and many see the arrest as an attempt to use jailed Americans as bargaining chips in an exchange for Russian intelligence operatives and assassins held in western jails. The speed of the case, with this weeks hearings brought forward by more than a month and the prosecution racing through witness testimony in one afternoon, may indicate that a long-discussed swap deal is close. Russia usually concludes court proceedings in such instances before a swap. Vladimir Putin, in an interview in February with the US broadcaster Tucker Carlson, said discussions on a swap were under way. The special services are in contact with one another. They are talking I believe an agreement can be reached, the president said. He hinted that Russia would like to exchange Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, who is serving time in a German jail for assassinating a Chechen exile in Berlin in 2019. The Sandbanks peninsula - BNPS The people of Sandbanks have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a plan to ban overdevelopment on the exclusive peninsula. The wealthy residents of the millionaires row in Poole Harbour, Dorset are staging a fightback against the growing number of waterfront mansions they claim are blighting public sea views. In a one-off referendum put to locals on Thursday, the Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forums plan to restrict future development was overwhelmingly approved, with 96.6 per cent of those voting in favour of the curbs. The result means that the groups plan will become a legally binding document that will influence all future planning decisions on Sandbanks. However, the plan has sparked controversy, with local developers accusing those trying to block development of selfishness. Sandbanks is a luxurious spot enjoyed by celebrities including Harry Redknapp, who with his wife Sandra is converting a six-bedroom house into a three-storey Italianate villa. Banks Road, on the exclusive Sandbanks peninsula - BNPS The peninsula was a largely deserted headland in the Victorian era until a hotel was built in the 1880s and then 40 plots of land were put up for sale at public auction in 1896. Since the 1960s, many of the older properties have gradually been demolished and the plots subdivided and replaced with large detached houses or blocks of flats. Infilling development became more prominent and by the 1990s there were 500 properties on the peninsula. There are now about 900 homes, about half of which are flats. The Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum is seeking to counter what it calls the rash of unimaginative and poorly considered waterfront mansions on the peninsula. The group want to stop any more infilling of undeveloped plots on Panorama Road, one of the most expensive addresses in Britain, to save the dwindling number of sea views left to the public. Harry Redknapp paid almost 7m for property on the exclusive Sandbanks peninsula in 2023 - BNPS Norman Allenby Smith, chairman of the Sandbanks Community Group, said: The result is very pleasing. It shows that the plan has the full support of the community and we can move forward with a strategy for Sandbanks that will make it an even more enjoyable place to live and visit. I think the reason the vote was so overwhelming was because there was a very thorough consultation process to determine what the community wanted. This now means that all future planning applications for Sandbanks will be decided in consultation with this plan which is a legally binding document. Because of this there should be no more incremental development on Sandbanks. Paul de Cordova, chairman of the Sandbanks Neighbourhood Forum, the body that came up with the plan, said before the vote: I believe that Sandbanks is suffering from a rash of poorly considered development which has severely impacted the character of Sandbanks. Land plots are subject to overdevelopment with new properties and extensions which lack imagination and pay little regard to their impact on neighbouring properties, particularly in terms of mass, height and proximity to boundaries. A couple who have lived on Sandbanks for 25 years said they voted in favour of the plan. They said: Weve just seen too much change here. Were all for building and change where necessary but we need to protect what we have left. Its driven by selfishness But one local property developer warned that adopting the plan could result in house prices to fall. Richard Carr, the chief executive of property developers Fortitudo, said those supporting the plan have not thought through the impact it could have on the value of their own homes in the future. Mr Carr said: All those people that live there are basically saying we have got our house but we dont want anyone else. Its driven by selfishness. Its a completely anti-development document. Its a very negative document. I dont think most people realise what they have voted for. People who have got a single house on a large plot may have sold it before and two or three homes could be built there. Now they have lost that opportunity and have devalued their properties as a result. He said that adopting the plan will put Sandbanks at odds with the new Labour governments policy on housebuilding for the country. Mr Carr said: Labour have identified Nimbyism as a major hurdle in the UK for not building enough new homes so it will be interesting to see what happens here. For all the claims from his supporters that surviving an assassination attempt had left Donald Trump a changed man, one more softened and spiritual, the Trump who accepted his partys nomination on Thursday night was deeply familiar: same divisive rhetoric, same divisive policies. But the Republican crowd that surrounded Trump was certainly cheerful and energized. I have never been to a more fun convention, or a convention with better vibes, the ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson told them, and his unscripted comments seemed to capture a real mood. Biden and the Democrats are foundering, Trump narrowly survived a terrifying attack, and Republicans appear to believe that Trump has already won the election. Here are five takeaways from the night: Trump talked about his assassination attempt for the first, and he said, final time Like many his supporters, Trump said he believed he had been protected by God last weekend, but he also emphasized how moved he had been by the behavior of his supporters when he was shot. When faced with a hail of bullets, he said, most crowds would have panicked and tried to flee, but his did not. After the Secret Service members pounced on him to protect him from the gunfire, Trump said: There was blood pouring everywhere, yet, in a certain way, I felt very safe, because I had God on my side, I felt that. Im not supposed to be here tonight, Trump said later, and when the crowd began to chant: Yes you are! Yes you are! he responded, But Im not and Ill tell you. I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God. Trump also said he could see a look of sorrow on the faces of his supporters, who watched him go down and assumed that he had been shot in the head and was dead. When he stood up again and lifted his fist, he said, the crowd responded in a way that he had never heard before. This massive crowd of tens of thousands of people stood by and didnt move an inch, Trump said. In fact, he said, many of them stood and started looking for the sniper and pointing at him. Nobody ran, and by not stampeding, many lives were saved, Trump said, saying he believed the reason is that they knew I was in very serious trouble. For the rest of my life, Trump said, I will be grateful for the love shown by that giant audience of patriots that stood bravely on the fateful evening in Pennsylvania. Trump may be changed after the assassination attempt, but he didnt sound that changed In the early minutes of his speech, Trump delivered some of the unity rhetoric that he told journalists he had planned. The discord and division in our society must be healed, Trump said. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America. But soon after the somber beginning to his unity speech, Trump turned cheerful and chatty, first praising his friends, and then, soon enough, railing in a familiar way against crazy Nancy Pelosi, calling Biden one of Americas worst presidents, and then, to cheers, referring to Covid once again as the China virus. I hope you will remember this in November and give us your vote. I am trying to buy your vote. Ill be honest about that, Trump later quipped to the voters of Wisconsin, talking about the $250m the Republican national convention is supposed to bring to the Wisconsin economy. Were never going to let it happen again. They used Covid to cheat, Trump said, continuing to deny he lost the 2020 election to Biden. Though sources said Trump would simply not use Bidens name in his speech, he did, saying: If you took the 10 worst presidents in the history of the United States think of it, the 10 worst added them up, they will not have done the damage that Biden has done. The Republican convention is a mirror world: I am the one saving democracy, Trump says Throughout their convention, Republicans have taken key Democratic lines of attack and claimed them for themselves. In the world of the Republican national convention, the Democrats are the ones who are undermining US democracy, not the party whose supporters stormed the US Capitol to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Biden is acting like a dictator, the North Dakota governor, Doug Burgum, said in a speech on Wednesday. Republican politicians kept reciting the names of women who have been raped or sexually assaulted by immigrants, while blaming the Democratic partys immigration policies for putting them at risk. They didnt talk about Trump being found liable of sexual abuse in a civil trial brought by the magazine writer E Jean Carroll, or the allegations of sexual misconduct he has faced from more than two dozen women. Biden and Harris were called criminals, rather than the candidate who has been convicted on 34 felony charges, and whose convention featured a Trump ally who had just been released from federal prison. The Democrat party should immediately stop weaponizing the justice system and labelling their political opponents as an enemy of democracy, especially since that is not true, Trump said on Thursday. In fact, I am the one saving democracy for the people of our country. Trump again pledges to carry out the largest deportation in US history Before Trump spoke, other Republican politicians devoted large swathes of time during their convention to demonizing undocumented migrants, blaming them for a host of social ills, and advocating not just for a border wall but also Mass deportations now. Trumps speech mirrored the convention as a whole, with a major focus on attacking migrants as criminals and rapists, and claiming, without evidence, that countries like El Salvador had seen decreases in crime because they were shipping all of their murders to the US. (Human rights organizations continue to speak out about the effects of mass arrests in El Salvador.) Trump again promised the largest deportation operation in the history of our country and pledged that his deportations would be even larger than that of president Dwight D Eisenhower from many years ago. You know, he was a moderate but he believed very strongly in borders. He had the largest deportation operation weve ever had. Trump promises 'two things on day one' ... 'Close our borders' and drill, baby, drill! Trump also joined other Republicans throughout the week in touting the GOP as the party of fossil fuel, as Republicans repeatedly chanted: Drill, baby, drill! Climate change experts and activists have said that both Trump and his vice presidential pick, JD Vance, are likely to pursue a methodical climate crisis denial presidency that would include increasing production of fossil fuel, ignoring mainstream climate science and undermining or overturning rules to reduce emissions. One of the everyday Americans invited to speak at the convention earlier in the week was the petroleum engineer Sarah Phillips, who criticized Biden and the Green New Deal. The hydrocarbons that are being extracted are a true gift, Phillips said. Our society and our standard of living could not exist without fossil fuels. These liberal senators shut down the Keystone Pipeline, the Montana senator Steve Daines said earlier on Thursday. An America First majority were going to drill, baby, drill! A major IT fault has hit services and infrastructure around the world, with aviation, banking, healthcare and financial services among the sectors affected. The cybersecurity company CrowdStrike confirmed the problem came from a defect in a content update for Microsofts Windows operating system, resulting in flights being grounded, healthcare services being halted and online payment systems shut down. Here is what we know so far: What exactly has happened? The chief executive of CrowdStrike, George Kurtz, confirmed the problem was caused by a defect in a single content update for Windows hosts in short, a flaw in a software update pushed out to customers using Windows PCs. CrowdStrike is one of the worlds largest cybersecurity providers, providing antivirus and cyber-attack prevention tools to businesses. The flaw in its update caused many Windows PCs to crash, some displaying the blue screen of death and becoming unusable. IT infrastructure at businesses and institutions around the world collapsed, taking many companies and their services offline. This has particularly affected the transport, financial and healthcare sectors, with airlines and airports, train services, health providers and even the London Stock Exchange affected. The UKs Ministry of Defence said it was tracking the situation and was unaffected. It said it was not aware of any involvement of hostile actors. The UKs science, innovation and technology secretary, Peter Kyle, said government departments were working seamlessly together to understand the nature of todays outages and respond appropriately and swiftly. Separately, other UK government officials indicated they were not treating this as a cyber-attack from hostile states or criminals. What has the Windows outage affected? Problems have been reported around the world, including in India, the US, Europe, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Companies including banks, telecommunications firms, TV and radio broadcasters, and supermarkets reported problems. Airlines were affected, too, with flights on US airlines including American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines being grounded. Airports were also experiencing difficulties. Automated boarding scanners at Edinburgh airport went offline, a witness from the Reuters news agency said. The airport was checking boarding passes manually, they said. Schiphol airport in Amsterdam said: There is currently a global system failure. This disruption also has an impact on flights to and from Schiphol. The impact is now being mapped. Brandenburg airport in Berlin said due to a technical fault, there will be delays in check-in. The emergency 911 lines in Alaska went down, according to the state troopers service. Due to a nationwide technology related outage, many 911 and non-emergency call centres are not working correctly across the state of Alaska, it said. In the UK, rail services at Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern all Govia Thameslink railway services were experiencing widespread IT problems. The news service at the London Stock Exchange was down, while the Commonwealth Bank confirmed some PayID payment transactions were affected, and it is understood ANZ customers were having trouble with some transfers. The NHS booking system used by doctors in England was also offline, medical officials said. How long will the problems last? This remains unclear. Given the number of devices and businesses affected, it could take several days for every computer to be fixed and returned to normal use, particularly at smaller firms with fewer resources. Cybersecurity experts said it was good news that the problem had affected only Windows users CrowdStrike confirmed Apple Mac and Linux users were unaffected and that a fix had been deployed, meaning larger IT departments could quickly begin restoring services. Disruptions are likely to remain throughout Friday and into the weekend. The chief executive of CrowdStrike, the firm at the centre of the global IT outage, has said he is deeply sorry for the incident, but warned it would take some time for systems to be fully restored. George Kurtz said a fix had been deployed for a bug in an update rolled out by the cybersecurity firm which affected Microsoft Windows PCs, knocking many offline around the world, causing flight and train cancellations and crippling some healthcare systems. In an interview with NBCs Today Show in the US, Mr Kurtz said the incident was not a cyber attack, but admitted that despite CrowdStrike identifying the bug which sparked the issue and rolling out a fix, it would still be some time before all systems returned to normal. Were deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused to customers, to travellers, to anyone affected by this, Mr Kurtz said. Weve been on with our customers all night and working with them many of our customers are rebooting the system and its coming up and operational because we fixed it on our end, he said. Some of the systems that arent recovering, were working with them, so it could be some time for some systems that just automatically wont recover, but it is our mission to make sure that every customer is fully recovered and were not going to relent until we get every customer back to where they were and well continue to protect them and keep the bad guys out of their systems. Asked if he ever thought an outage of this scale was possible, the CrowdStrike founder added: Software is a very complex world and theres a lot of interactions, and always staying ahead of the adversary is a tall task. In a post to X, formerly Twitter, Mr Kurtz reiterated that the outage was not a security or cyber incident. Our customers remain fully protected, he said. Crowdstrikes stock tumbled in value when the US markets opened on Friday as investors digested the impact of the outage. Shares slid by over 8% at the start of trading, knocking around 10 billion US dollars (7.8 billion) off its market value. The largest financial markets in the US and UK fell during the trading session as other companies were also affected. Today was not a security or cyber incident. Our customers remain fully protected. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024 Industry expert Adam Leon Smith of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, warned that it could even take weeks for all computers and systems to be fully restored. The fix will have to be applied to many computers around the world. So if computers are getting blue screens and endless loops, it could be more difficult and take days and weeks, he said. Microsoft Windows isnt the main OS for mission-critical systems, thats Linux and so this could have been much worse. CrowdStrike had earlier confirmed that Linux and Apple Mac systems had not been impacted by the bug. The flawed update caused major infrastructure to grind to a halt with computer systems knocked offline, and many devices were showing the so-called blue screen of death as they got stuck in an endless cycle of trying to reboot themselves, affecting key sectors across the country. The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with a GP appointment and patient record system. If you have an appointment please do attend unless you are told otherwise. If you need help use 111 online or by phone and in an emergency call 999. https://t.co/M4QxHP2GqM NHS England (@NHSEngland) July 19, 2024 The outage is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices, NHS England said, and ambulance services also reported increases in calls from patients who are unable to contact other NHS providers because of the IT issues. The health service said patients should attend appointments unless told otherwise and should only contact their GP in urgent cases. Across England, GP surgeries reported being unable to book appointments or access patient records as their EMIS Web system went down. The National Pharmacy Association said services in community pharmacies, including the accessing of prescriptions from GPs and medicine deliveries, are disrupted today. Outages have affected flights (Jacob King/PA) In an update on its website, Microsoft suggested users of virtual machines a PC where the computer is not in the same place as the screen turn their devices on and off again up to 15 times to help reboot the device and fix the issue. Weve received feedback from customers that several reboots (as many as 15 have been reported) may be required, but overall feedback is that reboots are an effective troubleshooting step at this stage, the tech giant said. In the UK, Sky News briefly went off air on Friday morning and Britains biggest train company warned passengers to expect disruption because of widespread IT issues, as did many major airlines and airports. Around the world, banks, supermarkets and other major institutions reported computer issues disrupting services, while many businesses were unable to take digital payments or access key databases. Sky News was knocked off air (Sky News/PA) At airports, flights were cancelled and staff forced to check in passengers manually on specific flights to help ease long queues. And one impacted airline, Ryanair, urged passengers whose flights have been cancelled to leave the airport. The airline said in a statement: Unfortunately, weve been forced to cancel a small number of flights today due to this global third-party IT outage. Affected passengers have been notified and are advised to log into their myRyanair account once systems are back online to see their options. A full list of cancellations is available at ryanair.com. If your flight has been cancelled, we kindly request that you leave the airport as the IT outage means we cannot currently assist passengers at the airport. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by this global third-party IT outage, and we are working hard to minimise disruption and keep passengers informed. We are currently experiencing widespread IT issues across our entire network. Our IT teams are actively investigating to determine the root cause of the problem. We are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice cancellations, Thameslink (@TLRailUK) July 19, 2024 Earlier in the day, Govia Thameslink Railway parent company of Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern warned passengers to expect delays. GP practices across England warned they could not access EMIS Web, the most widely used clinical system for primary care in the UK. It enables GP practices to book appointments and examine records, and includes a clinical decision support tool as well as helping with admin. Professor Ciaran Martin, the founding chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said the incident was an incredibly powerful illustration of our global digital vulnerabilities and the fragility of core Internet infrastructure. Prof Martin, who now works at the University of Oxford, said it was hard to estimate how long it would take to recover from the outage. The underlying problem is fixed and the fixes are being implemented. Some industries can recovery quickly. But others like aviation will have long backlogs. That said, Id be surprised if we were still facing serious problems this time next week. He added that the cyber industry also needed to get better at finding and fixing these single points of failure across all core digital infrastructure and managing how we cope when IT services fall over, saying the world faced more of these types of events if changes were not made. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has urged people to bear with GPs amid a major IT outage that has caused considerable disruption to appointment bookings and other services. Thousands of GP practices have been affected, with NHS England confirming there has been an issue with the EMIS Web system, which is understood to be used by about 60% of practices in England. There have also been issues with administrative systems in some hospitals while some ambulance services have reported a surge in demand. Pharmacies have also been affected, with the National Pharmacy Association warning that disruption is likely to continue through the weekend, even when systems are back online, as outlets deal with a backlog of medicine deliveries. Health Secretary Wes Streeting urged patience (PA) The PA news agency understands that around 3,700 GP practices may be affected. People trying to access the NHS app have also encountered problems. In a post on X, Mr Streeting wrote: This is having a particular impact on GP appointments and electronic prescribing. Please bear with your local GPs if theyre grappling with this on top of normal pressures. A spokesperson for NHS England said: The NHS has long-standing measures in place to manage the disruption, including using paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions, and the usual phone systems to contact your GP. There is currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services, so people should use these services as they usually would. There are also some issues with administrative systems in hospitals that mean staff are having to work manually from paper to manage certain tasks but in the majority of hospitals, care is continuing as normal. Patients should attend appointments unless told otherwise. Only contact your GP if its urgent, and otherwise please use 111 online or call 111. GP surgeries reported issues with accessing patient records or booking appointments because of the outage. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: Our members are telling us that todays outage is causing considerable disruption to GP practice bookings and IT systems practices using EMIS IT systems appear to be particularly affected. Outages like this affect our access to important clinical information about our patients, as well as our ability to book tests, make referrals, and inform the most appropriate treatment plan. She asked patients to try and wait until the outage is resolved if their issue is not urgent. EMIS Web is the most widely used clinical system for primary care in the UK. It enables GP practices to book appointments, examine records and includes a clinical decision support tool as well as helping with admin. Following the outage, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust declared a critical incident due to disruption to its radiotherapy services. It contacted patients who were due to have treatment on Friday morning to reschedule. A statement on its website said the hospital is now able to deliver radiotherapy services and this afternoons appointments will take place as scheduled. However, it warned the disruption could affect appointments into next week. A spokesperson for Salisbury District Hospital, which has also been affected, told PA: The challenge is around our patient administration system. It means that weve gone to manual registration of new patients. This is in the emergency, maternity and other front door services where people present directly at the hospital. That process is now slow rather than being digital. They said the IT issues have not impacted outpatients, with appointments running as normal, and that while they are not seeing any staff shortages at the moment they are using paper systems to allocate cover. In another post on X, formerly Twitter, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust said the outage has affected some of our systems which is impacting some clinical services. West Herts Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which includes Watford General, Hemel Hempstead & St Albans City Hospitals, said the impact on their services has been minor. A string of ambulance services reported seeing increased demand on their 999 and NHS 111 services, including London Ambulance Service (LAS), South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) and North East Ambulance Service (NEAS). LAS received a third more calls by 2pm on Friday than it would usually receive in a 24-hour period, according to its chief executive. Daniel Elkeles said: Following the global IT outage that has impacted some NHS services across the capital, our call handlers and ambulance crews are incredibly busy with huge increases in the number of calls to both our 999 and 111 services. In fact, by 2pm today, we had received more than 3,000 999 calls and 3,000 calls to our 111 services this is a third higher than we would usually receive in a full 24 hour period. SECAmb made clear the majority of its infrastructure is unaffected but that it does not have access to some external NHS services and has declared a business continuity incident. Pharmacies reported issues with accessing prescriptions from GP surgeries and said this would affect the delivery of medicines to patients. Patients with minor ailments are also being sent to pharmacies from GP surgeries, according to the Independent Pharmacies Association. UK public sector borrowing came in higher than expected in June, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Borrowing was 14.5 billion in June, 3.2 billion less than June last year, but well above the 11.6 billion forecast by the Governments spending watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Public sector borrowing the difference between spending and income is a closely watched metric when it comes to Government spending plans, and will be part of Chancellor Rachel Reeves calculations for the upcoming Autumn Budget. (PA Graphics) ONS chief economist Grant Fitzner said: The reduction from last year reflected a fall in spending, thanks to lower debt interest payments and the ending of energy support schemes, as well as higher tax revenues. Meanwhile, UK state debt remained at levels last seen in the early 1960s in June, the ONS said. Public sector net debt excluding public sector banks was provisionally estimated at 99.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) at the end of June, 2.8 percentage points more than at the end of June last year. (PA Graphics) It comes after UK Government debt rose to levels not witnessed for more than 60 years in May. Chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said: Todays figures are a clear reminder that this Government has inherited the worst economic circumstances since the Second World War, but were wasting no time to fix it. Fixing the economys foundations and restoring stability is the only way we can create growth and put more money back into peoples pockets across the country. Thats why weve introduced our Budget Responsibility Bill, which will ensure that no future Government can play fast and loose with the public finances. (PA Graphics) Gora Suri, economist at consulting giant PwC UK, said: The new Government has a tricky task on its hands when it comes to the public finances. The latest figures reveal that the UKs debt at the end of June 2024 was very close to the annual value of everything produced in the economy, standing at 99.5%. By committing to getting debt falling as a share of GDP, while ruling out an increase to any of the four main tax revenue-raisers, the Government has given itself little wiggle room. Structural reform will be needed to help drive economic growth. Whitehall crisis officials are working to end the inconvenience caused by the major IT outage hitting airlines, train companies and banks, Cabinet minister Pat McFadden has said. An emergency Cobra meeting was held at official level rather than ministers on Friday morning to discuss the chaos, with a further gathering expected later. Ministers are being kept updated and are in touch with their sectors to tackle the fallout from the IT failures, with Transport Secretary Louise Haigh saying she was working at pace with industry after trains and flights ground to a halt. US cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike is actively working to fix the flaw in a software update that sparked the outage that knocked businesses and institutions around the globe offline. In the UK, transport networks were thrown into chaos, GP surgeries were unable to book appointments or access patient records and Sky News went off air. Mr McFadden, who as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is in charge of the Whitehall machine, told the BBC: Weve had a major global IT outage today, causing huge inconvenience around the world, particularly for people travelling, for media organisations and for some parts of the health care system. Pressed on what the Government can do to help people, he said the first thing we always want to identify is the cause and then to make sure that a fix is put in place and that the inconvenience that is being felt comes to an end as soon as possible. He also said: Cobra officials met this morning. Ive been kept updated about the situation throughout the day, the Prime Minister has been kept informed. We will have a further meeting later today to make sure we are across the situation. The Labour frontbencher said online services that the government provides are largely unaffected now. Downing Street said Sir Keir Starmer did not chair the morning Cobra which deals with matters of national emergency or major disruption, because he had been meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Cabinet. A No 10 spokeswoman said she was not aware of any Whitehall departments being hit by the outage. It came after the Liberal Democrats demanded an urgent Government response to the IT debacle. The partys Cabinet Office spokesperson, Christine Jardine, said: The public needs to be reassured that the disruption to their travel or their desperately needed GP appointments will be minimised. Getting critical infrastructure up and running again must be priority number one. The National Cyber Security Centre should also be working with small businesses and other organisations to help them deal with the outage. This once again lays bare the need to improve our digital infrastructure and truly modernise our economy in order to prevent the incidents from happening again. We are aware of IT failures impacting several transport operators and terminals today, and were working at pace with industry and across Government on the issue. There are no known security issues at present. Louise Haigh (@LouHaigh) July 19, 2024 Train companies were reporting delays and there were long queues at airports such as Gatwick, Luton and Edinburgh. Transport Secretary Ms Haigh tweeted: We are aware of IT failures impacting several transport operators and terminals today, and were working at pace with industry and across Government on the issue. There are no known security issues at present. If youre planning to travel today, please follow operator advice and check ahead before leaving. Manual check-in may be required at airports and there may be train cancellations and delays. Volodymyr Zelensky asked Sir Keir Starmer to show your leadership as he appealed for permission to strike Russian targets with Western weapons in a historic address to the UK Cabinet. The Ukrainian president urged the British Government to help with Kyivs long-range capability as he became the first foreign leader to address the meeting of senior UK ministers in person since 1997. We are still missing the main answer to this question, Mr Zelensky told the meeting on Friday morning. I ask you to show your leadership in this and please convince other partners to remove the limits. Sir Keir met the Ukrainian leader in Downing Street (Benjamin Cremel/PA) Ukraine has said lifting restrictions on Western weapons including British Storm Shadow missiles to strike deep into Russian territory is key to strengthening its defence and securing its frontline position in the war. The UK Government has avoided explicitly backing such a move, saying only that it is a matter for Kyiv how it chooses to deploy its resources, as long as international law is upheld. Speaking after the visit, Downing Street said there was no change to our position on weapons. A Number 10 spokeswoman said: We have been providing military aid to support Ukraines clear right to self-defence against Russias illegal acts in accordance with international humanitarian law. Equipment provided by the UK is intended for the defence of Ukraine. Speaking to BBC Radio 4s Today programme on the morning broadcast round, Defence Secretary John Healey had said: Were providing weapons to Ukraine for their defence of their sovereign country. And that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia. But that must be done by the Ukrainians, it must be done within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law. The Prime Minister greeted Mr Zelensky with a warm hug and handshake outside Number 10 on Friday before sitting down for bilateral talks and hosting him at a historic Cabinet session later in the morning. The Ukrainian President was met by a standing ovation as he became the first foreign leader to address the meeting of senior UK ministers since then-US president Bill Clinton in 1997. Mr Zelensky is the first foreign president to address the UK cabinet since Bill Clinton in 1997 (Jonathan Brady/PA) The Prime Minister said the visit was a very special moment and showed the esteem youre held in in this country and around the world as he promised Britains unshakeable support for Kyiv. Its a very special moment for us to reiterate our support for you and the Ukrainian people in the fight against Russian aggression and to have this opportunity to confirm again our resolve to stand with you, so thank you so much for accepting the invitation, Sir Keir said. This is a very, very important meeting for us and youre very welcome here. It is a real pleasure and a privilege to be able to welcome you to Downing Street this morning. This is a real piece of history. Mr Zelensky thanked the Prime Minister for his and the UKs support and said it was felt by Ukrainians across the country. I hope we will now work even more actively, he said. The faster you act, the more you will achieve. Mr Zelensky thanked the Prime Minister for his and the UKs support (PA) The presidents visit to Downing Street follows the European Political Community (EPC) summit at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, on Thursday, at which 44 countries and the EU agreed to target Russias shadow fleet of tankers seeking to evade sanctions on Russian oil. The group of around 600 vessels carries 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, providing funds for Moscows war effort while also allegedly acting as listening stations or transporting weapons for Russia. The ships are often old and unsafe, and engage in dangerous practices such as turning off their location tracking systems, increasing the risk of a serious collision. Speaking at the EPC summit on Thursday, Mr Zelensky said the UK had been one step ahead in its determination to support Ukraine since the Russian invasion began. He added: This is the kind of resolve we need to stop Russian terror. On Thursday, the UK also sanctioned 11 oil tankers thought to be involved in evading sanctions, including the Rocky Runner, which previously sought to escape UK action by changing its operator. Most of the ships sail under the flag of Gabon, although some including the Rocky Runner are flagged with the Cook Islands and one sails under the flag of Panama. Sanctioned vessels are prohibited from entering British ports and may be detained or directed to enter a port. Trump walking out to deliver his address to the Republican National Convention on Thursday. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Trump officially accepted the GOP's presidential nomination for the 3rd time on Thursday. His first speech since the assassination attempt, it was the longest acceptance speech in history. He discussed the incident, and even displayed the chart that he says saved his life. On Thursday night, former President Donald Trump officially accepted the Republican Party's presidential nomination for the third time. The speech, delivered at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, lasted roughly one hour, 32 minutes, apparently the longest in American history. It was the former president's first public address since a gunman attempted to assassinate him at a Pennsylvania rally last Saturday. Following the incident, Trump said that he had re-written his speech and intended to focus on unity. It was also Trump's first speech since he named Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate. And it came as the candidacy of his chief opponent, President Joe Biden, appeared to be on its last legs. The speech was long, at times rambling, and touched on much of the same themes of his previous campaign speeches. Here are the 8 top takeaways from Trump's Thursday night address. 1. Trump described the assassination attempt in painful detail Still sporting the large ear bandage that he's been wearing throughout the convention, Trump began his speech by addressing Saturday's assassination attempt. "I will tell you exactly what happened," Trump said. "And you'll never hear it from me a second time, because it's actually too painful to tell." The audience fell dead silent as he described the attempt on his life in detail, describing the "loud whizzing sound" of the bullet grazing his ear. "[I] felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear, I said to myself ... it can only be a bullet, and moved my right hand to my ear, brought it down. My hand was covered with blood." Donald Trump describes the moment he was shot pic.twitter.com/Ay2cue5EFd The Recount (@therecount) July 19, 2024 "My hand was covered with blood," Trump said, describing what happened after he brought his hand to his ear. "Just absolutely blood all over the place." He went further into detail, saying the crowd was unmoving because they saw the blood and believed he might be dead. "There's an interesting statistic: The ears are the bloodiest part. If something happens with the ears, they bleed more than any other part of the body, for whatever reason," Trump said. "So we learned something." 2. He recognized Corey Comperatore, the man killed at the rally On stage with Trump the whole time was the fire gear belonging to Corey Comperatore, the former firefighter chief who was killed by the assassin's bullet at the Pennsylvania rally. Trump embraces fire gear belonging to Corey Comperatore, the man killed at the Pennsylvania rally, at the RNC on Thursday. Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP via Getty Images "But Cory unfortunately we have to use the past tense he was incredible," Trump said. The former president added that he had called Comperatore's wife Helen earlier on Thursday. At one point, Trump walked away from the microphone and kissed Comperatore's fire gear, which included a propped-up firefighter jacker and a helmet. 3. He also used the assassination attempt to his advantage At the end of the day, Trump is still Trump. As he wound down his discussion of the Pennsylvania rally, Trump turned toward the myriad legal cases he's faced in the last several years. "We must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement, which is what's been happening in our country lately at a level that nobody has ever seen before," Trump said. "In that spirit, the Democrat Party should immediately stop weaponizing the justice system and labeling their political opponent as an enemy of democracy." He went on to tout Judge Aileen Cannon's dismissal of the classified documents case against him, which is likely to be appealed. "If Democrats want to unify our country, they should drop these partisan witch hunts, which I have been going through for approximately eight years," Trump said. 4. Trump said that JD Vance, his new VP pick, is 'going to be doing this for a long time' Earlier this week, Trump selected Vance one of the former president's staunchest loyalists in the Senate to be his running mate. In his first public comments after that selection, Trump said he was "thrilled to have a new friend and partner fighting by my side." He also mentioned Vance's wife, Usha, and focused heavily on the fact that they attended Yale Law School. "It was an honor to select him. Great, great student at Yale. His wife was a great student at Yale. They met at Yale. These are two smart people," Trump said. "So JD, you're going to be doing this for a long time. Enjoy the ride." Vance, who turns 40 next month, is one of the youngest vice presidential nominees in American history. If Trump is elected, he'll be just a heartbeat away from the presidency, and he's well-positioned to be the GOP's standard bearer in 2028. 5. Despite his 'unity' promises, the speech wasn't that unifying Trump promised a unity-focused speech. Though his tone was notably more subdued than prior public appears, he made plenty of incendiary comments about his political rivals, declaring at one point that Democrats are "destroying our country." And he continued to lie about the results of the 2020 election. "We don't have fierce people," Trump said when discussing foreign wars. "We have people that are a lot less than fierce, except when it comes to cheating on elections and a couple of other things. Then they're fierce." Trump addressing the RNC on Thursday. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images He also went directly after Biden. "If you took the 10 worst presidents in the history of the United States think of it, the 10 worst, added them up they will not have done the damage that Biden has done," Trump said. "Only gonna use the term once. Biden, I'm not going to use the name anymore. Just one time." 6. Trump called for the firing of UAW President Shawn Fain, underscoring the GOP's struggle to win over organized labor Trump's speech contained numerous appeals toward union members, arguing that "unions are suffering" as the result of illegal immigration. At one point, he took a direct swipe at Shawn Fain, the president of the United Auto Workers, who has been harshly critical of Trump and endorsed Biden for president in January. As he called for the elimination of Biden's electrical vehicle requirements, arguing that the policy was driving manufacturing overseas, he said that the union "ought to be ashamed for allowing this to happen, and the leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately." Electric vehicle policies have been at the heart of the GOP's attempts to win over auto workers, including when the UAW went on strike last fall. While Fain and the UAW have raised concerns about electric vehicles, they have not wholly rejected Biden's policies on the issues. "The whole problem that we have is a guy like Shawn Fain blasting Donald Trump," Vance, now Trump's VP pick, told Business Insider in September. "At the very least, just shut your mouth, and take the support from wherever you can get it." As Trump's speech continued, the UAW fired back, calling him a "scab and a billionaire." .@realDonaldTrump is a scab and a billionaire and that's who he represents. We know which side we're on. Not his. UAW (@UAW) July 19, 2024 7. Trump showed the chart he displayed on the day he was shot arguing it may have saved his life A major reason why Trump survived the assassination attempt last Saturday is because his head was turned to the side: He was pointed toward a chart produced by the Border Patrol that depicting illegal immigration in recent years. Displaying it again roughly an hour into his speech, Trump described it as "the chart that saved my life." "Last time I put up that chart, I never really got to look at it," Trump said. "But without that chart, I would not be here today." Donald Trump shows the border chart that he says saved his life from the bullet that hit him in the ear. The chart makes it clear that this crisis is Biden's Border Invasion. pic.twitter.com/dmt4oIXKlB Media Research Center (@theMRC) July 19, 2024 8. It was the longest presidential nomination acceptance speech in recorded history At 92 minutes, Trump's speech on Thursday night appeared to be the longest ever delivered by a major party's presidential nominee. According to The American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Trump exceeded a record he set himself in 2016, when he delivered a nomination speech lasting nearly one hour and 15 minutes. Trump's 2020 speech was similarly lengthy, lasting roughly one hour and 10 minutes. By contrast, Biden's 2020 acceptance speech lasted less than 25 minutes. Read the original article on Business Insider A mysterious new political action committee has spent $36,000 on ads urging President Joe Biden to leave the 2024 race, including in his home state, Delaware, during "Morning Joe," his favorite television program. Pass the Torch PAC was created July 9, according to records from the Federal Election Commission, 12 days after Biden's disastrous debate against Donald Trump, during which the president appeared to lose his train of thought and failed to counter his opponent's statements. Aaron Regunberg, a former Democratic state lawmaker from Rhode Island, told USA TODAY he is a co-founder of the group but declined to say who is financing it. The group's listed treasurer says on his LinkedIn page that he is a compliance expert who helps Democrats and progressives. A screenshot from a new advertisement from Pass the Torch PAC urging President Biden to drop his campaign for re-election. The super PAC, which is not allowed to coordinate with any candidate, spent $36,000 on advertisements that would start running July 12, records show. On Friday, the group posted a video on its social media account. "It's time to pass the torch and let us choose a nominee," says the ad, which features a series of speakers reading the same script. "One who can bring new energy, new hope, and make sure Donald Trump never gets near the White House again." More: Joe Biden warns of Donald Trump's 'dark vision' amid more calls for him to drop out of race Regunberg said the ad originally was supposed to air only in Washington, D.C., but the group expanded the ad campaign to Delaware because Biden is self-isolating after contracting COVID-19. Well be going up on his favorite programs, and we plan to stay up until we hear the announcement that hes going to do the right thing and step aside, Regunberg said. Hopefully well be able to take it off the air in the very near future. Records showing who is funding the PAC will not be available for another three months. The group describes itself as a "Democratic grassroots campaign" on its social media profiles. Pass the Torch says it has made 10,000 phone calls and sent 17,000 emails. It says it will hold a rally Saturday outside the White House. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pass the Torch PAC spends $36,000 to urge Biden out of the race Alabama executed death row inmate Keith Edmund Gavin on Thursday, more than two decades after he fatally shot a father of seven who had stopped at an ATM to get money for a date night with his wife. Gavin, 64, was executed by lethal injection at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, becoming the third inmate to be put to death by the state this year and the 10th in the nation. He died at 6:32 p.m., prison officials said. An Alabama jury found Gavin guilty of murdering William Clinton Clayton Jr., whose youngest son described him as a hard-working "gentle giant" in an interview with USA TODAY this week. Gavin had maintained his innocence since 1998, pointing the finger at a cousin who was at the crime scene with him. Marty Roney, a reporter with the Montgomery Advertiser part of the USA TODAY Network was among the witnesses to the execution and said there were "no apparent difficulties" when the process began at 6:16 p.m. Gavin, whose eyes were closed, appeared to have taken his last breath at 6:20 p.m., Roney said. "He appeared to show no physical reaction during the process," he said. Here's what to know about Gavin's execution, his last meal, the case and the victim. Pictured is Keith Edmund Gavin. He is scheduled to be executed July 18, 2024, after being convicted on Nov. 6, 1999, for the murder of William Clinton Clayton, Jr., a contract courier for Corporate Express Delivery Systems, Inc. Keith Edmund Gavin's last meal, last words before death Before Gavin died, his final words were: "I love my family," according to Roney said. Gavin, who was Muslim, also appeared to say several phrases in Arabic, he added. The day before Gavin's execution, he refused breakfast, lunch and dinner but ate a bag of Ruffles cheddar sour cream potato chips, a bag of Lays plain potato chips and a chocolate Hersey Bar with almonds, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections. Gavin refused his final meal Thursday and did not make any special requests, the corrections department said. He did eat some ice cream and drank Mountain Dew as a snack. Also Thursday, a spiritual advisor and his attorneys, Neil Conrad and Daniel Epstein, visited Gavin and were among the witnesses to the execution. William Clinton Clayton Jr.'s murder On March 6, 1998, Clayton was preparing to take his wife of 38 years out to dinner. The courier van driver stopped to withdraw money from an ATM at Regions Bank in Centre, about 85 miles northeast of Birmingham. Around the same time, Gavin had driven to the region from Chicago with his cousin, Dewayne Meeks, arriving in downtown Centre just as Clayton went to the ATM, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. While the men were stopped at an intersection near Regions Bank, Meeks testified that Gavin got out of the car, walked up to the driver's side of Clayton's van and fired two shots. Meeks, saying he was scared, then drove off in his car, while Gavin got in Clayton's van with Clayton still in it and bleeding out and followed Meeks, court records say. A police pursuit of the van ensued but ended with Gavin's capture in the woods where police later discovered the murder weapon, a 40-caliber Glock pistol. An officer who heard about the shooting on his radio found Clayton "barely alive" in the van and he was pronounced dead shortly after at a hospital. Meeks was arrested weeks later in Chicago on a murder charge in the case but prosecutors later dropped it. Gavin's conviction was in part due to Meeks' testimony. Gavin, who had previously been convicted of murder in 1982, detailed in several appeals for a new murder trial that Meeks was the one who shot Clayton and not him. Meeks has never been convicted in the crime, and two other witnesses positively identified Gavin as the shooter. Pictured is William 'Bill' Clayton Jr. Clayton's youngest son attends Gavin's execution Matt Joseph Clayton, William Clayton's youngest child, told USA TODAY on Tuesday that he would be attending Gavin's execution to "represent his family" and recognize the efforts of the state officials who "brought Mr. Gavin to justice." "No one wants to view an execution, so let's be clear about that," he said. "However, I cannot choose to not attend given the work that has been put forth." Following the execution, Matt Clayton told USA TODAY that his dad was a "piece of Americana and an Alabama farm boy raised with rural values who had a tremendous work ethic. Matt Clayton said his mother, who is 94 years old, lives independently and is "very healthy and very vibrant." He did not say if she or his other siblings attended the execution on Thursday. He called his father a "gentle giant" who worked hard to help provide for him and his six siblings. "I don't think anyone anticipated that his life would end this way," said Matt Clayton, who was 28 when his father was gunned down. "Certainly not his family It was quite shocking." Alabama governor, attorney general comment after execution Republican Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement following Gavin's execution that she offered her "prayers for Mr. Clayton's family and friends who still mourn his loss all these years later. "After receiving a death sentence, Mr. Gavin appealed time after time for years to avoid justice, but failed at every attempt," she said. "Today, that justice was finally delivered for Mr. Claytons loved ones." Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a statement that "there is no doubt about Gavins guilt for this heinous offense." Marshall called Clayton a "devoted father of seven who had just finished his workday and had stopped to get cash for a date with his wife." "He was slain in cold blood by a repeat murderer," Marshall said. "I cannot imagine the shock, pain, and frustration that Williams family has endured over the last 26 years. I pray his family finds solace in the long-awaited justice by the State of Alabama." Supreme Court denied Gavins last request to stop execution Shortly before his execution, Gavin filed a handwritten motion with the U.S. Supreme Court requesting a stay in the execution based on a claim that he was denied due process because he was indigent and couldn't pay a filing fee. The claim Gavin was referring to is from July 10. "In this case justice should not be denied because filing fees (sic) wasnt paid when it should had been waved (sic) because of petitioners indigent status, Gavin wrote in his plea to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court denied Gavin's request for a stay of execution and agreed with a lower court that determined he had enough funds in his prison account to pay for filing fees. The death chamber at Holman Correctional Facility on October 7, 2002. When is the next execution? The next execution is scheduled for Aug. 7, when Texas is expected to execute Arthur Lee Burton for the 1997 rape and killing of Nancy Adleman, a Houston woman found dead after never returning home from a jog. Gavin's execution comes just two days after the U.S. Supreme Court halted the Texas execution of Ruben Gutierrez in the 1998 murder of an 85-year-old retired schoolteacher. The high court ruled Tuesday that a lower court must look at Gutierrez's arguments for DNA testing before his execution can be scheduled, if at all. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama executes Keith Edmund Gavin in killing of father of 7 An Oregon man, using a dead childs identity to evade authorities, was arrested earlier this week after more than 20 years on the run. A U.S. Marshals Service regional task force detained 70-year-old Steven Craig Johnson at an apartment complex in Macon, Georgia, over 2,500 miles east of Salem, Oregon, where he had been serving out a state prison sentence for multiple sex crimes. Johnson had been in the area since 2011, living and working under the alias of William Cox, which was the identity of a Texas child that died in January 1962, according to a news release. He was able to obtain a copy of the dead childs birth certificate and eventually a social security number. Marshals Service officials have spent nearly a decade looking for Johnson, attributing the development of new investigative technology in the last year as the reason why they were able to locate and arrest him. Oregon fugitive awaits extradition, originally fled from work crew Steven Craig Johnson, a fugitive who escaped a prison work group in 1994, shown in 1990s (left) and in July 2024. Johnson is set to return to the place he fled from in November 1994. He ditched a work crew at Mill Creek Correctional Facility, where he was serving time for sexual abuse and sodomy, according to a news release from the Oregon Department of Corrections. Johnson was described as a pedophile, who presents a high probability of victimizing pre-teen boys," the Oregon Department of Corrections said in a 2019 notice. Johnson was wanted on a 30-year-old state arrest warrant, which was issued after his escape from the now-closed minimum security facility. He was arrested and booked into Bibb County Jail in Macon, where he is awaiting extradition back to Oregon. Johnson had served a little over five years when he made his escape and has about 11 years remaining on his sentence, according to reporting by the Salem Statesman Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. All escaped inmates are subject to ODOC reviews to determine the threat based on the level of felony charges and time remaining on their sentences. the Statesman Journal reported. Those with highest degrees of crime are considered "most wanted. The ODOC has apprehended 38 fugitives since 2012 and has six escapees, including Johnson, on its "most wanted" list, the Statesman Journal reported. Contributing: Isabel Funk; Salem Statesman Journal This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Most wanted' fugitive recaptured in GA after using dead child's name MILWAUKEE High-profile Democrats are increasingly unhappy that President Joe Biden is running for reelection and continue to put pressure on the 81-year-old incumbent to put an end to his campaign. But Biden isn't the only one who could upend the race for the White House. The 3,896 delegates themselves who will assemble next month at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago are within their power to vote for someone besides Biden - even though he won their states' primaries earlier this year. That's because of a section in the DNC rules referred to as the "good conscience" clause. Rule 13(J) reads as follows: "Delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them." More: At the RNC, GOP speakers target Kamala Harris as speculation grows over Biden dropping out A runner stops to take a photo outside of the White House on July 18, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Joe Biden tested positive for Covid-19 while traveling in Las Vegas for a series of events. Has the 'good conscience' clause ever been used? At a press conference last week, Biden acknowledged this reality when he said his delegates are "free to do whatever they want" at the DNC. He was referring to a DNC rule that hasn't always been there. It got changed in the 1980s. Before that, if a delegate voted contrary to the way they were elected during the primaries, they would be replaced by an alternate delegate who'd cast a vote for the candidate who won the original delegate's vote. Now, a delegate at the DNC can vote for anyone they choose if they, in all good conscience, represent their beliefs. Elaine Kamarck, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute and member of the DNC rules committee, told USA TODAY this reasoning has never been defined further and has yet to be used on a scale grand enough to change the outcome of a nomination. She also said she doesn't think this is going to happen this year, even with all Biden's objectors. There is "no such thing as Biden releasing his delegates," she said. She predicted that in the event Biden did back down, his endorsement of a replacement candidate could be an effective way of steering his supporters' votes to someone else. It's via this route that Vice President Kamala Harris could end up as Biden's presumptive replacement on the Democratic ticket this November. "Frankly, in this group of delegates, a lot of them would follow his advice," Kamarck said. Sam Woodward is the Minnesota elections reporting fellow for USA Today. You can reach her at swoodward@gannett.com, on X @woodyreports, or on Threads @samjowoody This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Why Biden says DNC delegates are 'free to do whatever they want' By Ana Mano SAO PAULO (Reuters) -The world's top chicken exporter Brazil has voluntarily halted poultry exports to some countries after a case of Newcastle disease was detected in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, its agriculture ministry said on Friday. The move comes as local authorities try to contain the viral disease after around 7,000 birds died on a chicken farm in Brazil's southernmost state. The flock's remaining 7,000 birds were culled to comply with health protocols, according to meat lobby group ABPA. From a sample of 12 birds from the flock, government investigators found at least one positive case of Newcastle, ABPA, which represents exporters such as JBS and BRF, said. Newcastle causes respiratory problems in birds and sometimes leads to death. The temporary export restrictions could affect 50,000 to 60,000 metric tons of Brazilian poultry exports "in the worst-case scenario," ABPA said. Brazil produces 1.2 million tons and exports 430,000 tons of poultry products, on average, per month. The restrictions range, depending on the destination country, from all Brazilian poultry exports to products only from Rio Grande do Sul, the agriculture ministry said. The restrictions affect sales to 44 nations including China, Argentina, the European Union, Japan and Saudi Arabia, the ministry said. Rio Grande do Sul accounts for 15% of Brazilian poultry production and exports, according to ABPA. The agriculture ministry declared an animal health emergency in Rio Grande do Sul due to the Newcastle case. Notification by countries of Newcastle cases is mandatory under guidelines from the World Organisation for Animal Health. The last previous confirmed cases of Newcastle in Brazil occurred in 2006 in subsistence birds in the states of Amazonas, Mato Grosso and Rio Grande do Sul, according to the ministry. Subsistence birds meet a family's need for food and are not kept for trade. (Reporting by Ana Mano, Luana Maria Benedito and Leticia Fucuchima; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Rod Nickel and Aurora Ellis) A growing number of elected officials have urged the president to drop out of the 2024 election. Photograph: Nathan Howard/Reuters After Joe Bidens disastrous performance in his first debate against Donald Trump supercharged concerns about his age and fitness for office, the president has faced calls from members of Congress to stand down as the Democratic nominee this November. At first Biden pushed back hard, claiming elites in the party were behind such calls, saying he had strong support from actual voters, and challenging doubters to run against me. Go ahead. Announce for president challenge me at the convention! Nobody has gone that far yet, but amid reports that Biden is wavering, a growing number of elected Democratic officials have publicly called for him to quit. Here they are: House of Representatives Earl Blumenauer (Oregon) The veteran progressive, who will be 76 when he retires this year, said: No president has had more accomplishments under more difficult circumstances than President Joe Biden [But] this is not just about extending his presidency but protecting democracy. While this is a decision for the president and the first lady, I hope they will come to the conclusion that I and others have: President Biden should not be the Democratic presidential nominee. Ed Case (Hawaii) This has nothing to do with his character and record, Case said. If it did there would be no decision to make. This is solely about the future, about the presidents ability to continue in the most difficult job in the world for another four-year term. Sean Casten (Illinois) The 21st House Democrat to call for Biden to step down represents a safe seat in the Chicago suburbs. On Friday, in a column for the Chicago Tribune, he said: Politics, like life, isnt fair. And as long as this election is litigated over which candidate is more likely to be held accountable for public gaffes and senior moments, I believe that Biden is not only going to lose but is also uniquely incapable of shifting that conversation. Kathy Castor (Florida) Speaking to a TV channel in her state, Castor said Biden had served this country well and accomplished more than any president since Lyndon Johnson. But she also said: I think its an exciting time to possibly pass the torch. There is a lot at stake this election. Jim Costa (California) As reports said Biden was considering stepping aside, the 10-term representative, 72, said: I am proud of the work we have done to pass monumental legislation that is leading to the first real investments in our communities in decades. But for the good of the country, I think it is time for the president to pass the torch to the next generation to carry on the legacy he started. Angie Craig (Minnesota) Craig said: Given what I saw and heard from the president during [the] debate in Atlanta, coupled with the lack of a forceful response from the president himself following that debate, I do not believe that the president can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump. Thats why I respectfully call on President Biden to step aside as the Democratic nominee for a second term as president and allow for a new generation of leaders to step forward. Lloyd Doggett (Texas) The Texas veteran was first out of the gate, saying on 2 July: Recognising that, unlike [Donald] Trump, President Bidens first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so. Chuy Garcia (Illinois), Jared Huffman (California), Mark Pocan (Wisconsin), Marc Veasey (Texas) Four representatives released a joint statement. Addressing Biden with great admiration for you personally, sincere respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership, and deep appreciation for everything we have accomplished together during your presidency, they said it was nonetheless time to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders [and] defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy, protect our alliances and the rules-based international order. Raul Grijalva (Arizona) A senior progressive from a battleground state, Grijalva has sway in his party. The 76-year-old told the New York Times: What [Biden] needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race. Grijalva also said Democrats have to win this race, and we have to hold the House and hold the Senate, because if not, the partys achievements under Biden would go down the sewer. Jim Himes (Connecticut) Minutes after Bidens Nato press conference ended on 11 July, Himes, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, released a statement. It has been the honor of my career to work with him on the achievements that secured his remarkable legacy in American history, he said. I hope that, as he has throughout a lifetime of public service, he will continue to put our nation first and, as he promised, make way for a new generation of leaders. Greg Landsman (Ohio) The congressman from Cincinnati the city named after Cincinnatus, a Roman dictator who relinquished power and to whom many compared George Washington after he resigned as president said he had devoted weeks of consideration and hundreds of conversations with constituents to the matter, and had come to the conclusion that Joe Biden is no longer the best person to take on Trump this year. Mike Levin (California) The Californian released a statement saying Biden had been an outstanding leader, so making this statement is not easy. But, he said, I believe the time has come for President Biden to pass the torch. We must prevail against the incalculable threat Donald Trump poses to the American institutions of freedom and democracy It is time to move forward. With a new leader. Together. Zoe Lofgren (California) A senior member of the Democratic House caucus and a member of the House January 6 committee, Lofgren released a letter to Biden on 19 July. Saying she had listened to his reflections, and saluting his righteous policy achievements, she nonetheless said it was time for Biden to go. Simply put, she wrote, your candidacy is on a trajectory to lose the White House and potentially impact crucial House and Senate races I urge you to step aside. Betty McCollum (Minnesota) That day, the hits kept coming. In a statement, McCollum said: Winning in November and defeating Trumps dangerous, hate-filled agenda must be Democrats sole focus. To give Democrats a strong, viable path to winning the White House, I am calling upon President Biden to release his delegates and empower Vice-President Harris to step forward to become the Democratic nominee for president. She also urged Democrats to make Tim Walz, the Minnesota governor, running mate to Harris. Morgan McGarvey (Kentucky) In a post on X the same day, the first-term congressman from Kentucky called Biden an effective and empathetic leader but added: Thats why theres no joy in the recognition he should not be our nominee in November. But the stakes of this election are too high and we cant risk the focus of the campaign being anything other than Donald Trump. Seth Moulton (Massachusetts) The former US marine and congressman, who briefly challenged Biden for the 2020 presidential nomination, told a Boston radio station: President Biden has done enormous service to our country, but now is the time for him to follow in one of our founding father George Washingtons footsteps and step aside to let new leaders rise up. Moulton has since reiterated his stance, citing the disaster of the debate. Scott Peters (California) The California moderate also spoke after the Nato press conference, saying: Today I ask President Biden to withdraw from the presidential campaign. The stakes are high, and we are on a losing course. My conscience requires me to speak up and put loyalty to the country and democracy ahead of my great affection for, and loyalty to, the president and those around him. We must find a candidate from our deep bench of talent who can defeat Donald Trump. Brittany Pettersen (Colorado) The first-termer from the Denver suburbs issued a statement calling Biden a good man who has served this country faithfully and admirably but saying: Joe Biden saved our country once and Im joining the growing number of people in my district and across the country to ask him to do it again. Please pass the torch to one of our many capable Democratic leaders so we have the best chance to defeat Donald Trump. Mike Quigley (Illinois) Speaking to MSNBC on 5 July, Quigley said: Mr President, your legacy is set. We owe you the greatest debt of gratitude. The only thing that you can do now to cement that for all time and prevent utter catastrophe is to let someone else do this. Pat Ryan (New York) The former soldier, who faces a tough re-election bid in November, told the New York Times: Id be doing a grave disservice if I said [Biden] was the best candidate to serve this fall. For the good of our country, for my two young kids, Im asking Joe Biden to step aside in the upcoming election and deliver on the promise to be a bridge to a new generation of leaders I really hope, with all my heart, that he will listen. Adam Schiff (California) After a brief break in Democrats calling on Biden to step down, following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump last Saturday, the influential former House intelligence chair and current US Senate candidate released a statement to the Los Angeles Times, saying it was time for Biden to pass the torch and adding: A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the president can defeat Donald Trump in November. Brad Schneider (Illinois) Schneider called for Biden to secure his legacy by stepping aside. We are faced with a stark choice, Schneider said. Be resigned to slog through this election praying we can successfully defend our democracy, or enthusiastically embrace a vibrant vision for our future, building on the extraordinary foundation President Biden has created for our nation over the past few years. He also likened the situation to George Washington choosing to relinquish the presidency. Hillary Scholten (Michigan) The first-term Michigander saluted Bidens legacy and said she would vote for him if he ran, but because people voted for her to represent them with integrity, she had decided to speak out. We must have a standard-bearer who will fight morning, noon and night for our civil and voting rights and unite the free world against the rising tide of authoritarianism, Scholten said. Joe Biden has been that leader for so long but its time to pass the torch. Mikie Sherrill (New Jersey) The former navy helicopter pilot said the stakes of a second Trump presidency were too high to stay silent. I know that President Biden and his team have been true public servants and have put the country and the best interests of democracy first and foremost in their considerations, she said. And because I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country, I am asking that he declare that he wont run for re-election and will help lead us through a process toward a new nominee. Adam Smith (Washington) On 8 July, the top Democrat on the House armed services committee said the partys candidate for president must be able to clearly, articulately and strongly make his or her case to the American people. It is clear that President Biden is no longer able to meet this burden, Smith told CNN, adding that he was pleading with Biden to take a step back. Look at whats best for the party, look at whats best for the country. Eric Sorensen (Illinois) Sorensen also made his move after Bidens Nato press conference, saying: It is more important than ever that our neighbors have a candidate for president who will communicate a positive vision for every person in this country. Every day I remain committed to the people of central and north-western Illinois. I believe our best days are still ahead. And today I am hopeful President Biden will step aside in his campaign for president. Greg Stanton (Arizona) The swing state congressman called Biden one of our countrys most effective modern chief executives but said: The Democratic party must have a nominee who can effectively make the case against Trump, and have the confidence of the American people to handle the rigors of the hardest job on the planet for the next four years. Mark Takano (California) The Democratic representative from California issued a statement calling for Joe Biden to drop his re-election bid, adding that it is time to pass the torch to Kamala Harris. In a statement posted on X, Takano said: It has become clear to me that the demands of a modern campaign are now best met by the Vice President, who can seamlessly transition into the role of our partys standard bearer. Joe, I love and respect you. But the stakes are too high to fail. Its time to pass the torch to Kamala. Gabe Vasquez (New Mexico) The representative from New Mexico on Friday evening joined calls for Biden to step down. In his announcement, Vasquez said: President Joe Biden is an honorable public servant who has dedicated his career to bettering the lives of all Americans. We owe him a great debt of gratitude for his time serving our nation. However, I believe too many of our fundamental freedoms and the wellbeing of our nation are at risk under a Trump presidency, and President Biden should step aside to give Democrats the best opportunity to win this November. With abortion rights under attack and our Democracy at stake, we must unite to defeat Donald Trump and Maga extremists. But make no mistake, regardless of who our nominee is, my number one job will be to take care of the people of my district and continue bringing results home to New Mexico. Reported: Joe Morelle (New York), Jerry Nadler (New York) According to multiple reports in early July, four senior Democrats used a private call arranged by Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, to call for Biden to stand down. As the top Democrat on the House judiciary committee, Jerry Nadler has a powerful voice. On Capitol Hill, though, he told reporters: As the president said, 90% of Democrats voted for him in the primaries and thats the end of the matter. Also on the call were Adam Smith of Washington and Mark Takano of California, who have since publicly called for Biden to drop out of the race. Senate Sherrod Brown (Ohio) Late on Friday 19 July, the Ohio senators campaign sent out an email statement: Over the last few weeks, Ive heard from Ohioans on important issues, such as how to continue to grow jobs in our state, give law enforcement the resources to crack down on fentanyl, protect social security and Medicare from cuts, and prevent the ongoing efforts to impose a national abortion ban. These are the issues Ohioans care about and it is my job to keep fighting for them. I agree with the many Ohioans who have reached out to me. At this critical time, our full attention must return to these important issues. I think the president should end his campaign. Martin Heinrich (New Mexico) Also on the 19th, the third senator to publicly call for Biden to go said: While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Bidens alone, I believe it is in the best interests of the country for him to step aside. By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nations greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy. Jon Tester (Montana) The Montana senator (and farmer) is an outsized as well as rare presence on Capitol Hill, a Democratic senator from a red state. Facing a tough re-election challenge, his decision to go public pointed to fears of down-ballot problems. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong, Tester said on Thursday. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term. Peter Welch (Vermont) On 10 July, Welch called on Biden to withdraw, becoming the first Senate Democrat to do so. Welch said he was worried because the stakes could not be higher. Welch said in a Washington Post opinion piece: I understand why President Biden wants to run. He saved us from Donald Trump once and wants to do it again. But he needs to reassess whether he is the best candidate to do so. In my view, he is not. For the good of the country, Im calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race. German Shepherds are among the smartest of all breeds of dogs. They are often used as service dogs and can be trained to do all manner of household chores. So perhaps it should not be too surprising that this German Shepherd knows how to go egg hunting in the poultry yard and that the correct action to take upon finding any wayward eggs is to bring it to the lady of the house. What a good boy. View the original article to see embedded media. In this clip, you can see a sweet German Shepherd named Luke trotting through the yard, an egg gently held in his mouth. When he reaches the back door, he sets it lightly down on the mat. Related: German Shepherd Bonds with Tiny Ducklings and It's Just So Precious Good boy, Luke! his mom exclaims. I can barely get my cats to stop dragging their butts on the carpet! In the comments, peoples responses range from being amazed by this behavior to wondering if hes going out of the rest of the breakfast as well. Is it only one? Says one person Or will he go back so you can make breakfast? But apparently this is a special occasion egg. The hens are apparently more responsible about their laying. Its only the duck who makes deposits in random spots around the farm. Therefore, Luke goes hunting for the single duck egg per day. Its still pretty incredible. Easter bunny beware, remarks one observer. Can't hide eggs from him. Is a German Shepherd Right For You? German Shepherds are among the most immediately identifiable breeds of dogs, and with good reason. They have long been used as working dogs in a variety of industries, from service dogs for the disabled to police guard dogs, and of course (as its name indicates) for herding. German Shepherds are known to be loyal, courageous, and intelligent, which makes them a great dog for families and for complex training regimens required by working dogs like service or police animals. Fun fact: in Britain, these dogs are often called Alsatians and were officially known as such for most of the twentieth century, due to anti-German sentiments in the country after the First World War that breed enthusiasts thought would hurt the breeds chances there. The dogs were bred primarily for their intelligence, which means that German Shepherds behave best when they have a taskespecially a complex task like egg huntingto perform for their people. That is why they make such great service and security dogs. Because of their role as security dogs, they can be prone to barking, and their bite is apt to be more severe than supposedly soft mouthed breeds like retrievers. But they can obviously be trained to be exceedingly gentlegentle enough to hold a delicate egg in their mouth, as well as to perform service functions from carrying baskets to flipping light switches and everything else. How to Train a Dog to Hunt Eggs Its unclear whether or not the woman in this video purposefully trained her German Shepherd to bring her an egg every morning or if its something he spontaneously began doing when he noticed her looking around for the ducks eggs on the daily. With a German Shepherd, you can never be too sure. Theyre so smart. To train a dog to do it, you would probably use the same training methods that you would to find anything else, such as showing them the object and using a find it it command, then lavishly praising and reading them when the object is retrieved. This is how search dogs are trained. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. What happens when computers and cellphones suddenly stop working? It's a question the world faced again Friday amid a widespread tech glitch that sowed worldwide chaos as airlines, hospitals, banks and other businesses ceased to function all blamed on a botched software update from a little-known tech vendor. (Earlier this year, cellphones suddenly stopped working across the U.S., causing widespread disruptions.) Experts have answers however unsatisfying they may be. Get used to tech outages. There are more serious issues looming. There are a few things you can do to prepare. "I think we're getting a preview with this," said Avi Rubin, a cybersecurity expert and professor emeritus at Johns Hopkins University. "I have no doubt that this is going to happen again. The systems we use are vulnerable to it." Our lives are so dependent on technology, internet How can one malfunction cause so much chaos? When an operating system is so widely used in systems all over the world, it can reach into practically every industry. The glitch meant computer screens across several industries flashed the dreaded "blue screen of death," which appears on Windows systems when there's a serious problem, usually requiring a skilled fix, Rubin said. The screens were seen in airports, transit centers and even Disneyland in France. United Airlines employees wait by a departure monitor displaying a blue error screen, also known as the blue screen of death, inside Terminal C in Newark International Airport on July 19, 2024. In some places, computers at grocery store checkout lanes flashed blue, disrupting daily shopping. Rubin said another way the glitches have real-world consequences is in hospitals, many of which canceled non-emergency procedures. Hospitals rely on electronic systems to dispense and track inventory medications and other supplies. Without a working system, the hospital can't function optimally. In an extreme situation, someone could die, Rubin said. Many industries have done away with redundancies or backups in case the main operating system goes down, Rubin said: "I've spoken with hospital administrators who told me that they no longer have a way of functioning without the internet." "This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the worlds core internet infrastructure," Ciaran Martin, professor at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government and former head of the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre, told Reuters. Cellphone, network issues can keep happening Though CrowdStrike said Friday's outage wasn't the result of a cyberattack, digital security experts say the U.S. is vulnerable to one. "My first thought when I first heard about this was, 'Oh my God, if this is what can happen when there's a software bug that's kind of by accident, imagine what a well-thought-out, well-funded attack could do?" Rubin said. "Our systems can't even withstand an accidental software error." This year, cyberattacks have already affected water utilities across the country and car dealerships. Communications outages are the norm, not the exception, Alyssa Provencio, professor at the University of Central Oklahoma, told USA TODAY earlier this year during the AT&T outage. They often follow natural disasters such as wildfires or hurricanes, said Provencio, who oversees the school's disaster management certificate program. And outages can last for days, weeks or months in an extreme event, she said. Last summer, devastating wildfires that swept through Maui, Hawaii, and killed more than 100 people also caused widespread chaos and confusion when cell signals went out and people had a hard time figuring out what to do. How can people prepare for disasters that cause outages? Because we are so dependent on the technology that makes up an everyday part of our lives, it's important to have backup plans in place. Experts suggest these tips to weather an outage caused by a glitch, natural disaster or even a cyberattack: Cash. It's a good idea to have cash on hand in case you can't use mobile payment options or ATMs are down, James Kendra, co-director of the Disaster Research Center at the University of Delaware, told USA TODAY. Paper copies of important documents. One of the things that I stress to everybody is to have paper copies of all of your important documents, he said. That means a printed-out bank statement so you have all your account numbers, a printed insurance statement, a phone bill and mortgage or rent documents so you have the numbers available you might typically go online to get. Landline. If you don't have a landline in a cell network outage, you might still be able to use your cell to send SMS text messages or use Wi-Fi to send messages or make calls. A radio. This is always a good thing to have to receive emergency updates, Provencio said, but if you don't have one in your home, chances are you do have one in your car. Other supplies. Learn more about packing a go-bag and gathering sheltering-in-place items It's not always possible to prepare for a global outage such as the one we saw on Friday. But people can still lobby their elected representatives to push for more secure systems, Rubin said. They can also make sure they don't fall prey to smaller-scale attacks. Don't click on suspicious links or open files sent by someone you don't know, he said. There is a way for businesses and companies to better protect themselves from disruptions because of outages or cyberattacks, he said. They can make sure they're not relying on a single operating system to carry out essential functions, so if there's a problem with one system Windows in this case they can switch to computers running Mac or Linux. "Sometimes you have an incident that's serious but not catastrophic, and maybe that incident causes you to realize how vulnerable you are, and then to put in the effort to protect your systems more," Rubin said. Contributing: Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Global tech outage sparks renewed fears: How to prepare for disaster MILWAUKEE Its a good time to be a Republican Senate candidate. The 2024 campaign map was already in their favor, with nearly every vulnerable seat this cycle held by a Democrat making it a relatively easy hurdle to overcome to retake the narrowly-divided chamber and give Donald Trump an essential boost for his governing agenda should he win the White House in November. The panic in the Democratic Party following President Joe Bidens debate performance further strengthened the GOP's hand, even leading analysts to change one key Senate race Michigan from leaning towards Democrats to a toss up. Then Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania. Its too early to tell exactly how the shooting has impacted polling in down-ballot races, but it invigorated attendees to this weeks Republican National Convention that was held in another critical 2024 Senate battleground Wisconsin and sparked talk of an overall boost turnout among Republican-leaning voters in the most competitive states. I think the presidents actions subsequent to the assassination attempt rallied the intensity for a lot of people, said Mike Rogers, the Trump-endorsed GOP Senate candidate in Michigan running for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. If people were on the fence and I was getting texts and emails all day the next two days they were on the fence no more," added Rogers, a former GOP congressman and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. "They are in, and in to win this race. A dozen of the 2024 Republican Senate candidates spoke back-to-back-to-back at the RNC on Tuesday night, valuable primetime slots in a convention that was dramatically remade in Trumps image compared to the last full-scale national confab in 2016. Most of their remarks centered on security, the conventions theme for that evening, including familiar warnings against surges in migration to the U.S. southern border and the dangers of fentanyl. Candidates also mentioned inflation, energy policy, their military service and the failures they say have been evident under the Biden administration. While each Senate race has its clear state-specific differences, multiple GOP candidates told USA TODAY the key to winning a majority for 2025 will be sticking to topics that they say resonate with the American people. As long as we stay on the issues that matter, we will win, said businessman Eric Hovde, the GOP candidate in Wisconsin who hopes to unseat two-term Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Mike Rogers, Michigan U.S. Senate candidate delivers remarks during the second day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. What is the path to a Senate GOP victory? The bullet that grazed Trumps ear at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday was top of mind for candidates as they made their appeals to voters on the RNC stage. Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno told USA TODAY he is extraordinarily angry because of the shooting and expected political support would only be growing for the GOP in his decidedly-red state, where Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown faces a difficult reelection bid for a fourth term. He didnt say directly whether it could further boost turnout for Republicans in Ohio, but noted: Our voters are animated. Our voters want this election to happen today." Moreno, a Cleveland businessman, added that there is another unique appeal for Ohioans to turnout to vote this fall: Sen. JD Vance is Trumps vice presidential running mate. You gotta root for your hometown team. Colombian-US businessman Bernie Moreno gestures as he arrives onstage to speak during the second day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 16, 2024. Nevada Senate candidate Sam Brown, who suffered significant injuries from an explosion while he served in the Army in Afghanistan, said voters invigorated by Trumps defiance in the wake of the shooting will see a similar fighting spirit in Browns story and turn out for Election Day. It took me back to a place of the same feeling I had when I was in combat and people I served with and loved were under fire, Brown told USA TODAY. Its just reignited the same purpose I had before, which was to give people something to hope for," added Brown, who is running against first-term Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen. "To be the sort of leader who will put myself out there not to divide but to bring together. Thats my focus. Thats my mission. And its only been strengthened because of the events of this past Saturday. Dave McCormick, the Republican Senate candidate challenging three-term Democratic Sen. Bob Casey in Pennsylvania, said the key to winning the upper chamber will be for conservative candidates to keep doing what were doing. Keep making the case for great leadership and great ideas for the future. Democratic candidates have been polling ahead of Biden in their states a necessary element of the party's strategy in order to win in places that could ultimately go for Trump. For example, Baldwin led Hovde by 5 percentage points in Wisconsin late last month. They are also largely out-raising their Republican counterparts, providing a war chest that will be a meaningful boost in a year when they cant count at the moment on voter enthusiasm for the top of the ticket. But Republicans still sense an opening. I dont think thats going to stay that way, theres an adjustment, Hovde told USA TODAY. Well see, weve got three-plus months. So I feel good about where we are. Sam Brown, Nevada U.S. Senate candidate delivers remarks delivers remarks during the second day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. Rogers argued that a lot of the Democrats money comes from the two coasts. So theyre going to probably out raise us, no doubt about it, said Rogers, who is expected to face the Democratic Senate front-runner, Elissa Slotkin, currently a Michigan congresswoman, this fall. Its how we deploy capital where we believe we can have the most impact, including appealing to working class voters, grassroots organizing and talking to people where they get their news and better messaging," he added. Tommy Garcia, spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, countered in a statement to USA TODAY that his party will beat the GOP in November because we have a better message, better candidates, and better campaigns. Voters continue to see Senate races as candidate versus candidate battles, and voters are repulsed by Senate Republican recruits ever-growing list of scandals, baggage, and toxic policy positions, he said. What's at stake for Trump? Winning a majority of Senate seats or even notching a 50-50 tie with the Democrats would be a major boost for Trump's agenda should the Republican win a second term in the White House in November. The Senate is responsible for confirming all manner of presidential appointees, from Cabinet and sub-Cabinet positions to federal judges up to the U.S. Supreme Court. Being the party in power also means controlling the Senate floor schedule for which bills get considered, though actually moving legislation means some level of bipartisan support is needed because of the filibuster rule that requires 60 votes for passage. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mt., the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, told USA TODAY he reminded Trump of those important details when he visited the former president at his Mar-a-Lago private club and residence soon after being elected in November of 2022 to lead the group tasked with winning the Senate this election cycle for Republicans. I said the most important thing we can give you when youre president is a Republican majority, Daines said. Should Democrats hold onto their majority, Daines argued it would really be a constitutional crisis, because if you think the resist movement was a big deal last time President Trump was in office, imagine what itd be like going forward in 2025. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: GOP Senate candidates riding high after RNC, eyeing Trump's return MILWAUKEE Lizeth Zorrilla-Sanchez turned down a request to set up as a vendor at the Republican National Convention. She owns La Finca Coffeehouse, a family business she founded with her sister in a Milwaukee suburb six miles south of where thousands of Republicans gathered earlier this week to nominate Donald Trump for a return to the White House as president. (I) didn't feel 100% comfortable, because that's not the political stance that I feel any sense of pride in, she said. Saying no to that request wasn't easy. Her parents brought Zorrilla-Sanchez and her sister from Mexico to Milwaukee nearly three decades ago. Zorrilla-Sanchez grew up undocumented. She was part of the youth movement that championed the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in 2012. The Obama-era program gave her and other young immigrants a way to stay in the country. Last year, she became a U.S. citizen in what she described as a bittersweet moment. I didn't invite my family to that because they don't have access to that yet, she said. At the end of the day, it's not enough for a whole complete family to stay here, you know? In November, Zorrilla-Sanchez will cast a ballot for the first time ever as an American citizen, an opportunity that she said makes her feel excited and nervous at the same time. Lizeth Zorrilla-Sanchez, owner of La Finca Coffeehouse, and her father Juan Jose Zorrilla speak to one another on Tuesday July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wis. The 2024 road to the White House for Democrats and Republicans goes through voters such as Zorrilla-Sanchez in crucial swing states such as Wisconsin. Shes one of 214,000 Latinos in Wisconsin, and 36.2 million nationwide, whose votes are up for grabs. Latinos are more likely to come from mixed-status families, and have relatives living without legal status in the United States. Republicans and Democrats in the coming weeks will polish their pitches to win those voters. At the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, the GOP pitch came with a catch. On one hand, Republicans championed legal immigration. Several speakers touted their immigrant backgrounds, and even former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley the daughter of Indian immigrants and a former Trump rival made the case for Republicans to widen their tent. But central to the Republican strategy to return Trump to the White House is criticizing President Joe Bidens border policies, denouncing migrants as criminals and rapists, and highlighting cases of crimes theyve committed over the past four years. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, warned in his speech of an invasion, Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake led chants of build the wall. Organizers handed out signs at the convention calling for Mass deportations now. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other Republicans touted themselves as a last line of defense against catastrophic illegal immigration and led chants to send them back. Tom Homan, the Trump administration's acting director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, drove that message home on Wednesday. As a guy who spent 34 years deporting illegal aliens, I got a message for the millions of illegal aliens that Joe Biden released into our country in violation of federal law: you better start packing now, he said. Youre damn right, because youre going home. Lizeth Zorrilla-Sanchez, owner of La Finca Coffeehouse, prepares coffee for a customer on Tuesday July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wis. Biden a disappointment to some immigrants Inside her quinceanera shop full of frilly gowns of all colors and sizes in Milwaukees predominantly Latino southside neighborhood, Virginia Leon considered how she will vote. Shes a Mexican immigrant who has lived in Milwaukee for 33 years and has run her store for more than two decades. Shes a naturalized citizen and has voted in the last few presidential elections. She considers voting her civic duty as a new American. In 2020, Leon voted for Biden because she said she was turned off by Trumps attacks on migrants as criminals and rapists. Four years later, she feels disappointed, she said. I thought there would be more improvements, more changes, but I dont think so, she said. Theres so much lacking during this presidency. Leon said despite his rhetoric, the economy was better under Trump, she said, and that made her consider the possibility of voting for him. But seeing him incite the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot and defending white nationalists made her second-guess that. Still, shes not happy with Biden as her other choice. Leon is concerned about his age and said that as a business owner shes not happy to see Biden provide government handouts to more recent arrivals. She argues that it diminishes their incentive to work. Leon recalled recently paying for her groceries at the checkout counter. She offered three recently arrived young men to let them use her grocery store app so they could get better deals on their purchases. We dont need them, they told me. We get food stamps, almost $800 a month in stamps for three people. 'We dont need coupons or anything.' I dont think its fair, she said. Leon contrasted that to the difficulties she experienced keeping her business open during the pandemic, when many of her neighbors shut down. She credited her loyal customer base for helping her survive. Antonio Alcazar, a DACA recipient, poses for a portrait at La Finca Coffeehouse on Tuesday July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wis. Republicans are hoping to capitalize on those sorts of situations, arguing that Trump will do more for their families and their pocketbooks. At the convention, Republicans claimed that Biden prioritized recently arrived immigrants over U.S. citizens. Dr. Sergio Gonzalez is an assistant professor at Marquette University specializing in Latino labor and migration to the Wisconsin and the Midwest. He said that message is just as likely to resonate among established immigrants and first-generation Latinos as it does with citizens whose families have lived in the country for generations. I would say and I think many immigration historians would say in the United States that part of the assimilation process for immigrants in this country is to learn how to be anti-immigrant, Gonzalez said. Gonzalez emphasized that, as with other racial and ethnic groups, the most pressing issues for Latinos at the ballot box is not immigration, but the economy. In states such as Wisconsin, immigrants play vital roles in industries and agriculture. The fastest growing Latino populations are in rural parts of the state such as Waupaca or Arcadia, far from the urban centers in Milwaukee or Madison, he said. As those Latino communities mature and become politically engaged, Gonzalez said, they historically continue to vote overwhelmingly for Democrats. That may not change this year in what he expects to be a turnout election. It's not so much the rising number of Republican Latinos, Gonzalez said. "I think the larger question is the diminishing number of energized, Democratic Latinos that are actually going to turn out to vote. Leon said she will certainly vote in November, even if she hasn't decided on a candidate. While she supports stricter border controls, shes against mass deportations, especially if the government goes after hard-working immigrants who, like her, want to contribute to this country. Leon is proud of what she has accomplished so far. Earlier this year, she earned her social work degree, becoming the first of her 18 siblings to graduate from college. Now shes looking into selling her shop before transitioning to a new career. Virginia Leon, store owner of Variedades Elisa, helps a customer on Tuesday July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wis. What immigrants are saying about the 2024 election Back at La Finca Coffeehouse, Armando Alcazar reflected on what a second Trump term would mean for him and his family. Though he has lived in Milwaukee most of his life, he doesnt have legal status. Hes a DACA recipient, which grants him protection from deportation and a work permit. The programs future and his ability to live in the country without the fear of deportation is under litigation in federal court. I'm a business owner, too. I own a tabletop game store and that's my livelihood. I worked my entire life to get to the point where I could own something ... that is successful, he said. Virginia Leon, store owner of Variedades Elisa, helps prepare a dress for a customer on Tuesday July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wis. The last time Trump was president, he attempted to overturn the DACA program. After Saturdays assassination attempt and Biden's reelection challenges, he believes Trump is likely headed to White House again. If that happens, he wonders what he should do. Does he sell his business? Does he return to Mexico? He identifies with the far left and was excited to see Mexico elect a female president who supports socialist policies. I moved here when I was three years old. I've only known the United States as a country that I could feasibly call my country, Alcazar said. But the entire time, the country has been telling me I don't belong here. Still, he expects he'd feel like a foreigner in Mexico, too, even if he was born there. And his 15-year-old daughter, who was born in Milwaukee, would likely struggle the most if they were to leave. Zorilla-Sanchez, the coffeeshop owner, said she will consider her family when she casts her ballot for the first time in November. It's so hard because, especially from a business-owner perspective, it's like, are you going to go the route of fiscal responsibility or are you going to go the route of ... humanity? she questioned. And 100 percent, I'm advocating for my family. I'm going to choose a candidate that decides what's right for us as a whole, to be able to continue to thrive in this country." That candidate, she said, is not Donald Trump. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: GOP rhetoric on border turns off Latinos immigrants in Milwaukee WASHINGTON Facing pressure from members of his own party to drop out of the race, President Joe Biden said he looks forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week and warned that Donald Trumps acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention offered a dark vision for the country. Last night the American people saw the same Donald Trump they rejected four years ago, Biden said in a statement Friday. For over 90 minutes, he focused on his own grievances, with no plan to unite us and no plan to make life better for working people. Biden, who is isolating at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, while recovering from COVID-19, insisted he would beat Trump in November despite polls showing him losing to his Republican opponent. Donald Trumps dark vision for the future is not who we are as Americans, he said. Together, as a party and as a country, we can and will defeat him at the ballot box. Biden said he would return to the campaign trail next week to expose the threat of Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda and make the case for his own vision and record one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone. President Joe Biden says Donald Trump outlined a "dark vision" for the country in his nomination acceptance speech before Republican National Convention. Trump, formally accepting the GOP nomination for president, delivered a 90-minute speech Thursday during the closing night of the partys convention in Milwaukee. His remarks focused heavily on immigration, with Trump saying he would reinstate several of the hard-line border policies from his first term in office. He also criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, claiming that he could stop wars with a telephone call. For his part, Bidens COVID-19 diagnosis has sidelined him at a crucial moment for his reelection campaign. More Democratic lawmakers called on Friday for him to drop out of the race, including Sen. Martin Henrich of New Mexico. Heinrich, who is up for reelection in November, called Biden one of the most accomplished presidents in modern history but said it is in the countrys best interest for him to step down so the party could unite behind a candidate who could beat Trump. Biden has resisted efforts to push him out of the race. His campaign chair, Jen OMalley Dillon, said Friday in an interview on MSNBC that he is absolutely still in the race and more committed than ever to beating Trump. But Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., one of Biden's closest allies, said Friday on CNN that the president is weighing what he should weigh, which is Who is the best candidate to win in November? Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X @mcollinsNEWS. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden warns of Trump's 'dark vision' as more Dems urge him to drop out US President Donald Trump at a 2019 meeting with NATO leadership at the White House. Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images Trump being re-elected wouldn't mean the end of NATO, the alliance's chief said. Jens Stoltenberg said it's "important not to create self-fulfilling prophecies." Stoltenberg said leaders would need to engage with Trump like they did in 2016. The head of NATO said former President Donald Trump being reelected wouldn't mean the end of the military alliance. Instead, Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance is still together despite the same concerns that existed when Trump was elected president in 2016. "I think it's important not to create self-fulfilling prophecies in a way that assuming that a new administration in the United States will mean the end of NATO," the secretary-general told The Guardian. "There were concerns about that also in 2016. The reality was that NATO is stronger after four years," he said, pointing to more troops and a higher state of readiness. His comments mirrored those he made earlier this month when addressing NATO leaders: "Today, we're stronger than we've ever been," he said. Stoltenberg also told The Guardian that leaders would need to engage with Trump, just as they did when he became president in 2016, regardless of his campaign rhetoric, saying, "I worked with him for four years." Trump frequently attacked NATO in his first election campaign and presidency and threatened to withdraw the US from the alliance. Those criticisms have continued. In February, Trump said he would encourage Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" to NATO countries that don't meet defense spending expectations, in a move that other world leaders reacted to with shock. When asked whether Trump had changed since his presidency ended in 2020, Stoltenberg said he couldn't answer. Sources recently told Politico that Trump is unlikely to quit NATO outright if reelected, but it reported that members worry that if Trump is reelected he could downplay the US' role, block aid for Ukraine, or try to strike an unpopular peace deal with Russia. The alliance is looking at ways to Trump-proof its support for Ukraine. Stoltenberg said the US will stay in NATO because its members make up 50% of the world's "military might." NATO is seen as stronger than it was during Trump's presidency. President Joe Biden said at the annual NATO summit this month that before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Russian President Vladimir Putin "thought NATO would break. Today, NATO is stronger than it's ever been in its history." The alliance has also expanded since Trump was last in office. Sweden and Finland are now members, with their joining motivated in part by the invasion of Ukraine and what it could mean for Europe and those two countries in particular. Chief among Trump's complaints about the military alliance has been that many of its members don't pay its guidance figure of 2% of their GDP on defense. But 23 member countries are now expected to meet or exceed that target, according to NATO, compared to only three in 2014. The US also doesn't spend the highest amount of its GDP on defense, with Poland above it last year. Some members are also pushing for the 2% figure to be even higher. Trump has tried to take credit for the broader spending increases across NATO countries, but experts previously told Business Insider's Mia Jankowicz that this is largely down to the threat of Russia, and not the former president. Read the original article on Business Insider The highly infectious polio virus has been found in sewage samples in Gaza, putting thousands of Palestinians at risk of contracting a disease that can cause paralysis. Gazas Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) both said they had carried out tests and found samples of the virus in sewage water. Poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2) had been identified at six locations in sewage samples collected on 23 June from Khan Younis and Deir al Balah, WHO said Friday. WHO said the findings are linked to the disastrous sanitation situation created by Israels brutal military assault in Gaza since the Hamas attacks of October 7. It is important to note the virus has been isolated from the environment only at this time; no associated paralytic cases have been detected, WHO added. It said no one has yet been treated in Gaza for paralysis or other symptoms of polio, but that residents must now contend with the threat posed by the disease. Various United Nations agencies including UNICEF, the childrens fund, and UNRWA, the agency for Palestinian refugees are working with local health authorities to determine how far the virus has spread. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said polio vaccination rates prior to the conflict were optimal, but that Israels war against Hamas had created the perfect environment for diseases like polio to spread. The decimation of the health system, lack of security, access obstruction, constant population displacement, shortages of medical supplies, poor quality of water and weakened sanitation are increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio, Tedros warned. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza called for practices to improve hygiene and safety. Detecting the virus that causes polio in sewage portends a real health disaster and exposes thousands of residents to the risk of contracting polio, it said in a statement, demanding an immediate halt to the Israeli aggression. Wild polio was eradicated from Gaza more than 25 years ago, with pre-war vaccination coverage reaching 95% in 2022, according to WHO. Poliovirus can emerge when poor vaccination coverage allows the weakened form of the orally administered vaccine virus strain to mutate into a stronger version capable of causing paralysis, a spokesman from WHOs global Polio Eradication program said. Meanwhile, hospitals in central Gaza said more than 20 people were killed after two Israeli air strikes on houses in the Nuseirat area. A CNN stringer on the ground said the majority of the casualties were women and children. CNN has asked the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) about the reported strikes. CNNs Mohammad Al-Sawalhi and Kareem Khadder contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Priscilla Presley is accusing her former business associates of financial elder abuse. Lawyers for Presley, 79, filed a complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court Thursday, alleging the people behind an LLC established in her name "fraudulently" coerced her into "giving them power of attorney, control over her family and personal trusts and control over her bank accounts" over two years. In a filing obtained by USA TODAY, she claims the managers of Priscilla Presley Partners, LLC, worked with others to misappropriate more than $1 million of her funds. The actress, author and ex-wife of Elvis Presley accuses her former associates, auction house founder Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko, of conspiring to "prey on an older woman by gaining her trust, isolating her from the most important people in her life, and duping her into believing that they would take care of her (personally and financially), while their real goal was to drain her of every last penny she had," per the lawsuit. Priscilla Presley attends the Songwriters Hall of Fame 2024 induction and awards gala at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on June 13, 2024. The filing alleges that the defendants commandeered Presley's control over her finances, "forcing her into a form of indentured servitude, where Plaintiff was forced to work so that they could receive the lions share of any revenue that she was able to earn in the future." Presley asks the court to bar the defendants from accessing her finances and require them to provide full documentation of payments. She seeks $1 million in damages. In response to a request for comment, Kruse and her legal team said in a new statement Monday: "The suit filed is a retaliatory lawsuit due to the one filed by Priscillas business partners last year. We are confident that the facts will speak for themselves and justice will prevail. It saddens all of us who dropped our lives to provide aid to a woman who needed help and she is now attempting to use her celebrity status to ruin the lives of kind, hardworking people." Kruse's attorneys added: "Thank you to all of our supporters who have stood by us during this difficult time. We will continue to focus on our business and look forward to our day in court. The truth will come out by way of evidence and not rumors. There will be no further comment at this time as we respect the judicial process." A representative for Presley's lawyer, Marty Singer, said the office is sending court documents to the defendant via a process server, or a person who delivers filings to individuals who are summoned to appear in court, as the defense lawyer allegedly did not accept service. USA TODAY has reached out to a contact for Fialko for comment. Former business associates previously sued Priscilla Presley for breach of contract Presley claims in her lawsuit that she severed business relations with Kruse in August 2023. In October 2023, Priscilla Presley Partners, LLC sued Presley in Florida for $50,000 in damages for breach of contract. In the filing, reviewed by USA TODAY July 18, Kruse and Fialko claimed they accepted Presley's request to manage her business and personal affairs in 2022 "despite the hardship that it imposed on their respective ongoing businesses." They saved Presley from dire financial circumstances, the duo said, by establishing the company to "commercially exploit Presley's name, image, and likeness (NIL)." Who owns Elvis' Graceland estate? Riley Keough was the sole trustee of Lisa Marie Presley's estate But Presley breached their contract by cutting the LLC out of business deals including excluding Kruse and Fialo from the "Priscilla" premiere at the Venice Film Festival and NBC's "Christmas at Graceland" TV special in August 2023, the lawsuit alleges. Presley's complaint references the legal proceedings in Florida, too. Presley's filing reads, "When it became clear to the defendants that their scheme had been uncovered, they attempted to falsely portray themselves as the victims by filing a lawsuit against Presley in Florida in the name of several of the sham companies they established, alleging that Presley breached the fraudulently-induced operating agreements for the entities defendants established and the sham, unenforceable name, image, and likeness license agreement, and that she breached fiduciary duties she allegedly owed to those entities." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Priscilla Presley files lawsuit alleging elder abuse, fraud Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) handed former President Trump an endorsement Friday in the wake of a failed assassination attempt on Trump last weekend, a reversal of his previous position. Mr. President, I know we have some differences, and you probably dont like me much. And thats OK, Cox wrote in a letter to Trump, which he shared on the social platform X. Im not writing this letter looking for a position in your Cabinet or a role on your team. I have told everyone that you are going to win the state of Utah and you are going to win the presidency again. You dont need my help and support to do that However, you have a chance to do something that people have said is impossible, the governor continued. You have a chance to build a coalition of support that our country has not seen since Ronald Reagan. He added, You, and only you, can be that kind of leader for us today. Cox is one of the last Republican governors to throw their support behind the former president, after Trump accepted the formal GOP nod Thursday at the final day of the Republican National Convention. The Utah governor has been a vocal critic of Trump in the past, including blaming him for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Cox called on the former president to resign following the insurrection, saying it would be good for the country. In February, he said it would be a mistake for the party to nominate Trump again for the presidency. On July 11 two days before Trump was grazed in the ear with a bullet during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania Cox told CNNs Kaitlin Collins that he did not plan on voting for either major party candidate in the 2024 election. Instead, the governor said he would write someone in, as he did in 2016 and 2020. However, Cox said that after the assassination attempt, he was grateful to hear Trump call for unity and to lower the temperature. Theres a willingness to try, Cox said during a press conference Friday. Thats all I can ask for and hope for. So, I told him in that letter, I said if youll do this, I will do everything I can to help and support you. According to the Utah Desert News, Cox sent the letter to Trump on Sunday and planned to publicize his endorsement only if he was satisfied with Trumps acceptance speech at the convention. He called the speech a winning message that the nation desperately needs right now. People have been trying to ask him to do this for years, and hes never said things like he said in the past week, Cox wrote Friday on X. My commitment to him was that I would help him try to lower the temperature in this country. From what Ive heard from people around him that he is committed to this, that, again, this is something that that hasnt been high on his list in the past, he added. I think thats probably an understatement, and so, so Ill work closely with him to help do that. Cox also predicted Trump was on track to win, saying it was not even close, pointing to data showing the former president ahead in national and battleground state polls. His prediction, however, was coupled with a call for Trump to treat President Biden with respect, as a growing number of Democrats press Biden to withdraw amid rising concerns about his age and mental fitness. By treating President Biden with basic human dignity and respect and by emphasizing unity rather than hate, you will win this election by an historic margin and become one of our nations most transformational leaders, the governor wrote. 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. Sleepy Pig Farm is an animal sanctuary doing great things for animals in Redding, Connecticut. They recently had a huge storm and tornado come through their farm, and fortunately, everybody and all the animals were safe; they only experienced some light flooding. After the storm, they went out to check on the animals, and what they found will make you smile. Owner Tiffany Paltauf headed out to the barn and found two of their rescued pics, Missy and Matilda, both of whom had special needs, cuddling together in their stall! This was the first time she'd see the two cuddle like that and it warmed her heart. She said in her caption, "Walking through the barn and seeing this was truly so precious, I just had to share with yall!" I can see why! The two of them snuggled together is precious! View the original article to see embedded media. This made me so happy! They both look so comfy together comforting each other. I'm sure the storm scared them, and they found solace in each other. Fans of Sleepy Pig Farm also enjoyed that they shared the sweet moment with us, and left messages that they were glad to hear the farm and the animals were all safe. Related: Dog's Sweet Cuddles with Tiny Piglets Are Giving People the Feels How to Support Animal Rescues and Sanctuaries Not all of us have room, time, energy, or know-how to take on livestock and animals in need like Sleepy Pig Farm does, but there are several other ways you can help animals that have been rescued from slaughter, neglect, or abuse. You can help by donating money directly to the rescue or through fundraisers and gift cards, or by purchasing food and delivering it directly to the sanctuary. All of this provides food and care for the animals, and sanctuaries always need monetary help. But you can also support these rescues without spending a penny. Word of mouth is a great way to help these rescues get noticed, so you can promote a rescue's causes and posts on social media channels simply by liking, commenting, and sharing their posts like I'm doing here. It's an easy way to help these rescues reach a whole new audience simply by sharing a heartwarming story like Missy and Matilda's. These animals deserve a second chance, and every bit of exposure helps. If you have time and enjoy working with animals, every city and town has an animal shelter, and many have animal rescues that can always use an extra set of hands. You can donate your time by volunteering with day-to-day chores or helping to transport animals as needed. Another option is to foster animals like cats and dogs while they wait for their forever homes. If you have the land to do it, you can even foster livestock like these happy pigs. They'll be forever grateful to you! Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. By Andrew Osborn and Mark Trevelyan MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian court found U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage on Friday and sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum security penal colony in a move his employer, the Wall Street Journal, called "a disgraceful sham conviction." Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American who said the allegations against him were false, went on trial last month in the city of Yekaterinburg. He was the first U.S. journalist arrested on spying charges in Russia since the Cold War. Video of the hearing released by the court showed Gershkovich in a glass courtroom cage listening to the verdict being read out in rapid-fire legalese for nearly four minutes. Asked by the judge if he had any questions, he replied "No" in Russian. The judge, Andrei Mineyev, said time Gershkovich had already served since his arrest nearly 16 months ago would count towards the 16-year sentence. He ordered the destruction of the reporter's mobile phone and paper notebook. The defence has 15 days to appeal. The White House and State Department had no immediate comment. "This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist," the Journal said in a statement. "We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evans release and to support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until hes released. This must end now." Friday's hearing was only the third in the trial. Espionage cases often take months to handle and the unusual speed at which the trial was held behind closed doors has stoked speculation that a long-discussed U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange deal may be in the offing, involving Gershkovich and potentially other Americans detained in Russia. The Kremlin, when asked by Reuters earlier on Friday about the possibility of such an exchange, declined to comment: "I'll leave your question unanswered," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Russian prosecutors had alleged that Gershkovich had gathered secret information on the orders of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency about a company in the Sverdlovsk region that manufactures tanks for Moscow's war in Ukraine, which he and his employer denied. Officers of the FSB security service arrested him on March 29, 2023, at a steakhouse in Yekaterinburg, 900 miles (1,400 km) east of Moscow. He has since been held in Moscow's Lefortovo prison. Earlier on Friday, the court hearing the case had unexpectedly said it would pronounce its verdict within hours after state prosecutors demanded he be jailed for 18 years for spying. The maximum sentence for the crime he was accused of is 20 years. Russia usually concludes legal proceedings against foreigners before making any deals on exchanging them for Russians held abroad. 'WRONGFULLY DETAINED' Gershkovich, his newspaper and the U.S. government all rejected the allegations against him and said he was merely doing his job as a reporter accredited by the Foreign Ministry to work in Russia. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel on Thursday declined to speak publicly about negotiations on a prisoner exchange, but said Washington was seeking the release of Gershkovich and another jailed American, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, as soon as possible. The Kremlin has said the case and the trial arrangements were matters for the court. The Kremlin has stated in the past - without publishing evidence - that Gershkovich was caught spying "red-handed". U.S. officials have repeatedly accused Russia of using Gershkovich and Whelan as bargaining chips for a possible prisoner exchange. Washington considers both men "wrongfully detained" and says it is committed to bringing them home. President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is open to a prisoner exchange involving Gershkovich, and that contacts with the United States have taken place but must remain secret. Since Russian troops entered Ukraine in 2022, Moscow and Washington have conducted just one high profile prisoner swap: Russia released basketball star Brittney Griner, held for smuggling cannabis, in return for arms dealer Viktor Bout, jailed for terrorism-related offences in the United States. (Reporting by Andrew Osborn in Moscow and Mark Trevelyan in London; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Gareth Jones, Peter Graff) Does semaglutide help protect against cognitive decline? Image credit: Iuliia Burmistrova/Getty Images. This article originally appeared on Medical News Today A study from the University of Oxford examined semaglutide, a medication used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, better known under the brand names Ozempic or Wegovy. The researchers wanted to find out whether semaglutide causes neurological or psychological issues in people who are prescribed semaglutide for type 2 diabetes treatment. The study found that the medication does not contribute to an increased risk for either of these issues. The scientists found that semaglutide actually provides some benefits in these areas specifically, participants who used semaglutide had a lower risk for dementia and reduced nicotine dependency. Semaglutide is a GLP-1 medication used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. Researchers are looking into the other benefits semaglutide can have, and have recently found that it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular death. A recent study led by Dr. Riccardo De Giorgi, a clinical lecturer in adult psychiatry at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, examined whether semaglutide contributed to neurological or psychological problems. The research team found that of thousands of patients taking semaglutide, none of them were at an increased risk for developing issues such as depression or anxiety. Additionally, these medications were linked to a reduced the risk of dementia and also less craving for nicotine. The study is published in eClinicalMedicine, part of The Lancet Discovery Science. Increasing scrutiny of semagltudides health effects Millions of people in the United States have obesity. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), around 42% of people meet the criteria for obesity, which is having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. Obesity can contribute to many health issues, including developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Doctors recommend that people who have obesity or type 2 diabetes make lifestyle changes, and sometimes they prescribe medications to help with weight loss. One medication that has become increasingly popular in the U.S. is semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. While they both have the same active ingredient, the dosing may differ. Doctors prescribe Ozempic to people who have type 2 diabetes, whereas Wegovy is typically geared towards people with obesity or people who have a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or higher, signifying overweight, and certain preexisting conditions. Some common side effects of semaglutide include: nausea diarrhea vomiting headache constipation. Semaglutide can rarely cause severe side effects such as pancreatitis, gallstones, and gastroparesis (stomach paralysis). Does semaglutide cause neurological issues? Researchers are curious about other possible side effects and benefits of semaglutide, which led to the University of Oxford team examining the medical records of people taking the medication. Clinical evidence suggests that these medications have neurobiological activity, including protection against neuronal degeneration and inflammation, as well as modulation of dopamine-related reward mechanisms, the researchers write in the study paper. After accessing more than 100 million patient records, the scientists found more than 20,000 people taking semaglutide. The researchers compared these patient records to those of patients taking sitagliptin, empagliflozin, or glipizide, which are commonly prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes. They were interested in whether people developed certain neurological or psychological issues within 12 months of being prescribed the medications. They compared 22 such outcomes between semaglutide and the other three medications. Some outcomes they considered included cognitive deficit, dementia, migraine, insomnia, nicotine misuse, depression, and anxiety. After comparing the semaglutide group to groups taking sitagliptin, empagliflozin, or glipizide, the researchers found that semaglutide was associated with a lower risk for most of the 22 outcomes they compared. With the exception of a higher risk of migraine compared to glipizide, semaglutide showed no increased risk for psychiatric or neurological outcomes. The medication was found to be associated with a lower risk of cognitive problems compared to people taking sitagliptin or glipizide. Why might semaglutide reduce nicotine cravings? Some other areas the researchers found semaglutide to be beneficial in compared to sitagliptin include dementia, depression, and ischemic stroke. When looking at nicotine dependency, the scientists learned that semaglutide reduced nicotine cravings compared to glipizide or empagliflozin. Furthermore, the researchers learned that semaglutide was associated with a reduced all-cause mortality rate compared to the other three medications. However, this association must be interpreted cautiously since linkage between the TriNetX U.S. Collaborative Network and death registry is incomplete, note the researchers. When speculating why semaglutide was generally more beneficial than the other medications, the researchers suggested that the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of semaglutide may be a factor. Additionally, they said that semaglutide and other GLP-1 medications regulate dopaminergic pathways underlying reward sensitivity, which are at least partly responsible for their weight-loss action and their putative activity against addictive behavior. What other benefits might semaglutide bring? Deborah B. Horn, DO, MPH, a medical weight-loss management physician with UTHealth Houston, spoke with Medical News Today about the study. Horn did not participate in the research. In the trials for both diabetes and obesity using semaglutide and other GLP-1s, we have seen improvements in other diseases and one common thread appears to be a reduction in inflammation, Horn pointed out. She noted that the mechanisms behind these improvements are unknown, but noted a possibility that could be explored. There are GLP-1 receptors in the reward center of the brain which may suggest a pathway for reducing addictive behaviors like smoking or drinking, Horn explained. There may also be anti-inflammatory pathways that are affected which could result in these neurocognitive/dependence improvements. Nevertheless, she also said more research is necessary but finds the potential for semaglutide and other GLP-1 medications promising. The next step will be to develop clinical trials to test these ideas, commented Horn. If found to be true, this will broaden the treatment approaches for GLP-1s beyond diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular risk reduction. Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, also spoke with MNT about the study. Segil is not affiliated with the research. Medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide cause people to eat less and not be hungry, he explained. Research is ongoing to see if these medications are causing people to consume less alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and other addictive substances. Segil noted that high blood sugar is not directly associated with cognitive decline and memory loss. There is nothing to indicate normal blood sugar being neuroprotective as patients without diabetes get dementia, he also pointed out. However, he explained that high blood sugar levels can contribute to heart attacks and strokes and lead to vascular dementia or multi-infarct dementia. Research has shown that calorie restriction may be associated with longevity. I look forward to seeing research on the calorie restriction caused by these medications to see if they increase peoples lifespans in the long run. Clifford Segil, DO View the original article on Medical News Today Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), a prominent member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called leaks and a lack of leadership within the Democratic Party shameful amid deep questions about President Bidens ability to beat former President Trump in November. I cant tell you all how shameful it feels to hear all these leaks about what Democratic leaders are [saying] and not to have a single one of them out here confirming or denying it, Omar wrote in a post on social platform X. Its a lack of leadership and its making all Democrats look bad. Whatever this mess leads to will not undo the damage that has already been inflicted. May God help us all. Her comments come after reports surfaced this week that key Democratic leaders are working to convince Biden to step aside, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Leaks have largely dominated the reporting around the Democrats inner turmoil in recent weeks, while lawmakers have said on the record the ultimate decision rests with the president. Omars office did not reply to The Hill by publication time as to whether any specific instance sparked the comment. She made the post less than an hour after The New York Times published a letter Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) sent Biden in early July pleading with him to step aside, one of a number of Democrats voicing such sentiments. Omar joins several prominent Democrats calling for party unity behind the president. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) wrote in a Times op-ed Saturday that Democrats should stop their circular firing squad. Much of the Congressional Progressive Caucus has rallied to Bidens defense amid calls to step aside, including Omar herself. Outside a few outliers I think everybodys supporting the president, the congresswoman said last week. Hes been the best president of my lifetime, and we have his back. While reported calls for Biden to step aside were momentarily quelled after the assassination attempt of Trump on Saturday, they reemerged after the weekend. On Wednesday, prominent Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.) told the Los Angeles Times that it was time for Biden to pass the torch. The president, who has turned to the campaign trail to repair his image among the electorate, returned home to Wilmington, Del., on Wednesday after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Since his disastrous presidential debate performance in late June, Biden has resisted granting any ground to those calling for him to step out of the race. However, Biden recently said he would leave the race if he was diagnosed with a medical condition during an interview with BET that aired Wednesday. If I had some medical condition that emerged. If doctors came to me and said, Youve got this problem, that problem, Biden said. Updated: 7:02 p.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A woman was stabbed to death in California, with media reports suggesting she was attacked with a sword. The fatal incident took place around 3:30 p.m. Thursday in San Dimas, a city in Los Angeles County, about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's said in news release. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene, police said, adding that the remaining parties were transported to a local hospital where they are in stable condition as of Friday afternoon. Authorities did not specify how many people were involved in the incident. However, KTLA5 reported three people, including the deceased, were involved in the incident. No arrests have been made, the sheriff's department said Friday, adding an investigation into the incident is ongoing and no further information is available at this time. Stabbing with a sword, media reports say Los Angeles-based media outlet KTLA5 reported that a domestic dispute sparked the "Samurai-style sword" attack between two women at a residence in San Dimas. The reason behind the dispute is not yet known. When police arrived at the scene, they encountered a woman on the street with blood on her legs and arm holding a sword, according to KTLA5. Upon seeing the police, she laid down the object and directed authorities towards the residence where the deceased and another person were. Video footage captured by KTLA5 shows a sword lying next to a U-Haul truck parked on the street. ABC7 also reported that a sword was involved the incident, according to video footage they obtained from the incident. Authorities, meanwhile, have requested anyone with information about this incident to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477), via P3 Tips mobile app or on the Crime Stoppers website. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Woman killed with samurai sword in San Dimas, California dispute remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The Partner Spotlight series explores partners operating in the local channel landscape right around the country, from Cape York to Hobart, Byron Bay to Fremantle and beyond. This edition focuses on Sydney-based managed service and cloud solutions provider Intelliworx. While looking outward for new talent during the ongoing IT skills crisis, building up skills from within should also not be ignored, which is a task Intelliworx has been tackling to broaden its pool of talent. Intelliworx set out 11 years ago with a mission to take an intelligent approach to work with just three employees. Now, the business boasts a global workforce of over 50 employees, with its sights set on expanding its presence in Chicago, London and Sydney. According to managing director Shane Maher, its also planning to build a team in the Philippines, but building up its employee basewhether at home or abroadhas always been a challenge. One of the notable challenges weve faced over the past 11 years is building the right team of experts. It comes with its difficulties. Finding and retaining talent in the cyber security field is not easy. We must compete with other companies and organisations that are also looking for skilled professionals who can handle complex and dynamic threats, he said to ARN. For at least part of the answer, the MSP has looked from within to build up the skills of its own employees, having recently promoted Blake Jeffery to general manager of Australia and Joshua Paulus as head of security and identity, as announced in April. Jeffery had originally joined the business as a cloud lead in March 2021, while Paulus was hired as a cloud engineer in September 2021. Now, the two employees hold significant positions within the company. Were in this position because we hired the right people more than three years ago, and we invested in their training and development, Maher said. Regardless if its hiring new employees or training up existing ones, cultivating talent is key for Intelliworx. By tapping into the talent pool, we aim to strengthen our capabilities and deliver even better results for our clients. We foster a culture of collaboration and innovation, where everyone can contribute to our vision and mission. It has been a rewarding journey that has contributed significantly to our success, as we have built a strong and diverse team that delivers high-quality solutions to our clients. We are proud of our team and the work they do every day, Maher added. Since its beginning, Intelliworx has also formed a number of vendor relationships that have helped it find its success as a global company. From day one, the MSP has been a Microsoft partner, to which Maher claims has been instrumental in the business growth, as well as Crayon and rhipe for cloud solutions. While not from the beginning, Intelliworx considers Veeam a longtime partner. On the more recent side, Intelliworx has also partnered with Nerdio within the last two years, Sendmarc in 2023 and Neat in February of this year. Additionally, Maher said cyber security is a top priority for the business at the moment. Aside from this, Intelliworx is also aiming to grow alongside advancements in generative AI to help its clients become AI-ready. Looking back on the last 11 years, Maher added that while there were some aspects of the business he might have approached differently, those challenges made Intelliworx the company it is today. Sometimes, learning the hard way is part of the journey and its those experiences that shape the business and personal growth, he said. Want to be featured in Partner Spotlight? Send an email to Sasha_Karen@foundryco.com with the contact details of the partner youd like to nominate for us to profile. Students, who have been protesting for days demanding the abolition of quotas in public hiring, set fire to the state TV headquarters and other government offices in response to a harsh police crackdown. Yesterday alone 32 people were killed. The protest is acting as a catalyst against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was re-elected in January but in a vote boycotted by the opposition who accuse her of authoritarianism. Milan (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Dhaka woke up today with the internet and much of its telecommunications disrupted, having yesterday experienced the most dramatic hours of the protests that have been going on for days over student demonstrations on the issue of quotas for government jobs. The AFP news agency reports 32 deaths in the last 24 hours alone, bringing to 39 the total death toll in the unrest that began on 7 July. Clashes are reported in at least 26 districts, almost half of the country's districts. Students responded to the harsh police repression by setting fire to several government offices in a chain of violence. Among the buildings set on fire in Dhaka was the headquarters of the state broadcaster Bangladesh Television, from whose frequencies Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had made an appeal to the nation. The security forces themselves complain of assaults on their vehicles and say they will use every means to restore order. There is a lot of concern about the interruption of telecommunications, which makes it impossible to get a clear picture of the situation: even local news sites are inaccessible. As we wrote a few days ago, the protest started from the issue of public recruitment - tens of thousands of jobs in a country of 170 million inhabitants - in which a 30% quota is still reserved for the descendants of the combatants in the war of liberation from Pakistan in 1971, as well as for the protection of minorities and the disabled. An issue that remains hot in a country where the premier is still the daughter of Mujibur Rahman, the founding father and first president of Bangladesh. This protest by the students is intertwined with the discontent that has been simmering in the country for some time over the increasingly authoritarian character assumed by Hasina's government. There had already been strong tensions at the end of last year with the unheeded demand of the opposition for a super partes government to manage the elections held on 7 January. A vote that saw for the fourth consecutive time the reconfirmation of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, but with a massive boycott of the polls by movements linked to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the main antagonist force, whose leader Khaleda Zia has been under arrest since 2018 on corruption charges. International observers and some Western governments have also accused the Dhaka government of using security laws to gag any form of dissent. The issue of quotas, therefore, has become the catalyst for the opposition to Sheikh Hasina in recent hours. And the premier's accusation that the students are ghosts of the Razakars, the Pakistani army collaborators in the 1971 war, has further inflamed tempers. But the internal balance in Bangladesh - especially the question of the protection of Hindu, Buddhist and Christian minorities in a country with an overwhelming Muslim majority - remains an extremely delicate issue. And as we reminded AsiaNews a few days ago on theeighth anniversary of the Dhaka massacre, Islamic radicalism remains a latent threat that could find an important ally in the country's chaos and violence. In the first six months of the year, the Islamic State has already carried out 153 operations and is reportedly trying to rebuild itself. The jihadists' strength in acting and carrying out their objectives is worrying. The prime minister praises the diversity represented by Christians, who are a factor of stability. The Chaldean Synod closes with an appeal for unity among Churches and belonging to the land. Baghdad (AsiaNews) - A crescendo of attacks and an increased presence on the ground, suggesting an attempt to reconstitute itself as a group in order to strike back and conquer more and more ground. The United States is sounding the alarm to the government in Baghdad, faced with the danger of the return of the Islamic State to Iraq and Syria, in the tenth anniversary of the rise of the jihadist movement that came to control half of the two countries between 2014 and 2016, at the peak of its expansion. According to reports from the US Central Command (Centcom), Isis has already claimed 153 attacks in Iraq and Syria in the first six months of 2024, suggesting that it is attempting to reconstitute itself after several years of depletion in its capabilities to strike. Compared to the previous year, the number of operations reportedly doubled with an increased ability to strike, although there are uncertainties about the actual numbers. The apparent resurgence of Daesh [Arabic acronym for Islamic State] has been revived several times in the years since the military defeat, but what is worrying today is the strength the group seems to have in acting and carrying out its objectives. Added to this is the general amnesty of the Kurdish militias - supported by the United States - in north-east Syria, which has led to the release of suspected jihadists or Isis affiliates. In the Kurdish forces' detention facilities in north-eastern Syria, some 10,000 former fighters are incarcerated. Among them, those who fought against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the past or carried out attacks with explosives that killed people are not eligible for amnesty. Interviewed by theAssociated Press (Ap), legal expert Khaled Jabr reported that the SDF amnesty will include some 600 Syrian citizens detained on charges of terrorism and links to the Islamic State, who could return to action once free. Although the most dangerous militiamen may not benefit from the measure, the fear remains that a mass release could feed the group's ranks again. Yesterday, meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa al-Sudani received the Baghdad Patriarch of the Chaldeans, Card. Louis Raphael Sako, and a delegation of bishops attending the local Church Synod, which ends today. During the meeting, the head of the government [who in recent months has shown support and solidarity with the Chaldean primate in his clash with the president over the withdrawal of the decree and the move to Erbil in protest] emphasised the value of diversity which is a factor of stability. He then expressed words of praise for Christians, who have been able to face tragedy and terrorism and reject attempts to cause divisions among Iraqis. It is necessary, the PM concluded, that everyone practise their rites and worship freely and that Iraq's enormous resources be used to ensure stability throughout the region, from Gaza to Syria to Lebanon where there is conflict and violence. Today, finally, the Chaldean Church Synod scheduled to take place in Baghdad from 15 July closes with a final declaration signed by the Chaldean Patriarch. In the note, sent to AsiaNews for information, the cardinal expresses his gratitude to the prime minister for the decree that confirms him as head of the Chaldean Church even for Iraqi institutions, putting an end to months of tension with the presidency of the Republic. This is coupled with the hope of a joint effort towards peace and stability by applying the law, restoring national unity and strengthening citizenship. In the face of the agony of Christians, Card. Sako, it is necessary to assert their rights with equal representation and employment and opposing the seizure of property by the exclusiveness of any political party. Widening his gaze to the war in the Holy Land (between Israel and Hamas) and its consequences for the region, the primate joined the synod's great concern and confirmed that the best solution is to establish two neighbouring states living in peace, security, stability and mutual trust. Finally, the cardinal closed his reflection with a thought on the future of the Christians of the East. "With regard to this issue, the synod bishops renew Patriarch Sako's call for unity and solidarity. The main thing that should unite us is our faith and our land. Unity is our strength and salvation. Despite the wounds, we continue to love our countries and our citizens, and we would like to cooperate with them in spreading a culture of coexistence, respecting the differences of others and strengthening hope, within a fair and civilised society'. Four more students were arrested yesterday, while the Supreme Court said it will order a retest depending on whether the leak was localised or systemic. The agency that drafts the exam will have to post online information that has not yet been made public. Medicine, like engineering, is a highly sought-after profession among young Indians; this year, 110,000 places were available for 2.4 million candidates. New Delhi (AsiaNews) In recent weeks, several people have been arrested in connection with cheating at the National Eligibility Entrance Test or NEET, the national test for admission to Indian medical schools. This situation echoes the current crisis at Bangladesh universities. Although the context is different, protesters have been calling for an end to existing quotas in public sector employment. Yesterday, the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested four university students from the All India Institute of Medical Science in Patna, Bihar, accused of helping Pankaj Singh, one of the candidates who allegedly cheated. Singh is accused of stealing the question paper from a trunk that belonged to the National Testing Agency (NTA), which prepares and administers the exams, in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand. Another 30 people linked to the two centres in Patna and Hazaribagh have been taken into custody, while the Supreme Court has made it known that a new exam can only be carried out if large-scale violations can be proven. The exam was held on 5 May and the results were announced on 4 June. But it quickly became apparent that something had gone wrong: 67 students had obtained the maximum score, an unprecedented situation. Since 2016, the year when the NEET was introduced for medical students, at most one to three students would get a perfect score of 720 points per year. Scores between 650 and 680, which usually guarantee access to medical school, also saw a marked increased compared to the past. While (not surprisingly), scores between 610 and 640 did not increase. Faculties such as medicine and engineering are very popular among Indian students because, in a country where youth unemployment tops 9 per cent (and rising), they guarantee a secure and stable salary. This year alone, 2.4 million candidates took the medical entrance test in 4,750 centres in 571 cities (in India and abroad) for 110,000 places available, 55,000 to 60,000 in public universities and half reserved for students with a disadvantaged economic and social background. Tuition is much cheaper in public universities, where a five-year programme can cost 500,000 to 1 million rupees (about US$ 6,000-12,000), a figure that can rise tenfold in private colleges. The petitions sent in last month to the Supreme Court are divided between those who ask to retake the test, those who do not want the results to be cancelled, and those who want the exam to be abolished once and for all. The fact that there was a leak at Patna and Hazaribagh is admitted. The question papers had been disseminated there. We want to ensure whether this was confined to those centres or widespread, the Supreme Court said, ordering the National Testing Agency (NTA) to publish the results of all candidates on its website by tomorrow, without revealing the identity of the students, but adding the city and the centre where they took the exam. So far, the government has ruled out repeating the exam, supporting the version that the irregularities were localised. Several commentators underscored issues associated with the NTA, a body created in 2017 whose status, public or private, is still unclear, and which, in any case, has failed to meet minimum transparency standards. The NTA, for example, unlike other autonomous bodies that depend on the central government, has not posted on its website any official document explaining its objectives and organisational structure. Information on personnel and how questions are prepared are not available, while information on budgeting and financial resource management is limited. Despite these shortcomings, it has taken on more and more tasks, some, such as the medical entrance exam, is huge in a country of almost one and a half billion people. Such a mammoth exercise is taking place without proper government control, said Sasikanth Senthil, a Lok Sabha member for Tamil Nadu and a former official with the Indian Administrative Service. There is no doubt that the agency has to be held accountable in the same way that other government bodies are, especially because it is dealing with such a critical purpose that affects lakhs[*] of students, he added. INDIAN MANDALA IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO INDIA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY FRIDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. [*] One lakh equals 100,000 in the Indian numbering system. by Santosh Digal The devastation caused by Typhoon Hayan 11 years ago has strengthened the faith of people in Leyte, which is hosting the 22nd National Conference of Youth Ministers (NCYM) until Sunday. Hundreds of delegates are attending the biennial event to look at the role of youth in the Church. Archbishop John F. Du tells young people: Hope is present because of you. Palo (AsiaNews) Eleven years after the devastating Typhoon Haiyan (known in the Philippines as Yolanda) Palo, Leyte province, is currently hosting the 22nd National Conference of Youth Ministers (NCYM), which began on Wednesday with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop John F. Du, and will end on Sunday. Centred on the theme Abound in joy: Christ is our hope, the gathering drew hundreds of people from different dioceses to the Archdiocese of Palo. NCYM is a biennial event bringing together Philippine youth ministers to coordinate, share information, and develop new skills. It is made possible through the collaboration of the Youth Ministry, reinforcing its role as a vital part of the Church's mission. The location is significant considering that on 18 November 2013 Yolanda devastated Leyte, an island of the Visayas group, in particular Tacloban and nearby cities. The Category 5 hurricane struck the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Palau, Micronesia, and southern China, causing more than 6,300 deaths. Since then, the people of Leyte have clung to their steadfast faith, finding comfort in the undeniable truth that God is always with them. This helped them rise from the deepest oblivion, making the light of Jesus Christ shine amid emptiness and destruction, God's voice has become louder for them. The typhoon represented an encounter, a story of despair, death and hope. In November 2013, winds reached a maximum speed of 315 km/h, causing damage estimated at US$ 2.98 billion, the costliest single weather event in the history of the Philippines. About 15 to 20 per cent of Philippine Catholics are young who attend Sunday Mass or participate in the sacramental life of the Church, but they are not members of any group or organisation. During the meeting, reaching out to them through the catechism was recognised as an important task. In addition to delegates from various dioceses, several youth organizations are present, representing various parts of the Philippines. The five-day conference convened by the Episcopal Commission on Youth, kicked off with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope in Communion, which inspires everyone to embark on their journey into the community as young servant leaders. The conference reminds pastoral workers of the importance of uniting as one and reaffirming their hope in Christ Jesus, the living God. At the opening on Wednesday at the Cathedral of the Transfiguration, built in 1596, Archbishop John F. Du of Palo said, addressing the youth, "Hope is present because of you." In the same address, he asked those present to pray for the protection of marriage and families from efforts to legalise divorce in the Philippines. The destruction of families is one of the great reasons why many young people today are lost in hope, he said. Starting from the foundation of communion, yesterday, the second day of the conference, he focused on the abundance of joy and hope. As Pope Francis pointed out, Saint Paul said to rejoice in hope despite challenges and trials. Participants were guided through a planning session to inspire them to envision a future full of hope and purpose, guided by the principles of discipleship and stewardship echoed in the Directory for Youth Ministry in the Philippines, Ka-Lakbay. An Azerbaijani journalist asked him about those arms deals during a news conference held at the end of Thursdays European Political Community (EPC) summit in England. It is normal to respond to the request of a sovereign country which wants to equip itself [militarily] and which thinks that it could be attacked by another, Macron was reported to reply. If we look at the last decade, it seems that Azerbaijan has become much more equipped than Armenia. And if I have a good memory -- but correct me if I'm wrong -- Azerbaijan launched a war, and a terrible war, in 2020. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned Macrons comments as another example of Frances biased attitude towards Azerbaijan and obstruction of regional peace efforts. A ministry spokesman, Aykhan Hajizade, also defended Bakus military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh and continuing military buildup which he said serves just goals. The same cannot be said about Armenia, which is an occupying country, claimed Hajizade. Paris pledged last October to sell defensive weapons and provide other military assistance to Armenia part of a broader deepening of French-Armenian relations cemented. The French weapons include sophisticated radars, short-range air-defense systems and armored personnel carriers. The two sides signed last month another contract calling for the delivery of 36 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers to the Armenian military. Macron on Thursday also reaffirmed French support for Armenias territorial integrity and efforts to negotiate a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. He met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on the sidelines of the EPC summit earlier in the day. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also attended the summit hosted by the British government at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Yerevan and Baku accused each other of scuttling a possible meeting between Pashinian and Aliyev there. 19 July 2024 13:00 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Azerbaijan's foreign policy successes have positioned it as a pivotal player in international alliances, with Israel emerging as a key partner within these frameworks. The bilateral relationship between Azerbaijan and Israel is anchored not only in economic and strategic benefits but also in deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, symbolizing a model of coexistence amidst historical challenges. Since Israel's recognition of Azerbaijan's independence in December 1991, bilateral relations have steadily progressed. In recent years, these ties have witnessed a notable surge characterized by strengthened cooperation, increased reciprocal visits, expanded trade volumes, heightened investment flows, and the exploration of new industrial sectors for mutual engagement. A significant milestone in bilateral diplomacy occurred on June 28-29, 2009, when Israeli President Shimon Peres undertook an official visit to Azerbaijan accompanied by three ministers and a delegation of 50 business leaders. During this visit, agreements were signed focusing on cooperation in communications, as well as in education, science, and technologya testament to the broadening scope of collaboration between the two nations. Israel and Azerbaijan have forged significant collaborations in the defense industry sector, solidifying Israel's position as Azerbaijan's leading supplier of military equipment. According to Israeli military authorities in 2012, Azerbaijan procured defense systems totaling $1.6 billion from Israel. The latest generation drones, believed to be acquired from Israel, were notably deployed during skirmishes in April. Azerbaijan aims to further enhance its defense capabilities through technological advancements facilitated by Israel. During Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit, President Ilham Aliyev publicly disclosed the extensive scale of military cooperation between the two nations for the first time. President Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan has benefitted from approximately $4.85 billion in military technology from Israel, underscoring Israel's pivotal role as Azerbaijan's primary supplier of advanced weaponry and high-tech solutions. The total value of signed contracts between the two countries amounts to $5 billion. Of particular note is the contract encompassing the supply of "suicide drones," a cutting-edge technology developed in Israel. These drones utilize radio waves for precise detection and elimination of enemy positions, marking a significant advancement in Azerbaijan's military capabilities. Prior to this collaboration, Azerbaijan had not integrated such sophisticated technology into its armed forces. Throughout the Second Garabagh War and the subsequent period of reclaiming and restoring territories, Azerbaijan has acknowledged Israel's steadfast support. This strategic partnership underscores mutual trust and the strategic alignment of interests between the two nations in regional security affairs. Furthermore, Israel has articulated its inaugural interest in exporting natural gas to Europe through Azerbaijan using the pipeline infrastructure jointly owned by Azerbaijan and Turkiye. Prime Minister Netanyahu underscored Israel's intention to leverage the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project for this purpose. Israel's participation in TANAP is poised to significantly enhance energy cooperation between the two nations, marking a milestone in their bilateral relations. The collaboration between Azerbaijan and Israel in the oil and gas sector, encompassing exploration, production, and hydrocarbon transportation, holds significant strategic importance, leveraging SOCAR's established expertise in the field. Recent discussions between Azerbaijan's Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and a delegation led by Israel's Regional Cooperation Minister David Amsalem underscored the ongoing positive trajectory of bilateral relations. Both parties expressed satisfaction with their cooperation in the energy sector, particularly in hydrocarbons. Moreover, discussions highlighted joint efforts in oil supply, trading of petroleum products, and infrastructure development, with a focus on future prospects. Azerbaijan's initiatives to augment its share of renewable energy within its energy mix and projects aimed at integrating these energy sources through regional green energy corridors were also deliberated. The potential for advancing cooperation in green energy and other promising sectors was examined, underscoring the pivotal role of government-private sector collaboration in these endeavors. It is worth noting Azerbaijan's successful implementation of its economic modernization agenda. Here, Israel's contribution is pivotal, particularly in knowledge exchange across advanced technologies such as green energy, smart city initiatives, and smart village concepts. Opportunities for Israeli firms to establish operations and initiate new projects within Azerbaijan's Alat Free Economic Zone were highlighted. Additionally, exploring avenues for SOCAR's engagement in hydrogen resource exploitation in Israel remains a crucial consideration for bilateral economic ties. Concurrently, Azerbaijan stands to benefit significantly from studying Israel's expertise in water resource management, seawater desalination, desertification mitigation, and agricultural practices suited for arid and semi-arid conditions. Drawing on these insights, collaborative efforts with Israeli enterprises are ongoing. Notably, an Israeli company has recently established a dairy farm in Agali village, Zangilan region. Discussions also encompass projects focused on water resource management, renewable energy utilization, and rural development. The burgeoning economic ties between Azerbaijan and Israel, underscored by robust indicators of mutual economic engagement, are noteworthy. Israel ranks among the largest purchasers of Azerbaijani oil, reflecting deep cooperation in energy, trade, infrastructure, and high technology sectors. Conversely, Azerbaijan serves as a primary oil supplier to Israel, with its share of Israeli oil imports increasing from approximately 30% two years ago to about 40% last year. Additionally, Azerbaijan exports significant volumes of oil products to Israel. The scope of bilateral cooperation extends beyond these sectors to encompass tourism, energy, agriculture, healthcare, cybersecurity, and others. Notably, the tourism sector is experiencing growth, evident in rising numbers of Israeli tourists visiting Azerbaijan. Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen highlighted this trend during discussions with the Azerbaijani President, emphasizing opportunities for further bilateral trade enhancement. Since 1993, Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has operated regular flights connecting Baku and Tel Aviv, facilitating increased connectivity between the two nations. In Azerbaijan's mobile telecommunications sector, the initial investment from Israeli company Bakcell marked a pivotal milestone, establishing the first mobile phone operator in the Azerbaijani market. The bilateral economic framework was formally established with the signing of the Agreement on the Protection and Promotion of Investments in February 2007. Significantly, forums such as the Azerbaijan-Israel Construction Forum in July 2009 and the Azerbaijan-Israel Business Forum in June 2009 have fostered direct engagement between Israeli and Azerbaijani companies, further enhancing bilateral economic cooperation. Israeli firms, including "Binui" and "Shikun," have actively participated in infrastructure projects such as the Muganli-Yevlakh highway reconstruction, spanning 156 km. Currently, multiple Israeli companies are operational in Azerbaijan, contributing to the steady growth of bilateral trade, which reached $4 billion in 2009. Recent data indicates a notable increase in trade turnover, surpassing half a billion US dollars during January-April 2023, marking a 33.5% rise from the previous year. Moreover, significant strides in investments were observed, exemplified by the Azerbaijan Investment Company's agreement with "OurCrowd," Israel's prominent global crowdfunding platform, in July 2022. In February of this year, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Economy announced a $1 million investment in LARGIX, an Israeli startup specializing in industrial product development, highlighting ongoing collaborative initiatives in innovative sectors. The multifaceted approach adopted by the Presidents of Israel and Azerbaijan to expand cooperation across emerging fields underscores the limitless potential inherent in their bilateral relations. Notably, both nations are exploring opportunities in renewable energy sources, reflecting Azerbaijan's proactive integration of renewable energy in liberated territories and Israel's commitment to sharing its expertise in this pivotal area. In conclusion, the evolving partnership between Azerbaijan and Israel exemplifies a robust alliance built on strategic economic cooperation, mutual respect, and shared ambitions across multiple sectors. From defense industry collaboration and energy projects like TANAP to advancements in agriculture, tourism, and high technology, both nations continue to expand their bilateral relations. The substantial growth in trade turnover and investments underscores the mutual benefits derived from these collaborations, promising a future marked by innovative solutions and sustainable development initiatives. As Azerbaijan modernizes its economy and Israel shares its technological expertise, the partnership between these two nations appears poised to further flourish, driven by a shared commitment to progress and prosperity. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more The British platform did not seem to be beneficial for Armenia. Another meaning of this is France's inactivity in this meeting and finally Azerbaijan's unchanging political will. Nikol Pashinyan's refusal to meet with the Azerbaijani President at the summit is not only due to his own decision. Certainly, this is also decided by the forces that navigate Armenia towards its uncertain future. The refusal of Azerbaijan and Turkiye to participate in the summit in Granada in 2023 overturned the plan of the West, which wanted to put Azerbaijan under pressure. That meeting was dedicated to defending the separatist regime rather than fostering peace. Because on September 19, that is, 26 days before the meeting was kicked off, the changing geopolitical situation in Garabagh, as well as in the region, left all Western organization's mouths agape. In the last 10 months, Armenia and the European Union could finally learn to speak the proper language of diplomacy with Azerbaijan. At the 4th EPC summit, Armenia did not need to change its position or make such maneuvers in front of Azerbaijan while every subject for peace was clarified. The fact that the meeting of Azerbaijan-Armenian leaders initiated by Great Britain did not take place is once again an indication of Armenia's avoidance of the negotiation process and its hypocrisy. At other times, the Armenian leadership talks about the peace agenda, but when there is an opportunity for a real meeting, it disrupts this process. This step of Armenia is also disrespectful and diplomatic immorality towards Great Britain. After the meeting initiated by Germany in February of this year, Armenia tried to disrupt the process by making baseless accusations against Azerbaijan and showed disrespect for Berlin's efforts. Apparently, at Macron's insistence, Pashinyan is trying to disrupt the peace initiative of any European country except France, or Macron did not permit Pashinyan to meet in London. Thus, having been on a working visit to England, President Ilham Aliyev attended the 4th summit of the European Political Community at the invitation of Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. President Ilham Aliyev, who met and talked with the heads of state and government of Hungary, Finland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, and other countries, also attended the opening plenary session of the 4th summit of the European Political Community held in Oxford. Besides that, the Azerbaijani President participated in a roundtable on "Energy and Connectivity" as part of the 4th summit of the European Political Community in Oxford. The invitation and participation of Azerbaijan to the British platform once again demonstrates that Azerbaijan-Great Britain relations are based on historical values. Great Britain was one of the countries that recognized Azerbaijan's independence and is one of the partner countries interested in cooperating with Azerbaijan in various spheres of business. Great Britain's diplomatic and humanitarian support to Azerbaijan during the Patriotic War is of particular importance. Great Britain, which can always maintain a balanced relationship with Azerbaijan among the European countries, was distinct for always valuing Azerbaijan's political position. The special invitation of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the 4th European Political Community summit and his participation in the round table meetings demonstrated to the whole world that Azerbaijan's reputation among the developed Western countries is at a high level. Nevertheless, Armenia's refusal to meet with Azerbaijan within the framework of the summit may be its independent choice. However, this cannot be considered as anything other than undermining the processes in the direction of restoring peace in the region. --- Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews deputy editor-in-chief, follow him on @ElnurMammadli1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 11:00 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more To boost global climate action, Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources and President of the upcoming 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), has sent official communications to participating governments. This move, reported by various international outlets, including the UK's Business Green, signifies a renewed effort to secure tangible climate commitments. The COP29 President has confirmed that a pivotal focus during the conference will be reaching a consensus on a new climate financing target. Emphasising the urgency, he urges governments to update their national climate plans to limit global warming to 1.5C. Defining a fresh collective quantified goal for climate finance (NCQG) is set as a primary agenda item under Azerbaijan's presidency. The letters also stress the necessity of agreeing on an ambitious and feasible climate finance target, especially tailored to the needs of developing countries within the Framework Convention. According to Babayev, achieving consensus on climate finance targets requires collaborative effort among nations. He underscores that this is not solely Azerbaijan's priority but a collective responsibility to achieve this significant milestone. Furthermore, Babayev details pre-summit events and meetings leading up to COP29 in Baku, involving ministers from UNFCCC member nations, negotiating groups, and NGOs. The publication highlights the critical steps needed to ensure the operational effectiveness of the Loss and Damage Fund, initiated at COP28 in Dubai last year. This fund aims to aid vulnerable and developing nations in managing climate change impacts. The COP29 President's correspondence coincided with a poignant video message from UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell, who, following Hurricane Beryl's devastation of his home island of Carriacou, emphasised the human and economic toll of climate disasters. Stiell called for prioritising climate action to prevent such tragedies from becoming commonplace. Business Green, a reputable UK publication focusing on environmental issues and the green economy, reported these developments. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 11:18 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more In alignment with the "Year of Solidarity for a Green World" and in conjunction with Azerbaijan's role as the host for the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has emphasized the importance of understanding the impact of climate change on human rights and is spearheading efforts to raise awareness on this critical issue, Azernews reports. On July 19, a significant conference titled "Climate Change and Human Rights" was organized by the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, the Law and Human Rights Institute, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Held at the Nakhchivan Business Center, the conference brought together key figures including Gunay Nazarova, a representative from the President of the Republic of Azerbaijans Office in the autonomous republic; Gunay Rzayeva, the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic; and Alessandra Roccasalvo, Acting Resident Representative of the UNDP in Azerbaijan. The event also saw the participation of officials from state and local executive authorities, representatives from civil society institutions, and environmental volunteers. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 13:18 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more The Azerbaijan Judges' Union has announced that it will hold an international conference titled "LAW & CLIMATE" on the eve of COP29, Azernews reports citing the Union. The purpose of the event is to draw the attention of the legal community to global climate change processes and to increase awareness of existing international and national legal frameworks in this field. The conference will feature discussions on several important topics, including - "The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change: Kyoto, Doha, and Paris Agreements," "Climate Change and Human Rights: Challenges and Legal Regulation," "Judicial Approaches to Climate Change Disputes: National and International Perspectives," "The Role of Environmental Crime in Achieving Climate Change Targets: International and National Contexts." The event will be attended by renowned international experts in climate change law, representatives of international organizations, and judges from various countries, including Azerbaijan. Scientists and other legal professionals are also expected to participate. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 13:59 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more In the first half of this year, Azerbaijan welcomed 1,231,104 tourists, Azernews reports. Access to paid information is limited Find the plan that suits you best. 19 July 2024 16:18 (UTC+04:00) Ulviyya Shahin Read more "Azerishiq" Open Joint Stock Company has announced a tender for constructing a 35 kV electric transmission line to enhance the external power supply to the Jahangirbeyli settlement in the Zangilan district, Azernews reports. The project aims to strengthen the electricity infrastructure in the region, ensuring a reliable power supply for the settlement. The tender's estimated budget amounts to 2,315,928 manats. This initiative is part of broader efforts to improve infrastructure and utilities in the Zangilan district, following recent developments and needs in the area. After the liberation of the Azerbaijani territories from the Armenian occupation, along with demining operations in Zangilan, reconstruction and restoration work also continued. Infrastructure restoration works are being successfully carried out in the region. Life has returned to Zangilan. The return of IDPs to the territories liberated from occupation began with this district. So, last year, former IDPs were returned to Aghali village, which was rebuilt based on the concept of a "smart village" in the district. The resettlement of residents to their eternal villages began in July of this year. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 16:57 (UTC+04:00) Fatima Latifova Read more A media tour and information session on SOCAR's green energy agenda was organised for media representatives by the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) at its "Eco Park," Azernews reports. The event, organised in honour of the "Year of Solidarity for a Green World," the 30th anniversary of the "Contract of the Century," and National Press Day, began with media representatives getting acquainted with the "Eco Park" area and being informed about the work done there. Presentations on SOCAR's green agenda were then made. SOCAR's press secretary, Orkhan Huseynov, welcomed the event participants, congratulated the media representatives on the occasion of July 22 - National Press Dayand wished them success in their diligent work. Emphasising SOCAR's focus on expanding effective relations with the media, the press secretary noted that such events serve to develop cooperation with the media. Orkhan Huseynov also provided information on the company's areas of activity, other strategic goals outlined in the Corporate Strategy up to 2035, and the work being done towards transforming from an oil and gas company to an international energy company. He highlighted that environmental protection and ecological issues are always a priority for SOCAR, mentioning the completion of work on cleaning and landscaping Baku Bay. Mustafa Qurbanli, head of SOCAR's Department of Environmental Information Disclosure and Relations Management, gave a presentation on "SOCAR's Decarbonization Strategy and Future Prospects." In his presentation, Qurbanli discussed SOCAR's commitments to the green agenda, the measures and projects implemented in this direction, and emphasised that energy transition is one of the company's priority development areas. Providing information on SOCAR's medium- and long-term decarbonisation goals, Qurbanli noted that achieving "Net Zero" in all operations by 2050 is one of the company's main objectives. The department head also stated that, in line with the strategy of expanding renewable energy sources in our country, SOCAR, in partnership with other companies, continues to work successfully on several projects. Sabutay Aliyev, assistant to the general director and project manager of "Ekol Engineering Services" JSC, provided detailed information on waste management, reclamation processes, ongoing clean-up campaigns, landscaping, and tree-planting activities. Qagamali Seyfullayev, head of the "Neftqaztikinti" Trust, spoke about the work being done to identify, remove, transport, and dispose of large submerged and semi-submerged waste in Baku Bay and coastal areas using special technology and equipment. The head of the trust emphasised the significant environmental protection importance of the project being implemented. Discussions on the topic were held at the event, and questions of interest to the media representatives were answered. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 21:20 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva China has strongly protested and made a demarche to Japan over the joint exercises of Japanese and Taiwanese coast Guard ships, Azernews reports. "We are very unhappy and strongly oppose Japan's joint naval maneuvers with the Taiwan region. We have made a strict presentation to the Japanese side," he said. According to him, China calls on Japan to respect the one-China principle, immediately correct its mistakes and not support separatist forces advocating Taiwan independence. Earlier, NHK reported that patrol ships of the Coast Guard of Japan and Taiwan conducted the first joint exercises in the waters south of the Boso Peninsula of Japan. Japan does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but maintains close ties with the island. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A conference themed "Muhammad Fuzuli: Ahead of Time" has been held as part of the Vagif Poetry Days, Azernews reports. The poetry festival is co-organised by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Culture Ministry. Moderated by the Secretary of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union, Ilgar Fahmi, the conference marked the 530th anniversary of the Azerbaijani poet and thinker Muhammad Fuzuli. Addressing the event, director of the Institute of Oriental Studies, academician Govhar Bakhshaliyeva, stressed that the conference was organised in accordance with the plan of events prepared as part of the implementation of tasks arising from the presidential order "On holding the 530th anniversary of the brilliant Azerbaijani poet Muhammad Fuzuli." "For more than five centuries, Muhammad Fuzuli's poetry has been perceived with great love by readers both in Azerbaijan and abroad. Despite the fact that centuries have passed, admiration for the poet's legacy does not weaken every year. New generations study the works of the brilliant poet and rethink them in accordance with their worldview," the academician said. Director of the Institute of Manuscripts, Academician Teymur Karimli, named the 500th anniversary of Muhammad Fuzuli, celebrated in Azerbaijan in 1994, a great historical and literary event. "In those difficult years for the fate of our country, the National Leader Heydar Aliyev did not postpone the celebration of the poet's anniversary; on the contrary, he ensured that Fuzuli's anniversary was celebrated at a high level with a series of events both in Azerbaijan and in neighbouring countries," he said. The academician stressed that National Leader Heydar Aliyev, noting the significance of the Fuzuli anniversary for the country, said that the people of Azerbaijan should promote the republic not only as an independent state, a country with rich natural resources, but also as a country with a rich history and culture. "It seems to me that holding this anniversary is important for us from this point of view," he added. A member of the Azerbaijan Writers' Union, poet Farid Huseyn, praised Fuzuli's unique creativity. He stated that the immortal heritage the poet created will remain relevant at all times. The young poet emphasised that the relevant order related to the celebration of Fuzuli's 530th anniversary is a clear example of the highest appreciation of poetry and masters of the pen in the country as a whole. Speaking at the conference, Deputy Culture Minister Farid Jafarov touched upon the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29). "This year, the celebration of Fuzuli's 530th anniversary coincides with the period of the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29), a world-scale event to be held in Azerbaijan. In this anniversary year, in addition to providing complete information about Fuzuli to writers and poets of foreign countries, we must also convey to them information about Garabagh Victory and the realities of the 30-year period of occupation," the Deputy Culture Minister said. He drew special attention to the events carried out by Culture Culture in connection with the 530th anniversary of Muhammad Fuzuli. A virtual database "Muhammad Fuzuli" was launched by the National Library, while the Carpet Museum presented an exhibition dedicated to the poet. Also, a conference, "Muhammad Fuzuli and Alisher Navoi: Common Literary and Spiritual values" was held within the Days of Azerbaijani Culture in Uzbekistan. Moreover, the legacy of the great poet was promoted at international book fairs in Doha, Beijing and other cities; special corners were created at the Azerbaijani stand. "The 10th Baku International Book Fair, to be held in October, will be dedicated to the brilliant poet Muhammad Fuzuli. At the same time, the ministry is preparing for publication a book about the life and work of the brilliant poet," Farid Jafarov said. In conclusion, soloists of the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, Honoured Artist Anar Mikayilov and Roza Zeynalova, presented a composition from the work "Leyli and Majnun" by Muhammad Fuzuli. ---- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 17:44 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more A documentary film "Repression of the Word" (2022) has been screened at Shusha Hotel-Congress Center as part of the Vagif Poetry Days, Azernews reports. The documentary was shot with the support of the Culture Ministry. The director of the film produced by Bulatfilm Production Company is Rafig Hashimov, screenwriter-Selim Babullaoglu, cameraman-Rufat Suleymanov. In the film, 31 writers, poets and other intellectuals who were victims of repression are remembered, and the tragic life history of some of them is told. At the same time, the screen work examines the tragic and historical philosophy of Stalin's repressions retrospectively. People's Writer Anar Rzayev, scholar Hamid Jafarov, academician Rafael Huseynov, head of the Museum of Victims of Political Repression Mirabbas Mammadov, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor Badirkhan Ahmadov and Doctor of Philosophy in Philology, Associate Professor Firudin Gurbansoyun shared their views on the wave of repression of the 1930s and the reactionary nature of communism. The Vagif Poetry Days is co-organized by Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Culture Ministry. On January 14, 1982, the mausoleum of the great poet and statesman Molla Panah Vagif (1717-1797) and the House of Poetry were inaugurated in Shusha with the participation of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. It was at that event that National Leader Heydar Aliyev supported the initiative of the Azerbaijani literary figures in this direction and gave an instruction to hold the Vagif Poetry Days. The festival of speech and art was organized for the first time in July 1982. The Vagif Poetry Days, which have a forty-two-year history, are being organized for the fourth time in Shusha city, which was freed from occupation. ---- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 19:55 (UTC+04:00) Fatima Latifova Read more France's policy of arming Armenia and distancing it from the path of peace leads to the rise of tensions in the South Caucasus. Armenia's militarization reduces the already low mutual trust between Baku and Yerevan, increasing the risk of war. France's military support for Armenia also violates international law. The former Garabagh conflict should have been resolved through four UN Security Council resolutions, which demanded Armenia's withdrawal from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. Today, France's disregard for these resolutions by supplying arms to Armenia is naturally against international law. It should be noted that Paris's policy of arming Yerevan stems from the strong influence of the Armenian diaspora in the country. Unfortunately, the Armenian lobby seems to have more say in government decisions than the French public. This indicates that French-Armenian relations are driven by emotion and unprofessionalism rather than pragmatism. At a time when peace talks are taking place between Azerbaijan and Armenia for the first time in 30 years, the French president's slander against Azerbaijan instead of supporting peace reflects the countrys colonial roots. While many Western countries, like Hungary and the United Kingdom, are strengthening their relations with Azerbaijan, France uses its EU leader status to strain relations with Baku. This step not only disrupts stability in the South Caucasus but also risks other EU countries losing a strong partner in the oil and gas sector, like Azerbaijan. Despite Armenia's government making peace-oriented moves, it might initiate provocations against Azerbaijan again with strong support. History shows that Armenians have engaged in such duplicitous acts. No one can guarantee that Pashinyans government, which accepted the peace process under the logical thinking brought by defeat, will not deviate from peace with the support of the US and France. It is no coincidence that right after the news that the US would send a representative to the Armenian army, Nikol Pashinyan avoided meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the 4th European Political Community summit in Oxford, UK. This shows that the Armenian government may backtrack on its promises with confidence derived from any external support. France takes advantage of this opportunity and aims to expand its colonial policy in the South Caucasus. Although Paris talks about peace and stability, it shows double standards by supplying arms to Armenia. This policy creates a negative perception of France in the international community and complicates its role as an objective mediator. Armenias economic situation is weak, and France's arming policy worsens it. The financial resources allocated to armament could improve the social welfare and economic development of the Armenian population, potentially reducing the country's dependency on foreign aid. Additionally, Frances military support limits Yerevan's ability to pursue an independent policy, increasing its reliance on external influences. France's military support for Armenia disrupts stability in the South Caucasus, violates international law, shows double standards, and harms the economy. While serving short-term political goals, this policy could harm both Armenia and the region in the long run. Azerbaijan opposes this policy and condemns every provocative action. France justifies arming Armenia amidst the blossoming situation for peace talks in the region French President Emmanuel Macron is trying to get out of the situation with a very strange answer to Azerbaijan's concern about the rapid arming of Armenia. He connects this with the fact that Armenia has a sovereign right and tries to prove himself justified in both arming it and preparing for a new war. Then a question goes to Mr. Macron: What is the need to rapidly arm Armenians on the eve of peace talks in the South Caucasus? If we go back to thirty years ago, you can better see who was the invader and who was subjected to invasion during the former Garabagh conflict. You know very well that the people of Azerbaijan were the victims of genocide, vandalism, and the destruction of historical cultural monuments, mosques, and native houses in Garabagh and beyond. When did Azerbaijan attack or occupy its historical territory, Yerevan, Karki, or West Zangazur? Now, in the face of this question, doesn't the re-arming of Armenia seem like a new invasion plan of France? Certainly, Armenia, as well as all the independent states in the South Caucasus, have a sovereign right to expand their relations, and every country has the right to strengthen its military potential by using this right without contradiction. In addition to being the most reliable partner of the states in the European Union, Azerbaijan also balances both Western and Eastern partnerships in the direction of strengthening its military potential. This partnership serves the national interests of the country without turning against any neighbouring state. The thoughts of the French president regarding Armenia clearly reveal their provocative character. Without a war and without any preparation or intention for it, official Paris pushing Yerevan to war and unjustifiably creating a war panic is more like dragging the region into a new war than supporting Armenia. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Stunt performances are considered unique and rare. Behind the stunt profession, there is a lot of discipline and psychological restraint. Since its inception, stunt performance has undergone a remarkable transformation and reached many countries, including Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani stunt performer Sain Farhad Farmanli is deeply engaged in advocating for the art of stunt work alongside his dedicated team. This exceptionally skilled stunt professional has graced the screens of numerous Hollywood and international productions with his remarkable talents. In his interview with Azernews, Sain Farhad Farmanli shared insights into his enriching experience training at the Jackie Chan Stunt Team Action Film Training Centre, shed light on his upcoming projects, and discussed the exciting potential for the advancement of stunt work in Azerbaijan. Why did you decide to pursue stunt work specifically? I have been a huge fan of Bruce Lee since childhood. I wanted to be a martial arts actor like him. Then I became a fan of Jackie Chan. His stunts inspired me a lot. When I entered the 6th grade, I started practicing martial arts. At that time, I had a desire to be in movies. Now I can say that I almost fulfilled my dream. Currently, I am preparing for the production of my own films. I want to be in the lead roles. For this purpose, I opened my own studio- Ganshar Pictures. I am currently working with my team on my upcoming movie "QAYTAN". What is the most complex stunt or performance you have had to do? In my opinion, all stunts are complex and dangerous. The most difficult stunt I performed was jumping from a fast-moving car with acrobatic movements. It was for a Bollywood film that will be released on Netflix. What measures need to be taken for safety in stunt work? Are there any golden rules? The golden rule is do adhere to safety conditions and not rush. It takes time for psychological preparation. Before each stunt, excitement always arises. I can manage my excitement because I love my job and have been disciplined in practicing martial arts for many years. The key is to turn excitement into focus. Everything needs to be planned and rehearsed so that we can perform more easily and safely on set. Physical and psychological preparations continue for years. In spring, you trained at the Jackie Chan Stunt Team Action Film Training Centre. Please share your impressions of this experience. Is cooperation with Jackie Chan's team expected? In 2017, I graduated with honours from the Hollywood Advanced Stunt Course, organised by the stunt academy in California. My trainers Jones were closely involved in the creation of such movies of great renown as Matrix, Venom, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Fast X, Bad Boys, Spider Man, X-Men, Pirates of the Caribbean, Fast and Furious, Independence Day, Jason Bourne, Furious 7, The Mask of Zorro, and Indiana Jones. I also did a small internship at Universal Studios. After some time, a relationship developed with Jackie Chan. After some conversation, he wanted to watch my videos, so I sent them. We said goodbye with the hope of meeting again. A few days ago, I set off to attend special training at Jackie Chan Stunt Team Action Film Training Centre in Beijing, China. I should note that it was not allowed to film on the way to the center, as the location of the center is secret. Only members of Jackie Chan's team and individuals invited by them can go there. At the training center, I was greeted by Jackie Chan's team. Unfortunately, Jackie Chan was filming in another country at the time. I visited Jackie Chan's house and workspaces a few times. It is very hard to put into words, you just have to see it. During the training, the core members of Jackie Chan's team, who have worked with him for many years, taught us the nuances of the action genre. Apart from the fight choreography and stunts, they also taught us directing, cinematography and editing for fight scenes. One thing that pleased me was that I found confirmation of what I always knew and did. This means that I am following my work principles correctly. I will continue to work in these three areas and teach my team so that the quality of fight scenes in Azerbaijani films can be even higher. At the end of the training, I was awarded a certificate by the Jackie Chan Stunt Team Action Film Training Centre. In the near future, I believe I will be involved in Jackie Chan's movies. I am considering inviting them to Azerbaijan soon. We have established a friendly relationship with his team. I have been to Jackie Chan's studio and home several times. It was a pleasant experience. He is truly a legend. By the way, we also performed the soundtrack from the movie "Ride On" with Jackie Chan's stunt team, which you will be able to listen to soon. I express my deep gratitude to He Jun, the director of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team Action Film Training Centre, and Philip Sahagun, the director of K-Star Training Academy, for their excellent organisation. In which Hollywood and other foreign films have you participated? Which work stands out to you the most? Cinematic works like "RRR" and "Tomris" became memorable. The film "RRR"" also won an Oscar and received other great awards. We also received the Taurus Award for stunt performers for the film "Tomris". The Taurus Award is considered the Oscar for stunt performers. We won awards for the best fight scenes in foreign films. Every year, it is presented in a festive manner at Paramount Studios. Additionally, in 2017, I had the opportunity to learn the intricacies of my craft from some of Hollywood's best stunt performers at the Advanced Hollywood Stunt Course. In your opinion, are there any prerequisites for stunt work in Azerbaijan? Potential conditions for the exploration of our field have been emerging in Azerbaijan in recent years. I, along with my Sain's Action Team stunt crew, am doing my best to contribute to the advancement of this field. I hope there will be significant changes in the near future. What would you advise young stuntmen? I advise young stunt performers not to rush to call themselves stuntmen. Learning this craft requires training under experienced professionals and gaining several years of experience. It takes more than just a couple of attempts to become a stunt performer. Many young individuals have ended up injuring themselves and facing big challenges by attempting stunts without proper training and experience. ---- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 15:44 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enjoy wide potential for demining cooperation, said Shahin Abdullayev, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Saudi Arabia, as he met with Advisor at the Royal Court and General Supervisor of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah, Azernews reports, citing Azertag. During the meeting, the Azerbaijani ambassador highlighted Armenias mine terror committed in the occupied territories over 30 years, and the ongoing demining operations in the Garabagh region. He underscored the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centres support for demining activities in the different regions of the world. The diplomat expressed his gratitude for the assistance provided to Azerbaijan. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah emphasized that there was a wide potential for cooperation with the friendly country Azerbaijan in the field of demining, as well as in various humanitarian areas. The advisor also expressed the Kingdoms keenness to implement the new joint projects. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 19 July 2024 19:20 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat ALiyeva The national airline of Saudi Arabia will purchase 50 electric airplanes from the German manufacturer Lilium NV. The Kingdom has the opportunity to double the purchase of this sample of advanced equipment for trips to tourist destinations, Azernews reports. On July 18, Saudi Arabia Airlines and Lilium signed a mandatory sale agreement in Gauting, Bavaria, Germany. Both sides have already prepared a looser Memorandum of Understanding for the supply of electric vertical landing aircraft, or eVTOL, by the end of 2022. Saudi Arabia plans to deploy electric aircraft in various areas. These include the coastal city of Jeddah; eVTOL will transport passengers to hotels in Mecca for religious tourism. The remaining aircraft will be in the capital Riyadh and in the Red Sea, where passenger transportation will be carried out as part of projects being converted into jet airports and tourist facilities. The purchase of the remaining aircraft depends on Lilium's supply and support capabilities. Saudi Arabia plans to spend $800 billion on the tourism sector over the next decade as it aims to receive 150 million tourists a year. Lilium stated that this deal is the largest order of eVTOL aircraft from the airline that plans to operate this aircraft. The $7 million Lilium aircraft, which comes in a configuration with four to six passengers and one pilot, looks more like a small plane than a helicopter. It has two sets of wings and electric turbines. Lilium plans to deliver the first jet to Saudi Arabia in 2026. Currently, the company is building the first full-scale copies of the test aircraft awaiting certification. The first manned test flights will take place early next year. Daniel Wiegand, co-founder of the German company, said that the startup also plans to build a factory in the Bordeaux region of France, where it will assemble its aircraft. To do this, he wants to receive 250 million euros in support from the French government. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Now that Kamala Harris has been coronated the Democratic Socialist designee for nomination as their candidate for President of these United States, after that political party's contrived primary process "democratically" elected Joseph R. Biden: What are your feelings about this party's progressive posture within their self-styled exercise of "Saving Democracy for America," and how truly critical the outcome of this presidential election will be? 8.7% I am ecstatic that this "Democracy's" First partially Black, First partially Indian, First female Co-Parent, and this nation's primary necessity is to her elect our First woman president.26.09% I really do not care about all these "Firsts." I will continue to pray, and work for this Representative Republic to elect someone competent, and brilliantly patriotic to be our next president.65.22% I will never vote for any politician that "first" does not have the core values to understand how dire this Constitutional Republic's situation has become. An anesthesiologist in Oklahoma City, Okla., was convicted to up to 72 years in prison for stealing controlled substances, local Fox affiliate KOKH reported July 19. John Nedza, MD, was convicted of 18 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit or subterfuge. Dr. Nedza, who was contracted at an Oklahoma City hospital, diverted substances including fentanyl, ketamine, dilaudid and midazolam by falsely claiming the drugs were for patient surgeries. According to the report, the surgeries were not scheduled for or done by Dr. Nedza, and on at least six occasions, claimed to have disposed of the substances but kept them for personal use. Two residents in Paterson, N.J., admitted to conspiring with a physician to distribute opioids without a legitimate medical reason. Jasmine McGregor, 32, and Jhenelle Lewis, 35, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Lisa Ferraro, MD, to prescribe oxycodone to people who were not actually Dr. Ferraros patients and whom she never examined or questioned, according to a July 18 news release from the Justice Department. Dr. Ferraro wrote prescriptions for more than 12,000 oxycodone pills with Ms. McGregor from July 2022 to Oct. 3, 2023 and 9,450 with Ms. Lewis from January 2019 to September 2023. Both pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly and intentionally conspiring and agreeing with others to distribute oxycodone. Lynchburg (Va.) Gynecology will close Sept. 7, one year after one of its physicians was investigated for misconduct allegations, according to a report from local ABC affiliate WSET. The practice announced it would sever all ties with gynecologist Louis Dabney, MD, in September 2023 after he was accused of sexual misconduct, according to the report. No charges were filed following a police investigation into the alleged assault, according to the report. Lynchburg Gynecologist released a statement at the time saying the accusations were false. "Dr. Lewis Dabney has been the subject of many false and defamatory accusations on social media, which have prompted equally misleading news stories about him," the statement said. The practice told WDBJ 7 that the decision to close was unrelated to the allegations. As procedures continue to migrate to ASCs, a growing number of hospitals and health systems are prioritizing outpatient surgery ventures in 2024. Here are 11 hospitals and health systems that have recently opened or started developing an ASC, as reported by Becker's since June 25: 1. Tallahassee (Fla.) Memorial Healthcare and Tallahassee-based Florida State University are developing a joint venture project featuring an ASC in Panama City. 2. Manitowoc, Wis.-based Renovo Health opened a direct-pay ASC that aims to cut out the need for payers. 3. Florence, S.C.-based McLeod Health is expanding its campus to include an ASC. 4. Akron (Ohio) Children's Hospital's new pediatric ASC in Beachwood, Ohio, will open July 23. 5. The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson is opening a new ASC in the nearby suburb of Ridgeland. 6. Little Rock-based Arkansas Children's received a $1 million donation in support of its $235 million expansion project to expand hospital capacity, redesign clinical spaces and add an ASC. 7. Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Health filed a certificate of need with the state to develop an $18.9 million ASC in the area. 8. Snoqualmie (Wash.) Valley Health is moving forward with plans to build a $71 million ASC and medical office building next to its hospital. 9. Hagerstown, Md.-based Meritus Health opened a new ASC in the city. 10. Austin (Texas) Regional Clinic plans to replace a building on its campus with a new, two-story medical office building with an ASC. University Medical Center in Las Vegas is Nevada's only level 1 trauma center and the state's largest public hospital. With advanced capabilities, it is accustomed to preparing for emergencies and special circumstances, including potential visits from a U.S. president needing medical care. "We are tasked with caring for the commander in chief, and we take great privilege and honor in doing that," Mason Van Houweling, the hospital's CEO, told Becker's. "As we prepare, we work very closely with the White House team, the Secret Service and various other agencies whenever the president or vice president is in town." The latest example of this preparation occurred July 17, when UMC was on alert following reports about a possible medical issue with President Joe Biden. The hospital did not end up treating the president, who was in Las Vegas for an event. President Biden returned to Delaware to isolate after testing positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, the president did not need to visit UMC and was able to return to Delaware to rest and recuperate, Mr. Van Houweling said. Still, the hospital was prepared. "We're prepared for traumas, the worst of the worst," Mr. Van Houweling said. "But this was more of a reaching out for a medical issue. And so our team immediately went into action. We coordinated very closely with the federal and law enforcement and those around serving and protecting the White House and the president." Through that coordination, UMC learned there was no accident or trauma situation, but there was potential that the president may need to use UMC services. "This was more of a medical concern. And his providers on the scene that care and travel with the president were trying to rule out [whether he] needed the services of a hospital that's designated in the care for the patient," Mr. Van Houweling said. UMC then adjusted its preparation to arrange an appropriate facility and team for medical care based on the specific potential needs identified in this case, diagnostic requirements. The ability to make such adjustments and be on alert are among the hospital's strengths, according to Mr. Van Houweling. He also noted that UMC has handled numerous crises, including treating victims of the October 2017 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas. "It's not intimidating for the staff; it's familiar. And we execute [preparation and response efforts] very well here at UMC," he said. He described the recent situation with President Biden as a "good drill" for UMC. "Everything really worked well, from my perspective," Mr. Van Houweling said. "There are other hospitals throughout the country that care for patients and the president. And I know they're just as prepared as we are. And that's the strength of our healthcare system here in the U.S., and the ability to designate level 1 trauma centers for the highest level of care. And we take great pride to be able to be that for the state of Nevada." Still, he acknowledged there are always lessons learned along the way when it comes to any crisis management and disaster management. His biggest lesson for a healthcare executive: "Always prepare for the worst and hope for the best." Mr. Van Houweling specifically recommended that hospitals test their incident command centers, when testing is scheduled and when it is not, to ensure they are prepared for a coordinated response. "It's always good to test the system. It doesn't cost you anything, but it allows you to get visibility on where you're at and where you need to shore up," he said. Mr. Van Houweling recommended testing not only during the day but after hours and during weekends, "because often your incident commander and your first responders are not going to be your formal leaders. They'll be your informal leaders until you get on the scene or you're able to stabilize the situation. But just make sure you drill and drill often." Additionally, "there's always information that's foggy in situations like this or foggy during a crisis or disaster, and [your incident command center] should always be the center and the source of truth, to be able to coordinate responses," he said. "But also make sure that you trust your people to do their jobs. And you, [as the executive], kind of get out of their way sometimes to be able to let them do what they're trained to do." Two hackers pleaded guilty to participating in a ransomware group that has extorted approximately $500 million from organizations including hospitals. Ruslan Magomedovich Astamirov, 21, a Russian national from Chechen Republic, Russia, and Mikhail Vasiliev, 34, a dual Canadian and Russian national from Bradford, Ontario, made the pleas July 18 in U.S. District Court for their involvement with LockBit, a cybercriminal gang that has targeted hospitals and health systems. "Astamirov and Vasiliev thought that they could deploy LockBit from the shadows, wreaking havoc and pocketing massive ransom payments from their victims, without consequence," said U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger for the District of New Jersey, in a July 18 statement. "They were wrong." The men were accused of accessing computer systems then deploying LockBit ransomware to steal and encrypt the data of at least 12 victims each. On top of extorting roughly $500 million, LockBit has caused victims billions of dollars in lost revenue and incident response and recovery, the Department of Justice said. LockBit has reportedly attacked hospitals in Illinois, New Jersey and New York. The proposed acquisition of Akron, Ohio-based Summa Health by Health Assurance Transformation Corp., or HATCo, is slated to close by the end of 2024, Ideastream Public Media reported July 18. Summa Health's President and CEO Cliff Deveny, MD, confirmed that the deal is on track to be finalized by year's end. Reported in January, the acquisition will transition Summa Health from a nonprofit to a for-profit hospital system. Dr. Deveny acknowledged the community's concerns about the potential negative effects of the acquisition, such as rising costs, staff reductions and cuts in services that primarily benefit low-income populations and people of color. Howevers, Dr. Deveny believes the acquisition is the best way forward for Summa Health, which has been struggling with rising costs. "After six months of conversations, we made the decision this is probably the best model for us long-term," Dr. Deveny told Ideastream. "The alternatives, we like to refer to it as plan B, is if we don't do something, what are we going to have to stop doing." Dr. Deveny also noted that the board is not interested in another merger attempt following the failed merger with Michigan-based Beaumont Health in 2020. "When we see health systems merge with other health systems and they get bigger, the care doesn't necessarily get better, the experience doesn't necessarily get better," Dr. Deveny said, "but one thing that for sure happens is the prices go up." HATCo, owned by General Catalyst, currently has investments in several healthcare businesses but does not own any outright. "We would be the first outright business that General Catalyst would actually own," Dr. Deveny said. "The good thing is they're going to be dependent on the 8,500 people in Akron, Ohio, to run it." This dependency on local management sets HATCo's acquisition of Summa Health apart from previous venture capital acquisitions of nonprofit hospitals, according Ideastream. "You're not going to make any money on Summa Health System," Dr. Deveny said. "But the way you would make money is developing these technologies, these things that can be applied to other hospitals and health systems in the United States." Summa Health is currently working to finalize the definitive agreement with HATCo, which will need approval from the Ohio Attorney General and the Ohio Department of Insurance. If approved, the acquisition will proceed as planned. "They would be buying the buildings, buying the equipment, hiring all 8,500 people," Dr. Deveny said. "The old company would wind down, and it would become a community charity." According to the report, the specific details of the charity aspect of the acquisition are still being developed. A group of community members not affiliated with the hospital system is working on the plan, which will focus on addressing social determinants of health, such as transportation, housing and internet access. UK HealthCare has called off plans to build a community hospital in the Hamburg area of Lexington, Ky., a spokesperson for the health system confirmed to Becker's. The focus of the proposed hospital was to provide community care, not specialty care, which is "not what our clinical partners expect of UK HealthCare," Mark Birdwhistell, senior vice president for health and public policy for the system, said at a July 17 state budget review meeting, according to NPR affiliate WEKU. "They expect that we should be providing advanced care, high end cancer care, not routine hip replacement and procedures like that." UK HealthCare said it will use the land it acquired last year to build an outpatient medical office building instead of a hospital. It is also in the process of opening other ambulatory sites across central Kentucky. "The MOB, along with these new regional ambulatory sites, will provide new access to care for UK's own team members, their families and their neighbors closer to home," the health system said in a statement. The MOB is anticipated to provide specialty care in areas that may include cancer and orthopedic care, according to WEKU. UK Healthcare is seeking a partner to help finance, build and potentially manage the new facilities. The health system recently revamped its strategic plan to instead focus on expanding its existing academic medical center UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital on its campus. Albert B. Chandler Hospital is undergoing a $2.4 billion expansion that will add about 300 beds, a new hospital tower and four outpatient locations in the area. It is also expanding several services at Chandler Hospital and Kentucky Children's. Earlier this month, UK HealthCare acquired St. Claire HealthCare, one of the largest employers in Morehead, Ky., with more than 1,300 staff. St. Claire includes a 139-bed hospital, seven primary care facilities, two urgent care centers, a multispecialty pavilion, a retail pharmacy and home health and hospice services. Whether a GLP-1 medication is approved for diabetes or chronic weight management, declaring one therapy as "best" for weight loss is tricky. Trials that test these drugs for weight loss results are not uniform, with studies lasting anywhere from 13 to 72 weeks. Add in weak medication adherence and varying results for different Body Mass Index classes, and the equation becomes more muddled. Researchers recently compared Mounjaro and Ozempic, which are both approved for Type 2 diabetes, to see which led to greater weight loss. In their review of more than 18,000 patient records, Mounjaro surpassed Ozempic at three, six and 12 months for larger reductions in body weight. Diana Thiara, MD, medical director of UCSF Health's weight loss program in San Francisco, and Susan Z. Yanovski, MD, co-director of the Office of Obesity Research at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, told The New York Times current data does not point to a first-line therapy. Dr. Thiara said the only available information stems from "highly flawed studies," including the Mounjaro-versus-Ozempic research. EHR data does not specify why the patients are taking the medications, Dr. Yanovski said, and many of the patients had off-label prescriptions. By the end of the trial, less than half of patients continued their regimen. The researchers noted when a prescription was filled, but it is unknown what the doses were, which adds another murky level since different doses can lead to different weight loss results, lead researcher Tricia Rodriguez, PhD, told the Times. Future trials might yield clearer results, the Times reported July 19. Eli Lilly is currently testing its weight loss medication Zepbound against Wegovy, Novo Nordisk's weight loss drug, in people with obesity who do not have diabetes. The study is expected to end later this year. Kevin England will not assume the president role at Springfield, Ill.-based Memorial Health due to an unexpected health issue, The State Journal-Register reported July 18. Mr. England was poised to become president of the system this month. Ed Curtis, the system's current president and CEO, was slated to hold the CEO title until his retirement in 2025, during which time Mr. England would also assume that role. Instead, Mr. England will remain in his current role as senior vice president and chief administrative officer of Memorial Health, according to an internal staff memo obtained by The State Journal-Register. "While I was sorry to hear this news, it isn't surprising that Kevin, who has always led selflessly, is putting the needs of the organization first," Mr. Curtis said in the memo. The system's board of directors has launched an external search for its next president. Mr. Curtis will continue serving as president and CEO until a successor is named. A former nurse at WellSpan Chambersburg (Pa.) Hospital has been accused of falsifying medical information following a patient's death, court documents show. Sara Miller, RN, has been charged with three misdemeanor counts of furnishing false or fraudulent medical information. The charges were filed by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General on July 16. WellSpan hospital leaders reported the defendant to the state's Bureau of Narcotic Investigations in January, citing a "possible diversion of morphine," according to Tri-State Alert. State investigators discovered discrepancies in morphine documentation for a patient who was being treated in the hospital's critical care unit for severe acute respiratory failure, bilateral pneumonia and sepsis. Another hospital employee told investigators that Ms. Miller appeared to have injected a substance into the patient's IV shortly before the individual died, according to the report. The staff member also found a small syringe between the mattress and rail of the patient's bed. No autopsy or drug testing was done on the patient's body. Investigators found discrepancies in the data from the patient's IV pump and missing signatures from Ms. Miller. The defendant admitted to the poor documentation, but she attributed it to her uncertainty about the procedures, having worked at the hospital for only several weeks. Ms. Miller's nursing license remains active in Pennsylvania. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 10. A spokesperson for WellSpan shared the following statement with Becker's: "WellSpan is committed to providing safe, high-quality care for our patients. Per our standard safety protocols, we shared the matter with the appropriate state agencies and collaborated with them on the investigation. We are unable to share further details." The University of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston has entered a five-year agreement with the Zambian Ministry of Health to advance cancer care and prevention efforts across the country. "This collaboration with the Zambian Ministry of Health represents a significant step forward for MD Anderson's global strategy and our mission to end cancer," Peter Pisters, MD, president of MD Anderson, said in a July 18 news release. "Through this joint effort, we can improve training, education and cancer research in Zambia, ultimately elevating the standard of care through a sustainable approach." The agreement builds off of an existing partnership between MD Anderson and Zambia's Cancer Diseases Hospital that began in 2013 and focused on radiation oncology. Through the new collaborative, the cancer center will now work directly with the health ministry "to support its national cancer control planning and implementation," with a focus on breast and cervical cancers the two most common types in Zambia. Through its global oncology program, MD Anderson works with low-and-middle income countries providing education, training and advisory services. It has agreements with the World Health Organization, Mozambique and Indonesia. The Becker's Hospital Review website uses cookies to display relevant ads and to enhance your browsing experience. By continuing to use our site, you acknowledge that you have read, that you understand, and that you accept our Cookie Policy and our Privacy Policy In recent years, spine and orthopedic devicemakers have merged and acquired smaller companies. Spine surgeons discuss the effects these business moves and their outlook for the market. Note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity. Question: How are you thinking about the continued consolidation of spine and orthopedic device companies? Rachel Bratescu, MD. Weill Cornell (New York City): In recent years, the spine industry has been undergoing a consolidation process. Last year there were a number of acquisitions, and these occurrences seem to be growing at a rapid pace. Mergers like this are advantageous for shareholders, but the question is whether consolidation strategies translate into improved product development and therefore better tools for surgeons. Ultimately, what matters most on the clinical side is how this affects patient outcomes. Out of many competing interests at play I think the primary factors driving this trend include intense competition in the spine market and the pressure for innovative research and development. The historical trend with other industries is that when there is less competition, there tends to be less innovation. I am hopeful that with further consolidation patterns device companies continue pouring similar, if not higher, amounts of capital into device improvements. Michael Gallizzi, MD. The Steadman Clinic (Vail, Colo.): Larger companies in the medical device industry are increasingly relying on acquisitions to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape. By purchasing smaller, innovative companies that have already navigated regulatory processes and developed cutting-edge technologies, larger companies can quickly expand their product portfolios and stay ahead of the curve. This strategy allows larger companies to accelerate their innovation pipeline, enhance their R&D capabilities, expand their market share and stay competitive in a rapidly changing industry. Developing a new medical device from concept to launch can be a lengthy and complex process, involving biomechanical testing, ex vivo and in vivo testing, clinical trials, regulatory submissions, packaging, and marketing. By acquiring companies that have already completed these steps, larger companies can shortcut this process and bring new products to market more quickly. The "lead, follow, or buy" approach is a common trend in the medical device industry, where companies must constantly innovate to stay ahead. This strategy enables larger companies to leverage the expertise and innovations of smaller companies while expanding their own capabilities and market reach. Lali Sekhon, MD, PhD. Spine Surgeon at Reno (Nev.) Orthopedic Center: Acquisitions have been the standard corporate business model in spine/orthopedics for close to 20 years. The days of internal organic development are mostly over for the big five to six companies who, in spine, have about 7% market share based on revenue. Many have reduced their internal engineering staff numbers which makes getting custom instruments challenging and product development an afterthought. It's a corporate decision to derisk. It means they are buying proven revenue generating products and not taking the risks of development, approval etc. [It] makes corporate sense but makes it exceedingly hard for surgeon innovators where they basically need to bring products to market themselves. The surgeons are the future of innovation so there needs to be a clearer pathway for this and acquisitions in the short term make sense but in the long term may stifle innovation as the development road becomes too long. I know this, because I have lived it with two medical device startups. Vijay Yanamadala, MD. Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare: Consolidation will likely provide further efficiencies as individual companies are able to offer a broader range of devices and technologies to surgeons. It means that surgeons can also consolidate who they work with as well, allowing for more consistent experiences in the operating room. This will also help hospital staff who will have to work with fewer companies in contracting and processing equipment. Overall, I see many positive results from this without any significant negatives. Warsaw, Ind.-based Zimmer Biomet, the largest employer in Kosciusko County, is threatening to exit the region if the state does not modernize a 155-mile stretch of nearby highway, according to a July 18 report from Inside Indiana Business. "We want to be in Warsaw, Indiana, for the next 100 years, but we cannot make the commitment to be here long term if we dont resolve this," Zimmer CEO Ivan Tornos, said during the U.S. 30 Summit, an event held to discuss the safety and economic implications of not modernizing a stretch of U.S. 30 between Fort Wayne and Valparaiso, Ind. Advocacy groups have been pushing the state to modernize U.S. 30 since 2013. Additional business leaders joined Mr. Tornos, threatening to pull out of the state if it does not provide access for better transportation. Chris Graham, vice president of Fort Wayne-based Steel Dynamics, said that his company recently passed Indiana over for additional investment and expansion because of the road infrastructure. "Our businesses have a supply chain extending throughout Indiana into Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, and U.S. 30 is critical to the success of our supply chain," Bill Konyha, president of the Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana, told Inside. "It is critical even for agriculture. Its critical for our workforce, and its essential to the delivery system." Northeast Indiana employs almost 400,000 people in the manufacturing industry, generating $8.5 billion in wages and over $260 million in state income taxes each year. Studies have shown that improving U.S. 30 would reduce accidents by 323 per year and save 18,000 hours of delay per day, according to the report. "U.S. 30 is the main conduit our employees travel daily," Mr. Tornos told Inside. "We put their lives at risk. Weve got to get this resolved." The chief executive of Belfast-based Harland and Wolff has quit as the shipyard seeks emergency lending to keep it afloat, according to reports The chief executive of Belfast-based Harland and Wolff has quit as the shipyard seeks emergency lending to keep it afloat, according to reports. And it faces being broken up and put up for sale if a new loan is not agreed, according to the Financial Times. The FT, citing several people familiar with the situation, said CEO John Woods departure had been expected as a condition of a new 20m loan from its Wall Street lender, Riverstone Credit Partners. The infrastructure and shipbuilding company already had a high-interest $115m credit facility with the group. According to the FT, Mr Wood announced his departure in an overnight text to directors. Belfast Telegraph has asked the company, and Riverstone, for comment. Harland & Wolff had won part of a 1.6bn Royal Navy contract but is yet to publish audited accounts, suspending trading on the AIM on July 1. The FT reported earlier this week that the UK government was due to turn down a loan guarantee of 200m which would have helped Harland & Wolff secure lending at a lower rate than its Riverstone credit. It said that Mr Woods exit would enable a new financing agreement with Riverstone. Harland & Wolff employs around 1,500 around four shipyards in the UK, including Belfast. Uncertainty is also hanging over the future of Spirit AeroSystems factory in east Belfast. The US aerospace giant is being sold to Boeing, with Airbus entering an agreement to acquire part of the Belfast site where wings are manufactured for its A220 plane. Last week Belfast Telegraph revealed that Bombardier, which used to own the operation, has a strong interest in reacquiring the parts of it which arent being taken over by Airbus. Harland & Wolffs future is uncertain as it confirmed its been turned down for a 200m loan guarantee from the UK government. Harland & Wolffs future looks uncertain after it was turned down for a 200m loan guarantee from the UK government. The company is now trying to recapitalise and has sought advice on its strategic options. The shipyard company, based in Belfast, had sought an Export Development Guarantee to enable it to fulfil part of a 1.6bn Royal Navy contract for three fleet solid support ships. But in a statement on Friday, Harland & Wolff confirmed its application had been refused by the Department for Business and Trade and it was now expediting discussions with its existing lender for an emergency loan. The department declined to comment but its understood their officials have been in close contact with H&W and its backers. Its believed to have confidence that a solution can be found that removes the risk of administration. A person close to the situation said jobs at the company and its four shipyards around the UK were a major concern. But the government is insisting it remains committed to shipbuilding around the UK. It is said to be monitoring the situation very closely. The Business Secretary is expected to update Parliament on Monday. The company said it had expedited discussions with Riverstone Credit Management in New York in order to secure alternative new debt facilities to support the near-term working capital needs of the business following its recent significant revenue growth. "These alternative financing arrangements are expected to close within the next few days. It confirmed it was talking to stakeholders including the UK government around existing and future contracts and around long-term capitalisation plans. It has also engaged Rothschild & Co to assess strategic options for the group. It has around 1,500 employees around the UK, including an estimated 500 in Belfast. DUP leader Gavin Robinson, MP for East Belfast, said: There has been a period of uncertainty for workers in recent weeks. I have been engaging extensively with the government, including discussions yesterday. "The Governments commitment to a renaissance to shipbuilding in our city remains. The contract for fleet solid support ships is a significant boon for Belfast and should instil confidence that with the right management, our shipyard is an attractive proposition with better days ahead." He said he had spoken to union representatives and would continue to champion the yard, its workforce and its future. "With Parliament sitting next week, there will be an important opportunity for the Government to reiterate its support for shipbuilding in Belfast. Harland & Wolff also confirmed the departure of chief executive John Wood for a leave of absence with immediate effect. Russell Downs is now proposed to join the board as interim executive chairman. The company said the financial professional has had notable successes returning significant value to stakeholders and securing complex refinancings. It said he would be well-placed to lead the board as it seeks to complete a recapitalisation intended to give the company a sustainable financial footing into the medium and long term. Mr Downs said: I am very pleased to take on this role after a challenging period for the group as it transitions from one leadership team to another and deals with the increasing speculation over its future. "The great weight of responsibility for all stakeholders involved in the business to secure a long-term future is crystal clear to me and I am enormously honoured to be given the responsibility to find a solution. "I will be working tirelessly in consultation with employees, management, customers, suppliers, unions, government agencies and other stakeholder groups in the coming weeks." Trading in shares in the company on the AIM has been suspended since July 1 as auditors had refused to sign off its accounts. Earlier this week, Economy Minister Conor Murphy said hed written to Secretary of State Hilary Benn to express support for workers at Harland & Wolff as it awaited the governments decision on the guarantee. Invest NI is in contact with the company and monitoring developments, Mr Murphy added. Uncertainty is also hanging over the future of Spirit AeroSystems factory in east Belfast. The US aerospace giant is being sold to Boeing, with Airbus entering an agreement to acquire part of the Belfast site where wings are manufactured for its A220 plane. Last week Belfast Telegraph revealed that Bombardier, which used to own the operation, has a strong interest in reacquiring the parts of it which arent being taken over by Airbus. Saoirse-Monica Jackson arrives on the red carpet at the Omniplex Cinema in Derry for the launch of Season 3 - Derry Girls (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Derry Girls star Saoirse-Monica Jackson has said she hasnt kept in touch with her former co-star Nicola Coughlan despite the pair now leading two Netflix series. Speaking to Vulture, Jackson who led the Channel 4 comedy as Erin, said she has yet to watch the latest series of Bridgerton, which is fronted by Coughlan, who played Claire in the series. I think the both of us are so busy, so no, I havent been in touch, Jackson said when asked if she has chatted with Coughlan, who has seen her stardom rise to A-list status since she finished Derry Girls, starring in the Netflix period hit, alongside film Seize Them! and Channel 4 mental health comedy Big Mood. Jackson also admitted while she had watched the previous series, she has yet to watch the latest edition of Bridgerton, which is led by her former co-star who plays Penelope Bridgerton and spoiler the series narrator and town gossip, Lady Whistledown. Coughlan famously had to miss out on the majority of filming of the last series of Derry Girls due to her conflicting schedule with the Netflix hit created by Shonda Rhimes. Her scenes mainly took place in Strabane, where the character moved following the death of her father. Saoirse-Monica Jackson (right) with Zosia Mamet in The Decameron Jackson was asked about the contact with Coughlan as the actress, who is from Derry, is about to star in her own Netflix comedy series, the period comedy The Decameron, which is set in the 1300s during the Black Death in Italy. The series marks a change for the actress, who now lives in Liverpool with her DJ fiancee Denis Sulta. Ironically, Netflix is also home to Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee, whose new series How To Get to Heaven From Belfast was picked up by the streaming service last year from Channel 4. Filming is currently underway throughout Northern Ireland for an air date next year. I was growing as a young woman in my early 20s, leading this massive, successful show, and my own personal growth was so woven in and running parallel to the storylines, Jackson added about her time filming Derry Girls. The interview also revealed how her American co-star Zosia Mamet, who starred in HBOs Girls picked up her Northern Ireland catchphrase while filming including up to high doe. Since Derry Girls ended two years ago, Jackson has kept busy ahead of her new series. Last year, she had a small part in last years box-office superhero bomb The Flash, and will also be next seen in BBCs gritty drama This City Is Ours, where she plays a drug dealer opposite Sean Bean. She also spoke about turning 30 describing it as meaning she gives less of a f***. Ive heard its the best era. I see this with my mom and my aunties or even Jamie-Lee (ODonnell who played Michelle in Derry Girls), she said. They all give less of a f**k than I do. Im really looking forward to that happening, but I havent really had it kick in yet. When does that kick in, not giving a f**k? When does that happen? News Catch Up: Friday 19 July 2024 Armie Hammer at the premiere of Call Me By My Name (Isabel Infantes/PA) Actor Armie Hammer has admitted he thought he was untouchable as he addressed sexual assault allegations previously made against him. In an interview with Piers Morgan, The Call Me By Your Name star spoke about an accusation by a former girlfriend that he carved his initial into her, and explicit messages he allegedly sent on social media. Hammer consistently denied all criminal allegations against him after police in California investigated sexual assault claims in 2021, and last year Los Angeles County District Attorney decided not to charge him following a two-year investigation. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content In a teaser clip for the Piers Morgan Uncensored interview, the actor says: I thought I was untouchable and boy, was I wrong. Addressing the claim that he carved the letter A into his girlfriends pelvis, he says he used the tip of a small knife and there wasnt even blood. Discussing an accusation that he wrote explicit messages saying what he wanted to do with a previous partner, he added: This was a very intense (affair), very sexually charged, between two people. Different people have different sexual fantasies. But I dont think thats any different than when someone looks at a baby and goes, Oh my God, look at those cute little fat legs, I just want to eat you up. In the clip, Morgan asks the actor about a claim that he told a former partner that he felt like a god when standing over them with a knife, and Hammer replies: I dont remember saying those things. Armie Hammer with former partner Elizabeth Chambers (PA) Addressing the allegations more widely, the actor says: None of those people were hurt or upset because I pushed any sexual boundaries. Hammer shares two children with his former partner, TV personality Elizabeth Chambers. In the interview he reveals he couldnt be alone with his children at one stage and admitted he felt suicidal at times. Hammer is also known for starring in Death On The Nile, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and The Social Network. Lack of funding means fewer people are choosing arts as full-time career Artists in Northern Ireland are earning on average just 11,200 per year from their work, according to a stark new report. The lack of funding is eating right to the heart of the arts sector, according to Jane Morrow, who runs Paragon Studios (PS2), a small arts collaborative in central Belfast. She was speaking following the publication of the report examining living and working conditions from the Arts Council NI. A major IT breakdown hit numerous organisations based here, including the Department of Health, Belfasts airports and local tourist sites. It was sparked by a faulty file from a US cybersecurity company called Crowdstrike. The firms protection services are used by tens of thousands of large organisations, with airlines, banks, telecoms companies, broadcasters and other businesses halted as a result of the outage. Sky News was impacted by the IT outage. Getty Images The Department of Health confirmed that services in Northern Ireland have been impacted, with hospital services and around two-thirds of GP surgeries facing problems. Hospital issues included difficulties booking patients into operating theatres, accessing staff rosters, capturing digital endoscopy images and operating radiotherapy services as well as some primary care services. Affected GP practices were left unable to access their clinical system to view and update patient records, and they could not generate routine patient prescriptions and test requests, or see results of laboratory tests. The affected practices will be operating on an emergency appointment basis only until the IT issues are resolved. Dr Alan Stout chairs the British Medical Association Northern Ireland general practitioners committee. He said the biggest issue facing GPs is repeat prescribing. Its relatively easy to do a handwritten prescription for an acute thing, such as an antibiotic for the likes of a chest infection, but its those lists of repeat prescribing that are a particular problem, and knowing the exact medication and dosage, he told the Belfast Telegraph. He added that the million dollar question is when systems will return to normal for the majority of GPs here. Dr Alan Stout It sounds like there is some urgent activity to try and get it up and running again. I would be hopeful it would be resolved by early next week, but there will certainly be different requests that couldnt be done on Friday, which will carry over into next week. Our plea with people through all of this is just to be patient, because it will take a little bit of time to work through it all. People dont need to go straight to the pharmacy. If its not urgent, theres no need to panic or try and order things in advance. The easiest bit in the midst of it all is just seeing somebody, and examining them. Its all the other bits around that which are affected. Its made us realise how reliant weve actually become on IT. Our computer systems do go down relatively often - probably once or twice a year - and so practices do have inbuilt contingency and continuity plans for when IT does fail. Its not a unique scenario, but its not nice, or something that we anticipate. Gerard Greene, chief executive of Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland, added: We would reassure patients that prescription medicines are being dispensed in community pharmacy as normal. Northern Irelands computerised dispensing systems are not affected by the current global IT issue. If patients need a repeat prescription, we would advise them to contact their GP practice in the normal way. If their system is affected by the IT issue, they will advise of alternative local arrangements to ensure access to medicines. This may include speaking to your local community pharmacist. Meanwhile, Belfasts airports said operations are still up and running, but warned passengers to check with their airlines for updates. Handwritten whiteboards were seen being used at Belfast International to display flight information as all the screens had gone down. A whiteboard in Belfast International Airport today with flight information after the IT outage. Credit: Martin McElroy Ryanair said it was forced to cancel a number of flights as a result of the outage and urged affected passengers to leave the airport. Elsewhere visitor attractions were affected. The Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, as well as The Giants Causeway centre, said they are unable to accept card payments. George Kurtz, co-founder and CEO of CrowdStrike, apologised for the chaos caused. "We're deeply sorry for the impact that we've caused to customers, to travellers, to anyone affected by this," he told NBC's Today show. While the issue has been identified and a fix has been deployed, he said that "it could be some time for some systems" to recover. The US firm has acknowledged the cause of the fault and says that it has begun efforts to fix the situation, offering a technical workaround to those affected. However, the fix may not immediately help some computers and systems already stuck in the fault. The issue is causing affected Windows computers to forcibly reboot, resulting in a blue screen. There is also a separate outage affecting Microsofts online 365 apps, which the company has acknowledged. There is no indication yet of any personal data loss as the event does not appear to be connected with a hack or cyber intrusion. News Catch Up: Friday 19 July 2024 Heres how the day played out: A registered sex offender likened to a dangerous crocodile has been jailed for repeatedly attending a cultural hub used by children. Richard McFarland violated a prohibition on being in the presence of anyone under 16 by going to the community arts space in Belfast city centre every day over a two-week period. Daera has revealed its 37-point plan after it was approved by the Executive on Thursday Blue-green algal blooms have been more significant in recent weeks on Lough Neagh (Pic: Pacekmaker Belfast) A 37-point plan approved by the NI Executive to tackle ongoing issues at Lough Neagh shows a lack of understanding, an environmental campaigner has said. The action plan, produced by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera), was given the green light by minister Andrew Muirs Executive colleagues on Wednesday. Mr Muir had developed the action plan in order to deal with the environmental issues at the lough and had been waiting on sign-off from the Executive on 17 of the 37 actions. This continues to be an environmental disaster - Chair of Lough Neagh Partnership Among its plans are a number of reviews and consultations, including a review of pollution penalties and a paid research initiative to investigate solutions to the blue-green algae problem on Lough Neagh. The blooms of cyanobacteria are exacerbated by excess nutrient content in the water from agricultural and waste run-off, combined with rising temperatures and periods of wet weather. Last year, the lough was plagued with outbreaks, while there have been significant blooms reported over the past few weeks. Friends of the Earth NI director James Orr (Pic: Peter Morrison) Friends of the Earth NI director James Orr said some of the actions in the plan are commendable, but the lack of clarity on an independent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was a concern. There are some commendable actions but there is too much focus on reviews, meetings and scoping options, he told the Belfast Telegraph. The lough has been transformed into a dead zone and the recovery plan should, in turn, be transformational. Read more Scepticism of Lough Neagh community clear as owner holds talks over its future There is nothing in the plan about investing in sewage agriculture and supporting the transition from intensive agriculture to more regenerative farming. Neither is there a clear timetable to deliver an independent EPA. The absence of a timetable and even a commitment to an independent EPA is a sad reflection of the Executives lack of understanding of what needs to happen to enable the long-term recovery of the lough. Among the planned actions is a commitment to a streamlined and more effective penalty regime to act as a deterrent against pollution incidents, which are understood to contribute highly to the issues facing the lough. Mr Muir said earlier this year that he intended to reverse a decision taken by his predecessor Edwin Poots to cap penalties for agricultural pollution at 15% for repeat offences. Daera Minister Andrew Muir (Pic: Jonathan Porter/Press Eye) A small business research initiative to investigate feasible and affordable solutions to reduce blue-green algae blooms when they occur is also included in the plan. Daera Minister Muir said the plan was a significant step in helping to rehabilitate Lough Neagh. The action plan is not a wish list it is a detailed, science-led, proportionate and ambitious set of actions that will make a tangible difference to our waterways, he said. I must be clear, however, that there are no quick fixes. It will take many years, if not decades, to see substantial recovery, such is the depth and complexity of the problem. The Lough Neagh report also complements and supports the actions and targets in the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) and I will continue to work with Executive colleagues to obtain approval for the EIP. I welcome and am grateful to my Executive colleagues for supporting the plan I presented and [for] recognising Lough Neagh as a priority. I was standing in Ukraine in a graveyard not far from the front line, and all these fresh graves with all the flowers on them and Im just saying to myself, whats this all about? The new baby giraffe at Belfast Zoo The new baby giraffe at Belfast Zoo Belfast Zoo has welcomed a new baby boy giraffe to its midst, and is now asking the public for help in naming him. Born to experienced mother Daisy on Sunday, July 14, the week-old Rothschilds giraffe has been delighting both visitors and staff. The zoo said that both mother and son have stayed inside the giraffe house for a few days together to give them plenty of bonding time. The new baby giraffe at Belfast Zoo A shortlist of four names has been drawn up by the animal care team at Belfast Zoo. The names have been shared for a vote on the zoos Facebook page, with online users encouraged to comment their favourite name below the post. The names voters can choose between are: Ballybracken Ballymoe Ballytober Ballyrobert Voting will close on Friday, July 26, at 4pm. Zoo manager Alyn Cairns commented, Rothschilds giraffes are one of the most endangered of the giraffe subspecies. "While giraffes inhabit savannahs and grasslands across Africa, the Rothschild subspecies only exists in small numbers within protected areas in Kenya and northern Uganda. "Since we became home to the species in 1988, we have celebrated the arrival of over 40 calves and we are delighted to welcome the new addition to the family! Visitors have a chance to see the newest arrival in the zoos giraffe house. The zoo is open every day 10am 6pm with last admission at 4.30pm. DUP Councillor Alan Lewis removes the Dundrum graffiti with help from residents A DUP councillor has removed sectarian graffiti in Dundrum, assisted by members of the local community on Thursday evening. The scrawling of the words Up The Ra on a fence was reported to police, who have been treating the incident as a hate crime. SDLP MLA Colin McGrath also said it is disgraceful to see this graffiti in Dundrum for the second time in as many weeks. "There is no place in our society for this, and those responsible should be the ones cleaning it off, he added. "Unfortunately, as with history, someone else will probably clean up their mess. The vandalism was later amended by local councillor Alan Lewis and nearby residents. Cllr Lewis said: Although juvenile, somewhat artistic, akin to something youd see on the London Underground, the message behind this artwork is sinister. He also said that it is the type of activity which is being stirred up by events such as the Magorrian commemoration. Paul Magorrian was an IRA man in south Down during the Troubles. He was 21 when he was killed by the Army in the St Malachys Estate, Castlewellan, in August 1974. There has been controversy and condemnation in the surrounding areas after a poster appeared in the Newcastle-based Burrendale Hotel, advertising an event commemorating The Paul Magorrian Story. The image claims the event will take place on August 16 in the hotel. Tickets are being advertised for 15 and special guests are due to appear. The Burrendale Hotel has been approached for comment. "Residents havent forgotten the mark that Magorrian left on the town; the forced displacement of unionists, targeting of businesses and family homes, Cllr Lewis continued. Graffiti of this nature is a continuation of this behaviour. Organisers of such events are directly responsible for an increase in tension, directly impacting upon community relations. There is no place for this behaviour, people are fed up, this is now the second incident within recent weeks. "Id suggest those painting these slogans have little or no understanding on the activities of the IRA, the campaign of ethnic cleansing or terrorism which was inflicted upon South Down. I thank those members of the community who assisted me with donation of paint, materials and assistance to remove this monstrosity. A PSNI spokesperson said: "Police were made aware of criminal damage to a wall in Dundrum on Wednesday, 18th July. Graffiti had been sprayed onto the wall, in the Dam Lane area of the town. Enquiries into the graffiti, which is being treated as a hate crime, are ongoing. Anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity in the area or who has any information which could assist is asked to contact police on 101, quoting 1632 of 18/07/24. Our Neighbourhood Policing Team officers will continue to engage with local community representatives and partner agencies around any complaints regarding graffiti. There have been increased reports of graffiti across Northern Ireland in recent weeks, including a spate properties in Antrim being daubed with racist iconography, including neo-Nazi Combat 18 references and swastikas. The graffiti has appeared in a number of areas of the town including the Stiles estate, the Fountain Hill road and at the former Antrim cineplex. Local MP Robin Swann condemned the graffiti. Overnight, combat 18 and swastika graffiti were daubed on properties in Antrim, he said. The police have since confirmed that there have been five separate reports of graffiti on houses across Antrim. Those taking part in these acts want to cause fear or promote hatred and these racist attacks will not be tolerated in the Antrim community. "Any house subject to racist graffiti in Northern Ireland is an insult to democracy." An agreement between the UK and EU around mercury metal-based teeth fillings has been welcomed by the Health Minister and leader of the DUP. The agreement means the Department of Health (DoH) has secured an exemption from the EU's new mercury regulations. The EU is banning mercury metal-based fillings (dental amalgam) in dentistry on 1 January 2025. The Windsor Framework meant the ban would have applied to Northern Ireland but dentists here argued that they were unprepared to work without dental amalgam and patients could be left without care. Mercury-free composite or white fillings are more commonly used in private dentistry, with the British Dental Association estimating treatment times and costs are over 50% higher than using amalgam. The agreement reached now means Northern Ireland dentists can continue to use dental amalgam until 31 December 2034 The Health Minister said securing the derogation has been a priority for the Department given the impact it would have had on patients and dental practitioners. "I conveyed this message urgently to the Northern Ireland Secretary of State on this issue as soon as he took office, to impress on him the importance of effective action, the UUPs Mike Nesbitt said. I am very pleased that this has been secured and that the phasing down of dental amalgam can be taken forward in a much more planned way over the coming years. Meanwhile, DUP leader Gavin Robinson said he was glad that common sense has prevailed. Mike Nesbitt From the earliest days of this government, we have been raising Northern Irelands access to dental amalgam supplies as a matter of urgency, he said. Mr Robinson also said the party pressured the UK government to negotiate with the EU. Last week, we warned the Northern Ireland Secretary of State that in the absence of a suitable agreement with Brussels, we would not hesitate to draw upon the new mechanisms at our disposal in Stormont to protect our dental sector and its supply chain. "The safeguards we secured have played a significant role in bringing London and Brussels to this place, he said. It is now important that the Democratic Scrutiny Committee in Stormont has the time and space to fully explore this derogation. We must ensure that it protects our supply chain and ensures there is no divergence in the dental sector within the United Kingdom. However while there was broad unionist support, TUV leader Jim Allister claimed the agreement highlighted Northern Irelands colonial status. Anyone who just reads the document published by the EU will see how much our EU masters are in control of what happens in relation to this issue. Everything is highly conditioned by our colonial masters in Brussels, he said. "They are clear that they will monitor on an ongoing basis the application of the amendments introduced by Regulation and dictate the conditions attached to their decision. No other part of the UK would accept such an edict and no democrat should accept it as any sort of victory. Gardai officers during a stand-off with protesters at the former site of the Crown Paints factory in Coolock (Niall Carson/PA) A fire has broken out at a site earmarked to house asylum seekers in north Dublin. The former Crown Paints factory in Coolock has witnessed violent disorder this week amid protests at the accommodation plan. Irish police came under sustained attack at the disused factory through Monday. Fifteen people 13 men and two women appeared before a late-night sitting at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday, charged with a range of public order offences. Six others appeared in court on Tuesday. A number of Garda cars were damaged during the disturbances on Monday and public order officers used incapacitant spray on anti-immigration protesters who threw missiles at them. On Thursday evening, the Dublin Fire Brigade said two fire engines had attended the scene. In a statement, it said: The fire in a lobby area has been contained and we expect firefighting operations to be wound down soon. Late on Thursday night, Gardai confirmed they were at the scene, with a spokeswoman describing it as a live and ongoing operation. The Taoiseach has proposed the creation of a new government department to oversee major infrastructure projects in Ireland. Simon Harris indicated that setting up of a Department of Infrastructure would be a Fine Gael manifesto pledge for the general election. In a speech to the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, Mr Harris highlighted that the work of planning and delivering capital projects was currently spread across government departments. He said he wanted to centralise those functions into one dedicated department. Mr Harris said the Government needed to step up and deliver when it comes to infrastructure projects of all sizes. Many people dont hear about the many, many projects that get done on time and under budget, we have lots of them, but we also need to do better when it comes to large-scale infrastructure projects, he said. Our countrys characterised by an infrastructural deficit in energy generation, health, education, transport and, of course, in housing. We use modern infrastructure to combat climate change, to house migrants, help to lower the cost of living for the average person, to provide for people when theyre sick. You name the area, any area in this country or any part of our country, and we probably need to build something to help fix that area. Right now, lets be honest, the work of planning, procuring, producing and promoting capital spending happens all over government. Roads are done by the Department of Transport, houses by the Department of Housing, hospitals by the Department of Health and the HSE, schools by the Department of Education. You get the idea. I believe now we need to take a very, very serious look at how we consider all of that impact of capital spending. Were ramping up capital spending like never before and I do believe now is the time in the next government to give serious consideration to a new Department of Infrastructure. Taoiseach Simon Harris (PA) Before becoming Taoiseach, Mr Harris led the Department for Further and Higher Education, which was created in 2020. I know what its like to set up a new government department, he told the audience in Co Donegal. I know the energy, the impetus and the focus that it can bring to a sector, not because of the minister of the day, but actually when you bring a team of people together, 200-300 people, and their sole job is the delivery of a specific mission it can apply a focus that maybe can be lacking at times otherwise. Consider the problems of 2025 as we move ahead: climate, energy, water, housing, health, education, all challenges, all of which require infrastructural solutions as well as reform, and all of them I believe can be advanced by having dedicated leads in the public service whose role is to prosecute the delivery of these projects large and small for our state. Mr Harris said the change was necessary. And I intend to ask the Irish people for a mandate on this in the next general election as well, he said. The Taoiseach continued: Outside consultants expertise is always valued, of course it is, but allied to internal expertise in project design, management and delivery that will help us see a step change in output. I think a new Department of Infrastructure could be another pragmatic step towards creating a new Ireland. He cited other countries that have infrastructure departments, including Australia, Canada and the Netherlands. Mr Harris also pointed north of the border to Stormonts Department for Infrastructure. There is a need to unify the provision of infrastructure and theres a need for government to more humbly listen to those who are responsible for the delivery of infrastructure in terms of how we cut red tape and in terms of how we speed up the delivery of projects that now take far, far too long, he added. Andy Cooke said that government had no other choice but to release some inmates early (Kirsty OConnor/PA) The government did not have any other choice than to release some inmates earlier than planned to try and avert the collapse of the prison system but it will create a big responsibility on other parts of the justice system, the Chief Inspector of Constabulary has said. Andy Cooke also said this is happening as police are trying to rebuild trust after recent scandals, forces are still failing to meet the publics expectations and they are letting down too many victims of crime. Police are still struggling to get the basics right and he described inconsistencies across police forces in responding to the public and investigating crime as unjustifiable. Mr Cooke, who was speaking as he delivered his annual assessment of policing in England and Wales, said: I dont really see that the government had any other choice than to adopt this because police wont stop arresting people those that need to be arrested and placed into custody should be placed in custody. There is always a risk involved in it and you cant escape that fact. The prisons are full. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has claimed the Government has no option but to release 5,500 prisoners early, with jails projected to be overflowing by September. Mr Cooke added: We have a system where probation is understaffed and overworked. Cases are taking too long to come to court, so I cant think of any other solution to it than bringing that early release forward. However, it does place a big responsibility on the rest of the system including probation and policing to make sure that communities are kept safe. Policing is committed to doing so and I have no doubt that probation will also be doing the best to do that but I couldnt see any other solution to the problem. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood claimed the government had no option but to release prisoners early (Joe Giddens/PA) Without fundamental reform to the criminal justice system, victims will continue to struggle to get access to the justice they deserve, he said. Mr Cooke said: The police service is trying to rebuild public trust and confidence, and they recognise the scale of this challenge. Too many victims of crime are still being let down by the police and the wider criminal justice system. He added: The public rightly expect a responsive, thorough and caring service from the police, the wider criminal justice system, and unfortunately, too often, they are left disappointed. In the State of Policing 2023 report, Mr Cooke says levels of crime are on a long-term downward trajectory, but some offences such as violence against women and girls, are still highly prevalent in society. The police are trying to prioritise dealing with these. We still have a long way to go to provide a service that all victims deserve, he added. Mr Cooke said the right conditions need to be in place to help officers do their jobs but there is low morale, large numbers of inexperienced workers and the police funding formula is outdated and unfair. He suggested that funding should be distributed so that it goes to where it is needed most. Mr Cooke added: Unfortunately, morale remains low. Many officers just do not feel valued by the public the government or their force. Some have unacceptably high workloads and others are not getting support. They need to develop and reach their full potential. Strong leadership at all levels of the service has never been more important. He also recommended that the Governments fixed police officer hiring target be dropped so that forces can build a more balanced and effective staff. Mr Cooke said the power of the police is dependent on public approval and respect but scandals over recent years have damaged this. He said: We should not have to doubt whether police officers behave in a lawful, ethical and fair manner, but repeated episodes of unacceptable or criminal behaviour have brought this into question. We also shouldnt have to doubt that the police will quickly pick up the phone when we call them for help. But too many forces are still failing to get the basics right when it comes to responding to the public and investigating crime. The police must consistently show us they deserve our trust and confidence both in how they behave and the quality of services they provide. Sir Andy Marsh, the College of Policing Chief Constable, said there is a need for high-quality leaders at every stage of policing.Efforts are underway to ensure officers and staff, at all ranks, are given the skills to set the right culture, have clear expectations, drive innovation and improve performance. He added: Its this approach, and working to the highest standards, that will regain the publics trust. He also accepted there is a need for policing to be more efficient, use data better and reduce the demand on frontline officers. Sir Andy said: I know policing needs to act and deliver fast for the public but I also want to reflect on the hard-working and dedicated men and women who are serving their communities every day. The report rightly highlights their ongoing bravery and commitment to keeping people safe. The legal claims of several migrants once threatened with deportation to Rwanda could be resolved within a week after the Government pledged to process paused asylum applications as a priority, the High Court has been told. Asylum seekers who arrived in the UK between January 1, 2022 and June 29, 2023 had been threatened with removal under the Migration and Economic Development Partnership (MEDP) signed with the east African country by the former Conservative government, a judge was told. In February, the Home Office said asylum applications of those who could be removed had previously been paused amid legal challenges over the Rwanda scheme. The plan was scrapped by the Labour Government shortly after it was elected earlier this month, but some migrants had already begun legal action over the so-called pause policy. A preliminary hearing in London on Friday was due to hear the progress of the claims of two asylum seekers taking legal action, with the court previously told the Home Office had acted unlawfully by delaying its decision over their applications. The court heard the new Government has pledged to process asylum claims of the MEDP cohort. Alex Goodman KC, representing one of the asylum seekers on Friday, told the court the Home Office said on Tuesday that everybody who had launched a legal challenge against their proposed removal would be admitted to the asylum process. He continued that on Thursday, the Home Office said everybody in the MEDP cohort would now be admitted to the asylum system, and their asylum claims would be dealt with as a priority. Mr Goodman previously told the court in written submissions that the so-called pause policy applied to many thousands of claims for asylum. The hearing was told one of the asylum seekers had agreed to settle their claim through a court order, which could then be applied to several others who were also taking legal action. The judge, Mrs Justice Collins Rice, said it was hugely desirable for everyone to settle on the same terms and said she hoped for other legal cases to be dealt with by the end of next week. Kate Grange KC, for the Home Office, said in written submissions that the new Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has been giving careful consideration on how to manage the MEDP cohort since being appointed to the role and decided that all of their asylum applications will be substantively determined in the UK. She added that the Home Secretary could not provide a hard deadline by which the claims will be determined, as each case will depend on specific factors. In a statement following the hearing, a spokesperson for the Home Secretary said: These people are already in the asylum system and were never going to be sent to Rwanda. Keeping them in the asylum system for the last two years regardless of the validity of their claims, many in paid accommodation, has already cost the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds. That is in addition to the extortionate waste on the MEDP and on these legal costs. We have been clear that we will clear the Tories chaotic asylum backlog, reducing hotel use and ensuring those with no right to stay are actually removed back to their home country. While in government, the Tories had pledged a regular rhythm of flights every month to Rwanda in their election offering, with the High Court previously told the first flight had been planned for July 24. The plan, which was hit with several legal challenges, would have enabled the government to send migrants who did not have a right to remain in the country to Rwanda if they had arrived in the UK through an illegal and dangerous route since 2022. No-one was involuntarily deported under the scheme, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer describing the MEDP as dead and buried before it started. The MEDP will only formally end three months after one government informs the other in writing. A fire engine has carried Corey Comperatores flag-draped coffin to a Pennsylvania church for the funeral of the former fire chief, who was shot and killed when a gunman tried to assassinate Donald Trump last weekend. Hundreds of firefighters arrived at the church in a procession of more than 100 trucks in a show of support for Mr Comperatores grieving relatives and friends. Outside the church, a massive American flag hung from the ladder of a fire engine. A sharpshooter team mounted on a nearby rooftop served as a reminder of last weekends bloodshed. Officials have said that Mr Comperatore spent his final moments shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire at Mr Trumps rally last Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. Mr Trump, who suffered an ear injury in the shooting but was not seriously hurt, is not going to the funeral because of Secret Service concerns, according to a person familiar with the situation. Pennsylvania State Police arrive at the Cabot Church (Gene J Puskar/AP) Annette Locke, a member of the West Deer Township Volunteer Fire Department, stood across the road from the church and lightly touched her heart as she spoke about the horrific toll from the totally senseless shooting. He was with his family on a beautiful sunny day, and now hes gone, Ms Locke said. Joe and Jen Brose stood at the edge of their driveway with their three young boys, all dressed in T-shirts celebrating the USA, watching the long procession of fire and emergency trucks go by. The community comes together at times like this, Joe Brose said. I thought it was very heartwarming, it was very humbling to see it, said Jen Brose, whose sister had attended the Trump rally. The former president honoured Mr Comperatore during his speech on Thursday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He displayed Mr Comperatores firefighting gear on the convention stage, kissing his helmet and heralding the ex-chief as an unbelievable person. Mr Comperatore, 50, worked as a project and tooling engineer, was an Army reservist and spent many years as a volunteer firefighter after serving as chief, according to his obituary. A giant American flag is unfurled outside the Cabot Church (Gene J Puskar/AP) On Thursday, thousands of mourners filed into a banquet hall to pay their respects to Mr Comperatore and his family. Hundreds of people gathered on Wednesday at a vigil for him at a motor racing track. Guests at Thursdays visitation for Mr Comperatore saw a slideshow of photos from his life his wedding, a recent 50th birthday party, time with his daughters, firefighting, fishing, and palling around with his dobermans. Also on display was a framed copy of a note to Mr Comperatores wife signed by Mr Trump and former first lady Melania Trump. Corey will forever be remembered as a True American Hero, the Trumps wrote. Two other people were wounded at the Trump rally: David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township. As of Wednesday night, both had been upgraded to serious but stable condition, according to a spokesperson with Allegheny Health Network. A judge in Milan has ordered an Italian journalist to pay 5,000 euros (4,200) in damages to premier Giorgia Meloni for making fun of her height in social media posts. The judge ruled on Wednesday that two social media posts by journalist Giulia Cortese, who was also handed a suspended fine of 1,200 euros (1,000), amounted to body shaming. In October 2021, when Ms Meloni was still in opposition, Ms Cortese posted a digitally altered picture on X, showing the far-right politician standing in front of a bookshelf with an image of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini in the background. Ms Meloni reacted on Facebook by saying that the fake image was of unique gravity and announced that she would take legal action. In the exchange that followed, Ms Cortese described Ms Meloni as a little woman. She then wrote in a separate post: You dont scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, youre only 1.2 meters tall. I cant even see you. Italian media reports that Ms Melonis height is between 1.58-1.63 metres (5ft 2ins and 5ft 4ins), though she has never officially disclosed it. Reacting to the judges verdict, Ms Cortese said that the Italian government has a serious problem with freedom of expression and journalistic dissent. She added that she may consider appealing against the verdict. It is not the first time that Ms Meloni has taken legal action against a journalist or someone who had criticised her publicly. Her far-right government has been accused by the centre-left opposition of using legal action to put pressure on journalists and critics. Ms Melonis lawyer said she would donate the 5,000 euros to charity if the sentence against Ms Cortese is confirmed and the money is paid. Shannen Doherty finalised her split from her husband, Kurt Iswarienko, just hours before her death at the age of 53, and she was granted a rare posthumous divorce two days later. Doherty, the star of Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, died on Saturday after years with breast cancer, her publicist said. Los Angeles County court documents showed that Doherty and her lawyer Laura Wasser, who handled the divorces of Kim Kardashian, Britney Spears, Ariana Grande and many others, worked to finish the details of hers before she died. In a stipulated agreement with Iswarienko filed on Friday, Doherty kept the couples Malibu, California, home, a Salvador Dali painting, several cars and all earnings from her acting. A judge signed the agreement and declared the couple divorced on Monday. Doherty had no children, and it is not yet clear to whom her assets will go. Iswarienko, a photographer, was her third husband and it was her longest marriage. They married in 2011 and she filed for divorce last year. Vietnamese General Secretary of the Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong who has dies (Luong Thai Linh/Pool Photo via AP) Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of Vietnams ruling Communist Party and the countrys most powerful politician, has died following months of ill health, official media said on Friday. He was 80. General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party Nguyen Phu Trong passed away at 13.38 on July 19, 2024, at the 108 Central Military Hospital due to old age and serious illness, the Nhan Dan newspaper said. Mr Trong had dominated Vietnamese politics since 2011, when he was elected party chief. During his tenure, he worked to consolidate the Communist Partys power in Vietnams single-party political system. In the decade before he took the top role in Vietnamese politics, the balance of power had shifted more towards the governmental wing led by then-prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung. Born in 1944 in Hanoi, Mr Trong was a Marxist-Leninist ideologue who earned a degree in philosophy before becoming a member of the Communist Party at the age of 22. He viewed corruption as the single gravest threat in maintaining the partys legitimacy. A country without discipline would be chaotic and unstable, Mr Trong said in 2016 after being re-elected to the partys helm. Officially, Vietnam has no top leader, but the Communist Party chief is traditionally seen as the most powerful. He launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign known as the blazing furnace that hit both business and political elites. Since 2016, thousands of party officials have been disciplined. They included former presidents Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Vo Van Thuong and the former head of parliament, Vuong Dinh Hue. In all, eight members of the powerful Politburo were ousted on corruption allegations, compared with none between 1986 and 2016. Mr Trong studied in the Soviet Union from 1981 to 1983, and there was speculation that under his leadership, Vietnam would move closer to Russia and China. However, the Southeast Asian nation followed a pragmatic policy of bamboo diplomacy, a phrase he coined that referred to the plants flexibility, bending but not breaking in the shifting headwinds of geopolitics. Vietnam maintained its traditional ties with its much larger neighbour, China, dispute differences over sovereignty in the South China Sea. But it also drew closer to the United States, elevating its ties with its former Vietnam War foe to its highest diplomatic status, a comprehensive strategic partnership. Instagram Fashion has a way of exposing the true underbelly of culture, it reflects more of what is not said rather than what is expressed overtly. Fashion sets a tone, shares a message, and speaks visually in a glance at what would require a verbose explanation to express in word form. Recently the dress Olivia Culpo chose to wear has caused a stir of mixed reviews for her wedding. In many ways her choice of wedding gown expresses a reminder we need to remember about weddings: they ought to be about marriage more than an event. Who is Olivia Culpo? Olivia Culpo is a model, influencer, and former pageant winner. She first rose to national attention by winning Miss Rhode Island 2012, followed by Miss American 2012, and finally, Miss Universe 2012. She has remained in the public eye with her fashion, beauty, and food insights on social media, campaign partnerships with companies, and former romantic relationships. Overall, her mission is to further inspire her readers to feel beautiful and live glamorously through her website. (OliviaCulpo.com). She recently was married to Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers on June 29th. What She Said of the Dress Much of the stir regarding her dress choice played a role because she is in many ways a trend setter and fashion icon. The world had an expectation of an ostentatious designer gown but was stunned when her Dolce and Gabbana dress expressed a different tone than assumed. She said of the style choice, I didnt want it to exude sex in any way, shape or form. I wanted it to feel effortless and as if its complementing me, not overpowering me. Theres so much beauty and simplicity. This invites a conversation as to the role fashion can play in expressing what marriage truly represents. What Does This Say About Biblical Marriage? The wedding gown is something we seldom take into account when discussing Biblical marriage, but perhaps Olivias stance is an inspiration for us to reconsider the role dresses play. Throughout the Bible we see that ultimately a Christian marriage, one blessed by God, is something that ought to reflect Christ and His bride, the Church. Wedding dresses in secular culture are often used to reflect status and compliment specific body features or particular styles of recent trends. This is not to say that a dress cannot be dynamic, promote purity, and be flattering to the woman, but it does serve as an encouragement to remember that at the end of the day, the wedding should be more about the marriage than glam. Culpo explained that to her, the dress represented what marriage really is, Its a covenant. Its the beginning of the rest of your lifeand its the union and bond of two people forever. In a way her dress is perhaps a reminder to us all-married or not- that there is far more to a wedding than just the event. Where Does Purity Culture Play a Role? Another angle to look at things is the aspect of purity culture in all of this. Culpo previously dated Nick Jonas, someone who, in the early 00s, alongside his brothers, promoted purity rings and the call that true love waits, but then years later rejected purity culture and spoke poorly of the concept. Purity Culture has received a bad reputation in that shame entered the scene to pollute something that, pardon the pun, had pure intentions. Many people confuse purity and virginity, but the two are not interchangeable words. Purity can be kept in marriage; you do not lose your purity just because you get married. Consider King David in this, for he did not lose the purity of heart until he committed adultery, though he had been married for some time previously. Purity is something that can be lost, but it can also be redeemed as well. This redemption only occurs through the forgiveness and renewal offered through Christ Jesus. 1 Corinthians 6:11 reminds us that you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. Where Purity Culture gets it wrong is the introduction of shame into the arena. Shame ranging from viewing sex as something dirty and wrong to shame to be counted out for redemption. What the Church needs to be promoting is the realization that humans are in need of a Savior, and it is only through Jesus Christ that we can be made pure. How Has Society Responded? The wedding dress and statements went viral, especially on TikTok, with some unfavorable comments sprinkled throughout. Many found the dress to be lackluster, while others felt even her make-up was too understated. To this, Olivia clapped back, saying, I wanted it to feel effortless and as if it's complimenting me, not overpowering me. There's so much beauty and simplicity." Olivias husband, Christian, also responded to those criticizing defending his wife by expressing, What an evil thing to post online. I hope you can find joy and peace in the world the way my beautiful wife does." The pair handled much of this surprising disdain with great class and decorum. How Should Christians Respond? Culpo reminds Christians that marriage is so much more than just a dress, a lavish event, or just two people- its about covenant. It shifts the entire narrative that a wedding is the greatest day of your life, and it instead reminds us that marriage is something that should not be entered into lightly nor treated capriciously in planning. Her dress may not be to the liking or taste of all, even those who choose to dress very modestly, but it was symbolic to her and to her husband in the commitment they were making to each other and God on their wedding day. To them, the dress represented not the desire to marry for carnal reasons but rather to make the vow quite literally before God in asking Him to bless their union. This is certainly not the norm for celebrity weddings, but it also serves as a reminder that celebrities are human, too. As Christians we can take a nod from this example to encourage those who are considering marriage to remember it is more about God than the day. Iconic wedding gowns from Grace Kelly to now Olivia Culpo will raise stirs and conversations, but at the end of the day, what we must consider is that marriage is not a fashion show runway. Weddings are not the Met Gala, and this was a fresh reminder of such. Marriage is something not to enter into without asking God if this is something He is Authoring, and then it is something that should in all ways honor God. Although Culpo and McCaffery are both humans with flaws and sins, their intentions and actions for their wedding reflect purity and honor to God through their union. May we all take a moment to ponder this and perhaps encourage those who are considering marriage to take a nudge of reflection from this as well. Shutterstock.com Baptism is a universally sacred ordinance throughout all Christian denominations. Its a time when a person enters their committed life for Christ. Baptism is also a symbol of commitment to the church body. While baptism is essential because its tied to faith and repentance, its also somewhat controversial. When the question of age comes about, the answers are always plentiful. Whats the appropriate age for someone to be baptized? The quick answer to this question is theres no answer because the Bible doesnt give a definitive age for baptism. To explore this topic further, lets look at the biblical sources for baptism, what the modern Christians perspective of baptism is, the various practices of baptism throughout denominations, and some advice if you or a loved one is considering baptism. Biblical sources for baptism. As previously stated, the Bible doesnt give a clear answer about how old you should be when youre baptized. Instead, the Bible gives us examples of baptisms and shares what baptism means. In Matthew 3, John the Baptist preaches in Judeas wilderness. People from Judea, Jerusalem, and surrounding areas come to him to be baptized. In verse 13, Jesus travels from Galilee to be baptized by John the Baptist at the Jordan River, but hes hesitant. In verse 15, Jesus says allow it for now because its the way to fulfill all righteousness. His words speak to a faithful and consistent relationship with God. When Jesus rises from the water, the Bible says the heavens opened. Because He expressed His commitment to God through baptism, He reciprocated by giving Jesus the tools for the ministry He was about to start. Paul is in Corinth, and when Timothy and Silas get there, he starts preaching to the Jews. They dont believe him, so he says hell go to the Gentiles. In Acts 18:8, we read that Crispus, the synagogues leader, believed in the Lord, along with his household. Most of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized. In Acts 16:25-34, Silas and Paul are in jail. There was an earthquake, and everyones chain came loose, and the doors opened. Paul told the jailer not to hurt himself because everyone was still there. The jailer believed in the God Silas, and Paul preached about, and everyone in his home was baptized. The examples from Acts show a personal belief that led to baptism. There was a personal choice to follow Christ, and that choice led them to be baptized. Romans 6:3-4 and Galatians 3:26-27 show that when were baptized, we become children of Christ through faith and join Jesus in His death and resurrection. What does modern Christianity believe? Historically, baptism was seen as crucial to removing the original sin all humans have. Infant baptism was popular, and parents were encouraged to baptize their babies. The entire household would be baptized once the head of the household was, but we must remember that salvation was given by Gods grace instead of an individual choice. Across the board, Christians today lean toward baptism as an outward expression of their commitment to a life sold out to Jesus. Being baptized is a way to show a believers commitment to their church and faith. Some Christian churches also teach that baptism isnt a necessary part of being saved. Instead, its a sign of obedience to God and loyalty to the guidelines laid out in the Bible. All believe that baptism is an essential and sacred ordinance that shouldnt be taken lightly. The decision to be baptized originates from a place of conviction. Its not just something you do out of a sense of obligation. Baptism practices across Christianity. The Roman Catholic Church has always done infant baptism. Their Code of Canon Law says parents should have their children baptized as soon after birth as possible. Catholics think that baptism is necessary for salvation. Although infant baptism is practiced, the age requirement is optional and adult converts can be baptized as well. Lutheran churches also believe in infant baptism and teach that baptism is linked to regeneration. When baptized, the infant is cleansed of original sin. Lutherans believe that baptism is Gods work. Eastern Orthodox churches perform both adult and infant baptisms. Infants are baptized from the first 40 days of life to a few months old, and the purpose of baptism is to rinse away their original sins. Adults requesting baptism are required to perform and study catechism before baptism and being received into the church. Reformed and Presbyterian churches teach that baptism is a seal and sign of Gods covenant with man. Its a sign of Gods grace but not a way to salvation. They do perform infant baptism, but some Presbyterian churches dont. Methodist churches baptize children, infants, and adults. Infant baptism is a means of grace and entrance into heaven. They believe that an infant who isnt baptized is delivered to Gods mercy. For them, baptism doesnt change you without faith. Baptist churches practice believers baptism, meaning they reserve the ordinance for those who have personally come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Its an outward symbol of an inward transformation. The person must be old enough to recognize what genuine faith is. Non-denominational churches also lean toward believers baptism. Theres less emphasis on age and more on the persons commitment to follow Jesus. Are you considering baptism? Weve established that baptism is a holy and sacred act. It shouldnt be entered into without serious prayer and thought. If you or a loved one are considering baptism, start specifically praying about this choice. Parents should spend time not only in prayer but in Bible study. Pray over and read passages like Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:19-20, and Romans 6:3-4. Seek counsel from religious leaders, pastors, and other Christians. These people are critical to helping you or your loved one better understand what God is saying to you. The conclusion is simple. Theres no specific age mentioned in the Bible regarding baptism. Whats shared with us is the importance of baptism. Jesus was baptized, and that should be an instruction that, as believers, we should follow His example. Historically, infant baptism was practiced, but as weve seen in the Christian church today, adults can also be baptized. If you or someone you know is considering getting baptized, pray and seek advice as you prepare to take this next step. An American traveler who arrived in Kunming, China's Yunnan Province on Tuesday, was among the first to benefit from the expansion of the 144-hour visa-free transit policy. #ChinaTravel Sheikh Hasina delivers address after seven were killed protesting against quota system for government jobs. Police drag a student protesting against a quota system for government jobs from the Dhaka University campus toward a prison van, July 17, 2024. Four days after nationwide protests began over a quota system for government jobs that left seven people dead, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told Bangladeshis on Wednesday evening that the top court is dealing with it and they would not be disappointed. Hasina, leader of the ruling Awami League, addressed the nation at a time when thousands of students from almost all public and private universities have poured onto the streets to protest the system they say benefits only those who support the prime minister. An analyst said it has created the worst political incident involving student protests in years. I earnestly request all to wait with patience until the final verdict of the apex court comes. My belief, our students must get justice from the higher court; they should not be disappointed, Hasina said in her address without elaborating about when the court would rule. She said her government has shown patience even as students launched their protests. But it is a matter of deep sorrow that a vested-interest group got involved in terrorist activities to achieve their vicious goal out of the protest, she said while extending her condolences to those killed in different parts of the country. BenarNews based its original death toll of six on reports provided by hospital officials in several cities. On Wednesday, the officer in charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost confirmed that the body of a dead protester had been taken to the hospital. I categorically announce those perpetrating murder, looting and terrorist activities, no matter who they are, must face due punishment, Hasina said. I also announce a judicial inquiry will follow to investigate the unwanted incidents including murder for the sake of fair trial and justice, she said. The student protests began last week after the High Court in June reinstated a quota that reserves 30% of civil service jobs for relatives of those who fought in the 1971 war that resulted in Bangladeshs independence. Hasinas speech did little to quell the protests. In a Facebook post, Asif Mamud, a coordinator of the Students Movement against Discrimination, announced there would be a complete shutdown across the nation on Thursday to protest against the quota. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina speaks to the nation regarding the ongoing student protests across Bangladesh, July 17, 2024. [Courtesy Bangladesh Press Information Department] The government on Wednesday closed all academic institutions including universities across the country and slowed wireless internet. On major university campuses, police forced students to comply with an order to vacate the dormitories. A civil society activist said that similar student protests six years ago were about both the quota system and student fatalities on dangerous roads. Though the anti-quota movement took place earlier in 2018, it did not take such a large scale and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has not been seen such trouble in any movement in the recent past, said Badiul Alam Majumdar, a leader of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, a civil society group headquartered in Dhaka. Majumdar said the quota issue could have been solved easily while noting it is rare for educational institutions to be closed indefinitely. Firing tear gas at students dormitories to oust them from their campuses is also a shocking and rare incident in the country, he told BenarNews. Meanwhile, a political analyst, professor Nizam Uddin Ahmed of Chittagong University, said that Hasina had acknowledged the students grievances. The prime minister in her address to the nation has condoled the loss of life in the protest and offered something that the students can think about positively. The students will not be disappointed is a message the prime minister has communicated to the people and the judiciary, he told BenarNews. In other words, it can be construed that she wants a reform to the government quota system, he said. Ahmed said the students protests were sparked by a statement from the chief justice that such actions cannot change verdicts. At the same time, the government also mishandled the movement. Why did they unleash Chhatra League on the students to quell the protest? It backfired, he said, referring to the student wing of the ruling Awami League. A cloud of teargas envelops a police officer trying to quell protesters near Dhaka University, July 17, 2024. [BenarNews] According to Ahmed, the crushing of the 2018 protests by police and the Chatra League is an underlying factor in the current unrest. This made Chhatra League an uncontrollable force at all education institutes, he said, adding the group is getting priority treatment for government jobs. The Chhatra League did not allow the students to express their opinions, Ahmed said. And the students ultimately rose against them. Internet bandwidth cut Authorities on Wednesday reduced the bandwidth of mobile internet service used by the protesters to communicate and share videos and photos on social media platforms such as Facebook. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for information and communication technology, blamed social media for the violence. The social media sites are rife with fake news and rumors. These should be checked, he told BenarNews. Tanvir Hasan Zoha, a cyber security expert, said the government should not reduce mobile internet service, in this case, to 2G levels. The 2G network is similar to blocking the internet. But the protesters are using the VPN to use Facebook and other social media sites. The common people, businesses, IT-based firms and freelancers are affected by the ban, he told BenarNews. In Chittagong city, hundreds gather to pay tribute to the victims killed or injured in earlier protests, July 17, 2024. [BenarNews] After every protest, the government bans social media to control the protests but this should not happen, he said. International reaction In a Wednesday Facebook post, Volker Turk, the United Nations human rights chief, urged the government to engage with the protesting students. All acts of violence and use of force, especially resulting in loss of life, must be investigated and perpetrators held to account. Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are fundamental human rights, it said. His post followed a Tuesday statement during a press briefing from Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general, that the protests are being followed closely. I think whether its in Bangladesh or anywhere else in the world, people have a right to demonstrate peacefully and we call on the government of Bangladesh to protect the demonstrators against any form of threat or violence, and especially those who may be in protesting peacefully who may need extra protection, such as young people or children or people with disabilities, he said. In Washington, a U.S. State Department spokesman made a similar statement. The freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are essential building blocks of any thriving democracy, and we condemn any violence against peaceful protesters. Our thoughts are with those who have been impacted by this violence, spokesman Matthew Miller said on Monday. Supporters and opponents of the Bangladesh quota system for government jobs face off in Dhaka, July 16, 2024. At least six people died and hundreds were injured during a third day of student protests in Bangladesh on Tuesday against a quota system for government jobs that has sparked escalating violence and brought parts of the country to a standstill. The government deployed the Border Guard Bangladesh in Dhaka and other cities to quell street fighting and clear roads occupied by students, who said they have faced an onslaught of attacks by pro-government youth groups. The Ministry of Education announced it has closed all schools and colleges until further notice. We want justice for those who were killed and injured across the country, a protest leader, Nahid Islam, told a rally at Dhaka University, while vowing to continue the protests. Unrest could dissipate on Wednesday because it is Ashura, an Islamic holy day, in the predominantly Muslim country of about 175 million people. The student protests began last week after the High Court in June reinstated a quota that reserves 30% of civil service jobs for relatives of those who fought in the 1971 war that resulted in Bangladeshs independence. Protesters claim the quota will benefit only those who support Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the ruling Awami League, even as the government mounts a legal challenge to the High Courts decision. The government ended the quota in 2018. Hasina added to the unrest over the weekend by likening the protesters to Razakar traitors who had betrayed the Bangladesh side in the 1971 war by collaborating with Pakistani forces. Student groups have been a source of dissent and political opposition in Bangladesh where Hasinas government has been criticized by the United States and other countries over its human rights record. BenarNews based its death toll on reports provided by hospital officials in several cities. Dhaka Medical College Hospital received the bodies of two protesters and admitted more than 50 injured people following clashes between protesters and Bangladesh Student League members, according to Bachchu Mia, officer in charge of the hospitals police post. BSL is the student wing of the Awami League. Supporters and opponents of the Bangladesh quota system for government jobs face off in Dhaka, July 16, 2024. [BenarNews] BSL President Saddam Hussain has denied allegations of his groups clashes with other students. He has alleged that agitators who want to revive Razakar politics are behind the unrest. None of our activists attacked anyone anywhere. But our leaders and activists have come under attack at various places, he told BenarNews. Rangpur death Ishrarul Haque, information officer at Rangpurs Medical College Hospital in Northwest Bangladesh, told BenarNews the hospital had the body of a student who was shot and was treating 16 injured people following a clash between police and students of Begum Rokeya University. The universitys proctor, Shariful Islam, identified the dead student as Abu Saeed, 22, a coordinator of the universitys quota reform movement. Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md. Moniruzzaman told reporters that students from various schools and colleges joined the agitating students and clashed with police. Many policemen were injured in the students attack, he said. Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. General Mohammad Taslim Uddin, Chittagong Medical College Hospital director told BenarNews that three people died in the clashes in that city. Two were brought in dead with gunshot wounds and another appeared to have been beaten to death, he said. One of the deceased was a 32-year-old furniture shop employee who was walking through a protest area, Uddin said. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told reporters that no one would be exempted from the force of law if they cause destruction, bloodshed and disturbances such as blocking roads. Let them [the protesters] move off the streets without causing trouble. I urge them to wait for the courts direction, he said. Attorney General A.M. Amin Uddin told reporters on Tuesday that the government has asked the Supreme Court to hear an appeal of the High Courts reinstatement of the job quotas. Analysts expressed doubts if the proposed communication mechanism would ease tensions over the disputed waters. Over a hundred members of ATIN ITO! coalition celebrate the 8th anniversary of Manilas arbitration victory over Beijing regarding the South China Sea in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, the Philippines, July 12, 2024. A hotline between the highest levels of the Philippine and Chinese governments aimed at managing their disputes in the South China Sea is close to being agreed, Filipino officials said, but some analysts are skeptical it can ease tensions. The emergency telephone hotline is covered by a proposed agreement that seeks to establish several channels for communications on key maritime issues, according to two sources in the Philippines foreign affairs department who are familiar with the situation. Chinas foreign ministry has acknowledged the recent progress toward establishing the hotline. It was not immediately clear how the new hotline differs from the one announced after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in January last year. Under the latest proposed mechanism, the presidential offices of both countries would appoint representatives to handle urgent and sensitive issues to head off trouble in the potentially mineral-rich sea region. Manila and Beijings foreign ministries would also be in the loop, according to the proposal. Coordination will be done through a secure channel which will be set up once the corresponding MOU [memorandum of understanding] between the coast guards is concluded, according to an official in Manilas foreign affairs department, who wasnt authorized to speak publicly on the issue. The Philippines has become a flashpoint in tensions between Southeast Asian nations and China that stem from Beijings expansive claims to the entirety of the South China Sea an important route for global shipping. China has refused to heed an international tribunals landmark 2016 ruling, in favor of the Philippines, that there was no evidence to support Chinas assertion it had exercised exclusive control historically over the waterway. A senior Filipino diplomat who requested anonymity because they are not allowed to speak on the matter said the new mechanism is an improvement from the previous one. The guidelines which will govern the implementation of the agreement are still being discussed, the official told BenarNews on Thursday. Maritime expert Ray Powell raised doubts about whether the hotline could calm raging tensions between the two countries over the disputed waterway. Hotlines with China have an uninspiring history, he told BenarNews on Thursday. The Philippines itself has already experienced having its phone calls to Beijing go unanswered, as have other countries. With this scenario in mind, there is no reason to believe this hotline will fare better, said Powell, a geopolitical analyst at the Gordian Knot Center for National Innovation at Stanford University. While engaging in a peaceful dialogue with China is commendable, Beijing diplomats often use their counterparts desire for de-escalation as leverage, Powell said. It costs them nothing and often helps them garner concessions in exchange. Political analyst Aries Arugay said that open lines of communication between Manila and Beijing also required strategic trust. Communication is always a two-way street, so there must be sincerity from both sides, especially China, Arugay told BenarNews on Thursday, noting that the hotline previously established was ineffective. Im afraid this [new hotline will be used] just to defuse the negative backlash from [Chinas] aggression in the West Philippine Sea, said Arugay, a visiting senior fellow at Singapores ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. The West Philippine Sea is Manilas name for South China Sea waters within its exclusive economic zone. Filipino officials say hopes were high when a hotline was purportedly set up between the two countries after Marcos Beijing visit. But during a tense confrontation at Second Thomas (Ayungin) Shoal in August of last year, Filipino officials were unable to reach their Chinese counterparts. We already have a hotline [with China on South China Sea matters]. But when we called them up on several incidents, they did not answer. They would answer only at the time of their choosing. So, it's useless, former Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio said Wednesday. International studies professor Renato de Castro also questioned the basis for establishing a new hotline. The actions of the Chinese Coast Guard, the maritime militia, and the People's Liberation Army [in the South China Sea] are actually being directed from Beijing, he told ABS-CBN news program Top Story on Wednesday. What's the purpose of a hotline, if what's happening there is actually part of a grand scheme of China's expansion and coercive action against the Philippines? Full details about the new hotline have yet to be released, but the mechanism was among the topics discussed by the Philippines and China during their 9th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea on July 2 to reduce tensions in the South China Sea. The July 2 meeting came on the heels of a tense standoff between Filipino servicemen and Chinese coast guard personnel at Ayungin Shoal on June 17. One Filipino soldier also lost a thumb during the incident, where the Chinese personnel confiscated the Filipinos firearms and used axes and blades to slash a Philippine rubber boat. The encounter resulted in 60 million pesos (U.S. $1 million) in damages, according to Filipino military officials. At the shoal, the Philippines maintains the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era naval ship grounded in 1999 to serve as the countrys outpost. Manila runs regular rotation and resupply missions to the shoal. On Wednesday, China welcomed the proposed hotline and said it was a direct result of the recent consultations. Beijing and Manila had agreed to further enhance communication and dialogue to keep their relationship stable, said Jin Lian, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman. Any good-faith initiatives between our government and the Chinese government in Beijing to de-escalate the situation are welcome, Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros told BenarNews. However, talk should be accompanied by action, specifically in the form of a firm commitment to stop the harassment of Philippine vessels, Filipino personnel, and fisherfolk in our own exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf, she said. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. INSIDE THE JOB MARKET Help your employees get the most out of summertime with these workforce tips This Story in History is selected from the archives by Jeannie Maschino, The Berkshire Eagle. Every February or March, Mardi Gras is celebrated in New Orleans with a number of festive parades with elaborate floats and members of clubs, (Krewes), tossing beads and trinkets to revelers. As a youngster in the 1950s, before I knew about the New Orleans tradition, I experienced Pittsfields own Mardi Gras but it was during the summer. This event was sponsored by the Pittsfield Department of Parks and Recreation and was designed for hundreds of youngsters who participated in city playgrounds; not quite like the adult events in New Orleans. Post WWII Pittsfield had prepared for its future baby boomer population by creating numerous playgrounds throughout the city. In the summers when school was not in session, the playgrounds were staffed largely with college students who served as directors and assistant directors. These enthusiastic leaders offered programs mostly to pre-teen youth that included games, sports, talent shows, music, arts and crafts, plays, contests and more. By the early 1960s there were 21 staffed playgrounds in Pittsfield and these included Abby Lodge, Allendale, Allen Heights, Clapp, Coolidge, Common, Crane, Deming, Dewey, Highland, Lakewood, Lebanon, Osceola, Pitt, Pontoosuc, Root, Springside, Wahconah, West Memorial, Williams and Wilson. Many of these playgrounds still exist today. Baby Boomer Memories: When bowling became the communitys most popular pastime Jim Shulman writes, "My recent story on the Bubble Room located at the Imperial Bowling Lanes brought back memories of my adolescent days of bowling in Pittsfield." Neighborhood youngsters found the playgrounds to be a free, fun and safe "summer camp." Toward the end of each summer season, every playground designed and constructed a large float for the annual city-wide Mardi Gras Parade. The playground staff, parents and neighborhood associations assisted the youngsters in designing and building the floats. The creations were made with wood, crepe paper, paper mache, glue, tissues for flowers and other scrap material. For the parade, local construction companies and trucking firms provided drivers and trucks with large flat-bed trailers to transport each float. Every playground also got to choose a king and queen under the age of 10 to participate in a city-wide king and queen contest to reign over the parade and programs after the parade. These were the two main events for all the years of Pittsfields Mardi Gras. The first Mardi Gras Parade was in 1946 and involved the citys nine playgrounds at the time. The parade route began from Park Square down North Street to Maplewood Avenue to The Common. Several thousand spectators lined the streets to watch and cheer on the new event. There were five floats and the only music provided was by a playground orchestra and three public address systems on trucks. At The Common a panel of adults some with backgrounds in art, photography and education served as judges for the floats, the king and queen contest and the marchers in their costumes. Prizes in the form of ribbons were then given for the best floats, to the selected king and queen and to youngsters participating in the parade. The selected royalty from the same playground got the opportunity to be in the lead float of the next years Mardi Gras Parade. The prize categories for the marchers were for the best decorated scooter, carriages, bicycle, tricycle and wagon, funniest dressed pet, and prettiest, most grotesque and most unusual costumes. The Mardi Gras floats originally had no parade theme to follow. For several years floats would be whimsical and with their own hodgepodge of themes like cartoon strips, nursey rhymes, fairy tales, sports, story books, history, etc. Deming playground won the first award for a float with a log cabin and youngsters dressed in early settler attire to honor Dorothy Deming, described as the first baby born in Pittsfield of the citys original settlers and for whom the Deming Playground was named. Over the years the Mardi Gras Parade became larger with more spectators and participants as the city added playgrounds to its roster. There were always enough categories of float awards for every playground to win with a banner for first prize and ribbons for second and third places for each category. Categories were for most colorful, most beautiful, most imaginative, most spectacular, most artistic, most descriptive, best constructed and a grand prize for most outstanding. The king and queen from a single park were selected based on personality, poise and stage presence. By the 1960s the parades had 15,000 viewers and as many as 1,500 participants in the parades themselves. In 1950 Vincent Vin Hebert became Pittsfields Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, a position he held for 39 years. Hebert added more to the Mardi Gras event by having movies at The Common after the awards selections were made. For the teenage population, he initiated an outdoor block party/dance on the Wendell Ave. Extension with music by local popular bands. The dances were moved indoors and held at the Masonic Temple on South Street. As many as 1,500 attended each of these evening events after the parade and award ceremony. In 1954 the park staff created parade themes each year for all playgrounds to follow. These included topics like history, story books, television shows, tributes to Walt Disney, the Worlds Fair, space travel and more. Each year the parade drew greater crowds looking forward to the newest theme. Despite frequent storms, the parades had thousands of spectators. The first year in 12 years that the parade was not threatened by a rain storm was in 1958. In the late 1950s it was decided that the selection of the king and queen should be held several days in advance of the parade rather than after it. This would enable the royal couple to ride on a special float at the beginning of the parade instead of the following year. This earlier coronation event was held at Clapp Playground and followed by a band concert by the Eagles Band. Because of unpredictable weather the selection was moved indoors to the new North Junior High School (now Reid Middle School) auditorium. The parade route had also changed and now went from Park Square to Wahconah Park where all the post-parade festivities took place, including the dance party. Wahconah offered more parking and the bus company also offered better schedules to allow for the later activities for participants without cars. In the early 1950s, the local Eagle and Turnverein bands provided the only live music in the parade. In 1958 paradegoers saw the added appearance of local drum corps led by the local Berkshire Marauders in their snappy red and black outfits. This award-winning senior corps did performances after the Mardi Gras Awards ceremony. In 1959 and throughout the 1960s, Pittsfields newly formed junior drum and bugle corps participated in the parade and in the post award venue. These were the Cavaliers, Monarchs, Skyhawks, Imperials, Pom Poms and the Royal Blue Angels. The Interstatesmen, a merger of the Berkshire Marauders and the Empire State Grenadiers, also enhanced the parade. As many as 25 floats and the participation of local dignitaries made the parades over an hour long. Sadly, in 1971 the Mardi Gras Parade and festivities came to an end after 25 years. It was a difficult decision for Hebert and staff to discontinue this popular event. The construction of the floats had become more of a cost, time and work demand for the playground staffs with less and less youngster participation. Recruiting drivers and large flat-bed trucks for the now 22 playgrounds became difficult. The biggest challenge over the 25 years had also often been unpredictable inclement weather. Although the parades went on each year for 25 years, some were postponed at the last minute for a day or two and some went on with everyone getting drenched and floats in shambles. Although today this parade and its festivities have been replaced by other summer events offered by the Department of Parks and Recreation, the post-war contribution of the Mardi Gras Parade helped build a sense of community and, importantly, gave great memories to hundreds of baby boomers, many of whom are reading this piece. Claire O'Callahan reports on housing in Berkshire County. She can be reached at cocallahan@berkshireeagle.com. Counselors will be available at Herberg Middle School, as educators offer support after Benedict Pond drowning The Registry of Motor Vehicles office in Pittsfield was among businesses and agencies affected by a Microsoft cloud computing glitch on Friday. Stay up to date on Berkshires news with Berkshires in Brief, our free daily newsletter Start the day with the latest headlines WILLIAMSTOWN In the aftermath of Tuesday's storms and related power outages, the Store at Five Corners in Williamstown lost its inventory. "We are working to reopen as quickly as we can and we hope to see you all soon," the store said on a sign on its front door and on its Instagram social media account. The lights were on and the air conditioning was running in most neighborhoods in northern and central Berkshire County following Tuesday evenings short but severe thunderstorms, which knocked out power. Cleanup was ongoing Thursday, with some roads still closed in hard-hit Williamstown in the morning as crews worked to remove downed trees and limbs from roadways. As of about 3 p.m. Thursday, there were still power outages in sections of Williamstown, North Adams, according to National Grid's map. Williamstown Police Chief Michael Ziemba said the cleanup was continuing. It could take a couple days, he said. On Wednesday, Ziemba was concerned about the welfare of the 52 elderly residents at Sweetwood, which was running on generator power after the power outage. While there was electricity available, the air conditioning was not. He was prepared to open neighboring Mount Greylock Regional High School as a shelter if needed. Sweetwood regained electricity more than 24 hours after the storm cut power to Williamstowns substation. The substation needed a specialized crew to address the damage, Ziemba said. The original substation outage was caused by damage from the storm high winds knocked down trees onto wires, blocked roads, and damaged poles, Michael Dalo, a National Grid spokesman, told The Eagle in an email. The substation outage lasted around 24 hours in total." Neighborhoods off Route 7 north of town had their electricity restored at about midnight Wednesday, Ziemba said. The northern Berkshire County Regional Emergency Planning Committee held a meeting Wednesday in North Adams at 2 p.m., in which a National Grid community customer relations staffer phoned in. Ziemba said the person from National Grid gave a pretty accurate picture of the landscape of the power outage moving forward. There had been concern about a system of storms moving through Wednesday night, but those storms packed their punch further east, with the Hampshire County town of Plainfield taking the brunt. It was a pretty quick and docile storm, Ziemba said. Priscilla Ress, an Eversource spokeswoman, said close to 900 customers lost power on Wednesday night, with outages averaging just over an hour. The damage was caused by trees and tree branches knocking down wires and breaking electrical equipment that ultimately has to be replaced, Ress said in an email. Weakened root systems and rain-saturated ground, coupled with high winds, can bring down an otherwise healthy tree, Ress said. Those fallen trees also block roads, further delaying utility workers. Tuesday there was more severe and wide-spread damage, she said. High winds caused extensive tree damage, as trees are the number one cause of outages in New England. A public dog park is coming to West Stockbridge. Its design also has humans in mind Massachusetts House and Senate leaders reached a compromise Wednesday on a state budget for fiscal 2025. It's one of many issues facing the Legislature as its July 31 adjournment deadline approaches. In Matthew 12 Jesus says that whoever commits the sin of blasphemy will not be forgiven. However, knowing that doesnt really address the question of why this sin is unforgiveable? You could just say because Jesus said so but I think there is more to the answer. To help you understand the why you must recognize how the Holy Spirit works in the heart of an unbeliever. The reason why I am focusing on the unbeliever is because I dont believe a Christian or true believer can commit this sin, but more on that later. Lets look at how the Holy Spirit works and you will understand why the person who commits this sin can never receive forgiveness. According to John 16:8-9 one of the primary works of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin. Here is what Jesus said: When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me. The he Jesus is referring to is the Holy Spirit. When a person does not know Jesus as Savior the primary work of the Holy Spirit in that persons heart is to convict them of sin and point them to Christ with the hopes of them turning to Christ for salvation. John 6:44 says that no one comes to Christ unless the Father draws them. The Father draws them by the work of the Holy Spirit. If someone constantly rejects the Holy Spirit and speaks evil about him, attributing his work to Satan here is what is happening: they are rejecting the only one who can convict them of sin and move them towards repentance. Consider how Matthew 12:31-32 reads in The Message Bible: Theres nothing done or said that cant be forgiven. But if you deliberately persist in your slanders against Gods Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives. If you reject the Son of Man out of some misunderstanding, the Holy Spirit can forgive you, but when you reject the Holy Spirit, youre sawing off the branch on which youre sitting, severing by your own perversity all connection with the One who forgives. Let me summarize why this sin is unforgivable. All sin can be forgiven. However, the key to forgiveness is repentance. The key to repentance is conviction. The source of conviction is the Holy Spirit. When a person blasphemes, slanders and rejects the true work of the Holy Spirit, they disconnect their source of conviction. When this happens, there is nothing or no one who will move that person to repentance and without repentance there can be no forgiveness. In essence, the reason why they wont be forgiven is because they can never come to the place where they can ask for it, because they have rejected the Holy Spirit. They have cut themselves off from the one who can lead them to repentance. By the way the person who falls into this sin would probably not even know that they are beyond repentance and forgiveness. Also remember this was not a sin limited to biblical times. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is still happening today. There are people in our world who are blaspheming the Holy Spirit. Whether they realize the severity of their actions and the consequences attached to them I dont know, but unfortunately this still goes on. Photo credit: Unsplash/Anthony Tran BillOReilly.com is not available in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience. HMIF's Mobile Chikitsa Units Set to enhance healthcare access in Maharashtra Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF) the CSR arm of Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) flagged-off Mobile Chikitsa units under its Sparsh Sanjeevani healthcare initiative in Nagpur and Aurangabad districts of Maharashtra. The initiative was inaugurated by Girish Mahajan, Minister - Rural Development & Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of Maharashtra, at a special event. Mobile Chikitsa Units under the Sparsh Sanjeevani initiative operate in remote rural regions, providing access to primary medical care in far-flung villages which lack primary healthcare facilities in the vicinity. Each specialised Mobile Chikitsa unit is manned by a qualified MBBS doctor, providing free consultation and medicines. The units are also equipped with the latest medical test facilities and diagnostic tools, for medical diagnosis covering blood sugar, blood pressure, malaria, dengue, etc. to name a few. Commenting on the roll-out of Mobile Chikitsa Units in Maharashtra, Puneet Anand, AVP & Vertical Head - Corporate Affairs, HMIL said, A healthy population is the first requisite for holistic development. In-line with Hyundais global vision of Progress for Humanity, HMIFs Sparsh Sanjeevani Mobile Chikitsa Units aim to positively impact remote and underserved areas of Nagpur and Aurangabad districts. Specialised Hyundai Mighty vans converted into Mobile Chikitsa units are equipped with state-of-the art amenities, and will move around rural areas of these districts, offering pro-active diagnostics and free medical consultations directly to those in need. Prioritising rigorous structured Master's and PhD programmes in specific core public health disciplines Ahmedabad University has announced the Bagchi School of Public Health. Established in 2023, the School is now named in honour of renowned philanthropists Susmita and Subroto Bagchi. The Bagchi School of Public Health aims to revolutionise public health education and research in India. The Bagchi couple's transformative grant of Rs 55 crore will fuel the development of world-class physical, digital, and intellectual infrastructure. This investment empowers the School to become a global leader in public health education and research. The Bagchi School leverages Ahmedabad University's unique interdisciplinary environment and integrates research, education, and action. The Bagchi School will break new ground by prioritising rigorous structured Master's and PhD programmes in specific core public health disciplines. The School's flagship programme, a PhD in Epidemiology, equips students with the necessary advanced analytical as well as soft skills to tackle complex public health challenges, both ongoing and unforeseen. Initial focus area include Environmental Health, Analytical Methods for Health including Biostatistics and Data Science. This focus on specialisation and advanced analytical methods addresses a critical gap in India's public health education landscape. Research will focus on discovering sustainable solutions to improve lifestyle, clinical practice, policy, and the environment. The School's action arm will translate research findings into innovative, evidence-based initiatives and policies. The Bagchi School also fosters collaboration through the Sahyog Centre for Promoting Health, established in partnership with the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA). This Centre empowers individuals, communities, and organisations to make healthy and eco-friendly choices. We continue to strengthen our commitment to provide better healthcare and Eyecare solutions to our patients Mumbai-based pharma major Lupin has signed a license and supply agreement with Huons Co. for the registration and marketing of Cyclosporine Ophthalmic Nanoemulsion, 0.4mL Single-use Vial, in Mexico. Cyclosporine Ophthalmic Nanoemulsion is a preservative-free Nanoemulsion that has been approved in South Korea, Peru and several countries in the Middle East for treatment of dry eye syndrome and healing corneal ulcers. Owing to its unique nanoparticle technology, it can relieve symptoms faster by increasing the tear production in patients with suppressed tear formation due to keratoconjunctivitis sicca-related ocular inflammatory disease. We are delighted to partner with Huons to introduce cyclosporine ophthalmic nanoemulsion in Mexico and offer a novel technology that provides significant benefits to our patients suffering from Dry eye. With this addition to our Ophthalmology portfolio, we continue to strengthen our commitment to provide better healthcare and Eyecare solutions to our patients, improving patient quality of life and vision, said Dr Fabrice Egros, President Corporate Development and Growth Markets, Lupin. Yohun Aum, Senior Director Head of Global Business Division, Huons said, Introducing our Cyclosporine Ophthalmic Nanoemulsion in Mexico is a significant milestone for Huons. We look forward to strengthening our partnership by supplying high quality products for Mexico. Symbolic image: Journalists straining to look at a computer screen with translation software open. Dall-E @blue News The media industry is already undergoing the next transformation: AI offers both immense opportunities and significant challenges. Media companies are hoping to achieve considerable cost savings through the use of AI. However, there is growing concern among journalists in French-speaking Switzerland in particular about losing their jobs as AI-based translation tools are increasingly being used. No time? blue News summarizes for you Journalists in French-speaking Switzerland fear job losses due to the use of AI-based translation tools that could replace their work. Media companies such as the Migros Group are increasingly relying on machine translations, which jeopardizes the quality and diversity of reporting. Despite the potential for savings and improvements in error correction through AI, the Swiss Federal Media Commission (FMEC) warns of possible factual and logical errors and the loss of specialist knowledge. Show more Mireille (real name known to the editors) has not yet digested the shock. The young journalist worked for a Swiss media group and was responsible for a publication that appeared in French-speaking Switzerland. She was recently made redundant. The reason given for her dismissal was that her articles would now be written by German-speaking colleagues and translated into French using AI tools. Thanks to AI, the company will increasingly do without journalists in French-speaking Switzerland in future, the journalist, who wishes to remain anonymous, added. "The topics that interest people in French-speaking Switzerland are not always the same as those in German-speaking Switzerland," she continues. She believes that the quality and diversity of reporting is at risk. More and more translated texts Journalists from French-speaking Switzerland who work for the high-circulation Migros magazine have echoed similar sentiments. Since the orange giant began restructuring, more articles have been translated from German into French for the French editions and preferred to the French-language editorial team's suggestions, as the news agency AWP has learned. A Migros spokesperson rejects concerns that the use of an AI-based translation tool could result in "poor and incorrect" French texts in the Migros magazine. As the magazine is only published once a week, the texts can be easily checked for errors and revised. The spokesperson also rejects the accusation from the editorial team that a large proportion of the articles published in French-speaking Switzerland are only translations. After all, many texts and content could not be translated one-to-one into French due to the different regional interests, he says. Advantages and disadvantages of technological change The question of whether the use of AI will lead to redundancies is a controversial one in the media industry, says Etienne Coquoz from the journalists' association "Impressum". He has not yet heard of any redundancies for which AI has been cited as the reason. However, as little is known about the reasons for the dismissals, this cannot be ruled out. Coquoz believes that it is not necessarily the journalists' jobs that are at risk due to technological developments, but rather other functions in the media companies, such as translation and layout tasks. However, the Federal Media Commission (FMEC) took a close look at the key consequences of technological change for the industry last November. Among other things, the FMEC noted that AI helps media companies to save costs. It could also reduce the error rate, promote linguistic diversity and make better use of data. However, the commission also pointed out dangers such as factual and logical errors that can arise in AI reporting. Knowledge would also be lost in editorial offices if competent media professionals were to leave the industry as a result of restructuring. SDA A US court ruled that Booking.com violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by accessing part of Ryanair's website without permission, court documents showed, a ruling the airline said would help end unauthorised screen scraping by booking sites. The Dublin-based airline, Europe's largest by passenger numbers, has in recent years launched a series of legal actions against third-party booking platforms that resell its tickets without permission. Advertisement It says the companies, which use screen-scraping software to find and resell tickets, add additional charges and make it difficult for the airline to contact passengers. A jury in the District Court of Delaware unanimously found that Booking.com violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse act and that it had induced a third party to access parts of Ryanair's website without authorisation "with an intent to defraud," the verdict issued late on Thursday said. The court also rejected counterclaims by Booking.com that Ryanair had defamed the booking platform and that the airline was engaged in unfair competition. "We expect that this ruling will end the internet piracy and overcharging perpetrated on both airlines and other travel companies and consumers by the unlawful activity of OTA [online travel agent] Pirates," Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said in a statement. He said he hoped the ruling would force consumer agencies across Britain and Europe to take action to outlaw illegal screen scraping and overcharging of consumers for flights and ancillary services. Ryanair has in recent months signed deals with a number of online travel agents for the authorised resale of the airline's tickets. A jury has been told that the alleged sexual assault of a woman by a garda in a Co Wicklow Garda station was consensual activity between two adults. Defence counsel in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial told the jury the defence case is that the woman cupped her own bottom cheeks, pressed herself against the accused garda and showed him her breast at the station before they went upstairs together for consensual sexual activity. Advertisement The woman repeatedly denied the defence assertions, telling the court that it definitely did not happen. William Ryan (38) has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and not guilty to one count of false imprisonment of the woman at Aughrim Garda Station, Main Street, Aughrim, Co Wicklow on September 29th, 2020. It is the State's case that Mr Ryan prevented the complainant from leaving Aughrim Garda Station and sexually assaulted her three times. The woman had gone to the Garda station for advice about retrieving her son's car, which had been seized by gardai in Co Carlow the previous day. Advertisement The court has heard evidence that on the day in question, the complainant in the case went to Aughrim Garda Station to speak to Gda Ryan about the process of retrieving the impounded car. She has told the court that prior to attending the station, she had a phone discussion with Gda Ryan who she said insisted she come to the Garda station to sort out the matter and told her to wear something tight before he hung up. She told the court that at the station, Gda Ryan sexually assaulted her twice before ushering her upstairs, where he masturbated as she stood facing away from him and then sexually assaulted her again. Continuing his cross-examination of the complainant on Friday, Breffni Gordon BL, defending, told the court the defence case is that while downstairs in the Garda station, the woman asked the garda if he liked her Snapchat photos, but that Gda Ryan had deleted Snapchat previously and told her he hadn't seen the photos in some time. Advertisement Defence counsel said the woman showed him her photos on her phone before she stood up, turned around, looked back over her shoulder at him and tapped her own bottom, before cupping her buttocks. Defence counsel I definitely did not do that, the woman replied. Defence counsel put it to the woman that she pressed herself against the garda as he was working at his computer and he was a bit bemused. He was a bit frozen on the spot, Mr Gordon said. That was his reaction. There was some sort of sexual tension in the air at that stage. Definitely not, no, the woman replied. Advertisement Defence counsel said the woman then suggested that rather than a photo, Gda Ryan might rather see the real thing. She lifted up her top and showed him her breast, the court heard. No, absolutely not, the woman said. Mr Gordon said the defence case is that they both went upstairs, with Gda Ryan going up first and the woman following. He said she was giggling. He alleged that in the upstairs bathroom, she fondled Gda Ryan's penis through his trousers before he opened his trousers and she touched him until he ejaculated. Advertisement The witness rejected this account and said it did not happen. Earlier, when asked by defence counsel why she didn't use her phone to call or text someone while downstairs in the station, the woman said she didn't know what was coming next and that she was in flight, fright or freeze mode. When asked where she got that expression, the woman said she heard it in counselling and that her counsellor explained to her that in a situation of trauma you do one of three things. Defence counsel asked the woman why she showed Gda Ryan an explicit photo of herself, noting that common sense would imply that doing so would ordinarily be seen as encouraging rather than discouraging. I wasn't in my right frame of mind, the woman replied. I was terrified. I was so scared. She agreed with defence counsel that it was possible Gda Ryan was among a group of people on Snapchat who were seeing images of herself that she was sending, but said she was not aware he was on Snapchat and that if he was, he didn't use his own name. Defence counsel asserted that while upstairs, Gda Ryan told the woman to leave her phone outside the room. Maybe you were asked to leave your phone (outside) because you are a person known to be sending images around the place, Mr Gordon said, to which the woman replied: Absolutely not. The court heard that the woman made a statement to gardai in November of that year and that the statement was made in a hotel. I haven't been in a Garda station since and I won't either, she said. Under re-examination from Maurice Coffey SC, prosecuting, the woman said her Snapchat account was public and that she never sent any images to Gda Ryan personally. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and the jury. A man has been convicted of a "biblical atrocity" by murdering his own brother in "an honour killing" during a Co Kerry funeral. In returning their verdict on Friday, the 12 Central Criminal Court jurors unanimously rejected Patrick Dooley's defence that he was "no Cainite" and had tried to save his sibling Thomas 'Tom' Dooley during the attack. Advertisement Patrick Dooley (36), with an address at Arbutus Grove, Killarney had pleaded not guilty to murdering his older brother Thomas 'Tom' Dooley (42) at Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee, Co Kerry on October 5th, 2022. The defendant had claimed that a feud had been going on for years and that he witnessed "five or six fellas" descend on his deceased brother, while he [Patrick] had jumped in and got slapped. He told gardai that he had tried to pull the men back but it had happened so fast and he could do no more for his brother. However, Siobhan Dooley (45), the widow of the deceased, said in her evidence that she saw her brother-in-law Patrick Dooley grin and produce a knife before her husband was attacked. On Thursday, the jurors convicted Mr Dooleys cousin and brother-in-law, Thomas Dooley Senior (43), and that mans son, Thomas Dooley Junior (21), both of the Halting Site, Carrigrohane Road, Cork, as well as a male teenager of murdering Mr Dooley. All the defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Advertisement Thomas Dooley Jnr was also found guilty of assault causing harm to Siobhan Dooley at Rath Cemetery on the same date. He had denied the charge but was also found guilty on Thursday on that count. During the attack, the widow of the deceased sustained a wound which went from her right shoulder and extended to her armpit. She required 45 stitches and 30 staples. When the registrar asked the foreman of the jury on Friday whether they had reached a verdict on any other count, he replied: "No". The 10 men and two women of the jury will return to the Central Criminal Court sitting at Cork Courthouse, Anglesea Street, next Tuesday to consider their verdicts in relation to the other two defendants, who are also charged with murdering Thomas Dooley. Advertisement These are the victim's cousins, Michael Dooley (29), of the Halting Site, Carrigrohane Road, Cork, and Daniel Dooley (42), of An Carraigin, Connolly Park, Tralee, Co Kerry. They have both pleaded not guilty to murdering the deceased on the same occasion. The 12 jurors have the option of returning two verdicts in relation to the murder charge against the other two men namely; guilty of murder or an outright acquittal. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring told the jurors at 4pm on Friday that she would send them home for the weekend saying: "Leave this all behind and enjoy the weekend. See you on Tuesday at 10am." The jury began their deliberations at 10:41am on Wednesday morning and have taken 12 hours and 26 minutes over three days to return guilty verdicts in respect of four of the six defendants. All four verdicts were unanimous. Advertisement Savage injuries It is the prosecution case that Mr Dooley died when he was violently attacked by six men as he attended a funeral at Rath Cemetery and suffered what the State described as savage injuries, inflicted by a group armed with bladed weapons and acting with "focused and murderous ferocity" in broad daylight. The 12 jurors unanimously accepted the State's case against Patrick Dooley today that "a biblical atrocity" had occurred in the graveyard that day with "brother killing brother". Mr Dean Kelly SC, prosecuting, had told the jurors that "honour" had been offended when Thomas Dooley's daughter had refused to marry the accused, Thomas Dooley Junior, and their relationship broke down. He submitted that this was "a score that was to be settled". The trial heard that the deceased suffered a total of four stabbing injuries following the attack in the Kerry graveyard, one of which severed the femoral artery in his leg and caused him to suffer fatal blood loss. Advertisement State pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis told the jury that some of the injuries involved could have been inflicted by a machete-type weapon. In her charge to the jurors over four days, Ms Justice Ring told them that if they find that any of the defendants were involved in the attack and knew their co-accused was carrying a weapon, then they are guilty of murder. If you are satisfied that each of these men knew there were knives or bladed weapons, and they involved themselves in the attack, then they were all participating in the murder, she said. The judge had also reminded the jury in her charge that there was no allegation to suggest Mr Dooley himself was in possession of a bladed weapon, nor any suggestion of violence on his part or evidence that there was some kind of event taking place that he somehow got caught up in and got injured. In relation to the legal issue of joint participation in the charge, the judge said that for any of the defendants to be convicted of murder, each must be found to have assisted the commission of the crime and must have intended by their actions to assist. She added that if the jury was not sure if all the accused were in possession of a weapon, the law says that if an accused person knew that their co-accused was carrying a weapon, they knew that he intended to act to cause murder or serious injury. Ms Justice Ring said that if the jury was not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that one or more of the accused was either there or there with the necessary intentions, then the jury must look at each accused individually and make decisions based on each of the accused. The details of Ireland's Covid inquiry are set to be published by September, Tanaiste Micheal Martin has confirmed. The Tanaiste said he "regrets" that it hasn't been set up already, and admits time is running out before the next general election. Advertisement Government leaders have stressed in the past it should be an "evaluation" exercise, rather than an inquiry that points the finger of blame at individuals. Micheal Martin said he wouldn't like to see Ireland follow the approach taken in the UK. Speaking on his visit to Kenya, Mr Martin said: "I would avoid the legal, adversarial, nature of the British inquiry. I'm not sure that's shedding much light on the subject, rather it's creating moments of great drama. "Whether it's shedding light on performance during the Covid pandemic, I'm not sure." Advertisement Much of the focus on the British inquiry involved text messages exchanged between the likes of former UK prime minister Boris Johnson, and his adviser Dominic Cummings. Mr Martin does not expect that to be the case with the Irish Covid inquiry. I didnt do a whole lot of text messaging. I pick up the phone, talk to people, meet people Im of a generation that believes in decision making through engaging with people. He added: "The worst thing you need in a crisis is people ticking boxes and protecting themselves. Youve got to have decision makers, you have got to make decisions and go for it. There is no time for anything else. The family of a man who it was claimed was allegedly continuously exposed to asbestos at work in the past has settled a High Court action over his death for 150,000. Christopher Furlong, who died three years ago aged 71, was a machine operator with Smurfit Kappa Group and worked at its Ballymount Road, Walkinstown, Dublin factory for 11 years from 1966. Advertisement The familys counsel, Aedan McGovern SC, told the court that spots were found on Mr Furlongs lungs during a scan in July 2020 and a terminal lung cancer diagnosis was made in September 2020. Mr Furlong died in May 2021. The proceedings were brought by Mr Furlongs daughter, Claire McCann, of Mullingar, Co Westmeath on behalf of the family against Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, with a registered address at Beech Hill, Clonskeagh, Dublin. It was claimed that during the course of his employment, Mr Furlong was continuously exposed to asbestos material resulting in him sustaining severe personal injuries, leading to his death on May 30th, 2021. It was further claimed Mr Furlong had been exposed to a risk of injury which the company knew or ought to have known, and there was an alleged failure to take any adequate precautions for his safety while he was engaged in his work in the premises at Walkinstown. Advertisement It was maintained he had been allegedly required to work in premises which were unsafe and that the building, roof and pipe work and other related materials were allegedly insulated in asbestos. It was also claimed there was an failure to carry out any adequate tests or inspections of the premises to determine the level of asbestos allegedly there. Smurfit Kappa denied all the claims and contended if Mr Furlong had suffered any alleged personal injury it was not foreseeable or preventable. It further contended that Mr Furlong had exposed himself to the risk by virtue of the fact that he was a cigarette smoker. Counsel told the court that there was a difficulty with liability in the case and in relation to trying to establish what happened over 50 years ago. Noting the settlement and the division of the statutory mental distress payment of 25,000, Mr Justice Paul Coffey wished the family well. A Dublin man described in court as a loner has been refused bail after being charged with threatening to kill Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald in a social media video. Richard McGreevy (28), of Whitechurch Place, Rathfarnham, appeared before Judge Paula Murphy at Dublin District Court on Friday. Advertisement Evidence was given about alleged threats against the politician and claims of incitement to violence against Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. McGreevy, who said he had an acquired brain injury and memory problems, told the judge he had not intended that the TikTok video would go viral. The Garda investigation follows a complaint by Ms McDonald after footage of a man in a balaclava was shared on social media platforms. Officers from the Special Detective Unit (SDU), which investigates subversive, terrorist and organised crime and threats to the State, arrested him at his south Dublin home on Thursday morning. Advertisement They brought him to Terenure Garda Station for questioning. He was then charged under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act and held overnight pending his court appearance. McGreevy is accused of making threats to kill or cause serious harm to the Sinn Fein leader. The offence allegedly occurred on July 16th at his home. Advertisement Detective Sergeant Gareth Kane told the court that McGreevy made no reply to the charge. The detective sergeant objected to bail based on witness intimidation or interference concerns. On conviction, the offence carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence, the court heard. Evidence According to the SDU officer, the evidence in the case was strong. He said gardai had seized all devices used to post the video. Admissions were said to have been made in Garda custody. Cross-examined by defence solicitor Kevin Tunney, the Garda agreed it could take a long time to get a decision from the Director of Public Prosecutions on his clients trial venue. Advertisement He agreed that it was likely that the case would be sent forward to the Circuit Court. The solicitor said his client had memory problems, and Detective Sergeant Kane agreed with Mr Tunney when he stated his client was a young man who had a difficult childhood. The solicitor told the court McGreevys father died when he was a child, and his mother abandoned him when he was aged three, and the garda said, I believe it was chaotic. The defence solicitor submitted that his client had two dogs which had to go into a pound; he also told the court his client was in social housing, which he could lose if he went into custody for a lengthy period. Advertisement He argued that his client could be subject to conditions, sign on daily at a Garda station and stay off social media. Asked if that would ease his fears, Detective Sergeant Kane said, No, but it is in the courts hands, and he did not alter his objection to bail. Detective Sergeant Kane said the charge was serious. He claimed the accused broadcast on TikTok that he was going to kill a TD, and he incited violence against the commissioner of the Gardai and other gardai. I was so angry that day. At that point, McGreevy, standing at the side of the courtroom, spoke up and addressed the judge. He said: I was angry that day, I was so angry that day, Ive already explained this. I put that up; I didnt mean it to go so viral. Mr Tunney suggested his client was a loner, and Detective Sergeant Kane agreed that he was not a member of any organisation or gang. Dressed in a pale blue sweater, light grey tracksuit bottoms and white runners, Mr McGreevy said: Literally, Im on my own, with my dogs like. The defence lawyer also raised concerns about prejudicial media coverage ahead of the court hearing. Judge Paula Murphy noted the seriousness of the case and evidence and refused bail. Legal aid was granted to the accused, who was remanded in custody pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. He will face his next hearing on July 26th at Cloverhill District Court. The video containing the threats was initially posted on TikTok but went viral online. TikTok and Meta said the video violated their guidelines and has been removed from their platforms. A violent offender repeatedly slashed and stabbed an acquaintance in the face with a "homemade shank", inflicting a cut so deep the victim's jaw was exposed, while shouting Im going to kill you in front of a city centre Garda station, a court has heard. Graham McGuinness (32), who has 53 previous convictions, was initially charged with the attempted murder of Martin Reilly. However, in June the 32-year-old pleaded guilty to the offence of causing serious harm and the State accepted his plea. Advertisement Mr Reilly has been left with lifelong scars from the incident, the Central Criminal Court was told on Friday. While the attack was going on he feared for his life and believed he was going to die that night, the court heard. Garda James Seymour told Grainne ONeill BL, prosecuting, that McGuinness and Mr Reilly were both in the vicinity of Busaras in the early hours of June 11th, 2020 waiting for a bus when an altercation occurred. He confirmed that the two men were known to each other prior to this event. A copy of CCTV footage of the incident was provided to Ms Justice Karen OConnor after she was informed that the court system was down. Advertisement The court heard on June 10th, Mr Reilly had been out and about in various places and, by his own admission, had been looking to source drugs to feed his own habit. Garda Seymour said later that night at around 12:30am, both men were waiting for a bus at Store Street close to Busaras when an altercation occurred, and Mr McGuinness tried to slash Mr Reillys neck before stabbing and slashing at the victim numerous times. While this unfolded, McGuinness was repeatedly heard shouting Im going to kill you, Gda Seymour said. He said the attack continued as Mr Reilly tried to escape and the pair moved from the entrance of Busaras towards Store Street Garda Station. Garda Seymour said Mr Reilly then stepped out in front of a Luas line in an attempt to try and get help. The garda said he was on his way back to Store Street where the incident was occurring and immediately intervened. Advertisement He confirmed to Ms ONeill that while the attack was taking place, Mr Reilly believed that the Stanley blade brandished by McGuinness was a knife and feared for his life. He said it was Mr Reillys belief that he was going to die that night. The court heard the blade was wrapped in tissue at the bottom to create a makeshift handle. Gda Seymour said victim also told gardai that there was no reason for the attack to occur at that time. McGuinness of Riverview, Blackcastle Avenue, Flower Hill, Navan, Co Meath, had previously been charged with the attempted murder of Mr Reilly on June 11th, 2020, at Store Street in Dublin 1. He was further charged that at the same time and date he produced a "homemade shank" in a manner likely to intimidate another person and that he caused serious harm to Mr Reilly, contrary to section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Advertisement Gda Seymour said he observed Mr Reilly bleeding profusely from numerous wounds. He saw McGuinness getting onto a bus and observed him discard the knife and make his way towards the back of the bus in an attempt to evade capture. Mr Reilly sustained multiple slash wounds to his arms, torso and face, including one gash to his face in which his jawbone was exposed. The multiple lacerations all over his arms and his back were of various degrees of depth and length, the garda said. The court heard the main impact of the assault was the permanent scarring Mr Reilly has been left with. He was offered the opportunity to prepare a Victim Impact Statement but chose not to do so, Gda Seymour confirmed. McGuinness has 53 previous convictions, including those for violent disorder, a threat to kill or cause serious harm, criminal damage, burglary and possession of drugs. Advertisement Under cross-examination, Gda Seymour told Eanna Molloy SC, for McGuinness, that there was nothing on the CCTV to indicate any particular trigger for the incident as the footage does not have sound. He confirmed there had been some trouble between the two individuals in the past. Ms ONeill told the court the director's view is that the offence lies on the cusp of the middle and upper levels, with the middle level band attracting a sentence of between four and ten years and the upper level between ten and 15 years. McGuinness read out a short statement to the court himself, offering his sincere apologies to Martin Reilly for what he said had been the most regrettable moment of my life. He said he is no longer the same person he used to be and has done his utmost to turn his life around. Mr Molloy told the court McGuinness comes from a very tangled family background and said the defendants mother had been in custody at the time of his birth. He has experienced a cornucopia of troubles over the years with various layers of addiction, counsel said, adding his two sisters were with the defendant in court to support him. McGuinness is an enhanced prisoner, is on a drug-free landing and is working to achieve his educational goals, the lawyer said. The previous tailspin into mayhem and chaos, those periods of his life, he believes, are behind him now and he is making every effort to ensure he will not return to them, said Mr Molloy. Ms Justice Karen OConnor directed that a Probation Report and an updated Governors Report be prepared and adjourned the matter to October 9th for finalisation. Getting over a break up can be hard and painful, but it can be even more difficult when it is the second time around. Love Islander presenter Maya Jama and British rapper Stormzy real name Michael Omari have shocked their Instagram followers with the announcement of their second split. Advertisement The star couple fell in love in 2014, broke up in 2019 and when they got back together in August last year many fans thought wedding bells could be in the not to distant future. However, despite pictures of the couple looking very cosy at Glastonbury Festival in June, it was not meant to be and they issued a joint statement confirming their split. Stormzy and Maya Jama at Glastonbury Festival 2024 (Ben Birchall/ PA) Advertisement Weve been laughing whilst drafting this because we never, ever in a million years thought wed be the couple announcing a break-up, they posted on Instagram. But for the sake of clarity and more importantly to allow us the space and grace thats needed for us both to be able to navigate this next bit of our lives with peace, we thought it might be best to. We were 21 and 20 when we first met, both at the beginning of our careers, and spent five years growing together and then five years growing separately, so this final attempt required a whole lot of figuring out, relearning and unlearning. We tried and it didnt work and thats okay. Advertisement Stormzy and Maya Jama in 2017 (Ian West/PA) They arent the first couple to give a relationship another go, so whats the best way to navigate a second-time break up? What the experts say People often break up and then get back together because they still love and miss each other, they hope things can get better and improve this time around, explains Hope Flynn, founder of female empowerment platform Feed Me Female. Sometimes its simply because they find it easier to return to a familiar relationship as fear of the dating world can be scary and also push them to reconsider trying make it work again. Advertisement Are second break ups more difficult? Second breakups can be tough because you put a lot of hope into trying again, hoping things would be better, so when it doesnt work out, says Flynn. It feels like going through the breakup all over again, which hurts even more. You might wonder if you made a mistake giving it another shot and your friends and family might not be as supportive this time around. Dealing with the same old issues again is really frustrating. When you reconnect with someone, your feelings deepen, so when it ends again its really painful. Its a lot to handle, but take each day as it comes and youll get through it. Advertisement Break ups are hard, but know when to call it quits (Alamy/PA) Should you stay friends? I would always encourage people to try and remain friends if they can however it depends on what happened in the relationship and how things ended, says Flynn. It really boils down to how well you two can chat without any leftover romantic vibes or hurt feelings hanging around. Its crucial to make sure youre both emotionally cool with shifting from romance to friendship mode. Setting some clear boundaries like how often youll text or hang out is key to keeping things clear in your friendship. How can you move on in a healthy way? Fiona Yassin, psychotherapist, and founder and clinical director of The Wave Clinic, suggests avoiding their social media channels. Limit social media use to avoid being bombarded with what friends, peers and celebrities are doing. Instead, reach out to the people you enjoy spending time with and organise to do something with them in-person. Find a new hobby to help you take your mind off the break up (Alamy/PA) A new hobby might take your mind off things, particularly if it involves being mindful. Many people find repetitive activities such as cross stitch or crochet to be calming, whilst others find being in motion by sitting on a swing or rocking can help bring them into the present moment. Journalling or watching a good movie can also be effective grounding techniques. As tempting as it may feel, dont air your dirty laundry online, she urges. Avoid oversharing about a break up on social media as it can provoke an influx of negative and unwelcome reactions. But most importantly, prioritise the relationship you have with yourself right now. People that rebound tend to be those who are already struggling around interpersonal relations and relationships so build a relationship with yourself before having a relationship with someone else. A fire engine has carried Corey Comperatores flag-draped coffin to a Pennsylvania church for the funeral of the former fire chief, who was shot and killed when a gunman tried to assassinate Donald Trump last weekend. Hundreds of firefighters arrived at the church in a procession of more than 100 trucks in a show of support for Mr Comperatores grieving relatives and friends. Advertisement Outside the church, a massive American flag hung from the ladder of a fire engine. A sharpshooter team mounted on a nearby rooftop served as a reminder of last weekends bloodshed. Officials have said that Mr Comperatore spent his final moments shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire at Mr Trumps rally last Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. Mr Trump, who suffered an ear injury in the shooting but was not seriously hurt, is not going to the funeral because of Secret Service concerns, according to a person familiar with the situation. Pennsylvania State Police arrive at the Cabot Church (Gene J Puskar/AP) Advertisement Annette Locke, a member of the West Deer Township Volunteer Fire Department, stood across the road from the church and lightly touched her heart as she spoke about the horrific toll from the totally senseless shooting. He was with his family on a beautiful sunny day, and now hes gone, Ms Locke said. Joe and Jen Brose stood at the edge of their driveway with their three young boys, all dressed in T-shirts celebrating the USA, watching the long procession of fire and emergency trucks go by. Advertisement The community comes together at times like this, Joe Brose said. I thought it was very heartwarming, it was very humbling to see it, said Jen Brose, whose sister had attended the Trump rally. The former president honoured Mr Comperatore during his speech on Thursday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He displayed Mr Comperatores firefighting gear on the convention stage, kissing his helmet and heralding the ex-chief as an unbelievable person. Advertisement Mr Comperatore, 50, worked as a project and tooling engineer, was an Army reservist and spent many years as a volunteer firefighter after serving as chief, according to his obituary. A giant American flag is unfurled outside the Cabot Church (Gene J Puskar/AP) On Thursday, thousands of mourners filed into a banquet hall to pay their respects to Mr Comperatore and his family. Hundreds of people gathered on Wednesday at a vigil for him at a motor racing track. Advertisement Guests at Thursdays visitation for Mr Comperatore saw a slideshow of photos from his life his wedding, a recent 50th birthday party, time with his daughters, firefighting, fishing, and palling around with his dobermans. Also on display was a framed copy of a note to Mr Comperatores wife signed by Mr Trump and former first lady Melania Trump. Corey will forever be remembered as a True American Hero, the Trumps wrote. Two other people were wounded at the Trump rally: David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township. As of Wednesday night, both had been upgraded to serious but stable condition, according to a spokesperson with Allegheny Health Network. President Joe Bidens son Hunter Biden has asked a court to dismiss tax and gun charges against him, citing a similar ruling that threw out a separate prosecution of former president Donald Trump. The requests in federal court in Delaware and California underscore the potential ramifications of US District Judge Aileen Cannons dismissal of the classified documents case against Mr Trump and the possibility that it could unsettle the legal landscape surrounding Justice Department special counsels. Advertisement Hunter Biden and Mr Trump were prosecuted by special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Hunter Biden arrives for a Medal of Honour Ceremony at the White House in Washington on July 3 (Susan Walsh/AP) In dismissing the case against the former president, Judge Cannon ruled that the appointment of the special counsel who prosecuted him, Jack Smith, violated the Constitution because he was appointed directly to the position by Mr Garland instead of being nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Advertisement Mr Smiths team has said the Justice Department followed long-established precedent the courts upheld the Trump-era appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Russian election interference and has appealed Judge Cannons dismissal. In court filings, lawyers for Mr Biden said the same logic should apply in his cases and should result in the dismissal of a pending tax prosecution in Los Angeles currently set for trial in September and a separate firearm case in Delaware, in which he was convicted in June of three felony charges. Mr Bidens legal team has previously raised similar arguments unsuccessfully, but still claim there are reasonable grounds to reconsider them. Both cases are being overseen by judges nominated by former president Trump. Advertisement Aileen Cannon, the judge who threw out Mr Trumps case, was also nominated by the former Republican president. Based on these new legal developments, Mr Biden moves to dismiss the indictment brought against him because the special counsel who initiated this prosecution was also appointed in violation of the appointments clause, his lawyers wrote. They also cited an opinion this month by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that questioned the propriety of a special counsel appointment. The Attorney General relied upon the exact same authority to appoint the Special Counsel in both the Trump and Biden matters, and both appointments are invalid for the same reason, the lawyers added. Advertisement A spokesperson for Justice Department special counsel David Weiss, who is leading the probe into Bidens actions, said they are aware of the filings from his legal team and will respond in due course. As Melania Trump watches, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump signs paperwork to officially accept the nomination (Evan Vucci/AP) Jurors found Biden guilty in June of lying about his drug use in 2018 on a federal form to buy a firearm that he had for about 11 days. Advertisement The trial put a spotlight on a dark period in Bidens life during which he became addicted to crack cocaine after the 2015 death of his brother, Beau. Biden claims he has been sober since 2019. Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced in the gun case by US District Judge Maryellen Noreika. However, as a first-time offender, he would not get anywhere near the maximum, and there is no guarantee the judge would send him to prison. She has not set a sentencing date. The tax case centres around an unpaid tax bill of about 1.4 million dollars, which prosecutors argue Biden failed to pay for over four years. The back taxes have since been paid. Democrats at the highest levels are making a critical push for US president Joe Biden to rethink his election bid. Former US president Barack Obama has expressed concerns to allies with former speaker Nancy Pelosi privately telling Mr Biden the party could lose the ability to seize control of the House if he does not step away from the 2024 race. Advertisement Isolated as he battles a Covid-19 infection at home in Delaware, the president is relying on a few long-time aides as he weighs whether to bow to the mounting pressure to drop out. The Biden For President campaign has called an all-staff meeting for Friday as Republican rival Donald Trump wraps up a heady Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The Democrats, in a race against time, are considering the possibility of Mr Biden stepping aside for a new presidential nominee before their convention next month in Chicago. Mr Bidens closest friend in Congress and his campaign co-chairman senator Chris Coons of Delaware said: President Biden deserves the respect to have important family conversations with members of the caucus and colleagues in the House and Senate and Democratic leadership and not be battling leaks and press statements. Advertisement Former speaker Nancy Pelosi (AP) On Thursday, Montana senator Jon Tester became the second Democrat in the chamber to call on him to step aside, saying in a statement: I believe President Biden should not seek reelection to another term. Several members of Mr Bidens Cabinet have also shared doubts about his chances for re-election and the insularity of his team. Advertisement Campaign officials said Mr Biden was even more committed to staying in the race even as the calls for him to go mounted. But there was also time to reconsider. He has been told the campaign is having trouble raising money and some Democrats see an opportunity as he is away from the campaign for a few days to encourage his exit. Mr Biden, 81, tested positive for the coronavirus while travelling in Las Vegas and is experiencing mild symptoms including general malaise from the infection, the White House said. Advertisement Former president Barack Obama (AP) In a radio interview taped just before he tested positive, the president dismissed the idea it was too late for him to recover politically, telling Univisions Luis Sandoval that many people do not focus on the November election until September. All the talk about whos leading and where and how, is kind of, you know everything so far between Trump and me has been basically even, he said in an excerpt of the interview released on Thursday. But in Congress, Democratic lawmakers have begun having private conversations about lining up behind vice president Kamala Harris as an alternative. Advertisement Its clear the issue wont go away, said Vermont senator Peter Welch, the other Senate Democrat who has publicly said Mr Biden should exit the race. Senator Welch said the current state of party angst was not sustainable as lawmakers panic and donors revolt. Former president Obama has conveyed to allies that Mr Biden needs to consider the viability of his campaign but has also made clear that the decision is one the president needs to make. The former president has taken calls in recent days from members of congressional leadership, Democratic governors and key donors to discuss their concerns about his former vice president. Mrs Pelosi also presented polling to Mr Biden that she argued shows he likely cannot defeat Republican Trump although the former speaker countered on Thursday in a sharp statement that the feeding frenzy from anonymous sources misrepresents any conversations she may have had with the president. Pressed about reports that Mr Biden might be softening to the idea of leaving the race, his deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said on Thursday: He is not wavering on anything. Russian prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of 18 years for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is on trial on espionage charges that he, his employer and the US vehemently deny. Gershkovich appeared in court for a second straight day as the proceedings in Russias highly politicised legal system picked up speed. Advertisement Closing arguments took place behind closed doors at the trial, where Gershkovich did not admit any guilt, according to the courts press service. Unlike previous sessions in which reporters were allowed to see Gershkovich briefly before the proceedings began, there was no access to the courtroom this week and he was not seen, with no explanation given. Espionage and treason cases are typically shrouded in secrecy. A verdict is expected later on Friday, according to court officials. Gershkovich, 32, was arrested March 29 2023, while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. Advertisement Authorities claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was gathering secret information for the US. The American-born son of immigrants from the USSR, Gershkovich is the first Western journalist arrested on espionage charges in post-Soviet Russia. Advertisement Evans wrongful detention has been an outrage since his unjust arrest 477 days ago, and it must end now, the Journal said Thursday in a statement. Even as Russia orchestrates its shameful sham trial, we continue to do everything we can to push for Evans immediate release and to state unequivocally: Evan was doing his job as a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Bring him home now. The US State Department has declared Gershkovich wrongfully detained, committing the government to assertively seek his release. Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty, which is almost a certainty in Russias highly politicised legal system. Russian courts convict more than 99% of defendants, and prosecutors can appeal against sentences that they regard as too lenient. They even can appeal acquittals. Advertisement Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday reaffirmed the Kremlin claim of irrefutable evidence against Gershkovich, although neither he nor any other Russian official has ever disclosed it. Mr Lavrov said on Wednesday at the United Nations that Moscow and Washingtons special services are discussing an exchange involving Gershkovich. Russia has previously signalled the possibility of a swap, but it says a verdict would have to come first. Evan Gershkovichs lawyer Maria Korchagina in the court building in Yekaterinburg, Russia (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP) Advertisement State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel on Thursday declined to discuss negotiations about a possible exchange, but said: We have been clear from the get-go that Evan did nothing wrong and should not have been detained. To date, Russia has provided no evidence of a crime and has failed to justify Evans continued detention. US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused Moscow of treating human beings as bargaining chips. She singled out Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan, 53, a corporate security director from Michigan, who is serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted on spying charges that he and the US denied. Gershkovichs trial began June 26 in Yekaterinburg after he spent about 15 months in Moscows notorious Lefortovo Prison. At the trials first day, the court said it was adjourning until mid-August but it later changed track and rescheduled hearings for this week after Gershkovichs lawyers asked for them to be held earlier, according to Russian news reports. The Russian Prosecutor Generals office said last month the journalist is accused of gathering secret information on orders from the CIA about Uralvagonzavod, a plant about 150 kilometres (90 miles) north of Yekaterinburg that produces and repairs tanks and other military equipment. The court in Yekaterinburg, Russia, where the trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich trial is taking place (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP) Gershkovichs employer and US officials have dismissed those charges as fabricated and denounced the trial as illegitimate and a sham. Evan has never been employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy. Journalism is not a crime. And Evan should never have been detained in the first place, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said last month. Russias interpretation of what constitutes high crimes like espionage and treason is broad, with authorities often going after people who share publicly available information with foreigners and accusing them of divulging state secrets. Earlier this month, UN human rights experts said Russia violated international law by jailing Gershkovich and should release him immediately. The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that includes independent experts convened by the UNs top human rights body, said there was a striking lack of any factual or legal substantiation for spying charges leveled against Gershkovich. It said his US nationality has been a factor in his detention, and as a result the case against him was discriminatory. Arrests of Americans are increasingly common in Russia, with nine US citizens known to be detained there as tensions between the two countries have escalated over fighting in Ukraine. Asked on Friday about a possible prisoner swap involving Gershkovich, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment. South Korea said it has restarted anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts across the border in response to North Koreas resumption of rubbish-carrying balloon launches. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that its frontline loudspeaker broadcasts were conducted between Thursday evening and Friday morning in areas where North Korea floated the balloons. Advertisement South Koreas military said North Korea must be blamed for heightened tensions because it ignored South Koreas repeated warnings and continued its despicable balloon campaigns. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the South Korean military will conduct loudspeaker broadcasts in a fuller manner and other stronger steps if North Korea continues provocations like balloon launches. The broadcasts could trigger an angry response from North Korea which is extremely sensitive to any outside attempt to undermine its political system. In 2015, when South Korea restarted loudspeaker broadcasts for the first time in 11 years, North Korea fired artillery rounds across the border, prompting the South to return fire, according to South Korean officials. Advertisement A North Korean soldier looks at the southern side through a pair of binoculars at the border village of Panmunjom (Lee Jin-man/AP) South Koreas military earlier said North Korea floated the balloons on Thursday afternoon in its seventh such campaign in recent months. The balloon launches were widely expected as the North had vowed to respond to what it called repeated South Korean civilian leafleting campaigns across the border. Advertisement Since late May, North Korea has floated more than 2,000 balloons carrying rubbish, scraps of cloth, cigarette butts and even manure toward South Korea, saying they were in response to activists sending political leaflets to the North via their balloons. No hazardous materials were found. In response, South Korea suspended a 2018 tension-reduction deal with North Korea, resuming propaganda broadcasts briefly and frontline live-fire military drills at border areas. The propaganda broadcasts by South Korea on June 9 reportedly included K-pop sensation BTSs hits like Butter and Dynamite, weather forecasts and news on Samsung, the biggest South Korean company, as well as outside criticism of the Norths missile program and its crackdown on foreign video. Advertisement South Korean soldiers wearing protective gear check the rubbish from a balloon, presumably sent by North Korea, in Seoul (South Korea Defence Ministry/AP) The Cold War-style campaigns had paused after North Korea last sent rubbish-carrying balloons toward South Korea in late June. Earlier this week, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said South Korean balloons have been found again at the border and other areas. Advertisement In her statement on Tuesday, Kim Yo Jong threatened new retaliatory steps, saying South Korean scum must be ready to pay a gruesome and dear price. That raised concerns that North Korea could stage physical provocations, rather than balloon launches. South Koreas military said on Wednesday it has boosted its readiness to brace for any provocation by North Korea. It said North Korea may fire at incoming South Korean balloons across the border. It was not immediately known whether groups in South Korea have recently scattered leaflets in North Korea. For years, activist groups led by North Korean defectors have used helium-filled balloons to drop anti-North Korean leaflets, USB sticks containing K-pop music and South Korean dramas and US dollar bills in the North. North Korea views such activities as a serious security threat and a challenge to its ban on foreign news for most of its 26 million people. In 2020, North Korea destroyed an unoccupied South Korean-built liaison office on its territory in a furious response to South Korean civilian leafleting campaigns. In 2014, North Korea fired at balloons flying toward its territory and South Korea returned fire, although there were no casualties. Tensions between the Koreas have heightened in recent years because of North Koreas missile tests and the expansion of US-South Korean military drills that North Korea calls invasion rehearsals. North Koreas state media said on Friday that Mr Kim met a visiting Russian delegation led by vice defence minister Aleksey Krivoruchko. During the meeting, Mr Kim stressed the need for the two countries armies to unite more firmly to defend international peace and justice, according to the Norths official Korean Central News Agency. In June, Mr Kim met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang and signed a deal requiring each country to provide aid to the other if it is attacked and vowed to boost other co-operation. Analysts say the accord represents the strongest connection between the two countries since the end of the Cold War. Donald Trump has told Americans to be wary of stifling political disagreement, only days after a 20-year-old gunman attempted to assassinate the US presidential hopeful at a campaign rally. In his first public speech since the attempt on his life, Mr Trump told the crowds at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee that his campaign should focus on the issues facing our country and how to make America successful, safe, free and great again. Advertisement In an age when our politics too often divide us, now is the time to remember that we are all fellow citizens, he said. We must not criminalise, dissent or demonise political disagreement, which is whats been happening in our country lately at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during the final night of the 2024 Republican National Convention (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Advertisement He began his speech by giving his account of the failed assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. I will tell you exactly what happened, and youll never hear it from me a second time because its actually too painful to tell, he said. If I had not moved my head at that very last instant at the assassins bullet would have perfectly hit its mark and I would not be here tonight. We would not be together. He then explained what was going through his mind moments after the shots rang out on Saturday after he fell to the stage as a bullet struck his ear. Advertisement Trump speaks at the convention (Julia Nikhinson/AP) Mr Trump continued his account of the assassination attempt by saying: I wanted to do something to let (the crowd) know I was OK. I raised my right arm, looked at the thousands and thousands of people that were breathlessly waiting and started shouting Fight, fight, fight. For the rest of my life, I will be grateful for the love shown by that giant audience of patriots that stood bravely on that fateful evening in Pennsylvania. Advertisement The former president added that he had spoken to the family of Corey Comperatore who died in the shooting, calling him an unbelievable person with a firefighters jacket and helmet bearing his name on the stage. He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets, he said. He went right over the top of them and was hit. He also praised David Dutch and James Copenhaver who were injured and called for a moments silence for Mr Comperatore. Mr Trump went on to tell his audience that he is saving democracy for the people of our country., Advertisement He referenced his classified documents case, which was dropped by the courts, labelling his prosecution for the removal of top secret documents from the White House in the wake of his presidency a witch hunt. Donald Trump (J Scott Applewhite/AP) He criticised the Democrats for the legal challenges against him and his family, while also praising his sons for having more subpoenas levied against them than any people probably in the history of the United States. We have to work on making America great again, not on beating people, and we won, he said. We beat em. We beat em on the impeachments, we beat em on indictments, the former president said. The time that you have to spend, if they would devote that genius to helping our country wed have a much stronger and better country. He said he was presenting a vision for the whole nation. To every citizen, whether you are young or old, man or woman, Democrat, Republican or independent, black or white, Asian or Hispanic, I extend to you a hand of loyalty and of friendship, he said. Together we will leave America to great height of greatness, like the world is never seen before. He assured the Republican crowd that the party would have an incredible victory come election time as he accepted the Republican partys presidential nomination. Whether you have supported me in the past or not, I hope you will support me in the future because I will bring back the American dream, that is what were going to do, he said. You do not even hear about the dream anymore. The entire Republican Party has formally adopted an agenda for Americas renewal. It is a series of bold promises that we will swiftly implement when you give us a Republican House. The Republican presidential candidate speaks to the crowds in Milwaukee (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Under our leadership, the United States will be respected again, no nation will question our power, no enemy will doubt our might, our borders will be totally secure, our economy will soar. He continued: We will return law and order to our streets, patriotism to our schools and more importantly we will restore peace, stability and harmony all throughout the world. But to achieve this future, we must first rescue our nation this will be the most important election in the history of our country, under the current administration we are indeed a nation in decline Tonight I make this pledge to the great people of America, I will end the devastating inflation crisis immediately, bring down interest rates and lower the cost of energy. We will drill, baby, drill. He said he would end the illegal immigration crisis and close the border with Mexico by finishing the wall. Mr Trump reiterated his claim that the two wars waging in Europe and the Middle East would have never happened if he was president, but made no mention of how he would stop either of those conflicts. A global tech outage has impacted companies across multiple industries, including airports, trains, banks and TV broadcasters. The IT issues have also affected businesses in Ireland and other countries such as the UK, the US, Australia and several European countries. Advertisement The outages are linked to an issue at global cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. Ireland's National Cyber Security Centre said it was aware of the global incident concerning the latest software update from CrowdStrike. It said all essential services in Ireland are continuing to operate normally. Similarly, Government IT systems in the Republic are not currently affected. According to an alert sent by Crowdstrike to its clients, the companys Falcon Sensor software is causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, known informally as the blue screen of death. Advertisement The alert, which was sent at 5.30am on Friday, also shared a manual workaround to rectify the issue. Writing on X, formerly Twitter, CrowdStrike president George Kurtz said the problem was caused by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. He said: This is not a security incident or cyber attack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. Advertisement CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024 We further recommend organisations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Advertisement Our team is fully mobilised to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers. Mr Kurtz said the issue was not affecting Mac or Linux software. Travel disruption The outages have rippled far and wide. The travel industry was among the hardest hit with airports around the world, including Tokyo, Amsterdam, Berlin, London Gatwick, Edinburgh and several Spanish airports reporting problems with their systems and delays. Advertisement Transport for Ireland apologised for disruption to its online services, with the Leap Card app and TFI Live app impacted by the outage. It said onboard fare payment systems are operating as normal. The aviation sector is hit particularly hard due to its sensitivity to timings. Airlines rely on a closely coordinated schedule often run by air traffic control. Just one delay of a few minutes can throw off a flight schedule for take-offs and landings for an airport and airline for the rest of the day. Passenger advice: Due to a global IT issue, Ryanair is experiencing challenges with its check-in processes this morning and have requested that their passengers arrive at the airport 3 hours prior to their flight. The @DublinAirport team is on hand to assist Ryanair and https://t.co/N6DDFRb1dU pic.twitter.com/Qj6dOAyi6I Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) July 19, 2024 Ryanair said its flights are being disrupted by the outage. The airline said in a statement: Were currently experiencing disruption across the network due to a global third party IT outage which is out of our control. We advise all passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their scheduled departure time. The IT outage is affecting Belfast International Airport, where whiteboards are being used to provide flight information, as the electronic screens are not functioning, according to Sky News correspondent Stephen Murphy. Whiteboards being used at @belfastairport as all the screens are blue. Passenger Martin McElroy took this, and told us that it's like the dark ages, but to be fair theyre making it work, which you have to give them credit for. #outage pic.twitter.com/FfSmEHCvuO Stephen Murphy (@SMurphyTV) July 19, 2024 In the Netherlands, Schiphol airport said it was affected and advised travellers flying today to contact their airlines. London Stansted Airport said that some airline check-in services are being done manually as a result of the IT outage, but flights are still operating as normal. Several US carriers including American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Airlines issued ground stops for all their flights early on Friday due to communication problems, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration. Top Dutch airline KLM said it could not handle flights on Friday and that it suspended most of its operations. Air France, KLM's parent company, said that its operations were disrupted. Turkish Airlines is experiencing problems with ticketing, check-in, and booking due to a global technical issue in its information systems, it said in a post on X. "We expect longer waiting times and some flight cancellations. Not all airports in Europe were impacted as the issue is linked with a specific OS, Microsoft Azure," said Agata Lyznik, a spokesperson for airports group ACI Europe. Some airlines said they were already back online, with Spanish carrier Iberia saying it had managed to avoid flight cancellations. "From 9.25am onwards the electronic check-in counters and online check-ins were reactivated. There have been some delays," a spokesperson said. Sky News is off-air due to the IT outage. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Sky News, one of Britain's major television news channels, was off-air on Friday, while various businesses and other services were also impacted by a global tech outage. "Sky News have not been able to broadcast live TV this morning, currently telling viewers that we apologise for the interruption," the broadcaster's executive chairman David Rhodes said on X. A health booking system used by doctors in England is also offline, medical officials said on X on Friday. Australia's largest bank, Commonwealth Bank said some customers had been unable to transfer money due to the service outage. National airline Qantas and Sydney airport said planes were delayed but still flying. In the Victoria region, state police said some internal systems had been hit by the outage but emergency services were operating normally. The output of a number of media companies was also disrupted. A spokesperson for New Zealand's parliament said its computer systems had also been affected. State broadcaster ABC said it was experiencing a "major network outage", without giving a reason. Several stock exchanges have also reported some impacts. One London-based trader said several multilateral trading facilities were being affected by the outage, leaving some clients unable to trade. "We are having the mother of all global market outages," the trader added. Jetstar was forced to cancel all its flights in Australia and New Zealand on Friday night, impacting thousands of customers about to fly out for the weekend. The airline said early Saturday morning their IT systems are beginning to stabilise, and flights on Saturday, 20 July are currently planned to operate as scheduled. Overseas, the global crash forced American Airlines, United and Delta to ask the Federal Aviation Administration ground stop on all flights just after 5pm AEST. In India, airlines were forced to issue handwritten boarding passes. In Europe, Berlin Airport cancelled all flights, while Heathrow suspended all flights to the United States. Travellers out of Londons biggest airport reported being unable to buy food as payment systems went offline. The scenes were mirrored across Woolworths and Coles supermarkets in Australia as payment services failed and terminals shut down. Loading The outage was caused by a fault in the Falcon sensor used by US-based cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike. The sensor is installed on many business computers to gather security data. The fault had a major impact on Microsoft systems worldwide. Late on Friday, CrowdStrike chief executive George Kurtz apologised for the software update that caused chaos around the globe. Were deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused to customers, to travellers, to anyone affected by this, Kurtz told the Today Show in the US. Kurtz said CrowdStrike had identified the bug and remediated the issue. Now we are working with each and every customer, to make sure that we can bring them back online, he said. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. Home Affairs Minister Clare ONeil said CrowdStrike had attended the federal governments emergency meeting and had issued a fix for companies to reboot their systems. The company has informed us that most issues should be resolved through the fix they have provided, but given the size and nature of this incident it may take some time to resolve, she said. Transport, payment services impacted In NSW, trains were cancelled on the Hunter Line between Newcastle and Dungog for safety reasons. Passengers are advised to delay their trips and make alternative travel arrangements, a NSW transport spokesperson said. There are no impacts to other modes of public transport and no impacts to the wider Sydney Trains network. In Victoria, payment services failed on trams in Melbourne, one of many transaction systems that collapsed, including at Woolworths and Coles. ANZs internet banking also reported an industry-wide issue affecting the processing of some payments, but traditional transfers via BSB and bank account numbers are not impacted. The Commonwealth Bank said its PayID services were unavailable. Australias largest telecommunications provider, Telstra, said some of its systems had been impacted by the outage. The issue is causing some holdups for some of our customers, and we thank them for their patience, Telstra said. There is no impact to our fixed or mobile network which continue to operate. Loading No evidence to suggest a hack National Cyber Security Coordinator Michelle McGuinness said there was no evidence to suggest the mass outage was a hack or cybersecurity incident. I am aware of a large-scale technical outage affecting a number of companies and services across Australia this afternoon, McGuinness said in a statement on X. There is no information to suggest it is a cybersecurity incident. We continue to engage across key stakeholders. Richard Buckland, a professor in cybercrime at the School of Computer Science and Engineering UNSW, said the crash was a worst-case scenario. This is more serious than a cyberattack, really, because it shows our systems arent even proofed against randomness, he told the ABC. Airports impacted by incident The outage has caused the grounding and cancellation of flights across the United States. Delays swept across Sydneys airport, hitting check-ins during the peak Friday travel rush. A global technical outage has impacted some airline operations and terminal services, an airport spokesperson said. Flights are currently arriving and departing however there may be some delays throughout the evening. We have activated our contingency plans with our airline partners and deployed additional staff to our terminals to assist passengers. Long queues at Sydney domestic airport on Friday afternoon. Credit: Ben Grubb Just after 9pm, Jetstar announced it had cancelled all its flights in Australia and New Zealand until 2am on Saturday. Our teams are working on recovery options and we will contact customers with updates as soon as our systems are back online, a spokesperson said. Jetstar said customers due to travel on Friday or Saturday could rebook or refund their flight. Virgin Australia grounded its flights at 5pm but resumed boarding an hour later. Virgin Australia operations are continuing following a large-scale IT outage impacting multiple airlines and other businesses, however some cancellations and delays are expected, a spokesperson said. AFL fans were locked out of Marvel Stadium on Friday night an hour before the Essendon-Adelaide game started. TAB was also forced to suspend all betting services. The outage caused upheaval in the media industry, affecting newspapers, radio and TV around the world. Britains Sky News, one of the countrys major television news channels, was forced off air. Autocues failed in TV newsrooms across Australia, forcing presenters to improvise for hours. Triple J radio hosts had to rely on CDs and USB sticks to play music to listeners as their systems went down. When Donald Trump made his triumphant return to the spotlight on Monday night after surviving an assassination attempt just days earlier, the first person to greet him in the VIP box at the Republican National Convention (RNC) was Tucker Carlson. The former president offered Carlson a firm handshake and put his left arm on the former television hosts shoulder. Carlson nodded, leaned in and smiled. It wasnt a bad place to be for a guy who 15 months ago received his pink slip from Fox News, losing the biggest platform in conservative media. Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson welcomes Donald Trump onstage at the RNC. Credit: Bloomberg I guess they thought at Fox they would limit his reach by cancelling his show, said Roger Stone, the longtime Trump adviser and self-described great friend of Carlson, as he cleaved through a gaggle of reporters on the convention grounds. If anything, they have boosted his reach and his influence 20 times. Carlson is having a moment at the RNC. Hes being followed by a documentary crew. Hes expected to give a prime-time speech before the festivities come to an end on Thursday. And to top that off, he gets to celebrate the fact that his friend and fellow nationalistic conservative, Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), got the nod to be Trumps running mate an outcome Carlson had been lobbying for privately. (According to a report from The New York Times, Carlson had warned Trump that if a neocon a Republican with an interventionist foreign policy were vice president, deep state forces would be more likely to try to assassinate Trump.) An Aboriginal arts centre accused of having non-Indigenous arts workers meddling with Indigenous art has been cleared of breaching consumer laws by the corporate watchdog. The APY Art Centre Collective has strongly rejected the allegations, first published in The Australian newspaper in 2023. But the claims sent shockwaves through the Aboriginal art industry and dented gallery sales. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found no breaches of consumer law after reviewing material from a South Australian government inquiry, as well as other evidence, ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said in a statement on Friday. The APY Art Centre Collective has been cleared of accusations it allowed non-Indigenous arts workers to meddle with Indigenous art. Credit: Rohan Thomson Media coverage of the allegations had prompted discussions on the cultural and social issues around Anangu artwork and the management of community art studios, she said. The residents of the tiny hamlet of Wallaroo in the NSW Southern Tablelands are quick to say they support renewable energy, yet they are united against a proposal for a giant solar farm on their doorstop. In a microcosm of the problems besetting the broader renewables rollout, the community sent a clear message to the NSW Independent Planning Commission at a public meeting on Thursday: the proposed Wallaroo Solar Farm is the wrong project in the wrong place. The site of the proposed Wallaroo solar farm beyond the trees is close to existing transmission lines that can carry the power to Canberra. Credit: Kate Geraghty Many of the 570-odd community members farmers, vineyard owners, commuters to Canberra and retirees have solar panels on the roofs of their own homes or farm sheds, and some have a biodiesel generator as back-up. But a massive solar farm, with about 182,000 photovoltaic modules, a substation and battery storage system spanning 165 hectares across two properties in Wallaroo, is a different proposition. Opposition Leader David Crisafulli says the Miles Labor government is treating Queenslanders like fools by claiming there is no evidence to warrant an investigation into CFMEU activities in the state. Amid an outcry over union practices, Premier Steven Miles this week said he would not meet with the Queensland branch of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, or accept donations, while the union nationally remained under a cloud. But despite also recommending the Queensland branch be placed under independent administration, Miles said he was not aware of any local allegations that warranted investigation. The union has retained its Labor links in Queensland, unlike other states. Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli says Labors stance on the CFMEU is taking Queenslanders for fools. Credit: Matt Dennien Crisafulli who wants to establish a productivity commission to investigate union influence on building sites on Friday said the government was owned lock, stock and barrel by the CFMEU. When a senior cabinet minister took up an invitation for dinner at a private home a few years ago, the security team started planning for the event days in advance. Officers turned up to check the street, inspect the house and consider whether intruders could find their way over the back fence. On the night of the meal, they watched every entrance to the home just in case a threat arose. And the dinner went smoothly. That sort of security can seem excessive in a country that sees itself as a sunny society that knows how to keep itself together when others fall apart. But there is no secret that Australias most senior politicians are surrounded by security details to ensure their personal safety. In fact, every signal says the threats are greater than ever. Illustration: Simon Letch So the attempt to assassinate Donald Trump naturally raises questions about whether Australians will ever witness the kind of deadly violence seen in Pennsylvania last weekend. The former home affairs minister, Karen Andrews, told The Australian this week that a similar attack was only a matter of time. Former veterans affairs minister Darren Chester suggested tighter security for politicians two years ago. Many politicians are on edge about their security but feel they should not say too much out loud. They do not want to look like they are demanding more staff or more spending on their offices and homes. At the same time, it is their job to get out into their communities. They are meant to make it as easy as possible for anyone to approach them. Dominic Perrottet says he will never shake the image of a huge queue of people outside a Centrelink office in Ryde. It was the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the then-treasurer was heading home from Sydney Olympic Park after a daily crisis cabinet meeting. The enormity of the challenge the Coalition government was facing floored him. I had never seen anything like it in my life and I realised the magnitude of the problem that we needed to help solve. It always weighed really heavily on me that people were losing their jobs, Perrottet said. Former premier Dominic Perrottet at home with wife Helen and the couples seven children. Credit: Wolter Peeters The pandemic marked the most challenging period of his political career, which began when he won the seat of Castle Hill in 2011 and will end when he delivers his valedictory speech as the member for Epping in August. On Friday, the 41-year-old Perrottet announced his resignation from parliament after 13 years, and later revealed he would relocate his family of nine to Washington DC after being appointed the US head of corporate and external relations for resources giant BHP. Perrottet became the youngest premier in NSW history when the then 39-year-old secured the Liberal Party leadership following the sudden October 2021 resignation of Gladys Berejiklian. Guiding light My Central Asia Stans odyssey fulfilled childhood dreams of the Silk Road, ranging from the snowy jagged peaks of the Tian Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan and fabled Silk Road sites of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva in Uzbekistan to the brilliant blues and greens of the Seven Lakes of Tajikistan. A shout out for the engaging and extensively knowledgeable Nazim Bogdalov, who led us through four of the five Stans. Despite his wide Central Asia repertoire, Nazim was not invited to guide us in Turkmenistan as our tour operator, Explore, declined to foot the bill for his Turkmenistan visa and expensive accommodation in Ashgabat. The local guide assigned to us proved distant and of a far inferior standard. Tour companies are reminded that travellers would happily foot the extra expense for a complex trip if it meant not chopping and changing personnel. Joseph Ting, Carina, Qld Not a scratch Watch the walls a detail of the pulpit of Igreja da Misericordia, an important baroque church in Evora, Portugal. Credit: Getty Images Your article on Evora, Portugal, article (Traveller, July 6) brings back memories from 2023 when our group of six in a Mercedes Vito managed to squeeze through one of the tiny side streets just near the Roman temple. We did this with side mirrors folded in and some skilful driving, getting through with no more than about five centimetres each side. Beware some of these old towns where the streets arent as wide as expected. Cameron Giacometti, Turramurra, NSW Comfort of discomforts Funny that when we travel overseas, we seek out things we have back home (Traveller Letters, June 29). We want sameness, but in exotic locations top-notch gastronomy, wellness resorts, yoga, vegetarian/vegan food, laneway cafe culture, or coffee beans that you take along because the local version does not match Aussie barista style. This is fine, but its also good to sometimes swap comfort for chance, unpredictability and maybe a little discomfort too. Michael Robertson, Kirrawee, NSW Tip of the week: Narrows minded Tidal rapids at Skookumchuck Narrows Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada Credit: iStock When the bus driver asked our plans for our last day in Vancouver, Canada, he soon convinced us to change them. He opened our eyes to a natural phenomena only a ferry ride and short hike away. Skookumchuck Narrows, (meaning Strong Waters) experiences some of the fastest tidal rapids in the world, as billions of litres of seawater changes directions on each tide, squeezing through the rocky narrows, causing incredible turbulent rapids. Spectacular. My tip? Talk to the locals. Roxanne Le Blanc, Croydon, Vic Hacked off Readers should be aware that the Booking.com website has apparently been hacked. If you receive an email from Booking.com asking you to update your details, including your credit card, be wary. Ive just received an email purportedly from a booked hotel via noreply@booking.com. The email directed me to supply that information within 24 hours. Within the scam email was a link to the original Booking.com confirmation with names, dates, price, and the like but with incomplete credit card details. A phone call to the hotel confirmed that they had not initiated the request. It seems that the scammers have access to information on the Booking.com servers. At the time of writing, Booking.com has not yet replied to my query about the matter. Dan Dempsey, Oatley, NSW Editors note: Scams involving Booking.com have become widespread in recent times, increasing sevenfold last year. Booking.com has previously denied its site has been hacked and says, rather, that some of its accommodation partners have fallen victim to phishing scams that have resulted in scammers getting control of the accommodation hosts computers and booking details. Read more about the issue here. Hard fillings I totally agree with Michael Nicholls comment (Traveller Letters, July 13) regarding the difficulty of filling jugs in hotel rooms. Ive often filled mine by putting it under the shower, wishing there was someone there to take a holiday pic. Coral Waight, Dandenong North, Vic Tea crime Michael Nicholls, the reason you cannot fill your hotel kettle at the sink is so that you give up and spend money in their coffee shop. Ann Young, Chirnside Park, Vic Pack mentality Pack wisely for pack ice. Credit: Getty Images Having recently returned from an extensive trip through Scandinavia and Europe covering nine countries, for which we needed to pack for the Arctic Circle as well as spring in Paris, I want to share three game changers that simplified our travel and made living out of a suitcase so much easier. First, packing cells every time a bag was opened, everything was in its place so finding what you wanted was simple. Then, vacuum bags bulky winter coats and clothes for the Arctic were substantially reduced in size and transported easily. Finally, Michael The Tripologist Gebickis advice travel by train, he said. We did, from Bergen to Vienna. Cheap, comfortable and relaxing. Brad Campbell, Redfern, NSW The rite stuff Alas, after our stop-go-stop ride from Bali airport to Legian (Traveller Letters, July 6), sightseeing (lovely driver aside) is not an attractive idea. I never get sick, I boast, while we drink bottled water, cocktails without ice, and eat in well-reviewed restaurants. Until my belly begins rumbling like Balis own Mount Agung, that is. My boyfriend fetches medicine and the hotel holds crisis meetings. Rite of passage, the waiter offers, when after three wasted days I order tea. I gaze at a lone woman swimming laps in ear buds and an enormous hat. Thank God for April rates. Maggie Ferguson, Potts Point, NSW Code red Is it just me, or are others annoyed at the increasing practice of restaurants overseas (and even a la carte dining rooms on cruise ships) requiring patrons to use their phones and QR codes to access a menu? I would much rather hold and peruse a printed menu than scroll through a phone screen and damn any restaurant excuses about costs, efficiency or hygiene. John Evans, Glen Iris, Vic It is also an important first step towards stamping out the toxic and ingrained culture within building unions of bullying, thuggery, and complete disregard for the law, said Denita Wawn (pictured above), Master Builders CEO. One of the major demands being floated by the industry is a revised Production Linked Incentive (PLI 2.0) programme, after a tepid response to the scheme in the textile sector | Photo: Shutterstock In a bid to give a boost to India's robust textile and apparel (T&A) industry, the government is considering a series of measures, including tax incentives like the removal or reduction of basic customs duty on imported organic cotton as well as long-staple cotton. Currently, these products attract a 5 per cent basic customs duty and an additional 5 per cent duty. The proposed move assumes significance as India is one of the largest T&A exporters in the world. The share of T&A in India's total merchandise exports stands at 10-11 per cent, with a commendable 5 per cent share in global trade. Additionally, it is one of the largest employment generators, providing jobs to more than 45 million people, including 60 per cent women. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Therefore, any decision by the government in its upcoming Budget will have a larger impact on one of the mainstays of the economy. Also, a higher allocation to the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector will have a positive impact on the textile sector, as 80 per cent of its manufacturers are small players. With an average consumption of around 31.6 million bales per year, cotton contributes to around 60 per cent of the raw material consumption in the country. If the duty of 11 per cent on imported cotton is waived, the cotton price could stabilise according to the international market price, providing relief to the industry. Hence, any decision in this regard will have positive implications for the industry, which is battered by global geopolitical uncertainties like the Russia-Ukraine war, the Red Sea crisis, and the Israel-Hamas conflict, low demand from the US and Europe due to economic crises, a dip in domestic consumption, and volatile raw material prices. Other steps under government consideration include raising the basic customs duty on man-made fibre spun yarn flooding domestic markets from 5 per cent to 10 per cent and setting up a national textile fund to push the technological shift in the sector. Budget 2024: Demands from Textile and Apparel Industry One of the major demands being floated by the industry is a revised Production Linked Incentive (PLI 2.0) programme, after a tepid response to the scheme in the textile sector. "We request the announcement of Production Linked Incentive (PLI) 2.0 by fixing the threshold limit for Rs. 15 crore investment, considering the Knitwear Garments MSMEs in Tiruppur Cluster. Also, we request to include cotton in the purview of PLI apart from garments made of MMF," said KM Subramanian, president of the Tiruppur Exporters Association (TEA). The PLI scheme was launched in 2021 with the government targeting Rs 10,683 crore for five years to promote the production of man-made fibre apparel, fabrics, and products of technical textiles. The government has already indicated that the PLI scheme may be extended to the garments sector. Other key demands by the sector include the supply of cotton, polyester, and viscose fibre at internationally competitive prices. On the other hand, downstream synthetic textile manufacturers are also seeking the government to revoke Quality Control Orders (QCOs) on man-made fibres (MMF). "QCO suspended on fibre and yarn has so far not equitably imposed on the value-added fabric and garments. It is regressive to stop raw material imports and promote value-added imports," said Sanjay K Jain, chairman of the ICC National Committee and managing director of Delhi-based TT Ltd. The early conclusion of free trade agreements with the UK, European Union, New Zealand, and Gulf Cooperation Council is also on the industrys wishlist. One of the major industry demands is implementing an alternative scheme in place of the Amended Technology Up-gradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS). "Only 15 per cent of the fund allotted was utilised and 85 per cent remained unutilised. In view of this, the announcement of an alternate scheme in place of the ATUF Scheme will go a long way in promoting the growth of the textile industry and exports," Subramanian added. JSW Steel on Friday reported a 63.9 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) decline in the consolidated net profit to Rs 845 crore for the June quarter of 2024-25 (Q1 FY25), on the back of lower sales volume and realisation. In the year-ago period, the companys net profit had stood at Rs 2338 crore. The Q1 FY25 net profit fell short of the Bloomberg consensus estimate of Rs 1280.2 crore. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp JSW Steels total revenues on a consolidated basis in Q1 FY25 were at Rs 42,943 crore, 1.7 per cent higher than Rs 42,213 crore a year back. The Bloomberg estimate for revenue was Rs 42,333.7 crore. Sequentially, revenue and net profit were down by 7.2 per cent and 34.9 per cent, respectively. Planned shutdowns at the companys Dolvi unit and Bhushan Power & Steel led to lower crude steel production. Consolidated crude steel production for the quarter stood at 6.35 million tonnes (mt), lower by 1 per cent Y-o-Y and 6 per cent Q-o-Q. Capacity utilisation at the Indian operations was 87 per cent during the quarter. Steel realisations have been impacted by lower-cost imports. The company said that elevated imports, particularly from China and Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries, pose a challenge to the domestic steel industry. However, steel consumption in India has been growing, and the company expects the growth momentum in India to continue, driven by manufacturing, infrastructure development, and optimistic consumer sentiment. JSW Steel's exports were 29 per cent lower Y-o-Y and constituted 10 per cent of sales from the Indian operations for Q1 FY25 compared to 15 per cent of sales in Q1 FY24. In its statement, the company said that government capital expenditure (capex) was expected to recover in the coming quarters, supported by robust tax revenues and higher Reserve Bank of India (RBI) dividend, providing fiscal flexibility. JSWs consolidated capex spend during Q1 FY25 was Rs 4466 crore and the estimate for FY25 was Rs 20,000 crore. The company said that net debt as of June 30, 2024, stood at Rs 80,199 crore, higher by Rs 6283 crore as of March 31, 2024, due to capex on ongoing expansion projects and investment in working capital. At the board meeting held today, the company approved the transfer of the slurry pipeline being set up by JSW Utkal Steel, a wholly-owned subsidiary of JSW Steel, by way of a slump sale to JSW Infrastructure. BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted a resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization at its third plenary session held here from Monday to Thursday. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee presided over the meeting. General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping delivered important addresses, according to a communique released Thursday. At the session, the Central Committee heard and discussed a report on the work of the Political Bureau, presented by Xi on behalf of the Political Bureau, and considered and adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. Xi delivered explanatory remarks on the draft version of the resolution. The overall objectives of further deepening reform comprehensively are to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance, according to the communique. "By 2035, we will have finished building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, generally modernized our system and capacity for governance, and basically realized socialist modernization," it said. All of this will lay a solid foundation for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century, it noted. The reform tasks laid out in the resolution shall be completed by the time the People's Republic of China celebrates its 80th founding anniversary in 2029, said the communique. The Central Committee made systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively, it added. In building a high-standard socialist market economy, the role of the market must be better leveraged, with a fairer and more dynamic market environment to be fostered and resource allocation to be made as efficient and productive as possible. Restrictions on the market will be lifted while effective regulation will be ensured to better maintain order in the market and remedy market failures, said the communique. In promoting high-quality development, the communique urged deepening supply-side structural reform, improving incentive and constraint mechanisms for promoting high-quality development, and creating new drivers and strengths for realizing growth. "We will improve the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions, for promoting full integration between the real economy and the digital economy, for developing the service sector, for modernizing infrastructure, and for enhancing the resilience and security of industrial and supply chains," it stated. In supporting all-around innovation, the Party will deepen comprehensive reform in education, structural scientific and technological reform, and institutional reforms for talent development. In improving macroeconomic governance, the communique urged pursuing coordinated reforms in the fiscal, tax, financial, and other major sectors and enhancing the consistency of macro policy orientation, with the national strategic planning system and policy coordination mechanisms to be improved. On integrated urban and rural development, the Party must promote equal exchanges and two-way flows of production factors between the cities and the countryside, so as to narrow the disparities between the two and promote their common prosperity and development, according to the communique. Reform of the land system will be deepened, it added. Describing opening up as a "defining feature of Chinese modernization," the communique said that the Party will "steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, improve planning for regional opening up, and refine the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative." On developing whole-process people's democracy, it said: "We must firmly stay on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics and uphold and improve our country's foundational, basic, and important political systems." On the rule of law, efforts were demanded to ensure full implementation of the Constitution and uphold its authority, coordinate the reforms to promote sound legislation, law enforcement, administration of justice, and observance of the law, and improve the mechanisms for ensuring that all are equal before the law. The communique urged boosting cultural confidence and working to develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture, and carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture. In ensuring and enhancing the people's wellbeing, the Party will improve the income distribution system, the employment-first policy, and the social security system, further reform the medical and healthcare systems, and improve the systems for facilitating population development and providing related services. On ecological conservation, the communique said: "We must improve ecological conservation systems, take a coordinated approach to carbon cutting, pollution reduction, green development, and economic growth, actively respond to climate change, and move faster to improve the systems and mechanisms for applying the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." On national security, it noted that the Party must fully apply a holistic approach to national security, improve the institutions and mechanisms for safeguarding national security, and ensure that high-quality development and greater security reinforce each other, so as to effectively safeguard the country's stability and security over the long term. On national defense, the communique urged maintaining the Party's absolute leadership over the people's armed forces and fully implementing the strategy of strengthening the military through reform to provide a strong guarantee for realizing the goals for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army in 2027 and achieving basic modernization of national defense and the armed forces. In improving the Party's leadership, it said: "We must acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era." The communique stressed that Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. "In foreign relations, China remains firmly committed to pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace and is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future," it noted. Studying and implementing the guiding principles from the session represent a major political task for the entire Party and nation both at the present and for some time to come, according to the communique. The session conducted an analysis of the present situation and the tasks the Party faces, urging firm commitment to accomplishing the goals for this year's economic and social development. Both development and security must be ensured, with various measures to be implemented for preventing and defusing risks in real estate, local government debt, small and medium financial institutions, and other key areas, the communique said. According to the communique, the session decided to accept Comrade Qin Gang's resignation from the Central Committee, and confirmed the Political Bureau's earlier decision to expel Li Shangfu, Li Yuchao and Sun Jinming from the Party. A total of 199 members and 165 alternate members of the Central Committee attended the session. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdulhamid al-Dbaiba, has stressed the need to deal with the recurrent power cuts in recent days and to devise urgent solutions to stabilize the electricity grid The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is scrutinising loans with a ticket size of up to Rs 50,000 on the books of banks and fintech lenders, stepping up its monitoring after calling for greater care in consumer credit. A majority of consumers in this segment service three live loans and it is suspected this could be an indication of evergreening with the possibility of diversion into the capital markets. The development should be seen in the context of the regulators move last November when it asked regulated entities to review their exposure limits for consumer credit and US President Joe Biden is expected to make a major announcement on his re-election bid, with several senior Democratic leaders suggesting that he leave the race following his disastrous debate performance, a failed assassination attempt on his rival Donald Trump, his poor health, and falling poll numbers, according to media reports. Several people close to President Biden said on Thursday that they believe he has begun to accept the idea that he may not be able to win in November and may have to drop out of the race, bowing to the growing demands of many anxious members of his party, The New York Times reported. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp Biden, 81, is spending time at his Delaware residence in isolation after he was tested positive for Covid-19. Media reports said that top leaders of the Democratic party, including former president Barack Obama, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have asked him to leave the presidential race, in the absence of which the party risks losing the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives. People close to top Democrats said Thursday that it now appeared it was a matter of when not if Biden bows out of the presidential race. In the past day or so, former President Barack Obama has told friends who have called him that Biden's path to victory is narrow, according to people familiar with the calls, The NYT report said. The Washington Post reported Thursday night that Pelosi has stepped up her behind-the-scenes role in working to persuade the president to bow out of campaign. Obama has said that he has a very slight chance of winning the race. According to The Hill, Vice President Kamala Harris has started looking for options for her running mate. The three being talked about right now are Senator Mark Kelly, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. Most of the media reports said that Biden's announcement on his re-election bid might come after the conclusion of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. One of the people close to him warned that the president had not yet made up his mind to leave the race after three weeks of insisting that almost nothing would drive him out. But another said that 'reality is setting in', and that it would not be a surprise if Mr Biden made an announcement soon endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement, The NYT reported. In a landmark ruling for gay rights, South Koreas Supreme Court declared on Thursday that same-sex couples qualify for national health insurance dependent coverage. This decision, celebrated by rights activists, is seen as a potential gateway to legalising same-sex marriage in the country. The courts ruling allows same-sex couples to register their partners as dependents for national health insurance, similar to the benefits enjoyed by married couples or those in common-law marriages. This marks a significant step in a nation where many benefits are denied to couples outside traditional family norms. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp The countrys highest court ruled that denying a same-sex couple dependent coverage solely based on their gender constitutes serious discrimination, infringing upon citizens dignity, values, rights to pursue happiness, freedom of privacy, and equality under the law. The case was brought forward by So Seong-wook, who filed a complaint in 2021 after his request to register as a dependent of his partner, Kim Yong-min, was denied by South Koreas health insurance service. The service's rejection, which required So to pay a separate monthly insurance premium, was initially upheld by a district court. However, an appeals court overturned this decision in February of last year, saying that while So and Kims union did not qualify as a common-law marriage under South Korean law, they should still be eligible for dependent coverage. The Supreme Courts endorsement of the appeals court ruling emphasised that same-sex couples form an economic cohabitation tantamount to married and common-law couples. I hope todays ruling will serve as a stepping stone toward enabling sexual minorities to gain equality in the system of marriage, So said in a news conference. Kim, who has long referred to himself as Sos husband and companion without legal recognition, shared his joy: I am so happy that the court recognised some of that today. Borang Jang, an East Asia researcher at Amnesty International, hailed the ruling as historic. The court has taken a significant step towards dismantling systemic discrimination and ensuring inclusivity for all, she stated. The case itself is a sobering reminder of the lengthy judicial processes that same-sex couples must endure to secure basic rights that should be universally guaranteed, she added. While there is no official data on same-sex unions in South Korea, government data reveals that the number of people living together in non-kin households doubled to one million between 2016 and 2022. Despite strong opposition from conservative Christian groups against legalising same-sex marriage or introducing anti-discrimination laws, public attitudes are shifting. Gallup Korea's surveys show that support for legalising same-sex marriage has risen from 17 per cent at the turn of the century to 40 per cent by May of last year. [With agency inputs] On July 4, BYD celebrated the inauguration of its Thailand plant and the production of its 8 millionth new energy vehicle in Rayong, Thailand, marking two milestones in the company's global expansion. The ceremony was attended by Ms. Pimphattra Wichaikul, Thailand's Minister of Industry; Mr. Han Zhiqiang, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand; Mr. Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary General of Thailand Board of Investment; as well as Mr. Wang Chuanfu, Chairman and President of BYD, among other senior executives of BYD Group. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240704357274/en/ Ceremony of BYD Thailand Plant Inauguration and Roll-off of BYD's 8 Millionth New Energy Vehicle (Photo: Business Wire) BYD completed its Thailand plant in just 16 months, with an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles. The facility encompasses processes of stamping, painting, welding, final assembly, and producing car components. It is projected to generate 10,000 jobs. BYD marked a historic moment by unveiling the Dolphin model as the 8 millionth new energy vehicle. Minister Pimphattra Wichaikul expressed high praise for BYD's outstanding contributions to the new energy vehicle sector: "BYD is a world-leading automobile manufacturer and a pioneer in China's new energy vehicle industry. BYD's investment in Thailand, along with its advanced production technology, will drive the development of the new energy vehicle industry in Thailand and across ASEAN" Ambassador Han Zhiqiang highlighted the close ties and enduring friendship between China and Thailand. He noted that BYD, an outstanding representative of the global new energy vehicle industry, has completed its Thailand plant and celebrated the roll-off of its 8 millionth new energy vehicle. This milestone not only marks a significant achievement for BYD but also a new chapter in the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Thailand in the field of new energy vehicles. At the event, Mr. Wang Chuanfu expressed gratitude to both governments, Thai customers, and partners for their strong support. He emphasized BYD's success in the Thai market, becoming the pure electric vehicle sales champion for eighteen months within the past two years. Currently, one in every three electric vehicles sold in Thailand is a BYD. Going forward, BYD aims to launch more pure electric and plug-in hybrid models in Thailand. As the global leader in new energy vehicles, BYD has significantly expanded its overseas presence in recent years. In 2023, it achieved a 337% year-on-year increase in exports, reaching 243,000 vehicles. In the first half of this year, BYD sold 1.607 million new energy vehicles globally, a 28% year-on-year increase, securing its position as the largest in the industry. Of these, over 203,000 were exported, showing a 173.8% year-on-year growth. As of now, BYD's new energy vehicles are present in 88 countries and regions worldwide, with passenger car production bases established in Thailand, Brazil, Hungary, and Uzbekistan. Since achieving the roll-off of its 1 millionth new energy vehicle in May 2021, BYD has reached the impressive milestone of 8 millionth vehicles in just over three years. Looking forward, BYD will continue to expand its global market presence, leveraging its advanced technology and innovative products to meet the diverse needs of consumers worldwide. As more overseas factories come into operation, BYD's global production capacity will progressively strengthen, further solidifying its leading position in the global new energy vehicle market. About BYD BYD is a multinational high-tech company devoted to leveraging technological innovations for a better life. Founded in 1995 as a rechargeable battery maker, BYD now boasts a diverse business scope covering automobiles, rail transit, new energy, and electronics, with over 30 industrial parks in China, the United States, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Hungary, and India. From energy generation and storage to its applications, BYD is dedicated to providing zero-emission energy solutions that reduce global reliance on fossil fuels. Its new energy vehicle footprint now covers 6 continents, over 70 countries and regions, and more than 400 cities. Listed in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, the company is known to be a Fortune Global 500 enterprise that furnishes innovations in pursuit of a greener world. About BYD Auto Founded in 2003, BYD Auto is the automotive subsidiary of BYD, a multinational high-tech company devoted to leveraging technological innovations for a better life. Aiming to accelerate the green transition of the global transportation sector, BYD Auto focuses on developing pure electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The company has mastered the core technologies of the entire industrial chain of new energy vehicles, such as batteries, electric motors, and electronic controllers. It has witnessed in recent years significant technological advancements, including the Blade Battery, DM-i Super Hybrid Technology, e Platform 3.0, CTB Technology, e Platform, BYD DiSus Intelligent Body Control System, and DMO super hybrid system. The company is the world's first carmaker to stop the production of fossil-fueled vehicles on the EV shift and has remained top of new energy passenger vehicle sales in China for 11 years in a row. For more information, please visit www.byd.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240704357274/en/ CATHAOIRLEACH of Carlow County Council cllr Fergal Browne and mayor of Carlow Municipal District cllr Fintan Phelan will both travel to Hungary this September as part of the Entente Florale international competition. Carlow Town was Irelands entry in the competition this year and the results will be announced at this international gathering in Hungary from 5 to 7 September. Approval for the trip was granted by members of Carlow County Council at their July meeting; however, People Before Profit's cllr Adrienne Wallace, a long-standing opponent of foreign trips, questioned if any members of Carlow Tidy Towns or the volunteers were travelling. They are the people who are doing the work day in, day out, she remarked. Also, how much is all this going to cost? Chief executive Coilin OReilly stated that it was the councils intention to bring a delegation of volunteers from Carlow and stated that a full costing of the trip will be made available to councillors. 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Cllr Willie Quinn urged the council to work with Waterways Ireland and the local superintendent before things get out of hand at the well-known beauty spot. He pointed to the problem of large numbers of people parked up in the area and the difficulties that this creates annually for local businesses and residents. Cllr Quinn suggested that the by-laws in the area were not strong enough and asked: Will we be able to get a garda when we want one? What is the situation? Chief executive Coilin OReilly stated that the council had a briefing with Waterways Ireland and confirmed that he would discuss the matter with gardai. He questioned the suggestion that the by-laws may need to be changed, adding that criminal behaviour did not need a by-law. I will have a conversation with Superintendent Farrell, Mr O'Reilly stated. James Cox Fences along the Grand Canal in Dublin, that were put up to stop homeless asylum seekers from pitching tents, were pulled down last night. It followed a protest in Portobello that called for the barriers to be removed along the waterway and for an end to the eviction of homeless people from the canal. A man in his 20s was arrested but was later released without charge. The protest was organised by a number of different groups, with 200 people in attendance. Members of An Garda Siochana removing barriers from the road which protesters pulled down, whilst the leader of the Labour Party Ivana Bacik cycles past after her constituents called her to express their concerns. Photo: Sam Boal/Collins Photos Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) and People Before Profit Dublin Bay South were among the groups involved in the protest. Chants of say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here were heard as a group of the protesters tore down the fencing. By Jonathan McCambridge and Cate McCurry, PA A fire has broken out at a disused factory in north Dublin following a protest over the site being earmarked to house asylum seekers. Gardai said on Friday evening that it was responding to a public order incident at the scene. A crowd of more than 1,000 people attended the protest at the former Crown Paints factory in Coolock which witnessed violent disorder this week. A large crowd gathered at the scene where a number of speeches were delivered outside the factory. The protest then moved to the Gardai station in Coolock before returning to the factory. The protest took place at a disused factory being earmarked to house asylum seekers (Cate McCurry/PA) People carried signs that read Irish Lives Matter and The Irish People. A number of motorists on the Malahide Road beeped their horns in support of the protest. There was a significant Gardai presence at the event. The protest was organised by a group called Coolock Says No protesting against government plans to use the former factory to house aslyum seekers. Organisers said in advance that it would be a peaceful event. After a number of the protesters dispersed, a fire broke out at the factory. A Gardai spokesperson said: Gardai are currently responding to a public order incident occurring at a premises on the Malahide Road, Coolock. A small fire which broke out at the same location a short time ago is being attended to by Dublin Fire Brigade. No injuries have been reported. A section of the Malahide Road, Coolock is currently closed in both directions. Motorists are advised to use an alternative route if travelling in this area. Taoiseach Simon Harris said the scenes at Coolock had gone beyond protest (Jacob King/PA) Earlier, Taoiseach Simon Harris warned that anyone who engages in thuggery and breaks the law while taking part in protests at Coolock will face the full rigour of the law. Speaking in Donegal, he said: In relation to protest, anybody in Ireland is legitimately entitled to protest, it is a key tenet of our democracy, and it is something I would always support the right that people have to protest. But I have to say what we have seen in recent days has not been that. What we have seen in recent days has been an attempt by a relatively small number of people to engage in lawlessness, to engage in thuggery and to engage in criminal activity. That is why there have been several arrests, it is why more than 19 people appeared before the courts in recent days. It is why a number of people have now been charged with criminal offences. Mr Harris said: What I really wont accept in any manner or means that when people engage in lawlessness, the first line of questioning being did the Gardai do their job? I am extremely proud of the job done by the men and women of An Garda Siochana. People who have put themselves in harms way while others threw bricks at them, lit fires, threw petrol bombs. I have a very clear understanding of the difference between protest and lawlessness, between protest and criminality. If you engage in protest you will be fully protected by the law. If you engage in lawlessness, if you cross the line and you engage in thuggery you will meet the full rigours of the law. The former Crown Paints factory witnessed violent disorder on Monday when Gardai came under sustained attack. A protester throws an object at officers as they deploy pepper spray (Niall Carson/PA) Fifteen people 13 men and two women appeared before a late-night sitting at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday, charged with a range of public order offences. Six others appeared in court on Tuesday. A number of Garda cars were damaged during the disturbances and public order officers used incapacitant spray on protesters who threw missiles at them. On Thursday evening, a separate fire broke out at the site. Dublin Fire Brigade said two fire engines had attended the scene. By PA Reporter A fire has broken out at a site earmarked to house asylum seekers in north Dublin. The former Crown Paints factory in Coolock has witnessed violent disorder this week amid protests at the accommodation plan. Gardai came under sustained attack at the disused factory through Monday. Fifteen people 13 men and two women appeared before a late-night sitting at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday, charged with a range of public order offences. Six others appeared in court on Tuesday. A number of Garda cars were damaged during the disturbances on Monday and public order officers used incapacitant spray on anti-immigration protesters who threw missiles at them. On Thursday evening, the Dublin Fire Brigade said two fire engines had attended the scene. In a statement, it said: The fire in a lobby area has been contained and we expect firefighting operations to be wound down soon. Late on Thursday night, gardai confirmed they were at the scene, with a spokeswoman describing it as a live and ongoing operation. By Jonathan McCambridge, PA The government needs to do more to tackle the rise in road deaths in Ireland, Taoiseach Simon Harris has said. Mr Harris has suggested examining the roles and functions of the Road Safety Authority as one of the steps that might be considered. The Taoiseach raised the issue during a visit to Donegal on Friday. A man and a woman aged in their 70s died in a car crash in the county on Wednesday. Mr Harris said: It has been a very bleak number of days on Irish roads with a number of fatalities including here in this county. I must reiterate my real concern in terms of the rising number of fatalities we are seeing on Irish roads. We were making good progress as a country when it came to road safety and a reduction in the number of road fatalities and I really do think now that all of us an individual motorists obviously need to reflect on the actions that we can take as we go about our activities during the course of this weekend. Of course our hearts go out to all of the families who have been impacted, who have lost loved ones in recent days. He added: From a policy point of view the government is giving consideration to what more we can do. The Road Safety Authority has done an excellent job over several years, do we now need to examine its roles and functions? Do we need to look at the supports, resources and empowerments that we give to the Road Safety Authority? I certainly believe we are at a moment now that more needs to be done when it comes to road safety and of course that involves government doing more. But it also obviously involves each and every one of us reflecting on what we can all do in our own individual lives. Fiona Magennis A violent offender repeatedly slashed and stabbed an acquaintance in the face with a "homemade shank", inflicting a cut so deep the victim's jaw was exposed, while shouting Im going to kill you in front of a city centre Garda station, a court has heard. Graham McGuinness (32), who has 53 previous convictions, was initially charged with the attempted murder of Martin Reilly. However, in June the 32-year-old pleaded guilty to the offence of causing serious harm and the State accepted his plea. Mr Reilly has been left with lifelong scars from the incident, the Central Criminal Court was told on Friday. While the attack was going on he feared for his life and believed he was going to die that night, the court heard. Garda James Seymour told Grainne ONeill BL, prosecuting, that McGuinness and Mr Reilly were both in the vicinity of Busaras in the early hours of June 11th, 2020 waiting for a bus when an altercation occurred. He confirmed that the two men were known to each other prior to this event. A copy of CCTV footage of the incident was provided to Ms Justice Karen OConnor after she was informed that the court system was down. The court heard on June 10th, Mr Reilly had been out and about in various places and, by his own admission, had been looking to source drugs to feed his own habit. Garda Seymour said later that night at around 12:30am, both men were waiting for a bus at Store Street close to Busaras when an altercation occurred, and Mr McGuinness tried to slash Mr Reillys neck before stabbing and slashing at the victim numerous times. While this unfolded, McGuinness was repeatedly heard shouting Im going to kill you, Gda Seymour said. He said the attack continued as Mr Reilly tried to escape and the pair moved from the entrance of Busaras towards Store Street Garda Station. Garda Seymour said Mr Reilly then stepped out in front of a Luas line in an attempt to try and get help. The garda said he was on his way back to Store Street where the incident was occurring and immediately intervened. He confirmed to Ms ONeill that while the attack was taking place, Mr Reilly believed that the Stanley blade brandished by McGuinness was a knife and feared for his life. He said it was Mr Reillys belief that he was going to die that night. The court heard the blade was wrapped in tissue at the bottom to create a makeshift handle. Gda Seymour said victim also told gardai that there was no reason for the attack to occur at that time. McGuinness of Riverview, Blackcastle Avenue, Flower Hill, Navan, Co Meath, had previously been charged with the attempted murder of Mr Reilly on June 11th, 2020, at Store Street in Dublin 1. He was further charged that at the same time and date he produced a "homemade shank" in a manner likely to intimidate another person and that he caused serious harm to Mr Reilly, contrary to section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997. Gda Seymour said he observed Mr Reilly bleeding profusely from numerous wounds. He saw McGuinness getting onto a bus and observed him discard the knife and make his way towards the back of the bus in an attempt to evade capture. Mr Reilly sustained multiple slash wounds to his arms, torso and face, including one gash to his face in which his jawbone was exposed. The multiple lacerations all over his arms and his back were of various degrees of depth and length, the garda said. The court heard the main impact of the assault was the permanent scarring Mr Reilly has been left with. He was offered the opportunity to prepare a Victim Impact Statement but chose not to do so, Gda Seymour confirmed. McGuinness has 53 previous convictions, including those for violent disorder, a threat to kill or cause serious harm, criminal damage, burglary and possession of drugs. Under cross-examination, Gda Seymour told Eanna Molloy SC, for McGuinness, that there was nothing on the CCTV to indicate any particular trigger for the incident as the footage does not have sound. He confirmed there had been some trouble between the two individuals in the past. Ms ONeill told the court the director's view is that the offence lies on the cusp of the middle and upper levels, with the middle level band attracting a sentence of between four and ten years and the upper level between ten and 15 years. McGuinness read out a short statement to the court himself, offering his sincere apologies to Martin Reilly for what he said had been the most regrettable moment of my life. He said he is no longer the same person he used to be and has done his utmost to turn his life around. Mr Molloy told the court McGuinness comes from a very tangled family background and said the defendants mother had been in custody at the time of his birth. He has experienced a cornucopia of troubles over the years with various layers of addiction, counsel said, adding his two sisters were with the defendant in court to support him. McGuinness is an enhanced prisoner, is on a drug-free landing and is working to achieve his educational goals, the lawyer said. The previous tailspin into mayhem and chaos, those periods of his life, he believes, are behind him now and he is making every effort to ensure he will not return to them, said Mr Molloy. Ms Justice Karen OConnor directed that a Probation Report and an updated Governors Report be prepared and adjourned the matter to October 9th for finalisation. TV licence changes, unrest in Coolock, and plans to raise the value of homes exempt from inheritance tax are among the stories that feature on Friday's front pages. The Irish Times leads with a story on planned changes to how the TV licence is collected. The ongoing unrest at a building earmarked for asylum seekers in Coolock is the lead story in the Irish Examiner. Homes valued up to 400,000 could be exempt from inheritance tax in new plans for Budget 2025, the Irish Independent reports. The Echo leads with excitement in Cork ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland hurling final. The Irish Sun leads with a story on allegations of inappropriate behaviour behind the scenes at Strictly Come Dancing. A story on Maya Jama and Stormzy's breakup also makes the front page. Today's front page of The Irish Sun pic.twitter.com/bzQmtvwTKZ The Irish Sun (@IrishSunOnline) July 19, 2024 The Irish Daily Star leads with a story on a man charged over a death threat to Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. Fridays front page pic.twitter.com/18V19OgsGs Irish Daily Star (@isfearranstar) July 19, 2024 The Irish Daily Mail leads with a story on TV licence reform. Barack Obama's doubts about Joe Biden's re-election bid also make the front page. For all the big news, pick up Friday's Irish Daily Mail pic.twitter.com/RAi1cWw3yK The Irish Daily Mail (@irishdailymail) July 18, 2024 The Herald leads with a story on a drive-by shooting. In the North, the Belfast Telegraph leads with an interview with a sexual abuse victim. The Irish News leads with a story on calls for the UK Covid Inquiry to go further. Today's #frontPage Families bereaved by Covid call for inquiry to go further Still no date for Stormont policy plan pic.twitter.com/Lp43nTtkNy The Irish News (@irish_news) July 19, 2024 A group of environmental activists jailed for planning to cause chaos on the M25 take centre stage on Fridays UK front pages as five Just Stop Oil activists were sentenced to prison. The Guardian, The Times and Daily Telegraph lead with the record length of the groups co-founder Robert Hallams sentence, the longest for a non-violent protest in living memory. THE GUARDIAN: Just Stop Oil activitists given record jail terms #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/bfyhHYYPHH Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 18, 2024 THE TIMES: Record five year jail term for Just Stop Oils founder #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/OdlLQF23sc Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 18, 2024 The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph: Fanatical XR founder jailed for five years#TomorrowsPapersToday Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/NT4WZhCrti The Telegraph (@Telegraph) July 18, 2024 The Daily Mail also splashes on the sentencing with a headline saying the judge speaks for us all on eco-fanatics. DAILY MAIL: Judge who spoke for all of us on eco-fanatics #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/Y1wsAYXbDL Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 18, 2024 Across the pond, the Financial Times reports on mounting pressure on US president Joe Biden to step down from the 2024 presidential race. FINANCIAL TIMES: Obama and Pelosi add to doubts over Bidens chances #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/qYVt1lhWEx Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 18, 2024 Back on British soil, the Daily Mirror and theThe Independent lead with a damning final report into former prime minister Boris Johnsons handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the headline declaring the Tories failed us all. INDEPENDENT: State failed us all over Covid leading to mass fatalities #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/DxerqS1dSx Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) July 18, 2024 The Metro reveals a damning report on a man who was jailed for 17 years after being wrongfully convicted of rape. Tomorrow's Paper Today JUST GO! Justice Secretary seeks to sack legal chief for years of failure that left an innocent man to rot in prison #tomorrowspapertoday pic.twitter.com/svdjt3LPp9 Metro (@MetroUK) July 18, 2024 The front page of the Daily Express features a story on a British vessel taking migrants back to France as governments cooperate on the small boat crisis. The i focuses on Labours planned worker reforms, saying the new rules would give employees the right to ignore messages and calls from their bosses on evenings and weekends. Friday's front page: Workers to get right to ignore their emails under new rules #TomorrowsPapersToday Latest from @janemerrick23 here: https://t.co/DtpPe1BNjK pic.twitter.com/YnnCpehBFJ i newspaper (@theipaper) July 18, 2024 Lastly, the Daily Star splashes on the mercury rising across the UK with some areas expected to experience temperatures of above 30C. The New York Times leads with Donald Trump's appearance at the Republican National Convention. The first FAO Technical Workshop on the Implementation of the One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) Initiative for Demonstration Countries was held in China's Sanya, focusing on the green development of specialty agricultural products. #GLOBALink US cement sales rose in April ICR Newsroom By 19 July 2024 Total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico amounted to 9.232Mt in April, up 5.9 per cent YoY from the 8.719Mt recorded in April 2023. Excluding for imports and sales to Puerto Rico, cement consumption in the US rose 5.9 per cent YoY to 9.11Mt, up from 8.6Mt a year earlier. The key district for shipments was the Mountain and Pacific region accounting for 1.629Mt, up 2.3 per cent YoY. Masonry cement shipments amounted to 202,211t, up 5.4 per cent YoY, with Florida accounting for 53,252t, up 12.9 per cent YoY from April 2023. Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, saw a 6.5 per cent YoY decline in April to 5.502Mt, from 5.885Mt a year earlier. The Mountain and Pacific region was the main producing district accounting for 1.348Mt, an increase of 5.8 per cent YoY. Hydraulic cement, including white cement, and clinker imports amounted to 2.288Mt an increase of 5.2 per cent YoY. January-April 2024 In the January-April 2024 period, total shipments of Portland and blended cement, including imports, in the US and Puerto Rico amounted to 30.556Mt, down 1.9 per cent YoY from the 31.152Mt recorded in the same period of 2023. Excluding for imports and sales to Puerto Rico, cement consumption in the US fell 1.4 per cent YoY to 30.241Mt, down from 30.671Mt in January-April 2023. Masonry cement shipments amounted to 732,000t, down 5.9 per cent YoY from 777,437t. Clinker production, excluding Puerto Rico, amounted to 20.733Mt, down 6.6 per cent YoY, from 22.195Mt in January-April 2023. Hydraulic cement, including white cement, and clinker imports amounted to 7.783Mt, a decline of 2.2 per cent YoY from January-April 2023. Turkey was the key exporter accounting for 2.365Mt, down 6.4 per cent YoY, followed by Vietnam (1.241Mt, up 32.7 per cent YoY), Canada (1.228Mt, up 11.2 per cent YoY) and Greece (686,368t, down 24.4 per cent YoY). White cement imports amounted to 732,777t in January-April 2024, down 3.3 per cent YoY. Turkey was the key exporter of white cement (481,474t, up 4.3 per cent YoY). Imported clinker amounted to 232,659t, up 55.6 per cent YoY. Algeria the key exporter of clinker to the US (78,805t). Published under Sheriff Austin Garrett officially deputized five Chattanooga Housing Authority Police Department officers as special deputies with the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office on Wednesday.Chattanooga Housing Authority police officers are responsible for law enforcement operations on properties owned or managed by the Chattanooga Housing Authority.Public safety partnerships such as this demonstrate our agencys commitment to utilize every resource available to mitigate crime and find those who seek to victimize our community.Deputizing these Chattanooga Housing Authority officers will allow them to conduct investigations into criminal activity and incidents involving the more than 4,000 Chattanooga Housing Authority Choice Voucher Holders throughout Hamilton County, said Sheriff Garrett. Keith Sanford, president and CEO of the Tennessee Aquarium, announced his upcoming retirement to the Aquariums board of trustees, staff, and volunteers on Thursday. Mr. Sanford expressed gratitude for the support he received during his tenure, which included both historic highs and unprecedented challenges. Im proud of the entire team. Thanks to our visitor services and education staff, we are continuously ranked as one of the worlds top aquariums. We have innovative animal experts who provide the highest standards of care and a group of leading freshwater scientists who conduct vital research and restoration projects throughout the Southeast, Mr. Sanford said. And during some of our most challenging days in 2020, everyone was able to work together in a truly inspiring way to push past the uncertainty of that time and bounce back stronger than ever. The board of trustees elected Mr. Sanford as the aquariums fourth president and CEO on Feb. 23, 2016. The former First Tennessee market president has spent 44 years working in downtown Chattanooga. During that period, the city has experienced monumental changes, especially since May 1, 1992,when the Tennessee Aquarium first opened. I brought my children to the Aquarium on opening day, and for the first time, there was excitement and a community spirit that we hadnt felt before, Mr. Sanford said. When I bring my grandchildren to the aquarium today, its still thrilling to see people from around the world who have been drawn to downtown Chattanooga by the aquarium experience. Mr. Sanford credited his team for the nonprofit organizations achievements under his direction, including the opening of the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (TNACI) and several major galleries such as Lemur Forest, Island Life, Turtles of the World, and Ridges to Rivers. Other accomplishments include the addition of IMAX with Laser and new seating at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater, staff restructuring to focus on critical areas of Conservation, Education, Guest Experience, and Development, and the creation of a Director of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity position. Another milestone was instituting a plan to retire the Aquariums long-term debt and increase financial stability. Mr. Sanfords service to the aquarium will conclude at the end of December. Keiths leadership has been exceptional, and he is leaving the aquarium in great shape for the next president and CEO, said Valoria Armstrong, chair of the aquariums board of trustees. We have engaged ThinkingAhead Executive Search, a Nashville-based nonprofit leadership search firm, to help us recruit Keiths successor. ThinkingAhead will cast a wide net to deliver high-caliber candidates to the aquariums board of trustees for consideration to name the Aquariums fifth president and CEO by early January. Im confident that the boards selection committee will have several outstanding candidates to interview. The aquariums impeccable reputation, record of financial stewardship, and experienced staff make this a rare and highly desirable position. Each year, the aquarium delivers an economic impact of $187 million. More than 1,500 jobs are supported by the aquariums operating and capital expenditures, along with the spending of visitors from outside of Chattanooga. A recent economic impact study indicates that $9 million in tax revenue is generated for the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County to support essential services. As an educational resource, the aquarium contributes $2.2 million each year through free student admissions and program support for education groups and other area nonprofits. Over 30,000 underserved students are admitted free of charge in an average year. The Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (TNACI) is a leading voice for freshwater science, particularly in the Southeast. TNACI researchers collaborate with various conservation partners and stakeholders to study and protect the regions diverse aquatic animals. The Saving the Sturgeon program has become well-known for a collaborative effort that has raised and released more than 330,000 Lake Sturgeon into the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. Efforts to restore Southern Appalachian Brook Trout have also proven very successful, with released fish repopulating streams within the cool mountain streams of the Cherokee National Forest. Mr. Sanford expects the Aquariums future to be even more successful, thanks to broad community support and exceptional people. He said, I have been extremely fortunate to have such a dedicated team. They continuously push themselves to drive positive change. Were embarking on an exciting master plan that features some bold ideas for the aquarium over the next 10 to 20 years. Im confident that my successor will find themself surrounded by an energized team and supportive philanthropic community. Together, theyll tackle some incredible projects that will be immeasurably impactful for the organization, the city, and region. Mr. Sanford assured the aquariums board of trustees of his commitment to a smooth transition and offered to assist the incoming CEO in an advisory capacity if needed. Aquarium President/CEO and Tenure: The city of Red Bank is conducting studies for many large projects that will guide the city for years to come. A presentation of a comprehensive plan for the city as a whole will be given at public meeting at the community center next Thursday from 6-7:30 p.m. Citizens are asked to attend and give their vision for the citys future. At that meeting the result of the small area study regarding the site of the former Red Bank Middle School property will also be discussed. Another comprehensive plan, specific to parks and recreation, has just been completed and was submitted to the commissioners at the Tuesday evening council meeting. Parks and Rec Manager Jeffrey Grabe said that a comprehensive parks plan will help the city apply for and receive federal grants. A vote to formally accept the plan will be voted on at the Aug. 6 commission meeting. Nobody in the city government now knows when the public works facility was built, but it is common knowledge that it is in bad condition. A resolution was passed that authorized a contract with Barge Design Solutions for professional services to do a financial feasibility and environmental efficiencies study for constructing a new public works building that also includes the probable construction cost estimate. The study is not to exceed $210,000 and it will be paid with American Rescue Plan Act funds. Stormwater inlet grates for storm sewers have been a problem for bicycles in Red Bank. Due to the design and orientation of them, bicycle tires get stuck in the gaps. Public Works Director Greg Tate reported that the work has started for replacing the old grates with new ones that are designed to be bike friendly. So far, 17 drain covers have been replaced along Dayton Boulevard, which cost $13,000. Director Tate received approval Tuesday night from the commissioners for the public works department to replace 29 more for an additional cost of $22,540. The work was budgeted and will come from the State Street Aid fund. Red Bank Baptist Church at 4000 Dayton Blvd. was authorized to use the city right-of-way behind the church to install a handicap ramp. The ramp will create a transition between the different elevations of the church and the parking lot for better accessibility into the building. Approval was given to update the citys wrecker ordinance that establishes regulations for the operation of wreckers and wrecker services within Red Bank. It will govern tows that originate with the city, such as when needed after a wreck. The regulations have been modernized, said Police Chief Dan Seymour. A new fee schedule in conjunction with the revised ordinance was also passed. The charges that are now allowed in Red Bank more closely match rates in other surrounding cities. Red Bank citizen Freddie Hanner was appointed to the citys non-profit citizens advisory board. A resolution was passed that recognizes July 19 as Park and Recreation Professionals Day. Parks Manager Grabe was recognized for his work to improve Red Banks parks. Upcoming community events include a Movie Night on Friday at the community center. There will be food trucks and free popcorn and the movie will be Finding Nemo. A mini-farmers market will be held at Red Bank City Park on Saturday from 9 a.m. until noon. Artists are encouraged to apply for the opportunity to decorate traffic signal boxes in the city with the theme of Southern birds. The deadline to apply is July 23. More information is available on Red Banks website. Here is the latest Hamilton County arrest report. (If your case is dismissed, just email us your name and date we ran it and we will promptly take off. Email to news@chattanoogan.com) ARNOLD, CODY SHANE 9322 SMITH CEMETERY CIRCLE SODDY DAISY, 37379 Age at Arrest: 31 years old Arresting Agency: Soddy Daisy POSS OF SCHEDULE II POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA BANTHER, WALTER EUGENE 9025 BRAMLETT ROAD HARRISON, 37341 Age at Arrest: 64 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE PUBLIC INTOXICATION BAUGHN, JEFFREY MARK 727 EAST 11TH STREET CHATTANOOGA, 374164401 Age at Arrest: 45 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY VIOLATION OF SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY BLEDSOE, BROOK LEE 11119 OOLTEWAH GEORGETOWN RD GEORGETOWN, 37341 Age at Arrest: 50 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF PROBATION (CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION) VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHE VIOLATION OF PROBATION (CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT) BRAVO MORALES, BILLY STEVEN 26828 CARR ST CHATTANOOGA, 37408 Age at Arrest: 25 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD PUBLIC INTOXICATION BROOKS, TORREY DEWAYNE 742 HENDERSON DR Chattanooga, 374112315 Age at Arrest: 45 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD AGGRAVATED ASSAULT THEFT POSSESSION OF A HANDGUN WITH A PRIOR FELONY CONVIC ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING BRYANT, JOHNNY CLAY 3121 BOYD AVE GROBES, 385726115 Age at Arrest: 34 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF PROBATION (BURGLARY OF A BUSINESS VIOLATION OF PROBATION (ESCAPE) BYRD, MICHAEL LEBRON 7126 ROLLINS MARY DRIVE HIXSON, 37343 Age at Arrest: 39 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD CRIMINAL TRESPASSING DISORDERLY CONDUCT POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA CARTER, JOHNNY CLARENCE 1108 CRUTCHFIELD ST Chattanooga, 374062325 Age at Arrest: 35 years old Arresting Agency: Chatt St Police CRIMINAL TRESPASSING EVADING ARREST POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE CHAMAM JALA, ELIAS DOESNT KNOW IT EAST RIDGE, 37412 Age at Arrest: 31 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE DRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE CHUBB, CARLSTONIA MONTEZ 4361 MONTVIEW DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37411 Age at Arrest: 40 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE EVADING ARREST RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED POSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONY DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE DRIVING WHILE IN POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE 5 G POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE DANIELEY, THOMAS RAY 4606 NORCROSS RD HIXSON, 37343 Age at Arrest: 35 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DUNCAN, SAMANTHA ELIZABETH 144 OLD SCHOOL RD DAYTON, 37321 Age at Arrest: 28 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTITUTIONSFREEMAN, DEMETRIUS LEVON727 E 11 Th St Chattanooga, 37403Age at Arrest: 50 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDASSAULTTHEFT OF PROPERTYEVADING ARRESTGABBERT, JORDAN STARR3634 STEPHENS RD NE UNIT 72 CLEVELAND, 373125765Age at Arrest: 26 years oldArresting Agency: HC Sheriff(VIOLATION OF PROBATION) CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTIGARRETT, LEMONTE MICHAEL3003 E 30th St Chattanooga, 374071621Age at Arrest: 24 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDCONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTITUTIONSDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEGRIFFITH, DESMOND MONTEZ2012 RUBY ST CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest: 22 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffCONTEMPT OF COURTHIGENBOTTOM, JEFFREY NELSON349 POPLAR STREET SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest: 54 years oldArresting Agency:POSS OF SCHEDULE 11HUDSON, DESMOND DEUNTA2405 DOOLITTLE ST CHATTANOOGA, 374062206Age at Arrest: 29 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIASPEEDINGJOHNSON, JACORY MARTAE2607 GLENWOOD PWY CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDAGGRAVATED CRIMINAL TRESPASSDISORDERLY CONDUCTJOINER, GARY LORENZO5875 STONEWALL DR HARRISON, 373414924Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffVIOLATION OF PROBATION (DOMESTIC ASSAULT)VIOLATION OF PROBATION (FRAUDULENT USE OF CREDIT OJONES, LEKISHA N1101 BELMEADE AVE Chattanooga, 374111411Age at Arrest: 23 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDASSAULTKUPKOVITS, SARAH BETH1746 SEDGEFIELD DRIVE OOLTEWAH, 37363Age at Arrest: 40 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffPUBLIC INTOXICATIONLANGSTON, HERMAN ELLIS1710 UNION AVE CHATTANOOGA, 374043527Age at Arrest: 44 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDFAILURE TO APPEARDOMESTIC ASSAULTLEASTER, DEMARVIUS KENDELL2419 NORTH CREST ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 374052241Age at Arrest: 27 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffTAMPERING WITH OR FABRICATING EVIDENCEPOSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMEDCONTROLLED SUBSTANCES SCHEDULE VIMARTIN, ISAIAH TYLER100 NORTH HOWELL RD CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 24 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDISORDERLY CONDUCTPUBLIC INTOXICATIONMCCORKLE, MICHAEL LEBRON3225 PLAZA CIRCLE CHATTANOOGA, 37419Age at Arrest: 49 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffVIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHEMITCEHLL, WANESSA LYN EVETTE727 EAST 11TH STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37403Age at Arrest: 39 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDASSAULTMOORER, JESSICA LASHELL2619 CARR ST CHATTANOOGA, 374083029Age at Arrest: 34 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDAGGRAVATED ASSAULTPASLEY, RICKEY DONAIL6305 TALLADEGA AVENUE CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 69 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgeALIAS CAPIAS DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCPEREZ RECINOS, NOLBERTO BONIFACIO3055 NORTH TEMPLE AVE INDIANAPOLIS, 46218Age at Arrest: 37 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffDRIVING LEFT OF CENTER LINEDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEREED, MATHEW ALLEN6918 LOVELANE HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 37 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffFAILURE TO APPEARROACH, CASEY DEWAYNE7010 SYLAR RD OOLTEWAH, 37363Age at Arrest: 46 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDPOSS. OF HANDGUN WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCEDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCERUSS, LAUREN MICHELLE409 MAY ST CHATTANOOGA, 37405Age at Arrest: 26 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDTHEFT OF PROPERTY (CONDUCT INVOLV.MERCHANDISE)SHAVER, SCOTT ANDREW7710 E BRAINERD RD, APT 815 CHATTANOOGA, 374215901Age at Arrest: 34 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDVIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION OR RESTRAINING ORDOMESTIC ASSAULTSIMPSON, JIMMY DEWAYNE727 E 11TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37403Age at Arrest: 64 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDVIOLATION OF PROBATION (CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTITSKILLERN, CHARLES EDWARD4407 INWOOD LN CHATTANOOGA, 374163716Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCESMITH, RANDALL KEITH9122 DALLAS HOLLOW ROAD HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 43 years oldArresting Agency: Soddy DaisyPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAPOSS OFSCHEDULE IISMITH, RODNEY BRYAN5144 IRVIN RD CHATTANOOGA, 37416Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffFAILURE TO APPEARSMITH, TIFFANY L1574 DALLAS LAKE ROAD HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 37 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffVIOLATION OF PROBATION (SIMPLE ASSAULT0VIOLATION OF PROBATION (DOMESTIC ASSAULT)STARLING, DARRIUS MARSHON800 MCCALLIE AVE CHATTANOOGA, 374032612Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDPUBLIC INTOXICATIONPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIATRIPP, THOMAS JAMES2410 CRESCENT CLUB DR HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 36 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffVIOLATION OF PROTECTION ORDER OR RESTRAINING ORDERDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYREGISTRATION, IMPROPER DISPLAY OF PLATESUPSHAW, COLUMBUS ROME187 KEY WEST AVE Rossville, 30741Age at Arrest: 29 years oldArresting Agency:THEFT OF PROPERTYWATKINS, TORRICK WYKEE4814 PAWNEE TRL CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffNONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORTNONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORTNONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORTWILLIAMSON, CHARLES RUSSELL7360 TIERCEL DR OOLTEWAH, 37363Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffSPEEDINGRECKLESS DRIVINGDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEOPEN CONTAINER LAWWILSON-SMITH, MALLARI RESHEA4905 CENTRAL AVE APT 320 CHATTANOOGA, 37410Age at Arrest: 39 years oldArresting Agency: HC Sheriff(VIOLATION OF PROBATION) THEFT OF PROPERTYYOUNG, JULIAN DALE8333 MIDDLE VALLEY RD HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 68 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDCRIMINAL TRESPASSINGCRIMINAL LITTERINGPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAPOSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING) Here are the mug shots: ARNOLD, CODY SHANE Age at Arrest: 31 Date of Birth: 10/04/1992 Arresting Agency: Soddy Daisy Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): POSS OF SCHEDULE II POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA BANTHER, WALTER EUGENE Age at Arrest: 64 Date of Birth: 02/01/1960 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE PUBLIC INTOXICATION BAUGHN, JEFFREY MARK Age at Arrest: 45 Date of Birth: 07/13/1979 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY VIOLATION OF SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY BRAVO MORALES, BILLY STEVEN Age at Arrest: 25 Date of Birth: 09/24/1998 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): PUBLIC INTOXICATION BROOKS, TORREY DEWAYNE Age at Arrest: 45 Date of Birth: 04/17/1978 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): AGGRAVATED ASSAULT THEFT POSSESSION OF A HANDGUN WITH A PRIOR FELONY CONVIC ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED KIDNAPPING BYRD, MICHAEL LEBRON Age at Arrest: 39 Date of Birth: 12/12/1984 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): CRIMINAL TRESPASSING DISORDERLY CONDUCT POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA CARTER, JOHNNY CLARENCE Age at Arrest: 35 Date of Birth: 05/01/1987 Arresting Agency: Chatt St Police Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): CRIMINAL TRESPASSING EVADING ARREST POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE CHUBB, CARLSTONIA MONTEZ Age at Arrest: 40 Date of Birth: 10/21/1983 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE EVADING ARREST RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED POSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONY DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE DRIVING WHILE IN POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE 5 G POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE DANIELEY, THOMAS RAY Age at Arrest: 35 Date of Birth: 12/23/1988 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FREEMAN, DEMETRIUS LEVON Age at Arrest: 50 Date of Birth: 07/24/1973 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): ASSAULT THEFT OF PROPERTY EVADING ARREST GABBERT, JORDAN STARR Age at Arrest: 26 Date of Birth: 12/27/1997 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): (VIOLATION OF PROBATION) CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTI GARRETT, LEMONTE MICHAEL Age at Arrest: 24 Date of Birth: 08/22/1999 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE GRIFFITH, DESMOND MONTEZ Age at Arrest: 22 Date of Birth: 08/06/2001 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): CONTEMPT OF COURT HIGENBOTTOM, JEFFREY NELSON Age at Arrest: 54 Date of Birth: 07/26/1968 Arresting Agency: Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): POSS OF SCHEDULE 11 HUDSON, DESMOND DEUNTA Age at Arrest: 29 Date of Birth: 08/16/1994 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA SPEEDING JOHNSON, JACORY MARTAE Age at Arrest: 25 Date of Birth: 06/02/1999 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): AGGRAVATED CRIMINAL TRESPASS DISORDERLY CONDUCT JOINER, GARY LORENZO Age at Arrest: 31 Date of Birth: 02/28/1993 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING) POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA POSSESSION OF LEGEND DRUGS W/O PRESCRIPTION JONES, LEKISHA N Age at Arrest: 23 Date of Birth: 11/04/1978 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): ASSAULT KUPKOVITS, SARAH BETH Age at Arrest: 40 Date of Birth: 10/08/1983 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): PUBLIC INTOXICATION LANGSTON, HERMAN ELLIS Age at Arrest: 44 Date of Birth: 08/22/1979 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): FAILURE TO APPEAR DOMESTIC ASSAULT MARTIN, ISAIAH TYLER Age at Arrest: 24 Date of Birth: 09/30/1999 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): DISORDERLY CONDUCT PUBLIC INTOXICATION MCCORKLE, MICHAEL LEBRON Age at Arrest: 49 Date of Birth: 02/17/1975 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHE MOORER, JESSICA LASHELL Age at Arrest: 34 Date of Birth: 06/29/1990 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): AGGRAVATED ASSAULT REED, MATHEW ALLEN Age at Arrest: 37 Date of Birth: 01/03/1987 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): FAILURE TO APPEAR RUSS, LAUREN MICHELLE Age at Arrest: 26 Date of Birth: 11/10/1997 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY (CONDUCT INVOLV.MERCHANDISE) SIMPSON, JIMMY DEWAYNE Age at Arrest: 64 Date of Birth: 06/13/1960 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION (CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTIT SKILLERN, CHARLES EDWARD Age at Arrest: 32 Date of Birth: 02/02/1992 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE SMITH, RANDALL KEITH Age at Arrest: 43 Date of Birth: 12/02/1980 Arresting Agency: Soddy Daisy Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA POSS OFSCHEDULE II SMITH, RODNEY BRYAN Age at Arrest: 31 Date of Birth: 07/11/1991 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): FAILURE TO APPEAR STARLING, DARRIUS MARSHON Age at Arrest: 32 Date of Birth: 08/01/1991 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): PUBLIC INTOXICATION POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA TRIPP, THOMAS JAMES Age at Arrest: 36 Date of Birth: 11/19/1987 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROTECTION ORDER OR RESTRAINING ORDER DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REGISTRATION, IMPROPER DISPLAY OF PLATES UPSHAW, COLUMBUS ROME Age at Arrest: 29 Date of Birth: 10/20/1994 Arresting Agency: Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY WATKINS, TORRICK WYKEE Age at Arrest: 32 Date of Birth: 04/28/1992 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): NONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORT NONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORT NONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORT WILSON-SMITH, MALLARI RESHEA Age at Arrest: 39 Date of Birth: 01/08/1985 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): (VIOLATION OF PROBATION) THEFT OF PROPERTY YOUNG, JULIAN DALE Age at Arrest: 68 Date of Birth: 06/30/1956 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 07/18/2024 Charge(s): CRIMINAL TRESPASSING CRIMINAL LITTERING POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING) The County School Board on Thursday voted 10-0 to approve a one-year contract to provide mental health services to students. Board member Rhonda Thurman was absent. Patricia Russell, executive director for Social Emotional and Academic Development, had told the board, "I am requesting that the Board approve the attached Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Hamilton County Department of Education, Division of Exceptional Education, and Centerstone Community Mental Health Centers, Inc. "The purpose of this MOU is to provide school-based mental health services, in Hamilton County Schools, for students exhibiting significant emotional and behavioral challenges. - Centerstone offers school-based services within many Tennessee schools. Providing integrated mental health treatment for children and adolescents, school-based therapists/case managers work within preschool, elementary, middle and high school classrooms helping students overcome behavioral, emotional, or social problems that interfere with success at school and at home. Common issues may include: - Aggression - Anxiety - Depression - Isolation - Poor social skills - Stress - Trauma - Truancy "School-Based Therapists help students reduce disruptive behavior and improve self-monitoring skills. Integrated as members of the school team, therapists/case managers serve youth in a familiar setting, offering little interruption to their school day. School-based services include: - Individual and group therapy - Family counseling - Classroom observations - Risk assessments, as needed (suicidal or homicidal)? Specialized training and support services for parents and teachers - Collaboration with other community providers - Linkage to additional community resources "Teachers, school counselors, principals, and parents refer students into the program. Programs may be funded by state or federal grants, or TennCare. HCDE will not be asked to pay for or bill for any services. We will only be referring students, based on needs. All funding is handled by Centerstone." Claire Touliatos, a May graduate from Lee Universitys School of Nursing, has returned from Tanzania where she had the opportunity to learn about their culture and educate the women on healthcare. During her time as a nursing student at Lee, it was always apparent that Claire had a heart for missions, said Dr. Amy Jo Perry, dean of Lees School of Nursing. She is a great example of how God equips those He has called. I'm so proud of her desire to serve and her willingness to use what she has learned to help others. Ms. Touliatos travelled to the Maasai land in Tanzania where she spent three weeks getting to know the residents and teaching the women about menstrual cycles, planning pregnancies, and how to prevent, identify, and treat common infections associated with the female reproductive system. She was also able to provide much-needed products for the women. It was eye opening to see how many women have lived so long and do not know anything about their bodies because they have never been taught, said Ms. Touliatos. Some of the women I spoke with had no idea they even had an organ called a uterus. According to Ms. Touliatos, her most memorable part of the trip was sharing what she had learned to others, and that her time at Lee allowed her to help the members of the village holistically, not just medically. I got to pray over the women and their children, said Ms. Touliatos. I can see the Lord opening up doors for the Gospel to be spread through the teaching and promoting of womens health. For more information about Lees School of Nursing, visit leeuniversity.edu/academics/nursing/. Well-known Ringgold, Ga., criminal defense trial lawyer, McCracken Poston, Jr., on Friday spoke to the Chattanooga Civitan Club about his new book. Zenith Man is a true story about a man he defended in court, who he said was falsely accused of murdering and kidnapping his wife. Attorney Poston said it was determined long after his trial that his client was Autistic. This led to more revelations, and his client was later ruled not guilty. Neal Thompson, club program chairman, said, "This book is a best seller and has captured the interest of the public. "Attorney Poston, a former Georgia state representative, has been involved in other cases that have appeared as stories on Dateline, CNN, and also on MSNBC. "He is known by the legal community as a fighter for his clients . The attorney came from humble origins and answered several questions from the members at the conclusion of his presentation." Here's what a royal correspondent says the Duchess of Sussex would be enjoying now if she and Prince Harry never stepped down. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shocked people around the world when they stepped down from their roles within the royal family. One of the reasons their decision was so surprising is because many fans thought they were going to work alongside Prince William, the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton), and the rest of the royal family to champion causes they care about. But some believe working alongside others isnt what Meghan wanted. Well now a royal commentator is pointing out how if the duchess had decided to remain a working royal, she would have gotten her wish today. Royal expert says Meghan wouldnt be playing second fiddle now if she stuck it out Royal correspondent Sarah Hewson discussed the topic during an episode of The Suns Royal Exclusive show. She explained that with the king and Kate both undergoing treatment for cancer and taking breaks from royal duties, Meghan and Harry would be the ones out and about and receiving the most fanfare now. Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton attend the Royal Foundation Forum | CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Hewson said: Were told Meghan didnt like playing second fiddle. Well, [the Sussexes] wouldnt have been playing second fiddle right now would they? They would have been front and center, and they could have played such a key role. And I think its really, really sad to see just how things have changed. [Harry] and Meghan both actually could have made such a difference. And particularly now, when you look at the royal family, and how difficult and how thin on the ground they have been, over the past few months with the absence of the king, the Princess of Wales, of course, weve had Princess Annes ill health lately as well. Hewson added: When Harry spoke people listened. And when Harry wanted something done, it was done. And you saw that in Lesotho with Sentebale and that the pride that he got from something that hes that started as a gap year project for him to then a lasting legacy of project making a difference to a generation of young people, children, many of whom have been orphaned by HIV and AIDS who contracted the disease themselves in the AIDS epidemic. Prince Harry walking off stage at the 2024 ESPYs | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for W+P Author and commentator Douglas Murray agrees and opined that the Sussexes leaving was really such a sad turn for Prince Harry, who could have done great things for many people. There was an awful lot he could have been a really meaningful figurehead for and, like his grandfather the late [Prince Philip] who set up the Duke of Edinburgh awards, that could have been the Prince Harry awards, Murray told Sky News Australia host Rita Panahi. He could have done so much with his life and the position he had because of the benefits of the birth he had. Instead, he took this other way. He took the Montecito highway. The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is awarding the GDCh Award for biocatalysis to Dr. Sebastian Gergel, EnginZyme AB, Solna, Sweden. The award ceremony will take place on September 12th during the annual meeting of the GDCh Division of sustainable chemistry in Mulheim an der Ruhr. Sebastian Gergel Ostflut.net - Fotograf Richard Westebbe Sebastian Gergel receives the GDCh Award for Biocatalysis for his dissertation, which he completed at the universities of Stuttgart and Bielefeld. In it he dealt with protein engineering and the design of new enzymes. Protein engineering deals with the design, optimization and production of proteins, including enzymes. Possible areas of application range from science to industry and agriculture. Protein engineering can play an important role, for example, in the development of new drugs and therapies, in the production of biofuels or in the development of new biotechnological processes. In his work, Gergel combined mechanistic understanding of organic reactions with the methods of protein engineering, as well as their application in organic synthesis. He focused on directed evolution and mechanistic studies of carbonyl-selective alkene oxygenases and their application in asymmetric synthesis. Gergel was able to gain deep insights into the reaction mechanism of the biocatalytic Wacker oxidation. After successfully designing such enzymes, he was able to use them in regioselective or regio- and enantioselective Wacker oxidation. The selection committee was convinced not only by the excellence of the content of the dissertation, which was rated "summa cum laude", but also by its linguistic and visual elaboration. The work also laid the foundation for further projects and resulted in a large number of high-ranking publications in top scientific journals. One of the most terrifying feelings has to be when you discover that a loved one, especially a much older or younger loved one, has gone missing. The moment one realizes that their friend or relative has vanished without word or warning, it must send chills down the spine. While there are so many tragic stories of people whove gone missing in the world, every once in a while, you read hopeful and miraculous ones about some of them being found and brought home. One of these stories is that of an elderly woman in Michigan who was discovered lost in the woods and rescued by hardworking local police and one outstanding police K-9. On July 2nd, troopers from the Michigan State Police were sent to a home in Richland Township in Ogemaw County after a family reported that their 81-year-old relative was missing and hadnt been seen since the previous night. A family member reported last seeing her around 10 PM the night before and advised she uses a cane for walking, wrote the MSP Third District in a social media statement. To make matters more intense, when troopers searched the familys home, a motorized chair, coat, purse, and cell phone, all belonging to the missing woman, were found in the garage. While usually, thats a terrifying indicator that something has gone incredibly wrong, the Michigan State Police Canine Team used the belongings to make heroic progress in the search for this woman. Trooper Whited and his K-9, Loki, of the Canine Team, immediately got to work, with Loki using the scent of the missing womans belongings to begin tracking her. Sign up for Chip Chicks newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox. A firefighter monitors the French Fire in Mariposa on July 5. The blaze was sparked by a lawn mower, Cal Fire investigators say. Nic Coury/Special to the Chronicle Cal Fire said Friday that a lawn mower sparked the French Fire near Mariposa, the third wildfire so far this summer sparked by mowers or weed trimmers amid a dangerously hot and active fire season. The 908-acre French Fire ignited July 4 when a person used a lawn mower in dried annual grass, said Cal Fires unit in Madera, Mariposa and Merced counties. Cal Fire referred the case to the Mariposa County District Attorneys Office, which will consider whether to prosecute the parties involved. Lawn mowers are designed to be used only on wet, green lawns and not dry weeds because they start fires, fire authorities said in a news release. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The fire destroyed 18 structures, including three single-family residences and one commercial building. Other residential and commercial buildings were damaged. In July, Cal Fire law enforcement arrested two men on suspicion of igniting separate fires in Sonoma and Lake counties. Authorities alleged that one of the men, who wasnt identified, had been riding a mower in dry, 4-foot-tall grasses, a dangerous practice because the metal blades on riding lawn mowers can spark fires when hitting rocks, Cal Fire said. The July 6 Pocket Fire burned about 11 acres near Geyserville in northern Sonoma County. Another man allegedly sparked the July 3 Adams Fire, which burned about 16 acres near Lower Lake in Lake County, when he was weed-eating in dry grass during 100-plus-degree conditions, according to Cal Fire. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I want to write to build up the body of Christ, but platform building takes time away from my local congregation. Illustration by Elizabeth Kaye / Source Images: Getty / Unsplash / Wikimedia Commons I recently spoke with a pastor in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His congregation is small150 or so membersand his routine is busy, with duties extending far beyond the walls of the church building. The pastors typical week is a testament to his dedication to his parishioners. Most of his time is devoted to visitation, prayer, and pastoral care, often in nursing homes and hospitals. He reserves Saturdays for sermon prep and tries to keep Fridays for time with his family. Sometimes, the pastor receives invitations to go further afield: to speak at conferences, contribute to Christian media outlets, or even write booksall alluring opportunities and a sign of his intellectual prowess and extensive network in ministry circles. However, he typically declines when considering how much that work and absence would affect his flocks spiritual growth. Instead of building a platform, he is nurturing a community. Or, in the words of author Jen Pollock Michel, he is leading a life instead of leaving a story. Sign up for CT Pastors Each weekly CT Pastors issue equips you with the best wisdom and practical tools for church ministry. Email* Sign Up This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thanks for signing up. Please click here to see all our newsletters. Sorry, something went wrong. Please try again. I have struggled with that choice for myself. After graduating from seminary, I started writing and teaching at my local church. Because I didnt need to make money from my writing, Ive had the luxury of flexibility, and soon, looking for places to be published became a job in itself. It was gratifying and humbling to be invited to be a member of a writers guild and have others promote my work. But I also started to see that regularly writing for public consumption was complicated, hard, and unsustainable if I wanted to remain invested in my congregation. I want to write to serve the church, but writing increasingly takes time away from my actual church. Suppose I spend all my time pitching publications, building my following, creating Christian content, and trying to make it in the Evangelical Industrial Complex. Am I still being Christ to others? Am I showing his love? On the other hand, if I feel a calling to write and believe I have something worthwhile and faithful to say, is it wrong to use my talent to promote my work? Should I be content with obscurity, like the pastor in Pennsylvania? Should I sit with the woman whose mother died, whose husband walked away, or who got a phone call from her doctor about a CT scan? I have often asked myself whether I have the intelligence, wisdom, and resilience to navigate the life of a Christian writer. This springs discourse among Christian writers on the dynamics of Christian ministry and the publishing landscape suggests Im not alone in asking this question. The whole conversation is shaped by how technological changes have transformed how writing works. In some ways, publishing is now democratized. Between podcasts, social media, Substack and other newsletters, and video platforms like YouTube and TikTok, theres no dearth of Christian content, and minimal barriers to entry enable many more voices to speak on theology, spiritual growth, and Christian living. The trouble is what happens after entry. The journey toward recognition entails deliberately cultivating a personal brand and professional network. Publishers are constantly evaluating book proposals, not on the content of the book alone, but on the platform of the author, Michel wrote on Substack, in a post about deciding to quit publishing but keep writing. Can this person write? Yes, its one question. But Id argue its not even the most important one in the publishing calculus. Can this person sell? Now were talking. You have to build a robust digital presence and expand your audience. You hope other writers will promote your work just as you promote theirswhom you know and tag on your social profiles becomes currency. Its not enough to be gifted by the Spirit; you must market your gifts on social media. You create Instagram content, write nuggets of wisdom, and start doing reels in the hope that the more content you create, the more people will notice. Is this how I should be spending my time? Where does it leave my lay ministry? Where does it leave people going through divorce, illness, and parenting strugglesor people just looking for community? If I write about Christ, am I neglecting his body? As theologian Nika Spaulding asked when I interviewed her, Am I missing the imperative to prioritize the needs of the local church? Do I require a recalibration of aspirations and ambitions? I wrestle with this every day. I believe God calls me to faithful service where I am planted, to love God and love people in my local churchnot to be a platform builder or influencer, seeking an admiring audiences validation (and dopamine hit). But I also believe writing is a way God has equipped me to serve, and the publishing industry says I must build a platform if I want anyone to read my work. In my conversations with journalist and writer Devi Abraham, she observed that in American Christianity, like American culture more broadly, it seems obscurity is not the answer for success. I dont have a settled answer to these questions, but I do have more questions that may bring clarityand a story that reframed my thinking. Can we find contentment in obscurity? I spoke at two rather large womens events, and for the first time, did not incentivize anyone to subscribe to my newsletter, author and ministry leader Sarah K. Butterfield said of a period in which she took a break from writing. I showed up with the sole purpose of serving those who attended with no hopes of growing my following. The result was liberating! Do we have it in us to do likewise? How would our writing, pitching, and publishing habits change if we werent constantly trying to increase our readership? Is there a dissonance in our souls, such that we cannot be satisfied with the little and constantly find ourselves longing for more? If God has given us a creative gift, what does it mean to use it for his glory? We must use our gifts for God and the extension of his kingdom, but what if the reach that he wants us to have in our ministries, either church or parachurch, was meant to be limited? What if he wants us to ministeror even writeto just a small number of people, not 20,000 books sold but faithfulness to the few in our circle? Our platform might be a local church or neighborhood. Serving in a local church and community is hard, challenging, and exhausting, Bible teacher Jen Wilkin told me. But it is also gratifying to see, in person, people come alive in the knowledge of Scripture and love for God. In the digital cacophony of voices vying for attention and affirmation, we in Christian ministry need to find ways to build substantive relationships and foster the growth of spiritual depth in those within our literal reach. I had a long chat about this with Al Hsu, associate editorial director at InterVarsity Press. Even in the publishing industry, he said, Platform is notor should not bean end in itself. It is an extension of our mission and vocation. Our platforms should align with our callings and whom we are called to serve, so platforms must look different for different people. Can we be patient in our development? Like many writers, Ive aspired to be like the leaders, teachers, and authors who have massive platforms and have reached fame. Perhaps I will someday, but they did not get to that level overnight. Prominent writers like Beth Moore and Ann Voskamp labored largely unknown for years, as writer Karen Swallow Prior has noted, and, more importantly, didnt set out in hopes of gaining the wide platforms they have. Author Christine Caine writes about how she was developed, not discovered. She desired to serve God at an early age, so when church leaders asked her to serve on the cleanup team as a young adult, she agreed. That led to greater responsibility and mentorship, and after years of wiping up messes, her faithful yes at 21 prepared her for the massive ministry she leads today. God developed her faith and skills in obscurity. What do we actually want? Maybe God wants us to minister on a small, local scale. Or maybe hell help us write for millions. In either case, author Mary DeMuth said in our conversation, we must pay attention to our hearts. Do we find ourselves loving the feed more than the people behind the feed? she asked. God is calling people to the context of loving humans with skin on, and we need to seek to bless them, love them, and know them. God calls us to a life of knowing him and walking with him, and we must cultivate that first. If a large audience is something God wants for us, he can bring it to pass. We need not waste our time striving for prominence and platform. We can grow where we are planted, grow in the knowledge of God, and practice his presence in the mundane. The true measure of success is not a follower count or sales record but our depth of fidelity to God. I recently read a short history of the Frankish princess Bertha, who moved to Canterbury in the English kingdom of Kent around the year 580 to marry its pagan king, Ethelbert. Christianity had been introduced to England at that time but had not yet been widely established. Bertha was a person of strong Christian faith. She married on the condition of being permitted to remain a Christian and brought a bishop with her to her new home. She corresponded with the pope, who later wrote that her good deeds are known not only among the Romans but also through various places. In 597, after years of Berthas apparently unsuccessful faithfulness, a mission team led by a monk named Augustine arrived from Rome. On reaching Kent, they preached the gospel to the king, who finally acknowledged Christs sovereignty. Many people followed the kings example, and Canterbury became the center of Christianity in England. To this day, it is the spiritual home of many Christians. Bertha left no writings and no record of public exercise of power. Yet her years of faithfulness helped lead to the evangelism of England and many other nations. Today, UNESCO recognizes her prayer chapel as the oldest place of unbroken Christian worship and witness in the English-speaking world. God used her prayers to do immeasurably more than she could have ever asked or imagined (Eph. 3:20). He may use our obscure faithfulness the same way. While we prefer the spectacular, as author Skye Jethani has said, referencing the parable of the sower, God is happy to work through the subtle. And while we think outcomes are based upon how Gods Word is proclaimed, God knows the outcomes are determined by how his Word is received. Is our concern to build a platform for ourselves, or is it to be the hands and feet of Christ, sowing where we can and letting God give the increase? E. L. Sherene Joseph is an adult third culture kid and writer who focuses on faith, community, and culture. As an immigrant to the United States, she shares her experiences of living between different worlds. You can find more of her work at www.sherenejoseph.me. After 60 years of division, leaders hope that coming together will strengthen the churchs witness. Illustration by Elizabeth Kaye / Source Images: Getty On March 25 of this year, a group of Pakistani Presbyterian church leaders gathered in one of their homes. There, the 20 or so people decided to bring their factions together after years of contentious division. Later, they gathered for tea and seviyan, a sweet vermicelli dessert cooked in sugar and milk or oil, at Gujranwala Theological Seminary. There were no contracts or legal documents to mark this momentous decision. We just talked and trusted each other, said Reuben Qamar, the leader, or moderator, of one faction. The Presbyterian Church of Pakistan (PCP) has a long history in the country, where Christians comprise less than 2 percent of the population. The Presbyterian mission was founded in the 1860s, and its missionaries led mass conversion movements and set up schools and hospitals in the region. In 1961, it was declared an autonomous body and local leadership began stewarding it. Sign up for CT Pastors Each weekly CT Pastors issue equips you with the best wisdom and practical tools for church ministry. Email* Sign Up This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thanks for signing up. Please click here to see all our newsletters. Sorry, something went wrong. Please try again. This was when the divisions started: first between the 60s and 70s, then in the 90s, and more recently in 2018 and 2021, says Qamar, noting that the splits mainly occurred not because of doctrinal differences but because of power and corruption. One major conflict arose when there was a dispute on whether a moderator could extend their term from three to five years. Some supported this change, while others did not. By the end of 2023, the church was split into three factions: One led by Qamar, and two others by moderators Arif Siraj and Javed Gill, respectively. Each claimed to be the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan. The root of the problem was discipline, says Majeed Abel, the executive secretary in Sirajs former faction. Whenever conflicts arose, people took refuge in splitting and creating a parallel church with presbyteries that sometimes consisted only of one member, he said. These divisions contributed to the weakening of the church, and the denominations nearly 300 churches were left in turmoil, Qamar also said. There were disputes in the congregations, where people demanded that their pastor be installed and another terminated. Some of these disagreements turned into court cases, with pastors fighting to prove that they were the legally recognized leader of a church. This years pledge for unity in the PCP arose out of the Presbyterian leaders shared desire to mend broken bonds. But unityand what that looks like practicallyhas meant different things to different people. For some leaders, returning to the PCPs original missionto carry out the Great Commissionwas a big motivating factor in pursuing unity. The real mission of the church [was] being ignored. We [were] going in the courts against each other, said Qamar. What convicted him to reconcile with the other factions leaders was the passage in John 17:2023 where Jesus says, I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. [Our] purpose is to share the gospel, to become the witness of Christ, said Qamar. As a church, we have to share the love of God with this world, and we can achieve these goals only with unity. Some leaders also felt a strong desire to restore the PCPs good standing nationally and internationally. The divide brought a bad reputation to the church, with the leadership being seen as power hungry, lamented faction leader Gill. For Gill, being one body in Christ looks like following the Presbyterian churchs constitution, which states there should be a united assembly under one leader as we are ordered to have one shepherd and one flock. Such divisions weaken the body of Christ, especially in Pakistan, where we already live under unfavorable conditions, said Azhar Mushtaq, Pakistan Bible Societys general secretary. The conflict affected our interaction with church leadership, making it difficult to identify the genuine leaders. At present, the leaders of the different factions meet every month and are planning to visit churches around the country together to advocate for unity. They are also hoping to hold a general assembly by September, where leaders will step down from their positions and let the house appoint a single moderator over the entire Presbyterian church body. Despite some bitter experiences, the entire leadership is now committed to forgiveness, Gill said. The Bible verses that led him to pursue unity with the other factions was 1 Corinthians 1:1213, where some say I follow Paul, and others say I follow Apollos or I follow Cephas. Is Christ divided? Reconciliation is a slow work in progress, particularly at the local church level, say many of the leaders CT interviewed. And there are some who oppose this move because they see each other as enemies, Qamar said. The presbyteries that were split must be reconciled as well, Abel said. While he is not involved in ongoing reconciliation efforts, he is happy to reconcile with the other groups. During the peace meeting, we have unanimously agreed to send a reconciliation commission to these presbyteries, but no one seems to be interested in that. PCP pastors like Sheraz Sharif Alam and Romella Robinson echoed their leaders concerns. The couple, who serve in Gakhar, Gujranwalaa two-hour car ride north of Lahorehave firsthand experience of how the PCPs long-lasting divisions have impacted local ministry. The PCPs financial woes began in 2018. One faction controlled all the bank accounts and used up all the investments and money for litigation purposes and for securing favors from pastors, Qamar shared. Partners such as the US-based Outreach Foundation, which helps churches around the world grow their capacity and reach, stopped their funding because of corruption and the lack of an accountability system. Major projects in community development and mission work are currently halted. Pastors like Alam and Robinson do not receive a salary. They rely on tithes and thanksgiving offerings like vegetables from their congregation to survive. The financial crunch means that some pastors must turn to other forms of work to support their families. And the PCPs leaders have not said or done anything to change the current situation, they said. Right now, we are principally reconciled, but we are separately working, said Alam, who also serves as general secretary in Qamars former faction. The people who will likely attend the upcoming general assembly are selected from a 2017 list of delegates, which does not include those who have become pastors in the last seven years, Alam added. Greater transparency about efforts toward reconciliation among the factions would be beneficial, said Robinson. Leaders must delegate their understanding and wisdom to the coming generation so that they will be able to become good leaders in the future, she said. Ongoing persecution against Christians in Pakistan may generate a deeper desire to set differences aside. For the past two years, the country has ranked seventh on Open Doors World Watch List of the top 50 countries where its hardest to be a Christian. In 2020 and 2021, it was in the top five. Last year, mobs in Jaranwala plundered, vandalized, and burned down 26 churches. In May, 72-year-old Christian Lazar Masih was attacked and killed by a mob in Sargodha for allegedly committing blasphemy. In July, young believer Ehsan Shan was sentenced to death for purportedly circulating blasphemous content on TikTok. After Masih and his family were brutally attacked, PCP leaders and members from the three factions traveled to Sargodha. The group, including Abel, Qamar, and Siraj, met Masihs brother, also a Presbyterian. They visited the place where the attack had occurred. They spoke with social activists and people from the local peace committee, some of whom were Muslim, and demanded that the people who attacked Masih should be brought to the courts. They campaigned for justice to be served with Christian politicians who were present, like members of the provincial assembly Ejaz Alam Augustine and Sonia Ashir. Representatives from civic society and the government were very happy to see us united and together in such an event, Qamar said. This is the work of God, and I trust in God that the Holy Spirit will work in the church. Additional reporting by Asif Aqeel Republican presidential candidate and former US president Donald Trump (L) looks at US president Joe Biden during the CNN Presidential Debate. And thats a good thingbecause how we think about victory is not only delusional but damaging. Andrew Harnik / Staff / Getty This piece was adapted from Russell Moores newsletter. Subscribe here. With Election Day 2024 in sight, I can make one bold prediction: Your party is not going to win. You might challenge me on this, saying, But, RDM, you dont know what party I, the reader, support. Thats truebut I stand by my forecast. Thats because no matter what party wins the presidency, the Congress, or the state houses this November, no one is going to win. Sign up for Moore to the Point Join Russell Moore in thinking through the important questions of the day, along with book and music recommendations he has found formative. Email* Sign Up This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thanks for signing up. Please click here to see all our newsletters. Sorry, something went wrong. Please try again. I do not mean, of course, that one party or other wont see its candidate in the Oval Office come January, or that we wont see people being sworn in as members of Congress, senators, governors, and all the rest. That kind of winning will happen, as it always does. What I mean is that no one is going to win the way too many of us define winning in this strange era. In his new book American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nationand Could Again, Yuval Levin points out a dangerous illusion of the present: the notion that after one decisive victory, whoever is on the other side will go away and will not need to be accommodated. In truth, Levin argues, American life is pulled in two directions: toward what could be called conservatism in one direction and progressivism in the other. Those visions look different in different timesand, often, the two sides swap out on specific policy positionsbut the basic tension is always there. This is because, Levin writes, any group of human beings is going to have disagreements. A constitutional order doesnt eradicate those disagreements but instead structures a careful balance between majority rule and minority rights. Levin argues that one of the reasonswith some exceptions, of coursethat local and state politics tend to be less toxic than national presidential elections is that, usually, those debates tend to be about issues more immediately recognized as practicalwhat roads get paved, what hospitals get fundedand thus lend themselves better to bargaining and accommodation. At the national level, though, our candidates and our parties arent as much about specific issues as they are about tribal identity. Even when motivated by grievance and resentment, as national politics now are, the grievances and resentments are about far different things than, say, the issue of free silver in the William Jennings Bryan era or corporate monopolies in the Theodore Roosevelt era. What this leads to, Levin contends, is the current situationin which presidential elections become about political expression rather than civic action. When we peel down below issues of national scope, we often find that the fundamental problem is not that the other side isnt going to accomplish what we want but that the other side exists at all. With that in mind, we can assume that this one election will put all that aside, and that those people, whoever they are, now permanently defeated and humiliated, will go away. But this is not true. In his book Democracy and Solidarity, political scientist James Davison Hunter identifies this very dynamic as a culture logic that seeks not specific policy goals but something much bigger: recognition and status and identity. When that isnt achieved, we poison ourselves with fantasies that one daymaybe right nowwe will finally enact revenge on those who have injured us by not conferring the status we believe we deserve. We want to find our own identity in the kind of negative solidarity that unites against a common oppressor. We start, then, to assume that every election is working toward a post-election reality where, as the old hymn puts it, every foe is vanquished. In that kind of world, Hunter argues, in which the sense of status cannot ever be wholly fulfilled, the injury must be constantly emphasized. Take away the injury, take away its cause, take away the revenge it seeks, and both meaning and identity for the aggrieved dissolve, he writes. If what we are seeking is not civic action but status, then outrage becomes authority. This quest for moral worth, status recognition, and self-esteem lends itself to precisely the kind of reality-television identity politics that we see right now. This becomes a cycle. The more we expect of our politics to express who we are, the less we expect our politics to actually do. That kind of politics, after all, is going to result every time in what weve seen over the past 15 years: narrow majorities that teeter back and forth between the parties. Big goalsa New Deal, a Cold War victory, a moon landingseem out of touch, so we replace those goals with what Hunter calls millennialism. Millennialism is, of course, not a political doctrine but a theological one, rooted in the Book of Revelations language of a thousand-year reign of Christ and his people. From the very beginning, Christians have argued about what that meansis it a present reality in heaven or a future expectation after the reign of Christ, or something else? History shows that when those sorts of messianic expectations bubble up without the presence of the actual Messiah, they lead, at worst, to bloodshedand, at best, to disillusionment and disappointment. If Joe Biden (or whoever the Democratic nominee turns out to be) wins, the Trumpists and whatever passes for the right these days will still be here. If Donald Trump is elected president, the left will still be around. Whatever your political views, you cant have your millennium unless half the country is Raptured. In his forthcoming book One Lost Soul: Richard Nixons Search for Salvation, CT news editor Daniel Silliman looks at the 50th anniversary of the resignation of Richard Nixon through the grid of Nixons lifelong quest for approval. Nixons father, Silliman recounts, ran a general store in what used to be a church, hollowing out the steeple so he could sit and survey the store from there, yelling criticisms at his son to work harder, do better. Silliman demonstrates how Nixon sought security throughout his life in the approval of the voters who would send him to office, in Dwight Eisenhower as a father figure, and in his own triumph over the elites from Harvard and Yale who had looked down on him. Silliman argues that the reason we even have the Watergate tapes is because of that drive for approval. Who, after all, would record the audio of every single moment in the White House? Silliman compares Nixons motivation to the old Jack Chick tracts, This Was Your Life, in which, before the judgment seat, the sinner sees his entire life replayed in front of everyone (this tract terrified me as a child). Nixon had a similar fantasya complete recording, everyone on tape from his time in the White House, Silliman writes. But in his version, he thought, he would not be condemned but justified. With a record of his accomplishment as president, he could prove that he had done a good job, that he was worthy of existing, that he was a great man. The tapes, of course, did the opposite. They showed him to be exactly what he feared people would think he was: crooked, dishonest, a failurethe first president in history to be forced to resign. Nixon was driven by the wrong things. He expected too much, and public opinion could never love him back. Politics could never be a judgment seat that could justify his life. In this moment in history, we expect something very similar out of our politics: a vindication of whos right and whos wrong, a separation of the sheep from the goats, a final and definitive victory. If thats what we think winning is, none of us will win. We will just descend more and more into resentment and outrage. We will turn on those we counted on to give us what they never could, or we will seethe in our fantasies of next time, when we (this time for sure!) will get that ultimate win. Thats not what winning is. Until we lose that expectation, we will keep losingnot just as a republic but as people whose lives are meant to be about much more than keeping score. No one will win this election, ultimately. No one will lose this election, ultimately. Maybe we should ask whether we are seeking something where it can never be found, and ask ourselves whether we should be looking Somewhere else. Russell Moore is the editor in chief at Christianity Today and leads its Public Theology Project. Matt Slocum / AP Corey Comperatore loved reading Romans. His pastor at Cabot Methodist Church, Jonathan Fehl, recalled how much Comperatore drew strength from the book. It was the first thing hed recommend to new believers. But it may be that Comperatore is remembered by another portion of Scripture, John 15:13: Greater love has no one than this: to lay down ones life for ones friends. Sign up for The Daily Briefing Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. Email* Sign Up This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thanks for signing up. Please click here to see all our newsletters. Sorry, something went wrong. Please try again. Comperatore was the kind of church member who showed up every Sunday, took part in small groups, became a member of the congregations board of trustees, and helped with building projects. He was an Army veteran, volunteer firefighter, and proud girl dada guy who did everything with a heart of service to the Lord, Fehl wrote. His final act of love and sacrifice came on Saturday, when he yelled, Get down! before diving in front of his wife and daughters to protect them from a bullet intended for former president Donald Trump. The 50-year-old died on the scene from a gunshot wound to the head. Comperatore was thrust into national news, the single fatality of a shooting that has left his community in Western Pennsylvania in grief, shock, and trauma. Theres just a lot of sadness, Brandon Lenhart, senior pastor at North Main Street Church of God in Butler, told CT. That somebody lost their life in the event, that that happened in the small town of Butler. Its not a way we wanted to be put on the map, quite frankly. His church is on the other side of town from the Butler Farm Show, where Trumps rally was held. Its a conservative areayou see pro-Trump signs everywhere, Lenhart saidand people drove in from surrounding towns to cheer on the Republican candidate. Comperatore and his family came from Sarver, just 16 miles southwest of the Farm Show. Its small, with a population of 8,486, and was once just a tiny milling village. Its Wikipedia page lists only two notable figures: a pageant winner, and now, Comperatore. The drive from Butler and Sarver winds through hilly farmland, a patchwork of corn, soy, and wheat fields, pastures filled with grazing livestock, and hay bales dotting the horizon. Many of its residents find work at nearby manufacturing facilities. Comperatore had been an engineer at a plastics plant. At the Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, hundreds gathered on Wednesday for a vigil in remembrance of their friend and neighbor. Many were dressed in red, white, and blue. They sat on slippery bleachers around the racetrack, wet from an afternoon downpour, to hear pastors, friends, and firefighters pay tribute to one of the best men they knew. Members of Sonrise Community Church, another congregation in Sarver, offered prayers and sang before the crowd of 300. They repeatedly referenced Coreys greater love and how he was willing to lay down his life for others. As his daughter Allyson wrote in tribute, He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us. Youve heard about who [Corey] is. Weve also heard the most important part, about whose he is, said Fehl, Comperatores pastor. He knew that he belonged to Jesus Christ. Thats the reason he lived a life of service the way he did. He was a witness to the grace of God at work in his life. The crowd bowed their heads for the Lords Prayer and then lifted glowing candles and iPhone flashlights while MercyMes I Can Only Imagine played over the speaker. One attendee, Bonnie Waldenville, came to the vigil because her husband graduated from high school with Comperatore. It really hurts here, Waldenville pointed to her heart, for his wife. Adam Salinas, a local chaplain and pastor in the Pittsburgh area, came to offer support. He has prayed several times with the staff of local nursing homes in the wake of the rally. It has been very sad for our whole community, he said. A private funeral will be held for Comperatore on Friday at Cabot Church, followed by a procession of fire trucks. At every church in the area, you find people who knew Comperatore, who were at the rally themselves, or who are still feeling the ache of the shooting and the scare of what could have been. Jesus, we are at a different place than we were 24 hours ago, David Janz, pastor of Butler First Church, a Methodist congregation, prayed on the Sunday morning after the rally. Violence is all around us, but it seems to have come home a lot more strong and evident because of what happened last night. He prayed for Trump, the Comperatore family, and the two other individuals, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, who had suffered injuries during the shooting. He also prayed for the family of the shooter. We pray for them. We pray for our community. It doesnt feel as safe as it used to, he said. Help us, Lord, to take these moments to fix our eyes again on Jesus. When Lenhart and his wife, Saralee, who is worship pastor at North Main Street Church, heard about the shooting, they were having a rare date at an Italian restaurant in neighboring Zelienople. They knew members of their congregation had been at the rally. But getting back to the flock wasnt so easy. The area had morphed into a crime scene: Choppers scouted the air and law enforcement shuttered roads near the rally location and the hospital where theyd taken Trump. It turned a 15-, 20-minute drive into a 45-minute drive to take all the alternate routes back into town, Lenhart said. It was a bit surreal. They made it to a house around a mile from the Butler Farm Show grounds. One of their congregants had fled there with around 20 other rally goers who couldnt make it home. Shed gotten a VIP ticket and had been in the stands behind Trump. Less than ten feet away, one row behind her and down the bench a little, had sat the Comperatores. Bullets were coming through that section of the stands. Shes pretty traumatized by what she saw, said Lenhart, who prayed and spoke with them, also suggesting further resources of counseling and therapy. The next day, he addressed his congregation before worship. Its a traumatic event, he told them. So what do we do with all of this? We dont react. We become proactive. And you know what the believer in Christ does when theres a crisis? Can I show you? Lenhart dropped to his knees and clasped his hands in a posture of prayer. The church applauded. I wanted to make sure people understood our response is not social media, our response is not vitriol, picketing, protesting, he said in an interview with CT. As believers in Christ, our first response is always to seek the Lord. Nearby churches are rallying to help the community process and heal. On Saturday, North Main Street Church is hosting a free crisis response event with the Christian counseling agency it shares offices with. Christian Counseling Associates will speak to attendees about the shooting and the fallout, then break into small groups for discussion. Last weekend, Lenhart had stayed up wondering whether to scrap his sermon. Instead, he shared some reflections and quoted from Ecclesiastes and the book that happened to be Comperatores favorite, Romans. Regardless of what side of the aisle you sit on, violence is never warranted. And I think we can agree, hopefully as the body of Christ, that this is not only an abhorrent thing that happened in our local community, its something that, as believers in Christ, we should never celebrate on one side or the other, he said. We are told in Romans chapter 12 that we are not to overcome evil with more evil, but to overcome evil with good. Home News 200-year-old church destroyed by fire after lightning strike The state Fire Marshal in Zebulon, Georgia, is now investigating a fire after the historic Zebulon United Methodist Church was destroyed by fire following a lightning strike during a storm that moved across the area Wednesday. The Pike County Fire Department responded to a call about a fire at the 200-year-old church at approximately 4:25 p.m., Anita Neath, the agencys public information officer, told The Griffin Daily News. Neath said flames from the churchs steeple were first observed by off-duty firefighters who called 911. Zebulon Mayor Joe Walter, who attends the church, told Atlanta News First that the chief of police told him that the lightning strike on the church was heard all over town. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Theres been a Methodist church in this community for 200 years, so this sanctuary was built in 1897 and the fellowship house in 1953. Were going to rebuild, whatever it takes, and were going to continue to worship here, Walter said. The churchs pastor, the Rev. Arianna Eberle, said she left the church 10 minutes before it was struck by lightning, and was devastated to see the building go down in flames. Was at church earlier in the day to prepare sermons and left to go tutor and got a phone call about the fire, Eberle told ANF. Pulled up to the church and it was fully in flames. It ripped my heart out. I laid on the ground right here and cried. I couldnt believe it; I couldnt believe what I was seeing. She said the church holds a special place in the community because it was the first house of worship in Pike County. Circuit riders used to meet on the grounds and then Methodists built the first Methodist church here which later became United Methodist and has remained United Methodist, Eberle said. No one was hurt in the fire but the church said in a statement on its Facebook page that the building is a total loss. The devastation, however, will not stop them from worshiping on Sunday. Our hearts are broken at the loss of our beloved Zebulon United Methodist Church. First, we want to thank all of the community and public safety who came out to help from Pike, Thomaston, Spalding, and probably more than we even know, the statement said. The building may be a total loss, but we, the people, are the church. We will remain united in our love of God. On Sunday, we will worship in the parking lot with our lawn chairs, church officials added. We ask all in the community to come join us at 9:30 a.m. and celebrate Gods glory. Through it all, our cross still shines bright for the days ahead. Home News Baptists help neighbors in need after Hurricane Beryl; Texans on Mission prepare 60K meals FREEPORT, Texas Ken Anderson "rode out Beryl" in his Jones Creek home south of Houston. "We got hit harder than anybody, I believe. Lots of damage. Thousands of trees down," he said. One of those trees uprooted by Hurricane Beryl landed on Anderson's home. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "We've got a massive tree that fell on the house and went all the way across," said Texans on Mission volunteer John Weber, leader of the TXM San Antonio team and a member of Shearer Hills Baptist Church. "Fortunately, it did not destroy the house." The team went to work Monday gradually cutting back the massive tree. Seven members of Anderson's family, including a baby, are living in the house because of power outages where the others live, Weber said. Anderson praised the chainsaw team. "This is a great set of guys," he said, adding that he couldn't do the work without them because of a recent heart attack. "I appreciate everything they're doing here. We need all the help we can get," he said. Weber noted that people have needs and are unable to do the chainsaw work his team provides. "We're trained, and we feel like we need to deal with people's spiritual needs and their physical needs. And sometimes you need to do the physical before you can get to the spiritual," Weber said. Heat, humidity and mosquitoes dogged all TXM volunteers working in Brazoria County as they cut up fallen trees, provided temporary roofs, did laundry and went door-to-door responding to requests for help after the storm. First Baptist Church in Brazoria is the hub of TXM ministry south of Houston, which includes some of the hardest hit areas in a hard-hit region. As Anderson indicated, downed trees are everywhere. TXM chainsaw crews prioritize situations where trees are on houses or vehicles or blocking access to homes. TXM chainsaw units will come and go over the next few weeks. Tuesday, 10 teams worked, including ones from Mississippi and Tennessee, part of the broader effort through Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. "The damage from Hurricane Beryl is severe and widespread," said David Wells, TXM Disaster Relief director. "This relief effort is a powerful picture of what it looks like when the body of Christ works together. We are delivering help, hope and healing in Christ's name." The hurricane knocked out electricity to millions, leaving large portions of the region powerless for days. Without refrigeration and air conditioning, residents struggled to get food. The TXM State Feeding Unit stepped up. Waking up early in the morning, they cooked more than 60,000 meals for Houstonians. They were distributed to 26 locations across the city, focusing on areas of particular need. In conjunction with Texans on Mission, Sugar Land Baptist Church helped meet the needs of preschoolers across the city. The congregation put together roughly 3,500 sack lunches to distribute. One of the meals was given to a woman who hadn't eaten in two days. When she lost electricity, all the food in her refrigerator went bad. She's elderly and doesn't drive, so she was silently suffering. "Christ cares about the suffering," Wells said. "He commands His followers to meet needs and share God's love with those who are hurting. That's what the feeding team is doing." Home News Christians could lose majority status in America by 2045: study Barring any limiting event such as war or economic depression, if the pace at which Christians abandon their faith before the age of 30 were to accelerate beyond its current pace, America could no longer be a majority Christian nation by as early as 2045. And Christians wouldnt just lose their majority status in America in this scenario. They would also be outnumbered by the religiously unaffiliated, also known as nones, according to the findings of a new analysis by the Pew Research Center. The findings are based on work from the Pew Research Center which projects religious composition in the United States under multiple switching scenarios for the first time, as part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project. The project analyzes religious change and its impact on societies around the world. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe In the study, Pew highlights four hypothetical scenarios out of several possibilities to demonstrate how the U.S. religious landscape might change over the next half century. The impact of younger Christian adults abandoning their faith without limitation was modeled in one of those scenarios. While the other three scenarios reflect varying degrees of religious disaffiliation, they all show Christians continuing to shrink as a share of the U.S. population, even under the counterfactual assumption that all switching came to a complete stop in 2020. The ranks of the unaffiliated, however, are projected to grow under all four scenarios. Of course, it is possible that events outside the studys model such as war, economic depression, climate crisis, changing immigration patterns or religious innovations could reverse current religious switching trends, leading to a revival of Christianity in the United States, the researchers noted. But there are no current switching patterns in the U.S. that can be factored into the mathematical models to project such a result. Data highlighted in the research show that while Christianity remains the stickier religious affiliation for older Americans, among younger adults it is the religiously unaffiliated identity that is enduring. If that trend is sped up with nothing to stop it, according to projections of the third of the four main models, the number of Christian adherents in the U.S. is likely to decline at a much faster rate. If the pace of switching before the age of 30 were to speed up throughout the projection period without any brakes, Christians would no longer be a majority by 2045, Pew researchers said. In this model, the religiously unaffiliated would be Americas most dominant faith expression by 2055, with about 46% of the population claiming that identify. Christians would represent just a 43% share of the population. By 2070, 52% of Americans would be unaffiliated, while only 35% would be Christian. In 2020, the Pew Research Center estimated that about 64% of Americans, including children, were Christian. The religiously unaffiliated accounted for 30% of the U.S. population, while all other religions including Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists totaled about 6%. While rising disaffiliation among younger adults assumes there is a kind of ever-increasing momentum behind religious switching among that cohort under 30, researchers suggested that trend isnt plausible as highly religious parents tend to raise highly religious children who are less likely than children of less religious parents to disaffiliate in young adulthood. As a result, there may continue to be a self-perpetuating core of committed Christians who retain their religion and raise new generations of Christians, researchers said. Of the four models presented, researchers selected the second which projects that rising disaffiliation from Christianity with limits could lead to nones becoming the largest religious identity in America by 2070 but not the majority identity. The projected outcome for that model suggests that if the pace of disaffiliation before the age of 30 were to speed up initially but then hold steady, Christians would lose their majority status by 2050, when they would be 47% of the U.S. population compared to 42% for the unaffiliated. In 2070, nones would constitute a plurality of 48%, in this scenario while Christians would account for 39% of Americans. Home News Former Gateway Church pastor believes there was a cover-up of Robert Morris child sex abuse Stephen LeBlanc, a former Gateway Church pastor in Texas who has known the churchs founder Robert Morris since the 1980s, says he was shocked to learn about recent allegations that Morris sexually abused Cindy Clemishire over multiple years in the 1980s beginning when she was 12. LeBlanc, who worked at Gateway Church as an executive pastor for three years beginning in 2011 but now leads Sherman Bible Church, told WFAA8 that though he had known Morris since the 1980s and had heard him share details about his immoral past, he was shocked to learn that past included child sex abuse. "It never in a thousand years wouldve crossed my mind to say, 'Let me ask you, Robert, what was the age of this person?'" LeBlanc said. "It was always framed as indiscretion with a young lady. And when I hear young lady, I dont think 12-year-old. I dont think anybody does." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Clemishire, now 54, reported last month that Morris began sexually abusing her on Dec. 25, 1982, when she was just 12 years old. She says the abuse continued for four-and-a-half years before it was discovered. But he was later allowed to return to ministry. In announcing Morris resignation on June 18, Gateway Church officials said they also were not aware that Clemishire was a child when the abuse started. Clemishire has disputed the churchs narrative, pointing to legal settlement talks she had with church representatives and Morris in 2005 and 2007. "The leadership at Gateway received actual notice of this crime in 2005 when I sent an email directly to Robert Morris' Gateway email address. Former Gateway elder, Tom Lane, received and responded to my email, acknowledging that the sexual abuse began on December 25, 1982, when I was 12 years old," Clemishire said in a statement released by her attorney, Boz Tchividjian. "Again in 2007, my then attorney Gentner Drummond (the current Attorney General of Oklahoma) sent a letter to Robert Morris with the hope that he would help reimburse me for the thousands of dollars I had expended in counseling as a result of this abuse. His attorney acknowledged the dates as well and then attempted to blame me for the abuse," she insisted. "At the very least, both the Gateway pastor and at least one elder had specific notice that I was sexually abused beginning when I was 12 years old. Gateway had the information but intentionally decided to embrace the false narrative Robert Morris wanted to believe." LeBlanc said he believes that Morris' crime was covered up "previous to Gateway's inception" and "it is highly likely that other people saw those emails" referenced by Clemishire. "That just seems highly unlikely that no one else knew that," he told WFAA8. "I think that the elders that are still there right now, I believe those men were ignorant of that." In the announcement of Morris' resignation in June, Gateway Church elders said they had retained the law firm of Haynes & Boone, LLP, to "conduct an independent, thorough, and professional review of the report of past abuse to ensure we have a complete understanding of the events from 1982-1987." The Sherman Bible Church leader joined survivor advocates in calling for the removal of a statute of limitations on cases of child sex abuse and urged Gateway Church elders to release recordings of meetings they had about Clemishire's claims and take responsibility for Morris' failures. "Integrity is not hard to prove if you have integrity," LeBlanc said. "Just let people see it, demonstrate it. Tell the truth, be transparent." A spokesperson for Lane told Dallas Morning News last month that Lane did respond to one of Clemishire's emails but stated that Lane was only forwarded a message by Morris' assistant that didn't mention Clemishire's age. In a June 21 statement, Lane said he was unaware of the "severity and specifics" of the allegations and was led at the time to believe it involved consensual infidelity with a "young lady." Lane said it was his understanding at the time that Morris underwent a two-year restoration period overseen by the elders of Shady Grove Church in Grand Prairie. So when Clemishire came forward in 2005, Lane said he believed the necessary restoration actions had already taken place and the situation was "appropriately resolved." "Given the facts that have now emerged, it is evident that more could have been done to support and protect Cindy, and for that, I am deeply sorry," Lane said. Home News Hindu extremists seize Bibles from children, beat women in attack on worship service HYDERABAD, India Worship services at a church in a village in central Indias Madhya Pradesh state have been suspended since Hindu extremists attacked the congregation on June 1, sources said. The mob of about 20 villagers led by members of the Hindu extremist Bajrang Dal intruded into the house of Pastor Madia Damor in Thuvadara village, Jabua District, disrupting the worship service and beating the 50 people gathered for fasting prayer, including women and children. The assailants arrived at about 4 p.m., seized Bibles from children and began beating male and female members, Pastor Damor said. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe There was all chaos, he told Morning Star News. The children and women were crying, shouting, asking them to stop, but they forcefully dragged them out of my house, Pastor Damor told Morning Star News. When I tried to stop the mob from attacking the women and children, they pushed me off and threatened me that they would kill me if I conducted church prayers in the village again. Others also tried to protect the children and women as the mob seized a 54-year-old Christian identified only as Noorji and pushed him a few meters in front of the pastors premises. The mob started pelting stones at Noorji. He was isolated from the congregation, and they chased him away by a few meters and started pelting stones at him, Pastor Damor said. Then they pointed at Noorji and warned the members that whoever gathers for prayers would be stoned to death. They scared the children also by pointing at Noorji, saying, Look at him! This could be you if you come to prayers again. Noorji underwent treatment at a private hospital in Jabua for over a month. He has not recovered fully yet, the pastor said. The treatment has been very expensive for Noorjis family. He is only a laborer and earns daily wages for his livelihood. The Bajrang Dal mob targeted Noorji because his entire family had put their faith in Christ, he said. His children and their spouses also have been baptized and stood boldly for Christian faith in this Thuvadara village, he said. Village Christians later went to Ranapur Taluk police station to report the attack. Pastor Damor detailed the facts of the attack to police, but the mob soon arrived, and officers sided with the assailants, he said. Instead of listening to us and recording our statements, the police started questioning us, Pastor Damor told Morning Star News. The police asked me, Why do you conduct worship services in the village when they are saying not to conduct Christian worship? The police did not understand our grievances. Even after seeing Noorji bleeding continuously, the police did not take any steps to send him for medical examination and treatment. The Christians were unable to spend more time seeking justice as they had to rush Noorji to a private hospital for treatment, he said. Hindu extremists previously launched attacks on the congregation in 2019, 2015 and 2012, he said. Each time we go to the police station to report the attack, the police dont believe us, he said. In the 2019 assault, his daughter-in-law was so severely injured that they had to cease worship services for a year. It was a time when my family and I were forced to take the decision to leave the ministry, Pastor Damor told Morning Star News. It was very difficult for me personally. But the whole country was shut due to COVID-19 lockdown. Church members learned to use mobile phones and the internet to continue virtual services. God opened a door when all the doors were shut, Damor said. It was only during COVID-19 lockdown that new members came to believe Christ even from among those who attacked us earlier. The Lord has done great wonders. Church members in need of prayer now stop by his house by 7 a.m., before villagers begin work, to wake secretly pray for urgent needs. Parents bring their sick children early in the morning seeking prayers, the pastor said. If they have come from a bit far away, we advise them to join in prayers over phone. Sunday worship, however, has completely stopped, he said. The congregation fears there could be another attack if they gathered again, he said. Instead of filing a First Information Report and investigating, police at Ranapur Taluk filed a Non-Cognizable Report, which prohibits them from investigating without a warrant from a court. This house church is the only place of Christian worship in Thuvadara village, Pastor Damor said. They have shut down the only church present in the village. We request prayers for courage and strength to continue the ministry during these difficult times. India ranked 11th on Christian support organization Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian. The country was 31st in 2013, but its position worsened after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power. The hostile tone of the National Democratic Alliance government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), against non-Hindus, has emboldened Hindu extremists in several parts of the country to attack Christians since Modi took power in May 2014, religious rights advocates say. Home News JD Vance shares his journey from atheist law student to practicing Christian Republican vice presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, detailed his faith journey this week while speaking with conservative Christians, sharing how he went from being an atheist law student to a devout Christian. Giving an address before a breakfast organized by the conservative Christian advocacy group Faith & Freedom Coalition on Thursday during the Republican National Convention, Vance, 39, discussed his religious upbringing as he grew up in Ohio. Vance, who penned the 2016 bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, was primarily raised by his grandmother, who, while being a devout Christian who regularly prayed and read the Bible, only attended church services once or twice a month. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe He said that growing up, "there was something a little bit shallow" about his faith, and that, "like a lot of kids," his religious views disappeared while growing up. "I went off to the military, to college, to law school," he recounted. "Somewhere along the way, that faith that had developed, and was germinating, sort of evaporated. And so, by the time that I was in law school, I started to call myself an atheist." Vance said "there was a certain arrogance" to identifying as atheist, telling those gathered that "there was this idea that I was smart and wise and I knew things that my grandma never knew." The senator said marrying his Hindu wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, whom he had met at Yale Law School, brought him back to the Christian faith. The couple wed in 2014. "Thinking about what was required of me as a husband and as a father," Vance explained, "the more that I thought about those deeper questions, the more that I thought there was wisdom in the Christian faith that I had completely discarded and completely ignored." Vance began attending church when his first child was born in 2017. He recalled how his wife observed that "there's something about becoming Christian that is really good for you." He quoted his wife as saying, "There's something about thinking about the Christian faith, there's something about practicing the Christian faith, that makes you more patient with our son, and makes you a little bit more forgiving when I'm grumpy after a long day." The bestselling author said that he "realized" at that moment that his wife was describing "grace," adding that he did not believe that grace "happens instantaneously" but rather "something that happens over a lifetime." "In ways big and small, if you practice your faith, if you pray, if you think about what it requires of you, then God makes you a little bit better each and every single day," Vance said. In 2019, Vance converted to Roman Catholicism, saying in a previous interview with The American Conservative that he never had a super strong attachment to any denomination growing up. The vice presidential nominee said he loves being part of a faith community, taking his kids to church every Sunday and the questions his children ask about Christian faith. In closing his remarks, Vance referenced the 1990s R-rated film "Pulp Fiction," specifically comments that Samuel L. Jackson's character Jules makes in response to miraculously surviving an attempt on his life. Vance recounts when Jules tells a fellow gangster that, when it comes to miracles, "it's not about whether God changed Coke to Pepsi or found my car keys, what matters is that I felt the touch of God." "One of the really deep beliefs I have is that there all of these small little miracles," Vance said. "And if you look for them, you actually see them." On Monday, Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that he had selected Vance as his vice presidential running mate after "lengthy deliberation and thought." "J.D. honorably served our Country in the Marine Corps, graduated from Ohio State University in two years, Summa Cum Laude, and is a Yale Law School Graduate, where he was Editor of The Yale Law Journal, and President of the Yale Law Veterans Association," stated Trump. "J.D. has had a very successful business career in Technology and Finance, and now, during the Campaign, will be strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond." Vance accepted the nomination on Wednesday, telling the Republican National Convention that he believed "Trump represents America's last best hope to restore what, if lost, may never be found again." Actress Jennifer Garner posted about a few San Francisco hot spots on her Instagram page during her recent trip to the Bay Area. Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press Jennifer Garner just teased the second season of The Last Thing He Told Me on social media during a recent trip to San Francisco. On Thursday, July 18, the actress shared photos on Instagram from her visit for her 16.3 million followers, showing off views of the Ferry Building and the bay, a treat from Acme Bread and more. The post has since earned more than 272,000 likes and counting. Gardner was in town attending meetings and tastings for her Berkeley organic snack company, Once Upon a Farm, which she co-founded with Bay Area entrepreneur John Foraker in 2017. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A few days of @onceuponafarm meetings in San Francisco left me excited for the future (and dreaming of Hannah Hall), she wrote in her caption, referring to her character from the Apple TV+ series, which was filmed in the Bay Area. Set in Sausalito, the show, based on the novel of the same name by Laura Dave, was renewed for a second season in March following its debut in April 2023. The drama follows Garners character after her husband, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, mysteriously disappears. The Houston native serves as an executive producer on the show along with Stanford alum Reese Witherspoon. While the second seasons cast hasnt been announced yet, San Francisco native Aisha Tyler, who starred as Jules Nichols in the first season, may make a return. Affleck, who was born in Berkeley before moving to Massachusetts, has also been making headlines recently following rumors of a divorce with Jennifer Lopez, whom he married in 2022. Robyn Beck Garner and ex-husband Ben Affleck made headlines last week when their oldest daughter, Violet, decided to speak at a Los Angeles City Council meeting about ending mask bans. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The 18-year-old delivered a passionate speech calling for an end to mask bans in medical facilities and government buildings, and revealed that she had contracted a post-viral condition in 2019. Affleck, who was born in Berkeley before moving to Massachusetts, has also been in the news recently following rumors of a divorce with Jennifer Lopez, whom he married in 2022. The two had a whirlwind rekindling a few years ago, which Lopez delved into in her most recent album, This is Me Now, which featured the track Dear Ben Pt. II, a follow-up to her 2002 song Dear Ben. It also included an accompanying musical film that was packed with wedding-themed visuals. Home News Practicing Christians, Scripture engaged more skeptical of AI than general public: poll Practicing Christians and Scripture-engaged believers are more skeptical of artificial intelligence than the American public as a whole, according to a new survey. The American Bible Society released the second installment of its State of the Bible USA 2024 report on Thursday. The second chapter, Faith and Technology, examined respondents views about artificial intelligence and its role in their faith. Data in the survey is based on responses collected from 2,506 adults between Jan. 423, with a margin of error of +/-2.73 percentage points. In a statement, American Bible Society Chief Program Officer and State of the Bible Editor-in-Chief John Farquhar Plake summarized the results as finding that Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "Americans are more fearful than hopeful about Artificial Intelligence," said American Bible Society Chief Program Officer and State of the Bible Editor-in-Chief John Farquhar Plake said in a statement shared with The Christian Post, summarizing the results. Our survey also shows a great deal of uncertainty, he added. People just dont know how AI will change the culture, but theyre mildly uneasy about it, he added. And how do people of faith feel? The same way uncertain, uneasy but more so. Practicing Christians and those who engage with Scripture are even more concerned about AI than the general public, more likely to say the bad results of AI will outweigh the good. The greatest uncertainty is at the intersection of faith and AI. Majorities of Americans disagreed that artificial intelligence can aid in moral reasoning (58%), that the use of artificial intelligence can enhance my spiritual practices and promote spiritual health (68%), and that artificial intelligence can produce as well written of a sermon as a pastor, priest or minister (57%). On the other hand, a majority of Americans (51%) agreed that an increase in unemployment will result from the use of artificial intelligence. Respondents were more divided on whether the use of AI goes against biblical teaching, with 40% apiece indicating that they agreed with the statement and expressed uncertainty about it. Similarly, 37% of those surveyed disagreed that they were optimistic about the future benefits of using artificial intelligence in our world, while another 37% said they were uncertain about the future benefits of AI. Pluralities of respondents were uncertain about whether the bad that may result from the use of AI outweighs any positive impacts that may be produced (39%) and agreed that they would look unfavorably at a pastor or priest using AI to develop sermons or homilies. When looking at the views of Scripture-engaged respondents compared to Americans as a whole, the survey revealed that scripture-engaged Americans are slightly more concerned about artificial intelligence than their peers. The report defined scripture engaged respondents as those who score 100 or higher on the Scripture Engagement Scale that measures the impact and centrality of the Bibles message on those who engage with Scripture at least three to four times a year outside of church and church events based on their responses to 14 survey items. On a scale of 1 to 5, with a 5 indicating strong agreement with a statement and a 1 illustrating a strong disagreement with it, respondents overall had an average score of 2.8 in response to the declaration that I am optimistic about the future benefits of using artificial intelligence in our world, while the average score dropped to 2.5 among Scripture-engaged believers. Regarding the assertion that Artificial intelligence can aid in moral reasoning, respondents overall had an average score of 2.3 compared to 2.0 among the scripture engaged. Scripture-engaged respondents had an average agreement level of 1.8 when it came to the statement maintaining that the use of artificial intelligence can enhance my spiritual practices and promote spiritual health, which was slightly lower than the overall average agreement level of 2.0. The average agreement level among the Scripture-engaged that artificial intelligence can produce as well written of a sermon as a pastor, priest, or minister (1.9) was lower than the average agreement level among the public as a whole (2.3). Similarly, Scripture-engaged respondents were more likely than their peers to express agreement with negative statements about artificial intelligence. The Scripture engaged had an average agreement score of 3.1 regarding the belief that the use of AI goes against biblical teaching as opposed to 2.7 among the public as a whole. The Scripture engaged were also more likely to agree that the bad that may result from AI outweighs any positive impacts that may be produced (3.4) than the full sample (3.1). A larger share of the Scripture engaged (3.7) believed that an increase in unemployment will result from the use of artificial intelligence than the American public as a whole (3.5). The average agreement that I would look unfavorably at a pastor or priest using AI to develop sermons or homilies was higher among the Scripture engaged (3.5) than the full sample (3.1). The survey also revealed differing beliefs about artificial intelligence between non-Christians, non-practicing Christians and practicing Christians. Non-Christians and non-practicing Christians shared an average agreement level of 2.8 regarding optimism about future benefits of AI, coming in slightly ahead of the average agreement level among practicing Christians (2.6). Non-practicing Christians and non-Christians also shared the same average level of agreement (2.3) that AI can aid in moral reasoning, while agreement was slightly lower among practicing Christians (2.0). Non-practicing Christians had the highest average level of agreement (2.1) that AI can enhance spiritual practices and promote spiritual health, followed by non-Christians (2.0) and practicing Christians (1.8). On the other hand, non-Christians were more likely to agree (2.6) that AI can produce as well-written a sermon as a Pastor, Priest, or Minister than non-practicing Christians (2.3) and practicing Christians (1.9). Practicing Christians had a higher average level of agreement that the use of AI goes against biblical teaching (3.0) than non-practicing Christians (2.8) and non-Christians (2.3). Practicing Christians were also more likely to think the bad outweighs the good when it comes to AI (3.4) than non-practicing Christians (3.1) and non-Christians (2.9). The average level of agreement that AI would lead to increased unemployment was highest among practicing Christians (3.7), followed by non-practicing Christians (3.5) and non-Christians (3.3). A higher level of disgust at the idea of a priest using AI to develop sermons was registered among practicing Christians (3.5) than non-practicing Christians (3.1) and non-Christians (3.0). Home News Pro-life sidewalk counselors ask Supreme Court to revisit decision upholding abortion 'bubble zones' A coalition of pro-life sidewalk counselors is asking the United States Supreme Court to revisit a previous decision upholding bubble zones outside abortion clinics in light of the courts recent reversal of the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. In a brief submitted to the Supreme Court Tuesday, attorneys for the Thomas More Society sought relief on behalf of Coalition Life, a group of pro-life sidewalk counselors operating in the Midwest. Coalition Life is involved in litigation over a law in Carbondale, Illinois, that implements a so-called bubble zone around the abortion clinic in the city that limits the ability of pro-life sidewalk counselors to inform women experiencing unwanted pregnancies of options available to them within 100 feet of the facility. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The bubble zone ordinance in Carbondale was implemented the year after the Supreme Courts 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organizationdecision, which determined that the U.S. Constitution does not contain a right to abortion and overturned Roe. The Dobbs decision has left the legality of abortion up to individual states to decide, and federal lawmakers have engaged in debate about what role, if any, the federal government has in regulating abortion. As noted in the brief, lower courts have upheld the bubble zone ordinance, citing the Supreme Courts 2000 decision in Hill v. Colorado. The brief is a petition for a writ of certiorari on behalf of Coalition Life, urging the Supreme Court to hear their appeal of the lower court decision and revisit its ruling in Hill. The 6-3 Hilldecision upheld a Colorado state law determining that it was unlawful for any person to knowingly approach within [8] feet of another person, without that persons consent, for the purpose of passing a leaflet or handbill to, displaying a sign to, or engaging in oral protest, education, or counseling with such other person within 100 feet of an abortion clinic. Democrat-appointed Justices Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined Republican-appointed Justices Sandra Day OConnor, William Rehnquist, David Souter and John Paul Stevens in voting to uphold the law, while Republican-appointed Justices Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas dissented. The makeup of the Supreme Court has changed substantially since 2000, with all but Thomas either having retired from the bench or being deceased, as has First Amendment jurisprudence. The Hill majority acknowledged that activities pro-life activists seek to engage in outside of abortion clinics such as leafletting, sign displays, and oral communications are protected by the First Amendment, that the public sidewalks, streets, and ways affected by the statute are [five] quintessential public forums for free speech and that [t]he right to free speech, of course, includes the right to attempt to persuade others to change their views, and may not be curtailed simply because the speakers message may be offensive to his audience. However, the opinion declared that First Amendment rights must be balanced against a privacy interest in avoiding unwanted communication and concluded that the law restricting the ability of pro-life activists to counsel women in the vicinity of abortion clinics was a content-neutral time, place, and manner regulation because it limited all speech as opposed to simply pro-life speech. Hill was egregiously wrong the day it was decided, and virtually all of its reasoning has been explicitly repudiated in subsequent decisions that faithfully applied bedrock First Amendment doctrine, leaving no one with any credible (let alone legally viable) claim to reliance on the departure from settled precedent that it marked, the brief stated. But the need to restore the First Amendment rights Hill eviscerated is all the more pressing after Dobbs. According to the brief, The whole point of Dobbs was to return debate about the sensitive questions surrounding abortion to the people. That revitalized public debate cannot be conducted with one side licensed to fight freestyle, while requiring the other to follow Marquis of Queensberry rules. Now that the Supreme Court has returned the abortion debate to the people and their legislators, it is more important than ever to restore the free speech rights of those who advocate for life in the public square, said Thomas More Society Executive Vice President and Head of Litigation Peter Breen in a statement published after the law firm submitted its request for intervention by the Supreme Court. Expressing hope that the Supreme Court will restore the First Amendment rights of pro-life sidewalk counselors like those at Coalition Life and finally give Hill a proper burial, Breen declared: Its time to end, once and for all, the political gamesmanship places like Carbondale play with our free speech rights. Coalition Life Executive Director and Founder Brian Westbrook condemned the bubble zone law as nothing more than the continued and relentless persecution of our team on the sidewalk. Westbrook insisted, This fight wont be over until Hill is overturned and thousands of municipalities across the nation, like Carbondale, understand you cannot trample on our rights. As explained by the Thomas More Society, Carbondale, a southern Illinois college town with a population of just over 21,000, has become a major abortion hub for those seeking the procedure from across the Midwest and South. Historically home to zero abortion facilities, three abortion venues have taken root in the city in the two years following the landmark overturn of Roe v. Wade. The increased number of abortion facilities in Carbondale reflects the fact that Illinois has permissive abortion laws in contrast to many of the neighboring states that have implemented strong pro-life protections following the Dobbs decision. Home News Subway employee refuses to serve street preacher with shirt denouncing homosexuality An outspoken Christian street preacher claims to have been denied service at a Subway restaurant in Wisconsin because he was wearing a T-shirt that declared homosexuality a sin and referenced Romans 1. Rich Penkoski, who leads the online ministry Warriors for Christ, told The Christian Post that he is considering a lawsuit against Subway after he was recently refused service at one of their locations in Waunakee, Wisconsin. According to footage of the incident that has since racked up millions of views on X, an employee admitted that she was refusing to serve Penkoski for reasons she described as "a personal matter." Leftist Karen refuses to serve Christians for wearing a Christian shirt. @SUBWAY Wanaukee Wisconsin. 608 268-1494 We can't refuse service to alphabet mafia, but they can refuse us? ???????? pic.twitter.com/WNzj6935nC Lexit (@LexitMovement1) July 17, 2024 "We walked in, and I heard the girl with the red hair in that video say, 'Oh, Hell no, I'm not serving these guys,'" Penkoski told CP. "And there was a customer in front of us, and she said to him, 'Are you with these gentlemen?'" Penkosksi said. "He looked back at us and goes, 'I'm not sure these are gentlemen.' So I took out my phone and I told the pastor sitting next to me; I said, 'They just refused service to us!'" The Subway employee also noted that Penkoski's T-shirt was the reason why she was refusing to serve him, according to the video. Penkoski told CP that his shirt said "homo-sex is sin" and listed "Romans 1" beneath it. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Penkoski, who was traveling with other pastors after preaching outside the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, said he believes the incident at the Subway location shows there is a double standard when it comes to denying service to people who oppose LGBT ideology. "If the shoe were on the other foot, if somebody walked in and said, 'Oh, I'm gay or whatever,' and I said, 'Nope, I'm not serving you,' this would be all over the place, and I'd be fired, or I'd be getting sued," he said. "But these LGBT people are so emboldened, that they think just because they're either gay or gay allies, they can say and do whatever they want," he added. "So if they really want equality, then they should be OK with me suing them the same way they sue us." Penkoski said he has spoken with his attorney about the possibility of legal action against Subway, believing the restaurant violated his civil rights. Subway's corporate office did not respond to CP's request for comment by time of publication. Penkoski's family made headlines earlier this year when the Overton County Board of Education in Tennessee agreed to pay $101 to his daughter Brielle three years after she was sent home from the Livingston Academy public high school for wearing a shirt that also said "homosexuality is a sin." Last month, the Oklahoma Supreme Court also tossed out a five-year restraining order filed against him by Sheena Hayes and Morgan Lawrence-Hayes, as noted by his lawyers at the Rutherford Institute. In February 2023, Washington County District Court Judge Linda Thomas granted the protective order against Penkoski when the couple claimed they felt unsafe in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Penkoski had taken to social media to quote a Bible verse in opposition to LGBT advocacy group Oklahomans for Equality. He protested outside a local church that held a drag show where children were present. Penkoski had also posted a public photo of the same-sex wedding of Hayes and Lawrence-Hayes, the executive board president of the Bartlesville chapter of Oklahomans for Equality. Home News Whistleblower says most of security detail at Trump rally not Secret Service Whistleblowers testified that the Secret Service was understaffed on the day of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, while Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri says a source told him many in the security detail working the event were not Secret Service members. Lawmakers continue to seek answers about how 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to climb to an elevated position and shoot at the former president during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last weekend. The incident has raised questions about the gap in security exploited by the shooter. In a Thursday letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio stated that whistleblowers informed the House Judiciary Committee that the Secret Service was shorthanded during Trump's rally due to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Washington, D.C. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "The Committee has several unanswered questions about the failures that led to the attempted assassination of a president the first in over forty years as well as the FBI's ability to conduct a rapid, transparent, and thorough investigation in the wake of its recent scandals," Jordan stated. "Accordingly, to ensure that the Committee can effectively evaluate these matters during your testimony on July 24, 2024, we request that you be prepared to fully address all questions about the attempted assassination of President Trump and the FBI's investigation of it." Jordan requested the FBI director prepare to answer questions like why the roof accessed by the shooter was left unsecured and whether the FBI's investigation into the shooter includes a review of the security failures at the rally. Hawley is another lawmaker who has raised concerns about the security failure at the former president's rally that resulted in the assassination attempt. Earlier this week, the Republican senator sent two oversight letters to the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security, requesting responsive records "related to the Secret Service's staggering security failures that day." On Friday, Hawley shared a letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas detailing whistleblower allegations about the security at the Trump rally on July 13. Hawley reported that a whistleblower informed him that the majority of agents at the event were not Secret Service but individuals drawn from the department's Homeland Security Investigations unit. Hawley alleges these agents were unfamiliar with the security protocols used at events like this one. According to Hawley, whistleblowers alleged that detection canines were not used at the event to monitor entry and some individuals were able to access backstage areas without proper designations. In addition, the lawmaker said that whistleblowers raised concerns about the need for a security buffer around the podium where Trump spoke, and they also claimed department personnel were not stationed around the security perimeter at regular intervals. The Republican lawmaker requested that the DHS answer questions about how it staffed the event and the percentage of HSI and Secret Service agents. In addition, Hawley demanded answers about how many HSI agents were trained to staff events like the rally in Pennsylvania. The U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment. Earlier this week, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, chairman of the U.S. House Oversight and Accountability Committee, issued a subpoena for U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify about the attempted assassination of Trump. In the letter, Comer described the shooting incident as "a total failure of the agency's core mission [that] demands Congressional oversight." Home Opinion Sikh prayer at RNC: Why as an Evangelical I have no problem with this A minor kerfuffle erupted on the first night of the Republican National Convention in the wake of Californias Republican National Committeewoman Harmeet Dhillons prayer which included the statement, Dear Waheguru, our one true God. Ms. Dhillon is a Sikh, so her prayer was quite in line with her faith, just as I, as a Christian, would pray in the name of Jesus Christ, your only begotten Son. People immediately hit social media decrying Ms. Dhillons prayer. One representative post serves as an example: This was a HUGE SLAP IN THE FACE to our nations founding and to Christian conservatives. Actually, Ms. Dhillons prayer should serve as a classic example of the pluralism that we say we believe in in America. What is pluralism? It is the belief that everyone in America has the right, based on the Constitution and its First Amendment, to express their religious beliefs according to the dictates of their own consciences in the public square without fear of censorship, bias or prejudice. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Liberals have attempted to achieve religious neutrality in the public square by enforcing a religiously sanitized public square. Alternatively, many have tried to exclude all but the majority religious viewpoint. Both of these approaches are flawed and wrong, and both violate some citizens constitutional rights to freedom of religion. The well-known phrase, I disagree with everything you say, and I will fight to the death to defend your right to say it, illustrates this truth. If you allow the government, or anyone else, to censor the public square, you do not have true freedom of religion or freedom of speech. Now it is true that the Republican National Convention is not, in the strict sense, the unrestricted public square. However, it is also not a church or a place of worship, where worshippers would have the right to restrict speech to only faith statements and prayers in agreement with their faith tradition. When organizations like the Republican National Convention do congregate, they very often have traditionally opened and closed their sessions with invocations and benedictions. If the GOP wants Sikhs and other religious minorities to support them they should be willing to have their faith represented in such prayers at least occasionally. I know that when I have been asked to pray at such public occasions, I always make it clear that I will be praying In Jesus name, not some dumbed down, non-descript prayer to the Creator, etc. When I make this argument for pluralism, I often receive objections from traditional Christians that allowing anyone to pray exposes our children to false religious teachings. Whenever I hear this objection, I think of the biblical prophet Elijah and his confrontation with the prophets of Baal (I Kings 18). As the Bible relates it, Elijah challenges the prophets of the pagan god Baal to a contest. He challenged them to pray to their god and he would pray to the one true God and we would see which prayers God answers. When our children hear prayers to a different god than the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we have the opportunity to explain the difference and draw their attention to whose prayers get answered and whose prayers dont. We should espouse and practice pluralism in the public square and government spaces. We should not practice pluralism within our places of worship and our religiously affiliated educational institutions. I am a Southern Baptist and I expect a Southern Baptist church to have speakers who espouse Southern Baptist beliefs. I would expect a Roman Catholic church to have speakers who espouse Roman Catholic beliefs. Differing faith traditions have a responsibility to maintain the integrity of their faith traditions within their own institutions. However, in the public square, we should espouse and defend pluralism, defending the right of all our fellow citizens to express their faith in the public square. And we should always remember that if we allow someones faith to be discriminated against today, we may find our own faith discriminated against tomorrow. Home Opinion The main concern for Christian voters? Sometimes prophecies, intended to be imminent in fulfillment, actually may be more foretelling of future events. Perhaps that was the case when just before the Iowa Caucuses in 2016 then presidential candidate Senator Ted Cruz declared in a speech before a group of Evangelical supporters that we must awaken the body of Christ that we might pull back from this abyss. In a day when over 25 million Christians eschew their right to vote in any given presidential election, 65 million do not participate in local elections, and 15 million are not registered voters, the good Senators cries seemingly have not been heeded. Now as we face the crucial presidential election cycle in 2024 the nation is in desperate turmoil and appears ready to make the leap into oblivion more so than at any time in recent history. Not only that but those people who self-identify as Christians are seeing their overall numbers dwindle in comparison to a more non-religious subset of voters. With all that, it certainly is easy to see how over these last eight years the abyss to which Senator Cruz referred has grown even bigger than any of us could have ever imagined. Initially, by way of a disclaimer here, I should admit that for most of my life, I have been a political junkie. Over the span of more than six decades, I have been both an observer and an active participant in many of the political races that have shaped my generation and those that have followed in succession. Certainly, there have been those times when the soul of the nation has been placed on trial by the intensity of the issues that unfolded before us. Who could forget the 1964 election to replace the assassinated President John F. Kennedy or the 1968 elections, which featured two major assassinations, Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King? Then added to those were the widespread riots throughout our country, including the city of Chicago during the Democrat National Convention. Obviously, there have been many other difficult and extremely important contests for the heart of the nation over the years. In fact, the argument could be made that the election of a President is always one which by its very nature is crucial to the well-being of America. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe But, here in 2024, we just intuitively know that something is different, dont we? Faced with what many have labeled as a make-or-break decision as to who will lead our nation for the next four years, we understand that the stakes have never been higher. Perhaps in the minds of many voters though, the choices have never been lower. In reality, as late as it is, there is still a great deal of uncertainty as to who the candidate will be to carry the banner of the Democrat party. Their erstwhile leader and current president have painfully faltered greatly coming out of the gate. On the other hand, Republicans are faced with the dilemma of a candidate who has rightfully or wrongfully been convicted of a number of felonies and who faces many more court dates perhaps even before the votes are all counted. Is it any wonder that as the day of the election draws nearer and nearer, various elements of our electorate are being scrutinized to determine who they will cast their ballots for in the upcoming presidential race or even if they will vote at all? Perhaps no other group is being watched more closely than those who at least self-identify as Christians. No doubt, religion has played an integral part in politics since the earliest days of our nation. As a people of The Book, we are commanded by Christ himself to render to Caesar, the things that are Caesars and to God, the things that are Gods. That admonition alone should cause Christians in America to be actively involved in the voting process not only to be good citizens of our nation but also to influence the country based on the calling of God in our lives. So, for Christians as participants in a republican form of government to not vote arguably could be contrary to the requirements placed on us by Christ Himself. Mike Sharrow, CEO of C12, who recently in collaboration with My Faith Votes to effectuate a workplace effort to encourage people of faith to vote in elections all the way from the presidency down to local interests, put it succinctly as he said, When we dont vote, we are actually failing to engage the authority that has been entrusted to us. To be sure those who claim to be faith-based voters have not always aligned behind a single candidate or party. For instance, white Evangelicals tend to vote Republican while African American Evangelicals tend to vote Democrat. At the same time, you see differences in levels of support amongst those who hold themselves out to be Catholic and those who are Jewish, with both of these groups at least tending in recent elections to support Democrat candidates. Ironically, in the past few elections, those who adhere to the religion of Islam have tended to side with the Democrat party almost to the same extent as Jews. Then there is always the divide between those Christians who attend church regularly (Republicans) and those who seldom attend (Democrats). The divisions amongst faith groups voting patterns could go on probably ad nauseam. Nevertheless, faith-based voters may be one of the most critical blocks in this years election and could very well become the single most important deciding factor. With that being said, recent polling indicates a clear favorite amongst the candidates in the eyes of voters who claim a Christian basis. Nathan Gonzales of Inside Elections was recently quoted in an article where he declared, Its becoming increasingly clear that President Trump's appeal among religious voters is expanding. As we approach Election Day, every vote, particularly from faith voters, will be crucial. This actually may bode well for Mr. Trump in his quest to regain the presidency in spite of his legal troubles. Recent polling has indicated a significant trend in the coalescing of the faith-based vote in his favor, at least for the time being, even despite the softening of his stance on the most important issue of abortion. Not only is Mr. Trump polling well in the traditional Evangelical church-going group, but he is also making great inroads into religious groups that have tended to vote with the opposing side over the years. Perhaps one of the clearest examples of this can be found in the Jewish vote, which appears to be making a full-fledged exodus from the Democrat party because of the pro-Palestinian stance of many Democrat leaders and the perceived lack of support by the Biden administration for Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attack of October 7, 2023. There also seems to be a clear erosion of support amongst some traditionally Democrat-leaning Christian groups because of Mr. Bidens and his partys staunch pro-abortion stance. Jay Richards, a scholar at the Heritage Foundation, was recently quoted in the CBN article in which he highlights the deepening divide on religious issues by stating, Despite his outward adherence to Catholicism, Joe Biden remains steadfastly pro-abortion, which continues to alienate many religiously inclined voters. This any time for any reason position on the murder of the unborn is unsettling to a large portion of Hispanic Catholic and African American Christian voters as well, which is further eroding the support that traditionally belongs to the Democrat candidate. That same CBN article goes further in stating that this shift underscores a growing coalition of religiously motivated voters rallying behind Trump, in many cases driven by his conservative policies. The writer also points out that Trump has strategically emphasized religious liberty and pro-life policies, presenting himself as a champion of traditional American values. Whether you like or dislike Mr. Trump, there is no doubt that he has positioned himself in such a way as to actively seek the votes of people of faith while it appears that Mr. Biden has deliberately distanced himself from the group by supporting late-term abortions and extreme alphabet sex issues while at the same time turning a blind eye to severe antisemitic demonstrations across the country particularly on college campuses. To put it bluntly and plainly, Mr. Biden has done nothing to assuage the concerns of the people of faith and has literally often poked the eye of this important electorate group by his administrations attacks on religious liberty and by weaponizing the DOJ, IRS, DHS, and Department of Education against anyone who dares to speak out about the incongruency of his positions with the Constitution of these United States. At Southern Evangelical Seminary, we understand, as Pastor Sam Rodriquez of New Season Church has said, There is an undeniable schism amongst voters regarding the role of religion in our nation. Regardless, this schism should never, under any circumstances, cause a Christ follower to not fulfill his or her civic duty by voting. Nevertheless, when deciding which candidate is to receive the support of your ballot, the first and foremost concern of every believer should be the freedom to proclaim the Gospel without restriction. Although all of the issues in this years election are important, they pale in comparison to religious freedom. This great freedom is embodied in the very first phrase in the very First Amendment to our Constitution in the Bill of Rights. When you vote this November, as we urge you to do, please, for the sake of our nation and for your childrens children, keep religious freedom at the forefront of your thoughts. It is the Gospel that in the end, is the only truth that matters. Home Opinion Why would God spare Trump's life but not Comperatore? Saturday marked the end of the longest span between domestic assassination attempts of U.S. presidents and presidential candidates since President Lincoln was killed at Fords Theatre in 1865. President Garfield was killed in 1881; Mckinley in 1901. Attempts were made at Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, Franklin Roosevelt in 1933, and Truman in 1950. President JFK was killed in 1963 and candidate RFK in 1968. Candidate George Wallace was shot and survived in 1972, and two attempts were made at President Ford in 1975. The most recent domestic assassination attempt prior to Saturday was over 40 years ago when Ronald Reagan was shot and survived, and afterward quipped to his wife Nancy, Honey, I forgot to duck. While the frequency of this violent history may be surprising, it does not diminish the horrific and evil nature of Saturdays shooting nor the tremendous loss experienced by the family of Corey Comperatore. According to the New York Times, Comperatore died when he threw himself over his family members to shield them. A former fire chief, Comperatore was also, according to his daughter, Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe [T]he best dad a girl could ever ask for. My sister and I never needed for anything. You call, he would answer [H]e could talk and make friends with anyone, which he was doing all day (at the rally) and loved every minute of it. He was a man of God, loved Jesus fiercely, and also looked after our church and our members as family. Questions abound about this attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, from the motivations of the shooter to the seemingly unfathomable reality that the 20-year-old was able to reach an elevated position with direct line-of-sight only 130 yards or so from the president. Theres also the many what might have been questions, about the President personally and about the nation, questions that have only shudder-inducing speculative answers. And there are the worldview questions that arise in historic moments like this, about the reality of God and the role of divine providence in national and international affairs; and about the human condition, especially the frailty of life and the moral significance of our actions. As Dr. Al Mohler helpfully articulated in The Briefing, [L]ife and death can come down to the matter of seconds and to a matter of a millimeter. The former president seems to also recognize that his survival was due to that level of precision, acknowledging to the New York Post, Im not supposed to be here By luck or by God, many people are saying its by God Im still here. That it is by God and not luck, Christians know for sure (and it seems, so does the President). At the same time, this clear teaching of Scripture, that God oversees the affairs of men particularly in raising up and casting down those in power, is not easy to understand. Why would God spare the Presidents life but not Mr. Comperatore? By all indications, Mr. Trump turned his head to a chart on a screen and was somehow saved. Mr. Comperatore made the decision to throw himself between his family and an assassin, and it cost him his life. How does that make any sense? Here, Mohler continued, Christians understand we have nowhere to go but the Doctrine of Providence It is essential to our Christian understanding of the world. Gods providence extends to every moment of human history, not just the seemingly exceptional ones. The world is never outside of His control, even when the outcome is not as we hoped. Put differently, the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 was providential for both England and Spain. The fog that enabled the Dunkirk rescue was providential for the British, the Germans, and the entire world. And yet, just as essential to the Christian understanding of the world is the moral capacity of human beings and the meaningfulness of human actions. A Hindu leader once noted to theologian and missionary Lesslie Newbigin, I find in your Bible a unique interpretation of universal history, the history of the whole of creation and the history of the human race. And therefore, a unique interpretation of the human person as a responsible actor in history. That is unique. There is nothing else in the whole religious literature of the world to put alongside it. There is no conflict between Gods sovereignty and mans moral responsibility. In fact, the alternatives would be far worse. If no sovereign God exists, then life and all that happens is random and meaningless, except for some preferred interpretation we choose to impose on it. If all is predetermined, either by nature or by some heartless deity, we have no cause to expect better behavior of ourselves or others. The meaningfulness of our actions and the constant presence and oversight of our loving Creator may be difficult to reconcile, but it is a far better scenario. Thus we can say, both truthfully and meaningfully, that God graciously spared the former president, that the shooters actions were evil and heinous, and that Mr. Comperatore was heroic to protect his family. We can also, truthfully and meaningfully, judge the words and actions of ourselves, our leaders, and our press in response to this tragedy. We can act so that, by Gods grace, this kind of thing will not become normal. We can pray that, having lived through this attempt on his life, President Trump is brought to a place of gratitude to God and a sense of responsibility, rather than to a sense of entitlement. At the same time, we should pray that Gods grace and mercy cover the Comperatore family and that He will use His church to do so. We should know also that our moral actions matter as well, as citizens and voters who follow Christ. How Gods people respond to this telling and troubling political moment will either point this world to Christ or not. So, heres a prayer for us all: O Lord, we beseech thee mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people who call upon thee, and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfill the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Originally published at BreakPoint. In Hiroshima, the Vatican joined religious leaders to change the narrative on AI Meeting where one of two atomic bombs that ended World War II landed in Hiroshima, Japan, causing mass death and devastation, representatives from 11 diverse religious traditions gathered July 9-10 for a Vatican-sponsored event to address a latter-day technology also destined, many believe, to upend humanity: artificial intelligence. Rather than focus on AI's potential apocalyptic threat, the participants emphasized how this momentous scientific achievement could possibly contribute to building a more ethical world and build peace. More than 150 people from 13 countries attended the two-day event, which concluded with a signing ceremony of the Rome Call for AI Ethics, a document that lays out principles of transparency, inclusion, accountability, impartiality, reliability and privacy. The document was drafted before the COVID-19 pandemic by the Pontifical Academy for Life and the Italian government, which collaborated with tech companies that are on the frontier of AI development, including Microsoft and IBM. The document has since been signed and supported by dozens of universities and other tech companies that agreed to share their insights and knowledge to further a responsible use of AI. The Church of England, influential Jewish rabbis and Muslim leaders also joined the call for an ethical approach to big data and AI. At the memorial park in Hiroshima, Eastern leaders from Buddhist, Hindu, Zoroastrian and Baha'i traditions came together for what the Vatican described as a "historic multireligious event." "I ask you to show the world that we are united in asking for a proactive commitment to protect human dignity in this new era of machine," Pope Francis wrote in a message read by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Academy for Life, which under this pontificate has expanded its scope to include issues that impact all aspects of human life, from technology to palliative care to migration. Paglia asked that AI, which he described as "a great tool with unlimited possibilities of application," become "a driver of peace and reconciliation among peoples." His words were echoed by Sheikh Abdallah Bin Bayyah, president of the Abu Dhabi Forum for Peace and chair of the United Arab Emirates Council for Fatwa, who invoked "a future in which the fruits of technology are harnessed to build a more tolerant, peaceful and virtuous world." Rabbi Eliezer Simcha Weiss, a member of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel's Commission for Interfaith Relations, added, "AI strengthens our faith in God, providing avenues for exploring the intricacies of creation and the mysteries of existence." Francis' adviser for AI, the Rev. Paolo Benanti, presented a second document, the "Hiroshima Appeal," which urges world leaders to use the technology for peace and to resolve conflicts for a cessation of all violence. Getting Muslim and Jewish representatives to sit together at the table was no easy feat, said the Rev. Paolo Ciucci, a Catholic priest who works on AI issues at the Vatican who attended and helped coordinate the event, in an interview on Thursday (July 18). "What's important is that everyone agreed to participate," Ciucci said. "If we sit down to discuss theology among religions we will never get out of it alive," he added, "but if we do something for the betterment of humanity we can all sit at the table." Ciucci works alongside 150 scientists and experts at the Academy for Life attempting to infuse an ethical sense into the rapidly developing field of AI. He is also the secretary general of RenAIssance, a foundation whose brief is to promote the Rome Call for AI Ethics among leaders in the field of AI. Francis has launched a powerful effort to address the topic in the church, sending priests to discuss AI with engineers from Silicon Valley to Nairobi, Kenya, and exploiting formal and informal channels. With his ironed black shirt and white collar, Ciucci said he stands out in a crowd of developers and programmers who often ask him what a Catholic priest is doing in conferences about algorithms and big data. At a conference called AI for Good, held every year in Geneva, IBM's AI Ethics Global Leader Francesca Rossi walked up to Ciucci and asked: "Excuse me, why are you here?" Ciucci published a book answering that question in 2022. "We tackle AI because we believe that technology in general, but this one especially, influences the lives of human beings. Since we care about humanity we are here," he explained. No technology is neutral, Ciucci said. It is up to people to ensure that culture, society and economics don't create inherent biases. AI, he said, challenges the question of what it means to be human, and as "an agency that is an expert of the flesh," the Catholic Church has a lot to offer to experts in the field. IBM was among the first signatories of the Rome Call, and the company has supported the Vatican's outreach to universities around the globe. "Everything in the document is not written from the point of view of one specific religion but it has a human-centric approach and values that are shared by the Catholic religions and other religions," Rossi told Religion News Service in an interview Wednesday. Rossi, who serves on numerous boards focused on AI ethics, said technology firms' clients are increasingly asking for reassurance that AI does not violate bias, discrimination or privacy norms. "Technology can and should be used to help human progress, not the other way around," she said. Rossi said the Hiroshima gathering, despite being held in a place haunted by almost unimaginable violence, was focused on peace. "The people of Hiroshima turned the narrative around," she said, adding that the signatories of the Rome Call hope to do the same for AI. The Vatican promises to continue being a voice for an ethical use for AI, centered on the promotion of peace. Summits with international organizations and events for the five-year anniversary of the Rome Call are already in the works, hinting at the Vatican's and Pope Francis' determination to ensure that AI becomes an instrument for good. Religion News Service We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Oasis, the South of Market LGBT nightclub, was robbed on Thursday. Justin Katigbak/Speical to The Chronicle Workers at Oasis were robbed at gunpoint by masked men who also vandalized the popular LGBTQ nightclub and cabaret in San Franciscos South of Market neighborhood, owner DArcy Drollinger confirmed with the Chronicle. The incident occurred at 5:11 a.m. Thursday, while the clubs cleaning crew was working. Video surveillance shows four men with ski masks who ripped the front main door of the club off with crow bars, Drollinger, who is also San Franciscos mayor-appointed Drag Laureate, said. The three cleaners, who are contracted by the Oasis, were reportedly held down as the men took their phones and wallets. The names of the victims are not being released upon their request. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Drollinger said the intruders ransacked the clubs office, breaking internet equipment and raiding the bars inventory in the basement where they drank tequila and Red Bull before leaving. Because the alarm wasnt set because the cleaning crew was in there working, the alarm didnt go off, Drollinger said, but another Oasis employee who noticed the disturbance on a camera at home called the police. San Francisco Police Department media relations officer Allison Maxie said officers arrived shortly after the robbers left, and confirmed there were no reported injuries. Simon Malvaez is one of the San Francisco artists who worked on the mural outside of Oasis titled Showtime. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle The clubs exterior mural Showtime, commissioned by Drollingers nonprofit Oasis Arts in 2022 and painted by five San Francisco artists to honor the LGBTQ history of the South of Market area, extends to the door and was also damaged. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One of my staff had to basically weld a big patch on the door to be able to get it to close and lock last night, he said. Drollinger is now considering whether to have a new, separate mural painted on the door. Repairs to the club are estimated at about $10,000 and by Friday, Drollinger launched a crowdfunding campaign for that amount, which also aims to support the clubs workers. As of the afternoon, it has received more than $12,500 in donations. The mayors office also reached out to let him know about city grants available to help cover the cost of the broken door, he said. Despite the mornings events, the club reopened Thursday evening for its cabaret show Drunk Drag Dizney. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We got back online about 20 minutes before we opened the club just by the skin of our teeth, said Drollinger. San Francisco Police Department media relations officer Allison Maxie said officers arrived shortly after the robbers left, and confirmed there were no reported injuries. Felix Uribe/Special to The Chronicle Meanwhile, Drollinger has been in touch with the management of the SF Eagle, the historic gay leather bar around the corner on 12th Street, whose owner Lex Montiel said that there was a break-in attempt at 4:50 Thursday morning through the bars patio doors. Montiel said it was the second time this month, adding that other bars in SoMA have been recently targeted as well. At a time when the nightlife community is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, he said these crimes just add more stress to businesses. The police and city need to do something about this wave of crime on the entertainment industry, said Montiel. Patrols need to be coming around more at the hour the cleaning crews are working. Theyre in danger if the police arent taking care of the situation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Nicki Jizz is the creator of Reparations, where white patrons can pay their reparations in tickets and tips to Black drag performers at Oasis. Justin Katigbak/Speical to The Chronicle Oasis opened on New Years Day 2015 in a space that had formerly housed an indoor pool and bathhouse. It quickly became one of the most well-known gay venues in the Bay Area. Drollinger is now the sole owner, although his original business partners included San Francisco drag legend Heklina, who died in London in 2023 but had already sold her interest in the club in 2020. Over the years, the club has become well known as a venue for alternative queer theater ranging from drag parodies of popular television series like Sex and the City to original plays by Drollinger like his Champagne White trilogy, which includes S & Champagne and Champagne White and the Temple of Poon. Oasiss drag nights include the all Black performer show Reparations, created by Nicki Jizz and voted best drag show in the Bay Area by 48 Hills, as well as the Saturday show Princess, which also hosts the yearly High Princx Pageant. Its also a regular stop for RuPauls Drag Race performers when they are in Northern California and often attracts queer celebrities in the audience like Lil Nas X. Jane Fonda, right, with club owner DArcy Drollinger at Oasis in 2023. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Additionally, Oasis has hosted major celebrities including Cher for a Hillary Clinton presidential campaign fundraiser in 2016 and Jane Fonda for a conversation with the Chronicle about her environmental activism in 2023. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Drollinger said that while hes ultimately relieved no one was injured, it does make him feel vulnerable. I think this kind of thing is happening in every major city, its not specific to San Francisco, said Drollinger. But the guns make me very nervous. Our job is to help people escape for a few hours and its hard when that kind of reality seeps into this space that feels safe. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the police departments 24-hour tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. Aboneaza-te la rubricile dorite si primeste zilnic notificari pe email cu link-uri la articolele care au fost adaugate in ultimele 24 de ore. Notificarile vor fi expediate la adresa indicata mai jos. Daca doresti sa schimbi adresa - o poti modifica editand informatia de profil aici. Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. In the coverage, last month, of Joe Bidens debate performance, journalists confronted the pitfalls of writing about aging. There was a panoply of attempts: The descriptive. (He stammered. He stumbled, per Politico. He stood frozen behind his podium, mouth agape, his eyes wide and unblinking for long stretches of time.) The sadly passive. (According to NPR, He simply couldnt deliver the kinds of happy-warrior blows with that toothy smile audiences have seen from Biden in years past.) The rhetorically stirring. (Biden appeared, to the New York Times editorial board, as the shadow of a great public servant who struggled to make it to the end of a sentence.) The disappointed and confused. (A tongue-tied octogenarian, Doyle McManus wrote for the Los Angeles Times, ended one tangled explanation of his tax proposals with the puzzling phrase: If we finally beat Medicare.) Common adjectives included dismal, brutal, and stunning. In the days since, the press has made old age its focus, as Bidens closest allies call on him to step aside. Old age is everywhere: by 2029, there will be more than seventy million people in the United States over the age of sixty-five, accounting for around 20 percent of the overall population. It is not invisible, and yet it is not often looked at directly. For all the obsessive coverage of politicians ageBiden is eighty-one, Trump seventy-eightthe conditions of being an older person are relatively unplumbed in public discourse. After the debate, I called Christy Hirea woman in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who works as a caregiver for her mother, who has Alzheimers, and who is also a longtime occupational therapist to older people. I dont think the media show the real dirty gritty side, she said. Lets show the dirty-gritty, because its reality. Oh, look at this graceful aging! I dont like that. That does happen, sometimes, but not real often. Lets talk about the people who sit on the toilet for an hour and their legs go numb. She felt sorry for Biden, she saiddespite not liking his politics or, really, politics at all. Writing about older people is a minefield, though, because oldness, when viewed as a fixed category, immediately begins to dissolve; age looks different from person to person. A popular working definition of aging has something to do with separateness, in the form of retirement, potential debility, perceived out-of-touchness. Beyond that, we are left to look rabidly for signs; we know it when we see it, and yet are hard-pressed (like Justice Potter Stewart) to name the specifics. Perhaps the difficulty arises from our tendency to set such matters aside. According to a KFF survey last year, fewer than half of adults have ever had a serious conversation with a loved one about who will take care of them if they need help with daily activities in the future (43%). Stephen Katz, professor emeritus of sociology at Trent University, in Canada, has long studied the aging body and the social construction of older age; when it comes to the management of aging, he told me recently, Its sort of like, well, thats kind of the unpleasant stuff. Ill just move that off. He added, Its almost like the future diminishes. And you no longer really belong to it. There is not even a good standard term for people over sixty-five. Dont use words that may have negative connotations, the National Institute on Aging advises, including the aged, elderly, senior, senior citizen, and boomer. (Older, which I have settled on, is also extremely imperfect, as it is clearly relative to some supposedly normative younger group.) Even when trying to get the story right, a journalist can easily tilt toward ageism and ableism. Theres also the near-compulsory, optimistic, and profitable graceful aging paradigm that Barbara Ehrenreich once skewered (Its not enough to stay alive; you have to become better than you were in your youth). There is a theory of the third agea post-retirement span of supposed personal fulfillment and activity, as defined by a historian named Peter Laslettthat helped solidify contemporary ideas around positive aging. As Katz explained it, Youre still kind of an active adult, youre just doing things a little differently or enjoying life in a retired kind of milieu. But most people dont get a third age; they keep on working, without a pension, until they die. Those diverse experiences are left out of this imagination of a glorious, golden time, Katz said. Where, then, is the fourth age? What happens in real old age? When does it come? And how do we know that its coming? And how do we deal with that part? There has been a degree of horror in the coverage around Bidens public oldness, reminiscent of what Katz and others have called the black hole of the fourth age, which Biden may be seen to straddle. For a long time now, journalists have reported on his numerous slip-ups, shufflings, gaffes, falls. Some consider it taboo to ask whether a candidate is too old to serve as president, Jack Shafer reported for Politico. Not the press. Brian Stelter, writing for Vox, observed, Journalists arent doctors, and shouldnt pretend to be. But they should continue to demand answers, he added. Questions of age will come up over and over again. Reporters who push past hostile press offices and recalcitrant readers to get to the facts will have met the momentand delivered to the public what it deserves. The idea, to Stelter and others, is that younger generations in particular deserve age-focused reportingand, more largely, a future ruled by a non-gerontocracy. Margaret Morganroth Gullette, the author of Aged by Culture (2004), has noted how the word aging usually refers to decline. The facts of aging have to be explained over and over, she said. Nominal aphasiatrouble with proper namesdoes not mean I dont remember everything else about the person I have in mind. Gullettes forthcoming book, American Eldercide, focuses on the experiences of older people during the worst ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, pointing out how journalists almost never interviewed residents of nursing homes, at a time when the main story across the country was that they were locked in, without access to friends and relatives, in understaffed buildings, and dying in clusters, prematurely and unnecessarily, alone. Bidens own recent COVID diagnosis, and his campaigns Im sick fundraising tweet, sparked disbeliefand yet the timing seemed all too perfect, after he granted an interview with BET News, saying the one thing that would draw him out of the election would be if I had some medical condition that emerged. Recently, Rachael Bedard, a geriatrician and writer, published a Times op-ed about Bidens public experience of oldness. As a country, we are not having a complete or accurate discussion of age-related debility, she wrote; clinical frailty, she argued, is a standard part of a persons movement from one late stage to the next. A shifting ratio of good days and bad days is often how clinical frailty appears. The pattern of decline in frailty is a gradual dwindling of a persons health, a line sloping slowly downward. (She stopped short of diagnosing Biden.) But most journalists, unlike Bedard, are not also doctors; most assessments of older people come from the outside, as they are not often trusted to narrate their own experiences. Sign up for CJRs daily email Is there a way to write frankly on older age, from a distance? How hard could it be, really? Ceridwen Dovey asked in The New Yorker, before narrating her own doomed attempt. If there is a needle to thread, it is very skinny: How can a writer describe a politician such as Biden within the framework of too old while also remembering the realities of most older people in this country, who, upon needing specialized treatment, are often not going to be able to afford it, as Hire told me, unless they have a pretty fat nest egg. Possibly, they wind up in a care home, if they are on Medicaid. (Youll never see Biden in a nursing home, Hire said.) This is all to say that the structures around older age in the United States encourage a sense that there is such a thing as too old to be a part of society, on the basis of productivity, disability, and capacity. Biden seems, now, a symbol of oldness; he is giving the semiotics of old age, as Katz put it. What is being signified, of course, remains murky. Old age can be everywhere and nowhere, vivid and background, difficult and graceful, a lucky privilege and an eventuality, a biological reality and a social construct. The real elders are the proper judges of the stages of life, since those who are young judge things without being experienced, wrote Petrarch, in the fourteenth century. Of course, we have all been hearing some version of this idea forever. Perhaps any serious thinkers work is not to accept oldness for the easy meaning it is typically assigned in this country, but to interrogate how it is built, how it is used, and the variations inside it, while also remembering any number of other ways to evaluate a persons past, present, and future. Lucy Schiller is a professor of nonfiction writing at Texas Tech. Her first book, on older age in the United States, is forthcoming from Flatiron Books. Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. Last weekend, Salena Zito became the first journalist to interview Donald Trump after a gunman tried to assassinate him at a rally in Pennsylvania, a conversation published in the Washington Examiner under the headline: Trump rewrites Republican convention speech to focus on unity not Biden. Trump told Zito that he had been preparing a humdinger of a speech, but that hed ripped it up. It is a chance to bring the country together, he said. I was given that chance. As the Republican National Convention proceeded in Milwaukee, Trumps team continued to push the unity theme and members of the media echoed it, with varying degrees of skepticism. In a piece quoting allies as saying that Trump had become serene and emotional in the wake of the shooting, Politico noted that, while he had since posted some unstatesmanlike things online, he had also leaned into the notion of faith and divine providence, lending credence to allies private claims that he is engaging in deep reflection. Last night, before Trump took the stage for his speech, Scott Jennings, a right-wing pundit on CNN, said that hed already seen a chunk of it. Buckle up, Jennings advised, because hes about to blow the doors off and rise to the occasion. Finally, Trump appeared, framed by a giant sign spelling his name out in lights. (When the New York Post splashed the headline Everythings coming up TRUMP on Tuesday, it surely didnt imagine that the reference to Gypsy would soon be quite so visual.) As he spoke, he only mentioned Bidens name once. (Well, technically twice, but the second time was to underline that he would only be saying it once.) Typically Fiery Trump Calls for Unity at Republican Convention, one headline read in the aftermath; Trump urges unity at final night of the RNC, read another. A news analysis in the New York Times noted that Trump had attempted a politically cunning transformation. Sure, he had proved unable to resist a handful of exaggerations and personal attacks on Democratsclaiming that Democrats cheated in 2020; calling Nancy Pelosi crazy; repeatedly referring to an invasion of immigrants and comparing them to Hannibal Lecter. But open threats and nakedly vicious imagery were largely absent from his address, as he exhibited both a newfound temperance resulting from his near-death experience and a new approach that poses fresh challenges for Democrats. Even that article, though, seemed to be arguing with itself. (Headline: Trump Struggles to Turn the Page on American Carnage; subheading: Trump promised to bridge political divides, and then returned to delighting in deepening them.) And other major outlets seemed unconvinced by the whole unity thing. The Washington Post reported that Trump wrapped a fresh gesture toward unity around his usual dark view of American decline and loathing for political opponents and immigrants; other headlines read Trump Calls for Unity but Shifts to Familiar Attacks, and Donald Trump called for unity at the top of his speech. Then he went after Democrats. When Trump finally stopped talkingafter an hour and thirty-two minutesCNNs Jake Tapper said that he had started off with what we were told was the new tone of unity, but then, and I hope this doesnt sound harsh, it pretty much became the kind of speech we generally hear from Donald Trump at rallies. Chris Wallace added that hed thought were off to the races here, this is really gonna be a different Donald Trump, only to come away disappointed. In between, they paused to take in what Trump claimed was the biggest balloon drop in the history of balloons. As the New Republics Greg Sargent wrote earlier in the week, following the first credulous coverage of Trumps unity rhetoric, media predictions of a Trump pivot are a stock joke at this point. It should be noted that not every journalist fell for this one, but its shockingor, to Sargents point, perhaps notthat any member of the media would do so after eight years of similarly empty promises. Maybe they did so out of amnesia or gullibility. Maybe they really wanted to believe that Trump would play the unifier this time, reflecting, as the historian Rick Perlstein put it to me ahead of the 2020 election, an ideology of consensus at the highest levels of the elite media; the idea that Americans are united and fundamentally at peace with themselves. If the credulous coverage and inevitable letdown felt frustratingly repetitive, they were, perhaps, a metaphor for a bigger feeling that has loomed over coverage of this week in particular. When the assassination attempt happened, it felt, rightly, like the press was witness to a truly historic moment: one of national unmooring, after which everything would, somehow, be different. But history is complicated, and not every historic moment marks a decisive turning point. By Monday, the news cycle had moved onby no means entirely, but to a surprising extent given the gravity of the weekends events. By Tuesday, Derek Thompson was arguing, in The Atlantic, that pundits should stop pretending to know the import of the shooting, given that it might not have any lasting effect on the election or politics in general. (He spoke with an expert in failed assassination attempts who noted that would-be assassins are chaos agents more than agents that direct the course of history.) It can be disorienting when events that we have been taught to see as turning points turn out to be a lot messier. (Perhaps, to be very charitable, this was another reason why some media observers seemed to believe that this time, Trump might actually pivot.) Maybe this was a turning point and the press just cant see it yet. Still, at least for now, todays news cycle does not feel categorically different from that of a week ago. Indeed, the buildup to Trumps address was overshadowed by coverage of Bidens future in the race, which was the big story this time last week and has ramped back up after a post-shooting lull, complete with the occasional public call for Biden to quit the race, a flurry of leaked private calls, and, now, an exchange of dizzyingly contradictory reports about Bidens willingness to entertain the idea. (Gabe Schneider deftly satirized a typical push alert: President Biden is appearing to accept the idea that he should discuss the concept of negotiating how he might listen to advisors who want him to review polling that says he should absorb the notion of him dropping out of the race.) Sign up for CJRs daily email This, of course, is not to say that the news cycle hasnt changed at all, beyond the assassination attempt being a big story in itself. There has been an attendant debate as to whether it would lead major outlets to soften their scrutiny of Trumps rhetoric and positions, often linked to the nebulous notion of turning down the temperature. As I wrote on Tuesday, there were some early signs that this might be the case. (This wasnt just my observation: the same day, Trumps son Eric remarked that hed just done interviews with CNN and MSNBC and that hed never been treated with such respect. I felt a different temperature.) But as we have seen, other possible signsnot least the unity narrativecould just as well have reflected older forms of complacency. And some hard-hitting coverage has continued. The media is a big place; this week, in particular, generalizing about it seems perilous (even if any complacent coverage is too much). Overall, the shooting and the ongoing Biden drama did seem to overshadow what seemed to be shaping up to be a dominant story out of the RNC: Trumps hardline agenda for a second term, which, in the days prior to the shooting, had crystallized in growing media coverage (not to mention social media and celebrity chatter) about Project 2025, a detailed hard-right blueprint for a second Trump term that has been compiled by close Trump allies, even if Trump himself has publicly distanced himself from their plans. (The last pre-shooting episode of The Run-Up, the Times election podcast, was titled Project 2025, Suddenly Everywhere, Explained.) Again, its hard to generalize here. As the RNC has progressed, Project 2025 has popped back up in some coverage (including, yesterday, a buzzy Wired story linking J.D. Vance, Trumps running mate, to figures involved with the project via an analysis of his public Venmo account). To the extent its been diluted by talk of Trumps tone, this may have happened even without the shooting. Either way, with the RNC over, the press will need to find new ways to examine Trumps hardline agenda heading into the election, even if treating Project 2025 as a proxy for that agenda is a complicated proposition. On The Run-Up, Jonathan Swan advised taking it seriously, as we have in our reporting, but not as Trump campaign plans. But Swan also argued that the latter are hardly some mystery. Donald Trump has said all of this out loud, Swan told the host, Astead Herndon. Literally he tells you, Herndon replied. Swan advised listeners to read his frickin campaign website or listen to a couple of tapes. Its not Woodward and Bernstein here. The conversation put me in mind of an old cliche from the 2016 electionone coined by Zito, who also interviewed Trump back then and famously concluded that, while his fans take him seriously, but not literally, the press takes him literally, but not seriously. Coverage of Trump has evolved since then, of course, but as I see it, the literally/seriously balance remains something of a puzzle. His speech last night is a case in point. We now have a Trump record to assessone that indicates that, when he talks about supposed Democratic election cheating and invasions of immigrants, he is being very serious, even if talk of Hannibal Lecter might not be literal. His promises of unity, on the other hand, were literal but didnt deserve to be taken seriously at all; at least, not in the absence of evidence. Earlier in the week, Sargent suggested that if media figures are so eager to depict Trump as unifying, then lets lay down a hard metricthat, before indulging such claims, Trump must clear the absolute minimum threshold of renouncing his election denialism and authoritarian designs for a second term. This is a welcome idea. In the absence of his doing so, the designs must remain the biggest story. Of course, the press will also have to find ways to examine the Democrats agenda for a second terma task complicated, for now, by the uncertainty as to whose agenda it will be. Yesterday, before Trump addressed the RNC, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at a rally in North Carolina amid the swirling Biden speculation, and every major cable network covered it live. Viewers will have heard her talking about Project 2025and about Trumps claims of unity. In recent days, theyve been trying to portray themselves as the party of unity, Harris said, of the GOP. If you claim to stand for unity, you need to do more than just use the word. Other notable stories: Lucy Schillerwho last year reported for CJR from a Pittsburgh-area care home, where she gauged older Americans impressions of the mediawrote for us again about Biden and the semiotics of old age. Writing about older people is a minefield, Schiller observes, because oldness, when viewed as a fixed category, immediately begins to dissolve; age looks different from person to person. A popular working definition of aging has something to do with separateness, in the form of retirement, potential debility, perceived out-of-touchness. Beyond that, we are left to look rabidly for signs; we know it when we see it, and yet are hard-pressed (like Justice Potter Stewart) to name the specifics. Perhaps the difficulty arises from our tendency to set such matters aside. This morning, people around the world awoke to a huge outage involving machines using the Microsoft Windows operating system, the apparent result of a software update issued by CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm. (This is not a security incident or cyberattack, CrowdStrikes CEO said. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed.) Amid the chaoswhich also involved grounded flights and medical services going offlinethe outage affected media companies. In the UK, Sky News went off air before returning with a stripped-back presentation; a BBC childrens channel also went off air, while various outlets in Australia reported issues, per Deadline. ICYMI: Joe Biden and the semiotics of old age Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. A new report warns that compounding natural disasters introduce new, interconnected, and complex risk scenarios and points to a need to reimagine efforts that support disaster preparedness, mitigation, and recovery in an era of intensifying extreme weather-climate events and increased risk of compounding disasters. Published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the 286-page document examines compounding disasters in Gulf Coast communities from 2020 to 2021. These included seven major hurricanes some arriving in the same region within weeks of another and a severe winter storm. Roy Wright, chair of the committee that authored the report and president and CEO of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, said that for too long, the U.S. has responded to disasters as singular, isolated events. Individual disasters do not occur in isolation amid a communitys history, Wright said. With each successive punch of overlapping disaster recoveries, the vulnerabilities increase. This heightens the risk that the next event could provide a knock-out blow. These are compounding disasters. The study maintains that the ability to successfully manage disaster risk and plan for future events is restricted by cognitive biases that are limited by what has been experienced or what is perceived to be the benchmark extreme. These biases are reflected in emergency management protocols, land-use planning and plans, zoning regulations, public utility design, and building codes, which are often grounded in historical precedent, a press release stated Given a changing climate, this backward-looking vantage is unlikely to be representative of future hazard risks. Florida, Louisiana and Texas each incurred more than $200 billion in weather and climate disaster damages between 1980 and 2023, according to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. During that time, Texas led the nation in cumulative costs ($402 billion), followed by Florida ($389 billion) and Louisiana ($304 billion). Billion Dollar Events NOAA reports that billion-dollar disaster events that occur at the same time or in sequence are an increasing problem for recovery. The organizations tracking showed that between 2018 and 2022, there were 18 days, on average, between billion-dollar disasters. That compares to 82 days in the 1980s. Shorter time intervals between disasters often mean less time and resources available to respond, recover and prepare for future events, said a NOAA blog post in January. This increased frequency of events produces cascading impacts that are particularly challenging for vulnerable socioeconomic populations. When outlining how to bolster adaptive capacity, the National Academies report highlights the importance of interconnected and interdependent systems crucial to societal functioning. It underscores the connections and feedback loops that can amplify the negative impacts of disasters. This systems-oriented approach points to the need to bolster key pillars of communities ability to respond to extreme events, including public health, mental health, and community-based organizations, risk and emergency communications infrastructure, and access to safe, sanitary, and secure housing, the press release announcing the report stated. Strategies aimed at strengthening these pillars can increase the adaptive capacity of vulnerable and exposed communities so that disaster effects are less likely to compound. Related: Rebuilding After Hurricanes is Complex, Can Change Character of a Community The report also maintains that perpetual disaster recovery is a reality for many living in the Gulf region. Much of the areas population experiences the impacts of compounding disasters alongside other hazards and vulnerabilities that are often rooted in historic, systemic and structural discrimination. Such circumstances further constrain the ability of residents to [recover] fully from disasters, while increasing their sensitivity to the effects of climate change and extreme events, the organization said. The report details new approaches to contending with compounding disasters that include valuing stronger mechanisms for turning prior experience into lessons implemented, as well as revising disaster policies and procedures to address and eliminate uneven access to resources that can worsen social and economic inequities following disasters. Lauren Alexander Augustine, executive director of the Gulf Research Program, which funded the study, said that the first two years of the 2020s were devastating for the Gulf Coast region. Our best science tells us that this likely wasnt a fluke, and we need to draw upon the lessons and experiences of those years to position ourselves to build a strong foundation fitting the new normal of disasters that the 21st century will bring, she said. The National Academies study was produced by the Compounding Disasters in Gulf Coast Communities, 2020-2021: Impacts, Findings, and Lessons Learned Consensus Study Committee. The full document can be accessed on the National Academies website. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Democratic U.S.. Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey is appealing his Tuesday conviction on 16 corruption counts acting as a foreign agent for Egypt. A Manhattan grand jury found the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee guilty of accepting bribes of gold bars, cash and a Mercedes Benz; extortion; fraud; conspiracy and obstruction justice. Sen. Menendez wife Nadine was also charged on the same counts and has pled not guilty. Her trial has been postponed until she recovers from cancer surgery. Menendez who has now resigned from the U.S. Senate released the following statement: I have never violated my public oath. I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country. I have never, been a foreign agent. Menendez,70, is scheduled to be sentenced October 29. The prosecution and conviction of Democrat Menendez rebuts claims by Republican Presidential nominee, convicted felon Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. J.D. Vancce that President Biden has weaponized the Department of Justice with partisan prosecutions against Republicans on trumped up charges. SAN FRANCISCO -- Cheng Pei-pei, a martial arts actor who starred in Oscar-nominated action film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, has died. She was 78. Cheng died Wednesday at home in San Francisco while surrounded by loved ones, her family announced in a Facebook post. She was diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease with symptoms similar to Parkinsons disease, and will donate her brain to Mayo Clinic for medical research, her family said. Born in Shanghai, China, in 1946, Cheng moved to Hong Kong in 1962 and made her feature debut in drama film Lovers Rock in 1964. Two years later, she had her breakout role in 1966s Come Drink With Me. In the 1970s, Cheng moved to California, where she raised four children and attended business school at the University of California, Irvine, according to Variety. She has 115 acting credits to her name, most recently appearing in 2020 Disney film Mulan. To all her friends, colleagues, and fans, thank you for all the support you showed her over the years, Chengs family wrote in its Facebook post. Our mom wanted to be remembered by how she was: the legendary Queen of Martial Arts... a versatile, award-winning actress whose film and television career spanned over six decades, not only in Asia but internationally as well. She loved being an actress and knew, even with her hard work, how fortunate she was to have the career she had. Our mom remained humble and approachable, patient and kind, and always generous with her time, eager to help others whenever she could. She will be dearly missed, the family added. A global IT outage causing disruptions affecting airports, hospitals and businesses worldwide Friday morning was rooted in an issue with the Texas-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Officials with the firm said the outage wasn't believed to be the result of a cyberattack. LIVE UPDATES: Houston airports experience delays due to global IT outage Advertisement Article continues below this ad What is CrowdStrike? Founded in 2011 by George Kurtz, CrowdStrike is a company that provides cloud-based online security solutions. According to Forbes, its software is used by some of the largest players in cloud services, including Amazon's AWS. CrowdStrike has also been implicated in the global outage that has impacted retailers, airlines, media companies and more. What is CrowdStrikes connection to Texas? The cybersecurity firm which went public in 2019 and moved its headquarters from Californias Silicon Valley to Austin in 2021. CEO George Kurtz was Texass second-highest-paid corporate executive in 2022. Austin was already CrowdStrike's largest office in the United States when the company moved its headquarters. Company leaders said while they pride themselves on being a prominent remote-first company, never tied to a single location, the Securities and Exchange Commission required them to designate a principal executive office. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What is causing the global outage? Kurtz said the issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed in an interview with the Today show. "The system was sent an update, and that update had a software bug in it, and caused an issue with the Microsoft operating system. And we identified this very quickly, and remediated the issue, and as systems come back online as they're rebooted, they're coming up and they're working." Kurtz said on X that CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers. What is CrowdStrike known for? The massive cybersecurity company does business worldwide through software sales and incident response to stop active security breaches and threats. The company also helps run cybersecurity investigations for the US government. For example, CrowdStrike has tracked North Korean hackers for over a decade, according to the company website. It also was tasked with tracking the hacking groups that carried out the 2014 hack on Sony Pictures. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But CrowdStrike is perhaps best known for investigating the Russian hack of Democratic National Committee computers during the 2016 US election. It has been at the center of false conspiracy theories since 2016, most notably after a White House transcript revealed former President Donald Trump mentioned Crowdstrike in his July 2016 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which led to his first impeachment. San Francisco billionaire David Sacks said at the GOP convention that Democrat rule has turned the streets of our beautiful city into a cesspool of crime, homeless encampments and open drug use. Scott Olson/Getty Images Regarding This is the San Francisco billionaire who bashed his hometown at the RNC (Joe Garofoli, SFChronicle.com, July 16): As a native and lifelong resident of San Francisco in my 70s, Ive lived through many of the citys highs and lows. San Francisco has always been and continues to be, a great and vibrant place to live. The people here are the best, always resilient, resourceful and tolerant. I advise billionaire David Sacks, who called San Francisco a cesspool, to follow Elon Musk to Texas and good riddance to both. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We have forgotten you already. Dont come back. Mike Matza, San Francisco Seat of democracy Regarding This is the San Francisco billionaire who bashed his hometown at the RNC (Joe Garofoli, SFChronicle.com, July 16): San Francisco being referred to as a cesspool at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee should come as no surprise. This has been a part of the GOP agenda since 1984. Being a 47-year resident of our wonderful city, I see San Francisco as the closest thing to a true democracy in the country, and maybe the planet. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Phil Points, San Francisco Justice served Regarding Sen. Bob Menendez guilty of taking bribes in cash and gold and acting as Egypts foreign agent (Politics & Policy, SFChronicle.com, July 16): A jury has found Sen. Bob Menendez guilty on all counts in his federal corruption trial. The New Jersey Democrat was convicted of 16 counts including bribery, extortion, wire fraud, obstruction of justice and acting as a foreign agent for his role in a years long bribery scheme. Good. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Unlike the other party, Democrats can take the high ground and allow this criminal to start serving time. Gary Sciford, Santa Rosa Lack of appeal Regarding J.D. Vances journey from San Francisco Never Trumper to VP pick (Politics, SFChronicle.com, July 15): What Donald Trumps pick of J.D. Vance as vice president candidate gave him was a world-class, sycophantic neophyte who makes Mike Pence look like a man with a spine of steel. Vance has made it clear that there is no order he wont follow and no law he wont break in service to the Dear Leader. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What Trump didnt get in Vance was someone who could broaden the tickets appeal beyond its core base of rabid cult followers. Thats generally the strategy in a vice president pick, and its good news for President Joe Biden. John Brooks, Fairfax Waste of postage I just received my 336-page City College of San Francisco fall course schedule. What did this mass mailing cost? In todays electronic environment, no business mails a paper catalog. In an effort to reduce costs (and maybe even to save the forests), most catalogs are today provided electronically. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What were the City College trustees thinking; are they still living in the past century? A postcard announcing the availability of an online catalog with a way to request a hard copy if desired, would have saved a small fortune. When will our governments stop wasting our hard-earned money? Walter Knoepfel, San Francisco Free market system When Florida passed its Dont Say Gay laws, Disneyworld released a statement in support of diversity. Floridas Republican-led government used its power to punish Disney for simply speaking. When California passed a pro-LGTBQ+ law, Elon Musk decided to not just speak, but to act by pulling his business out of the state. The response of Californias Democratic Legislature? Nothing, because if Musk wants to go, thats his right. Tell me again which is the party of business and the advocate of freedom. Tom Wood, San Francisco Tear down the Rock 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 Regarding Alcatraz to get $48M makeover by contractor who built S.F.s Central Subway (San Francisco, SFChronicle.com, July 11): Spending $48 million to repair Alcatraz? Congratulations to San Francisco for outdoing your million-dollar toilets and high-priced trash receptacles. Surely we can find a better use for $48 million. Instead of fixing Alcatraz, perhaps we could offer tourists to the island the free use of a sledgehammer, and after the prison is demolished, find a better use for this beautiful site. US President Joe Biden steps off Air Force One as he arrives at Hagerstown Regional Airport in Hagerstown, Maryland, June 20, 2024, on his way to Camp David. Samuel Corum | AFP | Getty Images This story was updated after President Joe Biden announced his decision to exit the presidential race on July 21. President Joe Biden announced Sunday that he would drop out of the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the candidate to replace him. The president's decision came as he isolated with Covid at his Delaware beach house. In the wake of his damaging debate against Donald Trump, Biden faced mounting pressure from Democrats in private and in public calling on him to step down. While he had initially rejected the calls to step aside, Biden said Tuesday that should a "medical condition" emerge, it could force him to rethink his decision to stay in the race. On Wednesday, Biden, 81, tested positive for Covid-19. His doctors say his symptoms are mild and that he is recovering steadily. Here is what happens next. Delegates After breezing through the primary virtually unopposed, Biden won almost all of his party's 4,000-plus delegates, who are selected in large part because of their loyalty and support for their chosen candidate. Since Biden ended his campaign before voting began, those delegates can cast their ballots for a new candidate. The delegates are set to vote for their presidential nominee in a virtual roll call in early August, before the Democratic National Convention. According to the DNC rules, if no candidate wins a majority on that first ballot, then the more than 700 "superdelegates" can join in subsequent votes. The voting would then continue until one candidate won a simple majority of delegates. The likeliest alternative Biden's endorsement of Harris bolsters the view of many pundits and experts who see her as the likeliest choice to replace him. "The vice president is the logical choice, obviously," said Meena Bose, director of the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency at Hofstra University, in an interview. Bose noted that Harris, 59, has already been vetted, when she joined Biden's campaign in 2020. What's more, the fundraising war chest that the Biden campaign has amassed in the current election cycle would transfer to her if she took over the ticket. Harris, like Biden, has struggled with low approval ratings throughout the last four years. And Republicans are already deploying attacks against her, accusing her of failing in her job as the administration's "border czar" even though she was not given that task. Other high-profile Democrats, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom or Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, have been floated as potentially stronger alternatives to Harris if Biden were no longer in the race. But almost all of those figures have already said they would not run for president in 2024. There is also a risk that leap-frogging the vice president in favor of another candidate could spark a bitterly contested party convention, something Democrats surely want to avoid especially after the Republican convention's display of near-total unity behind Trump this week. U.S. President Joe Biden looks on at the 115th NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., July 16, 2024. President Joe Biden's campaign insisted Friday that he will remain at the top of the Democratic ticket, stressing in a new memo that Biden still has the support of voters, even as a growing number of Democratic lawmakers call on him to drop out. "While voters consistently mention President Biden's age when contacted, our target voters both reengagement and true swing voters are still planning to vote for him, making it clear the debate has not hurt support among the voters who will decide this election," says the memo, first reported by NBC News. "Joe Biden has made it more than clear: he's in this race and he's in it to win it. Moreover, he's the presumptive nominee, there is no plan for an alternative nominee," the memo said. More than a dozen Democrats in Congress publicly called on Biden to drop his reelection bid on Friday, bringing the total number to more 30. "In a few short weeks, Joe Biden will be the official nominee. It is high past time we stop fighting one another," the Kanninen memo said. "The only person who wins when we fight is Donald Trump." But Kanninen acknowledged that many polls show Biden trailing Trump, writing, "I will not sugar coat the state of the race: we have our work cut out for us to win this November." Biden, who on Wednesday tested positive for Covid-19, is currently self-isolating in Rehoboth, Delaware. Biden campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Friday that the president will be back on the campaign trail next week. A rendering of Rivians new fast-charging outpost in the town of Groveland, a popular stopover for Bay Area travelers heading to Yosemite National Park. Rivian With its R1S electric SUV shown here, Rivian is among the fastest-growing vehicle sellers in California, according to recent reports. Nolis Anderson/Rivian via Associated Press The Bay Areas growing base of electric vehicle drivers will soon find it easier to plan their trips to Yosemite National Park. On Saturday, EV maker Rivian whose signature SUVs and pickup trucks are popping up across California opened a charging station in downtown Groveland, which is a short drive from Yosemite Valley. Its the first outpost in what the Irvine company hopes to grow into a large network of fast-charging sites near popular outdoor destinations in California and elsewhere. Having this charging outpost makes Yosemite a more approachable place for EV drivers, said Paul Frey, Rivians vice president of propulsion, charging and adventure products. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A fully charged Rivian R1S SUV is capable of traveling 420 miles, which technically should be enough to complete a round-trip drive from San Francisco to Yosemite. But that doesnt leave much wiggle room for exploring the park without plugging in. Loading... There are many Level 2 chargers planted around the state and along the San Francisco to Yosemite driving route the parking-lot hookups at shopping centers, hotels and other destinations and Yosemite offers several in the valley where EVs can charge overnight. Rivians can charge at Tesla Supercharger sites with special adapters, too. But the five charging dispensers at the outpost will replenish batteries much faster than Level 2 chargers in minutes instead of hours, Frey said. Theyre capable of adding up to 140 miles of range in 20 minutes, according to the company. A rendering of Rivians new fast-charging outpost in the town of Groveland, a popular stopover for Bay Area travelers heading to Yosemite National Park. Rivian The outpost is located on Grovelands Main Street, a common pit stop for Yosemite travelers that is part of Highway 120, on a site formerly occupied by a gas station. Itll include a small indoor waiting area with couches, coffee and snacks where drivers can hang out while their cars charge, as well as a staffed gear shop. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The outposts dispensers will eventually be open to different EV brands; its not yet clear how the pricing and logistics would work, Frey said. Rivian anticipates producing 57,000 vehicles this calendar year but wouldnt share figures on its California customers or sales. A company spokeswoman pointed out that registrations of its vehicles grew by more than 76% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to a report from the California New Car Dealers Association. An Internet user checks ChatGPT on his mobile phone, Suqian, Jiangsu province, China, April 26, 2023. Future Publishing | Future Publishing | Getty Images LONDON Britain is set to introduce its first-ever law for artificial intelligence but Prime Minister Keir Starmer's new Labour government faces a delicate balancing act of forming rules that are strict enough while also allowing for innovation. In a speech delivered by King Charles III on behalf of Starmer's administration, the government said Wednesday that it would "seek to establish the appropriate legislation to place requirements on those working to develop the most powerful artificial intelligence models." But the speech refrained from mentioning an actual AI bill, which many tech industry executives and commentators had been expecting. In the European Union, authorities have introduced a sweeping law known as the AI Act which subjects companies developing and using artificial intelligence to much tighter restrictions. Many tech firms both big and small are hopeful that the U.K. doesn't go the same way in applying rules that they deem to be too heavy-handed. What a UK AI Bill could look like It's expected that Labour will still introduce formal rules for AI as the party laid out in its election manifesto. Starmer's government pledged to introduce "binding regulation on the handful of companies developing the most powerful AI models," and legislation that bans sexually explicit deepfakes. By taking aim at the most powerful AI models, Labour would impose tighter restrictions on companies such as OpenAI, Microsoft , Google , Amazon , and AI startups including Anthropic, Cohere and Mistral. "The largest AI players will likely face more scrutiny than before," Matt Calkins, CEO of software firm Appian, told CNBC. "What we need is an enabling environment for wide-ranging innovation that is governed by a clear regulatory framework that provides fair opportunities and transparency for everyone." Lewis Liu, head of AI at contract management software firm Sirion, warned the government should avoid using a "broad stroke hammer approach to regulate every single use case." Use cases such as clinical diagnosis which involve sensitive medical data shouldn't be thrown into the same bucket as things like enterprise software, he said. "The U.K. has the opportunity to get this nuance right to the huge benefit of its tech sector," Liu told CNBC. However, he added he's seen "positive indications" about Labour's plans for AI so far. watch now Legislation on AI would mark a contrast with Starmer's predecessor. Under ex-PM Rishi Sunak, the government had opted for a light-touch approach to AI, seeking instead to apply existing rules to the technology. The previous Conservative government said in a February policy paper that introducing binding measures too soon could "fail to effectively address risks, quickly become out of date, or stifle innovation." In February, the U.K.'s new technology minister, Peter Kyle said Labour would make it compulsory on a statutory basis for companies to share test data on the safety of their AI models with government. "We would compel by law, those test data results to be released to the government," Kyle, then shadow tech minister, said in an interview with the BBC at the time. Sunak's government had secured agreements from tech firms to share safety testing information with the AI Safety Institute, a state-backed body testing advanced AI systems. But this was only done on a voluntary basis. In a statement, a spokesperson for the U.K.'s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology told CNBC that the government would look to "consult on the details" before drawing up legislation for AI. "As set out in our manifesto, supporting the AI sector's development while maintaining strong safeguards and ensuring all of the public benefit from these technological advances is a key commitment for this government," the spokesperson said. The risk of quashing innovation The U.K. government wants to avoid pushing too hard with AI rules to the extent that it ends up hampering innovation. Labour also flagged in its manifesto that it wants to "support diverse business models which bring innovation and new products to the market." Any regulation would need to be "nuanced," assigning responsibilities "accordingly," Zahra Bahrololoumi, CEO of U.K. and Ireland at Salesforce, told CNBC, adding that she welcomes the governments call for "appropriate legislation." Matthew Houlihan, senior director of government affairs at Cisco, said any AI rules would need to be "centered on a thoughtful, risk-based approach." Other proposals that have already been put forward by U.K. politicians offer some insight as to what might be included in Labour's AI Bill. British lawmaker Chris Holmes, a Conservative backbencher who sits in the upper house of parliament, last year introduced a bill proposing to regulate AI. The bill passed its third reading in May, kicking it over to the lower house of Parliament. Holmes' law would have less of a chance at succeeding than one put forward by the government. However, it offers some ideas for how Labour could look to form its own AI legislation. Holmes' proposed bill includes the suggestion for the creation of a centralized AI authority, which would oversee the enforcement of rules for the technology. watch now Companies would have to supply the AI Authority with third-party data and intellectual property used in the training of their models and ensure that any such data and IP is used with consent from the original source. This echoes, in some ways, the EU's AI Office, which is responsible for supervising the development of AI advanced models. Another proposal from Holmes is for firms to appoint individual AI officers, which would be tasked with ensuring safe, ethical and unbiased uses of AI by businesses, as well as making sure data used in any AI technology is unbiased. How it could compare to other regulators Based on what Labour has promised so far, any such law will inevitably be "a very long way from the far-reaching scope of the EU AI Act," Matthew Holman, partner at law firm Cripps, told CNBC. Holman added that rather than require overbearing disclosures from AI model makers, the U.K. is more likely to find a "middle ground". For example, the government could require AI firms to share what they're working on with closed-door sessions of the AI Safety Institute, but without revealing trade secrets or source code. Tech minister Kyle said previously at London Tech Week that Labour wouldn't pass a law as stringent as the AI Act because it doesn't want to hinder innovation or deter investment from large AI developers. Even so, a U.K. AI law would be a step above the U.S., which currently doesn't have federal AI legislation of any kind. In China, meanwhile, regulation is stricter than both the EU, and any legislation the U.K. is likely to put forward. Last year, Chinese regulators finalized rules governing generative AI aimed at stamping out illegal content and boosting security protections. Sirion's Liu said one thing he's hoping the government doesn't do, is restrict open-source AI models. "It's essential that the U.K.'s new AI regulations don't stifle open source or fall into the trap of regulatory capture," he told CNBC. "There's a massive difference between the harm created by a large LLM from the likes of OpenAI and specific tailored open source models used by a start up to solve a specific problem." Herman Narula, CEO of metaverse venture builder Improbable, agreed that restricting open-source AI innovation would be a bad idea. "New government action is needed but this action must focus on creating a viable world for open-source AI companies, which are necessary to prevent monopolies," Narula told CNBC. A controversy over cooking oil in China has prompted locals to take matters into their own hands as they strive to procure alternative supplies amid worries over the safety of edible oils available in the market. They are turning to making their own oil by buying household oil press machines. According to local reports, sales of these machines in the past two weeks have exceeded sales over the six-month period. Search volumes for oil press machines jumped 22 folds, and sales volumes rose 4 times between July 5 and July 12, compared to sales before the scandal broke, local media reported, citing data from online retailer JD.com. "It's not even opened yet, should I eat it or not?" a post on social media platform Xiaohongshu, captioning a video of a bottle of cooking oil, showcased locals' worries. "It's a shame to throw it away, but I'm afraid of going to the hospital and spending all my money if I eat it," the user, based in China's Guangxi province, added. Certain hashtags discussing the scandal also appear to have been censored on some platforms. China's authorities have launched an investigation into food safety concerns after domestic media revealed that a major state-owned company, Sinograin, had been using tankers that carry fuel to transport cooking oil. These containers were not cleaned between the loads, according to Chinese Communist Party-owned Beijing News. Private conglomerate Hopefull Grain and Oil Group was also named in the report. Other truckers interviewed for the report noted that in a bid to save costs, oftentimes these tankers are not cleaned before transporting edible liquids like cooking oil, soybean oil and syrup in China. Some edible oil manufacturers also do not strictly check or enforce whether or not the tanks are clean, Beijing News reported. It is an "open secret" in the tanker transportation industry that food and chemical liquids are transported interchangeably without sterilization or cleaning, one tanker driver reportedly said. "What that means is [the] Chinese are going to be scared of dining out. They don't want to eat in restaurants," said Shaun Rein, founder of the China Market Research Group. He surmises that Chinese consumers are also going to start buying more imported oil, drawing comparison to the ripple effects of the 2008 melamine scandal. In 2008, China was rocked by one of its worst food safety scandals when melamine, a chemical used in plastic, was added to milk which poisoned 300,000 children and caused the deaths of six children. "The Chinese started going to Australia, started [going] to Europe to buy baby formula. I think the same thing is going to happen with cooking oil. Be careful of 'Made in China' food products," Rein told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe." Times Finance, which also reported about a surge in oil press sales, cited a local saying he intends to go to Hong Kong to buy cooking oil and other condiments, and cook more as he is not sure about the oil used in takeout dishes. The Chinese authorities have promised strict actions against the culprits. "Illegal enterprises and relevant responsible persons will be severely punished in accordance with the law and will not be tolerated," China's Commission on Food Safety of the State Council said. US President Joe Biden speaks about student loan debt relief at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin, April 8, 2024. The U.S. Department of Education says it will pause millions of student loan borrowers' payments while it defends its relief plan against legal challenges. Borrowers enrolled in the Biden administration's new repayment program, known as SAVE, will be placed "in an interest-free forbearance," according to a statement from U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. A federal appeals court in Missouri issued a ruling on Thursday blocking the entire plan, which the White House says roughly 8 million people are enrolled in. Lawsuits by Republican-led states, including Arkansas, Florida and Missouri, argue that the Biden administration overstepped its authority with SAVE, or Saving on a Valuable Education, and essentially was trying to find a roundabout way to forgive student debt after the Supreme Court blocked its sweeping plan in June 2023. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, wrote Thursday on X that the ruling against SAVE was a "HUGE win for every American who still believes in paying their own way." "The Court granted our emergency motion to BLOCK Joe Biden's entire illegal student loan plan, which would have saddled working Americans with half-a-trillion dollars in Ivy League debt," Bailey wrote. Just 0.3% of federal student borrowers attended Ivy League colleges, according to an estimate by higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. More from Personal Finance: What Project 2025 could mean for your wallet 'Rentvesting' can be a path to owning a home 3 money moves to make ahead of a Fed rate cut SAVE comes with two key provisions that legal challenges have targeted: It has lower monthly payments than any other federal student loan repayment plan, and it leads to quicker debt erasure for those with small balances. "It's shameful that politically motivated lawsuits waged by Republican elected officials are once again standing in the way of lower payments for millions of borrowers," Cardona said. Before the legal challenges, the Education Department had already forgiven $5.5 billion in student debt for 414,000 borrowers through the SAVE Plan. BEIJING Top Chinese officials on Friday emphasized the country would focus on its own affairs in the face of rising trade tensions. "As long as we do our own things well, we can ensure the national economy can run smoothly and steadily move forward," Han Wenxiu, deputy director at the Chinese Communist Party's central committee office for financial and economic affairs, told reporters in Mandarin, translated by CNBC. He listed three areas of focus: the stable and healthy development of the real estate market, accelerated development of "emerging and future industries" and expanding domestic demand, "especially consumption." Han was responding to a question about how China would support growth in the face of increased trade tensions. He used a phrase attributed to Chinese President Xi Jinping, who in recent years has called for the country to "do your own thing well" and focus on its own affairs. The press conference followed the end of a high-level meeting policy called the Third Plenum that ended Thursday. While the final resolution has yet to be released and is expected in the coming days the initial communique called for boosting domestic tech and achieving the full-year economic targets. Crowds are seen building up at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. Several airlines halted flights on Friday, while others warned of delays and service disruptions as an unprecedented IT outage impacted global operations. Early on Friday, cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike experienced a major disruption linked to a tech update. Organizations including Microsoft were left scrambling to restore apps and services used by a huge number of firms. Flight update and check-in monitors at airports around the world displayed the so-called blue screen of death, indicating a Microsoft system error. Images shared to social media showed a whiteboard displaying flight updates at Belfast International Airport in Northern Ireland, and a handwritten boarding pass for a flight with India's IndiGo. "It seems that for the first time we are facing a real global blackout. ... The disruption affected not only individual users, but especially large institutions such as banks (including central banks), stock exchanges, airports, paralysing operations during the peak holiday season and causing chaos in many other sectors," Grzegorz Drozdz, market analyst at Conotoxia, said in emailed comments. Over 38,000 flights had been delayed globally as of about 5 p.m. ET Friday, with roughly 9,200 of those delays within, into or out of the United States, according to FlightAware data. More than 4,200 flights had been canceled, with roughly 2,650 of them U.S. flights. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said Friday on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" that he expects the transportation delays to be smoothed out and "resembling normal" by Saturday. "The issue has been identified. It's really a matter of the kind of ripple or cascade effects as they get everything in their networks back to normal," Buttigieg said. "These flights, they run so tightly, so back-to-back that even after a root cause is addressed, you can still be feeling those impacts throughout the day." Former film producer Harvey Weinstein arrives at at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on May 1, 2024, for a preliminary hearing after his rape conviction was overturned. A judge on Friday tentatively scheduled Harvey Weinstein's planned retrial on rape and sexual assault charges to begin on Nov. 12. Weinstein wore an American flag pin on his jacket during a brief court appearance in Manhattan that was delayed by more than 90 minutes due to a disruption that affected computers around the world, according to Judge Curtis Farber. Besides the setting of the trial date, the hearing addressed issues related to evidence in the case against the former Hollywood movie mogul, particularly information from phones that will be reviewed by a former judge to determine whether materials were relevant to the case and should be turned over to defense lawyers. At a hearing last week, prosecutors said they anticipated a November retrial. They told Farber that they were still actively pursuing new claims against Weinstein, though they conceded that they hadn't yet brought any findings to a grand jury. Weinstein denies that he sexually assaulted anyone. His lawyers told Farber that they'd prefer an earlier trial date. "He is anxious to go to trial and prove his innocence," one of Weinstein's attorneys, Diana Fabi Samson, said outside the courthouse. Weinstein, 72, is jailed on Rikers Island. One of his attorneys, Arthur Aidala, has complained that Weinstein hasn't been getting proper care in jail for diabetes, macular degeneration and fluid in his lungs and heart. Aidala was not in court on Friday, but another Weinstein attorney, John Esposito, told reporters that during a sidebar conversation with the judge, the defense again brought up Weinstein's medical issues. Farber said he would assist to the extent that he could to ensure that Weinstein is properly cared for, Esposito said. Esposito said the preference would be for Weinstein to be moved back to Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital, where he could receive proper medical attention so he's in a good physical and mental state of mind for trial. He was treated at Bellevue for several days after he was brought to New York City hours after the state's highest court threw out his 2020 conviction earlier this year. The appeals court wrote that the original trial judge unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations that weren't part of the case. He remains jailed in part because he was sentenced to 16 years in prison in California after he was convicted in a rape case in Los Angeles in 2022. In an appeal filed there last month, his lawyers argued he didn't get a fair trial. Esposito said Friday that he doesn't expect the appeal in the California case to be decided for at least another year. Weinstein's New York conviction had been considered a landmark in the #MeToo movement, an era that began in 2017 amid numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against the once powerful studio boss behind "Pulp Fiction" and "Shakespeare in Love." In New York, Weinstein had been convicted of rape in the third degree for an attack on an aspiring actress and of forcing himself on a TV and film production assistant in 2006. He has denied any wrongdoing. Prosecutors have said one of the accusers in that case, Jessica Mann, is prepared to testify against Weinstein again. Gloria Allred, a lawyer for the second accuser, Mimi Haley, said last week that her client hadn't yet decided whether to participate in the retrial. The Associated Press does not generally identify people alleging sexual assault unless they consent to be named, as Haley and Mann did. Tensions are ratchetting up between U.S. and its major trading partners. In the latest, Bloomberg on Wednesday reported that the Biden administration is considering a wide-sweeping rule to clamp down on companies exporting their critical chipmaking equipment to China. That follows new tariff rates on $18 billion worth of Chinese imports including electric vehicles, solar products and steel as well as aluminum that the Biden administration announced in May. And in an interview published Tuesday, former president Donald Trump said Taiwan should pay the U.S. for defense , claiming also that Taiwan took "about 100%" of America's semiconductor business. Trump also pledged that, if elected, he will impose a 10% tariff on all U.S. imported goods, and more than 60% tariffs on Chinese imports. Markets are betting on increasing odds of a Trump presidency after the attempted assassination on the former president last weekend, raising the question of what this means for investors. U.S.-China risks JPMorgan says China's utilities sector could be "the winner" if U.S.-China tensions escalate. It noted that during the three periods of U.S.-China trade tensions between 2018 and 2020, where there was escalation, a standoff and a re-escalation, the MXCN Utilities index did better than the broader MXCN index with an average outperformance of 12.8%. JPMorgan's top picks in this area in this area include: Hong Kong and China Gas , Power Assets and Huaneng Power . They are all Hong Kong-listed. The bank also noted that the Republicans have pledged to "bring critical Supply Chains back to the U.S., ensuring National Security and Economic Stability" and "strengthen Buy American and Hire American Policies." That could be negative for Chinese tech exporters, it said in its July 17 report. Europe's 'prime concern' Europe's gross domestic product, as well as the earnings of its companies, could be hit by tariffs, said Goldman Sachs in a July 17 report. "Prediction markets are now assigning a high probability of a Trump re-election n(c.70%). For Europe, the prime concern is tariffs," wrote Goldman analysts. Goldman's economists estimate Trump's 10% tariff, if it comes to pass, would take out one percentage point from the euro area's gross domestic product. Each one percentage point drop in sales-weighted GDP would cause a 10% decrease in European stocks' earnings-per-share, said Goldman. Overall, the total hit to Europe's earnings-per-share would be about six to seven percentage points, the bank said. "If the entire impact came in 2025 this would be enough to eliminate any growth that year (our current top-down forecast is 4%)," Goldman wrote. The bank also looked to history as a guide, saying that emerging markets were the worst performers in response to tariffs imposed in 2018 and 2019. China was hit the most, followed by Europe and then then the United States. Within Europe, Germany was more affected than France, said Goldman. Within sectors, beneficiaries of rising trade risks tend to be defensive stocks such as utilities, health care as well as Europe's GRANOLAS stocks, according to the bank. Goldman coined the term GRANOLAS, which refers to the continent's largest market-cap companies: GSK , Roche , ASML , Nestle , Novartis , Novo Nordisk , L'Oreal , LVMH , AstraZeneca , SAP and Sanofi . Cyclical stocks autos, industrials and financials tend to be negatively correlated to trade uncertainty, said Goldman. Overall, if Trump gets reelected, Goldman is bullish on its basket of stocks that comprises European companies with U.S.-based businesses rather than exporters. It noted that in recent years, a large portion of Europe's manufacturing production has been shifted to the U.S. Constituents of that basket include: Air Liquide , British American Tobacco , Dassault Systemes , GSK , Novo Nordisk , Roche , Stellantis , Intercontinental Hotels and more. Mega tech stocks Global chip stocks fell sharply on Wednesday, with ASML , Nvidia and TSMC posting declines after those reports of potentially tighter trade restrictions from the U.S. Those declines have implications for mega tech earnings, according to Louis Navellier, chairman and founder of Navellier & Associates. "Today's tech correction seems to suggest that the growth rate of Mega Tech earnings, which have a very big influence on overall market earnings, are expected to slow," he wrote in a Wednesday note. But he says a "meaningful selloff" in mega tech will see other names "pushed down as collateral damage." "These will be buying opportunities. And if the AI narrative plays out as expected, a material sell-off in Mega Tech will present a buying opportunity in those names as well," he wrote. CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report. Richard Branson's "most notable failure" taught him an important lesson: There's value in always seeing yourself as an underdog, the billionaire entrepreneur recently told TED's "Work Life with Adam Grant" podcast. "People quite like the underdog," he said. "You don't always want to be the smartass that is [always] successful." He learned from one such experiment that "backfired horribly," he told Grant: Virgin Cola, a soda that Branson's Virgin Group launched in 1994. After some success in the U.K., the company decided to expand its presence to the U.S. and challenge Coca-Cola and Pepsi, Branson told NPR in 2017. To celebrate Virgin Cola's U.S. launch, Branson drove a tank through a wall of Coke and Pepsi cans in Times Square in 1998. Then, Virgin Cola began disappearing from store shelves, Branson told NPR. He suspected Coca-Cola was making retailers "offers they couldn't refuse," he said. (Coca-Cola declined to comment.) Virgin Cola quietly shuttered years later, when Branson realized the drink was only No. 1 in Bangladesh, he said. "It was a lot of fun. It didn't do the [Virgin Group] any harm," he told Grant, and it made the company look more endearing, like an "underdog" next to its rivals. Virgin Group wasn't necessarily an underdog at the time: It had launched businesses in music, book publishing, video games and air travel, with varying levels of success. But each time it branched into a new industry, it used a scrappy mindset to try finding new ways to beat out top competitors, Branson wrote in blog post, as CNBC Make It reported in 2017. "We never considered Virgin to be 'big business.' We've always seen ourselves as the underdog," he wrote. "And we quite like it that way." Thinking of yourself as an underdog can be beneficial, research shows: Employees "who believed others did not expect them to be successful were more likely to receive higher performance evaluations from their supervisors," a 2020 analysis from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School found. The mindset is also reflected in how Branson decides which new businesses to launch next. Instead of focusing on market share or profitability, he asks himself two questions, he told Make It in May: "If I create this, can it be better than what everybody else is doing?" and "Can it make a real difference in the world?" Want to stop worrying about money? Sign up for CNBC's new online course Achieve Financial Wellness: Be Happier, Wealthier & More Financially Secure. We'll teach you the psychology of money, how to manage your stress and create healthy habits, and simple ways to boost your savings, get out of debt and invest for the future. Start today and use code EARLYBIRD for an introductory discount of 30% off through September 2, 2024. Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life. Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading. CrowdStrike The stock fell more than 11% after an update by the cybersecurity firm caused a major IT outage that affected airlines, hospitals, financial services firms and other businesses . Shares of Microsoft moved nearly 1% lower following the news that many Microsoft users around the world were hit with an error screen called the "blue screen of death." The outage also sent shares of CrowdStrike rivals SentinelOne and Palo Alto Networks higher, with the stocks gaining nearly 8% and more than 2%, respectively. Plug Power Shares of the green energy company plummeted nearly 14%, on pace for its fourth-straight losing year. Late Thursday, the company announced that it plans to sell $200 million of stock, which now trades around $2.50 per share. Comerica Shares tumbled about 10.5% after the bank posted second-quarter financial results that reflected a decrease in net interest income from the prior-year quarter. Comerica's net interest income came in at $533 million, higher than the $530.5 million expected from analysts polled by FactSet, but still lower than a year ago. Comerica's CEO, Curtis Farmer, said high rates are pressuring the bank's deposits. Hawaiian Electric The stock surged more than 37% after Bloomberg News reported late Thursday that the utility company has joined a tentative deal to pay more than $4 billion resolving hundreds of lawsuits over the Maui wildfires that took place last year. The deal reportedly has not yet been finalized. Intuitive Surgical The stock jumped more than 9% after the company reported second-quarter results that topped Wall Street's expectations. Intuitive Surgical posted adjusted earnings of $1.78 per share on revenue of $2.01 billion, which is higher than the earnings of $1.54 per share on $1.97 billion in revenue that analysts surveyed by LSEG were expecting. American Express The stock fell nearly 3% after the financial company reported mixed quarterly results for the second quarter. American Express posted revenue of $16.33 billion, which is below the $16.59 billion expected from analysts polled by LSEG. In terms of earnings, the company posted $3.49 per share on an adjusted basis for the period, which is higher than the $3.24 per share analysts expected. SLB Shares gained around 2% after the oilfield services company posted second-quarter earnings of 85 cents per share on an adjusted basis, which is above the 83 cents per share analysts surveyed by LSEG were expecting. SLB also posted $9.14 billion in revenue, higher than the $9.08 billion consensus estimate. Travelers The stock fell nearly 8% following the insurance company's mixed second-quarter results. Travelers posted adjusted earnings of $2.51 per share, beating the $1.98 per share consensus estimate, according to analysts surveyed by LSEG. Revenue came in lower, however, at $11.12 billion, as analysts were expecting $11.34 billion for the quarter. Peer insurer W.R. Berkley , due to report results Monday, also slid more than 8%. Arm Holdings The chipmaker gained more than 3% after Morgan Stanley upgraded shares to overweight from equal weight . Morgan Stanley said Arm's products are fundamental to the successful emergence of edge artificial intelligence. Halliburton Shares of the oil driller moved 5.6% lower. The company posted $5.83 billion in revenue, missing the $5.95 billion analysts polled by FactSet were expecting. Earnings were in line with the consensus estimate at 80 cents per share. Huntington Bancshares The regional bank added about 4%. Huntington posted second-quarter earnings of 30 cents per share on revenue of $1.82 billion, edging ahead of analysts' estimates for 28 cents a share in earnings and revenue of $1.81 billion, per FactSet. CNBC's Hakyung Kim and Pia Singh contributed reporting. This year's presidential election is already sending health-care stocks on a wild ride. Historically, shifts in political control have created "increased volatility" across the health care sector, sending investors "to look for areas of safety," Raymond James analyst Chris Meekins said in a July 7 note. "This election is likely to produce distinct, binary, opposing health policy outcomes depending on who wins." With Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire next year and scrutiny of Medicare Advantage plans intensifying in recent months, health insurers may be even more sensitive to this pattern than usual. Indeed, it already appears evident in how managed-care stocks are trading. At the start of the week, traders seemed to have come to the conclusion that former U.S. President Donald Trump was amassing an unbeatable lead against Joe Biden . The current president's reelection campaign has been struggling since Biden's disastrous debate performance on June 27. Calls for him to bow out of the race quieted briefly after a failed assassination attempt against Trump, but on Thursday pressure was building once again. A look at how UnitedHealth Group shares have traded amid these headlines gives a sense of the swings in sentiment. As of Thursday's close, the stock had been underperforming the market with a 7% gain year to date. However, since the presidential debate, the shares are up nearly 17%. The stock hit a fresh 52-week high in trading Wednesday, but has moved off its high in recent sessions as it started to look as though Biden might step aside . UNH 1M mountain UnitedHealth stock over the past month. The broader health-care sector, a defensive, "late-cycle" group, generally struggles in election years and the year after and historically outperforms the second year after an election, Meekins noted. Most health-care sectors also perform "much better" when a Republican wins the presidency. The broad universe of health-care stocks has underperformed by roughly 19% during the Biden presidency, the analyst said. What a GOP victory means Analysts expect Republican leadership would lessen regulatory scrutiny by the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice, while still tamp down drug prices. However, it could mean the end of expanded individual health-care subsidies. That's important because this benefit, which was established under the ACA, or Obamacare, reduces the monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs for middle- and low-income individuals. It is set to expire at the end of 2025, and a GOP sweep could assure that. Raymond James' Meekins said the end of subsidies could lead to a large number of newly uninsured people, hurting hospitals and managed-care companies, which would see lower enrollment. On the flip side, analysts see a Trump win as a positive for Medicare Advantage carriers. Think Molina Healthcare , UnitedHealth and Humana , among others. Medicare Advantage is a kind of Medicare health plan offered by private insurance companies that, through annual contracts, generally provide the same coverage as original Medicare, but often with additional benefits such as vision and dental coverage. "A Trump administration would be more favorable from a rate perspective, which will help alleviate some of the cost issues [Medicare Advantage carriers] have been feeling and the pressure they've been feeling on the medical costs side, compared to what they've experienced under the Biden administration so far," Meekins said. History bodes well for the group. Managed-care companies historically buck the broader trend of health stocks and outperform in the first year after an election, according to Raymond James. Analysts from several firms, including Raymond James, Bernstein and RBC Capital Markets, believe UnitedHealth, Humana and CVS Health would be among the biggest beneficiaries of a Trump win. Recent gains at UnitedHealth, the largest private insurer in the U.S., not only reflect the shifting political winds. There has been a turnaround in investor enthusiasm due to a strong second quarter that reignited confidence in the company's outlook. Jefferies analyst David Windley praised the company's efforts to pinch costs, saying it could lead to a "superior '25 setup" for the stock. Windley sees a Trump win resulting in membership growth, and UnitedHealth appears "best positioned to capture the full economic opportunity." He holds a buy rating and $647 price target on the stock, which implies the shares could jump nearly 15% from Thursday's close. RBC Capital Markets analyst Ben Hendrix said UnitedHealth would see the most immediate upside among the managed-care organizations under a Trump administration as its Optum unit would benefit from an easing regulatory environment. Optum has helped fuel the company's record profits by offering a range of primary-care, specialty and urgent-care services to nearly 104 million consumers . In late February, the DOJ launched an antitrust investigation to look into the role giant conglomerates have played in rising health-care costs. Alongside UnitedHealth and Humana, Raymond James analyst John Ransom also expects managed-care provider Alignment Healthcare to benefit from a GOP sweep, as he said these three names have relatively high exposure to Republican-favored Medicare Advantage plans and less or none to the ACA. Humana has lost more than 15% this year, but like UnitedHealth, its shares have risen nearly 8% since the presidential debate. Piper Sandler initiated coverage of Humana with an overweight rating and $392 price target on June 25, saying a "turnaround" for the company is underway, aided by a new CEO and the expected growth in the Medicare Advantage market. "We think the HUM brand has an enduring competitive moat ... and we believe the company's purpose-built healthcare delivery and services infrastructure should improve outcomes and bend the cost curve through center-based, at-home and pharmacy care over time," the firm said, adding that the stock is cheaper than it appears. Telehealth and prescription drug provider GoodRx Holdings could also get a lift if a Republican sweep eliminates the ACA-enhanced subsidies, Ransom said. Shares are up more than 20 % year to date. "With the potential for millions of ACA members to lose insurance coverage, we believe GDRX could stand to benefit as individuals would increasingly seek prescription savings," he said. What a Democratic victory means If Democrats overcome their recent struggles, either with Biden or another candidate, analysts see managed-care names linked to the ACA and hospitals as winners. In this scenario, Bernstein analyst Lance Wilkes expects Centene to benefit as the largest Medicaid managed-care organization. He has an outperform rating and bullish $94 price target on the stock, suggesting more than 43% potential upside. "We would see some stock price headwinds for CNC, but more limited due to valuation levels and lower focus on Medicaid reform this time," he said. Centene shares are down more than 11% year to date. Unlike UnitedHealth, shares have fallen down 3% since the June debate. Raymond James sees Oscar Health , HCA Healthcare and Tenet Healthcare as beneficiaries of a victory by the left. "A Democratic sweep would almost guarantee an extension of the Affordable Care Act expanded subsidies, which would be a clear positive for OSCR," Ransom said. About 95% of its membership comes from the ACA exchanges. Shares of Oscar Health are up a whopping 64% this year, but the stock has fallen 17% since the debate aired. It would also benefit HCA and Tenet Healthcare, given the pair's exposure to Florida and Texas, he said. The two markets comprise roughly 36% of total ACA enrollment. When Raymond James initiated Oscar in late March with an outperform rating and $20 price target now 33% higher than the stock's latest close Ransom acknowledged its fortunes would be sensitive to news around ACA subsidies. However, he expects Oscar's new chief executive, the former head of CVS Health -owned Aetna, to boost earnings growth through cost cutting. by Xinhua writers Hong Zehua, Lyu Qiuping GUANGZHOU, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Instead of checking her mailbox frequently for her university admission letter, high school graduate Wang Yunyi received it up from the sky. On Monday morning, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for the first time delivered four college admission letters issued by the South China University of Technology to the hands of four students in the Chinese city of Guangzhou. The drone trip took about 30 minutes, covering 25 km, forming a new scenario for China's UAV application. "I was amazed to see my admission letter sent by a drone. It was like a movie scene coming to real life," said Wang. Guangzhou Post, the drone operator, has been delivering college admission letters for over 40 years, handling about 550,000 letters annually. "In the future, more students can experience technological advancement with their admission letters sent by drones," said Zou Liwen, a manager at Guangzhou Post. In recent years, drones have become increasingly common in video clip productions, express and meal deliveries and fleet shows as China strives to expand its low-altitude economy, which was included in the country's government work report for the first time in March this year. Data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) show that China had 1.27 million registered drones by the end of 2023, up 32.2 percent compared with the previous year. Civilian drones accumulated 23.11 million flight hours in 2023, representing an 11.8 percent year-on-year growth. Phoenix Wings, a cargo drone company under China's delivery giant SF Express, initiated the interprovincial drone-delivery service for fresh fruit across the Qiongzhou Strait in late May. This new mode of transport is 70 percent quicker and 30 percent cheaper than conventional cross-sea transport, enhancing the freshness of the lychees and the economic benefits on all sides. CAAC data shows that the scale of China's low-altitude economy exceeded 500 billion yuan (about 70 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, and is expected to reach 2 trillion yuan by 2030. More drones in the sky have also expanded the spectrum of applications. While many parts of China are battling floods in the summer, UAVs are seen at the forefront, patrolling embankments and delivering disaster relief supplies in water-stranded areas. In central China's Hunan Province, where a dike section breached earlier this month at China's second-largest freshwater lake of Dongting, fire and rescue teams in the province deployed a fleet of 47 UAVs for flood control and disaster relief work. Liang Shixin, a member of the telecommunication team for emergency response at the provincial fire and rescue headquarters, said he operated a UAV a dozen times a day as a complementary means to monitor the embankments. Unlike conventional drones that are mainly equipped with cameras, the UAV has thermal infrared and lidar sensors, being capable of quickly scanning embankments to capture signs of pipe bursts and leakage hazards even in the darkness, said Liang. Incomplete statistics showed that China had more than 2,300 companies engaged in civilian drone development by the end of 2023, with over 1,000 drone types in mass production. In 2023 alone, over 3.17 million civilian drones were delivered in China, and the general aviation manufacturing industry generated an output exceeding 51 billion yuan, an increase of nearly 60 percent year on year. In April, the Chinese drone maker EHang Holdings Limited obtained the production certificate for its passenger-carrying autonomous aerial vehicle system from the CAAC. It is the first production certificate issued in China for an autonomous passenger drone and also the first one in the global electric vertical takeoff and landing industry. He Tianxing, vice president of the company, noted that the expansion of the low-altitude economy will further drive the development of upstream and downstream industries, such as new infrastructure, spare parts, energy storage, cultural tourism and education. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, departs the Democratic National Committee Headquarters after meeting to discuss President Joe Biden's candidacy on July 9. John McDonnell/Associated Press WASHINGTON A fresh wave of Democratic lawmakers, including a Bay Area member, are calling on President Joe Biden to end his presidential campaign as pressure mounts following the end of the Republican National Convention. San Rafael Rep. Jared Huffman, joined by Marc Veasey of Texas, Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, said it is time for Biden to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders. We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign. These perceptions may not be fair, but they have hardened in the aftermath of last months debate and are now unlikely to change, the lawmakers said in a statement Friday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad More than 30 lawmakers have now called for Biden to drop out. Bidens disastrous performance in a debate against 78-year-old former President Donald Trump on June 27 kicked off a panic about the 81-year-old presidents fitness for another term, which has only escalated despite Bidens assurances that hes up to the job. He has repeatedly insisted he plans to stay in the race, but pressure from Democrats is mounting. Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., separately called for Biden to end his campaign in a Chicago Tribune opinion piece published Friday and Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., became the third senator to do so Friday. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, also called on Biden to drop out. Lofgren is the leader of the California Democratic congressional delegation. Your candidacy is on a trajectory to lose the White House and potentially impact crucial House and Senate races down ballot. It is for these reasons that I urge you to step aside from our Partys nomination to allow another Democratic candidate to compete against and beat Donald Trump in the November election, Lofgren wrote in a letter to Biden released Friday. I want to be clear that should you formally become the Democratic nominee for President I will do everything I can to promote your candidacy and to work for your success. Unfortunately, I greatly doubt that the outcome will be positive and our country will pay a dreadful price for that. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Huffman and Lofgren join fellow California Reps. Adam Schiff, Jim Costa and Mike Levin in publicly calling for Biden to drop out. Huffman, Lofgren, Schiff and Levin are key allies of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, who opened the door for lawmakers to question Bidens electability when she told MSNBC on July 2 that it was legitimate to question Bidens fitness for office, making her the first high-profile elected Democrat to acknowledge that Bidens debate performance could negatively affect the campaign. Pelosi also stopped short of endorsing Biden on July 10 and warned that he needed to make a decision soon in an interview with MSNBCs Morning Joe Bidens favorite morning show. Huffman has expressed concerns about Biden several times in recent weeks, but previously stopped short of urging him to leave the race. He told the Chronicle that an annual meeting between Democratic House members and Biden, held in February, was more tightly controlled than in previous years in which Biden and President Barack Obama before him had participated. Huffman also led successful efforts to get the Democratic National Committee to push back a planned virtual roll call nomination by several weeks. Even as Biden insists he will stay in the race, interest in Vice President Kamala Harris has grown, rooted in the belief that she would be more competitive against Trump. She also could access the tens of millions of dollars in the Biden-Harris campaign war chest, unlike any other would-be candidate. Huffman, Veasey, Garcia and Pocan appeared to throw their weight behind Harris candidacy in their statement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In this article CRWD Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT George Kurtz, co-founder and CEO of CrowdStrike Inc., speaks during the Montgomery Summit in Santa Monica, California. Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty Images A fault with an update issued by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike led to a cascade effect among global IT systems Friday, with industries ranging from banking to airlines facing outages. Banks and health-care providers saw their services disrupted and TV broadcasters went offline as businesses worldwide grappled with the ongoing outage. Air travel has been hit hard, too, with planes grounded and services delayed. At the heart of the issue is Texas-based cybersecurity vendor CrowdStrike . On Friday, the cybersecurity firm experienced a major disruption following an issue with a software update. So what happened, exactly? CNBC takes a look. What is CrowdStrike and what does it do? CrowdStrike is a cybersecurity vendor that develops software to help companies detect and block hacks. It is used by many of the world's Fortune 500 companies, including major global banks, health-care and energy companies. watch now CrowdStrike is what's known as an "endpoint security" firm as it uses cloud technology to apply cyber protections to devices that are connected to the internet. This differs from alternative approaches used by other cyber firms, which involve applying protection directly to back-end server systems. "Many companies use [CrowdStrike software] and install it on all of their machines across their organization," Nick France, chief technology officer at IT security firm Sectigo, told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Friday. "So when an update happens that maybe has problems with it, it causes this problem where the machines reboot, and people can't get back into their computers." What happened on Friday? On Friday, people around the world began encountering an error screen known as the "blue screen of death." This issue a common problem among PCs, for example if a machine overheats was the result of an update from CrowdStrike concerning its Falcon product. Falcon is a platform developed by the company that's designed to stop cyber breaches using cloud technology it is at the heart of the firm's focus on endpoints. CrowdStrike said Friday it is in the process of rolling back the update globally. CrowdStrike's software requires deep access to a computer's operating system to scan for threats. In the case of Friday's outage, machines running Microsoft's Windows operating system crashed due to a fault in the way a software update issued by CrowdStrike interacted with Windows. "We have been made aware of an issue impacting Virtual Machines running Windows Client and Windows Server, running the CrowdStrike Falcon agent, which may encounter a bug check (BSOD [blue screen of death]) and get stuck in a restarting state. We approximate impact started around 19:00 UTC on the 18th of July," Microsoft said in an update at 5:40 a.m. ET. "We can confirm the affected update has been pulled by CrowdStrike. Customers that are continuing to experience issues should reach out to CrowdStrike for additional assistance," the company added. Satnam Narang, senior staff researcher at Tenable, told CNBC on Friday that the outage was "very unprecedented." "The challenge here is that security software because it's doing its job to protect organizations it has to have more privileged access to these machines," he said. So, while people may be seeing their IT issues as a problem with Windows, "it's not actually a Windows issue, it's related to a faulty or bad update from those security software," Narang added. A fix has been issued Earlier, Microsoft said its cloud services had been restored after an outage that affected its Azure services and Microsoft 365 suite of apps in the central U.S. region. A company spokesperson said these are two different and nonrelated issues one issue relates to Azure, the other is linked to CrowdStrike. watch now They added that they "anticipate a resolution is forthcoming," in respect to the CrowdStrike problem. CrowdStrike is "actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts," CEO George Kurtz said Friday in a update on social media platform X. He added that Mac and Linux hosts are not affected. "This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed," Kurtz said. That fix could be hard to implement, though. Andy Grayland, chief information and security officer at threat intelligence firm Silobreaker, said that in order to implement a fix, engineers would have to go into each individual data center running windows. They'd then have to log in, navigate to a certain CrowdStrike file, delete it and then reboot the entire system, he said. "Where machines are encrypted, complex encryption keys also need to be entered manually. Unless Microsoft and CrowdStrike (if they are involved) pull something miraculous out of the bag, this could be painful to recover from." A medium close-up front view of a teenage girl who is sending text messages to a friend and checking her social media as she waits in the corridor of the high school she attends. Parents around the world are debating when to give their children smartphones, as evidence grows that smartphones can have negative effects on the mental health of children. Research indicates that young people's mental health was worse the earlier they got their first smartphone, according to a Sapien Labs study published last year, which used data from 27,969 18-24-year-olds across 41 countries. Some 74% of girls who received their first smartphone at age six said they felt distressed or were struggling, the study found. This decreased to 52% for those who got their first smartphone at age 15. Meanwhile, 42% of boys who got their first smartphone at age 6 experienced feeling distressed or struggling, and this reduced to 36% for those who received a smartphone at age 18. But smartphones have become an essential part of everyday life in an increasingly online world and many parents want to give their children devices so they can keep track of their location and stay in touch with them when they leave the home. So how soon is too soon? Zach Rausch, a research scientist at New York University Stern School of Business and the lead researcher for Jonathon Haidt's No. 1 New York Times bestseller "The Anxious Generation," said it's particularly important to keep smartphones away from preteens. "We suggest in the book to delay smartphones in the U.S. until high school, so that's around age 14," Rausch told CNBC Make It in an interview. "Social media, we suggest delaying until 16, so a little older." "Then we suggest phone-free schools from at least kindergarten through middle school in the U.S., but ideally also through high school," he added. It comes as grassroots organizations advocating for delaying giving smartphones to kids are gaining traction around the world. Both Smartphone Free Childhood in the U.K. which was founded after an "accidental" social media post went viral in February and now has almost 70,000 Instagram followers around the world and Delay Smartphones in the U.S. cite the research and recommendations of Rausch and Haidt. Some academics and scientists remain unconvinced of a causal link between smartphones and poor mental health, however. Earlier this year, psychology professor Christopher Ferguson said the concerns are the latest iteration of recurring moral panic which sees older people "freak out" about new and unfamiliar technology. If you're having trouble trusting your boss right now, you're not alone. A lot of managers have returned to their pre-Covid state: less visible and interactive than they were in 2020 and 2021, says Ben Granger, chief workplace psychologist and head of employee experience advisory services at Qualtrics. Gone are the days of seeing managers in their homes on virtual meetings, bonding over shared pandemic experiences and chatting about families and lifestyles, he says. "People got that champagne taste of communication. They had all that exposure to senior leadership and then that got scaled back," Granger tells CNBC Make It. "So that decrease of communication could lead to different perceptions of, 'Maybe I don't feel as intimate of a relationship with that [manager] or that leadership group that I used to.'" Sixty-seven percent of employees trusted and had confidence in their boss to make sound business decisions in May 2020, according to Qualtrics' Global Resilience Survey. That number has since dwindled, Granger says. Add on the waves of layoffs that occurred after the pandemic some of which took place abruptly over email or Slack and employees feel more stressed and less trusting than ever, says Granger. The result: Bosses may find it difficult to effectively lead their organizations, and workers could quiet quit or actually go. Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi on Friday launched its first flip phone alongside an upgraded version of its foldable. BEIJING Xiaomi on Friday launched its first flip phone with the ability to print pictures instantly using a separately sold portable printer. The Mix Flip starts at 5,999 yuan ($825), the company announced. Preorders start Friday with deliveries beginning Tuesday. The portable printer costs 499 yuan ($68), including photo paper. The Chinese company also released the latest version of its folding phone, the Mix Fold 4, at the same price as the prior version at 8,999 yuan. At the product launch, Xiaomi founder Lei Jun described how the Mix Fold 4 could handle simultaneous translation with one language on each side of the screen. But he did not otherwise emphasize artificial intelligence capabilities. He also warned that supplies of the portable printer were tight.The company in late March released its first electric car, the SU7 sedan, at a cheaper price than Tesla's Model 3.Lei said as of Friday that cumulative deliveries had exceeded 30,000 vehicles, and that he expected to deliver 100,000 cars by November, a month earlier than previously announced.The company last month doubled the shifts to 16 hours a day at its factory in southern Beijing to meet higher demand, according to a staff member. The factory has about 2,000 human workers and about 700 robots. Lei said updates to the SU7 in August would allow it to be voice controlled from the outside. He spent the first part of the three-hour product event giving his fifth annual speech. This year's speech played up how U.S. sanctions on the company in January 2021 prompted Xiaomi's board of directors to ask Lei to think about options, such as building a car, in the event they could no longer sell smartphones. He said after much consideration he decided to do so, and warned the board it would require $10 billion in spending. He said he turned down early investment offers from venture capitalists that valued a standalone car business at $10 billion. Lei said he tried driving more than 170 different cars in three years, and even got a race car license along with more than 100 company executives and engineers. "Three years ago an accident allowed me to join such an interesting industry," Lei said in Mandarin, translated by CNBC. Xiaomi appealed the U.S. sanctions in 2021 and was removed from the blacklist in May that year. Lei announced Friday that Xiaomi aimed in the next decade to have the fastest four-door electric car to drive the Nurburgring race track in Germany, with tests of a new SU7 race car version starting in October. Geely-owned Zeekr in October 2023 launched a limited F1-inspired version of its 001 electric car. NSE Billionaire Anil Agarwal-owned Vedanta Resources Ltd. (VRL) has regained control of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in Zambia. Under the KCM scheme of arrangement, Vedanta has deposited $245.75 million.Vedanta will soon be able to help KCM in achieving a turnaround and reaching its full potential. The company plans to increase KCM's copper production to 300 kilo-tonnes-per-annum (KTPA) and boost cobalt production from 1 KTPA to 6 KTPA.Last month, a court in Zambias capital, Lusaka, had approved a scheme of arrangement that was supported by KCM's creditors, the southern African countrys mines minister, Paul Kabuswe, said on Facebook.Vedanta has been trying to regain the major copper asset since 2019, when KCM was put into provisional liquidation after the previous government accused its owner of lying about expansion plans and paying too little tax.To get access to the mine again, Vedanta had to follow the court ruling by releasing $250 million to settle debts that KCM owes to contractors and suppliers, according to earlier reports.Agarwal's company has also committed to investing $1 billion over five years to complete expansion projects.Vedanta owns 80% stake in KCM and the Zambian government owns 20% of KCM through a state-run company.While Vedanta Resources is unlisted, its subsidiary Vedanta Ltd. is listed on the Indian stock exchanges.On Thursday, shares of Vedanta Ltd. closed 1.04% lower at450.75 apiece on the NSE. A federal appeals court reinstated rioting charges Thursday against the leader of a white-supremacist group and one of his followers for violence in Berkeley and three other cities in 2017, rejecting a judges conclusion that prosecutors had unfairly targeted them while sparing their left-wing antagonists. Yellow Dog Productions/Getty Images A federal appeals court reinstated rioting charges Thursday against the leader of a white-supremacist group and one of his followers for violence in Berkeley and three other cities in 2017, rejecting a judges conclusion that prosecutors had unfairly targeted them while sparing their left-wing antagonists. Robert Rundo, founder of the Rise Above Movement, and Robert Boman have been charged with rioting and conspiracy by recruiting members, training them for violent combat, making travel arrangements and attacking foes of then-President Donald Trump. The clashes occurred in Berkeley, Huntington Beach, San Bernardino and Charlottesville, Va., where a counterprotester, Heather Heyer, was fatally struck by a car driven by another far-right participant, James Fields, who was convicted of murder. Rundo and Boman were not charged in Heyers death. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In Berkeley, Rundo brought several hundred followers to a pro-Trump rally in March 2017, and police said they saw him punching a counterprotester in the head. They said he refused to stop, and after an officer knocked him to the ground, Rundo punched the officer twice in the head before being subdued. An FBI agents affidavit said videos showed Rundo slugging counterprotesters in the head at the Huntington Beach rally in March 2017. The charges have moved back and forth between U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney of Los Angeles and the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Carney initially dismissed the case in 2019, saying the federal Anti-Riot Act of 1968 violated freedom of speech because it punished communication, not violence. The appeals court disagreed in 2021, saying the law was constitutional because it applied to communications aimed at inciting imminent violence. The case was then returned to Carney, who ordered the charges dismissed for another reason: selective prosecution, or unfairly charging some alleged wrongdoers while excusing others. After Heyers death, Carney said, the Justice Department filed charges against Rundo and his cohorts but did not prosecute far-left activists who were also responsible for violence at political rallies in the period and places at issue. The judge said there was evidence that 100 to 150 left-wing agitators had smashed a half dozen windows in Berkeley and were not charged with rioting, nor was a far-left activist who pepper-sprayed a Trump supporter. But the appeals court said Thursday that the government is entitled to set its own enforcement priorities and had legitimate reasons for doing so in this case. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At numerous rallies, Rundo and his followers communicated with one another attacked people, and gloated, Judge Milan Smith said in a 3-0 ruling reinstating the charges. If the charges are accurate, Smith wrote, Rundo and Boman who both have previous convictions for violent crimes behaved like leaders of an organized crime group. They coordinated combat training sessions; created materials to recruit others; and planned cross-country travel to commit their acts. Smith said there was no evidence of any such conduct by the left-wing groups cited by Carney. Lawyers for the two men could not be reached for comment. In a court filing, the attorneys argued that their clients were targeted unfairly, saying, The government cannot select who to prosecute because those persons hold unpopular or even abhorrent political views. Saks Fifth Avenue in San Franciscos Union Square has announced a round of layoffs and a switch to appointment only shopping. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images 2013 The Saks Fifth Avenue store in San Franciscos Union Square announced planned layoffs and a major operational change Thursday. Representatives of the posh department store chain, which is headquartered in New York, informed employees at the Union Square location at 384 Post St. that, effective Aug. 28, the store will be converting its operations to appointment only. The announcement also included news of a round of layoffs. A spokesperson for Saks confirmed the developments in an email to the Chronicle on Thursday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Were always looking for innovative ways to optimize our store experience to match luxury consumers evolving expectations, including by meeting our customers where and how they want to shop with us. With that, beginning Aug. 28, we are transforming our Saks Fifth Avenue San Francisco store to operate by appointment only, enabling associates to offer customers more refined services tailored to their preferences, the spokesperson said. We look forward to serving our San Francisco customers with this new experience. It is unclear how many of Saks Union Square employees received layoff notices Thursday, though the companys spokesperson indicated that those who are eligible will receive severance packages. A man lies on the grass at Union Square in San Francisco, across the street from a Saks Fifth Avenue store. The location announced it will switch to appointment only shopping. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Saks shift to appointment-based shopping in San Francisco will function similarly to the operations of Saks other Northern California locations, which offer shopping and personal styling only with appointments, according to the companys website. The spokesperson did not comment on the motivations behind the pivot to appointment-based shopping, though a source with insight into the matter told the Chronicle that it is probably a response to downtowns challenging retail environment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Retailer Nordstrom exited downtown San Franciscos shopping mall near Union Square last year, ending its 35-year tenancy in that location. The mall, formerly known as the Westfield Centre, struggled with low foot traffic, declining sales and rising vacancy, and was seized by its lenders last summer. Other major retailers have exited the area or announced planned closures in the wake of the pandemic, including the North Face and Macys, which anchors Union Square with a huge flagship store along O'Farrell Street. Saks Off Fifth, the discount luxury retailer that also is owned by Saks parent company, Hudsons Bay Co., or HBC, also shuttered its downtown San Francisco location at 901 Market St. last year. HBC announced this month that it will acquire luxury brand retailer Neiman Marcus Group in a deal valued at $2.65 billion. David Perry, spokesperson for the Union Square Alliance, a nonprofit group focused on activating and drawing investment to the area, said that in light of the acquisition, "consolidation between brands is to be expected nationwide." Advertisement Article continues below this ad On any phone that follows Googles core Android interface, simply turn off the toggle next to Use auto-rotate within the Display section of the system settings. On a Samsung phone, the feature curiously isnt present at all in the system settings but you can find a toggle for it in the Quick Settings area that comes up when you swipe down twice from the top of your phone. Look for the icon labeled Auto rotate and tap it once to disable it (which will change its title to Portrait, somewhat confusingly but thatll do the trick). From there on out, anytime you rotate your device, it wont automatically change the screens orientation and will instead place a small icon in the corner of the screen. You can then tap that icon to change the rotation or ignore it to leave it as-is. Android problem #8: Tiny text Stop squinting, would ya? If the words on your phone are too damn small, head into the Accessibility section of your system settings and try out two options: Font size, which will increase text all throughout your phone, and Display size or Screen zoom, which will increase the size of everything on your screen. On a Pixel phone or another device that follows Googles standard Android interface, both options will be within the Display size and text area of the system accessibility settings. On Samsung devices, youll need to tap Vision enhancements and then select either Font size and style or Screen zoom to make the two adjustments. Android problem #9: Annoying notifications Whether its an overly aggressive app or, ahem, an overly aggressive texter, stop notification nuisances at their source by pressing and holding your finger to the next unwanted alert that pops up. Thatll pull up a control panel of sorts that lets you turn off the associated type of notification entirely or just silence it so that it still shows up but doesnt actively demand your attention. Less annoying notifications are always just a long-press and a tap away. JR Raphael / IDG And if youre really feeling crafty, you can create powerful filters for your Android notifications to customize and control exactly how different types of alerts behave and even, if youre so inclined, to summarize similar notifications and make your list of pending items less overwhelming. Its 2024, for cryin out loud. Your contacts shouldnt be accessible only on your phone and you shouldnt have to jump through hoops to transfer them from one device to another. If youre using a phone made by anyone other than Google, go into its Contacts app and make sure its set to sync your info with your Google account not with the manufacturers own proprietary syncing service. This is particularly pertinent for Samsung owners, as the company tends to sync contacts with its own self-contained service by default. Thats fine if you only want to access that info from that one phone and if you plan to purchase only phones made by Samsung in the future eternally but in any other scenario, that setup is not going to serve you well. Once you make this change, your contacts will be synced with Google Contacts which means theyll always be immediately available within the Google Contacts website on any computer where youre signed in and on any phone where you install the Google Contacts Android app. Android problem #11: Call-ending challenges Ever find yourself scrambling to end a call but then your screen wont come back on fast enough? Or maybe the screen comes on, but the command to hang up isnt right there and ready? An Android accessibility option can make your life infinitely easier by empowering you to press your phones physical power button anytime youre ready to say goodbye. No need to hunt around for the right icon or even look down at your phone at all just one button press along the devices edge, and the person on the other end will be gone (thank goodness!). All youve gotta do is look for the Power button ends call option in the Accessibility section of your system settings. On Pixel phones and other devices that follow Googles standard Android interface, itll be within a System controls submenu in that area. On Samsung products, youll have to tap Interaction and dexterity and then Answering and ending calls to find it and itll be labeled Press Side button to end calls (even though the Side button is more often than not actually just the power button). If you dig around enough in Androids settings on a Pixel phone, at left, and a Samsung device, at right you can find a switch thatll make it much easier to end a call. JR Raphael / IDG However you get there, flip that switch on and get ready to get off a call more easily than ever. Android problem #12: A frozen phone One of the most frustrating Android problems of all is having a phone thats either stuck on some process and not responding or stuck in a powered-off state and refusing to turn on. But no matter how dire things may seem, theres almost certainly always a solution. The simplest one is a hard reboot: Depending on your device, youll want to press and hold either the power button by itself for 30 seconds to a minute or press and hold the power button and either volume-down or volume-up button together for that same amount of time (or until you feel a vibration and see something show up on the screen). If you see a strange-looking menu that says Start and has a picture of an Android robot, dont worry: Just press the power button again, and your phone should boot up normally. If nothing happens with either of those processes, try leaving your phone plugged in for a solid few hours, just to make sure the battery isnt depleted. Then try again. If things still arent coming up and if you arent seeing even the standard battery indicator graphic appear on the display when you plug the phone in well, my friend, its time to make your way to our final Android issue. Android problem #13: A non-charging phone Last but not least is the problem to end all Android problems: an Android phone that simply wont charge (and thus also wont power up, once its battery has been run all the way down). Ive been there. And while its certainly possible that you could be facing some sort of hardware-related defect, its also quite likely that this is something you can fix in a jiff. So try this: Take something like a toothpick or the end of a paper clip and very carefully and very gently dig around a little in the phones charging port to clear out any lint or debris thats built up in there. It sounds crazy, I know, but sometimes, enough gunk gets collected in that area that the power cable isnt able to establish a good connection and charge the device (or charge it consistently, without the connection coming in and out and making it difficult for much charging to happen). Once youve cleared out a good amount of gunk, plug the phone in again and see if something happens. If the battery was totally dead, you might have to leave it plugged in for a while before you see any results. But theres a decent chance this will work and then, in a matter of minutes, youll be back in business. Sometimes, the simplest fix is the most satisfying one of all. This article was originally published in August 2020 and updated in July 2024. Weve all eaten a little too much. Unless youre one of those perfect little angels out there whos never exceeded their caloric recommendations. In which case, youre probably too busy climbing Everest to read this article. But for those of us whose brains receive the usual amount of joy from going a little overboard, we all know a meal or two that have felt like they tested the limits of our intestinal lining. On occasion, though, people have not only found that limit, but pushed through it with fatal results. Don't Miss Here are five historical figures who ate themselves to death 5 King Adolf Frederick Public Domain In 1771, the Swedish King Adolf Frederick was preparing for the food-unfriendly month of Lent with a bit of a gorge. He attacked a prepared feast with gusto, and put down a positively belt-busting amount of food. Lobster, caviar, sauerkraut and boiled meats are just a few of the treats he packed into his kingly gut over the course of a single meal. None of them were the dish that did the deed, however. That dishonor belongs to his ill-advised addition of dessert. He tossed back a couple glasses of champagne, and decided that what the meal really needed was a bit of sweetness to round it all out. In particular, his favorite pastry: semlas, or buns stuffed with cream that Adolf preferred served in a soup of raisins, cinnamon and milk. The chef must have outdone themselves that day, because Adolf wasnt able to resist having any less than 14 servings of the aforementioned semlas, and no amount of stomach Tetris was able to make that work. He died that night of, well, his body trying to handle the whole grocery store aisle hed just shoved in it. 4 Pope Paul II Advertisement Public Domain If one of your preferred treats is fresh fruit, you know that youve got to get it while the gettings good. Unless you want to be gritting your teeth through less-than-ripe, out-of-season servings of natures candy, youre limited to certain parts of the year to eat the best version of said food. For Pope Paul II, his go-to natural sweet treat was cantaloupe. Im a fan of the loupe myself, and cant fault him for putting down a good portion of a particularly fine melon, but I think Id stop myself after completing an entire fruit. He, reportedly, did not, and made what would turn out to be the mortal mistake of eating two entire cantaloupes in quick succession. Shortly after his two-gourd gorge, he would pass away at least according to legend. Though thats still the second most outrageous claim for his cause of death, and one he probably prefers over the other: sodomy. Advertisement Advertisement 3 King Henry I Public Domain Now, I wouldnt say either of the two fatal meals above were worth it not by a long shot. At the same time, Im not going to act like they dont sound delicious. Pastries? Fresh fruit? I can follow the base instincts here. In the case of the dish that ended King Henry I, however, I dont think its something Id eat more than a bite of, much less enough of to cause a medical episode. His number one meal was lamprey pie. If youre unfamiliar with the lamprey, imagine an eel-sized leech, and youre pretty close. A long body made of cartilage with concentric rings of sharp teeth at one end, they bring to mind Demogorgon babies more than a dinner bell. Even back then, King Henry was advised to lower his lamprey pie intake by doctors. It was advice he ignored, until one particularly large lamprey binge brought him to an early grave, likely due to food poisoning. 2 William Makepeace Thackeray Advertisement Ernest Edwards Writer William Makepeace Thackerays official cause of death is a stroke. He didnt slump over at a dinner table either, so establishing a definitive link between dining and death isnt necessarily a slam dunk. However, the fact was that he was overwhelmingly known as a glutton without the cardiovascular activity to back it up makes these two dots pretty easy to connect. Upon returning home from one of his many king-sized dinners out, he fell dead of a stroke, and probably, given his eating habits, clutching both his head and his stomach. Advertisement Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike is one of the leaders in active hacking detection and response, but its reputation could be harmed after a worldwide IT outage on Friday caused by an error in its software. Haven Daley/Associated Press The global IT outage on Friday possibly the largest in history caused by a glitch in software from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike brought hospitals, airlines and countless other companies across the world and the Bay Area to a standstill. The far-reaching disruptions to the Microsoft systems monitored by CrowdStrike have raised uncomfortable questions about the widely adopted security service, highlighting its ability to bring down computer networks critical to the global economy. Some, including Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, said they are taking swift action. We just deleted Crowdstrike from all our systems, Musk wrote on X. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella posted on X Friday that his company is aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online. But what is CrowdStrike, how did it get so big, and what does the outage say about the vulnerability of the networks we rely on to do everything from transfer money to buy a cup of coffee? Founded in 2011 in Sunnyvale, and now based in Austin, Texas, the company provides what is called endpoint detection response software. That software continually monitors computer networks for viruses, hackers and other threats through CrowdStrikes Falcon Sensor program. An apparent error in a routine update to the program, which protects many products running Microsoft Windows, is what caused Fridays worldwide havoc. Falcon Sensor works by monitoring an organizations computer systems for threats, taking up very little memory on individual devices because it operates primarily in the network cloud. Previous generations of antivirus software took up lots of local memory, and a decade or more ago, corporations realized bad guys could write scripts to defeat and uninstall the antivirus software, said Paul Caron, the head of cybersecurity for the Americas at S-RM, a global corporate intelligence and cybersecurity consultancy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As hackers got better at routing around lumbering antivirus software, tools such as Falcon Sensor began to come to market. Now, every major Fortune 500 company is leveraging one flavor or another of this, said Caron, whose company competes with CrowdStrike in responding to cybersecurity incidents. Other products and companies including Mountain Views SentinelOne and Palo Alto Networks provide similar endpoint protection services, and Microsoft has its own product it sells called Microsoft Sentinel. A blue screen of death shown at the United Terminal in San Francisco International Airport. A CrowdStrike software issue caused immense problems for airports, banks and scores of other business and services that use Windows computers. Danielle Echeverria/The Chronicle CrowdStrike controls around 18% of the multibillion-dollar market for active cyber threat detection, according to figures from market researcher IDC. The same report pegged Microsofts market share at almost 26%. CrowdStrike has also partnered with the U.S. government. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The company has been called in by the U.S. Department of Justice to uncover state-sponsored hacking efforts by Russia and China, and was instrumental in linking North Korea to the Sony Pictures hack in 2014. The firm was also instrumental in investigating the Russian hacking of Democratic National Committee computers during the 2016 U.S. election. CrowdStrikes widespread deployment across industry and government itself reflect a kind of critical security flaw, said professor Ahmed Banafa at San Jose State University, who teaches courses on computer networking, operating systems, and cybersecurity. Fridays incident appears to have been human error, But what if this (had been) done intentionally? he said. If you can bring millions of computers down, that is a single point of failure, Banafa added. I think Microsoft is really going to think about their relationship with CrowdStrike given what happened today. Imagine suffering a barrage of D-tier jokes all day while youre just trying to get through your shift at work. Hank Azaria doesnt have to he worked on The Simpsons Season 35. One of the most tired tropes about American tourists visiting the U.K. is that us colonists first stop during our London holiday is at Buckingham Palace, where we distract the notoriously stoic and hilariously styled guards in futile attempts to get them to break character. In fact, its such a cliche that The Simpsons themselves satirized the annoying and unbecoming trend all the way back in 1995 during the episode Bart vs. Australia, in which the family has to pay a visit to the U.S. embassy in Australia where Homer mistakenly assumes that the marines guarding the compound are similarly bound to a no smiling rule and gets his own grin punched in. Azaria, on the other hand, decided to unironically reinforce one of the U.K.s most negative stereotypes about American travelers in a now-viral video shot in front of Buckingham Palace where he tried to find out if one member of the Kings Guard was a big Simpsons fan. Don't Miss He wasnt. Seriously, this has to be one of the lowest-hanging-fruit jokes for American tourists to score some chuckles back home at the expense of further ruining our reputation abroad. Once Azaria is done doing his spin on the played-out pester the people who have to deal with the dumbest foreigners in the world on a daily basis gag, is he going to hop on a flight to Italy and do the Superintendent Chalmers voice while he holds up the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Advertisement The Buckingham Palace video is just one of many recent posts from Azarias current expansion of his social media presence, possibly in order to promote his passion project, Hank Azaria and the EZ Street Band. Since April, the actor who brought characters like Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Professor Frink and Apu Nahasapeemapetilon to life (before the lattermost had to leave for stereotype purgatory) on The Simpsons has been mastering his most challenging character yet: Bruce Springsteen. Maybe Azarias attempt to entertain an unenthused Englishman whos just trying to do his job was a way to get more eyeballs on his TikTok account so that he can reach a wider audience once he starts blasting his Thunder Road covers publicly. Maybe it was just a bit of fun on vacation that Im taking far too seriously, despite its tackiness. Maybe were in the midst of the midlife crisis that will bring down an American institution only matched in esteem and antiquity by the British royal family. Advertisement Whatever inspired the viral video, its certainly not helping the reputation of Americans in England they still havent forgiven us for for the disappearance of Sherry Bobbins. Bob Newhart, who passed away this week at the age of 94, once said comedians help people get past pain by speaking at memorial services. Its not easy speaking at a funeral. Ive done it many times, he wrote in his memoir, I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This!: And Other Things That Strike Me as Funny. On The Simpsons, I spoke at Krusty the Clowns funeral. When Newhart guest-starred on The Simpsons, they shut down production so the entire writers room could watch him record his lines, culture writer Vikram Murhi posted on Twitter/X. Everyone stifled their laughter for like two mins before completely losing it when his take was done. Heres Newharts memory of recording his tribute to the deceased (but not really) clown: In the show, I played myself, albeit drawn by the animators. The script was written by a former Newhart writer named David Mirkin. Anyway, my character was just killing time waiting for a different funeral to start, and I was dragged onstage to eulogize Krusty, whom I didnt know. Don't Miss Newharts tribute to the late kiddie-show host was just the kind of stammering, self-effacing tribute youd expect from the legendary comic: I started my career several years before Krusty ... so I never really learned anything directly from him. ... I think in a way, in a meaningful way, all of us have learned from him. ... That is from him being a clown on television for so many years ... even though many of us ... didnt watch his show. In real life, Newhart knew that funny words are necessary after a tragedy. After John F. Kennedy was assassinated, Newhart was performing with Dinah Shore at a theater in Anaheim, California. The show shut down for two nights, but on the third day, the promoter asked Newhart if hed consider doing a show that evening. If Shore would, Newhart said, he was in. Advertisement The comedian was understandably nervous about performing comedy during such a dark time, but the theater was packed. I went out and did my act without mentioning the Kennedy assassination. The audience was fantastic. They were one of the most receptive audiences I have ever played to in my life because they were ready to laugh, he said. Advertisement That week, one horrendous story after another unfolded. But the audiences kept filling the theater, and they kept laughing. People had to escape from the tragedy. For an hour and a half, they needed to blot out the real world, Newhart remembered. They were saying, Ill deal with life when the shows over, but right now I need to laugh. Thats why Troy McClure pulled in Newhart to Krustys cavalcade of celebrity mourners, even though the comic was there for someone elses service. When life gets too sad, there are no better words to hear than, Bob Newhart, everybody! The treehouse in Willow, New York. Photo: Airbnb For most people, the only way theyll ever get to spend any time in an architecturally significant house is on a guided tour. Thats hardly enough to get a sense of what it would be like to wake up and make coffee there in the morning, hang out in the living room, or watch the daylight move through the rooms. But with so many designers and patrons of avant-garde architecture in New York, there are dozens of architectural masterpieces available for a short-term rental within a few hours drive. (And its a boon to the rest of us that these design lovers so often buy or build such properties as second homes.) The sleeping arrangements are sometimes strange, and the prices are often considerably higher than the workday rentals out there, but the houses themselves look like they might rearrange your synapses an experience you can prepare for, if you like, by reading the reviews before you book. Here are some of our favorites, all within about a three-hour drive of New York City. Steve Holls open-plan Ex of In House. Photo: Airbnb The open-plan Ex of In House was designed by Steven Holl (known in New York for his critically acclaimed, accessibility-challenged library in Queens) and completed in 2016. By now, its nearly a classic on Airbnb (it has more than 250 rave reviews), but it began as a two-year architectural manifesto that Holl ended up renting out to fund the architectural nonprofit he runs nearby. Located on a 30-acre reserve, the house is airy with high ceilings and lined in mahogany and birch plywood. With its cutouts, angled walls, and rounded alcoves, it has an unpredictable rhythm that comes from a design of spherical spaces intersecting with tesseract trapezoids, according to Holl. In practice, that translates into no bedrooms, but the nearly 1,000-square-foot space can sleep four on organic Japanese futons. Holl designed the house to be responsive to the landscape, and it runs on solar power, geothermal energy, and a wood stove during the winter. The experience leans more cool than comfy: There are warnings about the heat upstairs during certain months and the hardness of the futons. But as some guests shared, its still a house you would cancel plans for. Rents in August for around $500 a night. The Antler House, as shown in listing photos, is one of the few playful mid-century Andrew Geller beach houses that still exist. Many of the modest but exuberant Hamptons beach houses designed by mid-century architect Andrew Geller have been demolished, but this delightful cedar-lined house in the Springs is one of the few thats still standing. Geller referred to his cheerful, inexpensive designs as summer-use playhouses, and this houses trademark is a loft framed by floor-to-ceiling owl-eye windows. The rest of the 1968 home is just as charming, with soaring cathedral ceilings, triangular flaps with peekaboo views, and hideaway nooks. And the kitchen is a dream, with a jade-tiled wall and wide knotty-pine floors. Like Holls house, this one has a small footprint and totals just about 1,200 square feet. The house wasnt always in good shape, but the previous owners, with the help of Two Street Studio and Gellers grandson, recently undertook a historically sensitive and highly detailed renovation (for which it won a preservation award in 2020). The home sold this spring the buyer was reported to be New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd but for now, its still on the short-term rental market. Theres no pool, but its a few blocks from Louse Point Beach and has a large elevated deck. And if it happens to rain, theres a 120-inch movie screen and a 4K projector. With two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a modern HVAC system. Rents for around $1,500 a night. The Rubber House, as shown in listing photos, has a neoprene exterior that helps it blend into the upstate New York landscape. Photo: Airbnb This architectural case-study house the first home by landscape architect Tom Pritchard was designed for the choreographer Eugene Loring in 1981 and owned by actor Willem Dafoe for two decades. Pritchard covered the house in a dark-gray neoprene (hence the name), a material normally used to coat flat industrial roofs, but in this case, its said to provide superior sound quality for musicians. The house has an adjacent dance studio (one of its owners is a professional ballerina), but its not included in the rental because it is undergoing a renovation. Nestled amid moss-covered boulders by the Mohonk nature reserve upstate, the house has a vaulted, open kitchen (Lorings partner was a chef), a glass atrium, and a writers tower, and its full of pleasing, multicolored volumes and cool angles, like a 3-D Cubist painting. But its 270-degree views from the main bedroom are perhaps what makes it feel like a real escape into the woods; as Dafoe wrote in Interview magazine, My best memory of the place is lying in bed, watching a storm roll in from over the horizon. Rents for around $850 a night. The Airbnb listing also invites artists to stay for residencies or use it for projects, and to contact the host for subsidized rates. Philip Johnsons Wolfhouse has striking Hudson River views. Photo: Vrbo Most people have heard of Philip Johnsons Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut, but his lesser-known Wolfhouse in Newburgh went up the same year, in 1949. Instead of rolling meadow views, it offers the Hudson River from its perch on a hillside above the river, as Ruth Wolf, the original owner, requested. This modernist four-bedroom, three-bath home had been altered (and carpeted, gasp!) by previous owners, but it was carefully restored a few years ago by two friends, Jeremy Parker, a creative director, and Jiminy Ha, head of graphic design at the Guggenheim. They bought it a week before the pandemic shutdown, then spent the following four years restoring it, painstakingly sourcing historically accurate finishes, vintage furniture, and reused materials. They also wanted to acknowledge Johnsons complicated history as a Nazi sympathizer and gay man and decided to make it a cultural center of sorts, welcoming LGBTQ+ artists like themselves by hosting workshops and events for the community in Newburgh. Rents for around $1,450 a night. No pets or kids allowed common in many of these architecturally notable properties. Philip Johnsons Glass House is a museum, but it allows overnight stays. Photo: Michael Biondo For those who prefer the cultural cachet (and have a lot of cash), they can always rent the Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut, now a museum operated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Though its not available on any short-term rental sites, you can spend the night there by booking directly with the museum. Visitors can opt to sleep in either the 1,728-square-foot Glass House or the newly restored brick house, where Andy Warhol was once a guest. (While the brick house was ostensibly for guests, Johnson and his partner often liked to sleep there when no one was visiting. Also, it has an epic bedroom). Its just going to set you back $30,000 a night. Only two overnight guests are allowed, but visitors can host up to ten others for dinner. All proceeds will go to the Trust. The charming Owl Hill House is near the Berkshires and Bennington. Photo: Airbnb Built by a group of local sculptors in the early 1980s (and recently restored by one of them), Owl Hill House is an organically shaped, hand-plastered house with built-in furniture and definitely looks like a house where hobbits would live (guests have nicknamed it the Mushroom House). At 570 square feet, with one bedroom and one bath, the house is cozy, a storybook cottage (theres even a stone path leading up to the front door) that tops out at two guests. It rents for about $250 a night and is located down a quiet semi-private road. Near Bennington, the Berkshires, and Mass MOCA, the drive from the city is just over three hours. This tree house has huge windows and a cedar hot tub. Photo: Airbnb This striking, angular home jutting out over a pond in the foothills of the Catskills was designed by British furniture and interior designer Antony Gibbon and built by local woodworker William Johnson. The family who dreamed it up told T Magazine that they were taken with Gibbons (mostly unbuilt) designs that seemed to blend into their surroundings. This tree house is all about experiencing nature: ten uncurtained windows, some of them 12 feet wide, look out onto eastern white pines and oak trees. Gibbon told Dwell the design pushed away from 90-degree corners as much as possible. Theres a sleeping loft accessible via a ladder, but its not entirely rustic: Theres a wood-fired cedar hot tub and a modern kitchen. It shares a swimmable pond with the familys main house, about a five-minute walk away. With no Wi-Fi or cell service, it seems ideal for anyone looking for a social-media cleanse. The rate in September the soonest its available is $375 a night. The Shell House is a concrete half-dome with a wall of windows and porcelain panels. Photo: Airbnb Architect Seymour Rutkin built this concrete half-dome in the Catskills for himself in 1996 and lived there for the rest of his life (he died in 2007). Unlike many other dome homes, this one is not of the hippie geodesic variety, and the arched wall of windows and insulated orange porcelain panels give it a very contemporary feel. There are mountain views throughout the house and a 2,000-square-foot patio and firepit outside. The Brooklyn family who bought the three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home hired DAAM to do a high-end, award-winning renovation, adding a mahogany-lined kitchen that mimics the buildings curves. This house is also pet-, child- and remote-work friendly. Rents for around $600 per night. Hillcrest House was originally built in 1952. The current owners hired Jeff Jordan Architects to open up the floor plan and the flow between inside and out. Photo: Airbnb Newburgh apparently has a number of striking hilltop glass houses with Hudson River views. This one, originally built in 1952, is a two-bedroom with a hot tub, sleek kitchen, and some very stylish furniture. The owners hired Jeff Jordan Architects to open the homes floor plan and relationship with the exterior, expanding the size of the windows and adding sliding glass doors and cedar walls indoors and out. HVAC, a wood-burning stove, and an outdoor firepit make this a good option for cold-weather rentals as well as summer ones. Rents for about $935 a night. Huska Creek Cabin is one of the few (maybe only) remaining DIY bolt-together houses from the 1970s. Photo: Airbnb Huska Creek Cabin, as its called, is one of the few (or maybe only) remaining DIY bolt-together houses designed in the 1970s by architect Jeffrey Milstein. The tiny, inexpensive cabins (they cost about $20,000 to build in todays dollars, inclusive of materials and appliances) were designed to be taken apart and moved if their owners didnt own the land they were built on. Plans were sold through Family Circle magazine, which hired Milstein in an attempt to hop onto the ecoconscious DIY home-building trends of the era. A British couple, whose purchase and renovation was covered in the New York Times, bought this one a few years back. Like a few of the cabins on this list, this one has a distinct blocky profile and giant windows that look out onto a wood deck that feels more like a stage. Situated near a creek on 6.5 acres, it rents for about $285 a night. Rock N House was built around a huge glacial boulder that was on the property. Photo: Vrbo Built around a giant glacial boulder that was located on the property, this modern home, designed by Swiss architect Christian Wassmann for his family, looks like the lair of a Nordic god. The home has four bedrooms and 3.5 baths, a sunken living room, and a dining table with space for ten, making it a good option for a group of friends. Its located between Saugerties and Woodstock on 14 acres, down a secluded road with panoramic views. The roofs shape, according to a story in Architectural Digest, is optimized for maximum sun, and inside a hollow railing doubles as a viewing device to locate Polaris. The cost averages $1,170 per night. This mid-century home, as shown in listing photos, was designed by Gerald Luss, who also did the interiors of the Time-Life building. Photo: Boutique Homes The influential mid-century architect who designed the interiors of the Time-Life building built this home for his family in 1952. Not only is it Mad Menera, its located in the town where Don Draper supposedly lived and has some of the original furnishings, including the 12-foot-long sofa and coffee table Luss designed for Time-Life. Cantilevered with a huge stone hearth, the current owners (who ended up becoming friends with Luss after moving in) have kept it looking like something of a time capsule. The staircase, which appears to be free-floating; the upward-swooping roofline; and the opening made for the boulder all give the home a sense of drama. Located on two acres in a neighborhood of other notable mid-century homes and near a local lake, its off the Metro-North. Starts at $550 a night. East Village, November 2012 Photo: Kareem Rahma Kareem Rahmas viral video series, Keep the Meter Running, Subway Takes, and now The Last Stop, all have New York (and often transit) at their heart. He moved to New York from Minnesota 12 years ago and found his midwestern friendliness clashing with the cynicism that comes with the city. Rahmas first year in New York was swept up by Hurricane Sandy, the boom of Vice Media, and the underground arm-wrestling circuit. I moved to New York City on May 5, 2012. It was my first move ever. I grew up in Minnesota, and I just had to get out of the Midwest to figure out what the hell was going on in the world. I had to break up with my girlfriend to move. Her father said to me before I left, I hope you found what youre looking for. I was definitely going out west for gold, except I was going out east for money. To get myself hyped up on the plane and get the momentum going, I read The Alchemist. I remember calling my mom on Mothers Day, only a few weeks after I first moved, telling her, You wouldnt believe it out here. The juices cost $12, and the pizza costs $1. Now, thats so normal, but for a fresh-off-the-boat Midwesterner, it was crazy. I got a bike and had it for one day. It was stolen within 24 hours. I got another, I went to work and came back stolen. Two bikes were stolen in one month of living here. It was pretty sad. I moved blindly into an apartment that I found on Craigslist. I sent him an email laying out my story and he was like, Oh my god, Im from Minnesota too. But Im gonna be in Bali for a month. So the place is all yours alone. It was a big basement apartment on 6th Street between Avenues B and C. I could hear pickers going through the trash, and I was scared people were breaking in. I paid around $650 for it. He was a solopreneur yogi trying to live a nomadic lifestyle, and the apartment was disgusting and filthy. It looked like an episode of The Leftovers where there was a guy who disappeared, so there was still a bong on the table and beard hair all over the sink. Man-hair everywhere. The room I was renting was simply a twin mattress on the floor with no sheets. I remember lying there thinking I had just made a huge, big, bad decision. I stayed for three months, then moved to a sublet I also found on Craigslist in Williamsburg with two bisexual women. I didnt know why they let me move in. I mustve given off a nice quality. Manhattan, East Village, Possibly St. Marks Street moving our sleeper sofa couch that we got for free 15 blocks in 100-degree heat. Blake Bensman, Omar, August 2012 Photo: Kareem Rahma I came with no job and wore wool suits on the subway because it was the Mad Men era, and I thought that dressing up like that would help me get a job. I ended up getting a job at Vice through a really long and embarrassing blind cold email, like Hi. My name is Kareem. I moved to New York so that I could work at Vice (not knowing what Vice even was). I sent the same email to Warby Parker, Kickstarter, Vimeo, and all those types of companies. Im the perfect fit for Warby Parker customer-service associate, Im motivated and driven! I started at Vice in my second month. The official title was activation manager. It entailed integrating branded content within the Vice world. My boss was two years older than me, and I was like, How do we activate?, and hed reply, I dont know, just put together a media plan, but I had no idea what a media plan was. I remember in a meeting early on, somebody said Good job to me, and then some co-worker of mine was like, He never says that to anyone, and I was like, My God, Im that bitch. New York is awesome. August 2012, The old Vice Office on N10 and Berry in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Photo: Kareem Rahma At Vice, I went from having one friend to having at least 100 acquaintances who were my age. It felt like getting my M.B.A. while also being abused and getting barely paid. Working there, you got thrown into this whirlwind of parties that were work-related but still had rampant drug and alcohol abuse. A lot of media people at the time were really mean, and I was really nice. I hadnt really experienced a lot of cynicism or skepticism in the Midwest. I remember wearing a Mishka shirt to the office one time, and someone looked up and down and said, Why are you wearing branded content to the office? Thats not cool. I thought I was cool but kept being told otherwise. I got along best with people who were born and raised in New York. They thought I was funny because I was just confused all the time. They had seen it all, so my midwestern naivete was a breath of fresh air. Myself and my friend Lucas Shanks at Le Bain in Chelsea. 2012 or 2013 Photo: Kareem Rahma Later that year, I wanted to sign a lease with my friend Blake. We mustve seen 40 apartments. Our budget was $2,400 for a two-bedroom. I wanted a big space, and he wanted Manhattan. I remember suggesting we could live off the Montrose L stop, and he was like, Its dangerous there, you dont want to go past Bedford. It came to a point where I told him I wouldnt room with him unless we signed the next lease we could. We walked into this place on 5th and Avenue A with a bunch of other people seeing it at the same time. Our Realtor, this weird yoga guy named Adam, told us we needed to run to the ATM and put the deposit down immediately. We let both of our accounts go negative and ran back with a wad of cash. The landlord was this Russian guy named John Black definitely a fake name and he looked at us and said, Why dont you make more money? I had three jobs you guys both have one job each. We made $32,000 a year each, and the apartment was $2,450 a month. How are you gonna pay for it?, he asked. I freaked out and convinced myself he was right and that I shouldve been grinding harder. I told him Id become a bartender, too. But I didnt end up getting a new job, and we took the apartment. It was 450 square feet, and I paid a little bit more and got the bigger bedroom. It was so dumb of me to drain my bank account for it, but it was the best apartment. We ended up living there for two years. My bedroom was furnished with things I found on the street. Outside my first apartment at 511 East 6th Street, Manhattan. June 2013. Photo: Kareem Rahma Maybe because of where it was, but the apartment became the center of my social scene. People would just come over, even just to take a piss if they happened to be in the neighborhood. One time, eight dudes I didnt know who were all in a band asked if they could sleep over. Sure. That night, there were seven men just sleeping on our floor and one in the bathroom. All of our other friends were subletting or in between places or living with girlfriends. We had a big living room, and it wasnt a dump, so everyone always came to us. There was enough space for 20 or 30 people. It became the spot for pregaming, but the pregame lasted from 5 to midnight. When wed leave, we didnt go far. I had a one-block bar crawl that was just 5th and 6th Streets in between A and B. At a bar in the East Village, Manhattan. It was on Avenue A, but its closed now. July 2012 Photo: Kareem Rahma We had just moved into this apartment when Hurricane Sandy happened. We were in the flood zone but on the second floor. All the businesses near us closed early. We went to Sidewalk Cafe for our last meal before the storm hit. I didnt think it could be that bad because I had never experienced hurricanes in the middle of the country. We went to Sunny and Annies Deli and grabbed two sandwiches and 15 bags of chips, just in case. Then the power went out, and when we woke up the next day, we walked uptown from the East Village to charge our phones. Everyone who lived downtown had to find places to stay. A girl I had been flirting with at Vice lived in Williamsburg, which wasnt as affected by the storm, so I texted her, Can I sleep over? At a friends Vice going-away party, people were betting money in an arm-wrestling contest, which was sort of a common thing back then, but it was a toxic environment. I insisted I didnt want to arm wrestle anyone because I was really good at it. I had been training for a good four or five months because I wanted to be able to strike up a conversation with people and win rounds at bars. Then, my deskmate challenged me. I accidentally broke his arm. As we were waiting at the hospital, he exhaled and said, This is all karmic energy coming back to me. He had been sleeping with my ex-girlfriend, the same Williamsburg girl from Vice Id been having a situationship with before people called them situationships. Hed known all the details of the fling because we sat next to each other, and wed talk about all of it. Theyre married and have a kid now. A San Francisco International Airport employee tries to help an upset traveler Friday. Hundreds of travelers were delayed and stranded due to a technical outage. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Peter Smith, center, his wife, Thu Smith, and children, Charlie, 2, and baby Audrey, try to rebook a flight after being stranded at San Francisco International Airport due to a technical issue Friday. Hundreds of travelers were delayed and stranded due to a technical outage. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Kody Day sits on the floor as he waits in a long line to rebook his canceled flight at SFO. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Harry Taylor falls asleep as he waits in line to rebook his canceled flight at SFO. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Dozens of travelers wait to rebook their flights at SFO. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle The Bay Area woke up Friday morning to a global tech outage that brought airports, businesses and government services around the world to a standstill. The outage has been attributed to CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company whose software is used to protect millions of computers and networks. An apparently faulty software update caused scores of computers to crash. Airports saw massive disruptions after several airlines were forced to ground flights during the outage. The disruption had cascading effects as the day unfolded, as flight delays and cancelations forced airlines to scramble to reassign flight crews. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At San Francisco International Airport, the outage appeared to hit United Airlines particularly hard. No United flights left SFO for several hours Friday. Long lines snaked around the United terminal at SFO with passengers trying to rebook new flights. Many in the rebooking line worked their phones frantically, calling friends or family to tell them about the change of plans, or trying to book flights on a different airline. SFO employees in bright-yellow vests walked around trying to make sure people were in the right spot. More than 130 flights at SFO have been canceled, according to FlightAware, and more than 400 flights have been delayed. FlightAware data showed that United had the most canceled flights at SFO, with more than 70 total scuttled trips. Some machines at SFO displayed the same blue screens of death seen at computer terminals across the world. A blue screen of death at the United Terminal in San Francisco International Airport on Friday. Danielle Echeverria/The Chronicle SFO said on social media just after 7 a.m. that the airports computer systems are functioning and airline systems are coming back online. Contact your airline directly for flight status updates. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Jeanine Benca and her 6-year-old son were attempting to take a United red-eye flight home to Pennsylvania from SFO when the software glitch upended their plans. After waiting for an hour on the plane after boarding, she and the other passengers were asked to return to the airport. She and her son ended up spending the night at SFO because United wouldnt just cancel the flight and was/is holding the checked luggage hostage, Benca said in a text message to the Chronicle. The flight was later canceled, but theres no sign of the baggage. Airport personnel, clustering in small groups to create a game plan to help the hundreds of stranded passengers, discussed their boss simple instruction: Be helpful. At 9:30 a.m., airport personnel were handing out water bottles to people waiting in line. Shauntelle and John Anderson were taking their daughter and son-in-law, Odessa and Josh Ostler, on a dream trip they had been planning for more than a year: The family, from near Salt Lake City, was flying to Sydney to get on a 15-day Australian cruise. They flew from Salt Lake City to San Francisco last night for their connecting flight to Australia. But when they got on the plane at 11 p.m., things began to get strange, Shauntelle Anderson explained. At first, they said it was a computer problem, and it would only be a few minutes for them to figure it out, she said. But then, half an hour later, they said they were still working on it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad An hour and a half after that, they told people they could get off the plane just to walk around, she said. But they said you didnt have to. Finally, around 2:30 a.m., they told all passengers they had to get off the flight and take their bags with them. So the family camped out for a while in the airport with all of the other passengers kicked off their flights. But sometime in the early hours of the morning, flight attendants made everyone go back outside of security, where they said more agents would be able to help them rebook. At 8 a.m. Friday, the family was still waiting in line with hundreds of other people trying to rebook. Josh was trying to book new flights on his phone, while Odessa was trying to get in touch with United. The family members are not hopeful theyre going to make the cruise, which leaves Sunday Australian time, and the cruise line has already told them it will not refund them or let them on at another stop. By 10 a.m., they were still in line. Were out about $15,000 now, Shauntelle said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Just outside of a United security checkpoint, a group of about a dozen teenagers laid on their luggage, having just finished hiking in Yosemite during a camping trip. The group members were all supposed to be on their various flights home Friday and some of werent sure theyd make it. Brian Bares, who had been touring California colleges with his oldest son, was picking up with his other son from the camp and before flying home to Austin. He said he stayed at the Embassy Suites near the airport overnight, and the lack of activity tipped him off that something was wrong. Normally, theres flights going in and out all the time, and you hear it, he said. But last night there was nothing. The Bares flight wasnt until 2 p.m. Friday, and he was hopeful they would still make it. He said the plane that would be taking them had taken off from its original destination, so he took that as a good sign. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Stranded travelers crowd Terminal 3 at SFO. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle I just hope we make it to Austin sometime this afternoon, he said. Across the bay, travel at San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport did not appear to suffer any meaningful setbacks as a result of the outage, a spokesperson for the airport said. Flights moving in and out of the airport hewed closely to scheduled departure and arrival times. As of 6 a.m. PST, the airport reported 19 delays and two cancellations. San Jose International Airport has seen 19 delays and three cancellations, according to FlightAware. Officials with the California Governors Office of Emergency Services said that, across the state, all 911, public safety communications and critical infrastructure was functioning as expected. But anyone trying to make reservations for state park facilities faced an 8-hour outage, according to California State Parks, although that outage occurred from midnight to 8 a.m. Throughout the Bay Area, critical computer systems that form the backbone of emergency-response operations and other municipal functions went largely unaffected by the outage. A spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department said that the botched software upgrade was probably the cause of around 20 building alarms blaring simultaneously throughout the city. After an investigation, officials concluded that it was mostly likely to do the Microsoft computer glitch, the spokesperson said. None of the alarms was caused by an actual fire, the spokesperson said. San Franciscos emergency management department said in a statement that the majority of the citys IT systems dont use the software involved in the CrowdStrike issue, though some issues were reported and are currently being assessed. Officials did not immediately elaborate on what systems were affected. The citys 911 system was not apparently affected. Hospital systems across the Bay Area reported some technical issues, though there were no immediate reports that the botched upgrade affected patients. UCSF, Sutter Health, San Francisco General Hospital and Laguna Honda Hospital were not impacted, officials for those hospital said. John Muir Health Walnut Creek Medical Center had to contend with problems with some of its administrative software, the hospital said. A spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente said some branches of the health care system were forced to activate backup systems to support both continuous patient care and to secure access to medical records. All Kaiser Permanente hospitals and medical offices remain open for care and service, and we are continuing to monitor our operations as we work to restore all affected systems, the spokesperson said. Oakland officials said the brunt of the outages impact fell on employee computers. The city said in a statement that 911 lines remained open throughout the outage, and public safety computer systems had mostly restored by Friday afternoon. The city did not specify what public safety computers it referred to, but said that both the police and fire departments were nearing full operations. Its unclear how the two agencies were affected. The Oakland Public Library system posted to social media that its systems were hobbled and that digital services would be restored on a rolling basis throughout the day Friday. A spokesperson for BART said trains were operating as scheduled Friday morning. Officials with Alameda County Superior Court released a statement saying the outage was affecting the courts digital case management systems, which were operating under limited capabilities. The court remained open, however, and anyone with scheduled court appearances was still required to appear. The outage forced the U.S. Social Security system to close local offices, though the agency said in a post online that its phone lines and some internet services were still available. Overnight and earlier in the day, long lines formed at airports in the U.S., Europe and Asia as airlines lost access to check-in and booking services. United Airlines issued a statement on social media saying it was working to restore its technology systems as of around 3:30 a.m. PST. American Airlines said it was able to safely re-establish our operation around 2 a.m. Spirit Airlines said on social media around 5:20 a.m. that it was unable to rebook guests whose travel plans have been disrupted until its systems were restored. Major domestic airlines have issued waivers for travelers impacted by the outage that would allow them to rebook their flights. Air travelers whose flights are canceled are also entitled to compensation, but new federal rules setting standards on these refunds have yet to go into effect. The FAA is closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines, the FAA wrote on social media. More than 1,100 flights have been canceled worldwide and more than 1,700 delays were reported as of 5 a.m., according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. The issue appeared to arise after CrowdStrike issued an update to its software on computers that use Windows operating systems. Computers that use other operating systems, such as Mac and Linux, were not affected, according to the companys CEO, George Kurtz. Kurtz wrote on social media that the company was actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts, adding that the problem was not linked to a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed, Kurtz wrote. CrowdStrike is a cybersecurity firm that sells real-time threat monitoring and detection services through their Falcon Sensor program, said professor Ahmed Banafa at San Jose State University, who teaches courses on computer networking, operating systems and cybersecurity. That program continually scans the devices it is installed on from ATMs to computers to phones for viruses, hacking, ransomware and other intrusions, he said. Unlike previous generations of software, it runs on a cloud server and takes up very little computing power on the devices it protects. Microsoft does not own CrowdStrike, which is a publicly traded company of its own. But Microsofts cloud service, Microsoft 365, which includes its Microsoft Office products, uses Falcon Sensor as its digital shield. CrowdStrike continually updates that shield with new features. So when a bug in the latest Microsoft update went worldwide, it knocked out computers at everything from airports to hospitals, Banafa said. Microsoft 365 posted on social media platform X that the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact and that it was observing a positive trend in service availability. 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. Campaign signs and empty water bottles are seen on the ground of a campaign rally where 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who is white, attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pa. A New York Post article falsely reported the shooter was Chinese. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump has turbocharged online misinformation, researchers on extremism and violence have found, including against Chinese Americans. The rise in conspiracy theories that Chinese nationals were responsible for Saturdays attempt on the Republican nominees life at an outdoor campaign rally in Pennsylvania coincided with erroneous reporting by the New York Post that the shooter was a Chinese man. The FBI identified the shooter as a white man, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pa. Federal investigators said Crooks fired shots from an AR-15-style rifle from a nearby rooftop, injuring Trumps ear, killing a man in the crowd and critically injuring two other people before a Secret Service sniper killed him. The FBI said they believe Crooks acted alone and has not identified a motive. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The New York Post, owned by News Corp., the conservative media empire started by Rupert Murdoch, cited unidentified sources in claiming the shooter had been identified as a Chinese man, according to a screen capture of the original article by Wayback Machine, a nonprofit internet archive. Its not clear how long the false information was online. By 8:51 p.m. EDT on Saturday, the article had been corrected, a Wayback Machine screen capture shows. Three days later, on Tuesday, the New York Post added an apology to the bottom of the article, blaming wrong information we obtained from sources. The retraction came after pressure from Asian American activists and groups, including Stop AAPI Hate, a nationwide movement founded in California. Their misreporting literally set off a flood of misinformation, racist content, outrageous conspiracy theories, said Cynthia Choi, the co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate. It really sparked fear in the Asian American community. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Choi said Stop AAPI Hate is preparing for potential violence against Asian communities that would rival the levels seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, when reports of anti-Asian harassment, discrimination and hate crimes rose. Cynthia Choi, the co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, a group that monitors anti-Asian hostility nationwide, criticized the New York Post article for inflaming online conspiracy theories targeting Chinese Americans. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle The New York Post did not respond to a request for comment. Lindsay Schubiner, the director of programs at the Western States Center, a national nonprofit in Portland that monitors anti-democracy movements, said her team has seen skyrocketing antisemitic, anti-transgender and anti-Asian conspiracies on social media about the assassination attempt. We know that oftentimes, the communities that are most frequently scapegoated by conspiracy theories are also the communities most targeted during times of fear and uncertainty, and thats what weve been seeing here, Schubiner said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Researchers have found a general increase in discussion about retribution and civil war. A report by the Alabama nonprofit Global Project Against Hate and Extremism found that references to civil war rose more than twelvefold on Telegram, an encrypted messaging platform, from July 12 to 13. The same report stated that references to revenge on Rumble, a far-right video platform, rose 120% during the same time. Since the assassination attempt, extremists have taken to social media platforms to spread misogyny, push conspiracy theories, fantasize about an imminent civil war, and even make threats against political opponents as retribution for the shooting, the report states. Schubiner said the false New York Post reporting, as well as misinformation more broadly, has a lasting impact with real-world consequences. Just retracting the article doesnt undo the damage and the disinformation that can spur bigotry and potentially even violence when those things are circulated, Schubiner said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rachel Carroll Rivas, the interim director of the Intelligence Project at the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center, said that conspiracies about the shooter being Chinese were a direct result of the Posts reporting. Numerous social media users on X, formerly Twitter, cited the Posts false claim that the shooter was a Chinese man. Gunman who shot President #Trump has been identified as Chinese, an X user with more than 306,000 followers posted, linking the New York Post article. As of Thursday morning, the tweet had been viewed more than 406,000 times, reposted 209 times and received 479 likes. A context box had been added by readers to state the shooter was not Chinese. Another X user with 16,000 followers posted, I am telling yall there are foreign special forces in South Georgia! The Chinese own thousands of acres of land and half the chicken houses in Georgia! The post had been viewed 10,000 times and liked 67 times as of Thursday morning. The right has latched on conspiracy theories about the large number of Chinese migrants crossing the U.S. southwest border since the start of 2023, calling them military-aged single men. Trump alleged, without evidence, that the Chinese Communist Party was directing migrants to the U.S. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Carroll Rivas said that in the days since the assassination attempt, her research team has seen an uptick in invasion rhetoric, including about Chinese people crossing the southern border. Conspiracy theories often act as an accelerant to violence, Schubiner said. She pointed to how the El Paso shooter who killed 23 people in 2019 cited great replacement theory language, or the false idea that white people are being supplanted by racial minorities, and to how Paul Pelosis attacker was influenced by the QAnon conspiracy theory that falsely claims an evil Democratic pedophiliac cabal runs the country. Schubiner said social media platforms should have greater content moderation and civic organizations should reach out to people at risk of being influenced by misinformation. This attempted assassination has created a moment of crisis in our democracy that is already facing a lot of challenges, Schubiner said. But, in moments of crisis, we can also find opportunity. The Powell/Hyde Cable Car at Hyde Street and Chestnut Street, with Alcatraz seen in the background, runs from downtown to Fishermans Wharf in San Francisco on July 18. Thomas Sawano / The Chronicle/The Chronicle Another heat wave is hitting inland California, with triple-digit temperatures possible less than 20 miles from San Francisco on Friday. Parts of the city may briefly hit 80 degrees Friday before dropping back to the 60s and 70s for the weekend. While much of California experiences its hottest month on record, San Francisco remains relatively chilly. The average high this July is 70.1 degrees at the downtown weather station near Duboce Triangle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This is far from unusual, as a Chronicle analysis found San Francisco has the coldest summer of any U.S. city with more than 500,000 residents. The city averages just one day at or above 80 degrees each July. A strong pressure gradient between San Francisco and Sacramento is likely to result in gusty winds the next few days, particularly Saturday afternoon. Baron/Lynx Somewhat counterintuitively, it is the inland heat that keeps San Francisco cool during midsummer. Hot, buoyant air in the Central Valley rises during the afternoon and evening, resulting in an area of low pressure near the ground. Cold, dense air from the Pacific ocean rushes in toward the surface low pressure, through the Golden Gate and into San Francisco Bay. This sea breeze is strongest in the late afternoon and early evening when the temperature difference between the ocean and Central Valley is greatest. Water temperatures in the 50s just off the coast serve as a natural swamp cooler, dissipating heat from the air. Frequently, San Franciscos maximum temperature occurs around noon before the sea breeze picks up. Days when the sea breeze is strongest, San Francisco may struggle to hit 60 degrees under foggy skies. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fluctuations in near-shore water temperatures impact weather conditions in San Francisco significantly. Over the past month, water at the San Francisco bar buoy, just outside the Golden Gate, has warmed from around 53 degrees to nearly 60 degrees. As a result, nighttime temperatures climbed at San Francisco International Airport. Nights frequently dropped to the low 50s in mid-June, but warmer July nights are bottoming out in the mid- to upper 50s. Coastal water temperatures remain chilly, in the upper 50s to low 60s, but much warmer than the low 50s of mid-June. These near-shore waters have a large influence on the weather of San Francisco and other coastal cities in California. Baron/Lynx Water temperatures, and associated nighttime temperatures, are likely to drop again soon. Coastal winds, the California current and upwelling is expected to intensify this weekend into next week, a process that brings cool, nutrient-rich water to the surface. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Weekend breakdown San Francisco: West of Twin Peaks, Fridays highs will remain in the upper 60s to mid-70s, while downtown, SoMa and Nob Hill should reach the mid-70s. If the sea breeze holds off until the late afternoon, the Mission District could make a run at 80 degrees. Highs will drop about 7 to 10 degrees Saturday and remain steady Sunday. Lows will be in the mid-50s. The extent of fog is less certain this weekend. Strong winds along the coast are more likely than not to mix out the low clouds, resulting in mainly clear skies Friday and Saturday, but more extensive cloud cover is likely Sunday morning. Winds will be particularly strong Saturday afternoon, with gusts of 25 to 35 mph expected, strongest near Twin Peaks, at Ocean Beach and Crissy Field. North Bay: Triple-digit temperatures will return to the North Bay on Friday. Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, St. Helena and Vacaville should all surpass 100 degrees. Mid- to upper 90s are expected in Fairfield, Napa, Sonoma, Petaluma and San Rafael. Even Mill Valley, Tiburon and Vallejo are forecast to reach the upper 80s to low 90s. The immediate coast should remain in the 70s. Overnight lows will be in the upper 50s to mid-60s Friday night and the mid-50s Saturday and Sunday night. Saturday and Sunday will serve as a reprieve from the worst of the heat, with highs sliding back to the upper 80s to mid-80s throughout Wine Country. Particularly strong winds are expected Saturday afternoon and evening, gusting up to 35 mph in Solano County. Advertisement Article continues below this ad East Bay: The inland East Bay will flirt with 100 degrees Friday. The mercury is expected to hit or exceed triple digits in Concord, Walnut Creek, Danville and Dublin. An onshore breeze may keep Livermore in the upper 90s. Closer to the bay shoreline, temperatures will remain in the upper 80s to lower 90s in Hayward and Fremont, and the low to mid-80s in Berkeley and Oakland. Nighttime temperatures will be in the upper 50s to low 60s Friday night. On Saturday, highs will slide by about 10 degrees, back to the 70s to near 80 along the bay shoreline and upper 80s to low 90s inland. Similar, perhaps slightly cooler, conditions are expected Sunday. Breezy conditions are predicted Saturday evening. Gusts up to 35 mph are possible along the delta and 50 mph or stronger near Altamont Pass. Pacific Coast and Peninsula: Redwood City should approach 90 degrees on Friday, but just on the other side of the coastal mountains Half Moon Bay and Pacifica may not hit 70 degrees. This Peninsula temperature gradient will be most evident Friday, but continue over the weekend. Highs will be in the low 60s at the beaches and the 70s to near 80 along the bay shoreline. Lows will be in the mid- to upper 50s. Friday should be the sunniest of the next three days, with patchy fog returning to the coast Saturday. Mostly cloudy skies are expected Sunday morning, with gradual clearing throughout the day. Gusts up to 40 mph are possible near SFO on Saturday, especially during the late afternoon and early evening. South Bay and Santa Cruz: Temperatures in San Jose will return to the 90s for the first time in seven days, with a forecast high Friday of 93 downtown. A brief cool-down is expected Saturday and Sunday, with highs sliding back to the mid- to upper 80s. Mountain View and cities near the bay will be about 5 degrees cooler, while Morgan Hill and Saratoga will be about 3 to 5 degrees warmer. Lows will be in the upper 50s to low 60s. Gusts of 10 to 20 mph are expected each afternoon and evening. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At 240 pages thick, the first official report from the near two-year-long Covid Inquiry is certainly weighty, but at its core are just two central messages. They are that the Government prepared for the wrong pandemic and that the plans Britain put in place in case of a widespread influenza outbreak were inadequate and largely irrelevant in the face of the coronavirus. It's a message trumpeted time and again in language that veers from alarmist to authoritarian, with talk of 'radical reform' and 'major overhauls' in the way we prepare for future pandemics. But this is based on a dangerous fallacy the wrong-headed belief that it is the Government's job to avoid any and all untimely deaths during an outbreak and that we can in some way 'stop' pandemics in their tracks. A noble sentiment but, alas, neither is possible nor realistic. Boris Johnson speaks at a virtual press conference during the Covid-19 pandemic in February 2022 Staff wearing face masks transfer a patient along a corridor at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hosptial during the Covid-19 pandemic in May 2020 The idea that human populations can ever be completely protected from a new virus in whatever form is one based on an illusion of control that does not exist in the real world. It also ignores basic facts about how viruses and immunity work. The truth is that the mitigation and suppression of any pandemic that might head our way is an imperfect art. Yet this report proceeds from the basic assumption that more 'preparedness' is needed, and largely ignores the terrible harm that resulted from the effects of panic and overzealous government restrictions when Covid struck. Its tone is set from the start framed by quotations from grieving families. Of course, the deaths of loved ones are incredibly sad. But citing them in this way brings the inevitable sense that, had the Government been more diligent, such deaths could have been avoided. This is not true. Time and again, the report's authors refer to countries such as South Korea and Taiwan, which took early and stringent measures including rapid border restrictions and localised lockdowns, strict testing, 'contact-tracing' and quarantines. Yet our own Health Security Agency found little evidence that 'test, trace and isolate' the mantra we came to rely upon in the UK was effective. Meanwhile, the example of Sweden a country that took a far more relaxed, voluntary-based response to the pandemic, trusting its citizens to use their common sense and maintain social distancing is largely ignored in the report, despite that, overall, Sweden had a lower percentage of excess deaths than the UK. Did Britain prepare for the 'wrong pandemic' when it drew up its detailed plans in 2011? Absolutely not. Influenza mutates unpredictably and is a sensible model upon which to have based our responses. An influenza pandemic would have been no less dangerous than the Covid outbreak of 2020. Were our carefully laid plans irrelevant? Again, no. Britain's original strategy recognised that preparing for a pandemic was not just about reducing the immediate effect of Covid on the health of the population, but also about minimising the negative impacts of government action on our society. This is the approach that the Swedes adopted, but which we, unfortunately, abandoned at an early stage. Baroness Hallett's report and recommendations are not all bad. We can be thankful that the Inquiry acknowledges the widespread social damage caused by Covid and the repeated lockdowns damage which barely needs to be set out here, living as we are under the desperate consequences of NHS backlogs, mental health and child development crises. A man wears protective clothing as he cleans the floor of a pharmacy in Brighton in February 2020 It makes useful points too, about streamlining government decisions, the need to understand policy trade-offs and to challenge 'groupthink'. But the most important lesson from Covid that Britain's experimental policy of closing down society failed to control the virus and caused more harm than good is never seriously considered. We must hope that future reports do better. Kevin Bardosh is Fellow, Pandemic Evidence Collaboration at Kellogg College, Oxford University and Director of Collateral Global, a think tank focused on pandemic responses The Prime Minister is promising a 'reset' as he hosts a long-scheduled summit of EU and non-EU states. The summit is taking place at Blenheim Palace, given to the Duke of Marlborough, in recognition of his military victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704, which prevented Europe from being united under the power-hungry French. Fast forward three centuries, it is Brussels that wants what Marlborough's contemporaries called 'universal monarchy' total dominance. The EU, which thinks of Britain as a renegade province, has made clear that it is not interested in an alliance between sovereign equals. If Britain wants cooperation, says Brussels, it must pay a price. The question is how high a price the Labour leader will pay. France's President Emmanuel Macron talks to Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Meeting of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace Mr Starmer speaks to the press at the summit at Blenheim Palace Will he sign up to 'dynamic alignment', promising to shadow future EU laws? Will he, as he now hints, agree to take a quota of refugees from the EU as part of a returns agreement something that, in the past, always left Britain taking in more illegal migrants than it sent to Europe? Will he put part of our defence and military procurement under Brussels supervision? Will he give up on global trade deals? Sir Keir talks as if the problem is British stand-offishness. By overcoming Tory dogma, he would have us believe, he can find practical solutions. In fact, during the exit negotiations, Britain pushed for the closest relationship compatible with being a self-governing country. It was the EU that chose to withhold co-operation, on areas from financial services to science, so as to punish Brexit. The real dogma comes from Starmer who, in his heart, has never accepted the 2016 referendum. As late as 2019 he was promising to overturn it, in uncharacteristically clear language. Keir Starmer shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday 'That is a very important commitment,' he told a Fabian Society conference. 'It is a commitment to you, our members and our movement. And it is one we will keep'. At the 2019 General Election, Labour voters made clear what they thought of a party that scorned their referendum decision and, by extension, scorned them. Leave-voting constituencies in the Midlands and the North switched to the Tories. Reluctantly, Labour had to promise not to join the single market (a set of common rules on standards) or the customs union (an agreement to hand over your trade policy to Brussels and let it set tariffs on your behalf). There is a case to be made for single market membership indeed, had we opted for it, Switzerland-style, we would have ended up with a quicker and easier Brexit. But the EU decided to make it contingent on the free movement of people. There is no reason for this linkage. It is perfectly possible to have a single market in goods and services but not labour. But the EU decided not to allow one without the other. Even for Starmer, free movement will probably be a deal-breaker. In any case, his party is keener on the customs union than on the single market. The Chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured) says she will sign up to common rules on financial services and chemicals. Note that this is not mutual recognition, but a proposal for Britain to follow whatever the EU is doing Logically, this makes little sense. We used to be the only member to trade more with non-EU than EU countries. Accepting a common European tariff always hurt us. Leaving the single market but joining the customs union is like throwing away the burger and eating the napkin. But Labour has always disliked the word 'market' and liked the word 'union'. My guess is that we will end up accepting what Starmer will call a 'customs arrangement', which he will present as a way of easing checks on goods entering Northern Ireland. That arrangement will make it impossible to sign meaningful trade deals. Indeed, it will call into question our existing deals with Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific bloc and others. Meanwhile, the Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she will sign up to common rules on financial services and chemicals. Note that this is not mutual recognition, but a proposal for Britain to follow whatever the EU is doing. 'I don't think anyone voted Leave because they were not happy that chemicals regulations were the same across Europe,' she says. As a matter of fact, my book, Why Vote Leave, which sold more than 100,000 copies during the referendum, had a lengthy section on what was wrong with the EU's intrusive and pointless rules on chemicals. David Lammy and Keir Starmer during the meeting at Blenheim Palace on Thursday At the same time, Starmer is gearing up for a military pact, proposing to join the European Defence Agency, the European Defence Fund, and Permanent Structured Co-operation (PESCO). These arrangements will commit us to follow EU rules on procurement and may require us to share intelligence, endangering our Five Eyes deal with our closest allies, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The problem with this proposal is the same as with all the others. It involves Britain making commitments without any reciprocal obligations on the EU side. Why is Labour so desperate to place us back in the EU's tractor beam? It's hardly as if the forecasts of economic disaster have been borne out. Britain has continued to grow in line with comparable EU economies. In the run-up to the vote in 2016, I likened Brexit to moving house. The move itself would be stressful, though our new home would be more comfortable. Having been through the hassle of the move, and unpacked our possessions, Labour immediately wants to pack them up again before we have time to enjoy the place. What a waste. Harry cannily controls the lucrative film, television and stage rights to his memoir. This prevents anyone from dramatising Spare and thus portraying Diana and Meghan in a way that does not concur with his views. Given that the book contains attacks on Charles, Camilla, William and Kate, any cinematic version has the potential to be more damaging than all his other 'truth bombs' put together. Look out! Harry cannily controls the lucrative film, television and stage rights to his memoir This prevents anyone from dramatising Spare and thus portraying Diana and Meghan in a way that does not concur with his views Further to Prince William describing his aunt Anne as a 'Super Trouper', former BBC royal correspondent Michael Cole asks: 'Does the Prince of Wales actually know what a Super Trouper is? It's a television studio light. Abba knew this, singing, 'Super Trouper lights are gonna find me'.' Give us the first few bars, Michael, and see if Anne will join you on the floor! Chaplain to the late Queen, Edward Lewis has given Camilla his endorsement for 'stepping in and stepping up' amid the family illnesses. 'We should thank her for all she is doing and the kindness she has shown to so many,' he effuses. Before Maureen Lipman, pictured, married husband Jack Rosenthal, her parents put them in separate bedrooms, with her father taking Maureen's place in the box room when she wanted to chat with her mother. 'At six o'clock in the morning Jack creaked across the floor and got into bed with my father,' Dame Maureen tells the Rosebud podcast. 'My father said, 'What the hell do you think you're doing?' And Jack said, 'I wondered if you'd like a cup of tea'.' Before Maureen Lipman, pictured, married husband Jack Rosenthal (pictured together in 2002), her parents put them in separate bedrooms, with her father taking Maureen's place in the box room when she wanted to chat with her mother Criticised by Emily Maitlis for flying off to the Republican convention just a fortnight after becoming Clacton's MP, Nigel Farage highlights his bond with Trump, insisting: 'I have friends and when they're having a tough time it's right to go and support them.' Emily bizarrely asks: 'Is that the sense you've got? That he's having a tough time right now?' Nigel bluntly reminds her: 'He nearly died.' He later posted on X: 'Sometimes I wonder why I bother.' Jokily suggesting she is channelling Dame Edna Everage with her big St Tropez-style glasses, did Joan Collins approve of the quip Edna-creator Barry Humphries famously told at her expense? Appearing as alter ego Sir Les Patterson, he once rudely said of Joanie: 'Beautiful girl. She likes perfume. You wouldn't guess what she puts behind her ears to attract the menfolk her ankles.' Jokily suggesting she is channelling Dame Edna Everage with her big St Tropez-style glasses, did Joan Collins (pictured in March 2023) approve of the quip Edna-creator Barry Humphries famously told at her expense? Did Times Radio presenter Stig Abel suffer a nervous gulp when writer AN Wilson delivered an on-air rant about the repulsive state of ageing men's necks? 'Throughout fashion history men have either grown beards or they've worn cravats and ruffs and all sorts of things to hide the fact that their necks are revolting,' barked Wilson, a dapper 73. Bearded Stig is a well-preserved 44. No one could have prepared for lab leak The Covid Inquiry's inaugural report into Britain's handling of the pandemic is, predictably, damning. Equally predictably, it blames the Tory government for leaving us embarrassingly unprepared for an outbreak, while letting the public health blob escape scot-free. Inquiry chairman Baroness Hallett said the pandemic strategy was outdated and inflexible, and ministers neither challenged 'groupthink' by scientists nor stockpiled protective kit for NHS staff. Crucially, she said Britain was braced for the wrong type of pandemic flu, instead of a respiratory disease. But isn't this unfair? Compelling evidence suggests the Covid-19 virus was man-made in a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Designed to be exceptionally contagious in humans, scientists let it escape killing 235,000 people in Britain and millions more worldwide. Inquiry chairman Baroness Hallett (pictured) questions former Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the Covid Inquiry in London How on earth could any government have anticipated that? Yet the inquiry is distinctly unbothered about the virus's origin. Of course, lessons must be learned so we are better prepared in future. But the reality is, by the time the next pandemic arrives, the report's findings may well be redundant. Vaccines, public health practices, medical technology and biochemical threats are bound to be different. Like military generals who are often accused of preparing to fight the last war, Baroness Hallett is almost certainly fighting the last outbreak. She warned it was 'not a question of if, but when' the next pandemic strikes. Yet her inquiry is moving at the speed of a sloth. What we need to know above all is whether the lockdown frenzy was worth it. After all, it is still having a calamitous impact on health, education, the economy and more. Sweden, which didn't lock down at all yet had one of the lowest excess death rates in the developed world, has already completed its own inquiry. Ours is set to lumber on for two more years and cost 200million. Unless it gives a balanced answer on the pros and cons of shutting down society, it will be a disgraceful waste of time and money. Nurses wearing face masks transfer a patient along a corridor at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital during the Covid pandemic in May 2020 A wasteful gimmick Dripping with condescension, Sir Keir Starmer routinely dismissed the Tories' Rwanda scheme as an expensive gimmick. So having scrapped the only real deterrent, what's the Prime Minister's big idea to stem the tide of small boats? Incredibly, it is to spend 84million of foreign aid on humanitarian projects in Africa and the Middle East to persuade migrants not to leave their homes. What a joke! We know development money often ends up in the pockets of dictators and the people-smuggling gangs themselves. And migrants determined to break into Britain from a poor country will strike out anyway. Also, isn't this costly plan rather undermined by Labour's de facto amnesty for 90,000 Channel migrants already here illegally? Rather than acting as a deterrent, Sir Keir is sending a powerful signal to others to risk their lives making the treacherous journey. Sir Keir outlines Labour's plans for small boats at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace Shirking from home Working from home was justified at the peak of the pandemic. But, guided by hostility towards private enterprise, Labour will make this a right, not a privilege, under its controversial employment law reforms. Thousands of businesses would suffer, the public sector would become more woefully inefficient and younger workers would miss out on essential career development. If Sir Keir is serious about growth, the economy needs to fire on all cylinders not be tied down by this skivers' charter. It could have been even worse. That is the bleak lesson from yesterday's devastating computer breakdown, which grounded flights, crashed payment systems, crippled NHS surgeries and hospitals, disconnected phone lines and knocked media outlets off air, incurring colossal costs in time and money and with no end in sight. To those unversed in the intricacies of computer technology, the speed and extent of the disaster are almost incomprehensible. Surely computer systems are designed to avoid crashes of this scale at all costs? We would not accept planes, trains or cars that malfunctioned so badly. But the truth is that when it comes to computers, we accept levels of risk that would be utterly intolerable elsewhere. The technology companies' profits soar and when things go wrong, we the digital serfs of this brave new world must humbly accept the cost and inconvenience that our masters inflict on us. To those unversed in the intricacies of computer technology, the speed and extent of the disaster are almost incomprehensible Passengers at Edinburgh Airport lay waiting as the widespread IT outages affected airlines and businesses around the globe To appreciate the scale of the problem, try this thought experiment. Imagine if we allowed almost every traffic light in the world to be made by the same manufacturer. Worse, imagine that all of them were made with a remote-controlled switch that turned them to red. And catastrophically that a simple error at the manufacturer or one of its suppliers could trigger this switch all over the world. Traffic would be instantly gridlocked on every continent. That's not all. To repair these traffic lights, technicians will in many cases have to dismantle them and fiddle around in the works. That, put crudely, is the story of yesterday's collapse. Most computers in the world use Microsoft which makes the ubiquitous Windows platform, as well as Word, Excel and the Teams video-calling system. Many Microsoft customers also rely on other software in this case the Falcon Sensor program provided by the cyber-security firm CrowdStrike. Security software protects computers from attack, typically by screening incoming data to ensure that it does not include 'malware' malevolent programs that steal data, freeze computers or scramble their contents. To work properly, these programs must operate unhindered on our computers, phones and tablets. And to protect against new threats, they must update regularly and automatically. Yesterday, one of the automatic software updates from CrowdStrike contained a simple, devastating error. Automatically installing on computers that run Windows, it crashed affected devices, triggering a page containing Windows's error message the so-called 'blue screen of death'. A warning message on the NHS app displayed on a phone as widespread IT outages are affecting businesses and institutions around the globe The result: the world suddenly had to switch to cash payments and hand-written boarding passes, while shops had to shut, medical appointments were cancelled and planes grounded. It is little comfort that George Kurtz, the co-founder and chief executive of CrowdStrike, says he is 'deeply sorry'. Fixing the problem will take not just hours, but days or even weeks. At best, computers will need to be switched on and off again, allowing a new update to install. At worst, affected machines will need hours of specialist attention. Nor is it any comfort to fuming customers around the world that his company's share price has crashed, knocking 10 billion off its 65 billion market value. As I say though, the only relief is that this could have been far worse. This does not appear to have been a cyber-attack by a foreign power. Microsoft systems in countries all over the world, including Russia and China, were affected. Nor was it the work of cyber-criminals. The faulty update did not scramble our databases, leaving us open to demands for ransoms from crime gangs in return for a key to recover our information. A Mercedes team member, whose shirt bears the logo of team sponsor Crowdstrike, looks on as Windows error screens are seen on their pitwall prior to practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary Nor unlike many recent cyber-attacks did it whisk our most precious private information away to the Chinese Communist Party's spy services in Beijing. A far worse and narrowly avoided cyber-attack earlier this year could have given our enemies the master key to hundreds of millions of computers around the world, enabling them to wreak deadly havoc. Known in tech circles as the 'xy' attack, it involved a little-known but ubiquitous program that compresses data to improve efficiency. This attack, probably the work of Russian spies, was uncovered and stopped by chance at the last minute. And because in the end the damage was minimal, it attracted almost no public attention. That was a near-miss. Far worse was the SolarWinds attack, exposed in 2021. Hackers almost certainly Russian bugged an update issued by Microsoft for a widely used program. The targets were Western (chiefly American) defence and other government networks. The cyber raid also exposed data from the U.S. Treasury, Justice and Commerce departments and thousands of Wall Street's top companies. The internet has become the central nervous system of our civilisation. Yet it was never designed for this. It was built to promote academic cooperation and technological innovation, not global security. It is wide open to abuse by pranksters, fraudsters and rogue states. A handful of operating systems and software that updates remotely and automatically create a sitting target. Train passengers can expect disruption today due to the outage (pictured is a Great Northern train reading 'not in service') We would hardly accept such a concentration of risk in other walks of life, especially if we had no control over the decision-makers in such systems, and almost no redress if they made mistakes. With most other products and services, you can sue the provider if there's a malfunction and gain extra compensation for any damage caused. Not computers. Unlike other parts of our technological universe, computers, phones and software are not sold with proper guarantees. The manufacturers can shrug at their products' shortcomings. Buried in the terms and conditions are clauses that exempt the manufacturer from almost all liabilities. One might well ask how on earth we got to such a parlous state of affairs. One reason, I would argue, is greed: tech giants like their profits. They lobby hard for their privileged status, just as they do for the right to sell our attention to online advertisers and to resist demands for proper age verification on social media platforms like TikTok. But a deeper reason is that we have been naive and complacent in our headlong embrace of new but untrustworthy technology. We have prized innovation and convenience ahead of security. These risks, we were told, were the price of admission to the brave new world of computer wizardry. Perhaps. But we are paying a heavily for it. In the case of yesterday's cyber meltdown, the culprit was carelessness. But suppose the perpetrator had been some rogue regime, perhaps distracting us at a moment of geopolitical tension? Imagine that yesterday's outage had stopped the trains running, frozen all cash machines and, for that matter, turned all our traffic lights to red or worse, green. We would have nobody to blame but ourselves. An emergency doctor has issued a stark warning to parents as she revealed the five most dangerous pool toys for kids. Meghan Martin works as a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida. The medical professional, who is also a mom-of-four, recently shared the popular items she would never give her own children to play with this summer. But are you aware of the risks? Meghan Martin works as a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida First up on Meghan's list of pool toys to avoid is reusable magnetic water balloons (stock image) Doctor reveals most dangerous pool toys Reusable magnetic water balloons Neck floats Water wings or floaties Large and heavy floats Mermaid tails Advertisement First up on Meghan's list of pool toys to avoid is reusable magnetic water balloons. She told Fox News Digital: 'The magnets hold the balloons together and they're kind of a cool idea. 'But those magnets, unfortunately, can kind of pop out and if kiddos swallow magnets, they can actually cause a lot of really bad bowel problems, and they can get really sick. 'So anything with small magnets, we don't like around small kiddos.' But the device can also cause other injuries. For instance, Meghan revealed how she was once asked to treat a girl who had put a magnet up each nostril that had pinched the tot's septum together. Next up, the medical expert took a dim view of neck floats - which were designed to allow kids to float freely in the water. But she told the outlet: 'These are risky for a couple different reasons. One of them is the asphyxiation risk. Next up, the medical expert took a dim view of neck floats - which were designed to allow kids to float freely in the water (stock image) Third on her list of dangerous pool paraphernalia are water wings (stock image) 'Any time something is around the neck, we get concerned about that airway. If they got hung up on something and put pressure on the airway, we don't want that at all.' There is also the chance that a child wearing a neck float flips over onto their front - likely leaving their faces submerged below the surface. 'I would completely avoid these neck floats in the bathtub and in pools,' Meghan dished, adding that the inflatables often give parents a false sense of security. Third on her list of dangerous pool paraphernalia are water wings. The expert told the outlet: 'For the kiddos, when they use these in the water, they think they can swim when they probably cannot. 'So, later, they may jump in the pool [without the water wings on] and sink right to the bottom because they cannot swim.' There is also a risk that the water wings will deflate. Heavy floats are also a hazard, according to Meghan (stock image) Last but not least, the emergency doctor took a dim view of mermaid tails (stock image) Heavy floats are also a hazard, according to Meghan. 'Kids can get stuck underneath these floats, or stuck under the water and obviously, that's scary for them. 'If they're stuck under the water, they're not able to breathe, so [I advise] caution with large floats or anything like that.' Last but not least, the emergency doctor took a dim view of mermaid tails. The final item on Meghan's list are mermaid legs. She explained: 'Anything that restricts leg movement or foot movement is a drowning risk. 'We want kids to be able to kick their feet to get back up to the surface. 'If movement is restricted, they may not be able to do that.' One TikTok creator said she was 'flabbergasted' by the new change Following their introduction, people having been weighing in The coffee giant has unveiled new paper cups for cold drinks Starbucks has sparked controversy with the launch of its new cold cup, which customers have compared to 'UFOs' - as the coffee giant introduces the new addition at various locations. Coffee addicts are threatening to switch over to competitors after one customer showed off the new cup she got while buying her daily cup of Joe at Starbucks. A spokesperson for the chain confirmed to DailyMail.com that it was debuting its new 'compostable cold cups' across 24 locations due to 'local mandates.' They noted that Starbucks was working to 'further environmental goals' by offering visitors the new cup with a domed lid and a paper straw. And while the change may benefit the environment, it left customers heartbroken as they claimed it was 'enough to make [them] go to Dunkin'.' Starbucks has sparked controversy with the launch of its new cold cup, which many customers have compared to ' UFOs' 'Based on local mandates, customers at 24 stores will be served their favorite Starbucks beverage in fiber-based compostable cold cups,' the spokesperson said. 'The new compostable cups and lids are opaque and made from double-walled, fiber-based paper board with a bioplastic liner, and the lids are made from compostable molded fiber, too. 'To help further our environmental goals, Starbucks is working to reduce waste to landfill by 50 per cent and ensure all customer-facing packaging to be recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2030.' Some were tipped off to the new change by a viral video, which has so far amassed more than 2.2 million views, where California-based content creator Bay ranted about the new cups as she claimed she couldn't handle the drastic change. Bay said in the video: 'Public service announcement: These are the new cold cups at Starbucks. 'Anytime you get a cold beverage, you're getting this cup. I was so flabbergasted. I walked up there like, "What is this?"' Coffee addicts are threatening to switch over to competitors after one customer showed off the new cup she got while buying her daily cup of Joe at Starbucks A spokesperson for the chain confirmed to DailyMail.com that it was debuting its new 'compostable cold cups' across 24 locations (stock image of an original cup shown) The coffee lover then branded the cup a 'UFO,' while also comparing it to a 'spaceship.' 'No more plastic, no more trying to guess which your drink is. I don't know why they switched the cups, it's probably because it's environmentally friendly, but I'm not good with change y'all,' she added. In a follow-up clip, the content creator went to a different Starbucks location to see if the change was put into full swing yet. She went through the drive-thru and was overjoyed to see that her drink had come in a plastic cup. 'I think that the store near my house is a test store and they are testing out the paper cups with the dome lids for cold drinks,' she said. Other customers also took to the video-sharing platform to share their thoughts on the new cups. 'I like it,' one woman, who posts under prettycasualcoco, gushed as she spoke about the cup while in her car. Another user named Gracie, who is based in San Diego, added: 'I feel half the fun is being able to see what color drink you have, especially all the fun summer drinks, I feel like that's part of the fun.' People on the web were furious to hear about the change Many viewers claimed that locations in Europe had already adapted the new cups. But others weren't sold on the change. One person said: 'Absolutely not.' Another user added: 'This is enough to make me go to Dunkin.' Someone else wrote: 'Stop no, I'm crying. I want to stare at my refresher.' However, other people claimed they loved the cup and couldn't wait to get their hands on them A fourth comment read: 'No I can't handle change, don't do this to me.' However, other people claimed they loved the cup and couldn't wait to get their hands on them. One person said: 'Oh wow, I need to find those.' Another user added: 'Love the paper!' Someone else commented: 'Finally.' 'I love the paper, it's so nostalgic,' a fourth wrote. A new Investigation Discovery series is set to tell the stories of passion, betrayal, and tragedy. The first episode of the network's Fatal Affairs: Lessons in Lust focuses on the clandestine relationship between Baton Rouge school teacher Lyntell Washington and assistant principal Robert Marks, and the deadly love triangle that followed. The illicit affair ended in a horrific murder of a pregnant Washington, with her toddler the only eyewitness. Washington, 40, was a single mom when she started working at Brookstown Middle Magnet School in Louisiana in 2015, immediately hitting it off with Marks, who was conducting the interview with her. The teacher, who grew up in an abusive household and married young to get her out of her strict household, had a troubled upbringing and relationship history that saw her constantly falling for men who couldn't provide for her and her daughter. Robert Marks, pictured middle, murdered Baton Rouge school teacher Lyntell Washington in 2016 She and her ex-boyfriend, Darren Glasper, broke up when she was eight months pregnant leaving her to raise her daughter alone; and after dating broke and uneducated men she was desperate for stability - which is when she met Marks. According to students and his colleagues, Marks was a 'really good guy,' highly educated and 'very well respected' in the town. His colleagues reported be was going through a separation from wife Kayla, but was a loving father to his two sons. 'He was one of those teachers that when you see him in the hallway he would wave at us, just make jokes, ask us if we want a popsicle,' Saleah Payne, a former student, recalled. Jamicia Pink-Fisher, who was also an assistant principal at Brookstown, added he appeared to be interested in finding someone to share 'real love with.' Marks and Washington began their passionate affair not long after she secured the job, with the assistant principal telling the teacher he and his wife had separated, and were going through a divorce but lived together in a two-story home, each having a floor to themselves. 'She would tell me how [Marks] would shower her with all this attention and compliments,' Washington's friend Melissa Mason recalled. 'Sometimes he would sit in the back of the classroom and watch her,' Mason recounted, adding she raised some concerns about him starting to date again before his divorce was finalized. 'He's coming out of this marriage and he's moving into something so quickly,' Mason recalled saying to Washington, who replied that his marriage had been over for awhile. Washington (pictured) was pregnant with Marks's child when he killed her and dumped her body in a ditch in 2016 Marks had been married to wife Kayla at the time and the couple share two sons. He had told Washington that they were getting a divorce Jamicia Pink-Fisher (pictured), who was also an assistant principal at Brookstown, added Marks had appeared to be interested in finding someone to share 'real love with' Washington's friend Melissa Mason said Marks would shower Washington with attention at school Washington realized Marks was on a cruise with his wife and they hadn't divorced, furiously going to confront him A man found Washington's daughter wandering around in the carpark the morning after she went to meet Marks '[She said] this is not fast for him,' Mason explained. 'This was him getting his sense of happiness.' The couple continued their secret tryst, unbeknownst to their colleagues with the the relationship growing more serious, to the point that Marks was taking Washington and her three-year-old daughter on trips. In June 2016, Washington found out she was pregnant, telling Mason that Marks was thrilled with the news. '[Marks] expressed how much he was in love with her,' she recounted. However, things began to unravel over the summer while Washington was working at summer school when Mason received a frantic call from the pregnant mom saying she hadn't heard from Marks in two days. Usually, she noted, he was extremely attentive and always responded to her. Washington looked up his Facebook only to find a picture of Marks and his wife on a cruise - still very much married. Pink-Fisher said Washington and was determined to let Kayla know her husband was having an affair, and that she was pregnant with his child. Mason received a phone call from a hysterical Washington not long after, reporting the pregnant mom went to his house - only to find he lived in a trailer and had lied about the house he lived in with his wife. Determined to meet Marks face to face, she confronted him when he returned from his cruise - driving to meet him on June 8. The pair met at a Walmart 20 minutes north of Baton Rouge - which was the opposite end of town to where Washington lived. The next morning, a man in the parking lot saw a young girl walking around with a pillow and blood on her foot, not noticing any adults around. The girl was not responding and he rang 911, also noticing there was blood in the front seat of the car she was standing near while on the phone. Counsellors from the Children's Advocacy Center interviewed the child, asking who hurt her mom, she constantly mentioned 'Mr. Robbie,' her name for Marks. Police questioned Washington's friends, connecting Mr. Robbie to Marks and questioning him. He admitted he had seen Washington the night she went missing, leading police to know they were dealing with a homicide. Police got their big break not long after, seeing footage on nearby security camera of a woman picking Marks up from a gas station. Washington's body was found in a cane field after being left in a ditch Counsellors from the Children's Advocacy Center interviewed the child, asking who hurt her mom, she constantly mentioned 'Mr. Robbie,' her name for Marks 'I'm thinking Kayla Marks may have done something,' Mason admitted. 'I'm thinking, "Oh my goodness the wife snapped."' However, it wasn't Kayla who picked up Marks after Washington's disappearance - but a third woman whom he was also having an affair with - unbeknownst to either woman. Washington's body was found three weeks later in a cane field, too decomposed to properly identify. However DNA testing showed it was Washington and the child was fathered by Marks. During the trial, it was revealed he had searched how to murder his pregnant girlfriend, after pretending to be ecstatic over the baby news. After shooting her with a gun and dumping her body in a ditch near a cane field, he drove her Toyota Corolla close to her apartment with Washington's daughter still in the car. He also left his cellphone, which recorded where he traveled to that night. At the trial, Marks was declared guilty by the jury within 30 minutes, with the testimony from Washington's daughter providing particularly compelling information. Marks was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, feticide and other charges and sentenced to life without parole in February 2021. Washington's daughter, now 10, lives with her father, Darren . IDs New Series Fatal Affairs premieres Monday, July 22 at 9/8c on ID. Allowing other financial institutions to compete will help economy A government enquiry into rural banking will generate a lot of headlines over the coming year but is unlikely to disrupt the cosy banking oligopoly lending to New Zealand farmers. Thats the verdict from Brent King, managing director of NZX-listed General Capital - owner of finance company General Finance, which currently offers some of the most competitive term deposit rates available to Kiwi investors. Between this inquiry and the one into personal banking, theres a real risk of regulatory fatigue setting in, says King. Weve known for years what will help the rural sector access the capital needed to help productively grow the economy. The Government and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand could make the changes tomorrow. read more: Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: TRU - WHO Agency UNITAID Features TRU in Tech Landscape Report PaySauce Quarterly Market Update - September 2024 October 2nd Morning Report Rua Releases Annual Report for Year Ended 30 June 2024 SCL - Settlement of orchard sales The Warehouse Group 2024 ASM and Director Nominations AIR - Update on Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer Comvita Limited - Annual Report 2024 September 27th Morning Report Spark announces departure of Finance Director Amongst the showboating guff of the King's Speech this week, one declaration struck me as particularly hollow. 'My Government will bring forward plans to halve violence against women and girls,' said Prime Minister Starmer through the obliging ermine trumpet of King Charles. Starmer wasn't promising anything specific, like improving rape conviction rates or the quality of police responses or putting more bad boys behind bars. There was no mention of trying to keep women safe from abusive partners or the terrible attentions of deranged strangers; no initiatives to safeguard vulnerable children, no increase in imaginary funding for fantasy schemes or missions. No. He was going for something much bigger, something more nebulous, but truly heroic-sounding. He was going to 'halve' the violence, ladies! Let's all throw away our pepper sprays and rejoice. Halve it? How, exactly? 'My Government will bring forward plans to halve violence against women and girls,' said Prime Minister Starmer through the obliging ermine trumpet of King Charles In Sir Keir's speech, there was no mention of trying to keep women safe from abusive partners or the terrible attentions of deranged strangers; no initiatives to safeguard vulnerable children, no increase in imaginary funding for fantasy schemes or missions A woman is killed by a man every three days in the UK. Domestic abuse makes up 18 per cent of all recorded crime in England and Wales while, in the year ending March 2022, there were 194,683 sexual offences against women, of which 70,330 were rape. Recently, there was the shocking killing of a mother and her two adult daughters by a man with a crossbow in their own home. And now Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is wondering if she should, you know, order a clampdown on crossbows. Perhaps this is the kind of dynamic action the PM means. Trying to reduce gender-based violence against women is an admirable ambition, of course, but how can a government legislate against the darkness of the human heart? How can they, for example, stop men such as Gavin Plumb from doing their worst? Plumb is the low-life wart, the fetid 30st man-sponge of flop sweat and unspeakable secretions, who was arrested in his underpants and charged with soliciting murder and incitement to kidnap and rape television star Holly Willoughby. He feigned surprise when police smashed down the door of his home in London in October last year. 'Wot is going on? Wot are you talking about?' he cried, bustling about like an angry jelly. However, when informed of the charges he admitted breezily, almost lecherously; 'I'm not gonna lie, she's a fantasy of mine, I mean she's a fantasy to a lot of guys isn't she?' It was as if he were talking about a popular dish on a takeaway menu. And in the fetid corners of his sick mind, that is exactly what he was doing. He saw nothing wrong with it. He was snared after an undercover police officer in America infiltrated an international online group called Abduct Lovers dear God! and alerted the FBI, who then got in touch with their UK counterparts. During his trial, the judge said that Plumb's rape plans were so 'horrifying, shocking and graphic in detail' they were not shared in open court, though the jury heard them. The 37-year-old security guard was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum sentence of 16 years. Is that even enough? He has two previous convictions for false imprisonment and attempted kidnap in separate cases involving two schoolgirls and two air stewardesses. 'I have a stewardess fantasy,' he said at the time, as if that excused everything. One might hope that a man like Plumb, a clear danger, would never be free to pester again. But no. When informed of the charges after his arrest, Plumb admitted breezily, almost lecherously; 'I'm not gonna lie, she's a fantasy of mine, I mean she's a fantasy to a lot of guys isn't she?' During his trial, the judge said that Plumb's plans of what he would do to Holly Willoughby (pictured) were so 'horrifying, shocking and graphic in detail' they were not shared in open court After the trial ended earlier this month, the senior investigating police officer said everyone had to 'stand up and call out misogyny' which is almost as fatuous as the PM's half-baked 'halve it' half-measure. Girls, give three toots on your safety whistle if you agree with me. For we all know there is a mission creep of misogyny out there, a malignant swell of bad feeling that some men harbour towards many women, be they in public or private life. The PM only has to canvass his own female MPs to find out what is going on; women like Jess Phillips, Shabana Mahmood and Diane Abbott who all suffer horribly from online and in-person male abuse. As Labour MP Nadia Whittome pointed out, male violence and misogyny are 'endemic'. Women such as Holly Willoughby, who are both beautiful and empathetic, perhaps attract the worst of it. The pop star Taylor Swift has been so harassed by male stalkers and threats of violence over the years that she now carries QuikClot army-grade 'haemostatic' dressings in her handbag just in case of gunshot or stab wounds. However, you don't have to be famous and luminous to attract unwanted attention. For under the thin skin of civilisation and Labour party promises, misogyny throbs on. It happens over the internet where oddbods, incels and men like Plumb channel their unhappiness into a hatred of women. It happens on the street with the slowing down of a car, the muttered imprecation, the quickened footstep, the implied threat. Women are on trial for being women their entire lives, while girls find out early how to negotiate the tricky landscape. This is our lived experience in both big ways and small and, of course, it doesn't end in violence for all of us. Yet, for those women who are unlucky enough to suffer at the hands of men, to have a grandstanding Prime Minister blithely promise to 'halve' violence against women when he can obviously do nothing of the sort is more than just insulting. It is another blow upon the bruise. Trump's keystone copettes Few could have been impressed with the reactions and actions of Donald Trump's female bodyguards. Trump is rushed off stage by the secret service after being shot during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania When the former president was shot on the podium in Pennsylvania, they bobbed up and down like meerkats, panicked and span around in circles. They acted like I would act if Brad Pitt was standing at one end of the bar and Dominic West was standing at the other and they were both beckoning me over to share a bottle of champagne. One agent even had trouble holstering her gun. Instead of responding with the smooth action expected from a member of an elite unit under pressure, she looked like she was scrubbing her thigh with a loofah. What should we make of the fact there were no female bodyguards in sight when Trump turned up at the Republican National Convention two days later? Have the Keystone Copettes been axed or sent back to holster class? It's a fair cop, if so. Culture vulture that I am, what I love most about other countries are their supermarkets. The fascination of the butter section and the 15 types of ready-rolled pastry in French supermarkets. The profusion of dill-flavoured items and dull cheeses in Danish supermarkets. The terrifying sweet treats in Scottish supermarkets, including something called an Empire Biscuit, which would break the molars on a sabre-toothed tiger. In America, what gets me is the milk section. It is udderly baffling. In a Santa Fe supermarket I visited, there was a wall of milk ten cabinets long, some of it being sold in the size of jerry cans the Desert Rats used to top up their Crusader tanks. Varieties included reduced, 2 per cent, 1 per cent, whole, low-fat, fat-free, lactose-free, vitamin-enriched, ultra-filtered, skimmed, Vitamin D with DHA Omega 3, grass-fed, half and half, goat milk, plant-based milk and, of course, non-dairy milk, too. Then there are the nut milks, the oat milks, the rice milks and the flavoured milks, plus dried milk, soy milk and cultured milk. Yet everyone you meet is dairy-free, nut-aware or only imbibing coconut water so who is drinking it all? And the award for the best legal drama goes to... Yet more drama with Baby Reindeer, which has earned 11 Emmy nominations despite the alleged 'real life Martha' suing Netflix for 132 million. You heard right. Where was that figure plucked from? The lucky dip counter at the Last Chance Ranch, perhaps. Fiona Harvey, the Scottish woman who allegedly inspired Martha the stalker, has filed the huge lawsuit against the streaming platform for defamation, negligence and privacy violations. She claimed in an interview with Piers Morgan: 'They have billed it as a true story, and so has he, and it's not. He is lying and they are lying.' But few would have known who Fiona was, had she not gone on Piers's show in the first place. And like a lot of her answers during that appearance, none of this makes much sense. The semi-autobiographical drama tells the story of stand-up comedian Donny, based on writer Richard Gadd's alleged experience of being harassed and stalked by fictional Martha. He plays himself and has been nominated for Best Actor and Best Writer, while actress Jessica Gunning has been shortlisted for Best Supporting Actress for her brilliant portrayal of Martha. Congratulations to them both. They deserve it. Low budget Baby Reindeer became an unexpected global success, attracting more than 60 million views within a month of its release earlier this year. It was a hard watch at times, but its success proves that audiences will always respond well to the raw and the emotionally honest. Although clearly there might be jeopardy in being too honest. The wig is up, Dan Daniel Craig in a new campaign for fashion house Loewe, where he gamely poses in various items from its new collection including chunky knits ... But is he just doing it in an attempt to make us forget the budgie smugglers he wore in 2005's Casino Royale? Daniel Craig is fronting a new campaign for the luxury fashion brand, Loewe. The actor, 56, gamely poses in various items from its new collection including chunky knits, a leather jacket and colourful trousers surely only a toddler or Ed Sheeran could love. And what is that on his head? A wig, a dead pet, some pampas grass there was no time to dye? I don't want to know. Loewe describes the campaign rather pretentiously as 'a study on how characters and their clothes are intimately related' but what the hell character is Daniel playing? A post-trans Danish architect who just wants to live, laugh, love her new life? Jack Grealish's Pervy Uncle Dan? Apres-ski Jurgen Klopp? Adele Me and My Mum-Bob? Daniel is so naughty. He'll wear anything in an attempt to make us forget the budgie smuggler years but it is never going to work. Dame Esther Rantzen's daughter broke down in tears as she made an emotional plea to politicians to make assisted suicide legal. Rebecca Wilcox, who's mother is terminally ill with lung cancer, has given a heartbreaking appeal to not let her mother go through a 'painful death' on Good Morning Britain. Pleading with politicians to speed up the process in creating a law which 'gives people choice', Rebecca got emotional which triggered host Robert Rinder to also well up. Through tears she said: 'I find it very difficult to talk about this and not get wound up, because I don't want her to go through a painful death, I don't want my memorys of her to be dissolved by pain and agony in those last few days. 'So write to your MP, ask them for a free vote, let's get a really kind law passed that gives people choice.' Dame Esther Rantzen 's daughter Rebecca Wilcox broke down in tears as she made an emotional plea to politicians to make assisted suicide legal on Good Morning Britain on Friday 'I really want politicians and MP's to realise that we all have a choice on how we live and I want us to have a choice in how we die. This is not about shortening anyone's life, it's about shortening their death. 'It's nothing to do with making people feel a burden on society, notting to do with making people feel like they should commit suicide to help family members, it's to do with a terminal diagnosis of six months or less.' Last year Esther, who presented the BBC television series That's Life! for 21 years, revealed she had joined Dignitas, the assisted dying clinic in Switzerland. In England and Wales, assisted suicide can be prosecuted with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. But despite the enormous personal risk, Rebecca said that she would help her mother attend a Dignitas clinic. She said: 'I can't let my mum go to her death alone, yet, I am a working mum, I can't risk 14 years in prison, I can't risk a two year investigation, I can't risk the work I do with Childline.' Rebecca said the laws aren't clear enough at the moment calling it 'messy' and called for the government to make a better outline of laws around end of life care. Elsewhere Rebecca said she was disappointed that assisted suicide wasn't brought up in the King's speech. Pleading with politicians to speed up the process in creating a law which 'gives people choice', Rebecca got emotional which triggered host Robert Rinder to also well up Last year Esther, who presented the BBC television series That's Life! for 21 years, revealed she had joined Dignitas, the assisted dying clinic in Switzerland Rebecca said the laws aren't clear enough at the moment calling it 'messy' and called for the government to make a better outline of laws around end of life care She said: 'Really disappointed, I thought I had misheard, I went through the whole transcript. This was a campaign promise.' Speaking about her mother's finally wish she urged politicians to 'please make this possible for her.' She added: 'Let's get this passed the legislation is there, protect the vulnerable, we know how to do this.' It comes after Rebecca, herself a TV presenter, wrote in Saga magazine: 'If she goes at the moment it would be her only option for an assisted death she will have to go alone. It is against the law to accompany her. I would face prosecution for manslaughter and could receive up to 14 years in prison. 'Even if it doesn't go to trial, many people face a two-year investigation. I have a young family with two children, a busy home and a complex job. I shouldn't have to risk going to prison just to keep mum company, but I'm not sure I could let her go alone. 'It's an impossible decision to have to make: either risk possible prosecution at the worst time of my life, when I have just lost my adored mum, or do the unthinkable and let her die alone in a foreign country with no one she knows or loves to hold her hand.' Elsewhere Rebecca said she was disappointed that assisted suicide wasn't brought up in the King's speech Wilcox added: 'The thought of her actually dying is abominable, but the thought of her dying in pain is unthinkable. 'Her health is not great and her illness has no cure. The prognosis may lead to a painful death that might not be eased with palliative care and opioid painkillers.' She wrote of the pride she felt for her mother's campaigning work, and called on the British government to implement a legal path to assisted suicide. 'I don't understand the lack of action by our government, which seems unable to commit on the subject. It's inhumane. The opportunity to have an assisted, comfortable death in countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Switzerland shows a level of compassion in the lawmakers that seems sadly absent from England today.' Two best friends have smashed the pairs rowing record for crossing the Pacific - despite a treacherous journey that saw them fight off 'knockdown' waves, suffer a steering break-down, and come too close for comfort to a tanker. Jessica Oliver and Charlotte Harris had set out to break the female pairs record, but actually discovered when they got to Hawaii that they'd broken the men's and mixed pairs records too. They crossed the Pacific in their boat, Cosimo 2.0, in an astonishing 37 days and 11 hours. The pair, who call themselves 'Team Wild Waves', broke the female pairs record by nine days, and the men's by two. The pair, who have already crossed the Atlantic together, finished their latest gruelling adventure on Hawaii on Tuesday, after beginning their journey 2,800 miles away on June 8th in Monterey Bay in California. Jessica Oliver, 32, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and Charlotte Harris, 33, from Fleet in Hampshire, tackled a 2,800 mile journey on the Pacific as part of the Worlds Toughest Row Pacific Challenge - and smashed the women's, men's and mixed pairs records The pair pictured arriving in Hawaii; the five-week journey was gruelling - with the duo facing huge waves, bitter temperatures and a technical break-down Jessica, 32, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, and Charlotte, 33, from Fleet in Hampshire, were competing as part of the Worlds Toughest Row Pacific Challenge and have become the first team to row to complete the Ultimate Ocean Row, rowing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Jessica said of their five-week journey on the sea: 'It was the absolutely gruelling both from a mental and physical perspective.' Her co-rower, Charlotte, added 'We gave it everything and are completely broken, but it was worth it.' It was anything but plain sailing for the pair, they braved bitter northerly winds from Canada early on, and waves so big - described as 'knockdowns' - that they thought they might lose their boat. The friends, who met at Cardiff University, also had a near miss with a tanker on their journey Setting off flares to say we made it: the friends admitted they'd been utterly broken by the race Technical issues marred the trip too, with Cosimo 2.0's automatic steering system breaking down, forcing them to steer manually - depriving them of the chance to sleep. However, the two women say a near collision was the scariest moment, after they almost collided with a tanker that didn't have its AIS tracking system turned on. Charlotte explained: 'We were 30 seconds away from a head-on collision which would have seen our boat smashed to pieces.' Jessica added: 'We just about managed to get out of their course and were thrown up and down on the wake of boat, as it passed with just ten metres to spare.' Their boat Cosimo 2.0 suffered a steering malfunction, meaning the two women had to steer manually Jessica's mother Germaine Hitchins admitted it had been a nervy few weeks for family and friends They came second in the actual race after being neck-and-neck with a rival boat for most of the journey. The women said: 'the hardest part of the challenge was the race aspect - constantly monitoring the competition and how fast they were going. It was relentless stress. 'The best part of the challenge was, of course passing the finish line with a new world record, winning the female class and coming second in the race overall.' In 2021, the amateur pair shocked the ocean-rowing world by setting a new record for the fastest female pair to cross the Atlantic - despite having never rowed before entering the race. Jessica, a Salesforce consultant, and Charlotte, a global sourcing manager for BAT, met at Cardiff University and took up rowing as a challenge, not realising that the sport would put them in the record books. The pair have now become the first team to complete the Ultimate Ocean Row, rowing both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans Family and friends were in Hawaii to greet them, with Jessicas mother, Germaine Hitchins, saying: 'Shes an amazing girl. When she sets her mind to do something nothing stops her from achieving that goal. She certainly knows how to test her mother to the limit its been a nerve-racking few weeks.' Jessica's fiance, William Drew, 41, from Grimsby, who met Jessica whilst both were taking part in the Atlantic Row 2021, commented: 'What they have done is extraordinary. Its been such a close race. 'They are two truly remarkable women. Their performance is testament to their ability, friendship, resolve and their capacity for pain and endurance. Its unbelievable.' They raised more than 100,000 for Shelter & Womans Aid when they crossed the Atlantic and this time they hope to raise 50,000 for Shelter. Donations to Wild Waves chosen charity, Shelter, can be made here A lavender farm has slammed influencers users for 'killing their plants' by lying down on them for social media photos. Hitchin Lavender in Hertfordshire shared a video to Facebook showing how plants have been destroyed by visitors who sat or laid down in the fields. In the emotional post, the farm said that plants that take '10 years to grow' are being destroyed in '10 seconds' by people hoping to get the perfect selfie on the farm. 'Please don't kill our lavender! Didn't enjoy making this video but important to share. 'Lavenders take years to mature. In 10 seconds hundreds of our bushes (the majority of which are between 10 and 25 years old) are being killed by some visitors wanting to sit on them..? TikTok users Elena Dinca filmed herself lying down in the field in Hitchin Hitchin Lavender in Hertfordshire shared a video to Facebook showing how plants have been destroyed by visitors who sat or laid down in the fields (pictured) 'Our lavenders are habitat to bees, butterflies, moths, skylarks, spiders, mice, hares, game birds and a huge array of small bugs. Many more animals feed off these creatures such as swallows, red kites, buzzards, foxes etc. 'So please refrain from destroying their home and for for ruining the views for your fellow visitors to enjoy,' they wrote. Speaking in the video, a staff member explained there is 'plenty of space' to walk between the rows of beds. 'I wanted to share with you how beautiful the lavender is looking right now. 'My only request is that you refrain from sitting and destroying the habitat for many creatures and the beauty for many visitors who come to see the lavender. 'It's taken about 10 years for the lavender to look how it does, only for a plant to be destroyed - and there are many - for just a few seconds, to take photos on. 'There is plenty of space to walk between the rows. We would hate to close, or reduced numbers'. On Instagram, there are thousands of posts of influencers lying in the Hertfordshire field. Speaking to the BBC, Director Tim Hunter said that people visiting 'take that photo-op a bit too far'. 'I think they're looking for different pictures so they actually want to lie in the lavender itself without actually knowing they're destroying it at the same time, which is a bit of a shame,' 'We get more popular each year, which is great, as people take their pictures,' he said. TikTok is full of clips of people running through lavender fields, Pooja Bera is pictured in Hitchin 'To destroy it for a 10 second photo is a bit of a shame.' Photos show influencers travelling to the farm from as far as Australia, taking props including dozens of balloons to pose up a storm. One travel blogger wrote that she's 'been photographing different angles recently' as she shared a snap lying in the field. 'I was getting in a habit of just standing in front of locations and I thought I could actually do something more unique,' she said. It comes amid backlash social media influencers are invading some of Britain's most popular tourist destinations and beauty spots causing chaos - while infuriating locals. The internet is awash with videos of TikTokkers descending on some Britain's most picturesque locations - posing on cliffsides, getting stuck on beaches and fighting on Snowdonia. They have been seen enjoying themselves at attractions also including Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh and seaside hang-outs in Cornwall. However, locals near some of these sites are complaining about the impact of these tourists with photos and video showing piles of rubbish left behind and fights breaking out over issues like parking and queueing. Unsavoury scenes see influencers seemingly disrespecting monuments - including a woman who ran away from security and touched the stones at Stonehenge. Footage has also been shared of a TikToker signing her internet name on a Cornish beach A TikTokker caught on camera and shared online pictures of the confrontation at Stonehenge A TikTok user condemned 'idiot tourists' plaguing Snowdonia in Wales over the weekend People have been seen climbing on the abandoned Ramshaw tank in Derbyshire's Peak District Other influencers filmed themselves signing their social media handles on beaches and climbing on top of an abandoned tank. One video showed a woman at the Stonehenge monument in Wiltshire touching the 13m-tall standing stones before being ushered away. The TikTok user who uploaded the footage described her as a 'bad tourist', with comments in response including 'The no touching is to protect the bioculture on the stones' and 'Shouldn't she get a ticket or something?' Another clip was posted by a TikTokker writing her online profile name Barbiana in the sand at a beach in Cornwall. She told viewers: 'I'm a city girl, don't get me wrong, but look at this - you can't beat this, it kind of looks like Greece. 'Of course I had to sign my name out, always, before leaving the beach.' A third revealed how cars have been clogging up the area around Snowdonia in Wales, while there has also been footage of people clambering on an abandoned tank in Derbyshire's Peak District countryside. The Snowdonia video was posted by someone who told viewers: 'I thought there was some stupid people in the world and then there's this - three rows of cars, middle row completely locked in.' And the footage of the Ramshaw tank in the Peak District was shared by the group Derbyshire Young Walkers, who accompanied it with the caption: 'Has anyone been to all three of these amazing hidden gems?! The Peak District is full of them!' The two other attractions they recommended were a waterfall beside an aqueduct in Chatsworth, Derbyshire, and the nearby Hidden Druids Caves in Birchover. Complaints from UK locals come as fed-up residents in the Canary Islands in Spain have also launched protests demanding a crackdown on British holidaymakers - with graffiti appearing on walls saying: 'Tourists go home.' A nail technician has revealed a list of her 'red flags' that you should look out for when it comes to gel nail polish - and some of them may have you completely switching up your manicure. The information was shared in a new video posted on TikTok this week by Kara Crevier, from Portland, Oregon, who goes by the username @karanailedit on social media. She boasts over 86,700 followers on the platform, where she provides her wisdom about nail and nail polish safety and proper usage. This time was no different, as she highlighted what you need to look out for when it comes to choosing a gel polish to use on your nails in order to avoid 'sketchy' brands that can lead to sensitivities and allergies. Gel polish, which is cured under a UV lamp and meant to last much longer on the nails than a regular polish, has come under fire in recent years for its potentially dangerous side effects, including a recent study which found that gel manicures could contain cancer-causing mutations. Kara Crevier, from Portland, Oregon, highlighted what you need to look out for when it comes to choosing a gel polish to use on your nails in order to avoid 'sketchy' brands that can lead to sensitivities and allergies But according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, gel manicures are okay in moderation - and Kara's tips can prove to be helpful in order to achieve a healthy and safe manicure. The first pointer that Kara offered was to steer clear of any gel polishes that say they are made for DIY or at-home use. 'A lot of these brands are just not manufactured with high-quality ingredients, and they're not keeping the safety and health of the end user in mind,' Kara said. And, if the kit is sold with a flash curing lamp, or even a kit in general, that's something she would avoid. Next, the expert said she would avoid buying any gel polish that's made in China by a 'generic beauty, white-labeling manufacturing company.' Kara explained that when you look at a website to purchase a gel polish, it will usually show you where it's been manufactured. 'Gel polishes that are manufactured in China just have some pretty sketchy reviews, and some bad reputations of falsifying their SDS [safety data] sheets, and formulas and ingredients that they are using in their bottles,' the nail tech claimed. And, if you can't even find the brand's SDS sheet in the first place, or if it's hard to find out exactly what ingredients are in the polish, it's worth skipping altogether. The first pointer that Kara offered was to steer clear of any gel polishes that say they are made for DIY or at-home use Next, the expert said she would avoid buying any gel polish that's made in China by a 'generic beauty, white-labeling manufacturing company' Gel nail polish red flags DIY or at-home kits Kits sold with a flash cure lamp Made in China by a generic beauty white-labeling company The polish has reviews that mention people having allergies No SDS sheet available for customers Difficult to find ingredients Website info doesn't make sense Uses free HEMA Advertisement The SDS sheet will provide a list of all of the ingredients that are put into the brand's gel nail polish. '[It's] an immediate red flag for me if they are not telling you what's in their products,' Kara said. Next, she warned viewers to look out for any reviews of people who have had allergies or irritations after using the nail polish. 'I recommend doing even more research than just looking at the reviews on the company website,' the nail expert admitted. She suggested typing the brand name into Google along with the word 'allergies,' and seeing what comes up. 'The next one is if the website info does not make very much sense,' Kara continued. 'I think that this just comes along with being an informed consumer and understanding the process of using gel,' she said. The nail influencer furthered by explaining that she has seen tons of FAQ sections on various nail polish brand's websites, and the information is not always written by an expert. '[It's] an immediate red flag for me if they are not telling you what's in their products,' Kara said She also warned viewers to look out for any reviews of people who have had allergies or irritations after using the nail polish Finally, she warned viewers to steer clear of any gel nail polish brands that use something called free HEMA. HEMA, also know as hydroxyethyl methacrylate, can be damaging to the nails if a polish brand uses too much of it in their formula, causing allergies, per Glamour Magazine. 'HEMA itself is a really small molecule, and it's important for the brand to be using it safely, because this is the most allergenic ingredient,' Kara said. 'And again, that's why it's so important to be able to get the SDS sheet and be able to figure out the ingredients so you can understand how they deal with the HEMA and the monomers in their products,' the expert concluded. So, if your gel nail polish is raising any of these red flags the next time you go for a manicure, don't be shy about speaking up. John Lewis is offloading a raft of its ex-display kitchens at bargain prices, with many at more than 50 per cent off. The UK high street department store giant listed the store-displayed kitchens on ex-display and second hand kitchen outlet site Rehome two weeks ago - with many still being added this week. The brand is, say Rehome, 'refreshing' their kitchen departments...by selling off discontinued stock from their department stores across the UK. Rehome posted photos of the John Lewis store in Kingston, alongside a message urging those interested to check out the best deals on their website. Second hand and ex-display outlet site Rehome announced it would be selling 220 John Lewis kitchens two weeks ago and is now listing them on their website Among the offers being listed was this country-inspired Carradale ex display Shaker kitchen that once retailed at 31,531 and is now selling for 15,799 The outlet brand wrote: 'There is a short window of opportunity to view due to planned removal dates, so you will need to act quickly.' What's on offer? Almost everything and anything, from gleaming minimalist to traditional shaker style. An Astbury Shaker kitchen from John Lewis in High Wycombe has been reduced from 11,157 to 5,499. Elsewhere, there's a luxe-looking country-inspired Carradale ex display Shaker kitchen that once retailed at 31,531 is now selling for 15,799. Another kitchen in the Carradale range, this time in slate grey from the John Lewis Welwyn store has been cut in price to 6,269, down from 12,539. Elsewhere, there was a midnight blue Astbury Shaker kitchen from John Lewis in High Wycombe that has been reduced from 11,157 to 5,499. Rehome sells whole kitchens and associated products, including re-conditioned hot taps, designer sinks and practical items such as extractor fans. John Lewis has had a tricky few years but returned to profit in March - but also announced it still wouldn't be offering bonuses to staff. The brand said workers will receive no bonuses again at the end of the financial year despite the department store chain ending up with a profit. The retail giant's new chief executive, Nish Kankiwala, confirmed a 'few hundred' roles were axed last year under moves to save 88 million in costs, although many of the job cuts were through staff turnover and not replacing workers when they left. He said the group was looking to cut costs by a 'similar magnitude' in the current financial year, which could lead to more roles being stripped out. People have been reminded of their cringeworthy personal statements after Ucas announced that prospective university students will no longer need to write an essay. Students who wish to start university in 2026 will need to provide answers to three guided questions for their personal statement, the admissions body said, instead of a free-response paper. The reform follows longstanding concerns that the existing personal statement favours advantaged students who can access more support. It is hoped the structured questions will provide students from all backgrounds with a better understanding of the key information universities and colleges want to know about them when making admissions decisions. But the decision has left people reminded of their own 'cringe' essays, with one person writing: 'Mine is in a Hotmail account I cant access and god willing thats where itll stay.' People have been reminded of their cringeworthy personal statements after Ucas announced that prospective university students will no longer need to write an essay (stock photo) Another person said on X: 'I found a printed copy at my parents a few years ago, absolutely horrible.' A third added: 'It's sad that 17-year-olds will no longer have the opportunity to produce the very worst piece of prose of their entire lives.' 'Mine started with a quote from Freakonomics - cringe,' wrote a fourth, while another person said: 'I might cringe myself to death.' One individual admitted: 'I made up a new middle name in mine, just because I was bored writing it. Parents got a shock during my graduation ceremony.' The move comes as Ucas data suggests the gap in university application rates between the most and least advantaged students has widened in the last year. Currently, applicants set out their skills, experiences and their reasons for applying for a course in a text box - which can be up to 4,000 characters. But from September 2025, students who are applying for 2026 entry to university or college courses will answer three mandatory questions. The questions are: Why do you want to study this course or subject? How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject? What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences helpful? Reaction: The decision has left people reminded of their own 'cringe' essays, with one person writing: 'Mine is in a Hotmail account I cant access and god willing thats where itll stay' Previous Ucas research found 79 per cent of students felt that the process of writing the personal statement was difficult to complete without support. Ucas surveyed potential applicants about to start their personal statement, and found more than three-quarters prefer the new three-question format. The reformed personal statements will still be up to 4,000 characters long. The latest figures released by Ucas on Thursday showed that the overall number of 18-year-olds in the UK applying to undergraduate courses at universities or colleges has risen slightly this year. As of June 30 - the final deadline to apply to up to five courses simultaneously - a total of 321,410 18-year-olds from across the UK have applied to courses, up from 319,570 in 2023 (0.6 per cent). But the latest data shows the application rate from the most disadvantaged backgrounds has fallen slightly to 25.4 per cent in England, while the application rate for the most advantaged has marginally increased to 60.7 per cent. Jo Saxton, chief executive at Ucas, said: 'Today's figures show that whilst positive progress has been made, there is still much to do. 'The changes to the personal statement, along with our recent fee waiver for students in receipt of free school meals, are all part of Ucas's contribution to the sector-wide effort to ensure more people from disadvantaged backgrounds can benefit from the life-changing opportunity of higher education. 'During my time in schools, I saw first-hand how the personal statement can help students really clarify and articulate their ambition, but also how challenging it can be for those with less support. 'The new approach, with guided questions, aims to give greater confidence to those students, as well as their teachers when advising on how to secure their dream course.' Kevin Gilmartin, post 16 specialist at the Association of Schools and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'This is a very welcome change. 'The current 'text box' approach is far too vague and has favoured students who are able to draw on support from family members that have previously been to university and submitted personal statements themselves. 'The switch to structured questions will provide much needed clarity to students about what information they should be including. 'These questions should also be of more use to admissions tutors than the old-style personal statements, which research has shown were barely being read in many cases.' A report by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank last year suggested that university applicants' personal statements are read for just two minutes on average. Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said: 'This welcome reform strikes the right balance between a more structured approach to deter fabrication, while not limiting the opportunity for applicants to personalise their statement. 'I believe it is a significant step in making the university admissions system a little bit fairer for all applicants.' A former lingerie store worker has revealed the disgusting reason you should buy your underwear online instead of heading to the shops in person. Alyssa, from Sydney, said she would often have to deodorise underwear sets and even remove stains before popping them back on the shelf. 'One of the first things I learned when I started working was that so many people used to try lingerie on without their underwear. 'They would stain [the products] or they made them stink. We had to use Glen20 on the underwear and scrub it.' Alyssa revealed that if they successfully cleaned the products, they would go back on the floor, else the buys would be sent to broken items. 'I was gobsmacked when they told me to [clean the underwear] because it was literally disgusting.' The former worker stressed online shopping was the way to go. 'Always just order it online and if you're desperate because it's that day, please wash and scrub them - unless they have the sticky tape that you know hasn't come off.' A former lingerie store worker revealed you should never buy underwear in stores Alyssa was shocked the brand demanded employees clean the soiled garments in the first place. 'This brand makes so much money, just throw out the $5 underwear you charge thousands for and get new ones,' she said. Several were stunned by the 'gross' revelation - but others weren't as surprised. 'This is why I live by washing before wearing - no matter what it is,' one said. 'I used to work at a [lingerie store] and we would have to bag up soiled products and put them into a box to get destroyed,' another employee said. Aussie traveller Isabelle is in European holiday but warned about the dress code A young Australian woman has issued an urgent warning to anyone travelling to Europe this summer: 'Put a shirt on over your swimmers'. Isabelle Lakin, from Sydney, said anyone who ignores the little-known rule could be slapped with an AUD$1100 fine. The 23-year-old warned: 'If you don't want a 700 EU fine, do not wear your bikini top when you leave the beach without something over it. They will get you, they do not want tourists doing that. The public service announcement was issued in a viral TikTok. And went out to women travelling to Italy, Hvar in Croatia, or Dubrovnik. If you're going on Sail Croatia and you think you can just scoot on through town with a little bikini top.. I wouldn't recommend it. 'I know a few people last year that got stung pretty badly and it was mostly people on Sail Croatia who just forgot about the rules. So don't do it, you have been warned.' An array of European towns have implemented the fine including Sorrento in Italy, Dubrovnik and Barcelona. Isabelle is enjoying a European summer getaway and recalled a rule she learnt last year. In Croatia she noticed other bikini-clad women received a hefty fine of 700 ($1137 AUD) for not covering up their body while not at the beach In Sorrento the strict dress code was set it place following complaints from locals about tourists exposing their skin and body in bikinis while walking around towns or cities having come from a beach. This highlights the importance of researching the laws, rules and restrictions for every new place you visit before arriving at the destination. Isabelle's 30-second video has since exceeded more than 229,000 views and many others admitted they had 'no idea' about the rule. 'I had no idea about this, I was in Croatia last year. I walked around the town and city walls in a bikini top and skirt. Thank god I wasnt stung with a fine,' one person commented. 'Watching this now after doing this in Split unknowingly.. thankfully wasn't fined,' another said. In some European cities such as Dubrovnik and Barcelona, tourists can be fined for not covering up while wearing a bikini around the streets (stock image) 'This nearly happened to me in Marseille!' another admitted. A tour guide also joined the conversation and wrote: 'This is true. I work as a tour leader in Croatia. You should not walk around anywhere in a bikini top, or no shirt in the cities. It depends on luck.' Someone else wrote: 'Some places in Sicily do this too.' However, others couldn't believe travellers didn't know about the rule. 'Isn't this like common sense though? I don't see people in London in a bikini walking around,' one wrote. But someone else said: 'Very common in Australia to do this as lots of beach towns in London are very different.' Last year another Aussie warned travellers 'not to have their boobs out' in Rome, after she was denied entry to several tourist attractions over her outfit choice. Jacki Hodge, 26, from Australia, took to TikTok to explain that her white mini dress, which was backless with cutouts across the bodice, had caused quite a stir. She said the 'sl**ty' dress looked incredible in photos but was far from ideal, as she was turned away from some of Italy's most famous monuments including The Vatican and Pantheon. Conservatism is all about preserving traditions and resisting sudden change. Yet several high-profile right-wing figures sported radically different looks at this year's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jnr's fiancee, was hit with plastic surgery allegations after looking unrecognizable from her days as a liberal when she was married to democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. Firebrand Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz was also accused of getting Botox and other cosmetic adjustments after sporting a radical facial transformation. One of Gaetz's rival Republicans likened him to a 'blow up doll.' And Donald Trump himself is also rumored to have had procedures to enhance his looks, including multiple hair transplants. Pictured above is Matt Gaetz who turned heads when he appeared at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday because of his over-arched eyebrows. He is pictured on the left in 2018 Other Republicans George Santos and former chairwoman Ronna McDaniel who do not appear to be at this year's convention have also been hit with surgery rumors. Guilfoyle sparked speculation over her looks this week when she appeared on the convention stage to loudly declare her support for Trump. Plastic surgeon to the stars, Dr Gary Motykie, told DailyMail.com he believed the 55-year-old had likely 'dabbled' in fillers because her cheeks seemed much fuller than in previous public appearances. 'She's lost a lot of weight,' he said, 'and when you lose the weight when you are older you tend to look more gaunt'. 'But this isn't the case with her, which makes me suspicious for filler which has been used to make her cheeks much fuller.' He also suggested the former Fox News personality had received lip filler because her's had remained the same size over time, rather than shrinking as normally happens when someone ages. Reacting to her appearance online, one person said: 'Guilfoyle really needs to lay off the [plastic surgery] for a while'. A second added: 'She's no doubt undergone the obligatory plastic surgery required to be part of the Trump clan.' Social media was then set alight with memes when the Florida Congressman Gaetz took to the stage, with many immediately shocked by his over-arched eyebrows and ultra-smooth complexion. Pictured above is Kimberly Guilfoyle in 2004 (left) and at the Republican Convention on Wednesday. A top surgeon suggested she had received fillers in her midface and lips Dr Motykie said the 42-year-old had the 'classic' surprised expression of someone who had received too much Botox likening his appearance to the eyebrows of Spok from StarTrek. 'A common mistake that some of these people make is to think, 'Oh, I want to look great for the RNC', and then they go and get Botox or filler a week or two before,' said Dr Motykie. 'The problem is it doesn't always settle in time, meaning that they can look poufy or overdone at the convention but more natural two weeks later.' Dr Michael Salzhauer, a plastic surgeon in Florida, also known as Dr Miami, agreeed that Gaetz had likely got the shots just days before the convention. He also suggested to the Miami New Times that Gaetz's bizarre eyebrows could be the result of an eyebrow lift where the eyebrows are raised to reduce wrinkles and eyebrow threading or a method for removing hair from the eyebrows. Plastic surgeon Dr Gary Motykie said Gaetz's arched eyebrows reminded him of those on Spok in Star Trek Evidence for Botox included a lack of wrinkles on his forehead and the fact that if it is too heavy on some muscles but too light on others it can cause them to pull the eyebrows into the bizarre 'over-arched' and 'feminine-looking' shape seen on Gaetz. Wisconsin GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden jumped on the internet buzz about Gaetz's appearance, likening the Floridian to a sex doll. 'RNC debuts first AI powered inflatable sex doll to speak at a national convention,' Van Orden chided on X alongside an unflattering photo of Gaetz (R-Fla.) from the address. Another viewer said on X: 'He looks like he's wearing a mask on his own face gonna give the lizard people conspiracy theorists a lot to work with.' A second said, 'Matt Gaetz (R-Botox)', and a third added: 'Wow. That Botox and filler is FRESH.' And a third suggested his eyebrows made it look like he was preparing for an appearance on RuPaul's Drag Race. Pictured above is former Republican chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who has faced accusations that she has received filler. She is yet to appear at the Republican National Convention Pictured above is disgraced former Republican congressman George Santos. He has previously faced accusations that he received filler and Botox Previously, disgraced congressman George Santos has been accused of getting Botox and filler in his lips and cheeks. Former Republican chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has also previously been accused of receiving filler in her cheeks and lips following weight loss. And it's not just Republicans. Plastic surgery has become increasingly popular among politicians of all stripes in recent years, according to Dr Motykie. The aim is to look more youthful and strong and to convince voters they are still up to the job. Democrat leaders such as Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi appear to have received plastic surgery. Microsoft's global outage has hit vital NHS services, with the medical computer system EMIS not working. EMIS system used by GPs to book appointments, view patient notes, order prescriptions and make referrals. However doctors in parts of the UK are currently reporting having a '100 per cent outage' with patients also telling MailOnline they can't get life-saving drugs. Speaking to this website a GP practice manager in Berkshire said: 'We are completely dead in the water. 'We can't see any patients our systems are down. It's not clinically safe to treat patients because we can't see their notes. The global Microsoft outage has hit vital NHS services, according to reports that medical computer system EMIS is not working GTD Healthcare, a major UK healthcare provider in the North West of England which uses the system, said its services had been impacted by the outage Father Grant Ciccone, from Deptford in South East London, is one patient affected by the IT outage telling MailOnline he is unable to get any more of the insulin he needs to keep his condition stable and was very worried 'Can't give out prescriptions and even if we do hand write them the problem is also affecting the pharmacies. It's affecting the whole area and hospitals are in an even worse situation.' Another GP practice, based in South West London, said they had lost '100 per cent' of their clinical systems and as such were having to turn away patients and direct others to the NHS 111 service. Other GPs in London reported similar issues. In a statement NHS North West London said: 'Some of our general practice IT systems are impacted by an IT outage. 'The clinical computer systems used by our GPs in Brent, Harrow, Hillingdon, Dormers Wells practice in Ealing and Spring Grove practice in Hounslow are currently unable to access patient records, including telephone numbers and email addresses. 'Telephone appointments may not be possible until this matter is resolved.' Patients also told MailOnline they were struggling to access lifesaving drugs and care. Father Grant Ciccone, from Deptford in South East London, said he is unable to get any more of the insulin he needs to keep his type 1 diabetes under control and was 'very worried'. 'I cannot order insulin which I need to keep me alive. I have run out of two types of insulin which I need,' he said. 'Dont know when I will be able to get a prescription as the GP website is down as well and no one is answering the phone.' Some NHS cancer patients, who have asked to remain anonymous, also claim they are being turned away from their scheduled chemotherapy appointments. Other providers of NHS primary care services reported similar issues up and down the country. Dr Darren Simpson, a GP in Wallsend, Newcastle told MailOnline: 'We're a bit stuck. EMIS is the entire GP record all letters, hospital results, everything we document and patient bookings are done through it. 'When we log on, it just says "Network Error". 'If a patient calls with an acute problem of course we can still see them and we issue handwritten prescriptions. 'We just can't see their full medical records, look at results or check what medication they're on.' GTD Healthcare, a major UK healthcare provider in the North West of England which uses the system, said this morning: 'Unfortunately there is a national issue with EMIS Web the clinical computer system used within GP practices. 'This will affect our ability to book appointments/consult with patients this morning. We apologise for the disruption. It added: 'If you have a life-threatening medical emergency, please dial 999.' Ellergreen Medical Centre, an NHS GP practice in Liverpool, was another reporting problems, saying it would need to pause some services on safety grounds Cottage Lane Surgery in Gamesley was another saying it would need to restrict services due to the IT problems An NHS England spokesperson confirmed the problem, stating: 'The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with EMIS, an appointment and patient record system, which is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices.' 'The NHS has long standing measures in place to manage the disruption, including using paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions, and the usual phone systems to contact your GP. 'There is currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services, so people should use these services as they usually would.' 'There are also some issues with administrative systems in hospitals that mean staff are having to work manually from paper to manage certain tasks but in the majority of hospitals, care is continuing as normal. They added that patients should continue to attend appointments unless told otherwise. MailOnline has contacted EMIS for comment. But an alert issued by the company to GPs this morning, seen by this website, said: 'We are aware that users are still unable to access EMIS Web'. 'We are affected by a third-party issue that is impacting organisations globally, and we are working with the relevant parties to restore service as soon as possible. 'Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this is causing. We will continue to keep you updated as this work progresses.' The IT fault, which started last night, has caused Windows computers to suddenly shut down, prompting departure boards to suddenly turn off at airports, grounding flights and knocking TV channels, airports and banks offline. In the UK, Britain's biggest train operator told passengers to expect delays due to 'widespread IT issues', while Ryanair warned of 'potential disruption'. On the social media platform X some GPs are reporting having to 'go back to paper and pen', while others are saying they are unaffected. Ellergreen Medical Centre an NHS GP practice in Liverpool: 'Currently there is a national outage of the GP record software EMIS. We are not aware of why as yet and are waiting further information. 'This will impact on how the practice can safely see patients, issue medications etc. 'We will be pausing some services on safety grounds.' Another primary care provider Solihull Healthcare Partnership, said its ability to book appointments would be affected by the EMIS outage @GPforhire wrote: 'Argh! No Emis!! Back to pen and paper. Hope nothing urgent comes in.' Later the same account added: 'Blimey, one of the nurses says its nationwide! Yikes.' Cottage Lane Surgery in Gamesley 'There is a widespread IT problem effecting England and other Countries. 'Currently we are unable to use our Clinical Software System EMIS so we will only be able to complete urgent duties till the situation is sorted'. Solihull Healthcare Partnership: 'Unfortunately there is a national issue with EMIS Web - our clinical computer system. 'This will affect our ability to book/consult with patients this morning. We will update patients when we can. We apologise for the disruption.' Wilmslow Health Centre added: 'All practices in the UK using the NHS commissioned GP computer system EMIS are currently without access to their IT systems. 'This is beyond the control of GP surgeries. Please bear with us until we have our IT systems back online.' EMIS offers a backup, offline model the Business Continuity, or BC mode which allows clinics to 'maintain full and continued access to EMIS even when an adverse event may force the system to become temporarily unavailable'. On X GP Dr Nikita Kanani wrote: 'IT outage tips: - if on EMIS, try BC mode you can use local non networked apps like Docman to pull critical information use a simple GP notes proforma to keep records for uploading later switch off incoming triage systems for now update patient facing sites.' However BC mode only allows basic access to patient information, such as names, addresses and some detail about conditions they may have. US cyber security company CrowdStrike has admitted to being responsible for the error, as they report on their website they are 'working on it'. Sky News viewers were left with a static message on their TVs apologising for the 'disruption' to the service at 6am when broadcasting was meant to begin. Wilmslow Health Centre urged patients to be patient with GPs today as the fault with the IT system was out of their hands It read: 'We apologise for the interruption to this broadcast. We hope to restore the transmission of Sky News shortly.' Ryanair has also seemingly been hit with the issue after it posted on its website urging passengers to arrive at airports three hours early blaming a 'third party IT issue, which is outside Ryanair's control and affect all airlines operating across the network'. The issue is impacting companies globally with online reports that Australia, New Zealand, India, Japan, the US and the UK have all been affected. Just two months ago Microsoft was hit with another major outage after Bing.com, Microsoft's search engine, went down with the problem apparently spreading to the brand's application programming interface which means that services such as DuckDuckGo also went down. According to reports the outage also impacted ChatGPT and Ecosia. Despite Google's dominance in the world of web searching, Bing's API has numerous high-profile clients. In various reports on X, users said that they were either greeted with a blank page or a 429 HTTP code error when they attempted to log on. Users claimed that both Bing.com and DuckDuckGo were loading but neither were producing search results when a query was typed. Cancer patients have been forced to skip treatments and diabetics have been left without lifesaving drugs due to an ongoing global Microsoft IT outage. GP services up and down the county have also been affected with family doctors struggling to book appointments, view patient notes, order prescriptions and make referrals. MailOnline has also learnt that chemotherapy service in some parts of the NHS have also been hit. One patient, undergoing treatment for stage 4 cancer at The Christie Hospital in Manchester and who spoke on a condition of anonymity, said multiple cancer sufferers has been unable to complete their weekly appointments. They told this website: 'Due to the global IT outage nobody here is able to have chemotherapy treatment, as all records of patients dosage and chemotherapy types is only held on the computer system, with no paper copies.' Father Grant Ciccone, from Deptford in South East London, is one patient affected by the IT outage telling MailOnline he is unable to get more of the insulin he needs to keep his diabetes stable The global Microsoft outage has hit vital NHS services, according to reports that medical computer system EMIS is not working One patient, undergoing treatment for stage 4 cancer at The Christie Hospital in Manchester and who spoke on a condition of anonymity, said multiple cancer sufferers has been unable to complete their weekly appointments 'There is a very full waiting room of people waiting in the hope the system is mended but I have decided to not wait. Meaning I miss my chemotherapy dose for this week. 'I think its ridiculous there is not a back up paper copy of patients treatment.' A Christie NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson confirmed they ahd been hit by the global IT issue. 'This IT outage is expected to have an impact on chemotherapy and immunotherapy services and some internal hospital systems,' they said. 'Patients who have an appointment should attend as usual unless they have been contacted in advance by our team, this includes patients attending for Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatments who should attend as normal unless they have been contacted. 'Some chemotherapy and immunotherapy appointments have already been rearranged and we are working with our suppliers and partners to resolve the issue and have plans in place to mitigate the disruption. Another patient, this time with diabetes, said they had been unable to get the medication they needed to live. Father Grant Ciccone, from Deptford in South East London, told MailOnline he has run out of the insulin injections needed to keep his type 1 diabetes under control and due to the IT outage cannot get anymore. 'I cannot order insulin which I need to keep me alive. I have run out of two types of insulin which I need,' he said. 'Dont know when I will be able to get a prescription as the GP website is down as well and no one is answering the phone.' Diabetics unable to access the insulin they need can suffer from a life-threatening condition diabetic ketoacidosis. This is where the lack of insulin, which people without diabetes produce naturally, leads to a harmful build-up of a chemical called ketones in the blood. Ketones are generated when the body burns fat and, while having some in the body is normal, if levels get too high they can make the blood slightly acidic and damage organs. GTD Healthcare, a major UK healthcare provider in the North West of England which uses the system, said its services had been impacted by the outage Another primary care provider Solihull Healthcare Partnership, said its ability to book appointments would be affected by the EMIS outage Multiple GPs services have also been hit by outage with a system called EMIS, which is used by primary care providers to book appointments, view patient notes, order prescriptions and make referrals hit by the outage. One GP practice manager in Berkshire told this website: 'We are completely dead in the water. 'We can't see any patients our systems are down. It's not clinically safe to treat patients because we can't see their notes.' Dr Darren Simpson, a GP in Wallsend, Newcastle added: 'We're a bit stuck. EMIS is the entire GP record all letters, hospital results, everything we document and patient bookings are done through it. 'When we log on, it just says "Network Error". 'If a patient calls with an acute problem of course we can still see them and we issue handwritten prescriptions. 'We just can't see their full medical records, look at results or check what medication they're on.' MailOnline has contacted EMIS for comment. But an alert issued by the company to GPs this morning, seen by this website, said: 'We are aware that users are still unable to access EMIS Web'. 'We are affected by a third-party issue that is impacting organisations globally, and we are working with the relevant parties to restore service as soon as possible. 'Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this is causing. We will continue to keep you updated as this work progresses.' An NHS England spokesperson confirmed the problem, stating: 'The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with EMIS, an appointment and patient record system, which is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices.' 'The NHS has long standing measures in place to manage the disruption, including using paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions, and the usual phone systems to contact your GP. GATWICK: Huge queues at Gatwick Airport after a massive Microsoft outage affected services VICTORIA: The mainline station in London warned of 'widespread IT issues across the entire network' 'There is currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services, so people should use these services as they usually would.' They added that patients should continue to attend appointments unless told otherwise. MailOnline also contacted NHS England about impacts to chemotherapy services. The IT fault, which started last night, caused Windows computers to suddenly shut down, prompting departure boards to suddenly turn off at airports, grounding flights and knocking TV channels, airports and banks offline. In the UK, Britain's biggest train operator told passengers to expect delays due to 'widespread IT issues', while airline Ryanair warned of 'potential disruption'. US cyber security company CrowdStrike has admitted to being responsible for the error, as they report on their website they are 'working on it'. Sky News viewers were left with a static message on their TVs apologising for the 'disruption' to the service at 6am when broadcasting was meant to begin. It read: 'We apologise for the interruption to this broadcast. We hope to restore the transmission of Sky News shortly.' Ryanair has also seemingly been hit with the issue after it posted on its website urging passengers to arrive at airports three hours early blaming a 'third party IT issue, which is outside Ryanair's control and affect all airlines operating across the network'. The issue is impacting companies globally with online reports that Australia, New Zealand, India, Japan, the US and the UK have all been affected. Just two months ago Microsoft was hit with another major outage after Bing.com, Microsoft's search engine, went down with the problem apparently spreading to the brand's application programming interface which means that services such as DuckDuckGo also went down. According to reports the outage also impacted ChatGPT and Ecosia. Despite Google's dominance in the world of web searching, Bing's API has numerous high-profile clients. In various reports on X, users said that they were either greeted with a blank page or a 429 HTTP code error when they attempted to log on. Users claimed that both Bing.com and DuckDuckGo were loading but neither were producing search results when a query was typed. Windows is the most used operating system in the world, meaning the outage is affecting almost every part of the global economy - with supermarkets and cafes, including Morrisons, Waitrose and the bakery chain Gail's, unable to take card payments. In a sign of the global impact of the IT failure, passengers were seen sleeping in passageways at Los Angeles International Airport, huge queues formed at terminals across Spain, and in Delhi staff set up a whiteboard to record departures. An NHS hospital has declared a 'critical incident' after the Microsoft's global outage rendered it incapable of delivering treatment to cancer patients. Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust said the ongoing IT chaos that erupted this morning had left it 'unable to deliver our scheduled radiotherapy treatments'. Critical incidents are declared when an NHS body experiences such a level of disruption that it can't deliver critical services to patients and requires special measures or assistance from other agencies. In an update the trust said while its radiotherapy services had been hit this morning it had regained the ability to provide them this afternoon. However, the critical incident would remain in place and the Trust warned the disruption could affect appointments into next week. The global Microsoft outage has hit vital NHS services, according to reports that medical computer system EMIS is not working Health Secretary Wes Streeting today urged the public to 'bear with' medics grappling with the IT outage It comes as cancer patients needing chemotherapy in Manchester were also caught up in the IT chaos and forced to skip their scheduled appointments. GP services up and down the country have borne the brunt of the Microsoft outage due to their reliance on the EMIS system. This system is used by GPs to book appointments, view patient notes, order prescriptions and make referrals. Some 3,700 GP practices in England are thought to be affected by the outage, about two thirds of nation's primary care providers. Practice managers have told MailOnline they were essentially 'dead in the water'. One, working in Berkshire, said: 'We can't see any patients our systems are down. It's not clinically safe to treat patients because we can't see their notes.' Health Secretary Wes Streeting today said: 'Please bear with your local GPs if they're grappling with this on top of normal pressures,' he said. He added: 'My department is working closely with colleagues across government.' Salisbury District Hospital, part of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, has also been hit by outage with a spokesperson stating it had affected multiple aspects of its operations. 'The challenge is around our patient administration system. It means that we've gone to manual registration of new patients,' they said, 'This is in the emergency, maternity and other front door services where people present directly at the hospital. That process is now slow rather than being digital. 'One of the systems is the system used for rostering staff, which is done six weeks in advance, so we're not seeing any staff shortages at the moment. 'However, we're using paper systems to allocate cover.' NHS Blood and Transplant, which organises blood donations for the health service issued an urgent appeal for all donors to keep attending any scheduled appointments. A spokesperson said: 'NHS Blood and Transplant are calling on donors to book and keep appointments to donate blood to boost NHS resilience at this time.' 'There remains a particularly urgent need for O negative blood. GTD Healthcare, a major UK healthcare provider in the North West of England which uses the system, said its services had been impacted by the outage 'Blood donation systems are not affected and we currently have a high number of appointments available at our donor centres in major towns and cities, including London, Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham.' The Department of Health for Northern Ireland also said its hospitals had also been affected, alongside two thirds of GP practices. 'The impacts currently include hospital services for example booking patients into operating theatres, accessing staff rosters, capturing digital endoscopy images and operating radiotherapy services as well as some primary care services, ' its statement read. Speaking to this website this morning a GP practice manager in Berkshire said the outage had made it unsafe to see patients. 'We can't see any patients our systems are down. It's not clinically safe to treat patients because we can't see their notes,' they said. 'Can't give out prescriptions and even if we do hand write them the problem is also affecting the pharmacies. It's affecting the whole area and hospitals are in an even worse situation.' Another GP practice, based in South West London, said they had lost '100 per cent' of their clinical systems and as such were having to turn away patients and direct others to the NHS 111 service. Other GPs in London reported similar issues. In a statement NHS North West London said: 'Some of our general practice IT systems are impacted by an IT outage. 'The clinical computer systems used by our GPs in Brent, Harrow, Hillingdon, Dormers Wells practice in Ealing and Spring Grove practice in Hounslow are currently unable to access patient records, including telephone numbers and email addresses. 'Telephone appointments may not be possible until this matter is resolved.' Patients also told MailOnline they were struggling to access lifesaving drugs and care. Father Grant Ciccone, from Deptford in South East London, said he is unable to get any more of the insulin he needs to keep his type 1 diabetes under control and was 'very worried'. 'I cannot order insulin which I need to keep me alive. I have run out of two types of insulin which I need,' he said. Another primary care provider Solihull Healthcare Partnership, said its ability to book appointments would be affected by the EMIS outage 'Dont know when I will be able to get a prescription as the GP website is down as well and no one is answering the phone.' An NHS England spokesperson confirmed the problem, stating: 'The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with EMIS, an appointment and patient record system, which is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices.' 'The NHS has long standing measures in place to manage the disruption, including using paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions, and the usual phone systems to contact your GP. 'There is currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services, so people should use these services as they usually would.' 'There are also some issues with administrative systems in hospitals that mean staff are having to work manually from paper to manage certain tasks but in the majority of hospitals, care is continuing as normal. They added that patients should continue to attend appointments unless told otherwise. Wilmslow Health Centre urged people to be patient with GPs today as the fault with the IT system was out of their hands MailOnline has contacted EMIS for comment. But an alert issued by the company to GPs this morning, seen by this website, said: 'We are aware that users are still unable to access EMIS Web'. 'We are affected by a third-party issue that is impacting organisations globally, and we are working with the relevant parties to restore service as soon as possible. 'Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this is causing. We will continue to keep you updated as this work progresses.' The IT fault, which started last night, has caused Windows computers to suddenly shut down, prompting departure boards to suddenly turn off at airports, grounding flights and knocking TV channels, airports and banks offline. US cyber security company CrowdStrike has admitted to being responsible for the error, as they report on their website they are 'working on it'. Sky News viewers were left with a static message on their TVs apologising for the 'disruption' to the service at 6am when broadcasting was meant to begin. It read: 'We apologise for the interruption to this broadcast. We hope to restore the transmission of Sky News shortly.' Ryanair has also seemingly been hit with the issue after it posted on its website urging passengers to arrive at airports three hours early blaming a 'third party IT issue, which is outside Ryanair's control and affect all airlines operating across the network'. The issue is impacting companies globally with online reports that Australia, New Zealand, India, Japan, the US and the UK have all been affected. Just two months ago Microsoft was hit with another major outage after Bing.com, Microsoft's search engine, went down with the problem apparently spreading to the brand's application programming interface which means that services such as DuckDuckGo also went down. According to reports the outage also impacted ChatGPT and Ecosia. Despite Google's dominance in the world of web searching, Bing's API has numerous high-profile clients. In various reports on X, users said that they were either greeted with a blank page or a 429 HTTP code error when they attempted to log on. Users claimed that both Bing.com and DuckDuckGo were loading but neither were producing search results when a query was typed. The relatives of two women, who died with herpes after having C-sections with the same surgeon, are bringing clinical negligence claims against an NHS trust at the High Court. Kimberley Sampson, 29, and Samantha Mulcahy, 32, died six weeks apart in 2018 at hospitals in Kent run by East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. Ms Sampson's mother Yvette Sampson and Ms Mulcahy's widower Ryan Mulcahy are pursuing separate legal challenges against the trust over alleged failures in care. They also claim that a surgeon, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was the source of both women's infection with the herpes simplex virus. The trust denies liability in the cases, arguing that the pair were not exposed to the virus during their operations or by the surgeon. First-time mother Samantha Mulcahy, 32, (pictured with her husband Ryan) died at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent Kimberly Sampson, 29, died at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate in May 2018 and died at the end of the month in a London hospital after giving birth to her second child Preliminary hearings in the cases this week marked the latest development in the families' six-year long effort to get answers on how the women were infected. In July last year, coroner Catherine Wood concluded the two women died of multiple organ failure as a consequence of the virus acquired before or around the time of delivery of their children. The coroner in the Mid Kent and Medway Coroners investigation also said Ms Sampson and Ms Mulcahy could have been treated sooner when their conditions deteriorated. After the inquest into the deaths, trust bosses said they were 'truly sorry' over the 'additional and unnecessary suffering' it caused the families 'through failing to answer their questions after Kimberley and Samantha's deaths and contributing to the delays in their inquests being heard'. Ms Mulcahy's heartbroken mother Nicola Foster vowed to keep 'fighting for the truth' and said the coroner's findings 'gave no answer at all' Parents of Ms Sampson, Yvette and Louis Sampson, also spoke following the inquest last year saying they will 'always be angry and upset' over what they've had to do to get to the truth Ms Mulcahy's mother, Nicola Foster, vowed to keep 'fighting for the truth' and said the coroner's findings 'gave no answer at all'. Her later bid to challenge the the coroner's conclusions at the High Court was rejected by a judge in February this year. At an online hearing on Thursday, lawyers for Mrs Sampson and Mr Mulcahy argued that their cases should be considered jointly at a trial. Richard Baker KC, for the relatives, said it was argued in both cases that the operating surgeon was a 'common source' of the women's infection. He said that if the cases were not considered together there could be the 'odd' outcome of inconsistent findings made by different judges over the surgeon's role. At an online hearing on Thursday, lawyers for Mrs Sampson and Mr Mulcahy argued that their cases should be considered jointly at a trial. Pictured: Ms Sampson The trust denies liability in the cases, arguing that the pair were not exposed to the virus during their operations or by the surgeon In written arguments, the barrister said the women had suffered a 'rare complication', with their relatives alleging the trust failed to diagnose the virus 'after they began to exhibit signs and symptoms of the infection'. The coroner previously concluded on the balance of probabilities it was 'unlikely' the infections came from the surgeon, with the inquest told his hands were fully scrubbed and double-gloved and he was wearing a mask during procedures. He said he had no lesions and was not infected, though he was not tested, the inquest heard. Clodagh Bradley KC, for the trust, said on Thursday that 'no court could safely conclude that the surgeon was infected with (the herpes virus) because there is no evidence of that at all'. She said a 'new' allegation by Mr Mulcahy that he saw 'facial touching' by the surgeon was 'unfathomable' and the relatives were trying to 'bolster one weak case against another'. In written arguments, the barrister said the trust opposed the bid for the cases to be linked because it would cause 'delay, expense and inconvenience' and add to the surgeon's 'physical and mental distress already suffered'. On Friday, Judge Charles Bagot KC concluded that the two cases should not be consolidated as there were 'differences in the way that the cases are put and the issues'. He said linking the claims would be more expensive, complicated and slower, adding that 'there is not a real risk that there would be inconsistent findings made in these cases'. Royal Mail has enjoyed a surge in revenues as a record number of postal votes were delivered during the election. International Distribution Services (IDS), its owner, said revenues from letters hit 985million in the three months to the end of June, up 11 per cent from the year before. It came as Royal Mail cashed in on a record number of ballots cast by post. Election boost: Royal Mail's owner International Distribution Services said revenues from letters hit 985m in the three months to the end of June The update is a much-needed boost for the service, which has suffered from a slump in letter-posting and is preparing for a crunch vote on a 3.6billion takeover by billionaire businessman Daniel Kretinsky. IDS shareholders have until September 25 to have their say on the controversial takeover approach by the Czech businessman. The board has already backed his offer. But the Government, under the National Security and Investment Act, can scrutinise and potentially block a deal. Labour have given no timelines of when this may happen. In an update, Royal Mail said it had delivered 7.3m postal votes during the election campaign, around 50 per cent more than the 2019 vote. It delivered 184m pieces of candidate mail and 50.8m poll cards. That was more than any other election, despite a public outcry that deliveries were too slow, and votes were not being counted. Some 90 constituencies voiced concerns, with the crisis thought to be caused by councils not printing enough ballot papers and Royal Mail not delivering on time. The service said it had investigated the issues and found all votes were being delivered as soon as they entered the network. Analysts at AJ Bell said the update showed there are finally signs of a positive turnaround at Royal Mail. Overall IDS group revenues, which also includes its international service GLS, climbed 8 per cent to 3.25billion. Kretinsky has vowed Royal Mail will continue to deliver letters six days a week and said he would never walk away from that obligation. Alexander Paterson, analyst at Peel Hunt, said although the deal was highly politicised, he expected it to go through, adding that there were no objections to the bid not already answered. IDS rose 1.8 per cent, or 6p, to 342p. Big chunks could be removed from the HSBC tower in a major makeover to reinvent the London site and attract tenants. The Canary Wharf Group plans to refresh the 42-storey building in three years time, when the bank moves out, with completion by around 2030. A replacement cannot be found until the plans get the green light. It marks the end of an era for HSBC staff some of whom dubbed the skyscraper the Tower of Doom. Makeover: An artist's impression of what HSBC's Canary Wharf building will look like If permitted, parts of the tower will be cut out for trendy terraces and there will be a public viewing gallery. Other parts will be leisure facilities. Many businesses have been looking to downsize as staff work from home. HSBC is aiming to move to Panorama St Pauls after being based at Canary Wharf since 2002. HSBC shares fell 0.5 per cent, or 3.2p, to 663.5p but are up 12.7 per cent over the past six months Labour has been warned efforts to solve Britains dire worklessness crisis could be derailed by its employment rights. Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures showed the number of economically inactive people was at a near-record 9.4m, partly thanks to the epidemic of long-term sickness affecting 2.8m also close to an all-time high. Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, said Britain faced spiralling economic inactivity and a rise in unemployment and is the only G7 advanced nation where the rate of employment is not back to pre-pandemic levels. Liz Kendall, the new work and pensions secretary, said Britain faced 'spiralling' economic inactivity as well as an uptick in unemployment This is a truly dire inheritance which the Government is determined to tackle, Kendall said. But business groups have warn Labour over its rights platform, which promises entitlements from day one, including the right to work from home, protection from unfair dismissal and a ban on zero hours contracts. Neil Carberry, at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, said: The Government must be careful that its agenda on employment protection doesnt stifle progress. A proper partnership is necessary to make changes work effectively for all workers, especially those who want, and choose, to work flexibly. Unemployment is 4.4 per cent while wages are rising by 5.7 per cent a year according to the ONS. Matthew Percival, at the CBI, said a bill on workers rights would come as businesses face significant employment cost pressures. Banks have been told to do more to ensure MPs, peers and their families are treated fairly after a review by the City watchdog in the wake of the Nigel Farage debanking affair. The Financial Conduct Authority said all lenders could improve how they checked an estimated 90,000 politically exposed persons (PEPs) deemed to be vulnerable to bribery or corruption because of the public office they hold. The review followed a row last year when Coutts, the private banking arm of NatWest, closed Nigel Farages account. Debanked: Reform party leader Nigel Farage (pictured) claimed he was targeted because of his political views The Reform party leader said he was debanked because of his political views. He obtained a memo from Coutts calling him a disingenuous grifter whose views did not align with the banks. An independent review found his account had been closed mainly for commercial reasons but the affair cost NatWest chief executive Alison Rose her job. The scandal also raised wider concerns about the way customers such as charities and small businesses are treated when their accounts are shut. Last year The Mail on Sunday revealed lenders were shutting almost 1,000 accounts a day a seven-fold increase on 2016 in a shoot-first-ask-questions-later approach to anti-money laundering rules. Almost all accounts were closed because of financial crime concerns. In some cases lenders are legally prevented from telling customers why they have been debanked. Tougher anti-money laundering rules were introduced after the 2008 financial crisis to make banks safer. But the Institute of Economic Affairs estimates that enforcing them cost banks 34billion a year almost double the budget for policing across the UK despite no evidence that the measures cut crime. Although PEPs are subject to extra checks, the FCA said banks should not disadvantage people running for office or taking senior roles. Public service naturally comes with greater scrutiny but it must be proportionate, said Sarah Pritchard, the FCA executive director of markets. Most firms try to get it right but there is more they can do. A small number of the 15 firms reviewed by the FCA face further scrutiny to ensure they make changes, it said. Publication of the report was delayed because of the General Election. Last night the FCA was accused of issuing its findings while Farage is attending the US Republican convention. It was notable that the report was released when Farage is ill-placed to respond, said Andy Agathangelou, the founder of campaign group Transparency Task Force, adding: It is almost as if the timing was hand-picked to reduce the probability of being challenged. Netflix added more than 8m subscribers in three months as it cashed in on a password-sharing crackdown. The US streaming giant now has over 278m subscribers watching its shows after raking in new users. The company added 8.05m paying customers in the three months to the end of June, up from the 5m it put on in the same period of 2023. Netflix now has over 278m subscribers watching its show including One Day, Scoop, which stars Gillian Anderson (pictured), and the controversial global sensation Baby Reindeer The number of new customers has boomed since the start of the year when the firm made it harder to share accounts between friends and family prompting millions of users to sign up for their own subscriptions. Many have also signed up to watch Netflix shows including One Day, Scoop, which stars Gillian Anderson, and the controversial global sensation Baby Reindeer. But while the subscriber gains topped analysts predictions, Netflix cautioned that subscriber additions in the next quarter would be lower than the same period of 2023. The streaming giant posted profits of 1.6billion and revenues of more than 7.4billion yesterday. Netflix thrived during the pandemic when much of the world was housebound but analysts questioned if it could maintain its momentum. The group has since focused efforts on its advert-supported option, which offers lowers prices to viewers. Netflix said its advert tier membership grew 34 per cent from the previous quarter, but it did not say how many subscribers chose that option. Our ad business is growing nicely and is becoming a more meaningful contributor to our business, it told investors. But building a business from scratch takes time, and coupled with the large size of our subscription revenue, we dont expect advertising to be a primary driver of our revenue growth in 2024 or 2025. A European migrant couple and their two-year-old son are facing deportation after being denied permanent residency due to the boy's chronic illness. British-born Laura Currie and her Italian partner Dante Vendittelli moved separately to Australia but met in Brisbane in 2019 and have built a family life together in Perth. Ms Currie, a teacher from Scotland, became a de facto on Mr Vendittelli's working visa, which he obtained through his job in the construction industry. The couple submitted a joint permanent residency application and during the process, their son Luca was born in November 2021. However, just six weeks after welcoming their baby boy, the pair were told Luca had cystic fibrosis - a genetic disease that affects the proteins in the body, damaging the lungs and digestive system. The family was dealt another blow in February after receiving an email from the government explaining Luca's visa was declined as the potential cost of his treatment would be too much for Australian taxpayers. The treatment is a medication named Trikafta, which is described as a 'lifesaving treatment' for cystic fibrosis in patients aged six years and older, according to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). British-born Laura Currie and her Italian partner Dante Vendittelli built a life together in Perth after meeting in Brisbane in 2019 The pair are facing deportation after their son Luca, who was born halfway through their permanent visa application, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis Trikafta is on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, which discounts the treatment to $42.50 per script. However the non-subsidised amount is around $250,000 for a year's supply. Luca does not take Trikafta yet and the family does not even know whether the little boy is even compatible with the medication. However, Luca's total future treatment is estimated to cost around $1.8million - a price the government is not prepared to pay despite the toddler being born in Australia. The permissible limit - or Significant Cost Threshold - which the government is prepared to absorb for someone applying for residency or citizenship is just $86,000 over 10 years. Ms Currie is appealing the decision, claiming the family have made Australia home and that she and her husband are filling jobs the country needs. If they lose the appeal, the family will have 28 days to leave the country. Luca's treatment is estimated to cost around $1.8million - a price well above the permissible limit and one the government is not prepared to pay despite the fact the little boy was born in Australia Ms Currie described the rejection as 'heartbreaking' and fears her family will be torn apart if the appeal fails. 'If they do deport us, they are sending us to two different countries, so they're splitting our family up,' Ms Currie told news.com.au. 'Dante can't go to Scotland and Luca and I can't go to Italy. So they're literally tearing us apart. It's so upsetting to think about.' Ms Currie explained the family was 'living in limbo' after spending their savings on an immigration lawyer and waiting to hear back on the appeal they lodged. 'We've paid into the economy, we've paid our taxes, and we just feel like we're not wanted here, which is a horrible feeling for anyone to go through,' she said. 'Our back is up against a wall, which is why we've gone public, but it's not been easy. Luca is known locally now as the 'sick little Perth boy' and it just breaks my heart.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Home Affairs for comment. Sam Haskell IV, the Hollywood superagent's son accused of killing and dismembering his wife and also murdering her parents, appeared in court Thursday to face the Los Angeles judge who will decide if he will stand trial for the grisly slayings. Haskell, 36 who has been on suicide watch at LA's notorious Twin Towers jail since his arrest eight months ago was led into LA Superior Court shackled and bare-chested, just as he was at previous court appearances. Sporting a shorter haircut and a heavily-tattooed upper torso, Haskell kept looking around the courtroom during his brief appearance, as if searching for faces he would recognize. But there were no friends or family present. Samuel Haskell IV pictured in court in February appeared shirtless again on Thursday Haskell is accused of murdering and dismembering wife Mei Li, with whom he shared three children. Her body was found in November At a hearing before a different judge in January, Haskells half-naked appearance caused by old, worn velcro allowing his blue prison suicide watch overalls to slip down to his waist prompted his lawyer, Weimortz, to object to his client being photographed, saying his bare chest was dehumanizing'. In response the judge at that hearing ordered photographers to only shoot Haskell from the neck up. But Thursday Weimortz raised no objection since Judge Lisa Lench allowed no photographs in her court. A date was supposed to be scheduled for a preliminary hearing where LA's District Attorney will present evidence and testimony and Judge Lench will rule whether the case against Haskell is strong enough for him to be tried by a jury. But after consulting in chambers with prosecutor Beth Silverman and Haskell's attorney, Joseph Weimortz, Judge Lench delayed the setting of the prelim date by 90 days to a hearing on October 15. That likely means he won't have a full preliminary hearing till at least another 90 days after that, meaning January 2025. Haskell, who could face the death penalty if convicted, was arrested after the headless torso of a woman later identified as his Chinese-born wife Mei, 37 was found in a dumpster near his office in Encino, northwest of LA, last November. He was charged with murdering Mei and also killing her parents, mother Yanking Wang, 64 and father, Gaoshan Li, 72, whose bodies have never been found. Samuel Haskell IV has been charged with her murder as well as the deaths of her parents, mom Yanxiang Wang, 64, and dad Gaoshan Li, 72 - whose bodies have still not been found The 37-year old mother's remains were wrapped in a plastic bag and found in November by a transient who was digging through a dumpster not far from where the Haskells lived Montgomery has also been appointed the special administrator of Mei's probate estate which enables her to deal with problems connected to the home, including security He has pleaded not guilty to all three murder counts. Mei's friends have told DailyMail.com she had wanted to divorce Haskell for at least four years, but feared his powerful agent father would persuade courts to give him custody of their three sons Samuel, 11, James, eight and six year-old William. Last week, an LA probate judge appointed Britney Spears's ex-conservator Jodi Montgomery as temporary financial guardian of the young Haskell boys who will eventually inherit the $2.5 million Tarzana home where they lived with their parents. Prosecutors say that on the day following the murders, Haskell hired four day laborers to remove black trash bags from the house. One worker revealed that he was paid $500 to remove three large trash bags - adding that Haskell claimed they were filled with rocks before later pretending the body parts were 'Halloween props'. 'When we picked up the bags, we could tell they weren't rocks,' he said, noting that the bags were soft and soggy.' He and his co-workers looked inside the bags and inside they saw 'body parts, a belly button.' The men then returned the bags and the money to Haskell's home, telling him they did not 'want to be involved', and reported him to police. Haskell is the son of Samuel Haskell III, a former executive vice-president and worldwide head of television for the talent agency William Morris Endeavor. His clients included Dolly Parton, George Clooney, Kathie Lee Gifford, Whoopi Goldberg and King Charles's brother, Prince Edward. He quit in 2004, and went on to found Magnolia Hill Productions. Last week workers were seen changing the locks at the property and a neighbor confirmed to DailyMail.com that the house had been vandalized by thieves making off with some children's toys, among other items Court papers revealed the couple's now-vacant property has been trashed since the murders and 'has been broken into multiple times' The accused murderer is the son of former top Hollywood agent Samuel Haskell Sr and former Miss Mississippi Mary Donnelly-Haskell. Dolly Parton was among Haskell's clients Haskell senior was also CEO of the Miss America organization from 2015-17, but resigned after he was found to have criticized some of the contestants in private emails, ridiculing one for gaining weight and describing another as promiscuous. Mei's friends have revealed the supposed fear she lived in for years given the family's connections. Mei's parents had moved into their six-bedroom home in Tarzana about six years ago to help look after the couple's three young boys. Haskell agreed to the LA Probate Court's appointment of Jodi Montgomery as temporary financial guardian of his young sons - who are currently being looked after by hissister, Mary Lane, 34. A hearing scheduled for August 13 will likely confirm Montgomery as their permanent guardian. Montgomery is also acting as administrator to Mei's estate which includes the $2.5million house. According to court papers, the property vacant since November has been trashed since the murders and 'has been broken into multiple times, items have been taken, and a small fire was set within the premises.' Last Friday workers were seen changing the locks at the property and a neighbor confirmed to DailyMail.com that the house had previously been vandalized by thieves making off with some children's toys, among other items. She says there is not enough focus on Australia's historical 'success' Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has sensationally claimed that 'no one is disadvantaged because they are Indigenous' - as she lists how Australia has benefited from colonisation. Sharing her views in an opinion piece for The Australian, the controversial Liberal Senator argued it was inevitable that the country would be colonised and it was only a question of 'by whom and when'. The Opposition Indigenous affairs spokeswoman said British settlement afforded Australia a common law legal system, democracy, freedom and prosperity - things that were not previously known to Indigenous people. Ms Price admitted Australian history is 'not perfect' and there are 'shameful chapters' but claimed the country is now a 'modern success story'. 'Crimes were committed, violence and injustice perpetrated by bad actors, but I don't think it should be controversial to say that both black and white Australia were making the best of things by the standards of the times,' she wrote. 'This is demonstrated by the fact that, out of these decades of disruption, something resembling a nation emerged. 'So much so that when duty called our first Anzacs to serve in the Great War, more than a thousand Indigenous Australians signed up to fight. Many of these heroes went above and beyond.' Ms Price also claimed Indigenous prosperity was being held back by a victimhood culture - which she argued was creating division. Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (pictured) has slammed the 'progressive left', claiming activists are responsible for division between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians She said Indigenous culture prior to British settlement was marked by violent conflicts and if we continue along a 'separatist road' negative parts of Indigenous culture will be left alone to 'grow and fester' - such as arranged marriage, violent cultural payback and attributing tragedies to 'sorcery'. She said the 'progressive left' put too much focus on the 'less than savoury' aspects of Indigenous history, rather than celebrating the events that led to the nation's 'great prosperity, security and success'. She said it is not commonly acknowledged that British rulers ordered settlers to maintain friendly relations with the native people - although the instructions were often ignored. She also noted that Europeans and Aboriginals were viewed equally before the law, and settlers who killed Indigenous people were sentenced to death - citing the Myall Creek massacre, where seven white men were found guilty and hanged. She also claimed that many descendants of the Stolen Generations' now enjoy greater prosperity and success than those generations who were simply neglected and left to live in poverty and squalor' and argued the best way forward for the nation was for everyone to view themselves as modern Australians. 'The simple fact is that no one is disadvantaged just because they are Indigenous. But those who are disadvantaged will remain so if we don't learn the lessons of our past and move forward together,' she wrote. 'Last year, in my address to the National Press Club at the height of the voice referendum debate I made more than a few headlines when I highlighted positive impacts of colonisation on Indigenous Australians, instead of merely regurgitating the standard deficit narrative peddled by those seeking to maintain the victim mentality. Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is pictured arriving at a press conference in February alongside Nationals leader David Littleproud and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure Bridget McKenzie 'I stand by that view, because when you take an honest, even-handed position on our nations history, its obviously true.' The claims come as research shows that Indigenous Australians continue to suffer from inequality compared to non-Indigenous Australians across a number of welfare factors, including life expectancy, children's mortality, education and employment. The Closing the Gap policy, launched in 2008, seeks to reduce the welfare differences between the two cultural groups, by increasing education, education, health, security, housing, and life expectancy for First Nations people. According to data released in March, only five out of 19 targets identified in the Close the Gap framework for Indigenous Australians are on track to meet the 2031 deadline. In the report, which only provided updates for eight of the socio-economic targets, it was revealed four targets are not on track - including the number of children represented in out-of-home care and adults in the prison system. Two targets - healthy birth weight and increasing the legal access to land and sea for cultural and economic purposes are on track, while there was no change in data for the remaining three targets that are on track. Speaking about the results, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said she was 'marginally encouraged' that there were now five targets on track compared to just four last year. 'Babies are being born at a healthy birth weight is something that I think has enormous flow-on effects,' she said. 'We can talk about targets and numbers, but at the end of the day, they're real people: our brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and cousins.' Melania Trump stunned the Republican convention crowd with dramatic entrance in a red skirt and to the soundtrack of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 before her husband's marathon speech on Thursday night. The beaming former first lady walked onto the floor of the arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to a roaring crowd as she made her way up to the VIP box and waved. At the end of Donald Trump's remarks, she joined him on stage where they joined hands and he gave her a kiss on the cheek. The rest of the Trump family soon gathered around them as balloon's fell from the arena's ceiling and Puccini's Nessun Dorma played. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, greets his wife, Melania Trump, on stage during the Republican National Convention Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump is joined on stage by wife Melania and members of his family Melania Trump stunned the Republican convention crowd with dramatic entrance in a red skirt and to the soundtrack of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 before her husband's marathon speech on Thursday night Before Trump began his remarks - clocking in at an hour and 32 minutes - Melania walked into the Trump family box to take a seat by J.D. Vance, her husband's vice presidential nominee. But Donald Trump had already exited the box to prepare to address the delegates. Despite her distain for politics, Melania seemed happy to be at the convention, smiling and waving to the delegates. The Trumps were together earlier in the evening, however, when Melania, wearing Dior, watched Donald sign the paperwork for him to become the Republican presidential nominee. She then stayed behind the scenes until shortly before Donald was scheduled to speak. The former first lady did not join the rest of the Trump family in walking out into the convention hall. Melania Trump joins Donald Trump on stage after his remarks Donald Trump gives Melania a kiss on the cheek at the end of his marathon speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination Ivanka Trump, Don Jr., and Tiffany were all with their father in the main box in the convention hall. They listened and cheered with the crowd while Hulk Hogan and Eric Trump fired up the delegates. The former president was surrounded by his children and grandchildren as he prepared to address the convention, which marks his formal acceptance of the nomination. But Melania, who has rarely appeared on the campaign trail, waited until the last moments before his remarks to join the family. Melania Trump, Donald Trump and family members on stage Former first lady Melania Trump arrives to take her seat by J.D. Vance and other members of the Trump family Melania Trump waves as she walks up to the Trump family box at the Republican National Convention The beaming former first lady waves to the crowd just before taking her seat at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Melania sat quietly when her husband spoke, listening as he described the assassination attempt that nearly took his life. She smiled when he made little jokes but stared at her husband intently as he recounted the horrific event. He paid tribute to her during his remarks, calling her 'my amazing wife Melania.' She stood and waved as the crowd gave her a standing ovation. 'Melania thank you very much. You also did something very beautiful. A letter to America calling for national unity,' he said. Melania did not address the delegates on Thursday night, despite being offered the chance to do so. She did speak to delegates at the 2016 and 2020 conventions but, this election year, she has stayed in the shadows while her husband runs for a second term. Thursday was also Ivanka Trump's first night at the convention and also marked a rare political appearance. The former first daughter is there in her 'personal capacity' to support her father, sources close to her said. She has stayed away from politics since her father decided to run for a second term, despite previously being involved in his campaigns and his administration. Her brothers have stayed active. Both Don Jr. - who addressed the convention on Wednesday - and Eric have been surrogates on the campaign trail. Eric's wife Lara joined the Republican National Committee to help run the former president's re-election effort. The family has gathered around its patriarch since an assassin attempted to kill him on July 13th. Melania Trump, who rarely makes public statements, spoke to the horror when she realized her and son Barron's life were on the brink of 'devastating change' after the hearing the news about her husband's assassination attempt. The former first lady called the gunman a 'monster' and described the moment she watched the bullet strike her husband's ear at a Pennsylvania rally in front of thousands of his adoring fans. 'A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald's passion - his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration,' Melania said in an emotional statement on X on Sunday morning. 'When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband.' Melania Trump did not address the convention but did smile and wave to the crowd Melania Trump joins Donald Trump on stage after his remarks Donald Trump gives Melania a kiss on the cheek Melania Trump joins Donald Trump as he signs the paperwork to be the Republican nominee Melania Trump with (to her left) Usha and J.D. Vance and the rest of the Trump family: Eric and Don Jr to her right; and, in second row, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Lara Trump, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, and Tiffany Trump Melania Trump listens to Donald Trump's speech She called for people to 'reunite' and said she is thinking of her fellow Americans. 'This morning, ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence,' her statement continued. 'The winds of change have arrived. For those of you who cry in support, I thank you. I commend those of you who have reached out beyond the political divide - thank you for remembering that every single politician is a man or a woman with a loving family.' There was no sign of Barron Trump on Thursday, the last night of the Republican National Convention. Donald Trump mentioned his youngest son during his remarks but Barron was not seated in the family's box. Barron attended his first political rally in early July, the week before the assassination attempt on his father. There he stood up and waved to the crowd, garnering massive cheers his father's faithful. The 18-year-old graduated from high school in May and is expected to attend college in the fall. His graduation was the last time Donald and Melania Trump were seen in public together. Earlier this summer, Barron Trump declined Florida's offer to be a delegate to the Republican National Convention this summer. A week after the state announced the 18-year-old would represent it at Donald Trump's nomination, Melania Trump's office announced Barron had 'prior commitments.' 'While Barron is honored to have been chosen as a delegate by the Florida Republican Party, he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments,' the Office of Melania Trump said. No further details were given. Former President Donald Trump, Lara Trump, Eric Luke Trump, and Carolina Dorothy Trump watch Eric Trump address the convention As Usha Chilukuri Vance, Ivanka Trump former first lady Melania Trump and Eric Trump watch, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, sign paperwork to officially accept the nomination Jared Kushner, former White House senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, former White House senior adviser, Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos, attend the final day of the Republican National Convention Melania Trump makes her dramatic entrance into the convention Meanwhile, Melania Trump has appeared publicly with her husband for campaign events just three times: his campaign kickoff in November 2022 at their Mar-a-Lago home, in March when she accompanied her husband to vote in the Florida presidential primary, and in April when she appeared at his side at a high-dollar fundraiser in Palm Beach. In March, as she walked into the polling place, Melania was asked then if she would join the former president on the campaign trail. Her response: 'Stay tuned.' Melania Trump notably skipped the first presidential debate in Atlanta. Trump walked off the stage alone while Joe Biden was accompanied by Jill Biden. But she did host two fundraisers for Log Cabin Republicans, the largest conservative LGBTQ+ organization: one at Mar-a-Lago and one at the Trumps' Trump Tower home in New York. Ivanka Trump joined her father Donald and siblings in the VIP family box at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night in her first appearance at a campaign event since he announced his run for president. Ivanka stood between her husband Jared Kushner and half-sister Tiffany Trump in the second row of the family box. Her father was seated in front of her, next to his running mate J.D. Vance. The former first daughter also joined the former president earlier in the evening when he signed the paperwork to be the party's official nominee. She wore a white Versace suit with Jimmy Choo shoes and a Manolo clutch. Her siblings - Don Jr., Eric and Tiffany - have been at the Republican National Convention all week to support their father. The trio also serve as delegates from the state of Florida. Ivanka Trump joined her father Donald Trump, husband Jared Kushner (left) and half-sister Tiffany (right) in the VIP box at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, stands on stage with Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, after speaking during the Republican National Convention Ivanka Trump said a few months ago she would attend the convention in her 'personal capacity' to watch her father accept the party's nomination. She will not address the delegates. She and her dad are extremely close. She was at his side after the horrific attempt on his life. The former first daughter met Donald Trump upon his arrival in Bedminster, N.J., last Saturday night after the attempted assassination. She also spoke with him on the phone while he was in the hospital, sources close to the campaign told DailyMail.com. In the aftermath, Ivanka took to social media to thank supporters and said she was 'praying for America' after the act of 'senseless violence'. Ivanka and Tiffany both wore white as they watched their father formally accept the Republican nomination just days after he was shot (From left to right) Kimberly Guilfoyle, Lara Trump, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Michael Boulos, Tiffany Trump and Vanessa Haydon look on as Donald formally accepts the nomination Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trumps stands on stake with family members including daughter Ivanka She also thanked the Secret Service for their response in taking down the gunman. 'I love you Dad, today and always,' the former First Daughter wrote on X. Ivanka added: 'Thank you for your love and prayers for my father and for the other victims of today's senseless violence in Butler, Pennsylvania. 'I am grateful to the Secret Service and all the other law enforcement officers for their quick and decisive actions today. I continue to pray for our country.' She also said she believed her mom Ivana was watching over her father. 'Two years ago today, my mom passed away. I believe she was watching over Dad last night during the attempt on his life. I miss her every day and pray for the safety of the family and friends she left behind,' Ivanka noted Sunday morning on social media. But while she has supported her father's goal to return to the White House, she is doing so from behind the scenes. Ivanka's decision is in stark contrast to the 2020 election when she introduced her father at that year's convention. She was also heavily involved in the 2016 convention. But she has done a 180 on politics since Donald Trump lost that contest. The former first daughter met Donald Trump upon his arrival in Bedminster, N.J., last Saturday night after the attempted assassination Ivanka Trump watches father Donald Trump at the convention Ivanka opened up about her decision to leave politics in a rare interview. In an hour-long interview with Lex Fridman, she said she wanted to spend more time with her three children and, after four years of serving in her father's White House, felt like she 'left it all on the field.' 'I spent four years in Washington. I feel like I left it all on the field. I feel really good about it and I feel really privileged to have been able to do what I did,' she said. She said, however, she is father's top supporter, as the former president battles multiple legal cases. 'On a human level, it's my father and I love him very much, so it's painful to experience, but ultimately, I wish it didn't have to be this way,' she said. Ivanka was a senior advisor in Trump's administration from 2017 until 2021, but she has not been heavily involved in his second bid for the White House. Former President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (L) stands with Co-chair of the Republican National Committee Lara Trump (R), (from top L) daughter Ivanka Trump, daughter Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos As Usha Chilukuri Vance, Ivanka Trump former first lady Melania Trump and Eric Trump watch, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, sign paperwork to officially accept the nomination When Donald Trump announced his bid for re-election last year, Ivanka said in a statement posted to social media that she loved her father but would be staying out of politics. She was not at his announcement speech. Nor did she attend the first presidential debate. 'I love my father very much. This time around, I'm choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family,' the former White House adviser said. 'While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena,' she said at the time. She also was one of the few family members who didn't join him at his trial in New York earlier this year, when the former president was being prosecuted over hush-money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels. 'It was a decision rooted in me being a parent, really thinking about what they need from me now. Politics is a rough business and I think it's one that you also can't dabble in, I think you have to be either all in or all out.' Ivanka referenced 'the cost' her children would pay from her absence were she to go all in on the campaign trail, adding 'I'm not willing to make them bear that cost.' 'As their mom, I think it's really important that I do what's right for them. I think there a lot of ways you can serve, the enormity, the scale of what can be accomplished in government service, but I think there's something equally valuable in helping in your own community.' She said there was 'a lot of darkness, a lot of negativity' in politics and says it's the opposite of 'what feels good for me as a human being.' Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump enter the Trump family box Jared Kushner, former White House senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, former White House senior adviser, Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos, attend the final day of the Republican National Convention Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner have worked to distance themselves from the tumultuous world of politics amid Donald Trump's re-election campaign and his various legal woes. They relocated to Florida with children Arabella, 12, Joseph, 9, and Theodore, 8, after Trump left office in January 2021. Ivanka has been focused on charity work and reconnecting with her old friends since leaving the White House. Napa Valley's tourism chief is at war with her own staff who have accused her of fostering a 'pervasive culture of fear' at the heart of America's wine industry. Linsey Gallagher was cleared by a 'neutral' investigation earlier this year after claims emerged she made 'disparaging and demeaning remarks' to employees and misallocated public funds at Visit Napa Valley. She reportedly used phrases such as: 'I'm the only reason you have this job in the first place,' and 'it's not like you were groped or sexually assaulted.' Now 10 anonymous staffers have written an anonymous letter seen by the SF Chronicle, claiming that the investigation was 'gravely mishandled' and that Gallagher singled them out for retribution after she was cleared. Gallagher was appointed president and CEO of the tourist bureau in 2019, overseeing a $2.2 billion industry that brings nearly four million people a year to the Californian county. Visit Napa Valley CEO Linsey Gallagher is accused of fermenting a 'pervasive culture of fear' Nearly four million tourists a year visit the heart of California's wine industry in Napa County In a 2022 interview she advised young women in her industry to 'work hard, be nice, have courage to walk through the doors that open for you, find role models along the way'. 'I have reached the phase in my career where nurturing, mentoring, developing and supporting others is the priority,' she said. But the organization's executive board launched a probe in May after five current and two former employees accused her of being drunk on power. Three other staffers added their names to the complaint and chairwoman Emma Swain insisted the board 'took the claims seriously' before commissioning a 'neutral third party' to investigate. It found 'no evidence that in any way supports the workplace bullying or financial impropriety allegations', but the staffers claim the probe was botched and that their complaints were 'inadequately addressed'. Earlier this week they sent a four-page letter to the board, copying in the Napa Valley Tourism Corporation and the SF Chronicle. It repeated the allegations of abuse and accused Gallagher of a 'pattern of deception' in her handling of public funds from Napa County's Tourism Improvement District. It also claims that Gallagher kept staff and board members 'in the dark' about spending decisions, 'manipulates narratives' and 'provides false information'. The letter alleged that around 40 employees have quit or been fired since she was appointed, and that three resigned when she was cleared by the inquiry, with others now 'actively seeking alternative job opportunities'. Swain dismissed the claims of financial allegations as 'categorically false', insisting that all bosses were subjected to an extensive audit to reviews their expenditures last year. 'The financial allegations were made after the annual audit was completed, and the independent investigator has confirmed no evidence of wrongdoing,' she told the Chronical. Visit Napa Valley chairwomen Emma Swain insisted the allegations against her CEO are unfounded and will not be revisited in response to an anonymous letter And she said that 28 of the job losses were due to cuts that were forced on the organization by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The complainants are refusing to let the matter lie but Swain said she would not respond to them unless they go on the record. 'We are not going to have a discussion of personnel matters with an anonymous party,' she added. 'We have addressed all these issues by providing each employee complainant with a detailed summary of the investigator's findings in addition to an opportunity to meet with a board member to discuss. 'Only a few of the employees took us up on the opportunity.' Dailymail.com has reached out to Gallagher for comment. A young woman who received a smaller tax refund than she expected has warned Australians to manage their expectations of a big collect this tax season. Nat Zelez, 24, filed her taxes promptly on July 1, eagerly anticipating a refund of over $5,000, which she planned to use for a trip to Southeast Asia. However, after completing her tax return, she only received $3,000. 'So I got my tax return, and I'm not happy. I lodged it on July 1st, and I was so excited, like, oh my god, because it said I was going to get $5300 back, but I got it this morning, and I got $3,000,' she said in a video posted to TikTok. Ms Zelez, who works in hospitality and marketing, said she was on welfare payments at one point during the financial year, which may have impacted her overall return. She told her followers that while $3,000 was still a good amount, she still felt disappointed. 'I still feel like I lost $2,300, that is what it feels like. I know I didn't, but what the hell?' Ms Zelez said. 'Don't do it on July 1st because you're just going to get your feelings hurt.' 24-year-old Aussie Nat Zelez (pictured) said she felt 'lied to' by the tax office after receiving a tax return of $3,000 when she was estimated to receive $5,300 Social media users were not sympathetic to Ms Zelez's situation, with many reminding her that the initial refund calculation was uncertain. 'It's always an estimate, never expect to get the full return,' one said. 'You realise you shouldn't expect money back each time at all? You only get a refund if you've overpaid tax,' a second added. Another claimed Ms Zelez's return was significantly different from the estimate because the ATO likely did not have all the necessary information on July 1st, as her employer might not have finalized the summary yet. A recent survey from Finder found that the average Australian is expecting a refund of $1,288, and during the cost-of-living crisis, many were banking on such returns. 'Aussies are fed up with barely scraping by and are looking to their tax return to provide a bit of financial relief,' Finder's finance expert, Sarah Megginson, said. 'Many are struggling with debt and a significant proportion of people plan to reduce that burden with their tax time cash injection.' Ms Megginson reminded Aussies that while they can file early, their employers have until July 14 to finalise their details with the tax office. 'If you try to do your tax return before this, you might run into trouble as your details are not yet set in stone with the ATO,' she said. 'If you are confident you're going to get a tax return, it makes sense to lodge it sooner than later so you can get your hands on that money.' Trendy fashion retailer Glue is shutting down half of its stores to focus on its online business and most profitable outlets. Glue Store's owner, Accent Group, announced the closure of 17 underperforming stores in an announcement to the stock exchange on Thursday afternoon. The specific stores to be shut down and the number of jobs affected have not yet been disclosed. Glue Store is known for stocking expensive brandware clothing, such as Adidas, Nike, Stussy, and Champion. 'The decision to exit the 17 underperforming stores will allow the Glue Store management team to focus on a profitable business comprising 18 stores including digital,' Accent Group chief executive Daniel Agostinelli said. He said the company's earnings before interest and taxes at the end of the 2023-24 financial year will be between $109 and $111 million. 'I am pleased with our retail performance in H2 where the company continued to experience strong momentum in Skechers, The Athlete's Foot, Hype DC, Stylerunner, Nude Lucy, and Hoka amongst others.' The company will release its full year FY24 results on the 23rd of August. Hunter Biden is desperately trying to throw out his criminal gun conviction charges and a separate tax evasion case by claiming the person prosecuting him was unlawfully appointed. The younger Biden's lawyers referenced a federal judge's decision Monday dismissing charges against Donald Trump for illegally holding onto classified documents after office. In that decision, Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon found the appointment of Jack Smith, the special counsel in the classified documents case, violated the Constitution because he was not authorized by Congress to pursue the charges. The legal maneuver comes after the Supreme Court's decision weeks ago to grant Trump presidential immunity in the documents case in which Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that Smith was improperly appointed. Smith's office is appealing the ruling. Hunter Biden and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden arrive to hear the verdict in his federal gun trial at the Federal District Court in Wilmington Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as special counsel, in a move intended to insulate his own office from prosecuting President Biden's rival 'The Attorney General relied upon the exact same authority to appoint the Special Counsel in both the Trump and Biden matters, and both appointments are invalid for the same reason,' Biden's representation wrote in a court filing. In June, another special counsel, David Weiss, secured Hunter Biden's conviction on charges he lied about his drug use when purchasing a firearm years ago during the height of his crack addiction. That same special counsel is heading up a tax case against Hunter that is scheduled to begin in September. The president's son has pleaded not guilty in that case. Biden and his legal team's move highlights the potential impact the decision from Cannon could have on limiting the attorney general's capacity to appoint special counsel in sensitive political probes. It also shows an eye-raising situation in which the president's son is utilizing a ruling that benefits Trump for his own good. FBI agents seized boxes of materials marked classified from Trump's Florida club Judge Cannon issued her ruling two days after Trump was shot and as the Republican convention is set to gather, a few weeks after Trump's lawyers challenged the constitutionality of Jack Smith's appointment US President Donald Trump applauds next to Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas and judge Amy Coney Barrett who was just sworn-in as a US Supreme Court Associate Justice, during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House October 26, 2020, in Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2017 However, Hunter Biden and his team will likely have a difficult time railing against the ruling because Smith was not a U.S. government employee when he was appointed to the job - and that he has not gone through a Senate confirmation. Weiss, on the other hand, was confirmed by the upper chamber to serve as the chief federal prosecutor in Delaware, meaning he has at least gotten approval from Congress to be a federal judge before being named special counsel. The president's son has previously challenged Weiss's appointment on different grounds, but that effort was rejected by federal judges in both his gun and tax cases. The Seattle police officer who was caught on body camera footage making vile comments about an Indian student who was fatally struck by a police vehicle has been fired. The police department had been facing calls to fire Detective Daniel Auderer - who was not in the car that hit the student, but was responding to the scene - since body camera footage was released last year showing him laughing about the death of 23-year-old Indian graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula. He suggested in the footage that cops could 'write a check' to Kandula's family for $11,000 - claiming 'she had limited value' - after she was struck by a fellow police officer near Northwestern University. Auderer was 'administratively re-assigned to a non-operational position,' Seattle police announced in the aftermath. But on Wednesday, Police Chief Sue Rahr announced that she had fired the officer. Seattle Police Officer Daniel Auderer has been fired for making vile comments about an Indian graduate student who was struck by a fellow officer 'For me to allow the officer to remain on our force would only bring further dishonor to the entire department,' she wrote in an internal email, according to KUOW. She acknowledged that it is 'unusual' for a police chief to explain their rationale for firing an employee. 'This is, however, an unusual enough circumstance,' Rahr wrote, according to WCYB. 'This case has been covered extensively in the public, has garnered international media and diplomatic attention, and I am confident that everyone in this organization has had the opportunity to learn about the case and hear for themselves the officer's words,' she continued. 'I am choosing to share the outcome of this case with all of you, because the far-reaching impact of the officer's actions reflect on all of us, not just as members of the Seattle Police Department, but on the profession of law enforcement.' Auderer was caught on camera disparaging 23-year-old Indian graduate student Jaahnavi Kandula (pictured), saying she had 'limited value' Rahr went on to say that at the root of the case was an 'extremely difficult' judgment call on how to fairly balance Auderer's intent versus his impact. She said she considered a number of factors, including the fact that Auderer thought he was having a private conversation with a colleague as he left the scene of the accident in January 2023, engaging in what he has since described as 'gallows humor.' Most people in law enforcement have engaged in gallows humor from time to time, Rahr noted, but because his conversation was caught on body camera, it was provided to the King County Prosecutors Office - and therefore became part of the public record. The purpose of such body cameras is to provide the public with insight into the actions of cops that might occur outside of the public view, and for years, Rahr said, the Seattle Police Department has taken steps to improve public trust. Rahr said as she considered those factors, she realized there is no doubt that Auderer's 'cruel comments and callous laughter' about Kandula's death caused a considerable amount of pain for her family. She also said the comments lead to 'immeasurable damage to the public trust of police in Seattle, across the nation and around the world.' Taken all together, Rahr concluded that the 'impact' of Auderer's comments 'is so devastating that it cannot be mitigated by his intent to keep his conversation private.' Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr announced her decision to fire Auderer in an internal email on Wednesday But police sources told KING 5 Rahr was strongly considering a 30-day suspension. She decided to go with the termination, they said, because she did not want to appear too lenient. Still, Rahr noted in her email that Auderer is 'well-regarded, if not beloved, by many of his fellow officers and supervisors,' and said he has done positive and noteworthy things. She went on to acknowledge that 'many of you will disagree with my decision, and perhaps be angry,' according to KING 5. She noted that Auderer is 'well-regarded, if not beloved, by many of his fellow officers and supervisors,' and said he has done positive and noteworthy things After the body camera footage went public, Auderer insisted in a letter to the Office of Police Accountability that he was not making fun of Kandula's death, but instead meant to make 'a mockery of lawyers.' 'I laughed at the ridiculousness of how these incidents are litigated and the ridiculousness of how I watched these incidents play out as two parties bargain over a tragedy,' he wrote. Auderer acknowledged in the statement that anyone listening to his side of the conversation alone 'would rightfully believe I was being insensitive to the loss of human life.' The comment was 'not made with malice or a hard heart,' he said, but 'quite the opposite.' But in January, the Office of Police Accountability ruled that he broke policing standards when he made 'inhumane' comments and laughed. Gino Betts, the director of the office, said at the time his comments were 'derogatory, disturbing and inhumane. 'The officer's comments undermine public trust in the department, himself and his colleagues,' Betts said. 'For many, it confirmed, fairly or not, beliefs that some officers devalue and conceal disparaging views about community members.' Seattle police commanders then recommended the highest level of discipline - 30 days without pay or possible termination. Officials say Auderer eroded public trust in the police department following Kandula's tragic death in January On Wednesday, Mayor Bruce Harrell said he agreed with Rahr's decision to terminate the officer. 'Our officers do incredible work to serve our city every single day - they are here to protect and serve every member of our community - no matter their age, their gender, their race or religion,' he said. 'Effective policing requires public trust,' he continued. 'It cannot be effective if the people being served have doubts about our officers' motivations, conduct or character. 'I support Chief Rahr's decision because it recognizes our values of accountability, continuous improvement and the public trust necessary for our police officers to protect the people of Seattle. 'The insensitive comments and behavior by the officer caught on tape damaged the relationship between our Seattle Police Department and the communities our officers strive to keep safe - simply put, this incident damaged the public trust we have been working to strengthen since Day One of my administration. 'In collaboration with Chief Rahr, we will continue to work with officers to ensure effective policing rooted in authentic public trust by creating a positive culture in our public service, uplifting the good work our officers do every day, following the accountability process when there is misconduct and fostering safety in our city through a community based, values-centered approach,' the mayor vowed. Wrestling great Hulk Hogan ripped off his shirt to expose a Trump-Vance tanktop during a wild speech onstage Thursday night at the Republican National Convention. 'Let Trumpamania Make America Great Again,' Hogan shouted as the crowd cheered, as the newly political retired wrestler called Trump, a longtime associate, a 'hero' and a 'gladiator.' Hogan said those attending the RNC in Milwaukee were 'real Americans,' suggesting they should refer to themselves as 'Trumpites' should the GOP nominee be reelected in the fall. He called Trump and vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance 'the greatest tag team in my life' and warned they were 'getting ready to straighten this country out for all you real Americans.' 'So all you criminals, all you low-lifes, all you scumbags, all you drug dealers and all you crooked politicians need to answer one question for me. What you gonna do when Donald Trump and all the Trumpamaniacs run wild on you brother?' Wrestling great Hulk Hogan ripped off his shirt to expose a Trump-Pence tanktop during a wild speech onstage Thursday night at the Republican National Convention Hulk Hogan waves to the crowd as he makes his Republican National Convention debut Thursday night in Milwaukee Hulk Hogan walked onstage holding the American flag after outing himself as a supporter of former President Donald Trump Hogan came onstage carrying an American flag and dressed in an American flag t-shirt dressed up with a blue blazer. But that professional look didn't last long, as the wrestler shredded his top layer and flexed his muscles, marching alongside the podium. 'You know Trumpites, I didn't come here as Hulk Hogan but I had to give you a little taste,' he teased. He then introduced himself to the audience as Terry Bollea and as a person who has known Trump for some 35 years. The Republican nominee had walked back into the Fiserv Forum for the second time Thursday night, this time accompanied by most members of his family, including daughter Ivanka Trump, who was making her Milwaukee debut. 'I just had a flashback man, this is really tripping,' he told the crowd. 'You know the last time I was onstage Donald Trump was sitting ringside at Trump Plaza,' Hogan recalled. Trump Plaza was one of the ex-president's casino hotels in Atlantic City, New Jersey. 'I was bleeding like a pig,' Hogan went on. 'And I won the world title right in front of Donald J. Trump!' A vintage shot of Donald Trump (left) and wrestling great Hulk Hogan (right) during Wrestlemania in 1987 Prior to taking the stage, Hogan told Fox News Bret Baier that Saturday's assassination attempt moved him into action, as he hadn't previously been a public supporter of the ex-president despite their decades-long relationship and Trump's other close ties with WWE. 'Well, you know, Bret, I got tired of remaining silent,' Hogan said. 'You know, I sat back and watched the borders collapse. I watched the economy collapse. You know, I watched the price of gas, the price of food, everything just do an upside-down flip.' 'And when they took a shot at my hero Donald Trump, I realized that I couldn't be silent anymore,' Hogan said. Hogan posted a message to his Facebook page Saturday, which included the now iconic shot of Trump, blood spattered on his face, with his fist up. 'It rattled me to my core when this happened,' Hogan said. 'And when I saw him stand up with that fist in the air and the blood on his face as a warrior, as a leader, I realized that's what America needs.' 'I knew it all along,' the famed wrestler continued. 'I was just afraid to speak out, but when I saw that, it just made me realize that is the leader that this country needs to get back on track.' "The increase of international flight routes indicates that the ties between the Chinese economy and the global economy are deepening, with stronger demand for trade, investment, tourism, and family visits," said Yu Zhanfu, an expert with the Aviation Think Tank. BRUSSELS, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese airlines have been expanding their routes to the European continent this summer with the resumption and launch of more international routes amid governments' endeavors to facilitate bilateral trade and exchanges. Shanghai-based Juneyao Air launched two new intercontinental routes to Europe -- Shanghai-Manchester and Shanghai-Brussels early this month, increasing its European destinations to five countries. July also sees the launch of a direct flight from Shanghai to Marseille by Shanghai Airlines, a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, marking the first regular route between China and southern France, the China Chamber of Commerce to the European Union said on X. Earlier in June, China's Hainan Airlines resumed a direct flight route from Brussels to Shanghai. The airline had operated 18 direct routes between China and Europe by July 8, spanning 10 countries including Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. "The increase of international flight routes indicates that the ties between the Chinese economy and the global economy are deepening, with stronger demand for trade, investment, tourism, and family visits," said Yu Zhanfu, an expert with the Aviation Think Tank. In 2023, the EU was China's second-largest source of imports and second-largest export market, according to a report from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. Speaking of Juneyao Air's newly launched Shanghai-Brussels route, Cheng Xi, general manager of the commerce and sales department of the airline, noted that Chinese cities have always maintained close exchanges with Belgian cities. Beijing established a sister city relationship with the Brussels-Capital Region, and Shanghai has done the same with Antwerp in Belgium, said Chen. "There is vast potential for cooperation between China and Europe across various fields, which is the foundation for the development of new flight routes," Cheng added. Apart from the volume of bilateral trade, demand for business and travel, and favorable visa policies are also among the most significant factors that prompt the launches of international flight routes, Yu said. Since the beginning of this year, China has implemented various measures to facilitate the entry of foreign nationals into China for business, education and tourism, including expanded visa-free policies that exempt many European ordinary passport holders from the time-consuming and costly obligation of applying for a visa. Following measures introduced since January, China recorded 14.64 million inbound trips made by foreigners in the first half of this year, up 152.7 percent year on year, the country's immigration authority announced earlier this month. Hainan Airlines has witnessed a resurgence in the number of tourists on its recently resumed Shanghai-Brussels route, with an average load factor exceeding 80 percent, said Zhang Naifu, deputy director of Hainan Airlines' marketing committee. To capitalize on the international travel boom, Hainan Airlines plans to launch the Shenzhen-Budapest route in 2024, further enhancing connectivity between China and countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The timely resumption and launches of international routes are crucial to boosting inbound and outbound passenger flows and promoting international exchanges, Yu said. The latest data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China showed that the country's international passenger trips reached 5.3 million in June, accounting for 88.1 percent of the level during the same period in 2019. Looking ahead, Yu voiced confidence that China's international aviation market will achieve rapid recovery. Donald Trump's lawyer and MAGA favorite Alina Habba became emotional when she took the stage at the Republican National Convention hours before her boss accepted the Republican presidential nomination. 'Every attack on President Trump only strengthens our movement. The left's madness. It's only a sign of desperation,' she claimed from the stage. 'Sham indictments and baseless allegations will not deter us because the only crime President Trump has committed is loving America, and America we are winning,' she declared. The 40-year-old lawyer gained national attention after representing Trump in his blockbuster New York civil fraud case. She has since served as a legal spokesperson and senior adviser to the former president. Habba told the convention crowd they are probably used to her 'shouting outside the courthouse' but she wanted to take them behind the law and headlines. Trump's lawyer Alina Habba speaking at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Habba praised Trump for 'championing her journey' and 'empowering' her and called him a friend. 'Despite the lawfare and the politics, President Trump loves the American people, and he loves this country,' she claimed. She accused the left of 'trying to demolish' him but claimed there is not 'bulldozer big enough or strong enough' to remove the legacy he has built. The crowd on the floor of the convention welcomed her appearance with an excited cheer as she took the stage in a white suit and heels. Habba called Trump a friend while speaking at the convention. She serves as a senior adviser to his camaign and has been a legal spokesperson during his multiple court cases including the New York criminal case where he was found guilty on 34 counts Habba argued 'sham indictments and baseless allegations will not deter' them as the crowd at the convention cheered Habba became known for representing Trump in his fraud case after New York Attorney General Letitia James sued the former president for inflating the values of properties in order to get better loan terms. Trump was found liable in the case and ordered to pay a $364 million fine in February. The ex-president posted a $175 million bond in April, halting the collection of $454 million owed while he appeals the decision. Alina Habba represented Donald Trump during his New York civil fraud trial where the ex-president was found liable of fraud and fined $364 million Habba entering the Manhattan criminal courtroom during the ex-president's trial for falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump was found guilty on 34 counts. Habba served as a legal spokesperson during the trial Since then, Habba has been a staple on the Trump team, often appearing on his behalf on cable television as his legal spokesperson. During the ex-president's New York criminal trial where Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records by a unanimous jury, Habba was often spotted with the former president's team as it made its way to the criminal court in lower Manhattan. She was also seen sitting in the courtroom with the ex-president's adult children who were in attendance and defending him in countless interviews. Habba speaking next to Eric Trump at former president's campaign rally in Doral, FL on July 9 Habba on the floor of the Fiserv Forum on Day Two of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Habba has also rallied the crowds for the ex-president on the campaign trail. She recently spoke at his rally in Doral, Florida just days before the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Habba gave a preview of her convention speech to Fox News before taking the stage where she said she was going to let people know about the Trump she knows. A veteran Chicago Police officer of 29 years has been stripped of his police powers after video was posted online of him allegedly using a racial slur while at a Chicago bar. Lt. Andrew Dakuras, 55, was identified by a fellow bar patron, Raheem, who posted the video to his personal Instagram page. He recognized Dakuras as the same man who beat a Chicago Cubs fan so badly in 2016 that he needed to be hospitalized. Now Dakuras is in the headlines once again while officials investigate fresh allegations of misconduct while off-duty. Dakuras, right, was seen in a Chicago bar at the weekend remonstrating with another man Lt. Andrew Dakuras, 55, was identified by a fellow bar patron who posted the video to his personal Instagram page Raheem posted three clips to social media that showed two men in an altercation at a bar last weekend. In one of the video clips, a man, identified as Dakuras, can be seen looking down the length of a bar, apparently angry at another man standing just feet away. 'What the f*** bro?' the man can be heard asking. In a second clip, Dakuras, can be seen angrily screaming insults while aggressively pointing in the face of a man standing in front of him. 'You're fucking nobody, n****,' the man appears to say. As he is led away, a bystander can be heard saying that he had been 'dropping N-bombs.' Finally, in a third clip, Raheem identified Dakuras who was calm once again. Dakuras could be seen getting up in the face of a another bar patron In the first clip, another man is seen being dragged away after arguing with Dakuras 'Ain't you a police officer?' he asks the police lieutenant who is dressed in plain clothes. 'Not me, dude. I ain't nobody, dude.' Dakuras replies. The Chicago Police Department has now confirmed the incident is under investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, however the office refused to identify the officer or officers who were being investigated. However, a spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department confirmed Lt. Andrew Dakuras was relieved of his police powers on Wednesday pending the outcome of the investigation. 'I really didn't know how to react because it's like, I know they the police and he's not talking to me, but it's still affecting me. So it had me feeling in a weird position, like I'm upset and I don't know how to direct my anger,' Raheem said to Fox 32. The footage was posted online by Raheem who said he was 'uncomfortable' at what he heard Dakuras was honored, seen above, for rescuing a woman who was under attack in 2019 'They need to actually pay attention to the complaints made. Pay attention to the officers they have. These are the people that are arresting our communities,' Raheem said. Three years ago, a federal jury found Dakuras used excessive force when a man was tackled and beaten during the Chicago Cubs' World Series celebration in 2016. Dakuras kicked and slammed the man's head against the pavement during the celebration after the Cubs won Game 7 of the series. The man was awarded $53,000 in damages. At that time, Dakuras had 73 complaints against him. The 2021 ruling added to the the $278,000 the city has paid out to settle six previous lawsuits against Dakuras Dakuras and other undercover officers were working in the Wrigleyville area the night in November 2016 when the Cubs defeated Cleveland, prompting a massive celebration outside Wrigley Field. In 2019, video shows Dakuras, second from left, honored alongside two other officers A federal jury in 2021 found in favor of Asher Kaufman in his lawsuit against then-Sgt. Andrew Dakuras. It awarded him more than $53,000 in damages after Dakuras tackled, punched and kicked him after the Cubs won the world series in 2016 During the trial Asher Kaufman testified that he and his girlfriend had joined the celebration outside a tavern near Wrigley when another Sgt. Joseph Mirus Jr. grabbed him and confiscated a half-pint of whiskey he'd bought at a nearby convenience store. Kaufman said he thought Mirus was a bouncer at the bar and began to scuffle with him and Dakuras, both of whom were in plainclothes, before Dakuras grabbed Kaufman's cellphone and ran off. Kaufman said he chased Dakuras and had tackled him when several uniformed and plainclothes officers pounced on him. He said Dakuras told him, 'I love this part, free shots,' and grabbed him by the hair, punched him in the face and the side of his head, jumped on him and slammed his head into the pavement. Kaufman was arrested and taken by Dakuras to a hospital for treatment. He was charged with resisting arrest battery and drinking in a public way. In 2017 a judge found him guilty of a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest but found him not guilty on the battery and drinking in the public way counts. But Dakuras' police history hasn't all been marred by turmoil. In 2019, video shows he was honored alongside two other officers for rescuing a woman who was under attack. Australian drug kingpin Vaso Ulic has been caught in a dramatic police sting on a massive cocaine smuggling operation after years on the run. The one-time Kings Cross identity - whose underworld network is allegedly so huge he is known as the new Pablo Escobar - was arrested over a 2.5 tonne shipment. Police in the Montenegro capital of Podgorica - where Ulic lives in luxury at a private vineyard with grapevines imported from South Australia - swooped on the 65-year-old on Wednesday. He is accused of masterminding a plot to import the 2.5 tonne cocaine shipment to Australia and Europe from Colombia. Ulic, who fled Australia in 2005 after a $50million ecstasy bust, was arrested with nine others including his son Nikola in a police sting - codenamed 'General' - ordered by the Montenegrin Special State Prosecutor's Office. The months-long joint operation involved the Australian Federal Police, and the US' Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Agency. Australian Federal Police have assisted Montenegrin authorities for at least seven years in targeting Ulic for allegedly using their territory to coordinate mass shipments of drugs to Australia Intelligence reports on his alleged trafficking have convinced police he is the godfather behind a huge haul of illicit drugs and weapons smuggled into Australia each year. Australian drug kingpin Vaso Ulic is arrested in Montenegro over a massive 2.5 tonne cocaine smuggling ring allegedly masterminded by the former Kings Cross 'godfather' Vaso Ulic has earned the nickname of the 'new Pablo Escobar' for masterminding huge shipments of cocaine from Colombia to Europe and Australia Ulic is now on remand in prison in Montenegro but has denied any wrongdoing, Libertas Press reported. He was previously considered an Australian Priority Organisational Target (APOT) by the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, but that has since lapsed. Ulic was last arrested in Montenegro in 2017, when a senior AFP officer said that as well as trafficking ecstasy: 'He does cocaine, he does meth ... and money laundering. He's a very sophisticated high-level crime figure'. Following the latest swoop to arrest the gang of 10 suspects on Wednesday, investigators allege the group tried to smuggle 1.57 tonnes of cocaine from South America to Australia and Europe during the Covid pandemic in October 2020. That shipment 'was intercepted by the detection authorities in Colombia', Vukas Radonjic of the Montenegrin Special Prosecution Service said. A second shipment of 900kg of the drug, planned in June 2021, was intercepted by detection authorities in Australia. Ulic was born in Albania in the late 1950s and emigrated to Australia in 1979. The 2.5 tonnes of cocaine followed earlier, intercepted shipments of 1.57 tonnes in 2020 and 900kg in 2021, all from Colombia to Europe and Australia Vaso Ulic (above) when he was previously arrested in 2017 in Montenegro, where he lives in luxury on a vineyard planted with grapevines imported from South Australia He became a small time 'bag man' on what was known in Sydney's underworld as the Kings Cross 'Golden Mile', where corrupt police were on the crime payroll. Ulic graduated to become a big player leading a criminal empire stretching across the world focused on giant shipments of cocaine and other illicit substances through Sydney's wharves. When Ulic was last arrested in Montenegro in 2017, the AFP did not ask for the extradition of the then 58-year-old Ulic, despite being a prime target for 12 years. There is no extradition treaty between Australia and Montenegro, but fugitives can be returned under a legal arrangement. At the time, AFP's Organised Crime manager Commander Bruce Hill said: 'We can categorically without any doubt say he is one of the kingpins, if not THE kingpin, of bringing drugs to Australia.' Ground broken for new town of up to 70,000 Construction has started on a new town in Queensland, where sections are available for less than $300,000 - giving young buyers a chance to own their own homes as prices soar elsewhere. A major earth-moving project is underway to develop Waraba, a new town located an hour's drive north of Brisbane, which could eventually accommodate up to 70,000 residents. Formerly known as Caboolture West, the City of Moreton Bay Council approved the town's development unanimously on June 14. The council estimates that 30,000 dwellings will be built across the 3,156-hectare site over the next 40 years. This would make Waraba comparable in size to established cities like Coffs Harbour and Bundaberg. Waraba's first neighbourhood, Lilywood Landings, will feature a childcare centre, a service station, and 228 residential plots. Each plot will be at least 375 square meters, large enough for a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home, and will start at a price of just $280,000. Over 1,000 inquiries have already been received by developers Lennium Group, who anticipate that the first residents will move in by mid-2025. 'This will offer buyers a very affordable entry into the new home market with the land suitable for the majority of three to four-bedroom family homes,' development manager Ian Worthington said. Construction has started on a new town in Queensland, where sections are available for less than $300,000 A major earth-moving project is underway to develop Waraba, a new town located an hour's drive north of Brisbane Queensland's population is set to explode during the next five years as more than 100,000 people move there from other parts of Australia for warmer weather and more affordable housing. Prices in Sydney and Melbourne particularly have reached stratospheric levels that have reserved home ownership for the rich or those willing to take on a lifetime of debt. Budget papers predict that over the five years leading up to 2028, Queensland's population is projected to grow by 110,900 people. Oxford Economics Australia's senior economist, Maree Kilroy, said strong interstate migration into southeast Queensland would boost property values across the state. 'Demand fundamentals are expected to remain strong, with Queensland positioned at the forefront of population growth,' she said. 'The soft near-term supply outlook means pressure on the housing stock is set to continue, creating a solid foundation for further growth once the current monetary policy tightening cycle reverses.' Brisbane's housing market has surged in recent years, with prices increasing by more than 55 per cent since the Covid pandemic. Nigel Farage has been accused of 'inflaming' the riot in Leeds by a local MP - as he flirted with American conservatives thousands of miles away. The Reform UK leader shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, as people torched a bus and set bonfires in the streets of Harehills in the east of the northern city following an earlier disturbance. Mr Farage claimed the 'politics of the subcontinent are currently playing out on the streets of Leeds', without clarifying what this meant. He added: 'Don't say I didn't warn you'. But local MP Alex Sobel fired back at the newly elected member for Clacton, who is currently in America, appearing to suggest that he was 'exacerbating' the situation without being in full possession of the facts. He has also called on Mr Farage to apologise. But Mr Farage last night dodged questions on whether he was actually invited to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee - 3,700 miles away - as a guest of Donald Trump. West Yorkshire Police, the force responsible for Leeds, has also hit out at what it branded 'incorrect information on social media' around the incident - pleading with locals not to speculate on the causes of the disorder. Nigel Farage has been accused of 'inflaming' tensions in Leeds after a police disturbance escalated into a large-scale riot (pictured: a double decker bus torched during the riot) Mr Farage claimed the 'politics of the subcontinent' were playing out on the streets of Leeds - without clarifying what he actually meant He was then accused of 'inflaming' the situation with 'misinformation' by local MP Alex Sobel, who has called on him to apologise Nigel Farage, who is currently in the US, awkwardly ducked questions from Channel 4 News on whether he had actually been invited to the Republican National Convention Channel 4 News Washington correspondent @siobhankennedy4 tracked down Nigel Farage and Liz Truss at the Republican Convention in Milwaukee. pic.twitter.com/qtnZXSQQpj Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) July 18, 2024 The riot in Leeds erupted after police were called to a local disturbance, as people overturned a car (left) before starting bonfires (right), fuelling one with what appeared to be a fridge Pictured is a rioter setting fire to a double decker bus in Leeds on Thursday evening Quoting Farage's tweet on X, Labour and Co-operative MP Mr Sobel said: 'This is a situation you know nothing about and no one has briefed you on. You are inflaming a situation with misinformation. 'Politicians have a responsibility to not exacerbate situations particularly with no knowledge of them. I expect you to issue an apology.' The Reform MP fired back minutes later: 'When will you and the Labour Party apologise for irresponsible mass migration?' Mr Sobel has been an elected MP for areas of Leeds since 2017, and was most recently elected to the newly created Leeds Central and Headingley constituency earlier this month. Tracy Brabin, the Mayor of West Yorkshire, appeared to make an swipe at Mr Farage and those who were sharing unproven information about the Harehills riot on social media. 'Im reassured no one has been seriously injured but suggest those who are using this to inflame community tensions to think again,' she wrote. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said she was being briefed on the situation, writing on X: 'I am appalled at the shocking scenes and attacks on police vehicles & public transport in Leeds tonight. Disorder of this nature has no place in our society.' Mr Farage was elected as an MP on his eighth attempt earlier this month - and has celebrated becoming a local representative for the people of Clacton by jetting off to the United States. The former MEP, who has resumed presenting duties on GB News after being elected, attended the King's Speech on Tuesday before flying to America to support Donald Trump, whom he described as a 'friend'. But Mr Farage ducked questions from Channel 4 yesterday on whether he had actually been invited to the Republican National Convention - or if he had simply turned up. Asked if he had actually met with Mr Trump, the MP said: 'No, I haven't.' Asked if he was going to, and when he would meet with the former President, he replied shortly: 'Yes...I don't know yet.' And pressed on whether he had been invited, and whether he should be in his constituency, Mr Farage replied: 'What's that got to do with you? What on earth has that got to do with you?' Cryptically, he added: 'There's an eight-day week, and as long as I work seven of them, we're okay.' Multiple fires have been set in Harehills, Leeds where a riot has broken out Large crowds of people gathered in the Harehills area of the northern city, where thugs overturned and smashed up a police car with scooters, prams and bikes Disorder has broken out in Harehills, Leeds, where rioters have set multiple fires A man on a mobility scooter rides past a burning fire started by rioters in Leeds last night Nigel Farage attended the King's Speech and the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday (above) before setting off for the US The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, appeared to take a swipe at those who she said were 'inflaming community tensions' Farage was also pressed by former BBC journalist Emily Maitlis on why he was in the US, rather than engaging with his new constituents. He told The News Agents USA: 'There were people around him (Trump) who thought it was the right thing that I came. I'm allowed to come to America on a trip like this.' In Leeds, residents have been told to stay at home as scores of rioters linger on the streets of Harehills following disruption in the area a mile east of central Leeds. Police have battled what they described as 'pockets of disruption' across the area - after thugs torched a double decker bus and started bonfires in the middle of the road. Footage has been shared across social media of rioters smashing up a police car, which was later overturned, and setting fire to a bus. First Bus, which operates public transport in Leeds, said nobody on board was hurt. West Yorkshire Police said it had deployed a large number of riot officers to the area in what it termed 'an ongoing incident' shortly before 1am on Friday. It had earlier said the disturbance involved 'agency workers and children'. Police chiefs have vowed to take action against all those responsible for disruption - and renewed its plea for those gathering in the area to disperse.' The force said in its early morning statement: 'All criminal offences, including damage to vehicles from fire, will be fully investigated by detectives from Leeds CID and the forces Homicide and Major Enquiry Team. 'We want to make it very clear that the full weight of the law will be brought against those responsible. 'Police can also confirm that no-one has so far been reported to have been hurt in the disorder and police are treating the matter as a serious public order incident. 'Residents who have perhaps gathered to observe the incidents are asked to keep away from the disorder while officers manage the incident. 'We would strongly discourage residents from speculating on the cause of this disorder which we believe has been instigated by a criminal minority intent on disrupting community relations. 'Officers are aware of incorrect information circulating on social media suggesting persons potentially responsible.' The force added that it intends to set up a specialist website for members of the public to share information about the riots. Statistics published by the House of Commons Library in May this year suggest net migration was an average of 208,000 per year between 2001 and 2011, at the peak of the Blair and Brown Labour governments. Annual net migration rose to an average of 250,000 per year between 2011 and 2021, during the Cameron, May and Johnson governments. MailOnline has contacted Mr Farage and Mr Sobel for further comment. Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson gave a rousing address on the final day of the Republican National Convention praising Donald Trump as being a unifier and comparing Joe Biden to a 'dead person.' The talk show host marched onto the RNC's main stage to thunderous applause from the conservatives in the room who are no doubt familiar with Carlson from his time leading the top-rated cable news show before his ousting from Fox. Carlson immediately addressed the assassination attempt on the former president at this Saturday's campaign rally, noting how Trump did not use the inflammatory tragedy as a political cudgel. 'In the moment, the days, the weeks after the shooting ... he did his best to bring the country together,' the media personality said. 'This is the most responsible, unifying behavior of a leader I think I've ever seen.' Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson applauded Trump for being a unifier in the wake of his nearly-fatal assassination attempt, saying it was the most unifying behavior he's ever seen 'When he stood up after being shot in the face and put his hand up. I thought at that moment, that was a transformation.' 'This was no longer a man ... this was the leader of a nation,' Carlson proclaimed prompting the crowd to erupt in cheers. Carlson also pointed out how much restraint Trump showed in refusing to spark division in the wake of his shooting. 'He turned down the most obvious opportunity in politics to enflame the nation after being shot ... which is an opportunity that almost every other politician I've ever met and certainly his opponents would have taken instantly.' The former Fox News host then recounted his personal conversation with the former president within hours of the shooting. He detailed how Trump never talked about himself in the aftermath of getting 'shot in the face' and instead 'he said only how amazed he was and how proud he was of a crowd that didn't run.' 'Of course they didn't run, his courage gave them heart. A leader's courage gives courage to his people.' Tucker Carlson speaks during the Republican National Convention Donald Trump applauds during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures as he is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he leaves the stage at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania He then turned his attention from the former president to the current one, painting a stark picture between the two presidents. Carlson, in an apparent dig against President Joe Biden, told the crowd that the title of president does not intrinsically have value, but the person who sits in the role does. 'Just because you call yourself the president doesn't mean that much inherently,' he said. 'I can call my dog that CEO of Hewlett Packard, it doesn't mean s***.' 'You could take, I don't know, a mannequin, a dead person and make him president,' he said in an apparent jab at President Joe Biden's age. Carlson took an apparent jab at Joe Biden saying the title of president does not inherently mean anything and that a 'dead person' could assume office Earlier in the week, Carlson sat in Trump's VIP box and was the first to welcome him to the convention floor as he entered Fiserv Forum on Monday. The two were pictured together yucking it up and laughing as the program went on, giving insight into the two's friendly and close relationship. His remarks come within days of reports indicating that Carlson has been an influential power broker in Trump's camp. Those dispatches indicate the talk show host warned the former president against selecting any one other than JD Vance for his running mate. A British Airways pilot allegedly filmed himself spanking a cabin crew member with a riding crop before sending the video to a friend without her consent. The court heard that Tim Capron, 37, met the woman on Tinder where they discussed their sexual fantasies. Capron, after having sex with the woman, asked her to wear a blindfold before he smacked her backside with the crop. He then shared photos and videos of the actions with his friends on Whatsapp. Reading Crown Court heard that when the woman found out what Capron had done he said: 'I am so sorry. I am glad that you caught me doing it because I should not have done it.' The Sun reports that Capron was then arrested two weeks later in September 2021 after the woman reported him to the police. British Airways Tim Capron pilot allegedly filmed himself spanking a cabin crew member with a riding crop before sending the video to a friend without her consent, a court has heard (stock image) Reading Crown Court where Capron is on trail. The 37-year-old has denied one count of voyeurism (stock image) Capron, who earns 90,000 a year as a pilot, messaged fellow BA pilot Steve Farnworth claiming it was safe to send 'a few videos' while the woman was blindfolded. Prosecutor Stefan Weidmann said: 'You knew what you were planning to do was bang out of order. 'You are an educated man, Oxford, you fly a plane worth millions. You knew full well that she did not consent to being filmed.' Capron, who was suspended by BA on full pay in December, told the jury: 'I thought she would enjoy Steve enjoying what she looked like, so to speak. 'At the end of the day, that was my mistake.' The Jury heard, that Capron had enjoyed threesomes and had also been filmed in the past. Capron, of Taplow in Berkshire, denies one count of voyeurism. The trail continues. QUESTION Which country has the longest cave system? The United States has the longest cave system in the world, specifically the Mammoth caves in Kentucky. Mammoth Cave National Park encompasses more than 400 miles of surveyed passageways. This extensive network of limestone caves and tunnels is renowned for its complexity and vastness, and new sections continue to be discovered and mapped by speleologists. The Mammoth caves are more than 100 miles longer than the next largest system, Sistema Ox Bel Ha. This is an underwater cave system in the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. The UKs largest is the Three Counties System in the Yorkshire Dales, with 54 miles of passageways. J.B. Daniels, Sheffield The United States has the longest cave system in the world, specifically the Mammoth caves in Kentucky Mammoth Cave National Park encompasses more than 400 miles of surveyed passageways This extensive network of limestone caves and tunnels is renowned for its complexity and vastness, and new sections continue to be discovered and mapped by speleologists QUESTION Is it true that a British cartoonist was executed for lampooning the government? The 17th-century Protestant agitator Stephen College was executed because of his work, and his most offensive image was known as Prospect Of A Popish Successor. He was a carpenter by trade, whose handiwork can still be seen in the fine panelling of Stationers Hall in the City of London. But College was also a radical supporter of the Protestant cause, fearful that Britain would return to the Catholic faith with the accession of the Catholic Duke of York, the future James II, to the throne. College, popularly known as the Protestant joiner, was active in the campaign to exclude the Duke from the throne. He produced effigies that were burned in anti-Catholic demonstrations, and he performed and possibly wrote A Ra-Ree Show, an anti-Catholic ballad, at coffee houses. TOMORROW'S QUESTIONS... Q: Did the French Foreign Legion support the Vichy government in World War II? Sandra Towey, Shepshed, Leics Q: Why is it that certain foodstuffs coriander, for example taste so different to different people? Bill Kirby, Tarporley, Cheshire Q: Which countries have the longest and the shortest national anthems? Pete Davies, Cheltenham, Gloucs Advertisement Among a host of inflammatory images in Prospect Of A Popish Successor was a two-headed figure representing the future James II as half-devil, half-papist and labelled Mack (because he was High Commissioner of Scotland). This figure gestures with a burning brand towards a bonfire where people are being burned alive. By 1681, Colleges agitating had prompted his arrest. He was found guilty of treason in a highly political trial and on August 31 was hanged, drawn and quartered. George Rowley, Croydon, Surrey QUESTION Is there solid evidence that King Arthur did exist? Whether King Arthur was a real person remains a topic of intense debate among scholars, but evidence for his existence is sparse and shrouded in myth. In recent times, Arthurian historians have focused on the Saxon invasion and the suggestion that Arthur was a young Roman general. The Romans left Britain in about AD 410. A chieftain, Vortigern, established himself as king of Britain but was continually harried by the Picts in the north. He invited Saxon mercenaries to help, who then took much of the country. Resistance was led by an ex-Roman warrior named Ambrosius Aurelianus. It has been suggested that Ambrosius himself or another Roman soldier, Lucius Artorius Castus, was Arthur. The latter idea was dramatised in a 2004 Antoine Fuqua film, King Arthur, starring Clive Owen as Arthur. The earliest reputed references to Arthur are found in Welsh texts. Y Gododdin, a Welsh poem attributed to the bard Aneirin, refers incidentally, according to some translations, to a warrior similar to Arthur. In it, a warrior is praised for his valour although he was not Arthur, the text states. The Historia Brittonum, attributed to Nennius around AD 830, provides the earliest narrative accounts of Arthur, describing him as a military leader fighting in 12 battles. And the Annales Cambriae (Welsh annals), compiled in the 10th century, contains entries for the Battle of Badon (AD 516) and the Battle of Camlann (AD 537), where Arthur and Medraut (Mordred) are said to have died fighting the Saxons. These entries provide a chronological framework, suggesting Arthurs presence in historical events. The fact that they contain many proven historical figures and events has suggested to some that the story of Arthur must contain some truth by association. Geoffrey of Monmouth, in his 12th-century work Historia Regum Britanniae, which blended history with legend, popularised the Arthurian story across Europe and brought numerous historical figures and events into the narrative. While archaeological sites such as Cadbury Castle and Tintagel Castle provide intriguing glimpses into the period associated with King Arthur, there is no definitive archaeological evidence to confirm his existence as a historical figure. Hugh Baines, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire Australians who fear they are caught up in one of the nation's biggest cyber attacks must now be on constant alert for possible scams, as experts revealed how to protect yourself. MediSecure, an online prescription provider, was compromised by hackers earlier this year, with the personal details of 12.9million Australians stolen and published on the dark web. Names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, Medicare numbers, prescription information and the reasons for the medication are among the 6.5 terabytes of data snatched by the hackers. The company revealed on Thursday that nearly 13million Aussies who used the prescription delivery service between March 2019 to November 2023 had been impacted. But said they have been unable to identify exactly who is a victim because of the 'complexity of the data set'. Professor Matthew Warren, Director of the RMIT Centre for Cyber Security, said Aussies won't know if they are a victim of the breach until they notice a personal security threat. He said that may include scammers taking out loans in their name, impacted credit ratings, or scammers trying to contact them directly. 'There are several malicious ways that cybercriminals and identity thieves may use personal data,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Almost 13million Australians have been caught up in one of the nation's biggest data breaches, after hackers stole information from MediSecure data servers in April 'Through direct attacks, they can apply for loans or lines of credit, make purchases with credit cards, access financial accounts, etc. 'Another concern is attacks could use information to try and take over online accounts / online identities.' UNSW cybersecurity expert Professor Sanjay Jha said that when malicious cyber-attacks on companies and organisations result in breaches, it can take some time for that personal information to make its way to professional hackers or others who try to make money from the stolen data. 'A lot of this information when it is obtained by a cyber-attack is then sold on the dark web and maybe it then gets bought by hackers who are building phishing sites designed to get the additional credentials they need to get into bank accounts and steal money,' he said. 'Personal data is a valuable commodity. Even if credentials arent stolen, then it can still be sold as marketing information. 'But if there is a specific piece of identity, that can kick-start cybercrime because it helps bad actors create your profile and maybe use social engineering to try to get the full information they need to log into your banking system or compromise your medical records. 'Even just knowing your mobile phone number and whether you are a male or female can be enough for criminals to start getting to work.' However, Professor Jha said anyone who believes their personal information has been jeopardised in the attack should not panic, but should be on alert. '[The personal data stolen is] a lot of information,' he said. 'With the theft of phone numbers and email addresses, possible victims will need to be concerned about phishing emails or sms-based scams. 'Be cautious not to click on posts, and if you get a message from someone claiming to be from a service, like AusPost, make sure you go to the authorised website.' MediSecure was one of two electronic prescription delivery services operating in Australia until late 2023 Professor Jha said the data could also be used by fraudsters to target victims' bank accounts or accounts with other institutions, as details such as someone's date of birth is often used as a verification tool when speaking to customer services over the phone. However, he stressed that the onus to monitor for scammers also falls on banking companies and other organisations dealing with personal data, which he believes will seek to beef up their security measures in the wake of the attack. He said anyone who was concerned they may be impacted could take cautionary action now by revising their digital security. 'Reset your passwords - if they [the website or company] are offering multi-factor authentication, use that,' he said. 'Use strong passwords and instead of writing them down on paper, try to use a password management system. 'It can be a bit cumbersome, but it keeps you safer.' Both Professor Jha and Professor Warren urged Australians who suspect they have been the victim of a cyber crime to follow the advice provided by the Australian government, which includes reporting the incident and contacting financial institutions. MediSecure first became aware of the breach on April 13 when suspected ransomware was discovered on a server containing the sensitive personal and health data, then publicly confirmed the attack in May. The hack was believed to be linked to a well-known ransomware group based in Russia. The data stolen includes Medicare numbers, prescription information and the reasons for the medication (stock image) On Thursday, MediSecure and its administrators publicly advised that the company has ceased its investigation into the cyber incident that impacted the company earlier this year. A sample of personal information has been exposed on the dark web but the company said it was unable to identify specific individuals impacted due to the complexity of the data and the cost of doing so. The federal government was not aware of publication of the full data set, National Cyber Security Coordinator Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness said on X, formerly Twitter. 'No one should go looking for or access stolen sensitive or personal information from the dark web,' Lt Gen McGuinness said on Thursday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was working with the Australian Federal Police and the private sector to address national security and privacy concerns. 'This is a very significant cyber event,' Mr Albanese told reporters in Cairns on Friday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called on Australians to be vigilant in the wake of the attack 'It's not the first and it won't be the last. 'We know some state actors have been involved in cyber attacks, but we know also that criminal elements - both here and overseas - have been involved as well.' Australians have been urged not to respond to unsolicited messages about the data breach as they could be scam attempts. Bad actors have launched cyber attacks on a variety of Australian sectors. Thousands of Western Sydney University staff fell victim to a data breach in May, less than a year after highly sensitive Victorian government information was stolen and leaked to the web. Millions more Australians have had their data compromised in attacks on Optus, Ticketmaster and Medibank. Mr Albanese has encouraged Australians to become more cyber aware as threats proliferate. MediSecure was one of two electronic prescription delivery services until late 2023, with the Australian government awarding the service exclusively to eRx Script Exchange. The company appointed liquidators and went into administration in June, and is not part of Australia's digital health network. National prescription delivery service eRx is not affected by this cyber incident, the government confirmed. The rolling scandal involving the CFMEU is threatening to derail Anthony Albanese's re-election campaign. The PM is due to face voters before May next year but had been hoping to get to the polls this year, possibly as early as the end of next month, before worsening economic news takes hold. However, that strategy may be going up in smoke, as the dodgy left wing construction union faces all manner of allegations - from taking bribes to money laundering to links with organised crime. The allegations are yet to be proven, but the evidence is mounting and the stench is worsening by the day. It is borderline embarrassing to watch a conga line of Labor politicians file past cameras and microphones to claim with hand on heart that they had absolutely no idea the union was so immersed in problems. If that were true it only serves to highlight their wilful blindness. The actions of the CFMEU have long been controversial, and question marks surrounding its conduct as a Labor-affiliated union have been the worst kept secret in the corridors of power for many years. The Labor Party is now seeking to isolate the CFMEU by de-coupling it from the party, but it is too little way too late. That should have happened a generation ago. The rolling scandal involving the CFMEU is threatening to derail Anthony Albanese 's re-election campaign, writes Peter van Onselen Labor leaders, from premiers to the prime minister, have been happy to take millions of dollars in campaign donations from the union. The Left faction within the party has used its ties to the CFMEU to put more of its people in state and federal parliaments. Helping the Left take control of state divisions such as Victorian Labor, where the CFMEU is at its strongest and, allegedly, most questionable. So far the PM and the ACTU are resisting calls for the CFMEU to be formally deregistered. Labor leaders, state and federal, are saying they won't accept anymore donations from the scandal riddled union. That's not good enough. What about the many millions already received? Labor at both state and federal levels should donate monies received from the CFMEU - potentially crime fuelled funding - to charity where it can do some good. But you won't see that happen, because Labor has relied on the potentially ill gotten gains for its electoral success over recent years. So the two meaningful things Labor and the ACTU could do - deregister the CFMEU and pay back donations received to charity - it just won't do. Rather, they will puff up their collective chests and whinge about what the union has done. Express their disgust. Say that ties are to be cut between the union and the Labor Party. All mere gestures designed to put the scandal behind them. Doing the media rounds this morning the PM even tried to turn the failures of the CFMEU back on the Coalition, because some of the goings on occurred during its time in office. Is he serious? Does this prime minister have no shame whatsoever? The CFMEU has been Labor affiliated, with ex union officials entering parliament for Labor, donating millions of dollars to the party, using its factional clout to win preselections for candidates who support it, playing a role in securing leadership positions for those same supporters where possible. CFMEU unionists stage a protest preventing access to a building site in Brisbane, above And Albo tries to turn the problems within the union back on the Coalition? How utterly ridiculous. The rhetorical gymnastics is actually a sign that Albo isn't taking the issues within the union seriously, if he's prepared to make such an absurd claim. It is a sign he's all about the political positioning regarding the union, not the serious work of taking responsibility for what a union linked to his party has done, as the most senior Labor figure in the country. Labor probably wins the next election despite the growing list of scandals and problems during its first term. But only because historically Australians are a generous people and give one term government's a second chance by re-electing them. That's been the case since 1931 - the last time a first term government lost a re-election bid. So Albo will get a second term, that's my prediction, but he and his party are doing everything they possibly can to put that historical track record at risk. The heartbreaking suicide note left by a tycoon father-of-six before he jumped to his death on Tuesday morning has been revealed. J. Michael Cline, the 64-year-old co-founder of movie-ticketing firm Fandango, leaped from The Kimberly Hotel, landing in a courtyard on the third floor on Tuesday morning. Cline appeared to be in turmoil as he left a note in a room on the 20th floor of the luxury hotel in Midtown Manhattan on East 50th Street near Lexington Avenue. 'So sorry. I can't explain the pain of f****** up this much. I love you all,' Cline wrote before jumping. The suicide happened only days after he had undergone gallbladder surgery. J. Michael Cline, the 64-year-old co-founder of movie-ticketing firm Fandango, leaped from The Kimberly Hotel, landing in a courtyard on the third floor, on Tuesday morning Cline jumped from the 20th floor of the hotel and landed in a courtyard area on the third floor Cline's business, which he founded in 2000, had struggled during the pandemic which saw movie theaters shutter or forced to follow restrictions on the number of audience numbers allowed for almost two years. Cline was also a 'serial entrepreneur' and managing partner at the startup-funding firm Accretive. His wealth saw him owning several multi-million dollar homes in the Hamptons on New York's Long Island, Greenwich, Connecticut and Palm Beach, Florida. One of the homes include a $20.75 million lakefront mansion that he purchased during the pandemic in December 2020, reports the Palm Beach Daily News. Cline's body was brought out from a courtyard in the hotel and taken away by the New York Medical Examiner Cline also sat on the board of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation In recent years, Fandango had struggled after movie theater attendance was essentially non-existent during the pandemic. The firm attempted to pivot to streaming but reported a loss in profits in 2023. Art Levitt, who co-founded Fandango alongside Cline remembered him as brilliant, creative and loyal and as someone who would stick it out even in 'tough' times. He described his former business partner as 'a bit of an adventurer.' Levitt told how with Fandango 'he saw an opportunity in the market' and asked Levitt to manage the company. Cline, who had been married to wife, Pamela, for almost 30 years graduated from Cornell University and obtained an MBA from Harvard University. Cline, who had been married to wife, Pamela, for almost 30 years graduated from Cornell University and obtained an MBA from Harvard University A body bag containing Cline is seen being wheeled out onto the sidewalk on Tuesday His career started in the early 1980s when he began a business importing hand-warmers from Japan. 'Business failed,' he wrote on his LinkedIn page when describing the company, 'Penguin Warmers.' 'I had no idea what I was doing. Seriously,' he wrote. In a profile by Fordham University, he was described as a 'serial entrepreneur' and as someone who 'helped to who inspired students'. Cline is seen taking part in a discussion with business students at Fordham University Cline also sat as the executive chairman of Juxtapose - another firm which specializes in funding startups launching a number of tech businesses in areas ranging from health care and wellness to property management. He was also a philanthropist and had recently served as chairman of the board of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. If you or anyone you know needs help, you can reach Samaritans NYC at 212-673-3000 or the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386. For confidential assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988 or click here. Former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced his retirement from politics after 13 years in the state's Parliament - and at just 41-years-old. 'I love NSW,' he said in a statement. 'It has been an absolute honour to represent the eight million people who call this great state home, especially as their 46th Premier.' The move comes little more than a week after he was spotted having coffee with former prime minister Scott Morrison. A Liberal insider had claimed at the time that Mr Perrottet was 'days away' from resigning his post. The former Liberal leaders were spotted deep in conversation late last week at the Little Jardin Cafe connected to the Sydney Eye Hospital. Later that day, a senior Liberal source said the Epping MP had secured a job in the private sector. Mr Perrottet will lead mining giant BHP's new office in Washington DC as head of corporate affairs. 'I got into politics to promote ideas and new ways of thinking and I am proud to have been part of a government that left NSW a much better place than we found it,' he said. Former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced his retirement from politics. Dominic Perrottet is pictured with his family Speculation on Mr Perrottet's career had intensified following the resignation of his ex-deputy and former NSW treasurer Matt Kean. Mr Kean ended his own 13-year-run as the MP for Hornsby stating he wanted to explore private sector opportunities in the renewable energy and climate space. Days later he appeared next to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who announced him as the new chair of the Climate Change Authority - in a move that enraged some of his former Coalition colleagues. The exit of Mr Kean and Mr Perrottet will trigger by-elections in the safe Liberal seats. Mr Perrottet was first elected into the state parliament as the member of Castle Hill 2011, before he represented the Liberal Party as the MP for Hawkesbury, and then Epping in 2019. Prior to succeeding Gladys Berejiklian as NSW Premier, he was the state's treasurer and has also overseen the portfolios for finance and industrial relations. An alleged stalker sent a 25-year-old fitness fanatic an ominous message just days before she disappeared. Doris Maricela Aguilar was reported missing on the night of July 1, when she left work and did not return to her home in Phoenix, Arizona, Fox 10 reports. Her car was found abandoned a week later, and a private investigator hired by her family to track her down said her cellphone has since pinged in Houston, Texas. Family and friends now say they worry she may have been taken by her alleged stalker, a former co-worker who had sent her harassing messages. Doris Maricela Aguilar, 25, has been missing from Phoenix, Arizona since July 1 The alleged stalker would show up in the parking lot of the gym Aguilar attended, forcing her to switch gyms three times, private investigator Steve Fischer told the station. Just a few days before Aguilar mysteriously disappeared, on June 27, the alleged stalker seemed to indicate he knew which facility she was now attending. He wrote on a Facebook page with a gun as its profile picture: 'Getting my membership back... [see] you soon,' Fox 10 reports. On June 27, just a few days before Aguilar mysteriously disappeared, an alleged stalker wrote on a Facebook page with a gun as its profile picture that he was getting his membership back - presumably to the gym that Aguilar would frequent Aguilar had previously expressed her fear about the alleged stalker, friends and family claim. They said that after the unidentified stalker started sending her harassing messages, Aguilar reported him to the company they worked at, and he was fired. But he reportedly kept re-appearing in Aguilar's life and sending her messages from the ominous Facebook account. Besides the gun profile picture, the only other photo on the profile was of an AR-15 in the back of a car, according to Fox 10. 'I believe that guy took her,' said Aguilar's friend, David Lara. 'I really hope she is still here in Arizona and they didn't take her anywhere else.' Her family has revealed she had a stalker who would follow her to different gyms Aguilar's car was eventually found abandoned on July 8 at a shopping mall near the intersection of Interstate 17 and Bethany Home Road. The car was unlocked, with her purse and wallet inside full of cash. Aguilar - whose friends and family describe her as a gym rat, a health nut and a hard worker - also left behind her passport and clothes, according to Univision. She had even meal prepped for the week just one day before she went missing, her family says, noting she has no history of mental issues, drug abuse or running away. Aguilar's mother now says that as she continues to await for any news of her daughter's whereabouts. 'I feel like an anxious and worried mother because I need to know where my daughter is,' she pleaded in Spanish. 'I ask you all from the bottom of my heart to help me find Maricela safe and sound.' Aguilar's car was found abandoned at a shopping mall on July 8 Fischer says he is now requesting surveillance footage from the shopping mall where her car was found and is following up on her cell phone records. He noted that he has also reached out to the police in Houston for assistance. Meanwhile, police in Phoenix say they have finished processing Aguilar's car, and are awaiting the results as officers follow-up on all possible leads. UFC President Dana White introduced Donald Trump's headline address with a tribute to his longtime friend as the 'toughest, most resilient human being' where he choked back emotion. After White agreed to speak just before Trump, the ex-president texted him and thanked him. He apologized for the fact that he would have to cut out early on a family trip. 'Think of it as the biggest fight that you ever had. A fight for our country and even the world. I only wish you did not have to interrupt your family trip but I hope they understand, they love you, and they know how important this is,' Trump had said, according to White. 'This man's running for President of the United States, he's fighting for the future of this country, and he's concerned about interrupting my family trip,' White said. UFC President Dana White introduced Donald Trump 's headline address with a tribute to his longtime friend as the 'toughest, most resilient human being' where he got emotional. Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump and his wife Melania Trump on stage at the end of the fourth day of the Republican National Convention 'This man is running for president of the United States. He is fighting for the future of this country. He is concerned about interrupting my family trip. That is the president trump that I know. A man who truly cares about people,' he went on. 'The mainstream media likes to push the narrative that he does not care about anybody but himself. But I know that is not the truth because I have been friends with this guy for 25 years.' 'This man is the toughest, most resilient human being that I have ever met in my life,' he said, tearing up in an emotional tribute. 'How great was Dana?' Trump said in his own address. 'He was on probably the only vacation he's taken, ever.' The former president said White had promised his wife the vacation for 'many years,' but White's wife told him 'you can't turn [Trump] down.' White and Trump's friendship dates back decades, after Trump welcomed the UFC into his now-defunct 'Trump Taj Mahal' in New Jersey amid a campaign to ban the sport that late Sen. John McCain once branded as 'human cockfighting.' 'This brand was so bad, venues didn't even want us. Arenas didn't want us,' White said in 2022. But when New Jersey legalized the sport in 2000, 'Trump literally called us. He said 'Come to my place, do the event here. We'll have you at the Trump Taj Mahal.' Not without controversy, White last year apologized for slapping his wife after the encounter was caught on video. 'This man's running for President of the United States, he's fighting for the future of this country, and he's concerned about interrupting my family trip,' White said Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump stands on stage with former first lady Melania Trump during the final day of the Republican National Convention 'This man is the toughest, most resilient human being that I have ever met in my life,' White said before Trump took the stage .@danawhite on Trump: This man is the toughest, most resilient human being that I have ever met in my life. pic.twitter.com/qejZvP5yQE Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) July 19, 2024 The 55-year-old White, who has an estimated worth of $500million after building the UFC up into a global money-spinning franchise, has been married to his wife for 27 years, since 1996, and they have three children together. They were celebrating New Year's Eve at El Squid Roe in Cabo San Lucas. Video shows White appearing to say something to Anne, who reacts by slapping him. He then slaps her back before the pair are split up. The UFC chief said: 'My wife and I were out Saturday night on New Year's Eve. Unfortunately that is what happened.' 'I am one of the guys who says there is never, ever an excuse for a guy to put his hands on a woman and now here I am on TMZ talking about it. 'This is one of those situations that is horrible. I am embarrassed. We have three kids and since the video popped up, we have shown the kids and we are more focused on our family right now. Police have seized a weapons including flick knives, Zombie knives and push daggers being openly sold at Paddy's Market in Sydney's city Haymarket precinct. A team of task force officers marched into the Market City building on Thursday to arrest a man who had a large array of knives and swords on display cases at a stall. Caught unawares while eating a snack, stallholder Zhi Wei Yuan briefly tussled with police as they tried to handcuff him while he was holding a kebab which fell to the ground as he was arrested. Police seized in excess of 300 prohibited weapons, including sheath knives, butterfly knives, swords and concealed blades from the stall as well as from houses in western and northwestern Sydney. A second man was arrested at Haymarket. The seizures stem from an incident four months ago in the inner city suburb of Waterloo. An affray involving a number of men resulted in charges which are still before the courts. Investigations into that clash revealed that prohibited weapons were allegedly being sold from businesses in Haymarket. Haymarket stallholder Zhi Wei Yuan is arrested while having his lunch on Thursday . The 60-year-old was later charged with knife offences over the multiple blades on sale at his stall As police try to handcuff Mr Yuan, his kebab or sandwich falls to the ground before he is taken away and charged to appear Downing Centre Court on Friday Police arrest Jianfeng Gong, 45, and take him off to the Day Street station where he was refused bail and charged with six weapons offences As well as charging the two men at Haymarket, police raided homes on Amos Street, Westmead and Shepherd Street, Cherrybrook. Jianfeng Gong, 45, and Zhi Wei Yuan, 60, were each charged with six offences and bail refused to appear in the Downing Centre Local Court on Friday. The charges include possess or use prohibited weapon without permit, sell prohibited weapon to person without permit and dealer buy/sell/manufacture prohibited weapon without permit. Inquiries under Strike Force Dudi are ongoing. The six people found dead in a luxury Bangkok hotel in a suspected murder-suicide have been identified, as the family of one victim said there was no hint of what was about to occur. US citizen Sherine Chong, 56, is believed to have poisoned herself and five other people with cyanide inside the Grand Hyatt Erawan on Monday after she accrued huge debts related to an investment in a hospital in Japan. The group - which include two female victims, Thi Nguyen Phuong, 47, and Thi Nguyen Phuong Lan, 46, and three men - Dinh Tran Phu, 37, Hong Pham Thanh,49, and Hung Dang Van, 55 - were discovered by staff at 5pm on Tuesday after failing to check out. The Vietnamese victims included a married couple and two others who had poured funds into Chong's project, but had reportedly lost some 10 million baht - roughly AU$410,000 or US$280,000 or 215,000 - as a result. Famous Vietnamese make-up artist Phu Gia Gia, born Dinh Tran Phu, told local media outlet Ngoi Sao that she and her husband were 'completely stunned' by their son's death. She said her son, who was from Da Nang, said he was travelling to Thailand for a three-day work trip from July 12 to 15 but did not say who was joining him, according to VnExpress. She said he was initially meant to return on July 14, but told his father he was staying another day because he still had work to do. That conversation was the last time he spoke to his family. Sherine Chong, 56, is thought to have poisoned herself and five other people after she accrued huge debts related to an investment in a hospital in Japan , according to police sources cited by Vietnamese media Pictured: Mr Hung Dang Van (left) and Ms Thi Nguyen Phoung (right) Pictured: Ms Thi Nguyen Phuong Lan (left) and Mr Dihh Tran Phu (right) 'We were in total shock last night after receiving the dreadful news from his friends, colleagues and the artists he had worked with,' his mother told Ngoi Sao. 'After looking at the information and documents that the Thai police posted online, we were deeply shocked and couldnt accept that our 37-year-old son had passed away in Thailand.' Mr Phu, who has more than 17,000 followers on Facebook, had worked in Vietnam's beauty industry for almost 20 years, doing makeup for celebrities and beauty queens. His social media pages are filled with photos of him attending events and runway shows and doing makeup for models. The deceased had arrived at the hotel in the days before the tragedy, but on Monday all moved into Chong's suite in room 502. They were last seen alive that afternoon when food was delivered to their room. Chong and Mr Van were both US citizens, while the others were Vietnamese citizens. The new details emerged as CCTV footage obtained by Vietnamese media revealed the moment the five victims made their way into the room. Investigators are seen photographing the remnants of the group's last meal In this photo released by the Royal Thai Police, a body lies next to a table with a tea cup and untouched meals on it, in a room at the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel in Bangkok Tea cups in the room (pictured) had been used but meals delivered by room service were untouched, police said. It is thought the victims may have consumed cyanide in their tea Suspected killer Chong, who was described as 'stressed' by hotel staff, was seen in hotel lift security footage wearing a colourful patterned dress, just hours before meeting the rest of the group. Staff delivered food ordered by one member of the group at 2pm on Monday, along with pots of tea. They offered to brew and serve the drinks but Chong allegedly declined, telling them she would take care of it. Post-mortem tests confirmed traces of cyanide were found in the cups and in the bodies of the victims. Police Major General Theeradet Thumsuthee, investigative commander of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said yesterday that police had questioned the daughter of one victim and other witnesses. He said: 'The case likely stems from a debt problem. There are no other possibilities. The culprit is among the six because they were the only people who entered the room.' Associate Professor Dr Kornkiat Vongpaisarnsin, head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at Chulalongkorn University said: 'The victims' lips and nails had turned dark purple, indicating a lack of oxygen, while their internal organs exhibited a blood red appearance, another characteristic sign of cyanide poisoning.' Forensic police chief Lt. Gen. Trairong Piwpan said a mass suicide was unlikely because some of the victims had made future arrangements for their trip, such as guides and drivers. He added that the bodies were not grouped in the same place - some were in the bedroom, some in the living room - suggesting that they did not knowingly consume poison and wait for their death together. Footage from the hotel lobby shows the group of Vietnamese tourists entering (left) after check in Staff members are seen leaving room 502 after delivering food and tea to the group Five of the dead - Chong, Ms Phuong, Ms Lan, Mr Phu and Mr Van - had checked into the room, while the sixth, Mr Thanh, was not registered to stay in the room. Officers said a seventh person whose name was part of the hotel booking was identified by police as a sibling of one of the six victims, who left the country on July 10. Police believe the seventh person had no involvement in the deaths. Investigators believe the cyanide was likely contained in silver thermal flasks found on the table, which were used to spike the tea. The staff saw one woman receive the food the day before, and security footage showed the rest arriving one by one shortly after. There were no other visitors, no one was seen leaving and the door was locked. Thiti added the deaths appeared to have occurred about 24 hours before police arrived on the scene Tuesday evening after being called by hotel staff. Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin immediately ordered an investigation into the deaths and personally visited the hotel yesterday to discuss the case with investigators. The Vietnamese and United States Embassies have been contacted over the deaths, and the American FBI is involved in the investigation, said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Some of the six foreigners appeared to be on their first trip to the country, while others appeared to be return visitors, he added. Chong is said to have visited Thailand five times on a US visa. A Thai police officer secures the area during investigations after six people were found dead at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand Policemen inspect after an incident, in which six bodies were found at a hotel in Bangkok on July 16, 2024. Six people believed to be Vietnamese and Vietnamese-Americans were found dead in a hotel room in central Bangkok on July 16 Thailand's economy is heavily reliant on tourism and Thavisin said he does not want the mystery deaths to negatively impact the country's image as a welcoming destination for holidaymakers. The incident comes as the country looks to further promote its tourism sector, a key driver of Southeast Asia's second largest economy. Thai authorities are keen to improve the image of the kingdom, whose reputation as a safe tourist destination sometimes takes a hit when grisly crimes are reported. In 2023, the country was rocked by reports of a serial killer who had poisoned 15 people with cyanide. Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, or 'Am Cyanide' as she would later be called, poisoned 15 people who she owed money to and became the country's first female serial killer. The country has played host to many other sordid and high-profile criminal cases, such as that of French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, nicknamed 'The Serpent' and linked to at least two dozen murders - mostly of tourists - in the 1970s. More recently, the son of a Spanish actor was accused of killing and dismembering the body of a renowned Colombian plastic surgeon on the tourist island of Koh Phangan. The verdict in the trial is expected in the coming weeks. The bodies were discovered at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel located in the popular Ratchaprasong Intersection of Bangkok Five bodies were reportedly discovered inside a room at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, with the sixth lying by the door, at around 7:30pm local time Last October, a 14-year-old boy opened fire at the Siam Paragon mall in the same area as Tuesday's mass poisoning, killing three people. The shooting came just days before the anniversary of a massacre at a nursery in northern Thailand that left 36 people dead and amid government efforts to bolster tourist numbers. Some 28 million people visited Thailand in 2023, up from 11 million the year before, but still well down from the 40 million who came in 2019, the last year before the pandemic. Travel restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic hammered the kingdom's vital tourism sector and arrivals have not bounced back as quickly as officials hoped. Officials hope to hit 35 million visitors in 2024, with a target of $55billion in revenue. The scene of yesterday's dark discovery, the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, is among Thailand's most luxurious and sought after tourist accommodations with a reputation for its service. Located in the Ratchaprasong district - a highly frequented shopping and commercial area in the Thai capital - the hotel is a five-star venue replete with decadent interiors, a huge outdoor pool, a gym and spa complex and a highly rated restaurant. It offers sweeping views of the city and besides the commercial attractions is also located adjacent to the Erawan Shrine, a notable religious site known for attracting tourists. Hotel administrators are yet to comment on the incident. For confidential support 24/7 in Australia, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue 1300 22 4636 Former President Donald Trump ad-libbed large portions of his Republican National Convention address, including when he name-dropped President Joe Biden, mocked 'crazy Nancy Pelosi' and blasted the Democrats for election 'cheating.' Trump addressed the Milwaukee convention just five days after he was nearly assassinated at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and dedicated the top of his speech to recounting that evening. The speech was supposed to be unifying, sober and policy-heavy but the newly-minted GOP nominee couldn't resist adding in some of his trademark digs. He called COVID the 'China virus,' brought up Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban unprompted and remarked that political platforms are 'long, boring, meaningless.' One of the jokes that landed the best wasn't on the prompter - which was positioned so that the entire press section could read it. Donald Trump kisses Melania Trump onstage after he accepted his party's nomination Donald Trump is joined on stage by his wife Melania, members of his family, and Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance Former President Donald Trump ad-libbed large portions of his Republican National Convention address Thursday night Trump's teleprompter would remain still as he was tougher on Democrats than was scripted as the Republican nominee also ad-libbed a number of jokes During his 92 minute-long address, Trump put up the chart that had been on-screen when Thomas Matthew Crooks aimed a gun at his face on Saturday. 'The last time I put up that chart, I never really got to look at it,' he said in an off-the-cuff remark. The crowd laughed and cheered. 'But without the chart, I wouldn't be here today.' Also not on the prompter, one of the ex-president's favorite dad jokes, which has raised eyebrows in the past. He talked about the 'late, great Hannibal Lecter.' 'He'd love to have you for dinner,' Trump said. Before Trump called attention to his new running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, the GOP nominee went on a tangent about how he recruited UFC CEO Dana White to introduce him. From there he remarked on Kid Rock's performance and gave a shout-out to Hulk Hogan, who ripped off his shirt to expose a Trump-Vance tank-top earlier in the night. He heralded son's Eric address and name-checked more speakers before finally getting back to the prompter and Vance. As he continued on, he name-checked Nevada Senate hopeful Sam Brown, noting how the wounded warrior paid 'the ultimate price,' language usually used for those killed in action. Trump also flubbed the term 'star wars' as he talked about how the U.S., under a second Trump term, should get an iron dome-like missile defense system like Israel. 'Space ship,' the Republican nominee told the crowd, as that entire part of the speech was missing from the prompter. Also as he discussed foreign policy, he went on a longer tangent than what was in the prepared remarks about North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. 'It's nice to get along with somebody who has a lot of nuclear weapons,' Trump mused. 'I think he misses me.' Overall, the adds to the speech made Trump go an hour and two minutes later into the night than the campaign had originally predicted. He set the record for the longest convention speech ever. And for those watching on the east coast, the speech stretched into the next day. The final words of an Alabama inmate executed over the 1998 murder of a father-of-seven have been revealed after unusually requested not to undergo an autopsy. Keith Edmund Gavin, 64, was pronounced dead at 6.32pm Thursday following a lethal injection - the Southern state's primary execution method - at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility, authorities said. Gavin, the third inmate executed in the state this year and the 10th in the country, said: 'I love my family,' just before the sedative was injected. The Muslim inmate followed with a few words that were not audible as he appeared to pray with his spiritual advisor beside him. He had a finger lifted on both hands in what appeared to be the Islamic gesture meaning Allah is the only God. Keith Edmund Gavin, 64, was executed on Thursday at 6.32pm following a lethal injection. He was convicted of capital murder for the March 6, 1998 shooting death of delivery driver William Clinton Clayton Jr., 68 William Clinton Clayton Jr., who went by Bill, was fatally shot by Gavin while he withdrew money from an ATM in downtown Centre. He just finished work and was getting money to take his wife out to dinner The death row inmate was convicted of capital murder for the March 6, 1998 shooting death of delivery driver William Clinton Clayton Jr., 68, when he stopped to withdraw money from an ATM in downtown Centre. Clayton, who went by Bill, had just finished work and was getting money to take his wife out to dinner, according to a trial testimony. After receiving a death sentence, Gavin spent years appealing many times to avoid the punishment, but was never successful. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said: 'Today, that justice was finally delivered for Mr. Claytons loved ones. I offer my prayers for Mr. Claytons family and friends who still mourn his loss all these years later.' At about 6.19pm a corrections officer performed a consciousness check - saying his name, brushing his eyelids and pinching his arms- which is done before the final two drugs are administered. Soon afterward, his breathing faded. Prior to his execution, Gavin asked the state not to autopsy his body due to his devout Muslim faith. While it is standard practice in the state of Alabama to perform an autopsy after execution, Gavin asked through his attorney to prohibit the act following his death for religious reasons. Prior to his execution, Gavin asked the state not to autopsy his body due to his devout Muslim faith. On Friday, the Alabama prison system agreed to forgo an autopsy on him. (pictured: William C. Holman Correctional Facility) On Friday, the Alabama prison system agreed to forgo an autopsy on him. 'Mr. Gavin is a devout Muslim. His religion teaches that the human body is a sacred temple, which must be kept whole,' his attorney's previously wrote. 'As a result, Mr. Gavin sincerely believes that an autopsy would desecrate his body and violate the sanctity of keeping his human body intact. 'Based on his faith, Mr. Gavin is fiercely opposed to an autopsy being performed on his body after his execution.' The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is typically reserved for especially heinous crimes in which a victim is killed, but each state can determine what specific circumstances make a murder eligible for a death sentence. During the attempted robbery more than two decades ago, Gavin was on parole in Illinois after serving 17 years of a 34-year sentence for murder, according to court records. Prosecutors said he shot Clayton, pushed him into the passenger seat of the van he was driving and drove off in the vehicle. An officer testified that he began pursuing the van and the driver - a man he later identified as Gavin - who shot at him before running away into the woods. A jury convicted Gavin of capital murder and voted 10-2 to recommend a death sentence, which a judge imposed. Most states now require a jury to be in unanimous agreement to impose a death sentence. Gavin, the third inmate executed in the state this year and the 10th in the country, said: 'I love my family,' just before the sedative was injected. (pictured: File photo of Alabama's lethal injection chamber) In 2020, a federal judge ruled that Gavin had ineffective counsel at his sentencing hearing because his original lawyers failed to present more mitigating evidence of Gavin's violent and abusive childhood in Chicago. The inmate grew up in a 'gang-infested housing project in Chicago' where he lived 'in overcrowded houses that were in poor condition,' U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre said. Bowdre added that Gavin 'was surrounded by drug activity, crime, violence, and riots.' A federal appeals court then overturned the decision which allowed the death sentence to stand. 'There is no doubt about Gavins guilt for this heinous offense,' Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said Thursday. Clayton, a Korean War veteran, was a father-of-seven who continued to work even after retiring from a railroad company, according to his obituary published by The Birmingham News. As of January 2024, there are 24 states that have the death penalty and 23 that do not - while a further three have a moratorium on it His son, Matthew Clayton, 54, who witnessed the execution, said that his late father was a 'slice of Americana' who would sometimes work two jobs to support his family. 'He was a good man. He left behind children and a wife who miss him, an extended family that mourns his loss. 'It's quite unfortunate that his final years were taken from him in such a brutal way,' Matthew said, adding that his father 'did not deserve to die this way.' Matthew told USA Today that he remembers his father as a 'quite large man' that was also 'a bit of a gentle giant.' He said his mother, who is now 94 years old, lives independently and is 'very healthy and very vibrant.' 'It's truly been a blessing to have her around for so much of my life, particularly since my father was gone at a younger age,' Matthew said. Donald Trump took a moment during his Republican National Convention speech to honor the man killed at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday when a gunman opened fire, narrowly missing the ex-president. As the former president spoke at his convention on Thursday night in Milwaukee, the uniform and helmet of Corey Comperatore, who was killed at the rally was on display on the stage behind him. At one point, Trump even stopped speaking to walk over to the uniform and kiss the helmet of the slain former fire chief who was the father of two daughters. 'Tragically, the shooter claimed the life of one of our fellow Americans, Corey Comperatore, unbelievable person everybody tells me,' Trump said in his remarks. 'He was a highly respected former fire chief - respected by everybody,' Trump said. Donald Trump kisses the helmet of Corey Comperatore during his Republican National Convention speech. The uniform was on display on the stage as Trump gave his acceptance speech Donald Trump is joined on stage by wife Melania and members of his family The former president said he spoke with Comperatore's wife Helen on Thursday, and she is devastated. Trump also recounted that Comperatore was the father of two daughters. 'He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets. He went right over the top of them and was hit,' Trump said. 'What a fine man he was.' That's when Trump stopped talking and pointed over at the uniform. He then walked up to the uniform and kissed the helmet. The former president thanked the fire department and family for sending Comperatore's uniform and helmet to the convention. It should be noted, the uniform jacket did have the wrong spelling of the victim's last name, but it did match the spelling on the jacket outside the Pennsylvania firehouse. The family confirmed through a spokesperson that they gave it to the ex-president for the convention. Trump standing with the uniform of Corey Comperatore who was shot and killed when the gunman opened fire at the former president's rally in Butler, PA last Saturday The former fire chief for Buffalo Township, Corey Comperatore, was the person killed in the crowd at the Trump rally in Butler, PA Trump said the fire department and family sent the uniform to Milwaukee for his speech Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump is joined on stage by wife Melania, other relatives and Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance As the thousands of convention attendees bowed their heads, Trump lead a moment of silence to honor Comperatore. 'There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for others. This is the spirit that forged America in her darkest hours, and this is the love that will lead America back to the summit of human achievement and greatness that we need,' Trump said. The former president announced during his convention speech that they have raised $6.3 million for the families. Trump said he also spoke with the two other men, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, who were critically wounded in the shooting. The fed up Mayor of San Francisco has said the time for compassion is over as she announced plans to tackle the city's homeless crisis which has left locals fearing for their safety. Mayor London Breed revealed the city is set to take a 'very aggressive' approach to remove encampments from the streets which have blighted the City by the Bay for the past four years. Certain parts of the city, including the troubled Tenderloin district have become known for their squalor and misery, becoming so bad that local businesses unable to recruit staff and residents have felt forced to flee. The rise in the number of homeless, now about 8,300 people, has brought with it a myriad of other associated problems filling the sidewalks with illegal drug dealers, fentanyl users and all round violent and intimidating behavior close to the tent encampments. The Mayor of San Francisco, London Breed, has said the time for compassion is over when it comes to dealing with the city's homeless crisis which has left streets caked in excrement Homeless people are seen as the City fighting with fentanyl problems in San Francisco 'We have had to move from a compassionate city to a city of accountability, and I have been leading the efforts to ensure that we are addressing this issue differently than we have before,' Breed said on Thursday in a change of tack on the issue. 'We are going to be very aggressive and assertive in moving encampments which may even include criminal penalties,' she explained with the 'sweeps' scheduled to begin in less than two weeks once staff are retrained to follow new legal guidance. Her comments come just three weeks after the Supreme Court granted cities the power to evict unhoused people from encampments. 'The problem is not going to be solved by building more housing,' Breed said. 'Thank goodness for the Supreme Court decision.' In December 2022, a federal magistrate judge prevented the city of San Francisco from clearing homeless tents although it was not banned from sweeping encampments. The judge ordered city officials to stop forcing homeless people from public camping sites unless they have been offered appropriate shelter indoors. The city will follow a more 'aggressive' approach when it comes to removing the tents and homeless encampments from the streets San Francisco is planning to clear up several well-known homeless encampments from August Officials were also prevented from issuing citations or arresting people who refused to move. But now the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling bestows more power to the city in assisting with the clearing, officials plan to offer shelter and support to help those affected. The case was the most significant on the issue to come before the high court in decades and comes as cities across the country have wrestled with the politically complicated issue of how to deal with a rising number of people without a permanent place to live and public frustration over related health and safety issues. 'We will continue to lead with services, but we also can't continue to allow people to do what they want on the streets of San Francisco, especially when we have a place for them to go,' Breed said. Conditions have become so bad that residents have been left terrified to leave their homes and local businesses unable to recruit staff The area outside the Federal Building in San Francisco, was considered the biggest of all the open-air drug markets across the city In San Francisco, homeowners, businesses and local leaders have become frustrated with visible signs of homelessness which includes public streets blocked by sprawling tents and trash. The crime-ridden downtown area has seen the closure of many shops and restaurants since its drastic downfall, despite Breed attempting to hype statistics claiming offenses went down in 2023. In October 2023, it was reported that seven Starbucks stores were planning to close as the city continues to deal with crime, drug use, and homelessness. At the end of August 2023, video was released showing San Francisco's newly shut-down flagship Nordstrom store that was almost barren after nearly three decades in business. Homeless people congregate downtown, pushing their possessions in shopping carts or sitting on duffle bags, awaiting city services such as referrals for shelter, food or clothing, or mental health and substance abuse treatment. Homeless people congregate downtown, pushing their possessions in shopping carts or sitting on duffle bags. Pictured, a homeless man is seen on the sidewalk City workers are seen cleaning the streets and removing tents and items belonging to homeless people Breed says that she hopes to 'clear them all' but provided no concrete details on how she plans to achieve such a goal. It will likely require the backup of the police. The city calculates its homeless figures every three months and at the end of the last count in April 2024, a 41 percent reduction was noted compared to July 2023. There were 360 tents and structures counted in April - down from 610 last summer and 385 during February's count. It is the lowest figure the city has recorded since it began tracking the data in 2018. Breed says the reduction has come about as a result of a number of factors, not least the police enforcement of anti-camping laws when homeless people have reasonable access to shelter accommodation. The city calculates the city's homeless figures every three months and at the end of the last count in April a 41 percent reduction was noted compared to July 2023. Homeless people are seen as the City fighting with fentanyl problems in San Francisco earlier this year Sidewalks are cleaned in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco which has been blighted by homelessness A ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in September 2022 found that city's (in general) violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment if homeless people are punished for sleeping on public property or using blankets and pillows to protect themselves from the elements. But in earlier this month, a 9th Circuit panel ordered the injunction against clearing the encampments to be lifted. City workers will still have to 'bag and tag' any property collected from those who are homeless. Breed is in a tough reelection contest this November, when she faces three serious challengers who say her administration has failed to address homelessness, encampments or the open-air drug market. Amid rising rents and a national shortage of affordable housing, more than 100,000 people are living on California's streets. Police are being allowed to enforce anti-camping laws when homeless people have reasonable access to shelter accommodation A San Francisco Police Department vehicle drives through a homeless encampment being cleaned up in San Francisco San Francisco is reeling from soaring crime, an emptying downtown, and residents moving away to safer, cheaper areas Hawaii, Oregon, and Arizona are among other western states where more homeless people live outside in cars and tents than indoors in shelters, despite billions spent to curb homelessness, including San Francisco's $672 million annual budget. The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom in San Francisco is $3,000. Advocates say that many people who are homeless would rather stay outdoors than in shelters, where they risk encountering abuse or threats of violence. Homeless people who have pets, work night shifts, need mental health services, or have substance use disorders have a difficult time finding a shelter that will take them. July 18, 2024: Israel believes it must eliminate all traces of Hama in Gaza. This is difficult to do because any Palestinian that can obtain a weapon can proclaim themselves a Hamas militant. Hamas fighters wear no uniforms so all it takes is a weapon and individuals proclaiming membership in Hamas for Hamas to continue in Gaza. In June Israel declared that eliminating the ability of Hamas members to attack was the primary objective, rather than its initially stated goal of eliminating Hamas in Gaza. Currently Hamas has about 10,000 armed men, which is about a third to half of what they started with in October 2023. Israelis make a point of seizing weapons whenever possible and destroying them. Without a weapon a Palestinian is not an armed member of Hamas. There are plenty of potential recruits because a March 2024 poll of Gaza Palestinians revealed that 71 percent still supported the October offensive. This was up from 53 percent in December 2023. While many Palestinians are killed during these Hamas offensives, as memories fade approval of the Hamas attacks increases. When asked who they believed should govern Gaza when the fighting ends, 52 percent favored Hamas, 40 percent the corrupt and ineffective Palestinian Authority that governs the West Bank while five percent favored one or more Arab nations. Arab countries want nothing to do with governing Palestinians, who have proved violent and resistant to any form of government. Israel tries to persuade, without much success, the Palestinian Authority (PA) to provide effective rule. The PA leaders are more interested in stealing aid and any cash provided to maintain a government. For example, while there is a lot of food in the Palestinian territories, people have little cash to buy it because salaries of PA employees have not been paid. Where did the money, provided by Western and Arab countries, go? It was stolen by the PA, who either tried to blame someone else or claimed administrative problems. Hamas does the same thing in Gaza. In the Palestinian territories the primary administrative problem is the Palestinian government. Meanwhile the fighting goes on in Gaza as Israel slowly seeks to destroy the remaining armed Hamas men while minimizing Israeli casualties. They have been much more successful in minimizing their own casualties. In response, Hamas uses hundreds of kilometers of tunnels under Gaza to hide weapons, supplies and known Hamas fighters. Israel destroys tunnels as it finds them but admits 70 percent of the tunnels are still intact. And in those tunnels Hamas fighters, their weapons, ammunition, rockets and other supplies survive. Hamas realizes that as long as most of their senior combat commanders and veteran fighters survive, rockets can still be fired towards Israel and casualties inflicted on Israeli soldiers in Gaza. The senior Hamas leaders can also plan larger attacks on Israel and communicate with their supporters outside Gaza about obtaining more weapons to use against Israeli towns and cities as well as Israeli troops in Gaza, Hamas leaders are also aware that large numbers of Palestinian civilians killed during the fighting keeps Palestinians angry at Israel, not Hamas. Because of this hostility, Israel will not allow Hamas to resume governing Gaza. At the same time many Palestinians in Gaza do not want to be ruled by Palestinian Authority officials who run the West Bank. Those administrators are notoriously inept and corrupt and, when the Palestinian Authority ran Gaza before Hamas took over, were thrown out in an election because they were too inept and corrupt. Iran, which is determined to destroy Israel, is a primary supporter of Hamas. Iran provides millions of dollars in aid to Hamas although most of this money never reaches the Palestinian people or Hamas. The cash remains under the control of a few very wealthy Palestinian leaders who live in Arab Persian Gulf countries. The United States has assisted Hamas as well by refusing to designate it as a terrorist organization. Instead the Americans consider Hamas a resistance movement. This is very diplomatic of the Americans but ignores the reality of Hamas activities among the Palestinian people in Gaza and elsewhere. Hamas also realizes that they win if they dont lose all of their weapons and other assets. Hamas has created an administrative organization that is resistant to complete destruction. Hamas has several billion dollars, perhaps ten billion, in assets outside the areas where the fighting is going on. Israel, faced with this reality, has come up with a number of new concepts and tactics that aim to destroy Hamas capabilities in Gaza. The Israelis realize the external Hamas support will revive Hamas military power if given time. The new Israeli strategy seeks to prevent that from happening in Gaza and other Palestinian territories. Israel and Hamas realize that most Palestinian civilians would prefer to live peacefully with opportunities for employment and building better lives for themselves. This is anathema to Hamas, which needs widespread violence and lots of dead Palestinians to survive. The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas is all about Israelis trying to keep the peace while Hamas fights back with death and destruction. Former President Donald Trump broke his own record for the longest convention acceptance speech ever blowing past schedule as he vented about electric cars and made jokes about Kim Jong-un. Trump's 2020 speech ran for 70 minutes, which was itself a record for keeping delegates in their seats before the big balloon drop. But this one, which came days after he survived an assassination attempt, ran for more than an hour and a half: clocking 92 minutes. There were long periods in the final third of his remarks where the Fiserv arena crowd was nearly silent during parts of his monologue, although the audience perked up and cheered when he joked about Kim or tossed out observations about the Taliban. Trump's convention speech began with a dramatic retelling of terrifying moment when a man fired on him at his Pennsylvania rally Saturday, and the survivor of the assassination attempt held the crowd rapt attention. About 20 minutes in, he pivoted to attacks on prosecutors and the criminal cases against him. Then, he ran through a series of policy preferences, vowing to boost U.S. energy production and stem an immigrant 'invasion', before returning to many of the pet peeves and drawing on materials he shares at his standard rallies. Former President Donald Trump spoke for more than 90 minutes, toping his own record for longest convention speech The indoor arena setting, even though it was packed with adherents decked out in red white and blue, had a different vibe than his outdoor rallies and airport hangar events. Crossing the 70-minute mark, he warned of a wave of illegal immigration, while a chart showing migrant encounters at the border showed on the jumbo-tron inside the arena. Theyre coming from mental institutions and insane asylums, Trump said of migrants. At that point, Trump had already topped his own record. (Bill Clinton's famously long 1996 speech, which was criticized for being over-long, also topped an hour. That's according to stats kept by the American Presidency Project at UC-Santa Barbara and flagged by Politico). Trump's faithful gave him laughs and applause, but the energy in the room wavered during long passages, with Trump sometimes reading in monotone. Trump continued to complain about electric vehicles, although this time he didn't tee off on the driving times. Instead he focused on the high cost of constructing charging stations. 'They build eight charges in a certain location in the Midwest, 8 charges for $9 billion ... Think of it they spent $9 billion on eight chargers, three of which didnt work,' he said. Trump tore into electric vehicle charging stations, calling them a rip-off 'Its nice to get along with someone that has a lot of nuclear weapons, Trump said in a passage about Kim Jong-un Trump spoke for more than an hour and a half before the balloons finally dropped in Milwaukee He offered praise for Hungarys Viktor Orban, then ran through territory that Russia seized under previous administrations. Under President Trump, Russia took nothing, he said. By that point, there were long silences among the crowd in the convention hall. People who had seats used them, while people in the aisles on the floor kept standing. The crowd perked up when he improvised the line about North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Kim Jong-un, I got along very well with him. Its nice to get along with someone that has a lot of nuclear weapons, Trump says, earning a laugh. Trump also used a rally-tested line about Hannibal Lecter when complain about illegal immigration. 'The late great Hannibal Lecter: Hed love to have you for dinner,' he quipped. 'This was the first good thing that's happened to Democrats in the last three weeks,' said former Obama advisor David Axelrod, who has been raising concerns about President Biden's weaknesses as a candidate, in comments on CNN mainly about the attacks. Audience members put their hands together several times when Trump threw out some red meat. 'We will not have men playing in womens sports,' he said in one applause line, before making an unsubstantiated claim about murders in the nations capital. 'Our nations capital, which is a horrible killing field,' is how Trump put it. 'They go to look at the Washington Monument, they end up getting stabbed and killed and shot. D.C. crime statistics show a 26 percent drop in homicide in 2024 compared to 2023. At a convention where much of the attention centered on his personal biography, with testimonials by family members and videos packed with images of Trump with celebrities from Oprah to Don King, Trump made time for some of his tax proposals. One was about making changes to the laws governing treatment of workers who earn much of their earnings through tips. 'Everybody loves waitresses and caddies and drivers let them keep their money,' Trump said. The leader of a faith-healing religious circle charged with a diabetic girl's murder said the child was 'going to be healed', with the group calling her condition an 'elephant in the room' in the years before her death. Fourteen members of the cult-like group known as The Saints are on trial in Brisbane Supreme Court over the death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs, who was found dead in her family's Rangeville home in early 2022. It is alleged members of the group, which include the girl's parents Jason Richard Struhs, 57, and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs, 49, withheld her insulin medication for several days until she died between January 6-7 that year. Mr Struhs is charged with murder and Ms Struhs is charged with manslaughter. Brendan Stevens, 62, the leader of The Saints, is facing a charge of murder. Eleven others, including Elizabeth's elder brother Zachary Alan Struhs, 21, Loretta Mary Stevens, 67 - the wife of Brendan Stevens - and her adult children Acacia Naree Stevens, 31, Therese Maria Stevens, 37, Sebastian James Stevens, 23, Andrea Louise Stevens, 34, Camellia Claire Stevens, 28, and Alexander Francis Stevens, 26, Lachlan Stuart Schoenfisch, 34 and his wife Samantha Emily Schoenfisch, 26, and a third woman, Keita Courtney Martin, 22, are also charged with manslaughter. All 14 have pleaded not guilty to their charges. The court has already heard evidence of the group's rejection of medical treatment and care, instead professing to believe God heals all ailments. Elizabeth Struhs died at her family's Rangeville home in early 2022 as a result of diabetic ketoacidosis (picture supplied) Elizabeth's parents Jason Richard Struhs and Kerrie Elizabeth Struhs are among the 14 people charged over their daughter's death (picture supplied) In calls recorded by Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre, Brendan is heard speaking to Kerrie about how her husband was slowly beginning to embrace his new-found faith in 2021. At the time, Kerrie was serving a five-month jail term for failing to supply Elizabeth with the necessaries of life back in 2019. Brendan is heard recounting a birthday text Jason sent him: 'Dear Brendan, have a wonderful birthday today with your family. Thanks for your guidance and wisdom since my miracle of being born again as a new man. Your brother, Jason Struhs.' 'Oh my goodness,' Kerrie is heard exclaiming. Brendan Stevens, the leader of The Saints, was recorded in a phone call with Kerrie in 2021 saying: 'We are going to keep saying that Elizabeth is healed and we are going to see it' (picture: supplied / A Current Affair) Brendan continues by telling Kerrie her husband was not 'shying away' from the group's beliefs and she would be coming home to a 'brand new man' and family life. The court was told Brendan was attempting to convince Jason their faith-healing beliefs were 'fundamental to the Gospel' and he was hearing it 'every week'. In another recorded call in November 2021, Brendan discusses one of the church group's meetings where Elizabeth's condition was referred to as the 'elephant in the room'. He says Jason said he was 'not going to back away' from the 'healing power of God' in the meeting. 'We are going to keep saying that Elizabeth is healed and we are going to see it,' Brendan tells Kerrie in the recording. In other calls, Kerrie and her son Zachary discuss the 'definite change' they have seen in Jason since his conversion. 'He's telling me you're getting on really well ... (he's) becoming a better father,' Kerrie says. Zachary agrees the pair have been having 'less and less arguments' but says his father still hasn't fully embraced the group's healing beliefs. He references Jason's views on the Covid-19 lockdowns and their necessity as 'still something in his mind'. The court has heard evidence Jason Struhs (right, with Elizabeth) was baptised into the group in 2021 (picture supplied / A Current Affair) On Thursday, Jason's former boss Brendan O'Donnell gave evidence of how much Jason had changed since joining The Saints. He took aim at the fringe group's beliefs and how Jason was treated as an 'easy target'. 'He was a new convert and was an easy target to be brainwashed into their way of believing,' Mr O'Donnell told the court. Evidence has also been given about Elizabeth's diagnosis of type-1 diabetes in 2019 after she became critically unwell. Both Jason and Kerrie were charged with failing to supply the girl with the necessaries of life. Jason pleaded guilty and received a wholly suspended sentence, giving evidence against his wife at her District Court trial in 2021. Kerrie, who was self-represented, was found guilty and sentenced to five months' jail. The judge-alone trial continues. 'Absolute chaos' has taken hold at supermarkets across Australia thanks to the global Microsoft outage. Customers are reporting 'massive queues' at some Coles, Woolworths and 7-Eleven stores after a monumental outage hit computers protected by technology produced by antivirus giant Crowdstrike. At Woolworths, the tech crisis caused many, but not all, point of sale checkout machines to fail and be unable to process transactions. Six Woolies stores have temporarily closed, and the supermarket giant said at some locations there were 'less registers available than normal'. One man posted on X, '90% of my local Woolworths registers had the (blue screen of death). Queues a mile long, absolute chaos. National outage? Local?' Meanwhile Coles Broadway - one of the biggest supermarkets in Sydney - has sent staff out the front to tell shoppers: 'Cash only. EFTPOS is down.' Another Coles branch was seen bringing the shutters down as its manager decided to close up for the day. A windows recovery screen or 'BSOD' at a Woolworths checkout on Friday afternoon as chaos hit during a cyber outage caused by security company Cloudstrike Queues formed outside Woolies supermarket as shoppers were unable to check out their goods and 'absolute chaos' ensued Another Coles branch was seen bringing the shutters down as its manager decided to close up for the day Cloudstrike - which is designed to protect against malware - pushed out a 'bad update' on Friday that tech experts said 'nuked' every computer it touched. Computers crashed and were unable to reboot. One frustrated female shopper posted that she had a 'trolley full of groceries & Woolworths announces over the loud speaker they cant accept card at the moment due to a Microsoft outage & can only accept cash. Huh?!! 'Hoping by the time Im done its back up & running or Ill be dumping my trolley to run to the nearest ATM.' A male shopper wrote, 'All the POS machines at both my local and have started crashing one by one. Wondering if it's a widespread issue?' On X, @Till_Payments posted '#ServiceUpdate: A widespread IT outage is impacting Australian businesses nationwide.' and added a click through for 'live updates as our team works to resolve the issue'. At a Woolworths supermarket in Redfern, in Sydney's inner south, only one of eight self-service machines was functioning Woolworths New Zealand posted on its website a notice which suggested it was not up to speed withe the fact there was a cyber attack, saying 'Sit tight, our website is working - you're just in a virtual queue. 'Lots of people are shopping right now, so you're in a virtual queue to enter teh website. 'To keep your place in the queue please keep this window open and do not refresh the page.' At a supermarket in Redfern, in Sydney's inner south, only one of eight self-service machines was functioning. Woolworths issued a very brief statement on Friday evening, saying: 'Some of our stores and other facilities have been impacted as a result of the global IT issue. 'All stores across the country except for six are open and trading. In some cases, customers may find less registers available than normal so were grateful for their patience. 'A small number of online orders have been unable to be fulfilled and those customers have been contacted. 'We thank customers for their patience and understanding. Wed also like to thank the thousands of team members who have helped customers throughout the afternoon and evening.' Prosecutors have claimed that the American 'spy' who fled the UK to the US after hitting a British nurse is a 'danger to the community' and demanded he be remanded in custody. In a filing to a court in Houston, Texas, Isac Calderon, 23, was branded a 'fugitive' who should not be released until his extradition case was concluded. Prosecutors said that Calderon was a 'flight risk' and that he had already shown an 'intent to evade prosecution' by failing to appear at Kidderminster Magistrates' Court on December 1st to answer charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Allowing him bail while the extradition case proceeds could 'embarrass the United States in the conduct of its foreign affairs' were he to abscond, it was claimed. The allegations were made ahead of a detention hearing on Friday in Houston, the US equivalent of a bail hearing. American citizen Isac Calderon fled to the United States after hitting Ms Donowho last year Elizabeth Donowho walks at the side of the road close to where the crash took place last year Isac Calderon is an American soldier thought to have been visiting an SAS base at the time Calderon, a US soldier, is accused of crashing head-on into Elizabeth Donowho, 56, while on the wrong side of the road on the A4103 near Shucknall in Herefordshire on 31 July last year. Ms Donowho, from Malvern, Worcestershire, was unable to walk for six weeks and suffered a fractured sternum and two broken ankles. Calderon was thought to have been visiting an SAS base in Herefordshire at the time of the crash. In court, his occupation was given as 'American soldier'. West Mercia police in England are said to have told Ms Donowho he was 'associated with the Secret Service'. UK cops issued an arrest warrant for Calderon, who was labelled a potential 'flight risk' by police - before he left the UK on a flight to Houston on November 25. The British authorities have since formally requested Calderon's extradition and he was arrested last week. In a filing to the court in Houston, prosecutors described Calderon as a 'fugitive' from the law and said he should be remanded in custody until his extradition case was concluded. They said that the 'serious nature of the dangerous driving offense' makes him a 'danger to the community both here in the United States and abroad if he were released'. In the document, prosecutors argued Calderon was a 'flight risk given the strength of the case in the United Kingdom'. Calderon has 'virtually no incentive to appear at his extradition hearing' and there is a 'significant' chance he will be extradited, the document said. Assistant US Attorney Jay Hileman said: 'Moreover, Calderon has already demonstrated his intent to evade prosecution in this case. 'When he was interviewed by (West Mercia) police in the United Kingdom, PC Watkins informed Calderon that criminal charges were being pursued against him and asked him if he planned on remaining in the United Kingdom. 'Calderon stated that he had no plans to leave the country until March 2024. UK authorities subsequently sent a summons to Calderon's address in the United Kingdom, instructing him to appear in court on the charges on December 1, 2023. 'Despite his prior statements to PC Watkins, Calderon fled the United Kingdom on November 25, 2023, one week before his scheduled court appearance. 'Accordingly, allowance of bail in any amount would not guarantee Calderon's presence in court and would invite the possibility of embarrassing the United States in the conduct of its foreign affairs'. Mr Hileman added: 'The Court should detain Calderon without bond because he is a danger to the community and a flight risk and because no special circumstances warrant his release'. The complaint filed in court in Texas, claims that Calderon admitted to West Mercia police that his conduct was dangerous. Ms Donowho was unable to walk for six weeks after the crash. She shattered her sternum and both ankles (pictured right: screws in one of her ankles) The A4103 at Shucknall where nurse Elizabeth Donowho suffered serious injuries According to the complaint, he told officers interviewing him that his driving was 'definitely not safe' and when shown a dash cam video of the incident filmed by another motorist, he said: 'S***'. Witnesses said he was going 70 mph in a 50 mph zone and Calderon is said to have admitted he was vaping as he drove his Honda Accord, and said he didn't buy insurance and wasn't sure if it had an MOT. He is said to have admitted to police that he had only bought the saloon car six days before the crash and that he had no previous experience of driving a car with a manual gearbox. And while he said he had been driving on UK roads in rental cars for three months before the crash, he allegedly admitted he was 'not at all' familiar with road markings and traffic directions in the UK, saying: 'I get mixed up on the signs all the time.' Calderon's court-appointed lawyer has yet to file a response to the prosecution's claims. His family did not respond to calls and texts asking for comment. A widespread Microsoft outage disrupted flights, hospitals, banks, media outlets and other companies around the world today, triggering chaos for millions of businesses and institutions reliant on the widely used software. Major US carriers American Airlines, United and Delta grounded all flights as hospitals and banks also reported systems outages amid what appears to be a global tech outage that affected Windows PCs. Customers travelling with the carriers said on social media their pilots had told them all systems were down and that all aircraft must remain grounded until they are brought back online. Many complained they had been left stranded in planes sitting on the tarmac before take-off or after landing at their destination - though the FAA's website showed American Airlines cancelled its ground stop this morning. Social media was also awash with reports from medical staff that electronic medical record (EMR) systems had crashed, taking hospitals nationwide offline. And images shared to social media from around the world showed self-checkout tills, ATM machines, television channels and a host of other tech displaying error messages. The website DownDetector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, also recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon. American Airlines planes stand at a LaGuardia Airport terminal Customers travelling with the carriers said on social media their pilots had told them systems were down and that all aircraft must remain grounded until they are brought back online American Airlines flights parked at gates after flights were delayed nationwide In a notice titled 'Service Degradation', Microsoft said users 'may be unable to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services' Some of the outages appear linked to US IT company CrowdStrike and an update related to its 'Falcon sensor' - an agent that is designed to analyze internet connections to prevent viruses and other malicious software. Several reports suggested the update caused a crash for computers running Microsoft's Windows operating system. Windows is the most used operating system in the world, meaning the outage is affecting almost every part of the global economy. American Airlines told the BBC that it had experienced a 'technical issue with CrowdStrike that is impacting multiple carriers'. 'CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows... related to the Falcon sensor,' a prerecorded message says on the company's helplines. It was not immediately clear whether all reported outages were linked to CrowdStrike problems or there were other issues at play. 'A third party software outage is impacting computer systems worldwide, including at United. While we work to restore those systems, we are holding all aircraft at their departure airports,' United said in a statement. 'Flights already airborne are continuing to their destinations.' The airline later updated customers to say that operations had been restored as of 5AM ET, writing on X, formerly Twitter: 'Earlier this morning, a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. 'As of 5:00 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.' However, in a post shared at 6:27AM on the Delta News Hub account, the airline said that it had paused its entire 'global flight schedule' and was still working to try and 'resume operations as quickly as possible'. 'Delta has paused its global flight schedule this morning due to a vendor technology issue that is impacting several airlines and businesses around the world,' the statement, which was posted on X, read. 'We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to resume operations.' Microsoft said this morning it was taking 'mitigation actions' after service disruptions. 'Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions,' the company said in a post on social media platform X. In a notice titled 'Service Degradation', Microsoft said users 'may be unable to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services'. Microsoft said this morning it was taking 'mitigation actions' after service disruptions that impacted airlines, TV stations, and stores across the globe Some of the outages appear linked to US IT company CrowdStrike and an update related to its 'Falcon sensor' - an agent that is designed to analyze internet connections to prevent viruses 'We remain committed in treating this event with the highest priority and urgency while we continue to address the lingering impact for the remaining Microsoft 365 apps that are in a degraded state,' it said. Major banks, businesses, newsrooms and television networks have been affected by the service issues. 'We have activated our contingency plans and deployed additional staff to our terminals,' a statement from Sydney Airport reads. 'If you're travelling today make sure you leave plenty of time to come to the airport and check with your airline regarding the status of your flight.' And it was not just the US that was impacted by the outages. Australia's big three airlines - Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin - have also been hit by the issues. Meanwhile, Australian and British broadcasters SBS, Network 10, the ABC and Sky News Australia and Sky News UK were all taken off air. In the UK this morning viewers were left with a static message from Sky on their TVs apologizing for the 'disruption' to the service at 6am when broadcasting was meant to begin. It read: 'We apologize for the interruption to this broadcast. We hope to restore the transmission of Sky News shortly.' The Australian National Cyber Security Coordinator issued a statement insisting the outage does not appear to be a hack. 'I am aware of a large-scale technical outage affecting a number of companies and services across Australia this afternoon,' the account posted on X. Travelers at airports across the US were told that their flights had been grounded as a result of the Microsoft issue One Delta customer reported that there were 'long lines backing up' as staff attempted to reset their systems after the 'blue screen of death' appeared on all kiosk screens One ABC reporter posted on X a photo of his computer down Microsoft users around the world have taken to social media to express their confusion at their computers shutting down 'Our current information is this outage relates to a technical issue with a third-party software platform employed by affected companies. 'There is no information to suggest it is a cyber security incident. We continue to engage across key stakeholders.' These outages come just days after the operations of several low-cost carriers, including Frontier, were affected on Wednesday and into Thursday due to a Microsoft cloud outage. Microsoft said on Thursday it was investigating issues with its cloud services in the Central U.S. region, which had caused the grounding and cancellation of several flights. Carriers Frontier, Allegiant and SunCountry reported outages that affected operations. While Frontier said a 'major Microsoft technical outage' had hit its operations temporarily, SunCountry said a third-party vendor affected its booking and check-in facilities, without naming the company. 'The Allegiant website is currently unavailable due to the Microsoft Azure issue,' Nevada-based Allegiant said in a statement to CNN. Allegiant did not immediately respond to Reuters request for a comment. Frontier cancelled 147 flights on Thursday and delayed 212 others, according to data tracker FlightAware. 45% of Allegiant aircrafts were delayed, while Sun Country delayed 23% flights, the data showed. Passengers at Gatwick Airport as a massive Microsoft outage caused chaos in the aviation sector Major banks, businesses, newsrooms and television networks in the US, UK, and Australia have been affected by the service issues Australian and British broadcasters SBS, Network 10, the ABC and Sky News Australia and Sky News UK were all taken off air Cyber crisis strikes Australia at Woolworths as 'massive queues' form as Microsoft suffers massive international outage Companies in the US and across the globe have been affected by the outage The companies did not give details on the number of flights impacted. Microsoft said its outage started at about 6 pm ET on Thursday, with a subset of its customers experiencing issues with multiple Azure services in the Central US region. Azure is a cloud computing platform that provides services for building, deploying, and managing applications and services. Separately, Microsoft said it was investigating an issue impacting various Microsoft 365 apps and services. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a Reuters request seeking further details on the outage Other operators that were affected included Allegiant and SunCountry. Microsoft said that its Azure cloud software had suffered a temporary failure which triggered a breakdown in 'service management operations and connectivity or availability of services' across the central US region. However, the outage did not impact American Airlines, it said earlier in a statement to Reuters, suggesting that carrier had suffered a separate issue. One person has been killed in a 'Houthi rebel' drone strike on Tel Aviv after the Israeli military detected the aerial weapon but didn't shoot it down 'due to human error'. Yemen's Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attack that caused an explosion at a building near the US embassy, which along with one dead, left at least a further 10 injured, according to reports. An Israeli military official told a briefing that 'a very big drone that can travel long distances crashed into an apartment building' at 03.12am local time. The official, who remained anonymous, said the aim was 'terrorism', with the rebel group's 'main goal to kill civilians in Israel'. They added the drone was detected but the alarm was not immediately raised because of 'human error'. Members of the Israeli security forces are seen at a cordoned-off area where an explosion took place near the US embassy in Tel Aviv on July 19, 2024 Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had 'targeted Tel Aviv in occupied Palestine' A Tel Aviv man stands next to a damaged car near the site of the deadly blast, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict in Tel Aviv 'There was no alert that sounded in Tel Aviv because it wasn't activated. 'There was a human error that caused the interception and defence systems not to be operated,' the official said. 'Obviously, one of the possibilities we're looking into is Yemen because of the Huthi announcements. But we're not ruling out anything.' The Israeli military said it had now opened an investigation into the large, and fatal, explosion near the US embassy office and would work out why the country's air defence systems were not activated to intercept the 'aerial target' before any damage was caused. Following the drone strike, Israel's air force took to social media claiming it had increased patrols to 'protect the country's skies'. The official said another drone was detected on Israel's eastern border. 'Last night, there was another incident where we thwarted a UAV on our eastern border, another UAV.' He gave no details on where it came from. Israeli police said the body of a 50-year-old man was found in an apartment close to the explosion site, and that the circumstances surrounding his death were also being investigated. Four people were taken to hospital with slight shrapnel injuries and four others were treated for shock. All of them were later released, the hospital said, according to France24. A spokesperson for the Houthi armed forces said in a post on social media Friday that the Iran-aligned group had 'targeted Tel Aviv in occupied Palestine'. It claimed that it had used a new drone 'capable of bypassing interceptor systems and being able to be detected by radars'. Shards of glass can be seen smashed across the streets of Tel Aviv following the drone strike after the 'new' aerial weapon 'bypassed interceptor systems' Emergency personnel assist a woman at the site of the explosion in Tel Aviv Footage and images from the devastating scene in Tel Aviv show mangled vehicles, smashed windows, and rubble strewn across the streets as authorities worked to detect casualties and assess the damage caused by the blast. Israeli opposition politician, and leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid, said the attack was 'further proof that this government does not know and cannot give security to the citizens of Israel'. 'Those who lose deterrence in the north and south also lose it in the heart of Tel Aviv,' he wrote on X. 'There are no policies, no plans, all public relations and discussions about themselves. They [the government] have to go,' he continued. Recalling the terrifying attack, local resident Alon told Haaretz: 'The whole building shook'. 'My neighbours' windows shattered, so I was sure something had hit the building. It was only when I went outside that I realised that several buildings had been damaged.' The incident came after the Israeli military confirmed it had killed a senior commander of the Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon on July 3. A Hezbollah statement at the time identified the killed commander as Mohammad Naameh Nasser, who went by the name Abu Naameh. A Hezbollah official speaking anonymously said he was head of the group's Aziz Unit, one of three regional divisions in southern Lebanon. Both Hezbollah and the Houthis have stepped up their attacks against Israel, saying they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians after Israel invaded the Gaza Strip during an initial attack by Hamas militants on a southern Israel music festival on October 7 last year. Hamas militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 200 others as hostages during the attack. The war has so far killed more than 38,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. A female office clerk who was awarded thousands over a sexist 'while you're down there love' joke made by her late 'old school' boss when she bent over to pick up a pen is facing a new tribunal. Tina Donlon was bombarded with 'bad misogynistic jokes' while working for Sidcup-based glazing specialists Leslie Easton & Co Ltd, a tribunal heard previously. After she bent down to pick up a dropped pen, her elderly boss Leslie Easton cracked the joke 'ooh, when you're down there, love,' insinuating she should perform a sex act. Ms Donlon was awarded 19,000 in compensation in 2022 after she said it was part of a pattern of sexual harassment from Mr Easton, who she said had also joked in front of a customer that he'd like her to take her clothes off on hot days. However, the Employment Appeal Tribunal in London has now overturned the payout after it concluded the lower tribunal had failed to properly investigate whether the late boss was mentally capable of giving evidence. Tina Donlon sued for thousands after a sexist 'while you're down there love' joke was made by her 'old school' boss when she bent over to pick up a pen Leslie Easton, who died last month aged 79, ran family company Leslie Easton & Co Ltd, where Ms Donlon began working in 2014 The female worker was also sent a stream of 'bad misogynistic jokes' and pornographic images via WhatsApp by her boss, who was then in his 70s. The payout was overturned this week on appeal, meaning the case must be considered again. Mr Easton - who had a stroke in 2000 and died aged 79 last month - ran family company Leslie Easton & Co Ltd, a glass and mirror shop and double glazing and conservatory business in Sidcup. Ms Donlon began working there in 2014 as an office administrator, hoping to further her experience in accounts, having begun a course with the Association of Accounting Technicians. But she said she was subjected to repeated incidents of sexual harassment in the workplace from her employer, Mr Easton. Ms Donlon said that, while in Mr Easton's office during 2019, a pen was dropped on the floor and, as she bent to pick it up, he cracked a sexist joke. She told the tribunal he said, 'Ooh, while you're down there, love,' insinuating that she should perform a sex act, leaving her 'humiliated, embarrassed and intimidated.' In another incident, she said that, during a heatwave in June 2017, she had been permitted to wear knee-length shorts in the office. But when a customer remarked that she must be lucky to have a boss who allowed that, Mr Easton had said: 'Well, we keep telling her to take all her clothes off, but she won't have any of it.' Leslie Easton and Co Ltd, where Ms Donlon says she was subjected to sexist jokes by elderly owner Mr Easton She said that, when she told Mr Easton's son and co-director, Justin Easton, what happened, he told her: 'Oh well, that's my dad, he's old school.' Ms Donlon also said she had begun receiving offensive messages from Leslie Easton via WhatsApp, including 146 memes and 31 videos. Many of the messages were sexual in nature, some of them 'simply bad, misogynistic jokes,' the tribunal said, although some included pornographic images. Mr Easton did not respond to the allegations about the shorts and the 'while you're down there' joke in his defence and Employment Tribunal Judge Corinna Ferguson accepted they had happened. Neither the company boss - who didn't give evidence - nor the company itself disputed that he had sent the WhatsApp messages, only that they were not 'unwanted' communications. But the judge said they had not put forward any evidence to show Ms Donlon ever indicated she was happy to receive such material. 'We accept the claimant's evidence that she did not find the messages funny, and that she felt humiliated and victimised by receiving them,' she said, giving the judgment of the tribunal. The tribunal awarded Ms Donlon a total of 19,000 from the company and Mr Easton himself for sexual harassment and victimisation. 'As regards the two remarks, we find that they were both unwanted conduct of a sexual nature,' said Judge Ferguson. 'They fall into the category of 'inherently unwanted' conduct because they were demeaning and embarrassing to the claimant. 'We accept that they had the effect, even if not the purpose, of violating the claimant's dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for her.' Barrister Rad Kohanzad, representing Mr Easton's estate and the company on appeal this week, argued that the tribunal had been wrong to plough ahead with the case after concerns were raised about the boss' mental capabilities. It was thought he was fully capable of giving evidence, but when he got into the witness box, his representatives quickly became concerned at his 'clear confusion,' said the barrister. An Employment Tribunal awarded Ms Donlon 19,000 compensation in 2022, but that payout was this week overturned on appeal However, despite raising the issue with the tribunal and asking for time to get a medical report, the tribunal pushed on and considered the case on the basis that Mr Easton 'chose' not to give evidence. Ruling on the appeal, Judge Murray Shanks said the tribunal should have given Mr Easton's representatives time to get medical evidence about whether he was fit to give evidence. 'There was, in this case, good reason for concern and legitimate doubt as to Leslie Easton's capacity,' he said. 'The Employment Tribunal's finding that Leslie Easton "chose" not to give evidence cannot stand. In those circumstances, I must allow the appeal.' The case was sent back to the Employment Tribunal to be heard again. Russia's potential deployment of space-based nuclear weapons would threaten 'our entire modern way of life' in America and Europe, top US generals have warned. 'It's a completely indiscriminate weapon,' General Stephen Whiting, the commander of US Space Command, told the Aspen Security Forum, describing Moscow's possible use of such a weapon as 'an incredibly reckless decision.' While a White House official previously stated that such a weapon wouldn't cause 'physical destruction here on Earth', experts are warning that it would still have catastrophic consequences. 'If they were to detonate a nuclear weapon in space, it is not just going to affect military targets,' Lt. General Jeffrey Kruse, the director of the Defence Intelligence Agency, said. He explained that it would immediately effect 'everything that's in line of sight at low earth orbit' - meaning phone towers, internet, GPS, banking systems, power grids, first responders could all be impacted. US intelligence officials have been watching Moscow 's project for nearly a decade, according to Lt General Kruse General Stephen Whiting, the commander of US Space Command, made the comments at the Aspen Security Forum 'It would affect the United States satellites, Chinese satellites, Russian satellites, European satellites, Indian satellites, Japanese satellites,' General Whiting said. 'And so, it's really holding at risk the entire modern way of life.' The use of such a weapon by Russia would violate Russia's obligations under the Outer Space Treaty. 'It has been an expectation, for mankind, that we will not put a nuclear weapon or weapons of mass destruction in space,' the Washington Examiner reports him saying. 'And now they're doing that, potentially.' US intelligence officials have been watching Moscow's project for nearly a decade, Kruse said, adding that they are now 'getting close' to finishing their preparations. China has also been developing weapons to attack US assets in space, with a huge increase in anti-satellite weapons including a so-called 'kill web' which could have huge repercussions on Earth. Such a network of systems is designed to allow Chinese forces to pinpoint and attack US positions in the Indo-Pacific, Whiting said. In so doing, they are increasing their military capabilities on Earth, making their forces 'more precise' and 'lethal'. Moscow and Beijing are also cooperating more than ever, Kruse said, as they aim to increase and maintain their presence in space. While setting off a nuclear bomb may conjure the image of mass casualty events as seen historically, their potential use in space is likely to be designed to create of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). When a nuclear bomb goes off, whether on land or in space, it creates an EMP. This burst of electromagnetic energy can disable or destroy electronic equipment - including satellites. While Russia already has multiple space-based tools in its arsenal, nukes are believed to be one of its emerging threat-capabilities The US does not currently have defenses against such a threat, and if satellite-based communications were destroyed, getting them back online would require maneuvering remaining satellites into place and launching new ones on rockets - both of which days or weeks. While Russia already has multiple space-based tools in its arsenal, nukes are believed to be one of its emerging threat-capabilities. The move to put a nuclear device in space would also go against the Outer Space Treaty, a 1967 agreement the then-USSR was party to. One provision of the treaty is a ban on orbiting nuclear weapons. Russia and China threatening the US and its allies in space is nothing new. In 2021, Russia demonstrated its capability to shoot down satellites with missiles launched from Earth, destroying one of its own decommissioned satellites. And in 2020 Russia fired a projectile from a satellite up into outer space - though Russian officials maintained the projectile was not a weapon. China, India, and the US have also all tested ASAT missiles on their own decommissioned satellites. A migrant headed for the UK has died trying to cross the English Channel after the overcrowded vessel she was travelling in deflated and sank, according to authorities. The woman who has not been identified was the sixth person in a week to perish in such horrific circumstances. She was reportedly of Sudanese origin and was among 86 people who set off from a beach near Calais in the early hours of this morning. 'A mayday call was made soon after midnight, but at first those on board did not want to be rescued,' said a French emergency services source. 'Navy personnel aboard the patrol board Cormoran rescued five people from the sea to begin with, but people still on board the deflating dinghy were also in a lot of trouble. File image shows a group of migrants attempting to cross the Channel from France 'There was an inanimate person among them, and efforts were made to revive her, but she was soon declared dead. 'The boat was massively overloaded, and sea conditions were very choppy.' A criminal enquiry was opened last Friday after four UK-bound migrants without lifejackets drowned when their overcrowded inflatable capsized off Boulogne-Sur-Mer, 20 miles southwest of Calais. Another person drowned off Gravelines, near Dunkirk, just two days ago too, after setting off from the beach there. Prosecutors believe the 'poor quality, under-powered' craft used in all cases were organised by people smugglers charging around 1000-a-head. The latest death means that 22 people have died this year alone while trying to reach the coast of England to claim asylum. It comes two days after a UK border force ship returned people to France for the first time. It emerged yesterday that British and French teams cooperated to rescue a group of migrants off the coast of Gravelines, northern France on Wednesday. Patrols discovered people in the water, sparking a rescue operation aided by the British Border Force and RNLI. Some 59 people were brought on board the French ship PSP Cormoran, including an unconscious person who could not be resuscitated by the medical team. French cops wearing riot gear pictured watching on as the migrants launched into the Channel on their overpacked inflatable boat on July 11, 2024 A British vessel, the Border Force Ranger, also saved 13 people from the water, and both ships took the group of people to Calais. It is believed to be the first time that a British vessel has picked up migrants in French waters and been asked to return them to France. However, government sources told MailOnline there is 'no change of policy or approach' and it was 'just the way the operation played out'. A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokeswoman said: 'HM Coastguard received a report of a small boat in difficulty in French waters near Calais at about 2.40pm on July 17. 'A Border Force vessel and RNLI lifeboat were sent to support French vessels in the operation, co-ordinated by French authorities.' The year to date has been the busiest for crossings so far, with 14,759 migrants arriving between January 1 and July 16 - the most recent date for which figures are available. This compares to 14,622 in 2022, the second busiest year The French coastguard added that it continued to search the scene until nightfall and no further people were found in the water. One Home Office source said: 'There is ongoing cooperation on these kinds of rescue missions and consideration of where people are taken back to is generally based on conditions at sea and welfare of those who have been in the water. 'There's no change of policy or approach so it's just the way the operation played out.' Last Friday, four people were reported killed after a packed boat carrying asylum seekers capsized at 4.30am off the coast of Boulogne sur Mer, in northern France. More than 12,000 people have made the Channel crossing so far this year, according to Home Office provisional figures released in mid-June. The figure was 18 percent higher than for the equivalent point last year, when 10,472 people had made the crossing. The fallout from the 'most serious IT outage the world has ever seen' is continuing to hit Britain tonight - with planes and trains grounded, the NHS disrupted, shops closed, football teams unable to sell tickets and banking platforms knocked offline. The devastating technical fault caused Windows computers to suddenly shut down, prompting departure boards to immediately turn off at airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Edinburgh on the busiest day for British airports since Covid. Stemming from a faulty update pushed out by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, the problem has been identified and is gradually being fixed - but with knock-on effects for travellers and patients as systems come back online. Follow MailOnline's live coverage below. July 19, 2024: Chinese trade was disrupted in 2022 when Russia was hit with economic sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine. The most harmful impact of those sanctions was the loss of customers for Russian oil and petroleum products. The major customers for these products were in neighboring European countries. Russia had built an extensive infrastructure of pipelines and other export systems to get the oil to Western Europe. This included the expensive Nordstream II Pipeline. Suddenly that business was gone and Russia was faced with major losses because of the lost customers. Eastern neighbor China saw an opportunity and offered to step in and expand and offered to purchase the natural gas and oil that European customers had recently paid Russia to deliver. China pointed out that it and Russia would have to expedite completion of the $55 billion Power of Siberia natural gas pipeline and upgrade ESPOOP (Eastern SiberiaPacific Ocean oil pipeline). These two pipelines were built with excess capacity and now Russia used its unsold oil and natural gas to move these products to China. This was seen as an economic opportunity for China because the Russians had no choice but to sell the natural gas and oil to China or reduce production of both natural resources and sell what they could to smaller customers willing to face the possibility of being sanctioned also. China was a major trading partner with Europe and the Europeans were not willing to endanger that trade with sanctions. Because of this China was able to get Russian natural gas and oil and reduced rates because Russia had no other major customers. Oil and natural gas are major exports for Russia and account for 36 percent of government revenue. Selling to China at a discount would reduce government oil and natural gas revenue by a few percent. Not being able to divert oil and natural gas to Chinese customers would cost the Russians a lot more. Another downside for Russia is that this greater dependence on China for natural gas and oil sales means greater dependence on China in general. It is now a buyers market and China is making the most of it. It means a major shift in Russia-China relations with China becoming the dominant partner. The new boss is not the same as the old boss and Russia has to get used to it. The chief suspect in the fatal stabbing of British Rolls-Royce designer Ian Cameron in Germany last week has been arrested in France following an international manhunt - but the motive remains a mystery. Cameron, 74, was found dead at his 3 million mansion in Lake Ammersee in Upper Bavaria on Friday evening. The Serbian suspect, who fled to France from Germany before his arrest was seen hours before Cameron's death at a supermarket less than a mile from the murder scene wearing a grey T-shirt and blue trousers. CCTV footage from the crime scene later showed an unidentifiable man wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt, light-coloured trousers, gloves and a dark red backpack. Investigators conducting a search of the surrounding area after Cameron was found dead discovered the backpack containing both sets of clothes - suggesting the assailant had changed his garments a second time after the crime to avoid detection. The Serbian suspect was seen hours earlier at a supermarket less than a mile from the murder scene. He has now been arrested in France after fleeing Germany CCTV footage from the crime scene later showed an unidentifiable man wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt and light-coloured trousers, as well as gloves and a dark red backpack Police understand that the killer rang the doorbell at Mr Cameron house in Herrsching am Ammersee before attacking him Ian Cameron (2L) a former top designer for Rolls-Royce, was killed at his home last week Police now believe the killer rang the doorbell to Mr Cameron's home in Herrsching and attacked him when he opened the door, forcing his wife Veronika Kloos - also a former designer at BMW - to flee to safety over a wall. Suspicions were raised that the designer was deliberately targeted when it emerged the cables to CCTV cameras over the garages where his high-value vehicles were kept had been cut. Some 30 officers were deployed to assist in the hunt for the attacker after Cameron's neighbours provided a description of the perpetrator that appeared to closely match his appearance in security camera footage. The suspect was said to have been shopping in the Edeka supermarket on Seestrae just 0.8 miles from the designer's house shortly before the attack on the Rolls Royce designer unfolded. CCTV footage also showed the attacker carrying a red rucksack and green-yellow gloves. After police sent drones and even a police helicopter to search for the murderer, they found the rucksack, which is now being analysed for usable DNA traces. Super-recognisers - specialists with the ability to discern faces even in poor-quality images or when perpetrators wear masks - were also brought in to help identify the suspect. The investigation team earlier this week extended the manhunt to the whole of Germany before he was located in France. Police understand that the killer rang the doorbell of the house in Herrsching am Ammersee and launched his attack on Cameron as he opened the door. Cameron's wife Kloos fled over a wall to evade the attacker, finding refuge with neighbours who called the emergency services. A short time later, the designer was found dead. Wife Verena Kloos managed to get to their neighbour's house and phone the police Mr Cameron and his wife, Veronika Kloos, lived in a 3m home in Herrsching, Bavaria (File) Investigators discovered that the CCTV cameras above the garages to the house had been disabled, with the wires having been cut. An officer told The Sun it is 'extremely rare' that a burglar who prepares enough to disable CCTV then 'stabs and kills' a person. Police labelled it a 'violent crime' and said the attacker fled on foot from the house. Heavy rain on Friday evening prevented the police helicopter from taking off on time, meaning the search was delayed until officers could deploy drones to canvas the area. The day after the crime, divers and dog handlers scoured the area but have thus far found no trace of the attacker besides the backpack containing clothing seen in the CCTV footage. Ian Cameron was a revered figure in the automotive industry, having left a lasting legacy at Rolls-Royce with his groundbreaking designs. Before retiring from the company in 2013, he was championed for his work on luxury cars, including the 3 Series, Z8, Phantom and Ghost. His untimely death has shocked the small, quiet community on the shores of Lake Ammersee. Labour is to give workers the right to ignore attempts by their bosses to contact them outside their regular hours under sweeping rights reforms. Under controversial 'French style' reforms led by deputy PM Angela Rayner, staff would get a 'right to switch off'. They would be spared from any obligation to check emails and WhatsApp messages, or answer calls from line managers during the evening, weekends and while on holiday. But according to the i newspaper, the move will come in the form of non-binding guidance in a new code of practice, rather than a law change. And there will be industries where it will not apply. But the change was welcomed by Paul Novak, the TUC general secretary, who told the paper: 'No one should be pushed to the brink because of their job. 'Ever increasing hours, pace and expectations at work are causing problems up and down the country. This is a recipe for burnt out Britain.' But Labour's plans for sweeping new workers rights have led to a furious backlash from businesses and the Tories. Under controversial 'French style' reforms led by deputy PM Angela Rayner, staff would get a 'right to switch off'. The Prime Minister has been warned that a radical package of employment rights championed by his deputy Angela Rayner could 'cost jobs and choke growth'. Pictured: Aslef General Secretary Mick Whelan (centre) joins train workers on the picket line at Euston station in London Sir Keir unveiled Labour's controversial workers' rights policies during the King's Speech, promising the right to flexible working from 'day one', where possible. The measure also aims to give workers immediate access to sickness and parental leave, ban zero-hour contracts, and provide protection from unfair dismissal. The PM said he wanted to 'unlock growth and take the brakes off Britain'. But he has been warned that a radical package of employment rights championed by Ms Rayner could have the opposite effect. The plan dubbed the Red Revolution also rewards Labour's union paymasters by scrapping a string of anti-strike laws and 'removing unnecessary restrictions on trade union activity'. New equality laws will also force firms to provide the Government with an annual audit of how much ethnic minority and disabled workers are paid. Shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake told the Mail the proposals would mean business closures and job losses. Making flexible working the default and requiring employers to accommodate it is a work from home charter but also, and very significantly, it switches the decision on how and where people work from the employer to the worker, he said. More red tape from a classic socialist, big state government, which will stifle economic growth and lead to business closures and job losses. Former Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said: The UK has had a productivity problem for 30 years made worse by the move to working from home. Employers will not risk creating new jobs if Labour creates an idlers charter which will reduce opportunities for all workers. Tom Clougherty, director of the Institute of Economic Affairs, said the stack of new regulations on the labour market will reduce flexibility and increase structural unemployment. The FBI is seeking to get access to three encrypted accounts based overseas allegedly belonging to Donald Trump's attempted assassin as they look to understand a motive for the July 13 shooting, a Republican congressman suggested. Rep. Michael Waltz said he has been speaking with agents as the FBI continues to probe the attack, learning the bureau believes Thomas Crooks may have been linked to foreign accounts amid sensational rumors of an 'Iranian plot'. 'The shooter had three encrypted accounts overseas. At the same time we're having an Iranian plot,' Waltz said on Jesse Watters Primetime late Thursday. 'I think this is going to go much broader, much deeper... We're going to get to the bottom of this beginning Monday.' Waltz went on to say agents are now looking 'to hold' US Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle 'to account' over the assassination attempt, claiming they are 'p***ed' and 'frustrated' over the lack of resources they have been provided. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday he was ready to call on Joe Biden to fire Ms Cheatle as her office said she would not step down amid growing pressure to resign following the shooting. Michael Waltz (pictured) said agents are seeking access to Crooks' alleged overseas accounts Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents after the July 13 shooting Waltz said the FBI is looking to get access to three accounts associated with Crooks (pictured) Ms Cheatle speaks during a Republican National Convention security news conference, June 6 House Speaker Mike Johnson has now joined House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and other leaders in calling for Cheatle to step back from the role after she defended how the Secret Service handled the assassination attempt. Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the Secret Service, revealed on Wednesday night that Ms Cheatle had 'no intentions to step down', citing the importance of a 'continuity' in leadership despite the mounting pressure, however. 'She deeply respects members of Congress and is fiercely committed to transparency in leading the Secret Service through the internal investigation and strengthening the agency through lessons learned in these important internal and external reviews.' Concerns continue to grow about how Crooks was able to scale the building from which he fired off eight rounds at former president Trump before he was shot dead by the Secret Service's counter-sniper team. The building used by Crooks as a vantage point was reportedly being used as a police tactical team staging area, with police snipers stationed inside to monitor the rally. And an officer did see Crooks carrying a range finder and 'scoping out' the roof of the building - but did not stop him, CBS reported on Monday. By the time two police officers walked over to check him out, he was on the roof, belly crawling. Crooks had already been flagged as suspicious by law enforcement, but had not been deemed a 'threat', Guglielmi said this week. The FBI is now also trying to assess whether an ominous post on gaming platform Steam allegedly made by Crooks, hinting he would be in the news on Saturday, is authentic and was made by the suspect. The alleged Iranian plot has been met with scrutiny from US officials, however. 'As we have said many times, we have been tracking Iranian threats against former Trump administration officials for years, dating back to the last administration,' US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said on Tuesday. 'The investigation of Saturday's attempted assassination of former President Trump is active and ongoing. 'At this time, law enforcement has reported that their investigation has not identified ties between the shooter and any accomplice or co-conspirator, foreign or domestic.' Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry, denied that there was 'any involvement in the recent armed attack against Trump'. He said the rumors have 'malicious political motives' and rejected the suggestion that Iran ever intended 'to undertake such an action'. A threat assessment by the US intelligence community released in February said Iran was targeting Trump over the death of Qasem Soleimani, assassinated by the United States in a drone strike outside Baghdad airport in 2020. Kanaani said Iran remains 'determined to prosecute Trump over his direct role in the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani'. Donald Trump speaks after officially accepting the Republican presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin on July 18 The Secret Service faces mounting pressure over the handling of the shooting on July 13 (pictured Trump at the RNC on July 18) Members of the Trump family watch from the stage after Trump accepted the nomination Thomas Crooks is understood to be a computer whiz who had recently earned a spot at a college engineering program. Classmates have said he was 'bullied everyday' at school, was a loner and sat alone for lunch. Former classmate Julianna Grooms, 19, told the New York Times: 'Kids would always say, "Hey, look at the school shooter over there!" 'They would tease him about his poor hygiene, his body odor. He was an easy target.' Video showed some of the harassment Crooks endured at school from his peers. The 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania was a registered Republican who had previously made a $15 donation to the liberal ActBlue political action committee on January 20, 2021 - Biden's Inauguration Day. He also had a membership at a local shooting club, the Clairton Sportsmen's Club, according to the BBC. Law enforcement officers told AP Crooks' father had bought the AR-style rifle used in the attack at least six months ago. Search history reveals Crooks appeared to have downloaded pictures of politicians from across the political spectrum ahead of the attack. Police are yet to identify a motive for the attack. The firefighter who was shot dead as he sheltered his family from bullets fired by Donald Trump's would-be assassin in Pennsylvania this past weekend was not even supposed to be sitting in the front row, a friend has revealed. Corey Comperatore, 50, moved up to the row of seats closest to Trump's lectern just moments before 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on the former president, according to the fireman's friend Scott Dockherty. 'Talk about a freak, freak accident. That he wasn't even supposed to be sitting there and he ends up losing his life,' Dockherty, the CEO of manufacturing company CID Associates, told reporters yesterday outside a vigil held for Comperatore in his hometown of Freeport, just outside Pittsburgh, PA. The 50-year-old father-of-two had worked as a project and tooling engineer, was an Army reservist and spent many years as a volunteer firefighter after serving as chief, according to his obituary. He was standing with his family off to the left of the dais when the group were reportedly offered to move up to empty seats in the front row, according to the New York Post. He died a hero, spending the final moments of his life shielding his wife and daughter from the barrage of bullets as Trump was struck in the ear amid scenes which rocked American democracy to the core on Saturday evening. Comperatore's body was transported in a concierge of fire trucks adorned with black ribbons through Freeport ahead of his wake at Laube Hall on Thursday. Trump meanwhile paid homage to the fallen firefighter during his address at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last night. Comperatore's firefighting uniform was on display on the stage behind Trump, and the former president paused his speech to walk over and plant a kiss on the helmet of the slain hero. The former fire chief for Buffalo Township, Corey Comperatore, was the person killed in the crowd at the Trump rally in Butler, PA Trump standing with the uniform of Corey Comperatore who was shot and killed when the gunman opened fire at the former president's rally in Butler, PA last Saturday Donald Trump kisses the helmet of Corey Comperatore during his Republican National Convention speech. The uniform was on display on the stage as Trump gave his acceptance speech Corey Comperatore's body was transported in a procession of fire trucks adorned with black ribbons through his hometown of Freeport, just outside Pittsburgh, PA, on Thursday Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024 Trump declared during a speech at the RNC last night that the attempt on his life has made him 'even more determined' 'Tragically, the shooter claimed the life of one of our fellow Americans, Corey Comperatore, unbelievable person everybody tells me,' Trump said in his remarks. Crooks opened fire on the former president as he addressed a rally of supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday 'He was a highly respected former fire chief - respected by everybody,' Trump said. The former president also said he had spoken with Comperatore's wife Helen, who reportedly said she and their two young daughters were 'devastated' by the firefighter's passing. 'He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets. He went right over the top of them and was hit,' Trump said. 'What a fine man he was.' The family confirmed through a spokesperson that they allowed the Republican presidential nominee to display Comperatore's uniform at the convention. 'There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for others. This is the spirit that forged America in her darkest hours, and this is the love that will lead America back to the summit of human achievement and greatness that we need,' Trump said as he placed his hands on the uniform. The former president announced during his convention speech that $6.3 million had been raised for the families of Comperatore and two other men who were critically wounded in the shooting. Trump said he also spoke with those victims - David Dutch and James Copenhaver. Donald Trump is joined on stage by wife Melania and members of his family Trump said the fire department and family sent the uniform to Milwaukee for his speech Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump is joined on stage by wife Melania, other relatives and Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance Dan Beazley unloads a cross near a line of guests at a visitation for Corey Comperatore at Laube Hall, Thursday, July 18,2024, in Freeport, Pa A memorial for Corey Comperatore is seen on a billboard at the Penn Theater in Butler, PA., Thursday, July 18, 2024 In Freeport last night, friends and neighbors of Comperatore lined the grass beside the country road along which his body was carried. The Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department drove the vehicles somberly in formation to Laube Hall - only around 20 miles from where the Trump rally took place - where a private service will be held today. Grieving wife Helen Comperatore said she received a call from Trump in the days after the devastating loss of her husband. She was also offered a call from Joe Biden, but refused it. Writing on Facebook after her call with Trump, she said: 'He was very kind and said he would continue to call me in the days and weeks ahead. 'I told him the same thing I told everyone else. He left this world a hero and God welcomed him in. He did not die in vain that day.' 'I don't talk to Biden,' she later told the New York Post. 'I didn't want to talk to him. 'My husband was a devout Republican and he would not have wanted me to talk to him.' Helen said she and her husband, who were high school sweethearts, were on the verge of celebrating their 29th wedding anniversary when they headed to Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. 'Me and the kids were all there as a family,' she said. 'He was just excited. It was going to be a nice day with the family.' The Prime Minister, who is 5ft 3in, awarded 5,000 over 'body shaming' remarks An Italian journalist has been ordered to pay Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni 5,000 in compensation over 'defamatory' social media posts mocking her height. In a recent court ruling, Giulia Cortese, who is based in Milan, was orderd to pay the equivalent of 4,210) for the comments posted on X and Facebook. Additionally, Ms Cortese received a suspended fine of 1,200 for what the judge described as 'body shaming' Meloni in two separate tweets. The legal action followed an exchange in which the journalist referred to the Prime Minister as a 'little woman' and stated: 'I can't even see you.' Reacting to the verdict, Ms Cortese criticised the Italian government, noting a 'serious problem with freedom of expression and journalistic dissent.' An Italian journalist has been ordered to pay Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (pictured) 5,000 in compensation over 'defamatory' social media posts mocking her height Ms Cortese and Meloni first clashed in October 2021, when the Prime Minister's far-right Brothers of Italy party was still in opposition, as reported by BBC News. During this time, Ms Cortese posted a doctored image on X (formerly known as Twitter), showing Meloni standing in front of a bookshelf with a framed photo of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Meloni responded to the image on Facebook, calling it 'of unique gravity' and announcing her intention to pursue legal action. Ms Cortese subsequently deleted the image, acknowledging its inauthenticity but accusing Meloni of orchestrating a 'media pillory' against her. In response, she reiterated the 'little woman' remark, saying the Facebook post only emphasised her small stature. She later said in a separate post, external: 'You don't scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, you're only 1.2m [3ft 9in] tall. I can't even see you.' The Prime Minister's height is reported in Italian media to be 1.63m (5ft 3in). While Ms Cortese was cleared of wrongdoing for the initial image post, her subsequent tweets were deemed defamatory by the court, which ultimately led to the conviction. U.S. President Joe Biden, Giorgia Meloni and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg pose for a photo during the 75th NATO anniversary summit in July Ms Cortese said in a Facebook post: 'You don't scare me, Giorgia Meloni. After all, you're only 1.2m [3ft 9in] tall. I can't even see you' Responding to the verdict on X, Ms Cortese criticised the Italian government for its stance on freedom of expression and journalistic dissent. She compared the situation to Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, highlighting the challenges faced by independent journalists in Italy. She added: 'These are bad times for independent journalists and opinion leaders. Let's hope for better days ahead. We won't give up!' Ms Cortese, who has the option to appeal the ruling, also expressed her pride in being Italian while condemning what she described as an 'appalling and shameful government.' Meanwhile, Meloni's lawyer announced that any damages awarded would be donated to charity. It comes after hidden footage captured members of hard-right leader Meloni's youth wing performing fascist salutes and chanting 'Sieg heil' in June. A woman jailed for 16 years after breaking a plant pot and ripping up a blank betting slip under a now abolished law his hit out at her 'cruel, degrading and severely mentally damaging' sentence. Ronnie Sinclair was just 22 when she was locked up for robbery following a drunken row at a friend's barbecue which was caught by a neighbour's CCTV. Ronnie pleaded guilty to one count of robbery but because she already had a youth criminal record judges at Newcastle Crown Court handed down a six-year sentence under now-abolished imprisonment for public protection (IPP) legislation. The IPP meant she served her full sentence plus an additional 10 years which kept her behind bars until she was 38. She remains on an indefinite licence today. Now aged 42, Ronnie suffered mental and physical health problems while in jail and believes: 'Even the strongest people don't come out of this unscathed.' Ronnie Sinclair was just 22 when she began serving 16 years in jail after breaking a plant pot and ripping up a blank betting slip under now abolished imprisonment for public protection (IPP) legislation Ronnie, now 42, has hit out at her 'cruel, degrading and severely mentally damaging' sentence, adding: 'Even the strongest people don't come out of this unscathed' Now living in north Lincolnshire, Ronnie says she has struggled to rebuild her life and faces a daily fear of going back to jail It comes as the family of Wayne Bell, also serving an IPP for stealing a bike 17 years ago, revealed they have no idea what prison he is in and 'don't even know if he's alive'. Like Wayne, Ronnie lost contact with family during her sentence, choosing to isolate herself from loved ones as she believed that would be better for her mental health. What is an IPP sentence? The indeterminate sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) was introduced in England and Wales by Home Secretary, David Blunkett in 2005. The new sentence - introduced as part of the Blair government's drive to be 'tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime' - was intended for people considered 'dangerous' but whose offence did not merit a life sentence. Offenders were set a minimum term (tariff) which they had to spend in prison. After they had completed their tariff they could apply to the Parole Board for release, with the requirement of proving they were no longer a threat to the public. If they were released, they would remain on licence, with the potential of being returned to custody. The sentences were abolished in 2012, but nearly 3,000 people remain in prison on them with no idea when they will be released. In 2022, a Justice Committee report found they were 'irredeemably flawed'. While release under an IPP is based on being able to prove you have been successfully rehabilitated, the Committee found that inadequate provision of support services inside and outside of prison has led to a 'recall merry-go-round'. It also found that IPP sentences cause acute harm to those subject to them, with the prospect of serving a sentence without an end date causing higher levels of self-harm as well as a lack of trust in the system that is meant to rehabilitate them. Advertisement She said: 'For the first five or six years it's hard and frustrating because you don't have any idea what's going on. At the beginning you have it in your head that you do your tariff and that's it. 'There's a lot of resentment when you see people coming in for sexual assaults and they're getting released, people with heinous crimes, they're getting released and I'm there over a plant pot. 'I cut off all emotional ties with family and friends. It was my personal choice to do that just to get through it. 'It had a big impact on our relationships, even now I'm out there's no relationship like there was before. Once you switch a part of yourself off which you have to do to get through these types of sentence it's hard to get that back.' Now living in north Lincolnshire, Ronnie says she has struggled to rebuild her life and faces a daily fear of going back to jail. When she was first released she refused to use self-service checkout machines as she feared one mistake would see her back in jail indefinitely. Her fear of authority also meant when she witnessed a crime on the street she approached a nearby traffic warden to call the police as she was too afraid to call herself. Addressing the 2004 row that led to her sentence, she can't remember what started it but says it was so trivial she and the friend made up straight away and returned to the party. She said: 'It happened at a friend's bungalow, we were both under the influence and we had an argument. My phone got flushed down the toilet, a plant pot got smashed and I took a betting slip out of his house, tore it up and put it down the drain. 'It was just an empty betting slip with some notes on the back about form for runners at the Grand National but it was just a piece of paper. The plant pot was just one provided by the council, he threw it at me and it didn't break then I threw it back and it smashed off a wall. 'I can't even remember what the row was about, it blew over straight away but it was all caught on next door's CCTV and they called the police.' She admits she had issues with substance abuse before going to jail but says both her physical and mental health deteriorated during her sentence. She said: 'My mental health suffered and I had trust issues with authority. There is just a constant mistrust. By the end of my sentence I didn't come out on association time, I just sat in my room on my own away from people because that was my level of paranoia and mistrust. 'I was diagnosed with MS (Multiple sclerosis) in 2014, there's not a lot of medical help while you're in there.' Ronnie lost contact with family during her sentence, choosing to isolate herself from loved ones as she believed that would be better for her mental health Addressing the 2004 row that led to her sentence, she can't remember what started it but says it was so trivial she and the friend made up straight away and returned to the party, but police were called by a neighbour who caught it on CCTV Ronnie shared her story in the wake of the family of Wayne Bell (pictured), also serving an IPP for stealing a bike 17 years ago, revealed they have no idea what prison he is in and 'don't even know if he's alive' Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences - introduced in 2005 - was later abolished for being 'unjust'. Those in receipt of them were handed minimum terms but after their few years in prison were up, they had to convince the Parole Board they were safe enough to be released back into the community. However, they weren't given access to rehabilitation courses to do so. Figures released by the Ministry of Justice in March revealed that almost 3,000 people are still behind bars on IPP. Wayne's sister Alana Bell, 33, told the Manchester Evening News (MEN) the family haven't heard from him in over two years and they 'don't even know if he's alive'. Around 17 years ago, Bell punched a man and stole his bike in Manchester. He was sentenced in 2007 and was among one of the first convicts to be handed a new type of sentence. When he was a teenager, Bell played the trumpet and wanted to become a mechanic. But he started getting into trouble at school and ended up being expelled. At 17, Bell was convicted at Manchester Crown Court and told he would serve four years before the Parole Board would consider releasing him but successive hearings deemed he couldn't be managed safely. So as time went on he lost hope of ever being released and started getting in fights behind bars. With each brawl, his chances of persuading the board diminished even further. The mother of a Wayne Bell (far right) has said prison has 'totally destroyed him'. Pictured Carl (middle) and Diane Bell (right) with Wayne Speaking to MEN before his death, Bell's father Carl said: 'I honestly thought he would be coming out. I thought he would be in there a couple of years. 'Wayne has watched murderers and rapists come and go in and out of prison. He just hit someone and took their bike. The sentence really doesn't fit the crime.' Many inmates are already over their maximum term, some by over a decade, say campaigners The Institute of Now. IPP is said to have cost the taxpayer 500 million already and could rise of 1billion by 2028. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: 'The prison system is in crisis and we recognise the significant impact this is having on our whole justice system. 'It is right that IPP sentences were abolished. The Lord Chancellor is committed to working with organisations and campaign groups to ensure the appropriate course of action is taken to support those still serving IPP sentences.' Your browser does not support iframes. It comes after Labour announced new measures to crackdown on the prison overcrowding crisis in the King's Speech on Wednesday. Foreign prisoners who make up just 12 per cent of the UK's prison population could be deported in a bid to tackle the issue. Last week The Prison Governors' Association, which represents 95 per cent of prison governors in England and Wales, warned that jails were due to run out of space within days. At the end of March this year there were 10,422 foreign nationals in British jails, up from 10,148 the year before. This is about 12 per cent of all prisoners - each costing the taxpayer 47,000. The state of Saxony-Anhalt has cut the benefits of asylum seekers who refused to pick up debris following heavy flooding in east Germany for less than a pound an hour. 64 migrants had been written to by local authorities demanding they help clear rubbish and erect dykes for a wage of just 80 cents (68p) per hour after devastating floods in the area at the end of last year which saw hundreds of residents in parts of Germany forced to evacuate. 39 people agreed to help, while the rest, who are said to be from Syria, Afghanistan, Niger, Mali and Albania, failed to turn up. The district council has now declared that the 15 asylum seekers who had no excuse to take part in the clean-up will have their asylum benefits cut in half to 232 (195) a month for three months. These benefits are meant to cover basic necessities, such as food, accommodation, personal hygiene and clothing. Ukrainian refugees queue for food in the welcome area after their arrival at the main train station in Berlin, Germany, March 8, 2022 The state of Saxony-Anhalt has cut the benefits of asylum seekers who refused to pick up debris following heavy flooding in east Germany. Pictured: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Environment Minister Steffi Lemke walk along a dyke made of sandbags as they visit Sangerhausen, where a flood dyke that is threatened to break, in eastern Germany at the beginning of this year District councilor Andre Schroeder, who is a member of the Christian Democrat party, defended the decision saying: 'Anyone who seeks protection from us from other countries can be obliged to do work that serves the common good'. According to the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act in Germany, if community service is refused without reason, the right to benefits is limited. This comes as Germany struggles to manage migration and assist asylum seekers while also appeasing a growing proportion of voters who are being enticed by Right-wing politicians pushing anti-migrant rhetoric - a stark contrast from former Chancellor Angela Merkel's open border migration policy, through which she allowed one million refugees enter Germany in 2015. The divisive policy saw the far-Right Alternative for Germany (AfD) enter the German parliament in the aftermath. This comes just a week after Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said he was in favor of cutting social benefits for asylum seekers who enter Germany via another EU country. 'The Dublin system applies, according to which the EU state in which a refugee entered the EU is responsible for him. But many still come to Germany,' he said. Asylum seekers are already entitled to support in the country when they first enter. 'They cannot expect to live off the solidarity of people here if they do not want to return,' he stressed. 'That is certainly controversial, but we must continue to address these pull factors that are currently attracting too many people to us irregularly', he added. This is the moment a British tourist was dragged away after jumping into a public Tenerife fountain as part of a 20 bet with anti-tourist groups calling him the latest example of problematic holidaymakers. Footage of the incident which took place at the Fountain of the Americas, located in the Safari Centre, south Tenerife, was uploaded to TikTok by the young man's friends after he dove into the water headfirst. In the video, a shirtless man donning red swimming trunks and white sliders can be seen gearing up for the bizarre act as his pal waves a 20 euro note in front of his face. He accepts the bill with a surprised look on his face, before handing it back to his friend along with his sunglasses before making his run up to the fountain in front of baffled onlookers. The man sprits across the tiled floor, past a number of strolling tourists, and up to the glowing fountain which is surrounded with golden lights. A young male British tourist was filmed diving headfirst into the Fountain of the Americas in south Tenerife as his end of a 20 bet He leaped into the fountain from the water feature's edge before he was dragged away by a staff member, and then a security guard As he reaches the water feature's edge, he jumps up onto the ledge and dives headfirst into the fountain before body-slamming the water and causing a large splash. An employee can be seen standing by the edge and turning his head away as he is hit by the flying water, while the man's pals laugh in the background. The young man emerges from the fountain, raising his arms in short-lived victory before the staff member grabs him by the arm and drags him over the ledge. A security guard then approaches the pair and can be seen escorting the man away before the clip ends. The footage has angered local Canarians who have slammed the holidaymakers actions, calling him disrespectful and saying he 'portrays an image of tourism that Tenerife doesn't want,' according to Canarian Weekly. It comes just two weeks after furious locals who orchestrated mass anti-tourism protests across the Canary Islands earlier this year issued a warning to Brit travellers as they vowed to target 'main holidaymaker areas' over the summer period. Tens of thousands of people already took to the streets of Tenerife on April 20, with roughly 200,000 protesters thought to have taken part in mass demonstrations across the island archipelago. Prior to those demonstratios, six men and women embarked on a hunger strike for ten days leading up to April 20. Campaigners claim that the huge influx of tourists to the island is causing major environmental damage, driving down wages and squeezing locals out of cheap affordable housing, forcing dozens to live in tents and cars instead. One female protestor at the march in April held up a sign which read: 'Fourteen million tourists a year but 36 per cent of Canarians at risk of poverty.' Female protestors previously revealed that they had been harassed and threatened by tourists and no longer 'feel safe' in their homeland as the streets were flooded with foreigners revelling in drunken debauchery. 'I wouldn't go to the south of the island alone, it is not safe for young women,' one protestor told the Express. An estimated total of 50,000 citizens in Tenerife took to the streets of the Atlantic archipelago in April to protest against the problems caused by mass tourism and demand their politicians take action. Thousands of people demonstrate against tourism policies on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain on April 20, 2024 Canary Island natives protest as they call for a rethink of the island cluster's tourism policies Canary Islanders say the growth of holiday lets is driving locals out of the housing market The huge crowd massed with banners including one that said: 'You enjoy we suffer' in English Demonstrators packed into Weyler Square in the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz, the start point for a march on the Brit-popular holiday island, just before midday on April 20 with banners including one that said: 'You enjoy, we suffer' in English. But the mass anti-tourism drive does not stop in Tenerife, as unions have called for a mass turnout in Sunday's planned anti-tourism march in Mallorca, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin. The Secretary of Social Policies and Equality for the General Union of Workers, Xisca Gari, said: 'In the Balearics everything is growing except the quality of life,' while criticising the increase in tourists, flights, and unemployment. She slammed the fact that 'all the rental offer is aimed at visitors' as residents of Mallorca struggle to find flats to live in 'due to the high prices caused by "touristification"'. Three unions have now called on the workers of the sunny islands to attend a huge planned demonstration on Sunday. On July 17, it was also revealed that cruise liners may now decide to boycott popular destinations in Spain, such as Mallorca and Ibiza, if anti-tourism protests and 'violent attitudes' towards holiday-makers continue to escalate. The warning was issued by leaders of the Cruise Lines International Association which says there are many other ports across the world willing to take tourists without protests. 'Tourismphobia is not only a problem in Spain, but also in France and other Mediterranean countries, but visitors are increasingly sensitive and the violent attitudes that have been seen in places like Barcelona have an impact on the destination's reputation,' said Marie Caroline Laurent, CLIA's European director, during a visit to Madrid. Alfredo Serrano, CLIA's director in Spain, said there are countries like Saudi Arabia and others in the area that are making 'million-dollar investments' in boosting their tourism sector and welcoming tourists with open arms. 'As the dialogue with the Barcelona council is complicated, for example, it will result in cancellations and discontent among tourists,' the two representatives said at a press conference. They made an appeal for authorities to stop 'demonising' tourism and start to manage cities in a more efficient way. Volodymyr Zelensky demanded Keir Starmer show 'leadership' and unambiguously allow Ukraine to use UK-supplied cruise missiles to hit targets inside Russia today. The Ukrainian president made the plea as he held talks with the PM and met the new Labour Cabinet in No10. Mr Zelensky has said the ability to use western weapons to strike into Russian territory is important to Ukraine's efforts to defend itself against Moscow's aggression. The UK Government has suggested the deployment of British missiles is ultimately a matter for Ukraine, as long as international law is upheld. However this morning Defence Secretary John Healey said the rules surrounding use of the Storm Shadow weapons 'does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia' - saying it was up to Ukraine how they were used. On long-range capability, the president said 'we are still missing the main answer to this question' and told the Prime Minister 'I ask you to show your leadership' on the issue. Sir Keir said Ukraine had Britain's 'unshakeable support' and that Russia's aggression was 'unforgivable and cannot go unpunished'. He said the UK will 'double down' on backing for Ukraine, and confirmed he had accepted this morning an invitation to visit Ukraine again in the future. The Ukrainian president made the plea as he held talks with the PM and met the new Labour Cabinet in No10. He was greeted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with a warm hug and handshake outside No10, where he is due to become the first foreign leader to address Cabinet in person since 1997. Earlier John Healey had said that the UK would continue to fund weapons for Ukraine until the end of the decade at least, and gave tacit approval for Storm Shadow cruise missiles to be used to hit targets within Russia itself. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We're providing weapons to Ukraine for their defence of their sovereign country. And that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia.' The two men greeted each other with a hug and handshake outside No10, before Mr Zelensky becoming the first foreign leader to address Cabinet in person since 1997. It came after Mr Healey told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We're providing weapons to Ukraine for their defence of their sovereign country. And that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia. 'But that must be done by the Ukrainians, it must be done within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law.' Asked whether Mr Zelensky can hit where Russian missiles are coming from, the Cabinet minister said 'these are complex questions' and that he would not 'discuss the details of those sorts of things in public'. 'We are continuing very intense discussions with the Ukrainians because we as a country want to do everything we can to support Ukraine's effort to fight for their freedom.' Sir Keir said the visit to Downing Street was a 'very special moment'. He is the fourth UK PM that the president has dealt with his the invasion began in February 2022. In a bilateral meeting the Prime Minister said the UK is 'united in our Parliament' in supporting Kyiv for as long as possible. 'It's a very special moment for us to reiterate our support for you and the Ukrainian people in the fight against Russian aggression and to have this opportunity to confirm again our resolve to stand with you, so thank you so much for accepting the invitation,' Sir Keir said. The Ukrainian president will be the first official visitor to Downing Street under Sir Keir's premiership, and the first foreign leader to address the Cabinet in person since US president Bill Clinton in 1997. The Ukrainian president will be the first official visitor to Downing Street under Sir Keir's premiership, and the first foreign leader to address the Cabinet in person since US president Bill Clinton in 1997. Sir Keir is the fourth UK PM in office since Ukraine was invaded in February 2022 He is expected to brief ministers about the situation in Ukraine and the need to expand Europe's defence industrial base, as well as agreeing a 3.5 billion defence export finance deal with Sir Keir. Speaking to the BBC ahead of the meeting, Mr Zelensky said he needed 'strong support' from Sir Keir and would push for permission to use British long-range missiles against targets in Russia, particularly locations from which Russian forces were attacking civilian targets in Ukraine. During last week's Nato summit, Sir Keir suggested Ukraine would be able to use the missiles against Russian targets, but Downing Street later backtracked - saying Government policy on the use of the long-range Storm Shadow missiles had not changed. President Zelensky's visit to Downing Street follows the European Political Community (EPC) summit at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, on Thursday, at which 44 countries and the EU agreed to target Russia's 'shadow fleet' of tankers seeking to evade sanctions on Russian oil. The group of around 600 vessels carries 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, providing funds for Moscow's war effort while also allegedly acting as listening stations or transporting weapons for Russia. The ships are often old and unsafe, and engage in dangerous practices such as turning off their location tracking systems, increasing the risk of a serious collision. Sir Keir said: 'Alongside our European partners, we have sent a clear message to those enabling Putin's attempts to evade sanctions: we will not allow Russia's shadow fleet, and the dirty money it generates, to flow freely through European waters and put our security at risk.' A five-year-old girl drowned in a canal after falling through barriers which were reported unsafe to a housing association, a coroner ruled. Malika Mohammed Abdu Hibu was pulled from the Regent's Canal near her home in Islington, north London, shortly after going missing on February 17. An inquest into her death heard Malika, who had autism, used a thumb lock to open the door before running towards the canal from her home on Wharf Road. A neighbour spotted a child believed to be the five-year-old playing alone near the canal about 45 minutes before Malika was reported missing by her panicked mother. Shortly after police were contacted, the young girl was found floating in her pink pyjamas face down in the water. Malika Mohammed Abdu Hibu, five, was pulled from the Regent's Canal near her home in Islington, north London , on February 17 An inquest into Malika's death heard the five-year-old fell into the canal, which was surrounded by barriers which were unsafe One resident dived in to the body of water to try and save Malika. She was then taken to St Thomas' Hospital but died just after 7pm, the inquest heard. Wharf Road - where Malika lived - has three canals in the nearby area, including the City Road Basin, the Wenlock Basin as well as Regent's Canal. St Pancras Coroners Court heard housing association Peabody were responsible for maintaining the barriers between the homes and the canal where Malika fell. Detective Sergeant Lisa Jordan, of the Metropolitan Police, said: 'There is a gap between the first and second barrier which a small child could easily crawl underneath.' She continued: 'From my point of view, I do not think that that barrier was appropriate for young families living so close to it.' 'Peabody did not consider the barrier, risk assess it or act on complaints' There were further debates in court on who owned the wall on which the barrier was constructed, with the coroner determining Peabody were responsible. A temporary barricade has since been put in place to stop accidents. St Pancras Coroner Mary Hassell said: 'All of the evidence points in the same direction, which is that the housing association Peabody did in fact own the top of the wall. 'It didn't realise it owned the top of the wall, it didn't consider the barrier, it didn't risk assess it, it didn't act on any complaints.' 'The rail that was present presented no appreciable barrier to a little girl who was just playing and was interested in the water below.' 'Peabody is responsible for many such buildings and I remain extremely concerned that they didn't know for sure what they owned and what they didn't own. They didn't risk assess a very obviously potentially dangerous situation.' She added: 'What concerns me about all of that is a culture, it's a way of thinking, and that's what I want to bring to Peabody's attention..' The coroner will create two reports in a bid to prevent any further deaths. One regarding planning as the barriers were ignored in the 2014 planning application, and a second into Peabody itself for failing to respond to complaints about the unsafe barrier. The housing association has contacted Islington Council via email in October 2023 regarding who owned the barrier, according to the inquest. Peabody did not hear from the council and only followed up for a response a week before the five-year-old died. Tracy Packer, managing director for Peabody North East London, said has the council replied sooner, the housing association would have been able to make the area safer more quickly. She denied Peabody's full responsibility for the incident repeatedly, the inquest heard. 'It is difficult to be responsible for everybody's actions. I understand that is a really difficult thing,' she said. When asked if the housing association accepted responsibility for the accident, she said: 'In its entirety, I would say no.' A post-mortem examination confirmed that Malikas cause of death was drowning. Malika's parents attended the inquest helped by a Tigrinya translator. Giving evidence during the inquest, Malika's mum Huria Ali said she was at home with Malika and her older siblings before the tragedy. Describing her daughter, she said: 'She was funny, she was sweet, she was kind, but she didn't speak because she's autistic. Malika was a student at Bridge School in Islington, North London - a school for children with severe learning difficulties as well as autism. Asked if she could be 'more of a risk' than other children, the mum-of-four agreed and said: 'She doesn't know what she's doing.' However she said Malika never played by the canal unless she was present, and had never tried to get into the water before. On the day Malika died, she said she didn't know how her daughter had got out of the house adding: 'The front door was closed. I checked every room at home and when I noticed she was not there I ran to the canal to check, because I was always scared of the canal. 'I knew something would happen. My children never go alone on that canal.' Residents had complained about the unsafe barriers to housing association Peabody, who the coroner's court determined were responsible for their upkeep She said she called her husband at work and he called the police. 'I was talking to the police and then while we were talking someone found her and they called the police over', she said. She told the coroner a neighbour had complained about the safety of the canal railings on behalf of all residents some years before as she said they felt it was 'not safe' for families. A Peabody spokesperson said: 'This was a heartbreaking and tragic accident, and our thoughts remain with Malika's family and friends as they grieve their terrible loss. 'We'll continue to support local residents and will consider all the points raised in the coroner's report.' Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Leader of Islington Council, said: 'Malikas death was a terrible tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with her family and loved ones. 'We will carefully consider everything that has been said today, and throughout the inquest.' July 19, 2024: Its been a decade since the last outbreak of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the adjacent Red Sea waters was suppressed. Now there is a new campaign by Iran-backed Somali Shia rebels, led by a local militia leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi. Houthis group decided to declare war in Israel after the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israelis and other foreigners visiting a music festival near the Gaza Israeli border. Hamas killed over a thousand people, most of them civilians. The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) soon arrived and Hamas has been on the run ever since. For over a decade the Houthi group has been supplied with weapons by Iran. This included missiles to attack targets in Saudi Arabia. The Yemen military was never able to suppress the Houthi violence but that changed when the Houthis began attacking commercial shipping. The current round of Houthis violence against commercial shipping heading for the Suez Canal or making deliveries to Red Sea countries has led to over a half a dozen NATO nations sending warships to protect cargo ships in the Red Sea by attacking the Houthis rebels and their Iranian missiles in Yemen. American warships and naval aviation have already used hundreds of missiles against Houthi targets in Yemen. This has diminished the Houthi attacks but not entirely eliminated them. That would take a ground war in Yene. For over a decade the Houthis have been leading a rebellion against the Yemen government. For a while Arab nations sent troops to assist in suppressing the Houthis and now the Americans are sending an assault ship with a battalion of marines on board. Violence against commercial shipping is nothing new in the Gulf of Aden, which is between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The resurgence of piracy in this area began in 2010 when it had reached levels of activity not seen in over a century. But over the next three years that all changed. By 2013 attacks on ships by Somali pirates had declined 95 percent from the 2010 peak. The rapid collapse of the Somali pirates since 2010 was no accident. It was all a matter of organization, international cooperation and innovation. It all began back in 2009 when 80 seafaring nations formed, with the help of a UN resolution, the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. The most visible aspect of the Contact Group was the organization of an anti-piracy patrol off the Somali coast. This came to consist of over two dozen warships and several dozen manned and unmanned aircraft, as well as support from space satellites and major intelligence and police agencies. Back in 2010 the Somali pirates got most of the publicity but they only carried out 44 percent of the attacks. What was newsworthy was that the Somalis accounted for 90 percent of the hijackings, and some 80 percent of the piracy was in and around the Indian Ocean. Some 44 percent of all attacks involved the pirates boarding the ships, while in 18 percent the pirates just fired on ships, without getting aboard. There are still pirates out there, but there are more into robbery than kidnapping. Piracy hit a trough from the late nineteenth century into the late twentieth. That was because the Great Powers had pretty much divided up the whole planet and policed it. The pirates had no place to hide. Piracy began to revive in a modest way beginning in the 1970s, with the collapse of many post-colonial governments. At the same time there were problems defining what exactly an act of piracy was. What most people agree on is that piracy is non-state sanctioned use of force at sea or from the sea. This could include intercepting a speedboat to rob the passengers, but that's usually just thought of as armed robbery. And something like the seizure of the Achille Lauro in 1985 is considered terrorism, rather than piracy. In the past, some marginal states have sanctioned piratical operations, like the Barbary States, but that rarely occurs these days. There has been more since 2001. For example, in 1991 there were about 120 known cases of real or attempted piracy. In 1994 that increased to more than 200 cases. In 2000 there were 471 cases, in 2005 there were 359 and by 2010 there were over 400. The international effort to suppress Somali piracy halted and reversed this trend. But while there have been far fewer attacks off Somalia there was a sevenfold increase since 2009 in the Straits of Malacca and a similar increase off Nigeria. The big difference is that only off Somalia could ships and crews be taken and held for ransom for long periods. Everywhere else the pirates were usually only interested in robbing the crew and stealing anything portable that they could get into their small boats. Off the Nigerian coast pirates sometimes take some ship officers with them to hold for ransom or force the crew to move small tankers to remote locations where most of the oil cargo can be transferred to another ship and sold on the black market. Pirates usually function on the margins of society, trying to get a cut of the good life in situations where there aren't many options. This is usually in areas where state control is weakest or absent, in failing and flailed states. A flailing state is something like Nigeria, Indonesia, or the Philippines, where the government is managing to keep things together but is faced with serious problems with areas that are sometimes out of control. In a failed state like, where there isn't a government at all, pirates can do whatever they want. The solution to piracy is essentially on land; go into uncontrolled areas and institute governance. This has been the best approach since the Romans eliminated piracy in the Mediterranean over 2,000 years ago. Trying to tackle piracy on the maritime end can reduce the incidence of piracy but can't eliminate it because the pirates still have a safe base on land. In the modern world the land solution often can't be implemented. Who wants to put enough troops into Somalia to eliminate piracy? And flailing states are likely to be very sensitive about their sovereignty if you offer to help them control marginal areas. Meanwhile there are two areas where pirates still thrive. Piracy is a major threat, because most of the world's oil exports pass through here, Straits of Malacca. This was largely an Indonesian phenomenon. It bothered the Singaporeans a lot, the Malaysians a little, and the Indonesians not much. But as Indonesia began stabilizing itself after the 2004 Aceh Peace settlement, the institution of a more democratic government, defeating Islamic terrorism. When that happened the number of piracy attacks declined. This decline was facilitated by the combined police effort of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia itself, which didn't come about until a lot of issues among the three states were resolved. Neither Indonesia nor Malaysia were all that upset about smuggling, which bothered Singapore. Indonesia and Singapore still have some problems, as Singapore more or less encourages sand stealing in enormous volumes from Indonesia. Since 2010 there has been an increase in piracy off Indonesia, largely because the Indonesians reduced their anti-piracy patrols without warning or explanation. There are lots of targets, with over 50,000 large ships moving through the Straits of Malacca each year. Thats 120-150 a day. Lots of targets. The shallow and tricky waters in the strait forces the big ships to go slow enough under 30 kilometers an hour for speed boats to catch them. The Iran-backed Shia rebels are losing but refuse to make peace, in part because of continued Iranian support and partly out of fear of the consequences. Yemen has proved to be an embarrassment for Iran and the Saudi/UAE backed Yemen government. The other Arabs are not willing to suffer the heavy casualties a quick victory would require. The war drags on into 2024 or until Iran just decides to halt support. Iranian withdrawal is a possibility because of growing popular protests in Iran against the expensive foreign wars in Syria and Yemen. Despite that, Iran smuggled in more and more weapons. These were not intended for the ongoing Yemen civil war but for use against targets designated by Iran. Until late 2017 there was not much progress in the Yemen fighting, a development that favored Iran. But by early 2018 the Shia rebel coalition began unraveling and Iran suddenly had its own domestic uprising to deal with back home. Worse, the U.S. government had changed in early 2017 and was much more aggressive dealing with Iran. There was also a radical, for Arabia, new government in Saudi Arabia with a young Crown Prince in charge and organizing more effective resistance to Iranian aggression. That played a role in causing the Yemen unrest evolving into a full-scale civil war in 2015. That was when Shia rebels sought to take control of the entire country. Neighboring Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia, quickly formed a military coalition to halt the Yemeni rebel advance. The Arab coalition succeeded and by 2016 pro-government forces were closing in on the rebel-held capital. The coalition did not go after the capital itself because of the expected heavy casualties and property damage in the city. The coalition concentrated on rebuilding the Yemeni armed forces, recruiting allies from the Sunni tribes in the south and eliminating al Qaeda and ISIL groups that had grown stronger as the Shia rebels gained more power. As the fighting intensified in early 2015 Iran admitted it had been quietly supporting the Shia rebels for a long time but now was doing so openly, and that support was increasing. Many Yemenis trace the current crisis back to the civil war that ended, sort of, in 1994. That war was caused by the fact that, when the British left Yemen in 1967, their former colony in Aden became one of two countries called Yemen. The two Yemens finally united in 1990 but another civil war in 1994 was needed to seal the deal. That fix didn't really take and the north and south have been pulling apart ever since. This comes back to the fact that Yemen has always been a region, not a country. Like most of the rest of the Persian Gulf and Horn of Africa region, the normal form of government until the 20th century was wealthier coastal city states nervously coexisting with interior tribes that got by on herding or farming or a little of both plus smuggling and other illicit sidelines. This whole nation idea is still looked on with some suspicion by many in the region. This is why the most common forms of government are the more familiar ones of antiquity like kingdom, emirate or modern variation in the form of a hereditary secular dictatorship. For a long time, the most active Yemeni rebels were the Shia Islamic militants in the north. They have always wanted to restore local Shia rule in the traditional Shia tribal territories, led by the local imam, or religious leader. This arrangement, after surviving more than a thousand years, was ended by the central government in 1962. Yemen also became the new headquarters of AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) when Saudi Arabia was no longer safe for the terrorists after 2007. Now there is ISIL and an invading army composed of troops from oil-rich neighbors. By late 2017 the rebels were slowly losing ground to government forces who, despite Arab coalition air support and about five thousand ground troops, were still dependent on Yemeni Sunni tribal militias to fight the Shia tribesmen on the ground. While the Shia are only a third of the population, they are united while the Sunni tribes are divided over the issue of again splitting the country in two and with no agreement on who would get the few oil fields in central Yemen. Many of the Sunni tribes tolerate or even support AQAP and ISIL. The Iranian smuggling pipeline continued to operate, and the Yemen rebels were able to buy additional weapons from other sources because they received cash from nations or groups hostile to the Arab Gulf state, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The Shia rebels were from northern Yemen and controlled the border with Saudi Arabia. Over the last decade the rebels launched more and more attacks on Saudi targets. The rebels obtained more powerful weapons as well, including Iranian ballistic missiles, which were disassembled so they could be smuggled from Iran to Yemen, where Iranian technicians supervised the missiles being assembled and launched into Saudi Arabia. In the last few years, the rebels have received longer range ballistic missiles that could hit Saudi and UAE oil production facilities on the Persian Gulf coast. The rebels also fired more missiles at targets passing the Yemen Red Sea coast controlled by the rebels. This has always been a potential threat to ships using the Red Sea to reach the Suez Canal in Egypt, at the north end of the Red Sea. Transit fees from ships using the canal are a major source for Egypt, bringing in nearly $10 billion a year. Egypt and Iran are enemies and reducing Suez Canal income is a win for Iran, which supported the Yemen rebels for more than a decade to make that success possible. At the end of 2023 Iran ordered the Yemen rebels to open fire on shipping in the Red Sea, which moves along the Yemen coast on its way to or from Saudi ports or the Suez Canal. Ships unable to use the canal must take the longer route around the southern tip of Africa. This takes more time and increases costs for the shipping company and their customers. Officials in Majorca have begged anti-mass tourism protesters set to take over Palma this Sunday to leave British holidaymakers alone. Regional government chiefs have made it clear there must be no repeat of Barcelona - where tourists were sprayed with water pistols by demonstrators earlier this month. Foreign tourists were booed and jeered by some locals as they ate evening meals on terraces in Palma's Weyler Square during the last protest in the Majorcan capital on May 25. Organisers ended up making a public apology for the abuse they received. In a clear signal politicians in the Balearic Islands are worried this Sunday's new demo will be marked by shows of tourism-phobia, they have urged locals to show tourists 'respect.' People hold a banner that reads 'Majorca is not for sale', as they take part in a protest against mass tourism and gentrification in the island, ahead of summer season in Palma de Majorca in May An anti-tourism placard is seen during an anti-tourism demonstration in Barcelona earlier this month. More than 3,000 people have demonstrated against the tourist overcrowding suffered by the city of Barcelona and in favor of tourism reduction policies Protestors squirted water guns at tourists eating in popular spots in the city Antoni Costa, a regional government spokesman, showed overnight officials were worried despite bizarrely insisting publicly they weren't by saying: 'There's no fear because here it hasn't happened and people have always been respectful. 'But we have seen a certain type of behaviour in Barcelona which, as you can imagine, we didn't like. 'We ask for the upmost respect for those who have decided not to demonstrate and urge those who do protest to do so peacefully and not interrupt other citizens and visitors.' Spain's tourism minister condemned protesters who soaked tourists with water pistols during a protest on July 6 in Barcelona city centre. Jordi Hereu, a former Barcelona mayor, described their actions as reprehensible. He went on to say they didn't represent the country's culture of hospitality, insisting: 'I want to reaffirm the values of hospitality of Spain and the Spanish tourism model and one of its characteristics, which is security.' People on a hunger strike sit in wheelchairs during a protest for a change in the tourism model in the Canary Islands, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, in April Protesters flood the streets of Tenerife in April calling on local authorities to temporarily limit visitor numbers to alleviate pressure on the islands' environment, infrastructure and housing stock, and put curbs on property purchases by foreigners Your browser does not support iframes. Hoteliers in Spain have admitted the anti-mass tourism protests that have taken place in many parts of Spain since April when thousands took to the streets in the Canary Islands will have left some holidaymakers thinking they are not welcome. Gabriel Escarrer, President of non-profit group Exceltur, which is formed by the chairmen of the 30 leading Spanish tourist groups, said recently: 'It's the worst thing that could happen.' Organisers of this Sunday's protest in Palma are already predicting it will be 'historic.' Originally people in all four of the Balearic Islands including Ibiza and Menorca were going to take to the streets of their respective capitals on the same day before those plans were scrapped in favour of separate but co-ordinated actions over the summer. Yesterday trade unions UGT, CCOO and STEI, who had urged the general public to join in on Sunday's demonstrations, called for an economic model that 'does not generate job insecurity'. Anti-tourism sentiment in Spain In Spain - the world's second most visited country - anti-tourist sentiment appears to have grown, particularly in the Balearic and Canary Islands. Of Spain's 85 million tourists in 2023, 14.4 million and 13.9 million foreigners travelled to the Balearic and Canary Islands respectively. The visitor figures are a stark contrast with the number of people who actually call the islands their home. According to 2019 figures, just 1.2 million people live across the Balearic Islands, and 2.2 million people live on the Canary Islands. With locals feeling their way of life is coming increasingly under pressure, discontent has come to a head in several forms this year. Advertisement In a joint press conference secretary general of CCOO, Jose Garcia, the spokesperson of UGT Baleares, Xisca Gari, and the secretary general of STEI, Miquel Gelabert said claimed that tourist overcrowding is 'unsustainable' as it increases the workload for locals while not improving their quality of life. Anti-tourism protests have swept through Spain over the last few months, as locals demand tighter controls on holidaymakers. Earlier this months, under the slogan 'Enough! Let's put limits on tourism', some 2,800 people - according to police - marched along a waterfront district of Barcelona to demand a new economic model that would reduce the millions of tourists that visit every year. Protesters carried signs reading 'Barcelona is not for sale,' and, 'Tourists go home,' before some used water guns on tourists eating outdoors at restaurants in popular tourist hotspots. Chants of 'Tourists out of our neighbourhood' rang out as some stopped in front of the entrances to hotels. Barcelona's rising cost of housing, up 68 percent in the past decade, is one of the main issues for the movement, along with the effects of tourism on local commerce and working conditions in the city of 1.6 million inhabitants. Meanwhile, tourist saturation has become the biggest single topic on Majorca over the last few months. The Balearic Islands received almost 18 million tourists last year and this year bookings for the summer have increased by 15%, the president confirmed. In the Canary Islands, 50,000 people took to the streets of Tenerife in April to protest against tourism on the island. Demonstrators were seeing brandishing 'you enjoy, we suffer' placards, claiming that the huge influx of tourists to the island is causing major environmental damage, driving down wages and squeezing locals out of cheap affordable housing, forcing dozens to live in tents and cars instead. A teenager followed a 15-year-old girl for 45 minutes before stabbing her to death down an alleyway. a court heard. The boy confronted and attacked Holly Newton, inflicting 36 injuries with a kitchen knife he had had brought with him. Another teenage boy was alerted by Holly's screams and tried to pull the attacker off by getting him in a headlock but was also stabbed, Newcastle Crown Court was told. Despite his injuries he ran to get help and members of the public intervened to stop and detain the teenager, who was arrested at the scene by police. Prosecutor David Brooke, KC, said Holly was rushed to hospital but nothing could be done to save her. He said the teenager was 'careful not to be seen' as he stalked Holly through Hexham, Northumberland after school, before stabbing her down an alley near a pizza shop, where staff heard her screaming. Holly Newton (pictured) was followed by a 16-year-old boy for 45 minutes before being stabbed with a kitchen knife 36 times The defendant now aged 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted manslaughter but pleaded not guilty to murder. He also denies wounding with intent and the unlawful wounding of another teenage boy and admits an offence of unlawful possession of a bladed article, the jury heard. The horrific attack happened at around 5pm on Friday January 27 2023 after both the victim and killer had finished their different schools for the day. The jury heard the defendant, who is autistic and has 'educational needs', was known to Holly. The evening before the alleged murder the defendant travelled to the village of Haltwhistle, near Hexham, where Holly lived and was reported missing to police by his mother. He went to Holly's house but her mother wouldn't let him in. Police later contacted him by phone. The court heard the teenager met officers at 1am and they took him home. The next day the defendant left his school early, telling a teacher he was tired and wanted to go home. Instead, he travelled by public transport to Hexham where he waited for Holly and followed her at a distance when she turned up after school with friends. Mr Brooke said the defendant was spotted and eventually Holly agreed to talk to him down an alleyway next to a pizza shop. Holly (pictured) was rushed to hospital but nothing could be done to save her Out of sight he launched the ferocious attack on Holly with a knife he brought with him from home, the court heard. Holly suffered 12 stab wounds, 19 slashing injuries and five defence wounds. The court heard the defendant does not dispute being responsible for the stabbing. He told police Holly was 'horrible' to him when they talked in the alleyway and his 'mind went blank.' He admitted having the knife in his hand and being pulled off Holly. Mr Brooke said the prosecution did not accept the defendant's version of events. He said the attack lasted for at least a minute and happened after the defendant 'became angry and stabbed Holly many many times'. The case continues. A helicopter with two Australians on board has crashed near cliffs in Bali's South Kuta region. The Bell Jet Model 5055 Helicopter operated by Bali Helitours went down near Pecatu on Friday afternoon with five passengers on board. The two Australians were passengers on the aircraft, with the pilot and the other two passengers Indonesian locals. The helicopter fell into a mixed-residential area near the ocean, with images showing the aircraft upside down between a rock face and a villa. Bali's Indonesian search and rescue (Basarnas) agency reported that the helicopter took off from Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) for a tour around Bali from 2.33pm Bali time. However, it crashed just a few minutes later at 2.37 pm. The search and rescue agency reported that all people on board were saved. Three passengers have been taken to Siloam Hospital with serious injuries. Indonesia's transport ministry said the helicopter crashed after it became entangled in kite strings. The helicopter went down shortly after 2.30pm local Bali time on Friday (pictured: emergency responders at the site) The tourist helicopter took off about 2.30pm local Bali time and crashed just a few minutes later The coastline at Pecatu in South Kuta has rugged cliffs and is popular for surfers and helicopter tours 'The Directorate General of Civil Aviation Ditjen Hubud has received a report on the accident of the PK-WSP type Bell 505 helicopter belonging to PT. Whitesky Aviation,' they said in a statement. 'Initial information is that all passengers are confirmed to have survived the accident. 'Currently, aviation inspectors from the Region IV Airport Authority Office are heading to the crash site. PT. Whitesky Aviation has also sent an investigation team to the scene. 'The Ministry of Transportation, through the Directorate General of Communications, will carry out more intensive outreach and monitoring of the dangers of kites.' Emergency crews and officials at the crash site on Friday afternoon (pictured) A travel influencer fell to her death after slipping at the top of a waterfall while shooting social media content. Aanvi Kamdar, 27, from Mumbai, tragically tumbled down a 300ft-tall gorge as she filmed her picturesque surroundings at the Kumbhe Waterfall in Manjurne, India. The content creator had been recording an Instagram reel alongside six friends when she slipped and fell down the waterfall on July 16 during the local monsoon season. Emergency services were called immediately by her friends who witnessed the horrific accident. First responders rushed to the scene and began efforts to rescue Kamdar, with one rescuer reporting: 'As soon as we reached the spot, we realised that the girl has fallen nearly 300 to 350 feet.' A travel influencer fell to her death after slipping at the top of a waterfall while shooting social media content Aanvi Kamdar, 27, from Mumbai , tragically tumbled down a 300ft-tall gorge as she filmed her picturesque surroundings at the Kumbhe Waterfall in Manjurne, India Emergency services were called immediately by her six friends who witnessed the horrific accident They added: 'Even after reaching her, it was difficult to get her up, as she was injured and it was raining heavily. So we decided to get her out using a vertical pulley.' Shantanu Kuveskar, another rescuer, described the challenging conditions: 'She fell on the hard, slippery patch of rocks around 300 ft into the valley and couldn't be spotted initially. 'She was sent up using a stretcher attached to rappelling ropes. Six rescuers climbed down the hill, while another 50 assisted atop the hillock.' Kamdar was alive and responsive when she was finally pulled from the gorge after a six-hour rescue operation. She was transported to a hospital in nearby Mangaon on ventilatory support, but tragically succumbed to her injuries shortly after admission. In addition to her vibrant travel content, which had garnered her 300,000 followers on Instagram and showcased her visits to Turkey, Azerbaijan and the Maldives, Kamdar was a chartered accountant. She and her friends had visited the waterfall to capture its full splendour during the monsoon season. Local officials have since issued warnings to tourists, urging them to exercise caution while visiting the mountainous area, particularly during the rainy season when conditions can be especially treacherous. The content creator had been recording an Instagram reel alongside six friends when she slipped and fell down the waterfall (pictured), which occurred during the local monsoon season Shantanu Kuveskar, a rescuer, said: 'She fell on the hard, slippery patch of rocks around 300 ft into the valley and couldn't be spotted initially. Six rescuers climbed down the hill, while another 50 assisted atop the hillock' Kamdar was alive and responsive when she was finally pulled from the gorge after a six-hour rescue operation, but tragically succumbed to her injuries shortly after hospital admission In addition to her vibrant travel content, which had garnered her 300,000 followers on Instagram and showcased her visits to Turkey, Azerbaijan and the Maldives, Kamdar was a chartered accountant Local officials have since issued warnings to tourists, urging them to exercise caution while visiting the mountainous area It comes as a married couple leapt off a railway bridge into a 90ft deep gorge to escape an approaching train during a photoshoot. Shocking footage shows the pair plunging from Gormaghat Bridge in Pali, Rajasthan, northwest India, around midday on July 15, leaving them seriously injured. The harrowing moment was captured on video, showing the couple creating content for social media when the train roared into shot. The couple, deeply absorbed in their photoshoot, seemingly did not notice the train until it was only a few feet away. In a desperate attempt to avoid the oncoming locomotive, they jumped off the bridge, plummeting into the gorge below. Donald Trump's address at the Republican National Congress in Milwaukee last night just days after he survived an attempt on his life sent the adoring crowd into raptures. But the unexpected return of his wife Melania Trump to the limelight was arguably the biggest talking point of the night. The former First Lady, 54, strode onto the stage sporting a striking red dress to thunderous applause and wild cheers prior to Trump's speech, after which she greeted her husband with an awkward kiss as balloons cascaded from the ceiling. Melania until last night had practically vanished from public life and the media, refusing to accompany her husband on the campaign trail and remaining absent even through his court battles in New York over the Stormy Daniels hush money payments. Amid a difficult period that saw the death of her mother in January, followed by Trump's legal strife and now the imminent departure of son Barron for college, many speculated that the former president had lost the support of his wife. But Trump's brush with death in Pennsylvania last weekend seems to have prompted Melania's return to the fore as the Republican nominee pushes for a second term in the White House. Republican Presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump kisses his wife Melania Trump after speaking at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday, July 18, 2024 Former first lady Melania Trump walks out to join Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump stands on stage with former first lady Melania Trump and family members during the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee July 18, 2024, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA: MELANIA TRUMP joins her husband DONALD J. TRUMP on stage after his acceptance speech at the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee Trump signs paperwork to officially accept the nomination during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, Thursday, July 18, 2024 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, stands on stage with Melania Trump after speaking during the Republican National Convention, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee Daughter of former US President Donald Trump, Ivanka Trump and her husband former US government official Jared Kushner arrive for the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention The former First Lady declined to speak at yesterday's RNC in Milwaukee despite Trump and many members of his campaign staff urging her to do so, according to sources cited by CNN's Kaitlin Collins. But many commentators agreed that her presence alone was hugely significant, signalling an end to her total absence on the campaign trail that had undoubtedly harmed Trump's bid for the presidency. Though she'd still made a few notable public appearances of her own accord for various initiatives, Melania had not appeared alongside her husband since he announced his intention to run for office again almost two years ago. Her behaviour was a stark contrast to that of her counterpart Jill Biden, who is seemingly hellbent on appearing to stand by her struggling husband's side at every public event, speech and rally. Melania is yet to comment on her decision to shelter away from the public's gaze, but Trump's wife has experienced a particularly turbulent period in her personal life as of late. In January, she revealed her mother had died aged 78 - the same age her husband is now - after a long period of illness. 'It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija,' she said in a public statement at the time. 'Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity. She was entirely devoted to her husband, daughters, grandson, and son-in-law. We will miss her beyond measure and continue to honor and love her legacy. Melania missed most of the Christmas and New Year celebrations at Mar-a-Lago to care for her ailing mother prior to her death. Former First Lady Melania Trump 's mother Amalija Knavs, 78, has died after being hospitalized in Miami, Florida, over the holidays. She is pictured center with her daughter and Donald Trump in 2018 Knavs is pictured with her daughter Melania in 2004 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump arrive to vote in the Florida primary election in Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, March 19, 2024 Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures while he walks with his son Eric Trump and his attorney Todd Blanche Balloons drop as former US President Donald Trump, center left, former First Lady Melania Trump, center right, and their family stand on stage during the Republican National Convention Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he is helped off the stage after narrowly avoiding an assassination attempt on Saturday, July 13, 2024 Melania continued her absence from Trump's public appearances throughout the year, and refused to attend any of her embattled husband's court hearings in connection with his trial over hush money payments made to pornstar Stormy Daniels. Over the course of almost two months of hearings, a series of Republican lawmakers, former administration officials, vice presidential hopefuls and even a few of his own kids were spotted lending their support in the New York courthouse. They sat through hours of salacious testimony as the ex-president stood trial on 34 counts of falsifying business records - charges on which he was ultimately convicted. But Melania remained far away from the courtroom, opting to stay at the Trump residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. The move was seen by many as damaging for Trump's defence, with legal experts telling DailyMail.com that it is often beneficial for a jury to see defendants with their spouse by their side in the courthouse. 'Generally speaking, jurors pay attention to who is seated in the courtroom,' explained Anna Cominsky, Managing Attorney of New York Law School Legal Services. 'Defense attorneys usually like to have ''support'' for their client evidenced by friends and family - it's something that humanizes the client. 'That said, this is a very different case. The jurors know that this is the former president.' In the aftermath of Trump's guilty verdict, Daniels - who alleged she had an affair with the billionaire just a year after he married Melania - said his wife 'needs to leave him' because 'it's been proven he is abusive' and he 'is now a criminal'. Trump himself admitted in an interview on Fox & Friends that his trial was 'very hard' on Melania. Balloons fall after Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump officially accepted the Republican presidential nomination Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, stands on stage with Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, after speaking during the Republican National Convention, Thursday, July 18, 2024 Melania Trump with former President Trump as they arrive at a GOP fundraiser in Palm Beach, FL on April 6 just over a week before the hush money trial began in New York Ex-president Trump seated in the Manhattan criminal courtroom on May 21 as he stands trial on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves after addressing members of the media following the verdict in his hush-money trial at Trump Tower Melania remained absent throughout Donald Trump's hush money trial in which he was convicted of campaign fraud over payments to porn star Stormy Daniels (pictured) If Trump wins the White House again in November, it has been reported that Melania will not live in Washington D.C full-time and will instead join her son Barron (pictured) in New York Though Melania had not stood by her husband's side amid the Stormy Daniels courtroom saga, the former first lady was at least spotted alongside her husband elsewhere. The two were seen sat side-by-side at their son Barron's high school graduation in May, and were snapped smiling and clapping as his name was called. His imminent departure for college is said to be a point of particular stress, according to sources close to the family. 'Barron goes to school this summer, so it's a difficult time for parents to go from having your child around all the time to leaving the nest,' former US Ambassador Ric Grenell said at a Bloomberg event on Monday. But commentators have pointed out that Melania has never exhibited any great interest in politicking. While she has undoubtedly exhibited a greater degree of support for Trump in previous years, the former First Lady has been characterised as a 'very private person' who is fiercely independent and is loathe to spend time in Washington. 'She's distancing herself even more from the Washington social-political scene,' Kate Andersen Brower, who's written several books on first ladies, told Axios. 'I mean, she clearly hated being in Washington.' 'Melania does what Melania wants,' said Washington Post associate editor Mary Jordan, who has written a book about the former First Lady. People close to the family say the attempt on her husband's life may have triggered a change of heart that encouraged Melania to turn out in support of Trump once again. But it remains to be seen whether last night's monumental appearance was any more than a one-off. 'I think she's shaken,' said former Ambassador Grenell. 'Watching her husband almost be assassinated? I think it really shook her.' An Army major who played a leading role in the State Opening of Parliament was suspended hours later over an alleged inappropriate remark. Major John Baileff led soldiers as they fired a 41-gun salute in Green Park at the start of King Charles IIIs address on Wednesday. The 35-year-old - who served as the Commanding Officer of the prestigious Kings Troop, Royal Horse Artillery - later returned to a military base where he was informed that he was the subject of a complaint. Major Baileff, who saw active service in Afghanistan, was told that a younger, more junior member of the female personnel had reported him. The Mail understands the allegation relates to inappropriate remarks. Major Baileff has been placed on a six-week leave of absence while the Army conducts an internal investigation. Major John Baileff (pictured) has been suspended after a junior female member of personnel reported him for inappropriate remarks Major Baileff joined the Army in 2011 and was awarded an MBE in the 2023 New Years Honours List. A keen triathlete and skier, he previously served as the Kings Troop adjutant. The State Opening of Parliament has been taking place for more than 500 years, serving as a symbolic reminder of the unity of parliaments three parts: Sovereign, House of Lords and House of Commons. More than 1,100 members of the Armed Forces and almost 200 horses took part in the ceremonies in central London which were watched by millions of people around the world. With the immaculately tended horses and their First World War-era 13-pounder Quick Firing guns, Kings Troop are a familiar sight on state occasions. Recent appearances by the Troop have included the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Major Baileff led soldiers as they fired a 41-gun salute at Green Park for the State Opening of Parliament The guns have also been used at the funeral parades for Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Sir Winston Churchill and George VI. An Army spokesman said: Soldiers at all levels of the British Army are held to the highest standards. If any individual is believed to have failed to meet those standards, we will investigate, and will take appropriate action where necessary. We wont comment on individual cases. An Argentinian influencer has been found dead in a car park after being murdered by a 'besotted classmate' who said she was the love of his life. Catalina Gutierrez, 21, was found dead inside her mother's Renault Clio in a vacant car park in the Argentinian city of Cordoba on Wednesday night. Her body was partially burned in the back seat, according to reports. The woman, who had 100,000 followers on Instagram and 36,000 on TikTok, was last seen leaving her home to go bowling with her friends at the Patio Olmos shopping center. She reportedly sent an audio message to her boyfriend to let him know she was on her way, but when she failed to show up or answer messages, her friends informed her family. An Argentinian influencer was found dead on Wednesday night after she was murdered by a 'besotted' classmate who said she was the love of his life 21-year-old Catalina Guitierrez was last seen leaving her house on Wednesday to go and meet her friends and boyfriend at a shopping centre Guitierrez's body was found later that night inside her mother's car in an empty car park. When police started interviewing her friends and family, classmate Nestor Soto (pictured) broke down and admitted to murdering the young woman. He has now been arrested and charged with homicide Her body was discovered the same night after her sister managed to ping her phone's location. Investigators started interviewing her friends and family members to gather information about the horrifying murder until one friend, architecture student Nestor Soto, then allegedly broke down and confessed to the crime. Soto, who had moved to Cordoba from Bariloche to attend the National University of Cordoba in 2021, studied architecture alongside Guitierrez. The two were part of the same friend group. Guitierrez's father Marcelo told Argentinian news outlet El Doce that the man had been to the family home 'a thousand times'. Local police said that the man 'suddenly admitted that he killed her and said she was 'the love of his life', even though they were not romantically involved. Soto was arrested and charged with homicide. Guitierrez, who had 100,000 Instagram followers, shared her life on social media An autopsy revealed that the woman's exact cause of death was asphyxiation by strangulation Guitierrez's father Marcelo said he wanted soto to 'rot' in prison 'for the rest of his life' Guitierrez with her father Marcelo The suspect said he had asked the victim to stop by his house to pick him up on the way to the shopping center. Investigators believe he attacked Guitierrez in his house until she was unconscious before moving her body to her car, which he then set on fire. Investigators are still trying to determine whether this was done in an attempt to erase evidence by the killer. An autopsy revealed that her cause of death was asphyxiation by strangulation, according to Perfil Cordoba. The woman was also found to have multiple injuries caused by 'several blows', and also had burns on her body which are believed to have been caused after her death. The autopsy also ruled out that the victim had suffered any sexual abuse. Speaking of his daughter, Guitierrez's devastated father told El Doce: 'I am in pain, my heart is breaking and I don't understand it. 'The only thing I want is justice and for him to rot in prison for the rest of his life because she doesn't deserve to live in this society'. He also described the young woman as 'an excellent daughter', who was 'happy' and a 'perfect student'. He also said that his daughter had never mentioned anything about Soto acting strangely towards her. A family's holiday ended in tragedy when a mother-of-three choked to death before being found by her teen daughter just six weeks before her wedding day. Bride-to-be Sophie Runkee, 34, and her fiance Jj Warner, from Hull, had taken her three children - including their 11-week-old son - on a summer holiday to Turkey before Jj begins treatment for skin cancer. The holiday was meant to give the young children the chance to create some happy memories together following Jj's devastating cancer diagnosis, but their 'once-in-a-lifetime' trip became a nightmare after Sophie's lifeless body was found on the balcony of their hotel apartment. It is believed the mother, who did not have any travel insurance, had fallen unconscious after a night out and choked to death on her vomit. Sophie and Jj had been enjoying the last-minute holiday with kids Alicia, 14, Tommy, nine, and baby Luca, but on July 11 Sophie and Alicia went out for some mother and daughter time, spending all night dancing together in the local bars while Ji stayed in with the boys. Mother-of-three Sophie Runkee, 34, from Hull, was found dead on a Turkey balcony by her daughter, 14, following a night of 'excessive drinking' Sophie is believed to have fallen unconscious and choked to death on her vomit before her fiance attempted CPR Jj said: 'We were all having a great time on holiday in Turkey, we wanted the kids to remember this summer for the right reasons despite everything that's going on. 'Sophie went out on the Thursday evening. She was upset over my diagnosis so I encouraged her to go out with Alicia to blow off some steam while I looked after the boys. She just wanted to forget about everything and have a good night with her daughter'. He revealed his soon-to-be-wife had an 'excessive amount' to drink before returning to the apartment, collapsing on the balcony, and choking on her vomit. Tragically, it was Sophie's teen daughter Alicia who first stumbled across her mother's unresponsive body on the balcony. In a desperate attempt to rescue Sophie's life, Jj rushed over, cleared her airways, and began CPR. He miraculously managed to bring her back, but any hope was short-lived as her pulse was weak and she had to be urgently dashed to hospital. Devastatingly, there was nothing more the doctors could do to save Sophie's life and she died just 24hours later. Jj continued: 'It's difficult to put into words what has happened, we're all still in shock. Sophie wasn't just my wife[-to-be], she was my best friend. Sophie's fiance Jj Warner said the holiday was meant to be a 'memory-making trip' after he was diagnosed with skin cancer and is soon set to undergo treatment 'We were together 24-hours-a-day, we were never ever ever apart. I don't know what I will do without her,' he said, calling her his 'soul mate' and 'a phenomenal mother'. 'We have both suffered quite abusive lives, so we understood each other on a level that nobody else can understand,' he added. Sophie and Jj were due to get married in Scotland in just six weeks after bringing the wedding forward following his skin cancer diagnosis. Now, he is facing raising their family alone as well as battling cancer. Jj said: 'My only concern is looking after them kids - if I die they have got nobody. They have lost their mother, their world, while on holiday in a strange country and then in three weeks, I start cancer treatment. They don't deserve any of this. Sophie did not have any travel insurance and Jj is now faced with the unexpected hospital bills as well as the cost of getting Sophie's body back home to Hull where she can be laid to rest. Sophie's best friend, Jenny Phillips, has set up a GoFundMe page in a bid to support Jj and the children. Paying heartbreaking tribute to Sophie, Jj said: 'My darling angel, the love of my life, nothing will never be the same. 'You will be forever in our hearts, we will miss you forever, I will be laid to rest with you when it's my time and we will be together again. 'Until then I promise to take care of our babies for the rest of my life, and try and do as good a job as you did. 'You will always be their mum, nobody will ever be able to take your place.' The US military has ended its ill-fated mission to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza with a temporary pier erected only in May after it was hit by weather, security and technical issues. The pier, estimated to have cost $320mn to construct, was operational for just 20 days, tasked with helping bring vital aid to civilians in the beleaguered Gaza Strip as Israel continues its offensive in retaliation for Hamas' October 7 attacks. 'The maritime surge mission involving the pier is complete. So there's no more need to use the pier,' Navy Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, told a news briefing on Wednesday. Cooper said efforts to distribute aid to Gaza arriving by sea would now shift to the established port of Ashdod in Israel. At least five million pounds of aid, which are either in Cyprus or on ships, will be going to Ashdod in the coming days, he said. 'Our assessment is that the temporary pier has achieved its intended effect to surge a very high volume of aid into Gaza and ensure that aid reaches the civilians in Gaza in a quick manner,' Cooper said, adding that nearly 20 million pounds of aid was delivered to Gaza. The pier, costing some $320million, was operational for just 20 days since May A U.S. Army soldier gestures as trucks loaded with humanitarian aid arrive at the pier, June 25 1 million pounds of aid is estimated to have passed through the pier through its brief lifespan The pier, announced by President Joe Biden during a televised address to Congress in March, was a massive endeavor that took about 1,000 U.S. forces to execute. Aid began flowing via the pier to Gaza in May, an operation aimed at helping avert famine after months of war between Israel and Hamas. But bad weather and distribution challenges inside Gaza limited the effectiveness of what the U.S. military says was its biggest aid delivery effort ever in the Middle East. The pier became a sore point in Congress, where Republicans branded it a political stunt by Biden, who was under pressure from fellow Democrats to do more to aid Palestinians after months of staunchly supporting Israel's punishing war on Hamas. "This chapter might be over in President Biden's mind, but the national embarrassment that this project has caused is not,' Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said. The only miracle is that this doomed-from-the-start operation did not cost any American lives.' Cooper said he expected the pier, which was authorized to be used until the end of July, to cost less than the $230 million the Pentagon had expected it to cost. Cooper said the United States had so far delivered more than 1 million pounds of aid through Ashdod and he was confident more could be delivered through that port. "We look forward to millions more pounds of aid going through that pathway," he said. While the pier brought in sorely needed aid to a marshalling area on Gaza's shore, the 1,200-foot-long (370-metre-long) floating pier had to be removed multiple times because of bad weather. The pier has not been used since June, when it was moved to Ashdod port because of rough seas. It was unclear if the U.S. military had started dismantling the pier at Ashdod before its expected return to United States. The U.N. World Food Programme paused operations at the pier in June because of security concerns, causing aid to pile up on the Gaza shore. The United Nations has long said maritime deliveries were no substitute for land access. It said land routes needed to remain the focus of aid operations in the enclave, where a global hunger monitor last month said there is a high risk of famine. Aid officials say about 600 trucks of humanitarian and commercial supplies are needed in Gaza daily to meet the needs of the population. An American soldier stands guard with a dog at Trident Pier on June 25 An American boat carrying US soldiers and journalists sails near the Trident Pier, June 25 Destroyed buildings stand by the coast of the Gaza Strip as seen from the Mediterranean The arrival of occasional aid convoys had slowed to a trickle since Israeli forces took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing in May. The wider Palestinian enclave is still facing famine after an Israeli siege brought dire shortages of food as well as safe water, medicines and fuel for its 2.4 million people. The UN has said that opening up land crossing points and allowing more trucks convoys into Gaza is the only way to stem the spiralling humanitarian crisis. 'We desperately need fuel,' UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said. 'It doesn't matter how the aid comes, whether it's by sea or whether by land, without fuel, aid won't get to the people.' I have worked in crisis and conflict zones around the world, but the scale of the crisis in Gaza is unprecedented,' said Ulrike Julia Wendt, the International Red Cross' Emergency Child Protection Coordinator, who has just returned from Gaza, 'The situation in Gaza differs drastically from other conflict zones. The constant airstrikes create a pervasive threat with no safe spaces to run to, making it a uniquely terrifying situation. 'What struck me most when I arrived in Gaza and drove through neighborhoods was the sheer number of children on the streets, and so many of them without shoes. 'This is because all the schools have been shut down due to incessant Israeli bombardments. With schools closed, children are at an increased risk of exploitation, abuse, and violence. 'Put simply, they are not only being denied their childhood, but are also experiencing extreme trauma.' Amnesty International yesterday called on Israeli authorities to end their 'indefinite incommunicado detention of Palestinians... without charge or trial', accusing them of 'flagrant violation of international law'. The rights group cites 27 documented cases of former detainees including women and children held for periods of up to four and a half months without access to lawyers or contact with their families. Some interviewed by Amnesty claimed they had been subjected to 'torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment'. Those detained between February and April 2024 included 'doctors taken into custody at hospitals for refusing to abandon their patients', 'mothers separated from their infants while trying to cross the so called "safe corridor" from northern Gaza to the south', human rights defenders , UN workers, journalists and other civilians, Amnesty claimed. 'All those interviewed by Amnesty International said they were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment,' the harrowing report concluded. Britain will restart funding for the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, the Foreign Secretary announced today. In a statement to Parliament, David Lammy said he was lifting a pause on sending UK cash to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA). He told MPs that Britain would provide a fresh injection of 21million to UNRWA for their work in Gaza, with some cash to support 'management reforms'. The UK, along with the US and other Western nations, had paused funding for UNRWA in January. It followed claims a dozen of its staff were involved in the Hamas terror attacks on Israel on 7 October. But Israel was criticised for failing to provide evidence for its allegations against UNRWA workers. Mr Lammy told the House of Commons he had been 'reassured' by an independent review into what UNRWA was doing to ensure its neutrality. In a statement to Parliament, David Lammy said he was lifting a pause on sending UK cash to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) The UK, along with the US and other Western nations, had paused funding for UNRWA in January The Foreign Secretary told the House of Commons he had been 'reassured' by an independent review into what UNRWA was doing to ensure its neutrality In the nine months since the 7 October attacks, Israel has killed more than 38,600 people in the region, according to the Gazan health ministry. The war has created a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, displaced most of its 2.3 million population and triggered widespread hunger. UNRWA, which is the only UN agency dedicated to helping refugees from a specific region or conflict, faced allegations that 12 of their staff were involved in the 7 October attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people. Catherine Colonna, the former minister of foreign affairs of France led an independent Review Group to assess whether UNRWA is 'doing everything within its power to ensure neutrality'. The review found that UNRWA has in place 'a significant number of mechanisms and procedures to ensure compliance with the Humanitarian Principle of neutrality', adding that 'they probably have a more developed system than other UN organisations and agencies'. The report did add that 'there is always room for improvement and issues related to neutrality persist'. Mr Lammy told the Commons this morning: 'Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe and it is aid agencies who ensure UK support reaches civilians on the ground. UNRWA is absolutely central to these efforts. 'No other agency can deliver aid at the scale needed. It's already feeding over half of Gaza's population. It will be vital for future reconstruction and it provides critical services to Palestinian refugees in the region. 'I was appalled by the allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the seventh of October attacks. 'But the UN took these allegations seriously. I've spoken to UN secretary-general (Antonio) Guterres and commissioner (Philippe) Lazzarini. 'We are reassured that after Catherine Colonna's independent review UNRWA is ensuring they meet the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures including unfettered. 'UNRWA has acted, partners like Japan, the European Union and Norway have also now acted, this Government will act too. 'I can confirm to the House that we are overturning the suspension of UNRWA funding. 'Britain will provide 21million in new funds, some directed at supporting the management reforms recommended by the Colonna review and UNRWA supports more than five-and-a-half million Palestinians; almost 200 of their staff have died through this conflict. I thank them for this life-saving work.' Tory MP Richard Holden, the party's former chairman, asked Mr Lammy whether he could give British taxpayers 'unequivocal assurance' that Hamas has no links to UNRWA in Gaza. He told the Commons he was 'concerned' by Labour's decision to resume funding for the aid body, saying: 'UNRWA schools have been repeatedly used by terrorists to both store weapons and launch attacks. 'And over 100 UNRWA staff have had links to terrorist groups in the region.' Mr Lammy replied: 'I had the pleasure of meeting Catherine Colonna in her role as the foreign secretary for France. 'She's a woman of tremendous capability and integrity. She looked at these issues in depth, she reported, and all of our allies have continued to fund UNRWA. 'But she did make a series of recommendations and, of course, that is why I spoke to the UN Secretary General... to ensure they are implementing the action plan that came out as a consequence of that review.' Mr Lammy's decision to restore UK funding for UNRWA came as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing the threat of a Commons revolt over his stance on the Gaza crisis More than 30 MPs, including many Labour backbenchers, are supporting an amendment to the King's Speech demanding that Britain 'immediately suspend' arms sales to Israel Mr Lammy's decision to restore UK funding for UNRWA came as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing the threat of a Commons revolt over his stance on the Gaza crisis. More than 30 MPs, including many Labour backbenchers and all four Plaid Cymru MPs, are supporting an amendment to the King's Speech demanding that Britain 'immediately suspend export licences for arms transfers to Israel'. The Foreign Secretary told the Commons today that Britain will not implement a blanket ban on arms sales to Israel but will consider issues linked to offensive weapons used in Gaza. He said Israel is 'surrounded by people who would see its annihilation' as he outlined the balance he has to consider when making decisions in relation to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Charities welcomed the resumption of UK funding for UNRWA, but also heaped pressure on the Government to halt arms sales to Israel. Helen Stawski, Oxfam's policy lead, said: 'UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian aid effort in Gaza and their life-saving work has never been more critical. 'Almost the entire population of Gaza has been displaced and at risk of famine. Most public services have been destroyed and essential water supplies cut. 'It is hard to imagine a more apocalyptic environment that trapped civilians are being forced to endure. This is a critical first step in the UK Government's reset in policy on Gaza. 'They must now follow up by halting all arms sales to Israel and using all its diplomatic might to help bring about an immediate, permanent ceasefire and allow full, unhindered access for humanitarian aid as well as the safe release of all hostages.' Julia Rosell Jackson, from ActionAid UK, said: 'We are pleased to see the UK government acknowledge UNRWA as a vital lifeline in Gaza and take the long overdue step of restoring funding to it. 'As the largest humanitarian actor in Gaza, it is uniquely placed to support the 2.2million Palestinians trapped in the territory who are at high risk of famine and rely on aid to survive. 'Yet while it provides aid with one hand, the UK continues to sell arms to the Israeli Government with the other even amid mounting reports that the Israeli military has potentially acted illegally and committed violence against women and girls in Gaza. 'The Government must resolve this glaring contradiction and halt arms sales to the Israeli Government immediately, as well as follow its own recommendation by publishing any legal advice regarding the Israeli Government's compliance with international humanitarian law.' Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK's chief executive, said: 'Cutting off funding to UNRWA was an unjustifiable decision and we're relieved that the new Government has taken the long overdue step of restoring UK funding for UNRWA's vital life-saving work. 'Amid Israel's unrelenting bombardment and blockade, UNRWA's role is critical in trying to assist Palestinian civilians in Gaza facing airstrikes, famine and disease, and it's these civilians who were punished by the UK's decision in January. 'The new Foreign Secretary's commitment to review Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law is also welcome, but Palestinians in Gaza can't wait for action from the UK. 'Given the overwhelming evidence of Israel's war crimes in Gaza and the risk of further atrocities, the UK should suspend arms transfers to Israel immediately.' Jonathan Eida, from the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Taxpayers will be concerned about the decision to restore funding to UNRWA given the alarming allegations made against the organisation. 'For decades this body has attracted enormous controversy over its role in perpetuating the conflict, with little in the way of justification for its costly existence given the presence of the UNHCR which is responsible for all other refugees. 'If ministers want to keep pumping vast amounts of cash into the global quangocracy they need to demonstrate value for money for UK taxpayers, particularly in the case of UNRWA.' Police have launched a manhunt after a prisoner escaped from Wormwood Scrubs during a hospital visit. Officers are looking for Graham Gomm after he slipped free from guards on Wednesday night at Hammersmith Hospital, where he was receiving medical treatment. The 63-year-old, who was on remand for burglary offences, absconded in the early hours of Thursday morning. The Met Police says it is scouring the area, as well as known addresses that have links to Gomm, and has urged the public not to approach him. HMP Wormwood Scrubs is a category B men's prison in west London which houses around 1,000 inmates. Graham Gomm, 63, slipped his guards while at Hammersmith Hospital He had been on remand at Wormwood Scrubs for burglary offences before the medical visit In a statement about Gomm's escape, the Met Police said: 'Police were alerted at around 01:18hrs on Thursday, 18 July that Gomm had absconded. He was last seen wearing a grey T-shirt and grey tracksuit. 'Officers are carrying out searches, working closely with partners, conducting CCTV enquiries and have visited a number of addresses linked to Gomm. 'Detectives are also concerned for Gomms welfare as he was undergoing medical care before he escaped. There is nothing to suggest that Gomm is a threat to the public. 'If anyone sees Gomm they are asked not to approach him but they should call 999. 'Information on his whereabouts can also be shared with police via 101 or post on X @MetCC quoting reference CAD0481/18JUL24.' It is the second time in three years that a prisoner has gone on the run from the prison during a medical visit - in 2021 Manray Woolfall also slipped past his guards during a trip to hospital. And ex-British Army soldier Daniel Khalife will stand trial next year for escaping from prison under a food delivery van. The fugitive veteran and alleged spy, 22, is said to have escaped from Wandsworth jail in south London last year after strapping himself to the underside of a Bidfood delivery truck with a makeshift harness made from prison bedsheets. Khalife was originally arrested last January on terrorism charges after plotting a fake bomb hoax at his army barracks at MoD Stafford and he is also accused of spying for an enemy state, which is understood to be Iran. Khalife denies one charge of escape, one of committing an act prejudicial to the state, one of eliciting information about members of the Armed Forces and another of perpetrating a bomb hoax. Keir Starmer is facing pressure from a major Labour donor today to repeal anti-protest laws used to jail a co-founder of Just Stop Oil for five years. Millionaire eco-entrepreneur Dale Vince said the sentences handed down to Roger Hallam and four other JSO activists for plotting to block the M25 motorway were 'disproportionate'. The Ecotricity founder, who has given Labour around 1.5million in recent years, likened the law to something from Vladimir Putin's Russia and said the UK would criticise it if it was used there to silence dissent. His criticism came as Labour figures also questioned the sentences, believed to be the longest jail terms handed down for non-violent protest. Judge Christopher Hehir told the five defendants they had 'crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic' as he jailed them for a combined 21 years. Lord Falconer, the former justice secretary, told the BBC this morning it made him 'very uncomfortable' that people were getting sentences of that length for simply causing 'enormous irritation' without violence. However No10 today said that it was not for the PM to 'interfere or opine on decisions taken by judges'. In a statement to MailOnline Mr Vince said that Sir Keir should move to repeal the legislation now he is in No10. 'Five years in prison for taking part in a zoom call to discuss disrupting the M25 is so disproportionate as to be hard to believe. It truly is worthy of Russia and if it happened there our government, Tory or Labour, would condemn it,' he said. Millionaire eco-entrepreneur Dale Vince said the sentence handed down to Roger Hallam and five other JSO activists for plotting to block the M25 motorway was 'disproportionate'. Mr Hallam, an environmental activist who was one of the founding members of the group, agreed to cause disruption to traffic by having protesters climb onto gantries over the motorway for four successive days in November 2022. However No10 today said that it was not for the PM (pictured with Ukrainian president Zelensky at No10 today) to 'interfere or opine on decisions taken by judges'. Mr Vince was one of a quartet of eco-activists who attended the sentencing at Southwark Crown Court yesterday. He was joined by BBC presenter Chris Packham and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, the chef, presenter and owner of the River Cottage empire, and Green peer Baroness Jones. 'My focus is on the harshness of the sentences and the fact that Tory legislation led to it, which I hope Labour will repeal. 'Prison overcrowding is just another legacy of the last government that Labour need to fix. This case is a throwback to Tory rule in all respects. What's happened is an injustice and I hope Labour will intervene - for the sake of simple, natural justice.' Mr Vince was one of a quartet of eco-activists who attended the sentencing at Southwark Crown Court yesterday. He was joined by BBC presenter Chris Packham and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, the chef, presenter and owner of the River Cottage empire, and Green peer Baroness Jones. Mr Hallam, an environmental activist who was one of the founding members of the group, agreed in a Zoom call to cause disruption to traffic by having protesters climb onto gantries over the motorway for four successive days in November 2022. The 58-year-old was joined by Daniel Shaw, 38, Louise Lancaster, 58, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, 35, and Cressida Gethin, 22, as they were all sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday. Judge Hehir told him and his co-defendants: 'The plain fact is that each of you some time ago has crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic. 'You have appointed yourselves as the sole arbiters of what should be done about climate change, bound neither by the principles of democracy nor the rule of law. Your fanaticism has made you heedless of the rights of your fellow citizens. 'You have taken it upon yourselves to decide that your fellow citizens must suffer disruption and harm, and how much disruption and harm they must suffer, simply so that you may parade your views.' Hallam was sentenced to five years' imprisonment while the remaining four defendants were each handed four years' imprisonment. Last night the landmark sentences were hailed as 'really good deterrents'. Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel said they 'should send a strong message to all those who want to commit criminal acts like these in future'. Prosecutors alleged the protests, which saw 45 people climb up the gantries, led to an economic cost of at least 765,000, while the cost to the Metropolitan Police was more than 1.1 million. They also allegedly caused more than 50,000 hours of vehicle delay, affecting more than 700,000 vehicles, and left the M25 'compromised' for more than 120 hours. Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC told the court that a police officer suffered a concussion and bruising after being knocked off his motorbike in traffic caused by one of the protests on November 9, 2022. All five defendants joined a Zoom call on November 2 2022, in which discussions were held about the planned protests, based off 'what was said expressly and what could be inferred', and were aiming to recruit others for the protests on the call, Ms Ledward told the court. A journalist from the Sun newspaper, who had joined the call pretending to be interested in the protest, managed to record some of it and passed the recordings on to the police. Judge Hehir said the Zoom call showed 'how intricately planned the disruption was and the sophistication involved', and was 'compelling evidence' of the existence of a conspiracy. There was 'extensive organisation and planning' for the protests and each defendant had a 'significant role' in the conspiracy, Ms Ledward said. The defendants were convicted by a jury of conspiracy intentionally to cause a public nuisance, contrary to section 78 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and Section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977, on July 11. The protestors, referred to as the Whole Truth Five by Just Stop Oil on social media, spoke to confirm their names in court and shouted 'We love you' from the dock immediately after the sentences were passed down. It comes as spate of Spanish beaches closed over summer due to shark sightings The incident took place on a beach in the city of Las Palmas on Monday evening A dramatic video has captured the moment a shark charges towards tourists at a beach in Gran Canaria. The footage shows the beast, accompanied by what appears to be a second shark, slicing through the waves towards screaming beachgoers on Monday evening. The terrifying incident, which was shared on TikTok, took place at a beach in Las Palmas, a popular holiday destination in Spain's Canary Islands. In the footage, the shark's fin can be seen slicing through the waves as it heads directly towards the shore, causing beachgoers to scream in fear. The shark moves rapidly towards shallower waters, with the cries of alarm from people on the sand audible in the background. A dramatic video has captured the moment a shark charges towards tourists at a beach in Gran Canaria One young woman can be seen sprinting away from the approaching shark as it comes incredibly close to the shore, with its fin and tail clearly visible just yards from the sand. The shark eventually turns around and swims back out to sea, much to the relief of the onlookers. The incident occurred on Monday evening and highlights the increasing number of shark sightings at popular Spanish beaches this year. Several beaches across the coasts of mainland Spain and its surrounding islands have been closed over the summer as a precaution due to the sightings. In May, tourists and locals fearing for their safety were banned from going into the sea due to a shark sighting off the Arenal d'en Castell beach in Menorca. Coastguards hoisted the red flag and called emergency services after the fin of a seven-foot blue shark was seen above the water line, perilously close to the coast. Shocking video showed the shark patrolling the water near a boat, just off the coast of the beach around 3.30pm. The shark sighting is believed to be the first so far this year near a Costa beach. One young woman can be seen sprinting away from the approaching shark as it comes incredibly close to the shore, with its fin and tail clearly visible just yards from the sand The shark eventually turns around and swims back out to sea, much to the relief of the onlookers The incident occurred on Monday evening and highlights the increasing number of shark sightings at popular Spanish beaches this year In June, harrowing footage shows the moment a 7ft shark swims towards a Gran Canaria shore - with the beach forced to closed to bathing amid terror for locals and tourists. Youngsters could be heard screaming as the big fish approached the shoreline at speed with its telltale fin sticking out of the water. Police raced to Melenara Beach on the island's east coast after the alarm was sounded at about 5pm on June 15. Lifeguards had previously helped clear the sea and the red flag was hoisted soon afterwards. Footage from the scene showed youngsters running for safety as the shark swam towards the shoreline before turning back at the last minute after thrashing around in the water. The horror crash that killed six teenage girls in Oklahoma two years ago was likely caused by the driver being impaired by marijuana. Madison Robertson, 16, was driving her five school friends on March 22, 2022, when she failed to stop for an oncoming truck and their car was ripped apart. She and her friends Gracie Machado, Brooklyn Triplett and Austin Holt, all 15, and Addison Gratz and Memory Wilson, both of 17, died in the crash. A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the incident found Robertson slowed down for an intersection and then accelerated past a stop sign because she was likely impaired by recent marijuana use. Its chairwoman Jennifer Homendy is now urging parents to warn teenagers about the risks of driving after smoking weed. The horror crash that killed six teenage girls in Oklahoma two years ago was likely caused by the driver being impaired by marijuana Madison Robertson, 16, was driving her five school friends on March 22, 2022, when she failed to stop for an oncoming truck and their car was ripped apart Robertson, from Tishomingo in Oklahoma, had five friends in her 2015 Chevy Spark when she failed to yield for a truck being driven by Valendon Burton, 51, at a notorious junction. The car, designed to carry four people, saw its roof ripped off in the collision and the vehicle ended up 300 feet away. A toxicology report found cannabis in Robertson's system but she tested negative for alcohol. Tests on blood found a THC concentration of 95.9 nanograms per milliliter. She also broke the law by driving on an intermediate driver's license without the supervision of an a fully-qualified driver aged 21 or older. Burton was found to have neither drugs nor alcohol in his system, and did not face any charges. The NTSB report stated the teenager was likely impaired by marijuana and distracted by her five friends in the car. It found Robertson slowed down at the intersection to one mile per hour but then accelerated past the stop sign. A gravel truck tried to avoid the girls but struck the driver's side door of their vehicle at 50 miles per hour and all six teens died of multiple blunt force injuries. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol found vaping mouthpieces and cannabis buds in the car following the crash. Homendy said: 'Theres a perception that in states where its legal that its safe and legal to drive impaired on marijuana.' Robertson friends: Addison Gratz, Austin Holt, Memory Wilson, Gracie Machado and Brooklyn Triplett all died in the crash. NTBS said Robertson had broken the law by driving without the supervision of a licensed driver 21 or older NTSB and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol concluded that Robertson failed to yield at a stop sign on the Oklahoma 22 highway, causing the truck to slam into the car In the crash report, the NTSB highlighted studies which show the drug slows reaction time, decreases motor coordination and impairs judgment of time and distance. Oklahoma does not allow recreational use of weed but is legal for medical purposes. But it is illegal to drive while under the influence of marijuana in every state across the country. A safety alert was issued by the NTSB which urged parents to talk to their children about how the drug can impact driving. 'Unfortunately, I think state laws that are legalizing recreational and medicinal use of marijuana have really come before thoughts or action on what are they going to do about traffic safety,' chairwoman Homendy said. 'They are far ahead on legalizing it, but very behind when it comes to traffic safety.' She added that police departments need to start enforcing laws against driving while impaired by cannabis to deter people. A gravel truck tried to avoid the girls but struck the driver's side door of their vehicle at 50 miles per hour and all six teens died of multiple blunt force injuries A National Transportation Safety Board investigation into the incident found Robertson slowed down for an intersection and then accelerated past a stop sign because she was likely impaired by recent marijuana use The NTSB said in Washington, where recreational marijuana has been legalized, more drivers involved in fatal crashes have tested positive for the drug since it became legal. It has asked the Oklahoma State Department of Education to develop a drug and alcohol abuse program to warn children about the risks of smoking weed and driving. Massachusetts and Rhode Island are the only states to have similar courses, according to the government agency. 'We have to start communicating well ahead of time, to kids, that driving, having ingested or smoked or inhaled marijuana is impairing, and its a risk to them and a risk to others,' Homendy said. The Governors Highway Safety Association said that cannabis-impaired driving is a growing concern. Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann called on CNN to fire Van Jones, one of their chief political correspondents, for praising Trump's strength and criticizing Biden's weakness. On Wednesday night, Van Jones appeared on a panel with the network's other political commentators to discuss the Republican National Convention and the election. 'Today is terrible day,' the one-time Obama adviser said. 'If you pull back and look at this thing: strength versus weakness. A bullet couldn't stop Trump. A virus just stopped Biden.' Jones's remarks referred to the attempted assassination of Trump on Saturday at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a shooter opened fire on the former president. Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann called on CNN to fire Van Jones, one of their chief political correspondents, for complimenting Trump's strength and criticizing Biden's weakness On Thursday night, Van Jones appeared on a panel with the network's other political commentators to discuss the Republican National Convention and the election In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Trump announced that despite his injury- a bullet pierced his ear- the RNC would proceed as scheduled. On Sunday - only a day after the incident- the former president landed in Milwaukee, ready for the event. President Biden, however, tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, forcing him to scrap a Las Vegas campaign event. Jones, who served as Obama's Special Advisor for Green Jobs, juxtaposed Trump's strength with Biden's weakness. This prompted Keith Olbermann, a former MSNBC host, to call on CNN to fire Jones for complimenting Trump. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Trump announced that despite his injury- a bullet pierced his ear- the RNC would proceed as scheduled 'HEY CNN,' Olbermann wrote on X.com in all caps. 'Fire this a**hole/moron/Trumpsucker @VanJones68 TONIGHT. Your remaining 837 viewers will accept no less.' This does not mark the first time the former MSNBC host focused his frustration on CNN. Last month, after the debate, he recommended that the network should be 'burn[ed] down.' 'Literally, I am suggesting that at some point tonight CNN should- it will not- go off the air in shame, fire everybody, seal off buildings, make sure everybody's out, and burn the Godd*** place to the ground,' he stated. After the assassination attempt of Trump on Saturday, the former MSNBC host has written several posts on X.com that dispute whether or not the GOP-nominee was actually shot Olberman added that Jake Tapper and Dana Bash should face consequences for their role as the debate's moderators, saying they should be 'fired for journalistic malpractice.' After the assassination attempt of Trump on Saturday, the former MSNBC host has written several posts on X.com that dispute whether or not the GOP-nominee was actually shot. In one post, Olbermann wrote: 'WHY IS TRUMP LYING ABOUT THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT?' He continued: 'Five days later there is no confirmation, not even an anonymous statement, from law enforcement or a medical authority that he was hit by a bullet.' Then he added: 'Why lie?' After contrasting Trump's strength with Biden's weakness, Van Jones addressed the disunity in the Democratic party. Following Biden's disastrous performance at the presidential debate, there have been mounting calls within the Democratic party for the president to stand aside. Recently, even prominent members of the party like California Congressman Adam Schiff have urged the president to withdraw from the race. Following Biden's disastrous performance at the presidential debate, there have been mounting calls within the Democratic party for the president to stand aside However, steadfast Biden supporters have urged him to remain in the race and the president himself has announced his intention to continue his campaign. 'You got the nominees of this party getting their butts kissed,' Jones said of the Republican party. 'Biden's getting his butt kicked by his own party,' he continued. 'The Democrats are coming apart. The Republicans are coming together. That's what's happening.' Police officers could suspect criminal activity when spotting seven specific items - and one smell - in your vehicle, according to a lawyer. Claire Highland, a criminal defense attorney, explained why these objects can put you in legal jeopardy in a TikTok video this week. The California lawyer mentioned issues like smells or weapons when clarifying what shouldn't be in someone's vehicle. Highland even admits in her video that she is 'guilty' of having one of these things in her car. Possessing these items doesn't mean you're necessarily breaking the law, but their presence in your car can make any law official curious about a driver or passenger's intentions. Claire Highland, a criminal defense attorney, explained why seven items can put you in legal jeopardy in a TikTok video this week Smell of Intoxicants A driver's odor does not always indicate that someone is guilty of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol One of the top reasons why an officer opens a DUI investigation is because they can 'smell the odor of intoxicants' after they pull someone over, according to Highmore. She added that drivers who spilled alcohol on their clothing would also cause suspicion, even if they hadn't been drinking. Various law firms pointed out that smell does not always indicate that someone is guilty, and it should not be what decides if someone drove while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, depending on how strong the odor is, officers could potentially assume that someone is not in the right frame of mind to be behind the wheel. Open Containers Police officers will give someone a driving violation if they spot an open bottle, car, jar, or flash with alcohol inside in most US states Open alcoholic beverage containers can get drivers into big trouble, depending on what state they live in. According to Highmore, in most states, officers will give someone a driving violation if they spot an open container in the driver's car. However, it can make police officers consider opening a DUI investigation. Government officials have put open container laws into effect, and they prohibit someone from having or consuming an opened alcoholic beverage in a car while driving on the highway. Examples of open containers in the eyes of the law are bottles, cans, jars and flasks that contain alcohol. Weapons A driver in New York could be charged with a class E felony if they commit this crime and receive a maximum four-year prison sentence 'States are going to vary on what the laws are regarding carrying weapons,' said Highmore. It is legal for drivers in some states to travel with a weapon if they have a permit or license with them, and they can go without one if a long gun is in their car. However, drivers who travel with unregistered firearms in their cars may face criminal charges depending on what state they're in. A driver in New York could be charged with a class E felony if they commit this crime and receive a maximum four-year prison sentence. Other states that could give a driver possible jail time are California, Michigan and Illinois. Dark Window Tint Various states have different laws regarding tinted windows on vehicles. Penalties drivers can receive for breaking a window tinting law include a fix-it ticket and a fine Tinted windows are standard vehicle features, and even Highmore's car has them. 'Technically, states have limitations on how dark your windows can be, and it can be enough to get you pulled over,' the attorney said. 'Once you get pulled over, they're going to start looking for other things.' Highmore and other California residents are only allowed to have the front passenger windows be tinted up to 70 percent, according to Rayno Film. Other laws vary by state, and drivers in places like Vermont and New Jersey are not allowed to have front-side tinted windows at all. Penalties drivers can receive for breaking a window tinting law include a fix-it ticket and a fine. Expired Vehicle Registration Driving with an expired vehicle registration is illegal in all 50 states, and the police can impound the driver's car for that reason in some cases An expired vehicle registration is a big deal, and if a driver is caught with one after being pulled over, they would receive a ticket and be forced to pay a fine. 'Be aware of when they expire because you don't want to get pulled over for a silly reason like this and then have something worse happen,' Highmore said. Driving with an expired vehicle registration is illegal in all 50 states, and the police can impound the driver's car for that reason in some cases. If that happens, the police will usually keep possession of the vehicle until the driver pays all their fines. Invalid Driver's License The penalties for driving with an invalid license depend on the state, but they usually include hefty fines, demerit points and possible jail time A driver's license is invalid when it has been revoked or suspended by the DMV, according to Drive Safely. 'If you just forgot your license, a lot of times you can clear that up by showing them proof that you do actually have a valid license,' Highmore said. 'If your license is suspended, that is a crime in most states, and you don't want to be caught driving with one.' Police officers will also suspect a driver of committing identity theft if they drive with a fake license or someone else's. The penalties for driving with an invalid license depend on the state, but they usually include hefty fines, demerit points and possible jail time. Drug Paraphernalia Punishment for drug paraphernalia possession varies depending on the state, primarily because of the legalization of marijuana in parts of the US Highmore mentioned any smoking devices in 'plain view' could lead to a police officer believing a driver used it before or while driving. She added this applies to 'anything that's going to make it look like you were doing something illegal.' Punishment for this drug crime varies depending on the state, primarily because of the legalization of marijuana in parts of the US. Possession of drug paraphernalia is generally treated as a misdemeanor at the state level, but under federal law, it is punishable with a fine and up to three years in jail. A New Hampshire mother is sounding the alarm after her 10-year-old son suffered hypothermia while on a trip to the beach. Declan Cassani, 10, said he 'saw black' moments before he threw up and passed out on Hampton Beach on the Fourth of July. His mother Heather told WMUR that he was playing in the water all day and warned that the symptoms of hypothermia struck him suddenly and out of the blue. Lifeguards cautioned that although much of the US has been under scorching temperatures this summer, families should be aware that oceans often remain freezing cold. Declan Cassani, 10, suffered hypothermia on the Fourth of July after spending the day frolicking in the ocean at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire Heather said she is sharing her son's medical emergency in the hopes that other families can avoid a similar fate. 'That's really what it's all about because you never know what all the things that could go wrong and you try to protect them, but it's like I feel like knowing is half the battle,' she said. Although Declan appeared normal throughout the day as he went in and out of the water, his first symptoms set in quickly as he suddenly became disoriented and confused. Declan passed out and vomited, and he recalled that 'all I saw was like a black screen - and then I fell.' 'I didn't know what was happening, and I just got scared,' he said. Hypothermia is a condition caused by the body's core temperature dropping, and can lead to drowsiness, slowed heart rate, unconsciousness and death. Declan's mother Heather said her son was playing in the water all day, and warned that the symptoms of hypothermia struck him suddenly and out of the blue Other beachgoers spotted the medical emergency and called 911, and lifeguards spotted early signs of hypothermia as Declan's skin was cold Hampton Beach Chief Lifeguard Pat Murphy warned that although summer temperatures are high, they do not always translate to warm ocean waters, and warned that 'hypothermia is something we see quite a bit' Lifeguards and other beachgoers raced to his side after spotting the medical emergency and called 911. First responders found Declan under an umbrella, and spotted signs of hypothermia as his skin was cold. He was moved into the sun and was said to have recovered quickly after warming up. Hampton Beach Chief Lifeguard Pat Murphy warned that although summer temperatures are high, they do not always translate to warm ocean waters. 'This is the coldest we've seen the water last this long,' he told WMUR. 'So, you go from a day of being 95, 85, to water that's 50 low 50s and you stay in it for a long time, hypothermia is something we see quite a bit.' This is the moment a 'Houthi' drone flew over a beach and the US embassy in Israel before causing an explosion that killed one person with the country now vowing to 'settle the score'. Footage uploaded to social media shows the aerial weapon skimming over the Tel Aviv beach and a nearby row of buildings early this morning before an orange flash erupts further inland within seconds. The terrifying video comes after an Israeli military official told a briefing that 'a very big drone that can travel long distances crashed into an apartment building' at 03.12am local time. The official, who remained anonymous, said the aim was 'terrorism', with the rebel group's 'main goal to kill civilians in Israel'. They added the drone had shockingly been detected by the military while airborne but the alarm was not immediately raised due to 'human error'. Footage captured the moment a 'Houthi' drone flew low over a beach and towards a row of buildings in Tel Aviv before causing an apartment building to explode An orange glow is seen at the site of the explosion which left one dead and 10 more injured Members of the Israeli security forces are seen at a cordoned-off area where the explosion took place near the US embassy in Tel Aviv on July 19, 2024 'There was no alert that sounded in Tel Aviv because it wasn't activated,' he said 'There was a human error that caused the interception and defence systems not to be operated,' the official said. 'Obviously, one of the possibilities we're looking into is Yemen because of the Houthi announcements. But we're not ruling out anything.' Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant today issued a chilling warning, claiming: 'The defence establishment is working to immediately strengthen all defence systems, and will settle the score with anyone who harms the State of Israel or directs terror against it'. IDF Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that the UAV was apparently launched from Yemen. 'We are still investigating the incident in depth. From evidence found at the scene, it would appear that the aircraft is an Iranian Samad-3 drone,' he said. Yemen's Houthi group earlier today claimed responsibility for the attack that caused the explosion. A spokesperson for the Houthi armed forces said in a post on social media Friday that the Iran-aligned group had 'targeted Tel Aviv in occupied Palestine'. It claimed that it had used a new drone 'capable of bypassing interceptor systems and being able to be detected by radars'. It's armed wing also released a statement celebrating the attack, saying: 'Triumphing for the oppression of the Palestinian people and their mujahideen, and in retaliation to the Zionist enemys massacres against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip'. The Israeli military said it had now opened an investigation into the large, and fatal, explosion near the US embassy office and would work out why the country's air defence systems were not activated to intercept the 'aerial target' before any damage was caused. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had 'targeted Tel Aviv in occupied Palestine' A Tel Aviv man stands next to a damaged car near the site of the deadly blast, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict in Tel Aviv Following the drone strike, Israel's air force took to social media claiming it had increased patrols to 'protect the country's skies'. Israeli police said the body of a 50-year-old man was found in an apartment close to the explosion site, and that the circumstances surrounding his death were also being investigated. Four people were taken to hospital with slight shrapnel injuries and four others were treated for shock. All of them were later released, the hospital said, according to France24. Footage and images from the devastating scene in Tel Aviv show mangled vehicles, smashed windows, and rubble strewn across the streets as authorities worked to detect casualties and assess the damage caused by the blast. Israeli opposition politician, and leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid, said the attack was 'further proof that this government does not know and cannot give security to the citizens of Israel'. 'Those who lose deterrence in the north and south also lose it in the heart of Tel Aviv,' he wrote on X. 'There are no policies, no plans, all public relations and discussions about themselves. They [the government] have to go,' he continued. Shards of glass can be seen smashed across the streets of Tel Aviv following the drone strike after the 'new' aerial weapon 'bypassed interceptor systems' Emergency personnel assist a woman at the site of the explosion in Tel Aviv Recalling the terrifying attack, local resident Alon told Haaretz: 'The whole building shook'. 'My neighbours' windows shattered, so I was sure something had hit the building. It was only when I went outside that I realised that several buildings had been damaged.' The incident came after the Israeli military confirmed it had killed a senior commander of the Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon on July 3. A Hezbollah statement at the time identified the killed commander as Mohammad Naameh Nasser, who went by the name Abu Naameh. A Hezbollah official speaking anonymously said he was head of the group's Aziz Unit, one of three regional divisions in southern Lebanon. Both Hezbollah and the Houthis have stepped up their attacks against Israel, saying they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians after Israel invaded the Gaza Strip during an initial attack by Hamas militants on a southern Israel music festival on October 7 last year. Hamas militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took more than 200 others as hostages during the attack. The war has so far killed more than 38,000 Palestinians, Gaza's health ministry says. The Prime Minister unveiled his party's controversial plan to allow for 'flexible working' earlier this week - but it appears employees have already mastered the art of finding any excuse to WFH. Some of the most ridiculous reasons offered up for staying in include not wanting to go out in the rain, having to look after a relative's pet, and not being able to find house keys. And if that's not bad enough, one union has even put together a WFH guide detailing 'valid reasons no reasonable boss can ever refuse' to help lazy workers. They include 'car troubles', 'water leaks' and 'sick pets'. While employees would have previously jumped through hoops to make sure they were at their office desk before the clock struck nine, the smallest of inconveniences are now exploited as reasons to stay in. Among the worst excuses employers told MailOnline they had heard included needing to keep an eye on a family member's dog. Other choice 'reasons' included looking after a pet tortoise as well as it being 'too hot'. The loss of house keys was another eye-rolling excuse given. Incredibly another asked to work from home so he could look after the family dog so his mother and father could 'have a date night'. Labour has introduced new employment privileges for everyone beginning new jobs, including the right to work from home One X user tweeted about how contracting Covid is used as an excuse for when people don't want to come into the office Meanwhile, one person opted to work from home because they were running late trying to find their keys And despite it being four years since the pandemic first hit, some employees proudly boast that 'saying you've caught Covid-19 is still the perfect excuse'. One person took to X yesterday in response to US President Joe Biden catching Covid, writing: 'Oh yes, Covid. 'That old chestnut when people in the office are bothering you and you want to work from home.' Another social media user took to the platform after Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau contracted the illness last year to boast that it is 'the absolute best excuse' to get out of work. They wrote: 'I've tested positive for Covid' is the absolute BEST excuse to get out of work in our lifetime. 'Politicians are using it daily and you can too! Bonus: you don't even have to do the 'fake sick voice' when the office calls.' Speaking to MailOnline, one employee admitted: 'If you say you've tested positive for Covid, employers themselves will ask you to stay at home even if you say you want to go into the office. It still works.' Among the more surprising reasons people have admitted using to work from home is struggling to find house keys. 'I got ready to go to work this morning and spent 45 minutes looking for my key. I was running so late so, I decided to WFH. 'I made myself a cup of coffee and proceeded to the fridge to get milk. Guess what I found? My house key was in the fridge.' Meanwhile, the owner of a business told of some more creative excuses they had heard from employees in the past year. The employer said among the most ridiculous excuses they'd heard was 'I can't come in because I'm looking after my mum's one-eyed dog'. Recent research has shown that one in six adults work permanently from home, while two in seven are hybrid workers One person tweeted about working from home due to car trouble, and how the expectations have changed since pre-pandemic Some have also come up with smart ways to get their bosses to tell them to stay home. One employee said to their boss: 'I can come in but you might not want me to because my mum has Covid and my child was with her on the weekend.' According to research by comparison site Finder.com, one in six adults now work exclusively from home, while two in seven - 28 per cent - are hybrid workers. A search of social media also reveals that 'car problems' and inconvenient weather are also go-to reasons used to log in from home. 'Working from home today because car trouble', one X user wrote. 'Two years ago I would have gotten an Uber to the office. My how the world has changed.' Difficult weather conditions have also been used as an easy excuse to WFH During heavy rain in Sussex in late 2022, one employee said: 'Not seen rain like it in Sussex for quite a while, got drenched putting the bins out. 'Might have to WFH today - any excuse.' Another joked alongside a meme: 'Dear HR, I hope this mail finds you well. 'The rain has been very heavy. My streets are flooded making it impossible for me to transit to work without getting messed up. 'In this light, I won't be able to work from the office but I will, remotely. 'Thank you for understanding.' Another X user joked about using weather conditions to get out of going into the office A guide published on the UNI Global Union's website even takes users through '10 Good Excuses to Work from Home', in which it suggests employers will approve WFH requests involving 'car troubles', 'water leaks' and 'sick pets'. The 10 reasons it advocates using are: a dental emergency, doctor's appointment, family obligations, important packages on delivery, injury, road work, car trouble, water leak, no childcare, and a sick pet. Under 'important packages on delivery, the guide says: 'Valuable or sensitive items often require a signature. Obviously, you will have to stay at home to receive them! 'And even if signatures are unnecessary, nobody in their right mind would want to entrust their confidential information to a random neighbour next door.' It also suggests that water leaks are a valid reason if 'you have never used it before'. 'Water leaks are often unexpected, and the urgency to address the problem as soon as possible makes it almost impossible to stick to your regular office schedule. 'Furthermore, since the situation often involves professional inspections, you need to stay home to work with the repair services while ensuring the safety of your living space. 'No boss can refuse such a valid excuse, especially if you have never used it to work from home before.' House Speaker Mike Johnson has threatened to arrest any lawmakers who disrupt Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress next week amid fears could 'get out of hand'. 'There are a number of Democrats in the House who have said they're going to boycott that event. Some others may protest,' Johnson told an event organised by the Republican Jewish Coalition near the ongoing Republican National Convention. 'We're going to have extra sergeants at arms on the floor. If anybody gets out of hand We're going to arrest people if we have to do it,' he said. Netanyahu is set to address lawmakers on July 24, his first address to US Congress since 2015, when 58 boycotted him over concerns about his opposition to then-President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran. But with the war in Gaza still ongoing and felt by many communities in the United States, more than 200 anonymous staff members across 122 Democratic and Republican congressional offices have signed a letter calling for Congress to protest or boycott the event on Capitol Hill. Mike Johnson speaks during Day 2 of the Republican National Convention on July 16 Netanyahu in Rafah, where he visited troops and received a comprehensive briefing, on July 18 'Citizens, students, and lawmakers across the country and the world have spoken out against the actions of Mr. Netanyahu in his War on Gaza,' reads a letter signed by the 230 House and Senate staffers. It added that the joint address was an 'issue of morality', not politics, citing the ongoing protests against Israel's conduct in Gaza as Israelis 'have been protesting in the streets for months, decrying his failure to negotiate a ceasefire and release of hostages'. 'Mr. Netanyahu has ordered the bombings of schools, hospitals, and mosques; overseen a campaign of mass-starvation against Palestinian children; and censored efforts by the media to cover the Israeli military's actions on the ground,' the letter says, noting that the address is scheduled to go ahead in spite of the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court's request for an arrest warrant. Netanyahu said previously he expected the arrest warrants could be submitted before his July 24 address. If such a warrant were to be granted, the 124 countries signatory to the ICC would be obligated to act on it, meaning Netanyahu - and defence minister Yoav Gallant - could be arrested on a foreign visit. While many Democrats have historically held long-standing support for Israel, some have been torn over its conduct in the Gaza Strip. More than 38,600 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since Hamas' October 7 incursion into southern Israel, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count. A growing faction of Democrats is now saying it will not attend the event usually welcome by a large bipartisan showing later this month. Netanyahu was invited by Mike Johnson after a consultation with the White House, according to a person familiar with the matter speaking under condition of anonymity, AP reported. The Israeli premier said at the time he was 'very moved' by the invitation and opportunity 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'. Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said previously it would be 'healthy' for members of both parties to attend. 'I think that a lot of Americans are getting a one-sided narrative, especially the younger generation, and I think it's important they hear from the prime minister of Israel, in terms of his perspective,' said McCaul, R-Texas. Others disagree. Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who attended the 2015 address as a House member, said he saw no reason why Congress 'should extend a political lifeline' to Netanyahu. Israel faces increasing criticism at home and abroad over its conduct in Gaza. Regular protests have mounted in Tel Aviv, often led by the families and supporters of hostages still in Gaza, calling for Netanyahu to stand down. Of the 251 hostages taken into Gaza on October 7, 42 have died, according to the Israeli military. With the exception of a raid in June delivering four to safety, the most successful operation to return captives took place in November during a week-long ceasefire. And with many internationally moved by scenes of destruction and impending famine in Gaza, the United States has been critical of Israel's retaliatory offensive, denouncing the killing of civilians ostensibly in pursuit of two main war aims: returning the remaining hostages snatched from southern Israel on October 7 and vanquishing Hamas for good. 'We continue to see far too many civilians killed in this conflict,' spokesman Matthew Miller said after Blinken met Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi. A protester holds a Palestinian flag from atop a light pole in Washington Square Park on July 18 Palestinian children gather to receive food cooked by a charity in northern Gaza on July 18 Netanyahu and Gallant also clashed over the medical treatment of children in Gaza on Thursday after the Prime Minster shut down Gallant's plans to establish a field hospital in the Palestinian enclave. Gallant announced Wednesday that a hospital would be set up by the IDF in Israel near the border with Gaza due to the closure of the southern Rafah Crossing into Egypt, previously relied on for medical treatment. Egypt has since stopped all movement across the border in what it says is an act of protest over Israel's takeover of the area. Much humanitarian aid has until now also travelled north over the border into Gaza from Egypt. A day later, Netanyahu's office announced the hospital 'will not be established', prompting the Defence Minister to say: 'The prime minister is keeping a hospital for injured children from being opened up for political reasons.' The Prime Minister declined to respond to Gallant's accusation, The Times of Israel reported. This is the moment armed police arrested a man after he murdered a love rival in the street - as the victim's toddler watched in horror. Maurice Jones, 25, repeatedly stabbed Tsvetomir Genov - known as TG - in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on August 22 last year. The killer, who had recently moved to the area to live with Mr Genov's former partner, confronted him about issues relating to the woman and his son. Mr Genov, who was walking his 16-month-old son in a pushchair back to the boy's mother's house, was subjected to a violent attack by Jones in Gainsborough Close, sustaining numerous stab wounds. Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, Mr Genov died before he could be taken to hospital. Jones fled from the scene, discarding the knife and his trousers. Thanks to key witnesses and intelligence from members of the public, he was swiftly arrested and taken to custody. Maurice Jones, 25, was arrested by Wiltshire Police over the fatal stabbing of Tsvetomir Genov, known as TG Jones remained calm as he was arrested in August last year, shortly after stabbing his victim and trying to flee the scene He was handed a life sentence at Winchester Crown Court and told he would serve a minimum of 30 years before being considered for release Video footage released by Wiltshire Police shows the moment two armed police officers apprehended Jones - who remained calm throughout. After being charged with murder and possession of a bladed article, Jones pleaded not guilty to both. During the trial, Jones claimed to have only taken a knife for his own protection and then used it out of fear, claiming to have lost control of himself. This was dismissed by the jury. The defendant, of Gainsborough Close, Salisbury, was jailed for life at Winchester Crown Court on July 18 - with a minimum term of 30 years. In a statement, Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Phil Walker said: 'While today's sentencing is the conclusion of the courts process, the indescribable grief and sense of loss for TG's family will go on. 'I would once again like to pay tribute to them for the dignified way they have behaved at court while having to hear the awful details of how TG, who was a son, father, brother and friend, lost his life. 'I would also like to thank the local community for the support they gave to the investigation team following the incident. 'Key evidence from witnesses was vital in securing the conviction and I would like to thank them for their bravery after witnessing such a horrific attack. 'I would also like to thank all the officers who responded to the incident, and who have assisted with the investigation since, for their dedication and professionalism which has ultimately led to this sentence.' TG (pictured) was confronted by Jones and stabbed to death TG (right) pictured with his father Deyan Genov (centre) and younger brothers Jones claimed to have only taken a knife for his own protection and then used it out of fear, claiming to have lost control of himself - something jurors dismissed DCI Walker continued: 'Knife crime kills and ruins lives, which is why it continues to be an ongoing priority for the force. 'If Jones hadn't purposely taken a knife with him to meet TG, then TG would still be with us. It's that simple. 'There can never be a good excuse to carry a knife. We know that you are far more likely to be the victim of a knife attack if you are carrying one, with it often being your own knife used against you. 'As seen from this case, the consequences of doing so, both for yourself and any potential victims, can be lifelong.' Following sentencing, Mr Genov's family said: 'It is nearly one year since our first-born awesome boy was taken from us. 'It is nearly a year since his life was taken too soon. He was left with no chance to be saved and died tragically after this awful knife attack. 'His murderer has been found guilty and sentenced, but nothing can change the fact that TG is no longer here. 'He lives in our hearts and memories, but he is not here. 'Life is not the same without him. We thought the day we were told of his death was the hardest day of our lives, but it was even harder to see him lying in the coffin, to go to his funeral. 'There are no words to describe the feeling of seeing your child like this. To bury your child is not right. It is horrible and painful and it should not happen. Nothing is the same without him. 'TG had just started his life. He was just 20 years old. He was adventurous, independent, charming and had a good soul. He had dreams and plans which will now never come true. 'It is hard to accept that we, his family, will never see him again. His little boy, just 16 months old will never see his Daddy again, never hear his Daddy's voice. 'He will never play with his Daddy, get advice from his Dad or grow up with his Dad. We fear he might not remember him as he was so young when he was taken from him. 'None of us will see his smile again or hear his laughter again. A big part of our hearts has been taken and will never be replaced. It is just heart-breaking. It is not fair and it is not right. 'We all loved him so much and we really hope that he knows that, and knows that we will all look after his little boy. We are so proud of him. 'We miss and love him so much and the huge holes in our hearts will never be filled.' A childcare worker has been found guilty of five charges of aggravated assault after parents grew alarmed when children she was looking after started returning home with awful scratches on their faces. Kerri Louise Wharf, 27, pleaded not guilty to 32 allegations of assault against the children under her care in 2020 at the GoodStart Early Learning in the north eastern Perth suburb of Banksia Grove. Her protracted trial at Perth Magistrates Court heard multiple families had complained their children, all under five, came home with severe scratches, PerthNow reported. One parent told Nine News Perth their child still bore a scratch mark from temple to chin weeks after the incident. The parent said they still felt shocked and sick over it but other GoodStart staff had tried to make amends. 'GoodStart staff have gone above and beyond ... they were proactive and made sure they supported my child,' the parent said. Initially police officers suspected another child may have carried out the attacks, but they then focused on Wharf. During her drawn-out trial more than 50 witnesses gave evidence, including children, and 270 exhibits were submitted as evidence. Childcare worker Kerri Louise Wharf, 27, has been found guilty of commiting five charges of aggravated assaults against the children she was looking after Prosecutor Laura Campbell had told the court Wharf had 'a tendency to engage in behaviour to scratch children on the face', according to the ABC. Ms Campbell said Wharf was 'always present or near the child' who suffered the injuries. Wharf told police during an interview the the scratches were caused by other children or by play equipment. This explanation was dismissed by Ms Campbell as implausible and not reasonable. Wharf's lawyer Kathryn Heslop said her client was made a scapegoat during a 'flawed investigation' conducted by the childcare centre. Ms Heslop said no one witnessed Wharf scratch any child but claimed she had been targeted as frustration grew among parents and staff, and the centre's manager needed someone to blame. Magistrate Matthew Walton said the prosecution of the matter was 'at times, regrettable' and had only proven five of the 32 allegations. Wharf has been released on bail and faces sentencing in November with a report on her psychological state to be prepared and submitted to court before then Wharf worked at GoodStart Early Learning in the north eastern Perth suburb of Banksia Grove He said the complexities of the trial affected the management of the case. Wharf has been release on bail but faces sentencing in November. Before then a report into her psychological state will be prepared and submitted to the court. Have YOU been caught up in the chaos? Have YOU been caught up in the chaos? Email tom.cotterill@mailonline.co.uk Thousands of holidaymakers were left in limbo for hours at UK airports today after the Microsoft outage grounded more than 100 planes. The IT pandemonium led to 'bedlam' and huge three-hour queues at Gatwick Airport, with holidaymakers struggling to check in. Meanwhile, at Stansted and Edinburgh airports, lines of queuing passengers have been seen stretching outside the terminals. Today was due to be the busiest day for UK flight departures since October 2019 - before Covid - with more than 3,214 planned, according to research firm Cirium. It said 52 flights departing the UK and 51 coming into the UK had been cancelled as of midday. More than 1,300 were cancelled globally. Passengers have been left to sizzle in long lines as a mini heatwave brought temperatures of 31C to south-east England, with the day set to be the hottest of the year so far. Passengers queue by the Ryanair check-in desk at London Stansted Airport in Essex A passenger sits under an information screen in the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport Passengers at Gatwick's were left stuck with their suitcases as the disruption rages on Queues at the airport could be seen stretching out of the departure terminal's door at Edinburgh Airport on Friday morning Passengers left stuck in huge lines at Heathrow as the global IT crash continues to cause mayhem at airports worldwide Gatwick Airport At Gatwick, thousands of passengers faced three hours of chaos and queues to check in. Dean Seddon started queuing at 6am to check in for a trip with his social media training company to Miami, Florida, ahead of their scheduled departure at 10am with Norse Atlantic Airways. 'There are just people everywhere, there must be 400 people in this queue for the check in desk I'm at... it's just bedlam,' the 42-year-old from Plymouth said. 'It's one of those things where you kind of know we're not going to fly, but you don't want to leave because you don't know. '(Staff are) doing the best they can but they don't actually know when it's going to be fixed, so it is frustrating, but you kind of feel for the staff as well.' Mr Seddon said there had been some people getting 'agitated' in the queue but overall travellers had remained calm. Elaine Bevan, a retired nurse from Southampton, has been waiting in line at Gatwick Airport for over two hours to check in for her 2pm flight to Orlando, Florida. The 70-year-old booked the two-week trip with her family in November 2023 and said she will wait as long as necessary because the holiday has been booked for such a 'long time'. STANSTED: Thousands of holidaymakers have been forced to queue while check-ins were done manually Elaine Bevan, 70, from Southampton, waits in the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport GATWICK: Holidaymakers at the airport have been left stranded and unable to check-in following the Microsoft outage This is Gatwick. Thank you, Microsoft. pic.twitter.com/lLqsmmO65d Dean Seddon (@sellwithDean) July 19, 2024 Warning boards at Gatwick Airport have informed passengers about the 'major worldwide IT system outrage' which may cause them to 'experience delays' A holidaymaker described the scene at Gatwick as 'bedlam'. Pictured are passengers in the South Terminal of the airport Passengers have been forced to settle down with their luggage as they wait for the IT woes to finish (pictured are people in Gatwick Airport on Friday) These two men at Gatwick took refuged by the escalators as they sought to wait out the chaos Ms Bevan said: 'We're all getting a bit tired. It took us ages to find the queue in the first place.' Asked if she was prepared to wait until the evening for the flight, she said: 'I think we have to. It's been booked for a long time - since November last year.' She asked: 'In the world where IT is king, why does it not perform as it should?' Marcello Jones is flying to Los Angeles where he studies law. The 25-year-old from Cornwall said he 'hopes' to get his money back, but added: 'We'll see what happens. There is not much I can do. I just want to get on the plane.' Most passengers at Gatwick remained in good spirits thanks to bottles of water being handed out and sufficient air conditioning within the airport. Heathrow Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, has also been hit with a spokesman saying the travel hub was implementing contingency plans to 'minimise' the impact of the global IT outage. The spokesperson said: 'Microsoft is currently experiencing a global outage which is impacting select systems at Heathrow. 'Flights are operational and we are implementing contingency plans to minimise any impact on journeys. 'Passengers are advised to check with their airline for the latest flight information.' Customers at Gatwick have reported long queues inside the airport following the IT outage Thousands of people suffered a similar issue at London Standsted Airport in Essex, with holidaymakers pictured stuck in long queues Heathrow, Britain's busiest airport, was also facing severe disruption on Friday due to the Microsoft IT failure Huge queues in Gatwick have formed as the IT meltdown continues to cause travel mayhem Airports, trains and ferries hit by the travel chaos Airports, railway operators and ferry crossings have all been impacted by today's Microsoft meltdown. Here's a rundown of the worst affected areas: Gatwick: Three-hour delays reported going through check-in - with travellers describing scenes of 'pandemonium''. Heathrow: Disruption has been reported by the airport says flights are still taking off. Edinburgh Airport: Passengers have been forced to queue outside, with the airport reporting that wait times were longer than usual. Stanstead Airport: Queues for check-in were seen stretching out of the departure lounge and into the street. Passengers have also been warned some airline check-in services have reverted to being done manually. Luton Airport: is also running manual systems which could spark some check-in delays. Manchester Airport: Passengers warned there would be delays for those checking-in for Swissport flights. Bristol Airport: Some of its retailers are unable to accept card payments and advised passengers to check with their airlines before travelling. Ryanair: Passengers were urged to arrive at airports three hours early blaming a 'third party IT issue. Port of Dover: Delays of up to 40 minutes were reported P&O Ferries: Passengers warned of potential disruption to retail sites and slower border checks Network Rail: Train services are running but there is a warning that customers could struggle to purchase tickets due to machines still being affected by the Microsoft outage. Advertisement Texas resident Stephanie Thompson was among those affected after visiting the UK for Wimbledon and The Open Championship in Troon, with her 9.25am flight to Heathrow on Wednesday, and onward flight to Dallas, cancelled. She said she was so concerned about getting home she decided to pay $6,800 (5,300) for her family to fly home later in the evening. She said: 'It was supposed to leave at 9.25am and change in Heathrow at 11 and we were supposed to get into Dallas later today. 'We couldn't get an answer from anybody. British Airways kept hanging up saying we have too many calls right now. I was on hold with American (Airlines) for about an hour and 10 minutes before I finally hung up. 'We just paid 6,800 dollars for a one-way trip home, hopefully leaving tonight. I didn't know what else to do. I just wanted something to get us home.' Pictures from inside the airport show a number of dejected passengers milling around the airport terminals, with families sat on the floor while they wait out the delays. Stansted airport In Essex, the queue at London Stansted Airport snaked outside the main terminal building on Friday as an IT outage caused delays. Courtney Kemal, 32, who had already been in the queue for around two hours by late morning, said her two sons aged five and seven were 'obviously getting stressed'. The business student, of Romford, east London, said their Ryanair flight taking them on an eight-day holiday to Magaluf was due to leave at 12.40pm and they had arrived at 9am. She said she had heard 'nothing' from the airline and said 'we had no warning of this'. 'Additionally, other key systems, including our real-time customer information platforms, are also affected. 'We will provide additional updates when we can. In the meantime, please regularly check your journey before you travel.' Gatwick Express also warned travellers they are 'currently experiencing widespread IT issues' across the entire network. Meanwhile, South Western Railway confirmed there will be major disruption for their passengers too. 'Due to IT issues across the South Western Railway network all ticket vending machines are currently non operational,' a message read on X. Stephanie Thompson, a passenger heading home to Dallas, Texas, from Edinburgh Airpor Pictured are people queuing at the Wizzair desk in Gatwick Airport amid the travel mayhem Trains across the UK are expected to face disruption following the Microsoft system fault Travellers on railway across the UK are being warned of potential disruption following the IT glitch. Pictured are passengers at London's Victoria railway station Passengers buying tickets at Victoria train station, London, amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines A ticket machine at King's Cross station that was showing up as out of service today 'Please purchase your ticket online, on the train or speak to a member of station staff. 'We apologise for the inconvenience this causes.' A photo posted on social media shows long queues at Luton Airport. The image, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, is accompanied by a caption stating that a 'system failure' is causing 'massive queues'. Edinburgh Airport Edinburgh Airport has also been hit by the IT outage, with officials warning jetsetters the meltdown is causing longer waiting times. A spokesperson said: 'An IT system outage means wait times are longer than usual at the airport. This outage is affecting many other businesses, including airports. 'Work is ongoing to resolve this and our teams are on hand to assist where we can. Passengers are thanked for their patience.' Alison Mattu said her 16-year-old daughter Priya had been left in 'floods of tears' fearing she would miss her connecting flight to visit her father in the US. The teenager raced through the airport to make her first flight to Dublin. She made the connection, but her mother fears she could still miss her transatlantic flight to Washington. She said: 'It was chaos. People confused being sent outside all the way to the trams and car park, told (it was a) security issue. 'Panic setting in for those, including my 16-year-old daughter travelling alone to visit her father via Dublin to Dulles, Washington DC, if they missed their flight. 'She ran in floods of tears on the phone to me, distressed and worried sick. Passengers are seen queuing outside of Edinburgh airport as delays ravaged the travel hub 'Happily, she made her first flight. Who knows about the other people travelling with young babies, elderly and non-English speakers.' However, Ms Mattu said the airport staff were 'amazing' at keeping people in the queues updated. Writing on X, another traveller told of 'complete chaos' at Edinburgh. Tracy McQue added: 'An hours queue to check in, another hour to the security gates, departure boards not working and lots of confused faces. Not sure if flights are actually taking off.' Edinburgh Airport said on X: 'Passengers should not travel to the airport without first checking the status of their flight with the airline. 'The wait at security is currently around one hour due to the outage and our teams are managing this as best as they can.' How passengers in Bristol, Glasgow and Manchester coped with the mayhem Neighbouring Glasgow airport said it has been largely unaffected by the outage. While Bristol Airport said some of its retailers are unable to accept card payments and advised passengers to check with their airlines before travelling. On X, formerly Twitter, it posted: 'A global IT issue is impacting travel. We advise passengers to contact their airlines for the latest flight information before travelling to the Airport. 'Some of our retailers are currently unable to accept cards - we recommend passengers bring cash if possible.' Passengers at Gatwick Airport as a massive Microsoft outage caused chaos in the aviation sector Passengers at Gatwick have reported three-hour queues at check-in following the IT crash (Gatwick is pictured on Friday morning with passengers stuck in the airport) SPAIN: There were similar scenes of mayhem in other airports, with passengers at Barajas Airport, also pictured stuck GERMANY: Passengers wait in front of check-in counters at the capital's Berlin Brandenburg Airport on Friday GERMANY: Holidaymakers in Berlin were forced to make the best of a bad situation, sitting on the floor while they waited HONG KONG: Large queues have also formed at other airports, including Hong Kong International Airport (pictured) The technical glitch with Microsoft's tech was reported on Friday morning The IT meltdown has affected shops globally, with customers unable to pay for their shopping (pictured is a store in Canberra, Australia) Checkout terminals in stores are unable to process transactions due to the IT crash Ryanair has also seemingly been hit with the issue after it posted on its website urging passengers to arrive at airports three hours early blaming a 'third party IT issue, which is outside Ryanair's control and affect all airlines operating across the network'. In a statement, the firm said: 'Potential disruptions across the network (Fri 19 July) due to a global 3rd party system outage. 'Affected passengers will be notified and any passengers travelling across the network on Fri 19 July should check their Ryanair app for the latest updates on their flight. 'We advise passengers to arrive at the airport 3 hours in advance of their flight to avoid any disruptions. 'We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers by this 3rd party IT issue, which is outside of Ryanair's control and affects all airlines operating across the network.' Manchester Airport has said the Microsoft meltdown is only affecting Swissport, which handles some ground work for a few airlines. Holidaymakers are still being checked-in manually which means delays for those travelling on flights supplied by Swissport. A Manchester Airport spokesman confirmed passengers don't need to change their travel arrangements and 'we don't want people thinking they need to come to the airport earlier because that can cause overcrowding'. And as the outage continues to cause travel chaos, air passengers in India are being given hand-written boarding passes, with budget airline IndiGo among those handing out the make-shift tickets. This disruption coincides with what is set to be the busiest day for UK flight departures this year, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. A mother killed her two-year-old son before taking her own life in a Finnish prison cell, an inquest heard. English teacher Ayesha Henna Ali suffered a 'psychotic breakdown' and 'smothered' her two-year-old child, Adam, with a pillow and 'cut his wrists'. An inquest into her death heard the 35-year-old Keele University graduate, who was from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire but was living in Finland at the time, then video called her own mother, Safia Ali, saying 'I've done something terrible'. Police discovered Adam dead at an apartment near the Finnish capital of Helsinki on January 19 2020. Ayesha also had self-inflicted wounds. Nineteen days after killing her son, Ali was found to have taken her own life in her prison cell. She was confirmed dead in hospital on February 6 2020. Ali was left alone in the cell for 20 to 30 minutes while in custody, which had 'white privacy paint' on the windows in line with Finnish laws. Ayesha Henna Ali killed her two-year-old son before she was discovered to have taken her own life in a Finnish prison cell Ali 'smothered' her two-year-old child, Adam, with a pillow and 'cut his wrists', an inquest heard The inquest held at Stoke Coroner's Court heard Ali was described by her parents as a 'lively, kind and clever' woman, but her mental health took a downward spiral in April 2019 when the relationship with her husband broke down. The mother-of-one had appointments with the mental health critical care team in April 2019 and May 2019 after expressing 'suicidal ideations' to her GP, but seemed to be improving by August 2019 and was discharged. She then moved to Finland. Ali wrote in her statement before killing herself: 'I put my son in the bath around 7pm and I gave him some fruit and yoghurt before putting him in my bed. He didn't have his own room. He would hug me in the morning - it was the best. 'When he was in bed I was thinking about my life. I put a pillow over his face and cut his wrists because I was afraid smothering him wouldn't kill him and I didn't want him to be in pain. 'I wanted to jump from the balcony but I was afraid it would leave me paralysed and I wanted to die next to my son. I took tablets, I cut my neck and I cut my arm. I called my mum and showed my son on video. When I was arrested, I asked for the death penalty. He was my everything and I do not deserve to live.' The inquest heard from Ali's friend, Alur Anypriya, who had received a call from Ayesha's mother saying she was worried about her daughter. Alur called Ali a couple of times before she answered the phone some time after 7pm, and told Alur: 'I've done something terrible to protect my son'. In her statement, Alur said: 'I called emergency services and I spoke to Ayesha for around 15 minutes through the door because she wouldn't answer. She said 'It's too late, he's been cold and blue since last night', and that she wanted to jump from the window. When I saw her, there was blood around her neck. The police arrived and she was arrested.' The inquest heard Ali attempted to end her life in a prison cell whilst in custody. The prison guard said he was not told by the police that Ali was suicidal, but raised concerns to the prison's psychiatric clinic immediately. After she was discovered, CPR was administered and her heart started but she died in a Helsinki hospital of severe brain injuries caused by a lack of oxygen. Her heartbroken mother Safia said: 'We have nothing left now, I have lost my only child and my only grandchild. We've lost our whole life. Ayesha was taken into custody and they wouldn't let us speak to her, even though we were promised. Ayesha had a Masters in Human Rights and wanted to help people. She was kind. The inquest heard that Ali was psychotic and 'thought she was giving her child peace' 'She loved her child and couldn't live one minute without him. She was psychotic and thought she was giving her child peace. She never raised her voice at her child. She thought everyone was against her. 'I told her to come back to us [in the UK], but she wanted to stay in Finland so her son could see his dad because she didn't want him turning out to be psychotic too. 'When she called me, she said that her baby was sleeping and she had blood on her and I said 'What do you mean the baby is sleeping?'. 'She broke down and told me she'd done something terrible. The police came and I told her to let them in because they would help her, she said 'No, they'll take me away'. I told her to let them in and go with them.' Distraught father, Imtiaz Ali, said: 'When Ayesha was taken to the detention centre she had discussed taking her own life. This was a matter of life and death and we feel it was neglect. There was no note of her suicide attempts.' Police officer Timo Luoto gave evidence during the inquest. He explained how it was 'one word against another' when it came to investigating whether the police or prison guard had failed to voice Ayesha's suicidal thoughts. The jury concluded a verdict of suicide, with the medical cause of death being by hanging. The Mississippi nursing student was found beaten to death in her car on July 3 Lauren Johansen's grieving ex-fiance has told DailyMail.com how the Mississippi nursing student was stalked and terrorized by the gun-toting 'coward' now awaiting trial for her murder. Warped Bricen Rivers, 23, spent seven months behind bars on domestic violence charges for beating tragic Lauren to a pulp but walked free when a Democrat judge agreed to slash his bond. Nine days later he hunted down the petite blonde to 'finish the job' - caving in her skull and mutilating her body before being arrested and taken back into custody. The slain beauty's grieving loved ones include former fiance Nick Bell, 24, who blames her death on the justice system's 'total failure' to protect her. And he says of Rivers, now locked up in Harrison County, Mississippi on a million-dollar bond: 'What a cruel, disgusting human being he is. 'He is the most selfish individual imaginable. Everyone she loved he tormented and tried to rip her away from her.' Army Aviation veteran Nick fell in love with Lauren after she turned to him for protection after splitting from Rivers, her high school sweetheart, in April 2023. Lauren Johansen's grieving former fiance Nick Bell, 24, (pictured together) revealed how her stalker ex-boyfriend and accused killer terrorized them in the lead up to her death Rivers, who was Lauren's first boyfriend from high school, spent seven months in jail for brutally attacking her in December. He was eventually released in June only to beat Lauren to death nine days later Lauren was studying to become a nurse practitioner at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg where she lived next door to Nick, who was coincidentally training to become a nurse after three years in the military. 'She came back from a trip and asked me to check if the house was safe that's when I found him hiding underneath the bed,' Nick told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview. 'He had wedged or nailed the doors shut with the idea that once she got in there she would have no way to get out. 'I reached for my firearm and I gave him 30 seconds to leave the premises. He was gone by 19.' As Nick and Lauren grew closer, jealous Rivers who had previous arrests for drug possession, auto burglary and DIU - continued to plague their lives. 'Lauren told me stories about how he had beaten and stalked her. I was never going to stand for that,' Nick went on. 'He was a coward and there was no way he would step to me. But he would come back at nighttime and watch us through the windows or follow us around. 'Lauren had called the police on him many times in the past. We had to get cameras. There was never a moment of peace for the first couple of months.' Nick and Lauren went on vacation to Miami last August hoping to finally turn the page and escape from Rivers. Smitten Nick dropped to one knee and proposed during a sunset stroll on the beach. 'Lauren was like a girl from a fairytale, beautiful from head to toe, from the way she smiled to the way she talked and carried herself,' he said. 'I asked her if she would be my wife, my life partner and my best friend. She said yes, wow.' Lauren's mutilated body was found wrapped in sheets and garbage bags in the back seat of her car at the Wolf River Cemetery in an isolated part of Gulfport, Mississippi, on July 3 Nick, an Army Aviation veteran, said he fell in love with Lauren after she turned to him for protection after splitting from Rivers in April 2023. He proposed during a sunset stroll on the beach in Miami last August Nick said as he and Lauren grew closer, jealous ex Rivers who had previous arrests for drug possession, auto burglary and DIU - continued to plague their lives The engagement lasted just several months, however. Lauren suddenly broke things off in October and Nick discovered that she had rekindled her relationship with Rivers. He put it down to the years of domestic abuse and emotional manipulation she suffered at his hands. 'Bricen was her first true boyfriend, he had taken advantage of her and her family for so long that he knew how to get to her,' Nick said. 'A good bit of my things were still at her house and when I went back to check on her he jumped out of a closet and aimed a gun at my forehead. 'I grabbed the weapon, turned it on him then disassembled it. I told him there would be no issue and that I'd be leaving. I left the gun disassembled in the middle of the floor.' Nick's fears for Lauren came true in December when she was pistol-whipped and savagely beaten during a night out with Rivers in Nashville. Cops found her covered in blood and wearing just her bra and panties after he allegedly held her captive in their rental car. While Rivers was held on a $250,000 bond on aggravated kidnap charges Lauren was able to undergo therapy and tentatively rebuild her relationship with Nick. Her surgeon dad Lance Johansen gave evidence at a preliminary hearing, warning Davidson County Judge Cheryl Blackburn that Rivers would kill his daughter unless she kept him locked up. Gruesome photos published for the first time by DailyMail.com last week show Johansen's brutal injuries after she was beaten by ex-boyfriend Bricen Rivers in December - months before her death Lauren's wounds were documented by her physician dad who wanted to show the courts how much of a danger and threat Rivers posed to his daughter as the 23-year-old awaited trial on kidnapping and stalking charges Lauren's dad, Dr. Lance Johansen drove from Biloxi, Mississippi, to make the impassioned plea to the court in Nashville after Rivers' arrest in December, and for a time, it worked. But Judge Blackburn paved the way for Rivers to bond out of jail when she issued an April 3 order lowering his bail from $250,000 to $150,000. The thuggish suspect was barred from leaving the Nashville area but court clerks have admitted they didn't share those instructions with jail officials who let him walk free on June 24 without a GPS tag. Local firm Brooke's Bail Bonding fitted Rivers with a device later that day but Freedom Monitoring, the company responsible for keeping tabs on him, says it was only supplied with a copy of the judge's instructions four days later. It wasn't until July 2 that a hearing was hastily convened to figure out what had happened and by then it was too late. Despite Lauren and her father's pleas, Judge Cheryl Blackburn ultimately agreed to lower Rivers's bond, paving the way for his release Lauren was reported missing that morning and a day later was found beaten to death and wrapped in sheets and garbage bags in the back of her car at a remote cemetery in Gulfport. She had suffered multiple skull fractures and her underwear was pulled down around her ankles. Rivers was spotted running from the scene but taken into custody after a nine-hour manhunt and charged with murder. Judge Blackburn has not commented publicly on her decision to lower his bond. When DailyMail.com asked if she would be willing to do so, an assistant snapped: 'It's a no comment. The office as a whole has no comment.' A veteran jurist in her mid-seventies, Judge Blackburn has been on the Music City bench since 1996. She was expected to retire in 2021 after suffering a stroke but surprisingly decided to stay on and won re-election a year later. Lauren was found to have suffered multiple skull fractures and her underwear was pulled down around her ankles DailyMail.com has located records and a mugshot indicating Rivers was arrested in January 2021 in Hancock County, Mississippi for DUI (left) and again in December 2022 for possession and trafficking of a controlled substance A report in the Nashville Banner suggests the judge stumbled over her words, mixed up names and even fell asleep several times during a recent trial amid concerns over her competency. An unnamed defense attorney reportedly likened her performance to that of Joe Biden in the Presidential Debate. Stephen Hayslip, Director of Communications for the Davidson County District Attorney's Office, told DailyMail.com that it contested the reduced bond but didn't make the judge aware of any of Rivers' prior arrests. He said that was because misdemeanor arrests in another state that did not result in convictions would not qualify as evidence of prior criminality. Nick is among those who say Lauren would still be alive if the judge had simply kept Rivers under lock and key until trial. 'I know how bonds work. I know they are not designed to hold someone in place forever,' he told DailyMail.com. 'But when someone hurts another person to that degree, they do not deserve a second chance.' If Rivers is found guilty of murdering Lauren he doesn't want to see him get the death penalty. 'I don't want him to die. I want him to suffer every day,' Nick explained. 'Lauren was kind, intelligent and outlandishly miraculous in every way, shape and form, there's no other way to describe it. 'I want him to regret killing her for the rest of his life.' Tarjla Beleza nearly made her friends die of shock when they received an invitation for her upcoming birthday that resembled a funeral remembrance card. The 31-year-old accountant from the northeastern Brazilian city Teresina was just looking to generate some excitement around her special date next month when the viral idea came to mind. 'It was a night when I was doing nothing, talking to a friend who didn't want to party this year,' Beleza told DailyMail.com. 'I had already seen similar models and decided to do it to see how my friends would react.' Beleza browsed the internet for samples of cards that funeral parlors produce to hand out to guests at funeral viewings and created an invite for her August 17 birthday bash. The card featured a blue background with a picture of her smiling with a flower on each side. Over her photo was the phrase 'Celebration of Life' and '2024' under it. Brazilian accountant Tarjla Beleza scared her friends for a moment when she sent a birthday invitation for her upcoming party on August 14 that resembled a funeral remembrance card. Some of her gal pals thought she had died, while others were quick to pick up on the joke. She told DailyMail.com that the invite tops the other ones she has sent out in the past Tarjla Beleza told DailyMail.com that she came up with the idea for the birthday invite after one of her friends told her that she was not in the mood to party. To generate excitement, she created an invite that resembled a funeral remembrance card Below her photo, she added a dove on each side with a special message for her friends in Portuguese. 'Life is brief. We are all here to make the most of each day as if it were our last,' she wrote. 'And so I did, and I will continue to do. Passing by to invite you to celebrate my life on my thirty-second birthday of many to come.' Beleza sent the invitation to her friends via text, and while the friend who was not in the celebratory mood broke out in laughter, her other gal pals feared the worse. 'At first they were scared, hahaha,' Beleza recalled. 'They were afraid that something had happened to me, that I had really died. Then they laughed at the invitation.' For now, Beleza is not sure what the theme of her party will be. Tarjla Beleza at the celebration for her 31st birthday party 'I'm saying that I want something very alive. But I'm waiting for some trolling from my friends regarding the party theme,' she said. She's given thought to setting up candles and floral arrangements while each of her guests wear blouses with her photo on it. Or she might settle for something that is a bit more subtle. 'But I believe it will really just be a barbecue, something very simple,' Beleza said. Donald Trump likened migrants to the 'late, great Hannibal Lecter' in his latest bizarre reference to the fictional cannibal serial killer during a speech at the Republican National Convention. The former President, 78, rallied against undocumented migrants and those seeking asylum while addressing the crowd in Wisconsin last night, claiming the number of violent crimes was falling in Latin American countries because 'they're sending their murderers' to the US. He added that they were coming from 'prisons... mental institutions and insane asylums', before including a strange reference to the 1991 film Silence of the Lambs, featuring Anthony Hopkins, 86, as Thomas Harris' fictional cannibal serial killer. The 'late, great Hannibal Lecter' would 'love to have you for dinner... That's insane asylums,' he said. The former president produced unsupported claims that Latin American countries were 'emptying out their insane asylums'. It is not the first time Trump has appealed to voters through Lecter. He said previously migrants were coming to the US 'from mental institutions... that's Silence of the Lambs stuff'. He has also praised the character as 'a wonderful man' - to the annoyance of Hopkins, who told Deadline he was 'shocked and appalled [by] what you've told me about Trump' this week. Trump spoke about immigration during his speech at the RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Anthony Hopkins portrayed the fictitious cannibal in the 1991 film 'Silence of the Lambs' Trump gestures during a speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night Commenting on the remarks, Ammar Moussa, a campaign spokesperson for Biden, told The New York Times: 'Donald Trump is just playing the greatest hits from 2016.' 'He has not changed. He has not moderated. He has gotten worse except now he talks about the 'late, great, Hannibal Lecter."' Thursday night's comments echo similar comments made during a campaign speech in New Jersey earlier this year, again repeating unsubstantiated claims about migrants moving to the United States from 'insane asylums' and moving his audience with reference to the 1991 film. 'Has anyone ever seen "The Silence of the Lambs"? The late, great Hannibal Lecter. He's a wonderful man,' he said. 'He oftentimes would have a friend for dinner. Remember the last scene? "Excuse me, I'm about to have a friend for dinner," as this poor doctor walked by. '"I'm about to have a friend for dinner." But Hannibal Lecter. Congratulations. The late, great Hannibal Lecter,' he said at the rally in May, before going on to denounce 'totally unchecked' migrants to the US. Hannibal Lecter, the character, survives in the film, and his actor, Anthony Hopkins, is alive and still working in media. Trump was widely denounced for his comments in December, telling a rally in Durham, New Hampshire that undocumented migrants were 'poisoning the blood of our country'. 'All over the world they are pouring into our country,' he said, claiming immigrants were coming to the US from Asia, Africa and South America in an apparent bid to capitalize on growing anti-migration sentiment in the United States ahead of the November 2024 election. Polls suggest the American public takes a dim view of existing immigration policies, with even Democratic voters swinging towards Trump's proposals for mass deportation. 2024 was the first year since 2005 that a majority of the public supported reducing immigration. 'Hes dog-whistling to Americans who feel under stress and strain from the economy and conflicts around the world,' former New Jersey governor and Republican presidential contender Chris Christie told CNN at the time. 'Hes dog-whistling to blame it on people from areas that dont look like us.' Some raised concerns the language appeared to mirror language used by Adolf Hitler in his manifesto, Mein Kampf. Anti-Defamation League leader Jonathan Greenblatt called the language 'racist, xenophobic and despicable.' Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt asked Trump in late December whether he meant 'poisoning the blood' as Hitler had, that Jewish blood cannot be part of German blood. Trump roundly rejected the association and said he 'never knew that Hitler said it' - before continuing to employ the phrase throughout the interview. Steven Cheung, his campaign spokesperson, said: 'President Trump made clear he was talking about the terrorists, criminals, and people from insane asylums crossing the border, which is true since individuals on the terror watchlist and members of transnational gangs have illegally crossed.' A month prior, Trump was slammed for referring to political opponents as 'vermin' during a rally in New Hampshire. He pledged to 'root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country.' Political historians say the use of dehumanizing rhetoric, including words like 'vermin', makes it easier to strip away rights from residents and citizens as they are seen as less worthy of democratic or constitutional protections. The Nazis, for example, frequently referred to Jews as lice, rats and vermin. Trump speaks at the Republican National Convention on the fourth day of the event on July 18 Supporters of Donald Trump rally in Milwaukee Wisconsin on the final night of the RNC Trump signs paperwork to officially accept the nomination during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, Thursday, July 18, 2024 And in March, Trump came under fire for referring to immigrants in the country illegally as 'animals'. 'In some cases they're not people, in my opinion,' he said in Ohio. 'But I'm not allowed to say that because the radical Left says that's a terrible thing to say. These are animals, OK, and we have to stop it,' While available data on criminals' immigration status is sparse, researchers say people in the country illegally do not commit violent crimes at a higher rate than native-born citizens. A BMW driver who fatally struck a 30-year-old woman in what witnesses describe as a 'horrific' accident is being investigated for potential speeding. The 38-year-old man crashed into the woman along the Esplanade in Surfers Paradise at about about 3.30pm on Thursday. Paramedics attended the scene near Trickett Street and the woman, who the Gold Coast Bulletin reported was a foreign national living in Surfers Paradise, was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital but died of her injuries. The BMW driver was also taken to hospital for mandatory testing. Surfers Paradise resident Leo Rodino said he heard what sounded like an 'explosion' at the time of the incident. 'I was in my apartment and I heard shots like an explosion,' he said. 'It must have been the moment he hit the girl. I came out for a walk and saw the police and knew something was going on.' A witness who saw the crash said the woman was sent flying off the scooter. A 30-year-old woman on an e-scooter died after being struck by a BMW in Surfers Paradise on Thursday (the white car was not involved) Witnesses say the accident sounded 'like an explosion' and one said she saw the woman somersaulting through the air 'Very horrific, (she) flew up and it was like doing triple somersaults,' the witness told Seven News. 'It does appear we're investigating a serious accident where speed has been a factor, and also, potentially, the scooter rider was not wearing a helmet,' Queensland Police duty officer Chris Tritton told Seven News. 'The message always is that we ask people to slow down and drive to the conditions. Police investigations into the incident are ongoing. Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact police. Extra police will be on the streets of east London tonight after missiles were thrown at officers, who raised their batons in response, amid disturbance linked to protests in Bangladesh. Scotland Yard said 'two large groups' of men were fighting in the street, while hundreds were involved in wider demonstrations in Whitechapel, east London, on Thursday. Officers could be seen raising their batons as they allegedly came under attack during episodes of violence. Two police officers were injured. The Metropolitan Police has now referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after a video shared on social media appeared to show an officer striking a man twice, with more police arriving on the scene and taking the man to the ground. Other videos shared widely online appeared to show rocks being thrown and cars being damaged as large groups of mostly adult men clashed in Whitechapel, which has a large Bangladeshi community. The disturbance in Whitechapel, east London, on Thursday evening saw hundreds of men gather on the street Police believe the clashes, in which two officers were injured, were linked to the protests in Bangladesh Horns blared amongst the shouting, with police ordering: 'Move, just go,' and 'get back'. Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, who is in charge of policing in Tower Hamlets and Hackney, said: 'I am grateful to the officers who bravely intervened without hesitation to restore order in a challenging situation. 'This was a serious incident and had it not been for the decisive intervention of local officers and other Met colleagues it could well have resulted in more serious injuries, further damage or worse. 'I recognise that events that take place in Bangladesh can have a significant impact on communities here in Tower Hamlets, but we cannot allow that strength of feeling toi tip into threats, violence and disorder. 'I am grateful to those in the community who stood alongside my officers last night and encouraged calm. In the coming days I would appeal to others to follow their lead and to avoid any further escalation. 'Residents will see a visible police presence in the area over the coming days.' Scotland Yard said police were called at around 8pm on Thursday after receiving several reports of disorder in Greatorex Street. Upon arrival, local officers found two large groups of men fighting in the street amongst a wider demonstration of several hundred. Extra police will be on the streets of East London tonight, although officers have appealed for calm Videos on social media appeared to show rocks being thrown, and police officers raising their batons Officers intervened to separate the groups and one man was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence. Protective shields were used as the officers formed a barrier between opposing crowds. Police said 'projectiles were thrown towards them and two officers sustained injuries as a result'. A number of cars were damaged during the incident. Resources from elsewhere in London were deployed to the area to provide further support. The Met said it is believed the disorder was linked to protests in Bangladesh in recent days that have resulted in fatalities. Thousands of student protesters have clashed with armed police during anti-government riots in Bangladesh this week, while dozens of people have died amid a brutal crackdown. Nationwide unrest, which has seen huge bonfires lit in the streets, police pelted with sticks and rocks and demonstrators clashing with counter-protesters, is fuelled by high unemployment among the youth and the allocation of government jobs. Nearly a fifth of Bangladesh's 170 million population are out of work or education, and protesters are demanding the state stop setting aside a third of government jobs for families of those who fought in the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan. Police and security officials fired bullets and tear gas at protesters in Bangladesh today, as internet and mobile services were cut off after days of deadly clashes in the capital Dhaka and beyond. Downing Street today defended plans to empower staff to ignore messages from bosses outside office hours. Prior to the general election, Labour pledged to give employees the 'right to switch off' so that working from home 'does not result in homes turning into 24/7 offices'. They vowed to copy countries such as Belgium and Ireland, which allow workers to avoid emails, texts and phone calls received out of hours, without fear of reprisals. Following Labour's election win, No10 this morning confirmed the new Government was exploring such plans but denied it would turn the UK into a nation of 'clock watchers'. Labour's bid to introduce sweeping new workers' rights - being spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner - has led to a furious backlash from businesses and the Tories. But a spokesman for PM Sir Keir Starmer insisted the proposals could increase productivity in Britain as workers 'need to be able to switch off'. Prior to the general election, Labour vowed to copy countries such as Belgium and Ireland, which allow workers to avoid emails, texts and phone calls received out of hours A spokesman for PM Sir Keir Starmer insisted the proposals could increase productivity in Britain as workers 'need to be able to switch off' Labour's bid to introduce sweeping new workers' rights - being spearheaded by Deputy PM Angela Rayner - has led to a furious backlash from businesses and the Tories The No10 spokeswoman confirmed ministers were examining models that 'support productivity and work flexibility' but stressed it would be down to individual employers to act. 'The Government is committed to making work pay and ensuring that working people are protected from exploitative practices and also are supported to ensure that employers are assisting them to be as productive as possible,' she said. 'We know that, and indeed good employers understand that, for workers to stay motivated they need to be able to switch off. 'That is good for productivity but of course situations may vary and people work in different fields and there are circumstances where people do need to be contacted out of hours. 'That is why there is wider work looking at this issue and different models that we have seen in different countries and looking at this issue more broadly.' Asked if they were worried that they would create a nation of 'clock-watchers', the spokeswoman added: 'No, we understand that it is good for people to be able to switch off, that is positive for productivity and that is the driving motivator here.' According to the i newspaper, the Government's plans will come in the form of non-binding guidance in a new code of practice for businesses, rather than a law change, while there will be industries where it will not apply. The change was welcomed by Paul Novak, the TUC general secretary, who told the newspaper: 'No one should be pushed to the brink because of their job. 'Ever increasing hours, pace and expectations at work are causing problems up and down the country. This is a recipe for burnt out Britain.' Sir Keir unveiled Labour's controversial workers' rights policies during the King's Speech, promising the right to flexible working from 'day one', where possible. The measure also aims to give workers immediate access to sickness and parental leave, ban zero-hour contracts, and provide protection from unfair dismissal. The PM said he wanted to 'unlock growth and take the brakes off Britain'. But he has been warned that a radical package of employment rights championed by Ms Rayner could have the opposite effect. The plan dubbed the 'Red Revolution' also rewards Labour's union paymasters by scrapping a string of anti-strike laws and 'removing unnecessary restrictions on trade union activity'. New equality laws will also force firms to provide the Government with an annual audit of how much ethnic minority and disabled workers are paid. Shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake told the Daily Mail the proposals would mean 'business closures and job losses'. 'Making flexible working the default and requiring employers to accommodate it is a work from home charter but also, and very significantly, it switches the decision on how and where people work from the employer to the worker,' he said. 'More red tape from a classic socialist, big state government, which will stifle economic growth and lead to business closures and job losses.' Former Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said: 'The UK has had a productivity problem for 30 years made worse by the move to working from home. 'Employers will not risk creating new jobs if Labour creates an idlers' charter which will reduce opportunities for all workers.' Tom Clougherty, director of the Institute of Economic Affairs, said the 'stack of new regulations on the labour market will reduce flexibility and increase structural unemployment'. It was the moment when Donald Trump won the November presidential election. I dont mean the fateful decision to turn his head, which saved him from death by a quarter of an inch. We are not talking about the miraculous fact of his survival, at 6.11pm in Butler, Pennsylvania, when tens of thousands of horror-stricken admirers saw him go down, with blood streaming from a head-wound whose significance was at first worryingly unclear. No, the moment of truth, perhaps of revelation, came a few seconds later when the Secret Service agents were trying to bundle him horizontally without his shoes from the scene. It was then that Donald Trump showed his character. He confirmed in a flash, not just his theatrical instincts, but also his courage. Having just been struck by a high-powered rifle bullet, he did not allow himself to be passively carted away. He took command of the situation. Wrestling himself free from his security people, flouting their safety protocols, he raised himself up until he was sure the crowd could see him. Donald Trump knew how important it was to show America that the assassin's bullet had not prevailed against him - either physically or psychologically Pumping his fist, he urged his supporters to Fight, fight, fight; and in so doing, at the moment when it really counted, he surely proved the most important fact of all: that he is made of the right stuff. He knew that there was one thing far more important than his evacuation from the scene, and that was showing America that the assassins bullet had not prevailed against him either physically or psychologically. That photo, with the police officers arranged in what art historians would call heroic diagonals, and with Trumps blood-streaked face and hand at the apex, has already become, in the minds of many Americans, the defining image of this campaign. That is because of the message it sends. This is Trump saying to America and to the world, I will not be bowed, I will not be beaten. More important still, that image says to Americans, with me as your leader, YOU will not be bowed. YOU will not be beaten. That is why the gesture has thrilled the hearts of his fans and perhaps even some others. I believe that indomitable spirit is exactly what the world needs right now, and exactly what is needed in the White House. As we approach the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, the world is at a crossroads. We face ghastly potential conflicts in the Middle East, between Israel and the proxies of Iran; in the South China Sea, over Taiwan; and in our own continent of Europe we are witnessing the bloodiest and most horrific war for 80 years. Having talked to Donald Trump this week, I am more convinced than ever that he has the strength and the bravery to fix it, to save Ukraine, to bring peace and to stop the disastrous contagion of conflict. Whatever some other Republicans may have said about Ukraine in the past, I believe that Trump understands the reality: that a defeat for Ukraine would be a massive defeat for America. It is not just about the extinction of freedom and democracy, those cardinal American values, and the enslavement of the Ukrainian people though that result would be grim in itself. It is about the long-term consequences of a Putin victory; the practical effect of that catastrophe on Europe, America and the world. If Putin wins in Ukraine, he of course wont stop there. Look at the map; listen to some of the chilling things the Russian president now says his topsy-turvy understanding of the history of Poland, and the reasons for the outbreak of World War II. Putin has made it clear that he regards the collapse of the Soviet Union in his own words as the biggest disaster of the 20th century, and he wants to rebuild it. He wont just go for Georgia, but the whole Russian near abroad. Already, he has begun Hitlerian denunciations of the treatment of Russian-speakers in the Baltic states. Where will that end? If Nato is seen to have failed Ukraine, and if America is seen to have failed, then who will be confident that the alliance will stand up for its own members? As Putin destabilises the whole of eastern Europe, destroys the achievement of Ronald Reagan and lays waste to the post-Cold War settlement, his Chinese partners and enablers will be only too happy to seize Taiwan, while Hezbollah attacks Israel. Suddenly, we could be on the threshold of a truly appalling conflict in which Americans are faced with a choice: either abandon all pretence of global leadership or else pay trillions of dollars to restore order and send young Americans overseas again to die on foreign soil. It is a terrible prospect, and yet it could be averted at a relatively trivial cost, with no loss of American life, if we the U.S.-led West are decisive in standing up for freedom in Ukraine. The Ukrainians have shown they can and will win. Even today, they are pushing Putin back again in the Kharkiv region, and they are exacting a huge toll on the Russians in Donetsk. Their heroism is incredible. But the war has been going on too long, and the cost is immense, in lives, in economic misery and instability. I believe that Trump can end it on the right terms for Ukraine and the West. I stress that I cannot be sure exactly what he would do, if elected. But this is what he could do. He could construct a great deal for the world, in which Putin is ultimately persuaded that Ukraines future is as a free, sovereign and independent European country; and that means a two-stage approach. The first step is to strengthen the hand of the West, and to strengthen Ukraine. Over the past two years we have continually willed the Ukrainians the end victory without willing them the means. We have been chronically slow to give them the right kit, and even now we place ridiculous restrictions on how they can use it, so that the Ukrainians are fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. At present, the Russians are using air-launched glide bombs to do significant damage to Ukrainian positions. But the Ukrainians cant fire back because the U.S. wont let them use the ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile Systems) to get at the Russian airfields, and the UK, I am sorry to say, wont let them use Storm Shadow (our long-range air-launched cruise missiles). Trump could simply do what comes naturally to him end the bureaucratic dither and delay; give the Ukrainians the permissions they need; and then, when Putin has once again been pushed back, he could offer the deal. Putin would have to pull back at least to the pre-invasion boundaries of 2022, and to avoid future conflict and uncertainty the rest of Ukraine would have to be recognised as a free country, able to choose its destiny within the EU and Nato, and absolutely welcome to join as soon as possible. Boris with Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week The Ukrainians have more than a million people under arms. They are now well used to working with Nato equipment, and they are the most effective anti-Russian force in the world. Once the war is done, there is no reason why Ukrainian forces should not backfill for some of the 70,000 U.S. troops still in Europe. That would enable Trump to save money, and to bring U.S. forces home, and get the Europeans to do more in their own defence: one of his key objectives. What would Russia get in return? Well, I believe there are all sorts of inducements that might work with Putin. He would, of course, be able to claim that the special military operation aka invasion had been a success, and that he had de-Nazified Ukraine. There could be special protections for Russian language speakers. Above all, with Trump in the White House, there is the real prospect of some global rapprochement with Russia, and with Putin, a return to the days when Russia was a respected partner of the G8 and even of Nato. But there is only one way to achieve this outcome through strength. Washington under Trump will have to show that international borders must be respected, and that the Soviet empire cannot be rebuilt by force. That means backing the Ukrainians to the hilt. If Trump had been in the White House, I dont think Putin would have been so reckless and criminal as to invade Ukraine. Never forget, it was Trump, not Obama or Biden, who gave the Ukrainians the Javelin anti-tank weapons that were so crucial in the Battle for Kyiv in 2022. Trump already has a record of making decisive military intervention on behalf of Ukrainian democracy. If and when he is back in power, later this year, Trump has a massive chance not just to fix his predecessors legacy, but to take the world forward. Donald Trump can see the risk: that a defeat for Ukraine would exact a huge long-term cost on America and the world. On the other hand, a win for Ukraine properly handled could pave the way, paradoxically, for a new and far better relationship with Russia. That would be a big win, for America and for the whole world. I am not saying it will be easy. It will take strength. It will take resolve. It will take nerves of steel. In Butler, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump showed he has exactly the mettle for the job. President Joe Biden's family is starting to discuss an exit plan from the 2024 contest, a startling new report revealed on Friday, as one adviser insists Biden will be the nominee as even more Democrats called on him to exit the race. It comes as one House Democrat close to Biden told DailyMail.com that he thinks worries about the election are finally getting through to the president: 'I think it is and I'm going to leave it at that.' Biden is increasingly isolated both physically and politically. His small circle of advisers - including wife Jill, sister Valerie Owens, and son Hunter - is growing even tighter as the family remains livid with some staff in the aftermath of the first presidential debate. And they remain protective of Biden. The family wants an exit plan - if it comes to pass - to be on the president's terms: done to ensure Donald Trump will lose in November and paying tribute to Biden's more than 40 years of public service, NBC News reported. Publicly, however, the Biden team repeated the president is in the race to win it even as lawmakers, donors and major Democratic officials say Biden, 81, can't win. And Biden released a statement on Friday to say he's looking forward to be back on the campaign trail next week. 'I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone,' he said in a statement released by his campaign. President Joe Biden's family is talking about an exit plan from the 2024 race: above Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen in April Biden campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon told MSNBC's Morning Joe: 'You have heard from the President directly time and again. He is in this race to win and he is our nominee and he's going to be our president for a second term.' There is turmoil behind the scenes however. The Biden For President campaign is calling an all-staff meeting for Friday, the Associated Press reported. And Democrats continue to push for Biden to step aside for an alternative nominee as the party fears his candidacy will cost them any chance of winning the House and keeping control of the Senate. In the hours since Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday night in Milwaukee, another seven Democrats have called on Biden to exit the contest. In total, 36 Democrats have called for him to step down as the party's nominee. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois became the first House Democrat on Friday morning to demand Biden drop out of the presidential race. Casten is in a competitive district as he seeks re-election. Four other Democratic lawmakers quickly joined Casten as the pressure campaign grows as grows with one member of Congress piling on after another. 'It's time to pass the torch,' said Democratic Rep. Marc Pocan of Wisconsin. ' Then Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico became the third senator to call on Biden to step aside. 'While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden's alone, I believe it is in the best interest of our country for him to step aside,' Heinrich said in a statement on Friday morning. The mass of defections comes the morning after the party saw Republicans coalesce around Trump as their nominee, cheering him on Thursday night as he described the assassination attempt on his life. O'Malley Dillon brushed aside questions on whether Biden's staying in the race will hurt Democrats down the ballot, saying the party has 'extraordinary Democratic candidates on the ticket in battleground states and non battleground states.' 'The President knows better than anyone how to run and win locally,' she told the Morning Joe team. She also argued Trump is 'the same person he was in 2020.' 'Donald Trump is at his peak with his numbers. There's no There's no new voter he's bringing to the table. Right? So that's an important kind of framing to remember. And we are about to head into our convention.' She acknowledged the campaign has work to do to make up ground after Biden's disastrous debate performance. 'I'm not here to say that this hasn't been a tough several weeks for the campaign. There's no doubt that it has been and we've definitely seen some slippage in support, but it has been a small movement,' she said. 'The American people know that the President is older. They see that. They knew that before the debate. Yes, of course, we have a lot of work to do to make sure that we are reassuring the American people that yes, he's old, but he can do the job and he can win.' Republicans coalesced around Donald Trump as their nominee Biden campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon told MSNBC's Morning Joe that the prsident is in the race to win it Meanwhile, White House spokesman Andrew Bates denied that any such exit discussions are happening amongst the family. 'That is not happening, period,' he told NBC News. 'The individuals making those claims are not speaking for his family or his team and they will be proven wrong. Keep the faith.' Biden is holed up in his Rehoboth Beach house with wife Jill as he recovers from a bought of Covid. The president himself, in a radio interview taped just before he tested positive, dismissed the idea it was too late for him to recover politically. He told Univision's Luis Sandoval that many people don't focus on the November election until September. 'All the talk about who's leading and where and how, is kind of, you know everything so far between Trump and me has been basically even,' he said. But, as he heals, the drumbeat of Democratic voices against him is growing louder. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico became the third Democratic senator to call on President Biden to exit the race President Joe Biden, sick with covid, is becoming increasingly isolated Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, and Speaker Hakeem Jeffries all shared information about the tanking support for Biden on Capitol Hill and in the polls. The White House has repeatedly denied Biden is leaving the race. Officials are moving ahead to plan his next round of meetings and events to show the campaign and his presidency are moving forward. Next week, Biden is expected to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu when the Israeli Prime Minister is in town to address a joint session of Congress. That meeting was originally scheduled for Monday but the White House said the date could be in flux depending on Biden's recovery from COVID. Netanyahu speaks to lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. 'We have every expectation that the two leaders will have a chance to see each other when Prime Minister Netanyahu is in town,' White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters Thursday. 'I can't tell you at this point what that exactly is going to look like. But as we get closer certainly be able to provide you some more,' Kirby said. Biden is also scheduled to go on a fundraising swing for his campaign in the later part of the week, hitting up rich donors in Texas and California as he makes the case for his candidacy. Thousands of mourners have paid their respects to a former fire chief who was shot and killed during the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. The keen of bagpipes, a three-volley gun salute and a bugle sounding taps pierced the air of the small town of Freeport, Pennsylvania, on Friday. Following funeral services for Corey Comperatore, large crowds of mourners waiting outside the Cabot Methodist Church fell silent as firefighters loaded his flag-draped casket onto a fire truck draped in black bunting. Three firefighters stood sentry on the back of the truck, trailed by more than 100 other emergency vehicles from fire departments across the region as it rolled slowly toward Comperatore's hometown of Freeport, where he was to be laid to rest. His body was taken to the church in a huge procession of emergency vehicles, especially firetrucks, that weaved its way through Sarver, Pennsylvania. Firefighters carry Corey Comperatore's coffin out of Cabot Church in Butler, Pennsylvania, after a private funeral for the Donald Trump assassination attempt victim Corey Comperatore was killed by the assassin's bullet as eight shots were fired at Trump on Saturday night, one hitting the former president and others striking rally attendees Trump sent a note of condolence hailing Corey Comperatore as a hero, and many in his hometown expressed the same sentiment on the day of his funeral A sharpshooter team mounted on a nearby rooftop served as a reminder of last weekend's bloodshed. Officials said Comperatore spent his final moments shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire at Trump's rally last Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. The former president sent a note of condolence hailing Corey Comperatore as a hero, a copy of which was displayed at an earlier visitation. 'Corey will forever be remembered as a True American Hero,' he wrote. Trump did not attend the funeral because of Secret Service concerns, according to a source who was not authorized to speak publicly. Annette Locke, a member of the West Deer Township Volunteer Fire Department, stood across the road from the church and lightly touched her heart as she spoke about the horrific toll from the 'totally senseless' shooting. 'He was with his family on a beautiful sunny day, and now he's gone,' Locke said. His body was taken to the church in a huge procession of emergency vehicles, especially firetrucks Merri Cambo (left) and her friend, Jane Wesolosky shed tears as the funeral procession for Corey Comperatore passes by Joe and Jen Brose stood at the edge of their driveway with their three young boys, all dressed in T-shirts celebrating the USA, watching the long procession, which took a full half-hour to pass. 'The community comes together at times like this,' Joe Brose said. 'I thought it was very heartwarming, it was very humbling to see it,' said Jen Brose, whose sister had attended the Trump rally. Trump honored Comperatore during his speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He displayed Comperatore's firefighting gear on the convention stage, kissing his helmet and heralding the ex-chief as 'an unbelievable person.' Mike Drane, who lives near the church where the funeral was held, said he was overwhelmed by Trump's tribute. 'Trump knew that that bullet was for him, not for Corey,' Drane said. Nancy Macurdy, who lives across the street from the church, was away camping when the shooting happened but wanted to be back home for the funeral. 'We're a very close community here,' she said. People ride on motorcycles, during a procession of emergency vehicles through Sarver, Pennsylvania, transporting the coffin with the body of Corey Comperatore Mourners watch as Comperatore's coffin is carried out of the church after the funeral Locals stood along the procession route holding American flags to pay their respects A woman who was inside the church for the funeral service said Comperatore's wife and daughters delivered testimonies, and the church's pastor read a eulogy written by one of Comperatore's siblings. The woman, who declined to be quoted by name, said she did not recognize any politicians or Trump representatives among the crowd, which included country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. In nearby Sarver, the town where Comperatore lived, families took the day off from work or changed other plans to gather along the community's main artery. Bands of young boys stood by the roadway, signaling for trucks to honk their horns. Five-year-old Ryder Presutti, dressed in a red firefighter's outfit, waved a small American flag as the fire trucks passed by. Others congregated at Andy's House of Cars or Cabot Archery to await the funeral procession. Outside the Dollar General store, at least a dozen SUVs were lined up tailgate style, with their trunks open. 'It's a very heartbreaking situation,' said Daneene Wimer, 44, of Evans City, near where the shooting took place. She and her sisters came with their families to honor 'somebody who put their life in their hands for their family.' 'I will definitely be shedding tears (when the procession passes),' she said. Residents watch as a funeral procession for Corey Comperatore arrives in Freeport, Pennsylvania The huge procession of emergency vehicles, especially firetrucks, weaved its way through Sarver, Pennsylvania Comperatore, 50, worked as a project and tooling engineer, was an army reservist and spent many years as a volunteer firefighter after serving as chief, according to his obituary. He and his family attended the Cabot Methodist Church, where their pastor, Jonathan Fehl, presided over the funeral. Hundreds of people gathered on Wednesday at a vigil for him at a car racing track in Freeport, Pennsylvania, and then at a banquet hall on Thursday. The crowd on Thursday appeared to be a mix of friends, neighbors and strangers who wanted to show their appreciation for the man who officials said spent his final moments shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire at the campaign rally. Fire trucks and police vehicles filled the parking lot outside the building. Sharpshooters were positioned on top of the event hall and on nearby buildings as people including firefighters in dress uniforms, waited in line to enter. Comperatore, 50, worked as a project and tooling engineer, was an Army reservist and spent many years as a volunteer firefighter after serving as chief, according to his obituary. A firetruck stages for the funeral procession of Corey Comperatore's body A drone view shows emergency vehicles line up outside of the Freeport Area Middle School, preparing for the procession Trump suffered an ear injury but was not seriously hurt and has been participating this week in the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump honored Comperatore during his speech on Thursday night accepting the party's presidential nomination, displaying his firefighting gear on the convention stage, kissing his helmet and heralding the ex-chief as 'an unbelievable person.' Trump said a fund for Comperatores family and the two men wounded in the attack has raised more than $6 million. Mourners filled Laube Hall, a space with white brick walls, white linens, white curtains and exposed wooden beams thats normally used for weddings and other celebratory occasions. Guests walked past a large, framed photo of Comperatore holding a fish, while a slideshow of photos from his life was projected on a screen - his wedding, a recent 50th birthday party, time with his daughters, firefighting, fishing, and palling around with his Dobermans. A resident watches as a funeral procession for Corey Comperatore arrives The flag-draped casket with Corey Comperatore's body is carried by firefighters into his private funeral at Cabot Church in Butler, Pennsylvania A Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, fire truck carrying the casket of Cory Comperatore, leads a procession of fire vehicles following a memorial service at Cabot United Methodist Church The gathering included firefighters from other nearby communities and people involved in local and state Republican politics. Rich Tallis, a Penn Hills volunteer firefighter who attended the visitation, did not know Comperatore personally but felt a need to honor his memory. 'Any first responder, its a brotherhood - police, EMS fire, military. We're technically all one,' he said. Tables inside the hall were lined with flowers - some sent by fire departments in New York and West Virginia, an auto racing circuit and the mayor of a nearby community. Others came from as far away as Florida. Mourners took turns pausing in front of Comperatore's open casket. In a corner was a framed copy of a note to Comperatores wife signed by Trump and former first lady Melania Trump. 'Corey will forever be remembered as a True American Hero,' they wrote. Retired New York City Fire Department Lt Joe Torrillo said outside the visitation that he came because Comperatore was a firefighter who lost his life the same way he lived his life - like a hero. The former fire chief for Buffalo Township, Corey Comperatore, was the person killed in the crowd at the Trump rally in Butler, PA A man holds an American flag, on the day of a procession of emergency vehicles transporting the coffin with the body of Comperatore Beth and David Oziel, of Buffalo Township, observe a procession of emergency vehicles transporting the coffin with the body of Comperatore 'And, you know, a lot of people maybe wouldn't or couldn't have done what he did,' Torrillo said. Jon Ruffley, who lives outside Pittsburgh and attended part of the Trump rally Saturday, went to the visitation with his wife and young child. He said he hoped his presence sent a supportive message to the family that 'we stick together as Americans regardless of, you know, what someone's political affiliations are'. 'I think its really important that we raise our kids in a way where we can see that political violence is unacceptable, that we stand for having important discourses about things in, in our society,' he said. A box truck parked on a route to the banquet hall displayed video screens showing slides, including a photograph of Trump raising his fist after Saturday's shooting. It had the slogan 'never surrender' and a message expressing prayers for Trump and Comperatore. Firefighters ride on the back of a firetruck carrying Comperatore's body Fire fighters carry the casket of Corey Comperatore, a retired volunteer fire department chief who was shot and killed in the attack on Trump Children sit on top of cars parked along the route to get a better view of the procession A statement issued Thursday by Comperatore's family described him as a 'beloved father and husband, and a friend to so many throughout the Butler region.' 'Our family is finding comfort and peace through the heartfelt messages of encouragement from people around the world, through the support of our church and community, and most of all through the strength of God,' the statement said. Two other people were wounded at the rally: David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township. As of Wednesday night, both had been upgraded to serious but stable condition, according to a spokesperson with Allegheny Health Network. Joseph Feldman, an attorney for Copenhaver, said Wednesday that he had spoken with his client by phone. 'He seems to be in good spirits, but he also understands the gravity of the situation,' Feldman said. Dan Beasley walks through the parking lot at Laube Hall in the Freeport Community Park carrying a crucifix during a memorial visitation for Comperatore on Thursday Visitors arrive for the evening visitation session for Corey Comperatore at Laube Hall in Freeport, Pennsylvania, on Thursday Trump places his hand on a helmet and firefighter's jacket that belonged to Comperatore onstage at the Republican National Convention on Thursday 'And hes deeply saddened about what has occurred, and hes deeply sympathetic' to the other victims and their families. Feldman said Copenhaver suffered 'life-altering injuries,' declining to go into detail. He said Copenhaver's priority is to 'keep up with the medical treatment hes receiving and hopefully be released at some point.' In a statement, Dutch's family thanked the 'greater western Pennsylvania community and countless others across the country and world' for the incredible outpouring of prayers and well wishes. Alexei Navalny, the dissident Russian politician, thought hed become untouchable. He calculated that his worldwide status as the single best-known critic of the psychopathic president Vladimir Putin and his fascist state, was, weirdly, a sort of life insurance policy. As I became more and more famous, he said in a television documentary in 2022, I was totally sure that my life became safer because it would be problematic for them just to kill me. Boy, was he wrong. Two years later, on February 16, 2024, he lay dead in an indescribably bleak prison colony deep inside the Arctic Circle, where he was held on trumped-up charges, his original sentence cruelly increased for made-up infringements of the rules such as not buttoning his collar, not cleaning the prison yard properly and not addressing a prison official correctly. Alexei Navalny speaks via video link from a prison during a court session in Petushki, near Moscow, in 2021 Navalny sits handcuffed in court in Moscow in 2017. He thought he'd become untouchable, writes John Sweeney The grim penal colony where Alexei Navalny was serving his jail term, north of the Arctic Circle, in the Yamal-Nenets region of Russia The Russian opposition leader smiles with his wife Yulia, daughter Dasha and son Zakhar outside a polling station during the Moscow city parliament election in 2019 Putin, his arch-enemy, had finally snuffed him out after more than a decade in which Navalny had dared to denounce the dictator for his corruption and outed United Russia the countrys ruling party as the party of crooks and thieves. Putin viscerally hated the Russian who mocked him like no one else, hated him so much he would never mention him by name. Why? Because Navalny, with the Anti-Corruption Foundation he set up in 2011, had succeeded in getting more people protesting on the streets of Moscow than anyone else since the fall of the Soviet Union. Because Navalny tall, blue-eyed and a natural leader was the tsar of charisma, courage and connecting with people; Putin with a marked resemblance to Gollum from Lord Of The Rings the tsar of the knout [a type of whip], the cosh and the hypodermic syringe. The battle could only ever end with one tsar standing. When I interviewed him on Zoom in 2016, Navalny blasted Putin as the tsar of corruption. His words tolled as clear as a bell and you knew that every syllable was a potential death sentence. It isnt a surprise that the Kremlin had him killed in February 2024; the surprise is that he lived for so long. But I mourn him and cannot quite believe that this great force of nature has been silenced for good. How, exactly, did they kill him? Thats not easy to discover. Its hard to check facts in Russia. And not just because if you do it properly you can end up dead, like journalist Anna Politkovskaya, human rights activist Natalia Estemirova, politician Boris Nemtsov and Navalny, all of whom challenged the Kremlins untruths to me in person. Now, they are no more in sequence: poisoned, then shot; shot; shot; poisoned, twice, then murdered. Its also hard to find the truth because Putin has built the greatest fog machine in history. The word disinformation doesnt begin to properly convey the power of the Kremlin to generate doubt and uncertainty. Not knowing, not understanding, is the natural condition of enemies of the Russian dark state. Yet snuffed out Navalny most definitely was. A man normally of extraordinarily good health, he returned to Russia in 2021 from Germany where he had been recovering after being poisoned with the nerve gas Novichok, then suffered two more years of torture in Putins prison gulag, including 300 days in isolation and being woken up eight times a night to deprive him of sleep. His last home was IK-3, the so-called Polar Wolf prison colony. One day this still bouncy and full of fun 47-year-old was filmed on a video link, with his jailers standing next to him laughing at the prisoners wit. The next day he was dead. The dissident arrived at the IK-3, the so-called Polar Wolf prison colony, in December 2023, and spent his final days there Navalny, even while behind bars, succeeded in getting more people protesting on the streets of Moscow than anyone else since the fall of the Soviet Union The day the news broke, his grief-stricken wife Yulia, now suddenly his widow, declared: I want Putin and every one around him to know that they will bear responsibility for what they have done to our country, to my family and to my husband. I call on the world community to come together to defeat this evil, defeat this horrible regime that is now in Russia. In parts of Russia there was an outpouring of sorrow and anguish as people who believed in his idea of Another Russia, one that stood for democracy and the rule of law, hit the streets. Thousands defied police to lay flowers and light candles; hundreds were arrested for daring to mark the passing of their hero. On that same day, Putin was on presidential duties in the Urals. Ordinarily miserable when taking part in official ceremonies, he was full of fun, laughing, teasing and high as a kite. Hed just had the leader of the opposition murdered. The goons who surround Putin were quick to deny the accusation. They still do. But the truth is there in Navalnys last days, reconstructed here as best I can. The penal colony IK-3 is the cruellest gulag in the whole of Putins archipelago. It lies north of the Arctic Circle, in the Yamal peninsula about 1,200 miles north-east of Moscow, and is one of the grimmest places to exist on earth, a barren emptiness, snow-covered for much of the year, populated by half a million reindeer and very, very few people. When he arrived there in December 2023, Navalny described the climate of his new home in his trademark sardonic way. It has not been colder than 32C yet, he posted in a blog that somehow he managed to transmit to the outside world. Nothing quite invigorates you like a walk here at 6.30 in the morning. You can walk for more than half an hour only if you manage to grow a new nose, new ears and new fingers. He referenced a scene in The Revenant, the 2015 film in which Leonardo DiCaprio shelters from the extreme cold of the Dakotas inside the carcass of a horse. I dont think that would have worked here. We need an elephant, a hot elephant, a fried one. The whole point of sending him to Yamal was to break his spirit and yet here he was cracking jokes. No wonder Putin hated him so. On Valentines Day he sent a message to his wife Yulia: I feel that you are with me every second. It was his last communication. Two days later was the announcement of his death. The official version was that he had suffered some kind of natural death. On Feb 16, 2024, according to a statement issued by the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, in penal colony number 3, convict Navalny A.A. felt unwell after a walk, almost immediately losing consciousness. The medical staff of the institution arrived immediately, and an ambulance team was called. All necessary resuscitation measures were carried out, which did not give positive results. Doctors of the ambulance stated the death of the convict. The causes of death are being established. The death notice was given to Navalnys 69-year-old mother, Lyudmila, who was living in Moscow. When she and Alexeis lawyer arrived at the colony, they were told the cause of his death was sudden death syndrome, that something had gone wrong with his heart, though no one knew exactly what. Then a source not identified, of course told the Kremlin-controlled RT, the Russia Today television channel, that Navalny had died from a blood clot. One of the most common ways a clot can kill is when it moves up from the leg to block the blood vessels servicing the lungs or the heart. The independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta (which many Russia-watchers nevertheless think can be a little too accommodating of the Kremlin, simply in order to survive) reported that the body showed signs of bruising consistent with some sort of seizure as well as traces of heart massage attempts. It said it was unclear why his heart had stopped. Thus within hours of Navalnys death there were three competing, unsourced theories of how he had come to die naturally: some kind of heart attack; a blood clot; a seizure. This is classic Kremlin tactics to muddy the waters. Confusion is sown; the world moves on. Intriguingly, reporters from Novaya Gazeta were able to track down an unidentified prisoner in the Polar Wolf colony who told them that a strange commotion had erupted in the prison on the evening of February 15, before the official time of death. He said the guards had accelerated their evening checks of the prisoners and strengthened security. In the morning of the 16th there was a total shake-down of the prison, with guards confiscating mobile phones and other items from prisoners. Soon after, a committee from the central office of the Federal Penitentiary Service arrived. Word spread throughout the prison that Navalny was dead at 10am, more than four hours before the official time of death. The gossip among the prisoners was that Navalny had died on the evening of February 15 and that his death had caught the prison authorities by surprise. Curiouser and curiouser. In a democracy, the family would be given the body and they would have the right to do a thorough autopsy, to establish the cause of death. But Russia isnt like that. Instead, the regime started a game of hide the body, compounding the agony of Navalnys grieving family. When his mother asked for his body, the authorities fired back by launching a new criminal investigation into Navalnys younger brother, who had already served three and a half years in jail, also on trumped-up charges. The message was clear enough: shut up or you wont see your sons body, or even maybe your other son, again, ever. It seems his body was taken to the city of Salekhard, the provincial capital, whose morgue Navalnys mother and his lawyers visited on February 19 to try to gain access to it. They were told to go away. Officers from the Investigative Committee, Russias FBI, detectives wholly under the thumb of the Kremlin, told them his remains had been sent for a chemical examination and would not be returned to the family for another 14 days. The reason for this disgusting charade was that the longer the authorities stalled handing over the corpse, the harder it would be for pathologists, for anyone, to find out how he had died. On YouTube, Navalnys mother posted a message to the Kremlin. For a fifth day they arent giving me his body and dont even tell me where he is. I appeal to you, Vladimir Putin. You alone can resolve this. Let me see my son. I demand that Alexeis body be released immediately so that I can bury him. Two days later, she gave up fighting the Kremlin and signed a death certificate that stated that her son had died of natural causes. That is the official lie. So how did they murder him? One hypothesis tallies with the prison authority press release that Navalny died after returning from a walk. In a temperature of minus 25 they made him stomp around in the freezing cold inside the prison compound in jeans and a T-shirt so that his blood thickened and returned to the bodys core. As an investigative journalist and documentary maker, I once stripped off in a frozen pea warehouse in North London in minus 25 to illustrate a torture technique used by Putins lapdog in Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. After three minutes I was shaking uncontrollably. Navalny could have been made to walk around in the extreme cold until he was barely alive, then beaten up, causing heart failure or a lethal blood clot, the injuries to his body passed off as caused by the paramedics trying to save his life. For his widow Yulia, there is a very different cause of death poison. She strongly suspected Novichok, the weapons grade nerve agent the Kremlins goon squad had tried to kill Navalny with once already. Back in August 2020, he was on a plane from Siberia to Moscow when he fell seriously ill, howling in pain and slipping into a coma, and the pilot diverted to the nearest airport, where medics gave him a shot of atropine, an antidote. This time, in the Polar Wolf penal colony, there was no one to jab him with atropine and save him from certain death. A different version of the poison thesis had already been advanced by none other than Navalny himself to his lawyer, Olga Mikhailova, a feisty blonde who took no nonsense from the Kremlins apparatchiks. After his murder, she said that Navalny feared he was being slowly and surreptitiously poisoned. In April 2023, she had met him in IK-6, the corrective colony he had been held in before his transfer to Polar Wolf. There he was confined to a tiny dog kennel-sized isolation cell with an iron bunk that was fastened to the wall. Each day at 5am it was raised and the mattress and pillow taken away, until 9pm at night. Cameras in the ceiling monitored his every move. There he told her: I dont want to sound paranoid, but it seems that theyre poisoning me here. Putin hated the opposition leader so much that he would never mention Navalny by name Mikhailova posted the allegation on Twitter, questioning the unknown illness he was said to be suffering from that had required an ambulance and caused him to lose 17lbs in two weeks. His lawyers said at the time that the strange situation surrounding his health was causing a deterioration that hadnt come about suddenly but steadily and gradually. But the Novichok theory is disputed by another opponent of Putin, exiled Russian human rights defender Vladimir Osechkin, because poisoning him would have left traces in the body and led directly back to Putin, given he had tried it once before on Navalny. He favours the KGB punch theory, which is the ultimate technique in invisible killing. He thinks they first destroyed his body by keeping him out in the cold for a long time and slowing the blood circulation down to a minimum. It then becomes very easy to kill someone, within seconds, with one punch in the heart, in the centre of the body. It is an old method of the KGBs special forces divisions. It was a hallmark of the KGB. The bruising found on Navalnys body fits the KGB punch theory, according to Osechkin. But Roman Borisovich, one of the original sponsors of Navalnys Anti-Corruption Foundation, suspects a simpler cause of death. Its possible that after years of harsh treatment, of torture, of bad food and so little of it, he lost so much weight, of hardly any sunlight so his face turned grey, that he died some kind of natural death. But only in the sense that they didnt actually kill him directly. The Kremlin turned an extraordinarily healthy man into a very sick man, old before his time. They killed him slowly, over time. That said, the suddenness of his death, the fact that he was laughing with his jailers one day and dead the next, makes me suspect that he was killed deliberately according to a plan. But whose plan? Who, exactly, gave the order to have Navalny killed? Not long after his death, the story emerged that the West had been trying to trade Navalny, swapping him for Putins number one prisoner in the West, Vadim Krasikov, a hit man for the FSB [successor to the KGB] who had assassinated a Chechen dissident in Berlin in 2019. Putin is always keen on getting his killers out of Western jails should they end up in one because it sends a message to the others: Dont worry if something goes wrong. We will have your back. We will get you out. Navalnys team was also working on getting their hero out, enlisting the help of Hillary Clinton and President Joe Bidens National Security Adviser. The trade was tricky. For Navalny to be swapped for Krasikov required a German sign-off. Then the Americans wanted to add in two more wholly innocent US citizens locked up in Russia, both of whom have been imprisoned on faked evidence of spying. Was Navalny killed by a Kremlin insider in order to stop the trade? Paul Joyal, a former US intelligence analyst who has been targeted by Kremlin gunmen for criticisms hed made of Putin, thinks exactly that. He points the finger at Nikolai Patrushev, head of Russias National Security Council and former head of the FSB. Patrushev is close to being a paranoid schizophrenic. For example, he believes the nonsense that the Americans are creating bio-weapons targeting the genome, the genetic make-up, of the Russian people. And hes a player. He will act on his own, outside the lines. Navalny and his business partner Pyotr Ofitserov (left), address supporters from at Moscow's Yaroslavskiy railway station in 2013 Navalny makes a heart gesture to his wife Yulia from inside a glass cell during a court hearing in Moscow in February 2021 Joyal believes that the trade was on and Patrushev had heard that Navalny was due to be moved to Moscow prior to his release to the West, on the very day he was killed. My working hypothesis is that Patrushev had Navalny killed without getting the OK from Putin. Patrushev hated Navalny, who at one stage had personally embarrassed him. He also believed he was the CIAs creature. He wanted to stop the trade at all costs so had Navalny murdered. So, in this version, it was not Putin, but Putins number one guard dog, who had Navalny killed. The owner is, of course, responsible for the actions of a killer dog. THERE is one last hypothesis on who commissioned the killing of Alexei Navalny and how it happened, and this is the one I give the most weight to. In April this year, the Wall Street Journal published a story headlined: Putin Didnt Directly Order Alexei Navalnys February Death, US Spy Agencies Find. As ever with the CIA, the sourcing was opaque, the paper citing unnamed people familiar with the matter. Its key finding based on classified intelligence, an analysis of public facts (including the timing of Navalnys death and how it overshadowed Putins re-election in March) was: the assessment doesnt dispute Putins culpability for Navalnys death, but rather finds he probably didnt order it at that moment. This assessment, the Wall Street Journal wrote, had been broadly accepted within the intelligence community. I contacted someone with established, well-placed and reliable sources inside the Russian power structure. Their primary source pointed accusingly to the close relationship between Putin and the boss of the FSB, Aleksandr Bortnikov. The two were known always to take the highest security precautions when discussing the most secret and sensitive issues, among which Navalny was one. They often meet alone in special secured facilities known as bubbles or capsules. Even then they talk very discreetly, rarely using context-specific words or names. There has been no actual leak from their meetings but it is nonetheless believed that, back in December 2023, Putin himself gave Bortnikov actual but not minuted approval for Navalny to be poisoned using a sophisticated technique. The Kremlin has its very own Poison Squad with a cohort of scientists and specialist operatives, its existence tracked down and confirmed as an assassination machine on an industrial scale by Christo Grozev, a brilliant investigator with the Bellingcat investigative unit. If there was a diagram of its command structure, Bortnikov would sit directly below Putin. So commanded, the source says, Bortnikov then designated the FSB team involved and personally managed the murder operation overall. Sources were confident of this, despite the fact that no formal orders had been given. A second source said that other top-level Russian officials did not know in advance about the plan to kill Navalny. No actual Navalny killing operational plan had ever been officially discussed and/or approved at any state level. But poison him they did and the man behind it was Putin. Navalny knew the Russian dark state better than anyone. When they met in IK-6 he told his lawyer that he feared they were slowly poisoning him. I buy that. By then he had lost his belief that he was untouchable. Now, with a smile on his lips, he said: They will definitely kill me. And so they did. But the question that haunts the killer in the Kremlin haunts, too, the future of the largest country on earth is whether the snuffing out of Navalnys courage, charisma and honesty will stick in Russias craw and bring on Putins overthrow. We can but hope that, though Alexei Navalny is dead, what he stood for will be back. Adapted from Murder In The Gulag: The Life And Death Of Alexei Navalny Record-breaking heatwaves across the US are causing soda cans to explode after being loaded on Southwest Airlines flights across the country. The airline has reported entire cases bursting open due to heat pressure on flights out of airports in Phoenix and Las Vegas as temperatures continue to hit triple digits. Southwest Airlines officials claim that the explosion usually happens right after the can has been cracked open. While no passengers have been hurt, about 20 flight attendants have sustained injures including one who needed stitches. Southwest Airlines has reported entire cases bursting open due to heat pressure on flights out of airports in Phoenix and Las Vegas as temperatures continue to hit triple digits While no passengers have been hurt, about 20 flight attendants have sustained injures including one who needed stitches Officials believe that the incidents may be occurring due to how Southwest stores its carbonated drinks on flights. Southwest does not stock perishables onboard and tends to not use air-conditioned catering trucks to deliver meals and drinks to the aircraft - therefore exposing pressured items to external heat. According to CBS News, Rachel Loudermilk, Southwest's managing director of base operations and Matt Sampson, provisioning director have sent a company-wide email stating that 'none of us are satisfied that we are still seeing reported events.' It further states that the company has started taken measures to curb such incidents including stocking fewer cans on provisioning trucks, placing carbonated drinks in coolers on trucks in hot weather locations and monitoring truck and can temperature with thermometers during shifts. Southwest does not stock perishables onboard and tends to not use air-conditioned catering trucks to deliver meals and drinks to the aircraft - therefore exposing pressured items to external heat Attendants have also been asked to stop halting cans that are hotter than 98 degrees and to return them to the warehouse to cool down Attendants have also been asked to stop storing cans that are hotter than 98 degrees and to return them to the warehouse to cool down. The email also states that the officials have begun testing air-conditioned provisioning trucks and are in talks with Coca-Cola to analyze the viability of the current cans as well as to find alternatives. Chris Perry, a Southwest spokesperson also released a statement and said: 'Were aware of the issue and have been taking steps to keep onboard beverages cooler, especially in our airports experiencing extreme temperatures, said Chris Perry, spokesman for Southwest Airlines. 'Its a cross-functional effort between our airport teams and those in the air.' Apart from Phoenix and Las Vegas, the new measures are also being applied to aircrafts flying out of Austin, Houston, Dallas and Sacramento. A fashion-savvy influencer is one of many fliers stuck in France due to the global Microsoft outage caused by an error from CrowdStrike. Brigette Pheloung confirmed her dilemma in a TikTok video she posted this morning that showed chaos at the airport. She managed to make it onto her plane, but the wealthy influencer in first class asked TikTok users if they thought it would 'take off' in a video update. Brigette, who currently lives in New York, has been in St Tropez with her twin sister, Danielle, since early this week. Danielle was also in the video update, and like her sister, she was stuck in first class on their Delta flight. Brigette Pheloung confirmed she and her sister Danielle are two of the thousands of fliers affected by the recent Microsoft outage in a TikTok video this morning The Pheloung sisters participated in a Tory Burch photo shoot during their St Tropez trip. They also spent time on the water with Millane Friesen and Chiara King, and attended a Tory Burch event at Nikki Beach Saint Tropez. The pair planned to fly home today before the outage, which has grounded flights in the U.S. and caused global airline chaos. Delta, along with American and United Airlines, ordered a 'global ground stop,' according to Representative Eric Swalwell. Although the Pheloung sisters' plane was halted, the Paris airport authority said in a statement that the outage did not impact its computer systems. The issue was caused by a defect in the update to CrowdStrike's Falcon Sensor software, which analyzes connections to and from the Internet to determine whether malicious behavior occurred. 'This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,' CrowdStrike said in a statement. 'We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels.' It's unclear if Brigette and Danielle will be making it home today, but as of now, more than 2,000 US flights have been canceled due to the outage. The Pheloung sisters participated in a Tory Burch photoshoot during their St Tropez trip after having flown out their earlier this week CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz issued an apology six hours after the 'blue screen of death.' 'We are deeply sorry for the impact that we have caused to our customers, to travelers, to anyone who has been affected by this, including our company,' Kurtz said in an interview with NBCs Today. He added that many of the affected customers are 'rebooting the system' but that it could take time for some that 'won't automatically recover.' Besides airports, the outage has greatly affected hospitals, media outlets, banks, and various 911 services. TikTok users who watched Brigette's videos wished her a safe return to the US, while others shared their alleged airport experience. The Paris airport authority said in a statement that the outage did not impact its computer systems The issue was caused by a defect in the update to CrowdStrike's Falcon Sensor software. United Airlines, ordered a 'global ground stop,' according to Representative Eric Swalwell At least two TikTokers who are flying out of European airports claimed they waited for hours, one for more than five. 'Im supposed to be leaving from Naples to Paris with a final destination in Washington, DC. They've said nothing yet, but Im hoping this is resolved soon,' a TikTok user wrote. Others have suggested Brigette 'extend her stay' or fly to Portugal or Croatia instead. One person wrote: 'I wish I was stuck in Europe. Its always better getting stuck on your trip than never making your trip.' A heartbreakingly eerie Google Street View photo is the only major clue to the disappearance of a 25 year-old California woman. Arelie Garcia loved her car, a bright red Honda Accord she lovingly customized and drove every day around her idyllic town. It was 'literally her baby'. The last time her family saw her she was driving it to work in Salinas, California, on September 22, 2022, before Garcia vanished without a trace. It was later tracked down to Big Sur, California, more than an hour away, by Garcia's sister Veronica. Investigators don't think Garcia drove the car there herself. They estimate Veronica found the car about six hours after it was parked. But in an astonishing and creepy coincidence, a Google Street View car snapped the vehicle hours before that at around noon on the day it was parked. The last time her family saw Arelie Garcia she was driving it to work on September 22, 2022, before the 25-year-old vanished without a trace How her car looked when she left it for the last time is eerily preserved on Google Maps, after a Street View car photographed it as it went past Investigators say the image - still available on Google Street View - was taken around three hours after the vehicle was left along the side of the road in Big Sur. Veronica didn't find it for another six hours. It presents the tantalizing solution that anyone involved in Garcia's disappearance may have been in the vicinity of the innocuous Street View vehicle at the time. The cars drive around roads across the globe, providing a fascinating real life, on the ground view of roads and streets. Investigators believe Garcia didn't drive her Honda there. The driver's seat was pushed too far back for Garcia's 5ft, 5in frame and the chassis wasn't lowered all the way to the ground like she always left it. Garcia left her mother's home in Salinas, California, at 6.34am and was due to be at her job as service advisor at My Chevrolet in Salinas at 7.30am. She texted Veronica, whose son Davian is Garcia godson, at 6.56am: 'Good morning. I miss you and my baby. Love you!' Veronica replied at 8.53am: 'Hi Lovie miss you too! And so does guppy love you!!' Garcia was never late to work without calling in first, and was so close to her coworkers they texted frequently. So when she never showed up, they got in touch with Garcia's other sister Eli Mendoza at 10am worried about where she was. What followed was a frantic flood of increasingly worried texts and calls from Veronica to her sister that she later realized were never delivered - including her first one. Arelie was never late to work without calling in first, and was so close to her coworkers they texted frequently She drove to her mother's apartment and found Arelie's room exactly as it always was, with nothing out of place and no note. With no leads, Veronica pinged Arelie on the Find My Phone app and located it in Big Sur. This made no sense as there was no reason for her to be there, and it was too far for her to get there and back in time for work. Veronica went to the police station to file a missing person report, while Eli and her husband headed for the phone's location. When they arrived, they found the Honda parked in a scenic pull-over spot overlooking the ocean. The car was locked, with Arelie's phone, keys, and wallet inside, but no sign of her. Police soon descended on the scene and spent two days scouring a four-mile radius with dogs, drones, helicopters, and on foot, but found no trace of her. What they did find, was footage of her leaving the apartment wearing what looked like gym clothes, at least an hour than she would ever go to exercise before work. She was wearing black leggings, a black hoodie, and sneakers with her hair pulled back into a bun. Her family said they weren't what she usually wore to work and she definitely would have been sent home if she showed up in them. Arelie left her mother's home in Salinas, California, at 6.34am and was due to be at her job as service advisor at My Chevrolet in Salinas at 7.30am Another video showed her stop at Carmel Highlands General Store at 7.30am, about a 20-minute drive from where her car was found. Police believe from their investigations that she reached the spot at 7.50am to 8.45am, and the windows were too tinted to see if anyone else was inside. Garcia's family believes given all these factors, she may have met with someone just before she disappeared. But after police interviewed 62 people, including her family, the trail is cold and they hope a $10,000 reward will lead to new information. 'We have exhausted every lead we had,' Salinas Police Commander Brian Johnson said. 'Nothing new has come up.' The top UN court said Friday that Israel's presence in Palestinian territories is 'unlawful' and called for settlement construction to end immediately, sparking fury from Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu. In a non-binding opinion, the International Court of Justice pointed to a wide list of policies, including the building and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, use of the area's natural resources, the annexation and imposition of permanent control over lands and discriminatory policies against Palestinians, all of which it said violated international law. The 15-judge panel said Israel's 'abuse of its status as the occupying power' renders its 'presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful,' while issuing a sweeping condemnation of the country's rule over the lands it captured 57 years ago. It says its continued presence was 'illegal' and should be ended as 'rapidly as possible.' It added that Israel must end settlement construction immediately and that existing settlements must be removed, according to the 83-page opinion read out by court President Nawaf Salam. Judge and President of the International Court of Justice , Nawaf Salam (R) delivers a non-binding ruling on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in The Hague on July 19, 2024. The UN's top court handed down its view, declaring 'illegal' Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967 The ICJ has ruled that Israel's settlement policy and use of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories violate international law. Pictured: Palestinian shepherd Mustafa Arara, 24, stands in the ruins of the West Bank Bedouin village of al-Baqa where residents fled in July after settlers established an outpost a stone's throw from the village in June. But Netanyahu slammed the International Court of Justice, saying it had made a 'decision of lies' on Friday by ruling the county's occupation of the Palestinian territories illegal. 'The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land - not in our eternal capital Jerusalem, nor in our ancestral heritage of Judea and Samaria' (the occupied West Bank), Netanyahu said in a statement. 'No decision of lies in The Hague will distort this historical truth, and similarly, the legality of Israeli settlements in all parts of our homeland cannot be disputed.' Netanyahu said the West Bank and east Jerusalem were part of the Jewish people's historical 'homeland.' Israel, which normally considers the United Nations and international tribunals as unfair and biased, did not send a legal team to the hearings. But it submitted written comments, saying that the questions put to the court are prejudiced and fail to address Israeli security concerns. Israeli officials have said the court's intervention could undermine the peace process, which has stagnant for more than a decade. The court's opinion, sought by the UN General Assembly after a Palestinian request, is unlikely to effect Israel's policy. But its resounding breadth - including saying Israel could not claim sovereignty in the territories and was impeding Palestinians' right to self-determination - could impact international opinion. It came against the backdrop of Israel's devastating 10-month military assault on Gaza, which was triggered by the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel. In a separate case, the International Court of Justice is considering a South African claim that Israel's campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, a claim that Israel vehemently denies. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three areas for an independent state. The ruling came against the backdrop of Israel's devastating 10-month military assault on Gaza, which was triggered by the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel. Pictured: Palestinians walk on the rubble of buildings destroyed in previous Israeli bombardment, between two pools of stagnant water, in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on July 19, 2024 Pictured: A Jewish settler comes to pray in the Eviatar outpost in the Israeli-occupied West Bank during morning prayers calling for the legalization of the outpost and the return of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group, Sunday, July 7, 2024 Israel considers the West Bank to be disputed territory, whose future should be decided in negotiations, while it has moved population there in settlements to solidify its hold. It has annexed east Jerusalem in a move that is not internationally recognized, while it withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but maintained a blockade of the territory after Hamas took power in 2007. The international community generally considers all three areas to be occupied territory. At hearings in February, then-Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki accused Israel of apartheid and urged the United Nations' top court to declare that Israel's occupation of lands sought by the Palestinians is illegal and must end immediately and unconditionally for any hope for a two-state future to survive. The Palestinians presented arguments in February along with 49 other nations and three international organizations. Erwin van Veen, a senior research fellow at the Clingendael think tank in The Hague, said that if the court rules that Israel's policies in the West Bank and east Jerusalem breach international law, it would 'isolate Israel further internationally, at least from a legal point of view.' He said such a ruling would 'worsen the case for occupation. It removes any kind of legal, political, philosophical underpinning of the Israeli expansion project.' It would also strengthen the hand of 'those who seek to advocate against it' - such as the grassroots Palestinian-led movement advocating boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel. He said it also could increase the number of countries that recognize the state of Palestine, in particular in the Western world, following the recent example of Spain and Norway and Ireland.' Palestinian Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Maliki (L) greets a member of the diplomatic corps as he attends a non-binding ruling on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem at the International Court of Justice Foreign Minister of Palestine, Riyad al-Maliki (R) and Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour (L) It is not the first time the ICJ has been asked to give its legal opinion on Israeli policies. Two decades ago, the court ruled that Israel's West Bank separation barrier was 'contrary to international law.' Israel boycotted those proceedings, saying they were politically motivated. Israel says the barrier is a security measure. Palestinians say the structure amounts to a massive land grab because it frequently dips into the West Bank. Israel has built well over 100 settlements, according to the anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now. The West Bank settler population has grown by more than 15 per cent in the past five years to more than 500,000 Israelis, according to a pro-settler group. Israel also has annexed east Jerusalem and considers the entire city to be its capital. An additional 200,000 Israelis live in settlements built in east Jerusalem that Israel considers to be neighborhoods of its capital. Palestinian residents of the city face systematic discrimination, making it difficult for them to build new homes or expand existing ones. The international community considers all settlements to be illegal or obstacles to peace since they are built on lands sought by the Palestinians for their state. Netanyahu's hard-line government is dominated by settlers and their political supporters. Netanyahu has given his finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, a former settler leader, unprecedented authority over settlement policy. Smotrich has used this position to cement Israel's control over the West Bank by pushing forward plans to build more settlement homes and to legalize outposts. As another onslaught of Democrats calls for President Biden to step aside, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez insisted that they don't want to just replace Joe, they want to get rid of Vice President Kamala Harris too. In a late night screed on Instagram live, the New York Democrat said it is 'horse s***' that Democrats are giving anonymous quotes to journalists about how they don't believe Biden can win the election. 'If that's your opinion, and if that's what you think is best for the country, put your name on it, okay?' she said. 'That's a bunch of horse s***.' As another onslaught of Democrats calls for President Biden to step aside, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez insisted that they don't want to just replace Joe, they want to get rid of Vice President Kamala Harris too The congresswoman said that former President Trump is 'also very old, and a racist, and a neo-Nazi.' She called out a 'lack of thought' from Democratic leadership who did not want Biden to run but did not have a fool-proof alternate plan. She warned that much of the newly anti-Biden Democratic establishment would also push out Harris. 'I'm just going to say it. If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave that Kamala, that they will support Kamala, Vice President Harris, you would be mistaken.' 'I'm in these rooms. I see what they say in conversations, Ocasio-Cortez said. 'They are interested in removing the whole ticket.' 'A huge amount of donor class and a huge amount of these elites, and a huge amount of these folks in these rooms that I see that are pushing for President Biden to not be the nominee ,also are not interested in seeing the Vice President being the nominee. Will they win out on that? I don't know.' 'To a certain extent, I don't care what name is on there. We are not losing. I don't know about you, but my community does not have the option to lose,' she went on. 'My people are the first ones deported. They're the first ones put in Rikers, they're the first ones whose families are killed by war.' 'I'm not here to tell you that if Joe Biden is the nominee, he's definitely going to win because I don't think if anybody is the nominee, we're definitely going to win,' Ocasio-Cortez also said on Friday. 'There's no safe option,' she admitted. 'I can't tell you all how shameful it feels to hear all these leaks about what Democratic leaders are staying and not to have a single one of them out here confirming or denying it,' the Minnesota Democrat and progressive 'Squad' member wrote on X. 'It's a lack of leadership and it's making all Democrats look bad. Whatever this mess leads to will not undo the damage that has already been inflicted. May God help us all.' The walls are closing in on Joe Biden fast as his closest allies turn on him - reports say that President Barack Obama urged him to reconsider his 'viability' and that both ex-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed that their Democrats thought he should step aside. It comes as Biden has tested positive for Covid-19 and is holed up with First Lady Jill in their Delaware home. A new Axios report citing senior Democratic sources said that Biden could drop out as soon as this weekend. President Joe Biden, sick with covid, is becoming increasingly isolated A defiant Biden has insisted publicly that he will be the Democratic nominee and only God or a 'medical condition' would compel him to bow out. So far, he's been supported by family members, first lady Jill Biden and son Hunter, in the decision to stay put. Despite the campaign's best efforts to do damage control, Biden appeared at times confused, rambling and irritable in a Monday evening interview with NBC's Lester Holt. The official line remains that top Democrats didn't pressure the president to quit. And that Biden 'is not wavering on anything. The president has made his decision,' according to deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks at an event Thursday on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. 'It feels the most real it's ever been,' one senior House Democratic aide told DailyMail.com of the pressure to drop out. Progressive activists have been left scratching their heads as Squad House members have become Biden's last stalwart of support - even at a time when it is relatively safe to come out against him after the June 27 debate. Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., have all stood firmly behind Joe Biden remaining at the top of their ticket as now close to 20 House Democrats have urged him to step down. 'Joe Biden is our nominee. He is not leaving this race. He is in this race and I support him,' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., told reporters last week. Reps. Cori Bush, D-Mo., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., have made comments supporting the president. A father and son's birthday fishing trip ended in a heartbreaking tragedy after their boat capsized and the two were lost at sea. Constantin Leahu, 43, and Andrei Leahu, 11, went on a fishing trip on Saturday for the boy's birthday near Astoria, Oregon, when their boat capsized and the two went missing, according to Fox 8 Live. It was Andrei's first fishing trip, and his godmother, Irina Negrean, told the outlet he had 'wished to go with him [Constantin] for a long time.' 'This was his dream come true, to be out on a fishing boat with his dad,' she told Fox 8. The Leahus and three others were fishing on the boat when it capsized near where the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean meet, a rough patch of sea, according to The Columbian. Constantin Leahu, 43, and Andrei Leahu, 11, went on a fishing trip on Saturday for the boy's birthday near Astoria, Oregon , when their boat capsized and the two went missing It was Andrei's first fishing trip, and his godmother, Irina Negrean, told the outlet he had 'wished to go with him [Constantin] for a long time' Rescue teams were sent out in search of Constantin and Andrei, but they couldn't find the pair. The father and son were nowhere to be found, and the search was called off at nightfall. 'I dont think we have a lot of hope to find them alive at this point,' Negrean said. 'So, were trying to figure out the next steps.' The Coast Guard managed to pull the other three out of the ocean. One of the victims died on the way to the hospital, the outlet reported. Andrei - who went on the trip a day after his birthday - still has his cake in the fridge at home, according to Negrean. 'it is just a monumental loss, its an unbelievable loss,' the family friend said. Constantin was the sole provider for the family of seven. He leaves behind a wife, Elena Venera, and four daughters, Anamaria, Daria, Elizabeth and Melanie. Andrei was their second oldest. 'He was the kind of man that if you asked him something, he would move heaven and earth to make that happen,' Negrean told The Columbian. The Leahus and three others were fishing on the boat when it capsized near where the Columbia River and Pacific Ocean meet, a rough patch of sea Rescue teams were sent out in search of Constantin and Andrei, but they couldn't find the pair. The father and son were nowhere to be found, and the search was called off at nightfall The little boy is remembered as being sweet and loving and a little mischievous. The family was very involved in their church, the Saint Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church, which has set up a GoFundMe for the family. 'Their loss and grief are insurmountable. We are collecting funds to help secure the familys immediate and future needs, medical bills, and other expenses,' the fundraiser, which has raised $77,545 toward its $250,000 goal, said. 'Constantins sense of humor, selfless nature, and unwavering faith in the goodness of God make him one of the most generous, loving, and wholehearted friends any of us will ever know,' Florentin Agoston, who started the fundraiser, said. 'Deeply committed to his faith, always willing to go above and beyond for anyone, a loving father and husband, he leaves behind not only a heartbroken family but an entire community that will never recover from such a loss.' The church remembers the boy as 'bright, funny, and a social butterfly.' 'Andrei was beloved anywhere he went,' Agoston wrote. 'Losing Andrei at such a tender age has left us all shocked, heart-stricken, and devastated.' Are YOU on the scene? Locals in Leeds claimed they have been 'persecuted' by police amid a shocking evening of disorder in the city last night which saw neighbours clash with officers. Leeds was a scene of 'shocking and disgraceful' disorder and saw a car being trashed while a double decker bus was set on fire. Meanwhile, harrowing video footage showed a police officer hauling a young boy out of a house and bundling him into a van. Witnesses said the removal of the child was the flashpoint which kicked off the rioting last night, with the disorder lasting for hours. Photos from today show tensions rising in the city as locals appeared to argue with police while surrounded by a scene of chaos from the night before. Families looked on at the immense clean up taking place to clear away the smouldering wreckage of a bus set alight in Harehills. The intensity of the violence was deemed so severe that firefighters refused to enter the street for hours amid fears crews would be attacked. West Yorkshire Police today said that a number of people had been arrested following the violence and warned 'further arrests will be made over the next few days'. Are YOU on the scene? Email katherine.lawton@mailonline.co.uk Locals arguing and arguing with police in Harehills, Leeds, following last nights disturbances A local argues with a police officer following the disturbances in Leeds last night Vehicles were set on fire and a police car was overturned as residents were warned to stay home following an outbreak of disorder in the Harehills area of Leeds The smouldering wreckage of a bus set alight in Harehills, Leeds last night after riots brought chaos to the streets The remains of a bus which was set on fire in the city last night amid the riots Local people watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood after last night's civil unrest Local people look on at the scene following riots in the city of Leeds last night Forensic scientists examine a burnt out bus, as police patrol the Harehills neighbourhood Local people watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood Forensic scientists examine a burnt out bus, as police patrol the Harehills neighbourhood after last night's civil unrest Police horses at the scene in Leeds after riots caused chaos in the city last night Neighbours watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood Last year an official report aimed at tackling problems faced by the Roma community told of their 'fierce pride' and how 'a problem for one member of the community was seen as a problem for all'. The ethnic minority, who are widely subjected to discrimination and poverty throughout Europe, are just the latest to settle in Harehills. Many have large families, and around 5,000 Roma are now believed to live in the deprived neighbourhood, attracted by its spacious three-story terraces and low house prices. Last night's angry attack on police and social workers trying to protect children from a Roma family over welfare concerns appears to have ignited underlying allegations of racism and persecution at the hands of the authorities. Today one community leader told the Mail: 'We are persecuted at home and now here. 'The police should not have taken the children away, it is upsetting for the parents and family and children.' Indeed research by Leeds City Council aimed at boosting integration of Roma families tells of their 'fierce pride' and, tellingly given last night's shocking events, how 'a problem for one member of the community, was seen as a problem for all'. The report's authors say: 'We were told about the fierce pride the Roma community had for their culture and heritage. 'This had remained despite the challenges, and the stigma and discrimination, they have faced. 'We were told about how community members would show great support for one another.' Harehills has long been one of the most ethnically diverse areas of Leeds. At the last Census in 2021, 38 per cent of residents of Harehills and neighbouring Gipton described themselves as being from Asian backgrounds, 36 per white and 17 per cent black. It has also been ranked as the most deprived neighbourhood in the West Yorkshire city with among the highest levels of unemployment, crime and poor health. At least twice before, violence and ill-feeling towards police has spilled out into street violence. A JCB clears the remains of a burnt-out bus, which is cordoned off by police in Harehills, east Leeds, following the disturbance on Thursday evening Aerial footage shows the aftermath of the trouble, with large sections of the area still cordoned off Distressing footage which emerged today shows police officers hauling a young boy out of a house and bundling him into a van A large number of police officers were seen on Thursday evening taking the children - understood to be from a family of Romanians - into protective custody Police are still at the scene in Leeds where the violence erupted last night after a number of children were taken in to protective custody by social services (pictured: the street today) Police cordons remain in place today after rioters torched a bus and flipped police car Parts of Leeds resemble a warzone, with torched vehicles this morning pictured as smouldering wrecks Pictured is the bus as a fire raged on board after riots set it ablaze in Leeds on Thursday Police leave the scene of a burning bus after firefighters extinguished the vehicle In 2001, hundreds of men went on the rampage in Harehills following the wrongful arrest of an Asian man, Hossein Miah. Officers were lured to nearby Banstead Park over a false report that one had been hit by a petrol bomb. A multi-ethnic mob then barricaded police with burning furniture from a second-hand store nearby as well as washing machines. Over 20 cars were torched, 23 officers and a journalist were hurt and a shop was burnt down, with damage put at 500,000. Twenty-five men were later given jail sentences for what a judge branded 'violence for the sake of violence'. Then on Bonfire Night in 2019, terrified Harehills residents cowered indoors as police were forced to battle a five-hour siege by yobs armed with fireworks, bricks and axes. As with last night's disorder, locals bravely tried to defend police, with six officers injured. Three of the rioters were later given jail sentences totalling seven years. However on the 20th anniversary of the 2001 riots, there were warnings that little had changed. One business owner told Leeds Live: 'It's the same, it hasn't changed a bit.' A local resident complained about 'blatant' drug dealing, adding: 'The police are present sometimes but I don't think it's enough.' A man has been arrested following a major police operation that saw a woman allegedly held hostage for five hours. Emergency services were called to the Homestead Motel on Cherry Street at Ballina on the NSW north Coast at 12pm on Friday. Officers from Richmond Police District were called to the motel regarding a concern for welfare call. NSW Police said officers were told a man aged in his 30s was inside one of the units allegedly holding a 29-year-old woman against her will. Ambulance crews and fire services were on standby as police responded to the incident over five hours. Members of the public reported on social media the man was allegedly holding a person hostage at the motel. 'Following a five-hour police operation, the man was arrested at 5pm,' NSW Police said. The woman was released without injuries. A man has been taken into custody following a five-hour siege on the northern NSW coast Ballina Homestead Motel where the siege took place on Friday afternoon A tactical police team was on site and the woman was released unharmed after a tense standoff The man was arrested and taken to Ballina Police Station where he is assisting police with inquiries. Investigations into the incident are continuing. Conservatives are calling for MSNBC anchor Joy Reid to be taken off the air after she shared inflammatory theories about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Reid, 55, angered critics on two occasions after a gunman shot Trump in the ear, including sharing a video to X implying that he was not even shot at all. And after President Biden tested positive for Covid days after the assassination attempt, Reid said on a broadcast that Biden's brush with the virus was as heroic as Trump's reaction to narrowly avoiding a bullet. Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk led the criticisms of Reid's remarks, as he called on MSNBC to 'take Reid off the air' for her 'outrageous, insane, defamatory' theories. In an X video following the assassination attempt, MSNBC's Joy Reid shared a round of conspiracies about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump - including that he may not have even been shot at all Reid's X video came amid mounting pressure on the Secret Service to explain the disastrous security slip that allowed the shooter to fire at Trump, as she listed several things she found 'weird' about the episode. She appeared to imply it was a staged event that allowed Trump to 'pose' for the iconic photo of him pumping his fist in the air - which Kirk said would mean Trump's 'campaign and the Secret Service colluded to kill two people in a fake assassination attempt just so Trump could have a photo op.' 'Donald Trump should sue her, immediately,' he added. Reid also stated that we 'still don't know for sure whether Donald Trump was hit by a bullet', citing early reports that he may have been hit by a shard of glass from a teleprompter. Reid appeared to imply that Trump's shooting was staged to allow him to 'pose' for an iconic photo of him surviving the assassination attempt Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk led the criticisms of Reid's remarks, as he called on MSNBC to 'take Reid off the air' for her 'outrageous, insane, defamatory' theories After also branding the assassination attempt a 'photo op' in the earlier MSNBC broadcast, Reid took a similar tune in her X clip as she speculated that Trump's Secret Service agents paused to allow Trump to strike a pose for the cameras. 'We don't know why, for nine full seconds, Donald Trump was allowed to stand back up during an active shooting,' Reid said. 'Even though they at that point had said the shooter was down, how would they have known if there were more shooters or not? There could have been five shooters for all they knew. 'Yet, they allowed him to stand up in the middle of that crisis, and pose for a photo, and fist pump the air, so he could get the iconic photo.' Conservative commentator Kenny Webster slammed Reid's insinuation that the shooting may have been staged, drawing comparison's with Alex Jones' legal battle over his outrageous Sandy Hook remarks. 'Alex Jones was fined $1.5 billion for his comments on Sandy Hook. How is this any different? Fine Joy Reid and seize MSNBC's studio equipment,' he said on X. Reid's remarks come amid mounting scrutiny on the Secret Service's failure to prevent the shooting and decision to stand Trump up shortly after shots were fired Trump said a bullet ripped through the top part of his right ear and appeared at the RNC with a small bandage over the wound - but Reid said she is still unsure 'what is the actual injury to Donald Trump's ear that's under that bandage?' In her broadcast from the Republican National Convention, Reid also chimed in on the assassination attempt as news broke that Biden tested positive for Covid. She compared Biden recovering from the virus in 'a couple of days' to Trump standing up and pumping his fist seconds after being shot, feeling they 'convey the exactly the same thing.' Reid's remarks on the shootings sparked fury in conservative circles, with CPAC host Mercedes Schlapp branding her 'out of control.' 'Her comments are irresponsible and dangerous,' she said on X. 'She is the ultimate conspiracy theorist.' 'Joy Reid should be fired,' concluded another critic. 'MSNBC, you can never be taken seriously with this woman on the air.' This is the moment the most brazen of seagulls scopes out the aisles of a supermarket and swoops down to claim his tasty prize. While many British retailers are grappling with a surge in shoplifting, one budget store chain in north Wales has a feathered thief eating into its profits. The pesky bird is said to have been spotted several times by locals eyeing up the items at home store B&M in Mostyn Champneys Retail Park, Llandudno, north Wales. Bemused customer Ethan Denton caught the peckish seagull - nicknamed Steven after a play on words of Hollywood actor Steven Seagal's name - stealing his latest booty on video. The footage begins with the bird eating away at a cracker, before flying off to the rafters, prompting the customer to laugh and describe the bird as 'ruthless'. A brazen seagull has been spotted walking the aisles at home store B&M in Mostyn Champneys Retail Park, Llandudno, north Wales Winging it: As the customer filming the bird gets closer, the seagull makes its escape by flying up to the rafters Seconds later the bird is back, pecking away at packets of biscuits while having a good look around. The DJ and music producer, 34, told What's The Jam: 'I walked into the shop as I often go there for drinks and stuff. 'I then turned the corner and the seagull was just walking about eating different things. 'The seagull stayed in the shop. 'The second time I went in, I saw the bird in the exact same place. It was so weird, the same aisle and everything. 'I quickly videoed it again, this time the seagull flew up onto the lighting. 'It then proceeded to poop, it was so funny. Can't catch me: The thieving seagull makes the ultimate escape by flying up to the rafters Oh crumbs: In a later part of the video, the bird returns and is pecking away at the biscuit aisle 'No one batted an eyelid. I'm not sure if they knew it was there or if he's just extra friendly with me. 'In Llandudno they are known for robbing your food and just generally being a bit of a pest, so I'm not the biggest fan - but Stephen is a legend.' B&M has been approached for comment. Ten British nationals have been arrested in connection with a 96million cocaine smuggling ring. The international cartel is believed to have trafficked drugs from South America to Europe on Yachts. Following a three-year investigation which started in 2020, a Spanish-registered yacht was intercepted by the French Navy 1,200 miles east of Martinique in the Caribbean on December 18, 2023. A shocking 1.2 tonnes of cocaine were found on board with an estimated street value in the UK of around 96 million - according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). The skipper, a 30-year-old man from Stornoway, Isle of Lewis in Scotland, was arrested along with two other British nationals. Ten British nationals have been arrested in connection with a 96million cocaine smuggling ring. Seven were expats arrested in Spain and Portugal and a further three were living in the UK Following a three-year investigation which started in 2020, a Spanish-registered yacht was intercepted by the French Navy 1,200 miles east of Martinique in the Caribbean on December 18, 2023 Half of those arrested were women. Law enforcement agencies believe a money laundering scam led by businesswomen was used to clean drug money Seven other arrests were made in Malaga, Spain, and in Portugal. All those arrested were British nationals and half were women. Law enforcement agencies believe a money laundering scam led by businesswomen was used to clean drug money. An additional 0.3 tonnes of cocaine was seized by law enforcement agencies including Spain's Policia Nacional, Norway's National Criminal Investigation Service, the US Drug Enforcement Administration and the European Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre, with the support of Europol. In connection with the smuggling operation, 52 people have been arrested. Meanwhile goods have been seized including eight boats, 36 vehicles, as well as firearms and ammunition seized. The NCA said the gang was led by a Norwegian believed to have been trading in drugs for more than two decades. In 2020, intelligence identified a British crime group based in Spain responsible for trafficking cocaine across the Atlantic. It owned a fleet of vessels used to transport drugs from South America to Europe via Spain. The long-running investigation identified routes used to bring drugs to Spain for onward distribution, including into the UK. Sailing routes included to and from the Spanish coastal cities Valencia, Alicante and Malaga, to Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Lucia, Barbados and Panama. In connection with the smuggling operation, 52 people have been arrested. Meanwhile goods have been seized including eight boats, 36 vehicles, as well as firearms and ammunition seized Neil Keeping, NCA regional manager in Spain, said: 'This Spanish-led international operation has dismantled a major drug trafficking crime group and resulted in the arrests of 10 British nationals - eight from England and two from Scotland' The NCA said the Norwegian leader had the full trust of Colombian and Mexican drug cartels, and co-ordinated the production of the drugs and its transportation through South America until it could be shipped to Spain. The investigation found drug money was reinvested in new operations and laundered through a global network of businesswomen. Three women from Boston, Lincolnshire, aged 19, 38, and 28, who were all living in Malaga were arrested. A 54-year-old woman from Chelmsford, Essex, and a 49-year-old woman from Nottingham were also detained, as were a 63-year-old man from Withernsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, and a 24-year-old British man. All four were living in Malaga. Also detained was a 37-year-old man from Bracknell, Berkshire, who was living in Portugal, as well as the 30-year-old yacht skipper from Lewis and another Scottish man aged 34. Neil Keeping, NCA regional manager in Spain, said: 'This Spanish-led international operation has dismantled a major drug trafficking crime group and resulted in the arrests of 10 British nationals - eight from England and two from Scotland. 'The NCA's international network has played a leading role in sharing intelligence with overseas partners to intercept huge shipments of drugs and trace key members of the criminal enterprise. 'A portion of the Class A drugs seized would have undoubtedly been destined for the UK, where its supply at street level fuels violence and exploitation, and brings misery to our communities. 'Tackling global crime groups such as this one requires strong collaboration with international partners, and our efforts alongside them continue to ensure these networks are demolished.' Pubgoers could have had their hopes dashed of a cooling pint in the pub on the hottest day of the year after Wetherspoons became the latest victim in the massive Microsoft outage affecting businesses around the world. The technical fault, which caused Windows software to suddenly shut down, grounded flights and knocked hospitals, GP surgeries, train services, banks, stock exchanges and TV channels offline. Pub chain Wetherspoons seems to have been affected as well, with many people posting on social media that their local pub was 'in chaos', 'crippled', closed or only accepting cash. One wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: 'Oh is THAT why Wetherspoons is in chaos this morning. App down. Cash only. Kitchen screens blank. People are surviving on their wits out here.' Another said: 'I hope no one was planning on going to Wetherspoons tonight, Microsoft has crippled them.' A spokesman for Wetherspoons said that 'for a short time' the Wetherspoon app was down and pubs were only accepting cash, but the problem had been resolved. Fears for cheers: Customers are reporting their local Wetherspoons pub is closed, 'in chaos', 'crippled' or only accepting cash after a global IT outage affecting millions US cyber security company CrowdStrike has admitted to being responsible for the error and said 'fix has been deployed' The outage has been described by IT bosses today as a 'digital pandemic affecting millions', with others fearing the disruption will last long into the weekend. Microsoft confirmed it was investigating an 'issue' with its 365 apps and operating systems and said a resolution was 'forthcoming'. US cyber security company CrowdStrike has admitted to being responsible for the error and said a 'fix has been deployed'. The firm said it was caused by a 'defect found in a single content update' and insisted the issue 'was not a security incident or cyberattack'. CrowdStrike shares opened 15% down at the start of trading today - wiping $12.5billion (10.5bn) of the company's value - while Microsoft also opened down. Windows is the most used operating system in the world, meaning the outage is affecting almost every part of the global economy. One user said their local Wetherspoons pub was 'in chaos' this morning after the outage Another user said that Microsoft had 'crippled' pub chain Wetherspoons One customer said they could only pay with cash when they had breakfast at their local pub Using some tongue-in-cheek humour, one user said the situation was 'bl**dy serious' because the chain pub's app was also down Another, posting with an angry emoji reaction, said the incident was 'serious' because the Wetherspoons chain had also been affected Another, posting with an angry emoji reaction, said the incident was 'serious' because the Wetherspoons chain had also been affected At a Wetherspoons in Oxford, social media user Tom reported that the pub was only accepting cash payments Aside from Wetherspoons this includes other supermarkets and hospitality venues, including Morrisons, Waitrose and the bakery chain Gail's, unable to take card payments. TV channels including Sky News and CBBC spent time off air this morning. Huge queues were seen at Gatwick Airport after the Microsoft outage affected services The website Down Detector shows just some of the companies that are experiencing IT problems There was also a day of chaos at airports which saw departure boards immediately turn off at Heathrow, Gatwick and Edinburgh on the busiest day for British air travel since before the Covid pandemic. In a sign of the global impact of the IT failure, passengers were seen sleeping in passageways at Los Angeles International Airport, huge queues formed at terminals across Spain, and in Belfast and Delhi staff set up a whiteboard to record departures. Shops in Australia shut down or went cashless after digital checkouts stopped working, while in the US emergency services lines went down in Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Ohio. British train passengers have been warned to expect delays due to 'widespread IT issues across the entire network', while NHS England said patients should attend GP appointments unless told otherwise due to problems with the appointment and patient record system. There is no known problem with 999 services. As engineers battle to restore services - As many as 400 migrants crossed the English Channel today on small boats, according to onlookers. The arrival comes after one female migrant who has not been identified died trying to cross the English Channel after the overcrowded vessel she was travelling in deflated and sank. The woman was the sixth person in a week to perish while attempting to make the crossing into the UK. The tragedy takes the number of people who have died making the treacherous crossing so far this year to a total of 21 including men, women and children. Some 317 migrants arrived in the UK in six boats after crossing the Channel on Thursday, according to Home Office figures. It brings the provisional total of migrants arriving via the English Channel in 2024 so far to 15,076. Up to 400 migrants crossed the English Channel today on small boats, according to onlookers. They were pictured disembarking onto the harbourside at Dover, carrying their belongings in plastic bags and wearing orange life jackets On Friday more boats set out on the perilous journey, with dozens of migrants being brought to Dover on one Border Force vessel The year to date has been the busiest for crossings so far, with 14,759 migrants arriving between January 1 and July 16 - the most recent date for which figures are available. This compares to 14,622 in 2022, the second busiest year This is 9 per cent higher than the number recorded this time last year (13,774) and 0.2 per cent down on the same period in 2022 (15,106), according to PA news agency analysis of Government data. Boats used by people smugglers to transport migrants are often small, inflatable vessels, completely unsuitable for crossing the world's busiest shipping lanes. On Friday more boats set out on the perilous journey, with dozens of migrants being brought to Dover on one Border Force vessel so far. They could be seen disembarking onto the harbourside, carrying their belongings in plastic bags and wearing orange life jackets. The most recent tragedy unfolded after five people were pulled from the water after a 'heavily loaded' boat got into difficulty off the coast of Calais, France, at around 1am on Friday, the French coastguard said. 'A mayday call was made soon after midnight, but at first those on board did not want to be rescued,' said a French emergency services source. A stock image shows a group of migrants attempting to cross the Channel from France using a small boat French police wearing riot gear pictured watching on as migrants launch into the Channel on a overpacked inflatable boat on July 11, 2024 'Navy personnel aboard the patrol board Cormoran rescued five people from the sea to begin with, but people still on board the deflating dinghy were also in a lot of trouble. 'There was an inanimate person among them, and efforts were made to revive her, but she was soon declared dead. 'The boat was massively overloaded, and sea conditions were very choppy.' Passengers on the overloaded boat, which had 86 people on board, initially refused help from French authorities. The migrants were eventually rescued and brought on board the French ship PSP Cormoran, but one unconscious person could not be saved. All the survivors were taken to Calais. A Number 10 spokeswoman said: 'It is a tragedy that yet another life has been lost and the Prime Minister spoke to such an incident just yesterday.' The migrants were eventually rescued and brought on board the French ship PSP Cormoran (pictured), but one unconscious person could not be saved A border force vessel pulls into Dover, Kent, today to deliver dozens of migrants The migrants were seen huddled in blankets and wearing life jackets The arrivals bring the provisional total of migrants arriving via the English Channel in 2024 so far to 15,076 She said the incident 'underlines the stark reality of the dangers of these crossings and the callousness of the criminal gangs who are driving this'. The spokeswoman said the Prime Minister and Home Secretary are 'working to address this and step-up enforcement', including through 'work we'll be carrying out with European partners'. A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said a UK Border Force vessel was sent to 'support the response' co-ordinated by French authorities after receiving a report of a boat in difficulty. The latest death comes after one person died and 71 others were rescued in an incident off the coast of northern France on Wednesday, and four migrants died in the English Channel on July 12. Speaking on Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the deaths are a 'chilling reminder of the human cost' of people smuggling, as he vowed to tackle the issue at the European Political Community summit. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to unveil new legislation to tackle the small boats crisis. A Border Force vessel assisted the French rescue operation on Wednesday, after which all rescued migrants were returned to Calais. Speaking on Thursday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the deaths are a 'chilling reminder of the human cost' of people smuggling, as he vowed to tackle the issue at the European Political Community summit The Home Office denied there had been a change in policy amid reports the Border Force had returned migrants to Calais for the first time ever. Speaking on Friday, armed forces minister Luke Pollard welcomed the 'effort by Border Force to make sure we are tackling that cross-Channel smuggling operation'. Asked whether there is a new policy for Border Force to return small boats to France, he told LBC Radio: 'We'll be working out the full policy and how it works. I'm afraid it's not as simple as taking every single boat back to the French shore. 'But what we have seen is French ships intercepting some of those dinghies travelling across the Channel and returning to France. We'd like to see more effort put in place like this, so we're stopping that illegal trade.' One trend which is noticeable in the data is the rising number of migrants using a single boat to attempt the crossing. During the record year 2022, the average number of people per boat was 41. This year, the average is 51 per boat, an increase of 24 per cent. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper (pictured) is expected to unveil new legislation to tackle the small boats crisis In total this year 14,976 people have arrived, with more making the crossing on Friday, this figure is expected to go over 15,000. In 27 boats in July, 1,587 people arrived, with an average of 58 people per dinghy. A Home Office spokesperson said: 'We all want to see an end to dangerous small boat crossings, which are undermining border security and putting lives at risk. 'The new Government is taking steps to boost our border security, setting up a new Border Security Command which will bring together our intelligence and enforcement agencies, equipped with new counter-terror-style powers and hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas, to smash the criminal smuggling gangs making millions in profit.' A French spokesperson added: 'Several migrant boats are still at sea and surveillance operations are continuing. 'The maritime prefect of the Channel and the North Sea warns anyone planning to cross the Channel of the risks involved. 'This maritime sector is one of the busiest areas in the world, with more than 600 commercial ships passing through it per day and the weather conditions are often difficult. 'It is therefore a particularly dangerous sector even when the sea seems calm.' Steve Smith, CEO of refugee charity Care4Calais said: 'Every death in the English Channel is a completely avoidable tragedy. 'No one chooses to risk their life crossing the Channel because it's their preferred route to seek safety in the UK. 'The reality is it's their only route to claim asylum in the UK, because the last government effectively cut every safe route. 'All this talk of 'smashing the gangs' and setting up a Border Security Command by the new Labour government may be a change in terminology, but it will be no more effective than the failed 'deterrents' pursued by the last Tory government. 'All the so-called deterrents have done to date is push crossings further along the French coast, where they are more dangerous, and where the risk of death is higher. 'From our work in northern France, we know that the only way to stop Channel crossings is to create safe routes for refugees to claim asylum in the UK. 'Until the UK government does that, sadly we will continue to see more lives lost in the English Channel.' Microsoft's share price has plummeted by $10 each before rising again following a global IT outage which impacted the entire world. The technical fault, which caused Windows software to suddenly shut down, grounded flights and knocked hospitals, GP surgeries, train services, banks, stock exchanges and TV channels offline. Following the global outage, Microsoft which runs the Windows software has seen its share prices drop on Wall Street. Yesterday evening a stock at Microsoft cost $441.59. However, by this morning when the global issues with the software became more apparent the share dropped to 432.94. The drop was short-lived and the stock has since began to rise again but below the price yesterday evening. This morning when the global issues with Microsoft became apparent the share dropped to 432.94 A screen in Madrid Airport affected by the global outage. The technical fault, which caused Windows software to suddenly shut down, grounded flights and knocked hospitals, GP surgeries, train services, banks, stock exchanges and TV channels offline Huge queues at Gatwick Airport after a massive Microsoft outage affected services Meanwhile Crowdstrike - the company responsible for the disruption - has seen an eye-watering $12.2bn wiped off its value. This comes as experts fear the outage will impact services for days. It was described by IT bosses today as a 'digital pandemic affecting millions', with others fearing the disruption will last long into the weekend. Among those taking extra steps today was the Mercedes F1 team, which since 2019 has been an official partner of CrowdStrike, the US cyber security firm which admitted to being responsible for the error. A team spokesperson said it was working to apply 'the relevant fixes' ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix this weekend. It comes after a day of chaos which saw departure boards immediately turn off at airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Edinburgh on the busiest day for British air travel since before the Covid pandemic. In a sign of the global impact of the IT failure, passengers were seen sleeping in passageways at Los Angeles International Airport, huge queues formed at terminals across Spain, and in Belfast and Delhi staff set up a whiteboard to record departures. Shops in Australia shut down or went cashless after digital checkouts stopped working, while in the US emergency services lines went down in Alaska, Arizona, Indiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Ohio. These maps show where Microsoft outages have been concentrated in the UK, the USA and Australia A checkout worker in a Little Waitrose at Kings Cross Station told customers: 'It is cash only at the moment. The card machines are not working' AUSTRALIA: The 'blue screen of death' is seen at a supermarket in Brisbane after the outage British train passengers have been warned to expect delays due to 'widespread IT issues across the entire network', while NHS England said patients should attend GP appointments unless told otherwise due to problems with the appointment and patient record system. There is no known problem with 999 services. Microsoft confirmed it was investigating an 'issue' with its 365 apps and operating systems and said a resolution was 'forthcoming'. US cyber security company CrowdStrike has admitted to being responsible for the error and said 'fix has been deployed'. The firm said it was caused by a 'defect found in a single content update' and insisted the issue 'was not a security incident or cyberattack'. CrowdStrike shares opened 15% down at the start of trading today - wiping $12.5billion (10.5bn) of the company's value - while Microsoft also opened down. Windows is the most used operating system in the world, meaning the outage is affecting almost every part of the global economy - with supermarkets and hospitality venues, including Morrisons, Waitrose, Wetherspoon and the bakery chain Gail's, unable to take card payments. TV channels including Sky News and CBBC spent time off air this morning. Around the world banks, supermarkets and other major institutions said computer issues were disrupting services. Chris Dimitriadis, chief global strategy officer at ISACA, a professional IT association, described the incident as a 'digital pandemic'. This graph shows just some of the companies that have been affected by the IT outage Microsoft users around the world have taken to social media to express their confusion at their computers shutting down He said: 'When one service provider in the digital supply chain is affected, the whole chain can break, causing large-scale outages. This incident is a clear example of what could be termed a digital pandemic, a single point of failure impacting millions of lives globally.' GPs have also been hit, with surgeries in Cumbria, Cheshire, Yorkshire and the West Midlands taking to social media to say their systems had been affected. The issue has hit the EMIS system, which allows doctors to book appointments, view patient notes, order prescriptions and make referrals. Speaking to MailOnline, a practice manager of a GP practice in Berkshire said: 'We are completely dead in the water. 'We can't see any patients are systems are down. It's not clinically safe to treat patients because we can't see their notes. 'Can't give out prescriptions and even if we do hand write them the problem is also affecting the pharmacies. It's affecting the whole area and hospitals are in an even worse situation.' Microsoft has suggested to those affected by the error that they turn their machines off and on again - as many as 15 times - in order to resolve the error, reported 404 Media. Microsoft have been contacted for comment. Just two months ago Microsoft was hit with another major outage after Bing.com, Microsoft's search engine, went down with the problem apparently spreading to the brand's application programming interface which means that services such as DuckDuckGo also went down. According to reports the outage also impacted ChatGPT and Ecosia. Despite Google's dominance in the world of web searching, Bing's API has numerous high profile clients. In various reports on X, users said that they were either greeted with a blank page or a 429 HTTP code error when they attempted to log on. Users claimed that both Bing.com and DuckDuckGo were loading but neither were producing search results when a query was typed. Country Bear Musical Jamboree suffered a Krusty Land-like situation after one of its animatronic creatures began smoking on stage. Showgoers were shocked after Ernest, the fiddling brown bear, started billowing smoke in the middle of a performance. Several confused visitors got out of their seats once they realized the bear wouldn't stop smoking, and they were ready to rush out of the room. 'I think he played the fiddle a little too hard and caught on fire. Show's canceled,' the video taker said. Although attendees seemingly rushed out of there, Disney told TMZ that the smoke coming out of Ernest was intentional. Showgoers were shocked after Ernest, the fiddling brown bear, started smoking in the middle of a performance that's part of the Country Bear Musical Jamboree Ernest's face was covered in smoke shortly after it appeared in the July 17 TikTok video. Confused guests got their belongings together and began to search for an exit. A Disney employee later directed the parkgoers to the exit, and emptying the attraction appeared to go smoothly. The smoking bear did not ruin the jamboree, and the ride was successfully running again the next day. This incident occurred only a day after the Country Bear Musical Jamboree attraction reopened following its temporary closure for revamp last January. Ernest and nearly all other members of the animatronic group are part of the reworked Disney World attraction. However, the pouty-lipped bear named Liver Lips McGrowl was removed due to concerns over his offensive name, according to Inside the Magic. The term 'liver lips' is associated with excessive alcohol consumption, and individuals have also used it as a racial slur against African Americans. Disney officials replaced this bear with Romeo McGrowl, who looks similar to its predecessor. The ride continues to play fun Disney music in various country genres like bluegrass and Americana. Park guests swiftly exited the attraction during what they thought was an unintentional incident. However, Disney told TMZ the smoke was planned Pictured: Liver Lips McGrowl (pictured), a slightly-chubby brown bear with pouty lips, was axed from the program over concerns his name is offensive The Country Bear Musical Jamboree fiasco is not the first flammable incident to occur on Disney park-related attractions. Disneyland's Tom Sawyer Island in California was highly publicized last year after its 45-foot-tall animatronic dragon caught fire that April. The dragon burst into flames during Disneyland's 'Fantasmic!' show, and once the dragon's head was ablaze, cast members fled the scene. Around 1,000 parkgoers were evacuated that night around the park, and the smoke spread throughout the area. Witnesses posted videos all over social media during the event, and no one was reported injured. Disneyland started up the show again last May, a new dragon sequence between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent was added to the attraction, but the dragon itself has been removed. A 45-foot tall animatronic dragon caught fire on Disneyland's Tom Sawyer island in California and caused families to flee the park TikTok users were full of fun comments and questions about the smoking bear, and one person had an idea of how it could've malfunctioned. 'I wonder if the hose for the smoke effect came disconnected, and it just looked like it was on fire and coming through the fur covering instead,' they wrote. Others were quick to joke about the matter and called Ernest 'Smokey the Bear' and 'Country Bear BBQ.' Like Disney, a TikToker claimed the smoke was indeed part of the show, something parkgoers may not realize. 'We lost power yesterday! The smoke was part of the show, but coincidentally, it stopped at the same time,' the TikToker wrote Last night's rioting the third time in just over two decades that the ethnically diverse Leeds suburb has been blighted by lawlessness came as members of the Roma community complained about being 'persecuted' by police. Indeed just last year an official report aimed at tackling problems they face told of their 'fierce pride' and how 'a problem for one member of the community was seen as a problem for all'. The ethnic minority, who are widely subjected to discrimination and poverty throughout Europe, are just the latest to settle in Harehills. Many have large families, and around 5,000 Roma are now believed to live in the deprived neighbourhood, attracted by its spacious three-story terraces and low house prices. Last night's angry and indefensible attack on police and social workers trying to protect children from a Roma family over welfare concerns appears to have ignited underlying allegations of racism and persecution at the hands of the authorities. Local people watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood after last night's civil unrest Local people look on at the scene following riots in the city of Leeds last night Forensic scientists examine a burnt out bus, as police patrol the Harehills neighbourhood Local people watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood Forensic scientists examine a burnt out bus, as police patrol the Harehills neighbourhood after last night's civil unrest Police horses at the scene in Leeds after riots caused chaos in the city last night Neighbours watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood Today one community leader told the Mail: 'We are persecuted at home and now here. 'The police should not have taken the children away, it is upsetting for the parents and family and children.' Indeed research by Leeds City Council aimed at boosting integration of Roma families tells of their 'fierce pride' and, tellingly given last night's shocking events, how 'a problem for one member of the community, was seen as a problem for all'. The report's authors say: 'We were told about the fierce pride the Roma community had for their culture and heritage. 'This had remained despite the challenges, and the stigma and discrimination, they have faced. 'We were told about how community members would show great support for one another.' Harehills has long been one of the most ethnically diverse areas of Leeds. At the last Census in 2021, 38 per cent of residents of Harehills and neighbouring Gipton described themselves as being from Asian backgrounds, 36 per white and 17 per cent black. It has also been ranked as the most deprived neighbourhood in the West Yorkshire city with among the highest levels of unemployment, crime and poor health. Police horses attend the scene following the violent riots in Leeds yesterday evening Local people watch the clean up in Leeds today following a night of chaos and violence Police tape cordons off the remains of a burnt out bus after civil disturbance last night Local people watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood after last night's civil unrest At least twice before, violence and ill-feeling towards police has spilled out into street violence. In 2001, hundreds of men went on the rampage in Harehills following the wrongful arrest of an Asian man, Hossein Miah. Officers were lured to nearby Banstead Park over a false report that one had been hit by a petrol bomb. A multi-ethnic mob then barricaded police with burning furniture from a second-hand store nearby as well as washing machines. Over 20 cars were torched, 23 officers and a journalist were hurt and a shop was burnt down, with damage put at 500,000. Twenty-five men were later given jail sentences for what a judge branded 'violence for the sake of violence'. Then on Bonfire Night in 2019, terrified Harehills residents cowered indoors as police were forced to battle a five-hour siege by yobs armed with fireworks, bricks and axes. As with last night's disorder, locals bravely tried to defend police, with six officers injured. Three of the rioters were later given jail sentences totalling seven years. However on the 20th anniversary of the 2001 riots, there were warnings that little had changed. One business owner told Leeds Live: 'It's the same, it hasn't changed a bit.' A local resident complained about 'blatant' drug dealing, adding: 'The police are present sometimes but I don't think it's enough.' A 15-year-old has been arrested after a 30-year-old man was stabbed to death on a residential street in Sydney's inner west. NSW Police were called to an address in Spring Street, Concord, at 12.30am on Saturday, following reports of a stabbing. They arrived to find a man suffering multiple stab wounds to his chest outside the property. The man, who is yet to be formally identified, was treated by paramedics, but died at the scene. A teenager was arrested nearby and is assisting police with their inquiries at Burwood Police Station. Police have established a crime scene and detectives are investigating the incident. As inquiries continue, police are urging anyone with information or CCTV footage to contact Burwood police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. NSW Police were called to an address in Spring Street, Concord, at 12.30am on Saturday, following reports of a stabbing. They have established a crime scene and detectives are investigating the incident The family of a young mother killed by streets racers while she waited for a bus are suing Portland authorities for $15M - nearly two years after her death. Ashlee McGill, 26, was fatally struck when motorist Jonathan Pena was drag racing another driver at speeds over 80mph in August 2022. Her devastated family believe her death could have been prevented as the area was known as a high-crash corridor which street racers often frequented. Ashlee's mother Mistegay Nicholson filed a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing authorities of negligence recklessness and wrongful death. It comes after a Portland man was this week left starry-eyed after a car hit him while illegally driving through a park late at night. The city's law enforcement has come under increasing scrutiny following its efforts to 'defund the police' following activist pressure after the death of George Floyd in 2020. Ashlee McGill, 26, was fatally struck when motorist Jonathan Pena was drag racing another driver at speeds over 80mph in August 2022 Ashlee's mother, Misty Nicholson filed a $15M lawsuit against the city of Portland, and other agencies - as they believe Ashlee's death could have been prevented Ashlee was waiting for a bus when Pena's Mustang jumped the curb and struck her, killing her instantly. The collision was at the intersection at Southeast Stark Street and Southeast 133rd Avenue. The suit the Portland Bureau of Transportation, the Portland Police bureau, TriMet - Portland's bus and commuter rail service, the Oregon Department of Transportation and Multnomah County, among others, KOIN News reported. The filing states that the Portland Bureau of Transportation had designated the area of Southeast Stark Street as a high-crash corridor. It adds there were 'lack of warnings and visual cues.' The median located in the middle of the street was raised and posed a danger which prompted the vehicle to swerve and try and go around it while they were racing. Documents also point out that the street Ashlee was waiting for the bus was 'substantially blocked from the view of eastbound traffic by a telephone pole, trash can, fire hydrant and other signage.' A year before, Ashlee died, the city had less traffic enforcement officers in the area where the young mother was killed. 'It was foreseeable that injury and death to pedestrians such as Ashlee McGill would occur, the suit said. Ashlee pictured with her son, Ryker, now 8. She is survived by three sisters and many relatives Pena's smashed up vehicle also hit the car of another drag racer before crashing into a tree Pena pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide, recklessly endangering another person and reckless driving. He was sentenced to three years in prison the sentence she called 'too light' prompted outrage. 'I think that if they are trying to get people to stop speed racing, that's not going to do it,' McGill's mother, Misty Nicholson, told KATU News. Before the fatal crash, Pena hit 84 mph - 54 mph above the posted speed limit. Evidence presented in court showed how the impact downed tree branches, shattered the windows of a nearby dental clinic and rendered his car a mangled wreck. Pena was charged with second-degree manslaughter the following August, but the charge was later adjusted to criminally negligent homicide, a Class B felony. He pleaded guilty to additional charges of recklessly endangering another person and reckless driving were stacked on during his sentencing. Pena will serve 36 months behind bars due to time already served, with three years post-release supervision and five-years' probation. He must also pay at least $5,000 restitution. Jonathan Pena (pictured) pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide, recklessly endangering another person and reckless driving The other driver, Kenneth Freeman, also pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and was sentenced to five years in prison last fall. A third driver who partook in the race has not been identified. Nicholson read a statement during Pena's sentencing, stating: 'I do hope for the rest of your life, every time you close my eyes you see my daughter and remember what you did to her.' McGill was a native of Portland and a doting mother to her eight-year-old son, Ryker. She is also survived by her mother, three sisters, grandmother, aunt and uncles. Pena's sentencing came just over a year after the passage of Oregon Senate Bill 615, which increases penalties for people convicted of street racing. First-time offenders may be slapped with a sentence of up to 364 days in jail, a $6,250 fine, or both. Meanwhile, repeat offenders within a five-year period face a maximum of five years behind bars, a $125,000 fine, or both. A transgender prisoner who was locked up after duping three women into having sex with him using a prosthetic penis has complained 72 times about being 'misgendered' since being sent to an all-female jail, it emerged today. Complaints made by Tarjit Singh, 34, who was born a biological female, resulted in bosses at HMP Downview women's prison in Banstead in Surrey investigating scores of allegations relating to his sexuality. Singh is serving ten years in prison for assault and making threats to kill in May 2022. Formerly known as Hannah Walters, but now identifying as male, Singh was arrested after three women came forward to tell of ordeals between June 2010 and March 2016. It emerged he would keep clothing on and have sex with the women with the strap-on phallus when the lights were turned off. He also falsely claimed he had children and even pretended to orgasm during sex. Transgender prisoner Tarjit Singh, 34, who duped three women into having sex, has complained 72 times about being 'misgendered' since being sent to an all-female jail When the victims began to ask questions, Singh became abusive and manipulative, telling one woman there was 'more to a relationship than sex' and that she should learn to talk about her feelings more. He was jailed following a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court. Of the 72 complaints made by Singh alleging he was misgendered in prison, 11 have been upheld while four have been been partially upheld. Prison officials marked the remaining 55 as no further action required. The cost of each investigation and how long they took is not known. Details of Singh's time behind bars emerged in a court of appeal ruling which rejected pleas his jail sentence was 'manifestly excessive' after senior judges concluded he 'contributed' to much of the issues he faced behind bars. In the run up to the hearing, three senior psychologists were assigned to examine Singh's case and compiled 1,900 pages of medical notes to see if he was less 'culpable' for his offending due to his 'gender dysphoria.' Singh also said he had ADHD and 'mind blindness.' Lord Justice Dingemans, who was sitting with two other appeal court judge said: 'The evidence showed that the appellant's case was complex, and he had received nine separate diagnoses from medical professionals. 'There was some overlap between some of the conditions, which meant that there could be difficulties in identifying the exact diagnosis. Of the 72 complaints made by Singh alleging he was misgendered in prison, 11 have been upheld while four have been been partially upheld. Prison officials marked the remaining 55 as no further action required. Pictured: HMP Downview women's prison in Banstead, Surrey 'The evidence also showed that the appellant, living as a man, but being anatomically female, would find prison conditions in a female prison difficult. 'This is because of the effect of misgendering, which would happen from time to time, and the absence of any way of walking away from the situation. 'This is notwithstanding the existence of a transgender policy which had been updated in January 2024. 'The appellant had made 72 complaints while at HMP Downview, 11 had been upheld, 4 had been partially upheld, and 55 had been investigated and reported to be not the subject of further action. 'It was also apparent that the fact that the appellant had exhibited challenging behaviour in custody meant that some opportunities to ameliorate his conditions had been lost.' He added: 'We do not find that the appellant had theory of mind deficits or mind blindness that mitigated his culpability. 'This is because the appellant's actions showed that he was actively deceiving the complainants by pretending to have children and by referring to a condom. 'If the appellant had had the mind blindness, he would not have practised such deceits. This would have been because he would not have appreciated the need to do so. 'We do find that the appellant has gender dysphoria and personality disorders, as was common ground between the experts. 'But we do not, however, find that the appellant's culpability was reduced by the fact that he has gender dysphoria or personality disorders. 'This is because there was not sufficient connection between the appellant's impairment or disorder and the offending behaviour. 'As to the gender dysphoria, it is clear that the appellant would not have been motivated to commit the sexual offences against the complainants if he did not have gender dysphoria, but the existence of that diagnosis does not explain or mitigate the appellant's deceit of the three complainants, or his assaults on two of the complainants or the threat to kill one of them. 'All of the experts accepted, and it is obvious, that the fact that a person has gender dysphoria does not mean that such a person would deceive complainants into being penetrated by a dildo. 'It is apparent from all the information before the Court that the fact that the appellant has gender dysphoria has caused real difficulties for the appellant. 'The fact, however, that the appellant has gender dysphoria does not mitigate the appellant's actions in deceiving the three separate complainants into being penetrated without their consent. The third victim met Singh after receiving a message from dating website Plenty of Fish in 2014 'As for the personality disorders, there is nothing to show that these disorders were linked to the offending so as to reduce culpability, and none of the experts suggested that they were so linked. 'The trial judge did refer to the fact that the appellant would face difficulties in prison as a mitigating factor. 'It is apparent that some of those difficulties have materialised, and it is apparent that the appellant's behaviour has contributed to some of the difficulties that he faces. 'There is evidence that the appellant's interests are being properly considered. We have considered the adjudications from the prison, but we do not consider that the judge should have given a greater discount.' During Singh's trial, one victim only found out about his sexuality after finding his strap-on prosthetic penis some months into their relationship. She told police officers that she felt 'so stupid' that she had fallen for such lies and added: 'He looked like a guy, he acted like a guy.' Singh told another victim that he had been born a boy, had a sex change to become a woman, and now wanted to be a man again. The third victim met Singh after receiving a message from the dating website Plenty of Fish in 2014. Singh told her that he would be having a sex change to become a woman. He was caught out after this relationship became abusive and the victim made a complaint to police. During the trial the prosecution was able to present mobile phone evidence that showed a history of websites visited by Singh, which included FreeToMProsthetics.com - a company making ultra-realistic prosthetic penises. Singh has previous offences including false imprisonment, perverting the course of justice, administering a noxious substance, having a Taser, going equipped for burglary, causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The court heard he was the product of an inter-familial relationship between his parents, had suffered abuse as he grew up and was taken into care at the age of 11. By 14 he was given a supported housing placement, but lived in 40 as many broke down due to of his 'challenging behaviour.' Headteachers are rebelling against the Scottish Governments weak approach to school discipline as the classroom violence crisis deepens. Some are now ditching the heavily criticised restorative practice policy which favours conciliatory chats with aggressive pupils over punishments. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has said she does not support more punitive approaches to school exclusions and even suggested that pupils should no longer be given punishment exercises. But her support of a more restorative approach comes at a time when teaching staff have expressed concerns they are being driven out of schools due to the escalating threat of attack. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has been criticised for backing a 'restorative' approach to tackling aggressive pupils The revelation that schools may be abandoning the new approach comes in correspondence with education secretary Jenny Gilruth obtained through Freedom of Information laws. Included in the tranche of letters sent to to her on the issue of school violence is one from a head who set aside Scottish Government advice on dealing with indiscipline. The headteacher - whose name and school are redacted in the documents - told Ms Gilruth: If we are preparing children and young people to be responsible citizens, we must teach them that there are consequences for ones actions. If we believe the school reflects community, then we must not lure our young people into thinking that wrongdoing/violence etc in society will be dealt with through restorative conversations - this doesnt happen. Following the decision to ignore government advice, the headteacher says, the schools grading in raising attainment rose from fair to very good. Earlier this week alarming figures revealed assaults on teachers by pupils in Scottish schools had almost tripled in the last three years. The figure for the 2023/2024 academic year was 16,000 - or one assault every four minutes of school time. Almost 80 per cent of teachers have considered leaving the profession, according to a survey by teaching union the Educational Institute of Scotland, and many argue the softly-softly approach to discipline is putting them in danger. In the letter to Ms Gilruth the headteacher describes school life since the restorative practice ethos was ditched. The head writes: With the support of my staff, parent body and learners, we created our own consequences and rewards approach to supporting behaviour management. It was very clearly structured and communicated to our whole community. Well used across the entire school, visitors to our school always commented on the polite and respectful behaviour modelled across the school. The letter adds: Staff felt supported by this approach, and we had a low turnover of staff, and below average staff absence. The head notes the contrast between this and another school where a colleague was recently appointed to a senior post. This school, like most in Scotland, have a weak Restorative Behaviour Approach. As a result, staff absence and staff turnover are extremely high, learners and staff feel unsafe, increased anxiety levels, inordinate hours of management time spent recording incidents. This, says the head, resulted in less time to address curriculum development and in teaching time severely impacted due to addressing pupil behaviour. Staff morale there was also at an all-time low. The school head adds: So, Ms Gilruth, the first step to improving attainment, retaining school staff, protecting childrens mental health and well-being and ensuring Scottish education is once more the envy of the world, is to be bold, be brave and ditch what isnt working - starting with Restorative Practice. Encourage school leaders to look outwards, without fear. The letter concludes: Lets not let poor policies drive any more good teachers out of the profession. Last week Tom Bennett, the UK Governments top adviser on classroom behaviour, told the Mail on Sunday the Scottish Governments policy on school discipline was a ghastly dereliction of public duty. He said: The system is broken because schools are told to never exclude children, even for persistent abusive behaviour, and are expected to miraculously turn behaviour around by pastoral methods. Commenting on the letter, Scottish Conservative education spokesman Liam Kerr told the Mail: It seems this headteacher has some great success at their school - because they ignored Scottish Government policy. People like this correspondent are the ones who know best, and the ones ministers should be listening to. We all want to raise standards and attainment in schools, and sometimes the SNP has to swallow its pride and admit when it has got things wrong. I hope the education secretary heeds the evidence in this letter and will act accordingly. A Scottish Government spokesman said: Schools should have policies in place which determine clearly what action should be taken to address challenging behaviour and bullying. The current national guidance for teachers on behaviour and relationships does not prevent the use of consequences. The spokesman added: The Scottish Government is aware of the changes in behaviour in Scotlands schools since the pandemic, which is why the Education Secretary held a series of summits focused on behaviour and published the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR) last year. Work is also well under way to bring forward a National Action Plan to set out the actions needed at local and national level. A dog who led rescue teams to his dementia-stricken owner while she was lost in Utah mountains has been hailed as a hero. The elderly woman went missing following a dog walk near her family's cabin on June 24. When she failed to return, rescuers began scouring Joe's Valley in Emery County amid scorching 100F heat. After a few days with no sign of the woman, the team was giving up hope when the sound of her dog barking managed to lead them to her location. 'She's really lucky that she had her dog with her,' conservation officer James Thomas who found the woman told ABC4. A dog led rescuer James Thomas and his K-9 partner Kip (pictured) to his dementia stricken owner while she was lost in Utah mountains has been hailed as a hero The discovery came after rescuers and neighbors reported hearing barking out in the wilderness. Thomas headed out with his K-9 partner Kip but they were constrained by the extreme heat which meant Kip could only work for a short amount at a time. Hope was fading fast as the sun set and the woman had not been found. While day time temperatures were high, overnight the mercury plummeted to 55F. The next day, a review of surveillance footage showed the woman and her chocolate Labrador walking west towards the mountain. Thomas, Kip and a concerned neighbor headed out and they began searching higher up the terrain. As they climbed the mountain the barking got louder until they were eventually led to the woman's location. She was severely dehydrated, missing her shoes and covered in scratches and bruises. 'She thought she'd only been gone about 10 minutes,' Thomas said. 'To see her still alive, it was a good feeling. It was pretty remarkable what she went through.' The elderly woman went missing following a dog walk near her family's cabin in Joe's Valley, Emery County She was missing for three days before her dog's barking led rescuers to her location The neighbor gave her his water and returned to the subdivision to get cell service and notify the sheriff while the officer remained with her. She was then taken to the hospital for a medical evaluation. 'At the end of the day, her dog saved her life by barking to alert our officer and K-9 Kip,' Utah Division of Wildlife Services said in a post on Facebook. 'We're so glad she was found safe.' Last weekend, three hikers were killed in Utah amid the searing heat. The victims included Albino Herrera Espinoza, 52, and his daughter Beatriz Herrera, 23, from Green Bay, Wisconsin, who got lost and ran out of water while in Canyonlands National Park. A 30-year-old woman was also found dead in Snow Canyon State Park while rescuers were attending to reports of another person with heat exhaustion. Autocracy Inc. by Anne Applebaum (Allen Lane 20, 240pp) There isn't a more rigorous or engaged analyst of the crimes of the erstwhile Soviet dictatorship than Anne Applebaum, author of the Pulitzer prize-winning history of the Gulag, and also of Red Famine: Stalin's War On Ukraine. But the historian is also rooted in the present, as a fearsomely active journalist, and her latest work is an-up-to-the moment examination of how modern-day autocracies, not just that of Russia's President Putin, but also including China, North Korea, and Iran, act as a kind of informal bloc to challenge what they see as the West's 'hegemony'. It's a pity the phrase 'axis of evil' has already been taken, since that would be a fine description. Alas, it was inappropriately used by George W. Bush in the wake of the 9/11 attacks to join together Iran, Iraq and North Korea which actually had no military or financial links at all. But now Russia, China, North Korea and Iran do connect in this way, accelerated by Moscow's war on Ukraine. China's President Xi Jinping attends the closing ceremony of the 20th Chinese Communist Party's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 22, 2022 US journalist Anne Applebaum, author of the current affairs book Autocracy Inc, pictured in Poland in July 2024 Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a meeting at the Novo-Ogaryov state residence, outside Moscow, Russia, in July 2024 My only minor criticism of Applebaum's terrific book is that it never mentions the Iraq War of 2003-2011 or the later Western intervention in Libya. For these were the developments which not only gave rocket fuel to the anti-Western agenda globally, but also convinced many including in the West itself that we had little moral authority to criticise the military escapades launched by the Kremlin. Applebaum is especially good, however, in setting out the remarkable success of modern Russian propaganda (beyond the scope that Stalin could ever have dreamed of) using the worldwide web, and of China's ability both to control its own people through technology and to censor what was thought to be unstoppable. At the dawn of the millennium the ever-optimistic U.S. President Bill Clinton proclaimed that the internet would liberalise China, by exposing its people to all the possibilities the free world had to offer, in real time. When arguing (on similar grounds) for China to be admitted to the World Trade Organisation, he gave an address in which he ridiculed the idea that Beijing could keep a lid on this. 'Now, there's no question that China's been trying to crack down on the internet,' he declared. At that point, as Applebaum records, Clinton chuckled, adding: 'Good luck!' and his audience joined in the laughter. Well, they are not laughing now. The Great Firewall of China, and even more sophisticated tools than that, have allowed Beijing to succeed, keeping billions in a form of intellectual slavery. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pictured attending a meeting held at the construction site of a shallow sea aquaculture facility in Sinpo in South Hamgyong Province on July 14 Similarly, the German political establishment had long believed in the doctrine known as Wandel durch Handel 'change through trade' the idea that making nice with Moscow in terms of market access (most notably with pipelines taking Russian gas to Europe) would lead inevitably to political and cultural liberalisation. That dream, too, (or self-interest, in terms of the aspirations of German business) has been shattered. The kleptocracy just got richer and more ruthless. As the deputy mayor of St Petersburg (his first public role) in 1992, the former KGB officer Putin argued that 'the entrepreneurial class should become the basis for the flourishing of our society as a whole'. Music to the Western investors' ears. But Putin was then, already, creaming off vast sums for himself and associates, via his control of local export licences for raw material. As Applebaum notes, under Putin's (perpetually renewed) presidency this ultimately developed into 'a full-blown autocratic kleptocracy, a Mafia state built and managed entirely for the purpose of enriching its leadership'. It was for his leading role in exposing this that Alexei Navalny paid with his life. Despite his apparent personal austerity and regular crackdowns on colossal financial corruption within the Chinese Communist Party the inevitable consequence of permanent one-party rule Xi Jinping is only too happy to make common cause with the multi-billionaire plutocrat Putin. At heart, this is because they share a primordial terror of a popular uprising against their regimes: in this context, it was striking how in 2022 Xi suddenly abandoned his hitherto iron-cast Covid lockdown measures after revolt threatened to spread to the streets of Beijing and Shanghai. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention And the 'no limits' friendship which Xi entered into with Putin on February 4, 2022, was specifically designed to demonstrate a kind of solidarity among autocracies, against what they both constantly refer to as the West's 'attempts at hegemony'. Their communique denounced 'the abuse of democratic values and interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states'. Weeks later, Putin sent his tanks towards Kyiv. There was a tantalising glimpse of a possible fracture in the relationship at that moment: it seems likely that Xi had not been given a warning by Putin of what was about to happen and, some months later, Beijing made public its concern about the Kremlin's threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. But as Anne Applebaum concludes, the challenge to 'Autocracy Inc' must come from within the West itself. Yet the American people seem likely to elect to the White House (again) their own version of Autocracy Inc: Donald J. Trump. A sick thug who punched a baby numeorus times and left them with brain damage has been jailed for 14 years. Jordan Cattell, 25 from Handsworth in the West Midlands, hit the child as he lay in his cot in a home in Walsall. West Midlands Police said Cattell caused multiple skull fractures and haemorrhaging. The ten-month-old survived his injuries but will need full-time care for the rest of life due to his disabilities, the force said. Cattell had claimed the baby had fallen over, creating a story in an attempt to cover up his heinous crimes. Jordan Cattell, 25 from Handsworth in the West Midlands, hit the child as he lay in his cot in a home in Walsall Cattell has been sentenced to 14 years behind bars at Wolverhampton Crown Court (stock image) But a jury at Wolverhampton Crown Court did not believe him and he was found guilty of launching the horrific 2018 attack. Speaking after the case, Det Con Lucy Simpson, from West Midland Police, said: 'This was an upsetting case, particularly as it has such a long-lasting effect on the victim, at the time a small, innocent baby. The sustained injuries have impacted the victim's life, leading to lifelong disabilities. 'It has taken years of hard work to bring this case to court and I'm glad Cattell has been put behind bars for a significant period of time.' Vice President Kamala Harris stepped out for ice cream in Washington, DC on Friday, making a surprise public appearance as Democrats weigh the future of her political career. Harris visited Smize & Dream, a new Washington, DC pop-up location for an ice cream brand created by America's Top Model star Tyra Banks. The vice president got the 'Cap Hill Crunch' flavor, an experimental flavor. The recipe includes cereal-infused cereal, toffee crunch and cereal milk-soaked French toast pieces. Harris made her public appearance as Democrats continue pressuring President Joe Biden to give up his bid for reelection. Speculation about Harris' future has also ran rampant in Democratic circles as she tries to reassert herself as Biden's natural successor. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and her two grand nieces sample ice cream at the opening of the SMiZE & Dream ice cream pop-up shop Vice President Kamala Harris, attends the opening of a pop-up ice cream shop owned by Tyra Banks Previously, Harris had nothing on her public schedule although she held two campaign events earlier in the week. The ice cream trip took place just prior to a call with major Democratic donors on Friday afternoon, according to the New York Times. The purpose of the call is for Harris to address 'urgent, emerging needs' for the campaign, according to a letter from Democrat mega-donor Reid Hoffman, during a 'a rapidly evolving environment.' Although Vice President Harris is technically Biden's successor, some believe she is not the best candidate to replace Biden. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez told supporters in a video she published to social media late Thursday that the 'coconut-pilled' supporters of Harris should not assume that the vice president would take her place. 'I'm just going to say it. If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave that Kamala, that they will support Kamala, Vice President Harris, you would be mistaken,' she said. But on Friday, Harris appeared ready to take a break from the political drama. She brought her grandnieces, Amara and Leela along with her to sample the designer ice cream. 'Get ya booty in line!' Banks wrote on Instagram on Thursday to announce the opening of her shop. 'First 202 guests receive a free ice cream & yummy surprize!' Vice President Kamala Harris (C) and her two grand nieces order from Tyra Banks (L) at her new shop 'Smize Dream Ice Cream' in Washington, DC Tyra Banks greets U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at the opening of the SMiZE & Dream ice cream Banks coined the term 'Smize' to describe the task for models to smile with your eyes. It's unclear whether Harris got in line quickly enough for free ice cream, but she visited the shop and spoke with Banks. Banks told the girls that as a child, she used to go with her mom to an ice cream shop every Friday where they would sit in the car and talk about their dreams. 'My mama and I have been obsessed with ice cream for forever. And now -- I got me some big ice cream dreams with Smize & Dream,' she wrote on Instagram. A Green Party councillor who failed in a 'total waste of time' bid to de-twin a seaside town with an Israeli city has been accused of stirring up division. Cllr Joe Salmon put forward a motion for Bournemouth to sever 29-year-old ties with Netanya in Israel due to the ongoing war with Palestine. A meeting where the matter was due to be debated attracted rival protest groups from pro-Palestine supporters and members of the local Jewish community. After the bid failed, Mr Salmon was told to concentrate on representing the residents of the Bournemouth suburb he is a councillor for and not international politics. Mr Salmon, who represents the Moordown ward, said the 'plausible case for genocide' against Israel meant Bournemouth should cut its ties with Netanya to protect its reputation. Green Party councillor Joe Salmon, who failed in a 'total waste of time' bid to de-twin Bournemouth with Netanya in Israel, has been accused of stirring up division A meeting where the matter was due to be debated attracted rival protest groups from pro-Palestine supporters and members of the local Jewish community A team of police officers put themselves between the two rival groups outside Bournemouth's town hall to ensure there was no trouble, with no arrests made. Pictured: A counter protest from members of the Jewish community But the proposal prompted outrage from the sizable Jewish community of Bournemouth, including a Holocaust survivor. On Wednesday night, dozens of Jewish people were met by a large gathering of members of the Palestine Solidarity Movement, who waved flags and banners calling for the State of Palestine to be free. A team of police officers put themselves between the two rival groups outside the town hall to ensure there was no trouble, with no arrests made. In the end, the Bournemouth Charter Trustees said that having taken legal advice the motion to de-twin Bournemouth with Netanhya fell outside its remit. George Farquhar, the mayor of Bournemouth, said the group was a non-political body and was there to promote the historic and ceremonial duties of Bournemouth. At the meeting, several councillors criticised Mr Salmon. Others said his proposal was a 'total waste of time and resources' which has led to extra security having to be laid on for councillors. Elected member Lawrence Williams, who is Jewish, said: 'He should concentrate on his residents in Moordown and not international politics in Palestine. 'It was a total waste of time and resources for the council. 'They had to lay on extra security, not just for Cllr (Anne) Filer and I, but for the other councillors. 'We didn't expect it to go forward, I got the feeling that the large majority of councillors would have voted it down.' Green Party councillor Joe Salmon proposed the motion, citing a 'plausible case for genocide' against Israel as reason for Bournemouth to sever ties with Netanya to protect its reputation Councillor Jeff Hanna added: 'He (Mr Salmon) should reflect on the harm that his approach is doing here in Bournemouth and to desist. 'It is unnecessarily stirring up division and discontent within our community. 'The scenes... of Palestinian and Israeli supporters loudly protesting against one another outside the Civic Centre, brought about by the motion, will have done nothing for our reputation.' In response, Mr Salmon insisted he was committed to the Moordown residents and that he was speaking up for his constituents with family and friends in Gaza. He said: 'I condemn what happened on October 7 and call for all the hostages to be released. 'But that atrocity can not justify the atrocities which have been carried out since then, or beforehand. 'I can assure you I am concentrated on Moordown. 'There are people in Moordown who are very concerned about this issue who have friends and family in Gaza. 'I think actually we have a duty as public figures to take an interest in this.' He said he is 'considering his options' about next steps after the de-twinning motion was dismissed. Outlining his position ahead of the meeting, he said twinning was 'rooted in fostering mutual respect, cultural exchange and the promotion of peace and understanding'. But he added: 'When the actions and policies of a sister town's nation contradict these values, it becomes imperative to reconsider and potentially sever such ties. 'Currently, the ongoing human rights violations, system of apartheid imposed on Palestinians in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories and the plausible case for genocide...necessitate a reassessment of our twinning relationship with our sister town in Israel.' Bilal Yasin, chair of the Bournemouth Palestine Solidarity Movement, who backed his motion, said: 'For over 25 years, Bournemouth residents have marched, signed petitions, and submitted letters to the council and twinning committee, but until now, they have been ignored. A team of police officers put themselves between the two rival groups to ensure there was no trouble. Ultimately, the Bournemouth Charter Trustees said that having taken legal advice the motion to de-twin Bournemouth with Netanhya fell outside its remit. 'It's now, surely, time to urgently review this arrangement, as Bournemouth residents quite rightly no longer want our town to be associated with a country that operates an apartheid system which disenfranchises and oppresses a section of its population, that discriminates, brutalises and dehumanises them.' Earlier this year signs twinning Natanya with Bournemouth were removed from four separate locations around the Dorset town in a co-ordinated campaign. Henry Schachter, a Holocaust survivor and member of the Bournemouth Jewish community, said: 'We have been keeping a very low profile so as not to antagonise the Palestinian supporter group, but after nine months of this protesting, Jewish people are starting to get a bit fed up. It's time we have a little bit of kickback.' Stephen White, of the Bournemouth Community Hebrew Congregation, said there was a deep strength of feeling against the motion to de-twin Bournemouth with Netanya. But a spokesperson for the Bournemouth Palestine Solidarity Movement said they will continue to campaign for Bournemouth to end its association with Israel. They said: 'Although the motion was removed from the agenda, our fight to untwin Bournemouth from the apartheid regime on trial for genocide continues. 'Racism, antisemitism, apartheid, and genocide are not the principles on which the people of BCP stand.' An affectionate gorilla is going viral after a Columbus Zoo visitor caught a video of it trying to kiss her baby daughter, Noah. Hannah Pearson held Noah near a window in the Ohio zoo's gorilla exhibit when the animal attempted to kiss her through the glass. The gorilla was incredibly calm throughout the video, and Noah didn't notice what the animal tried to do. However, younger children couldn't help but laugh once the gorilla took its lips off the window. Pearson's TikTok video has received nearly four million views since it resurfaced earlier this week. TikTok user Hannah Pearson captured a video of a gorilla trying to kiss her daughter while they were visiting the Columbus Zoo earlier this year The gorilla was incredibly calm throughout the resurfaced video, and Noah didn't notice what the animal tried to do The Columbus Zoo in Powell is famous for its history in gorilla conservation, and it was the first zoo in the world to welcome a baby gorilla in captivity. That particular gorilla was born on December 22, 1956, and it was named Colo. Colo remained at the zoo until she died in her sleep in 2017 at the age of 60, outliving the life expectancy of a captive gorilla by over 20 years. The last surviving offspring of Colo, Toni, also lived its life at the Columbus Zoo and passed away in 2020 due to declining health. Today, the zoo is home to multiple gorilla troops, and on June 29, it celebrated the birth of a baby western lowland gorilla. 'With tiny hands and beautiful big brown eyes that melt our hearts, this baby is absolutely preciousin regard to both the cuteness factor and what the baby represents for this species future,' said Audra Meinelt, curator of the Columbus Zoos Congo Expedition region in a news release at the time. 'We are proud of the dedication of our care teams who diligently work to provide the gorillas with top quality care and wellbeing while continuing the legacy of the Columbus Zoos renowned gorilla program.' The Columbus Zoo in Powell is famous for its history in gorilla conservation, and it was the first zoo in the world to welcome a baby gorilla in captivity Colo, the first gorilla born in captivity, remained at the Columbus Zoo until she died in her sleep in 2017 at the age of 60 All gorillas at the Columbus Zoo are Western Lowland, and they are usually peaceful and shy unless feeling threatened. The population of Western Lowland gorillas has rapidly declined over the years, and they are labeled critically endangered. Two of the most significant factors that contribute to the species' population decrease are high levels of disease and hunting, according to Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. Although the exact number of living Western Lowland gorillas is unclear, the total population is thought to be around 100,000, according to the WWF. Animal enthusiasts who hope to see a Western Lowland gorilla in a more natural habitat can do so by visiting the forests of Congo. All gorillas at the Columbus Zoo are Western Lowland, and they are usually peaceful and shy unless feeling threatened The zoo is home to multiple gorilla troops, and on June 29, it celebrated the birth of a baby western lowland gorilla TikTok users swooned over the gorilla's love for Noah, and more than one person called the moment 'so sweet.' 'This is beautiful, and your baby is as well. She knows that's a baby. They're just so smart,' a TikToker wrote. Another commenter wrote: 'Oh my gosh, if this isnt precious, I dont know what is.' Additional team dispatched to flood-hit Shaanxi Xinhua) 20:34, July 18, 2024 BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters Office on Thursday sent an additional working team to the northwestern Shaanxi Province to aid local flood relief efforts. Though overall rainfall in the regions along the Yellow River and Huaihe River has weakened, the main rainband persists from the Sichuan Basin to these regions, meaning the flood control situation remains severe, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management. The office, ministry and other government departments on Thursday deployed joint flood relief measures in seven provinces, including Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Shaanxi. In response to severe rainstorms and flooding in Shaanxi, the office of the National Disaster Reduction Commission and the ministry, together with the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, have allocated 55,000 central relief supplies such as folding beds, emergency kits and quilts to flood-hit areas. Central emergency relief materials such as rubber boats, outboard engines and drainage pumps have been allocated to Henan to support local flood relief efforts. Emergency forces and equipment have also been deployed to Henan for dike reinforcement, water drainage and personnel transfers. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) The King and Queen were rushed to safety during a public engagement on Jersey because a man was seen on a nearby rooftop - hours after a would-be assassin attempted to shoot former US President Donald Trump. The royals had been out in the open visiting the island capital of St Helier on Monday - the first visit by British monarchs since 2005 - when they were suddenly rushed to a nearby hotel by concerned aides. Footage captured by the Mail showed Camilla being whisked away as she sampled locally made ice cream. The reason for the sudden departure, according to reports, is that security staff spotted someone on a roof overlooking the royals, with echoes of Trump's would-be assassin Matthew Crooks, who shot at the 45th President two days before. Police then made contact with the suspect, who was subjected to a background check - and the incident was ultimately declared a false alarm. Queen Camilla was whisked away to safety by security during a visit to Jersey earlier this week A member of royal security urges the King to keep moving as he is moved to safety The scare briefly disrupted the King and Queen's visit to Jersey - the first by the ruling British monarch since 2005 - earlier this week Donald Trump was the subject of an assassination attempt on Saturday - just two days before the royal visit to Jersey The shooter was identified as Thomas Crooks, who killed a former fire chief as he took shots at the 45th President Sources with knowledge of the situation told the Sun the man had been seen on a rooftop overlooking Liberation Square, where the King and Queen had been greeting well-wishers. Buckingham Palace did not comment officially but it was previously understood there had been a 'small issue of concern' among royal aides. Matt Taylor, founder of Jersey Sea Salt, was speaking to the King at the event when the security alert was triggered. He said: 'He stopped at the stall and said "Ooh sea salt" and I said "Come and have a chat, Sir." Then his security appeared and grabbed me and said "He has to go, now."' The monarch, together with Camilla, later reappeared in public once the all-clear was given. A royal source quoted in the Mirror said: 'There was a small issue of concern, an investigation turned out to be a false alarm, every precaution was taken and the programme resumed shortly afterwards.' But the sighting of an individual on a roof carried echoes of Trump shooter Matthew Crooks, 20, who took pot-shots at the former president during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Trump was struck in the ear and left bloodied while a former fire chief, Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed after being struck by one of the wayward shots. Crooks was killed seconds later by Secret Service snipers - but questions remain as to why he wasn't stopped sooner after witnesses spotted him minutes beforehand. A motive for his actions is also yet to be identified. Crooks was found to have searched online for Trump, 46th President Joe Biden and members of the British royal family, including Catherine, Princess of Wales, before the shooting. Trump told the Republican National Convention (RNC) yesterday he 'shouldn't be here' as he addressed supporters, many of whom wore patches over their ears in a sign of solidarity. The RNC came to an end yesterday, with Trump formally confirmed as the Republican presidential nominee. King Charles had said he was 'delighted' to return to Jersey, a 'beautiful and unique' island that had held such 'high regard and affection' for his late mother. As the heavens opened, they were greeted with huge cheers as they got out of the state Bentley and immediately sheltered under umbrellas. The King and the Queen, who wore a blue silk shirt dress by Anna Valentine, were led into the square by a Royal Mace, gifted to the island by Charles II in 1663 in recognition of the island's loyalty to the Crown. They walked down a red carpet lined with some 200 locals from the legal profession, Jurats, who act as judges, elected politicians and assorted guests. Police Scotland is at risk of sex discrimination claims from female staff over controversial gender self-identification policies, experts have warned. MurrayBlackburnMacKenzie, a group dedicated to examining public body policy, issued the warning to the force, which it says has a track record of promoting gender self-identification principles. They said the forces promotion of a Stonewall-backed Transitioning in the Workplace policy leaves it vulnerable to complaints from female members of staff. It was revealed earlier this week that reminders of the controversial 2019 policy have been issued, with rank and file officers being threatened with gross misconduct if they reveal the gender identity of colleagues. Police Scotland claims that disclosing whether an individual is transgender would amount to a data breach and would be dealt with under conduct regulations. Police Scotland is facing mounting criticism over its gender policy Fearing the impact this could have on serving female officers, MBM questioned Police Scotlands understanding of laws providing single sex facilities. Measures could currently result in a female officer being punished for voicing a refusal to share a changing room or bathroom with someone they know to be male. The group said: Police Scotland has a track record of promoting gender self-identification principles to the particular detriment of its female staff and officers. That it continues to adhere to a policy which effectively provides for mixed sex facilities puts it at risk of sex discrimination. It is astonishing that a organisation that deals with male offending on a daily basis cannot see the relevance of sex as a risk factor in its own organisational policies, nor understand that single-sex provision is needed to meet the privacy and dignity requirements of its workforce. MBM, whose leading members are criminologist Dr Kath Murray, former senior civil servant in the Scottish Government Dr Lucy Hunter Blackburn and former UK Government civil servant Lisa Mackenzie are behind an effort to change another self-ID policy that exists in the national force. As it stands, it is possible that the gender identity of a rapist will be recorded over their sex. A petition calling for the Scottish Government to force Police Scotland and other justice services to reflect the biological sex of rapists was lodged more than three years ago and while it remains under consideration MBM has expressed concern at the length of time taken to engage Police Scotland. The group are calling on police officials to appear at Holyrood to explain why it feels it needs to prioritise the wishes of men charged or accused of rape, over and above those of victims. Calum Steele, the former head of the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, has already raised concern over the legality of the work policy. He said it was frankly pitiful of Police Scotland to enforce a self-ID policy, adding: The police service of Scotland is not just wrong ethically and morally, it is wrong legally. Last year, before stepping down from the union role, Mr Steele publicised posters singling out male identifying, female identifying and gender neutral changing areas for staff. The extent of pressure on officers to comply with the gender rules has been described as having a chilling effect with HR departments leaving staff running scared of discussing the issue. A Police Scotland spokesman said: We must create an inclusive and fair working environment, free from discrimination, which meets the needs of our diverse workforce. All officers and staff are encouraged to provide feedback through their relevant associations as we consult on the development of our Transitioning At Work policy in line with current legislation. Disclosure of personal information such as gender, disability and sexual orientation is a breach of GDPR and would be dealt with under conduct regulations. A 17-year-old boy from Walsall has been arrested over his alleged involvement with cyber criminals who have taken 'significant amounts of money' from their victims, following a sting involving UK police and the FBI. The boy, from Walsall, West Midlands, was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of Blackmail and Computer Misuse Act offences. He is said to have been involved with a global cyber online crime group which has been targeting large organisations, including US leisure company MGM Resorts, with ransomware and gaining access to computer networks. According to MGM resorts' profile, the company looks after 31 hotel and gaming resorts around the world, including many of Las Vegas' most well-known hotels. They include Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and ARIA, among others. Police confirmed they had recovered evidence at the address, including a number of digital devices which will undergo forensic examination. The teenager has been released on bail while police continue to investigate. A 17-year-old boy from Walsall, West Midlands, has been arrested over his alleged involvement with cyber criminals who have taken 'significant amounts of money' from their victims, following a sting involving UK police and the FBI He is said to have been involved with a global cyber online crime group which has been targeting large organisations, including US leisure company MGM Resorts. The leisure company owns many of the most well-known hotels in Las Vegas Officers from the Regional Organised Crime Unit for the West Midlands (ROCUWM) joined officers from the National Crime Agency, in coordination with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The arrest is part of a global investigation into a large scale cyber hacking community which has targeted several major companies. Detective Inspector Hinesh Mehta, cyber crime unit manager, at ROCUWM, said: 'This arrest has been made following a complex investigation which stretches overseas to America. 'We have been working closely with the National Crime Agency and FBI. 'These cyber groups have targeted well known organisations with ramsomware and they have successfully targeted multiple victims around the world taking from them significant amounts of money. 'We want to send out a clear message that we will find you. It's simply not worth it.' Bryan Vorndran, assistant director of FBI's cyber division, said: 'Today's arrest is a testimony to the strength of the FBI's domestic, international, and private sector partnerships. MGM resorts' portfolio includes Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and ARIA, among others 'The FBI, in coordination with its partners, will continue to relentlessly pursue malicious actors who target American companies, no matter where they may be located or how sophisticated their techniques are.' MGM Resorts added: 'We're proud to have assisted law enforcement in locating and arresting one of the alleged criminals responsible for the cyber attack against MGM Resorts and many others. 'We know first-hand the damage criminals can do and the importance of working with law enforcement to fight back. 'By voluntarily shutting down our systems, refusing to pay a ransom and working with law enforcement on their investigation and response, the message to criminals was clear: it's not worth it. 'We are forever grateful to the FBI for their support and work with international law enforcement to bring these criminals to justice.' Microsoft said: 'Today sends a strong message to cybercriminals: there will be consequences for your actions. 'Microsoft commends law enforcement for taking action against those that seek to cause harm, and we remain committed to collaborating with others across the public and private sector to collectively combat cyber threats and make the Internet a safer place.' A city labeled 'America's jihad capital' by the Wall Street Journal has become fiercely divided over the war in Gaza - as residents refuse to vote for either candidate in the presidential election. Dearborn, a small city near Detroit, Michigan, is home to America's largest Arab American community. The mood amongst locals has significantly switched as the death toll in Gaza continues to mount - with little indication of a political solution in the near future. Residents of Dearborn believe America's political leaders are playing a major role in enabling the suffering caused by ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Their apathy towards the upcoming election is dwindling by the day. Abu Bilal, owner of Oriental Fashion - a clothing store on Dearborn's Warren Avenue, demanded to know 'where is the humanity' as he discussed the killings of 90 Palestinian civilians with The Guardian. A city labeled 'America's jihad capital' by the Wall Street Journal has become fiercely divided over the war in Gaza - as residents refuse to vote in the presidential election A man getting his hair cut at the Al-Rehab Barber Shop on Dearborn's Maple Street said - in Arabic - that he doesn't care who becomes president following the November election. It won't make any difference to him... His barber agreed, saying that he didn't vote in 2020 and doesn't plan to this year. Joe Biden won the battleground state in 2020 by just 154,000 votes - and the demise in political spirit could be harmful to his ability to take the key swing state come November. Election turnout in Dearborn was 10 percent higher in 2020 than the previous election in 2016 - Biden also won 10 percent more votes than Hillary did. These stats suggest that voters were energized in 2020, but word on the streets of Dearborn, per The Guardian, is that this year's attitudes could not be more different. During the Democratic primaries in February, 6,432 Dearborn voters chose 'uncommitted' in protest of Biden's support of Israel's war. Biden held a campaign rally at a school near Dearborn on Friday - but Arab Americans across the country have rejected the campaign's bid to win their votes. Dearborn, a small city near Detroit, Michigan , is home to America's largest Arab American community. 'The whole community was aware [that the administration had sent campaign officials to meet with the community], and I think it says a lot, that he sees us as no more than votes and that it's been normalized for our people back home to be killed,' Jenin Yaseen, an artist whose family is from a village outside Nablus in the occupied West Bank, said. 'Dearborn is made up of people from Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon and elsewhere that have been directly impacted by American imperialism,' she added. Members of Biden's election campaign team visited Dearborn in January - and were met by an empty room on one occasion because Dearborn's mayor, Abdullah Hammoud, refused to meet them. Hammoud, along with two other Arab American state representatives, refused the campaign meeting because its purpose was to discuss elections and not the war. The 33-year-old mayor was unimpressed with President Joe Biden's 'strange' comments about an Israel-Hamas cease fire which the president delivered while enjoying a scoop of ice cream with comedian Seth Meyers. Hammoud called out Biden in February, shortly before casting his vote for 'uncommitted' rather than the leader of his party at a Dearborn polling place. 'I think I find it strange that you're eating ice cream at a parlor - that is the moment that you talk about a cease fire coming forward,' he told DailMail.com when asked about the president's latest comments. Dearborn was deemed 'America's jihad capital' by political commentator Steven Stalinsky in a Wall Street Journal op-ed Members of Biden's election campaign team visited Dearborn in January - and were met by an empty room on one occasion because Dearborn's mayor, Abdullah Hammoud(pictured), refused to meet them He then referenced Benjamin Netanyahu's statements about having a plan to invade Rafah inside Gaza. 'I don't look to lip service or words. I'm looking for action. You want a long lasting, permanent and just cease fire. 'We don't want a return to the status quo of occupation and apartheid, of bombardment, of besiegement, of devastation and destruction for the Palestinian people. And that means establishing a just Palestinian state,' he said. In April, Muslim protesters were heard chanting 'death to America' and 'death to Israel' during a rally in Dearborn. Demonstrators gathered in the city in commemoration of Al-Quds Day in support of Palestinian people and to oppose Israel. The protest came less than a week after seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen were killed by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, drawing global outrage. Video shared by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) shows Tarek Bazzi, a local activist, delivering remarks at a podium as chants of 'death to America!' sound in the background. 'It's not just Genocide Joe that has to go,' Bazzi said in reference to President Biden. 'It is the entire system that has to go. Any system that would allow such atrocities and such devilry to happen, and would support it such a system does not deserve to exist on God's Earth.' Bazzi then directed his attention to Israel. 'So when these fools ask us if Israel has the right to exist...the chant 'death to Israel' has become the most logical chant shouted across the world today,' he said. Audience members then repeated the chant. Bazzi explained that the rallies have become 'so anti-American' because 'it's the United States government that provides the funds for all of the atrocities.' Customers of America's biggest housebuilder have accused the company of leaving them with dirty and dangerous new homes which they are now desperate to sell. DR Horton bills itself as 'America's Builder' having constructed more than one million new homes since it was founded in 1978. But owners across the country claim the company has turned its back on complaints about major structural problems, leaks, and mold in their brand new homes. The Texan company settled a $16 million lawsuit over construction defects brought by hundreds of homeowners in South Carolina last year, and it may not be the final litigation it faces. 'We already spent all the money to get the house and now we have to spend more money to get to hire a lawyer to try to do something,' said Isaac Ortiz from his home in Las Vegas. Danielle Antonucci said families had been ruined 'financially, physically, and emotionally' by the trauma of living in their shoddily-built houses She found that doors did not fit in their frames when she bought her Florida home in 2022 She has had to tear out ceiling panels and walls in a bid to tackle the mold in the home 'Everything was in bad condition,' he told AZfamily.com. 'Everything.' Jayson Warren has been left with medical bills, as well as home repair bills, after his wife tumbled down the uneven staircase in their newbuild in San Antonio, Texas, in 2020. 'I could not look at that house and not see a time bomb,' he said. 'We got into the house, and we didn't make it more than 24 hours before there was an issue. 'It resulted in my wife going to a medical specialist,' he added. 'Like, you walk up and down stairs on autopilot. There's a reason all stairs in the country are built the same way.' His family eventually moved out but others fear they have spent their money on 'dream homes' that are now unsellable. PJ Skipper discovered defective air conditioning, bent nails, faulty plywood and hundreds of maggots when he moved into his DR Horton home in Locust Grove, Georgia, in 2019. 'I was like, man, this is turning out to be a house from hell,' he said. And he says the company's reluctance to engage with his complaints has left him forced to pay for the repairs himself. Nikole Willis says she was ignored when she raised the alarm about problems with her home She claims a badly built storm water pond built has repeatedly flooded immediately The pond was sold as an 'amenity', but the floods have made residents' lives a misery And the stagnant water laps just feet from homes on the estate in Santee, South Carolina 'We're left as the homeowners pulling the bag,' he said. 'Most of the time, it has to come out of our pocket. 'Here in my neighborhood, a lot of people have sold their homes,' he added. 'They figured it's just best to sell and get out. 'I can say DR Horton have left a very bad taste in my mouth.' Nikole Willis says she too was ignored when she raised the alarm about the constant flooding with stagnant water from the storm water pond built immediately next to her home in Santee, South Carolina. 'When the water got nasty they just quit coming,' she said. 'My fear is that DR Horton is just going to leave us stranded with this nightmare of an issue. 'I don't really respect DR Horton. I don't like being lied to; I don't like being ignored; I don't like that,' she added. 'They gave a lot of empty promises to the people in this neighborhood.' The company made an effort to fix a host of problems reported by Danielle Antonucci after she moved into her Florida home in 2022 before dropping off the radar. Jayson Warren (left) had to take his wife to hospital after she tumbled down the uneven staircase in their newbuild in San Antonio, Texas, in 2020, while Isaac Ortiz (right) saisd his Nevada home was filled with construction debris, and had leaks in the walls She said ill-fitting doors, major structural problems and mold inside the walls from water damage has left the Sarasota home almost uninhabitable. 'You didn't give me the brand new house that I bought,' she said. 'I worry in three or four years, am I going to have a house full of mold in my walls? 'We share a tiny little bathroom. It's been over two years of fighting with them.' And she is starting to realize how many fellow owners have gone through a similarly hellish experience. 'These stories are heartbreaking,' she said. 'They ruin families, financially, physically, emotionally, mentally, all of that, it's devastating.' And the homeowners' anger is fueled by the knowledge that county inspectors signing off on their faulty new homes. 'Almost 45 days ago, I submitted a complaint with the attorney general from Nevada,' Ortiz said. 'At this point, almost 45 days, I haven't heard back.' Others are wondering what needs to be done to hold the Fortune 500 company to account. 'I do think the federal level potentially has some play when you start talking about the compounding effects,' Warren said. A spokesperson for the company insisted it had no intention of walking away from its customers' problems. PJ Skipper says his neighbors in Locust Grove, Georgia, are now desperate to sell their homes A spokesman for the company insisted it would not walk away from its customers' problems. 'We take great pride in the quality of DR Horton homes and have helped more than 1,000,000 individuals and families across the United States achieve the dream of homeownership,' the spokesperson told AZfamily. 'Our team takes all homeowner concerns very seriously and is committed to customer satisfaction. 'We encourage any DR Horton homeowner with concerns about their home to contact us at CorporateCustomerCare@drhorton.com so we can work to resolve any issues.' Dailymail.com has reached out to the company for comment. A teenage girl was almost abducted at gunpoint in broad daylight near an elementary school in South Los Angeles on Tuesday. A man tried to kidnap a 15-year-old girl who managed to perform an incredible act of bravery as she fought off her attacker and was able to make a getaway. The girl had been outside the Figueroa Street Elementary School at around 3:30pm when the man suddenly came up to her and put his hand around her neck. She was only able to free herself after hitting the man with her cellphone and making a run for it across the road. A teenage girl was almost abducted at gunpoint in broad daylight near a school in South LA The girl had been outside the Figueroa Street Elementary School at around 3:30pm when the man suddenly came up to her and put his hand around her neck The teenage girl and her mother wish to remain anonymous following the attack The attempted abduction was all caught on surveillance camera from a nearby shop. The terrifying footage has been shared with the LAPD who have made it public in the hope of catching the armed suspect. 'I hope the police start to pay more attention to the community', local shop owner Foxy Chavez told ABC7. Neither the teen or her mother wanted to be identified, but both are grateful that she was able to defend herself, and fight off her attacker. Police say they are treating the incident as an attempted kidnap. Local shop owner Foxy Chavez, pictured said the police need to start paying closer attention in the community The teen can be seen sprinting across the road in order to get away from her attacker The teen said she was able to make a getaway after hitting her attacker with her cellphone Such opportunistic crimes have become all the more common because of lax bail reform policies under woke District Attorney George Gascon. DA Gascon is a progressive prosecutor who has been vocal in his belief that the criminal justice system needs to focus more on intervention and rehabilitation, blasting 'tough on crime' policies as racist and a failure. Gascon is running for re-election this November with his opponent Nathan Hochman, a former federal prosecutor, who has tried to capitalize on the seething anger over crime and homelessness. In his campaign ads, Hochman, a defense attorney, has vowed to change the direction of the district attorney's office, saying: 'Its time we had a DA who fights for victims, not criminals.' Gascon was elected on a criminal justice reform platform in 2020, in the wake of George Floyds killing by police. He faced a recall attempt within his first 100 days and a second attempt later, which both failed to get on the ballot. The opportunistic crime appears all the more common under the woke policies of DA George Gascon, pictured, who is up for re-election this November and may well be voted out During his first term, Gascon immediately imposed his campaign agenda: not seeking the death penalty; not prosecuting juveniles as adults; ending cash bail for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies; and no longer filing enhancements triggering stiffer sentences for certain elements of crimes, repeat offenses or gang membership. He was forced to roll back some of his biggest reforms early in his tenure, such as initially ordering the elimination of more than 100 enhancements and elevating a hate crime from misdemeanor to a felony. The move infuriated victims advocates, and Gascon backpedaled, restoring enhancements in cases involving children, older people and people targeted because of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability. His challengers have pledged to reverse many or nearly all of his most progressive policies, such as his early orders to eliminate filing for sentencing enhancements. An extraordinary row broke out between military chiefs and senior soldiers in the Army's most prestigious regiments over recruits from Commonwealth nations. In a hugely controversial letter sent to top brass, experienced troops accused Commonwealth applicants of being interested only in sending money back to their families. Among the astonishing allegations is that the mostly African recruits they refer to lack respect for the Guards regiments and have only 'half-hearted allegiances to King and Country'. The letter was written by non-commissioned officers (NCOs) at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC) at Catterick, North Yorkshire. They told the Major General Commanding the Household Division, James Bowder, that the issues threatened the very existence of the centuries-old regiments. Tradition and identity: The Scots Guards march out of Buckingham Palace during a Changing of the Guard ceremony (file image) A Drill Sergeant shouts orders at his troops during at Stirling Castle (file image) The letter, dated June 23, comes after applications from the Commonwealth to join the Army reached 16,990 last year. In a statement, the Army accused those behind the letter of falling 'short of the values and standards' of the defence forces. Arguably the best-known Army soldier of recent decades was Grenada-born Johnson Beharry, who was awarded the Victoria Cross after saving members of his then unit, the 1st Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiments, from two separate ambushes in Iraq in 2004. One highly contentious claim in the letter is an alleged failure by overseas recruits to follow commands despite their ability to speak and understand English being tested as part of their visa applications. The letter says: 'A large majority of Commonwealth students struggle to understand what is being asked of them, making even the most basic tasks problematic. Often other recruits have to translate information into their native language. 'When training progresses on to platoon attacks, this could be a ticking time bomb.' The last reference relates to the use of live ammunition on these manoeuvres and on the ranges with any misunderstanding having the potential to result in an accidental death. The letter also claims the morale and performance of training staff have been adversely affected, with some 'losing purpose and pride in their work'. Earlier this week, the Mail obtained video footage of an enraged instructor ordering a black recruit to lie in a puddle and do press-ups. Footage obtained by the Mail shows an Army instructor forcing a black recruit to lie in a puddle and do press ups He then screamed obscenities and insults at the recruit and threatened to 'punch his head in'. This instructor has been dismissed from ITC and could face further disciplinary action from his unit, the Coldstream Guards. The authors of the letter stressed some foreign recruits were 'exceptional' and insisted they recognised the historic contribution of Commonwealth soldiers to the Army. They wrote: 'This letter is well intentioned and serves only as a rhetoric for ensuring the survival of the Foot Guards. 'I greatly respect and admire the countless heroic acts that have come from units akin to the 11th Sikh unit in Burma during World War Two. But we are steadily losing our identity as a division. 'For many of these [Commonwealth] recruits, there is no aspiration to join the infantry, let alone the Guards. 'Their primary concern is to secure visa extensions in order to provide for their families back home. 'We believe this issue needs to be rectified. We came to ITC Catterick to train recruits to the best of our abilities. Under current conditions this is unattainable.' An Army spokesman said: 'The views expressed in this letter fell short of the values and standards of the British Army and appropriate actions have been taken. Citizens from the Commonwealth have a long tradition of serving with distinction... and remain an important and highly valued part of the fabric of the Army.' The perils of a cashless society were exposed yesterday as a technology blunder triggered 'the world's biggest IT meltdown'. In what was dubbed a 'digital pandemic', a glitch in a software update sparked global chaos as computers crashed in shops, banks and hospitals. Train ticket machines seized up, GP surgeries were forced to cancel appointments and planes were grounded in multiple countries. Waitrose and Morrisons were among the supermarkets unable to take card payments for a time meaning customers who no longer carry cash could not buy food. Critics said the havoc showed the dangers of a cashless world, with almost half of Britons now leaving the house with only their phones as a means of payment. Chief executive George Kurtz said the glitch was 'not a security incident or cyber-attack'. But he said he was 'deeply sorry for the impact that we've caused' and warned it would take 'some time' for systems to be fully restored In what was dubbed a 'digital pandemic', a glitch in a software update sparked global chaos as computers crashed in shops, banks and hospitals The aftermath of the disruption, which was caused by a bug affecting Microsoft Windows, is predicted to last for four days. Among the chaos yesterday: Millions of patients were unable to book GP appointments; One hospital declared a 'critical incident' as it was forced to cancel cancer treatments; Departure boards went blank at airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Edinburgh on the busiest day for UK air travel since 2019; Stock markets slid in London, New York, Paris and Frankfurt; Sky News and CBBC were among broadcasters knocked offline; Emergency 911 phonelines went down in several US states while shops in Australia were forced to shut early; Security systems at the Paris Olympics froze just one week before the opening ceremony; Business leaders warned wages could be delayed by payroll system problems. Other firms affected included McDonalds, Barclays and British Airways. The Mercedes F1 team also said it was working to fix any issues ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. Passengers at Edinburgh Airport lay waiting as the widespread IT outages affected airlines and businesses around the globe Chris Dimitriadis, a cyber-security expert at IT association Isaca, said: 'This incident is a clear example of what could be termed a digital pandemic, a single point of failure impacting millions of lives globally.' Experts said yesterday's disruption was on the scale expected from the 'Y2K Millennium Bug' a computer meltdown forecast as the year changed from 1999 to 2000 which never materialised. Troy Hunt, a respected security consultant, said: 'I don't think it's too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history. This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except it's actually happened this time.' Both China and Russia claimed to have been unaffected, with Moscow boasting of its 'increased self-sufficiency'. Some office workers shared jokes about their working week ending early, posting on social media: 'Happy weekend, thank you Microsoft!' But the instant collapse of Microsoft Windows the most popular operating system in the world prompted warnings Britain would be woefully unprepared if there was a major cyber-attack. Experts said it was a wake-up call because, if hostile nations ever inflict a well-planned IT assault, the consequences could be far worse. George Kurtz told NBC's Today programme he was 'deeply sorry' for the issues caused by a CrowdStrike update that crippled IT systems across the world Dennis Reed, director of the Silver Voices campaign group which represents older people, said: 'It's extremely worrying. This should be a big warning for the Government. Obviously it has affected older people particularly, not just with the cash side of things but GP appointments and everything else. 'If people can't pay because they can't use their phone then when systems go down and they always will people won't be able to access vital services, food, and the essentials of life. 'With this ever-more digital society, we are reliant on it all working. But we have no control over it. We are putting all our eggs in one basket. The future security of the nation is in danger.' Martin Quinn, campaign director at the Payment Choice Alliance, told The Daily Telegraph: 'With IT outages happening now at alarming regularity, businesses should be mindful of only taking card payments. 'However many supermarkets prefer to have self-service card-only tills, which makes cash users feel like second-class citizens, a concerted effort is needed to return to using and accepting cash, because cash never crashes.' Dennis Reed, director of the Silver Voices campaign group which represents older people, said: 'It's extremely worrying. This should be a big warning for the Government' The Government's emergency committee Cobra met under the lead of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden (pictured), to manage the response to the outage Britain is fast becoming a cashless society, with an estimated 25 million over-16s 45 per cent of Britons saying they do not take their wallets with them when heading out. It has also become harder to take out cash, with 23,000 cash machines expected to shut down by 2030. The Government's emergency committee Cobra met under the lead of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, to manage the response to the outage. US cyber-security firm CrowdStrike said it was responsible for the mayhem, which started yesterday morning, after sending a 'defective' update to machines running Microsoft apps. Chief executive George Kurtz said the glitch was 'not a security incident or cyber-attack'. But he said he was 'deeply sorry for the impact that we've caused' and warned it would take 'some time' for systems to be fully restored. Microsoft has suggested customers try rebooting their computers 15 times to resolve the issue. People have descended on the streets of Leeds for a second night in a row demanding the children who were taken away by police yesterday be returned to their parents. This comes as the father of the children claims he is on 'hunger strike' until they are returned to his family. Riots in the Harehills area of Leeds allegedly began last night after social services in the city removed all four children from a family. Tonight, hundreds of locals have descended onto the streets once again. This time in much more peaceful demonstrations. In videos shared widely on social media, members of the public can be heard chanting 'please bring the kids back' - in reference to the children taken by social services yesterday. Distressing footage which emerged today shows police officers hauling a young boy out of a house and bundling him into a van Locals arguing and arguing with police in Harehills, Leeds, following last nights disturbances Riots in the Hare Hill area of Leeds allegedly began last night after social services in the city removed all four children from a family Another video shows locals singing along to music while people hold signs which say 'please give back children' In videos shared widely on social media, members of the public can be heard chanting 'please bring the kids back' - in reference to the children taken by social services yesterday Another video shows locals singing along to music while people hold signs which say 'please give back children.' Further footage from last night shows a woman seemingly being led away by police because she was opposed to a second night of protests in Leeds. The family, who are members of the Romani community, have committed to going on a hunger strike until their children are returned to them. Stefania Banu, a local community leader, speaking to the the Daily Mirror said: 'The mother and father are refusing to eat until they get their children back. We are fully supporting them. 'We believe it was an injustice that can be rectified by the authorities if they revise the case. Which they have promised to do.' Ms Banu went onto to say that the manner of which the children were removed from their home was 'traumatising' for the family. Since last night's riots locals in the West Yorkshire city have claimed that they have been 'persecuted' by police amid a shocking evening of disorder in the city last night which saw neighbours clash with officers. Leeds was a scene of 'shocking and disgraceful' disorder and saw a car being trashed while a double decker bus was set on fire. Meanwhile, harrowing video footage showed a police officer hauling a young boy out of a house and bundling him into a van. Witnesses said the removal of the child was the flashpoint which kicked off the rioting last night, with the disorder lasting for hours. Photos from today show tensions rising in the city as locals appeared to argue with police while surrounded by a scene of chaos from the night before. Families looked on at the immense clean up taking place to clear away the smouldering wreckage of a bus set alight in Harehills. The intensity of the violence was deemed so severe that firefighters refused to enter the street for hours amid fears crews would be attacked. West Yorkshire Police today said that a number of people had been arrested following the violence and warned 'further arrests will be made over the next few days'. Are YOU on the scene? Email katherine.lawton@mailonline.co.uk A TikTok live stream of tonight's gatheirngs were shared widely on the site A local argues with a police officer following the disturbances in Leeds last night Vehicles were set on fire and a police car was overturned as residents were warned to stay home following an outbreak of disorder in the Harehills area of Leeds The smouldering wreckage of a bus set alight in Harehills, Leeds last night after riots brought chaos to the streets The remains of a bus which was set on fire in the city last night amid the riots Local people watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood after last night's civil unrest Local people look on at the scene following riots in the city of Leeds last night Forensic scientists examine a burnt out bus, as police patrol the Harehills neighbourhood Local people watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood Forensic scientists examine a burnt out bus, as police patrol the Harehills neighbourhood after last night's civil unrest Police horses at the scene in Leeds after riots caused chaos in the city last night Neighbours watch the clean up as police patrol Harehills neighbourhood Last year an official report aimed at tackling problems faced by the Roma community told of their 'fierce pride' and how 'a problem for one member of the community was seen as a problem for all'. The ethnic minority, who are widely subjected to discrimination and poverty throughout Europe, are just the latest to settle in Harehills. Many have large families, and around 5,000 Roma are now believed to live in the deprived neighbourhood, attracted by its spacious three-story terraces and low house prices. Last night's angry attack on police and social workers trying to protect children from a Roma family over welfare concerns appears to have ignited underlying allegations of racism and persecution at the hands of the authorities. Today one community leader told the Mail: 'We are persecuted at home and now here. 'The police should not have taken the children away, it is upsetting for the parents and family and children.' Indeed research by Leeds City Council aimed at boosting integration of Roma families tells of their 'fierce pride' and, tellingly given last night's shocking events, how 'a problem for one member of the community, was seen as a problem for all'. The report's authors say: 'We were told about the fierce pride the Roma community had for their culture and heritage. 'This had remained despite the challenges, and the stigma and discrimination, they have faced. 'We were told about how community members would show great support for one another.' Harehills has long been one of the most ethnically diverse areas of Leeds. At the last Census in 2021, 38 per cent of residents of Harehills and neighbouring Gipton described themselves as being from Asian backgrounds, 36 per white and 17 per cent black. It has also been ranked as the most deprived neighbourhood in the West Yorkshire city with among the highest levels of unemployment, crime and poor health. At least twice before, violence and ill-feeling towards police has spilled out into street violence. A JCB clears the remains of a burnt-out bus, which is cordoned off by police in Harehills, east Leeds, following the disturbance on Thursday evening Aerial footage shows the aftermath of the trouble, with large sections of the area still cordoned off A large number of police officers were seen on Thursday evening taking the children - understood to be from a family of Romanians - into protective custody Police are still at the scene in Leeds where the violence erupted last night after a number of children were taken in to protective custody by social services (pictured: the street today) Police cordons remain in place today after rioters torched a bus and flipped police car Parts of Leeds resemble a warzone, with torched vehicles this morning pictured as smouldering wrecks Pictured is the bus as a fire raged on board after riots set it ablaze in Leeds on Thursday Police leave the scene of a burning bus after firefighters extinguished the vehicle In 2001, hundreds of men went on the rampage in Harehills following the wrongful arrest of an Asian man, Hossein Miah. Officers were lured to nearby Banstead Park over a false report that one had been hit by a petrol bomb. A multi-ethnic mob then barricaded police with burning furniture from a second-hand store nearby as well as washing machines. Over 20 cars were torched, 23 officers and a journalist were hurt and a shop was burnt down, with damage put at 500,000. Twenty-five men were later given jail sentences for what a judge branded 'violence for the sake of violence'. Then on Bonfire Night in 2019, terrified Harehills residents cowered indoors as police were forced to battle a five-hour siege by yobs armed with fireworks, bricks and axes. As with last night's disorder, locals bravely tried to defend police, with six officers injured. Three of the rioters were later given jail sentences totalling seven years. However on the 20th anniversary of the 2001 riots, there were warnings that little had changed. One business owner told Leeds Live: 'It's the same, it hasn't changed a bit.' A local resident complained about 'blatant' drug dealing, adding: 'The police are present sometimes but I don't think it's enough.' EXCLUSIVE A millennial actor living with six roommates in a Melbourne sharehouse says he would consider selling his kidney just to afford his own home. Jack Braddy, 30, said many people of his generation would consider resorting to extreme measures just to get on the property ladder with a mortgage deposit. 'People would dismiss it as too ridiculous but maybe with the way things are now, people can have a look at that and go, 'Maybe I can do with one kidney gone, put the housing deposit down',' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Housing crisis, cost of living, you couldn't write this 20 years ago. 'I live in a four-bedroom sharehouse with six people - I would gladly trade the situation.' Braddy is so disenchanted with the way things are for young people he's co-written and starred in a 97-minute feature-length dark comedy, The Organist, about an ethically compromised young man, Graeme Sloan, who makes a living conning poor people into selling their vital organs. 'There is an anger and a quiet desperation growing, in particular my generation - it speaks to some of that, what you need to do to secure your future and whether that's giving up an organ or being the person who traffics them,' he said. 'He buys them from the poor, he sells them to the rich - he's ethically very ambiguous but believes he's doing, sort of, the right thing. Jack Braddy, an actor living in a Melbourne share house, has revealed he would consider selling his kidney just to afford his own home (he is pictured, right, with The Organist cast member Jess Ciancio) 'The organ system is failing so the best thing we can do is, sort of, spread the wealth, so to speak. 'You can take away a lung. Livers are a hot commodity - you can take away about 80 per cent of your liver and it will grow back so it's essentially all kinds of body parts.' Tickets for the comedy screening at the upcoming Melbourne International Film Festival sold out within two hours during a time when houses in Australia's big cities are beyond the reach of average-income earners. 'There is camaraderie building with everyone doing it tough at the moment and this film is hopefully going to speak to some of that,' he said. 'We don't have solutions, we just have levitations and laughter.' The film Braddy co-wrote with director Andy Burkitt and Xavier Nathan was made on a shoestring budget in the thousands of dollars - or about the cost of a used Toyota. 'Let's say a secondhand Camry,' he joked. In between acting roles, Braddy has worked as a bartender and bid for jobs on Airtasker making furniture or assembling things from Ikea. 'I worked in bars, I host trivia, I do odd jobs around the place - I do as much as I can with the free time I'm given,' he said. 'Any little odd job that doesn't require a whole lot of time that I can quickly do.' In between acting roles, Braddy has worked as a bartender and bid for jobs on Airtasker making furniture or assembling things from Ikea (he is pictured, left, in Bloody Tradies with director Andy Burkitt who also directed The Organist) Braddy is the son of former Queensland Labor police and education minister Paul Braddy, and studied acting at Perth's Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts where he made friends with Hugo Wran, the son of former New South Wales Labor premier Neville Wran and the half-brother of 1970s Young Doctors actress Kim Wran. Hugo Wran's sister Harriet Wran was jailed for two years for being an accessory to a Sydney murder in 2014 linked to a drug deal. Jack Braddy said meeting his father's political enemies in the Labor Party as a child made him aware of the dark tendencies of politicians to put on a front - like actors do on screen. 'I remember growing up, going to quite a number of barbecues and shaking hands with politicians and seeing my fair share of smiling faces that I know had, one time or another, tried to backstab my dad,' he said. 'I definitely think there's a world to be explored there and I definitely see similarities between a salesman and a politician, I probably couldn't tell them apart if you put two in the room with me.' Braddy, the son of a former Queensland Labor minister, studied acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts with Hugo Wran (left), the son of former NSW Labor premier Neville Wran. His sister Harriet Wran (middle with Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek) was jailed for being an accessory to murder Braddy said there were parallels between the organ seller character he plays on screen and the dark elements of many politicians who delude themselves into thinking they are doing what's right. 'He's a slime ball, he's a sleaze - I think he's got good intentions, he's deluded himself into thinking that if he can get organs to the right people, he's egalitarian,' he said. 'He's just using his charm, his little snake-like mannerisms to get where he needs to be. 'Looks can be deceiving and he does a very good job of showing one side of himself and keeping the other side hidden.' Americans have fallen victim to the 'mother of all outages' after Microsoft experienced a meltdown on Friday. Hundreds of thousands of computers running on Windows were knocked offline or stuck on so-called 'blue screens of death.' Banks, airlines, television networks, trains and healthcare systems reported widespread outages starting around 2am ET. The chaos was due to a defect in a single content update by Crowdstrike, a US-based cybersecurity firm used by Microsoft, the company shared at 5:30am ET. Crowdstrike assured the public that the outage was not caused by a cybersecurity attack and that it could take up to 36 hours to fix, analysts told DailyMail.com. Crowdstrike assured the public that the outage was not caused by a cybersecurity attack and said it said it is 'actively working with customers' who were impacted What happened? The global computer outage first started with Microsoft, leading people to believe that the company's systems were to blame, but Crowdstrike was found to be at fault a few hours later. Crowdstrike, an Austin-based cybersecurity specialist, provides software to 29,000 businesses and industries to protect their online systems against cyberattacks and security breaches. The Microsoft outage was triggered by a bug in Crowdstrike's software update, which was deployed to its 'Falcon Sensor,' which searches for viruses and malicious attacks. 'One of the tricky parts of security software is it needs to have absolute privileges over your entire computer in order to do its job,' Thomas Parenty, a cybersecurity consultant and former National Security Agency analyst told the New York Times. 'So if there's something wrong with it, the consequences are vastly greater than if your spreadsheet doesn't work.' The incident impacted Microsoft's 365 apps and Azure service that are used by more than 50 percent of Fortune 500 companies and eight of the top financial institutions across 43 US states. Microsoft 365 is a cloud-powered platform that helps businesses protect against cyber threats and keep information secure and private for shared files and email messages and links. Its Defender for Office app helps prevent, detect and respond to phishing and ransomware threats. Azure is a cloud firewall security serves that provides threat protections for files, data and other apps. How did the outage disrupt airlines, banks and other companies? Millions of passengers were left stranded at airports as major airlines grounded planes in the wake of the Crowdstrike outage. Airlines including Delta, United and American grounded all planes, stranding millions of people at airports around the world. Public transit systems in New York City and Washington, D.C. caused citywide delays as arrival information is unavailable for many routes at the stations and on the apps. 'This technical outage impacts our ability to see train locations, so we cannot provide that information,' NYCT Subway wrote on X. Airlines rely on Microsoft systems for nearly all of its technology from traffic control and check-in desks to scanning passenger's boarding passes which were all impacted by the outage. Customers have been warned by the New York Port Authority not to travel to nearby airports unless they received a confirmation that their flight was scheduled to depart on time. Major government offices were forced to close including the Social Security Administration which said the incident had shut down numerous services. It said to expect longer than usual wait times for its national 800 number and said some online services will be unavailable. The system failure has also impacted TD Bank, Visa and Bank of America as clients grappled with not getting hold of their money until the systems are reinstated. Meanwhile, it also caused 911 and non-emergency call centers to go down in several states including Alaska, Ohio, Texas and New Hampshire but it remains unclear how widespread the issue is. Hospitals across the US were likewise impacted, forcing them to turn patients away and delay or reschedule procedures. The Harris Health Quentin Mease Health Center in Houston said it was canceling all elective procedures and outpatient care, while Mass General Brigham in Boston told The Boston Globe that it canceled 'all previously scheduled non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and medical visits are cancelled today.' Crowdstrike, an Austin-based cybersecurity specialist, provides software to 29,000 customers to protect their online systems against cyberattacks and security breaches. The outage came after the company deployed its 'Falcon Sensor' software that caused all computers using Microsoft Windows to crash, with airlines being the hardest hit What is Crowdstrike doing to fix the problem? Crowdstrike is currently working with the customers impacted by the Falcon Sensor update and the company's CEO, George Kurtz, posted on X that it didn't affect customers who were using Mac and Linux hosts. 'This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,' Kurtz said. 'We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. 'We further recommend organizations ensure they're communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. 'Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers.' The cybersecurity company has suggested that companies manually reboot each computer in safe mode, delete a specific file and restart the computer normally. 'There is a workaround, but it requires manually tampering with Windows systems files in recovery mode,' Lukasz Olejnik, an independent cybersecurity researcher and consultant told NY Times. 'Such practice is in general not advised ordinarily, as mistakes may cause other problems.' The company has not said when it expects all services to be back up and running, but Microsoft 365 said: 'Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions. 'We still expect that users will continue to see gradual relief as we continue to mitigate the issue.' Tech market analyst Dan Ives told DailyMail.com that the global outage is 'an epic disaster' and it 'will take 24 to 36 hours to fully get under control.' CrowdStrike has issued an apology after it caused worldwide chaos Friday after it deployed a faulty update to its software that caused a Microsoft outage. The cybersecurity firm's CEO, George Kurtz, spoke publicly about six hours after systems went down, saying the 'blues-screen of death' was caused by a software bug. 'We are deeply sorry for the impact that we have caused to our customers, to travelers, to anyone who has been affected by this, including our company,' Kurtz said in an interview with NBCs 'Today.' He also vowed to work with each customer individually as they work to get their operations back online, which could take hours. The cybersecurity firm's CEO, George Kurtz, spoke publicly about six hours after systems when down, saying the 'blues-screen of death' was caused by a software bug 'Many of the customers are rebooting the system and it's coming up and it'll be operational,' Kurtz said. 'It could be some time for some systems that won't automatically recover,' he added, but the company 'would make sure every customer is fully recovered.' Americans woke up to the news of the 'mother of all outages,' finding computers running on Windows were stuck on a blue screen with the error message 'DRIVER_OVERRAN_STACK_BUFFER.' However, CrowdStrike's bug also took out banks, airlines, television networks, trains and healthcare systems. Images and footage of airports across the nation showed weary travelers staring at blank screens, wondering if their flight would take off. And many hospitals have canceled all Friday appointments due to their networks crashing. 'When you look at the software it is as a very complex world and there's a lot of interactions and always staying ahead of the adversary is a tall task,' Kurtz told Today. 'So these sort of things, obviously you know you try to understand and mitigate them and in some cases, you have a weird interaction and it didn't seem like it happened on every Windows system there's different versions and flavors and patch levels. Images and footage of airports across the nation showed weary travelers staring at blank screens, wondering if their flight would take off. Pictured are people waiting at JFK airport in New York 'We're just trying to sort out where that negative interaction was um and again that's what we're focused on getting customers back up and running.' Kurtz was asked how one single software bug could have such a major and immediate impact. The CEO began to choke up, appearing nervous following the question, saying the update went out and now the team needs to 'go back and see what happened.' Kurtz posted on X around 5:30am ET that CrowdStrike had issued a fix for the default, but did not provide a time for when America will be back online and operational. 'As you might imagine, we've been on with our customers all night,' he said. 'Many of the customers are rebooting the system and it's coming up operational because we fixed it on our end.' 'It could be some time,' he added. 'Sometimes, some systems won't automatically recover we're not going to relent until we get every customer back to where they were.' The defect was uploaded to CrowdStrike's 'Falcon Sensor' software, which analyzes connections to and from the internet to determine if there is malicious behavior. Kurtz apology on Today, however, came after the CEO shared a post on X detailing the company had deployed a fix. The messages sparked an uproar among the public who cited the CEO's lack of instructions and 'poor communications' about the 'mother of all outages.' User 'Tara T' posted: 'This is the CEO of CrowdStrike. Notice the distinct lack of apology or acknowledgment that they've done anything wrong, even though millions of people are impacted by this.' Many other X users claimed that 'CrowdStrike owes every IT department impacted by this some serious sloppy in apology.' Millions of workers are at risk of not receiving their paychecks this month amid a global outage that could last weeks. Several of America's biggest banks saw their systems crash this morning, preventing people from accessing their accounts or receiving or sending money. TD Bank and Bank of America was still down for millions this afternoon but TD said its systems have been restored while customers are still complaining on Downdetector that they can't use the banking systems. The Global Payroll Association (GPA) warned that people 'risk going without their wages' because their employers or banks rely on CrowdStrike for cybersecurity protection. The Crowdstrike global outage has stopped millions of workers from receiving their paychecks after banking systems went down on Friday It remains unclear how widespread the payroll disruption is, but Melanie Pizzey, the founder and CEO of GPA said her company had received complaints from a number of clients who couldn't access their payroll software because of the outage. Payroll systems typically need to be notified of any issues that would stop direct deposits from going through at least two days before the payday for the issue to be resolved in time. 'Depending on the length of this outage, it could have very serious implications for businesses across the nation, particularly those who process payroll on a weekly basis,' Pizzey said. 'Furthermore, we could see a backlog with regard to processing payrolls for the coming month end which may delay employees from receiving their monthly wage.' George Kurtz, the CEO of the software company whose bug caused the issues, said it could be weeks before systems are back up and running. Meanwhile, issues with Visa and Zelle are not allowing people to make or receive payments, and there's no estimated timeframe for when they'll be back up and running. The outage first started with Microsoft, leading many people to believe that the company's systems were at fault, but within hours, Crowdstrike admitted that an update to its 'Falcon Sensor,' which searches for viruses and malicious attacks was to blame. TD Bank, Visa, Zelle and Bank of America have all been impacted and tech market analyst Dan Ives told DailyMail.com that the global outage 'will take 24 to 36 hours to fully get under control.' People took to social media to complain about the outage's impact on the financial implications, with one person writing on X: 'No direct deposit yet. Global it outage coupled with TD being Canada's crappiest big 5 bank now means could be a bit.' Another person wrote: 'My company was not affected by the IT outage but our payroll software was. Happy Friday.' One Bank of America customer wrote on Downdetector that they weren't able to deposit a check at a local branch at 11:30 a.m.. The customer said when she went back five hours later, the money was 'still not available' and there wasn't any record that the check was deposited. TD Bank issued a statement at 2 p.m. ET, 12 hours after the outage began, telling customers that many of its impacted systems have been restored but warned that they may still experience service delays and longer wait times. The Crowdstrike outage impacted Microsoft's 365 apps and Azure service that are used by more than 50 percent of Fortune 500 companies and eight of the top financial institutions across 43 US states. Microsoft 365 is a cloud-powered platform that helps businesses protect against cyber threats and keep information secure and private for shared files and email messages and links. Its Defender for Office app helps prevent, detect and respond to phishing and ransomware threats. Azure is a cloud firewall security serves that provides threat protections for files, data and other apps. The software failure grounded airplanes, disrupted 911 call centers, and caused government agencies like the Social Security Administration to shut down for the day. Crowdstrike has assured customers that the outage was not caused by a cybersecurity attack, but tech market analyst Dan Ives told DailyMail.com that the global outage is 'an epic disaster' and it 'will take 24 to 36 hours to fully get under control.' Floating mid-stream in the Mekong River, we hold our breath. Our guide in the kayak next to ours points to where we need to look. And there it is: a whooshing noise, like a big sigh or sneeze, and the flash of a shiny grey back, curving out of the water and disappearing again. Its a rare Irrawaddy dolphin. And then another. And another. Sometimes they pop up just feet from the kayak, almost within touching distance. Irrawaddy dolphins, named after Myanmars Irrawaddy River, are found here on the Mekong in Cambodia. They are shyer than their bottlenose cousins, less given to showy acrobatics. But this elusiveness makes them even more mesmerising. Instead of a long bottle nose they have a bulging forehead and short, snubbed beak that gives them a cuddly look. When the river is low from January to May, they gather in nine deep-water pools along a stretch of the Mekong that runs from the Laos border south to the Cambodian town of Kratie, a six-hour minibus ride north-east from the capital Phnom Penh. The current takes you downstream through tiny islands and a flooded forest. We stop for a swim in the clean, clear water, and snack on sticky rice as our guide explains the challenges faced by these critically endangered dolphins, such as hydro-electric dams built upriver that wreck their habitat. Less than 100 dolphins now remain on the Mekong, though happily two calves were born this year. Simple life: Annabel Venning travels to Cambodia to explore some of its natural wonders. Above - a woman watering plants along the Mekong River That evening, we watch the setting sun while sipping a Mekong Sunset cocktail on the balcony of our guesthouse, the Sorya, which runs the kayaking tours. Angkor Wat, near Siem Reap, put Cambodia on the global tourism map - but its countryside and wildlife are equally entrancing. Just 13km from Siem Reap is Pearaing Biodiversity Conservation Center, on the northern edge of Tonle Sap Lake, where we see spot-billed pelicans, painted herons, milky storks, and fish eagles. Conservation is in constant conflict with development in Cambodia, which has lost 15 per cent of its forest in ten years. Illegal loggers and private developers wreak devastation. But there is still untouched jungle where some of the few remaining wild Asian elephants roam, along with porcupines and pangolins, civet cats, sun bears and clouded leopards. There is still untouched jungle in Cambodia, where some of the few remaining wild Asian elephants roam, reveals Annabel 'Angkor Wat, near Siem Reap, put Cambodia on the global tourism map - but its countryside and wildlife are equally entrancing,' writes Annabel. Above are the Cardamon Mountains You can help protect them by visiting the countrys Community Based Ecotourism projects. We visit one in Steung Areng village, supported by Wildlife Alliance which protects the Central Cardamom Mountains National Park, the largest mainland rainforest in south-east Asia. After a five-hour taxi ride south from Phnom Penh my friend and I hop on the back of motorbikes to the starting point. After three hours of sweaty climbing through the jungle, we emerge into a valley where a waterfall trickles into a pool. We swim, eat rice cooked in banana leaves, and sleep in hammocks strung between trees, waking to the jungle orchestra. We dont spot elephants, bears or pangolins, but hornbills soar below us and monkeys scamper in treetops. Returning to the starting point, we wait for our motorbikes back to Steung Areng. Annabel sees rare Irrawaddy dolphins, which are found on the Mekong River in Cambodia On a visit to the island of Koh Rong Sanloem, above, Annabel swims amid bioluminescent plankton Cambodian houses have open fronts, and the people are as open as their homes. Its not long before we are invited into one and offered drinks. Despite widespread poverty, the warmth of Cambodias people makes it a safe and friendly place to travel. Next we head for the islands off the southern coast. First is Koh Thmei, where we stay in its sole resort - eight lovely beach huts along a palm-fringed beach. Then its Koh Rong Sanloem, where we paddle-board out to watch the sunset and swim amid bioluminescent plankton. Its as if glitter is spraying from our fingertips. Like the plankton, Cambodia sparkles in so many ways. Advertisement Britain's best - and worst - seaside destinations for 2024 have been ranked in Which? Travel's annual survey, and Bamburgh in Northumberland has triumphed again, with Bangor in Wales last on the list. The consumer champion surveyed thousands of people about their experiences of UK seaside towns in the past year, asking for their views on a range of criteria, including the quality of the beaches, food and drink offerings, tourist attractions and value for money. The survey results spotlight coastal gems from all four nations, with Bamburgh taking the top spot for the fourth consecutive year; Portmeirion, Gwynedd, coming second; St Andrews, Fife, claiming bronze; and Portstewart, Derry/Londonderry, the favourite Northern Irish resort, which also features in the top 20. This year's survey once again 'saw many lesser-known destinations beat their more popular counterparts to the top of the table', declares Which?. Readers may also notice how Cornish destinations have slipped slightly in the rankings. St Mawes, the highest-ranked Cornish spot, topped the table in the 2020 Which? poll but has since dropped to joint 10th place. Britain's best - and worst - seaside destinations for 2024 have been ranked in Which?'s annual survey, and Bamburgh (above) in Northumberland has triumphed again The consumer champion surveyed thousands of people about their experiences of UK seaside towns in the past year, asking for their views on a range of criteria, including the quality of the beaches, food and drink offerings, tourist attractions and value for money Bamburgh takes first place in the consumer champion's survey with an overall destination score of 86 per cent. Which? says that visitors were awed by the 'magnificent' and 'totally unspoiled' beach, as well as by the 'dramatic' views of the castle, which one visitor enthused 'is probably the most impressive in the British Isles'. Those polled awarded Bamburgh a full five stars for its beach, seafront, scenery, tourist attractions and peace and quiet. Which? adds: 'Visitors also enjoyed exploring the village, which though small, boasts a handful of well-regarded pubs, restaurants and cafes.' Italianate Welsh village Portmeirion takes second place thanks to a score of 83 per cent. The village received a five-star rating for its 'idyllic' scenery, seafront, tourist attractions, and parking and four stars for its beaches. Those looking to extend their trip to the 'beautiful' town can choose from a range of accommodation options, says Which?, including self-catering cottages 'and even a castle-style hotel'. St Andrews comes third with a destination score of 82 per cent. The 'wonderfully scenic' Scottish town received five-star ratings in a range of categories including tourist attractions, seafront, beaches and scenery, as well as four stars for shopping and food and drink. Italianate Welsh village Portmeirion takes second place thanks to a score of 83 per cent St Andrews comes third with a destination score of 82 per cent. The 'wonderfully scenic' Scottish town received five-star ratings in a range of categories including tourist attractions, seafront, beaches and scenery, as well as four stars for shopping and food and drink In fourth place is Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear, with a destination score of 81 per cent. It achieved 'an impressive run' of five-star ratings for its beaches and scenery, as well as four stars for food and drink 'Beautiful' Portstewart (above) ranked top in Northern Ireland thanks to a destination score of 76 per cent (tied in ninth place with Blakeney, Criccieth, and Sidmouth) IN DEFENCE OF BANGOR BY RORY BOLAND, EDITOR OF WHICH? TRAVEL AND GRADUATE OF BANGOR UNIVERSITY 'No one would dispute that Bangor has hit hard times of late, particularly with so many shops closing along its pedestrianised high street. 'But part of the problem too is that many of its best attractions, set back from the main town, are little known. The 1,500ft, Grade II Garth Pier is a Victorian triumph and remains much the same as when Lord Penrhyn opened it in 1896. Stretching into the Menai Straits, the views across to Anglesey and back on to the peaks of Eryri saw it named pier of the year by the National Piers Society in 2022. 'It's not the only award winner. Tiny Whistlestop cafe, also on the pier, has previously been named best traditional Welsh restaurant in the country. Stop by for a warm welcome and homemade Bara Brith. 'There is no real beach and Bangor won't ever compete with more dedicated seaside resorts, but it does sit amidst some of the most spectacular landscapes in Wales. The university means there are plenty of cultural events for a city of 16,000, and accommodation is affordable.' Advertisement In fourth place is Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear, with a destination score of 81 per cent. It achieved 'an impressive run' of five-star ratings for its beaches and scenery, as well as four stars for food and drink. Respondents loved their visits to the 'characterful' and 'lively' town, says Which?, singling out the castle, priory and weekend market among their recommendations. St Davids, Pembrokeshire, completes the top five with a score of 80 per cent. The town received a full five stars for its 'beautiful' scenery, and also scored five stars for its tourist attractions, which include its 'magnificent' ancient cathedral and the Gothic ruins of the Bishop's Palace. Summing up its attractions, one respondent enthused to Which? that 'it has spectacular scenery, great walks, some ancient buildings, and fantastic character there are also some good beaches nearby that are often practically empty!' Close behind, three spots tie for sixth with destination scores of 79 per cent - Dartmouth, Devon; Rye, East Sussex; and Southwold, Suffolk. 'Quaint, historic and friendly' Dartmouth won over visitors with its stunning scenery, for which it received five stars. 'Charming' and 'atmospheric' Rye also impressed, with visitors enjoying the opportunity to explore its historic cobbled streets boasting a range of independent shops and restaurants, including the famous Mermaid Inn, Which? reports, adding: 'Once a major port town, natural changes to the landscape mean that while its nautical heritage looms large, it is now two miles inland.' Respondents reflecting on Southwold enthused about its 'lovely, relaxed' atmosphere, with 'a beautiful pier and sandy beach with beach huts' - as one visitor put it. A visit to the town feels like 'stepping back into the 1950s'. 'Beautiful' Portstewart, Derry/Londonderry, meanwhile, ranked top in Northern Ireland thanks to a destination score of 76 per cent (tied in ninth place with Blakeney, Criccieth, and Sidmouth). At the other end of the table, Bangor, Gwynedd, takes last place with a destination score of 42 per cent, with Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire, just above on 46 per cent. Bangor, the oldest city in Wales, scored just two stars in the value for money, peace and quiet and seafront/pier categories, and just one star for food and drink, tourist attractions and shopping. Mablethorpe received almost identical ratings, trumping Bangor only in the parking category. Which? says: 'Though they received lower scores than their competitors, travellers nonetheless found plenty to recommend in these seaside resorts. Multiple visitors remarked on Bangor's "wonderful pier" and noted that while the town has suffered from shop closures in the town centre, it has some "really good restaurants" and "excellent amenities". They also recommended it as a base for exploring the local area, including Snowdonia National Park. Bangor, Gwynedd, takes last place with a destination score of 42 per cent. Bangor scored just two stars in the value for money, peace and quiet and seafront/pier categories, and just one star for food and drink, tourist attractions and shopping Mablethorpe (second from last) received almost identical ratings to Bangor, trumping it only in the parking category 'Though some respondents noted that Mablethorpe felt run down in places, it nonetheless drew praise for its "lovely, enormous, clean beach", with multiple visitors enjoying the traditional atmosphere of the town. As one repeat visitor enthused, "It has great character and such a relaxed feeling to it you just enter into the spirit of the place and it really takes your mind off everyday worries."' Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: 'From wild, unspoilt stretches of remote coastline to charming traditional bucket and spade resorts, the UK's seaside towns offer something for everyone. 'While you may have your own favourite coastal spot, this year's survey shows that it's worth looking beyond the most famous resorts this summer, to the lesser-visited hidden gems in every corner of the UK.' The results come from a survey of 4,744 members of Which?'s online panel in January 2024. For more from Which? Travel and further information about the seaside ranking visit www.which.co.uk/travel. Australian visitors to Bali are being warned that the Indonesian island could erupt into anti-tourist protests by locals following demonstrations across European holiday hotspots. There has been significant public disquiet in Bali over inappropriate behavior by tourists and breaking of visa rules. Local authorities in European tourist magnets such as Venice, Amsterdam and Barcelona have introduced stricter rules and taxes for tourists in recent years. Residents in those areas have become increasingly angry at being priced out of accommodation and having public areas overrun by throngs of tourists. Barcelona residents were seen shooting water pistols at tourists dining al fresco on on July 6, while there have been mass protests in the Spanish-run Canary Islands against huge numbers of arrivals. Now a travel expert has warned that Australians' favourite overseas getaway destination could see similar unrest. 'There's a distinct possibility that locals could start to express their frustrations with tourists directly and start to indicate that they would prefer tourists to do different things, or go somewhere else,' said Australian Traveller Media managing director Quentin Long, Yahoo reported. But Indonesia's Minister for Tourism and Creative Economies, Sandiaga Uno, told the press on July 17 that such European-style protests do not belong on the 'Island of the Gods', The Bali Sun reported. Aussies are being warned that European-style protests against tourism are a possibility on the island (pictured, tourists in Sanur, Bali) Bali's tourism minister wants tourists to be more spread out across the island but does not want locals to protest against visitors (pictured, tourists in Bali visiting Pura Batu temple in Bali) 'Things like that should not happen in Bali. Because if people feel uncomfortable with the presence of tourists, bad excesses emerge,' he said. 'In fact, tourism is one of the economic drivers in Bali.' In order to reduce animosity between local communities and tourists, Minister Uno wants to see tourism spread out more evenly. The minister wants new roads to progress rapidly 'so that tourists are not only concentrated in South Bali but also in West Bali'. The bad behaviour of some tourists also needs to be dealt with straight away, Mr Uno believes. 'Tourists who come must adjust their goals in coming to Indonesia. If you deviate from your goals [of tourism activities] - for example [by working here - action must be taken,' he said. Mr Long noted that although the Balinese authorities do not want local citizens to protest, it does not mean they won't take to the streets to speak out against over-tourism. 'There's been a lot of disrespectful behaviour in Bali. You get people not being dressed appropriately in temples or taking inappropriate selfies,' he said. Protesters in Barcelona, Spain squirted water guns at foreign tourists along Las Ramblas and the city centre, which the Spanish government has condemned (pictured) Locals in Barcelona protested on July 6 about how tourists have driven up housing prices and they could no longer afford to live in the city (pictured, the tourist hotspot of Las Ramblas) 'Having too many cocktails and being basically drunk and treating locals disrespectfully. Driving while intoxicated on mopeds, you name it, it happens in Bali.' In Europe, protests by fed-up tourists were prompted by the unaffordability of housing in cities due to homes being converted to short-term lets listed on platforms like Airbnb, while local cafes and restaurants jack up prices to levels that only free-spending tourists will pay. In Barcelona, locals marched through the busy tourist avenue of Las Ramblas and the city centre, chanting 'tourists go home', with some surrounding popular restaurants. A group of about 12 squirted water pistols at people they thought were foreign tourists which was condemned by the Spanish Government. Spain's Tourism Minister Jordi Hereu Boher said the protesters didn't 'represent the country's culture of hospitality,' reported Reuters. Venice too has seen considerable resentment against huge numbers of tourists, with a proposal to double the tax on hotel stays to 10 euros per night, and an access fee to the city is also charged in popular periods. HIGH COUNTRY Saturdays, BBC1 Rating: Brits often think they know the so-called (by the Australians) Lucky Country, but unless theyve actually visited they probably only know Neighbours fictional Ramsay Street in Melbourne, or Home And Aways equally fictional Summer Bay in New South Wales. However, more remote parts of the country-continent are now starting to be exploited dramatically for TV. Set in the fictional rural town of Broken Ridge (in the comically named by European standards Australian Alps in the state of Victoria), BBC1s latest Aussie import introduces us to detective Andie Whitford (Leah Purcell), partner Helen (Sara Wiseman) and daughter Kirra, who have recently moved from the city. Part police procedural people are mysteriously disappearing, enter no-nonsense cop with hints of indigenous peoples mysticism as seen in True Detectives recent Night Country, this is an example of the burgeoning Outback Noir genre. Set in the fictional rural town of Broken Ridge, High Country introduces us to detective Andie Whitford (pictured), played by Leah Purcell Andie, who is of indigenous heritage, embarks on an emotional journey that is shaped by her having grown up not knowing her mob, while Helen and Kirra have their own problems. Feeling out of her depth, Andie ponders the fate of a man who has abandoned his car in the mountains: Whatever personal crap he was dealing with, he made his family the victims of it. And so have I. Well, at least you havent buried us in the back yard, says Helen. Yet, responds Andie. Its a very engaging crash-course in Antipodean studies Just as Brits think they know Australia, they think they know Aussies, too. Occasional linguistic misunderstandings aside (different takes on what constitutes a thong, for example), we share a quirky (un-American) brand of humour. Its why the brilliant Colin From Accounts landed so well in the UK. However, best we dont take the mickey out of their mountains: Australias highest Alp is Mount Bogong at 6,516ft, Europes highest Alp, Mont Blanc, is 15,774ft. Yet as the camera sweeps across the awesome terrains peaks, the High Country misnomer is clear: its a wilderness-forest of daunting scale and density Tree Country. Its a miracle more Aussies dont disappear, quite frankly. Meanwhile, the vast, empty, perilous continent has enormous cultural differences to ours. Not least the fact that, exactly like America, its colonisers displaced (and effectively replaced) the indigenous population. UK writer Kathryn Flett (pictured) gave Aussie import High Country a four-star rating Although I was born in the UK, my parents were both Australian, and though Pa was a townie, Mum grew up on 80,000 acres 125sq miles. Mums family owned their land for eight generations, until 20th-century divorce settlements did for it. Fittingly, really, it was after all land that had once belonged to others, who themselves effectively disappeared. My son is heading off for a gap year or two Down Under soon. As well as getting in touch with his own colonial roots, hell find out that having a handle on the Lucky Countrys crazy scale is absolutely essential, too. Watching the very engaging, well-written, full-of-characters-to-care-about High Country is effectively a crash-course in Antipodean Studies. Gladiator it certainly isnt! THOSE ABOUT TO DIE Amazon Prime Rating: Anthony Hopkins plays Emperor Vespasian (pictured) in Those About To Die, directed by Roland Emmerich - who directed Independence Day Amazons new swords-and-sandals epic series, directed by movie blockbuster specialist Roland (Independence Day) Emmerich, is based on the same non-fiction book (by Daniel P Mannix) that inspired Ridley Scotts Gladiator, yet it couldnt be more different. Light on subtlety, heavy on CGI, were in 79 AD, and Rome, once the beacon of civilisation, is now a cesspit of corruption and decay (intones Sonorous Voiceoverous). There are familiar faces among the cast of (apparently) thousands, with big signing Anthony Hopkins furrowing his brow and dialling in his turn as the Emperor Vespasian. Elsewhere, British nearly-stars JoJo Macari, Iwan Rheon, Moe Hashim and Tom Hughes fight a script apparently written by AI. That man is deciding who will be sent to Rome as gladiators and who will be sent to the tin mines of Crete. What is the tin mines? [sic] A death sentence. Ooh-er! Then, just two episodes in, I had a niggling sense that in 79 AD something pretty big happened, somewhere in Italy. No spoilers, though Google backed up my hunch suffice to say its best if the gladiator heroes-in-waiting and their heroines avoid holidaying anywhere near Naples Something suspect here Suspect on Channel 4 stars Anne-Marie Duff as psychologist Susannah (pictured) Not having watched Suspects first series (Ch4), I dived in to the second, seduced by the cast. However, I managed just a couple of episodes of this frankly deranged thriller before deciding lifes too short. Implausibly plotted, the dark, badly written adaptation of a Danish hit picks up straight after its first series: psychologist Susannah (Anne-Marie Duff) is back to work three weeks after the death of her daughter, helping a random stranger (Dominic Cooper) who knocks on her door to... quit smoking. But is that what he really wants? Dont be fooled by the (bafflingly) star-studded cast, including Tamsin Greig, Ben Miller, Eddie Marsan and Gina McKee its one to avoid. Jason Donovan looked suave as he spent quality time with his daughter Jemma on the opening night of Hello Dolly at the London Palladium on Thursday. The actor, 56, cut a smart casual figure in a navy blue blazer as he was joined on the red carpet by his daughter Jemma, 24. He teamed the dapper blazer with a white vest and sported a pair of grey checked trousers. To complete the look, Jason opted for a pair of casual white trainers and slicked his hair back. Meanwhile, his daughter Jemma cut a stylish figure in a black off-the-shoulder crop top. Jason Donovan looked suave as he spent quality time with his daughter Jemma on the opening night of Hello Dolly at the London Palladium on Thursday The actor, 56, cut a smart casual figure in a navy blue blazer while his daughter Jemma, 24, looked stylish in a black off-the-shoulder top and jeans She teamed the top with a pair of faded black jeans that boasted a baggy fit at the leg and sported a pair of black and white trainers. Jemma toted her essentials around in a mini black handbag and further accessorised with some dark shades. Playing at The London Palladium for a limited summer season, this brand-new production re-unites Imelda with Director Dominic Cooke following the critically acclaimed Follies at the National Theatre. Joining Imelda Staunton are Andy Nyman, Jenna Russell, Tyrone Huntley and Harry Hepple. Meddlesome socialite turned matchmaker Dolly Levi travels to Yonkers, New York to find a match for the miserly, unmarried 'half-a-millionaire' Horace Vandergelder, but everything changes when she decides that the next match she needs to make is for herself. It comes after Jason showcased his toned bod as he enjoyed some quality time with his daughter Jemma in Bronte, Sydney earlier this year. The sweet pair were seen carefully observing their surroundings as they left a local shop with a hot drink each. Jason wore white trunks, white-and-cream trainers, and a black backpack and gave onlookers a glimpse of his arrow-pierced heart tattoo. Jason shares Jemma along with Zac, 23, and Molly, 9, with his wife of 16 years Angela Malloch, a former stage manager (pictured in 2018) Jason will resume his role as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show for a third time from October 1 to October 5 for Fareham Live's first production Jemma followed in her father's footsteps and appeared in Neighbours from 2019 to 2022 before starring in Hollyoaks as Rayne Royce (pictured) Actress Jemma took off her long-sleeved cropped jacket and red top to reveal a red bikini top. She finished her outfit with stylish sunglasses, black shorts, and white and grey trainers with black detailing. It's no surprise Jason was looking in great shape as last year he detailed his meticulous self-care routine including regular massages, healthy eating and even pedicures. The star was enjoying some time in Australia before he was due in Fareham, Hampshire for rehearsals for The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He had already appeared in the Theatre Royal, Sydney's 50th anniversary production of the musical in 2023. Neighbours alum Jason made his West End debut back in 1991 playing the titular character in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He as appeared in the musical a few times since, but as Pharaoh, and has also starred in Chicago, The Sound Of Music, and Grease. Jemma followed in her father's footsteps and appeared in the hit soap Neighbours from 2019 to 2022 as Harlow Robinson. She starred in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks from 2023 to 2024 as Rayne Royce and recently celebrated her first anniversary with former co-star Owen Warner, also 24. Jason shares Jemma along with Zac, 23, and Molly, 9, with his wife of 16 years Angela Malloch, a former stage manager. The Donovans split their time between West London and South Oxfordshire with regular trips to Jason's native Australia. Jason will resume his role as Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show for a third time from October 1 to October 5 for Fareham Live's first-ever production. Katherine Ryan turned heads in a plunging pink satin maxi dress as she attended the Cooking With The Stars premiere in London on Thursday evening. The comedian, 41, is one of the celebrities taking to the kitchen for the new 2024 series of the ITV reality cooking show. She looked incredible in the pretty short sleeved dress which boasted white lace detailing and buttons down the front. She elevated her frame in a pair of towering heels and accessorised with small hoop earrings. Styling her short blonde tresses straight, Katherine flashed her gorgeous smile as she posed for photos on the red carpet. # Katherine Ryan turned heads in a plunging pink satin maxi dress as she attended the Cooking With The Stars premiere in London on Thursday evening The comedian, 41, is one of the celebrities taking to the kitchen for the new 2024 series of the ITV reality cooking show Katherine joins the likes of Abbey Clancy, Countdown star Carol Vorderman, sprinting legend Linford Christie, actor and TV host Christopher Biggins, Strictly dancer Pasha Kovalev, Paralympian swimmer Ellie Simmonds and YouTube star Harry Pinero to battle it out in the kitchen. Elsewhere at the premiere, Rachel Riley supported former Strictly star husband Pasha Kovalev as they beamed for photos. She cut stylish in a red and pink floral minidress while Pasha dressed smart in a black and green patterned open collar shirt. Meanwhile Ellie Simmonds turned heads in a chic black waistcoat which she teamed with pink wide legged trousers. It comes as Katherine opened up about her 'cooking disasters' on the new reality show. She told The Mirror: 'Yes Im really scared. Ive had quite a few cuts, so I got some slice proof gloves and I even cut through one of those. Now Im one glove down, so Ill have to put the other glove on my left hand. 'I also spilled some flour and oil all over the floor. Jack [Stein] fell on it and nearly broke his neck. I also over-boiled my saute potatoes so they turned into mash, they were ruined. Everything Ive done has been a disaster!' Katherine revealed she signed up to the cooking show as she wanted to 'become a better cook' as she was 'really terrible'. Elsewhere at the premiere, Rachel Riley supported former Strictly star husband Pasha Kovalev as they beamed for photos Meanwhile Ellie Simmonds turned heads in a chic black waistcoat which she teamed with pink wide legged trousers Rosemary Shrager was all smiles as she donned an oversized grey blazer and white blouse Tom Allen cut a dapper figure in a white double breasted blazer which he teamed with an orange patterned tie Katherine joins the likes of Abbey Clancy, Carol Vorderman, sprinting legend Linford Christie, TV host Christopher Biggins, Pasha Kovalev, Ellie Simmonds and Harry Pinero to battle it out in the kitchen Katherine said with her busy work schedule and having young children and a teenager it is difficult to cool for everyone. She added: 'I dont want to run this restaurant where Im making different things for different people. I want my kids to have delicious, fresh ingredients and lots of recipes that everyone looks forward to. My husband is a really wonderful cook, but I want to be able to do it too.' Cooking With The Stars series 4 airs on ITV1 on Tuesday July 30 at 8pm. A judge has denied Charlie Sheen's former neighbor's bid to withdraw her no-contest plea to assault charges for attacking the star last year. Electra Schrock, 48, filed a declaration earlier this month to formally rescind her plea from January which she claims came after she had been forced to take mind-altering medication in custody after her arrest for the December 20 incident. She had hoped to 'clear her name', a close friend told DailyMail.com ahead of Thursday's hearing. In a signed July 9 declaration presented to the court, Schrock claimed she had been unfit to stand trial at the time due the effects of the medications. Electra Schrock was seen for the first time since she was released from custody as she arrived for a court hearing at Van Nuys Superior Court Thursday Schrock was initially in court on December 26 looking vastly different to how she appeared on Thursday. She lived in the same Malibu apartment building as Charlie Sheen But during a hearing at Van Nuys Superior Court, Judge Diego Edber denied that she had established good cause for the move. 'The court has reviewed this motion. Good cause is required to withdraw a plea of guilty or no contest,' the judge said. 'The court does not find that the defense has met that burden. No good cause has been shown,' Edber added. 'This court was here when it took the plea from Ms. Schrock. The court does not believe that Ms. Schrock was dealing with any medication issues that could affect her ability to accurately communicate. 'The court did find that Ms. Schrock was answering the court's questions, responding to the court's inquiries, and for those reasons this motion to withdraw is denied.' Schrock was seen arriving at the courthouse in her first public appearance since she was released from custody earlier this year. After the hearing, the blonde Buddhist told DailyMail.com she was 'extremely disappointed the judge denied my plea withdrawal, especially considering I was basically poisoned by my own government and never given my constitutional right to a fair trial.' Schrock was released from custody on January 19 and went into treatment at a Los Angeles facility, which she completed in April Months after her December arraignment, Schrock submitted a declaration to withdraw her no-contest plea citing 'pharmaceutical contraindications directly causing incompetency to stand trial' Sheen, 58, was attacked by his neighbor after opening the door of his apartment on December 20 Schrock, who now runs a clothing consignment store in Malibu, was accused of trying to strangle the TV star, 58, after he opened the door of his relatively modest second-floor apartment. Schrock, who was living in a rented two-bedroom unit on the third floor, was arrested that day and charged with 'felony assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury' over the altercation. Divorcee Schrock had originally pleaded not guilty to the charges during her initial arraignment on December 26. She changed her plea to no contest three weeks later and received two years of formal probation with conditional release to a residential treatment program for substance abuse for 90 to 120 days. But in a court declaration last week, Schrock formally withdrew her plea, citing 'pharmaceutical contraindications directly causing incompetency to stand trial'. In the document, dated July 9 and obtained by DailyMail.com, Schrock said she suffered medication interactions including 'uncontrollable body convulsions and hallucinations' after being forced to take antipsychotic drugs while held in custody at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, 14 miles south of downtown LA. 'I was administered Haloperidol which caused my body to quickly develop severe uncontrollable body convulsions, also known as Parkinsonism, with mild hallucinations,' she said in the declaration. In her July 9 declaration, Schrock states she suffered medication interactions including 'uncontrollable body convulsions and hallucinations' after being forced to take antipsychotic drugs in custody Schrock and Sheen were neighbors at a gated rental complex just off Pacific Coast Highway in the upscale celebrity coastal enclave She claimed to had been made to take one drug from December 23 to January 13, and another from January 13 to January 18 - the day before she signed her no-contest plea. Schrock was released from custody on January 19 and entered a Los Angeles treatment facility. In the wake of the incident, prosecutor Nicole Flood told the court Sheen had been left 'quite fearful' following the altercation. She also revealed Sheen had stitches on his body at the time, and during the tussle with Schrock one stitch had 'come out.' The Hollywood actor was granted a protective order requiring Schrock to stay away from him for 10 years. Kate Beckinsale has thanked Britney Spears for coming to her defense amid a wave of criticism from online trolls. On Thursday, the 50-year-old English actress took to Instagram to personally thank Spears, 42, for her support. She reposted the note from the pop star to her Instagram Stories, and wrote in bold, pink font: 'Women supporting women is my favourite thing. Thank you @britneyspears, warrior queen of all queens for your incredibly sweet post.' Then, the beauty added a string of pink heart emoji before adding, 'all the love right back.' Spears initially wrote to her 42.2 million followers on Wednesday: 'Have you guys seen the movie Serendipity with Kate Beckinsale? Well let me tell you ... if you haven't you definitely should!!! 'I adore Kate Beckinsale especially because she's from London!!! I realized how incredibly cruel people were talking about her IG saying she needs more age appropriate content ... she's in her fifties and I thought it was pretty badass how she responded with a mini bow in her hair looking literally 4 years old!!!' Kate Beckinsale has thanked Britney Spears for coming to her defense amid a wave of criticism from online trolls On Thursday, the 50-year-old English actress took to Instagram to personally thank Spears, 43, for her support After expressing gratitude toward the songstress, Kate uploaded a selfie sporting a blue onesie. The one-piece appeared to be a swimsuit and had an animated peeled banana printed across the front. The silver screen siren wore it with a huge, wide-brimmed hat on top of her ashy blonde hair, which was flawlessly coiffed. She smiled, sticking her tongue out in the photo as she teased her busty chest in the low-cut number. The image was snapped in a beautifully, minimally designed living space with floor-to-ceiling windows in the background. Beckinsale wore a gold necklace and flaunted an ornate, almond-shaped manicure. She has been coping with personal issues recently, including her stepfather's death, her mother's cancer diagnosis, and a six-week stretch in a hospital. Earlier this month, she took to social media to clap back at critics who cited her age and appearance in response to a series of posts in which she blew off steam amid troubled times. She reposted the note from the pop star to her Instagram Stories, and wrote in bold, pink font: 'Women supporting women is my favourite thing. Thank you @britneyspears, warrior queen of all queens for your incredibly sweet post' Kate recently showed off her petite figure in a pair of pictures posted to Instagram The actress wore her hair pulled back in a black headband and sported gold jewelry as she posed in front of a mirror In May, Kate fired back at claims she is 'too thin' amid her recent health scare. Some fans questioned the Stolen Girl star's health, with one writing, 'Sorry to say this Kate, but you do look a bit thin. You always striked a great balance But when your cheekbones start to show, the balance is lost.' Kate replied: 'I have been really sad. I watched my second dad die. It made me sick. Sorry you find me less attractive. Couldn't give a fu**.' The Underworld star continued, 'I nursed my [stepdad] to his death early this year. 'My mum also has stuff going on. I am adjusting to watching two fathers die, one when I was 5, one in January of this year.' Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, revealed they are 'not ruling out' the possibility of having baby number three after focusing on 'health time.' The former Disney channel star, 36 - who recently revealed his skin cancer diagnosis last month in June - opened up about the topic during Thursday's episode of The Viall Files podcast. The musician notably tied the knot with Danielle, 37, back in 2009 and the couple share daughters Alena, 10, and Valentina, seven. 'If it's God's will, we'll see,' Kevin told host Nick Viall, and explained, 'It's like, we took some health time for my wife. She has Lyme disease, so she really wanted to get that right.' 'She's kind of only coming out of it now, in a good way, which is wonderful. Like all things, it just takes time and figuring out your life. But definitely not ruling it out.' Kevin Jonas, 36, and his wife, Danielle, 37, revealed they are 'not ruling out' the possibility of having baby number three after focusing on 'health time' 'If it's God's will, we'll see,' Kevin told host Nick Viall, and explained, 'It's like, we took some health time for my wife. She has Lyme disease, so she really wanted to get that right'; seen in 2023 in NYC If the couple do welcome a third child, Jonas expressed to Viall that it would feel 'like a firstborn again' due to Alena and Valentina being a little older. 'My oldest daughter came downstairs this morning and she had a cold ice roller on her face while she made herself breakfast. Like, she's 10,' the star stated. 'She came down dressed, made herself breakfast and was getting ready for camp and rolling her face, like, my life is amazing right now. I'll take it.' The father-of-two added, 'Do I want to be changing diapers? Maybe not, but at the same time, I love babies and I love having kids, so why not? Let's go.' However, the Jonas Brothers member revealed that his youngest daughter isn't too thrilled on the prospect of being an older sister. '[Alena] wants to have another kid. Our second does not. Our second is our little rock star [and] she's like, "No way. No babies."' Kevin and Danielle first met in 2007 while on vacation with their families in the Bahamas, and tied the knot two years later at Oheka Castle in Long Island, New York. The lovebirds welcomed their first child in 2014, followed by their second daughter in 2016. The musician notably tied the knot with Danielle back in 2009 and share daughters Alena, 10, and Valentina, seven If the couple do welcome a third child, Jonas expressed to Viall that it would feel 'like a firstborn again' due to Alena and Valentina being a little older The pair have previously opened up about parenthood during an interview with E! News last year in August 2023. 'Sometimes, what they say is not what really what they mean,' Jonas said of his daughters while talking to the outlet. 'And when they're telling us how they feel, sometimes there's something else really going on. I think you try to listen past the listening. And we're still working on that.' Danielle also reflected on their two children growing up, and expressed, 'It's hard to let go.' 'I'm a sucker in that I always want to see them happy, and it's hard because you don't want to give them everything.' The TV personality - who also struggles with eczema - discussed being open and honest with her children. 'I think with them seeing me go through what I've gone through and being like, "I know this is rough right now. But there's something that's going to help me."' Last month in June, Kevin revealed to his fans that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer after a cancerous mole had been found on his forehead - which was removed during surgery. However, the Jonas Brothers member revealed that his youngest daughter isn't too thrilled on the prospect of being an older sister Danielle also reflected on their two children growing up, and expressed, 'It's hard to let go.' 'I'm a sucker in that I always want to see them happy, and it's hard because you don't want to give them everything' In a video uploaded to his main Instagram page, he got candid with his fans and also encouraged his followers to get checked. 'So today I am getting a basal-cell carcinoma removed from my head,' he explained shortly before undergoing the procedure. After quickly sharing a glimpse of the mole, the music artist said, 'Yes, that is an actual little skin cancer guy that has started to grow. And now I have to get surgery to remove it, so here we go.' He also updated his fans not long after the surgery while sitting inside a vehicle. 'Alright, I'm done. Now it's time to heal. Heading home. Make sure to get those moles checked, people.' In the caption of the post, the actor gave a 'friendly reminder' for others 'to get your moles checked.' Last month in June, Kevin revealed to his fans that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer after a cancerous mole had been found on his forehead - which was removed during surgery The siblings are currently on a brief break in touring, with more dates set to resume later this year on September 9 in Belfast, Northern Ireland; seen in Quebec earlier this month Kevin is currently on the Five Albums. One Night. The World Tour with his brothers Joe and Nick. The siblings are currently on a brief break in touring, with more dates set to resume later this year on September 9 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Jonas Brothers will also perform in other cities such as Dublin, London and Glasgow before heading to European countries including Germany, Netherlands, France and Denmark. Their world tour is set to come to an end on October 16 with the final concert taking place in Krakow, Poland. Armie Hammer has confirmed his ex-girlfriend Paige Lorenze's accusation that he once 'branded' her with a knife but he claims it was 'more like a scrape' or 'tattoo.' The actor, 37, made the admission in a new interview with Piers Morgan as he seemingly tried to downplay Lorenze's disturbing version of events. At the height of Hammer's cannibalism and abuse scandal in 2021, Lorenze came forward to accuse him of 'marking and branding' her during their 'traumatic' four month relationship in 2020. The Dairy Boy founder alleged to DailyMail.com at the time that Hammer had carved his first initial into her groin with a knife and licked the blood from the wound during a kinky sexual encounter that got out of control. But Hammer claimed to Morgan on Thursday, as per Page Six, that he didn't technically 'brand' Lorenze and that blood was never drawn. 'I wouldn't say brand, no,' Hammer said.'There was a scenario that we talked about beforehand, that we had discussed where, you know, I would basically take a little, tiny point and just kind of trace the letter 'A' just like the tip of a small knife.' Armie Hammer has confirmed his ex-girlfriend Paige Lorenze's accusation that he once 'branded' her with a knife but he claims it was 'more like a scrape' or 'tattoo'; seen in 2020 The actor, 37, made the startling admission in a new interview with Piers Morgan as he seemingly tried to downplay Lorenze's version of events He continued: 'I mean, there wasn't even blood in the situation. It was more like a scrape It's along the lines of couples getting their own initials tattooed on each other.' Morgan pointed out that taking a knife to someone's skin is 'a bit different to a tattoo.' '[It's] less permanent. I guarantee it was such a small thing,' Hammer fired back. After Morgan confessed he was 'shocked' by the whole thing, Hammer tried to frame it as a 'romantic gesture.' 'Yes, I think to some it probably sounds really strange. To some, it probably sounds like a very romantic gesture,' he explained. He also insisted that he had nothing to 'gain' from 'having a sexual experience that my partner didn't appreciate or enjoy. 'That was also a huge sense of validation for me, making this person that I'm with feel good, making this person that I'm with, I don't know if I can say this, climax,' Hammer explained to Morgan. 'Like, these were things that made me feel good and made me feel powerful, which I desperately needed, because I didn't know how to give them to myself.' Lorenze shared an image of her 'A' scar with DailyMail exclusively back in 2021 as she detailed their four-month romance. During the exclusive 2021 interview, Lorenze accused Hammer of being an out of control narcissistic sexual deviant, whose alleged wild fantasies, BDSM fueled desires and 'role play' sex could 'seriously injure another woman.' She also claimed that was fixated on biting her body, begging that she allow him to take lumps of flesh from her arm, before consuming them. She described their time together in Los Angeles as 'like a real life 50 Shades Of Grey without the love.' Hammer, who was at the peak of his fame, fell from grace in 2021 when a series of disturbing allegations were made against him by multiple women, who accused him of violent abuse and harboring cannibalism fantasies. At the height of Hammer's cannibalism and abuse scandal in 2021, Lorenze came forward to accuse him of 'marking and branding' her during their 'traumatic' four month relationship in 2020; seen in May 2024 The Dairy Boy founder alleged to DailyMail.com at the time that Hammer had carved his first initial into her groin with a knife and licked the blood from the wound during a kinky sexual encounter that got out of control But Hammer claimed to Morgan on Thursday, as per Page Six , that he didn't technically 'brand' Lorenze and that blood was never drawn In February 2021 his ex-girlfriend, Effie Angelova, 26, accused him of 'violently' raping and abusing her in 2017. He denied the accusations of rape through his attorney and said all of his sexual encounters were 'completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance and mutually participatory'. During an appearance on Bill Maher's podcast this week, Hammer claimed that a recent psychiatric evaluation report revealed that he 'had issues' but he's 'not what people are saying.' The star discussed his 'glowing' evaluation in the Cayman Islands, saying: 'I had to subject myself for a multi-month full psychological evaluation, and the report at the end of that was glowing. By the way, they're like, 'he's got issues, but he's not what people are saying.'' Maher also gave Hammer the chance to speak to camera and 'take accountability' for his actions - including cheating on his former wife Elizabeth Chambers - with whom he shares two children. He said: 'I cheated on my wife. I used people to make me feel better. I was callous and inconsiderate with people and their emotions and their well-being. I wanted what I wanted and I was going to take it at any cost, even if it was at an emotional cost of someone else. 'And that is s****y behavior. There are things in my behavior that I have to take accountability for, because that is pivotal for me learning and growing from it.' The actor retreated to the Cayman Islands in the wake of the scandal - and said he would rather work than ask his wealthy family to support him with 'free lunches.' Armie - who was ordered to pay $1,500 a month in child support - fully admitted he's broke and said he applied to be a drama teacher, landscaper, building manager, and timeshare salesman but 'the Cayman Islands refuses to give me work permits.' 'You say what you want, I loved it. I would love to be a timeshare salesman it is so fun,' Hammer quipped. 'Someone might look at me and go, 'Yeah but financially you're in a very different position than you've ever been in your entire life.' 'And I look at that and I go, 'Yeah and you know what? It's taught me that I don't need that because I've never been happier than I've ever been in my entire life.' He said: 'I would rather go get a job selling time-shares. I applied for a job to be a drama teacher. I applied for a job to be a landscaper. I applied for a job to be a building manager, and the Cayman Islands refuses to give me work permits.' He also insisted that he had nothing to 'gain' from 'having a sexual experience that my partner didn't appreciate or enjoy'; seen in 2020 In an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com in 2021, Lorenze described their time together in Los Angeles as 'like a real life 50 Shades Of Grey without the love' Discussing the police investigation - he said: 'They went through phones, emails, eyewitness reports. They investigated me for two and a half years in a time where if they could have nailed someone like me, it would have been such a boon for the LAPD,' Hammer noted. 'And after two and a half years they came to the conclusion that there is no evidence any crime had been committed.' Hammer - who used to 'smoke 20 joints a day' - has remained happily sober following his nine-month stint at a Florida rehab to battle his addictions to drugs, alcohol, and sex issues. 'Therapy for me has been a life changer,' the Golden Globe nominee gushed. 'Listen, I needed an adjustment. There was some s*** going on. Here's what I think would have happened had none of this gone on and like the cataclysmic tectonic shift in my life wouldn't have happened. My life would have kept going exactly as it was, and I know that would ultimately only lead in one place and that's death... 'I experienced an ego death, a career death, a financial death - all of these things, right? And [William Paul] Young talks about this. Joseph Campbell talks about this. You've got to die and once you die you can then be reborn. A phoenix isn't going to rise if there's no ashes.' Before his cancellation, Armie fully admitted he was 'drinking a lot. I was doing a lot of drugs. I was partying hard. I was being real fast and loose about what I put in text messages and I was also engaging in risky behavior that, if you really think about it, was stupid!' The 68-year-old Emmy-winning producer - whose movie poster for Cannibal Women ironically hung behind the pair - overlooked most of Hammer's past behavior but drew the line at him drinking and driving while filming himself back in 2021. '100 percent! 100 percent! To be fair, it was MDMA. I'm a little hazy,' Armie admitted. 'I mean who hasn't done MDMA in the passenger's seat of a car?' When Bill asked again if he was behind the wheel, Hammer shrugged: 'Maybe I was? Also 100% I definitely drove irresponsibly for sure and and by the way I did all kinds of crazy s*** that if I really think about it now. I kind of look at it, there's no way I didn't expect this even unconsciously subconsciously. It was self-destruction.' Maher was also visibly uncomfortable asking the high school drop-out why he carved his first initial 'A' into Lorenze's pubic area with a knife during their four-month fling. 'You get in these moods, like especially if you're inebriated or especially if whatever, you start to go, 'This is a great idea!'' Armie - whose texts were 'negotiating boundaries' - explained. 'And it's like, wait, people get tattoos of each other's initials all the time. And by the way, like, I'm not performing surgery. All of these things in a consensual relationship that were prediscussed and consented to, whatever they might have been between two people.' Hammer - who, at age 13, was molested by a 'member of the clergy' for 'about a year' - concluded: 'At the end of the day, hurt people hurt people.' Hammer, who was at the peak of his fame, fell from grace in 2021 when a series of disturbing allegations were made against him by multiple women, who accused him of violent abuse and harboring cannibalism fantasies; seen in 2019 He denied the accusations of rape through his attorney and said all of his sexual encounters were 'completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance and mutually participatory'; seen in 2020 'What would happen is I would suck these women into this whirlwind and then the minute it got real or the minute it got intimate or the minute it got serious, I would go, 'Whoa! I never signed up for this!' And I would just I would move on and, like the Seinfeld episode, I was a terrible breaker-upper,' the two-time SAG Award nominee recalled. Armie's last acting role was portraying Alex Magnussen in Taika Waititi's 2023 film Next Goal Wins, but the entire role was reshot in December 2021 with seven-time Emmy nominee Will Arnett. The last time audiences saw Hammer he played the two-timing Simon Doyle in Kenneth Branagh's 2022 film Death on the Nile, but he was completely edited out of the trailers. Last month Hammer revealed he is grateful for the shock cannibalism and abuse allegations which imploded his once-stellar Hollywood acting career. Speaking on the Painful Lessons podcast, the actor said of the scandal: 'Whatever it was that people said, whatever it was that happened, I'm now at a place in my life where I'm grateful for every single bit of it, 'I'm actually now at a place where I'm really grateful for it because where I was in my life before all of that stuff happened to me I didn't feel good I never felt satisfied I never had enough I never was in a place where I was happy with myself where I had self-esteem. 'I never knew how to give myself love. I never knew how to give myself self-validation but I had this job where I was able to get it from so many people that I never had to learn how to give it to myself.' On being accused of cannibalism - the actor reportedly said he was '100% a cannibal' in 2021 texts - he added: 'People called me a cannibal. Like I ate people! What???? You know what you have to do to be a cannibal? You have to eat people!' He added of his downfall: 'It was an ego death, a career death. A neutron bomb went off in my life. It killed off [everything]' His then-wife Chambers split from him in July 2020 - the former couple share two young children. The star said he had contemplated suicide during that period, saying: 'There were a lot of times when I thought I can't take this anymore. I was getting hateso it just went right in there was a time 'I was standing at the shore and I swam out really far and just laying there..a half-assed suicide attemptBut I thought I couldn't do that to my kids.' He admitted his Hollywood career is 'nowhere now' and said he's 'creating his own sandbox' and planning to write a screenplay. Hammer was told 'he had issues' but he's 'not what people are saying' in a psychiatric evaluation report - after cannibalism and abuse allegations imploded his career in 2021. Maher also gave Hammer the chance to speak to camera and 'take accountability' for his actions - including cheating on his former wife Elizabeth Chambers - with whom he shares two children; pictured in 2018 On Bill Maher's Club Random podcast, the star discussed his 'glowing' evaluation, saying: 'I had to subject myself for a multi-month full psychological evaluation, and the report at the end of that was glowing' Hammer admits that his Hollywood career is 'nowhere now' and noted that he's creating his 'own sandbox' where he plans to write a screenplay. He has repeatedly denied the allegations however the fallout surrounding the scandal has seen Armie's Hollywood career all but vanish. The star, who first made his name playing both the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network, was dropped by his personal publicist and former agency as well as multiple projects following the allegations. Hammer also stepped down from a role in Jennifer Lopez's film Shotgun Wedding, but maintained his innocence. 'I'm not responding to these bulls***t claims but in light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, I cannot in good conscience now leave my children for four months to shoot a film in the Dominican Republic,' he said in a statement to DailyMail. Armie has not been charged by the LA County District Attorney, and has since made attempts to restart his career. Kym Marsh has revealed a huge new tattoo of Cruella de Vil as she paid tribute to playing the iconic villain character on Instagram on Thursday. The former Coronation Street star, 48, described the design as 'perfect' as she showed off the large black and red inking which was located on her ribcage. She revealed having the artwork on her ribs was 'sore' but she got it done over a former design that 'needed covering up'. Kym wrote: 'Thank you @jesswright_tattoo for my awesome Cruella tattoo. Needed something to cover up an old one and this is just perfect! 'A great reminder of playing this Iconic villain! Although.. if you're gonna have a tattoo gang.. ribs are SORE!!! Sorry Jess for the occasional swear word hahah. You're an absolute genius!' Kym Marsh has revealed on Instagram on Thursday a huge new tattoo of Cruella de Vil as she paid tribute to playing the iconic villain character The former Coronation Street star, 48, described the design as 'perfect' as she showed off the large black and red inking which was located on her ribcage She revealed having the artwork on her ribs was 'sore' but she got it done over a former design that 'needed covering up' In one snap, Kym posed alongside the talented tattoo artist Jess Wright, before showcasing the tattoo in a second photo. It is unclear what the large Cruella de Vil tattoo, which takes up a large area of Kym's ribs, has replaced. Fans were quick to take to the comments to say they 'love' Kym's new inking and agreed that the ribs are a painful area to get a tattoo. 'Yessss. oh lord ribs are unbearable arent they!! I felt like I was gonna pass out with mine'. 'This is FABULOUS'. Kym is currently playing Cruella de Vil in the UK & Ireland tour of 101 Dalmatians The Musical, alongside her new boyfriend Samuel Thomas, 29, who stars as Tom Dearly. The West End show opened at New Wimbledon Theatre on June 22, 2024 and will continue to tour across the country until January 2025. It comes days after Kym was forced to defend herself for revealing she is dating Samuel who is the same age as her son. Fans were quick to take to the comments to say they 'love' Kym's new inking and agreed that the ribs are a painful area to get a tattoo Kym is currently playing Cruella de Vil in the UK & Ireland tour of 101 Dalmatians The Musical, alongside her new boyfriend Samuel Thomas, 29, who stars as Tom Dearly The West End show opened at New Wimbledon Theatre on June 22, 2024 and will continue to tour across the country until January 2025 It comes days after Kym was forced to defend herself for revealing she is dating Samuel who is the same age as her son At 29, Samuel - who she refers to as 'the most amazing man ever' - is the same age as her eldest child, David Cunliffe. Kym's friends are reportedly worried that her new romance with a younger man could all end in heartache if it 'fizzles out'. The soap star has the support of her pals who are apparently 'happy' she has found someone, but they are said to have concerns that she could end up hurt. The actress is a parent to son David, 29, and daughter Emilie, 27, from a former relationship with builder David Cunliffe. The couple, who met in a Lancashire pub, separated in 1999, shortly before Kym found fame as a contestant on TV talent show Popstars, where she would become a member of short-lived pop group Hear'Say. Two years later Kym was making an appearance on Top Of The Pops when she crossed paths with actor Jack Ryder, a household name at the time thanks to his role as Jamie Mitchell in EastEnders. They married at St. Albans parish church, Hertford, in August 2002 and subsequently sold the pictures to OK! magazine for a reported 300,000. But seven years later it was all over, with Ryder filing for divorce on the grounds of adultery following her apparent fling with second-husband-in-waiting Jamie Lomas Friends initially feared Kym had rushed into her relationship with Lomas, who she started dating just four months after separating from Ryder. At 29, Thomas - who she refers to as 'the most amazing man ever' - is the same age as her eldest child, David Cunliffe She was previously married to Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas from 2012 to 2014 and they have just one child together, Polly, 13 Before Jamie, Kym was married to Jack Ryder from 20022009 The pair met on a train as they made their way to the 2007 TV Quick Awards, but casual chat soon turned into romance with the pair going public in 2008 - a year before her divorce. They had been together for less than two months when Kym fell pregnant with their first child, but tragedy struck when their son Archie Jay died moments after being born 18-weeks premature on February 11. The couple had happier news when they welcomed daughter Polly in March 2011. They exchanged vows in September 2012 but were divorced by 2014, with Kym reportedly stunned by Lomas' decision to break it off. She remarried for a third time to Scott Ratcliff back in 2021. The pair split 13 months following their wedding when Kym filed for divorce citing unreasonable behaviour. Aisling Bea showed off her blossoming baby bump in London on Thursday as she attended The Hot Wing King afterparty at The National Theatre. The comedian, 40, was glowing as she cut a stylish figure in a textured green dress which boasted a halterneck design and a cut-out panel at the waist. She teamed a pair of comfortable black sandals with her look and covered up from the evening chill with a flowy white shirt. The beauty styled her locks straight for the afterparty and wore a flawless palette of makeup. At the party she caught up with Kadiff Kirwan, 35, who plays Cordell, who has his sights set on being crowned hot wing eating champion at the annual contest. Aisling Bea showed off her blooming baby bump in London on Thursday as she attended The Hot Wing King afterparty at The National Theatre The comedian, 40, was glowing as she cut a stylish figure in a textured green dress which boasted a halterneck design and a cut-out panel at the waist Kadiff cut a smart casual figure in a black blazer which he teamed the smart blazer with a graphic print white T-shirt and sported a pair of black tailored trousers. He teamed the smart blazer with a graphic print white T-shirt and sported a pair of black tailored trousers. Kadiff completed the look with a pair of smart black leather shoes and seemed in high spirits as he posed for several sweet snaps with his pal. The Hot Wing King is a 2020 American comedy-drama play by writer Katori Hall. The play follows Cordell, his boyfriend, and their friends in Memphis, Tennessee preparing their culinary entry for the annual 'Hot Wang Festival'. According to the National Theatre, Kadiff is Cordell in this hot new comedy told with the love language of food; about family, Black Masculinity, sexuality and the journey to finding home. It comes after Aisling revealed last month that she is pregnant with her first child. The comedian shared the news in a hilarious post after debuting her bump at the Big Slick '24 event. Showing off her tummy, Aisling shared funny videos and snaps of a cartoon face painted onto her bare tummy after performing a back-up dance with comic Seth Herzog. In the caption of her post, Aisling also shared that she was expecting her baby with her boyfriend, producer Jack Freeman. She teamed a pair of comfortable black sandals with her look and covered up from the evening chill with a flowy white shirt She was also joined by pal Kadiff Kirwan, 35, who cut a smart casual figure in a black blazer She wrote: 'Dignity Intact. Got pregnant so I could try & put something beside Paul Rudd's face to make him look older.' 'Thanks to the @bigslickkc , Paul, @sethherzog super boy @travisKelce & mostly our angel @sherylcrow for helping me show off my bump in the most dignified & classy way possible.' 'Sheryl said myself & Seth could be her very professional back up dancers with our ridiculous idea, how on brand!She really does just wanna have some fun, yawl.' 'And thanks to @jackoby.freeman & @elsie for doing full bump glam & to one of them in particular for getting me pregaroo in the first place.' 'Just to note if you use sharpie pen on your skin, it will be there for about two days. Just if you are weighing up what a commitment to a joke is worth. Gentle dermatitis is the answer.' Aisling's post showed a slew of snaps of the moment she unveiled her bump while dancing on-stage at the charity event. The star previously dated actor Michael Sheen in 2018 for less than a year, before his ex Sarah Silverman confirmed their romance was over. The following year she then sparked dating rumours with Spiderman star Andrew Garfield, after they were pictured together during a night out at the theatre. It comes after Aisling revealed she's pregnant with her first child, as she debuted her bump for the first time in a hilarious Instagram post last month The comedian shared the news in a fun Instagram post after debuting her bump at the Big Slick '24 event over the weekend Showing off her tummy, Aisling shared funny videos and snaps of a cartoon face painted onto her bare tummy after performing a back-up dance with comic Seth Herzog Aisling is thought to have been dating Jack for two years, and he marked their first anniversary on Instagram last year, writing: 'To 1 whole year with m'lady @weemissbea.' The star previously dated actor Michael Sheen in 2018 for less than a year, before his ex Sarah Silverman confirmed their romance was over. The following year she then sparked dating rumours with Spiderman star Andrew Garfield, after they were pictured together during a night out at the theatre. Aisling is thought to have been dating Jack for two years, and he marked their first anniversary on Instagram last year, writing: 'To 1 whole year with m'lady @weemissbea.' She was doing Pilates and light exercise right up until the birth of her second child. And the hard work appears to have paid off for model Georgia Fowler as the Victorias Secret beauty showed off her incredible bikini body on Thursday, just five months after welcoming her baby boy Zeke in February. The 33-year-old flaunted her ripped abs and long slender legs as she posed in a chic black two-piece for a mirror selfie in her hotel. The Aussie supermodel also sported a golden tan and revealed her natural beauty makeup free. In an earlier post, Georgia said she was taking her first work trip with her baby. The mother-of-two recently moved back to the Big Apple with her husband, Fishbowl owner Nathan Dalah. Dalah and his business partner opened up a branch of the healthy food chain in Manhattan and it has been a massive success. In the weeks of its opening, there were patron queuing up for blocks to try Fishbowl's popular poke bowls. Victoria's Secret model Georgia Fowler showed off her insane bikini body on Thursday just five months after giving birth Georgia and Nathan announced the joyous news of Zeke's arrival in February, taking to Instagram with several black-and-white photos of herself and Nathan cradling their newborn son in hospital. Revealing the baby's name in the caption, Georgia wrote: 'Zeke Atlas Dalah. 15.2.24. You are so loved already little man.' Georgia's famous friends were quick to express their excitement, with fellow model Cheyenne Tozzi commenting: 'Congratulations you guys.' Models Shanina Shaik, Lily Aldrige and Jessica Gomes also shared their congratulations. Georgia and her husband Nathan Dalah announced the joyous news of their second child's arrival in February, taking to Instagram with several black-and-white photos of herself and Nathan cradling their newborn son in hospital Georgia announced in September that she and Nathan were expecting a baby boy. She shared the exciting news alongside a stunning photo shoot in which she was seen cradling the couple's daughter Dylan, who they welcomed in September, 2021. 'Baby brother brewing,' she wrote in the caption. Revealing the baby's name in the caption, Georgia wrote: 'Zeke Atlas Dalah. 15.2.24. You are so loved already little man' Georgia also shared this adorable photo of Zeke holding his mother's fingers The couple tied the knot during a gorgeous countryside ceremony on 27 January 2023. They exchanged vows at Hopewood House in the township of Bowral, in the NSW Southern Highlands. Among the attendees were the couple's fashion friends, including model Tahnee Atkinson, fashionista Rey Vakili and designers Sophie Coote and Nikki Campbell. Also attending was 'Australian tailor to the stars' Patrick Johnson and his wife Tamsin Johnson, an interior designer. The couple tied the knot during a gorgeous countryside ceremony on 27 January 2023 A mum who accused Qantas of giving A Current Affair host Allison Langdon special treatment has launched another bizarre rant about that fateful flight to Fiji. Mother-of-five Courtney Babic first claimed Langdon was given free champagne on the trip from Sydney to Fiji while other passengers were denied the same privileges. She also alleged the TV presenter's children Mack, seven, and Scout, four, were also allowed to use the bathrooms in first class, unlike other passengers. After her TikTok went viral, questions were raised when paparazzi photos emerged showing Langdon and her family checking in at the business class desk. This seemed to debunk Ms Babic's claim that Langdon had flown economy but received 'special treatment' just because she was a celebrity passenger. Now Ms Babic has recorded another video from her Fiji hotel room - this time revealing the real reason why her encounter Langdon irked her so much. She said she didn't care about not getting free booze, but instead took issue with Langdon's children allegedly getting better activities on the plane. She also expressed bizarre fears about Qantas staff 'spitting' in her food on her return flight to Sydney after she slammed the airline on TikTok. 'All the trolls on the internet were saying you're just upset you didn't get champagne or alcohol,' she said as she addressed the backlash to her original video. A mum who accused Qantas of giving A Current Affair host Allison Langdon special treatment has launched another bizarre rant about that fateful flight to Fiji 'First of all, dude, I didn't ask for any wine on the flight because we were on a morning flight!' 'Kyle and Jackie O said being famous that's just one of the perks, you get extra stuff in life and people obviously treat you better,' she continued. Ms Babic went on to claim other children were told they couldn't have the same activities which had been allegedly given to Langdon's son and daughter. 'I think what the problem was is that other kids were around and they were not getting the same children's activities - they were getting extra stuff, her kids, in front of other children that were asking for things and being denied,' she alleged. 'Children don't know when someone's famous, they don't know that, and I think if Qantas is going to be doing that and treating certain people better, then maybe they should do it in a more, I guess, quiet manner.' With a laugh, she added of the controversy: 'I'll probably get my food spat in on the way back now!' After her first video went viral last week, Qantas rubbished the TikToker's claims, bluntly stating it was 'ridiculous to suggest Allison was given any special treatment'. 'Any extras she was offered would be the same as we provide other similar frequent flyers whey they travel with us,' an airline spokesperson added. 'Our crew often say how nice Allison is to deal with and never wants a fuss.' Taking to TikTok this week, Ms Babic claimed she didn't care about not getting free alcohol, but took issue with Langdon's children allegedly being given better activities on the plane Langdon's representatives declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. Despite Qantas' response and photographs showing Langdon checking in at the airline's business class counter, Ms Babic has continued to stand by her claims. The former primary school teacher-turned-influencer also insisted Langdon's alleged special treatment from cabin crew didn't bother her - despite publishing a series of lengthy videos on the topic. Her remark prompted a woman claiming to be a former Qantas customer service manger to question her claims. 'I have never experienced no alcohol being served on an international flight,' she wrote. 'Sometimes there are shortages out of more isolated or smaller countries.' Ms Babic hit back at people who claimed she had not got her facts straight by insisting it was possible for Langdon to have used the business class check-in but still have been sat in economy. 'I wasn't the only one who witnessed it,' Ms Babic hit back at one critic. 'You think you can't get priority boarding in an economy seat? You clearly know nothing.' She mocked another commenter, telling them 'you clearly have never been in the FC (First Class) lounge', and told another keyboard warrior to 'get a life'. It is possible for some Qantas Frequent Flyer members to take advantage of first class boarding and lounge access while still flying economy. After her first video last week, Qantas rubbished her claims, bluntly stating it was 'ridiculous to suggest Allison was given any special treatment' (Langdon is pictured on A Current Affair) Ms Babic's original two-and-a-half-minute rant did not refer to Langdon by her full name, only her first name. 'There was a famous person from 60 Minutes on the plane, I think her name is Allison. She didn't get a first class seat, she got an economy seat,' Ms Babic said. 'We flew Qantas. They were turning people down when they were asking for wine and that's fine. I didn't ask but I overheard a lot of people being rejected. 'But then they were offering her wine and handing it out in front of everyone else. So the people who were being declined alcohol had to sit and watch this famous lady be served alcohol when they bought the same ticket for the same price. 'The staff were treating her better than everyone else. It's just not fair. Why are these famous people getting treated better in front of you when you've both paid the same amount of money? 'If you're going to give someone special treatment just because you think they're famous, I think that's wrong. I don't understand what's going on with service these days.' Why Trains Crash (BBC 1) Rating: At St Jamess cemetery in Liverpool, theres a monument to Tory MP William Huskisson killed in a spectacular double-celebrity rail disaster. Huskisson, a former Cabinet minister and Leader of the Commons, was a passenger on the Northumbrian steam train at the opening of the Manchester and Liverpool railway in 1830, when he decided to jump down from his carriage and hurry along the track to buttonhole another passenger, the Duke of Wellington. But he lost his balance and, unable to clamber clear of the adjacent track, was run over by Stephensons Rocket. According to the Guinness Book Of Records, he wasnt even the first man to be killed in a railway accident. That was David Brook, a carpenter, who was caught in a storm walking home near Leeds in 1821 and decided to find his way by walking along the tracks of the Middleton Railway. This seemed a good idea, and wasnt. All this goes to show that railway accidents have been happening as long as railways have existed. The report centred on a horrific incident last year in Odisha, India. In a three-train crash on the line from Kolkata to Bangalore on Indias east coast, 296 people were killed and more than 800 injured Why Trains Crash, an hour-long documentary for the international This World series, concluded that the causes are broadly the same in most disasters. Human error is almost always a factor. Mistakes with signals are common. And inadequate or decrepit equipment is frequently involved. The report centred on a horrific incident last year in Odisha, India. In a three-train crash on the line from Kolkata to Bangalore on Indias east coast, 296 people were killed and more than 800 injured. A high-speed, long-distance train on a 25-hour journey ploughed into stationary goods carriages and jack-knifed into the path of an express travelling in the opposite direction. An investigation discovered a set of points had somehow been cross-wired with a level crossing so that, when the barrier went up, the tracks also moved. A couple of survivors, including a man whose father was among the dead, described the impact, though their accounts conveyed little of the terror or drama. One man remarked in a matter-of-fact way that, clinging on to a windowframe as the carriage rolled, he assumed he was probably dead but decided to hang on anyway. The Moorish Arch at Edge Hill in Liverpool, during the opening of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway on September 15, 1830. The service was the first to rely exclusively on steam power, run a scheduled passenger service and use a system of signalling. However, the opening was hit by tragedy when politician William Huskisson was killed by an oncoming train Snatches of news footage from the rescue efforts, which went on all night and long into the following day, did illustrate the sheer scale of the disaster, but these were too brief. Instead, we saw animated computer graphics that made the crash look eerily unreal, like a video game. The commentary touched on overcrowding, but failed to address how significant this was in the huge loss of life. There were no clear statistics, for example, on whether people survived the impact but died from suffocation under the weight of bodies. Crashes in Greece, Germany and the UK were briefly mentioned. And, of course, because this was the BBC, climate change was cited as another increasingly common factor. At least global warming cant be blamed for the death of poor old William Huskisson. Nicolas Cage's son Weston Cage's divorce from wife Hila Cage Coppola has been finalized, after the couple was together from their April 2018 wedding to their split in September of 2021. The judge overseeing the case approved the split, with Hila keeping sole legal and physical custody of the former couple's four-year-old twin daughters, Cyress and Venice, TMZ reported after reviewing court docs in the case. The outlet reported that Weston received 'no visitation rights pending a further court order' and that Hila has lone authorization when it comes to where the children attend school and if they can get passports. The court ruled Hila is not permitted to leave the U.S. with the children for a timeframe eclipsing two months, according to the outlet. The latest comes weeks after Weston, 33, had been arrested in connection with allegations he assaulted his mother Christina Fulton, 57, in an April 28 incident. Nicolas Cage's son Weston Cage's divorce from wife Hila Cage Coppola has been finalized, after the couple was together from their April 2018 wedding to their split in September of 2021. Pictured in 2018 Weston was pictured at a Boneyard screening on June 26 in Santa Monica, California Hila was granted spousal support totals of $991 monthly from Weston spanning through the end of this month. According to the outlet, she 'then waives her right to receive more money' from her ex-husband following that timeframe. The court stipulated that Hila has to give Weston back property that she has had in the wake of their split, according to the outlet. The property consists of a pair of necklace pendants, one in the shape of a dragon, the other in the shape of a pan; a trio of framed pictures of his musical group; crystal skull sculptures; a keyboard and a Civil War-era document. Weston had filed paperwork in the case June 7 that objected to deposing his father, Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage in the split, according to a report from Radar last month. The requested deposition was focused on funds a trust the Leaving Las Vegas star had sent to Weston, with a lawyer for Hila saying the Hollywood veteran was aware the trust was subsidizing the 'litigation from the outset to the extent of hundreds of thousands of dollars.' A lawyer for Weston said that the Face/Off star was 'not a party to this case' and that testimony from him would not be 'relevant to any issue in this matter.' Lawyers for the Raising Arizona actor said that the request to depose him was 'unduly burdensome, harassing, oppressive, vague, and irrelevant,' Radar reported after reviewing legal docs. They went on to say that Nicolas's bank records were 'neither relevant to the subject matter of the action nor reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence.' The former couple, pictured in 2019, have wrapped up their contentious divorce proceedings Weston had filed paperwork in the case June 7 that objected to deposing his father, Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage, in the split. The father and son pictured in April of 2022 in LA Weston has been married and divorced three times, as he was previously married to Nikki Williams; and then Danielle Cage, who he shares two sons with. It's been a turbulent timeframe for Weston as he was arrested earlier this month in connection with assault with a deadly weapon in the April incident involving Fulton, posting $150,000 bond before he was released from custody. Fulton publicly issued a statement July 11 in which she declared what had happened in the April incident involving her son, who had left the scene before officers arrived. 'On April 28th, 2024, around 5:30 pm I received urgent messages from friends of my son, Weston Cage regarding his deteriorating mental state, urging me to come help,' Fulton said. 'When I arrived to offer support and console him, he was already in the midst of a manic rage. Within minutes, I was brutally assaulted and sustained serious injuries.' Fulton, who was seen sporting multiple injuries in the wake of the incident, said that police 'refused' her request to evaluate Weston on a mental health basis and neglected her 'urgent need for ... medical attention. 'As a mother, I am deeply saddened and concerned about Weston's on-going mental health crisis. It is imperative that he receives the help he desperately needs,' Fulton said. Sisters of Mersey (Royal Court, Liverpool) Verdict: Lordy, it's bawdy! Rating: What fun it is to visit Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre, where audiences are flocking to the latest comedy by Jonathan Harvey (author of Beautiful Thing, and last year's hit A Thong For Europe). Even at a Saturday matinee the 1,100-seater establishment was bulging like a builder's midriff. Sisters Of Mersey is a subversively unsophisticated Eighties caper that's like a cross between Sister Act and a lewd, out-of-season panto. It concerns two nuns (one little, the other large) discovering that not only are they not twins; but the large one has a real twin sister in prison Eileen Forward (prisoner 6969). Eileen has been 'framed like the Mona Lisa' and banged up for the theft of a jewelled crucifix from the convent altar. In case you're still in any doubt, this play makes Mrs Brown's Boys look like King Lear. And having the crucifix hidden inside a giant phallus will be considered in very poor taste, if not downright blasphemous, by some. Lindzi Germain plays Sister Petra Pottymouth (left) and Emma Bispham plays Reverend Mother Mary Monobrow (right) But as a Liverpool-born Roman Catholic myself, I wondered if the Good Lord might be secretly amused if not by that, then by the joyful spirit that drives the show. Lindzi Germain as (large) Sister Petra Pottymouth reminded me of a female Les Dawson, switching between saintly sweetness and gravel-voiced profanity. Keddy Sutton as (little) Sister Fionola Foghorn is a brilliant physical comedienne who does a hilarious Cilla Black impersonation: singing Surprise! Surprise! while slipping around in amniotic fluid (don't ask). And I loved her catchphrase: 'What am I like!?' Emma Bispham's Reverend Mother Mary Monobrow adds a touch of decorum; while a giant map of Merseyside (illuminated with flashing tower blocks and church windows) makes it clear that Stephen Fletcher's crowd-pleasing production is a loving mickey-take of the city. A live band knocks out classic Eighties bangers ranging from the Eurythmics' Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves, to Belinda Carlisle's Heaven Is A Place On Earth. In box-office terms, however, there's evidence to suggest that heaven is in fact a place in Liverpool with the show selling out fast, at prices ranging from 15-34 (the latter including nosh brought to stage-side seats). Fuerza Bruta (Roundhouse, London) Verdict: Not so bruta Rating: Fuerza Bruta first blew everyone's wigs off in Buenos Aires in 2005, before making landfall in the UK at Camden Town's Roundhouse in 2006. In the intervening years, its counter-cultural cache mixing the club atmosphere of a techno rave and the arty acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil has lost some of its gale-force ferocity. On arrival, we are herded as usual into the former train shed arena, where a DJ warms us up with dance anthems, including an elderly Abba number. We remain standing as five performers launch into tribal drumming wearing pastel suits that could have come from Next. Except that these suits have been adapted for aerial flight on wires that allow the team to run round an overhead globe, or defy gravity while cavorting on a freestanding conveyor belt. A random inflatable blue whale appears from behind 30-foot curtains; the two young men we can see inside rocking it, and urging us to whoop ever louder. At other times, a young woman writhes suggestively in a transparent tray of water above us. This is followed by further writhing in a catwalk wind tunnel, like something out of an MTV video. Be warned: there is more writhing in this show than a box of eels at an East End fishmonger's. Five performers in pastel suits which have been adapted for aerial flights on wires A dancer in a white suit writhes in a transparent tray of water as another in a blue suit presses against the glass After 70 minutes of 'spectacle', it feels as overstretched as the actors' claim that this is 'the happiest show on Earth'. Actually, it's more like a party at a super-permissive creche, with music (including I Love It by Charli XCX and We Can't Stop by Miley Cyrus) providing most of the 'NRG'. It's still fun, but at nearly 20 years old, the show is beginning to feel (whisper it) middle-aged. Sisters Of Mersey runs until August 3; Fuerza Bruta is booking until September 1. Visit From An Unknown Woman (Hampstead Theatre, London) Verdict: Old-fashioned fare Rating: Visit From An Unknown Woman is Christopher 'Dangerous Liaisons' Hampton's adaptation of a novella by the early 20th century German author, Stefan Zweig. It was due to open two weeks ago but was cancelled after one of the actors became ill. It now stars James Corrigan as a womanising writer in Vienna who is visited by a mysterious woman with an intriguing story (a fabulous Natalie Simpson). Natalie Simpson (left) grabs the shirt of James Corrigan (right) in a Visit From An Unknown Woman The play is, in truth, a faintly old-fashioned fantasy in which the infatuated young woman throws herself at the writer, no strings attached. 'I fell in love with a man who was affectionate and forgetful, it wouldn't be logical to complain' she says, offering the sort of get-out every guilty philanderer prays for. But if you ask me, she's got every right to boil a bunny the cad doesn't even see her to the door when she leaves! Imelda Staunton was supported by her husband Jim Carter and Bridgerton actress daughter Bessie at the press night for her new show Hello, Dolly! on Thursday night. The actress, 68, plays the lead role as matchmaker Dolly Levi in Dominic Cooke's revival of Jerry Herman's 1964 musical. Playing at The London Palladium for a limited summer season, this brand-new production reunites Imelda with Director Dominic following the critically acclaimed Follies at the National Theatre. After the show she posed with her Downton Abbey star husband Jim, 75, and Bessie, 30, - who played Prudence Featherington on the Netflix series Bridgerton. Imelda looked chic in a white dress that had a brown belt and featured button detailing. Imelda Staunton was supported by her husband Jim Carter and Bridgerton actress daughter Bessie at the press night for her new show Hello, Dolly! on Thursday night The actress, 68, plays the lead role as matchmaker Dolly Levi in Dominic Cooke's revival of Jerry Herman's 1964 musical Earlier in the night while on stage she wore traditional red dress and looked proud as she bowed at the end of the show. Joining Imelda in the production are Andy Nyman, Jenna Russell, Tyrone Huntley and Harry Hepple. In the show meddlesome socialite turned matchmaker Dolly Levi travels to Yonkers, New York to find a match for the miserly, unmarried 'half-a-millionaire' Horace Vandergelder. But everything changes when she decides that the next match she needs to make is for herself. It was recently revealed that Bessie was in a relationship with her Bridgerton co-star Sam Phillips who played Lord Debling in the recent series. The pair have been photographed at several events with her family, including alongside Bessie's famous mum Imelda and dad Jim. The furthest back they have been pictured was in May 2023 where they looked cosy at a theatre event - suggesting they could have been together a good while. Rumours recently began to swirl on TikTok the pair could be an item, with one content creator posting a recent video titled: 'Bridgerton co-stars that are dating in real life'. After the show she posed with her Downton Abbey star husband Jim, 75, and Bessie, 30, - who played Prudence Featherington on the Netflix series Bridgerton Imelda looked chic in a white dress that had a brown belt and featured button detailing while Jim wore a smart suit Playing at The London Palladium for a limited summer season, this brand-new production reunites Imelda with Director Dominic following the critically acclaimed Follies at the National Theatre Joining Imelda in the production are Andy Nyman, Jenna Russell, Tyrone Huntley and Harry Hepple Earlier in the night while on stage she wore traditional red dress and looked proud as she bowed at the end of the show In the show meddlesome socialite turned matchmaker Dolly Levi travels to Yonkers, New York to find a match for the miserly, unmarried 'half-a-millionaire' Horace Vandergelder Many were quick to comment on the rumours as one said: 'Okayyyy featherington sisters bagging the hot ones!' Another said: 'They're so cute!!', while a third penned: 'I love this so much!' The pair were first pictured together in May 2023 as they attended the Theatrical Consequences: The 5th Annual Platform Presents West End Gala after party at Tequila Mockingbird in London. Then in November 2023 the pair attended the Wonka premiere together with Bessie's famous actress mother Imelda, 68. They posed as a trio with Imelda stood in the middle - suggesting Sam had been introduced to her side of the family some time before. Then in December 2023 Bessie her famous dad Jim, 75, accompanied Sam to The Crown season 6 finale celebration event. He plays the Queen's Equerry Stephen Chambers in season 3 and 4 of Netflix's The Crown. Bridgerton made its comeback earlier this year. But everything changes when she decides that the next match she needs to make is for herself Australian actor Samuel Johnson has revealed that Heath Ledger once confided in him about his struggles with fame and said he could not cope with the fanfare which comes with being a Hollywood celebrity. Ledger tragically died of an accidental drug overdose in his New York apartment aged 28 in 2008. Johnson, 46, who was friends with Ledger, said The Dark Knight star made the confession one day when they were taking a quiet stroll. The Secret Life of Us star remembered that Ledger's fame was so great, even being out in public with the star was an 'intense' experience. 'I did walk down the street with him (once),' he explained on KIIS FM's Will and Woody Show on Thursday. 'I remember in about three quarters of a block, there were four girls that fainted. 'They literally just dropped when they saw him. I couldn't believe it. Not one, not two, not three, four inside a block. I've never seen anything like it. It was phenomenal. 'I asked him ''how do you cope?'' And he just looked at me with a world of sadness in his eyes and said: ''I don't''.' Australian actor Samuel Johnson has revealed that Heath Ledger once confided in him about his struggles with fame and said he could not cope with the fanfare which comes with being a Hollywood celebrity Ledger's haunting portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight earned the fan favourite a posthumous Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. The blockbuster was released in 2008, five months after his tragic death. It went on to gross over $1billion globally. Appearing on KIIS FM's Will and Woody Show on Thursday, The Secret Life of Us actor remembered that Ledger's fame was so great, even being out in public with the star was an 'intense' experience (Pictured) Ledger also earned a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his Joker role in The Dark Knight. It was later gifted to his daughter Matilda on her 18th birthday last year, reported New Idea. Kim and Sally Ledger, Heath's parents, and older sister Kate accepted the accolade on his behalf during the 2009 Oscars a year after he died aged 28. Pictured: Ledger in his Oscar winning role of the Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight. It was released five months after the actor's shocking death The Western Australian Museum in Perth, Heath's hometown, had housed the award, with Kim confirming back in 2016 that it would be passed to Matilda. She was just two years old when her father tragically died. After his death, her mother Michelle Williams moved from their Brooklyn apartment to a farmhouse in upstate New York. Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes has joined a community fight to save his local post office in St Kilda, Melbourne amid a string of Australia Post closures. The radio presenter, 53, shared his impassioned thoughts as more than 100 locals gathered outside the St Kilda South post office on Thursday to protest its closure. Australia Post recently announced their intention to shut the facility on July 19 due to declining foot traffic, claiming visits to the branch had dropped by 20 per cent. However, locals have railed against the news, arguing it is a vital community hub, particularly for elderly and disabled residents who rely on the nearby post office. Comedian Hughesy joined the call for action as he spoke to A Current Affair while shopping at the local branch where residents had gathered to post their petition. 'I'm absolutely devastated! This is my local and they cannot close this post office,' Hughesy, who has lived in St Kilda for 25 years, said. 'This is not right, it's not right! I don't know who to - what are we going to do? This is crazy. This post office is a local institution and it should not close down.' St Kilda locals have signed and posted a petition in a bid to save their post office's future to Australia Post CEO Paul Graham, urging him to keep the local branch open. Dave 'Hughesy' Hughes has joined a community fight to save his local post office in a Melbourne suburb amid a string of Australia Post closures 'We want the post office to stay,' long-time St Kilda resident Angel told A Current Affair. Meanwhile, Local Federal MP Josh Burns said: 'I've raised this issue with the Minister for Communication Michelle Rowland. 'We had a meeting about how important this post office is for our community. I'm doing everything to support our community and I'll keep doing that.' The Frankston post office branch in south-east Melbourne is also due to close next month after customer visits dropped by 40 per cent since 2020. However, locals have questioned the figures as they argued the Covid-19 pandemic from early 2020 until mid 2023 would have heavily affected the footfall figures. 'That four-year period includes the long lockdowns in Victoria, so of course the numbers are lower,' Acland Street Village Business Association president Janet Rosenberg said. Amid the closures, Australia Post argued there are 30 post offices within 5kms of the St Kilda South branch, with the nearest alternative option lying 1.2km away. Though other branches remain in St Kilda West, on St Kilda Road and Brighton Road, many enraged locals have argued it is not as simple as just visiting another branch. The radio presenter, 53, shared his impassioned thoughts with A Current Affair as more than 100 locals gathered outside the St Kilda South post office on Thursday to protest its closure They said elderly residents in particular rely on their local branch being within walking distance and do not have cars, meaning they will now have to get public transport to visit their nearest branch. They argued it is a vital community hub and claimed the closure will affect local businesses, driving foot traffic from residents away from the area. Australia Post - which has more than 4,200 post offices nationally - said it has lost $200million over the last financial year and it isn't 'sustainable' to maintain its large network, potentially hinting at more closures to come. 'As more people transact online, it isn't financially sustainable to maintain such a large network of Post Offices, particularly in metropolitan areas where there is a significant oversupply,' they said in a statement. 'All team members from St Kilda South and Frankston Central have been offered roles at Post Offices located nearby or closer to home. 'Australia Post continues to regularly review its retail footprint and carefully consider when to close, relocate or open post offices.' Australia Post has more than 4,200 branches nationally and is required to maintain 4,000, with 2,500 in regional areas, with CEO Mr Graham arguing there are more post offices than supermarkets in some areas. Australia Post announced their intention to shut the facility on July 19 due to declining foot traffic, claiming visits to the branch had dropped by 20%, but locals have protested the move Earlier this year, Mr Graham faced a huge backlash when he warned that more post offices would need to close for the business to remain viable. After a postal shake-up last year, Australia Post confirmed its performance had improved in the first half of 2024, with a record of nearly 100million parcels delivered. The service reported an interim profit of $33.6million, prompting many local politicians and post office workers to hit back against the news of further closures. Despite the half-year profit, Australia Post said the letters business still reported a $182million loss while declining customer visits to post offices were impacting the business' 'long-term viability'. Mr Graham also said Australia Post was on track to record another full-year loss this year, after the $200million loss last financial year. As Wendy Williams celebrated her 60th birthday on Thursday, insiders say that her family hasn't been able to get a hold of her, and wish for her all the best as she reaches the milestone. 'Wendy Williams's family is unable to speak on her current condition and location due to ongoing litigation and the fact that they have largely been denied contact,' an insider told People Thursday. 'They are all rooting and praying for Wendy and want to express their well wishes as she celebrates her 60th birthday.' Williams 'was, is and always will be an icon,' the insider said of the talk show host, who is living under a guardianship overseen by Sabrina Morrissey that was ordered by a court following a diagnosis of aphasia and frontotemporal dementia revealed earlier this year. Relatives of Williams have past been public about the strife they say they've endured for more than two years, in the wake of Williams being put in a guardianship in 2022. Williams' sister Wanda Finnie this past February told People that no one notified her about Williams' health issues and the treatment she was receiving. As Wendy Williams celebrated her 60th birthday on Thursday, insiders say that her family hasn't been able to get a hold of her, and wish for her all the best as she reaches the milestone. Williams pictured last year in NYC Williams' diagnosis of aphasia and frontotemporal dementia was revealed earlier this year Finnie said that the most recent occasion in which she was informed about the events surrounding Williams since autumn of 2021, when Williams and her relatives visited in Florida. 'When she was in Florida, there were a number of people involved,' Finnie said. 'Even beyond family, there were doctors involved, people in Wendy's professional world that were involved. 'She had a health team in place, nurses in place and she had family in place. She was getting healthier.' Finnie in the piece said that Morrissey is the sole person who's able to communicate with Williams on a regular basis. 'How did she go from this aunt or sister that we love and is healthy one minute to this person who's in and out of the hospital?' Finnie said of Williams. 'How is that system better than the system the family could put in place? I don't know.' Finnie said that the system revolving around Williams' health and guardianship 'is broken.' Finnie said, 'I hope that at some point, Wendy becomes strong enough where she can speak on her own behalf.' Williams' team sent a statement to People earlier this year after her health diagnosis was announced to the public. Williams was pictured in Atlanta in August of 2018, before the onset of her health issues Williams was pictured on an episode of Watch What Happens Live in 2020 'I want to say I have immense gratitude for the love and kind words I have received after sharing my diagnosis of Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD),' Williams said. 'Let me say, wow! 'Your response has been overwhelming. The messages shared with me have touched me, reminding me of the power of unity and the need for compassion.' The contentiousness surrounding the situation swirling around Williams has also extended to A&E after the Lifetime docuseries Where Is Wendy Williams? was broadcast. Morrissey said that Lifetime, which is owned by A&E, had 'shamelessly' used Williams for ratings with the series of broadcasts, painting 'her in an extremely demeaning and undignified manner.' Where Is Wendy Williams? executive producer Mark Ford told the publication earlier this year that lawyers for Williams and her guardianship had been 'consulted and signed off on' the docuseries. Said Ford: 'The film was signed off on by Wendy, her management, her attorneys, the guardianship. They were aware of the filming all the way through. So, we did go by the book and get all the permissions that we needed to get. 'We went into this film thinking it was one thing, and the truth turned out to be another. Once we started seeing the truth of the situation, we couldn't ignore it. And the film had to go in the direction of the truth.' Susan Sarandon led the stars at the Los Angeles premiere of her upcoming buddy comedy The Fabulous Four this Thursday. Bette Midler, 78, leads the cast as a late-in-life bride with Susan, 77, Sheryl Lee Ralph, 67, and Megan Mullally, 65, as her bridesmaids. DailyMail.com exclusively revealed in May that Susan clashed with her co-stars on set over her staunch pro-Palestine advocacy amid the Israel-Gaza war. Sheryl and Susan were both seen posing for the cameras at Thursday's premiere for the star-studded movie - but Bette and Megan were absent from the red carpet. For her latest public appearance Susan cut an agelessly elegant figure, draping her still enviably lithe figure in an almost entirely black ensemble. Susan Sarandon led the stars at the Los Angeles premiere of her upcoming buddy comedy The Fabulous Four this Thursday Bette Midler, 78, leads the cast as a late-in-life bride with Susan, 77, Sheryl Lee Ralph, 67, and Megan Mullally, 65, as her bridesmaids Her plunging blouse was garnished with a single crimson flower pin, and her sleek black shoes featured white trim for a pop of contrast. Letting her signature fiery hair tumble freely over her shoulders in luscious curls, she amplified her luminous complexion with makeup. Sheryl was similarly stylish, modeling a flowing black dress that she cinched in with a white belt to emphasize her impressively trim waistline. A number of famous faces not involved in the picture made their presence felt at the premiere, including Alan Cumming, who flashed a peace sign for the camera. Sitcom icons Marlo Thomas of That Girl and Eve Plumb of The Brady Bunch could also be spotted strutting their stuff across the red carpet. Broadway star Orfeh, who recently split from her longtime husband Andy Karl, showed him what he was missing in a slinky black dress that served up a generous helping of cleavage through a layer of mesh. Australian actress Sarah Wynter, who has featured on such hit programs as Flight Of The Conchords and 24, hit the red carpet in a black cocktail dress. In May DailyMail.com revealed that Susan had developed a rift with her The Fabulous Four co-stars over her fierce public support of Palestine. DailyMail.com exclusively revealed in May that Susan clashed with her co-stars on set over her staunch pro-Palestine advocacy; (from left) Susan pictured with Bette, Sheryl and Megan For her latest public appearance Susan cut an agelessly elegant figure, draping her still enviably lithe figure in an almost entirely black ensemble Her plunging blouse was garnished with a single crimson flower pin, and her sleek black shoes featured white trim for a pop of contrast Sheryl was similarly stylish, modeling a flowing black dress that she cinched in with a white belt to emphasize her impressively trim waistline A number of famous faces not involved in the picture made their presence felt at the premiere, including Alan Cumming, who flashed a peace sign for the camera Sitcom icons Marlo Thomas (left) of That Girl and Eve Plumb (right) of The Brady Bunch could also be spotted strutting their stuff across the red carpet Broadway star Orfeh, who recently split from her longtime husband Andy Karl, showed him what he was missing in a busty black dress Australian actress Sarah Wynter, who has featured on such hit programs as Flight Of The Conchords and 24, hit the red carpet in a black cocktail dress 'Bleecker Street is furious at Susan for the way she's been carrying on. So is Bette, who is a proud Jew and hates what Susan is doing,' a movie insider said. 'Sheryl is upset at her too, as is Megan Mullally, the whole crew and cast are. It's a mess. Her co-stars are disappointed that so many people worked so hard on it, and now Susan is ruining it for everybody.' Since Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel - which triggered Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza - Susan has attended multiple pro-Palestine events. Weeks after October 7, she controversially declared: 'There are a lot of people afraid, afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence.' Susan was heaped with opprobrium over the remark and subsequently apologized but has remained otherwise steadfast in her activism for the Palestinian cause. Channel Nine's Clint Stanaway has revealed he was almost arrested in Paris this week. The 41-year-old, who is in the French capital to present for Weekend Today at Olympics, said he had the run-in with authorities after wandering into a restricted area. Clint said he was stopped by police after accidentally stumbling on a brand new railway station that is scheduled to open next week. Appearing on Nova 100's Jase and Lauren Show on Friday, Clint said he knew 'something wasn't right' about his situation when the railway platform did not have any other passengers except for himself. 'I hear this ''Monsieur! Excuse-moi Monsieur!'',' he said. 'I had breached security inadvertently, (I was) out of bounds (and in) a no-go zone.' The Weekend Today host added that the episode with the police quickly deflated when they realised he was from 'out of town'. 'It was a brand new station that that was meant to open next week in conjunction with the Olympics and the opening ceremony,' he said, adding: '[The police] were not happy.' Channel Nine's Clint Stanaway has revealed he was almost arrested in Paris this week. The 41-year-old, who is in the French capital to present for Weekend Today at Olympics, said he had the run-in with authorities after wandering into a restricted area Clint said his security breach occurred on his first day in Paris while he was exploring public transport options, including the city's metro rail system. Elsewhere in the chat with hosts Jason Hawkins and Lauren Phillips, Clint described how French authorities have imposed severe security restrictions in Paris in preparation for the Olympics, which begin on July 26. He said that the police and the army have created a 'ring of steel' around Paris. Clint said he was stopped by police after accidentally stumbling on to a brand new railway station that is scheduled to open next week 'Effectively, they're trying to, sort of, lockdown that central business district,' he explained. He added that authorities have introduced wire fences throughout the city for security purposes, while he also noticed a heavy police presence in the street. 'It makes you feel safe, and not a lot can go wrong,' he said. Clint is one of three new hosts confirmed for Channel Nine's breakfast program Weekend Today earlier this year. The network announced Jayne Azzopardi and Clint as the new hosts fronting the show, with Sophie Walsh as newsreader and Dan Anstey as weather presenter. Jayne, Clint and Sophie replaced veteran hosts Richard Wilkins, Belinda Russell and Charles Croucher. Cheng Pei-pei, renowned for her iconic role in Ang Lees Oscar-nominated film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, died on Wednesday at the age of 78 in San Francisco. 'It is with a heavy heart that we announce that the rumors are true. Our mother, Cheng Pei-pei, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on July 17,' Chengs family wrote on her Facebook. The Chinese actress, dubbed the 'Queen of Swords' and considered among the first female action stars, was 'diagnosed with a neurodegenerative, atypical parkinsonism syndrome unofficially, corticobasal degeneration' in 2019, per Cheng's family. 'It is a rare disease with symptoms similar to Parkinsons disease, however, current treatments cannot slow the progression,' they continued. 'She chose not to make this news public so that she could deal with her condition in private and spend her remaining time with her children and grandchildren.' Her family remembered Pei-pei as the 'legendary Queen of Martial Arts' as well as a 'versatile, award-winning actress' with a career spanning over six decades internationally. Cheng Pei-pei, renowned for her iconic role in Ang Lees Oscar-nominated film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, died on Wednesday at the age of 78 in San Francisco; seen in 2019 'It is with a heavy heart that we announce that the rumors are true. Our mother, Cheng Pei-pei, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on July 17,' Chengs family wrote on her Facebook; seen in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with Zhang Ziyi (L) 'Our mom remained humble and approachable, patient and kind, and always generous with her time, eager to help others whenever she could. She will be dearly missed,' they concluded. Pei-pei, born in Shanghai on January 6, 1946, moved to Hong Kong in 1962, where she began her illustrious career with the iconic Shaw Brothers studio, known for popularizing kung-fu movies. She made her feature debut in the drama Lovers Rock and quickly rose to fame as a major star in martial arts, action, and swordplay films. Her breakout role came in 1966 with King Hu's Come Drink With Me, which catapulted her to fame at the age of 19. The film that set the stage for a sequel (Golden Swallow in 1968) and inspired numerous female-driven action movies from East Asia. Although Come Drink With Me was selected as Hong Kongs contender for the Oscars, it was not nominated. Cheng also starred in several other Shaw Brothers films, including The Jade Raksha (1968), Dragon Swamp (1969), The Lady Hermit (1971), and The Shadow Whip (1971). In the 1970s, Cheng moved to California, where she balanced raising four children with attending business school at the University of California, Irvine. The Chinese actress, dubbed the 'Queen of Swords' and considered among the first female action stars, was 'diagnosed with a neurodegenerative, atypical parkinsonism syndrome unofficially, corticobasal degeneration' in 2019, per Cheng's family; seen in 2018 Pei-pei, born in Shanghai on January 6, 1946, moved to Hong Kong in 1962, where she began her illustrious career with the iconic Shaw Brothers studio, known for popularizing kung-fu movies; seen in Mulan More recently, Cheng starred in the 2014 film Lilting (pictured) and played The Matchmaker in Disney's 2020 live-action remake of Mulan Her career experienced a major resurgence with her role as the villainous Jade Fox in the 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which would go on to win four Oscars. More recently, Cheng starred in the 2014 film Lilting and played The Matchmaker in Disney's 2020 live-action remake of Mulan. She is survived by her four children, Eugenia, Jennifer, Harry, and Marsha, as well as her grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, Cheng requested that donations be made to the Brain Support Network (BSN), to which her brain was donated. Allison Langdon was all smiles on Friday when she was spotted checking into First Class at Sydney Airport, as she prepared to fly to Paris to cover the upcoming Olympic Games. The A Current Affair host, 45, who was recently accused of receiving 'special treatment' on a Qantas flight, looked effortlessly stylish in an unzipped black and red striped jacket paired with a grey tee. She completed her look with brown pants and white sneakers, accessorised with stylish sunglasses, and looked focused as she wheeled her luggage through the bustling terminal. The stunner allowed her perfectly straight brunette hair to hang freely around her shoulders and she highlighted her natural beauty with a light layer of nude makeup. Allison looked to be in good spirits as she checked into a Qantas flight and prepared to head to Paris for the Olympic Games, set to begin on Friday 26 July. Meanwhile, fellow Nine staffer Sarah Abo, 38, looked absolutely radiant as she prepared to board the same flight to France. The Today show co-host rocked a slick monochrome look in a buttoned up black jacket, paired with a white tee and she completed her look with loose-fitting black pants and white sneakers. The veteran journalist accessorised with a smartwatch and beige carrybag and could not hide her excitement as she headed to check in. Allison Langdon (pictured) was all smiles on Friday when she was spotted checking in at Sydney Airport, as she prepared to fly to Paris to cover the upcoming Olympic Games for Channel Nine The A Current Affair host, 45, who was recently accused of receiving 'special treatment' on a Qantas flight, looked effortlessly stylish in an unzipped black and red striped jacket paired with a grey tee She completed her look with brown pants and white sneakers, accessorised with stylish sunglasses, and looked focused as she wheeled her luggage through the bustling terminal The stunner allowed her perfectly straight brunette hair to hang freely around her shoulders and she highlighted her natural beauty with a light layer of nude makeup The two hosts looked thrilled to be making their way to Paris to report on the 2024 Olympic Games, which will run from 26 July - 11 August. The trip comes after mother-of-five Courtney Babic accused Qantas of giving the A Current Affair host 'special treatment' on her flight to Fiji from Sydney in a wild TikTok spray. 'There was a famous person from 60 Minutes on the plane, I think her name is Allison. She didn't get a first class seat, she got an economy seat,' she began. 'We flew Qantas. They were turning people down when they were asking for wine and that's fine. I didn't ask but I overheard a lot of people being rejected. 'But then they were offering her wine and handing it out in front of everyone else. So the people who were being declined alcohol had to sit and watch this famous lady be served alcohol when they bought the same ticket for the same price. Allison looked to be in good spirits as she checked into a Qantas flight and prepared to head to Paris for the Olympic Games, set to begin on Friday 26 July Meanwhile, fellow Nine staffer Sarah Abo (pictured), 38, looked absolutely radiant as she prepared to board the same flight to France The Today show co-host rocked a slick monochrome look in a buttoned up black jacket, paired with a white tee Sarah completed her look with loose-fitting black pants and white sneakers The veteran journalist accessorised with a smartwatch and beige carrybag and could not hide her excitement as she headed to check in The hosts looked thrilled to be making their way to Paris to report on the 2024 Olympic Games, which will run from 26 July - 11 August 'The staff were treating her better than everyone else. It's just not fair. Why are these famous people getting treated better in front of you when you've both paid the same amount of money?' However, Courtney's account of what happened on the flight was quickly debunked. In photos obtained by Daily Mail Australia, Langdon was pictured with her husband Michael Willesee Jr. and their children at the Qantas business class check-in before flying out for the school holidays. They were also escorted to the gate by Qantas ground staff, a service usually only provided to business or first class passengers - If she was in business class, she would have paid for any 'special treatment' she received. Allison was seen checking into First Class - after an angry mother claimed the veteran journalist received 'special treatment' while flying in economy on a Qantas flight to Fiji Tess Daly enjoyed a fun-filled night out alongside husband Vernon Kay and daughter Phoebe at the star-studded The trio were attending the UK launch of Gin & Juice by Dr Dre and Snoop, at Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace in West London. The presenter seemed to be in high spirits as she cut a sensational figure in a high-necked white mini dress, showing off her tanned legs. Tess paired the ensemble with white boots and a Fendi multi-print shoulder bag, which retails for more than 2,000. It comes just after the Strictly Come Dancing star, 55, reportedly vowed to stand by the show after the recent alleged 'abuse' scandals that have emerged. Meanwhile, Vernon, 50, looked dapper as he matched his wife and opted for a fitted white jumper, paired with black jeans. Tess Daly looked glamorous as she let her hair down and enjoyed a fun-filled night out alongside husband Vernon Kay and daughter Phoebe at an event in London on Thursday The presenter seemed to be in high spirits as she cut a sensational figure in a high-necked white mini dress, showing off her tanned legs Tess paired the ensemble with white boots and a Fendi multi print shoulder bag, which retails for more than 2,000 The couple's daughter Phoebe, 19, looked the image of her mother as she posed next to her proud parents in a gorgeous red mini dress paired with nude heels. Tess and Phoebe were twinning as they both wore their blonde locks down, with the latter completing her look with a gold sequin bag. They seemed to be having an amazing time as they put on an animated display and were all smiles and laughter throughout the evening. Tess proved that the drama surrounding Strictly Come Dancing is not getting her down as she partied with her family. The outing came on the same day that it was reported Tess is going to continue to work on the show, alongside co-host Claudia Winkleman, 52, and won't be leaving any time soon as the BBC attempts to steady the ship. Graziano Di Prima, 30, was axed from the upcoming series over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year's competition. This came after Giovanni Pernice, 33, was suspended from the show last month over claims of off-camera misconduct - which he denies - made by Amanda Abbington, 50, and two other former celeb partners. The couple's daughter Phoebe, 19, looked the image of her mother as she posed next to her proud parents in a gorgeous red mini dress paired with nude heels The trio were attending the UK launch of Gin & Juice by Dr Dre and Snoop, at Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace in West London Tess and Phoebe were twinning as they both wore their blonde locks down, with the latter completing her look with a gold sequin bag They seemed to be having an amazing time as they put on an animated display and were all smiles and laughter throughout the evening A source told The Sun: 'Just like everyone else Tess and Claudia are shocked by the allegations which are coming to light. 'Naturally in light of the show being plunged into scandal those who work on the programme have speculated if either of them will want to jump ship. 'However, privately both Tess and Claudia have vowed to stand by the show and co-present this year's series in a few months 'To them Strictly is very much a family and they want to give the show and bosses their full support.' The BBC has been contacted by MailOnline for comment. Tess has co-hosted the show since it launched in 2004, with Claudia joining her in 2014 after the passing of Bruce Forsyth. It comes as the Strictly crisis has deepened in recent days, with other male dancers now expressing concerns about how they could be impacted. It's now been revealed that the allegations have left some male professionals from the BBC show concerned about how or if they will be affected. The outing came on the same day that it was reported Tess is going to continue to work on the show, alongside co-host Claudia Winkleman, 52, and won't be leaving any time soon as the BBC attempts to steady the ship Graziano Di Prima, 30, was axed from the upcoming series over reports he verbally and physically abused his celebrity partner Zara McDermott, 27, during last year's competition A source told MailOnline on Thursday that the male dancers are 'very concerned and worried how this is going to affect them' and are said to be 'feeling like it's the new #MeToo'. However, the BBC has also confirmed that the beloved programme will be returning. Squashing any rumours that the show will be put on hold, The Sun reports that a new statement said: 'Strictly Come Dancing will be bringing the sparkle back to Saturday nights on BBC One later this year. 'And in advance of this year's live shows we have an exciting opportunity to experience a taste of the magical studio experience by applying for tickets to watch our Strictly pros in action.' The popular programme will be back on our screens as usual, fronted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. The scandal came on the heels of Amanda Abbington's allegations that Giovanni Pernice bullied her during rehearsals. He vehemently denies the claims Back to judge 15 brand new celebrities in the iconic ballroom will be Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke. The return comes as BBC bosses announced they would be introducing 'additional steps to strengthen welfare and support on the show. A statement from the corporation said: 'Concerns that have arisen in recent months have been fundamentally about training and rehearsals. The actions we announce today are designed to address that.' The new measures include a member of the production team being present during training room rehearsals at all times, and increased support for both celebrity contestants and the professional dancers. Maura Higgins has branded herself 'creepy' as she was confronted with an unseen clip of her hitting on one of the Love Island USA contestants. The reality star, 33, who shot to fame on the fifth series of Love Island UK in 2019, has landed the job in America as host of their spin-off show Aftersun. But she found herself wanting go back to being a contestant this week, after falling for Islander Harrison Luna after interviewing him on the show. The hunky diamond dealer, 27, caught Maura's eye immediately, with her gushing to Love Island US host Ariana Madix and Aftersun guest Katie Maloney: 'He's hot!' As Ariana asked: 'Did you enjoy watching him go in?', Maura admitted: 'I did actually. I really did. I thought that outfit wow - I love all black on a man.' Maura Higgins has branded herself 'creepy' as she was confronted with an unseen clip of her hitting on one of the Love Island USA contestants The reality star, 33, who shot to fame on the fifth series of Love Island UK in 2019, has landed the job of host on spin-off show Aftersun But the Vanderpump Rules star had a surprise in store for Maura, going on to say: 'Speaking of Harrison, last week's episode didn't show just how flirty you were with him. I thought if the main show can have unseen moments, why not Aftersun too?' A embarrassed Maura gasped in shock, before pleading: 'Oh God. Wait, what? No don't do it! Don't do it! She's lying.' But unrepentant, Ariana continued: Here's my own personal unseen moment, that I like to call When Harry met Maura'. The clip showed Maura and Harrison meeting, with the Irish stunner immediately eyeing up him up. As he removed his jacket to be fitted with a new microphone, she took the opportunity to blatantly check him out. Beginning to blush, Maura began fanning her face with her cue cards, and awkwardly said: 'I'll just sweat over here. It's this fire.' Harrison politely added: 'Yeah... and I mean it's pretty hot here in Fiji.' After completing the interview, he went to shake a besotted Maura's hand and added: 'Nice to see you again.' But she found herself wanting go back to being a contestant this week, after falling for Islander Harrison Luna after interviewing him on the show The hunky diamond dealer, 27, caught Maura's eye immediately, with her gushing to Love Island US host Ariana Madix and Aftersun guest Katie Maloney : 'He's hot!' The clip showed Maura and Harrison meeting, with the Irish stunner immediately eyeing up him up and taking the opportunity to blatantly check him out as he removed his jacket to be fitted with a new microphone After completing the interview, he went to shake a besotted Maura's hand and added: 'Nice to see you again' and after leaving Maura sighed dreamily and commented: 'What a man' The presenter stared after him longingly, before making her a heart shape with her hands, and mouthing: 'I love you!' to his back and begging the producers: 'Can I go in as a bombshell?' But as he walked away, the presenter stared after him longingly, before making her a heart shape to him with her hands, and mouthing: 'I love you!' behind his back. As he left the set, Maura sighed dreamily and commented: 'What a man' before making a desperate plea to the producers and asking: 'Can I go in as a bombshell?' After watching the clip back with Ariana and Katie, Maura was left mortified while the other two women applauded her. The brunette beauty admitted: 'I'm actually weirded out by how much I was staring at him. What was that?' Imitating her facial expressions, she added: 'That is creepy! Oh my god no wonder I am single.' Maura's new crush comes after her split from Hollywood stuntman boyfriend Bobby Holland Hanton following a whirlwind romance. Their breakup was revealed in March, with insiders claiming the model realised there was not a future for them as a couple. A source told The Sun at the time: 'It was really fun for a while. But they're different people. It's over between them.' After watching the clip back with Ariana and Katie, Maura was left mortified while the other two women applauded her Maura's new crush comes after her split from Hollywood stuntman boyfriend Bobby Holland Hanton in March following a whirlwind romance (pictured) The Love Island star and Chris Hemsworth's double also then unfollowed each other on Instagram. They were first romantically linked after they were spotted on a date in London in May 2023. The couple were then seen enjoying passionate kisses while on holiday together in Ibiza in June. Maura finally confirmed their romance during a December appearance on the Late Late Late Show, as host Patrick Kielty prompted: 'Last time you were on this show, you were single and ready to mingle.' Maura proudly responded: 'I am no more single. Very happy relationship,' as the audience cheered. She then revealed her boyfriend was sitting in the studio audience to support her, saying: 'He is. He's there somewhere.' Patrick teased: 'He's a good looking devil, I'm not going to lie,' leading Maura smirk: 'Oh, he is.' Maura and Bobby went on to enjoy exotic romantic getaways to Lapland and the Maldives, where they packed on the PDA on the beach. They also often posted flirty comments to each other on their respective Instagram pages. Maura has previously dated Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice, as well as her fellow Love Island stars, Chris Taylor and Curtis Pritchard. Insiders claimed the model realised there was not a future for them as a couple and they both unfollowed each other on Instagram Zara McDermott has furiously hit back at her professional partner Graziano Di Prima in a new statement, after he insisted his behaviour during rehearsals was a 'singular incident.' The professional dancer, 30, was axed from the BBC show last week over reports of he 'hit and kicked' the former Love Island star, 27, during last year's series, but has since apologised for his behaviour in a statement. While Graziano admitted he 'crossed the line', he denied spitting at Zara, and insisted his behaviour was one-off incident, and the reality star's representative has now hit back in a new statement. Zara's spokesperson told The BBC: 'It's a matter of public record that the BBC deemed the conduct to be so severe that they removed him from the show immediately. 'Zara has already confirmed in a statement released on her social media earlier this week that the reported conduct was not a singular incident.' Zara McDermott has furiously hit back at her professional partner Graziano Di Prima in a new statement, after he denied spitting at her during show rehearsals The professional dancer was axed from the BBC show last week over reports of he 'hit and kicked' the former Love Island star during last year's series While Graziano admitted he 'crossed the line', he denied spitting at Zara, with the reality star's representative now hitting back in a new statement (Zara pictured during rehearsals) It comes after Graziano's spokesman has said he apologised to Zara for kicking her at the time but denied claims he ever spat at her. Admitting that while the dancer 'remembers pushing [Zara] quite hard' during training the descriptions reported 'do not align' with Graziano's own memory. Going on to say that the Italian star - who has since moved back to his native Sicily - has been left in a 'very vulnerable state' in the fallout from the scandal. Mark Borkowski said: 'This week the news agenda has focused on an isolated incident that Mr Di Prima deeply regrets and apologised for at the time. 'The deluge of commentary, too often without context or nuance, has provoked a pile-on that has left a young man in a very vulnerable state'. It comes after he previously told BBC News: 'There is never a time when kicking, or any sense of that is right. And he knows that. He knows he's made a mistake. He apologised at the time.' Referring to the media reports, Mark added: 'But he doesn't recognise some of the issues surrounding it. The descriptions of what is being commented online, and how he remembers it, are not aligned.' He continued: 'He [Graziano] has literally cut himself off from civilisation. I think that's a wise thing to do, supported by his wife. He's coming to terms with his mental health issues.' Graziano's spokesman had previously said he apologised to Zara for kicking her at the time but denied claims he ever spat at her The investigation into his behaviour after fellow Italian Giovanni Pernice was accused of abusive behaviour by his 2023 dance partner Amanda Abbington (pictured together) Graziano, who believed the matter had been resolved at the time, was sacked from the show after a video of the idea was brought to the attention of the BBC last week. The investigation into his behaviour was triggered by Strictly's bid to clean up the show after fellow Italian Giovanni Pernice was accused of abusive behaviour by his 2023 dance partner Amanda Abbington, which resulted in him leaving the show. Giovanni denies the claims. According to show insiders, video footage of Graziano mistreating Zara gave bosses no choice but to cancel his contract. Addressing his departure on Instagram, Graziano wrote: 'I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime. 'Respecting the BBC HR process, I understand it's best for the show that I step away.' He continued: 'While there are aspects of this story involving external influences that I can't discuss at this time, I remain committed to being strong for my family and friends. 'I wish the Strictly family and the BBC nothing but success in the future.' He concluded the post: 'I also want to thank everyone who has supported my career, both professionally and personally. When the time is right, I will share my story.' Zara broke her silence on Tuesday, admitting she was scared to come forward and report Graziano over fears for her 'future'. Also writing on Instagram, she said: 'I felt it was right that I post something regarding the recent media reports. Strictly is one of the most magical shows on TV and one that I dreamt of being on since I was a little girl. 'When I was invited to be a contestant on the show it really was a childhood dream come true. I fully understood the level of commitment and hard work that Strictly was going to be and I dedicated everything to it. I am a resilient person and I was fully prepared to put in whatever it took. 'And so much of my Strictly experience was everything I could have dreamt of. The entire production team and everyone behind the scenes as well as my fellow contestants were so amazing to work with 'However, my experience inside the training room was very different. Reports have been made about my treatment on the show and there were witnesses to some events, as well as videos of particular incidents which are incredibly distressing to watch.' Zara explained that she didn't report the incidents at the time as she was 'scared' of backlash. Instead it was junior production staff who came forward to share what they had witnessed as the investigation into Giovanni was taking place. A source from the show told MailOnline: 'There were multiple occasions where both physical and verbal attacks were made. It was more physical than verbal, but all of it was dreadful.' Zara broke her silence on Tuesday, admitting she was scared to come forward and report Graziano over fears for her 'future' Zara continued in her statement: 'I have wrestled with the fear of opening up - I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming. 'But after a lot of conversations with those I love, I've gained the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak to the BBC, I spoke candidly about my time on the show. 'I have wrestled with the fear of opening up - I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming. But after a lot of conversations with those I love, I've gained the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak to the BBC, I spoke candidly about my time on the show. 'The culture within our society makes it difficult for people to speak up especially in a a world where social media opinions and voices are so loud. This is something I've seen through working with countless women on my documentaries. 'I would like to thank the BBC and BBC Studios for their swift action and incredibly high level of support, as wel as everyone who has reached out to me - it really truly meas a lot. Love, always. Zara.' Graziano, who was due to compete in his seventh series of Strictly before his sacking, is taking legal action against the BBC, MailOnline revealed on Monday. And the broadcaster has vowed to fight back against Giovanni's claims. The Sicilian dancer believes he should have been 'supported and helped' with his behaviour after bosses warned him about his treatment of Zara. MailOnline revealed on Wednesday that Graziano is working on a remote vineyard in Sicily earning just 6-an-hour after being sacked from the show But a BBC insider said: 'Why would any workplace, particularly one paid for by the public, offer support to someone who acted in an undoubtedly abhorrent manner?' MailOnline revealed on Wednesday that Graziano is now working on a remote vineyard in Sicily earning just 6 an hour. After fleeing the UK to go back to his native home in Italy with his wife Giada, a fellow dancer who stars on the Italian version of Strictly, Graziano 'has taken a job on a farm, ploughing fields, living with cows and picking grapes'. The Italian pro is 'digging ditches and clearing wood' according to pals in a bid to ignore the 'noise' sparked by his shock departure from Strictly. He is only speaking to two people - his mother Giovanna and wife Giada - and is not looking at social media or the internet as he concentrates on 'getting his head straight' as his inner circle admit 'he's in a bad place'. A friend told MailOnline that Graziano appreciates his career in the UK is over following the scandal, but there is hope he can resurrect his profession within dance as 'that's what his body is built for'. The friend said: 'Graziano has gone back to basics working on the land. He's totally alone in the field digging ditches and clearing wood, a standard practice to prevent fires, working for a minimal sum but it's not about the money. 'Manual labour is what he grew up doing, since he was eight-years old. It's about keeping his mind active and a distraction technique from the toxic fallout of his departure from Strictly.' Mark Wahlberg thrilled his Australian fans on Thursday when he made a surprise visit to his Wahlburgers restaurant on the Gold Coast. The Hollywood star, 53, who is currently Down Under filming his new movie called Balls Up, shared a clip to Instagram which captured him meeting some local fans at the diner. 'I am here at Wahlburgers in Surfers Paradise, voted number one sexiest Wahlburgers in the world, right here on the Gold Coast. You can see why,' Mark told his fans. Wahlberg was then seen meeting starstruck staff and customers as he entered the restaurant and posed for photos with several of his fans. The Ted actor looked to be having the time of his life as he laughed it up with locals at the casual dining establishment, which was founded by Mark and his brothers Paul and Donnie Wahlberg in America in 2011. Wahlburgers' Gold Coast restaurant, which opened in 2022, is the franchise's only location in Australia, with the famous brothers hoping to open more depending on its popularity. Many of Mark's fans quickly took to the comment section to gush over the sweet footage. 'It's probably the best location in Surfers Paradise,' one fan wrote and a second person added: 'My fave person and destination.' Mark Wahlberg (pictured) thrilled his Australian fans on Thursday when he made a surprise visit to his Wahlburgers restaurant on the Gold Coast The veteran actor is currently in Australia filming his latest movie called Balls Up, which is helmed by Dumb and Dumber director Peter Farrelly. The Boston-born actor has been spending a lot of time in Australia in recent years, as he also recently filmed a soon to be released action thriller called Play Dirty. Wahlberg told the Daily Telegraph back in 2021 that he's hoping to shoot a movie on the Gold Coast soon and that he wants to bring his family with him. The Hollywood star, 53, who is currently Down Under filming his new movie called Balls Up, shared a clip to Instagram which captured him meeting some local fans at the diner 'I am here at Wahlburgers in Surfers Paradise, voted number one sexiest Wahlburgers in the world, right here on the Gold Coast. You can see why,' Mark told his fans The Ted actor looked to be having the time of his life as he laughed it up with locals at the casual dining establishment, which was founded by Mark and his brothers Paul and Donnie Wahlberg in America in 2011 'I'm looking forward to coming back,' he said. 'Hopefully I'll be able to move my family down to Australia for four to five months and make a movie on the Gold Coast and enjoy that beautiful country.' Mark added that his wife, model Rhea Durham, 'would fall in love with Australia' if she visited. Maria Thattil has shared details of her hospital stay as she battles viral gastroenteritis. The Former Miss Universe Australia posted to Instagram on Friday to explain she had been hospitalised with the illness. 'Now that it's over, I can laugh but after a week in hospital I'm finally going home!' the 31-year-old wrote alongside a video from her stay. 'This last week, I have been the most unwell that I've ever been with viral gastroenteritis' she continued. 'I didn't sleep a wink most nights, it's been painful, depleting and it's absolutely taken from me'. Maria said however that she is 'leaving with an appreciation for a few main things' including her health and family. 'I take it for granted too often and I don't want to anymore. I've missed walking, eating, exercising and I'm excited to experience life in the body I've been gifted with a renewed perspective' she said. The model also praised, 'loved ones who cared for me in this awful, sick state. No matter how gross I felt, they didn't shy away from loving me.' Maria Thattil (pictured) has shared details of her hospital stay as she battles viral gastroenteritis. The Former Miss Universe Australia posted to Instagram on Friday to explain she had been hospitalised with the illness She likewise shared her appreciation for the doctors and nurses who had been caring for her. 'Nurses in particular - because it's nurses who stay up with you all night, help change you, touch and do things that no one else would want to do, and show up at your bedside at all hours' she wrote. In the accompanying video, Maria shared footage of her brother playing a prank on her as she lay in her bed. The jocular sibling 'folded' his sister up in her bed as he adjusted both sides until she was sandwiched in the mattress, which she took in good humour, laughing. 'I didn't sleep a wink most nights, it's been painful, depleting and it's absolutely taken from me' she said In the accompanying video, Maria shared footage of her brother playing a prank on her as she lay in her bed. The jocular sibling 'folded' his sister up in her bed as he adjusted both sides until she was sandwiched in the mattress Maria faced another health drama in May when she was forced to skip Australian Fashion Week. She shared a photo of herself looking pained while she lay in a hospital bed and told fans she was still recovering after having her wisdom teeth removed. Maria had a white bandage wrapped around her head as she sadly gazed into the camera. 'I will not be attending Australian Fashion Week. I can't feel my tongue, I'm trying to keep calm,' she told fans. Fortunately, Maria's AFLW star girlfriend Moana Hope, 36, was able to cheer her up by visiting her in the hospital and posing for a precious selfie alongside her. Moana was all smiles in the cute picture as she tried her best to cheer up her sick girlfriend. Maria faced another health drama in May when she was forced to skip Australian Fashion Week. She shared a photo of herself looking pained while she lay in a hospital bed and told fans she was still recovering after having her wisdom teeth removed Fortunately, Maria's AFLW star girlfriend Moana Hope (right) was able to cheer her up by visiting her in the hospital and posing for a precious selfie alongside her Maria captioned the photo with some amusing words: 'Moana has a video of me immediately after surgery. I'm going to wait until I can have popcorn to watch it.' In March, Thattil revealed that while she is open about her new romance with Moana, there are some things she prefers to keep private to protect her growing relationship. The stunning model is dating AFLW star Moana Hope and the pair have been at many red carpet events and seen cuddling up on social media. But she told Stellar Magazine that there is a limit to what she will share with the public. 'Something I've learnt is the importance of protecting certain parts of your life and keeping something sacred,' she said. 'In this digital world that we live in, strangers do feel entitled to you; sometimes they can have parasocial relationships where they feel entitled to ask me things. 'I always think to myself, these people would never walk up to you in the street and just, point-blank, to your face, ask you this stuff. And I feel like I don't want that undue pressure' she added. The couple have been dating for several months following Hope's split from her ex-wife, Isabella Carlstrom. Bec Judd has taken another swipe at the authorities in Victoria as she vented her anger at violent offenders walking free. The influencer is on a crusade to lower crime rates in Melbourne - particularly in her ritzy Bayside suburb - and is becoming a thorn in the side for Jacinta Allan's state government. In her latest spray, Bec expressed her anger that one of the youths involved in the kidnapping of teenager Benjamin Phikhohpoom in Melbourne that left him with permanent brain damage had walked free despite pleading guilty. 'Victoria, this is not OK but sadly just another case of a violent offender let off because our laws are weak,' Bec wrote on social media. She then highlighted a reply she had received from one of her legion of followers, which said: 'Maybe the victims need to take this to civil courts who will NOT be as lenient. And perhaps there could be a case against the judge in the civil court??!' Bec continued: 'I get hundreds of DM's like this. People are so angry at magistrates but confused by the legal process. I would love a better understanding of how much a decision about a penalty is influenced by the law vs. the magistrate's own discretion. 'If you're a legal expert and can explain this in lay terms so I can share with my audience, please slide into my DMs (I will protect identity). Victorians are angry. They are also confused by the decision making. Is government to blame, magistrates, Attorney-General etc.? Thank you.' Benjamin suffered life-changing injuries when he was allegedly pulled into a stolen car by a group of three teenagers about 3.30pm outside Glen Eira College, in Melbourne's southeast, last September. Bec Judd has taken another swipe at the authorities in Victoria as she vented her anger at violent offenders walking free A 15-year-old boy accused of being part of the alleged abduction and assault of schoolboy Benjamin Phikhohpoom (pictured) had serious charges dropped in return for a guilty plea The group - two boys and a girl - were allegedly armed with machetes and demanded he hand over his phone and belongings. He was then allegedly run over by the car and dragged for 150m before he was allegedly stabbed and then run over again when he was thrown from the vehicle. Bystanders found Benjamin vomiting blood and he was rushed to hospital where he spent six days in a coma with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. However, a plea deal struck with prosecutors saw charges of intentionally causing serious injury and reckless conduct dropped. Benjamin's mother, Wannisa Srichan, said that while there had been some justice, the family were 'still very sad about (the) outcome'. 'What this boy did was very serious and it has affected my son so much,' she told the Herald Sun. 'I listened to the court case today and it was very hard ... My son is still affected by this, he is struggling. 'It's been almost 10 months and we are so angry that our family has had to go through this, Benjamin did not deserve this.' The teenage accused had spent 43 days remanded in custody before being bailed in October. Benjamin spent six days in a coma (pictured) having suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain when he was dragged 150m from a stolen car driven by the group Benjamin's family said it was hard to hear the details of the plea in court Last month, Bec slammed Melbourne as 'woke, broke and violent' after residents were encouraged to put Apple AirTags in their cars amid a crimewave in the city. The footy WAG, who lives in a $7.3million mansion in Brighton, was drawn to comment on an interview between 3AW radio's Jacqui Felgate and Sandringham Liberal MP, Brad Rowswell. During the talk, Mr Rowswell was asked about a rise in violent crime in Melbourne's suburbs. The MP was asked about a suggestion at a community safety forum in Beaumaris last Thursday that residents consider placing AirTag trackers inside their cars in case they are stolen - something Judd took issue with. 'Melbourne this is sad. Woke, broke and violent. I can't believe we are living like this,' Judd wrote online. In March, Judd called out Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan after a home invasion in Bayside left an elderly man fighting for his life. Three offenders broke into a home in Beaumaris, a stone's throw from Judd's mansion, where they attacked the man. Jacinta Allan has come under pressure to make changes to sentencing laws His wife, 75, who was also at home at the time, was not injured. Nothing was believed to be stolen. 'Just another night in Victoria (yes, this is Bayside again but we know this happens everywhere),' Judd told her Instagram followers at the time. 'Jacinta Allan how are you still avoiding this? Let's see how many of the alleged offenders are out on bail Thoughts are with the victim in ICU and his poor wife.' In June 2022, Judd said she felt 'unsafe' in her mansion and that she was 'so sick of the rapes, bashings and home invasions at the hands of the gangs in Bayside'. 'I personally know two women who have experienced home invasions in Brighton in the last few weeks while they were at home,' she said. She also reposted CCTV footage of a gang of young men lurking outside properties in her affluent suburb and claimed it made her feel 'unsafe'. Last year she doubled down on her claim that Melbourne's elite suburbs are under siege by criminals and 'machete-wielding thugs', calling for changes to youth offending laws. She and her husband Chris share four children; daughter Billie, nine, son Oscar, 12, and twins Darcy and Tom, seven. Sharon Stone looked nothing short of sensational as she attended a photo call at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy on Friday. The actress, 66, stunned in a dramatic sleeveless floral gown by Antonio Marras that perfectly showcased her incredibly toned arms. Sharon's frock boasted a halter neck and hood as well as flowing panels that cascaded onto the marble floor. The Basic Instinct actress accentuated her age defying features with glam make-up while her blonde locks slicked back in a chic wet look style. Sharon couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she posed up a storm and later wore a pair of stylish shades. Sharon Stone, 66, looked nothing short of sensational as she attended a photo call at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy on Friday The actress stunned in a dramatic sleeveless floral gown by Antonio Marras that perfect showcased her incredibly toned arms Sharon's frock boasted a halter neck and hood as well as flowing panels that cascaded onto the marble floor It comes after she recreated her iconic interrogation scene from the erotic classic Basic Instinct in a sexy lingerie shoot. The actress took to Instagram to share a jaw-dropping image clad in red lace lingerie, 32 years after she famously starred as the sexy killer Catherine Tramell. The famous interrogation scene in Basic Instinct saw Sharon's character Catherine quizzed by police, including Michael Douglas. Amid the bombardment of questions, Catherine distracts them when she uncrosses the recrosses her legs, leaving the men flustered seeing as she was underwear-free at the time. The scene was highly controversial at the time, and now has gone down as one of the most infamous in movie history. And the actress proudly showcased her incredible figure in the sexy lingerie from Bloomers Intimate, posing with her legs crossed in an ode to the legendary scene. Despite the moment turning Sharon into an overnight sensation, the Academy Award nominee has maintained in the past that she was 'tricked' into exposing herself for the cameras. In her memoir The Beauty of Living Twice, Sharon described how she slapped her director Paul Verhoeven in fury and walked out of a preview of the erotic thriller after discovering his assurances that it wouldn't show up on screen had been a lie and that the audience could as she put it 'see all the way to Nebraska'. Sharon exuded old Hollywood glamour in the outfit The Basic Instinct actress accentuated her age defying features with glam make-up Sharon couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she posed up a storm and later wore a pair of stylish shades The stunner waved at fans as they waited to catch a glimpse of her Lowering her hood she revealed her blonde locks had been slicked back in a wet look style For his part, Verhoeven has vehemently dismissed her claims that she was taken by surprise in the leg-crossing scene. He said: 'Any actress knows what she's going to see if you ask her to take off her underwear and point there with the camera.' But the Hollywood veteran has also been adamant she didn't have any regrets about making the film. 'Regrets are like farts, you can't get them back. Once they're out, there's stinky and gone,' she quipped previously. It comes after she recreated her iconic interrogation scene from the erotic classic Basic Instinct in a sexy lingerie shoot The actress famously starred as the sexy killer Catherine Tramell in the 1992 film, where she uncrossed her legs during an interrogation, despite being underwear-free at the time In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter recently Sharon claimed the $18 million she had accrued after more than two decades in the film industry evaporated during the years she was unable to work due to brain damage from the stroke. The actress who has controversially claimed that Kevin Spacey's banishment from Hollywood was partially inspired by homophobia attributed her loss of millions to people around her who allegedly mismanaged her money as she struggled to regain basic functions, like the ability to read, which she lost 'for a couple of years'. In total, Stone said it took her seven years to mostly recover from the effects of the life-threatening stroke, which doctors gave her just one in 100 odds of surviving. 'People took advantage of me over that [recovery] time,' Stone claimed. 'I had $18 million saved because of all my success, but when I got back into my bank account, it was all gone.' She described the surreal feeling of having little to her name once she was competent enough to take over her finances. 'My refrigerator, my phone everything was in other peoples names,' she revealed. She then clarified: 'I had zero money.' Amanda Abbington will finally break her silence as she returns to TV for the first time since quitting Strictly during an appearance on Lorraine next week. The actress, 50, is a guest on the show next Thursday and will be interviewed by stand-in host Christine Lampard as Lorraine is on holiday for the summer break. She abruptly left Strictly in October citing 'personal issues' and hasn't been seen on screen since, even quitting social media last month in the wake of her former dance partner Giovanni Pernice's sacking. The Italian professional, 33, will not be returning to the BBC series amid an ongoing investigation into his alleged 'abusive' behaviour behind the scenes. Since his departure, fellow pro Graziano Di Prima, 30, has also been given the boot after he admitted to 'kicking' his celebrity dance partner, documentary maker Zara McDermott, 27, who was afraid to step forward about the way she was treated. Amanda Abbington will finally break her silence as she returns to TV for the first time since quitting Strictly during an appearance on Lorraine next week (pictured January 2023) The actress is a guest on the show next Thursday and will be interviewed by stand-in host Christine Lampard as Lorraine is on holiday for the summer break (pictured June 2024) She abruptly left Strictly in October citing 'personal issues' and hasn't been seen on screen since, even quitting social media last month in the wake of her former dance partner Giovanni Pernice's sacking (pictured October 2023) A TV source told MailOnline: 'Amanda will be on Lorraine next week. 'She has been booked to promote her upcoming play When It Happens To You but obviously, with everything that's been happening, Christine will be asking Amanda how she is amid the scandal. 'Given the BBC investigation is ongoing, the show will have to abide by those restrictions. 'It's the first time Amanda has returned to live television since she quit Strictly, everyone is looking forward to her appearance because who knows what she might say.' Amanda will star in new play When It Happens To You at the Park Theatre in north London for a month from July 31. It marks her return to the spotlight after she maintained a lowkey profile following her Strictly departure nine months ago. She was partnered with Italian Giovanni, who has been hit by claims he was abusive in the training room, which he denies. Fellow Italian dancer Graziano was sacked from the programme last week after he was accused of kicking and spitting at former Love Island star Zara, who was approached by the BBC to give her account as they continue their investigations. MailOnline has approached ITV for comment. Amanda is starring in new play When It Happens To You, which marks her return to the spotlight following her Strictly departure nine months ago (pictured September 2023) The actress, who was a regular guest at Showbiz events and red carpets, has kept a low profile so far this year (pictured June 2023) Fellow Italian dancer Graziano was sacked from the programme last week after he was accused of kicking and spitting at former Love Island star Zara (pictured September 2023) Writing on Instagram, Zara said: ' And so much of my Strictly experience was everything I could have dreamt of. The entire production team and everyone behind the scenes as well as my fellow contestants were so amazing to work with. 'However, my experience inside the training room was very different. Reports have been made about my treatment on the show and there were witnesses to some events, as well as videos of particular incidents, which are incredibly upsetting to watch.' On Thursday, it was revealed Strictly golden couple Nadiya Bychkova and Kai Widdrington had split up after two years together. The pair, who will both appear on the upcoming series, have gone their separate ways after Nadiya reportedly met with BBC bosses to make a complaint about the show. Earlier today, it was reported Giovanni is also single again following the end of his romance with influencer Molly Brown. According to the Mirror, the ongoing Strictly scandal took a toll on the couple's relationship. Love Island All Star's Jess and Eve Gale looked sensational as they stepped out to Frameless art gallery, just hours after soaking up the sun in Ibiza. The blonde twins, 24, appeared in high spirits as they arrived to celebrate the launch of 5 new artworks across their galleries at the London venue on Thursday. Jess put on a very leggy display in a black mini dress which featured some white lining details. The influencer accessorised with a black lattice leather bag, some white squared flip flops and large gold sunglasses. Appearing to still be in holiday mode, Eve stepped out in a white, one-shoulder crop top which she paired with some grey cotton shorts and nude leather sandals. Love Island All Star's Jess (right) and Eve (left) Gale put on a very leggy display in tiny outfits as they stepped out to Frameless art gallery on Thursday just hours after soaking up the sun in Ibiza The blonde twins, 24, appeared in high spirits as they arrived to celebrate the opening of two new installations at the London venue on Thursday Gillian Mckeith's daughter, Afton, was also spotted at the event as she looked sensational in a bright green mini skirt and matching scallop top. The beauty paired her summer look with a velvet blue bag and some nude wedges. Danielle Mason also looked fabulous as she stepped out in a black figure-hugging midi dress. Ahead of their outing to Frameless, Jess and Eve had just landed back in the UK after enjoying a few days in sunny Ibiza. They have been keeping their social media followers updated with stunning bikini snaps from the beach. Jess and Eve first appeared on Love Island's winter series back in 2020, before returning to the All Stars version last year. Having opened in October 2022, Frameless is the UK's first large-scale digital immersive art experience, located in a 30,000 square-feet site in the heart of Marble Arch. Gillian Mckeith's daughter, Afton, was also spotted at the event as she looked sensational in a bright green mini skirt and matching scallop top Danielle Mason also looked fabulous as she stepped out in a black figure-hugging midi dress Ahead of their outing to Frameless, Jess and Eve just landed back in the UK after they enjoyed the past few days living it up on the spanish Island They have been keeping their social media followers updated with stunning bikini snaps from the beach From Renaissance to Modern art, Frameless showcases unique interpretations of masterpieces from artists including Canaletto, Cezanne, Dali, Kandinsky, Klimt, Monet, Rembrandt and Van Gogh. Art is showcased in four spectacular galleries each dedicated to a different theme and presented using unique digital art technology. Beyond Reality is an exploration of Surrealism where visitors will experience otherworldly and dreamlike masterpieces, with wrap around projection and mirrored surfaces taking them on a mind-bending journey beyond the boundaries of reality. Motion tracking technology in Colour in Motion celebrates the impressionist era, offering visitors a rare opportunity to influence and interact with artistic masterpieces. The six-sided projection in The World Around Us immerses visitors in breath-taking 360-degree landscapes, beautifully brought to life by some of the greatest artists of all time. As part of their Let's Talk About Art initiative, which ends in October and faced by Russell Tovey, Frameless aims to cultivate a generation of art enthusiasts by inviting children to review and explore 42 artworks featured in the Marble Arch galleries throughout the summer holidays Visitors will become lost in The Art of Abstraction as they wind through a maze of colour, shape and form to discover the pioneers of abstract art. As part of their Let's Talk About Art initiative, which ends in October, Frameless aims to cultivate a generation of art enthusiasts by inviting children to review and explore 42 artworks featured in the Marble Arch galleries throughout the summer holidays. Five new youth advisors will team up with Frameless to join a council of creative minds where they can give their views, attend exclusive previews and access the creatives behind the London experience. Graziano Di Prima's strict training rule for Zara McDermott during Strictly Come Dancing, which caused her to bleed, has been revealed, in the wake of accusations that he was abusive to her in rehearsals. The professional dancer, 30, was axed from the BBC show last week over reports that he 'hit and kicked' the Love Island star, 27, during last year's series, and has since apologised for his behaviour in a statement, admitting to having kicked her. And as new details have emerged, comments about his tough training rules have resurfaced, with Zara previously revealing Graziano banned her from wearing women's heels. When the series was just beginning in September, the reality star spoke to The Sun about her training with Graziano, and revealed she had 'open wounds' on her feet because he only allowed her to wear men's dance shoes. Zara said: 'Graziano told me not to go for the heels but to dance in mens shoes at the start. Off he went and got me them and theyre mens shoes with a little Cuban heel. Graziano Di Prima 's strict training rule for Zara McDermott during Strictly Come Dancing, which caused her to bleed, has been revealed, in the wake of accusations that he was abusive to her in rehearsals The professional dancer, 30, was axed from the BBC show last week over reports that he 'hit and kicked' the Love Island star, 27, during last year's series, and has since apologised for his behaviour in a statement, admitting to having kicked her (pictured on show) And comments about his tough rules have resurfaced, with Zara previously revealing Graziano only allowed her to wear men's dance shoes, leaving her with 'open wounds' on her feet 'I told him, "Its not working, I need to take them off" and he said, "No, no youre fine". 'I said honestly its hurting and I took them off and my feet were bleeding. I was like, "I told you I am not being dramatic!"' She added: 'My feet are feeling better this week, I feel like theyre getting harder now.' It comes after Zara released a new statement on Thursday, furiously hitting back at Graziano for insisting his behaviour during rehearsals was a 'singular incident.' While the dancer admitted he 'crossed the line', he denied spitting at Zara, and insisted his behaviour was one-off incident. Zara's spokesperson hit back, telling The BBC: 'It's a matter of public record that the BBC deemed the conduct to be so severe that they removed him from the show immediately. 'Zara has already confirmed in a statement released on her social media earlier this week that the reported conduct was not a singular incident.' Graziano's spokesman said he apologised to Zara for kicking her at the time, but denied claims he ever spat at her. It comes after Zara released a new statement on Thursday, furiously hitting back at Graziano for insisting his behaviour during rehearsals was a 'singular incident' (pictured in March) While the dancer admitted he 'crossed the line', he denied spitting at Zara, and insisted his behaviour was one-off incident Admitting that while he 'remembers pushing [Zara] quite hard' during training, they claimed the descriptions reported 'do not align' with Graziano's own memory. Going on to claim that the Italian star - who has since moved back to his native Sicily - has been left in a 'very vulnerable state' in the fallout from the scandal. His representative, Mark Borkowski, said: 'This week the news agenda has focused on an isolated incident that Mr Di Prima deeply regrets and apologised for at the time. 'The deluge of commentary, too often without context or nuance, has provoked a pile-on that has left a young man in a very vulnerable state'. It comes after Mark previously told BBC News: 'There is never a time when kicking, or any sense of that is right. And he knows that. He knows he's made a mistake. He apologised at the time.' Referring to the media reports, he added: 'But [Graziano] he doesn't recognise some of the issues surrounding it. The descriptions of what is being commented online, and how he remembers it, are not aligned.' He continued: 'He has literally cut himself off from civilisation. I think that's a wise thing to do, supported by his wife. He's coming to terms with his mental health issues.' Graziano, who believed the matter had been resolved at the time, was sacked from the show after a video of the idea was brought to the attention of the BBC last week. Graziano's spokesman said he apologised to Zara for kicking her at the time , but denied claims he ever spat at her (pictured in February) Admitting that while he 'remembers pushing [Zara] quite hard' during training, they claimed the descriptions reported 'do not align' with Graziano's own memory (Zara pictured during rehearsals) The investigation was triggered by Strictly's bid to clean up the show after fellow dancer Giovanni Pernice was accused of misconduct by his celebrity partner Amanda Abbington (pictured together) The investigation was triggered by Strictly's bid to clean up the show after fellow dancer Giovanni Pernice was accused of misconduct by his celebrity partner Amanda Abbington, which resulted in him leaving the show. Giovanni denies the claims. According to show insiders, video footage of Graziano mistreating Zara gave bosses no choice but to cancel his contract. Addressing his departure on Instagram, Graziano wrote: 'I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime. 'Respecting the BBC HR process, I understand it's best for the show that I step away.' He continued: 'While there are aspects of this story involving external influences that I can't discuss at this time, I remain committed to being strong for my family and friends. 'I wish the Strictly family and the BBC nothing but success in the future.' He concluded the post: 'I also want to thank everyone who has supported my career, both professionally and personally. When the time is right, I will share my story.' Zara broke her silence on Tuesday, admitting she was scared to come forward and report Graziano over fears for her 'future'. According to show insiders, video footage of Graziano mistreating Zara gave bosses no choice but to cancel his contract Zara broke her silence on Tuesday, admitting she was scared to come forward and report Graziano over fears for her 'future' Also writing on Instagram, she said: 'I felt it was right that I post something regarding the recent media reports. Strictly is one of the most magical shows on TV and one that I dreamt of being on since I was a little girl. 'When I was invited to be a contestant on the show it really was a childhood dream come true. I fully understood the level of commitment and hard work that Strictly was going to be and I dedicated everything to it. I am a resilient person and I was fully prepared to put in whatever it took. 'And so much of my Strictly experience was everything I could have dreamt of. The entire production team and everyone behind the scenes as well as my fellow contestants were so amazing to work with 'However, my experience inside the training room was very different. Reports have been made about my treatment on the show and there were witnesses to some events, as well as videos of particular incidents which are incredibly distressing to watch.' Zara explained that she didn't report the incidents at the time as she was 'scared' of backlash. Instead it was junior production staff who came forward to share what they had witnessed as the investigation into Giovanni was taking place. A source from the show told MailOnline: 'There were multiple occasions where both physical and verbal attacks were made. It was more physical than verbal, but all of it was dreadful.' Zara continued in her statement: 'I have wrestled with the fear of opening up - I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming. 'But after a lot of conversations with those I love, I've gained the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak to the BBC, I spoke candidly about my time on the show. 'I have wrestled with the fear of opening up - I was scared about public backlash, I was scared about my future, I was scared of victim shaming. But after a lot of conversations with those I love, I've gained the strength to face these fears, and when I was asked to speak to the BBC, I spoke candidly about my time on the show. 'The culture within our society makes it difficult for people to speak up especially in a a world where social media opinions and voices are so loud. This is something I've seen through working with countless women on my documentaries. 'I would like to thank the BBC and BBC Studios for their swift action and incredibly high level of support, as wel as everyone who has reached out to me - it really truly meas a lot. Love, always. Zara.' Graziano, who was due to compete in his seventh series of Strictly before his sacking, is taking legal action against the BBC, MailOnline revealed on Monday. And the broadcaster has vowed to fight back against Giovanni's claims. The Sicilian dancer believes he should have been 'supported and helped' with his behaviour after bosses warned him about his treatment of Zara. MailOnline revealed on Wednesday that Graziano is working on a remote vineyard in Sicily earning just 6-an-hour after being sacked from the show But a BBC insider said: 'Why would any workplace, particularly one paid for by the public, offer support to someone who acted in an undoubtedly abhorrent manner?' MailOnline revealed on Wednesday that Graziano is now working on a remote vineyard in Sicily earning just 6 an hour. After fleeing the UK to go back to his native home in Italy with his wife Giada, a fellow dancer who stars on the Italian version of Strictly, Graziano 'has taken a job on a farm, ploughing fields, living with cows and picking grapes'. The Italian pro is 'digging ditches and clearing wood' according to pals in a bid to ignore the 'noise' sparked by his shock departure from Strictly. He is only speaking to two people - his mother Giovanna and wife Giada - and is not looking at social media or the internet as he concentrates on 'getting his head straight' as his inner circle admit 'he's in a bad place'. A friend told MailOnline that Graziano appreciates his career in the UK is over following the scandal, but there is hope he can resurrect his profession within dance as 'that's what his body is built for'. The friend said: 'Graziano has gone back to basics working on the land. He's totally alone in the field digging ditches and clearing wood, a standard practice to prevent fires, working for a minimal sum but it's not about the money. 'Manual labour is what he grew up doing, since he was eight-years old. It's about keeping his mind active and a distraction technique from the toxic fallout of his departure from Strictly.' A month after the death of Hollywood legend Donald Sutherland, his son Kiefer has expressed his bitter regret that the acting duo did not spend more time together. Kiefer, best known for his roles in 24 and The Lost Boys, was born in 1966 to Donald and his wife Shirley Douglas. When he was just three, his parents divorced, and contact with his father was sporadic. In a moving new interview, the younger Sutherland, 57, said: 'The only thing that my father and I have been sorry for is that we didn't spend more time together. 'Our biggest frustration was that our lives took us in different directions, and that we didn't spend as much time together as we would have liked.' A month after the death of Hollywood legend Donald Sutherland, his son Kiefer has expressed his bitter regret that the acting duo did not spend more time together Donald, who had almost 200 film credits to his name including The Hunger Games and Don't Look Now, died in June, aged 88. Kiefer said they had 'wonderful' times together, adding: 'We've never had an issue with each other. So when I was a young boy, I was never upset or cross with him.' Despite being two of Hollywood's most sought after actors, the pair only acted together on three occasions. In Mac Dugan's Returns in 1983, A Time To Kill in 1996, and then finally in the 2015 western Forsaken, when the pair played a father-son relationship on screen for the first time. Speaking to BBC Radio 3's Sound of Cinema, Kiefer spoke movingly about his experience of sharing the Foresaken set with his dad for such a prolonged period. He said: 'I remember both of us realizing that we had not spent three months together at any given moment for a very long time, since I was maybe a child and came to visit for summer.' It was while filming that Kiefer was so overwhelmed by his father's talents that he missed his cue. The Canadian actor said: 'We were shooting a scene and I got so involved in what he was doing, watching him work, and he did this beautiful monologue, and then there was just this long pause. When he was just three, his parents divorced, and contact with his father was sporadic 'I was like, 'oh, no, I was supposed to say something'. I just gotten caught as an actor. I got caught watching another actor work.' Kiefer, who is also a musician and is currently touring the UK, has said being in the country has helped him grieve. 'The BBC has played a number of his films over the last three weeks,' he said. 'I've stayed on the channel to watch them and there is a connection to that, that is helpful and nice.' It wasn't until Kiefer had moved to California aged 17, that he discovered his father's back catalogue of movies and spent a whole day watching five of his best known flicks including M*A*S*H, Ordinary People, and Start the Revolution without Me. He said: 'I was just so amazed by how distinct and specific every character was, but then how diversified they were. 'I felt like such a horrible son. I felt like how did I not know this about him until now? And I phoned him and told him how sorry I was that I hadn't seen these things. And he was laughing.' During the touching interview, he also recalled light-hearted moments with Sutherland senior who he said had a 'signature voice'. In a moving new interview, the younger Sutherland said: 'The only thing that my father and I have been sorry for is that we didn't spend more time together' This was an asset the pair shared, and when Kiefer found out about his father's lucrative voiceover work, he told him: 'I'm gonna call up tomorrow, and I'm gonna tell them that I could do a good Donald Sutherland's voice for half the money.' The interview features on a special episode of Sound of Cinema. The programme will look back at Donald Sutherland's life through the soundtracks of his major films. It includes music from The Hunger Games, Don't Look Now, Six Degrees of Separation and Pride and Prejudice. It is broadcast on BBC Radio 3 at 4pm on Saturday 20th July. Tammy Hembrow wowed her fans on Friday by revealing the gruelling exercise routine she is undergoing ahead of her upcoming wedding. The fitness influencer, who is engaged to Love Island Australia star Matt Zukowski, posted a jaw-dropping clip to Instagram which captured her hard at work at a gym. The 30-year-old looked focused as she worked up a sweat by lifting weights and performing a variety of lunges and lower body exercises on a Seated Leg Press. The clip showcased just how dedicated Tammy is to achieving her fitness goals before she ties the knot with Matt in November. The brunette beauty captioned the footage with some revealing words: 'This challenge is based on the way I love to train and the way I personally see the most results.' It follows reports that Hembrow is busy planning her wedding - and her honeymoon. The fitness influencer and former Love Island star Matt Zukowski, 28, got engaged in December after just three months of dating and are set to tie the knot in Byron Bay later this year. On Saturday, Tammy shared a series of loved-up selfies with her beau to Instagram, revealing that the pair are already dreaming up a special wedding night. Tammy Hembrow (pictured) wowed her fans on Friday by revealing the gruelling exercise routine she is undergoing ahead of her upcoming wedding 'Just a tall guy and his short girl. We're in the midst of planning our honeymoon (and wedding) but any guesses where we're going?' Tammy wrote in her caption. The jet-setting pair were engaged in the Maldives late last year, before heading off to Greece and Bali for luxury holidays in recent months. Tammy recently addressed the online backlash she received after her wedding invitation was leaked by a handful of influencers. 'You guys might know that recently my wedding details were leaked online accidentally,' she said in a TikTok video. The fitness influencer, who is engaged to Love Island Australia star Matt Zukowski (left), posted a jaw-dropping clip to Instagram which captured her hard at work at a gym The 30-year-old looked focused as she worked up a sweat by lifting weights and performing a variety of lunges and lower exercises on a Seated Leg Press The clip captured just how dedicated Tammy is to achieving her fitness goals before she ties the knot with Matt in November 'This has caused a few issues for me, I have had to change a lot of the details because we want it to be very private and it's been a bit frustrating.' The Gold Coast-based blonde then clarified the interesting details on her wedding invitation which have been causing a stir on social media. Tammy and Matt asked for a wishing well - donation box in which guests can deposit cash gifts instead of material items. The decision raised eyebrows as Tammy's net worth is said to be a staggering $50million, according to AFR's Young Rich List. Scarlett Johansson refused to take a big job for the sake of her two children. The Vicky Cristina Barcelona actress thought the move would make her kids uncomfortable and be 'strange' for them. The raspy voiced star - who will turn 40-years-old this year - has daughter Rose Dorothy, nine, with ex-husband Romain Dauriac, and son Cosmo, two, with her husband Colin Jost. But even after she said no, the pinup was dragged into drama with the company that she found 'disturbing.' The job? Voicing OpenAI's chatbot. The Lost In Translation star hit headlines earlier this year when she slammed the company behind ChatGPT for launching a new chatbot called Sky with a voice 'eerily similar' to her own after she previously turned down an offer to provide the voice herself. Scarlett Johansson refused to take a big job for the sake of her two children. She has kids Rose and Cosmo. But even after she said no, the pinup was dragged into drama with the company that she found 'disturbing.' Seen in April The job? Voicing OpenAI's chatbot. The Lost In Translation star hit headlines earlier this year when she slammed the company behind ChatGPT for launching a new chatbot called Sky with a voice 'eerily similar' to her own after she previously turned down an offer to provide the voice And she's now insisted she just didn't want to get involved with the project. Scarlett told the New York Times: '[I] actively avoided being a part of the [AI] conversation, which was what made it so disturbing. 'I was like, "How did I get wrapped up in this?" It was crazy. I was so angry,' said the star who provided the inviting voice of Samantha in the 2013 film Her with Joaquin Phoenix. 'I felt I did not want to be at the forefront of that. I just felt it went against my core values. I don't like to kiss and tell. 'He [OpenAI CEO Sam Altman] came to me with this and I didn't tell anybody except my husband I also felt for my children it would be strange.' She then added: 'I try to be mindful of them.' The 39-year-old actress went on to warn of the dangers of deepfake technology, describing it as a 'dark wormhole you can never climb your way out of.' She added: 'Once you try to take something down in one area, it pops up somewhere else. There are other countries that have different legislation and rules. With her husband Colin Jost at the New York premiere of Fly Me To The Moon on July 8 'If your ex-partner is putting out revenge, deepfake porn, your whole life can be completely ruined,' she added. 'I think technologies move faster than our fragile human egos can process it, and you see the effects all over, especially with young people,' explained Scarlett. 'This technology is coming like a thousand-foot wave.' Scarlett previously declared she was 'shocked' and 'angered' over the choice of voice for the chatbot. The beauty's new film is Fly Me To The Moon with Channing Tatum Here the actors are seen arm in arm at the premiere in Madrid on July 11 The synopsis: Sparks fly between a marketing executive and a NASA official as he makes preparations for the Apollo 11 moon landing But OpenAI boss Sam Altman clarified Sky was an actor was used to create Sky and it wasn't a deliberate attempt to mimic the movie star. In a statement to The Verge, Altman said: 'The voice of Sky is not Scarlett Johansson's, and it was never intended to resemble hers. 'We cast the voice actor behind Sky's voice before any outreach to Ms. Johansson. 'Out of respect for Ms. Johansson, we have paused using Sky's voice in our products. 'We are sorry to Ms. Johansson that we didn't communicate better.' Amy Dowden has shared an emotional post about the 'last few weeks' as she prepares for her Strictly Come Dancing return amid the show's abuse scandal. The dancing pro, 33, shared her excitement as she gears up for a new instalment following her brave battle with breast cancer. Posting a stunning shot of her and fellow Strictly pro Carlos Gu, Amy wrote: 'The excitement I have for being back on the tour I can't quite put into words. 'The past few weeks has been all about building my fitness, strength, nutrition and health to be not back to where I used to be, but also pushing to be better and stronger. 'It's been tough but I know the rewards of performing makes it all so worth while! Remember don't get bitter get better (also helps to have an amazing husband, family and friends like this one, always believing in me).' Amy Dowden has shared an emotional post about the 'last few weeks' as she prepares for her Strictly Come Dancing return amid the show's abuse scandal The dancing pro, 33, shared her excitement admitting she couldn't quite 'put into words' - as the star gears up for a new instalment following her brave battle with breast cancer in the past year Fans were left very emotional and raced to compliment Amy, with several Strictly viewers eager to see the star on the dance floor again. 'I am so happy to see you looking so well. You are such an inspiration,' one wrote. 'Can't wait to see you on tour to see you back on the stage this year and next is going to mean everything and so special'; 'This is fantastic Amy does it mean you'll be back on Strictly?'; 'We have tickets for the Aberdeen show, we can't wait to see you both'. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in May last year, Amy later revealed that doctors had found 'more tumours' and she would have to undergo chemotherapy. The star confirmed earlier this month she will be returning to Strictly this September after having to take time away from the show amid her treatment last year. She has since been told there is no evidence of the disease in her body after undergoing treatment. Fans were left very emotional and raced to compliment Amy, with several Strictly viewers eager to see the star on the dance floor again After being diagnosed with breast cancer in May last year, she later revealed that doctors had found 'more tumours' and she would have to undergo chemotherapy Now free of any cancer-evidence in her body, the star confirmed earlier this month she will be returning to Strictly this September after having to take time away from the show amid her treatment last year However, due to the nature of her cancer, Amy won't receive the 'all clear' until five years have passed. After the news of her return was revealed earlier this month, Amy took to Instagram to share her delight at being back to doing what she loves. The news came just two days after she marked the one year anniversary of her first surgery following her diagnosis. 'I'm so happy and grateful to be back on @bbcstrictly MY HEART IS SO HAPPY,' she said. 'The best team on and off the dance floor.' She added: 'I can't wait to be back doing what I love most in the world, dancing! Feel blessed and more excited than EVER. Bring it on! Thank you @bbcstrcitly for your support always. Eeeeeekkk #amysback.' The dancer's fellow professionals were quick to share their delight at the news of her return. ' So happy to have you wear you belong ,' wrote Dianne Buswell, while Graziano Di Prima said : 'yeeesss.' Amy's eagerly-anticipated return comes as the show was engulfed in fresh bullying claims - which saw speculation that the plug could be pulled on Strictly. Serious misconduct claims were made firstly against Italian pro dancer Giovanni Pernice and fellow choreographer Graziano Di Prima, which have made headlines. Strictly has been on the ropes since 2023 contestant Amanda Abbington, 53, accused partner Giovanni, 33, of 'threatening and abusing behaviour' in January, which resulted in the 2021 champion leaving the show after three of his previous dance partners also raised concerns. The Italian denies the claims. Following her claims, Strictly launched an investigation looking into other individuals connected with the show, as well as introducing new measures which aim to 'strengthen welfare and support' behind the scenes. The widened probe resulted in Graziano, 30, being axed last Saturday, after his 2023 dance partner Zara McDermott, 27, complained that he physically attacked and verbally abused her. Earlier this month, Amy also paid a sweet tribute to her husband Benjamin Jones as she marked their second wedding anniversary. The Strictly pro left fans in tears as she took to her Instagram page with a carousel of stunning shots from the special day. Accompanying the pictures with a lengthy message, she spoke directly to her soulmate, 36, writing: 'Happy 2nd anniversary! I think it's fair to say we've been through quite abit during married life.' 'But I'm forever grateful for you! Thank you for this past year! I know at times it's been so tough for you to watch but you kept positive, kept the house clean away from infections and tried to keep me as positive as possible. 'I love you even more! Let's hope for a smoother year ahead! But what I do know is we have each other! More adventures, my crazy last min plans, house renovations, dance school fun and basically just us being us! 'Love you always xxx your Amy xxx,' she finished. Fellow Strictly stars rushed to comment showing their unconditional support. Aussie pro dancer Dianne Buswell, who was also Amy's bridesmaid at the wedding in 2022, penned: ' Happy wedding day love you both from your bridesmaid loves you I do.' Italian choreographer - who won the last instalment of Strictly with Ellie Leach - wrote: 'Happy anniversary guuuuuuuys Cannot wait to see you.' Ballroom legend and judge Shirley Ballas said: 'Happy anniversary to two beautiful souls.' Meanwhile more fans were left emotional by the tribute post and rushed to comment, with some saying: 'People forget about the incredible person behind the scenes when the worst thing imaginable hits. Happy anniversary, onwards and upwards to you incredible couple xx'; Amy paid a sweet tribute to her husband Benjamin Jones as she marked their second wedding anniversary earlier this month Fans and fellow Strictly stars - including Vito Coppola, Dianne Buswell, Shirley Ballas - rushed to comment below the sweet tribute 'Happy Anniversary to you both! You really deserve so much happiness ahead in married life xx'; 'What a lovely post yes the person beside you needs the love and recognition too. You kept each other going'. Amy further proved her unconditional love for Ben as the couple went through a rough start to married life when she found a lump in her breast the day before they went on their honeymoon in April 2023. Devon Windsor turned the beach into a runway while enjoying a tropical vacation with her family and she brought a little model along with her. The blonde beauty, 30, showcased her lithe limbs and toned tummy in an orange and yellow string bikini with a triangle top from her own line of swimwear Friday on social media. The Victoria's Secret veteran accessorized the look with a coordinated necklace and pendant made from yellow and orange precious stones and some gold bangles. Windsor appeared makeup free behind her square gold framed sunglasses and she wore a white billed hat over her blonde locks. She was accompanied by her daughter Enzo, nearly three. Devon Windsor,30, turned the beach into a runway while enjoying a tropical vacation with her family and she brought her mini-me daughter Enzo, almost three, with her 'Mini me,' the supermodel wrote next to the set of photos showing the little one in her own two piece suit with an orange and yellow halter top and skirt bottom. The tyke wore matching yellow sunglasses and she carried a lavender and green beach toy. Windsor shares Enzo and little sister Celine, one, with her husband of nearly five years, Johnny Dex Barbara. Fans went crazy for the post, sharing lots of hearts and a few flames over the sweet photos of mother and daughter holding hands on their way to the warm blue water. 'Love it!! Great combo,' stated one follower. 'Could not love this more,' contended another. One fan stated having a similar experience was part of her 'Goals', adding 'so cute!!!!' The St. Louis, Missouri native who began modeling at 14 has been successfully juggling motherhood and a career. 'There is this weird stigma that if you have kids, your career goes down the drain,' she told Ocean Drive magazine in June 2021. Windsor showcased her lithe limbs and toned tummy in an orange and yellow string bikini with a triangle top from her own line of swimwear Friday on social media. Enzo was adorable in matching two piece suit with an orange and yellow halter top and skirt bottom Fans went crazy for the post, sharing lots of hearts and a few flames over the sweet photos of mother and daughter holding hands on their way to the warm blue water. 'Love it!! Great combo,' stated one follower. 'Could not love this more,' wrote another Citing Heidi Klum and Gisele Bundchen as role models, the cover model said, 'I think every year we prove more and more how we can do it all, and thats just the coolest thing.' In 2019, Windsor decided to bring her runway talents to the fashion industry and launched a swimwear line, Devon Windsor Swim. 'Being in the fashion industry, I was always interested in expanding my brand outside of just modeling,' she told V Magazine. The entrepreneur said she focused on swimsuits because they 'have always been a passion of mine because I love the ocean it is where I feel most at home.' Jax Taylor was spotted on his way to the gym this week in Los Angeles. The 45-year-old former Vanderpump Rules star who is estranged from wife Brittany Cartwright, 35 was dressed in a gray T-shirt and black joggers. The Valley star added blue, white, and black Nike sneakers and flashed his tattooed arms in his short-sleeved shirt. It came as local cops visited the home he once shared with Cartwright, and their three-year-old son Cruz. The former couple's marital home was recently hit with a $35,000 tax lien. Jax Taylor was spotted on his way to the gym this week in Los Angeles It came as local cops visited the home he once shared with Cartwright, and their three-year-old son Cruz Documents obtained by DailyMail.com revealed a state tax lien has been placed on the couple's $1.9 million Valley Village home by the California Franchise Tax Board. The lien on the home located in Los Angeles' sprawling San Fernando Valley was filed on June 12, 2024 in the amount of $35,239.88. Brittany is currently living in an Airbnb, following her separation from Jax after nearly five years of marriage. However, in April she shared that she still pays 'all the bills' at home while Jax 'pays the mortgage.' DailyMail.com reached out to Cartwright's representatives, who declined to comment. The paperwork states that 'further interest and fees will accrue' until the lien is paid. The Valley cast members moved into the 3,765-square-foot five-bedroom home in May 2019, ahead of their June wedding. At the time, Brittany shared a snap in front of their house on social media, writing, 'I am feeling SO blessed! We have so much to look forward to. We are moving into our first home together this week, we are getting married in less than 2 months, and we start filming season 8!!' The couple seen outside their marital home Jax and estranged wife Brittany pictured in Las Vegas in December 2019 The home is located near the homes of former co-stars Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney, Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix. Brittany and Jax announced in late February that they were separating. In April, Brittany said she's 'still living in an Airbnb' during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. That same month she also shared on the Not Skinny but Not Fat podcast that she's still paying the bills in their home, even though she 'put down as much money' as Jax to buy the property. She also said she was paying for Cruz's school expenses, insurance, and for their car. The host, 81, staunchly criticized the former president on Friday's episode The View's Joy Behar has been slammed for describing Donald Trump as 'very narcissistic' after he claimed he survived his assassination attempt because God was 'on his side' with a growing mob now calling for her to be sacked. The former president, 78, acknowledged his Christian faith as he addressed the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, earlier this week, marking his first speech since he was shot at by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks last Saturday. Behar, 81, criticized Trump's lengthy statement during Friday's episode, branding his words 'very unchristian' and 'disturbing.' Before taking the ABC show to an ad break, she said: 'What I want to point out, one thing. I'm speaking to fellow Christians, I was raised Catholic. I'm a Christian girl. 'When something like this happens to you like this assassination attempt and you say something like "God was watching me," that is a very unchristian thing to say because it's very narcissistic.' The View's Joy Behar has been slammed for describing Donald Trump as 'very narcissistic' Sitting alongside co-stars Ana Navarro, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Fara Griffin, she continued: 'What about Corey [Comperatore]? What's his name? Comperatore, the fireman who also got [killed]? 'What about all those guys that got killed in Sandy Hook? All of those people?' '"Oh, God was watching me and not watching them?" There's something very disturbing about that.' Navarro, 52, then quipped: 'God should have pulled the plug on that mic yesterday.' Angry viewers called for Behar to be axed from The View after claiming she 'attacked a whole religious base.' 'If there ever was an example of someone NOT a Christian it would be Joy Behar so she should stop claiming she is... She should be fired. A hateful human being,' wrote one. Another posted: 'Please shut up already. How is The View still on the air?!?' A third said: 'Joy clearly known nothing about being a Christian and should probably look into how God feels about people who speak on His behalf that don't know him. The TV host, 81, hit out at Trump, 78, for saying that he survived his assassination attempt because God was 'on his side' She made the controversial comments during Friday's episode of The View Angry viewers mobbed social media to demand Behar's axe from The View 'She should start with understanding God wanted to kill Job's friends due to their nonsense. We are actually witnessing God work.' 'What an unnecessary thing to say!' blasted a fourth. 'Of course, any reasonable person would say, "G-d was with me" if something like that happened to them. 'And she couldn't even memorize Corey's last name before serving up this pre-canned comment. Ugly!' A fifth joked: 'Noted Christianity expert Joy Behar.' A sixth blasted: 'The View tell Joy Behar "GOD" was watching over me when I almost died from an overdose , so if that a very unchristian thing for me to say, she needs to be immediately FIRED!!! She just attacked a whole religious base!' It comes amid growing calls for MSNBC anchor Joy Reid to be taken off air after she shared inflammatory theories about Trumps attempted assassination. Reid, 55, angered critics on two occasions when she shared a video to X implying that he was not even shot. After President Biden tested positive for Covid days later, Reid said on a broadcast that the democrat's brush with the virus was as heroic as Trump's reaction to narrowly avoiding a bullet. Trump was rushed offstage by U.S. Secret Service agents after being grazed by a bullet during a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13 Five days after his assassination attempt, Trump addressed the shooting at the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin On Thursday night, Trump spoke at length about the assassination attempt on July 13, which claimed the life of father-of-two Corey Comperatore. During his speech, he said: 'Bullets continued to fly as very brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage and pounced on top of me for protection. 'There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet, in a certain way I felt very safe, because I had God on my side. 'The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had NOT moved my head at the very last instant, the assassin's bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be with you tonight.' Last Saturday, Trump pumped his fist in the air with blood streaming across his face seconds after being shot in the ear by gunman Crooks at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He survived the assassination attempt when the bullet missed him by less than an inch. It came eight minutes after he took the stage at 6:03pm ET. Crooks opened fire from a rooftop 130 yards from where the former president was on stage speaking to thousands of fans. He was shot and killed in the incident moments after shooting dead Comperatore. 'It's not just furious viewers calling for Joy to be fired. Brad Pitt's daughter Shiloh Jolie is moving ahead with her petition to legally drop the actor's surname - taking out a newspaper ad in The LA Times. Shiloh, who hired and paid for her own lawyer when she filed to drop the Pitt name on her 18th birthday in May, filed to change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie, per the newspaper notice obtained by TMZ. The ad is a standard step before the court will approve a name change. The notice also states anyone who has objections to the petition should show up in court later this month. A source close to the matter told Dailymail.com last month: Shiloh hired her own lawyer and paid for it herself, so Angie doesnt know and cant speak for it. Brad Pitt 's daughter Shiloh Jolie is moving ahead with her petition to legally drop the actor's surname - taking out a newspaper ad in The LA Times - pictured with mom Angelina Jolie in 2021 Pitt, 60, is reportedly 'upset and aware' that his daughter Shiloh filed to drop his last name from her own on her 18th birthday; seen in January 2023 in Paris 'But, if youre asking if this is connected to the abuse history or the violation of Shilohs victims rights, yes, thats part of it. The revelation that Shiloh paid herself suggests that the ugly spat between former couple Pitt, 60, and Jolie, 48, may still rumble on in the form of legal action from the six children the couple once shared. There have been long custody battles which ended eventually in a victory for Pitt, who got 50-50 custody in 2021 only to have it overturned on appeal. Hes had a judge intervene to tell Angelina she mustnt listen in on his mobile phone calls with the children. The judge has also ordered reunification therapy for Pitt and the kids. The actor set up a skate park in his home for Shiloh, and more recently an art studio to reflect their common interest in art. Hes sent cars and security to ferry the children from her home to his whenever there is an allotted custody visit. Sadly, none of it has brought them closer. In fact son Pax said in an Instagram post in 2016 that all four of the youngest children thats including Shiloh tremble with fear in his presence. The two elder ones were at that point already declining point blank to see him. The current situation has seen the children - Maddox, 22, Pax, 20, Zahara, 19, Shiloh 18, and Knox and Vivienne, 16 - form a tight gang of seven with his former wife. Shiloh, who hired and paid for her own lawyer when she filed to drop the Pitt name on her 18th birthday in May, filed to change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie, per the newspaper notice - pictured 2021 The current situation has seen the children - Maddox, 22, Pax, 20, Zahara, 19, Shiloh 18, and Knox and Vivienne, 16 - form a tight gang of seven with his former wife Pitt has been involved in an ongoing divorce battle for years, seemingly stemming from a 2016 incident on a plane in which Jolie accused Pitt of assaulting her; the family seen in 2011 A central issue seems to be a notorious private jet confrontation in 2016. An FBI report on the incident, which was published in 2022, saw Jolie accuse Pitt of physical assault while flying to California in 2016. She claimed that he was intoxicated and that he grabbed her by the head and shook her, and later pushed her down, as part of a confrontation allegedly related to their children. Jolie told the FBI that Pitt told the children that she was 'f***ing up this family,' and she said he punched the ceiling of the airplane four times. She claimed that at one point he poured beer on her and a blanket she was under with multiple children. Source close to Pitt later claimed that he never hit any of the children, though they admitted that he had been drinking. This comes amid recent claims that Pitt and Jolie's divorce - which has now dragged on for eight years - is still ongoing as neither of the stars can 'let it go. A source told People 'their disagreements took over' in the relationship, adding that things 'turned nasty and it was not a good situation for anyone.' 'All the bitterness is partly why the divorce has dragged on for so many years. Neither will let it go. Youd think they would be over it and just settle.' Angelina Jolie, pictured in April 2024, has been blamed for widening the rift between her daughter and ex-husband A separate insider said: 'Both of them were having issues with each other. The differences added up over time. It's really sad for the children, but also the parents. Divorce, especially one so high-profile, can be challenging for the whole family. 'They both care. They both care about the children.' Pitt and Jolie began dating publicly shortly after he and his then-wife Jennifer Aniston announced their divorce in 2005. The Mr. And Mrs. Smith costars remained unmarried for years despite having multiple adopted and biological children together, but they got engaged in 2012 and finally tied the knot in 2014. However, it was only around two years later when the Maleficent actress filed for divorce in 2016. She and Pitt were declared legally single in 2019. Pitt is now dating Ines de Ramon, 35. Sharon Stone looked incredible as she arrived at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy, on Friday evening. The actress, 66, showcased her ageless beauty as she turned up to the red carpet in a sheer glitzy gown with a mini slip underneath. She oozed elegance in the sparkly dress and flaunted her youthful looks while posing at the event. Sharon flashed her gorgeous smile and added a flick of pink gloss to compliment her look. The icon teamed her glamorous outfit with dramatic gold dangling earrings and added height to her frame with silver high-heels. Sharon Stone looked incredible as she arrived on the red carpet at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy, on Friday evening The actress, 66, showcased her ageless beauty as she posed for photographers in a sheer glitzy gown with a mini slip underneath She put on a leggy display and oozed elegance in the sparkly dress whilst flaunting her youthful looks and posing playfully at the event The actress appeared to be in great spirits as she posed for photos and blew kisses to the crowd during the exclusive event. It comes after she recreated her iconic interrogation scene from the erotic classic Basic Instinct in a sexy lingerie shoot. The actress took to Instagram to share a jaw-dropping image clad in red lace lingerie, 32 years after she famously starred as the sexy killer Catherine Tramell. The famous interrogation scene in Basic Instinct saw Sharon's character Catherine quizzed by police, including Michael Douglas. Amid the bombardment of questions, Catherine distracts them when she uncrosses the recrosses her legs, leaving the men flustered seeing as she was underwear-free at the time. The scene was highly controversial at the time, and now has gone down as one of the most infamous in movie history. And the actress proudly showcased her incredible figure in the sexy lingerie from Bloomers Intimate, posing with her legs crossed in an ode to the legendary scene. Despite the moment turning Sharon into an overnight sensation, the Academy Award nominee has maintained in the past that she was 'tricked' into exposing herself for the cameras. Sharon tied her hair back off her face and flashed her gorgeous smile whilst adding a flick of pink gloss to compliment her look The actress teamed her glamorous outfit with dramatic gold dangling earrings that hung down below her shoulders The actress couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she posed up a storm and added height to her frame with silver high-heels The actress looked incredible in the sheer dress and showed off her toned legsas she walked the red carpet In her memoir The Beauty of Living Twice, Sharon described how she slapped her director Paul Verhoeven in fury and walked out of a preview of the erotic thriller after discovering his assurances that it wouldn't show up on screen had been a lie and that the audience could as she put it 'see all the way to Nebraska'. For his part, Verhoeven has vehemently dismissed her claims that she was taken by surprise in the leg-crossing scene. He said: 'Any actress knows what she's going to see if you ask her to take off her underwear and point there with the camera.' But the Hollywood veteran has also been adamant she didn't have any regrets about making the film. 'Regrets are like farts, you can't get them back. Once they're out, there's stinky and gone,' she quipped previously. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter recently Sharon claimed the $18 million she had accrued after more than two decades in the film industry evaporated during the years she was unable to work due to brain damage from the stroke. The actress who has controversially claimed that Kevin Spacey's banishment from Hollywood was partially inspired by homophobia attributed her loss of millions to people around her who allegedly mismanaged her money as she struggled to regain basic functions, like the ability to read, which she lost 'for a couple of years'. In total, Stone said it took her seven years to mostly recover from the effects of the life-threatening stroke, which doctors gave her just one in 100 odds of surviving. 'People took advantage of me over that [recovery] time,' Stone claimed. 'I had $18 million saved because of all my success, but when I got back into my bank account, it was all gone.' She described the surreal feeling of having little to her name once she was competent enough to take over her finances. 'My refrigerator, my phone everything was in other peoples names,' she revealed. She then clarified: 'I had zero money.' Rose McGowan cut a striking figure in a black jumpsuit as she attended Frauen100's glitzy anniversary celebrations in Berlin. The American actress and activist, 50, now a permanent resident of Mexico, travelled across the Atlantic to celebrate the German feminist initiative. Rose's jumpsuit featured a white snake design which wrapped itself around her legs and prepared to take a bite out of her shoulder. She accessorised with silver boots and a silver necklace with a light blue precious stone and posed with PR agency co-owners Janina Hell and Felicitas Karrer. All-female Frauen100 aims to 'bring together thought leaders from business, politics, media, sport and culture to create a cross-professional network'. Rose McGowan, 50, cut a striking figure in a black jumpsuit as she attended Frauen100's glitzy anniversary celebrations in Berlin The American actress and activist now a permanent resident of Mexico , travelled across the Atlantic to celebrate the German feminist initiative Rose's jumpsuit featured a white snake design which wrapped itself around her legs A speaker at the event, Rose implored people to show 'a little more kindness to each other' in her speech, saying: ''Cause that, more than anything - kindness to each other - will stop abuse of power.' Rose took to Instagram on Sunday to grieve the loss of Shannon Doherty who had died from breast cancer the day before. The women just missed each other on hit American fantasy series Charmed as Shannen left the show after its third series and Rose joined the show from its fourth. Nevertheless, they enjoyed a friendship, having met years before, and Rose wrote on Instagram on Sunday: 'Shannen Doherty had the heart of a lion. 'Passion for craft is often mislabeled as trouble. Shannen was passion. I met her in the 90s and was awed. 'Getting to really know her later in life, a beautiful gift. This woman fought to live. Shannen knew how to be a star because she was one since childhood. 'Her work ethic inspiring to the end. Shannens great love for directing, for acting, Holly, her friends, her parents, dog and her beloved fans was legendary. 'Our lives had been intertwined in a unique way. We laughed at dark forces who wanted us to hate each other, instead we chose love and respect. She accessorised with silver boots and a silver necklace with a light blue precious stone and posed with PR agency owners Janina Hell (left) and Felicitas Karrer (right) All-female Frauen100 aims to 'bring together thought leaders from business, politics, media, sport and culture to create a cross-professional network' A speaker at the event, Rose implored people to show 'a little more kindness to each other' in her speech She finished her speech by saying: ''Cause that, more than anything - kindness to each other - will stop abuse of power' Rose happily signed autographs for her German fans Rose took to Instagram on Sunday to grieve the loss of Shannon Doherty who had died from breast cancer the day before The women just missed each other on hit American fantasy series Charmed as Shannen left the show after its third series and Rose joined the show from its fourth. 'A soft-hearted badass as there ever was. A force of energy that will live forever in hearts. May angels and God carry her to the holy kingdom where she is healthy, young and wild forever. 'Rest now warrior, we will never forget you dear sister #shannendoherty #charmed #warrior #brave #infinity.' In June, Rose made her voice heard after her alleged abuser Harvey Weinstein's sex crimes convictions were overturned. The 50-year-old actress shared a video post to Instagram on Thursday in which she offered words of encouragement to Weinstein's other accusers and fellow rape survivors. 'They will never overturn who we are,' she captioned the clip, which was filmed against a background of greenery. 'Blessings to all who gave their all #spirit #courage #unity.' Weinstein's 2020 conviction in New York were overturned on Thursday by the New York Court of Appeals after a slim majority of the justices rules that the disgraced film producer had not gotten a fair trial. US banks have announced the closure 30 more branches across the US - all in just one week. Wells Fargo said it would be shuttering nine - more than any other bank - in the latest weekly closures report, which runs from July 7 to 13. Bank of America and US Bank both said that they are closing eight locations each, while Chase one. The others are from FSNB, Greenville Fed, Huntington and Schaumburg Bank & Trust Co. Ohio was the worst hit state, losing four locations in the week, followed by California which lost three. Scroll down for the full list with addresses. Wells Fargo closed nine branches in the week 7th to 13th July The closures were reported to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) who reports the figures in a weekly bulletin. The closures represent a trend as major banks move away from expensive brick-and-mortar branches in favor of online services. 'The majority of Americans, from Gen Z to boomers, are in less need of a traditional bank, which may explain the rising number of physical branches that have been closing over the past year' Andrew Murray, lead data researcher at GOBankingRates told DailyMail.com. A recent survey by GOBankingRates found that even retirees prefer online banking to in-branch services. Overall 78 percent of Americans prefer using mobile and online banking and almost one in four did not visit their bank in the past year. 'Our survey of more than 1,000 adults clearly shows that demand for in-person banking is low across all generations, even boomers 65 and older,' Murray explained. 'It's likely that overhead costs (rent, maintenance, supplies and staff salaries) are a large factor especially given that our survey shows how infrequently people visit brick and mortar banks.' Indeed closures can lead to significant savings since the average freestanding bank branch costs around $2.6 million a year to run. US banks closed 539 branches in the first six months of the year Bank of America closed eight locations in the same week The worst hit state was California which saw 72 closures from national banks in the first half of the year. New York followed in second, seeing 51 closures, followed by Pennsylvania which had 40. 'Over the last several years, we have rightsized our branch network, and we may continue to combine two older existing branches into one better situated location' Wells Fargo told DailyMail.com in a statement. 'Doing so does not take away the importance of our customers and the communities we serve.' Bank of America also said they tend to consolidate two branches into one when there is a close. 'These shifts in our branch network reflect that, more and more, our clients are using digital banking for their everyday financial needs and coming into financial centers for more significant needs or to have conversations about their finances,' the corporation explained. US bank also highlighted clients' migration towards online banking and 'desire for greater simplicity' as reasons for their mass closures. 'As we evolve along with our clients, we are reevaluating our physical footprint, and in some instances, consolidating branch locations in select markets,' the bank said in a statement. After five decades in business, an iconic Seattle taco restaurant has shut after a family tragedy. The Taco Time on North 45th Street in the Wallingford neighborhood served its last burrito on Monday. The franchise's owner Lyla Hanna said she inherited the store from her grandfather after he died in September. 'There's something sweet in knowing it will die with him,' Hanna told King 5. The neighborhood staple also never got its customer numbers back after the Covid-19 pandemic - so it was time to move on, she explained. The Taco Time on North 45th Street in the Wallingford neighborhood has closed Since announcing the closure Hanna said the restaurant was flooded with locals desperate to get a last taste of their favorite tacos and burritos in the 'iconic' location. 'This is just a special place for us, its iconic we grew up with it' one customer told King 5. 'We're from this area. We're glad we got one last chance to go to this location' they added. The closest Taco Time for locals will now be in Ballard at 2853 NW Market Street, and Interbay at 1140 Elliott Avenue West. Vanishing Seattle, an Instagram page dedicated to commemorating closures as the city changes, said 'a couple generations of Seattleites have fond memories of growing up eating at this Taco Time.' 'The locally-owned franchise on 45th opened in 1974, and in 1990, owner Jon Hanna decided to tear the building down & replace it with one that would stand out from the other Taco Time locations' the post explained of the unique glass-walled building. 'Over time, its '80s/'90s-era retro-futuristic glass cubed design (whether you loved or hated it) and huge cactus sign made it a neighborhood icon earning it nicknames such as the Disco Taco Time, Blade Runner Taco Time, and Taco Time Global Headquarters' the post read. The chain had much-loved quirky features such as a self-service touchscreen Coke machine with 106 flavor combinations which customers could mix and match. The restaurant was such a well-known corner of the community that in 2015 Historic Seattle proposed a landmark nomination for the building, 'to raise awareness and appreciation of our fast food heritage' as an April Fool's joke. 'This one really hits hard' one local commented on the Vanishing Seattle post. 'This place was my childhood' another wrote. The store will be replaced by a Chipotle, the Seattle Eater reports. The first Taco Time Northwest location was opened in 1962 in White Center by Frank Tonkin Sr. Over the last 60 years the chain has expanded to 77 location across western Washington. Restaurants have increasingly been struggling this year. Faced with higher costs, they have put up menu prices - but that has led to a fall in customers. Customer rushed to get their last tacos and burritos before the location closed Customers were informed of the closure via a sign posted to the location's door Locals said they will miss the 'iconic' location they grew up dining in Bigger chains like Applebee's, TGI Fridays and Boston Market have have all recently shuttered restaurants, as have smaller chains like BurgerFi. Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy in May and also shuttered almost 100 restaurants. Chains have been worst hit in California where the minimum wage for fast food restaurants jumped to $20-an-hour from April 1. In early June, Mexican chain Rubio's shut 48 locations in the state and also filed for bankruptcy. Across America, mom-and-pop operations have also been shutting. Earlier this month, for example, Fargo's Pit BBQ in Texas closed after more than two decades of serving brisket, ribs and other barbecue classics. Taco Bell has provoked the ire of its customers by reducing its soft drink cup sizes. An employee at the Mexican fast-food staple alleged that their medium soft drinks have been downsized following a cup change. One Reddit user, claiming to be a Taco Bell employee, posted a side-by-side picture of the old and new medium cups on the site. The new cup, reportedly rolled out in June, appears to be shorter than the original 20-ounce medium cup. 'I work at Taco Bell and with the recent delivery me and a coworker noticed that the medium cups have been downsized,' the poster wrote. A Taco Bell employee posted the new cup sizes on social media Taco Bell customers have expressed outrage at the apparent downsizing 'I filled the smaller of the two cups all the way to the top and poured it into the original medium cup. 'It came up about a half inch from the top,' the employee explained. 'The new cups are definitely smaller, but probably only by an [ounce] or two.' Other Reddit users agreed with the poster, revealing their own recent purchases in the comments. 'The cup on the left is the medium that came with my Cravings Box two days ago' one user wrote. XXX are these comments in relation to the pic above? 'The one on the right was today's and I immediately knew something was off. Why the change? So they can save one ounce of soda?' they asked. 'Honestly we need to start boycotting,' one incensed customer wrote. 'I'm done with Taco Bell until they come to their senses. Absolutely insane,' a third added. Taco Bell did not respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment. California-based Taco Bell was founded in 1962 by Glen Bell. It now has more than 8,000 locations across the world and is owned by PepsiCo's Yum! Brands. Salad restaurants like Sweetgreen, Dig and Cava are soaring in popularity in the US - but one is struggling. The owner of Tender Greens and its sister brand Tocaya Modern Mexican have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Customer numbers never recovered after dipping significantly during the pandemic, bosses at One Table Restaurant Brands said. The company operates 24 Tender Greens and 15 Tocaya units in California and Arizona, and they were especially reliant on customers in downtown Los Angeles. That area of the city has never recovered from Covid, with office workers and residents alike not returning. An increasing reliance on delivery apps caused problems too. Sales at the two brands shifted towards carryout during the pandemic - and now makes up around 30 to 40 percent of orders. Tender Greens, which started in Culver City in 2006, has filed for bankruptcy But orders via Postmates and Uber Eats carry big commissions - that eat into profits CEO Harald Herrmann wrote in the filing: 'A commission rate of between 15 to 18 percent depending upon the provider, coupled with related packaging costs of four percent, make these sales less profitable. 'Passing this entire cost along to the consumer is not possible as it would have a negative impact on demand for the Restaurants.' The company also blamed California's $20-an-hour minimum wage. While the company is small enough - having under 60 outlets - to avoid being forced to pay it, they have had to raise wages to compete with workers with bigger chains. The company is hoping to get $3 million in financing from Breakwater Management to continue operating while they try to find a buyer. 'We ran every possible option to the ground in order to avoid bankruptcy, but ultimately, restructuring our debt is the best decision for our team members, valued vendor partners and loyal guests,' Herrmann said in a statement. 'We expect to emerge from this restructuring process stronger and better positioned to prosper in our hyper-competitive industry.' Restaurants that serve fresh but quickly prepared salads like Tender Greens have soared in popularity in recent years. Sweetgreen, for example, has 205 restaurants, and Cava has almost 280. Across America, Restaurants have increasingly been struggling this year. Faced with higher costs, they have put up menu prices - but that has led to a fall in customers. A salad bowl at Tender Greens, with 24 locations in California and Arizona Tocaya is also at risk Bigger chains like Applebee's, TGI Fridays and Boston Market have have all recently shuttered restaurants, as have smaller chains like BurgerFi. Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy in May and also shuttered almost 100 restaurants. Chains have been worst hit in California where the minimum wage for fast food restaurants jumped to $20-an-hour from April 1. In early June, Mexican chain Rubio's shut 48 locations in the state and also filed for bankruptcy. Across America, mom-and-pop operations have also been shutting. Earlier this month, for example, Fargo's Pit BBQ in Texas closed after more than two decades of serving brisket, ribs and other barbecue classics. The awareness about contraception can significantly enhance women's health and contribute to better population management in India World Population Awareness Fortnight, starting from July 11th, brings attention to the fact that India is the most populous country in the world, having surpassed China last year. According to UN projections, Indias population is expected to peak at 1.7 billion in 2064, beyond which it will decline. Out of 4 births each second across the world, one birth occurs in India. It is important to understand what can be done to balance the resources with the requirements of the population in the country. With only 2.4% of the worlds land, India supports 17.76% of the worlds population. Nowhere is a discussion on contraception and mother and child health services more relevant and meaningful than here.Demographers use a parameter called Total Fertility Rate (TFR), which is the number of children a woman has in her lifetime. The TFR, which should be 2.1 for the population to remain steady, has already dipped below 2 in 2022. But keeping it within that range will require constant efforts to increase the awareness of the youth and adolescents towards these matters. Moreover, family planning offers many more benefits beyond the prevention of pregnancies.Uttar Pradesh ranks first among the states in India with a population of 257 million and a TFR of 2.18 (2015-16). It is relevant to mention here that our country was the first to launch an official family planning program way back in 1952. In the decades that have followed, the options have increased and so have the availability and accessibility. With the basket of contraceptive choices available at all government hospitals free of cost, social marketing of contraceptives, and home delivery of contraceptives by ASHAs in rural areas, accessibility to these methods has improved. This has translated to an increase in the Couple Protection Rate by 13%, which is 67% at present, and a decrease in unmet need for family planning of 3.5%, which now stands at 9.4%.The country has made substantial progress in the delivery of family planning services across the country. The reach of family planning services has extended from target couples to eligible couples to all women and adolescent girls and should extend to all men of reproductive age. Their share in decision-making and supporting women in using these methods makes it imperative for them to have this information as well. They can make an important contribution.If the present discussion gives a message that each couple should be forced to use a contraceptive to limit family size to stabilize the population, that is not true. Family planning methods should help to fulfil the unmet needs of 9.5% of couples and help many others plan pregnancy at a proper time.According to the Guttmacher Institute, India Country Profile, 2022, between 2015and 2019, there were a total of 485 lakh pregnancies annually in India, of which 44% were unintended. Of these, 2/3rd of these unplanned pregnancies ended in abortion. It is these couples who are in dire need of contraception. These abortions could have been avoided had they received counselling and proper contraceptive measures at the right time.Contraception is not just a method of preventing unwanted pregnancies. It is a means to provide freedom to couples to exercise their reproductive rights. The freedom to choose when to plan a pregnancy. It essentially allows responsible voluntary decision-making based on correct knowledge, the right attitude, and access to quality services, which together promote the welfare of the family unit and contribute to the social development of the country.Contraception prevents unwanted pregnancies and many more unwanted situations that follow. For married couples, it allows them to time their pregnancies and help determine the number of children in the family. It also helps in timing the births, particularly the first and last, about the age of the mother, which is particularly important because teenage pregnancies and pregnancies at a maternal age of 35 years or more carry their risks. Each of these aspects is very important for the welfare of all family members. So, family planning has to emerge from whispers in private quarters to a basic human right and an important aspect of family health and social welfare.Contraceptives are primary prevention for pregnancy and primordial prevention for high-risk pregnancies. These high-risk pregnancies, if not detected in time and managed properly, can lead to serious complications and even deaths. At the individual level, the morbidity and mortality of the mother and newborn associated with an unplanned pregnancy can be avoided. If all couples had access to family planning services, it would help reduce maternal deaths by 25% and infant deaths by 20%. Apart from deaths, the diseases associated with HRPs (20-30%) are also prevented. High-risk pregnancies are those pregnancies where the mother/baby has an increased risk of adverse outcomes. This could be due to anaemia, high BP, or high sugar levels during pregnancy. Pregnant women with obesity, twin or breech pregnancy, history of preterm labour, or cesarean section are also HRPs. This is particularly true for teenage and elderly pregnancies because they have a higher share of morbidity. Moreover, pregnancies beyond the age of 35 have a high risk of congenital anomalies. So, preventing these births improves the quality of the population and reduces the burden on parents in particular and society in general. It also reduces early and late fetal deaths. Women's health also benefitted from the improvement of nutritional status and the reduction of complications by addressing modifiable risk factors before the next conception, like weight reduction, management of medical illnesses, and allowing a reasonable gap of at least 3 years between two deliveries. Proper use of contraceptive methods would also reduce the need for abortions and thus decrease abortion-related complications like septic abortions and even death. This issue is most sensitive for unmarried girls who are forced to seek abortion services at unrecognized centres and are unable to seek normal pregnancy care. This also calls for greater awareness about emergency contraceptive pills.Good health of the infant and siblings, proper care, nutrition, and reduced vulnerability to diseases are all seen in families with a limited number of children. Hence, contraceptives play an important role in the overall well-being of the family.Thus, the importance of contraception for the health of women and children is clear and government facilities, NGOs, and private providers are all working to offer and improve family planning services. The availability of better client-friendly methods, from daily pills to once-a-week pills, lactational pills, self-administered three-monthly injections, devices working for 10 years, along good follow-up facilities, have made modern womens lives easier.What remains is to connect the dots so that maximum benefits can be reaped from the services. What also needs to be worked upon is the change in attitude of not only the clients but also the caregivers. The clients need to work upon the hesitation in accessing these services and the caregivers need to refrain from underscoring the importance of family planning services. Let us all reflect on our roles as stakeholders in this solvable problem which is so important for our health and progress.In conclusion, the discourse on contraception and maternal health underscores the critical need to prioritize reproductive rights and access to family planning services. As we bridge the gap between rights and reality, it is imperative to foster an environment where informed choices and comprehensive education empower individuals and couples. Collaborative efforts among government bodies, NGOs, healthcare providers, and the community are essential to ensure that family planning services are accessible, acceptable, and utilized effectively. By doing so, we not only enhance maternal and child health but also reduce the risk to women arising from unplanned pregnancies, high-risk pregnancies, and abortion-related complications which are entirely preventable. So, let us all contribute to the broader socio-economic development of our nation. The journey towards a healthier, more informed society begins with each of us advocating for and embracing the significance of contraception in our collective well-being. (The writer is Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine in MLB Medical College Jhansi UP. Views are personal) The Centre has listed six new Bills for introduction, including the one which seeks to replace the 90-year-old Aircraft Act, to provide enabling provisions for ease of doing business in the aviation sector, in the upcoming Parliament Session beginning Monday. Besides the Finance Bill, the Government has also listed 'The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill' for introduction, consideration and passing. The proposed legislation aims to bring more clarity and convergence in the roles of different organisations working in the field of disaster management, a Lok Sabha bulletin issued Thursday said. The Bhartiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 seeks to replace the Aircraft Act of 1934 to provide enabling provisions for ease of doing business in the Civil Aviation sector. The Session beginning July 22 will conclude on August 12. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Union Budget on Tuesday, July 23. Other Bills listed for introduction and passage during the Session are the Boilers Bill to replace the pre-Independence era law, the Coffee (Promotion and Development) Bill and the Rubber (Promotion and Development) Bill. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has also constituted the Business Advisory Committee (BAC), which decides the parliamentary agenda. The committee chaired by the Speaker has Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC), PP Chaudhary (BJP), Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu (TDP), Nishikant Dubey (BJP), Gaurav Gogoi (Congress), Sanjay Jaiswal (BJP), Dileshwar Kamait (JD-U), Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJP), Dayanidhi Maran (DMK), Baijayant Panda (BJP), Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena-UBT), Kodikunnil Suresh (Congress), Anurag Thakur (BJP) and Lalji Verma (SP) as members. The Centre has also convened an all-party meeting on Sunday ahead of the Monsoon Session. The meeting has been called by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, the Ministry said in a statement. This will be Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's first time at the customary Session-eve meeting of the floor leaders from all parties if he attends it. Another large party in the Opposition ranks, Trinamool Congress, has regretted it won't attend the meet. The Opposition parties under the INDIA Bloc too have convened a meeting of their Parliamentarians the same evening and another on July 22 morning ahead of the resumption of Parliament to discuss the strategy to raise the issues during the three-weeks-long Monsoon cum Budget session. A fresh order by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directing the businesses in the Kanwar pilgrims route to display nameplates, has caused unease within a section of party as well as the BJPs partners in NDA like JD(U) and LJP. The Uttarakhand Government too followed the suit and issued similar directives besides verification of the shops and its owners enroute the Kanwar pilgrimage which orginates from Haridwar. The fresh order came after the controversial directives of Muzzaffarnagar police which mandated the eateries enroute to display names of owners later to be withdrawn saying it was just optional advisory. Not only the Opposition but senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, JD(U) spokesman KC Tyagi amongst several others expressed concern over the communal directives. Congress said it as an "attack on the Constitution" and demanded the order be withdrawn. The BJP, which is in power at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh, has defended the measure, claiming that it allows fasting Hindus who may want to eat at a pure vegetarian restaurant, where the likelihood of them being served 'satvik' food is higher. Nameplate will have to be put on the food shops on the Kanwar routes across Uttar Pradesh. The decision was taken to maintain the purity of the faith of Kanwar pilgrims. Action will also be taken against those selling products with Halal certification, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers office said. UP State Minister Kapil Dev Agarwal said most of the outlets with names of Hindu deities are run by Muslims and they sell non-vegetarian food. He said those outlets must be identified and prohibited. This is not a matter about every food cart. Those who carry 'jal' from Haridwar and travel for 250-300 km cross this route to reach their destination. We had urged the district administration that all such people who run their dhaba/hotel after the names of Hindu deities are mostly from the Muslim community. Kanwariyas visit their shops where non-vegetarian food is sold. So, the name of the shop is after a Hindu deity, but non-vegetarian is sold there; all such establishments should be prohibited, they should be identified, the Minister said. Agarwal said they are not against the sale of non-vegetarian food but Kanwariyas would not eat from such outlets. We have no objection to the sale of non-vegetarian food, Kanwariyas would not purchase it. We have only urged that non-vegetarian food should not be sold by opening shops after the names of Hindu deities; so the administration has acted accordingly. Politicians are giving it a Hindu-Muslim angle. But it is not a Hindu-Muslim matter, it is a matter of social harmony. People can sit and eat wherever they want, but they should have the knowledge of where they are sitting, Agarwal added. Naqvi slammed the decision and said the hasty orders may give rise to the disease of untouchability. Faith must be respected, but untouchability must not be patronised," the former Union Minister in Narendra Modis second term, said. Union Minister Chirag Paswan unequivocally opposed the advisory saying he will "absolutely never support or encourage" any divide in the name of caste or religion. "We need to bridge the gap between these two classes of people. It is every government's responsibility to work for the poor, which includes all sections of society such as Dalits, backwards, upper castes and Muslims as well. All are there. We need to work for them," Paswan said. He added, "Whenever there is such divide in the name of caste or religion, I absolutely do not either support it or encourage it. I do not think any educated young person of my age, irrespective of the caste or religion they come from, is affected by such things." Another BJP ally, Janata Dal (United), too criticised the advisory which, police have insisted, is meant to ensure that there should be no confusion among 'kanwarias' (pilgrims on route to offer holy water to Lord Shiva) and no law-and-order situation arises. Congress and Samajwadi Party slammed the directive and termed it "an assault on India's culture", alleging that it intended to normalise the economic boycott of Muslims. "Our Constitution guarantees every citizen that he will not be discriminated against on the basis of caste, religion, language or any other basis. The divisive order to put up name boards of the owners of carts, kiosks and shops in Uttar Pradesh is an attack on our Constitution, our democracy and our shared heritage," said Priyanka Gandhi. On Yogis latest missive, Naqvi claimed the Yogi Adityanath government has cleared the "confusion" arising out of the Muzaffarnagar Police order asking eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners' names and said it has now given a guideline for the sanctity of the pilgrimage. "This order is for the sanctity, reverence and safety of the Kanwar Yatra, there is no scope for creating any kind of communal confusion on this, the safety and harmony of the society is the collective responsibility of all of us, any kind of communal conflict is not in interest of country or any community," the former minority affairs minister said. Haryana Chief Secretary TVSN Prasad on Thursday said that the State Government has intensified its campaign against drug abuse through effective law enforcement, comprehensive awareness campaigns, and continuous public support for de-addiction initiatives. While participating in the seventh high-level Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah through video conference, the Chief Secretary said that from January 2023 to March 2024, as many as 2,405 NDPS cases were registered, resulting in the arrest of 3,562 persons. Additionally, 24 preventive detention orders were issued under the PIT-NDPS Act, and property worth Rs 9.59 crore was seized. The anti-drug campaign was also conducted in 10 vulnerable districts, and 35 narco dog checks were carried out at inter-state and inter-district borders to curb drug trafficking, he added. Prasad said that 96 awareness activities were conducted across 91 villages and 27 wards from January 2023 to March 2024, with 38,973 participants. To strengthen de-addiction efforts in prisons, de-addiction centres have been established in 15 jails. He further said that the State Government has taken a significant step in combating addiction at the grassroots level through the Prahari initiative. At the village and ward levels, a total of 7,523 addicts have been identified and encouraged to seek de-addiction. The Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau, dedicated to addressing substance abuse issues, has provided professional help to 550 individuals, supporting them in their journey towards a drug-free life. The Chief Secretary said that Haryana has 105 de-addiction centres, 21 counseling-cum-rehabilitation centres, and 12 psychiatric nursing homes, all of which are regularly checked for compliance with operational norms. During the 7th SLC NCORD meeting, the Health Department was directed to establish de-addiction treatment facilities in every district hospital. The Education Department and all Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to implement the 'Nav Chetna Modules' to sensitize high school and college students about the dangers of drug abuse. Additionally, 971 investigating officers have been trained in NDPS case investigations, he added. Haryana Home Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Director General Police Shatrujeet Kapur, Director General Prisons Mohammad Akil, and ADGP OP Singh attended the meeting. Ahead of the Assembly elections in Haryana, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday said it would contest all 90 seats in the state and is fully prepared for the electoral battle. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, flanked by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and National General Secretary (Organization) Dr Sandeep Pathak, said that AAP will fight the Haryana Assembly polls strongly. The AAP had contested the recent Lok Sabha elections in alliance with its INDIA bloc partner Congress. While the Congress won five of the nine Lok Sabha seats it contested, the AAP unsuccessfully contested the Kurukshetra seat. Haryana Congress leaders, including Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Udai Bhan, have hinted that the party might go solo in the assembly polls, with both saying that it is capable of contesting all 90 seats on its own. Addressing a press conference, Singh targeted the BJP government in Haryana over the issues of unemployment, law and order, and the Agnipath scheme. "Today, there is an industry of extortion in Haryana. We saw how farmers were crushed during their agitation. Unemployment is also a big problem in Haryana," he said. Terming the Agnipath scheme an "insult to the Army", he said, "Will the Army run on contract?" The scheme should be rolled back and the AAP will raise this issue ahead of the polls. Singh further said, "In Haryana, they replaced (former chief minister) Manohar Lal Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini. But people are wise, they will not be fooled and will give them (BJP) a reply in the polls." Sandeep Pathak, who is the AAP's national general secretary (organisation), asserted that the AAP will come to power in Haryana. "If anyone has any doubt about how the AAP will fight the Haryana polls, I want to make it clear once and for all that we will fight the upcoming elections in such a manner that the world will see. We will contest all seats and form the government," he said. He said the AAP held "Badlav Jansamvad" meetings in 6,500 villages and in these meetings, people talked of only one thing -- change. "On July 20, we will hold a town hall meeting in which Kejriwal's guarantees will be announced," Pathak said. Asked if the AAP will fight the Haryana polls in alliance with its INDIA bloc partners, he said, "We will contest all 90 seats." Chief Minister Mann said during AAP leaders' visits to different parts of Haryana like Rohtak, Sonipat and Jind, people said they wanted "badlav" in the state. Haryana gave chances to the Congress, the BJP and regional parties but all of them looted the state, he alleged. People want change and are looking at the AAP with great hope, he said. Mann said the AAP will contest the assembly polls strongly and "Badlenge Haryana Ka Haal, Ab Layenge Kejriwal" will be its slogan. The AAP is a national party and also the fastest-growing party, he said. "We have governments in Delhi and Punjab. One-half of Haryana touches Delhi and the other half touches Punjab while half of Haryana also speaks Punjabi. "Ten years ago, no one had imagined that the AAP would register a landslide win in Punjab and form the government on its own, but that became a reality. Now, the party will fight the Haryana polls with the same spirit and energy," he added. Mann, whose wife Gurpreet Kaur hails from Haryana's Kurukshetra district, said people of Punjab and Haryana have relatives in both states while some districts of the two states share boundaries. Arvind Kejriwal belongs to Haryana and he changed the country's politics, he said. The 15-page report by BJP UP president Bhupendra Chaudhary has identified anger towards the Agnipath scheme, paper leaks, old pension issue, dissatisfaction of party workers towards the government and the displeasure of the Rajput community among the 10 reasons for the disastrous performance of the party in 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. The report submitted to the partys central leadership, also noted that the oppositions allegation that reservation would be abolished gained momentum due to the state government giving priority to people of the general category in the recruitment of contract workers for government jobs. The report also cited the statements given by party leaders on changing the Constitution, and worker reduced enthusiasm till the sixth and seventh phases of voting due to early ticket distribution. The report also noted that the names of BJPs core voters were removed from the electoral rolls by election officials at the lower level. In almost all seats, 30,000-40,000 names of the partys core voters were removed, the report said. The state BJP drafted the 15-page report on the basis of feedback from 40,000 party workers across the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP state president had met the top leaders in Delhi on Wednesday and discussed the report. The BJP won just 33 of UPs 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2024 polls, a significant decline from its 2019 and 2014 numbers. Collectively, the opposition INDIA bloc won 43 seats. Chaudhary also held a long meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda over the report. The report said that the BJPs vote share decreased by at least 8 per cent in all six regions of the state - Western UP, Braj, Kanpur-Bundelkhand, Awadh, Gorakhpur and Kashi. The partys worst performance came in the West and Kashi regions, where it got only eight out of 28 seats. In Braj, it got eight out of 13 seats. In Gorakhpur, the party got only six out of 13 seats, while in Awadh, it got only seven out of 16 seats. In Kanpur-Bundelkhand, the BJP failed to regain its existing seats, winning only four out of 10 seats. The internal report also flagged that the percentage of votes received by the BJP from non-Yadav OBCs (Kurmi, Kori, Maurya, Shakya and Lodh castes) had decreased. The report also noted that a decrease in the Dalit vote share of Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was behind the Congresss improved performance. The report stated a 10 per cent decrease in the core vote share of the BSP. It further said the party got only one-third of the Dalit votes as compared to 2019. Seeking to fish in seemingly troubled waters, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has given monsoon offer to the BJP MLAs who wanted to switch over. It was apparently a repeat offer to Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. Taking a swipe at the BJP amid talks of infighting within the Yogi Adityanath government, Akhilesh made a cryptic post on X that sparked a buzz. Now a Lok Sabha MP from Kannauj, Akhilesh Yadav wrote on X: Monsoon offer: bring 100, form the government. The short post appeared to be a replug of Yadavs past offer to Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya. In December last year, Akhilesh had called Maurya a very weak man. He had dreamt of becoming chief minister, he should get 100 MLAs. He had once claimed that he had the support of over a 100 MLAs. He should get them, Samajwadi Party will support him (for chief minister), he had said, adding that the former UP BJP chief was with the party despite being humiliated. The post of the SP chief on Thursday is being seen as another veiled swipe at Maurya, who sparked a buzz in political circles after his organisation is bigger than the government comment during the state executive meeting here on Sunday. The remark was widely seen as a veiled attack on Chief Minister Adityanath, who has said that overconfidence cost the BJP in UP in the recently concluded general elections. A senior Samajwadi Party leader said that Akhilesh Yadavs monsoon offer post on X was a message to those in BJP who wanted to switch over. The SP won 111 seats in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and if we get the support of 100 dissatisfied BJP MLAs, we will easily form the government, the Samajwadi Party leader explained. The BJPs poor showing in Uttar Pradesh has intensified friction with the organisation and set off a buzz over a tussle between Yogi Adityanath and Keshav Prasad Maurya. Supporters of the two leaders are blaming each other for the poll debacle. The BJPs central leadership is watching too. It has asked state leaders to resolve differences and concentrate on the upcoming bypolls to 10 assembly seats. Party sources have also rejected reports of a possible change in the state leadership. There will be no change in leadership until then. They have asked us to fix things and advised against complaints at this time, a source said. The SP chief, meanwhile, is daily taking pot-shots at the ruling party. In a swipe at the BJP on Wednesday, Yadav had said the people of Uttar Pradesh wree fed up with the game of thrones'', drawing a sharp response from Maurya, who stressed that the BJP had strong governments and organisation at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh and that the Samajwadi Party had no chance of a comeback. The Awareness rally was organized by the National Service Scheme unit of the college with the aim of making India drug-free.The chief guest of this program was Anupriya Kumari, Director of Anupriya Foundation, who made the students aware of the impact of this event on the society.She gave the message that our goal right now is to free the youth of the country and Hazaribag from drug addiction.The Rally started from the college campus and passed through various routes of the city and ended at Gyan Jyoti College campus. All the students of Arts, Science and Commerce participated in the morning walk.The morning walk was led by NSS Nodal Officer Mr. Umesh Thakur.Drug De-Addiction Awareness rally was jointly flagged off from the college campus by GM Group College Director and Secretary Shambhu Kumar, Principal Vinay Kumar and Anupriya Kumari.While flagging off the morning walk from the college campus, the college principal said that "People who have given up drug abuse will have happiness in their lives and road accident deaths will also reduce."College secretary Shambhu Kumar said that "drug abuse invites many kinds of diseases, the body gradually becomes weak, so everyone should stay away from drugs." Hundreds of children dressed in their college uniforms participated in the Awareness rally that started from the college campus and the youth were spreading awareness among the people by putting up various types of photographs and slogans on placards on the ill effects of drug abuse.We have to spread the knowledge of education, we have to drive away drug abuse, when this soul will awaken then drug abuse will end, the person who does drugs should never be blessed, such slogans were put up.The slogans being put up by the students were also attracting the people a lot.Through slogans, children were also showing pictures and cartoons of families getting ruined due to drug addiction.The students also took a pledge to spread the message of public awareness about drug addiction everywhere in the society. In this drug de-addiction awareness rally program, NSS volunteers of colleges Hritik Mishra, Rahul Kumar Singh, Prakash Kumar Das, Neha Kumari, Manisha Kumari, Samridhi Kumari etc. participated enthusiastically.Along with this, college teachers, Ranjan Kumar, Binay Mehta, Ajay Kumar, Kundan Sharma, Krishna Kumar, Manoj Rana, Poonam Kumari, Pushpanjali Kumari, Jayaraj Kumar, Deependra Kumar, Urmila Rana, Neelima Kujur, Shaheen Praveen, Gopal, Riyaz Ahmed made the program successful. Chief General Manager of Bank of India Head Office, Sudhiranjan Padhi is present in Ranchi city on a three-day visit. Taking advantage of this occasion, a grand Kisan Diwas celebration was organized by BoI in Village-Saparom, Nagdi. It is worth mentioning that the Bank of India (BoI) celebrates the entire month of July as Kisan Maah. More than 400 farmers and women entrepreneurs participated in the celebration with great enthusiasm. In his address, Padhi praised the farmers for their unprecedented contribution to the nation. Zonal Manager Sanjeev Kumar Singh boosted the morale of all the beneficiaries by handing over the loan sanction letters and urged all others to join BoI. In the celebration, everyone was introduced to various agricultural finance products of Bank of India and a wide display of products made by various self-help groups was also done through the stall. Assistant General Manager AK Pandey appreciated this effort. Vote of thanks was given by Deputy Zonal Manager, Banita Mohapatra. Chief Manager, Rajesh Kumar and Zonal Marketing Head, Anurag Verma played an important role in making the function successful. A preparatory meeting was held at Bokaro Parishad with BJP workers from Bokaro Assembly for the July 20 meeting at Morabadi Ground in Ranchi. The event will be graced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah as the chief guest, with the meeting chaired by BJP State President Babulal Marandi. . The meeting was attended by Bokaro MLA and Chief Whip of the opposition, Biranchi Narayan, along with state officials, state working committee members, district officials, mandal presidents, and mandal in-charges residing in Bokaro Assembly. Bokaro MLA Biranchi Narayan highlighted that under the leadership of State President Babulal Marandi, the major meeting on July 20 will witness the presence of Amit Shah as the chief guest. Key figures such as Jharkhand in-charge Laxmikant Vajpayee, election in-charge Shivraj Singh Chauhan, and co-in-charge Himanta Biswa Sarma will be specially attending. The Bokaro meeting aimed to prepare for this significant event, with expected participation from workers of all nine mandals of Bokaro Assembly. The strategy for the upcoming assembly elections will be discussed during the meeting, with 500 officials from Bokaro Assembly set to attend. Himachal CM meets J P Nadda seeks additional aid for Bulk Drug Park Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged Union Health Minister J P Nadda to provide additional financial aid for the Bulk Drug Park beng developed in Himachal Pradesh's Una. Sukhu called on Nadda in New Delhi during which he highlighted the Congress-led state government's commitment to enhancing the health sector through improved infrastructure and services, an official release issued here on Thursday said. The chief minister requested him for additional financial assistance for the Bulk Drug Park, citing its critical role in the state's economic development and its potential to generate local employment opportunities. He emphasised the need for state-of-the-art medical technology in hospitals to reduce the need for residents to seek advanced medical care outside the state. The Bulk Drug Park is proposed to come up on 570 hectares of land at an estimated cost of Rs 1,923 crore. He also demanded funds for completing the infrastructure and other pending works at medical colleges in Nahan, Chamba and Hamirpur. Sukhu said quality medical education is being imparted to students in Himachal Pradesh and urged him to support graduating medical students, especially nurses, in finding placements within the country and abroad. The Union minister assured of all possible assistance to the state from the Centre. Himachal Met warns of heavy showers in 4 districts on July 21 Shimla: The weather office in Shimla Thursday issued an 'orange' alert warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and lightning in isolated areas of Bilaspur, Chamba, Kangra and Mandi districts on July 21. It also issued a 'yellow' alert of heavy rains across the state on July 19, 20 and 22, and cautioned of damage to plantations, horticulture and standing crops, vulnerable structures, kutcha houses and huts, besides disruption in traffic and waterlogging in the low-lying areas. The state has witnessed heavy rains since Wednesday. Dharamshala recorded the highest downpour at 143 mm, followed by Ghamroor with 53 mm, Baijnath with 36 mm, Olinda with 32.2 mm, Palampur with 22.4 mm and Kangra with 19.5 mm, according to the meteorological office. Since the onset of the monsoon on June 27, the state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 186 crore and 31 people have died in rain-related incidents, according to the state emergency operation centre. Kukumseri in Lahaul and Spiti recorded a minimum temperature of 10.4 degrees Celsius, the lowest in the state, while Bilaspur was hottest during the day at 37.9 degrees Celsius. Physical Measurement Test for male constables in Hry to continue until July 23 Chandigarh: Haryana Staff Selection Commission Chairman Himmat Singh on Thursday said that for the 5,000 male constable (general duty) posts in Haryana Police, a total of eight times the number of candidates will undergo the Physical Measurement Test (PMT). Following this, a PMT schedule for 1,000 posts of female constable (general duty) will also be released. Eight times the number of candidates relative to the number of posts will be called for the PMT, he added. Rs 17 crores allocated for renovation of 1000 Anganwadi Centres in Haryana: Aseem Goel Chandigarh: Haryana Women and Child Development Minister Aseem Goel on Thursday announced that the buildings of Anganwadis will be repaired as needed, and new buildings will be constructed in several villages. In the first phase, Rs. 17 crore have been released for the repair and renovation of 1000 Anganwadi buildings. He mentioned that in the future, while the existing infrastructure of Anganwadis will be strengthened, new buildings for Anganwadis and the establishment of Panjiri plants will also be undertaken. Besides this, a multipurpose departmental building will be constructed in Ambala. Khattar unveils book 'Wired for Success' New Delhi/Chandigarh: At New Maharashtra Sadan, Union Minister for Power and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday unveiled the book 'Wired for Success' authored by Haryana Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur. The book chronicles the transformation of Haryana Power Distribution Corporations from substantial losses to robust profitability. Reflecting on his tenure beginning in 2014 as Chief Minister, Khattar described the dire state of Haryana's power companies, with only 105 villages receiving 24-hour electricity and outstanding bills exceeding Rs. 7,000 crore. He emphasised that not paying electricity bills had almost become a norm in rural areas. However, under his administration, this situation was addressed comprehensively. BJP Govt in Hry has become a Govt of announcements: Cong Jind/Chandigarh: Senior Congress leader and Rohtak MP Deepender Hooda on Thursday alleged that the BJP government in Haryana has become a government of announcements. Instead of making empty statements, the BJP should talk about its work in the last 10 years, and seek votes from the people on the basis of the work done, he added. Deepender carried out a padyatra in Julana assembly constituency from the old grain market to the old bus stand via the market under the 'Haryana Mange Hisaab' campaign. He said the BJPs central leaders are coming to the state, but instead of listing 11 works of their government, the Chief Minister of the state is asking 11 questions to Congress and Hooda ji. Deepender said that the state governments works are worth 25 paise, and the announcements are worth 10 Rupees, he alleged. Workshop on Three New Criminal Laws in Model Jail, Chandigarh on Nelson Mandela Day Chandigarh: An event in honour of Nelson Mandela Day, 2024, a step towards Inmates reformation was organized in the Model Jail, Chandigarh in collaboration with the Institute of Correctional Administration, Sector 26. Activities such as Poster Making Competition, Note on Best use of Time in Prison were organized in the jail for the inmates. A workshop on Mental Health: Problems & solutions with Special Reference to Drug De-addiction and Three New Criminal Laws Awareness camp was organized by the District Legal Services Authority. Navjeet Klair, CJM-cum-Secretary, DLSA, UT Chandigarh, Dr. Rahul Chakravarty, Consultant Psychiatrist & Assistant Professor Department of Psychiatry PGI and Professor (Dr.) Jyoti Rattan Legal Aid Clinic & Pro-Bono Club Incharge, Department of Laws, P.U, Chandigarh provided awareness regarding three New Criminal Laws, Mental Health: Problems & solutions with Special Reference to Drug De-addiction. Haryana CM's wife Suman Saini hands over cheque for financial assistance to farmer's daughter Chandigarh: On behalf of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, his wife Suman Saini on Friday presented a cheque of Rs. 1 lakh from Chief Minister's petty grant quota as financial assistance to a farmer's daughter. Farmer Krishan Kumar, a resident of Khanpur Rajputan village of Ambala district, suffered crop damage after heavy rains due to which he was facing a financial crisis. Kumar had taken a loan for farming but due to the crop damage, the burden of debt had increased further. Due to this, he was facing difficulties in taking care of his family. His family had requested the Chief Minister for help. Saini promised assistance to the farmer and the farmers daughter Swati reached the Chief Minister's residence and received a cheque of Rs 1 lakh. 357 Bus Conductors to be appointed soon in Himachal: Deputy CM Shimla: Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri while chairing a meeting of the Board of Directors of Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) on Friday, held a detailed discussion on reducing the expenditure and increasing the revenue of the corporation. He said that a decision has been taken in the meeting to increase the honorarium of the Daily wagers from Rs. 375 to Rs. 400 adding that the process of appointing 357 conductors has also been completed and soon they will be providing their services. He stated that HRTC was going to complete 50 years of its existence and it was a matter of pride that the corporation's buses were providing services to 70 lakh people in the state. Agnihotri announced that soon the HRTC will purchase 297 electric vehicles. The tenders will be floated soon besides 24 old Volvo buses will be replaced with the new ones. The discount scheme on bus fares will continue as before. He said that 100 tempo travelers would be purchased and introduced on the specific routes to ensure a comfortable journey to the commuters. Besides 250 diesel buses will be purchased in the near future, he remarked. Managing Director of HRTC, Rohan Chand Thakur assured that the corporation's functioning will be improved and better services would be provided. Cordial Centre-State Relations Crucial for Punjabs Development: MP Vikram Sahney Chandigarh: Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Member of Parliament, presented his report card marking two years of service and emphasized the pivotal role of cooperative federalism and cordial Centre-State relations in fostering Punjabs progress. Sahney stated that the various problems faced by Punjab like burgeoning debt, infrastructure development, industrial projects for job creation, crop diversification etc. can only be achieved with support of the centre. He reiterated that Centre should also consider a special package for Punjab as they are considering for states like Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as Punjab has also passed through turbulent times of terrorism and needs financial restructuring. Sunita Kejriwal to launch 'Kejriwal's guarantees' for Haryana today Chandigarh: Ahead of the Vidhan Sabha election in the State, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita will launch "Kejriwal's guarantees" for Haryana on Saturday, AAP's state unit president Sushil Gupta on Friday said. Gupta said, "We don't make promises like the BJP and Congress, we give guarantees. These will be Arvind Kejriwal's guarantees, not (Narendra) Modi's hollow guarantees." When asked if these guarantees will include that Haryana should get SYL waters, Gupta quipped, "Haryana should get water. Every state should get water. Distribution of water is the job of the Central government, the prime minister." The Aam Aadmi Party had on Thursday said it will contest all 90 assembly seats in Haryana, claiming people want "badlav" (change) and are looking at it with great hope. For the upcoming assembly polls, Gupta said the party will hold 45 meetings Vidhan Sabha segment wise. Hry Govt invokes section 108 of Electricity Act, 2003 to give relief to farming community Chandigarh: To provide relief to the agricultural community, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini led State Government on Friday directed the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) to amend the HERC Electricity Supply Code Regulations, 2014. This directive follows the observation that recent amendments have imposed an undue financial burden on farmers. The HERC, through its 4th amendment to the Electricity Supply Code Regulations, 2014, notified on January 15, 2024, had revised the cost-sharing mechanism for the replacement and repair of distribution transformers (DT). As per the amendment, no fee will be charged from the consumers for replacing or repairing the transformer in case of being replaced/repaired for any reason including theft. Hry Minister suspends Motor Vehicle Officer for negligence in duty Chandigarh: Haryana Industries and Commerce Minister Mool Chand Sharma on Friday suspended the Motor Vehicle Officer (MVO) of the District Regional Transport Office for failing to perform duties correctly and ignoring essential meetings during the hearing of complaints at the District Public Relations and Grievance Redressal Committee meeting in Charkhi Dadri. During the meeting, a complaint regarding overloading was raised before the Minister, highlighting that thousands of trucks pass through Dadri daily, most of which are overloaded, causing road damage and accidents, resulting in loss of lives. Despite this, no steps are being taken by the Regional Transport Office. Sharma, while taking strict cognizance of the complaint, ordered the suspension of the MVO for negligence in duty and absence from crucial meetings, stating that merely issuing challans is not a solution to the overloading problem. Officers should strictly prohibit overloading. Special Screening of Award-Winning National Theatre Play Dear England held in Chandigarh Chandigarh: The British Deputy High Commission, Chandigarh, in association with Alliance Francaise Chandigarh, organised a special screening of the award-winning National Theatre play Dear England by James Graham on Friday. The event was held at Alliance Francaise Chandigarh, Sector 36. The chief guests for the occasion were Caroline Rowett, British Deputy High Commissioner, Chandigarh, and Ophelie Belin, Director, Alliance Francaise Chandigarh. The screening attracted a diverse audience, including football players, coaches and office bearers of the Chandigarh Football Association (CFA), educationists, and students. "Dear England" is a fictionalised account of the struggles and successes of Englands football teams, based on extensive research and interviews. The play offers a captivating and insightful look into the world of football in England. A delegation from the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) met with the Agriculture Minister, Deepika Pandey Singh, to discuss various issues affecting traders in the state. The meeting was marked by an in-depth discussion on key challenges faced by the trading community. The delegation comprised Suresh Sonthalia, National Secretary, Jharkhand State Chief Patron, Prabhat Sharma, Patron Bharat Vasani and Kolhan Incharge, S N Agarwal. The representatives presented a range of concerns, highlighting the need for policy adjustments and supportive measures to enhance the business environment for traders. Minister Singh assured the delegation that their concerns would be taken into serious consideration. She emphasized that future decisions would be made in consultation with the traders to ensure that all stakeholders benefit from the outcomes. Her commitment to a collaborative approach was well-received by the delegation, who expressed optimism about the positive impact on the trading community. "We are grateful for the Minister's time and her willingness to engage with us on these important issues. This meeting marks a significant step towards addressing the challenges faced by traders in Jharkhand," said Suresh Sonthalia. The CAIT delegation left the meeting with a renewed sense of confidence, hopeful that their issues would be resolved through continued dialogue and cooperation with the state government. In its journey of balanced and equitable development in Madhya Pradesh, the state government is now organizing its second Regional Industry Conclave (RIC) at Sanskardhani-Jabalpur on Saturday, July 20 from 9 am. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will also inaugurate the Regional Industry Conclave to be held here by inaugurating the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Cultural and Information Centre constructed for Rs 80 crore. The Conclave will be attended by more than 3500 industry leaders including leading industrialists, representatives of various industry associations, and prominent foreign delegates. Chief Minister Yadav will virtually inaugurate more than 60 units and will also hold one-to-one discussions with industrialists. Major industrial groups like Baidyanath Group, ITC, Volvo Eicher, Best Corp, SRF, and Dawat Group will be participating in the Regional Industry Conclave. Prominent foreign representatives representing Taiwan, Malaysia, Britain, Fiji, Japan, and Indonesia in the Conclave will also take part. Special guest MSME Minister Chaitanya Kashyap, PWD Minister Rakesh Singh and other public representatives will be present. Before the RIC to be held in Jabalpur, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav held a meeting with industrialists from Chhindwara and other areas including Jabalpur, and encouraged industrial investment. The objective of the Conclave is to remove regional disparities in industrial development by harnessing regional potential. The aim is to promote regional development by acquainting the investors to the industrial capabilities and opportunities of the Jabalpur region. The objective of this innovative conclave is to promote cooperation by bringing investors from major markets on one platform and having meaningful discussions. Detailed discussion on investment in specific areas will be held in regional sessions Five regional sessions will be organized focusing on the investment potential of Jabalpur and surrounding areas. These include agriculture, food and dairy processing, defense, mining and minerals, textiles and apparel and tourism. There will also be round-table discussions with industry associations, start-ups and experts from defence, textiles and apparel. The summit will also include over 300 buyer-seller meetings and one-to-one discussions. Jabalpur Expo and Defense Exhibition will also be organized to give the investors an experience of Mahakaushal. The event will conclude with a cultural program and networking dinner showcasing the culture and cuisine of the region. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized Rs 78 lakh in unaccounted cash and various digital devices during searches conducted against Punjab-based liquor firm Malbros International Private Limited and its former director Gautam Malhotra. Gautam is the son of former SAD MLA Deep Malhotra. The raids, which began on July 16, were carried out across seven locations in Punjab, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh. The enforcement action stems from a money laundering case linked to a criminal complaint filed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board. The complaint alleged that Malbros International Private Limited violated several sections of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, by contaminating soil and groundwater around its factory premises in Ferozepur. This complaint was lodged in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ferozepur. According to an ED statement, the company discharged industrial effluent into bore-wells illicitly installed at its Ferozepur unit, leading to severe soil and water contamination. The pollution reportedly posed significant public health risks and caused cattle deaths in the surrounding areas. Money generated through environmental crime has further been used for business activities of the company, the ED alleged. The agency emphasized that the companys actions not only harmed the environment but also involved financial malfeasance by using illicitly obtained funds for business expansion. The searches resulted in the recovery of digital devices, incriminating documents, and unaccounted cash totaling Rs 78.15 lakh. The issue of environmental contamination by Malbros International Private Limited had previously sparked public outcry. In January 2023, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had ordered the immediate closure of the factory following protests by locals and farmers against the firm. The factorys operations had become a focal point of community agitation due to the severe health hazards posed by its pollution. Further complicating matters for the company and its former director, Gautam Malhotra was arrested by the ED in February last year in connection with the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case. This arrest, along with the recent seizures, highlights a pattern of alleged financial misconduct associated with Malhotra and the company. The ED's investigation into Malbros International Private Limited and Gautam Malhotra is ongoing, with further scrutiny expected to uncover additional details about the extent of the alleged financial and environmental crimes. District administration removed illegal encroachment from government land worth Rs 5 crore in Haripura Arjun Nagar village of Bhopal, encroachers have occupied 2 acres of land illegally for many years. To remove this encroachment, district administration officers reached the spot with police and took action. SDM Vinod Sonkia said, some people had illegally occupied government land in Haripura Arjun Nagar village of Huzur tehsil. Its market value is about Rs 5 crore. On Thursday, a joint team of revenue, police, municipal corporation, and the forest department took action to remove illegal encroachment. During the action, kutcha and pucca constructions were demolished with the help of JCB. District administration officers reached the spot with police force. So, the encroachers cannot create any ruckus. Pucca constructions were also made on this land. Meanwhile a survey is going on to make Bhopal beggar-free. The teams in the field under the leadership of all SDMs have been making profiles for 3 days. This includes profiles of children, women and men. Teams came to the field on Thursday and conducted a survey. The Punjab Government has suspended a forester accused of using a fake caste certificate to secure his job. The action was initiated following an order from the Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, who mandated a thorough investigation into the allegations against Gulab Singh, a forester with the Office of Divisional Forest Officer in Sri Amritsar Sahib. The Financial Commissioner (Forest), Krishan Kumar, officially placed Gulab Singh under suspension after the probes preliminary findings confirmed the misconduct. It was brought to the attention of the Forest and Wildlife Preservation Department that Gulab Singh, who belongs to the general category, had been working under the pretense of belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, supported by a falsified certificate. This revelation prompted an investigation led by the Forest Range Officer in Sri Muktsar Sahib. The preliminary inquiry substantiated the allegations, leading to Gulab Singh's immediate suspension. During the suspension period, his headquarters have been relocated to the office of the Divisional Forest Officer in Gurdaspur. Minister Kataruchak emphasized the government's commitment to eradicating corruption and maintaining transparency in public service. This action serves as a stern warning to all public servants that deceit and malpractices will not be toleratedWe are determined to uphold the principles of fairness and integrity in all government departments, he said. The investigation into Gulab Singhs fraudulent activities is ongoing, with a separate, detailed probe already underway. The government has assured that all aspects of the case will be thoroughly examined, and appropriate actions will be taken based on the findings. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday said that Haryana is the first state in the country to implement Sant-Mahapurush Vichar Samman and Prasar Yojana to officially celebrate the anniversaries of not only Sikh Gurus but also other great personalities of the society. The present State Government is committed to conveying the teachings of Sikh Gurus to the new generations, he added. Addressing the members of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee at his residence, in Chandigarh, Saini emphasised that preserving their memories and teachings is essential, and everyone should incorporate the principles of harmony, tolerance, brotherhood, and mutual love shown by the Sikh Gurus into their lives, as this is the key to human welfare and the true tribute to the Gurus. The Chief Minister highlighted the bravery of the Sikh community, who sacrificed their lives to protect their religion, without bowing down. All Indians take pride in the sacrifices and bravery of the Sikh community. He said that the brave Sikh warriors actively participated in the country's freedom movement and made significant sacrifices to protect India after independence. The contributions of the Sikh community to the nation's development are written in golden letters, he said. Saini said that whenever humanity faces a crisis, Sikhs are there to offer protection and service. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gurdwaras opened their doors to everyone and organised langar for everyone. He recalled the bravery of Guru Tegh Bahadur Singh, who refused to cut his hair even under the threat of execution by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. The Chief Minister expressed pride in being among such a brave community. Saini praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for promoting the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib globally for the first time. He reiterated that the greatest legacy of the Sikh Gurus is the message of love, equality, and brotherhood. Guru Nanak Dev Ji preached, Awal Allah noor upaya Kudrat ke sab bandey, Ek noor se sab jag upja, Kaun bhaley, kau mandey The Chief Minister said that the establishment of the 'Khalsa Panth' on April 13, 1699, was to protect the country and religion and to safeguard people from oppression and exploitation. This community was founded on principles of humanity, brotherhood, mutual and generosity. He said that while Haryana separated from Punjab on November 1, 1966, the teachings of the Gurus remained integrated. All ten Sikh Gurus visited Haryana, which is a matter of great pride for the state. Historic Gurdwaras have been established at all the places wherever these Sikh Gurus have visited, said Saini. The Chief Minister said that Guru Nanak Dev Ji sanctified places like Sirsa, Karah (Kurukshetra), Pehowa, Kurukshetra, Kapal Mochan, Karnal, Panipat, and Pinjore with his holy presence. Guru Nanak Dev Ji even celebrated his birthday at Kapalmochan. Eight Gurus visited Kurukshetra from time to time. He said that Prime Minister Modi decided to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh Ji's sons, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh, as 'Veer Bal Diwas' every year to inspire the youth with the stories of their bravery. The government has launched the 'Swarn Jayanti Guru Darshan Yatra Yojana' to provide financial assistance to pilgrims visiting Sri Hazur Sahib, Sri Nankana Sahib, Sri Hemkunt Sahib, and Sri Patna Sahib. On this occasion, members of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee presented an 18-point demand letter to Chief Minister, who assured them of necessary actions by forwarding it to the relevant departments. The members honoured the Chief Minister by presenting him a saropa. Rajya Sabha, MP Krishan Lal Panwar, President, Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Baba Bhupinder Singh, former MLAs Bakshish Singh Virk, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Baljit Singh Daduwal, Kawaljit Singh Ajrana and a large number of people from the Sikh community were present during the programme. Unfazed by the criticism by the opposition and even National Democratic Alliance partners, Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, on Friday, ordered mandatory mentioning of owners of all eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route across Uttar Pradesh, a day after the police softened its controversial directive asking restaurants to put up their nameplates along the 240-km stretch the pilgrims take in the western part of the state. A spokesperson for the state government said Yogi Adityanath has issued stern directives over displaying names and identities of the owners of eateries, shops and carts on the route to ensure that religious sanctity of the pilgrimage remains intact, and the pilgrims are not disturbed during the 11-day pilgrimage beginning on July 22 in the Hindu holy month of Shravan. He added that the chief minister also directed action against those involved in selling and promoting halal (permissible in Arabic) products. Earlier, the district authorities of Muzaffarnagar, followed by Saharanpur and Shamli, had given this order early this week. A day later the Yogi Adityanath government ordered the same across the state. Even neighbouring Haridwar district authorities in Uttarakhand have also issued such orders. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the decision had been taken to preserve the sanctity of Kanwar pilgrims. Now every eatery, be it a restaurant, a roadside dhaba, or even a food cart, will have to display the name of the owner. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, on Friday, once again took to her social media account X and posted a tweet on the order of the UP and Uttarakhand governments regarding putting name plates on all eateries and street side vendors in route of Kanwar Yatra in western Uttar Pradesh. She wrote, The order by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to the traders of Kanwar Marg to prominently write the full name of the owner and staff on their shops and also to ban the sale of meat is just made for electoral gains and is completely unconstitutional. She further wrote, This kind of economic boycott by the people belonging to a particular region is highly condemnable. Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said the order to display the names of the owners of shops on the route of the Kanwar Yatra in Uttar Pradesh was divisive and an attack on the Constitution and democracy. She said the order should be withdrawn and strict action should be taken against the officials who issued it. Priyanka Gandhi posted on the social media platform 'X', Our Constitution guarantees to every citizen that he will not be discriminated against on the basis of caste, religion, language or any other basis. The divisive order to put up boards with the names of the owners on thela, khomcha and shops in Uttar Pradesh is an attack on our Constitution, our democracy and our shared heritage. She said, Creating division in society on the basis of caste and religion is a crime against the Constitution. This order should be withdrawn immediately and strict action should be taken against the officials who issued it. On Friday, the Uttar Pradesh state government announced several measures to ensure the smooth conduct of the Kanwar Yatra, which commences on July 22. The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) also strongly criticised the order of Chief Minister Yogi, in which it has been made mandatory to write the names of the owners of the food shops falling on the Kanwar Yatra routes in UP. The party units have been asked to stage protests in the districts by burning copies of the order. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has also opposed the decision. Amidst the debate and war of words between the opposition and ruling party leaders, shopkeepers and street vendors were seen putting up nameplates in front of their shops, including their names and other details, since Thursday evening. Along with the leaders of opposition parties, NDA allies have also opposed the move by the UP government. Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi said that an even bigger Kanwar Yatra takes place in Bihar but no such order is implemented there. He said the restrictions that had been imposed were a violation of the prime ministers slogan of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas. He said such an order was not issued by Bihar, Rajasthan and Jharkhand and it would be good if the UP government withdrew its order. Rashtriya Lok Dal UP president Ram Ashish Rai, in a tweet on X, said that the administration in UP directing shopkeepers to write their name and religion on their shops was a step that promoted caste and sect. The administration should take back its order as it is unconstitutional, he added. Congress MP from Saharanpur, Imran Masood, said that this was an order promoting hatred and action should be taken against such officers. On the other hand, BJP leader Sangeet Som has supported the order and hit back at Akhilesh Yadav. Muslim religious leader Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi said that this order was issued to prevent Hindu-Muslim confrontation and he supported it. The Maulana alleged that Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav was politicising the issue. I request him not to create division between Hindus and Muslims, he said. UP Minister of State for Skill Development Kapil Dev Aggarwal said the opposition was unnecessarily giving importance to the matter. Whats the harm in transparency? The rules are not for any caste or religion. Shopkeepers from all over the society have been asked to do so, he added. Former Union minister Sanjeev Balyan wrote in a post on X that the order issued by Muzaffarnagar police, in which writing names at all shops was mandatory for all, was a pre-existing system. During the 2013 riots, the SP governments order of compensation of Rs 5 lakh considering only Muslims as displaced was a religious discrimination. SP MP from Muzaffarnagar Harendra Malik said that politics should not be done in the name of Muzaffarnagar and everyone had to maintain communal harmony. Former Samajwadi Party MP ST Hasan said, A message is being given to boycott Muslims and visit shops of Hindu... How long will this communal thinking last? It is unfortunate that these kinds of incidents are happening... A gap is being created between the two communities. These kinds of orders should be cancelled... A programme on High-tech Custom Hiring centre was organized by the Department of Agriculture of Rabindranath Tagore University. In which, as the chief guest, BS Kothari, Assistant Engineer Bhopal Division, Agricultural Engineering, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Chancellor of RNTU Santosh Choubey, Registrar Vijay Singh and Vice Chancellor Sangeeta Johri were mainly present. The guests inaugurated the center by cutting the ribbon. On this occasion, BS Kothari informed the farmers about the schemes of the department and gave detailed information about the work done by agricultural mechanics and how farmers can take advantage of the schemes through the district and state level online portal. At the same time, Santosh Chobe said that now we will have to move towards new methods by adopting advanced agricultural machinery and techniques, leaving behind the old methods of farming. Along with this, the value of agricultural products will have to be enhanced by promoting organic farming. He also said that farmer brothers should take advantage of custom hiring and other government schemes of agriculture and advised the agriculture students of his university to visit the farmers' fields in the village. After this, Vijay Singh addressed the farmers explaining the importance of custom hiring and wished the department. On this occasion, Dr. HD Verma, Dean of the Agriculture Department of the University, laid out the outline of the program. Ashok Kumar Verma, Coordinator of the High-Tech Custom Hiring Center, gave detailed information about the center. In the program, all the agricultural equipment was worshiped and inspected by the guests. At the same time, the guests released agricultural literature related to the High-Tech Custom Hiring Center, Agricultural Advisory Center and Desi Program, gave mini kits of seeds to the farmers and also honored them.About 65 farmers from the adopted villages of the university participated in the program. The program was conducted and the introduction of the program was done by Dr. Rishikesh Mandloi, Assistant Professor. Vote of thanks was given by Dr. Shubham Kulshreshtha, Assistant Professor. In order to intensify the pace of industrial investment in Madhya Pradesh, a series of regional industry conclaves have been started at the initiative of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav. Third in the series, Regional Industry Conclave is being organized at Jabalpur on 20th July. Afterwards, Regional Industry Conclave is proposed to be organized at Gwalior in September and Rewa in October. Moving a step further in this direction, it is proposed to be held in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu on 25th July, in Bengaluru in Karnataka in August, in Delhi in September and in Indore in September. Over 1500 prospective investors are participating at Jabalpur. A buyer-seller meet has also been organized as part of the event, in which more than 1000 representatives have sent their consent. Delegations from Britain, Costa Rica, Fiji, Taiwan and Malaysia will also participate.Possibilities in agriculture and defense sectors will be discussed. About 70 projects will be launched and foundation stones laid. Preparations will start for organizing the Global Investors Summit on 7 and 8 February 2025. Madhya Pradesh's new export policy will be announced in the Global Investors Summit and the provisions made in the new industrial policy will be shared with upcoming investors. Positive change in investment scenario The investment scenario of Madhya Pradesh is fast changing positively. Medical device park is coming up at Ujjain. It is being developed on 360 acres involving a cost of Rs 222.77 crore. Similarly, PM MITRA-PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Park is also taking shape in Dhar. Its cost is Rs 1000 crore and it is spread over 1563 acres. Manufacturing Zone for Power and Renewable Energy Equipmentsis also taking shape on 227 acres in Narmadapuram. This will cost Rs 464.65 crore. Apart from this, Mega Leather Footwear Accessories Cluster Development Park is being built on 161 acres in Morenainvolving a cost Rs 222.81 crore. The state government is making planned efforts to establish the state as Hub of Industries. With the improvement in the manufacturing sector in Madhya Pradesh is offering immense opportunities for exports. Now according to the foreign trade policy, Madhya Pradesh is focussing on exports. The products by small and medium enterprises, farmers and farmer producer organizations, handicraft artists and startups of entrepreneurs are being encouraged. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav has explored the export possibilities from Madhya Pradesh and has prepared an list of products, which are in demand in the foreign market. District Export Facilitation Cells On the initiative of Chief Minister Dr. Yadav, export facilitation cells have been set up in all districts. These have created awareness about exports among small and medium scale producers. Madhya Pradesh Trade Organization Council and export facilitation cells have jointly organized a series of programs, which helped the state government assess the investment possibilities. District export promotion programs were organized in Neemuch, Harda, Ashoknagar, Narsinghpur, Shahdol, Balaghat, Betul and Dhar. Madhya Pradesh is making efforts tocontribute more to India's merchandise exports. Products like pharmaceutical products, cotton, nuclear reactors, boilers, machine tools, textiles, organic foods, chemicals, aluminium, metals, grains, electrical machinery equipment,equipmes, plastics have found way to global market. Maximum pharmaceutical products were exported. The value of drug products stood atRs 13,158 crore. Doubling export A target has been set to double the exports from Madhya Pradesh in the next three years. Indore is the top ranking district, which exported items worth Rs 20,256 crore. The Delhi Police busted an inter-state illegal kidney transplant racket in multiple hospitals across 5 states by arresting 15 members including the kingpin of the operation. In an investigation by the Delhi Polices Crime Branch (Inter-state cell) about a well-organized racket, which is involved in illegal kidney transplants of Indian citizens, a lady complainant gave a complaint against two people, namely Sandeep Arya and Vijay Kumar Kashyap, alias Sumit, that they had cheated her husband with 35 lakhs on the pretext of kidney transplant. During interrogation, it was revealed that in an organised manner accused persons first used to take jobs in reputed hospitals as transplant co-coordinator and then get trained and learn the process adopted by the concerned hospital for Kidney transplant. Later Sandeep, who is resident of Uttar Pradeshs Noida was the kingpin of this Racket and had an MBA degree in Public Health. Explaining his role, DCP Crime Branch Amit Goel said, He worked as Transplant Co-ordinator in various hospitals in Faridabad, Delhi, Gurugram, Indore and Vadodara. He used to contact patients and arrange kidney transplant in hospitals, where he had been posted as transplant coordinator. Sandeep earned seven to eight lakhs from each surgery for which he used to charge about 35 to 40 lakhs for each kidney transplant, which included hospital expenses paid by patients, arrangement of donor, accommodation and other legal documentation required for surgery. He is previously involved in a credit card cheating case of Police Station Shalimar Bagh, the DCP added. Further, he had a network of people that helped him in this crime. Among the six others involved, Rohit Khanna alias Narendra Rohit, resident of Delhi, who used to get the contact numbers of kidney donors through the social media platforms from various kidney groups in which he is a member. As soon as any donor showed his willingness to give the kidney, he provided his mobile number and used to contact them. Further, he forwarded them to Sandeep for various patients for kidney transplant. He has 26 email IDs, numbers of social media pages and is also a member of 112 kidney treatment groups. He is the main supplier of donors to the syndicate, the DCP said, adding that during the investigations, they recovered 34 Fake Stamps, 17 mobile phones, two laptops, nine SIMs, one luxury Car, 1.5 lakhs , forged documents and files of recipients and donors recovered. The main accuseds brother-in-law Devender Jha, resident of Uttrakhand, used to assist him and received payments in his direction and took 50,000 rupees as a cut. He studied upto class 10th and is brother-in-law of Sandeep Arya who provided his account to him, in which 7 lakhs were received from the husband of complainant, the DCP said. He added that accused persons used to contact and arrange donors from social media and took benefit of their poor financial background and exploited them on the pretext of providing five to six lakhs rupees to give their Kidney. They prepared the forged documents of patients /donors to show them close relative as this is one of the mandatory provision. In some cases, they fabricated documents and showed the donor and patient as resident of other state to get transplantation in different states hospital to avoid any doubt. Based on forged documents, they had their preliminary medical examination and arranged to pass the scrutiny of the Transplant Authorization Committee in different hospitals. So far, it has been revealed that the syndicate had succeeded in Kidney Transplant in 11 hospitals in different states, he said. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday launched Delhi BJP's 'Jhuggi Vistarak' campaign for the upcoming assembly polls and slammed the Kejriwal government over the poor living condition in the slum clusters of the city. The party has appointed experienced leaders of Delhi BJP to work in a focused manner in the slums of Delhi in view of the assembly polls to be held early next year. Launching the campaign, Mandaviya counselled the 'Vistaraks' to spend as much time as possible in the slum areas to interact with people living there and become aware of the problems faced by them. "The Kejriwal government has proven to be a curse for the slum dwellers of Delhi and due to its incompetence the living standards of slum dwellers are deteriorating day by day," Mandaviya said in a Delhi BJP statement. He emphasised the Central government is committed to the principle of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas" and said the BJP has always believed in the philosophy of integral humanism and the party volunteers working in the slums should reflect it while working there. The senior BJP leader also stressed the importance of instilling confidence in the slum dwellers that the development of any society and nation is possible only when the person standing at the lowest rung of the society gets benefited. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the party workers will try to address the issues faced by people living in the slum clusters. He said the party is moving forward with the goal of benefitting the national capital with a a double-engine government at the Centre as well as in Delhi. "The BJP will definitely succeed in forming the government in 2025 after the elections in Delhi," he asserted. Sachdeva said there are slums in nearly 30 assembly constituencies in Delhi, which still lack basic amenities. The BJP is continuously striving to address these deficiencies, he added. Delhi BJP general secretary (organisation) Pawan Rana, Union Minister of State and East Delhi MP Harsh Malhotra, MPs Manoj Tiwari, Bansuri Swaraj, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Yogender Chandolia, Kamaljeet Sehrawat and Praveen Khandelwal also attended the event. The slum dwellers are considered as staunch supporters of the ruling AAP that came to power in Delhi in 2015 and 2020 with huge mandates. The BJP currently has seven MLAs in the 70 member Delhi Assembly. The BJP has been trying hard to make inroads in the slum clusters trying to wean away the AAP voters. In the Lok Sabha elections in May, the BJP succeeded in gaining an upper hand over the AAP winning all the seven seats in Delhi. The ripple effect of a global Microsoft server crash has hit Punjab, with significant disruptions reported at Amritsar and Chandigarh airports. The tech giants server troubles have caused widespread issues, affecting banking and airport services across India, the United States, and several other countries. The turbulence began at 1 pm, leading to substantial delays in flight schedules. The bottleneck left airlines struggling to manage operations smoothly. Passengers, much like a queue at a popular movie hall on a Friday, formed long lines outside the airport terminals. Every flight faced delays ranging from 90 minutes to two hours, turning the terminals into a scene reminiscent of a slow bar service on a busy night. Manual Boarding Passes: A Throwback Era With the digital systems down, airlines resorted to the old-fashioned method of issuing handwritten boarding passes. The ground staff of airlines such as Indigo and Air India, grounded by the tech hiccup, could not issue online passes. Instead, they scribbled boarding passes by hand, promising to upload the details online once the servers were back up. This retro approach, akin to serving cocktails without modern mixology tools, added to the passengers frustration. Flight Delays At Amritsar Airport, the chaos was evident. Flight 6E6288 to Srinagar, scheduled for a 1:10 pm departure, took off at 2:11 pm. The AI169 flight to London, slated for 1:40 pm, finally took off at 2:08 pm. Other flights, like the 2 pm Indigo flight to Delhi, the Vistara flight UK692 to Delhi, and the 4 pm flight 6E478 to Bengaluru, were also delayed by 45 minutes to an hour. Chandigarh Airport experienced similar turbulence. Flight 6E2195 to Delhi, originally set for 1:30 pm, took off at 2:25 pm. The 2:30 pm Indigo flight to Goa and the 3:10 pm Vistara flight UK658 to Bengaluru awaited manual clearance before they could take off. n Madhya Pradesh has taken a lead in implementing Capacity Building Policy based on inputs from Capacity Building Commission. All departments are setting up Capacity Building Units, which would design cadre wise capacity building plans after intensive training need analysis. The departments will appoint Capacity Building Managers. They will be assisted by Capacity Building Units. Annual capacity building plans will be chalked out by the capacity building managers. A dashboard showing the competence of working manpower in different departments is being designed by which Chief Minister could know availability of skilled staff. A committee chaired by the Chief Secretary will monitor departments' performance in respect of training of the staff every six month while Capacity Building Council headed by the Chief Minister will monitor it annually. This was informed at the workshop about the status of Mission Karmyogi in different departments at the RCVP Naronha Academy of Administration and Management, Bhopal today. The Mission Karmayogi intends to enhance skills and improve competency of government employees. Required training will be imparted to the employees. It would be compulsory for promotion according to the Madhya Pradesh Capacity Building Policy 2023. According to the provisions, one percent of the salary budget in each department will be spent compulsorily on training of employees. If needed more, it could be extended to 2.5 percent with the permission of Department of Finance. With this every employee would receive required training. Secretary Capacity Building Commission Shyama Prasad Roy, addressing the workshop informed that it is a shift from Karmachari to Karmayogi. Thus a journey from Rule based to Role based model of capacity building. It is a scientific process. Annual capacity building plans are a must with constant assessment of new skills. He informed that Framework of Roles, Activities and Competencies for the working staff is mandatory now. The self learning portal iGOT has 14 lakh users and five lakh have done mandatory courses. Director of RCVP Naronha Academy of Administration MR Khan informed that the new capacity building plan seeks to make employees' role more meaningful and fruitful. He informed that Madhya Pradesh has taken a lead in designing and implementing its own capacity building policy which incorporates the inputs from capacity building commission. The Academy is uploading its well designed training programmes and modules on important subjects at the iGOT portal. Coordinator Pramod Chaturvedi informed about steps of building annual cadre wise training plans. Vinit Kapoor informed that 71 thousand police officils of different ranks have been given training in new criminal laws. IT expert Nishith Gupta informed about use of iGOT portal. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that the state government is taking every possible initiative to encourage industry and business activities in the state. Proposals worth more than Rs 75 thousand crore were received in the Investors Summit held in Ujjain in March. In this sequence, the Regional Industry Conclave is being organized in Jabalpur on July 20. There is a possibility of new investment proposals coming from investors and industrial houses from across the country and entrepreneurs from the state. Based on the resources of the state, we are continuously making efforts towards taking the state on the path of progress through agriculture, education, medicine, and cottage, small, medium, and heavy industries. The state government is committed to bringing the state to first place in the country in the field of industrial development. Yadav said this in connection with the second Regional Industry Conclave to be held in Jabalpur on July 20. The orders of the police in Muzaffarnagar directing hotels, dhabas, and other food-selling shops along the Kanwar Yatra route in the district to display the names of their owners and employees to prevent confusion among devotees have drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties. Reacting to these orders, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav wrote on the social media platform X, The honourable court should take suo motu cognizance and investigate the governments intent behind such administration and take appropriate punitive action. Such orders are social crimes, which want to spoil the peaceful atmosphere of harmony...and what will be known by the name of the person whose name is Guddu, Munna, Chhotu, or Fateh? BSP supremo Mayawati also expressed her objection. She wrote on social media that the new government order to all the hotels, dhabas, and cart shopkeepers on the Kanwar Yatra route in western UP and Muzaffarnagar district to prominently display the full name of the owner is a wrong tradition that can spoil the harmonious atmosphere. In the public interest, the government should withdraw it immediately, she said. She further criticised the UPs Sambhal district administrations inappropriate order requiring teachers and students in basic government schools to remove their shoes and slippers in the classroom, calling for the governments immediate attention to this matter as well. Congress leader Pawan Khera also criticised the Muzaffarnagar polices decision, stating that not just political parties, all right-thinking people and the media must rise against this state-sponsored bigotry We cannot allow the BJP to push the country back into the dark ages. Khera added, The desire behind what they are proposing to do along the Kanwar Yatra [route] is to normalize the economic boycott of Muslims. He pointed out that many large Indian meat-exporting firms are owned by Hindus, questioning if meat changes its nature based on the religion of the seller. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said the Muzaffarnagar polices direction was given so that no kanwariya buys anything from a Muslim shop by mistake, likening it to apartheid in South Africa and discrimination against Jews in Nazi Germany. Trinamool Congress spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale filed a complaint against Muzaffarnagars senior superintendent of police to the National Human Rights Commission, arguing that the order exposed eatery owners and staff to discrimination and violated their fundamental right to livelihood. Gokhale suggested that a simple notification asking vendors to state whether they serve only vegetarian food or both veg and non-veg would have sufficed. Interestingly, the Muzaffarnagar police denied that their direction was intended to discriminate along religious lines. Their X account responded to multiple posts criticising or expressing concern around their direction to shopkeepers with their statement on the issue. Muzaffarnagar Superintendent of Police Abhishek Singh said the Uttar Pradesh government also asked food carts and stands to comply, explaining that the decision was to ensure there was no confusion of any kind among kanwariyas [Kanwar Yatra pilgrims] and to prevent any situation that could escalate into a law and order issue. Ajay Kumar Sahni, deputy inspector general of the neighboring Saharanpur district, said on Thursday that hotels and dhabas along the Kanwar Yatra route in his district were also ordered to display the names of their owners and employees as well as their rate lists. Sahni cited past disputes with kanwariyas regarding eateries rate lists, the serving of non-vegetarian food, or proprietors drawing the names for their hotels from religions other than their own as the reason for this directive. Earlier this month, Muzaffarnagars BJP MLA Kapil Dev Aggarwal stated that Muslims must not name their shops after Hindu deities during the yatra because when devotees [kanwariyas] come to know [that the shops they eat at are run by Muslims], it causes controversy. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has prohibited the sale and purchase of meat in the open along routes for the Kanwar Yatra in the state this year as a mark of respect for devotees. The state government has also enacted such bans during previous yatras. In a meeting convened for the yatra, Adityanath instructed officials to set up help desks along the pilgrimage route and arrange for the distribution of chilled water and shikanji. He also asked them to ensure 'pushp varsha'the shower of flower petalson kanwariyas. Hindu pilgrims undertake the Kanwar Yatra around this time of year, traveling by foot to Uttarakhand to collect water from the Ganga river, which they then offer in Shiva temples. This years yatra will begin on Monday (July 22). The Uttar Pradesh government has also been in the spotlight regarding another aspect of the Kanwar Yatra, reportedly sanctioning the felling of over 33,000 mature trees in forest divisions in three districts, including Muzaffarnagar, to build a new road to facilitate the pilgrimage. The National Green Tribunal took suo motu cognisance of a news report on the topic from February. To enhance agricultural productivity, create employment opportunities and increase the farmers income, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Food Processing Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on Friday proposed the Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan to set up a Mega Food Park at Bathinda. Khudian, during a courtesy meeting with the Union Minister in New Delhi, apprised him that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has envisioned to increase farmers income by value addition to their produce, besides creating robust employment opportunities for the youth. Highlighting the need of Mega Food Park in Malwa region, Khudian said that this facility will go a long way to leverage perishable agricultural produce by manufacturing processed food products for domestic as well as export markets. Khudian further informed that with the remarkable success of the Mega Food Park at Ladhowal in Ludhiana, the state has huge potential for another Mega Food Park in Malwa region. He offered that adequate land will be provided by the State Government for setting up the Mega Food Park. He also impressed upon the Union Food Processing Minister to intervene for the release of fourth installment of grant-in-aid for Ladhowal Mega Food Park, besides awarding a Food Testing Laboratory for Amritsar with requisite accreditation as food processing enterprises, traders, Punjab Rice Millers Association and Achaar-Murabba Association have to get their food products tested from Mohali or Delhi. In a bold move that has reignited political tensions, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday called for the chancellor of state-run universities to be an elected chief minister rather than a selected figure a direct reference to the current practice involving the state Governor. Manns declaration comes just days after the President Droupadi Murmu returned a Punjab Bill seeking to replace the Governor with the Chief Minister as the states universities chancellor, without giving her assent. Taking a pointed jab at Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Mann criticized the Governors habit of sending contentious bills to the President without his assent, who then returns them after several months. If the Governor does not want to give assent to any bill, he sends it to the President, who returns it after a couple of months, Mann remarked, underscoring his frustration with the current bureaucratic process. The controversy centers around the Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which aims to replace the Governor with the Chief Minister as the chancellor of state-run universities. Mann, stressing the need for democratic representation, said: We want that democracy should not be of selected but of elected. Mann highlighted similar legislative efforts by the governments of West Bengal and Kerala, which also sought to ensure that elected officials, rather than appointed ones, hold significant university positions. He questioned the current process for appointing vice-chancellors, arguing that it should reflect the culture and needs of the state. One should know the culture. What is Punjabi Universitys culture, what is the culture of Punjab Agricultural University and other universities, Mann asserted. If we want to appoint the VC of Punjabi University, then we will have to give three names to the Governor. He will select one of them of his choice. Then who chooses? Is it elected or selected, he asked. The Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, alongside other bills, was passed by the Punjab Assembly in June last year. However, the Governor had deemed the session patently illegal. The Supreme Court later upheld the sessions validity, directing the Governor to decide on the bills. Despite this, Governor Purohit reserved the bill, along with the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023, for the President's consideration. The Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aimed to ensure free-to-air telecasts of Gurbani from the Golden Temple in Amritsar; while the Punjab Police (Amendment) Bill, 2023, sought to establish an independent mechanism for selecting the states Director General of Police. Both bills, along with the Punjab Universities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, were sent to the President and subsequently returned without assent. The ongoing conflict between Mann and Governor Purohit has also seen clashes over the appointment of the vice-chancellor of Ludhiana-based Punjab Agricultural University. Despite these tensions, the Governor did grant assent to the Punjab Affiliated Colleges (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2023, which aims to streamline the functioning of the Punjab Educational Tribunal for government-aided private colleges. Mann will be holding a meeting to discuss the further course of action regarding the Bill which has been returned by the President without her assent. As Mann prepares to hold a meeting to address the returned bill, his call for an elected chancellor underscored a broader push for greater democratic control over educational institutions in Punjab. In a groundbreaking initiative to demystify the lives of the men in uniform and bring people closer to them, the Punjab Police is set to unveil the personal stories of its officers and grassroots personnel. This new series, aptly titled Behind the Badge: Punjab Police Stories, aims to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community by showcasing the human side of those who protect and serve. With a focus on humanizing the force, this initiative presents officers not just as enforcers of the law but as everyday heroes navigating challenges with honesty and dedication. The series attempts to shift the narrative from the perceived image of ruthless officers to highlighting their roles as honest, dedicated individuals living lives similar to those they protect. The state Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav, unveiled the teaser of this initiative on his official Twitter handle on Thursday, stating, Ever wondered what drives your local police officer? Our Behind the Badge initiative shares inspiring stories of #courage, #commitment & #compassion.We're more than just uniforms! Get to know us better & let's build a stronger community together! An initiative by @PathankotPolice. This out-of-the-box initiative seeks to portray officers not just as law enforcers, but as individuals with families, dreams, and everyday struggles. Through heartfelt accounts, the public will witness the sacrifices, triumphs, and unwavering commitment that define their service. Our main focus will be to show the basic storiesObviously, we will also be showing the stories of our officers, but primarily we will be telling the stories about the police personnel at the grassroots, Pathankot Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Suhail Qasim Mir told The Pioneer. SSP Mir elaborated that the series will begin with narratives from Pathankot, but will eventually showcase stories from the entire police force as the name says, Punjab Police stories. Through this, we want to tell people that the police is one among usand not some other, he added. The series will feature short videos published on official social media platforms, each providing insights into the lives of officers, their journey to joining the police force, and their motivations. It will also offer an inside look at the daily challenges and risks they face, highlight significant accomplishments and moments of pride in their careers, and share stories of perseverance, resilience, and overcoming adversities. Through these personal stories, we want to humanize the police force, showcasing their dedication and the challenges faced by personnel on duty and at home in their family life, besides highlighting the sense of duty and compassion that drives them, SSP Mir said. By leveraging the power of social media, especially among young people, the initiative seeks to increase community engagement and support for the police force. Creating a platform for officers and personnel to share their experiences will help promote a positive image and encourage empathy and understanding from the public. Furthermore, stories of courage, commitment, and compassion will serve as inspiration not only to the community but also to other officers within the force. This initiative aims to foster empathy and understanding among the public by sharing these stories on social media platforms. It will serve as a window into the lives of those who serve, encouraging mutual respect and community support. Behind the Badge promises to be a compelling series that brings the community closer to the police force by highlighting the human side of law enforcement. Through this initiative, we hope to build stronger community ties and foster a deeper appreciation for the dedication and sacrifices of our police force, said SSP Mir, crediting the entire Pathankot Police team as the creative force behind this initiative. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has affirmed the state government's commitment to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of transforming India into a developed country by 2047. To prioritize investment promotion, the state will celebrate 2025 as an Industry Year. The upcoming Regional Industrial Conclave in Jabalpur aims to enhance entrepreneurship's role in the state and national economy by addressing local industry challenges and fostering growth. This event will stimulate industrial activities in Jabalpur and nearby districts. The government is dedicated to ensure equal development across the entire state by connecting external and local entrepreneurs. Employment-oriented activities, tailored to local conditions, will be especially encouraged in agriculture, trade, tourism, and sectors. Yadav was communicating with officials and industrialists from Jabalpur, Katni, Mandla, Dindori, and Narsinghpur at Samatva Bhavan through video confrence. Abundant Opportunities in Furniture Clusters, Food Processing Industries, and Mining & Mineral Processing Chief Minister Yadav emphasized the importance of providing comprehensive skill training to youth in addition to state's mineral wealth and natural resources. He highlighted plans to improve their linkage to trade and business, ensuring maximum benefit for local communities. In Jabalpur district alone, over 640 hectares host 5 developed industrial areas and one under development, housing 514 MSME units. The recently established IT Park offers significant employment opportunities, complementing prospects in furniture clusters, new garment clusters, food processing industries, mining, mineral processing, and pharmaceutical units. The Regional Industry Conclave aims to showcase tangible industrial progress to local residents, fostering ongoing development. Invitations have been extended to industrialists nationwide to invest in the region, with similar conclaves planned for Sagar, Gwalior, and Rewa. Industrialists from Jabalpur, Katni, Mandla, Narsinghpur and Dindori participated in the dialogue In the virtual dialogue with Chief Minister Dr. Yadav, Ravi Gupta, President of Mahakaushal Chamber of Commerce from Jabalpur, Himanshu Khare, Senior Vice Secretary of Federation of MP Chamber of Commerce and Industries, VK Nema, President of Laghu Udyog Bharati, BR Jaiswani, President of Mahakaushal Udyog Sangh, Sudhir Kumar Mishra of MP Small Industries Association from Katni, Arvind Guglia, President of Madhya Pradesh Refractories Association, Anil Virani, President of Rice Mill Association from Mandla, Sajal Agarwal from Narsinghpur and Ramesh Rajpal from Dindori expressed their views. Other industrialists and businessmen of Mahakaushal region also participated in the video conferencing. : Deputy Commissioner, Ananya Mittal, conducted a comprehensive review meeting of the education department at the Collectorate Auditorium. Key officials in attendance included Project Director ITDA, Dipankar Chaudhary, District Education Superintendent, Ashish Pandey, District Education Officer, Manoj Kumar, along with other departmental officials and staff. During the meeting, emphasis was placed on forming eco clubs and planting trees to raise environmental awareness among students in government schools. Currently, 1519 out of 1597 schools have established eco clubs, with instructions given to form clubs in the remaining schools promptly. In the review of the Chief Minister's School of Excellence, it was reported that 2350 of the 2818 available seats have been filled. The remaining 468 seats are to be filled by July 31. Additionally, all teachers are required to register their attendance daily in the E Vidyavahini system. A recent attendance check on July 15 revealed that 1097 teachers from 1546 schools failed to register, prompting strict instructions to withhold their salaries for unregistered days. Similarly, only 844 schools submitted student attendance, necessitating daily updates from all school principals. For KGBV schools, the meeting mandated the completion of compulsory enrollment from the waiting list by July 31 for 42 seats in classes 9 and 11 at Dumaria KGBV and 11 seats in class 11 at Bahragora KGBV. Aadhar cards for 97.11% of students in government schools have been issued, with 5000 still pending. Camps will be organized to complete this task. Additionally, 45,511 students from private schools have not submitted their Aadhar numbers. Principals have been given a 15-day deadline to comply. In the review of student bank accounts, it was found that 12,782 out of 1,71,244 students do not have a bank account. Instructions were issued to open accounts for all students by the end of the month, ensuring they receive scholarship funds and other benefits. The Savitribai Phule Kishori Samridhi Yojana aims to benefit 30,218 girl students, with 11,500 forms received so far. BEEOs were directed to collect and submit forms to the District Social Welfare Office promptly to ensure timely benefits. All blocks were instructed to send their bicycle demands for the 2024-25 financial year to the District Welfare Office. The distribution of textbooks is to be reviewed and recorded in e-Vidyavahini. Immediate arrangements for solar panels in 10 remote schools without electricity were ordered, along with coordination with the Electricity Department for a full-time solution. Rainwater harvesting systems are to be installed in all government schools, with 329 already completed. BDOs were directed to expedite the remaining installations through convergence with MNREGA. A district-level workshop under the Ruar program is scheduled for July 20, 2024, at Ravindra Bhavan Auditorium, Sakchi. All principals were instructed to ensure class-wise transition, with invitations extended to honorable MPs, MLAs, and panchayat heads. The meeting concluded with the attendance of BEEOs, BPOs, KGBV wardens, and other education department officials and employees. Dr. Vikram Sharma, Head of the Placement Department, proposed a vote of thanks. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has sufficient funds for research projects, but the number of high-quality projects among the proposals received by the council is very low. Therefore, researchers should focus on the quality of their projects," said Dr Ashu Grover, Head of the Delivery Research Division and Scientist-G at ICMR, on Thursday. She was addressing a symposium on the 'Importance of Clinical Research' organized at Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC). This symposium was organized by the research cell of BMHRC. Dr. Rehan Ul Haq, Dean of Research at AIIMS, Bhopal, also addressed the symposium on 'Why research by clinicians.' Dr Manisha Shrivastava, Director In-charge, BMHRC, also addressed the doctors, nurses, and other staff present at the workshop.Dr. Ashu Grover stated that ICMR wants more people in the country to engage in research so that research conducted in India can stand at par with research in developed countries. To achieve this goal, funding is no longer an issue. The council provides up to INR 2 crore for research projects under small grants. ICMR is making significant efforts to obtain more funding for research. She emphasized that researchers also need to work on improving their research projects, creating good proposals, and reading quality research journals. She noted that there is no shortage of data and patient numbers for good research. There is no deficiency at the educational level either. The only lack is in the research environment. We need to create a good environment for research in our institutions. Do Research on Your Area of Interest: Dr Rehan Ul Haq Dr Rehan Ul Haq, Dean (Research) at AIIMS, Bhopal, emphasized that to conduct research, one should choose a good topic. This topic should be new, significant, and of your interest, along with having a good understanding of it. After deciding on the topic, determine the research question. Before deciding on the research question, think carefully about it. He emphasized that not only is it important to do research, but it is also essential to get your research project published in good medical journals. When your project gets published in a reputed journal, it will give you recognition, benefit your career, and improve your clinical practice. It is also essential to identify which journal to publish your paper in. Reduce the word count of your research paper. Focus on the results in the research report, not just on how the research was conducted. BMHRC is also focusing on Research: Dr Manisha Shrivastava Dr Manisha Shrivastava, Acting Director of BMHRC, said that BMHRC is focusing on research along with providing good treatment to patients. We have several topics and resources available for conducting research. Addressing all the doctors of the hospital, she urged them to focus on research along with patient care. Before deciding on a research topic, think about how it will benefit the patients. Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) and Midhani Group on Thursday signed an MoU in the presence of Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh to establish defence testing infrastructure in the Lucknow node of the UP Defence Industrial Corridor. This defence testing infrastructure has been named Advanced Material (Defence) Testing Foundation. The chief secretary said: Uttar Pradesh is playing a pivotal role in bolstering the nations defence industry infrastructure while striving to become a global hub for defence manufacturing and innovation. The Lucknow node is an important part of the Defence Corridor, and a significant MoU has been inked between UPEIDA and Midhani Group to establish a material testing facility here. He highlighted that the construction of this defence testing infrastructure, first in the state and second in the country, would propel the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat campaign. The mechanical and material testing facility will not only enhance Indias defence manufacturing infrastructure and promote innovation but will also position Uttar Pradesh as a key defence sector hub. The foundation will not only help improve products of the industries being set up in the Defence Corridor, but also in marketing the, after certification. Additionally, metal industries and MSMEs in Aligarh and Moradabad will also benefit from this development. The governments objective behind the move is to create greenfield defence testing infrastructure (required for A&D related production) as a common facility for manufacturing, research and development and technology in the defence sector. UPEIDA has been appointed as the implementing authority for this initiative, tasked with ensuring the timely completion and efficient operation of the defence testing infrastructure. During the signing of the MoU, Midhani Group CMD SK Jha and Additional CEO UPDA Haripratap Shahi along with other officials were present. UP, TN have defence industrial corridors India is rapidly emerging as a significant aerospace and defence market globally, with anticipated requirements exceeding US $250 billion by 2025. The aerospace and defence (A&D) manufacturing sectors have been identified as focus areas under the Make in India initiative. Under this, the Ministry of Defence has established defence industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh (UP DIC) and Tamil Nadu (TN DIC). Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UP DIC) has been established by the state government. The primary objective of this corridor is to accelerate the Make in India programme within the defence sector, fostering indigenous defence production. This initiative aims to reduce the countrys dependency on imported military equipment significantly. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday said that it should be the endeavour of all to improve the economy of the northeastern state which has been in the grip of ethnic violence since May last year. The chief minister was addressing a programme on skill and training programme for the horticulture and soil conservation department. "Our government has always been focused on becoming an organic and self-sufficient state. We must endeavour to improve the economy of the state. The government is working on to become self-reliant and address to shortage of skilled individuals," Singh said. He said that people cannot forget their livelihood just because there is a conflict. The violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities left over 200 people dead since May 2024. "The government is there to meet every challenge of the conflict. We will try to bring a political solution and peace and we are doing everything we can. There are instances when people become agitated when told that the situation has become much better, Singh said. Many still do not realise that one of the reasons for the conflict is the state governments act of identifying and driving out illegal immigrants, he said. Stating that the incidents of the last 14 months were heartbreaking, the chief minister appealed to all to maintain unity among different ethnic groups. "Lets keep unity. Politics divides all and we should not let politics win. The conflict did not break out because the BJP-led government was involved in corruption or any scandal. It broke out since some elements tried to stop the government from uniting all," Singh said. The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine the contours of Article 361 of the Constitution which grants 'blanket immunity' to governors from any kind of criminal prosecution. The top court's order came on a plea of contractual woman employee of West Bengal 'Raj Bhavan' who has alleged molestation by Governor C V Ananda Bose and her wrongful confinement by the officials there. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also issued a notice to the West Bengal government on the plea of the woman and granted her liberty to make also the central government a party. It also sought the assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani in dealing with the constitutional issue. At the outset, senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the woman whose name has been redacted from the judicial records, said, "It cannot be that there is no investigation. Evidence has to be gathered right now. It cannot be deferred indefinitely till the governor demits office." The plea said the immunity granted to the governors under clause 2 of Article 361 cannot bar the investigation and moreover, the time is the essence in such probes. "The petition raises the issue pertaining to the ambit of the protection which is afforded to the governor under clause (2) of Article 361 of the Constitution," the bench said in its order of issuing notice to the state government and others. The Article deals with the protection of President and the governors and its clause 2 reads: "No criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the President, or the Governor of a State, in any court during his term of office." The woman petitioner has also sought directions to frame specific guidelines under which governors enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution. "This court has to decide whether a victim like the petitioner can be rendered remediless, with the only option being to wait for the accused to demit his office, which delay will then be inexplainable during the trial, and render the entire procedure a mere lip service, without any justice to the victim herein," the plea said. The plea has also sought a probe into the case by the West Bengal Police and protection for her and her family along with compensation from the government for her loss of reputation. The contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had lodged a complaint with the Kolkata Police alleging that she was molested by Bose in the governor's house on April 24 and May 2. She accused Bose of orchestrating a "ridiculous drama" to deflect attention from his actions, emphasising that he should have provided the CCTV footage from premises to police at the outset of the investigation. Footage from two CCTV cameras positioned at the main (north) gate, from 5.32 pm to 6.41 pm on May 2, was shown to a select group of people and journalists at the Central Marble Hall on the ground floor of Raj Bhavan. In the first footage, the employee, dressed in jeans and a top, was seen hurrying to the police outpost housed within the governor's house amid a significant number of police personnel who were deployed in the premises for the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on that day. The second footage, which lasted for around 10 minutes, showed various vehicles including fire tenders arriving at the north gate of Raj Bhavan and policemen lining up for their regular duties. The victim, however, could not be spotted. In the wake of the controversy, Bose filed a defamation case against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on June 28, a day after she claimed that she had been approached by women saying they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the "activities" there. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said the government will investigate all the scams that have taken place during the previous BJP government's tenure. He alleged that the BJP government at the time had siphoned off over Rs 300 crore from various departments. Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, he said, During the previous BJP government, headed by former chief ministers B S Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, there were scams in various departments amounting to Rs 300 crore. We will reveal the details in the House. He was reacting to the BJPs charges related to the Rs 187 crore scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation, including the illegal transfer of Rs 88 crore to various bank accounts. During the previous BJP rule, Rs 87 crore from Bhovi Development Corporation, Rs 47 crore from APMC, Rs 22 crore from Disabled Welfare department, Rs 5 crore from Ambedkar Development Corporation, Rs 47 crore from Devaraj Urs Development Corporation, and Rs 10 crore from KSPCB and KIADB had been illegally transferred to Salem in Tamil Nadu, Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, alleged. Asked if the government would investigate these scams, Shivakumar said, We will certainly investigate them. We will reveal the details in the House as we want everything to be recorded. We will tell people that the ministers, corporation chairmen and chief ministers were involved in these scams. He said that BJP MLA and former Union Minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnals had said that the chief ministers post and ministers post costs Rs 2,500 crore and Rs 100 crore respectively. Another BJP leader Goolihatti Shekar had spoken about corruption in the Bhovi Development Corporation but the BJP did not investigate it, the DCM claimed. Debates are not allowed in the House for cases where the investigations are still ongoing, but we allowed it only to uphold democratic principles. We dont want to protect any minister, MLA or an officer if guilty, he added. Shivakumar said Special Investigation Team team formed by the state government to investigate the transfer of Rs 88 crore to Telangana from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation has already recovered Rs 36 crore. The previous BJP government has covered up many scams and has tried to cover up many others. The Chief minister has exposed their scams such as Bit coin scam, Parashurama theme park scam, Gangakalyana scam, PSI scam, etc, the DCM said. Many documents were found in the residence of Yediyurappas personal assistant Umesh with regard to the illegal transfer of Rs 750 crore, and other scams of the BJP government, Shivakumar alleged. Former BJP minister Eshwarappa too had lodged a complaint against Yediyurappa with the governor, he said, adding that investigations are on regarding that. The BJP government did not hand over the Guru Raghavendra Cooperative Bank scam amounting to thousands of crores (of rupees) to the CBI. We will discuss investigating that scam as well, he said. Yemen's Houthi rebels on Friday claimed responsibility for an early morning drone strike that hit a part of central Tel Aviv near the United States Embassy, leaving at least 10 injured and one dead. The aerial strike rumbled through the streets causing shards of shrapnel to rain down and spreading shards of glass over a large radius. The Houthis have repeatedly launched drones and missiles toward Israel throughout the nine-month-long war, in solidarity with the Palestinian people and against Israel. But until Friday, all were intercepted by either Israel or Western allies with forces stationed in the region. Yahya Sare'e, the Houthis' spokesperson, said in a statement published on the social media platform X that the strike was made in retaliation to the war underway in Gaza between Israel and Hamas and had hit one of many of the group's targets. The Houthis claimed that their newest drones can bypass Israel's aerial defence systems. However, a spokesperson for Israel's military said on Friday that the explosive-laden drone had been identified on Thursday and attributed the hit to human error. The military's assessment of aerial threats has not changed because, the military said, Israel's adversaries have attempted such strikes for months. It was a terror attack that was targeted to kill civilians in Israel, the Israeli spokesperson said. The Houthi strike hit hours after Israel's military confirmed one of its airstrikes had killed a Hezbollah commander and other militants in southern Lebanon. Israel has so far not made attacks on the Houthis, allowing its allies instead to take the lead as it focuses its efforts on the war in Gaza and ongoing fighting with Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group. It comes as international mediators continue to hold out hope for a cease-fire agreement, pushing Israel and Hamas toward a phased deal that would halt fighting and free about 120 hostages held by the militant group in Gaza. The prospects a deal could improve as Israeli leaders signal their operation underway in Rafah is close to finished. However, fears of potential escalation resurfaced on Thursday after Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site on Thursday to pray for the return of Israeli hostages, he said, without a reckless deal, without surrendering. Local police in Tel Aviv said that the Friday blast sounded at around 3:10 am, reverberating to nearby cities and physically injuring at least 10 people. Tel Aviv District Commander Peretz Amar said officers could not locate the point of contact, suggesting the explosion occurred in the air. The force of the explosion caused damage that is not great but is spread over a large area. At the moment we don't know what the object was, Amar said. Israel possesses a multilayered aerial defense system, capable of intercepting threats ranging from long-range ballistic missiles to drones and short-range missiles. These systems have intercepted thousands of projectiles throughout the war. But officials warn they are not 100 per cent effective, and the systems appear to have struggled against small and hard-to-detect attack drones. It was not known which, if any, system was deployed. Like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis are backed by Israel's arch enemy, Iran. Israel for the most part also has avoided a direct confrontation with Iran throughout the war. Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel during a single incident in April in response to Israel's alleged assassination of a pair of Iranian generals in Syria at the time. The war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas' October 7 attack on southern Israel, has killed more than 38,600 people, according to the territory's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The war has created a humanitarian catastrophe in the coastal Palestinian territory, displaced most of its 2.3 million population and triggered widespread hunger. Hamas' October attack killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and militants took about 250 hostage. About 120 remain in captivity, with about a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities. Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine gathered with officials at Australias Parliament House on Wednesday to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. One of those relatives, Paul Guard, mostly blames the conflict raging in eastern Ukraine a decade ago for the missile attack that killed 38 Australian citizens and permanent residents including his parents, Toowoomba doctors Roger and Jill Guard. I dont think anyone intended to bring down a passenger plane. So in that sense, Im heartbroken that the conflict continues, Paul Guard told Australian Broadcasting Corp. But I think that a lot of families would really have just liked an acknowledgement that what happened was wrong and that Russia should not have been waging war, the son added. The conflict has since escalated into a full-scale war with Russias invasion of its smaller neighbour in February 2022. The pro-Russia rebel-held border region from where a Soviet-era Buk surface-to-air missile was fatefully launched and the fields where much of the debris landed after the Boeing 777 disintegrated is now territory controlled by the Russian military. Moscow has repeatedly denied responsibility for MH17s destruction and refused to hand over two Russians and a Ukrainian convicted by a Dutch court in absentia in 2022 of murder. Russia continues to be pursued under international law by the Netherlands through in the European Court of Human Rights and by Australia and the Netherlands jointly through the International Civil Aviation Organization Council, or ICAO, over its alleged role in bringing down MH17. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told Wednesdays service she was appalled that Russia had withdrawn from the ICAO proceedings in June. The case will continue and we will not be deterred in our commitment to hold Russia to account, Wong told the gathering that included foreign diplomats. Today, on behalf of the Australian government, I recommit again to our collective pursuit of truth, justice and accountability for the outrages perpetrated on 17th July, 2014, she added. A commemoration is also planned in the Netherlands later Wednesday at a monument near Schiphol Airport, from where MH17 left on its way to the Malaysian city of Kuala Lumpur. Australian Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus will represent Australia at that monument, were 298 trees were planted to commemorate each victim and sunflowers like those that grew at the crash site. He expected the Netherlands-Australia case against Russia would be back before the ICAO in October despite Moscows withdrawal. We wont let this go until weve brought Russia to account, Dreyfus said. The Netherlands was home to 196 victims. As well as Australia, victims also came from Malaysia, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, the Philippines, Canada, New Zealand, Vietnam, Israel, Italy, Romania, the United States and South Africa. An international investigation initiated in the UN Security Council by the Netherlands, Malaysia and Australia concluded that the Buk missile system that destroyed MH17 belonged to the Russian 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade. The investigation concluded the missile was driven into Ukraine from a Russian military base near the city of Kursk and returned there after the plane was shot down. Tony Abbott was Australias prime minister when MH17 was shot down. Abbott recalled on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin became physically aggressive when the Australian raised MH17 and the Ukraine conflict on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit in Beijing in 2014. Putin said through an interpreter that Ukrainians were all fascists, had brought down MH17 themselves and that Ukraine had no right to exist, Abbott said. Then as we were going back into the conference and this was really quite an extraordinary thing he suddenly turned, grabbed the elbows and tried to shake me and then pushed me away. And he said in English, where hes quite fluent: Look, you are not a native Australian but I am a native Russian, and pushed me away, Abbott told ABC. I think what he was trying to say to me in his own rather blunt and brutal way was that how could I as a citizen of a settler society understand the blood and soil and mystical attachment that he had to every last inch of Mother Russia? Abbott said. So it was pretty obvious to me right back then what he was on about. I just think its a pity that more wasnt done to arm up the Ukrainians in the meantime, Abbott added. If you are able to speak Romanian or any other Eastern European gypsy lingo, then you will be able to enjoy this delightful free weekend break in Leeds. The operative word here is Break because your mini-holiday will involve serious levels of violence and arson. You will have a riotous time. Bed and breakfast included at the Bucharest Inn. Apparently the public disorder in Harehills in Leeds is due to social services taking children into care. Based on how theyve responded, it most likely was the correct choice. Dreadful scenes which will only get worse with Labour releasing criminals early on to our streets. pic.twitter.com/QAqjgpgfhn Chris Rose (@ArchRose90) July 18, 2024 Your quaint hotel will be situated in the idyllic Harehills area of the city, however there is no guarantee the hotel will still be standing after your holiday. The greatest place Ive ever stayed according to 15 travel writers Excursions will include a burning double-decker bus, an overturned police car, and the police running away in absolute terror. #Harehills #Leeds Feral low IQ people do not fit into modern civilisations. pic.twitter.com/VQSlsP4K6I Mc Alln (@MacallanTrader) July 18, 2024 To enter into the Leeds free weekend break, answer this simple question. Has mass unfettered forced immigration of unskilled economic migrants from Eastern Europe seeking UK benefits been good for the country? a) Best thing that happened to the UK. b) Its a beautiful socialist utopian dream come true. c) Best to completely ignore it because I am politically correct and woke and a confirmed champagne socialist. d) I cannot comment, I am a member of the Leeds police force and am currently running away in abject terror, yikes! Send your answer on a self-addressed postcard to P.O. Box 2391, Leeds, Yorkshire by July 27 for your chance to win one of 976,000 weekend breaks to Leeds. This is #Leeds the #UK where police barely managed to escape #violent mob. Riots erupted in #Harehills, Leeds after Social Services took away 5 children from parents from a migrant #Romanian gypsy family. Last video shows how it started. Roma gypsy father crying for his pic.twitter.com/T94POBVZbp Shafek Koreshe (@shafeKoreshe) July 19, 2024 Key Points: Kim Jong Un and a top Russian military official have publicly affirmed their commitment to deepening military cooperation, raising concerns about the stability of the Korean peninsula and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Kim expressed unwavering support for Russias war in Ukraine, indicating a willingness to provide more overt support to Moscow. Tensions on the Korean peninsula remain high as North and South Korea engage in a cycle of provocative actions, including balloon launches and the resumption of propaganda broadcasts. North Korea Solidifies Military Cooperation with Russia, Signaling Deeper Alliance In a move signaling a strengthening military alliance, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with a top Russian military official in Pyongyang on Thursday, emphasizing the importance and necessity of military cooperation between the two nations. The meeting, reported by North Koreas state media, follows a recent summit between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which raised concerns about escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula and potential implications for the ongoing war in Ukraine. Get alerts: Deepening Military Ties The recent visit of Russian Vice Defense Minister Aleksey Krivoruchko to Pyongyang signals a notable development in the relationship between North Korea and Russia, particularly in military cooperation. This visit, confirmed by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), is the first known instance of a high-ranking Russian military official traveling to North Korea since Russian President Vladimir Putins last visit. The KCNAs report highlighted that both nations acknowledge the strategic importance of effectively bolstering their military partnership to address shared security concerns. This public affirmation of strengthened military cooperation marks a strategic departure from the traditionally more guarded approach adopted by both North Korea and Russia. While both countries have faced international scrutiny and accusations regarding alleged arms transfers, particularly about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, both have consistently refuted these claims. This shift towards a more open acknowledgment of their military ties suggests a potential recalibration of their strategic posture within the current geopolitical landscape. Kims Support for Russias War in Ukraine Further solidifying the burgeoning alliance, Kim reiterated his unwavering support for Russias ongoing war in Ukraine, stressing the need for both militaries to get united more firmly in the face of shared security concerns. This vocal backing of Moscows actions aligns with North Koreas long-standing criticism of the West and its perceived interference in regional affairs. The Kim-Putin summit in July laid the groundwork for this deepened military cooperation. The two leaders signed a new partnership treaty pledging military assistance without delay if either nation faced attack. This agreement, coupled with Kims latest pronouncements, raises concerns about the potential for North Korea to provide material support to Russias war effort in Ukraine, potentially prolonging the conflict and further destabilizing the region. Tensions Rise on the Korean Peninsula Meanwhile, tensions continue to simmer on the Korean peninsula. On Thursday, South Korea resumed propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts toward North Korea, a move prompted by Pyongyangs recent launch of trash-carrying balloons into the South. This tit-for-tat exchange follows a pattern of escalating actions and reactions between the two Koreas, further straining inter-Korean relations. The South Korean military has stated that its response to future provocations from the North will be proportionate, raising concerns about the potential for these seemingly minor incidents to escalate into more serious confrontations. A fantastic new play park created at Dromore Avenue, Limavady, has been officially opened by the Mayor. The new community facility has been made possible through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Green Spaces Programme, with support from Councils Estates team, who installed the equipment, with support from local residents. Mayor Councillor Ciaran McQuillan who officially opened the new play park, was joined by Rebekah Bleakley Delivery Manager for UKSPF Northern Ireland, Alan Robinson MLA, Elected Members and Council Officers. The Mayor said: I am delighted to be here today to officially open this new play park located here at Dromore Avenue, Limavady. With support from the Green Spaces Programme, this park will now provide new play equipment and seating to allow children to play in a safe and welcoming location, here within the community. Thank you to all those involved with this project which will allow visitors to come to the area and enjoy this wonderful new outdoor space, a resource that will no doubt benefit families for years to come. The funding programme is aimed at creating and improving green spaces and play areas to make them more attractive for residents and visitors. The existing area at Dromore Avenue, Limavady was identified by Council as needing an outdoor amenity site to help provide a welcoming place for residents and visitors to meet and enjoy the outdoors. Thanks to the funding, secured through the UK Governments UK Shared Prosperity Fund, new equipment and surfacing, along with bins and seating have been installed at the Dromore Avenue site. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. More information here A small group of pro-Palestinian campaigners staged a protest during the Secretary of State's visit to Derry yesterday. Hilary Benn was in the city yesterday for his first official visit in his role as NI Secretary since the Labour Party's landslide victory in the general election earlier this month. Campaigners, which included Derry and Strabane District councillors Shaun Harkin and Gary Donnelly, held the protest outside of the Playhouse. Cllr Harkin described the Secretary of State as a 'hypocrite' over the UK government's stance on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. "There can be no business as usual when the British government arms a genocide and covers up Israels war crimes in Gaza," Cllr Harkin said. "Benn is a hypocrite who talks peace but justifies providing more arms for Israels genocide. "We challenged him on his government's complicity with Israels genocide and commend those attending the meeting who also challenged him directly on Britain's continued military support for Israel. "Benn's party leader endorsed Israel's genocide in Gaza and his government continues to arm the Israeli regime. "Starmer and Benn claim to support a ceasefire, talk about reviving the failed so-called two-state solution and recognising the Palestinian state but this is all talk. "While Starmer and his cabinet attempt to distract us, they continue to support Israel and oppose efforts to hold Netanyahu and his criminal regime to account. "David Lammy's smiling handshake with the butcher Netanyahu tells us all we need to know as to what side Starmer and Benn are on. "Benn and others want us to forget what's happening in Gaza. We won't. We will continue to use our platform to expose their complicity and lies." Cllr Harkin urged people to attend the Derry IPSC organised Rally for Gaza on Saturday evening at Free Derry Corner. Northern Ireland has avoided being included in a looming EU ban on dental amalgam fillings. The British Dental Association (BDA) had been among those warning of the consequences of the proposed prohibition, claiming it would cause irreparable and long-lasting damage to services. The EU is to prohibit the use of amalgam from January as part of a drive to reduce public exposure to mercury. The ban was due to apply in Northern Ireland because aspects of EU law still apply in the region under post-Brexit trading rules. However, the UK and the EU agreed to a derogation that means amalgam can continue to be used in Northern Ireland for potentially 10 more years. The derogation applies until December 31 2034 or until a ban is introduced under the international multinational environmental accord the Minamata Convention of which the UK is a signatory. There are a number of conditions attached to the EU derogation, mainly around reporting and demonstrating progress to reduce the use of amalgam in Northern Ireland. Stormont Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said the conditions were achievable and were in line with his departments longer term policy objectives on amalgam use. Securing a derogation has been a priority for the department given the impact it would have had on patients and dental practitioners, he said. I conveyed this message urgently to the Northern Ireland Secretary of State (Hilary Benn) on this issue as soon as he took office, to impress on him the importance of effective action. I am very pleased that this has been secured and that the phasing down of dental amalgam can be taken forward in a much more planned way over the coming years. A spokesman for the UK government said: We welcome this important amendment that recognises Northern Irelands unique circumstances. This follows significant UK engagement with the EU on this issue and provides a 10-year phase-out period, consistent with global trends and what stakeholders such as the British Dental Association have suggested is needed for a managed transition. A Stormont Assembly committee established to scrutinise forthcoming EU law changes had been examining the implications of the prohibition as part of the Stormont brake oversight element of the post-Brexit Windsor Framework. The brake is a mechanism that allows a minimum of 30 MLAs to refer a proposed law change to the UK Government. The Government then makes an assessment of the proposed change on Northern Ireland and can veto its application in the region. However, the London-Brussels agreement on a derogation has come ahead of any formal move to activate the Stormont brake. Ciara Gallagher, chairwoman of the BDAs Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee, said the proposed ban could have spelled the end for NHS dentistry in Northern Ireland. We sounded the alarm and fought tooth and nail for a workable solution, she said. This delay is a glimmer of hope for a service thats on its knees and could not have shouldered any further financial pressure. We have some breathing space, but Stormont and Westminster cannot take their feet off the pedal to affect a seamless transition to amalgam-free dentistry. Any progress will require reform, investment and concerted action on deep oral health inequalities. When the plug is finally pulled on amalgam, Northern Ireland will need to have a healthier population and a more sustainable service. Otherwise, this 10-year derogation is a mere stay of execution for NHS dentistry. DUP leader Gavin Robinson welcomed the development, saying: From the earliest days of this Government, we have been raising Northern Irelands access to dental amalgam supplies as a matter of urgency. Last week, we warned the Northern Ireland Secretary of State that in the absence of a suitable agreement with Brussels, we would not hesitate to draw upon the new mechanisms at our disposal in Stormont to protect our dental sector and its supply chain. I am glad that common sense has prevailed and that a durable and workable arrangement has been reached. The safeguards we secured have played a significant role in bringing London and Brussels to this place. It is now important that the Democratic Scrutiny Committee in Stormont has the time and space to fully explore this derogation. We must ensure that it protects our supply chain and ensures there is no divergence in the dental sector within the United Kingdom. Alliance MLA Eoin Tennyson said: Todays announcement is further evidence that through constructive and solutions-focused engagement with our European partners, we can deliver positive outcomes for the people of Northern Ireland. TUV leader and North Antrim MP Jim Allister said the EU agreement on dental amalgam highlighted Northern Irelands colonial status. No other part of the UK would accept such an edict and no democrat should accept it as any sort of victory, he said. Harland and Wolff has said its application for a multimillion-pound loan guarantee from the Government has been rejected. Amid uncertainty around the Belfast shipbuilders future, it also announced that chief executive John Wood was taking a leave of absence with immediate effect. The company, which is part of a consortium that landed a major contract to build new Royal Navy ships, had applied for a 200 million loan guarantee from the Government as part of efforts to restructure its finances. Harland and Wolff said it will seek alternative new debt facilities from current lender Riverstone Credit Management. The company said it was also engaging an investment bank Rothschild & Co to assess strategic options. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is expected to make a statement on Harland and Wolff to Parliament on Monday. It is understood officials from the Department for Business and Trade have been in close contact with the company and its lenders and are confident a solution will be found to remove the immediate risk of administration. With Mr Wood taking a leave of absence, Harland and Wolff said Russell Downs, an industry expert in refinancing and recapitalisation, will take on the role of interim executive chairman. He said: I am very pleased to take on this role after a challenging period for the group as it transitions from one leadership team to another and deals with the increasing speculation over its future. The great weight of responsibility for all stakeholders involved in the business to secure a long-term future is crystal clear to me and I am enormously honoured to be given the responsibility to find a solution. I will be working tirelessly in consultation with employees, management, customers, suppliers, unions, government agencies and other stakeholder groups in the coming weeks. DUP leader and East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson said: There has been a period of uncertainty for workers in recent weeks. I have been engaging extensively with the Government, including discussions yesterday. The Governments commitment to a renaissance to shipbuilding in our city remains. The contract for Fleet Solid Support Ships is a significant boon for Belfast and should instil confidence that with the right management, our shipyard is an attractive proposition with better days ahead. Having engaged with union representatives yesterday afternoon, I will continue to champion the yard, its workforce and its future. With Parliament sitting next week, there will be an important opportunity for the Government to reiterate its support for shipbuilding in Belfast. The public are being asked to help name an endangered baby Rothschilds giraffe born at Belfast Zoo. The male was born on Sunday to mother Daisy and has since been delighting visitors and staff. The mother and baby have stayed inside the giraffe house for a few days together to give them plenty of bonding time. A shortlist of four potential names has been drawn up by the animal care team: Ballybracken, Ballymoe, Ballytober and Ballyrobert. A vote will take place on the Belfast Zoo Facebook page. Voting will close on Friday July 26 at 4pm. Zoo manager Alyn Cairns said: Rothschilds giraffes are one of the most endangered of the giraffe subspecies. While giraffes inhabit savannahs and grasslands across Africa, the Rothschild subspecies only exists in small numbers within protected areas in Kenya and northern Uganda. Since we became home to the species in 1988, we have celebrated the arrival of over 40 calves and we are delighted to welcome the new addition to the family. Scottish TV presenter and comedian Susan Calman visits the north west in the latest episiode of her 'Grand Day Out' TV series which airs on Channel 5. In this Thursday night's episode (25 July) she explores the captivating landscapes of the Irish coast. Susan takes her campervan Helen Mirren across the Irish Sea, immersing herself in Derrys rich history and culture. She begins by embarking on a kayaking adventure along the picturesque River Foyle and meets the man famous for creating the contemporary murals that have transformed the city and tries her hand at spray painting. The presenter was spotted with her beloved campervan Helen at the Derry girls mural back in April filming for the programme. Leaving Derrys bustling streets behind, she then ventures into Donegal. This is home to the Wild Atlantic Way, a breathtaking coastal route renowned for its rugged cliffs, enchanting beaches and otherworldly landscapes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Susan Calman (@susancalman) Touring the iconic Wild Atlantic Way, Susan examines Ireland's rich folklore, stopping off at Grianan Of Aileach and Malin Head, a location used in Star Wars films. Susan Calmans Grand Day Out continues on Thursday at 9.00pm on Channel 5. According to my confidential sources, HP is preparing for an India-specific launch very soon. The source tells me that the product in question is going to be budget-focused. In collaboration with NVIDIA, the brand is set to launch a new line of Victus gaming laptops designed specifically for college students. These laptops will feature the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, which uses Nvidias Lovelace Architecture, providing top-notch graphics performance for both academic and gaming needs. Exclusively available in India, this launch underscores HPs commitment to the Indian market and its unique requirements. As of the first quarter of 2024, ASUS and Lenovo hold significant shares in the Indian computer market. Lenovo stands fourth with a market share of 15.1%, experiencing a slight decline of 1.3% year-over-year. It is particularly strong in the consumer segment with a 13.5% share and ranks second in the small and medium business (SMB) segment with a 22% share. ASUS, on the other hand, holds a 5.9% share of the Indian PC market. It has a notable presence in the consumer notebook category, where it stands second with a 16.5% share. Exclusive: Leaked HP Victus To Be A Student-Focused Budget Laptop The new Victus laptops promise a blend of performance, affordability, and style, making them ideal for students who need a powerful yet versatile machine. This initiative is expected to be a significant addition to the Indian gaming laptop market. Currently, in the budget segment, the Lenovo LOQ, ASUS TUF Gaming, and ACERs latest ALG series are being sold in the Indian market. With the HP Special Edition Victus series, the brand aims to attract a student audience, particularly those who are gamers, studying data, or preparing to be analysts. HP already sells an RTX 3050-powered Victus for around Rs 58,000. It features an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB SSD. Meanwhile, the most affordable laptop in the HP Victus series comes with an all-AMD setup, featuring an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H APU and a Radeon RX 6500M GPU. I have no concrete information on the price of these laptops but expect them to be more affordable than what HP currently sells under its budget moniker. Since these laptops will be special edition units and not a new model, the current design language is more likely to continue. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Houthis claim responsibility for 'military operation' in Israel Tel Aviv, July 19 (UNI) Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, vowed to reveal details about a "military operation" that targeted Tel Aviv against the background of the explosion in the Israeli city, Reuters reported on Friday, citing the movement's statement. Israeli media reported earlier on Friday that an explosion occurred near the consulate of the United States in Tel Aviv, killing one person and wounding seven more. The Israel Defense Force said later that the falling of an "aerial target" caused the explosion in Tel Aviv. UNI/SPUTNIK AKS The award-winning film Notes From Sheepland by Louth filmmaker Cara Holmes is set to hit the big screen in cinemas nationwide this Friday. Notes From Sheepland, directed by Cara Holmes, from Blackrock, Co Louth, bursts with candid observations of lipstick wearing, always swearing, no nonsense, artist and shepherd, Orla Barry. Through her fields, her digital diaries, and the pedigree sheep she cares for, the audience discovers how the art is in the doing. Orla Barry is a self-confessed ovine addict. She is a decade in sheep, shes still wondering what possessed her to start but yet she wouldnt want to be anywhere else. Orla lived in Brussels for 16 years and now lives and works in South East Ireland where she runs a flock of pedigree Lleyn sheep. Her work deals with the tensions of being an artist and an eco-farmer in rural Ireland. The sheep have slowed her art career but at the same, caring for them has hugely inspired it, she said. She escapes the studio by going to the sheep, escapes the sheep by hiding in her studio. Notes from Sheepland allows Orla as she floats between these worlds. It reflects upon the primal, poetic and unpredictable bond she has with the natural world. Film editor and director, Blackrock native Cara's prowess shines through her acclaimed works, directing the IFTA-winning film Welcome To A Bright White Limbo, which received a Special Jury mention at the Tribeca film festival in 2020 and screened at HotDocs, Sheffield Doc/Fest, and Aesthetica. Cara's debut feature documentary, Notes From Sheepland, premiered internationally at the Telluride Film Festival in 2023, garnering accolades like Best Documentary at the Dublin International Film Festival 2023 and the Pull Focus Best Irish Feature Documentary at Docs Ireland 2023. Notes from Sheepland was also nominated for an IFTA in 2024. Cara's editing credits include the feature documentaries, Housewife of The Year, Piano Dreams, Father of the Cyborgs and Lost in France. She has worked with Screen Ireland ,TG4, RTE, BBC and the Arts Council of Ireland to create works that expand the form of documentary storytelling in Ireland. Notes From Sheepland will open in cinemas including the IFI and Light House in Dublin, Palas Cinema Galway, QFT Belfast on Friday July 26th and Triskel in Cork on September 28th. Q&A screenings will take place on Friday 26 July - IFI Q&A with Orla Barry and director Cara Holmes, hosted by Selina Guinness, post 6.30pm screening. And on Wednesday 31 July -in Arc Wexford Q&A with Orla Barry and director Cara Holmes, hosted by Wexford Arts Officer, Liz Burns, post 8.15pm screening. Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) said it is delighted to report on a group of female construction students from the BSc (Hons) in Construction Management who are about to take their final leap from college into the industry full time. DkIT has long been a go to for the Construction and Built Environment industry to recruit high quality graduates. The Construction Management course is all about getting the students industry ready, a DkIT spokesperson said. The course provides them with the much in demand skillsets needed to be managers who are involved with the built environment and its planning, design, construction, maintenance, and restoration. Whether tackling the housing crisis or improving the worlds infrastructure, construction managers help build the places we work, homes we live in and roads we travel on, the spokesperson continued. Dr Breda Brennan Head of School of Engineering said: In the School of Engineering we are committed to achieving gender balance so its wonderful to see an increased number of females embracing careers in Construction and Engineering. We are delighted to report that we had five females in 4th year this year in Construction Management. Even though construction is traditionally more male dominated, females have so much to bring to this industry, after all everything that is constructed is used by as many females as males. We are also delighted that we have been whole heartily supported by our industry partners who are critical as part of our students work placement. The future is bright for females in construction. Abby Shields, a 4th year construction student added: I was wary at the start of my studies as I knew Construction was a male dominated industry. My lecturers have always encouraged myself and other girls within my class that we have the same opportunities to avail from as our male class members. This has given me the confidence I need to go out into the industry and put my knowledge to use. Alanna McGeown also a 4th year construction student said: I knew when I started studying Construction Management that it was a male dominated industry but the lecturers in DkIT were committed to making sure we knew that we could thrive within this industry no matter what our gender. I received great support from both lecturers and classmates. And 4th year construction student Jodie Duffy finally added to the comments saying: I highly recommend the Construction Management program at DkIT. As a woman in the construction field, this program has been instrumental in my professional development, offering a robust curriculum that blends theoretical knowledge with practical application. The lecturers industry expertise and the program's emphasis on inclusion create a supportive environment where female students can thrive. Additionally, the networking opportunities and mentorship provided have been invaluable in helping me establish a strong foothold in a traditionally male-dominated industry. This program is an excellent choice for any woman aspiring to lead in construction management. DkIT said they are dedicated to striving for gender balance on all their course offerings, recently the School of Engineering was awarded the extremely prestigious Bronze Athena Swan award. Only two other Institutes in Ireland hold the Bronze Athena Swan School of Engineering accreditation. The Construction Management course in DkIT integrates theory with practical application to equip students with real life management, communication, and research skills. It provides them with a broad understanding of construction management, resource management, construction technology, building regulations, financial management, health and safety legislation and environmental protection. Graduates of this course are also able to commence the process of becoming a Chartered Construction Manager with the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The Department of Built Environment also offers award winning and much in demand courses in Quantity Surveying, Architectural Technology and Building Surveying. This July, Drogheda & North East Samaritans will be celebrating Samaritans Awareness Day, highlighting the life-saving emotional support its volunteers provide. Held on Wednesday 24 July reflecting the fact the charitys volunteers are available 24/7 Drogheda & North East Samaritans is celebrating the day by encouraging the local community to reach out for help. Drogheda & North East Samaritans Branch Director, Margaret Fahey said: Samaritans volunteers respond to a call for help every 61 seconds from people facing all sorts of challenges. Sadly, we also know that not everyone feels able to reach out for the support they need or may not feel they have someone to turn to. Thats why Samaritans Awareness Day aims to remind everyone that our volunteers are here to lend a listening ear at any time of day or night, whatever youre going through. Its more important than ever that people don't wait until crisis point to seek support and share how they are feeling. We want to remind people that Samaritans volunteers are here around the clock to offer a listening ear to anyone who is struggling to cope. Anyone can contact Samaritans for free any time from any phone on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.ie or visit www.samaritans.ie. Samaritans is also challenging the public to get behind the cause and show your support by taking part in a 24 hour challenge like giving something up or tsking something new on. For information visit www.samaritans.ie/24hours. Supporters have signed up for challenges, including 24 hours of silence, 24 hours of gaming, or 24 hours of listening to Taylor Swift! Alternatively, donations can also be made to Samaritans branches by texting THANKS to 50300 to donate 4. (Samaritans Ireland will receive a minimum of 3.60. Service Provider: LIKECHARITY Helpline: 0766805278) The Blooming Minds Club hosted its first week-long summer camp for young people aged 13-18 years who are currently attending or have attended CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). The Blooming Minds Club is a youth led artist supported creative arts hub for young people experiencing mental health difficulties based at Creative Spark Dundalk, with outreach workshops occurring in Drogheda The camp was held at Creative Spark and ran from the 8th to the 12th of July. The camp featured five artists, each specializing in a different art discipline for each day. The artists who participated in the camp were Seeking Judy (Textiles), Adrian and Shane (Print and Collage), Omin (Spray Paint and Graffiti), Oscar Diaz (Scratch Embroidery and Lasercut), and Paddy Critchley (Painting). Participants could choose up to three days of activities over the week. Blooming Minds Club evening workshops will resume in September, running on Wednesdays from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The first class will be in Animation, hosted by Anthony Corrigan, a freelance character designer and story artist. It will start on the 4th of September and run for seven weeks. There will also be a Blooming Minds Club Exhibition on Thursday, September 19th at Creative Spark Downtown from 4 pm to 7 pm. For more information about the Blooming Minds Club or to register your interest, please contact Grainne via email at grainne@creativespark.ie. This project is funded by the Creative Nurture Fund from Creative Ireland. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. By BOB MARTIN Eagle Times Staff The Sullivan County Delegation unanimously voted to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the University System of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension at their meeting on Monday. Interim Director Amy Loader met with the delegation, and explained that the MOU expired this year. Cooperative Extension is a department of all state research institutions that was created by an act of Congress in 1914. Loader said their job at the Cooperative Extension is to translate scientific research done by universities for what typical people can use in their jobs. This is started with agriculture, forestry, 4-H programs, youth development, food safety and home economics. It has expanded a lot over the years, said Loader. Our state requires us to come back to each county every six years and say, if its true, we intend to keep an office active and open in your county. And we ask you to agree in spirit to do the same thing. She said this is to keep the staff here in Sullivan County and keep funding that. According to the last budget every one dollar committed to the office, they have put in an additional $1.91. This is through multiple sources of funding, including the state budget, USDA, gifts, program fees and a variety of grants. Overall, the counties contribute together, collectively, about 14% of the Cooperative Extensions budget, she said. So that is our intention. We come to you as we have been for the last over 100 years to as you to pass our annual budget. Weve adopted it, but the Memorandum of Understanding is in spirit. Rep. Judy Aron said the Cooperative Extension bills the county for the services they provide, and this year was $309,000. She asked if there may be any increases coming, and Loader said the Cooperative Extension only ask for the Consumer Price Index unless the delegation tells them they want more capacity in a certain area. This was done not long ago with creating a position, she said, but right not it would just be the Consumer Price Index increase. In response to COVID-19, Loader said that they did not ask for an increase in previous years. Loader said that while there are some instances where there are nominal fees if food is served, they try to make their programs free or low cost. If for any reason someone cannot pay or prefer not to pay, we actually have in our mandate through USDA that we dont charge for programs, if people cant afford it or have a reason to not pay, Loader said. Rep. Hope Damon is a forever 4-Her, and she praised the Cooperative Extension for all the work they do. Your programs have a very positive impact on a lot of people, said Damon. The current MOU expires on Sept. 6 and this accepted MOU will begin then and run until Sept. 6, 2030. Policeman killed in terror attack in Karachi Islamabad, July 19 (UNI) A policeman was killed by armed assailants in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, police officials said here on Friday. At least two terrorists riding motorcycles opened fire on the policeman when he was heading home after performing his duties, police told Xinhua. The officer was critically injured in the attack and succumbed to his wounds after being transferred to a nearby hospital. Authorities have launched a manhunt to apprehend the perpetrators. by Angela Starita Captains back from Barbados, manor houses, sugar plantations, slavery. This is the economic backdrop of a Jane Austen novel. But New Jersey, central New Jersey, was, it turns out, a locus of this trade too. Or more accurate to say, it was a locus of the fruits of the sugar trade. A website I found written by an amateur historian talks about the huge size of a fortune by a family called Morris all made in the sugar trade. He goes on to talk about enslaved people coming from Barbados who had learned farming there and then in NJ learned iron smithing. In 1804, New Jersey law stated that the children of slaves born after July 4, 1804 would be freed on their 21st birthdays if female, 25th if male. This of course kept slavery largely in place and in fact, NJ was the last northern state to abolish slavery, the result of an amendment to the state constitution in January 1866. The Morris estate is a short walk east from the site of the North American Phalanx (NAP), a planned community built on the ideas of a French philosopher, Charles Fourier, mentioned in earlier columns. Constructed on a 673-acre site Colts Neck, NJ in 1843, the NAP sought to provide residents with work both meaningful and pleasurable. The land had previously belonged to someone named Joseph Van Mater. One source claims that he was single and aspired to own 100 slaves, but deaths (presumably the slaves) kept him from reaching his goal. It goes on to say that in his will he [Van Mater] freed all his slaves and, stories handed down, tell us they wandered up and down Phalanx road for days, lost and forlorn. The NAP wouldnt let them stay on the land theyd worked their whole lives. Commentary on the NAP rarely mentions the sites past or the irony that a community designed to free us of drudgery had, just a few years before its founding, been worked by slaves. * I know nothing about the history of slavery in neighboring Howell, the town where I grew up. In my years there, the mid-1970s-80sthere were two distinct Black neighborhoods. One was about a quarter of a mile from my house; the other along Route 9 near a poor white neighborhood of converted summer bungalows called Freewood Acres, a portmanteau of the two adjacent towns, Freehold and Lakewood. To call these areas neighborhoods might imply a grid of streets with houses, but both were more like family compoundsone piece of land with woods on either side where maybe ten small shacks arranged in no particular order that I could discern without internal streets or walkways separating them. Id heard classmates refer to one of the two as the Black Village; in my hearing at least, it wasnt a pejorative but a geographic point of reference. I only knew two Black girls from the neighborhood near me, and we never talked about how our families came to live in Howell. Such shacks were not at all unusual in Howell, and they were lived in by whites too. Across the street from our housea colonial-style 3-bedroom house that my parents had built on a 10-acre plota young couple lived in a 3-room house, maybe 500 square feet in area. Id babysit their child on occasion and remember only the feeling of enclosure, the intense awareness of walls. A hundred yards away, an investment banker built a large chalet with swimming pool, horse barns, and a riding ring. Every Sunday, he hosted competitions, and the street would be filled with horse trailers from all over the state. It went on for years until he was arrested for fraud. All that to say, that as raggedy as Howell was, as impassive and untethered to any world I wanted to be a part of, it had extraordinary blindness to class. These worlds co-existed and no one seemed to care about the juxtaposition. But what makes the two Black neighborhoods different is that they were clearly just that: defined by the race of the people who lived there, separate from the rest of the town, and made up of small houses in a single compound. In my memory at least, friendships in my junior high school werent defined by race. (I think back to a daily ritual after lunch when the vice-principal would hand over his mike to Lynne Williams and Rose Mennino, physical opposites well beyond race, so they could sing a love duet.) Since I was a newcomer to the place and focused on my own survival, I doubt my understanding of the schools racial dynamics are in any way dependable, and the spatial evidence speaks to a more fraught history. The arrangement of the buildings in the Black neighborhoods suggests they were first inhabited by an extended family and then later, to use Fouriers terms, by those with complementary passionsin this particular case, perhaps, a passion for keeping safe. Whatever the attraction, the site eschewed pathways and streets and not all of the houses faced the road. My mother dreamt of a similar arrangement, wishing that each of her two sisters had a house next door, much like the Sansones, an extended family in my town that had built houses on one piece of land, defining their compound with a low chain-link fence. Black Village had no such well-delineated borders; the houses sat in a clearing in the woods with the road as the only hard-edged boundary. Perhaps to each set of people the presence or absence of a fence was more or less natural in their conception of home. But it seems that in both cases the goal was to create a protective barrier. For my mother, the bounding of space was a matter of history and personality: observe but hold back, stay separate, trust no group beyond family (and even that with a cool head). I cant make claims for the reasons Black families of Howell may have built these compounds beyond the probable need for physical protection, though the circumstances of their arrival in New Jersey, would certainly be part of the story. Like many of the poor white families in the town, had they come to Howell (once Farmingdale) from farther south in the state as itinerant farmers and stayed? Were they refugees from nearby cities? Had their ancestors been enslaved on nearby farms? It was a possibility Id never considered before learning about the Van Mater farm. Even without knowing the origins of the neighborhoods, though, its clear that residents hadnt come to Howell with any vision of traditional suburbia. The organic qualities of the siteits seemingly random arrangement of houseshad little in common with the much maligned cul de sacs of aspirational housing estates, except, that is, for the aspirational quality itself, the drive to have a physical site to shape as you want. (Famously, William Levitt conceived of the houses of his Long Island development, Levittown, as foundational structures that homeowners could and should customize as their needs changed. Aerial photographs of the town through the decades illustrate how residents really did alter the original Levitt footprint, defying the tired trope of suburban conformity.) The ability to shape your physical space is of course beholden to any number of factors, wealth topping the list. But its also a matter of a towns culture, its willingness to sacrifice prestige, and home values, in exchange for a commitment to idiosyncrasy. Howell was the kind of place where no one complained or commented if you kept rusted cars in the front yard. That itself was a real kind of freedom, my fathers favorite aspect of the place, not having to answer to any sense of community-determined decorum. Im sure no one on Howells community board (motto: How Well We Serve) explicitly said, Lets make space for weirdos, but there was a certain pride in the places anything-goes attitude and aesthetic (a fact that made it the butt of jokes in the more middle-class towns nearby). This impassive response to difference may have been shaped by the towns history of housing refugees from Communist countries: Latvians, Cossacks, Lithuanians, and Mongolians, most of whom had arrived in the 1950s. Their churches and temples were just a regular part of our landscape. The Dalai Lama came to town in 1979 to visit the Kalmuk Buddhists who lived in Freewood Acres, and even that barely warranted particular pride or concern. It happened and that was just fine. My experience of Howell was usually one of melancholy and disconnection, but I think for a lot of the residents it was exactly disconnection that they were looking for, a place that seemed to let you live with fewer of the everyday strictures of an ordered life. Did Howells rejection of a standard-sized suburbia make for a safer environment for its Black residents in an overwhelmingly white town, one they chose for that reason? Or had their families landed in such an oddball universe by chance or economic necessity? Of course, the men and women whod been freed in the 1840s by a slave owner and then rejected by the utopians of the NAP needed a haven from capitalism far more than the white farmers and social critics who built the phalanx believing they would remake society. At the risk of overstating the case, Id say people moved to Howell for the exact opposite reason: no one had any hope for large-scale change, so they retreated to a place where disconnection was tacitly honored you stay on your property and Ill stay on mine. The decision to retreat isnt one I admire philosophically or personally: as a teenager, I paid a fairly high social price so that my middle-aged parents could opt for isolation. But ironically, the mentality of resignation and removal made for a town, though far from utopia, had managed to fashion at least a small opening for greater racial and ethnic diversity. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and this seems never more apt when viewing the work of professional photographer Gerard OMeara, whose career spans more than six decades. His photographs record a social history, of day to day life, each one telling its own tale. On July 14, Gerard celebrated his 80th birthday. He was born in Cork city and lived most of his life in Mallow. Recently, he donated his photography collection comprising of 42,000 film negatives, hard copies and compact discs to Cork County Council Library and Arts Service. These will be digitised in time and available to view online. Men chatting outside a bookshop in Mallow. Picture: Gerard OMeara Twenty-one of his photographs went on exhibition in Mallow library recently, which is where Gerard told me about his work and how he got started, My mother used to send me into a local chemist shop, Joyces, to keep me out of trouble. There was a Mr Peter ORegan developing and printing photographs in the back, and unbeknownst to myself I was getting interested in developing and printing. Four years later, when I was 14, my parents gave me a present of a camera. Gerard credits Robert ODonoghue (who was picture editor in The Echo newspaper) with his first break in photography when he was a young man. I went up the steps in Patrick Street asking if there was any chance of getting photographs into the Echo. Some time later Robert asked me if I had a photo of Kilkenny castle, because the Echo were doing a feature piece on it. I said I had. I was part of the Pax Christi movement at the time, and one of the trips ended up in Kilkenny. I had taken a photo of the castle, not realising how important it would be afterwards. I got my first commission when I was 18, he added. The Sew n Sew Shop in Mallow in 1984. Picture: Gerard OMeara Gerard has photographed 18 different disciplines, some of which include theatre, fashion, aerial, medical, food and nature. He says that theatre and fashion were his original favourites, and recalls how he photographed fashion by designer Paul Costello at a show in Brown Thomas in Cork, as well as winning designs at Mallow College of Tailoring and shows at The Everyman Theatre and Cork Opera House. With theatre, he said he learned to stay in the shadows so as not to distract the actors. Gerard is a soft-spoken, unassuming gentleman with an obvious passion for and in-depth knowledge of photography. When asked what drew him initially to theatre and fashion photography, he says that it was, the opportunities to be there as an observer waiting for the precise moment. The subject matter of his photographs is so varied, I asked what inspires it, Blessed with being in the right place at the precise moment and being given the opportunities to photograph all these occasions, he replied. A photograph taken at Denis McCarthy Sons Meat Centre in Mallow. Gerard said that, in the past, he saw interesting work by photographers he admired being lost and thought it a pity. This was what gave him the idea to donate his collection. I noticed one of his photos on exhibit was of Perks funfair in Mallow town park, taken around the 1980s. I remembered the joy of going to that carnival as a child and found myself studying the carnival rides and the people, their clothes and how they were standing. I looked at them chatting and wondered what they were talking about. Some of these people are gone now. These are moments in time, in some way preserved. Another photograph depicts the opening of a butcher shop in the 1980s with several butchers standing behind the counter ready for business, and sawdust on the floor to soak up spills. Photography, like other art forms, has that power to evoke unique memories and emotions, it shows how much we (as a society) have changed. After 62 years capturing Magic Moments, as is the title of Gerards book of photography published in 2010, some might think of retiring the camera. Gerard, however, continues to enjoy his craft with a new focus on nature photography. RTE Questions and Answers in Springfort Hall, Mallow. Picture: Gerard OMeara His attention to detail and enthusiasm is evident as he speaks about a favourite photo he recently took in Goat Island near Ardmore in County Waterford. Its a photo of a huge wave breaking. He kept missing it, he said. He then timed the wave as it approached the rock and pressed the button. Here, we publish some of Gerards photographs. Twenty-four Cork villages were presented with certificates this week to commend their work in curbing litter in environs. This year, 66 villages entered Cork County Councils annual Anti-Litter Challenge, which showcases the unwavering commitment and community spirit of voluntary groups across the county. In the Large Villages category, Kildorrery (North), Saleen (South) and Durrus (West) once again claimed the top spot in their respective divisions, each of them achieving this for the second consecutive year. Denis McCarthy and Clare Callanan of Ballinhassig Village Association, winner of the Small Villages category in the Southern Division, with Cllr. Seamus McGrath, Chair of the Southern Division. The Small Villages competition saw a remarkable achievement with four villages in the Western Division Ardfield, Ardgroom, Drinagh and Kilmacsimon Quay maintaining an entirely litter free status during the six-week judging period. First place honours in the small villages category for the Northern and Southern Divisions were awarded to Coolagown and Ballinhassig respectively. Saleen, Aherla and Knockraha were named the three best large villages in the Southern Division, while Ballinhassig, Upper Dripsey, Kilmurry and Cuil Aodha came first, joint second and third in the small village category. In the Northern Division, the large village winners were Kildorrery, Newtownshadrum and Castletownroche and the small village winners were Coolagown, Knocknagree, Kiskeam and Lismire. Chairperson of the Northern Committee of Cork County Council, Cllr Bernard Moynihan with Kevin Morey, Northern Divisional Manager Cork County Council and Anita Leader, Asst Staff Officer Environmental Directorate Cork County Council with the Award Winners and Elected Members of Cork County Council at the Anti-Litter Awards for the Northern Division on Monday 15th July at the Council Chambers, Annabella Mallow. Three best improver awards across the three were awarded to Whitegate, Glengarriff and Ballynoe. The overall winners of both town and villages categories will be announced at the final awards ceremony in September. Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll praised all the volunteers, saying: This community competition has gone from strength to strength and continues to attract strong interest from towns and villages across the county. The commitment and effort shown by our community volunteers in this years Anti-Litter Challenge is inspiring. Their hard work ensures our villages remain attractive and welcoming, and for that, we owe them our gratitude. The Anti-Litter Challenge is testament to the great work undertaken by volunteers right across the county who spend long hours sweeping, cleaning and gathering litter from footpaths and roadsides. Cork County Council has thanked each of the villages who entered in 2024 and acknowledged the work of the countless volunteers who take such pride in their community. An Bord Pleanala has overruled Cork City Council to approve plans for apartments at the upper floors of a vacant building in the city centre. In October, Majorfield Ltd lodged an application with Cork City Council seeking to change the use of part of the ground floor and the entire first, second, and third floors from office space to residential to create three studio apartments at 64 Patrick St. The building is located at the corner of Patrick St and Grand Parade and was previously used as an office building on the upper floors and office and retail on the ground floor, according to an architectural design statement submitted with the application. The statement said there had been nil interest in tenants for the office use on the upper floors of the currently vacant building. It acknowledged that the available floor space over the three floors 30.75sqm, 33.3sqm and 31sqm respectively are under the minimum recommended for a studio apartment, which is set out as 37sqm in the national guidelines for new apartments, however, the council was asked to make an exception and grant permission to the proposal. A single three-storey apartment, the architectural design statement asserted, would make a poor use of the spaces available. Even though the floor areas per studio do not quite meet the minimum floor areas set out in the standards, there is a great sense of space in the floors, and this is critical in design, the statement said. No alterations to the external facade of the building had been proposed. In refusing planning, Cork City Council said the development as proposed did not accord with the relevant standards for assessment of quality and layout of apartment developments as set out in the Ministerial guidelines Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2023, stating that the proposed units do not meet the minimum floor area requirements. The councils decision was subsequently appealed by the applicants. In approving the plans, An Bord Pleanala went against the recommendation of its inspector. In deciding not to accept the Inspectors recommendation to refuse permission, the Board noted Section 11.144 of the development plan relating to Living Over the Shop whereby the planning authority will encourage the residential use of the upper floors of buildings above commercial ground floor uses and consider dispensations from normal standards subject to an assessment of the standard of accommodation proposed, one of the points in the board order stated. The Board further noted Section 6.9 of the Sustainable Urban Housing: Design Standards for New Apartments - Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2023) where planning authorities are requested to practically and flexibly apply the general requirements of these guidelines in relation to refurbishment schemes, particularly in historic buildings, some urban townscapes and 'over the shop' type or other existing building conversion projects, where property owners must work with existing building fabric and dimensions, it added. Accessibility works which will provide rail passengers with ease of access for generations to come have been completed at a train station in North Cork. Representatives from Iarnrod Eireanns Disability Users Group, local elected representatives and members of the community attended a special event today at Banteer Station to mark the completion of the works. Contractors, Jons Civil Engineering, working on behalf of Iarnrod Eireann, completed the work in just under 12 months. Colin O'Sullivan, station master, Banteer cuts the tape to officially open the new accessibility facilities at Banteer Railway Station in North Cork on Thursday. Also Included in the photo are, Barry O'Donnell, 'Voice of Vision Impairment, Kevin Quaid, chairperson of the European Working Group of People with Dementia, Colin Grimes, programme manager for Iarnrod Eireann, Ronan Murphy, Irish Rail, Ciaran Delaney, Irish Rail, Michael Moynihan TD, Cllr Liam Madden, Cllr Ian Doyle, Cllr John Paul O'Shea, Bernie OConnor and Rory ODonnell. Photo: Don MacMonagle. The works included the provision of a new footbridge over the railway, featuring two 13-person lifts, remedial works to platform two and its complete resurfacing and upgrades to the toilets. Speaking at the opening of the bridge, programme manager for Iarnrod Eireann, Colin Grimes, said the opening of the new infrastructure demonstrates the rail operators commitment to making the railway more accessible to all. This new infrastructure will provide ease of access for generations to come for customers from Banteer. We are also honoured to be joined by members of our Disability Users Group here today as their input is essential to ensuring that the upgrade works that I and my team undertake provide the best possible solution for persons with reduced mobility, he added. Iarnrod Eireann said an integral element of the companys ongoing investment programme is to continuously improve accessibility of its stations and services. Banteer is the latest new lift and passenger bridge on the network, and follows the opening of Little Island earlier this year. Up to 11 further stations will see construction or planning progress for new lifts in 2024. The companys Disability Users Group provides direct input from disability representative bodies and users of rail services in developing accessibility programmes and projects. A Cork man accused of damaging uniform and equipment belonging to a member of An Garda Siochana also threatened to piss on the officer and rape his family. These were the allegations made against 25-year-old Kevin Buckley of 5C Shanakiel Place, Blarney Rd, Cork, at Cork District Court. Sergeant Dave Delea gave an outline of the allegations in the case, after which Judge John King said he would accept jurisdiction to deal with the case at Cork District Court. A copy of the prosecution evidence in the case is to be sent to Frank Buttimer, defence solicitor. Judge King adjourned the case until September 11, to allow time for that to happen. Kevin Buckley is charged with being intoxicated to such an extent that he was a danger to himself or others on March 21, at Washington St, Cork. He is charged with engaging in threatening behaviour that could have caused a breach of the peace, resisting a garda acting in the execution of his duty. Kevin Buckley faces three charges of causing criminal damage to property belonging to the garda, namely the clasp for a utility belt, a Tetra radio and a stab vest. While on mobile patrol, gardai observed a male acting in an aggressive manner. He was shouting at members of the public asking for fights, Sgt Delea said. [A member of An Garda Siochana] approached and noted the strong smell of intoxicating liquor. He asked the male to desist in his actions but his aggressive behaviour continued. He began shouting abuse at the garda. He shouted loudly that he would rape [the gardas] family members and piss all over [the garda]. He shouted this a number of times while members of the public were present. It was alleged that he aggressively resisted arrest and that in the course of this resistance, there was damage caused to the garda stab vest and other property on the garda uniform. Accepting jurisdiction, Judge King commented that the charges faced by the accused were under the Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act and the Criminal Damage Act. The charges relate to an alleged incident at around 11pm on March 21. Global philanthropic network The Ireland Funds has awarded 40,000 to six non-profit organisations in Cork. The Cork recipients of this years Heart of the Community Fund include Irish Dogs for the Disabled and the Crann Centre. CEO and founder of Dogs for the Disabled, Jennifer Dowler, described the funding as transformative. The Heart of the Community Fund grant provided by our dear friends at The Ireland Funds is transformative in so many ways, but most importantly because they look deep into our work to see our beating heart, she said. Max O Keeffe with assistance dog Nicky from Dogs for the Disabled in Cork. Photo: Aengus McMahon Thrilled Meanwhile, Padraig Mallon, CEO of the Crann Centre which provides support for children, adults and families living with neuro-physical disabilities said the centre is thrilled to be awarded a Heart of the Community Fund grant from The Ireland Funds for 2024. The Ireland Funds has demonstrated fantastic support for the work Crann does through its 2Gen Model of Care and this grant will help to directly fund our expert services team as they develop and provide vital, tailored supports and prove outcomes for our growing community of clients and families served each day, he added. The Heart of the Community Fund this year is awarding 930,000 to 93 community and voluntary organisations across the island of Ireland to support their vital local activity. It is our aim that the Heart of the Community Fund fuels organisations to continue their essential work within communities, president and CEO of The Ireland Funds, Caitriona Fottrell, said. We are deeply grateful for the steadfast generosity of our donors, which continues to bolster crucial initiatives across the island of Ireland. The other Cork organisations to receive funding are Nasc the refugee and migrant rights centre, St Brendans The Glen Senior Citizens, Dance Cork Firkin Crane, and Cork Church (Feed Cork). A group of protesters who gathered outside Uisce Eireanns offices in Cork city yesterday, calling for safe, clean water, were supported by passing drivers who honked horns in agreement. Eddie Carroll, a water worker with Cork County Council, addressed the crowd, saying that he and thousands of others were left in a difficult position when water services were handed over to Uisce Eireann. They are not listening to experienced council staff if they were, you wouldnt have most of the problems were seeing today, he said, with protesters agreeing that the issues began when the water services were privatised. In a statement to The Echo ahead of the protest, Uisce Eireann said it accepts that water services in Cork city are not meeting the standards that impacted customers rightly expect. Measures It added: We want to assure the public that the matter is being treated with the utmost urgency and that the dedicated Cork City Water Quality Taskforce is undertaking all possible measures to minimise discolouration. Uisce Eireann provides clean, safe drinking water to over 125,000 people in Cork city every day and, based on 2023 reports to our call centre, it is estimated that discolouration affects approximately just over 1% of customers. Socialist councillor Brian McCarthy, one of the protest organisers, told The Echo: We did a survey in Knocknaheeny and Gurranabraher and found that 70% of people often or always had issues with their water 1% is an acute distortion. Since we started this campaign, its been a media offensive. The taskforce, phone line, its all just PR to distract from the fact that they have no real solution. Flushing pipes has been done months ago, but people tell us that the problem is back as bad as ever, so why are they dedicating so much time and resources to it? Complaints His party colleague Mick Barry TD also addressed the crowd, accusing the company of living in cloud cuckoo land with their 1% figure. He added that many people are not making complaints because they know from neighbours and friends that its like banging your head against a wall and nothing changes. Until Uisce Eireann provides a timeline for how long it will take to fix the problems, protests will continue to take place, Mr Barry said. A six-month suspended sentence was imposed on a 37-year-old woman who was caught with a small amount of heroin for her own use, about 18 months ago. Jacinta OBrien of Adelaide Street, Cork, was stopped and searched near her home on January 12, 2023 and gardai found 20 worth of diamorphine (heroin). Sergeant John Kelleher said the defendant had four previous convictions for having drugs for her own use and one for dealing drugs. Solicitor Eddie Burke said Ms OBrien had been doing very well since this last drugs offence was detected. Judge Mary Dorgan imposed a six-month jail term suspended on condition that the accused would be of good behaviour and commit no further offences for the next two years. A do not swim notice, put in place at the Warren Beach in West Cork earlier this week, has been lifted. It comes after testing of water samples showed that water quality at the beach has been restored to excellent status. On Tuesday, Cork County Council advised people that a do not swim notice had been issued for the beach at the mouth of Rosscarbery Bay. A spokesperson for the local authority confirmed to The Echo at the time that "an ecoli noncompliance had been detected at the beach. Further water samples were taken, the results of which were made available today and found the beach to be safe to swim at again. A spokesperson for the local authority told The Echo that following comprehensive follow-up monitoring by Cork County Councils Environment Directorate in consultation with HSE, the do not swim notice had been lifted and that final test results showed that the water quality had been restored to excellent status. The decision made to reopen Warren Beach was made based on solid scientific data from Cork County Councils accredited laboratory in Inniscarra, as well as on the professional advice from its staff, and from colleagues in the HSE, the spokesperson said. When water quality is affected at County Cork beaches, the Council may have to take steps to advise or prohibit the public from entering the bathing waters. This is done for the purposes of public health, the protection of which is its top priority. However, the Council also recognises that the many beautiful beaches along our coast are of vital importance to the local communities and to local business. The Council makes every effort to determine as soon as possible when bathing water is again safe to use. Cork South West TD Fianna Fail TD Christopher O'Sullivan had voiced concerns about the temporary closure of the beach in recent days describing it as "devastating" for local businesses. This afternoon, he said he was relieved and delighted that it had reopened. "I want to commend Cork County Council for turning around the water test results quickly, which now means the beach will now be open again for the weekend. I would encourage people to visit Rosscarbery and visit the Warren. Its one of the safest and most stunning beaches in Ireland and Rosscarbery is one of Corks most picturesque towns. The focus now has to be on insuring the issue does not happen again and that the Warren can once again retain its blue flag status. The Cork TD had previously noted that this is the second time in two years that there has been a no swim notice out in the Warren, with a notice also issued two years ago. He raised concern that the most recent notice will delay the Rosscarbery beach from receiving a blue flag. To be granted blue flag status for beaches, marinas and sustainable boating tourism, operators must comply with a specific set of criteria relating to water quality, information provision, environmental education, safety and environmental management. In order to get a blue flag you have to have four years consecutive of clear tests. It had been two years since the last failure, so they potentially could have gotten it back in two years, but unfortunately this failure resets it back to the four-year wait. Blue flag beaches mean a lot. People feel safer at blue flag beaches, they know that they have good quality water. "Neighbouring beaches like Inchydoney and Garretstown have it, so it is a pride thing for the community. This is a bit of a kick to them, the Cork TD told The Echo. A global IT outage affected some services in Cork Airport today, including flights, however all essential services continued to operate normally. In the wake of the incident, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said that it was aware of a global incident concerning the latest update of CrowdStrike security software. Whilst there are impacts in several sectors, all essential services continue to operate normally. Similarly, Government IT is not currently affected, it said. The NCSC said it would continue to work with any providers affected to gain an understanding of how their systems may have been affected, and to provide assistance remediating the issue. Passengers flying out of Cork Airport were today advised to arrive at the airport three hours in advance as Ryanair had been impacted by the outage, with delays to the majority of Ryanair flights from Cork, some up to three hours. The airline said it had been forced to cancel a small number of flights, apologising for the inconvenience caused due to the third party issue. Cork commuters also faced difficulties as the TFI Leap Card Top Up system and their live update app were both down due to the outage, leaving people unable to top up leap cards or check bus times from their phones. Both services were functional again by late afternoon. KNOCK-ON EFFECTS Meanwhile, a lecturer in Business Information Systems at University College Cork, warned that it could take some time to rectify the knock-on impact of such an outage. CrowdStrike software is designed to protect Windows systems from cyberattack. The software keeps an eye out for viruses, malware, and attempts to attack the system from outside. When a Windows system boots up, if CrowdStrike is installed, then the software runs just after the PC is powered on. What happened here is that a specific piece of software called Falcon Sensor, after a faulty update, causes Windows to fail on startup, Dr Simon Woodworth explained. A fix has already been announced and obviously companies affected will work to deploy it as quickly as possible. Unfortunately the knock on effects will take much longer to clean up." Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions. For the first time in over a century, a North Atlantic right whale a critically endangered species with only about 360 individuals remaining has been seen off the Irish coast. Adrian Maguire, on vacation from Northern Irelands County Tyrone, saw the whales enormous figure as he fished for mackerel in a boat with his wife and a couple of friends, reported The Guardian. I just looked in amazement at the size of it, Maguire said. Ive never experienced that in my life. Macguire described letting the boat drift as they watched for about an hour while the whale swam and surfaced in McSwynes Bay off Irelands northwest coast. The sound of the blowing its great to hear that in real life, Maguire said, as The Guardian reported. Conor Ryan, a Scottish Association for Marine Science research fellow, said it was the first North Atlantic right whale sighting off the coast of Ireland in 114 years. I was very sceptical at first because its such an unbelievable occurrence, Ryan said. North Atlantic right whales which can grow to more than 52 feet long are normally found off North Americas east coast. Photos taken by Maguires party left Ryan and colleagues unsure of the species of whale at first, but after watching video footage, they knew it was a North Atlantic right whale from the cetaceans crusty white callosities skin that had been damaged by whale lice. Theres no other whale in the North Atlantic with that, Ryan explained, adding that sightings of the species in Europe are extremely unusual. The majestic whales were once commonly found in European waters, but whaling decimated their populations centuries ago. The sighting was confirmed as a North Atlantic right whale by the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG), who said there arent many whales who frequent Irish waters. The thing about whales in Ireland, in common with most places around the globe, is that there will only be a relatively short list of usual suspects in any one area, a press release from IWDG said. [I]n Irish coastal waters, the only whale that routinely lifts its tail clear of the water before a deep dive, is the humpback whale, and this clearly was no humpback. So not only could we rule out this species, but along with the humpback, we could eliminate minke, fin and sei whales, who simply dont tail fluke. Illustration of a North Atlantic right whale. William Helps / Irish Whale and Dolphin Group IWDG sightings officer Padraig Whooley contacted the New England Aquarium in Boston, which keeps track of known individuals of the species, reported The Guardian. Whooley said the aquarium was in the process of trying to identify which particular whale was observed off County Donegal from footage of its markings. According to IWDG, the survival outlook for this critically endangered species is fragile, as each year entanglement in fishing gear and ship strikes kill individuals from their dwindling population. Ryan said the current rate of North Atlantic Right whale deaths is too high for them to recover, The Guardian reported. However, while Ryan didnt anticipate the species would make a comeback in Irish waters in the near future, he said the sighting was a glimmer of hope. IWDG advised caution for anyone going in search of the rare visitor. As always we ask wildlife and whale enthusiasts whod like to visit the area with a view to seeing this animal to look for it and watch it from the shore using optics. North Atlantic Right whales are most susceptible to ship strike and even a collision with a small vessel can have fatal consequences for the individual and a significant impact at population level. There is an enormous onus on us all to ensure this whale remains as long as it needs in Donegal bay, where its most likely feeding on tiny copepods, without having to run the gauntlet of small craft and sightseers, IWDG said in the press release. This is our chance to help a population of whales on the very brink. Please give it space. (Photo: Ecumenical News/Peter Kenny)A crowd attends the interreligious service held during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at the Ecumenical Center in Geneva on January 21, 2013. Pope Francis has appealed to Christians across the world to pray and to work for full Christian Unity saying that the faithful have a duty to work for it. Linda Bordoni reports for Vatican News that the Pope has reminded the faithful that "Ecumenism is not something optional" during his Jan. 16 weekly General Audience. Francis looked ahead to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity that takes place from Jan. 18 to 25. For its part, the World Council of Churches said that from Jan. 18-25, Christians will embark on the largest prayer gathering in the world, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. "Whether praying together, exchanging preachers or planning ecumenical services, they will bear witness to Jesus's prayer for his disciples that they may be one so that the world may believe," said the WCC. The WCC's members include most Protestant and Eastern Orthodox churches but not the Roman Catholic Church, with which it cooperates on many issues. Pope Francis noted that the annual "Week of Prayer", on the theme "Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue," starts with the celebration of Vespers in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on Friday. "Again, this year we are called to pray so that all Christians may once again be a single family, according to God's will 'so that they may all be one'" he said. Pointing out that "ecumenism is not something optional," the Pope e said it aims "to develop a common and consistent witness that promotes true justice and support for the weakest through responses that are concrete, appropriate and effective." The annual "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" is a time in which Christians are reminded of Jesus' prayer for His disciples that "they may be one so that the world may believe" (John 17.21). It is an occasion for Christians of different denominations to come together to pray for their unity and participate in special ecumenical celebrations and prayer services. The theme in 2019, "Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue ..." is inspired by the Bible's book Deuteronomy 16:18-20. Traditionally the week of prayer's celebration between Jan. 18-25, between the feasts of St. Peter and St. Paul. In the southern hemisphere, where January is a vacation time, churches often find other days to celebrate it, for example around Pentecost, which is also a symbolic date for unity. The text for the prayers for the week is jointly published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the WCC, through the WCC's Commission on Faith and Order, which also accompanies the entire production process of the text. World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit said that, as people around the world pray together, they will share a sense of joy, concern and accountability, a sharing that forms the heart of the ecumenical movement. "As we celebrate a unity in diversity, we become more able to strongly pursue justice in our many contexts," he said. "In all cultures and continents, we can pray for each other and pray together as a living fellowship for justice and peace." (Photo: Stephen Brown / WCC)Papal Logos Center, EgyEpt in July 2024. A team from the World Council of Churches has visited Egypt at the invitation of the Coptic Orthodox Church to plan for the 2025 World Conference on Faith and Order. The WCC said in a statement that it will take place at the Logos Papal Center at Wadi El Natrun, near Alexandria. The conference, organized by the WCC Commission on Faith and Order, will mark the 1,700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. The World Conference on Faith and Order will meet from 24-28 October 2025 under the theme "Where Now for Visible Unity?" That preparation gathering assembled representatives of the whole of Christendom to seek consensus on the central meaning of the Christian faith. "We were so glad that the World Council of Churches accepted the request and the wish of the Coptic Church to have this event here in Egypt," said Bishop Abraham, Coptic auxiliary bishop in Los Angeles, who is also a member of the WCC central committee. In November 2023 the WCC accepted an invitation from the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church,. Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, to hold the world conference at the Logos Papal Centre, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Alexandria. It is close to the 4th-century St Bishoy Monastery, one of the most important monastic centers in Egypt. During their July 13-17 July, members of a six-person WCC team visited the St. Bishoy Monastery and the Logos Papal Center. WORLD CONFERENCE There they discussed plans for the world conference with the Coptic Orthodox Church committee preparing for the conference, led by Bishop Abraham. Abraham underlined the important role played by the See of Alexandria at the Council of Nicaea, and especially the involvement of Patriarch St Alexander I of Alexandria and of St Athanasius, who attended the council as a deacon and who would become the 20th Patriarch of Alexandria. "We have not only been warmly welcomed, we have already begun to have a foretaste of the ancient Christian tradition that the Coptic church is the custodian of," said Rev. Kuzipa Nalwamba, WCC program director for Unity, Mission, and Ecumenical Formation, who led the WCC team to Egypt. "The juxtaposition of the ancient St Bishoy and the ultramodern Logos centers in the ministry of your church is a gift to the Christian family," said Nalwamba, in her opening words. Planning began in 2012 for the Logos Papal Center after Pope Tawadros II's enthronement. The center includes the Church of the Transfiguration, a conference hall and meeting room, and accommodation for visitors. The meeting heralded a visit to Egypt in November by a WCC delegation that will be led by WCC general secretary Rev. Jerry Pillay. Bangladesh is experiencing a complete internet shutdown as its government attempts to clamp down on widespread student protests that have resulted in the deaths of at least 32 people, according to AFP. The unrest is centered around the countrys quota system that requires a third of government jobs to be reserved for relatives of veterans who had fought for Bangladeshs independence from Pakistan in 1971. On Thursday, several thousand protestors in Dhaka, Bangladeshs capital, had reportedly stormed state broadcaster BTV, smashed windows and furniture and set offices on fire, trapping many people inside, according to a post on BTVs official Facebook page. 17 people died on Thursday amid clashes with police, reported Al Jazeera. To control the situation, Bangladeshi authorities shut down internet and phone access throughout the country, a common practice in South Asia to prevent the spread of rumors and misinformation and exercise state control. NetBlocks, a global internet monitor that works on digital rights analyzed live network data that showed that Bangladesh was in the middle of a near-total national internet shutdown. Confirmed: Live network data show #Bangladesh is now in the midst of a near-total national internet shutdown; the new measure follows earlier efforts to throttle social media and restrict mobile data services, and comes amid reports of rising deaths at student protests pic.twitter.com/nMwwS0MDnC NetBlocks (@netblocks) July 18, 2024 Internet shutdowns are a popular way to crack down on conflict in countries around the world. According to internet watchdog Access Now, the number of shutdowns around the world continues to rise each year. In 2023, 39 countries collectively shutdown internet access more than 160 times for a variety of reasons including protests, exams and elections. Bangladesh has frequently blacked out the internet to crack down on political opposition and activists. At the end of 2023, research tool CIVICUS Monitor, which provides data on the state of civil society and freedoms in nearly 200 countries, downgraded Bangladeshs civic space to closed, its lowest possible rating, after the country imposed six internet shutdowns the previous year. That made Bangladesh the fifth-largest perpetrator of internet shutdowns in 2022, Access Now said . A massive Microsoft Windows BSOD (blue screen of death) outage has impacted multiple companies worldwide including airlines, broadcasters and others. The problem was caused by a faulty update from security giant CrowdStrike that forced PCs and servers into an unrecoverable boot loop. The change has since been rolled back, and airlines and hospitals were gradually recovering by midday in the US, but many machines are still affected. "We have widespread reports of BSODs on windows hosts, occurring on multiple sensor versions," CrowdStrike wrote in a pinned Reddit post. "[We have] identified a content deployment related to this issue and reverted those changes." The company went on to describe a workaround, which involves booting Windows into Safe Mode and deleting a specific driver. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz apologized for the global meltdown on the Today show (via The NY Times), saying, Were deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused. The issue forced Delta, Frontier and other airlines to ground flights, and impacted UK broadcaster Sky and the London Stock Exchange. On a Reddit thread, dozens of commenters stated that their companies were effectively offline due to the problem. Flight-tracking service FlightAware reported in mid-afternoon that over 2,500 US flights had been canceled on Friday. They gradually recovered as the day continued, but the restoration was far from complete. 12-hour timelapse of American Airlines, Delta, and United plane traffic after what was likely the biggest IT outage in history forced a nationwide ground stop of the three airlines. pic.twitter.com/wwcQeiEtVe Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 19, 2024 US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told airlines on Friday that they would need to handle the situation as if it were a self-inflicted (mechanical or technical) failure, which requires them to cover travelers food, transportation and lodging costs for those whose delays last longer than three hours. Earlier in the day, United Airlines and Delta had told stranded airline passengers theyd have to foot the bills themselves since the CrowdStrike meltdown was out of their control. A United spokesperson later reversed its previous stance after Buttigiegs comments. IT pros around the world struggled to adapt to the nearly impossible hand theyd been dealt. "Even if [CrowdStrike] fixed the issue causing the BSOD, I'm thinking how are we going to restore the thousands of devices that are not booting up," one user noted. "Let me explain to someone who is not tech savvy and is working from home how to boot their machine into safe mode," another wrote. Reddit users including many IT managers from Australia, Malaysia, Japan, India, the Czech Republic and elsewhere have said they're fighting through the issue. "Here in the Philippines, specifically in my employer, it is like Thanos snapped his fingers. Half of the entire organization [is] down due to BSOD loop. Started at 2pm and is still ongoing. What a Friday," said one. US court systems were affected as well, with cases scheduled for the day postponed (including the latest trial of the disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein). Many hospitals reportedly postponed surgeries requiring anesthesia, and some were unable to reschedule due to the required appointment planning software also being down. CrowdStrike is a US-based security firm that provides real-time protection against security threats to corporations. One of its key products is Falcon, described by the company as "providing real-time indicators of attack, hyper-accurate detection and automated protection" from threats. A CrowdStrike spokesperson said it was likely an issue with Falcon that caused the incident. To add to the pain, Microsoft appears to have also suffered a separate outage with its Azure services and Microsoft 365 app suite. "Users may be unable to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services," it wrote. It's not clear which, if any, of the outages are related to this instead of the CrowdStrike problem. Update July 19, 2024 6:12 AM ET: CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz has acknowledged the problem on X, saying it was caused by a defect in a content update for Windows hosts, and not a "security incident or cyberattack," He added that "the issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed." There's no mention on whether the fix will be usable on machines currently stuck in a boot loop. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted, he added. An identical statement has been posted on CrowdStrike's blog. Update, July 19, 2024, 3:46 PM ET: This story has been updated to add developments around flights, hospitals, court cases and an apology from CrowdStrikes CEO. It turns out the MGM Resorts hacker may just be a 17-year-old teenager. A teenage boy may be responsible for a ransomware attack that shut down MGM Resorts in Las Vegas last year. The West Midlands Police Department in England confirmed that they arrested an unidentified 17-year-old on Thursday from the town of Walsall who allegedly shut down the resort and casino on the Las Vegas strip last year. The teenager was arrested on suspicion of blackmail and violating the UKs Computer Misuse Act. He was released on bail, according to a statement from the police department. Police officials tracked the teenage suspect as part of a joint investigation with the UKs National Crime Agency and the FBI. The police department said they recovered evidence at the teenagers address including a number of digital devices which will undergo forensic examination. The statement also said the teenager was part of a global cyber online crime group but did not specify which group. The ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group announced their responsibility for the MGM Resorts cyber outage. The attack happened on Sep. 12, 2023 allegedly with a simple 10 minute phone call to a Help desk employee using information obtained from LinkedIn. The group has also claimed responsibility for a similar ransomware attack on the beauty brand Estee Lauder. "All ALPHV ransomware group did to compromise MGM Resorts was hop on LinkedIn, find an employee, then call the Help Desk," the organization wrote in a post on X. MGM Resorts system shutdown lasted for nine days and created a massive outage across all of its casinos on the Las Vegas Strip. News later surfaced that other casinos like Caesars were also targeted by a different group but chose to pay the hackers tens of millions of dollars to prevent private company data from being released. The company is trying to head off another potential PR disaster after users reported their ear tips tore easily. Samsung has temporarily shut down Galaxy Buds 3 Pro shipments. With memories of its flaming hot (and not in a good way) Galaxy Note fiasco eight years ago, the company is halting the earbuds launch while urgently assessing and enhancing the products quality control, according to a statement shared with Engadget and Android Authority, which first published the news. Some users who received the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro before their July 24 launch reported that their ear tips tore easily. Considering how often they may need to remove and replace tips to find their ideal fit, material prone to ripping could have led to atrocious PR and an expensive recall had the company let the launch proceed as planned. Samsungs website has added a new release date of August 28, although its unclear if thats a soft placeholder or a new hard target. In addition, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro Amazon listing has been pulled altogether. Sam Rutherford for Engadget To ensure all products meet our quality standards, we have temporarily suspended deliveries of Galaxy Buds 3 Pro devices to distribution channels to conduct a full quality control evaluation before shipments to consumers take place, Samsungs statement reads. Samsung Korea previously issued a statement apologizing for quality control issues and promising a full inspection. However, that remark didnt mention a delay. The company added that customers who already received the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and are having problems should contact Samsung or visit a Samsung Service Center. Android Authority also published an email sent to a pre-order customer confirming a delay and advising them to request a cancellation if they choose. You can read Samsungs full statement below: There have been reports relating to a limited number of early production Galaxy Buds 3 Pro devices. We are taking this matter very seriously and remain committed to meeting the highest quality standards of our products. We are urgently assessing and enhancing our quality control processes. To ensure all products meet our quality standards, we have temporarily suspended deliveries of Galaxy Buds3 Pro devices to distribution channels to conduct a full quality control evaluation before shipments to consumers take place. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. For more on the flagship wireless earbuds, you can read Engadgets hands-on coverage. Update, July 19, 2024, 2:48 PM ET: This story has been updated to add Samsungs full statement, which the company shared with Engadget. The mining of technology nostalgia is unrelenting. Earlier this week, we had an unofficial return of the iPod, not to mention Tamagotchis and now Discman. Well, not an actual Discman, which is a Sony brand, but the portable CD player is back. Audiophile brand FiiO has launched the DM13, a portable CD player with modern touches, like high-fidelity wireless and a built-in battery. No more AAs! The CD Player will go on sale in September for $179 (179 in the UK). It begins shipping only in a silver finish, but FiiO says red, blue, titanium and black variants will arrive later in the year enough time to find my folder of NOW compilation CDs. Mat Smith The biggest stories you might have missed Bangladesh is experiencing a near-total internet shutdown amid student protests Netflix will drop a new multiplayer game when Squid Game season 2 premieres this year How to install the iOS 18 public beta You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! Its a massive Microsoft Windows BSOD (blue screen of death) outage. Unable to get into Outlook this morning? Youre not the only one. Microsoft has also suffered an outage with its Azure services and Microsoft 365 app suite. Then, a faulty update from security giant CrowdStrike forced PCs and servers into an unrecoverable boot loop. The issue forced Delta, Frontier and other airlines to ground flights and impacted the UKs London Stock Exchange and Sky broadcaster. We have widespread reports of BSODs on Windows hosts, occurring on multiple sensor versions, CrowdStrike wrote in a pinned Reddit post. [We have] identified a content deployment related to this issue and reverted those changes. Its a great Friday morning for all involved. Continue reading. Waiting on Apple Intelligence for the true upgrade. Apple launched public betas across all its platforms, and while youll have to wait for the official release in fall, lots of features are stable enough for most folks to play with. While I got to grips with everything out there on iOS 18, there was a big missing piece: Apple Intelligence. Arguably the most interesting things Apple showed off at WWDC hinged on AI, but none of those features are available for testing yet. Read on for what we like so far. Continue reading. Google just confirmed it. Google Its not a Pixel leak without Google following up with fewer images and less information. Following a couple of leaks on four Pixel 9 phones apparently coming up, Google revealed the camera unit on the Pixel 9 Pro, and it is chonky. Continue reading. Not everything is Fallout. Back in 2013, Microsoft decided to create a live-action Halo television series back when Halo was one of the biggest gaming properties in the world. It took about ten years to happen, but only two years and series for Paramount+ to cancel it. According to an unnamed Variety source, the show creators plan to shop the project around and search for a new home for Master Chief. Continue reading. The Republican presidential nominee started using the game streaming platform in 2019 to broadcast campaign stops and speeches. Twitch has confirmed that former president and current Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps three-year ban on the gaming stream platform has been reversed. A statement from Twitch confirmed the news about the status of Trumps ban from the platform. We reinstated former President Trumps Twitch channel, the statement read. We believe there is value in hearing from Presidential nominees directly, when possible. Trump is now the official Republican nominee for US President. The Amazon-owned platform first issued a temporary suspension on President Trump's account in 2020 for violating its hateful conduct and harassment policies and restored it two weeks later. Twitch disabled the account following the Jan. 6 riot on the US Capitol in 2021 due to the current extraordinary circumstances and the Presidents incendiary rhetoric before issuing an indefinite suspension two weeks later, according to a Twitch spokesperson. Four people died and 174 police officers were injured during the attack. Three more police officers involved in the riot died in the days and weeks following Jan. 6, according to the New York Times . Twitch is the latest Internet platform to lift a ban on one of Trump's accounts. Meta rolled back Trump's restrictions on Facebook and Instagram a week ago. Trump first joined Twitch in 2019 during his presidential campaign against President Joe Biden. His campaign team used the platform to stream his rallies and other events starting with a stump speech in Minneapolis. Since then, politics has carved out a notable corner of Twitch with live broadcasts of moments like the recent Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and even its own official category . Pundits and commentators on both sides of the political aisle also regularly broadcast live streams of political events and speeches and host debates on Twitch. This article contains affiliate links; if you click such a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Abuja (Nigeria), 19 July 2024 The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Chief Executive Officer of Eni, Claudio Descalzi, met in Abuja today to discuss the companys ongoing activities in Nigeria and outline new initiatives focused on energy transition and decarbonization. During the meeting, Mr. Descalzi highlighted Enis long-standing relationship with Nigeria, which began decades ago. Eni remains committed to the country through significant investments that will be focused in deepwater projects, including Abo and Bonga, and Nigeria LNG. Eni's commitment to Nigeria is also reflected in its social investment programs, which support education, healthcare, access to power, capacity building, and infrastructure development in hundreds of communities across the country. The meeting also served as an opportunity to discuss Enis plans for economic diversification in Nigeria. These plans include assessing the potential production of agri-feedstock for Enilive biorefineries, mainly sourced from agro-industrial residues. Additionally, Eni is evaluating various nature- and technology-based projects, such as clean cooking initiatives, to offset emissions. Eni has been operating in Nigeria since 1962, actively engaging in hydrocarbon exploration and production, as well as power generation. Currently, Eni has a substantial portfolio of assets in exploration and production, with an equity production of approximately 60,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Eni also holds a 10.4% interest in Nigeria LNG. Donald Trump's would-be gunman searched for information about high-profile figures before the shooting incident in Pennsylvania over the weekend, according to a report. The former president was shot onstage during a rally at Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. The gunman was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20. He was killed by the U.S. Secret Service after he opened fire at Trump. The FBI has released new updates about the incident being investigated as an assassination attempt. On Monday, the FBI investigators announced that they gained access to Crooks' smartphone to analyze his electronic devices in a bid to understand his motive. They discovered that he searched for information about multiple high-profile personalities, including one unnamed British royal. Law enforcement informed the members of Congress through conference calls about their ongoing investigation on Wednesday, per The New York Times. Two officials told the outlet that Crooks' browsing history included searches related to Trump, President Joe Biden, FBI director Christopher Wray, Attorney General Merrick Garland and a member of the British royal family. The bureau officials added that they "have found no indication that Mr. Crooks, who was a registered Republican, had strong partisan political views one way or another." Meanwhile, the news that Crooks looked up a British royal sparked various speculations. Some claimed that the unnamed royal was either Prince Harry or Meghan Markle. However, others insisted it could be Kate Middleton. "Why are the toxic press hiding the fact that the 'unnamed royal' the Trump shooter searched for was Kate Middleton? Expect to see articles implying a link to Harry & Meghan as a diversion from the truth that Willy & Kate inspire right-wing extremists," one posted on X, formerly Twitter. "Harry & Meghan when the FBI didn't name the Royal he searched? If they believe it was Harry or Meghan they are confirming they need security," a second person wrote. "Trump Shooter searched 'The Princess of Wales' I am sharing this because Harry & Meghan's Sussex squad are already trying to claim it was Harry who is in danger," another user commented. A video taken years ago showing Trump's shooter seemingly getting bullied by his high school classmate has also resurfaced amid the investigation. The latter allegedly harassed him by pulling on his pant leg while he was sitting at his desk and using his phone. A former classmate confirmed that Crooks was a loner because he was "bullied." He was reportedly made fun of due to the way he dressed. The body of a famous Chinese influencer believed to have been missing for weeks was found dismembered and decomposing on the outskirts of Thailand. The badly decomposed remains of a woman believed to be 38-year-old TikToker Yan Ruimin were found on Saturday in Chachoengsao, 50km east of Bangkok, the Toronto Sun reported. Police reportedly discovered a skeleton and severed human legs in the deserted site. Yan is a travel influencer who has documented her trips across several Asian countries. She previously visited Malaysia and Singapore before arriving solo in Thailand in late June. The content creator was reported missing on July 12 by a friend who last heard from her on June 30, the Chinese News Asia reported. Yan previously mentioned her plans to visit Phuket but never arrived at her destination. Authorities believe the kidnapping and murder were personal, the Sun noted. Thai investigators said a suspect has been arrested for the crime in Macau. Identified as Ma Qingyan by Thai Media, the man was arrested for attempting to pawn a fake luxury watch on July 10. He was later arrested trying to flee to Hong Kong, said another CNA report. The suspect has been transferred to mainland authorities. Yan has over 11,000 followers on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu under the username Ruiming. Her last post showed her partying in Macau in May. The news comes as several tourist kidnappings and crimes have been reported recently in Thailand. On Tuesday, six people, including two U.S. citizens, were found dead in a luxury hotel from apparent cyanide poisoning. Police were called to the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok after a staff member found the guests dead inside a suite. Authorities found the group's bodies with a table full of untouched food and cups with traces of white powder, CNN reported. "Cyanide was found in the liquid inside the teapot, in all six coffee cups," forensic office chief Trairong Phiewphan said in a press conference. It is still unknown whether the deceased were murdered or chose to take their own lives. Pop Smoke's mother spoke out about one of her son's convicted killers giving interviews after being released from jail. On Wednesday, Pop Smoke's mother, Audrey Jackson, appeared on the "Tap in With TT" podcast to discuss her son's legacy. During the interview, she was asked about King Vermont Raskel, one of Pop Smoke's convicted killers, who recently gave an interview discussing the experience of murdering her son. RELATED : Video Shows Trump Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks Being Bullied In School "I'm not tuned in to that," Jackson stated at the 18:00 mark of the interview. "I'm not tuned in to that." "I've been told that he's been interviewing and being disrespectful, and I gotta let that go because that'll eat me up," she continued. "Because the bottom line is your life is over. His life is finished. He's living, but if that's his approach to what he's done, life is done for him." RELATED : Donald Trump Dead And Funeral Searches Surge After Apparent Assassination Attempt Leaves Him Injured Pop Smoke, real name Bashar Barakah Jackson, was fatally shot during a home invasion at a rented mansion in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, on February 19, 2020. He was 20 years old. In July of that year, five individuals, including two minors, were arrested in connection with his murder. The interview follows a June report by 'Rolling Stone' that Corey Walker, another suspect in the "Dior" rapper's death, will receive a new trial date after plea deal negotiations failed. Jury selection was initially scheduled to begin later that month, but if no plea deal is reached, it will now start on August 6. Honolulu, HIAccomplished and award winning pilot, Dawn Bartsch, and her husband, Gordon, made history in July 1992 by participating in the First Annual Around the World Air Rally, a circumnavigation of 12 small planes flying around the world in 21 days while crossing the entire landmass of Russia. Flying in a newly acquired twin-engine Cessna 421 Golden Eagle, Kona Wind, Gordon and Dawn, and the rest of the adventurous group, saw Russia at a major turning point in history, the Cold War had only been over for seven months and confusion reigned supreme. Dawn's legacy as one of the first accomplished female pilots is legendary. In 2011 she was inducted into the Yukon Transportation Hall of Fame and received the Yukon Territory Order of Polaris in recognition of her work in the region. In 2015 she received the Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award for Pioneers. Dawn married Gordon in 1962, a pilot she had hired to work at Connelly-Dawson Airways. Dawn's detailed flight journal, one of seven major flight logs, was used to help create a new book about the this amazing aviation adventure right after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Michael B. Butler, who documented the world flight in video and still pictures, just released Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days, 30 Years Later: 12 Planes & 22 Aviators Thru 11 Countries When the Soviet Union Fell & Russia Returned on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and in audio book from Google Play. Official Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days Book Trailer Here are three excerpts from Dawn's World Flight Across Russia Flight Journal, a major part of the book, Round the World & Across Russia in 21 Days, 30 Years Later. Excerpt #1, Repairs in Bangor, Maine The Cessna 421 Kona Wind had radar and ADF problems, plus the #1 VHF radio was out, so Gordon and Dawn went south to nearby Portland for repairs. Dawn relates from her journal, "We presented our problems to Northeast Air's radio shop manager David, after assuring us it was a two-to-three-day job Gordon and I pleaded that we would remove the cowlings and pinpoint the problems. We were in a spot and he came to our rescue. He stayed two hours past closing and pushed back his dinner date, which allowed him to fix all three problems by 7:30 pm. "We had to wait an hour for local thunderstorms across our route to Bangor, we thought ourselves fortunate and decided David was a genius at having fixed all three problems for us. We munched on some of our stash of Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts for giveaways, given to us by the state of Hawaii and Mauna Loa for promotion across Russia, and waited for clear weather. Gord and I arrive in Bangor just in time for a quick clean up and a huge Maine Lobster dinner from the almost closed kitchen, first a cold Martini and then dinner put us back into the 'Rally' mood." Excerpt #2, Landing in Iceland After Stop in Greenland for Fuel Gordon and Dawn, in the twin Cessna 421 Kona Wind, arrived last as Dawn relates, "After our long two-leg journey from Canada to Greenland to Iceland, it is nice to just walk over to the Loftleidir Hotel adjacent to the airport, by this time it is late and after a quick wash we head for dinner. With everyone else done we sit down with photographer, Micheal Butler, and Paul Hollenbeck. Waiters throw down a plate of food for us offering water nor drinks at this late hour, barely past 10:00 pm. We are just about to order our official 'Atlantic Crossing' drink when Eric walks up and says, 'briefing in 15 minutes, be there.' "Before we even finish our dinner, Marcel comes by urging everyone to the briefing room right away, the next day's flight plan is needed in one hour. This is a most unwelcome interruption after our 14-hour trip across the North Atlantic through Greenland. So, Gordon and I angrily drag our weary bodies over to the briefing room, most of the others grumble under their breath at this late night inconvenience. "Marcel is concerned, unduly, that we can't fill out the European flight plan correctly, he insists European air traffic control needs our flight plans the night before departure. A major fault of the organizers on this Rally is a failure to warn everyone about these requirements ahead of time. Last minute requests or itinerary changes cause dissension amongst the ranks. Before Gordon and I got all of the ICAOs filled out, Marcel informs us he also needs our Helsinki to Moscow flight plan right away as well. It is now well after 11:00 pm, we have lost three hours during a nine-hour day of flying, and now this! Since our flight plan sheets are in the aircraft, it is down to the plane to fetch our charts, then back to fill out additional flight plans. We finally got to sleep around 1:00 am, it has been a long day and the next one will start soon at 6:00 am." Excerpt #3, Landing at Tushino Airfield in Moscow Back to July 1992, Gordon and Dawn in the twin Cessna 421 Kona Wind were also nervous about Russian airspace, Dawn's journal continues, "Into Russia! We get a 5:00 am wakeup call and arrive at the airport around 6:30 am, after a European breakfast of cold meat and cheese. With a two-hour wait, there is time for planning, checking weather and attending to the aircraft, everyone is thinking about Russian controllers. Nervous tension can be felt as everyone wonders about what is in store for us in Moscow. We are confronting Russia and all the history which still haunts her as a dramatic historical transition begins. We are in the aircraft working when from nowhere comes this booming music, as we step out, we know it has got to be Macewho else would play 'Dixie' full blast on the tarmac in Finland with a Texas flag flying proudly from the rear-tail of the plane. This certainly stirs things up; everyone mills around laughing in a relaxed manner that serves to take the edge off of the impending flight. "Around 8:45 am we fire up, takeoff and climb up to 19,000 feet. For the first half it is broken cloud/hazy conditions with a line of build-ups to weave thru, but it clears up as we progress closer to Moscow through the northwest corner of Russia over Estonia and into Russian airspace. Below the farmers burn fields and this creates a smoky haze which permeates the area, we assume this must be the Russian way of cleaning dead vegetation and has been so for millennia. "We are all concerned about how Russians controllers will treat us as we make our first position report over the Ledun intersection, it brought stone silence, we carry on waiting and listening and waiting then the other crews start their reports, which gives us our chance. We learn quickly that you must say your altitude in meters when you first make a call, or no response will come, in fact you repeat your altitude three-times during a report: initiating and acknowledging their confirmationthe controllers are pretty good but you must listen up!" Media Contact: For review copies or interviews please contact Eric Blair Enterprises at MichaelButlerBooks@pm.me or 213-534-7292. Along with every other decent human being, I deplore political violence. And as much as I despise his politics AND his character, I wish Donald Trump a speedy recovery from the wound inflicted by a would-be assassin with an assault rifle. BUT that doesn't mean we need to stop campaigning. It doesn't mean we should fail to make the most of the opportunity that this criminal's attack on another criminal creates. And it certainly doesn't mean we should slink off with our tails between our legs because the MAGAs tell us "this is not the time!" It's never the time, according to them. And it absolutely doesn't mean we should roll over play dead, and abandon hope just because Biden had a bad night in the recent debate or just because Trump may get sympathy votes for getting shot. Trump (who is only 3-1/2 years younger, by the way) had a bad night too, if you filter against fact-checking. He spewed blustery nonsense for 90 minutes, nearly all of it either blatantly false or totalitarian fantasy. Here's what we should be saying at every possible chance: It's time for the United States of America to stand behind the value of not getting shot by a random psycho at a school, a movie theater, a supermarket, a religious service, a concert, or anywhere else. And Trump cannot lead that effort. After all, he: By contrast, President Biden issued a powerful Executive Order promoting gun safety and managed against the odds to gain passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which he calls "the most significant bipartisan gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. The Act provides communities with new tools to combat gun violence, including enhanced gun background checks for individuals under age 21, funding for extreme risk protection orders and other crisis interventions, and increased mental health resources to help children impacted by gun violence heal from the resulting grief and trauma." If Biden chooses to step down, the Democrat who will challenge Trump in November is also likely to favor sensible gun laws. The Democratic Party as a whole has been advocating common-sense gun safety for many years. Finally, let's remember three very important things: First, just because the MAGA crazies have taken over the Republican Party doesn't mean they've taken over the minds of mainstream Republicans. We see this in the typical 20 percent that Nikki Haley continued to draw even after she suspended her campaign! And I've also seen it in my conversations with many Republicans who tell me they don't like Trump's character, his lack of understanding of the issues, his massive narcissism, his open racism, his lack of a moral compass, etc. His support is weak even in his own party, in other words. Many could easily defectas more than 100 prominent Republican have publicly pledgedto RFK, Jr., to the Democrats, to a Republican write-in, to to the Libertarians, or simply leave that space blank on their ballots. Second, the Republican positions on many issues are wildly out of step with mainstream views. They oppose women's reproductive freedom, LGBT rights, immigration (even legal immigration), voting rights, rights to protest against repressive governments, environmental protection, labor rights, and more. Both the Republican platform and the truly sinister Project 2025 (written largely by people who worked in Trump's administration) embrace these extremist proposalsas do, apparently, a majority of the Supreme Court, which recently gutted environmental protection, declared Trump immune from prosecution for "official" acts, and of course, a year ago, overturned Rowe v. Wadebecoming the first Supreme Court to remove a constitutional right. And if that weren't enough, Trump himself has alienated and insulted many large constituenciesveterans, people with disabilities, women, Palestinians, Muslims, Latin Americans, to name a fewand, starting January 6, 2021, thrown even some of his most loyal supporters like former Attorney General William Barr and former Vice President Mike Pence under the bus. And third, Trump is not an attractive candidate to swing voters. He is now a 34-count convicted criminal and was found in civil court to have committed sex crimes. His rambling, off-topic speeches and compulsive lying could be evidence of serious mental decline. And of course, both men have a track record. Trump got little done besides his economy-crushing tax cut, while Biden, for all his flaws, has made huge progress on the economy, on recovering from the pandemic, on the environment, and on the US's position as a world leader. On every issue where Biden has been bad (especially Gaza), Trump is demonstrably worse for progressives. So let's get out there and mobilize people to vote Democraticincluding spreading the word about the huge negative impact of Trump's proposals to people who don't always vote for Democrats. Despite its problems, we still have a democracy worth saving! Friday, July 19, 2024 According to the IMF, one of its core responsibilities is monitoring the economic and financial policies of member countries and providing them with policy advice, an activity known as surveillance. It further says that vigilant monitoring by the IMF is essential to identifying risks that may require remedial policy adjustments. Judging by observations in Kenya, Ghana, and elsewhere in the developing world, the IMF is horribly failing to carry out that critical mission. The recent violent protests in Kenya, during which about 40 people were killed and another 360 injured, were triggered by a bill that was introduced by the president to raise $2.7 billion in taxes to reduce the countrys debt burden of more than $80 billion. The proposed tax package was part of a pledge the countrys leadership made to secure a $3.6 billion IMF loan in 2021. Included in the tax proposal were a digital tax on mobile phone transactions that would have impacted 80 percent of average Kenyans, increased taxes on wages, social health services, bread, and fuel. Because the IMF does active surveillance, it is most likely that its staff and senior leadership are well aware of the causes of the excessive debt burdens that countries like Kenya and Ghana carry today. Currently, an estimated 60 percent of Kenyas tax revenue is devoted to servicing the national debt. The simple truth is that much of the funds from the borrowing spree that these countries have gone on recently have been stolen by corrupt officials, used to expand bureaucracies that were already bloated, and, in some cases, invested in vanity projects that have no hope of generating enough proceeds to pay back the loans. Each member of Kenyas parliament (MP) is currently paid a basic salary of $5,650 per month, in a country with annual per capita income of only $2,000. On top of that, MPs are paid extra money for sitting on committees, given cheap government loans for houses and extra vehicles, and are provided thousands of dollars per month in allowances for travel to constituencies. Topping it off, each of Kenyas 290 MPs reportedly receives over $1 million every year under a program called Constituency Development Funds, set up to promote local development. Any casual observer of African politics knows where these funds go. That is the money the MPs steal to buy their gleaming luxury vehicles and private helicopters. Questioned about his lavish lifestyle, one MP is said to have retorted: Yes, I have a helicopter that I purchased. I am an inspiration [to] very many young people in this country. He further claimed that he could afford the helicopter because he chose to maintain only one wife and believed in God. Why did I work so hard and make so many sacrifices in my early years in Ghana, when all it takes to be rich in Africa is to be monogamous and profess faith in God? And what does it say about the culture on the continent today, when an MP thinks flaunting his wealth is the proper way to motivate young people there? The absurdity is even greater in Ghana. There, obscene doesnt adequately describe the opulent lifestyles of public officials. A substantial majority of average Ghanaians struggle to find jobs and food to eat. But the countrys president decided that one of his highest priorities is building a national cathedral that is estimated to cost in excess of $400 million. At the sod-cutting ceremony in 2020, President Nana Akufo-Addo said: I made a pledge to Almighty God that He was gracious enough to grant my party, the NPP, and I victory in the 2016 elections after two unsuccessful attempts, so I will help build a cathedral to his glory and honor. When I first learned about the proposed construction of the cathedral, I thought it was a joke. Apart from my thinking that the president couldnt make his personal pledge to God the nations business, Ghana has a substantial Muslim population, and a good number of citizens who are not religious. In any serious country, such a cockamamie idea wouldnt even get out into the public domain. Shockingly, it became a subject of national conversation, and has consumed considerable amounts of oxygen at the expense of more urgent matters. The fierce debate that followed revealed that much of the country was against the project, but the president and his supporters insist that the promise to God cannot be left unfulfilled. Fortunately, construction of the cathedral has stalled because the country is completely broke. In May 2023, the IMF approved a $3 billion bailout for Ghana. I followed press coverage of the negotiations between IMF staff and Ghanaian government officials quite closely. I was hoping that one of the conditions for the loan would be the scrapping of the cathedral project. Apparently, that issue was either not put on the table, or if it was, not in a serious way. The national debate about the cathedral has resumed in earnest after the government received the IMF funds. The IMF is supposed to provide advice to governments and discourage policies that would harm prosperity. Judging by its actions in country after country in the developing world, it is unclear whose prosperity the IMF cares about. Its staff choose to ignore all the raucous, round-the-clock partying that the fat cats in these countries engage in, and then when the champagne taps run dry, they ask the same felines to impose austerity measures on the masses who were never near any of the revelries. No wonder the IMF is arguably the most hated institution in the Global South. It is absurd, as I suspect is the case, for the IMF to think that it doesnt have the power to pressure leaders of sovereign nations like Ghana and Kenya to do the things that would actually make a difference in average peoples lives. Sovereignty entails responsibility. The people at the helm in these beggar nations have not earned the right to dictate terms in any negotiations. Fear that if the IMF doesnt lend to them, China will is not an acceptable excuse either. China doesnt do bailouts. It plays a different ballgameproject finance. Debtor nations pledge oilfields, mineral deposits and other natural resources as collateral for Chinese loans. If borrowed funds are used to build castles in Heaven and the inevitable defaults occur, China seizes ports and other assets that collateralized the loans. The IMF should worry about its own turf, and learn to impose the right type of discipline on borrowers, in the way that commercial banks do when they grant loans. It should never allow itself to be bullied into submission by a bunch of groggy akpeteshie drinkers who wake up from general anesthesia. More of us need to speak up. The lack of IMF backbone causes grave harm to the suffering masses in poor countries. And it has deadly consequences, as the recent events in Kenya demonstrate. We shouldnt wait for indigent, hungry citizens to be killed by security forces before we wake up to the despair that drives some of these people to make perilous journeys to Europe and elsewhere in search of better lives. Along the way, thousands of them have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, and died of hunger and thirst in the heat of the Sahara Desert. The new farming minister Daniel Zeichner has committed to enhance Britain's food security with a new deal for farmers. More than 130 MPs and Peers attended an NFU reception held one day after Labour outlined its priorities for the months ahead in the Kings Speech. Crossbench peer Lord Carrington sponsored the event in the House of Lords and gave a speech alongside NFU President Tom Bradshaw and Mr Zeichner. The minister said he realised from the outset the pressures farmers are under, adding that businesses need stability and that will be our goal. The new Labour government is committed to the agricultural transition through the environmental land management schemes he said, and to ensuring the system works for farmers. Mr Zeichner said: Youve heard the words food security is national security its absolutely at the centre of Labours mission to grow the economy. "Food security is a shared mission of this government, and well absolutely share it with you. To deliver this, the minister outlined the governments pledges which include seeking a new veterinary agreement with the EU and to ensure farmers arent undercut by low standards in trade deals. Responding, NFU President Tom Bradshaw described what has been a challenging 18 months with unprecedented rainfall and low business confidence taking its toll on farmers physical and mental health. Weve dealt with flooding, weve got many fields which should be approaching harvest now that are laying fallow with bare soil, not producing any food. Despite this, weve proudly kept the nation fed, Tom said. We know that the British public value the role of food and farming. He referenced the results of a recent NFU survey which found that 74% of the public have a favourable view of farmers and growers, with 91% saying they feel that farming is important to the UK economy. At the event, Lord Carrington also emphasised the challenges farmers faced, adding that it was disappointing to see no mention of farming in the Kings Speech. We must now move from words to action on food security and a budget that enables that shift, he said. The UKs chief veterinary officer has urged farmers to remain vigilant for bluetongue virus as Europe sees an increase in BTV-3 cases. There has been an uptick in cases in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, with some animals showing severe clinical signs. British farmers are being reminded by Defra that free testing is now available for animals moving from the highest risk counties to live elsewhere in Britain, including Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent and East Sussex. Last November, APHA and the Pirbright Institute identified the first case of the disease in Britain through the annual bluetongue surveillance programme. Bluetongue virus is primarily transmitted by midge bites and affects cattle, goats, sheep and camelids such as llamas. The impacts on susceptible animals can vary greatly some show no clinical signs or effects at all while for others it can cause productivity issues such as reduced milk yield, while in the most severe cases can be fatal for infected animals. The virus can also be spread through germplasm (semen, ova, and embryos) as well as transmitted from mother to unborn offspring. Defra confirmed that there are currently no live cases of bluetongue virus and no evidence that there is circulating bluetongue virus in England. However, given the increase in temperature, the department said there is now an increased risk and bluetongue transmission is possible. Biting midge activity increases with the warmer weather, and there remains a high probability of a new introduction of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3) into livestock in GB in 2024 through infected biting midges being blown over from northern Europe. Farms close to the coast in counties along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent and along the south coast from Kent to Devon have been classed as the highest risk of incursion. Biting midges are most active between April and November and the timing of a potential incursion will depend on the temperature and wind patterns. There is an active surveillance programme running, which involves the trapping of midges across the country and working with partners such as the Met Office to monitor the likely spread of the virus based on temperature and wind patterns. Defra said farmers should continue to monitor their animals frequently for clinical signs and make sure their animals and land are registered with APHA so we can locate animals in the event of an outbreak. UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: Bluetongue does not pose a threat to human health or food safety, but the disease can impact livestock farms, and cause productivity issues. Although there are currently no live cases of bluetongue virus in Britain, we know that the likelihood of the virus entering is increasing and so I would urge farmers to remain vigilant and report any suspicions to APHA. If you intend to move animals to live out of high-risk counties please take advantage of this free testing as it will help stop the movement of undetected disease. APHA interim chief executive, Jenny Stewart added: The recent increase in cases in Europe underlines how important it is for farmers and animal keepers to continue monitoring their livestock and to take up the offer of free testing where necessary. APHA's risk assessment confirmed there is a very high chance of bluetongue virus entering Britain this year, and our world-leading scientists, vets and field teams stand ready to tackle an outbreak of bluetongue virus and ensure farmers are kept up to date and supported. BTV is a notifiable disease. Suspicion of BTV in animals in England must be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency on 03000 200 301 The CO2 production facility at British Sugars Norfolk factory has now restarted following the signing of a long-term agreement with Air Liquide. The Wissington plant is now producing biogenic CO2 to various sectors in the UK and abroad, the processor confirmed. One of the largest sources of biogenic CO2 in the UK, it is located next to Wissingtons bioethanol facility, ensuring no extra transport miles are needed to get the raw product to the facility. The plant is strategically positioned to derive biogenic CO2 as a by-product of the bioethanol process. Once the sugar has been extracted from locally grown sugar beet, the residual juice is used by the bioethanol plant to produce a low-carbon transportation fuel (E10). It is during this fermentation process of the residual juice that the raw CO2 is produced. Under the new agreement, Air Liquide will purify and liquify the raw CO2, producing around 20,000 tonnes annually, going to customers across various industries, including food and beverage, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. This CO2 would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, with British Sugar calling it an important step to reduce carbon emissions from its end-to-end site operations even further. This reduction amounts to approximately 5% of Wissingtons scope 1 total emissions, according to the processor. Keith Packer, managing director of British Sugar said: We are delighted to reopen the CO2 facility at our Wissington site in conjunction with Air Liquide. "At British Sugar we continue to look at ways to reduce any waste from the sugar production process as much as we possibly can, and this is yet another initiative to be able to deliver on this. Elliott Fisher, British Sugars site general manager at Wissington added: As a site we are always looking at ways to use every part of the sugar beet that is delivered to our factory. "We generate large amounts of CO2 through the fermentation process when producing bioethanol so to be able to reuse this on site, to deliver a reliable supply of biogenic CO2 is important in helping to increase the countrys domestic supply. Councillors at North Devon Council have voted down a Green Party motion, which if passed, would have seen the council serve only plant-based food. In addition, the motion also called for the council to work with local farmers to support their move towards the production of more sustainable plant-based produce. The motion prompted backlash, with local farmers reportedly protesting outside the meeting. There had also been concerns raised over whether councillors who worked in farming themselves would be prevented from voting. It is understood that at least one councillor, with a background in farming, did not vote. Local Countryside Alliance members and supporters played a key role in contacting their councillors, asking them to vote against the motion. Ahead of the vote last night, the Countryside Alliance External Affairs team sent comprehensive briefings to councillors, outlining facts about livestock farming in the United Kingdom. Mo Metcalf-Fisher, the Countryside Alliances external affairs director said: I am incredibly pleased to hear this motion has been beaten. "I would like to thank all Countryside Alliance members and supporters who took the time to write to their local councillors, and to those local councillors who sided with our farmers, common sense, and freedom of choice. There is never any justification for banning meat and dairy, and I hope the Green Party reflects on their failure last night and opts to stand with the countryside going forward. The Countryside Alliance has been leading a national campaign, urging councils to reject compulsory plant-based menus and instead adopt menus with locally sourced produce. This would ensure that seasonal, sustainable meat and dairy produce, alongside plant-based options, can be served with an aim of cutting emissions. Suffolk, Dorset, Wiltshire, Portsmouth City, and Cornwall are just some of the major councils that have voted to introduce this policy to defy the compulsory plant-based motion, following Alliance campaigning. Bob Newhart has died aged 94. Bob Newhart has died aged 94 The comedy veteran famed for his deadpan delivery passed away at his LA home on Thursday (18.07.24) after a string of short illnesses. His longtime publicist Jerry Digney broke the news to The Hollywood Reporter sparing a flood of tributes to the stand-up and actor, probably best known for his roles as Papa Elf in the 2003 Will Ferrell Christmas comedy Elf, and for playing Morty Flicker in Desperate Housewives. Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, 72, was among the celebrities who paid tribute to Bob, with the Luke Skywalker actor saying online: From his groundbreaking stand-up to his two classic sitcoms he gave us a lifetime of laughter. Truly one-of-a-kind. Thank you Bob Newhart! Bob kicked off his career as a stand-up comic before launching a hugely successful acting career which saw him pick up three Grammy Awards, an Emmy and Golden Globe. He landed his first Primetime Emmy Award nomination in 1962 for his comedy variety series The Bob Newhart Show, and got a new generation of fans playing Professor Proton on The Big Bang Theory. Bob was married to Ginnie Quinn, daughter of actor Bill Quinn, from 1963 until her death aged 82 in April 2023. He is survived by their four children sons Robert and Timothy and daughters Jennifer and Courtney as well as 10 grandchildren. He said in one of his final interviews by email with CNN in 2023 his part in Elf was his favourite role from his seven-decade career, adding: Without question, the part of Papa Elf outranks, by far, any role I may have ever played. My agent sent me the script and I fell in love with it. He added he thought it was going to be another Miracle on 34th Street as people would watch it every year. Bob served in the United States army during the Korean War as a personnel manager until being discharged in 1954 going on to land jobs as an accountant and copywriter. Drea de Matteo's son edits her OnlyFans photos. Drea de Matteo's son edits her OnlyFans pictures The 52-year-old actress - who is best known for playing gangsters moll Adriana La Cerva in HBOs The Sopranos - sells access to racy pictures through the subscription service and admitted her son 13-year-old son Waylon aka Blackjack is involved in the business. Speaking on the Not Today, Pal, hosted by her former Sopranos co-stars Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler, she said: "Blackjack and Alabama. My kids are out there. Im sorry guys. Im really sorry. But they know." Iler said: "Before you start, your son was outside saying he edits your OnlyFans photos so you dont have to apologise to them, I dont think." Drea replied: "Oh yeah. Hes like, So what do you want me to do with the bikini line here?" However, she added that makes sure Blackjack and daughter Alabama, 16 - who she shares with her musician ex Shooter Jennings - don't see the more explicit shots, such as her same sex content. She said: "They dont see the girl shots. But I do go over that with them before I ever put them out. I was like, Are you okay with this? Because its like, if I were to do it in a movie, because I would make out with girls in movies all day long before Id even make out with boys." Last year, Drea said Alabama also edits her pictures. She told Fox: "My kids were the ones that were like, Do it. Shell [Alabama] edit the pictures, too, because they want certain things that we haven't been able to do. "I used to have a lot of money. And then, all of a sudden, I went from being allowed to work to never being allowed to work again. I was never the kind of actor that took jobs just to stay in the business. I literally took jobs to feed my family. "So, when people make nasty comments about why I would have done that, my response is, 'Damn straight, I hope you're never in the position I'm in. I take care of an entire family and a lot of other people who depend on me.' "I know that my daughter read [an article] and read some of the hater comments. I sat down, and I go, You know, mommy is not the things that they're trying to say. She's like, We dont even have to have this conversation. She schooled me. "But my kids are old enough now to read, and everything I do, I do for them. Everything I've given up, I've given up for them. I mean, any sacrifice I made was for them. So, they're going to go ahead and read this stuff and have a different image of me because of what people are saying because God knows how suggestive this society has become." Emma Watson's alleged stalker has been arrested. Emma Watson's alleged stalker arrested Chad Michael Busto - who is American - travelled to Oxford where the 34-year-old actress is studying for Masters in Creative Writing and "visited the English department" of her university to "gain information". The 44-year-old man was arrested on June 26 and is staying at Colnbrook Immigration Centre near Heathrow Airport. He told The Sun newspaper: "I visited the English department and spoke to people. I went to the main admissions centre trying to gain information. "I was trying to connect with Emma Watson. However, the claim was made about me because I was asking around. But it was not made by Emma herself. I was arrested in a square close to a Starbucks. I would have tried to talk to her about the big case that I have won. They are illegally detaining me and I have no idea when Ill be allowed to leave. Police have my possessions. Im on the run, theres a danger to my life. He was previously arrested in New York in September for allegedly barging into a New York fashion show dressing room and shouting he wanted to marry Emma. He said: "The statements were taken out of context. "I was shouting something and, yes, it was to get her attention. It kind of worked in the way I wanted." According to The Sun: "Police said a US man, 44, was held on suspicion of stalking and released under investigation." Weston Cage and Hila Cage Coppola are divorced. Weston Cage and Hila Cage Coppola divorce The former couple - who tied the knot in April 2018 and split in September 2021 - have had their divorce granted by a judge, with Hila receiving sole legal and physical custody of their four-year-old twin daughters, Cyress and Venice. TMZ reports that Weston received "no visitation rights pending a further court order" and Hila has sole decision making over where the girls attend school and she can apply for passports without his signature, although she can only take the children outside of the US for two months at a time. She will also receive $991 a month spousal support until July 31st but "waives her right to receive more money in the future". This is 33-year-old Weston's third divorce, he was married to Nikki Williams from 2011 to 2012 and Danielle Cage from 2013 to 2016. Meanwhile, Weston's mother Christina Fulton recently revealed she was "deeply saddened" when he was arrested for allegedly assaulting her. Back in April, the 57-year-old actress had responded to "urgent messages" from her son's friends who were concerned about his mental health, but when she visited him at home, he allegedly "brutally" attacked her in a "manic rage" and police were called. However, Christina urged cops not to arrest Weston - whose father is Nicolas Cage - but to have him admitted for a mental health evaluation. Speaking after her son was arrested earlier this month, Christina said in a statement: "On April 28th, 2024, around 5:30 p.m., I received urgent messages from friends of my son, Weston Cage, regarding his deteriorating mental state, urging me to come help. "When I arrived to offer support and console him, he was already in the midst of a manic rage. Within minutes, I was brutally assaulted and sustained serious injuries. "Despite my desperate pleas to the responding police officers to detain him for a mental-health evaluation, the police officers refused my request. "As a mother, I am deeply saddened and concerned about Westons ongoing mental-health crisis. "It is imperative that he receives the help he desperately needs." Weston was arrested on felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon after turning himself into police and was later released on a $150,000 bond. Los Angeles police told People magazine: "During the incident, Cage punched two victims multiple times, causing injury. LAPD responded, and after meeting with all parties, a police report was completed." Christina and Nicolas started dating in 1988 and had Weston in 1990, but the couple never married and split within a year of their son being born. France imported apparel worth $280.5 million from Cambodia during January to April 2024. This inbound shipment accounted for 3.71 per cent of France's total garment imports, valued at $7.555 billion during the same period. This figure is slightly lower than the $290.609 million imported during the same period last year. According to Fibre2Fashion's market insight tool TexPro, Cambodia ranked as the ninth-largest apparel supplier to France in the first four months of the current year. This ranking remained unchanged from the same period last year, when Cambodia's share was 3.63 per cent of total apparel imports, which were valued at $8.008 billion. French apparel imports from Cambodia have remained relatively stable over the past several years. Cambodia has consistently held the position of the ninth-largest supplier since 2019, with the exception of 2022, when it briefly improved to eighth place. France imported $280.5 million worth of apparel from Cambodia between January and April 2024, accounting for 3.71 per cent of total garment imports. This is slightly lower than the $290.609 million imported during the same period last year. Cambodia has consistently ranked as the ninth-largest apparel supplier to France since 2019, except in 2022. In 2023, French apparel imports totalled $24.745 billion, with imports from Cambodia valued at $905.782 million, representing 3.66 per cent of the total. The peak was in 2022, when France's apparel imports reached $26.222 billion, with $979.927 million coming from Cambodia, accounting for 3.74 per cent of the total. During this year, Cambodia improved its rank to eighth place, according to TexPro. French garment imports decreased to $20.836 billion in 2020 from $22.907 billion in 2019. However, they recovered to $23.429 billion in 2021 and $26.222 billion in 2022. Imports from Cambodia similarly declined to $776.774 million in 2020 from $877.602 million in 2019, but then rebounded to $835.590 million in 2021 and $979.927 million in 2022. Cambodias share showed a declining trend, noted at 3.83 per cent in 2019, 3.73 per cent in 2020, and 3.57 per cent in 2021. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL) Polands export turnover at current prices in the first five months this year was PLN 627.2 billiona decrease of 10.2 per cent year on year (YoY), while its imports were worth PLN 609.2 billion during the perioda drop of 9.7 per cent YoY, according to Statistics Poland. The trade surplus was PLN 18.1 billion during the five months, while it was PLN 24.1 billion during the corresponding period last year. Poland's export turnover at current prices in the first five months this year was $156.6 billiona decrease of 2.5 per cent year on year (YoY), while imports were worth $152.1 billiona drop of 1.9 per cent YoY, according to Statistics Poland. The trade surplus was $4.6 billion, while in the same period of 2023, it amounted to $5.6 billion. Exports expressed in US dollars amounted to $156.6 billiona decrease of 2.5 per cent YoY, while imports were worth $152.1 billiona drop of 1.9 per cent YoY. The trade surplus was $4.6 billion, while in the same period of 2023, it amounted to $5.6 billion. Exports expressed in euro amounted to 144.6 billiona decrease of 2.9 per cent YoY, while imports amounted to 140.5 billiona fall of 2.3 per cent. The trade surplus was 4.2 billion compared to the a surplus of 5.1 billion in the same period last year. Poland had the largest share (86.3 per cent) in total exports with developed countries during the period, of which exports to the European Union (EU) comprised 73.8 per cent. In imports from developed nations, Polands share was 66.5 per cent, of which those from the EU comprised 54.5 per cent. However, the smallest share was observed with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, exports to where comprised 5.2 per cent of the total exports; the share of imports from that zone was 2.1 per cent of the total. A trade deficit of PLN 137.9 billion ($34.4 billion, or $31.8 billion) was recorded with developing countries, while a surplus of PLN 136.4 billion ($34.1 billion, or 31.5 billion) was noted with developed countries. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) AUSTIN, TX / ACCESSWIRE / July 18, 2024 / Victory Clean Energy (OTC PINK:VYEY) ("Victory" or the "Company"), a leading innovator in the green hydrogen energy sector, announced today it has entered into a binding term sheet to acquire the intellectual property and exclusive rights to use the Cellulose to Hydrogen Power ("CHyP Engine") system for hydrogen power from Proton Power, a technology leader in renewable energy systems designed for producing inexpensive hydrogen on demand from biomass and waste sources. The Proton CHyP engine is a solution to the major issues of implementing a green hydrogen economy - specifically: 1) cost 2) distribution and 3) storage. Cost: The Company expects the variable operating cost to be 50% lower than today's typical electrolysis production facility. Distribution and Storage: As the system is modular, Victory will be able to scale hydrogen production adjacent to demand, reducing and/or eliminating need for storage/transportation The entire process is carbon neutral to carbon negative - depending on the application - and does not require electricity from the grid. Produces high quality biochar that can be upgraded to graphene. The production process is extremely energy efficient, utilizing only a fraction of the electricity necessary to produce hydrogen via electrolysis processes. "Solving climate change, whether through adopting clean vehicles or reducing emissions from manufacturing sites, will require renewable, dependable, and affordable hydrogen," stated Chris Headrick, Founder and Executive Chairman of Victory. "Victory will leverage the CHyP engine to produce low-cost green hydrogen and to deploy a solution that will supply green hydrogen at a cost approaching grey hydrogen in a process that is carbon neutral to negative." "The CHyP system emerged from Proton Power co-founder, Dr. Sam Weaver's long-running R&D investments in high-temperature materials and manufacturing across multiple energy sectors. Initial testing indicates the CHyP system is expected to comply with all current and foreseeable emissions standards and to have a neutral to negative overall carbon intensity score." "Our process is a huge improvement over electrolysis as it only uses 2 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, which can be CHyP self-generated, to produce 1 kg of hydrogen," commented Dr. Weaver. "This is an important differentiator versus today's electrolysis processes, which require 50 to 55 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity from the grid or other external source to produce 1 kg of hydrogen. This equates to our projected overall cost per kg of hydrogen below $2 - for greater than or equal to 12 tonnes/day facilities. Importantly, there are revenue enhancement opportunities from selling biochar byproduct of the system to make agricultural and livestock enhancement products as well as high-quality graphene feedstock. The CHyP engine is uniquely placed to accelerate the hydrogen economy." Jim McGinley, Chief Executive Officer of Victory added, "We are very excited about this transaction and believe it will be a game-changer in the green energy marketplace as we work to continue to improve efficiency and commercialization of this innovative technology through planned initial deployment in 2025." Mr. McGinley continued, "it is increasingly clear that biomass pyrolysis is a critically needed technology in achieving world-wide decarbonization." The CHyP system will be capable of operating on over 100 different types of biomass, including wood, agriculture waste, and most forms of biomass. The CHyP system can generate energy-rich syngas for electricity and, therefore, is not dependent on the grid to operate. Victory has already announced plans to build its first commercial facility in California for the Redding Rancheria Tribe in 2025. This is planned to be the first of 32 plants nationwide in partnership with the Redding Rancheria Tribe to provide green hydrogen as part of a nationwide infrastructure for hydrogen transportation. Also, in 2025, Victory also plans to build a 3 tonne per day demonstration facility to supply a green charging station, demonstrating the ability to use hydrogen-rich syngas as part of a true carbon-negative and economical charging solution for electric vehicles. Victory is also exploring other co-location partnerships, including ones in the industrial sectors such as refineries, ammonia, steel, and fertilizer, among others, to leverage this technology for cost savings and emissions reductions. The transaction is expected to be finalized this month but is subject to board approvals of an exclusive license agreement and asset purchase agreements. The acquisition price of $100 million is structured with payments scheduled over a 5-year period, which will allow Victory to focus on deploying capital toward its commercialization efforts. Victory will acquire the CHyP engine intellectual property, utilize the Proton manufacturing facility in Lenoir City, Tennessee, and become a supplier of biochar for Proton's proprietary graphene manufacturing process. CHyP Announcement Conference Call VYEY will host a webcast at 12:00 p.m. EST / 11:00 a.m. CST on Wednesday August 7th, 2024, to discuss the acquisition and technology in greater detail. The live webcast of the call and an archived replay will be available online in the Investor Relations section of Victory's website. Those wishing to participate will find link or dial-in information to be announced in a following release. About Proton Founded in 2005, Proton Power, Inc. is the brainchild of Dr. Sam Weaver and Dan Hensley, who have developed a renewable energy system designed for producing inexpensive hydrogen on demand from biomass and waste sources. Dr. Weaver and Hensley have a long, 40+ year history of developing successful and innovative technological products from the ground up, including: Battery technology utilizing Proton's graphene with substantial increases in storage capacity, charge rate and cycle life The highest quality, low-cost graphene Aircraft brakes for commercial and military aircrafts The first 2800C production furnaces for high strength, high modulus carbon fibers Ceramic punch technology and equipment to make the thinnest aluminum beer cans in the world Neutron absorbers for nuclear power plants with 87% worldwide market share Test and research reactor fuel which provided radioisotopes that served 10 million people annually Today, Dr. Weaver and Hensley lead an experienced management team with extensive engineering and manufacturing experience at Proton Power. Proton Power has a strong physical presence with 4 locations, and more than 95,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space on 58 acres of land. About Victory Clean Energy Victory Clean Energy is an innovative Green Hydrogen energy company dedicated to developing and implementing clean, sustainable low-cost energy solutions with applications across various industries, including transportation, power generation, and industrial processes. The Company's pioneering TrueGreen Hydrogen production solutions aim to provide clean, reliable, and cost-effective energy sources to a diverse range of clients. TrueGreen Hydrogen positions the Company as a formidable force in the low-cost Green Hydrogen sector, focusing on decarbonization in heavy transportation and industrial Hydrogen markets. With this commitment, Victory Clean Energy is dedicated to shaping a sustainable and cleaner future for industries and communities worldwide. Learn more at https://www.victoryclean.energy. Forward-Looking Statements The information in this press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of present or historical fact included in this press release, regarding Victory and its future financial and operational performance, as well as its strategy, future operations, estimated financial position, estimated revenues, and losses, projected costs, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, including any oral statements made in connection therewith, the words "could," "should," "will," "may," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project," the negative of such terms and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions about future events and are based on currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, Victory expressly disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements, all of which are expressly qualified by the statements herein, to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release. Victory cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of Victory. These risks include, but are not limited to, Victory's ability to disrupt the green hydrogen production market, Victory's focus in 2024 and beyond, the effects of Victory's dynamic and proprietary solutions on its customers, accelerated commercialization of the Proton CHyP system, the ability to meet 2024 and future development milestones, the ability to reduce carbon intensity and greenhouse gas emissions, the expected performance and integration of the CHyP system, and other risks and uncertainties. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this press release occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact Victory's operations and projections can be found in its filings with the SEC. Victory's SEC Filings are available publicly on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, and readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made in such filings. For Information Regarding Proton Power or Victory Clean Energy CONTACT David Voyticky Victory Clean Energy 865.776.6203 d.voyticky@h2eg.com SOURCE: Victory Clean Energy, Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com Rio Tinto today celebrates the shipment of 4 billion tonnes of iron ore from the Pilbara in Western Australia to China. The shipment was loaded at Dampier Port on 19th July, bound for China Baowu Steel Group, the world's top steel producer. This milestone comes 51 years after the first shipment of almost 22,000 tonnes of Pilbara iron ore was sent from Dampier Port to China's Shanghai No.1 Steel Mill, which has since become part of China Baowu. Over more than half a century, China has grown to become Rio Tinto's largest customer with about 250 million tonnes of iron ore shipped each year. Four billion tonnes is enough iron ore to produce the steel needed for about 45,000 Sydney Harbour Bridges, or more than 23,000 Beijing National Stadiums (Bird's Nest). Rio Tinto partnered with China for the country's first ever investment in a foreign mining project, and its largest ever foreign investment at the time, by forming the Channar joint venture in 1987. That JV in Western Australia laid the foundation for many projects to follow, and for decades of mutual growth and prosperity between Rio Tinto, China and Australia. Western Range, Rio Tinto's newest mine, is the latest joint venture partnership with China Baowu. Production from the mine is expected to commence in 2025, with an annual capacity of 25 million tonnes of iron ore. Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott said, "China has been a critical partner for Rio Tinto and for Australia's mining industry for more than five decades. "China's strong demand for high-quality minerals such as iron ore has generated substantial opportunities for investment and trade between the two countries. "Every time I visit China and see the skyscrapers, the high-speed rail, and all the infrastructure that has helped improve the lives of 1.4 billion people, it makes me proud to think that most of what I see contains steel that was made with Rio Tinto iron ore. "We look forward to continuing our relationship with China well into the future as we continue to deepen our strategic partnership." Note to the editors A selection of images showing shipments of Rio Tinto iron ore is available for download here. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240718519213/en/ Contacts: Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com Media Relations, United Kingdom Matthew Klar M +44 7796 630 637 David Outhwaite M +44 7787 597 493 Media Relations, Australia Matt Chambers M +61 433 525 739 Jesse Riseborough M +61 436 653 412 Alyesha Anderson M +61 434 868 118 Michelle Lee M +61 458 609 322 Media Relations, Americas Simon Letendre M +1 514 796 4973 Malika Cherry M +1 418 592 7293 Vanessa Damha M +1 514 715 2152 Investor Relations, United Kingdom David Ovington M +44 7920 010 978 Laura Brooks M +44 7826 942 797 Investor Relations, Australia Tom Gallop M +61 439 353 948 Amar Jambaa M +61 472 865 948 Rio Tinto plc 6 St James's Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885 Rio Tinto Limited Level 43, 120 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404 riotinto.com Category: Pilbara Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2024) - The newly announced cloud authority backlink solutions from LinkDaddy utilize a recently adopted cloud computing platform to manage brand visibility, improve search engine rankings, and increase overall levels of online traffic. Further details can be found at https://linkdaddy.com. Cloud Computing Platform Adoption For Authority Backlinks Announced By LinkDaddy To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/216618_1a5b06f744ede91c_002full.jpg LinkDaddy's recently announced cloud authority backlink services are part of the SEO company's ongoing commitment to helping business websites and brands establish higher levels of online credibility, trust, and popularity. LinkDaddy's latest move comes following a recent Forbes report showing that high-value backlinks are critical in terms of achieving success in relevant search results, meaning that generating backlinks is an essential element of any SEO strategy. With an emphasis on quality and reliability, LinkDaddy uses the cloud computing platform to help entrepreneurs and CEOs drive traffic and improve rankings on popular search engines like Google and Bing. LinkDaddy points out that although cloud authority backlinks can be created naturally through valuable content that is shared on websites or social media platforms, this home-grown approach can be energy-consuming for many business owners. As an alternative, the company's backlinks are specially tailored for each client and can save time and effort in regard to content creation and distribution processes. "Backlinks play a crucial role in improving your website's SEO - they help build trust and popularity of your site," Tony Peacock, CEO of LinkDaddy, explained. "When authoritative websites link to yours, it serves as a vote of confidence and increases the credibility of your site." The cloud authority backlink services can be paired with other solutions that LinkDaddy offers, such as backlink analysis, 100% unique content creation, link building, monitoring, and reporting. Their keyword backlinks solution helps boost rankings in SERPs while enhancing website visibility, while DoFollow SEO backlinks provide the backbone for SEO strategy and help improve rankings. Interested parties can find more information and sign up for the SEO and cloud authority backlink services at https://linkdaddy.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/216618 SOURCE: Plentisoft Original-Research: Singulus Technologies AG - from NuWays AG 19.07.2024 / 09:02 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Research, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this research. The result of this research does not constitute investment advice or an invitation to conclude certain stock exchange transactions. Classification of NuWays AG to Singulus Technologies AG Company Name: Singulus Technologies AG ISIN: DE000A1681X5 Reason for the research: Update Recommendation: Under Review from: 19.07.2024 Last rating change: Analyst: Konstantin Volk Going Concern at risk // preliminary Q2 figures out; chg. est. Topic: Singulus released its preliminary Q2 numbers with sales slightly below and EBIT in line with our estimates. Even more importantly, financing of the company is currently unsecured, jeopardizing the Going Concern, which leads us to suspend our rating. Q2 sales came in at EUR 20.1m, (-21% yoy, -2.4% qoq) below our estimates of EUR 22.5m (eNuW). With EUR 19.1m in order intake, demand in Q2 fell short of our expectations (-43% qoq; eNuW: EUR 30m). Order backlog decreased slightly (-1.7% qoq) to EUR 70.4m but remains at a solid level. EBIT came in at solid EUR 0.6m (vs EUR 0.2m in Q2Z23, vs eNuW: EUR 0.5m), thanks to several cost-cutting measures. Guidance revised. Management cut its FY24e sales guidance from EUR 120-130m to EUR 95-105m (eNuW old: EUR 97m) and EBIT from "low double-digit EUR m" to EUR 3.0-6.5m (eNuW old: EUR 0.2m). As flagged in our last update, the profit warning was already well anticipated. However, the soft order intake put also a question mark behind the new guidance and should burden top- and bottom line for the remainder of the year. We hence conservatively expecting only EUR 85.7m in sales and EUR -1.9m in EBIT in FY24e. Financing beyond August not yet secured. CNBM is directly and indirectly the counterpart for EUR 30m of Singulus' outstanding debt - directly as provider of a EUR 20m loan, granted in two tranches in March and April 2023 that are callable on August 4 th and on September 28th and indirectly as guarantor for another EUR 10m granted by the Bank of Shanghai. In order to secure the financing beyond August/September, Singulus has negotiated with CNBM the reorganization of the EUR 20m for months but has so far not reached an agreement yet. As a result, the company has requested CNBM to provide a solution for further financing by August 23rd . Further, Singulus is in parallel discussions with Bank of Shanghai regarding another EUR 10m loan with CNBM as guarantor. Still, Singulus has not come to a successful agreement yet. Going Concern at risk. In the case that CNBM will reject to support further financing, a Going Concern of the company is at risk in our view. In light of the depency of CNBM from Singulus 1) as a supplier especially for Close Spaced Sublimation (CSS) machines in the production of CdTe solar modules and 2) as a shareholder, holding 16.75%, we see a certain likelihood that CNBM will be constructive in the end. However, as the financing and with that the Going Concern is at risk, we take the stock under review until the Going Concern of the business is secured. You can download the research here: http://www.more-ir.de/d/30253.pdf For additional information visit our website: www.nuways-ag.com/research Contact for questions: NuWays AG - Equity Research Web: www.nuways-ag.com Email: research@nuways-ag.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nuwaysag Adresse: Mittelweg 16-17, 20148 Hamburg, Germany ++++++++++ Diese Meldung ist keine Anlageberatung oder Aufforderung zum Abschluss bestimmter Borsengeschafte. Offenlegung moglicher Interessenskonflikte nach 85 WpHG beim oben analysierten Unternehmen befinden sich in der vollstandigen Analyse. ++++++++++ The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com 1949625 19.07.2024 CET/CEST Original-Research: 123fahrschule SE - from NuWays AG 19.07.2024 / 09:01 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Research, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this research. The result of this research does not constitute investment advice or an invitation to conclude certain stock exchange transactions. Classification of NuWays AG to 123fahrschule SE Company Name: 123fahrschule SE ISIN: DE000A2P4HL9 Reason for the research: Update Recommendation: BUY from: 19.07.2024 Target price: EUR 7.20 Last rating change: Analyst: Philipp Sennewald H1 prelims to show further operational improvements Next week,123fahrschule will report H1 figures. H1 sales are seen to increase by 6% yoy to EUR 11.1m (eNuW), which once again looks set to be predominantly driven by the Private Customer segment (eNuW: EUR 8.4m) thanks to the imposed price increases, while the number of private customer registrations should have remained rather stable. Moreover, we expect the Professional Driver Education with EUR 1.3m sales (+15% yoy; eNuW) the Driving Instructor Training segment with EUR 1.5m sales (+10% yoy; eNuW) to continue on its strong growth paths. However, EBITDA is seen to come in slightly softer yoy at EUR 0.1m (vs EUR 0.2m in H1'23), mainly due to a change in accounting, as the company is now building up provisions (i.e. vacation accruals) throughout the year instead of once a year in December. Adjusted for this effect, EBITDA should rather be in the region of EUR 0.5m (eNuW). Overall, we expect the release to fully underpin our investment case, although it should only fully unfold next year when the positive effects from online theory lessons looks set to materialize. In fact, c. 50% of theory lessons can be held online, which should save the time resources of driving instructors and hence increase efficiency. This should ultimately ramp-up returns and profitability. Moreover, 123f intends to further increase efficiency with the implementation of driving simulators, which allow learner drivers to complete up to 10 lessons in the future. According to management this should lead to significant scale effects as it increases the FTE per learner driver ratio. Through the acquisition of Foerst GmbH, 123f has additionally secured the sourcing of simulators. The company also plans to expand Foerst's portfolio with its proprietary software elements in order to offer an improved product also to third party market participants as part of a rental model (not yet included in our model). Furthermore, one of 123f's key USP's remains its in-house instructor training (10% market share), which grants the company a significant competitive edge given an average age of instructors in Germany of around 55 years. Unlike 123f, many competitors face succession problems. In order to take advantage of the situation, the company thus plans to open another instructor training center in FY25, increasing the annual capacities by another 30%. Against this backdrop, the stock remains a BUY with an unchanged PT of EUR 7.20 based on DCF. You can download the research here: http://www.more-ir.de/d/30255.pdf For additional information visit our website: www.nuways-ag.com/research Contact for questions: NuWays AG - Equity Research Web: www.nuways-ag.com Email: research@nuways-ag.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nuwaysag Adresse: Mittelweg 16-17, 20148 Hamburg, Germany ++++++++++ Diese Meldung ist keine Anlageberatung oder Aufforderung zum Abschluss bestimmter Borsengeschafte. Offenlegung moglicher Interessenskonflikte nach 85 WpHG beim oben analysierten Unternehmen befinden sich in der vollstandigen Analyse. ++++++++++ The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com 1949627 19.07.2024 CET/CEST EQS-News: Marley Spoon Group SE / Key word(s): Conference MARLEY SPOON GROUP SE: Q2 2024 QUARTERLY RESULTS INVESTOR CONFERENCE CALL NOTIFICATION 19.07.2024 / 10:04 CET/CEST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Marley Spoon Group SE ("Marley Spoon" or the "Company"), a leading global subscription-based meal kit provider for home cooking, will release its quarterly results for the period ending 30 June 2024 on Wednesday, 31 July 2024. Investors are invited to join a conference call on Wednesday, 31 July 2024, at 09.00 am (CET) hosted by Marley Spoon CEO, Daniel Raab, and CFO, Jennifer Bernstein, who will provide an update on the Company's performance. To pre-register for the call, please follow this link: https://montegaconnect.de/event/u2myrvbiv0450lpmqpukimz863dvdtgm About Marley Spoon Group SE Marley Spoon Group SE is a global direct-to-consumer (DTC) meal solution company. Our Vision is to "Build a better every day, just for you, just right". We started Marley Spoon in 2014 to help our customers cook for their families and deal with their busy lives. We also felt there should be a more sustainable way to cook at home, reducing food waste that traditional supermarket supply chains generate. Marley Spoon currently operates various brands in three regions: Australia, the United States, and Europe (Austria, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands). Our meal-kit brands, Marley Spoon, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, and Dinnerly, bring pre-portioned fresh ingredients with tasty and simple recipes and other eating solutions reliably to our customers every week. Our customers just decide what to eat, and when to eat, and leave behind the hassle of grocery shopping. Chefgood and bistroMD are our direct-to-consumer ready-to-heat (RTH) services that offer premium-priced, high-quality, healthy, and nutritious RTH meals and eating solutions for our wellness and health-focused customers. 19.07.2024 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com Moreton Bay, Queensland--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2024) - Impact Doors, a leading provider of comprehensive garage door solutions, announces its strategic expansion of services across Moreton Bay and North Brisbane suburbs. This move comes in response to the increasing demand for high-quality garage door installation, repair, and maintenance services in the rapidly growing region. Impact Garage Door Installation & Repair To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10606/217071_77e0d9683452cb8d_002full.jpg Jarred Turner, owner of Impact Doors, states, "Our expansion is a direct result of the booming residential and commercial development in Moreton Bay and North Brisbane. We've seen a significant uptick in requests for our services, and we're committed to meeting this demand with our team of skilled technicians and our commitment to excellence." The expansion encompasses a wide range of services, including garage door installation, emergency repairs, routine maintenance, and custom design solutions. Impact Doors specializes in both residential and commercial garage door systems, catering to the diverse needs of homeowners, business owners, and property managers in the area. In line with the growing trend towards smart home technology, Impact Doors has also expanded its offerings to include advanced garage door openers and smart control systems. These innovative solutions allow homeowners to monitor and control their garage doors remotely, enhancing convenience and security. "We've seen a surge in interest for smart garage door systems," Turner notes. "Homeowners in Moreton Bay and North Brisbane are increasingly looking for ways to integrate their garage doors with their home automation systems. Our technicians are fully trained in the installation and programming of these cutting-edge technologies." The company's expansion also includes an enhanced focus on preventive maintenance services. Regular maintenance can significantly extend the lifespan of garage doors, improve their performance, and prevent costly breakdowns. Impact Doors offers tailored maintenance plans for both residential and commercial clients, ensuring their garage door systems operate smoothly and safely year-round. garage door repair services To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10606/217071_77e0d9683452cb8d_003full.jpg Safety remains a top priority for Impact Doors. All technicians undergo rigorous training in the latest safety protocols and are equipped with state-of-the-art tools to ensure every installation and garage door repair job meets the highest safety standards. The company also provides safety inspections as part of its service offerings, helping property owners identify and address potential hazards before they become serious issues. As part of its commitment to the local community, Impact Doors has launched a community outreach program aimed at educating homeowners about garage door safety and maintenance. The program includes complimentary workshops, online resources, and partnerships with local schools and community organizations. "We believe in giving back to the communities we serve," Turner says. "Our educational initiatives are designed to empower property owners with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their garage doors and to promote safety in homes and businesses across Moreton Bay and North Brisbane." Looking ahead, Impact Doors plans to continue its growth trajectory, with plans to expand its service area further and introduce new product lines to meet evolving customer needs. The company is also investing in advanced training for its technicians to stay ahead of industry trends and technological advancements. "Our goal is to be the go-to garage door specialist in Southeast Queensland," Turner concludes. "With our expanded services, commitment to quality, and focus on customer education, we're confident that we can meet the growing demand for reliable garage door solutions in Moreton Bay, North Brisbane, and beyond." About Impact Doors: Impact Doors is a leading provider of comprehensive garage door services in Moreton Bay and North Brisbane suburbs. Specializing in the installation, repair, and maintenance of all types of garage doors for residential and commercial properties, the company is committed to delivering high-quality solutions and exceptional customer service. With a team of skilled technicians and a focus on innovation and safety, Impact Doors continues to set the standard for garage door services in Southeast Queensland. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/217071 SOURCE: Link Sprint Digital Significantly improved adjusted operating profit Summary of the second quarter Net revenue amounted to SEK 2,534 million (2,410), an increase of 5 percent. Organic growth was 1.3 percent (2.2). Organic growth excluding personal assistance was 5.1 percent (11.7). Operating profit amounted to SEK 80m (89), a decline of 11 percent. Adjusted operating profit amounted to SEK 107m (77). Net profit after tax for the period amounted to SEK 0m (38). Basic and diluted earnings per share for the period amounted to SEK 0.01 (0.80). Cash flow for the period, including acquisitions, amounted to SEK -229m (252). Operating cash flow amounted to SEK 172m (411). Summary of the six-month period Net revenue amounted to SEK 4,942m (4,845), an increase of 2 percent. Organic growth was 0.1 percent (3.8). Organic growth excluding personal assistance was 6.1 percent (11.5). Operating profit amounted to SEK 167m (206), a decline of 19 percent. Adjusted operating profit amounted to SEK 207m (177). Net profit for the period after tax amounted to SEK 21m (88). Basic and diluted earnings per share for the period amounted to SEK 0.44 (1.85). Cash flow for the period, including acquisitions, amounted to SEK -287m (149). Operating cash flow amounted to SEK 282m (479). Highlights Adjusted operating profit increased by 40 percent during the second quarter. Completed acquisition of Team Olivia Norge AS on 3 June. Total consideration amounted to SEK 400m which was financed via existing cash of SEK 216m and 4,000,000 newly issued shares. Implemented the specialisation strategy in Finland through the divestment of elderly care. Submitted a request for damages claim as a result of IVO's erroneous decision to revoke Humana Assistans' permit Significant events in the second quarter of 2024 In May, the Humana Group was divided into three country-based organisations: Sweden, Norway and Finland. Titti Lilja, therefore, left Group executive management, but continue to lead the individual and family and elderly care business areas. In May, Nathalie Boulas Nilsson was appointed as the new President and CEO of Humana with effect from 22 July. In May, Humana signed an agreement for the divestment of 21 elderly care homes in Finland for a consideration of EUR 25m as part of its specialisation strategy. The transaction is expected to be concluded during the second half of 2024. In May, Humana's country manager in Finland, Anu Kallio, announced that she will be leaving Humana. The recruitment process is ongoing. In June, Team Olivia Norge AS was acquired. Full-year earnings amounted to approximately SEK 913m, with a reported operating profit of SEK 47m for the full year 2023. The company has approximately 840 fulltime employees. In June, Humana's CFO, Fredrik Larsson, announced that he will be leaving Humana. The recruitment process is ongoing. In June, Humana Assistans submitted a request for damages claim to the District Court of Stockholm. Humana Assistans is petitioning for the state to compensate the company for the amount of SEK 225.5m for loss of customers and SEK 14m for legal costs. In June, Humana announced that the number of shares and votes in Humana AB through a new share issue linked to the acquisition of Team Olivia Norge AS had increased by 4,000,000 to 51,826,058. Significant events after the reporting period In July, Humana signed an agreement for the divestment of the Danish operations. President and CEO Johanna Rastad comments "Humana shows signs of marked improvements in several business areas. Our market position with initiatives relating to specialisation in selected areas resulted in an adjusted operating profit of SEK 107m, an increase of 40 percent compared with the previous year." Read the full comment in the report. Conference call A webcast will be held on 19 July 2024 at 09:00 CET at which President and CEO Johanna Rastad and CFO Fredrik Larsson will present the report and answer questions. If you wish to take part via the webcast, use the following link. If you wish to participate via conference call, please register on the link below. After registration you will be provided phone numbers and a conference ID to access the conference. You can ask questions verbally via the conference call. Registration teleconference For more information, please contact: Fredrik Larsson, CFO +46 70 994 20 64, fredrik.larsson@humana.se Ewelina Pettersson, Head of Investor Relations +46 73 074 79 12, ewelina.pettersson@humana.se This disclosure contains information that Humana AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation (EU nr 596/2014). The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person, on 19-07-2024 08:00 CET. Humana is a leading Nordic care company providing services within individual and family care, personal assistance, elderly care and special service housing in accordance with LSS. Humana has 22,000 employees in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark providing care for approximately 10,000 individuals and working to achieve the vision "Everyone is entitled to a good life". In 2023, Humana's net revenue was SEK 9,638m. Humana is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and the company's headquarters are located in Stockholm. Read more about Humana on: https://www.humanagroup.com/ Attendo shows increased growth and continued improvement in operating result in the second quarter of 2024. The Scandinavian operation shows a clear improvement in both sales and profit, driven primarily by the acquisition of Team Olivia and continued strong development in own nursing homes. Profit in Finland has been maintained over the quarter, where negative effects in elderly care have been offset by improved results in disabled care and social psychiatry. Comments from Martin Tiveus, Attendo president and CEO "In the second quarter, we started the integration of Team OIivia Care. With a larger and more specialised operations in disabled care and in individual and family care, we have excellent opportunities to become the leading provider in these segments. Through the acquisition and positive development in our own operations, we have more than doubled underlying profit in Scandinavia compared with the previous year. In Finland, we report a result in line with the previous year, where a slightly lower result in care for older people has been offset by higher results in disabled care and social psychiatry. It is also pleasing to see the results of our goal-oriented efforts to be recognised as the best employer in the sector. Our long-term success is based on committed employees who provide customers with good and safe care. During the quarter, our internal surveys showed a record-high recommendation rate for Attendo as an employer, combined with continued high ratings in the latest customer surveys. High growth driven by acquisitions Sales increased by 12 per cent in the second quarter to SEK 4,841m, mainly driven by the acquisition of Team Olivia Care and renegotiated contracts in Finland. Adjusted for non-recurring items, the underlying lease-adjusted operating profit (EBITA) in the quarter increased by SEK 40m to SEK 187m (147). Free cash flow continued to increase and the financial position is strong. Maintained profit in Finland in spite of negative cost/price effect Sales in Attendo Finland increased by 6 percent during the quarter in local currency. Compared with the result for the second quarter of 2023, there is a negative effect of high salary increases in the autumn of 2023, which on a quarterly basis was not offset by price adjustments. However, on an annualized basis, we expect price adjustments to fully compensate for the cost increases. We have also had higher staffing levels in the operations in preparation for welcoming new customers. Average occupancy during the quarter has been lower than expected. However, we could see a positive development towards the end of the quarter. The negative effects on results, which primarily affect care for older people, have been offset by improved results in disabled care and social psychiatry. Improved earnings in Scandinavia driven by acquisitions and own operations Sales in Attendo Scandinavia increased by 21 percent, mainly driven by the acquisition of Team Olivia Care, by more beds sold and by price adjustments in own nursing homes. Underlying profit, adjusted for integration and exit costs, more than doubled during the quarter to SEK 75m (36). The improvement in profit is mainly driven by the acquisition of Team Olivia Care, profit improvements in own nursing homes and reduced losses in the Danish operations. The contribution from the acquisition is in line with both our own expectations and what we have previously communicated. Occupancy in Attendo Scandinavia has increased by one percentage point since the first quarter and we have had solid development in own care homes during the quarter. At the same time, the termination of profitable outsourcing contracts at the end of 2023 had a negative impact on both sales and earnings. As part of focusing the Danish operations on our own operated nursing homes, we divested the Danish home care business during the quarter, which resulted in a negative one-off cost in the quarter. The divestment will improve profitability in Denmark going forward. Our financial targets Attendo has a previous target of achieving adjusted earnings of SEK 4 per share, which is still expected to be achieved in 2024. In May 2024, we presented new financial targets to achieve adjusted earnings per share of at least SEK 5.50 in 2026. We expect to achieve underlying growth in operating profit of at least 10 percent annually, driven by increased occupancy, operational efficiency, price adjustments, new units and continuous add-on acquisitions in existing segments. In addition, we expect positive effects from continuous share buybacks. With a strong cash flow, we have good opportunities for active capital allocation in the form of new investments combined with share buybacks and dividends. The debt target, measured as adjusted net debt in relation to adjusted EBITDA, is for Attendo to be between 1.5-2.5x. Increasingly engaged employees Promoting employee engagement is key to good care. A central part of creating favourable conditions locally is increased leader density and committed leadership. Hence, we place great emphasis on developing the leadership in all levels of the organisation. During the quarter, we gathered nearly 900 leaders at Attendo in various forums to discuss future prospects, share experiences and celebrate common successes. We also recognised the best care units in both Sweden and Finland, which is an important part of our work to highlight and honour employees who have been particularly successful in their care assignments. In recent years, our employee surveys have shown a steady increase in engagement and pride. This quarter's survey showed the best result to date, well above the industry average. The recommendation score for Attendo as an employer was +26 in the second quarter (scale -100 to +100), up from +11 for the corresponding period in 2023. Measuring how our customers experience their care is an equally central part of our work on quality and social sustainability. We measure the results regularly using both internal and external surveys. The second quarter results show continued positive development in both business areas. The combined customer satisfaction score (cNPS) for the Group as a whole in the latest measurements was +45 (+40). In other words, our methodical work is having an effect, for example by working in a structured way on quality of life. But it is also an indication that employee engagement and customer satisfaction go hand in hand. Diversity, equality and inclusion are key elements of our corporate culture. In Finland, we celebrated LGBT rights in June by celebrating Pride month both locally and by participating in the big parade in Helsinki on 29 June. Another example of employee engagement and inclusion is that during the quarter we organised a music festival (Simon Festarit) for people with disabilities in northern Finland. We support both individuals and society Society's need for increasingly specialised care in disability care and individual and family care is growing. We believe in care where the individual is at the centre, where each person should be able to live their everyday life according to their personal wishes and needs. With the acquisition of Team Olivia, we now have even better opportunities to support different individuals with more competent and committed employees, while together we have greater resources to develop central support for method and quality work. For payors, this means we will be a better partner with greater breadth, depth and ability to manage complex care needs. In addition, we continue to strengthen our capacity and offer in care for older people to meet the needs of an ageing population. Long-term trends show a rising demand for care with increased health care and social care content, regardless of the care segment. Our goal is to be the leading care provider supporting both individuals and society in the years to come." Summary of the second quarter 2024 Net sales amounted to SEK 4,841m (4,333). Total growth amounted to 11.7 percent, of which organic growth was 2.9 percent. Lease adjusted operating profit (EBITA) was SEK 163m (147), corresponding to a margin of 3.4 percent (3.4). Adjusted for M&A related integration and close down cost for home care in Denmark the profit was SEK 187m, which corresponds to a margin of 3.9 percent. Operating profit (EBITA) amounted to SEK 299m (283), corresponding to an operating margin of 6.2 percent (6.5). Profit for the period amounted to SEK 44m (60). Earnings per share after dilution amounted to SEK 0.28 (0.37). Adjusted earnings per share after dilution amounted to SEK 0.68 (0.60). Free cash flow amounted to SEK 199m (115). Team Oliva consolidated from 1 April 2024 The number of beds in Attendo's homes at the end of the period was 21,326 (20,870). Occupancy in homes was 86 percent (86). Summary of the period January - June 2024 Net sales amounted to SEK 9,227m (8,377). Total growth amounted to 10.1 percent, of which organic growth was 5.3 percent. Lease adjusted EBITA was SEK 324m (263), corresponding to a lease adjusted operating margin of 3.5 percent (3.1). Adjusted for integration costs and close down costs the profit amounted to SEK 350m, which corresponds to a margin of 3.8 percent. Operating profit (EBITA) amounted to SEK 591m (524), corresponding to an operating margin of 6.4 percent (6.3). The profit for the period amounted to SEK 107m (88). Diluted earnings per share were SEK 0.67 (0.55). Adjusted earnings per share after dilution were SEK 1.26 (1.03). Free cash flow amounted to SEK 219m (123). Invitation to presentation In connection with the release of the report, a webcast presentation will be held at 10.00 am (CET), hosted by Attendo CEO Martin Tiveus and CFO Mikael Malmgren. You can follow the presentation on the following page: https://ir.financialhearings.com/attendo-q2-report-2024 Analysts and investors will have the opportunity to ask questions during the presentation by calling in. To obtain call-in details, please send your request to: kommunikation@attendo.se . The quarterly report and other information material will be made public on: https://www.attendo.com/ Attendo AB (publ) For further information, please contact: Andreas Koch, Communications and IR-Director Attendo Phone: +46 705 09 77 61 I email: andreas.koch@attendo.com Stefan Svanstrom, Head of Community Communications Attendo Phone: +46 708 67 38 07 I email: stefan.svanstrom@attendo.com This is information that Attendo AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and the Securities Markets act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above at 08.00 CET on 19 July 2024. attendo.com Attendo - the leading care company in the Nordics| For almost 40 years, seeing, supporting and strengthening people with care needs has been the starting point of everything Attendo does. In addition to care for older people, Attendo provides care for people with disabilities and social care for individuals and families. Attendo has almost 35,000 employees and is locally anchored with around 800 units in Finland, Sweden and Denmark. Every day Attendo has tens of thousands of encounters with its customers. In all these encounters, our employees manifest Attendo's shared values of care, commitment and competence. Drill program to commence immediately after completion of financing Regency Silver Corp. ("Regency Silver" or the "Company"), (TSXV:RSMX)(OTCQB:RSMXF) is pleased to announce that it has arranged, subject to regulatory approval, a non-brokered private placement of up to 16.6 Million Units at a price of CAD$0.15 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to CAD$2.5 Million. Each Unit will consist of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company and one (1) common share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to acquire one additional common share in the capital of the Company at a price of $0.25 per share for a period of two years following the date of issuance. The Warrants will be subject to the right of the Company to accelerate their exercise if the shares of the Company trade at a closing price above $0.50 for 10 consecutive trading days. There are finders fees payable in cash or securities, as permitted by the policies of the Exchange equal to 6% cash and 6% broker warrants of the proceeds raised by the finder. Closing of the private placement is anticipated to take place shortly. All common shares issued under the private placement will be subject to a four month hold period, in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The proceeds will be used for the upcoming drill program on the Company's Dios Padre project in Sonora, Mexico and general working capital. Michael Tucker, lead geologist and director states, "We are excited to continue drilling at Dios Padre. The drill crew will mobilize upon closing of the financing. Drill results to date continue to demonstrate what looks to be a high grade, high-sulphidation, gold-copper-silver system proximal to a porphyry source. We are looking forward to expanding on our exceptional results as they clearly demonstrate the potential of this system." Previously drilled Hole REG-23-21 intersected 54.65m of 5.34 g/t gold including 7.36 g/t over 38m in a ~65 m step-out along strike to the southeast from the discovery hole REG-22-01 which returned 35.8m of?6.84?g/t gold,?0.88%?copper and?21.82?g/t silver and Hole REG-23-14 intersected 35.9m of 5.51 g/t Au. Hole REG-23-21 was rated as one of the top 5 drill results in Mexico in Q4 2023 by the independent Mexican publication, Gambusino Prospector. The recently discovered breccia Au-Cu zones are part of a long lived, multi-phase magmatic hydrothermal Au-Cu-Ag event in the district. Recent geochronology results of the Cu-Au mineralized K-spar megacrystic Quartz Feldspar Porphyry (QFP) confirm that this system is part of the late Cretaceous to early Paleogene Laramide magmatic arc and associated porphyry Cu-Au deposits that span from New Mexico southwards into Sinaloa, Mexico (e.g. Buenavista del Cobre, La Caridad). The presence of a Laramide age Cu-Au porphyry system is new to the Dios Padre region of Sonora and has property-scale, as well as regional-scale implications on the prospectivity of the district. Dios Padre has all the indications of the presence of a significant hydrothermal system including widespread alunite-sericite alteration, extensive specularite-pyrite halos around Au-Cu mineralization, large, well-developed, multi-phase breccias as well as Cu-Au mineralized porphyritic intrusive rocks. Bruce Bragagnolo, Executive Chairman and Director states, "The gold breccia is a large, high grade gold zone. We look forward to extending the high-grade zone along strike with strong potential for continued high grade zones up-dip 400m toward the historic silver mine. The recent confirmation that Dios Padre is part of the Laramide copper porphyry belt also highlights the copper potential." QA/QC For further details about drill results and QA/QC procedures please refer to the Company's news releases dated October 11, 2022, and April 24 and November 2, 2023. Technical Information The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed by Company director Michael Tucker, P.Geo, who is recognized as a Qualified Person under the guidelines of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Tucker is a director of the Company and for that reason is not considered independent. Mr. Tucker has read and approved the technical contents of this news release. ABOUT REGENCY SILVER CORP. Regency Silver is a gold-copper-silver exploration company focused on the Americas. Regency Silver is led by a team of experienced professionals with expertise in both exploration and production. Regency Silver's flagship project is the Dios Padre gold-copper-silver project in Sonora, Mexico. Contact Information Regency Silver Corp. Kin Communications Inc. Phone: 1-604-684-6730 Email: RSMX@kincommunications.com Bruce Bragagnolo, Executive Chairman Phone: 1-604-417-9517 Email: bruce@regency-silver.com Gijsbert Groenewegen, Chief Executive Officer Phone: 1-646-247-1000 Email: gijs@regency-silver.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the optioning of the Project by the Company. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events may vary from those anticipated in such statements. Important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's plans or expectations include the risk that regulatory changes, fundraising, and risk associated with mineral exploration, including the risk that actual results of exploration will be different from those expected by management. The forward-looking statements in this news release were developed based on the expectations of management, including that Exchange acceptance for the proposed transaction will be obtained, conditions will be satisfied, required fundraising will be completed and the other risks described above will not materialize. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. SOURCE: Regency Silver Corp. View the original press release on accesswire.com LAVAL, QC / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE:BHC)(TSX:BHC) today announced the appointment of two new members to its Executive Leadership Team (ELT). Jean-Jacques Charhon ("JJ") will join the Company as Chief Financial Officer on August 19, 2024. JJ has over 25 years of experience in financial leadership roles with public and private companies across healthcare, high tech and services, primarily at General Electric, Hewlett Packard, Novartis and Purdue Pharma. Upon JJ's arrival, John Barresi, the Company's Interim Chief Financial Officer, will resume his role as SVP, Controller. Aimee Lenar joined the Company on July 15, 2024 as Executive Vice President, US Pharma. Aimee's new role includes leadership of Salix Pharmaceuticals, Bausch Health's gastroenterology (GI) business, as well as Neurology, Generics, Market Access and Commercial Operations. Aimee brings over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, most recently as Head of US Prescription Medicine at Galderma. "We are delighted to welcome JJ and Aimee to our ELT. They are both proven leaders bringing extensive experience and expertise to their respective roles that will drive our transformation and achieve our ambition to be a globally integrated and innovative healthcare company, trusted and valued by patients, HCPs, employees, and investors," said CEO, Thomas J. Appio. "I want to thank John Barresi for all his hard work and dedication as he stepped in as Interim Chief Financial Officer along with his other responsibilities. I am grateful to have John on the team; he is an integral part of our Financial Leadership Team." About Jean-Jacques Charhon On August 19, 2024, JJ will join the Company from Signant Health where he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and was primarily responsible for financial planning and analysis, accounting & controllership, treasury, tax and procurement. JJ has over 25 years of experience in financial leadership roles with public and private companies such as General Electric, Hewlett Packard, Novartis and Purdue Pharma. JJ is passionate about driving business enablement through the finance function for both strategy shaping and operational execution. JJ holds a master's degree in business administration from the Solvay School of Management in Brussels, Belgium. About Aimee Lenar Aimee joined the Company from her most recent role as Head of US Prescription Medicine at Galderma. At Galderma, Aimee was responsible for sales, marketing, market access, and business analytics, overseeing both a portfolio of established prescription products and a new immunology asset. Prior to this role, Aimee held leadership roles with AbbVie and Allergan, where she served most recently as a VP and General Manager of CNS. Prior to this role, she was VP Gastroenterology at AbbVie for over 5 years. Aimee has a proven track record across several roles and brings a wealth of marketing and sales execution to Bausch Health. Aimee holds a master's degree in public health from Emory University. About Bausch Health Bausch Health Companies Inc. (NYSE:BHC)(TSX:BHC) is a global diversified pharmaceutical company enriching lives through our relentless drive to deliver better health outcomes. We develop, manufacture and market a range of products primarily in gastroenterology, hepatology, neurology, dermatology, international pharmaceuticals and eye health, through our controlling ownership of Bausch + Lomb Corporation. Our ambition is to be a globally integrated healthcare company, trusted and valued by patients, HCPs, employees and investors. For more information, visit www.bauschhealth.comand connect with us on LinkedIn. Forward-looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements about the future performance of Bausch Health, which may generally be identified by the use of the words "will," "anticipates," "hopes," This news release contains forward-looking information and statements, within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), including, but not limited to, statements relating to the Company's succession plan for its chief financial officer position. Forward-looking statements may generally be identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "hopes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "should," "could," "would," "may," "believes," "estimates," "potential," "target," or "continue" and variations or similar expressions, and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, should or will be achieved, received or taken, or will occur or result, and similar such expressions also identify forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are based upon the current expectations and beliefs of management and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed in the Company's most recent annual and quarterly reports and detailed from time to time in the Company's other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian Securities Administrators, which risks and uncertainties are incorporated herein by reference. Additional information regarding certain of these material factors and assumptions may be found in the Company's filings described above. The Company believes that the material factors and assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable in the circumstances, but readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect actual outcomes, unless required by law. ### Investor Contact: Media Contact: Garen Sarafian Katie Savastano ir@bauschhealth.com corporate.communications@bauschhealth.com (877) 281-6642 (tollfree) (908) 569-3692 SOURCE: Bausch Health Companies Inc View the original press release on accesswire.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2024) - Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company"), a leading consolidator of emerging food brands is pleased to announce the opening of its newest Heal Wellness ("Heal"), a fresh smoothie bowls, acai bowls, and smoothies quick serve restaurant ("QSR") located in Sherwood Park, Alberta, this Saturday July 20th, 2024. Heal Wellness To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6625/217076_fa432d89d4e9f975_002full.jpg "Opening our newest Heal Wellness franchised location marks another significant step in expanding our footprint in Western Canada. This is our second (2nd) Heal store opening in Western Canada in the past six (6) weeks, with seven (7) other locations under construction throughout Alberta and British Columbia, and eleven (11) in total across Canada," said Sean Black, Chief Investment Officer of Happy Belly. "We are very pleased with the pace of growth for our brands. With a contractual commitment of 50 units for Heal in Western Canada, we are just getting started out west. This opening represents a major milestone for Heal Wellness and Happy Belly, as it is the first location for the brand in the province of Alberta." "The grand opening will take place at 905-8005 Emerald Drive, Sherwood Park, Alberta. With each new store opening, our Happy Belly footprint expands. Currently, six (6) of our QSR brands have new locations under construction across Canada. We look forward to announcing several more openings throughout 2024 as we continue to sign franchise agreements and secure prime real estate locations for our franchisees nationwide." "We anticipate that the Sherwood Park location will significantly extend Heal's customer base in a densely populated area that aligns well with the brand's demographics. This presents us with substantial opportunities both in-store and through delivery services. Sherwood Park continues to rapidly grow at an impressive double-digit rate and promotes a focus on health and wellness. It is known for its rich agricultural heritage and abundance of locally sourced fresh produce, making it an ideal location for a business centered around healthy, natural ingredients. The city's increasing population and active lifestyle culture create a strong market demand for nutritious and convenient food options like acai bowls and smoothies. "With a total of 326 contractually committed retail locations in the pipeline across all emerging brands in the Happy Belly Portfolio still to come, our team is heads down sourcing and continually reviewing real estate locations, combing through franchisee applications, and working hand in hand with our area developers to accelerate the growth of our asset light franchising model." "The rapid expansion of the Heal Wellness brand serves as a testament to our ability to execute effectively. As the brand's free cash flow grows, we anticipate accelerating our corporate store development timeline, supplemented by the growth of our franchise program." For franchising inquiries please see www.happybellyfg.com/franchise-with-us/ or contact us at hello@happybellyfg.com. About Heal Wellness Heal Wellness was founded with a passion and mission to provide quick, fresh wellness foods that support a busy and active lifestyle. We currently offer a diverse range of smoothie bowls and smoothies. We take pride in meticulously selecting every superfood ingredient on our menu to fuel the body, including acai smoothie bowls, smoothies, and super-seed grain bowls. Our smoothie bowls are crafted with real fruit and enriched with superfoods like acai, pitaya, goji berries, chia seeds, and more. About Happy Belly Food Group Happy Belly Food Group Inc. (CSE: HBFG) (OTCQB: HBFGF) ("Happy Belly" or the "Company") is a leading consolidator of emerging food brands. Happy Belly To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6625/217076_fa432d89d4e9f975_003full.jpg Happy Belly Food Group Shawn Moniz Founder, Chief Executive Officer FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: www: www.happybellyfg.com or email hello@happybellyfg.com If you wish to contact us please call: (604) 737-2303 Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release, which has been prepared by management. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements All 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. Forward-Looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur and include the future performance of Happy Belly and her subsidiaries. Forward-Looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for Happy Belly described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are posted on www.sedarplus.ca. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/217076 SOURCE: Happy Belly Food Group Inc. Marula Mining Plc - Acquisition of Lithium, Tungsten and Tantalum Project Adjoining Blesberg PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, July 19 Marula Mining PLC ("Marula'' or the "Company") 19 July 2024 Acquisition of Lithium, Tungsten and Tantalum Project Adjoining Blesberg Marula Mining (AQSE: MARU A2X: MARU) an African focused mining and development company, is pleased to announce that the Company's wholly-owned South African subsidiary, Southern African Lithium and Tantalum Mining (Pty) Limited ("SALT"), has signed a formal Share Sale Agreement ("Agreement") to acquire 100% of the shareholding in South African mining and exploration company Northern Cape Lithium and Tungsten (Pty) Limited ("NCLT"). NCLT is the registered holder of Prospecting Right NC 30/5/1/1/2/13317 PR, which extends over 15,000 hectares of the Vioolsdrift Farm, and 12 kilometres ("km") south of the Orange River in the Namaqualand District of the Northern Cape Province in South Africa (the "NCLT Project"). The NCLT Project is contiguous to and immediately north of the Company's existing operating Blesberg Lithium and Tantalum Mine ("Blesberg"). It comprises over 16 known tungsten deposits and former high-grade tungsten mining operations including the Kalbeen and Isis Tungsten Mines and the Koubank, Kaalbeen West and Armbank Tungsten Deposits, all of which are located within 5km to 10km of Blesberg. The NCLT Project also includes the Spodumene Kop II Pegmatite, located 6km from Blesberg, which was previously mined to shallow depths of just 5 metres ("m") for its spodumene ore, tantalite and beryl and where historical non-JORC compliant resources have been identified down to initial depths of 30m. Also located on the license area is the Groendoorn Pegmatite Field which includes approx. 30 small pegmatites, of which half are well zoned and mineralised with the other half weakly zoned. These pegmatites have been observed to contain spodumene, tantalite, beryl, feldspar and mica, and where small-scale mining was undertaken up to the 1960s. The acquisition of the NCLT Project is considered strategically important, as it comprises a large and highly prospective licence area that adjoins Blesberg and includes a number of battery minerals development opportunities, including a portfolio of tungsten assets with the potential to commence open pit operations at the Isis and Koubank Tungsten Mines, and develop the pegmatites at Spodumene Kop II and Groendoorn which have good potential for tantalite and industrial minerals such as feldspar. All the key projects are brownfields sites, with good access and infrastructure and which were historically mined previously. However, none of these deposits have been re-assessed for over 40 years, during which time both tungsten and pegmatite and battery mineral markets have undergone fundamental changes with greatly increased demand prices for quality products. Following the Company's technical and financial due diligence work which has confirmed the potential high-grade nature of the tungsten and tantalum mineralisation at the NCLT Project, the Directors believe there is the opportunity to advance plans to recommence mining of tungsten at Kalbeen and Isis and complete new exploration and mine development of the nearby Koubank, Kalbeen West and Armbank tungsten deposits as well as tantalum and spodumene exploration and mine development at Spodumene Kop II and at the Groendoorn Pegmatites. Under the commercial terms of the Agreement, the Company will now make a cash payment of approx. 125,000 (ZAR3,000,000) to the existing NCLT shareholders, and on or before 31 July 2024 and 30 September 2024 make two further payments each of 625,000 (ZAR15,000,000) payable at the Company's election in cash or through the issue of new ordinary shares in the Company at the 30 day VWAP price. The Company is proposing to meet these cash payments from advances due from AUO Commercial LLC under its existing funding arrangements, and from expected future cash flows from operations. Highlights: agreement signed to acquire 100% of the shareholding in NCLT and the NCLT Project the NCLT Project extends over 15,000 hectares and significantly increases the Company's geographic footprint in an area with strategic minerals potential including lithium, tantalum and tungsten the NCLT Project is contiguous to and immediately north of the Company's existing operating Blesberg spodumene, tantalum and feldspar mining and processing operations and can be accessed from both the main N7 Highway and from existing additional access roads including several from the actual Blesberg mining and processing operations the acquisition follows a successful legal, technical and financial due diligence by the Company and SALT on NCLT and the NCLT Project which has identified the opportunity to further strengthen the Company's strategic metals project portfolio with tungsten mining opportunities key areas of the NCLT Project are typically within 5km and 10km of the Company's Blesberg mining and processing operations and provide the opportunity for the Company to use its existing, and to be expanded processing equipment to accelerate development and production activities at a number of the NCLT Projects Kaalbeen Tungsten Mine was one of the most significant regional producer of tungsten concentrates in the Northern Cape it is located approximately 12km from Blesberg and accessed from the main N7 Highway it is a tungsten vein deposit, with scheelite tungsten mineralisation grading 2-3% tungsten oxide ("WO3") that was mined by both open pit and underground methods production of 10 to 12 tonnes per year of tungsten concentrate with grades of 74% were achieved during the 1970s initial investigations by NCLT has shown that the tungsten veins extend beyond the areas of historic mining areas and that operations ceased in the 1970s not because of depletion of resources, but rather due to the poor prices for tungsten there are at least 4 other main tungsten deposits within a short distance of the Kalbeen Tungsten Mine with similar geological setting and scheelite mineralisation in quartz veins, and these include the larger Kaalbeen West and Armbank deposits Isis Tungsten Mine located around 10km directly west of Blesberg it was mined by shallow open pits and trenches, with a number of tailings stockpiles still present in the mining area tungsten scheelite mineralisation was previously mined between 1943 and 1953 at reported grades of 2.46% WO3 , however, reported concentrates were only in the region of 100t suggesting poor process efficiency, the majority confined to the southern portion of a 3km wide zone intersected by a number of pegmatites which contain tantalite the Isis Tungsten Mine is considered to have the potential for shallow, open pit mining in addition to the retreatment of the existing tailings dumps and potentially large scale mining in select areas depending on the density of veins and grades Koubank Tungsten Deposit located 6km from Blesberg and immediately to the south of Spodumene Kop II previous exploration has been undertaken for tungsten including drilling along trenches and occasional larger quarries, or cross-cuttings to the quartz veins and pegmatitic dykes which are the primary hosts of the tungsten mineralisation trenches, pits and quarries extend for over 1km2 and a small recovery plant was previously operational on site and results are understood to show a sizeable but irregularly mineralised, low-grade, surface tungsten deposit in a similar style to Kaalbeen, Koubank has several satellite tungsten deposits, mainly to the north of the main deposit and in these veins scheelite occurs with secondary copper minerals and molybdenite Koubank III is the largest of these satellite deposits and where ultramafic rocks have been identified. Individual veins are around 0.6m wide, up to 80m long and continuing to at least 30m in depth collectively the Koubank Tungsten Deposit are potentially sizeable, starting from surface and open ended at depth Kaalbeen West Tungsten Deposit is an unmined deposit located 2.3km northwest of the main Kaalbeen Mine and contains several sets of tungsten-bearing veins reported to be up to 7m in thickness extending over an area of 1km2 suggesting a potentially significant tonnage of mineralisation Spodumene Kop II Pegmatite the main Spodumene Pegmatite lies 6km northeast of Blesberg and is a large dyke-shaped body around 250m in length and over 15m wide in places geologically it is a three zone, albite intrusive with a large wall zone of coarse albite and accessory spodumene. It has an intermediate zone of quartz, albite and spodumene with accessory beryl and tantalite. The core is small and contains abundant quartz and spodumene historically mining was undertaken in a continuous 45m long pit at the eastern section of the orebody - in the core zone - for its spodumene content (as well as beryl and tantalite) down to a maximum depth of 5m historical non-JORC compliant resources was estimated by the Geological Survey of South Africa (Schutte, 1972) of 350,000 tonnes down to 30m depth the Company will complete a program of detailed mapping and sampling of the exposed body and excavations, and initial observations suggest that tantalite maybe present in several zones the Company anticipates carrying out subsequent drilling to investigate the pegmatite at depth Groendoorn Pegmatite Field Groendoorn is a complete, pegmatite field located approx. 25 km west of Blesberg the pegmatite field covers an area of 2.5km x 2km and comprises around 30 pegmatites, all are mineralised to variable extents historical work by the Geological Survey of South Africa investigated and mapped these small pegmatites for beryl, spodumene, amblygonite and tantalite and microlite the Company will now proceed with its initial work programs which will focus on further review and sampling work on the three primary tungsten projects for a potential accelerated start-up of operations Jason Brewer, Marula Mining PLC CEO said: "I am thrilled to be able to announce this strategic acquisition of NCLT. "The NCLT Project comprises a highly prospective and extensive licence area for a number of minerals, most especially a strong portfolio of tungsten assets including the potentially shallow open castable Kaalbeen, Koubank and Isis operation. Similarly, the pegmatites at Spodumene Kop II and Groendoorn have good potential for tantalite, spodumene and industrial minerals. "All these key projects are located close to our existing Blesberg mining and processing operations, and are brownfields sites, with great infrastructure and a good mining and exploration history. "Over the past decade both the tungsten and pegmatite mineral markets have undergone fundamental changes which have greatly increased the demand and pricing for quality high-grade products. "Tungsten has quickly become one of the most critical of critical minerals worldwide and initially we will focus on Kaalbeen and Isis as the best known and amongst the most prospective deposits in the Northern Cape. Isis has the dual prospectivity as a well-known location for high grade tantalite associated with the many surrounding pegmatites. Additionally, our focus on the extension of the Kaalbeen - Koubank line of several tungsten deposits is a further priority and has the potential to lead to an accelerated production timetable. "Scheelite tungsten mineralisation is a heavy mineral and processing can be undertaken by both low cost, straight-forward gravity methods to produce saleable concentrates and also by using the existing XRF TOMRA and RADOS Ore Sorters at our Blesberg mining and processing operations which is a major advantage for us. "Of the pegmatites, Spodumene Kop II has been the subject of a previous mining and exploration and it is a zoned body containing both lithium and tantalum in the central areas and volumes of industrial feldspar in the wall zones. The other pegmatites, including Groendoorn, form part of what we believe is major upside potential for us in our now significantly increased footprint in the Northern Cape. "This acquisition not only expands Marula's portfolio and geographic footprint in South Africa, but also provides an opportunity to build on infrastructure at Blesberg and position ourselves as a fast emerging and growth focused company in the South African mining landscape. "Moving forward, I am looking forward to providing further updates on the NCLT Projects and our broader mining and processing activities in South Africa, as we continue to pursue opportunities for mineral production, cashflow generation and value creation." The Directors of Marula are responsible for the contents of this announcement. This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of UK Market Abuse Regulation. Review of Announcement by Qualified Person This announcement has been reviewed by Mr Jacques Perold (PrSciNat, MGSSA, MIQ MSc(Eng), MSc(ESPM), NDSURMA, Datametrics), who is engaged by Marula Mining plc as its professional consulting geologist. Mr Jacques Perold is a professional geologist with 37 years of experience in the field and extensive knowledge of all aspects of mineral resource management. Mr Jacques Perold is Member of the Geological Society of South Africa (No. 965505) and a registered scientist of the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Reg No. 400171/05) in terms of section 20(3) of the Natural Scientific Professions Act, 2002 (Act 27 of 2003) in the field of Geological Science (Professional Natural Scientist). About Marula Mining Marula Mining (AQSE: MARU) is an African focused battery metals investment and exploration company and has interests in several high value mine projects in Africa; the Blesberg Lithium and Tantalum Mine, the Northern Cape Lithium and Tungsten Projects, and Kruisrivier Cobalt Mine all in South Africa, the Larisoro Manganese Mine and Kilifi Manganese Processing Plant both in Kenya,the Kinusi Copper Mine, the Nyorinyori Graphite Project, the NyoriGreen Graphite Project and the Bagamoyo Graphite Project all in Tanzania and the Nkombwa Hill Project in Zambia. As we advance operations at these battery metals focused projects, Marula will continue to build and expand its interests in other high-quality projects in Africa. Marula's strategy is to identify and invest in advanced and high-value mining projects throughout East, Central and Southern Africa that the Directors believe would deliver returns for its shareholders. The Board and management team aims to establish Marula as a socially and environmentally responsible, sustainable, and profitable producer of critical metals and commodities that are of increasingly strategic importance to modern technologies and the global economy. Marula's shares are traded on AQUIS Stock Exchange (AQSE) in London and A2X Markets in South Africa. Marula is exploring opportunities to admit its shares to trading on Kenya's Nairobi Securities Exchange and South Africa's Johannesburg Stock Exchange. For enquiries contact: Marula Mining PLC Jason Brewer, Chief Executive Officer Faith Kinyanjui Mumbi Investor Relations Email: jason@marulamining.com Email: info@marulamining.com AQSE Corporate Adviser Cairn Financial Advisers LLP, Liam Murray / Ludovico Lazzaretti +44 (0)20 7213 0880 Broker Peterhouse Capital Limited, Charles Goodfellow / Duncan Vasey +44 (0)20 7469 0930 Financial PR and IR BlytheRay Tim Blythe / Megan Ray / Said Izagaren +44 (0)20 7138 3204 A2X Advisor AcaciaCap Advisors Proprietary Limited Michelle Krastanov +27 (11) 480 8500 Caution: Certain statements in this announcement, are, or may be deemed to be, forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are identi?ed by their use of terms and phrases such as 'believe', 'could', "should" 'envisage', 'estimate', 'intend', 'may', 'plan', 'potentially', "expect", 'will' or the negative of those, variations or comparable expressions, including references to assumptions. These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company's future growth, results of operations, performance, future capital and other expenditures (including the amount, nature and sources of funding thereof), competitive advantages, business prospects and opportunities. Such forward looking statements re?ect the Directors' current beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to the Directors. CBD Life Sciences Inc. (OTC PINK:CBDL), a leading company in the CBD industry, is proud to announce the addition of Jennifer Simmons as the new General Manager. Jennifer is a highly skilled professional who will significantly elevate our company's growth and revenue, as well as enhance our marketing strategies. Jennifer brings over 10 years of experience in marketing and business development to CBDL. Most recently, she served as a Marketing Manager at Square Inc., where she demonstrated her expertise in driving business growth. Jennifer graduated from California State University in 2017 with a BA in Psychology and studied marketing and fine art. Throughout her career, Jennifer has worked with multi-million-dollar businesses such as TNT Fireworks, Capital One, and Christian Cowan. She has curated custom e-commerce solutions to help these companies achieve their revenue and business goals. Her extensive background in tech and marketing positions her perfectly to help CBDL grow online, boost SEO, and create high-quality packaging and design for our products. In her role as General Manager, Jennifer will oversee the opening of multiple retail locations for CBDL and manage our Scottsdale location. She will lead our sales team and work tirelessly to drive traffic both in-store and online. Her leadership and vision are expected to be instrumental in CBDL's continued success. "We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer Simmons to our team," said Lisa Nelson, CEO of CBDL. "Her proven track record in marketing and business development, coupled with her innovative approach, will be invaluable as we expand our retail presence and enhance our online capabilities." For more information about CBDL and our latest developments, please visit www.thecbdvault.com CBD is celebrated for its potential to address a wide range of conditions. From behavioral and neurological disorders like ADD/ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, OCD, PTSD, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, osteoporosis, and ALS, to pain management for headaches, migraines, arthritis, cramps, spinal injuries, and fibromyalgia, CBD offers promising benefits. It may also support gastrointestinal health, aiding in conditions such as anorexia, cachexia, Crohn's disease, diabetes, and nausea, and provide relief for physical and immune system disorders, including muscular dystrophy, cancer, and hypertension. Stay connected for more exciting updates as The CBD Vault continues to innovate and set new standards in the CBD industry. About The CBD Vault Inc. The CBD Vault Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CBD Life Sciences Inc. The CBD Vault has developed and is retailing/wholesale a full line of cannabidiol based organic products including CBD Drops, Pain Relief Creams, Anxiety & Sleep Supplements, Edibles, Coffee, Skincare Line, Pet Line, Tablets. The CBD Vault's products can be viewed and purchased on the Company's website at www.thecbdvault.com Follow our social media for the latest updates! X: https://www.x.com/CBDL_StockOTC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cbd.vault IR Contact: cbdvaultaz@gmail.com Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements and are subject to risks and uncertainties. See CBD Life Sciences, Inc's, Inc.'s filings with OTC Markets, which may identify specific factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement This release includes forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and reflects management's current expectations. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Some of these factors include: general global economic conditions; general industry and market conditions, sector changes and growth rates; uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; increasing competition; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of services; changes in the economy; changes in laws and regulations, including codes and standards, intellectual property rights, and tax matters; or other matters not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. SOURCE: CBD Life Sciences Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com LONDON and CHICAGO, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HH Global is pleased to announce the completion of the acquisition of Northell Partners Ltd, following the signing of an agreement on 16 July 2024. HH Global identified Northell as a best-in-class marketing technology, AI solution provider which will enable HH Global to accelerate its ongoing adoption of AI and machine learning for its clients and across its own business. The increased efficiencies of Northell's AI technology will provide advanced opportunities for new and existing clients to generate deeper insights, improve efficiencies in marketing activation and accelerate time to market across all categories and regions. Kristian Elgey - Global CEO at HH Global said, "Northell is a market-leading technologies and services provider, which is operating at the cutting-edge of the development and implementation of Artificial Intelligence. With our own drive to enhance operational efficiency, the acquisition of Northell demonstrates HH Global's continuing investment in developing industry-leading marketing activation solutions and services for global brands. We are excited about this next step in our journey and we are looking forward to working with our new colleagues." Peter Verster, CEO at Northell said, "We are delighted to be a part of HH Global, and with their focus on innovation, people and client delivery, we look forward to realizing the full potential of our solutions, people and technology. This acquisition allows us to continue Northell's focus on addressing real-world business opportunities and delivering tangible outcomes. We look forward to amplifying HH Global's already unrivaled delivery and working directly with their clients, who are some of the most exciting and progressive global brands." About HH Global Founded in 1991, HH Global is the global leader in responsible marketing activation services. Through their creativity, technology and expertise, they connect brands to their customers, across channels and markets, helping them achieve big impact for their big ideas. HH Global has +4,500 experts in more than 60 countries and in every market around the world. With a thirty-year track record of success, they help the biggest, most exciting and progressive global brands achieve stronger, more responsible growth. About Northell Northell operates at the cutting-edge of the development and implementation of Artificial Intelligence and has earned recognition from leading technology analysts Forrester and Gartner. It has a proven track record of enhancing organizational efficiency and innovation by transforming data and integrating advanced technologies and AI. Northell's experienced team combines academic knowledge from leading institutions with experience gained from working and building solutions with some of the biggest and most progressive global brands to deliver innovative solutions and powerful results. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/471140/hh_global_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hh-global-advancing-global-marketing-activation-capability-with-strategic-investment-in-best-in-class-ai-solutions-302201403.html Euroclear acquires a strategic stake in Inversis with a committed plan to full ownership by end 2027 The acquisition aligns with Euroclear's long-term growth objectives and strengthens Euroclear's presence in Spain The combination accelerates the growth of Euroclear's end-to-end funds platform solution, Euroclear FundsPlace Inversis' technology-led, diversified and resilient business model underpinned by continued growth complements Euroclear's existing funds business BRUSSELS, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Euroclear today announces it has acquired a strategic stake of 49% in Inversis, a leading provider of global investment technology solutions and outsourced financial services. Euroclear will become the full owner of Inversis by end 2027. Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Madrid, Inversis is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Banca March. As a provider of investment technology solutions, the company offers funds platform services, securities outsourcing, intermediation, funds depository and various other services to financial institutions, insurance companies and new players in the distribution of investment products. Building on the acquisitions of MFEX in 2021 and Goji in 2023 as well as the recent strategic investment in IZNES, Euroclear continues to enhance its Euroclear FundsPlace offering, its end-to-end funds platform solution across mutual and money market funds, alternative funds and ETFs. Euroclear administers 3.3 trillion of fund assets, servicing approximately 3,000 fund distributors and 2,500 fund management companies spanning across 85 countries. By partnering with Inversis, Euroclear aims to accelerate the delivery of its funds' strategy, and increase its pan-European coverage thanks to Inversis' significant presence on the Spanish market. Inversis will benefit from Euroclear's international reach and proven capabilities as leading capital market infrastructure. Euroclear's investment in Inversis will accelerate the Spanish company's growth. Further investments in technology and workforce will be made to support the growth of the company. The agreement will strengthen the Spanish company's global footprint, after it successfully consolidated its value proposition in Luxembourg through the acquisitions of Banque Havilland's depositary business and 40% of the fund management and administration firm Adepa. It will also afford robust support for Inversis' large clients business line. The transaction is immediately EPS accretive for Euroclear, with the expected return on investment above Euroclear's cost of equity in the first year of full ownership. The regulatory capital impact on Euroclear is limited and the transaction is fully financed by existing cash. Valerie Urbain, Chief Executive Officer of Euroclear, said: "We are delighted to join forces with Inversis, a highly attractive business which aligns with our ambition to offer a true end-to-end solution to our clients on the full spectrum of funds products across all regions in Europe and beyond. Inversis' diversified and resilient business model driven by continued growth perfectly complements Euroclear's business. As a European leader with a global presence committed to supporting the Capital Markets Union (CMU), Euroclear will improve its coverage in Spain, a market offering significant growth opportunities in the fund distribution space." Banca March CEO, Jose Luis Acea, said: "Since Banca March acquired full ownership of Inversis in 2016, we have supported its growth strategy, which has been guided by a commitment to offering its institutional clients comprehensive, global solutions as catalysts for their financial asset distribution businesses, with a clear ambition to grow the company's global footprint. We have found in Euroclear, a leading provider of financial services for the largest international banking entities, the ideal partner to take the company to a new level of growth." Inversis CEO, Alberto del Cid, said: "By combining with Euroclear, a prominent provider of financial services for all the major global banking institutions, Inversis will reinforce its large clients' business. Likewise, Inversis' existing clients (which include Banca March) will benefit from a stronger value proposition across all the firm's business areas, including its fund distribution platform, which will be supported by Euroclear's FundsPlace solution, positioning it as one of the leading global players." About Inversis Inversis, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Banca March, is Spain's leading provider of global investment technology solutions and outsourced financial services for financial institutions, insurance companies and new players in the investment product distribution space. Since its inception, Inversis has invested consistently in technology and innovation to adapt seamlessly to the needs of the institutional sector. The technology delivered by Inversis allows its institutional clients to outsource non-core activities and processes, enhancing their own efficiency. Inversis, as well as being an investment product platform, provides intermediation, settlement and custody services, state-of-the-art technology outsourcing solutions, treasury and capital markets services, depositary services, online brokerage services and research services. www.inversis.es About Banca March Banca March is one of the leading banks in private and corporate banking in Spain. It is also the only 100% family-owned bank since its incorporation in 1926. Consistently with a cautious and long-term approach, Banca March's business model is underpinned by solid financial and capital metrics: highest capital ratio CET 1 (21,26%) in the Spanish market, NPL ratio among the lowest (1.88% as of December 2023 vs an average of 3.54%), and liquidity ratios (LCR at 325.9% and DTL at 168.1%) among the highest in Europe. Banca March's robust business model has also been acknowledged by Moody's. The rating agency has raised the bank 's long-term deposit rating to A2 with a positive outlook, ranking at the top in the Spanish banking system and ahead of the Kingdom of Spain 's, which stands at Baa1. Banca March holds a significant stake in Corporacion Financiera Alba, a holding Company with stable, long-term investments in companies such as Naturgy (indirect), Acerinox, Profand, Ebro Foods, Viscofan, Atlantic Aviation and Parques Reunidos, among others. About Euroclear Euroclear group is the financial industry's trusted provider of post trade services. Guided by its purpose, Euroclear innovates to bring safety, efficiency and connections to financial markets for sustainable economic growth. Euroclear provides settlement and custody of domestic and cross-border securities for bonds, equities and derivatives and investment funds. As a proven, resilient capital market infrastructure, Euroclear is committed to delivering risk-mitigation, automation and efficiency at scale for its global client franchise. The Euroclear group comprises Euroclear Bank, the International and Irish CSD, as well as Euroclear Belgium, Euroclear Finland, Euroclear France, Euroclear Nederland, Euroclear Sweden, Euroclear UK & International. Contact Euroclear: Thomas Churchill / thomas.churchill@euroclear.com / +32 471 63 65 35 Pascal Brabant / pascal.brabant@euroclear.com / +32 475 78 36 62 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2064818/4689592/Euroclear_logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/euroclear-expands-funds-business-into-spain-by-acquiring-a-strategic-stake-in-inversis-302201423.html Chico, California--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2024) - AmeraMex International, Inc. (OTC Pink: AMMX), a leading provider of heavy equipment for logistics companies, infrastructure construction, and forestry conservation, is pleased to announce the sale of $600,000 in equipment orders. This includes a refurbished Taylor Equipment Empty Container Handler and two Taylor Equipment 52,000-pound capacity forklifts. The refurbished Taylor Equipment Empty Container Handler will be shipped to the West Coast in the first week of August. This robust machine is designed to handle empty containers efficiently, ensuring smooth operations at ports and logistics centers. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10200/217053_8aa3c7a9c4751904_001full.jpg Additionally, two Taylor Equipment 52,000-pound capacity forklifts will be shipped at the end of July to a customer in Southern California. These forklifts are known for their durability and high lifting capacity, making them ideal for heavy-duty operations. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10200/217053_8aa3c7a9c4751904_002full.jpg "We are happy to fulfill these orders, which highlight the trust our customers place in AmeraMex International for their heavy equipment needs," said Lee Hamre, CEO of AmeraMex International. "Our commitment to providing high-quality, reliable equipment continues to drive our success in the industry." For more information and pricing of equipment for the logistics, construction, and forestry industries, or to book a demonstration of the First Green Company's Electric's 100 percent electric skid steer loaders, ASV Posti-Tract and Skid Steer Loaders, Menzi Muck Excavators, or a Magni Telescopic Handler, contact the AmeraMex/Hamre Equipment sales team at 530.895.8955. AmeraMex International AmeraMex International sells, leases, and rents heavy equipment to companies within multiple industries including construction, logistics, mining, and lumber. The company has over 30 years of experience in heavy equipment sales and service. Follow AmeraMex on Twitter @ammx_intl and visit the AmeraMex website, www.AMMX.net or www.HamreEquipment.com for additional information and equipment videos. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "potential," "continue" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, and there are key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Investors are encouraged to review the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects the Company's current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if added information becomes available in the future. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/217053 SOURCE: AmeraMex International Inc. Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) that the company is expanding its relationship with longtime channel partner Gama Aviation. Newly designated as an Authorized Sales Representative (ASR) for Textron Aviation Special Missions aircraft in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Gama Aviation will now feature special missions variants of the entire portfolio of Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240720707608/en/ Textron Aviation Textron Aviation expanding relationship with channel partner Gama Aviation (Photo: Business Wire) "With an established and growing base of our special missions aircraft in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Textron Aviation is continuously investing in providing the best aviation experience for customers," said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Special Mission Sales, Textron Aviation. "Gama Aviation has a proven record of providing quality maintenance and excellent service on Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft, and this latest authorization provides an even greater level of convenience for new and returning customers." This authorization allows customers to engage with Gama Aviation on their total needs, from developing their requirements through turnkey solutions of missionized aircraft, with full in-country support. "We are delighted to be extending our relationship with Textron Aviation as an Authorized Sales Representative for Special Missions aircraft," said Mark Smith, managing director, Special Missions, Gama Aviation. "As a long-term design, embodiment, maintainer and operator of Textron Aviation platforms for Air Ambulance and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions, we feel ideally placed to advise end users and operators of the art of the possible in their Special Missions configuration. Working with Textron Aviation in this way will strengthen the total support we can collectively provide in the U.K. and Ireland." Endless Special Missions Possibilities When government, military and commercial customers want airborne solutions for critical missions, they turn to Textron Aviation. The company's aviation solutions provide the high performance and flight characteristics required to address the unique challenges of special missions operations. With unparalleled quality, versatility and low operating costs, Textron Aviation products are ideal for air ambulance; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR); utility transport; aerial survey; flight inspection; training and a number of other special operations. About Textron Aviation We inspire the journey of flight. For more than 95 years, Textron Aviation has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops, and high-performance pistons, to special missions, military trainer and defense products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable, productive and flexible flight. For more information, visit www.txtav.com specialmissions.txtav.com defense.txtav.com scorpion.txtav.com. About Textron Textron is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, and Textron Systems. For more information, visit: www.textron.com. Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements which may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240720707608/en/ Contacts: Media: Doug Scott +1.316.347.0116 dscott2@txtav.com txtav.com Novem Group S.A. Societe anonyme Registered office: 19, rue Edmond Reuter L-5326 Contern R.C.S. Luxembourg B 162537 (the "Company") CONVENING NOTICE Notice is hereby given to the holders of shares of Novem Group S.A. that an ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of shareholders will be held on 22 August 2024 at 10:00 (CEST) at Novotel Luxembourg Kirchberg, 6, Rue du Fort Niedergruenewald, 2226 Kirchberg, Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg (the "AGM"). Shareholders wishing to participate at the AGM shall either (i) provide a proxy or voting form (in accordance with sections "Right to Participate at the AGM", "Registration for the AGM", "Voting Forms" and "Representation") or (ii) physically attend in person and vote at the AGM (in accordance with sections "Right to Participate at the AGM" and "Attendance in-Person"). At the AGM, the shareholders shall deliberate and vote on the following agenda: AGENDA 1. Presentation of the combined consolidated Management Report regarding the annual accounts of the Company and the consolidated financial statements of the Group for the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 2. Presentation of the report of the Supervisory Board of the Company regarding the annual accounts of the Company and the consolidated financial statements of the Group for the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 3. Presentation of the reports of the independent auditor (cabinet de revision agree) of the Company regarding the annual accounts of the Company and the consolidated financial statements of the Group for the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 4. Approval of the annual accounts of the Company for the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 5. Acknowledgement of the profit of the Company made with respect to the financial year ended 31 March 2024, and resolution concerning the allocation of the results of the Company for the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 6. Approval of the consolidated financial statements of the Group for the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 7. Presentation of and advisory vote on the Remuneration Report for the members of the Management Board and the Supervisory Board in the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 8. Discharge (quitus) to Dr. Stephan Kessel, as member of the Supervisory Board, for the performance of his duties as member of the Supervisory Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 9. Discharge (quitus) to Mark Wilhelms, as member of the Supervisory Board, for the performance of his duties as member of the Supervisory Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 10. Discharge (quitus) to Natalie C. Hayday, as member of the Supervisory Board, for the performance of her duties as member of the Supervisory Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 11. Discharge (quitus) to Florian Schick, as member of the Supervisory Board, for the performance of his duties as member of the Supervisory Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 12. Discharge (quitus) to Philipp Struth, as member of the Supervisory Board, for the performance of his duties as member of the Supervisory Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 13. Discharge (quitus) to Gunter Brenner, as member of the Management Board, for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 14. Discharge (quitus) to Dr. Johannes Burtscher, as member of the Management Board, for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 15. Discharge (quitus) to Mathias Rieger, as member of the Management Board, for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 16. Discharge (quitus) to Frank Schmitt, as member of the Management Board, for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 17. Discharge (quitus) to Maria Eichinger, as member of the Management Board, for the performance of her duties as member of the Management Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 18. Discharge (quitus) to Markus Wittmann, as member of the Management Board, for the performance of his duties as member of the Management Board for and in connection with the financial year ended 31 March 2024. 19. Appointment of Dr. Stephan Kessel, as member of the Supervisory Board, until the general meeting called to approve the Company's annual financial statements for the financial year ending 31 March 2027. 20. Appointment of Natalie C. Hayday, as member of the Supervisory Board, until the general meeting called to approve the Company's annual financial statements for the financial year ending 31 March 2027. 21. Appointment of Philipp Struth, as member of the Supervisory Board, until the general meeting called to approve the Company's annual financial statements for the financial year ending 31 March 2027. 22. Appointment of Laurent Muller, as member of the Supervisory Board, until the general meeting called to approve the Company's annual financial statements for the financial year ending 31 March 2027. 23. Appointment of Florian Schick, as member of the Supervisory Board, until the general meeting called to approve the Company's annual financial statements for the financial year ending 31 March 2027. 24. Appointment of KPMG Audit S.a r.l. as the independent auditor (cabinet de revision agree) of the Company in relation to the annual accounts and the consolidated financial statements for the financial year ending on 31 March 2025. Quorum and Majorities Pursuant to the Company's articles of association and the Luxembourg law dated 10 August 1915 on commercial companies, as amended, resolutions regarding items 4 through 6, as well as 8 through 24 of the agenda will be passed at a simple majority of the votes validly cast, regardless of the portion of the capital present or represented. Item 7 constitutes an advisory vote only. Items 1 through 3 do not require any votes from the shareholders of the Company. Right to Amend the Content of the Agenda Pursuant to the Company's articles of association and the Luxembourg law of 24 May 2011 on certain rights of shareholders in listed companies, as amended (the "Luxembourg Shareholders' Rights Law"), one or several shareholders representing at least five per cent (5%) of the Company's share capital may request the addition of one or several items to the agenda of the AGM, provided that the request is accompanied by a justification or draft resolution(s). Pursuant to Article 4 of the Luxembourg Shareholders' Rights Law and the Company's articles of association, such request and justification or draft resolution(s) must be received at the Company's registered office by registered letter or by e-mail (to the attention of the Management Board, 19, rue Edmond Reuter, L-5326 Contern) or electronic means (to: anmeldestelle@computershare.de) at least twenty-two (22) days prior to the date of the relevant general meeting of shareholders, i.e. by 31 July 2024 accompanied by a proof of the shareholding of such shareholder(s) and the address or e-mail address which the Company may use in order to deliver the acknowledgement of receipt of such request. The Company must acknowledge reception of such request within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of such request. In case such request entails a modification of the agenda of the relevant general shareholders' meeting, the Company will make an amended agenda available at the latest fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the general meeting, i.e. by 7 August 2024. Documents The following documents are available for inspection by the shareholders on the Company's website (https://ir.novem.com/websites/novem/English/5000/corporate-governance.html) and at the registered office of the Company as from 19 July 2024 until the ending of the AGM: - The convening notice for the AGM; - The proposed resolutions of the AGM; - The respective Management, Supervisory Board and auditor's reports regarding the annual accounts of the Company and the consolidated financial statements of the Group for the financial year ended 31 March 2024; - The Remuneration Report; and - The biographical information of the candidates for the appointment as members of the Company's Supervisory Board. Upon request to the centralising agent of the Company (the "Centralising Agent"), being: Computershare Operations Center 80249 Munich, Germany E-mail: anmeldestelle@computershare.de copies of the above-mentioned documents are going to be mailed to the shareholders. Share Capital of the Company The Company's share capital is set at four hundred thirty thousand three hundred three Euro and three Euro cent (EUR 430,303.03), consisting of forty-three million thirty thousand three hundred three (43,030,303) shares without nominal value. Each share entitles the holder thereof to one vote. Right to Participate at the AGM Shareholders wishing to participate in the AGM without attending in person, shall provide a proxy or voting form (in accordance with sections "Voting Forms" and "Representation" respectively). According to Article 5 of the Luxembourg Shareholders' Rights Law, the record date for general meetings of shareholders of listed companies incorporated under the laws of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has been set at fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the corresponding general shareholders' meeting. Therefore, any shareholder who holds one or more shares of the Company on 08 August 2024 at 24:00 (midnight) (CEST) (the "Record Date") and registers for the AGM, where applicable, (please see below section "Registration for the AGM") and provides the certificate specified below, shall be admitted to participate and vote at the AGM in person, by proxy or by way of written vote. Registration for the AGM The Management Board of the Company considers that shareholders who provide proof of their shareholding on the Record Date and submit their voting form or provide a proxy as set forth in the below section "Representation", do not have to undertake other formalities to comply with the obligation set out in Article 5 (3) of the Luxembourg Shareholders' Rights Law. Proof of shareholding being a prerequisite for a shareholder to participate and vote in the AGM, shareholders whose shares are held in book-entry form through the operator of a securities settlement system or with a professional depositary or sub-depositary designated by such depositary must submit proof certifying the number of shares held on the Record Date to the Centralising Agent in the period from 08 August 2024 at 24:00 (midnight) CEST until 16 August 2024 at 18:00 CEST. Attendance in-Person In case of participation in person and notwithstanding the foregoing, the intention to participate in person shall be indicated in writing by post or electronic means (the "In-Person Attendance Declaration") at the postal or electronic address referred to below and in particular by any other electronic means made available by the Company by 16 August 2024 at 18:00 (CEST) at the following address: Novem Group S.A. c/o Computershare Operations Center 80249 Munich, Germany E-mail: anmeldestelle@computershare.de In-Person Attendance Declarations are provided on the Company's website (https://ir.novem.com/websites/novem/English/5000/corporate-governance.html) which may be used. Any shareholder or proxyholder participating in the AGM in person shall carry proof of identity. Shareholders who do not wish to attend the AGM in person must provide a voting form or proxy form in case they do wish to vote in the AGM by 16 August 2024 at 18:00 (CEST) (see below section "Voting Form" and "Representation" respectively). Voting Forms Shareholders who do not wish to participate in person in the AGM or appoint a proxy may cast their votes by sending a voting form to the Company by mail, e-mail or in any other form, and in particular by any other electronic means made available by the Company no later than on 16 August 2024 at 18:00 (CEST) (see above sections "Registration for the AGM" and "Right to Participate at the AGM" for requirements to participate at the AGM). Voting forms provided by the Company on its website (https://ir.novem.com/websites/novem/English/5000/corporate-governance.html) may be used and if used, only signed voting forms will be taken into account (including for the avoidance of doubt, signed pursuant to a valid, legal and binding power of attorney and/or signed electronically). Shareholders having submitted a voting form but who wish to revoke such voting form may do so by timely providing a later dated voting or proxy form or cancelling the voting form in writing to the Company at the address referred to above. Only the last voting or proxy form received by the Company before 16 August 2024 at 18:00 (CEST) will be considered. Representation In the event that any shareholder appoints another person as proxy to vote on their behalf, the completed and executed proxy form must be submitted by mail, e-mail or in any other form, and in particular by any other electronic means made available by the Company, to the Centralising Agent of the Company no later than on 16 August 2024 at 18:00 (CEST) (for further requirements see above sections "Right to Participate at the AGM" and "Registration for the AGM"). Proxy forms provided on the website of the Company (https://ir.novem.com/websites/novem/English/5000/corporate-governance.html) may be used and if used, only signed proxy forms will be taken into account (including for the avoidance of doubt, signed pursuant to a valid, legal and binding power of attorney and/or signed electronically). One person may represent more than one shareholder. Shareholders having submitted a proxy form but who wish to revoke such proxy form may do so by timely providing a later-dated proxy or voting form or by cancelling the proxy form in writing to the Centralising Agent of the Company at the address referred to above. If the Company and/or the Centralising Agent receives more than one different voting document from a shareholder, only the last voting or proxy form received by the Centralising Agent and/or the Company before 16 August 2024 at 18:00 (CEST) will be considered. Any voting document provided will be disregarded should the shareholder attend the AGM in person and collect a voting card. If, pursuant to a signed proxy form as described above, shareholders appoint a person other than the person appointed by the Company as their proxyholder, please note that the proxyholder will need to provide a new voting form in accordance with section "Voting Forms" in the name and on behalf of the shareholder. Shareholder Questions Shareholders, the proxyholder appointed by the Company and individually appointed proxyholders that have correctly submitted their proof of shareholding (see above sections "Registration for the AGM" and "Right to Participate at the AGM") and carry proof of identity at the AGM, shall have the opportunity to ask questions to the Company at the AGM. The questions will be answered at the reasonable discretion of the Company and the Company is not required to answer all questions. In particular, questions may be summarised, combined or separated. Reasonable questions may be selected in the interest of the other shareholders, and questions from shareholders' associations and institutional investors with significant voting interests may be given preference. Language The AGM will be held in English language. Luxembourg, 19 July 2024 The Management Board of the Company - Information Platform Connecting "Travel Like Living" to "Living" & "Working" in Japan - KAMAKURA, Japan, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- KAYAC Inc., headquartered in Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, is a provider of a web service "SMOUT" to promote migration among local communities in Japan, launched "Wanderlust Japan," a similar web-based media platform for foreigners on Thursday, July 4. The new platform will provide information not only on famous tourist spots but also on accommodations that offer a variety of local experiences and exchanges, as well as information for digital nomads looking for places to work and co-working spaces. With "travel like living" as the first step, the new service is aimed at eventually contributing to an increase in the number of migrants, including foreign residents joining Japan's regional development cooperation volunteers. The company will continue to observe the responses and plans to add more information from other parts of Japan that have endorsed the new platform. Image: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M108279/202407123564/_prw_PI1fl_4yrW060S.jpg "Wanderlust Japan" website: https://wanderlust.smout.jp/ - The concept of "Wanderlust Japan": "deeply get involved with a region yet to be discovered onto another journey" The best part of visiting a region is the time spent talking with the locals and getting into their daily life scenes. This media platform will provide information on how to experience the region "as it is." Uploaded information - Co-working spaces and guesthouses where users can interact with local people. - Guides on local areas where users can find deep experience. - Information on places to work and live that are unique to Japan, etc. Features - Information for those who want to experience Japan in depth and are not satisfied with usual tourist attractions. - If users find a project they like, they can contact the local people concerned directly. - Information for digital nomads looking for a place to stay and work. - All information is written by local people living in the area. - Users can also search for information by looking at the profiles of people in the area where the information is posted. About SMOUT: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/attach/202407123564-O1-3h624i97.pdf About KAYAC Inc.: https://www.kayac.com/en View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/kayac-launches-wanderlust-japan-migration-platform-for-foreigners-302201489.html PUNE, India, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rubidium is a soft, highly reactive silvery-white metal in the alkali group. The global rubidium market is expected to witness significant growth due to factors such as increasing demand for Rubidium in the growing biomedical research-oriented applications and due to its photo-emissivity properties used to manufacture photovoltaic cells, night vision devices, etc. However, the availability of rubidium is limited due to its relatively low abundance in the Earth's crust and the high cost of production, which has resulted in limited commercial applications. Stellar Market Research, a leading Chemical & Material business research firm has published a report on the Rubidium Market. The market volume for the Rubidium Market was 2.95 Kilotons in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.01 percent through the forecast period, reaching 3.88 Kilotons by 2030. A bottom-up approach has been used to determine the market volume. The report on the rubidium market provides a comprehensive overview of the global Rubidium market, highlighting total volume and compound annual growth rate (CAGR). The report delves into the competitive landscape of the Rubidium market, examining market concentration and the status of major players along with an in-depth analysis of the supply chain, including raw material suppliers, pricing, supply and demand dynamics, and market concentration rates. The report also provides a detailed forecast segmented by grade segment and application, highlighting the anticipated trends and growth opportunities in the market. Rubidium Market Scope Market Volume in 2023 2.95 Kilotons Market Volume in 2030 3.88 Kilotons CAGR 4.01 Percent Forecast Period 2024-2030 Base Year 2023 Number of Pages 229 No. of Tables 138 No. of Charts and Figures 193 Segment Covered By Grade Segment and Application Regional Scope North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, South America Report Coverage Market Share, Volume, and Forecast by Revenue | 2024-2030, Market Dynamics, Growth Drivers, Restraints, Investment Opportunities, and Key Trends, Competitive Landscape, Key Players Benchmarking, Competitive Analysis, MMR Competition Matrix, Competitive Leadership Mapping, Global Key Players' Market Ranking Analysis. Get your Sample PDF:https://www.stellarmr.com/report/req_sample/Rubidium-Market/1192 What's New: Recent Additions and Updates Information on new coatings and materials developed using rubidium. Discuss their impact on product performance, durability, and cost-effectiveness. Include examples of industries adopting these innovations and the resultant benefits. Examination of the profitability landscape in the rubidium market. Analyze the cost structures of different applications. Insights into opportunities for enhancing supply chain efficiency. Discuss potential improvements in logistics. Detailed comparison of the cost-effectiveness of rubidium in various applications. Highlight how rubidium's unique properties contribute to enhanced product performance and market competitiveness. Rubidium Market Regional Insights With the United States and Canada leading, significant advances in technology in the region, particularly in electronics and telecommunications, are responsible for the dominance in the region. According to SMR, telecommunications services generated revenue of around EUR 48.8 billion (USD 51.99 billion) in 2022. Sales of rubidium generate more revenue in North America with leading companies like American Elements, Stanford Advanced Materials, and Ganfeng Lithium Co., contributing to the considerable rubidium sales. North America's advanced facilities and efficient supply chain logistics allow for relatively low manufacturing costs for rubidium. Given the increasing efficiency and automation in production processes, labor costs are balanced. Canada's rubidium reserves, which are believed to be over 12,000 tons, and a thriving electronics manufacturing sector that employs around 2,000 people make it crucial. The US Electronics Market drives significant demand even though the country depends on imports of rubidium. Rubidium consumption is further increased by the country's commitment to research and development in fields like quantum computing and space exploration. However, in 2023, the price trends for rubidium increased significantly. For instance, one-gram ampoules containing 99.75% rubidium cost USD 121.00, up 20% from USD 100.80 in 2022. Despite these fluctuating prices, North America's rubidium market has been dominant thanks to its strong infrastructure, technological expertise, and continuous government support. For detailed price trend analysis, Request for a Sample Report: https://www.stellarmr.com/report/req_sample/Rubidium-Market/1192 Rubidium Market Segmentation Specialty glass is in high demand as it is used in the production of fiber optic cables and night vision equipment, which benefits from rubidium's ability to improve optical characteristics. The significance of the rubidium market is strengthened by the considerable volume of rubidium utilized in the manufacturing of specialty glass. The value chain associated with rubidium in the segment is efficient, ensuring a stable supply chain with minimal disruptions, starting from extraction to refining. When compared to other rubidium uses, the specialized glass segment's profit margin is significant, exceeding 20%. Due to the high level of accuracy and the use of cutting-edge technology, the cost of making specialized glass is rather expensive; however, this is compensated for by the high selling price, which generates significant revenue. The improvement in R7D to improve glass quality and diversify its uses shows its contribution to the growth of the rubidium market. Optimizing the supply chain in the processes to maintain competitive profit margin and meet the rising demand from the industries, the specialty glass segment creates significant opportunities in the rubidium market for growth. Rubidium Market Key Players include: American Elements LANHIT Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd. International Lithium Corp. Lepidico Merck KGaA Others Key questions answered in the Rubidium Market are: What is Rubidium? What is the current growth rate of the Rubidium market? Who are the key players in the Rubidium market? What are the factors affecting growth in the Rubidium market? Who held the largest market share in the Rubidium Market? What is the demand pattern for the Rubidium Market? What are the key trends in the Rubidium Market? What are the growth prospects for the Rubidium Market in developing countries? Which segment is expected to witness the fastest growth and why in the Rubidium Market? Inquire Before Buying:https://www.stellarmr.com/report/enquire_now/Rubidium-Market/1192 Key Offerings: Past Market Volume and Competitive Landscape (2018 to 2022) Past Pricing and price curve by region (2018 to 2022) Market Volume, Share, Volume & Forecast by Different Segment | 2024-2030 Market Dynamics - Growth Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, and Key Trends by Region Market Segmentation - A detailed analysis by Grade Segment, Application, and Region. Competitive Landscape - Profiles of selected key players by region in a strategic perspective Competitive landscape - Market Leaders, Market Followers, Regional player Competitive benchmarking of key players by region PESTLE Analysis PORTER's analysis Value chain and supply chain analysis Legal Aspects of business by region Lucrative business opportunities with SWOT analysis Recommendations Stellar Market Research a leading Chemical & Material research firm, has also published the following reports: Copper and Copper Manufactured Products Market: The market size was valued at USD 4.07 Bn. in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 5.58 Bn. by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.6% over the forecast period. Chile Lithium Market: The market size was valued at US$ Mn. in 2021. The country is the second-largest producer of Lithium and a part of the Lithium triangle. The use of Lithium metal in rechargeable batteries drives the growth of the market in the country. Carbon black Market: The market size was valued at USD 23.48 Bn. in 2023 and the total Global Carbon black revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.1% from 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly USD 33.04 Bn. by 2030. Graphene Coating Market: The market size was valued at USD 1.14 Bn. in 2023 and the total Global Graphene Coating revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly USD 7.13 Bn. by 2030. Isoprene Market: The market size was valued at USD 3.435 Bn. in 2023 and the total Global Isoprene revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly USD 5.7 Bn. by 2030. About Stellar Market Research: Stellar Market Research is a multifaceted market research and consulting company with professionals from several industries. Some industries we cover include medical devices, pharmaceutical manufacturers, science and engineering, electronic components, industrial equipment, technology and communication, cars and automobiles, chemical products and substances, general merchandise, beverages, personal care, and automated systems. Contact Stellar Market Research: S.no.8, h.no. 4-8 Pl.7/4, Pinnacle Memories Fl. No. 3, Pune, Maharashtra, 411029 sales@stellarmr.com +91 9607365656 Follow us: Linkedin | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2458342/Stellar_Market_Research_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/rubidium-market-to-be-dominated-by-technical-grade-segment-to-reach-3-88-kilotons-by-2030---says-stellar-market-research-302201538.html Summary: Amit Srivastava, a distinguished thought leader, has been honored with a 2024 Global Recognition Award for his notable contributions to healthcare technology. His innovations have enhanced healthcare accessibility for millions of Americans. Srivastava's achievements include prestigious industry awards and authoring a book on cloud migration. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2024) - Amit Srivastava has been honored with a 2024 Global Recognition Award for his exceptional contributions to the information technology industry. This prestigious award recognizes Srivastava's outstanding ability and notability in his field, particularly his innovative work in healthcare technology. Photo courtesy of Amit Srivastava Srivastava has achieved a notable career milestone by designing automated validation software for one of the largest healthcare platforms. His work enhances the accessibility and reliability of healthcare services in the United States. His software has ensured quality and enabled the timely rollout of the application, directly benefiting millions of Americans by providing them with affordable health insurance. "My goal has always been to utilize advanced technology to solve real-world problems, and seeing the positive impact on people's lives is truly rewarding," Srivastava commented. With nearly two decades of experience, his practical solutions for complex challenges have consistently delivered high-impact, high-visibility projects. Srivastava's leadership has been instrumental in developing and implementing critical software systems, which have transformed multiple prestigious organizations. In his current role at OptumServe, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, he oversees the development and implementation of software systems that enhance the accuracy and reliability of healthcare services. He has also authored a book on cloud migration, providing guidelines for seamless transitions and presenting case studies highlighting successful strategies. This thought leadership further distinguishes him as an expert in his field and underscores his role in advancing his industry. His contributions to information technology have garnered significant recognition. He received several prestigious awards, including the Bravo awards for innovation and strategic initiatives in 2021 and 2022 at his current organization, the 2016 Mantech Award for extraordinary contributions to the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) contract, and the 2009 Syntel/FedEx Extra Mile Award for technical excellence. Additionally, he has been invited as a judge for the 2024 Globee Awards in technology and the 2024 Sustainability Awards from the Business Intelligence Group. Alex Sterling, a spokesperson for the Global Recognition Awards, stated, "Amit Srivastava's contributions to healthcare technology are truly remarkable. His innovative solutions and leadership have profoundly improved healthcare accessibility and reliability for millions of Americans." Srivastava's dedication to advancing healthcare technology exemplifies the spirit of the Global Recognition Awards. His achievements highlight his expertise and inspire others in the information technology sector to pursue excellence and innovation. As a leader and visionary, Srivastava continues to shape the future of healthcare technology, ensuring better outcomes and greater access for all. About Global Recognition AwardsTM Global Recognition AwardsTM is an international organization that recognizes exceptional companies and individuals who have significantly contributed to their industry. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/216309 SOURCE: Baden Bower CHICAGO, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global immunotherapy drugs market is expected to grow from USD 285.3 billion in 2024 to USD 580.6 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 15.3% This growth is fuelled by advancements in antibody engineering, increasing demand for antibody therapies in cancer treatment, and a rising preference for personalized and targeted medicines. Immunotherapy drugs work by enhancing or modulating the immune system to effectively target and eliminate disease-causing agents. Despite these promising prospects, the market faces challenges such as the complex and costly development of antibody therapeutics and stringent regulatory approval processes. Opportunities include increased collaborations among pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and academic institutions, which drive innovation and expedite drug development. Key segments include antibody drugs and cancer treatments, with intravenous administration being the fastest-growing route. North America is expected to dominate the market, supported by extensive research, high cancer prevalence, and growing adoption of immunotherapy. Key players in the market include Merck & Co., Inc., Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., Pfizer Inc., AstraZeneca, Novartis AG, Amgen Inc., Gilead Sciences, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly and Company, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., GSK PLC, and Abbvie Inc. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=137717755 Browse in-depth TOC on "Immunotherapy Drugs Market" 341 - Tables 53 - Figures 348 - Pages MERCK & CO., INC. (US): Innovator in Immunotherapy Merck & Co., Inc. stands out as a leader in the immunotherapy sector, showcasing a robust pipeline of advanced immunotherapeutic drugs through the utilization of cutting-edge biotechnologies. The company's expertise spans therapeutic areas including oncology, immunology, and infectious diseases, supported by a strong commitment to research excellence and strategic collaborations. Merck's focus on immunotherapy is evident in its targeted acquisitions and partnerships, such as those with AstraZeneca plc (UK) and Eisai Co., Ltd. (Japan) for cancer immunotherapy. Notable innovations include KEYTRUDA, a groundbreaking drug for cancer treatment, highlighting Merck's dedication to developing impactful therapies and advancing therapeutic innovation. JOHNSON & JOHNSON SERVICES, INC. (US): Comprehensive Immunotherapy Solutions Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. is a prominent player in the immunotherapy drugs market, offering a diverse portfolio of approved therapies across multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology, immunology, and infectious diseases. The company's extensive geographical presence and well-established global distribution network are key strengths, enabling it to address a wide range of medical needs effectively. Johnson & Johnson's strategy emphasizes a diversified immunotherapy portfolio, rigorous quality standards, and strategic partnerships to enhance research and market access. This approach reduces reliance on any single drug and supports the development of innovative therapies to meet diverse patient needs. F. HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE LTD. (Switzerland): Pioneer in Immunotherapy Innovations F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd is a leading force in the immunotherapy drugs market, providing an extensive range of products for hospitals and specialty care centers. The company boasts several approved immunotherapy drugs and a strong global distribution presence. Roche's strengths include pioneering innovative therapies, rigorous quality control, and deep disease biology insights, which contribute to developing transformative treatments and improving patient outcomes. Noteworthy recent developments include the launch of the IDH1 R132H (MRQ-67) Rabbit Monoclonal Primary Antibody and the ATRX Rabbit Polyclonal Antibody in February 2023, designed to identify mutation statuses in brain cancer patients. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=137717755 Type Segmentation: Antibody Drugs Dominate The immunotherapy drugs market is segmented into antibody drugs, inhibitor drugs, interferons & interleukins, cancer vaccines, and other immunotherapy drugs, including oncolytic virus therapy and T-cell therapy. In 2023, antibody drugs held the largest market share, driven by rising cancer rates, increased adoption of biological therapies, growing R&D investments, and supportive government policies. This segment's dominance is expected to continue, bolstered by ongoing advancements in therapeutic development and increased focus on personalized medicine. Application Segmentation: Cancer Leads the Market The immunotherapy drugs market is categorized by applications into cancer, autoimmune & inflammatory diseases, hematology, osteology, neurology, and other areas such as ophthalmology, dermatology, and cardiovascular diseases. In 2023, cancer emerged as the leading application area, capturing the largest market share. This is attributed to the growing prevalence of cancer, increasing R&D spending, and the expanding array of approved immunotherapy treatments specifically designed to address various cancer types. Route of Administration Segmentation: Intravenous Route is Key The market is segmented by route of administration into intravenous, subcutaneous, and other routes (intravitreal and intramuscular). In 2023, the intravenous route accounted for the largest market share and is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth is driven by the intravenous route's ability to deliver drugs directly into the bloodstream, ensuring rapid and consistent therapeutic effects, particularly for conditions like cancer and autoimmune diseases. End User Segmentation: Hospitals Lead Based on end users, the immunotherapy drugs market is divided into hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other specialty care centers. In 2023, hospitals commanded the largest share of the market. Hospitals extensively utilize monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for their targeted therapy capabilities, rapid diagnostic applications, and effectiveness in treating various diseases, including cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. Regional Insights: North America Holds the Largest Share The immunotherapy drugs market is segmented into six regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa. In 2023, North America held the largest market share, followed by Europe and the Asia Pacific. The growth in North America is driven by robust immunotherapy research, an expanding healthcare sector, increasing cancer prevalence, and the rising approval and adoption of immunotherapy drugs for treating chronic diseases. For more information, inquire now! Inquire Now Related Reports: Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Market Cancer Biomarkers Market Laboratory Filtration Market Biosimilars Market Pharmaceutical Filtration Market Get access to the latest updates on Immunotherapy Drugs Companies and Immunotherapy Drugs Market Share About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1951202/4609423/MarketsandMarkets.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/immunotherapy-drugs-market-worth-580-6-billion-by-2029-driven-by-technological-advancements--marketsandmarkets-302201574.html NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / Leidos Leidos has partnered with the American Red Cross for nearly eight years through blood donation drives, disaster relief, board leadership, kit building for homeless veterans and more. Leidos also launched blood drives at our Columbia, Maryland, and Reston, Virginia headquarters starting in October 2015. World Blood Donor Day, celebrated on June 14th, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. A Legacy of Blood Donation After launching in Columbia and Reston, blood drives became a key engagement tradition for our employees. San Diego employees have worked with the San Diego Blood Bank, and we've offered virtual "Sleeves-Up Drives" for extra convenience. Core to our commitment to inclusion, we partnered with the African American Leidos Network (AALN) ERG to sponsor a sickle-cell anemia drive in September of 2022. One hundred thousand people in the U.S. are living with sickle cell disease, most of whom are African American or of African descent. The disease affects 1 out of every 365 African American babies born in this country. Partnering with AALN brought attention to the urgent need for blood donors who are Black. In April of this year, the Red Cross and the Leidos Pride ERG hosted an informational webinar to walk through the history of the FDA guidelines of blood donation, how the FDA has made changes to the latest set of guidelines and what that means for the LGBTQ+ community. The goal is to shed light on the stigma of blood donation within the community and offer answers to decades old questions around the topic. Paris Davis, Principal Proposal Coordinator Lead, and a regular donor, stated that "knowing that my blood donations, especially as a CEK-negative donor, can help people with sickle cell disease manage their condition is incredibly rewarding. Donating blood is a simple act that can have a big impact on someone's life." Convenient and Critical Since 2016, Leidos has hosted 31 blood drives for more than one thousand donors including 171 first time donors and collected 926 units of blood at GHQ. Hosting blood drives at GHQ has made it easier for Leidos employees and local community residents, to give. Beyond convenience, Leidos employees are motivated by the inherent value of blood donation. With nearly 30,000 units of blood needed each day, the American Red Cross is continually in need of donors. One pint of blood can save up to three lives. Even during a global pandemic, Leidos committed to diminishing the national blood crisis, collecting 278 units from 2020-2021. "It is such an easy way to do something bigger than yourself for someone else," said Deputy General Counsel, Erica Bomsey. She recalled the aftermath of 9/11, when the desire to help overwhelmed donation centers. "It is a small act that can have a big impact. Having [blood drives] outside the office door makes it so easy! That small act is magnified into a large act when there are so many of us that can do so at once." Blood donation is one of the most direct and personally significant forms of giving that we can participate in as members of our local and international communities. Making a Difference, One Donation at a Time Not only is donating blood so important, but the process is very quick, only taking about 20 minutes for the physical donation. For perspective, if just 1% more of all Americans would donate, blood shortages "would disappear for the foreseeable future." By fostering convenient donation opportunities, championing inclusivity, and educating employees about the critical need for blood, Leidos empowers its workforce to make a life-saving difference. Blood Donation Fast Facts: Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. Blood is needed by women with complications during pregnancy and childbirth, children with severe anemia, often resulting from malaria or malnutrition, accident victims, surgical and cancer patients. Regular blood donation by a sufficient number of healthy people is needed to ensure that blood will always be available whenever and wherever it is needed. While the need for blood is universal, access to blood is not. Blood shortages are acute in low- and middle-income countries. Approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the U.S. Only about 3% of age-eligible people donate blood yearly View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Leidos on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Leidos Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/leidos Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Leidos View the original press release on accesswire.com Revolutionizing Smartphone NFC Usage for a Smarter, More Convenient Life SHANGHAI, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinix, a trendy tech brand crafted for young consumers, introduces its revolutionary 720-degree (720) SphereTech Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. This groundbreaking advancement aims to transform user experiences by significantly enhancing the versatility and reliability of NFC applications on mobile devices. With its expanded signal coverage and unmatched stability, this innovative technology ensures smooth, seamless performance from any angle, setting a new standard for NFC functionality. While current NFC technology enables mobile payments and transit access, it often results in transaction failures and user frustration, particularly in crowded or fast-paced environments where precise alignment is necessary for successful interactions, which can be cumbersome and unreliable. Infinix's Industry-Leading 720 SphereTech NFC technology is designed to tackle these limitations by offering a revolutionary improvement, eliminating the need for precise alignment. "Our commitment to innovation and understanding user needs has driven us to create a solution that not only enhances functionality but also provides unparalleled security and convenience for our users. The 720 SphereTech NFC significantly improves the mobile experience in NFC applications, offering seamless, reliable, and secure interactions from multiple angles[1]", said Li Cao, Senior Manager, NFC Department of Infinix. This technology comes with three major breakthroughs in spatial layout, signal compatibility, and material type configuration. The enhanced design ensures superior integration, while the improved signal range and strength guarantee optimal performance. Similarly, the use of optimized materials further boosts reliability and efficiency. This proprietary, self-developed patent has increased the card reading area by 200%[2] and doubled the signal range. Furthermore, Infinix's 720 SphereTech NFC technology is the first to support reading and tapping cards from three sides of the mobile device, such as the front, top, and back, achieving a 100%[3] signal range improvement compared to the existing 360 NFC technology, which only reads cards from the back. This innovation also allows users to read and tap at different angles, providing unparalleled convenience and functionality. User Convenience and Security The Infinix's 720 SphereTech NFC technology offers transformative benefits with its comprehensive coverage, doubling the range of conventional NFC to ensure stability from any direction and significantly reducing transaction failures. This technology excels in busy public spaces by overcoming angle limitations for smoother and more reliable interactions. Its advanced security features set a new standard with the capability to remotely disable NFC functions on lost or stolen devices. This feature offers users peace of mind, knowing that their personal data and financial information remain protected, even if the physical device is compromised. A New Standard for NFC Technology Infinix is set to revolutionize NFC technology by addressing its key limitations and unlocking its full potential. This innovation will create a new generation of mobile services that are more intuitive and effortless for users. Infinix's 720 SphereTech NFC technology demonstrates the company's commitment to delivering meaningful innovation and enhancing user experiences. Stay tuned for more updates as this groundbreaking technology will be available on Infinix's upcoming devices. [1] Refers to the technology's capability to read and tap cards at various angles on the device in normal handheld positions, except from the bottom side. [2] The testing data is derived from controlled laboratory tests and compared against selected models available in the market. [3] Testing data is based on laboratory tests, and actual use may vary. Media Contacts: Infinix Global PR - Global.PR@infinixmobility.com About Infinix: Founded in 2013, Infinix is a trendy tech brand crafted for young consumers. With a presence in over 70 countries, Infinix delivers cutting-edge technology, stylish design, and outstanding performance. Our product lineup includes smartphones, TWS earbuds, smartwatches, laptops, and smart TVs. In 2023, Infinix was recognized in Kantar and Google's top 50 Chinese Global Brand Builders Report and ranked sixth in Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies of 2024 in the Asia-Pacific sector. For more information, please visit: http://www.infinixmobility.com/. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2465047/1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2465044/2.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2465048/3.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2465046/4.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2465045/5.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2316423/Infinix_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/infinix-introduces-groundbreaking-720-spheretech-nfc-technology-302201585.html Rio Tinto's Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) has donated CAN$125,000 to the Canadian Red Cross to support relief efforts following the recent wildfires in the Labrador West region and has committed an additional CAN$75,000 to support community organizations assisting with the recovery phase. As wildfires forced residents of Labrador City to evacuate, including more than 2,000 IOC employees, this marks the second such evacuation in Labrador in recent months. The donated funds will help the Canadian Red Cross address urgent needs, including food, shelter, and essential supplies for those affected by the wildfires in Labrador City. IOC President and Chief Executive Officer Mike McCann said: "During these challenging times, the strength of our community lies in cooperation and mutual support. Rio Tinto IOC is actively contributing to the recovery efforts alongside local authorities and community organizations. We have been a part of this community for 70 years, and we are proud to partner with the Canadian Red Cross and local organizations to bring relief to our community during this challenging time." Mayor of the Town of Labrador City Belinda Adams said: "As Mayor of the Town of Labrador City, we are truly grateful to Rio Tinto IOC for their incredibly generous donation to help our community in Labrador West. The recent wildfires have been tough on everyone, but the support from IOC and their partnership with the Canadian Red Cross and local groups really shows the strength of our community. This donation will make a huge difference in helping our residents during this difficult time. Together, we'll get through this and come out even stronger." In times of emergency, community cooperation and mutual support are paramount. Rio Tinto IOC continues to monitor the situation and evaluate the needs of the communities, as well as our employees and contractors. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240719108137/en/ Contacts: Please direct all enquiries to vanessa.damha@riotinto.com Media Relations Vanessa Damha M +1 514 715 2152 Rio Tinto plc 6 St James's Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885 Rio Tinto Limited Level 43, 120 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404 riotinto.com Category: IOC Technology company Bending Spoons today announced that it has closed the acquisition of Issuu, the renowned digital publishing platform. Issuu CEO, Joe Hyrkin, said of the acquisition: "Issuu has become the leading digital publishing platform, with more than one million creators and marketers using the platform annually and 100 million unique users per month consuming Issuu-processed content. Issuu has become the de facto standard for any company or publisher that wants to digitally reach and expand its audience. Given Issuu's status as a profitable and growing company, Bending Spoons is uniquely positioned to dramatically extend Issuu's reach and the impact we can offer to businesses globally." Bending Spoons CEO, Luca Ferrari, said: "We're impressed by what the Issuu team has achieved over the years, and we're enthusiastic about its future prospects. By leveraging the Bending Spoons expertise and platform technologies, we believe we can help Issuu progress further." Issuu is funded by Heartcore Ventures and KDDI Open Innovation Fund. Issuu was assisted on legal matters by Goodwin Procter. Lightning Partners served as exclusive financial advisor to Issuu on the transaction. Bending Spoons was assisted on legal matters by Willkie Farr Gallagher LLP as lead US and Germany counsel, by Kromann Reumert in Denmark, and by Perez-Llorca in Portugal. EY Advisory SpA assisted with the financial and tax due diligence. About Issuu Founded in Denmark in 2006 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Issuu is the industry-leading digital publishing platform. Today, more than one million creators and marketers worldwide leverage Issuu's intuitive platform to put their message front and center with dynamic digital assets. For more information, visit issuu.com. About Bending Spoons Bending Spoons has served a billion people across the globe through its suite of digital technology products, including Evernote, Meetup, Remini, StreamYard, and Splice. Its products are currently used by more than 100 million people each month. For more information, visit bendingspoons.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240719725742/en/ Contacts: For inquiries, please contact press@bendingspoons.com. PUNE, India, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wearable Technology Market size is expected to grow from US$ 59.87 Bn. in 2023 to US$ 147.90 Bn. by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.79% through 2024 to 2030. Wristwear segment leads the Global Wearable Technology Market by 2030. Reports on competitive analyses encompass company overviews, financial performances, product portfolios, and strategies of key players in the Wearable Technology Market. To assess strengths and weaknesses, a comprehensive SWOT analysis was conducted, while a PESTLE analysis was carried out to understand the impact of macroeconomic factors on the market. Also, the report includes detailed analyses of investments made by market players to enhance their global presence. The research methodology utilized in analysing the Wearable Technology market encompasses a thorough approach that combines primary data which is often collected through surveys, interviews, and focus groups with industry experts and stakeholders such as manufacturers, technology providers Healthcare providers and Regulatory Bodies. This allows for firsthand insights into market trends, consumer behaviour, and regulatory challenges and secondary research utilizing reports from government sources, industry publications, and financial statements. Market sizing and forecasting techniques are employed alongside competitive analysis to provide valuable insights into the market landscape. It also includes trade balance, market entry strategies, costs in different region, technology adoption, regulatory framework, compliance requirements and customer demographics which makes it an investor's guide. The report encompasses type, Product, Devices and Application segments and their analysis, which elucidates their influence on the market. The estimation methodology often adopts a bottom-up approach to accurately determine market sizes. Get your Sample PDF: https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/request-sample/865/ Global Wearable Technology Market 2023-2030: Key Highlights Market Size in 2023: USD 59.87 Bn Market Size in 2030: USD 147.90 Bn CAGR: 13.79 % Forecast Period: 2024-2030 Base Year: 2023 Number of Pages: 229 No. of Tables: 138 No. of Charts and Figures: 193 Regional Scope: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Africa, South America Report Coverage: Market Share, Size and Forecast by Revenue | 2023-2030, Market Dynamics, Growth Drivers, Restraints, Investment Opportunities, and Key Trends, Competitive Landscape, Key Players Benchmarking, Competitive Analysis, MMR Competition Matrix, Competitive Leadership Mapping, Global Key Players' Market Ranking Analysis. Historic Market Size 2017-2023 CAGR of the market during 2024-2030. Detailed information on factors that will assist Wearable Technology market growth during the next seven years. An estimation of the Wearable Technology market size and the impact of country's GDP on Wearable Technology market. Forecasts on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behaviour. The growth of the Wearable Technology market Analysis of the competitive landscape and detailed information on companies. Comprehensive details of factors that will impede the growth of Wearable Technology companies. For a detailed analysis of regions and their contributions Request For Free Sample Report: https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/request-sample/865/ Competitive Landscape The Wearable Technology Market includes the presence of several global as well as regional key players. A few prominent players that offer Wearable Technology in the market are Xiaomi Corporation, Apple Inc., Sony, LG, Huawei Technologies, Intellitix, Nymi, Mclear Ltd. Jakcom Technology Co.,Token and others. What's New: Recent Additions and Updates Expansion into different region. Localization efforts for new markets. Technological Advancements New Streaming Partnerships and Platforms Innovative Marketing Strategies Financial Performance and Investment Consumer Behaviour and Trends Regulatory Changes and Challenges Market Overview Wearable technology is a type of electronic devices that can be worn as accessories, embedded in clothing, implanted in the user's body, or even tattooed on the skin. The devices are hands-free tools with everyday uses, powered by microprocessors and improved with the capability to send and receive data through the Internet. Wearable technology is evolving into an important category of the Internet of things, with life-changing applications in medicine and other fields. The launch of the Titan Celester smartwatch significantly impacts the wearable technology market by setting new standards for performance and innovation. Designed for Indian fitness enthusiasts, Titan Celeste has industry-leading capabilities like built-in GPS, altimeter, barometer, compass (ABC) and triangle, unique swim mode with sleek aluminum body, high resolution Super AMOLED display, comprehensive Fitness tracking also offers this is a difficult choice. New features such as opto-mechanical crown, SingleSync BT Calling, customizable Watchface Studio, and smart AI dashboard add to its appeal. Priced competitively at a discounted price of INR 9,995, Celestor is poised to attract a wide range of consumers, driving growth in the wearable technology market and widening acceptance among fitness enthusiasts and other consumers. The launch of the Realme Watch S2 advances the wearable technology market by integrating advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, setting a new standard for smart watches. Incorporating a powerful AI engine, the Watch S2 goes beyond simple fitness tracking and reporting to provide personalized insights, predictive features and seamless integration into daily life. This strategic move puts the empire at the forefront of AI-powered innovation, meeting growing consumer needs for advanced connected devices. AI-enabled functions, such as voice commands and real-time updates, are increasing the number of users and making AI accessible in everyday life, helping to establish that AI is marketed as wearable rising to $62.7 billion in the year 2024. In 2023, wearable technology advancements are moving towards wearable health insights and integration of medical grade components into consumer devices. Leading brands such as Fitbit and Oura have focused on how wearables can help users not only track health statistics but improve their overall well-being through data-driven recommendations on. Emphasis is placed on women's health, with Oura development such as predictive timing, discovery of cycle-specific activity, covering previously under-researched areas. Furthermore, the transition of healthcare to the home environment is a necessity, driven by wearables that enable routine health monitoring and diagnosis. Devices are now capable of providing non-invasive biometric monitoring such as glucose and blood pressure levels, making them incredibly valuable for emergency health care. Fashionable designs and innovative products are also gaining momentum, as wearables become more integrated into everyday life. Companies like Huawei are leading the way with creative products like the Huawei Watch Buds that combine wireless headphones with smartwatches. Overall, the wearable technology market is growing rapidly, promising to deliver breakthrough health insights, improve access to healthcare, and drive behavioural change through device manufacturing surprisingly easy to use. These developments are set to change how individuals manage their health in everyday life. In conclusion, the demand for wearable technology is constantly increasing worldwide, driven by the growing adoption of smart wearable technology products among consumers. This comprehensive perspective provides stakeholders with valuable information to navigate opportunities and challenges, and ensures strategic decisions for sustainable growth in the global Wearable Technology market. For more details on the information, Request a sample report. https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/request-sample/865/ Segment Overview MMR has segmented the market based on By Type Wearable Smart Textiles Wearable Product and Textiles (Non-Textiles) By Product Wristwear Headwear Footwear Fashion & Jewelry Bodywear Other Wearable Technology By Devices Smart Watches Smart Glasses Fitness & Wellness Devices Smart Clothing Others (Earphones, Body Monitors, and Wearable Cameras) By Application Consumer Electronics Healthcare Enterprise and Industrial Applications Other Applications Based on the Application, the market is segmented into Consumer Electronics, Healthcare, Enterprise and Industrial Applications, and Other Applications. The Consumer Electronics segment is expected to grow rapidly at a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period 2024-2030. In 2023, the consumer electronics segment held the highest market share of 48.4%. Fitness and sports, clothing and fashion, multifunction, infotainment and multimedia, and more uses for consumer electronics abound. With increased consumer demand for wearable electronics, industry companies are focusing on devices that allow end-users to track their working hours. Furthermore, growing connected devices and increased device-to-device communication is expected to boost the adoption of wearable electronic devices and consequently support the market growth. Detailed segmentation values for each segment and explanations for growth are provided in the final report. https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/market-report/wearable-technology-market/865/ Geography Overview North America dominates the Global Wearable Technology market during the forecast period 2024-2030. North America held the largest market share of 35.6% in 2023 and is expected to continue its dominance by 2030. The program has a large number of Internet users and a variety of technologically advanced companies such as Alphabet, Garmin Limited and Apple Inc. Additionally, several industry players are taking steps to expand their local footprint and improve their business processes. For example, Xiaomi Corporation in May 2017 announced its entry into the North American market. This is expected to help the wearable technology market over the forecast period. Asia Pacific to grow at the fastest pace at xx% CAGR during the forecast period 2024-2030. Moreover, owing to increasing purchasing power, increasing number of tech-savvy people and multiple key market competitors in the region, the Asia Pacific wearable technology market is expected to grow rapidly. Due to cheaper operating costs and labour costs, many manufacturing companies are expected to shift production to Asia Pacific. Moreover, increasing urban population in this segment is likely to contribute to the adoption of wearable devices, thus increasing the market growth. In the final report, past and future numbers and explanations are incorporated seamlessly to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Global Wearable Technology market. Related Reports: Wearable Technology Components Market size is projected to reach US$ 427.36 Bn. by end of 2030, at a CAGR of 17.23%. Global Wearable Fitness Tracker Market size was valued at USD 63.11 Bn. in 2023 and the total Wearable Fitness Tracker revenue is expected to grow by 17.7% from 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly USD 197.48 Bn. Wearable Technology Market size is expected to grow from US$ 59.87 Bn. in 2023 to US$ 147.90 Bn. by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.79% through 2024 to 2030. Wristwear segment leads the Global Wearable Technology Market by 2030. Pet Wearable Market was valued at USD 3.11 Bn in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 7.93 Bn by 2030, at a CAGR of 14.3 percent during the forecast period. Global Wearable Robots Market size was valued at US $ 1142 Million in 2023 and is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 41.6 % from 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly US $ 13034.98 Million. Wearable Healthcare Devices Market size was valued at USD 28.65 Bn. in 2023 and the total Wearable Healthcare Devices revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20.2% from 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly USD 103.87 Bn. Global B2B Enterprises & Industrial Wearables Market size was valued at 14.58 Bn in 2023 and is expected to reach USD 68.62 Bn by 2030, at a CAGR of 27.55 %. About Maximize Market Research: Maximize Market Research is a multifaceted market research and consulting company with professionals from several industries. Some of the industries we cover include medical devices, pharmaceutical manufacturers, science and engineering, electronic components, industrial equipment, technology and communication, cars and automobiles, chemical products and substances, general merchandise, beverages, personal care, and automated systems. Contact Maximize Market Research: 3rd Floor, Navale IT Park, Phase 2 Pune Banglore Highway, Narhe, Pune, Maharashtra 411041, India sales@maximizemarketresearch.com +91 96071 95908, +91 9607365656. Follow Up: Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin | Instagram Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2457992/Maximize_Market_Research_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/wearable-technology-market-transforms-home-healthcare-with-continuous-health-monitoring-devices-finds-maximize-market-research-302201615.html Kunstliche Intelligenz hat spatestens nach dem Raketenstart von Chat GPT das Leben aller verandert. Doch der Superzyklus steht nach Meinungen von Experten erst am Anfang. Wahrend Aktien wie Nvidia von der ersten Aufwartsentwicklung stark profitieren konnten, versprechen aussichtsreiche Player aus der zweiten Reihe noch enormes Aufwartspotenzial. Im kostenlosen, exklusiven Spezialreport prasentieren wir ihnen 5 innovative KI-Unternehmen, die bahnbrechende Entwicklungen in diesem Sektor pragen konnten. Warum sollten Sie dabei sein? Trotz der jungsten Erfolge steht die Entwicklung der kunstlichen Intelligenz noch am Beginn eines neuen Superzyklus. Experten gehen davon aus, dass der Sektor bis 2032 global auf 1,3 Billionen US-Dollar explodieren wird, wobei ein groer Teil auf Hardware und Infrastruktur entfallen wird. Nutzen Sie die Chance! Fordern Sie sofort unseren brandneuen Spezialreport an und erfahren Sie, welche 5 KI-Aktien das grote Potenzial zur Vervielfachung besitzen. Dieser Report ist komplett kostenlos und zeigt Ihnen die aussichtsreichsten Investments im KI-Sektor. Handeln Sie jetzt und sichern Sie sich Ihren kostenfreien Report! Annual general meeting held in Barcelona, Spain, on 18 July 2024 Audited annual accounts for year ended 31 January 2024 approved Consolidated financial statements approved Distribution of results approved Remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors ratified Rationale of PSB Industries / Texen combination explained Quadpack Industries (Euronext Growth: ALQP), manufacturer and provider of packaging solutions to the global beauty industry, held its annual general meeting on 18 July 2024 at the Hotel Porta Fira in L'Hospitalet, Spain. The meeting was presided by Chairman of the Board Tim Eaves and attended by the Board, with shareholders holding over 93.09 per cent of the voting share capital represented in person and by delegation. Shareholders unanimously approved all resolutions presented. The audited annual accounts and consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 January 2024 were approved. No dividends were declared. The remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors was also ratified. CEO Alexandra Chauvigne reviewed the year's performance, steady and robust, reflecting a period of market normalisation. She also explained the business rationale behind the combination of Quadpack with PSB Industries. Vice President Steven Lewis described the shareholders on the process of the transaction. The market will be kept informed of the progress of discussions between Quadpack and PSB Industries, and further announcements will be made in due course, as appropriate. -ENDS- Contact details Email: investorrelations@quadpack.com Further information www.quadpack.com ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: xm1ylZdukpibxmxrZctra5eYb2pow2mXZpXKx2ZxmMiWa5xilG5kaJaeZnFnnmhq - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-86934-qp-agm-2024-re-en.pdf Kupfer wird oft als das Gold der Energiewende bezeichnet, weil es aufgrund seiner hervorragenden elektrischen Leitfahigkeit eine zentrale Rolle in vielen Technologien spielt, die fur nachhaltige Energiesysteme entscheidend sind. Experten gehen aufgrund der Angebotsknappheit von einem Superzyklus aus. Korrektur als Einstiegschance Nach Hochststanden im Mai korrigierte das rote Metall stark. Die Abwartsspirale verstarkte sich in den vergangenen Tagen aufgrund schwacher Konjunkturdaten aus den USA und China. Langfristig konnte sich die aktuell laufende Korrektur als exzellente Einstiegsmoglichkeit herausstellen. 3 Kupferaktien mit hohem Potential Im neuen, kostenlosen Spezialreport stellen wir drei aussichtsreiche Unternehmen vor, die bei einem weiteren Anstieg uberproportional profitieren konnten. Handeln Sie jetzt und sichern Sie sich Ihren kostenfreien Report! Erinnern Sie sich, als Moderna und BioNTech von unbekannten Unternehmen zu globalen Marktfuhrern wurden und fruhzeitige Investoren reich belohnt haben? Die Branche steht vor einem erneuten Innovationsschub von bahnbrechenden Medikamenten bis hin zu revolutionaren Therapien. Warum sollten Sie dabei sein? Sie sollten jetzt in Biotech-Aktien einsteigen, weil wir am Beginn einer neuen Ara der medizinischen Innovation stehen konnten! Gen- und Zelltherapien, personalisierte Medizin und bahnbrechende Technologien konnten das Gesundheitswesen revolutionieren und die Aktienkurse in die Hohe schieen lassen. Die nachste Erfolgsgeschichte im Biotechbereich warten nur darauf, entdeckt zu werden. Wer jetzt investiert, hat die Chance, von gigantischen Durchbruchen und enormen Renditen zu profitieren. Warten Sie nicht, bis es zu spat ist - der nachste Biotech-Superstar konnte morgen schon durchstarten! Verpassen Sie nicht diese Chance! Fordern Sie sofort unseren brandneuen Biotech-Spezialreport an und erfahren Sie, welche 3 Biotech-Aktien das riesige Potenzial haben, Ihren finanziellen Erfolg zu sichern. Dieser Report ist komplett kostenlos und zeigt Ihnen zukunftstrachtige Investments im Biotech-Sektor. Handeln Sie jetzt und sichern Sie sich Ihren kostenfreien Report! Finsbury Growth & Income Trust PLC - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, July 19 For immediate release 19 July 2024 FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC (the "Company") MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES The Company announce that it has today purchased 171,812 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 825.00 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company. The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 23 January 2024. Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 49,616,111; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 175,375,192. The figure of 175,375,192 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. For and on behalf of Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary For further information, please contact: Victoria Hale Frostrow Capital LLP Tel: 020 3 170 8732 Transparency Notifications from Shareholders PRESS RELEASE REGULATED INFORMATION 19 July 2024, 06:30 pm CEST Ghent, Belgium - 19 July 2024 - Sequana Medical NV (Euronext Brussels: SEQUA) (the "Company" or "SequanaMedical"), a pioneer in the treatment of fluid overload in liver disease, heart failure and cancer, announces today that it received a transparency notification from the shareholder listed below, notifying the number of voting rights attached to the shares mentioned next to its name in the table below. Reason for notification Aggregate number of shares and voting rights held % of total outstanding shares (1) Societe Federale de Participations et d'Investissement SA - Federale Participatie- en Investeringsmaatschappij NV / Belfius Banque SA/NV / Belfius Insurance SA/NV (2) Passive crossing of a threshold 1,885,806 4.69% _____________ Notes: (1) The total number of outstanding shares of the Company mentioned in the relevant transparency notification amounts to 40,243,518, each share giving right to one (1) vote (being 40,243,518 voting rights in total). (2) The notice was made on 16 July 2024 by Societe Federale de Participations et d'Investissement SA / Federale Participatie- en Investeringsmaatschappij NV ("SFPI-FPIM"), acting as a parent undertaking or a controlling person, and was made for itself and with respect to Belfius Banque SA ("Belfius Bank") and Belfius Insurance SA ("Belfius Insurance"). The notification stated that on 10 July 2024, the total shareholding of SFPI-FPIM (holding 1,885,806 shares and voting rights, which corresponds to 4.69% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company) had passively crossed below the threshold of 5% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company. The notification specifies that the shareholding in the Company is held by SFPI-FPIM, that SFPI-FPIM is owned for 100% by the Belgian State, that SFPI-FPIM, acting in its own name, but on behalf of the Belgian State, is the parent company of Belfius Bank, and that Belfius Bank is the parent company of Belfius Insurance. The notification also states that Belfius sold its participation in the Company and no longer holds any shares in the Company. It follows from the notification that Belfius Insurance previously owned 24,393 voting securities or voting rights in the Company. This announcement is made in accordance with Article 14 of the Belgian Act of 2 May 2007 on the disclosure of major participations in issuers of which shares are admitted to trading on a regulated market and regarding miscellaneous provisions. To access a copy of the aforementioned transparency notification, reference is made to Sequana Medical's website). Pursuant to the Belgian Transparency Act and the articles of association of the Company, a notification to the Company and the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) is required by all natural and legal persons in each case where the percentage of voting rights attached to the securities held by such persons in the Company reaches, exceeds or falls below the threshold of 3%, 5%, 10%, and every subsequent multiple of 5%, of the total number of voting rights in the Company. For more information, please contact: Sequana Medical Ian Crosbie CEO E: IR@sequanamedical.com T: +44 7973 42 99 17 About Sequana Medical Sequana Medical NV is a pioneer in treating fluid overload, a serious and frequent clinical complication in patients with liver disease, heart failure and cancer. This causes major medical issues including increased mortality, repeated hospitalizations, severe pain, difficulty breathing and restricted mobility. Although diuretics are standard of care, they become ineffective, intolerable or exacerbate the problem in many patients. There are limited effective treatment options, resulting in poor clinical outcomes, high costs and a major impact on their quality of life. Sequana Medical is seeking to provide innovative treatment options for this large and growing "diuretic-resistant" patient population. alfapump and DSR are Sequana Medical's proprietary platforms that work with the body to treat diuretic-resistant fluid overload, delivering major clinical and quality of life benefits for patients and reducing costs for healthcare systems. The Company's Premarket Approval (PMA) application for the alfapump was submitted to the US FDA in December 2023 and accepted for substantive review in January 2024, having reported positive primary and secondary endpoint data from the North American pivotal POSEIDON study in recurrent or refractory ascites due to liver cirrhosis. US market approval of the alfapump is anticipated before the end of Q1 2025 with US commercial launch planned for H2 2025. Results of the Company's RED DESERT and SAHARA proof-of-concept studies in heart failure support DSR's mechanism of action as breaking the vicious cycle of cardiorenal syndrome. All three patients from the non-randomized cohort of MOJAVE, a US randomized controlled multi-center Phase 1/2a clinical study, have been successfully treated with DSR, resulting in a dramatic improvement in diuretic response and virtual elimination of loop diuretic requirements. The independent Data Safety Monitoring Board approved the start of the randomized MOJAVE cohort of up to a further 30 patients, which is planned after alfapump US PMA approval. Sequana Medical is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Brussels (Ticker: SEQUA.BR) and headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. For further information, please visit www.sequanamedical.com. Important Regulatory Disclaimers The alfapump system is currently not approved in the United States or Canada. In the United States and Canada, the alfapump system is currently under clinical investigation (POSEIDON Trial) and is being studied in adult patients with refractory or recurrent ascites due to liver cirrhosis. DSR therapy is still in development and it should be noted that any statements regarding safety and efficacy arise from ongoing pre-clinical and clinical investigations which have yet to be completed. There is no link between DSR therapy and ongoing investigations with the alfapump system in Europe, the United States or Canada. Note: alfapump and DSR are registered trademarks. Forward-looking statements This press release may contain predictions, estimates or other information that might be considered forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements represent the current judgment of Sequana Medical on what the future holds, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Sequana Medical expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release, except if specifically required to do so by law or regulation. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of Sequana Medical only as of the date of this press release. Attachments Melbourne, Victoria, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2024) - Besra Gold Inc. (ASX: BEZ) is very pleased to advise that Yantai Jinpeng Mining Machinery Co Ltd (Yantai) of China has completed the second and final batch of processing equipment for the Jugan Pilot Plant. This equipment has been inspected, containerised into 7 shipping containers and loaded onto a vessel due to arrive at the Kuching Port in Sarawak on 26 July 2024. Subject to final regulatory approval, the pilot plant will be constructed, and processing equipment will be installed, tested, and commissioned in conjunction with Yantai. In addition, Yantai will provide comprehensive onsite operational training and support for Besra's personnel. Based on an initial nominal capacity of 50 tonnes per day, the pilot plant will trial various batch processing combinations to develop optimal protocols for processing the Jugan refractory ore to produce a concentrate for further processing, including dore. As such, these trial results will form an important component of the overall definitive feasibility study for future commercialisation. Management will endeavour to establish a definitive timetable in conjunction with the local authorities to ensure that the pilot plant's commissioning occurs as soon as practicable. This announcement was authorised for release by Mr Kenny Lee (Executive Director). Michael Higginson Company Secretary North American Contact: James Hamilton, Investor Relations Services M +1-416-471-4494 Land clearing for drill pads at Jugan To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_besra_jugan_550.jpg SOME OF JUGAN PILOT PLANT BATCH #2'S KEY COMPONENT & EQUIPMENT CRUSHED ORE BIN To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_006full.jpg BALL MILL To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_007full.jpg CYCLONES To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_008full.jpg THICKENER TANK To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_009full.jpg RAKE To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_010full.jpg DRIVE & POSITIONING To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_011full.jpg SLURRY PUMP To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_012full.jpg CONCENTRATE PUMP To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_013full.jpg FILTER PRESS PUMP To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_014full.jpg SUMP PUMP To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_015full.jpg HOPPERS To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_016full.jpg CHUTES To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_017full.jpg STRUCTURAL STEEL To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_018full.jpg CONVEYOR BELTS To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_019full.jpg DRUM PULLEYS To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_020full.jpg TRANSFER CHUTES To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_021full.jpg MCC CABINET CENTRE & ONE WITH DOOR OPEN To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_besra.jpg POWER CABLE To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_024full.jpg UNIT CONTROL CABINET To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_025full.jpg CNC REAGENT FEEDER To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3448/217163_a32e0a6b44fa29f5_026full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/217163 SOURCE: Besra Gold Inc. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - July 19, 2024) - NuGen Medical Devices Inc. (TSXV: NGMD) (the "Company" or "NuGen") a leading developer of needle-free devices to administer therapeutics subcutaneously, is pleased to announce that Science Link, the exclusive distributor of the InsujetTM in Mexico has placed an additional order for 4,500 Insujet injectors to support channel expansion and demand growth in the Mexico market. The revenue associated with the order is $525K, contributing an expected gross margin of $341K to NuGen. Follow on orders for consumables will follow as the injector orders are fulfilled. Science Link previously accepted orders for 1,500 injector units that were received in Mexico in April, 2024. This order of 4,500 units is scheduled to ship in Q4 2024, bringing the total injector sales into Mexico to 6,000 for the year. Science Link has a demonstrated track record in developing markets in Mexico, with a strong leadership team and networks across the country. The firm is developing opportunities for the InsujetTM across multiple channels, including big box retail pharmacies, employer health support programs run by large multinationals operating in Mexico, and online sales. All of these channels are well supported by healthcare practitioners operating out of clinics in Mexico, including Conglomerate Medical with over 150 locations and over 1,500 clinicians. "We are very encouraged by the acceptance and demand for the InsujetTM in Mexico and we are investing in our growth plan for the country, expanding our distribution channels and continuing our roll out through retail distribution, employer health programs, and online sales," noted Juan Carlos Feregrino, CEO of Science-Link, "We see a great opportunity to address the unmet needs of the Mexico market, bringing this game changing new technology to the large and growing diabetic population in Mexico." Mexico Diabetic Market: In 2021, the estimated adult diabetic population grew to 14 million patients - a rise of 10% in the last 2 years. Diabetes-related health expenditure in Mexico has reached USD $20 billion, putting it in the top ten countries or territories with the highest total health expenditure1. It is estimated that 1 in 6 adults are now living with diabetes2. About Science-Link Science-Link is dedicated to bringing disruptive technologies to the market. Science-Link was founded by experienced professionals with over 60 years of combined expertise in the health, wellness and agribusiness sectors. Its mission is to become the leading company in Mexico for the commercialization and distribution of new health and wellness disruptive technologies within the next 5 years. Science-Link utilizes a network of sub-distributors with the purpose of effectively penetrating and positioning InsuJet in all 32 States of Mexico, covering both traditional and modern channels. Additionally, Science-Link is implementing digital funnels to accelerate awareness and generate qualified leads for its potential customers, further supporting its distribution efforts. About NuGen NuGen is a leading developer of needle-free devices to administer therapeutics subcutaneously. The Company is marketing and selling its next-generation InsuJet needle-free injection system designed to improve the lives of millions of diabetics. InsuJet is approved for sale in 42 countries around the world. For further information, please visit: Websites: www.insujet.com, www.nugenmd.com and www.solm.com/insujet/ Instagram: @NuGenMD Twitter: @NuGenMD LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nugenmd/ and www.linkedin.com/company/sol-millennium-medical-group/ Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Information: Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained herein is given as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. 1https://www.idf.org/index.php?option=com_attachments&task=download&id=2645:WDD2021_MEXICO_PR_Final 2https://www.idf.org/index.php?option=com_attachments&task=download&id=2645:WDD2021_MEXICO_PR_Final To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/217161 SOURCE: NuGen Medical Devices Inc. Juno, a San Diego, CA-based company dedicated to provide child disability insurance, raised $8.5M in Series funding. The round, which brought the total amount to $12.5M, was led by Spero Ventures with participation from Floating Point, Newark Ventures, and WVV Capital. The company intends to use the funds to expand its client base and broker network as well as increase product flexibility. Led by CEO Jordan Epstein, Juno specializes in child disability insurance, a core employee benefit that provides long-term financial support plus personalized guidance if a child from birth to age 26 becomes severely ill, injured, or disabled. Through Juno, parents can receive up to $1 million ($500,000 per qualifying child) in tax-free cash, paid in monthly installments for up to 10 years. The benefit covers children from birth to age 26 and can be used in any way a family chooses, including supplementing lost income, hiring specialized caregivers at home, or addressing medical costs not covered by health insurance. Juno also provides one-on-one support services to help families navigate the complexities of their childs condition, access other available resources, and build a successful plan for the future. As a public benefit corporation, it donates 2% of every premium to organizations that research childhood disabilities and rare diseases or provide direct support to families. FinSMEs 19/07/2024 Lyten, a San Jose, CA-based supermaterial applications company and global leader in Lithium-Sulfur battery technology, received an investment from The Luxembourg Future Fund 2. The investment will support the development of locally sourced, locally manufactured batteries in Europe for the Electric Vehicle (EV), mobility, space and defense industries. Led by CEO Dan Cook, Lyten is a supermaterial applications company that permanently sequesters carbon from methane, converting it into three-dimensional (3D) graphene. This highly tunable supermaterial is the foundation for Lytens innovative, high-value decarbonizing applications. Currently, Lyten is advancing and commercializing next-generation lithium-sulfur batteries, powered by Lyten 3D Graphene, for use across the automotive, aerospace, defense, and other sectors. In addition, Lyten is developing breakthrough sensors that offer unprecedented sensitivity and selectivity for universal air monitoring, infrastructure monitoring, and health monitoring applications. The company is also creating advanced polymer and concrete composites that deliver superior performance and sustainability. Lyten has raised over $425M in total funding, which includes previous investments from global leaders Stellantis, FedEx, and Honeywell to bring Lithium-Sulfur batteries and additional decarbonizing products to market. The company has established its European Headquarters in Luxembourg. FinSMEs 19/07/2024 Saronics Spyglass and Cutlass autonomous surface vessels combine hardware, software, and AI to accomplish critical maritime missions. Saronic, an Austin, TX-based defense technology company, raised $175M in Series B funding, at $1 Billion valuation. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with participation from both new and existing investors, including 8VC, Caffeinated Capital, Elad Gil, and NightDragon, among others. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate its growth both domestically and internationally. At home, it will allow further expansion of its in-house manufacturing capabilities and enable increased production of all its ASV models. Additionally, Saronic will advance the research and development of new autonomous capabilities for naval and maritime forces, including increased technology and payload integration with government and commercial partners. Led by CEO Dino Mavrookas, Saronic is empowering the maritime sector for the U.S. Navy and its allies by delivering autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) which are designed to work alongside manned systems to allow naval forces to go farther and do more with less risk to life and mission. Saronics family of ASVs includes Spyglass (6), Cutlass (14) and Corsair, its largest model, which is currently in development and testing. Each vessel features integrated autonomous capabilities to meet a customers specific requirements and can carry diverse payloads in communication- and GPS-denied environments. FinSMEs 19/07/2024 The GIFT Nifty, on Friday (July 19) around 8:45 am, was up 6.5 points or 0.03 per cent at 24,860. Ahead of the opening bell, the index hinted at a flat start for Dalal Street. The India VIX, a measure of volatility in the stock market, was up 2.02 per cent at 14.51 read more The BSE is the fourth largest stock exchange in the world. Reuters The GIFT Nifty, on Friday (July 19) around 8:45 am, was up 6.5 points or 0.03 per cent at 24,860. Ahead of the opening bell, the index hinted at a flat start for Dalal Street. The India VIX, a measure of volatility in the stock market, was up 2.02 per cent at 14.51. Heres a look at stocks to watch today: Infosys: The tech giant, on Thursday (July 18) reported its results for the first quarter of the financial year 2025 (Q1FY25). It reported net profit at Rs 6,368 crore, up 7.1 per cent on-year, beating D-Street estimates. Advertisement L&T Technology Services (LTTS): The company retained its full-year revenue growth forecast of 8-10 per cent. However, it missed quarterly revenue expectations on Thursday due to prolonged weakness in its key US market. Dr Reddys: The pharmaceutical company has signed a non-exclusive patent licensing agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company to commercialise Vonoprazan tablets in India. Vonoprazan is a novel gastrointestinal drug and is a next-generation treatment for gastro duodenal ulcers and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Previously, Zydus Lifesciences had announced the signing of a similar document with Takeda. Bondada Engineering: The company has received work orders from KPI Green Energy and Pace Digitek Infra amounting to roughly Rs 65 crore. CEAT: The companys profit jumped 7 per cent to Rs 154.2 crore year-on-year, while its revenue increased 8.8 per cent to Rs 3,192.8 crore year-on-year. Wipro, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Paytm: These are among the many companies releasing their Q1FY25 results on July 19. Bangladesh is witnessing violent student protests against government job quotas, which has left over 30 dead. Chants of Who are you? Who am I? Razakar, Razakar! have filled the streets of Dhaka, infuriating the Sheikh Hasina-led government. But why does this term evoke such an emotional response in the country? read more Student activists shout slogans during a demonstration against quota in civil service jobs held in Dhaka on July 14, 2024. File Photo/AFP Deadly protests have gripped Bangladesh as students take to the streets to demonstrate against job quotas in the public sector. Over 30 people are believed to have died as violent clashes between protesters and police continue. A slogan by protesters has flooded the streets of Dhaka, triggering a war of words between the Sheikh Hasina-led government and students. Tui ke? Ami ke? Razakar, Razakar! Ke boleche, ke boleche, sairachar- sairachar. As India Today mentioned, the slogan translates to Who are you? Who am I? Razakar, Razakar! Who says that who says that, dictator, dictator! Advertisement The chants have hit a raw nerve in Bangladesh where Razakar is a highly offensive term. Students terming Hasina a dictator has also shocked many. Who were the Razakars? Why is the spectre of Razakars being raised now in Bangladesh? We explain. Razakars and the Bangladesh Liberation War The Razakars were a paramilitary force that collaborated with the Pakistan army during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Razakar, which means volunteer or helper in Persian and Urdu, consisted mainly of pro-Pakistani Bengalis and Biharis in Bangladesh (then known as East Pakistan) who were against the separation of East and West Pakistan. An estimated 50,000 Razakars helped the Pakistan army in conducting raids and committing atrocities against the local population, as per an Indian Express report. According to anthropologist Nayanika Mookherjee, the term Razakars is used as an abuse in Bangladesh. It has come to mean collaborator and is linked with betrayal in the country, the newspaper report added. The Razakars were a paramilitary force that collaborated with the Pakistan army during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Wikimedia Commons The Razakars, along with radical religious militias like Al-Badr and Al-Shams, targeted civilians, students, intellectuals and religious minorities, who opposed Pakistans occupation, reported India Today. The brutal action against pro-Liberation Bangladeshis by the Pakistani military with the aid of Razakars led to the death of anywhere between 300,000 to 3 million (30 lakh) civilians, rape of 100,000 to 400,000 women and 25,000 to 195,000 forced pregnancies, according to Indian Express. Advertisement ALSO READ: Whats behind Bangladeshs violent student protests that have led to shut down of universities? Why Razakars are back in Bangladeshs rhetoric In July, university campuses across Bangladesh erupted in protests against the 30 per cent quota for descendants of freedom fighters of the 1971 Bangladeshi Liberation War. The demonstrations are a result of a High Court order that upheld the quota system for government jobs. A reference to Razakars by Prime Minister Hasina further sparked outrage among protesting students. Addressing a press conference last weekend, Hasina said, Are the children and grandchildren of freedom fighters not talented? Are only the children and grandchildren of Razakars talented? Why do they have so much resentment towards freedom fighters? If the grandchildren of the freedom fighters dont get quota benefits, should the grandchildren of Razakars get the benefit? Advertisement After the PM, her party leaders also fueled resentment among protesters by making similar remarks. Razakars have no right to hold the blood-stained red and green flag of the Liberation War martyrs, social welfare minister Dipu Moni reportedly said. Hasinas remarks, perceived as dismissive and insulting, triggered protests, noted Scroll. Many students were offended by them being likened to Razakars, who are seen as a symbol of betrayal and treachery in the nation. To express their protest, the protesters started sarcastically referring to themselves as Razakars. This infuriated PM Hasina, who reportedly said, They did not witness the bodies lying in the streets, yet they feel no shame in calling themselves Razakars. Advertisement People run as police fire teargas during a coffin rally of anti-quota protesters at the University of Dhaka, a day after the clash with Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling party Bangladesh Awami League, and anti-quota protesters, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 17, 2024. Reuters Education minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury wrote on Facebook, Those who proclaim I am a Razakar have demonstrated themselves to be the true Razakars of this era. They disregard both the court and the government. Speaking to Scroll, Sarjis Islam, one of the leaders of protesting students, alleged the government wants to quell the protests with a wrong interpretation of the slogan. We vented our frustration and anger that we were called Razakars because we sought equal rights for all. It seems they want to quash the protest with wrong interpretation. However, some believe the government has not misunderstood the intention behind students calling themselves Razakars. They are completely aware of what the students meant by those slogans. But they are conveniently portraying them to make it work in their favour, political analyst and commentator Zahed Ur Rahman told Scroll. Advertisement Why Hasina being called dictator is notable Hasina has been accused of ruling Bangladesh with an iron fist. She came to power earlier this year for a fourth straight term amid allegations of electoral rigging. The term dictator, which has been used by her political opponents, is being openly used by the general public for the first time in her more than a decade-and-a-half rule, as per Scroll. Mubashar Hasan, a Bangladesh expert and post-doctoral researcher at the University of Oslo, Norway, told India Today, that labelling her a dictator signals doubts about the general elections. Hasinas government was thriving in disseminating fear in society. Now, it seems that fear has gone away, and as a result, it is plausible to argue that there is growing and explicit criticism of Hasinas leadership and, by publicly calling her dictator through slogans, it is evident that students are questioning her election engineering too, Hasan said. With inputs from agencies Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are struggling to maintain their mental health with few resources and no safe places to recover. Children especially are having nightmares and wetting their beds because of stress, noise, crowding and constant change. There are about 1.2 million children in the enclave, who need mental health and psychosocial support. This basically means nearly all of Gazas children read more Palestinians flee from the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza after an Israeli ground and air offensive on Monday, January 29, 2024. AP Israels nine-month-old war with Hamas in Gaza has decimated the territorys medical system. Israeli raids have wreaked physical destruction on hospitals, and health facilities have been hit and evacuated. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, especially children, are struggling to maintain their mental health with few resources and no safe places to recover. A toll on mental health The trauma of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians has been relentless. They have suffered through friends and family being killed by Israeli bombs. Advertisement Theyve suffered injuries or disfigurements. As the violence raged, they gathered in houses or tents and repeatedly ran, never finding a safe place to rest. According to experts and practitioners who spoke with The Associated Press, anxiety, fear, depression, sleep deprivation, anger, and aggression are common. Early in the conflict, Nabila Hamada gave birth to twin boys in Gaza, in a hospital crowded with internally displaced people and the stench of rotting corpses. When Israeli forces threatened the hospital, she and her husband escaped with only one of the babies, as medical staff said the other was too weak to leave. The largest hospital in Gaza was overrun by Israeli forces shortly after, and she never saw the boy again. Nabila Hamada, who was displaced by the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, cooks in a UN-run school in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. AP Hamada, 40, was traumatised by the loss of one twin and became so terrified of losing the other that she became frozen and ill-prepared to face the daily struggle to survive. Im unable to take care of my other, older children or give them the love they need, she said. There are few resources to help Palestinians process what they are going through. Mental health practitioners say the turmoil and overwhelming number of traumatised people limit their ability to deliver true support. So theyre offering a form of psychological first aid to mitigate the worst symptoms. Advertisement Children are the most vulnerable For children, the mental toll of war can have a long-term effect on their development, said Ulrike Julia Wendt, emergency child protection coordinator with the International Rescue Committee. Wendt has been visiting Gaza since the war began. They are having nightmares and wetting their beds because of stress, noise, crowding and constant change, she said. There are about 1.2 million children who need mental health and psychosocial support. This basically means nearly all Gazas children. Repeated displacement compounds trauma: an estimated 1.9 million of Gazas 2.3 million people have been driven from their homes. Most live in squalid tent camps and struggle to find food and water. Advertisement She said simple programming, such as playtime and art classes, can make a difference, The goal is to show them that not only bad things are happening. Nashwa Nabil in Deir al-Balah said her three children have lost all sense of security. Her eldest is 13 and her youngest is 10. They could no longer control their pee, they chew on their clothes, they scream and have become verbally and physically aggressive, she said. When my son Moataz hears a plane or tank, he hides in the tent. Palestinians evacuate from a site hit by an Israeli bombardment on Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. AP In the central town of Deir al-Balah, a psychosocial team with the Al Majed Association works with dozens of children, teaching them how to respond to the realities of war and giving them space to play. Advertisement In the case of a strike, they place themselves in the foetal position and seek safety away from buildings or windows. We introduce scenarios, but anything in Gaza is possible, said project manager Georgette Al-Khateeb. Even for those who escape Gaza, the mental toll remains high. Mohamed Khalil, his wife and their three children were displaced seven times before they reached Egypt. His wife and children arrived in January and he joined them in March. Their eight-year-old daughter would hide in the bathroom during shelling and shooting, saying, We are going to die. Only after his mother explained to their six-year-old boy that becoming a martyr gives him the chance to meet God and ask for the fruits and vegetables they were denied in the hunger-ravaged Gaza, could he go to sleep. Advertisement As they fled on foot along a designated safe corridor with Israeli guns shooting close by, Khalil recounted their terror. According to Khalil, the kids are scared and reserved even now that theyre in Egypt. Palestinian children displaced by the Israeli air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip take part in an entertaining activity organised by local activists, at a United-Nation run school, in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. AP They have registered for classes in math, language and physical education as well as art and play therapy sessions at Psychological and Academic Services for Palestinians, a new initiative in Cairo. We saw a need for these children who have seen more horror than any of us will ever see, said its founder, psychologist Rima Balshe. On a recent field trip, she recalled, five-year-old twins from Gaza who were playing and suddenly froze when they heard helicopters. Is this an Israeli warplane? they asked. She explained that it was an Egyptian aircraft. So Egyptians like us? they asked. Yes, she reassured them. They had left Gaza, but Gaza had not left them. There is hope that children traumatised by the war can heal, but they have a long way to go, Balshe said. I wouldnt say recovering but I certainly see evidence of beginning to heal. They may not ever fully recover from the trauma they endured, but we are now working on dealing with loss and grief, she said. Its a long process. Bearing the scars of trauma Many of the survivors of the Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7, which set off the Gaza War, are traumatised and looking for ways to recover. Over 1,200 Israelis were killed by the militants, and they also abducted over 250 more. Taken into hiding close to Khan Younis in the south, Jehad El Hams claimed that after picking up what he believed to be a food can, he lost his right eye and fingers on his right hand. It was an unexploded ordnance that detonated. His children were almost hit. Hes been disoriented and unable to sleep since then. I cry every time I take a look at myself and see what Ive become, he said. He reached out to one of the few mental health initiatives in Gaza, run by the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees, known as UNRWA. Fouad Hammad, a UNRWA mental health supervisor, said they typically encounter 10 to 15 adults a day at shelters in Khan Younis with eating and sleeping disorders, extreme rage and other issues. Mahmoud Rayhan saw his family shattered. An Israeli strike killed his young son and daughter. His wifes leg was amputated. Now he isolates himself inside his tent and sleeps most of the day. He talks to almost no one. He said he doesnt know how to express whats happening to him. He trembles. He sweats. Ive been crying and feel nothing but heaviness in my heart. A relative, Abdul-Rahman Rayhan, lost his father, two siblings and four cousins in a strike. Now when he hears a bombardment, he shakes and gets dizzy, his heart racing. I feel like Im in a nightmare, waiting for God to wake me up, the 20-year-old said. With inputs from The Associated Press An outage at Microsoft has left people across the entire globe struggling, with many complaining of the Blue Screen of Death error, which causes the device to shut down. The glitch knocked television channels, airports and banks around the world offline. What led to the chaos? read more If you are experiencing the annoying blue screen error, also known as Blue Screen of Death, on your laptop or computer, dont fret. You are not alone. Businesses, airlines, banks and other companies are all spiralling out of control owing to a global Microsoft outage. Social media platforms such as X, Facebook and others all lit up with users complaining about their Windows system crashing and serving them with the Blue Screen of Death error. Microsoft, Azure even became trending topics on X as people continuously posted about their issues with their Windows devices. Advertisement But what exactly happened? Whos been affected? What caused this outage? We explore and give you the answers. What blue screen error? On Friday, several Windows 365 users across the world complained that they were experiencing the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error, which is causing the system to suddenly shut down or restart. Forums like Reddit were flooded with posts of people complaining that their PCs were randomly restarting and switching to the blue screen error mode, which makes the devices unusable. A screen of Windows PC tells to reboot all of a sudden in Tokyo. AP Pictures posted on social media showed users screens stuck on the recovery page displaying the following message: It looks like Windows didnt load correctly. If youd like to restart and try again, choose Restart my PC below." The issue soon went viral on social media outlets, with some people expressing joy that they were getting an early weekend break, while others were not pleased with the timing of the outage in the middle of important work and meetings. Microsoft said the outage started about 18:00 ET (23:00 BST) on Thursday. Whats behind the outage though? The Blue Screen of Death error quickly turned into a global outage, prompting people all over to ask whats caused it. Some reports suggested that a cybersecurity company called Crowdstrike, which produces antivirus software, issued a that went horribly wrong, leading to the so-called blue screen of death on PCs. Advertisement The US-based company later said that the preliminary root cause was a configuration change in a portion of its Azure backend workloads. For those who are unaware, Azure is Microsofts public cloud computing platform. A screen shows a Microsoft Windows recuperation message at Barajas international airport in Madrid, Spain. A global technology outage grounded flights, knocked banks offline and media outlets off air on Friday. AP The change caused an interruption between storage and compute resources which resulted in connectivity failures that affected downstream Microsoft 365 services dependent on these connections, the US-based company said. Hours after the initial news of the outage, Microsoft said it had restored the cloud services. In an update at 3:55 am ET, Microsoft 365 said on social platform X: Multiple services are continuing to see improvements in availability as our mitigation actions progress. Advertisement However, many users are still facing issues and staring at the blue screen error. Whos been affected and where? The global outage has wreaked havoc across the world with users everywhere complaining of services being hit. Companies, banks, airlines, and more reported that they were struggling in the face of the IT outage. India: In the country, some airlines reported that their services had been hit owing to the error. Akasa, IndiGo, Air India, Vistara and SpiceJet all faced operational challenges. In a statement, SpiceJet said on X: Were currently facing a technical issue in providing updates on flight disruptions. Our team is actively working to resolve this issue. We regret for any inconvenience caused and will update you once the issue is resolved. Thank you for your patience and co-operation. Advertisement Similarly, Akasa Air wrote, Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable. As a temporary solution, airlines are issuing handwritten boarding passes for immediate flights. Two flight information screens unable to display data at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India after a widespread global technology outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world. AP Delhi Airport too reported that some services have been affected. Due to the global IT issue, some of the services at the Delhi Airport were temporarily impacted. We are closely working with all our stakeholders to minimise the inconvenience to our flyers. Passengers are requested to be in touch with the airline concerned or the help desk on ground for updated flight information. We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers, they said in a statement. Advertisement One report citing sources said that top officials from Indias Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITY) were in talks with Microsoft to address the outage. United States of America: The services of many airlines in America have also been affected owing to the global outage. Airlines such as Delta, United and American Airlines were grounded, said the Federal Aviation Administration. Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines also reported outages that affected operations. However, it later said that it was in the process of resuming normal operations, and that the ground stop had been lifted. Travellers at Los Angeles International Airport sleep in a jetway for a delayed United Airlines flight to Dulles International Airport due to a widespread global outage early Friday in Los Angeles. AP US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said the department was monitoring the flight cancellation and delay issues at Frontier, adding that the agency will hold the company and all other airlines to their responsibilities to meet the needs of passengers. Perhaps the more worrying aspect was that state troopers were reporting that the 911 call line was down, starting in Alaska. Unconfirmed reports suggest that some lines in Minnesota, Arizona, Indiana Ohio and New Hampshire have also been hit. United Kingdom: The UK seems to be one of the worst-affected nations. Airlines, the stock exchange, pharmacy services have all been hit. The London Stock Exchange said its experiencing a global technical issue preventing news from being published. A statement said, RNS news service is currently experiencing a third party global technical issue, preventing news from being published on www.londonstockexchange.com. Technical teams are working to restore the service. Other services across the group, including the London Stock Exchange, continue to operate as normal. A man walks past the London Stock Exchange in the City of London. The outage has prevented news from being published. Reuters The IT outage has also hit the National Health Services. Pharmacies and prescriptions could also be impacted, the National Pharmacy Association has confirmed. It said: Were aware that due to global IT outages services in some community pharmacies, including the accessing of prescriptions from GPs and medicine deliveries, are disrupted today. We urge patients to be patient whilst visiting their pharmacy. Some airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton also complained of delays owing to the outage. Additionally, some rail services have also been impacted by the outage. Several channels also went dark today, including Sky News. News reports later confirmed that Sky News was back on. Manchester United added that it too had been affected by the worldwide IT outage. The clubs website is down and the release of tickets will be postponed until the issue is resolved. Australia: Several banks said the outage was affecting online services and transactions. Adelaide Bank said: We are aware of a widespread and global system issue that is impacting online banking and some transactions. We apologise for any inconvenience. We are investigating and seek to restore service as quickly as possible. Customers at supermarkets were angry and flustered as they were unable to buy their daily groceries as checkouts had been hit. Sydney Airport also reported delays and services being hit owing to the IT outage. A sign notifies customers of a temporary closure due to IT issues at a Liquorland store in Canberra, Australia. Reuters Reacting to the situation, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, I understand Australians are concerned about the outage that is unfolding globally and affecting a wide range of services. My government is working closely with the National Cyber Security Coordinator. There is no impact on critical infrastructure, government services or Triple-0 services at this stage. Other nations: Countries such as Germany, France, Malaysia and many more are also reporting various services to be down owing to the IT outage. As per aviation analytics firm Cirium, more than 1,000 flights have been cancelled around the world today. And this number will only rise as the day progresses. People wait for their flights following a global IT outage, at BER airport in Berlin, Germany. Reuters In France, the organising committee for the Paris Olympics says its IT operations have also been impacted. At Berlin Airport in Germany, long lines stretched on, and confused families wandered in search of information about flights. In northern Germany, two hospitals had even cancelled elective surgeries for the day. Japan and Malaysia too reported problems at airports. What next? Some tech experts believe that the problem isnt going away anytime soon. As per a BBC report, the Blue Screen of Death that computers are suffering means that each one needs to get hands-on keyboards treatment. This means that it cant be fixed with a central command from an IT administrator in a firms HQ. They will need to go and reboot each and every computer affected. With inputs from agencies Of 110,000 scheduled commercial flights across the world, 1,390 have been cancelled, according to data from global aviation analytics firm Cirium. Amsterdams Schiphol has seen the worst disruptions globally with 84 flights being cancelled at an average delay time of 75 minutes. In India, travellers are facing long queues with airlines such as IndiGo and Akasa issuing handwritten boarding passes read more Louden Erskine, a US passenger waiting for a Delta Airlines flight, lies on the floor at Haneda International Airport, following a global IT outage, in Tokyo, Japan July 19, 2024. Reuters The global IT outage reportedly due to an issue with cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and Microsoft Windows has affected airport operations across the world. From India to Australia, Germany, the US, the UK and Spain, air passengers around the world are facing delays and cancellations. Global aviation analytics firm Cirium cited data showing that of 110,000 scheduled commercial flights across the world, 1,390 have been cancelled. As per BBC, the US has seen 512 flights cancelled, Germany has witnessed 92 flights cancelled, India has seen 56 flights cancelled, Italy has recorded 45 flights being cancelled and Canada has seen 21 flights cancelled. Advertisement More are likely to be called off in the hours ahead. But which airports have been worst-affected? How are they operating amid the outage? India Bengalurus Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has witnessed long lines of passengers as counters remain unable to process check-ins, as per Hindustan Times. Some airlines have begun issuing handwritten boarding passes. The Microsoft / CrowdStrike outage has taken down most airports in India. I got my first hand-written boarding pass today pic.twitter.com/xsdnq1Pgjr Akshay Kothari (@akothari) July 19, 2024 Sources told NDTV 90 per cent of flights from Bengaluru airports Terminal 1 have been impacted. The situation is unlikely to be resolved until midnight. Advertisement Airlines at New Delhi airports Terminal 3 were also giving handwritten boarding passes to flyers, while airport staff were using white-boards to display gate information for flights, according to an official for the airport. As per Business Today, IndiGo, Air India, Akasa and SpiceJet have been impacted. Passengers gather at an IndiGo airlines kiosk in a departures area at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, following a global IT outage, in Ahmedabad, India, July 19, 2024. REUTERS/Amit Dave IndiGo wrote on X, Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted. We appreciate your patience. Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu wrote on social media, I have directed airport authorities and airlines to be compassionate and provide extra seating, water, and food for passengers affected by delays. We understand your concerns and are working tirelessly to ensure your safe and swift travel. Your patience and cooperation are greatly appreciated. Advertisement UK CNBC quoted authorities in Gatwick and Heathrowas saying they were relying on back-up systems to continue operations. However, they added that delays are expected. Gatwick said the issues were across some airlines check-in systems, baggage and security, including eGates. As per BBC, Edinburgh is no longer accepting inbound flights that arent already in the air. Stephanie Thompson, from the US, told BBC she could not make her flight to Dallas. We couldnt get an answer from anybody, Thompson, speaking from Edinburgh Airport, said. I was on hold with American (Airlines) for about an hour and 10 minutes before I finally hung up. We just paid $6,800 for a one-way trip home, hopefully leaving tonight. I didnt know what else to do. I just wanted something to get us home. Advertisement In Edinburgh, a Reuters witness said boarding pass scanners carried a server offline message, with the airport saying passengers shouldnt travel to the airport without checking their flight status online first. Passengers whose flights have been cancelled have been told to leave. US Several US carriers including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta issued ground stops for all their flights early on Friday due to communication problems, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). An item of checked luggage is seen near a monitor displaying a blue error screen, also known as the ?Blue Screen of Death? at a baggage claim area inside Terminal C in Newark International Airport, after United Airlines and other airlines grounded flights due to a worldwide tech outage caused by an update to Crowdstrikes Falcon Sensor software which crashed Microsoft Windows systems, in Newark, New Jersey. Reuters American Airlines later said it had resumed operations. A spokeswoman for Los Angeles International Airport told the BBC that some flights are taking off and landing. Germany A spokesperson for Lufthansa Airlines said passengers faced minimal disruption to and from Berlin. Advertisement But the low-cost German airline Eurowings said it was canceling all domestic flights as well as those to and from the UK set to depart before 3 pm. Japan According to BBC, authorities at Japans Narita Airport are saying a number of airlines including JetStar, Jeju Air, Qantas, HK Express and Spring Japan are having trouble with their systems. Czech Republic As per Business Today, Prague Airport has witnessed delays in departures. Australia The entire flight system is affected at Sydney Airport, as per Business Today. Authorities have said operations and terminal services are impacted and passengers are facing possible delays. However, Brisbane Airport is using backup systems to keep their flights coming and going. Travellers have been asked to make extra time for their trips. Spain Some airlines and airports said they are already back online. Spanish carrier Iberia saying it had managed to avoid flight cancellations. A screen shows a Microsoft Windows recuperation message at Barajas international airport in Madrid, Spain, on 19 July. AP From 9:25 am onwards the electronic check-in counters and online check-ins were reactivated. There have been some delays, a spokesperson said. At Madrid-Barajas Airport, passengers complained of queues and a lack of information. Nobody was around to tell us where we could check in when we arrived so different groups queued in different places and then in the end someone, after a bottleneck of people was formed, told us to come here, Ana Rodriguez, a tourist from Mexico, said. Taiwan CNBC quoted authorities at Taiwans Taoyuan International Airport as saying that self-check in systems are down. Check in processes were being managed manually, they added. Ireland According to Business Today, Dublin Airport has said Ryanair is having trouble with their check-in. Passengers have been asked to arrive three hours before their flight. Authorities said they are working closely with Ryanair to help passengers. Hong Kong Hong Kong International Airport said a Microsoft outage was affecting several airlines and it had switched to manual check-in, but flight operations had not been affected. Netherlands Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 said Amsterdams Schiphol had the worst disruptions globally. As per The Times of India, the airport saw 84 flights being cancelled with an average delay time of 75 minutes. Five per cent of all flights at Schiphol have been cancelled. Eighty-eight per cent of operations have been impacted. A Schiphol spokesperson said flights to and from the airport had been affected, adding it was not yet clear how many and that travellers were advised to contact their airline. We expect longer waiting times and some flight cancellations. Not all airports in Europe were impacted as the issue is linked with a specific OS, Microsoft Azure, said Agata Lyznik, a spokesperson for airports group ACI Europe. In Europe, airlines are required to compensate passengers for delays of more than three hours but it was unclear to what extent they would be held legally responsible for the outage. Turkey As per BBC, Turkeys flagship carrier has cancelled 84 flights. It quoted Turkish Airlines as saying things will gradually return to normal. Meanwhile, low cost carrier Ajet has also said it is facing issues when it comes to online ticketing, reservations, and call centres. UAE At Dubai International (DXB), the worlds busiest international airport, check-ins for some flights at Terminals 1 and 2 were affected. However, the airlines switched to an alternative system, Dubai Airports said. Singapore Singapores Changi airport said check-ins were being handled manually. The aviation sector has been hit particularly hard due to its sensitivity to timings. Airlines rely on a closely coordinated schedule often run by air traffic control. Just one delay of a few minutes can throw off a flight schedule for take-offs and landings for an airport and airline for the rest of the day. With inputs from agencies New York magazine published its latest health issue on Thursday, featuring a photoshopped picture of Donald Trump and Joe Biden on the cover page. The image, which compares the two political rivals on weighing scales, has sparked a flurry of criticism for being improper and immoral read more The magazine defended the cover, arguing that it was a statement on the candidates ages and health-a subject that the public is becoming more interested in. Image Courtesy: @nymag/Instagram Critical days are ahead for the United States. Donald Trump has wrapped up an enthusiastic Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, and Democrats are racing time as they consider the extraordinary possibility of President Joe Biden stepping aside for a new presidential nominee before their own convention. Amid the turmoil, _New York m_agazine published its latest Health issue on Thursday, featuring a photoshopped picture of Trump and Biden on the cover page. The image, which compares the two political rivals on medical scales, has sparked a flurry of criticism for being improper and immoral. Advertisement The controversial magazine cover New York magazines new Health Issue shows President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in their underwear in a doctored image. The photo, illustrated by Martin Schoeller, depicts the president and his predecessor standing side by side on sets of scales that suggest a medical exam. Its based on source photographs of Trump by Seth Wenig and Biden by Mandel Ngan, as per the magazine. According to the issues description, the issue features Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmers interview on her sudden entrance into presidential politics. Jonathan Chait writes on how Democrats will lose more than an election if they stick with Biden, and Mark Jacobson reflects on ageing as questions about President Bidens health consume the news. Other features spotlight what mammograms get wrong, the immunotherapy research is changing cancer treatment, and how the rich die. The magazines Instagram post featuring the controversial image garnered thousands of likes and comments. Criticism After the magazine revealed the cover on social media on Wednesday, people expressed outrage and labelled it as immoral. What a disgusting decision to make this a cover. We can now point to the medias contribution to making the US a joke to the world, commented a user. Advertisement Id just like to note that if a publication photoshopped a womans head onto a body in underwear and posted it, then the comments would be different. This is such a weird thing to do to anyone, wrote another user. This feels wildly disrespectful and inconceivably out of line, another commenter said. Did you really need to make this the cover? Its so unnecessary and objectifying. Bad form, read another response. Over on X, the former Twitter, the response was similarly negative. Magazines response Speaking about the cover, the magazine argued that it was a statement on the candidates ages and health subjects that the public is becoming more interested in. Advertisement We had already been thinking about how to address the fact that this health issue would drop in the middle of the presidential campaign, when the presidential debate put the health and age of the candidates in the centre of the national conversation, New Yorks executive editor, Genevieve Smith, said of the cover in a press release. The magazine issue includes a special package containing an analysis of the existential crisis Democrats are facing as the nation questions President Bidens fitness for office, the press release said. Responding to a comment, a New York magazine spokesperson said, This cover is part of the magazines longstanding tradition of political cartoons. We hope our readers found it funny, and are ok that some didnt. Advertisement Health concerns After he bungled the June 27 CNN presidential debate, Biden ignited a firestorm around his candidature, starting a debate over whether he is the best opponent of Trump in November. On the other hand, Trump, who is known for his long speeches, lied repeatedly during the discussion and hesitated when asked if he would respect the election results. Democrats at the highest levels have been making a critical push for Biden to rethink his election bid, with former President Barack Obama expressing concerns to allies and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi privately telling Biden the party could lose the ability to seize control of the House if he doesnt step away from the 2024 race, according to The Associated Press. Advertisement Campaign officials said Biden was even more committed to staying in the race, even as the calls for him to go mounted. Both Biden and Trump are the oldest major-party candidates that Americans have ever seen when casting their ballots, according to NPR. Biden will be 82 on Inauguration Day if he wins the election. Trump would be 78 years old. Additionally, voters perceptions of the candidates suitability for their positions have been influenced by their ages, despite the complex relationship between age and cognitive ability. That was already the case before to the debate: according to an April Pew Research Centre study, only 15 per cent of Americans felt that Joe Biden had the necessary physical health to be president, and 21 per cent felt the same way about his mental fitness. NPR cited the survey Trump performed better, with 36 per cent of respondents saying they were confident in his physical health and 38 per cent saying they were confident in his mental capacity. A president must be at least 35 years old, among other requirements, as stated in Article 2 of the US Constitution, indicating that the Founding Fathers gave the issue of presidential age careful consideration centuries ago, as per the report. Although there is a cap on the age at which one can accept the position, there has never been an upper age limit for presidents. According to NPR, which cited a Pew study, about 80 per cent of American adults believe that federally elected officials, including the president, should have age restrictions. Constitution scholars argue that the 18th-century American governments founders would never have thought to include such a restriction and that there are significant obstacles to those laws altering anytime soon. With inputs from agencies Joe Biden has reportedly become more receptive to hearing arguments that he should step aside as the Democratic presidential candidate. This is a stark contrast from earlier when he believed he was the only one who could beat Trump. The change comes as senior leaders such as Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Barack Obama signalled that its time for him to go read more US President Joe Biden deboards Air Force One, at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware. He is currently self-isolating after contracting COVID. The US president is now reportedly more amenable to hearing arguments for him to step away from the race. Reuters He earlier had claimed that only a heavenly intervention or a significant medical condition would persuade him to drop out of the race. However, it seems that the building pressure from within his party is making Joe Biden rethink his decision. The US president, who is currently self-isolating in Delaware after testing positive for COVID, is now reportedly taking calls to step aside as the Democratic presidential candidate seriously. As one person close to Biden said: His soul searching is actually happening, I know that for a fact. Hes thinking about this very seriously. Advertisement The pressure mounts Ever since the presidential debate debacle on June 27 where Biden was seen at moments freezing on stage or mumbling incoherently there have been calls for the US president to step aside from the race. It started on July 2 with Lloyd Doggett, the Texas Congressman, saying: Recognising that, unlike [Donald] Trump, President Bidens first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so. Less than two weeks later, the first US senator stepped forward to publicly ask Biden to drop out. Peter Welch, of Vermont, told the Washington Post: We need him to put us first, as he has done before, he said. I urge him to do it now. The calls for Biden to step away from the race have only grown louder since, and its not just from within the party. Donors and supporters of the Democratic party have also called on Joe Biden to drop out of the race. George Clooney, perhaps one of the most prominent fundraisers of the party, wrote in the New York Times that Biden could not beat time. His article was titled: I Love Joe Biden. But We Need a New Nominee. Advertisement Another Hollywood star and fundraiser, Michael Douglas, also told the BBC he was worried about Bidens electoral chances. Megadonors have also been asking for Biden to step aside and let another take a go at Trump in the November 5 election. A CNBC report said that in early July, 75 wealthy Democratic political donors met on a Zoom call to discuss the path forward. Of them, only one believed that Biden should remain in the race. The others were clear that they believed Biden needed to drop out of the race if the party wanted to defeat Trump in November. Advertisement Since then, donors who fund either the Biden campaign, his allied political action committees or the party at large have launched a lobbying campaign aimed at senior Democrats in both the House and Senate. Some have laid down blunt terms: If Biden refused to drop out, they would not be giving money to help his re-election until polls showed that he was a clear favourite to beat Trump. Big voices chime in After keeping silent for a while, it seems the big guns of the Democrats are now speaking out, putting pressure on the 81-year-old commander-in-chief to reconsider his position in the race. Advertisement On Wednesday, ABC News revealed that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had personally told Biden last Saturday that he could best serve the party by getting out of the race. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told him the same. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, told the president that polling showed he could not beat former President Donald Trump and that staying in the race would destroy Democrats prospects of winning back control of the House. US President Joe Biden holds hands with Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi reportedly told the president that polling showed he could not beat Donald Trump and that staying in the race would destroy Democrats prospects of winning back control of the House. File image/Reuters However, with Biden remaining defiant, the three leaders reportedly let word of their views leak to the press. When confronted with reports of their private conversations with Biden, Pelosi, Schumer, and Jeffries all refused to deny the accuracy of such news stories. Advertisement On Thursday came the biggest hit of them all. The Washington Post reported that former US President Barack Obama had told allies in recent days that President Bidens path to victory has greatly diminished and he thinks the president needs to seriously consider the viability of his candidacy. When asked about this revelation, a spokesman for Obama declined to deny it. Earlier when asked about Biden, Obama had said that the future of Bidens candidacy is a decision for the president to make. US President Joe Biden and former US President Barack Obama share a laugh at an event in Los Angeles, California. Obama, as per a report, told allies in recent days that President Bidens path to victory has greatly diminished. File image/Reuters The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has also scrapped its plans to formally confirm Biden as the partys nominee in a virtual roll call vote next week. Bidens rethink And it seems now that the pressure from the leadership and donors has made Biden, who until now was steadfast in his decision to continue in the race, do rethink. A New York Times report said that he has become more receptive in the last several days to hearing arguments about why he should drop his re-election bid. The media outlet reported that while Biden has not given any indication that he is changing his mind about staying in the race, he has been willing to listen to rundowns of new and worrying polling data and has asked questions about how Vice President Kamala Harris could win. One person close to the president told the Times that it would be wrong to call him receptive to the idea of dropping out but that he is willing to listen. An attendee wearing a Make America Great Again hat carries a Fire Joe Biden sign on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Reuters A Democratic congressional aide was also of the same opinion. In a Reuters report, he said, It feels like its a matter of when, not if. Even Axios reported that several top Democrats privately tell us the rising pressure of party congressional leaders and close friends will persuade President Biden to decide to drop out of the presidential race, as soon as this weekend. However, Bidens principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said that the campaign was moving ahead. He is not wavering on anything, Fulks said. The president has made his decision. I dont want to be rude, but I dont know how many more times we can answer that. Uncertain future Whether or not, Biden heeds the calls of his fellow party members is left to be seen. However, one thing is certain: the future is uncertain for the Democratic Party. The data already reveals that the support for Biden has shifted away since the debate, and they now show the president trailing in the northern battleground states. Moreover, Donald Trump is expected to receive a huge bump in the polls following the assassination attempt and his being officially nominated as the Republican candidate. Data reveals the support for Biden has shifted away since the debate, and they now show the president trailing in the northern battleground states. File image/AP But what happens if Biden follows the advice of the Democrats and drops out of the race now? The laws of the DNC say that the only way to replace Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket at this stage in the campaign cycle is if he agrees to drop out voluntarily, or if he dies or suffers a disability. And if he does, the pledged delegates could cast their ballots for a new candidate. According to the DNC rules, if no candidate won a majority on that first ballot, then more than 700 superdelegates could join in subsequent votes. In such a case, the likeliest alternative is Vice President Kamala Harris. We will have to wait and see if Biden goes the way of former US President Lyndon B Johnson or does he believe that he truly is the only one that can beat Trump. With inputs from agencies South Koreas president appointed a former North Korean diplomat to the position of vice minister on Thursday, the highest-level government role for one of the thousands of North Korean defectors who have resettled in South Korea. Tae Yong-ho, who was serving as a minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, defected to South Korea in 2016 read more Tae Yongho, a former minister of the North Korean Embassy in London who fled to South Korea in 2016, speaks to the media in Seoul, South Korea, February 19, 2019. File Image/AP South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed Tae Yong-ho, a former North Korean diplomat, as a vice minister on July 18, marking the highest-level government position held by any of the approximately 34,000 North Korean defectors who have resettled in South Korea. Tae, who defected in 2016 while serving as a minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, is now the secretary general of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, a body that advises the president on policies for the peaceful reunification of Korea. Advertisement Yoons office stated, He is the right person to help establish a peaceful unification policy based on liberal democracy and garner support from home and abroad. Who is Tae Yong-ho? Born on July 25, 1962, in Pyongyang, Tae Yong-ho, also known by his pseudonym Tae Ku-min, which means saving people in Korean, echoing his sentiment to rescue North Korean people. He was educated extensively abroad, studying in Beijing, China, where he learned English and attended the Affiliated High School of Beijing Foreign Studies University. He later completed his undergraduate studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University and continued his education at the Pyongyang University of Foreign Studies upon returning to North Korea. Tae Yong-ho, the former North Korean deputy ambassador to London, reacts during a news conference at the Government Complex in Seoul, South Korea, December 27, 2016. File Image/Reuters Taes diplomatic career began in the 1980s, and he quickly rose through the ranks to become North Koreas deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, until he defected in 2016. In South Korea, Tae has been a vocal advocate for the dissemination of outside information to undermine the North Korean regime. He has frequently spoken about the regimes vulnerabilities and the potential for a peoples uprising. Tae has also testified before the US House Foreign Relations Committee, highlighting the importance of soft power in weakening Kim Jong-uns rule. Advertisement Taes memoir, Cryptography From the Third-Floor Secretariat, published in 2018, offers a rare glimpse into the life of a North Korean diplomat and has become a bestseller in South Korea. The book provides a balanced and detailed account of the North Korean system and Taes experiences within it. Also Read: North Korea has executed 30 teenagers for watching K-drama, say reports Tae is married to O Hye-son, a relative of Kim Il Sungs comrade in arms, O Paek-ryong. The couple has two sons, one of whom graduated from a British university while the other studied at a London school before their defection. Taes family has faced significant personal sacrifices, including the separation from relatives left behind in North Korea. He has expressed deep concern for their well-being, stating, Im sure that my relatives and my brothers and sisters are either sent to remote, closed areas or to prison camps, and that really breaks my heart. Advertisement Why did Tae Yong-ho defect? Tae Yong-ho defected to South Korea in 2016, driven by his desire to protect his children from the miserable lives they would have led in North Korea and his despair over Kim Jong-uns executions of officials and the regimes nuclear ambitions. He stated, I did not want my children to grow up in such an oppressive environment. Tae Yong-ho, North Koreas former deputy ambassador in London who defected to the South, speaks during an interview in Seoul, South Korea, February 3, 2017. File Image/Reuters North Korea reacted strongly to Taes defection, branding him human scum and accusing him of embezzling government money and committing other crimes. Despite these accusations, Tae successfully resettled in South Korea, where he has become a prominent figure in politics and a vocal critic of the North Korean regime. Advertisement How did Taes journey in South Korean politics begin? In 2020, Tae was elected to South Koreas National Assembly as a member of the People Power Party, representing the affluent district of Gangnam in Seoul. He was the first former North Korean to be directly elected to South Koreas National Assembly. He failed to secure a second term in the elections in April this year. Also Read: Are Wests favourite cartoons being created in North Korea? Tae served on the parliamentary foreign policy and unification committee, using his experiences to advocate for a peaceful unification policy. In his new vice-ministerial role, Tae is expected to leverage his unique insights and firsthand experiences of life in North Korea. His appointment is seen as a strategic move to enhance policies related to North Korean defectors and the broader goal of Korean reunification. Advertisement What does Tae think of North Korea? Tae has been an outspoken critic of the North Korean regime since his defection. He has highlighted the regimes human rights abuses and the oppressive nature of Kim Jong-uns rule. In various interviews, he has stated, Kim Jong-uns regime will one day collapse by a peoples uprising, and has called for international efforts to disseminate outside information to weaken the regime. He has also advocated for practical measures to improve relations between the two Koreas. Tae has encouraged the South Korean government to consider prisoner swaps, stating, Our peoples lives matter. Tae Yong-ho, defection to South Korea, makes him one of the most prominent officials to do so in recent years. File Image/AFP Despite the significant support provided by the South Korean government to North Korean defectors, including citizenship, subsidised housing, and resettlement funds, many defectors face substantial challenges in adjusting to South Koreas competitive, capitalistic society. Discrimination and cultural differences often create barriers to successful integration. Also Read: From concentration camp punishments to forcing officials to witness executions, North Korean ex-diplomat sheds light on bloody purges under Kim Yoon has pledged to enhance support for defectors, promising greater government assistance during the inaugural North Korean Defectors Day celebrated on July 14. With inputs from agencies Vietnams ruling Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong passed away on Friday at the age of 80. Trong held the countrys most powerful position for 13 years, during which he oversaw rapid economic growth and led a prolonged anti-corruption campaign while implementing a well-balanced foreign policy that appealed to both China and the US read more Vietnam's then-President Nguyen Phu Trong speaks at a news conference after he is re-elected as Communist Party's General Secretary for the 3rd term after the closing ceremony of 13th national congress of the ruling communist party in Hanoi, Vietnam February 1, 2021. File Image/Reuters Nguyen Phu Trong, the influential General Secretary of Vietnams ruling Communist Party, passed away on July 19, at the age of 80. His death marks the end of an era for Vietnam, where he held the most powerful position for over 13 years. During his tenure, Trong oversaw rapid economic growth, launched a rigourous anti-corruption campaign, and steered the countrys foreign policy towards a pragmatic and balanced approach known as Bamboo Diplomacy. Advertisement Born in Hanoi in 1944, Trong was a staunch Marxist-Leninist who earned a degree in philosophy before joining the Communist Party at the age of 22. He furthered his education in the Soviet Union, which shaped much of his ideological and political outlook. Despite his ideological leanings, Trong was known for nurturing relations with both the United States and China, reflecting his flexible and strategic approach to foreign policy. Trong had also served as president of Vietnam from 2018 to 2021. A look at Trongs rise to power Trong ascended to the role of General Secretary of the Communist Party in 2011, a position he held until his death. Prior to this, he served as the Party committee secretary of Hanoi and as the Chairman of the National Assembly from 2006 to 2011. His rise to power was marked by his ability to consolidate the Communist Partys influence, particularly at a time when the governmental wing, led by then-Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, was gaining prominence. Chinas President Xi Jinping (L) and Vietnams Communist Party Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong wave toward pupils holding Vietnamese and Chinese flags during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi, Vietnam, November 12, 2017. File Image/Reuters In 2021, he secured an unprecedented third term as General Secretary after the party waived the two-term limit, underscoring his significant political clout. However, his later years in office were marked by declining health, leading to his hospitalisation in 2019 and subsequent frailty at public events. Trongs blazing furnace Trong is perhaps best known for his aggressive anti-corruption campaign, dubbed the blazing furnace. Launched in 2017, this campaign targeted both business and political elites, resulting in the investigation and resignation of hundreds of officials, including cabinet ministers, a parliament chairman, and two state presidents (Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Vo Van Thuong). Advertisement A country without discipline would be chaotic and unstable, Trong stated in 2016, highlighting his belief in maintaining the partys legitimacy through strict discipline. Vietnamese Communist Partys General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (2nd L) talks to Russias President Vladimir Putin (2nd R) during a meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, November 25, 2014. File Image/Reuters The campaign, while praised for its rigour, also had unintended consequences. Nguyen Khac Giang of the ISEASYusof Ishak Institute wrote in Fulcrum that the crackdown eroded the institutional balance within the Communist Party, shifting the dynamics towards personal power rather than established norms. Trongs Bamboo Diplomacy Trongs foreign policy strategy, coined as Bamboo Diplomacy, symbolised Vietnams resilience and adaptability in the complex geopolitical landscape of Southeast Asia. This approach allowed Vietnam to maintain robust economic and political relations with both the United States and China, despite the rising tensions between the two superpowers. Advertisement US President Joe Biden attends a meeting with Vietnams Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, at the Communist Party of Vietnam Headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, September 10, 2023. File Image/Reuters Vietnams diplomacy is described as soft and wise, yet persistent and resolute, Trong explained during the National Congress on External Relations in 2021. It is characterised by being flexible and creative in the face of all struggles and challenges that stand in the way of national independence and peoples happiness. Notably, Trong was invited to India on a four-day State visit in November 2013 when he was received by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi. Then President Ram Nath Kovind visited Hanoi and met Trong in 2018 who was then president of the Southeast Asian nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also held an audience with Trong in 2016 during his visit to Hanoi. Advertisement Vietnams Communist Partys General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong shakes hands with then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (R) during his ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Indias presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi, November 20, 2013. File Image/Reuters Under Trongs leadership, Vietnam elevated its ties with the United States to the highest diplomatic status, a comprehensive strategic partnership. He hosted both US President Joe Biden and Chinas leader Xi Jinping in Hanoi, showcasing Vietnams balanced approach. The US embassy in Vietnam lauded him as a visionary leader who for decades served as a bridge between Vietnam and the United States of America. Vietnams economy under Trong Vietnams economy flourished under Trongs leadership. By 2022, the countrys total exports reached $371.3 billion, with imports amounting to $358.9 billion, reflecting a 9.1 per cent increase compared to the previous year. High-tech items like phones and computers made up approximately $170 billion of these exports. Advertisement This economic boom attracted multinational giants such as Samsung, Intel, Canon, and Foxconn to establish large factories in Vietnam. Then US President Barack Obama (R) reaches out to shake hands with Vietnams Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong following their meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, July 7, 2015. File Image/Reuters Trongs pragmatic approach also involved balancing relations between major powers. In 2023, when the USS Ronald Reagan visited Vietnam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was in China, underscoring Vietnams diplomatic balancing act. These events highlighted Vietnams efforts to maintain political trust and enhance strategic cooperation with both the United States and China. Who will replace Trong? Following Trongs death, his duties were temporarily assigned to Vietnamese President To Lam, a prominent figure in the party and a key player in the anti-corruption campaign. Lam, who became president in May 2024, is seen as a likely successor to Trong. However, his potential consolidation of power raises concerns about increased autocracy and a potential crackdown on civil liberties. Vietnams leadership structure consists of four key positions: the Communist Party general secretary, the president, the prime minister, and the head of the National Assembly, the four bureaucratic positions have been informally dubbed the four pillars in regard to leadership and decision-making in the country. To Lam swears in after he was elected as the president at the National Assembly in Hanoi, Vietnam on May 22, 2024. File Image/AP Peter Mumford of the Eurasia Group noted that Lams leadership could moderate political instability and factional infighting, which might benefit economic growth, reported Reuters. However, some analysts fear that Vietnam might drift towards a more China-style rule if Lam amasses unchecked power. In the wake of Trongs death, Vietnam observed a period of national mourning, with public events cancelled and state-run websites displaying black and white banners. State broadcasters aired documentaries celebrating his life and leadership. Also Read: Who is To Lam, Vietnams top cop now elected president? Nguyen Phu Trong leaves behind a mixed legacy marked by economic achievements, a rigourous anti-corruption drive, and a vision of Bamboo Diplomacy which will continue to influence Vietnams strategic decisions in the years to come. With inputs from agencies Belarus has joined India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as the 10th member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation seen by Moscow and Beijing as a counterweight to the US-led world order. Experts say that though it makes the bloc wider, the move to add Minsk weakens its focus. They add that the grouping is yet to live up to its potential read more The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has a new member Belarus. Minsk on Thursday joined the grouping dominated by China and Russia during the 24th SCO summit in Kazakhstans capital Astana. Belarus joined India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as the 10th member of the bloc. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Advertisement It has emerged as an influential economic and security bloc and one of the largest trans-regional international organisations. The SCO promotes common approaches to external security threats such as drug trafficking and also focuses on countering any domestic instability. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has skipped the summit this time. India is being represented by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Kazakhstan is hosting the summit in its capacity as the current chair of the grouping. But what does the inclusion of Belarus a staunch ally of Russia mean for the grouping? Lets take a closer look: According to RFERL, the expansion of the SCO comes as yet another move by China and Russia to push the bloc as a counterweight to the Western-led world order. Vladimir Putin said the SCO has firmly established itself as one of the key pillars of a fair, multipolar world order." It also means Russia and China are drawing ever closer. Advertisement Russian-Chinese relations, our comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation, are experiencing their best period in history, Putin said as per RFERL. Our cooperation is not aimed against anyone, we are not creating any blocs or alliances, we are just acting in the interests of our peoples, Putin said. In his opening remarks, Xi told Putin that China and Russia should uphold the original aspiration of friendship for generations in response to an ever-changing international situation. Calling Putin an old friend, Xi alluded to the progress the two countries had made in putting in place plans and arrangements for the next development of bilateral relations. China and Russia declared a no limits partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing, days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine. Since then, Xi and Putin have deepened relations. Advertisement Xi and Putin believe the US-dominated post-Cold War era is crumbling. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to Chinese President Xi Jinping during the 2022 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. File Photo- AP The US casts China as its biggest competitor and Russia as its biggest nation-state threat. US president Joe Biden says this century will be defined by an existential contest between democracies and autocracies. At last years virtual summit, the group criticised what it called the negative impact of unilateral and unlimited expansion of global missile defence systems by certain countries or groups of countries without directly referring to NATO expansion or Western military assistance to Ukraine. In a move that highlighted Beijings pragmatic economy- driven approach, Xi presided over a ceremony on Wednesday with his Kazakh counterpart just hours before meeting Putin, to mark the departure of a fresh batch of cargo along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Advertisement The route, also known as the Middle Corridor, starts in southeast Asia and China, runs through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and further to Europe. It has been heavily promoted by the West as an alternative to Asia-Europe land transit via Russia. What do experts say? Eva Seiwert, an analyst and project coordinator at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), told The Diplomat Magazine that the inclusion of Belarus takes the SCO even further from its original mission. Belarus addition fully commits the SCO to its role as a multilateral representation of the new international order championed by China and Russia, Seiwert wrote. Advertisement She added that enlargement has raised the SCOs profile and put it in a bind international visibility comes hand in hand with a loss of regional relevance. As a result, members might seek other formats for tangible regional cooperation. Catherine Putz wrote in The Diplomat that though Minsk joining the group will make it bigger, it also weakens its focus. It will arguably further damage its international credibility, what little it had; Belarus is a heavily sanctioned autocracy and a vocal supporter of Russia, Putz wrote. Seiwert told CNN the move really highlights how the SCOs mission has changed in the last few years. Unlike Iran, you dont really get much like economic or security cooperation out of Belarus joining. And thats why I argue that its more of a geopolitical move, Seiwert added. They want the SCO to be perceived as a major bloc that cannot be ignored anymore, she said. With all these countries joining, China and Russia (want to show they) both have a lot of supporters for their worldviews. Bates Gill, a senior fellow for the National Bureau of Asian Research, told CNN the move raises more questions than it provides answers. It creates all sorts of problems and new questions about the reputation, legitimacy and mandate of the organization, given the nature of the Belarus regime and its support for Russias flagrant violation of international law and invasion of Ukraine, Gill said. Clearly the SCO can tolerate authoritarian regimes, but for the mandate of the organisation, it further diversifies and dilutes its original focus, which was to be on Central Asia. No substantial results However, experts noted that the SCO hasnt lived up to its potential yet. The mandate for the SCO can be quite vague and far-reaching, Seiwert told RFERL. Officially speaking, this is a security organisation that focuses on improving collaboration among its member states and building mutual trust throughout the region. For a long time, China wanted to make sure that the SCO is not portrayed as an anti-Western organisation, but this has changed, especially since Iran joined, Seiwert added. Its becoming clear that the SCO doesnt care so much about what the West thinks anymore. Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, told the website the SCO still doesnt have any massive achievements. Its still trying to figure out what it is now and what it can be, he said. At the end of the day, its main advantage is just the sheer size and its collective GDP, but there are still almost no substantial results. The grouping remains largely a place for regional leaders to meet Xi and Putin. India, meanwhile, seems to be losing interest in the grouping Niva Yau, a fellow at the Atlantic Councils Global China Hub, said this development reduces the SCOs global profile and limits some of Chinas bigger plans. Gill told CNN the inclusion of Belarus puts the Central Asian states in a very awkward position in some respects. They are pursuing what they like to call multi-trajectory diplomacy. They dont want to be committed to only dealing with one major power, like Russia or China. Indias association with the SCO began in 2005 as an observer country. It became a full member state of SCO at the Astana summit in 2017. India has shown a keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence. Pakistan became its permanent member along with India in 2017. With inputs from agencies Yunchan Lim, 20, is a South Korean pianist, whose performances have been described as visceral, magnetic and poetic. At 18, he was the youngest pianist to win the prestigious Van Cliburn International piano competition in Texas. British record label Decca Records co-president Tom Lewis, who succeeded in signing this once-in-a-generation talent described him as the most exciting new classical artist on the planet read more The Greek philosopher Aristocles has rightly said, Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. One such prodigy in music is Yunchan Lim, whose life is surrounded by excellence. The pianists performances have been described as visceral, magnetic, and poetic. Heres all we know about him. About Yunchan Lim Born in Sihueung in 2004, Yunchan Lim is a 20-year-old South Korean pianist. At 18, he was the youngest pianist ever to win the prestigious Van Cliburn International piano competition in Texas, as per BBC. Advertisement He started piano lessons when he was seven and entered the Music Academy of Seoul Arts Centre a year later. None of his family members are musicians, but his mother listened to recordings of Chopin and Liszt, while his father was a great fan of Korean traditional music, he told The Guardian in an interview. His talent was evident at 13, when he was a student at the Korean National Institute for the Gifted in Arts, and met his teacher and mentor, Minsoo Sohn, with whom he still studies. I immediately noticed that he was a huge talent. Hes very humble, his teacher once told the New York Times. Following winning in the Texas competition, he has released two recordings: a live performance of Beethovens Emperor concerto with the Gwangju Symphony Orchestra, and one of Liszts incredibly challenging Transcendental Etudes, recorded at the contests semi-finals, according to BBC. Within hours of its debut in his own country, the latter, distributed by Universal Music Korea, became platinum. Advertisement More than 15 million people have seen the livestream of him playing the Third Piano Concerto by Rachmaninov on YouTube. This is the most popular rendition of the renowned romantic piano concerto on the platform. Record business executives from Tokyo, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, London, New York, and Seoul courted Yunchan before he ultimately signed a contract with Decca Records, a 94-year-old British label, in 2023. His first studio recording was released by Decca in the spring of this year. He, along with his mother, lives in Boston, where his teacher lives. According to his interview with The Guardian, his management team carefully limit his concerts to around 40 annually. He needs time to study, to learn new repertoire and chill hes still a boy! says Federico Benigni, who is a part of his management team. Advertisement The most exciting artist on the planet Decca Records co-president Tom Lewis, who succeeded to sign this once-in-a-generation talent, described Yunchan as, The most exciting new classical artist on the planet. It took a global mission to secure his signature and we are so excited that he chose us. A slight, unsmiling, rather otherworldly lad, Lim seems not just at one with his piano, but positively in love with it, wrote the Independents Jessica Duchen while reviewing his studio debut at the Wigmore Hall. His playing is so good you think youre dreaming. Advertisement His rendition of Rachmaninoffs concerto in Texas, which won him Cliburn competition, had moved conductor Martin Alsop to tears. British pianist Stephen Hough, who was on the jury with Alsop, according to The Guardian, said, People complain about piano competition winners all sounding the same. This was spectacularly not true about Yunchan Lim. He caught in a remarkable way the many facets of this hugely challenging piece: the need for control but also to feel that things are on the edge; huge power yet lyrical tenderness too. The Guardians Andrew Clements, reviewed Lims recording of Chopins Etudes, released earlier this year and said, His technique (is) dazzlingly immaculate and the musical impulses propelling it startlingly original. Advertisement A monk with devotion to music Benigni, told The New York Times, Hes like a monk in his single-minded devotion to music. A famous performer and an earnest performer a true artist are two different things, he said. Many, many pianists of the past and present have influenced me. Arcadi Volodos, Mikhail Pletnev and Clara Haskil come first to mind, but there are too many to mention, Yunchan told The Guardian, adding that Rachmaninov is the first among equals. He is at the top of that list. I was nine when I first heard the recording of him playing Chopins Waltz. I was immediately struck by it. For me, he is the greatest, the most consummate musician, he said. He also names Chopin, Liszt and Beethoven as composers whose music he particularly loves. At the Proms in London on 29 July, he will be playing Beethoven. Speaking about his next step in the future, Yunchan told The Guardian, I want to play challenging large-scale works, pieces that have great meaning in classical music history. Currently, the 20-year-old is working on Bachs Goldberg Variations as well as Rachmaninovs Fourth Piano Concerto. But he also plans to learn contemporary music though he no longer composes himself due to lack of time, he says with regret. I want to be an artist who can play everything. Id like to be a musician with infinite possibilities, just like the universe. With inputs from agencies The protestors were seen holding placards against alleged action by security forces on student protesters during street demonstrations in Bangladesh in the last few days and raising slogans in solidarity with the agitators across the border read more A scuffle broke out between police officials and members of the All India Democratic Students' Organisation (ADISO) as they tried to move towards the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission. PTI The violent uprising triggered by student protests in Bangladesh has sent ripples in neighbouring India after student unions and human rights organisations held a demonstration in Kolkata Bangladesh Deputy High Commission on Friday in solidarity with protestors in Dhaka. The protestors were seen holding placards against alleged action by security forces on student protesters during street demonstrations in Bangladesh in the last few days and raising slogans in solidarity with the agitators across the border. Advertisement #WATCH | West Bengal: AIDSO students union in Kolkata stage a protest amid the ongoing anti-quota protests in Bangladesh. They were detained by the Police. pic.twitter.com/mBvnXjvV23 ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024 A scuffle broke out between police officials and members of the All India Democratic Students Organisation (ADISO) as they tried to move towards the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission. Several demonstrators have also been arrested. Whats the situation in Bangladesh? Meanwhile, the death toll from the violent protests in Dhaka has risen to 50. The police have banned all public rallies in the national capital in the wake of the protests. Dhakas police force took the drastic step of banning all public gatherings for the day a first since protests began in an effort to forestall another day of violence. Weve banned all rallies, processions and public gatherings in Dhaka today, police chief Habibur Rahman told AFP, adding the move was necessary to ensure public safety. Advertisement Police and security officials in Bangladesh fired bullets and tear gas at protesters and banned all gatherings in the capital on Friday, as internet and mobile services were cut off after days of deadly clashes over the allocation of government jobs. The protests, which began weeks ago but escalated sharply on Monday, represent the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since she won a fourth consecutive term in office after elections in January. Main opposition groups boycotted those polls. With inputs from agencies Earlier today, the UPSC lodged a complaint against the probationer after a detailed and thorough investigation revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under UPSC examination rules by faking her identity read more First a case by UPSC now one by the Delhi Police, trainee IAS Puja Khedkars trouble seems to be never-ending. Hours after the Union Public Service Commission filed a case against Khedkar, the Delhi Police on Friday booked her under several sections including Forgery, Cheating, IT Act and disability act. Earlier today, the UPSC lodged a complaint against the probationer after a detailed and thorough investigation revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under UPSC examination rules by faking her identity. Advertisement UPSC has filed a complaint with Delhi Police against Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar for misrepresenting and falsifying facts to obtain extra attempts in the UPSC examinations, beyond the prescribed limit. Consequently, a case has been registered under the relevant sections of the law, and investigation has been taken up in Crime Branch, Delhi Police said. In the complaint, the UPSC said Puja Khedkar changed her name, fathers and mothers name, her photograph/ signature, email ID, mobile number and address to a fake identity to appear for the examination. She has also been barred from taking any future examinations under the commission. Also read: Fake address, ration card: How Puja Khedkar conned officials to obtain disability certificate Trainee IAS Puja Khedkar began making headlines after she allegedly installed a beacon in her private car. Following this, reports began pouring in exposing Khedkars wrongdoings. Earlier this week, the Maharashtra government put a hold on Khedkars training and asked her to return to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie. Meanwhile, Khedkar, 34, has alleged a trial by the media after a controversy broke out over her appointment and conduct during her stint in Punes collectorate. Advertisement Not just Khedkar, but her parents have also been in the eye of the storm. A video of Khedkars mother allegedly threatening some persons with a gun over a land dispute in Pune district surfaced last week, making the situation worse for the IAS officer. Her father, at the same time, was suspended twice in extortion cases. Puja Khedkar has also been facing allegations of misusing the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons With Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) quotas. This sweeping disruption was attributed to a significant glitch in Microsofts cloud services leading to widespread flight delays and cancellations read more Many Indian carriers struggled to operate normally due to a Microsoft outage, while foreign flights dominated the Indian skies on 19 July 2024. Screenshot from FlightAware The vast expanse of Indian skies, typically teeming with aircraft, bore an eerie emptiness on Friday. A colossal Microsoft outage had thrown the nations air travel into disarray. Indian airlines such as IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa Air were grappling with technical chaos resulting in grounded planes, halted ticket bookings and disrupted check-ins. As per flightaware.com, at precisely 2:06 PM, All Nippon 837, en route from Tokyo to New Delhi, was closing in on its destination. Simultaneously, high above Uttar Pradesh, Thai Airways 922 was journeying from Bangkok to Frankfurt, while Flynas 9400 soared towards Dhaka from Madina. Vistara 184 streaked across the sky bound for Mumbai from Dhaka and somewhere above Madhya Pradesh, Singapore Airlines 318 flew from Singapore to London. Advertisement IndiGo flights, usually dotting the sky like stars, were scarce. Among the few, IndiGo 5331 was making its way to New Delhi from Bangalore. This sweeping disruption was attributed to a significant glitch in Microsofts cloud services, leading to widespread flight delays and cancellations, not only in India but around the globe. Delhi and Mumbai airports bore the brunt of this unprecedented technical failure echoing the turbulence experienced by countless travellers. Microsoft said its outage started around 6 pm ET with a subset of its customers experiencing issues with multiple Azure services in the Central US region read more IndiGo, Air India, Vistara, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, almost all the Indian carriers have complained of being massively impacted by Microsoft global outage that has lead to grounding, delaying of flights and booking tickets and check-ins online as well as at airports. The glitch was a result of a major disruption in Microsofts cloud services that has led to flight delays and cancellation in India and several other parts of the world. In India, Delhi and Mumbai airports have been facing trouble due to this disruption. Advertisement Screens at airports go blue Displays at airports (showing arrival and departure status of flights) and the laptops/computers used by airline staff, since early Friday hours, have been showing blue screen error. As per official Microsoft blog post, blue screen errors occur when there are serious problems that cause Windows to shut down or restart immediately. What may cause these errors? It may be either due to software or hardware problems. However, Crowdstrike says the problem on Friday (July 19) in Windows is due to an update rolled out by Microsoft. CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor Symptoms include hosts experiencing a bugcheck\blue screen error related to the Falcon Sensor. Our Engineering teams are actively working to resolve this issue and there is no need to open a support ticket. the company said. MeITY in touch with Microsoft The Ministry of Electronics and Information and Technology (MEITY), meanwhile, said that it is in touch with Microsoft regarding the global outage. The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue. CERT is issuing a technical advisory. NIC network is not affected, the Ministry added. Advertisement MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage. The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue. CERT is issuing a technical advisory. NIC network is not affected. Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 19, 2024 How Indian carriers are affected by Microsoft outage? In a post on X, IndiGo said: Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted. We appreciate your patience. Advertisement Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted. We appreciate your patience. IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) July 19, 2024 Air India said its digital systems have also been impacted due to the current Microsoft outage which has been resulting in delays. Advertisement Vistara too has complained of experiencing technical challenges across various aspects of its operation due to the global outage. Advertisement SpiceJet, which is also facing the glitch, said, Were currently facing a technical issue in providing updates on flight disruptions. The budget airline further said that its team is actively working to resolve this issue. We regret for any inconvenience caused and will update you once the issue is resolved, the SpiceJet post read. #ImportantUpdate: We're currently facing a technical issue in providing updates on flight disruptions. Our team is actively working to resolve this issue. We regret for any inconvenience caused and will update you once the issue is resolved. Thank you for your patience and SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) July 19, 2024 Akasa Air, meanwhile, said, Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable. Also Read: Indian sky full of foreign airlines as Microsoft outage grounds most local ones Currently we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports and hence request passengers with immediate travel plans to reach the airport early to check-in at our counters, the airline said. #TravelUpdate: Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable. Currently we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports and hence Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) July 19, 2024 Delhi airport also in a post said, Due to the global IT issue, some of the services at the Delhi Airport were temporarily impacted. We are closely working with all our stakeholders to minimise the inconvenience to our flyers. Due to the global IT issue, some of the services at the Delhi Airport were temporarily impacted. We are closely working with all our stakeholders to minimise the inconvenience to our flyers. Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) July 19, 2024 The Delhi airport has also requested passengers to be in touch with the airline concerned or the help desk on ground for updated flight information. What is Microsoft saying about the global outage? Microsoft said that it is investigating an issue impacting users ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services. The tech giant also said that it is working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion. In its latest post on X, Microsoft said: Multiple services are continuing to see improvements in availability as our mitigation actions progress. Multiple services are continuing to see improvements in availability as our mitigation actions progress. More details can be found within the admin center under MO821132 and on https://t.co/uSHwRmYdzx Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) July 19, 2024 What is Microsoft outage that is grounding planes? Microsoft said its outage started around 6 pm ET with a subset of its customers experiencing issues with multiple Azure services in the Central US region. Late on Thursday, Microsoft informed its customers in the Central US regions may experience issues with multiple Azure services and its Microsoft 365 suite of apps. This could include failures with service management operations and connectivity or availability of services, the US tech giant said. Various Microsoft 365 services were impacted, including Teams. This Microsoft outage has grounded some of the airlines with several aviation companies complaining of their systems being impacted. In the US, Frontier Airlines services were significantly impacted as the carrier had to ground its flights for over two hours due to issues with Microsofts services. Sun Country Airlines Holdings Inc also reported a global outage. With inputs from agencies Despite facing massive backlash from the Opposition over the Muzaffarnagar case, many of whom likened the situation to Nazi Germany, CM Yogi went ahead and made the directive applicable to the entire state of Uttar Pradesh read more Crores of Shiv devotees are likely to take part in the Kanwar Yatra this year. File Photo/PTI Politics over Kanwar Yatra intensified on Friday after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that all eateries along its route across the state are mandated to display the owners names. Adding fuel to the fire, the mandate follows the Muzaffarnagar Polices July 18 directive that issued a similar order. Despite facing massive backlash from the Opposition over the Muzaffarnagar case, many of whom likened the situation to Nazi Germany, CM Yogi went ahead and made the directive applicable to the entire state of Uttar Pradesh. Advertisement Also read: What is the UP Polices new directive to eateries on Kanwar Yatra route in Muzaffarnagar that has irked the Opposition? What did the Muzaffarnagar order say? The Muzaffarnagar Police on Wednesday issued an order mandating eateries along the route of Kanwar Yatra to prominently display their owners names outside the establishments to avoid confusion and ensure transparency among people. The advisory was extended to hotels, dhabas and carts and was issued by the Senior Superintendent of Police. What is the Opposition saying? Up until yesterday, a couple of leaders from the Opposition including Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav and AIMIMs Asaduddin Owaisi accused the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government of creating communal disharmony. Today, other leaders like Congress Priyanka Gandhi and even BJPs allies joined the chorus. In a post on X, Gandhi said, Creating division in society on the basis of caste and religion is a crime against the Constitution. This order should be withdrawn immediately and strict action should be taken against the officials who issued it. Advertisement , , , , Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 19, 2024 Janata Dal (United), part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, leader KC Tyagi said, A Kanwar Yatra bigger than UP takes place in Bihar. No such order is in effect there. These prohibitions imposed by the police in UP are in violation of Prime Minister Modis spirit of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas. It will be good if the order is reviewed or taken back. Advertisement Meanwhile, BJPs own leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, As far as Kanwar Yatra is concerned, no one should try to create any communal confusion on issues like this. These communal confusions are neither good for any country, community or humanity. BJP defends order On the other, the saffron party refuses to back down from the Oppositions pressure and has defended CM Yogis directive. UP Minister Kapil Dev Agarwal said that the sanctity of the yatra gets affected due to the existence of non-vegetarian eateries during this time and hence the guidelines are necessary to create transparency. Haridwar following UPs footsteps? Haridwar, which is also governed by the BJP, has issued a similar order as Kanwar Yatris collect Ganga water from the hilly state. Advertisement Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police Pramendra Dobhal said, During the kanwar yatra, disputes often arise due to shops not mentioning the name of the proprietor. Many times, the yatris object to this. To address this, all shops, restaurants, hotels, dhabas and street vendors on the route will be verified by the Haridwar police. We are also pushing for the names of proprietors to be clearly displayed. The QR codes will also mention the same. Article 361 provides immunity to the President and Governors from legal proceedings during their term and the Supreme Court is examining this immunity in response to allegations of misconduct against a current governor read more On Friday, the Supreme Court of India agreed to delve into the provisions of Article 361 of the Indian Constitution, which provides blanket immunity to governors from any form of criminal prosecution. The bench, led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, issued a notice to the West Bengal government concerning a plea filed by a contractual woman employee. The apex court asked the woman employee of West Bengal Raj Bhavan to make the Centre a party to her plea as well. Advertisement The woman alleged that she was molested by the state Governor CV Ananda Bose and is seeking judicial scrutiny of Article 361 which grants immunity to the governor. Article 361 is an exception to Article 14 (right to equality) of the Constitution and provides that the president or the governor is not answerable to any court for the exercise of the powers and duties of his office. The Supreme Court also called upon Attorney General R Venkataramani to assist in the case. Understanding Article 361 Article 361 of the Indian Constitution grants immunity to the president and the governors of states from legal action while they are in office. This provision ensures that neither the president nor a Governor is answerable to any court for the exercise and performance of their official powers and duties, nor for any acts done or purported to be done in the course of these duties. During their term, they are shielded from both criminal and civil proceedings. Specifically, criminal proceedings cannot be instituted or continued against them, nor can any arrest or imprisonment processes be issued by a court. For civil proceedings in their personal capacity, a two-month notice is required before initiating any action detailing the nature of the proceedings, the cause of action and the specifics of the party instituting the proceedings. Discretionary constitutional powers of governors Governors in India also possess discretionary constitutional powers, which are defined by the Constitution and can be exercised as deemed appropriate in specific situations. These discretionary powers allow governors to make crucial decisions in the executive realm, often in times of political or administrative uncertainty. While these powers are constitutionally granted, they remain subject to judicial review to ensure they are exercised within the bounds of legality and propriety. Primary role of governors The primary responsibility of a governor in India is to uphold, safeguard and enforce the Constitution and the laws of the land. As outlined in Articles 153 and 154 of the Constitution of India, governors are responsible for ensuring the smooth functioning of the state government while upholding the constitutional framework. Advertisement Historical context and precedents The Supreme Courts exploration of Article 361 is significant in light of past judicial precedents that have shaped the understanding of gubernatorial immunity. In the landmark case of Rameshwar Prasad v. Union of India, the Court elaborated on the immunities granted to the governor, affirming that even allegations of personal malafides do not diminish this immunity. The ruling established that the governor is fully shielded under Article 361 not only from criminal complaints but also from actions related to the discretionary powers exercised in their constitutional role. Another pertinent case was in 2017 when the Supreme Court allowed fresh criminal charges of conspiracy against several leaders involved in the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid. However, the trial for Kalyan Singh, the then-governor of Rajasthan, was deferred, underscoring the courts adherence to the principle that criminal proceedings against a sitting governor are suspended until the completion of their term. Advertisement The Supreme Courts forthcoming examination of Article 361 may have significant implications for the scope of gubernatorial immunity and could potentially reshape the legal landscape concerning the accountability of high constitutional officeholders. In this diplomatic gamble, success depends on careful, calculated movesa risky bet that, if played astutely, could elevate Indias stature as a regional force for good read more Sheikh Hasinas recent trip to Beijing provided a sobering lesson in the art of realpolitik. Her expectations of securing $5 billion in loans and grants were swiftly quashed, with a curt meeting with Xi Jinping and a paltry $250 million offered. The Chinese state medias minimal coverage underscored the rebuke. Beijing clearly intended to reassert its dominance over Dhaka, but this strategy appears to have misfired. In response, Hasina has turned to India, eyeing a $1 billion financing plan for the Teesta River redevelopment project. Should India embrace this initiative, it would mark a significant diplomatic and financial breakthrough. The reservoirs and irrigation systems envisaged could resolve long-standing water-sharing disputes, while enhanced economic zones and waterway connectivity could link ports like Chittagong to India, yielding substantial financial benefits for both nations. Advertisement Yet, this manoeuvre warrants careful scrutiny. Historically, India has shown magnanimity in water-sharing agreements, but it must now balance regional goodwill against domestic imperatives. In West Bengal, there is considerable disquiet over the Teesta allocations. Given that 87 per cent of the river lies within Indian borders, overly generous concessions could deplete Indias own water resources and incite political backlash. The Teesta project also presents an opportunity for India to counter Chinas faltering Belt and Road Initiative in South Asia. Moreover, it could open up Bangladeshs arms market, given the underperformance of Chinese weaponry and Dhakas increasing restiveness. However, Bangladeshs economic landscape, despite its rapid growth, is fraught with vulnerabilities. The nations reliance on garment exports makes it susceptible to global market fluctuations and mounting competition. From a peak of $48 billion in foreign reserves in 2021, Bangladesh now holds less than half that amount. You can flog a one-trick pony only so much. Furthermore, discrepancies in textile export receipts suggest over-invoicing and corruption. Attempts to diversify into sectors like healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and food processing have faltered, exposing the limits of its economic resilience. Domestically, Bangladesh grapples with significant challenges. A burgeoning radical Islamic population threatens social stability and economic progress, with crimes against the Hindu minority evoking memories of the Jewish pogroms of 1930s Germany. This radicalisation could deter foreign investment and stall development. For India, investing in Bangladesh means navigating these complexities with caution. Economic engagement should be strategic, mindful of the volatile socio-political landscape. The Teesta project, though promising, should be part of a broader, diversified approach that mitigates risks. Indias options beyond Sheikh Hasina are limited, akin to the Wests support of the Shah of Iran before the Islamic revolution in 1979there is no viable Plan B. Advertisement The Teesta River project symbolises the burgeoning India-Bangladesh relationship, embodying both the potential for shared prosperity and the peril of unforeseen consequences. In this diplomatic gamble, success depends on careful, calculated movesa risky bet that, if played astutely, could elevate Indias stature as a regional force for good. On balance, it is a risk worth taking. The writer is a senior journalist with expertise in defence. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian and his likely foreign minister, Javed Zarif, are likely to pursue nuclear deal talks as it has the potential to unlock relief from a lot of misery and economic sanctions imposed on the Iranian people read more In his message to the new world, published on July 12, Pezeshkian stressed that his administration will be guided by a commitment to preserving Iran's national dignity and international stature under all circumstances. Image: AFP In the recently held presidential elections in Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian beat Saeed Jalili through a runoff held on July 5, 2024, getting 16.3 million votes to Jalilis 13.5 million. While there were expectations that a conservative hardliner like Jalili would prevail over the competition, the results of the first round of voting held on June 28 made this assumption doubtful as Pezeshkian garnered 42.45 per cent of votes, while Jalili came in second with 38.61 per cent. Advertisement With Masoud Pezeshkian becoming president, there is a definite change of guard, as the reformists have prevailed over the hardline conservatives. The election also puts an end to a turbulent period in Iran following the death of its former president, Ebrahim Raisi, in an unfortunate helicopter crash on May 19, 2024. Masoud Pezeshkian, 69, is an ethnic Azeri Turk and a five-term parliamentarian who served as Minister of Health and Medical Education under reformist President Mohmmad Khatami from 200105. He is a cardiac surgeon by profession and has a more pragmatic and open world view as compared to many conservatives in Iran. On the foreign policy front, he supports a balanced foreign policy and insists on preserving Iranian and Persian pride while negotiating with the world on the basis of dignity, wisdom, and expediency. In his message to the new world, published on July 12, he stressed that his administration will be guided by a commitment to preserving Irans national dignity and international stature under all circumstances. On relations within the region, he added that he will prioritise strengthening relations with the neighbours and champion the establishment of a strong region rather than one where a single country pursues hegemony and dominance over the others. His main foreign policy advisor, Javed Zarif, who is largely tipped to be appointed the foreign minister, was also the FM under President Hassan Rouhani, Raisis predecessor, who had helped clinch the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). There is therefore obvious optimism that there could be some kind of breakthrough in the nuclear deal under the new regime. Advertisement What Happened to the Nuclear Deal? The Iran nuclear deal, or JCPOA, was signed on July 14, 2015, after persistent efforts of diplomacy and negotiations over five years between Iran and P5 plus 1. It was an instrument of faith between the two parties that incorporated strict checks and balances aimed at ensuring a strict vigil on Irans nuclear programme, lest Iran progress to developing a nuclear weapon. At the same time, tough and crippling economic sanctions against Iran were revoked, giving Iran much-needed economic relief. Most importantly, Iran agreed to anywhere, anytime inspections of its nuclear facilities by the IAEA and UN inspectors. On January 16, 2016, designated as Implementation Day, the IAEA verified that Iran had met all its nuclear-related commitments under the JCPOA, triggering the lifting of sanctions on Iran. Advertisement The hard work was soon undone as Donald Trump, who was strongly opposed to the deal and had called JCPOA a horrible deal, won the US presidential elections in November 2016 and immediately announced that he would impose the highest level of economic sanctions on Iran. And, on May 8, 2018, he pulled the plug on the nuclear deal. Despite concerted efforts by other members of P5 plus 1, the UN, and the IAEA, he did not relent, and Iran was pushed back into a strict sanctions regime. Efforts to revive the nuclear deal commenced only after Joe Biden became US President in January 2021. The talks commenced in April 2021 and continued till January 2022, when the eighth round was concluded with the understanding that most of the technical issues had been agreed to and the deal was now possible within the parameters of political decisions. However, the Ukraine war broke out on February 24, 2022, and the Iran nuclear talks have been on the backburner since then. Advertisement The Current Status While there has been no progress on the Iran nuclear talks for over two years now, the Iran nuclear programme has been progressing at a rapid pace. It may be recalled that, forced by unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear deal by the US and other punitive actions, including re-imposing tough economic sanctions, designating Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation on April 8, 2019, and the assassination of IRGC Commander Qasem Soleimani by US drone on January 3, 2020, Iran recommenced uranium enrichment on December 2, 2020, to enrichment levels of 20 percent purity. A few months later, on April 13, 2021, soon after a cyberattack on the Natanz nuclear plant, Iran announced that it would enrich uranium to 60 per cent, which it has continued since then. Advertisement In January 2023, an IAEA report raised alarm when its inspectors discovered that two cascades of IR-6 centrifuges at the Fordo nuclear plant in Iran had been configured in a way substantially different from what had been previously declared. The samples collected showed particles up to 83.7 percent enriched uranium, very close to 90 percent required for weapon grade uranium. Iran dismissed the concerns, stating that in the process of enrichment, small particles do get highly enriched. There were reports of Iran slowing down its enrichment in August 2023 when the US and Iran were in indirect talks for a prisoner exchange, but following the outbreak of wear in Gaza in October 2023, Iran has increased the pace and is enriching uranium to 60 per cent, at a scale of 9 kg per month. Most of this high enrichment is taking place at its Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP) in Natanz and the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), which is dug into a mountain. As per the IAEA report of May 2024, Irans total enriched uranium stockpile was 5,841 kilogrammes, of which Iran had an estimated 142.1 kilogrammes of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent purity. By the IAEAs own theoretical definition, around 42 kg of uranium enriched to 60 per cent is required to make the required amount of highly enriched (beyond 90 per cent) enriched uranium for one nuclear bomb. By this calculation, Iran already has the required enriched uranium to make weapon-grade uranium for three bombs. Options and Possibilities When examining the possibilities of the revival of the nuclear deal, there are a few important issues to be examined. Firstly, it was a unilateral move by the US that led to the revocation of the nuclear deal, not any provocation or violation of the deal by Iran. In fact, despite the US pulling out of the deal in May 2018, Iran continued compliance with the terms of the deal until March 6, 2019, the last time that the IAEA reported that Iran was implementing all its nuclear-related commitments. It was only after the US designated the IRGC of Iran as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation on April 8, 2019, that Iran started enriching uranium again. Secondly, in the eight rounds of talks on the deal since April 2021, Iran has reportedly agreed to most terms regarding the rollback of enrichment. It has, however, sought a sovereign assurance that the US will not unilaterally revoke the deal in the future and, secondly, that the US should remove the IRGC from its list of foreign terrorist organisations. On both issues, the US is not ready to concede. There is also an issue regarding Irans rapidly advancing ballistic missile programme that the US wants to be reined in and included in the deal, for which Iran is not ready, calling it extraneous to the scope of the nuclear issue. Thirdly, the issue of changing dynamics in the region too has direct implications for Iran wanting a nuclear weapon and, hence, its effect on a possible deal. Since March 2023, there has been a wave of reconciliation in West Asia, triggered by the Saudi-Iran peace deal brokered by China. Irans suspected desire to secretly weaponise its nuclear programme was based on its animosity and rivalry with its neighbours in the region, besides, of course, Israel. Following the reconciliation in the region, if Iran is no longer enemy No. 1, a large part of the motivation to have a nuclear weapons programme therefore gets dissipated. Although it is premature to say that Iran would be accepted as a trustworthy partner in the largely Sunni Arab world, new emerging dynamics may be beneficial to Iran in the long run. To add to it, the ongoing war in Gaza and the brief military spat between Israel and Iran in April 2024 have shown the world the potent and punitive military capability that Iran possesses and that it is more than capable of taking on any threat with conventional military capability too. Fourthly, the big question is: Does Iran require a nuclear weapon? The answer presently is no. Even President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian, in his message to the new world on July 12, said that Irans defence doctrine does not include nuclear weapons and urged the US to learn from past miscalculations and adjust its policy accordingly. Even the Supreme Leader Khamenei has repeatedly stated that it is haram, or forbidden in Islam, to develop a weapon like a nuclear bomb. Also, if and when Iran does announce its nuclear weapon capability, it could change and roll back years of efforts of reconciliation in the region, as others in the region like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt, etc may be forced to acquire nuclear weapons too and set off a weapons race, which is not at all in Irans interests. It may therefore prefer to maintain a level of nuclear latency, just below the threshold of a declared nuclear weapons programme. Chances of a Revival? President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian and his likely foreign minister, Javed Zarif, are likely to pursue nuclear deal talks as it has the potential to unlock a relief from a lot of misery and economic sanctions imposed on the Iranian people. However, whether they would be able to push it beyond the status attained at the end of the eight rounds of talks in January 2022, when most of the technical issues were agreed to and the deal was within the parameters of political decisions, is a big question. Also, the US presidential election cycle is underway, and to think that the Iran nuclear issue could find focus and priority at the end of the current presidency is very unlikely. The ongoing war in Gaza and the resultant US support for Israel, as opposed to Irans support for Hamas and Hezbollah, is also a major dampener in any early talks between the US and Iran. The real possibility of Donald Trump winning the presidential elections in November could be the final nail in any future possibility of nuclear deal talks, as it was Trump who, in the first place, revoked the deal unilaterally in May 2018. The road towards the nuclear deal therefore looks tough, and factors opposing it seem to outrank the hopes of a revival. Col Rajeev Agarwal is a military veteran and West Asia expert. During his service, he has been Director in Military Intelligence as well as Director in the Ministry of External Affairs. His X handle is @rajeevidsa. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. As China grows stronger economically and militarily, it might pose constraints for Russia by seeking concessions that may be unwarranted and could go against Indias interests. This is where Prime Minister Modis visit to Moscow has balanced the tilt read more The 22nd Annual Bilateral Summit between Russia and India was held on July 89, 2024, in Moscow, with the attendance of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who last visited Moscow in 2019, nearly half a decade ago. During this visit, the Indian PM was conferred with the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, the highest civilian honour in Russia. Apart from discussions stemming from the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership shared between India and Russia, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on India-Russia cooperation in trade, economic, and investment spheres in the Russian Far East for the period from 2024 to 2029, as well as cooperation principles in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, stands out. Advertisement This represents an agreement between New Delhi and Moscow for cooperation in the Russian Far East and Arctic. Both parties agreed to share approaches to building a new architecture of stable and efficient transport corridors to expand logistics links, with an emphasis on implementing the Chennai-Vladivostok (Eastern Maritime) Corridor and the International North-South Transport Corridor. They also discussed utilising the potential of the Northern Sea Route, as outlined in the joint statement released. The diminishment of Arctic Sea ice due to global warming and climate change has led to increased human activities in the Arctic and heightened interest in this region. In the past decade, the emergence of great power competition between the US, Russia, and China has introduced competition and tension into the Arctics geopolitical environment. Russias war against Ukraine in 2022 further affected the regions geopolitical environment by prompting the seven Arctic states, other than Moscow, to suspend Arctic cooperation with Russia. This led to the ostracisation of Moscow by the A7 member states club (seven Arctic states excluding Russia). The further diminishment of Arctic ice could, in the coming years, lead to increased commercial shipping on two trans-Arctic Sea routesthe Northern Sea Route close to Russia and the Northwest Passage close to Alaska and through the Canadian archipelago. Additionally, changes to the Arctic brought about by warming temperatures will likely allow for more onshore and offshore exploration for oil, gas, and minerals, thereby leading to more powerplay, muscle-flexing, and scrambling for resources by countries like China. Russias war in Ukraine substantially affected the Arctics geopolitical environment. It pushed Russia closer to China, leading to a coordinated stance on mutual interests. In March 2022, the seven Arctic states excluding Russia, known as the Arctic 7 or A7, announced a temporary pause in their participation in all Arctic Council meetings. Advertisement Subsequently, Chinas special envoy to the Arctic reportedly stated that China would not recognise the legitimacy of an Arctic Council that excludes Russia. However, he also mentioned that China would continue to cooperate in the Arctic with both the A7 states and Russia. In response to the West, in February 2023, Russia published amendments to its Arctic policy statement that removed any mention of the Arctic Council. In April 2023, Finland joined NATO, and when Sweden became a NATO member in March 2024, it further increased NATOs focus on the Arctic. US tensions with Russia and diplomatic isolation from the A7 states in the Arctic have led to increased Russian cooperation with China in the region. Such developments have strengthened Chinas presence and activities there. For instance, Russian oil exports to China have increased, with some of these exports using the Northern Sea Route (NSR) along Russias northern coastline. Advertisement Chinas Ambitions in the Arctic Chinas diplomatic, economic, and scientific activities in the Arctic are not only a focus for the US but also for Nordic countries. Geopolitical observers have expressed concern about Chinas motivations for its Arctic activities and its ultimate goals for the region. In 2013, China was one of six non-Arctic states approved for observer status by the Arctic Council. Five years later, in January 2018, China released a white paper on Chinas Arctic policy that claimed itself to be a near-Arctic state. The white paper also referred to trans-Arctic shipping routes as the Polar Silk Road and identified these routes as major transportation corridors for the One Belt and One Road Initiative (OBOR). Interestingly, the polar regions (both the Arctic and the Antarctic) are included in Chinas 14th Five-Year Plan, covering the period from 2021 to 2025. Advertisement In terms of capability, China possesses a Ukrainian-built polar-capable icebreaker, Xue Long (Snow Dragon), which has made several transits of Arctic waters under the guise of research expeditions claimed by China. A second polar-capable icebreaker (the first built domestically by China), named Xue Long 2, entered service in 2019. Additionally, a third polar-capable icebreaker, Jidia ship reportedly measuring 292 feet in length with a displacement of 5,600 tonneswas reportedly completed in December 2023. In terms of outreach, China has expanded its diplomatic activities with the Nordic countries and increased the size of its diplomatic presence in some of them, as Beijing regards the Nordic countries as the Western end of the Chinese Polar Silk Road. Concurrently, China has engaged in economic discussions with Iceland and with Greenland, a self-governing part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Advertisement Beijings engagement with Greenland is significantly related to Greenlands deposits of rare earth elements. China has also established a research station in Norways Svalbard archipelago and maintains a second research station in Iceland. China appears interested in using the Northern Sea Route to shorten commercial shipping times between Europe and China and perhaps also to reduce Chinas dependence on southern sea routes (including those to the Persian Gulf) that pass through the Indian Ocean and the Straits of Malaccaa maritime chokepoint that China regards as vulnerable to closure by other parties such as India and the US in times of crisis or conflict. In addition to using the NSR, China reached an agreement with Russia in 2017 to create an Ice Silk Road. China has made significant investments in Russias Arctic oil and gas industry, particularly in the Yamal natural gas megaproject located on Russias Yamal Peninsula in the Arctic. In February 2023, it was reported that a Russian firm had signed an agreement with a Chinese firm for the development of a titanium mining project in the Russian Arctic. China is also interested in Arctic fishing grounds as part of its food security strategy. However, for Arctic governance, this could increase commercial and illegal fishing activity in the region and exacerbate regional disputes between Arctic and non-Arctic states over fishing rights. Changes in the Arctic are already resulting in the migration of fish stocks to new waters. The Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon that flew over parts of the US and Canada in early 2023 reportedly entered United States airspace on January 28, 2023, north of the Aleutian Islands, which are part of US Arctic territory. A March 2023 press report stated that months before a Chinese spy balloon drifted across Alaska and Canada, the Canadian military discovered and retrieved Chinese spy buoys in the Arctic, a region of long interest to Beijing. The Chinese buoys were monitoring US submarines and the melting of ice sheets. Incidentally, what makes this region good for shipping also makes it the preferred route for the deployment of ballistic missiles aimed at the US. This is because missiles from China or Russia can reach targets in the United States most quickly when they fly over the Arctic Ocean. The high north also provides the shortest distance between the United States and Eurasia. A July 2023 press report stated that China has completed the field testing and evaluation of an underwater listening device that will be deployed on a large scale in the Arctic Ocean, according to the Polar Research Institute of China. Chinas activities in the Arctic additionally reflect a view among Chinas leaders that Beijing, like other major world powers, should be active in the polar regions for conducting research and other purposes. It should be noted that, along with its growing activities in the Arctic, China has also increased the number of research stations it maintains in Antarctica. All these activities by China in the Arctic pose challenges to the Arctic states in terms of defending their own interests in the region. Observing China and its aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, Beijing could also seek to emulate the same by restricting freedom of navigation in the Arctic as it grows its naval might. Chinas investments in Greenland, especially in mining rare earth elements, raised US concerns about growing Chinese influence in the Arctic. In 2018, the US urged Denmark to finance airport construction in Greenland to counter Chinese efforts. Consequently, Denmark decided to fund the airport projects, mitigating Chinas potential influence in the region. In 2019, the US State Department announced plans to establish a permanent diplomatic presence in Greenland and reopened the US consulate in Nuuk in June 2020. In April 2020, the US provided a $12.1 million economic aid package to Greenland, highlighting concerns over Chinese and Russian influence. Observers believe this desire to counter China and Russia contributed to former US President Donald Trumps interest in buying Greenland in August 2019. Russian-Chinese cooperation in the Arctic, including Chinas investments in Russias Arctic oil and gas sector, strengthens their strategic partnership. A February 2022 joint statement confirmed their commitment to Arctic development. However, Russian officials are also concerned that Chinas growing economic and military power could eventually subordinate Russia, making it a junior partner. One more area of divergence lies in the fact that Chinas actions denote an aim to internalise the Arctic space, which might go against the wishes of Russia and her interests. However, following Russias ongoing war efforts with Ukraine, Moscow needs Beijing more than Beijing needs Moscow. As China grows stronger economically and militarily, it might also pose constraints for Russia by seeking concessions that may be unwarranted and could go against Indias interests. This is where Indian Prime Minister Modis visit to Moscow has balanced the tilt. India must shed its reticence and seize the Russian offer for New Delhi to play a greater role in the Far East and Arctic arena. Additionally, in terms of Arctic governance, it must be noted that India maintains cordial relations with all the players in the Arctic Council. Indian Scenario It may also be noted that although the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), is the nodal agency for Indias polar research programme, which includes Arctic studies, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) provides the external interface to the Arctic Council through the United Nations Economic and Social (UNES) Division. However, the eight countries of the Arctic Council are divided between the Americas, Eurasia, and Central Europe Divisions. Therefore, the need of the hour is a Whole of Government Approach rather than a silo-based approach, as noted by Retd Naval Captain Anurag Bisen, who was instrumental in drafting Indias Arctic Policy. He also adds that it may be worthwhile for the Ministry of External Affairs to nominate Thematic Ambassadors or a Special Envoy dedicated to Arctic affairs, which could benefit India in the long run in terms of her Arctic endeavours. In 2023, India stepped up its focus on the exploration of critical minerals, and the government released a list of 30 critical minerals for India. Consequently, Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) deepened engagements with countries like Argentina, Australia, and others to acquire critical and strategic mineral assets. This long-term plan aimed to identify and acquire overseas mineral assets of a critical and strategic nature, such as lithium, cobalt, and others, to ensure supply-side assurance. It is here that the Arctic can potentially address Indias deficiency in strategic and rare earth minerals. In a speech in May 2019, then-US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned of the dangers of Chinese investment in the Arctic. He also dismissed Beijings claims of being a near-Arctic state, noting that the shortest distance between China and the Arctic is 900 miles. There are only Arctic states and non-Arctic states. No third category exists, and claiming otherwise entitles China to exactly nothing, he remarked. This stance can act in Indias favour by countering Chinas expansive territorial claims and influence in strategic regions. The Arctic presents New Delhi with both challenges and opportunities. With its growing influence and credentials, India is well-positioned to play a stabilising role in the region, contributing to the greater global good. By actively engaging with Russia and Arctic affairs, India can help foster development and international cooperation in this strategic space. Balasubramanian Chandrashekar is an avid China watcher. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The danger is that hate can embolden anti-India forces. Soon after the assassination attempt on Trump, a gathering of Sikh extremists in Surrey, Canada, issued this public threat: We killed Indira Gandhi. We will also kill Modi read more The failed assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump has raised several questions. Already slightly ahead of President Joe Biden in opinion polls, Trump is now several percentage points in front. If he wins the November presidential election, Trump could turn global politics on its head. He has pledged to end the Russia-Ukraine war on the negotiating table, not the battlefield. Trump will also shift Americas focus from NATO, Europe and the Atlantic to the South Pacific and what he calls the worlds principal global threat: China. Trump will double or triple tariffs on Chinese imports, setting off a new trade war. Advertisement Biden concedes that his supporters went too far in targeting Trump, repeatedly comparing him to Adolf Hitler. Biden had himself asked people to put a bullseye on Trump. Realising how badly the interpretation of those words will play out in the ongoing presidential campaign, Biden apologised. During a television interview on NBC shortly after the Trump shooting, Biden said: It was a mistake to use the word bullseye. But I didnt say crosshairs. (By bullseye) I meant focus on him. Focus on what hes doing. Toxic politics is not confined to the US. Poison has seeped into Indias political ecosystem. Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains the principal target of verbal attacks by a rage-filled Opposition. When the 18th Lok Sabha convened for the first time after the 2024 General Election, newly appointed Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi revealed what he had meant when he said years ago that power is poison. In his opening speech, Gandhi raged against Hinduism before claiming that his verbal assault was on the BJP/RSS who he said did not represent Hindus. More toxic invective followed. Much of it was expunged by the Speaker. Advertisement Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was quick to match Gandhi, invective for invective. Other Opposition parties, especially the Trinamool Congress (TMC), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and DMK have continued to relentlessly attack Modi. They do not attack Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh or even Home Minister Amit Shah. The poison is reserved for Modi. When the Lok Sabha reconvenes for the Budget session, will the Indian Opposition heed Bidens advice to his Democratic party members to lower the temperature after the assassination attempt on Trump? Fuelling hate The danger is that hate can embolden anti-India forces. Soon after the assassination attempt on Trump, a gathering of Sikh extremists in Surrey, Canada, issued this public threat: We killed Indira Gandhi. We will also kill Modi. Advertisement Security for Modi has been tightened but there is no defence against a determined lone wolf attacker. Road shows in open vehicles are especially vulnerable. In the recent British General Election, with the result a foregone conclusion, the most violent attack against a candidate was a milkshake thrown at Nigel Farage, head of the Reform UK party. But thats misleading. Deadly political violence has dogged British politics. Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and then stabbed to death by a neo-Nazi white supremacist during a visit to her constituency in June 2016. The Conservative MP Sir David Amess was also stabbed and killed in October 2021 in his constituency by an Islamist extremist Ali Harbi Ali, a British citizen of Somalian origin. Ali stabbed Amess multiple times in the chest, leading to his death. Advertisement The two violent attacks on sitting British MPs have forced several British politicians to withdraw from public life. During the July 4 UK General Election, dozens of serving MPs chose not to stand for political office. Many cited the growing danger of street violence in British politics. In the US and India, security is a growing concern. Bidens plea to lower the temperature may work. Democrats know that even verbal violence directed against Trump will enhance his appeal as a victim of Americas Left. The Vance effect The appointment of JD Vance as his running mate reveals Trumps strategy in the months leading up to the November presidential election. Vance represents the archetypical poor rural Ohio boy who fought his way up the socio-economic ladder occupied by elite, college-educated Democrats who dominate blue states across the east and west coasts of America, from New York to California. Advertisement Trump may be wealthy but his background isnt that different from Vance. Trumps mother Mary was an immigrant from Scotland who made a false declaration on her entry document to the US. A domestic help in Scotland, Mary sailed to America on a short-term tourist application, stayed on, and married Trumps father Fred, a wealthy real estate developer. But Trumps grandfather Federick was relatively poor. Born in Germany, he emigrated to the US in 1885, aged 16. Donald Trump was born rich but both his mother and paternal grandfather were poor immigrants. When Trump condemns poor immigrants streaming into the US from Mexico and South America, the irony doesnt escape him. But Vances rags-to-riches story, with pit stops at Yale Law School and Silicon Valley, along with a wife Usha Chilukuri, born to Indian immigrants, fits well into Trumps anti-elite political positioning. In India, Modi has sought a similar positioning against established dynasts who dominate the 25 parties in the Opposition bloc: Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Stalin, Omar Abdullah, Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. If the Opposition wants to win the forthcoming Maharashtra and Haryana assembly elections, it should focus on issues. Attacking political opponents often suits the incumbent. The Opposition needs to offer a serious economic policy alternative in place of invective and shoot-and-scoot allegations. Poison in politics can damage the attacker more than the attacked. The writer is an editor, author and publisher. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. India has two primary interests in the South Caucasus region: first, to get the connectivity into full bloom so that it could get the maximum benefits; and second, to stop the unholy nexus between Turkey, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and China in the region read more The first half of July this year has been eventful, with a series of developments in the South Caucasus. One news story about the maiden direct flight from Urumqi (Xinjiang) to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, by China Southern Airlines that will begin on September 3, 2024, has sprung surprise among global strategists and analysts, who believe that this new Chinese activism in the region will add a different flavour to the already volatile geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus. Advertisement The timing of this new step comes close to a joint US-Armenia military exercise (The Eagle Partner 2024) from July 1524, 2024. Chinas competitiveness with the US is well known. At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Annual Summit on July 34 this year, Chinese President Xi Jinpings appeal for resisting external interference only points to American overtures. Indeed, the worlds two most sanctioned governments (Russia and China) will not tolerate any direct or indirect American involvement in the geopolitics of the South Caucasus. Moreover, the Chinese have several advantages over any other power, actor, or country, both inside and outside, in the South Caucasus. For example, the big power (Russia) keeps mum over any Chinese activism in the South Caucasus because of constant Chinese support for Moscow on critical global issues, especially concerning the West and the US. The partnership between Moscow and Beijing has grown exponentially in the post-Soviet era, and both neighbours are now ushering in a new era of partnership. It is imperative to note that China has bilateral partnerships with almost all the countries in and around the South Caucasus. For example, it has strategic partnership agreements with Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan and massive economic interests and investments in Armenia. Furthermore, a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Iran was signed between the two countries in 2021 for the next quarter century. The tension and turbulence in the Sino-US relationship in the last few years have prompted China to become the de jure leader of the countries that have faced pressure from the US, three of which (Russia, Turkey, and Iran) have considerable stakes in the South Caucasus. At this critical juncture, China has been quick and smart enough to fish in the troubled waters of the South Caucasus with its economic prowess. Advertisement China, too, has significant trade partnerships with almost all the countries in the South Caucasus, aside from massive Chinese capital investment. Chinas bilateral trade with the nations of the Caucasus is nearly an astounding $120 billion, with Iran and Turkey accounting for over $60 billion and $50 billion, respectively, and Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan have nearly $2 billion each. This state of affairs in the South Caucasus could be a win-win situation for China, but it may spell doom for India. India has two primary interests in the South Caucasus region: first, to get the International North-South Trade Corridor (INSTC) into full bloom so that it could get the maximum benefits out of this signature connectivity project; and second, to stop the unholy nexus between Turkey, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan in the South Caucasus. Advertisement China does not want any Indian bids to maximise New Delhis connectivity interests through the INSTC, which may seriously affect Beijings vital regional strategic and economic interests. All these actors in the South Caucasus (except Armenia) have extended direct support to Chinas BRI and have even been its largest beneficiaries in economic terms. Armenias indifference towards the BRI stems from its marked absence from the Belt and Road Forum since 2017. Such an Armenian position is one of the reasons India has shown a favourable tilt towards Armenia. Indias diplomatic discussions with the top leadership of Armenia in the last four years amidst India-Armenia defence bonding and the possibility of India conferring extended neighbourhood status on Armenia have sent a strong signal about a seemingly active role in the South Caucasus. Advertisement Even though India has a trade partnership with Azerbaijan, Turkey and Pakistan have been hostile to India for decades, particularly in terms of the Kashmir issue, in every regional and global forum. The bonhomie among these three countries has grown further. They met in a tripartite forum on the sidelines of this years SCO summit in Astana. While Pakistan is a full-fledged SCO member, Turkey and Azerbaijan are now guests. Last month, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, during a meeting with the Pakistani Prime Minister in Islamabad, vociferously declared Azerbaijans tacit support for Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, much to Indias chagrin. Aliyevs visit to Pakistan shows bonhomie between these two nations. The possibility of China joining this bandwagon will jeopardise Indias interests in the South Caucasus. Advertisement Further, Azerbaijan is suspicious of Armenias proposal to India to divert the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) route through Armenia (Iran-Armenia-Georgia and beyond) on the pretext that it will be the shortest. The original route of the INSTC passes through Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and beyond. Hence, Azerbaijan wants to build a corridor in Zangezur with the tacit support of Turkey so that the original route of INSTC is not diluted on the one hand and to keep a tab on Armenia on the other. Amidst such a geopolitically sensitive scenario, Russia could be a saviour to Indias connectivity interests through the INSTC in the South Caucasus. It is to some extent evident from the Joint Statement issued after the New Delhi-Moscow Annual Summit (July 89, 2024) between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both countries agreed to strengthen and deepen their Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership besides making joint efforts to intensify the use of the INSTC route. Russia still commands respect among the regional players in the South Caucasus and has a strong rapport with all of them. Russia can also influence China, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, an effort that will go in favour of India. Mahesh Ranjan Debata teaches at the Center for Inner Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration reported that flights from several major airlines, including Delta, United, and American Airlines, were grounded due to communication issues. Moreover, 911 emergency services in several states have been affected read more Additionally, millions of Windows users worldwide are experiencing the Blue Screen of Death, causing their computers to shut down or restart unexpectedly. This issue is leading to repeated restarts in some cases. Image Credit: Reuters The global Microsoft outage is causing widespread disruptions across various sectors, ranging from airlines and supermarkets to banking operations. The outages extensive reach highlights the critical dependency many industries have on Microsofts cloud services, and if not resolved promptly, it could lead to massive issues worldwide. Banks Media Airports You name it, anyone using @CrowdStrike is feeling the pain this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/05UQLUi6jU RMXD (@RMXD) July 19, 2024 Advertisement In India, three major airlines IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air are facing significant technical issues due to the outage. These problems are affecting essential services such as booking, check-in, and flight updates, forcing the airlines to resort to manual check-in processes. #TravelUpdate: Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable. Currently we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports and hence Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) July 19, 2024 #ImportantUpdate: We are currently experiencing technical challenges with our service provider, affecting online services including booking, check-in, and manage booking functionalities. As a result, we have activated manual check-in and boarding processes across airports. We SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) July 19, 2024 IndiGo released a statement acknowledging the disruption and requesting patience from their passengers. Similarly, Akasa Air posted on X informing passengers about the temporary unavailability of some online services and advising those with immediate travel plans to arrive early at the airport for manual check-in. Delhi Airport also reported temporary impacts on some of its services due to the global IT issue. The airport authorities are working closely with stakeholders to minimize inconvenience and have urged passengers to stay in touch with their respective airlines for updated flight information. Advertisement Australia is one of the worst-affected countries. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the outage has caused significant disruptions, including the crashing of checkout systems at Woolworths supermarkets and issues with ABC News 24 broadcasting. Additionally, several customers have reported that their cards are not working, and police systems have also been impacted. Melbourne Airport stated that the check-in process for several airlines is affected, and Virgin Australia has implemented a ground stop at Sydney Airport, halting all incoming and outgoing flights. The outage has also impacted the London Stock Exchange, causing operational difficulties. In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration reported that flights from several major airlines, including Delta, United, and American Airlines, were grounded due to communication issues. Advertisement Moreover, 911 emergency services in several states have been affected, and British news channel Sky News went off the air. In Europe, technical issues are causing check-in delays at Amsterdams airport, and Berlin Brandenburg airport in Germany had to cancel flight operations due to the technical problem, with no clear indication of when flight movements would resume. Additionally, millions of Windows users worldwide are experiencing the Blue Screen of Death, causing their computers to shut down or restart unexpectedly. This issue is leading to repeated restarts in some cases, resulting in lost unsaved data and critical time for users. Microsoft 365 has acknowledged the problem and stated that they are investigating the issue. The outage, which began on Thursday evening, affected multiple Azure services in the Central US region, impacting service management operations and the connectivity or availability of services. Advertisement This incident underscores the extensive impact that a single outage can have across multiple industries and geographies, demonstrating the crucial role of reliable cloud infrastructure in modern operations. As Microsoft works to resolve the issue, businesses and individuals alike are coping with the significant disruptions to their daily operations and services. Air India does not have its own staff at the Krasnoyarsk International Airport in Russia and therefore, it has been working on arranging for third party support to provide necessary assistance to passengers read more Air India Delhi-San Francisco non-stop flight with 225 passengers and 19 crew members onboard was diverted to Russias Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) on Thursday due to technical reason. Why was the Air India Delhi-San Francisco flight diverted to Russia? The airline said that AI183 which took off from Delhi for San Francisco made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area." Advertisement Soon after, the passengers and crew members of the flight were safely disembarked and taken to the terminal building for further process, Air India said on Friday. Air India concerned about passengers In a post on X, Air India further said that it is concerned about the passengers of its Delhi-San Francisco flight diverted to Krasnoyarsk Krai and is making speedy arrangements for a ferry flight. All of us at Air India are concerned about the passengers and staff and are making every effort possible to operate the ferry flight as soon as possible, Air India said. The airline further said that it is all making all efforts possible to ensure the health, safety, and security of all passengers stuck in Russia. According to a report by The Times of India, the pilots of Boeing 777p-200 long range (VT-ALG) operating as AI183 Delhi-San Francisco decided to divert and land in Russia after getting an engine indicating and crew alerting system (EICAS) message for cargo fire warning. Trouble Air India is facing at Russias Krasnoyarsk International Airport Air India has said that it does not have its own staff at the Krasnoyarsk International Airport in Russia and therefore, it has been working on arranging for third party support to provide necessary assistance to passengers The airline is also in liaison with government agencies and regulatory authorities and is making arrangements for a ferry flight to KJA to take passengers onwards to San Francisco at the earliest." Advertisement Update #2: Air India Flight AI183 Air India flight AI183 of 18 July 2024 operating Delhi to San Francisco made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area. The aircraft Air India (@airindia) July 18, 2024 Similar incident with AI flight on same route last year However, the AI Delhi-San Francisco flight being diverted to Russia is not the first time. On June 6, 2023, another plane on the same route (Delhi-SFO) was diverted to the Russian port city of Magadan after a technical glitch in one of the B777-200LR engines. Advertisement The aircraft was carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew onboard at the time. They were then shifted to makeshift accommodation in a school, where they remained for two days. A replacement flight, with food and other essentials, subsequently was sent from Mumbai which took the passengers to San Francisco. Now it remains to be seen how long will it take to safely fly the passengers stranded in Russias Krasnoyarsk International Airport to their destination. Dozens have been killed and hundreds have been injured in violent protests that have gripped Bangladesh for days read more Students clash over a quota system at Jahangir Nagar University at Savar outside Dhaka, Bangladesh on 15 Julu. Police fired tear gas and charged demonstrators with batons overnight during violent clashes between a pro-government student body and student protesters. AP Bangladeshi protesters have stormed a jail near the capital Dhaka and have freed hundreds of prisoners amid ongoing violent movement against Sheikh Hasinas rule. Student protesters stormed a prison in Bangladeshs Narsingdi district, which is around 40 kilometres away from Dhaka. They freed hundreds of prisoners lodged there, said a police officer to AFP. In addition to storming the jail and freeing the prisoners, the protesters also set the facility on fire, said the officer. Advertisement I dont know the number of inmates, but it would be in the hundreds, said the officer on the condition of anonymity. Dozens killed & hundreds injured in protests against Hasinas govt At least 64 people have been killed in the violent protests that has gripped Bangladesh this week, according to the AFP, which further reported that at least 19 were killed in Dhaka alone on Friday. Hundreds of people have been injured, including several dozen of police personnel. The violent protests are rooted in opposition to Bangladeshs quota system that reserves more than 50 per cent seats in the civil services to specific groups, such as the veterans of the Bangladeshs liberation war against Pakistan. Protest marches have taken place on a nearly-daily basis this month which seek an end to the system. Those opposed to the system argue that pro-Hasina groups receive undue benefits from it. Hasinas father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was the leader of the liberation movement and was Bangladeshs first president. Hasina is also facing protests over rising resentment against her 15-year reign on Bangladesh in which critics have claimed significant democratic decline. In the general elections held earlier this year, Hasinas Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) practically won unopposed as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition party, had boycotted the elections. Advertisement Internet shutdown & ban on rallies fail to contain violence The Bangladeshi authorities have resorted to internet shutdowns and bans on rallies to contain the violence. In Dhaka, police chief Habibur Rahman told AFP that all rallies, processions, and public gatherings have been banned in the capital. The order, however, did not stop protests. Protesters were also reported to be seeking Hasinas resignation. The police in Dhaka said protesters on Thursday torched, vandalised, and carried out destructive activities on police and government offices, as per AFP. Among the locations attacked include the headquarters of state broadcasters, Bangladesh Television, which remains offline after hundreds of protesters stormed it and set the building on fire. Advertisement The internet freedom watchdog Netblocks has reported that Bangladesh was witnessing a national-scale internet shutdown on Friday which was implemented the day before. Update: A day has passed since #Bangladesh imposed a national internet shutdown amid student protests and a deadly crackdown. Metrics show connectivity flatlining at 10% of ordinary levels, raising concerns over public safety as little news flows in or out of the country. pic.twitter.com/ONarFMNEb4 NetBlocks (@netblocks) July 19, 2024 Outside of Dhaka, nearly half of all the districts in the country have reported clashes in recent days, according to reports in Bangladeshi media. In all, reports have said that more than 700 people have been injured, which also include more than 100 police personnel and around 30 journalists. More than 100 deaths have been reported in widespread protests in Bangladesh in clashes between the protesters and security personnel read more Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has imposed nationwide curfew as violent clashes between protesters and security personnel continue to take place. She has called in the military to crush the protests. More than 100 deaths have been reported and over 700 people have been injured in this weeks violence that has now spread to most of the country. The declaration of the curfew and the deployment of the military to support the embattled police and paramilitary personnel was separately confirmed by Hasinas office and her political party Bangladesh Awami League (BAL). Advertisement Hasinas Press Secretary Nayeemul Islam Khan told AFP, The government has decided to impose a curfew and deploy the military in aid of the civilian authorities. Khan on Friday further said that the order had come into force with immediate effect. Separately, BAL General Secretary Obaidul Quader announced that Hasinas government had declared nationwide curfew and had ordered the deployment of military to help the civilian authorities maintain law and order, according to The Associated Press. The nationwide curfew comes amid reports of nationwide suspension of internet since Thursday. Despite these measures, the protests have continued to rage across the country as the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has lent support to the protesters. More than 100 killed 52 killed on Friday alone More than 50 deaths were reported in Bangladeshs capital Dhaka on Friday At least 52 people were killed in Dhaka on Friday, according to a list of casualties of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and cited by AFP. Overall, the agency reported that at least 105 people have been killed, according to a tally compiled from figures from various hospitals. More than half of these deaths were a result of police firing, reported the agency by citing hospital staffers. Earlier in the day, the agency reported that more than 700 people were injured, around 100 of whom were security personnel. Advertisement Previously, the police in Dhaka banned all public gatherings but that did not stop the protests. The police in Dhaka said protesters on Thursday burnt, vandalised, and carried out destructive activities on police and government offices. Among the places attacked included state broadcasters Bangladesh Televisions headquarters which protesters stormed and put on fire. Quota system triggered Bangladesh quota system The immediate trigger for protests is the publics opposition to Bangladeshs quota system that reserves more than 50 per cent of civil services post to specific groups, such as the children of veterans of Bangladeshs war of liberation against Pakistan. The critics say the system is rigged in favour of Hasina as her family-run BAL was central to the war of liberation and her father Mujibur Rahman was the leader of the liberation movement and was the first president of the independent Bangladesh. Hence, these seats are effectively reserved for children of Hasinas familys supporters, say critics. Protest marches have taken place on a nearly-daily basis this month which seek an end to the system. Advertisement Hasina is also facing protests over rising resentment against her 15-year reign in Bangladesh in which critics have claimed significant democratic decline. In the general elections held earlier this year, Hasinas BAL practically won unopposed as the BNP, the main opposition party, had boycotted the elections. Earlier in the day, protesters stormed a jail in Narsingdi and freed hundreds of prisoners. They also set the prison on fire. UN calls for restraint & investigation United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk called for restraint from all sides and pressed for the need of impartial investigations and accountability. Turk said that there need to be impartial, prompt, and exhaustive investigations into these attacks and accountability must be fixed. Advertisement Turk called upon Hasinas government to respect the right to protest and free expressions. He said dialogue was the only way forward. The Government should take the necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of the students participating in peaceful protests, and to guarantee the right to freedom of assembly and expression without fear of attacks against their lives and physical integrity, or other forms of repression, said Turk in a statement. #Bangladesh: @volker_turk calls for accountability after reports of deadly violence. All sides must exercise restraint & security forces must ensure that use of force is in line with international human rights law. Engaging young population is best and only way forward. UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) July 19, 2024 Advertisement Nationwide internet suspension reported in Bangladesh Amid widespread violence, nationwide internet suspension has also been reported in Bangladesh. Internet freedom watchdog NetBlocks said on Friday that up to 90 per cent of internet connectivity in Bangladesh remained suspended since Thursday. Metrics show connectivity flatlining at 10 per cent of ordinary levels, raising concerns over public safety as little news flows in or out of the country, said the watchdog in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Update: A day has passed since #Bangladesh imposed a national internet shutdown amid student protests and a deadly crackdown. Metrics show connectivity flatlining at 10% of ordinary levels, raising concerns over public safety as little news flows in or out of the country. pic.twitter.com/ONarFMNEb4 NetBlocks (@netblocks) July 19, 2024 UN human rights chief Turk also mentioned the internet suspension in his statement and said it disproportionately restricts the enjoyment of the right to freedom and urged Hasinas government to reinstate internet at the earliest. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a press conference said India is closely monitoring the situation and is working toward the safety of 15,000 Indians residing in the country read more People run as police fire teargas during a coffin rally of anti-quota protesters at the University of Dhaka, July 17, 2024. Source: REUTERS. As the situation in Bangladesh continues to deteriorate owing to the ongoing protests, as many 245 Indians including 125 students returned home on Friday. Bangladesh has been reeling under deadly clashes with protesting students demanding the Sheikh Hasina-led government to scrap a controversial job quota system. Around 30 people were killed in the clashes that began weeks ago. Earlier during the day, protestors stormed a jail near Dhaka, freeing hundreds of prisoners lodged there. An officer said that the prison facility was also set on fire by the protestors. Advertisement Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a press conference said India is closely monitoring the situation and is working toward the safety of 15,000 Indians residing in the country. As you are aware, there are ongoing protests in Bangladesh. We see this as an internal matter of the country, Jaiswal said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is himself following the matter closely in the context of the safety of the Indians, he added. Sources have said that the India-Bangladesh border crossings Benapole-Petrapole; Gede- Darshana and Akhaura- Agartala will remain open for students and Indian nationals to facilitate their repatriation. The High Commission of India, in coordination with BSF and the Bureau of Immigration, is facilitating the return of Indian students from Bangladesh. The death toll from the violent protests in Dhaka has risen to 105. The police have banned all public rallies in the national capital in the wake of the protests. Dhakas police force took the drastic step of banning all public gatherings for the day a first since protests began in an effort to forestall another day of violence. Weve banned all rallies, processions and public gatherings in Dhaka today, police chief Habibur Rahman told AFP, adding the move was necessary to ensure public safety. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Moments after Donald Trumps speech on the last day of RNC in Milwaukee ended, Melania Trump walked to the podium alone as classical music played in the background read more Melania Trump, the elusive wife of Donald Trump, made a rare appearance at the Republican National Convention to support her husband in his third bid for the White House, but unlike in 2016 and 2020, this time she was not scheduled to deliver a speech. It is tradition at party conventions for the candidates spouses to give a speech and tell heavily-scripted anecdotes about family life. Trumps running mate and Republican Vice Presidential nominee JD Vances wife Usha Chilukuri Vance also gave a speech on Wednesday. Advertisement Soon after Trumps lengthy acceptance speech on the last day of RNC in Milwaukee ended, Melania, 54, walked to the podium alone as classical music played in the background. She was seen sporting a Republican red dress, appearing glamorous. Once on stage, Melania was greeted with applause and balloons rained down on the crowd gathered to attend the RNC. A hug & kiss Trump greeted Melania with a hug and the couple shared a kiss on the cheek. He then grabbed Melanias hand and walked across the stage with other members of his family including Ivanka Trump (Donald Trumps daughter), her husband Jared Kushner, joining them. #WATCH | Donald Trump's wife Melania Trump and his family join him on stage as he concludes his address at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, the US. (Video: Republican National Convention/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/rlV6mQngl5 ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024 Melania has been keeping a low profile since her husbands 2024 White House bid. She had not been spotted in Milwaukee since the convention kicked off on Monday. Advertisement In his speech on the final day of RNC 2024, Trump took a moment to express his appreciation for Melania, saying: I am deeply honoured to be joined by my amazing wife Melania." Trump said: Melania, thank you very much you also did something really beautiful, a letter to America for national Unity and it really took the Republican party by surprise, it was beautiful." Source: Reuters Last week, after an assassination attempt on Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, Melania had issued a statement calling for unity. This morning, ascend above the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence. We all want a world where respect is paramount, family is first, and love transcends. We can realise this world again. Each of us must demand to get it back. We must insist that respect fills the cornerstone of our relationships again, she said in a statement. Advertisement Donald Trump said that Melianas letter captivated so many. Ever since Donald Trump was first elected in 2016, Melania has broken all the rules of normal American presidential politics. Source: Reuters In the White House during Trumps first term, she was a reclusive figure compared to other first ladies, focusing on a narrow set of interests. However, since her husband left office, she has not been seen by her husbands side on many occasions. Melania wasnt there when he had his mugshot taken in Atlanta. She wasnt there in New York when he became the first former president to be convicted of a crime. And she wasnt there when he officially won his partys presidential nomination, for the third time, on Monday. Advertisement With inputs from agencies. Despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus opposition to Israel relinquishing control, officials are engaged in discussions with the EU and US regarding the proposal, according to a report, citing sources read more This picture taken on 19 October, 2023 shows a view of the gate to the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP Israeli officials are contemplating transferring control of Gazas Rafah border crossing to the European Union and Palestinians, according to a report. According to Bloomberg, citing sources, despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus opposition to Israel relinquishing control, officials are engaged in discussions with the EU and US regarding the proposal. They believe that such a move could signal a potential resolution to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, facilitating increased aid delivery to the devastated Palestinian territory, added the report. Advertisement These negotiations highlight the EUs renewed diplomatic efforts to alleviate pressure on Palestinian civilians and contribute to conflict resolution. Though the EU has long advocated for a ceasefire, its influence over Israel, focused on dismantling Hamas, has been limited. Brussels previously assisted in managing the crossing before Hamas seized control in 2007. Netanyahu has asserted that under any circumstances, Hamas will not be allowed to regain control of the border. His government insists on maintaining Israeli troops in the vicinity of the crossing and along the Gaza-Egypt border. According to the report, citing an Israeli official, Netanyahu has clashed with military leaders in the past over the handling of the crossing, with these officials favoring its reopening more than Netanyahu, who ultimately holds the final decision. Source of tension The crossing linking Gaza and Egypt has become a key source of tension in recent months between Israel and Palestinian authorities, as well as the Egyptian government. It was the main route for aid going into Gaza before Israeli forces took it over from Hamas in early May, since when its been shut. The US, United Nations and Arab states have urged Israel to reopen it to enable more supplies of food, fuel and medicine to get to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. According to Bloomberg, citing sources, Israeli authorities are considering allowing a combined contingent of security-cleared Palestinian officials and the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Rafah, know as EUBAM, to have that role. Advertisement Its, however, unclear how close the sides are to finalising an agreement. A spokesperson for the EUs foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell Fontelles, said the blocs already made clear it wants EUBAM to return to the crossing, though only when necessary arrangements allow it. For that to happen, fighting needs to stop and the issue of who governs Gaza must be solved, the spokesperson said. Netanyahus due to meet US President Joe Biden in Washington next week and address Congress, in what will be his first trip outside of Israel since the war began in October. With inputs from agencies For three decades, Alexander Lukashenko has maintained an iron grip on Belarus, shaping the nations political landscape through a combination of populist rhetoric, referendums, and repressive tactics. From controversial referendums that expanded his presidential powers to allegations of human rights abuses and crackdowns on dissent, Lukashenkos rule has been both turbulent and transformative. We trace his rise to power after being elected in the post-Soviet countrys only genuine free and fair election. Well also take a look at how the hardline leader has led Belarus into Putins arms read more Lukashenko has been at the helm of Belarusian government for 30 years now. AFP Key events in the 30-year rule of Belarus hard-line President Alexander Lukashenko: July 20, 1994 Lukashenko is inaugurated as president after a landslide victory in what international observers say was the post-Soviet countrys first and only genuinely free election. He previously headed the parliaments anti-corruption committee and was director of a state farm. 1995 A referendum is held on replacing the national flag with one closely resembling one that Belarus used as a Soviet republic. It also returns the Soviet-era coat of arms, establishes Russian as the state language on par with Belarusian and gives the president authority to dissolve parliament. Advertisement 1996 Alarmed by Lukashenkos increasingly authoritarian turn, thousands of protesters fill the streets in what became known as the Minsk Spring. The human rights center Viasna (Spring) is formed. Lawmakers gather enough signatures to petition for impeachment proceedings against Lukashenko, but Russias prime minister and other top officials convince them to drop the effort. Another referendum significantly expands presidential powers, restores the death penalty and extends Lukashenkos presidential term until 2001. Lukashenko dissolves parliament. Belarusian President Lukashenko significantly boosted presidential powers in the country in 1996. Reuters 1998 Lukashenko orders US and European ambassadors to vacate residences on a compound near Minsk. Washington recalls its ambassador in protest and Lukashenko is banned from travel to the US and European Union countries. 1999-2000 After Lukashenko calls for suppressing the opposition, four prominent critics former Interior Minister Yuri Zakharenko, former Central Election Commission head Viktor Gonchar, businessman Anatoly Krasovsky and journalist Dzmitry Zavadski are presumed dead. A top Interior Ministry official was arrested on suspicion of involvement, but Lukashenko ordered him released and the prosecutor leading the investigation was dismissed. Investigations by the Council of Europe showed that opposition figures were killed by death squads connected with the state. The scandal dominated Belarus political landscape for years. Also in 1999, Lukashenko and Russian President Boris Yeltsin sign a treaty on forming a union state federation. September 9, 2001 Lukashenko wins election to second term. October 17, 2004 A referendum removing presidential term limits from the constitution is approved. March 19, 2006 Lukashenko wins a third term. Protesters build a tent camp in a central square of Minsk, but police destroy it and arrest over 400 protesters more than a week later. One opposition presidential candidate is imprisoned for over two years and another is jailed for 15 days. The EU and the US later freeze bank accounts of Lukashenko and members of his government. December 19, 2010 Lukashenko is re-elected for a fourth term. After the polls closed, thousands of protesters tried to storm the Belarusian government building, breaking windows and doors. Seven presidential candidates and hundreds of opposition activists were arrested. Several of the candidates who opposed Lukashenko were imprisoned for up to 5 1/2 years. Advertisement 2014-15 Belarus hosts negotiations to end fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. October 11, 2015 Lukashenko wins a fifth term. 2018 Seeking to reduce tensions with the West, Lukashenko appoints a reformist prime minister. Disputes arise with Russia over oil and gas duties, and Lukashenko accuses the Kremlin of trying to absorb Belarus. Alexander Lukashenko. AP August 9, 2020 Lukashenko wins a sixth term with 80 per cent of the vote in an election that is denounced as fraudulent at home and abroad, with key opposition figures prevented from running. Huge protests break out over the balloting as well as Lukashenkos dismissal of the COVID-19 pandemic as a psychosis. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who ran instead of her jailed husband, flees to Lithuania. Advertisement Authorities crack down harshly on protests that last for months in Minsk and other cities. More than 35,000 people are arrested. About 500,000 people leave the country, including significant opposition figures. May 23, 2021 A passenger jet flying from Greece to Lithuania and carrying an opposition blogger is ordered to land in Minsk as it crosses through Belarusian airspace, with flight controllers citing an alleged bomb threat. Upon landing, the dissident blogger, Raman Pratasevich, is arrested, put on trial and convicted of organising unrest stemming from the disputed election. Facing international outrage and further sanctions, Lukashenko threatens to flood the EU with migrants and drugs. Belarus later sends thousands of migrants toward borders with Poland and Lithuania, which block them from crossing. Advertisement 2022 Russian troops stationed in Belarus enter northern Ukraine as Moscows invasion of its neighbor begins. Belarusian forces do not take part directly in the war, but a Lukashenko-ordered referendum abolishes Belarus ban on nuclear weapons. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko attends a meeting of the Supreme State Council of Russia-Belarus Union State in Saint Petersburg, Russia, January 29, 2024. Reuters 2023 Russia deploys tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, raising fears they could be used in the Ukraine war. On June 23, Lukashenko plays a key role in negotiating an end to a brief uprising against the Russian Defense Ministry leadership by Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner mercenary group. Belarus allows the Wagner mercenaries to relocate to Belarus in camps there. 2024 Lukashenko announces his intention to run in 2025 for a seventh term. He releases several political prisoners with serious illnesses, but about 1,400 remain behind bars, including Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights activist Ales Bialiatski. Donald Trump spoke for more than 90 minutes at the Republican National Convention, making it the longest nomination acceptance speech in US history. He broke his own record set in 2016. Only former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush have ever crossed the 60-minute mark. Trumps speech marked the end of the four-day Republican rally in Wisconsin where thousands of Conservative activists came to see Trump flanked by members of his family read more Republican presidential candidate and former US president, Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. AP Former United States President Donald Trump delivered the longest nomination acceptance speech in US history, formally accepting the Republican Partys presidential nomination for 2024. Speaking for a record-setting 93 minutes, Trump surpassed his own 2016 speech of 74 minutes, previously the longest. His address, given at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in Wisconsin, was a blend of prepared remarks and spontaneous deviations, often characteristic of his rally style. The speech came just days after a dramatic assassination attempt. A 20-year-old gunman fired at Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, grazing his right ear. Trump, the first major-party presidential nominee convicted of felonies, wore a white square bandage over his wounded ear throughout the convention. Many attendees showed solidarity by wearing similar bandages. Advertisement Trump began his speech with a somber recounting of the assassination attempt, during which one attendee was killed and two others wounded. I am not supposed to be here tonight, he said. I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God. And watching the reports over the last few days, many people say it was a providential moment. Probably was. Republican presidential candidate former US President Donald Trump is joined on stage by former first lady Melania Trump at the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. AP Despite the serious tone at the beginning, Trump soon reverted to his typical style, including ad-libbed applause lines and numerous digressions. This blend of seriousness and levity resulted in a mixed reaction from the audience, with engagement waning as the speech progressed. How long have other nomination speeches been? Trumps speech was notably longer than those of other major political figures, with a whopping 12,219 words as reported by The American Presidency Project. His previous record was 74 minutes in 2016, and his 2020 speech on the South Lawn of the White House lasted 70 minutes. Only two other nominees have even broken the one-hour mark: Bill Clinton in 1996 with a 66-minute speech and George W. Bush in 2004 with a 62-minute speech. In stark contrast, US President Joe Bidens 2020 acceptance speech lasted just 24 minutes. Republican acceptance speech lengths: Donald Trump (2024): 93 minutes Donald Trump (2020): 70 minutes Donald Trump (2016): 74 minutes Mitt Romney (2012): 37 minutes John McCain (2008): 49 minutes George W. Bush (2004): 62 minutes George W. Bush (2000): 52 minutes Bob Dole (1996): 57 minutes George H.W. Bush (1992): 57 minutes George H.W. Bush (1988): 49 minutes Ronald Reagan (1984): 55 minutes Ronald Reagan (1980): 44 minutes Gerald Ford (1976): 36 minutes Richard Nixon (1972): 41 minutes Richard Nixon (1968): 32 minutes Barry Goldwater (1964): 40 minutes Richard Nixon (1960): 50 minutes Dwight D. Eisenhower (1956): 38 minutes Democratic acceptance speech lengths: Joe Biden (2020): 24 minutes Hillary Clinton (2016): 57 minutes Barack Obama (2012): 39 minutes Barack Obama (2008): 42 minutes John Kerry (2004): 45 minutes Al Gore (2000): 50 minutes Bill Clinton (1996): 66 minutes Bill Clinton (1992): 53 minutes Michael Dukakis (1988): 46 minutes Walter Mondale (1984): 33 minutes Jimmy Carter (1980): 51 minutes Jimmy Carter (1976): 39 minutes George McGovern (1972): 30 minutes Hubert Humphrey (1968): 37 minutes Lyndon B. Johnson (1964): 38 minutes John F. Kennedy (1960): 22 minutes Adlai Stevenson (1956): 37 minutes Adlai Stevenson (1952): 16 minutes Harry S. Truman (1948): 24 minutes How did the audience react to 90+ minutes of Trump? Numerous listeners were reportedly bored as Trump rambled on, forgetting his message of unity and repeating false claims about the result of the 2020 US presidential elections. A few of them chose to vent their chagrin on social media: Ive left the hall. People in the upper seats were grimacing in pain from sitting so long. Women wrapped to stay warm. Heads in phones. After a moving start, Trump had lost the crowd w a repetitive, slow, and rambling speech. pic.twitter.com/CqViMUC01E Kevin Baron (@DefenseBaron) July 19, 2024 Advertisement Some have walked out of Trumps speech into Fiserv Forum hallways pic.twitter.com/UPgBz0GB9E Rachel Hale (@rachelleighhale) July 19, 2024 Advertisement Me getting ready for work when Trumps speech ends at 6 am: pic.twitter.com/BovMk4EG7X Prison Mitch (@MidnightMitch) July 19, 2024 I was once a part of a group of friends who rushed the stage and dragged another friend off whose speech at a 21st started to drag so long everyone was getting embarrassed for him. Alas Trump has no friends Greg Jericho (@GrogsGamut) July 19, 2024 Advertisement We are 30 minutes into Trump's primetime speech and he's doing acknowledgements and rambling. Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) July 19, 2024 Advertisement Im standing 10 feet from the stage, in a sea of diehards, and some are getting restless. Checking phones, stealing glances at the teleprompter, whispering about when it will be over. pic.twitter.com/7Y7qDfH5fs Tim Alberta (@TimAlberta) July 19, 2024 Had to go out and feed the meter. Is the speech over?!? David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) July 19, 2024 Trumps endless rambling speech is a reminder that both of Americas parties have nominated declining old men. Edward Luce (@EdwardGLuce) July 19, 2024 "This speech should probably be shorter." - Martin Scorsese J-L Cauvin - Chicago 10/18-19 (@JLCauvin) July 19, 2024 FINALLY! so after almost Falling asleep by listening to trump rambling on and on like a broken record until 12:12 At Midnight it's finally over so now can we all go to sleep now because this speech was so long and boring that he forgot to NOT mention Biden are you serious?!?! pic.twitter.com/y4TxgYfwKc Miguel (@MiguelO74828285) July 19, 2024 Did Trumps speech change after the assassination attempt? In his speech, Trump reiterated his conservative vision for America, criticising Bidens administration on issues like the economy and foreign policy. He vowed to implement large-scale deportations of undocumented immigrants, cut taxes, and reassert American strength abroad. He made several controversial claims, some of which were misleading or false. We will keep striving toward our shared and glorious destiny and we will not fail, Trump declared, urging his supporters to continue their fight alongside him. The assassination attempt just days ahead of the convention left organisers and Trump aides figuring out how to host a long-planned party in the wake of near-tragedy. In the hurried 48 hours before the convention began, Trump aides not only rewrote his speech but also sent a message to other convention speakers to soften some of their remarks. Supporters of Republican presidential candidate former US President Donald Trump watch his speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on a television at the Arizona GOP headquarters Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Phoenix. AP Trump mentioned Biden only once, a stark contrast to his 2020 speech where he mentioned Biden more than 40 times. The speech, which extended past midnight on the East Coast in the US, concluded with a symbolic gesture as 100,000 balloons were dropped from the ceiling of the Fiserv Forum. Also Read: Key takeaways from Trumps GOP nomination acceptance speech on final day of RNC Trumps family joined him on stage, mingling for about 20 minutes before the convention officially adjourned. With inputs from agencies In his attack, Trump mentioned that the Democrats should stop weaponising the justice system and accused the party of labelling political opponents as enemies of democracy read more Former US President Donald Trump has promised the "largest deportation" in the history of the country. Reuters While accepting the GOP presidential nomination on the final day of the Republican National Convention, former US President Donald Trump unleashed a scathing attack against the Biden administration. In his address, the business-mogul-turned-politician insisted that he is the one who is saving democracy. In his attack, Trump mentioned that the Democrats should stop weaponising the justice system and accused the party of labelling political opponents as enemies of democracy. We must not criminalise dissent or demonize political disagreement. In that spirit, the Democrat Party should immediately stop weaponizing the Justice System and labelling their political opponent as an enemy of democracy, especially since that is not true, Trump said to a charged-up gathering at Milwaukee. Advertisement I am the one saving democracy for the people of our country. On Monday, a major ruling was handed down from a highly respected federal Judge in Florida, Aileen Cannon, finding that the prosecutor and the fake documents case against me were unconstitutional and the entire case was thrown out. If Democrats want to unify our country, they should drop these partisan witch hunts without delay, and allow an election to proceed that is worthy of our people, he added. In a 93-page ruling, Cannon found that special counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully serving in his role. She mentioned that Smith had not been appointed by the president or confirmed by the US Senate. Im not supposed to be here tonight: Trump recalls the painful assassination attempt The former president started off his address by recalling the painful assassination attempt on him that sent shockwaves across the country. He went through the details of the doomed incident insisting that the bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking his life. The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at that very last instant, the assassins bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be here tonight. We would not be together, the Republican presidential nominee averred. He went on to laud the valour of the Secret Services who have been facing backlash over how they treated the whole ordeal. Theyre incredible people. Bullets were flying over us, yet I felt serene, but now the Secret Service agents were putting themselves in peril. They were in very dangerous territory. Bullets were flying right over them, missing them by a very small amount of inches, and then it all stopped. Our Secret Service sniper, from a much greater distance and with only one bullet used, took the assassins life, and took them out," he added. Advertisement Im not supposed to be here tonight, Trump said which was followed by chants of Yes you are. Trump pays tribute to Corey Comperatore After recalling details about his assassination attempt, Trump went on to pay tribute to Corey Comperatore, who was killed by the shooter on Saturday. While Trump sent out condolences to Coreys family, a firefighter jacket and helmet that belonged to him was brought on stage. Trump kissed the helmet and said: He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets. He was such a fine man. Next to me on stage this evening are Coreys firefighting helmet and jacket. I now ask that we observe a moment of silence in honour of Corey, he furthered. Trump also took time to pay homage to David Dutch and James Copenhaver, who were wounded in the attack. Advertisement Trump ended the topic of the Pennsylvania shooting by calling for a moment of silence in the arena for Corey Comperatore. Israels policies and practices, including the building of new settlements and Israels continued maintenance of a wall between the territories, amount to annexation of large parts of the occupied territory, the Internation Court of Justice said read more The UNs top court said in a sweeping opinion on Friday that Israels decades-long occupation of Palestinian territory was illegal and needed to end as soon as possible. The advisory opinion by The Hague-based International Court of Justice was immediately slammed as a decision of lies by Israel but welcomed by the Palestinian presidency which called it historic.The ICJs statement, called an advisory opinion, is not binding, but it comes amid mounting concern over the death toll and destruction in Israels war against Hamas sparked by the groups brutal October 7 attacks. It is also likely to increase diplomatic pressure on Israel, whose lawmakers voted Thursday to oppose a Palestinian state, calling it an existential threat. In The Hague, ICJ presiding judge Nawaf Salam said: The court has found that Israels continued presence in the Palestinian Territories is illegal. Advertisement Israel is under the obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence as rapidly as possible, the judge said at the Peace Palace, seat of the ICJ. The ICJ added that Israel was under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities and to evacuate all settlers from occupied land. Israels policies and practices, including the building of new settlements and Israels continued maintenance of a wall between the territories, amount to annexation of large parts of the occupied territory, the court said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the ICJs opinion as a decision of lies. The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land - not in our eternal capital Jerusalem, nor in our ancestral heritage of Judea and Samaria (the occupied West Bank), Netanyahu said in a statement. Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki called it a watershed moment. The Palestinian people have endured unbearable suffering and injustice for decades, Al-Maliki told reporters outside the courtroom. A separate, high-profile case that South Africa has brought before the court alleges that Israel has committed genocidal acts during its Gaza offensive. Extreme danger The UNs General Assembly asked the ICJ in late 2022 to give an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. Advertisement The ICJ held a week-long session in February to hear submissions from countries following the request supported by most countries within the Assembly. During the hearings, most speakers called on Israel to end its 57-year occupation. They warned a prolonged occupation posed an extreme danger to stability in the Middle East and beyond. But the United States said Israel should not be legally obliged to withdraw without taking its very real security needs into account. Israel did not take part in the oral hearings. Instead, it submitted a written contribution in which it described the questions the court had been asked as prejudicial and tendentious. Ongoing violation The General Assembly asked the ICJ to consider two questions. Advertisement Firstly, the court should examine the legal consequences of what the UN called the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. In its answer, the ICJs judges said Israels unlawful policies and practices are in breach of its obligation to respect the rights of the Palestinian people. In June 1967, Israel crushed some of its Arab neighbours in a six-day war, seizing the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, the Golan Heights from Syria, and the Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula from Egypt. Israel then began to settle the 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles) of seized Arab territory. Advertisement The UN later declared the occupation of Palestinian territory illegal, and Cairo regained Sinai under its 1979 peace deal with Israel. Non-binding opinion - The ICJ was also asked to look into the consequences of what it described as Israels adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures. In this finding, the ICJ said a regime of comprehensive restrictions imposed by Israel on Palestinians consisted of systemic discrimination based on race, religion or ethnic origin. The ICJ rules in disputes between states. Normally, its judgments are binding but it has few means to enforce them. In this case, however, the opinion is non-binding, although most advisory opinions are in fact acted upon. The newly sworn-in UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer showed his first major move to redefine his countrys relationship with Europe on Monday. Four years after Brexit, he hosted around 45 European leaders as he eyes a central role for his country on the continent read more British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted around 45 European leaders on Thursday at Blenheim Palace, about 100 kilometres from London, showcasing the UKs diplomatic endeavours under the new Labour government after a 14-year Conservative rule. Starmer invited European leaders for a discussion over migration, energy security and threat from Russia in his attempt to revitalise the UKs relationship with Europe. This comes when European leaders look anxious about whether the US will remain a reliable ally if Donald Trump wins his second presidency this November. Advertisement The main focus of the European Political Community (EPC), a brainchild of Frances President Emmanuel Macron founded after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, was security and strategic cooperation. It offered a significant opportunity for Starmer to reset the UKs relationship with Europe, especially after the previous Conservative government pulled out of the European Union through a Brexit vote. With the United States facing political turbulence as incumbent President Joe Biden is fighting his own demons in the form of reports of debilitating medical conditions, multiple calls by Democratic Party colleagues to step aside from the presidential race and a Covid-19 illness amid Trumps supposed resurgence after surviving an assassination attempt, Starmers efforts to strengthen ties with European nations could not have been more timely. The venue The choice of Blenheim Palace, about 100 kilometres from London, as the summit venue carries symbolic weight. As the birthplace of Winston Churchill, a proponent of European unity, the choice of venue underscored the historical significance of European cooperation, with the UK playing the leading role on the continent, particularly in the western part of it. The grand setting serves as a reminder of the long-standing ties and shared history that bind European nations together. This symbolism was particularly poignant as European leaders are seemingly reevaluating their dependence on the US on issues of strategic significance for them as America appears more inward-looking and more vigorously involved in addressing arising from Chinas growing assertiveness in the Pacific. Advertisement Churchill, incidentally, had in 1946 called for establishing a kind of United States of Europea structure under which it can dwell in peace, in safety and in freedom on the continent. Aiming for a resurgent UK-EU relationship Starmers strategy to revitalise the UKs role in European politics hinges on addressing shared concerns like migration and energy security, and reaffirming support for Ukraine. This meeting provided an early stage for Starmer to connect with numerous European allies, reinforcing his commitment to a more active and greater convening role on the world stage. And this is exactly what happened at the EPC meeting. Leaders from across Europe expressed support for Ukraine and also concern about the direction of the United States. Advertisement Our first task here today is to confirm our steadfast support for Ukraine, to unite once again behind those values that we cherish and to say we will face down aggression on this continent together, news agencies quoted Starmer as saying. He also said that the threat from Russia reaches right across Europe. His vision for the EPC involves dismantling human trafficking networks and standing firm against Russian aggression in Ukraine. This ambitious stance aims to ensure that the benefits of renewed UK-European relations are felt for generations. Ukraine at the forefront The Starmer-hosted summit shored up Europes support for Ukraines defence and discussed ways to defend it in the name of democracy. The UK accuses Russia of attempting to undermine democracies across Europe with cyberattacks, disinformation and sabotage. Advertisement Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was not only a key guest at the meeting but also scheduled to address Starmers Cabinet on Friday a rarity for a foreign leader as the UK prime minister seeks to emphasise his Labour Party governments support to Ukraine. The presence of Zelenskyy at the summit underscores the central theme of European solidarity with Ukraine. This comes at a crucial time, just a week after Natos commitment to bolster Ukraines air defences. The gathering projected a unified European front as it evaluates external threats, timed particularly to the political uncertainties the US is currently navigating through. A more active role in Europe, on the world stage Advertisement One of Starmers key objectives at the summit was to lay the groundwork for a new security and defence pact with the EU. This aligns with Labours manifesto promise to re-establish the UK as a leading European nation. The summit provided a platform for Starmer to articulate his vision for a robust UK-EU partnership in security matters. Although EU officials are open to closer security cooperation, they caution that such negotiations will require concessions from the UK, potentially on contentious issues like fishing rights and youth mobility. Asserting that the UK plans to take a more active role on the world stage, Starmer told the EPC gathering that his country would be a friend and a partner, ready to work with you not part of the European Union, but very much part of Europe". He said the UK will never withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights something the previous Conservative government had flirted with, to the alarm of its European allies. Starmers bilateral meetings with key European leaders, including the Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and French President Emmanuel Macron, highlighted his proactive approach to diplomacy. These discussions may prove critical for establishing personal connections and setting the tone for future UK-EU relations. The summits informal format also allowed for candid dialogue, essential for addressing complex issues and fostering mutual understanding. Addressing migration and energy security The formal agenda of the summit included tackling illegal migration and people trafficking, enhancing Europes energy security, and defending democracy against disinformation. Starmers participation in the migration working group, co-chaired by Italys Georgia Meloni, signified the UKs commitment to finding collective solutions to these pressing issues. The redeployment of 100 Home Office staff to expedite asylum decisions and return failed claimants came up as the Starmer governments commitment to addressing migration challenges collaboratively with European partners. His government plans to work more closely with Europol, the European police agency, to check people smuggling part of Starmers election promise to beef up border security following the decision to scrap his predecessor Rishi Sunaks contentious and unrealised plan to send migrants arriving in the UK by boat on a one-way trip to Rwanda. At the EPC meeting, Starmer urged European nations to cooperate against the vile trade of people smuggling". He said, Lets be frank challenge is the wrong wordIt is now, I think, a crisis. We must combine our resources, share intelligence, share tactics, shut down the smuggling routes and smash the gangs, Starmer said. What Starmer may get out of it in the long run? While critics may argue that the EPC is merely a talking shop without concrete outcomes, supporters highlight its value in fostering informal, yet crucial, discussions. The lack of a formal secretariat or decision-making power allows for a more flexible and open exchange of ideas. This format seemed to serve Starmers purpose of effectively addressing issues that require nuanced understanding and collaborative problem-solving. Starmers efforts to engage with European leaders at the EPC summit conveyed what he had been saying throughout his election campaign that a renewed UK-European relationship was the need of the hour. By addressing shared challenges and fostering deeper cooperation, Starmer aimed to position the UK as a key player in European diplomacy. As the US faces political uncertainty, strengthening ties with Europe is not just strategic but essential for the Starmer government. This summit might just have marked the beginning of a new chapter in post-Brexit UK-European relations, with the potential to shape the future of the continent and the UK for years to come. A CrowdStrike update triggered a global outage and affected the services of Microsoft Windows due to which users were greeted with the dreaded Blue Screen of Death error read more Hours after a Microsoft outage triggered chaos across the world, Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella said that the company is monitoring the situation and working to bring systems back online. In a post on X, Nadella said, Yesterday, CrowdStrike released an update that began impacting IT systems globally. We are aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online. Advertisement Yesterday, CrowdStrike released an update that began impacting IT systems globally. We are aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online. Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) July 19, 2024 A CrowdStrike update triggered a global outage and affected the services of Microsoft Windows due to which users were greeted with the dreaded Blue Screen of Death error. The worldwide tech outage crippled industries from travel to finance on Friday before services started coming back online after hours of disruption, highlighting the risks of a global shift towards digital, interconnected technologies. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on social media platform X that a defect was found in a single content update for Windows hosts that affected Microsoft, opened new tab customers and that a fix was being deployed. Were deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused to customers, to travellers, to anyone affected by this, including our company," Kurtz told NBC News Today programme. Advertisement In India, several airports were hit by the technical snag, forcing airlines to manually check-in flyers and even cancel hundreds of flights. With inputs from agencies Protests have roiled New Caledonia after France voted to approve reforms to allow thousands more French residents who have lived in the territory for 10 years to vote. France sent military to the territory to try to quell the violence read more New Zealands Foreign Minister Winston Peters said there needed to be more diplomacy, more engagement, more compromise to resolve the crisis in New Caledonia following sometimes violent protests that have been ongoing since May. Protests have roiled New Caledonia after France voted to approve reforms to allow thousands more French residents who have lived in the territory for 10 years to vote. France sent military to the territory to try to quell the violence. Advertisement Indigenous Kanaks are protesting because they fear electoral reform will dilute their vote and make it harder for any future referendum on independence to pass, while Paris says the measure is needed to improve democracy. Peters said the situation has reached an impasse, and one not easily navigated given the violence and democratic injuries that have reopened old wounds and created new ones. In New Caledonia, we hope to see more diplomacy, more engagement, more compromise, he said in a speech at the PALM10 summit in Tokyo. The summit is a meeting between member countries of the Pacific Island Forum and the Japanese government. He added the Pacific Islands Forum, which New Caledonia is a member of, needs to find an appropriate mechanism and the best people to help facilitate a resolution. Based on our conversations in Tokyo this week, we are confident that the different actors in Noumea and Paris will see any offer of dialogue, engagement or mediation as an opportunity to access the deep wisdom and experience that exists in the Pacific Islands region, said Peters. Peters comments follow a statement released by the Melanesian Spearhead Group, which includes Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, on Thursday that said they wanted to play a role in bringing about a conducive environment in New Caledonia for dialogue to resume on the future political status of the non-self-governing territory. Advertisement The group also raised concerns about the militarization of New Caledonia since the protest began in May and the deportation of some protest leaders to France to face trial. At the same time the group condemned the destruction of property and unnecessary loss of lives that caused damage to the economy. The military is facing its biggest challenge since taking power as an armed resistance gains grounds in large parts of the country amid a crumbling economy, piling pressure on junta boss Min Aung Hlaing, the architect of the coup. read more The nominal president of military-ruled Myanmar is suffering from serious illnesses, state media reported on Friday, in a rare statement on the health of a key junta figure just weeks before an ongoing state of emergency expires. Myint Swe, 73, a former army officer, was vice president under Myanmars quasi-civilian system who became head of state during a 2021 coup and immediately handed power to the military. He has been suffering from psychomotor retardation and malnutrition, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper said. Advertisement According to the medical examinations, he is suffering from neurological disorders and peripheral neuropathy disease, the newspaper said, adding that he had also undergone surgery in both eyes. Though Myint Swe is only a figurehead, his health could pose a constitutional problem for the junta at a time when it is struggling to govern, having depended on him to sign off on its decrees and provide a veneer of legitimacy to its rule. The military is facing its biggest challenge since taking power as an armed resistance gains grounds in large parts of the country amid a crumbling economy, piling pressure on junta boss Min Aung Hlaing, the architect of the coup. Unable to contain a bloody, pro-democracy rebellion that has severely tested its ability to govern, the junta has repeatedly extended a state of emergency, which is due to expire on July 31, each time promising an election in future. Myint Swe became president after the incumbent Win Myint was arrested during the coup alongside Nobel laureate and de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. They have been detained ever since. Richard Horsey, a Myanmar analyst at Crisis Group, said in the absence of any known vice presidents, there was no clear succession if Myint Swe were to step down. It de facto means Min Aung Hlaing would decide, but he couldnt put himself forward (as president), he said. This may be related to the renewed talk of elections. Advertisement State media on Friday said Myint Swes condition had not improved even after a series of medical interventions, including treatment in Singapore. As he cannot do normal daily activities including eating food, close medical treatments are being provided, it said. A day after an Air India flight from Delhi to San Francisco made an emergency landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia, Air India on Friday said that its special flight has left Mumbai for Russia to take the stranded passengers on their onward journey to San Francisco read more The airline said that a team, including crew and security personnel, are on board the flight to provide any support that the passengers and staff at KJA may require. Screengrab A day after an Air India flight from Delhi to San Francisco made an emergency landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia, Air India on Friday said that its special flight has left Mumbai for Russia to take the stranded passengers on their onward journey to San Francisco. #WATCH | A special flight of Air India left from Mumbai for Russia earlier this afternoon, to take the stranded passengers on their onward journey to San Francisco. AI183 of 18 July 2024 operating from Delhi to San Francisco had made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk pic.twitter.com/ihgJ5QAgRA ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024 Advertisement The airline had to divert its Delhi-San Francisco flight with 225 passengers and 19 crew members to the Russian city on Thursday after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area of the Boeing 777 aircraft. Taking to X, Air India said, Our ferry flight AI1179 from Mumbai (BOM) to Krasnoyarsk, Russia (KJA) is now airborne, and is expected to arrive at KJA at 2000 Hrs (local time) on 19 July 2024. The airline said that a team, including crew and security personnel, are on board the flight to provide any support that the passengers and staff at KJA may require. The ferry flight is carrying essentials in addition to sufficient amount of food for all passengers. The aircraft will ferry all passengers and crew out of KJA at the earliest. We have also set up a dedicated hotline for the family, relatives, and friends of AI183 guests for any information they may require: India - 011 - 69329301 USA - +13177390126. We will share further updates when available, the airline added on X. Advertisement Earlier in the day, Air India had said that regulatory clearances had been obtained for a relief flight, which would depart from Mumbai to fly the stranded passengers from the Russian airport. After the flight made a precautionary landing at KJA, Air India said its local support was activated to assist passengers, who were required by authorities to remain in the terminal building in the absence of Russian visas. Food and beverage amenities at the terminal, which were closed for the evening, have now opened and meals are being provided to all passengers, the airline said. Moreover, representatives from the Indian consulate in Moscow have travelled overnight and are working with the Russian authorities to allow passengers to move to hotels, which have been on standby throughout the night, said the airline. Advertisement With inputs from agencies The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Punjab province has filed a legal case against Amin ul Haq, alleging his involvement in plotting sabotage aimed at important installations in the region, according to a report read more Pakistani counter-terrorism authorities have arrested Amin ul Haq, a senior leader of Al-Qaeda known for his close association with Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks on the United States. According to a Dawn report, the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Punjab province has filed a legal case against ul Haq, alleging his involvement in plotting sabotage aimed at important installations in the region. In a significant breakthrough in the fight against terrorism, CTD, in collaboration with intelligence agencies, successfully apprehended Amin ul Haq, a senior leader of Al-Qaeda, Dawn quoted the departments spokesperson as saying in a statement. Advertisement The statement added that ul Haq was apprehended from the Sarai Alamgir town of the Gujrat district of Punjab. The statement further said that Amin ul Haq had been a close associate of Osama bin Laden since 1996 and had participated in numerous terrorist activities. It noted that ul Haqs name was listed among the global terrorists by the United Nations. The apprenehsion of Amin ul Haq is an important development in the ongoing efforts to combat terrorism in Pakistan and around the world, the CTD added. The CTD also revealed that the captured terrorist had been plotting a large-scale terrorist operation within the country. Bin Laden was killed in 2011 during a US raid on his hideout in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad. With inputs from agencies Russia arrested American journalist Evan Gershkovich in March 2023 and slapped espionage charges on him read more American journalist Evan Gershkovich has been in jail in Russia since March 2023 (Photo: AFP) A Russian court on Friday convicted American journalist Evan Gershkovich and sentenced him to 16 years in prison. Gershkovich is a Russia-based reporter with The Wall Street Journal. Russia arrested him in March 2023 and accused him of spying for the US Central Intelligence Agency. The case against Gershkovich has widely been seen as a sham trial in which the verdict was a foregone conclusion. He is the first American journalist to be arrested in Russia since the Cold War. Advertisement The Russian prosecutors had sought 18-year prison term for Gershkovich, according to state media. The charges against him carry a maximum sentence of 20 years. The Moscow Times reported that he would be shipped to a maximum-security prison for his sentence. Previously, he was held in Moscows notorious Lefortovo prison which has been known to house political prisoners by the Russian regime. The US government as well as The WSJ have categorically rejected the accusation and have dubbed the proceedings against him as a sham case. The closing arguments in the case were heard earlier in the day. Following the conclusion of the arguments, the judge retired to deliberate on the verdict. The judge is expected to deliver the verdict in the evening. In March 2023, Gershkovich was arrested in Russias Yekaterinburg city in the Urals mountains. Last month, Russias Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov last month said Gershkovich was collecting secret information about tank-maker Uralvagonzavod in the Sverdlovsk region where he was arrested, according to The Moscow Times. Former President Donald Trump aims to surpass President Eisenhowers 1954 campaign, which deported over a million Mexican immigrants. Despite his claims, current data and experts point to significant logistical and legal challenges read more Former US President Donald Trump has promised the "largest deportation" in the history of the country. Reuters In a recent turn of familiar rhetoric, former President Donald Trump has intensified his hardline stance on immigration, declaring that the GOP platform now proposes the largest deportation operation in the history of our country. What Trump said This assertion follows his controversial hypothesis that crime rates in Central American countries, such as El Salvador, are dropping because theyre sending their murders to the United States of America. Trumps reference to a massive deportation campaign harkens back to President Dwight D. Eisenhowers era. He had the largest deportation operation weve ever had, Trump noted, aiming to position his future plans as even more ambitious. More than one million Mexican immigrants were deported from the US in 1954 under Operation Wetback, a campaign that remains one of the largest mass deportations in American history. Advertisement In a lengthy section of what became one of the longest convention speeches in memory, Trump placed significant blame on immigrants for various social ills. We have become a dumping ground for the world, which is laughing at us. They think were stupid, he proclaimed. Numbers tell a different story However, these declarations starkly contrast with current data and expert opinions. In 2022, there were an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States, according to the latest government estimates. More than 80 per cent of these individuals have been in the country for over a decade. During a debate last month, Trump claimed there were 18 million undocumented immigrants, a figure that remains unsubstantiated. Logistical challenges Yet, immigration experts and former homeland security officials argue that the logistical, legal, bureaucratic, and financial challenges are immense, according to New York Times. Achieving the mass deportations Trump envisions within a four-year presidential term is deemed virtually impossible. The cost, complexity, and human impact of such an operation pose significant barriers that cannot be overlooked. Zelenskyy will also become the first foreign leader since former US president Bill Clinton in 1997 to address the UK cabinet in person, according to a report read more Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will become the first official visitor to Downing Street under the leadership of Keir Starmer during his visit to the UK on Friday. According to The National News, Zelenskyy will also become the first foreign leader since former US president Bill Clinton in 1997 to address the UK cabinet in person. During his visit, President Zelenskyy is likely to update ministers on the current situation in Ukraine and advocate for bolstering Europes defence industrial capabilities. Advertisement The discussions are expected to conclude with an agreement on a 3.5 billion ($4.6 billion) defense export finance deal with the new UK Prime Minister, added the report. Ukraine is, and always will be, at the heart of this governments agenda and so it is only fitting that President Zelenskyy will make a historic address to my cabinet, The National News quoted Starmer as saying. Russias incremental gains on the battlefield are nothing compared with the collective international support for Ukraine, or the strength of ties between our people, Starmer added. The British defence industry plays a crucial role in supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces, from industrial sites in the UK to factories in Ukraine. BAE Systems collaborates with local partners to provide essential maintenance and repair services for UK-supplied weapons in Ukraine. Babcock International has recently extended its contract with the British Ministry of Defence, ensuring continued maintenance, repair, and management of vehicles. This week, the ministry has agreed to revitalise the UKs capability to produce forgings for gun barrels in partnership with Sheffield Forgemasters. This initiative not only supports the repair and overhaul of Ukrainian vehicles but also represents a significant milestone in the UKs 20-year journey towards domestic barrel production, reported The National News. Advertisement Such industry support enables Ukraines armed forces to sustain critical equipment like L119 light guns and the AS90 self-propelled gun, facilitating swift repairs of battle-damaged equipment when needed. The UK is united for Ukraine, Defence Secretary John Healey was quoted as saying. Our new government has already pledged to step up support, confirming 3 billion a year to help Ukraine and a new package of ammunition, anti-armour missiles and artillery guns. Meeting with industry leaders today, I emphasised the government will continue to work in partnership with industry and the need to boost industrial production of vital military kit for both Ukraine and our own armed forces, added Healey. Advertisement Russias shadow fleet of tankers under lens Meanwhile on Thursday, at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 44 countries and the EU agreed to focus on Russias shadow fleet of tankers, which are seeking to evade sanctions on Russian oil. The group of about 600 vessels carries 1.7 million barrels of oil a day, providing funds for Moscows war effort while also allegedly acting as listening stations or carrying weapons for Russia. Many of these ships are outdated and pose safety hazards, frequently disabling their location tracking systems, thus heightening the risk of serious maritime incidents. Alongside our European partners, we have sent a clear message to those enabling Putins attempts to evade sanctions: We will not allow Russias shadow fleet, and the dirty money it generates, to flow freely through European waters and put our security at risk, Starmer said. Advertisement Speaking at the EPC summit on Thursday, Zelenskyy said Britain had been one step ahead in its determination to support Ukraine since the Russian invasion began. This is the kind of resolve we need to stop Russian terror, he added. On Thursday, the UK also placed sanctions on 11 oil tankers thought to be involved in evading sanctions, including the Rocky Runner, which earlier sought to escape British action by changing its operator. Most of the ships sail under the flag of Gabon, although some including the Rocky Runner are flagged with the Cook Islands, while another sails under the flag of Panama. Advertisement Sanctioned vessels are prohibited from entering UK ports and may be detained or directed to enter a port. With inputs from agencies Calls for Biden to reconsider his participation in running for the president have intensified in the past few weeks, especially after the presidential debate debacle that put a spotlight on his caliber. To make things worse, Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been isolated, forcing him to run a virtual campaign during this pivotal time read more US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden host an Independence Day celebration at the White House in Washington. Reuters file Is Joe Biden going to quit the US presidential race soon? While no such announcement has been made yet, despite his Democrat colleagues pushing him to drop out, the Biden family has started discussing the possibility of his exit. A report by NBC News quoted two people familiar with the matter as saying that the discussion among the Biden family about the 81-year-old presidents withdrawal from the re-run campaign, should he choose to do it, was centered around the partys position to be able to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming US elections. Advertisement Calls for Biden to reconsider his participation in running for the president have intensified in the past few weeks, especially after the presidential debate debacle that put a spotlight on his caliber. To make things worse, Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and has been isolated, forcing him to run a virtual campaign during this pivotal time. What did the Biden family discuss? The sources said that Bidens family members have openly deliberated about his desire to conclude his re-election bid on his own terms, with a planned approach. Key considerations include the campaigns impact on his health, his family, and the countrys stability. The fact that his family is charting out a respectable exit plan for Biden is a significant development as the president has repeatedly rejected the idea of dropping out. From Nancy Pelosi to Barack Obama, key Democrats have flagged concerns about Bidens health and have asked him to reconsider his reelection bid. However, media reports suggest that Biden, this week, became more receptive to the suggestion of quitting the race, a change of behaviour that gained momentum after his COVID diagnosis. Not happening Meanwhile, the White House still denies reports that Biden is going to quit. White House spokesman Andrew Bates says that the Biden family did not have any such discussion among themselves. That is not happening, period. The individuals making those claims are not speaking for his family or his team and they will be proven wrong. Keep the faith, he said. Advertisement Biden campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillion acknowledged slippage in support for the president, but insisted he is absolutely remaining in the race and that the campaign sees multiple paths" to beating Trump. We have a lot of work to do to reassure the American people that yes hes old, but he can win," she told MSNBCs Morning Joe show. But she said voters concerned about Bidens fitness to lead arent switching to vote for Trump. They have questions, but they are staying with Joe Biden," she said. With inputs from agencies Milciades Avila was detained in the early hours of Wednesday on charges of violence against a group of women who had reportedly tried to attack Machado alongside opposition coalition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez at a food store in Aragua state over the weekend read more Milciades Avila, security chief of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, talks with her before a news conference, in Maturin, Venezuela. Reuters Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machados security chief has been released from jail a day after he was arrested on charges of gender violence. Security chief Milciades Avila is set to appear in court every 30 days, Machado said in a post on X on Thursday, in which she thanked people for their support and contribution to reverse this injustice. Avila was detained in the early hours of Wednesday on charges of violence against a group of women who had reportedly tried to attack Machado alongside opposition coalition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez at a food store in Aragua state over the weekend. Advertisement His arrest came less than two weeks before the July 28 vote, where Gonzalez is polling significantly ahead of President Nicolas Maduro, who is seeking a third term. Venezuelas opposition has repeatedly denounced arrests and other moves by the authorities that they say are meant to harm its election campaign and prevent a fair election. The government denies the allegations. Machado, who resoundingly won the oppositions October primary, was barred by a court from running in the election over alleged fraud, which she denies. Several dozens of her allies have also been detained. Machados lawyer Omar Mora celebrated the release on social media. Little by little we will dismantle the reckless and false accusations against you! We will continue working for freedom and the return of justice to Venezuela, he said on X. The election is being closely monitored by the United States, which has tied its lifting of sanctions to Venezuelas implementation of free elections. It re-imposed sanctions in April, saying Maduro had failed to meet commitments. State media, citing information from Trongs medical team, said he died early afternoon on Friday after a period of illness read more Vietnams Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong has died, state media said on Friday, after holding the countrys most powerful position for more than a decade. He was 80. State media, citing information from Trongs medical team, said he died early afternoon on Friday after a period of illness. Vietnams President To Lam took over Trongs duties on Thursday when the party announced Trong needed to focus on medical treatment. The announcement came days after the government said that he was stepping back to focus on his health. Advertisement The death amid chaos As the general secretary of Vietnams ruling Communist Party since 2011, the veteran politician was touted as the countrys most powerful leader in decades. The 80-year-old politician was known for his blazing furnaces anti-corruption campaign. It is pertinent to note that Trongs death came at a time of political turbulence for Communist leadership. In the span of a few weeks, three top leaders quit following unspecified accusations of wrongdoing. The death of the Vietnamese leader came a day after Trong was awarded the Gold Star, the highest honour given in Vietnam, for contributions to the party and country, BBC reported. Trong was seen as recently as late June when he welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin on a state visit. However, after that, he failed to attend several events, including the official launch of a book compiling some of his notable speeches. In recent years, there have been several instances where he would disappear from the public eye for long stretches of time. In 2019, it was reported that the Vietnamese leader had a stroke. Interestingly, in 2018, Vietnam passed a law classifying top officials health as a state secret, prompting the highly scrutinised local media to be even more cautious. During his acceptance speech on the last day of the Republican National Convention, former President Donald Trump praised leaders shunned by the West, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Trump claimed Kim misses him and described Orban as a tough leader read more Former US president and Republican presidential Donald Trump has a fair chance of retaining the White House after the assassination attempt on him last Saturday. AFP Former United States President Donald Trump delivered the longest-ever acceptance speech in the history of the Republican National Convention (RNC), lasting nearly an hour and a half. During his address, Trump made favorable remarks about leaders who have recently been shunned by the West. North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, isolated from much of the international community, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, criticised within the EU for his sympathetic stance toward Russian President Vladimir Putin, both received significant attention in Trumps RNC speech. Advertisement He misses me: Trump says about Kim Jong-un Trump suggested that North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un misses him, criticising the current White Houses foreign policy. I get along with him, hed like to see me back too. I think he misses me, if you want to know, Trump said, referring to the in-person meetings he held with the reclusive ruler during his presidency. Its nice to get along with someone that has a lot of nuclear weapons, he added. Shoutout to Viktor Orban Additionally, Trump gave an off-script shout-out to Viktor Orban, describing the Hungarian prime minister as a tough leader. Orban, who has been a vocal supporter of Trump, recently took over the rotating presidency of the European Union. The two leaders last met in March, where they discussed international peace efforts. We discussed ways to make peace, Orban said in a social media post with a picture of their meeting. The good news of the day: hes going to solve it! Orban has faced sharp reprimands from senior EU diplomats, especially from Poland, a staunch ally of Ukraine, during discussions of his so-called peace missions. Despite this, Trump praised Orbans leadership, stressing their continued rapport. Foreign policy takeaways In foreign affairs, Trump portrayed his tenure as a period of peace, contrasting it with the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine that have erupted since his departure from office. In a particularly grim segment of his speech, he accused Latin American countries of sending violent criminals to the US and promised a severe crackdown at the US-Mexico border. Advertisement It began to unravel with the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, the worst humiliation in the history of our country, he said. We have never had a humiliation like that. With inputs from agencies Just as Pakistan has consistently denied or disputed allegations and evidence presented by India, Afghanistan has similarly dismissed Pakistans concerns about terrorism from its soil read more Pakistan has long been a nation marked by deceit, hypocrisy, hatred and a reputation for fostering terrorism. Its ongoing hostility with India fuelled by its terror networks has led to widespread violence in Jammu and Kashmir claiming countless innocent lives. Despite Indias persistent calls to dismantle these terror hubs and cease exporting terrorism, Pakistan has consistently denied or ignored these pleas. Now, Pakistan is encountering a situation strikingly similar to the one it has often imposed on India. Advertisement A taste of its own medicine Following the recent terrorist attack on the Bannu Cantonment, which resulted in the deaths of eight military personnel and injuries to many others, Pakistan has called for immediate, robust, and effective action by the interim Afghan government against the perpetrators. The deputy head of mission of the Embassy of Afghanistan in Islamabad was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to receive Pakistans strong demarche regarding the deadly attack. Islamabad reiterated its serious concerns over the presence of terrorist groups within Afghanistan that continue to threaten Pakistans security. The attack on the Bannu Cantonment was carried out by the Afghanistan-based Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group. The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has also executed numerous attacks within Pakistan. The demarche said that the Bannu Cantonment attack was another stark reminder of the severe threat terrorism posed to regional peace and security. It reiterated serious concerns over the presence of terrorist groups within Afghanistan that continue to threaten Pakistans security. Pakistan has consistently raised these concerns with the interim Afghan government urging them to prevent terrorists from using Afghan soil and to take effective action against such elements. However, Kabul has so far dismissed these concerns denying the presence of terrorists on its soil. Doesnt Pakistan respond in a similar way when India sends demarches and dossiers? Just as Pakistan has consistently denied or disputed allegations and evidence presented by India, Afghanistan has similarly dismissed Pakistans concerns about terrorism from its soil. Pakistan wont be a saint overnight Perhaps now, after suffering significant military losses, Pakistan is forced to engage with Afghanistan, seeking an immediate halt to these terror incidents. However, it is highly unlikely that Pakistan will empathise with Indias situation and change its ways despite facing similar challenges. Instead, it continues to export hardened terrorists to the relatively peaceful region of Jammu, equipping them with advanced communication systems and weapons from China. Advertisement India has often issued demarches and dossiers to Pakistan primarily concerning terrorism and security issues. Following major attacks in India believed to be carried out by terrorists having links to Pakistan-based terrorist organisations, India has demarched Pakistan to take action against groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). Similarly, along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, India has issued demarches to protest against ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces. India has also handed over dossiers to Pakistan with evidence of terrorist activities, infiltration attempts and support to terrorist organisations. Notable examples include the post-26/11 Mumbai attacks, where India presented multiple dossiers to Pakistan with detailed evidence of LeTs involvement including the role of Ajmal Kasab, a Pakistani national. Following the Pathankot Air Base attack in 2016, India shared evidence of JeMs involvement including call records. After the Pulwama attack in 2019, India handed over dossiers providing evidence of JeMs role and the involvement of its leader Masood Azhar. Similarly, after the Indian Air Force conducted airstrikes on a JeM training camp in Balakot, Pakistan, in 2019, India issued a demarche outlining the reasons for the strikes and evidence of terrorist activities at the targeted location. Advertisement These demarches and dossiers are frequently shared with international partners to apply diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to act against terrorist organisations, forming part of Indias broader counter-terrorism strategy to isolate these groups and their supporters. However, Pakistan often disputes or rejects the evidence presented in these dossiers. In this context, Afghanistan might be imparting a lesson that Pakistan needs to learn. In a statement, the Houthis said said their UAV force attacked one of the important targets in the occupied Jaffa region, what is now called Israeli Tel Aviv read more A woman stands near the window of an apartment as Israeli policemen search the scene where an explosion took place in Tel Aviv on July 19, 2024. Source: AFP. The Houthis of Yemen have claimed responsibility for a drone strike on Israels Tel Aviv in the early hours of Friday in which at least one person has died and 10 others have been injured. The Israeli army has said that a falling aerial target caused a massive blast. In a statement, Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels said their UAV force attacked one of the important targets in the occupied Jaffa region, what is now called Israeli Tel Aviv. Advertisement If an attack is confirmed, it would be the first to cause casualties in Tel Aviv since a rocket strike launched from Gaza on May 26 in which one person was wounded. Houthis have repeatedly launched drones and missiles toward Israel throughout the nine-month-long Israel war, in sympathy with Hamas. The rebels have also carried out dozens of attacks against Red Sea shipping in what they say is an act of solidarity with Palestinians during the Gaza war. According to Emergency services, the explosion occurred around 3:15 am (0015 GMT) in a building in the centre of the city, soon after which air patrols were increased. The Israeli army said an initial inquiry showed that the explosion was caused by the falling of an aerial target. Police found a body bearing injuries caused by shrapnel in the building, which is located on the corner of Ben-Yehuda Avenue and Shalom-Aleichem Street, not far from an annex of the US Embassy in Israel, spokesperson Dean Elsdunne was quoted as saying by AFP. The police, along with emergency and rescue forces, discovered a man in his 50s in a nearby building who was found dead in his apartment, with shrapnel wounds on his body, a police statement said. The news agency also quoted a resident of central Tel Aviv as saying that he had been woken by a loud explosion. Everything shook, he added. Advertisement Residents were urged to respect safety instructions and not to approach or touch debris or shrapnel that may contain explosives, it said. With inputs from agencies Zelenskyy renewed his call for Western allies to allow long-range strikes on Russia, saying Britain should try to convince its partners, which have taken varying approaches to how Ukraine can use weapons they supply, to remove the limits on their use read more Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed British government ministers on Friday, a rare appearance by a foreign leader at a cabinet meeting that new Prime Minister Keir Starmer hopes will underline Londons support for Kyiv. A day after hosting a forum of European leaders at Blenheim Palace, Starmer pressed on with his bid to raise Britains role in international affairs by inviting Zelenskyy to address his cabinet of top ministers. The last foreign leader to do so was US President Bill Clinton in 1997, Starmers office said. Advertisement Zelenskyy renewed his call for Western allies to allow long-range strikes on Russia, saying Britain should try to convince its partners, which have taken varying approaches to how Ukraine can use weapons they supply, to remove the limits on their use. Right now we are missing the main answer to this question and that is our long-range capability, Zelenskyy said at the beginning of the meeting in Downing Street. Please convince the other partners to remove the limits. Starmer told Zelenskyy Britain would speed up delivery of vital aid to Ukraine, after his defence minister said earlier this month that the deliveries promised by the former Conservative government would be delivered within 100 days. Ukraine is, and always will be, at the heart of this governments agenda and so it is only fitting that President Zelenskyy will make a historic address to my cabinet, Starmer said in a statement before the meeting. Britain has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, and Starmer swiftly reaffirmed Londons commitment to Kyiv after winning a landslide election earlier this month, telling Zelenskyy at Nato while there was a change of government, there was no change of approach. He said on Thursday that Britain would pursue a new plan to try to disrupt Russias attempts to evade shipping sanctions. On Thursday, Britain announced sanctions on 11 vessels used to transport Russian oil. Advertisement The new measures against Russias so-called shadow fleet include plans to share data on the network of the often older tankers used in shipping Russian oil, so that individual vessels can be identified and action taken against them. He also unveiled the Defence Export Support Treaty, to be signed by defence ministers, that will enable Ukraine to draw on 3.5 billion pounds ($4.5 billion) of export finance, to fire up both countries defence industrial bases and boost production. Starmer, at NATO last week, re-committed to a pledge by his predecessor, Conservative Rishi Sunak, to deliver 3 billion pounds a year of military support to Ukraine until 2030-31 and beyond if needed. While Biden has yet to tap out from the presidential race, Nato and Europe are already bracing themselves for a possible Trump presidency read more As US President Joe Biden faces pressure to drop out of the presidential race, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskkyy braces himself for a possible Trump presidency. In an interview with BBC, the Ukrainian leader said that working with Former US President Donald Trump, if he came back to power, would be hard work. The proclamation from Zelenskyy came a day after Trump announced Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate in the 2024 presidential elections. In the past, the 39-year-old Republican Senator said he doesnt care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other. Advertisement Hence, Vances nomination has been renewed fears that if Trump comes back to the Oval Office, the USs stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, may change in Moscows favour. It will be hard work but we are hard workers: Zelenskyy While the Ukrainian president said that it would be a hard task to deal with a Trump presidency, he made it clear that Ukraine is ready to work hard for it. Maybe he really doesnt understand what goes on in Ukraine, so we have to work with the United States, Zelenskyy told BBC. In the past, Trump said that he would end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours if he came back to power. While accepting his GOP nomination on the final day of the Republican National Convention (RNC), Trump pledged to end all the global crises including the Russia-Ukraine war if he came back to power. I will end every single international crisis that the current administration has createdincluding the horrible war with Russia and Ukraine, and the war caused by the attack on Israel," Trump averred. A meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump The comments from the two world leaders came amid reports that Zelenskyy and Trump are planning to discuss the ongoing conflict in a phone call. Advertisement According to the two sources familiar with the matter, the call could occur on Friday, CNN reported. It is pertinent to note that the call in question could mark the first conversation between the two world leaders after Trump left the White House. Last week, Trump met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for the second time in six months. The meeting came less than two weeks after Orban met with Putin in Moscow. During his RNC address, Trump went on to laud the Hungarian premier for calling him tough. NATO and Europe brace itself for Trumps presidency While Biden has yet to tap out from the presidential race, Nato and Europe are already bracing themselves for a possible Trump presidency. Advertisement Earlier today, Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg insisted that Europe must not fall into the trap of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy that Nato would die if Trump came to power. I worked with him for four years, he said. When asked if Trump has changed since he left the office, Stoltenberg did not answer the question. I think its important not to create self-fulfilling prophecies in a way that assumes that a new administration in the United States will mean the end of Nato. There were concerns about that also in 2016. The reality was that Nato is stronger after four years more troops, high readiness," he added. Advertisement In the past several European leaders have expressed concerns about the prospects of Trumps running mate, JD Vance, taking a controlling position in foreign policy if Trump wins in November. Vance has been the leading opponent of Americas new aid package to Ukraine. So are they losing hopes for a Biden win? As America inches closer to November polls, several Western nations started contemplating how they will deal with a Trump presidency. This begs the question of whether the US allies are losing hope on Biden. There have been growing concerns over Bidens age and his mental acuity. Bidens campaign also took a major toll after the President announced that he was diagnosed with COVID-19. Hence, the president had to cancel his all campaign events and go in isolation. Advertisement Amid the chaos, a Washington Post report suggested that former president Barrack Obama has told allies in recent days that Bidens path to victory has been greatly diminished. The report mentioned that Obama has spoken with Biden only once since the doomed presidential debate. During the conversation, Obama emphasised his concern is protecting Biden and his legacy and has pushed back against the idea that he alone can influence Bidens decision-making process. Obama has also expressed worries about polls moving away from Biden. Meanwhile, some reports also suggested that former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi privately told Biden that polling records show that Biden will not be able to defend Trump. With Bidens close friends and international allies casting doubts over his capabilities to run, it will be interesting to see if Biden will continue in the race or not. With inputs from agencies. Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia announced the theme of India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, The Future is Now, in New Delhi. This theme highlights Indias central role in technological advancements and emphasizes the ongoing technological transformation. Launch of IMC 2024 Application and Website Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia also launched the IMC 2024 application and website. The app allows for interactive registration for various categories including Delegates, Visitors, Academia/Colleges, Government, and Media. IMC 2024 will bring together global leaders, visionaries, and innovators to shape the future of technology. Highlights of the Announcement The Minister emphasized that the theme Future is Now reflects Indias achievements and future potential. He noted the significant progress in the telecom sector over the past decade, including the transition from a consumer to a supplier of technology. Notable interventions like The Telecom Act 2023, the PLI Scheme, and the rapid 5G rollout were highlighted. The rules for The Telecom Act 2023 will be notified within 180 days. Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Telecom Excellence Awards 2023 The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) announced the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Telecom Excellence Awards 2023 for outstanding contributions in various telecom areas: Dr. Kiran Kumar Kuchi, IIT Hyderabad: For advancements in telecom technology and mentorship. Elena Geo Systems Private Limited: For NavIC-based devices and applications. Astrome Technologies Private Limited: For millimeter-wave multi-beam technology. Tejas Networks Limited: For telecom innovations and equipment manufacturing. Nivetti Systems Private Limited: For secure networking products. New Initiatives and Agreements The Minister also introduced the Testing Scheme for Start-ups & MSMEs and oversaw a MoU signing between NTIPRIT and IIT Jammu to enhance cybersecurity capacity. Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Chairman of DCC & Secretary (T), DoT, highlighted Indias achievements in the 5G sector, and Shri Abhijit Kishore, Chairman of COAI, addressed the gathering. IMC 2024 Details The eighth edition of IMC will take place from October 15 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. It will feature innovative solutions, services, and use cases in technology, and facilitate over 500 meetings with more than 1000 potential investors and partners. Concurrently, New Delhi will host the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA 2024) and the Global Standards Symposium (GSS 2024) from October 14-24, 2024. The IMC 2024 app is available for download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Registrations can be completed through the app or via the website. Speaking at the event, the Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said: Explore the rich history and architectural beauty of Trinity Episcopal Church in this captivating tour given by Reverend Jimmy Abbott. Join J.R., Lisa, Erika, and Reverend Jimmy in uncovering the layers of history, from its founding in 1841 to its role in wartime and natural disasters. Issue Date: 19th July 2024 The two males (30s) arrested in connection with the seizure of cannabis worth 334,000 in Belturbet, Co. Cavan, on Wednesday 17th July 2024, have been charged. They are due to appear before Cavan District Court this morning, Friday 19th July 2024, at approximately 10.30am. Former Presidential aide, Reno Omokri has responded to ace journalist and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dele Momodu, after he stated that Nigeria's economy is collapsing. Dele had written an open letter to President Tinubu on Thursday, July 18 in which he raised alarm over the state of the Nation with particular reference to the falling economy.In a post shared on X, Reno argued that the economy is not collapsing, He went on to list some things to buttress his point that the Nigerian economy is stable.He wrote; Quote ''Response To My Beloved Senior, Dele Momodu: Nigeria's Economy Is Not Collapsing. Far From It! Dear Egbon Dele Momodu, I read your open letter to President Bola Tinubu, in which you said, "Our economy has virtually collapsed", among other things. Respectfully, the facts do not support your assertions, and in your open letter, you did not provide any facts. Only opinions. So, please let me present some facts that contradict your opinions. Firstly, only yesterday, the International Monetary Fund projected that due to the reforms being undertaken by the current administration, Nigeria will have a 3.1% GDP growth rate in 2024. This is one of the best projections for an African country in 2024, and does not signal an economy that has virtually collapsed. Secondly, Nigeria had a record high of 6.52 trillion trade surplus in the first quarter of 2024. This has never happened before. We routinely had trade deficits in the past. This means that because of the monetary reforms by the current government, Nigeria is now exporting significantly more than it is importing, and the growth is largely in the non-oil sector. For example, Nigeria is now a net exporter of clement to Europe and a growing exporter of refined petroleum products to Europe and West African states. Ghana, a fellow petroleum exporting country, is largely dependent on LPG from Nigeria. This projects growth, not collapse. Thirdly, in terms of revenue, all Nigerian states, bar none, have received significantly higher federal allocations since May 29, 2023, than they were receiving under the Buhari regime. Each state now gets at least 45% more federal allocation, with Nasarawa getting almost 100% more and Anambra getting 70% more, whereas their wage bill has not increased. The above projects economic strength rather than collapse. Fourthly, according to Financial Derivatives (FDC), with a Return on Investment of 22.90%, Nigeria's Stock Exchange is now the most profitable capital market on Earth, bar none. Please note that. Bar none. The National Bureau of Statistics has also corroborated this. For the first time in our history, the all-share index (ASI) of the Nigerian Stock Exchange crossed the 100,000 mark in 2024. I would not categorise such growth as collapse, and I am sure investors who smiled to the bank would not either. Fifthly, capital inflow into Nigeria increased by 66.27% this year. This is probably why Fitch and S&P Global Ratings upgraded Nigeria's economy to a Stable B, and why foreign inflows into the capital market jumped fivefold in the first quarter of 2024 to N93.37 billion from N18.12 billion in the same period last year. Sixthly, despite clearing the backlog of foreign exchange debts owed to foreign airlines and other foreign investors by the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria's foreign reserve hit a year-to-date high of an estimated $34 billion this year. How can a nation with such a healthy reserve be said to be on the verge of economic collapse? Finally, the Student Loan promised is now a reality and is being disbursed. That means Nigeria is about to witness a dramatic increase in its human resources, as more youths will have access to education. Therefore, bearing the above in mind, is it not possible, egbon Dele, that you may have focused too much on assumption and too little on facts to come to your conclusion that Nigeria's economy is collapsing?' Colorado Mesa University theatre arts majors, members of the public and the buildings construction crew put handprints on one of the final beams added to the universitys new theater arts building, during a topping off ceremony on Nov. 17. The new theater is expected to be open in the fall of 2024. Thu Thursday 87 /54 More sun than clouds. Highs in the upper 80s and lows in the mid 50s. Former Government Official Arrested for Acting as Unregistered Agent of South Korean Government Wednesday, July 17, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs Sue Mi Terry Provided South Korean Intelligence Officers Access, Information and Advocacy in Exchange for Luxury Goods and Funding Note: View the indictment here. Sue Mi Terry, 54, of New York, New York, was arrested yesterday and presented on criminal charges related to offenses under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). According to court documents, after leaving U.S. government service and for more than a decade, Terry worked as an agent of the government of the Republic of Korea (ROK), commonly known as South Korea, without registering as a foreign agent with the Attorney General, as required by law. As covertly directed by ROK government officials, Terry publicly advocated ROK policy positions, disclosed non-public U.S. government information to ROK intelligence officers and enabled ROK officials to gain access to U.S. government officials. In exchange for these actions, ROK intelligence officers provided Terry with luxury goods, expensive dinners and more than $37,000 in funding for a public policy program focusing on Korean affairs that Terry controlled. From in or about 2001 to in or about 2011, Terry served in a series of positions in the U.S. government, including as an analyst on East Asian issues for the Central Intelligence Agency, as the Director for Korea, Japan and Oceanic Affairs for the White House National Security Council and as the Deputy National Intelligence Officer for East Asia at the National Intelligence Council. Since leaving government service in or about 2011, Terry has worked at academic institutions and think tanks in New York City and Washington, D.C. Terry has made media appearances, published articles and hosted conferences as a policy expert specializing in, among other things, South Korea, North Korea and various regional issues impacting Asia. Terry has also testified before Congress on at least three occasions regarding the U.S. government's policy toward Korea. As she admitted in a voluntary interview with the FBI in 2023, Terry served as a valuable "source" of information for the ROK National Intelligence Service (ROK NIS), the primary intelligence agency for the ROK. For example, in or about June 2022, Terry participated in a private, off-the-record group meeting with a U.S. Secretary level official regarding the U.S. Government's policy toward North Korea. Immediately after the meeting, Terry's primary ROK NIS point of contact, or handler, picked up Terry in a car with ROK Embassy diplomatic plates. While in the car, Terry passed her handler detailed handwritten notes of her meeting, which were written on the letterhead of a think tank where Terry had recently worked. Terry's handler then photographed the notes while still sitting in the car with Terry. Weeks later, at the request of her ROK NIS handler, Terry hosted a happy hour for Congressional staff. Although the happy hour was ostensibly on behalf of the think tank where Terry worked, the ROK NIS paid for it with Terry's knowledge. Terry's handler attended the event and posed as a diplomat, mingling with Congressional staff without disclosing that he was, in fact, an ROK intelligence officer. ROK government rewarded Terry for her services. For example, Terry's ROK NIS handlers gifted her a $2,950 Bottega Veneta handbag and a $3,450 Louis Vuitton handbag, both of which Terry selected during shopping trips with her handlers. One of Terry's ROK NIS handlers also gifted her a $2,845 Dolce & Gabbana coat. In addition to luxury goods, Terry's ROK NIS handlers provided her expensive meals, including at Michelin-starred restaurants. Terry's ROK NIS handlers also deposited approximately $37,000 into an unrestricted "gift" account that Terry controlled at the think tank where she worked. In addition, ROK government officials paid Terry to write articles in both the U.S. and Korean press conveying positions and phrases dictated by the ROK government. Terry is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate FARA and one count of failure to register under FARA. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York and Executive Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch made the announcement. The FBI's Counterintelligence Division and New York Field Office are investigating the case with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle A. Wirshba, Alexander Li and Sam Adelsberg for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Attachment: U.S. v. Terry Indictment [PDF, 4 MB] Topic: National Security Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Security Division (NSD) USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 24-886 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ex-Polish Defense Minister Accused of Declassifying Defense Plan - Counterintelligence Sputnik News 20240717 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Polish Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) on Wednesday presented to the prosecutor's office the case materials against former Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, who is suspected of declassifying Poland's defense plan in the event of an attack. "On July 17, 2024, the head of the SKW presented to the prosecutor's office a notice of suspicion about former Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak committing a crime," the SKW said in a statement. Blaszczak is accused of declassifying part of a document containing a Polish armed forces defense plan dubbed Warta. The document described how the Polish army would defend itself from a potential attack by Russia. This part of the plan was declassified during the parliament election campaign in autumn 2023 and was used to accuse the opposition of being ready to give away a piece of Polish soil to the east of the Vistula River. Western countries have increasingly voiced concerns about the possibility of a direct armed conflict between NATO and Russia. Moscow has for years objected to NATO's continued expansion and military buildup near Russian borders. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said on several occasions that Moscow is not going to attack NATO countries. The Kremlin said that Russia did not threaten anyone, but would not ignore actions that were potentially dangerous to its interests. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Czech Republic - Hellfire Missiles and Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov Transmittal No: 24-54 WASHINGTON, July 17, 2024 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the Czech Republic of Hellfire Missiles and Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System and related elements of logistics and program support for an estimated cost of $138.26 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. The Government of the Czech Republic has requested to buy two hundred (200) Hellfire Air-to-Ground Missiles, AGM-114R; four (4) Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM); and six hundred (600) WGU-59A/B Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II (single variant). The following non-MDE is also included: support equipment; dummy cartridge rounds; containers; training material; inert components; publications; repair of repairables; and training and technical support. The estimated total cost is $138.26 million. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe. The proposed sale will improve the Czech Republic's capability to strengthen its homeland defense and deter regional threats. This will contribute to its military goals of updating capability while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other allies. The Czech Republic will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractors will be Lockheed Martin, located in Orlando, FL, and BAE Systems, Inc., located in Nashua, NH. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips by U.S. Government and contractor representatives to participate in program and technical reviews plus training and maintenance support in country. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded. All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military-Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Vietnam files new claim on boundary in South China Sea After Manila, Hanoi is seeking the U.N.'s recognition of an extended continental shelf. By RFA Staff 2024.07.17 -- Vietnam has submitted a claim to the U.N. over an extended continental shelf in the central area of the South China Sea, a month after a similar move by the Philippines. The Vietnamese foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, Vietnam had full "legal and scientific bases" to assert its entitlement to the stretch of seabed that extends beyond 200 nautical miles (370 km) from its shore, as well as to exclusive rights to explore and exploit the natural resources in the area. The South China Sea is believed to be rich in marine resources and oil deposits. On June 14, the Philippines filed its own submission for an extended continental shelf in the West Palawan region of the South China Sea, which could overlap with Vietnam's and Malaysia's claims. Vietnam did not protest outright to the Philippine filing but instead said that while coastal states had the right to determine their outer continental shelf boundaries under UNCLOS, when submitting their claims "they must respect the legal and legitimate rights and interests of other relevant coastal nations with opposite or adjacent coasts." Afterward, the Philippine government said it was willing to hold talks with Vietnam to "achieve a mutually beneficial solution to South China Sea issues." On Thursday, in response to Vietnam's submission, the Philippines said it reaffirmed its claim to an extended continental shelf in the Western Palawan region. "Nevertheless, we acknowledge Vietnam's right, as a coastal state like the Philippines, to submit information to establish the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles ... as provided for under UNCLOS," the Philippine foreign ministry said in a statement. "We are ready to engage Vietnam on possible ways forward that would help achieve a mutually beneficial solution to South China Sea issues, in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS." Meanwhile, China rejected Vietnam's extended continental shelf claim. "We firmly oppose it and have made serious protests to [Vietnam]," said Lin Jian, Beijing's foreign ministry spokesman. He said that Hanoi's claim violated Beijing's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, a bilateral agreement between the two nations on handling sea-related issues, a regional code of conduct on the South China Sea and international law. "Such submissions do not have any practical effect but will only accentuate differences and exacerbate frictions, which will in no way help resolve the disputes. China will remain committed to properly handling disputes in the South China Sea through dialogue and consultation with relevant parties," Lin said. China, which claims most of the South China Sea despite regional countries' objections, also protested against the Philippines' earlier submission for an extended continental shelf. This is Vietnam's third submission on an extended continental shelf in the South China Sea, which it calls the East Sea. In May 2009, Vietnam filed a separate submission for the north area and a joint submission with Malaysia for the southern part of the South China Sea. The Vietnamese foreign ministry said its latest submission was to ensure its "lawful rights to its extended continental shelf" in the central portion of the South China Sea, but it stood ready and committed to "resolve and manage all disputes and differences with relevant coastal states by peaceful means." Edited by Mike Firn. This story has been updated with comments from China and the Philippines. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at a UN Security Council Open Debate on the Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, New York, July 17, 2024 17 July 2024 20:25 1358-17-07-2024 I would like to extend a warm greeting to the ministers and other senior representatives who are present in the Security Council Chamber. Their participation in today's meeting confirms the persisting relevance of the topic under discussion. In accordance with Rule 37 of the Provisional Rules of Procedure, I would like to invite the representative of Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Turkiye, UAE, Uganda, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and Vietnam, to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. In accordance with the Provisional Rules of Procedure and established practice, I propose that the Council invite the Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine, which has observer state status at the United Nations, to participate in the meeting. There are no objections, it is so decided. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Provisional Rules of Procedure, I would like to invite E.Rattray, Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary-General, to take part in this meeting. I would also like to invite the following persons to take part in this meeting: - His Excellency Mr Maged Abdelaziz, Permanent Representative of the League of Arab States to the United Nations, - His Excellency Mr Sven Koopmans, Special Representative of the European Union for the Middle East Peace Process, - His Excellency Mr Sheikh Niang, Chairman of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. It is so decided. The Security Council begins considering Point 2 on the agenda. The floor goes to Mr Courtenay Rattray. *** Ladies and gentlemen, Your excellencies, The Middle East is facing unprecedented risks for the security, well-being and peaceful life of its peoples. The waves of violence surge far beyond the area of the Arab-Israeli conflict destabilising the situation in the Persian Gulf, Red and Mediterranean Seas, and in North Africa. We need a frank and honest conversation about how to stop the bloodshed and sufferings of the civilians without delay and move towards a long-term solution to both long-standing and relatively new conflicts. Our country has been historically maintaining good relations with all the countries in the region. The USSR was the first state to recognise Israel de facto and de jure, having established diplomatic relations shortly after it declared independence in May 1948. Meanwhile, Moscow invariably advocated the creation of an independent and viable Palestinian state and the realisation of the Palestinians' legitimate and fundamental right to self-determination. In 1949, we supported Israel's application for UN membership, subject (I emphasise this) to the implementation of General Assembly Resolutions 181 and 194 on the Palestine Partition Plan and the right of return of Palestinian refugees. This was clearly stated when we voted in favour of Israel's admission to the United Nations. Likewise, today we support Palestine's admission to our Organisation. Its sovereignty as a state has already been recognised by nearly 150 countries that are UN members. We stand for the position based on the rules of international law within the framework of various international formats for the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and, more broadly, the Middle East conflict. We proceed from the imperative of implementing the UN decisions, including the first General Assembly resolutions mentioned above and key Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, adopted after the end of the Six Day War and the Doomsday War, as well as Resolutions 478 and 497 on the status of Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. We attach special importance to the dialogue with Arab countries and their neighbours Iran and Turkiye. From the very beginning we appreciated the constructive potential of the Saudi Arabian peace initiative announced in 2002. At the same time, we respected the decision of a number of Arab countries to bring their relations with Israel back to normal even before settling the Palestinian question. We advocated the inclusion of pan-Arab and Islamic organisations - the LAS and the OIC - in the collective efforts under the Quartet of international mediators, which, unfortunately, was "buried" under the ruins of the US "Deal of the Century." The history of the colonial and mandated territories of the Middle East and North Africa has been and remains a heavy burden for the regional countries. The Sykes-Picot Agreement, the Balfour Declaration and the White Paper have planted the time bombs that have been exploding since then. The situation has been further complicated by new Western geopolitical experiments. We firmly believe that the regional countries should themselves choose their paths towards stronger sovereignty and independence, as well as socioeconomic development for the benefit of their nations without foreign interference. This would open up the global historical, civilisational, religious and cultural significance of the Middle East and North Africa in the interests of peace and stability. The Palestinian problem is the most pressing issue today. It is the fourth time in the past 10 months that the UN Security Council is holding a ministerial meeting. It has adopted four resolutions, but the continuing bloodshed in the occupied Palestinian territories shows that all these decisions remained on paper. Russia has consistently denounced all manifestations of terrorism. We implicitly condemned the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, we regard the current developments in Gaza as unacceptable collective punishment of the civilian population. A military mopping up operation has been underway for nearly 300 days in the Gaza Strip, the most densely populated area in the world that has been known for years as an open-air prison. The statistics of death and destruction of the large-scale military operation, which Israel is waging jointly with its American allies, is shocking. Over the past 10 months or 300 days, nearly 40,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed and 90,000 wounded. The majority of them are children and women. This is twice as many as the number of civilian victims on both sides of the conflict in southeastern Ukraine over the past 10 years. The number of civilian victims [in Gaza] over the past 10 months is twice as large as the number of civilian victims in Ukraine over the past 10 years since the state coup in February 2014. According to the Independent International Commission of Inquiry that examines violations of international human rights law, Palestinians aged below 18 make up approximately half of Gaza's population. It means that they were born and grew up in conditions of a total blockade. Apart from the current escalation of violence, they have seen other Israeli military operations, namely Summer Rains and Autumn Clouds in 2006, Hot Winter and Cast Lead in 2008-2009, Pillar of Defence in 2012, Protective Edge in 2014, and Guardian of the Walls in 2021. Gaza is in ruins today. Residential buildings, schools and hospitals have been turned into rubble, and the critical civilian infrastructure facilities have been knocked out of service. There is an epidemic of infectious diseases and mass hunger there. It is a real humanitarian disaster. There is no safe and reliable access to the victims and those in need amid the ongoing hostilities. The number of casualties among the humanitarian staff of the United Nations and NGOs is approaching 300. This is the largest one-time loss for the UN in modern history. Many of these people have been killed together with their families. We express our condolences to their families and loved ones, as well as to their colleagues. On May 7, Israel began the operation in the city of Rafah, the last shelter for the 1.5 million Palestinians who have fled there from all over Gaza. The Rafah crossing was closed, again turning the Gaza Strip into "the only conflict in the world in which people are not even allowed to flee." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said this in 2009, when he was the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The situation has not improved since then. It is only deteriorating. The use of crossings in the Israeli territory has been hindered by major restrictions. The volume of cargo allowed to use them has plummeted compared to the pre-confrontation period, even though the requirements have seriously decreased. The situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is also dramatic, with military raids by the Israeli military and the settlers' aggression, which leads to casualties on both sides. Contrary to UN Security Council Resolution 2334, Israel has not slowed but is accelerating the construction of illegal settlements. In addition to seizing Palestinian land and destroying their houses, Israel is retroactively legalising settlements there, even though their establishment has been declared illegal by Israel's legislation. Such unilateral actions to create irrevocable "facts on the ground," as Chef de Cabinet of the Secretary-General Courtenay Rattray said, amount to a gross violation of Israel's responsibilities as an occupying power. I would like to point out that, ironically, these responsibilities are rooted in the Geneva Conventions adopted 75 years ago to protect Jews, who had been subjected to inhuman suffering during the Second World War, and to prevent future persecution of people on grounds of ethnicity. Colleagues, The current unprecedented outbreak of violence in the Middle East has largely been caused by the well-known US policy in the region. This is the result of US diplomacy about the "effectiveness" of which US representatives have been telling us for the past ten months demanding that work at the UN Security Council be curtailed. My colleague, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, also made this call. They are using their veto right time and again to block calls for an immediate and all-encompassing ceasefire. When UN Security Council Resolution 2728 on a ceasefire during the Ramadan holiday was adopted, the United States promptly stated that this was not a legally binding document. In exchange, we received the so-called "Biden plan" that the Americans wanted to approve even before the Israeli response. Everyone knew that the response was negative because Israel did not need any plan with a hint of peace. Today, we became convinced of this once again. I would like to ask the US representative whether they had the impression (while listening to the Israeli representative's remarks) that they had entered a wrong room and were attending a wrong discussion, rather than the one that was announced. I hope you understand what I am talking about. For precisely this reason, we abstained while voting for UN Security Council Resolution 2735 because we knew that Israel had a priori silently rejected it. While providing diplomatic support for Israeli actions and supplying weapons and ammunition, Washington (everyone realises this) has become a direct party to the conflict, just like with the situation in Ukraine. The bloodshed would stop if this support ends. However, the United States either does not want or is unable to do this. It appears that various manoeuvres making it possible to score additional points during the election campaign, rather than efforts to save human lives, are the most important thing. I would like to outline Russia's principled approaches once again. We condemn the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack that, nevertheless, cannot justify current Israeli actions and undermine the very idea of establishing a Palestinian state. We advocate a permanent and all-encompassing ceasefire. This will make it possible to release 120 Israeli hostages and about 9,500 Palestinians who were arbitrarily arrested since October 7, 2023. We call for providing safe and adequate humanitarian access to all affected and needy people. We reaffirm the key mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as a unique organisation for aiding the Palestinians on occupied territories and in neighbouring Arab countries. We insist on the immediate cessation of unlawful settlement activities. The accomplishing of these urgent objectives would create favourable conditions for resuming peace talks on a generally recognised international legal foundation in the interests of establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state coexisting in peace and security with Israel. Only in that case, the historical injustice with regard to the Palestinian nation and its fundamental right to self-determination would be corrected. The reinstatement of intra-Palestinian unity also has major significance. We have always tried to facilitate this process by allowing representatives of various Palestinian movements to conduct this essential dialogue at the Moscow platform. We are convinced that the Palestinians can independently determine their future without foreign interference, no matter how much someone may want to do this for them and against their will. This also concerns the future of Gaza as an inalienable part of the Palestinian state. All of us know about behind-the-scenes contacts and plans that are being hatched. They predetermine the future organisation of Gaza and the entire Palestinian state. However, they virtually make no mention of the state. I believe that everyone should respect a principle implying that nothing should be said about Palestine without Palestine itself. Our proposal regarding a meeting of all external players who have influence on various groups in Gaza and the West Bank, and who can help overcome the split in the Palestinian ranks provided they speak with one voice, remains on the table. An important step in this direction was taken last February, when representatives of all Palestinian political parties met in Moscow and reaffirmed their support for restoring unity on the basis of the PLO platform. Today, we all have a responsibility to stop the unfolding human tragedy. In addition to the military operation in the occupied Palestinian territories, Israel's other neighbours are in danger of being drawn into an all-out confrontation with Israel. Tensions on the Blue Line dividing Lebanon from Israel are mounting day by day. Top Israeli officials publicly announce plans to open the northern front. Hezbollah never misses a chance to reply in kind either, promising it is ready to repel the invasion. The Israeli Air Force has significantly intensified attacks on Syria, now also targeting the areas of Damascus, Aleppo, Lattakia and the Golan Heights, and striking at key airports and seaports, which played an important role in the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid, including in response to last year's deadly earthquake. Colleagues, A ceasefire and cessation of violence in Gaza and the West Bank can do more than enable the negotiation of a lasting settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It can help in alleviating other hotbeds in the wider Middle East in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, not with some rules the West is trying to replace the UN Charter with, and not feeding someone's geopolitical ambitions. An important role in upholding the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people belongs to pan-Arab and pan-Islamic organisations, whose activities we support, as well as to all truly responsible members of the international community. In particular, I would like to note the high potential of the Gulf States. Now, after the early elections in Iran and the first statements by president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian, it is hoped that all the countries that share the coasts of the Gulf will come closer together to overcome their long-standing disagreements and mistrust, and will unite efforts on a generally acceptable foundation to be able to determine the parameters of mutual security without external interference and speak with one voice to fulfil the aspirations of the Palestinian people and build an architecture of stability and neighbourly relations in the region. Progress on the Palestinian track in full compliance with the UN resolutions, in the normalisation of relations between the Gulf countries, could be an important contribution to the ongoing process of forming a common Eurasian architecture based on the principles of indivisible security, equal collective responsibility, mutual respect and a balance of interests. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia, Hungary to Begin Construction of Paks-2 NPP's Power Units by End-2024 - Rosatom Sputnik News 20240717 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia and Hungary plan to begin the construction of power units at the Paks-2 nuclear power plant by the end of this year, the engineering division of state corporation Rosatom said in a statement on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto held talks in Turkiye. "The parties noted the high level of implementation of the Paks-2 NPP project, which was achieved thanks to joint effective work with the Hungarian customer for the construction of future power units built according to the Russian design of III+ generation nuclear power plants," the statement says. The plans are to begin work on the construction of the nuclear units by the end of this year, the company said. It is planned that "before the end of July, a core melt localization device will be delivered to the construction site the first large-sized cargo that will arrive in Paks from Russia." Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Humanitarian Truce Extension in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo US Department of State Press Statement Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson July 17, 2024 The United States welcomes the 15-day extension of the humanitarian truce committed to by the parties to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and we call upon all actors in the region to respect the truce. We will continue to work closely with the Governments of the DRC, Rwanda, and Angola in support of regional diplomatic efforts under the Luanda and Nairobi processes to reach a durable cessation of hostilities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement from NSC Spokesperson Adrienne Watson Welcoming an Extension of the Humanitarian Truce in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo July 17, 2024 The United States welcomes a 15-day extension of the humanitarian truce committed to by the parties to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This extension will be in effect until 11:59pm local time on August 3 and recommits the parties to the conflict to silence their weapons and provide humanitarian personnel unfettered access to vulnerable populations. The United States has closely monitored allegations of truce violations since July 5. While the parties to the conflict have largely respected the truce, we condemn the civilian loss of life in Bweremana and will work with the Ad Hoc Verification Mechanism to investigate this and other potential violations and to hold parties responsible. In support of the Luanda Process, we commit to working with the Governments of the DRC, Rwanda, and Angola to use this truce extension to outline a series of steps to reach a durable cessation of hostilities and set conditions for the voluntary return of displaced populations. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Logistical Excellence in Action: The Role of Strategic Airlift and Interoperability in Exercise Eagle Partner 24 By Capt. Vira Miller July 18, 2024 YEREVAN, Armenia -- A C-17 Globemaster III appeared in the air over Zvartnots International Airport, landed softly, and soon was rolling on the tarmac, following directions given by air traffic control employees. It stopped, and within five minutes, Soldiers from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment started exiting the aircraft. "It was a very cool experience; this is the first time I have ever seen a C-17, and I rode on it," says Spc. Skylar R. Morse, an indirect fire infantryman from Ghost Company, 2nd Squadron, 2nd CR. "I was able to get into the cockpit and see the takeoff and the sky over Germany. It was beautiful." The plane brought the second group of troops who will participate in Eagle Partner 24. This bilateral exercise aims to increase interoperability and improve participants' ability to conduct peacekeeping and stability operations and is taking place from July 15 to 24, 2024. The exercise lasts 10 days and take place in different locations across Armenia. "Preparing for a bilateral military exercise requires a lot of resources, meticulous logistical planning, and innovative ideas," said Master Sgt. Jairo Aquino, an operations noncommissioned officer with U.S. Army Europe and Africa. "We need to transport troops, their equipment, and military vehicles such as Strykers and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. During the preparation, I saw how interoperability and cooperation worked among different units and military branches, and I am very satisfied with how everything turned out." To bring troops and equipment to Armenia for Eagle Partner 24, the United States military utilized the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) program. "SAC is a consortium of 12 nations that pooled resources to purchase three C-17 Globemaster IIIs. All 12 nations share the capability of those C-17s," said Lt. Col. Brian Butler, a U.S. Air Force instructor pilot from the Heavy Airlift Wing (HAW). "In the HAW, we are active-duty military members executing missions on behalf of SAC." According to SAC's official page, HAW is a multinational unit of about 150 staff members based at Papa Airbase, Hungary, and operates SAC's C-17s. All 12 member nations staff the HAW proportionally to their allocated annual flight hours, and all are represented in the military unit of the SAC. The member nations of SAC are the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, and the Netherlands. As soon as the troops left the tarmac, the C-17 opened its cargo bay, and the unloading started. It followed strict procedures, as the crew had limited time on the ground. Everyone knew exactly what they needed to do: put the chalk blocks under the tires, push containers, navigate forklifts, measure the correct distance for the cargo ramp stands, change the flooring, and more. Butler continued, "Our standard time on the ground during a mission is 2 hours, but generally, it can be anywhere from 30 minutes. We can offload some cargo while our engines are running. We will open the back of the cargo ramp, offload whatever we have, and then quickly close back up." According to Butler, this is SAC's first mission in Armenia. The same C-17 Globemaster III will fly to Armenia four times in the lead-up to Eagle Partner. Armenia has been a member of NATO's Partnership for Peace program since 1994, and exercise Eagle Partner serves to prepare Armenia to participate in bilateral peacekeeping operations and enhance interoperability between American and Armenian units. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address July 18, 2024 Transcript Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh Holds a Press Briefing Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY SABRINA SINGH: Hello. Good afternoon. All right, just a few things here at the top, and then happy to jump in and take your questions. Yesterday, the Secretary of the Navy exonerated 258 Black sailors who were unjustly court martialed in the wake of the devastating explosion at the Port of Chicago Naval Magazine in California, which killed 320 sailors on July 17, 1944. After a thorough review of the case and related materials, the General Counsel of the Navy concluded that there were significant legal errors during the court's martial and that the defendants were improperly tried together, despite conflicting interests and denied a meaningful right to council. Secretary Austin applauded the Navy's legal review and decision to ensure our service members, our military families and our civilian employees are treated with fairness and dignity, especially within our military justice systems. Switching gears, as you know, US Central Command has been executing operations to surge humanitarian aid into Gaza through air, land, and sea. Yesterday, the Department of Defense announced that the temporary pier or the joint logistics over the shore capability that has been used to surge humanitarian assistance into Gaza through a maritime corridor has concluded its operations. With collaboration from 12 nations, international partners, USAID, and the United Nations, the temporary pier successfully delivered nearly 20 million pounds of aid, which is the highest volume of humanitarian assistance the US military has ever delivered into the Middle East. The temporary pier achieved its goal of providing an additive means of delivering high volumes of humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. In the coming days, CENTCOM will work with USAID to deliver the remaining aid commodities currently afloat to the Port of Ashdod in Israel for onward distribution to Gaza and will provide coordination and liaison support for humanitarian aid deliveries at the request of USAID when appropriate. And finally, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General CQ Brown Jr. met today with the Japanese State Minister of Defense Japan, Chief of Staff, and the chairman of the Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff in Tokyo. The military leaders discussed progress on the trilateral defense relationship, exchanged assessments on the regional security situation, stressed the importance of enhancing close trilateral coordination in response to the provocation posed by the DPRK, and reaffirmed their positions regarding the escalatory, dangerous, and aggressive behavior by the People's Republic of China throughout the region. The Tri-CHOD leaders underscored that US-Japan-ROK security cooperation is critical not only to the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, but also to their shared global interest to ensure peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific, and beyond. And with that, I'd be happy to take your questions. Lita? Q: Hi. Thanks, Sabrina. Can you just clarify a couple of things on the pier? The Army boats were used all along to transfer the aid from the floating dock to the Trident Pier. Will they be used to take aid from the dock if there's any left there to Ashdod at all? Do you know? And I just a couple of points on that. MS. SINGH: Sure. Sorry, just for clarification, which dock are you referring to? That -- the pier itself? Q: They were being used to take aid that was -- the aid came from Cyprus to the big floating dock that was several miles offshore. The army boats were used to take the aid from there to the Trident Pier -- MS. SINGH: -- Oh, I see what you're saying -- Q: -- Right? Are they going to be used to take the aid from the dock--floating dock to Ashdod? MS. SINGH: I believe, from my understanding, it's the aid that's on our ships right now will just be offloaded in Ashdod and then driven by contracted drivers or drivers that the WFP have identified into Israel. I'm not aware that those Army boats will have a role in that because the aid is already on the ships that would then pull into Ashdod and have it be directly transloaded. Q: And are these largely the DOT and commercial ships, or are these also Navy Ships? MS. SINGH: It's my understanding that these are US military ships that are continuing to -- that have the aid. And as you heard Vice Admiral Cooper yesterday say, that we are committed to making sure that the aid that has been transloaded onto our ships is transloaded off of our ships into Ashdod for further distribution into Gaza. Q: So are these ships that are in Cyprus or are these ships that are at the pier? MS. SINGH: I believe these are ships that are making its way or already at the pier. Look, this is ongoing, moving. I believe, also there's, you know, a few million pounds of aid that are on each of our vessels that need to be transloaded off. So, it's going to take some time. We're committed to doing that. But how we do that for more specifics, you know, I direct you to CENTCOM just for -- for more specifics if you want, like, specific ships, but we're just committed to making sure that that aid gets to Gaza. Q: OK. And is that all in addition to the 5 million pounds of aid that that Admiral Cooper yesterday said was still in Cyprus? MS. SINGH: I believe what Admiral Cooper was referring to is there 5 million pounds of aid total between Cyprus and on the ships that will get moved through the Ashdod corridor down into Gaza. So it's a total figure. Q: Last question, will the military be involved at all in what is the future plan now to deliver aid from Cyprus to -- directly to the Ashdod Pier and then from the pier into Gaza? Will the military have a role in that, other than the coordination cell? MS. SINGH: Our role will mainly shift to an advisory role. The - the, in the immediate future, we're going to maintain some coordination elements that have been in place such as the coordination cell that you know is in Cyprus and in Israel. We want to make sure that aid is going to continue to flow into Gaza. But this new route that aid flows through Ashdod will ultimately be managed by USAID and other humanitarian organizations. So I'd include the World Food Program in that as well. Q: OK. So then the coordination cell participation going on -- MS. SINGH: -- Right now, the coordination cell is -- is still stood up and will remain in place for the, you know, for -- for a short time in the immediate. But you know we're -- we're making -- we are working to ensure that all the aid gets into Gaza. And in order to do that from what's on our ships and what's still at Cyprus, that coordination still is still stood up. Yes? Q: Thank you. I have a couple on Ukraine, then one on the Gaza. MS. SINGH: Sure. Q: So we heard Republican Vice President and Mr. Vance has repeatedly argued against military aid to Ukraine. And he said that the US, I quote, "Lacks the capacity to manufacture the amount of weapons Ukraine needs to win the war, in particular 155 millimeter shells and Patriot interceptors. What can you say to that? MS. SINGH: So as you can appreciate, I'm not going to comment on political speeches or the campaign, but I think what you've seen from this department and from this administration is a commitment to Ukraine for as long as it takes, and that's what we're focused on. I think it's important to remember, too, that under this administration, we've invigorated our defense industrial base and we are creating jobs right here at home when it comes to manufacturing 155 millimeter rounds and other capabilities that are not only enhancing our defense industrial base but helping the Ukrainians. I also would push back on the notion that Ukraine can't win this war. We have seen them be incredibly successful on the battlefield. They continue to dig in and push the Russians back. This was never going to be over in a day. This is going to take time and it has taken time and it's going to continue to take time and the support that Ukraine has garnered from all around the world, I think, is a true testament to the United States is also commitment to them. So appreciate the question, but I can only really speak to what the department is doing and what we're committed to doing. Q: Right. Sorry, can you -- do you have a breakdown of how much funding has been allocated from this latest supplemental for military aid packages to Ukraine, and how much is still left? MS. SINGH: I don't have a breakdown on -- from allocations of different PDA packages from the supplemental when it was last authorized. I mean, we've put out a -- a press release every time we've authorized a drawdown package or a USAI. So I just encourage you to look back on what we have announced. I just don't have that breakdown by -- by package in front of me. Q: The latest on the Gaza pier. What ultimately led to the decision to dismantle the pier before all aid from Cyprus arrived in Gaza? And is there a final cost for the Gaza pier? Because we heard Vice Admiral Cooper said it came under -- under cost -- and under cost. MS. SINGH: Yeah, so I'll take the cost first and then can address your other question. In terms of the cost, we're still doing our assessments, so we'll have more to share with you in hopefully the following days and weeks. We do expect it to come a little under budget, but we'll keep you updated. I just don't have a final number on that. In terms of why, well, I mean, again, as we've always said from the beginning, we always said this was going to be a temporary measure that was put into place. We are certainly aware, and -- and as you have reported, on some of the weather conditions and environmental factors that have faced the pier. We know that sea states were going to get worse as the summer progressed. That is something that was always known. But I think what's important to remember is that all the aid that was in Cyprus or has gone to Cyprus has either been transloaded off of that temporary pier or will be moved into Ashdod. So we have moved almost every single piece of aid that has come in through Cyprus. So I think that's very important to remember. I also think that it's important to remember that this pier delivered the highest volume of humanitarian assistance the US military has ever delivered to the Middle East. So, I know there have been criticisms and I know, from some people here in this room, and I know that there have been, you know, some setbacks when it has come to the pier. But at the end of the day, we delivered nearly 20 million pounds of aid and I think -- I think that is a real testament to the commitment of our personnel at CENTCOM, and the commitment to also ensuring that other avenues opened up, such as the Ashdod corridor. Natasha. Q: Thanks, Sabrina. So just one clarifying question. So yesterday, Admiral Cooper, he told reporters that at least for the near term, quote, we expect to use the same vessels that have been transporting aid from Cyprus to the pier, now using those same vessels transporting aid from Cyprus to Ashdod. MS. SINGH: Yeah. Q: But you said a few minutes ago, I think, that it would be mostly an advisory role, so which is it? Is it an advisory role or is it actually the military transporting this aid, continuing to transporting the aid from Cyprus to Ashdod now? MS. SINGH: So, once we complete the transfer of aid of the--I think Admiral Cooper mentioned about five million pounds of aid still needs to be loaded off of our ships. That's when our role will transition into more of an advisory role, but we have to complete that transfer of aid. So it's not like the aid is going to sit on our ships and all of a sudden, it's not going to move off or go anywhere. We're going to help, of course, with off-loading it into Ashdod and then once that aid moves off into Ashdod and moves into Gaza, this is going to be a mission that transitions into a next phase, which will be managed by USAID and other partners. Q: OK. Thanks. MS. SINGH: Yeah. Liz. Q: Thanks. Earlier this week there was some reporting that Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq was targeted by some Iranian proxy drones. Do you have any details of what happened, how many were shot down? MS. SINGH: Yeah. Thanks, Liz, for the question. So that's correct. On July 16th, two one-way attack UAS systems attacked US and coalition forces at Al-Asad Air Base in Iraq. One system was successfully destroyed, and one impacted the base, but it caused minimal damage. Yeah. Konstantine. Q: Thanks. So the National Guard Bureau Chief General Hokanson is retiring in two weeks, I believe. A replacement for him has not been announced. Has the Pentagon sent a recommendation or a name to the White House? MS. SINGH: Yeah. So as you know, all nominations and announcements will come from the White House. I don't have anything to read out today and certainly wouldn't get into conversations that we're having with the White House. But when we have that announcement ready to be made, it will be public. Q: I mean, it looks like we're setting up a situation where there's basically not going to be a transition period between Hokanson and whoever replaces him. Is there any concern from the Pentagon that there's not a replacement ready to go? MS. SINGH: Again, I--no, there is not. Yes, Charlie. Q: Sabrina, forgive me, this question. Is there any reaction from Defense Secretary Austin after President Biden appeared to blank his name in a recent interview? MS. SINGH: I've seen that clip, and I will say that I would urge you to look at the full context of the clip as he was answering a question, I believe more about the administration more broadly, but would refer you to the White House for more of his comments. The secretary has absolute confidence in the president. He was just with the president for at least two days at the NATO summit, spent many, many hours with him in bilateral meetings, was there for his press conference. He has absolute confidence in the president. Q: But no reaction from this specific interview? MS. SINGH: No reaction from the specific interview, other than that he has absolute confidence in the president. Q: Thank you. MS. SINGH: Yeah. Yes. Q: Thank you, Sabrina. Recently, UNRWA has been announced that five of their schools in Gaza has been targeted by the Israeli military in the last 10 days, and these schools were using as a refugee camps. So these strikes came despite of calls from Secretary Austin to his Israeli counterpart to take all necessary steps to minimize civilian harm. Do you believe that the Israelis take this warning seriously? And what do you say about that? MS. SINGH: So I haven't seen, and I apologize, I haven't seen the exact reports that you're referencing. We do believe that the Israelis do take our concerns seriously. Civilian casualties and the need to reduce civilian casualties is a topic of conversation on almost every single call that the Secretary has done with Minister Gallant, and that continues not just at his level but at other levels throughout this building and the interagency. So it's something that we take very seriously. We think our concerns are being heard. We have seen behaviors change. There is absolutely the need and there must be more done, but I just can't address those specific reports. Unfortunately, I just haven't seen them. Yeah. Yeah, Noah. Q: I'm wondering if you have any reaction to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, saying that they were shutting down talks with us on arms control in response to objections over weapons sales to Taiwan. Have you seen that statement? And do you have any thoughts on the future of arms [inaudible] going forward? MS. SINGH: Yeah. I'm just not going to respond to the statement, but I can tell you that we have a commitment to the One China policy. You've seen the secretary continue to raise concerns about the PRC's behavior within the region. And as I read out at the top, the chairman was just there in the region, not only deepening ties there, but also raising concerns about some of the behavior and activity that we're seeing. So I'll just leave it at that. Q: There was-- MS. SINGH: Oh, yeah, go ahead. Q: --also some confusion on when they were actually paused, whether it took place earlier in the summer after new President Lai's speech in Taiwan or whether it actually was cut yesterday or this week. Do you have any sense on that? MS. SINGH: Yeah, I'm just not going to be able to provide more on that but thank you. Yes. Q: Thanks. I wanted to ask if you could give us an update, if possible, on the AUKUS agreement. Are there any next steps? I thought I heard plans to make an announcement this fall. I don't know if that was under pillar two or just other steps in the AUKUS agreement. MS. SINGH: I don't have any announcements today, but certainly when it comes to AUKUS, and I know that something that has been of interest, we always of course make those and read those out, but I just don't have anything for you today. Q: Thank you. MS. SINGH: Yeah, of course. Yes. Q: Thank you, Sabrina. With the attack on Al-Asad Airbase, do you know specifically which group launched the attack? MS. SINGH: No, I don't have specifics to name--or I don't have a specific group. We know that these are IRGC backed militias that have launched these attacks on US forces in the past. Most likely than not it is one of those affiliate groups, but I can't give you specifics other than that. Q: One more. From a military perspective, how do you look at the attempts by Turkey and Syria to normalize their relations? Does it come up with any US post change in case these two states reach to a point that normalize their ties? MS. SINGH: Yeah. I just don't have anything for you on that. We have our own relationship with Turkey. We'll continue to engage our counterparts there, but I just don't have more for you on that one. Liz. Q: Thanks. Just to follow up on that Al-Assad attack. MS. SINGH: Sure. Q: Was this the first attack on a US military base in the Middle East since February? MS. SINGH: Yes, that's correct.* Q: And is there any sense that these attacks from these proxy groups are going to resume or do you think this was a one off? MS. SINGH: Can't predict the future. As you know, I wouldn't also speculate on that and can't get into intelligence matters, but we certainly don't want to see these attacks resume on our forces and we've made that clear, both publicly and privately. I can't speculate on the future of--we're always going to take measures to protect our forces and I'll just leave it at that. OK. Yes, Jared, and then I'll hop over to-- Q: Real quick follow up on the Al-Asad attack. MS. SINGH: Sure. Q: Has the United States responded to this in any way or are there plans to do so? MS. SINGH: Well, we shot down one of the UAS systems, so I think that would be a response. I'm not going to get ahead of any military decisions or operations. Mosh. Q: Have there been any attacks in Syria, as well? MS. SINGH: There was not an attack. The US and coalition forces did destroy one uncrewed aerial system near Green Village, but we don't have an assessment of what the intended target was. So I wouldn't say that--I wouldn't characterize that as an attack, but they did destroy it out of an abundance of caution. Q: An incident did happen in Syria? MS. SINGH: Yes. Yes, an incident did happen in Syria. Our forces did shoot down one UAS system. But again, it's unclear what the intended target was. And there was no injuries, no damage to infrastructure resulting from this. OK. Matt and then I'll go into the back. Q: Just staying on that topic. MS. SINGH: Sure. Q: Can you say anything about Iran's possible role in that attack? We talk about these Iran backed groups. Is it just broadly Iran backed, or do you think they had any more direct hand in this particular attack? MS. SINGH: I don't have any more information. I think we can assess that these are Iranian backed groups that launched this attack. We've seen this behavior before. We certainly don't want to see an escalation on our forces in the region, and so we're going to, of course, take the proper measures that we need to ensure their safety and security, but I don't have more for you other than that. Q: Thanks. MS. SINGH: OK. Lita and then one more in the back. Q: Just to clarify, wasn't there an attack on a US base in Syria in April? MS. SINGH: I believe we did shoot down something in April, but I don't know that the intended target was the base. Q: OK. Because I thought that this was the first attack since April. You're saying it's the first since-- MS. SINGH: I'm tracking it since February. * Yes. Yeah. Yes. One more. Q: Thank you. Regarding to the attacks on the [inaudible] base, have you communicated with the Iraqi government? And do you believe that they are doing enough to stop these kinds of attacks? And did you get any signs, like before these attacks happened from the Iraqi government, or the officials there? MS. SINGH: We have a great partnership with the Iraqi government. I'm not going to get into private conversations, as we never do from the podium. But we believe that we -- you know, we're taking the proper measures to ensure security and safety of our forces. We'll continue to engage our Iraqi partners on the ground, but I don't have more for you. All right. OK. Thanks, everyone. [Eds. Note: In April, there was an attack at Rumalyn Landing Zone in Syria on April 21 and an attack near Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq on April 22 in EST.] https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3843602/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address July 18, 2024 By Jim Garamone, DOD News NATO Nations Face Challenges to Defend the Alliance, Cavoli Says The NATO nations face challenges in defending all alliance territory from aggression, said Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, supreme allied commander Europe and commander of U.S. European Command. Cavoli spoke at the Aspen Security Forum today and said the NATO alliance is in the midst of a major change in focus and readiness. "There is a lot of work to be done, and there are big challenges looming some of them are right in our face, right now," the general said. That looming threat, of course, is Russia, but Cavoli cannot ignore challenges on the horizon, and that includes China. The general gave an explanation of the situation in Europe since he became NATO's combatant commander just after the Madrid Summit in 2022. At that summit, NATO leaders immediately implemented a strategy to deter Russia and to defend the alliance's territory. "This was an enormous sea change," Cavoli said. "That was the business we were in during the Cold War, but after the Cold War, it was no longer necessary, and we turned our attention to out-of-area operations." Those operations in the Balkans, Kosovo and Afghanistan allowed NATO nations to field smaller forces who would deploy for specific times. "[The deployments] happened on a very predictable basis, which allowed for a cyclical force-generating process that allowed us to take many, many economies everyplace else, except for the unit that was deployed," he said. "All the nations and NATO happily took the peace dividend and built a force that was optimized for that sort of operation." Russia launched its second invasion of its Ukrainian neighbor, and that force-generating process was instantly outdated. NATO had to focus once again on collective territorial defense. "We need standing forces, and at standing levels of readiness, geographically focused on specific areas," Cavoli said. "So, we wrote ... operational plans to do this." These plans are for northwest Europe, the center of Europe and in southeast Europe, and they are "classical plans that describe how to defend a certain piece of geography, with what forces and what methods," the general said. "This has led to a huge raft of advances that we're working on in NATO right now." Among the biggest is the need for many more NATO troops ready to fight when needed. This requires money and Cavoli is encouraged by alliance progress in meeting the 2% of gross domestic product that now 23 nations have met. Since Madrid, the nations also now "have a shopping list for military requirements," Cavoli said. "That shopping list had been put into place. It has been embraced by nations, who are spending the money to do something about it." On the military side, the alliance has also changed command and control, the exercise program the force posture across Europe. "All of these things are really going to lead us to a healthier alliance that's focused on the core task of collective territorial defense," he said. Supporting Ukraine is vital for U.S. and European security, Cavoli said. But people need to consider what's next. "We can't be under any illusions: At the end of a conflict in Ukraine however, it concludes we are going to have a very big Russia problem," the general said. "We are going to have a situation where Russia is reconstituting its force, is located on the borders of NATO, is led by largely the same people as it is right now, is convinced that we're the adversary, and is very, very angry." NATO must continue to support Ukraine now and must prepare for the inevitable end of the war in that country. Americans need to understand that Europeans see Russia's invasion of Ukraine as an existential threat. "I think it is underappreciated in ... the United States, just how much our European allies have awakened to the fact that the house is on fire," Cavoli said. "This is not a show, and this is not just rhetoric. This is true concern about the stability of their continent, and the survival of their states." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address July 18, 2024 By Joseph Clark, DOD News Brown Meets With Japanese, South Korean Counterparts in Tokyo Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., today emphasized the importance of continuing to advance the trilateral defense relationship among the U.S., South Korea and Japan during meetings with his counterparts from the countries in Tokyo. Brown said the three countries have made long strides in enhancing their security cooperation following the August 2023 Camp David summit and said continued progress is critical amid increasing challenges in the Indo-Pacific. "We have a responsibility to continue that momentum," Brown said as he met with Japan's Gen. Yoshida Yoshihide, chief of staff of the Joint Staff, and South Korean Adm. Kim Myung-soo, chairman of that country's Joint Chiefs of Staff. "We've done well in the course of the past year, and I look forward to the work that we will continue to do together." Brown and his counterparts met as part of the Trilateral Chiefs of Defense meeting, a key component of the U.S., South Korea and Japan's security cooperation dialogue, which also includes separate exchanges between the countries' defense ministers. This year's meeting of defense chiefs was the first time the exchange has been held in Japan. It followed last summer's summit with President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, which paved the way for what White House officials called "a new era of trilateral partnership" among the three countries. The three heads of state agreed to a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening security cooperation through enhanced interoperability, information sharing and coordination. The summit also paved the way for improved cooperation on ballistic missile defense and a multiyear framework for annual, trilateral exercises. Since the summit, the three countries have made concrete progress in the exchange of real-time, missile-warning data to detect and assess ballistic missiles launched by North Korea. This summer, the U.S., Japan and South Korea also completed the first iteration of Freedom Edge, a trilateral, multidomain exercise focused on cooperative ballistic missile defense, air defense, antisubmarine warfare, search and rescue, and maritime interdiction. Today, the defense chiefs stressed that interoperability and cooperation among their forces is essential to upholding the rules-based international order and ensuring a shared vision of peace and security. The leaders highlighted the challenges posed by China's increasingly dangerous and aggressive behavior and that country's attempts to change the status quo by force in the region. The leaders also noted North Korea's continued development of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, the leaders said, also continues to pose global security challenges and they noted North Korea's deepening military ties with Russia raise serious concerns for the stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. "In this perspective, it is extremely important for us three nations to demonstrate our strong unity, domestically and globally, to ensure regional peace and stability," Yoshida said. During the talks, the defense chiefs exchanged assessments on the regional security situation, reviewed progress on trilateral information sharing, and discussed ways to further deepen security cooperation, according to a summary of the talks. The leaders pledged to remain in close consultation and continue to collectively advance peace and security in the region and beyond. "I expect that the three of us sitting here in Tokyo today will send a message to regional threats, but also, more globally, on the strength of our relationship, our alliances and the work that we need to continue to do together," Brown said. Brown's exchange with his counterparts in Japan caps his second visit to the Indo-Pacific as chairman. Earlier in the week, Brown met with Philippine National Security Advisor Eduardo M. Ano, Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr., and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. in Manila, Philippines, to discuss ongoing efforts to further strengthen the longtime U.S-Philippine alliance. The leaders discussed bilateral security assistance and the importance of maritime domain awareness. They also shared their assessment of the regional security environment and the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, according to a summary of the meetings. Brown's trip to the Indo-Pacific follows key engagements with his global counterparts during the NATO summit earlier this month in Washington and last month's African Chiefs of Defense Conference in Botswana. His engagements with his counterparts in the Indo-Pacific, as with those in regions throughout the globe, are "a key part of a partnership and building trust with our allies and partners," Brown said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address European Political Community: Press remarks by the High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell before the meeting European External Action Service (EEAS) 18.07.2024 Oxfordshire EEAS Press Team Check against delivery! Good morning, The meeting with the European Political Community is a great occasion for the Europeans - in the large sense - to discuss about the challenges and threats that we are facing. We are facing two wars, in Ukraine and in Gaza; we are facing foreign interference in our electoral processes - and everywhere. We have to defend our democracy and face these challenges. We have to continue supporting Ukraine; I am sure that the Leaders [of EPC participating countries] will discuss how to do it in order to get to peace. But not any kind of peace, not peace that comes from the surrender of Ukraine, [but rather] peace based on international law and respecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Certainly, we will also discuss the situation in the Middle East, the war in Gaza, which is going beyond any kind of humanity and war laws. We have to engage politically on a ceasefire, release of hostages, humanitarian support, and looking for a political solution that, from the European point of view, can only be based on a Two-states solution. I fully agree with what the new Foreign Affairs Minister of the United Kingdom, my colleague and friend [David] Lammy has said during his visit to Tel Aviv: supporting the two-state solution as the only viable solution for a sustainable peace in the Middle East. Unhappily, yesterday the Knesset has voted against that, against the Palestinian state. Well then, if they do not want the two-state solution, what do they want? Which is their solution? If they reject this solution, they have to propose another solution. Which are their plans for the millions of Palestinians who are living inside the occupied territories? If they reject the two-state solution that the whole international community is supporting, then which is the alternative solution? We have to say it. I reject this solution, and I propose another one. Which is the different one? It cannot be based only on permanent peace and security. If we want to build peace, a sustainable peace, we have to offer a political solution and a political horizon for the Palestinian people too. Rejecting any kind of terrorism and ensuring the security of defence as the United Nations resolution has been saying for many years. I hope this will also be discussed by the Europeans at large. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement at the European Parliament Plenary by President Ursula von der Leyen, candidate for a second mandate 2024-2029 European Commission Statement 18 July 2024 Strasbourg "Check against delivery" Dear President Metsola, dear Roberta, Let, me first congratulate you from the bottom of my heart for your re-nomination. Your success is a mirror of the outstanding work you have been doing in this House of European Democracy. Honourable Members, It is now five years since I first came to ask for your confidence. Five years like no other in our Union's history. I will always remember the spine-tingling moments we shared together in this hemicycle. From standing in front of you, asking for your confidence five years ago to proposing NextGenerationEU. From the appearances of President Zelenskyy when even the translators could not hold back their tears to the empty chair poignantly left out for Alexei Navalny as his daughter spoke on his behalf. From the moments of silence for those we lost in the pandemic to the moments of song for the Ode to Joy or Auld Lang Syne. And I will never forget the last words of David Sassoli calling for a more united Europe. This Parliament understands the weight of this moment's history. Honourable Members, Choices are the hinges of destiny. And in a world full of adversity, Europe's destiny hinges on what we do next. Despite the momentous things we have done and overcome, Europe now faces a clear choice. A choice which will shape our work for 5 years and define our place in the world for the next 50. The choice comes down to whether we will be shaped by events and the world around us or whether we will come together and build our future for ourselves. And that choice is ours. Europe cannot control dictators and demagogues across the world, but it can choose to protect its own democracy. Europe cannot determine elections across the world, but it can choose to invest in the security and defence of its own continent. Europe cannot stop change, but it can choose to embrace it by investing in a new age of prosperity and improving our quality of life. But, Honourable Members, for us to choose the Europe of tomorrow, we must acknowledge how people feel today. We are in a period of deep anxiety and uncertainty for Europeans. Families are feeling the pain from the cost of living and housing. Young people are concerned about the planet, their future and the prospect of war. Companies and farmers are feeling squeezed. All of this is a symptom of a world in which everything is weaponised and contested. Where there is a clear attempt to divide and polarise our societies. I am deeply concerned about these trends. But I am convinced that Europe - a strong Europe - can rise to the challenge. And this is why I am asking for your confidence today. Because, just like you, I came into politics to make a difference for all of society to deliver for the generation of my children and grandchildren, like those who came before us did. I am convinced that the version of Europe since the end of World War II, with all of its imperfections and inequalities, is still the best version in history. I will never stand by and watch it be torn apart from the inside or the outside. I will never let the extreme polarisation of our societies become accepted. And I will never accept that demagogues and extremists destroy our European way of life. And I stand here today ready to lead this fight with all of the democratic forces here in this House. Honourable Members, This is the vision I have set out in my Political Guidelines. A vision of a stronger Europe that delivers prosperity, that protects people and that defends democracy. A stronger Europe that delivers social fairness and supports people. A stronger Europe that implements what it agrees in a fair way. And that sticks to the targets of the European Green Deal with pragmatism, technology-neutrality and innovation. I have listened carefully to the democratic forces in this Parliament and I am convinced that these Guidelines reflect how much we have in common, despite the differences that are healthy in any democracy. Honourable Members, Our first priority will be prosperity and competitiveness. In the last five years, we have weathered the fiercest storm in our Union's economic history. We have emerged stronger from the shock of lockdowns, and we have overcome an unprecedented energy crisis. We did this together, and I believe we can be proud of it. But we also know that our competitiveness needs a major boost. The fundamentals of the global economy are changing. Those who stand still will fall behind. Those who are not competitive will be dependent. The race is on and I want Europe to switch gear. And this starts with making business easier and faster. We need to deepen our Single Market across the board. We need less reporting, less bureaucracy, and more trust, better enforcement and faster permitting. And I will ensure that we are accountable for this. Because only what gets measured gets done. Therefore, I will task each Commissioner to deep dive in their portfolio, and to deliver concretely on burden reduction. And I will appoint a Vice-President to coordinate this work and to report on progress to this House once a year. I will also introduce a revamped SME and competitiveness check as part of our Better Regulation toolbox. We all know there is no Europe without SMEs. They are the heart of our economy. Therefore, let us get rid of the burdensome micromanagement, and give them more trust and better incentives. Honourable Members, Let me give you some figures. To start: in the first half of this year, 50% of our electricity generation came from renewables - home-grown and clean. Investments in clean technologies in Europe have more than tripled in this mandate. We attract more investments in clean hydrogen than the US and China combined. Finally, in the last years, we have concluded with global partners 35 new agreements on clean tech, hydrogen and critical raw materials. This is the European Green Deal in action. So I want to be clear. We will stay the course on our new growth strategy and the goals we set for 2030 and 2050. Our focus now will be on implementation and investment to make it happen on the ground. This is why I will put forward a new Clean Industrial Deal in the first 100 days. It will channel investment in infrastructure and industry, in particular for energy-intensive sectors. This will help create lead markets in everything from clean steel to clean tech and it will speed up planning, tendering, and permitting. We must be faster and simpler. Because Europe is decarbonising and industrialising at the same time. Our companies need predictability, for their investments and innovation. And yes, they can rely on us. In this logic, we will enshrine our 90% target for 2040 in our European Climate Law. Our companies need to plan their investments for the coming decade already today. And this is not only about business. For our young people, 2030, 2040, 2050 is around the corner. They know that we have to reconcile climate protection with a prosperous economy. And they would never forgive us if we do not rise to the challenge. So, this is not only a matter of competitiveness, but also a matter of intergenerational fairness. The young people deserve it. The new Clean Industrial Deal will also help bring down energy bills. We all know that structurally high energy prices hamper our competitiveness. And high energy bills are a major driver of energy poverty for people. I have not forgotten how Putin blackmailed us by cutting us off from Russian fossil fuels. But we withstood together. We invested massively in homegrown cheap renewables. And this enabled us to break free from dirty Russian fossil fuels. Therefore, together, we will ensure that the era of dependency on Russian fossil fuels is over. Once and for all. Honourable Members, Europe needs more investment, from farming to industry, from digital to strategic technologies but also more investment in people and their skills. This mandate has to be the time of investment. This starts with completing our Capital Markets Union and mobilising more private financing. Every year EUR 300 billion of European families' savings go from Europe to foreign markets, because our capital market is too fragmented. And then this money is often used to buy innovative European companies from abroad. This has to change. We need to leverage this enormous wealth to create growth here in Europe. This is why we will propose a European Savings and Investments Union. European start-ups should not need to look at the US or Asia to finance their expansion. They must find what they need to grow right here in Europe. We need a deep and liquid capital market. And we need a competition policy that supports companies to scale up. Europe must be the home of opportunity and innovation. Honourable Members, To unleash private investment, we also need public funding. Yes, we have the resources in NextGenerationEU and the current budget. But this will come to an end within the next few years. While our investment needs will not. We need more investment capacity. Our new budget will be reinforced. It must be more focused on policies, simpler for Member States and more impactful, so that we use its power to leverage more private and public financing. And I will propose a new European Competitiveness Fund. It will be focused on common and cross-border European projects that will drive competitiveness and innovation - notably to support the Clean Industrial Deal. It will ensure that we develop strategic tech and manufacture it here, in Europe. So, from AI to clean tech, the future of our prosperity must be made in Europe. Honourable Members, We must also invest more in our security and defence. Russia is still on the offensive in East Ukraine. They are banking on a war of attrition, on making the next winter even harsher than the last. Russia is banking on Europe and the West going soft. And some, in Europe, are playing along. Two weeks ago, an EU Prime Minister went to Moscow. This so-called peace mission was nothing but an appeasement mission. Only two days later, Putin's jets aimed their missiles at a children's hospital and maternity ward in Kyiv. We all saw the images of children covered in blood, and mothers trying to bring young cancer patients to safety. That strike was not a mistake. It was a message. A chilling message from the Kremlin to all of us. So, Honourable Members, our answer has to be just as clear. No one wants peace more than the people of Ukraine. A just and lasting peace for a free and independent country. And Europe will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. Honourable Members, We must give Ukraine everything it needs to resist and prevail. This implies making fundamental choices for our future. For the first time in decades our freedom is under threat. It is our responsibility to do all that is necessary to protect our European citizens. Protecting Europe is Europe's duty. I believe now is therefore the time to build a true European Defence Union. Yes, I know there are some who are perhaps uncomfortable with the idea. But what we should be uncomfortable about are the threats to our security. Let us be clear: Member States will retain responsibility for their national security and their armies. And NATO will remain the pillar of our collective defence. But we all know very well that our spending on defence is too low and ineffective. Our foreign spending is too great. We must therefore create a single market for defence. We must invest more in high-end defence capabilities. In other words, Europe must continue along the path laid down by the Versailles Declaration. We need to invest more. We need to invest together. And we must set up common European projects. For example, a comprehensive aerial defence system - a European Air Shield, not only to protect our airspace but as a strong symbol of European unity in defence matters. Honourable Members, Security is not only about external threats. Cyber and hybrid threats are growing. Organised criminal networks are infiltrating our economy; most of them use corruption. They are causing fear and innocent people's death with their brutal violence. They earn enormous amounts of money from drug trafficking, ransomware, fraud, trafficking in human beings and they are not limited by national borders. It is necessary that we respond to this growing threat on a European level. We must make sure that police can work across Europe without borders. This is why I will propose to double Europol's staff and strengthen its mandate. I want Europol to become a truly operational police agency. And we must also do more to secure our external borders. Our Eastern Border in particular has become a target for hybrid attacks and provocations. Russia is luring migrants from Yemen up north and pushing them deliberately against the Finnish border. We should always keep in mind that a Member State's border is a European border. And we will do everything we can to make them stronger. This is part of the reason why we must strengthen Frontex. To make it more effective, while fully respecting fundamental rights, I will propose to triple the number of European border and coastguards to 30,000. More secure borders will also help us to manage migration in a more structured and fair way. The Migration and Asylum Pact is a huge step forward. We put solidarity at the heart of our common response. Migration challenges need a European response with a fair and firm approach based on our values. Always remembering that migrants are human beings like you and me. And all of us, we are protected by human rights. Many pessimists thought that migration was too divisive to agree on. But we proved them wrong. Together we made it. And we have emerged stronger from it. Now, we must collectively focus on implementation and on supporting Member States in making it a reality on the ground. And there will be more to do. We need a common approach on returns, to make them more effective and dignified. And we need to develop our comprehensive partnerships, in particular across our Southern neighbourhood. The Mediterranean region should get undivided attention. This is why I will appoint a Commissioner for the region, and propose a new Agenda for the Mediterranean together with Kaja Kallas. Because the future of the two Mediterranean shores is one and the same. Honourable Members, Our neighbourhood is home to our future. Inviting countries into our Union is a moral, a historical and a political responsibility. It is an enormous geostrategic responsibility for Europe. Because in today's world a larger Union will be a stronger Union. It will strengthen our voice in the world. It will help reduce our dependencies. And it will ensure that democracy, prosperity and stability spread across Europe. We will support candidates, by working on investment and reforms and integrating them where we can into our legal frameworks. Accession will always be a merit-based process. And we will ensure that all countries are ready, before joining. But completing our Union is also in our core interest. And it will be a core priority for my Commission. History is calling once again. The Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia have made their free choice. They have chosen freedom over oppression. They have chosen democracy over dependency. And some of them are paying a high price for this choice. So we must make our choice, and show steadfast commitment. Their future will be free and prosperous, inside our Union. Honourable Members, Europe has a responsibility to play an active role in the world, starting in our neighbourhood and in particular in the Middle East. I want to be clear: the bloodshed in Gaza must stop now. Too many children, women and civilians have lost their lives as a result of Israel's response to Hamas' brutal terror. The people of Gaza cannot bear any more. Humanity cannot bear it. We need an immediate and enduring ceasefire. We need the release of Israeli hostages. And we need to prepare the day after. Europe must play its part. We have massively increased our humanitarian aid to almost EUR 200 million in 2024. And we will do more. We are now working on a much larger multi-year package to support an effective Palestinian Authority. The two-state solution is the best way to ensure security of both, to Israelis and Palestinians. People in the Middle East deserve peace, security and prosperity. And Europe will be at their side. Honourable Members, Europe offers a unique quality of life. From comprehensive social security to first-class regional food products. Rapeseed fields, vineyards and fruit orchards not only mean good food and drink, they are also part of our homeland. And that is why the future of agriculture is such an important and sensitive issue for us in Europe. We must overcome differences and develop good solutions together with all stakeholders. That is why I launched the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of Agriculture in Europe. It brings farmers, environmental groups and experts from across the food chain to the table. I have promised to listen to them carefully and to learn from them. And I shall do so. I will take on board good recommendations and present a new European strategy for our agriculture and the food sector. I will make sure that farmers receive a fair income. No one should be forced to sell good food below production costs. We must strengthen the position of our farmers in the food industry value chain. And we need smarter incentives and more innovation and access to capital. Anyone who manages nature and biodiversity in a sustainable way and helps to balance the carbon budget must be properly rewarded. Our farmers shape our landscapes. They shape the face of Europe. They are part of our culture. They provide food security. And we are proud of them. That is why we must work together to tackle the problems bearing down on them. They feel climate change. Every year they are more and more affected by extreme weather and water scarcity. Temperatures in Europe are rising twice as fast as the global average. We are already seeing the devastating effects on fields and in forests. The face of our rural communities is changing. We must do more to ensure that our farmers are better prepared for what climate change holds in store for us. That is why I will present a plan for agriculture to address the need to adapt to climate change and, in parallel, a strategy for sustainable management of the precious resource of water. Not only our food security depends on it, but also our overall competitiveness. Honourable Members, Our quality of life and our very social fabric are unique. We made historic steps forward on our Pillar of Social Rights - from minimum wages to the first-ever Child Guarantee. During the pandemic, we saved 40 million jobs with SURE. And we can be proud of that. But many new challenges have emerged - from the impact of AI to mental health at work and new drivers of poverty. We need a new action plan for the implementation of the Pillar. We must ensure fair transitions and good working conditions for workers and self-employed people. And crucial for that is Social Dialogue - the hallmark of our social market economy. We will therefore work to increase collective bargaining and strengthen European Social Dialogue. And we will address those issues that Europeans feel the most in their daily lives. Take housing. Europe faces a housing crisis, with people of all ages and families of all sizes affected. Prices and rents are soaring. People are struggling to find affordable homes. This is why, for the first time, I will appoint a Commissioner with direct responsibility for housing. We will develop a European Affordable Housing Plan, to look at all the drivers of the crisis and to help unlock the private and public investment needed. Typically, housing is not seen as a European issue. Some might say we should not get involved. But I want this Commission to support people where it matters the most. If it matters to Europeans, it matters to Europe. Honourable Members, This is how we can strengthen our society. This means ensuring that every region, in every part of Europe, is supported. No one is left behind. I am committed to a strong cohesion policy, designed together with regions and local authorities. I want Europe to be the best place to grow up in, and the best place to grow old in. We must enable young people to make the most of Europe's freedoms, from a stronger Erasmus+ to more citizen engagement. But we must also do more to protect young people. Childhood and teenage years are the time when our character is formed, our personality develops, and our brain is shaped by triggers and emotions. This is a time of amazing development but also real vulnerability. And we see more and more reporting on what some call a mental health crisis. We need to get to the bottom of this. I believe social media, and excessive screen time and addictive practices, have played their part. My heart bleeds when I read about young people harming themselves or even taking their lives because of online abuse. I think of those last moments and the pain they must have felt. I think of their parents and their friends. And this is devastating. We can never accept this in our society. We will tackle the plague of cyber-bullying. We will take action against the addictive design of some platforms. And we will convene the first-ever European-wide enquiry on the impact of social media on the wellbeing of young people. We owe it to them. And we will not rest until we have done right by them. Honourable Members, One of the most fundamental choices we face is what kind of society we want for our children and grandchildren. And in particular for our daughters and granddaughters. On women's rights, we have achieved together the unthinkable, thanks to the amazing solidarity in this House of European Democracy, across party lines. After ten years of struggle, we have unblocked the Women on Boards Directive. We have achieved huge progress on pay transparency - there is not the slightest reason why women should be paid less than men for the same work. But there is still so much to do. Stop the rise in violence against women. Reconcile care and career, not only for women, but women are mostly affected. Close the pay and pensions gap. It is no coincidence that poverty in old age has a female face. And there is much more to do. So let us work together to develop a Roadmap for Women's Rights. Let us keep moving forward. If not now, then when? Honourable Members, Democracy is our common treasure. It is the forum in which our differences and disagreements can be voiced. And it is as vital as it is fragile. For a very long time, we took it for granted. We became democrats of comfort. But today our democracies are under threat. For more than two years, Russia has been relentlessly waging war on European soil, in Ukraine. Throughout the EU and within our institutions, our services and journalists - whose work I wish to commend here - have been uncovering cases of spying, cyber-attacks, corruption and disinformation by foreign actors, in particular the Russians and Chinese. The threat level and the level of hybrid attacks have not been so high for decades. At the Commission, we are very much aware of this and have been taking responsible action for several years. A major analysis has been conducted and the first effective tools have been rolled out, in close cooperation with Member States. But we must go further. We must prevent hostile foreign actors from interfering in our democratic processes, undermining them and, ultimately, destroying them. To do this, we must take strong measures at European level. If you lend me your confidence today, the Commission will propose a European Democracy Shield. The EU needs its own dedicated structure for countering foreign information manipulation and interference. It will pool all expertise and link up and coordinate with existing national agencies. Intelligence and detection capabilities must be bolstered, together with the ability to act and impose sanctions. The Shield will take into account recommendations from the work of the special committees on foreign interference, to better protect our democracies. There is an urgent need to provide the European Union with powerful cyber-defence tools, to impose transparency on foreign funding of our public life as a common rule, but also to guarantee a reliable information framework. For this, the EU must support an independent press, continue to ensure rules are observed by digital giants, and further encourage media literacy programmes. European democracy must be more participative, more vibrant. Civil society must be better supported and defended. I know I can count on your support to realise this major plan to defend European democracy. Honourable Members, But we will also step up our work on defending all parts of our democracy. We will protect our free media and civil society. The rule of law and the fight against corruption will be at the heart of our work. We will strengthen all of our tools and we will step up our enforcement. We will ensure our Rule of Law Report focuses on the Single Market dimension to help protect companies. And we will keep to a very clear principle in our budget. Respecting the rule of law is a must for EU funds. In this budget, and in the future, with the conditionality mechanism. It is non-negotiable. Because this is the core of our European way of life. Honourable Members, Our Union and our democracy are constant work in progress. And there is more that we can do. We need an ambitious reform agenda to ensure the functioning of a larger Union and to increase democratic legitimacy. While reforms were necessary before, with enlargement they become indispensable. We must use this as a catalyst for change in terms of our capacity to act, our policies and our budget. We will of course focus on what we can already do, of which there is a lot. But we should be more ambitious. I believe we need Treaty change where it can improve our Union. And I want to work on that with this House. And this will be part of a closer partnership between the Commission and the Parliament. I have listened to your demands and concerns. I continue to support your right of initiative and we will increase our cooperation on Article 225 Resolutions to ensure we follow up. So I am ready to work on all parts of our partnership. We need to revise the Framework Agreement to ensure more transparency, more accountability and more presence in the Parliament. When all institutions move together, Europe moves forward too. Honourable Members, At the start of his second mandate Jacques Delors said: Notre Communaute est non seulement le fruit de l'histoire et de la necessite, mais aussi de la volonte. This is the fundamental choice that we face. History will keep knocking on Europe's door. The need for Europe will be stronger than ever. Our determination has to match it. This is what has brought our continent together. Not the inscrutable forces of fate, but the power of people striving for more. Like the three prisoners on Ventotene Island in the 40s who laid out the vision of a united continent. And the post-war generation, who built peace on coal and steel. People who stood unarmed in the face of Soviet tanks, who put carnations into rifles, and tore down a wall with their bare hands. People who still risk their life today, for this dream called Europe. Generation after generation have made Europe, have chosen a strong Europe. And now that responsibility is up to us. The last five years have shown what we can do together. Let us do it again. Let us make the choice of strength. Let us make the choice of leadership. Let us make the choice of Europe. Thank you and long live Europe. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese FM strongly opposes Vietnam's unilateral claims on the South China Sea Global Times By Global Times Published: Jul 18, 2024 08:20 PM Vietnam unilaterally presented to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) its Submission on the Limits of the Extended Continental Shelf in the South China Sea. The claims made by Vietnam cover parts of China's Nansha Qundao, which infringes on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday. China firmly opposes it and has made serious protests to Vietnam, said Lin. The claims violate international law including the UN Charter and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and breach the Agreement on Basic Principles Guiding the Settlement of Sea-related Issues between China and Vietnam and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea jointly signed by China and ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, said Lin. According to the Rules of Procedure of the CLCS, submissions will not be considered where a dispute exists, which means the CLCS will not examine or qualify relevant submissions of Vietnam and the Philippines on delimitation. Such submissions do not have any practical effect but will only accentuate differences and exacerbate frictions, which will in no way help resolve the disputes, according to the spokesperson. China will remain committed to properly handling disputes in the South China Sea through dialogue and consultation with relevant parties, Lin noted. In June, the Philippines announced that it has submitted information to the CLCS on the extent of its undersea shelf in the South China Sea where it sought to have the exclusive right to exploit resources according to the UNCLOS. The Philippines' unilateral submission on the extent of its undersea shelf in the South China Sea infringes on China's sovereign rights and jurisdiction, violates international law, including the UNCLOS, and goes against the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, the spokesperson said on June 17. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Full-blown conflict in South China Sea not in US interests, say experts as US senators advise Biden to make 'visible' support to Philippines Global Times By GT staff reporters Published: Jul 19, 2024 01:01 AM Some US senators have been caught stoking US interference toward disputes in the South China Sea between China and the Philippines, by calling for the Biden administration to make "visible and concrete demonstrations" of support the Philippines. Senators Jim Risch, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Roger Wicker, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to Biden asking that he immediately present response options to show more support to Manila, rather than just limiting their response to verbal assurances. Observers reached by the Global Times warned that the US should not be led by political forces who's only motive is to poison ties with China and provoke regional tensions. A full-blown conflict in the #SouthChinaSea does not align with interests of the US, adding that the Philippines is not the right chess piece to move against China with. In the US, there are long-standing political forces that view China with a deep-rooted sense of hostility. They oppose anything associated with China and push for increased pressure on the US government regarding Chinese affairs, Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Thursday. While these senators may not officially represent the US government, we should be wary of allowing these individuals to dominate the discussion on matters concerning China, Ding said. The assurance that if the Philippines is attacked that US mutual defense commitments would be invoked serves only as a protective carapace for the Philippines take provoke China in the South China Sea. Questions marks remain when it comes to whether the US would to become directly involved in disputes with China, and how the treaty would be invoked, observer said. The US has repeatedly said that an attack on the Philippines would invoke the US mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. The US government sees regional security issues or hotspots stemming from the advancement of American interests. The likelihood of the US taking action for the sake of certain islands or a crumbling ship on the Ren'ai Reef is minimal. For the US, stepping in to defend the Philippines against China, a major economy and nuclear power does not align with its own interests, Ding said. The US will definitely take into account the benefit the alliance defense treaty has for the US, the expert added. The US government may wish to have more "visible" presence in the South China Sea but does the US really want to risk a direct military conflict with China? Questioned Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies. "The US' real strategy is to increase the costs of China's maritime activity, alliance building , while damaging its international image," Chen told the Global Times on Thursday. "Especially given the current presidential election, the US will not engage in direct conflict with China over these issues. From the US perspective, this level wouldn't be worth it even for Taiwan island," Ding said. The US has been deployed its military aircraft in the Philippines, along with a host of other ambiguous gestures in addition to providing intelligence and assistance to Manila, through which, the US is merely using the Philippines to further its domination of the Pacific, observers noted. The US desires to see tension in the South China Sea without it escalating into a full-blown conflict, this has been and will remain the US's policy in the South China Sea, Ding said. If the situation between China and the Philippines escalates too rapidly, the US would fear losing control. Conversely, if both sides completely resolve their issues, the US would risk losing the Philippines as a strategic tool in containing China, the expert said. In addition, experts said that invoking Article IV may not be as realistic as some think. Legally speaking, there are strict regulations regarding what constitutes an armed conflict. The use of weapons, the targets of combat, the circumstances under which weapons are used, and who uses them, all go into determining an act of conflict. Given the current situation in the South China Sea, conditions haven't yet been met to prompt the US to invoke Article IV, Chen explained. The territorial limits of the Philippines are defined by a series of international treaties and have been repeatedly affirmed by Philippine domestic law and associated bilateral treaties between the US and the Philippines, so from a procedural perspective, the invocation of the Article IV would have to solve these legal interpretations in advance, many of which are not solely determined by the US State Department, Ding said. As for the overall situation in the South China Sea, observers said the temperature remains high, with the Philippines seeking to unilaterally provoke China over the past year, sparking several skirmishes and diplomatic flashpoints. There remains and elevated risk of further incidents or even escalation. A direct line of communication between leaders' offices of China and the Philippines is set to be established, some experts believe establishing the hotline sends a signal to extraterritorial countries, including the US and Japan, that both China and the Philippines remain willing to manage the current situation in the South China Sea. Whether this new mechanism can ultimately work depends largely on the political will of the Philippines to fundamentally resolve the conflict, as well as on coordination among different political departments within the Philippines, Chen said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Regrettable that Lithuania withdraws from Convention on Cluster Munitions Government of Norway Press release | Date: 18/07/2024 'It is regrettable that Lithuania has taken the decision today to withdraw from the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Even though the security situation in Europe has changed due to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, it is vital that states uphold their obligations to prohibit the use, stockpiling and transfer of these types of weapons,' said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide. Cluster munitions kill and maim civilians and military personnel indiscriminately. Civilians are to be protected. But nonetheless, some 90 % of victims of cluster munitions are civilians. Norway was one of the initiators of the Convention on Cluster Munitions when it was adopted in Oslo in 2008. Lithuania has been a party to the Convention since 2011 but has taken the decision today to withdraw. Parties to the convention committed themselves to prohibit the production, use, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions. Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has dramatically changed the security situation in Europe. Lithuania's decision to withdraw from the Convention is mainly based on the threat from Russia and Lithuania's vulnerable geographic location. 'We understand Lithuania's concerns, but disarmament conventions are not just commitments that apply in peacetime. They are even more important when countries are at war. The manner in which wars are fought has significance. That is why we must maintain international rules, norms and obligations for warfare, also when the security landscape changes. The enormous suffering of the people of Ukraine and Gaza is a stark reminder of this,' said Mr Eide. For many years, Norway has been actively promoting the humanitarian disarmament agenda, and is a major donor to global mine action. We support efforts to clear unexploded ordinance both during and after armed conflict in approximately 20 countries, including support provided through Norwegian People's Aid and other international actors. Norway has sought, through diplomatic and political channels, to convince Lithuania to remain a party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. This was also among the topics of Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre's conversation with the President of Lithuania today. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza death toll rises to 38,848 as Israel commits more massacres IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jul 18, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has said that 38,848 people have been martyred in the besieged territory since the Israeli genocidal war began in October. The ministry said on Thursday that the Israeli regime has committed three massacres in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, killing 54 people and wounding 95 others. The latest figures have brought the Palestinian death toll to 38,848, the ministry said, adding that another 89,459 people have also been injured in Israeli attacks since October 7. This comes as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reported that 90% of the population in the Gaza Strip have been displaced due to the ongoing Israeli aggression. UNICEF added that many of these displaced individuals are women and children. 4353**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, UK conduct 3 attacks on Hodeidah International Airport IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jul 18, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- The United States and the United Kingdom have conducted three airstrikes on the airport of Yemeni Hodeidah city on Thursday morning in continuation of their aggression in support of Israel. IRNA citing Al Mayadeen news television channel announced that US-UK fighters bombed Yemen's Hodeidah International Airport three times. More details of these attacks, financial losses, and possible martyrs and wounded have not been announced yet. Yemenis have declared their open support for Palestine's struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7 after the territory's Palestinian Resistance movements carried out a surprise retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity. Yemeni Armed Forces have said that they won't stop their attacks until unrelenting Israeli ground and aerial offensives in Gaza, which have killed at least 27,948 people and wounded another 67,459 individuals, come to an end. The United States and Britain in December announced a military coalition to target Yemen in support of Israel. 6125**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah fires barrage of rockets at Israeli positions IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jul 18, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Lebanon's Hezbollah Resistance Movement has first a barrage of rockets at Israeli positions in different areas of occupied Palestine in the past 24 hours, official sources of the Zionist regime reported on Wednesday night. According to the Al Jazeera news network, the Zionist Army Radio announced that 80 missiles were fired toward settlements of the Nahariya and Miron areas in the northern occupied territories. This news source added that rockets prompted sirens in Nahariya, causing panic among Israeli settlers, and more than 60,000 people went to bunkers in fear of attacks. The Zionist Army Radio also announced that the Israeli military also fired missile in response to the latest Hezbollah attacks. So far, no report has been published on the amount of possible damage or casualties caused by these massive attacks. With the start of the Al-Aqsa Storm operation by the Palestinian resistance groups, Hezbollah has engaged the Zionist army with daily and heavy operations against the targets deep inside the occupied Palestinian territories. Hezbollah's operations in northern occupied Palestine have forced thousands of Zionist settlers to flee that area while media reports suggest most of the remaining Zionists there are suffering from mental and emotional problems. The media of the Zionist regime have also acknowledged the heavy cost of the war for this regime in all fields, especially in the agricultural sector. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM Netanyahu in Rafah: "Only the military pressure will help us advance the hostages deal." Israel - Prime Minister's Office Events and Speeches The 37th Government 18.07.2024 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today, in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, received a comprehensive briefing from the Head of the IDF Technological and Logistics Directorate, Maj.-Gen. Michel Yanki, about the activity of the logistics, maintenance and medical personnel, who have been working around the clock for nine months in order to support the combat soldiers. The Prime Minister also received a comprehensive operational briefing from the Commander of the IDF 162nd Division, Brig.-Gen. Itzik Cohen, on the activity of the division in the Rafah sector, both underground and aboveground. Prime Minister Netanyahu then went up to a field observer position overlooking the Philadelphi Corridor, where he was briefed on the fighting in the area. The Prime Minister also spoke with Givati Brigade fighters and support personnel, who told him about their activity in the sector, and answered their questions. Prime Minister Netanyahu: "I am here inside Rafah with the 162nd Division, their brave commander, Itzik Cohen, and the heroic soldiers. I was impressed by their incredible achievements, by the understanding that their operations both underground and aboveground are essential to the security of Israel, and by the understanding that our holding the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing are vital for the future. At the same time, the military pressure that they are applying here, to the throat of Hamas, is helping us, together with the steadfast insistence on our just demands, to advance the hostages deal - including our demand to free the maximum number of hostages already in the first stage of the outline. This double pressure is not delaying the deal - it is advancing it. Next week I am leaving for the US to address both houses of Congress. I am going to present the justice of Israel's cause, but I am also going to present the heroism of Israel, which I see here. I see here Matan Algerbali, a commander who was wounded in the stomach in the first days of the fighting, recovered, came back, and is a battalion commander here. And I see the soldiers here, who are fighting in the field, the logistics personnel, the doctors; it is hard to believe what is happening here. This is the pride of the people of Israel. With such spirit, we will achieve the total victory." Prime Minister Netanyahu was accompanied by his Chief-of-Staff, Tzachi Braverman, National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi and his Military Secretary, Maj.-Gen. Roman Gofman. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Baiba Braze: Canada is Latvia's closest friend and a strong ally in strengthening NATO's eastern flank Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18.07.2024 On 18 July 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braze, took part in an event hosted by the Ambassador of Canada to Latvia, Brian Szwarc, in recognition of cooperation between Latvia and Canada in security and defence, and the changeover of Canadian military command in Latvia. In her address, the Minister noted the excellent relations between the countries, their active political dialogue and close military cooperation at all levels. Canada is a close friend of Latvia and a strong ally in strengthening the security of the Baltic region and NATO's eastern flank; we are united by a shared world outlook, common values and goals. The Foreign Minister also highlighted the potential for economic cooperation, especially in the military industry, in the manufacturing and testing of security and defence technologies, which successfully complements the excellent cooperation on security and defence. The Foreign Minister thanked Canada for its leadership in Latvia in scaling up the forward presence to the level of a combat-capable brigade, and she stressed the importance of the Canadian military presence for the security of the Baltic region. The inauguration of the headquarters for the Canadian-led brigade took place this past 3 July. The brigade is scheduled to reach its full combat readiness by 2026. Canada continues to strengthen the Allied presence in Latvia, including through deliveries of new military equipment and infrastructure investments. In view of changeover in the Canadian military command in Latvia, the Minister expressed gratitude to Col. Vince Kirstein, Commander of the Canadian Task Force Latvia, for his contribution to strengthening military cooperation between the two countries and Latvia's national defence capabilities and security. The Minister also welcomed to Latvia, and wished success to the new Canadian military command in Latvia - the appointed Task Force Latvia Commander, Col. Jim Smith, and Commander of NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia, Col. Cedric Aspirault. The Minister emphasised that Latvia will continue making substantial investments in defence infrastructure to ensure appropriate conditions for the increased presence of NATO Allied forces and capabilities. Some of the priorities are the establishment of the Selonia Military Base and training area, as well as other military infrastructure, including investments in anti-aircraft and anti-missile defence. The Minister thanked Canada for its support to Ukraine, including military support, as well as Canada's involvement in the Drone Coalition under the co-leadership of Latvia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Landsbergis to Lithuanian Ambassadors: "A secure Lithuania, a triumphant Ukraine, a strong NATO and an efficient EU remain our guiding principles across capitals" Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2024-07-18 In Vilnius, during the annual meeting of the heads of Lithuanian diplomatic missions, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis, thanked his colleagues for their unity and joint efforts to defend Lithuania's interests. "How to convince Baghdad and Ankara that the instrumentalised migration flights to Minsk must stop? How to cooperate with other border states to enforce border control and fight sanctions evasion? How to persuade Germany to deploy its brigade in Lithuania on a permanent basis? How to oust Russia from the board of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for the first time in history? How to prevent the transport of fertilisers by Belaruskali, which funds the Lukashenko regime and abducts Ukrainian children, through Lithuania? How to achieve a more ambitious, unified voice from the Nordic-Baltic countries, a Lithuania's values-based inner circle?" Minister Landsbergis listed the challenges of recent years. Minister Landsbergis underlined that, in an unstable international environment, Lithuania's national security, which is inseparably linked to Ukraine's victory over Russian aggression, is an absolute foreign policy priority. "Should Ukraine fall or be forced to sign an imposed peace agreement, it would be a defeat for us all. The Kremlin would then immediately begin a countdown to a new attack, potentially targeting NATO's eastern flank, especially our region. I refrain from speculating on how much time we have, but we cannot rely on the strategic assumption that Russia will surrender, nor can we expect Ukraine to indefinitely fend off Russia without adequate Western military support. I do not rule out the possibility that the next two to four years will be the most dangerous," the head of Lithuania's diplomacy said. According to Landsbergis, today Lithuania is a voice of conscience which urges the world community to stand with Ukraine and calls on its closest allies to take the necessary actions, as this is also the guarantee of Lithuania's survival. The head of Lithuania's diplomacy urged the diplomatic service to dare to be inconvenient - to admit that conventional formats have not worked in wartime, to criticise international organisations if they continue to act as if there was no war on the European continent. "We cannot turn a blind eye when, against the backdrop of a bombed-out children's hospital in Kyiv, the Russian ambassador chairs a UN Security Council meeting and offers "Chicken Kievs" to the delegates of countries supporting Ukraine. How would we feel if our pleas for national survival were met with conformist silence? Let us ask ourselves if toothless and self-absorbed multilateralism is in our interest amidst such events?" Landsbergis noted. The Minister stressed the growing partnership with the Indo-Pacific region and the need to form alliances with like-minded countries, in particular Estonia, Latvia and Poland which face the same threats, the Nordic and Baltic countries which are bound by geography and shared values, the nucleus of Europe - Germany and France - as well as Lithuania's paramount and indispensable security guarantor, the US. "Despite the US election outcomes, the aim of our diplomats will be to prove that Lithuania plays a pivotal role in the transatlantic link to Europe and that Washington needs a secure Lithuania in this geostrategically important location. We also need to understand that partnerships need to be mutually beneficial, therefore as Washington shifts its focus toward the Indo-Pacific, we must seek niches for cooperation," Landsbergis said. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also addressed Lithuanian diplomats via a live video message. The meeting of the heads of Lithuania's diplomatic missions and consular posts is organised annually to assess foreign policy achievements and to discuss the primary priorities and objectives of the diplomatic service. Lithuania currently has 44 embassies, 10 consulates, 7 representations in international organizations, a representative office in Palestine, and, in Skopje, an office of the Embassy in Croatia. Read the Minister's full speech here. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Secretary General at the European Political Community: the transatlantic Alliance is the cornerstone for European security NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 18 Jul. 2024 Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg underlined the enduring significance of NATO at a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) hosted by the UK government on Thursday (18 July 2024), stating that the "transatlantic Alliance is the cornerstone for European security." "The time to stand for freedom and democracy is now and the place is Ukraine" Mr Stoltenberg said, announcing that NATO's new command to coordinate and provide security assistance and training for Ukraine will become operational in September this year. The Secretary General also condemned "a pattern of Russian hostile actions against NATO Allies" including cyber-attacks, sabotage and disinformation campaigns. Allies are responding by sharing more intelligence, stepping up the protection of critical infrastructure, and conducting national legal processes. Mr Stoltenberg made clear that the purpose of Russia's attacks is "to coerce us from providing support to Ukraine, but we will not be coerced." The Secretary General was welcomed to the meeting at Blenheim Palace by the UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer. Mr Stoltenberg also had meetings with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof and the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, David Lammy. The EPC brings around 50 European leaders together, mostly NATO Allies and partners, to discuss issues affecting European security, including defending democracy, energy and cyber security, instrumentalised migration and Russia's war against Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement on Viet Nam's Unilateral Submission of Extended Continental Shelf Republic of the Philippines - Department of Foreign Affairs 18 July 2024 MANILA 18 July 2024 -- "The Department of Foreign Affairs takes note of the submission made by Viet Nam to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on 17 July 2024 regarding its claim to an extended continential shelf in the South China Sea. The Philippines affirms its claim to its extended continental shelf in the Western Palawan Region consistent with its maritime entitlements under UNCLOS, as demonstrated by our ECS submission made on 15 June 2024. Nevertheless, we acknowledge Viet Nam's right, as a coastal State like the Philippines, to submit information to establish the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the relevant and lawful baselines from which its territorial sea is measured, as provided for under UNCLOS. We are ready to engage Viet Nam on possible ways forward that would help achieve a mutually beneficial solution to South China Sea issues, in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS." END NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PH asserts claim to ECS; stands ready for talks with Vietnam Philippine News Agency By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora July 18, 2024, 8:19 pm MANILA -- The Philippine government on Thursday affirmed its claim to its extended continental shelf (ECS) in the Western Palawan Region but reiterated its readiness to talk with Vietnam as the latter makes a new submission to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS). "The Philippines affirms its claim to its extended continental shelf in the Western Palawan Region consistent with its maritime entitlements under UNCLOS (UN Convention on the Law of the Sea), as demonstrated by our ECS submission made on 15 June 2024," Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said in a statement. "Nevertheless, we acknowledge Vietnam's right, as a coastal State like the Philippines, to submit information to establish the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the relevant and lawful baselines from which its territorial sea is measured, as provided for under UNCLOS." Manila, she said, is ready to engage Hanoi "on possible ways forward that would help achieve a mutually beneficial solution to South China Sea issues, in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS." Vietnam submitted its formal claim on an ECS in the "Central Area of the East Sea (South China Sea)" before the CLCS on July 17. This was Vietnam's third submission and came a month after the Philippines formally asked the CLCS to register its ECS in the Western Palawan Region on June 15. Vietnam in May 2009 submitted a separate submission concerning what it calls the "North Area" of the South China Sea, and a joint submission with Malaysia for the "Southern Part" of the same sea. In a communication dated July 17, Vietnam said it rejects the Philippines' claim over a portion of its ECS, saying it "encroaches" upon its 200-nautical-mile continental shelf and "overlaps" with the ECS it defined in its three submissions. The Southeast Asian state, however, said it also "stands ready to discuss and negotiate this matter with the Philippines" based on the UNCLOS. In the same communication, Vietnam requested the CLCS to refrain from considering the Philippines' submission "until all the relevant issues have been resolved" between the two states. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DSWD gives package of services to ex-rebels, other extremist groups Philippine News Agency By Zaldy De Layola July 18, 2024, 7:55 pm MANILA -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), continues to intensify its efforts to provide more opportunities to sustain the reintegration of former rebels (FR) into society, a senior DSWD official said on Thursday. During the weekly media forum at the Central Office's New Press Center in Quezon City, DSWD Undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns Alan Tanjusay said the case management for former rebels and extremists is one of the agency's accomplishments in the first half of 2024. "Ang case management po ay instruction ni Secretary Rex Gatchalian noong sya ay pumasok sa DSWD (The case management was a directive from Secretary Rex Gatchalian when he joined the DSWD)," Tanjusay told the media. "Sinabi niya na ang DSWD ay hindi lamang nagbibigay ng cash o ng ayuda sa ating mga kababayan. Dapat ay nagsasagawa rin ang DSWD ng case management na kung saan ay bibigyan ng tutok ang bawat isang FR at extremist upang masusubaybayan sila patungo doon sa kanilang reintegration sa kanilang pamilya, sa kanilang communities upang makamit natin yung tinatawag na peace and development talaga sa mga regions (He said the DSWD is not just giving assistance or cash. It should also do case management, giving focus on former rebels and extremists to monitor their reintegration into their families and communities to achieve peace and development in their regions)." He said the case management, which is under the DSWD's Peace and Development Buong Bansa Mapayapa (PDBBM) Program, underscores the agency's long-term commitment to looking after the welfare and livelihood of former members of various non-state groups, violent extremist groups, and adults and children in armed conflict situations. "Kaya nilang magbago at magbagong-buhay provided nandon ang gobyerno na tutulong sa kanila. Willing silang magbagong-buhay at makasama muli ang kanilang pamilya, bantayan ang kanilang anak na nag-aaral, at ayusin ang kanilang pamamahay (They can change and renew their lives provided the government is there to help them. They are willing to rebuild their lives and be with their family again, look after their children who are studying, and organize their household)," he said. The "Buong Bansa Mapayapa" or BBM peace and development program aims to formalize the convergence of various efforts within the agency to attain inclusive and sustainable peace and development both in conflict-affected and -vulnerable areas. During the forum, he also discussed the accomplishments of the DSWD's various programs and services for former members of different non-state groups, violent extremist groups, and adults and children in armed conflict situations, and their families. Under the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) Program, the DSWD has provided livelihood assistance to about 1,241 conflict vulnerable areas (CVAs); shelter assistance to the municipalities of Sibuco in Zamboanga del Norte; and Tungawan and Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay. About 60,634 households, he said, also benefited from the 221 community projects using the Community Driven Development technology. The PAMANA, as one of the modalities of Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), aims to improve access of conflict-affected barangays to basic social services and responsive, transparent, and accountable local governments. As part of the DSWD's commitment to Executive Order 70, series of 2018, the agency has provided a package of services to 516 FRs, four former violent extremists (FVEs), and two children involved in armed conflict (CIAC). Aside from PAMANA, Tanjusay said the DSWD also has a whole-of-nation approach to assistance for the former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army (CCP-NPA), Abu Sayyaf group, and extremist terrorist groups. These include Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), SLP, psychosocial intervention, and social pension, among others. Tanjusay said the department also provides family food packs (FFPs) and other relief assistance during disasters. For the members of the Kapatiran para sa Progresong Panlipunan (KAPATIRAN), the DSWD and other government agencies assist them in the construction of shelter units, child development centers, and health centers, among others. He said the agency implements the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Transformation Program and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Normalization Program. Based on the conducted focus group discussions with former rebels, Tanjusay said, poverty is one of the main reasons why they join non-state and violent extremist groups. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PH Army test-fires Israeli-made Sabrah light tank guns Philippine News Agency By Priam Nepomuceno July 18, 2024, 11:40 am MANILA -- The Philippine Army's (PA) 1st Tank Battalion has test-fired the 105mm main guns of its newly acquired light tanks from Israel. In a Facebook post Wednesday night, the 1st Tank Battalion said the test fire was held during the familiarization and training exercise for Army personnel on the use of the Elbit Systems' Land Sabrah light tanks at the Col. Ernesto Rabina Air Base target range in Tarlac province on July 8-11. "This event was a crucial part of maintaining the battalion's combat readiness and operational efficiency, providing both seasoned soldiers and new trainees with invaluable hands-on experience," the 1st Tank Battalion said. It added that the rigorous training sessions included a series of realistic combat scenarios designed to test and enhance the accuracy, reliability, and firepower of the Sabrah tanks. The 1st Tank Battalion said having these light tanks in the PA's inventory would greatly boost its territorial defense capabilities. Armor Division commander Maj. Gen. Pedro C. Balisi Jr. was also present during the exercise to assess the performance of the Sabrah light tanks. The Armor Division is expected to receive 20 units of the Sabrah from 2023 to 2024 aside from 10 units of wheeled armored vehicles. Six to 10 Sabrah units are believed to be in service as of this time. The PA's light tank acquisition project is under Horizon 2 of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program. The contract is worth PHP9.4 billion and was acquired via government-to-government mode. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu's insistence on war quickens Israel's demise: Hezbollah official Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 9:58 PM A senior official with Lebanon's resistance movement Hezbollah has said that the Israeli prime minister's insistence on waging another war against the country only serves to speed up the occupying entity's demise. Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, chairman of the movement's Executive Council, made the remarks on Thursday, Resistance News Network, a Telegram channel, reported. "The more the Israeli enemy's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on war, the quicker he hastens the end of the entity," he said. The Israeli regime has been waging sporadic attacks on southern Lebanon since October 7, when it started a genocidal war against the Gaza Strip. The attacks have sparked a firefight with Hezbollah, which fought off two Israeli wars against the country in 2000 and 2006. Over the past months, the regime has repeatedly threatened to expand the war on Gaza, which has killed close to 39,000 Palestinians so far, to Lebanon. Commenting on the Tel Aviv regime's warmongering attitude on Wednesday, Lebanon's caretaker Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib said, "We have heard dozens of statements issued by senior Israeli officials threatening to burn Lebanon, destroy it, and return it to the Stone Age." The resistance movement has, however, pledged to defend the country with all its resources in the event of another Israeli war. Also on Wednesday, Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah insisted on the group's capability to successfully head off such potential military onslaught. "If your tanks come to Lebanon and south Lebanon, you will not have a shortage of tanks, as you will no longer have any tanks left," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At UN, Iran urges intl. action to stop Israeli genocide in Gaza Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 7:35 PM President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Mirjana Spoljaric Egger has expressed deep concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, appreciating Iran's contributions to the Geneva-based humanitarian organization. She made the remarks in a Thursday meeting with Iran's acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, who is in New York to participate in two United Nations Security Council meetings. Egger elaborated on efforts being made by the ICRC in order to send humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian population there, stressing she will do her utmost for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged territory. For his part, Bagheri Kani praised the ICRC's efforts regarding Palestine and Gaza, describing the humanitarian conditions of oppressed Palestinians as very worrying. "Unfortunately, politically-motivated and wrong approaches together with double standards have so far frustrated attempts aimed at ending the Gaza crisis. "Regrettably, over 20 individuals get killed and injured in Gaza every hour. What has taken place is a humanitarian tragedy. The international community must quickly stop the Zionist regime and hold it accountable," the top Iranian diplomat stated. Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after Palestinian resistance groups carried out a surprise retaliatory operation into the occupied territories. The regime has been enforcing a near-total siege on the coastal territory, which has reduced the flow of foodstuffs, medicine, electricity, and water into the Palestinian territory into a trickle. Israel has killed nearly 39,000 Gazans, most of them women, children, and adolescents, since. UN deputy humanitarian chief hails Iran's constructive role Meanwhile, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Joyce Masoya lauded Iran's "constructive" role in humanitarian issues and stressed the need for enhancement of cooperation between the two sides. Masoya made the remark during a meeting with Bagheri Kani in New York on Thursday, on the sidelines of two United Nations Security Council meetings. She called for greater efforts in order to stop the Gaza war, and end the current alarming situation in the war-ravaged territory. Bagheri Kani, for his part, described the massacre of innocent Palestinians in Gaza as a clear example of genocide of Palestinians and their forced displacement. He also called upon the international community to shed light on such crimes, and take immediate measures to stop them. "The continuation of the current situation is no more acceptable. The Zionist regime's attacks and attempts to displace the people of Gaza must cease right away," he said. While demanding immediate delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid in Gaza, Bagheri Kani condemned Israeli attacks against Gazans as vindictive. "There is no chance for Israel to emerge victorious in the war. It only drives up the costs of the US administration as the biggest sponsor of the regime and its partner in continuation of the ongoing genocide," the Iranian interim foreign minister said. Bagheri Kani also called for the United Nations' strong and urgent management in order to completely remove the blockage of the Rafah border crossing, and send humanitarian aid to Gaza. The United Nations can count on the Islamic Republic of Iran's capacity to establish peace and security in the region, he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas, Islamic Jihad urge PLO to withdraw recognition of Israel Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 6:41 PM The Palestinian resistance movements of Hamas and Islamic Jihad have called on the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to withdraw its recognition of Israel. The appeal was made during a meeting with Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Hamas political bureau, in the Qatari capital Doha on Thursday. Secretary-General Ziyad al-Nakhaleh also led the Islamic Jihad delegation. "The leaderships viewed that, in light of the Knesset's declared position rejecting the Palestinian people's right to establish their independent state, the national collective is required today to take a unified stance to confront these attempts to erase the Palestinian cause," they said in a joint statement. The Israeli parliament on Wednesday passed a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. The vote came before Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the US to address a joint session of Congress and meet with President Joe Biden. Biden has supported the so-called two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Prominent Palestinian politician Mustafa Barghouti, the secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, also slammed the resolution. "No Zionist party from both the government and the opposition voted against the resolution," he wrote on X. "This resolution represents a rejection of peace with Palestinians and an official declaration of the death of [the] Oslo agreement." The Oslo Accords were first signed between the PLO and Israel in 1993. They called for a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. But Israel has continued to adopt policies such as building settlements on Palestinian land across the occupied West Bank. As of June 2024, the State of Palestine is recognized as a sovereign state by 145 of the 193 member states of the United Nations - or over 75% of all UN members. Elsewhere in the statement, the Palestinian resistance movements said Operation Al-Aqsa Storm generated new realities in the struggle against Israel. "The two delegations emphasized that the of Operation al-Aqsa Storm has constituted a strategic national achievement and created new realities in the struggle with the occupation that must be built upon and accumulated in the coming phase." "The two delegations paused to reflect on the heroic steadfastness of the Palestinian people in the face of escalating bloody massacres perpetrated by the occupation, the systematic destruction carried out in the Gaza Strip, and the attempt to destroy all components of human life." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kenya bans protests against US-backed austerity imposed by IMF Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 5:34 PM Kenya has announced a ban on protests in central Nairobi, attributing the decision to concerns about purported criminal infiltration during anti-government protest rallies. The Kenyan government on Thursday intensified its call for an end to weeks of protests and police prohibited demonstrations in central Nairobi, citing infiltration by criminal gangs. Some activists urged people to gather with camping gear to "occupy" Uhuru Park near the city center, amid a strong police presence throughout Nairobi. The nationwide youth-led protests, initially peaceful but later violent, broke out a month ago over proposed tax hikes in the government's 2024 Finance Bill. The rallies have persisted even after President William Ruto shelved the legislation and dismissed most of his cabinet. Activists are demanding Ruto's resignation and reforms to combat corruption and improve governance. The protests, organized online, have led to the most significant crisis of Ruto's two-year tenure. "We have credible intelligence that organized criminal groups are planning to take advantage of the ongoing protests to execute their attacks, including looting," chief of police Douglas Kanja Kiricho claimed in a statement late Wednesday. "No demonstrations will be permitted in the Nairobi Central Business District and its surroundings until further notice to ensure public safety," the police chief said. Ruto's office planned "multi-sectoral" discussions for this week to tackle to address the protesters' grievances, but by Thursday, there were no indications that they had started. Most of the key leaders of the protests have declined the invitation, instead demanding urgent action on issues like corruption. Protesters carried signs directly accusing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of last year's increases in value-added tax (VAT), fuel, and food prices, as well as the proposed tax hikes in the now-rejected 2024 finance bill. The move aligns with the IMF's requirements for Kenya under the 2021 loan agreement, which includes a 38-month program releasing $3.9 billion, contingent on regular reviews to ensure Nairobi is complying with IMF demands: raising taxes, reducing subsidies, and cutting government waste (often interpreted as privatizing state-owned enterprises). Protesters are aware that the austerity measures imposed by the IMF are supported by the United States, the organization's largest shareholder, which essentially has veto power over its initiatives. Ruto has gained favor with the US and the G7 by agreeing to deploy Kenyan troops to Haiti, taking a conservative stance in climate negotiations, and accepting financing conditions that benefit foreign investors. At least 50 people have been killed so far in the deadly clashes between police and protesters, according to the government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel bombs Gaza refugee camps as tanks push deeper into Rafah Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 5:06 PM Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip's historic refugee camps in the center and struck Gaza City in the north, while tanks pushed deeper into Rafah in the south. Health officials said a barrage of airstrikes killed 16 in Zawayda town, Bureij and Nuseirat camps and the overcrowded city of Deir-Al-Balah, the last major urban center in Gaza not to be invaded by Israeli forces. Images showed mourners at the al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir el-Balah, where several corpses lay on the ground. One man cradled the covered body of a child. Ahmed Abu Muheisen said one strike had targeted his cousin's family in the al-Zuwaida area. "His children and his wife were martyred and so was he." "Enough, enough already!" said Eid Abu Rakab, another mourner. In Gaza City in the north, medics said strikes hit the Cairo School housing the displaced in Gaza City. More than 10 people, including three children, were killed. At al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, Palestinian health officials exhumed at least 12 bodies buried inside the medical facility to rebury them at another location. Areej Hamouda, a mother of one of the dead, clutched some of the sandy earth from the grave of her son and kissed it before medics exhumed the body, Reuters reported. "They shot him and he had a loaf of bread with him, which he had to beg for to get for his daughter, they shot him in the eye and the head - it rained on him, he was washed with blood," Hamouda said, weeping. "He was (lying) there all day long, they weren't able to move him, (then) they pulled him with a rope when they brought him to be buried here." In Rafah, residents said Israeli tanks pushed deeper into the western side of the city and took position on a hilltop there. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement on Thursday that the Israeli invasion has pushed the 60-bed Red Cross field hospital in Rafah to the brink of capacity. More than a million people had sought shelter in Rafah, but most have scattered again since Israel launched an invasion in and around the city in May to root out brigades of Hamas operating there. More than nine months into the war, Palestinian fighters led by Hamas are still able to attack Israeli forces on the ground, occasionally firing rocket barrages into settlements in the occupied territories. Islamic Jihad said it fired missiles at two southern Israeli communities on Thursday and the armed wing of Hamas said it fired mortar bombs at Israeli forces in southwest Rafah. The Israeli regime has recently focused its attacks on refugee camps, with the deadliest being the raid of July 13 on the Mawasi camp, where 90 Palestinians were killed. Israel claimed that Palestinians resistance fighters used these places but Hamas has dismissed the accusation, saying the regime is trying to cover up its massacres. The latest toll issued on Thursday included 54 deaths in the past 24 hours. Israel has killed over 38,840 people in Gaza since October. Pax, a Dutch activist group, said a study shows "continuous bombing and Israel's fuel blockade have decimated" Gaza's outdated waste collection system, threatening water supplies and farm land. And a new report by the international humanitarian organization Oxfam said Israel has reduced by 94 percent the amount of water available in Gaza "creating a deadly health catastrophe." "Israel's cutting of external water supply, systematic destruction of water facilities and deliberate aid obstruction have reduced the amount of water available in Gaza by 94 percent to 4.74 liters [1.25 gallons] a day per person - just under a third of the recommended minimum in emergencies and less than a single toilet flush," the report said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Islamic Jihad slams Ben-Gvir's provocative intrusion into al-Aqsa Mosque Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 1:30 PM The Palestinian resistance movement Islamic Jihad has condemned in the strongest terms Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's intrusion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East al-Quds. This is a dangerous step and reflects the Zionist entity's insistence on its Judaization plans and attempts to extend control over the Palestinian nation's sanctities, Islamic Jihad said in a statement on Thursday. "We are mobilizing our people and all Muslims everywhere to respond ... While we condemn the silence of Arab and Muslim states on such attacks that target Palestinians' sanctities, dignity and history, we hold the regimes that have normalized ties with the Zionist entity fully responsible for these incidents." The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said Ben-Gvir broke into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound through the Moroccan Gate on Thursday and wandered around the eastern square under the protection of a large number of police officers. The agency cited local sources as saying the Israeli forces prevented Palestinian worshipers from entering al-Aqsa Mosque. The Israeli minister said he had gone up to the hilltop compound of the al-Aqsa Mosque to pray for the return of the regime's prisoners in Gaza "but without a reckless deal." Ben-Gvir also said he was persuading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to give in to international pressure and to continue with the military campaign in the besieged territory. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site for Muslims. Israeli groups have previously called for widespread swarming of the mosque on the occasion of Passover. Under an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government in the wake of the regime's occupation of al-Quds in 1967, non-Muslim worship at the holy compound is prohibited. But the ban is a mere phrase and, in action, circumstances have been against Muslims. Ben-Gvir's intrusion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound takes place as the regime keeps its bloody war machine running in the Gaza Strip. Israel has killed at least 38,800 Palestinians in Gaza since early October. Nearly 90,000 Palestinians are also injured. The barbarous campaign began after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas launched an unprecedented military operation into the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories near Gaza. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Escorted by police, extremist Israeli minister intrudes into al-Aqsa Mosque for third time in a year Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 10:44 AM Israel's far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, escorted by the regime's forces, has stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds, the third such desecration in less than a year. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said Ben-Gvir broke into the compound through the Moroccan Gate on Thursday and wandered around the eastern square under the protection of a large number of occupation police officers. The agency cited local sources as saying that the Israeli forces prevented Palestinian worshipers from entering al-Aqsa Mosque, coinciding with Ben-Gvir's storming of the holy mosque. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site for Muslims. Under an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government in the wake of the regime's occupation of al-Quds in 1967, non-Muslim worship at the holy compound is prohibited. But the ban is a mere phrase and, in action, circumstances have been against Muslims as Israeli settlers frequent the holy mosque. Ben-Gvir's intrusion into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound takes place as the regime has been keeping its bloody war machine going in the Gaza Strip since October last year, with hopes of a long-awaited ceasefire agreement fading after more than nine months of barbaric onslaught on the Palestinian territory. During his raid on Thursday, the extremist Israeli minister said he had gone up to the hilltop compound of the al-Aqsa Mosque to pray for the return of the the regime's prisoners in Gaza "but without a reckless deal." Ben-Gvir also said he was pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to give in to international pressure and to continue with the military campaign in the besieged territory. UNICEF: 90% of Gazans displaced due to Israeli war The United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) said on Wednesday that 90 percent of people in the Gaza Strip have been displaced since October last year and "many of them are children." "Places where people are being forced to move lack basic necessities and safety," the agency stressed in a post on X. "UNICEF continues to call for an end to all hostilities and a lasting ceasefire." The Tel Aviv regime has killed over 38,840 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza, since October 7, 2023. Since the start of the war, the United States has supplied Israel with more than 10,000 tons of military equipment and used its veto power against all UN Security Council resolutions that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Despite the unabated campaign of bloodletting, the occupying regime has so far fallen short of realizing its two main "goals", namely defeating and eliminating Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, and releasing Israeli captives. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Top Lebanese resistance commander killed in Israeli drone attack Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 10:21 AM The leader of Lebanon-based Islamic Group, who is also a commander of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, has been assassinated in an Israeli drone strike in eastern Lebanon. Lebanese media said Mohammed Hamid Jabara, leader of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya (the Islamic Group) in Lebanon, was martyred on Thursday following an Israeli airstrike that targeted his car in the town of Ghazz in the Western Bekaa, southeastern Lebanon. Hamas confirmed the martyrdom of Jabara, who was born in the Lebanese town of Qaraoun in the Bekaa Valley. Al-Jamaa al-Islamiya and its armed wing, known as the Fajr Forces, said in a statement that Jabara was killed in a "treacherous Zionist raid" in Bekaa. In reaction to the assassination, Lebanon's Islamic Group said in a statement that resistance factions in Lebanon will maintain their unity and resilience in the face of the Israeli regime. Bassam Hamoud, Vice President of the Islamic Group's political bureau, reiterated the party's commitment to confronting Israeli aggression and supporting the Palestinian cause. The resistance groups in Lebanon, led by Hezbollah, have formed a formidable front to enhance the effectiveness of their operations against the Israeli occupation forces. Earlier this month, Hezbollah said Israel had assassinated a senior commander, Mohamed Naim Nasser, in an airstrike on southern Lebanon. The exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel has intensified since the regime assassinated Sami Taleb Abdullah, a senior commander of the resistance group, in June. That assassination prompted Hezbollah to fire its largest barrage of drones and rockets against Israeli targets yet in retaliation. Hezbollah has made it clear that a comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is the sole way to bring calm to the Lebanese border. Hezbollah has fought off two Israeli wars against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006. The resistance movement forced the regime to retreat in both conflicts. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lavrov: Hezbollah, Lebanese govt. avoid full-scale war with Israel, but some within regime seek conflict Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 8:58 AM Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance movement and the Lebanese government do not want a "full-blown war" with Israel but "some" within the regime are seeking it. Speaking at a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday, the top Russian diplomat said "there's a suspicion that some circles in Israel are trying to achieve just that." Lavrov, citing some American and European analysts, stressed that "escalation, as the practical developments show, is something which Israel is interested in." Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging deadly fire since early October, shortly after the regime launched a genocidal war on Gaza following a surprise operation by the Palestinian Hamas resistance group. Hezbollah has vowed to keep up its retaliatory attacks as long as the Tel Aviv regime continues its Gaza onslaught. "Hezbollah has been very much restrained in its actions," Lavrov further said, adding that its leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, has already "delivered a number of public statements which reaffirmed that position." "However, the sentiment is that there's an attempt to provoke them, and to provoke them into a full-blown engagement," the top Russian diplomat warned. According a tally by the Associated Press, Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon since October have killed more than 450 people while Hezbollah's retaliatory attacks have claimed 34 lives. Israeli media say Hezbollah's retaliatory strikes have displaced around 60,000 Israeli settlers from northern parts of the occupied lands. Israel's war on Gaza slammed as 'collective punishment' Elsewhere in his remarks on Wednesday, Lavrov stressed that Israel's war on the besieged Gaza Strip has crossed the line and is now a form of "collective punishment" on the territory's 2.3 million Palestinians. "When it comes to collective punishment in violation of international humanitarian law, one cannot fight against one form of violation through other violations. It's the same principle here," he said. The Tel Aviv regime has killed about 38,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza, since October 7. Since the start of the war, the United States has supplied Israel with more than 10,000 tons of military equipment and used its veto power against all UN Security Council resolutions that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Despite the unabated campaign of bloodletting, the occupying regime has so far fallen short of realizing its two main "goals", namely defeating and eliminating Hamas, and releasing Israeli captives. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US military officially ends mission of controversial pier off Gaza's coast Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 8:04 AM The US military has officially declared an end to the mission of its floating pier off the coast of the Gaza Strip that was apparently used to facilitate an Israeli massacre instead of delivering aid to the besieged territory. Speaking at a news briefing on Wednesday, Navy Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the deputy commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), claimed that the water dock had "achieved its intended effect to surge a very high volume of aid into Gaza". "The maritime surge mission involving the pier is complete. So there's no more need to use the pier," he added. US President Joe Biden announced back in March the construction of the $230 million pier that involved 1,000 US soldiers and sailors. However, bad weather delayed the initial installment of the maritime corridor, and then in late May, broke it apart. Since then, the US military has detached the pier and moved it to the port of Ashdod. As a result, the pier operated only 25 days and delivered supplies equivalent to just a couple of days' worth of the aid that flowed into Gaza before Israel's ongoing genocidal war. Meanwhile, reports said it facilitated the Israeli massacre against the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza that killed at least 274 people and wounded nearly 700 others on June 8. The ex-US aid director for the West Bank and Gaza, Dave Harden, said that the now-closed pier was "interesting in theory, but in practice, an absolute failure - and my concern is who will be held accountable?" "What we have not seen is a robust opening of the crossings ... I think this goes first to the Israelis, and second to the Americans," he told Al Jazeera. "And in the meantime, the Gazans themselves continue to suffer. This was a tragedy compounding a tragedy." Biden had already expressed disappointment in the temporary water dock, saying, "I was hopeful that would be more successful." Several congressmen had also criticized the Gaza pier for its cost and potential risk to US troops. Furthermore, the Gaza government had condemned the US project as a publicity stunt "to beautify its ugly face." Similarly, aid groups had denounced the pier as a distraction, saying Washington should have instead put pressure on Israel to open Gaza crossings and allow humanitarian aid to enter the blockaded Palestinian territory. "The US wanted to show that it was doing something to aid the humanitarian effort, and yet it wasn't successful in pushing Israel to do the most obvious necessary thing which is to allow full access via the land crossing, or allow access from Israeli and West Bank markets," said Tania Hary, the executive director of Gisha, an Israeli rights group. "So it put in this incredibly expensive, inefficient workaround that ended up proving to be a completely disastrous waste of money, and a colossal and embarrassing failure on top." Israel unleashed its brutal Gaza onslaught on October 7, 2023, after the Hamas resistance group carried out its historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for the regime's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Tel Aviv regime has so far killed at least 38,794 Palestinians, mostly women, and children, in Gaza, and injured 89,166 others. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thousands of Israeli settlers seek shelter as Hezbollah fires missile barrage Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 7:38 AM Tens of thousands of Israeli settlers in the northern part of the occupied territories seek refuge in shelters to escape the missiles that the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah rained down on the area. Israeli media on Thursday said that 60,000 panic-stricken settlers rushed to shelters after Hezbollah struck Meron, Nahariya and other settlements in the occupied territories. A total of 80 rockets were fired by Hezbollah in retaliation for recent Israeli air raids on southern Lebanon in which three Syrian children lost their lives. Warning sirens were activated overnight in Nahariya and communities across the Western Galilee, located in the northern Israeli occupied territories and southern Lebanon, following earlier barrages of rocket fire by Hezbollah, according to media. Hezbollah in a statement on Wednesday said that the group had fired a barrage of rockets targeting Israeli settlements in retaliation for the recent air raids on southern Lebanon, with a total of seven settlements being bombarded. "The fighters of the Islamic Resistance targeted the settlements of Sa'ar and Gesher HaZiv with dozens of Katyusha rockets, as part of the response to the Israeli enemy's attacks on the steadfast southern villages, safe homes, and targeting of civilians, especially the horrific massacre in the town of Umm al-Tout, resulting in three child martyrs," the statement said. Moreover, Hezbollah's leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in his remarks on Wednesday warned the Israeli regime, "Our front in Lebanon will remain active as long as the aggression against Gaza, its people, and its resistance continues in all its forms." Hezbollah's leader cautioned that potential continuation of the regime's aggression against Gaza would prompt the Lebanese resistance to start targeting "new Israeli settlements that were previously untouched." He added that the Israeli regime was "suffering across multiple fronts: Its army, security service ... political parties, immigration, self-confidence, the people's confidence in staying, and the world's view of it." "This is the result of relentless fighting and steadfastness," Nasrallah said. Both sides have been trading near-daily fire along the Lebanese southern border ever since Israel launched its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip last October. Hezbollah officials have repeatedly said they do not want a war with Israel, while stressing that they are prepared in case it occurs. The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to keep up retaliatory attacks in solidarity with the Palestinians as long as Israel continues the barbarous campaign in Gaza, which has so far killed over 38,794 Palestinians, mostly women and children. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address July 17: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 7:02 AM By Press TV Website Staff Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 38,800 Palestinians and injured more than 89,000 others so far, resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers. The major operations carried out by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Tuesday, July 17, are as follows: Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on July 17 Conducted a joint operation with Al-Nasser Salah Al-Din Brigades, targeting Israeli forces positioned in the "Al-Izba" area southwest of the Tal Al-Sultan neighborhood in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, with mortar shells. Targeted an Israeli military Merkava tank with an Al-Yassin 105 shell near the Al-Mashrou junction, east of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces in the Al-Marah neighborhood of Jenin, occupied West Bank, using machine guns and explosive devices. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades' operations on July 17 Sniped an Israeli soldier in the Yabna camp in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Shelled a position of Israeli soldiers and their military vehicles stationed inside and around the Rafah crossing gate with mortar shells. Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces in the Al-Marah neighborhood in Jenin, occupied West Bank, using machine guns and explosive devices. Martyr Omar Al-Qasim Forces' operations on July 17 Detonated a high-powered explosive device on an Israeli armored personnel carrier that had advanced into the vicinity of "Kaf al-Mashrou'" east of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip. Targeted Israeli forces infiltrating the Rafah land crossing with mortar shells. Mujahideen Brigades' operations on July 17 Conducted a joint operation with the Ansar Brigades, targeting the headquarters of the Gaza Command Division of the Israeli military "Re'im" with two 107mm rockets. Targeted the settlement of "Nirim" in the Gaza envelope with two 107mm rockets. Martyr Abdulqader Al-Husseini Brigades' operations on July 17 The rocket and artillery unit of the Martyr Abdulqader Al-Husseini Brigades continued to strike Israeli settlements, military positions, and the "Netzarim" axis with rockets and mortar shells. Al-Asifah Forces' operations on July 17 Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces storming the city of Jenin, occupied West Bank, with a heavy barrage of bullets. Hezbollah's operations on July 17 Targeted the "Sa'ar" and "Gasher Haziv" settlements with dozens of Katyusha rockets. Islamic Resistance in Iraq's operations on July 17 Launched a drone strike towards a vital Israeli military target in occupied Umm Al-Rashrash (Eilat). NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran strives to end Israel war in Gaza, prevent spread of tensions: Interim foreign minister Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 6:38 AM Iran has once again reiterated its support for the resistance front in Palestine, saying it is trying to prevent the expansion of tensions in the region. Iran's Interim Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani made the remark in a meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib in New York on Wednesday on the sidelines of two United Nations Security Council meetings. He said Lebanon plays a key role in promoting stability in the region and stressed the importance of holding more talks with Lebanese authorities. The Islamic Republic strongly supports the promotion of stability and security in Lebanon, he emphasized. Bagheri Kani said Palestinians are the "real owners" of Palestine and they are the ones who should make a decision about their land and future. The top Iranian diplomat emphasized the immediate need for prevention of the continuation of the Israeli regime's crimes and attacks against the oppressed people of Gaza. Bagheri Kani warned that expansion of the Israeli regime's attacks is the cause of escalating crisis in the region. Muslim countries should make the Israeli regime regret posing any threat to Lebanon, he pointed out. Bagheri Kani was referring to the Israeli regime's failure to realize any of its goals, such as elimination of Gaza's resistance movements, enabling release of the captives that have been held by the groups, and displacement of Gaza's entire population to neighboring Egypt. Acting in support of war-hit Palestinians in Gaza, resistance groups hailing from Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen have fired hundreds of rockets and missiles towards sensitive targets throughout the occupied Palestinian territories and crippled Israeli-affiliated maritime activity to devastating effects for Tel Aviv. The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory attacks as long as the Israeli regime continues its Gaza war, which has so far killed at least 38,794 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded 89,364 people. Hezbollah officials have repeatedly said the Lebanese resistance movement is not after a war with Israel, while stressing that it is prepared in case it occurs. Two Israeli wars waged against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006 were met with strong resistance from Hezbollah, resulting in the retreat of the regime in both conflicts. Lebanon seeks peace, stability in region, end to Gaza war: Bou Habib The Lebanese foreign minister, for his part, said Beirut seeks to promote peace and stability in the region and called for efforts to put an end to Israel's war in Gaza to prevent the expansion of the war scope across the region. Bou Habib stressed the importance of establishing a ceasefire in Gaza as soon as possible. He also commended Iran's support for Lebanon's stability and security. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Philippines reports fewer Chinese ships in South China Sea Manila, Washington vow to enhance defense ties amid ongoing tensions in the disputed waters. By Jason Gutierrez for BenarNews 2024.07.18 -- The number of Chinese ships in Philippines-claimed areas in the South China Sea has dropped, but the military on Tuesday said it was too early to tell whether this was because of an agreement to de-escalate tensions in the waterway. The military reported 104 Chinese ships in Manila's waters from July 9 to 15 compared with 153 before both countries convened the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism, or BCM, on July 2, said Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea. Manila refers to territories in the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone as the West Philippine Sea. "There was a decrease. Whether this is because of the BCM, it still remains to be seen," Trinidad told reporters. The latest BCM has established a South China Sea "hotline" to quickly address issues in the region as they arise - authorities have yet to provide details on this mechanism. However, similar agreements in the past were not effective in resolving disputes. Manila and Beijing agreed to de-escalate tensions in the South China Sea following a tense standoff between Filipino troops and China Coast Guard personnel at Second Thomas (Ayungin) Shoal on June 17, during which a Philippine sailor lost a finger. Filipino military officials claimed China Coast Guard personnel, armed with pikes and machetes, punctured Philippine boats and seized firearms during the incident. The Philippine military has not launched another mission to Ayungin Shoal since then and Trinidad said it was too early to tell if the alleged Chinese harassment in the South Sea would be stopped because of the BCM. "We will know about this when we conduct the next RoRe [rotation and reprovisioning]. But for now, our basis for our assessment is the number of [Chinese] ships that we have monitored," Trinidad said. "We will continue ensuring the integrity of the national territories, especially the West Philippine Sea, against the actions by the agents of aggression of the Chinese communist party," he said. Beijing has defended its actions, insisting on its sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea. Military chiefs meet Also on Tuesday, Philippine military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. met with Gen. Charles Brown Jr., chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the two allies and boost their joint annual war games. Specific details of the closed-door talks were not made available. "Our alliance with the United States remains a cornerstone of our national security," Brawner said, adding that both countries were working to "fortify our defense capabilities and ensure stability of the region." The United States and the Philippines are bound by a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which calls on each to come to the other's aid in times of war or third-party aggression. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address To Lam takes over from Nguyen Phu Trong as Vietnam's top leader The president adds duties as Communist Party general secretary while ailing Trong receives medical treatment. By RFA Staff 2024.07.18 -- Vietnam's newly appointed president has assumed the duties of Communist Party chief after General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who has held the position for 13 years, stepped back for health reasons, state media said Thursday. To Lam, 67, was named president in May. As acting general secretary, he is now Vietnam's top leader and will oversee the work of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo and the Secretariat, according to the Vietnam News Agency. He's now in position to direct preparations for the Communist Party's 14th National Congress, scheduled for January 2026, according to Zachary Abuza, a professor at the National War College in Washington and an adjunct at Georgetown University. After several years of high-level political infighting - and some noteworthy resignations - his leadership could provide some stability for the next 17 months, Abuza said "He will be in a very strong position to become general secretary at the 14th Congress, though he would require an age waiver," he said. "But we have to consider that the Central Committee, which is much more powerful than in China, could want to clean the field, and elect a vastly new politburo and general secretary." 'Breathing space' In his previous role as minister of public security, Lam played a leading role in a sweeping anti-corruption campaign, seen by critics as a political tool for factions in the Communist Party to eliminate competitors. In 2021, after laying a wreath at the grave of Karl Marx while on a trip to London, he was filmed eating $2,000 gold-encrusted steaks at a restaurant. Lam has gone after people who publicly mocked him with a vengeance. Trong, who also served as president from October 2018 to April 2021, was chosen to serve a rule-breaking third five-year term as party secretary in 2021. His term will expire in 2026 when the 14th Congress meets, and he could recommend a successor. Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, 65, are the only two candidates eligible to succeed him. The decision to hand over Trong's secretary general duties to a caretaker was "prudent" and was being handled under normal Politburo regulations, according to Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the Australian Defence Force Academy. "There will be no major disruption in domestic and foreign policies," he said. "It provides a breathing space of nearly 18 months to prepare for the 14th national party congress," Thayer said. "This is plenty of time for an orderly process of consensus-building on the new leadership." Rumors of ill health Trong, 80, is receiving treatment for an unspecified medical condition, VNExpress reported on Thursday. He was seen in public on June 20 when he received Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hanoi. "The Politburo, the Secretariat, key leaders and the Standing Member of the Secretariat have directed specialized agencies to focus on mobilizing a team of professors, doctors, medical staff, leading experts and the most favorable conditions to treat and care for the general secretary's health," it said. Speculation about Trong's health on social media was sparked at the end of last year when he disappeared from the public eye after meeting Japanese Communist Party head Kazuo Shii in Hanoi on Dec. 26. The following month, he failed to meet Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and then-Indonesian President Joko Widodo on their official visits to Vietnam. A brief appearance at the start of an extraordinary session of the National Assembly on Jan. 15 failed to assuage rumors of ill health. Since then, there has been a major shakeup of the upper echelons of Vietnam's Communist Party. Vo Van Thuong resigned as president in March and Vuong Dinh Hue stepped down as chairman of the National Assembly in May. On May 20, Tran Thanh Man took office as National Assembly chairman with parliament swearing in To Lam as state president two days later. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address To Lam: The man with the golden steak is now leading Vietnam Communist cadre who maneuvered his way to become general secretary has long used influence to coalesce power. By Boer Deng for RFA 2024.07.18 -- In the West, he may be best known for eating a gold-covered steak while his countrymen survive on an average of about US$10 a day. But in Hanoi, Vietnam's new top leader To Lam has for years been seen as an operator whose decades in politics long paved the way for his ascent. On Thursday, that climb reached a new zenith after Vietnamese state media announced that Lam, 67, would take over the duties for Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. It comes less than two months after Lam was elevated to the Vietnamese presidency - a move that put him in pole position for the general secretary job, the most powerful in the country. The son of a Vietnamese police colonel, Lam began his career in public security in 1979. He joined the Communist Party of Vietnam in 1981, eventually rising to become the minister for public security - the country's top security official - in 2016. In 2019, he was awarded the rank of general by then-president Trong. Security czar In his capacity as security minister, he focused on internal politics and counter-intelligence - areas that may well have helped him to later cement his political powers. The stint was not without controversy. In 2017, Lam was accused of being involved in the kidnapping of Trinh Xuan Thanh, a fugitive oil executive and former provincial official, in Berlin. Thanh later returned to Hanoi through Slovakia. The government denied kidnapping but the case led to a temporary rift in diplomatic relations between Germany and Vietnam. But it would fit a larger pattern of alleged transnational repression and quashing of dissent overseen by Lam. His term as security minister saw the arrests and suspected kidnappings of journalist critics, including RFA blogger Truong Duy Nhat, who disappeared in Thailand in 2019 but is now in jail in Vietnam serving a 10-year sentence. Golden steak and 'Onion Bae' In 2021, Lam was involved in another controversy after he was caught on video eating a piece of gold-plated steak at a luxury restaurant in London. A video clip of the general being fed a US$2,000 steak by celebrity chef Salt Bae went viral, causing a public outcry at home. This was followed by a draconian crackdown, including the arrest and jailing of a noodle-seller nicknamed "Onion Bae" who had dared to ridicule Lam by posting a parody of the incident to social media. He remains in jail. Lam subsequently ramped up anti-corruption crackdowns that saw off potential rivals within the party in what critics have said were clearly politically motivated investigations. Lam's enthusiastic implementation of this so-called "Burning Furnace" campaign led to the sacking of half a dozen senior ministers and Politburo members within the span of months beginning in 2022. Yet Lam and Trong, the ally he succeeds, are also said to have questionable hidden interests. In May, the Tieng Dan newspaper revealed that a younger brother of To Lam, To Dung, was the chairman of the construction and real estate firm Xuan Cau Group, noting that the company had been conspicuously absent from any investigation even as it has won projects worth billions of Vietnamese dong with little oversight. Private man Little else is known about the private life of Vietnam's new top man. He does not appear to have ever given any remarks to Western media and nothing in English has been written of his immediate family, though Vietnamese reports say he has been twice married, first to Vu Hong Loan, the sister of a Vietnamese police major general and currently to Ngo Phuong Ly. He appears to have several children. One daughter was revealed to have graduated from London's prestigious School of Oriental and Asian Studies, or SOAS, in 2023. On the global stage, Lam has made clear his endorsement of the so-called "Bamboo diplomacy" Hanoi has undertaken to balance its relations between East and West. In June, he welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin, weeks after his swearing in as president, calling him "comrade" and hailing a successful visit. Hanoi saw visits from Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden within the previous nine months. Whether his caretaker role becomes a more permanent one, there seems little likelihood that Lam would veer from the established path. At his presidential swearing-in in May, he promised to "continue to strengthen the party's capabilities, its ruling power and combat prowess." He may well be looking to strengthen the same in himself. Edited by Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Talks A Big Talk, But Could It Target Trump On U.S. Soil? By Kian Sharifi July 18, 2024 Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been in Tehran's crosshairs ever since he ordered the killing of top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in neighboring Iraq in 2020. Tehran has repeatedly vowed to avenge Soleimani, and many officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have alluded to killing Trump and other senior members of his administration on U.S. soil. "We will prepare the ground to exact vengeance on the Americans from within their homes, using their companions," Esmail Qaani, who succeeded Soleimani as the commander of the Quds Force, the overseas arm of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), said in January 2022. U.S. media reported on July 16 that the Secret Service had enhanced Trump's security detail after receiving intelligence in recent weeks that Iran was plotting to assassinate him. Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee in the November 5 presidential election. The alleged plot appeared to be unrelated to the failed attempt on Trump's life on July 13, the reports said. "Plotting to kill a foreign leader, particularly an American presidential candidate, marks a significant leap in the crassness and risk-tolerance of the clerical regime," said Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank. Iran has long been accused of carrying out assassinations, including of Iranian dissidents, on foreign soil, although it has always denied responsibility. One of the most high-profile incidents was the 1991 killing of Shapur Bakhtiar, the last prime minister of Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Bakhtiar was shot dead in his home in France, in a killing that was widely blamed on Tehran. "Iran has not been successful in such endeavors in recent years, and its activities tend to aim at disruption rather than assassinating former or potential heads of state," said Gregory Brew, an Iran analyst at the U.S.-based Eurasia Group. He said while it was "unclear whether Iran's intelligence services are up to the task," Trump's close call on July 13 brings "into question any confidence that the Secret Service can keep him totally safe from harm." Taleblu said it would therefore be a mistake to dismiss Iran's threats. The Secret Service has been criticized since a 20-year-old gunman shot at Trump at a rally in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, grazing the former president's ear and killing a member of the crowd. 'Legal Route' To Avenge Soleimani Despite public declarations by senior Iranian figures about the desire to avenge Soleimani by killing Trump, Iranian diplomats have dismissed reports linking Tehran to plots to assassinate the former president. Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said on July 16 thatTehran was "determined to prosecute Trump" while the Iranian mission to the UN insisted that the Islamic republic had "chosen the legal route" to hold him accountable. Separately, Acting Foreign Minister Ali Baqeri Kani said Iran "will resort to legal and judicial procedures...at the domestic and international level." Taleblu said the comments by Iranian officials were in line with the "standard division of labor" in Tehran's security policy. "The Foreign Ministry tries to nullify threats through changes in style, while the IRGC and others are able to press ahead with the same sort of terror and destabilization in substance," he added. In December, a Tehran court ordered the U.S. government to pay nearly $50 billion in damages for assassinating Soleimani. The court convicted Trump and 41 other U.S. officials over the assassination. Said Mahmoudi, professor of international law at Stockholm University, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that Iranian court cases against Trump were only for show and lacked credibility. "It is very, very unusual for a [foreign] country...to prosecute Trump. Only international courts are equipped to do this," he said, adding that international law does not allow domestic courts to prosecute current and former heads of state based on local laws. Potential Impact on Tehran-Washington Ties Trump is currently leading President Joe Biden in most opinion polls ahead of the November election and some argue the assassination attempt could, at least temporarily, provide a boost to his chances. Reports of an alleged Iranian plot against Trump's life could torpedo attempts by reformist President-elect Masud Pezeshkian to tone down Iran's anti-West rhetoric, Damon Golriz, a lecturer at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, told Radio Farda. Brew said Trump might be "even more hostile towards Iran" if elected but noted that the hostility is mutual. "It should temper any expectations of forward progress, on the nuclear issue or any other policy area, in the event Trump wins November's election," he added. With reporting by Reza Jamali and Hooman Askary of RFE/RL's Radio Farda. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-plot-assassinate- trump-soleimani-american-soil/33041642.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A Very British European Political Summit, With Democracy And Migration On The Menu By Rikard Jozwiak July 18, 2024 A week after the NATO summit in Washington, there is another gathering of leaders. This time, it's the European Political Community (EPC) summit -- a powwow that brings together leaders from pretty much all European nations, barring Belarus and Russia, that is taking place in the United Kingdom on July 18. More specifically, they are all descending on Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, not too far from London, the birthplace of legendary British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Perhaps the biggest spotlight will be on one of his successors, the newly elected U.K. leader Keir Starmer, who as the host of the summit will make his first real attempt to reorient his country toward Europe in general and the European Union in particular, after eight years of complicated and sometimes calamitous post-Brexit relations. While most of the planning and preparation for the meeting took place under the previous Conservative government, Brussels is in compliments mode, noting how smooth the run-up to the summit has been and how little disruption the U.K. general election in early June has meant for the EPC gathering. Make no mistake about it: EU types in general are excited about Starmer -- the first Labour prime minister since Gordon Brown back in 2010. They all note that the first impressions of him at the sidelines of the recent NATO summit in Washington was generally enthusiastic and the early exchanges with him have been described as "positive." Or as one senior EU official noted at a briefing to the media recently: "It's all been good vibes so far. Now we need to go into content." And there is a sense of urgency that Britain and the EU need a political rapprochement. The ongoing war in Ukraine is one reason for this, but the increasing prospect of another Trump presidency across the Atlantic is something that is concentrating minds on the continent and in the new center-left government in London. Don't expect any big breakthroughs at the Blenheim meeting, but further down the road you could foresee an improved security pact between the EU and the U.K., possibly stronger trade relations, and maybe even increased mobility between the two entities. We soon might see a proper EU-U.K. summit where some of these things can be thrashed out. What About The EPC Itself? So far, it seems that around 45 leaders are showing up, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Don't expect much in terms of content and deliverables. The EPC has never been big on those sorts of things. The brainchild of French President Emmanuel Macron in 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale attack of its neighbor, it was meant to bring the rest of Europe closer politically -- "strategic intimacy," as Macron first put it. That means that the leaders gather twice a year with the host rotating between EU and non-EU member states. And it appears the leaders quite like it. First of all, because it's rather short. They only meet for half a day or so. And it tends to be hosted in spectacular places. The inaugural meeting two years ago took place at the monumental Prague Castle, followed by an exquisite winery outside Chisinau, then in Granada, where the leaders had dinner at the Alhambra, and now a classic British country house. Not bad settings for "political speed-dating," which is in fact what they are doing but in much less formal structures compared to other similar bodies like the Council of Europe and the OSCE. What's On The Menu? They kick off with an opening plenary, a family photo, some thematic roundtables and then a closing roundtable -- all in five hours. Then there is room for various bilateral meetings, before they can attend a reception hosted by King Charles. The roundtables will deal with three specific topics: defending democracies (meaning coordination in combating foreign interference in things such as electoral processes), migration (notably cooperation on how to tackle "irregular migration" and to create legal pathways to come to Europe), and energy connectivity. Macron and the Moldovan President Maia Sandu will co-chair the roundtable on defending democracies, which is so popular that there is a second group on the same topic co-chaired by the European Council President Charles Michel and the Montenegrin prime minister, Milojko Spajic. The prime ministers of Italy and Albania, Giorgia Meloni and Edi Rama, respectively, will host the migration roundtable. A controversial choice indeed as their two countries recently struck a much-criticized deal in which Albania would house migrants intercepted by Italian boats at sea. Slovenia and Norway will spearhead the energy roundtable. Keep An Eye Out For... Apart from indicative photos of who is speaking to whom, some potential bilaterals can be worth following. It was at the EPC that the EU, under Michel and Macron, attempted to get a peace deal between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The talks that then continued on and off in Brussels for some time have not really been successful. But there are chances that Michel might try one last stab in Blenheim before he finishes his current mandate towards the end of the year. An EU official with knowledge of the matter said there are contacts but that the format (bilateral, trilateral, or nothing at all) depends on what is the most conducive and appropriate. And then, of course, there is the next EPC summit. It will take place on November 7 -- just a couple of days after the U.S. presidential election. So far, the deal is that the meeting will take place in Hungary with the country's premier, Viktor Orban, as the official host. But his recent trips to Moscow and Beijing have enraged many other EU members to the point that they no longer may send ministers to various EU-related events in Hungary. Now, the EPC is not an EU body, and so far there have been no open calls to change the location of the meeting. But can the other leaders really stomach a big gathering in Budapest, notably if a predictably gleeful Orban greets them hot on the heels of his political ally Trump capturing the White House again? Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/european-political-community- summit-ukraine-macron/33041180.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Profile: With Von Der Leyen Approved For A Second Term, EU Centrists Find Temporary Refuge By Andy Heil July 18, 2024 The European Parliament's endorsement on July 18 of German Ursula von der Leyen for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission marks a bid for continuity in the EU's executive branch with a seasoned politician whose European tenure has been inextricably bound to the fortunes of the bloc's political center. An accomplished scion of the European project's founding generation of senior civil servants, the Belgian-born von der Leyen built a successful career as an adroit and effective cabinet minister under German Chancellor Angela Merkel before getting enlisted into the EU's senior echelons five years ago. Throughout her career, she has broken new ground for women and earned a reputation for hammering out consensus over urgent issues on both the German and EU political scenes. She was the first female German defense minister and the first woman to hold the office of president of the European Commission. Some of the most urgent challenges currently facing the 65-year-old von der Leyen are questions over diplomatic unity and material support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia, threats to transatlantic relations, divisions over Israel's nine-month-old war with U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and tensions over the bloc's agricultural, industrial, and environmental goals, especially in light of the European Green Deal adopted in 2019. She is no stranger to the kind of closely fought political bargaining that secured her second term despite a right-wing surge in last month's European elections, having been recruited into her first term as part of a late-hour deal to offset centrist losses in the 2019 voting. But ahead of her confirmation with a comfortable 41-seat cushion in the secret ballot in the European Parliament on July 18, she insisted that a centrist approach was essential to prevent the bloc from being "torn apart from the inside or the outside." She challenged European lawmakers undecided on her reelection with an appeal to let her "lead the fight" against extremist political forces. "Europe's democratic center must hold," she told the main chamber of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on July 18. "I will never let the extreme polarization of our societies become accepted." "I will never accept that demagogues and extremists destroy our European way of life, and I stand here today ready to lead the fight with all the democratic forces in this house," she added. Early Life Von der Leyen arguably got a running head start on her European path. She was born in 1958 as one of seven children of Ernst Albrecht, a senior civil servant at the inception in the 1950s of the pillars that came to form the European Union. Albrecht then launched a lofty, though controversial, domestic political career in his native Lower Saxony and beyond. She initially studied economics but shifted to medicine, graduating from Hanover Medical School in 1987 and working as an assistant physician before moving as a newlywed with a growing family to the United States for four years in the mid-1990s. On her return to Germany in 1996, von der Leyen rose quickly within the mainstream center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU). She thrived under Merkel's chancellorship that began in 2005, first as family affairs minister and then labor minister before becoming Germany's first female defense minister in 2013. Her triumphs fostered widespread speculation that she was a potential successor to Merkel. Von der Leyen had just taken over as defense minister when Moscow annexed Crimea and sparked armed separatism in eastern Ukraine in 2014, lighting a fuse that would transform the continent when Russia launched its full-scale invasion eight years later. She responded to the Crimean crisis with some of the loudest and earliest calls for Europe to assume greater responsibility for its own defense, although it took years for Germany's own defense spending to rise in line with such a goal. EU Tenure As president of the European Commission, von der Leyen has steered the EU executive's tough response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and related threats -- unprecedented sanctions, tens of billions in aid to Ukraine, and weapons supplies despite opposition from members such as Hungary -- while adopting more flexible approaches on potentially divisive issues including immigration, agricultural and budget policy, and even her own priority of tackling climate change. She also spearheaded the bloc's actions to stem the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic that began in early 2020 and eventually killed millions and polarized societies within months of her taking up the leadership of the European Commission, including an unprecedented vaccine-development and -sharing effort. The vaccine crisis generated one of the longest-lasting scandals of von der Leyen's tenure, over her role in the commission's contracts with vaccine makers and its efforts to withhold related documents. In a speech to the European Parliament to make the case for her reelection on July 18, she warned of the current "period of deep anxiety and uncertainty," saying, "I'm convinced that Europe, a strong Europe, can rise to the challenge." She also hinted at a tough line against actions by member states that could undermine EU unity in the face of Russian aggression, calling Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's self-styled "peace mission" via Russia and China an "appeasement mission." In her speech, Von der Leyen also listed fresh priorities, including a stiffening of EU borders, a merit-based approach to EU enlargement, a "new EU strategy" for agriculture, and boosts aimed at economic and industrial efficiency. She also demanded an end "now" to the bloodshed in Gaza. The Process Von der Leyen is president of the center-right European People's Party (EPP), which remains the largest grouping in the European Parliament despite gains by far-right parties in last month's elections. After her appointment by the EU's 27 national leaders in late June, von der Leyen needed support in parliament from a simple majority of at least 360 of the 719 currently active seats. She received 401 of 707 votes cast on July 18. She was expected to rely heavily on the votes of her EPP, as well as deputies from other groups in the parliament, namely the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats and the liberal Renew Europe, despite some likely defections. Last minute horse-trading is also expected to have brought votes from the Greens/European Free Alliance and the more Euroskeptic European Conservatives and Reformists. The defeat of her candidacy would have sparked a desperate clamber for a replacement with few signs of an easy consensus among the 27 leaders of the bloc's member states. The top European Commission post is one of three key institutional presidencies, the other two being the leadership of the European Council, which defines the general political direction and priorities the bloc, and the European Parliament. (The rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, a body composed of government ministers from each member state, is a largely symbolic one, which mostly entails chairing council meetings.) The most important functions of the commission's president are to work alongside the European Council president to set the bloc's strategic and general priorities, assign portfolios in and guide the "College" of 27 commissioners (one from each member state), and participate in debate among member governments. But the political independence and executive mission of the commission -- to propose and enforce legislation and implement policies and budgets -- make its presidency a particularly influential platform. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/van-der-leyen-profile-eu- president/33041523.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli Parliament Approves Resolution Against Establishing Palestinian State Sputnik News 20240718 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Israeli parliament, Knesset, has approved, by a majority vote of 68 out of 120 members, a resolution opposing the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Israeli news portal Ynet reported on Thursday. This decision reportedly comes just a few days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to Washington to address Congress. "The Knesset of Israel firmly opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River. The creation of a Palestinian state in the heart of Israel would pose an existential threat to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and destabilize the region. It would only be a matter of time before Hamas takes over the Palestinian state and transforms it into a radical Islamic terror base, operating in coordination with the Iran-led axis, to destroy the State of Israel," the text of the resolution read. In February, the Knesset passed a resolution rejecting any attempts to impose the recognition of a Palestinian state on Israel. The resolution was adopted by an absolute majority of votes. The UN General Assembly voted in 1947 to divide UK-governed Palestine into Arab and Jewish states, with Jerusalem placed under a special international regime. The partitioning was planned to take place in May 1948, when the British mandate was due to end, but only the state of Israel was established. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Secretary Campbell's Meeting with Senegalese President Faye US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson July 18, 2024 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. He congratulated President Faye and the Senegalese people for holding free and fair presidential elections conducted peacefully in March. During the meeting, the Deputy Secretary reiterated the United States' ongoing commitment to the U.S.-Senegal partnership and underscored our shared dedication to democracy, respect for human rights, regional security, and prosperity for all. The two leaders also discussed opportunities to increase bilateral trade and investment, particularly in the digital technology and agricultural sectors and the marine economy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Blinken's Call with Omani Foreign Minister Albusaidi US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson July 18, 2024 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi to offer condolences for the horrific shooting incident targeting worshippers at a mosque in Muscat. Secretary Blinken expressed the United States' solidarity with the people of Oman and our appreciation for the efforts of the Royal Oman Police throughout the attack. The Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza that provides for the release of the hostages, and a significant and sustained increase in humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza. They also affirmed the strength of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Oman. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Maintains Pressure on Houthi Illicit Shipping and Finance Schemes U.S. Department of the Treasury July 18, 2024 WASHINGTON -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating and identifying as blocked property a dozen persons and vessels, respectively, that have played a critical role in financing the Houthis' destabilizing regional activities as part of the network of Sa'id al-Jamal. Today's action includes Indonesia-based Malaysian and Singaporean national Mohammad Roslan Bin Ahmad and People's Republic of China (PRC)-based Chinese national Zhuang Liang, who have facilitated illicit shipments and engaged in money laundering for the network. Sa'id al-Jamal's network continues to provide tens of millions of dollars in revenue to the Houthis in Yemen through its shipment of Iranian commodities, including oil, a funding stream underpinning the Houthis' ongoing attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea. This action targets numerous aspects of this illicit network across the spectrum of its operations, from clients and facilitators to insurance providers, vessels, and ship management firms. "Today's action underscores our focus on disrupting the Houthis' sprawling network of financial facilitators, shell companies, and vessels, that enables the primary source of funding for the group's destabilizing activities," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson. "Treasury will continue disrupt the actors who are critical to this network's operations, as well as the Houthis' ability to further destabilize the region and threaten international commerce." Today's action is being taken pursuant to the counterterrorism authority Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended. OFAC designated Sa'id al-Jamal pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, on June 10, 2021, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - Qods Force (IRGC-QF). The IRGC-QF was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 on October 25, 2007, for providing support to multiple terrorist groups. The U.S. Department of State's designation of Ansarallah (commonly known as the Houthis) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group, pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, became effective on February 16, 2024. KEY INTERNATIONAL ILLICIT FINANCE AND SHIPPING FACILITATORS Malaysian and Singaporean national Mohammad Roslan Bin Ahmad (Royston), also known as Royston Wu Chiren or Mohammad Roslan Royston, is an Indonesia-based illicit shipment facilitator who provides ship management and brokering services for Sa'id al-Jamal's network. Royston has facilitated the Sa'id al-Jamal network's shipments to Malaysia. Royston has also brokered vessels for illicit Russian and Venezuelan trade. PRC-based businessman Zhuang Liang (Zhuang) has engaged in money laundering and other finance-related schemes for the Sai'd al-Jamal network, including working with Sa'id al-Jamal and the IRGC-QF to further Sa'id al-Jamal's illicit business operations. Zhuang has similarly assisted Sa'id al-Jamal business partner and Houthi-affiliate Abdi Nasir Ali Mahamud (Mahamud) in circumventing sanctions by illicitly providing him access to the international financial system. OFAC designated Mahamud concurrently with Sa'id al-Jamal for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Sa'id al-Jamal. Today, OFAC is updating Mahamud's entry on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) to reflect his use of a Somali diplomatic passport, D00015633, to travel internationally. Sa'id al-Jamal has similarly traveled under the alias Ahmad Saeidi with Iran-issued passports U63475649 and E49297849, each of which is also being added to the SDN List today. Zhuang and Royston are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Sa'id al-Jamal. ILLICIT SHIPPING NETWORK Sa'id al-Jamal's network relies on numerous, seemingly innocuous, companies in multiple jurisdictions to illicitly generate tens of millions of dollars of revenue. Seychelles- registered, Thailand and Singapore-based Ascent General Insurance Company has provided insurance to vessels that were identified as blocked property of those sanctioned for providing support to Sa'id al-Jamal. United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Fornacis Energy Trading Co. L.L.C has purchased and shipped tens of millions of dollars' worth of Iranian cargo for the Sa'id al-Jamal network. Ascent General Insurance Company and Fornacis Energy Trading Co. L.L.C are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Sa'id al-Jamal. Marshall Islands-registered and UAE-based Barco Ship Management Inc (Barco) is the ship manager and commercial manager of multiple vessels, including the Panama-flagged WANJI (IMO: 9215103), which has been utilized by Sa'id al-Jamal's network for illicit shipments to the UAE worth tens of millions of dollars. Barco additionally manages and operates the Panama-flagged vessel OCEANIC II (IMO: 9275995) and the Panama-flagged vessel TIREX (IMO: 9203772). Like Barco, the Marshall Islands-registered Sea Knot Shipping Inc. has used the vessel MIROVA DYNAMIC (IMO: 9237618) to transport illicit shipments worth tens of millions of dollars for Sa'id al-Jamal. Barco and Sea Knot Shipping Inc. are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Sa'id al-Jamal. The WANJI, OCEANIC II, and TIREX are being identified as blocked property in which Barco has an interest. MIROVA DYNAMICis being identified as blocked property in which Sea Knot Shipping Inc.has an interest. UAE-based Alpha Shine Marine Services L.L.C is the ship manager of the Panama-flagged vessel KASPER (IMO: 9293143), which has been used by the Sa'id al-Jamal network to facilitate millions of dollars' worth of illicit trade under forged shipping documents. Alpha Shine Marine Services L.L.Cis being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Sa'id al-Jamal. The KASPER is being identified as blocked property in which Alpha Shine Marine Services L.L.C has an interest. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC's Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here. Click here for more information on the individuals and entities designated and vessel identified today. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Largest' displacements so far in Gaza's war of attrition: UN aid agencies 18 July 2024 - UN humanitarians issued a fresh alert on Thursday about having to cut rations in Gaza where fresh evacuation orders by the Israeli military have prompted "the largest displacements since October" across the enclave. In addition to deep concerns about all those forcibly uprooted from their shelters and homes, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned that the delivery of lifesaving rations has become even more difficult than it was already. Meanwhile in New York later on Thursday, the UN Spokesperson reacted to a vote in the Israeli Knesset formally rejecting Palestinian statehood by declaring: "You can't vote away the two-State solution." "Many distribution points have had to shut down. Only a few bakeries remain operational," the UN agency said in a post on X. "We urgently need increased deliveries of food and greater capacity to deliver hot meals," WFP continued, as Israeli military action forces food distribution points in Gaza to close and relocate. Ration cuts In July so far, WFP has provided more than 600,000 people in Gaza with food assistance, and more than 500,000 people with food parcels and wheat flour. It has reported having to further reduce rations in Gaza city to ensure broader coverage for people who have been newly displaced, according to update from the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, which also reported that the Israeli military on Wednesday stopped all aid missions from going north of Wadi Gaza, the river valley which divides the enclave in two. Supplies out of reach "This means humanitarian workers were unable to reach any of the hundreds of thousands of people in need. It also made it impossible for them to collect supplies from the northern entry point of Erez West," OCHA noted, referring to the border crossing between northern Gaza and Israel that is also known as Beit Lahiya. The UN aid office also noted multiple reports of military activity along the Israeli military road that separates north and south Gaza, as some 450 people crossed from Gaza city in the north to Deir al Balah governorate 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) further south on Wednesday alone, compared to just over 1,000 last week. "Some of those new arrivals told aid workers that Israeli troops had shot at people trying to cross, forcing some of them to turn around," the UN aid agency said, while citing additional unverified reports of people south of Wadi Gaza "being shot at while waiting for their relatives to cross into Deir al Balah". The UN food agency said that as of 14 July, 11 of the 18 bakeries it supports remained operational in Gaza providing support to several thousand families every day: seven in Deir al Balah, two in Gaza city and two in north Gaza. "WFP still needs to deliver more fuel to the bakeries and other services, so they can provide emergency support to displaced families," it said in an update to UN News. "Basic commodities are available in markets in southern and central Gaza - but are unaffordable for many people - the shortage of commercial goods means food is sold at astronomical prices." In July, WFP reported working with 80 community kitchens across central and southern Gaza and Gaza city to distribute hot meals in Khan Younis, Deir El Balah, Gaza city and Rafah, reaching almost 185,000 people in total. In June by contrast, WFP distributed an average of 400,000 meals daily across central and southern Gaza, as well as Gaza city. Trucks still rolling So far in July WFP has delivered more than 1,000 trucks carrying at least 7,600 metric tons of food and non-food items into Gaza through West Erez crossing in the far north, Gate 96 south of Gaza city and Kerem Shalom in the south, on behalf of humanitarian partners. Of those, 584 WFP trucks carried 6,800 metric tons of WFP aid. Most people in Gaza have received food parcels and wheat flour - albeit less than normal - but the UN food agency reported having to reduce rations because of "limited" stocks in central and southern Gaza throughout July, with some areas receiving only wheat flour. "To address shortages in commodities, rations were provided to ensure all kitchens have enough supplies for at least one week. Unless more commodities are received, hot meal partners will deplete stocks in days," the UN agency warned. West Bank violence unabated Meanwhile in the West Bank including East Jerusalem, OCHA reported that between 7 October 2023 and 15 July 2024, 554 Palestinians have now been killed there, in addition to two more who died of wounds sustained prior to 7 October. The total includes 539 killed by Israeli forces, 10 by Israeli settlers and seven more where it is unclear whether the perpetrators were Israeli forces or settlers. During the same period, 14 Israelis were killed by Palestinians in the West Bank, including nine members of Israeli forces and five settlers. In Israel, attacks by Palestinians from the West Bank have claimed the lives of eight Israelis and four Palestinian perpetrators, the UN aid coordination office noted. Lebanon strike kills three And in a sign of the continuing escalation on Lebanon's border area with northern Israel, the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, condemned a deadly airstrike on Tuesday. "The killing of three more children by an airstrike today as they were reportedly playing in front of their home in South Lebanon is horrific," the UN agency's Lebanon office said on X. "Children must be protected under IHL [International Humanitarian Law]. "Our thoughts with their families. More children are at risk as long as the violence continues." 'You can't vote away the two-State solution' In response to a question at the daily noon briefing about the Israeli Knesset or parliament passing a resolution on Thursday opposing Palestinian statehood, the UN Spokesperson responded by saying "you can't vote away the two-State solution." Stephane Dujarric reminded reporters of the Secretary-General's warning in the Security Council on Wednesday about "a stake being driven through the heart of any prospect for a two-State solution", which is seen in most capitals as the only viable basis for a lasting peace between Israel and Palestine. "The Secretary-General is disappointed by the decision of the Knesset to pass a motion opposing the establishment of a Palestinian state West of the Jordan River", said Mr. Dujarric. "As he has said many times, he believes in ending the occupation and negotiating a two-State solution with Israel and an independent, democratic, continguous viable and sovereign Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognised borders based on 1967 lines, with Jerusalem as the capital of both States is the only viable path to a sustainable peace for the people of Israel and for the people of Palestine." The declaration in the Knesset, which won the support of 68 members with only nine opposing, "is clearly inconsistent with the UN resolutions, international law and prior agreements", the UN Spokesperson added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Gridley, Partner Nations Hold VBSS Drill During RIMPAC 2024 US Navy 18 July 2024 From Petty Officer 1st Class Jesse Monford PACIFIC OCEAN -- The Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley (DDG 101) participated in a multinational visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) drill while underway July 15 during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), a large-scale international maritime exercise. VBSS training is conducted as part of continued efforts by the U.S. military to protect international waters from global issues such as piracy, human trafficking and drug trafficking. The evolution was a combined effort involving three international ships from partner nations: the Mexican Reformador-class frigate ARM Belito Juarez (POLA-101), the Singaporean Formidable-class stealth frigate RSS Stalwart (72) and the Republic of Korea ship ROKS Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin (DDH-975). Conducting this type of VBSS evolution was the first time for two out of the four U.S. Navy Sailors involved. For U.S. Navy Quartermaster 1st Class Alexis Wighaman, the VBSS team leader onboard Gridley, this marked her sixth time. "I have participated in multiple international boarding exercises prior to RIMPAC 2024, however, this was the first exercise I participated in which included more than one partner nation," said Wighaman. "Lessons learned and training exchanged between us and our partners greatly enhanced Gridley's boarding team, as well as our coordination with our partnered allies." The participants initiated the drill, which included VBSS techniques, basic shipboard tactical movement and self-defense in an effort to further enhance readiness regarding maritime safety and security. The participants are trained in the use of small arms, proper space entry procedures, team communication skills, ship familiarization, tactical team movements and boarding reporting procedures. U.S. Navy Chief Fire Controlman James Collins, the VBSS security team leader onboard Gridley, expressed his experience working with partner nations during the evolution. "As this was my second international boarding exercise, this one a bit different for me," said Collins. "This drill was my first drill that included multiple partner nations, but overall successful. This boarding provided us with the opportunity to show that multiple nations can integrate and execute the mission at-hand, resulting in the increased ability to be prepared for any future conflict." U.S. Navy Cmdr. Thomas Brewer, commanding officer of USS Gridley, believes that these types of experiences are vital to help strengthen partnerships and integration amongst our partner nations. "These multi-national training evolutions are an amazing opportunity to share tactics and techniques between partners, improving our interoperability and increasing readiness," said Brewer. USS Gridley is a part of the U.S. 3rd Fleet, which leads naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy. U.S. 3rd Fleet works in close coordination with other numbered fleets to provide commanders with capable, ready forces to deploy forward and win in day-to-day competition, crisis and conflict. Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Bulkeley Aids in Rescue of Vessel in Distress US Navy 18 July 2024 From U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa / U.S. Sixth Fleet Public Affairs NAPLES, Italy -- Sailors from USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM 79) provided life-saving assistance to an adrift vessel on July 16, during routine operations in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. A helicopter from HSM 79, conducting routine flight operations from Bulkeley spotted people indicating distress onboard a dead-in-the-water vessel, and reported the adrift vessel back to the destroyer. Bulkeley, in coordination with the Joint Rescue Coordination Center, requested a nearby merchant, the Motor Vessel Seaways Sabine to approach the vessel and provide assistance. The Seaways Sabine found 31 personnel onboard a vessel that had been adrift for days, and found three people who needed medical attention. The Bulkeley's Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat delivered Bulkeley's Corpsmen to the Seaways Sabine to provide medical assistance to the three unresponsive personnel. Unfortunately, the medical team was not able to save one of the patients despite an extended period of CPR. The two other patients in need of medical assistance are in a stable condition, and are being transported to the nearest suitable port by the Seaways Sabine. "In times of crisis, the United States Navy is there to respond and assist whenever possible," said Cmdr. Arturo Trejo, commanding officer of USS Bulkeley. "I want to thank our crew aboard and the crew aboard Seaways Sabine for their quick action and teamwork in assisting those during a time of need. This incident, while unfortunate, underscores our Navy's ability to respond to those in need and showcases the readiness and capabilities of our team." Motor Vessel Seaways Sabine will be taking the rescued personnel to Port Sidi Kurayr, Egypt for further assistance. U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu makes surprise visit to southern Gaza By VOA News July 18, 2024 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Israeli troops in southern Gaza on Thursday as their tanks continue to drive into Rafah. The visit comes as Netanyahu is set to address the U.S. Congress next week in Washington. The surprise visit came after Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir visited a contested holy site in Jerusalem the same day. Netanyahu's office announced the visit after he left southern Gaza. He later released a statement saying, "Only the military pressure helps us advance the hostage deal." Earlier, the Knesset Israel's parliament easily passed a resolution opposing the creation of a Palestinian state. John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, said Israeli politicians should not fan the flames in the wake of Ben-Gvir's visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. "We would continue to urge our Israeli counterparts to do nothing that inflames passions or could lead to or encourage violent activity one way or the other," Kirby said. Airstrikes persist Fighting continued Thursday as 21 people were killed from Israeli bombardment of refugee camps and strikes on Gaza City. Israeli airstrikes killed 16 in Zawayda and the Bureij and Nuseirat camps, as well as the city of Deir al-Balah, which hadn't previously been invaded by Israeli troops, according to health officials. Israel's military said the airstrikes killed two Islamic Jihad commanders, including one who took part in the October 7, 2023, attack. Palestinian medics said five people were killed from the two strikes. The International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday that fighting in southern Gaza has pushed all health facilities in southern Gaza, including a 60-bed Red Cross hospital, to a breaking point in terms of ability to care for patients with life-threatening injuries. "Another mass casualty event would force our doctors and nurses to make extremely difficult choices," William Schomburg, Gaza head of the ICRC delegation, said in a statement. "The current medical needs of civilians dramatically outstrip the limited availability of supplies and healthcare response, as hospitals have repeatedly been compelled to close." Israel's land and air assault on Gaza has killed more than 38,700 people, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. Nearly three-quarters of Gaza's 2.3 million population is displaced, and nearly the entire population is at risk of famine, according to the United Nations. Report details attacks A report by Human Rights Watch documents what the group says are several dozen cases of serious violations of international humanitarian law by Hamas' military wing and at least four other Palestinian armed groups during the October 7 assault on southern Israel. The 236-page report was released Wednesday and details how Palestinian fighters committed summary killings, hostage-taking, murder, wrongful imprisonment and what the group said were other grave offenses. In a statement on the group's website, Human Rights Watch crisis and conflict director Ida Sawyer said their research "found that the Hamas-led assault on October 7 was designed to kill civilians and take as many people as possible." She said the "atrocities should spur a global call to action for an end to all abuses against civilians in Israel and Palestine." The group said between October 2023 and June 2024, they interviewed 144 people, including 94 Israeli and other nationals, who witnessed the attacks, victims' family members, first responders and medical experts for the report. Researchers also verified and analyzed over 280 photographs and videos taken during the assault. Human Rights Watch has called on governments with influence over the armed groups to press for the urgent release of civilian hostages whose captivity it describes as an ongoing war crime and for those responsible to be brought to justice. The group had previously published reports addressing violations by Israeli forces in Gaza since October 7. Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people and captured about 250 hostages in their terror attack last October on Israel that sparked the war. Israel says it believes Hamas is still holding 116 hostages, including 42 that the military says are dead. Citing a U.S. official, Reuters news agency reported U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk was traveling to the Middle East on Thursday for talks on the Gaza conflict with regional officials. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters McGurk had stops planned in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, but offered no further details. Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report. Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Washington touts 15-day Congo truce By Anita Powell July 18, 2024 U.S. diplomats are working closely with African partners, the White House said Thursday, amid a fresh 15-day truce between the army and Rwanda-backed rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Experts on the ground say they're holding their breath, citing the dire humanitarian consequences of spiraling violence in this fragile region. The Biden administration believes this conflict in the northeast corner of the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa "poses a real threat to global peace and security," a National Security Council spokesperson told VOA on Thursday. In Congo, more than 940,000 people have been displaced this year, the United Nations says. And 7.3 million Congolese people - more than half women - are currently displaced. Conflict is the culprit more than 80% of the time. This new truce, set through August 3, aims to quiet the constant thrum of violence that has plagued this resource-rich corner of Congo since the late 1990s. That's when Hutu extremists with ties to Rwanda's genocide fled over the Congolese border and began to organize militias along the shores of the massive Lake Kivu. That violence snowballed into a bloodbath that left millions dead across Congo in one of the worst civil wars of the 20th century. Several rounds of United Nations peacekeeping missions have failed to stop the cycle of violence, which picked up anew after Congo's violent elections in late 2023. Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing one of the main combatant groups, M23, which is composed primarily of fighters from Rwanda's minority Tutsi ethnic group. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel emphasized Washington's diplomatic efforts. "This is something that we are working closely on with the parties," he said. "We're going to work closely with the government of the DRC, Rwanda and Angola to support regional diplomatic efforts to reach a durable cessation of hostilities and set conditions for the voluntary return of displaced populations." He did not provide details when asked by reporters how the Biden administration plans to work with Rwanda's government. The last truce fell apart Monday, with an incident in the town of Bweremana that killed four children, according to media reports. White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson on Wednesday condemned those killings, while noting that "the parties to the conflict have largely respected the truce" - raising hopes that the children's deaths may not provoke a slide into violence. Analysts and humanitarian officials say the situation in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province - a shambolic but dynamic town in the shadow of the ever-smoldering Mount Nyiragongo - is unusually dire. Onesphore Sematumba, a Goma-based analyst with the International Crisis Group, spoke in stark terms about a town accustomed to fielding knockout punches from both nature and humanity. In the past two decades, Goma has weathered an Ebola outbreak and multiple volcanic eruptions, all while facing a stream of violent militant groups, including an increasingly powerful Islamic State group offshoot. Sematumba spoke Wednesday on a podcast on the subject, saying that the streets, roundabouts, storefronts and bars of Goma were thronged with desperate displaced people, among them women with babies on their shoulders and backs, begging. "This crisis is massive," he said in French. "This crisis is, I would say, gigantic, but as humanitarians rightly say, it is a forgotten crisis." Patel, of the State Department, also noted that Washington allocated more than $620 million in humanitarian aid to the nation in fiscal 2023. Sematumba cited fears that if diplomacy fails to keep the peace, conflict could draw in neighboring Rwanda and Uganda, nearby Burundi and Tanzania and even - clear on the other side of DRC, the smaller Republic of Congo as well. And he voiced concerns that the two major diplomatic efforts conducted in Luanda, Angola, and Nairobi, Kenya, "are struggling to materialize." "We would be heading towards a catastrophe like we've never seen, even at the height of the 1996 war, which drained almost all African countries, all African armies, from the upper reaches of the continent and into Congo," he said. "So everyone is holding their breath, and everyone is trying to hang on to all the diplomatic goings-on to avoid such a nightmarish scenario." Nike Ching contributed to this report from Washington; Isabella Dail provided translation assistance from Washington. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Eswatini's pro-democracy movement undeterred as MPs sentenced to prison By Nokukhanya Musi July 18, 2024 The sentencing Tuesday in Eswatini of two former members of parliament to lengthy prison terms on charges of terrorism marks a significant escalation in the tensions between the monarchy and those advocating for democratic reform in the southern African nation. Human rights groups condemned the convictions, saying the court decision raises questions about human rights and political repression. Pro-democracy activists say they are undeterred. The convictions of Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, who were sentenced to prison terms of 25 and 18 years respectively, sent shock waves throughout Eswatini and the international community. The two men were arrested in July 2021 during pro-democracy protests that were violently put down by security forces, leaving dozens of people dead. Demonstrators were pressing for reforms to a complex system of non-party elections that ensured Eswatini's ruler, King Mswati the third, faced no meaningful dissent. Rights group Amnesty International urged Eswatini authorities to immediately quash what it called "the unjust and baseless convictions and sentences of the former members of parliament." Alpheous Nxumalo, a spokesperson for the Eswatini government, told VOA's English to Africa Service the convictions were "discharged through the provisions of the law, which guarantees the rights of each and everyone who has been sentenced to appeal to a higher court." He added that Eswatini's international partners and friends should respect the country's sovereignty and rule of law. Thantaza Silolo, a spokesperson for the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO), told VOA that despite the harsh sentences handed down by the Eswatini High Court, the country's pro-democracy movement remains resolute in its pursuit of democratic reform. "These MPs were strong inside the chambers of parliament and outside in calling to say we need a prime minister that is elected by the people, not a prime minister that is being appointed by the King and for that reason, they were sentenced, they were arrested and charged with heinous offenses as if they were criminals, they were murderers and terrorists," Silolo said. "Yet, these are just advocates for change. These are just people who have been calling for freedom and we maintain as a movement that ... we will continue to push for their release." Political analyst Sibusiso Nhlabatsi sees the sentences as a major setback for democracy and human rights in Eswatini. She said the sentences are a classic example of "guilty until proven innocent," with mere allegations being enough to secure a conviction. "You can see that the intention was to induce fear and I think most of Emaswati will now live in that shadow of fear we don't want to do what these people did and even members of parliament will say we don't want to do what the other members of parliament did because we might follow suit," Nhlabatsi said. "I think through this judgment the state has successfully entrenched itself. It has successfully been able to threaten anyone who may want to raise a voice against the establishment." According to human rights activist Lucky Dlamini, the harsh sentencing of the MPs signals a wider attack on democracy and human rights in Eswatini. He said the country is a dictatorship, with the monarchy using state security forces to suppress dissent and violate fundamental human rights. "We remain under a cruel system of government which is an absolute monarchy where there's immunity [for] the security forces against human rights activists and political activists and human right defenders, where they cannot be able to access justice in the courts, where they cannot be able to hold on to demonstration, where they cannot exercise freedom of the right to political participation, the right to freedom of expression, the right to freedom of access to the media, the right to freedom of assembly," he said. A lawyer for the two former MPs said they plan to appeal their sentences. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address On-the-Record Press Gaggle by White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby July 18, 2024 Via Teleconference 10:34 A.M. EDT MODERATOR: Hey. Good morning, everyone. Thanks so much for joining today's News of the Day Gaggle with White House National Security Comms Advisor John Kirby. I'll turn it over to him for a topper, and then we'll take some of your questions. MR. KIRBY: Good morning, everybody. So, just right off the top, since I know many of you are closely tracking the events out of Nairobi, we hope you can understand that this is an evolving situation and we're working to obtain and to help you get as much information as quickly as possible. We've all seen the reporting, and I just want to stress again that the United States is deeply concerned about and we condemn the reported violence in all its forms. We offer our deepest condolences, of course, to the families who have been impacted by this violence. And we continue to urge restraint so that no further Kenyans are put in harm's way while exercising their right to peaceful public assembly. That right is protected by the Kenyan constitution, and we believe it must be respected. The United States has been in touch with the Kenyan government to urge appropriate use of force by the police, to respect human rights, and quite frankly, to respect due process for those that have been detained. And we will continue to push for calm to prevail. And now, yesterday switching to Haiti the Multinational Security Support Mission, that will grow eventually to 2,500 multinational personnel, arrived in Haiti. As you know, this effort is being led by Kenya and with strong support from the United States. The mission includes personnel, financial support from over a dozen countries that will support the Haitian National Police as they increase their anti-gang operations, build their capacity to maintain public safety, and to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches everybody in need. The United States is this particular mission's largest financial contributor and the largest donor to Haiti in general, providing more than $300 million and up to $60 million in equipment. And we're going to continue our diplomatic outreach to encourage others to join that effort as well. We've also worked with Kenya and other partners to integrate critically important accountability and oversight measures into the mission. Now, I want to be clear right at the top here: This mission is not going to solve all of Haiti's problems, but it is a good, positive first step and to provide the best chance for Haiti to get on a path toward democratic governance and rule of law. It is about making the Haitian National Police better better resourced, better led, better trained, better capable. That's what this is about, and we're going into it with that in mind. Shifting topics, if I could: Today, we also welcomed the announcement that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte will serve as the next Secretary General of NATO. President Biden and Prime Minister Rutte have worked very closely together over the past decade when Joe Biden was Vice President and, of course, now that he's Commander-in-Chief. And they work together on a variety of issues, including our shared strong support for Ukraine, on safeguarding advanced technologies, and strengthening the transatlantic alliance. President Biden strongly believes that Mark Rutte will make an excellent Secretary General. And he's grateful for his willingness to serve in that capacity. We'd also like to thank, of course, Jens Stoltenberg for a decade of service to the Alliance during the most consequential period of European security since World War Two. Under his leadership, the NATO Alliance has become larger and stronger, and Allied unity is at an all-time high, which has been an important priority for President Biden. And that takes us right I mean, his leadership has really guided us right toward next month's 75th anniversary summit for NATO, here in Washington, D.C., which will be followed by the leadership transition, of course, in the fall when President I'm sorry, when Secretary General Stoltenberg steps down and the new Secretary General, Mark Rutte, steps into the job. Finally, as you all know, Evan Gershkovich appeared in court today for the start of what we view as nothing more than a sham trial. I'll state it again: Evan has never been employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy. Journalism is not a crime. And Evan should never have been detained in the first place. Russia has failed to justify Evan's continued detention. He, like fellow American Paul Whelan, is simply being used as a bargaining chip. Embassy Moscow was granted brief access to the courtroom before the proceedings began today. They were not permitted to speak with Evan. So, obviously, we're going to follow this closely. And of course, our embassy in Moscow will continue to seek to attend any and all future hearings. Now, look, I think this goes without saying too, but all of us all of us admire Evan's resilience. I've seen a reporting that his friends say he continues to be in good spirits, which is just incredible given what he's going through. While he shouldn't be going through these proceedings at all, it's always reassuring to see his smile and to hear reports of his morale. We want both Evan and Paul to know that we all care deeply about their wellbeing and that this administration will continue to do everything it can to bring them home, and that includes, right now, the effort to try to find a way to get these guys released back to their families, where they belong, is ongoing. It's alive, and we're keeping at it. And with that, I can start taking some questions. MODERATOR: Thanks. First up, we'll go to Aamer Madhani. Q Hey there, John. Is Israel's launch is an Israeli launch, cross-border offensive, Lebanon (inaudible) Hezbollah if that were to happen, will the U.S. back Israel militarily? And then secondly, on the Assange case, was the White House involved in helping forge the agreement that led to Assange's release? And has the President discussed the matter with the prime minister or any other Australian government officials ahead of the announcement? Thank you. MR. KIRBY: Yeah, the White House was not involved in any way whatsoever in Julian Assange's case, and the decisions pursuant to that, to his sentencing and his repatriation back to Israel. That was a DOJ matter, and they're the only ones that can speak to it. I don't have any conversations to read out to you from the President with respect to this. The White House was not involved in any way. On your first question look, first and foremost, we don't want to see a second front opened up, period. And that's why we've been working so hard on diplomacy and trying to find a way diplomatically to prevent that from happening. We don't believe that it's going to be in anybody's interest, quite frankly, least of all the Israeli people. So we're working diplomatically to prevent that outcome from happening. That's where our focus is on. But as we have said repeatedly, and as we will continue to say: We stand with Israel. We're going to continue to make sure Israel has what it needs to defend itself. And as the President has proven in the past, if there's a way we can prevent further attacks on Israel, we'll do that. And certainly, we're going to continue to help Israel defend itself; that's not going to change. But as for a hypothetical, specifically with respect to the northern border line, the Blue Line there with Lebanon, again, we want to see no second front opened, and we want to see if we can't resolve the tensions out there through diplomatic processes. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Jeff Mason. Q Thank you very much. John, Jake Sullivan has a meeting today with Mr. Gallant of Israel. Could you give us a sense of what you expect the two of them to discuss and also what time that is and whether or not we should expect a readout? MR. KIRBY: Hey, Jeff. You broke up a little bit, but I think I got the gist of the question. This was about Jake's meeting with Defense Minister Gallant. Q Yes. MR. KIRBY: He's meeting with him as we speak, Jeff. That meeting started a little bit after nine o'clock. And as far as I know, sitting here, it's still ongoing. And we absolutely will have a readout of it. Broadly speaking, I don't think you should expect any major surprises coming out of this discussion. I mean, Jake is looking forward to sitting down with Defense Minister Gallant to talk about what's going on in Gaza; to talk about to get a sense of Israeli operations, not only what they look like now, but what they're going to look like in the future; to talk about how we're going to continue to defend Israel and make sure that they have what they need. And obviously, they will talk about the what Aamer just asked me about the tensions up near Lebanon and that border, and what the path forward could look like for a diplomatic solution to this, to prevent a second front from opening up. I have every expectation that they will talk about the broader concerns of Iran in the region and their destabilizing behavior and the manner in which they, Iran, continue to resource, to fund, to support, to train groups that are now attacking Israel but also are supporting such attacks. So I think the full range of topics will be discussed. I think, also, I would have every expectation that the humanitarian situation will be front and center for Jake, for sure. He'll want to talk to the Israelis about what more we can do to get more trucks in and not only get them in, but get them to the people that most need that aid and assistance. As you know, though Kerem Shalom is open and trucks are queued up outside, not a lot of them are getting in, and it's not because of the Israelis; it's largely because just criminal gangs now are looting these trucks. And the World Food Program and the U.N. drivers are obviously concerned about getting attacked. And so, we're going have to continue to work with the Israelis to try to address that problem as well. So, again, I think a broad, big agenda, lots to talk about, but we'll have a readout when it's over. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Kellie Meyer. You should be able to unmute yourself. Q Hi, John. Thanks for doing this. A couple quick questions just on the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs warning of a threat to U.S. troops in the region as we've been discussing, the tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. Any more precautions that are being taken that you can speak to right now? MR. KIRBY: One of the things I'm very careful to do is not talk about the specifics on force protection and what we do to ensure force protection. I would refer you to the Chairman to speak to that more. I don't know how much more he'd get into that. We're certainly mindful of the risk to our troops and our facilities throughout the region. And that risk has certainly not mitigated in recent months, obviously, with what's going on. So it's something we're watching very closely. We continue to monitor it. We also modify force protection procedures and protocols as the threat changes, and it does change. But I think I need to leave it there. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Aurelia. Q Hi. Thanks so much for taking my question. A follow-up on Kenya. Not that long ago, President Ruto was at the White House, and President Biden said Kenya and the United States share democratic values. Would you say that this is maybe this is still the case after the response to the protests? And more generally, does the administration condemn the use of force against the protesters? Otherwise, how would you qualify what Kenyan police did in Nairobi? MR. KIRBY: I'll tell you, you know, as a democracy, the Kenyan constitution does allow for the use of defense forces to augment police, particularly like in protecting critical infrastructure. At the same time, that same constitution includes freedom of assembly and the right to protest peacefully, and calls for the government of Kenya to respect the rights of all its citizens. So, again, we remain deeply concerned about the violence that we've seen, and we absolutely condemn the violence. We don't want to see anybody hurt. And that includes violence that's perpetrated on innocent, peaceful protesters. So we're going to be in touch. We have been in touch. We're going to stay in touch with our Kenyan colleagues as appropriate. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Alex Ward. Q John, I know thanks for doing this. I know, you know, the administration has responded a thousand times to the stuff about, you know, the weapons delays or reported weapons delays, et cetera. But there's been reporting today that, basically, it seems like there's been a because the U.S. has sent so many weapons ahead of time, there's just been sort of a lower amount headed now, and wondering if you think that might be the issue. And then, sort of number two here, relatedly is: Is Netanyahu someone the administration really feels they can work with now? Obviously, he is the prime minister, and he is but he is the interlocutor, but is he someone you guys feel you can have good-faith conversations with about this conflict now? Thanks. MR. KIRBY: Alex, on your first question, I just want to make a couple of points, because I'm not going to I can't speak to the State Department process here. They run this process by which foreign military sales and provisions of weapons and assistance, you know, get to Israel. So I'll let them speak to sequencing and timing. You know, we don't have perfect visibility on that here to speak to that reporting and that process. I would just tell you, number one: Aid and assistance, military assistance, continues to flow to Israel; that we are in constant touch with our Israeli counterparts about what they need and doing everything we can to get them what they need. I mean, my goodness, you have the defense minister here today. Actually, you know, this week he's been here having meetings; met with Blinken, met with Austin, and now he's meeting with Jake today. I mean, nobody can say that we're not attune to and staying in touch with the Israelis about what they need. Number two, as you and I speak here, Alex, there remains only one shipment of high-density, low-precision munitions that has been paused. Everything else continues to flow. Again, on the timeline, you know, I'd have to and the sequencing I'd have to refer you to State. But Israel continues to get arms and ammunition. It continues to flow. We want to make sure that they have what they need. And that will that commitment will not waver. On your second question, at the risk of sounding repetitive, I would just tell you that these are two leaders who have known each other a long, long time decades. And they come from different political traditions. They have differing views on a number of issues that are germane not only to the region, but certainly specific to Israel. And they are absolutely competent and capable of being honest with one another. He is the elected prime minister of the State of Israel, and he, therefore, is the leader that we will work with and we have worked with him. I'm not saying that it's all been smooth in every single instance, including in recent days, but we are not going to get into we're not going to respond to every one of the Prime Minister's political statements and his public pronouncements. What we're focused on is making sure, again, that they have what they need. And we believe we're fully capable of doing that with Prime Minister Netanyahu and with this government. And that's what we're focused on. It's head down it's making sure that Israel can defend itself, but just as critically, as I said earlier, that we continue to get humanitarian assistance in to the people who are in need and that we get this ceasefire deal in place. It's one of the things that we haven't talked about it this morning, but we're still working with the Prime Minister and his team to try to get the ceasefire deal in place so that we can potentially end this conflict. And that's what we're focused on. And that means we're going to stay focused on that effort with the Prime Minister and his team because he's the government in place. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Brad Dress. Q Yeah, thank you. Just one question. So, despite U.S. efforts, the Houthis are continuing to attack merchant ships. And now they appear to be getting more successful. Why are efforts not working? And do you think the U.S. needs a new strategy to deter that? Thank you. MR. KIRBY: I think a couple of things are germane here. There's a religious fervor that the Houthi leadership have instilled into this effort. As I went to the podium a while ago a week or so ago and laid out for everybody, this isn't about standing up for the people of Gaza. It's not about it's not some popular movement to assist people in the region, because the ships that they're hitting, sometimes, in one case in particular, was meant to go to a Yemeni port to bring in grain to hungry people in Yemen. They have instilled this sort of religious fervor to this and made it some sort of cause celebre here. And when you do that, it becomes even more difficult to, as you put it, deter and dissuade. We're mindful of that. So what we're focused on is taking away their capability to conduct the attacks. And that is why we continue to hit targets inside Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen where we think an attack is imminent and about to occur. We're going to continue to do that. That's why we still have a coalition of 20-some-odd nations operating in the Red Sea and beyond to try to defend against these attacks. And while, yes, they have had a couple of successful strikes in most recent days and I know one vessel in particular sank as a result of the attack by and large, most of their attacks are not successful. You don't see press releases about it; you don't necessarily see video of it. But they miss a whole hell of a lot more than they hit, and that's because we're out there working hard to make sure that that's the outcome, at the same time making sure that we're doing everything we can to try to degrade their capabilities. But they're still getting supplied; they're still getting resourced by Iran. And as I said earlier, I have no doubt that that will be a topic of discussion when Jake and Defense Minister Gallant speak today, about what we can do together to try to take away some of those capabilities. And that's what we're focused on. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Nadia Charters. Q Thank you, Eduardo. Hi, John. A couple of questions. Canada has called its citizens to leave Lebanon. What is the U.S. assessment regarding a similar call? I know you have not done something similar to that. Do you believe that the situation is safe for U.S. citizens to stay in Lebanon? And second, any update I know you mentioned the negotiation with Hamas. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Hamas is insisting that they will accept the deal if phase three clearly calls for the end of the war. And this is the sticking point with the Israelis. Israelis said we're happy to go along, but phase three does not mean end of the war. Can you just give us your perspective on that? Thank you. MR. KIRBY: On your first question, I'm going to refer you to the State Department. Obviously, we want all Americans in Lebanon who are still there, either on business or other travel, to be as careful as possible to make sure that they have registered with the State Department system so that the State Department can stay in regular touch with them and that they do everything they can to be to watch out for their own safety. But as for any announcements or pronouncements, that's really a State Department call, and I'd have to refer you to them. Clearly, nothing is more important to President Biden than the safety and security of Americans wherever they are. And that includes overseas, and that certainly includes a place like Lebanon. What we're trying to do is prevent a second front from opening up. We're trying to prevent an escalation of this conflict that certainly would put the people of Israel and of Lebanon at greater physical risk than the risk that is already being incurred by them, particularly those that live near the Blue Line. We want to prevent that outcome, which is why we have been working so hard diplomatically and intensely, thus so, to prevent a second front from opening up and an expansion of this conflict. But we will, as appropriate, of course, stay in touch with all Americans in Lebanon. Those that sign up to be informed, we'll make sure that they have the latest and greatest information. But as for any particular pronouncements, that would be a State Department call. On your second question, the President laid this out really, really well at the end of May. He laid out the entire, sort of, phasing of this process. And it is advancing that phasing and that process that we're focused on, where you want to get to phase one. Phase one gives you six weeks of a ceasefire; it gives you more humanitarian assistance, up to 600 trucks a day; and obviously, critically, it gets a first rendering of hostages women, children, the elderly, sick out quickly, back to their families. And then as the President laid out, Nadia, while phase one is ongoing, the two sides then begin to negotiate phase two. So, I understand. I've seen public pronouncements and comments of people, you know, on either side, where they want to sort of leapfrog over the process. But the process as we've laid out, the process that Israel itself proposed and has endorsed calls for phase two negotiations to begin when phase one is agreed to and underway, that's the process that we still believe is the right one and the appropriate one. And that's the one that we're going to continue to talk to both sides about. And we still believe that discussions about it are valuable and warranted. And we're going to do everything we can to see if we can't get phase one implemented and started so that the rest of the process can take place. Then last thing I'll say is, as the President said in his speech on the 31st of May, that you get to phase two if you can get phase two negotiated and complete, well, that potentially you know, that gives you a potential cessation to the hostilities itself. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Marek. Q Thank you, Eduardo. Hi, John. One question. According to Reuters, two close advisors to Donald Trump have presented him with a plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine, in essence by forcing Ukraine to the negotiating table and the ceasefire based on so-called prevailing battle lines. From what we know about the plan right now, which side would this plan benefit if it's implemented? And does it make sense, this framework? Does it make sense to you? MR. KIRBY: Look, I think you all know I think I missed the beginning of your question. But is this a proposal put forth by folks on the Trump team? Is that what you were saying? Q Yes. General Kellogg and they say that they have positive feedback from former president. MR. KIRBY: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay. I thought that's what you said. Look, I would just I would just say a couple of things here. First of all, in our view, I'm not going to comment about the 2024 election. I'm not going to get, you know, into a public debate here with respect to what former President Trump's advisors may or may not be talking to him about it. So, with that as a caveat, the President's commitment to supporting Ukraine has been manifestly steady and strident and consistent. We built a global coalition now more than 50 countries that are supporting Ukraine as they defend themselves. He just signed at the G7 in Italy, a week or so ago, a historic bilateral security agreement with Ukraine. And he understands he understands that the stronger Ukraine's position is on the battlefield, the stronger they will be at the negotiating table when that time comes, Marek. And you know who gets to decide when that time comes? President Zelenskyy. And nobody else. And what we've said is: Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. And we're standing strong to make sure that President Zelenskyy has everything he needs so that if and when he's ready to go to the table, he can do it from a position of strength and that he knows he's got our backing and the backing of those some 50-some-odd countries. Unlike some folks, President Biden believes that any decisions about negotiations, quite frankly, have got to be up to President Zelenskyy and Ukraine. We're not going to force Ukraine to surrender any of its territory, because we understand that if Putin is allowed to conquer Ukraine and subjugate its people, any of its people, the consequences would be severe. He and dictators all around the world would just be emboldened, and we think the world would be a much more dangerous place. I think that pretty much sums up our views. MODERATOR: Next up, we'll go to Laura Kelly. Q Hi. Thank you for taking my question. Just going back to the distribution of aid in Gaza, what is the White House position on where responsibility for distribution rests? There's this blame game going on between Israel and the international aid organizations with security inside Gaza for distribution being seen I think is one of the major impediments. So who's responsible for security at this point? What does the White House want to see happen? MR. KIRBY: We want to see the ceasefire deal in place. We want to get that ceasefire deal in place Q But, like, while you're working on the ceasefire deal. MR. KIRBY: No, but let me finish. We want to see the ceasefire deal in place. Because if you get that ceasefire deal in place, you get six weeks of calm; you get six weeks of calm, you can maybe get up to several hundred trucks a day. And the goal of phase one is 600 trucks a day. So you ask me what we want to see. We want to see this deal put in place, which is why we Q So the challenge of getting the challenge of not distributing humanitarian aid is pressure on Hamas to go to the ceasefire deal? MR. KIRBY: No. Look, there's a lot of reasons why aid and assistance is being held up. One of the principal reasons right now is criminal gangs that are operating particularly at Kerem Shalom. That's not the Israelis' fault. And as far as we know, these gangs have no connection to Hamas specifically. So we're going to continue to work with the U.N. We've been talking to the U.N. about seeing if we can't help get them personal protective gear and equipment, communications, radio communication, so that their truck drivers can feel a little bit more safe, which you can't very well blame these guys for being a little bit nervous about driving a truck into Gaza when their convoys and their trucks could be attacked by these criminal gangs and thugs. And we so we're going to obviously work with them and the IDF to see what can be done about that. But, yes, look, security of these convoys is a live issue. And I'm not trying to pull take Hamas off the hook here, because Hamas has, in fact, allowed some of this activity to go on and don't have the best interests of the people of Gaza forefront in their minds. In fact, we've all seen Sinwar's comments about how civilian casualties and civilian suffering actually works he believes works to his advantage. So, Hamas is absolutely partly responsible here for this as well. But there's you know, it's a combat zone. And combat operations and combat areas certainly make the delivery of humanitarian assistance a lot more challenging. So we're going to continue to talk to the U.N., we're going to talk to the IDF about what we can do to make it safer and to make it more palatable for these drivers to take this aid in. But the way to get to that, the real answer to this is to get to phase one of this ceasefire deal. You get hostages home to their families. You get six weeks of a sustainable calm that will allow the comfort level for aid organizations to increase to a degree where they can move freely about Gaza. If you have a six-week ceasefire in place, then nobody is shooting at anybody, and it should be a lot easier to move humanitarian assistance. MODERATOR: Thanks. Next up, we'll go to Paris Wong. Q Hello. Thank you, John. I'm going to focus to Indo-Pacific region. So, in an interview on Tuesday, Philippines ambassador to the U.S. said if there's a conflict between Taiwan and China that would affect the Philippines, that it would most likely agree to the U.S. using its military bases in the defense of Taiwan. So does the Biden administration welcome Philippines' willingness to work with the U.S. on Taiwan safety? And also, does this mean the United States has successfully mobilized from North Asia to Southeast Asia, from Japan to Philippines, to form a security network in the Indo-Pacific? Thank you. MR. KIRBY: I think you know I'm not going to get into hypotheticals or speculate about the conflict across the Taiwan Strait. Nothing has changed about our One China policy. We don't want to see the status quo changed or altered unilaterally. We certainly don't want to see it changed or altered by force. And everything the President has been doing in our conversations with the PRC, in our work with allies like South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines has been designed to prevent that outcome from happening. And that's what we're focused on. The Philippines is a treaty ally. We take our alliance commitments seriously with the Philippines, as we have demonstrated certainly in recent weeks and months. And it was terrific to have President Marcos here to participate in the first-ever trilat between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines when we were hosting Prime Minister Kishida for the state visit as well. So, an awful lot of work has been done by President Biden and this team in terms of shoring up our alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific. And the reason you do that is to make it clear that we don't want to see a conflict, that we do have the capabilities in place to defend ourselves and defend our allies, and that there should be no reason for any of these tensions to erupt into conflict whatsoever. MODERATOR: Thanks, everyone. That's all the time we have for today. If you have any follow-up questions, feel free to reach out to our team. Thanks again. 11:09 A.M. EDT NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Combating terrorism: Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland files indictment against one person Swiss Government Bern, 18.07.2024 -- The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has filed an indictment in the Federal Criminal Court against a 51-year-old Algerian national. It alleges that the suspect supported and participated in the proscribed terrorist group 'Islamic state' (IS). More specifically, he is alleged to have attempted to travel from Algeria via Turkey to Syria in order to join IS there as a combatant. After he was unsuccessful in doing this, the indictment states that he left Turkey to travel to Europe and to Switzerland, in order to network with other IS members and supporters and to operate on behalf of the IS. According to the indictment, he planned to commit a terrorist attack in the name of IS in Europe. In addition, he is accused of being in possession of prohibited images of acts of violence. The OAG opened the related criminal proceedings in March 2022. The suspect was arrested in March 2022 and has been held in pre-trial detention until the end of 2023, after which he was in detention in anticipation of serving a custodial sentence until the current indictment. The OAG has now charged him with a violation of Article 2 of the Federal Act on the Proscription of the Groups 'Al-Qaida' and 'Islamic state' (IS) and Associated Organisations, participating in a terrorist organisation (Art. 260ter Swiss Criminal Code (SCC)) and possessing prohibited representations of acts of violence (Art. 135 SCC). Participation in and support for the proscribed terrorist organisation 'Islamic state' The suspect is alleged to have been a supporter and member of the terrorist organisation IS. According to the indictment, in 2017 he attempted to travel from his home country, Algeria, via Turkey to reach IS in Syria, where he planned to join IS as a combatant. After he failed in this plan, he is believed to have travelled in 2020 and 2021 from Turkey to Europe, claiming to be a refugee, reaching Switzerland in December 2021. In Switzerland he filed an application for asylum, which was rejected. He was ordered to leave Switzerland. Shortly thereafter he was arrested under a warrant issued by the OAG and placed in pre-trial detention. According to the indictment, both before and after his arrival in Switzerland he sought to network with other IS members and supporters in Europe and in particular in France, and to act as an IS operative. The OAG accuses him of pursuing a plan to commit a terrorist attack in Europe in the name of IS, alleging that he considered France as a possible target. In addition, the OAG claims that the suspect indoctrinated various persons with the IS ideology. He did so apparently by sending over 100 videos, images and text messages that glorify IS via his Facebook accounts, with the aim of convincing the addressees of the ideology of IS, or of reinforcing their existing views. He is also alleged to have held chatroom conversations with several persons with the same aim. Multiple counts of possessing prohibited representations of acts of violence According to the indictment, the suspect had stored several files with prohibited representations of acts of violence on his mobile telephone, with the result that he is also charged with multiple counts of possessing prohibited representations of acts of violence. From now on, the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona becomes responsible for answering any further media enquiries. As is customary, the OAG will announce the penalties that it is proposing at the main hearing before the Federal Criminal Court. The presumption of innocence applies until a legally binding judgment has been issued. Original text of the press release in German NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Alleged Transnational Human Smuggler Indicted and Sanctioned in the United States and Arrested in Mexico Thursday, July 18, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs An indictment was unsealed yesterday containing criminal charges against the alleged leader of a human smuggling organization responsible for unlawfully bringing thousands of migrants into the United States. Along with the organization, the defendant, who was arrested in Mexico at the request of the United States, has also been designated for financial sanctions by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. These developments were made possible through extensive bilateral coordination and cooperation efforts between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities. Abdul Karim Conteh, 42, a national of Sierra Leone, was arrested on July 11 in Tijuana, Mexico. The United States is pursuing Conteh's extradition on federal charges stemming from his alleged actions in leading the human smuggling organization. His wife, Veronica Roblero Pivaral, 25, a national of Mexico, remains at large. "In coordination with our law enforcement partners, the Justice Department has worked relentlessly to target and disrupt the unlawful, transnational human smuggling operations that endanger migrants and threaten our national security," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. "We allege Abdul Karim Conteh and his organization smuggled thousands of migrants from more than a dozen different countries through Mexico into the United States. He has been arrested for his alleged role in this prolific, exploitive smuggling operation by Mexican authorities, and the Justice Department will ensure that he is held accountable in an American courtroom." "Human smugglers exploit the vulnerable for profit," said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. "Along with our partners across this Administration and around the world, we are bringing the full force of the law to bear against the individuals and their organizations that perpetrate this heinous crime. We couple our unrelenting efforts with this warning to would-be migrants everywhere: do not believe the smuggler's lies and risk your lives in their ruthless hands." According to the indictment, Conteh's organization allegedly smuggled thousands of migrants to the United States through Mexico. These smuggled migrants originated from countries around the world, including Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Somalia, Cameroon, Senegal, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Egypt, and others. The migrants paid smuggling fees, often tens of thousands of dollars, to be transported through various countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala, on the way to the U.S.-Mexico border. "This arrest unravels a global web of coordinated human smuggling into the United States," said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath for the Southern District of California. "Even the most far-reaching, prolific networks cannot evade justice." Conteh allegedly coordinated with Roblero and co-conspirators throughout Mexico and other countries to facilitate the global transportation of migrants into and through Mexico to the U.S. border. Conteh then allegedly oversaw the migrants' unlawful entry into the United States by various surreptitious and unlawful means, including the use of ladders and tunnels. Conteh, Roblero, and others are charged with conspiracy to smuggle migrants into the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Conteh is also charged with the unlawful smuggling of migrants for financial gain, which carries a mandatory minimum of three years in prison for the first two violations. Additional violations carry a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. In addition, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added the Abdul Karim Conteh Human Smuggling Organization (HSO) and four individuals to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13851, as amended by E.O. 13863 (E.O. 13581, as amended). For additional information on actions taken by OFAC, please visit www.home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2470. The U.S. Border Patrol, HSI, and IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles Field Office are investigating this case. The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs worked with the Mexican authorities to secure Conteh's arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan A. Sausedo and David E. Fawcett for the Southern District of California are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division's Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. These actions resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established JTFA in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Justice Department, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. JTFA comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys' Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, the District of Arizona, the District of New Mexico, and the Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, with additional support by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training; the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; the Office of Enforcement Operations; the Office of International Affairs; and the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA's work has resulted in more than 310 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; more than 250 U.S. convictions; more than 185 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. Indictment Topic: Human Smuggling Components: Office of the Attorney General Criminal Division Criminal - Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section Criminal - Office of International Affairs USAO - California, Southern Press Release Number: 24-893 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Eighteen MS-13 Members and Associates Sentenced for 10 Murders, Seven Attempted Murders, Kidnapping, Drug Trafficking, and Firearms Offenses Thursday, July 18, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs The last defendant of 18 La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang members charged in connection with a multi-year investigation by federal, state, and local law enforcement was sentenced today. The investigation involved charges of racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping, drug trafficking, firearms offenses, obstruction of justice, and destruction of evidence. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants were members and associates of MS-13's Thompson Place Locos Salvatrucha clique, which has operated in Nashville, Tennessee, since at least 2014. MS-13, an international street gang composed largely of individuals of Salvadoran or Central American descent, seeks to protect its power, territory, reputation, and profits through murder, attempted murder, drug trafficking, robbery, kidnappings, extortion, and other criminal activities. In addition, cooperation with law enforcement is strictly prohibited under MS-13's rules. Members are required to confront, fight, and/or kill rival gang members and to retaliate quickly and viciously against anyone who disrespects or threatens the gang's authority, power, reputation, or control of a neighborhood. Prospective members committed murders to gain entrance into MS-13 or to earn respect among the members. In addition to drug distribution and firearms offenses, the defendants were also convicted of conspiring with each other and committing acts of violence, including the following: On April 6, 2016, MS-13 members and associates, including Jose Pineda-Caceres, murdered Victim 1 because they believed he was a rival gang member. They lured Victim 1 to a secluded field in a rural area of Davidson County, Tennessee, under the guise of going to smoke marijuana. When they arrived at the field, the gang members confronted Victim 1 about their belief that he was in a rival gang before shooting him multiple times, killing him. On July 31, 2016, MS-13 members and associates, including Pineda-Caceres, went to a South Nashville nightclub, where Pineda-Caceres saw Victim 2, who he believed was a rival gang member. Victim 2 and his younger sister, Victim 3, were at the nightclub with friends, celebrating Victim 3's 18th birthday. When Victim 2 left the nightclub with his friends and Victim 3, Pineda-Caceres and another MS-13 associate chased Victim 2's car on Interstate 24 and shot into it. A bullet stuck Victim 3 and killed her. Pineda-Caceres fled the United States after this murder but was arrested when he returned to the United States in November 2017. On Nov. 13, 2016, MS-13 members and associates, including Jorge Flores, were at a South Nashville nightclub when they saw Victim 4, who they believed was a rival gang member. The MS-13 members and associates, including Flores, followed Victim 4 from the nightclub to his apartment in Antioch, Tennessee. An MS-13 member shot Victim 4 and then fled. Victim 4 died from his injuries. On or about Jan. 18, 2017, MS-13 members and associates, including Jorge Flores, saw Victim 5, who they believed was responsible for a recent murder of an MS-13 member, at a Wal-Mart in Antioch. The MS-13 members chased Victim 5 as he rode in a car with his girlfriend and her young children. The MS-13 members eventually cornered the car and shot into it, striking Victim 5 multiple times. In February 2017, MS-13 members and associates, including Carlos Ochoa and Jorge Flores, conspired to murder rival drug dealers, Victims 6 and 7. The MS-13 members also conspired to murder another MS-13 member because he associated with Victims 6 and 7. On Feb.18, 2017, MS-13 members and associates chased the three victims in a car for miles and attempted to kill them by shooting at them. The gang members chased their victims to a South Nashville nightclub, shot at them, and continuously shot into the nightclub, which was filled with patrons. The following weekend, on Feb. 25, 2017, MS-13 members and associates chased the victims again and shot Victim 6 in the neck and torso, causing Victim 6 to suffer life-threatening injuries. Metropolitan Nashville Police Department officers promptly provided medical care to Victim 6, helping to save his life. On April 2, 2017, MS-13 members and associates were inside a South Nashville nightclub when they saw Victims 8 and 9. The gang members informed another MS-13 member and MS-13 associate, who were not in the nightclub, of the victims' presence inside the nightclub and the gang members' belief that the victims were rival gang members. The MS-13 member and associate outside of the nightclub retrieved an AK-47 rifle and shot Victims 8 and 9 multiple times when they left the club, killing them both. On May 21, 2017, MS-13 members, including Flores and Kevin Tidwell, were parked in the parking lot of a South Nashville nightclub when they saw Victim 10, who they believed to be a rival gang member, pull into the parking lot. The gang members drove next to Victim 10's car and shot him numerous times in his head and torso as he sat in his car, killing him. On May 27, 2017, MS-13 members were at a convenience store in South Nashville, where Tidwell got into a verbal altercation with Victim 11 and felt disrespected. Tidwell got into a truck driven by Flores and waited behind the store until Victim 11 and Victim 12 drove away from the store. The MS-13 members chased the car while shooting at it with an AK-47 rifle and a 9mm pistol. Victim 11 was struck by the gunfire and died from his injuries. The MS-13 members later burned the truck in an abandoned field. On June 17, 2017, several MS-13 members were at a nightclub and confronted Victim 13 for falsely claiming to be an MS-13 member. The gang members summoned additional members to the club for assistance. When the additional members arrived, a fight ensued between the MS-13 members and Victim 13 and his friends. Gerson Serrano-Ramirez ultimately retrieved an AK-47 rifle from a car and fired a round of ammunition into the air. The MS-13 members then forced Victim 13 into a car and took him to a secluded location, where they beat him. On July 25, 2017, at Serrano-Ramirez's home, Serrano-Ramirez physically assaulted Victim 14 for saying that MS-13 members and their drug activities were causing problems in a local nightclub. Serrano-Ramirez accused Victim 14 of cooperating with law enforcement, then pointed a rifle at him, choked him with the strap of the rifle, sprayed bleach in his eyes, suffocated him by placing a plastic bag over his head, and broke one of his fingers with a pair of pliers. On Sept. 24, 2017, MS-13 members, including Luis Colindres, saw Victim 15, who they believed to be a rival gang member, in a South Nashville nightclub. MS-13 members watched him leave the nightclub with two other individuals, then drove to his apartment complex to await his return. When Victim 15 arrived, the gang members blocked the car with their car, got out, and shot Victim 15 in the head and torso multiple times, killing him. The members also shot one of the car's passengers, Victim 16, in the head and torso multiple times to prevent him from cooperating with law enforcement. Later that evening, on Sept. 24, 2017, MS-13 members and associates, including Flores and Colindres, lured Victim 17 to a secluded location to murder him for failing to repay a drug debt. When Victim 17 arrived, they ordered him into the trunk of a car and shot him multiple times. They then drove Victim 17's body to Cheatham County, Tennessee, where they burned him inside of the car's trunk to destroy evidence of the murder. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, the MS-13 members committed several armed carjackings of citizens near the Nashville, Tennessee, area. The defendants were sentenced as follows: Jorge Flores, 31, life plus 65 years in prison; Kevin Tidwell, 30, life plus 30 years in prison; Luis Colindres, 27, 55 years in prison; Jose Pineda-Caceres, 25, 52 years and three months in prison; Gerson Serrano-Ramirez, 36, 34 years in prison; Carlos Ochoa-Martinez, 34, 30 years in prison; Francisco Avila, 26, 30 years in prison; Franklin Hernandez, 24, 28 years and 11 months in prison; Jason Sandoval, 38, 20 years in prison; Oscar Delgado-Flores, 30, 19 years and eight months in prison; Angel Daniel-Garcia, 38, 13 years and nine months in prison; Bryan Paredes, 27, 10 years in prison; Jose Calderon, 24, 10 years in prison; Hector Venturas, 28, 12 years and seven months in prison; Juan Melendez, 25, eight years in prison; Franklin Pineda-Caceres, 23, seven years and six months in prison; Sergio Alvarado-Ochoa, 30, two years and six months in prison; and Anabely Caceres, 44, time-served sentence of one year and one month. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department's Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee; Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Nashville; Acting Special Agent in Charge Erek Davodowich of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Louisville Field Division; U.S. Marshal Denny King for the Middle District of Tennessee; Chief John Drake of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department; and Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The ATF, HSI, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, La Vergne Police Department, and Kentucky State Police investigated the case. Deputy Chief Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division's Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ahmed Safeeullah and Brooke Farzad for the Middle District of Tennessee prosecuted this case. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF. Topics: Drug Trafficking Firearms Offenses Violent Crime Components: Office of the Attorney General Criminal Division Criminal - Violent Crime and Racketeering Section Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces USAO - Tennessee, Middle U.S. Marshals Service Press Release Number: 24-899 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address On the 30th Anniversary of the AMIA Terrorist Attack: Launching Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism US Department of State Press Statement Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State July 18, 2024 Today marks the 30th anniversary of the 1994 Iran-backed Hizballah bombing of the AsociaciAn Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. We honor the memory of the 85 Argentines - Jews and non-Jews - killed in the attack and recall the scores who were injured. We also remember the five Israelis and a Bulgarian national killed 12 years ago today in another Hizballah bombing in Burgas, Bulgaria. We are committed to holding the perpetrators of these vicious attacks to account. Until the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 last year, the bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center had been the largest mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust. Today's somber commemoration comes in the midst of an alarming surge in global antisemitism. Since the October 7 attacks, we have seen a dramatic increase in violent incidents and hateful discourse against Jews and Jewish communal institutions and businesses in many countries, including in the United States, just as we have seen a dramatic increase in Islamophobia and hate crimes against Muslims. We condemn all manifestations of antisemitism and other forms of hatred and urge all governments to unequivocally do so as well. Yesterday in Buenos Aires, on the eve of the anniversary of the AMIA bombing, the United States joined more than 30 countries in launching the Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism. The United States is pleased to play a leadership role, together with the European Union, the Organization of American States, the Government of Argentina, and other governments and international bodies in advancing these guidelines and we invite others across the international community to endorse and implement them. The Guidelines identify practical actions that governments, international bodies, civil society organizations, and people of conscience everywhere can take against antisemitism wherever and whenever it occurs. For further information visit: Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism - United States Department of State. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address July 18, 2024 By Jim Garamone, DOD News Military Experts Highlight Space Opportunities, Threats at Aspen Conference Attendees of the Aspen Security Forum yesterday discussed a subject that influences all other topics the experts at the Colorado conference will talk about: space. Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, and Air Force Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, spoke of the all-encompassing need for the United States to maintain space capabilities and the threats to U.S. space assets during their discussions with Bloomberg's Loren Grush. Kruse said space is an arena of enormous change, especially when combined with the development of artificial intelligence. "I would say the technology that we see in space, the change in how space is being used, and the impact that space can have on [the] ground is really in a new place," he said. "We all need to address it." The DIA director sees two big trends: the growth of partnerships and the increasing counter-space capabilities. He cited the growing number of partnerships in the space community, both formal and informal. This can be government with government, government with industry, and even informal relationships between nations. "There's tremendous goodness in that. The only way we're going to be able to be as effective as we need to be in space is through those partnerships." These are important because space is ubiquitous, he said. Space impacts economies, diplomatic capabilities, military capabilities and more. "This domain becomes more and more important every day," Kruse said. Challengers see this, too, he said. "From a military perspective, what we see ... is the increasing amount in intent to use counter-space capabilities to threaten space as we see it today." The intelligence director gave the Aspen attendees a CliffsNotes version of threats emanating from China and Russia. China "absolutely intends to be a broad-based, fully capable space power, both economically and militarily," he said. "And we see that in the amount of research and development that they are doing, we see that in the increase of launch capabilities, we see that in what they are doing." China aims to displace the United States as the global leader in space and to exploit space in a way that is to the detriment of the United States, he said. "[China] counts on what they perceive as a U.S. over reliance on space, and it intends to hold that capability at risk," Kruse said. He cited Chinese efforts to develop directed-energy weapons, electronic warfare, and anti-satellite capabilities. China is testing some of these technologies. "We need to really think about how do we defend space," he said. Russia a once the original space superpower a is concentrating on reinvigorating its space capabilities, Kruse said. Russia's lack of conventional superiority is on display in Ukraine, the general said, and that causes the Kremlin to look at space capabilities as an asymmetric capability. Russia "very much considers space a warfighting domain," Kruse said. "What I would offer is both Russia and China view the use of space early on a even ahead of conflict a as important capabilities to deter or to compel behaviors, and we just need to be ready for those," he said. Whiting, as the combatant commander responsible for space defense, is also concerned about anti-satellite capabilities. "We have seen [China's] development of counter-space weapons just rapidly, breathtakingly increase," he said. The U.S. military responded to the threats establishing U.S. Space Command and the Space Force. "Now, it is about having professionals laser-focused on this problem: How do we defend against these threats?" Whiting said. There is no one answer, he said. The United States is making current satellite constellations more resilient, Spacecom is making low-Earth satellites more difficult to target. "We're seeing a whole host of our constellations now heading in a direction of being more disaggregated, more distributed, having built-in defensive capabilities against these threats," he said. "But resilience is not going to get us there solely by itself." Whiting said that's because the United States depends on legacy systems built before the new threats emerged. "We've got to defend those constellations because they are going to be with us for a much longer period, even as we replace them," the general said. On the purely military side, Space Command must work to protect the joint force against the space-enabled militaries of China and Russia, he said. "China is building a kill web ... in space [that is] tailor-built to find, fix and track targets and help provide ... engagement vectors for over-the-horizon fires against U.S. and allied forces throughout the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility," Whitling said. The command also must build a test and training infrastructure for new capabilities. "We're planning for a war we hope to deter, a war we hope never happens," he said. But unlike in the air, the maritime and the ground domains where we have hundreds of years of history and we have very robust training infrastructures, we don't have that in space at the level that we need." Whiting also addressed Russian threats to put nuclear weapons in space. "The Soviet Union was the original signer of the Outer Space Treaty, which was signed the year I was born, in 1967," he said. "My entire life, it has been an expectation for mankind that we will not put a nuclear weapon or weapons of mass destruction in space. And now, they are potentially doing that. And if that were to happen, it is a completely indiscriminate weapon. It would affect United States satellites, Chinese satellites, Russian satellites, European satellites, Indian satellites, Japanese satellites. It's really holding at risk the entire modern way of life. "It is just an incredibly reckless decision," he continued. "It is not the action of a responsible space actor. And we hope that Russia returns to its roots as a responsible space actor ... ." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Readout of National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Meeting with Brazilian Presidential Advisor Celso Amorim July 18, 2024 National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan hosted Brazilian Presidential Advisor Celso Amorim for a meeting yesterday at the White House. The two leaders discussed progress on deepening our bilateral relationship, including through the Partnership for Workers' Rights, which President Biden and President Lula launched on the margins of last year's United Nations General Assembly to empower workers and combat some of the most significant issues facing working people, such as forced labor, workplace discrimination, and heat stress. National Security Advisor Sullivan and Presidential Advisor Amorim also discussed several global and regional priorities, including Haiti, Venezuela, Russia's war against Ukraine, and the Middle East. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Third plenum draws up sweeping reform blueprint to advance Chinese modernization Global Times By Wang Cong and Ma Tong Published: Jul 18, 2024 11:25 PM The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted a resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization at its third plenary session, drawing up a sweeping blueprint that will guide China's reform and opening-up for years to come, according to a communique released on Thursday. The communique was released following the completion of the third plenary session, which was held in Beijing from Monday to Thursday. General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping delivered important addresses. At the session, the Central Committee heard and discussed a report on the work of the Political Bureau, presented by Xi on behalf of the Political Bureau, according to the communique. Amid a complex international and domestic situation, many in China and around the world have been closely following the reform-themed session, which is often referred to as the "third plenum." Over the past four decades or so, the "third plenums" have played critical roles in China's economic miracle. This edition of the third plenum not only reaffirmed China's unwavering commitment to reform and opening-up, but also drew a clear path for China's continuous high-quality development, which helps boost confidence both at home and abroad, experts said. For the world, China's deepening reform and expanding opening-up will create greater opportunities amid a global economic downturn and rising economic protectionism, and China's high-quality development will help create a new type of international relations based on the principles of equality and mutual respect, foreign experts said. Clear path In line with decades of tradition, the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee also focused on mapping out reform and opening-up plans. Noting that the present and the near future constitute a critical period for China's endeavor to build a great country and move toward national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization, the session further elevated the importance of reform for the country and stressed the advancing of Chinese modernization. "Chinese modernization has been advanced continuously through reform and opening-up, and it will surely embrace broader horizons through further reform and opening-up," the communique said. "We must purposefully give more prominence to reform and further deepen reform comprehensively with a view to advancing Chinese modernization in order to better deal with the complex developments both at home and abroad." The reform tasks laid out in the resolution covered a wide range of areas from the economy and whole-process people's democracy to ecological conservation and national security, according to the communique. Economic reform, in particular, was a main focus. The third plenum said that China will build a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects by 2035. In building a high-standard socialist market economy, the role of the market must be better leveraged, with a fairer and more dynamic market environment to be fostered and resource allocation to be made as efficient and productive as possible. Various reforms will also be carried out to promote high-quality development, including deepening supply-side structural reform. Institutions and mechanisms will also be improved to foster new quality productive forces in line with local conditions. Reform tasks were also laid out for macroeconomic governance and key areas such as finance and taxation. Li Daokui, director of Tsinghua University's Academic Center for Chinese Economic Practice and Thinking, said that the third plenary session not only lays out a clear path for reform in the coming years, but also reaffirmed China's commitment to reform and opening-up. "The communique put emphasis on both reform and opening-up and reaffirmed upholding the basic national policy of opening-up, which I believe offers further reassurance for foreign businesses and investors," Li told the Global Times on Thursday. Describing opening-up as a "defining feature of Chinese modernization," the communique said that the Party will "steadily expand institutional opening-up, deepen foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, improve planning for regional opening-up, and refine the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative." Among the highlights of the reform tasks, Li pointed to the various reform measures to ensure and enhance the people's well-being, including improving the income distribution system and the employment-first policy, which will help address the direct concerns of the people. The reform plan for building a high-standard socialist market economy is also of great significance, as it will help create a fairer and more dynamic market environment, Li said. Boosting confidence The sweeping reform plan laid out by the third plenum will have profound significance for both China and the world, and will help boost confidence amid rising risks and challenges for the world as a whole, Chinese and foreign experts said. "The reform tasks are critical in shaping China's economic development and its position on the global stage," Lian Ping, director of the China Chief Economist Forum, told the Global Times on Thursday. "The success of these reforms will directly affect whether China's economy can continue to rise in the next 10 years and beyond." While China's economy has maintained stable growth in recent years despite a global downturn, it faces a growing set of risks and challenges, including rising economic protectionism and geopolitical tensions. The reform measures are key to tackling these challenges and ensuring China's continuous high-quality development, experts said. "The goal of reform is to address long-standing problems and improve systems to remove hurdles for continued economic growth," Lian said. The communique also said that the overall objectives of further deepening reform comprehensively are to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance. This also reflects the effectiveness and importance of the CPC's leadership, according to Alexander Lomanov, deputy director for scientific work at the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow). "The CPC's ability to correctly assess the situation in the economy, proceed from the interests of the people, and defend these interests with all its strength is particularly important," Lomanov told the Global Times. "The top-level design in economic policy, which only the CPC leadership can provide, is very important." The CPC's leadership is the source of confidence in China's economic development both in the short term and in the long run, experts said. The third plenum not only mapped out reform tasks to ensure long-term high-quality development, but also conducted an analysis of the present situation and the tasks the Party faces, and urged firm commitment to accomplishing the goals for this year's economic and social development, according to the communique. Li said that the content suggests that more measures will be rolled out for the second half of 2024, especially in terms of expanding domestic demand, so as to ensure that the annual growth target will be met. "This is a very important message for the world," Li noted. Chinese modernization and China's continued high-quality development are also of great significance for the trend of multipolarization of the world, said Lomanov. "China's economic development creates favorable prerequisites for the creation of a new type of international relations based on the principles of equality and mutual respect, free from intimidation and pressure," Lomanov said. The communique stressed that Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. "In foreign relations, China remains firmly committed to pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace and is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future," it noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CPC Central Committee adopts resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively Global Times By Xinhua Published: Jul 18, 2024 04:31 PM The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted a resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization at its third plenary session held here from Monday to Thursday. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee presided over the meeting. General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping delivered important addresses, according to a communique released Thursday. At the session, the Central Committee heard and discussed a report on the work of the Political Bureau, presented by Xi on behalf of the Political Bureau, and considered and adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. Xi delivered explanatory remarks on the draft version of the resolution. The overall objectives of further deepening reform comprehensively are to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance, according to the communique. "By 2035, we will have finished building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, generally modernized our system and capacity for governance, and basically realized socialist modernization," it said. All of this will lay a solid foundation for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century, it noted. The reform tasks laid out in the resolution shall be completed by the time the People's Republic of China celebrates its 80th founding anniversary in 2029, said the communique. The Central Committee made systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively, it added. In building a high-standard socialist market economy, the role of the market must be better leveraged, with a fairer and more dynamic market environment to be fostered and resource allocation to be made as efficient and productive as possible. Restrictions on the market will be lifted while effective regulation will be ensured to better maintain order in the market and remedy market failures, said the communique. In promoting high-quality development, the communique urged deepening supply-side structural reform, improving incentive and constraint mechanisms for promoting high-quality development, and creating new drivers and strengths for realizing growth. "We will improve the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions, for promoting full integration between the real economy and the digital economy, for developing the service sector, for modernizing infrastructure, and for enhancing the resilience and security of industrial and supply chains," it stated. In supporting all-around innovation, the Party will deepen comprehensive reform in education, structural scientific and technological reform, and institutional reforms for talent development. In improving macroeconomic governance, the communique urged pursuing coordinated reforms in the fiscal, tax, financial, and other major sectors and enhancing the consistency of macro policy orientation, with the national strategic planning system and policy coordination mechanisms to be improved. On integrated urban and rural development, the Party must promote equal exchanges and two-way flows of production factors between the cities and the countryside, so as to narrow the disparities between the two and promote their common prosperity and development, according to the communique. Reform of the land system will be deepened, it added. Describing opening up as a "defining feature of Chinese modernization," the communique said that the Party will "steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, improve planning for regional opening up, and refine the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Regular Press Conference on July 18, 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China 2024-07-18 19:00 At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs MAlanie Joly will visit China from July 18 to 20. CCTV: In 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). To build a Silk Road Economic Belt and a Maritime Silk Road was written into the Decision of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee held in the same year. Over the past decade and more, high-quality BRI cooperation has been welcomed by the international community both as a public good and a cooperation platform. Can you share more about the latest progress and achievements of BRI cooperation? Lin Jian: From President Xi Jinping's announcing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013 to the establishment of the principle of "planning together, building together, and benefiting together," from calling for pursuing the BRI as a priority in the report of the 19th CPC National Congress to promoting the high-quality development of the BRI in the report of the 20th CPC National Congress, China has been working with various parties over the past 10 years and more to advance the BRI cooperation. Together, we have enabled the BRI to thrive and deliver for peoples and countries across the world, making the BRI an internationally welcomed public good and cooperation platform featuring openness, inclusiveness, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.a Over the past 10 plus years, BRI cooperation has seen numerous highlights, not only generating greater and smooth flows of people and goods, but delivering a tangible and stronger sense of fulfillment and happiness to the local people. China has signed BRI cooperation documents with over 150 countries and over 30 international organizations. Last year, China's trade with partner countries reached RMB 19.5 trillion, up by 2.8 percent, accounting for 46.6 percent of the total import and export volume, setting a new record both for the size and share since the BRI was put forward.a We remain committed to opening up and cooperation for a shared future. China stands ready to work with all parties and support each other in enhancing the "hard connectivity" of infrastructure, upgrading the "soft connectivity" of rules and standards, and deepening the people-to-people connectivity through more exchanges and mutual learning, elevate Belt and Road cooperation towards higher quality for the modernization of all countries, and build an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development. AFP: This week, 18 Pacific Island countries attended the 3-day Summit in Tokyo, Japan. Today, participating countries issued a joint statement, saying they "expressed strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by the threat or use of force." Has the Ministry seen the joint statement? What's your comment? Lin Jian: I have not seen the statement you mentioned. Let me say more broadly that cooperation between Japan and Pacific Island countries should be conducive to the economic success and people's lives of the Pacific Island countries, to better mutual understanding and trust among regional countries, and to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. Kyodo News: The ASEAN-plus foreign ministers' meetings will be held in Laos next week. Will Foreign Minister Wang Yi attend the meetings? Will he meet with the Japanese Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the meetings? Lin Jian: I have no information to share at the moment. TASS: Yesterday when speaking at the UN on the situation in the Middle East, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the pressing priority is to hold a meeting of all external actors that influence various groups in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank and that would be able, if they act unanimously, help overcome the schism in Palestinian ranks. Does China have any comment on this? What has China done recently to help settle the conflict? Lin Jian: China believes that promoting the realization of Palestine's internal reconciliation and solidarity under the current circumstances is conducive to the just cause of the Palestinian people and the early, comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement of the question of Palestine. China supports Palestinian factions in enhancing solidarity, and has been and will continue working actively to this end. Xinhua News Agency: According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, Viet Nam yesterday presented to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) its Submission on the Limits of the Extended Continental Shelf in the South China Sea. On the same day, Viet Nam also sent a diplomatic note to the UN to state Viet Nam's opposition regarding the Philippines' submission filed on June 14. What's China's comment? Lin Jian: Viet Nam unilaterally presented to the CLCS its Submission on the Limits of the Extended Continental Shelf in the South China Sea. Its claims cover parts of China's Nansha Qundao, which infringes on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, violates international law, including the UN Charter and UNCLOS, and breaches the Agreement on Basic Principles Guiding the Settlement of Sea-related Issues between China and Viet Nam and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) jointly signed by China and ASEAN countries, including Viet Nam. We firmly oppose it and have made serious protests to Viet Nam. Let me stress that according to the Rules of Procedure of the CLCS, submissions will not be considered where a dispute exists, which means the CLCS will not examine or qualify relevant submissions of Viet Nam and the Philippines on delimitation. Such submissions do not have any practical effect but will only accentuate differences and exacerbate frictions, which will in no way help resolve the disputes. China will remain committed to properly handling disputes in the South China Sea through dialogue and consultation with relevant parties. Kyodo News: To follow up on your announcement that the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs will visit China, what will be discussed between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the Canadian Foreign Minister? Can you share more details? Lin Jian: During Foreign Minister Joly's visit to China, the two sides will have in-depth communication on China-Canada relations and issues of mutual interest and work for the improvement and growth of the bilateral relationship. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's third plenum offers little in the way of economic help A meeting expected to focus on the economy delivers 'empty words' and vows to boost top-down control, analysts say. By Qian Lang and Huang Chun-mei for RFA Mandarin, Edward Li for RFA Cantonese 2024.07.18 -- The ruling Chinese Communist Party on Thursday published a communique from its third plenum that analysts said was long on slogans dear to General Secretary Xi Jinping and short on practical measures to boost the flagging economy - despite promises of reinvigorating reforms in state media reports. While state media has been at pains to laud party leader Xi Jinping as a "reformer" in the mold of late supreme leader Deng Xiaoping, the communique from the third plenary session of the party's Central Committee, which ended in Beijing on Thursday, offered scant details on specific reforms. Instead, it threw its support behind a litany of political jargon favored by Xi, headlining its role as "seeking progress while maintaining stability." The communique vowed to "continue to strengthen propaganda, ideological and cultural work" while "resolutely safeguarding national and social stability." Economic recovery appeared further down the list, under the "comprehensive and strict governance of the party." The document also announced the expulsion of former Foreign Minister Qin Gang and other disgraced officials from high-ranking party posts. In a possible indicator of the direction of any "reforms," the communique also vowed to improve the party's grasp of Marxist economics, including improved handling of the relationship between the forces of production and the "economic base" of the general population. It also said it would improve its "macroeconomic governance," suggesting that Xi's administration will forge ahead with its top-down, government-directed approach to economic management, at the expense of the market forces that were given freer rein under the reforms of Deng Xiaoping. The party should "better maintain market order, make up for market failures and smooth the circulation of the national economy," particularly when it comes to developing China's own scientific and technological capabilities, the document said. 'Old slogans and empty words' Veteran journalist Zhang Shuang said she was disappointed by the lack of content in the 5,000-character statement. "The communique did not contain any inspiring news, which was in stark contrast to the propaganda and praises of reforms in the run up to the meeting and while it was going on," Zhang said. "It was just filled with old slogans and empty words." "The only thing that was clear was that Qin Gang remains a party member," Zhang said. The plenum decided to accept Qin's resignation and remove him from his position as member of the Central Committee, the communique said. But it stopped short of expelling him from party ranks entirely. It also accepted a report from the Central Military Commission, the party's military wing, on the "serious violations of discipline and law" by former Defense Minister Li Shangfu and former People's Liberation Army Rocket Force chiefs Li Yuchao and Sun Jinming. It "confirmed the previous decision of the Politburo to expel Li Shangfu, Li Yuchao and Sun Jinming from the Party." Du Wen, a former legal adviser to the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region government, agreed that there was nothing new in the communique. "There are no highlights or specific measures," Du said, adding that the main thrust of the document appears to be strengthening the power of Xi and the Communist Party. "It covers a wide range of issues, but they are all empty words and cliches," he said. "It lacks specific measures, good policies and any clear direction." Spinning its wheels? The plenum communique did mention "reforms of the taxation system," an item predicted by economic analysts, as well as improvements to the healthcare and "population management" systems, but gave no details. The party's absolute control over the People's Liberation Army also got a special mention, as well as the modernization of its armed forces and joint combat capabilities, it said. Diplomatically, the government looks set to keep going with its attempts to export China's authoritarian model of government as part of Xi's slogan, "a shared future for mankind," as well as its growing role in international organizations, according to the communique. "The plenary session called on the entire party, the entire army and people of all ethnic groups across the country to unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core," it said, as part of the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." Tung Li-wen, an advisor to Taiwan ThinkTank, said the communique suggests that the party leadership is "spinning its wheels." "Is national security more important, or is economic development?" Tung said. "This old question is holding the Chinese Communist Party back, making its policy-making wavering and inconsistent." Changing course Tung said that during the third plenum of the 18th Central Committee in 2013, Xi had claimed that the market would play a decisive role in resource allocation, and vowed to expand economic reforms and opening-up, but had yet to deliver on those promises. "Centralized control and decentralization are two different kinds of reform," he said. "Clearly, Xi Jinping has chosen the path of centralized control." Ming Chu-cheng, professor emeritus of political science at National Taiwan University, agreed, saying that the use of the word "reform" by state media under Xi actually means the opposite of what it once meant under Deng Xiaoping. "If you think reform means streamlining the government and decentralizing power to stimulate the economy, then of course it wouldn't make sense," Ming said. "[Xi] believes that those kinds of reforms were wrong, and were a dangerous thing that caused the Chinese Communist Party to lose control of society, and to lose power," he said. "Now, he's taking that power and control back into his own hands, which is what he calls true reform." Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US says China's halt of arms-control talks undermines strategic stability By Nike Ching July 18, 2024 The United States called China's decision to suspend nascent arms-control talks with Washington "unfortunate," noting that China has opted not to engage in efforts to manage strategic risks and prevent costly arms races. "We think this approach undermines strategic stability. It increases the risk of arms race dynamics. We have made efforts to bolster the defense of our allies and partners in the Indo Pacific, and we will continue to make those efforts in the face of Chinese threats to their security," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters during a briefing on Wednesday. The Chinese foreign ministry announced on Wednesday that Beijing has decided to hold off on discussions with the U.S. regarding a new round of consultations on arms control and non-proliferation. This decision is a protest against Washington's arms sales to Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy that Beijing claims as its territory. "China has chosen to follow Russia's lead in asserting that engagement on arms control can't proceed when there are other challenges in the bilateral relationship," Miller added. On November 6, 2023, officials from the U.S. and China convened for a new strategic risk reduction discussion at the State Department. Leading the U.S. delegation was Mallory Stewart, assistant secretary for the State Department's Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence and Stability (ADS). The Chinese delegation was headed by Sun Xiaobo, director general for arms control at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with other civilian officials also in attendance. The U.S. has proposed three measures to China aimed at reducing strategic risks related to missile launches or potential missile launches. These include establishing a strategic crisis hotline between their respective Strategic Commands, implementing space deconfliction measures, and adopting missile launch notifications, a practice observed by China with Russia. China's decision to halt the new round of strategic risk reduction talks was described as not a significant loss to the U.S., as Chinese officials did not propose any initiatives during the November discussions, according to a source familiar with the matter. The source also noted that similar talks between the U.S. and China under previous administrations had yielded no tangible results. "China stands ready to maintain communication with the U.S. on international arms control issues in line with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Wednesday. "But the U.S. must respect China's core interests and create necessary conditions for dialogue and exchange," he said. Some former U.S. intelligence officials doubt the effectiveness of ongoing government-to-government engagements and exchanges. They argue that Beijing's recent suspension of risk reduction talks in response to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan serves as a convenient pretext for China to persist with its internal nuclear arms buildup and external proliferation. James Fanell, a retired U.S. Navy captain and former director of intelligence and information operations for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, commented that "talks can and will be held when the Chinese Communist Party changes its nefarious actions and destabilizing behavior." In a report mandated by Congress last October, the Pentagon revealed that China was developing its nuclear arsenal more quickly than the U.S. had previously estimated. As of May 2023, China had more than 500 operational nuclear warheads, with projections indicating they could exceed 1,000 by 2030. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the United States currently has about 3,700 nuclear warheads, fewer than Russia's estimated 4,500. The U.S. switched its diplomatic recognition from the government in Taipei to the government in Beijing in 1979. Since then, the U.S. policy has maintained that differences between the two sides should be settled peacefully and in accordance with the will of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The United States acknowledges but has never endorsed Beijing's sovereignty claim over Taiwan. Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China's Third Plenum does nothing to revive economy, observers say By Chuang Chih-wei, Lin Nai-Chuan July 18, 2024 China's ruling party has concluded the Third Plenum of its 20th Central Committee with a communique described as vague and clichA by China watchers, who said it lacks specific measures to address China's economic difficulties. Shi He-ling, an associate professor of economics at Monash Business School at Monash University in Caulfield, Australia, said the communiquA was disappointing and that its writers were completely unthinking. The 5,000-word communiquA, issued on Thursday, touted the Chinese Communist Party's achievements in "comprehensively deepening reforms" and said the future will be critical for comprehensively advancing "Chinese-style modernization," building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation. Shi said that while Chinese President Xi Jinping has set out a new vision of "Chinese-style modernization" to highlight his differences from previous party leaders, the communiquA does not provide any specific definitions that are measurable. "It does not make macroeconomic adjustments at all but is like a philosophical article, which is basically a clichA," Shi told VOA. In addition to "socialist market mechanisms" and "new quality productivity," the communiquA stressed that national security is an important foundation for the steady and long-term development of Chinese-style modernization; that the modernization of national defense and the armed forces is an important part of it; and that "party leadership" in particular is the "fundamental guarantee" for promoting this policy. Yeh Yao-yuan, chairman of the Department of Political Science at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, said that under the framework of "Xi Thoughts," it is difficult for the economic exposition of this communiquA to be new. Even if the "socialist market economic system" is repeatedly touted, it will not be able to reverse China's economic decline, he said, adding that Xi's economic reform is in fact "changing things to their old ways." These include forcing the private sector to retreat in order to help the state advance and tightening controls over foreign capital, which will hit the market economy hard. Ming Chu-cheng, professor emeritus of political science at National Taiwan University in Taipei, offered a similar assessment on Thursday at a seminar in Taiwan. Xi "is touting the market economy, but what he really pushes is 'the people retreat and the country advances,' which is completely opposite to what he says," Ming said. "I don't have great hopes for the Third Plenum. Even if you relax the economic restrictions, you will encounter exactly the same problems in another 20 years because politics is choking the economy." The communiquA received more than 100 million views on Weibo and made it to the hot search list hours after its release. However, there was hardly any substantive discussion online among Chinese people in the comment areas. Most just reposted and recited some of the communiquA text to express their concerns. The personnel changes made at the plenum attracted a lot of attention as the CCP officially approved the removal of its former foreign minister, Qin Gang, from its Central Committee. Qin, who has not been seen in public since last summer, is no longer a member of the Communist Party leadership. He was dismissed as foreign minister in July last year and removed from the post of state councilor three months later. His resignation from the top body had been accepted. No further details were provided, and the reasons behind Qin's disappearance remain unclear. He was allegedly investigated for having an extramarital affair, leaking secrets and endangering national security. The plenum also confirmed the expulsion of former Defense Minister Li Shangfu. Li Yuchao and Sun Jinming of the People's Liberation Army's Rocket Force were also removed from the Central Committee. Many online comments focused on Qin being called "comrade" in the party's published decision while others were calling Qin's ousting a "soft landing." After the discussion on Qin's removal became a hot topic, the Weibo accounts of various media outlets seemed to be alerted and comments were concealed. Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, said that Beijing dislikes Chinese people arguing online about the CCP's high-level personnel because comments might call into question the party's decisions and judgment, especially as Qin was previously Xi's close confidant and the foreign minister. "What happened to Qin has not been particularly public so far," Chong told VOA, "and too many of these discussions [about Qin] will also distract public attention from the economic reform plan the Third Plenum wants to promote." Adrianna Zhang, Yang An, Joyce Huang contributed to this story. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kim Jong Un Receives Russian Military Delegation Led by Deputy Defense Chief - State Media Sputnik News 20240718 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has received a Russian military delegation headed by Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko, the Voice of Korea broadcaster reported on Friday. The broadcaster reported that the meeting took place on Thursday, July 18. North Korean state-run news agency KCNA reported that Kim Jong Un had a talk with Krivoruchko, and the deputy defense minister conveyed the warm greetings of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the North Korean leader. Kim Jong Un expressed deep thanks for the message and asked the Russian official to convey his kind greetings to Putin. During the meeting, the North Korean leader and the Russian deputy defense minister shared the "recognition of the importance and necessity of the military cooperation between the two countries to defend mutual security interests," the state media reported. Kim Jong Un also reportedly told the meeting that the Russian and North Korean militaries need to "get united more firmly" to dynamically lead the North Korea-Russia relationship "in the new era and play an important part in defending regional and global peace and international justice." Further details of the meeting have not yet been made public. Krivoruchko was part of a Russian delegation that visited Pyongyang last month. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN agency cites improvements in North Korea's food security; experts still cautious By Christy Lee July 18, 2024 The head of the United Nations agency responsible for alleviating world hunger is heaping praise on the government of North Korea after a breakthrough visit to the reclusive country, the first from any official of a U.N. specialized agency since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. Qu Dongyu, director general of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), "commended the great achievement made by the DPRK people in agricultural development, food security and the Pyongyang city under the leadership of H.E. Kim Jong Un," said a statement the agency issued Wednesday. The assessment stands in sharp contrast with the view of most independent experts, who say North Korea a officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea a remains far from able to feed its own people. The FAO noted in its own report on July 5 that the country's food security situation was "expected to remain fragile, amid persistent weak economic growth." Some analysts told VOA they believed Qu's praise was intended simply to keep the door open for future visits. North Korea reopened its borders in August 2023, easing draconian pandemic measures put in place in 2020 that stopped virtually all cross-border activities, including humanitarian aid. Pyongyang has since allowed some countries such as China, Russia, Mongolia and Cuba to resume their diplomatic presence but has not allowed international aid workers into the country to work there. A spokesperson for the FAO's regional office for Asia and the Pacific told VOA's Korean Service on Thursday that FAO has an office in North Korea with local staff working on projects that never ceased, but "there are no international staff in the country since COVID-19 border closures." In a separate statement provided to VOA on Thursday, an FAO spokesperson at its headquarters in Rome wrote that the FAO was "ready to provide more technical expertise and global experience in different areas and encourages the government [of North Korea] to explore new opportunities for collaboration and resource mobilization, together with FAO, for the vulnerable people most in need." Qu's visit included a tour of North Korea's Kangdong Greenhouse Complex and Central Institute for Vegetables as well as the FAO-sponsored Pyongchon Fish Farm, according to the statement. North Korea announced the opening of the Kangdong Greenhouse Complex in the outskirts of Pyongyang in March, releasing the pictures of leader Kim Jong Un visiting the complex. It comprises more than 1,050 buildings spread over 260 hectares, according to the Pyongyang Times. 'Political statement' William Brown, a former CIA analyst who closely monitors North Korea's economy, said he believed Qu, who is Chinese, made the remarks flattering North Korea's authoritarian leader as "a political statement designed to get him back to Pyongyang." In reality, Brown said, "so many people in North Korea are going hungry even as we speak," even though about a third of the population are farmers. Pointing out a picture of Qu and Chinese Ambassador Wang Yajun taken in Pyongyang on Sunday and released by the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang on Monday, Brown said it was odd that no North Korean official was shown in the photo. The Chinese "may be trying to throw a counterpunch to the Russians in a mild way of saying, 'We're here too,' " Brown said. Growing ties between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin, especially after their meeting in Pyongyang in June, are believed by analysts to be making China uncomfortable. In Pyongyang, Qu thanked China for the long-term food support it has provided to North Korea, according to a statement by the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang. China has long been the largest food aid provider to North Korea. Bradley Babson, a former World Bank adviser and an advisory council member of the Korea Economic Institute of America, said, "It's not surprising to me that there were over-the-top compliments," because the FAO wants to "reestablish a relationship." Babson continued, "If FAO goes back" into North Korea and works there, it'll be "a good thing." Jerome Sauvage, who served as the U.N. resident coordinator in North Korea from November 2009 to 2013, said the visit suggested North Korea was still not willing to accept humanitarian aid but would take development aid. The FAO is "not a humanitarian organization that delivers urgent aid," he pointed out. "North Korea will probably discuss on a case-by-case basis which organizations come to help them with development and technical cooperation, instead of just humanitarian aid," he said. Ready to resume aid Other aid organizations say they are eager to resume their work in North Korea. Chiara Frisone, communication specialist for UNICEF's regional office for East Asia and the Pacific, told VOA on Thursday that it was "ready to resume its regular activities" in the country and urged North Korea "to facilitate the earliest possible return." UNICEF announced the same day that in partnership with GAVI, the vaccine alliance, and the World Health Organization, it has delivered three vital consignments of vaccines to North Korea that can immunize more than 600,000 children and pregnant women who have not received vaccines since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Steve Taravella, a senior spokesperson for the World Food Program, told VOA on Thursday that "we hope that the visit by the director-general of FAO will lead to greater information about changes to food security in DPRK since the pandemic and pave the way to resumption of access and activities." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New Caledonia Independence Supporters Demand Withdrawal of French Police Sputnik News 20240717 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The independence movement in France's overseas territory of New Caledonia is demanding the withdrawal of 3,500 police officers, gendarmes and soldiers sent by Paris in May to control unrest, the movement's leader, Laurie Humuni, said on Wednesday. Protests by supporters of New Caledonia's independence from France erupted in May, resulting in ten deaths and causing damage estimated at 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion). "Deescalation is impossible if military and police persecutions continue. The only possible solution is political," Humuni was quoted as saying by Le Parisien newspaper during a press conference. Humuni also called for the resignation of High Commissioner Louis Le Franc and Prosecutor Yves Dupas, calling them "sources of instability." She urged the return of several independence supporters imprisoned in France for allegedly organizing the protests. On May 13, a peaceful demonstration against a voting rights bill spiraled into unrest in Noumea and neighboring towns. Protesters, including many minors, looted and set fire to stores, gas stations, pharmacies and cars. On May 16, French lawmakers voted in favor of the bill despite the ongoing unrest. On May 23, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed not to force the electoral reform in New Caledonia and gave local political parties several weeks to secure its general approval and calm down the protests. The controversial bill provides for lowering the residency bar for voting rights for people living in New Caledonia to 10 years. Pro-independence forces say it would dilute the share of the vote held by indigenous Kanak people who make up about 40% of the population. As of today, only those who were on the electoral register during the 1998 Noumea Agreement, which gave the territory a greater degree of autonomy, and their children have the right to vote. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Future Location of US Arms in Germany Undecided Sputnik News 20240718 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The future location of the US weapons in Germany is undecided yet, but the arms will be conventional, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday. Last week, the White House said that the United States will begin episodic deployments of long-range fire capabilities of its Multi-Domain Task Force to Germany in 2026 in an effort to develop an enduring presence of the assets in the region. Later, Pistorius said that the US will deploy the long-range strike systems on a rotational basis and expects Berlin to develop similar weapons systems itself. "This [location] has not yet been decided. The United States, which will deploy these weapons in Germany, is still in the process of preparing itself. But I want to make it clear a we are talking about conventional weapons systems. We are doing everything possible to prevent the situation from escalating. If it is clear to everyone that Germany and NATO are capable of successfully defending themselves, the likelihood that we will be attacked will decrease," Pistorius told the German Rheinische Post newspaper. The deployment of US missiles in Germany is a response to the deployment of Iskander ballistic missiles in Russia's Kaliningrad Region, Pistorius said. The Pentagon announced that in 2026, the US will begin deploying long-range strike systems in Germany that will significantly surpass the weapons already present in Europe. These include SM-6 missiles, Tomahawks, and "hypersonic weapons." Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated that Russia will develop a military response to the US plans calmly, without nerves or emotions. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address INDIAN NAVAL SHIP TABAR ARRIVES IN HAMBURG, GERMANY India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Posted On: 18 JUL 2024 8:59PM by PIB Delhi Indian Navy's frontline frigate, INS Tabar arrived at Hamburg, Germany on 17 July 24 for a three day visit. Activities during the visit include professional interactions between the Indian Navy and German Navy, visit of ship's crews to the German Naval Academy and ship open to visitors. The crew of INS Tabar would also offer community service at Old Age Home. On departure from Hamburg, the two Navies will also undertake Maritime Partnership Exercise at sea. These engagements seek to enhance bilateral relations, particularly in the maritime domain between both countries and also offer an opportunity to showcase Indian culture. India and Germany share a relationship built on a foundation of shared values, democratic principles and a commitment to global peace and security. The relations between both countries span across various domains, from economic cooperation and scientific research to cultural exchanges and, importantly, defence collaboration. The visit by INS Tabar further aims to strengthen these bonds and also explore newer avenues of bolstering the relationship between the two Navies. INS Tabar, is a stealth frigate built for the Indian Navy in Russia. The ship is commanded by Captain MR Harish. The ship is equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors and is among the earliest stealth frigates of the Indian Navy. The ship is part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet which is based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command. __________________________ VM/SKY 132/24 (Release ID: 2034171) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Alabama Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Iran Sanctions Thursday, July 18, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs Ray Hunt, also known as Abdolrahman Hantoosh, Rahman Hantoosh and Rahman Natooshas, 70, of Owens Cross Roads, Alabama, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to export U.S.-origin goods to the Islamic Republic of Iran in violation of trade sanctions. According to court documents, in May 2014, Hunt registered Vega Tools LLC with the Alabama Secretary of State, listing the nature of the business as "the purchase/resale of equipment for the energy sector." He operated Vega Tools, including purchasing, receiving and shipping U.S.-origin goods, from locations in Madison County, Alabama. Beginning at least as early as 2015, Hunt conspired with two Iranian companies located in Tehran, Iran, to illegally export U.S.-manufactured industrial equipment for use in Iran's oil, gas and petrochemical industries. Hunt engaged in a series of deceptive practices to avoid detection by U.S. authorities, including using third-party transshipment companies in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and routing payments through UAE banks, as well as lying to shipping companies about the value of his exports to prevent the filing of electronic export information to U.S. authorities. Hunt lied to suppliers and shippers by claiming the items he purchased on behalf of the Iranian co-conspirators were destined for end users in Turkey and UAE, while knowing the exports were ultimately destined for Iran. Hunt lied also to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officers regarding the nature and existence of his business when questioned upon his return from a March 2020 trip to Iran. Hunt pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch made the announcement. The Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security is investigating the case with valuable assistance provided by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan "Jack" Harrington, Jonathan Cross and Henry Cornelius for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Emma Ellenrieder and Adam Barry of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. Topic: National Security Components: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Security Division (NSD) USAO - Alabama, Northern Press Release Number: 24-898 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran insists on exhausting all legal capacities in pursuing Gen. Soleimani's assassination case Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 2:58 AM Iran's acting foreign minister insists that the country will exhaust all available domestic and international legal capacities towards consigning those involved in the assassination of the country's top anti-terror commander to justice. Ali Bagheri Kani made the remarks to CNN's Fareed Zakaria on Wednesday in New York, to which the top diplomat has travelled to attend two United Nations Security Council meetings. The Islamic Republic would spare no legal efforts to ensure that "justice is served in the case," he said, asserting, "This is our right." Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), and their companions were assassinated in a US drone strike authorized by former US President Donald Trump near Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020. The commanders were highly revered across West Asia due to their key role in fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the region, particularly in Iraq and neighboring Syria. Zakaria also questioned Bagheri regarding allegations that were leveled by CNN earlier in the week, in which the network claimed that American authorities had obtained "intelligence from a human source in recent weeks on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Trump." The claim emerged after an assassination attempt against Trump that took place while he was campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump survived the attempt, suffering an ear injury. The Islamic Republic has reacted by roundly rejecting the allegation, and considering it to be a product of malicious political goals and intents. Bagheri reiterated the rejection, stating, "We have only used and will continue to use our own domestic legal and judicial frameworks and mechanisms and the [available] international ones towards [ensuring] administration of justice regarding those who had ordered, perpetrated, and advised the assassination of General Soleimani." Warlike Israel inviting 'serious risks' Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian official commented on the Israeli regime's repeated threats of expanding its ongoing genocidal war against the Gaza Strip to Lebanon. "It seems like the Zionists are inclined to expand [existing] tensions to other parts of the region in order to make up for the failures and frustrations that they have suffered in Gaza," he said. Bagheri was referring to the Israeli regime's failure to realize any of its goals, such as elimination of Gaza's resistance movements, enabling release of the captives that have been held by the groups, and bringing about displacement of Gaza's entire population to neighboring Egypt. He described the regime's defiant attempts at fanning the flames of war as a "strategic mistake" that stood to invite "serious risks" for Tel Aviv. As cases in point, the top diplomat noted how several new fronts had opened up against the regime across the region since the onset of the Gaza war. Acting in support of war-hit Palestinians in Gaza, resistance groups hailing from Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen have fired hundreds of rockets and missiles towards sensitive targets throughout the occupied Palestinian territories and crippled Israeli-affiliated maritime activity to devastating effects for Tel Aviv. "The crimes that the Zionists have perpetrated over the past nine months never managed to turn standing circumstances in their favor," Bagheri said. Perpetuation of these crimes does not serve their interests either and stands to activate further capacities against them, Bagheri noted, describing cessation of the war on Gaza as "the only pathway that can save Zionists from further risks." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China lodges complaints with Japan over latest defense white paper Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 6:47 PM Beijing has lodged formal complaints with Japan over its new annual defense white paper, which labeled China as its "greatest strategic challenge." Japan's Defense Ministry on July 12 released its annual defense white paper, expressing "serious concern" over China's alleged hardline external stance and increasing military activities. The document accused Beijing of allegedly presenting "an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge to which Japan should respond with its comprehensive national power and in cooperation and collaboration with its ally, like-minded countries and others." Tokyo even moved further in its allegations and resembled the situation to the current confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. "Japan is facing the most and severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II. It cannot be ruled out that a serious situation similar to Russia's aggression against Ukraine may occur in Indo-Pacific region in future, particularly in East Asia," Japan's white paper alleged. On Thursday, the Chinese Defense Ministry responded to the Japan's annual assessment of security threats, slamming it as being "full of clichAs, which was nothing more than using China as an excuse to deceive the Japanese people, mislead the international community, and create excuses for its military buildup and expansion." The ministry also urged Tokyo to stop "smearing and accusing" China, and be prudent in its words and actions in the military and security fields. Among other issues, Japan and China have been engaged in a long-standing dispute over a group of islands, which are known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China and Taiwan. Beijing and Tokyo usually trade barbs over joint naval drills with their respected allies, accusing each other of provocation. Tokyo defines the joint naval drills by China and Russia near Japan as "clearly intended as a demonstration of force." This is while Beijing has expressed strong opposition to a threat by NATO to further intrude into the Asia-Pacific region, through conducting military drills with Japan and South Korea, vowing a firm response to any risk against its legitimate rights. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S.-Kazakhstan Strategic Energy Dialogue US Department of State Media Note Office of the Spokesperson July 18, 2024 The U.S. Department of State and Department of Energy, in coordination with Kazakhstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Energy, held the 2024 U.S.-Kazakhstan Strategic Energy Dialogue on July 18 in Astana. The dialogue deepened cooperation on our shared priorities of enhancing energy security, accelerating the clean energy transition and methane mitigation, and developing Kazakhstan's critical minerals sector. Deputy Assistant Secretary Kimberly Harrington from the Department of State's Bureau of Energy Resources and Deputy Assistant Secretary Joshua Volz from the Department of Energy's Office of International Affairs co-led the U.S. delegation. U.S. and Kazakh energy and international affairs experts discussed progress and planned activities under six lines of effort: greenhouse gas emissions reduction, sustainable critical materials mining and refining, civil nuclear cooperation, renewable energy sources, energy security, and global nuclear security. The U.S. Department of State also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kazakh National Geological Survey and National Mining Company Tau-Ken Samruk to expand and diversify critical minerals supply chains. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar anti-junta activists accused of assassination plot die in custody, group says They were arrested with rockets while attempting to assassinate Min Aung Hlaing, junta-controlled media said. By RFA Burmese 2024.07.18 -- Two members of an anti-junta group accused of trying to kill Myanmar's junta leader died after being tortured during interrogation, a spokesperson for the group told Radio Free Asia. Seven people were arrested on June 8, allegedly in possession of two 107 mm rockets and launchers, near the site of a bridge opening ceremony attended by the junta leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. Two more suspects were rounded up the following day, and another rocket was seized. Another four people were detained several days later in connection with the plot, junta-controlled media reported. The Yangon-based Dark Shadow urban guerrilla group said four of the people arrested were its members and two of them died after being tortured. 'Comrade Shein Myint Mo Aung and Comrade Zaw Gyi died during the interrogation. Although we don't know exactly what date they died, they died at Ba Yint Naung Military Interrogation Center," said the spokesperson, who declined to be identified for fear of reprisals. "The other two Dark Shadow members, Myo Thein Tun and Ye Zaw Tun, have been out of touch with their families and we don't know whether they are dead or are still alive." The other nine people arrested, who are members of other guerrilla groups, are believed to be still in custody. RFA called the Yangon region's junta spokesperson, Htay Aung, to ask about the suspects but he did not respond by the time of publication. According to information released by junta-controlled newspaper Myanma Alin on June 17, the plot was foiled when informers told police the group was aiming to fire three 107 mm rockets at Yangon region's Thanlyin Bridge No. 3 during its opening ceremony. Myanmar had been in turmoil since the military ousted an elected government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in early 2021 with many young democracy supporters taking up arms in a bid to end military rule after troops crushed protests. As of Thursday, more than 5,400 civilians have died due to extrajudicial killings, public crackdowns on protests and attacks by land and air across the country, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, . Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 30,000 civilians trapped by conflict in Myanmar's Lashio Tens of thousands have already fled the town in Shan state amid fighting between Kokang rebels and the military. By RFA Burmese 2024.07.18 -- Around 30,000 civilians are trapped in the largest town in northeastern Myanmar's Shan state amid intensified fighting between the military and ethnic Kokang rebels, residents and aid workers said Thursday. The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, or MNDAA, is part of an alliance of three ethnic minority insurgent forces known as the Three Brotherhood Alliance. The alliance launched an offensive last October, codenamed Operation 1027 for the date it began, and pushed back junta forces in several regions. After a five-month ceasefire ended on June 25, the MNDAA and allied forces attacked junta camps in Madaya, Singu and Mogoke townships in Mandalay region, and Hsipaw, Kyaukme, Nawnghkio and Lashio towns in Shan state to the east. MNDAA forces began targeting military outposts in Lashio - a town with a population of just over 130,000 - on July 3, and more than 50,000 people have since fled their homes amid heavy shelling that caused civilian casualties, residents told RFA Burmese. But some 30,000 residents remain trapped in the town, mostly because they lack the financial wherewithal to escape, they said. "With children, we do not have enough money to flee from the armed conflict," said one resident who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns. "So, we ... must keep living inside the town. It is also expensive to rent a car to flee." The resident added that Lashio is dealing with a scarcity of commodities and rising prices, while shops are closing daily. A 100-year-old man in Lashio told RFA that he couldn't leave the town because of injuries to his head and leg caused by shelling. He now depends on food supplies from relief groups, he said. "I have received food from relief groups as most shops in Lashio are closed," he said. "[Junta] airstrikes took place yesterday. All the houses near the [military's] Light Infantry Battalion No. 507 headquarters were completely destroyed." The elderly resident said that three of his neighbors were killed by heavy weapons fire and had to be buried in a trench. According to Lashio residents and relief groups, around 30 civilians were killed and another 30 were injured by artillery attacks from July 3-17. In need of aid A relief worker in Lashio confirmed to RFA that many people are trapped in the town because they can't afford to abandon their homes, while those who have taken refuge in nearby towns are facing various difficulties. "Many people want to leave the town, but they have no money," said the worker, noting that most are trying to reach Myanmar's second largest city Mandalay, 280 kilometers (175 miles) to the southeast, or southern Shan state's capital Taunggyi, 345 kilometers (215 miles) to the south. "They are trying to sell their motorcycles to cover the cost of moving to other areas." The relief worker noted that many of his colleagues had already left Lashio amid the fighting, although a contingent was trying to return from neighboring Hsipaw township to assist trapped residents. Of the more than 50,000 residents who have already fled, many have relocated to Kutkai, Nam Lan, Taunggyi, Mandalay, and the commercial capital Yangon, a displaced resident who made his way to Taunggyi told RFA. However, some have been trapped en route, while others are now destitute in their towns of refuge. "We fled our homes without enough money, and we expect to face many problems in the long run," he said. "We have no jobs or income in these other towns." The Lashio resident said that rent is on the rise in Taunggyi, due to the rising number of internally displaced persons, or IDPs, arriving in town. Attempts by RFA to contact MNDAA spokesperson Li Kyar Win and the junta's Shan state spokesperson and economic minister Khun Thein Maung for updates on the conflict, went unanswered Thursday. The MNDAA announced on Tuesday that it had arrested 32 junta soldiers, including a deputy company commander, during fighting near Lashio. Translated by Aung Khin. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Widespread Fear': Spate Of Killings In Pakistan's Restive Northwest Targets Journalists By Khalida Niaz and Frud Bezhan July 18, 2024 Hassan Zeb was in his car when two unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire and killed him in broad daylight. The brazen attack occurred on July 14 outside Peshawar, the capital of the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Zeb is the third reporter to be killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a restive region bordering Afghanistan that has witnessed rising militant attacks, in recent months. Overall, eight journalists have been killed in the South Asian nation of some 240 million people in 2024, a record number, highlighting the growing threats to media workers. 'I Heard The Gunfire' Zeb's brother, Anwar, witnessed the attack that occurred in the district of Nowshera. "I was purchasing something from a shop while Hassan was sitting in the car," he told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal. "I heard the gunfire and saw that he was shot. I didn't recognize the motorcyclists who attacked my brother." Anwar Zeb said his brother -- a father of six who worked for the Peshawar-based Aaj newspaper -- did not have any enemies and had not received threats to his life. Reporters staged a protest against the killing of Zeb on July 15, accusing the authorities of doing little to protect media workers. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), strongly condemned Zeb's killing in a statement on July 15 and called on the Pakistani government to protect journalists amid what they described as "rampant violence and impunity." String Of Killings Zeb's killing came after Khalil Afridi was shot dead on June 18 by hooded armed men, who had stopped the reporter's car and opened fire. Police said Afridi was on his way home from a picnic area with a friend in the district of Khyber when the incident occurred. Afridi worked for the Pashto-language Khyber TV and was a civil society activist. Afridi's family said he had survived two previous attempts on his life. They said he had received threats before his death. A month earlier, freelance journalist Kamran Dawar was killed by unidentified gunmen in front of his home in the district of North Waziristan. Dawar ran a YouTube channel and a Facebook TV news channel called Waziristan TV. Known for his criticism of Pakistan's all-powerful army, he had received threats before his death. No group has responsibility for any of the deaths. 'They Face Threats' Gohar Ali of the Freedom Network, a nongovernmental organization working for media freedom and freedom of expression in Pakistan, said the perpetrators are believed to be militants. "Journalists are also threatened by state actors. [Reporters] cannot work independently, and when they do, they face threats." Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. The country's northwest has been the scene of a yearslong insurgency by the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, or Pakistani Taliban, extremist group. Other militant groups like Islamic State and Al-Qaeda as well as smaller militant outfits also operate and carry out attacks. The region has witnessed a sharp rise in militant attacks since the Afghan Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021, a move that boosted many extremist groups in Pakistan. "The media environment has changed because of such incidents," said Ali, referring to the spate of killings targeting journalists. "There is widespread fear among the journalism community, and [reporters] cannot report [freely and] independently." International media watchdogs have also documented the increasing repression of freedom of expression and the intimidation of journalists. Over 300 journalists and bloggers this year were affected by state coercion and targeted, including eight who were charged with alleged sedition, terrorism and incitement to violence, according to the IFJ's annual press freedom report, which was released in May. The report also noted "largescale restrictions on the Internet and social-media access." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-journalists- khyber-pakhtunkhwa-media/33041344.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seoul sanctions Hong Kong shipping firm over North Korea breach South Korea seized the De Yi in March at the request of the United States. By Taejun Kang for RFA 2024.07.18 -- South Korea has sanctioned a Hong Kong shipping firm and a North Korean vessel over allegations of the illegal transfer of North Korean coal in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. The 3,000-ton De Yi, owned by HK Yilin Shipping, took coal from a North Korean vessel, Tok Song, in March off the North's coast in a ship-to-ship transfer in violation of two Security Council resolutions imposed over Pyongyang's illegal weapons programs, the ministry said. Maritime transshipment with North Korean vessels and the export of North Korean coal are prohibited under U.N. Security Council sanctions. Financial transactions with sanctioned individuals and institutions require the approval of South Korea's Financial Services Commission or the Governor of the Bank of Korea, respectively, and unauthorized transactions may be punishable under applicable laws. Sanctioned vessels may enter South Korea only with the permission of the relevant authorities. The ministry said its sanctions demonstrated the government's "strong will to end North Korea's illegal nuclear and missile development by blocking its illegal maritime activities." "Going forward, the government will continue to take strong and consistent law enforcement action against vessels and operators engaged in the transportation of contraband and violations of Security Council sanctions, and will work closely with our allies in this process," the ministry added. RFA was not immediately able to contact HK Yilin Shipping for comment. In March, the South Korean government detained the De Yi en route to Vladivostok, Russia, at the request of the United States, off the South Korean city of Yeosu, to investigate its alleged involvement in violating Security Council sanctions against North Korea. At that time, South Korea also imposed sanctions on the Russian ships Angara and Lady R, which have been implicated in suspected arms transfers between North Korea and Russia, as well as Russian individuals and companies. Edited by Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content July not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Foreign Minister of Lebanon Abdallah Bou Habib 17 July 2024 21:51 1359-17-07-2024 On July 17, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Foreign Minister of the Lebanese Republic Abdallah Bou Habib in New York on the sidelines of the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue. During their conversation, the ministers exchanged opinions on the military-political situation in the Middle East and focused on tragic developments in the Gaza Strip and their impact on the situation in southern Lebanon. Sergey Lavrov emphasised the unacceptability of escalating the Palestinian-Israeli armed confrontation still further and its regional expansion. The Russian side reaffirmed its unwavering support for the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Lebanese Republic and underscored the need for reaching consensual solutions of complicated issues on the national agenda by the people of Lebanon themselves as soon as possible and without foreign interference. The ministers also discussed topical issues of the traditionally friendly Russian-Lebanese relations, including events to mark the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Beirut. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting with Head of the Federal Customs Service Valery Pikalyov Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Head of the Federal Customs Service Valery Pikalyov, who briefed the President on the service's performance in the first half of 2024, emphasising customs control digitalisation. July 18, 2024 14:15 Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Pikalyov, good afternoon. I would like to note at the beginning of our meeting that the Federal Customs Service is fulfilling its task. In the first half of this year, tax collections and payments amounted to almost 500 billion rubles more than during the same period last year. The effectiveness of customs control is growing, automation and throughput are increasing, including through the introduction of digital technologies. Mr Pikalyov, how do you assess the prospects for the next six months? Head of the Federal Customs Service Valery Pikalyov: Mr President, In reviewing the outcomes of the first half of this year, we are pleased to report that the Federal Customs Service has successfully achieved all objectives outlined by you and the Russian Government. These efforts were primarily focused on creating conditions for increased foreign trade turnover through the digitalisation of customs processes and the implementation of advanced technical solutions across all customs clearance stages. Additionally, improvements were made to increase the efficiency of fiscal and law enforcement functions, along with providing comprehensive support to the Ministry of Defence and the military-industrial complex in their assigned tasks. Regarding the administration of customs payments, I can provide the following update. In the first half of the year, revenues amounted to three trillion 361 billion rubles. During this period, the effectiveness of customs control has improved significantly, resulting in the recovery of 11 billion rubles through the risk management system. Post-clearance control of goods contributed nearly 25 billion rubles in revenue. I want to note the efforts of our mobile customs teams, which have become increasingly pivotal and effective in our operations. They have identified nearly 4,000 vehicles and approximately 49,000 tonnes of goods transported with violations. Our law enforcement unit has been active as well. As of now, approximately 1,200 criminal cases and 83,000 cases of administrative offenses have been initiated. Mr President, the service continues full-scale digitalisation in order to create conditions for an increase in foreign trade. Building intelligent customs is our strategic vector. Our main task is to create a comfortable environment for conducting fair business. Digital technologies are being introduced both when passing control at checkpoints along the border, and at customs authorities within the country. Of course, when organising the work of checkpoints, we aim to fulfil the task you set us, i.e. to reduce the standard inspection time for cargo transport at the border to 10 minutes. While renovating the checkpoints, we have taken organisational measures to promptly unload the border territory. The points for arrival and departure of goods have also been established, and the work schedule of several customs posts has been changed: some have been transferred to round-the-clock operation, while others to an increased operating schedule. The capacity of checkpoints has been increased due to the opening of additional traffic lanes and other measures. Until the overall renovation is completed, we plan to create an smart assistant in our information system for foreign trade participants and ordinary citizens to receive feedback with a single entry point; to expand online interaction within the system of interdepartmental electronic interaction with Rostransnadzor, Rosselkhoznadzor, and Rospotrebnadzor starting this August; and to carry out the pilot implementation of an integrated system of checkpoints at the Tagirkent-Kazmalyar MAC [multilateral automobile checkpoint] together with the Ministry of Transport and Rosgranstroi in October. That is, we plan to combine weight control, inspection systems, and video surveillance into a single system in order to reduce the time of customs operations. We are taking an active part in the introduction of an electronic queuing system. Today, it is already active at the Zabaikalsk, Chernyshevskoye, and Bugristoye international checkpoints. We propose further extending this practice to Tagirkent-Kazmalyar and Pogranichny. We are developing the use of inspection systems [IS]. Today, this is the most advanced and effective technical means of control. We have only 73 ISs in our inventory, 57 of them are mobile. We have been allocated additional funds for the purchase of new mobile ISs to execute your decision, and the customs authorities will have 12 new vehicles by the end of the year. We consider mobile ISs a promising means of control. Their use will allow for fairly quick, non-stop scanning of vehicles, which will also reduce the time required to complete customs procedures. The service continues to upgrade automatic customs technologies in the main customs clearance areas. Certainly, we cater to foreign economic operators, while conducting this work. We have already digitalised a considerable part of in- house customs clearance processes, most declarations are submitted online, and we actively use automatic registration and automatic issue technologies with regard to them. On the whole, one can say that about 90 percent of all declarations are issued over a period of four hours. Mr President, assistance to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation ranks among the service's main priorities. We have started providing urgent customs clearance for enterprises of the defence industry and the Defence Ministry. This month, I visited the Donetsk and Lugansk customs facilities. We spoke with service personnel and their families about problems now worrying them. Certainly, we have noted all these issues, and we will resolve them in the near future. The Russian Federal Customs Service has started offering career guidance and employment services to participants in the special military operation. Quite soon, we will modify our in-house order and lower health qualification requirements for a certain category of those involved in the special military operation, so that they would have more opportunities for joining the Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation. We will issue this order in the near future. Mr President, at the end of my report, I would like to say that we will always accomplish your objectives on time. Vladimir Putin: Mr Pikalyov, I instructed the Government to build housing for customs officers, primarily in the Far East. What is happening in this respect? As far as I understand, there are certain delays with the allocation of funding. What is the situation like today? Valery Pikalyov: Yes, Mr President. I have visited the Far East, including Kraskino and Pogranichny. I realise the great significance of this aspect and the need to build housing for customs officers as soon as possible, so that we could employ professional staff members and accomplish our tasks. The budget currently stipulates 3.6 billion rubles, but it is so far unclear who will disburse budgetary funding. I hope that we will reach consensus in the near future, and that this issue will be resolved. Vladimir Putin: All right. We will now discuss this matter in greater detail. <...> NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by deputy director of department for non-proliferation and arms control, mfa of russia, Mr. Anton mazur at the 1084th plenary meeting of the osce forum for security co-operation, 17 July 2024 18 July 2024 17:32 1365-18-07-2024 Agenda item: "General Statements" Topic: "On Special Military Operation to Demilitarize and Denazify Ukraine" Mr. Chairman, In my statement, I will touch upon the topic on which our delegation took the floor. At the same time, I will try to highlight the broader context that is probably more evident from Moscow than from the OSCE headquarters located on the periphery of the Eurasian continent. Mr. Chairman, The special military operation (SMO) carried out by the Russian Federation in order to protect the civilian population of Donbass, reestablish peace, demilitarize and denazify Ukraine, ensure its neutral, non-bloc status, and restore the security balance in Europe continues. New cities, towns and villages are being liberated, the Nazi-Bandera formations of the regime that usurped power in Kiev and its military-industrial potential are being crushed. The SMO goals will be achieved. Of course, the political and diplomatic path is preferable for Russia. This is confirmed by the peace proposal put forward by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on 14 June. Let me remind you of the essence of that proposal. Ukrainian troops must be completely withdrawn from the entire territory of the Donetsk, Lugansk People's Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions within their administrative borders that existed at the time they were part of Ukraine. As soon as Kiev begins a real withdrawal of troops from those regions, and also officially notifies the abandonment of plans to join NATO, the Russian side will immediately cease fire, guarantee the unhindered and safe withdrawal of Ukrainian units and formations, and begin negotiations. They should be not about a truce or a ceasefire, nor about freezing the conflict, but on its final completion. Our principled position in the negotiations will include: the neutral non-aligned nuclear-free status of Ukraine, its demilitarization and denazification, ensuring the rights, freedoms and interests of Russian-speaking citizens in Ukraine, recognition of new territorial realities, including the status of Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Lugansk People's Republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as subjects of the Russian Federation. In the future, all these fundamental provisions should be recorded in the form of fundamental international agreements. This also presupposes the lifting of all Western sanctions against Russia. Having resolved the Ukrainian crisis, we could begin to create an indivisible Eurasian security system that takes into account the interests of all States of the continent without exception (I will touch upon this issue later). Of course, without Russia's participation, without an honest and responsible dialogue with us, it is impossible to reach a peaceful solution in Ukraine and on security issues in general. No "Buergenstocks" or false "peace formulas" will help here. If our proposal is rejected in Kiev and in the Western Capitals again (and for now, it seems that this is what is happening), then, in the end, it is their problem. Obviously, the realities on the ground will continue to change not in favor of the Kiev regime. And the conditions for starting negotiations will be different. At the same time, I would like to emphasize that the roots of the crisis associated with Ukraine are not in bilateral relations. The events in Ukraine are the result of the aggressive, unceremonious and adventurous policy that the West has pursued and is pursuing in recent decades. For the West, the main thing was the breakdown of the Soviet Union, and then of Russia. As part of this strategy, Western countries took the line of absorption and military-political digestion, first, of Central and Eastern Europe, and then of the post-Soviet space. They tried to turn Ukraine into their foothold, to make it not just "non-Russia", but "anti-Russia". To achieve these goals, they invested resources, created personnel and organizational-political prerequisites for a future coup, rewrote history, school and university curricula, and nurtured future Nazi fighters. They did everything to drive a wedge between our countries and peoples. At the same time, throughout all these years, and especially since 2014, they considered Ukraine only as a springboard and a tool in the confrontation with Russia. There was no sign of any respect for the Ukrainian people; they were needed only as practically free manpower. Just remember the famous statements of Victoria Nuland. That mid-level official allowed herself to indicate in very undiplomatic terms who should lead Ukraine and where the place of the European Union with its interests was. The same thing continues today. Washington, London and Brussels only need land from Ukraine (both as fertile black soil and as a springboard) and "cannon fodder", which can be thrown into assaults on Russian positions. The rest - command, money, weapons, advisers, instructors, auditors - everything is Western. And those who stand behind Zelenskiy today absolutely do not care who will be killed by the missiles they supply - residents of Belgorod, Donetsk or Kiev, as was the case a few days ago, when an AIM-120 missile fired by a NASAMS air defense system hit a children's hospital in the capital of Ukraine. At the same time, NATO countries, on the one hand, declare their non-participation in the conflict, and on the other, they are doing everything they can to "inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield." They are climbing the escalation ladder step by step and in their arms transfers have already gone the way from non-lethal weapons to long-range missiles. Next are combat aircraft, which were developed as dual-capable systems. It is obvious that they will not help the neo-Nazi regime. And what is then? Sending their own combat units and formations into battle with a significant amount of modern heavy equipment? Giving them nuclear weapons? After all, with each new level, the degree of freedom of those making decisions becomes less and less. They cannot afford to be seen as "weaklings". Where does this lead? Just look at the history of the US being drawn into the Vietnam War and remember how it ended. Now the consequences of escalation getting out of control will be much more grave. We see not only the involvement of NATO countries and the alliance as a whole in the conflict around Ukraine. We also see that preparations for a direct clash with Russia have already begun. Relevant plans include increasing the size of the armed forces and the number of weapons, their redeployment to the East, increasing military production, developing military transport infrastructure, creating strategic reserves, dehumanizing Russians in propaganda and even building prisoner of war camps... Those who seriously hope to "inflict a strategic defeat on Russia" need to understand that there is no need to fuss - in any case, they will not live to see their planned victory over a Great Nuclear Power. On May 30, 1962, six months before the Cuban Missile Crisis, the famous British commander Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery said: "Rule 1, on page I of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow." Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler, and it is no good. That is the first rule... Rule 2 of war... is: "Do not go fighting with your land armies in China." True, he further proposed relying on air and sea power to ensure the main offensive strike in an unrestricted nuclear warfare, but then life itself very soon corrected him, demonstrating that the US superiority in missiles, aircraft and submarines did not ensure their victory in the confrontation with the USSR. So, I advise our opponents to learn by heart at least the first part of this quote. *** Mr. Chairman, To be honest, I hesitated for a long time that it would be expedient to deliver this statement. The OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), which once served as a platform for professional dialogue among participating States, albeit sometimes difficult and heated, but generally mutually respectful and constructive, has changed a lot, and not for the better. As a result of the destructive activities of our opponents (it is, alas, no longer possible to call them the traditional FSC term "partners"), it has turned into a platform for confrontation. Some FSC Chairpersonships have been attempting to impose on participating States a one-sided agenda that does not take into account the full spectrum of views and has little or no relevance to the FSC's mandate. Our opponents sometimes descend to "khutor (farmstead) diplomacy", not disdaining threats and even obscene language (apparently, this is precisely the professional level that is in demand today in the foreign policy departments of some Western countries). And when our delegation is given the floor, they cover their ears and claim "Russian threat!" and "Russian propaganda!", chaotically running towards the exit. All this would be funny if it weren't so sad. However, the degradation of both the FSC and the OSCE as a whole did not begin yesterday. At the end of the 20th century, after the end of the Cold War, we all had a unique chance to build a reliable, fair security order. This required the ability to listen to the opinions of all interested parties and mutual willingness to take them into account. Russia was committed to precisely this kind of constructive work. However, the Western powers, led by the United States, believed that they had won the Cold War and had the right to independently determine how the world should be organized. We remember how already in the mid-90s, delegations of NATO countries refused to use their own language of five years ago in the OSCE politico-military documents. Averting their eyes, they referred to the fact that allegedly "circumstances have changed." But in fact, they carried out the instructions, according to that all serious pol-mil decisions should be made not in Vienna, but in Brussels, at the headquarters of the alliance. We remember how NATO expansion began and the concept of "American leadership" emerged, which included the thesis about the uselessness of arms control. Against this background, Western countries for years and years categorically refused to agree on measures that would at least partially neutralize the negative consequences of the alliance's expansion for the security of Russia and a number of other participating States. And if it was possible to reach a common ground, for example, on the Agreement on Adaptation of the CFE Treaty, then the orders to its allies came from Washington: "Do not allow the Agreement to come into force!". And the allies readily obeyed. The same thing happened with confidence-building measures - we were told that "the Vienna Document should not be reopened" We remember how NATO resisted all our attempts - first in the Joint Consultative Group (JCG) and then in the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) - to specify the commitment to renounce additional permanent deployment of "substantial combat forces." Here we can also mention their negative reaction to our broader proposals: the draft European Security Treaty (2008) and proposals for mutual Security Guarantees with the United States and NATO (2021). All these facts indicate a long-standing neglect of Russia's security interests by the US and its allies. They sought to build a security model in the European region that would presuppose their dominance and would ignore the repeatedly proclaimed principle of the indivisibility of security. The events of recent years have clearly demonstrated that such a "Euro-Atlantic" concept has proven its inconsistency and actually come to collapse. This could not but affect the OSCE and, in particular, the politico-military dimension of its activities. Russia, on the other hand, sought to defend those principles that were laid down in Helsinki (for example, the sovereign equality of participating States), and then enshrined, in particular, in Astana (the indivisibility of security). Now is the moment of truth. Either our opponents will reconsider their approaches and return from fanning confrontation to the path of cooperation (although, let's face it, we no longer believe in such sanity on their part). Or the existing institutions will be completely marginalized, and we will be faced with the question whether it is expedient to continue participation in them, investing effort and resources. Obviously, in the context of accelerating world order reorganization, it is equally in the interests of Russia and the majority of independent States of our continent that a system of bilateral and multilateral guarantees of collective security in Eurasia develops. It was also mentioned by the President of Russia on 14 June. The time has come to begin a broad discussion on such a system. It will be open to all interested Eurasian States and not directed against anyone's interests; it will embody the principle of "regional problems - regional solutions" in relation to the mainland. This would serve as a safety net against geopolitical upheavals arising from the crisis of globalization, built according to Western patterns. Within the framework of the new architecture, military-political guarantees would be designed to protect its participants from external threats, a conflict-free space would be created, open to cooperation in the interests of all States located here, and the destabilizing influence of extra-regional players would be minimized or eliminated. At the same time, in the future it is necessary to work towards a gradual reduction in the military presence of external powers in the Eurasian region. Of course, a literal return to the Russian security proposals that we put forward 25, 15 or even two years ago is impossible - too much has happened, circumstances have changed. However, the basic principles and, most importantly, the very subject of the dialogue remain unchanged. It is up to each of the European and Asian States represented in this room to decide whether to take part in the creation of such a system or remain on the sidelines of this process. Mr. Chairman, I understand that only a few will hear this speech at the Hofburg, and even fewer will present it correctly in their cables. And yet today I am sure that it makes sense to deliver it, if only because ordinary people in countries that have become unfriendly to us have the right to know the truth. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Maritime Interaction 2024: Russian-Chinese naval exercise completes in South China Sea 18.07.2024 The Maritime Interaction 2024 joint naval exercise involving the Russian Navy and the PLA Navy has come to an end in the South China Sea. Its primary purpose was to strengthen naval cooperation between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China as well as to maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. The navies improved joint action in search-and-rescue operations at sea. During the Maritime Interaction 2024 exercise, some 30 combat exercises were carried out, to include joint live-fire artillery drills at sea, coast, and air targets. For Reference: The first joint naval exercise of the Russian Navy and the PLA Navy was held in the Yellow Sea in 2005. Since 2012, it has been held on a regular basis in various regions. Press Service of the Eastern Military District NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Orban Proposes to EU to Reopen Direct Communication Lines With Russia Sputnik News 20240718 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The European Union should reopen direct communication lines with Russia while maintaining the current level of contacts with Ukraine, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in a report to European Council President Charles Michel published on Thursday. "While maintaining the current high-level political contacts with Ukraine, reopening direct lines of diplomatic communication with Russia and the rehabilitation of such direct contacts in our political communication;" Orban said in a report. The EU's policy on Ukraine has resulted in the "global isolation of the transatlantic community" and loss of appreciation from the Global South, Orban added. The European Union should conduct high-level political talks with China to discuss the modalities of the next conference on Ukraine, the prime minister also said in the report. "I propose initiating a discussion on the following proposals: a. the initiative to conduct high-level political talks with China on the modalities of the next peace conference;" the document read. The prime minister also asked Michel to present his report and proposals to EU leaders. "China will continue its policy also formulated in international documents calling for a ceasefire and peace talks. However, China will play a more active role only if the chance for success of its engagement is close to certain. In their evaluation this is not the case at the moment," he said. The military conflict in Ukraine will "radically escalation" in the near future, Viktor Orban noted. "It is a general observation that the intensity of the military conflict will radically escalate in the near future," he said in the report after visiting Ukraine and Russia. The European Union, the United States and China are "global players" with the ability to "influence developments" in the current situation, Orban pointed out. "We also have to take into consideration as an important regional player Turkiye as the only successful mediator between Ukraine and Russia since the outbreak of the hostilities in 2022," the report read. US presidential candidate Donald Trump is unlikely to propose any peace initiatives on Ukraine until the US election, but will be ready to act as a peace broker before his potential inauguration, Prime Minister Orban added. "During my talks with President Trump, I came to a conclusion that foreign policy will play only a small role in his campaign, which is dominated by internal political questions. Therefore we can expect no peace initiative coming from him until the elections. I can however surely state that shortly after his election victory, he will not wait until his inauguration, but will be ready to act as a peace broker immediately. He has detailed and well-founded plans for this," he noted. Orban added that US President Joe Biden is currently making efforts to stay in the election race, while the country is "preoccupied" with the election campaign. "It is obvious that he [Biden] is not capable of modifying the current US pro-war policy and therefore cannot be expected to start a new policy," Orban said. The EU "has coped" that pro-war policy of the US so far, but it can find a "window of opportunity" to begin a new chapter that can lead to creating "the conditions for a temporary ceasefire and/or start peace negotiations," Orban said. "I am more than convinced that in the likely outcome of the victory of President Trump, the proportion of the financial burden between the US and the EU will significantly change to the EU's disadvantage when it comes to the financial support of Ukraine," the report read. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Moscow Not Ruling Out Nuclear Missiles Deployment After US Missiles Deployed in Germany Sputnik News 20240718 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia will choose from the widest possible range of options when developing its response to the deployment of US long-range missiles in Germany, while not ruling out any options, including the deployment of similar nuclear-equipped systems, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters on Thursday. "I do not rule out any options," Ryabkov said, answering whether the Russian response to the deployment of US missiles in Germany would involve the deployment of similar nuclear-equipped systems. He noted that due to the fault of both Germany and, first of all, the United States, "standing at the head of the NATO bloc, there was a total destruction of agreements in the field of arms control." "In this situation, taking into account the totality of countries that are members of NATO, we must calibrate our responses without experiencing any internal constraints, so to speak, in terms of what, where and when is possible, necessary and whether they should be deployed. That is, the widest possible option," the deputy minister said. "This is not a threat to anyone. This is a way to find the most effective, including cost-effective, algorithm for responding to changing challenges," he added. Addressing the discussions in Washington about the reconversion of B-52 heavy bombers, Ryabkov indicated that Russia is bracing for the possibility of a significant increase in the United States' nuclear capabilities and is devising effective and cost-efficient response strategies. "We also see from this example that there are no restraints left in the United States in terms of how to handle the potential in the field of strategic nuclear weapons. We must prepare for all sorts of scenarios, including undesirable scenarios in terms of a possible significant buildup of nuclear potential by the Americans," Ryabkov told reporters. "We are ready for this, because the whole logic of Washington's behavior in this area leads to the fact that they will follow exactly this path. But so far there are no solutions, until the final formula for what will happen to these bombers in the future has been worked out, we have time to calculate different options and provide the most effective and least costly ways to respond," the deputy minister added. At the same time, Ryabkov emphasized that Moscow firmly believes there is no inevitable escalation in the ongoing security tensions between the West and Russia. "Nothing is predetermined. In particular, there is no predestination for further escalation. So far, unfortunately, the West, under far-fetched pretexts in search of reasons to attribute this to us again, from the point of view of attacks on security, is following exactly this path," Ryabkov told reporters. This will not stop Russia regarding solving tasks to ensure its security along the entire perimeter of the borders, the diplomat added. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU's Proposed Defense Union & NATO Escalation Push Russia to Rethink Strategy - Kremlin Sputnik News 20240718 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The prospects of the EU turning into a defense union forces Russia to adapt its foreign policy approaches accordingly, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. "But anyway, it confirms it anyway... the general attitude of European states towards militarization, to escalate tensions, to confrontation and to rely on confrontational methods of their foreign policy... These are the realities we have to live in. And, of course, all of this forces us to adapt our foreign political approach accordingly," Peskov told reporters. The work within the EU defense union framework will overlap with the work of the European countries within the NATO framework, the spokesman added. Earlier in the day, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised to turn the European Union into a defense one in case of her reelection. The official also said that a post of European Commissioner for Defense will be introduced, as well as the European Air Shield project will be implemented. "Working with Member States and in close coordination with NATO, we will propose a number of Defence Projects of Common European Interest starting with a European Air Shield and cyber defence," von der Leyen said in her election program. The EU should take into account the global trend towards geostrategic rivalry, in particular with China in its foreign policy, von der Leyen added. "We have entered an age of geostrategic rivalries. The more aggressive posture and unfair economic competition from China, its 'no- limits' friendship with Russia - and the dynamics of its relationship with Europe - reflect a shift from cooperation to competition... This new reality will endure whatever the outcome of elections across the world in the coming months. Our new foreign and security policy must be designed with this unfiltered reality in mind," the document said. Responding to a question about the Kremlin's reaction to von der Leyen's statement, the Kremlin spokesman said that her idea of a defense union within the EU signals a shift in the bloc's priorities and imparts a military focus to the European Union. "Apparently, Mrs. von der Leyen spoke about a change in priorities and the transformation of the EU, giving military overtones to this union," he said. At the same time, Peskov highlighted that Russia has not posed and does not pose any threat to anyone in the European Union. "The Russian Federation has not posed and does not pose any threat to anyone in the European Union. It is defending its interests in Ukraine in conditions where the countries of the European Union ruled out any possibility of dialogue or taking Russia's concerns into account. These are the realities in which we have to live. And, of course, all this forces us to configure our foreign political approach accordingly," Peskov said, answering how the Kremlin reacted to the statement of von der Leyen. NATO Presence in the Black Sea The large presence of NATO ships in the Black Sea region poses a threat to Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, adding that Russia will take measures to ensure its security. "The large presence of NATO ships, taking into account both Bulgaria and Romania, the coastal states that are members of the alliance, a of course, this poses additional threats, especially in the current situation," Peskov told reporters. "Of course, Russia will take all necessary measures to ensure its own security," Peskov added. The Kremlin spokesman highlighted that Turkiye quite smoothly fulfills its functions as an administrator in regulating shipping in the region. "The regime of stay of non-Black Sea states in the Black Sea is quite strictly regulated by the Montreux Convention. Turkiye in this case is the administrator and performs its functions quite smoothly," Peskov told reporters. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Closing arguments due in 'sham' trial of American journalist Evan Gershkovich By VOA News July 18, 2024 American journalist Evan Gershkovich was back in a Russian court Thursday for the second hearing in what is widely seen as a sham trial. Media had no access to the courtroom in Yekaterinburg, and Gershkovich, 32, was not seen. The Wall Street Journal reporter, who was first detained in the eastern city in March 2023, is accused of espionage. Russia has not provided any evidence to substantiate that claim. Gershkovich, his publisher and the United States all deny the charge. Media groups say the claims are baseless and that the trial is a sham. The United States has also declared Gershkovich wrongfully detained. The court said that closing arguments are set to take place on Friday. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield this week told Russia's foreign minister that Russian President Vladimir Putin must free Gershkovich and other detained Americans. Addressing the U.N. Security Council, Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. will not rest until Russia ceases its "barbaric practice of holding human pawns." Russia is also detaining former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and American Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. Kurmasheva, a Prague-based editor for VOA sister network Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, marked nine months in custody on Thursday. She has been denied U.S. consular access and contact with her two young daughters. Russia accuses Kurmasheva of failing to register as a so-called foreign agent. The journalist and her network reject the charge. "We believe the charges are completely false. We believe this whole thing is a sham, and at the end of the day, the people who are paying the greatest price is this small family," Stephen Capus, president of RFE/RL, told VOA. "They're not shutting down RFE/RL by imprisoning Alsu. They're not stopping our feeds by imprisoning Alsu. What they are doing, they're taking two teenage girls and saying you can't have access to your mom." Kurmasheva had traveled to Russia in May 2023 to care for her elderly mother. Authorities prevented her from returning to the Czech Republic and confiscated her travel documents. In October, she was taken into custody. In Gershkovich's case, the reporter was detained while on assignment. Russia's prosecutor general's office says the reporter is accused of "gathering secret information" on orders from the CIA about a factory that produces military equipment. The Journal and U.S. officials say the claims are fabricated. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said last month that the U.S. government has never employed Gershkovich. "Evan is not a spy. Journalism is not a crime. And Evan should never have been detained in the first place," Kirby said. If convicted, Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison. Gulnoza Said, Europe and Central Asia program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, earlier described the trial as a "travesty of justice." "The charges brought against him are spurious and unsubstantiated, and the whole thing is just a masquerade," Said told VOA. Russia's foreign minister was cited in Russian state media as saying Moscow and Washington intelligence services are negotiating a prisoner swap. But Moscow has signaled earlier that it first wants a verdict in the case, which is widely viewed as baseless. Russia in recent weeks has issued more arrest warrants and convictions in absentia to local and foreign journalists outside its borders. Russia is also issuing warrants and convictions in absentia to journalists over their coverage of Ukraine. Among them is Moscow-born U.S. journalist Masha Gessen. A Moscow court on Monday convicted Gessen in absentia of spreading false information about the Russian military and handed down an eight-year prison sentence. The staff writer for The New Yorker and columnist for The New York Times is a prominent critic of Putin. Media watchdogs say Russia has a dire record for jailing journalists, with 22 detained as of late 2023, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Nearly all of those in custody are foreign nationals. Cristina Caicedo Smit, Liam Scott and Jessica Jerreat contributed to this report NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan has been paying for its defense: U.S. State Department ROC Central News Agency 07/18/2024 11:48 AM Washington, July 17 (CNA) Taiwan has been paying for its own defense, a U.S. State Department official emphasized on Wednesday, noting that purchases of military equipment are important to the U.S. economy and for ensuring regional security. Spokesman Matthew Miller was asked at a Department of State press briefing about recent comments by Donald Trump, the Republican nominee in November's U.S. presidential election, who said during an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek that Taiwan should pay Washington for protection. "Taiwan has been purchasing military equipment from the United States to the tune of billions of dollars," Miller responded. He also noted that purchasing such equipment supports American manufacturing and technology. "The purchases that they [Taiwan] have made not only are important, we believe, to regional security, but are important to the United States economy," he added. Citing the security cooperation that the U.S. has provided over the decades, Miller said Taiwan has purchased necessary military equipment and that "it has not been in any way charity from the United States." He also highlighted the importance of cross-strait peace and stability and how it was essential to the U.S., Americans and the global economy. Miller said the first-ever foreign military financing (FMF) package for Taiwan that would be partly funded by U.S. taxpayers reflected the U.S.' longstanding commitment to Taiwan to ensure it has "the defense articles and services necessary for it to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability." Separately, Taiwan's representative office in Washington said the support for the country has always been bipartisan. The office added that Taiwan is willing and determined to take on more responsibility for its self-defense. (By Shih Hsiu-chuan and Ko Lin) Enditem/kb NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Drivers, pedestrians must seek shelter during Wanan defense drill: MOI ROC Central News Agency 07/18/2024 11:20 PM Taipei, July 18 (CNA) Traffic controls will be imposed and pedestrians will be required to go to shelters during the 30-minute-long Wanan air defense drills that are scheduled to take place across Taiwan on July 22-25. Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (aSaeS) said during a ministry meeting that the 47th annual Wanan Exercises will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. on July 22 in central Taiwan, and take place at the same time on July 23 in northern Taiwan, July 24 in eastern Taiwan and outlying counties, and July 25 in southern Taiwan. Under the ministry's zoning system for the drills, central Taiwan comprises Taichung and Chiayi cities and Miaoli, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, and Chiayi counties, while northern Taiwan includes Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County, Hsinchu City, and Yilan County. The eastern and outlying areas cover Hualien, Taitung, Penghu, Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu Islands) counties, while southern Taiwan covers Tainan, Kaohsiung and Pingtung County. Following the 30-minute air-raid drills, local governments will stage another 30 minutes of drills to test shelter operations and check if utilities are working and supplies are sufficient from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Liu said. Except for Hsinchu and Chiayi cities, which will each select one district, the remaining 20 local governments will each pick two administrative areas (townships, cities, or districts) to assess how well the 22 local governments can guide their residents into air raid shelters, according to the ministry. During the drills, local governments will each issue an air defense alert and use television, radio, police patrol car broadcasts and other broadcast systems at villages and schools to enhance the coverage of the air-raid warning, the ministry said. In addition, text message alerts will be sent to people's cellphones, according to the ministry. During the drills, drivers must immediately park and, along with pedestrians, follow police instructions to enter the nearest air raid shelter. Violators could be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000 ((US$4,610), the ministry added. The first Wanan air defense drill took place in 1978 to raise public awareness of the government's emergency response measures and reduce the likelihood of casualties and damage in case of an enemy attack. (By Chen Chun-hua, Joseph Yeh and Evelyn Kao) Enditem/JT NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address United Kingdom - France joint press statement. AlysAe - President of France Posted on 18 July 2024 The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the President of the French Republic met today at Blenheim Palace. In this, the 120th anniversary year of the Entente Cordiale, the two leaders discussed the full spectrum of the bilateral relationship between the UK and France, the UK's intention to reset its relationship with the EU and wider Europe, as well as international and global issues. 80 years on from the D-Day landings and the Liberation of France the leaders remembered the immense common sacrifices that both countries have made to defend their shared values and to protect their societies. And 30 years on from the opening of the Channel Tunnel, they recalled what the UK and France can build together when they do not constrain their ambitions, allowing their economies to flourish and their people to connect. As fellow members of the G7, G20, NATO and permanent members of the UN Security Council, the UK and France will continue to work together to provide global leadership in an era of renewed geopolitical instability. They are committed to continuing to invest in the European Political Community format to bring together Europe's democracies and contribute to regional stability and security through political dialogue and concrete cooperation. Looking to the future France and the UK will pursue their cooperation across the full spectrum of the relationship, at both a bilateral and at a global level. This will include through a focus on sustainable economic growth, international development, energy security and driving low carbon solutions to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. They will embrace the opportunities presented by supporting the clean energy transition, reform of the international financial system and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. The UK and France reaffirm their deep commitment to Europe's defence and security. This includes their steadfast support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's illegal war of aggression, for as long as it takes, and for Ukraine's irreversible path to NATO membership. Fourteen years on from the Lancaster House Treaty, the UK and France share the ambition to reinvigorate their defence cooperation to reflect the complex challenges of the modern era and the range of threats from hostile state and non-state actors to our shared values and interests. The UK and France agree the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza along with the release of all hostages, unfettered access to humanitarian aid, the upholding of international law, and progress towards establishing a Palestinian State living in peace and security alongside a safe and secure Israel. They also agree on the importance of maintaining stability and security in the wider region. The Prime Minister and President expressed their condolences for the victims of the tragic events in the channel yesterday and last week. They committed to strengthening their cooperation on irregular migration and the fight against criminal gangs responsible for this tragic loss of life through small boat crossings. The Prime Minister presented the UK's new Border Security Command and the vital role it will play in this mission. As a sign of the ever deeper cooperation between the UK and France, the Prime Minister and President welcomed UK support for the staging of the Olympics. They agreed to hold the next bilateral summit in the UK in 2025. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A Britain secure at home and strong abroad - UK defence a key focus during King's Speech The King's Speech announces the Armed Forces Commissioner who will be a strong, independent champion to improve life for UK service personnel and their families, while the Government reinforces the UK's unshakeable commitment to NATO. 18 July 2024 The new Government's commitment to defence and Armed Forces personnel has been strengthened in the King's Speech, with the announcement of a new, independent Armed Forces Commissioner. The Armed Forces Commissioner, the first of its kind in the UK, will act as a strong independent champion for our service personnel and their families, committed to improving service life and strengthening parliamentary oversight. The King's Speech also: Confirmed the launch of a root and branch Strategic Defence Review Reinforced the UK's unshakeable commitment to NATO and the UK's leading role in the alliance Meanwhile, the Defence Secretary, John Healey, opening the first full day of debate following the King's Speech yesterday, emphasised that a secure Britain - through strong defence - is essential for economic growth and prosperity in an increasingly volatile world. He also reaffirmed that the first duty of this new government is to keep its people safe. He committed to action, not words to ensure that the UK is secure at home and strong abroad. Defence Secretary, John Healey, said: I want Defence to be central to the future security of Britain and central to the country's success in this new era. This is a government of service that will always stand up for those who serve our country, and our Armed Forces will always have its full support. That's why at the NATO summit in Washington the Prime Minister confirmed this Government's unshakeable commitment to NATO. That's why this week the Prime Minister launched a first-of-its-kind Strategic Defence Review. And that's why in the King's Speech we announced legislation to create a new Armed Forces Commissioner. Together, we will make Britain more secure at home and strong abroad. The Armed Forces Commissioner is a step to renewing the moral contract with those who make extraordinary sacrifices to serve the nation, and the families who support them. The Commissioner will be a strong public voice for personnel and their families, committed to improving service life from basic training, throughout their military career and beyond. As a direct point of contact for serving personnel and their families, independent and outside their chains of command, they will be empowered to investigate individuals complaints and review issues which are affecting the lives of our serving personnel, further strengthening parliamentary oversight. Elsewhere in the speech, the King confirmed that a root and branch review of UK defence has been launched by Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad for decades to come. The Strategic Defence Review, confirmed in the King's Speech, will be done at pace and report in the first half of 2025, with work starting immediately in recognition of the urgency of the threats facing the UK. The review - headed by three external Reviewers in a first-of-its-kind for UK defence - is the next step following a successful NATO Summit in Washington, where the Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK's unshakeable commitment to the alliance and the "serious commitment" to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence. The Government will also continue to work with international allies and partners to step up support for Ukraine through the international Capability Coalitions and the A3bn pledge on military aid, whilst speeding up the delivery of equipment promised to Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Returns 95 Soldiers From Ukrainian Captivity - MoD Sputnik News 20240717 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia has negotiated the release of 95 of its soldiers taken prisoner in Ukraine-controlled territories, who have already returned home, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. "On July 17, 2024, as a result of the negotiation process, 95 Russian servicepeople who were in mortal danger in captivity were returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime. In return, 95 prisoners of war of the Ukrainian armed forces were transferred in return," the statement said. All the released servicemen will be transported by military transport aircraft to Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defense, the statement said. The UAE provided mediation efforts during the return of the Russian soldiers from the Ukrainian captivity, the ministry added. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Loses Up to 650 Soldiers in Clashes With Russia's Western Forces - MoD Sputnik News 20240717 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Ukrainian armed forces have lost up to 650 soldiers in battles with Russia's Battlegroup Zapad in the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. "The enemy lost up to 650 soldiers, a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier and twelve vehicles," the ministry said. Ukraine has lost up to 610 soldiers in battles with Russia's Battlegroup Yug, and another 325 soldiers in battles with Battlegroup Tsentr, the ministry said. Russia's Battlegroup Sever have repelled one Ukrainian counterattack and Kiev has lost over 170 soldiers in this direction, the ministry added. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Air Defenses Down 5 Ukrainian UAVs Over Belgorod, Voronezh, Bryansk Regions Sputnik News 20240717 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian air defenses overnight on Wednesday downed five Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over Belgorod, Voronezh, and Bryansk regions, the Russian Defense Ministry and the Bryansk governor said. "During the past night, an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack using fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation was prevented. Air defense systems on duty destroyed one UAV over the Belgorod region and two UAV's over the Voronezh region," the ministry said. Later in the day, Voronezh Region Governor Aleksandr Gusev said on Telegram that "according to preliminary information," the attack did not inflict any damage on the ground. "Another attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack with the use of UAVs has been prevented. An aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed over the Surazhsky district [of the Bryansk region] by the Russian Defense Ministry's air defense means. No damage or casualties have been reported," Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz wrote on Telegram on the same day. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany halves Ukraine military aid as Trump's re-election odds rise Iran Press TV Thursday, 18 July 2024 7:17 PM German leaders plan to slash military assistance to Kiev in 2025 to half as Donald Trump, who is against the Ukraine war, looks more probable to become the new president of the United States. Trump, who is a staunch opponent of continued aid to Kiev, is seen as the likely winner of the 2024 US presidential election. Last week, a NATO summit in Washington addressed concerns regarding the potential political changes in the US. It was agreed that NATO would take over coordination of weapons deliveries to Ukraine from the United States. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the new decision meant that from September the 700 personnel from across the alliance will begin working under new leadership in Germany. However, Germany surprised the other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization by announcing its plans to nearly halve military aid for Ukraine next year, from around 8 billion euros to around 4 billion, according to a draft budget approved by Berlin's government. Germany, which had initially shown reluctance to support Ukraine in its war against Russia, later became Kiev's main European supplier of military aid. Finance Minister Christian Lindner said Ukraine would have to rely more on funds from "European sources" as well as hoped-for income from frozen Russian assets. "The aim is to make $50 billion available this year, Ukraine can then decide for itself how to use them," Lindner said after the cabinet approved the draft budget. Berlin hopes Kiev will be able to meet the bulk of all its military needs to fight against Russia's troops with the $50 billion in loans from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets approved by the Group of Seven. Analysts say Germany's decision to cut military aid to Ukraine will likely be seen in Kiev as ample evidence of Berlin's under-delivering on aid. Since Russia started its military campaign in Ukraine in 2022, Germany's military aid to Ukraine has been more than any other European country. Germany has supplied weapons and ammunition, including tanks and other armored vehicles, in addition to thousands of rounds of artillery shells. It has also provided huge assistance on air defense and other systems. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has repeatedly touted Germany's aid to Kiev, while pushing the other European countries to do more, particularly as the re-election of Trump in the US looks increasingly likely and Europe faces the likely chances of having to fund and arm Ukraine alone. Trump's victory in the 2024 US presidential election would mean a decrease in Washington's aid to Kiev. Stoltenberg said on Thursday that it's extremely important that the United States continues to provide support to Ukraine. "The United States is by far the biggest ally. So, I expect them to continue to support Ukraine," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In U.K. For European Summit, Zelenskiy Urges Unity After Orban 'Peace Mission' By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service July 18, 2024 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has rejected talk of making a deal with Russia without Kyiv's approval after Hungarian Prime Minister met with President Vladimir Putin as Ukraine's embattled troops continue to suffer from inadequate defenses in the face of a Russian onslaught in the east. Zelenskiy arrived on July 18 in central England for the European Political Community (EPC) summit at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Britain's World War II leader Winston Churchill. The Ukrainian leader wasted little time in calling on those in attendance "to maintain unity in Europe because always this unity leads to strong decisions." Zelenskiy's comments come after Orban -- who is also at the summit -- embarked on what he called a "peace mission," during which he made stops in Moscow, Kyiv, Beijing, and at the Florida residence of former U.S. President Donald Trump. The global tour rankled most European leaders, who have repeatedly distanced themselves from Orban's trip, while the Hungarian leader himself has acknowledged that he has no authority to act on the behalf of other EU members, even though Hungary currently holds the bloc's rotating presidency. "If someone in Europe tries to resolve issues behind others' backs or even at the expense of someone else, if someone wants to make some trips to the capital of war to talk and perhaps promise something against our common interests or at the expense of Ukraine or other countries, then why should we consider such a person?" Zelenskiy said at the summit on July 18. "The EU and NATO can also address all their issues without this one individual." Orban on July 18 released a letter he wrote to the heads of EU countries in which he said the warring parties were unlikely to search for a way out of the conflict without significant external involvement from the European Union, the United States, and China. But he said the EU "has copied the pro-war policy of the U.S.," and should break with Washington and pursue efforts for a cease-fire. The letter, which had been leaked to the media earlier this week, also said Trump was ready to act "immediately" as a peace broker if he beats incumbent Joe Biden in the November 5 vote. Trump has suggested that if he wins the U.S. presidential election in November he will resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict in one day. He has not elaborated on how he would accomplish such a feat, but many European leaders have said they fear the former president would agree with Putin on a peace plan without consulting with Kyiv. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Western help for Ukraine must be a joint effort between North America and Europe. "European allies and Canada can of course do more, but it's extremely important that the United States continues to provide support to Ukraine," Stoltenberg told AFP on the sidelines of the summit. "The United States is by far the biggest ally. So, I expect them to continue to support Ukraine." At the summit, Zelenskiy called for Western allies to lift the restrictions on long-range strikes into Russia, particularly military airfields, and for Western allies' air defenses to protect Ukraine as they protected Israel in April when it was hit with a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones. Zelenskiy mentioned France, Britain, and the United States -- countries that provided air-defense systems and fighter jets that helped shoot down over 300 Iranian missiles and drones in Israeli airspace. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected the requests and said they were "out of the question." Zelenskiy said in a post on social media that Ukraine will sign an intergovernmental agreement on support for the Ukrainian defense and industrial complex, discuss future defense cooperation, and expand Kyiv's defense capabilities while at the summit. He gave no details. Keir Starmer, the first Labour Party prime minister in 14 years, has signaled that his government will continue London's policy of robust military and diplomatic support for Ukraine in its ongoing war to defeat Russian invaders. The summit comes amid reports of difficulties faced by Ukrainian defenders on the eastern and southeastern front, mainly in the area of the Dnieper River northeast of Kherson city, where Kyiv had managed to establish a fragile bridgehead on the eastern bank of the river late last year. Ukrainian troops liberated Kherson, which lies on the western banks of the Dnieper, in November 2022, pushing Russian forces across the Dnieper, but the city continues to be targeted by enemy fire. Ukrainian media in recent days reported that Krynky, a small town on the eastern bank of the Dnieper where Ukrainian marines and paratroopers landed in November 2023, had been abandoned after Kyiv suffered serious casualties. But Dmytro Lykhoviy, a spokesman for Ukraine's Tavria group of troops, brushed aside a report by the Slidstvo.info publication, which on July 17 wrote that 788 Ukrainian soldiers have been missing in action since November, while the bodies of only 262 fallen troops could be recovered and transported across the river on the side controlled by Ukraine. "The situation is not as critical as some media and bloggers interpret it. In this regard, our key message is, the defense forces of Ukraine continue to carry out combat missions on the left bank of the Dnieper. In particular, in the area of the settlement of Krynky," Lykhoviy said on state television. "However, it is true that most of the main positions of Ukrainian troops in this village have been completely destroyed as a result of intense, combined, long-term enemy fire," he added. Moscow had claimed in February that its troops had already pushed back Ukrainian forces from Krynky. Neither the Russian nor the Ukrainian claims could be independently confirmed. Separately, Russia's Defense Ministry said that its air and naval defenses on July 18 repelled a combined attack of Ukrainian air and naval drones that targeted occupied Crimea. In a message on Telegram, the ministry said that air defenses shot down 33 drones over Crimea and two over the Bryansk region. The Russian Navy, meanwhile, said it destroyed 10 Ukrainian naval drones that were heading in the direction of the Crimean Peninsula. Separately, Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed head of Sevastopol, Crimea's largest port, said a naval drone heading for the port was destroyed. Ukraine has not commented on the Russian claims. In Kyiv, the Ukrainian Air Force said its air defenses shot down all 16 drones and two out of three cruise missiles that Russia had launched at targets in the Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Zaporizhzhya, Kyiv, and Kharkiv regions. With reporting by AFP and Reuters Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/crimea-air-naval- drone-attack-russia-ukraine-war-zelenskiy/33040916.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by Russian Defence Ministry 18.07.2024 On 17 July 2024, as a result of the negotiation process, 95 Russian servicemen who were in mortal danger in captivity have been returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime. Ninety-five AFU prisoners of war have been transferred in exchange. The Russian Aerospace Forces' Military Transport Aviation aircraft have taken the liberated servicemen to Moscow for treatment and rehabilitation at the Russian Ministry of Defence's medical facilities. All released soldiers are provided with the necessary medical and psychological assistance. When Russian servicemen returned from the captivity, humanitarian actions were carried out by the United Arab Emirates. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Forces Capture Strategic High-Rise Line in Volchansk in Kharkov Region Sputnik News 20240718 Apti Alaudinov, deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Defense Ministry and commander of the Akhmat special forces unit, said in early July the Ukrainian Armed Forces had deployed its elite units a including foreign mercenaries a to Volchansk in Kharkov Region. The Russian army has taken control of the first line of high-rise buildings in Volchansk, Apti Alaudinov said. "If we are talking about Volchansk itself, where we have direct assault operations by the Defense Ministry units, it should be noted that in recent days the hardest area we have had is the high-rise buildings in Volchansk. The first line of these high-rise buildings is already completely under the control of the units of the Russian Defense Ministry. Every day our units are advancing a little bit," he said. Volodymyr Zelensky admitted in May that the situation of the Ukrainian forces in the Kharkov region, especially in the border town of Volchansk, was extremely difficult. According to the head of the Russian administration in the region, Vitaly Ganchev, the military controls the western and northern parts of the city. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces acknowledged the "tactical success" of Russian troops in the direction of Kharkov. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Terrorist Attack Organized by Ukrainian Nationalist Group Foiled in Donetsk - FSB Sputnik News 20240718 DONETSK (Sputnik) - A terrorist attack organized by a Ukrainian nationalist group has been prevented in the city of Donetsk, the Russian Federal Security Service's (FSB) department for the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) said on Thursday. "A female Russian national, who was caught in the act, was prepared by one of Ukrainian nationalist groups that are considered terrorist in Russia, on which orders she planned to set on fire the Petrovsky district court building in the city of Donetsk for monetary remuneration," the FSB told reporters. The woman planned on traveling to Ukraine and joining the group after carrying out the attack. The security service has filed preparation of crime and attempted crime charges. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Ukrainian regions of Zaporozhye and Kherson, as well as the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, voted in a referendum in September of that year to become part of Russia. All four regions were formally incorporated into Russia in October. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine's Mirgorod Military Airfield Hit in Poltava Region - Underground Network Sputnik News 20240718 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A military airfield receiving training aircraft has been hit in Mirgorod in Ukraine's Poltava region, the coordinator the pro-Russian underground network in Nikolaev, Sergei Lebedev, told Sputnik. "The city of Mirgorod, Poltava region, was also attacked at night. The strike was carried out in the area of the military airfield, which, after the previous strikes, again started to receive aircraft, including UK-produced training [airplanes], observed in the sky over Kharkov," Lebedev said. Another strike was conducted overnight in the area of the Kremenchug car building plant in the Poltava region, and two others, accompanied by a strong detonation, were carried out in the direction of the Kremenchug refinery, the coordinator also said. "The city of Kremenchug, Poltava region, received a series of powerful strikes on military facilities at night ... Each [strike] was accompanied by a powerful detonation, the second strike caused a large explosive wave," he added. Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian armed forces started striking critical Ukrainian infrastructure on October 10, 2022, days after Ukraine bombed the Crimean bridge, which links Crimea to mainland Russia. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Air Defenses Down 33 Drones Over Crimea, Destroy 10 Drone Boats in Black Sea - MoD Sputnik News 20240718 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Active defense systems of Russia intercepted 33 drones over Crimea and two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the Bryansk Region and destroyed ten drone boats in the waters of the Black Sea overnight, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday. "During the past night, active air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 33 UAVs over the Republic of Crimea and two over the Bryansk Region during the Kiev regime's attempt to carry out terrorist attacks with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles on facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation," the ministry said in a statement. The ministry added that active firepower in the waters of the Black Sea destroyed ten uncrewed boats that were trying to make it to Crimea. Earlier on Thursday, Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Telegram that the Russian military in the city repelled an attempted attack by a drone boat, adding that it was destroyed. Andrei Kravchenko, the mayor of the Russian city of Novorossiysk, also said on Thursday that the city was in danger of an attack by unmanned boats, with sirens sounding in the city. He called on citizens to remain calm and trust only official data. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia is seeking to terrorise civilians in Ukraine: UK statement to the OSCE Ambassador Holland condemns Russia's relentless targeting of Ukraine's critical infrastructure, which is a violation of humanitarian law and OSCE principles. 18 July 2024 Madam Chair, in spring 2024, Russia significantly intensified its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, continuing a strategy aimed at crippling Ukraine's power supply. These attacks have continued into the summer and caused widespread and lasting damage across Ukraine. This has severely impacted civilians and their access to essential services including electricity, heating, and water. Russia's attacks since spring 2024 have resulted in a total electricity loss of over 9 GW, with rolling blackouts occurring throughout Ukraine, plunging civilians into darkness. Russia carried out one of its most extensive assaults in early June, launching 70 missiles and drones overnight, targeting energy facilities in at least five Ukrainian regions, resulting in substantial damage to the power system. Ukrainian air defences managed to intercept many of the incoming missiles and drones, but the attack still inflicted considerable damage on critical infrastructure and caused widespread civilian suffering. The damage Russia has caused to Ukraine's energy grid, comes at a particularly challenging time, as recently parts of Ukraine have been engulfed in a record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. This has led to a sharp demand in electricity, mainly for air conditioning. The combination of rising temperatures with power shortages and disruptions to water supplies caused by Russian attacks, is incredibly dangerous for civilians - particularly to the health of the frail and elderly. Additionally, Ukraine faces a great challenge to restore power before the winter - running the risk that millions may not have sufficient heat as temperatures drastically decrease. Madam Chair, Russia is violating international humanitarian law by terrorising the civilian population with its relentless targeting of Ukraine's critical infrastructure. Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and its persistent attacks on energy infrastructure also represent a violation of its commitments to the OSCE's Helsinki Final Act. Russia has flouted several foundational principles of this organisation including respect for sovereignty, refraining from the threat or use of force, and upholding human rights. The international community, including the OSCE, must continue to hold Russia accountable for these violations. In the face of Russia's aggression, the people of Ukraine have demonstrated their strength and resilience and we are committed to their long term support. The UK has already pledged nearly A150 million to reinforce Ukraine's energy infrastructure and bolster its cybersecurity defences. We will continue to work with international partners to help Ukraine repair, protect and restore its energy system. Our commitment, to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to defend itself and to restore its sovereignty over all of its territory, is iron-clad. As we know, this is the only path to a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter and OSCE principles. Thank you, Madam Chair. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy Discussed Denmark's Participation in Rebuilding Ukraine's Energy System with Mette Frederiksen President of Ukraine 18 July 2024 - 19:54 In the United Kingdom, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen. The President thanked the Danish government for its leadership in supporting Ukraine in the security sector, providing 19 defense aid packages, and deciding to invest directly in Ukraine's defense industry. The President also highlighted Denmark's leadership in the Air Force Capability Coalition and outlined Ukraine's need to expand training missions for Ukrainian pilots. The leaders discussed the implementation of the bilateral security agreement signed in February of this year and Denmark's participation in rebuilding Ukraine, particularly in restoring the energy infrastructure. During the meeting, they also focused on Ukraine's European integration. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted Denmark's readiness to contribute political and advisory assistance to Ukraine during its EU accession negotiations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Government Officials, Local Authorities, and International Partners to Hold Joint Briefings on Overcoming Energy Challenges President of Ukraine 18 July 2024 - 19:41 Representatives from the Office of the President of Ukraine, the government, regional military administrations, local governments, and diplomatic missions have initiated joint briefings. These briefings will take place every two weeks and will focus on responding promptly to community requests and coordinating with international partners. Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba noted that the briefings will be conducted pursuant to a decision by the Presidium of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine. "We need to gather all the needs of the communities and inform our foreign partners, so that all the necessary equipment can be delivered to the regions and put into operation. The task of the authorities today is to ensure that people have stable electricity and water supply," said Oleksiy Kuleba. Minister of Energy German Galushchenko and Acting Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development Vasyl Shkurakov reported on the progress of repair work and the supply of backup generators to critical infrastructure facilities. UNDP representative Roman Shakhmatenko presented a digital platform for systematizing existing needs and projects in the energy sector. Additionally, the government plans to launch a 15-49 hotline for energy-related issues on July 20. Government officials urged local authorities to disseminate information within communities about loan programs and the reduction of permits for connecting additional generating facilities. Specifically, in the framework of the "5-7-9" loan program, the Ministry of Economy has introduced projects for financing generation for businesses worth up to UAH 150 million and for housing cooperatives and housing maintenance offices worth up to UAH 5 million. Starting July 20, Ukrainians will also be able to obtain 0% interest loans for solar and wind power stations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Andriy Yermak Had a Phone Call with Indian Prime Minister's National Security Advisor President of Ukraine 18 July 2024 - 19:24 On the eve of the Ukrainian President's visit to the United Kingdom, Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak had a phone call with National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of India Ajit Kumar Doval. The conversation took place at the initiative of the Indian side. The interlocutors discussed the recent massive Russian shelling of Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, including "Okhmatdyt" - one of the most important children's hospitals not only in Ukraine but also in Europe. Andriy Yermak noted that "Okhmatdyt" saves children with cancer, performs the most complex surgeries, and provides recovery from the most severe injuries. He emphasized that the attack on this hospital was another manifestation of the terrorist methods of warfare by the aggressor state. The Head of the Presidential Office stated that it is important for Ukraine-India relations to develop. However, there must also be a clear position on Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the path to a just peace based on the Peace Formula. Andriy Yermak stressed that India, and particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, can play a significant role in achieving a just peace for Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine and Slovenia Agreed to Accelerate the Implementation of Defense Agreements President of Ukraine 18 July 2024 - 18:11 In the United Kingdom, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Robert Golob. The President thanked Slovenia for its support of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for its defense, economic, and humanitarian assistance. "We appreciate your support for our country on the path to the EU and NATO and your strong stance. The bilateral security agreement we signed today holds great significance," said the President. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Robert Golob agreed to accelerate the implementation of defense agreements and discussed further defense cooperation at the state level, including improved coordination with private enterprises of the Slovenian defense industry. Special attention was given to the negotiations for Ukraine's EU accession and the study of Slovenia's experience on this path. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Defense Support and Implementation of Peace Summit Decisions: President Met with the Prime Minister of Spain President of Ukraine 18 July 2024 - 17:26 On the sidelines of the 4th European Political Community Summit in the United Kingdom, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro SAnchez. The President thanked the Spanish government for its unwavering support of Ukraine and recent decisions to provide defense assistance to our country. The leaders discussed the timeline for the delivery of weapons and further defense support, both on a bilateral level and in cooperation with partner countries. Special attention was given to the implementation of decisions of the first Peace Summit. President Zelenskyy spoke about the planned thematic conferences on the points of the Peace Formula concerning food and nuclear security, as well as the release of all prisoners and deported Ukrainians. The President also informed about the beginning of the screening process for Ukrainian legislation to ensure its compliance with European standards and emphasized the importance of accelerating the next stages of negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the EU. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine and Slovenia Signed a Security Agreement President of Ukraine 18 July 2024 - 16:20 In Woodstock, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Slovenia Robert Golob signed an Agreement on Security Cooperation and Long-Term Support between Ukraine and the Republic of Slovenia. Slovenia has already provided Ukraine with 13 packages of military aid (including in 2024) and intends to maintain this level of support throughout the ten-year term of the Agreement. The Republic of Slovenia also commits to meeting Ukraine's urgent needs to strengthen its security capabilities. Slovenia will assist Ukraine with training within the framework of the EU Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine (EUMAM). The countries will cooperate in searching for funding sources to support the implementation of projects in the Ukrainian defense industry. Separate sections of the document address non-military support. Specifically, Slovenia will allocate an additional 5 million euros for humanitarian aid, economic recovery, and the humanitarian program "Grain from Ukraine." Moreover, the agreement outlines deepened cooperation in the areas of information and cybersecurity, combating serious and organized crime, intelligence and counterintelligence, as well as humanitarian demining. The document clearly stipulates Slovenia's comprehensive support for Ukraine's future membership in the EU and NATO. In total, Ukraine has signed 25 bilateral security agreements: with the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Denmark, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Latvia, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Japan, the USA, the EU, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Luxembourg, Romania, Czechia, and Slovenia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Agreement on Security Cooperation and Long-Term Support Between Ukraine and the Republic of Slovenia President of Ukraine 18 July 2024 - 16:16 Preamble Ukraine and the Republic of Slovenia (hereinafter referred to as "the Participants", or "Ukraine" and "Slovenia"), reiterate their condemnation in the strongest possible terms of the unprovoked, unjustified and illegal Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which constitutes a manifest violation of international law, including the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and the Charter of Paris. Slovenia reaffirms its unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders as of 1991, including the territorial sea, and acknowledges Ukraine's inherent right of self-defence as enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter. The Participants recognise that Ukraine and the whole of Europe will not be secure until there is a just and lasting peace that respects Ukraine's rights under international law and the UN Charter. The cooperation between the Participants is underpinned by a set of shared values, inter alia democracy, rule of law, respect for and safeguarding of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and gender equality. The Participants recall that Ukraine will continue to implement an ambitious reform programme and that Slovenia is dedicated to supporting Ukraine's reforms efforts. These are essential for its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Slovenia supported the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine of July 12, 2023 (hereinafter the "G7 Declaration"), adopted by the Group of Seven (G7) and the EU on the margins of the NATO Summit in Vilnius. Therefore, the Participants have jointly determined to strengthen their security cooperation by pursuing the following bilateral long-term security commitments and activities. Part I. Security and defence 1. Slovenia will seek any possibilities and offer further security and defence-related support to Ukraine across all domains, with the focus on Ukraine's most urgent needs by promoting increased interoperability with Euro-Atlantic partners. Slovenia supports Ukraine's Future Force Concept and will continue to take part, bilaterally, multilaterally and with partners (e.g. within the European Union, NATO and the Ukraine Defence Contact Group) in the international endeavour to support the modernisation of the Defence Forces of Ukraine to ensure their greater interoperability with NATO. 2. Stating the importance of assistance to Ukraine, Slovenia is and remains a strong supporter of Ukraine through the established EU security and defence framework, including European Peace Facility, the newly established Ukraine Assistance Fund, joint procurement, and participation in CSDP missions. 3. Emphasising the purpose of the European Union Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine (EUMAM), Slovenia will continue its training support to Ukraine within the framework of EUMAM and bilateral support in any other form of training that may be agreed, including train-the-trainer programmes. 4. Slovenia reaffirms its continuous support to Ukraine through NATO's Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP). 5. Slovenia will remain engaged in multinational efforts to support, improve and strengthen Ukraine's defence capabilities, as well as ensuring greater interoperability with NATO and its partners. 6. Recalling the significance of civil-military cooperation, Slovenia will search for any substantial opportunity to implement civil-military projects with civilian capabilities in support of Ukraine, with emphasis on assistance to civilian population. 7. The Participants will hold, if necessary, senior-level Strategic Defence and Security Policy Dialogue. 8. From the beginning of the war, Slovenia has comprehensively supported Ukraine with significant contributions in different areas, including humanitarian aid and health assistance, initial reconstruction of social service facilities, medical and psychosocial rehabilitation of war victims, humanitarian demining, and capacity building of municipalities in the field of decentralisation. Slovenia has provided assistance and support to Ukrainian temporary displaced persons in Slovenia. It has been among the largest donors to the Grain from Ukraine programme, considering its size, from the very beginning of the initiative. 9. Slovenia has made substantial military contributions to Ukraine, both bilaterally and via multilateral forums, and will continue addressing the most urgent and immediate needs of Ukraine to strengthen its security capabilities. Slovenia provided Ukraine with 13 packages of military aid in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and intends to maintain the same level of military support in 2024 and in the following years, which shall be determined in detail through consultations between the Participants and taking into account Ukraine's urgent needs. 10. Slovenia will continue its support to Ukraine for the ten-year duration of this Agreement. Defence Industry Cooperation 11. Slovenia welcomes Ukraine's endeavours to integrate defence industry into NATO and EU efforts for promotion and enhancement of defence production capacities. 12. Slovenia will promote Ukraine's defence industry integration into the European defence technological and industrial base (EDTIB), considering also the opportunities provided by the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS) and European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP). 13. The Participants will seek further potential possibilities and opportunities for defence industry and its research, while developing efforts for the implementation of joint projects with common interest. 14. Slovenia will work with Ukraine to identify potential funding sources for support of Ukraine's defence industry projects. 15. Slovenia will work with Ukraine to strengthen protection of the transferred technologies and intellectual property rights. Intelligence and Counterintelligence 16. The Participants will continue to deepen their intelligence and counterintelligence cooperation, in accordance with the framework based on bilateral agreements, including the Agreement between Ukraine and the Republic of Slovenia on the Exchange and Mutual Protection of Classified Information, signed in Ljubljana on 4 June 2008, in order to detect, prevent, and deter Russian or other hostile state or non-state actors' subversive activities to secure Ukraine and Slovenia from such malign activities. This will be achieved through, but not limited to, intelligence and experience sharing, as well as cooperation between intelligence and security agencies of the Participants, including pursuing joint initiatives and trainings. Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) safety and security 17. Recognizing the risks to CBRN safety and security, in particular in armed conflict situations, Ukraine and Slovenia are committed to sustain and strengthen the existing global nuclear security framework based on the IAEA principles, approaches, conventions, norms and standards as well as other relevant international legal norms and instruments. 18. Slovenia will support Ukraine's endeavours towards CBRN security, its sustainability and improvement, in particular through the sharing of good practices in strengthening the security of high-activity sealed radioactive sources (INFCIRC/910) and countering nuclear smuggling (INFCIRC/918), and exploring options to also address other challenges related to CBRN incidents. Maritime Security 19. The Participants will seek to coordinate their efforts on strengthening international cooperation in the domain of maritime security in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other international legal instruments. Cyber security 20. Ukraine and Slovenia will aim to prevent, detect, deter and disrupt any cyber aggression, cyber espionage and hybrid warfare. The Participants will also aim to identify and deter the malicious use of cyber capabilities by any state and non-state actors against the Participants. 21. The Participants will support each other by sharing expertise and engaging in practical cooperation in the areas of cybersecurity and other advanced communications and information technologies (including, but not limited to, capacity building, norm development, legal frameworks, incident response and crisis management, critical infrastructure resilience, capacity building in emerging technologies, etc.). 22. Ukraine and Slovenia will continue the exchange of information, experience and cooperation in the development of cyber security and cyber defence capabilities, including through increased cooperation on cyber diplomacy, providing technical assistance to Ukraine, as well as to enhance its cyber resilience. Countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference 23. The Participants will cooperate in the area of countering Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, including Russian or any other state-sponsored information manipulation, malign propaganda and disinformation campaigns affecting national security. They will regularly exchange experience and best practices in countering disinformation, strategic communication and public diplomacy. Cooperation in the fight against crime 24. The Participants will continue their cooperation under the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on Cooperation in the Fight Against Crime, signed in Kyiv on 11 October 2011. 25. The Participants recognise that serious and organised crime (SOC) poses a threat to Ukrainian society. 26. In order to counter all types of activities of SOC and other crimes, competent authorities of the Participants shall, in accordance with the national legislation of the Participants, cooperate in combating and effectively preventing SOC and other crimes. To this end, the Participants will take measures to conduct joint operations, analyse the criminal situation in the countries and identify the main risks, create joint working groups for police cooperation, and facilitate the provision of training and sharing of best practices. The above measures are not intended to be exhaustive, and the Participants may pursue other forms of cooperation to achieve their goals in combating SOC. Part II. Political cooperation and promoting accountability Just Peace 27. Slovenia will continue to support Ukraine's efforts to establish a just and lasting peace based on the key principles and objectives set out in Ukraine's Peace Formula. Slovenia will continue its diplomatic efforts to ensure broad global support for its implementation, including within international institutions. Accountability 28. The Participants reaffirm their commitment to ensuring accountability for international crimes committed in or against Ukraine, including the crime of aggression. 29. The Participants will seek to hold to account those responsible for war crimes and other international crimes, committed in or against Ukraine in the context of Russian aggression, consistent with international law, including by supporting the work of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the International Criminal Court to ensure allegations of war crimes and other international crimes, including sexual violence in conflict, are fully and fairly investigated by independent, effective and robust legal mechanisms. 30. The Participants will continue their work, including in the "Core Group on options for the establishment of a tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine", to establish a tribunal to ensure accountability for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. 31. The Participants recall the adoption of the Ljubljana-The Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes, and Other International Crimes, a major milestone in the fight against impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes and commit as signatories to the Convention to become Parties to the Convention in order to promote the Convention and encourage other states to sign and implement it. 32. The Participants recall that Ukraine will ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court including the Amendments on the crime of aggression adopted by the Review Conference of the Rome Statute held in Kampala, Uganda on 11th June 2010 by Resolution RC/Res.6 as mentioned in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, on the way to its membership in the EU. 33. As members of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, the Participants commit to bolster their efforts for the safe return of all illegally deported and forcibly relocated Ukrainian children and the reunification with their families, as well as to support the international endeavours aimed at ensuring accountability of those responsible. Compensation for damage, loss and injury caused by Russian aggression 34. The Participants reaffirm their commitment to holding the Russian Federation accountable for causing losses or damage to individuals and entities, as well as to the state of Ukraine, as a result of its internationally wrongful acts in or against Ukraine, including its aggression in violation of the UN Charter, and that the Russian Federation bears financial responsibility for the long-term reconstruction of Ukraine. 35. Russian sovereign assets should remain immobilised until the Russian Federation has paid for the damage it has caused to Ukraine. Slovenia, working with its partners in the European Union, will continue to explore lawful routes consistent with applicable contractual obligations and in accordance with EU and international law through which Russian assets could be used for the benefit of Ukraine. 36. The Participants will continue to work together with other partners towards the establishment of an international compensation mechanism to provide compensation for damage, loss or injury caused by Russian aggression, as envisaged by the Statute of the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine adopted by the Resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe CM/Res(2023)3. In this regard, the Participants will explore appropriate options for the financing of an international compensation mechanism to provide prompt and adequate compensation to victims of aggression. Restrictive measures (sanctions) 37. The Participants recognise the value of restrictive measures (sanctions) in restricting the Russian Federation's access to the finance, goods, technology and services it is utilising in its aggression, in bearing down on Russia's revenue streams, and to deter future attacks. 38. The Participants recall that the European Union has imposed unprecedented restrictive measures (sanctions) against the Russian Federation in response to the war of aggression against Ukraine and aimed at imposing severe consequences on the Russian Federation for its actions and thwarting Russian abilities to continue the aggression. 39. The Participants will continue working to ensure that the costs to Russia for its aggression continue to rise, including through restrictive measures (sanctions) and export controls. Slovenia will remain committed, in the European framework, to pursuing robust restrictive measures (sanctions) against sectors of the Russian economy and those who are supporting or profiting from the war, or assisting in sanctions circumvention in third countries. Slovenia will also take determined action with partners to tackle all forms of sanctions circumvention. 40. Ukraine and Slovenia will provide each other with up-to-date information on the grounds for restrictive measures (sanctions) and other relevant information, in compliance with relevant obligations taking into account national legislation. Support to Ukraine's reform agenda, European and Euro-Atlantic Integration 41. The Participants reaffirm that inclusive reform is indispensable for Ukraine's future security, prosperity, its democracy and the resilience of its institutions and society as well as for its European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. 42. The Participants reaffirm that Ukraine is part of the European family and has a future within the EU. The Participants recall the merit-based nature of the EU accession process. Slovenia, in cooperation with the EU and its Member States, will continue to support Ukraine in its reforms and accession path. 43. Ukraine commits to continue to implement the necessary reforms with particular focus on areas such as justice, law enforcement, fight against corruption, preventing illegal trafficking, decentralisation, public administration, business environment, security and defence sector that underscore Ukraine's commitments to democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and media freedoms. 44. Slovenia will support Ukraine's efforts to integrate into the EU and adopt EU standards and norms by extending expert technical assistance to Ukraine through its ministries, associated agencies, government offices, and foundations. 45. The Participants reaffirm their positions that Ukraine's future is in NATO. Slovenia supports Ukraine's efforts to implement the necessary reforms on its path to future NATO membership. 46. Slovenia will continue to support Ukraine politically and practically also through NATO - Ukraine Council, Multiyear Comprehensive Assistance Package and through Annual National Programme and other formats. Ukraine commits to continue to implement the necessary reforms in line with its Annual National Programme. 47. Slovenia will support Ukraine's endeavours towards the empowerment of women and their full, equal and meaningful participation in the efforts for peace and security. Part III. Humanitarian Assistance, Development Cooperation and Reconstruction Humanitarian Assistance and Development Cooperation 48. Slovenia will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine as it has done since the first day of the war, and will explore further possibilities to provide support to Ukraine, ranging from established projects to building new partnerships, including by attracting the private sector and institutions. In 2024 Slovenia pledged additional five million euros for humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Ukraine, as well as for the "Grain from Ukraine" programme and for mitigating the effects of the war in Ukraine on food security. 49. To meet the immediate needs of the Ukrainian population, Slovenia will continue to provide humanitarian aid delivered through its trusted Slovenian and international partners along with in-kind assistance. 50. In the field of development partnership, Slovenia will seek to strengthen the support underway for Ukraine, including in the areas of decentralisation, transport, energy, agriculture, water, critical infrastructure, housing and the health sectors. Humanitarian Mine Action 51. Slovenia has been contributing to humanitarian demining in Ukraine through the Slovenian-based ITF Enhancing Human Security and with direct budgetary support. The Participants recognise the need to unite efforts aimed at protecting the Ukrainian population from the devastating consequences of mines. Demining and clearing Ukraine of explosive devices, victim assistance and mine risk education are the basis for reconstruction and development. 52. Slovenia aims to continue providing support for humanitarian demining through the ITF Enhanced Human Security and alongside other partners. Recovery, Reconstruction, Sustainable Development 53. Slovenia is committed to support Ukraine's recovery, reconstruction and its modernisation in particular in the areas of green transition, digitalization, telecommunications, energy efficiency, technical assistance, education and knowledge sharing, public financial management and central banking, waste processing, water treatment, restoration of natural environment, construction, planning and infrastructure, using innovative and gender sensitive based approaches. 54. Ukraine and Slovenia acknowledge that the non-governmental actors will play a fundamental role in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. This includes the engagement of the private sector, civil society and local governments as drivers of ambitious processes. 55. With this in mind, Ukraine and Slovenia will promote business-to-business and civil society approaches. Slovenia will use the economic and financial instruments at its disposal in cooperation with all relevant international organisations and partners. 56. Slovenia will work together with Ukraine to encourage Slovenian enterprises, foundations and institutions to actively participate in projects aimed at rebuilding the Ukrainian economy, as strengthening the private sector is one of the priorities of its recovery. 57. Ukraine recognizes that the recovery process should be transparent and accountable to the people of Ukraine and to the international community. Resilience of Critical Infrastructure 58. The Participants intend to explore possibilities for enhancing resilience, restoration, and improving the protection of the critical infrastructure by sharing knowledge and best practices. Culture, art, and cultural heritage 59. Slovenia, acknowledging the significance of culture and art for democratic societies and the preservation of Ukrainian identity and traditions, will continue collaborating with Ukraine in supporting artists and cultural professionals. 60. With a shared commitment to upholding freedom of expression as a fundamental European value, Slovenia endeavours to assist in restoring and strengthening cultural and artistic activities in Ukraine, pledging support to initiatives within UNESCO, the European Union, and the Council of Europe aimed at addressing the impact of Russia's aggression against Ukraine on its cultural and creative sectors, and accompanying Ukraine in its recovery. Part IV. Cooperation in the event of a future Russian armed attack 61. In the event of future Russian armed attack against Ukraine by the Russian Federation, at the request of either Participant, the Participants will consult bilaterally or through other mutually acceptable channels within 24 hours to determine appropriate next steps. 62. In those circumstances and acting within its means and capabilities, in accordance with its respective legal, constitutional requirements and with international and European Union's rules and law, Slovenia would provide Ukraine, as appropriate, with swift and sustained political, security, military, humanitarian and economic assistance; seek agreement in the European Union to impose economic and other costs on the Russian Federation and consult with Ukraine on its needs as it exercises its inherent right of individual self-defence enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter. 63. In order to ensure the widest and most effective collective response to future armed attack, the Participants may amend these provisions so as to align them with any mechanism that they may subsequently agree with other international partners, including the participants in the G7 Joint Declaration of 12 July 2023. Part V. Final Provisions 64. The cooperation between the Participants within the framework of this Agreement will be implemented in accordance with the national laws, regulations and international obligations and standards. 65. The Participants will, if necessary, designate authorised bodies for the development and implementation of bilateral agreements in accordance with the areas of cooperation specified in this Agreement. 66. This Agreement may be amended and supplemented, including by adding annexes thereto, at any time through mutual written arrangement between the Participants. 67. Any differences between the Participants arising from the interpretation and/or implementation of this Agreement will be settled amicably through negotiation or consultation between the Participants. 68. This Agreement will come into effect on the date of its signature and will remain in effect for a period of ten years. 69. The Participants can jointly decide to extend this Agreement through notification no later than 6 months prior to the lapse of the ten-year period. 70. At the same time and in accordance with the G7 Declaration, the Participants share the opinion that this Agreement is without prejudice to Ukraine pursuing a pathway toward future membership in the Euro-Atlantic Community. 71. In the event that Ukraine becomes a member of NATO before the expiry of this Agreement, the Participants will decide on its future status. 72. This Agreement may be terminated by either Participant by giving written notice to the other Participant. This Agreement will be terminated 6 months from the date of receipt of such notice. The termination will not affect the implementation of ongoing activities or projects, which have been decided prior to the date of its termination, unless the Participants decide otherwise. Signed in Woodstock on 18 July 2024 in duplicate in the Ukrainian, Slovenian and English language, all texts being equally authentic. The English text shall prevail in the event of any discrepancy. For Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President For the Republic of Slovenia: Robert Golob, Prime Minister NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine and the Czech Republic Signed a Security Agreement: Joint Ammunition Production and Partnership with Dnipropetrovsk Region President of Ukraine 18 July 2024 - 16:10 In Woodstock, UK, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala signed an Agreement on Security Cooperation and Long-Term Support between Ukraine and the Czech Republic. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, Czechia has provided Ukraine with military assistance worth about 400 million euros and will continue to support Ukraine with the same commitment over the 10-year duration of the agreement. Czechia will also explore options for supplying additional military equipment based on Ukraine's needs. A significant portion of the agreement focuses on enhanced military-technical cooperation, primarily involving small and large caliber ammunition, the potential production of firearms and light weapons, as well as UAVs, electronic warfare equipment, and heavy machinery. Czechia will continue to support Ukraine through its initiative to supply 155mm and 122mm artillery shells with the backing of partner countries. Additionally, Ukraine and Czechia will enhance their industrial capacities for ammunition production and establish joint ventures. The countries will continue their annual joint training of about 4,000 Ukrainian defenders, this year and beyond, within the framework of the EU Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine (EUMAM). A distinctive feature of non-military cooperation is Czechia's partnership with Dnipro and the Dnipropetrovsk region for recovery, reconstruction, and sustainable development. Czechia also intends to open a diplomatic office in Dnipro to enhance cooperation and support. Humanitarian support from Czechia includes financial and in-kind aid for civil protection and assistance to war-affected Ukrainians, particularly internally displaced persons. The Czech Republic also reaffirms its clear support for Ukraine's future membership in the EU and NATO. Ukraine and Czechia signed this security agreement as part of the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine, adopted last year in Vilnius on July 12. In total, Ukraine has signed 24 security agreements to date. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Agreement on Security Cooperation and Long-Term Support Between Ukraine and the Czech Republic President of Ukraine 18 July 2024 - 16:05 Introduction Ukraine and the Czech Republic, hereinafter "the Participants", condemn in the strongest possible terms the unjustified, unprovoked, illegal and brutal war of aggression by Russia against Ukraine, which started in 2014 and by which Russia seriously violates international law, including the United Nations Charter. The Czech Republic is unwavering in its support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within the borders, which have been internationally recognised since 1991, including the territorial sea, and recognises Ukraine's inherent right of self-defence enshrined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. The Participants reiterate their commitment to the policy of non-recognition of the attempted illegal annexation of parts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, and also denounce the widespread violations of human rights occurring in Crimea, as well as on other temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, encompassing, among other things, arbitrary detentions, torture, and prejudice directed against minority communities and the Crimean Tatar indigenous people. The Participants call for unconditional withdrawal of all Russia's forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders as of 1991. Ukraine acknowledges the sustainable, decisive support provided by the Czech Republic as well as European, G7 and other international partners to strengthen, equip and train Ukraine's security and defence forces as well as the comprehensive non-military assistance provided to the people of Ukraine to mitigate the humanitarian, social, economic and fiscal consequences of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Together the Participants will continue to strive for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine as well as for peace, security, stability and prosperity on the European continent and in the broader Euro-Atlantic area. The Czech Republic recognises both the contribution of Ukraine to ensuring and protecting the European continent's security vis-A -vis Russian aggressive imperialistic behaviour as well as the enormous price that Ukraine and Ukrainian citizens pay for this defence. Ukraine will continue to implement an ambitious reform programme and the Czech Republic is dedicated to supporting Ukraine's reform efforts. These are essential for Ukraine's aspirations for European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) memberships. The Participants underline their willingness to further strengthen their bilateral relations across all fields, including economic and defence cooperation, strengthening resilience, supporting recovery, reconstruction and sustainable development as well as cultural exchange and cooperation, including fostering understanding, cooperation and contacts between their people. Based on this, the Participants are determined to strengthen their security cooperation through bilateral security commitments and arrangements and long-term support measures as set out hereinafter: I. Scope The Participants intend to build on the Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine (hereinafter "the G7 Joint Declaration") adopted in Vilnius on 12 July 2023 and subsequently joined to date by a further 25 states, including the Czech Republic. The Participants are determined to affirm, deepen and expand their cooperation and partnership, which are based on their common interests in the defence of international law and order, peace, and the protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms. The Czech Republic intends to provide unwavering support for Ukraine for as long as it takes in order to help Ukraine defend itself, restore its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, secure its free and democratic future, enable Ukraine to continue providing services to its people and to uphold a functioning Ukrainian economy, and deter future Russian aggression. II. Security and Defence The Czech Republic firmly stands for the inherent right of states to individual and collective defence. All attempts to redraw borders by force are unlawful. Ukraine's security is integral to Euro-Atlantic and global security. Ukraine defends not only its sovereignty and the right to decide its own destiny, but also fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law. Independent, free and democratic Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders and capable of deterring and defending against any future aggression, is in the security and defence interest of the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic fully endorses the conclusions of several NATO Summits that confirm Ukraine's future in the Alliance. The Czech Republic stands ready to work together with Ukraine on fulfilling this pledge. The Czech Republic has supported Ukraine steadfastly in its defence against Russian war of aggression for many years. It did so even before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia started on 24 February 2022. In the aftermath of the invasion, Czech support has intensified substantially. The Czech Republic has been among the first countries to supply heavy military equipment to Ukraine and it is committed to continue to provide its military support in a flexible way, including by utilising its defence-industrial sector taking into account Ukraines evolving needs. From the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, the Czech Republic provided Ukraine with military assistance worth around 400 mil. EUR. The Czech Republic stands fully behind the Pledge of long-term security assistance for Ukraine made at the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. Consequently, it is ready to contribute proportionally to the overall NATO ambition for the assistance for Ukraine. The Czech Republic is ready to continue to provide political and military support to Ukraine with the same dynamics across the land, air, space and cyberspace domains, both bilaterally and within the framework of international organisations and coalitions, in particular the EU, NATO, Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) and other informal groupings. The Czech Republic will continuously consider ways to expand and streamline its support, particularly in the following areas: Provision of military materiel - the Czech Republic will continue to explore further options for deliveries of military materiel across all domains with regard to Ukraine's evolving needs and requirements; - the Czech Republic will continue to explore further options for deliveries of military materiel across all domains with regard to Ukraine's evolving needs and requirements; Capability coalitions - the Czech Republic will actively contribute to joint efforts within the capability coalitions in the UDCG framework. To date, the Czech Republic has joined the artillery, fighter jet and demining coalitions. The aim of the coalitions is to facilitate effective, flexible and timely delivery of capabilities and means Ukraine requires to defend against Russia's aggression, as well as to promote long-term development of modern Armed Forces and other security and defence forces of Ukraine; - the Czech Republic will actively contribute to joint efforts within the capability coalitions in the UDCG framework. To date, the Czech Republic has joined the artillery, fighter jet and demining coalitions. The aim of the coalitions is to facilitate effective, flexible and timely delivery of capabilities and means Ukraine requires to defend against Russia's aggression, as well as to promote long-term development of modern Armed Forces and other security and defence forces of Ukraine; Training - the Czech Republic has long been one of the most active providers of training for security and defence forces of Ukraine to defend against Russia's aggression. The Participants share the ambition for 2024 and beyond to train up to 4,000 Ukrainian soldiers annually, in particular but not exclusively within the EU Military Assistance Mission Ukraine (EUMAM). It is understood that the Czech Republic supports EUMAM transformation and expansion to other areas in accordance with Ukraine's evolving needs, including adjustments of the security and defence forces of Ukraine due to developments in recruitment legislation. The Czech Republic will provide both universal and specialised training in close cooperation with Ukraine and with partners in the EU, NATO and other formats. Ukraine and the Czech Republic share the understanding, that the training shall be assessed on a regular basis and, if needed, adjusted accordingly; Military education - the Participants, through their respective Ministries of Defence, will also pursue collaboration in advancing professional military education. This will encompass future forces design, integration of NATO concepts and operation procedures, command and control, and other crucial areas to help Ukraine align with common principles and standards on its pathway to NATO membership; - the Participants, through their respective Ministries of Defence, will also pursue collaboration in advancing professional military education. This will encompass future forces design, integration of NATO concepts and operation procedures, command and control, and other crucial areas to help Ukraine align with common principles and standards on its pathway to NATO membership; Industry - the Participants will support and promote efforts towards increasing the respective industrial production capacities on their territories. Robust and sustainable industrial base is essential for Ukraine's defence. Main areas of cooperation include expanding capacities to produce ammunition and to provide maintenance and repair, as well as establishing joint ventures, reducing barriers, and promoting defence and dual-use research and development. Ukraine and the Czech Republic will work together to address existing defence material supply chain bottlenecks jeopardising capacities and capabilities of both Participants to manufacture priority weapons and ammunition. The Participants will support projects within the long-term Czech-Ukrainian military- technical cooperation, primarily in areas of small and large calibre ammunition, small arms and light weapons, unmanned aerial vehicles, electronic warfare and heavy equipment, including maintenance, repairs and overhaul. The Czech Republic will strive to ensure adequate conditions for temporary, partial or full allocation of Ukrainian industrial production capacities on its territory, in cooperation with the Czech defence industry, the long-term aim being the reallocation back to Ukraine once the situation permits it. Ukraine and the Czech Republic will together work towards facilitating conditions for the Czech defence industry to operate on Ukrainian territory. The Czech Republic will work with Ukraine to identify funding sources required to enable development of Ukraine's defence industrial base, which will include providing investment and financial assistance, in particular in the time of war and post-war recovery. The Czech Republic will continue to seek ways to Ukraine's defence industry development needs. The Participants will work together to strengthen protection of the transferred technologies and intellectual property rights in Ukraine. The Czech Republic will support Ukraine's effort to integrate its defence industry into NATO and the EU defence and security frameworks. In particular, the Czech Republic intends to support Ukraine's defence industry integration into the European defence technological and industrial base, considering also the opportunities provided by the European Defence Industrial Strategy and European Defence Industry Programme. In addition, the Participants will coordinate joint activities in defence-industrial cooperation on third markets with the aim to limit dependencies on and political and economic influence of Russia and support transition to Western standards. The Participants will maximise their efforts to enhance and develop the capabilities of Ukraine's defence industry as they recognise its indispensable role in Ukraine's strategic goal to restore its territorial integrity within the internationally recognised borders of 1991, while also serving as a major driver of economic recovery and being an essential part of effective deterrence against any future attempts of aggression. Finally, a strong Ukrainian defence industry is a pillar to ensure security and prosperity in Ukraine, the Czech Republic and beyond. Resources - the Czech Republic will continue to support and promote utilisation of suitable mechanisms and instruments of the EU, NATO or other formats to secure financial resources for military support to Ukraine. The Czech Republic strives to find solutions to acute shortages of artillery ammunition, which impact Ukraine's ability to defend against Russia's aggression. The only long-term solution is to increase the production capacity of the European and Ukrainian defence industry, including securing the supply of the necessary raw materials and production inputs. To address the urgent needs of Ukraine, the Czech Republic has led an initiative to facilitate purchases of large calibre ammunition in third countries and appreciates all partners that have joined this endeavour. The Czech Republic will continue to actively pursue efforts to cover the urgent needs of Ukraine in a timely and flexible way, as well as explore options to assist in establishing ammunition stockpiles necessary for the prompt deterrence of potential future aggressions; Political support - the Czech Republic actively contributes to the efforts aiming at unifying the international community in support of attacked Ukraine and in search for new partners to assist in Ukraine's defence efforts and uphold the international law, and is ready to continue in this regard; - the Czech Republic actively contributes to the efforts aiming at unifying the international community in support of attacked Ukraine and in search for new partners to assist in Ukraine's defence efforts and uphold the international law, and is ready to continue in this regard; Crime investigation - the Czech Republic contributes to the efforts of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating alleged international crimes committed in relation to Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The Participants intend to further support these efforts; - the Czech Republic contributes to the efforts of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating alleged international crimes committed in relation to Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The Participants intend to further support these efforts; Medical treatment - the Czech Republic is determined to maintain provision of medical care to Ukraine's wounded military personnel and cover associated expenses; - the Czech Republic is determined to maintain provision of medical care to Ukraine's wounded military personnel and cover associated expenses; Reforms - the Czech Republic will carry on its support to Security Sector Reform in Ukraine aiming at building a modern and resilient security and defence sector, including enhancing interoperability and standardisation with NATO; - the Czech Republic will carry on its support to Security Sector Reform in Ukraine aiming at building a modern and resilient security and defence sector, including enhancing interoperability and standardisation with NATO; Aviation - the Participants mutually recognise military aircraft airworthiness and training of military air and ground crews and will seek further opportunities to deepen this cooperation. Apart from immediate practical assistance, the Czech Republic will support long-term efforts towards the post-conflict reconstruction of Ukraine, restoration of its deterrence and defence capabilities, and reforms in relation to Ukraine's integration into Euro-Atlantic structures, as well as effective public administration. The Participants will also continue to consult, as appropriate, on the situation and developments of Russia's war of aggression, including in the event of significant escalation. The Participants will make efforts to ensure that the military capabilities of Ukraine are at such a level that, in the event of external military aggression against the Czech Republic, Ukraine is able to provide effective military assistance. The terms, format and scope of such assistance will be determined by the Participants. To ensure above-mentioned objectives, the Participants will hold annual senior-level Strategic Defence and Security Policy Dialogue. Countering chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) risks The Participants intend to further expand their existing bilateral cooperation to strengthen Ukraine's resilience against CBRN weapons-related risks. The Czech Republic intends in particular to continue its support to Ukraine in enhancing the nuclear safety and security of its nuclear plants, developing its civil protection capabilities against CBRN-related risks and enhancing its resilience against biosecurity risks. Countering cyber threats The Participants recognise the need to identify, detect and counter malign cyber operations and in particular malicious use of cyber capabilities by the Russian and other hostile state and non-state actors. The Participants intend to further expand their existing bilateral cooperation to strengthen their resilience and law enforcement cooperation with regard to cyberattacks, cyber operations, cybercrime, and to provide secure public services online. The Participants will work together to increase security of the IT infrastructure of both countries from cyberattacks. The Czech Republic will also support the modernisation and reform of Ukraine's cyber security architecture. The Participants will continue their cooperation in cyber exercises and in providing mutual training and internships to cybersecurity experts. The Czech Republic is ready to contribute to the development of Ukraine's capabilities to respond to threats to critical infrastructure, such as supply chain threats, including through the provision of international technical assistance to Ukraine. The Participants will support each other by sharing relevant expertise in the area of advanced information and communications technologies (including but not limited to cloud and quantum computing, advanced networking technologies, the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence (AI), etc.) in accordance with their respective national and EU's legal provisions. The Participants will strive to intensify Ukraine's cooperation with EU and NATO structures in cyber security. The Participants intend to strengthen their cooperation to counter information security threats, including propaganda and other forms of foreign information manipulation and interference, including disinformation. The Participants aim to engage in lessons learned, share best practices, and potentially cooperate on joint campaigns and relevant projects to enhance their collective response to these challenges. Strategic communication and information security The Participants will continue mutual cooperation in the field of countering Russian and any other foreign information manipulation and interference, including disinformation and propaganda. The Participants will strengthen their cooperation in the field of improved resilience and preparedness of both government and civil entities. The Czech Republic intends to promote the development of Ukraine's capabilities to counter foreign information manipulation and interference. The Participants will take common measures to counter disinformation by foreign states and organisations, and strive to develop joint educational and training programmes for experts in the field of strategic communication and public diplomacy, regular exchange of experience and professional events involving experts in the field of strategic communication and public diplomacy. The Participants will also cooperate through the exchange of best practices and lessons learned. They will seek to continue to collaborate and support efforts to address disinformation campaigns. Intelligence and counterintelligence cooperation The Participants will enhance their cooperation in the field of intelligence and counterintelligence in accordance with applicable legal requirements and possibilities, in order to detect, prevent, and deter any aggression and hybrid warfare from Russia or other hostile state or non-state actors to secure Ukraine and the Czech Republic from such malign activities. This will be achieved through but not limited to, intelligence and experience sharing, as well as cooperation between intelligence and security agencies of the Participants, including pursuing joint initiatives, trainings and providing technical assistance. The Participants will seek to facilitate even greater scope and procedures (means) of information sharing regarding defence and security between various Ukrainian and Czech government departments and agencies. Cooperation in the sphere of combating serious and organised crime The Participants recognise that serious and organised crime (SOC), particularly Illicit Finance, financing actions aimed at undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its internal stability, but also other types of SOC, pose a threat to Ukrainian society. The Participants intend to take actions to counteract the activities of SOC, in particular individuals and groups that are trying to infiltrate across Ukrainian society, have criminal influence in certain regions, including the temporarily occupied ones, and are actively used as a tool of "hybrid warfare" to counteract the processes of recovery and reconciliation in Ukraine. In order to counter all types of activities of SOC, the Participants will take respective measures in accordance with applicable legal requirements to: conduct joint operations to detect and suppress SOC; analyse the criminal situation in the countries and identify the main risks from SOC; identify assets that may be seized in criminal proceedings or recognised as unjustified assets; create joint working groups and joint investigation teams of prosecutors and other parties; and facilitate the provision of training and sharing of best practices. The above measures are not intended to be exhaustive, and the Participants may pursue other forms of cooperation to achieve their goals in combating SOC. III. Economic stability, resilience and reconstruction, sustainable development Economic cooperation In order to deepen existing economic cooperation, the Participants state that the promotion of economic activities and in particular creation of legal and institutional framework for the support of private sector involvement and investment is an integral part of the overall approach to economic cooperation. The Czech Republic recognises the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast as a region of special interest and will take this into account in realisation of economic cooperation, as well as other measures for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The Participants recognise the Joint Commission for Economic, Industrial and Scientific-Technical Cooperation (hereinafter "Commission") established under Article 3 of the Agreement between the Government of the Czech Republic and the Government of Ukraine on Economic, Industrial and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, signed in 2004, as the important platform for the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The Participants will ensure an intergovernmental structured dialogue within the framework of the Commission's mechanism to strengthen mutual economic cooperation, including for the cooperation on projects of mutual interest in accordance with Article 5 of the above mentioned Agreement. The Czech Republic intends to organise engagement of Czech businesses on the platform of the Business Club Ukraine, which stands under the aegis of the Commission as an open communication platform for all Czech businesses, governmental and non-governmental actors involved in the reconstruction of Ukraine. Ukraine will support co-operation of the Czech and Ukrainian business. The Czech Republic expresses its commitment to support reconstruction through various programs, examples as follows: 1) Aid for Trade Ukraine: small-scale projects based on Ukrainian demand. 2) Capacity Building for Ukraine: short-term incomings or long-term twinning of relevant experts. 3) Trade Fairs and Exhibitions for Ukraine: Czech official participation on relevant Ukraine-related events. Ukraine will assist the Czech Republic in these efforts. The Participants are willing, in accordance with their laws and obligations arising from the international agreements to which they are party, to cooperate and share information regarding their capital, technology, and insurance markets, with particular emphasis on defence industries, in order to strengthen bilateral trade and foster mutual economic growth. In this context, advocating for the localization of production in Ukraine stands as a pivotal endeavour. In recognition of Ukraine's aspiration towards European integration, the Czech Republic pledges its support to Ukraine in aligning its legislative framework with the standards of the EU. Furthermore, the Participants aim to enhance collaboration across various sectors, including but not limited to construction industry, healthcare, transportation, agriculture, mechanical engineering, defence industry, cybersecurity, digital transformation, chemical industry, water management, energy sector in particular nuclear energy, maintenance of existing reactors, construction of new reactors, as well as fleet approach in Small Modular Reactors and green and low-carbon hydrogen including dedicated infrastructure. In addition to fostering close and regular policy dialogues, the Participants envisage facilitating, among other objectives, people-to-people exchanges aimed at sharing best practices and knowledge to foster mutual learning and development of effective policies. Furthermore, the Participants seek to promote bilateral trade and investment while fostering joint research, development, and demonstration initiatives. Recovery, reconstruction and sustainable development The Czech Republic has provided civilian support for Ukraine's democratic transition and sustainable development for many years. In this regard, the Czech Republic intends to continue in such efforts with multi-year funding for reconstruction and sustainable economic development (Programme Ukraine), to support Ukraine's recovery, security and development. The Czech Republic will contribute towards the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine in line with the Ukraine Recovery Plan through various bilateral and multilateral channels, including the Ukraine Facility of the European Union. The authorities of Ukraine will ensure that the support provided for the purposes of recovery and reconstruction is spent in an efficient, transparent and accountable way. The Participants declare their common intent to focus on development cooperation in the following priority areas: sustainable landscape management, including agriculture, sustainable use of natural resources and promotion of green development; inclusive social development, including healthcare and education; public administration and civil society, including technical assistance in support of transformation towards the EU standards. Given the extraordinary scope of the challenge presented by Russia's massive contamination of Ukrainian soil with mines, ammunition and other explosive ordnance, the Czech Republic intends to continue to support humanitarian demining efforts together with its partners. The development cooperation will involve the Czech Republic's partnership with the city of Dnipro and the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The Czech Republic with support of the Ukrainian central authorities will actively engage with the city and the region to support their recovery, reconstruction and sustainable development. Resilience of energy and other critical infrastructure Energy supply security remains crucial for Ukraine's resilience. Building upon the G7+ support for Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the Czech Republic is ready to continue to provide long-term support to Ukraine's overall energy sector with a special focus on green energy transition. The Participants will work to accelerate both short-term commitments and long-term economy-wide net zero goals, identify areas for enhanced bilateral cooperation and facilitate energy efficiency, nuclear and renewable energy as well as innovative and sustainable energy and climate technologies and services to support economic growth and well-paid jobs in both countries. The Czech Republic will support Ukraine in enhancing resilience of its critical infrastructure, particularly energy, water and heat infrastructure. The Czech Republic is prepared to contribute to the development of Ukraine's critical infrastructure protection capabilities, as well as to the access of Ukrainian specialists to relevant international programmes. The Czech Republic intends to engage Ukrainian specialists with experience in critical infrastructure security to implement relevant projects on its territory and in partner countries. The Participants will launch joint educational and training programmes for critical infrastructure protection specialists. The Czech Republic will work with Ukraine to identify sources of funding for grant programmes to develop the protection and resilience of critical infrastructure in various sectors. The Czech Republic will contribute to the development of Ukraine's capabilities to defend against, deter and respond to threats to critical infrastructure by facilitating the availability of modern technological solutions in the field of critical infrastructure protection for its cybersecurity actors, including through the provision of international technical assistance to Ukraine. Humanitarian assistance, civil protection and resilience Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Czech Republic has provided humanitarian assistance and other financial and in-kind support for civil protection and resilience of the war-affected population of Ukraine, including internally displaced persons and other displaced persons, enabling people to access healthcare, drinking water, electricity and heating or shelters. Given the scale of the needs, the Czech Republic aims to continue providing humanitarian and civil protection assistance in cooperation with its partners. The Participants remain committed to working to stabilise the situation of internally displaced persons in Ukraine, including through the involvement of the UN and other relevant actors. The Czech Republic hosts the highest number of Ukrainian displaced persons in the EU per capita, providing them with access to the public health insurance system and public education. The Participants declare their common intent to respond to the basic humanitarian and civil protection needs of the war-affected population in an efficient, coherent and transparent way. The Participants aim to attract both private and public investment to rebuild infrastructure and support local communities in Ukraine. By fostering entrepreneurship and innovation, they seek to empower Ukrainian businesses for long-term resilience and prosperity. Compensation for damage, loss and injury caused by Russian aggression The Participants reaffirm that Russia is to be held accountable for the damage, loss and injury caused as a consequence of its war of aggression, and that it must pay for the long-term reconstruction of Ukraine. Russian sovereign assets should remain immobilised until the Russian Federation has paid for the damage it has caused by its aggression against Ukraine. The Czech Republic, working with its partners in the EU, aims to continue to explore all lawful routes through which Russian assets and revenues stemming from them can be used to support Ukraine, in accordance with European and international law. The Participants will continue to work together, along with G7 states and others, towards the establishment of an international compensation mechanism to provide compensation for damage, loss or injury caused by Russia's aggression, as envisaged by the Statute of the Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine adopted by the Resolution of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe CM/Res(2023)3. In this regard, the Participants will explore appropriate options for the financing of an international compensation mechanism to provide prompt and adequate compensation to victims of aggression. IV. Technical and financial support, reforms Technical and financial support The Czech Republic will persevere to support existing international, European and the EU frameworks and institutions in their endeavours to continue providing regular and predictable financial as well as technical support to Ukraine. The Participants intend to strengthen their technical cooperation in the field of financial market supervision, including public sector banks. Ukraine's reform process The Participants reaffirm that inclusive reform is indispensable for Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations as well as for its future security, prosperity, democracy, and resilience of its institutions. Ukraine will continue its ambitious reform process with a particular focus on the reform areas set out for accession to the EU and outlined in the European Commission's recommendations of 8 November 2023, most notably justice, the rule of law, decentralisation, the fight against corruption and money laundering, security sector and state management which underscore Ukraine's commitment to democracy and the rule of law, respect for human rights and media freedoms. All reforms will be undertaken according to the priority reform areas set out for accession to the EU and the International Monetary Fund benchmarks, and in close coordination with major donors, in particular the International Financial Institutions, the EU and the G7. The Czech Republic will continue to strongly support Ukraine on this path. V. Political cooperation A just and sustainable peace The Participants recognise that Ukraine and the whole of Europe will not be secure until there is a just peace that respects Ukraine's rights under international law and the UN Charter. The Participants will therefore work together for a just and lasting peace on terms set by Ukraine that has broad global support. The Czech Republic welcomes Ukraine's efforts to create a just and sustainable peace, based on the respect of international law, the UN Charter and the principles of Ukraine's Peace Formula. The Czech Republic is willing to continue to play an active role in taking forward steps to implement initiatives that reflect the principles of the UN Charter. Moreover, the Czech Republic, from the very beginning, has been significantly involved in Ukraine's Peace Formula process as a co-chair and has been playing a leading role in taking forward steps especially with regard to the Working Group #1 "Nuclear safety" of the Peace Formula, but not only. Accountability The Participants reaffirm their commitment to holding the Russian Federation accountable for causing losses and damage to individuals and entities, as well as to the state of Ukraine, as a result of the Russian aggression in violation of the Charter of the United Nations. The Participants underline their firm dedication to bringing to justice those responsible for war crimes and other international crimes committed in connection with Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. They concur on the need to ensure accountability for such crimes under international law committed by Russian leadership and in particular by the members of Russian Armed Forces on the territory of Ukraine through appropriate, fair and independent investigations and prosecution at the national or international level, and to ensure the indiscriminate enforcement of international humanitarian law with the view to prevent future crimes. The Participants will continue supporting the work of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the International Criminal Court to ensure that allegations of war crimes and other international crimes are fully and fairly investigated by independent, effective and robust legal mechanisms. The Participants share the conviction on the need to ensure accountability for the crime of aggression against Ukraine and the establishment of a tribunal to ensure effective accountability. Therefore, the Participants will continue their engagement in the "Core Group on options for the establishment of a tribunal on the crime of aggression against Ukraine". Ukraine will ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court including the Amendments on the crime of aggression adopted by the Review Conference of the Rome Statute held in Kampala, Uganda on 11th June 2010 by Resolution RC/Res.6, as mentioned in the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and on the way to its membership in the EU. The Czech Republic will support Ukraine to ensure the immediate release and return of all unlawfully detained, forcibly transferred and illegally deported civilians, primarily children. The Participants will contribute to international efforts to bring those responsible for organising the illegal deportation and displacement of Ukrainian children to justice according to international law and the decisions of international judicial institutions. The Czech Republic is committed to continuing its participation in the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children led by Ukraine and Canada, which was launched on 2 February 2024, and contributing to the achievement of the objectives set out in this Coalition's Framework Document. VI. Future armed attack In the event of future Russian armed attack against Ukraine, at the request of either of the Participants, the Participants will consult within 24 hours, bilaterally or via other channels they both deem suitable, in order to determine appropriate next steps. The Czech Republic affirms that in those circumstances and acting in accordance with its legal and constitutional requirements and in accordance with international and European law, it would provide Ukraine with swift and sustained security assistance, modern military equipment, and economic assistance, seek agreement in the EU to impose economic and other costs on Russia, and consult with Ukraine on its needs as it exercises its right of self-defence enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter. In order to ensure the widest and most effective collective response to any future armed attack, the Participants could further develop this part in order to align with any mechanism that Ukraine may subsequently agree with its other international partners, including the signatories of the Joint Declaration of the G7 of 12 July 2023. VII. Bilateral Relations, European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Bilateral relations The Participants will further develop their close and friendly relations in all areas, based on shared values and mutual interests, and an unshakeable solidarity in the face of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and of common threats and challenges. The Participants seek to continue to work together even more closely in the future in the political, economic and cultural spheres. The future of Ukraine and its citizens lies in the EU and NATO, and the Participants will engage together for a strong and unified Europe and Euro-Atlantic Community. The Participants underline that the bilateral security commitments and arrangements under this Agreement cannot constitute an alternative for NATO membership. The Participants will further deepen their bilateral relations by further strengthening regular consultation formats and by exchanging and sharing practical experience of the Czech Republic's membership in both the EU and NATO. In the interest of strengthening priority cooperation with the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the Czech Republic will take steps to establish a diplomatic mission in the city of Dnipro. The Participants express their willingness to promote cooperation also at the local government level across a wide range of issues. European support, sanctions and European integration The Czech Republic will contribute to ongoing and future support to Ukraine provided by the EU. The Participants will continue working to ensure that the costs to Russia for its aggression continue to rise, including through sanctions, the use of revenues from immobilised Russian assets, and export controls. The Participants recognise the value of sanctions in restricting Russia's access to the finance, goods, technology and services it is utilising to wage war of aggression, in bearing down on Russia's revenue streams, and to deter future attacks. The Participants also recall that sanctions are most effective when adopted and implemented in coordination with international partners. The Czech Republic will work within the EU on pursuing robust restrictive measures (sanctions) against sectors of the Russian economy and those in the Russian Federation and outside who are supporting or profiting from the war, or assisting in sanctions circumvention in third countries, as long as Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine continues and Ukraine's territorial integrity is not restored. The Czech Republic will seek determined action to tackle all forms of sanctions circumvention as well as to reinforce its own domestic resilience against Russian-linked illicit finance and Kremlin-linked elites. Ukraine and the Czech Republic will provide each other with up-to-date information on the grounds for sanctions and other relevant information, in compliance with relevant obligations. The Czech Republic will continue to support Ukraine on its path towards EU membership and to offer practical guidance and assistance. The Czech Republic intends to support Ukraine's efforts towards aligning with the EU Single Market with the overall goal of Ukraine's accession to the EU. With a view to shared values, among which is an unwavering commitment to freedom, democracy and the rule of law, the Participants will regularly consult each other in this regard. VIII. Executive and technical arrangements The Participants will carry out the cooperation under this Agreement in accordance with their international obligations and domestic legal order, including obligations arising from the Czech Republic's membership in the EU and NATO. The Participants may, if necessary, designate focal/contact points for the development and implementation of bilateral projects in accordance with the areas of cooperation specified in this Agreement. The focal/contact points, if designated, will individually promote the conduct of consultations in order to discuss, make the necessary arrangements and facilitate the required actions within the framework of this Agreement. IX. Final Provisions The Agreement will become operational from the date of its signature. The cooperation and support under this Agreement will cover the time period of 10 (ten) years from the date of signature. At the same time and in accordance with the G7 Joint Declaration, the Participants share the opinion that the Agreement is without prejudice to Ukraine pursuing a pathway toward future membership in the Euro-Atlantic Community. In the event that Ukraine becomes a member of NATO before the end of cooperation under this Agreement, the Participants will modify and adapt the cooperation accordingly. The Participants will inform each other about their intention to amend, extend or terminate the cooperation and support under this Agreement in writing through diplomatic channels, preferably 6 (six) months in advance. Signed in Woodstock on 18 July 2024 in duplicate in Ukrainian, Czech and English languages. For Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President For the Czech Republic: Petr Fiala, Prime Minister NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address When the Aggressor Loses, the World Wins - Speech by the President of Ukraine at the Fourth European Political Community Summit President of Ukraine 18 July 2024 - 13:50 Thank you very much Prime Minister, Thank you for your kind words about us, about Ukraine, about our fight and thank you for confirming that relations and cooperation between Ukraine and Britain, as well as between Britain and all of Europe, remain crucial. Dear friends, dear partners, We are now at Blenheim, and indeed, this place is associated with Winston Churchill. And however, this palace is not solely connected to him. Among many, it is him who we remember with special esteem, and it is he who adds grandeur to Blenheim. We hold dear Churchill's jokes and remarks - though we probably would not want to be the subjects of such biting humor. We return to his speeches and measure our own principles against his decisions, aspiring to similar heights. Yet, it was not this that created his legend. It was his ability to be a steadfast barrier between history and cowardice, and that is the key reason people still look up to him. Bravery made Churchill - Churchill. Bravery won the greatest battle of his life. It was the battle for Britain and, of course, for all Europe... Will Europe be a continent that neither surrenders nor sells itself to tyrants? Will Europe be a continent of nations and communities, not a few fAhrers and their hatred? It was resolved then. And we all see how much the bravery of previous generations has won for us. They secured this Europe for us, which has been peaceful for so long. And now, our bravery and cooperation must achieve no less, so that the children of our nations can someday look back at us - at what we've done, at what we've chosen, at what we have promised - and see the pillars of their peace, their security, and their prosperity just as we see it when we look back at the most famous person from Blenheim. Dear ladies and gentlemen, dear leaders, I will focus on three points today. First. We have maintained unity in Europe and are acting together, which means that Putin has missed his primary target - he has failed to create division in Europe. The more decisive Europe is in preserving this unity, the longer-lasting peace we will ensure. Putin cannot sustain relationships with truly strong leaders, and this is our advantage, but it remains an advantage only as long as we are united. He may try to approach you or go to some of your partners individually, trying to tempt or pressure you, to blackmail you, so that one of you betrays the rest - weakening our unity. Yes, everyone chooses for themselves how to act, of course, and what legacy to leave. But if someone in Europe tries to resolve issues behind others' backs or even at the expense of someone else, if someone wants to make some trips to the capital of war - to talk and perhaps promise something against our common interests or at the expense of Ukraine or other countries, then why should we consider such a person? The EU and NATO can also address all their issues without this one individual. Second. The reality on the battlefield is more convincing than any abstract deliberations. We have stopped the Russian advance on Kharkiv. Period. Putin has sacrificed tens of thousands of his citizens but has achieved nothing significant. This was made possible by the bravery of our warriors and the bravery of our partners, who have lifted limitations on the use of Western weapons along our border. Did this lead to escalation? No. On the contrary, it blocked Putin's attempt to expand the war. Did Putin have any response? No. Even when a Russian missile strikes children with cancer, as happened recently, it only repeats the evil we have already seen from Russia in this war. So, we must act as brave as necessary to achieve results. We can steer this war towards its just ending with the power of our weapons and our diplomacy, and we should not fear these capabilities. The more effective our air defense is, the more helpless Putin will be. The fewer restrictions we have on the use of effective weapons, the more Russia will seek peace. Military airfields from which Russian jets take off with bombs against our cities, our people, our children and the launch sites of Russian missiles - all these must be destroyed. This will not only eliminate some targets but will also reduce Russia's capability to continue this war. The missiles and drones are not "bearers of state sovereignty", so there must be a collective will, collective will to shoot them down - just as it was with Iranian missiles and drones. I appeal to all of you, to all leaders who can contribute to the required bravery. These steps must be taken. And I address primarily the United States, the UK, France, Germany, and Poland and other friends - your bravery can be decisive for peace. And third. Diplomacy. Everything that adds to our collective strength is useful for bringing peace closer. And I thank all of you for supporting the opening of negotiations for Ukraine's membership in the EU. This proved that even in the most difficult circumstances, the EU can keep its promises, and it gave Ukraine moral strength. The people fighting for Ukraine and for Europe - should feel that Europe is becoming closer. And I also want to thank those of you who firmly support Ukraine on its path to NATO. Although the Ukraine's membership has not yet united all 32 NATO states, we have achieved that the complete elimination of this security deficit in Europe through Ukraine's accession to NATO has become irreversible. And what we must do utmost this year are Peace Summits. I am grateful to Switzerland and all the partners who helped us organize the first Peace Summit. It was a success for everyone who wants a just end to this war. Now we are preparing for the second Peace Summit, and soon working groups will begin on the points of the Peace Formula. These are energy security, food security, and a humanitarian group that will deal with the release of prisoners and the return of deportees. Later, there will be other groups. I ask all of you to support these efforts, join the common work, and choose for yourself the points of the Peace Formula where you can show your leadership. And please, this is very important - convince the partners around the globe that they also have to be brave regardless of threats and blackmail - their joint efforts are needed for the sake of peace. When the aggressor loses - the world wins. This has happened repeatedly in human history. It must happen this time too to the Russia's aggression. Thank you very much, thank you for every life saved by your support! Thank you for the invitation, Prime Minister! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address European leaders call for unity behind Ukraine By VOA News July 18, 2024 European leaders have opened a summit in Britain calling for unity in their support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, while Ukraine's president took a thinly veiled shot at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this month. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer opened the European Political Community Summit at Blenheim Palace near Oxford with a call Thursday for Europe to confirm its support for Ukraine and to unite against Russia's aggression. "Because the threat from Russia reaches right across Europe," Starmer said, "Many of us have seen attacks on our own democracy. People targeted on our streets. Military planes entering our air space. Ships patrolling our coastlines," he said, adding "this is the moment for us all to do more." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a key guest at the summit, spoke soon after, praising European support for Ukraine, saying, "Putin cannot sustain relationships with truly strong leaders. And this is our advantage." But Zelenskyy warned, "It remains an advantage only as long as we are united." Zelenskyy, without mentioning Orban by name, called out the Hungarian leader's recent visit to Moscow. "If someone in Europe tries to resolve issues behind others' backs, or even at the expense of someone else," Zelenskyy said, "if someone wants to make some trips to the capital of war to talk and perhaps promise something against our common interests, or to the expense of Ukraine or other countries, then why should we consider such a person?" Hungary assumed the rotating presidency of the European Union on July 1, and on July 5, Orban traveled to Moscow, where he met with Putin on what he called a "peace mission." Orban also visited Kyiv, where he met with Zelenskyy, and took trips to Beijing, and the United States, where he met with former U.S. president Donald Trump. Orban is also attending the summit in Britain. As he arrived, he told reporters he supported Ukraine, but added that he does not believe Ukraine can defeat Russia and the conflict cannot be resolved on the battlefield. He said he supports a cease-fire and negotiations to end the war. Ahead of the meeting, on his official account on the X social media platform, Zelenskyy said while in Britain, he would hold a separate meeting with Starmer, and they would "sign an intergovernmental agreement on support for the Ukrainian defense and industrial complex," as well as discuss future defense cooperation. Zelenskyy said he also would meet with King Charles. New NATO command for Ukraine Ahead of the meeting, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday the alliance's new command for coordinating military aid and training for Ukraine's military a to be located in Germany a will be operational in September. The command will be led by a three-star general with a team of 700 personnel. NATO leaders agreed at a summit earlier this month to launch the effort, with the aim of better coordinating Ukraine aid efforts and making that assistance more predictable. Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops retreated from Urozhaine, a village in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk, a military spokesperson said Thursday, though he did not clarify when the withdrawal happened. "As the enemy destroyed almost everything in Urozhaine, the defense forces withdrew to other positions," said Nazar Voloshyn. "A decision was made to preserve the lives and health of our servicemen who were maintaining defense there." Russia took control of Urozhaine shortly after the invasion started in 2022. Almost a year ago, Ukrainian troops recaptured it, but Russia's defense ministry claimed that its army regained control several days ago. Ukraine's military on Thursday also said it intercepted 16 Russian aerial drones and two guided missiles that targeted Ukraine in overnight attacks. The Ukrainian air force said the intercepts took place over the Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Poltava and Zaporizhzhia regions. Serhiy Lysak, the regional governor of Dnipropetrovsk, said on Telegram that the Russian attacks injured two people and damaged 14 residential buildings. Threats of aerial attacks prompted alarms in Kyiv, but Ukrainian air defenses shot down Russian drones before they reached the area, according to Serhiy Popko, head of the Kyiv city administration. Russia's defense ministry said Thursday it destroyed 33 Ukrainian aerial drones and 10 naval drones. The Ukrainian naval drones were heading toward the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula, while the aerial drones were shot down over Crimea and the Russian city of Bryansk, the Russian ministry said. Bryansk Governor Aleksandr Bogomaz reported on Telegram there were no casualties or damage in his area. VOA National Security Correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this story. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Threat to Europe, US will not end with Ukraine, officials warn By Jeff Seldin July 18, 2024 Ending the war in Ukraine will likely not be enough to end the threat to Europe or even the United States, in the view of several top European diplomats and the top U.S. general in Europe. The officials, speaking Thursday at the annual Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado, described the war and their nations' support for Ukraine as existential, but said a Ukrainian victory against invading Russian forces would be just the start. "The outcome on the ground is terribly, terribly important," said U.S. General Christopher Cavoli, who heads U.S. European Command and serves as the supreme allied commander for NATO. "But we can't be under any illusions," Cavoli said. "At the end of a conflict in Ukraine, however it concludes, we are going to have a very, very big Russia problem. ... "We are going to have a situation where Russia is reconstituting its force, is located on the borders of NATO, is led by largely the same people as it is right now, is convinced that we're the adversary, and is very, very angry." Germany's foreign and security adviser was equally blunt. "By the choice of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, we are entering a phase of a long, drawn-out conflict with Russia," Jens PlAtner told the audience in Aspen. "Its bloodiest manifestation, at the moment, is the war in Ukraine. But obviously it's not the only one," PlAtner said. "We have seen hybrid activity across Europe. We have seen hybrid activity in the United States. We have seen Russia reaching out to Africa. We have seen Russia rekindling ties with Tehran or, even worse, Pyongyang. "So, I think all of this is part of the bigger picture, which we need to acknowledge." PlAtner declined to comment directly on a Russian plot, first reported by CNN earlier this month, to kill the chief executive of Rheinmetall, one of Germany's leading defense companies. But he said arrests have been made and that Germany's security agencies are on high alert. "We know that the ones [plots] we have been able to thwart were not the last ones," he said. Russia has denied any involvement in the plot to kill the Rheinmetall executive, dismissing the news reports as fake. "Such reports cannot be taken seriously," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Germany and other European countries have increasingly raised concerns about Russian-linked networks working to erode support for Ukraine. In April, German authorities arrested two Russian-German men on espionage charges, alleging one of them had agreed to carry out attacks on U.S. military facilities to sabotage the delivery of military aid to Ukraine. Earlier this month, U.S. intelligence officials alleged Russia was again seeking to interfere in the upcoming U.S. presidential election in an effort to boost candidates perceived as favorable to Moscow, especially with respect to the war in Ukraine. Jonatan Vseviov, secretary-general at Estonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warned Thursday that now, especially, the West must be wary of Putin's mind games of "fear and false hope." "His foreign minister, I think yesterday, talked about peace. This is him laying a trap," Vseviov said in Aspen. "And it would be enormously foolish for us to fall into this. [Putin's] not interested in peace. He's interested in derailing our policy." Vseviov also warned against allowing Putin's nuclear saber-rattling to paralyze Western decision-making and support for Ukraine. The comments by Vseviov, PlAtner and Cavoli came against the backdrop of the Republican National Convention, where supporters of Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump briefly distributed signs reading "Trump will end the Ukraine war." Trump's choice for vice president, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, has argued in favor of a negotiated peace between Russia and Ukraine. Some Europeans accuse Vance of downplaying the threat posed by Putin. And at a security conference in Munich earlier this year, Vance said, "The best way to help Ukraine, I think, from a European perspective, is for Europe to become more self-sufficient." Some European officials have pushed back against criticism that Europe is not doing enough for its self-defense, pointing to an initiative to develop a European deep-strike precision missile capability to counter Russia's own missile buildup. The top U.S. general in Europe, Cavoli, also rejected the Republican criticism. "This is a different Europe than the Europe we complained about for years," he said. "This is a Europe that recognizes what the burden is and that it's got to be shared. And it's got organizations that are preparing the sharing. "This is exactly the partner we've been looking for for three decades. It's exactly the time when U.S. contribution will produce the most value," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW YORK, July 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monteverde & Associates PC (the M&A Class Action Firm), has recovered money for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2018-2022 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. We are headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and is investigating Doma Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DOMA), relating to its proposed sale to Title Resources Group. Under the terms of the agreement, DOMA shareholders are expected to receive $6.29 in cash per share they own. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. The Shareholder Vote is scheduled for August 27, 2024. Click here for more information: https://monteverdelaw.com/case/doma-holdings-inc/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask: Do you file class actions and go to Court? When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders? What cases did you recover money in and how much? About Monteverde & Associates PC Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholdersand we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. No company, director or officer is above the law. If you own common stock in any of the above listed companies and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341. Contact: Juan Monteverde, Esq. MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC The Empire State Building 350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740 New York, NY 10118 United States of America jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com Tel: (212) 971-1341 MONTERREY, Mexico, July 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Representatives of the AMCHAM Northeast Chapter Council presented an extraordinary recognition to the outgoing U.S. Consul General in Monterrey, Roger C. Rigaud. According to the statutes of the AMERICAN CHAMBER, the John C. Langley Medal is awarded for extraordinary merit to individuals who exhibit outstanding leadership that promotes the Chamber's vision, fostering free trade and binational integration. "Between 2021 and 2024, Consul Rigaud has closely supported our Chamber. He served as honorary president of the Chapter with extremely active participation. He accompanied us on the 'Extend our Reach' missions in Coahuila, San Luis Potosi, and La Laguna, and has been a tireless promoter of our business community and binational integration," stated Lorenzo Barrera, President of the AMCHAM Northeast Chapter. "[My team and I] are very proud to support investment development and to collaborate in integrating other areas of Mexico into the North American production chains," said Consul Rigaud. "Roger Rigaud's guidance and support for our 'Extend our Reach' campaign played a fundamental role in the evolution of the Monterrey Chapter into what is now known as the Northeast Chapter. By doing so, the Chapter has experienced rapid growth not only in new members but also in geographic presence, all with the aim of contributing to North America's growth through nearshoring. The John C. Langley Medal is the highest honor the Council can bestow upon a true friend of AMCHAM," shared Carlos Garcia, President of the National Council of AMCHAM. ABOUT AMCHAM The AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF MEXICO was founded in 1917 as an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization affiliated with two of the most active and important business organizations in the world: the United States Chamber of Commerce and the Association of American Chambers of Commerce of Latin America (AACCLA). Today, the more than one thousand companies grouped under AMCHAM/MEXICO represent 21% of the national GDP and generate 2.5 million direct formal jobs and six million indirect jobs, contributing significantly to the social and economic development of Mexico, as well as strengthening the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States. One of its priorities is to contribute positively to public policies and the binational business environment, as well as to the strengthening of the rule of law, particularly on issues that affect competitiveness, the business environment, and the security of company operations. http://www.amcham.org.mx/ | @amchammexico A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8347cff0-59b6-4dde-81a6-54d73c9eff13 New York, United States , July 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Space Burial Service Market Size is Expected to Hold a Significant Share by 2033, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.8% during the projected period. Get a Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/request-sample/5147 The space burial service market is a growing niche within the larger space industry, providing creative ways to honour the fallen. Companies in this sector offer services that involve launching a portion of cremated ashes into space, whether into orbit, deep space, or the lunar surface. Driven by developments in space technology and a growing desire in one-of-a-kind commemorative solutions, the market is gaining traction among space enthusiasts and those seeking unorthodox tributes. Key players are working with commercial space enterprises to ensure dependable and cost-effective launches. As public interest in space exploration grows, the market for space burial services is likely to expand, owing to both emotional appeal and the attraction of space as the final frontier. Space Burial Service Market Value Chain Analysis The space burial service market is a growing niche within the larger space industry, providing creative ways to honour the fallen. Companies in this sector offer services that involve launching a portion of cremated ashes into space, whether into orbit, deep space, or the lunar surface. Driven by developments in space technology and a growing desire in one-of-a-kind commemorative solutions, the market is gaining traction among space enthusiasts and those seeking unorthodox tributes. Key players are working with commercial space enterprises to ensure dependable and cost-effective launches. As public interest in space exploration grows, the market for space burial services is likely to expand, owing to both emotional appeal and the attraction of space as the final frontier. Browse key industry insights spread across 246 pages with 110 Market data tables and figures & charts from the " Global Space Burial Service Market Size, Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Remains and Ashes), By Application (Family and Research), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 - 2033." Buy Now Full Report: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/checkout/5147 Insights by Type The ashes segment accounted for the largest market share over the forecast period 2023 to 2033. As interest in space exploration grows, more people are choosing to send cremated ashes into space, perceiving it as a prestigious and symbolic final destination. Space funerals are becoming more accessible thanks to technological breakthroughs and lower launch costs, increasing this industry even more. Furthermore, collaborations with private space businesses result in more regular and consistent launch chances. The emotional and symbolic allure of space as a final resting place is strong among consumers, fueling the ashes segment's growth within the larger space burial service industry. As awareness and demand grow, this area is positioned for further expansion. Insights by Application The research segment accounted for the largest market share over the forecast period 2023 to 2033. This component entails launching human remains into space for scientific study, assisting research in subjects such as astrobiology, materials science, and the effects of space environments on human tissue. As space agencies and commercial enterprises extend their research efforts, the demand for human remains in experimental payloads grows. This trend is further supported by increased collaboration with academic institutions and research organisations. Furthermore, the increased public interest in contributing to space science encourages greater participation in research-focused space burials. Inquire Before Buying This Research Report: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/5147 Insights by Region North America is anticipated to dominate the Space Burial Service Market from 2023 to 2033. The North American Space Burial Service market is leading the way in this developing business, because to the region's rich space exploration history and technological breakthroughs. The United States, home to major participants such as SpaceX and other private space enterprises, has the infrastructure and experience required for dependable space burial services. High public interest in space and inventive memorial solutions drives market expansion, as more space enthusiasts and families seek one-of-a-kind memorials. However, issues like as high costs, regulatory uncertainty, and environmental concerns remain. Despite these challenges, North America's thriving space industry and cultural interest with space exploration position it as a major market for space burial services, with room for significant expansion and innovation. Asia Pacific is witnessing the fastest market growth between 2023 to 2033. Countries are making substantial progress in their space programmes, which opens up prospects for space burial services. Rising disposable income and shifting societal attitudes regarding memorialization contribute to the market's potential growth. However, the industry confronts obstacles such as high service prices, low consumer awareness, and disparities in regulatory regimes among countries. Collaboration between regional space agencies and private firms can improve service dependability and price. Despite these limitations, the Asia-Pacific region's developing space capabilities and shifting societal norms make it a prospective market for space burial services, with room for significant growth. Competitive Analysis: The report offers the appropriate analysis of the key organizations/companies involved within the global market along with a comparative evaluation primarily based on their product offering, business overviews, geographic presence, enterprise strategies, segment market share, and SWOT analysis. The report also provides an elaborative analysis focusing on the current news and developments of the companies, which includes product development, innovations, joint ventures, partnerships, mergers & acquisitions, strategic alliances, and others. This allows for the evaluation of the overall competition within the market. Major Players in the Global Burial Service Market Includes Celestis, Elysium Space, Beyond Burials, Aura Flight, Argos Funeral Services, Elanif, and Other key vendors. Get Discount At @ https://www.sphericalinsights.com/request-discount/5147 Market Segmentation This study forecasts revenue at global, regional, and country levels from 2023 to 2033. Space Burial Service Market, Type Analysis Remains Ashes Space Burial Service Market, Application Analysis Family Research Space Burial Service Market, Regional Analysis North America US Canada Mexico Europe Germany UK France Italy Spain Russia Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Rest of Asia Pacific South America Brazil Argentina Rest of South America Middle East & Africa UAE Saudi Arabia Qatar South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa Browse Related Reports Global Asteroid Mining Market Size , Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Phase (Launch, Operation, Space-Craft Design), By Type (Type C, Type M, Type S), By Application (Construction, Resource Harvesting, 3D Printing, Others), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 2033 Global Military Vehicle Electrification Market Size , Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By System (Power Generation, Cooling Systems, Energy Storage, Traction Drive Systems, and Power Conversion), By Platform (Combat Vehicles, Support Vehicles, and Unmanned Armored Vehicles), By Technology (Hybrid and Fully Electric Segments), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 - 2033. Global Diesel Engines Market Size , Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Internal Combustion Engines (ICE), External Combustion Engines), By Speed (Low, Medium, High), By Power Rating (0.5-1 MW, 1-2 MW, 2-4 MW, and Above 4 MW), By End User (Construction, Agriculture, Marine, Power Plants, And Others), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 - 2033. Global Wooden Satellite Market Size , Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Nanosatellite, Micro Satellite, Mini Satellite, Large Satellite), By End User (Military & defense, Commercial), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 2033 About the Spherical Insights & Consulting Spherical Insights & Consulting is a market research and consulting firm which provides actionable market research study, quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight especially designed for decision makers and aids ROI. Which is catering to different industry such as financial sectors, industrial sectors, government organizations, universities, non-profits and corporations. The company's mission is to work with businesses to achieve business objectives and maintain strategic improvements. CONTACT US: For More Information on Your Target Market, Please Contact Us Below: Phone: +1 303 800 4326 (the U.S.) Phone: +91 90289 24100 (APAC) Email: inquiry@sphericalinsights.com, sales@sphericalinsights.com Contact Us: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/contact-us Follow Us: LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, July 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A high-level delegation from the Dominican Republic, represented by government, industry, and academia, made a significant impact at SEMICON West 2024, the premier event for the global semiconductor industry. The delegation, consisting of 50 key figures united under the ChipDRiven national strategy, showcased the Dominican Republics commitment to fostering a vibrant domestic semiconductor ecosystem. Their presence underscored the countrys proactive approach to attracting investment and building a skilled workforce in this critical sector. During SEMICON West 2024, the delegation met visits from distinguished personalities, including Mr. Jose W. Fernandez, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment at the U.S. Department of State, and Virginia Kent, Senior Coordinator at the ITSI Fund. These high-profile meetings highlight the Dominican Republics dedication to international collaboration in advancing semiconductor technology and building global partnerships. Johannes Kelner, Vice Minister of Free Zones and Special Regimes at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs (MICM), emphasized the importance of collaboration between government, industry, and academic institutions. The integration of these sectors is essential to compete in the semiconductor world, affirmed Kelner. William Malamud, Executive Vice President of AmchamDR, echoed this sentiment, stating, This platform is crucial for our industrys development. Keysight Technologies and UNICARIBE Partner for Workforce Development Further solidifying the Dominican Republics commitment to building a robust semiconductor ecosystem, Keysight Technologiesa leading provider of electronic measurement solutionsrepresented by David Yee Arellano, General Manager for Latin America, partnered with UNICARIBE, the Dominican university led by Dr. Jose Alejandro Aybar. Alongside the Dominican government with Vice Minister Kelner, UNICARIBE and Keysight Technologies signed a collaboration agreement at SEMICON West 2024. This agreement focuses on training and developing the skilled workforce needed to fuel the countrys semiconductor ambitions. We are excited to partner with UNICARIBE and the Dominican government to develop the semiconductor industry in the Dominican Republic, said David Yee Arellano. The agreement marks a significant milestone in the commitment to foster collaboration between the MICM, the business sector, and higher education institutions. Together, they aim to train the necessary personnel for the development of a strong and sustainable semiconductor industry in the Dominican Republic. Vice Minister Kelner expressed gratitude to Keysight Technologies for their partnership and commitment to the country. About the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs (MICM) MICM is the government body responsible for policy formulation, adoption, monitoring, evaluation, and control in the fields of industry, exports, foreign trade, free zones, special regimes, and SMEs. Contact information Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs (MICM) Viceministry of Free Zone and Special Regimes (1) 809-685-5171 ext 1017 www.micm.gob.do NEW YORK, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of Class B common stock of NIKE, Inc. (NYSE: NKE) between March 19, 2021 and March 21, 2024, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important August 19, 2024 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased NIKE Class B common stock during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the NIKE class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=26480 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 19, 2024. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) NIKEs direct-to-consumer strategy was unable to generate sustainable revenue growth; (2) NIKEs purported competitive advantages were unable to protect NIKE from intense competitive pressures after NIKE largely disengaged from many of its wholesale and retail partners to focus on its direct-to-consumer strategy; and (3) as a result, defendants representations about NIKEs business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the NIKE class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=26480 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com New York, USA, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Market Overview: The Mosquito Repellent Market was estimated at USD 6,992.9 million in 2023. The market valuation is expected to be USD 11,474.5 million by 2032, registering a staggering CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period of 2024-2032. What is Mosquito Repellent? A mosquito repellent is a matter smeared on skin, clothing, or other surfaces that prevents mosquitos from landing or crawling on that aspect. Mosquitos can roll out viruses that generate grave illnesses. They can curtail the possibility of being gnawed by a mosquito, which can decrease the probability that one will acquire one of these illnesses. A mosquito repellent can be utilized when one is in the exterior and subjected to mosquitos. They are normally most agile between dusk and dawn albeit some types can also be out in the daytime. Mosquitos normally commence to become agile in the course of pre-mature or mid-spring and stay agile until the initial hard frost when the ground freezes. Key Market Stats: Mosquito repellent market size was valued at USD 6,992.9 million in 2023. The market is anticipated to grow from USD 7,204.1 million in 2024 to USD 11,474.5 million by 2032. The market is expected to exhibit at a CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period. Download Free Sample PDF Copy of the Report: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/mosquito-repellent-market/request-for-sample Major Findings from the Report: The market for mosquito repellent is expected to increase significantly due to growing housing debris and inappropriate litter management. The mosquito repellent market segmentation is mainly based on type, distribution channel, and region. Asia Pacific registered the largest market share. Mosquito Repellent Market Drivers and Trends Growing media prevalence : Lately, the global demand for mosquito repellent is surging notably due to a rise in consciousness about mosquito-sustained illnesses pushed by escalated public well-being worries, growing prevalence rates, and elevated media participation. Furthermore, media channels involving radio, television, social media, and online platforms play a notable part in circulating particulars about mosquito-sustained illnesses. : Lately, the global demand for mosquito repellent is surging notably due to a rise in consciousness about mosquito-sustained illnesses pushed by escalated public well-being worries, growing prevalence rates, and elevated media participation. Furthermore, media channels involving radio, television, social media, and online platforms play a notable part in circulating particulars about mosquito-sustained illnesses. Growing governmental initiatives : Governments and public health firms globally are accomplishing inventiveness and endeavors to fight mosquito-sustained illnesses. These endeavors frequently involve dispensation initiatives for mosquito nets, repellents, and pedagogic substances to susceptible populations. : Governments and public health firms globally are accomplishing inventiveness and endeavors to fight mosquito-sustained illnesses. These endeavors frequently involve dispensation initiatives for mosquito nets, repellents, and pedagogic substances to susceptible populations. Escalating travel activities : With globalization and escalated travel ventures, persons are more subjected to mosquito-sustained illnesses in regions where they have not been formerly prevalent. Travelers look for safeguarding against mosquito bites to intercept picking up illnesses while befalling areas with endemic mosquito populations. This elevated consciousness of travel linked probabilities drives up the mosquito repellent market demand. : With globalization and escalated travel ventures, persons are more subjected to mosquito-sustained illnesses in regions where they have not been formerly prevalent. Travelers look for safeguarding against mosquito bites to intercept picking up illnesses while befalling areas with endemic mosquito populations. This elevated consciousness of travel linked probabilities drives up the mosquito repellent market demand. Changing environmental conditions: Altering environmental conditions such as substantial downpours, wobbling temperatures, and so on are also causing the probability of breeding, which further behaves as a prompting factor for industry augmentation globally. Request for a Discount on this Report Before Purchase @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/mosquito-repellent-market/request-for-discount-pricing Market Challenges: The demand for mosquito repellent market growth is anticipated to be constrained by ongoing subjection to chemical insecticides and repellents that assist in the advancement of aversion to mosquito populations, providing specific commodities inefficient over time. Industrys Prominent Players: 3M AoGrand Intl Group Inc. BASF SE Coghlans Ltd. Dabur Enesis Group Godrej Henkel AG & Co. KGaA Herbal Strategi Jyothy Laboratories Ltd. Geographical Landscape: Asia Pacific accounted for the most mosquito repellent market share. This is an outcome of the infliction of the strict administrative strategy for population well-being and cleanliness, and growing healthcare disbursement is generating a gainful demand for the market. Additionally, the improved residing levels, growing population, and sensible assessment of repellents have also propelled the market reach in household goods. Moreover, due to the existence of a massive consumer base, escalating consciousness about the obtainability of mosquito repellent, as well as surging cash flow, the Europe region is anticipated to grow at the quickest rate over the forecast period, with a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Inquire more about this report before purchase @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/mosquito-repellent-market/inquire-before-buying Market Segmentation: By Type Outlook Spray Vaporizer Cream & Oil Coil Other Types By Distribution Channel Outlook Hypermarket & Supermarket Independent Stores E-commerce By Region Outlook North America (U.S., Canada) Europe (France, Germany, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Russia) Asia Pacific (Japan, China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia. South Korea, Australia) Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina) Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, South Africa) More Trending Latest Reports by Polaris Market Research: Baby Toiletries Market Size Power Bank Market Share Razor Market Trend Insect Repellent Market Growth Pre-owned Luxury Watches Market Forecast About Polaris Market Research: Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for PMRs clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve PMRs diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semiconductors, and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide PMRs customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high-growth markets, emerging business environments, and the latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities. Adept with a highly competent, experienced, and extremely qualified team of experts comprising SMEs, analysts, and consultants, we at Polaris endeavor to deliver value-added business solutions to PMRs customers. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES NORTH VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lion One Metals Limited (TSX-V: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) (ASX: LLO) (Lion One or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an amended agreement with Eight Capital as lead agent (the Agent), to upsize the previously announced private placement. In connection with the upsized offering, the Company will issue up to 27,027,027 units of the Company (the Units) at a price of $0.37 per Unit (the Issue Price) for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $10,000,000 pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption available under National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions (the Offering), in each of the Provinces of Canada other than Quebec. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a Share) and one common share purchase warrant (a Warrant). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Share at an exercise price of $0.50 for a period of three years from the date of issuance. The Company will make available an offering document relating to the Offering (the Offering Document) which will be accessible under the Companys profile at www.sedarplus.ca and at https://liononemetals.com. Prospective investors in the Offering should read the Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Offering is expected to close on or around July 26, 2024 (the Closing Date). Closing of the Offering is subject to certain customary conditions including receipt of all necessary approvals including satisfaction of listing conditions of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any Shares in the United States. The securities to be sold in the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Lion One Metals Limited Lion One Metals is an emerging Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with new operations established in late 2023 at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Deposit, the Underground Gold Mine, the Pilot Plant, and the Assay Lab. The Company also has an extensive exploration license covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, which is host to multiple mineralized zones and highly prospective exploration targets. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Lion One Metals Limited Walter Berukoff Chairman and CEO For further information Contact Investor Relations Toll Free (North America) Tel: 1-855-805-1250 Email: info@liononemetals.com Website: www.liononemetals.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forwardlooking statements or information. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as may, will, plan, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend and similar words referring to future events and results. The forwardlooking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. Forward-looking statements made in this news release include statements regarding anticipated completion of the Offering and debt settlement, and the proposed use of proceeds of the Offering. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forwardlooking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including, with respect to the Offering and debt settlement, the conditions of the financial markets, availability of financing, timeliness of completion of the Offering, and the timing of TSX Venture Exchange approval; and with respect to the use of proceeds, the sufficiency of the proceeds, the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, and competitive, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedarplus.ca, including the Offering Document. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forwardlooking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forwardlooking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forwardlooking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. CALGARY, Alberta, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KIC Realty, a leading Canadian real estate brokerage renowned for its commitment to knowledge, integrity, and community, is proud to announce the launch of a comprehensive health benefits program for its staff and their families. This initiative underscores KIC Realtys dedication to fostering a supportive and thriving work environment, ensuring that the well-being of its team members and their loved ones is a top priority. A Commitment to Employee Well-being At KIC Realty, we recognize that our employees are our greatest asset. As part of our ongoing efforts to create a workplace that promotes health, happiness, and work-life balance, we are excited to introduce a new health benefits package that is designed to meet the diverse needs of our staff and their families. This program aims to provide peace of mind and support, allowing our team to focus on delivering exceptional service to our clients. Comprehensive Health Coverage The new health benefits program includes a wide range of coverage options, such as: Medical Insurance: Comprehensive medical coverage that includes doctor visits, hospital stays, and specialist consultations. Dental Care: Coverage for routine dental check-ups, cleanings, and a variety of dental procedures to ensure oral health. Vision Care: Benefits for eye exams, prescription glasses, and contact lenses to support optimal vision health. Mental Health Support: Access to counseling services and mental health resources, recognizing the importance of mental well-being. Prescription Drug Coverage: Assistance with the cost of prescription medications to manage and maintain health conditions. Wellness Programs: Initiatives to promote healthy living, including fitness programs, nutritional counseling, and stress management workshops. Supporting Families Understanding the importance of family in the lives of our employees, KIC Realtys health benefits extend to the immediate family members of our staff. This inclusive approach ensures that our employees and their loved ones receive the care and support they need to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. A Message from Our Leadership KIC Realty is more than just a workplace; we are a community, said Willie Ip, CEO of KIC Realty. By offering comprehensive health benefits to our employees and their families, we are investing in the well-being of our team. We believe that a healthy, happy team is the foundation of our success, and we are committed to providing the resources and support needed to achieve this. About KIC Realty KIC Realty is a Canadian real estate brokerage that prides itself on its core values of knowledge, integrity, and community. Founded with the mission to create a unique and supportive environment for Canadian real estate agents, KIC Realty is dedicated to delivering first-class business practices and transparent financial goals. With a focus on agent and staff success, KIC Realty offers opportunities for growth, ownership, and an exceptional customer service experience. For more information about KIC Realty and our new health benefits program, please contact: Yixin Ge Yixin.ge@kicrealty.com Dublin, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Ground Based Air Defence Systems - Market and Technology Forecast to 2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. This study examines, analyses, and predicts the evolution of missile technologies, markets, and outlays (expenditures) over the next 8 years: 2024-2032. It also examines the missile technology for military application markets geographically, focusing on the top 95% of global markets, in the United States, Europe, and Asia.Throughout the report, we show how ground based missile technology is used today to add real value. The recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have served as a stark reminder that the skies are no longer a sanctuary. Sophisticated drones, cruise missiles, and low-flying aircraft are posing a significant threat to ground forces and critical infrastructure. In response, a long-neglected capability is reclaiming its rightful place at the forefront of modern warfare: Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) systems. This chapter delves into the renewed importance of GBAD, exploring how these defensive shields are shaping the character of contemporary combat. Covered in this study Overview: Snapshot of the Ground Based Air Defense System tech in the military market during 2024-2032, including highlights of the demand drivers, trends, and challenges. It also provides a snapshot of the spending with respect to regions as well as segments. It also sheds light on the emergence of new technologies Market Dynamics: Insights into the technological developments in the Ground Based Air Defense System market and a detailed analysis of the changing preferences of governments around the world. It also analyzes changing industry structure trends and the challenges faced by the industry participants. Segment Analysis: Insights into the various systems market from a segmental perspective and a detailed analysis of factors influencing the market for each segment. Regional Review: Insights into modernization patterns and budgetary allocation for top countries within a region. Regional Analysis: Insights into the systems market from a regional perspective and a detailed analysis of factors influencing the market for each region. Trend Analysis: Key Ground Based Air Defense System for Military Applications markets: Analysis of the key markets in each region, providing an analysis of the various Systems segments expected to be in demand in each region. Key Program Analysis: Details of the top programs in each segment expected to be executed during the forecast period. Competitive landscape Analysis: Analysis of the competitive landscape of this industry. It provides an overview of key companies, together with insights such as key alliances, and strategic initiatives. and a brief financial analysis. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 1.1 Scope 1.2 Methodology 1.3 Who will benefit from this study? 2 Executive Summary 2.1 Trends and Insights 2.2 Main Findings 2.3 Key Conclusions 3 Technologies and Developments 3.1 Technology overview 3.2 Types of Ground Based Air Defence System 3.3 Current technologies, research programmes, break-down of the GBAD subsystem 3.4 Important GBAD systems 3.4.1 MIM - 104 Patriot 3.4.2 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) 3.4.3 Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) 3.4.4 S-500 3.4.5 HQ-9 3.4.6 IRIS-T SL 3.4.7 Skyranger 30 3.4.8 Tor 3.4.9 FIM 92 Stinger 3.4.10 Robotsystem 70 (RBS 70) 3.5 European Sky Shield Initiative 3.6 Future technologies 3.7 Latest trends and developments 4 Market Overview 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Ground based air defence system market volume distribution over forecast period by Region 4.3 Competitive landscape 4.4 Main market players overview 4.5 Recent product introductions overview 4.6 Supply Chain overview 4.7 Critical Raw Materials 4.8 Critical Technologies 4.9 Notable Events 5 Market Analysis and Forecast Factors 5.1 Market Segmentation 5.2 Drivers 5.3 Trends 5.4 Opportunities 5.5 Challenges 5.6 Forecast Factors 6 Country Analysis 6.1 USA 6.2 France 6.3 United Kingdom 6.4 Germany 6.5 Sweden 6.6 Poland 6.7 Italy 6.8 Russia 6.9 China 6.10 India 6.11 Japan 6.12 Australia 6.13 Saudi Arabia 6.14 Turkiye 7 Global and Regional Market Forecast to 2032 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Ground Based Air Defence System market by Region overview 7.3 Ground Based Air Defence market Regions by Component 7.3.1 North America Ground Based Air Defence market by Component 7.3.2 Europe Ground Based Air Defence market by Component 7.3.3 APAC Ground Based Air Defence market by Component 7.3.4 Middle East & Africa Ground Based Air Defence market by Component 7.3.5 Latin America Ground Based Air Defence market by Component 7.4 Opportunity Analysis 7.4.1 By Region 8 Global and Regional Market Forecast to 2032 by Component 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Ground Based Air Defence system market by Component overview 8.3 Ground Based Air Defence System Component market by Region 8.3.1 Weapon System market by Region 8.3.2 Surveillance Radar market by Region 8.3.3 Command and Control System market by Region 8.3.4 Fire Control System market by Region 8.4 Ground Based Air Defence System Component market by Range 8.4.1 Weapon System market by Component 8.4.2 Surveillance Radar market by Component 8.4.3 Command & Control System market by Component 8.4.4 Fire Control System market by Component 8.5 Opportunity Analysis 8.5.1 By Component 9 Global and Regional Market Forecast to 2032 by Range 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Ground Based Air Defence System market by Range overview 9.3 Ground Based Air Defence System Range market by Region 9.3.1 Medium- Range market by Region 9.3.2 SHORAD market by Region 9.3.3 Long-Range market by Region 9.3.4 VSHORAD market by Region 9.4 Ground Based Air Defence System Range market by Component 9.4.1 Medium-Range market by Component 9.4.2 SHORAD market by Component 9.4.3 Long-Range market by Component 9.4.4 VSHORAD market by Component 9.5 Opportunity Analysis 10 Impact Analysis 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Forecast factors and Market Impact 10.2.1 Scenario I 10.2.2 Scenario II 11 Leading Companies 11.1 BAE Systems 11.1.1 Introduction 11.1.2 Ground Based Air Defence - Products and Services 11.1.3 Recent Developments and Contracts 11.1.4 SWOT Analysis 11.2 Boeing Co 11.3 Israel Aerospace Industries 11.4 Leonardo 11.5 Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace 11.6 Lockheed Martin 11.7 MBDA Holdings 11.8 Northrop Grumman Corporation 11.9 RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies Corporation) 11.10 THALES 11.11 Other companies of interest 11.11.1 Changchun Institute for Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Changchun, Jilin, China 11.11.2 Denel Dynamics 11.11.3 Diehl Defence 11.11.4 General Atomics 11.11.5 Kratos Defense & Security Solutions 11.11.6 Norinco 11.11.7 Qinetiq Group 11.11.8 Roketsan 11.11.9 Rheinmetall 11.11.10 Textron Defense Systems 12 Results and Conclusions For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8qucen About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Austin, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U ltra C apacitors M arket S ize was valued at USD 2.75 Billion in 2023, and it is expected to reach USD 9.62 Billion by 2032 and expand at a CAGR of 15.04% over the forecast period 2024-2032. Get a Sample Report of Ultra Capacitors Market @ https://www.snsinsider.com/sample-request/4367 The growth of the Ultra Capacitors Market is propelled by the use of consumer electronics like cameras, laptops, and smartphones to provide them with high energy instantly. However, ultra capacitors also find application in energy storage from the power outlet for power amplification, unlike batteries. The ultra capacitors market is driven by the increased use of the technology in EVs, which require fast energy output to use in regenerative braking systems or as an accelerator. The growing integration of Renewable Energy sources like solar and wind power requires efficient energy storage solutions. Many governments are investing globally to change into renewable systems. According to the latest update of the IEAs Government Energy Spending Tracker, the amount of money governments have been allocating to support clean energy investment has now risen to USD 1.34 trillion since 2020. There may be more to come, however, as additional policy packages are currently under discussion in Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, and Japan. Ultra Capacitors Market Report Scope: Report Attributes Details Market Size in 2023 USD 2.75 Billion Market Size by 2032 USD 9.62 billion CAGR 15.04% by 2024-2032 Base Year 2023 Forecast Period 2024-2032 Historical Data 2020-2022 Key Growth Drivers Ultra capacitor are fueling a more environmentally friendly future for industry. Energy Chameleons, ultracapacitors adjust to meet constantly changing power requirements. Do you have any specific queries or need any customization research on Ultra Capacitors Market, Enquire Now @ https://www.snsinsider.com/enquiry/4367 Segment Analysis By Type Electric Double-layered ultra capacitors captured a market share of over 42% in 2023 becoming the dominating segment. This ultra capacitor possesses a high-power density and extensive lifecycle. Among the automotive applications, they are highly incorporated into electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. For instance, they store energy for rapid bursts of energy, facilitating vehicle acceleration and regenerative braking. Hybrid Capacitors have begun to increase in popularity due to their ability to provide both energy and power density. Hence, the market is having a fast-growing CAGR during the forecast period 2024-2032. Capable of fast charging, they assist in efficient energy storage across electric vehicles and consumer electronics or the charging of industrial machinery. By Application The automotive segment held the maximum share of over 40% in 2023. Ultra capacitors are devices that can deliver massive shots of power very quickly, the best example of which is regenerative braking. In a hybrid or fully electric car, the ultra capacitor acts as a generator after the driver lowers the accelerator. It absorbs that energy as though it were a battery and then filters it slowly back to the battery thus ensuring the battery is not overworked or damaged. The industrial segment is growing at a fast CAGR during the forecast period 2024-2032. Ultra capacitors can provide backup power for complex systems in industrial automation systems which raise the demand in this sector. Key Regional Developments The Asia-Pacific held a market share of over 35% in 2023, as it is the highest Ultra capacitor market share, due to the growth of the electronics market. China has emerged as one of the prominent ultra capacitor market as key players are already focusing on the development of new products per end-use application. The North American region has a fast CAGR of around 25% during the forecast period 2024-2032. The United States is the market leader in the electric vehicle sensor market, due to the significant advancements that are being taken place in the automotive and connected devices industries, raising the demand for ultra capacitors. Recent Developments In December 2022, the Swiss technology startup Morand kicked off the launch of a hybrid energy storage system that combines an Ultra Capacitors characteristics with a chemical battery. The latter resulted in a much more durable and ultra-fast energy pack that can be recharged in seconds. The technology is developed to fit the application that would require fast and frequent charges of 5 minutes or less. In December 2023, Godi, the famous and one of the largest lithium-ion cell manufacturers across the country in India, declared the information through the press release that the company has successfully produced possession Indias first-ever 3000F high-power supercapacitors in Hyderabad. Buy a Single-User PDF of Ultra Capacitors Market Analysis & Outlook Report 2024-2032 @ https://www.snsinsider.com/checkout/4367 Key Takeaways The report assists as a tool for informing clients about market dynamics, in-depth analysis, and insights into the Ultra capacitors Market. In-depth analysis of drivers, opportunities and segment analysis allows us to see what areas will be the most beneficial for the development. Learning information about the main market trends and recent product launches helps the customers not to stay behind the many competitors and foresee emerging opportunities. Understanding the regional dominance of Asia-Pacific and the factors that help the North American market to grow further. Table of Contents Major Key Points 1. Introduction 2. Industry Flowchart 3. Research Methodology 4. Market Dynamics 5. Porters 5 Forces Model 6. Pest Analysis 7. Ultra Capacitors Market Segmentation, By Type 8. Ultra Capacitors Market Segmentation, By Power Type 9. Ultra Capacitors Market Segmentation, By End User 10. Regional Analysis 11. Company Profiles 12. Competitive Landscape 13. Use Case and Best Practices 14. Conclusion Access Complete Report Details of Ultra Capacitors Market Report 2024-2032 @ https://www.snsinsider.com/reports/ultra-capacitors-market-4367 [For more information or need any customization research mail us at info@snsinsider.com ] About Us: SNS Insider is one of the leading market research and consulting agencies that dominates the market research industry globally. Our company's aim is to give clients the knowledge they require in order to function in changing circumstances. In order to give you current, accurate market data, consumer insights, and opinions so that you can make decisions with confidence, we employ a variety of techniques, including surveys, video talks, and focus groups around the world. INDIANAPOLIS, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After exhausting $2.5 million in just two months in 2023, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBank Indianapolis or the Bank) is relaunching the HomeBoost Down Payment Assistance Program with double the allocation this year $5 million to help with down payment, closing and counseling costs for minority and first-generation first-time homebuyers. Launched in 2023, the special purpose credit program helped 159 households in Indiana and Michigan to become first-time homebuyers, results that underscored the widespread need for such aid across the Banks district. This year, HomeBoost has more money available and features expanded eligibility criteria and maximum funding amounts. HomeBoost will provide up to $25,000 in down payment and closing and counseling costs assistance to first-time homebuyers who identify as Black or African American, Asian, Hispanic, Indian American or Alaska Native, and/or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or who qualify as a first-generation homeowner. Eligible households must have a total household income at or below 120% of the local Area Median Income and intend to purchase a primary residence in Indiana or Michigan. According to HUDs Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity on Dec. 7, 2021, the Black-White homeownership gap is wider today than it was in 1968 when the Fair Housing Act became law. The Banks district of Indiana and Michigan is no different than the national trends. Additionally, mounting research has shown the stark effect that parental homeownership status can have on young adults. Researchers for a 2018 study on intergenerational homeownership by the Urban Institute found that parental homeownership had a significant correlating effect on young adult homeownership: even when controlling for income, gender, race, marital status and other common factors known to affect homeownership rates, young adults whose parents owned a home were found to be statistically more likely to own homes or prioritize homeownership themselves. The success of last years pilot round clearly demonstrates the need and desire for programs like this across Indiana and Michigan, said MaryBeth Wott, SVP Community Investment and Strategic Planning Officer. This program is a vital tool our members can use to help address homeownership gaps in their communities and across our district. The Bank is thrilled to play our part in helping eligible households achieve their homeownership goals. Community Investment staff will host a program introduction and training webinar to member financial institutions and related community stakeholders on July 24, 2024. Interested parties may register for the webinar on the Banks website. The program launches in full Aug. 14, 2024. Households will be assisted on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. Only participating FHLBank Indianapolis member financial institutions may submit HomeBoost grant applications on behalf of eligible households. Learn more about HomeBoost and other community and housing programs offered by the Bank at www.fhlbi.com. Media contact information: For more information, contact Katherine Marshall, Corporate Communications Specialist, at kmarshall@fhlbi.com. Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis: Building Partnerships. Serving Communities FHLBank Indianapolis is a regional bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. FHLBanks are government-sponsored enterprises created by Congress to provide access to low-cost funding for their member financial institutions, with particular attention paid to providing solutions that support the housing and small business needs of members' customers. FHLBanks are privately capitalized and funded, and they receive no Congressional appropriations. One of 11 independent regional cooperative banks across the U.S., FHLBank Indianapolis is owned by its Indiana and Michigan financial institution members, including commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, savings institutions and community development financial institutions. For more information about FHLBank Indianapolis, visit www.fhlbi.com and follow the Bank on LinkedIn, and Instagram and X at @FHLBankIndy. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c1aaf5c3-2a70-4695-afec-5416a321c5a8 HALF-YEAR STATEMENT ON THE LIQUIDITY AGREEMENT Regulated Information Paris, 19 July 2024 Half-year statement and information about the number of executed transactions and the exchanged volume regarding the liquidity agreement of SOCIETE GENERALE. Under the liquidity agreement signed between Societe Generale and Rothschild Martin Maurel, the following assets were held by the liquidity account as of 30 June 2024: 15,000 shares 4,962,098.00 As a reminder: on the date of signing the liquidity account, i.e August 22, 2011 the following assets appeared in the liquidity account: 0 share 170,000,000.00 the amendment of December 19, 2018 to the liquidity account reduced these resources to: 0 share 5,000,000.00 as of 31 December 2023, the following assets were allocated to the liquidity account: 0 share 5,201,621.00 The following information presents the number of transactions executed on purchases and sales, as well as the volume exchanged on purchases and sales in shares number and in capital from 01 January to 30 June 2024 within the framework of the liquidity agreement signed between Societe Generale and Rothschild Martin Maurel. As a reminder, the liquidity contract has temporarily been suspended from 27 May 2024 to 25 June 2024 throughout the share buyback period. DATE NUMBER OF PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS NUMBER OF SALE TRANSACTIONS QUANTITY OF PURCHASE QUANTITY OF SALE TOTAL PURCHASED AMOUNT TOTAL SOLD AMOUNT 02/01/2024 38 40 14,000 11,500 344,386.00 283,498.00 03/01/2024 33 8 9,250 2,750 223,951.75 66,640.75 04/01/2024 6 44 1,178 10,178 28,341.50 247,386.47 05/01/2024 16 20 3,000 3,000 72,543.00 72,618.00 08/01/2024 35 10 4,000 4,000 98,084.00 98,216.00 09/01/2024 21 42 13,500 13,000 333,328.50 321,347.00 10/01/2024 63 36 21,701 13,000 532,000.02 319,631.00 11/01/2024 87 37 25,299 13,700 599,991.08 324,511.90 12/01/2024 16 7 4,000 4,000 94,408.00 94,988.00 15/01/2024 17 11 3,000 1,800 69,939.00 42,096.60 16/01/2024 13 7 2,500 2,500 57,682.50 57,900.00 17/01/2024 11 2 2,000 1,000 45,538.00 22,920.00 18/01/2024 11 50 4,200 10,600 96,705.00 245,178.00 19/01/2024 11 7 3,400 3,000 78,863.00 69,780.00 22/01/2024 14 17 6,500 9,500 152,282.00 223,677.50 23/01/2024 6 7 2,000 3,500 46,740.00 82,173.00 24/01/2024 2 41 2,500 14,000 59,262.50 331,968.00 25/01/2024 39 28 12,500 12,044 293,500.00 284,081.83 26/01/2024 44 33 13,000 11,956 308,451.00 283,680.01 29/01/2024 36 55 17,500 20,000 413,875.00 473,800.00 30/01/2024 33 43 15,000 15,000 356,865.00 356,925.00 31/01/2024 44 43 17,500 17,500 418,880.00 419,300.00 01/2024 596 588 197,528 197,528 4,725,616.85 4,722,317.06 01/02/2024 44 31 25,000 15,000 576,150.00 347,085.00 02/02/2024 31 63 10,000 20,000 230,800.00 464,040.00 05/02/2024 53 14 18,500 8,500 426,018.00 195,253.50 06/02/2024 39 45 16,500 13,500 372,669.00 306,342.00 07/02/2024 19 9 7,000 3,000 155,659.00 66,831.00 08/02/2024 168 255 64,000 68,000 1,415,936.00 1,511,300.00 09/02/2024 21 11 8,500 2,500 185,665.50 54,740.00 12/02/2024 9 9 2,000 2,000 43,350.00 43,490.00 13/02/2024 28 22 5,193 4,193 112,495.96 90,988.10 14/02/2024 16 46 7,250 9,750 156,708.75 211,214.25 15/02/2024 20 31 3,428 6,178 74,253.91 134,217.05 16/02/2024 50 35 9,160 11,410 202,518.44 252,663.04 19/02/2024 31 8 8,000 4,500 175,416.00 99,315.00 20/02/2024 10 49 4,000 20,000 88,224.00 442,660.00 21/02/2024 58 41 16,500 16,500 368,280.00 368,362.50 22/02/2024 45 60 25,490 18,000 574,009.31 405,594.00 23/02/2024 17 60 10,510 18,000 235,487.06 404,568.00 26/02/2024 20 26 6,750 6,750 150,032.25 150,396.75 27/02/2024 28 26 7,500 7,500 167,355.00 167,422.50 28/02/2024 9 21 5,000 5,000 112,085.00 112,210.00 29/02/2024 35 20 10,000 10,000 224,600.00 224,950.00 02/2024 751 882 270,281 270,281 6,047,713.18 6,053,642.69 DATE NUMBER OF PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS NUMBER OF SALE TRANSACTIONS QUANTITY OF PURCHASE QUANTITY OF SALE TOTAL PURCHASED AMOUNT TOTAL SOLD AMOUNT 01/03/2024 26 8 9,240 9,240 209,664.84 209,766.48 04/03/2024 29 21 8,000 8,000 180,280.00 180,520.00 05/03/2024 32 31 10,500 10,500 239,137.50 239,200.50 06/03/2024 67 51 30,000 22,500 687,450.00 514,822.50 07/03/2024 10 15 2,500 10,000 57,950.00 230,030.00 08/03/2024 42 50 10,000 10,000 231,620.00 232,210.00 11/03/2024 26 21 11,000 11,000 254,903.00 254,925.00 12/03/2024 38 55 17,500 17,500 412,685.00 412,860.00 13/03/2024 24 36 7,600 7,600 179,861.60 180,439.20 14/03/2024 50 36 18,154 18,154 426,147.00 426,092.53 15/03/2024 26 38 10,000 10,000 235,840.00 235,970.00 18/03/2024 47 22 13,500 13,500 319,950.00 320,328.00 19/03/2024 24 10 12,000 6,000 288,852.00 144,024.00 20/03/2024 10 18 3,500 9,500 83,842.50 228,636.50 21/03/2024 21 23 21,000 21,000 513,513.00 513,744.00 22/03/2024 59 62 28,500 25,500 701,755.50 628,320.00 25/03/2024 15 0 7,000 0 169,253.00 0 26/03/2024 11 19 5,000 13,000 120,795.00 315,458.00 27/03/2024 40 45 12,500 14,500 302,625.00 351,422.00 28/03/2024 28 34 12,000 12,000 294,996.00 295,236.00 03/2024 625 595 249,494 249,494 5,911,120.94 5,914,004.71 02/04/2024 25 20 6,000 6,000 148,620.00 148,974.00 03/04/2024 24 17 10,000 10,000 252,030.00 252,190.00 04/04/2024 51 37 20,300 20,300 516,614.70 517,041.00 05/04/2024 52 27 20,000 8,500 501,980.00 213,010.00 08/04/2024 13 15 10,495 8,500 263,644.90 213,741.00 09/04/2024 14 22 10,000 11,995 249,680.00 301,230.44 10/04/2024 28 58 10,000 21,500 250,580.00 541,327.00 11/04/2024 66 27 25,100 11,800 642,936.50 301,584.40 12/04/2024 0 8 0 13,100 0 341,910.00 15/04/2024 82 53 16,500 11,700 420,156.00 298,385.10 16/04/2024 89 49 17,000 12,000 413,678.00 292,416.00 17/04/2024 132 123 30,000 30,000 726,510.00 730,260.00 18/04/2024 22 48 4,182 14,182 102,003.16 347,615.00 19/04/2024 35 83 17,500 17,500 428,015.00 428,347.50 22/04/2024 21 17 6,600 6,600 164,419.20 164,788.80 23/04/2024 37 43 6,800 6,800 171,672.80 171,842.80 24/04/2024 38 49 18,200 18,200 459,240.60 459,295.20 25/04/2024 22 20 10,000 9,700 250,620.00 243,683.40 26/04/2024 28 24 16,500 11,800 418,902.00 299,814.40 29/04/2024 16 32 5,000 10,000 127,860.00 255,370.00 30/04/2024 41 5 11,500 2,050 293,020.00 52,500.50 04/2024 836 777 271,677 262,227 6,802,182.86 6,575,326.54 DATE NUMBER OF PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS NUMBER OF SALE TRANSACTIONS QUANTITY OF PURCHASE QUANTITY OF SALE TOTAL PURCHASED AMOUNT TOTAL SOLD AMOUNT 02/05/2024 26 41 12,618 22,068 325,165.86 566,882.78 03/05/2024 64 47 40,000 17,000 1,011,760.00 420,580.00 06/05/2024 47 44 10,600 11,300 255,746.20 273,912.00 07/05/2024 10 35 7,300 16,600 180,039.90 409,737.80 08/05/2024 59 104 20,500 33,500 509,589.00 837,064.50 09/05/2024 15 4 3,863 3,863 97,208.53 97,343.74 10/05/2024 53 79 14,000 14,000 361,452.00 361,830.00 13/05/2024 26 18 10,500 7,000 276,601.50 184,786.00 14/05/2024 37 68 16,550 20,050 450,342.05 544,798.60 15/05/2024 68 76 24,000 24,000 659,568.00 660,000.00 16/05/2024 90 87 36,326 31,326 991,227.56 854,698.58 17/05/2024 24 35 9,500 14,500 258,248.00 395,342.50 20/05/2024 27 26 4,330 4,330 119,711.51 119,928.01 21/05/2024 51 18 12,200 9,700 334,999.80 265,624.80 22/05/2024 26 12 10,450 4,400 286,361.35 120,634.80 23/05/2024 33 37 5,050 13,600 138,248.80 373,605.60 24/05/2024 27 14 7,862 3,862 213,814.95 104,725.85 05/2024 683 745 245,649 251,099 6,470,085.02 6,591,495.57 26/06/2024 11 0 6,000 0 133,596.00 0 27/06/2024 45 15 11,000 8,000 242,550.00 176,904.00 28/06/2024 22 5 4,440 2,440 97,564.56 53,553.12 06/2024 78 20 21,440 10,440 473,710.56 230,457.12 S1/2024 3,569 3,607 1,256,069 1,241,069 30,430,429.40 30,087,243.69 Press contacts: Jean-Baptiste Froville_+33 1 58 98 68 00_ jean-baptiste.froville@socgen.com Fanny Rouby_+33 1 57 29 11 12_ fanny.rouby@socgen.com Societe Generale Societe Generale is a top tier European Bank with more than 126,000 employees serving about 25 million clients in 65 countries across the world. We have been supporting the development of our economies for 160 years, providing our corporate, institutional, and individual clients with a wide array of value-added advisory and financial solutions. Our long-lasting and trusted relationships with the clients, our cutting-edge expertise, our unique innovation, our ESG capabilities and leading franchises are part of our DNA and serve our most essential objective - to deliver sustainable value creation for all our stakeholders. The Group runs three complementary sets of businesses, embedding ESG offerings for all its clients: French Retail, Private Banking and Insurance , with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank. , with leading retail bank SG and insurance franchise, premium private banking services, and the leading digital bank BoursoBank. Global Banking and Investor Solutions, a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG. a top tier wholesale bank offering tailored-made solutions with distinctive global leadership in equity derivatives, structured finance and ESG. International Retail, Mobility & Leasing Services, comprising well-established universal banks (in Czech Republic, Romania and several African countries), Ayvens (the new ALD I LeasePlan brand), a global player in sustainable mobility, as well as specialized financing activities. Committed to building together with its clients a better and sustainable future, Societe Generale aims to be a leading partner in the environmental transition and sustainability overall. The Group is included in the principal socially responsible investment indices: DJSI (Europe), FTSE4Good (Global and Europe), Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion Index, Euronext Vigeo (Europe and Eurozone), STOXX Global ESG Leaders indexes, and the MSCI Low Carbon Leaders Index (World and Europe). In case of doubt regarding the authenticity of this press release, please go to the end of the Group News page on societegenerale.com website where official Press Releases sent by Societe Generale can be certified using blockchain technology. A link will allow you to check the documents legitimacy directly on the web page. For more information, you can follow us on Twitter/X @societegenerale or visit our website societegenerale.com . Attachment Davenport, Iowa, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ImpactLife continues to send blood components to support patient needs in the area of Texas hit by Hurricane Beryl earlier this month. Many blood drives throughout the region were canceled after the hurricane made landfall early on July 8, 2024, and several community donor centers were temporarily closed due to power outages, hindering the region's available blood supply. While continuing to meet commitments to local hospitals, ImpactLife is participating in a national effort to support the region's blood supply, and has made additional shipments of platelets and red blood cells each of the last two weeks to Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center and to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, both based in Houston. Kevin Shipley, Associate Vice President of Community Engagement with Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, shares a word of thanks from the region affected by Hurricane Beryl. (view on YouTube | download .mp4) Hurricane Beryl has left people in our community without power for multiple days or even a week. This has put a damper on our blood supply and our ability to provide the units needed every single day by the thousands of patients that we serve. Were very fortunate and we want to say thank you to the many partners across the country who have stepped up and helped send units so that every patient, every day, every hospital, doesnt have to worry about blood being readily available. Thank you to our partners and to the donors across the country who have supported us in our time of need. -Kevin Shipley, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center Blood and platelet donations are used to support ongoing, routine use at local hospitals while a reserve is needed in case of a spike in demand due to large scale emergency or mass trauma. Additional donations from type O-positive and O-negative blood donors, and from platelet donors of all blood types, are needed at this time. To schedule, call ImpactLife at (800) 747-5401, visit www.bloodcenter.org, or download the ImpactLife mobile app at www.bloodcenter.org/app. ImpactLife Donor Promotions (through July 31) To thank donors who give blood during this critical time of year, ImpactLife will provide all presenting donors with a voucher to redeem for their choice of an electronic gift card, bonus points to use in the Donor Rewards Store, or an equivalent donation to Make-a-Wish Illinois, Make-a-Wish Iowa, Make-a-Wish Missouri, or Make-a-Wish Wisconsin via the blood centers Good Giving program. Whole blood donation (Donor Centers and mobile blood drives) $20 gift card, $20 donation OR 1,000 points (Donor Centers and mobile blood drives) Double red and plasma only donations $25 gift card, $25 donation OR 1,500 points Platelet donations (donors who have given platelets 2+ times previously with ImpactLife) $25 gift card, $25 donation OR 1,500 points (donors who have given platelets 2+ times previously with ImpactLife) Platelet donations (donors first or second attempt to ever give platelets with ImpactLife) $50 gift card, $50 donation OR 3,000 points (donors first or second attempt to ever give platelets with ImpactLife) About ImpactLife ImpactLife is a nonprofit community organization providing blood services to more than 120 hospitals and emergency medical service providers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as resource sharing partners across the country. The blood center operates 23 Donor Centers and holds approximately 5000 mobile blood drives annually to provide blood components needed by hospitals and in pre-hospital emergency response throughout our region. For more information on blood inventories and donor promotions, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. -end- Attachment RALEIGH, N.C., July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SECU Foundation has announced its renewed support of Lead for North Carolina (LFNC), a post-graduate fellowship program at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill School of Government. With its $1 million grant, the Foundation will serve as the lead funder for the placement of up to 150 LFNC SECU fellows in paid local government fellowship positions over a five-year period. Lead for North Carolina was the Foundations first venture in education funding for graduate students, helping UNC School of Government launch its pilot in 2019. The program aims to recruit, train, and place promising young leaders in fellowships to strengthen local governments, support communities, and create a new generation of public servants. The Foundations grant will help ensure program growth, doubling the more than 100 young leaders who have been placed in high-impact LFNC fellowships in 90 organizations to date. Lead for North Carolina is an incredible program, and we couldnt be more pleased to champion the efforts of the UNC School of Government with our grant, said SECU Foundation Board Member Mona Moon. LFNC SECU fellows are passionate about public service and committed to uplifting the work of local governments and the communities they serve. LFNC builds upon the Foundations SECU Public Service Internship program and is a wonderful opportunity for those considering a career in public service. Much like SECU Foundations model of the power of a dollar, collectively and cooperatively, each Lead for NC fellow is making a positive transformation on North Carolina, said LFNC Executive Director Dylan Russell. From 125 new partnerships, to securing over $100 million in grants county by county, town by town, fellow by fellow these young professionals are actively increasing the capacity of local governments, and together we are creating the next bench of civic leaders in North Carolina. This state is better because of their work and because of SECU Foundations investment in this program. About SECU and SECU Foundation A not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members, and federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), SECU has been providing employees of the state of North Carolina and their families with consumer financial services for 87 years. SECU is the second largest credit union in the United States with $56 billion in assets. It serves more than 2.8 million members through 275 branch offices, over 1,100 ATMs, Member Services Support via phone, www.ncsecu.org, and the SECU Mobile App. The SECU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high-impact projects in the areas of housing, education, healthcare, and human services. Since 2004, SECU Foundation has made a collective financial commitment of over $258 million for initiatives to benefit North Carolinians statewide. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cd252580-b8ac-4d48-87a7-97794110d292 Toronto, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Restaurants Canada congratulates the LCBO and Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) in reaching a tentative agreement. The strike created a challenging situation for our industry, and we are thankful the parties have reached a deal. We are grateful to the Ford government, LCBO management and staff for their tireless efforts to prioritize restaurants and bars by allocating limited resources to our sector. This prioritizing helped mitigate the negative impacts of the strike. Restaurants and bars could continue to operate and serve communities and visitor during our peak season. Our operators are breathing a sigh of relief, said Kelly Higginson, President & CEO, Restaurants Canada. The past few weeks have been extremely challenging during this critical time of year. The support of our industry by the Ford government during this strike is appreciated. The food service industry in Ontario is a $44.5 billion sector, employing nearly 445,000 individuals. Around 14,000 locations rely significantly on alcohol sales for their revenue. New York, United States , July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Rugged Electronics Market Size is to Grow from USD 14.75 Billion in 2023 to USD 33.72 Billion by 2033, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.62% during the projected period. Get a Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/request-sample/5152 The rugged electronics market comprises an extensive variety of devices that can withstand harsh conditions, making them crucial in defense, aerospace, industrial manufacturing, and outdoor recreation. Rugged electronics are intended to survive hard conditions such as extreme temperatures, moisture, shock, and vibration, ensuring dependable functioning in areas where standard consumer electronics would fail. These devices usually have stronger casings, sealed ports to prevent dust and water infiltration, and greater longevity due to high testing standards. Furthermore, many innovations have an impact on the rugged electronics market, which is always evolving. As these devices become more integrated into critical infrastructure, cybersecurity becomes increasingly important. The increased demand for rugged cameras and drones in the military and defense sectors is one of the key drivers of the rugged electronics market as a whole. Furthermore, the use of grade and blower fans in the automotive sector, including the growing use of stretchable electronics in healthcare, is propelling market expansion. The high initial costs associated with developing and producing dependable devices are a key barrier to their widespread adoption. Browse key industry insights spread across 234 pages with 110 Market data tables and figures & charts from the report on the " Global Rugged Electronics Market Size, Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Rugged Hard Ware Devices, Industrial Computing and Hand Held Devices, Tracking Devices, and Others), By Application (Mining and Metal Chemicals, Transportation, Healthcare, Defense, Aerospace, Adventure Sports, and Others), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 2033." Buy Now Full Report: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/checkout/5152 The industrial computing and hand held devices segment accounted for the largest revenue share of the rugged electronics market during the projected timeframe. Based on the type, the rugged electronics market is categorized into rugged hardware devices, industrial computing and hand held devices, tracking devices, and others. Among these, the industrial computing and hand held devices segment accounted for the largest revenue share of the rugged electronics market during the projected timeframe. Rugged industrial computing and handheld devices are advanced versions of standard laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other portable computing devices like GPS. Rugged industrial computers and handheld devices are crucial in businesses that require powerful computing solutions for operations such as manufacturing, shipping, and field services. The defense segment holds the highest market share in the rugged electronics market during the projected timeframe. The rugged electronics market is categorized by application into mining and metal chemicals, transportation, healthcare, defense, aerospace, adventure sports, and others. Among these, the defense segment holds the highest market share in the rugged electronics market during the projected timeframe. The defense sector requires equipment that can function optimally in extreme conditions, such as during a conflict. Several countries are expected to raise spending to make their defense sectors smarter, driving market growth. Inquire Before Buying This Research Report: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/5152 North America is expected to hold the largest share of the rugged electronics market over the forecast period. North America is expected to hold the largest share of the rugged electronics market over the forecast period. The market's growth is driven by factors such as the presence of major industry players and the increasing use of rugged electronics solutions by various industrial verticals. The regional market is expected to grow as rugged electronics technology advances and defense and military spending increases. Asia Pacific is predicted to grow at the fastest pace in the rugged electronics market during the projected timeframe. Improved network connectivity and coverage in extreme conditions is becoming a more typical trend in the regional market. Rugged electrical gadgets feature powerful processing capabilities and a wide range of tasks. The fast expansion of end-user industries is expected to considerably impact the Asia Pacific rugged electronics market. Competitive Analysis: The report offers the appropriate analysis of the key organizations/companies involved within the global market along with a comparative evaluation primarily based on their product offering, business overviews, geographic presence, enterprise strategies, segment market share, and SWOT analysis. The report also provides an elaborative analysis focusing on the current news and developments of the companies, which includes product development, innovations, joint ventures, partnerships, mergers & acquisitions, strategic alliances, and others. This allows for the evaluation of the overall competition within the market. Major vendors in rugged electronics are Honeywell, Zebra Technologies, Curtiss Wright Controls Electronic Systems, Inc., NCS Technologies, Inc., Rave Computer Association, Inc., Rugged Science LLC, Panasonic, Touch Star Technologies Ltd, DT Research Inc., Siemens, Schneider Electric, General Dynamics Corporation, Getac, Dell Technologies, and others. Get Discount At @ https://www.sphericalinsights.com/request-discount/5152 Recent Developments In May 2021, Panasonic announced the TOUGHBOOK S1 Tablet, a powerful new fully rugged tablet that improves flexibility and dependability for mobile personnel. Market Segment This study forecasts revenue at global, regional, and country levels from 2020 to 2033. Spherical Insights has segmented the rugged electronics market based on the below-mentioned segments: Global Rugged Electronics Market, By Type Rugged Hard Ware Devices Industrial Computing and Hand Held Devices Tracking Devices Others Global Rugged Electronics Market, By Application Mining and Metal Chemicals Transportation Healthcare Defense Aerospace Adventure Sports Others Global Rugged Electronics Market, By Regional Analysis North America US Canada Mexico Europe Germany UK France Italy Spain Russia Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Rest of Asia Pacific South America Brazil Argentina Rest of South America Middle East & Africa UAE Saudi Arabia Qatar South Africa Rest of the Middle East & Africa Browse Related Reports Global Projector Screen Market Size , Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Ceiling Recessed, Wall & Ceiling, Portable, Floor Rising, Fixed Frame, and Others), By Application (Personal and Professional), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 2033 Global Digitally Delivered Services Market Size , Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Component Type (Solutions, and Services), By Organization Size (SMEs, Large Enterprises, and Others), By Verticals (Manufacturing, BFSI, Healthcare and Life Science, Telecommunication and IT, Government and Defense, Retail and E-commerce, and Others), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 2033 Global Digital Evidence Management Market Size , Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Component (Software, Hardware, Services), By Deployment Type (Cloud, On-Premise, Hybrid), By Application (Criminal Investigations, Legal Proceedings, Fraud Detection, Incident Response, Surveillance, Others), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 2033 Global Digital Audio Workstation Market Size , Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Recording, Editing, and Mixing), By OS Compatibility (MAC, Windows, Android, and Linux), By End-user (Professional/Audio Engineers & Mixers, Electronic Musicians, and Music Studios), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa), Analysis and Forecast 2023 2033 About the Spherical Insights & Consulting Spherical Insights & Consulting is a market research and consulting firm which provides actionable market research study, quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight especially designed for decision makers and aids ROI. Which is catering to different industry such as financial sectors, industrial sectors, government organizations, universities, non-profits and corporations. The company's mission is to work with businesses to achieve business objectives and maintain strategic improvements. CONTACT US: For More Information on Your Target Market, Please Contact Us Below: Phone: +1 303 800 4326 (the U.S.) Phone: +91 90289 24100 (APAC) Email: inquiry@sphericalinsights.com, sales@sphericalinsights.com Contact Us: https://www.sphericalinsights.com/contact-us Follow Us: LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter Vancouver, British Columbia, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Terra Balcanica Resources Corp. (Terra or the Company) (CSE:TERA; FRA:UB1) is pleased to announce closing of the 2nd tranche of the previously announced non-brokered private placement financing (the Offering) of units (the Units) for gross proceeds of $567,000 Canadian, resulting in aggregate gross proceeds of $772,750 raised in the Offering to date. The Company previously closed an initial tranche of the Offering for gross proceeds of $205,750 as described in the Companys press release dated June 17th, 2024. The Company issued an aggregate of 5,670,000 Units at a price of $0.10 per Unit pursuant to the second tranche of the Offering announced on May 17th, 2024 with an oversubscription due to investor interest. Terra announced an increase in the amount of the Offering on July 17th, 2024 to raise aggregate gross proceeds of up to $1,450,000. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each a Common Share) and one Common Share purchase warrant (each a Warrant). Each Warrant issued in the second tranche of the Offering entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.15 until July 19th, 2027. Finders fees in the amount of $11,200 were paid. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital and to fund the Phase III drilling campaign across its portfolio of properties. Pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws, all securities issued and issuable in connection with the closing of the second tranche of the Offering are subject to a four (4) month hold period ending November 20th, 2024. The Offering is subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of any U.S. person or any person in the United States, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. United States and U.S. Person are as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act. About the Company Terra Balcanica is a polymetallic and energy metals exploration company targeting large-scale mineral systems in the Balkans of southeastern Europe and northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company has 90% interest in the Viogor-Zanik Project in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina and owns 100% of the Ceovishte mineral exploration licence in southern Serbia. The Canadian assets comprise a 100% optioned portfolio of uranium-prospective licences at the outskirts of the world-renowned Athabasca basin: Charlot-Neely Lake, Fontaine Lake, Snowbird, and South Pendleton. The Company emphasizes responsible engagement with local communities and stakeholders. It is committed to proactively implementing Good International Industry Practice (GIIP) and sustainable health, safety, and environmental management. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Terra Balcanica Resources Corp. Aleksandar Miskovic Aleksandar Miskovic President and CEO For the complete information on this news release, please contact Aleksandar Miskovic at amiskovic@terrabresources.com , +1 (514) 796-7577, or visit www.terrabresources.com /en/news . Cautionary Statement This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively forward-looking statements). The use of any of the words will, intends and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, the use of proceeds for the Offering. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect including, but not limited to, the ability to obtain regulatory approval for the Offering; volatility and sensitivity to market prices; volatility and sensitivity to capital market fluctuations; and fluctuations in metal prices. Such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors. The Company believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES DENVER, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intermap Technologies (TSX: IMP; OTCQB: ITMSF) (Intermap or the Company), a global leader in 3D geospatial products and intelligence solutions, today announced an amendment to the terms of its financing announced on July 3, 2024. Due to strong demand from new and existing shareholders, the Company is now offering up to a maximum of 6,666,666 Class A common shares of the Company (Common Shares), which upon issuance will rank pari passu in all respects with the Companys existing issued Common Shares at the same price of C$0.45 per Share for maximum gross proceeds of C$2,999,999.70 (the Amended Offering). In connection with this Amended Offering, Intermap has engaged a third-party finder (the Finder) to conduct a best efforts private placement of the Common Shares. The Finder will receive the same fee of: (i) an aggregate cash fee equal to 1% of the gross proceeds of the Amended Offering; and (ii) an issuance of Common Shares equal to 6% of the Common Shares placed by the Finder under the Amended Offering. The Company intends to use the aggregate net proceeds of the Amended Offering for the execution of contracts and for working capital. Primarily, the capital will be used to execute on its contract with the Indonesian government to map the island of Sulawesi as well as on a renewed and expanded contract with the U.S. Air Force. The net proceeds of the Amended Offering may also be used in connection with other Southeast Asian contract awards as well as a major renewal and expansion of a global insurance client agreement. Further details on the use of proceeds are set forth in the Amended Offering Document (as defined herein). Intermap has received its special area permit from Indonesia and will commence deployment in the country soon. As part of its preparation, the Company has completed upgrades to its aircraft platform and IFSAR systems. Intermap has also met first pre-deployment milestones and completed all associated contracting. As part of its preparation for deployment, Intermap acquired best-in-class, new hardware from VeriDaaS at attractive pricing. The upgraded technology infrastructure ensures speed, stability, security and flexibility as the Company executes its strategic repositioning. The Amended Offering is expected to close in one or more tranches between the date hereof and August 16, 2024 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements, the Common Shares will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in Canada (except Quebec) pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions (the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption) and to purchasers resident in the United States by way of private placement pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 1933 Act). Because the Amended Offering is being completed pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, the securities issued in Canada under the Amended Offering will not be subject to a hold period in Canada pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an amended offering document related to this Amended Offering (the Amended Offering Document) that can be accessed under the Companys profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on Intermaps website at www.intermap.com. Prospective investors should read this Amended Offering Document before making an investment decision. The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the 1933 Act, or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Intermap Reader Advisory Certain information provided in this news release, including reference to the availability of proceeds from the Amended Offering, the Companys ability to raise up to the maximum proceeds of the Amended Offering, the use of proceeds of the Amended Offering, the expectation that the Amended Offering will close and the anticipated timing thereof and the award of new contracts and contract renewals and the use of proceeds in the Amended Offering in connection therewith, constitutes forward-looking statements. The words will, intends, expected to, subject to and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermaps forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, the nature of government contracts, including changing political circumstances in the relevant jurisdictions, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermaps Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023 and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law. About Intermap Technologies Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP; OTCQB: ITMSF) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions, focusing on the creation and analysis of 3D terrain data to produce high-resolution thematic models. Through scientific analysis of geospatial information and patented sensors and processing technology, the Company provisions diverse, complementary, multi-source datasets to enable customers to seamlessly integrate geospatial intelligence into their workflows. Intermaps 3D elevation data and software analytic capabilities enable global geospatial analysis through artificial intelligence and machine learning, providing customers with critical information to understand their terrain environment. By leveraging its proprietary archive of the worlds largest collection of multi-sensor global elevation data, the Companys collection and processing capabilities provide multi-source 3D datasets and analytics at mission speed, enabling governments and companies to build and integrate geospatial foundation data with actionable insights. Applications for Intermaps products and solutions include defense, aviation and UAV flight planning, flood and wildfire insurance, disaster mitigation, base mapping, environmental and renewable energy planning, telecommunications, engineering, critical infrastructure monitoring, hydrology, land management, oil and gas and transportation. For more information, please visit www.intermap.com or contact: Patrick A. Blott Chairman and CEO CEO@intermap.com +1 (303) 708-0955 Sean Peasgood Investor Relations Sean@SophicCapital.com +1 (647) 260-9266 VANCOUVER, July 19, 2024 - MAX Power Mining Corp. (CSE: MAXX; OTC: MAXXF; FRANKFURT: 89N) ("MAX Power" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Mr. Neil McMillan, former Chairman of the world's largest publicly traded uranium company, has joined MAX Power as Senior Strategic Advisor, effective immediately. Mr. McMillan has enjoyed a dynamic career spanning several decades in the investment industry, mining and government. Mr. McMillan commented: "After 16 wonderful years with Cameco, I've been looking for something new and unique with the potential to really impact our resource sector. I'm tremendously excited and inspired by Natural Hydrogen, a new emerging commodity right under our feet, and its potential to be a game-changer in North America's energy sector. I'm impressed with MAX Power's aggressiveness, the team it has assembled and its first mover leadership advantage in Natural Hydrogen in Canada and the United States. I'm looking forward to leveraging my experience and a strong network of relationships covering multiple sectors to help MAX Power accelerate and execute on an already compelling game plan." Neil McMillan Highlights: Chairman of the Board of Cameco from 2013 to 2018 after first joining the board in 2002 Former Board member of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., a federal Crown agency President and CEO of Claude Resources from 1995-2014 where he led Saskatchewan's first gold mining company and made it profitable, contributing to its ultimate buyout by Silver Standard Resources in 2016 for $337 million Long-time Director of Star Diamond Corp. until 2020 16 years in the financial sector, managing RBC Dominion Securities in Saskatoon Former President of the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce Saskatchewan MLA from 1975 to 1978 Mr. Rav Mlait, MAX Power CEO, commented: "Neil is highly regarded in Saskatchewan and elsewhere for both the person he is and all that he has accomplished in his career. His commitment to excellence, his integrity, and his resource sector and business knowledge combine to make him an impactful addition to our team as we further solidify our leadership in the rapidly growing Natural Hydrogen sector in North America." Natural Hydrogen Video Learn more about Natural Hydrogen by clicking on the following link: https://vimeo.com/953002092/d6f8574ba4 MAX Power Corporate Video Learn more about MAX Power by clicking on the following link: https://vimeo.com/960577397/1511a6d016 MAX Power Corporate Presentation Click on the following link to view MAX Power's updated Corporate Deck: https://maxpowermining.com/Presentations/MAXPower-Corporate.pdf About MAX Power MAX Power is an innovative mineral exploration company focused on North America's shift to decarbonization. MAX Power is a first mover in the rapidly growing Natural Hydrogen sector, through strategic alliances with Calgary-based Chapman Hydrogen & Petroleum Engineering Ltd., and European- based Larin Engineering HHC. MAX Power also holds a portfolio of properties in the United States and Canada focused on critical minerals. These properties are highlighted by a recent diamond drilling discovery at the Willcox Playa Lithium Project in southeast Arizona. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Rav Mlait - CEO MAX Power Mining Corp. info@maxpowermining.com Tel: 778-655-9266 Investor Relations: MarketSmart Communications Tel: 877-261-4466 Forward-Looking Statement Cautions This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to natural hydrogen, exploration and acquisition of natural hydrogen properties; ability to locate, discover and/or extract natural hydrogen from the subsurface, commentary as it relates to the opportune timing to carry out natural hydrogen exploration, and any anticipated increasing demand for natural hydrogen; any results and updates thereto as it relates to any future drill program, and the funding of that program; and upcoming press releases by the Company. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. They are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "interpreted", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "aims", "suggests", "often", "target", "future", "likely", "pending", "potential", "goal", "objective", "prospective", "possibly", "preliminary", and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "can", "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made, and they involve number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the CSE, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with possible accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, risks associated with the interpretation of assay results and the drilling program, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out its exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of political uncertainties and regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis, publicly available through the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.ca for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, July 19, 2024 - First Nordic Metals Corp. ("FNM" or the "Company") (TSXV: FNM) (OTCQB: FNMCF) (FRA: HEG0) is pleased to announce that it will host an X (formerly Twitter) Spaces session on Monday July 22, 2024, at 4pm ET, with a host of industry experts to discuss recent company developments and answer investor questions. First Nordic Metals President & CEO Taj Singh and Chief Development Officer Adam Cegielski will be joined by a panel of experts, discussing our portfolio of projects in Sweden and Finland, key relevant topics in the precious metals sector, recent company news, and more. Investors can access the audio-only X Spaces session "FNM.V & Expert Panel talk Recent Updates, Industry News & More" at the following link: https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1lDGLldARDMGm. Investors are encouraged to submit their questions to the company by emailing info@firstnordicmetals.com. ABOUT FIRST NORDIC METALS The Company's flagship asset is the Barsele gold project, located in Sweden and in a joint venture with senior gold producer Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.. Immediately surrounding the Barsele project, FNM is the 100%-owner of a district-scale license position of close to 100,000 hectares on Gold Line Belt. Additionally, in northern Finland FNM is the 100%-owner of a district-scale position covering the entire Oijarvi Greenstone Belt. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Taj Singh, M.Eng, P.Eng, CPA President & CEO, Director Follow First Nordic Metals: Twitter: @fnmetals | Youtube: @firstnordicmetalscorp | LinkedIn: @firstnordicmetals Facebook: @FirstNordicMetals | Instagram: @firstnordicmetals Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains "forwardlooking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to statements relating to the terms and closing of the Transaction, receipt of TSXV approval of the Transaction and the exploration and results thereof of the Project and the Company's other properties in the Gold Line Belt. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating SOURCE First Nordic Metals Corp. NORTH VANCOUVER, July 19, 2024 - Lion One Metals Ltd. (TSX-V: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) (ASX: LLO) ("Lion One" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an amended agreement with Eight Capital as lead agent (the "Agent"), to upsize the previously announced private placement. In connection with the upsized offering, the Company will issue up to 27,027,027 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.37 per Unit (the "Issue Price") for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $10,000,000 pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption available under National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions (the "Offering"), in each of the Provinces of Canada other than Quebec. Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Share at an exercise price of $0.50 for a period of three years from the date of issuance. The Company will make available an offering document relating to the Offering (the "Offering Document") which will be accessible under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and at https://liononemetals.com. Prospective investors in the Offering should read the Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Offering is expected to close on or around July 26, 2024 (the "Closing Date"). Closing of the Offering is subject to certain customary conditions including receipt of all necessary approvals including satisfaction of listing conditions of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any Shares in the United States. The securities to be sold in the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. About Lion One Metals Limited Lion One Metals is an emerging Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with new operations established in late 2023 at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Deposit, the Underground Gold Mine, the Pilot Plant, and the Assay Lab. The Company also has an extensive exploration license covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, which is host to multiple mineralized zones and highly prospective exploration targets. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Lion One Metals Limited "Walter Berukoff" Chairman and CEO For further information Contact Investor Relations Toll Free (North America) Tel: 1-855-805-1250 Email: info@liononemetals.com Website: www.liononemetals.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward?looking statements and forward?looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward?looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. The forward?looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. Forward-looking statements made in this news release include statements regarding anticipated completion of the Offering and debt settlement, and the proposed use of proceeds of the Offering. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward?looking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including, with respect to the Offering and debt settlement, the conditions of the financial markets, availability of financing, timeliness of completion of the Offering, and the timing of TSX Venture Exchange approval; and with respect to the use of proceeds, the sufficiency of the proceeds, the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, and competitive, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedarplus.ca, including the Offering Document. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward?looking statements and information contained in this news release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward?looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward?looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. VANCOUVER, July 19, 2024 - First Nordic Metals Corp. ("FNM" or the "Company") (TSXV: FNM) (OTCQB: FNMCF) (FRA: HEG0) is pleased to announce that it will host an X (formerly Twitter) Spaces session on Monday July 22, 2024, at 4pm ET, with a host of industry experts to discuss recent company developments and answer investor questions. First Nordic Metals President & CEO Taj Singh and Chief Development Officer Adam Cegielski will be joined by a panel of experts, discussing our portfolio of projects in Sweden and Finland, key relevant topics in the precious metals sector, recent company news, and more. Investors can access the audio-only X Spaces session "FNM.V & Expert Panel talk Recent Updates, Industry News & More" at the following link: https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1lDGLldARDMGm. Investors are encouraged to submit their questions to the company by emailing info@firstnordicmetals.com. ABOUT FIRST NORDIC METALS The Company's flagship asset is the Barsele gold project, located in Sweden and in a joint venture with senior gold producer Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.. Immediately surrounding the Barsele project, FNM is the 100%-owner of a district-scale license position of close to 100,000 hectares on Gold Line Belt. Additionally, in northern Finland FNM is the 100%-owner of a district-scale position covering the entire Oijarvi Greenstone Belt. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Taj Singh, M.Eng, P.Eng, CPA President & CEO, Director Follow First Nordic Metals: Twitter: @fnmetals | Youtube: @firstnordicmetalscorp | LinkedIn: @firstnordicmetals Facebook: @FirstNordicMetals | Instagram: @firstnordicmetals Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This News Release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements, except as required by law. SOURCE First Nordic Metals Corp. Vancouver, July 19, 2024 - Terra Balcanica Resources Corp. ("Terra" or the "Company") (CSE:TERA; FRA:UB1) is pleased to announce closing of the 2nd tranche of the previously announced non-brokered private placement financing (the "Offering") of units (the "Units") for gross proceeds of $567,000 Canadian, resulting in aggregate gross proceeds of $772,750 raised in the Offering to date. The Company previously closed an initial tranche of the Offering for gross proceeds of $205,750 as described in the Company's press release dated June 17th, 2024. The Company issued an aggregate of 5,670,000 Units at a price of $0.10 per Unit pursuant to the second tranche of the Offering announced on May 17th, 2024 with an oversubscription due to investor interest. Terra announced an increase in the amount of the Offering on July 17th, 2024 to raise aggregate gross proceeds of up to $1,450,000. Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each a "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant issued in the second tranche of the Offering entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.15 until July 19th, 2027. Finders' fees in the amount of $11,200 were paid. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for working capital and to fund the Phase III drilling campaign across its portfolio of properties. Pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws, all securities issued and issuable in connection with the closing of the second tranche of the Offering are subject to a four (4) month hold period ending November 20th, 2024. The Offering is subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of any U.S. person or any person in the United States, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. "United States" and "U.S. Person" are as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act. About the Company Terra Balcanica is a polymetallic and energy metals exploration company targeting large-scale mineral systems in the Balkans of southeastern Europe and northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company has 90% interest in the Viogor-Zanik Project in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina and owns 100% of the Ceovishte mineral exploration licence in southern Serbia. The Canadian assets comprise a 100% optioned portfolio of uranium-prospective licences at the outskirts of the world-renowned Athabasca basin: Charlot-Neely Lake, Fontaine Lake, Snowbird, and South Pendleton. The Company emphasizes responsible engagement with local communities and stakeholders. It is committed to proactively implementing Good International Industry Practice (GIIP) and sustainable health, safety, and environmental management. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Terra Balcanica Resources Corp. "Aleksandar Miskovi?" Aleksandar Miskovi? President and CEO For the complete information on this news release, please contact Aleksandar Miskovi? at amiskovic@terrabresources.com, +1 (514) 796-7577, or visit www.terrabresources.com/en/news. Cautionary Statement This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively "forward-looking statements"). The use of any of the words "will", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, the use of proceeds for the Offering. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect including, but not limited to, the ability to obtain regulatory approval for the Offering; volatility and sensitivity to market prices; volatility and sensitivity to capital market fluctuations; and fluctuations in metal prices. Such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors. The Company believes the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. President-elect Joe Bidens selection of a running mate was front-page news with Kamala Harris becoming the first Black woman and first South Asian to hold the job. Her boss, Joe Biden, also gained stature when he was vice president for President Obama, with an unusually active role that far exceeded what was accomplished by previous vice presidents. In fact, the evolution of the vice presidency, in the Constitution and in practice, is one of the most fascinating, bizarre elements of the U.S. government.On Dec. 19, 1793, Vice President John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, my Country has in its Wisdom contrived for me, the most insignificant Office that ever the Invention of Man contrived or his Imagination conceived. Most vice presidents in American history have agreed with Adams assessment of the No. 2 office in the country. Despite being a heartbeat away from the presidency, the office of the vice president has often been relegated to obsolescence.The original Constitution mentioned the vice president three times. Article II, Section 1 specifies that the vice president shall hold a term of four years and the top two candidates will be elected president and vice president. The end of Section 1 states that the vice president takes over the responsibilities of the president should the president be removed from office by death or resignation. Finally, Article II, Section 4 states that the vice president can be removed from office by impeachment.In 1789, the first federal Congress certified the votes of the first presidential election. George Washington received 69 votes, a unanimous vote from all electors. John Adams was the clear second choice with 34 votes. John Jay came in third with nine votes. But the Constitution was silent about the relationship between the president and the vice president.President Washington initially solicited Adams advice, especially as Washington established a social calendar and customs. But Adams and Washington never had a particularly warm relationship and the president didnt invite the vice president to join a single Cabinet meeting, establishing a precedent that held for almost two centuries.The relationship between the president and vice president didnt improve during the second administration. In 1796, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson competed in the presidential election. Adams won with 71 electoral votes to Jeffersons 68 electoral votes. Under the terms of Article II, Jeffersons second-place finish bagged him the vice presidency. As political rivals and opponents, Adams naturally didnt include Jefferson in his Cabinet meetings either.This odd arrangement came to a head during the next election. Each party selected two candidates, one for president and one for vice president in theory, but they were all listed on the same ballot. In the election of 1800, President John Adams came in third with 65 votes, but Democratic-Republican candidates Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied with 73 apiece. The election then went to the House of Representatives, and Jefferson fully expected Burr to step aside. When Burr eagerly competed for the presidency, the House cast 36 ballots before finally selecting Jefferson as the third president of the United States. Jefferson never trusted Burr again and replaced him after the first term.Congress quickly realized that it needed a more predictable process for selecting presidential and vice presidential candidates to avoid the awkward electoral tie that had occurred between Burr and Jefferson. In December 1803, Congress passed the 12th Amendment , which specified that electors would cast separate votes for president and vice presidential candidates in elections going forward.Despite the revisions contained in the 12th Amendment, there was still a pretty sizable hole in the vice presidential selection process. When Andrew Johnson assumed the presidency after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, there was no established process to select Johnsons replacement, so the vice presidency was left vacant for three years and 323 days. A new vice president didnt fill the office until after the election of 1868.The position was so inconsequential that Johnson was not the last president to serve without a vice president, nor was the vacancy the longest! On April 4, 1841, John Tyler took over the presidency when William Henry Harrison died unexpectedly in office. The vice president remained open for three years and 334 days, until the election of 1844. President John F. Kennedys death and Lyndon B. Johnsons assumption of the presidency again emphasized the need for a clear process to select a new vice president, as LBJ didnt have a vice president for one year and 59 days.The 25th Amendment , passed by Congress in July 1965 and ratified in February 1967, finally addressed this situation by declaring that Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.Even after the vice president received more constitutional definition, most presidents have kept their vice presidents at arms length. President Franklin D. Roosevelt shared so little information and responsibility with Harry S. Truman that Truman didnt learn of the existence of the atomic bomb until after Roosevelt died in 1945. In 1960, when reporters asked President Dwight D. Eisenhower to list Vice President Richard Nixons major contributions, Eisenhower replied , Well, if you give me a week I might think of one.Since the passage of the 12th Amendment, presidents mostly selected candidates that served an Electoral College purpose. Only recently have presidential candidates considered who might make the best governing partner. For example, Ronald Reagan selected Bush for electoral reasons, and while Bush proved to be an effective and persistent lieutenant, the relationship between the first and second families remained frosty. Reagan only offered a tepid endorsement of Bushs candidacy and then refused to be seen with the president when Bush was running for re-election. President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore reportedly worked well together during Clintons first term, but the Monica Lewinsky scandal drove a wedge between the two.Dick Cheney started a new chapter in vice presidential history by operating with more authority than any vice president before him. Bush selected Cheney as a veteran politician to provide seasoned, but blunt advice. They worked well together because Cheney had no plans to run for president himself and always deferred to the president. At the same time, he had more influence with the president than anyone else and was frequently characterized as the man behind the curtain pulling the strings. In Bushs second term, however, the relationship changed as Bush increasingly consulted with Condoleezza Rice and fired Donald Rumsfeld (Cheneys mentor). By the time they left office, they disagreed on more issues than they agreed.President Barack Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden might be the first president and vice president that were actually friends. Before accepting the position, Biden demanded a more substantive role than the one most vice presidents had enjoyed. Obama promised that he would be the last person in the room and a partner on critical foreign policy and domestic issues. The president kept his word. Biden frequently traveled abroad on behalf of the administration and managed the economic reconstruction efforts in the wake of the 2008 recession. Their warm relationship inspired countless memes and articles about their bromance and by the end of Obamas term, they both referred to each other as family.All evidence suggests that President-elect Bidens relationship with Obama served as one of the high-water marks of his decades-long public service career, and he seeks to emulate this relationship with his own vice president selection. He has promised Vice President-elect Harris the same access Obama provided to him she will be the last person in the room before every big decision. If so, she will inherit a vice presidency that has evolved significantly from the one created by the Constitution in 1787. HMD Skyline is now up for sale HMD introduced the Skyline smartphone yesterday with a Nokia N9-reminiscent design and a focus on repairability. The Finnish is now ready to ship the Skyline, asking $500/500/400 for its base 8/128 GB version. Upgrading to the top 12/256 GB trip means you are looking at a $600/600/500 price. Certain regional websites also list a middle 8/256 GB variant, but that is not yet available. HMD Skyline comes with a Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset and a 6.55 OLED display with up to 144 Hz refresh rate and a 50 MP selfie camera behind a punch hole. There are three cameras on the back: a 108 MP main camera with PDAF and OIS, a 13 MP ultra-wide shooter and a 50 MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom and PDAF. The battery capacity is 4,600 mAh and supports 33W wired charging, but also uniquely in the Android world 15W wireless Qi2 magnetic charging. Beyond that the HMD Skyline has another trick up its sleeve that the company calls Gen 2 repairability. The phone comes with a screw on the bottom that you unscrew to pop the back panel out, and then easily replace the screen, the battery, or the USB-C port. HMD and iFixit will sell you the parts required for the replacement as well. Source Haiti - News : Zapping... A UDMO agent killed with a machete Wednesday July 17, Faugue Josnick, Agent of the Departmental Law Enforcement Unit (UDMO) was killed with a machete in Saut-d'Eau. The identity of the perpetrator and the motives for this crime are still unknown. 3 bandits killed, around ten injured and several arrested Three alleged bandits were killed, around ten injured and several others arrested during an operation carried out by the police, on July 17, 2024, in three localities in the communes of Anse-d'Ainault, Chambellan and Moron, in the department of Grand'Anse. An M4 assault rifle was confiscated by law enforcement. Judge Saint-Villier re-elected as head of the CSPJ Judge Wando Saint-Villier was re-elected to represent the courts of first instance on the Superior Council of the Judicial Power (CSPJ). He obtained 97% of the votes cast in his favor in the country's 18 jurisdictions in total. Modernization of justice On Wednesday July 17, Presidential Advisor Emmanuel Vertilaire, in charge of the "Justice, Security and Rule of Law" project, spoke with Xavier Michon, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The discussions focused on the modernization of the justice sector through digitalization and the complete digitalization of the system, as well as on the sustainability of this approach. Xavier Michon confirmed that the UN agency will support this initiative to ensure its sustainability. The National Brewery of Haiti awarded The Brasserie Nationale d'Haiti (BRANA), distributor of Heineken beer in Haiti, won this week the "Heineken commerce Awards" in the "Resilience & Agility in Digital Transformation" category. CSPN Special around exams Prime Minister Garry Conille chaired a Higher Council of the National Police (CSPN Special), around the security of the State Examination period. HL/ HaitiLibre The repair of the important AAE-1 undersea cable in the Red Sea, which connects Asia and Europe, has been completed. The approximately 25,000 km long fiber optic connection is now operational again, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. At the same time, repairs are underway on two other submarine telecommunications cables. Anzeige The repairs were carried out by E-Marine, a subsidiary of the Emirates Telecommunications Group, writes Bloomberg. The company's repair ship, the Niwa, is currently working on restoring the Seacom and EIG submarine cables, which were also damaged. According to current investigations, four of a total of 15 submarine cables were damaged in early March by an anchor of the cargo ship Rubymar, which the militant Huthi militia had sunk in the Red Sea. The cables lie close together in the Red Sea and could therefore be damaged together by the operation. The TGN submarine cable is also affected. Houthi militias from Yemen repeatedly carry out attacks on civilian shipping in the strait between Eritrea, Djibouti and Yemen. Repairs after negotiations Initially, it was not clear whether and when the repair work on the undersea cables could be carried out at all. The Yemeni waters are difficult to access due to the divided government in Yemen and the conflict zone in the Red Sea. However, negotiations between the cable operators and the two government parties in Yemen were able to come to a positive conclusion so that the repair work could begin. Things did not look good at first. The repair work on AAE-1 in particular was on the brink because the consortium member TeleYemen was alleged to have links to the Huthi, Bloomberg reports further. The AAE-1 submarine cable is a particularly important communication link connecting Europe, the Middle East, India and Asia. The operators were forced to reroute data traffic as a result of the damage. This caused considerable costs. Read also Ausfall von vier Internet-Seekabeln: So massiv sind die Schaden im Roten Meer However, the danger in the conflict zone has not been averted and further damage to the underwater connections is possible at any time. This is because the Houthi militias have stepped up their attacks on ships in the conflict area. The underwater structure is therefore still at risk - as are the shipping routes in the region as a whole. Anzeige It is still unclear when the remaining damaged undersea cables will be repaired. (olb) The Federal Government has agreed on a new version of the Regionalization Act. This fulfills an important prerequisite for the price of the Deutschlandticket to remain at 49 euros per month this year. According to the government, the planned amendment to the law will allow unused funds from previous years to be used to finance the Deutschlandticket this year. The price at which the Deutschlandticket is available will be decided by the federal states. Anzeige "I am very enthusiastic about the great approval the Deutschlandticket has received," said Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) according to the press release. The simplified fare structure and the option to buy and use the ticket online have contributed to the success of the Deutschlandticket, alongside the price. Ticket will probably be more expensive in 2025 Scholz announced the necessary change to the law at the beginning of this month during a question and answer session in the Bundestag. He described the project as "technically not easy". The amendments to the law must now be approved by the Bundestag and Bundesrat. In April, the transport ministers of the federal states emphasized that transferring the funds not used in 2023 to 2024 was absolutely necessary to ensure that the price of the Deutschlandticket remains stable this year. At the special meeting of the Conference of Transport Ministers last week, it became clear that the Deutschlandticket is likely to become more expensive next year. Katharina Droge, co-chair of the Greens' parliamentary group in the Bundestag, once again called for the price of the Deutschlandticket to remain stable. She took the opportunity to criticize CDU Chairman Friedrich Merz in the X short message service. Last Sunday, he said that the railroads should reduce their offer. (anw) Geopolitics refers to the role geography has in foreign policy making and geoeconomics to economic measures countries leverage to achieve their foreign policy objectives. THE ERA of globalisation has been superseded an era of geopolitics, where change is driven not by businesses but the policy measures of great powers and where the world is diving into blocs that compete against one another with geoeconomic measures, analyses Etla Economic Research. Such measures include industry policy measures, import tariffs and other restrictions on foreign trade, strategic holdings, and the creation of dependencies. The European Union, for example, is set to impose punitive tariffs of up to 38 per cent on electric vehicles imported from China, arguing that the manufacturers have received unfair government subsidies. Beijing hit back at the 27-country bloc by accusing it of trade protectionism and breaches of trade rules. The US in May raised the tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles from 25 to 100 per cent, citing unfair practices, to protect domestic manufacturers from cheap imports. Jyrki Ali-Yrkko, the director in charge of the research project at Etla, told Helsingin Sanomat last week that the shift from globalisation to geopolitics has shaped presumptions about how the economy works. During the era of globalisation, it was believed that everyone plays by the agreed rules. Now the presumption is often that great powers use economic means to promote their own interests, he stated to the newspaper. Small countries have no choice but to find the best tools to adapt. Even though Finland as a small country cannot respond to the subsidy competition between large countries, the situation may yet turn in our favour. It is by no means clear that the benefits of subsidies are sufficient in light of their enormous costs, he added in a press release issued in June. One key turning point, he estimated, was the import tariffs imposed on Chinese steel and aluminium by US President Donald Trump. Later, Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic and Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine have all exposed dependencies between countries, vulnerabilities in supply chains and placed emphasis on crisis resilience. Ali-Yrkko predicted that the EU will encounter problems in the short term as China and the US invest heavily in building up their research and manufacturing capabilities in order to gain an advantage in critical future technologies. The key for the bloc is to remain united and prevent the underlying national interests from leading into a subsidy competition. If the EU engages in industrial policy or subsidy policy, the competition shouldnt take place within the EU, he stressed to Helsingin Sanomat. Internal competition, he warned, would lead to ineffective production and undermine the unions standing in external markets. Smaller member states would be unable to compete with government subsidies, meaning they have a particular interest in fostering unity. We have to call attention within the EU that if EU countries compete against each other with business subsidies, everyone will suffer, said Ali-Yrkko. We have to try to draw attention within the EU that if each EU country competes against each other with business subsidies, everyone will suffer, he said. Even though speeches often point to unity, also EU countries think about their own interests. As the 27-country bloc remains one of the largest marketplaces in the world, it should remain attractive to countries including China and the US. If investments in the EU were allocated between member states based on market logic rather than subsidies, it would create the preconditions to succeed also in global competition. At the same time, the union should actively build co-operation with other allies, he argued in the press release. The Finnish government is expected to unveil its industrial policy strategy in the autumn. Etla stated last week that the country should ask three questions when weighing up any policy measure: If the industrial policy measure is the solution, what is the problem? Why cannot the problem be solved through private markets? If the problem can be solved with several policy measures, what would yield the best outcome? Because small countries have limited resources, the most important thing for them is that the resources go to areas where the likelihood of success is the highest, Ali-Yrkko said to Helsingin Sanomat. He also stressed that business subsidies should be targeted not at preserving old industrial structures, but rather at industrial renewal. Also the permit processes associated with investments should be rationalised in Finland. The report was produced as part of the governments analysis, assessment and research activities. Aleksi Teivainen HT TWO judges from the Britain in Bloom competition have visited Goring. They were given a two-hour tour of the village and also visited Withymead Nature Reserve. Goring in Bloom has won gold in the Thames & Chilterns regional section of the Royal Horticultural Society competition for the past two years. Over the last few months, residents and business owners have decorated the village with hanging baskets and planters and taken care to remove weeds and litter in a bid to retain gold. The judges were Kyle Dowling, park warden with Henley Town Council, and Steve Catanach, leader of Amersham in Bloom. The tour, which was led by Stephanie Bridle, chairwoman of Goring in Bloom, began with a 20-minute tour of the nature reserve where the judges met Pete Morton, head warden for the past five years. Mr Catanach called the reserve superb and added: The work they do there to enhance biodiversity is unbelievable. The judges were then taken to Goring station to admire the newly installed 7,000 orientation plaque, which illustrates routes which are accessible for walkers, cyclists and wheelchair users. Heading towards the village, the judges strolled past the bridge at the top of High Street, which was recently cleared of graffiti and repainted by six volunteers working for four days. In the heart of the village, the judges observed floral baskets and trough displays maintained by local businesses. Betsy Brown, 18, manager of the Village Cafe, said: The customers comment on how nice the baskets are all the time and how it affects the villages appearance. It does make it look pretty and I guess more enticing. We have all different kinds of things going on in Goring and its nice to see the community come together, so I hope we win again. Around the corner from the Arcade in High Street, the judges were shown a patch of land which was transformed by Barry and Helen Rosier with a mixture of various flowers including sunflowers as well as a bug house. Volunteers, members of the parish council and the community joined the judges on the final stop of the tour in the village hall where a light lunch and refreshments were served. Mr Catanach said: The ladies who took us on the tour are amazingly enthusiastic and so knowledgeable. As a community, they do wonderful things because not only is the town very pretty, attractive and tidy, but the sustainability is second to none. Youve got pockets of wildflowers and pollinators around which make a difference not just in terms of environmental sustainability but also make the place look nice for visitors. Mr Dowling said: We had a really nice tour. Everyone that showed us around was really knowledgeable. The environmental projects and the hanging baskets were superb and the courtyard at the Arcade was so floral and attractive. Mrs Bridle said: The judges are very interested in what we do and they understand the difficulties. We were talking about the changes in what they look for. They used to look for the perfect colours in the hanging baskets and the horticultural side of things was eminent but now its not, its much more environmental and a lot more about community. Were very lucky that we seem to have a lot of appreciation in the village. Not everybody can help but people do love it. If youre a volunteer and somebody says thank you when they walk past its nice and it makes it all worthwhile. The results will be announced in September. Goring first entered Britain in Bloom in 2012 for the late Queen Elizabeth IIs diamond jubilee and has entered almost every year since. In 2019 the village represented the Thames & Chilterns region in the national final and won gold in the small town category. Goring in Bloom was formed by volunteers in 2007 to provide the hanging baskets on the bridge between Goring and Streatley. A GAS leak closed a restaurant for five days and caused traffic chaos in Henley. Staff at the Giggling Squid in Hart Street first began to smell gas on Friday and reported it to Southern Gas Network. Engineers for the utility company were called out and detected the leak in the basement of the building and isolated it. Grace Hudson, the restaurant manager, called the company again when the smell would not go away, and another leak was found in the mains gas pipe under the road. Hart Street was shut to traffic in both directions from Monday afternoon until yesterday (Thursday) morning so engineers could open up the road and carry out repairs. This caused delays for drivers of more than an hour on all routes in and out of Henley as they had to follow a diversion route to get over Henley Bridge. Traffic was queuing as far as Conways Bridge along Wargrave Road, down White Hill, Reading Road and along Fair Mile. Drivers coming into Henley over the bridge were forced to turn left into Thames Side and at peak times queues formed all the way along it to the junction with Reading Road. A woman from Wargrave said that it took her four hours to drive back home from Henley at noon on Wednesday. Businesses in and around Hart Street were frustrated by the lack of communication from SGN about the work with the repairs reducing their trade. Miss Hudson said she had no choice but to shut the restaurant for five days, missing out on crucial weekend trade. She said: We were closed and couldnt trade and didnt have a clear indication of how long this would take. We never expected it would take almost five days. We had to cancel many bookings and disappoint many customers. Bernard McDonagh, 48, manager of the Chocolate Cafe in Thames Side, said: Most of our customers drive to Henley, swinging left at the bridge or going straight over to then park in the car park five minutes up the road and walk back along the river. But I imagine, if youre sitting in traffic for an hour to get into Henley, youre just going to want to get out as quickly as possible. Molly Stevenson, 22, a waitress at the Hart Street Tavern, said: I was supposed to be in at 8.30am but I wasnt in until around 9am because of the traffic. Were still getting a lot of customers as the majority of our people are from footfall. Roedlfo Martens, 33, manager of Berries cafe in Hart Street, said: Weve had our regular customers on Tuesday and, hopefully, we dont need to close early. Jan Atkinson, who works at the Henley Florist in Hart Street, said: I know emergency work cant be helped, but were not happy. SGN said it was unable to give warning of the work because it needed to take place immediately for everyones safety. A spokesman thanked residents, businesses and drivers for their patience These two current situations have people questioning, Whats going on? Dan Pollack, ZOA director of Government Relations, will shed some light on what is happening concerning the Palestinians and the rift between the U.S. and Israeli governments at two separate meetings sponsored by the Zionist Organization of America Florida. Both meetings will be held on Aug. 11. The first will be held at the Southwest Orlando Jewish Congregation, 11200 S. Apopka Vineland Rd, at 1:30 p.m. Pollack will discuss Is the rift between the U.S. and Israeli governments fixable? At 4 p.m. Pollack will speak at... (JTA) WASHINGTON President Joe Biden said Israel had been less than cooperative with the United States in its efforts to deliver assistance to Palestinian civilians, adding to pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept the terms the Biden administration has brokered to bring about an end to the war. I met with most of the Arab leaders to try and get a consensus going as to what had to be done to get more aid and food and medicine into the Gaza Strip, Biden said at a press conference on Thursday following a NATO summit, after being asked to review what the United St... (New York Jewish Week) Three Columbia University administrators have been permanently removed from their positions after sending a series of derisive text messages during a panel on campus Jewish life, the universitys provost announced Monday. In an accompanying letter, Columbia President Minouche Shafik wrote that the texts echoed antisemitism and vowed to start a vigorous program of antisemitism and antidiscrimination training in the fall, when classes reconvene. This incident revealed behavior and sentiments that were not only unprofessional, but also, disturbingly touched on ancien... (JNS) - The man killed in the assassination attempt on former U.S. president and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump was Corey Comperatore, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced on Sunday. Comperatore, 50, was a former volunteer fire chief from the Buffalo Township who loved his family, the governor stated. "Corey died a hero. Corey dove on his family to protect them last night," Shapiro said. "Corey was the very best of us. May his memory be a blessing," the Jewish Democrat told reporters outside the Butler Township municipal building. Comperatore's sister, Dawn Comperatore Schafer... (New York Jewish Week) The Democratic Socialists of America dropped its endorsement of New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after she hosted a panel discussion on antisemitism. The DSA said in a Tuesday statement that it was rescinding its conditional endorsement of Ocasio-Cortezs reelection campaign after she conflated anti-Zionism with antisemitism and condemned boycotting Zionist institutions during the discussion she sponsored last month. This sponsorship is a deep betrayal to all those whove risked their welfare to fight Israeli apartheid and genocide through political and direct... (JTA) WASHINGTON Vandals tore down Israeli hostage posters hanging outside the Capitol Hill office of Rep. Brad Schneider, an Illinois Democrat, a week after pro-Palestinian activists used megaphones and drums to protest outside his home in the middle of the night. My Capitol office was vandalized yesterday in a vile act of hate in which the posters of the more than 100 people still held hostage in Gaza (including 8 Americans) were ripped from the wall, shredded and tossed across the hallway, Schneider, who is Jewish, posted Friday on X, attaching a photo of the posters scattered on the... (JNS) U.S. President Joe Biden answered nearly an hour of questions at a potentially make-or-break press conference on Thursday, amid increasing pressure from Democrats for him to withdraw from the 2024 election over concerns about his age and fitness for office. Biden, who began the press conference 57 minutes after its scheduled start time, opened with eight minutes of prepared remarks, which he read from teleprompters, about Ukraine and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the economy, border security and a potential Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal that he first outlined in May. That fram... (JNS) The Hamas terror group has agreed to a hostages-for-ceasefire framework and mediators are negotiating the details and implementation, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday night, July 10. The Posts David Ignatius said that though the framework is in place, officials warned that a final agreement is unlikely to be imminent as the details of the deal are complex and will take time to work through. One U.S. official suggested that Hamass acquiescence to the terms was at least in part prompted by the fact that the terror group is in rough shape and low on ammunition as a result of... (JTA) Jewish and Israeli leaders and lawmakers condemned what officials are investigating as an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, as did Gabrielle Giffords, a Jewish former congresswoman who survived an assassination attempt. A number of top Jewish lawmakers, many of them Democrats who oppose Trumps bid to return to the presidency, immediately condemned the attack. I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the leader of the Democratic majority in the Senate, said o... (JTA) MILWAUKEE Three Jewish organizations dealing with immigration and community relations said they were alarmed by the Republican Partys plans to launch mass deportations, saying they are steeped in a racist conspiracy theory that at times has veered into antisemitism. The Republican platform, published this week, pledges to carry out the largest deportation operation in American history. President Trump and Republicans will reverse the Democrats destructive Open Borders Policies that have allowed criminal gangs and Illegal Aliens from around the World to roam the United States wit... (JTA) MILWAUKEE Beautiful prayer! the woman shouted out from the floor of the massive Fiserv Forum. The delegate to Donald Trumps coronation was responding to a benediction led by Leora Levy, a Jewish Republican from Connecticut, to close out the first day of this years Republican Party convention. Levys comments included one of the rare mentions of Israel on the conventions first day, as she led a hushed and somber crowd in praying for the release of hostages abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7. O Lord our God, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, your eternal city, and for all the children... (JNS) Saturdays assassination attempt on former president and presumptive Republican nominee for the White House Donald Trump is not only a heinous crime, it is also an attempt to assassinate American democracy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. At the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday morning, Netanyahu said that he would like to send him in my name, in the name of my wife, Sara, in the name of the ministers of the Israeli government and in the name of the entire people of Israel our best wishes for a speedy recovery and a return to full strength.... (New York Jewish Week) The NYPD reported 45 anti-Jewish hate crimes across the city in June as the increase in antisemitism continues more than eight months after Hamas Oct. 7 invasion of Israel. The total for June was more than double the tally during the same month last year, when there were 19 antisemitic incidents reported to police. Jews were targeted in 57 percent of all hate crimes reported to the NYPD last month. Hate incidents against Jews spiked after the Oct. 7 invasion of Israel, with 69 in October and 62 in November. The number has fluctuated since then, from 17 reported incide... (JTA) As expected, on July 4, 1976, the United States celebrated its bicentennial with a flurry of patriotic pride and hype. The surprise was that the day also brought one of the most miraculous events in Jewish history: Israels rescue of 102 hostages being held over 2,500 miles away at an airport in Entebbe, Uganda. A week earlier, on June 27, terrorists from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and a radical West German group hijacked an Air France airliner full of Israeli passengers and redirected it to the Entebbe Airport. The hijackers warned that if their demands includ... (JNS) - Nearly 350 Hamas terrorists, including 100 members of the terror group's elite Nukhba Force, managed to infiltrate Kibbutz Be'eri in southern Israel on Oct. 7 due to catastrophic failures by the Israel Defense Forces in their readiness and response, according to the first part of the IDF's internal probe of the attacks. "The IDF had difficulty creating a clear picture of what was happening in the kibbutz until the afternoon hours of Oct. 7, even though the yishuv emergency team had an updated picture of what was happening in the kibbutz during the morning hours," per the Hebrew report,... (JTA) WASHINGTON The 2024 Republican Party platform pledges to fight antisemitism and to keep Israel safe. It promises to fight anti-Christian bias as well as gender insanity. And it vows, in all-caps, to DEPORT PRO-HAMAS RADICALS AND MAKE OUR COLLEGE CAMPUSES SAFE AND PATRIOTIC AGAIN. Parties traditionally publish platforms in election years ahead of their national conventions, as a statement of the partys values and a wish list of policies should their candidate win the White House. The Republican platform, posted Monday and subject to a vote at next weeks convention, is heavily in... (JNS) - The attempt on his life is an opportunity to unify the United States of America, former U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday, a day after he was shot in the ear at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. "This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together," Trump told the Washington Examiner. Trump also talked to The New York Post about the harrowing experience, saying that he was "supposed to dead" and calling it "surreal." "The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle," said Trump. He gave the interviews en route to... (JNS) Former President Donald Trump on Sunday called for unity while paying tribute to the rallygoer who was killed in the attempt on his life. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening, Trump wrote on his Truth social media platform. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness, he continued. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen... The Friends committee comprises dedicated Jewish Pavilion Senior Services volunteers. This vibrant social group offers friendship and camaraderie, akin to a Women's Auxiliary. The committee members are friendly and sociable, often enjoying lunch together after meetings. They organize events such as the Jewish Pavilion Luncheon, fashion shows, and cocktail parties. Additionally, they volunteer at over 50 elder-care facilities, supporting programs arranged by Jewish Pavilion staff for Jewish holidays and Shabbat. They also provide one-on-one visits with seniors, offering personal connection and... A month after announcing $90 million in Palestinian aid, USAID will send $100 million more (JNS) On June 5, Samantha Power, the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, announced that the United States would donate $90 million in aid to Palestinians. Just over a month later, Power, who is visiting Israel, revealed that Washington plans to provide another $100 million in Palestinian aid. Power is meeting with Israeli officials to discuss continued efforts to increase the flow of assistance across Gaza, including needed improvements to communication and coordination sys... (JNS) On July 11, actor, director and producer George Clooney was featured in The New York Times calling for a new Democratic nominee for president. His credentials for an opinion piece in the newspaper that still claims to publish only All the News Thats Fit to Print are that I have led some of the biggest fundraisers in my partys history and last month I co-hosted the single largest fundraiser supporting any Democratic candidate ever, for President Bidens reelection. George Clooney does himself in when he writes, We dont anoint leaders or fall sway to a cult personality; we vote... (JNS) The Biden administration, as well as almost every nation in the world, is pressuring Israel to create an immediate pathway for a Palestinian state. In theory, separating from the Palestinian Arab populationif it could be done with all security safeguards in placeaccepting Israel as a Jewish state and signing an end-of-conflict agreement would be a reasonable alternative to the present situation, if it were possible. But does anyone look at what a Palestinian state would be and how faithful its leadership would be to any signed agreements the day after the ink dries? Lets start with... Sunday, July 7, is not just another day. It is 275 days since the inhuman Hamas invasion and massacre in Israel, slaughtering 1200 and taking more than 250 hostages to Gaza. 120 are still in captivity in Gazas network of terror tunnels. Some may still be being held captive in the private homes of Hamas terrorist operatives, as were the four rescued in a bold IDF operation on June 8. Through forensic and other evidence, Israel has declared that a few dozen of the 120 hostages are already dead. But the actual number of hostages still alive is unknown because Hamas has never even presented a lis... The fallout and consequences of the new Karnataka State Government Employment of Local Candidates in Industries Bill 2024 could be many if implemented - political, policy, and cultural. Styled to protect locals' jobs and create more opportunities for them, the controversial bill was introduced as hurriedly as it was put on hold. While senior executives from the private sector and entrepreneurs of Karnatakas nearly 11,000 start-up firms were alarmed at the prospect of having to scour through numerous applications to prefer Kannadigas while hiring, the decision by chief minister Siddaramaiah has left many in the Congress fuming, state party leaders who did not wish to be named said. Senior leaders claimed ignorance as the bill was not discussed in a cabinet meeting, giving more ammunition to the CM's detractors within the party and the opposition. The bill, which was shortly going to be introduced in the ongoing assembly session, had to be defended by clueless Congress leaders caught off guard having to mop up after Siddaramaiahs sudden announcement. Tweets on social platform X (formerly Twitter) were posted, deleted, and reframed to sound apologetic about a bill that seemed to threaten Indias tech capitals workforce composition. The quota announcement, seeking a larger share of jobs for Kannada-speaking locals was first made on Tuesday evening. After a couple of rounds of editing, CM Siddaramaiah posted on X saying: The bill intended to implement reservation for Kannadigas in private sector institutions, industries and enterprises is still in the preparation stage. A final decision will be taken after comprehensive discussion in the next cabinet meeting. The bill caused much confusion within the Karnataka Congress with some of its ministers justifying such a reservation and others calling for protecting the rights of all stakeholders involved. The chief ministers ill-advised move has unnecessarily brought back attention to two key scams the opposition has been trying to rake and the BJP is gunning for the CMs scalp, said a senior Congress leader. Reservations against the reservation bill Given the tense political atmosphere, the introduction of the reservation bill has dented the ruling governments image, political analysts said. Sumanth C Raman, a noted political analyst said: It was a diversionary tactic and the bill is a non-starter right from the beginning. The high courts in different states in Haryana, Jharkhand, and Andhra Pradesh have struck down reservations based on domicile and have put such bills in abeyance. Companies will find it very difficult to find locals even in C and D category jobs because in southern states that are far better developed even the lower classes are better educated and are not being known to apply for lower-level jobs. However, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), a politico-cultural organisation that works on issues connected to the Kannadiga community, is upset over the bill being put on hold. DG Babu, KRV chief, said: The government promised an 80% reservation to locals at the time of the state election. It is only fair that they implement it. We are not saying no to anyone coming from outside the state. We are only keen on protecting the interests of our youth since there is a huge problem of employment and skill development in Karnataka. The BJPs state president, BY Vijayendra, has asked the ruling government to be prepared for protests by the Kannadigas. The state general secretary B Rajeev said the opposition is concerned because there has not been a single large overseas investor who brought capital investment to the state since May last year. With the increase in fuel, electricity, transportation, and milk prices, investors are fleeing to other states. Our state has recorded a revenue deficit for two years in a row. Another year of poor fiscal performance would mean trapping ourselves in debt. Given such a scenario, Congress has to work toward creating a healthy working atmosphere rather than a hostile one. The industry body CII also raised concerns over job reservations in Karnataka. CII applauds the government's vision to position Karnataka as Asia's hub for future tech manufacturing. However, CII strongly urges the government to reconsider the proposed job reservations, which mandate 50% for administrative and 75% for non-administrative positions for local candidates. Such drastic legislation could hinder current and future investments, jeopardising Karnataka's status as a prime location for over 400 Fortune 500 companies and nearly 39% of India's Global Capability Centers (GCCs), a note issued by the Bangalore chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industries said. Congress spokesperson Nivedith Alva was quick to assuage concerns. Our government would not want to do anything that does not pass the legal test. While Karnataka retains its status as Indias prime investment destination, we will ensure that the bill is tabled in the assembly after taking into account the observations of the labour, industries, and commerce ministries. What we intended was to urge the industries in our state to consider working with the government to create jobs for the locals and absorb them. Deepika Amirapu is a freelance journalist based in Hyderabad. How long have you lived with the stories of your grandparents? What was the final impetus to write this book? Author Mishal Husain (Courtesy the publisher) I grew up with the stories, to some extent. Some of the things my grandmother, Tahirah, told me first hand, but because I thankfully found her recorded tapes I didnt have to rely on my memory of them. By the time I found the tapes, I had already decided I was going to write this story. On a couple of trips to India, I dabbled in the corners of it when I was there to cover the 2014 elections, I tried to find my grandmothers house in Aligarh. Then, I lost my father and realised that my mother is now close to 80 my parents generation is starting to slip away. I think the book is an accumulation of a story that was in the back of my mind for a long time. Then it became bigger, as it was about a complex and contentious period of history. I needed a framework to put the individual stories into, and unless I understood the political side, I had no base to fit their stories. Its written with a lot of love and is a celebration of a lost world. The generation that lived through those times is nearly gone, and once theyre completely beyond living memory the generations of our children will have no tangible connection to the past anymore. That generation is a part of all of us. 299pp, 499; Harper Collins What were the challenges you faced blending the personal and the political? Had I realised how big a project it was going to be, I may not have begun, because it was so overwhelming at times! I wanted to keep it fairly narrow at first because I saw it as a social history. But I was keen to understand my grandparents choice for Pakistan I couldnt do that without putting it in context. Im not a historian, and it was daunting to step into that territory. Being a political journalist, I wondered what it would be like to interview these historical figures about their decision-making at the time. The biggest challenges were probably writing the historical aspects and really wanting to be fair and as true as possible to all the communities involved. My grandfather Shahid wrote this line that really resonated with me In our own small way, we are all a part of history. He lived through some extraordinary times as he was the Private Secretary to British commander Claude Auchinleck in that period. My other grandfather Mumtazs memoirs helped to give so much richness of the book. He spoke of his own discovery of the country, when he goes to meet my grandmothers family in whats now Andhra Pradesh everything about that life was eye-opening for him. The accounts from his unpublished memoir helped me write all the bits of daily life that are so often missing when you read history. Both your grandmothers had such strong personalities. Did they ever talk to you about their lives and decisions? I think both their stories are really interesting for exactly that reason so many women at that time, especially Muslim women, were a bit behind other communities in terms of being outside the home. They encapsulated their generation of women who are starting to embark on professions, even though marriage interrupts nursing for Mary and medicine for Tahirah. But they still embarked on something that was unimaginable for their mothers. Mary died when I was 11, so I was never able to talk to her about these things. But Tahirah would tell me things which I think her husband would not have been comfortable articulating that she had a real sense of loss about the friends they lost in 1947, and the places that they could never go back to; the society they left behind. They settled in Rawalpindi as that was their first posting with the army after independence. I think she felt that it was a very small place compared to what she had known growing up around Delhi, Aligarh and Lucknow. Those were places where she felt really at home, and I think there was always a sense of wistfulness about the past. That was difficult to articulate sometimes even within the family in Pakistan because they just had to feel fortunate about their lives as so many people suffered so much more. They were the founding generation of a new country that was going through all sorts of difficulties; they just had to make the best of it. It was a more old-fashioned way of looking at the world you didnt complain. How important were your Pakistani roots to you growing up in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Britain? Do you hold your South Asian identity close? I would say its a bit different for me because I was an expat child in the Middle East. Indians and Pakistanis were a big part of our social circle in Abu Dhabi. Pakistan was important to me as it was the one home we went to which belonged to the family. Otherwise, we were constantly living in doctors accommodations. My grandparents home was the only fixed place that didnt change. I didnt come to England for any length of time till I was 12, when I went to boarding school. The identity conflict wasnt there for me, but certainly my South Asian identity was important. I always knew that even within Pakistan, there was no ancestral village I was going back to those places were in India for us. I had that sense that my grandparents own roots are somewhere else, and therefore part of my roots are somewhere else too. Thanks to my work, Ive been able to travel to India many times. Im probably the only one in my family whos been able to access part of my heritage in a tangible way. As someone writing a Partition story in todays political climate, what do you hope the book conveys to readers? To readers in India and Pakistan, some of this history will certainly be better known than it is to readers in Britain. At the same time, I think over the years its boiled down mostly to a narrative of violence particularly in Punjab rather than a sense of British decision-making. The period from 1918 to 1939, when Britain is always behind Indias demands for political and constitutional change, is so important. The role of the Second World War and the incredibly swift period between 1945 and 1947 there are so many things about this crucial period that have been forgotten. There were so many junctions when a different future was possible, and it didnt happen for a variety of reasons, some of them very much about the personalities involved. I think the details are absolutely relevant when you think of the effect it had on the circumstances in which the two countries became independent. I believe theres also a contemporary relevance to the story and I hope people will take away their own lessons from what I detail. I hope people will be able to put their own families experiences somewhere within the tapestry that Ive created. There is a spirit around the founding generation of both countries which is important to remember the upheaval in their lives, the choices they had to make, often very fast and without realising the long-term consequences. I dont think that my mothers parents thought it would be so difficult for them to travel back to their homes. At the end of the book, I try to draw some conclusions and think about the things that caused them pain in their lifetimes and would still cause them pain today. I really hope there are contemporary as well as historical takeaways from their stories. Huzan Tata is an independent journalist. She lives in Mumbai. Owner of an elite matrimonial bureau, Sarla Sethis world is turned upside down when one of her employees is found murdered in her office. For Sarla, who is keen to avoid scandal and desperate to maintain her reputation as Temple Hills foremost and most discreet matchmaker, the killing of her colleague Hansa is a headache that refuses to go away. Enter Radhika Zaveri, part detective, part writer and 100% busybody who has just returned to Temple Hill after a long sojourn in the US. She decides to take over the reins of the investigation from the bumbling Inspector Shinde. Turns out the bureau has been getting threats for a while now. Could it be an ex-client whose match failed? Or are they part of a prank by another ex-client-turned-competitor who has opened her own marriage bureau in the same building? Radhika faces a never-ending list of suspects and a winding road to the truth scattered with author Preeti Shroff-Shahs well-placed red herrings. Marriages are definitely not a private matter in India! (Shutterstock) A quick little mystery, A Matrimonial Murder is the second book in the series set in the posh Mumbai neighbourhood of Temple Hill (the first was The Death of Kirti Kadakia, which was longlisted for the CWA Dagger Award, 2022). The analogy to Indian Matchmaking is quite clear and theres even a reference to it in the book as a show that gives Sarlas profession a bad name. Most of the lead characters are extremely well-to-do as are their clients. The only exceptions are the victim and the marriage bureaus domestic staff. 288pp, 322; Bloomsbury While the caricatures of the wealthy are a trifle tiresome, it is refreshing to find a plot driven by strong female leads who are given a lot of agency even as the male characters are relegated to the sidelines. In that aspect, Shahs novel recalls Alexander McCall Smiths The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series featuring the formidable Mma Ramotswe and her typist Mma Makutsi. But while Mma Ramotswe relies on intuition and observation, Shahs sleuth Radhika relies on multiple social interactions as a path to the truth. She is always talking, meeting and socially exploring various facets of the puzzle. Perhaps this speaks to a more Indian form of detecting that works for settings populated with overly involved neighbours, colleagues and strong class networks. In many ways, Temple Hill is similar to the stereotypical Indian colony shown in Bollywood films where everyone knows everyone and no one forgets anyones past. While one of the highlights of this novel is its cast, it can occasionally be hard to keep track of all the people constantly meeting each other. This same complexity comes into play when the reader gets to know Radhis character. Her personal motives and ambitions as a writer, a detective and as a woman struggling with her past and her current relationships give her a complex air. That she is a contemporary woman multi-tasking many side gigs makes her relatable too with Shroff-Shah adeptly using the conflicts between her many personas as a source of tension. The author resists saddling her detective with the usual character flaws such as drinking, boredom and social awkwardness. It is quite refreshing to read about a detective who thrives in social settings and doesnt have a terribly tortured past and isnt shrouded in unbearable grief, from which they have never recovered. Author Meeti-Shroff Shah (Courtesy https://www.meetishroffshah.com/) While the brevity of the plot adds to the book, the author could have been more sparing in her details about food and decor at every turn. Fewer usages of terms like ben and other such cliches would have made this setting quite remarkable. Shroff-Shah is also very good at presenting the importance of marriage and its role in Indian society and the very real repercussions and consequences that can ensue when things go wrong. This is best captured in Roma Bansals rant to Radhika: In India marriages are not private! There are people involved. Families invested. Relationships at stake! When I introduced you to Nishant, I put my friendship with Parul ben on the line! In summation, A Matrimonial Murder is a quick and delightful read with a good, solid plot and plenty of twists to keep you guessing. The detective-author at the heart of the action, Radhika Zaveri, is more nuanced than most fictional detectives. Shroff-Shah does not shy away from revealing her creations demons and flaws but their routine nature surprisingly endears her to the reader. This reviewer is now keen to read about Radhis adventures in settings that have not been so heavily caricatured. Percy Bharucha is a freelance writer and illustrator with two biweekly comics, The Adult Manual and Cats Over Coffee. Instagram: @percybharucha China's Xiaomi is at the top in India's smartphone industry after six quarters as it outpaced South Korea's Samsung which fell to the third position in the June quarter. Second on the list is Vivo as Chinese brands regain ground in the intensely competitive market. As per data from market researcher Canalys, Xiaomi's shipments grew at 24% at the highest pace annually and the company took its market share to 18% in the June quarter from 15% a year ago. A man walks past a logo of Xiaomi, a Chinese manufacturer of consumer electronics, outside a shop in Mumbai, Chinese brands dominate as total shipments grow by 1%, says Canalys.(Reuters) Meanwhile. Vivo grew 4% annually and its volume share remained unchanged at 18%. Samsung's shipments fell 8% with volume share at 17%, as per Canalys data. Two other Chinese brands Realme and Oppo ranked fourth and fifth with a volume share of 12% and 11% respectively, data showed. Total mobile shipments grew by a marginal 1% from a year earlier in the June quarter to 36.4 million units, it said, adding, Inventory levels remained high with some vendors continuing to launch new devices in higher price segments during the quarter, while others concentrated on reducing existing stocks to optimise inventory ahead of the festival season. Sanyam Chaurasia, senior analyst at Canalys, said top mass-market brands "shall use early monsoon sales to clear inventory, making space for new models ahead of the festive season." B. Muralikrishnan, president, Xiaomi India, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), While reclaiming the top spot in Indian smartphone market is an achievement, we are proud of, our priorities go beyond rankings...our deep understanding of India coupled with our inherent technological strength has allowed us to become an integral part of the country's social fabric. Auto major Maruti Suzuki India said it was partly affected by the global outage of Microsoft systems. The company said that production and despatch operations halted briefly which they have been able to resume. The company said in a regulatory filing, A global IT issue affected several companies across several countries today. This problem was encountered in our company also. The logo of Maruti Suzuki India Limited is pictured on a car parked outside a showroom in New Delhi, India. The car market leader also said it immediately initiated precautionary and remedial measures "and production/despatch operations were briefly halted". "The company has been able to resume its operations now," it said, adding, it does not anticipate any material impact of this incident on its performance. Microsoft users globally reported massive outages in services, with outage tracking website Downdetector showing users flagging disruptions across various services. There have been reports of disruptions in functioning of several airlines, banks, media outlets worldwide. A major disruption in Microsoft's cloud services caused flight cancellations and delays across the world, including India. The outage affected several airlines, grounding planes and disrupting flight operations at Delhi and Mumbai airport. Microsoft Outage: The outage affected several airlines, grounding planes and disrupting flight operations at Delhi and Mumbai airport. What airlines have said on the outage? Akasa Airlines announced that some of its online services will be temporarily unavailable at the Mumbai and Delhi airports, saying," Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable." The airline added, Currently we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports and hence request passengers with immediate travel plans to reach the airport early to check-in at our counters. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and want to assure you that our teams are working with our service provider to resolve the same at the earliest. Spicejet said in a statement, We're currently facing a technical issue in providing updates on flight disruptions. Our team is actively working to resolve this issue. We regret for any inconvenience caused and will update you once the issue is resolved. Thank you for your patience and co-operation, Spicejet said in a statement. What about aviation operations in the world? In the US, Frontier Airlines was significantly impacted as the carrier grounded flights for over two hours due to issues with Microsoft's services. Frontier resumed operations later lifting a nationwide pause on departures. The outage impacted reservations and bookings as well. US' Allegiant Air also faced disruptions as the airline reported issues with reservations and bookings and said that it is working on resolving these problems. Sun Country Airlines Holdings Inc also reported a "global outage". What Microsoft said on the outage so far? Microsoft said its outage started at about 6 pm ET with a subset of its customers experiencing issues with multiple Azure services in the Central US region. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said that it has conducted a thorough assessment to estimate the impact of this outage on its regulated entities in the wake of a widespread outage in Microsoft. The assessment revealed that around 10 banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) experienced minor disruptions that have either been resolved or are currently being addressed, RBI said. A police officer walks past the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) logo inside its headquarters in Mumbai, India.(Reuters) Critical systems of most banks are not hosted in the cloud and only a handful have adopted the CrowdStrike tool for cybersecurity, the central bank said. It also issued an advisory to its regulated entities, urging them to take proactive measures to maintain operational resilience and continuity. The RBI said, Overall, the Indian financial sector in the Reserve Banks domain remains insulated from the global outage. Global IT systems were disrupted and various sectors were impacted worldwide including aviation. Read more: Maruti Suzuki says production briefly halted due to global IT outage The widespread Microsoft outage disrupted operations across diverse sectors, including aviation, media, and financial markets globally. In India, Akasa, IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet encountered operational challenges amid the outage. In the US, carriers including Frontier Airlines, Allegiant and SunCountry reported disruptions affecting their services. SpiceJet is planning to raise funds through a qualified institutional placement (QIP) after holding a board meeting on July 23, the airline said in a filing to the exchanges on July 19. SpiceJet looks to raise capital after holding a board meeting on July 23 (Reuters/Representational photo) What is a QIP? A qualified institutional placement (QIP) is a process by which companies can raise capital through select institutional investors by issuing shares, without the need to submit any pre-issue filings to market regulators like the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Also Read: Windows users face huge outage due to new Crowdstrike update: Laptops crashing "We wish to inform you that a meeting of the Board of Directors of SpiceJet Limited (the Company) will be held on July 23, 2024 (Tuesday), inter-alia, to consider and approve raising fresh capital through issue of eligible securities to qualified institutional buyers by way of qualified institutional placement under the provisions of the SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations 2018 and any other methods including by way of further issue," the company wrote. Also Read: Gautam Adani and Torrent vie to buy IPL team Gujarat Titans from CVC Capital: Report How did the markets react to SpiceJet's fundraising proposal? The company's shares as a result, rose to an intraday high of 58.27 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) as of 12:30 pm, which is a 4.9% rise over the opening price of 55.54. Also Read: Come to office or forget getting offs: HCLTech links leaves to office attendance The airline's stock had gained 14% over the past few days. A global technology outage caused major disruptions across the world. The outage has been traced back to a cybersecurity company called Crowdstrike which provides anti-cyberattack services to Microsoft, among other companies. Crowdstrike is a US cybersecurity firm based in Austin, Texas which was founded in 2011. The company customers include 298 Fortune 500 companies, eight out of the top 10 financial services firms, seven out of the top 10 manufacturers, six of the top 10 healthcare providers and eight out of the top 10 food companies, it has said. Earlier, Crowdstrike was involved in investigations into cyberattacks such as the 2014 Sony Pictures hack and the hack of the Democratic National Committee in 2016. Crowdstrike-Microsoft outage: Crowdstrike CEO addresses IT outage caused by antivirus software interaction with Windows OS. What is Crowdstrike's relationship with Microsoft? Crowdstrike's anti-cyberattack software is integrated directly into the Windows operating system which is designed by Microsoft. This means that a wide variety of devices across the globe use the software. How Crowdstrike caused global tech outage? Software designed to deal cyberattacks receive frequent updates. When the company sent one of these updates, it included a bug in the code that caused disruptions in Windows-based systems. Owing to this, millions of Windows computers began experiencing a bootloop- computer starting up and shutting down at random. For many, it produced the "blue screen of death" which indicates a critical issue. What Crowdstrike CEO has said on the outage? Crowdstrike CEO George Kurtz said the issue was identified shortly after the update was released. He said, "We identified this very quickly and remediated the issue. And as systems come back online, as they're being rebooted, they're coming back and they're working." He added, "Many of the customers are rebooting the system and it's coming up and (being) operational because we fixed it on our end. Some of the systems that aren't recovering, we're working with them. It could be some time for some systems that just automatically won't recover." Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) chief Narayana Gowda slammed former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai for the latters views against reservation for Kannadigas Bill which was paused after severe backlash. Gowda alleged that Mohandad Pai earned crores in Karnataka and now taking a stand against the state. Mohandas Pai (PTI) Also Read - Traffic disruption on Karnataka's national highways after multiple landslides, Bengaluru vehicles diverted Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Gowda said, Who is Mohandas Pai? He had earned crores of rupees in Karnataka, and now he is threatening Kannadigas. The people of Karnataka are observing everything, and they will not tolerate it. CM Siddaramaiah must stand with the people of the state in this issue. Narayana Gowda also said that the outfit will revolt if the Bill is not passed in an assembly. The Government must take 15-20 days to review the Bill, but it must be passed. We have been fighting for the rights of Kannadigas for the past 40 years, and we are not begging for anything. If the bill is not passed, the entire state will revolt against the government. He further said that pressure from IT companies led the government to step back on tabling the Bill in assembly. Soon after the cabinet approved the Bill, IT companies in Bengaluru threatened relocation. I suspect that these companies approached high command, resulting in pausing the Bill, he added. The Bill, which got approval from the cabinet, will mandate the reservation of 50 per cent of management jobs and 75 per cent of non-management jobs for Kannadigas. This bill covers the entire private sector, including the IT sector. However, it was halted for a review after major backlash in the IT sector. Responding to the Bill, Mohandas Pai earlier tweeted, This bill should be junked. It is discriminatory, regressive and against the constitution @Jairam_Ramesh is govt to certify who we are? This is a fascist bill as in Animal Farm, It is unbelievable that @INCIndia can come up with a bill like this- a govt officer will sit on recruitment committees of the private sector? People have to take a language test? Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney on Friday said cooperative federalism and cordial Centre-state relations were crucial for the development of the state. AAP MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney The AAP government in Punjab has repeatedly accused the Centre of delaying the release of rural development fund, mandi development fund, Samagra Shiksha and health project funds. He stressed the importance of constructive dialogue with the Centre to expedite pending issues and secure projects and funding crucial for Punjabs developmental initiatives. Addressing a press conference here to present his report card on completion of two years in the upper house, Sahney said the issues like burgeoning debt, infrastructural development, industrial projects for job creation, crop diversification, etc faced by Punjab could only be achieved with the support of the Central government. The Centre should consider a special package for Punjab as they are considering for states like Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Punjab has passed through turbulent times of terrorism and needs financial restructuring, the AAP leader said. Calling for unity among all MPs of Punjab, he urged them to cut across party lines and collaborate for the development of the state. Sahney also spoke about his initiatives and parliamentary achievements such as repatriation of stranded Punjabis, developmental and relief efforts, advancements in education and skill development and initiatives to attract investments and preserve Punjabi culture. The AAP leader said his advocacy led to significant outcomes including the cancellation of GST on Serais, halting the centralisation of Panjab University, securing 10,000-crore grant for the upgradation of the semiconductor lab in Mohali and the inclusion of Sikh martial art gatka in the National Games. He also claimed that his efforts facilitated the introduction of the Vande Bharat train connecting New Delhi to Amritsar, along with flight routes from Delhi to Ludhiana and Bathinda. He said the ITI in Ludhiana was transformed into a centre of excellence for which he gave 2 crore and spent around 30 lakh from his own pocket, besides adopting five ITIs across Punjab. A court of additional sessions judge on Friday sent Harpreet Singh, brother of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh, and his accomplice Lovepreet Singh in two-day custody of the Jalandhar rural police in connection with the ice (Methamphetamine) recovery case. Both were arrested with 4-gm drug on the Jalandhar-Panipat national highway near Phillaur on July 11. Harpreet and his accomplice Lovepreet were caught while allegedly carrying 4-gm ice (Methamphetamine) drug on the Jalandhar-Panipat national highway near Phillaur on July 11. (Picture only for representational purpose) On July 12, the court of the first class magistrate in Phillaur had sent both, against whom a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered, to judicial custody for 14 days, turning down the police request which had been seeking their 10-day custody. Harpreet has already filed a bail application in the Phillaur court the hearing for which is scheduled on Saturday. Sukhdev Singh, SHO of the Phillaur police station, confirmed that both the accused were brought on production warrant from the Patiala jail. The court has given police two-day remand of the accused for further investigation into the matter, he said. Harpreet, who belongs to Jallu Khera village in Amritsar district, was reportedly apprehended red-handed while consuming drugs along with Lovepreet Singh of Cheema Bath village. The Jalandhar police had approached the sessions court with a revision petition pertaining to the lower courts order on the basis of the facts that came to the fore during detailed interrogation of drug peddler Sandeep Arora from whom Harpreet had allegedly bought drugs on the night of their arrest. Aroras three-day custody ended on Tuesday. Based on Aroras interrogation, the Jalandhar rural police had arrested his accomplice Munish Kumar, who used to handle financial transactions related to their drug business. Based on the investigation, we are preparing a detailed case to approach the higher court for Harpreet and Lovepreets police custody as substantial facts have emerged against both of them and their alleged involvement in this nexus, a police official said. On July 11, the police intercepted a vehicle parked along the highway near Phillaur in Jalandhar district at 11 pm. During checking, the police team seized 4 gm of ICE, a digital weighing scale, three mobile phones, a lighter, half-burnt 20 note and foil papers from Harpreet and Lovepreet. The accused reportedly confessed that they had transferred 10,000 digitally to Sandeep and bought the drugs for consumption. According to initial medical reports, the dope tests of both were found positive. Amritpals family has already termed the police action as a conspiracy to defame the radical Sikh preacher who is detained under the National Security Act at Dibrugarh jail in Assam. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a key aide of Canada-based Khalistani terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu, alias Landa, in a major terror network case involving supply of deadly weapons for extortion from businessmen among others, an official statement mentioned on Friday. The weapons, supplied by Baljeet Singh, were used to carry out large-scale terror activities, including extortions from businessmen and others, according to the NIA. (Picture only for representational purpose) Identified as Baljeet Singh, alias Rana Bhai, alias Balli, the accused hails from Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh. He was arrested on Thursday and produced in an NIA special court in Mohali which remanded him to agencys custody. Balli was found to be a major weapon supplier to Landas agents in Punjab. The weapons were used to carry out large-scale terror activities, including extortions from businessmen and others, according to the NIA. The investigation in the case had led to the arrest of one Gurpreet Singh Gopi, identified as an associate of Landa and of another Khalistani terrorist Satnam Singh Satta, the NIA said. Investigations in the case, registered suo motu by the NIA on July 10 last year, revealed that Baljeet Singh had also provided weapons to Satta as part of a larger conspiracy of various banned Khalistani terrorist organisations to destabilise India by unleashing violent acts in Punjab and other places. Both Landa and Satta are believed to be operating from foreign soil (Canada) to promote terror in India. The NIA is continuing with its investigation as part of its crackdown on the Khalistani terrorist outfits, the agency added. The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea challenging an order of the Punjab and Haryana high court which asked the authorities to clear the Chandigarh-Mohali road of protesters. The fresh plea, filed in the apex court by Kaumi Insaf Morcha, said it has been leading a peaceful protest for over a year and half at Yadavindra Public School (YPS) Chowk that connects Mohali with Chandigarh. (HT file photo) In May, the apex court had stayed the operation of the April 9 order of the high court while hearing a separate petition. On Friday, a bench of Justices BR Gavai, KV Viswanathan and N Kotiswar Singh sought responses from an NGO, on whose petition the high court had passed the order, and others on the fresh plea. It tagged the plea with a pending petition raising the same issue. In its April 9 order, the high court had said despite repeated opportunities, neither the state of Punjab nor the Union Territory of Chandigarh had been able to redress the grievances of the commuters of Chandigarh and Mohali. Only on account of the fact that some of the protestors have been hiding behind a shield of religious legitimacy by placing the Guru Granth Sahib would not as such give the State reason not to act against the persons concerned, who are misusing the religious sentiments, the high court had said. It had passed the order on a plea by an NGO which contended that local residents and commuters were facing unnecessary harassment because of the protest on the Chandigarh-Mohali road that has been going on since February 2023. The protesters have been seeking the release of Sikh prisoners, including Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, a 1993 Delhi bomb blast convict. The fresh plea, filed in the apex court by Kaumi Insaf Morcha, said it has been leading a non-violent and peaceful protest for over a year and half there. The plea, filed through advocate Satya Mitra, has claimed that the high court had erroneously ordered the forceful removal of protestors from the site, despite the state governments affidavit to the court indicating that the protesters had not disrupted traffic and that traffic flow around YPS Chowk was normal. The longstanding demand for the release of Sikh political prisoners has been a sensitive and emotional issue for the people of Punjab. The movement is giving a representation to those demands through a peaceful sit-in which is neither causing any disturbance of public tranquillity and nor falls under the reasonable restrictions specified in Article 19(2) of the Indian Constitution, it said. The plea claimed that the high court, in its impugned order, cast aspersions on the motive of the protesters by wrongly claiming they were hiding behind Guru Granth Sahib, using the holy book as a shield. It said these observations of the high court were unreasonable and excessive. In its April 9 interim order, the high court had observed that on account of handful persons sitting and blocking the road, inconvenience is being caused to the commuters and residents of the tricity and the misery is continuing. The high court, while deferring the proceedings, had further said it was hoping that Punjab and Chandigarh administration will wake up from their slumber and keep in mind the observations of the apex court given in various verdicts related to protests on roads. Agra Retired Insurance company employee Pawan Dasaur is awaiting justice after his 29-year old son, married 18 days ago, was shot dead allegedly in a road rage case in Indiana, US, two days ago. Dasaur, who lives in Himachal Colony here with his retired army man father, could only watch his sons funeral that took place in the US, on video. Pawan Dasaur at his house in Agra. (Sourced) Gevin Dasaur (29) studied at St Georges College in Baluganj area here and then graduated in science from St Johns Degree College before going to the US for a diploma course in automobiles. ALSO READ- How Indian Americans are shaping the future of the US Gevin then started transport business in Indiana and got married 18 days ago on June 29 this year. I could not go there because of visa issues but my wife was there. My daughter too is settled in the US, working as a software engineer. All was well till July 17 when the unfortunate incident took place, said Dasaur on Friday night. ALSO READ- Air India relief aircraft leaves for San Francisco with passengers of flight diverted to Russia We were informed that Gevin was going on his two-wheeler along with his wife when a rashly driven pick-up vehicle overtook the couple, forcing the motorcycle off the road. When Gevin protested, the pick-up driver shot him dead on the spot. Police arrived and legal formalities were completed but the driver, a US citizen, was released later, complained Dasaur. We now look up to the Indian government to take up the matter with authorities in the US to ensure punishment to killer.We await justice, said a desolate Dasaur . Stressing the importance of maintaining natural form of agricultural products from seed to market, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said excessive use of fertilisers is affecting not only humans but also animals and birds and there is a need to revisit ancient farming practices to address health issues. UP chief Yogi Adityanath and other dignitaries at an event on natural farming in Lucknow on July 19. (HT photo) Today, the overuse of fertilisers is introducing a slow poison into our veins, he said while addressing the Regional Consultation Programme on the Science of Natural Farming 2024 here. Gujarat governor Acharya Devvrat was the chief guest of the event held at a city hotel in collaboration with the U.P. agriculture department. Union minister of agriculture and farmers welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan and UP agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi also graced the event. On the occasion, the CM announced that soon an agricultural university in Uttar Pradesh will be dedicated to natural farming. Acknowledging that while the Green Revolution increased agricultural production, it was only a partial truth. We need to look at the production rates from natural farming in the provinces of India during the 17th and 18th centuries when the earth was in its natural form and food production was higher, he said. Need to revisit pages of history Yogi noted the difference between the agricultural teachings of the past hundred to one hundred fifty years and the science of earlier times. We need to revisit the pages of history. After the Green Revolution, the use of fertilisers increased production for some time, but today it is seeping into our veins as a slow poison, he said. A special discussion was also held on the science of cow-based natural farming. Gujarat governor Acharya Devvrat shared his 20 years of experience with cow-based natural farming methods from his work in Kurukshetra, Karnal (Haryana). He said without using chemical fertilisers, quality and toxin-free products can be obtained using Beejamrit, Jeevamrit and Ghana Jeevamrit prepared from cow dung and urine. This approach can benefit farmers by increasing their income while meeting the demand of foreign countries, he added. Uttar Pradesh agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi said scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendras and innovative farmers in the state believe that natural farming methods should begin with the cultivation of Shree Anna (millets) which does not affect yield. Priority should also be given to pulse and oilseed crops, he added. Produce from natural farming, especially vegetables and food grains, is of the highest quality. It has been observed that there is an increase in keeping quality, and the produce is also health-promoting, Shahi said. The minister further said expanding natural farming along the Ganga in all districts of the state would fulfil the objectives of the Namami Gange programme and increase the production of Shree Anna and pulses/oilseeds. Dr Yogita Rana, joint secretary, government of India, clarified that the demand for natural products was increasing both abroad and within the country. In such times, adopting natural farming has become a necessity. Special discussions were held with agricultural scientists from prestigious institutions in the country and farmers interested in natural farming and a strategy was prepared for the future expansion of natural farming. LUCKNOW A 54-year-old man from Nairobi (Kenya), who was living in Sector 9 Indira Nagar here for a long time without a valid visa and passport, was arrested by the police. He had travelled to India for higher studies in 1992 and continued to stay in Lucknow and Delhi despite expiry of his visa in 2005. A joint team of Ghazipur and Lucknow police on Thursday evening arrested Morris Okiye who was living in Sector 9 Indira Nagar for a long time. He did not possess a valid visa and passport, said Abhijith R Shankar, DCP (north). (Pic for representation) The man was booked under the Foreigners Act and Passport Act, said police. adding that the ministry of external affairs had been informed about it. A joint team of Ghazipur and Lucknow police on Thursday evening arrested Morris Okiye who was living in Sector 9 Indira Nagar for a long time. He did not possess a valid visa and passport, said Abhijith R Shankar, DCP (north). Okiye came to India on a study visa in 1992. He did his B Com from Saket University in Ayodhya. Then in 1998, he went on to pursue M Com from Rohilkhand University in Bareilly, said the DCP. As per the police, he also did a diploma course from ITI and had good command over Hindi language. He was arrested in a fraud case and a case was registered in Varanasis Laxmi Nagar police station in 2002. Even after this, he was not deported. ACP (Ghazipur) Vikas Jaiswal said investigation revealed that the man lived in a rented house. During interrogation, it was revealed that Okiye came to Uttar Pradesh only for studies and never went back. Investigation revealed that a case was registered against Morris Okiye in November 2002. He had allegedly committed a fraud in Varanasi along with his two accomplices. In 2002, he was also sentenced to four months jail. After his release, he did not go back. In Lucknow, he was working as an electrician and repaired television sets, said Shankar. According to Ghazipur police, he was living on rent and a woman accused him of supplying drugs. A complaint was also made to the DCP and then the matter reached the Crime Branch. Subsequently, he was arrested and an investigation started. However, no allegations were proven yet, said police. After Morriss arrest, the lease agreement verification rule was being questioned. He was a foreign citizen and no investigation agency had any clue. The local police said investigation and action were taken after the matter came to light. The death toll in Thursdays Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express derailment in Uttar Pradeshs Gonda district rose to four after the mutilated body of a 40-year-old male passenger was found on Friday morning, an official said. The body was spotted by railways officials when cranes lifted a wagon of the train at the site of the mishap. (HT photo) The headless body was found that was later identified as that of Rajesh Rao, 40, son of Rampreet of Bariyarawa village of Maharajganj district, said Uttar Pradesh relief commissioner GS Naveen Kumar in a statement adding that the body was identified on the basis of its parts and based on clothes and fingers which the family identified. The body was spotted by railways officials when cranes lifted a wagon of the train at the site of the mishap, the official said. Now the deceased include Rahul, 38, of Chandigarh and Saroj Singh, 31, of Araria in Bihar, Rajesh Rao, 40, of Maharajganj and one unknown passenger. Earlier, Rajesh Raos wife Jyoti Rajbhar was seen tracing her missing husband at the derailment site. I last spoke to him at around 1 pm when the train reached Lucknow. He promised me to reach Gorakhpur by 8 pm. I tried to call him but his phone has been switched off since then, the woman claimed in the video that went viral on social media on Friday morning. She also claimed that her husbands name is Rajesh who boarded the train from Chandigarh. I looked for him at the district and other hospitals as well as in the morgue but to no avail. Later, I came to the accident site to trace him she said while crying. As per the official, two other passengers had been admitted to a Lucknow hospital. Of them, one was out of danger while the second was slightly serious after facing amputation. A major fire broke out on a container cargo merchant vessel MV Maersk Frankfurt - off Betul in Goa on Friday afternoon. According to a shipping ministry officer, one person died in the fire which is still raging. The deceased has been identified as a sea man from Philippines. The vessel had 21 crew members on board, including Filipino, Montenegrin, and Ukrainian nationals, and was in passage from Mundra port to Colombo, Sri Lanka. Cargo ship catches fire off Goa coast; 1 died, explosions heard Coast Guard officers said that the fire reportedly started due to a short circuit and spread. They were alerted only when the crew could not douse the fire. The ship, which was commissioned in 2024, was reported to be carrying International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) cargo, and explosions could be heard in the front part. The Indian Navy, which has a base at Karwar near Goa, have asked their ships to be on standby. ALSO READ- Air India relief aircraft leaves for San Francisco with passengers of flight diverted to Russia Initially, the ships crew attempted to extinguish the fire on their own but could not control it. The fire spread rapidly on deck, causing containers to burst. As per initial reports, 20 of 160 containers on the ship are on fire. The cargo ship is about 80 nautical miles from Indian Coast, said a shipping ministry officer. Deputy Inspector General Manoj Bhatia of Coast Guard, Goa, said that they have sent three ships with fire-fighting equipment to the spot. He also said that they have asked their Kochi base to send a helicopter for evacuation. ALSO READ- Explained: How the Microsoft-CrowdStrike IT outage hurt airlines worldwide The Maritime Operations Centre (MOC) of the Indian Navys Western Naval Command and the Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) were also informed of the situation. The Indian Navy coordinated with the Coast Guard to assess if additional assistance was required. Considering the weather conditions and the threat to lives and the marine environment, the vessels owners were instructed by MRCC to arrange for a tug to arrest the drift and tow the vessel if necessary. ALSO READ- 9 sailors, including 8 Indians rescued from crew of vessel that capsized off Oman coast The Indian Coast Guard diverted one of its vessels to the area and later dispatched two additional ships to augment firefighting efforts. A Dornier aircraft was also dispatched and so was an Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) from Mumbai Port to assist. Till the filing of this report, firefighting operations are going on in full swing. However, as per ICG, the containers on deck are still exploding. That Donald Trump will return to the White House is now looking increasingly likely. While the failed assassination bid is one thing many commentators believe has gone in his favour, its also the support from Silicon Valley that is fuelling that belief. Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after officially accepting the Republican presidential nomination on stage on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Getty Images via AFP) Earlier this week, Elon Musk and the co-founders of Andreessen Horowitz spoke out in support of Trump marking a significant shift in Silicon Valleys political landscape. These developments are being watched in India closely because if he wins the presidential race, Indian diplomats will have a complex balancing act to do. ALSO READ- Trumps new MAGA call puts unity in focus At the heart of Silicon Valleys support for Trump lies the promise of economic policies that are pragmatic and favour them. During his first term, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowered corporate tax rates from 35% to 21%. This significantly boosted the bottom lines of major tech companies. If re-elected, he has promised to bring it down to 15%. For sectors such as technology that are investment hungry, such fiscal policies are irresistible. It allows them reinvest in more cutting-edge technologies, from artificial intelligence to quantum computing. An equally compelling reason for Silicon Valleys support to Trump is his approach to regulation. The tech industry is wary of increased antitrust scrutiny and privacy regulations. Trumps earlier administrations showed reluctance to break up tech monopolies or impose stringent data privacy laws on giants such as Meta, Google, and Amazon. These companies are wary of the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and similar initiatives, and they see in Trump a bulwark against restrictive regulation. ALSO READ- Donald Trump in first speech after assassination attempt: 'I had God on my side' Geopolitics also plays a significant role in this alliance. Trumps confrontational stance on China, including tariffs and tech restrictions, resonates with Silicon Valleys strategic interests. The trade war, while disruptive, has underscored the need for tech sovereignty and the risks of over-reliance on Chinese manufacturing and markets. By aligning with Trump, Silicon Valley is signalling its support for a recalibration of global tech dynamics. This means a diversification and strengthening of alternative hubs such as India, to begin with. A conversation with Prof G Venkat Raman, a Sinologist and a Fulbright Fellow who teaches geopolitics at IIM Indore only cements this view. One thing we can take for granted if Trump comes to power is that like in his earlier tenure, Indio-US relationships will get closer. There are second order outcomes to this, he explains. The tech rivalry between China and US will get ratcheted further, he says. It is inevitable then that tech investments will come to India. To make his case, Raman points out to certain precedents. Apple was forced to build new supply chains for its non-China consumers because of the antagonism between the both countries. Indias demography and cheaper skilled labor offered natural advantages that attracted Apple to come and build a new supply chain. The Taiwanese company Foxconn followed soon after. With the coming of Apple and Foxconn and new tech supply chains being built, it is inevitable more technology players will emerge and make India a highly competitive place to manufacture products, he says. On the other side, Indias demographics are such that the appetite to consume technology is on the rise. This makes it even more attractive for American companies that choose to invest here. ALSO READ- Melania Trump makes her first appearance at RNC without Donald Trump Ironically, while India and China have been at loggerheads on most counts, when it comes to Green Tech, both countries are on the same page. This is what the Americans have a problem with and this will be exacerbated if Trump becomes President. The Biden administration had announced massive taxes on Chinese green tech companies in May. This will go up even more if Trump assumes power. This is why Indian diplomats will have to do a tightrope walk, says Raman. Trump does not believe in global warming or climate change. In the past, Trump has walked out of such conversations. Him doing this again in the future cannot be ruled out either. Trump can be very transactional with everyone he deals with. How India deals with him to further its cause to promote tech, should he win, will become a textbook case for students of geopolitics, he says. Things cant get more interesting than this. Personal liberty is one of the cornerstones of a robust democracy. And the custodian of this liberty is typically the judiciary, firewalling the individual from the potential excesses of the State and its many prosecutorial arms. In younger democracies such as India, the judiciary assumes an even more important role as other safeguards in restraining police action are usually nascent. The biggest weapon at its disposal is bail, allowing it to free the individual from police overreach, and upholding the principle of innocence until proven guilty. New Delhi, India - July 18, 2024: A view of supreme court of India as the court has hearing upon NEET Paper leak case in New Delhi, India, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Photo by Sanchit Khanna/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times) Time and again, the Supreme Court (SC) has underlined the importance of making bail the rule and jail the exception. The latest instance came this week, when the apex court condemned the practice of higher courts casually staying bail orders granted by lower courts, particularly when the accused is neither a terrorist nor considered a threat to society. It called the practice shocking, and underscored that such stays should not be granted merely at the behest of probe agencies, especially when reasons for bail have been detailed by the trial courts. This is all good in theory. In practice, however, adherence to this principle has been haphazard and sporadic, right from district magistrates to the highest court in the land. Judges appear hesitant in granting bail and often automatically side with the arguments of investigating agencies this becomes even more pronounced in high-profile cases or proceedings involving politicians. More egregiously, the practice of obtaining a stay on a bail order, or for bail proceedings to be treated as full-blown trial is now no longer a one-off occurrence. For the common citizen, it effectively means that obtaining bail is as good as an acquittal (because case proceedings routinely linger for decades) and is considered dependent on their ability to muster financial resources and access to competent legal representation. Those who come from weaker sections or marginalised communities struggle to obtain either. In sensitive cases that involve stricter statutes, the problem is compounded, subverting the principle of bail over jail. Against a backdrop where the police appear all too happy to file FIRs for frivolous or motivated reasons (such as a photoshoot or allegations of interfaith coercion), this spells doom for personal and civil liberties and, by extension, democratic freedoms. This has led to Indias jails getting crammed with people who have spent years behind bars without any shred of guilt being proven. At last count, three-fourths of people (nearly 400,000) who are incarcerated are undertrials. In 25 out of 29 states, prisons are at more than 100% capacity and the national average overcrowding stands at 131%, with more people spending more time behind bars than they did a decade ago. The responsibility for this has to be shared evenly from overzealous agencies and lower courts to the SC that appears to not pay heed to its own sermons. When deciding bail matters, senior judges only need to recall the principles they extoll in weekend lectures on civil liberties. It is unfortunate that in a mature democracy, repeated appeals from the apex court have still not instituted a robust mechanism for bail that lower courts follow scrupulously one that is unsparing but fair, incisive but transparent. If there is to be a change in attitude, and there needs to be one, it has to begin now. The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the re-examination of the Common University Entrance Test ( CUET (UG) - 2024) on July 19, 2024. Candidates who wish to appear for the exam can download their admit cards from the official website of NTA CUET at cuetug.ntaonline.in. Candidates who are appearing for the re-examination of CUET UG 2024 can download their admit cards from the official website by submitting their login credentials like application number and date of birth details.(Bachchan Kumar/Hindustan Times/For representation only) The grievances received from candidates up to 30 June 2024, regarding the CUET (UG) 2024 examination, as well as the complaints sent to rescuetug@nta.ac.in between 07 July and 09 July 2024 (before 05:00 P.M.), have been reviewed. Based on these grievances, a re-examination will be conducted for those affected candidates on 19 July 2024, Friday, in the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode, mentioned the official notice by NTA. Direct Link to download CUET UG 2024 admit card Candidates who are appearing for the re-examination of CUET UG 2024 can download their admit cards from the official website by submitting their login credentials like application number and date of birth details. The exam will be conducted in the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. The admit cards for the re-examination were released on July 16, 2024. The admit card link is also available on the official link at exams.nta.ac.in/CUET-UG/. Candidates appearing for the re-test should verify their photo, signature, barcode on their admit card. If any details are missing from the Photo, Signature and Barcode then candidates will have to re-download the admit card because without Photo, Signature and Barcode the Admit Card is invalid. Candidates appearing for CUET UG 2024 can download admit cards by following the below mentioned steps. Steps to download CUET UG 2024 adit cards: Visit the official website of NTA CUET at cuetug.ntaonline.in. Click on CUET UG Admit Card 2024 for re-test link available on the home page. Enter the login details and click on submit. Your admit card will be displayed on the screen. Check the admit card and download the page. Keep a hard copy of the same for further need For more information, visit the official website. Also Read: NEET PG Exam 2024: Test cities list released at natboard.edu.in, direct link here The Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Ghaziabad has secured the first rank in the Career Outcomes category of the recently released QS Executive MBA Rankings 2024. IMT Ghaziabad secures first rank in career outcomes category among top Indian business schools in QS Executive MBA Rankings 2024. (Photo courtesy: IMT Ghaziabad) A release issued by the institution informed that the institute has attained the 3rd position in Asia and ranks 9th globally in the same category. Besides, the IMT Ghaziabad has secured the fourth position among the top business schools in India, securing a rank of 171-180. Also read: QS Best Student Cities Rankings 2024: Did you know the 4 best Indian cities for students? Know more about them here The top-ranked Indian schools in the QS Executive MBA Rankings 2024 include: Indian Institute of Management Bangalore: Rank 41 Indian School of Business: Rank 101-110 Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode: Rank 171-180 Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad: Rank 171-180 Indian Institute of Management Indore: Rank 181+ Woxsen School of Business: 181+ Also read: QS Best Student Cities Rankings 2024: Did you know the 4 best Indian cities for students? Know more about them here The release by IMT Ghaziabad stated that Career Outcomes are an important parameter that measures salary increase pre and post-completion of the MBA. It also measures the percentage of class being promoted within 12 months of graduation. Speaking on the achievement, Dr Vishal Talwar, Director of IMT Ghaziabad, said he was proud of the faculty's dedication and hard work and appreciates their enthusiasm for driving the institute to new heights. Also read: QS Rankings By Subjects 2024: Top Indian institutes for Engg, Medical, Arts, Science The relentless endeavours of our future business leaders and proficient alumni are truly commendable. This significant achievement underscores our steadfast dedication to providing exceptional education and unparalleled career opportunities. The release further informed that IMT Ghaziabad has previously secured a global rank of 151+ in the Master's in Management program category, 101+ in the Master's in Marketing program category, and 151+ in the Master's in Finance program category in the QS World Business Masters Rankings 2024. Actor Alia Bhatt was on Friday seen with her daughter Raha Kapoor outside their home in Mumbai. Several videos and pictures of the duo emerged on social media platforms. (Also Read | Ranbir Kapoor takes daughter Raha Kapoor to show under-construction Mumbai home. Watch) Alia Bhatt and daughter Raha Kapoor were spotted in Mumbai. Alia returns home with Raha as it rains in Mumbai In a clip, shared by a paparazzo on Instagram, Alia got out of her car holding Raha Kapoor, who was seemingly sleeping. She wrapped a blanket around her and walked inside as it rained in Mumbai. Alia was seen in a grey tank top, navy blue pants and shoes. Raha wore a white dress. Fans react to Alia and Raha's video Reacting to the video, a fan said, "A mother takes care of her children like this." "It's really good to see ... they carry baby on their own." read a comment. "Such an emotional video... Only Alia Bhatt is capable of doing this," wrote a person. An Instagram user said, It's a pain taking out kids in the rain. Alia and her husband-actor, Ranbir Kapoor, welcomed Raha in November 2022. The duo tied the knot in April 2022. Alia's upcoming films Alia will be next seen in Jigra which will hit the theatres on October 11. The movie, directed by Vasan Bala, will also feature Vedang Raina. Alia will also be seen with Ranbir Kapoor in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directorial Love & War. The film will also star Vicky Kaushal. Apart from this, Alia has the upcoming film Alpha in the pipeline. She and Sharvari will play super agents in the film, directed by Shiv Rawail. The title signifies a major shift for the action-packed series, previously centred on male protagonists but with strong female characters. YRF's spy universe began with the Tiger franchise, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, starting with Ek Tha Tiger (2012) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017). It continued with War (2019), starring Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff. Pathaan, featuring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and John Abraham, was one of the biggest Indian hits of 2023, as was Tiger 3. It's fun and frivolous in equal amounts, but there's nothing fantastic in here. Bad Newz isn't that bad, but it surely struggles to deliver the perfect rom-com that you expect from its premise. A spiritual sequel (whatever that means) to the hilarious Good Newwz, this latest outing starring Vicky Kaushal, Triptii Dimri and Ammy Virk is rather bizarre predictable and somewhat chaotic. Also read: Vicky Kaushal, Triptii Dimri, Ammy Virk take Delhi metro for Bad Newz promotions Bad Newz movie review: Vicky Kaushal, Triptii Dimri, and Ammy Virk in a still from the film. If the trailer is anything to go by, it gives away the whole damn plot, and barely keeps anything under wraps for curiosity to build up. Even the film's Wikipedia page didn't care much and explains the storyline a bit too much in detail for audiences to wonder what more could happen. Directed by Anand Tiwari, Bad Newz is a well-intentioned film, it wants to make you laugh, but most of the times, the jokes don't land and all we get it run-of-the-mill comedy that works in parts but isn't outright funny. With a starry cameo, not too sure if we needed that, to open the film, we are introduced to hot and ambitious Saloni Bagga (Triptii), a chef who has her eyes set on the Meraki star (Oscar for the chef). On her mum's insistence, she'd attend weddings hoping to find someone tall, dark and handsome, and have a Band Baaja Baraat kind of love story. She finally meets Akhil Chadha (Vicky), a typical Punjabi West Delhi boy, who owns a chaap shop in Karol Bagh. A rushed romance, funny first night followed by steamy romance on a European honeymoon, they are soon headed for divorce. Switch to Mussoorie, Saloni clicks with her boss Gurbir Pannu (Ammy). A crazy night and drunk sex with these two men, Saloni finds herself being a one-in-a-billion case of heteropaternal superfecundation, as she ends up carrying twins having two biological fathers. Then what? Hell breaks loose and a comedy of errors unfolds with a series of bizarre events one after the other. Akhil and Gurbir must prove their worth to be the better father. Hit or miss? Written by Ishita Moitra and Tarun Dudeja, Bad Newz has an intriguing plot, and the first half is built nicely with characters having fun. Cut to the second half, the first 30 minutes just drag and the sequences between Kaushal and Virk start to look repetitive. The dialogues are quirky with some witty one-liners that trigger some laughter. But it's inconsistent to keep you hooked. Despite a smooth screenplay, Bad Newz looks rushed. Especially Saloni and Akhil's love story it lacks the depth and impact, and we are just overfed a couple of lovemaking sequences, including one on the dinner table with the couple throwing away the best of cutlery and smashing a beautiful chocolate cake. Alas! It does nothing to make us laud their chemistry. In fact, the scenes between Gurbir and Akhil in the second half showcase a far better camaraderie. Bad Newz belongs to Vicky Kaushal from the word go. Though he's being himself the true-blue Punjabi boy the swag he brings in his performance and persona is too good to be missed. He single-handedly owns most of the film and salvages it effortlessly at several places. Vicky makes Akhil Chadha the perfect green flag who dotes on his mother and loves his wife. He's the hero of West Delhi, as his mum says at a crucial juncture. Loved that the makers let him flaunt his chiseled abs and serve his fans some serious thirst traps quite a few times. Even if you feel he's loud and over-the-top at certain places, guess what, it totally works. Won't be wrong to say that he's giving tough competition to Ranveer Singh's Rocky Randhawa. Tripti Dimrii, the current hot favourite in Bollywood, is mostly looking irritated in the entire film. If not, she's only smiling wide, so much so that she could end up bagging a few toothpaste commercials. And when not smiling or irked, she is sad and crying with a wooden expression. I expected way too much from her performance given she was playing an out and out fun character for the first time after intense portrayals in Laila Majnu, Bulbbul and Animal, but she remains average. If anything, her sexy wardrobe in the first half catches your attention. Bringing calm to this chaos, Ammy Virk is endearing with his sweet, innocent, and naive portrayal. He isn't in-your-face funny, but does impress with his comic timing. Vicky, Ammy and Triptii in the song Mere Mehboob Mere Sanam. There's also Corona Maa (Neha Dhupia), Saloni's Massi who is a psychiatrist-turned-spiritual guru who is mostly dressed in her bohemian frills. She has some funny one-liners, but her characters could have been far better written. With a few abrupt scenes, there's very little she brings to the script though she makes you laugh everytime she appears on the screen. Anand Tiwari, who has earlier helmed Love Per Square Foot, Bang Baaja Baarat, and Bandit Bandish, gets to go all out with Bad Newz. He has a strong grip on the genre and with the commercial viability of this film, he does put his best foot forward. The verdict Bad Newzz is plagued with stereotypes that you wish had taken a backseat by now Punjabis loving rajma chawal, mumma's boys being careless husbands, women choosing career over marriage, and the list goes on. While comedy isn't really the high point of this film, I liked how the makers have cleverly weaved in some fabulous meta jokes that stand out. The reference to Dimri as Bhabhi 2 and National Crush, a scene where Gurbir tells Akhil to not behave like Vicky Sandhu from Manmarziyaan, or another scene where Kaushal stops Virk from throwing a photo of Katrina Kaif saying, 'Iske liye toh tujhe meri laash se guzarna hoga' (you'll have to go over my dead body) these are well incorporated in the script. Also, with subtle references to countless Bollywood movies, memorable dialogues, and iconic songs and characters Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Besharam Rang, Junglee Billi, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Mohabbatein it appears as if Bad Newz is paying a tribute to our cinema. And not to forget the rendition of Mere Mehboob Mare Sanam (from Duplicate), which thankfully sounds as good as the original. Talking of songs, do stay back till end credits to watch Kaushal groove to Tauba Tauba. Maybe that will turn out to be the best part about the film. After months of planning, the wedding festivities spanned across Gujarat, Mumbai, and even a cruise in Europe. It went on for five whole months. The couple got married on July 12 in Mumbai, and hosted a lavish reception on July 14. At the wedding, Rema and Fonsi performed their respective hit songs Calm Down and Despacito. Justin Bieber performed at the couples sangeet ceremony. Rihanna was one of many performers at the three-day pre-wedding bash in March. Now, Himanshu Patel, the founder of Epic Stories, who captured the whole thing on camera, spoke to us about the wedding, describing it as "witnessing a live movie, unscripted and exclusive, never to be screened anywhere else." What was the most memorable moment you captured during Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchants wedding celebrations? The most special moment I captured was a series of photos depicting the father walking the bride down the aisle. It was a bittersweet moment as her father beamed with pride mixed with a pang of separation. I have a series of photos capturing those authentic emotions. As they were about to reach Anant, Radhika, and her father shared a long hug, and at that moment, you could see a multitude of emotions in their eyes. While her fathers eyes held an unspoken understanding, in Radhikas eyes, there was a spark of excitement for the future. This sequence of photos captured the full range of emotions of their special day- the love, the pride, the bittersweet beginnings. Its something Ill never forget. Radhika with her father.(Epic Stories.) How did you manage to capture the emotions and grandeur of the wedding, considering the high-profile guest list? Beyond just photography, our main focus was to ensure the guests had a seamless experience. We had access to the front row, but out of respect for the guests and the ceremonies, we chose to shoot from a distance. For the first time, we used wildlife photography lenses (telephoto lenses) at a wedding, which allowed us to capture intimate emotions without intruding on the ceremonies. Can you share your experience of working with the Ambani family and their team to ensure every moment was perfectly captured? Both the Ambani and Merchant families are the sweetest to work with. Weve been working very closely with them for over six months now. There were many instances where they went out of their way to check if we were doing well. In any wedding, when the couple and their families take care of you, it motivates you to go beyond your comfort zone and exceed expectations. This was exactly what happened at this wedding. It wasnt just another event for us; it became a labour of love, driven by the heartfelt connections we built with both families. What were some of the unique photography ideas or themes that the couple requested for their special day? The entire celebration was based on a Banaras theme, reflecting the sacred essence of this holy place. Since the theme was based on Banaras, our approach was to reflect the cultural heritage of India while also showcasing their modern love story. We included a series of candid, real moments filled with fun, love, and emotions leading up to each event. This approach beautifully documented the excitement and anticipation, adding a personal and authentic touch to all the photos. What was the most challenging part of photographing this high-profile wedding, and how did you overcome it? The most challenging part of photographing this high-profile wedding was managing the scale and complexity of the events. Additionally, it was crucial to be prepared and vigilant enough to quickly capture raw and emotional moments. Respecting the privacy of the guests and being discreet was of utmost importance. We needed to be invisible but present, capturing moments without disturbing the guests or ceremonies. To achieve this, we stationed each team member at strategic locations and restricted unnecessary movements during the ceremonies. We anticipated key moments and used telephoto lenses to capture intimate scenes from a distance, allowing us to get closer shots without intruding. This approach ensured that we respected the guests privacy while still capturing every beautiful moment. Radhika with her father.(Epic Stories) Were there any special requests or traditions that the couple wanted to incorporate into the photography? Yes, there were several important aspects of photography that we focused on during this wedding. One of the most important requests from the couple was capturing the tiny, intimate moments of fun, love, and emotions that would become beautiful memories for a lifetime. The entire setting was mesmerising, and we wanted to ensure that our work reflected the rich cultural heritage of India. Additionally, the family had a special request: they wanted the photos to be cherished long after the memories faded. They hoped these images would bring back all the experiences and emotions they felt during the wedding. This thoughtful request drove us to focus even more on capturing authentic, timeless moments that the couple and their families could look back on and relive for years to come. How would you describe the three phases of celebrations from Jamnagar to the Cruise party to the Mumbai wedding? Jamnagar was an opulent and systematically planned event, unlike anything we'd ever witnessed. Collaborating with numerous vendors, we strategized capturing the essence without disrupting the experience for the guests and the couple. The cruise was a welcome change of pace. We documented candid moments, with a few fun events happening during port stops. The final act in Mumbai was where the unexpected- wildlife lenses come in! This was physically demanding, sometimes positioned far away, running back and forth, and maintaining discretion. But the pictures made all these efforts worthwhile. All these celebrations had a huge international presence, from Rihanna, and Justin Bieber to Kim Kardashian. Were there any dos and donts? With Rihanna performing in Jamnagar, Justin Bieber at the Mumbai event, and Kim Kardashian attending the wedding, it was crucial to respect their privacy. As professionals, we ensured to capture their presence in a discreet and respectful manner. There werent strict dos and donts per se, but our approach was all about maintaining professionalism while capturing these iconic moments. Was there a moment that surprised you? While we captured many special moments, weddings themselves arent full of surprises for us photographers. We know the flow of events. However, the couple definitely had some! For instance, the Katy Perry show on the cruise was a complete surprise for them. We had to be ready to capture their genuine reactions! Lastly, what was it to capture both the Khans -- Shah Rukh and Salman? Capturing both Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, whom Ive long admired from a distance, was truly a dream come true. It presented a unique challenge as these stars, familiar faces from Bollywood and beyond, were captured in their most natural and unguarded states. They werent posing for the camera; instead, they were simply living in the moment, allowing me to capture their true essence. It felt like witnessing a live movie, unscripted and exclusive, never to be screened anywhere else. They remained in their true elements throughout, making each shot an authentic reflection of their presence. Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal had each other's backs despite internet being divisive over their interfaith marriage. The couple recently spoke about how they never had any disagreements over religion. In an interview with ETimes, Sonakshi and Zaheer said that their respective faiths have never been a part of any discussions. (Also read: Sonakshi Sinha will not convert to Islam after wedding, says Zaheer Iqbal's father) Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer said that they never had any disagreements over religion. Sonakshi Sinha reflects on humanity above religion While speaking about imbibing each other's cultures as a married couple, Sonakshi opined, Absolutely! I think it will be beautiful. But genuinely, we're not that very different from each other. Our core values are the same. Basically, our parents have taught us to be good human beings and believe in God, irrespective of whatever name you know him by. The most important thing in life is to be a good person kind of values we have imbibed - that's the kind of values we have imbibed. Zaheer Iqbal cites Salim Khan's interfaith marriage Zaheer also pointed out that he could have 50,000 disagreements with Sona, but it will never have anything to do with religion. He also added that Salim uncle (Salman Khan's father) had once shared with him that this is what he had told 'Salma aunty's' parents when they got married. Sonakshi concluded by saying, In the seven years that we were dating, the fact that we are from different faiths has never come up in a discussion. We both respect other religions. It's never been an issue for us or even a discussion. She said that the only noise about the interfaith wedding is from outside. She stated that as actors they belong to the audiences who come from different faiths. Sonakshi Sinha-Zaheer Iqbal relationship Sonakshi and Zaheer dated for seven years before getting married on June 23, 2017, the same date they started dating. They both starred in the film Double XL, co-produced by Huma Qureshi. Zaheer, son of businessman Iqbal Ratansi and a close friend of Salman Khan, was backed by Salman for his debut film, "Notebook," where he starred alongside Pranutan Bahl. Sonakshi was introduced to Zaheer by Salman at a party. Sonakshi was recently seen in Aditya Sarpotdar's horror-comedy - Kakuda. After their rekindled romance set tinsel town abuzz, reports of trouble are seeping out from Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez's seemingly idyllic marriage. While initial reports suggested that JLO's overwhelming fame might be the wedge between the high-profile couple, people close to them are saying there's something much bigger going on. Earlier a report surfaced, that despite being Bens dream woman, it was drama all the time, but seems like thats not the thing. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck attend the 2023 Eastern Congo Initiative Poker and Blackjack Tournament hosted by TAO Group Hospitality at LAVO Restaurant & Nightclub at The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas on November.(Getty Images via AFP) Ben and Jen have deeper issues "The idea that Ben thinks Jennifer is too famous and that he didnt know what he was getting into with the attention on their marriage isnt true," a source told People. "There are deeper issues, they added. Bennifer recently celebrated their 2-year anniversary but apart. While The Accountant 2 star was spotted bike riding in Los Angeles, the pop star spent her day in the Hamptons, flocking to a posh restaurant for dinner alone. Earlier, she was spotted shopping with her hubbys oldest kid, Violet, with whom she shares a very special relationship. Also read: Trumps granddaughter Kai, 17, gets swarmed by teen boys; dad Donald Jr. warns, stay away, you little... Earlier, insiders claimed that the actor doesnt agree with Jennifers lifestyle and cannot handle Lopezs high level of fame. Both have different approaches while dealing with spotlight The once inseparable Gigli co-stars have reportedly been living apart for over a month, with their last public appearance together captured at their son's school event. Back in May, people started talking about problems in their relationship when someone mentioned to People that they weren't getting along well. "He is more introspective and private. She likes to open her heart to her fans and to the world. This makes them considerably different, and it has been difficult in the day-to-day relationship," the source claimed. Also read: Viral timelapse reveals US air traffic crash as IT outage strands passengers from America to Berlin, Hong Kong A different person mentioned to the outlet that the couple's busy jobs usually take them to different places, which makes it hard for them to talk and often causes big fights over little things that could've been fixed easily if they'd just understood each other better. Ben Affleck is living in fear News came out on July 17th that Ben Affleck is really concerned about how Jennifer Lopez might react if they ever split up. He's so worried that he's been holding onto his wedding ring, which is making things a bit of a mess for people watching. Currently residing in his Brentwood rental, Affleck has been spotted wearing and removing the ring, unable to fully let go of the marital symbol. Some people think this whole ring thing might be because Jennifer Lopez is famous for showing off her love in public. No matter what's going on, this whole thing is making Affleck super anxious. The way shes insisted on them wearing their rings and doing all this damage control, to her huge fit over him moving his stuff out, has got him anxious, an insider told InTouch. Amitabh defends Prabhas' scenes The official YouTube handle of Vyjayanthi Movies, the production house behind Kalki 2898 AD, posted a conversation, episode 2 of The Kalki Chronicles, between Amitabh and Nag Ashwin. In the episode, Amitabh is seen defending Prabhas' introductory scenes. "There are many portions, which I felt as somebody who's been in the film industry can understand, that you're playing to the gallery. This is Prabhas, this is a Telugu film. And Prabhas is Telugu. You've to understand that he's massive, he's God-like. There were many in the audience who felt in the first half, maybe because of the length, they thought, Lets go on with the story.' The fact is it's an intro of the hero of the film, but not just the hero of the film, but the hero of the Telugu-speaking nation. And that is something the people overlooked. But we have to give it to them," said Amitabh, who felt Kalki 2898 AD is a perfect amalgamation of playing to the gallery and going ahead with the story. Nag Ashwin on playing to the gallery It's a very thin line. There's a sequence in his introduction, which a new audience from Paris would not get. There's a hologram that glitches right next to Prabhas and says Rebel Star for an instant. That's a clap trap. For someone on the outside, it doesn't make a difference. There's also a bit when Bhairava (Prabhas' character) says I have fans, and Buji says, Ya, ya I know, Rebel fans. And it doesn't make a difference for someone outside. Because we've established he's a rebel, Nag told Amitabh in the episode. Kalki 2898 AD also stars Deepika Padukone, Kamal Haasan, Saswata Chatterjee, and Shobhana, among others. Bigg Boss OTT 3: Another day, another fight! This time it was Lovekesh Kataria who got into a heated argument with the first wildcard contestant of the show, Adnaan Shaikh. While Lovekesh was filming a vlog, Adnaan passed comments on him and it gradually led to a nasty fight, where the other contestants of the house had to intervene. (Also read: Bigg Boss OTT 3: Sai Ketan Rao throws chair at Lovekesh Kataria, almost hits him in heated argument. Watch) Lovekesh Kataria was filming a vlog inside the Bigg Boss house. Adnaan and Lovekesh insult each other The new teaser promo of the upcoming episode was shared on the official X account of JioCinema, which saw Lovekesh filming a vlog inside the house. Lovekesh tells in his vlog that he wants everyone to meet the wild card contestant and see his wildness. This comment seemed to irritate Adnaan as he came along to star in the vlog and went on to say that he was aware that only if he appeared on the vlog, will there be more views. He makes fun of Lovekesh's voice and tells him to talk like a man. They take more jibes at each other and it grows into a heated argument, as Adnaan pushes him. Other inmates were seen trying to make peace and take both of them away from each other. More details Bigg Boss OTT 3 brought in Adnaan Shaikh as the wild card contestant after Chandrika Dixit aka Vada Pav girl's elimination last weekend. In one of the previous episodes, he was reprimanded for sharing news from what's happening outside the Bigg Boss house, ordering him to leave the house immediately. He apologized and received a stern warning. Bigg Boss OTT 3 also features Kritika Malok, Sana Makbul, Sana Sultan, Deepak Chairasia, Shivani Kumari. Hosted by Anil Kapoor, the new episodes can be streamed on JioCinemas. Actor Abhishek Verma recently went for his first Amarnath Yatra and he is in awe of the spiritual cleansing the experience gave him. I am a spiritual person and I go to Vaishno Devi temple twice a year. I have a few friends from Amritsar who go to Amarnath Yatra every year and I had asked them to take me along the next time they go there. I was shooting in Nainital when they got me registered, yet I wasnt sure if Id get to go. But things worked out and I went there, he shares. Abhishek Verma on his first Amarnath Yatra Verma reached the base camp on July 2 and began his trek to the pilgrimage the next day on a steep stretch. Physically, I was very drained because its a steep climb and a very uneven path. There arent just people on the trek but also horses and palkis. There are steps with ice and raasta kachcha hai. When I started as compared to when I returned from the trek, I looked totally different. After 6-7 kilometres, your body starts giving up and you have to take it one step at a time. But jab mahadev bulate hain, aapke pair automatically chalte rehte hain, he shares, adding that once you see the bhavan, the whole tiredness vanishes from your mind. You forget everything and go into a different zone completely. You feel grateful for the opportunity to get to go there, and I hope I get this chance every year, he says. Recalling his experience after reaching the bhavan, the 34-year-old shares, In the bhavan, aisa bola jata hai ki do pigeon ka joda hai and if you see them, its considered very lucky, and I got to see them. At that height, there are no birds, but those two pigeons are there and that is a miracle in itself. I just hope it turns out to be lucky for me. The Yeh Hai Mohabbatein actor insists he was moved by seeing the kindness of people there. In our normal lives, we prioritise ourselves, but there, everyone is equal and helping each other out. You see so many people there who are just there for giving and that kindness touched me, he shares, adding that in todays time, having faith is really important. In the difficult times, we only say bhagwan bacha le. So, we should be thankful, he asserts. The Emmy Awards, a cornerstone of television accolades, just recently unveiled their nominees for the 76th season. While indulging in television is delightful, you may be intrigued to learn that several of these nominations are based on iconic literature. For those who cherish reading as much as we do, here's a compilation of 8 nominated shows that draw inspiration from books. Emmy-nominated shows and films based on iconic books Shogun Based on the best-selling 1975 James Clavell novel of the same name, Shogun is a historical drama television that follows pilot John Blackthorne and his crew members after they survive a shipwreck. They are taken prisoner in the fishing village of Anjiro and must wait for the samurai who will decide their fate. The series follows Clavell as he adventures to Osaka where he is embroiled in a power struggle. The series follows the book's narrative rather closely, drawing directly from the author's original dialogue and keeping mega-hit elements exactly the same instead of adapting it for a TV audience. The show has been nominated for an unprecedented 25 awards, including Outstanding Drama Series. Based on the best-selling 1975 James Clavell Slow Horses Slow Horses is a British spy thriller television series based on the early novels of the Slough House series written by Mick Herron. Fans call it a faithful adaptation of the book except for a few character changes here and there. The story centres around Slough House, an administrative purgatory for MI5 agents who made career-ending mistakes yet somehow get involved in investigating schemes endangering Britain. The show was nominated for 3 awards, including one for Outstanding Drama Series. Slow Horses is on Apple TV+ 3 Body Problem 3 Body Problem is an American science fiction TV series based on the Chinese novel series, Remembrance of Earth's Past by author Liu Cixin. It follows a group of scientists who come into contact with an extraterrestrial civilization and work against time to save the world from catastrophic consequences. The series has been nominated for 2 awards including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. 3 Body Problem is an American science fiction TV series Palm Royale Palm Royale is a period comedy-drama television series based on the 2018 novel Mr. & Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel. The series focuses on Maxine Simmons who strives to gain a foothold in the high society club of Palm Royale, Florida. The show has been nominated for 5 Emmy awards including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. Palm Royale is a period comedy-drama television Lessons In Chemistry Lessons in Chemistry is an American historical drama miniseries based on the novel of the same name by Bonnie Garmus. It follows chemist Elizabeth Zott, who after being fired from her job as a chemist begins hosting her own feminist cooking show in 1960s America titled, Supper at Six to educate housewives on scientific topics. The show has been nominated for 4 awards, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. Lessons in Chemistry is an American historical drama Ripley The American psychological thriller miniseries Ripley, is based on Patricia Highsmith's 1955 crime novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. The story follows Tom Ripley who is a conman hired by a wealthy man to convince his son to return from Italy. But soon things go wrong and Tom's introduction to the wealthy son's life is his first step into a life of deceit, fraud and murder. The show has been nominated for 13 Emmys including one for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. Ripley is based on Patricia Highsmith's 1955 crime novel The Talented Mr. Ripley All The Light We Cannot See All the Light We Cannot See is an American historical drama television miniseries based on Anthony Doerr's phenomenal novel under the same name. It follows the story of blind Marie-Laure and Werner, a German soldier whose paths cross in occupied France during World War II. The show has been nominated for 4 Emmy awards including the Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie award. All the Light We Cannot See is an American historical drama television miniseries Red, White and Royal Blue Red, White & Royal Blue is a 2023 American romantic comedy film directed based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Casey McQuiston. The film follows a developing love affair between the son of the president of the United States and a British prince. The show has 1 nomination for Outstanding Made for Television Movie. Red, White & Royal Blue is a 2023 American romantic comedy film It's always a pleasure to see the intersection of literature and television especially when it proves fruitful with the unveiling of the 76th season Emmy nominees. If you're not fond of the big screen, try picking up the book instead! Having played a cop and news anchor in multiple projects, including Scam 2003: The Telgi Story and Scoop (2023), actor Girish Sharma doesnt wish to repeat himself. He is experimenting with his looks, doing theatre and making music to showcase his different facets. HT Image Now, when I get a call from casting people, my first question is, Police officer ya news anchor ka role to nahin hai na? Its not that I am opposed to them, but it should be worth it there should be a graph to it. In my last release, the web film House of Lies, I played a person with negative shades and in of my upcoming series, the audience will see me in a different light. I am picking roles that can surprise the audience, says the actor on his visit to Lucknow for a shoot. Sharma is happier honing his craft than repeating roles. I am working in plays and will next feature in Karamjale Brothers, directed by Rajat Kapoor, with actor Vinay Pathak and others. Shows for director Atul Kumars play Baaghi Albele and Golden Jubilee keep happening. They were staged in Lucknow also. I also sang in one of them, composed and sung in my last web show and have written, composed and sung for Taxi Number 24 where I acted as well besides creating the pool of singles, adds Sharma. Advised to buy Insta followers He gets amused when people ask him to strengthen his social media. These days, casting people ask for social media credentials as well. My well-wishers also advise me to buy followers, make content and do PR activity. Honestly, every week I started posting a song video, but then realised it started becoming an obligation. Salute to those who can do it and its a talent as well, but I decided to focus on my craft and work on skills as ultimately that will fetch me work. Myanmar authorities aided in the release of 11 Indian victims trapped in a job scam at Shwe Ko Ko in Myawaddy, the Indian embassy in Myanmar said. In a city famous for scam jobs in Myanmar, 11 trapped Indians were finally released and will soon be repatriated(AP) In a post on X, the embassy said the Myanmar authorities with local assistance had managed to release the Indians who had been stuck in Shwe Ko Ko. Also Read: 360 Indian citizens working as cyber slaves in Cambodia return home Earlier, 13 Indians stuck in Myanmar due to a job scam had experienced issues with repatriation due to their illegal entry into the country. Indians have been caught in similar job scams in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. A report by the Deccan Herald showed that most of them were from Tamil Nadu. Also Read: India raises concerns about Myanmar violence; flags arms, narcotics trafficking The report also showed that in 2022, 45 Indians were rescued from their fake employers by the Myanmar and Thailand embassies, with 150 more trapped in Shwe Ko Ko and released over time. Also Read: Agents booked for taking Indian job-seekers to Laos to work in fake call centres Many of these cyber-scams in 2024 involve fake trading apps, investment apps and websites, fake loan apps, fake dating apps, and fake gaming apps. Shwe Ko Ko, the scam centre of Myanmar, is infamous for fake job rackets which enable illegal gambling, human trafficking, call centre scams and cryptocurrency frauds. In May 2024, 360 Indians were rescued from Cambodia as well, working in online scams in locked compounds like Shwe Ko Ko. The central government on May 16 announced that a high-level inter-ministerial committee would be formed under the chairpersonship of the special secretary (Internal Security), ministry of home affairs to address the rise in cybercrime leading to such situations. The Indian embassy also stated that the Indian citizens would soon be repatriated and return home, tagging the External Affairs Ministry and Prime Minister of India's office on X. As many as 202 Indian nationals, mostly students stranded in Bangladesh due to the countrywide protests against job quotas in the neighbouring country, have crossed over to India via Meghalayas Dawki integrated check post. Bangladesh Police fire tear shells to disperse anti-quota protesters in Dhaka. (AFP) Until today [Thursday] evening at 6:45 pm, 202 Indians stranded due to violence have crossed from Dawki [81.5 km from the capital Shillong], said a Meghalaya home department official, who did not want to be named. All possible measures have been taken for the safety of the students. The situation is under control but the government is maintaining a watch. The official said 198 of the 202 are students and 67 are from Meghalaya. Other students who crossed over include students from Nepal [101] and Bhutan [seven]...the remaining 23 are from other states of the country and four are tourists. The official said the state government was in touch with the Bangladesh high commission and the Land Port Authority to facilitate a safe return of Indians. A helpline (1800 345 3644) has been set up. Additional police superintendent Hiwot Rymbai (+91 96157 16153) and land port executive Thomas (+91 84150 60802) have been appointed as nodal officers to facilitate the evacuation and rescue of people from Meghalaya. Bangladeshi authorities cut mobile internet services in parts of the country on Thursday, the worst day of violence amid protests against quotas in government jobs, with the killing of 13 people. Students carrying sticks and rocks clashed with police in Dhaka on Thursday. At least 19 people have been killed this week. Bangladesh Indigenous Peoples Forum (BIPF) organising secretary Andrew Sholomar told HT over the phone from Dhaka that the situation was grim. Today [Thursday] a nationwide shutdown was called, and students were sent away from the examination halls but remain stranded. There is no transport available with all roads empty. He said it is impossible to venture out. Everything has come to a standstill and we do not know what will happen next except try to remain indoors for our safety. Sholomar said hundreds of students from Meghalaya were pursuing medicine, engineering, and other allied professional courses in Bangladesh. A 30-year-old man was arrested on Thursday after he murdered his wife and her parents in Yadgiri, police said. 30-year-old held in Yadgiri for killing wife, her parents The victims, identified as identified as Annapurna (25), her mother Kavitha (45), and her father Basavarajappa (52), hailed from Davangere. The accused, Naveen (30) from Munagal village in Yadgiri taluk, is now in police custody. Police said the incident stemmed from a troubled marriage between Annapurna and Naveen, who fell in love and married four years ago. However, their marriage began to deteriorate following the birth of their daughter, with frequent quarrels over minor issues. Feeling harassed and frustrated, Annapurna decided to return to her parental home in Davangere, where she remained for a year, refusing to return to Yadgiri. On Tuesday, Naveen visited his wifes home in Davangere, pleading to take Annapurna back with him. After much discussion and intervention from family elders, a temporary reconciliation was reached. Annapurnas parents agreed to accompany her to Yadgiri to ensure her safe return to her husbands home, police said. Officers further said that after they returned to Yadgiri, another family meeting was held, and it was decided that Annapurna would stay with Naveen under certain conditions. Naveen offered to drive Annapurna, her mother, and her father to the bus station in his car. Instead, he drove them to a secluded spot, where he brutally attacked them with an iron rod and a knife, killing all three. Naveen then disposed of the bodies near Joladadagi village in Wadagera taluk. The police, acting on a tip-off, discovered Annapurnas body in Yadgiri and swiftly took Naveen into custody. Naveen held a grudge against his wife Annapurna and decided to kill her, Saidapura police inspector Vinayka said. Under the pretext of bringing her home, he killed all three and disposed of the bodies in a nearby field. On Thursday morning, we received a tip from a villager and recovered the bodies and arrested the accused. We also recovered the weapon used for the crime and booked him under BNS section 103 (murder). The bodies were handed over to family members after the autopsy at Yadgiri district hospital, he added. NEW DELHI: About 50 Indian nationals currently serving with the Russian military have approached Indian authorities seeking help to be discharged and both countries are working to find a resolution to the matter, the external affairs ministry said on Friday. A Russian Interior Ministry's combat unit involved in the country's military campaign in Ukraine, in Grozny, Russia on June 29, 2024. (REUTERS FILE) New Delhi had sought a verified stop to the recruitment of Indians in the Russian Army after four Indians were killed this year while serving with units deployed on the frontlines of the conflict in Ukraine. Most Indians were employed as support staff, such as cooks and helpers, and accompanied their units to the war front. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also raised the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their recent annual summit in Moscow and sought the early discharge and repatriation of the Indian nationals. When external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked at a regular media briefing about the status of efforts to bring back the Indian nationals from Russia, he said that, according to citizens serving in the Russian military and their families, about 50 Indians have so far sought help for their discharge. These are cases where the individual or his family members have approached us for assistance in securing their early discharge, he said. This particular issue has been raised by us at all levels, including at the leadership level. This issue was also taken up by our prime minister when he met President Putin during the annual summit. The Russian side has responded positively, we are both working for early discharge of the Indian nationals and hopefully, theyll come back home soon. Ten Indians who were recruited by the Russian Army have already returned to the country. Some reports have suggested that the actual number of Indians serving in the Russian military could be as high as 100. Some of the Indian nationals have issued video appeals for help, saying they are on the frontlines of the conflict in Ukraine and that several foreign nationals serving in their units have been killed or injured. Besides Indians, residents of neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka have also been recruited by the Russian military. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday ordered mandatory mentioning of owners of all eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route across Uttar Pradesh a day after the police softened its controversial directive asking restaurants along the 240km stretch the pilgrims take in the western part of the state. The 11-day pilgrimage is beginning on July 22. (HT PHOTO) A spokesperson for the state government said Adityanath has issued stern directives over displaying names and identities of the owners of eateries, shops and carts on the route to ensure that religious sanctity of the pilgrimage remains intact, and the pilgrims are not disturbed during the 11-day pilgrimage beginning on July 22 in the Hindu holy month of Shravan. He added Adityanath also directed action against those involved in selling and promoting halal (permissible in Arabic) products. The Opposition criticised the earlier police directive while Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), the third-largest member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre, said no order should widen the communal divide. JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said he comes from Muzaffarnagar and knows the area well. He added Muslims there have always actively participated in extending their cooperation to pilgrims. Tyagi said police have a duty to identify anti-socials but any order should not create a communal divide. He called for reviewing the order. Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the decision and likened it to apartheid in South Africa and the Juden boycott in Hitlers Germany. BJP leader and former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi blamed overzealous officials for the order, which he said could promote untouchability. He said the hasty orders of some overzealous officials may give rise to untouchability. Naqvi said faith must be respected, but untouchability must not be patronised even as the police on Thursday clarified that compliance with its order was voluntary. The police said many, especially Kanwariyas, abstain from certain food items during Shravan. They cited instances in the past and said it came to light that some shopkeepers, selling all types of food items, on Kanwar Marg named their shops in such a way that it created confusion among the pilgrims and led to a law and order situation. The police said to prevent such recurrence and given the faith of the devotees, hotels, dhabas, and shopkeepers selling food items on the route have been requested to voluntarily display the names of their owners and employees. They insisted the intention of the order was not to create any kind of religious discrimination but only to facilitate the devotees passing through Muzaffarnagar district, counter allegations and save the law and order situation. The police in the western Uttar Pradesh districts of Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, and Saharanpur issued orders directing eateries to put the names of owners on shops or carts. The order made no mention of religion, but Opposition leaders and activists alleged that the move was aimed at displaying the faiths of food sellers. The pilgrims (kanwariyas) are Shiva worshippers who undertake an annual pilgrimage to fetch Ganga water in pitchers hung from poles (kanwars). They offer the water to the deity at shrines. Around 30 million Kanwariyas are expected to walk or drive to Haridwar from across the country from July 22 until August 2. On Monday, Muzaffarnagar Police ordered all eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of owners to avoid confusion following a demand by some Hindu seers. Similar orders were also issued in Saharanpur and Shamli. Pictures of fruit sellers putting their names on carts went viral on social media. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav described it as a social crime and asked the courts to take suo motu cognisance. He asked the court to investigate the intentions of the government. Yadav said such was aimed at spoiling the peaceful atmosphere and harmony. Uttar Pradesh minister Kapil Dev Agarwal, who is an assembly member from Muzaffarnagar, backed the idea during a review meeting for the pilgrimage last week. An Air India relief aircraft for passengers of its Delhi-San Francisco flight stranded at Russia's Krasnoyarsk Airport has now departed from there for the US city, the airline has said. Air India had to divert its Delhi-San Francisco flight with 225 passengers and 19 crew members to Russia.(Representative Image) "The flight AI 1179 departed Krasnoyarsk (KJA) at 0002 hours local time (20 July) for San Francisco (SFO), carrying all passengers and crew of AI183 that was diverted to Krasnoyarsk," Air India said in a statement. The airline had to divert its Delhi-San Francisco flight with 225 passengers and 19 crew members to the Russian city on Thursday after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area of the Boeing 777 aircraft. The relief flight with an Air India team, including crew and security personnel, took off from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here at 12.52 pm for the Russian city of Krasnoyarsk. The ferry flight also carried on board essentials in addition to sufficient food for all passengers. ALSO READ- Explained: How the Microsoft-CrowdStrike IT outage hurt airlines worldwide The airline said it has mobilised additional on-ground support at SFO to carry out the clearance formalities for all passengers upon arrival. The team at SFO are prepared to provide all necessary assistance to the passengers, including but not limited to medical care, ground transportation, and onward connections in applicable cases, it stated. "Air India Rescue Flight AI 1179 with passengers of AI-183 took off from Krasnoyarsk for San Francisco. The Embassy of India, Moscow thanks the Foreign Ministry of Russia and its Representative Office in Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federal Agency for Air Transport, the Krasnoyarsk Krai Government, airport authorities and security officials, for the assistance to the passengers and to Embassy's team in the coordination work throughout the emergency situation," the Indian Embassy in Moscow said in a post on X. ALSO READ- Air India passenger refused all refreshments on flight. It led to his arrest at Delhi airport The Embassy had earlier on Friday morning said that an Embassy team of three senior officials and interpreters were on ground in Krasnoyarsk to assist the passengers of Air India flight to San Francisco which made an "emergency" landing at Krasnoyarsk last night. "The team is coordinating with airport and security authorities and representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry to provide all possible assistance to the passengers. The team will stay on ground in Krasnoyarsk till Air India's replacement plane arrives and takes the passengers on their onward journey," the Embassy had said in its post. NEW DELHI: India on Friday declined to comment on violent protests against government job quotas in Bangladesh but said around 15,000 Indian nationals living in the neighbouring country were all safe and sound. A demonstrator gestures as protesters clash with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the police outside the state-owned Bangladesh Television as violence erupts across the country after anti-quota protests by students in Dhaka (REUTERS) Cities across Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka, have been rocked this week by violence between protesters opposed to the job quotas and pro-government student groups and police. The violence erupted on Tuesday and flared up again on Thursday during a nationwide shutdown called by the protesters. Around 30 people have died and hundreds more were injured. We see this as an internal matter of Bangladesh, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular media briefing while responding to questions on how India views the violent protests. The total number of Indian nationals in Bangladesh is estimated to be around 15,000, including 8,500 students, and there have been no reports of Indian casualties. All our Indian nationals are safe there. We have a large student community, many of them pursue medical education in that country, Jaiswal said. They are all safe and sound. They are in touch with our high commission and assistant high commissions and we are in regular touch with them to render any assistance that they may need, he added. Following the unrest and protests in Bangladesh, the Indian high commission issued an advisory on Thursday that urged Indians to avoid travel and remain indoors. Indian nationals have also been asked to be in touch with the high commission so that it can render any assistance they may need, Jaiswal said. External affairs minister S Jaishankar is also monitoring the situation and the high commission in Dhaka is providing regular updates on the situation. We remain committed to provide all possible assistance to our nationals, Jaiswal said. Asked about the snapping of mobile internet services and telecommunications by the Bangladesh government, Jaiswal said authorities in Dhaka had taken some steps because of the protests but telecommunications were working and we are in touch with our people through that medium. Helpline numbers operating round the clock have been set up for people to reach out for any help. I would urge family members of Indians in Bangladesh to follow us for latest developments, he said. Websites of leading English dailies in Dhaka remained inaccessible on Friday and it was not possible to reach mobile phones or WhatsApp numbers in Bangladesh because of the restrictions imposed by authorities on communications. The Bangladesh government scrapped the job quotas, which mainly benefit the children of veterans of the 1971 war of liberation, but they were reinstated by the high court in June this year. The courts verdict triggered the protests. The Supreme Court is set to hear petitions challenging the high courts ruling on Sunday. People familiar with the matter said there were concerns on the Indian side that the protests could be infiltrated by hardliners and extremist elements opposed to the government of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Guwahati: Ninety mound-shaped burial grounds or Moidams of royals from the Ahom dynasty of Assam could become Indias newest UNESCO world heritage site later this month. (HT Photo/Sourced) The 46th ordinary session of the UN bodys world heritage committee will be held in New Delhi from July 21 to 31, and the Moidams located at Charaideo district in Assam, which is the only entry from India, is expected to get the world heritage tag at that event. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the advisory body of UNESCO, has recommended Moidams to be included in the world heritage list for its exceptional and unique cultural tradition and architectural or technological ensemble or landscape. At present, there are two UNESCO World Heritage sites in Assam -- the Kaziranga National Park, which is home to the worlds largest habitat of the endangered one-horned rhinos, and the Manas National Park, a biodiversity hotspot located on the border with Bhutan that has spectacular scenery and natural landscape. The world heritage tag, if it comes, will be a big moment for Assam. Tourists from other parts of India and abroad, who come to Assam, visit either Kaziranga or Kamakhya, a sacred Hindu temple located in Guwahati. But they arent aware of Assams history or the Ahom dynasty. The UNESCO tag will hopefully change that, said Arup Kumar Dutta, author of The Ahoms: A Reimagined History. He added that there should be adequate publicity about the Moidams once the UNESCO tag is given, which in turn would give a boost to the states tourism industry and also highlight Assams culture and history to those outside the northeast region. I am sure the tag will bring about broader awareness about other historical sites in the state, especially the ones in Sivasagar district, like Talatal Ghar, Rang Ghar, Shiva Doul etc, said Dutta, a Padma Shri awardee. Birendra Kumar Gohain, who has written several books on the Ahoms and is considered an authority on the dynasty and their traditions, said that the UNESCO tag will lead to better conservation efforts of the historically and architecturally important Moidams. We all hope that the Moidams get the tag. But once that happens, our authorities should ensure there is proper publicity and tourists who come to see the UNESCO site also visit other historical places in Assam. The food habits and culture of other Assamese communities will also get highlighted, he said. Drawing comparisons with Egypts pyramids, Gohain said that while the burial monuments of the Pharaohs and other royalty were mainly focused above the ground, the Ahom Moidams were intricate structures located underneath the dome-shaped earthen mounds. History Chaolung Sukaphaa, a Shan (Tai) prince from Mong Mao in Yunan of southern China who came to Assam after crossing the Patkai Mountains via Myanmar and established the Ahom kingdom in 1228, kings, queens and royal family members were buried at Charaideo, the first Ahom capital located around 28 km from Sivasagar. Of the 386 Moidams explored so far, 39 are believed to be of Ahom kings who ruled Assam for nearly 600 years till the Burmese invasion of the region and subsequent annexation by the British East India Company after signing of the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826. Of all the Moidams, nearly 90 have been preserved well and are the best representations of the burial system sometimes referred to as the Pyramids of Assam. A Moidam (also spelt Maidam) is a tumulus a mound of earth or stones over a grave. While the moidams at Charaideo housed graves of the Ahom royals, there is a record that even other Ahoms, including soldiers used to get buried in moidams of smaller dimensions. They are spread all across the region where Ahoms ruled in Assam, said Dutta. The Ahoms were great record keepers and details of their history are found in buranjis, which chronicled their rule and important events. The practice of burying the deceased in Moidams, which in Tai language means place where the dead are worshipped, started in Assams Charaideo with Sukaphaa also finds mention in one such buranji. It is mentioned that after Sukaphas death, his eldest son made the kings Moidam on the foothills of Charaideo hills and prayed to the gods. This is clearly written in buranji and is the only evidence that the first Ahom king was buried in Charaideo, said Gohain. While the practice was new to Assam, it is believed to have been a continuation of the tradition the Shans followed in regions of China and Myanmar where they lived. The act of burial at Moidams, which started with Sukaphaa, continued for the next six centuries and all Ahom kings, their queens and family members continued to be buried in the mound-shaped burial grounds. The practice of building a mausoleum for the dead king was part of the practice followed by Shans in Mong Mao and they continued it after coming to Assam. This can be known as Moidams were constructed right after Sukaphas death. So, we can say that it was part of their tradition and not something new which they did after arriving in Assam, said Dutta. During the course of their 600-year rule, the Ahoms gradually gave up their language and religion, but some of their rituals, including the practice of constructing Moidams and the wedding practices continued as per their old tradition, he added. Though the Moidams, which are shaped like a hemisphere covered in grass with an octagonal structure on top, were sealed after putting the body of the king and other royals, there was an officer who was appointed to take care of their maintenance and beautification. While the Ahom capital shifted later to other places, kings, queens, and other royals continued to be buried in Moidams at Charaideo. During the course of their rule, a few later kings took to Hinduism. But even those kings had their Moidams at Charaideo with ashes from their cremation (as per Hindu practice) buried according to Tai rituals. The Moidams were elaborate structures which had a foundation of stones and had several layers with chambers holding all things, including food that the king or other royals would require in their afterlife. There were specific measurements for the size, shape and other requirements. Details of the same are found in a buranji of Changlung Phukan, a chief engineer during Ahom rule, said Gohain. Apart from things of daily use and clothing of the kings and queens, they also contained treasures in the form of gold, silver, coins, ornaments and other valuables, which were buried in the Moidams. At present, there are no world heritage sites in the cultural category in northeast India, and if the Charaideo Maidoms get the UNESCO nod, it will be the first such kind in the category. Guwahati, Several Hmar community organisations have denounced the killing of three of its youths in an alleged encounter with Assam Police two days ago and urged the NHRC to take suo motu cognisance of these "extrajudicial" deaths. Assam encounter: Hmar apex body calls killing of 3 youths 'extrajudicial' In a statement, the Assam Hills Region of the Hmar Inpui, the community's apex body, termed the circumstances leading to death of the three Hmar youths as "a stark violation of human rights". On July 17, three suspected Hmar militants were killed and three police personnel injured in a fierce encounter in Assam's Cachar district, senior police officials had said. Two of them were from Cachar and one was from Churachandpur in Manipur. "The police version of the incident is found to be full of inconsistencies. Based on various videos circulated in social media, it is clear that the killings were extrajudicial and the policemen involved need to be tried in the court of law for the cold murder of three Indian citizens," Hmar Inpui said. The organisation's Assam Hills Region in its statement demanded that the state government immediately institute a special commission to conduct an impartial investigation into their deaths in light of the evidence recorded on video and the "inconsistency" reported in the social media outlets. "We also request the National Human Rights Commission to take suo motu cognisance of the deaths and notify the Assam government to institute a magisterial inquiry into the killings. The dastardly and cowardly attacks against minorities by the brutal police forces should be stopped immediately," it added. The group said those involved in the alleged encounter should not go scot-free and be booked and punished as per the law. "We also demand the Cachar Police to respect the right to live and should not covertly indulge in curbing the rights of minorities. We deeply mourn the loss of our three precious youths and stand in solidarity with the bereaved families," Hmar Inpui said. Addressing a press conference after the shootout on Wednesday, Cachar SP Numal Mahatta had claimed that the deceased youths were part of a larger group, which was preparing to carry out "subversive activities" along the Assam-Manipur inter-state border areas. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma too had termed the three youths as militants and said in a post on X, "In an early morning operation, @cacharpolice killed 3 Hmar militants from Assam and neighbouring Manipur. Police also seized 2 AK rifles, 1 other rifle and 1 pistol." Assam DGP on Thursday backed his force and Mahatta on X while sharing the press note distributed by the Cachar SP, saying it may be taken as authentic note on behalf of Assam Police. According to Mahatta, police had received an input regarding movement of suspected militants at Krishnapur road under Kachudharam Police Station and three persons were arrested along with sophisticated weapons near Ganganagar while on way towards Bhuban Hills in an autorickshaw. He had further said that as per preliminary investigation, the apprehended trio were members of a Hmar extremist organisation and trained cadres. "During interrogation, they revealed that some of their cadres were hiding in a nearby jungle in Bhuban Hills and were planning to carry out some subversive activities along Assam-Manipur border," the SP had said. Subsequently, a special operation was launched led by the district Additional SP along with commandos in the Bhuban Hills side for apprehension of the suspected militants. The security team was being led by the apprehended culprits. "The moment we reached there, they started indiscriminate firing. There were 6-7 militants hiding behind the bushes. Police team immediately took their positions and retaliated. There was heavy exchange of fire from both the sides," Mahatta had claimed. The apprehended militants, who were taken by the police team, were wearing bulletproof jackets and helmets. They sustained grievous injuries during the encounter and were immediately shifted to Sonai primary health centre and later were shifted to Silchar Medical College and Hospital, where the attending doctor declared them dead, he had added. He had also said three police personnel were severely injured during the exchange of fire and were admitted at the SMCH. The deceased militants were identified as Lallungawi Hmar , Lalbikung Hmar and Joshua , who hailed from Manipur. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Social organisation Hynniewtrep Achik National Movement (HANM) called on Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang and claimed that touts in the state are taking 10,000 to 20,000 per person to facilitate illegal entry of Bangladeshi immigrants through damaged or unfenced portions of the border. HANM called on Meghalaya DGP Nongrang and claimed that touts in the state are taking 10,000 to 20,000 per person to help the illegal entry of Bangladeshi immigrants (HT File Photo) Also Read: 202 stranded Indians escape from Bangladesh via Meghalaya check post Speaking to PTI, HANM president Lamphrang Kharbani said a team of the organisation met the DGP on Thursday and sought her intervention to stop the illegal entry of Bangladesh nationals into the state through certain parts of the border. Also Read: Scindia launches NERACE App, holds meeting with Meghalaya CM, members of NEC He claimed touts are charging 10,000- 20,000 per person to facilitate the entry of Bangladesh nationals. Also Read: Meghalaya to integrate QR codes in school textbooks to help students: Officials Around 20 per cent of the international border in Meghalaya remains unfenced due to steep terrain, presence of rivers and corridors left for migration of wild animals. A senior home department official said, "There are serious concerns over illegal entry of Bangladesh nationals and the government will leave no stone unturned to ensure that such illegal activities stop forthwith." He said the matter has also been taken up with the BSF for coordination and action. With violence erupting across Bangladesh, pro-ILP activists in Meghalaya have upping the ante and alerted members across the state to check for infiltration of Bangladesh nationals. New Delhi: The Indian Army was caught by surprise when Pakistani intruders occupied towering peaks, perched at 15,000 feet to 17,000 feet on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kargil sector, but as the gravity of the invasion unfolded as well as its strategic implications, the army mobilised swiftly to flush out the enemy and regain the lost territory. Every battle fought across the 170km high-altitude frontier was fierce, involved chilling close-quarters combat, cost the lives of young soldiers, and proved critical in securing a decisive victory over the wily neighbour who sought to realign LoC in this sensitive sector through a series of coordinated manoeuvres. (HT Photo) Every battle fought across the 170km high-altitude frontier was fierce, involved chilling close-quarters combat, cost the lives of young soldiers, and proved critical in securing a decisive victory over the wily neighbour who sought to realign LoC in this sensitive sector through a series of coordinated manoeuvres. Here are the five key battles that helped change the course of the 1999 Kargil war. BATTLE OF TOLOLING Perched at almost 16,000 feet near Dras, the Tololing peak offered the Pakistani intruders a sweeping view of a key stretch of the Srinagar-Leh highway, a critical supply line, and was one of the deepest incursions by the enemy. It allowed the well-armed intruders, backed by artillery support, to dominate the highway with observation and fire, interdict the Indian Armys build-up for countermeasures, and impede the troop movement to forward posts. The intruders had to be cleared out from Tololing at the earliest, but the armys initial attempts yielded no breakthrough, as in many other sectors. The first attack was launched by infantry soldiers on the night of May 22, 1999, and the assaults intensified in the following days. However, it was only on June 13 that the enemy was finally evicted from Tololing, the first major success in the war. The breakthrough win, spearheaded by 2 Rajputana Rifles and 18 Grenadiers, whose soldiers were later decorated with several wartime honours, crushed the morale of the enemy and boosted the confidence of the Indian soldiers. ALSO READ- Lesson learnt and unlearnt from Kargil war There was no looking back after that as the army took one peak after another. It was a difficult battle as we had no time for acclimatisation and reconnaissance, we didnt know what we were up against because there was no intelligence, we didnt have snow clothing and the artillery support came in late. Yet the infantry soldier proved his mettle and gave the country something to cheer about, said Brigadier Kushal Thakur (retd), who was then commanding 18 Grenadiers that lost 25 soldiers, including two officers, in the battle. Thakurs second-in-command, Lieutenant Colonel R Vishwanathan, who was awarded Vir Chakra, died in his arms. BATTLE OF POINT 5140 The point lies 1.5 km north of Tololing, on the same ridge line across a feature called Hump. A fresh offensive was planned to dislodge the intruders from Point 5140, the highest post captured by the Pakistan Army in the Tololing complex, after some previous attempts were deflected by the enemy holding well-fortified positions. On June 18, soldiers of 13 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel YK Joshi, were ordered to scout the area and gather intelligence on the enemys deployments and defences before a multipronged attack was authorised by the Indian Army, which was cautiously optimistic after seizing control of Tololing and some nearby features. The events that transpired during the battle (of Tololing) made me think of the difficult days ahead, when we had to clear the enemy from other areas. But after realising the determination and the fighting spirit of our troops, I was convinced that we could do it, General VP Malik, who was the army chief during the war, wrote after retirement in his book Kargil: From Surprise to Victory. By now, the 155mm FH 77 BO2 guns, better known as Bofors, had arrived on the scene to provide much-needed firepower support and began pounding the targets on June 19, shortly before 13 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles began its assault with Captains Vikram Batra and SS Jamwal leading the charge as per the plan made by Joshi with the element of surprise at its core. Still, the assault teams had overcome stiff resistance from the enemy to take back Point 5140 on June 20, with Batra killing four Pakistani soldiers in fierce hand-to-hand combat. His iconic victory slogan Yeh Dil Maange More turned the Pepsi tagline into a motto for a generation of Indians. ALSO READ- View: How PM Modi ensured another Kargil is not repeated BATTLE OF TIGER HILL As the war raged on along the mountain frontier, and India sent more reinforcements to strengthen its military posture, the armys next priority was to clear Tiger Hill, riding on the momentum it had built on the back of successes in some other areas. It was another important vantage point overlooking the Srinagar-Leh highway. The critical mission to get Tiger Hill back was assigned to Thakurs 18 Grenadiers, which had earned its spurs at Tololing and Hump, with 8 Sikh as the reserve unit. The battalion launched the attack on July 3, backed by a heavy volume of artillery fire, after the Indian Air Forces Mirage 2000s had dropped laser-guided bombs on Tiger Hill and prepared the ground for the final push. However, a complicated sequence of unforeseen events unfolded as the soldiers were closing in on the intruders. Accurate fire from the dominating positions halted the advance of one of the companies of 18 Grenadiers, even as two other companies, led by Captain Sachin Nimbalkar and Lieutenant Balwan Singh, pushed ahead grittily through the intimidating terrain and took positions a mere stones throw from the hilltop. At 0400 hours on 4 July, after a carefully orchestrated artillery bombardment, Nimbalkar and Singh along with their men approached Tiger Hill Top by climbing a sheer cliff and caught the enemy unawares. After a spell of hand-to-hand fighting, they succeeded in capturing the objective. Although 18 Grenadiers held the Top now, linking up with them was not easy. When the initial surprise wore off, the enemy started gearing up for launching counter-attacks, Malik wrote in the book. All of 19, Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav waged what is perhaps the most well-known battle of the Kargil war. He was the only survivor of an attack that killed six of his comrades and riddled him with 15 bullets. Yadavs solo counter-attack killed seven enemy soldiers. While Tiger Hill was captured on July 4, the Indian flag was hoisted atop it only on July 8. In the intervening days, the army sent in the reserve units to beat back counter-attacks by the intruders and capture two key positions, a mission it accomplished with aplomb. ALSO READ- Nawaz Sharif admits Pakistan violated peace agreement with India in 1999 BATTLE OF POINT 4875: The occupation of Point 4875 also made the Srinagar-Leh highway vulnerable to enemy artillery fire. The preparations to capture it began on June 24. The prime responsibility to clear the area fell on the shoulders of 13 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles, which had taken back Point 5140 on June 20 and established a formidable reputation as a unit that could deliver in trying circumstances. The carefully planned attack, supervised by Joshi from the front line, was launched on July 4, with Major S Vijay Bhaskar and Major Gurpreet Singh leading their men from two separate approaches to capture Flat Top area of Point 4875. It was in this battle that Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, a leading scout of an attacking column, killed three Pakistani soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. He was later decorated with the Param Vir Chakra. The fighting, however, raged on as the two companies led by Bhaskar and Singh were pinned down by heavy artillery and automatic fire. It was then that reinforcements were sent under Major Vikas Vohra and Captain Vikram Batra to ward off a grim outcome. By July 5, after some of the most intense fighting witnessed during the war, Flat Top was back in Indian hands. However, holding on to these objectives, which the enemy too considered important, was as difficult as capturing them, army officials said. Batras glorious run in the war ended on July 7, the day Point 4875 fell to 13 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles. Shedding light on one of the defining moments of the battle, Batras Param Vir Chakra citation says he engaged the enemy in fierce hand-to-hand combat and killed five of them -- a replay of his heroism in the Battle of Point 5140. Despite serious injuries, he crawled towards the enemy and hurled grenades...clearing the position. Leading from the front, he rallied his men and pressed on (with) the attack and achieved a near impossible military task in the face of heavy enemy fire. BATTLE OF KHALUBAR India was now cruising towards victory, and the Pakistan Army could do little to stop its momentum. The enemys administrative and logistics base at Muntho Dhalo was northwest of Khalubar. The capture of Khalubar, assigned to 1/11 Gorkha Rifles and 22 Grenadiers, was critical to cutting the intruders supply lines. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey led a series of bold attacks and cleared well-held enemy positions before he fell to enemy bullets. The gutsy Pandey, who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, lived by his motto: Some goals are so worthy, its glorious even to fail. The officers glowing citation details how his courageous actions galvanised the Gorkhas under his command and paved the way for another significant victory. His finest hour was during the advance to Khalubar. On the night of 02/03 July 1999, as the platoon approached its final objective, it came under heavy enemy fire from the surrounding heights. The officer was asked to clear the enemy positions to prevent his battalion from getting daylighted, being in a vulnerable position. Pandey quickly moved his men to an advantageous position and ordered some of them to clear a set of enemy positions as he led the attack on four other positions. Fearlessly assaulting the first enemy position, he killed two enemy personnel and proceeded to assault the second and destroyed it by killing two more enemy personnel. He was injured on the shoulder and legs by enemy fire while clearing the third position. Undaunted, he led the assault on the fourth position and destroyed it with a grenade, even as he got a fatal medium machine gun burst on his forehead, the citation said. It is this singular daredevil act of the officer which provided the critical firm base, which finally led to the capture of Khalubar. The feature was taken back on July 6. Citations only provide fleeting glimpses of the life-altering moments in the war zone -- moments that are even more profound. New Delhi: The Centre will double down on a national programme to promote compressed biogas, a green fuel, and streamline mechanisms for carbon credits in the sector, Union minister for Jal Shakti CR Paatil has said. (Representative Photo) Paatil reviewed the progress of the Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan or GOBARdhan programme, meeting producers and key stakeholders along with representatives from multiple ministries on Thursday. In June 2023, the government launched a unified registration portal for GOBARdhan, which acts as a one-stop repository to assess investment and streamline the process of setting up biogas plants in India. The GOBARdhan initiative is aimed at transforming organic waste into valuable resources such as compressed biogas and organic manure to cut down the use of chemical fertilisers and blending with petrol. The Union Budget 2023-24 announced the setting up of 500 waste-to-wealth plants, which was a boost for the GOBARdhan plan. Currently, the country has 113 compressed biogas plants, with another 667 plants in various stages of development, the review showed. Moreover, 171 plants are planned to be constructed. In 2020, the number of functional plants was only 19. Representatives from the industry urged for a seamless carbon-credit system, which is a substantial revenue earner and requested the government to urgently establish suitable mechanisms for it, which will help achieve a net-zero economy, a statement said. The minister said the government would examine all suggestions from the industry and ramp up the carbon credit system. The government will prepare an action plan soon, he said. In February 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Asias biggest municipal solid waste-based GOBARdhan plant in Indore, aiming to generate 19,000 kg of bio-CNG gas. Union minister Chirag Paswan on Friday blamed Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for his late father Ram Vilas Paswan leaving the now defunct Congress-led United Progressive Alliance ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Rahul refused to see my father before 2014 polls, it was a key reason for Ram Vilas Paswan deciding to leave UPA, Paswan told news agency PTI. The 41-year-old actor-turned-politician recalled he and his late father Ram Vilas Paswan often met then UPA chairperson and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to discuss the future of their party in the coalition. A file photo of Chirag Paswan with his late father Ram Vilas Paswan(PTI file) According to Chirag, Sonia Gandhi suggested Ram Vilas Paswan to meet Rahul Gandhi. The Union minister claimed that Ram Vilas Paswan sought an appointment and waited more than three months after Gandhi, then Congress vice president, did not relent. ALSO READ: Union minister Chirag Paswan says he's a nepo kid', calls it a double-edged sword It was good for me though. Had the meeting taken place, it would have been difficult for me to convince my father to join the BJP-led NDA, the LJP (Ram Vilas) chief said, adding that he preferred a tie-up with the saffron party due to his admiration and respect for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Till 2013, we were in the UPA and I remember very clearly that my father was not ready to leave the alliance. He wanted to continue in that alliance and it was extremely difficult for me to convince him to change the alliance," he added. I think one of the reasons why my father left the UPA was because he could not meet Rahul ji. Ram Vilas Paswan, the grassroots Dalit leader from Bihar, joined the UPA in 2004 and served as a minister in the coalition government headed by Manmohan Singh till 2009. He joined the NDA ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha elections that saw Narendra Modi-led BJP storm to power. Paswan served as a Union minister in the first two governments led by Modi. He passed away in 2020. ALSO READ: After Nitish's JD(U), Chirag Paswan opposes Kanwar Yatra rules for UP eateries My father kept trying for a good three-four months to meet Rahul ji and not even a single meeting could take place. I think that was one of the reasons why my father was very upset. Despite beng one of the senior leaders and an important ally in the UPA, he was not given time by Rahul Gandhi to meet. AGARTALA: Congress leader Gaurav Gogi on Friday sharply criticised the Manik Saha-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Tripura over a string of incidents ahead of panchayat elections scheduled to be held next month, saying the Congress will not allow the state to turn into another Manipur. Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi said there was an urgent need for intervention and action in Tripura. (X/GauravGogoiAsm) Tripura is currently witnessing a breakdown of democracy. Leaders and cadres of the BJP have unleashed unimaginable violence against @INCIndia workers and supporters. Homes have been gutted, property vandalised, innocents arbitrarily arrested. Even children are not spared from assault, Gogoi, the deputy leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, said in a post on X after leading a delegation of his party to violence-affected areas of the state. At a Press conference in Agartala, Gogoi underlined that the Congress stood with its leaders and workers during this difficult time. The Congress will not bow down to terror tactics of the BJP, he told reporters at a media briefing at the partys state headquarters . PM Narendra Modi is saying that India is the mother of democracy but what we saw here is nothing short of murder of democracy, he said. The unrest, that is prevailing in the state, it seems that they want to convert Tripura into a second Manipur. We shall not let it happen, he added, referring to ethnic clashes that have rocked Manipur since May 2023, leading to the death of at least 220 people including security personnel in the state. Senior Congress MP Tariq Anwar, who was part of the Congress delegation that met governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu on Thursday, said the law and order situation in Tripura had collapsed. Our candidates could not file their nominations due to attacks on them. There is no system of law and order here. We yesterday requested the governor to intervene in the constitutional breakdown and ensure that panchayat poll can take place peacefully so that all parties can take part. Congress Working Committee member Sudip Roy Barman said the Congresss 3,383 candidates could not submit their nominations for the panchayat polls due to violence. There is lawlessness in the state. I, myself came under attack for the eighth time. I filed cases mentioning the names of the accused persons but none of them have been arrested till now, he said. The CPM had previously approached the Tripura high court in this context, which led the high court bench to direct the State Election Commission, which conducts panchayat elections, to take steps for free and fair elections. Senior advocate Purushottam Roy Barman said the high court said the government could amend the law to allow candidates to file nominations online in future. Tripura BJP president Rajib Bhattacharya said the opposition parties were attempting to mislead people. In reality, the Opposition didnt find the candidates. But we have fielded candidates in gram panchayat, panchayat samiti and district parishad. We believe people will make us win in the panchayat polls. The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine the validity of the constitutional immunity granted to governors under Article 361, which protects them from court proceedings and prosecution, both civil and criminal, during their term of office. The decision followed a petition filed by a woman staff member of the West Bengal Raj Bhawan, who alleged sexual harassment by governor CV Ananda Bose. The petition highlights the potential injustice faced by victims under the current constitutional provision. (File photo) A bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, sought the assistance of attorney general R Venkataramani to adjudicate on the matter, terming it an important issue. The bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, also issued notice to the state of West Bengal, and gave the petitioner liberty to add the Union of India as a party to the matter. Senior counsel Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioner, stressed that despite the constitutional protection to governors under Article 361, investigation in criminal cases must commence. In this case, a very serious incident has taken place, and it cannot be that no investigation will happen at all. Whatever may be the consequences, investigation has to begin and evidence will have to be gathered. It cannot be deferred indefinitely, argued Divan. Also Read: Calcutta HC to hear Bengal Guvs defamation suit against Banerjee on July 10 At this, the bench proceeded to record Divans contentions regarding the need to define the ambit of the immunity granted to governors under Article 361 and consequently, allow the investigation to proceed in the current case notwithstanding the constitutional protection to Bose. It fixed the matter for hearing next after three weeks. Advocate Astha Sharma accepted the notice on behalf of the West Bengal government. The Supreme Courts decision to scrutinise the constitutional immunity of governors marks a critical juncture in addressing the balance between the protection afforded to high constitutional functionaries and the fundamental rights of individuals to access courts for justice. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for the interpretation of Article 361 and the accountability of governors in India. The petition by the complainant challenges the immunity conferred upon governors under Article 361 of the Constitution, arguing that such protection should not extend to acts of sexual harassment and molestation. The petitioner urges the court to clarify whether these acts can be considered part of the governors official duties, thus entitling him to immunity under Article 361. This court has to decide whether a victim like the petitioner can be rendered remediless, with the only option being to wait for the accused to demit his office, which delay will then be inexplainable during the trial, and render the entire procedure a mere lip service, without any justice to the victim herein, the plea, filed through advocate Udayaditya Banerjee, states. The petition highlights the potential injustice faced by victims under the current constitutional provision, questioning if they must endure the trauma and stigma while waiting for the governor to leave office before seeking justice. The plea calls for a thorough investigation by the West Bengal police and the establishment of clear guidelines regarding the immunity of governors under Article 361. The petition also contends that while a civil suit against a governor can be initiated after a two-month notice, no such provision exists for criminal proceedings, effectively leaving victims without recourse. The object of Article 361 cannot be to impair the power of the police in such situations, the plea argued. It further maintains that the immunity provided by Article 361 should not be absolute, especially in cases involving illegal acts or violations of fundamental rights. Such powers cannot be understood to be absolute so as to enable the Honble Governor to do acts which are illegal or which strike at the root of Part III of the Constitution. Moreover, the said immunity cannot impair the polices powers to investigate the offence or even naming the perpetrator in the complaint/FIR, despite specific averments to that effect, the petition submits. According to the complaint, governor Bose allegedly called her on April 24 and May 2 under the pretext of offering her a better job, only to sexually harass her within the premises of Raj Bhavan during working hours. The plea emphasises the disparity in how the governor, while claiming to perform his official duties, dismisses the allegations as an engineered narrative, leaving the victim marginalized and stigmatized. The petitioner has also requested state protection and compensation for the trauma she has endured. This development follows a May order by the Calcutta High Court staying proceedings in a first information report (FIR) against the Officer on Special Duty (OSD-II) to the governor. The OSD-II was accused of restraining and pressuring the victim to refrain from filing a sexual harassment complaint against the governor. The doctor who performed a successful CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on a senior citizen at the Delhi airport, said that it was Gods will' that she was present to treat the person when he collapsed. The doctor can be seen giving the man CPR. (X/@Rishi Bagree) The video of Dr Priya administering CPR went viral on social media and she was appreciated for her quick actions. The incident took place at Terminal 2 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. Firstly, no one can take God's place. We are able to do any work only with His signals. We returned from Amarnath Yatra that day and our flight had got delayed. At the time (of the incident), we were in the food court area. In the nearby stall, there was an elderly man who suddenly fell, she told news agency ANI. The medical professional further stated that the person, who was in his sixties, had no pulse at all. My husband Dr Ramakant Goel was with me. When we reached (to attend to the man), a doctor couple was already there. When the four of us examined him, we found that he was unresponsive. his heartbeat had stopped and there was no pulse at all. We immediately performed CPR and within about five minutes, he turned responsive. His breathing and pulse had started and we continued the CPR, Dr Priya, a resident of Jaipur, said. After some time, the patient became stable and his pulse rate got better. We called the airport staff as well. We later checked his pulse and saturation and it was better, she added. The doctor, a Duty Medical Officer (DMO) at the Ajmer Railway Hospital, was also praised by Vasudev Devnani, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of her native Rajasthan state. "Her wisdom and courageous act will bring awareness. If CPR is given within five to six minutes of a heart attack, the patient's life and can be saved and he can be taken to a hospital on time." Devnani posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Performed during a cardiac arrest, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation is executed when the heart stops beating or beats too ineffectively to circulate blood to the brain and other vital organs. The Department of Telecommunication (DoT) on Thursday released draft adjudication and appeal rules under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, for a 30-day public consultation. Draft rules on raising, appealing telecom-related complaints now up for feedback The rules, proposed under sections 35, 36 and 37 of the Act, outline procedures for adjudicating officers (AOs) and designated appeals committees (DACs) to address breaches of telecom licences, radio frequency assignments and other contraventions. Under these sections, when there is a breach of terms and conditions of an authorisation (like a telecom license) or an assignment of radio frequency, or there are contraventions such as a person having more SIMs than notified, or possessing radio equipment without an authorisation or exemption, or sending spam, the AO (not below the rank of a joint secretary) can hold inquiries and pass orders. AOs, not below the rank of joint secretary, can issue show cause notices for breaches, giving at least 15 days for response. For contraventions, AOs can act suo motu or on complaints. Complainants must pay a 5,000 fee and provide government-issued ID and evidence. Without these, complaints will not be considered. The inquiry process, including the final order, should normally conclude within 90 days of the show cause notice, with a maximum extension to 120 days. AOs can accept, reject or modify voluntary undertakings from authorised entities or assignees. Aggrieved parties can appeal to the DAC, whose members must be at least additional secretary rank, within 30 days of the AOs order. The appeal fee is 10,000. The Act mandates digital-by-design processes for AOs and DACs, allowing techno-legal measures for online functioning. The draft rules empower the central government to notify a digital portal for implementing these processes. Each AO and DAC will have a secretariat, with appointments notified in the official gazette. All penalties and fees will be credited to the Consolidated Fund of India. Raipur, Impassioned scenes of grief stood out as scores of people followed the funeral cortege of martyred STF constable Bharat Lal Sahu from his home to a crematorium, filling the air with Bharat Mata ki Jai, in Raipur on Friday. Emotional outpouring: Huge crowd joins funeral procession of martyred STF constable Sahu was among the two jawans of the Special Task Force who died when Naxalites detonated an improvised explosive device on Wednesday night in the Tarrem area of Chhattisgarhs Bijapur district. Four personnel were also injured in the incident. The final rites of Sahu were held here at Rajiv Nagar Muktidham where Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, senior police officials and people from different walks of life bid an emotional farewell to the martyr. Police personnel accorded a guard of honour to the fallen jawan in the crematorium. CM Vishnu Deo Sai and his deputy Sharma also carried Shahus coffin on their shoulders when it was being put into a police truck earlier. The emotional outpouring aptly described what Shaus brother had said on Thursday: Martyrs never die, they live in people's hearts. The grieving father, Rama Sahu , along with the three children of his martyred son two daughters aged 11 and 8 and a 2-year-old son watching Sahu wrapped in tricolour made those present at the crematorium even more emotional. Sahu's children with their uncle held the burning sticks and lit the funeral pyre. Earlier in the morning, CM Sai, Deputy CM Sharma, who also holds the Home portfolio, their two cabinet colleagues, Director General of Police Ashok Juneja and other officials paid tribute to Sahu by laying floral wreaths at his coffin at the 4th battalion of Chhattisgarh Armed Force here at Mana camp. Sahus family members were also present there. Sahus younger daughter laid flowers at his coffin and bowed to him with folded hands, turning the moment into a poignant one. Talking to reporters, the CM said Naxalites have committed the cowardly act out of frustration and the menace will be eliminated soon. Since we have come to power , we have been fighting strongly against Naxalites and therefore, the ultras have become frustrated. They have committed a cowardly act out of frustration, he said. Naxals have now been pushed to the back foot and are limited only to a few pockets, he said. Sai said, We have been getting the benefit of a double-engine government and soon we will eliminate Naxalism. I offer my salute to the martyrdom of jawans and pay tribute to them, he said adding that the sacrifice of the jawans will not go in vain. Sai and Sharma lent their shoulders to the mortal remains of the jawan when it was being put into a flower-decked mini truck of the police. From Mana Camp, the coffin carrying the body was taken in the mini truck to Sahus home in Adarsh Nagar, Mova area here, with a huge crowd chanting patriotic slogans. Scores of people joined the funeral procession taken out from his house to the crematorium in Rajiv Nagar, chanting Bharat Lal Sahu amar rahe, Bharat Mata ki Jai and Naxalwad Murdabad. Talking to reporters, the deputy CM said slogans raised against Naxalites by the crowd indicate that society wont tolerate the menace any longer. Those who have been supporting Naxalites either in remote or urban areas should understand that there is great resentment against them in society. Even the people of Bastar, one of the most affected regions, want to get rid of the menace and welcome development, he added. Sahu, who is survived by his parents, wife, two daughters and a toddler son, as well as five brothers and two sisters was the only member of the family in the force. His father is a retired railway employee. Sahu attended the government school here in Mova, then completed ITI and BA. He joined the Chhattisgarh Armed Force in 2007 before switching to STF in 2009. Since then he had been fighting against Naxalites in various pockets of Bastar. He was part of multiple operations and encounters against Naxalites in the last 15 years, his family had said on Thursday. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday chaired a high-level meeting with various heads of security and law enforcement agencies to review the functioning of Intelligence Bureau (IB)'s multi agency centre. During the meeting, Shah directed heads of security agencies to adopt a whole-of-the-government approach towards national security, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement. Shah's meeting comes amid the security challenge in Jammu and Kashmir, which has witnessed a spike in terror-related incidents. The minister called for greater energy between all the agencies to dismantle terror networks and their supporting eco-system, to address the evolving security threat scenario of the country. ALSO READ: J&K: In 3 months, 11 soldiers, 10 civilians killed in terror attacks. What about terrorists? Amit Shah called for greater energy between all the agencies to dismantle terror networks and their supporting eco-system(PIB) During his review of the internal security situation in the country and fight against terror, Shah asked all the participants to increase the engagement in the Multi Agency Centre and make it into a cohesive platform that brings together all the law enforcement agencies, anti-drug agencies, cyber security and intelligence agencies, for decisive and prompt action. ALSO READ: 2 soldiers injured in fresh gunfight in Jammu and Kashmirs Doda MAC has earned the trust of its constituents and it must continue to work 24X7 as a platform for pro-active and real-time sharing of actionable intelligence, amongst various stakeholders, including last-mile responders, MHA quoted Shah as saying during the meeting. Shah also emphasises on setting up a team of young, technically proficient and passionate officers from all agencies involved in national security to dismantle the terror ecosystem by using Big Data and Al/ML driven analytics and technological advancements. The minister reiterated that in the face of new and emerging security challenges, we must always be one step ahead in our responses, the MHA added. As per the MHA, Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the MAC framework was poised to undergo a major technical and operational revamp to increase its reach and effectiveness. The minister exhorted all the stakeholders to bolster these efforts further through prompt responses and aggressive follow up of shared inputs. A tribal villager, whose tip-off to the security forces led to the killing of 12 Maoists in an encounter in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Wednesday, will be rewarded with the entire cash reward of 86 lakh, The Times of India reported. Security officials in a Maoist affected area. (File Photo) According to the report, Maharashtra home minister Devendra Fadnavis also declared a separate reward of 51 lakh for the commandos involved in the operation. The encounter near the Chhattisgarh border began on Wednesday after a tip-off and lasted for around six hours, the police said. The Maoists who were killed were identified as Yogesh Tulavi alias Narendra (36), Vishal Atram alias Laxman (43) and Pramod Kachlami (31) - all three were from Chatgaon-Kasansur Dalam with each carrying a reward of 16 lakh. The other deceased were - Maharu Gawade (31), Anil Darro (28), Sarita Parsa (37), Rajjo Gawade (35) and Vijju, all area committee members from Chatgaon-Kasansur and Korchi-Tipagad LOS and each one carried a reward of 6 lakh. Besides, Chanda Podyam, Sita Hawke, Roja and Sagar - all members of Chatgaon-Kasansur and Korchi-Tipagad LOS, carried a reward of two lakh on their heads, news agency PTI reported. Apart from the bodies of the Maoists, the police recovered several firearms, including seven automatic weapons, three AK47 rifles, two INSAS rifles, one carbine gun, one self-loading rifle (SLR), Maoist literature, explosives, detonators and other belongings from the spot. According to the police, due to the success of the operation, the entire Korchi-Tipagad and Chatgaon-Kasansur Dalams of Naxals have been wiped out. Meanwhile, on Wednesday night, two personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) were killed and four others injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district. The incident took place in the Tarrem area when a joint team of security personnel was returning after an anti-Maoist operation in forests on the tri-junction of Bijapur-Sukma-Dantewada districts. (With inputs from PTI) Put everything on the cloud, they said. Whilst a robust idea allowing seamless access to data, software and services, it also amplifies the magnitude of any failure, bringing everything down like a pack of cards. Thats something the world experienced this Friday, when Microsofts services suffered an outage, which has since been resolved in phases, with Azure services back online first, followed by Windows and Microsoft 365. Microsoft said it was investigating issues with its cloud services in the Central US region. (Reuters file photo) The widespread impact was on businesses that are Microsofts Windows PC and services customers, meaning banks and payment gateways couldnt process transactions, airlines in many countries had to ground flights, TV channels went off air, whilst employees in many organisations globally couldnt log into Microsoft 365 cloud services or access third-party productivity software that uses Azure services or, worse still, were unable to log in to their Windows computing devices, greeted instead by the dreaded BSOD, or blue screen of death. A configuration change in a portion of our Azure backend workloads caused interruption between storage and compute resources which resulted in connectivity failures that affected downstream Microsoft 365 services dependent on these connections, was an explanation from Microsoft regarding the outage. They didnt name the offender in a statement, but the cause of this global pandemonium sits at the doorstep of US cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Why did the worlds computers crash? Microsoft isnt to be blamed for this outage, though it is Microsofts services and their consumers who have borne the brunt. A security update by CrowdStrike, for its Falcon endpoint security suite, caused the cloud-connected and local systems to crash. In a notification to customers in the early hours of the outage, CrowdStrike confirmed that BSOD errors and bug-check issues were indeed related to the Falcon Sensor software. Also Read: Microsoft outage LIVE updates: Banks, airports, media outlets hit globally CrowdStrike Engineering has identified a content deployment related to this issue and reverted those changes, the notification read. They suggest the faulty update has been reverted, but computing devices and systems knocked offline didnt register those recalibrations. Whilst the issue is associated with Windows systems, it does not appear to be an issue with Microsoft Windows, but rather, security software installed on millions of Windows computers worldwide. Because this is security software, it requires a higher level of privileges to the underlying operating system, so a bad or faulty security update can result in a catastrophic impact, Satnam Narang, Senior Staff Research Engineer at cybersecurity company Tenable, tells HT. To understand CrowdStrikes role in Microsofts services, we dont need to travel too far back in time. In May, the security company announced CrowdStrike Falcon for Defender, to be deployed by organisations alongside the Microsoft Defender product (this is also part of Windows 11) to enhance security threat identification, reduce chances of a threat bypass and manage updates for large teams. Security professionals saddled with deploying Microsoft Defender through E3 and E5 licensing have long asked us for help. Falcon for Defender fills critical security gaps at a disruptive price point, Michael Sentonas, President at CrowdStrike, had said at the time. On a broader enterprise level, globally more than 3,500 companies use CrowdStrikes software as an endpoint protection tool on their network devices, including computing devices given to employees. Can you fix BSOD or reboot loop issue on your PC? Whilst it will be up to Microsoft and specific affected platforms to ensure services knocked offline are back in the green, CrowdStrike has suggested a few workaround steps including booting Windows in Safe Mode or Recovery Environment, navigating to the CrowdStrike folder in the local drive and deleting a file with the name C-00000291.sys. However, the limitation here is, enterprises usually lock user access to system folders on the PCs and laptops they assign to employees. At each organisation affected, chances are there will be the requirement for manual, or in some cases batch, updates to remove the offending file. That could take a significant amount of time. It is impossible to remotely update a computing device or a machine via the internet if it cannot boot up and be connected to the internet. From what is understood thus far, Windows PCs and laptops which are set up for personal use havent seen any impact of the CrowdStrike configuration error. HT can confirm that Windows 11s most recent machine, the Asus Vivobook S 15 which is labelled a Copilot+ PC, doesnt have any CrowdStrike software installed alongside Windows Defender. How bad was the impact? Airline boarding passes written by hand and electronic flight status terminals replaced by a whiteboard and a human being with a marker pen. TV channels off air temporarily. Banks unable to process transactions. Globally, businesses and organisations struggled, including Visa Inc. which struggled to get payments through on their network. Throughout the day, online platform DownDetector indicated spikes in outage monitoring for various enterprises, businesses and services globally, including parts of Amazon Web Services. We can confirm reports of connectivity issues and reboots of Windows Instances, Windows Workspaces and Appstream Applications related to a recent update to the Crowdstrike agent (csagent.sys), which is resulting in a stop error (BSOD) within the Windows operating system, AWS confirmed in an update, once their services resumed normalcy. Google Cloud didnt report any issues for their enterprise customers. IndiGo airlines issued a notification suggesting their systems across the network were impacted. Our digital team are coordinating closely with Microsoft Azure to resolve these issues swiftly, it read. Other airlines including Vistara, SpiceJet and Akasa Air reported struggles, whilst the Delhi Airport also issued an official notification that services were impacted. Globally too, airports in the US and Europe were affected as airlines had their systems knocked offline. The Paris Olympics committee confirmed their systems were affected too, but contingency plans were in place. It may still be a while before the financial cost of an incorrect security software update that messed up computers globally is totalled. Last year, VPN service provider AtlasVPN had simulated the cost of one day of a global internet shutdown. Thatd be around $43 billion. Whilst AtlasVPN shuttered services this summer and moved users to NordVPN, their estimates give us a fair idea of the still-counting cost of the July 19 PC outage. NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba discussed ways to develop bilateral relations during a phone conversation on Friday, weeks after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Russia. Ukrainian foreign minister D Kuleba visited New Delhi in March this year to persuade India to participate in a peace summit hosted by Switzerland in June (X/Jaishankar/ FIle Photo) Jaishankar said on X that he had a good conversation with Kuleba. Spoke about further developing our bilateral relationship, he said without giving further details. In a separate post on X, Kuleba said: Building on my visit to New Delhi earlier this year and the meeting between President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Modi in Italy, I spoke with my Indian counterpart @DrSJaishankar about the further development of Ukrainian-Indian bilateral relations. Kuleba visited New Delhi in March to persuade India to participate in a peace summit hosted by Switzerland in June. India skipped the meeting and didnt sign up for the communique issued at its conclusion, mainly because Russia wasnt part of the summit. Modi and Zelenskyy had met on the margins of the G7 Summit in Italy. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular media briefing that Jaishankar and Kuleba discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest. We have several engagements with Ukraine. We have bilateral and institutional mechanisms, we keep on talking to each other on various matters and that is where it is, he said. Zelenskyy had criticised Modis visit to Russia on July 8-9, when he held the annual India-Russia Summit with President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy said in a post on X: It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the worlds largest democracy hug the worlds most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day. People familiar with the matter said the Ukrainian ambassador had been called into the external affairs ministry for discussions on Zelenskyys comments. The matter also figured in the conversation between Jaishankar and Kuleba, they said. Jaiswal said Modi had, during his visit to Russia, made it very clear that the solution to any war does not lie in the battlefield. He added, He also made it clear what he thinks about violence and children and innocent people being impacted in violence. All these issues were made very clear in his statements, when he spoke to the media and public. Modis arrival in Moscow had coincided with a Russian missile strike on Ukraines largest childrens hospital in Kyiv. In the presence of reporters, Modi raised the matter at his meeting with Putin at the Kremlin and told the Russian leader that solutions cannot be found on the battlefield. Chennai, Transfer Certificate of a child was not a tool for schools to collect pending fees but a personal document issued in the name of the former, and no entries regarding fees arrears should be made in them, the Madras High Court held on Friday. HC frowns at mention of fee dues in school TC, says its a child's personal document The HC directed the Tamil Nadu government to issue circular/instructions/orders to all the schools across the State, to not to insist to produce TC by the child at the time of admission, and prohibit the school managements from making unnecessary entries in the document, including non-payment or delayed payment of fees. A division bench comprising Justices S M Subramaniam and C Kumarappan which gave the above directive said that in the event of violation, action was to be initiated under Section 17 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act and under the relevant laws applicable for protection of children. The bench also directed the state government to revisit the Tamil Nadu Education Rules and Code of regulation for matriculation schools, and accordingly, make all necessary amendments in consonance with the provisions of the RTE Act within a period of three months. Allowing an appeal filed by the state government, the bench set aside an order of a single judge, which while allowing a petition from the All India Private Schools Legal Protection Society, found that mere indication of the arrears of fees payable by the student, does not have any negative connotation/ impact against the student and the parents. The bench held that harassing children over non-payment or delayed payment of fees amounts to cruelty and constitutes an offence under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015. The schools have every right to initiate appropriate action for recovery of the outstanding fees, if any, from the parents in accordance with law. But in the process, harassing or punishing the child over default in payment of fees was an offence and falls within the contours of Section 75 of the JJ Act, the bench added. The court observed the schools should not involve the children in the fee collection process. It was not necessary for the child to know the details regarding payment of tuition fees. Such information should be kept away from them to enable them to grow in a happy environment, free from stress. Children must be given an environment which was free from these burdens, allowing them to grow in a happy space. Schools should strive to provide a happy and supportive environment for children, the bench added. The bench said a TC was not a tool for the schools to collect arrear fees from the parents or to weigh their financial capacity. It was a personal document issued in the name of the child. Schools cannot put their own problems on the child by making unnecessary entries on the TC. Payment of tuition fees was the duty of the parents towards the schools. Any default in the same ought to be recovered from the parents by the school concerned in the manner known to law. Instead, making entries of non-payment of fees on TC in the name of the child was sheer humiliation. What will the child do if the parents fail to pay the fees. It was not their fault and to stigmatise and harass the child was a form of mental harassment under Section 17 of the RTE Act, the bench added. It observed that once an entry as to the fees dues was made in the TC by a school, the child's entry into another institution becomes a question mark. Once arrears in fees payment was recorded in a TC, it becomes a stigma for the child. No schools would come forward to admit the child and all the more, the explicit mention of non-payment of fees on the TC will lead to socio-economic stigmatisation of the child. This strikes at the core of the RTE Act, the bench noted. The court further observed that stigmatisation of a child over non-payment or delayed payment of tuition fee shows seeds of insecurity and results in low self-esteem. It lowers their confidence and emotionally impairs the child. Financial strains in the family often affect the children. This was rarely spoken about, but the child starts feeling insecure and burdened which in turn affects the psychological health of the child, the bench added. The bench said children come from different socio-economic backgrounds and when the academic year begins, some families have to go through immense strain to pay their childs tuition fee and in this process the child was made to undergo anxiety and stress. It was the duty of the school to understand the emotional challenges faced by the child during such times and instead of burdening them, it was a time to lend their care and assistance to the child. It was a traumatic experience for the child when it receives a TC with stigmatising remarks on non-payment or delayed payment of fees. Such action by the school authorities attracts section 17 of the RTE Act, the bench added. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Reiterating his stance that Assam's Muslim population was on the rise, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that in less than 20 years, the community would become the majority in the state. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (File Photo) By 2041, Assam will become a Muslim-majority state. It is a reality and nobody can stop it, Sarma asserted at a press conference in Guwahati. Citing a statistical sampling, the BJP leader again claimed that Muslims now constitute 40% of Assam's total population. The state's Muslim population is growing around 30% every 10 years, while the Hindu population is rising by around 16% every 10 years. My government has taken steps to reduce population growth among the Muslim community, he added. Also, the ex-Congressman, a habitual baiter of Rahul Gandhi, again mocked the former president of the Congress party. Congress has the most important role in arresting the population growth of Muslims. If Rahul Gandhi becomes the brand ambassador of population control, it will be contained as the community only listens to him, Sarma remarked sarcastically. The fresh statement by Sarma on the Muslim population of Assam comes two days after he expressed concern at the changing demography of the northeastern state. Changing demography is a big issue for me. In Assam, Muslims are 40% of the population today. In 1951, they were 12%. This is not a political issue but a matter of life and death for me, he stated. On July 1, without naming any community, the BJP leader alleged that a section of people from a particular religion' were indulging in criminal activities in Assam. I am not saying that crime is committed only by people of a particular religion. However, incidents since the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections are a matter of concern, as per Sarma. (With PTI inputs) NEW DELHI: India on Friday sought to play down US ambassador Eric Garcettis remarks critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Russia and New Delhis policy of strategic autonomy, saying the comprehensive ties between New Delhi and Washington give both sides the space to agree to disagree. US ambassador Eric Garcetti last week took a swipe over PM Modis trip to Russia, saying strategic autonomy cannot apply in times of conflict (via REUTERS) Last week, Garcetti took a swipe against Modis trip to Russia, saying strategic autonomy cannot apply in times of conflict and that India and the US must uphold principles when other countries go against the rules-based order or violate sovereign borders. His remarks were seen as a criticism of Indias position on Russias invasion of Ukraine. Asked about the comments at a regular media briefing on Friday, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal contended that the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership gave both sides the latitude to adopt different approaches on certain matters. He also defended New Delhis policy of strategic autonomy. India, like many other countries, values its strategic autonomy. The US ambassador is entitled obviously to his opinion. We also have our own and different views, Jaiswal said. Our comprehensive global strategic partnership with the US gives us the space to agree to disagree on certain issues while respecting each others viewpoints. India and the US discuss a range of issues under their comprehensive global strategic partnership, and both sides engage with each other on several aspects of the relationship. We discuss all issues that are of interest to both parties, Jaiswal said. This includes discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest, and it is not Indias practice to share details of diplomatic conversations or make them public, Jaiswal said. Several key members of the US administration have been in touch with the Indian side to express their concerns over the India-Russia relationship and the timing of Modis visit to Russia, which coincided with a summit of leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Washington to express support for Ukraine. Jaiswal responded to another question on Indias position on the recent attempt to assassinate former US president Donal Trump by saying: Within hours of the news, our prime minister expressed deep concerns on the attack and strongly condemned the incident. Modi pointed out that violence has no place in politics and democracies and wished Trump a speedy recovery. He also expressed solidarity with the family of those who were killed or injured during the attempted assassination. The US is a fellow democracy and we wish them well, Jaiswal said. Controversial trainee Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar on Friday said judiciary will take it course, after the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) filed a case against her. UPSC said it has filed a FIR against Puja Khedkar, provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022. (ANI)(HT_PRINT) "Judiciary will take it's course; whatever it is there, I will reply to that," she was quoted by PTI as saying. The UPSC has also issued a show cause notice for cancellation of her candidature of the civil services examination-2022 and debarment from future examinations and selections. ALSO READ: Puja Khedkar case: Maharashtra govt sends report on IAS trainee to DoPT The UPSC has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation in the misdemeanour of Ms Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination 2022. From this investigation it has been revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father's and mother's name, her photograph/signature, her email ID, mobile number and address, the commission said in a statement. Khedkar, a 2022 batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, is accused of misusing her power and privileges, by demanding perks and facilities she was not entitled for during her training in Pune District Collectorate in Maharashtra. ALSO READ: Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar's mother detained for brandishing gun Khedkar is also accused of bullying everyone around and of placing a red-blue beacon (indicating high-ranking official) atop a private Audi (a luxury sedan) car used by her that also had 'Maharashtra government' written on it during her stint. After the Pune district collector flagged the matter, Khedkar was transferred to Washim District Collectorate in the Vidarbha region. As per UPSC records, she secured 821st rank in civil services examination 2022 under the OBC category as a person with multiple disabilities. On July 11, the Centre had set up a single-member probe panel of Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, additional secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, after Khedkar's case related to alleged misuse of disability and Other Backward Class or OBC (non-creamy layer) quotas came to the fore. Violence broke out in Harehills in Leeds, the UK, on Thursday, as rioters burned a bus, broke the windows of a police car and flipped it over, reported the BBC. A bus burns during unrest in Harehills, Leeds, Britain, July 18, 2024 in this picture obtained from social media. @robin_singh on Instagram(@robin_singh via REUTERS) Also Read: UK's new Labour government will approve Tata Steel green transition funding only if jobs are not cut The Leeds riots were a conflict primarily between a large crowd of people and the police, with debris from fires, rocks and rubbish being thrown at several police vehicles. Also Read: UK Mobility Visa: Application for India Young Professionals Scheme ballot begins; eligibility selection process, link While property around Harehills was damaged, there were no injuries reported. The "serious disorder' event as West Yorkshire police described it, started at 5pm after officers were called to investigate a report of disturbance involving children and agency workers at Luxor street. Also Read: Radhika Gupta reacts to Rishi Sunaks Life comes at you fast speech: This is a rare to see' Shortly afterwards, reports of unrest started coming in from various pockets of the neighbourhood. Videos of the Leeds riots started circulating on social media of a large crowd on the streets causing fires and trying to flip a police car. More officers were deployed to control the situation and residents were advised to stay indoors. Police left the area by 10:30pm with only a helicopter remaining to scan the area, but the damage had already been done. The West Yorkshire Police also sent a notice stating, We would strongly discourage residents from speculating on the cause of this disorder which we believe has been instigated by a criminal minority intent on disrupting community relations. Home secretary and West Yorkshire MP Yvette Cooper spoke out on the Leeds riots and said she was appalled at the shocking scene. Tracy Brabin, the mayor of West Yorkshire, reassured people that the unrest had not caused any bodily harm to people and urged those who were part of the riots to think again before they try to inflame community tensions. The exact cause of the riots remains unknown for now. The Guardian reported that a local restaurant owner said the chaos was linked to children being taken into care, adding that some people in the community responded by setting fires and throwing stones. A massive fire erupted on a container cargo merchant vessel about 102 nautical miles south west of Goa on Friday. The vessel was on way from Gujarat's Mundra to Sri Lankan capital Colombo, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said in a statement. On receiving the information, the Indian Coast Guard diverted the ship to proceed to the distressed vessel with maximum speed. Also, a Dornier aircraft took off for aerial assessment. According to the statement by Coast Guard, the ship is carrying Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) cargo and explosions have been occurring on front part of the merchant vessel. ALSO READ: Indian Coast Guard rescues stranded boat amid terrifying weather conditions. Video will send shivers down your spine The Indian Coast Guard ship arrived in the area and is carrying out fire-fighting operation despite rough sea and inclement weather conditions, the statement added. Firefighting operations are underway to douse the flames emanating from a merchant vessel that caught fire 102 nautical miles of Goa coast on Friday. The panic-stricken crew has been reassured of the safety by the Indian Coast Guard ship. As per the statement, two ICG ships sailed with dispatch from Goa to augment firefighting efforts. ALSO READ: Indian Coast Guard rescues 26 people from tourist boat stranded off Goa coast Coast Guard rescues 11 from stranded fishing boat On Wednesday, the Indian Coast Guard had rescued an Indian fishing boat with 11 crew on board off the Kerala coast. The ICG braved rough weather conditions due to heavy rain. A Dornier aircraft had sighted the distressed fishing boat on the night of July 16, PTI quoted defence ministry as saying. "The vessel was in a critical condition due to flooding from a hull rupture near the keel and loss of propulsion, which posed a threat to the safety of the crew," the ministry said. Patrolling ICG ship 'Saksham' was immediately diverted by the ICG district headquarters no. 4 (Kerala & Mahe) to assist the vessel. To bolster the efforts, another ICG ship 'Abhinav' was deployed, along with an advanced light helicopter to rescue the crew. A technical ICG team embarked onto the distressed boat, carried out de-flooding operations, and provided necessary assistance. The operation culminated with the rescue of all crew members, and the vessel, the ministry added. (With PTI inputs) Microsoft said on Thursday it was investigating issues with its cloud services in the Central US region, which had caused the grounding and cancellation of several flights. A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France in this file photo(Reuters) Low-cost carriers Frontier Airlines, a unit of Frontier Group Holdings, Allegiant and SunCountry reported outages that affected operations. While Frontier said a "major Microsoft technical outage" had hit its operations temporarily, SunCountry said a third-party vendor affected its booking and check-in facilities, without naming the company. "The Allegiant website is currently unavailable due to the Microsoft Azure issue," Nevada-based Allegiant said in a statement to CNN. Allegiant did not immediately respond to Reuters request for a comment. Frontier cancelled 147 flights on Thursday and delayed 212 others, according to data tracker FlightAware. 45% of Allegiant aircrafts were delayed, while Sun Country delayed 23% flights, the data showed. The companies did not give details on the number of flights impacted. Microsoft said its outage started at about 6pm ET on Thursday, with a subset of its customers experiencing issues with multiple Azure services in the Central US region. Also Read: Windows users face huge outage due to new Crowdstrike update: Laptops crashing Azure is a cloud computing platform that provides services for building, deploying, and managing applications and services. Separately, Microsoft said it was investigating an issue impacting various Microsoft 365 apps and services. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a Reuters request seeking further details on the outage. Airline operations affected in India The outage affected several airlines, grounding planes and disrupting flight operations at Delhi and Mumbai airport. Akasa Airlines announced that some of its online services will be temporarily unavailable at the Mumbai and Delhi airports, saying," Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable." New Delhi: The global Microsoft outage affected services such as booking and check-in at the Indian airports, prompting airlines to issue manual boarding passes. In a post on X, the Delhi airport cited the global IT issue and said some of the services were temporarily impacted without elaborating.(File Photo) In a post on X, the Delhi airport cited the global IT issue and said some of the services were temporarily impacted without elaborating. We are closely working with all our stakeholders to minimise the inconvenience to our flyers, it said. Passengers are requested to be in touch with the airline concerned or the help desk on ground for updated flight information. We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers. IndiGo requested passengers to refrain from making multiple booking attempts as systems were impacted globally due to issues with Microsoft Azure, a cloud computing platform, which provides services for building, deploying, and managing applications. We are working closely with Microsoft to resolve the issue and appreciate your patience. Also Read: Microsoft Windows outage: Is your laptop shutting down again and again? Heres how to fix it The airline said its systems were impacted and that it was experiencing high volumes at contact centre. Please contact us only if your travel is within 24 hrs, said the airline on X. ...booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted. In a post on X, Akasa Air cited infrastructure issues with its service provider and said some of its online services, including booking, check-in and booking services will be temporarily unavailable. Currently we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports and hence request passengers with immediate travel plans to reach the airport early to check-in at our counters... In the United States, American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines were among major carriers that issued ground stops on Friday morning citing communication issues even as Microsoft said it resolved its cloud services outage that impacted low-cost carriers. Also Read: Flights, stock markets, banks: Microsoft outage affects services globally Reuters reported it was immediately unclear whether the call to keep flights from taking off were related to the earlier Microsoft cloud outage. Microsoft said its outage started with a subset of its customers experiencing issues with multiple Azure services. The company said it was investigating issue impacting Microsoft apps and services. Computers around the world went down on Friday, crippling transportation, health care, financial services, offices, newsrooms and live broadcasts as the world confronted what was arguably the most staggering cyber collapse to have ever occurred, leading to what may be hundreds of billions of dollars in losses. United Airlines employees wait by a departures monitor displaying a blue error screen, also known as the Blue Screen of Death inside Terminal C in Newark International Airport. (REUTERS) From Nairobi to New Delhi and from Alaska to Adelaide, the impact was seen in snaking queues at airports and train stations, and on digital billboards that displayed the grimly named blue screen of death, an error message that Microsoft Windows-equipped computers display when a system crashes. Airlines and airports in the US, Europe, Australia, India and elsewhere reported problems, with some 1,500 services cancelled within three hours of the outage knocking off computers used for tasks such as printing boarding passes and scheduling flights. At 6.30pm, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Bengaluru and Delhi airport were among the worst-hit in Asia, according to FlightRadar24. The Gujarat capital had an average delay in departures extending to more than an hour while in Delhi, this was 55 minutes, with at least 43 flights delayed and 7, cancelled throughout the day. In the national capital, domestic aviation market leader IndiGo said it cancelled 40 flights. The glitch stemmed from a buggy software update by global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike for Microsoft computers. Microsoft Windows has over 72% of the worlds operating systems share in personal computers, including virtual machines that many enterprises rely on for their cloud computing. CrowdStrikes CEO George Kurtz said on social media platform X that a defect was found in a single content update for Windows hosts that affected Microsofts customers and that a fix was being deployed. Were deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused to customers, to travellers, to anyone affected by this, including our company, Kurtz told NBC Today. Many of the customers are rebooting the system and its coming up and itll be operational, Kurtz said. It could be some time for some systems that wont automatically recover. ALSO READ- Satya Nadella's first reaction on Microsoft outage: Yesterday, CrowdStrike CrowdStrike shares plunged as much as 14.5% shortly after trading opened before paring losses to trade down 8.5%, Reuters reported. The companys products, like many of its competitors, are seen as an essential security tool by enterprises at a time when ransomware is a persistent threat. The tool known as Falcon integrates deep into an operating system like Windows and thwarts the ability of malware developers to lock out users making Fridays global crash all the more ironic. Microsoft said later on Friday that the issue had been fixed. The glitch, to be sure, would have effected machines running CrowdStrikes Falcon on Windows. Earlier today, a Crowdstrike update was responsible for bringing down a number of Windows systems globally. We are actively supporting customers to assist in their recovery, Microsoft chief communications officer Frank Shaw said in a post on X. But even as companies and institutions began restoring regular services, experts said the cyber outage revealed the risks of an increasingly online world. This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the worlds core Internet infrastructure, said Ciaran Martin, professor at Oxford Universitys Blavatnik School of Government and former head of the UK National Cyber Security Centre, Reuters reported. While the core problem appeared simple, which should make it short-lived, its immediate impact was remarkable, Martin added. Im struggling to think of an outage at quite this scale. In India, the worst of the outage was in the airline industry, although some hospital chains too reported disruptions that forced them to work offline --- relying on handwritten notes for patient admissions and reports. The government was in touch with Microsoft regarding the outage, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday, and added that the governments own IT infrastructure was not affected.In a post on X, IT minister Vaishnaw said that the reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue.MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage... NIC network is not affected, the Minister said. ALSO READ- Explained: How the Microsoft-CrowdStrike IT outage hurt airlines worldwide The first of the symptoms of something was wrong emerged from airports in the US, when red-eye flights began to be disrupted, and Australia, where grocery stores and offices started going offline. The three major US airlines -- American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines =- grounded all flights, while other carriers and airports around the world reported delays and disruptions. Airports in Los Angeles, Singapore, Hong Kong, Amsterdam and Berlin said some airlines were having to check in passengers manually, causing delays. Banks and financial services companies from Australia to India and Germany warned customers of disruptions and traders across markets spoke of problems executing transactions. We are having the mother of all global market outages, one trader said. As the day progressed, more and more companies reported a return to normal service, including Spanish airport operator Aena, US carriers American Airlines, Frontier and Spirit, Dubai International Airport operator and Australias Commonwealth Bank. ALSO READ- Sky News goes off air for hours due to global Microsoft outage Still, industry experts weighed the potential impact for the sector of what one called the biggest ever IT outage. IT security tools are all designed to ensure that companies can continue to operate in the worst-case scenario of a data breach, so to be the root cause of a global IT outage is an unmitigated disaster, said Ajay Unni, CEO of StickmanCyber, one of Australias largest cybersecurity services companies. US-based CrowdStrike, with a market value of about $83 billion, is among leading cybersecurity companies, counting more than 20,000 subscribers around the world, its website showed. CrowdStrike is well known for investigating Russian hackers. It helped to investigate the cyber attacks on the US Democratic National Committee in 2015-16, and its connection to Russian intelligence services. The same Russian group then attempted unsuccessfully to hack into CrowdStrike in 2020. The company was even at the middle of a political controversy when former president Donald Trump appeared to ask Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky about it, referring to an unproven theory that CrowdStrikes probe into the DNC hack was dodgy. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday questioned the rationale behind the party's Karnataka state government bringing the controversial jobs reservation bill, calling the proposed and now-withheld policy unconstitutional and unwise. Shashi Tharoor (File Photo/PTI) I don't know what Karnataka thought of it, on what basis? Tharoor told reporters, reacting to their questions on the issue. The ex-Union minister, the Lok Sabha member from the Thiruvananthapuram seat in his native Kerala state, also cautioned the Congress government of Karnataka that if such a law were implemented, companies could move their businesses to neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala. That (the bill) was not a wise decision. If every state brings such a law, it would be unconstitutional. The Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to live, work, and travel freely in any part of the country, he said. Tharoor also reminded Karnataka how the Punjab and Haryana High Court struck down a similar bill when the BJP-JJP government in Haryana tried to introduce it. Also Read: Opposition slams Karnataka government over withheld reservation bill for Kannadigas On Tuesday, the cabinet led by chief minister Siddaramaiah cleared the 'Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in Industries, Factories, and Other Establishments Bill, 2024.' Under the policy, a private firm operating in the southern state must employ only Kannadigas in 50% of all management jobs in the company, and 70% non-management jobs must be reserved for the locals. Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, is home to several start-ups and tech firms. The proposed legislation was put on hold amid opposition from industry bodies and business leaders, who, like Tharoor, called the bill unconstitutional and warned that companies could exit the state. According to Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, a comprehensive discussion will be held in the next cabinet meeting to make a final decision on the legislation. (With PTI inputs) The opposition in Karnataka slammed the government on Thursday, demanding clarification from the Siddaramaiah-led administration on the future of the State Employment of Local Candidates in Industries, Factories, and Other Establishments Bill, 2024, which mandates reservation for Kannadigas in private companies. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah speaks in the Assembly during ongoing Monsoon session at Vidhana Soudha, in Bengaluru on Thursday. (PTI) On Tuesday, the states cabinet approved a bill that reserves 50% of all management jobs and 70% of all non-management ones in private companies for locals, giving companies up to three years to meet the quota. Despite assurances from the states ITBT minister, Priyank Kharge, that the industry would be consulted, the announcements abruptness has raised concerns. A day later, after facing severe backlash, the government put the Bill on hold to hold further discussions on the matter. State BJP president BY Vijayendra attacked the governments approach, saying, I dont think Chief minister Siddaramaiah is serious about protecting the interests of Kannadigas. There have been so many scams, they are using diversionary tactics. He urged the government to ensure transparency and include all stakeholders in the decision-making process. This confusion shows that the CM is not serious. I urge the CM to take everybody into confidence and bring back the bill, he added. The Leader of the Opposition, R Ashoka, also raised concerns in the legislative assembly, questioning the governments inconsistent stance. You have posted that there will be 100% reservation in (C and D classes) and you have posted that the decision was taken in the cabinet. Then you backtracked on the decision. This is a Tughlaq durbar (dictatorial decision). Please send a clarification for the Kannadigas of the state, he demanded. In response, Siddaramaiah denied the allegations of dictatorial decision-making. He said, This is not a Tughlaq durbar and this is still a Siddaramaiah government. In the cabinet meeting, only a partial discussion took place. We couldnt take a comprehensive decision. By then, it appeared in the media. So, I have said that there should be a proper discussion on the matter and we will take a decision. This has caused some confusion, which will be resolved in the next cabinet meeting, he explained. The proposed bill, mandates 50% reservation for total candidates (Kannadigas) in managerial roles and 70% in non-managerial positions within the private sector. Additionally, it proposes a 100% quota for Kannadigas in Group C and D jobs. In defence of the bill, Karnataka large and medium industries minister MB Patil said that he and three other ministers will discuss the draft bill with Siddaramaiah before finalising it. The team, comprising the law minister HK Patil, ITBT minister Priyank Kharge, labour minister Santosh Lad, and MB Patil, aims to address the issue thoroughly. While no date has been set for the meeting, Kharge indicated that the matter would be discussed in the cabinet meeting on Monday. Industry bodies have expressed their surprise and disappointment over the lack of consultation. Ramesh Chandra Lahoti, president of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), criticized the absence of dialogue with key industry stakeholders. The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), representing Indias technology sector, voiced serious concerns. The association warned that the bill could lead to a shortage of local skilled talent, forcing companies to relocate and potentially deterring global firms from operating in Karnataka, thereby stifling startup growth. The technology sector has been crucial to Karnatakas economic and social development, with Bengaluru known globally as Indias Silicon Valley. Its deeply disturbing to see this kind of bill which will not only hamper the growth of the industry, impact jobs and the global brand for the state, Nasscom said in a statement. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Friday announced a series of actions against controversial trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is accused of using fraudulent means to secure a position in the civil service. The Commission said it has filed a first information report (FIR) with the police and issued a show cause notice for the cancellation of her candidature of the civil services examination 2022 as well as seeking her debarment from future examinations. IAS trainee Puja Khedkar speaks to the media regarding the police interrogation at her residence, in Washim on Tuesday.(ANI) Read: UPSC moves to cancel candidature of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar What UPSC found in its probe The constitutional body, which conducts direct recruitment of officers to the All India Services and the Central Civil Services, found that Puja Khedkar fraudulently exceeded the permissible number of attempts by manipulating her identity. This deception included altering her name, her parents' names, her photograph and signature, as well as changing her email ID, mobile number, and address. From this investigation it has been revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father's & mother's name, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address, the UPSC said in a release. Read: 'When IAS officer Puja Khedkar's mother was set to pull gun trigger': What Pune Police told court How the controversy started Puja Khedkar came under intense media glare over her alleged demands for a separate cabin and staff during her posting in Pune and her abrupt transfer to Washim district. She was later accused of forging a non-creamy layer Other Backward Classes certificate, using fake addresses and falsified spellings to procure a disability certificate, and faking her age and date of birth to appear for the UPSC examination more times than is permitted. Earlier this week, the Maharashtra government initiated a probe against Khedkar following a letter from the UPSC dated July 12. The Commission directed the state government to examine her caste and disability certificates. The UPSC also sought papers pertaining to the alleged divorce of Puja Khedkars parents, after the trainee IAS officer claimed she was not aware of her fathers income before seeking benefits under the OBC quota. Heavy rain continued to lash several parts of Kerala, especially the hilly areas of its northern Malabar districts, on Thursday, disrupting normal life. Several incidents of flooding, uprooting of trees, property damage and minor landslides were reported from many parts of the northern Kerala districts of Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod, where the IMD had issued a red alert for the day. A flooded locality of Thalappuzha following a heavy downpour, in Wayanad on July 18.(PTI) The district administration in all three districts declared a holiday for educational institutions on Friday, July 19. Holidays have also been declared in Areekode and Kondotty in Malappuram and Idukki districts, according to Mathrubhumi. News agency PTI repoorted that an incident of a school bus overturning into a canal was also reported in Palakkad. No one was injured and all the children were rescued. Also Read | Indian Coast Guard rescues 11 from stranded fishing boat near Kochi In Kannur, about 80 people were shifted to relief camps and around 71 families were moved to their relatives by the district administration due to heavy rainfall and flooding. Additionally, 13 houses have been completely damaged and 242 homes partially damaged in the district due to the monsoon rains. There were also reports from some parts of north Kerala, of walls collapsing due to the rains and causing damage to vehicles parked nearby. Red alert for several parts of Karnataka The India Meteorological Department has said that isolated extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over coastal and south interior Karnataka till July 2020. This, the agency said is likely due to the influence of a low pressure area over central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal. The IMD has issued a red alert for July 19 and 20 in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada and south interior Karnataka, according to PTI. River Cauvery is in spate in Hogenakkal with increased inflow due to release of surplus water from Karnataka dams, in Dharmapuri district on July 18, 2024.(PTI) A red alert indicates heavy to extremely heavy rain of over 20 cm in 24 hours. It requires authorities to take action in view of an extreme weather event. Authorities here have also issued a flood alert in the coastal and western ghat regions. Due to the widespread rainfall in these regions in the last two days, flooding in coastal and western ghats areas are likely. Also Read | Car buried under mud as landslide hits Bengaluru-Mangaluru highway On Thursday, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Dakshina Kannada district has announced the closure of National Highway 275 between Sampaje and Madikeri due to the possibility of landslides and rock falls, reported ANI. The restriction will be in place from July 18 to July 22, every day from 8pm to 6am. Heavy rain likely in Odisha till July 23 Heavy rain is likely in Odisha over the next four days due to the low-pressure area forming over the Bay of Bengal, the IMD said on Thursday. Regional Met Centre director Manorama Mohanty told PTI that the low-pressure area formed over the central and adjoining north Bay of Bengal is likely to become more marked over the next two days and move northwestwards towards the Odisha coast. ""Under its impact, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in many places across Odisha over the next four days," she said." The weather office issued alerts for several districts, including Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi. Fisherfolks have been advised not to go into the deep sea from July 19 to 22. New Delhi The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the National Testing Agency (NTA) to publish the marks obtained by all students in the NEET-UG 2024 by 12pm on Saturday, along with the city and the centre they appeared in, with the identities of the candidates masked. SC orders NTA to publishall NEET marks by centre The court, which decided to limit its scrutiny of the validity of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Undergraduate 2024 (NEET-UG) to two separate instances of paper leaks in Patna and Hazaribagh, emphasised that its decision on scrapping the premier medical entrance examination and ordering a retest will depend on if the breaches were localised or systemic. The courts stance was articulated during a hearing by a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud that underlined that the petitioners, demanding a retest, ought to bring on record concrete evidence of widespread leaks that impacted the sanctity of the entire exam. The fact that there was a leak at Patna and Hazaribagh is admitted. The question papers had been disseminated there. We want to ensure whether this was confined to those centres or widespread, stated the bench, which also included justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. The bench noted that publication of all results was in the interest of transparency, especially in the wake of the students grievances about their handicap to argue the matter in absence of centre-wise and city-wise marks that could provide them clarity on the extent of the breach in case a pattern emerges in which some centres or regions were inordinately represented among the successful candidates. The court also considered the petitioners complaint that the IIT-Madras report, which the Centre and NTA have cited to dismiss the averment of widespread leak, referred to data of all 2.4 million candidates but such data were not available to the petitioners for a rebuttal of the report. We direct NTA to publish the marks obtained by students at the UG-2024 NEET examination, while, at the same time, without disclosing the identity of the students. The result should be declared city and centre-wise by 12 noon on 20 July 2024 and shall be uploaded on the website of the NTA, directed the bench despite appeals against such a directive by the SG. Fixing July 22 to hear the case next, the court demanded the investigation report from the Bihar Police, which initially handled the probe before it was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on June 22. The bench also deferred its decision on the commencement of the counselling process which solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said would begin in the third week of July. The material collected by the Bihar Police through the investigation and the report of the Economic Offences Wing of Bihar Police, before the investigation was taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation, shall be filed with the Court Master by 5pm on 20 July 2024, the courts order said. This year, 2.4 million students sat for the examination at 4,750 centres across 571 cities around the world. But weeks later, protests swept India as thousands of students hit the streets over allegations of question paper leaks, inflated marking and arbitrary allowance of grace marks, even as opposition parties called for a Supreme Court monitored probe into the allegations.The government has repeatedly ruled out a retest, saying leaks were localised and arguing that scrapping the exam will be unfair to successful candidates. Localised vs systemic leaksThe day-long hearing in the top court focussed on determining the extent of the breach, the latest in a saga of uncertainty surrounding the examinations validity and potential retest that has kept 2.4 million candidates on tenterhooks for weeks, with their career prospects hanging in the balance. Of the 2.4 million candidates who took the exam, around 108,000 qualified for the medical seats in government and private medical colleges. We cant order an exam merely because others want to take a chance. We can reorder only if you can show the sanctity of the exam has been impacted greatly, the bench remarked as it commenced the final arguments in a bundle of petitions filed by the NEET candidates. While at least 131 candidates press for a retest, more than 250 successful candidates filed applications to oppose the plea. The courts observations were particularly pertinent in light of a separate incident at Godhra in Gujarat, where a teacher solicited money to fill in blank answers on OMR sheets but was intercepted before the malpractice could take place. The bench dismissed this as a localised incident, making it clear that its examination would focus on the nature of the leak at Patna and Hazaribagh, the timing between the leak and the exam and the scale of dissemination of question paper. What we need to decide now is whether the leak was concentrated at Patna and Hazaribagh or was it so widespread that the sanctity of the entire exam has been compromised? Can we cancel the exam only on this basis or does it fall something short of the benchmark? Thats pertinent for us, observed the bench. During the hearing, the petitioners alleged conflict of interest against the IIT-Madras director, arguing that he should not have prepared the report because he was on the governing body of NTA. SG Mehta, however, repelled the submission, contending that the IIT-Madras director happened to be an ex-officio member of NTA only for the purpose of conducting the JEE-Advanced exam for engineering entrance, besides the fact that the present director had nominated someone else to attend the NTA meetings. The court also sought to know finer details about the candidates who succeeded after they changed the city of their exam centres and registered fresh on April 9 and 10 after a new window was opened pursuant to an order of the Rajasthan high court. SG Mehta and senior counsel Naresh Kaushik argued that there was no possibility of malpractice due to these two factors, saying more than 12,000 candidates who registered in April failed to score the minimum required marks to qualify. CBI investigationDuring the proceedings, Mehta revealed crucial details from CBI reports about how the NEET exam was compromised at Hazaribagh and Patna even as he maintained that the leak was localised and did not involve more than 150 students. The submission came after senior advocate Narender Hooda, who led the arguments on behalf of the petitioners, said that the leak was systemic and occurred on or before May 3, 2024, when the question papers were deposited in State Bank of India and Canara banks for safe custody. Hooda cited a media report alleging that question papers were transported in an e-rickshaw at Hazaribagh after being sent via courier by a private agency. Mehta countered this by stating that it was the OMR sheets, not the question papers, that were transported in this manner. Responding, the bench expressed concern over the use of a private courier firm for transporting question papers, especially after collecting 400 crore from students as entrance fees. Mehta then submitted that CBI investigated the entire chain of events, from courier to receipt of question paper at the exam centres. He claimed there was a seven-layer safety mechanism, which included automatic alerts in case of tampering with the question paper during transit. As the bench sought to know more about the time lag between the leak and the exam, Mehta described how the breach occurred at the Oasis School in Hazaribagh on May 5, 2024. He said that an accused entered the exam center at 8:01 am and exited at 9:23 am on that day. There was no leak. No leak but there was a breach. We have recovered footages of someone going inside a particular exam centre at 8.02am on May 5 and coming out at 9.23 am, he said. The bench, however, wondered how the question paper travelled to Patna if the breach was at Hazaribagh and how the answers were available around 10.15am for the candidates to memorise, as claimed in the CBI reports. Will it be possible for them to do it within 45 minutes? 180 questions were to be solved... It appears to be very far-fetched that in 45 minutes, someone took out the question papers and solved them for others to memorise, said the bench. But Mehta claimed that there were seven solvers, given 25 questions each. To a question from the bench about the total number of candidates involved and how the question paper landed in Patna when they were leaked at Hazaribagh, Mehta said that not more than 150 students were involved in the breach at Hazaribagh and Patna. A meticulous investigation has taken place. The person who went inside and took out the question paper has also been identified...One gang member at Hazaribagh sent it to Patna using WhatsApp. Their modus operandi was not to allow students to take photographs because if the question papers were leaked in a widespread fashion, the exam would get cancelled and nobody would earn any money, said Mehta. Parents reportedly paid advance money and postdated cheques ranging from 10 lakh to 75 lakh, informed the CBI reports, as Mehta explained that the modus operandi included destroying the question papers to prevent further dissemination. We are not taking this matter in an adversarial manner nor are we against the students. But the fact of the matter is that breach was localised and it took place a few hours before the exam, emphasised Mehta, and dispelled claims that high-scoring candidates benefited from the leak by pointing out that the top 100 candidates were spread across 95 centres in 18 states and Union territories. New Delhi: The Supreme Court will take up on July 22 a clutch of petitions demanding a probe by a special investigation team (SIT) under judicial supervision into an alleged scam in electoral financing using electoral bonds (EBs), which was scrapped by the top court on February 15 because the scheme completely anonymised political donations. (Representative Photo) Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud said that the matters would come up on Monday next week after advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner non-profit organisations, Common Cause and Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), mentioned the matter. Bhushan pointed out that while the petitions filed by the NGO are yet to come up for hearing, a similar petition by RTI activist Sudip Tamankar was listed on Friday. Senior counsel Menaka Guruswamy, representing Tamankar, submitted that he has no problem if his petition is also listed on July 22 with the other petition. Responding, the CJI said that the entire batch of matter will be listed on July 22. Also Read: Constitutional immunity for governors under SC lens amid WB Raj Bhawan controversy Filed in April, the NGOs petition claimed that the EB data released in March on the orders of the Supreme Court shows that the bulk of these were given as quid pro quo arrangements by corporates to political parties either for fiscal gains or for avoiding actions by central agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department. Additionally, EBs were purchased for donation to political parties to trigger some policy and regulatory changes to favour certain business firms, the petition, drawn by advocates Neha Rathi and Kajal Giri, alleged. Though these apparent pay-offs amount to several thousand crores, they appear to have influenced contracts worth lakhs of crores and regulatory inaction by agencies worth thousands of crores and also appear to have allowed substandard or dangerous drugs to be sold in the market, endangering the lives of millions of people in the country. That is why the electoral bonds scam has been called by many astute observers as the largest scam in India so far, and perhaps in the world, it added. The petition heeded a raft of media reports to claim that the scrutiny of donations made through EBs since 2018 shows quid pro quo arrangements between political parties, corporations, public servants and others working under the government, which would lead to blatant violation of Articles 14 (equality and equal protection) and 21 (life and liberty) guaranteed under the Constitution of India. The data shows private companies have paid crores of funds to political parties either as protection money for protection against agencies under the central government or as a bribe in return for undue benefits. In some instances, it has been seen that the political parties in power at the Centre or in states have apparently amended policies and/or laws to provide benefits to private corporates at the cost of public interest and the public exchequer, the NGOs petition claimed. Citing substantial irregularities and potential violations of the Companies Act, the plea contends that at least 20 companies, some newly incorporated, have contributed over 100 crores to political parties within three years of their establishment, which it said is prohibited under Section 182(1) of the Companies Act. The petition also details how loss-making and shell companies have allegedly donated significant amounts through EBs, potentially as a method to launder money and gain undue favours from political entities, particularly those in power. Further, the petition accused some of Indias primary investigative agencies, such as the CBI, ED and the Income Tax department, of being complicit in these corrupt dealings, arguing that firms under investigation by these bodies have made substantial donations to the ruling party, presumably to influence the outcomes of their probes. Given the gravity and complexity of the allegations, involving both private and government entities, the non-profits contend that the existing regulatory bodies are inadequate for a fair investigation and, therefore, requested the formation of an SIT under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge, to ensure a thorough and unbiased investigation. Tamankars petition, filed through advocate Pranav Sachdeva, also demanded a court-monitored probe into the alleged EB scam. Introduced in 2018, EBs were available for purchase at any SBI branch in multiples of 1,000, 10,000, 1 lakh, 10 lakh and 1 crore and could be bought through a KYC-compliant account. There was no limit on the number of electoral bonds that a person or company could purchase. Donations made under this scheme by corporate and even foreign entities through Indian subsidiaries enjoyed 100% tax exemption while identities of the donors were kept confidential both by the bank as well as the recipient political parties. But on February 15, a five-judge Constitution bench struck down the scheme, declaring it to be unconstitutional because it completely masked contributions made to political parties, and added that restricting black money or illegal election financing some of the articulated objectives of the scheme did not justify violating voters right to information in a disproportionate manner. Also Read: SC agrees to hear plea challenging blanket immunity to Bengal governor in alleged molestation case The bench directed SBI the only designated EB-issuing bank to stop the issuance of EBs, adding that the bank should submit details of EBs purchased since April 12, 2019, till that date to the poll watchdog by March 6. The tranches of data released by the ECI over two weeks in March revealed that Tamil Nadu-based Future Gaming and Hotel Services, the top donor that accounted for 1,365 crore worth of bonds, donated across party lines. Out of this, 39.7% ( 542 crore) went to the All India Trinamool Congress, 36.8% ( 503 crore) to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), 11.3% ( 154 crore) to the YSR Congress, 7.3% ( 100 crore) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and 3.7% ( 50 crore) to the Congress. The second highest donor -- Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) -- donated 60.5% of its 966 crore to the BJP and 20.2% ( 195 crore) to the Telangana-based Bharat Rashtra Samithi. The third highest donor, Thane-based Qwik Supply Chain, donated 91.5% of its 410 crore to the BJP, followed by 6% ( 25 crore) to the Shiv Sena. It donated 10 crore (2.4%) to the Nationalist Congress Party. According to Zaubacorp, a website that scrapes data from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and LinkedIn profiles, two of the directors of the firm are employees of the Reliance Group and are directors of multiple Reliance Group companies. Mining behemoth Vedanta Limited donated 230.15 crore, or 57.5% of its total bonds worth 400.35 crore, to the BJP, followed by 125 crore (31.2%) to the Congress. The Kolkata-based RP-Sanjiv Goenka Groups Haldia Energy donated 74.5% of its 377 crore to the TMC, followed by 81 crore (21.5%) to the BJP. For the BJP, MEIL was the largest donor at 584 crore, followed by Qwik Supply Chain at 375 crore and Vedanta at 230.15 crore. Others contributed 4,032.15 crore. In all, the BJP netted 6,061 crore of the 8,252 crore between April 12, 2019, and January 11, 2024. Of this 6,061 crore, the donors of only 5,594.2 crore could be matched because the April 12, 2019, deadline fell in the middle of a bond sale phase, which was from April 1 to April 20. 3,346 bonds were sold between April 1 and April 11, of which only 1,609 bonds were redeemed in the same period. The remaining bonds were redeemed between April 12 and 20. The same problem persists for TMC and Congress, too. The TMC received its biggest chunk of funds from Future Gaming at 542 crore, followed by Haldia Energy at 281 crore and Dhariwal Infrastructure at 90 crore. Others contributed 588.12 crore. In all, the TMC netted 1,610 crore of the 1,708 crore between April 12, 2019, and January 11, 2024. For the Congress, the biggest donor was Vedanta at 125 crore, followed by Western UP Power Transmission Company Limited at 110 crore and MJK Enterprise at 91.6 crore. In all, the Congress netted 1,422 crore of the 1,952 crore between April 12, 2019, and January 11, 2024. The petition filed before the Supreme Court has cited several of the above-mentioned donations to term these funding quid pro quo transactions. They were once talented students able to decipher Indias notoriously difficult competitive examinations. In classrooms growing up, in schools and colleges, in state capitals and small towns, they were the students that the rest looked up to; the students that had all the answers. Several graduated to public sector jobs; some became doctors, others civil servants; some even became part of Indias security apparatus. New Delhi, Jul 07 (ANI): All India Students Association (AISA) and Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) members stage a protest over the demand for Re-NEET and NET examinations, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday. (ANI Photo/Amit Sharma) (Amit Sharma) The Supreme Court on July 22 will hear a batch of petitions demanding a probe by a special investigation team (SIT) under judicial supervision into an alleged scam in electoral financing using electoral bonds (EBs), which was scrapped by the top court on February 15. The petitions claimed that the electoral bond data which was released on the orders of the Supreme Court showed that the bulk of these were given as quid pro quo arrangements by corporates to political parties either for fiscal gains or for avoiding actions by central agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax department. The data shows private companies have paid crores of funds to political parties either as protection money for protection against agencies under the central government or as a bribe in return for undue benefits. In some instances, it has been seen that the political parties in power at the Centre or in states have apparently amended policies and/or laws to provide benefits to private corporates at the cost of public interest and the public exchequer, alleged a petitioner. Read: 5 facts about Udhayanidhi Stalin who is likely to be Tamil Nadu deputy chief minister A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court unanimously struck down the electoral bond scheme as unconstitutional on February 15. The apex court ruled that the scheme violates Article 19 of the Constitution by failing to disclose the funding to political parties. Supreme Court on July 22 will hear a batch of petitions demanding a probe by a special investigation team under judicial supervision into an alleged scam in electoral financing using electoral bonds. (HT Photo) Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday kicked off the first phase of crop loan waiver scheme, depositing 1 lakh into the loan accounts of 1.1 million-odd farmers across the state. Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy with senior leader K. Keshava Rao at the launch of farmers loan waiver scheme at the Secretariat, in Hyderabad on Thursday. (PTI) Interacting with farmers from 500 Rythu Vedikas (farmers forums) through video conference from the state secretariat, Revanth Reddy said in the first phase, crop loans up to 1 lakh taken by farmers from commercial and cooperative banks were being waived. An amount of 6,098 crore was released into the loan accounts of these farmers, which would be used by the banks to clear their loan outstanding. The chief minister said in the second phase, loans of farmers up to 1.5 lakh would be waived by July end. For the farmers, whose loan outstanding was up to 2 lakh, the loan waiver scheme would be implemented by August 15, he said. In all, 31,000 crore would be spent on the loan waiver scheme benefitting 40 lakh (4 million) farmers, he said. Revanth Reddy recalled that waiver of crop loans up to 2 lakh, including principal and interest components, was a promise made by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi while unveiling the farmers declaration at a public rally in Warangal in May 2023. Senior Congress leader reiterated the promise at a public meeting on the outskirts of Hyderabad on September 17, 2023, as part of six guarantees of the Congress ahead of the state assembly elections. I am glad to announce that we are able to implement the guarantee and fulfil our commitment to farmers, the chief minister said, adding that the entire country was now looking at the Telangana model of crop loan waiver scheme. He said that no corporate company since the Indian independence had waived loans to the tune of 31,000 crore at one go, he said, adding that the previous BRS government failed to waive crop loans even after returning to power for the second consecutive time in 2018. In the last 10 years, the BRS government waived only 21,000 crore and released the amount in several instalments, he said. Revanth Reddy said he and his cabinet colleagues would soon go to Delhi to personally thank Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. We shall hold a thanks-giving public rally at Warangal for which Rahul Gandhi would be invited, he said. As a symbolic gesture of commencing the crop loan waiver scheme, the chief minister handed cheques for 1 lakh each to 10 farmers from different districts of the state. The farmers, who interacted with him during the teleconference, thanked the state government for relieving them of the debt burden. Earlier in the day, deputy chief minister and state finance minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, held a meeting with bankers to discuss the modalities of implementing the crop loan waiver scheme. He requested the cooperation of the bankers to implement the scheme. NEW DELHI: Rejecting the Chinese embassys description of the Tibetan government-in-exile as a separatist organisation, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) on Friday said the passage of a new law by the US administration made it clear that Tibet is not an internal affair of China. Penpa Tsering, President of Central Tibetan Administration, right, pays his respects in front of a ceremonial chair of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama at an event. (AP FILE) The CTA, which is based in Dharamshala and represents Tibetans living in India and abroad, and the Chinese embassy engaged in a war of words on X after the mission criticised the Resolve Tibet Act that was signed into law recently by US President Joe Biden and said Beijing would only hold talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama. On Wednesday, Penpa Tsering, the Sikyong or head of the CTA, said that back-channel communications between the government-in-exile and the Chinese side were continuing and that the last contact was made early this month, just days before President Biden signed the Resolve Tibet Act on July 12. The Chinese embassy reacted to these developments in a post on X, saying the Tibetan government-in-exile is a separatist political organisation with the agenda of pursuing Tibetan independence. It further contended that Tibet, which Beijing refers to as Xizang, has been part of Chinas territory since ancient times. The Chinese embassy opposed the Resolve Tibet Act on the ground that it violates the US administrations commitments and basic norms governing international ties and said Beijing will only have contact and talks with the personal representative of the Dalai Lama and not the CTA. In response, CTA spokesperson Dhondup Gyalpo said the CTA is a continuation of the original government of Tibet established in 1642 and enjoys the support of Tibetans within Tibet and in the diaspora. Moreover, the international community recognises the CTA as the sole legitimate representative of the Tibetan people, he said. Tibet has been historically an independent country, and no force, whether human or divine, can rewrite this history, Gyalpo said. The passage of the Resolve Tibet Act itself demonstrates that Tibet is not merely an internal affair of China and will remain a matter of international concern until the Sino-Tibet conflict is peaceably resolved through a mutually beneficial dialogue, he added. The issue of Tibet concerns the future of six million Tibetans, not the personal future of the Dalai Lama, who has said that once Tibetans in exile are able to return to Tibet with meaningful autonomy, he will not play any role in the future government of Tibet. Gyalpo also said India is a free country with a highly vibrant media, and any attempts to intimidate or coerce Indian media are destined to fail. He was responding to the Chinese embassys assertion that the media should respect Chinas concerns and not provide a platform for Tibet independence forces. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday mandated that all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route must display the names of their owners. This decision followed the Muzaffarnagar Police's reversal of a similar order after facing opposition backlash. Kanwariyas arriving from Haridwar during the Kanwar Yatra, at NH 58 Meerut road, in Ghaziabad, India, onJuly 29, 2019. (HT File) According to the new directive, every food shop or cart owner is required to prominently display the owner's name on a board. The Muzaffarnagar polices order asking eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners names had triggered a massive political outrage, with leaders from both the opposition and the ruling NDA saying the order will create division. The advisory had received fresh criticism from former Union minister and BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who said this move will give rise to untouchability. Hasty orders from some over-zealous officials may give rise to the disease of untouchability... Faith must be respected, but untouchability must not be patronized, Naqvi wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Even though, the order was being supported by many BJP leaders, Naqvi posted a photograph of himself participating in the Kanwar Yatra, saying that he needed no lectures from anyone about respect and faith in it. KC Tyagi, national spokesperson of Janata Dal (United), a key ally of the BJP at the Centre, said the Muzaffarnagar Police order should be withdrawn as it may cause communal tension and there should not be any discrimination based on religion. Following the criticism from various parties, the Muzaffarnagar administration on Thursday had revised its order suggesting people can voluntarily display the name of owners on their eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route. However, it was re-escalated on Friday by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath himself. He made it mandatory for eateries, food selling carts to mention the name of owners on eateries on Kanwar Yatra route across the state. Earlier, Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi attacked Yogi Adityanath, saying he is possessed by Hitler's soul. He said the Uttar Pradesh government was promoting untouchability. We condemn this order as it violates Article 17 of the Indian Constitution, which prohibits untouchability. The Uttar Pradesh government is promoting untouchability. This order, which directs the display of name and religion is a violation of Article 21 (right to life) and Article 19 (right to livelihood), Owaisi told ANI. Samajwadi Party, which is part of the opposition INDIA bloc was the first to criticise the order. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had called it a social crime aimed at dividing society, in a post on X. He had urged the judiciary to get to the bottom of the intent and take action. Former foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra, who completed an extended term this month, has been appointed as the next ambassador to the United States, and will play a key role in tackling several irritants that have emerged in bilateral ties. IFS officer Vinay Kwatra. (PTI Photo) Kwatra, 61, is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the external affairs ministry said in a formal announcement on Friday. After getting an extension in service before the general election, Kwatra completed his term as foreign secretary on July 14. The key position in Washington has been vacant since the last ambassador, Taranjit Sandhu, retired in January. Kwatra, who is considered to be close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and served as joint secretary in the Prime Ministers Office during 2015-2017, will play a crucial role in both taking forward cooperation with the US in a wide range of areas and helping smooth over several irritants that have recently affected bilateral relations. The US administration was recently miffed over Modis decision to make his first foreign trip in his third term to Moscow for co-chairing the annual India-Russia Summit with President Vladimir Putin at almost the same time that leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) had gathered for a summit to express their support to Ukraine. Kwatra was the key Indian interlocutor engaged by US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell to convey Washingtons concerns over the timing of Modis visit, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity. Since last year, allegations by US prosecutors that an Indian intelligence official had directed a murder for hire plot to assassinate Khalistani activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil have also affected ties. The Indian side has set up a high level inquiry committee to investigate inputs provided by the US but the panels findings are yet to be made public. Pannun has already been declared a terrorist by India and his organisation, Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), banned. Kwatra will also have a key role in building up contacts with players in the next administration that will be formed in the US following the presidential election in November. With former president Donald Trump expected to make a return, the people said Kwatra will have to hit the ground running to engage with Trumps team from the Republican party, while maintaining contacts with leading players in the Democratic party. Kwatra joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1988. Besides serving as foreign secretary (2022-2024) and as the envoy to France (2017-2020) and Nepal (2020-2022), he has had stints in Indias permanent mission to the UN in Geneva, as desk officer at headquarters dealing with the UN, and in the missions in South Africa and Uzbekistan. He served as deputy chief of mission in the embassy in China, and as a minister (commerce) in the embassy in the US during 2010-2013. He also headed the policy planning and research division Americas division of the external affairs ministry. Justifying the addition of IPC section 307 in the FIR against Manorama Khedkar, mother of IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, the Pune Police on Thursday told a court in Maharashtra that the accused had put the gun on the complainants head. When she was about to pull the trigger, the complainant ducked in fear, while the other accused restrained her, the prosecutor told the court, news agency PTI reported. Manorama Khedkar being brought to Paud Police station. (Mahendra Kolhe/HT Photo) Seeking Manorama Khedkar's custody for five days in a land dispute case, the Pune Police described she, her husband Dilip and three others, all shown as accused in the FIR, as influential and politically active persons, in the court in Paud that remanded her in police custody till July 20, PTI reported. Earlier on Thursday, the Pune Rural Police detained Manorama Khedkar from a lodge in Raigad districts Mahad and brought to the Paud Police station before being placed under arrest, superintendent of police, Pune Rural, Pankaj Deshmukh, had said earlier. Pandharinath Pasalkar, 65, a farmer from Dhadwali registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Manorama Khedkar, her husband Diliprao Khedkar, and several other unidentified persons under sections 323, 504, 506, 143, 144, 147, 148 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections of the Arms Act. The Pune Rural Police have also invoked Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against her. The police had launched a search for Manorama and Dilip Khedkar after a video surfaced showing her allegedly threatening some persons with a gun over a land dispute at Dhadwali village in Pune's Mulshi tehsil in 2023. Manorama, her husband Dilip and three others have been accused of threatening one Pandharinath Pasalkar with a gun over a land dispute at Dhadwali village in Pune's Mulshi tehsil on June 4, 2023. The police alleged that Manorama was neither cooperating with the investigators nor sharing information concerning the whereabouts of Dilip Khedkar and the other three accused, and details about the pistol and the four-wheeler used in the crime. Calling the accused influential and politically active persons, the police said they wanted to confiscate the weapon and needed her custodial interrogation for that purpose. The prosecution also said police wanted to trace the other accused in the case. Defence counsel Nikhil Malani opposed the prosecutions petition for police custody, contending that Manorama had filed a case against the complainant in this matter. A chargesheet was also filed in that case, he said. The present complainant was on the backfoot (due to the case filed against him). But after a video went viral on social media recently, he came forward and filed a case against his client, said Malani. He argued that when the case was first registered against his client, all the sections in the FIR were non-bailable but the police abruptly added IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) on July 17. Since it is a non-bailable section, she was arrested, he said. He told the court that the case against Manorama was an afterthought as it was registered 13 months after the alleged incident. There are no valid apprehensions or contentions regarding 307 (attempt to murder) in the FIR, he said. After hearing both sides, the court remanded Manorama in police custody till July 20. Who is Puja Khedkar and what's the controversy? Puja Khedkar is under scrutiny for her claims regarding disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates in her Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) candidature, as well as her conduct during her tenure at the Pune collector's office. Amid the row, the government on Tuesday put on hold the 'district training program' of Puja Khedkar, who was earlier transferred to Washim as a supernumerary assistant collector from Pune, as she was summoned back to the Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration for "necessary action". The Pune Anti-Corruption Bureau unit has received a complaint seeking an open inquiry against Puja Khedkar's father Dilip Khedkar, a retired government official, in connection with alleged disproportionate assets, a senior official told PTI on Wednesday. There is already an inquiry underway by the ACB's Nashik division against him into the alleged disproportionate assets. Hence, the Pune unit of the anti-graft agency has sought directions from the ACB headquarters to either incorporate the fresh complaint into the ongoing probe or whether to conduct a separate open inquiry, the official said. (With inputs from agencies) Elevated ambient temperatures and humidity levels enhance sweat gland activity resulting in excessive sweating, which can clog pores to cause or exacerbate acne or pimple breakouts. Blockage of sweat ducts can lead to heat rash/miliaria. Heat rash and fungal infection in summer? Check out these tips for healthy skin in humid weather (Photo by Beauty Epic) In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Swayamsiddha Mishra, MD-DVL, Consultant Dermatologist and Cosmetologist at All About Skin Clinic in New Delhi, explained, Warm and humid conditions can favour fungal growth particularly in skin folds and sweat prone areas. Jock itch or ringworm present as red itchy rashes in groin, inner thighs, buttocks. Athlete's foot manifests as itching, redness & a scaly foot rash. Intertrigo and pityriasis versicolor are the other fungal diseases commonly encountered in summers. She elaborated, Furthermore, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) may increase, causing skin to dehydrate. Understanding these common summer skin issues and implementing preventive measures can help maintain healthy skin during the hotter months. Consulting a dermatologist can facilitate early diagnosis and faster management of the skin ailments. Highlighting that damp and moist skin is a perfect breeding ground for fungus, Dr Nidhi Jindal, Consultant Dermatology at New town AAI in Kolkata, recommended ways in which it can be prevented - Dos: Keep skin dry always Cleanse all body folds with soap during bathing Dry all body folds including in between toes after bathing Wear loose cotton cloths Take shower after gym or workout session Keep the diaper area dry, frequent changing of diaper is advised Donts: Scratch or rub Wear tight nylon or polyester clothes Neglect initial signs like red, scaly patches Emphasising the need for specialised skincare solutions, particularly sunscreens, in addressing the challenges posed by summer conditions, Dr Rajesh Jaria, Consultant Internal Medicine at PD Hinduja Hospital and MCR at Khar, highlighted how effective dermatological care becomes crucial during this time. He shared, Sun allergy, from direct exposure to sunlight causing hives, with UV light - A and B playing its role causing direct skin damage presents as a red, scaly, rash with itchy bumps. Sun sensitivity can become permanent hence, requires prolonged specialised care to reverse it. Heat (prickly) rash is from blocked sweat glands causing tiny bumps which eventually burst to release clogged sweat. The itch and discomfort can be intense. Anything you can do to stop sweating profusely will help reduce your risk. Dr Rajesh Jaria concluded with tips that dermatologists offer to their patients to help them sweat less and thereby lessen their risk of getting prickly heat include - Hematuria refers to the presence of blood in urine. It can be microscopic, to very obvious, to not being visible at all. In an interview with HT lifestyle, Dr Mukund Andankar, Urologist at Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai Central, said, Hematuria means presence of blood in urine. It can be enough to change the color of urine (gross hematuria) or so small in quantity that it can only be seen under a microscope (microscopic hematuria). The diagnosis of hematuria involves testing the blood and the urine, and also performing imaging tests such as ultrasound or CT scan.(Unsplash) ALSO READ: Common kidney disorders: Causes, symptoms and treatment options Hematuria: Causes The Urologist further explained the causes of hematuria - Urinary tract infections (UTIs), kidney stones, bladder or kidney tumors or cancer, enlarged prostate, intense exercise and injury to the kidneys or urinary tract. Hematuria: Early signs - Blood in the urine, which might look pink, red, or cola-colored - Pain or burning when you pee - Frequent urge to urinate - Pain in your side or lower back - Fever (if there's an infection) - Passing blood clots in your urine ALSO READ: Haematuria in the elderly: 8 reasons why your parents have blood in their urine Hematuria: Treatment options The treatment options of Hematuria depend on the diagnosis and the cause. The diagnosis involves testing the blood and the urine, and also performing imaging tests such as ultrasound or CT scan. In some cases, the test to look inside the bladder with a small camera (cystoscopy) and perform biopsy may also be done. For infections: Antibiotics are prescribed to cure the infection. For stones: Pain relief medication, drinking lots of water, and possibly procedures to remove stones are recommended. For tumours: Treatment like surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation is prescribed after diagnosis. For enlarged prostrate: The doctor recommends medication or surgery depending on the severity of the condition. Hematuria: Prevention tips Drinking water: The Urologist recommended drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated and keep the body healthy. Avoid strenuous exercise: Too much stressful exercise can lead to blood in urine. Hence. We should consult an expert before taking up a workout routine. Avoid smoking: Smoking and tobacco usage should be stopped completely, as they lead to cancer. Cancer can also cause hematuria. ALSO READ: Reddish urine during pregnancy: Is it normal or an alarm? Given that it is a project over seven decades in the making and a core promise of the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) manifesto, you would imagine that post-Independence Indias first Uniform Civil Code (UCC) would be breathtaking in the scale of its imagination or at least reflective of Constitutional values of equality and dignity. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami with others holds a copy of the Constitution of India, at Vidhan Sabha Bhawan, in Dehradun, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 (PTI) Uttarakhands UCC is neither. It does little to promote equality or inclusion, goes against the grain of more progressive judicial pronouncements such as the right to privacy, and fails to reflect a modern societys changing social mores including the rising aspiration and desire for autonomy among women. Perhaps its greatest flaw, when it kicks in by October, is that it infantilises adult women and seeks to curb their independence. Among its more outrageous features is one that mandates the registration of live-in relationships (breakups in such relationships must also be registered). Under its provisions, parents of adults aged between 18 and 21 must be kept in the loop. Of course, it is anybodys guess how such couples will approach the police in a state where adolescent boys get arrested for going on a date with their minor girlfriends, based on the complaints filed by their girlfriends parents, as highlighted by the Uttarakhand high court in a recent order. In state assemblies from Maharashtra to Gujarat, the fear that young women will break social, faith and caste barriers to marry men of their choice is so strong that elected legislators are debating on the need for parental consent for love marriages. Gender is often the entry point when we talk about reform in family law. But, very quickly, the goal of gender is overtaken by talk of national integration and a political partys positions, said Saumya Saxena, a law professor at OP Jindal University. A common law for all citizens for marriage, divorce, adoption and inheritance has, from the inception of the Constitution, been a desirable goal. But, its not as if personal laws have remained static. Since the Hindu code amendments of the 1950s, court rulings have made sweeping changes in personal laws to align them closer to the Constitution. Muslim personal law has not been exempt. Last week, the Supreme Court (SC) reiterated that Muslim women, no matter what their personal laws state, are entitled to maintenance after divorce. Triple talaq was banned by the courts two years before Parliament criminalised the practice in 2019. The Juvenile Justice Act makes it possible for Christian women to adopt. In Shabnam Hashmi vs Union of India (2014), the SC ruled that adoption was a fundamental right available to all. Elsewhere, the SC granted a Zoroastrian woman, barred from entering Parsi temples for marrying outside the community, the right to enter a fire temple. Everywhere, mutinies against archaic customs continue to brew. Can we imagine family beyond just biological ties? How do we promote gender justice and the inclusion of minorities, including sexual minorities? Can we do better to protect the right of adult women to love? Uttarakhands UCC could have been a blueprint for a modern nation. Instead, what we have is an opportunity lost. Namita Bhandare writes on gender. The views expressed are personal Something sinister is unfolding in Jammu. Doda, Jun 13 (ANI): The Indian Army conducts a search operation in the dense forests of different districts to track down and neutralise terrorists after a Special Police officer was injured in exchange of fire with terrorists in the Gandoh area, in Doda on Thursday. (ANI Photo) (ANI) While all terrorism is ghastly and every soldiers life lost at the front line is a tragedy, the nature of the attacks suggests that this challenge is different from the norm that security forces are accustomed to. Sniper-like military precision is the phrase being used by veterans and counter-insurgency heroes who have fought terrorists in these very mountains. As coffins of young men, in their early twenties, come home to distraught but stoic parents, experts flag what seems different. Even though the soldiers were appropriately shielded by bulletproof vests and helmets, the infiltrators were still able to get their shot by aiming at the relatively tiny exposed parts. The weapons wielded by the terrorists are highly sophisticated too; their internal communication has not been easy to intercept. The forests of the Pir Panjal also provide camouflage and tactical heights from where they are able to lead ambush assaults on Army soldiers. Forty-eight soldiers have been killed in action in the Jammu region alone since December 2021 11 of these fatalities have been in 2024. More soldiers than terrorists have been killed in Jammu this year. Kashmir Tigers, a shadow group of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), has claimed responsibility for these attacks. That by itself means very little. The name itself reflects a tactical attempt to give the outfit a political rather than religious dimension. But these are cosmetic face masks that may hide the insidious reality of what is going on. Let us remember that we are now only a few days away from the 25th anniversary commemoration of the Kargil War of 1999 between India and Pakistan. July 26 is celebrated as Vijay Diwas every year, and this year is a special milestone. Let us also remind ourselves of the role of the Northern Light Infantry soldiers of the Pakistan army in that war. It is a different matter that in the worst disservice to a man in uniform the Pakistan army at first refused to acknowledge these soldiers, and their burials and last rites were performed by the Indian Army. If publicity is oxygen for terrorists, very little in the timing of their violence is a coincidence. Before the ambush in Doda, the terror attack in Kathua, Jammu, occurred on the day that Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani was eliminated by our security forces in 2016. As the Kargil anniversary approaches, military veterans like Lt General Ata Hasnain are warning of something big that could be attempted by Pakistan to change the headlines and the mood in a week of commemorations. There is, by all accounts, also enough intelligence that points to a direct participation of the Pakistan army. I dont mean this just in the conventional sense of the Pakistan Deep State patronising Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar as security assets against India. Every single military veteran and police officer I have spoken to some choosing to stay in the background, some on the record believes that the guerilla operations in Jammu are the handiwork of highly-trained infantrymen or special forces soldiers. In other words, the infiltrators inside Indian territory may not be only mercenaries with a gun for hire or ideologically indoctrinated terrorists; alongside them, the threat is evidently also from Pakistani soldiers, regulars of its army who have likely retired recently. Some veterans say it is not possible to rule out the involvement of serving Pakistan army personnel either. The operation bears their imprint in one or the other way. So, what is the aim? I can think of a few. Move the centre of gravity of counter-insurgency operations to Jammu. Put pressure on the security grid remember, the threat from China means that eastern Ladakh is also heavily militarised, in a way it was not some years ago. Now, there will be pressure to deploy more troops in Jammus mountains. Seek to overshadow a week of Kargil headlines. Challenge the political narrative around the abrogation of Article 370. The record turnouts in the Kashmir Valley in the Lok Sabha elections ran counter to every position Pakistan has taken traditionally. And, of course, to delay the assembly elections. But as Lt General Hasnain reminds us, in 2002, there were 1,650 incidents of terrorism and a watershed assembly election was still held. Anything else would be to play into the hands of the terrorists. Can Pakistan, with its internal turmoil and bleeding economy, afford a bigger conflagration with India? Is China aiding and abetting this plan? And how may India respond? These are no longer hypothetical questions as we enter another phase of conflict in Jammu and Kashmir. Barkha Dutt is an award-winning journalist and author. The views expressed are personal The election of Masoud Pezeshkian as the ninth Iranian President was no surprise for all those eligible voters who refused to vote or hesitated to approve the Iranian regime nearly two years after the national unrest which followed the death of Mahsa Amini in custody of the moral police in Tehran. Hundreds were killed and thousands arrested as the authorities sought to crush the protests. Reformist Pezeshkian won with 53.7% of the vote, defeating hardliner Saeed Jalili in the run-off polls. Iran's newly-elected President Masoud Pezeshkian (C) waves to supporters as he visits the shrine of the Islamic Republic's founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran on July 6, 2024. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (AFP) According to Irans interior ministry, over 30 million Iranians voted in the run-off presidential election, higher than the 40% participation in the first round on June 28. The voting time was extended by two hours. However, many videos and photos posted on Iranian social media showed empty polling stations around Iran. Also, various political groups outside Iran gathered in front of the Iranian embassies and consulates and urged the electorate to boycott the election. This presidential election recorded the lowest voter turnout in the Islamic Republic of Iran since 1979. In a speech on June 25, Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called for a large turnout in the election in an effort to stop the enemies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Even the prisoners in Saqqez, in western Iran, were compelled to participate in the presidential election. However, many Iranians seem to believe that this election, like many others, was staged and prepared by the entourage of the Supreme Leader and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. The new President is a reformist who has never been a serious critic of velayat-e faqih, the theocratic system under which the Supreme Leader has absolute authority. Pezeshkian, born in 1954, in Mahabad in northwestern Iran to an Azeri father and a Kurdish mother, was the health minister during the presidency of Mohammad Khatami, but he gained prominence for his stance against the crackdown of the 2022 urban protests. During these protests, he said in an interview with Irans TV: I bear part of the blame, the distinguished religious scholars and the mosques bear part of the blame, and the (Iranian) broadcasting authority bears part of the blame. Everybody should step forward and be held accountable, rather than capture that girl, beat her up, and eventually deliver her body to her family. Pezeshkian also aligned himself with the former Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, who negotiated Irans 2015 nuclear deal with the US and the European Union. He later served as a deputy parliament speaker and backed the cause of the Iranian moderates. Pezeshkians win is a way for the Supreme Leader and Irans Revolutionary Guards to find a solution to Irans growing legitimacy crisis and the succession battle that will follow 85-year-old Khameneis eventual passing. Despite the appearances, Khamenei and his hardline allies played in a manner to ensure that the polls produced no surprise and gave the impression that Pezeshkians victory was difficult to obtain. However, the truth is quite the opposite, since both reformists and the conservatives, who are loyal to the Iranian establishment, feared that a visibly rigged and undemocratic election would leave Irans rulers totally isolated from a population already tired of the theocratic regime with its tough oppressive laws and economic mismanagement. Versed in the art of regime survival, Irans leaders smoothly opened the doors of the political system through the election of a moderate President who is also acceptable to the military and paramilitary apparatus. Whatever the future of President Pezeshkian, one thing is clear. The war in Gaza showed the Iranian establishment that Irans ongoing move to hegemony in West Asia is in urgent need for a back stage United States (US)-Iran diplomacy, especially if the American election in November produces a strong anti-Iran president like Donald Trump. This said, the suspicious death of former President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in a helicopter crash leaves the interpretation open to those commentators who rightly believe that the so-called Iranian reformists function only as safety valves for a violent face-to-face encounter between the ultra-conservatives themselves, who represent different camps and try to reshape the Iranian political system in their own way by searching alliances between clerical autocrats and security and military officials. As for the reformists, they hope to have a piece of the cake, in spite of not having been invited to the party. That is why, if Pezeshkian and his reformist supporters refuse to play it smoothly, the friction between him as an elected President and the entourage of the unelected Supreme Leader will be stronger at every challenge. This balancing act will require from Pezeshkian the unproven skill of moderating the ultra-hardliners drive for hegemonic power without shutting the door on the face of the absolutist clerics or the warmonger Revolutionary Guards. Is President Pezeshkian witty enough to stop the Revolutionary Guards from intensifying repression at home and confrontation with the US? At a time when Iran and the region are in a potentially disastrous situation, the new president will need the art of complexity management to be able to solve the endless economic problems and an escalating legitimacy crisis of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Ramin Jahanbegloo, an Iranian philosopher, is director, Mahatma Gandhi Centre for PeaceStudies, Jindal Global Law School. The views expressed are personal From fearmongering about a looming "World War III" to false narratives linking a cabal of global elite to a cyberattack, a torrent of online conspiracy theories took off Friday after a major IT crash. United Airlines employees wait by a departures monitor displaying a blue error screen, also known as the Blue Screen of Death inside Terminal C in Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey on July 19.(Reuters) Airlines, banks, TV channels and financial institutions were engulfed in turmoil after the crash, one of the biggest in recent years that was the result of a faulty software update to an antivirus program operating on Microsoft Windows. The proliferation of internet-breaking conspiracy theories on social media platforms many of which have removed guardrails that once contained the spread of misinformation illustrates the new normal of information chaos after a major world event. Also Read | Viral timelapse reveals US air traffic crash as IT outage strands passengers from America to Berlin, Hong Kong The outage gave way to a swirl of evidence-free posts on X, the Elon Musk-owned site formerly known as Twitter, that peddled an apocalyptic narrative: The world was under attack by a nefarious force. "I read somewhere once that ww3 would be mostly a cyber war," one user wrote on X. The IT crash also stirred up an unfounded theory that the World Economic Forum long a magnet for wild falsehoods had plotted a global cyberattack. To make that theory appear credible, many posts linked an old WEF video that warned about the possibility of a "cyberattack with Covid-like characteristics." The video, available on the WEF's website, had cautioned that the only way to stop the exponential spread of the cyber threat would be to disconnect millions of vulnerable devices from each other and the internet. Also Read | How the Microsoft-CrowdStrike IT outage hurt airlines worldwide The WEF has long been a target for conspiracy theorists pushing the idea of a shadowy cabal of elites working for private gain under the garb of solving global issues. Also gaining rapid traction online were conspiratorial posts using the hashtag "cyber polygon," a reference to a global training event aimed at preparing for potential future attacks. "The proliferation of conspiracy theories in the wake of major global events such as the outage is a sad testament to the volatile nature of the information ecosystem," Rafi Mendelsohn, vice president at the disinformation security company Cyabra, told AFP. "What is unique to events like these is how social media platforms, forums, and messaging apps facilitate the rapid dissemination of content, allowing theories to gain traction quickly and reach a global audience." The trend demonstrates the ability of falsehoods to mutate into viral narratives on tech platforms, which have scaled back content moderation and reinstated accounts that are known purveyors of misinformation. During fast-developing news events, confusion now often reigns on major tech platforms, with users scrambling to obtain accurate information in what appears to be a sea of false or misleading posts that rapidly gain traction. "This poses the larger question of combatting mis- and disinformation," Michael W. Mosser, executive director of the Global Disinformation Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, told AFP. "The level of trust that is required to accept information from reputable sources has declined to such an extent that people are more willing to believe wild conspiracies that 'must be true' rather than the factual information relayed to them." The global outage, which brought myriad aspects of daily life to a standstill and sent US stocks falling, was linked to a bug in an update to an antivirus program for Windows systems from American cybersecurity group CrowdStrike. Assurances by the Austin-based company's chief executive, George Kurtz, that CrowdStrike had rolled out a fix and was "actively working" to resolve the crisis did little to stem the spread of online conspiracies. "Combatting this misinformation with factual rebuttals is difficult, because the issue is so technical," Mosser said. "Explaining that the fault was in an improperly configured system file and that a fix is in process may be accurate, but it is not believed by those who are predisposed to see nefarious motives behind failures." burs-ac/acb MICROSOFT This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Thousands of Indian professionals logged into work this morning only to face the blue screen of death - a message saying their Windows device had run into a problem and needed to restart. It soon became clear that workers across the world were facing similar issues. The outage brought several sectors to a grinding halt, disrupting flights, banks and markets. CrowdStrike-Microsoft outage memes have flooded social media.(X/@VellathottamDon) The massive outage faced by Microsoft users globally has been caused by a CrowdStrike update. In a post on X, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue. Working professionals, however, were rather glad to have a valid excuse not to work. On social media, memes celebrating the blue screen of death reigned supreme. Take a look at some of the best memes below: The outage occurred on a Friday, which many took as a sign to begin the weekend early Meanwhile in India On the anonymous networking app Grapevine, Indian professionals celebrated the unprecedented disruption to a normal work day. Weekend comes up early, wrote one TCS employee. How to replicate this defect, an Accenture employee asked. Another person from the same firm called it a blessing in disguise. Why am I not getting this blue screen? I have to work just because this defect decided not to show on my laptop, a Deloitte professional said. Many more said it was a sign to leave work early, while others spoke of the disruption they experienced. Microsoft said in a statement it was taking "mitigation actions" in response to service issues. (With inputs from agencies) A recent CrowdStrike update triggered a global service outage for Microsoft Windows, causing the dreaded Blue Screen of Death error for many users. This left countless computers stuck in a restart loop, disrupting workflows across the world. IndiGo, too, is impacted by this service outage, but it didnt let the tech troubles ground them. The airline is issuing handwritten boarding passes to passengers to keep their operations running smoothly amid the tech chaos. The handwritten boarding pass that a flyer got while travelling via IndiGo amid the Windows outage. (X/@akothari) The Microsoft / CrowdStrike outage has taken down most airports in India. I got my first hand-written boarding pass today, wrote X user Akshay Kothari while sharing a picture of the boarding pass issued by IndiGo. Unlike the usual printed one, the picture shows all the details on the boarding pass, including name, seat, date and departure, handwritten by an IndiGo airline staffer. Take a look at the entire post here: Social media users were quick to flock to the comments section of this post and share their thoughts, with one saying, We are going back to the Stone Age. Nice souvenir to keep, said another. A third commented, A hand-written boarding pass? Thats like a retro throwback to the pre-digital age! Its fascinating to see how reliant weve become on technology. This outage highlights the importance of backup systems and the resilience of human ingenuity, expressed a fourth. A fifth joined, Wow! Back to pen paper, while a sixth added, The jugaad we all need! Microsoft outage: What did IndiGo say? At 12:37 pm, IndiGo released a statement addressing the technical glitch. It reads, Our systems across the network are impacted by an ongoing issue with Microsoft Azure, which has resulted in increased wait times at our contact centres and airports. You may experience slower check-ins and longer queues. We are all hands-on deck and are working relentlessly to restore stability and normalcy. Our digital team is also coordinating closely with Microsoft Azure to resolve these issues swiftly. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. The company also said that the service outage has been impacting booking, check-in, access to boarding pass, and flights. It further urged its customers to contact them only if their travel is within 24 hrs as they are experiencing high volumes at the contact centre. IndiGo also shared a travel advisory. It reads, As systems are impacted globally due to ongoing issues with Microsoft Azure, we kindly request you to refrain from making multiple booking attempts during this time. We are working closely with Microsoft to resolve the issue and appreciate your patience. The service outage has also impacted other airlines, including Air India and Spicejet. It has also led to flight cancellations and delays. Customer advisory. Our digital systems have been impacted temporarily due to the current Microsoft outage, resulting in delays. We regret the inconvenience caused and request our guests to plan their travel accordingly, Air India said in a statement. Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks recent speech at the UK Parliament has gone viral. It shows the members laughing heartily at his self-deprecating humour. He shared his experience of being appointed as a PM and his eventual loss in the recently concluded elections. His post impressed many, including Edelweiss MFs Radhika Gupta. Praising the former PM, she shared how his humour remains intact despite his recent defeat. Radhika Guptas X post on Rishi Sunaks speech has gone viral. (File Photo) This is a rare to see class, dignity and even sense of humour in defeat. Very inspired, Radhika Gupta wrote as she shared a video capturing a part of Sunaks speech. If I may offer some words of advice to members opposite. On the government benches, life comes at you fast. Soon you might be fortunate enough to be tapped on the shoulder and offered a junior ministerial role. Then youll find yourself attending Cabinet. Then in the Cabinet. And then when the prime ministers position becomes untenable, you might end up being called to the highest office, Rishi Sunak says. He continues, And before you know it, you have a bright future behind you. And you are left wondering whether you can credibly be an elder statesman at the age of 44. Take a look at the viral video here: With over 54,000 views, the share has also prompted people to post varied comments. An individual wrote, Such a calm and composed person he is! Another added, Forget about politics, even in the corporate world it's almost impossible to find dignity when you have been superseded for a higher role. While a third commented, Wow... Bro is taking right on the chin and making it look so wonderful as well, a fourth wrote, And an example of how dignified an opposition can be. Rishi Sunak gave the speech during his first official speech as UK Opposition Leader. The conservative party leader conceded defeat in the recent elections, with the UK's Labour Party winning. Keir Starmer is Britain's new prime minister. What are your thoughts on this video of Rishi Sunaks speech shared by Radhika Gupta? At least 32 people have been killed, and over 2,500 are injured in Bangladesh as violence escalated during student protests who are demanding quota system reform for government jobs. On Thursday, the protests took an even ugly turn as the demonstrating students set fire to the country's state broadcaster, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on the network seeking to calm the escalating clashes. Students take part in the ongoing anti-quota protest in Dhaka (AFP) Hundreds of university students in Dhaka and other cities have been holding rallies for weeks, protesting the system of reservation in public sector jobs, including that for the relatives of war heroes, who fought for the country's independence from Pakistan in 1971. What triggered the Bangladesh protests? The protests began last month after the Bangladesh high court reinstated a quota system for government jobs, overturning a 2018 decision by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government to scrap it. However, the Supreme Court suspended the high court's order after the government's appeal, setting a date of August 7 to hear the government's challenge. The demonstrations escalated when Sheikh Hasina refused to meet the students' demands, citing court proceedings. They turned violent this week following clashes between thousands of anti-quota demonstrators and members of the student wing of Hasina's Awami League party. The police also resorted to using rubber bullets, tear gas and noise grenades to disperse the protesters, but to no avail. The violence further prompted authorities to shut the metro rail inside the capital alongside the railway services to and from Dhaka since Thursday afternoon. The government also ordered the shutdown of mobile internet networks across several parts of the country. According to outage monitor Netblocks, Bangladesh was suffering a near-total internet shutdown. Earlier on Thursday, the Bangladesh police website was inaccessible, and the website of the ruling Awami Leagues student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, was hacked, reported PTI. The Bangladesh government has also schools and universities to shut indefinitely amid the escalating protests. What are the students demanding? The demonstrating students are demanding an end to a quota system that reserves more than half of government jobs for specific groups, including children of veterans from the country's 1971 liberation war against Pakistan. What is the quota system? The quota system in Bangladesh has undergone several changes since it was introduced in 1972. The system covers groups such as freedom fighters' families, with women and those from underdeveloped districts receiving a share of a tenth each. Five per cent is allotted to Indigenous communities, and one per cent is allotted to the disabled, reported Reuters. When the system was abolished in 2018, reportedly, 56 per cent of government jobs were blocked under various quotas. The protesting students fear that the quota shrinks the number of government jobs open for all, hurting aspirants who want them filled on the basis of merit. What has Sheikh Hasina-led Bangladesh government said? On Thursday, Bangladesh law minister Anisul Huq expressed willingness to hold talks with the protesting students after fresh violence erupted across the country. Whenever they agree, we will sit...it could be held this (Thursday) afternoon evenGovernment has agreed to hold talks with the quota reformists, he said, as quoted by PTI. Meanwhile, Hasina condemned the loss of lives and called for patience until the Supreme Court delivers its verdict. (With inputs from agencies) Milwaukee President Joe Biden speaks at a news conference on the final day of the NATO summit in Washington, on July 11. (AP) Democrats believe that it is a matter of days before President Joe Biden, who continued to face calls by two more Senators and five more House representatives to quit, will bow out of the presidential race, American media outlets reported. On Wednesday and Thursday, a flurry of public statements and private leaks revealed that former President Barack Obama, veteran leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries had either told their aides or the President directly that his candidacy was increasingly unviable in the wake of concerns about his age after the debate performance, the mood among donors, and dropping poll numbers. Republican nominee Donald Trump, who had a good convention week after the assassination bid last Saturday, is now comfortably leading in swing states according to polls and even making a dent in what are considered traditional Democratic states. The momentum for a change in the Democratic ticket persisted on Thursday and Friday. First, the New York Times reported that James Raskin, a progressive Democrat and another Pelosi aide, had written a letter to Biden over the July 4th weekend, urging him to drop out. Raskin wrote, There is no shame in taking a well-deserved bow to the overflowing appreciation of the crowd when your arm is tired out, and there is real danger for the team in ignoring the statistics. Then, Jon Tester, fighting a competitive race in Montana, became the second Democratic senator to ask Biden to do the same. While I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term. On Friday, a third Senator, Martin Heinrich, referring to Biden, said that he believed it was in the best interests of our country for him to step aside. The mood among House representatives also continued to grow more grim, with four new representatives Jared Huffman, Mark Veasey, Chuy Garcia, and Mark Pokan calling on Biden to quit. Three of them are members of the progressive caucus, which has, so far, stayed behind Biden. We must face the reality that widespread concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning ticket, they said, and told Biden that the most patriotic thing that he could do now was to step aside. As the push to replace Biden grew, Vice President Kamala Harris the first Black, the first woman, and the first Indian-American to occupy the position is increasingly emerging as the frontrunner to replace Biden, especially if he decides to endorse her. Harris has been particularly careful in not expressing any ambition, remaining publicly loyal to Biden, while continuing to campaign extensively in swing states. Recent polls have shown Harris to be faring a little better than Biden in swing states, yet she too is trailing Trump. But this will not be an automatic choice, for delegates at the Democratic convention in Chicago have the authority to pick a candidate and it isnt clear if the party will head towards an open convention or rally around Harris. The Biden campaign has, however, publicly maintained that the President, who is currently in self-isolation after getting Covid, is the Democratic nominee and has no intention of reconsidering. On Friday, Biden himself said that he will return to the campaign trail next week, the stakes were high, and they will win. People in Bangladesh woke up on Friday to a country completely shut down and virtually cut off from the outside world because of violent protests against a job quota, which left over 30 people dead and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina facing her worst domestic crisis in decades. The protests, largely spearheaded by students, had been building up for weeks after the high court reinstated in June a quota in highly sought government jobs for the children of veterans of the 1971 war of liberation from Pakistan. Violence flared in several cities of Bangladesh on Tuesday and the situation was exacerbated when students called a nationwide shutdown on Wednesday, a move backed by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). On Thursday, protesters clashed with pro-government student groups and the police in Dhaka and many other places as videos emerged purportedly showing police vehicles driving into protestors in the capital city. While six people were killed earlier this week, the violence on Thursday reportedly claimed more than 20 lives. With websites of leading English newspapers such as Daily Star and Dhaka Tribune, and even those of the foreign and home ministries, inaccessible, it has become increasingly difficult for the outside world to get credible information on the developments in Bangladesh, especially after the government blocked mobile internet and telecommunications services. Mobile phones and WhatsApp numbers within Bangladesh, which could be accessed till Thursday, were unreachable on Friday. Though Prime Minister Hasinas government had scrapped a job quota for the children of freedom fighters who participated in the 1971 war in October 2018, it was reinstated in June this year by the high court. The Supreme Court was set to hear petitions challenging the high courts ruling on August 7, but will now take up the matter on Sunday following an urgent appeal from the government on Thursday. Hasina, who began an unprecedented fifth term as prime minister in January after scoring a record fourth win in general elections, has long faced charges of giving undue advantages to supporters and workers of her Awami League party in virtually every wing of the government. Critics of the job quota, which reserves more than 50% of government jobs, have alleged that there is no verifiable list of veterans of the 1971 war and that the measure would largely benefit Awami League workers. As in many other South Asian countries grappling with creating new avenues for employment, government jobs in Bangladesh are highly valued because of the salary and other benefits. The protesters have argued that the jobs should be awarded on merit and based on reservations that are perceived as skewed. Hasina, who has also grappled with allegations of her government taking an increasingly authoritarian bent, has been blamed by some quarters for triggering the latest round of violent protests by her comments on the job quota during a news conference on Sunday. When she was asked by a journalist about the opposition to the quota, the PM responded by asking whether jobs should be reserved for the children of freedom fighters or those of razakars, a derogatory term used in Bangladesh to refer to those who collaborated with Pakistan before and during the 1971 war. Some students participating in the protests have referred to themselves as razakars, reflecting the depth of their anger against the government. India, which has invested billions of dollars in Bangladesh over the past decade to forge physical, trade and energy connectivity primarily aimed at boosting economic links between the northeastern and eastern regions and the neighbouring country, has already issued an advisory to its citizens in Bangladesh to avoid travel and remain indoors. New Delhi is keeping a close watch on the volatile situation to ensure the welfare of some 10,000 Indians, including about 7,000 students, who live in Bangladesh. Hasinas government has worked steadily for the economic development of Bangladesh, which is set to graduate out of the group of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by 2026. But it is now increasingly common to hear both her well-wishers and critics say that Hasina needs to do more to relax her grip on power and create a viable space for the opposition, especially as her government has been accused of ramming through decisions without widespread consultations. Donald Trump appears at Republican National Convention: Donald Trump said he will win in an "incredible victory" at the US presidential election in November, as he delivered the headline speech of the Republican National Convention on Thursday. Donald Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination from a party euphoric over his escape from assassination and buoyed by the apparent implosion of Joe Biden's reelection campaign. Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 18.(REUTERS) "Four months from now, we will have an incredible victory," Donald Trump told the crowd in Milwaukee, before vowing to be president for all of America, not half of America. It was Donald Trump's first speech since a 20-year-old man shot at him, causing a slight injury to one ear, but killing a bystander, during a rally last weekend. Donald Trump said there was blood pouring everywhere, and yet, in a certain way I felt very safe, because I had God on my side, while describing his experience of the attack. If I had not moved my head at the very last instant, the assassins bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be with you tonight, Donald Trump added. I am not supposed to be here tonight, he said, adding, I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God. Many people say it was a providential moment. We have heard some references to divine intervention at this weeks convention when speakers have been discussing the shooting, and Trump is touching on a similar theme here, Trump said. "I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America," Trump said, still sporting a bandage over his ear. Chants of USA Donald Trump took the stage to chants of USA from a crowd members of which have talked of him in divine terms. Warm-up acts included shirt-ripping 1980s wrestling icon Hulk Hogan and conspiracy theorist and far-right media guru Tucker Carlson, who described Trump's survival as a historic moment. At the assassination attempt, Trump became "leader of a nation," Carlson said. Trump, 78, has put behind him a torrent of scandals, his unprecedented attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden, and his 34 felony convictions in May at a New York criminal trial. Now, with Republicans more united behind him than ever, he is increasingly bullish about a shock return to power. Joe Biden teeters On Friday, Joe Biden, 81, looked close to being forced by his own Democratic Party to withdraw and make way for Vice President Kamala Harris or another candidate, as fears spiral that his faltering physical health will lead to a loss in November. Senior Trump advisor Jason Miller told news agency AFP that "nothing fundamentally changes" for Trump if Biden drops out. Trump's family was in attendance, with son Eric rousing the crowd into a chant of "fight, fight, fight!" Trump's wife Melania, who has been mostly absent throughout the campaign, arrived to applause but did not speak -- a remarkable break with US political convention at such events. (With inputs from agencies) A powerful, loud explosion was reported in a building in Tel Aviv on Friday morning, reportedly killing one person and injuring at least 10 others. According to the initial investigation, the explosion was caused by an aerial target; however, it was not immediately clear how the strike evaded Israels air defences. Loud explosion in Tel Aviv, bomb disposal experts on site: Report(Twitter) According to the Israeli police, several officials, including the bomb disposal experts, have arrived at the scene and are dealing with the situation, reported AFP. The local police said that the blast sounded at around 3:10 am, reverberating to nearby cities. The origin of the explosion is still unknown. Earlier tonight, an explosion was heard in the central Tel Aviv area, the suspicion that it was an aerial target is being investigated, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said. Meanwhile, residents who live near the place of the explosion said that some objects in their house were shattered as a result of the blast, reported The Jerusalem Post. The explosion came hours after the Israeli military confirmed that it had killed a senior commander of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, Habib Maatouk, in southern Lebanon - the latest senior member of the group to be killed in months of tit-for-tat strikes across the border with Israel. Earlier on Wednesday, Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned that the group would widen the scope of its attacks in Israel if it struck more civilians. A day later, the Iran-backed group attacked Israel with dozens of rockets and missiles, including on the Filon base in Israel's Safed for the first time, reported Reuters. Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since the Iran-backed group announced support for Palestinians shortly after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing at least 14 people and triggering a massive war. According to reports, the fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters so far. Meanwhile, the Israel-Hamas war has killed more than 38,600 people, and created a humanitarian catastrophe in the coastal Palestinian territory, displacing most of its 2.3 million population. (With inputs from agencies) Thousands of people rallied on Friday against a planned operation by the Pakistan military to root out militants along the Afghan border, with at least one protester killed when gunfire broke out, officials and witnesses said. Protesters run as gunfire broke out during a protest rally against the military operation in Pakistan, in Bannu, some 40 kilometres from Afghanistan, on July 19, 2024. (Photo by Karim ULLAH / AFP)(AFP) Also Read: Can Pakistan break the armys shackles? More than 10,000 people waving white flags and calling for peace gathered for the rally in Bannu -- 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Afghanistan -- where a suicide bomber on Monday rammed an explosive-packed vehicle into an army enclave, killing eight Pakistani troops. Also Read: Big blow to jailed Imran Khan as Pakistan govt set to ban ex-PM's party PTI "Military operations have been ongoing for 20 years, yet peace has not been established," protester Jamaluddin Wazir told AFP. "Military operations can never be a substitute for peace." Also Read: Internet reacts as Pakistani actor mocks Ambanis for more wedding festivities in London: 'They are happy let them be' Pakistan's government announced earlier this year, without giving details, that the military would launch a new campaign to counter violence in areas along the border with Afghanistan, which has surged following the Taliban government's return to power. Friday's protest turned violent when crowds reached the walls of an army facility and gunfire broke out, witnesses and officials reported. "They chanted slogans against the army, and some started throwing stones at the facility's wall. This led to firing in the air by the military, causing a stampede," an intelligence official in the nearby city of Peshawar told AFP on condition of anonymity. At least one protester died, according to Pakhtun Yar, the provincial minister for public health, who was a speaker at the protest. He accused the military of opening fire on the protesters. "During the rally, shots were fired directly at me and the people standing near me. This wasn't just firing in the air -- it was intended to kill us," Yar told AFP. The shooting was carried out by those who want to destroy our peace. They want to spill the blood of our people, but the community is no longer willing to tolerate this. Influential military For years the Pakistan Taliban -- a separate group from the Afghan Taliban but with a similar ideology -- waged a bloody campaign in the area, killing thousands of civilians and taking control of parts of the border region, before being pushed back by a military campaign that began in 2014. The clearance operation displaced hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed countless homes and businesses, sparking a local backlash calling for the rights of ethnic Pashtuns to be protected. But protests against the powerful military, which analysts say holds large sway over the government and foreign policy, are rare and often brought down quickly. Former prime minister Imran Khan, who waged a campaign of defiance against army chiefs after being ousted from power, is currently in jail on charges of inciting protests against the military. His party has faced a major crackdown, with supporters and leaders rounded up last year for staging an unprecedented day of rallies against the military, accusing it of interfering in politics. Violence has surged along the border since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of failing to root out groups taking shelter on Afghan soil while preparing assaults on Pakistan. The Taliban government insists it will not allow foreign militant outfits to operate from Afghanistan, but Islamabad-Kabul relations have soured over the issue. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Friday said an update released by American cybersecurity group CrowdStrike began impacting IT systems globally. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.(AFP) We are aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online, Nadella posted on X. The outage, which struck on Friday, disrupted operations for airlines, banks, TV channels, and other businesses. The root cause was identified as a faulty update on Windows systems from CrowdStrike. The incident was triggered by a defective update on CrowdStrike's Falcon Sensor, an IT solution designed to protect Windows systems. According to CrowdStrike's CEO George Kurtz, the issue was identified and isolated, and a fix has been deployed. Kurtz communicated this via the social media platform X. What is Crowdstrike, the company behind unprecedented global IT outage The update bug, which did not affect Mac or Linux systems, was activated at 1900 GMT on Thursday, as reported by Microsoft. Many companies started experiencing malfunctions by Friday morning. The outage had widespread repercussions, grounding major US airlines like Delta, United, and American Airlines due to "communications issues." Air France reported IT disruptions but maintained operations at key Paris airports. In India, the outage caused airline check-in systems to crash, leading to delays and cancellations of dozens of flights. IndiGo alone cancelled around 200 flights. The move to manual bookings, check-ins, and boarding processes resulted in long delays. Airlines began resuming some operations, but recovering from the delays and cancellations is expected to take time. Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu assured passengers that his ministry and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are using manual methods to manage the situation and minimize disruption. While the Indian financial and payment systems were largely unaffected, around 10 banks and NBFCs experienced minor disruptions, which have mostly been resolved, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Singapore, A Singapore court on Friday tossed out a bid by Indian-origin former minister S Iswaran to compel the prosecution into handing over statements of all its witnesses for an alleged corruption-linked trial against him that begins next month. Singapores Indian-origin ex-minister loses bid to obtain witnesses' statements in pre-trial bid Iswaran faces 35 charges, comprising 32 counts of obtaining valuables as a public servant, two counts of corruption and one of obstructing justice, reported Channel News Asia. The 62-year-old former transport ministers trial relating to the charges begins on August 13 in the High Court, the report said. Iswaran's lawyers already lost their first attempt in a June hearing not open to the public, and this was their second try in a criminal revision heard on July 5. Justice Vincent Hoong said there was nothing in the wording of the Criminal Procedure Code to support the defence's argument that the prosecution is required to disclose all conditioned statements of its witnesses or draft statements of witnesses who do not want to sign off on conditioned statements. He also rejected the defence's argument that there has been an abuse of process or serious injustice on the prosecution's part. The prosecution said the defence was mischaracterising the prosecution's position and that the defence was the one changing its position. The prosecution has disclosed a list of 56 witnesses, including Iswaran's wife, Taylor Kay Mary and his then-personal assistant, Ivy Chan Wan Hiang. If convicted of obtaining a valuable thing as a public servant, Iswaran can be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both. If convicted of corruptly obtaining gratification under the Prevention of Corruption Act, he can be jailed for up to seven years, fined up to SGD 100,000 , or both. If convicted of obstructing justice, he can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. The UK-based media outlet Sky News was forced to go off-air for around three hours on Friday morning following a global Microsoft outage. Viewers were left with a stock footage, after which the channel changed the screen to an apology. Sky News goes off air due to Microsoft Windows global outage(Twitter) We apologise for the interruption to this broadcast. We hope to restore the transmission of Sky News shortly, the apology message read. One of the presenters, Jacquie Beltrao, posted a picture with her fellow colleagues on X (formerly known as Twitter) and wrote a message for the viewers: Were obviously not on airwere trying. Meanwhile, viewers responded to the post, waiting for the news channel to resume the broadcast. Have you tried switching it off and back on again? Hope youre back on air soon, one of the users wrote. While, another X user said: Missing my Sky News fix this morning. A major outage in Microsoft's cloud services caused massive disruptions to users, flight operations, and media houses. Several flights were cancelled or delayed, leading to inconvenience for the travellers. As the outage hit, Akasa Airlines announced that some of its online services would be temporarily unavailable at the Mumbai and Delhi airports, while IndiGo said that its systems were also impacted by the outage. Spicejet also issued a statement saying it is facing a technical issue in providing flight updates. The US-based Frontier Airlines, a unit of Frontier Group Holdings Inc., grounded flights for over two hours and attributed the cause to issues with Microsofts services. Meanwhile, Microsoft said that its outage started at around 6 pm ET, with a subset of its customers experiencing issues with multiple Azure services in the Central US region. Issuing a statement, the company said that it is investigating the issue. Aware of this issue and have engaged multiple teamsWe have determined the underlying cause, it said. By Curtis Williams Trinidad's court reaffirms recognition of ConocoPhillips' claim against Venezuela July 18 - Trinidad and Tobago's High Court reaffirmed on Thursday a decision recognizing U.S. oil producer ConocoPhillips' arbitration claim against Venezuela, which could freeze the Caribbean country's payments to its neighbor for joint natural gas projects. In late May, the court's original decision opened the door for ConocoPhillips to enforce in that country a $1.33 billion claim against Venezuela for past expropriations by seizing any compensation from joint energy projects. Venezuela and its state-owned company PDVSA did not respond to the court by a deadline to present their arguments, Judge Frank Seepersad said in his decision seen by Reuters. Earlier this month, Venezuela's embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad' capital, acknowledged receipt of the court order, the document showed. "The order gives to the claimant a green light to be able to enforce the judgment in Trinidad if they can establish there are assets held by the defendants or there is money which is owed to the defendant by entities in Trinidad and Tobago," Judge Seepersad said in May when he made his original decision. PDVSA paid Conoco about $700 million through a settlement agreement, but ceased payments in late 2019. Conoco has since attempted similar moves in Caribbean countries seeking to enforce arbitration rulings against Venezuela and PDVSA. In a U.S. federal court, the oil producer is among companies at the top of a list of creditors pursuing proceeds from an auction of shares in one of PDVSA's subsidiaries, PDV Holding, whose only asset is Houston-based refiner Citgo. Venezuela and Trinidad, along with energy companies NGC, Shell and BP are looking to develop major offshore gas fields shared by the countries and on the Venezuelan side of the maritime border. NGC said it has not been served with any documents related to the ConocoPhillips claims and continues to work with its partners and stakeholders to progress the Dragon gas Project. NGC and Shell have a 30-year license to develop the 4.5-trillion-cubic-feet Dragon gas field in Venezuela and export the gas to Trinidad to be turned into LNG and petrochemicals with payments to be made to Venezuela and PDVSA. ConocoPhillips specifically identified Dragon as one reason it wanted the Trinidad court to recognize the judgment. As part of those projects' negotiations, parties in Trinidad were expected to pay PDVSA and Venezuela bonds to have access to the gas reserves, Conoco has told the court. Shell and ConocoPhillips declined to comment. PDVSA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man accused of attempting to shoot Donald Trump, reportedly researched the Princess of Wales, according to the FBI. Initial reports indicated that the 20-year-old had searched for a member of the royal family, but the identity was not disclosed. It has now surfaced that the 'Trump's would-be assassin' downloaded a picture of Kate Middleton, the future queen, who is currently battling cancer. Kate Middleton at Wimbledon 2024 Thomas crooks searched for Kate Middleton: Report On Sunday, the Republican presidential nominee narrowly escaped a life-threatening bullet during his Pennsylvania rally. Although the bullet missed him, it grazed his ear, causing it to bleed. The case has since been handed over to the FBI, which is working to uncover the motive behind the shooting. When they raided the suspect's house in Pennsylvania, they found two phones and a laptop. After looking into his stuff, the cyber experts found pictures of Kate Middleton on his devices. The agency earlier declined to reveal the identity of the royals, and many suspected it might be either Harry or Meghan, the estranged royals who currently reside in California. But, a famous American radio station, NPR, told politicians about Kate's name when they were talking on the phone about the attack, as per the mirror. Also read: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have deeper issues in marriage and it's not about However, Kate stood out as the sole individual not of American nationality on the list, which also comprised several other notable figures. It is alleged that Crooks fired approximately eight rounds of gunfire prior to being killed by the Secret Service at the Trump rally. Personalities researched by Thomas Crooks It has been revealed that the Princess of Wales, who recently attended Wimbledon to honour the winner, was not the only individual researched by the now-deceased shooter. According to reports, the shooter also had FBI Director Christopher Wray and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on his research list. Also read: Trumps granddaughter Kai, 17, gets swarmed by teen boys; dad Donald Jr. warns, stay away, you little... In an interview with NPR's 'All Things Considered,' Martin Kate revealed that the person involved, known as Crooks, had pictures of a bunch of famous people, like President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. After analysis, it was determined that there was no indication of a pronounced political ideology or foreign affiliations exerting any influence over Crooks's activities. Also, it was confirmed that the deceased was really into knowing the schedules of both the Republican and Democratic conventions. By Yoshita Singh UN chief Antonio Guterres deeply concerned by ongoing violence in Bangladesh, says his spokesperson United Nations, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is following the developments in Bangladesh very closely and is deeply concerned by the ongoing violence, his spokesperson has said, urging authorities in Dhaka to work with its young population and find solutions to the ongoing challenges. Violent protests erupted in Bangladesh over quotas in the allocation of government jobs. Turning to the situation in Bangladesh, I can tell you that we are, of course, following the developments in the capital, Dhaka, and other places in Bangladesh very closely, and we continue to call for restraint from all sides, Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, said at the daily press briefing Thursday. The UN chief urged the Bangladesh Government to ensure a conducive environment for dialogue and encouraged protesters to engage in dialogue to resolve the deadlock. Violence is never a solution, Dujarric said, adding that the Secretary-General encourages meaningful and constructive participation of youth in building a better world. Guterres called upon Bangladesh authorities to work with its young population, find solutions to the ongoing challenges and catalyse their energy towards the countrys growth and development. Dujarric, responding to a question on the situation, said that the Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the ongoing violence, and that includes the reported dozens of deaths, and the hundreds of injured, including journalists. Guterres urged the authorities in Bangladesh to investigate all acts of violence, hold perpetrators to account, and ensure a conducive environment for dialogue, he added. It is important that we see restraint on all sides. The Secretary-General further encourages meaningful and constructive participation of youth to address the ongoing challenges in Bangladesh. Violence is not going to lead anywhere, Dujarric said. He underlined that the Secretary-General has been very clear, in Bangladesh and every other place in the world, of the need for the authorities to allow journalists to do their work in safety. University students in Dhaka and other cities have been holding rallies for days against the system of reserving some public sector jobs for the relatives of war heroes, who fought for the countrys independence from Pakistan in 1971. At least 25 people have been killed and more than 2,500 others injured in the violence following protests, according to media reports on Thursday. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories is illegal and must end "as rapidly as possible," the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Friday in an advisory opinion at the request of the UN General Assembly. Judge and President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Nawaf Salam (2nd R) delivers a non-binding ruling on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague on July 19, 2024.(AFP) The assembly had sought legal clarity on "the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem." "The court has found that Israel's continued presence in the Palestinian Territories is illegal," ICJ presiding judge Nawaf Salam said. Israel must end the occupation as rapidly as possible, he added. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the opinion terming it a decision of lies. The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land -- not in our eternal capital Jerusalem, nor in our ancestral heritage of Judea and Samaria (the occupied West Bank), Netanyahu said in a statement. "No decision of lies in The Hague will distort this historical truth, and similarly, the legality of Israeli settlements in all parts of our homeland cannot be disputed." The ICJ convened a week-long session in February to hear submissions from numerous countries, following the assembly's request. Most of the speakers urged Israel to end its 57-year occupation, warning of the "extreme danger" it poses to Middle Eastern and global stability. Israel abstained from the oral hearings but submitted written remarks, describing the court's queries as "prejudicial" and "tendentious." The UN's highest court, comprising 15 judges from around the globe, delivered this non-binding advisory opinion, which may influence international opinion more than Israeli policies. The ruling comes amid Israel's 10-month military offensive in Gaza, sparked by Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel. Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip during the 1967 Mideast war. It annexed East Jerusalem in a move that is not internationally recognised, and while it withdrew from Gaza in 2005, it maintains a blockade following Hamas's 2007 takeover. Barron Trump was absent from his father, Donald Trumps, closing-night speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC) on Thursday, making him the only one of the former presidents five children not in attendance. Barron Trump raises a clenched fist after he is introduced by his father, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, at a campaign rally in Doral, Fla., July 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)(AP) Barron, who just turned 18 in March, has relatively stayed off limit compared to his siblings. However, on July 9 he attended his father's campaign rally in Miami, Florida. Thats the first time hes done it. Thats the first time, right? Trump told his followers, per The Hill. Youre pretty popular; he might be more popular than Don and Eric. We gotta talk about this. With Melania Trumps office issued a statement in May indicating that Barron would not attend the convention, despite being selected as one of the states at-large delegates by the Republican Party of Florida. While Barron is honoured to have been chosen he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments, Melanias office explained. Earlier on Thursday, Politico also reported that Barron would not be present. ALSO READ| Melania seals Donald Trump's RNC nomination speech with a kiss, Baron gives it a miss, but many wonder why didn't she Trump children take center stage at RNC Although he was absent, Barron, who recently graduated from high school and plans to attend college in the fall, received a warm, if slightly unusual, mention from his father during his speech. I also wanna thank my entire family for being here. Don, Kimberly, Ivanka and Jared. Eric and Lara. Tiffany and Michael. Barron. Trump paused, smiling, and mumbled, We love our Barron. The crowd went into laughter. The rest of the Trump family took on prominent roles throughout the three-day convention. Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Tiffany Trump served as at-large delegates for Florida, with Don Jr. and Eric addressing the crowd in Milwaukee on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. Lara Trump, the former presidents daughter-in-law, and Kai Trump, Don Jr.s daughter, also spoke at the RNC. Melania made a rare public appearance at the convention on Thursday night, arriving shortly before her husband took the stage, donning a red pant-suit. Unlike previous conventions in 2016 and 2020, she did not address the audience, and took a seat in the VIP box following Eric Trump's speech. Barron was not present at the Butler, Pennsylvania rally four days later, where a gunman attempted to assassinate Trump, resulting in one attendees death and critical injuries to two others. ALSO READ| Melania Trump makes her first appearance at RNC without Donald Trump Melania released a lengthy statement condemning the assassination attempt a heinous act. When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change, she expressed, and added, I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband. Milwaukee, Expressing his gratitude to the American people for their outpouring of love and support following the assassination attempt on him, Donald Trump has said that his resolve is unbroken, and he is committed to delivering a government that serves the American people. Committed to deliver a government that serves American People: Trump says after accepting nomination The former US president said this after he formally accepted the Republican nomination for president for a third time at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday. So tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States, Trump, 78, said to applause. In his first speech after a failed assassination bid on him on Saturday in Pennsylvania, Trump said he stands before Americans with a message of confidence, strength, and hope. "Four months from now, we will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country. Together, we will launch a new era of safety, prosperity and freedom for citizens of every race, religion, colour, and creed, he said in his speech addressing the Republican National Convention. The discord and division in our society must be healed. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America because there is no victory in winning for half of America, he said. He expressed gratitude to the American people for their outpouring of love and support following the assassination attempt on him at a campaign rally. "As you already know, the assassin's bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life. So many people have asked me what happened, and therefore, Ill tell you what happened, and youll never hear it from me a second time, because its too painful to tell, he said. Despite such a heinous attack, we unite this evening more determined than ever. Our resolve is unbroken, and our purpose is unchanged to deliver a government that serves the American People. Everything I have to give, with all of the energy and fight in my heart and soul, I pledge to our nation tonight," he said. "This election should be about the issues facing our country and how to make America successful, safe, free, and great again, Trump said of the November 5 election. In an age when our politics too often divide us, now is the time to remember that we are all fellow citizenswe are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. On this journey, I am deeply honoured to be joined by my amazing wife, Melania. Thank you, Melania, and thank you also for your beautiful letter to America calling for national unity. It captivated so many, he said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Hunter Bidens legal team is aiming to dismiss two criminal cases against him by leveraging a recent decision that dismissed the classified documents case against former US President Donald Trump. Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, walks upon arrival at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, DC, on July 1, 2024. Biden returned to Washington for the first time after the first presidential debate in Atlanta on June 27. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP)(AFP) On Thursday, attorneys for the first son argued that the appointment of special counsel David Weiss to oversee two federal probes into Hunter Biden is unconstitutional. The court filing, submitted by lawyers Abbe Lowell and Bartholomew Dalton in a California federal court, states, Mr. Biden brings this motion for lack of jurisdiction to challenge as unconstitutional the appointment and subsequent unlawful funding of these cases. This argument draws parallels to a recent decision by Florida federal Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled on Monday that special counsel Jack Smiths role in prosecuting Trump for allegedly hoarding confidential documents at Mar-a-Lago violated the Constitution's Appointments Clause. ALSO READ| JD Vance has sold his soul to become US' biggest cheerleader for Donald Trump, says his ex-roommate Legal team for Hunter Biden challenges special counsel's authority Hunters lawyers claim that the same constitutional argument should be used regarding special counsel David Weiss. Thus, it can be stated that while considering the Smith and Weiss cases, the nature of the appointment is different. They stated that, without the approbation from the United States Congress, Merrick Garland, US Attorney General, appointed Smith, and that is why Judge Cannon disposed of Trumps case. Garland had nominated Weiss to the Delaware U.S. Attorney post, which had been confirmed by Congress prior to his appointment as the special counsel. Calling out Smith could potentially cause problems, as US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas pointed out earlier this month in an opinion quoted by Judge Cannon in her ruling, which Hunters attorneys cited. A spokesperson for Weisss office told the New York Post, We are aware of the filing and will respond in due course. In September, Weiss indicted Hunter on felony gun charges in Wilmington, Delaware, followed by an indictment three months later in Los Angeles on felony tax fraud charges for evading $1.4 million owed to the IRS. ALSO READ| Republican Scott Jennings and Democrat Jamal Simmons engage in a heated debate on CNN over Hunter Biden: Watch The President's son was found guilty in the gun case during a June trial and faces up to 25 years in prison, though a sentencing date has not yet been set. The trial for the tax case is scheduled to begin in September. US President Joe Biden on Friday appealed for party unity to take on former President Donald Trump's dark vision," working to hold off pressure from Democrats at the highest levels for him to bow out of the 2024 election to make way for a new nominee and avoid widespread losses. Biden, in a Friday statement, said Trump's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, showcased a dark vision for the future.(AP Photo) As more Democratic members of Congress called for him to drop out Friday bringing the total since his disastrous debate against Trump to at least 30 Biden remained isolated at his beach house in Delaware after being diagnosed with COVID-19. The president, who has insisted he can beat Republican Donald Trump, was huddling with family and relying on a few longtime aides as he tries to resist efforts to shove him aside. Biden, in a Friday statement, said Trump's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, showcased a dark vision for the future." The president, seeking to move the political conversation away from his fate and onto his rival's agenda, said he was planning to return to the campaign trail next week and insisted he has a path to victory over Trump, despite the worries of some of his party's most eminent members. Together, as a party and as a country, we can and will defeat him at the ballot box, Biden said. The stakes are high, and the choice is clear. Together, we will win. Earlier in the day, his campaign chair, Jen O'Malley Dillion, acknowledged slippage in support for the president, but insisted he is absolutely remaining in the race and that the campaign sees multiple paths" to beating Trump. We have a lot of work to do to reassure the American people that yes hes old, but he can win," she told MSNBC's Morning Joe show. But she said voters concerned about Biden's fitness to lead aren't switching to vote for Trump. They have questions, but they are staying with Joe Biden," she said. At the same time, the Democratic National Committee s rulemaking arm held a meeting Friday, pressing ahead with plans for a virtual roll call before Aug. 7 to nominate the presidential pick, ahead of the partys convention later in the month in Chicago. President Biden deserves the respect to have important family conversations with members of the caucus and colleagues in the House and Senate and Democratic leadership and not be battling leaks and press statements, Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, Bidens closest friend in Congress and his campaign co-chair, told The Associated Press. It's a pivotal few days for the president and his party: Trump has wrapped up an enthusiastic Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. And Democrats, racing time, are considering the extraordinary possibility of Biden stepping aside for a new presidential nominee before their own convention. Among the democrats expressing worries to allies about Biden's chances were former President Barack Obama and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who has privately told Biden the party could lose the ability to seize control of the House if he doesnt step away from the 2024 race. New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich on Friday called on Biden to exit the race, making him the third Senate Democrat to do so. By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nations greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy, said Heinrich, who is up for reelection this fall. And Friday, Reps. Jared Huffman, Mark Veasey, Chuy Garcia and Mark Pocan __ representing a wide swath of the caucus __together called on Biden to step aside. We must defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy," they wrote. Separately, Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote in an op-ed that with a heavy heart and much personal reflection he, too, was calling on Biden to pass the torch to a new generation. Campaign officials said Biden was even more committed to staying in the race despite the calls for him to go. And senior West Wing aides have had no internal discussions or conversations with the president about Biden dropping out. On Friday, Biden picked up a key endorsement from the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. CHC BOLD PAC said the Biden administration has shown unwavering commitment to Latinos and the stakes couldnt be higher in this election. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have delivered for the Latino community, the group said. But there is also time to reconsider. Biden has been told the campaign is having trouble raising money, and key Democrats see an opportunity as he is away from the campaign for a few days to encourage his exit. Among his Cabinet, some are resigned to the likelihood of him losing in November. The reporting in this story is based in part on information from almost a dozen people who insisted on anonymity to discuss sensitive private deliberations. The Washington Post first reported on Obamas involvement. Biden, 81, tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling in Las Vegas earlier this week and is experiencing mild symptoms including general malaise from the infection, the White House said. The president himself, in a radio interview taped just before he tested positive, dismissed the idea it was too late for him to recover politically, telling Univisions Luis Sandoval that many people dont focus on the November election until September. All the talk about whos leading and where and how, is kind of, you know everything so far between Trump and me has been basically even, he said in an excerpt of the interview released Thursday. But in Congress, Democratic lawmakers have begun having private conversations about lining up behind Harris as an alternative. One lawmaker said Bidens own advisers are unable to reach a unanimous recommendation about what he should do. More in Congress are considering joining the others who have called for Biden to drop out. Some prefer an open process for choosing a new presidential nominee. Its clear the issue wont go away, said Vermont Sen. Peter Welch, the other Senate Democrat who has publicly said Biden should exit the race. Welch said the current state of party angst with lawmakers panicking and donors revolting was not sustainable. However, influential Democrats including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries are sending signals of concern. There is of course work to be done, and that in fact is the case because we are an evenly divided country, Jeffries said in an interview on WNYC radio Friday. But he also said, The ticket that exists right now is the ticket that we can win on. ... It's his decision to make. To be sure, many want Biden to stay in the race. But among Democrats nationwide, nearly two-thirds say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. That sharply undercuts Biden's post-debate claim that average Democrats are still with him. Amid the turmoil, a majority of Democrats think Vice President Kamala Harris would make a good president herself. A poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 6 in 10 Democrats believe Harris would do a good job in the top slot. About 2 in 10 Democrats dont believe she would, and another 2 in 10 say they dont know enough to say. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that former President Donald Trumps immediate reaction after being shot was badass and inspiring, and helps explain his appeal to voters. Mark Zuckerberg, 40, declined to endorse Trump or his presumed opponent, President Joe Biden, adding that hes not planning to be involved in the election in any way. (PTI) Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things Ive ever seen in my life, the Meta Platforms Inc. chief executive officer said Thursday during an interview at the companys headquarters in Menlo Park, California. On some level as an American, its like hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight, and I think that thats why a lot of people like the guy. Zuckerberg, 40, declined to endorse Trump or his presumed opponent, President Joe Biden, adding that hes not planning to be involved in the election in any way. Still, his comments add to a growing chorus of Silicon Valley leaders, including Tesla Inc. billionaire Elon Musk and venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, who are warming to the former president, some pledging donations to his campaign. Zuckerberg made the comments during a wide-ranging discussion about the future of AI, social media and more for The Circuit with Emily Chang. The full episode is set to air on Tuesday. Zuckerberg said Meta is making changes that he hopes will mean Facebook is not as much of a flashpoint in elections going forward. The main thing that I hear from people is that they actually want to see less political content on our services because they come to our services to connect with people. Meta is already recommending less political content to its users, he added. I think youre going to see our services play less of a role in this election than they have in the past. Zuckerbergs relationship with Trump has been complicated by Trumps use of Metas products to reach his followers. The former presidents posts have routinely contained misinformation or challenged Metas rules. The company suspended Trump from both Facebook and Instagram for two years in the wake of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. At the time, Zuckerberg posted that Trump was using his account to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor. While the accounts have since been reinstated, Trump indicated he hasnt forgiven Meta or Zuckerberg, and recently suggested that he plans to retaliate. He called Facebook the enemy of the people in March. Earlier this month, Trump also appeared to warn Zuckerberg. All I can say is that if Im elected President, we will pursue Election Fraudsters at levels never seen before, and they will be sent to prison for long periods of time, Trump wrote on Truth Social. We already know who you are. DONT DO IT! ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful! Trump has reversed policy positions in the name of punishing Meta. While he was president, Trump pushed for a ban of the Chinese-owned video app, TikTok. Trump has since changed his stance, arguing in Businessweek that a ban would be too beneficial to Metas business. Zuckerberg said he welcomes competition. Its good, he said on The Circuit. I think were doing pretty well here. Were gaining market share. So I dont know. Theyll go do what they need to do but I think were gonna be fine and were gonna continue doing well in this space either way. When asked if he thought TikTok should be banned, Zuckerberg demurred. Thats above my pay grade, he said. In a dramatic return to the spotlight, Melania Trump made a rare appearance at the Republican National Convention on Thursday to support her husband, former President Donald Trump, as he accepted the GOP nomination. She smiled, waved, kissed and stood hand in hand with her husband after he finished his over 90 minutes keynote address. Former US President Donald Trump, left, and former First Lady Melania Trump during the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Donald Trump, who accepted his party's presidential nomination, delivered his first public address since surviving a failed assassination attempt, relating an incident in detail that he called "too painful to tell." Photographer: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg(Bloomberg) We love our Baron, Donald's message for Baron after he skips RNC convention The grandstanding for the cameras showcased a happy united image of the Trump family that included Melania Trump, Donald Trump III, Kai Madison Trump, Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Michael Boulos, Tiffany Trump, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Chloe Trump, Spencer Trump, Tristan Trump, Vanessa Haydon, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Usha Chilukuri Vance, and Vice Presidential Nominee Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH). Where is Barron Trump, why didn't he attend RNC? But one person missing from this happy Trump family image was his son, Barron Trump. After receiving a standing ovation at a recent election rally in Miami, the 18-year-old was not expected to attend the RNC. Melanias office had announced that despite Republican Party of Florida selecting him to serve as one of the states at-large delegates at the convention. While Barron is honoured to have been chosen he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments, Melanias office said. Despite his absence Donald didn't forget to remember him in the speech, I also wanna thank my entire family for being here. Don, Kimberly, Ivanka and Jared. Eric and Lara. Tiffany and Michael. Barron. Trump paused, smiling, and mumbled, We love our Barron. The crowd laughed. Former U.S. President Donald Trump onstage with his family as balloons fall following his speech on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 18, 2024. (REUTERS) Finally, Melania returns to stage with Trump Trump's memorable day at RNC after surviving assassination bid marked Melania's first public appearance with her husband since his conviction on all counts in the hush money trial. However, the former first lady didn't utter a word and neither did she speak the convention. Many were expecting her to speak for the husband but Melania chose to remain silent. Her presence at the RNC was a powerful gesture of unity, especially after months of keeping a low profile. As Trump concluded his 93-minute speech, Melania surprised him by joining him on stage, where she whispered in his ear and shared a brief kiss. This move not only underscored her support but also helped the Republican Party project a united front following the recent assassination attempt on Trump. Melania, who has largely been absent from the campaign trail, previously distanced herself following the scandal and subsequent guilty verdict and not seen campaigning with Trump. The party noted she was busy taking care of her ailing mother, who passed away earlier this year. According to reports, the trial and verdict were also "very hard" on her, and she chose to remain silent and out of the public eye to protect herself and their son, Barron. But today as the Trump family celebrated on stage, Melania remained close to her husband, sharing moments of quiet affection and engaging with other family members, including vice presidential nominee JD Vance and his wife, Usha. When was the last time Melania was seen with Trump? The last time Melania was seen publicly with Trump was at their son Barrons graduation ceremony in May 2024. After the verdict, she was photographed leaving Trump Tower with Barron, both looking somber and carrying several luxury luggage pieces, heading to their estate in Bedminste. Despite her low profile, Melania's statement calling for Americans to "ascend above hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence" after the attack on Trump highlighted her concern for the nation's current political climate. Her appearance at the convention, albeit without delivering a speech, added a layer of emotional support to Trump's campaign. The global Microsoft outage on Friday caused many employees to hilariously celebrate the Blue Screen of Death Day with disrupted IT operations across services. With banks, airlines, media outlets and other institutions facing the worst end of the unprecedented worldwide IT lockdown, cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike later assured users that we werent under a malicious cyberattack. The widespread outages around the globe were believed to be linked to a software update gone wrong. Vincent Flibustier posted this on X on Friday, July 19. The picture, when looked at closely, appears to be manipulated. (X / vinceflibustier) Hours later, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz released a statement, saying they had discovered the defect. This is not a security incident or cyberattack, Kurtz wrote on X/Twitter. The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed, he added, signalling how a corrupted content update for Windows caused the breakdown. Trolls claim responsibility for Microsoft outage Once the confirmation rolled out, several internet users saw the opportunity to meme the situation. Jumping on social media, people appeared to be satirically claiming responsibility for the CrowdStrike update. Also read | Our entire childhood was a lie: Hello Kitty is NOT a cat! Bubble bursts again ahead of icon's golden anniversary Among them, a man named Vincent Flibustier also jumped on the bandwagon. Claiming to be a former employee of the cybersecurity company, he alleged on X that he had pushed the little update that ultimately resulted in Microsoft operations crashing worldwide. Along with a supposedly edited selfie of himself at CrowdStrike, he also released a now-viral video message, seemingly stitching up a story about how he messed things up on his very first day on the job as a new system admin. Flibustier captioned his duck-faced selfie: First day at Crowdstrike, pushed a little update and taking the afternoon off In a follow-up tweet, he added how totally unfair it was that he had been fired. The thread continued with a video embed, in which he seemed to explain what had happened. Im waiting for my letter of dismissal, he wrote. Hello, it was indeed definitely absolutely me who did the CrowdStrike modification that caused all this worldwide. It was my very first day on the job as a new system admin and I was very eager and excited. Let's say I actually made a small update to a line of code, optimised an update slightly a little bit and maybe I shouldn't have. I got fired so I was called in. Normally, I only work in the morning, but I worked in the morning, made a small update, and then went home. Then, they called me back today, telling me that I really need to come back. It really wasn't even to congratulate me. I thought it was as if it was so. Now, I'm just waiting for my termination documentation. They told me that you should never put an update into production without testing, especially not on a Friday, and I said, 'Well, it's not Friday; it was Thursday, and today is Friday.' But, you see, I had tested the update on my PC, and it was working, he said in his video message. Also read | What if The Office was set at a car dealership? NY showroom chases viral fame, thanks to their content creator | Watch Flibustier also tagged Elon Musk in a subsequent tweet, asking if the Tesla boss had a job for him. Although he continued pushing the narrative, several netizens pointed out that a fellow X user, @nixcraft, had painted the same satirical story about pushing a major code to production on his first day at the cybersecurity firm. Keeping with his act, Flibustier also changed his X bio accordingly, which now reads, "Former Crowdstrike employee, fired for an unfair reason, only changed 1 line of code to optimize. Looking for a job as Sysadmin." Fact-Checking Vincent Flibustier's story Back to Flibustiers case: Despite many users being sceptical about his claims, some still believed in the purported line of events. However, a deep dive into French news reports soon slammed his efforts to the ground, revealing him as the controversial founder of NordPresse (https://nordpresse.be/). This parody site has existed since 2016 and has been accused of peddling confusion online. Beyond the fact-check protocol, even his CrowdStrike photo presents inconsistencies, which, when looked at closely, appears to have been manipulated with certain things half-present in the picture and his head weirdly edited into the snap. French news site liberation.fr was one of the outlets to fact-check his profile in 2023 for disseminating fake news. France TV did the same in 2021. All the way back in 2018, MrMondialisation.Org even published an exclusive interview with the Nordpresse boss. The furry icon from most of our childhoods will soon celebrate its golden anniversary this year. Although the endearing cartoon character created by Sanrio in 1974 will officially enjoy bombastic festivities on November 1 for its 50th birthday, the charismatic enigma is trending already due to a recent proclamation that bursts all of our childhood bubbles. IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR JAPAN DAY, INC. - Hello Kitty rides in the 3rd annual Japan Day Parade on Saturday, May 11, 2024, in New York. (AP / Charles Sykes) Despite her characteristically identifiable name, Hello Kitty, she is, in fact, NOT a kitty after all. Yuko Shimizus creation shot to pop culture fame in the 1970s. Yet another shocking revelation asserts that despite her initial introduction in Japan, the cartoon character, who goes by the full name Kitty White, is not even of Japanese descent. The global sensation has occupied a lot of our minds, basically all our lives, all thanks to its ubiquitous presence in the media and other mundane everyday spaces such as notebooks, clothing or even stationery items, lunch boxes and whatnot. Hello Kitty's history revisited The American cartoon space finally said Hello to the character in 1987 with her debut in Hello Kittys Furry Tale Theatre on CBS. Since then, her appeal has been pandering to children and adults alike. However, she first appeared on a Japanese coin purse in 1974. Also read | Microsoft outage map in US: List of areas and services impacted Even though the bombshell revelation may sound like a life-altering fact, its no news. Ten years ago, the supposed controversial take left audiences startled when anthropologist Christine R Yano announced at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles that Hello Kitty is actually a little girl. Sanrio soon confirmed the revelation, which is still contested by fans who cant come to terms with the characters feline appearance with whiskers and cat ears while associating it with the image of a young girl. Shes a cartoon character, the author of Pink Globalization: Hello Kittys Trek Across The Pacific told the Los Angeles Times. She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat. Shes never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature. On the contrary, she highlighted that Hello Kitty instead had a pet cat of her own - Charmmy Kitty. The Sanrio cartoon even has a boyfriend - Dear Daniel (Daniel Starr). As for the characters London roots, Yano explained: Hello Kitty emerged in the 1970s, when the Japanese and Japanese women were into Britain. They loved the idea of Britain. It represented the quintessential idealized childhood, almost like a white picket fence. So, the biography was created exactly for the tastes of that time. Jill Cook, the director of retail business development at Sanrio, reiterated the Goodbye Kitty confession. Shes actually a little girl born and raised in the suburbs of London, Cook explained her illustrious and seemingly perennial relevance in pop culture on July 18, 2024. She has a mom and dad and a twin sister, Mimmy who is also her best friend. Sanrio.com also foregrounds the crystal clear message: "Hello Kitty was born in the suburbs of London. She lives with her parents and her twin sister Mimmy who is her best friend. Her hobbies include baking cookies and making new friends. As she always says, 'you can never have too many friends!' Also read | Why are some people happy when they are dying? Reminder: Hello Kitty is NOT a Kitty Similar to the outrage voices a decade ago, fans again expressed their confused state of mind on social media as Cook refreshed their memories to a years-old known fact. So she had whiskers, ears, and is named Kitty but is actually a human? Someone commented on Todays TikTok clip. Another fan emphasised how their entire childhood has been a lie. Hello Kitty has been my favourite since childhood. Im almost 40 and this is the first time Im hearing this. Whether Hello Kittys true identity turns out to be shocking news, its universal adoration remains an unwavering fact. Her core message is friendship, kindness, and inclusivity, Cook added during her Today appearance. She also spotlighted that the beloved character has transcended borders, languages, and cultures with its enduring stance because of how understandable her core message is. A Russian court on Friday convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges his employer and the US have rejected as a sham. US journalist Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage, stands inside a glass defendants' cage during the verdict announcement at the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg on July 19, 2024. (Photo by Alexander NEMENOV / AFP)(AFP) He was sentenced to 16 years in prison after a secretive and rapid trial in the country's highly politicised legal system. Gershkovich, his employer and the US government vehemently denied the charges. US officials and The Wall Street Journal have denounced the trial as a sham. Gershkovich, 32, was detained in March 2023 while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg and accused of spying for the US, and has been behind bars ever since. He was the first US journalist taken into custody on espionage charges since Nicholas Daniloff in 1986, at the height of the Cold War. Gershkovich's arrest shocked foreign journalists in Russia, even though the country has enacted increasingly repressive laws on freedom of speech after sending troops into Ukraine. Closing arguments took place behind closed doors at the trial, where Gershkovich did not admit any guilt, according to the courts press service. Gershkovich, 32, was arrested March 29, 2023, while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. Authorities claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was gathering secret information for the U.S. the first American journalist to be accused of espionage since the Cold War. Gershkovich was in court for a second straight day Friday for the closed proceedings, where officials said prosecutors requested an 18-year sentence in a high-security prison. Unlike the trials opening on June 26 in Yekaterinburg and previous hearings in Moscow in which reporters were allowed to see Gershkovich briefly before sessions began, there was no access to the courtroom on Thursday, but media was allowed in the court on Friday for the verdict. Espionage and treason cases are typically shrouded in secrecy. Russian courts convict more than 99% of defendants, and prosecutors can appeal sentences that they regard as too lenient. They even can appeal acquittals. Evans wrongful detention has been an outrage since his unjust arrest 477 days ago, and it must end now, the Journal said Thursday in a statement. Even as Russia orchestrates its shameful sham trial, we continue to do everything we can to push for Evans immediate release and to state unequivocally: Evan was doing his job as a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Bring him home now. The U.S. State Department has declared Gershkovich wrongfully detained, committing the government to assertively seek his release. Asked Friday about a possible prisoner swap involving Gershkovich, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday at the United Nations that Moscow and Washingtons special services are discussing an exchange involving Gershkovich. Russia has previously signaled the possibility of a swap, but it says a verdict would have to come first. Even after a verdict, any such deal could take months or years. State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel on Thursday declined to discuss negotiations about a possible exchange, but said: We have been clear from the get-go that Evan did nothing wrong and should not have been detained. To date, Russia has provided no evidence of a crime and has failed to justify Evans continued detention. Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted earlier this year that he would be open to swapping Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence for the 2019 killing in Berlin of a Georgian citizen of Chechen descent. Gershkovich has spent about 15 months in Moscows notorious Lefortovo Prison. The Russian Prosecutor Generals office said last month the journalist is accused of gathering secret information on orders from the CIA about Uralvagonzavod, a plant about 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Yekaterinburg that produces and repairs tanks and other military equipment. Lavrov on Wednesday reaffirmed the Kremlin claim that the government has irrefutable evidence against Gershkovich, although neither he nor any other Russian official has ever disclosed it. Gershkovichs employer and U.S. officials have dismissed the charges as bogus. Evan has never been employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy. Journalism is not a crime. And Evan should never have been detained in the first place, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said last month. Russias interpretation of what constitutes high crimes like espionage and treason is broad, with authorities often going after people who share publicly available information with foreigners and accusing them of divulging state secrets. Earlier this month, U.N. human rights experts said Russia violated international law by jailing Gershkovich and should release him immediately. Arrests of Americans are increasingly common in Russia, with nine U.S. citizens known to be detained there as tensions between the two countries have escalated over fighting in Ukraine. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused Moscow of treating human beings as bargaining chips. She singled out Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan, 53, a corporate security director from Michigan, who is serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted on spying charges that he and the U.S. denied. Russia's expedited espionage trial of US reporter Evan Gershkovich reaches its final stages Friday in a case condemned as a sham by Washington. Russia 'spy' trial of US reporter reaches final stages The 32-year-old correspondent for The Wall Street Journal is the first Western journalist in Russia to be charged with spying since the Soviet era. He was detained in March 2023 on a reporting trip to the Urals city of Yekaterinburg and then spent almost 16 months in Moscow's notorious Lefortovo prison. If found guilty by a closed military court, he faces a sentence of up to 20 years in a penal colony. The latest hearing was due to start at 10:30 am local time at Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg. After just two closed-door hearings in Gershkovich's case, the defence and the prosecution were due to give their closing arguments, a court spokesperson told AFP. The verdict could then be announced as early as Friday or at a later date. Gershkovich's case has moved rapidly since the first hearing in late June. A second closed-door hearing took place Thursday, almost a month earlier than previously announced, at the request of Gershkovich's defence team. Other similar cases in Russia have dragged on far more slowly with several weeks or even months between hearings. - Possible prisoner swap - In Washington's view, Gershkovich's arrest was primarily intended to help Russia use him as a "bargaining chip" to secure the release of Russians convicted abroad. Tensions are running extremely high between the countries over Moscow's military offensive in Ukraine. Russia has a policy of not exchanging prisoners internationally unless they have already been convicted. Moscow and Washington have both said they are open to exchanging the reporter in a deal, but neither has given clues on when that might happen. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that talks between US and Russian special services over possible prisoner exchanges were ongoing, without naming any specific individuals. Russian President Vladimir Putin has implied he wants to see the release of Vadim Krasikov, a Russian convicted in Germany of killing a Chechen separatist commander. German judges said it was an assassination orchestrated by Russian authorities. Among other US nationals detained in Russia are reporter Alsu Kurmasheva and ballerina Ksenia Karelina, who are both dual US-Russian citizens, and former US marine Paul Whelan, who is serving a 16-year sentence for spying. On Thursday, a Moscow court sentenced former US paratrooper Michael Travis Leake to 13 years in prison on charges of drug dealing. - 'Arbitrary' detention - The Kremlin has provided no public evidence for the spying allegations against Gershkovich, saying only that he was caught "red-handed" spying on a tank factory in the Urals region and was working for the CIA. "Evan has never been employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said last month. A United Nations working group this month stated that Gershkovich's detention on spying charges was "arbitrary" and called for his immediate release. The US-born son of Soviet emigres raised in New Jersey, Gershkovich had reported from Russia since 2017, opting to stay on even following Moscow's Ukraine offensive. While in prison, he has communicated with friends and family in hand-written letters that revealed he has kept a sense of humour and not lost hope about his situation. At his first trial hearing on June 26, he spoke briefly to greet journalists and appeared smiling and cheerful, while revealing that his head had been fully shaven. The Wall Street Journal has called the accusation against Gershkovich bogus, saying he never worked for the US government and was arrested for "simply doing his job". The White House has warned US citizens still in Russia to "depart immediately" due to the risk of wrongful arrest. bur/rlp/sco This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. Usha Chilukuri Vance, the wife of JD Vance and Donald Trump's running mate, has taken center stage as the US Presidential race heats up. The Indian-origin wife of US Republican vice-presidential nominee has a great-aunt in Andhra Pradesh who is known as the country's oldest active professor. S Chilukuri said that she has no contact with Usha Vance and she has not seen or heard about her.(AP/ANI) Professor Shanthamma Chilukuri,96, still travels 60 km to teach physics to students at a private university in Vizianagaram. Speaking to Reuters over phone, Chilukuri said that their family is academically strong and they have always prioritised education. 38-year-old Usha made her political debut at the Republican National Convention stage in Milwaukee on Wednesday when she introduced J.D. Vance, the Senator of Ohio. Reacting to the news of him being picked as Trump's running mate, S Chilukuri said: Of course we are happy as a family. Notably, Usha is the granddaughter of S Chilukuri's husband Subramanya Sastrys elder brother, Rama Sastry. Her parents immigrated to the United States in the late 1970s, and they currently work as molecular biology and engineering professors in San Diego. Usha Vance's grandaunt extends wishes to JD Vance, reminds her of Indian roots In another interview with ANI, S Chilukuri said that she has no contact with Usha and she has not seen or heard about her. Extending her wishes to Usha and JD, she said: She should not forget about India and Indians' feelings. If there are any errors, they can be corrected. If any law points are to be included, she can use them in her office and see that Indians are benefited. She further said that she will try to invite Usha and JD to India for a short visit so that people can see her. JD and Usha, who tied the knot in 2014, share three kids together. They both first met each other at Yale Law School and got married a year after they graduated. Also Read: Usha Vance faces massive flak as she hails her Indian immigrant parents at RNC, Trump campaign says it is disgusting Usha's contribution to her husband's achievement has been modest but noteworthy. She helped Vance put his ideas about the decline of society in rural white America. which led to the composition of his best-selling novel, Hillbilly Elegy, which Ron Howard turned into a movie in 2020. In a 2020 Netflix film based on JD Vance's memoir, Usha's character, shares how her father had to start over when he initially came to the country. He came here with nothing, remarked the character portrayed by Indian actor Freida Pinto, who became well-known for playing the lead role in the Academy Awardwinning film "Slumdog Millionaire". A viral timelapse video has dramatically captured the scale of disruption caused by a recent global IT outage, highlighting the complete collapse of air traffic systems. The footage reveals a chaotic 12-hour period where flights across major airlines were grounded, leaving passengers stranded from America to Berlin, Hong Kong, and beyond. Video captures chaos of global IT outage affecting major airlines, healthcare sectors. CrowdStrike's tech update failure leads to complete air traffic shutdown. A failed tech update by CrowdStrike has resulted in the complete shutdown of major healthcare, airline, and banking sectors around the world. While the company claims the issue has been identified, it remains to be seen how long it will take to fix it so that normal operations can resume. Watch US skies empty through the global outage This 12-hour timelapse provides a detailed depiction of the complete air traffic operations of American Airlines, Delta, and United flights throughout the mainland USA during the massive global tech outage on Friday. This event led to all three airlines implementing a nationwide ground stop. Passengers at John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport were among those affected by this unprecedented and extensive internet disruption, resulting in numerous individuals being stranded. Tech expert Troy Hunt, an Australian Microsoft regional manager, tweeted early in the chaos, Its not too soon to declare this the largest IT outage in history. At the same time, George Kurtz, the boss of CrowdStrike, said that the company was working hard to sort out problems for customers whose systems were hit by a bug in a recent update for Windows users. He also promised that they'd have a solution soon. Also read: Elon Musk reacts to viral video of empty CrowdStrike office as employees work from home amid IT outage America to Berlin, Hong Kong, Portland passengers stranded Twitter is packed with videos going viral that show people getting really frustrated: airports crowded with passengers stuck, super long lines everywhere, and the internet meltdown, making things even worse. Larger airports such as LaGuardia have had to cancel more than 60 flights, with over 100 others delayed, and JFK in New York has had to stop dozens of flights. The New York Times is reporting that flights across the country are delayed by about 650, with 100 of them already canceled. The summer travel season is in full swing, and this issue is causing headaches for travellers facing long waits, flight changes, and uncertainty about what's happening. The F.A.A. is closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. Several airlines have requested F.A.A. assistance with ground stops for their fleets until the issue is resolved. American Airlines jumped on social media on Friday morning, saying sorry for a tech issue with a supplier that was messing up a bunch of airlines. American is working with the vendor to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, the airline said in a statement. Also read: Tiffany Trump faces ridicule as dad Donald 'snubs' her and hubby Michael Boulos in viral video: Her mistake was A man wanted for an armed robbery in Los Angeles was arrested Wednesday after leading authorities on a high-speed chase with his family in the car. He live-streamed the entire event on Instagram. The incident began with an armed robbery in Beverly Hills. Two suspects were quickly apprehended according to KTLA-TV. The third suspect, however, was picked up by his girlfriend with their 2-month-old daughter in the vehicle. Officers from the Hawthorne Police Department started a pursuit, which was later taken over by deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Speeds reached 80 miles per hour and authorities say the car was dangerously close to hitting a Metro bus. He was allegedly also running red lights and stop signs, weaving through lanes and driving on the wrong side of the road. His Instagram followers witnessed the entire event unfold in real time. His girlfriend is seen yelling at the suspect, demanding he pull over and let her and the infant out of the car. "Just let us out the car," she's heard screaming. "This is sheriffs; they going to kill me," he responds. "You're not thinking about your baby right now," she says. "You're fixing to get your baby killed." "Bro, I don't want to go back to jail," he says. "It's over, bro, it's over," she screams back. "It's reality." Nearly an hour into the chase, he turned onto a dead end street and found himself surrounded by several deputies, one of which deployed a spike strip behind the vehicle to prevent the suspect from attempting to flee. After what seemed like a brief standoff, the suspect opened the car door, where an infant could be seen in his lap. The baby was surrendered to a deputy, and both the couple was taken into custody. The woman was later released. Deputy Adriana Martinez told KTLA, "I saw she was just crying, so I just wanted to soothe her and make sure she was okay." The child was uninjured during the ordeal. The suspect, who is on parole, is facing multiple charges, including carjacking, robbery, kidnapping, and being in possession of a firearm. His name was not released. Two people standing on rocks at a scenic spot in California were killed when a large wave swept them out to sea, according to law enforcement officials. The Santa Cruz Fire Department said it received emergency calls Tuesday about two people being washed off the rocks at West Cliff Drive. A number of first responders from multiple agencies found the victims "floating face down in the ocean," the fire department said. "Advanced life support measures were immediately initiated as the victims were assisted on board the vessels and directed toward the harbor," the statement said, adding that further life-saving efforts were performed when they arrived in the harbor. "Despite uninterrupted resuscitative efforts, both victims succumbed to the elements and could not be resuscitated," the fire department said. Fire Chief Rob Oatey told SFGate that signs are posted in the area to warn of the dangers of being swept away by a large wave. "The surface is unstable, it's constantly changing," he told the outlet. "If you end up in the water, there's a very turbulent current and then pocket coves, caves and different rocks, so you end up getting trapped or knocked unconscious." Oatey said the rocks are known to be treacherous. "It's an area that locals, that us as rescuers, call 'death rocks,'" he said. "It's an area where we've had multiple rescues, we've lost a lot of people over the course of years and decades in that area." The victims' identities were not released. Florida Representative Matt Gaetz was ruthlessly trolled on social media after giving his speech at the Republican National Convention. Gaetz spoke at the convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday night to reaffirm his loyalty to GOP nominee and former President Donald Trump while slamming President Joe Biden in the process. However, online spectators seemed more interested in Gaetz's appearance than his speech due, to his stiff and unmoving forehead and high cheekbones. Users instantly took to X to mock the congressman. Ron Filipkowski posted a short clip with the caption, "Gaetz got a little carried away with the Botox before his big speech." Gaetz got a little carried away with the Botox before his big speech. pic.twitter.com/8oDfmw4tkz Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) July 18, 2024 Greta Grace joked, "Matt Gaetz is two white tigers and a life partner from having a Vegas act." Matt Gaetz is two white tigers and a life partner from having a Vegas act. pic.twitter.com/cKtmlMGbmL Greta (@GretaGrace20) July 18, 2024 While user @yourdadssidepiece compared a regular photo of Gaetz to a shot of him at the RNC, writing, "Drag race regular season vs. all stars," Drag race regular season vs. all stars pic.twitter.com/hC4p3SkgWh grant (@urdadssidepiece) July 18, 2024 "Matt Gaetz (R-Botox)," cracked journalist Peter Hamby. Matt Gaetz (R-Botox) Peter Hamby (@PeterHamby) July 17, 2024 Another user compared Gaetz to the puppets in a 2004 action comedy film, writing, "Matt Gaetz looks like someone from Team America World Police came to life," quoted Newsweek. Others used the opportunity to criticize his position on transgender policies and his opposition to drag shows. "Using this much botox/filler is gender-affirming care, btw," posted comedian Rohita Kadambi. Using this much botox/filler is gender affirming care, btw pic.twitter.com/VNsAQPIWLN Rohita Kadambi (@RohitaKadambi) July 18, 2024 Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy spoke with CNN and commented on Gaetz's appearance. "He looks very unhinged. A lot of people have concerns about him, and I'm not sure if he was on something. But I do hope that he gets the help that he needs. More importantly, I hope the young women get the justice they deserve when it comes to him." McCarthy on CNN on Gaetz: "He looks very unhinged. A lot of people have concerns about him, and I'm not sure if he was on something. But I do hope that he gets the help that he needs. More importantly, I hope the young women get the justice they deserve when it comes to him." pic.twitter.com/5ArK0FxrgL Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 18, 2024 Gaetz is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations that he engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use. Legendary comedian Bob Newhart has died. He was 94. Newhart, known for his deadpan humor, died in Los Angeles on Thursday after a series of short illnesses, his publicist Jerry Digney confirmed, according to CNN. Digney called the late actor's death the "end of an era in comedy." Perhaps best known for his titular roles in long-running sitcoms The Bob Newhart Show and later on, Newhart, the shows ran on CBS for six and eight seasons, respectively, and viewers regularly saw him on their televisions from 1972 to 1990. The accountant-turned-actor, who hailed from Chicago, also left fans with an unforgettable performance in the Christmas classic, Elf, starring alongside Vince Vaughn. He would later go on to portray fan-favorite Arthur Jeffries, otherwise known as Professor Proton, in six episodes of The Big Bang Theory from 2013 to 2018. The beloved role earned Newhart his first Emmy win in 2013 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, and two more nominations in the same category, after he failed to bring home the coveted statuette several times for past roles since 1962. He previously nabbed three Grammy Awards in his lifetime for spoken word albums, and in 2002, Newhart was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at The Kennedy Center. Federal authorities have accused two men in the New York tristate area of peddling a synthetic opioid three times more deadly than fentanyl to an undercover source. Miguel de Jesus Reyes Medina, of Yonkers, New York, and Erik Alberto Lopez Valdez, of Camden, New Jersey, were arrested Thursday in connection with drug-related charges after the encounter, said the Drug Enforcement Administration. Reyes Medina allegedly agreed in April to sell fentanyl to an undercover source working with law enforcement. Days later, Reyes Medina allegedly arranged for Lopez Valdez to deliver 420 grams of narcotics to the same source. Subsequent testing indicated the drugs consisted of nearly 500 grams of protonitazene, a synthetic opioid that is three times more potent than fentanyl, authorities confirmed. DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said the arrests "saved another family from having to bury their loved one." Reyes Medina and Lopez Valdez have both been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Reyes Medina faces two counts of distribution of protonitazene, while Lopez Valdez has been charged with a single count. They face up to 20 years in prison, if convicted. A Russian court convicted and sentenced Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on Friday after a secret espionage trial. U.S. officials and the newspaper said the charges were false and Russia had wrongly detained the reporter. Gershkovich, 32, has been jailed since he was arrested during a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains in March 2023. Russian officials claimed he was spying for the CIA. After Judge Andrei Mineyev finished reading the verdict, someone in the courtroom shouted, "Evan, we love you!" the Associated Press reported. Keith Gavin uttered "I love my family" moments before Alabama executed him by lethal injection for the 1998 murder of a father of seven who stopped at an ATM to grab some cash to take his wife to dinner, according to AL.com. The 64-year-old Gavin's time of death was listed as 6:32 p.m. Thursday, according to the state attorney general. The execution took place after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review his case. Gavin made a handwritten plea to the justices on Wednesday. Gavin was accompanied in the execution chamber by his imam, who was dressed in a black robe and spoke to the condemned man in a conversation that was inaudible to those in the viewing rooms, the outlet reported. Asked if he had any last words, Gavin said, "I love my family," and then said several words in Arabic. He then pointed his index fingers upward, leaned his head back and closed his eyes, his mouth falling open, AL.com reported. The imam continued speaking, apparently praying over Gavin, before stepping back from the gurney. Gavin was put to death for the slaying of William Clayton Jr. in March 1998 during a botched robbery as Clayton tried to withdraw cash for a date with his wife. The victim's son, Matthew Clayton, who witnessed the execution, said his dad was "the last victim of Keith Edmund Gavin." Clayton, the youngest of seven children, described his father as a devoted husband for 38 years and an Army veteran. "I have often described him as a slice of Americana, very classic American values and beliefs. He was a man with an incredible work ethic," the son said. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said "there is no doubt about Gavin's guilt for this heinous offense," noting that he was identified by four witnesses. "I cannot imagine the shock, pain, and frustration that William's family has endured over the last 26 years. I pray his family finds solace in the long-awaited justice by the State of Alabama," Marshall said. One woman was killed and two others were wounded in a Samurai-style sword attack near Los Angeles apparently stemming from a domestic dispute, according to a report. Los Angeles County Sheriff Deputies responded to a call Thursday afternoon in San Dimas and encountered a woman with blood on her leg and hands holding the sword, KTLA reported. The woman waved down the deputies and then laid the blade down. "That female then directs them to a residence on the street where the deputies find an additional female also suffering from lacerations, who was later pronounced dead at the scene," Lt. Daniel Vizcarra of the sheriff's department said, the station reported. "As they continued through the residence, an additional female was found in the residence unharmed, who was also transferred to a local hospital due to a medical emergency." Deputies said it's unclear what sparked the violence, adding the investigation is proceeding slowly because the women only speak Mandarin Chinese. "The preliminary investigation suggests that there may be a family connection, but again, because of the language barrier, we have not confirmed that," Vizcarra said. An Ohio man who stabbed his victim 45 times, set his body on fire, and posted 70 Snapchat videos of the horrific slaying will spend the rest of his life in prison, despite a last-minute plea that he's a changed man. Timothy Kendrick, 35, pleaded guilty in June to charges of aggravated murder, murder, kidnapping, tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse, in connection with the death of 30-year-old Drew Mendelbaum, The Columbus Dispatch reported. Prosecutors said Kendrick, a transient, met the victim at a Columbus, Ohio, gas station in July 2021, and invited him back to his extended-stay hotel across the street under the guise of drinks. Instead, he struck Mendelbaum on the head, stabbed him dozens of times and slashed his throat during a two-hour deadly, torture session, after he thought the victim was trying to steal his wallet. Kendrick posted dozens of bloody videos to Snapchat, showing himself holding a knife to Mendelbaum's throat, stomping on his body, and cleaning up the murder scene, prosecutors said, according to WBNS-TV and WCMH-TV. He then bound Mendelbaum's ankles with zip-ties, wrapped his body in a shower curtain, stuffed it in a duffle bag, placed it in a shopping cart, and set it on fire outside a business. Kendrick was arrested two weeks later after authorities tied him to the Snapchat videos. Before learning his fate Thursday, Kendrick begged Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Andy Miller for compassion. "Give me one more chance. This experience is making me the best version of myself, I just need one more chance," Kendrick pleaded, the Dispatch reported. But, Miller didn't buy it. "Regret is not remorse. Regret is feeling sorry for yourself, it is not sympathy for those you have done wrong," Miller explained. "The defendant has not really taken responsibility for anything. He still invokes a victim stance. He insists he tortured and killed a man and put it all on social media because he was drugged and someone tried to steal his wallet." During Kendrick's sentencing hearing, Mendelbaum's mother delivered a heartbreaking victim impact statement. "My only consolation is that he's now at peace," Dr. Gail Herman said. "I think how he suffered alone in his last minutes and how it must have been awful for him." Kendrick was denied the possibility of parole. Disgraced Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein is tentatively scheduled for a November rape retrial, where he will potentially face new sexual assault allegations brought forth by victims in New York. During a brief hearing in Manhattan Criminal Court Friday, Judge Curtis Farber announced a court date of Nov. 19, but also hinted at the possibility of an earlier September date, contingent upon the outcome of the pretrial discovery, USA TODAY reported. In court last Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg said the prosecution was still mulling over whether or not to pursue additional sex assault charges against the 72-year-old convicted sex offender after more survivors came forward following the Court of Appeals' decision to overturn his New York rape conviction in April, ABC News previously reported. Weinstein has long denied any wrongdoing. "We believe the defendant forcibly raped and sexually abused women in Manhattan that fall within the statute of limitations," Blumberg told Farber, according to the outlet. "There were women in 2020 who were not ready to proceed with the legal process. They are now ready." Blumberg said the prosecution is gunning for a November retrial, while Weinstein's defense team said they'd like to proceed sooner than later, citing the producer's deteriorating health, including his battles with macular degeneration and diabetes. "He is anxious to go to trial and prove his innocence," one of his attorneys, Diana Fabi Samson, said outside the courthouse Friday, according to the Associated Press. The former showbiz tycoon behind wildly successful films, such as Django Unchained, Good Will Hunting and Pulp Fiction, is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence for a 2022 rape conviction in Los Angeles, but will stay in New York pending his retrial. Jessica Mann, an aspiring actress who previously accused Weinstein of rape during his initial New York trial, plans to testify against her alleged attacker in November, the AP reported. Another one of Weinstein's alleged New York victims, production assistant Miriam Hayley, has not yet decided to take the stand a second time, her lawyer said. McLean, VA Following 30 years of executive leadership for the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Americas, HSMAI Foundation and HSMAI Global, the organization is announcing the retirement of President and CEO, Bob Gilbert. A cherished and admired leader in the global hospitality industry, Gilbert has accelerated his retirement plan as a result of a serious health issue. It is with the utmost respect that we announce today the retirement of Bob Gilbert from his role of President and CEO of HSMAI, said Andrew Rubinacci, CHSP, HSMAI Americas chair and chief advisory officer at FLYR Hospitality. Bob has been a mentor and friend to so many of us in the industry and has taken the association to new heights over the course of his incredible 30-year tenure, expanding HSMAI across the globe. The association will benefit from his leadership for many years to come. Gilbert reflected, I want to express my appreciation for my years at the association, the deep partnerships built with so many of you, and the trust you placed in me to help guide the organization to truly impact sales, marketing, and revenue optimization in the hospitality industry. The hospitality field has always proven its vitality and resilience, evolving with the worlds changes no matter how quickly those changes have happened. Weve adapted through events like 9/11 and the pandemic and emerged stronger than ever before. He added, In the last year alone, we unveiled HSMAIs first ever Commercial Strategy Conference, continued the coalition building with other industry organizations like AHLA, HFTP, HEDNA, and more, and launched HSMAIs Century Campaign to celebrate HSMAIs 100-year anniversary in 2027 and ensure it is here for members and the industry for 100 more. I owe a debt of gratitude to all of the industry leaders who have served as volunteer leaders for the organization, and a staff of dedicated professionals who have implemented their vision. A trailblazer in the hospitality industry for his advancement of the association, Gilbert brought HSMAIs regions across the globe under the umbrella of HSMAI Global in 2002 and introduced organizational membership in 2018. During his time as president and CEO, HSMAI launched many new chapters in the Americas, including Brazil and Puerto Rico, and formalized Europe as an HSMAI Region, in addition to the formation of global regions, including Asia Pacific (2003), the Middle East (2008), and development of Latin America (2023). Gilbert spearheaded the creation and exponential growth of HSMAIs Strategy Conferences, implementing special interest groups that developed spaces for those in sales, marketing, and revenue management to learn, network, and advance in their careers. Following the success of the digital marketing and resort marketing strategy conferences Gilbert led the introduction of revenue management as a discipline in 2003 with the launch of the HSMAI Revenue Management Strategy Conference, which ultimately evolved into uniting the sales, marketing, and revenue disciplines into what is now known as commercial in 2024. During Gilberts tenure, HSMAI also introduced the Certified Revenue Management Executive (CRME) certification, the Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer (CHDM) certification, the Certified Hotel Business Acumen (CHBA) certification, and the newly launched Certified Hotel Sales Leader (CHSL) certification. Many commercial strategists who began their careers learning from HSMAIs conferences and educational resources now serve as mentors for the new generation of hospitality professionals. During his leadership, Gilbert carried HSMAI through historic events that significantly impacted the hospitality industry, including the terrorist attacks on 9/11, the 2008 recession, and the Covid-19 pandemic. HSMAI served as a unifier immediately following 9/11 with the first industry conference held in New York to bring leaders together to begin charting a course forward. He ensured that the association answered the industrys need for guidance through groundbreaking research studies, expert-led conferences, industry-leading certifications, and strategic educational resources. In each instance, he streamlined the association so that HSMAI emerged stronger than before. Gilbert focused the HSMAI Foundations mission on talent attraction, growth, and retention. Last year, Gilbert proudly launched the HSMAI Foundations Century Campaign to generate awareness around the organizations origins, highlight its positive impact on the hospitality industry, and showcase HSMAIs plans for the future. Donations to the Century Campaign will be used to grow and support the industrys next generation, continue to enhance membership benefits, and create more opportunity for tomorrow's innovators. HSMAIs Leadership Transition While Gilbert is on medical leave, HSMAI Senior Vice President, Juli Jones, CAE, will serve as interim managing director for HSMAI as the association commences the search process, led by SearchWide Global and supported by HSMAIs association management company MCI, to appoint the next president and CEO. MCI Associate Vice President and HSMAI Content Director, Kristin Miodonski, will serve as interim managing director for the HSMAI Foundation. About HSMAI The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) is committed to growing business for hotels and their partners and is the industry's leading advocate for intelligent, sustainable hotel revenue growth. The association provides hotel professionals and their partners with tools, insights, and expertise to fuel sales, inspire marketing, and optimize revenue through programs such as the Marketing Strategy Conference, Adrian Awards, Sales Leader Forum, and HSMAI ROC. Founded in 1927, HSMAI is a membership organization comprising more than 5,000 members worldwide, with 40 chapters in the Americas Region. Connect with HSMAI at hsmai.org. There was a recent discussion on LinkedIn about the need for maintaining rate parity in hospitality and its implications. Just to clarify for the non-revenue management folks here, Rate Parity traditionally means maintaining the same publicly available rate for the same room/same stay across all public distribution channels i.e. channels available to any member of the public that is not a loyalty member or member of some guest appreciation or reward program. Rate Parity is not a new online policy specifically designed for the OTAs. It existed long before the commercial internet" came into being and there was only one reason for its existence: it made revenue management and management of distribution channels much easier. All major hotel chains and smart hoteliers applied rate parity across all offline distribution channels: voice, walk-ins, GDS/brick-and-mortar travel agents, etc. With the advent of the online channel, this business policy was applied to the hotel website and the OTAs as well. Rate parity in the OTA hotel relationship means the OTAs have access to any publicly available rate a hotel might have. Rate parity does not preclude hotels or OTAs to offer lower rates to their loyalty or reward program members such as Marriott BonVoy or Expedia One or Booking Genius members. Some hoteliers argue that without rate parity the industry would be better off because hoteliers would be able to sell at whatever rates they want, unencumbered by the OTA rate parity restrictions. No rate parity, in theory, gives the right to publish lowers rates on the hotel website. In other words, the abolishment of rate parity would be a good thing for the industry. Unfortunately I found these arguments rather naive especially coming from hoteliers who consistently underinvest in the direct online channel, in their digital marketing and technology. Just imagine if rate parity magically disappears and now the hotel has the right to advertise and sell whatever rates they want? Let's say the property comes up with a 20% off promotion on the property website. Whom are they going to sell this promotion to? And how are they going to promote and sell such a below OTA rate if their digital marketing efforts are severely underfunded and their "digital marketing house" is not in order? Who will even notice such a promotion if their property website is a tired and obsolete 5-year old mobile-unfriendly website with no SEO to speak of, stale textual and visual content, no merchandising capabilities, no chatbot for trip-planning and 24/7 customer service, non-existing support of robust digital marketing campaign, content marketing and social media engagements. Under these circumstances, how is the hotel going to sell a below rate-parity promotion and who is going to even see this promotion? In my view, rate parity helps, not hurts hotels. We have a great proof coming from Europe, where rate parity was outlawed in many countries. In the decade since rate parity provisions were outlawed in many European countries, the OTAs DOUBLED their market share of roomnights booked online. Currently, at independent hotels in Europe, the ratio of OTA vs direct online booked roomnights is 4:1 and even 5:1 i.e. 80%-85% of online roomnights come from the OTAs. Luckily for us here in North America, rate parity is still the law of the land. The same applies to all major hotel chains who are vigorously enforcing rate parity across their portfolio hotels and distribution channels and actively promoting Best Rate Guarantee. This is one of the reasons why at the major hotel chains this same ratio of OTA vs direct online booked roomnights is 1:3 and even 1:4 i.e. only 25%-30% of online roomnights come from the OTAs. The other major reason is their robust loyalty programs. There is another wrinkle to the story. While the hospitality industry was struggling to survive during the pandemic and slashed by more than 50% the industrywide technology and marketing spend, Expedia and Booking were hard at work to build their loyalty programs. The results? Both Expedias One Key and Bookings Genius loyalty programs boast cutting-edge loyalty tech platforms, 200 plus million loyalty members each, 360,000 participating hotels providing both programs with special membership rates. Why is this important? The hundreds of million members of the OTA loyalty programs are being exposed to special member-only rates and not to publicly available rates. These loyalty programs are already helping the OTAs increase repeat business and market share at the expense of the direct channel, and lower their performance marketing spend, currently exceeding $12 billion/year! So what should independent hotels do? Implement and enforce a rigorous Rate Parity policy across all publicly available distribution channels: property website, OTAs, GDS, bed banks, wholesalers, FIT tour operators, etc. Subscribe to a rate shopping/monitoring application like Lighthouse/OTA Insight, Triptease, RateGain to automate the monitoring of rate parity across distribution channels. Introduce Best Rate Guarantee on the property website stating that you guarantee that travelers wont find lower rates than your website for the same room/stay period on any publicly available channel. Promote this guarantee in all of your marketing initiatives. Create a gated rate environment via the property website and mobile app: For smaller properties, introduce Instant Rewards program on the property website, which promises perks, benefits and member discounts if users sign up. Your webmaster or marketing agency can do this functionality easily. For full-service and 3-5 star hotels, implement CRM technology and guest appreciation program with benefits, special member rates, etc. Cendyn CRM, Amadeus CRM, Revinate CRM are all good technologies. In both cases, once you are logged in, the website recognizes you and you have access to the new member-only rates, perks and benefits, etc. All non-members would see the public rates but will be urged to become members by signing up for the program. The best approach is maintaining strict rate parity and implementing CRM technology and guest appreciation/reward program, which is the only way to increase repeat business and ensure deep engagement with your past and future guests. Max Starkov NYU Tivoli and NH hotel in Yining - Image Credit Minor Hotels Minor Hotels (China) announced the official signing of a Tivoli and NH dual-branded property in Yining, Xinjiang. This marks the debut of the luxury Tivoli Hotels & Resorts and upscale NH Hotels & Resorts brands in Northwest China. Upon opening in 2026, the project is expected to welcome guests from around the globe. Yining, a bustling city on China's western border, historically served as an essential trade hub on the Silk Road and now plays a crucial role in connecting Central Asia with Europe. Known for its picturesque natural landscapes and rich ethnic cultures, Yining boasts numerous attractions like the Kazak Folk Tourism Area and Six Star Street, making it a popular destination for domestic and international tourists. The Tivoli and NH hotels are strategically located near local tourist attractions and the central business district. The ease of access via highways, high-speed trains, and flights enhances its appeal. The project, covering 1.6 million square meters, will offer diverse functionalities and include 200 guest rooms for each of the Tivoli and NH brands, as well as a commercial zone, a cultural performance centre, and residential areas. Notably, the cultural performance centre will host regular music and dance shows, while the commercial area, inspired by the ancient Silk Road design, aims to create an exotic shopping and leisure venue. We are excited to announce our first dual-branded property of Tivoli and NH Hotels in Northwest China, said Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International and CEO of Minor Hotels. With such high profiles and strong reputations throughout Europe, we are confident that the Tivoli and NH brand offerings will appeal to both Chinese and international travellers. The establishment of Tivoli and NH hotels in Yining is expected to significantly improve the local hotel industry landscape, attracting more visitors and contributing meaningfully to the economic development of Yining and the entire Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, concluded Eddy Tiftik, VP of Operations & Development for Minor Hotel (China). Founded in Portugal in 1933, Tivoli Hotels & Resorts has earned loyalty and admiration from celebrities and royalty worldwide for their unique designs and unparalleled experiences across dining, accommodation, and leisure activities. Tivoli's journey from Portugal to countries like Brazil, Qatar, China, The Netherlands, Italy and Spain continues to bring the Mediterranean's warmth and elegance globally to discerning travellers seeking refined lifestyles. Originally from Spain, NH Hotels & Resorts opened its first property in 1978. It currently operates over 230 hotels and resorts in destinations across Europe and the Americas and is expanding its footprint into other regions. Ex-Spotify, Sofar exec Jim Lucchese named President Berklee College Of Music Music tech veteran Jim Lucchese has exited as CEO of Sofar to become the president of Berklee College of Music. Lucchese founded the pioneering music analytics firm Echo Nest, which Spotify acquired in 2014, where he served as an executive. Lucchese has been Preisdent of Sofar since 2019. Focused on helping artists book shows in nontraditional spaces, Sofar acquired ticketing platform Seated in February 2019. The company has raised $38 million in funding, with the last round in January 2021. Last year, another music tech veteran, Marni Greenberg, exited her role as VP of Communications at Sofar to become SVP and Head of Communications at SoundCloud. Lucchese named Berklees 5th President Lucchese becomes the fifth President of Beklee since it was founded in 1945. The university has campuses in Boston, New York, and Valencia, Spain, and extensive award-winning online programs. It is an immense honor to become a part of the Berklee community, an institution that means so much to me personally and has been a singularly positive force for creativity around the world, said Jim Lucchese. I look forward to working with this amazingly talented and diverse communitystudents, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters. I am eager to learn from their experiences and expertise across such a wide range of creative disciplines, from music education, dance, and theater to management, production, performance, music therapy, and more. Jims appointment marks a transformative moment for Berklee. Having worked closely with him, Ive witnessed firsthand how his curiosity, entrepreneurial mindset, and dedication to artist empowerment have continuously positioned him at the forefront of our evolving music industry, said Katie Vitolins BM 06, head of fan commerce at Amazon Music and Berklee trustee. Bruce Houghton is the Founder and Editor of Hypebot, a Senior Advisor at Bandsintown, President of the Skyline Artists Agency, and a Berklee College Of Music professor. Share on: PITTSFIELD, Mass. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren traveled to Pittsfield on Thursday to delivery nearly $1 million in federal funding and speak about health care and economic development. She sat down with Volunteers in Medicine, the Berkshire Black Economic Council, and Soldier On to hear issues that challenge Berkshire County's gateway city and beyond the most. "It is the honor of a lifetime to be the senator from the commonwealth of Massachusetts and I am grateful for the people who sent me down to Washington to fight and this is a part of what they have me fight for and that's money, resources, to be able to get back into our communities to make our communities stronger," Warren said. "So today, I'll be talking to you about funding that I was able to get for health care, funding for small businesses, and funding for our veterans, funding to be spent right here in Pittsfield and in the surrounding area." She said this is a way of saying as a nation "we want to invest local because local is helping build strong communities." "What I see every time I come out here to Pittsfield reminds me that at the federal level, I don't want to be the government that tries to tell you what to do. That's not our job," Warren said. "Our job is to say when you are doing the good things, when you're trying to support the small businesses, when you're trying to help our veterans, when you're trying to get health care for people the federal government should be a good partner and being a good partner means let's get the resources down here to help you." The senator responded to the reported assassination attempt of Replican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania last week that killed an audience member, critically injured two others, and wounded Trump's ear. The gunman was also shot and killed by Secret Service members. "Violence has no place in our democratic process," Warren said, and that democracy resolves conflicting views at the ballot box and does not engage in violence. "I was very glad that former President Trump was all right, I am so sorry to hear that others were injured and, of course, one person died," she said. "I also want to use this as a moment to say that Republicans say, 'Come together.' I'm all for that. Let's do something in a bipartisan way. The No. 1 thing we could do in a bipartisan way is ban the very weapon that Donald Trump was shot with. Let's get rid of these assault weapons. They do not belong in civilian hands." She said Massachusetts does as much as it can in terms of firearms regulations but people buy these weapons elsewhere and bring them here. "We want to keep our politics safer, we also want to keep our schoolchildren safer, we want to keep people who go to shopping malls and movies safer," Warren said. "One of the best ways to do that is ban these assault weapons. I invite every Republican to join me now. Let's get this done." The senator also offered her comments on the state of the nation during the 2024 presidential election, voicing her support for current president and Democratic nominee Joe Biden. "He has been a terrific president who has delivered $35 insulin ... student loan cancellation for about $5 million people, getting rid of junk fees, and going after these giant corporate guys that are gouging people at the gas pump and grocery store," she said. "He's running against Donald Trump, who has exactly two things to his name for his time as president. One of them is an extremist Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade and has since declared that Donald Trump or any president gets to be a king, and the other one is a $2 trillion tax break that's mostly been soaked up by millionaires, billionaires, and giant corporations." Warren said this is a "huge contrast" and that is what Nov. 5, 2024, will be all about. "Which side of that divide are you on?" She said the Democratic Party is not in chaos and that its people are "very resilient" to what Trump stands for. This is a particular concern now that Ohio's Sen. J.D. Vance has been named Trump's pick for vice president, she said, citing Vance's stance against reproductive health care. "Today, 30 percent of all women live in states that effectively ban abortion," she said. "Now, here in Massachusetts, we say 'Not us,' however, J.D. Vance and Donald Trump want to make abortion bans nationwide, so that means 100 percent of women would live in states with bans on abortion." Warren added that for Vance, the abortion ban is not enough, making no exceptions for rape or incest. "Also understand that these are people who in fact, just mean we can't do [in vitro fertilization] anywhere in the United States if Donald Trump and J.D. Vance get their way," she said. "The reason I emphasize things like that is it's a reminder that the Republicans and the Democrats are about as far apart as we can get on that set of issues. Democrats believe that women and their health-care providers should be making decisions about their reproductive care and that it should not be some politician in Washington." Sanford Mainers Down SteepleCats NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Thomas Ellisen went four innings on the mound Thursday to lead the Sanford Mainers to a 10-4 win over the North Adams SteepleCats in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. Luke Mistone went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for North Adams. The SteepleCats (12-21) go to Rhode Island to play Ocean State on Friday. Sen. Elizabeth Warren capped her afternoon in Pittsfield touring Soldier On's Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community. PreviousNext Warren Tours Soldier On's Mansfield Community, Talks Housing Mayor Peter Marchetti says housing has been a topic in his administration as he and Sen. Warren visited Soldier On. PITTSFIELD, Mass. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren ended her visit to Pittsfield on Thursday on the scenic grounds of Soldier On's housing developments where more 50 former service members are supported with the tools they need to thrive. She had earlier spoken with Volunteers in Medicine and held a roundtable with local entrepreneurs of the Berkshire Black Economic Council. The 39-unit Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Community has served 95 veterans since 2010 and the 14-unit Katie Doherty Veterans Village has served 20 in four years. "My administration has been talking about housing since the day that I took office so what a perfect way to end your visit of talking about housing and how we can be creative to add more housing," Mayor Peter Marchetti said. The permanent housing communities include an array of supportive services to ensure that veterans maintain successful occupancy including a life skills program, individual case management, furnishings, transportation, technology, daily meals, legal assistance, and end-of-life services. "We are their family," Executive Director of Field Services Sarah Polidore said, as many don't have loved ones to provide care. Warren said her day in Pittsfield had been seeing what it means when the federal government is a good partner with community organizations. "The one overwhelming message from today is that each of these partners strengthens the community for everyone else," she said. "We treat our veterans well when we provide the kind of stable housing support services they need, it's not only good for our veterans, it's good for our whole community. Same thing is true on health care, same thing is true on small businesses." Chief Executive Director Bruce Buckley explained the difficulties in piecing together funding for housing developments, noting there is a mortgage on the property. He said funding for supportive services is also essential. Warren emphasized the importance of all types of housing and new developments, saying, "housing is one of the top priorities for what we need to be doing in coordination. Federal, state, and local." The Supportive Services for Veteran Families program was also discussed. This mobile service model operates in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, offering case management, referral services, and temporary financial assistance. July 19, 2024 SVMC Recognized for Excellence in Emergency Nursing ? Congratulations to the Kendall Emergency Department (ED) for being selected as a recipient of the Emergency Nurses Associations 2024 Lantern Award! The Lantern Award highlights excellence in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research performance. SVMC's team was among less than 100 EDs throughout the country to receive this three-year designation and is the first ED in Vermont to receive the award. Read on to learn more about this prestigious honor. READ MORE ? Rising Temps Means Increased Risk of Heat-Related Illness Over the past few years, heat-related deaths have been steadily increasing. Just last year, a staggering 2,297 Americans died from overheating. It is important, now more than ever, to make sure youre familiar with the early warning signs of heat-related illness, how to treat it, and how to prevent it. READ MORE ? ? Planning Ahead for Fall Yes, summer vacation has barely begun but there is one back-to-school requirement that should be on every caregivers mind: physicals. SVMCs Director of Pediatrics Jaclyn Lozier, MD explains why you should make an effort to schedule them now. Read More A Real Summer Bummer Swimmers ear is a common, and sometimes painful, condition that affects water lovers and even people who dont swim. The great news is that it's treatable and preventable. Read More Summer Eye Protection Were all familiar with the importance of wearing sunscreen to protect our skin from damaging UV rays. But did you know those same rays can cause irreversible damage to your eyes? Read More ? Join Us in Celebrating the Vermont Chamber's 2024 Citizen of the Year Tom Dee, President and CEO of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, will be recognized at a special event on August 1 at the Everett Mansion at Southern Vermont College. Learn More & Register to Attend Here ? Green Mountain Care Board Act 167 Community Meeting In 2022, the Vermont legislature passed Act 167, which directed the Green Mountain Care Board (GMCB) and the state Agency of Human Services to develop community-informed and data-driven options to transform Vermonts hospitals to improve access, affordability, quality and sustainability. The GMCB hired the national consulting firm, Oliver Wyman, to lead this process. This summer, Oliver Wyman is presenting its findings and options to hospitals and communities across the state. On August 1 at 7 p.m., Oliver Wyman will present its SVMC-specific findings at the Bennington Fire House. Learn More. ? ? OUR CORPORATE SPONSORS: ?Southwestern Vermont Medical Center | svhealthcare.org ? ? iciHaiti - Culture : Mysterious disappearance of rapper MECHANS-T Since the announcement of the disappearance of the talented rapper Wens Jonathan Desir alias "MECHANS-T" on July 4th, his loved ones, his fans and the Haitian musical community are still without news of the artist, causing a wave of concern and of speculation. According to available information, "MECHANS-T" disappeared in the Bahamas archipelago, its last known residence. The U.S. Coast Guard reported no trace of him or a possible sinking. In Haiti, the Ministry of Culture expresses its deep concern following this disappearance Augustin Antoine, the Minister of Culture maintains contact with his colleague from Foreign Affairs, Ms. Dominique Dupuy in order to follow the evolution of the file. Minister Augustin expresses his solidarity with the parents of Wens Jonathan Desir (MECHANS-T), his fans, his friends and the musical family in general and invites everyone to collaborate in respect of the principles so that light is shed on this strange disappearance. IH/ iciHaiti Friday 19 July 2024, 13:01 - Last updated: 20 July, 12:44 The American supermodel of Palestinian origin Bella Hadid - who had already faced a sea of troubles for a photo posted on Instagram (where her boot is seen against an airport window with Saudi Arabian and Emirati planes in the background) - is once again in hot water. This time following accusations of antisemitism from various Jewish organizations, prompting Adidas to hastily change the advertising campaign with the American top model for the global launch of a new sneaker inspired by the 1972 Munich Olympics, set to hit the market in time for the upcoming Paris Olympics. The Jewish community was the first to raise the issue, considering the advertising campaign disrespectful of what happened in Munich in 1972, when several Israeli athletes were murdered by Palestinian terrorists. The choice of Bella Hadid, who had previously been accused of being openly anti-Israeli for various statements she had made, did not go unnoticed. Shocking survey on Italian Jews reveals exponential increase in antisemitism: 9 out of 10 have experienced hostile acts Adidas told the German Catholic agency KNA that it was disturbed: "We are aware that connections have been made to those tragic historical events - even if they were completely unintended - We apologize for any distress caused. For this reason, we are reviewing the campaign." However, the collaboration with Hadid remains in place for the future. The international organization Combat Antisemitism Movement was the first to point out the anomaly: "The fact that Adidas chose Hadid, who constantly incites hatred against Jews and attacks the Jewish state, is already deplorable enough. But for this company to launch a shoe commemorating an Olympics where so much Jewish blood was shed is simply pathological." European elections, head of European rabbis: "Rise of extreme right also due to centrists' inertia towards Islamic radicalism" Subsequently, the American organization StopAntisemitism had a similar reaction. And so did the Central Council of Jews in Germany. At that point, the avalanche of criticism swelled: the Israeli embassy in Berlin on X: "Guess who is the face of the campaign? Bella Hadid, a model with Palestinian roots who has spread antisemitism in the past and called for violence against Israelis and Jews." THE STORY On September 5, 1972, at the Munich Olympics, an attack by Palestinian terrorists turned the Olympic Games into the scene of a massacre that ended on September 6. It was 4 a.m. when a Palestinian commando scaled the wall of the Olympic village with the aim of eliminating the Israeli delegation. Eight fedayeen (from the Arabic fida'i, "one who sacrifices himself") disguised as athletes and armed with automatic rifles and grenades, stormed the Israelis' accommodations, killing two and taking another nine hostage. The operation had been organized two months earlier in Rome, where some men from Black September, an international armed organization founded on September 16, 1970, after King Hussein of Jordan (1935-1999) had the army intervene to counter the growing power of the fedayeen in his country, had met. Attacks, alert grows. The United States to citizens abroad: "Risk of terrorist attacks, exercise greater caution" For Hollywood, Frankenstein is lifeless matter that can endlessly be reanimated. Over the last 100 years, there have been myriad Frankenstein adaptations, many of which have frazzled and mutated author Mary Shelleys original vision beyond recognition. These include romances, cartoons and comedies as well as more conventional horror yarns. Everyone from Andy Warhol to Abbott and Costello has had a go at pulling the lever on their own monster movies. Soon, audiences will have a chance to reacquaint themselves with one of the very best Frankenstein features. Mel Brookss Young Frankenstein (1974), back on screen this autumn to mark its 50th anniversary, was conceived as a comic spoof. It lampooned both Shelleys 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus and the Universal adaptations made by James Whale in the 1930s, which starred Boris Karloff as the monster with a bolt in his neck. The miracle, though, is that Young Frankenstein itself still feels so fresh. After all, this didnt seem a promising idea for a movie at all. Actor Gene Wilder, who had just starred in Brookss cowboy parody Blazing Saddles (1974), had a hankering to write and direct his own material. As he recounted in his 2006 autobiography, he rented a small house on the bay in Westhampton Beach, New York, and set to work on a screenplay, writing longhand with a felt tip pen. He recalled: At the top of the page, I wrote Young Frankenstein, the Birth of a Monster and then wrote two pages of what might happen to me if I was the great-grandson of Beaufort von Frankenstein and was called to Transylvania because I had just inherited the Frankenstein estate. From that flimsy beginning, the project slowly began to twitch and flicker into existence. Wilder had known Brooks since acting opposite the filmmakers wife Anne Bancroft in a stage production of Bertolt Brechts Mother Courage in 1963. He had already starred in Brookss feature debut The Producers (1967) as well as in Blazing Saddles. Brooks, meanwhile, regarded Wilder as a muse. He relished the way the Willy Wonka actor could be sad and funny at the same time, in the vein of Charlie Chaplin, and marvelled at his radiant innocence. It was true: even when performing the goofiest, filthiest and most subversive routines, Wilder somehow still always retained the expression of a choirboy. When Wilders agent Mike Medavoy suggested Brooks as a potential director for Young Frankenstein, the actor was aghast. He was certain his old mentor wouldnt want to direct anything he hasnt conceived himself. Wilder, though, was wrong. Brooks leapt at the chance to make a monster movie. He didnt even complain when Wilder asked for him not to act in the movie out of a fear that his scene-stealing schtick would be too big a distraction. open image in gallery Shelley, reimagined: Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein ( Fox ) The two men worked doggedly on the screenplay, bonding over cups of tea and digestive biscuits. The trick, they quickly decided, was to approach the project in deadly earnest. In the completed movie, Frankenstein and his monster are shown dancing in top hats and tails to Irving Berlin music. The script is full of old vaudeville gags bound to make audiences groan. (Werewolf? There.). It has crass jokes about big knockers that might have embarrassed Benny Hill or Russ Meyer. Absurdity reigns. Nonetheless, Young Frankenstein has the bones of a proper horror film too literally, in fact. The filmmakers sourced real skulls to add some extra verisimilitude to the early scenes. Brooks and Wilder took their research very seriously. They studied Shelleys novel intently, and watched and re-watched Whales Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. Both were determined to remain as faithful as possible to the look and tempo of those movies. We saw how he took his time. Whale wanted everything to be dark and sombre, Brooks later observed. The plot follows Dr Frederick Frankenstein, a brilliant American academic deeply ashamed about his European ancestor Victors kooky experiments with reviving corpses. (To distinguish himself from his disreputable relative, he insists his own surname is pronounced Fronkenshteen). However, when he inherits the familys estate in Transylvania, he is inevitably drawn into repeating exactly those experiments. (His bold vision of creating new life is undermined when his assistant brings him back the wrong brain, one that belonged to a certain Abby Normal.) open image in gallery Got the hump: the inimitable Feldman in Young Frankenstein ( Fox ) The film is far more restrained (and arguably far funnier as a result) than some of Brookss later, more scattergun movie spoofs (such feeble efforts as Dracula: Dead and Loving It and Robin Hood: Men in Tights). One key decision that terrified the financiers was to shoot in black and white. There is nothing in Young Frankensteins opening credits haunting violin music, lightning crackling, thunder rumbling and the slow zoom on a sinister, distant castle to suggest this is a comedy at all. You have to wait at least two minutes for the first real laugh (courtesy of a skeleton playing up). If the movie looks uncannily like the Boris Karloff pictures that inspired it, that is no accident. Brooks and his team had somehow tracked down the lab equipment used by Universal 40 years before in the Whale movies. This was all stored in the Santa Monica garage of Whales veteran production designer and electrical special effects creator, Kenneth Strickfaden. Miraculously, it all still worked, Brooks recalled of the contraptions and gizmos that provided those famous lightning zaps responsible for bringing Karloff back to life. open image in gallery It lives: Young Frankenstein was the fourth film from visionary comedy director Mel Brooks ( Fox ) To avoid copyright infringement, the monster (very sweetly played by the hulking character actor Peter Boyle) wasnt allowed a bolt so they gave him a zip around his neck instead. Everything else was spot on, from the make-up to the beehive hairdo worn by one character late on that perfectly matches Elsa Lanchesters famous shock-haired coiffure in Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Strangely, Young Frankenstein was far more faithful to the source material than the majority of other adaptations before or since. Admittedly, that fidelity isnt immediately apparent when youre first looking at comedian Marty Feldmans moveable hump (which changes shoulders throughout the movie) and his huge bulbous eyes in his role as Frankensteins hunchback helper, Igor. Unlike Brooks, Shelley decided against writing a scene in which a blind old man (Gene Hackman) mistakes the monsters thumb for a cigar and sets it alight. You wont find any of those smutty jokes about the monsters enormous schwanzschtucker in Shelleys book either. Nonetheless, amid the banter, inanity, phallic references and relentless double entendres, Brookss comic classic includes almost all of the elements found in more traditional versions. Young Frankenstein is by far my finest effort as a writer-director Mel Brooks Wilders romantic and dashing portrayal of the modern-day Frankenstein, with his wavy Albert Einstein hair, hasnt dated in the slightest. Nor has the comic brilliance of actors like Cloris Leachman (the sinister but still sensual Frau Blucher, named after the Prussian victor at Waterloo), Teri Garr (Inga, the voluptuous Transylvanian maid who likes rolling in the hay); Kenneth Mars (showing Peter Sellers-like virtuosity as a thickset police inspector with an impenetrable Teutonic accent, an artificial arm and a monocle over his blind eye) and Madeline Kahn (as the ermine-draped fiancee Elizabeth who takes quite a shine to the monster). Some elements of the film will rankle with contemporary viewers. Its sexual politics are problematic. Scenes like Boyles monster seemingly about to rape Elizabeth (who then breaks into orgasmic operatic arias after they have had sex seven times in a row), or of Dr Frederick casually bedding his assistant Inga wouldnt have been played so confidently for laughs today. Nonetheless, this is a film that continually wrong-foots you with its gentleness and its ingenuity. One of the best moments comes just when you expect the monster is about to kill the little girl. Instead, he sits on the see-saw and his enormous weight catapults her high into the air and safely back into her own bed. open image in gallery Young Frankenstein was written by Gene Wilder and Brooks ( Fox ) Wilder and Brooks arent afraid of abstract ideas. During the brilliant early classroom sequence, Wilders Frankenstein explains the distinction between reflexive and voluntary nerve impulses in very lucid fashion by kicking an old man in the testicles. There could hardly be a better moment for Young Frankenstein to be sparked back into new cinematic life. Monster mania is again on the rise; a first edition of Shelleys novel sold at auction in Texas earlier this summer for an astonishing $843,000 (650,000). Two new rival Frankenstein movies are currently being assembled. Guillermo Del Toros Netflix adaptation stars Euphorias Jacob Elordi as the monster and Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, while Maggie Gyllenhaals The Bride! has Christian Bale as the creature and Jessie Buckley as his mate. Brooks, who turned 98 last month, called Young Frankenstein by far his finest effort as a writer-director. The genius of The Producers and Blazing Saddles aside, its hard to quibble with his assessment. This monster mash-up is so lively that it makes most other Frankenstein movies look moribund by comparison. Young Frankenstein is re-released on 4 October Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Angelina Jolie has asked her ex husband Brad Pitt to drop his lawsuit against her via her lawyer. The Maleficent actor, 49, and the Babylon star, 60, who were in a relationship for twelve years and share six children, became embroiled in legal drama in 2021 when Pitt sued Jolie for secretly selling her shares of their French winery, Chateau Miraval, which they purchased together when they were a couple. Jolies legal team have said the Girl, Interrupted star wants Pitt to withdraw his lawsuit so the years-long dispute can be brought to a close, adding she will be forced to continue to defend herself in court unless he does so. While Angelina again asks Mr. Pitt to end the fighting and finally put their family on a clear path toward healing, unless Mr. Pitt withdraws his lawsuit, Angelina has no choice but to obtain the evidence necessary to prove his allegations wrong, Paul Murphy said in a statement. In May, a Los Angeles judge ruled Jolie would have to submit eight years worth of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) as part of the ongoing legal battle. Murphy commented: Mr. Pitt has control of all the properties the couple shared as well as control of the business, but still he demands more, and is suing Angelina for $67 million plus punitive damages. In doing so, Pitt placed squarely at issue why he tried to punish and control Angelina by demanding a newly expanded NDA. The Independent has contacted Pitts representatives for comment. open image in gallery Pitt and Jolie split in 2016 after two years of marriage and 12 years together ( Getty ) The winery dispute comes amid Jolies ongoing abuse allegations against Pitt, who is said to have filed for divorce after an incident on a September 2016 private flight from France to Los Angeles. The court filings, which were obtained by The New York Times, claimed that Pitt choked one of the children and struck another in the face and grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her. The filing also states that, at one point, he poured beer on Jolie; at another, he poured beer and red wine on the children. Earlier this year, Jolies lawyers claimed that Pitts history of physical abuse of Jolie started well before the familys September 2016 plane trip, but noted that the flight marked the first time he turned his physical abuse on the children as well, causing the Salt star to leave the relationship immediately. open image in gallery The couple are embroiled in a legal battle over their French Winery, Chateau Miraval ( AFP via Getty Images ) Pitt vehemently denied the claims at the time, and he was never charged following an investigation into allegations of abuse on the 2016 flight. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free When Pitts team first requested Jolies NDAs as part of the Chateau Miraval, Murphy told The Daily Mail at the time that they were more than happy to turn the NDAs over because they open the door to discussion around Pitts conduct. Common NDAs are simply not comparable to Mr Pitts last-second demand to try and cover up his personal misconduct, Murphy said, adding Jolies team is gratified that the Court acknowledged that the only potential relevance is to the unconscionability of Mr Pitts conduct, a now confirmed key issue in this case. Meanwhile, Pitts team have claimed the winery related NDAs were standard business NDAs and designed to protect the reputation of the business. Murphy claimed the ruling opens the door to discovery on all issues related to Pitts abuse and we welcome that transparency in all parties discovery responses. He continued: Angelina looks forward to the eventual end of this litigation with its false narratives that continue to hurt the family and interfere with their ability to heal. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Armie Hammer is set to address allegations he is a cannibal in a new interview with Piers Morgan. The Call Me by Your Name star, 37, first became the centre of a social media scandal in 2021 after messages allegedly sent from him detailed graphic sexual desires and cannibalistic fetishes. Hammer was subsequently accused of rape and abuse by various women, but has consistently denied any criminal wrongdoing and was not charged sexual assault after an investigation. His attorney has repeatedly stated that all of his relationships with women were consensual. In a new interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Hammer is asked bluntly by Morgan whether he has ever eaten human flesh and quizzed about the messages that came to light in 2021. Teaser footage for the episode sees Morgan ask the Rebecca actor, are you a cannibal? to which the Hammer asks the presenter: You know what you have to do to be a cannibal? Morgan then asks Hammer whether hes ever eaten any human flesh, with the actor declaring its not a question I thought Id have to answer. One message allegedly sent by Hammer to a former girlfriend reads: You just live to obey and be my slave. I will own you. Thats my soul. My brain. My spirit. My body. Would you come and be my property till you die? If I wanted to cut off one of your toes and keep it with me in my pocket so I always had a piece of you in my possession? Addressing the message, Hammer tells Morgan: This was a very intense [affair] very sexually-charged, between two people Different people have different sexual fantasies. He added: But I dont think thats any different than when someone looks at a baby and goes, Oh my God, look at those cute little fat legs, I just want to eat you up. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Morgan also asks Hammer about another message he allegedly sent where he told his partner he felt like a god standing over her with a knife. Asked if the quotes are true, Hammer replied: I dont remember saying those things. Of the wider allegations of abuse, he claimed: None of those people were hurt or upset because I pushed any sexual boundaries. open image in gallery Armie Hammer is set to address allegations he is a cannibal in a new interview with Piers Morgan ( Getty Images ) Last month, Hammer finally addressed allegations of a cannibalism fetish hes faced over the past three years, saying he is ultimately grateful for the experience despite the fact it derailing his Hollywood career. During an appearance on podcast Painful Lessons, Hammer said: Im actually now at a place where Im really grateful for it because, where I was in my life before all of that stuff happened to me, I didnt feel good. I never felt satisfied. I never had enough. I never was in a place where I was happy with myself, where I had self-esteem. He described the scandal as almost like a neutron bomb [that] went off in my life. It killed me, it killed my ego, it killed all the people around me that I thought were my friends that werent all of those people, in a flash, went away. But the buildings were still standing. Im still here, I still have my health, and Im really grateful for that. Hammers Piers Morgan Uncensored episode will go live on YouTube at 6pm on Friday (19 July). Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy President Joe Biden continues to lose crucial support from his colleagues, big-name celebrities and donors. Last month, Bidens shaky performance at the first presidential debate against the Republican nominee, former president Donald Trump, led to questions about his capability to run for reelection. Despite several major voices urging Biden to step aside, the incumbent president is insistent about his ability to run and win again. Follow the latest updates on Biden as he vows to run despite gaffes However, Bidens confidence does not seem to have calmed the minds of some of his once-ardent supporters, who have called on the president to step aside. In an op-ed for The New York Times, Oscar-winning actor George Clooney wrote that while I love Joe Biden, the Democrats need a new nominee. I love Joe Biden. As a senator. As a vice president and as president. I consider him a friend, and I believe in him. Believe in his character. Believe in his morals. In the last four years, hes won many of the battles hes faced, Clooney, 63, wrote. But the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time. None of us can. Its devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe big F-ing deal Biden of 2010. He wasnt even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate, he said. open image in gallery George Clooney called on top Democrats to ask this president to voluntarily step aside ( Getty Images ) The Oceans Eleven star called on top Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, to ask this president to voluntarily step aside. Thelma & Louise star Susan Sarandon has also spoken out against Bidens viability, telling Variety that she thinks he should withdraw from the race. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Obviously there are a lot of people within the party who feel the same way, the 77-year-old Sarandon said. I think its obvious [why he should step down]. Way before the age thing came into play, hundreds of thousands of uncommitted voters in swing states, because of the war in Gaza, put his possible election in jeopardy. On Monday, July 8, bestselling horror author Stephen King, 76, tweeted that while Joe Biden has been a fine president its time for him in the interests of the America he so clearly loves to announce he will not run for re-election. When Harry Met Sally... director Rob Reiner, 77 shared a similar view. If the Convicted Felon wins, we lose our Democracy. Joe Biden has effectively served US with honor, decency, and dignity. Its time for Joe Biden to step down, Reiner wrote on X. Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof, a self-proclaimed lifelong Democrat, declared that Biden has to go & the Dems need to wake up. In a guest column written for Deadline, Lindelof urged others to withhold their donations to the Democratic party until theres change at the top of the ticket. When Joe finally leaves the mound, I will stand and applaud. Because he truly pitched a great game, he said. open image in gallery Stephen King, Rob Reiner and other celebrities have called on Joe Biden to step down ( Getty Images ) One of the Democrats biggest donors, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings has also called for Biden to drop out of the race. Biden needs to step aside to allow a vigorous Democratic leader to beat Trump and keep us safe and prosperous, he sent in an email to The New York Times. Director Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine, Fahrenheit 9/11) was a bit more extreme in his argument against Biden. During an appearance on MSNBC, Moore, 70, accused the Democratic party of committing elder abuse by pushing Biden to continue with his election campaign. The problem here is that I think there is a form of elder abuse going on here where the Democratic Party and the people that are part of the apparatus are pushing and pushing him to stay. And then he comes out and says I am staying, and the family says I am staying, he said. I dont know about you, but in spite of my criticisms with Biden, watching the debate a week ago was heartbreaking. It was like, imagine that was your father up there, Moore added. Im thinking, why isnt anybody doing anything? Why did they let him go out on the stage in this condition? Who is looking out for him? Who is looking out for him right now? Last week, Disney heiress Abigail Disney, a longstanding Democratic donor, hailed the president as a good man who had served his country admirably, but warned that the GOP would win in November if a change of leadership was not made. I intend to stop any contributions to the party unless and until they replace Biden at the top of the ticket, she said in a statement shared with CNBC. The View hosts were among the first major commentators to insist on Bidens exit from the race. The day after Bidens debate, the talk show hosts discussed his poor performance, with Sara Haines declaring: It kind of pains me to say this today, but I think President Biden needs to step down and be replaced if we want to defeat Donald Trump in November. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Christina Sandera, the longtime partner of Oscar-winning actor and director Clint Eastwood, has died. She was 61. Eastwood, 94, announced her death, saying in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: Christina was a lovely, caring woman, and I will miss her very much. No other information about her death was released. Sandera and Eastwood had been dating for a decade up until her death. They reportedly met while she was working as a hostess at the actors Mission Ranch Hotel and Restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The Million Dollar Baby star is the former mayor of the Northern California city. She was a longtime Carmel resident, whom Eastwood began dating in 2014 following the divorce from his second wife, TV news anchor Dina Eastwood. He was previously married to model Maggie Johnson from 1953 to 1984. Eastwood had other long-term relationships in between. He dated stuntwoman Roxanne Tunis, the late actor Sondra Locke (they were domestic partners for 14 years and starred in four movies together), flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves and actor Frances Fisher (they were together for five years and co-starred in four films). Sandera and Eastwood remained quiet about their relationship. She did, however, attend the Oscars with Eastwood in 2015, when his war movie American Sniper was in contention for six Oscars including Best Picture. Christina Sandera and Clint Eastwood had been dating since 2014 ( Getty Images ) She also joined the Gran Torino actor on several red carpets: Sully (2016), The Mule (2018), The 15:17 to Paris (2018) and Richard Jewell (2019). Eastwood recently completed directing his 40th movie, Juror No 2. He first announced the project in April 2023. Starring Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, Zoey Deutsch and JK Simmons, Juror No 2 tells the story of a family man (Hoult), who, while serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, discovers he may have played a role in the victims death. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Juror No 2 marks Eastwoods return to the directors chair, following a three-year hiatus after his 2021 western thriller, Cry Macho, in which he also starred alongside Fernanda Urrejola, Natalia Traven and Dwight Yoakam. Speaking in a 2014 interview with The Associated Press about his career longevity, Eastwood said: There are so many different stories to tell out there. You can be 21 or 81. ... If you tell yourself, Im too old to do that bulls***. Youre not too old to do anything. Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Get our The Life Cinematic email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A man who is suspected of stalking Emma Watson has been arrested in Oxford after turning up at her university and demanding to see her. The Harry Potter star, 34, is currently studying for a masters degree in creative writing at Oxford University after graduating from Brown University with a bachelors degree in English literature in 2014. Chad Michael Busto, 44, was arrested on June 26 after Oxford locals reported he had been asking questions about Watson. Busto, who is American, told The Sun he arrived in the UK with 800 and a sleeping bag and had been sleeping in Oxford Church ahead of his visit to the English department at the university where he tried to gain information. The 44-year-old claimed he wanted to connect with Watson to talk to her about a big case he claimed to have won in the United States in 2021. Busto claimed officials had made plans to deport him and he wanted to claim a British citizenship. They are illegally detaining me and I have no idea when Ill be allowed to leave, he alleged. Police have my possessions. Im on the run, theres a danger to my life. open image in gallery Emma Watson attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 31st Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party ( Getty Images for Elton John AIDS ) Police said an American man, 44, was held on suspicion of stalking and released under investigation. It comes after Busto was previously arrested in September for allegedly breaking into a fashion show dressing room in New York and shouting that he wanted to marry Watson. He told The Sun his words were taken out of context and said he wanted to get Watsons attention, adding it kind of worked in the way he wanted. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free He pleaded not guilty to charges of trespass and disorderly conduct and was released without bail. Busto was also temporarily detained in Long Island after going door to door telling area residents that he was looking for Drew Barrymores residence. Prior to this, he had also attempted to storm the stage at a talk conducted by Barrymore in New York City. In a TikTok recording, a member of the audience can be heard shouting Drew Barrymore, causing her to look up in shock. Oh my god, yes? Hi!, she said, looking over at the side of the stage. The man went on to identify himself as Chad Michael Busto, telling her: You know who I am. I need to see you at some point while youre in New York. An on-stage security guard quickly intercepted the man, while a second security guard helped lead him away. A spokesperson for the New York City Police Department told The Independent at the time that no complaints had been filed over the incident. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ed Sheeran is facing criticism after he was photographed with Johnny Depp backstage at Andrea Bocellis concert series. Both Sheeran, 33, and Depp, 61, alongside actor Russell Crowe, 60, recently featured as special guests at the renowned Italian tenors three-day Tuscan event in celebration of his 30th anniversary in music. On Thursday (July 18), the day after the show, Crowe posted a picture of him sharing a Guinness backstage with Depp and Sheeran. Teatro del Silenzio backstage shenanigans with Teddy & Johnny, the Gladiator star captioned the tweet. Lubrication by Guinness. Perfect. Grazie Millie Maestro Andrea Bocelli. What an incredible experience. Several X users have since reacted to the post, calling out Sheeran and Crowe for hanging out with Depp. I sometimes cant defend other men, one person wrote. Oh, Ed Sheeran, another said, alongside a GIF of Tyra Banks shouting. I was rooting for you, we were all rooting for you! How dare you! Nooooooooooo omfg we lost one today kids. ed, how could you do this to me?????? A third wrote. Ed sheeran is not a girls girl... Johnny Depp is a vile human being, wrote a fourth. open image in gallery Ed Sheeran and Johnny Depp were both invited to perform at Andrea Bocellis concert series ( Getty Images ) In 2022, Depp won his high-profile defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard over an op-ed she wrote in 2018 in The Washington Post, in which she describes herself as a public figure representing domestic abuse. Depp previously lost his libel battle against the publisher of The Sun newspaper in 2020 over an article that claimed he was a wife beater. Since the trials, hes been working to repair his image and acting career. Ahead of his guest performance at Bocellis concert, Bocelli declared Depp a disarmingly charming actor who has brought countless iconic characters to life on the big screen, this eclectic artists musical talents are equally intense: a bona fide rockstar loved and applauded everywhere. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up During the show, Depp joined Bocelli on stage, where they both honored the late Jeff Beck, who died suddenly in January 2023 after contracting bacterial meningitis. Depp played the guitar, while Bocelli sang En Aranjuez Con Tu Amor, the song Depp and Beck reportedly performed for Bocelli when they visited him years ago. Earlier this month, while accepting the award for Best Actor for his performance in Maiwenns historical drama Jeanne Du Barry at the National Film Awards, Depp addressed his sometimes tragic Hollywood career. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak to you today. I feel very lucky, and I feel very honored that you all of you allow me to still continue to do the work that I love to do, he said in a pre-recorded video played at the ceremony. Its always especially humbling when recognition for your endeavors comes directly from the hearts of the people, the hearts and minds whove joined me on this long mystical, magical, sometimes tragic yet never boring journey, Depp added. I cant thank you all enough for continuing to allow me to tell the stories that I feel are necessary to be told. And for having stuck with me and my curious collection of characters over these many years. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Jeremy Clarksons working relationship with Richard Hammond and James May appears to be officially over. The TV star is currently enjoying the biggest success of his career with Clarksons Farm, a series airing on Amazons subscription service Prime Video that documents his attempts to run the 1000-acre farm he purchased in 2008. Since premiering in 2021, Clarkson has extended his business empire by purchasing a Cotswolds pub for 1m something he is developing a brand new series about, which will no doubt include the grim discovery he made outside the country boozer earlier this week. But those hoping Clarksons Farm was a temporary stopgap in between new seasons of The Grand Tour the Prime Video show the trio made together after leaving Top Gear will be left disappointed following what looks to be the closing of the production company co-owned by Clarkson, Hammond and May. MailOnline reports that, on Thursday (11 July), the presenters approved the disolution of W Chump and Sons, which produced The Grand Tour, with government agency Companies House. As part of the companys dissolution, the trio declared solvency and have appointed a liquidator to wind up their business. This development appears to confirm hints that the shows forthcoming special, which was filmed in Zimbabwe, will be the last time the trio will work together. The Independent has contacted Clarkson, Hammond and May for comment. Clarkson and Hammond hosted Top Gears first series in 2002 alongside Jason Dawe, with May replacing the latter in series two. The trios chemistry and on-screen interactions was one of the reasons the show became such a success, and they remained on the BBC motoring show until Clarkson was dropped in 2015 following a behind-the-scenes incident. Hammond and May proved their loyalty to Clarkson by also leaving the show and, together, they created The Grand Tour, which premiered in 2016. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free open image in gallery Clarkson, Hammond and May on The Grand Tour ( Prime Video ) It was claimed in November 2023 that the final special, filmed as part of the fifth series, would be the shows finale. Clarksons Farm has since become one of the biggest hits on Prime Video. Earlier this year, the TV star shared behind-the-scenes details of the show, revealing how the idea of free-grazing his pigs a rare breed called Sandy and Black ended in disaster. Clarkson had been warned by land agent Charlie Ireland that it wouldnt be as simple a task as he was thinking, stating: Pigs need round-the-clock care. He learned this the hard way when many of the piglets died, with some of them being crushed accidentally by their mothers. In fact, so many piglets died that it left those working on the show feeling distressed. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy South Korea has appointed a former North Korean diplomat as a vice minister, making him the highest-ranking defector in the country. President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed Tae Yongho secretary general of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, which gives the leader policy advice on peaceful Korean unification. Mr Tae, 62, was the North's deputy envoy to the UK before defecting in 2016. He was forced to flee because he did not want his children to live miserable lives in North Korea, he said. Mr Tae claimed that he fell into despair over leader Kim Jong-Uns alleged executions of government officials and nuclear ambitions. Pyongyang denounced him as a human scum and accused him of embezzling public money and committing other crimes. Mr Taes appointment made him the first North Korean defector appointed to a vice-ministerial job in South Korea, where nearly 34,000 North Koreans have resettled over the years. Mr Tae was elected to South Korea's national assembly in 2020 but could not secure a second term in Aprils parliamentary election. Several North Korean defectors besides him have served as lawmakers in the South. The president's office said on Thursday that Mr Tae was the right person for the post because he could utilise his experiences living in the North and working on South Koreas parliamentary committee on foreign policy and unification issues. Most defectors from the North left after a devastating famine in the 1990s. They were mostly women from the poorer northern regions, which share a long and porous border with China. In recent years, however, the number of North Korean elites fleeing to the South has steadily increased, as per the countrys unification ministry. A defector from the North is given citizenship, almost-free housing, resettlement money and other benefits upon arrival in the South. But coming from an authoritarian and nominally socialist North Korea, many experience discrimination and severe difficulties in adjusting to new lives in capitalistic, highly competitive South Korea, according to their interviews and surveys. Speaking at the inaugural North Korean Defectors Day on Sunday, Mr Yoon promised to provide greater government support to improve the lives of North Korean defectors. South Koreas spy agency this week announced that Ri Il Kyu, a counsellor of political affairs at the Norths embassy in Cuba, defected to Seoul last November. Mr Ri said he did not reveal his plan even to his family until hours before he pulled off the escape. I bought flight tickets and called my wife and kid to tell them about my decision, six hours before the defection, the former diplomat said. I didnt say South Korea, but said, lets live abroad. Meanwhile, South Korea's military said that it was resuming nonstop loudspeaker broadcasting of propaganda targeting North Korea in response to what it called the "despicable, shameful and vulgar" launch of balloons by Pyongyang carrying trash across the border. The loudspeaker broadcasts and the balloons, which South Korean activists have also launched over the years with anti-North propaganda leaflets, have escalated tension between the two Koreas. The two countries are still technically at war since an armistice ended the 1950-1953 Korean War, not a peace treaty. Additional reporting by agencies. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Indian preacher at the centre of a massive crowd crush that killed 121 people earlier this month has stirred a controversy by saying that no one could change destiny. Who can change the inevitable? Everyone who enters this world has to leave one day, Suraj Pal, known among his followers as Bhole Baba, told local reporters. Only the time is uncertain. In an interview with IANS news agency, he claimed that the stampede at his event left him in deep depression. He previously said he was deeply saddened by the 2 July incident which occurred during a satsang, or prayer meeting, in Hathras, 200km southeast of the national capital Delhi, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. A preliminary investigation found that thousands more people than permitted had turned up at the event and, as it got over, hundreds of them attempted to collect dust the preacher had walked on before he left the venue. Mr Pals prayer meeting had permission for 80,000 people but let in about 250,000, which authorities said led to the crush. While some of the events organisers have been arrested, Bhole Baba has not been named in the police case or questioned. The preacher has denied any involvement, alleging a conspiracy against him. Relatives of the victims and other citizens have been demanding his arrest and criticising the lack of any legal action against him. On X, one user said: 100% scot-free. Will likely do another satsang soon. Another wrote: Thats how 99.9 religious preachers think about their own followers...They just use these followers to earn money and fame. Why do people follow these scammers? wrote another. Mr Pal reportedly left his job as a police constable in the late 1990s, christened himself Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari and became a Hindu religious preacher. The self-styled godman claimed to resurrect the dead and even attempted to take a 16-year-old girls body from a crematorium, promising her family a miracle, police told Reuters. His lawyer AP Singh earlier said Bhole Baba had arrived at his ashram in Uttar Pradeshs Kasganj area. He has reached his ashram and will stay here. He came here from another ashram. He was never at anyones place or any hotel or other country, Mr Singh said. The Uttar Pradesh state government has formed a Special Investigation Team and a judicial commission to investigate the stampede. Please keep faith in the government and the administration. I have faith that anyone who created the chaos would not be spared, the preacher earlier told ANI. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Bangladesh issued a high security alert across the country and shut down internet and mobile services on Friday after violent protests against a government jobs allocation scheme left at least 38 people dead this week. Thousands of protesters stormed the headquarters of the state broadcaster BTV on Thursday, vandalised furniture, smashed windows, and set fire to parts of the building, local media reported. Television news channels were off air on Friday morning and telecommunications were severely disrupted. AFP news agency reported that at least 32 people died in the violence on Thursday, adding to six fatalities earlier in the week. The unrest started last month but sharply escalated this week. The protesters, mostly students, oppose a quota system that reserves 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of the 1971 war veterans, which they view as discriminatory. The protests erupted after a high court reversed a 2018 decision to abolish job quotas. The ruling has been temporarily suspended by the supreme court pending an appeal, with further discussions slated for Sunday. The Sheikh Hasina government has accused the opposition of inciting the violence. open image in gallery A policeman stands near a fire set by protesters during a clash in Dhaka on 18 July 2024 ( AFP via Getty ) A staffer at BTV told the Associated Press by phone on Thursday that they escaped by leaping over the wall but some of their colleagues got stuck inside when the protesters stormed their headquarters. The attackers entered the building and set furniture on fire. Bangladeshs information minister told the BBC that BTV broadcasts had been stopped and most employees evacuated from the building in the capital. Earlier, a post on BTVs official Facebook page warned that many people were trapped inside and called for assistance from the fire service to extinguish the fire. An unidentified BTV journalist was quoted as saying that the situation was so bad we did not have any other option but to leave the place. Some of our colleagues were trapped inside. I dont know what happened to them. open image in gallery Students shout slogans during protests in Dhaka on 18 July 2024 ( AFP via Getty ) The protesters have announced they would continue their call for a shutdown on Friday and urged mosques nationwide to hold funeral prayers for those killed in the violence. They have threatened a complete shutdown of the transportation systems, businesses, and schools if their demands are not met. We want a permanent executive order from the government saying the quotas are abolished, except some quotas for the disabled and minorities, Parvez Mosharraf, a Dhaka University student, told Dawn last week. The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has backed the call for a shutdown. open image in gallery Protesters clash with police and supporters of the ruling Awami League party in Dhaka on 18 July 2024 ( Reuters ) The government in response shut down internet services and mobile services on Friday. Social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp were reportedly inaccessible in the capital Dhaka on Friday morning. According to The Economic Times newspaper, Ms Hasinas government was forced to call in the army late on Thursday to help maintain order. Streets in Dhaka were largely deserted on Friday morning due to the weekly holiday, Reuters reported. Traffic was sparse, with only a few rickshaws visible and minimal crowds near vegetable and fish markets. Additional reporting by agencies. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike is actively working to fix a defect in an update for Microsoft Windows users which sparked a global IT outage, the companys chief executive has said. George Kurtz said Mac and Linux users were not impacted by the fault and it was not a security incident or cyber attack. He wrote on X: The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers. In an interview with NBCs Today Show in the US, Mr Kurtz said the company is deeply sorry for impact that weve caused to customers. He added the firm is working with each and every customer to make sure that we can bring them back online, confirming a bug related to a software update was the cause of the outage. Mr Kurtz said there had been a negative interaction between the update and Microsofts operating system, which had then caused computers to crash, sparking the outage. The CrowdStrike founder could not give a timeframe for when the issue might be fully resolved, admitting it will be some time before all users who did not automatically reboot when receiving the companys fix are back online. Asked if he ever thought an outage of this scale was possible, Mr Kurtz said: Software is a very complex world and theres a lot of interactions, and always staying ahead of the adversary is a tall task. Whitehall crisis officials are co-ordinating the response to the outage. The Cobra system that deals with matters of national emergency or major disruption has been fired up, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said. Ministers are in touch with their sectors to tackle the fallout from the IT failures, with Transport Secretary Louise Haigh saying she is working at pace with industry after trains and flights ground to a halt. Major infrastructure ground to a halt after computer systems were knocked offline, and devices were showing the so-called blue screen of death, affecting key sectors across the country. The outage was causing disruption in the majority of GP practices in England but there was no known impact on 999 or emergency services, NHS England said. The health service said patients should attend appointments unless told otherwise and should only contact their GP in urgent cases. Across England, GP surgeries reported being unable to book appointments or access patient records as their EMIS Web system went down. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) said services in community pharmacies, including the accessing of prescriptions from GPs and medicine deliveries, are disrupted today. In a statement, Microsoft said: We are aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third party software platform. We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming. In an update on its website, Microsoft suggested users of virtual machines a PC where the computer is not in the same place as the screen turn their devices on and off again up to 15 times to help reboot the device and fix the issue. Weve received feedback from customers that several reboots (as many as 15 have been reported) may be required, but overall feedback is that reboots are an effective troubleshooting step at this stage, the tech giant said. In the UK, Sky News went off air, and Britains biggest train company warned passengers to expect disruption because of widespread IT issues, as did many major airlines and airports. Around the world, banks, supermarkets and other major institutions reported computer issues disrupting services, while many businesses were unable to take digital payments. Overnight, Microsoft warned of service degradation which meant users were not able to access many of the tech giants most popular services and apps, used by millions of businesses and people around the world. Among the impacted firms was Ryanair, with the airline posting to its website: Potential disruptions across the network (Fri 19 July) due to a global third party system outage. Affected passengers will be notified and any passengers travelling across the network on Fri 19 July should check their Ryanair app for the latest updates on their flight. We advise passengers to arrive at the airport three hours in advance of their flight to avoid any disruptions. We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers by this third party IT issue, which is outside of Ryanairs control and affects all airlines operating across the network. Airports and other airlines around the world reported major issues processing passengers with long queues forming at terminals and some flights grounded. Govia Thameslink Railway parent company of Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern warned passengers to expect delays. Service status monitoring website Downdetector said users were reporting issues with Visa, BT, major supermarket chains, banks, online gaming platforms and media outlets. GP practices across England warned they could not access EMIS Web, the most widely used clinical system for primary care in the UK. It enables GP practices to book appointments and examine records, and includes a clinical decision support tool as well as helping with admin. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval has clarified hes in no way suing ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix after his cheating scandal with former co-star Rachel Raquel Leviss. The 42-year-old reality star initially filed a cross-complaint against the Love Island USA host, 39, over claims that she invaded his privacy and distributed explicit videos of him and Leviss without his permission. In the lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles court on July 17, Sandoval alleged that his privacy was invaded by Madix when she illegally obtained access to his phone on March 1, 2023, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sandoval claimed Madix had reviewed images, information, data, videos and/or communications that included FaceTime videos between him and Leviss with whom he was having a seven-month affair. He alleged in the filing that Madix did not have his authorization or permission to look at his phone or view videos on the device. The TomTom Restaurant and Bar co-owner also claimed that Madix made copies of the data and distributed the data to Leviss and third parties without [his] authorization or permission. At the time, attorneys for Madix denied the allegations in the lawsuit and criticized her ex-partner of nine years for attempting to shirk personal responsibility over the fallout of his affair with Leviss. It is abhorrent that Tom Sandoval continues to torment Ms. Madix. From engaging in an illicit affair that shattered her home and stability, to months of emotional warfare and now this attempt to further shirk personal responsibility for the effects his actions have had on her and her emotional wellbeing, her lawyer, Jordan Susman, said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. Mr. Sandoval knows full well what sort of privileges he and Ms. Madix shared in regard to their personal communication devices. If he or his mistress had their way, it would be illegal for someone to discover their spouse or significant other was having an affair. For Mr. Sandoval to go from begging Ms. Madix for forgiveness to blaming her for his wrongdoing speaks for itself, he continued. Even months after The New York Times branded Mr. Sandoval the most hated man in America, he has clearly learned nothing and believes it necessary to continue torturing Ms. Madix in a vain effort to rehabilitate his image. Ms. Madix is confident that a jury will see through this latest ploy and dismiss his frivolous claims. In a lengthy statement issued to his Instagram on Thursday, Sandoval announced he had dropped the lawsuit against Madix and fired his legal team after news of the cross-complaint made headlines. My attorney Matt Geragos, whose advice I trusted, called me about the cross-complaint in the lawsuit against myself and Ariana, the Schwartz & Sandys co-owner wrote. He assured me that the action was customary and strictly preventative in these types of lawsuits and urged me to agree to it. The words new lawsuit or suing were not articulated to me. I shouldve done more of my due diligence on the matter. Sandoval continued: Upon realizing what this action actually means, I have removed Matt Geragos from my legal team. In no way am I suing Ariana. The action against Ariana brought on my behalf is being removed. I hold no ill will or vindictiveness toward Ariana. Now, by removing both the cross-complaint and the attorney who recommended it, I hope to get through this case quickly, so that Ariana and I can both finally move on with our lives. His former attorney, Geragos, told Us Weekly that he had initially filed the cross-complaint to ensure a fair and just determination of responsibility among all parties involved, after Leviss had filed a separate lawsuit against Sandoval and Madix in February. The 29-year-old reality star is seeking a jury trial after accusing the exes of eavesdropping, revenge porn, and an invasion of privacy. While both Sandoval and Madix have attempted to dismiss Leviss claims in subsequent cross-complaints, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Crowley recently set a trial date for November 3, 2025. In March 2023, it was reported by TMZ that Sandoval and Madix who had been in a relationship since 2014 had called it quits after she learned of his affair with Leviss. Sources later confirmed to People that Madix had found a selfie video that was sexual in nature from Leviss on Sandovals phone. The fallout of the cheating scandal, nicknamed #Scandoval, saw Madix confront her ex-partner about his infidelity during the 10th season of Bravos Vanderpump Rules. Both Sandoval and Leviss issued apologies to Madix on social media in the days after their affair was revealed. After the 10th season wrapped filming in March 2023, Leviss checked into a two-month stay at a mental health facility in Arizona, where she sought mental health and trauma therapy treatment. In May 2023, it was reported that Sandoval and Leviss had officially ended their relationship. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} On each passing anniversary of the deadly 1994 attack against Argentina's largest Jewish community center, Diana Malamud said she endures a brutal Groundhog Day. In her version of the Kafkaesque nightmare that traps her in the same day over and over, presidents repeat the same pledges to seek justice for the car bombing at the center that killed 85 people, including Malamud's husband, Andres, wounded 300 others and profoundly unsettled Jewish communities across the continent. No has ever been convicted for involvement in the bombing, considered among the deadliest antisemitic attacks anywhere since World War II. On Thursday, on the 30th anniversary of the attack, President Javier Milei a self-described anarcho-capitalist who rode to power on a wave of popular rage against the political establishment became Argentina's 11th leader to vow renewed efforts to bring perpetrators to justice. His combative anti-Iran rhetoric, pro-Israel foreign policy and radical state reforms have stirred cautious optimism about his commitment to breaking the time loop. On Thursday, Milei signed legislation to make July 18 a national holiday. But many remain unconvinced after three decades of an investigation marred by corruption, obfuscation and intrigue. The years go by, but nothing happens, said Malamud, 64, a member of Active Memory, a group of victims families that has pushed for accountability. On these anniversaries, the government has very important announcements that never serve any purpose. A memorial siren wailed at the community center, known by its Spanish acronym AMIA, on Thursday at 9:53 a.m., the exact minute the attack occurred 30 years ago, commencing the day of stirring speeches and solemn vigils. It's unbelievable that 30 years have passed since that cold morning of 18 July 1994, 30 years without a single person answering for this attack," the head of AMIA, Amos Linetzky, told the crowd of dignitaries at the memorial service, his voice rising with frustration. Milei was in the audience to show support, raising a portrait of one of the 85 victims. At a conference hosted by the World Jewish Congress the day before, he vigorously denounced Iran as the dark hand behind militant attacks from Argentina to Israel. Argentine prosecutors have repeatedly blamed Iran for directing the attack and dispatching Lebanons Hezbollah militant group to execute it claims denied by Iran. There is no reasonable person who doubts that sectors of Irans fanatical government are behind these atrocities, Milei said late Wednesday, equating the Hamas militant attack against Israel on Oct. 7 with the AMIA bombing as well as an earlier 1992 attack on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires. Messages of solidarity poured in from around the world. Pope Francis expressed hope his compatriots would not give up in the search for justice. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the occasion to condemn "all manifestations of antisemitism" that he said have surged around the world in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. On social media platform X, Israeli President Isaac Herzog sent heartfelt thanks" to Milei for his commemoration efforts and "for standing in solidarity with the Israeli people as we continue to face the threat of terror and hatred." Milei has been strikingly vocal in his defense of Israel since the Oct. 7 attacks, promising to move Argentinas embassy to contested Jerusalem and supporting the Israeli militarys devastating campaign in Gaza in contrast to neighboring Latin American countries that have pulled their envoys from Tel Aviv and severed ties with Israel. Milei has also professed a profound spiritual connection to Judaism and forged close ties with the Jewish community in Argentina, the biggest in South America. Although Milei hasn't yet converted to Judaism, he studies Torah and regularly consults with a personal rabbi who he has appointed as the countrys ambassador to Israel. The dramatic foreign policy shift after previous Argentine governments attempted to collaborate with Iran to investigate the bombing has delighted Israel and Jewish advocacy groups. The thing thats different, finally, is that there's a new president in Argentina, said Ted Deutch, CEO of the American Jewish Committee and a former U.S. congressman, praising the shared values that he said now unite Argentina, the U.S. and Israel in new ways. The president of the country speaks with clarity about this issue in a way that resonates." In the past week, Milei designated Hamas as a terrorist organization, announced a revamp of the intelligence services and vowed to introduce legislation that would allow for the trial of suspects in absentia. Despite Interpol notices for their arrests, several Lebanese and Iranian citizens accused of involvement in the attack including Iran's interior minister remain at large. In a ruling last month, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights held the Argentine state responsible for its failure to prevent the attack and accused it of deliberately obstructing justice. It ordered the government to continue its investigations into alleged attempts by officials to cover up Irans involvement in the attack. Members of Active Memory have celebrated the order by the legal body, whose jurisdiction Argentina acknowledges. But they said they have little faith in their government to close the case. "The important thing is to move from gestures and words into concrete action, said Active Memory member Enrique Greenberg. As usual, the group held its own vigil in downtown Buenos Aires at the same time as the AMIA ceremony the short distance between the events a product of the bitter divisions that the elusive quest for justice has spawned within Argentinas Jewish community. There were no government officials at the Active Memory service, where Malamud delivered a tribute similar to the many she has given before. Nonetheless, she found herself moved to tears. As has happened to me so many times, in this same square, she said, the face of my husband Andres comes to me like a wink." ___ Debora Rey contributed to this report. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Alison Baulos says her 73-year-old father was about to head to a Kentucky hospital for open-heart surgery when it was abruptly canceled early Friday morning. His was one of the many operations and medical treatments halted across the country because of a global technology outage. It does really make you just realize how much we rely on technology and how scary it is, Baulos said from her home in Chicago. The major internet outage disrupted flights, banks and businesses, as well as medical centers, around the world. The outage was caused by a faulty software update issued by a cybersecurity firm that affected its customers running Microsoft Windows. The American Hospital Association said the impact varied widely: Some hospitals were not affected while others had to delay, divert or cancel care. Baulos said her father, Gary Baulos, was told Wednesday that some routine tests showed that he had eight blockages and an aneurysm, and needed surgery. He prepped for the surgery Thursday and got a hotel near Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky. He was about to head to the hospital at about 4 a.m. Friday when he received a call that the operation had to be postponed because of the outage. Phone messages left with the spokesperson at Baptist Hospital seeking comment were not immediately returned. At the Guthrie Clinic in Ithaca, New York, the emergency departments were open but outpatient lab tests and routine imaging appointments were canceled. All elective surgeries were postponed and clinics were operating on paper Friday morning, according to information posted on the clinic's website. Sahana Singh arrived at the clinic at 9 a.m. to learn her heart test would have to be rescheduled in two weeks. We look at technology as helping us to be more efficient," the 56-year-old author said. We dont expect just one little software update to paralyze the whole system, globally. The Boston-based health system Mass General Brigham said on its website that it was canceling all non-urgent visits due to the outage, but its emergency rooms remained open. The health system said it couldn't access patient health records and schedules. Harris Health System, which runs public hospitals and clinics in the Houston area, said early Friday it had to suspend hospital visits until further notice. Elective hospital procedures were canceled and rescheduled. Clinic appointments were temporarily halted but later resumed, according to a post on X. The outage affected records systems for Providence, a health system with 51 hospitals in Alaska, California, Montana, Oregon and Washington state. Access to patient records had been restored but workstations were still down, according to a statement Friday from the Renton, Washington-based health system. Kaleida Health Network posted messages on websites for several Buffalo, New York, hospitals that said procedures may be delayed as it dealt with the outage. But it also encouraged patients and employees to report as scheduled. We appreciate your patience while we work to restore full functionality, the statement said. _____ Associated Press reporters Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, and Tom Murphy in Indianapolis contributed to this report. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The fiance of an Ohio art student who went missing nearly 13 years ago was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison. John Carter, 36, had been charged with two counts of murder when he was arrested in March 2023. He eventually pleaded guilty last month to involuntary manslaughter as part of a plea deal. The charges stemmed from the August 2011 disappearance of Katelyn Markham, who was last seen at her home in Fairfield, Ohio. At the time, Markham was a few weeks away from finishing her graphic arts degree at the Art Institute of OhioCincinnati, and Carter has said they were planning to move to Colorado later that year. Skeletal remains identified as Markhams were found in 2013 in a wooded area in Cedar Grove, Indiana, about 20 miles (about 32 kilometers) west of her home in Fairfield. Authorities ruled her death a homicide but did not determine how she was killed. Butler County prosecutors have said Carter caused Markhams death by physical violence and by force. They said Thursday that Carter still hasn't explained how or why he killed Markham. Dave Markham, Katelyn Markhams father, read a letter in court before Carter was sentenced: Not a day goes by that I dont think of Katelyn, he said, imploring Judge Daniel Haughey to sentence Carter to the maximum sentence by law. Let him feel the pain that many of us have endured for the past 13 years. Carter did not speak during the sentencing hearing. His attorneys asked Haughey to impose probation or a minimal prison term, asking him to consider the law and not emotional statements. Haughey, though, imposed the maximum term allowed under the plea deal, saying Carter has shown no genuine remorse for this offense. He also noted that Carter did not try to help Markham or acknowledge what happened to her immediately after her death. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} South Korea said Friday it has restarted blasting propaganda broadcasts into North Korea to retaliate against the Norths latest round of trash-carrying balloon launches, a resumption of Cold War-style tactics that are raising animosities between the rivals. South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said it used front-line loudspeakers to blare anti-Pyongyang broadcasts over the border between Thursday evening and Friday morning. It said the South Korean military turned on loudspeakers again later Friday as it found out the North was preparing to fly more balloons. The broadcasts were the first of their kind in about 40 days. The contents of the broadcasts were not immediately known, but previous ones last month reportedly included K-pop songs, weather forecasts and news on Samsung, the biggest South Korean company, as well as outside criticism of the Norths missile program and its crackdown on foreign video. The South Korean broadcasts could trigger an angry response from North Korea because it is extremely sensitive to any outside attempt to undermine its political system. In 2015, when South Korea restarted loudspeaker broadcasts for the first time in 11 years, North Korea fired artillery rounds across the border, prompting the South to return fire, according to South Korean officials. No casualties were reported. South Korea's military said North Korea must be blamed for heightened tensions because it ignored South Korea's repeated warnings and continued its "despicable balloon campaigns. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the South Korean military will conduct loudspeaker broadcasts in a fuller manner and other stronger steps if North Korea continues provocations like balloon launches. South Koreas military earlier said North Korea's launch on Thursday afternoon was its eighth balloon campaign since late May. About 200 North Korean balloons were found on South Korean soil as of Friday morning, and they mostly carried waste papers, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Previous North Korean-flown balloons carried scraps of cloth, cigarette butts, waste batteries and even manure, though they caused no major damages in South Korea. North Korea said they were sent in response to South Korean activists sending political leaflets to the North via their own balloons. South Korea responded by suspending a 2018 tension-reduction deal with North Korea, conducting propaganda broadcasts for two hours on June 9 and front-line live-fire military drills at border areas. Earlier this week, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hinted at flying rubbish-carrying balloons again or launching new countermeasures, saying South Korean balloons have been found again at border and other areas in North Korea. In her statement Tuesday, Kim Yo Jong warned that South Korean scum must be ready to pay a gruesome and dear price. That raised concerns that North Korea could stage physical provocations, rather than balloon launches. South Koreas military said Wednesday it has boosted its readiness to brace for any provocation by North Korea. It said North Korea may fire at incoming South Korean balloons across the border or floating mines downriver. It wasnt immediately known whether groups in South Korea have recently scattered leaflets in North Korea. For years, activist groups led by North Korean defectors have used helium-filled balloons to drop anti-North Korean leaflets, USB sticks containing K-pop music and South Korean dramas and U.S. dollar bills in the North. North Korea views such activities as a serious security threat and challenge to its ban on foreign news for most of its 26 million people. In 2020, North Korea destroyed an unoccupied South Korean-built liaison office on its territory in a furious response to South Korean civilian leafleting campaigns. In 2014, North Korea fired at balloons flying toward its territory and South Korea returned fire, though there were no casualties. Tensions between the Koreas have heightened in recent years because of North Koreas missile tests and the expansion of U.S-South Korean military drills that North Korea calls invasion rehearsals. Experts say North Koreas expanding ties with Russia could embolden Kim Jong Un to stage bigger provocations, particularly ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November. North Koreas state media said Friday that Kim met a visiting Russian delegation led by Vice Defense Minister Aleksey Krivoruchko. During the meeting, Kim stressed the need for the two countries armies to unite more firmly to defend international peace and justice, according to the Norths official Korean Central News Agency. In June, Kim met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang and signed a deal requiring each country to provide aid to the other if it is attacked and vowed to boost other cooperation. Analysts say the accord represents the strongest connection between the two countries since the end of the Cold War. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The bodies of four Pakistanis killed in an attack on a Shiite mosque in Oman this week have been repatriated and handed to their families, officials said Friday. Relatives of the victims were present when the Pakistan International Airlines flights landed at the Islamabad and Lahore airports. Airline spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez said the bodies were repatriated at orders from the government and handed to the victims' relatives for burial. On Monday, gunmen had stormed a mosque in Oman's capital, Muscat, that was packed with worshippers holding special prayers on the eve of the Shiite mourning festival of Ashoura. The festival marks the 7th-century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammads grandson, Hussein, at Karbala in modern-day Iraq. The Islamic State group claimed Mondays attack in the first instance of the Sunni Muslim extremist group asserting responsibility for an attack in Oman. Omani police have said the three assailants were killed in a subsequent gunfight and were Omani citizens, all brothers. Many of those inside the mosque were Pakistanis, who make up a large number of the nearly 2 million migrants who help power Omans economy working in construction and other fields. Pakistans ambassador in Omar, Imran Ali, said Pakistan was not the target and some of the Pakistanis died while trying to save other worshippers. Pakistans Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, saying, Such acts of terrorism and violence against peaceful civilians cannot be condoned on any grounds whatsoever. The attack demonstrated the persistent threat posed by terrorist organizations and was a reminder of the importance of working together to fight them, ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at a news conference in Islamabad on Friday. She said Pakistan offered its assistance to Oman in its investigation. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Warning: This livestream has not been independently fact-checked and may contain misinformation. Watch as Donald Trump delivered the closing address of this years Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday evening (18 July). Ahead of his speech, the former US president promised his remarks would be more moderate in tone, after calling for cooler rhetoric in the wake of the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania last Saturday. I had all prepared an extremely tough speech, really good, all about the corrupt, horrible administration, Trump told the New York Post earlier this week. But I threw it away. I want to try to unite our country, he continued. The ex-president, who wore a bandage on the ear that was grazed during the attempt on his life, told the crowd of delegates and supporters on Thursday that he was not supposed to be here and credited bring on the stage to the grace of almighty God. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A cyclist has been found guilty of fatally stabbing a BMW driver who knocked over his bike and dragged it along the road. Ahmed Chakile Gonladieu, 25, allegedly attacked Alexandros Josephs, 29, through his open car window on 10 May. Mortally wounded, the victim drove a short distance down the road and crashed into a line of parked cars, the Old Bailey was told. Malyons Road, where the knife attack happened ( Google Maps ) The attacker ran off and Mr Josephs was pronounced dead at the scene in Ladywell, southeast London, at 2.38pm, jurors heard. In his defence, Gonladieu claimed that Mr Josephs passenger reached for a knife. The defendant claimed he grabbed the blade and stabbed the driver in preventative self-defence because Mr Josephs had a gun. The court was told Gonladieu, of Railway Terrace, Ladywell, initially said nothing and then claimed he had simply run away. He changed his story only after blood belonging to the victim was found on his trousers. On Friday, a jury at the Old Bailey rejected Gonladieus version of events and found him guilty of murder and having a bladed article. Mr Josephs family burst into tears as the verdicts were delivered after eight hours and 13 minutes of jury deliberations. Adjourning sentence until Tuesday, Judge Anuja Dhir KC said: I hope the end of this trial and the sentence next Tuesday is able to provide the family of Mr Joseph some comfort. Previously, prosecutor Jacob Hallam KC told how Mr Josephs grey BMW was caught on CCTV travelling south down a dead-end road in Ladywell, southeast London, at 1.48pm on the day of the murder. He said: About seven minutes later, at 1.55pm, the vehicle was captured driving north at speed before crashing into a line of parked cars. Inside it, Mr Josephs was dying. He had been stabbed deeply into his body, the wound cutting into his liver and his aorta one of our bodys most important blood vessels. A witness had seen Mr Josephs talking to a man on a mountain bike through the open window of the grey BMW on Malyons Road. After a minute, the witness heard the sound of metal scraping the ground and looked out to see the car had moved, dragging the bike along the road, Mr Hallam said. The cyclist, who was wearing dark clothes, was then seen to remove a large knife from a sheath and made a stabbing motion through the car window, jurors were told. The car moved out of view before the witness heard a bang and went outside to see the alleged knife attacker running away. The court heard that as he fled into a park, he resheathed the knife. Mr Josephs passenger got out of the car and shouted for help, jurors were told. A post-mortem examination found Mr Josephs died from a stab wound to his front right side, which had been nearest to the car door. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} West Yorkshire Police has made five arrests following riots in Leeds on Thursday night and the force defended its decision to pull back its officers in the face of hostile crowds. Violence broke out on Thursday evening in the Harehills area of Leeds, with shocking videos showing a police car being overturned and a double-decker bus being set alight. The force said the rioting broke out as officers responded to reports of social workers experiencing hostility when dealing with a child protection issue. While the children were moved to a safe place at around 5pm, crowds gathered and the situation escalated, with objects thrown at police. As the disorder escalated, Assistant Chief Constable Pat Twiggs said officers were forced to withdraw as it became evident that the police was their sole target. The decision has come in for criticism, including from local Green Party councillor Mothin Ali, who worked to de-escalate the violence. Video footage shared online on Thursday night showed the double-decker bus alight ( Getty ) Five arrests have been confirmed so far, but more are expected. As the disorder escalated, damage was caused to vehicles and several fires set, Mr Twiggs said. We continually assessed the situation and took the decision to deploy specialist public order officers who then came under a barrage of bricks and missiles from a large group. The decision was then made to temporarily withdraw officers in order to calm tensions. He added: Throughout the night several arrests were made in relation to the disorder and further arrests will be made over the next few days. Fires burn during unrest in Harehills ( Reuters ) Videos posted on social media showed a police car being toppled before being attacked by people wielding a scooter, a pram and a bike and a double-decker bus being torched as multiple fires were set along the street. On Friday morning, four officers guarded the scene around a torched bus, while residents gathered to look at the damage. A visibly emotional group of people believed to be linked to the initial incident were sat on a patch of grass nearby. Green Party councillor for Gipton and Harehills, Mr Ali, described the scenes as absolute mayhem and called for the community to stay calm and come together after the incident. Mr Ali said the local neighbourhood policing team was absolutely fantastic and had aimed to avoid escalating the situation, but that it was the wrong decision for officers to withdraw during the first incident. Leeds, Harehills councillor Mothin Ali stood in the way of rioters setting things alight on the streets of Leeds on Thursday night ( Twitter/X ) He said the police did not have the numbers or equipment needed during the disorder, and said that arrests should be made. Appealing for calm on the morning after the violence, he told The Independent: The police werent around. I dont want to criticise them but they left the scene and tried to come back and establish control but they were being pelted with bricks and bottles and were chased off. They had no shields and no helmets. Me and a couple of others tried to form a human shield. We stood in front of the bricks and bottles and tried to give the police a way of retreating. Mothin Ali and associate stood in the way of rioters setting things alight on the streets ( Twitter/X ) On the arrests, he said that while some people were legitimately angry, others were wanting to cause trouble. He told PA news agency: Legitimate anger is appropriate but attacking a bus with innocent people on it is not. A man throws an item onto a fire during unrest in Harehills, Leeds ( Reuters ) A local resident who witnessed the riot said he left his house at 7pm, only to see people throwing bricks and stones at a police van. Paul, who did not want to give his last name, said he was concerned there could be further disorder as the tension is still there. I dont like my kids being around this. Its just not right, he said. The most shocking thing was when the bus went up got set on fire. There was a bang and everybody ran. A police car is overturned during the riots ( Reuters ) First Bus confirmed one of its vehicles was set on fire, with another caught up in the chaos. The vehicles were empty of passengers and both drivers were unhurt. Another piece of footage showed a large fridge being thrown onto a fire as crowds cheered and sirens were heard in the background. Paul added: It was just that one incident and then I think everybody jumped on the bandwagon. I dont think it was one particular people, I think everybody thought it was an excuse to have a go at the police. A burnt out car in the Leeds suburb of Harehills, after vehicles were set on fire and a police car was overturned in an outbreak of disorder (Katie Dickinson/PA) ( PA ) Politicians condemned the violence, with Sir Keir Starmer describing it as shocking and disgraceful disorder that has no place in our society. Home secretary Yvette Cooper said police have her full backing in taking the strongest possible action against rioters. She said in a statement: The scenes of criminality and disorder in Leeds last night were disgraceful, including attacks on police vehicles and public transport, and will have been very distressing for local residents. West Yorkshire Police sought to discourage residents from speculating about the cause of the disorder, which it believes was instigated by a criminal minority intent on disrupting community relations. A spokesperson added: Officers are aware of incorrect information circulating on social media suggesting persons potentially responsible. Comments on social media by Reforms Nigel Farage came in for criticism. Farage wrote on X/Twitter: The politics of the subcontinent are currently playing out on the streets of Leeds. Dont say I didnt warn you. Alex Sobel, the MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, responded: This is a situation you know nothing about and no one has briefed you on. You are inflaming a situation with misinformation. Politicians have a responsibility to not exacerbate situations particularly with no knowledge of them. I expect you to issue an apology. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The government will overturn the suspension of UK funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA), David Lammy has said. The foreign secretary also said Israel is in a tough neighbourhood and civilians in Gaza are trapped in hell on earth as he vowed to advance the cause of peace in the region. In January of 2024 the Foreign Office paused any future funding for UNRWAdue to allegations that staff from the aid organisation had been involved in the October 7 Hamas attack which began the latest outbreak of violence in the Middle East. David Lammy said the UK would restart funding for UNRWA ( BBC ) In the nine months since, Israel has killed more than 38,600 people in the region according to the Gazan health ministry. The war has created a humanitarian catastrophe in the coastal Palestinian territory, displaced most of its 2.3 million population and triggered widespread hunger. UNRWA, which is the only UN agency dedicated to helping refugees from a specific region or conflict, faced allegations that 12 of their staff were involved in the October 7 attack on Southern Israel that killed 1,200 people. Catherine Colonna, the former minister of foreign affairs of France led an independent Review Group to assess whether UNRWA is doing everything within its power to ensure neutrality. The review found that UNRWA has in place a significant number of mechanisms and procedures to ensure compliance with the Humanitarian Principle of neutrality, adding that they probably have a more developed system than other UN organisations and agencies. The report did add that there is always room for improvement and issues related to neutrality persist. David Lammy told MPs humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe ( PA Wire ) On Friday, Mr Lammy told MPs that the government would recommit the UKs funding to the aid organisation. He told the Commons: Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe and it is aid agencies who ensure UK support reaches civilians on the ground. UNRWA is absolutely central to these efforts. No other agency can deliver aid at the scale needed. Its already feeding over half of Gazas population. It will be vital for future reconstruction and it provides critical services to Palestinian refugees in the region. I was appalled by the allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the seventh of October attacks. But the UN took these allegations seriously. Ive spoken to UN secretary-general (Antonio) Guterres and commissioner (Philippe) Lazzarini. We are reassured that after Catherine Colonnas independent review UNRWA is ensuring they meet the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures including unfettered. UNRWA has acted, partners like Japan, the European Union and Norway have also now acted, this government will act too. I can confirm to the House that we are overturning the suspension of UNRWA funding. Britain will provide 21 million in new funds, some directed at supporting the management reforms recommended by the Colonna review and UNRWA supports more than five-and-a-half million Palestinians; almost 200 of their staff have died through this conflict. I thank them for this life-saving work. One Labour MP in the Commons said it was jarring that none of the independent MPs elected on pro-Gaza tickets had showed up for the speech. Calder Valley Labour MP Josh Fenton-Glynn said: Its Jarring that none of the independent candidates elected around the issue of Gaza are in the House of Commons for the statement. Foreign Secretary David Lammy hailed the work of the agency (Maja Smiejkowska/PA) ( PA Wire ) The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the resumption of funding must come with significantly increased oversight of UNRWA's activities. In a statement, the group said: Ultimately, the existence of UNRWA as distinct from the UNHCR, which looks after all other refugee populations, is an anomaly that must be fixed, and the two should ultimately be folded together. The International Centre for Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) said the restoration of funding is a step, but it is not good enough on its own. ICJP senior legal officer Dania Abul Haj said: Many Palestinians have died as a direct result of UNRWA not being able to carry out its mandate and get aid where it needs to be. Now, more than ever, the UK has a duty to make up for the lack of support over the last few months. The Labour leadership were accused by some back-benchers in the party of being too slow to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, and Mr Lammy said he is determined to advance the cause of peace. He said: There are those in this House who, like me, represent constituents convinced the world does not understand Israels predicament. To them I say, Israel is in a tough neighbourhood, threatened by those who want it annihilated. There is no equivalence between Israels democratic government and Hamas, a terrorist organisation responsible for an act of barbarism on October 7 that sought to kill countless Israelis and provoke wider conflict with Palestinians. I fully supported the UK role in defending Israel when Iran launched its unprecedented attack and I utterly condemn the Houthi attack on Tel Aviv overnight. There are also those who, like me, represent constituents convinced the world does not understand the depth of Palestinian suffering. To them I say: civilians in Gaza are trapped in hell on earth. And the Palestinian people have been in purgatory for decades, denied the state that is their inalienable right. As foreign secretary, I understand both these perspectives. I recognise the pain and anguish felt on all sides. It makes me only more determined to do all I can in this office to advance the cause of peace. Former Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns pressed the foreign secretary on aid entering Gaza. She said: On aid, has he secured any reassurances in his meetings to increase the number of trucks going into Gaza because 70-odd a day is just not enough? In government, we did everything we could to urge Israel to let more humanitarian aid into Gaza, opening more crossings, whether through Rafah, we trebled our own aid commitment within the last financial year, doing everything we could to get aid there by land, sea or air. Mr Lammy replied: Seventy trucks a day when we know that it should be 500 is not enough, and all of this House recognise the phrase flood we were told in April that they would flood Gaza with aid; 70 is no way near enough. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Goldsmiths University has been accused of committing cultural vandalism by quietly killing off its masters degree programmes in both queer and black history. The allegations came to light when Dr Justin Bengry, the course director of Queer History, revealed that he had been made redundant less than three weeks after the UK celebrated Pride Month. Goldsmiths has decided to terminate my employment as part of a devastating restructure, Dr Bengry wrote last Thursday (11 July) on X/Twitter. With no specialist staff, this means the closure of the MA Queer History, the worlds only MA degree of its kind. This is an affront to my students, colleagues, and community. It is vandalism. The MA in Queer History boasts of being of huge cultural importance, giving a voice to those who throughout much of history have been denied one, while its MA in Black History is similarly advertised as occupying a unique historical place which has been at the margins of academia for too long. Both degrees are described as being the first of their kind and bolster Goldsmiths reputation as a progressive institution. While Goldsmiths said both courses will in fact continue after being subject to difficult decisions following a recent review, Dr Bengry told The Independent that this has effectively ended his course, explaining: The MA Queer History cannot run without qualified staff. Already last month Goldsmiths failed to renew the contract of a second lecturer in queer history who was critical to the successful delivery of the programme. Goldsmiths has decided to terminate my employment as part of a devastating restructure. With no specialist staff, this means the closure of the MA Queer History, the world's only MA degree of its kind. This is an afront to my students, colleagues, and community. It is vandalism. Justin Bengry (@JustinBengry) July 11, 2024 Dr Bengry added: This seriously undermined our capacity to offer a good degree at Goldsmiths. It is, of course, possible to offer a compromised degree with fewer staff, but it is impossible to offer that degree with no staff. With my redundancy, there will be no History staff with sufficient training, teaching, or research experience in queer history to continue the MA Queer History. My colleagues in History are excellent scholars in their own fields, but, simply put, no one remaining in the History department has sufficient knowledge of the field to offer even a single module let alone a credible degree in queer history. A representative said the institution is committed to delivering the MA in Queer History but said they have had to make difficult decisions to navigate unprecedented financial challenges. Dr Bengrys post struck a chord and has been viewed by over 1.5m people over the past week, many of whom took the opportunity to express their outrage. One person wrote: I am so sorry to hear this. Absolutely devastated to hear about the closure of such a trailblazing programme. Meanwhile, a Change.org petition was also created to save the MA in Black History. It reads: We, as students of Goldsmiths MA Black British History (past and present), are writing to express our outrage and deep concern regarding the proposed redundancy of the convenor of the MA, Dr Kesewa John. Launched in 2020, the MA has been commended for its contribution to [British] Higher Education, as the first and only course of its kind. The petition added: The loss of this course would be devastating, not just for its associated staff and students, but for every Black British person who has been denied the right to know and appreciate their own history. We, of course, must not forget the importance of knowing these lesser-known elements of British history for everybody. The MA in Queer History said that while the course has not been cancelled, it will be impossible to offer without experienced staff. ( Getty Images ) The petitions creator, Holly Cooper, who was on the first cohort of the MA in 2020, told The Independent that those affected by financial cuts at Goldsmiths were disproportionately from minority groups. They explained that while there have been cuts before, in this instance, no alternative routes were presented to the affected staff. Overwhelmingly, the staff sent these letters of proposed redundancy are BAME, LGBT+, women, and disabled members of staff, they said. No potential solutions have been offered to staff to keep their jobs. This is unlike last time [when] staff were able to reapply for their jobs. Cooper also claimed that many other courses are affected by the cutbacks, including the MA in Black British Literature. They have sent the convenors of these courses letters of proposed redundancy, which will be ratified on the 5th, Cooper explained. Goldsmiths SMT know these courses cannot run without specialised course convenors, so they are quietly killing them. At the time of writing, the petition to save the MA in Black History has been signed by over 1,700 people. The university has been accused of cultural vandalism. ( AFP/Getty ) Dr Kesewa told The Independent: The proposal to delete my post left me stunned. Im a new member of staff at Goldsmiths, I was appointed last summer amid a hiring freeze because, I was told, this area of study was a strategic priority for the university. I was tasked upon arrival with building an infrastructure to support the MA - including a new BA programme (History with Black Studies - working title) which I designed from scratch. Although a small team, the historians teaching Black British history at Goldsmiths are a financially sustainable unit and are successful at sourcing alternative sources of funding. Dr Kesewa added: As the only Black Lecturer in the history department, this September, ten years on, another group of students will be right to once again pose the question Why isnt my Professor Black? This is not the first time that the courses have been under threat, as Cooper explained, and in 2022, both the queer and black history masters degrees were at risk. The majority of those affected by the redundancies are from minority groups. ( AFP/Getty ) Staff told PinkNews that while the university has claimed to be committed to the subjects, they are not viable without specialist staff, especially at the MA level. Dr Kate Davison, who faced redundancy just weeks into her job at the college, said: It seems to me that Goldsmiths management is very interested in continuing its profile as a progressive and possibly even a radical college with these areas of research and these areas of teaching queer history, Black British history, Black British literature. But I have to honestly say, all the evidence that Ive seen so far points to this being a very cynical use of these areas of teaching to promote an image of the college that in my observation so far doesnt match whats going on on the ground. A spokesperson for Goldsmiths added to The Independent: At this provisional stage of the consultation, both programmes successfully completed the programme review we conducted and will feature as part of our academic offer. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Jay Slaters mother has asked for more donations so that she can give the teenager the send-off he deserves as she tries to repatriate his body back to the UK. Debbie Duncan is still on the Spanish island of Tenerife after her 19-year-old sons remains were found on Monday near the village of Masca. In a statement released on Thursday on the Get Jay Slater Home GoFundMe page, she said: Hello everyone, thank you for all of your kindness, support and condolences in light of the tragic news that Jays body has been found. We are overwhelmed with grief and are so grateful for your support. Mr Slater disappeared while walking through rocky terrain last month (Family handout/LBT Global) ( PA Media ) She added: We are working with agencies to arrange Jays repatriation to the UK and the remaining funds, along with any future donations will be used to help with this if needed and to pay for Jays funeral costs back home. We want to give our boy the send-off he deserves so please do continue to share and support our fundraiser however you can. Mr Slater went missing after he attended the NRG music festival with two friends, and his last known location was the Rural de Teno Park in the north of the Canary Island, which was about an 11-hour walk from his accommodation. He had travelled to an Airbnb in Masca after a night out, but the two men said to have rented the property were later ruled not relevant to the case. Jay Slater and his mother Debbie Duncan ( PA/ITN ) Spanish police said they had called off the search for the apprentice bricklayer at the end of June after helicopters, drones and search dogs were deployed to find him. His remains were found on Monday, with a Spanish court confirming his death and saying his multiple injuries were consistent with a fall in a rocky area. The Canary Islands High Court of Justice confirmed the identity of the body through fingerprints. A spokesman for the court said the post-mortem examination report determined that the injuries he sustained were consistent with an accidental fall. Mr Slaters body was found near the village of Masca on Monday (James Manning/PA) ( PA Wire ) The Spanish Civil Guard said Mr Slater could have fallen in the steep and inaccessible area where he was discovered. Matthew Searle, from LBT Global, said the charity was working with the family to sort out the next steps of taking his body home and the recovery of his belongings. After the discovery of his body, Ms Duncan said: I just cant believe it - were here with the embassy staff waiting for an update and now its come - the worst news. She added: I just cant believe this could happen to my beautiful boy. Our hearts are broken. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A councillor has been hailed as a hero after attempting to calm the violent scenes which erupted on Thursday night in Leeds. Mothin Ali, Green Party councillor for Gipton and Harehills ward, said he returned home at 3am on Friday morning after trying to stop people from throwing objects and adding to the already raging fires. He was filmed dramatically kicking away a wheelie bin being dragged towards a fire by two young people - one wearing a balaclava - and with the other hand, stopping another adult from throwing a wooden pallet onto the fire. Appealing for calm the morning after the violence, he told The Independent: The police werent around. I dont want to criticise them but they left the scene and tried to come back and establish control - but they were being pelted with bricks and bottles and were chased off. Our neighbourhood police team are fantastic and actually care about our community, but they didnt have the resources or the support they needed. They had no shields and no helmets. Me and a couple of others tried to form a human shield. We stood in front of the bricks and bottles and tried to give the police a way of retreating. Were you at the scene or wish to share how this impacted you? Email alexander.ross@independent.co.uk The councillor for Gipton and Harehills ward said he returned home at 3am on Friday morning after the riots ( Twitter/X ) Mr Ali also dramatically kicked away a wheelie bin being dragged towards a fire by two young people ( TikTok ) West Yorkshire Police battled the serious disorder incident in the Harehills estate while residents were urged to stay indoors as large crowds gathered in the streets. The force pledged those responsible will face the full weight of the law. Leeds City Councils chief executive Tom Riordan said a family incident triggered the trouble and the actions of police and social service workers were misinterpreted. Recalling what was going through his mind when he intervened in the riots, Mr Ali said with a croaky voice: This is my community, these are my people, regardless of how they behaved. This behaviour is unacceptable but we need people to step in and calm things down when they can. I have a position of authority and I have to use it. I grabbed the bin off those young lads, and credit to them they showed me respect and stepped away. They didnt try anything else. Later on the crowd changed, and was more aggressive. I had people pushing me and shoving me. I dont even know if I was scared, I wasnt thinking about that. I was just thinking about my community. He said he received a small bump to the head but nothing thats going to kill me. Gipton and Harehills ward councillor Mothin Ali has been hailed as a hero ( Leeds Council ) Despite some seizing on the footage of Mr Ali and using it as an opportunity to blame him for the riots, many praised him for his behaviour. Nate Higgins, another Green councillor based in Newham, London, wrote on X: Mothin Ali out here acting like an actual freaking superhero... Somehow doubt some of the people on here will recognise his heroic behaviour tonight. Conservative activist group Turning Point UK added he was trying to prevent the disorder and stop bins from being pushed into fires. Last night Ali was a hero, it wrote. Video footage shared online on Thursday night showed a double-decker bus alight ( Getty Images ) Mr Ali spoke passionately about Harehills, admitting he was heartbroken by the images of violence being shared in the media and online. He said: Were not the richest community in the world but the people here matter. Harehills has its share of problems, there is a lot of poverty and lots of different communities trying to make the UK their home. It has always been that stepping stone for immigrant communities to come, establish their foundations and move on to better things. We have people with language issues, who dont understand how the system works. A lot of people have come from troubled backgrounds and all that in a pot can make them distrustful of authorities. Harehills is the people putting out the fire. People banding together when everyone is against us and doing everything we can to survive. No one wants to see the destruction on your doorstep, it was heartbreaking. It is going to have a long-lasting impact on our community. People overturn a police vehicle during unrest in Harehills ( Reuters ) Nigel Farage was accused of inflaming tensions in the area after blaming the rioting on the politics of the subcontinent. Labours Leeds Central and Headingley MP, Alex Sobel, replied to the Reform leaders post on X: This is a situation you know nothing about and no one has briefed you on. You are inflaming a situation with misinformation. Politicians have a responsibility to not exacerbate situations particularly with no knowledge of them. I expect you to issue an apology. The police confirmed no one so far was reported as injured but urged people to refrain from speculating about the incident. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} GP surgeries and pharmacies across England have said they are unable to book appointments or access patients prescriptions amid a major global IT outage. Technical issues are affecting the majority of GP practices, NHS England said, but there is currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services in England. GPs have reported having problems accessing patient records or booking appointments, while pharmacies have said they cannot access prescriptions. This could affect the delivery of medicines to patients, some pharmacies have said. One hospital trust also declared a critical incident on Friday after they had to reschedule cancer patients radiotherapy appointments due to problems with the IT system. Thousands of GPs cannot currently access the EMIS web system, which is understood to be used by around 60 per cent of practices. The system enables GPs to book appointments, examine records, and includes a clinical decision support tool as well as help with admin. Many GPs and pharmacies have been affected by the IT outage ( PA ) It is thought that around 3,700 GP practices may be affected. The NHS said it would turn to using paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions to cope while the IT issues are ongoing. Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust said on Friday morning that radiotherapy treatments at their hospitals had also been impacted by the outage. They have declared a critical incident, saying that they are currently unable to deliver our scheduled radiotherapy treatments. A spokesperson added: This issue has affected Varian, the IT system we use to deliver radiotherapy treatments. We have contacted our patients who were due to have radiotherapy this morning to reschedule appointments while we work to fix these issues. Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust told The Independent it was experiencing problems with their patient administration system. This is causing delays when new patients arrive at A&E or the maternity services as they cannot be registered on the IT system, and registrations are being processed by hand instead. The trust has not however seen an impact on scheduled appointments. Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust said its freephone crisis line had been temporarily affected by the outage but is now back up and running. It is thought that around 3,700 GP practices may be affected ( PA Archive ) An NHS spokesperson said: The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with EMIS, an appointment and patient record system, which is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices. The NHS has long-standing measures in place to manage the disruption, including using paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions, and the usual phone systems to contact your GP. There is currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services, so people should use these services as they usually would. Patients should attend appointments unless told otherwise. Only contact your GP if its urgent, and otherwise please use 111 online or call 111." The NHS was keen to emphasise blood donation appointments have not been affected and donors should attend as usual. There is still an ongoing urgent need for more people with O negative blood to come forward and donate after major hospitals were impacted by a cyberattack in June. Wilmslow Health Centre, a GP practice outside of Manchester, said all practices in the UK using the EMIS system were currently without access to their IT programmes. We anticipate this could last for many hours. Please bear with us during this challenging time, it wrote. Solihull Healthcare Partnership in the West Midlands said there was a national issue with EMIS Web. It wrote on social media: Unfortunately there is a national issue with EMIS Web - our clinical computer system. This will affect our ability to book/consult with patients this morning. Another post by Pocklington Group Practice in the East Riding of Yorkshire said: Due to ongoing Windows issues affecting IT worldwide, the practice is currently unable to function as normal. This may result in appointments needing to be cancelled and rearranged. Updates will follow when available. A spokesman for the National Pharmacy Association said pharmacies were affected. He said: Were aware that due to global IT outages that services in community pharmacies, including the accessing of prescriptions from GPs and medicine deliveries, are disrupted today. We urge patients to be patient whilst visiting their pharmacy. Health secretary Wes Streeting reacted to the news, saying: Please bear with your local GPs if theyre grappling with this on top of normal pressures. The global IT issues have been caused by a defect in a software update from cyber security company CrowdStrike for Windows hosts, CrowdStrikes CEO said on Friday morning. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A film crew for an award-winning Netflix television drama series has been accused of disturbing wildlife as members encroached on protected habitat during bird-nesting season. Stars and a production team for The Witcher descended on Thursley Common in Surrey, a national nature reserve which is home to wildlife including rare species protected by law. The crew used quad bikes, lights and smoke, and made loud noises, all of which would have disturbed ecosystems, according to Wild Justice, an organisation co-founded by BBC presenter Chris Packham. Netflix had permission for the shoot from Natural England, which manages Thursley Common and said the filming was monitored by an ecologist. Chris Packhams Wild Justice fears rare birds would have been disturbed ( Getty Images ) Conservationists said small animals could have been trampled on and the noise and lights could have caused scared birds to abandon their nests containing chicks, leaving them to die, or reduced their ability to brood eggs or feed young. The Witcher, a fantasy series based on novels by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski, was among the most viewed shows in the US after its release. It received rave reviews, and this year it won Best Special, Visual and Graphic Effects at the British Academy Television Craft Awards. Stars Liam Hemsworth, Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan are part-way through filming season four. Thursley Common, an area of lowland heath, is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation with plant, invertebrate, reptile and bird species considered important by ecologists. The area is home to Dartford warbler ( Getty/iStock ) It is in the leafy Godalming and Ash constituency of former Tory chancellor Jeremy Hunt. Wild Justice said it feared legally protected species such as woodlark and Dartford warbler were disturbed during the five-day shoot last month. The activists said they were particularly concerned about a pair of nightjars that birdwatchers had seen. Nightjars are ground-nesting birds with amazingly camouflaged nests, plumage and eggs they will sit on their nest or brood during the daytime. Its very hard to spot one even if youre looking hard, let alone if youre running around with smoke and wearing big costumes at nighttime, a spokesperson said. Nightjar are thought to be using the area ( Getty/iStock ) Its hard to see how anything involving smoke, lights, bangs, quadbikes and lots of feet wouldnt cause any damage or disturbance, especially on a site with multiple levels of protection thats home to rare and sensitive wildlife, and especially during the breeding season. Wild Justice is concerned about this level of disturbance at a protected site and about the role of Natural England, which owns the land, they said. The organisation is awaiting a response from the government body about licences issued. Natural England confirmed to The Independent it had permitted the filming, saying it was allowed only on areas that were car park or that had been harmed by recent fires, and where officials were confident there was low sensitivity for wildlife. A bird-lover took a photo of the film crew with smoke ( Patrick Venables / Facebook ) Whatever happened to wildlife sanctuaries, once sacrosanct, respected and protected. A place only for nature, said one critic on social media. The income from Netflix is due to go to the reserve, Natural England said. Filming took place again this week, but it was not clear whether that was for The Witcher. Thursley Common is due to receive the fee paid by Netflix ( Getty Images ) Netflix said an ecological risk assessment was done before the shoot and Natural England gave consent. An ecologist was present on set every day of filming to ensure compliance with agreed guidelines and mitigations, the company said. Natural England also visited the site with the production team after filming and were very happy with the condition. Asked about potential disturbance of wildlife, a Natural England spokesperson said: These claims are untrue filming was always supervised by an ecologist, who had the power to stop proceedings if our strict conditions were not met. No issues of concern were raised during the activity, and we are satisfied that all agreed safeguards were complied with. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A TikTok hiker fresh from the search for Jay Slater is set to investigate the mountains of Sardinia in a new attempt to find another missing British man abroad. After gruelling flight transfers and bus journeys from his unsuccessful hunt in Tenerife, Paul Arnott, known as DownTheRapids, landed in Sardinia on Wednesday to search for missing volunteer Michael Frison. Mr Frison, 25, is thought to have become confused, undressed and disappeared on a walk in the Italian wilderness near Luogosanto, in Valdicorru, at 5.18pm on Saturday. Mr Frison vanished on Saturday ( Facebook/Cristina Pittalis ) A manhunt has been launched in the holiday hotspot, but firefighters and the Forest Guard said the rural area is too vast. After landing Mr Arnott, 29, told his 329,000 followers: Tenerife terrain was crazy guys, it really was, but this is something else. This is insane. The social media star, who saw his online following grow by more than 100,000 people searching for Jay, said he introduced himself to local fire services who offered him access to their maps. They said it was essential to partner up with other English speakers volunteering for the search in the isolated countryside. He added: I can just go out, scan the areas and help out where I can. Just be useful and be an extra body for these guys. Mr Frison was reported to have appeared to be dehydrated before going missing ( Facebook ) He points to a fence at an area where Mr Frisons clothes were found, adding: The guy who owns that land, we had a little chat, [hes] a really nice guy. There is a community at the top of the mountains like a commune, Im sure they are lovely people. But I think we need to go and talk to them. Will keep you updated where I can. The TikTok star landed amid rumours that Mr Frison had been found, but had already booked accommodation for the week. He also still has a place in Tenerife until the end of the month and spoke of possibly joining the hunt for missing Ben Ross, who has not been heard from since 10 July when he moved to Majorca. Mr Frisons mother Cristina Pittalis, who flew out from Bristol with his younger brother to join the search, previously told The Independent: [My son] was hoping to do some volunteering work but when he arrived he was very tired, not used to the heat and was possibly dehydrated. He went to sleep, and the following day, he was visibly confused. So they gave him water and let him sit in the shade. But he said he would go for a little walk and he hasnt been seen since. Its quite an impervious area. She said Mr Frison was last seen by an isolated farmhouse surrounded by wilderness. Asking people not to speculate on his disappearance, she added: He is a wonderful young man. There were no drugs or alcohol involved. Im devastated. He must be so scared. We are so close, you have no idea. He is so close to his little brother. He would never do anything like this to us. We have been through a lot together. His friends in Bristol know him very well. Hes just very fragile and very sensitive. In a message directly to her son, she said: I love you, I miss you, everything will be fine, darling. We are strong together, and we can do this together. Help me find you, tesoro mio [my treasure]. It came after Debbie Duncan thanked social media sleuths for joining the search for her missing son Mr Slater, whose body was tragically discovered by Spanish mountain rescue on Monday. She said she had every faith in the police and singled out Mr Arnott and another TikTok creator, Callum Fahim, for special thanks. [I] cant thank Paul Arnott enough, also Callum [Fahim] and his friends for working alongside the search and rescue teams, she said. 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. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The UK took migrants saved in the Channel back to France for the first time in a sign of increased Anglo-French cooperation on small boats. A Border Force Ranger catamaran and an RNLI lifeboat were dispatched from Dover after France called for help on Wednesday. French ship PSP Cormoran picked up 59 people in the operation, and the British vessel rescued another 13. One migrant died when their small boat deflated near Calais and they could not be resuscitated, but the other 71 people were taken back to France in both ships. It was the first time a British vessel picked up migrants in French waters and returned them to France. A Border Force vessel and an RNLI lifeboat were dispatched from Dover ( PA Wire ) A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: HM Coastguard received a report of a small boat in difficulty in French waters near Calais at about 2.40pm on July 17. A Border Force vessel and RNLI lifeboat were sent to support French vessels in the operation, co-ordinated by French authorities. The French coastguard added it continued to search the scene until nightfall and no further people were found in the water. Typically migrants rescued in the Channel by Border Force are required by France to be taken to the UK, with the French having resisted calls to allow them to be returned as a deterrent. The Home Office denied there had been a change in policy, but UK officials told The Telegraph the move is a sign of what Britain and France can do to address the small boats crisis with greater cooperation. The operation came days after it was confirmed more than 1,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel since Sir Keir Starmer became prime minister. Home Office figures show 427 people made the journey in seven boats on Monday, taking the provisional total for the year so far to 14,759. It means the number of arrivals recorded since Sir Keir took office on July 5 in the wake of Labours election victory now stands at 1,185. More than 1,000 small boat migrants have arrived in the UK since Sir Keir Starmer became prime minister ( PA Wire ) Home secretary Yvette Cooper told a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that Channel crossings were at a record high in the first half of the year and indicated a difficult summer ahead. The total number of crossings for 2024 to date is 12 per cent higher than the number recorded this time last year (13,200) and up 1 per cent on the same period in 2022 (14,554), the current record year. Concluding the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday, hosted by the UK at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, Sir Keir accused Rishi Sunaks government of a "dereliction of duty" on small boats and pledged 84 million in foreign aid to help stop irregular migration. He also suggested he is open to an offshore processing arrangement similar to one agreed between Italy and Albania, saying he was "a pragmatist" who would "look at what works". He said: "This is a vital part of gripping the migration crisis and it shows how were going to do business on the world stage. "We are facing up to the huge problems beyond our shores, because these problems echo at home. The effects play out on our streets and in a dangerous world we serve no one and solve nothing by turning inward." The money, to be rolled out over the next three years, includes funding for projects to improve education and employment opportunities, as well as efforts to build resilience to shocks such as conflict and climate change, in the hope that this will persuade people not to leave their homes and travel to Europe. He also suggested the UK would be open to an offshore processing deal, having discussed Albanias arrangement with Italy during a meeting with his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama. He said there had been "interest in how that might work", adding: "Im a practical person, Im a pragmatist and Ive always said well look at what works. "And where cases can be processed closer to origin, then that is something which of course ought to be looked at." Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Sir Keir Starmer ended his first week as Prime Minister as popular as Boris Johnson was at the height of the vaccine rollout, a poll has found. Some 36% of the public told pollster Ipsos they thought Sir Keir was doing a good job as Prime Minister, the highest rating for a premier since February 2021 when 37% said the same about Mr Johnson. But conversely, just 14% of the public think the new Prime Minister is doing a bad job, well below the 41% that thought negatively of Mr Johnson in February 2021 and the 57% that thought badly of Rishi Sunak just before he called the election. Keiran Pedley, director of politics at Ipsos, said: Looking at Keir Starmers poll ratings there are increasing signs of the new Prime Minister enjoying something of a honeymoon period during his first few days in office. Sir Keirs Government as a whole enjoyed similar approval ratings, with 34% saying they thought it was running the country well and a similar proportion saying they thought it was doing better than expected. Enthusiasm for Labour is particularly high among those aged 18-34, with 45% saying they thought the Government was doing better than expected. That figure fell to 29% of those aged 35-54 and 31% of those aged 55-75. Mr Pedley added: Of course, time will tell how long such ratings last, with Starmer and his Governments ability to deliver against public priorities likely to dictate their respective political fortunes in the long term. Just 16% of people thought Labour was doing a bad job running the country, well below the figures saying the same about recent Conservative governments. The Ipsos poll surveyed 1,092 British adults online between July 12 and 15. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the Government would carefully consider the reports findings (Benjamin Cremel/PA) ( PA Wire ) It comes as Sir Keir Starmer said ministers will carefully consider reforms proposed by the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, after its first report found British citizens were failed by the previous government during the pandemic. Inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett has made 10 recommendations to avoid another crisis with the same scale of death and financial cost, set out in findings published on Thursday. Among them were a requirement to carry out national response exercises every three years and the creation of external red teams of experts to challenge the acute problem of groupthink in government. In a written ministerial statement afterwards, Sir Keir said he was personally committed to learning the lessons of the pandemic. Sir Keir said: The Governments first responsibility is to keep the public safe, and as Prime Minister I am personally committed to each and every family that lost loved ones, and whose lives were changed forever, that this Government will learn the lessons from the inquiry. This means ensuring that the UK is prepared for a future pandemic, as well as the broadest range of potential risks facing our country. That is a top priority for this Government and what everyone should rightly expect from a Government working in their service. I would like to thank Baroness Hallett and her team for their thorough work on this report. The Government will carefully consider all of the findings and recommendations of the report in the context of the Governments overall approach to resilience. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Nigel Farage has been accused of inflaming tensions after blaming rioting in Leeds on the politics of the subcontinent. The Reform UK leader, who was in the US for the Republican National Convention in Minnesota, posted on social media on Thursday evening as scenes of disorder in the city emerged. The politics of the subcontinent are currently playing out on the streets of Leeds, he wrote on X within hours: Dont say I didnt warn you. People in the Harehills area of the city were urged to stay at home as officers were called to Luxor Street at about 5pm on Thursday due to an ongoing disturbance involving agency workers and children. While the children were moved to a safe place, crowds gathered and the situation escalated, with objects thrown at police. Flames engulf double-decker bus after riot breaks out in Leeds with hundreds on streets. ( Damien Robinson ) The chief executive of Leeds City Council said on Friday the disorder had been sparked by a family incident, while locals have claimed it stemmed from dispute over children in care. Mr Farages intervention sparked anger among critics. Labour MP Stella Creasy told The Independent it was ill-informed, ill-judged and ill-considered. Its not a surprise that yet again he seeks to stoke division rather than calm tensions, but Mr Farage would do well to do his homework before blowing his dog whistle, she added. In a post on X responding to Mr Farage, Labours Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sobel added: This is a situation you know nothing about and no one has briefed you on. Nigel Farage, who is at the Republican convention in the US, was accused of inflaming tensions ( PA Wire ) You are inflaming a situation with misinformation. Politicians have a responsibility to not exacerbate situations particularly with no knowledge of them. I expect you to issue an apology. And the chief executive of Hope Not Hate Nick Lowles accused Mr Farage of making cheap political attacks from America. The politics of the subcontinent has nothing to do with this trouble, Mr Lowles said, saying the Reform leader had the facts completely wrong. It came after home secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the violent scenes. In a post on X, she said: I am appalled at the shocking scenes and attacks on police vehicles & public transport in Leeds tonight. Disorder of this nature has no place in our society. My thanks go to West Yorkshire police for their response. I am being kept regularly updated. Close The former home secretary appeared emotional making her general election victory speech Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Tory party leadership hopeful Suella Braverman has denied she will defect to Reform UK if she loses the contest. Theres now so much antagonism towards Suella Braverman among MPs that there is now a generally held view that she will defect, a senior Tory source told the i newspaper. But a spokesperson for the ex-home secretary denied this, saying: Suella has only recently been elected as a Conservative MP and has been a Conservative Party member for three decades. A Reform source told the i the party expects her to defect after losing the Tory leadership race, perhaps in the autumn, around conference time. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmers Labour government is set to resume funding to UN Palestine relief agency UNRWA for Palestinians escaping the war in Gaza. The Conservative government stopped the money alongside the US in January following accusations from Israel that staff members were involved in the 7 October attacks. Following the major IT outage hitting airlines, train companies and banks, government officials held a Cobra emergency meeting to address the chaos for train and GP services and television channels. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Volodymyr Zelensky will address an extraordinary meeting of the UK Cabinet on Friday as he becomes the first official visitor to Downing Street under Sir Keir Starmers premiership. The Ukrainian president, who is making his third visit to the UK, will also be the first foreign leader to address the cabinet in person since US president Bill Clinton in 1997. He is expected to brief ministers about the situation in Ukraine and the need to expand Europes industrial defence base, as well as agreeing a 3.5bn defence export finance deal with Sir Keir. The Labour leader made his first visit to Ukraine in February last year and has been keen to underline Britains ongoing support for the embattled country, despite a change of government in the UK. The King with Volodymyr Zelensky at Blenheim Palace on Thursday ( PA ) The prime minister said; Ukraine is, and always will be, at the heart of this governments agenda and so it is only fitting that President Zelensky will make a historic address to my cabinet. Russias incremental gains on the battlefield are nothing compared with the collective international support for Ukraine, or the strength of ties between our people. President Zelenskys visit to Downing Street follows the European Political Community (EPC) summit at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, on Thursday, at which 44 countries and the EU agreed to target Russias shadow fleet of tankers seeking to evade sanctions on Russian oil. The group of around 600 vessels carries 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, providing funds for Moscows war effort while also allegedly acting as listening stations or transporting weapons for Russia. The ships are often old and unsafe, and engage in dangerous practices such as turning off their location tracking systems, increasing the risk of a serious collision. Sir Keir said: Alongside our European partners, we have sent a clear message to those enabling Putins attempts to evade sanctions: we will not allow Russias shadow fleet, and the dirty money it generates, to flow freely through European waters and put our security at risk. Sir Keir Starmer touched Mr Zelenskys shoulder as he highlighted the Ukrainian leaders comments calling for air defences to protect children as they return to school ( EPA ) Speaking at the EPC summit on Thursday, Mr Zelensky said the UK had been one step ahead in its determination to support Ukraine since the Russian invasion began. He also urged European leaders to harness the bravery of Winston Churchill in the fight against Vladimir Putin and Russian aggression. He said: Bravery made Churchill Churchill. Bravery won the greatest battle of his life. It was the battle for Britain. Now our bravery and cooperation must achieve no less so that the children of our nations can someday look back at us, at what we have done, at what we have chosen, what we have promised, and see the pillars of their peace, their security and their prosperity just as we see it when we look back at the most famous person from Blenheim. He added: This is the kind of resolve we need to stop Russian terror. On Thursday, the UK also sanctioned 11 oil tankers thought to be involved in evading sanctions, including the Rocky Runner, which previously sought to escape UK action by changing its operator. Most of the ships sail under the flag of Gabon, although some including the Rocky Runner are flagged with the Cook Islands and one sails under the flag of Panama. Sanctioned vessels are prohibited from entering UK ports and may be detained or directed to enter a port. Additional reporting by PA Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Volodymyr Zelensky used his historic address to the UK cabinet to urge Sir Keir Starmer to show leadership and let Ukraine use British weapons for strikes deep inside Russia. The Ukrainian president on Friday became the first foreign leader to address the cabinet in person since Bill Clinton in 1997, calling for support for his countrys long-range capability. In his address to the cabinet, Mr Zelensky said that if the restriction on Western weapons is lifted it would help Kyiv to strengthen its defences and secure its frontline positions. Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Keir Starmer to show leadership on the issue ( EPA ) He said it is possible to destroy areas in Russia where weapons are being concentrated. On the subject of long-range capability, the president said: We are still missing the main answer to this question, as he told the prime minister: I ask you to show your leadership. Mr Zelensky has said the ability to use Western weapons to strike inside Russian territory is important to Ukraines efforts to defend itself against Moscow. The UK government has suggested that the deployment of British missiles is ultimately a matter for Ukraine, as long as international law is upheld. So far, the government has allowed Kyiv to launch British-made Storm Shadow missiles against targets in Crimea and mainland Ukraine, but has banned them from being fired at targets inside Russia. Storm Shadows precision-guided cruise missiles with a firing range of over 250km (155 miles) have been used by the British and French air forces in the Gulf, Iraq and Libya. Starmer previously signalled that the ban on Ukraine using British missiles to strike inside Russia had been lifted ( PA Wire ) Earlier this month, Sir Keir appeared to signal that the ban had been lifted, saying it is up to Ukraine to decide how to use the missiles as long as the country complies with international law. Downing Street was then forced to insist that government policy had not changed, with officials concerned that the decision could draw the UK into the conflict. Meanwhile, Sir Keir said Mr Zelenskys visit to Downing Street was a real piece of history, after the Ukrainian president was greeted by the cabinet with a standing ovation. This is a very, very important meeting for us, and youre very welcome here, the prime minister said. It is a real pleasure and a privilege to be able to welcome you to Downing Street this morning. This is a real piece of history. He said that the president becoming the first 21st-century foreign leader to address the cabinet in person shows the esteem youre held in ... in this country and around the world. Sir Keir said that Ukraine has Britains unshakeable support and that Russias aggression is unforgivable and cannot go unpunished. He said the UK will double down on its backing for Ukraine, and confirmed that he had accepted an invitation this morning to visit Ukraine again in the future. Following Mr Zelenskys address, ministers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine on all fronts from providing military and financial aid to ensuring that Ukrainians living here are supported and feel Britains central message that the country is united behind them. The cabinet also agreed that the UK takes pride in standing with Ukraine, according to a Downing Street readout of the meeting. It came as officials from the three Baltic nations, each of which shares a border with Russia, told The Independent that now is the time for Britain to move into the leadership role in relation to Europes defence against Vladimir Putin. Speaking on the sidelines of the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday, Frederikas Jansonas, chief adviser to the Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda, said there is a strong need for a nation to step up as the leader on defence while France is reeling from a difficult election and Germany is readying for one next year. When we are talking about Nato or Europe, there are not so many countries that could be leaders, he said. But leadership is strongly needed. In Germany, we have elections coming up. In France, they already had elections, and it is obvious that it will be difficult to form and work with a new government. Other countries have internal issues. So, I think, in this unstable world, Great Britain could and should be the one that takes leadership. His comments were reflected in the words of officials from Estonia and Latvia, two countries that are considered to be part of the first line of Natos defence against Russia beyond Ukraine. An official from Estonia, which currently hosts 900 British military personnel as part of Natos enhanced forward presence initiative, intended to act as a deterrent against Russian attacks, said their country would welcome the British taking a greater leadership role in developing European defence. Asked about the value of the EPC, Aleksis Zoldners, the Latvian prime ministers press secretary, said: Its very good and important that the UK reconfirmed its commitment to European affairs and security. For Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled pro-democracy opposition leader of Belarus, Britains role in defending Europe is vital to defeating the dictatorship in her country as well, and in turn to defeating Putin. Speaking to The Independent in one of the rooms at Blenheim Palace intended for bilateral meetings between leaders, Ms Tsikhanouskaya said that the victories of Ukraine and democratic Belarus are intertwined and that it is vital that Britain should lead from the front on both issues. This new [Labour] government can be leaders of Europe, she said. They already have a strong position regarding Ukraine. And the prime minister and [foreign minister] David Lammy are good friends of Belarus. Defence secretary John Healey said that the UK will provide military aid funding to Ukraine for every year for the rest of the decade. The prime minister met with the Ukrainian leader in Downing Street on Friday ( AFP/Getty ) If we take the starting point that the defence of the UK starts in Ukraine, and if [Vladimir] Putin wins in Ukraine he will not stop there, then we must stand with Ukraine; were determined to do that, he told Times Radio. And it isnt just that. Weve stepped up extra support in these first two weeks in government. Weve also confirmed the commitment of extra military aid funding this year, and for every year for the rest of the decade. As long as it takes. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Volodymyr Zelensky asked Sir Keir Starmer to show your leadership as he appealed for permission to strike Russian targets with Western weapons in a historic address to the UK Cabinet. The Ukrainian president urged the British Government to help with Kyivs long-range capability as he became the first foreign leader to address the meeting of senior UK ministers in person since 1997. We are still missing the main answer to this question, Mr Zelensky told the meeting on Friday morning. I ask you to show your leadership in this and please convince other partners to remove the limits. Ukraine has said lifting restrictions on Western weapons including British Storm Shadow missiles to strike deep into Russian territory is key to strengthening its defence and securing its frontline position in the war. The UK Government has avoided explicitly backing such a move, saying only that it is a matter for Kyiv how it chooses to deploy its resources, as long as international law is upheld. Speaking after the visit, Downing Street said there was no change to our position on weapons. A Number 10 spokeswoman said: We have been providing military aid to support Ukraines clear right to self-defence against Russias illegal acts in accordance with international humanitarian law. Equipment provided by the UK is intended for the defence of Ukraine. Speaking to BBC Radio 4s Today programme on the morning broadcast round, Defence Secretary John Healey had said: Were providing weapons to Ukraine for their defence of their sovereign country. And that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia. But that must be done by the Ukrainians, it must be done within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law. The Prime Minister greeted Mr Zelensky with a warm hug and handshake outside Number 10 on Friday before sitting down for bilateral talks and hosting him at a historic Cabinet session later in the morning. The Ukrainian President was met by a standing ovation as he became the first foreign leader to address the meeting of senior UK ministers since then-US president Bill Clinton in 1997. The Prime Minister said the visit was a very special moment and showed the esteem youre held in in this country and around the world as he promised Britains unshakeable support for Kyiv. Its a very special moment for us to reiterate our support for you and the Ukrainian people in the fight against Russian aggression and to have this opportunity to confirm again our resolve to stand with you, so thank you so much for accepting the invitation, Sir Keir said. This is a very, very important meeting for us and youre very welcome here. It is a real pleasure and a privilege to be able to welcome you to Downing Street this morning. This is a real piece of history. Mr Zelensky thanked the Prime Minister for his and the UKs support and said it was felt by Ukrainians across the country. I hope we will now work even more actively, he said. The faster you act, the more you will achieve. The presidents visit to Downing Street follows the European Political Community (EPC) summit at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, on Thursday, at which 44 countries and the EU agreed to target Russias shadow fleet of tankers seeking to evade sanctions on Russian oil. The group of around 600 vessels carries 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, providing funds for Moscows war effort while also allegedly acting as listening stations or transporting weapons for Russia. The ships are often old and unsafe, and engage in dangerous practices such as turning off their location tracking systems, increasing the risk of a serious collision. Speaking at the EPC summit on Thursday, Mr Zelensky said the UK had been one step ahead in its determination to support Ukraine since the Russian invasion began. He added: This is the kind of resolve we need to stop Russian terror. On Thursday, the UK also sanctioned 11 oil tankers thought to be involved in evading sanctions, including the Rocky Runner, which previously sought to escape UK action by changing its operator. Most of the ships sail under the flag of Gabon, although some including the Rocky Runner are flagged with the Cook Islands and one sails under the flag of Panama. Sanctioned vessels are prohibited from entering British ports and may be detained or directed to enter a port. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Alabama executed a man who was convicted for the 1998 murder of a delivery driver who was pulling money out of an ATM machine. Keith Edmund Gavin, 64, died by lethal injection on Thursday evening. His last words were: I love my family. His time of death was 6.32pm CT. Last week, Alabama agreed not to conduct a post-execution autopsy of Gavin on religious grounds. Gavin is Muslim, and said the autopsy would violate his religious convictions, NBC News reported. He filed a lawsuit ahead of his execution to ensure the state would not conduct the autopsy. The state ultimately agreed to settle the complaint and agreed not to conduct the procedure. Gavin was convicted of killing William Clayton Jr in Cherokee County, Alabama, in 1998. At the time, Clayton was working as a courier driver, and had stopped at an ATM in downtown Centre, Alabama, on March 6. He was pulling out money after he finished working for the day with the intention of taking his wife out to dinner, according to court documents. Prosecutors said that Gavin shot Clayton while trying to rob him at the ATM. After shooting him, Gavin pushed the wounded Clayton into the victim's van passenger seat and then drove away in the vehicle. Police chased the van, and ended with Gavin fleeing on foot into the woods and firing shots at police officers as he ran off. Gavin had been on parole in Illinois after serving 17 years of a 34-year prison sentence for murder, court records show. His second murder trial ended with a conviction and a 10-2 vote for him to be executed. The judge ultimately agreed to impose the death penalty. Since his conviction, many states have required unanimous votes to hand down death sentences. Gavin's death penalty was nearly overturned in 2020 when a federal judge ruled that his counsel had been ineffective during his sentencing hearing by failing to address the mitigating circumstances of his youth and upbringing during the hearing. He had been raised in a gang-infested housing project in Chicago, living in overcrowded houses that were in poor condition, where he was surrounded by drug activity, crime, violence, and riots, US District Judge Karon O Bowdre wrote at the time. Her decision was overturned by a federal appeals court. Gavin appealed his sentence on his own in the days before his execution, filing a handwritten letter asking for a stay of his execution. That request was rejected by a circuit judge and the Alabama Supreme Court. Gavins execution is Alabamas third execution this year, and the 10th execution in the US in 2024, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A mother in South Florida was charged with child neglect after she was accused of leaving her four-year-old daughter in a hot car while she shopped at a Walmart, according to the Hollywood Police Department. Her charges have since been dropped. Anastasiya Motalava, 34, allegedly left her child in a hot car on Sunday. At the same time, she spent more than a half-an-hour inside a nearby Walmart, police said, citing security video taken inside the retailer. Hollywood Fire Rescue reached the child first and broke into the car to remove the child just before 3.15pm. Local police said witnesses heard the child screaming in the car and alerted emergency responders, NBC 6 reports. Investigators said the car's engine was turned off and a window was slightly cracked while the girl was left inside. Footage from a Hollywood Police Officer bodycam in Hollywood, Florida, shows local fire crews rescuing a child that had been locked in a hot car while her mother, Anastasiya Motalava, was shopping ( Hollywood Police Department/10 Tampa Bay screengrab ) Motalava was arrested and charged with one count of child neglect. On Thursday, the Broward County Assistant State Attorneys Office released a memorandum announcing that the charges against the mother would be dropped. There is insufficient evidence to establish that the defendant's failure to provide her child with proper supervision rises to the egregious level of culpable negligence required for felony charge of child neglect, wrote Melissa Kelly, the county assistant state attorney for Broward County, in the memo. The document says that the child was not harmed and did not require medical treatment, and Motalava told police she thought she had only been away from the car for 10 to 15 minutes. While defendants conduct is irresponsible, it does not rise to the egregious level of conduct necessary to show culpable negligence, Kelly wrote. This was a single isolated incident of what may be deemed poor parental judgement that resulted in defendant's arrest on Felony Child Neglect charges. Kelly noted that Motalava would have to undergo proper child safety education following the incident. Anastasiya Motalava, 34, was accused of leaving her four-year-old daughter in a hot car in Hollywood, Florida, on July 15 while she shopped at Walmart ( Hollywood Police Department ) In 2024, 13 children have already died as a result of being left in hot cars, according to the non-profit group Kids and Car Safety. Earlier this month, a New Jersey father was charged in the death of his eight-week-old daughter after allegedly leaving her in a hot car for an extended period of time. The father, Avraham Chaitovsky, 28, was allegedly attending services at a local synagogue while his child remained behind in the car, according to News 12. He was charged on Tuesday with endangering the welfare of a child, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. In late June a man in Florida was arrested for the death of his girlfriend's six-year-old daughter who died after he allegedly left her in a car while he went to work. The girl was left in the car for approximately three hours. Paramedics who treated the girl noted that her internal body temperature was 107.2 degrees fahrenheit. Markise Outing, 24, has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child and was booked into a Manatee County Jail. Earlier in June, an infant died in Santee, California 18 miles northeast of San Diego after the two-month-old was left in a car for nine hours, FOX 5 San Diego reports. On June 12, the infants family returned to their home around 3pm but allegedly left the child in their car. Shortly after midnight on June 13, the family found the infant unconscious inside their vehicle. Santee Sheriff's Station deputies responded to a 911 call at the home after receiving a 911 call around 12.30am and attempted life-saving measures before rushing the infant to a local hospital. No criminal charges have been brought against the infant's family as of June 26. A study by Kids and Car Safety that looked at data from 1990 to 2023 showed at least 1,083 children have died in hot cars in the US over that period. Texas saw 155 child hot car deaths in that period, Florida was second with 118 deaths, and California was third with 65 deaths. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The family of Katelyn Markham, an art student who went missing 13 years ago, watched her ex-fiance sentenced to three years in prison for involuntary manslaughter on Thursday a long-awaited moment but one that does not bring closure. John Carter, 36, was given the maximum sentencing that he could have for involuntary manslaughter in connection to Katelyns death a charge that he pleaded guilty to after striking a deal with prosecutors last month. He was initially charged with two counts of murder last March. Im thankful and grateful to the judge for handing out the sentence he did, Dave Markham, the father of Katelyn said to reporters on Thursday. Its not closure but the start of something else to come, Markham said, hinting at the possibility of new legislation allowing prosecutors to bring more charges forward in similar cases where the statute of limitations prevented it. The parents of Katelyn Markham speak with reporters after John Carter was sentenced to three years in prison for involuntary manslaughter ( WLWT / YouTube ) Katelyn went missing in August 2011 at 22 years old just weeks before she was set to finish her graphic arts degree at the Art Institute of Ohio in Cincinnati. Carter was reportedly the last one to have seen her alive and called 911 to report her missing when she did not show up for work. Her skeletal remains were found two years later in a wooded area approximately 20 miles from where she was last seen in Fairfield, Ohio. Though Katelyns death was ruled a homicide, it was never determined how she was killed. Katelyn Markham, a 22-year-old art student who was killed in 2011 ( In Memory of Katelyn Markham / Facebook ) A forensic anthropology report said that her remains may have been moved from where they were first left, according to local news outlet WLWT5. Years passed before prosecutors were able to put together enough circumstantial evidence to charge Carter with her murder. Last month, Carter admitted to causing Katelyns death involuntarily but did not offer a single explanation as to how or why it happened. Investigators allege that someone helped Carter dispose of Katelyns body, according to court documents seen by The Cincinnati Enquirer. But no other person has been charged in connection to the case. John Carter was sentenced to three years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter of Katelyn Markham ( Butler County Jail ) But due to Ohios statute of limitations, prosecutors could not bring other charges like abuse of corpse in part because Katelyns body was concealed for two years. I do not feel three years is justice, not for Katelyn; not for her sister; not for me, her friends or the entire community that has ached and grieved alongside us, Markham told The Cincinnati Enquirer at the time of the plea deal. But Katelyns family is hoping to change that. Markham said that the family was working on a new set of legislation called Katelyns law that would allow prosecutors to bring more charges forward in cases of involuntary manslaughter, homicide or murder where the victims body is missing but later found. Markham described his daughter as a loving person who made people feel good and had immense artistic talent. She had talent and she was going to go someplace. Ill see a piece of art sometimes and Ill think That should be Katelyns up there, he said. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Skylar Meade, an Idaho inmate who sparked a huge police manhunt after he was sprung from custody in an ambush at a hospital in March, has been sentenced to life in prison. Meades sentence is a fixed term of 30 years. He has been ordered to serve another 35 years concurrently on other charges, according to Idaho News 6. At the time of his escape, Meade, 31, was serving a 20-year prison sentence for shooting a sheriff in a high-speed car chase. He was able to break loose from prison officials while at the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. He was seeking medical treatment and had been taken to the hospital around 9.35pm on March 19 after he engaged in self-injurious behavior, The Associated Press reported. Under state procedure, unarmed guards stand at each side of a high-risk prisoner while an armed guard follows them. Officials did not elaborate on additional security measures that were taken and it is not clear if Meade was walking on his own or restrained in any way. Nicholas Umphenour, left, and Skylar Meade, right. Meade was sentenced to life in prison following his brief escape in March. Umphenour allegedly assisted in the prison escape ( AP ) The attack occurred when officials were gearing up to transfer Meade back to prison. Around 2.15am an armed accomplice, said to be Nicholas Umphenour, launched an attack. Both Meade and Umphenour have links to the white supremacist gang Aryan Knights. Meade has two face tattoos, including the numbers 1 and 11, which are thought to represent A and K, the first and 11th letters of the alphabet, which supposedly stands for Aryan Knights. Three prison officers were shot in the ensuing gunfight and the two men were able to escape in a four-door sedan, later identified as a grey Honda Accord. The men were caught and arrested in Twin Falls on March 21 after a short car chase. No shots were fired and no extensive use of force was used during the arrests. Meade later plead guilty to the charges associated with his escape, including possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession, introduction or removal of contraband and persistent violator charges relating to the escape. Umphenour was charged with three counts of assault or battery upon certain personnel, escape by one charged or convicted for a felony, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and persistent violator and use of a deadly weapon enhancements. The officers involved survived the attack. Online court records show Umphenours trial is scheduled for October. Meade and Umphenour are suspects in the murder of 83-year-old James L Mauney of Juliaetta, Idaho, which police say took place during his escape. That case remains under investigation. Police think the men may have been involved in the death of 72-year-old Gerald Don Henderson near Orofino. Police said they found Meades handcuffs at the scene of one of the murders. Officials separately found the car Meade used in his escape in northern Idaho. The pair then fled that area in a different car. A third person, Tia Garcia, is charged with helping the men while on the run. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A Florida man was spearfishing off the coast of Key West this week when a shark bit him as his two children watched in horror. The bull shark bit Jose Abreu Hernandez in the chest, back and chin on Monday, leaving his two sons screaming in horror. A friend who was with the family got into the water and charged the shark, hitting him with his spear gun several times. The shark loosened its grip about 15 seconds later and swam away. However, Hernandez was left critically wounded and trying to console his sons. My kids, I say Hey daddy, no die, no die, he told WSVN-TV. He responded: Hey, dont worry, this is small, this is nothing, this is small. Hernandez was critically wounded and airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center in Miami. Officials described him as alert and responsive at the time of the airlift, according to a news release from the Monroe County Sheriffs Office. Jose Abreu Hernandez speaking from his hospital bed in Florida after he was attacked by a shark this week while spearfishing ( WSVN ) After being taken into surgery, doctors managed to stop the bleeding from the wounds and gave him hundreds of stitches, including on his leg, which doctors managed to save. Still, Hernandez faces months of rehabilitation. He lost a lot of blood and required surgery and a blood transfusion, Marcos Mendez, his nephew wrote on a GoFundMe to help him with the recovery costs. The surgeon said he is lucky to be alive. However, it will be a long road to recovery to walk again and he will be out of work for months. The GoFundMe has raised nearly $2,800 towards its $12,000 goal. Hernandez is expected to begin physical therapy later this week. He is in good spirits, he told the TV station and would like to go spearfishing again once he heals. Florida has the most shark bites in the world. Last year, 23 percent of unprovoked attacks happened in the state. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Three 11-year-old girls from Washington State have been applauded for their selfless bravery after they helped to prevent the abduction of a six-year-old girl from a residential neighborhood in the Seattle suburb of Kent on Tuesday evening. Kent Police Department (KPD) said in a statement posted to Facebook that a local man, 40, had been arrested after driving to the East Hill area in an ice-cream truck and attempting to kidnap the child. The three girls in question, arriving to buy treats for themselves, heard the terrified victim screaming as the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her forcibly along, correctly determining that he was not a relative when they heard her urging him to let her go. The victims brother called out to her but she could not break free from the mans grip, prompting the pre-teens to band together and follow when he tried to leave the scene. The trio recorded the man on their cell phones and boldly confronted him about what he was doing. They asked if he knew the girl as the child shook her head vigorously from side to side to signify no, at which point the girls grabbed her away from the suspect, who quickly fled on foot. They then reunited the child with her parents, who confirmed the man was a stranger unknown to the family. A 911 call was duly placed to report the incident, with an exact description provided to officers by the girls enabling local police to swiftly track the man down, arrest him, and book him on kidnapping charges at Kent County Jail. The East Hill neighborhood of Kent, Washington, where the attempted kidnapping incident occurred ( NBC News/YouTube ) Applauding the girls for their heroism, the force wrote in its statement: They saw their friend and neighbor being taken by a stranger, and stepped in without pause to bring her to safety. We are so proud of you. You are amazing. The little girl is now safe, the man is in jail, and we are impressed beyond words at the maturity and protectiveness displayed by these pre-teen girls. Without their intervention, the excellent description of the suspect from the 911 caller, and the swift response by multiple KPD Officers, the outcome would have changed dramatically. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A 19-year-old social media influencer was arrested on Wednesday after a string of burglaries in New Jersey in addition to other crimes in nearby New York and Connecticut. Officials took Antonio Ginestri into custody on charges of burglary, theft, two counts of conspiracy and employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime. Ginestri, along with a 16-year-old conspirator were taken into custody in New York after Fairfield police said they stole from a Speedway Gas Station on Route 46, according to NJ.com. Police did not name the 16-year-old due to his age but told the outlet he had been charged with burglary, theft, and two counts of conspiracy. The gas station robbery allegedly happened in February. Police said they were called to the business on February 6 at around 2am. Officials took Antonio Ginestri, 19, into custody on charges of burglary, theft, two counts of conspiracy and employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime this week following a series of alleged burglaries in New Jersey ( NYPD ) Police said three suspects left the property in a stolen gray BMW X7 that had not been reported yet but was identified in similar thefts in Roseland, Secaucus, and Hasbrouck Heights, different areas in New Jersey. The outlet reported that the individuals were wanted in other New Jersey towns and for crimes in New York and Connecticut. Two of the three suspects were Ginestri and the 16-year-old, police said. The identity of the third suspect is not yet known. Its not clear if he has been arrested or charged. Authorities took Ginestri into custody on May 16 and he is currently being held in Bergen County Jail on unrelated charges. Its not clear what charges he is being detained on. The alleged burglar is known on social media for speeding around New York City in high-end cars and motorcycles while avoiding police. Ginestris account has about 77,000 followers. An attorney for the man told the outlet that he has appealed the courts detention ruling. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez went on Instagram Live early on Friday morning to share her thoughts on Joe Bidens floundering re-election campaign - and warning that many of those who want the President to drop out of the race, also want Vice President Kamala Harris off the ticket too. If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave ... that they will support, Vice President Harris, you would be mistaken, she told viewers. She slammed her colleagues for giving anonymous quotes to the press, calling it bull**** and urged those resigned to a loss to Donald Trump to give up their seats. My community does not have the option to lose, she said. If theyre going to come out and say all their little things on background, off the record, but theyre not going to be fully honest, Im going to be honest for them. Im in these rooms. I see what they say in conversations, the congresswoman said. A lot of them are not just interested in removing the president. They are interested in removing the whole ticket. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke out about Joe Bidens candidacy on Instagram live early on Friday ( Screenshot / Instagram / AOC ) This comes amid mounting pressure on Biden to leave the race. While he remains publicly committed to staying in the race, Axios reports that in private, the president has resigned himself to increasing calls from lawmakers for him to drop out amid bad polling and mounting scrutiny of his age and mental acuity. Im not here to tell you that if Joe Biden is the nominee, hes definitely going to win because I dont think if anybody is the nominee, were definitely going to win, Ocasio-Cortez also said on Friday. Im here to tell you that a huge amount of the donor class and a huge amount of these elites and a huge amount of these folks in these rooms that I see that are pushing for President Biden to not be the nominee also are not interested in seeing the Vice President being the nominee, she added. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, has been released from Rikers Island jail for the second time, according to New York City Department of Corrections records. Back in March, Weisselberg, 76, pleaded guilty to committing perjury during testimony in the civil fraud case brought against Donald Trump, the Trump Organization and some of its top executives. Weisselberg had admitted to lying about the size of Trumps Manhattan penthouse and how it came to be overvalued on company financial statements in a July 2023 deposition. In return for pleading guilty to two counts of perjury, prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorneys Office agreed not to prosecute him for any other crimes he might have committed in connection with his longtime employment at the Trump Organization. Allen Weisselberg accepted responsibility for his conduct and now looks forward to the end of this life-altering experience and to returning to his family and his retirement, Seth Rosenberg, his attorney, said after his sentencing in the spring. He was sentenced to five months in Rikers Island on April 10. On Friday, he walked out of the notorious prison a free man after serving just 100 days for good behavior. It was Weisselbergs second stint in the infamous lockup, having served 100 days in jail last year for the non-payment of taxes on $1.7m in company perks, including a rent-free apartment in Manhattan and luxury cars. He was released on April 19 2023. Weisselberg, who was employed by Trumps family for nearly 50 years, has so far testified twice during trials involving the former president. Allen Weisselberg at his sentencing on April 10 ( AP ) During the civil fraud trial, Weisselberg stayed loyal to his former boss, insisting that Trump had not committed any serious wrongdoing. In February, New York Justice Arthur Engoron hit Trump and his fellow executives with $450m fines plus interest for systematically misrepresenting the value of the organizations assets between 2011 and 2021 in order to obtain favorable terms from lenders. Trump placed a discounted bond one month later in order to appeal the verdict. That appeal is still ongoing. Weisselbergs latest stint in prison prevented him from being called to testify in the former presidents criminal hush money trial in New York, which began just five days after his sentencing. The trial ended with Trump being convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels for her silence in the lead-up to the 2016 election about an alleged sexual encounter in 2006. Judge Juan Merchan, presiding over that case, did ask both sides why Weisselberg had not been called as a witness but both said that calling a twice-jailed perjurer might not help their cases. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Joe Bidens re-election campaign chair is hoping to stamp out reports that the president is ending his campaign after a brutal week marked by several leaks from high-profile Democratic officials suggesting that his time on the trail is coming to an end. Jen OMalley Dillon appeared on MSNBCs influential Morning Joe broadcast on Friday morning to declare that Biden is absolutely staying in the race against Donald Trump, and argued that there remains a clear path forward for victory despite a series of polls showing none. We are built for the close election that were in, and we see the path forward, she said. Im not here to say that this hasnt been a tough several weeks for the campaign, she added. Theres no doubt that it has been, and weve definitely seen some slippage in support, but it has been a small movement. That slippage has included another Democratic senator asking Biden to step aside, and polling that shows Trump leading by increasing margins in seven swing states, with Biden dropping by two points since earlier this month. Nearly two-thirds of Democratic voters also want Biden to withdraw, according to poll results from the Associated Press-NORC. Biden, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 and is isolating in Delaware this week, still has multiple pathways to victory, according to Dillon. The campaign is not sitting with our heads in the sand but working to get out a message that there remains strong grassroots support when he is on the campaign trail, she said. We know the president has to prove to the American people exactly what he believes, Dillon said. That he is in this to win it and hes the only person who has done it before. Dillon did not directly answer when she was asked whether there is any chance he gets out of this race at any point. You have heard from the president directly time and again, she said. He is in this race to win, and he is our nominee, and hes going to be our president for a second term. Joe Biden boards Air Force One in Las Vegas on July 17 after being diagnosed with COVID-19 ( AFP via Getty Images ) A campaign email following Dillons appearance laid it out explicitly to donors: Hes in this race and hes in it to win it. Moreover, hes the presumptive nominee there is no plan for an alternative nominee. In a few short weeks, Joe Biden will be the official nominee. Senator Bernie Sanders, who appeared on the network immediately after Dillon, defended the presidents candidacy, arguing that if we start focusing on his record, focusing on what he is trying to do, not only is he going to win it, he gives us a chance to win in a big way. Democratic officials are in a time crunch about the presidents future as delegates prepare for the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where Bidens formal renomination is in question. Barack Obama has reportedly been fielding calls from concerned Democrats about his former running mate as a growing chorus of Democratic officials have publicly urged Biden to step out of the race or risk taking down other crucial down-ballot races with him. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also reportedly privately warned Biden about his vanishing chances of re-election, pressing his advisers to show him polls that show significant losses in crucial battleground states that he needs to carry to win the 2024 election against Trump. Bidens family is also reportedly speaking with the president about what an exit plan could look like, while reports have emerged that Biden is fuming over leaks allegedly from the camps of his Democratic allies as he insists to staff and his family that his plans havent changed. In his last interview before he left the campaign trail to recover from COVID, 81-year-old Biden admitted that he initially saw himself as a transitional candidate in 2020, but I did not anticipate things getting so, so, so divided. And quite frankly, I think, the only thing, age brings a little bit of wisdom, and I think Ive demonstrated that I know how to get things done, for the country, in spite of the fact were told we couldnt get it done, he said. But theres more to do, and Im reluctant to walk away from it. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The final internet search of wannabe Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks was for porn, a law enforcement official has told The Daily Beast. The FBIs Operational Technology Division in Quantico, Virginia finally accessed the gunmans encrypted Samsung phone after it was flown on an FBI plane from the Pittsburgh field office where attempts to access its contents failed. A law enforcement official told the outlet that the only other recent activity on the gunmans phone was texts from his parents, asking about his whereabouts. The texts from Crooks parents started at about 1pm and continued during the afternoon, according to the report. They reportedly thought he had gone to the shooting range. Instead, he had taken his fathers AR-style rifle to try to assassinate Donald Trump. The former president was shot in the ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday but survived the attack. Donald Trump kisses the helmet of former Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department chief Corey Comperatore, who was killed at the former presidents campaign rally in Pennsylvania last Saturday ( REUTERS ) Rally attendee Corey Comperatore, 50, was shot and killed as he shielded his family from the gunfire. Trump paid tribute to Comperatore in his Thursday night speech at the Republican National Convention, kissing the late fire chiefs helmet. Two other men were injured in the attack. Crooks was killed by a Secret Service sniper, soon after he began shooting. The FBI has mostly finished its review of the phones contents and is now working on the gunmans laptop and several hard drives that were found in his bedroom. No motive for the shooting has been found and Crooks had no known psychiatric disorders. Next to his body, law enforcement found four rifle magazines as well as a remote control which could detonate explosive devices located in his vehicle. This still image taken from a video shows student Thomas Matthew Crooks in the 2022 Bethel Park High School Commencement in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He searched for information about both Donald Trump and Joe Biden before the shooting ( AP ) The source told The Daily Beast that the porn discovery was not unusual, adding that Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook elementary school shooter, had child abuse images on his phone and that a number of al Qaeda suspects have searched for extreme pornography alongside tracts for Islamist purity. Crooks, 20, lived with his parents 40 miles from Butler and had graduated from community college. He was working in a nursing and rehabilitation center. It has been previously reported that Crooks searched for both Trump and President Joe Biden, as well as information about the Democratic National Convention and the British Royal Family. He had also searched for Ethan Crumbley, a mass shooter who killed four students at a Michigan high school in 2021, as well as the prosecution of Crumbleys parents, who were both sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in jail for not safely storing the firearm used in the shooting. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The White House has lashed out at the wrongful conviction of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was sentenced to 16 years in Russian prison on Friday after being accused of spying. The Wall Street Journal reporter will be sent to a high-security penal colony following a trial the US called a sham. The verdict was widely expected as acquittals in Russian espionage trials are incredibly rare. President Joe Biden said in a statement on Friday that Gershkovich had committed no crime and that he was targeted by the Russian government because he is a journalist and an American. We are pushing hard for Evans release and will continue to do so, he added. As I have long said and as the UN also concluded, there is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime. He went on to say that Evan has endured his ordeal with remarkable strength. US journalist Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage, gestures inside a glass defendants' cage during the verdict announcement at the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg on July 19 ( AFP via Getty Images ) The publisher of The Wall Street Journal, Almar Latour, and the papers editor in chief, Emma Tucker, said in a statement: This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist. We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evans release and to support his family, they added. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until hes released. This must end now. The Russian authorities have failed to publicly share any evidence to back up their claims that Gershkovich is guilty of espionage. Both the US government and his employer have repeatedly rejected the allegations. A spokesperson for the Russian court said on Friday that the reporter did not admit guilt. Russian prosecutors approved an indictment in June that falsely claimed that Gershkovich was working for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gathering information about a Russian defense contractor. The court then moved up the hearings by almost a month, speeding up the process of convicting him. Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have indicated a willingness to include the journalist in a possible prisoner exchange, the Journal noted. Im leaving that question without an answer, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said when asked about a prisoner exchange, Russian state media reported. He added: There is a charge of espionage, so this is a very, very sensitive area. Evan Gershkovich stands listening to the verdict in a glass cage. The Kremlin has indicated that they may be interested in a prisoner exchange ( AP ) The 32-year-old Gershkovich has been in Russian prison since March 2023 following his detention by the Federal Security Service while he was reporting in Yekaterinburg, located about 900 miles east of Moscow. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on X: The sentencing of @WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is despicable and only serves to underscore Russias utter contempt for media freedom. Journalism should not be a crime. Gershkovich must be released immediately. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy added: He is a journalist, works for a respected news outlet, and was accredited by the Russian state to work in Russia. He should be released immediately. The Moscow Bureau chief for the Financial Times, Max Seddon, called the charges absurd and added that Russia rushed through the trial and didnt bother presenting public evidence. It may be a prelude to an exchange. Free Evan! Wall Street Journal reporter Alexander Osipovich wrote that Gershkovichs head has been shaved in compliance with Russian prison rules. With a growing number of my WSJ colleagues, I have shaved my head in solidarity. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the conviction reveals Putins fear of the power of facts and that the truth cannot be locked away. The verdict is politically motivated and part of Putins war propaganda, she said. Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar wrote that the verdict is beyond the pale. This is yet another egregious assault on independent media and democracy from Vladimir Putin, she added. Michigan congresswoman Haley Stevens called for the release of her constituent Paul Whelan, an American who has been detained in Russia since late December 2018. Whelan, a former marine, was also accused of spying and received a 16-year sentence in June 2020. Evan Gershkovichs sentencing to 16 years in prison is yet another gross perversion of justice by Putins lawless regime, Stevens wrote on X. This was a sham trial for bogus charges. Evan is a journalist, not a spy. Its long past time to bring Evan, my constituent Paul Whelan, and all wrongfully detained Americans home. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is expected to be retried on sex crimes charges on November 12. Weinstein, 72, appeared for a hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday as prosecutors prepare to retry him following the reversal of his 2020 rape conviction earlier this year. The judge said on Friday that he was open to an earlier trial date in Septemberm depending on how long the grand jury process takes. The ex-producers attorneys said they want to move as soon as possible. Last week, prosecutors accused Weinstein of raping more women than those who were part of his earlier prosecution. He was found guilty of rape charges in February 2020 but his conviction was overturned in April. More alleged victims came forward after the conviction was overturned. Prosecutors told the judge, Curtis Farber, that theyre still reviewing those claims, and plan to present the story of at least one of the alleged victims to a grand jury, ABC News reported. Weinstein, who was initially sentenced to 23 years in prison, has denied all claims of sexual crimes against him. His legal team has shared their doubts regarding any new alleged victims. Former film producer Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court on July 19, 2024 in New York City. A new trial date has been set for November 12 for sex crimes charges ( Getty Images ) In April, a New York Court of Appeals ruled that the previous trial judge had erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes. The court added that the testimony served no material non-propensity purpose and that it showed Weinstein in a highly prejudicial light. The appeals court found that Weinstein didnt get a fair trial because the judge allowed testimony from witnesses that Weinstein hadnt been formally charged with assaulting. The office of the Manhattan District Attorney said earlier this year that it would put Weinstein on trial again if alleged victims were willing to share their stories. Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg said last week: We believe the defendant forcibly raped and sexually abused women in Manhattan that fall within the statute of limitations. She added: There were women in 2020 who were not ready to proceed with the legal process. They are now ready. The new accusers have not been named and prosecutors are looking to protect some evidence from public view as they work to get a new grand jury indictment, Reuters reported. On Friday, Judge Farber said he would appoint a special magistrate to oversee any disagreements in the discovery process as the parties look through fresh evidence ahead of the new trial. The allegations against Harvey Weinstein launched the #MeToo movement in 2017, which saw women across society come forward with their experiences of sexual harassment and assault. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Hunter Bidens attorneys asked federal judges to dismiss tax and gun cases against him on Thursday, taking their lead from a Florida ruling earlier this week that led to the classified documents being dropped against Donald Trump. Attorneys for the presidents son argued that the special counsel appointed to investigate and bring charges against Biden was unlawfully appointed. They claimed - as Trumps legal team did - that the office of the Special Counsel was not properly appointed because Congress should have voted to confirm its establishment. Hunter Biden walks out of federal court with his wife Melissa Cohen Biden and stepmother, First Lady Jill Biden, after being convincted on all three gun charges ( Getty Images ) Trumps team sucessfully used this legal argument to get the federal classified documents case dismissed on Monday. The judge overseeing that case, Aileen Cannon, threw out the charges, agreeing that a special counsel needs the approval of Congress. Citing recent legal developments Bidens attorneys pointed to Judge Cannons ruling and argued that her decision also applied to his case. The Attorney General relied upon the exact same authority to appoint the Special Counsel in both the Trump and Biden matters, and both appointments are invalid for the same reason, the attorneys wrote. Hunter was convicted on three federal gun charges in June after a years-long investigation into his financial and business dealings. Prosecutors said the presidents son illegally purchased and possessed a firearm while addicted to crack cocaine in 2018. It is the first of two federal trials that Biden faces. The second, a federal tax charges case, is expected to begin in September. His attorneys say neither case was brought lawfully under the Appropriations Clause and resulted from political pressure. Earlier this week, Judge Cannon made the shocking decision to dismiss the indictment against Trump, relying heavily on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomass concurring opinion in his presidential immunity appeal. In Justice Thomass separate opinion unrelated to the ruling in the immunity appeal he expressed suspicion of the constitutionality of a Special Counsels office. That gave Judge Cannon more basis for her opinion. Bidens attorneys also cited Justice Thomass concurring opinion as reasoning for dismissing his cases. Now that the defect has been recognized and used to invalidate an indictment brought by the Special Counsel against former President Trump, the equivalent result should be available to Mr. Biden, they wrote. Different defendants but same constitutional flaws. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Ivanka Trump made her return to politics and her fathers campaign trail on Thursday night as she joined her family on stage to close out the Republican National Convention. The former presidents eldest daughter worked as a senior adviser in the Trump administration but following his exit from the White House in January 2021 in the wake of the January 6 Capitol riot has distanced herself from his re-election goals and the world of politics altogether. After leaving Washington, DC, Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner moved to Miami with their three children. And when, in November 2022, Donald Trump announced that he would run for the White House for a third time, she made it clear she did not want to return to politics. I love my father very much, she wrote in a statement at the time. This time around, I am choosing to prioritize my young children and the private life we are creating as a family. I do not plan to be involved in politics. But, on Thursday night, Ivanka made a rare public appearance at the RNC as her father accepted the Republican partys presidential nomination and delivered a record-breaking, 93-minute long speech to his supporters, in what marked his first public comments since an assassination attempt over the weekend. Dressed in a white suit and joined by Kushner and other members of the Trump family in the family box, Ivanka beamed as Trumps wife Melania entered the Milwaukee auditorium to rapturous applause. The two women who have both avoided taking part in Trumps 2024 campaign then joined Trump on stage as he and vice presidential pick JD Vance signed paperwork formally accepting the GOP nomination. Republican presidential candidate former president Donald Trump, stands on stage with Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump and other family members ( AP ) Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump made their first appearance at Donald Trumps 2024 campaign trail on Thursday ( AP ) The night continued to be a family affair with several Trump family members all joining the presidential candidate on stage after his speech, as the crowd went wild and red, white and blue balloons filled the air. One of the Trump children was noticeable absent: his youngest son, Barron Trump. Melanias office said back in May that Barron regretfully could not accept an invitation to attend as a delegate due to prior, unspecified, commitments. During his speech, Trump thanked his family members as he gave a shout-out to his wife, children and their partners. On this journey, I am deeply honored to be joined by my amazing wife, Melania. And, Melania, thank you very much. You also did something really beautiful, a letter to America calling for national unity, he said. I also want to thank my entire family Don and Kimberly, Ivanka and Jared, Eric and Lara, Tiffany and Michael, Barron, we love our Barron. And of course, my 10 wonderful grandchildren. Ivanka Trump joined Trump on stage as he and vice presidential pick JD Vance signed paperwork formally accepting the GOP nomination ( AP ) Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner enter the family box at the RNC ( REUTERS ) But, despite the show of unity, Ivanka and Melania notably both missed the first three days of the convention a contrast to Don Jr, Eric and Tiffany who were seen there every day. Neither Ivanka nor Melania gave speeches at the four-day event either, which they both did at the 2016 and 2020 conventions. Despite being absent from his 2024 campaign events to date and her bid to keep a low-profile, Ivanka did put out a statement in the wake of the assassination attempt on her father last week. Thank you for your love and prayers for my father and for the other victims of todays senseless violence in Butler, Pennsylvania, she wrote on Instagram. I am grateful to the Secret Service and all other law enforcement officers for their quick and decisive actions today. I continue to pray for our country. She added: I love you Dad, today and always. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance follows several accounts on X that espouse far-right and white nationalist views, according to an analysis by The Independent. The 39-year-old Ohio senator, who rose to fame with his best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and was named as Donald Trumps running-mate this week, follows 1,132 people on X, formerly known as Twitter. Among them are two of the most popular figures in the Right Wing Bodybuilders scene an online community in which many share a worldview that combines white nationalist ideas with anti-globalism, weight-lifting and nutrition. One of them is Raw Egg Nationalist, an account that has shared Adolf Hitler memes , quoted Mein Kampf and promoted the Great Replacement conspiracy a theory positing that Western elites are intentionally replacing White populations with migrants to its 200,000 plus followers. Vance also follows Bronze Age Pervert, believed to be run by far-right bodybuilder Costin Alamariu. That account has also promoted the racist Great Replacement theory and eugenic breeding. His self-published book, Bronze Age Mindset is considered a foundational text for the scene, and was said to be circulating among younger members of the Trump White House. He wrote in a 2021 essay: I have said for a long time that I believe in rule by a military caste of men who would be able to guide society toward a morality of eugenics. JD Vance follows two of the most popular figures in the Right Wing Bodybuilders scene. ( Screenshot / X ) Joshua Farrell-Molloy, an extremism researcher at the Accelerationism Research Consortium, described the two accounts as belonging to a post-alt-right movement that is pretty much at the vanguard of white nationalism. They are one of the main centers of gravity within the contemporary far right in the US, he told The Independent. Since Vance received the nomination on Monday, Molloy said there has been a buzz of excitement in the community, which is sometimes referred to as anon Twitter or Frog Twitter, in reference to the alt-right meme Pepe the Frog. They see him as being one of our guys and some are excited about the idea [that] he has been exposed to their ideas or has at least seen some of their content, he added. Vance has described another controversial figure, political scientist Richard Hanania, as a friend and a really interesting thinker. A HuffPost investigation revealed Hanania as having written for several white nationalist websites under a pseudonym in the early 2010s where he expressed support for eugenics, opposed race-mixing and cited neo-Nazis although Vance continues to follow him on X. Hanania later disavowed the views he expressed while writing under a pseudonym, writing in an essay titled My Journey Out of Extremism last year: I truly sucked back then. Just a couple of months before the publication of the essay, Hanania used his account on X to call for more policing, incarceration, and surveillance of black people. Far-right social media influencer Laura Loomer is also on Vances follow list. Loomer has described herself as a proud Islamophobe . Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump (L), and his vice presidential running mate Senator JD Vance attend the second day of the Republican National Convention. ( EPA ) Vance also follows podcast host Darryl Cooper, who said that the 2017 Charlottesville Unite The Right rally included a bunch of good people and wrote in a since-deleted tweet that FDR chose the wrong side in WW2, The Atlantic reported . It is not clear how long Vance has followed each account, or if he has ever seen or interacted with any of their posted content, but Cooper congratulated his longtime mutual Vance after he was chosen as the Republican vice presidential candidate. Following a person on X does not imply that the person agrees with the views shared on the account, but a review of Vances follower list does provide some insight into what the potential future vice president sees online. Vances office did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent. Vance notably follows a relatively large number of journalists from liberal institutions, despite spending much of his time railing against the liberal elite. He follows nine journalists from The Atlantic, one of Americas leading establishment liberal magazines, as well as an assortment of New York Times reporters. Vance addressed the Republican National Convention on Wednesday evening as he accepted the partys nomination for vice presidential candidate, sharing the story of growing up poor in Kentucky and Ohio. I will be a vice president who never forgets where he came from, he told the crowd. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Feeling angry and betrayed after numerous Democrats have called on him to step aside as the partys presidential nominee, Joe Biden and his family may be coming to grips with the notion that he will have to leave the race. Two sources familiar with the situation told NBC News that there are raw feelings at play as the Democratic National Convention is due to start in about a months time. The president feels he has been left hung out to dry by party leaders who privately say theres no path to winning in November for the president. Meanwhile, his family has begun mapping out what his exit would look like if he were to call it quits, NBC News reported. The former president Barack Obama tweeted his support after the disastrous 27 June televised debate with Donald Trump that sparked the concerns over Bidens age, but he has since remained quiet, although he has shared his concerns in private. Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, as well as former speaker Nancy Pelosi, have listened to the concerns of their caucuses and shared them with Biden. In public, they have all said they support whatever Biden chooses to do, but they havent told members to back Biden or shared any instructions on what the next step might be. Biden goes back decades with Schumer and Pelosi from his time in the Senate and as vice-president. Sources told NBC News that Biden is angry at how the party is trying to make him step aside. Joe Biden waves as he walks down the steps of Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Wednesday ( AP ) One source close to Biden told the outlet: Can we all just remember for a minute that these same people who are trying to push Joe Biden out are the same people who literally gave us all Donald Trump? In 2015, Obama, Pelosi, Schumer pushed Biden aside in favor of Hillary; they were wrong then, and they are wrong now. The source noted that in 2016, Hillary Clinton led by as much as nine points in the polls. How did all this work out for everyone in 2016? Perhaps we should learn a few lessons from 2016; one of them is polls are BS just ask secretary Clinton, the source told NBC. And two, maybe, just maybe, Joe Biden is more in touch with actual Americans than Obama-Pelosi-Schumer? Even amid reports that Biden is more receptive to hearing arguments for his departure, his campaign is resolutely saying that hes remaining in the race. In Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention ended on Thursday, Bidens deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said the president is not wavering on anything. But the continuing calls for him to step aside have created the sense that the matter remains unresolved. For many Democrats, its only a question of when Biden steps aside, not a question of if he will do so. One House Democrat told NBC that Pelosi has the force within the party. If she were to say [drop out] and he didnt agree, if she were to go public, then that would be tremendously damaging. Another member told the outlet that the dam is breaking now for him to get out and that members may be feeling that there is no need to pile on at this point by calling for him to go. One source said Monday could be a big day if Biden hasnt withdrawn by then, with a bigger push for him to call it quits as congressional Democrats return from recess. This comes as many senior Biden officials in the White House and on the campaign believe he must now drop out as he faces increasing isolation, according to CNN. Everyone is saying it privately, a senior Democrat told the network. People see and feel the walls closing in. Biden and first lady Jill in Washington DC on 4 July ( AFP ) Another Democrat in close touch with the White House said the president has become exceptionally insulated and isolated since the debate debacle on 27 June. After top Biden advisers faced the anger of the first family following the debate, the presidents inner circle has only grown smaller. Biden is self-isolating with Covid-19 at his beach house in Delaware, where he has reportedly become more receptive to the notion that he may have to step aside, one Democratic adviser told CNN. The president is in a contemplative stage as he goes over his options, privately acknowledging that his path to victory is narrow. The presidents self-isolation in Rehoboth Beach comes as his family has started discussions about what a possible departure from the race may look like. Two people familiar with the talks noted that any departure would have to put the party in the best possible place to beat Trump while also paying tribute for the more than 50 years Biden has spent in public office. Joe Biden at a campaign event at Renaissance High School in Detroit earlier this month ( AP ) Family members have reportedly discussed how the president would want to end his campaign on his own terms and with a detailed plan ready to go. The possible impact of the campaign on his health, his family, and the country is top of mind in those discussions, the sources told NBC. But a White House spokesperson rejected that any discussions regarding a possible exit are taking place. That is not happening, period, the spokesperson told NBC News. The individuals making those claims are not speaking for his family or his team and they will be proven wrong. Keep the faith. The spokesperson also denied claims that exit discussions are taking place among senior members of staff. And on MSNBCs Morning Joe on Friday, Bidens campaign manager Jen OMalley Dillon said he absolutely remains in the race. But she also added: Weve definitely seen some slippage in support We have a lot of work to do to make sure that we are reassuring the American people that, yes, hes old, but he can do the job and he can win. The Independent has contacted the Biden campaign for comment. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Melania Trump reportedly declined multiple requests to speak at the 2024 Republican National Convention breaking with the modern tradition of a candidates spouse addressing a crowd of delegates and potential voters. This year, the ever-elusive former first lady chose not to speak about her husbands personality, his record or his hopes for the country, instead offering her silent presence on Thursday evening when Trump accepted his partys official nomination. Wearing a MAGA-red dress, Melania joined her husband and the rest of the family on stage at the RNC, on the last day of the convention, a notable deviation from the 2016 and 2020 conventions when she delivered a speech about her husbands life, hopes and personality. Two people familiar with the first ladys RNC plans told CNN that Melania was asked multiple times to give a speech each of which she declined. It is common, if not expected, that most candidates spouses deliver remarks about their husbands or wives during the major party conventions. JD Vances wife, Usha Vance, spoke about her husband on Wednesday. Former First Lady Melania Trump kisses US former president and 2024 Republican candidate Donald Trump as she joins him onstage on the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention ( AFP via Getty Images ) But Melania has never been a typical first lady and has notably withdrawn from her husbands political endeavors since leaving the White House in 2021. She does not attend Trumps rallies or event speeches. She did not attend any day of her husbands criminal trial in New York. She rarely makes a public statement about Trump although she did after the recent assassination attempt. Melanias decision to forego an RNC speech is not surprising, but it is unclear what her exact reasoning was behind this. In 2016, Melania faced intense scrutiny when reporters realized her speech was heavily inspired, if not directly taken, from Michelle Obamas 2016 Democratic National Convention speech. It was an embarrassing moment for Melania given the speech was her first major step into the political spotlight alongside her husband. But in 2020, Melania delivered a long speech directly addressing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, unlike Trump. It is unclear if the former first lady will be making more appearances on the campaign trail now that her husband is the official Republican nominee. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Melania Trump was greeted with rapturous applause as she made her entrance on the final night of the Republican National Convention, and offered her husband a brief peck on the cheek as he concluded his mammoth acceptance speech. The former first lady was pictured standing behind Trump as he signed paperwork to accept his third nomination for the GOP presidential candidate on Thursday, alongside his newly selected running mate for 2024, JD Vance. Vances wife, Usha Vance, stood with Melania, as well as the presidents daughter Ivanka, and son Eric. The former first lady was not mentioned on the list of speakers at the RNC for Thursday, but later made her official entrance to the convention floor to lilting classical music. The former first lady offered her husband a brief peck on the cheek as he concluded his mammoth acceptance speech on Thursday night at the convention ( REUTERS ) Melania joined her husband and his family, as well as Trumps newly selected running mate JD Vance ( Getty Images ) Wearing a red suit, Melania smiled and waved to supporters, before joining her husband and Vance in the box as the appplause continued. In his acceptance speech the longest in RNC history Trump directed crowds towards Melania, saying: On this journey, I am deeply honored to be joined by my amazing wife, Melania. To cheers, he continued: Melania, thank you very much. You also did something really beautiful, a letter to America, calling for national unity. Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump is joined on stage by his wife Melania and other members of his family ( REUTERS ) As he concluded his remarks after almost two hours, the former first lady returned to the stage to join her husband offering him a small kiss on the cheek. The pair held hands as they were joined by members of the Trump family as thousands of red, white and blue balloons fell. In his speech former president thanked his entire family: Don, Kimberly, Ivanka and Jared, Eric and Lara, Tiffany and Michael, Barron, we love our Barron. Barron did not appear to be in the box alongside his other family members, nor on the stage later. Melania took center stage as the 2024 RNC came to its conclusion and thousands of red, white and blue balloons fell ( REUTERS ) Melania Trump made an entrance to rapturous applause on the final night of the Republican National Convention ( REUTERS ) The 18-year-old recently made his entrance onto the political scene at a rally at Trumps Doral golf resort in Miami, Florida. Echoing his fathers showmanship the teenager waved to crowds and pumped his fists, prompting Trump to joke that he was more popular than his other sons. Back in Milwaukee, Trump paid tribute to his 10 wonderful grandchildren. You saw a few of them up there on my lap before, he said. Speculation about Melanias whereabouts have swirled for days as other members of the Trump familywere pictured on the convention floor, and in the box with the former president Wearing a red suit, Melania smiled and waved to supporters, before joing her husband and JD Vance in the box ( REUTERS ) Trump was pictured spending time with Luke and Carolina the children of Lara and Eric Trump ahead of his speech ( AP ) The former president was also pictured dancing alongside his young grandchildren Spencer and Chloe, the children of Don Jr. He also spent time with Luke and Carolina the children of Lara and Eric Trump. Melanias entrance in Milwaukee marks her first major political appearance with Trump since he announced his 2024 campaign almost two years ago. The former first lady has remained largely out of the spotlight so far as Trumps campaign to return to the White House continued apace ( AFP via Getty Images ) Sources told Politico that the former first lady was deeply shaken by the shocking assassination attempt. Shortly following the incident on Saturday during a campaign rally in Butler Pennsylvania, she released a statement in which she described the would-be assassin as a monster. Melania entered the convention hall on Thursday night ahead of Trumps speech and was met with rapturous applause ( REUTERS ) When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband, Melania wrote. To the families of the innocent victims who are now suffering from this heinous act, I humbly offer my sincerest sympathy. Your need to summon your inner strength for such a terrible reason saddens me. Ahead of his speech, Trump was pictured dancing alongside his young grandchildren Spencer and Chloe, the children of Donald Jr ( REUTERS ) Jared Kushner, former White House senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, former White House senior adviser, and Tiffany Trump were all present on the final night of the RNC ( AP ) A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald's passion - his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration. The core facets of my husband's life his human side were buried below the political machine. Donald, the generous and caring man who I have been with through the best of times and the worst of times. Melania has not remained completely out of politics, having headlined two fundraisers for the Log Cabin Republicans, a pro-LGBTQ+ rights Republican organization in spring. The former first lady was pictured standing behind Trump, along with Ivanka Trump as he signed paperwork to officially accept the Republican nomination for presidential candidate ( AP ) Both were held at Trump properties Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower and were closed to the press. However, Melania has not held any public campaign events or accompanied Trump at events out on the trail beyond a few private fundraisers and voting in Floridas primary. Donald Jr, his fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle, and now Eric Trump have all made speeches to supporters of the former president in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} House Speaker Mike Johnson has rejected the notion that the Republican platform on abortion means that the party is happy for Democratic states to give wide access to abortion. I don't think that's what it means at all, he said when asked about abortion access in blue states by Politico on Thursday. I think it's a recognition of the reality of the politics of the country. Johnson continued: No one who believes in the sanctity of life or calls himself a pro-lifer is comfortable with where some of these blue states are going almost unlimited abortion access all the way to the end ... to the moment of birth. The Republican National Committee platform is not explicitly endorsing a federal ban on abortion, instead leaving the decision to the states. The platform invokes the 14th Amendment to suggest that fetuses are guaranteed rights and supports a ban on late-term abortion - which is not a medical term. An RNC committee adopted a draft platform that states: Republicans will protect and defend a vote of the people, from within the states, on the issue of life. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson on July 17 at the RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Hes a staunch opponent of abortion rights ( Getty Images ) A landmark Supreme Court decision in June 2022 overturned Roe v Wade, which enshrined a constitutional right to abortion care. The decision effectively left the legality of abortions up to individual states. We proudly stand for families and Life, the RNC platform states. We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied Life or Liberty without Due Process, and that the States are, therefore, free to pass Laws protecting those Rights. That stance, leaving the decision to the states, brings the platform in line with GOP nominee Donald Trumps stance on abortion. Trump has often bragged about appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe but also shared his concerns about the implications that strict abortion bans, and attacks on fertility treatments like IVF, may have on the election results in November. Convention delegates expressed their support for the platform and leaving the decision to the states earlier this week. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Republican National Convention is officially in the books. Ostensibly, much of the setpieces throughout the convention were meant to attack President Joe Biden, who remains the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, even if Democrats are increasingly trying to shove him out. On Thursday, ahead of former president Donald Trumps speech, Montana Senator Jon Tester, the most vulnerable swing-state Democrat whose state voted for Trump by double digits, said Biden needed to leave. And on Friday, Senator Martin Heinrich, a Democrat from New Mexico, also said Biden needs to go. That is a stunning rebuke, given that Biden treated Tester with respect, even inviting him to the Oval Office when Barack Obama refused to do the same. But Heinrich is from a state that is now endangered because of Bidens weak performance at the top of the ticket. Biden re-election campaign chairwoman Jen OMalley Dillon, for her part insisted on Morning Joe on Friday morning that Biden is not leaving the race. Meanwhile, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive vanguard, warned on an Instagram Live that the same forces who want to boot Biden also want to kick out Vice President Kamala Harris. But throughout the four days in Milwaukee, Republicans seemed to sense that Biden might be on the out and that Harris might replace him at the top of the ticket. And they were already preparing the talking points. Even the speeches seemed to pivot ever so slightly as time went on. When Harris ran for the Democratic nomination for president, many progressives sneered at her record as a prosecutor, calling her a cop. Conversely, Republicans sought to label her as weak on crime, citing her quote about reimagining how we do public safety in America. On Wednesday evening, the RNC featured a speech that criticized Biden on one of his most controversial missteps: the US exit from Afghanistan that led to death of 13 US servicemembers. During that moment, Charlie Kirk, the head of Turning Point USA who has become Trumps liaison to younger voters, muttered on the convention floor about how Republicans were criticizing a candidate who wouldnt be on the ticket in November. If its Kamala, were ready to pivot, he told The Independent. If its Gretchen Whitmer or Gavin Newsom, were ready to roll. Were unified, theyre not, and good luck figuring out whos going to run. Multiple Republicans echoed that sentiment throughout the week. Representative Mike Lawler of New York, a freshman Republican who won a district that voted for Biden in 2020 and whom Biden has praised in the past, told The Independent that Harris would have to answer for Bidens agenda. Right now, when you look at the dynamics in swing districts across New York, President Trump is up and part of the reason is is not so much about Joe Biden, but the policies, Lawler said. So regardless of what the Democrats try to do, it doesn't change the policies and Kamala Harris owns those policies. She was part of this administration. Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota opined that Democrats are in a no-win situation. If its not Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party unravels, Cramer told The Independent. If it is Kamala Harris, she has to defend the same record. Cramer also cited the fact that Harriss presidential campaign did not go the way she wanted. Quite honestly, once the presidential spotlight gets turned on Kamala Harris, well all be reminded why she got exactly the same number of votes as I did: zero, he added. Kellyanne Conway, Trumps former counsellor and campaign manager, said essentially the same thing. The Democrats would position this because this is what they like to do they will position this as historic, you have a chance to make history, she said, of the idea of Democrats putting Harris forward as presidential nominee. Conway then speculated that Harris could pick a running mate like Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro to take the Keystone state off the map. But all of this remains hypothetical. Biden appears defiant, even as multiple news reports circulate about his exit. His campaign released an ad on Friday lambasting the media that appeared almost Trumpish in its tone: Same old Trump, same old media. Its clear that Republicans would have a far easier time running against Biden than the younger Harris. Polling alone can tell us that. But they are planning for all contingencies. They are already dredging everything up from her past in order to be prepared for the eventuality. If she does take on the torch, certainly expect them to make hay out of the fact that Harris was tasked with handling migration at the US-Mexico border by Biden. On that issue, public opinion is firmly on the side of Republicans. It turns out, contrary to what shes fond of saying, Harris might not be able to be unburdened by what has been. -Andrew Feinberg contributed reporting. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} To attorney Ty Cobb, who served as Donald Trumps White House counsel during the ex-presidents first year in office, this weeks four-day GOP nominating pageant was, for the partys purposes, executed well. Republicans have never appeared more unified, and their messaging is clear, Cobb said Friday morning. Sadly though, and obviously, it is mostly theater, Cobb told The Independent. Trump is an empty soul. He doesnt stand for anything but pure ambition. There is no principle at all. When Trump closed out the final evening of the 2024 Republican National Convention on Thursday night, he briefly tried on for size a marginally less aggrieved persona. Five days after he was grazed in the ear by a gunmans bullet, the twice-impeached former commander-in-chief promised an arenas worth of GOP delegates and millions of people watching at home that if he were to return to power, he would serve as president for all of America, not half of America. But after a frenzied appearance by pro wrestler and noted union-buster Hulk Hogan , who ripped off his shirt mid-speech to emphasize his MAGA bona fides, and an apparently lip-synched performance by Kid Rock , the crowd clearly wanted to hear the hits. Hulk Hogan rips off his shirt mid-speech in a Trump-fueled frenzy during the final night of the RNC. ( Getty ) So, after less than a half-hour of the new Trump, he reverted to form for the rest of his rambling 93-minute address, veering wildly off-script for, in the words of one commentator, one of the truly awful and self-indulgent political performances of our time. The newly minted felon spent the next 90-plus minutes tossing MAGA fans the hunks of the red meat they craved: Crazy Nancy Pelosi is a scourge on the nation, Joe Biden is the worst president in U.S. history, Democrats rigged the 2020 election, the Russia, Russia, Russia investigation into Trumps alleged Kremlin ties was a hoax, and undocumented immigrants are stealing jobs from Black Americans, among incendiary but wholly untrue proclamations. It was the archetypal example of how Trump, according to Cobb, a former prosecutor, can shapeshift almost flawlessly, adopting whatever persona he chooses to project in the moment. That chameleon-like phenomenon allows him to appeal to many who merely want to hear their favorite narrative, whether or not it is from a false prophet, Cobb continued. Regrettably, the current state of the party requires the few remaining serious leaders like Ambassador [Nikki] Haley and Secretary [Mike] Pompeo to kiss the orange ring just to retain some ability to play a part later. At the same time, Cobb said it will be up to Haley, Pompeo, and other adults within the conference to spearhead the MAGA retreat that must take place if our culture and form of government are to survive long-term. Former White House lawyer Ty Cobb sees Donald Trumps RNC performance as further proof the twice-impeached ex-president is little more than an empty soul. ( Getty ) Cobb, who represented Trump during Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, was on the former presidents good sideuntil he wasnt. Trump was once VERY happy with Cobb, who he said was doing a great job. Cobb later left amid tension over what he saw as Trumps needlessly belligerent posture toward Mueller and the Department of Justice, and when he spoke critically last year about Trumps alleged mishandling of classified information, Trump immediately turned on him. Ty Cobb is a disgruntled former Lawyer, who represented me long ago, and knows absolutely nothing about the Boxes Hoax being perpetrated upon me, Trump posted on Truth Social. His words are angry, nasty, and libelous, only because I did not continue using him (and paying him), and for good reason. Americas problems are growing exponentially more complicated every day, and expensive, fact free, non-substantive convention spectacles do little more than dazzle the base, Cobb said on Friday. Until we return to a truth-based, more tolerant foundation, there will be no progress, he told The Independent. A reckoning is needed for the entire political class. Yet, there does not appear to be a savior in sight Illusions and hatred are not the tools for progress. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Secret Service said it was appalled by disparaging and disgusting attacks on women who serve as agents in response to the string of sexist comments from people online criticizing the agencys failure to prevent the Trump rally shooting. In the week after a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Pennslyvania, killing one person and injuring three others including the former president, some notable right-wingers have accused women in the Secret Service of failing to do their job. Matt Walsh and Jake Shields claimed women should not be permitted to protect the president, insinuating they are not as good at the job as men. Both included a photo or video of female agents protecting Trump the day of the shooting. LibsOfTikTok directly attributed the death of the Trump rallygoer, Corey Comperatore, to DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion]. It is an insult to the women of our agency to imply that they are unqualified based on gender. Such baseless assertions undermine the professionalism, dedication and expertise of our workforce, the spokesperson for the Secret Service spokesperson told The Hill. Secret Service agents surround former president Donald Trump after a gunman opened fire at a rally over the weekend ( AP ) The spokesperson said that as an elite law enforcement agency all of its agents and officers are highly trained and fully capable of carrying out missions. Approximately 24 percent of the Secret Service is comprised of women, according to the agencys website. Women have been part of the agency for 50 years. The Independent has asked the Secret Service for comment on the criticisms. Questions have emerged concerning why the gunman was able to take a clear shot at Trump from the roof of a nearby building something that is typically swept before a current or former president makes a public appearance at an event. But amid rationale criticisms of the agencys preparedness, sexism has managed to creep in. Those comments have also been directed at the Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who said the Secret Service is, totally responsible for dividing up responsibilities when designing and implementing a security plan. What happened is a terrible incident and should never happen, Cheatle told CNN. And we are obviously going to make sure that moving forward, we take whatever any lessons that come out of this and adjust accordingly. But some have blamed any potential failures on Cheatles gender including Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett who accused the Biden administration of choosing Cheatle for the position because of DEI rather than for her expertise. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene similarly called Cheatle a DEI hire and called her to resign. Cheatle is expected to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Monday about the agencys plan before, during and after the shooting. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Secret Service was grappling with limited resources ahead of the assassination attempt of Donald Trump at a campaign rally last Saturday, Republican lawmaker Jim Jordan has claimed. Law enforcement and congressional investigations are underway into potential lapses in the former presidents security detail. The shooting last Saturday left two people, including the gunman, dead. Spectator Corey Comperatore, 50, a former fire chief, died after shielding his family from the gunfire. Two people were seriously injured. On Thursday, House Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan wrote in a letter to FBI director Christopher Wray said he had received information from whistleblowers. Jordans letter referenced a July 8 briefing in which a Secret Service agent allegedly told law enforcement partners that the security service was facing limited resources as its teams were spread out across marquee events including the recent NATO summit in Washington. Jordans allegations did not specify whether limited resources had any impact on staffing or plans ahead of Trumps rally. Secret Service surround Trump following shooting. Law enforcement and congressional investigations are underway into potential lapses in the former presidents security detail ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The Independent has contacted the Secret Service and FBI for comment. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi has pushed back on theories that the agency could have done more in the lead-up to the assassination attempt. Guglielmi said claims that the Secret Service rebuffed a request from the Trump team for additional security were untrue and theories that an event for First Lady Jill Biden diverted resources were very wrong. The shooting, where local police encountered the gunman outside of the event and later on the roof of a building, is the subject of multiple investigations. Critics have argued that once law enforcement were aware of a suspicious man on a nearby rooftop, the event shouldve been paused or canceled. They should have just evacuated as soon as there was any hint of danger, Ronald Kessler, author of a book about the Secret Service, told The Associated Press. The FBI is probing the incident along with the House Judiciary Committee and Secret Service. Close Trump kisses female genius behind life-saving chart in first rally in Pennsylvania since shooting Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump is back on the campaign trail having returned to Pennsylvania for his first campaign rally in the swing state since he came within inches of being killed by a would-be assassins bullet on July 13. The former president and Republican nominee spoke in Harrisburg, just hours after a confrontational interview with the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago. During the interview, Trump insulted his presumptive 2024 Democratic Party opponent, Kamala Harris, and falsely accused her of lying about her race stating that she recently became Black. Harris, who is biracial, is Black and Indian-American. At the evening rally, Trump remained largely tied to his prepared remarks and attacked Harris for supposedly wanting to destroy Pennsylvanias economy. His next big campaign event will be a joint appearance with his vice presidential pick, JD Vance. That will take place in Atlanta on Saturday, at the same venue Harris held a barnstorming first rally of her campaign earlier in the week. We are temporarily pausing our Trump campaign blog. Please join us in our main US election 2024 blog for full coverage of both campaigns as the race to the White House gathers pace. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Back in 2016, during the Republican National Convention, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas the man Donald Trump had dubbed Lyin Ted and whose wife he called ugly decided to stick the knife into Trump. There, he told attendees to vote with your conscience rather than endorse Trump. But on Tuesday evening, Cruz opened his address at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee by saying, God Bless Donald J Trump, a nod to Trumps survival by the hands of a would-be assassin. Trump, for his part, pledged that he will speak in a more unifying way when he takes the stage for the final night of the RNC. Indeed, despite the heightened security on campus, surrounding the convention and hotels, the vibes to borrow from Gen Z of the RNC have been high. Don Jr, before going into a scorched-earth speech, invited his daughter Kai to talk about her grandfather, which led to one person in the crowd shouting, Kai 2040! The chipper attitude from most Republicans masks some fairly grim talk about mass deportations for undocumented migrants, banned abortions, and an unsafe country for trans people. Indeed, Cruzs speech went into gruesome detail about immigrants raping and murdering people. Nine years ago, when Trump talked about migrants bringing drugs and crime or raping women, it triggered swift denunciations. Now Republicans parrot his language. Former critics like JD Vance, who once infamously said Trump could be like Hitler, now gladly accept the offer to be his right-hand men. Meanwhile, the walls continue to close in on Joe Biden. As Democrats continued to call for him to step aside, the president tested positive for Covid-19 just before he was due to speak at a Latino voter event in Nevada. This would have been a chance to reset with an essential voter demographic that has been drifting to the Republican Party. Instead, it immediately underlined the presidents age and vulnerability once again. Ironically, if many Republicans were not so viscerally opposed to vaccines, Trump could perhaps troll Biden by saying, Youre welcome for the vaccine developed under his watch through Operation Warp Speed. The meltdown Democrats face and the unified front from Republicans shows that each candidate is in the exact opposite spot they were when they first became the mantle-bearers of their party. When Trump won the 2016 presidential nomination, a wide swath of the Republican Party said they would support but not endorse the nominee of their party. Paul Ryan claimed he had never seen Trumps tweets. Later, ten Republicans in the House voted to impeach the former president and seven Republicans in the Senate voted to convict him for his actions on January 6. Those Republicans have either retired, lost their races or died. In their wake, Republicans like Cruz and the Vance who had massive reservations have learned they can obtain power by bear-hugging Trump. Eight years ago, Senator Mike Lee of Utah endorsed Cruz and had reservations. But on Wednesday, he seemed all smiles on the convention floor. Conversely, Biden emerged in 2020 as the consensus candidate. Democrats picked him because he was the only person they thought could beat Trump. Nominating Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren or Pete Buttigieg was too risky. Biden didnt use that anointing to crush his opponents, but rather to bring them into the fold. That was one of the reasons why he was able to take a narrow majority in the House and 50 seats in the Senate, and pass a litany of Democratic priorities. Its also why Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has become one of his biggest apologists. Now, Bidens unwillingness to step aside risks burning down the sturdy Democratic dinner table he worked so hard to carve. A survey by Emerson College this week showed that Democrats are headed for disaster unless they nominate a younger candidate. As of right now, its unclear if Biden will actually decide to step away from the job hes wanted since at least 1987. Doing so could wind up undoing his accomplishments as a leader of the Democratic Party. This comes despite the fact that Democrats are doing so well in other races. Indeed, the Democrats dont have a party problem; they have a Joe Biden problem and they are trying to fix it. Now, Biden finds himself physically isolated with Covid and politically isolated as Democrats try to quarantine his brand problem from the rest of their general election campaign. But they cant mask up forever. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Five days after a .22 calibre bullet came within inches of ending his life, Donald Trump recounted his brush with death, and cast himself as a triumphant hero, as he accepted his partys presidential nomination for the third consecutive election cycle on the final day of the Republican National Convention. The ex-president, who wore a bandage on the ear that was grazed during the attempt on his life, told the crowd of delegates and supporters on Thursday that he was not supposed to be here and credited his presence on the stage in Wisconsin to the grace of almighty God. There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side. I felt that, he said. As photographs of that day were displayed on a bank of screens behind him, Trump claimed rallygoers had believed him dead after his Secret Service detail rushed the stage, and told the convention audience that the photo of him raising a fist as he exhorted his supporters to fight came out of a desire to reassure them that he was still alive. The ex-president also said he would spend the remainder of his life grateful for the love shown by that giant audience of patriots whod been there in Pennsylvania last weekend, including the two supporters who were left wounded by the gunman, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, and Buffalo Township fire chief Corey Comperatore, who died. Almost all of the Trump family joined the former president. Former first lady Melania Trump, who had been absent throughout the majority of the convention, also appeared alongside him at the end of the convention in a rare appearance. Donald Trump kisses the helmet of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter killed at his campaign rally on Saturday, during the final night of the RNC ( AP ) On this journey, Im deeply honored to be joined by my amazing wife Melania, he said, praising the letter she sent out calling for national unity. After asking the crowd for a moment of silence, Trump said his resolve was unbroken towards his goal of delivering a government that serves the American people better than ever before. Nothing will stop me in this mission, because our vision is righteous and our cause is pure, he said. Former president Donald Trump is joined on stage by his wife Melania and other members of his family after his address to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. ( REUTERS ) Trumps demeanor appeared more subdued as he recounted the shooting. Later in the nearly two-hour speech, the substance of his remarks hewed closer to the grievance-landen rhetoric that has characterized his rallies since the 2016 election. He claimed that the outcome of the assassination attempt, which has been condemned and denounced by prominent figures from across the political spectrum, should be an end to the various criminal cases against him. Trump is the first convicted felon to accept the nomination of a major political party, having been found guilty on 34 separate charges by a New York City jury earlier this year. He also faces federal charges stemming from his efforts to unlawfully remain in office after losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, as well as a state-level case in a Georgia court for his attempt to strong-arm state officials into falsifying election results. Trump accused Democrats of weaponizing the justice system against him and called for them to stop pointing out his previous efforts to subvert election results by labeling him as a threat to democracy, instead claiming that he is the one who is saving democracy for the people of our country. Former President Donald Trump is introduced during the final night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Singer Lee Greenwood peformed Proud to be an American as Trump went onstage. ( AP ) His remarks were largely delivered as prepared from a teleprompter, though he appeared to go off on tangents. In one instance, he suggested that Wisconsin residents should cast their ballot for him because of his heavy investment in the Badger State. And by the way, Wisconsin, we are spending over $250 million here, creating jobs and other economic development all over the place. So I hope you will remember this in November and give us your vote. I am trying to buy your vote. Ill be honest about that, he said, before returning to reading from the monitor on front of him. While lacking the bombast of his typical rally speeches, Trump largely stuck to the boilerplate slogans and promises he has offered audiences since launching his third presidential campaign in November 2022. In the same way, he was introduced by an aggressively macho ticket of WWE legend Hulk Hogan, Kid Rock performing a revamped version of American Bad*** and UFC president Dana White. Former president Donald Trump stands with the chart on immigration that saved his life as he accepts his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention. Trump was looking at the same chart when he spoke in Pennsylvania when a gunman opened fire. ( AFP via Getty Images ) He also included his familiar lies that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. He claimed he would singlehandedly end the devastating inflation crisis, immediately bring down interest rates and lower the cost of energy, though he offered no explanation for how hed do any of those things - all of which fall far outside the reaches of presidential authority. He also told supporters hed somehow enable the US to pay off its national debt even while lowering the taxes that are collected to fund government operations, and he repeated his oft-stated promise to end wars between Ukraine and Russia and Israel and Hamas. And although his opponent President Joe Biden did not appear in his prepared remarks, he mentioned his successors name during one off-script tangent before realizing he wasnt supposed to do so, telling the crowd hed only mention Bidens name once and accusing him of doing unthinkable damage to the country. Another tangent saw Trump return to a gaffe hed made during his debate with Biden, when he claimed migrants from South and Central America were taking Black jobs. This time, the ex-president claimed without evidence that migrants are taking the jobs from our Black population, our Hispanic population. And theyre also taking them from unions, he said, though he did not explain how migrants could be filling jobs that are restricted to union members. He also called for the firing of the United Auto Workers president who has supported Biden. He threw out his recent idea of not taxing tips, which led to a chant of no tax on tips. Former President Donald Trump is joined on stage by his wife Melania after he delivered his acceptance speech to close out the Republican National Convention. ( REUTERS ) Trump also promoted economic protectionism, talking about putting in place tariffs against countries that do business with foreign adversaries like Iran. He also returned to another trope, characterizing border issues as an invasion. Trump displayed the chart showing the increase in illegal immgration that he had been referring to when a gunman shot him in Pennsylvania. Without that chart I would not be here today, he said. He also baselessly claimed that foreign nations are sending criminals to the United States, which he said necessitates the largest deportation order in history. Trumps speech capped off a week of speeches at the RNC and signified how Trump, once a pariah in his party, has consolidated support with the GOP. It also comes as Democrats scramble as Biden continues to trail Trump significantly in most swing state polls amid mounting calls for the president to exit the race from his own party. The week also saw the debut of Trumps new running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, who sat in the VIP section with the former first lady. Trump will now head to Michigan with Vance. Next month, the Democrats will hold their convention in Chicago, either where Biden will receive the Democratic nomination or Trump will learn about his new Democratic opponent. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trumps would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks appears to have scoped out the site of the former presidents campaign rally six days before he went to the Butler, Pennsylania, event and opened fire, according to a report. The FBI provided an update on the shooting investigation to Senate and House lawmakers on Wednesday, revealing new details about the 20-year-old gunmans actions prior to the shooting. Sources told CNN that Crooks online search history revealed he had looked up information on Ethan Crumbley, the school shooter who killed four students at Oxford High School in Michigan in 2021. A screenshot of Crumbleys arrest photo was also found on Crooks personal cellphone, the outlet reported. The gunman had also looked up instructions for making simple bombs and for information about the Democratic National Convention. In April, three months before the assassination attempt, Crooks also looked up information about major depressive disorders and depressive crisis treatment. Geolocation data taken from Crooks' cellphone also indicated placed him near the scene of the rally site nearly a week before the event, the New York Times reported indicating he may have staked out the site in preparation. Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who tried to assassinate Donald Trump on July 13, may have been scoping out potential vantage points near the Butler Farm Show grounds almost a week before his attack, according to a new FBI report ( AP ) One day before the shooting, Crooks is believed to have visited a gun range. He also bought a ladder from a Home Depot that day, though officials do not believe he used it to climb to the location where he opened fire. He also purchased rounds at a nearby gun story, Allegheny Arms and Gun Works. Crooks told his boss at the nursing home where he worked that he needed the day off on July 13 to do something important, officials familiar with the investigation told the New York Times. Trump was speaking at the Butler Farm Show on July 13 when Crooks, prone on top of the roof of a nearby warehouse, fired several shots at the former president. Two rallygoers were injured, one was killed, and Trump was struck in the ear. Crooks was shot dead by Secret Service snipers. Following his death, investigators searched Crooks and his car. Inside the vehicle, they reportedly found a bulletproof vest, several magazines for his rifle, and a makeshift explosive device. The FBI also reportedly told lawmakers that the Secret Service had omitted the warehouses north of Trumps stage including the one used by Crooks from its security zone. Investigators are still searching for a clear motive for the shooting. Voter records show Crooks was a registered Republican, but there is said to be no evidence to indicate his political beliefs motivated his attack. One theory investigators are reportedly considering is that Trump was more a target of convenience than a specific ideological target. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Ex-Fox News host, election lie propagator and conservative provocateur Tucker Carlson said that Donald Trump offered to stand guard at his home after demonstrators came to his Washington property in 2018. Carlson received the biggest applause at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on the fourth and final night of the Republican National Convention ahead of Trumps speech. This feels a lot different from what I thought it was going to feel like, Carlson said, when he came to the stage. Fox News fired Carlson last year but he remains a massively popular and influential figure in rightwing circles. Carlson opened by speaking about Trumps shooting in Pennsylvania, and said that the moment solidified his status as a leader. Everything was different after that moment, everything this convention is different, Carlson said. When he stood up after being shot in the face, bloodied, and put his hand up. I thought at that moment, that was a transformation. Tucker Carlson speaks during the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Throughout the convention, Republicans have sought to humanize Trump. On Wednesday, his granddaughter Kai Trump spoke before her father Don Jr, depicting him as an ordinary grandfather. Similarly, Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, sought to make Trump seem like a pious religious leader. Just because you call yourself the president doesn't mean that much inherently, I can call my dog the CEO of Hewlett Packard doesn't mean she is, Carlson said, before suggesting President Joe Biden was a mannequin. And you hate to say it, but it is also true that you could take, I don't know a mannequin a dead person and make him president. He then repeated the lie that the 2020 election was stolen. With enough cheating that could happen, Carlson said. Carlson also praised Senator JD Vance, calling him a friend. He is a thoroughly decent man, and I'll just admit it a friend of mine, he said. But JD Vance has views that are closer to Trump's voters. than anyone else in Washington in office. Therefore, he's the vice president. Thats democracy. Carlson then claimed how in 2018, Antifa protesters came to his house when his wife was home, dubbing them the Democratic partys militia. I was at work, it was obvious when I was at work because it was public. My wife was alone, they tried to come through the front door and they terrorized her, he said. Carlson said that the next day, Trump called his wife Susan. Its coming through, I can hear it, he said. And the first thing he says is Im going to stand guard outside your house. Despite not being on network TV anymore, Carlson hosts a show on X. Earlier this year, he came under criticism for interviewing Russian President Vladimir Putin. Carlsons speech signified a sharp turn for the Republican Party. Earlier in the convention, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had railed against Carlson for interviewing Putin, was roundly booed. Vance and Carlson have both criticized support for Ukraine. Carlson joined GOP politicians and celebrities, including WWE wrestler Hulk Hogan. But Carlson said there was another VIP in the room. But I will say this unequivocally, he said. God is among us right right now. And I think thats enough. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Napoleon had the island of Saint Helena, Leon Trotsky had various spots across Turkey, Norway and Mexico. These days political exiles from the UK all appear to end up in a far more desolate place: The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Among the crowds of US political bigwigs, state delegates and zealous supporters of Donald Trump, several familiar British faces have appeared usually with the prefix of former before their job title to rub shoulders with the GOP elite. At the 2024 convention, where Trump officially accepted the Republican presidential nomination and selected JD Vance as his running mate, a rollcall of infamous names from across the pond dropped by to pay their respects. The former UK prime minister and Donald Trump were pictured together at the RNC on Tuesday, with Johnsons trademark disheveledness standing in stark contrast to Trumps polished veneers and white ear bandage. Donald Trump and Boris Johnson at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin ( Ross Kempsell/PA Wire ) Great to meet President Trump who is on top form after the shameful attempt on his life, Johnson wrote on X. We discussed Ukraine and I have no doubt that he will be strong and decisive in supporting that country and defending democracy. The former prime minister has kept a relatively low profile in the UK since his less than graceful departure from Number 10 Downing street in July 2022 following a spate of domestic political scandals. He and Trump worked together for just over a year, their respective times in office overlapping from July 2019 to November 2020, and shared an ostensibly cordial relationship. The pair shared certain similarities including famously bizarre hair, a penchant for incendiary rhetoric, and a propensity towards the outrageous. In fact, the former president himself once proudly referred to Johnson as Britain Trump and hailed him as tough and smart. Boris is good. Hes going to do a good job, Trump said in 2019, following Johnsons election as Tory party leader. Trump and Johnson worked together for just over a year, their respective times in office overlapping from July 2019 to November 2020 ( Getty Images ) This friendly alliance is seemingly going strong, at least according to Johnson. His praise of the former president comes in stark contrast to the endorsement (or lack of) afforded his former Chancellor-turned-rival Rishi Sunak, to whom Johnson offered little support to, ahead of the UK election earlier this month. Another infamous former prime minister, Liz Truss, also made her presence known in Wisconsin. Great to be at @RNC in Milwaukee seeing President Trump get nominated. The leadership the West needs, she posted on X on Monday, following up with a collection of pictures of her signing fan merchandise and meeting Trumps newly selected running mate JD Vance. A true conservative and what America needs, she wrote. Americans may remember Truss as the woman who left office before the shelf-life of a head of lettuce. At just 49 days, hers was the shortest time in office of any previous UK PM, though she has since set her sights on conquering America, making several appearances at GOP events alongside infamous figures as Steve Bannon Trumps currently incarcerated former chief strategist. Earlier this year she appeared at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland where she gave a speech in which she claimed that the deep state had thwarted her plans, and decried the CINOs Conservatives in Name Only and promoted her book, Ten Years To Save The West. Conservatives are now operating in what is a hostile environment and we essentially need a bigger bazooka in order to be able to deliver, Truss said in a 15-minute speech entitled Taking Back Our Parties. Earlier this year Liz Truss appeared at CPAC in Maryland, where she gave a speech in which she claimed that the deep state had thwarted her plans as UK PM ( Getty Images ) Like Johnson, Truss now has more time on her hands to mingle with the GOP elite, having lost her seat in parliament in the constituency of South West Norfolk, in the UK General Election on July 4. Unlike Johnson, Truss was not gifted the golden goose of a picture with the former president himself at the RNC. Despite dancing in and out of the spotlight in British and European politics, Nigel Farage has remained a regular, and even popular face to the US right. He has appeared multiple times at CPAC and was once hailed by Trump at a rally as one of the most powerful men in Europe. A picture of the pair, standing grinning broadly in front of the golden elevator doors of Trump Tower also previously went viral. However, just how close the two are nowadays is unsure. Speaking to The Independent from the RNC, Farage said he was there because of a friend whos been through a tough time, later making similar comments to UK journalist Emily Maitlis. Farage said hed dropped by to check on his friend Donald Trump after the shooting last weekend ( AFP via Getty Images ) I had to come, Ive been friendly with Trump all these years, he told her, in an interview for The NewsAgents podcast. Hes just survived an assassination attempt so I thought Id come and say hello. Asked if Trump himself had invited him to come to Wisconsin, Farage hesitated, before admitting it was the people around him that thought it was the right thing that I came it was right that I came... I have friends, I dont know if you do or not, maybe you dont, but when theyre having a tough time its right to go and support them. It is unclear whether Farage and Trump met up during the 2024 RNC. In the run up to Trumps 2020 election, Farage was a regular at rallies: the former president also drew regularly comparisons between Brexit, which Farage had led, and his own election campaign. Russell Brand The comedian and actor Russell Brand was spotted outside the grounds of the RNC on Wednesday morning, after previously telling his sizeable internet following that he was traveling to Milwaukee to interview high profile figures at the convention. Brand reportedly did two stand-up comedy shows earlier in the week and published several videos throughout the week including a sit-down with Eric Trump, the formers presidents son, during which he discussed the assassination attempt on his father. Brand was previously interviewed by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, following multiple accusations of sexual assault that were leveled at him last September ( screengrab ) Brand has kept a low-profile in the UK ever since multiple allegations of sexual assault against him emerged last September. The actor was accused of rape and emotionally abusing four women between 2006 and 2013 at the height of his fame. Brand has vehemently denied all wrongdoing. Since then, his operations have gone largely online, with videos and livestreams on YouTube and Rumble. He also previously appeared in a sit down interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson a known friend and associate of Trump, in which he said it was very, very painful to be accused of the most appalling crimes. Carlson himself, who was fired abruptly from Fox in April 2023 following the settling of a major defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems, was pictured at the RNC on Wednesday evening. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich ended Friday with his conviction on espionage charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government have dismissed as fabricated. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Heres what we know about the secretive process. Where was the trial he ld? It took place in the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in the city of Yekaterinburg, about 880 miles (1,416 kilometers) east of Moscow. That's the city where Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023, while on a reporting trip. What happened in court? The session was closed. Gershkovich was in court for the verdict and stood in the glass defendants' cage wearing a dark colored sweater. His head was shaved, just as it was at the start of his trial in June. It is not known whether he chose to shave it or whether he was forced to. The judge sentenced Gershkovich to 16 years in a maximum security penal colony. The judge asked Gershkovich if he understood the verdict and he replied in Russian, yes your honor. The judge asked if he had any questions and Gershkovich replied no, your honor. As the press cameras were leaving court, someone shouted out we love you Evan." Why is this case significant? Gershkovich, the American-born son of immigrants from the USSR, is the first Western journalist arrested on espionage charges in post-Soviet Russia. Russian authorities, without presenting evidence, claimed he was gathering secret information for the U.S. The State Department has declared him wrongfully detained, thereby committing the government to assertively seek his release. What do the Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government say? The Journal's publisher, Almar Latour, and Emma Tucker, its top editor, called it a disgraceful, sham conviction, in a statement after the verdict. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until hes released. This must end now, Latour and Tucker said. A top White House spokesman also called the proceedings nothing more than a sham trial. Evan has never been employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy. Journalism is not a crime. And Evan should never have been detained in the first place, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. Russia has failed to justify Evans continued detention. He, like fellow American Paul Whelan, is simply being used as a bargaining chip. Why would Russia seek out American journalists? Gershkovichs arrest came about a year after President Vladimir Putin pushed through laws that chilled journalists, criminalizing criticism of Russias war in Ukraine and statements seen as discrediting the military. Foreign journalists largely left the country after the laws passage, but some have trickled back in. There are concerns about whether Russian authorities would target them as animosity between Moscow and Washington grows. What next? After the verdict, Gershkovich is expected to taken back to the detention facility in Yekaterinburg where he was held during the trial. Both the prosecution and defense have 15 days to appeal the sentence. If theres no appeal, Gershkovich will be transferred back to prison. If there is an appeal, Gershkovich will probably stay in Yekaterinburg until there is another hearing. The process of transferring him can last days or even months, and it may only be clear where Gershkovich will serve his sentence once his lawyers are told that he has arrived at a prison. What about a swap? Although Russia-U.S. relations are at their lowest point since the Cold War, the countries negotiated a swap in 2022 that freed WNBA star Brittney Griner, who had been serving a 9 1/2-year sentence for cannabis possession. Griner was exchanged for arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was imprisoned in the U.S. The countries also traded Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who serving nine years in Russia for assaulting a police officer, and Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, whod been serving a 20-year prison sentence for conspiring to smuggle cocaine. Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted that he would be open to swapping Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing in Berlin of a Georgian citizen of Chechen descent. However, Germanys willingness to cooperate is uncertain. How soon can we expect an exchange? It could be months or years. Russian officials previously said a swap can only happen after a verdict, but it depends on when Moscow and Washington can reach a deal. Past experiences differ drastically. Griner was exchanged about four months after her verdict. Reed was released in a swap 21 months after his. Paul Whelan, an American convicted of espionage in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison, is still waiting. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The top United Nations court is set to deliver an opinion on the legality of Israels 57-year occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state. Fridays hearing comes against the backdrop of Israels devastating 10-month military assault on Gaza, which was triggered by the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel. In a separate case, the International Court of Justice is considering a South African claim that Israels campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, a claim that Israel vehemently denies. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three areas for an independent state. Israel considers the West Bank to be disputed territory, whose future should be decided in negotiations. It has annexed east Jerusalem in a move that is not internationally recognised, while it withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but maintained a blockade of the territory after Hamas took power in 2007. The international community generally considers all three areas to be occupied territory. At hearings in February, then-Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki accused Israel of apartheid and urged the United Nations top court to declare that Israels occupation of lands sought by the Palestinians is illegal and must end immediately and unconditionally for any hope for a two-state future to survive. Israel, which normally considers the United Nations and international tribunals as unfair and biased, did not send a legal team to the hearings, but submitted written comments, saying that the questions put to the court are prejudiced and fail to recognize Israels right and duty to protect its citizens, address Israeli security concerns or acknowledge Israel-Palestinian agreements to negotiate issues, including the permanent status of the territory, security arrangements, settlements, and borders. The Palestinians presented arguments in February along with 49 other nations and three international organizations. Erwin van Veen, a senior research fellow at the Clingendael think tank in The Hague, said that if the court rules that Israels policies in the West Bank and east Jerusalem breach international law, that is unlikely to change Israeli policies but it would isolate Israel further internationally, at least from a legal point of view. He said such a ruling would "worsen the case for occupation. It removes any kind of legal, political, philosophical underpinning of the Israeli expansion project. It would also strengthen the hand of those who seek to advocate against it" such as the grassroots Palestinian-led movement advocating boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel. He said it also could increase the number of countries that recognize the state of Palestine, in particular in the Western world, following the recent example of Spain and Norway and Ireland. It is not the first time the ICJ has been asked to give its legal opinion on Israeli policies. Two decades ago, the court ruled that Israels West Bank separation barrier was contrary to international law. Israel boycotted those proceedings, saying they were politically motivated. Israel says the barrier is a security measure. Palestinians say the structure amounts to a massive land grab because it frequently dips into the West Bank. The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin in December 2022 to ask the world court for the advisory opinion. Israel vehemently opposed the request that was promoted by the Palestinians. Fifty countries abstained from voting. Israel has built well over 100 settlements, according to the anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now. The West Bank settler population has grown by more than 15% in the past five years to more than 500,000 Israelis, according to a pro-settler group. Israel also has annexed east Jerusalem and considers the entire city to be its capital. An additional 200,000 Israelis live in settlements built in east Jerusalem that Israel considers to be neighborhoods of its capital. Palestinian residents of the city face systematic discrimination, making it difficult for them to build new homes or expand existing ones. The international community considers all settlements to be illegal or obstacles to peace since they are built on lands sought by the Palestinians for their state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-line government is dominated by settlers and their political supporters. Netanyahu has given his finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, a former settler leader, unprecedented authority over settlement policy. Smotrich has used this position to cement Israels control over the West Bank by pushing forward plans to build more settlement homes and to legalize outposts. Authorities recently approved the appropriation of 12.7 square kilometers (nearly 5 square miles) of land in the Jordan Valley, a strategic piece of land deep inside the West Bank, according to a copy of the order obtained by The Associated Press. Data from Peace Now, the tracking group, indicate it was the largest single appropriation approved since the 1993 Oslo accords at the start of the peace process. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} US journalist Evan Gershkovich has been jailed for 16 years in a Russian prison on politically motivated charges of espionage. Mr Gershkovich, 32, has been behind bars since his March 2023 arrest after Moscow accused him of gathering secret information for the CIA about a military equipment facility in central Russia. TheWall Street Journal reporter has denied the charges and nations including the US and UK have hit out at what they see as politically motivated charges with US president Joe Biden calling his detention totally illegal. The Kremlin has said he was caught red-handed, but has not published evidence. The court proceedings have been closed to the media, with the verdict announced on Friday afternoon. Wall Street Journal publisher Almar Latour and editor-in-chief Emma Tucker said: This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist. Mr Gershkovich, 32, has been behind bars since his March 2023 arrest after Moscow accused him of gathering secret information for the CIA ( AP ) We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evans release and support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until he is released. This must end now. Previously, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said: Evan has done nothing wrong. He should never have been arrested in the first place. Journalism is not a crime. The charges against him are false. And the Russian government knows that theyre false. He should be released immediately. The Biden administration has sought to negotiate Mr Gershkovichs release but Moscow has said it would consider a prisoner swap only after a trial verdict. Vladimir Putin has said he believes a deal could be reached to free Mr Gershkovich, hinting he would be open to swapping him for a Russian national imprisoned in Germany. The Wall Street Journal reporter denies the charges and the US and UK have hit out at what they see as politically motivated charges ( Reuters ) That appeared to be a reference to Vadim Krasikov, who is serving a life sentence for the 2019 killing of a Georgian citizen of Chechen descent in Berlin. The son of Soviet emigres who settled in New Jersey, Mr Gershkovich is fluent in Russian and moved to the country in 2017 to work for The Moscow Times newspaper before being hired by the WSJ in 2022. US ambassador Lynne Tracy, who regularly visited Mr Gershkovich in prison and attended his court hearings, has called the charges against him fiction and said that Russia is using American citizens as pawns to achieve political ends. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday said she's traveling to Europe for her second trade mission there as governor, which will include a visit to an air show in the United Kingdom. The Republican governor announced she's traveling to the Farnborough Air Show, which begins July 22, to pitch the state to aerospace companies. Sanders said she will also visit major business partners in Germany. During the trip, Sanders plans to meet with companies that have a presence in Arkansas such as RTX, Lockheed Martin and Albemarle, and other companies looking to do business with the state, her office said. Aerospace is the state's largest industry, according to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, with more than $850 million in aircraft parts exported in 2023. Sanders' first overseas trade mission as governor was to the Paris Air Show last year. As we cut taxes, grow our workforce, and invest in education, were becoming an even more attractive state for investment, Sanders said in a statement. "This trip will be crucial to getting that news out to some of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the world. Sanders' office said the trip will also include First Gentleman Bryan Sanders, Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald, Economic Development Commission Executive Director Clint O'Neal, Chief of Staff Gretchen Conger and Deputy Chief of Staff Judd Deere along with other economic development commission officials. The trip is being paid for by the Arkansas Economic Development Foundation, Department of Commerce and the governor's office. Sanders last year signed a law restricting the public release of records about her travel and security. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised a tentative deal between Serbia and the European Union signed on Friday that paves the way for the disputed excavation of lithium, a mega project that could reduce Europe's dependency on China but one that has been fiercely criticized by environmentalists and opposition groups. Scholz attended a critical raw materials summit in the Serbian capital where a memorandum of understanding between the EU and Serbias government on a strategic partnership on sustainable raw materials, battery supply chains and electric vehicles was signed. He said after the signing ceremony that this is an important European project, adding that it is necessary for Europe to remain sovereign in a changing world and not be dependent on others, which is why new sources of raw materials should be discovered. Im glad the decision was made, he said. "I admit, this decision required courage, but it was made at the right moment, Scholz said. Germany, the largest carmaker in Europe, is seeking to secure lithium for its electric vehicle makers as the European Union struggles to reduce its dependence on imports from China. Lithium is a critical substance in making batteries for electric vehicles China currently dominates the supply chain for lithium-ion batteries. This is a project that is good because it will be developed in an environmentally compatible way and is good because it creates economic activity and prosperity where world history made it possible to bury raw material in the earth, and we are now extracting it, Scholz said. Serbias constitutional court earlier this month overturned a previous ruling to cancel a $2.4 billion mining project launched by British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto in the western Serbian valley of Jadar, which is believed to be the largest lithium discovery in Europe. The Serbian governments decision to cancel the excavation plans came after thousands of protesters in Belgrade and elsewhere in Serbia blocked major roads and bridges in 2021 to oppose Rio Tintos plans because of potential hazards to the environment. The protests were the biggest challenge yet to the increasingly autocratic rule of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. A heavy police presence on Friday prevented groups of protesters from coming close to the government building in the new part of Belgrade where the signing ceremony took place. Vucic has said the lithium excavation will only go ahead if automakers and battery producers in Germany and other EU states build factories in Serbia, rather than directly exporting raw materials to those countries. This day fills me with great hope for our country," Vucic said. This will be a turning point and a big change and a quantum leap into the future of Serbia. Serbia is formally seeking EU membership, but has maintained close political and economic ties with China and Russia, despite Moscow's aggression in Ukraine. The signed agreement is seen by analysts as a major boost for Vucic and his hard-line policies. I really believe that we are making historic opportunity for Serbia and the EU, said the European Commission vice president, Maros Sefcovic, who signed the memorandum of understanding in the name of the EU. Associated Press writers Jovana Gec in Belgrade, Serbia, and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this story. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A drone allegedly launched by Yemens Houthi rebels hit near a US embassy office in Tel Aviv, killing one person and injuring eight. The Israeli military said in a statement on Friday they believe a falling aerial target caused the explosion. The military has increased air patrols following the attack to protect Israeli airspace. The attack came just hours after Israeli airstrikes killed two commanders of the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Israeli military claimed the commanders had conducted multiple attacks against Israel. The military and emergency services are reportedly investigating the attack on Tel Aviv, with the city on high alert. The exact target of the attack remains unclear. The Houthis said they launched a drone capable of evading radar detection systems at Israel, the Times of Israel reported. According to the Israeli military, its preliminary investigation indicates that the drone was detected by air defences but it was not intercepted due to human error. A 50-year-old man was killed in the attack. He was discovered with severe shrapnel wounds in an apartment next to the blast, according to Roee Klein, a paramedic with the national emergency service, the Washington Post reported. Israels air force believe the drone came from the southern direction, possibly Yemen, although it is not ruling out other launch sites, such as Iraq or Syria, the Times of Israel said. A military spokesman for the Houthis, who have been targeting the Israeli port city of Eilat with drones for months, announced on social media early on Friday that the group will disclose details of the quality operation targeting Tel Aviv. Tel Avivs mayor, Ron Huldai, wrote on X that the city was on heightened alert in light of the drone attack. He said: The war is still here, and it is hard and painful. Footage from the explosion site showed shattered glass scattered across the pavements, with crowds of onlookers congregating near a building marked by blast damage. The area was cordoned off with police tape. Israeli opposition politician Yair Lapid said the attack was further proof that this government does not know and cannot give security to the citizens of Israel. He added: Those who lose deterrence in the north and south also lose it in the heart of Tel Aviv. There are no policies, no plans, all public relations and discussions about themselves. They [the government] have to go. The Houthis have consistently fired drones and missiles at Israel and Israeli-affiliated shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to demonstrate their support for Palestinians amid Israels war on Hamas. Almost 39,000 Palestinians have been killed since 7 October last year when Israel launched its war on Gaza. The offensive came after Hamas attacked southern Israel and killed nearly 1,200 people and took some 250 hostage. An unprecedented global computer outage caused major chaos across Britain and around the world without warning on Friday grounding thousands of flights, knocking TV stations off air, and leaving patients unable to see doctors. Microsoft computer systems were crippled by a humble security update that brought some of the worlds biggest companies to a halt and caused disruption on a massive scale, with experts likening it to the much-feared millennium bug that failed to materialise 24 years ago. Affected Windows PCs were left unusable, showing a blue screen of death error message. The chief executive of CrowdStrike, the firm that issued the faulty software update, said he was deeply sorry but warned that it would take some time for systems to be fully restored. In Britain, the chaos included: 3,700 GP practices around 60 per cent being hit by disruption to appointment booking and other services The FTSE 100 dropping 0.8 per cent Almost 300 flights being cancelled, with around 5,000 cancelled worldwide Nearly all independent pharmacies being affected Sky News and other channels being unable to broadcast The bugs ramifications were on a scale not seen before. Banks, supermarkets and other institutions reported disruption, while many businesses were unable to take digital payments or access key databases. Airports, which use myriad PC systems for managing customers and equipment, suffered some of the worst effects. On what was set to be the busiest day for UK airports in five years, some 50,000 passengers who were planning to fly to or from Britain on Friday were unable to do so. Passengers queue by the Ryanair check-in desk at London Stansted airport ( PA ) Huge queues formed at the affected airports, with Gatwick staff forced to check in passengers manually for flights. Heathrow airport said on Friday afternoon that it was still working hard to get passengers on their way. In another dramatic consequence of the outage, CBBC and Sky News were both rendered unable to broadcast on Friday morning, with news presenters forced to use printed notes once the channel returned to air after more than an hours blackout. And health secretary Wes Streeting begged patients to bear with their GPs as some 3,700 practices around 60 per cent of Britains surgeries were hit by disruption to appointment booking systems and prescription services. Ambulance services reported a huge surge in demand as people also struggled to access the NHS app, while some hospitals suffered administrative issues. The Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust declared a critical incident and cancelled radiotherapy appointments. People trying to access the NHS app also encountered problems ( PA ) The National Pharmacy Association, which represents many of the UKs 9,000 independent community pharmacies, told The Independent that the outage was affecting nearly all of our members in some way. Govia Thameslink Railway the UKs busiest train operator, which runs the Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern services around London also said it was experiencing widespread IT issues. Tracking website Down Detector registered outages and problems at a huge array of other companies, including Visa, Mastercard, Amazon, Ryanair, Ladbrokes and BT. The worldwide meltdown is unprecedented in the range and scale of systems it has impacted, warned cybersecurity expert Dr Harjinder Lallie, an associate professor at the University of Warwick. Ive never seen anything like this before, said Dr Lallie. We had the NHS WannaCry [ransomware attack], that was serious. But this is planes, TV stations... its such a massive impact. In New York, several of Times Squares famous billboards were down ( Getty ) Dr Lallie warned: This IT catastrophe highlights the need for greater resilience, a greater focus on backup systems, and possibly even a need to rethink whether we are using the most resilient operating systems for such critical systems. With many retailers across the globe reporting issues with digital payments, Andrew Goodacre, chief of the British Independent Retailers Association, told The Independent that major IT problems seem to be happening all too often. Independent retailers dont have the kind of resources that you might find in a large chain, but they still need the same level of protection. This can make them more vulnerable when such IT failures occur, he said. While it remained unclear how many retailers were affected overall, a British Retail Consortium spokesperson said most had resumed trading as normal. Shops reported not being able to take card payments during the IT outage ( PA ) CrowdStrike, which provides cyberattack monitoring and protection for numerous large businesses, said the problem was caused by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts, adding that it did not constitute a security incident or a cyberattack. The companys stock value fell 12 per cent in early trading on Friday after Elon Musk dubbed the incident the biggest IT fail ever. Chief executive George Kurtz said: Were deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused to customers, to travellers, to anyone affected by this. Weve been on with our customers all night and working with them many of our customers are rebooting the system, and its coming up and operational because we fixed it on our end. Some of the systems that arent recovering, were working with them, so it could be some time for some systems that [wont] automatically recover, but it is our mission to make sure that every customer is fully recovered. Were not going to relent until we get every customer back to where they were, and well continue to protect them and keep the bad guys out of their systems. He added: Software is a very complex world, and theres a lot of interactions, and always staying ahead of the adversary is a tall task. Adam Leon Smith of BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, warned that it could take weeks for all computers and systems to be fully restored. The fix will have to be applied to many computers around the world. So if computers are getting blue screens and endless loops, it could be more difficult and take days and weeks, he said. Professor Ciaran Martin, the founding chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, said the incident was an incredibly powerful illustration of our global digital vulnerabilities and the fragility of core internet infrastructure. Prof Martin, who now works at the University of Oxford, said it was hard to estimate how long it would take to recover from the outage. The underlying problem is fixed and the fixes are being implemented. Some industries can recover quickly. But others, like aviation, will have long backlogs. That said, Id be surprised if we were still facing serious problems this time next week. He added that the cyber industry needs to get better at finding and fixing these single points of failure across all core digital infrastructure. After a worldwide Windows glitch took much of the worlds infrastructure offline on Friday, power outages and internet disruptions are on everyones mind. Flights were grounded and TV channels including Sky News were taken off air. Everything from banks and payment companies to airlines and train companies said they would see delays and technical issues caused by a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. It is something the former deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden, warned of when he made the case for us to all think about how prepared we are for prolonged disruption during a cyberattack. While, George Kurtz, the founder and chief executive of the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, has made it clear there was no possibility that this power outage was a cyber-attack it has certainly focused our minds. It is also a reminder of the smash Netflix hit Leave the World Behind, which pondered the stark, post-apocalyptic depiction of the immediate aftermath of an attack. In the movie, the first time anyone notices something is wrong is when they discover their mobile phone coverage is out, and their wifi disappears, but it takes a push notification on their TV screens for the characters to learn that an attack has been launched. In reality, the emergency alert system, tested this April, would be used in the UK. This would mean our phones would buzz, and we would receive advice and instructions if needed on what to do in the event of a large-scale attack or extreme weather event whether that would be to stay indoors or evacuate to a place of safety. In the governments annual preparedness plan, unveiled by Dowden under Rishi Sunak, it advised that people have non-digital alternatives to radios, alongside candles and power banks to keep devices going in the event of a prolonged power outage. Other experts suggest that everyone should have enough food and water for up to three to four days. Ill scream: Julia Roberts in the No 1 Netflix movie ( Netflix ) Such plans into insignificance when you consider towns and cities in Sweden maintain bunker capacity for up to 7 million citizens, located in cellars under apartment blocks, and in underground metro stations and some commercial centres too. Inside, there are enough provisions for almost a week and an emergency siren system for a life-threatening attack in peacetime the Hoarse Fredrik, as it is known, is tested at 3pm on the dot in Swedish cities on the first Monday of March, June, September, and December. The UKs physical air raid siren network was also regularly tested in the Seventies but was disbanded in the 1990s. However, reports suggest around 1,200 remain in use and would be used if there was an imminent danger to surrounding residents. In the Netflix film, the other sign that something is seriously amiss is when an oil tanker runs ashore, thanks to malfunctioning navigation systems. Later, we see planes crashing out of the sky, reminiscent of the Y2K millennium bug scare, when people worried that computers would misinterpret the 00 in 2000 as 1900, which some believed would spark disruption in everything from navigation systems to power infrastructure. This never happened, largely because many people behind the scenes got to work, but there were still failures internationally when 15 nuclear reactors shut down, power cuts hit Hawaii, and government computers failed in China and Hong Kong. Our reliance on computer systems was also highlighted by the August 2023 outage of air traffic control systems in the UK that brought flights to a standstill, and recently, we have seen that smaller-scale outages can have widespread ramifications. The flight outage took several days to unpick as NATS, the company overseeing UK air traffic control, sought to find the underlying issue that had caused it. But at least it showed that there are sufficient early-warning systems and contingency plans in place to stop planes falling out of the sky, as we see happen in the film. Held to ransom: hackers can breach computer systems, lock access to data and demand payment to release the files ( Peter Byrne/PA ) However, that is not to underestimate how much our systems are linked much more so than when we worried about the millennium bug. Around 15 years ago, the UK took a path with its national cybersecurity strategy that prioritised the continuity of government computer systems at the expense of everything else. It was wrong in 2009 because we completely ignored the fact that a massive proportion of the economy was already virtual, and that that was only going to increase, says Lynette Nusbacher, who at the time was a senior intelligence officer with Britains Joint Intelligence Committee and founded the Cabinet Offices national security horizon scanning unit. While Nusbacher left her role in 2010, she says that, from an outsiders perspective, attitudes havent changed much since. We have not moved far from that, she says. However, the likelihood of such a large-scale cyberattack happening is still small, reckons Ciaran Martin, professor of practice at the Blavatnik School of Government, and the first CEO of the UKs National Cyber Security Centre until August 2020. The chances of this happening with no wider complex declaration of hostilities are very, very, very low, he says. A lot of what we think of as critical national infrastructure like the National Grid is comparatively well-protected and has been for decades. The UKs National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) lists 13 sectors that it deems are critical, including energy, chemicals, and civil nuclear, as well as health, communications, food, and water. Those 13 were chosen because a major detrimental impact on the availability, integrity, or delivery of [these] essential services... could result in significant loss of life or casualties, according to the NPSA. However, Nusbacher adds, if one part of national infrastructure is a hard target, an attacker is going to seek out soft targets. Communication is key, and she says: The government has special agreements with certain providers to ensure that there are no single points of failure. Outages include the things that affect ordinary people, like your internet connection and potentially your mobile service as people turn to it because they cant use wifi. However, emergency services are able to still operate the government learned after the 7/7 terror attack on London in 2005 that first responders cant use the same network as the general public. The emergency services use a new system, called the Emergency Services Network, that is separate from the core public communications network. There has been a focus on landline phone services recently and their analogue value and use, particularly, in a cyberattack. Were in the process of taking a step backward by closing down the plain old telephone system, which was a separate network, powered separately and with its copper infrastructure, says Alan Woodward, professor of cybersecurity at the University of Surrey. BT and other telephone providers are partway through migrating their services from the traditional copper wires to digital alternatives, powered by voice over IP (VoIP) technology the same tech that underpins Skype. The phone company, however, says it has contingency plans in place to keep services going in a serious event and liaises regularly with the government to keep things safe. In the UK, there is also a hidden benefit in that we have several network providers, says Woodward. While lots of service providers use the same physical networks, there are several physical mobile networks. The same thing is true for banks, says Ciaran Martin, which all have back-up plans in the event of major cyber incidents. The goal is to ensure services remain online. Big banks and the energy grid are designed, in principle, so youll be able to get capacity from elsewhere, he says. Outside of a massive high altitude electromagnetic pulse, some infrastructure for general users would survive, says Woodward. Emergency generators would kick in, keeping core systems online. One of the movies most evocative scenes at least on social media sees Tesla self-driving electric vehicles careening across roads. That scene has raised the hackles of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who promptly posted on X, formerly Twitter, that electric vehicles like his could still run even if mains electricity was taken down. Teslas can charge from solar panels even if the world goes fully Mad Max and there is no more gasoline! he wrote. Crash and burn: Elon Musk was triggered by a scene featuring malfunctioning Teslas ( Netflix ) Whether the other 850,000 or so solely electric cars the RAC estimates are on the nations roads would be able to be charged by solar power isnt fully known. However, Nusbacher says the idea of cars or ships heading in the wrong direction isnt too far-fetched. If a widely available satnav product was changed ever so slightly to mess everything up, the effect could be significant, she says. Of course, humans could override that by simply ignoring the directions and follow analogue plans. Remember maps? Continuity of public services and access to food is key in the event of persistent issues. The Resilience Capabilities Programme is thee national-level plan that oversees what happens in the case of a major emergency. At a local level, responsibility will be devolved to local councils who will organise where to evacuate people in the event of a disaster. In an extreme event like a nuclear attack, there are thought to be no more than 50 usable nuclear bunkers across the country and space in these would be reserved for key members of government, the military, and people who would be needed to run the country after an attack. On a lesser scale, though, it doesnt take much for normal service to be disrupted. Just as we saw a couple of years ago, when a tanker was grounded in the Suez Canal and with Covid, where just-in-time supply chains are interrupted, shortages quickly follow. In 2021, the army was put on standby to cope with food shortages caused by a lack of qualified truck drivers and the Royal Logistic Corps and other corps would be used to help distribute food and other essential supplies, including medicine if needed. What the movie, and any real unspooling of our digital lives like were seeing today, does show is quite how important tech and the internet have become in how we live today. Its important to recognise that as we hand over more control of our world, for all the best reasons, to the tech, then those dependencies become sharper, says Nusbacher. Even well-prepared, we could find ourselves having tremendous difficulty. But in an extreme event will we turn on each other or towards each other? When you consider one statistic that cited 90 per cent of lives saved in disasters are saved by those near them and not the emergency services, lets hope its the latter. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Flights have been cancelled and TV stations have been taken offline in a drastic computer outage. Windows PCs on Friday inexplicably started showing a blue screen of death error that left them unusable. That led to problems at many of the worlds biggest companies, including airlines, TV stations and banks. Thousands of flights were cancelled, hospitals were forced to postpone appointments, and billions of dollars was wiped off the value of companies. Issues had been found across the world, according to cyber security companies. The widespread outages led to responses from the US, UK and other governments. The problem appears to relate to a broken cyber security update that left computers unable to start up. Microsoft and others pointed the blame at CrowdStrike, a cyber security firm that offers software intended to protect computers from attack. A defective update had been pushed out to users that left those computers unable to turn on, its chief executive George Kurtz said. Both CrowdStrike and others confirmed that the chaos was the result of a mistake rather than an intentional cyber attack. It also said the issue was only affecting Microsoft devices, not Mac or Linux computers. TV stations were taken offline, airports are unable to check in flights, trains were disrupted and banks warned that customers might not be able to make payments. Tracking website Down Detector registered outages and problems at a huge array of companies: Delta Airlines, Visa, Mastercard, Lloyds Bank, Santander, Amazon, RyanAir, Sky News, Ladbrokes, BT, and Microsoft Teams all show issues. It is not clear whether all of them are linked to the problem with PCs. Delta, United and American airlines were all grounded in the US, according to the Federal Aviation Authority. Around the world, flights and train operators were hit by problems. Govia Thameslink Railway the UKs busiest train operator, which runs the Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern services around London said that it was experiencing widespread IT issues. RyanAir said it was a global third party IT outage and advised travellers to arrive at least three hours before their flights. Even the London Stock Exchange suffered disruptions, and stock markets dropped on the outage. The FTSE 100 fell 0.8 per cent, seemingly as investors worried about the potential financial implications if the outage continued for a long time. We are currently experiencing widespread IT issues across our entire network, it said. It meant that trains might be cancelled at short notice and that there would be issues getting real-time information to customers. In both the UK and US, hospitals and other healthcare organisations said that the computer systems had left them unable to offer usual appointments. Some instructed patients to go home until the problems were resolved. On Sky News in the UK, viewers were shown an error message that indicated the transmission had gone down. We apologise for the interruption to this broadcast, it read. We hope to restore the transmission of Sky News shortly. The trouble appears to relate to an issue at Crowdstrike, a cyber security company, which may have released a problem update. It said early in the morning that it had identified the issue and rolled the update back but those computers that were already affected do not appear to have been fixed. On the companys Reddit thread, representatives advised that the problem could be fixed by deleting the update and then restarting the computer. That requires administrators to have access to the computer, however, which may not be immediately possible for those that are being used remotely. On X, formerly known as Twitter, CrowdStrike said it had found a fix for the problem and specifically said that it was not the result of a cyberattack. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted, wrote George Kurtz, the companys president and chief executive. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers. The outage also coincided with a separate issue at Microsoft 365, which appears to have been the result of problems with its Azure services cloud computing platform. That began late on Thursday, and Microsoft said on Friday afternoon that it had been resolved. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Watch as crowds gathered in Delhi airport on Friday, 19 July, as a worldwide Windows glitch grounded flights across the globe. Banks, supermarkets and other major institutions reported computer issues disrupting services, with some airlines warning of delays and some airports grounding flights. Windows PCs inexplicably started showing a blue screen of death error that left them unusable. Sky News was offline and an ABC News presenter was unable to read from an autocue as TV stations were affected. Govia Thameslink Railway the UKs busiest train operator, which runs the Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern services around London said that it was experiencing widespread IT issues. RyanAir said it was a global third party IT outage and advised travellers to arrive at least three hours before their flights. Overnight, Microsoft confirmed it was investigating an issue with its services and apps. Its service health website warned of service degradation that meant users may not be able to access many of the companys most popular services used by billions across the globe. Close Huge airport queues as global IT outage causes chaos at Heathrow Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thanks for signing up to the IndyTech email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} CrowdStrike said a significant number of the over 8.5 million devices affected from Fridays botched software update are back online. The outage led to over 1,500 cancelled flights in the US and dozens more across the UK for the third day in a row, leaving passengers stranded across airports. Hospitals, GPs, pharmacies, banks, supermarkets and millions of businesses have also been impacted. CrowdStrike said the outage was caused by a defect in an update to its Falcon cybersecurity defence software for Windows hosts. Over the weekend, Microsoft released a recovery tool to help repair Windows machines hit by the glitch that affected over 8.5 million devices. However, experts warned that it could take weeks for global tech infrastructure to fully recover. Even if we could guarantee it could be fully fixed on Monday GPs would still need time to catch up from lost work over the weekend, and NHSE should make clear to patients that normal service cannot be resumed immediately, David Wrigley, deputy chair of GPC England at the BMA, said. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A report into an engine fire that prompted an emergency landing on a flight from Scotland to New York last year has posed further safety questions for Boeing. The Delta flight from Edinburgh to JFK was diverted to land at Prestwick Airport shortly after take-off due to a high-pressure turbine blade fracture on 10 February 2023. During the diversion to the aviation hub near Glasgow, fuel escaping from the wing was ignited by the hot engine exhaust, said the UKs Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) in a report. The Boeing 767-332 aircraft had six damaged blades as a result of the high engine vibration that caused the right wing fuel tank to fracture. Footage of the flames was captured by a passenger onboard before the fire was extinguished prior to landing. open image in gallery A passenger recorded the fuel escaping from the wing ( AAIB ) The emergency services attended the aircraft on the runway and the fire service captured the leaking fuel preventing it igniting on the hot engine or brakes. None of the 211 passengers and 10 crew were injured during the incident and quickly disembarked. In light of the engine fire, the UK aviation safety agency has asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US to take action against Boeing to improve the safety of the 767 fleet. The AAIB said in a statement: A safety recommendation has been made to the Federal Aviation Administration that requires the Boeing Aircraft Company to demonstrate that following this serious incident, the design of the slat track housing drain tube on the Boeing 767 family of aircraft continues to comply with the certification requirements for large transport aircraft. A spokesperson for Boeing said: We are reviewing the AAIBs recommendation and will follow any guidance from the FAA. They added that the global 767 fleet continues to operate safely. The Independent has contacted Delta Airlines for comment. In January, the FAA investigated Boeing and Atlas Air after a 747 plane taking off from Miami experienced an engine fire. Atlas Air flight 95 departed from Miami International Airport to Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Carolina, Puerto Rico, three miles southeast of San Juan. According to a preliminary report released by the agency, officials discovered a softball-sized hole above the second engine. The plane later turned around and made an emergency landing at the Miami airport. For more travel news and advice listen to Simon Calders podcast. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A family of nine found themselves stranded in Alaska after a mix-up with a local tour operator caused them to miss their scheduled cruise departure. What was intended to be a memorable trip of a lifetime might now be recalled for very different reasons as the Gault family faced hefty costs to make their way back to Tulsa, Oklahoma, when the ship containing their clothes, passports and medication sailed off from Ketchikan port without them. The family, comprising two parents, six children and a 78-year old grandmother, were also hit with an immediate fine of almost $9,000, working out at $971 per passenger, by Norwegian Cruise Lines for missing the vessel. That fee stemmed from the US Customs and Border Protections Passenger Vessel Services Act, which they violated by not visiting a foreign port before they returned to the US. open image in gallery Joshua Gault and his children faced a long journey home after missing their cruise ship ( Joshua Gault ) The familys nightmare started when they went on an excursion to see a lumberjack show when the ship they were travelling on, Norwegian Encore, docked in Ketchikan in Alaska. After watching the show, the group tried to catch a bus back to the port by a local tour operator, but were told that the bus was full and they had to wait for another one. We go to get on the bus and one of the attendees is like, The bus is full and you know, you got to wait for the next bus, Joshua recounted to KJRH. However, that bus never came, and after frantically calling the port authority to arrange transportation, they finally arrived back at the docks to see Norwegian Encore sailing away taking with it their passports, medication and clothes. We all had to quit cold turkey medication these last few days, because it was all on the cruise ship, Joshua added. open image in gallery The familys journey home included cancelled flights and long waits ( Joshua Gault ) Starnded in Ketchikan, a remote port located 300 miles from Alaskas capital of Juneau with no accommodation or transportation, the family worked out how they could arrange transportation back to where they live in Tulsa. But as they looked into booking flights, they found that Joshuas credit card had already been charged the customs fee of almost $9,000. Joshua claims that they had to pay for flights for nine people, hotel stays along the way, and food. The trip ultimately took them several days in which they had cancelled flights and overnight airport stays, during which time some family members caught Covid. After having arrived back in Oklahoma, Joshua added: So yeah, were beat down right now. Were unhealthy and beaten down. Cruise line officials said they would reimburse the family for the out-of-pocket expenses they incurred, the fee they incurred from US Customs and Border Patrol and a pro-rated refund for the two cruise days they missed. A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Lines said: On the afternoon of Friday, 12 July, a family of nine guests missed the ships all aboard time in Ketchikan, Alaska due to a misstep by a local tour operator. When the guests did not return to the ship at the published time, we attempted to contact them but were unable to reach them. As such, we alerted the local port agent in Ketchikan and requested that they assist the family with booking a hotel for the night. open image in gallery The family arrived back at the port to see Norwegian Encore sailing off without them ( Norwegian Cruise Line ) As the guests would be unable to downline in the next port of call, Victoria, British Columbia, the port agent also helped the guests with securing flights to Seattle the following day, 13 July. We will be reimbursing the family for all of the out-of-pocket expenses they incurred over these two days, as a result of missing the ship in Ketchikan, including meals, accommodations, etc. Reimbursements will be processed once receipts for these expenses are provided to us. Additionally, we have already initiated the process to refund the family for the fee imposed by the US Customs and Border Patrol, as a result of the guests not visiting a foreign port prior to returning to the US, as required when an itinerary originates from the US in accordance with the Passenger Vessel Services Act. In addition, these guests will be receiving a pro-rated refund for the two cruise days they missed. As a gesture of goodwill, the company will also be providing each of the nine guests with a future cruise credit in the form of a 20 per cent discount of their cruise fare that can be used towards their next voyage. Watch the moment RNC senators confront Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle demanding answers about the agencys response to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn and other GOP lawmakers can be seen surrounding Cheatle at the RNC in Milwaukee on Wednesday (17 July). They can be heard voicing their outrage over the shooting of Trump. Addressing the camera after confronting Cheatle, Blackburn says: She can run but she cant hide. American people want to know how an assassination was carried out on former president Donald Trump. The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (Isif) has announced the completion of four investments which aim to accelerate the delivery of new homes across Ireland. Isif, which is part of the National Treasury Management Agency, said the 229m investment will be split between a mix of owner-occupiers, renters and students, as well as those who require social housing. This includes 100m committed to investment firm Avenue Capital Group, with 75m of this going to a fund focused on construction of new homes in Ireland. A further 75m will be invested in the Ardstone Residential Income Fund, an Irish-based fund focused on mid-market rental and social sectors in the greater Dublin area. Isif has also committed 29m to developer Summix. This will be targeted at growing third-party capital to scale the firms activities in Ireland. The recently announced Irish Homebuilding Equity Fund will also receive 25m from Isif. This new fund seeks to provide housebuilders with equity finance in order to unlock finance for construction of sites that already have planning permission or those that are zoned for residential use. These new investments now bring the total invested by the fund in housing to more than 1.5bn to date. The fund added that the new investments could help to attract further third party co-investment. Isifs ongoing investment programme is targeting the delivery of 25,000 new homes by 2030. It aims to achieve this through a range of equity and debt investments. Around 14,200 homes had been delivered by the end of last year, the fund reported. Isif director Nick Ashmore said that the four investments will help to deliver more homes and help to alleviate the housing supply shortage in Ireland. The mix of investment types also reflects the diverse forms of capital required in todays housing market and the different investment opportunities they represent, from senior debt to equity for sites going through the planning process and equity for smaller developers, he said. Mr Ashmore added that Isif is on track to deliver its target of 25,000 homes by 2030. By doing this Isif continues to demonstrate its value through catalysing third party investment in support of the delivery of housing in Ireland, Finance Minister Jack Chambers said in a statement. Explainer: Metas AI boycott of Europe shows were losing control of big tech Confusion over which country sets the regulatory rules may damage potential investment and development in the bloc Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in Dublin in 2019 Adrian Weckler Fri 19 Jul 2024 at 03:30 Is Europe shooting itself in the foot, technologically? Or is Meta being overly dramatic in saying it wont launch its latest AI services in the EU because of unpredictable regulation? A global outage is affecting airlines, banks, broadcasters and other organisations. Heres whats happening and what to expect Explainer: why is the global IT outage happening and who is affected? The global blue screen of death outage affecting airlines, banks, telecoms companies, broadcasters and others is due to a faulty file from an IT security company called Crowdstrike. Crowdstrikes protection services are used by tens of thousands of large organisations. The US firm has acknowledged the cause of the fault and says that it has begun efforts to fix the situation, offering a technical workaround to those affected. However, the fix may not immediately help some computers and systems already stuck in the fault. The issue is causing affected Windows computers to forcibly reboot, resulting in a blue screen of death. There is also a separate outage affecting Microsofts online 365 apps, which the company has acknowledged. There is no indication yet of any personal data loss as the event is not connected with a hack or cyber intrusion, according to Crowdstrikes CEO, George Kurtz. In Ireland, Ryanair and the National Car Testing (NCT) service are the highest profile casualties so far of the global outage with some flights delayed and the NCT cancelling some tests today. If you're due to travel today and have not already checked-in for your flight, you can do so at the airport, the airline told passengers in a statement. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this global third party IT outage. As of this morning, the online services of major Irish banks appear not to have been affected. Irelands national cyber security centre has issued a statement on the issue, suggesting that damage in Ireland is not as severe as other countries. Whilst there are impacts in several sectors, all essential services continue to operate normally, it said. Similarly, Government IT is not currently affected. However, the Irish Independent has been told by IT security professionals that a number of major Irish companies are also currently suffering a total outage on their servers. "CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor, the company said in a note to users. Symptoms include hosts experiencing a bugcheck\blue screen error related to the Falcon Sensor. The company then offered a workaround to those affected by the outage. "If hosts are still crashing and unable to stay online to receive the Channel File Changes, the following steps can be used to workaround this issue, it said. Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment. Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory. Locate the file matching "C-00000291*sys" file, right click and rename it to "C-00000291*.renamed". Boot the host normally. Answering questions on X, Crowdstrike director Brody Nisbet acknowledged the fault but said that it was a faulty channel file instead of a faulty update. It can be selectively addressed rather than a whole faulty update, he said before repeating the workaround routine (above). "That workaround won't help everyone, though, he said. Separately, Microsoft also appears to be experiencing an outage, cutting off access for some users to its Microsoft 365 apps and online services. The company said that the problem is due to a configuration change in a portion of our Azure backend workloads which has resulted in connectivity failures that affected downstream Microsoft 365 services. The move, which threatens the release of headsets and smart glasses, comes as the tech giant says it cant train its AI development machines on European users due to legal uncertainty here Meta has indefinitely suspended the rollout of multimodal AI features in the EU because of what it calls unpredictable European data privacy regulations. The move comes after the tech giant paused its AI data collection in Europe last month after being requested to do so by Irelands Data Protection Commission (DPC). "We will release a multimodal Llama model over the coming months, but not in the EU due to the unpredictable nature of the European regulatory environment," Meta said in a statement. It means that Metas multimodal AI features, across all of its services, wont be available to European users or companies. This could also affect the release of Meta products such as Quest headsets or smart glasses in Europe. Today's News in 90 seconds - 18th July 2024 Multimodal features include images and video and are considered to be more advanced than text-based AI. This follows a similar position from Apple, whose recently-launched Apple Intelligence features wont be available in the EU this year, also for reasons of regulatory uncertainty. The sticking point for the tech giants is, they say, a lack of clarity over whether and how they can use personal data from millions of EU citizens to train their AI models on. In Metas case, this includes users personal data from photos, comments and other content on public Facebook and Instagram posts. Such data is then analysed and recorded to help create a large language model (LLM), used as the basis for developing AI responses to user queries and prompts. The approach from Meta and Apple to such AI data collection isnt universal. Google and OpenAI are reportedly both using EU personal data to train their AI models on. But the move from Meta and Apple will intensify growing transatlantic tension over whether the EUs regulatory stick is too sharp. Tech industry executives regularly argue that Europe is over-regulated, making it harder for EU tech companies to grow and compete with international rivals. However, AI data collection isnt without controversy. Metas AI data collection plans were recently the subject of a complaint from Max Schrems, the privacy campaigner and long-time Meta adversary. In an intervention request to multiple European regulators, he said that Metas legal basis for collecting personal data needed to be challenged. Meta is basically saying that it can use any data from any source for any purpose and make it available to anyone in the world, as long as its done via AI technology, he said. This is clearly the opposite of GDPR compliance. 'AI technology' is an extremely broad term. Much like 'using your data in databases', it has no real legal limit. At some of the worlds biggest asset managers, ESG fund launches are quietly stalling. BlackRock, Deutsche Banks DWS Group, Invesco and the asset management arm of UBS Group are among firms that have cut the number of new funds with environmental, social and governance mandates, according to data provided by Morningstar Direct. Roslyn Dee: Theres a new little boy in the family, and he has made me so happy to take on the grandparent mantle Chef who sued Kinsale hotel for 2.3m and lost case is to be extradited to face charges English man is accused of deception and giving false evidence Extradition for Liverpool man who lost 3.2 million injuries claim against Irish hotel John Mulligan Fri 19 Jul 2024 at 03:30 A man whose 2.3m personal injuries claim against a Kinsale hotel was thrown out of court is to be sent to Ireland to face charges of deception and giving false evidence after failing in an appeal against an extradition order. A jury has been told that the alleged sexual assault of a woman by a garda in a Co Wicklow garda station was consensual activity between two adults. Defence counsel in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial told the jury the defence case is that the woman cupped her own bottom cheeks, pressed herself against the accused garda and showed him her breast at the station before they went upstairs together for consensual sexual activity. Gardai on the Oscar Traynor Road in Coolock on Monday. Photo: Steve Humphreys Gardai are investigating active threats made to the safety of a journalist following her coverage of court appearances of individuals involved in the Coolock anti-immigration protests. The reporter has been subjected to threats and online abuse and has had to seek Garda assistance. She was then threatened and private information about her was posted online. Gardai are taking the threats seriously and will be increasing patrols around the womans home. The force has dispensed personal safety advice to her, while her employer, Reach Ireland, has put additional security measures in place. Among the threats, some had questioned why she had included the ages and addresses of those facing charges, alleging bias in her reporting. It is standard practice in court reporting to include such information to avoid wrongly identifying other people with the same name as defendants. The National Union of Journalists condemned the threats. In a statement, Seamus Dooley, Irish Secretary of the NUJ said the union was gravely concerned that a reporter should have endured abuse for their diligent and professional reporting of court proceedings, including the accurate recording of the names and addresses of defendants. The level of abuse piled upon this reporter is shocking. It is the function of reporters in court to record the details confirmed in open court, he said. Publication of the names, addresses and ages of defendants was entirely appropriate. Such publication is necessary to avoid incorrect Identification or confusion with people having the same name in a locality. There was nothing extraordinary in the reporting of this case, but extremist groups have chosen to single out the reporter. Mr Dooley said that the reporter has the full support of her NUJ colleagues in the company for which she works and of her editor. Social media platforms, including X, must do more to prevent online abuse. The NUJ has long been concerned at the toxic and often misogynistic abuse of journalists, he said. No journalist should have to endure abuse, threat to their home, or require police patrols in their neighbourhood. A number of children with scoliosis who need spinal surgery have already been offered treatment in Great Ormond St Hospital in London following a clinic held in Dublin, it emerged today. Surgeons are also to travel here from the United States following an agreement with the Morgan Stanley Childrens Hospital in New York to carry out spinal operations on children from Ireland. Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 19th It follows an agreement to outsource surgeries for suitable children on long waiting lists for surgery in the childrens hospitals in Dublin. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and surgeon David Moore visited the US in the last week to help secure the deal. There are 281 children waiting for spinal surgery, including 239 on the active list. There are 76 children waiting at least four months. The hope is that a significant number of children who are healthy enough to travel will be operated on abroad, freeing up theatre space here for patients with more complex needs. The Paediatric Spinal Taskforce, chaired by Mark Connaughton SC, met yesterday for an update. The Department of Health said the taskforce members welcomed news that a number of international outsourcing initiatives have been finalised for children waiting on spinal surgeries. While this option is not suitable for all children waiting on spinal surgeries, dozens of children and families will be able to avail of the option to get their surgery in world-class facilities. They include Morgan Stanley Childrens Hospital in New York and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, it said. Stephen Donnelly. Photo: PA The taskforce was told that Mr Donnelly flew to the United States to meet with the spinal team, including surgeons and nurses, in Morgan Stanley Childrens Hospital and to finalise arrangements for patients and families who decide to travel for their surgeries. He was accompanied by the head of the Paediatric Spinal Management Unit, Mr David Moore. The minister also visited a second hospital, but discussions with that hospital remain at an early stage. The package for families travelling will include flights and accommodation Surgeons from New York will be travelling to Ireland soon to meet with patients who are suitable for, and interested in, travelling to get their procedures done more quickly. Following a clinic held in Dublin by surgeons from Great Ormond Street, a number of patients have now been offered treatment in that hospital. A new operational plan is being rolled out and additional national outsourcing initiatives are being implemented at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh (NOHC) and the Blackrock Clinic, and the National Treatment Purchase Fund is helping to co-ordinate outsourcing opportunities for both spinal and non-spinal paediatric orthopaedic patients. Childrens Health Ireland (CHI), which operates the three childrens hospitals, is also extending the operating theatre day to increase the number of procedures that are being carried out . The Department of Health said at the request of the Minister for Health, CHI has also ringfenced a theatre for spinal surgery to ensure these patients receive priority access. Non-complex orthopaedic work is being re-directed away from spinal surgeons at CHI so expert spinal surgeons can concentrate on children who need spinal procedures. An outpatient spinal initiative is currently in progress, with the aim of seeing 240 new spinal outpatient referrals across six additional mega clinics by the end of September. These are in addition to the patients who would be seen at existing clinics. To date, four clinics have been undertaken, with 168 new spinal referral patients seen. A further two clinics are being scheduled. Work is under way to start the transition of adolescents over 16 years of age to the Mater Hospital. This aims to free up surgeons working in CHI to concentrate on children. All families on the Paediatric Spinal Waiting List have been linked in with a dedicated liaison within their local region to inform them of, and assist with, the supports available. The taskforce endorsed a new communications plan to show what has been done so far and what the spinal service will do next. Taskforce chair Mark Connaughton said: A priority focus for the taskforce in recent weeks has been on improving communications with patients and stakeholders, as families and their advocates said we need to do better on this. Today the taskforce was pleased to endorse a new CHI Communications Plan for Spinal Surgery Services, which was developed in close collaboration with the advocates, clinicians and service managers on the taskforce. Mr Donnelly said: Id like to acknowledge the significant progress made. I believe the work that is being carried out by the new Spinal Management Unit at CHI and the taskforce will make a real difference to children. I was hugely impressed with the hospital I visited in New York. It is a world-class hospital, as is Great Ormond Street. I have made it clear to CHI that we must build our own capacity in Ireland and increase the number of surgeries that are being carried out to meet the demand. This is happening and I have worked closely with Mr David Moore and the Interim Chief Executive of CHI. A new operational plan will be brought to Cabinet in September and this will detail a significant, and rapid, fall in the number of patients waiting longer than four months for their care. "I also welcome the development of a new communications plan under the auspices of the taskforce. This has been a source of great frustration to patients. It is very important that patients and their voices will be at the heart of this work through a new patient panel, which will be closely involved in developing and improving communications, including to families, in the future. Last year, there was a 13pc reduction in the number of patients waiting longer than four months for surgery. The number of patients waiting longer than four months for surgery has fallen slightly this year from 78 to 76. An Taoiseach Simon Harris addressing the large crowd during his visit to the MacGill Summer School. (North West Newspix) The creation of a new government department to oversee major infrastructure projects in Ireland has been proposed by Taoiseach Simon Harris. Mr Harris announced the idea during his speech at the annual MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, on Friday. He told the large crowd that currently, the management of infrastructure projects was spread across government departments and his aim is to centralise those functions into one dedicated department. "Right now, let's be honest, the work of planning, procuring, producing and promoting capital spending happens all over government, he said. "Roads are done by the Department of Transport, houses by the Department of Housing, hospitals by the Department of Health and the HSE, schools by the Department of Education. "I believe now we need to take a very, very serious look at how we consider all of that impact of capital spending. We're ramping up capital spending like never before and I do believe now is the time in the next government to give serious consideration to a new Department of Infrastructure, said Mr Harris. Mr Harris has been in the role of Taoiseach for three months having previously led the Department for Further and Higher Education. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was first established in August 2020. Mr Harris continued: "I know what it's like to set up a new government department. "I know the energy, the impetus and the focus that it can bring to a sector, not because of the minister of the day, but actually when you bring a team of people together, 200-300 people, and their sole job is the delivery of a specific mission it can apply a focus that maybe can be lacking at times otherwise. "Consider the problems of 2025 as we move ahead: climate, energy, water, housing, health, education, all challenges, all of which require infrastructural solutions as well as reform, and all of them I believe can be advanced by having dedicated leads in the public service whose role is to prosecute the delivery of these projects large and small for our state, said Mr Harris. Mr Harris said he thinks a new Department of Infrastructure could be another pragmatic step towards creating a new Ireland. An Taoiseach Simon Harris addressing the large crowd during his visit to the MacGill Summer School. (North West Newspix) Mr Harris said he was very proud of the progress being made on capital projects, but he believes a new department is the best way to provide infrastructure projects of scale at speed. I think we need to do this for a number of reasons the fact that we have ramped up capital spending to such a significant degree, the fact that we are a growing population and the fact that we know there is a particular constraint that will affect our competitiveness when it comes to things like water, energy and housing, he said. When I meet people in relation to housing supply, often one of the constraints that they now highlight is not labour but rather access to key infrastructural projects. So what I want to do over the next period of time and in advance of a general election where I will expand on these thoughts, is look at countries who are taking a more co- ordinated approach. I am considering how we can break down silos and how we can have people who project manage. The establishment of a new department is never about the benefit of a new minister; it is about having a dedicated team of people working solely on the delivery of infrastructure who do not find themselves constrained or conflicted by other matters. I have a bit of work to do to outline the next steps. I am absolutely convinced from reading reports, going to the cabinet committee on the economy and meeting foreign direct investment companies, that the delivery of infrastructure is going to be one of the big challenges and opportunities that this country faces. I think it is right and proper that I ventilate this today and also give the intention that I will be seeking a mandate on this, said Mr Harris. Final decision on future financing of broadcaster to be made next week The 160 TV licence is set to stay the same price as ministers are to sign off on a new hybrid model of funding RTE, the Irish Independent can reveal. An Post will keep collecting the fee each year as government is set to make final decisions on overhauling how public service broadcasting is funded next week. Ministers are currently considering proposals which will see the fee stay at 160 every year, despite previous expectation it would be cut slightly. An Post will keep collecting the fee and not Revenue, as ministers fear this would depict it as a new tax ahead of an impending election. Instead, An Post will be given more powers and strengthened in hopes to increase licence sales. RTE will be also given multi-annual funding, which will be agreed by ministers next week. It is not yet clear how much this will be, and will mean the money allocated by the Exchequer each year to the broadcaster will not be decided as part of the budgetary process. Taoiseach Simon Harris had suggested the future funding of public service broadcasting would be through a combination of the TV licence and exchequer funding. Coalition leaders are expected to make a decision on the proposals early next week, with the Cabinet signing off on the new funding model on Wednesday. Mr Harris said there are two ways of funding RTE through a form of reformed TV licence fee or by scrapping it and funding it directly through the Exchequer. Actually, thats kind of a strawman way of portraying it, he told reporters at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. Perhaps there is a way in the middle. Ive put down a number of principles that are important to me. The Taoiseach said he does not want to see taxpayers paying more than 160 a year, and wants to have an understanding of what is being funded in terms of public service broadcasting. I want to see how the excellent public service broadcasting done by RTE can be further supported, but also a recognition that public service broadcasting also happens through other media outlets, be they other television outlets, be they local radio, local media, he said. Mr Harris added: I dont want to see the Government do something that looks like, Grand, we sorted public service broadcasting for a few months. I want to know that whatever funding mechanism is in place is durable and can be long-lasting. He said he wants to bring a finality to the future of RTE next week. The broadcaster has been engulfed in controversy since the revelation of 345,000 worth of hidden payments last year. I hope we can bring a finality to this next week. Id like to see that happen, he said. This saga has gone on for far too long. In fairness to RTE, in fairness to the new DG of RTE, a lot of work has been done. The Irish Prison Service has issued an urgent drug alert across the prison estate after analysis linked the death of an inmate in Mountjoy to a banned Nitazene type substance. Nitazenes are strong synthetic opioids that can lead to serious overdoses and drug-related death. The substance is considered more lethal than the synthetic drug Fentanyl which has ravaged the US. Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 19th The 21-year-old, who was found dead in his cell following unlock at 8am on Thursday morning. His death is the third fatality in custody so far this year to be linked to the killer drug, The deceased is from the Darndale area of Dublin and was serving a two-year sentence for drug offences. The preceding Nitazene-linked deaths in custody took place in Cork and Limerick prisons earlier in the year. Sources indicated the link between the 21-year-olds death earlier today and Nitazene was made after a quantity of pills were found in his cell following his death. It is understood the pills have been analysed by the HSEs National Drug Treatment Centre laboratory and tested positive for a Nitazene type substance. It is also believed prison bosses have adequate stocks of Naloxone kits on hand as they ordered in extra kits earlier this year. The kits are effective if administered in time. While speaking to RTE Radio Ones Morning Ireland today, HSE National Clinical Lead from Addiction Services, Professor Eamon Keenan said Nitazenes are very strong opioids. That means they're manufactured in the laboratory as opposed to being extracted from the poppy plant, he said. Nitazenes were first produced in the 1950s, Mr Keenan said. But they were never marketed because of its potential for overdose and addiction associated with them. Over the last number of years, we're seeing the emergence of these drugs now in Europe, in both powder and more recently in pill form. 12 countries across Europe have identified Nitazenes in pills or tablets. We issued an alert in June, where we had a number of overdoses associated with these fake benzodiazepines in the southwest, southeast and in Dublin. "There was a further fake benzodiazepine identified in the prison setting, he added. Mr Keenan said this is a huge concern for HSE. "[Youd] recall the overdoses that we had before Christmas, in Dublin and Cork when Nitazine powder was being sold as heroin. But that was targeting a population who would have had opioid tolerance so they would have been used to maybe using heroin. Obviously, the Nitazens were stronger, and that's why we had the overdoses. "But as they are now appearing in fake benzodiazepine tablets, the risk and potential is that they're going to be taken by people who have no opioid tolerance. They're being sold as Tranax or relaxant. There actually is no benzodiazepine in the tablets that we've identified only the Nitazines and mixing agents. "So this batch of tablets seems to be circulating, because the tablet we identified from the prison service yesterday, was the same constituent as the tablets that were identified in June, he said. Nitazene tables look almost identical to real benzodiazepines and can come in blister packs. On the outside of the packaging, there's a picture, circulating from the prison service and from ourselves, of small orange tablets with a score across them. They do look like benzodiazepines. Were concerned about them appearing in other settings as they have done in the prison. They could appear in other settings, such as festivals. "We've also instituted a fairly broad naloxone distribution program. That's the antidote. We're getting it out to as many services, as many people as possible, its a really important response, he added. Last March, the HSE issued a red alert to all of the prisons in the Republic following the discovery of a link between a number of overdoses and Nitazene type substances. Analysis conducted by HSE National Drug Treatment Centre Laboratory has confirmed the presence of a Nitazene type substance, called N-Pyrrolidinoprotonitazene, associated with overdoses in Irish prisons, the HSE said at the time. The HSE advises that there is extra risk at this time and strongly recommends those in prison avoid new types of drugs or new batches being sold. Nitazenes are strong synthetic opioids that can lead to serious overdoses, hospitalisations and drug-related death. Speaking in connection with that alert, Professor Keenan said: This is the first known case of Nitazenes in an Irish prison setting. We remind the public that the prison market may be different from others. These drugs may come as a variety of different coloured powders or pills. We advise all users of powders to exercise caution with all products, as the direction of these substances on the market cannot be guaranteed." The HSE issued a number of guidelines to drug users in the prison setting which it said may reduce risk from the drug. While it is always safer not to use drugs at all, the HSE urges individuals who use drugs in prisons to follow harm reduction steps which may help reduce the harms, the statement said. If using in a prison setting, dont be afraid to get help immediately for yourself or others if there is an emergency, it could help save a life, the statement said. More deadly than heroin and fentanyl, Nitazenes were linked to at least 54 deaths in the UK in the second half of 2023. In a statement issued this evening, a spokesperson for the IPS said: Extra vigilance is being taken across the prison estate and the Irish Prison Service has commenced an information campaign for prisoners around the dangers of consuming contraband. Hazel Lavery (18801935) was a beautiful American woman, famous for appearing on Irish bank notes as the personification of Ireland and for not being Michael Collins lover. Hazel was married to the Belfast-born artist Sir John Lavery. During the AngloIrish treaty negotiations of 1921, the Laverys South Kensington home became an informal meeting place for both sides. Hazels association with Collins, along with some flirty letters, raised suspicions about their relationship. Appalled at the notion, the IRA investigated the rumours thoroughly. Its now understood that Hazel was working for Collins as a spy. Lady Lavery did have a secret lover, but it wasnt Michael Collins. It was Kevin OHiggins, a politician who served in the Free State government until his assassination in 1927. Both Lavery and OHiggins were married to other people and their romance was kept secret until the publication of Sinead McCooles biography, Hazel, in 1996. Three letters and a telegram from Hazel Lavery to General Eoin ODuffy (Lot 641: est. 3,000 to 4,000) are going under the hammer at Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers Rare Book Sale on July 30/31. The correspondence dates from July-August, 1927, and relates to Laverys grief at OHiggins murder. As the other woman, she had little opportunity to acknowledge her loss. ODuffy must have known about the secret romance. In one letter, she asks a favour: If you can, will you put one of these flowers somewhere near to him even a tiny blossom, it would comfort me. He gave me this little brooch of white heather, and I would love to have him go on his journey with it from me. I am only asking you because I am so miserable and alone. The letters were previously sold by Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers in 2011. The play inscribed by Gregory to Quinn In 1933, ODuffy became the leader of the paramilitary organisation known as The Blueshirts. He named it the National Guard and modelled it around European fascism, with large rallies, a straight-arm salute and distinctive blue uniforms. In the same year, the political party Fine Gael was founded through the merger of three organisations: Cumann na nGaedheal, the National Centre Party and The Blueshirts. A womans Blueshirt uniform (lot 644: est. 3,000 to 4,000) is included in the sale. It bears a Fine Gael badge with Army Comrades insignia and is said to have belonged to a Mrs Punch. Its a rare item as membership was initially confined to those who had served in the armed forces, all of whom were male. The sale also includes an early Fine Gael membership badge (Lot 645: est. 250 to 350). Also in the sale, a collection of eight Irish Army uniform brass buttons (Lot 634: est. 7,000 to 10,000) are said to have come from the uniform of Michael Collins. The authenticity of such lots depends entirely on provenance. The buttons are mounted beside a photo of Collins in uniform with a note from M. Collins Powell to Dear General ODuffy dated 27/01/33, asking for a receipt for the enclosed, found in Michaels tunic pocket, August 22nd 1922. Mary Collins Powell was his sister and August 22, 1922 was the day he died. Presumably, ODuffy had asked her for a memento. Collins had supported his career and once described ODuffy, who hailed from Monaghan, as the best man in Ulster. Another Collins relic, a lock of his hair taped on a card (Lot 635: est. 5,000 to 7,000), also leans heavily on its provenance which, in this case, is so convincing that someone paid 18,000 (21,400) for it at Bloomfield Auctions, Belfast, in 2022. The lock of hair was reputedly taken after Collins death and came into the possession of his friend, Felix Cronin, who had served as quarter master general of the Irish Free State Army. Cronin married Collins former fiance, Kitty Kiernan. Another memento of a love affair hasnt been seen at auction since 1923. Its a copy of the play Spreading the News, The Rising of the Moon; The Poorhouse (1906) by Lady Gregory & Douglas Hyde, inscribed on the title page: to John Quinn, that Wonder of the Western World, dated July 1906 (Lot 704: est. 3,000 to 4,000). Augusta Gregory was a playwright whose contribution to Irish culture was, until recently, eclipsed by her friendship with WB Yeats. Quinn was an Irish American lawyer and champion of the Irish literary movement. Quinn and Gregory had a brief love affair which evolved into lifelong friendship. See fonsiemealy.ie. Santorini is expecting 3.4 million tourists this summer, despite local authorities asking for limits since 2012 Santorini's whitewashed streets will heave with millions of visitors this summer. But not everyone on the Greek island will be happy to see them. "Tourism destroys the vineyards," wine producer Matthew Argyros said in an interview. "I raise a red flag for the island." His family winery, set up in 1903, produces from about a quarter of the island's vineyards, and he warns that agricultural land prices have rocketed in the area as developers clamour for space to build more holiday lets. Production of Santorini grapes has dropped almost 50pc in the last 20 years, with an average 2.7pc drop per year, according to data collected by the Association of Winemakers of Santorini. The production, according to the island's winemakers, is in danger of dropping to zero by 2041 if there's no intervention of some form. Water shortages are making it harder to grow the vines, while they've lost most of their workers to the tourism industry through the years, Argyros said. From her balcony in the hilltop village of Pyrgos, Antonia Noussia could once see grapes growing all the way to the coast. Now, she says, there are "only small patches of vineyards left." "You can see people carrying sheets, breakfast supplies, and it doesn't feel like an inhabited village," said Noussia, an associate professor of urban design and planning at London South Bank University, who lives half the year on the island where she spent all her summers growing up. When the tourists disappear over winter, locals rely on a single small grocery shop. Tourists watching the sunset in Oia, Santorini. File photo: George Pachantouris / Getty Tourism has accelerated throughout Europe since the pandemic, worsening supply problems, traffic-choked streets and economic imbalances in several hotspots such as Santorini. Some places are attempting to ease the pressure with visitor fees, caps and even temporary bans - with limited signs of success, as a record-breaking summer gets underway. "It's going to be a very bad year for Santorini," according to Mayor Nikos Zorzos. The island can afford "not one single bed more" for accommodation, he added - stressing that this would still be the case even if infrastructure is improved to help the island cope with higher numbers. The municipality is unable to impose a construction ban, so he wants the Athens government to act. Santorini is expecting 3.4 million tourists this summer, despite local authorities asking for limits since 2012, Zorzos said. Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 19th Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has acknowledged the area faces a problem of "over-tourism." In June, he announced plans to restrict cruise ships for the country's most popular islands. "I think we'll do it next year," Mitsotakis said in an interview at the time. The new rules could see the total number of island berths restricted, or a bidding process introduced for slots. It's the latest proposal to limit day-trippers from cruise ships. Zorzos previously set up a cap of 8,000 cruise visitors per day, though this was annulled during the pandemic and recently reinstated, so the overall effect on tourist numbers is unclear. Santorini's local authorities have also managed to bring down the number of days each cruise ship can visit the islands to 48 days from 63 for this season - a number that's set to drop even further next year. Day-trippers on July 14, the last day of the experimental 5 entry fee to visit Venice. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri Greece's central administration is also seeking to impose restrictions on short-term leasing in congested areas, including most of its top destinations in the Aegean and the Ionian islands. The government has drafted a bill, which is currently under public consultation, which links the amount of short term rentals to the number of available hotels in each region. The European Commission has recognised the problems on the islands, saying in a 2018 report that visitors brought 1 billion a year to Santorini while swelling the population to as many as 107.8 tourists for every 100 inhabitants. Some of the negative impacts "have permanent consequences on the island and its community," the report's authors wrote. It's a sentiment shared by other communities living among Europe's star attractions. Venice has this year introduced an entrance fee and banned large and loud groups from entering. In the Spanish destinations of Mallorca and the Canary Islands, locals have been protesting to reclaim space from visitors. Barcelona has also become a focal point of anger over tourism squeezing out residents. Some have taken emergency measures after local infrastructure buckled under pressure. In late June, the mayor of the Italian island of Capri announced a ban on incoming tourists due to a severe water shortage - though the measure was relaxed within a day once supplies were fixed, according to local media. "The problem is not just limited to a few islands and it's definitely not just Greek," said Ioannis Spilanis, assistant professor of the University of the Aegean. "The problem has been more than obvious since at least 2018, then the pandemic came and we forgot about it and rushed to bring travel and tourism back to make up for the damage." Tourism protests in Santa Cruz de Tenerife on April 20, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Borja Suarez During the summer of 2023, Greeks reclaimed beaches from sunbeds and beach bars, a protest known as the "towel movement." The government adopted stricter rules on the use of beaches and has made sure they are being implemented with frequent inspections. In Greece, all beaches are by law free to access and cannot be private. The stakes are high for the Greek economy. After more than a decade of austerity following the financial crisis, GDP remains much lower than it was before 2008. Tourism has been a bright spot, breaking pre-pandemic records and representing almost one fifth of economic output in 2023, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. The country attracted 32.7 million tourists in 2023, 18pc more than the year before, according to the Bank of Greece, while the first quarter of 2024 has brought nearly 25pc more visitors than the same period last year. Meanwhile, the pressure continues to build in some places. A few islands away from Santorini on beach hotspot Serifos, mayor Konstantinos Revinthis said there are no restaurants open from December to February. "Nothing is for the locals in Serifos anymore," he said. Serifos, along with Folegandros and Sifnos, this year made it to the list of Europe's most endangered sites compiled by heritage group Europa Nostra, which pointed to "rampant construction" and the degradation of natural resources. Wildfires have been breaking out in July as Greece's heat wave smolders. Revinthis said "tourists are set for a bad surprise this year due to water shortage," and should also brace for worsening traffic jams that might cause them to miss their ferry departure time. "They must know that they will not be able to shower, if there's no immediate solution." Intrigue, a real-estate deal gone awry and poison. This is not the stuff of fiction but a real-life tragedy which unfolded this week in Bangkok. How and why did six people end up dead from cyanide poisoning in a luxury hotel? Host: Kevin Doyle | Guest: Sarah Newey Poison was found on teacups in the hotel room in the luxury Grand Hyatt Erawan (above) while food was left untouched. Photo: Getty Intrigue, a real estate deal gone awry and poison. This is not the stuff of fiction but a real-life tragedy that unfolded this week in Bangkok, Thailand. It all began with a tea party, which was hosted by one of the six people later found dead in a luxury hotel room. But who were they? Why were they there? And why do police suspect one of the six was the killer? Kevin Doyle is joined by Sarah Newey, Global Health Security Correspondent for The Telegraph, to discuss the murder mystery making headlines across the world. Ireland is full alright; Ireland is full of hypocrites Minister Patrick ODonovan slams anti-immigration protests Minister ODonovan addressed the Fine Gael selection convention for the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency last night as he told members the current government is being subverted by a group of faceless people Patrick O'Donovan speaking at the Fine Gael selection convention for the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency in the Woodford Dolmen Hotel in Carlow last night Aisling Bolton Dowling Fri 19 Jul 2024 at 16:35 As another fire burned last night at the Coolock site earmarked to house asylum seekers, Minister Patrick ODonovan addressed members of the Fine Gael party in Carlow and Kilkenny, as he claimed the current government is being subverted by a group of faceless people who need to be taken on. Fencing along the Grand Canal in Dublin has been re established following a protest in the area yesterday evening. Pic: Sam Boal/ Collins Photos Waterways Ireland has called on all parties to show restraint following a protest last night at Portobello Plaza, which saw barriers torn down along the Grand Canal. Barriers installed to stop asylum seekers from camping along the canal are costing 26,000 per week, while more than 360 tents have been removed since May, at a cost of 145,000 to Waterways Ireland. A number of political and community action groups met last night in protest over the barriers, saying the fences were evicting their homeless neighbours. In a statement on X, the Rialto-Liberties branch of CATU (Community Action and Tenants Union) said the Government had added insult to the injury of their failure to house those in need. Protesters have called on Waterways Ireland to remove fencing along the Grand Canal. Pic: Sam Boal/ Collins Photos The protest called on Waterways Ireland to take down the fences. One man, aged in his 20s, was arrested in connection with the incident but was later released without charge. A spokesperson for Waterways Ireland confirmed to the Irish Independent that they were committed to fully reopening sections of the Grand Canal where, in recent weeks, temporary fencing has been erected. Having to erect barriers along the canal is not something we had ever envisaged, the spokesperson said. We acknowledge that the current fencing situation along a stretch of the canal is not ideal, but it is necessary to mitigate risk to health and safety, which is our overriding concern. We have been consistent in expressing our concerns for the health and safety of people staying in tents by the canal. Waterways Ireland has met with representatives of local residents groups to listen fully to their concerns and to discuss how we might reopen the amenity of the canal. In order to achieve this, a number of options are being explored, including the acceleration of a landscaping and biodiversity programme of works. Recent acts, including vandalism with fences being thrown into the canal and onto public roads, are not helpful. We would ask all parties to show restraint and allow the required multi-agency approach to find a workable solution that meets most needs. Paintings hanging on the barriers along the Grand Canal. Pic: Greg Byrne @greg_snaps Prior to the protest yesterday, a number of residents, activists, artists, neighbours, and members of the community banded together to hang paintings on the barriers displaying their frustration. Some of the paintings said fences were for horses not people, while others stated that refugees were welcome. A few of the paintings still hang along the canal. Mary Martin, who is part of the Rank and File Collective responsible for putting up some of these paintings, grew up in the area close to the Grand Canal. We wanted to do an exhibition focused on action to highlight how evil this fencing is, she said. Another member of the collective, James Renaghan, told the Irish Independent that the idea behind hanging the paintings was to open dialogue about what they want their community space to look like. How do we want our community to be? Is it going to be built on fencing people out, or is it going to be built on compassion and solidarity? he said. Nealo to play The Circle stage at All Together Now festival A rapper from Clonsilla in north Dublin has praised his five-year-old son for helping to inspire his music career. Dublin artist Neal Keating, known as Nealo, said having a young child has reminded him of the simplicities of life and the importance of happiness, something he has brought to his music. I was studying law for seven years. I got a law degree from Maynooth, a masters and became an apprentice, he said. Then I realised I didnt like it, and just wanted to do music instead. I was in a punk band for 10 years. We toured America, Europe, and Canada. I was a lunatic then, drinking a lot, partying a lot. Now, Ive been off drink for two years, which is cool. Its really helped my lifestyle. I have a small kid, hes nearly five now. Its been an eye-opening experience. Hes starting school in September. Hes actually a little angel, my little chap, hes just gas. I think children are our biggest teachers, in weird ways. Life is a bit simplified and magnified with them. Their emotions are bigger but theyre not as complex. Ill work six hours a day then go home, make music, and spend time with my son. Hes taught me so much about myself in the last few years. Im in this weird place with music now. I always wanted to achieve things consistently. I started rapping when I was 33, by 37 I was nominated for the Choice Prize, had a top five album, played massive festivals like Longitude and Electric Picnic. In the last two years, Im not sure if constantly trying to achieve things is bringing me any happiness or peace. To be stuck in a certain career or style of music is not necessarily the best thing if it doesnt make you happy. It doesnt have to be one thing forever. Im a dog walker too, theres a lot of freedom in it. Its my own business and Ive had it for eight years now. It gives me a lot of time in nature, its good for the soul and I get to hang out with dogs, its perfect. Dogs live in the moment and meet your energy, its really fun. Nealo will be performing on The Circle stage at this years All Together Now festival, taking place at Curraghmore estate in Co Waterford from August 1 to 4. He still loves performing at live gigs, but believes the music industry is a different ballgame now. Its easier to make music now. I can make a song and put it up on Spotify in a matter of hours. Music is over-saturated and its a nightmare trying to stand out from the pack. Were living through our phones, and I dont think anybody in the music industry is happy about that. Everyone is stressed, even the ones that I would consider as having made it. Everything is done through a screen except for gigs, theyre still there and I love doing them. Fergal Somerville has become the first man to successfully complete the first ever solo swim around Inis Mor, in County Galway, and he has raised funds for the Aran Islands RNLI while doing it. The Dublin man has been an open water swimmer for over 15 years. Fergal successfully completed the English Channel in 2011, the North Channel in 2013, and the Bristol Channel in 2022. Also, he achieved two Guinness World Records for being the oldest and fastest male swimmer to complete the Bristol Channel swim. The 61-year-old planned to swim around Inis Mor, the largest of the three Aran Islands, last year, but he had to postpone the event after testing positive for Covid 19. Follow Independent Galway on Facebook The swim is considered extremely challenging due to the tidal waters of Galway Bay and the exposed conditions of the Atlantic Ocean. Finally, on Saturday, July 12, Fergal had the optimal tide and weather conditions to take on the endeavour. He entered the water shortly after 4am, and successfully swam the 35km around Inis Mor in 13 hours. Fergal explained: I started the swim near the Straw Island gap and continued through the Sound. At the southern end of Inis Mor, I met the incoming tide to swim to the northwest corner. I then swam across the northern edge of Inis Mor to take the flow of the emptying tide along the Galway facing coast to return to Carrickadda, bringing me up to 35km. In total, Fergal raised 8,745 for Aran Islands RNLI and donations are still coming. The funds raised will now go towards powering the stations lifesaving work at sea. Speaking following the success of the challenge, Aran Islands RNLI Coxswain Aonghus O Hiarnain said: We are so grateful to Fergal for choosing Aran Islands RNLI as his charity of choice and knowing the thought and preparation he and his team put into this mammoth swimming challenge, considering safety and weather conditions at all times, we are all just delighted that he completed it with such success. It is a great personal achievement for Fergal and a wonderful fundraising success also, the proceeds of which will help us to continue to save lives at sea. Two houses were searched by armed and uniformed gardai in Longford last night. A number of armed gardai outside a house on the outskirts of Longford town last night. Armed gardai at the scene of a search operation at a house in Longford town last night. The downstairs living room of a house in the Springlawn area of Longford town which was the subject of a drive-by shooting on Wednesday evening. Armed gardai have raided a series of properties in Longford in connection with a drive-by shooting in the midlands town that left a pensioner in his 70s with serious injuries in hospital. The searches, which led to no arrests, took place at a number of private residences last night as the victim was deemed well enough by medics to be discharged from hospital. Members of the Armed Support Unit (ASU) supported by detectives and uniformed gardai searched houses in the Shroid and Longford town area at around 8pm last night. The downstairs living room of a house in the Springlawn area of Longford town which was the subject of a drive-by shooting on Wednesday evening. One of those was a residence close to where the charred remains of a black BMW, which gardai have identified as the getaway vehicle, was found on Wednesday night. The Irish Independent understands gardai are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry and have identified a number of key suspects who they believe carried out the shooting. As those inquiries continue, the focus has also shifted onto a possible motive for what has been described as attempted murder on the home of the victim who has been described as a dedicated family man and pure gentleman by friends and neighbours. One of those is believed to centre on the fallout from a funeral in the north of the county on Monday. A number of armed gardai outside a house on the outskirts of Longford town last night. The Irish Independent spoke to a number of locals on the estate last night, all of whom asked for their names not to be published owing to the seriousness surrounding Wednesday nights incident. Those who did speak hailed their 73-year-old neighbour as a man of utmost decency and a deeply respected member of the local community. I saw a car and heard two shots, said one local woman. I think it was a black car, but all you can do is run into the house. Ive never seen the like of it before. Two houses were searched by armed and uniformed gardai in Longford last night. A garda cordon, which had surrounded the victims home was lifted yesterday with two bullet holes still visible in the living rooms front window. Hes a very nice fella and would never harm anyone, said another woman. He used to sell CDs up on the market and we always used to buy them. Hes just a lovely, lovely man and so is his wife. Gardai are continuing to appeal for witnesses to come forward and assist them with their investigation. They are especially keen to speak to anyone who was in the Springlawn area between 7:30 and 8pm on Wednesday 17 July and any road users who may have video footage. The investigation team can be contacted at Longford Garda Station 043 335 0570, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station. "Pausing it for a week or a month and telling them they still have to move on in a month or two isn't the answer," said Tipperary Labour Deputy Alan Kelly, in respect of the 96 residents of the Borrisokane Riverside Centre Huge joy has been felt in Borrisokane in Tipperary with the news that a pause has been put on eviction notices issued to 96 residents of an accommodation centre who had been told to leave earlier this year. A petition was launched in June after it emerged that in May that residents of the Riverside Centre had received notices to leave but could not afford to remain living locally due to rental costs. The residents have put down roots in the north Tipperary village since arriving in 2019, and there has been a campaign to help the 20 families remain as they have since become integrated into local life. This week, the residents have been notified that the eviction notices have been paused. This week, Margaret Donnelly, spokesperson for the Borrisokane Liaison Committee, said: It is with huge joy that we can announce that the residents of Borrisokane Riverside Centre have received pause notices on their eviction from the Riverside Centre. Follow Independent Tipperary on Facebook The residents deeply appreciate and value all of the support that has been given to them over not only the last number of months but since the day they arrived here in Borrisokane almost five years ago. We are still determined to ensure that the full written agreement that we have is still honoured and continue the battle. The petition in support of the residents has been signed by nearly 200 people in the small community. Back in 2019 the people of Borrisokane discovered that a direct provision centre was being opened in the town, states the spokesperson on thepetitionsite.com. There was a lot of concern over this so a town meeting was called following this a committee was formed. The Borrisokane Liaison Committee met with the Department of Justice representative along with property owners, the elected members of the Nenagh municipal district and the council executive. After long hours and several meetings an agreement was reached, signed by the Mark Wilson principal officer for the Department of Justice equality international protection accommodation services. The points of the agreement were that the centre would only house families, there would only be 16 families, and there would be no revolving door. If and when the families received the right to stay in Ireland, if they so wished they could remain in the accommodation in the centre with either the assistance of HAP if needed or private rental to the property owners. In 2020 the property owners came to us to say the remaining four apartments had become available and wished to purchase therefore extending the number to 20 families we agreed to that. Up until March of this year all of the agreement had been honoured. The families were all well settled in the community. Within the schools and sporting clubs and other activities and parents are working. Everyone was happy especially the families as they found a place to feel welcome and safe. Ten of the families were given eviction notices to find alternative housing if they couldn't then they would be put into emergency accommodation this is to make space for new asylum seekers. The far reaching problems this creates are huge. Uprooting children from their schools and clubs taking them away from their friends and their home. The parents no longer being able to contribute to the exchequer as they are working but moving away from the area they would have to leave their jobs and lose their income so therefore would have to draw on social welfare. This is 100pc against everything they want and against what the community want. We want our government to honour their agreement. If you can't trust the word of government, where are we? We did everything asked of us. It's time the government are held accountable, concluded the petition. While she may have passed away in Palm Springs, California, at the ripe old age of 92, for Maura McNamara (nee Sparrow), Wexford was always home. Born July 31, 1931 to the late Thomas and Johanna Sparrow of Bishopswater, Maura grew up in a loving family alongside her younger sister Breda. She attended the Presentation school, where she would often sit in class and dream of someday visiting the countries that the teacher spoke about at the blackboard. At the age of just 14, tragedy struck the family with the death of her father, Thomas. As was common for families in those circumstances at the time, Maura had to leave school and take up full time work, starting with Cousins Mineral Factory before moving onto The County Hotel, The Abbey Theatre and finally Fine Wool Fabrics. Maura had a passion for ballroom dancing in her youth and was a sought after partner. With a keen competitive streak, she always placed highly among the dancing couples of the day. It was in 1959 that Maura made the difficult decision to leave her native Wexford. She packed her case and set off on an adventure across the Atlantic, having taken up a position as an au pair in Beverly Hills. A place that many at home had only read about, Maura flourished in her new adopted homeplace, living in the former home of famous actor Charlie Chaplin. It was in California that she met Merrick White and the two were married in 1960, settling in Venice, California, and having two children. Maura went on to become a manager with Puritan Bennet, a major medical equipment manufacturer and things were going well until she tragically lost her husband to a sudden death, becoming a single mother to two teenagers. While working at Bennet, Maura met and began dating fellow manager Richard McNamara. The two were offered early retirement from the company in 1986 and both accepted. They were married two years later. Both ready to embrace a new phase of their lives, Richard and Maura remained in Los Angeles for a time before beginning to travel the western United States, with Lake Havasu City, Arizona and San Diego, California, all becoming favourites. They finally chose to settle in the desert city of Palm Springs as their permanent home and it was here that Richard sadly passed away from a heart condition in 1997. A great lover of opera, Maura attended many performances in the Los Angeles area. Her personal highlight was a San Diego concert given by Luciano Pavarotti in 2003. As a desert resident and a huge tennis fan, Maura was also a frequent spectator of the Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open, cheering on her favourite player, Andy Murray. Having lived in America for well over 50 years, Maura was often asked why she never became an American citizen. Her reply was always prefaced by the fact that she was very grateful to the United States for the opportunities the country had given her, but in her heart she was forever Irish and was truly home when she made one of her frequent returns to Wexford town and Corish Park. Mauras memory will always be a blessing and will be held dear by her family. She is remembered by her daughter Tracey and son Todd White of Palm Springs, her sister Breda Siggins of Corish Park, nieces, nephews, cousin Ray Conway and finally her extraoridnarily close friends for decades, Silvia and John McLaughlin of Santa Paula, California. A funeral mass for Maura will take place on July 17 at the Church of the Annunciation, Clonard, followed by the burial of her cremated remains at Crosstown Cemetery, Wexford. Her family ask that, in lieu of flowers, mourners please consider a small donation to the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. May she rest in peace. Star Wars actor Mark Hamill has paid tribute to one-of-a-kind comedian Bob Newhart following his death aged 94. The accountant-turned-entertainer, known for The Bob Newhart Show, died at home in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses, his publicist Jerry Digney said in a statement to the PA news agency. Hamill, 72, who played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, said in a post to X: From his groundbreaking stand-up to his two classic sitcoms he gave us a lifetime of laughter. Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 19th Truly one-of-a-kind. Thank you Bob Newhart! Elsewhere, Jurassic Park star Laura Dern said in an Instagram post: I love you, Bob Newhart. Thank you for all the joy. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content Other A-List celebrities who have remembered Newhart include 30 Rock actor Alec Baldwin and Freaky Friday star Jamie Lee Curtis. Baldwin called the comic actor great, while Curtis said the entertainer would be missed. Filmmaker Judd Apatow, who directed a documentary about Newharts friendship with comedian Don Rickles, said he was the kindest most hilarious man. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content In a post to X, he said: I was so lucky to get to spend that time with my hero. His brilliant comedy and gentle spirit made everyone he encountered so happy. In 2013, Newhart won an Emmy for his recurring guest role playing Arthur Jeffries/Professor Proton in sitcom The Big Bang Theory, about friends Leonard, Sheldon, Raj and Howard. His other awards included three Grammys, which he won in 1961 for comedy album The Button-Down Mind Of Bob Newhart. He remains the only comedian to have won best new artist and album of the year, according to the Grammy Awards website. After the 1960s, the comic known for his deadpan sense of humour went on to dominate the sitcom landscape for nearly two decades with The Bob Newhart Show, which ran between 1972 and 1978, and Newhart, which ran from 1982 to 1990. Newhart also played Papa Elf in 2003 Christmas movie Elf, starring Will Ferrell, and Lou Sherman in 2011 comedy Horrible Bosses. He is survived by four children, Jennifer, Courtney, Timothy and Robert, and numerous grandchildren, according to his publicist. Irish actor Chris ODowd has said he wishes there were more comedy shows on television. The star currently resides in London with his wife Dawn OPorter. The couple tied the knot in 2012, and have since welcomed two sons, Art and Valentine. The Roscommon native spoke about the evolution of comedy on to social media. I wish there were more comedy shows on television, there seems to be fewer and fewer, which is a shame, he told Ray Darcy on RTE Radio 1. I think viewing habits seem to have changed an awful lot, and obviously people are still funny and people are still finding comedy to watch, but they're mostly doing it through social media. I don't know, I don't know, it might be cyclical as well, something comes in and something goes out and suddenly we're obsessed with crime murders and all of this kind of thing, but that won't last forever. He just wrapped filming on his latest project, the Sky dramedy, Small Town, Big Story with Paddy Considine, Eileen Walsh and Christina Hendricks. The six-part series is currently shooting in Boyle, Co Roscommon, the actors home town. The show is set in the fictional Irish town of Drumban and follows the lives of a few misfits who are forced to cohabitate with a Hollywood production threatening to expose a secret that has been kept hidden since the eve of the Millennium. Wendy Patterson, played by Hendricks, is a local girl who has become a successful television producer and is responsible for the arrival of this massive production in town. Drumbanss local doctor and pillar of the community, Seamus Proctor, portrayed by Considine, enjoys a neat and well-ordered life until he is caught in the crossfire. Mr ODowd said he only did a bit of acting himself and mainly stuck to directing and writing. I'm in the final throes of it right now. We're just handing in episodes. So I can't really tell if it's good or bad anymore, but I'm looking forward to it, he said. I come in and do a couple of episodes. Its six hours altogether, and Im in a couple of them. The Bridesmaids star also spoke about the Boyle Arts Festival, which is taking place until July 27. He spoke at the ceremony and said he had been scribbling his speech endlessly the morning of. It's lovely, all the flowers around the town are so gorgeous, ODowd said. And then the exhibition is open and then the festival is open and we've got 10 days of wonderful events. Maybe 50 or 60 different events altogether. He admitted that being in front of a home crowd was more nerve-wracking because it is more important. You definitely feel like you're going to hear about it for the rest of your life," he said. A Milan court has ordered a journalist to pay Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni damages of 5,000 for making fun of her in a social media post. The journalist, Giulia Cortese, was also given a suspended fine of 1,200 for a jibe on Twitter, now named X, in October 2021 about Ms Melonis height, that was defined as body shaming. Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from X post Mumbai/IBNS: In a shocking incident captured on CCTV, a gym trainer was seen hitting a man with a mudgar during a workout session in Mumbai , media reports said. In the video which is viral on X, Dharavi Nakel, the trainer, was seen picking up a mudgar and heading to the man and hitting him on his head. He could have died... Whats triggering people to get so much voilent Nowbdays, even at slightest of arguments? Violent Attack at Fitness Intelligence Gym, Mumbai: Trainer Arrested.pic.twitter.com/ss6jrZgbCz Manu (@mshahi0024) July 18, 2024 The trainer has been arrested following a police complaint by the victim, Yogesh Shinde. Police said they are probing into the incident. Shinde said he had no issue with the trainer, who was staring at him. When Shinde was suffering in pain, the other trainer rushed to stop the attacker. As per reports, Shinde has suffered two fractures on the left side of his skull. Photo Courtesy: S Jaishankar X page Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently inaugurated the first overseas Jan Asudhi Kendra in Mauritius during his visit to the country. He inaugurated the facility with the country's PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. "Delighted to inaugurate along with Prime Minister @KumarJugnauth the first overseas Jan Aushadi Kendra in Mauritius. This Aushadi Kendra is the delivery of the promise made by PM @narendramodi earlier this year," Jaishankar posted on X. He said: "The health partnership project will supply cost effective, Made-in-India medicines to augment public healthcare and enhance well being." Jaishankar paid an official visit to the Republic of Mauritius from 16th to 17th July 2024. This is the first visit by EAM to Mauritius in his current term. It follows the visit of Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth to India on 09-11 June, 2024 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The EAM last visited Mauritius in February 2021. "During his visit, EAM called on Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and explored ways to further strengthen the special and close partnership between the two countries," read a statement issued by the Ministry of external Affairs. Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Renganaden Padayachy, and Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and cooperatives Soomilduth Bholah and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Attorney General Maneesh Gobin, were also present. Videograbs of Indian students returning home & Bangladesh unrest from X Agartala/IBNS: Over 300 Indian students Friday returned home following the worsening situation in Bangladesh, which has been witnessing widespread protests and clashes for weeks over the government job quota system, media reports said, These students crossed through border points in the northeast. At least 105 people have died as students across Bangladesh have clashed with security forces and pro-government activists over the reintroduction of reservation in government jobs. The protests, which have been on for at least three weeks, escalated significantly on Monday when violence broke out at Dhaka University. Six people were killed the next day, prompting the government to order the closure of universities across the country. Many of the students who returned were pursuing MBBS degrees and most of them were from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir. Two key routes used by the students to return on Friday were the international land port at Akhurah near Agartala in Tripura and the international land port at Dawki in Meghalaya. The Bangladesh government has imposed a countrywide curfew and deployed troops as at least 32 deaths have been reported so far since Friday morning in violent protests and clashes over the government job quota system, media reports said. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina decided to deploy the army on Friday night during a 14-party meeting at Ganobhaban. The curfew is in place till midnight. Bangladesh's government has already shut down internet services across the country. Television news channels in Bangladesh were off the air and telecommunications were widely disrupted as violent student protests against quotas for government jobs continued to rock the country. Student protesters stormed a jail in the central Bangladeshi district of Narsingdi and freed the facilitys inmates before setting it on fire. Police struggled to quell unrest, with huge rallies in Dhaka despite a police ban on public gatherings. Bangladesh is having a genoside Right now. This Video shows continues fire on Bangladesh student and citizens. Bangladesh is completely Blackout from internet we want international attenttion. @BBCWorld @BBCBreaking @CNN @AJazeera @UN @UNHumanRights#SaveBangladeshStudents pic.twitter.com/3UODuI5j9O Md Rakibul | Video Editor (@rakibulhridoy) July 18, 2024 On Thursday, a state broadcaster's building was put on blaze as relentless violence gripped the South Asian country following multiple clashes between the protesters, security officials and pro-government protesters. Eyewitnesses told Prothom Alo that more than a hundred people entered BTV headquarters by breaking the main gate. In Bangladesh, the HQ of the Government Television BTV office has been sieged and burned by student groups pic.twitter.com/7yFZGvjgtN Uncensored News (@Uncensorednewsw) July 18, 2024 The protest began on July 1 after the High Court's reinstatement of the freedom fighters' quota. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already appealed to students to end the protest. Law minister Anisul Huq said the government would sit with the demonstrators. "I have told the attorney general to appeal to the court on Sunday for an early hearing in this regard," he was quoted as saying by Prothom Alo. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash Several industries across the globe, including banks, airlines, telecommunications companies, TV and radio broadcasters, and supermarkets, were hit after users reported a blue screen of death error screens on Windows platforms on Friday. Users on the subreddit for cyber security firm Crowdstrike reported issues in India, the United States and New Zealand, reported The Guardian. Crowdstrike said blue screens of death have been observed in multiple locations across the globe and the cause is being investigated. The company has said the issue is related to its Falcon Sensor product, and engineering teams are working to resolve the issue, according to a support notice as quoted by The Guardian. USA Flight service of several major operations, including Delta, United and American Airlines, remained grounded due to communication issues. The ground stop impacts all flights from the airlines, regardless of their destination, said the Federal Aviation Administration as quoted by CNN. It is still not clear how long the ground stop will last. Berlin Airport and fight operations were hit in other parts of the globe including Japan, Amsterdam, Berlin, among others. Berlin Airport posted on X: "Passenger notice: Due to a technical problem, there may be delays in check-in." "Information for passengers: Due to a technical fault, there will be delays in check-in," the airport said. Spain The Spanish airport operators said operations are currently going on in the manual system. "We are working to solve it as soon as possible. Meanwhile, operations are continuing with manual systems," the Spanish airport operator was quoted as saying by BBC. UK In the UK, major train operators are facing disruptions due to the technical faults, The London Stock Exchange said it is operating normally but there are problems with its RNS (regulatory news service). "RNS news service is currently experiencing a third party global technical issue, preventing news from being published on www.londonstockexchange.com," the statement says as quoted by BBC. "Technical teams are working to restore the service. Other services across the group, including London Stock Exchange, continue to operate as normal." Australia Melbourne Airport said it is facing a global technological issue. Melbourne Airport is experiencing a global technology issue which is impacting check-in procedures for some airlines. Passengers flying with these airlines this afternoon are advised to allow a little extra time to check-in. Please check with your airline for flight updates. pic.twitter.com/pFjOjReMKX Melbourne Airport (@Melair) July 19, 2024 "Melbourne Airport is experiencing a global technology issue which is impacting check-in procedures for some airlines. Passengers flying with these airlines this afternoon are advised to allow a little extra time to check-in. Please check with your airline for flight updates," the airline said. New Zealand The Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand said: " Christchurch Airport is experiencing IT issues across a number of our systems which may effect flight arrivals and departures. This includes flight information on our website. Please check with your airline before travelling to the airport." India In India, almost all major airlines, including Vistara, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa Air, are facing technical issues which are affecting booking and other online services. #TravelUpdate: Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable. Currently we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports and hence Akasa Air (@AkasaAir) July 19, 2024 SpiceJet posted on X: "#ImportantUpdate: We are currently experiencing technical challenges with our service provider, affecting online services including booking, check-in, and manage booking functionalities. As a result, we have activated manual check-in and boarding processes across airports. We kindly request passengers with upcoming travel plans to arrive at the airport earlier than usual to complete check-in at our counters. We sincerely regret for any inconvenience this may cause and assure you that our teams are diligently working with our service provider to resolve these issues promptly. Thank you for your patience and co-operation during this time." #ImportantUpdate: We are currently experiencing technical challenges with our service provider, affecting online services including booking, check-in, and manage booking functionalities. As a result, we have activated manual check-in and boarding processes across airports. We SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) July 19, 2024 Akasa Air said: "#TravelUpdate: Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable. Currently we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports and hence request passengers with immediate travel plans to reach the airport early to check-in at our counters. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and want to assure you that our teams are working with our service provider to resolve the same at the earliest." Private airlines major IndiGO said its system has been impacted due to Microsoft outage. Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted. We appreciate your patience. IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) July 19, 2024 IndiGo said: " Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted. We appreciate your patience." What is Blue Screen Errors? Blue Screen errors (also sometimes called black screen errors or STOP code errors) can occur if a serious problem causes Windows to shut down or restart unexpectedly, reported Microsoft website. These errors can be caused by both hardware and software issues. How to solve the trouble Try the Blue Screen Troubleshooter in the Get Help app: In Windows, open Get Help. In the Get Help app, type Troubleshoot BSOD error. Follow the guided walkthrough in the Get Help app. Photo Courtesy: Pixabay Bangladesh, the nation which voted to power PM Sheikh Hasina and her government to power for another term this year, has been put on high alert as clashes between students and police continue over quota issues. The protest began on July 1 after the High Court's reinstatement of the freedom fighters' quota. The death toll due to the ongoing quota has crossed 30. According to reports, internet connectivity and phone lines are completely down in the country's capital Dhaka. Several protesters rushed to the state broadcaster Bangladesh Television (BTV)'s office on Thursday and set a portion of it on fire. Eyewitnesses told Prothom Alo that more than a hundred people entered BTV headquarters by breaking the main gate. A senior BTV journalist, who didnt want to be named, told the BBC: "The situation was so bad we didnt have any other option but to leave the place. Some of our colleagues were trapped inside. I dont know what happened to them." Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already appealed to students to end the protest. Law minister Anisul Huq said the government would sit with the demonstrators. I have told the attorney general to appeal to the court on Sunday for an early hearing in this regard, he was quoted as saying by Prothom Alo. Urging the protesters to postpone the movement, the law minister said, As a fatherly figure, I am requesting you to move away from the protest. Why Bangladesh is witnessing protests on quota? Bangladesh has been witnessing the demonstrations for the past several days now with students wanting the the government to change the system which reserves a third of public sector jobs for the relatives of veterans of the countrys war for independence from Pakistan in 1971. Demanding for recruitment based on merit, the students called the quota system discriminatory. Aleem Khan, 22, told the BBC: "The Prime Minister is asking for an end to the violence with one hand whilst, with the other hand, attacking students using pro-ruling party groups and the police." One of the students, Sumi, told the BBC: I am here to protest against discrimination within the civil service and now that so many students have been killed by the police, I am also protesting against that." "Our protest is peaceful, but the way in which we were attacked made me feel like we were going to be killed by pro-ruling party groups," the student said. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Bangladesh asked its citizens and students to avoid local travel and minimize movement outside living premises. Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab from X video Dhaka/IBNS: At least 39 people have been killed in the violent protests against the quota system for government jobs in Bangladesh forcing the state to snap internet services in a bid to control the situation, media reports said. The country's junior telecom minister said the government has ordered a complete nationwide shutdown of internet services. A state broadcaster's building was put on blaze as relentless violence gripped the South Asian country following multiple clashes between the protesters, security officials and pro-government protesters. Eyewitnesses told Prothom Alo that more than a hundred people entered BTV headquarters by breaking the main gate. In Bangladesh, the HQ of the Government Television BTV office has been sieged and burned by student groups pic.twitter.com/7yFZGvjgtN Uncensored News (@Uncensorednewsw) July 18, 2024 A senior BTV journalist, who didnt want to be named, told the BBC: "The situation was so bad we didnt have any other option but to leave the place. Some of our colleagues were trapped inside. I dont know what happened to them." The official website of Bangladesh Prime Minister's Office or PMO is not opening and instead the message on it reads, "It's not a protest anymore, it's a war now." Writings like "Operation HuntDown" and "Stop Killing Students" trigger the speculation over whether the website has been compromised. Bangladesh PMO's official website was found hacked | Photo courtesy: Screenshot grab The protest began on July 1 after the High Court's reinstatement of the freedom fighters' quota. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already appealed to students to end the protest. Law minister Anisul Huq said the government would sit with the demonstrators. "I have told the attorney general to appeal to the court on Sunday for an early hearing in this regard," he was quoted as saying by Prothom Alo. Urging the protesters to postpone the movement, the law minister said, As a fatherly figure, I am requesting you to move away from the protest. Why is Bangladesh witnessing protests on quota? Bangladesh has been witnessing the demonstrations for the past several days now with students wanting the government to change to a system which reserves a third of public sector jobs for the relatives of veterans of the countrys war for independence from Pakistan in 1971. Demanding for recruitment based on merit, the students called the quota system discriminatory. Aleem Khan, 22, told the BBC: "The Prime Minister is asking for an end to the violence with one hand whilst, with the other hand, attacking students using pro-ruling party groups and the police." BREAKING: Violent protests RAGE ON in Bangladesh. A nationwide INTERNET SHUTDOWN has been implemented as protesters DEMAND the end of government job quotas that favor members of PM Hasina's party the Awami League. pic.twitter.com/MJDievrh2a Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) July 18, 2024 One of the students, Sumi, told the BBC: "I am here to protest against discrimination within the civil service and now that so many students have been killed by the police, I am also protesting against that." "Our protest is peaceful, but the way in which we were attacked made me feel like we were going to be killed by pro-ruling party groups," the student said. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Bangladesh asked its citizens and students to avoid local travel and minimize movement outside living premises. Photo courtesy: Pixabay The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Punjab on Thursday arrested a senior Al Qaeda leader, who was a close aide of slain 9/11 US terror attack mastermind Osama Bin Laden, from Sarai Alamgir town in Pakistan. The arrested person was identified as Amin ul Haq. "The terrorist was apprehended during an intelligence-based operation," DIG CTD Usman Akram Gonadal was quoted as saying by Geo News, adding that he was taken into custody from Sarai Alamgir, a town in the Gujrat district. He was associated with Bin Laden since 1996. He was reportedly associated with several terror activities. Haq responsible for coordinating security for the deceased Al-Qaeda chief has also been designated as a terrorist by the United Nations, Geo News reported. The high-ranking officer told Geo News that a case had been registered against Haq, noting that the authorities would probe what was a high-profile terrorist doing in Pakistan. "He was seen in Afghanistan in 2021. He also has Pakistan's ID Card, on which Lahore and Haripur's addresses have been added," the CTD officer added. As per the United National Security Council's website, Haq was listed as a terrorist on 25 January 2001. The United States troops carried out a raid on Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and eliminated Osama Bin Laden. On September 11, 2001, 19 AQ members hijacked and crashed four U.S. commercial jets two into the World Trade Center in New York City, one into the Pentagon, and the last into a field in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 civilians, police, and first responders were killed. The dead included U.S. citizens and foreign nationals from at least 77 countries. Photo Courtesy: Akshay Kothari X page Indian airline major IndiGo has issued a handwritten boarding pass to passengers amid an ongoing Microsoft technical glitch which has disrupted flights and other businesses across the globe. Sharing the handwritten boarding pass, Akshay Kothari, co-founder of US-based firm NotionHQ, posted on X: "The Microsoft / CrowdStrike outage has taken down most airports in India. I got my first hand-written boarding pass today." Several industries across the globe, including banks, airlines, telecommunications companies, TV and radio broadcasters, and supermarkets, were hit after users reported a blue screen of death error screens on Windows platforms on Friday. Users on the subreddit for cyber security firm Crowdstrike reported issues in India, the United States and New Zealand, reported The Guardian. Crowdstrike said blue screens of death have been observed in multiple locations across the globe and the cause is being investigated. The company has said the issue is related to its Falcon Sensor product, and engineering teams are working to resolve the issue, according to a support notice as quoted by The Guardian. What is Blue Screen Errors? Blue Screen errors (also sometimes called black screen errors or STOP code errors) can occur if a serious problem causes Windows to shut down or restart unexpectedly, reported Microsoft website. These errors can be caused by both hardware and software issues. How to solve the trouble? Try the Blue Screen Troubleshooter in the Get Help app: In Windows, open Get Help. In the Get Help app, type Troubleshoot BSOD error. Follow the guided walkthrough in the Get Help app. Representative Image: Unsplash A suspecting husband in China used a drone to track down his wife having a secret affair with her boss. The 33-year-old, surnamed Jing, embarked on the hi-tech surveillance mission after his wife became cold towards him last year, reported South China Morning Post. Sometimes she intentionally ignored him, said Jing, who lives in Shiyan in central Hubei province, the newspaper reported quoting Net Ease. Jing's concerns heightened over some unusual events in the life of his wife which included changing her position at work and the number of times she said she was going to visit her parents. The surveillance footage revealed that the wife, surnamed Wu, got into a car which took her to a remote mountain, the newspaper reported. The drone tacked her walking hand in hand with a man and then disappearing into a dilapidated mud house. After 20 minutes, they were seen walking out and heading towards the factory where Wu worked. Jing said the evidence he secured with his drone could be used to secure his divorce. Her other man is her boss. The wife of the boss also works in the same factory so it is inconvenient for them to have an affair there, so my wife was forced to meet him in the wild, Jing was quoted as saying by the newspaper. Meanwhile, the incident has been buzzing on the social media with several users claiming the drone actually revealed Wu's lie and disloyalty towards her husband. It was a good idea to buy a drone. Without this tool, Jing would have never known he was being betrayed. Thats the magical function of technology, one person quipped on Weibo as quoted by South China Morning Post. Another online observer said: In this era of hi-tech, any lie will be debunked. So couples should stick to the principle of loyalty. Photo courtesy: Videograb of Bangladesh unrest Dhaka/IBNS: The Bangladesh government has imposed a countrywide curfew and deployed troops as at least 105 deaths have been reported so far since Friday morning in violent protests and clashes over the government job quota system, media reports said. Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina decided to deploy the army on Friday night during a 14-party meeting at Ganobhaban. The curfew is in place till midnight. Bangladesh's government has already shut down internet services across the country. Television news channels in Bangladesh were off the air and telecommunications were widely disrupted as violent student protests against quotas for government jobs continued to rock the country. Student protesters stormed a jail in the central Bangladeshi district of Narsingdi and freed the facilitys inmates before setting it on fire. Police struggled to quell unrest, with huge rallies in Dhaka despite a police ban on public gatherings. Bangladesh is having a genoside Right now. This Video shows continues fire on Bangladesh student and citizens. Bangladesh is completely Blackout from internet we want international attenttion. @BBCWorld @BBCBreaking @CNN @AJazeera @UN @UNHumanRights#SaveBangladeshStudents pic.twitter.com/3UODuI5j9O Md Rakibul | Video Editor (@rakibulhridoy) July 18, 2024 On Thursday, a state broadcaster's building was put on blaze as relentless violence gripped the South Asian country following multiple clashes between the protesters, security officials and pro-government protesters. Eyewitnesses told Prothom Alo that more than a hundred people entered BTV headquarters by breaking the main gate. In Bangladesh, the HQ of the Government Television BTV office has been sieged and burned by student groups pic.twitter.com/7yFZGvjgtN Uncensored News (@Uncensorednewsw) July 18, 2024 The protest began on July 1 after the High Court's reinstatement of the freedom fighters' quota. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has already appealed to students to end the protest. Law minister Anisul Huq said the government would sit with the demonstrators. "I have told the attorney general to appeal to the court on Sunday for an early hearing in this regard," he was quoted as saying by Prothom Alo. One video at Ambani wedding went viral and suddenly everyone is talking about Cafe Mysore. As per the viral video on Instagram, Radhika Merchant and Ambani family can be seen welcoming the owner of Cafe Mysore and telling her how much the Ambanis and Merchant relish their food. X Shanteri Nayak, who was invited for the reception of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, was welcomed with open arms and joy from the newly weds. Radhika and Anant even touched Cafe Mysore's owner's feet and told her, "Every sunday we eat your food at our house." Anant can be seen graciously thanking her for coming to the star-studded reception. Not just them, Mukesh Ambani also swears by Mysore Cafe. In an old interview with Rajdeep Sardesai, he can be seen mentioning the good old South Indian food joint as his favourite. Well, if the Ambanis are loving their food, you must try the cafe too. But before you go to Matunga's Cafe Mysore in Mumbai, here's what you should know about it and these are the top 5 dishes you must try. Cafe mysore is one of the oldest and popular south Indian joints in Mumbai. It is a small joint but the food and service is apparently excellent. The cafe is renowned for its dishes like Neer Dosa and Mysore Masala Dosa that the Ambani kids love. Mukesh Ambani's personal favourite is Idli Sambar which he orders every Sunday. The place is also known for Dahi wadas and tomato upma that customers swear by. They also have a variety of dosas - from palak to cheese that one can try. Well, what are you waiting for then! The weekend is upon us, all you Mumbai folks, go have a taste of what Ambanis love. While every country in the world likes to throw a party, there are some nations that really know what they're doing! From food and beverage-focused festivities to spiritual carnivals, these cultural festivals are sure to give you a new perspective and understanding of each country. So, why not take a tour and learn the culture of different countries through some of their biggest and wildest gatherings? Also Read: Top 6 Places To Visit In Cambodia As Country Begins Direct Flights To India Soon To get you started in your exploration, here are 5 cultural festivals around the world that are worth making a trip for. 1) La Tomatina, Bunol, Spain flickr.com/Pinterest Spain is literally the hub of cultural festivals but La Tomatina is its messiness and unsurprisingly most fun festival. And if you are fond of tomatoes you are in food heaven! Celebrated for the first time in 1945 in the small town of Bunol, this festival is probably the biggest food fight you'll ever see, where thousands of people pelt each other with squashed tomatoes on the streets. The festival is celebrated every year at the end of August and attracts over 20, 000 tourists. Renowned all across the world due to Spain's rich cultural heritage, for us Indians, it was the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara that brought this festival to the limelight. 2) Mardi Gras, New Orleans, USA thepointsguy.com/Pinterest Mardi Gras means 'Fat Tuesday' in French and it involves the tradition of eating decadent and fatty foods before the Lent period. The French Quarter of New Orleans hosts the country's wildest festival which involves colourful and chaotic parades featuring marching bands, spectacular floats and jam-packed streets with people in vibrant costumes. And as the sun sets the parades transition into parties full of collective celebratory spirit. 3) Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany blogs.voanews.com/Pinterest This festival will be your definition of heaven if you are a beer aficionado! Lasting over 16 days, from mid-September to the first Sunday of October, this festival is the world's largest celebration of beer as well as Bavarian culture and attracts six to seven million tourists every year. By visiting this festival that is all about parades and carnivals you can embrace German culture while enjoying their traditional outfits, music, traditional food and dishes and how can we forget, 'beer'. Also Read: Vacation Ideas: Top 3 Places To Visit If Youre Young And Broke 4) Yi Peng Lantern Festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand Pinterest The annual Yi Peng Lantern Festival is Northern Thailand's most charming and romantic event. The festival is celebrated on the full moon evening in the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar (usually November) amid the three-day long parades and candle-lightings of Loy Krathong. The biggest and grandest celebration is organised in Chiang Mai which involves a city-wide gathering releasing thousands of lit lanterns to represent the transition from rainy to winter season. If for some reason, none of these places is in the cards for you, we've got a festival you can enjoy close to home, right here in India. 5) Holi, Mathura, India viajes.nationalgeographic.com.es/Pinterest As you all know, India is known for its diverse and colourful cultural heritage, but no festival is as vibrant and lively as Holi. Although the festival is celebrated all across the country with much pomp and show, Mathura is the best place to celebrate as the town comes alive and becomes drenched in colour! While it was Lord Krishna who is said to have started the coloured powder-chucking tradition, locals have taken it one step further with water guns, water balloons and coloured smoke crackers. From the lantern festival of China's Chiang Mai to the wild celebrations of USA's Mardi Gras, learn what it looks like to celebrate each country's unique culture during a tour of these festivals. Also Read: These Are The 5 Top International Destinations For Vegetarian Travellers For more on lifestyle, astrology and health from around the world please visit Indiatimes Lifestyle. We all love family dramas dont we? Sometimes all we want to do on the weekends is curl up with a nice, relaxing watch and family dramas provide just that. Even though there is a ton of family-friendly, wholesome content available on OTT, we've selected five family dramas that are underrated and are a great watch for the weekend. 5 underrated family dramas to watch on OTT 1. Ghar Waapsi Ruchir Arun is the director of the Hindi-language television series Ghar Waapsi, which was produced by Dice Media. The main character of "Ghar Waapsi" is Shekhar, who, after losing his job in Bengaluru, returns to his hometown of Indore. But he chooses to conceal it from his family. X Where to watch: Hotstar 2. TVF Tripling Three siblings, Chandan, Chanchal, and Chitvan, who are going through a difficult time in their lives, decide to take a road trip together in order to overcome their dejection. Where to watch: Zee5 3. What The Folks As per the description, 'What The Folks' is a journey of how modern families are breaking stereotypes, overcoming generation gaps, and growing to love one another, despite having starkly different world views. Where to watch: Jio Cinema 4. Mind the Malhotras Shefali and Rishabh Malhotra, facing the usual marital issues of middle age, consult a professional to avoid ending up in court like the majority of their couple friends. Also read: Dune part 2 OTT release date: When and where to watch Timothee Chalamet-Zendaya's epic sci-fi film X Where to watch: Prime Video 5. Happy Family, Conditions Apply Happy Family, which centers on the life of the Dholakia family over four generations, demonstrates how dysfunctional most families are and how they combine traditional and modern ideals. The Dholakias are renowned for their unique eccentricities and exuberant dispositions. X Where to watch: Prime Video Found your perfect pick to binge-watch? Now grab some yummy food and you favorite drink while you sit back and unwind! For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Best speech ideas on Kargil Vijay Diwas: Kargil Vijay Diwas, also known as Kargil Victory Day, is observed on July 26th to commemorate India's victory in the Kargil War of 1999. This day holds immense importance as it reminds us of the bravery and sacrifices of our Indian soldiers who fought valiantly to protect our nation. Let's explore the history, significance, and best speech ideas for Kargil Vijay Diwas 2024. History of Kargil Vijay Diwas In May 1999, Pakistani soldiers and militants infiltrated the Kargil district in Kashmir, leading to an armed conflict between India and Pakistan. The Indian Army launched Operation Vijay to reclaim the occupied territories. This operation saw our brave Indian soldiers battling against formidable odds, including harsh weather and difficult terrain. After nearly three months of intense fighting, the Indian military successfully regained control of the contested areas, culminating in the capture of Tiger Hill on July 26, 1999. Significance of Kargil Vijay Diwas Kargil Vijay Diwas is a day of national pride. It honors the courage, determination, and professionalism of the Indian Armed Forces. The day also serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by our soldiers and their families. Observing Kargil Vijay Diwas reinforces India's commitment to peace and its readiness to defend its borders and sovereignty. Best Kargil Vijay Diwas Speech in Hindi and English Introduction Start with a brief overview of the Kargil War and its significance in Indian history. Express gratitude towards the soldiers who displayed unparalleled bravery and dedication. Historical Context Describe the events leading up to the Kargil War and the challenges faced by the Indian armed forces. Highlight the strategic importance of the region and the implications of the conflict. The Spirit of Sacrifice Highlight the selflessness and bravery of the soldiers who fought in harsh conditions. Share stories of individual acts of valor to showcase the unwavering dedication of our armed forces. Unity and National Strength Discuss how the Kargil War united the nation in support of our soldiers. Highlight the importance of national unity and strength in times of crisis. The Role of the Indian Army Talk about the preparedness and determination of the Indian Army in reclaiming the occupied territories. Acknowledge the sacrifices made by the soldiers and their families. Lessons Learned Reflect on the lessons learned from the Kargil War and how they have shaped India's defense strategies. Stress the need for constant vigilance and preparedness. Remembering the Kargil War Heroes Honor the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Pay tribute to the martyrs and their families, expressing the nation's eternal gratitude. Promoting Peace and Diplomacy Advocate for peaceful resolutions and diplomacy in resolving conflicts between nations. Emphasize the importance of dialogue and cooperation to maintain regional stability. Strengthening the Armed Forces Discuss efforts to modernize and equip the armed forces to face contemporary challenges. Highlight the significance of investing in defense capabilities to ensure national security. Call to Action Encourage citizens to actively support and honor our armed forces. Urge everyone to contribute to the welfare of soldiers and their families. Kargil Vijay Diwas Speech Ideas for Students Detailed Speech in English Good Morning Everyone, My sincere gratitude to the principal, the teachers, and my close friends. I am deeply honored to address you all on this auspicious occasion of Kargil Vijay Diwas. This day holds immense significance for every Indian as it is a stark reminder of the valor and sacrifices made by our brave Indian soldiers during the Kargil War in 1999. The Kargil War is a symbol of Indias resolve to defend its sovereignty against all odds. It was a battle fought on the toughest terrains, at an altitude of 18,000 feet, and in the harshest weather conditions. On this day, we pay homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives, fighting with utmost bravery and honor. Each soldier who fought in the Kargil War is a symbol of selfless dedication and patriotism. Their love for the nation, their courage in the face of adversity, and their indomitable spirit continue to inspire us. Kargil Vijay Diwas also serves as a reminder of the strength and determination of our armed forces. As we commemorate Kargil Vijay Diwas, let us not just remember it as a day of victory, but also as a day of learning. The Kargil War taught us the importance of preparedness, vigilance, and strategic acumen. This war also taught us the importance of unity and the strength of a nation that stands together. In conclusion, as we honor our heroes today, let us not limit our recognition to just one day. Let us carry it in our hearts every day. Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai, Dekhna hai zor kitna baazu-e-qatil mein hai. Thank you, everyone! Long Speech Sample for Kargil Vijay Diwas Dear Guests, Teachers, and Friends, Today, we come together to celebrate Kargil Vijay Diwas, a day that fills every Indian with pride and gratitude. Celebrated each year on July 26, this day marks the anniversary of India's historic victory in the Kargil War of 1999. Our brave soldiers fought hard to reclaim the heights of Kargil from intruders, showcasing the strength of our military and the unbreakable spirit of our nation. The Kargil War was a tough battle fought in very difficult conditions. Pakistani militants had taken control of key positions, giving them an advantage. However, our soldiers, showing incredible bravery and determination, launched Operation Vijay to take back these positions. Despite the challenges, they fought bravely, making great sacrifices to ensure our flag flew high over Kargil once more. Kargil Vijay Diwas is more than just a celebration of military victory; it's a day to reflect on the values of unity and patriotism. It reminds us of the power of coming together and the importance of supporting each other, especially during tough times. As we remember our soldiers' sacrifices, we must also recognize the strength and support of their families. These families are the unsung heroes who stand by their loved ones, offering constant support. Their sacrifices, though often quiet, are invaluable. In today's world, where threats to national security can take many forms, every citizen must stay alert and responsible. We can honor the legacy of the Kargil heroes by actively participating in our democracy, supporting our armed forces, and working to improve our society. To the younger generation, I say: Let the stories of Kargil inspire you. The courage, determination, and patriotism shown by our soldiers are qualities we should all aim to embody. Whether you choose to serve in the armed forces or contribute to our nation in other ways, remember that every effort helps build a stronger and more resilient India. In conclusion, let us promise never to forget the sacrifices of our soldiers and honor their memory by working towards a united, prosperous, and peaceful India. As we stand here today, let us proudly say, "Jai Hind!" Thank you. Short Speech in Hindi , / , ' ' , 26 , 1999 , ! Facts You Can Add to Your Kargil Vijay Diwas Speech The Kargil War was fought in 1999 between India and Pakistan in the Baltistan district of Ladakh. in the Baltistan district of Ladakh. On May 3, 1999, 5000 Pakistani soldiers infiltrated the high-altitude rocky mountainous region of Kargil. The Indian government launched 'Operation Vijay' to drive them back. Before the Kargil War, India and Pakistan had fought in 1971 , leading to the creation of Bangladesh. , leading to the creation of Bangladesh. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister of India during the Kargil War. The war was fought in temperatures as low as -10C. The Indian Air Force launched 'Operation Safed Sagar' with fighter planes like the MiG-21 , MiG-27 , and Mirage 2000 , playing a crucial role in the conflict. with fighter planes like the , , and , playing a crucial role in the conflict. Over 500 brave Indian soldiers lost their lives in Kargil, while Pakistan claims that more than 3,000 of their soldiers died. The Kargil War was an infamous example of high-altitude warfare. Inspiring Lines for Your Kargil Vijay Diwas Speech "Kargil Vijay Diwas is a very important day for us Indians." "This day is celebrated every year on 26th July all over India." "In the year 1999, there was a war between India and Pakistan." "This war was named Kargil." "This war of Kargil lasted for about 60 days and ended on July 26th, 1999. Hence Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated on the 26th of July." "Many of our Indian soldiers were martyred in this war." "The memorial of the soldiers who died in this war is built near India Gate in New Delhi." "This memorial is named Amar Jawan Jyoti." Incorporate these elements into your Kargil Vijay Diwas speech to create a comprehensive and heartfelt tribute to the brave soldiers of the Kargil War. New York magazines latest Health Issue has invited heavy criticism online for showing US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in their underwear. The photoshopped image of the two candidates for the upcoming US Presidential election was featured on the cover of the July 1528 Health Issue. AFP New York Magazine's cover The cover photo is an illustration by Martin Schoeller and depicts the president and his predecessor standing side by side on sets of scales that suggest a medical exam. "Catch up on our new Health Issue, featuring medical breakthroughs and scandals, plus one political convulsion: the Presidents seeming deterioration," New York Magazine said on social media while unveiling its latest edition. Also read: AI Video Shows Joe Biden And Donald Trump Performing Salsa And now, Joe Biden has Covid. Catch up on our new Health Issue, featuring medical breakthroughs and scandals, plus one political convulsion: the Presidents seeming deterioration. https://t.co/IANMlyk6nN pic.twitter.com/jRzvZNN6qD New York Magazine (@NYMag) July 18, 2024 Unethical, body shaming... However, the not-so-flattering image did not go down well with a large section of readers and people online who criticized it as being in poor taste and unethical. This is wildly disrespectful. Did both parties give consent? asked one person. Isnt this body shaming? another user pointed out. "What a disgusting decision to make this a cover. We can now point to the media's contribution to making the US a joke to the world," said another. What NYM Editor said After mounting criticism, Executive Editor Genevieve Smith explained that the idea was to address the health and age of the presidential candidates, particularly relevant in the midst of a presidential campaign and following a recent debate on these issues. AP We had already been thinking about how to address the fact that this health issue would drop in the middle of a presidential campaign, when the presidential debate put the health and age of the candidates in the center of the national conversation, Smith noted. Also read: Joe Biden Trolled For Forgetting Popular Rapper's Name, Calling Him Boy Joe Biden's health concerns It should be noted that 81-year-old Biden and 78-year-old Trump are the oldest presidential candidates in the history of the US. Incumbent President Biden is the oldest person to hold the office so far. Joe Biden | Photo: AP Ever since Biden announced his intention to run for office, there have been growing concerns about his failing health. Many in the Democratic Party have also urged him to stand down, something that Biden has declined to do. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. A shocking incident of electricity theft has drawn global attention from the UK. A man from Tayport in Fife stole so much electricity from his neighbours that their teenage daughter had to work to help sustain the family. This unprecedented crime has sparked outrage and highlighted the severe consequences of electricity theft. Electricity theft by neighbour According to the BBC, Leslie Pirie, an electrician, was ordered to repay 4,000 (Rs 433,138) to his neighbours after diverting their power supply to his own home. Pirie, 51, set up an elaborate system using a device hidden behind a picture frame to steal electricity between July 2017 and August 2020. Dundee Sheriff Court heard that Hugh and Tracy Torrance's electricity bills were so high that they had to get their teenage daughter to work to help fund the payments. Investigators discovered that the family was unknowingly funding both their own and their neighbour's electricity bills. Pirie punched a hole in the plasterboard and connected it to Mr Torrance's meter before hiding a Henley block, which separated the supply, under a framed painting. Unsplash| Representational image Solicitor John Boyle stated, The neighbours were out 4,000 due to Piries electricity theft. Although Pirie admitted to the theft, his actions have severely strained his relationship with the Torrance family. Despite being neighbors, the trust between them has been shattered. 'We thought he was a nice guy' Also Read: Did you know? Viral video shows roads in Japan playing music when you drive over them Fife Council is now seeking to evict Pirie from the three-bedroom house he has lived in alone since his mother's death in 2010. Due to unemployment, Pirie has been given more than eight years to repay 40 per month. Sheriff Morag Fraser admonished Pirie and ordered him to repay the couple. Unsplash| Representational image Mrs. Torrance expressed her disappointment, saying, We thought he was a nice guy. Also Read: Extraterrestrial life on Venus? Discovery of gases in clouds excites scientists This incident underscores the devastating impact of electricity theft on innocent families. The Torrances, once believing Pirie to be a trustworthy neighbor, are now burdened with financial hardship and a fractured community relationship For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Zivame, the largest online lingerie brand in India, is often dubbed the 'Desi Victorias Secret' by its loyal customers. The brand has significantly impacted the market, providing women with a variety of lingerie options. However, not everyone knows the inspiring journey of the woman behind this successful brand, Richa Kar. Richa Kar, the visionary founder of Zivame, started the brand in 2011. Currently, she serves on the company's board of directors. Her journey to establish a leading lingerie brand wasn't easy. Lets explore Richa Kar's inspiring journey and the birth of Zivame. Richa Kar: Early Life and Education Richa Kar was born on July 17, 1980, in Jamshedpur, India, into a traditional family. Her father worked at Tata Steel, and her mother was a homemaker. She pursued her post-graduate diploma from SVKMs Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) in 2007. After a few years in the IT field, she earned a masters degree from NMIMS. Richa Kar, who had gained valuable skills while working for companies like Spencers and SAP retail consultancy, was prepared for her entrepreneurial journey. Inspiration from Victorias Secret Richa Kar While working at SAP retail consultancy, Richa Kar tracked Victorias Secret's online sales. This experience made her realise the challenges women faced in buying lingerie in India. With eight years of experience and insights from her project, Richa was motivated to start her own lingerie brand. Facing Parental Opposition When Richa Kar shared her startup idea with her parents, her father was hesitant, and her mother outright disapproved. Her mother was embarrassed by the thought of her daughter selling lingerie. Despite multiple attempts, Richa couldnt convince her mother initially. Launching Zivame: Overcoming Challenges Determined to launch her company, Richa Kar started arranging funds from friends. Miraculously, her mother eventually supported her, even contributing some of her savings and convincing relatives to do the same. With Rs. 35 lakhs, Richa launched Zivame in 2011. The name 'Zivame' means radiant me. Zivame once caught the eye of Ratan Tata indiatimes Zivame began as a small innerwear company and gradually became Indias biggest lingerie brand. According to DNA India, in a 2020 fundraising round, Zivame was valued at $200 million, which is more than Rs 1670 crore. Not long after Zivame started growing, it attracted the attention of Ratan Tata, the former chairman of Tata Sons and a major businessman in India. Tata was one of the early investors in the lingerie brand in 2015, helping it reach a multi-million dollar level. Early Struggles and Success Finding office space was a challenge due to the taboo around lingerie. Landlords refused to rent to her, but Richas determination never wavered. She finally secured a space after numerous attempts, boosting her confidence. The first major breakthrough came when a customer from Indore made a significant purchase from Zivames website. In May 2012, Richa received her first major funding of $3 million, followed by $40 million in 2015, transforming the brand. By 2016, Richa Kar decided to open physical stores across India, expanding Zivame's reach to tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Personal Life and Net Worth Richa Kar is married to Kedar Gavane, the Vice President of comScore. The couple prefers to keep their life private. As of now, Richa Kar has an estimated net worth of Rs. 749 crores. Although she stepped down as CEO in 2017, she remains on Zivames board of directors. In 2020, Mukesh Ambani acquired Zivame through Reliance Retail, but Richa Kar retained her equity in the company. For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here Sikinos, Greece The search for two French tourists, Francoise, 73, and Marie, 64, who vanished on Sikinos island continues with no results. Rescue teams, volunteers, drones, and trained dogs have been scouring the island for four days, but no trace of the women has been found. The two women, who met on the island , were last seen on Friday morning when they set out for a hike. One of them, Francoise, briefly contacted her tour operator, sending a photo that appeared to show her after a fall. A local resident who knew Marie described her as cheerful and happy before her disappearance. A Belgian hiker familiar with the island suggested potential hiking routes the women might have taken, including areas on the far end of the island. Relatives of the missing tourists have arrived in Sikinos to join the search and anxiously await any updates. iefimerida.gr The Edo State Government has accused reinstated deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu for masterminding the attack along the airport road in Benin City. Recall that the All Progressives Congresss gubernatorial candidate, Monday Okpebholo and Shaibu escaped an attempt assassination on Thursday. It was gathered that a police inspector, identified as Okon, attached to Okpebholo was killed during the attack. Advertisement Reacting to the incident on Friday, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, in a statement made available to the public, condemned the attack and blamed Shaibu for organising thugs. READ MORE: Police Killed As Unknown Gunmen Attack Shaibu, Okpebholos Convoy In Benin He said: With the disappointment by this development, Shaibu disregarded the advice and warnings from the Commissioner of Police and exited the airport precincts into the waiting crowd of thugs who then moved with him into the City, shooting sporadically and unleashing mayhem on innocent citizens, who were minding their lawful businesses. This mindless shooting and breakdown of law and order resulted in the wanton destruction of property, infliction of various degrees of injuries on passersby and security operatives and the loss of the life of a Policeman. Following the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, which faulted the impeachment of the former deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, the Edo State Government immediately filed a notice of appeal and stay of execution on the judgement, as it is the governments right. This we have since communicated to the relevant authorities, including the Police, by the law. Therefore, Philip Shaibu remains impeached as the Deputy Governor of Edo State until the Appeal Court decides otherwise. In a bid to mitigate to an extent, the pervasive economic hardship across the country, members of the House of Representatives resolved to slash their salaries by 50 percent. The lower legislative chamber passed the resolution during plenary on Thursday, following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance. Advertisement The motion was titled: An Appeal to the Proponents of Proposed Nationwide Protest to Maintain Peace, Eschew Violence and Open the Windows for Meaningful Engagements with Government at all Levels in Order to Address their Issues. It was sponsored by Ibrahim Isiaka from Ogun state. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker, proposed the amendment, stating that it is a worthy sacrifice the legislators should make for the next six months since they earn N500,000 monthly. He was however corrected by Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House, who said they receive N600,000 monthly. While moving the motion, Isiaka said youths are planning a nationwide protest over the economic hardship in the country. The lawmaker said while protest is a constitutional right, the youths should be patient with the government. According to him, maintaining peace and engaging in constructive dialogue with the government is crucial for the resolution of issues. His words: Be it resolved that this honourable house appeals to the proponents of the proposed nationwide protest in Nigeria to consider a different path, a path of patience, dialogue, and collaboration, prioritise peace and open channels for meaningful engagements with the government at all levels. Be it further resolved that all stakeholders should uphold the principles of democracy, respect human rights, and uphold the rule of law in their actions and engagements. We trust that through peaceful engagement and dialogue, we can collectively work towards building a better and brighter future for Nigeria. It is undeniable that Nigeria is facing significant challenges, challenges that have plagued our nation for far too long. The issues of insecurity, unemployment, and poverty weigh heavily on the heart of every Nigerian. The desire for change, for progress, for a better tomorrow is a sentiment that unites us all. READ ALSO: Tinubu Appoints Didi Esther Walson-Jack As Head Of Service The challenges we face are not unique to Nigeria alone. These are issues that countries across the globe grapple with on a daily basis. In a world that is constantly changing and evolving, no nation is immune from the complexities of governance and development. The road to change is not easy and the journey towards a brighter future is often fraught with obstacles. But we must not lose sight of the incremental steps that have been taken, the reforms that have been implemented, and the strides that have been made towards a more prosperous Nigeria. That change does not happen overnight. It requires patience, perseverance, and a commitment to working together towards a common goal. While peaceful protest is a fundamental right in a democratic society, it is also important to allow the government the space and opportunity to consolidate the progress that has already been achieved. Let us engage in constructive dialogue, let us seek solutions through peaceful means, and let us stand united as one nation, one people, with a shared vision for a better Nigeria. Together, we can overcome the challenges that lie before us. Together, we can build a future that we can all be proud of. Kalu, on his part, said the nations problems did not start overnight and one year is not enough time for the current administration to fix the challenges. Carrying placards and protesting against economic hardship, he said, will not solve the problem. The solution is not found in carrying placards, he said. Also speaking, Ahmed Jaha from Borno said it will take a reasonable period of time to address the problems in the country. Tough times dont last forever, but tough people do. We are appealing to our young men to give the government the benefit of the doubt, he said. Jaha said despite the economic hardship, the price of commodities is cheaper in Nigeria than in most African countries. If you compare the cost of living in West Africa, you would appreciate the cost of living in Nigeria, he said. When Speaker Abbas put the motion to a voice vote, the nays were louder than the ayes but the speaker said the ayes have it. Abbas referred the motion to the committees on appropriation, finance, national planning, and humanitarian affairs for further legislative action. Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has reacted to his sack as the Chief Whip of the Senate in the 10th Assembly. The lawmaker spoke in his country home of Maiduguri on Friday. Advertisement Ndume who said he was unfairly treated, noted that his actions do not warrant his removal from the position. According to him, he bears no grudges as he sees his removal as an act of God. Ndume has been critical of the government over the state of the nation with his recent claim that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is populated by kleptocrats. He also rejected the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Tourism, which was announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday, arguing that he lacks the experience and exposure to lead such a sensitive group. I did not say anything wrong. And therefore I want to state that I stand by all my statements in the interview I granted, the Senator maintained. Ndume added that he never wanted to be a senate whip after serving as the leader in the eighth senate He disclosed that he was given the chance to choose which committee to serve as the Vice Chairman, having successfully led the campaigns that brought about the emergence of Akpabio as President of the Senate. READ ALSO: Rivers Crisis: Wike Is Disrespecting You, Sanction Him Dele Momodu Tells Tinubu Secondly, the party that recommended to the Senate that I should be removed from being the chief whip of the Senate, I take that as an act of God because if it is God who gave me that position. It is God that took it through APC. So, I bear no grudges about that. After all, I did not contest to be the chief whip. I did not contest to be the vice chairman of the appropriation committee. I contested to be one of the Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and God granted me that victory and Im happy with God, what God has given to me, he said On the recommendation of the Party to leave the APC, Ndume said he is a founding member of the party. He furthered that he was one of the twenty-two senators from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that formed the APC when the current national chairman of the Party, Abdullahi Ganduje was a Deputy Governor in Kano State. He, however, stated that when former President Muhammadu Buhari, in the company of President Bola Tinubu, ordered him to sign a document to join APC at the Imo House in Abuja, he informed his people before going public as such, he would consult his people before deciding on whether to leave the APC or not. Senator Ndume informed that he could not speak up immediately after his sack because he was mourning the death of a family member. The Imo State Police Command has arrested a suspected drug trafficker, Uchechukwu Nwanguma, 28, who is accused of selling various types of illegal hard drugs. The arrest was made possible by the efforts of the Commands Anti-Narcotics Unit on Thursday. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Henry Okoye, the suspect was detained on Wednesday at the Caroline Hostel in Okwu Uratta, Owerri, the state capital. Advertisement He claimed that materials seized from him included substantial amounts of weeds presumed to be Canadian Loud, an imported strong synthetic strain of cannabis, and hard narcotics known as molly or happy pills. On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime stating that his parents are late and that he moved into the sale of hard drugs to enable him take care of himself and his siblings. READ MORE: No Eviction Notice Issued To Herders In Oyo, Police Clarify In a similar incident, agents from the commands Anti-Vice Unit arrested Onyekosi Chukwu Ebuka, M, 35, of Uloano in Imo States Isu Local Government Area, on Wednesday for unlawful possession of weeds thought to be Indian hemp. His arrest followed a tip-off received from a concerned citizen. The suspects will face prosecution upon completion of diligent investigations. The Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, Aboki Danjuma, reaffirmed the commands dedication to clamp down on illicit drug dealers and peddlers in the state. He implored parents to caution their children against indulging in the intake or sale of hard drugs or illicit substances, warning that violators will face severe legal consequences, he said. Nasir El-Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, has written the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, seeking the transfer of the case between him and the State government. Through his Counsel, AbdulHakeem Mustapha, he told the court that he no longer trust the ability of Justice Rilwa Aikawa, to do justice in the matter. Advertisement He said, In view of the foregoing, we humbly apply for a transfer of this matter from the trial Court presided over by Honourable Justice R.M. Aikawa whereby the relevant applications can be heard as the Applicant has lost all confidence in the Judge to continue to hear and determine the matter. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. Having expressly refused to put the Applicant on notice before hearing the matter and proceeding to hear same when the Applicant was still within time to respond to the 1st Respondents application, the average man on the street could see which way the Judge is headed. Recall that El-Rufai approached the Kaduna Division of the Court and filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Kaduna State House of Assembly and the Kaduna State Government. READ ALSO: Only Anti-Graft Agencies Can Validate, Disprove Our Findings Kaduna Assembly To El-Rufais Ex-Commissioners The lawmakers accused ex-governor El-Rufai of mismanaging about N423 billion from loans obtained by his administration. In the suit, the former Governor is seeking N1billion damages. Counsel to the former governor, Mustapha, said his client approached the court as a Nigerian citizen who is entitled to be given a fair hearing before his rights can be determined by a quasi-judicial or investigative body or courts in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. In the suit, El-Rufai is praying the court to declare that by the provisions of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the Report of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Investigation of Loans, Financial Transactions, Contractual Liabilities and Other Related Matters of the Government of Kaduna State from 29 May 2015 to 29 May 2023, as ratified by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, is unconstitutional and therefore null and void for violating his right to fair hearing as guaranteed under the Constitution. A former spokesman of the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Daniel Bwala, described the ex-Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as a political jobber. Bwala made the prediction on Thursday, while reacting to the defection of Isaac Balami, a prominent LP chieftain to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He said that Obi would soon follow the path of Doyin Okupe and Isaac Balami by dumping the party. Advertisement READ MORE: Obi-Datti Deputy Campaign Manager Dumps LP, Defects To APC Recall that INFORMATION NIGERIA had earlier reported that Isaac had announced his defection to the APC on X, saying he couldnt work with the present leadership of the LP. Bwala wrote: The other day was Doyin Okupe, today is my brother Isaac Balami, mark my words, tomorrow certainly it will be Kenneth Okonkwo, because of two reasons; As patriots, seeing the urgency to rally round our president at this difficult time as he re-directs the ship Nigeria. Labour Party is a SPV and not a political party. That leaves the elements called Obidients with one lesson; thus no matter their threats and bullies, Nigerians would exercise their rights of association as enshrined in our constitution @PeterObi too will leave Labour Party at some points. If you call people who exercise their rights of association as political jobbers, then your hero peter Obi is the grandfather of political Joberism having started from PDP to APGA to PDP to Labour and now in talks with PDP. You people are the most gullible of all time. GOAT means gulibles Of All Time. The Lagos State Police Command has initiated a manhunt for a middle-aged man named Olumide, who is accused of beating his son, Adeyemi, to death in the states Alagbado region. Olumide was accused of hitting the 19-year-old deceased on the head with a shovel as punishment for an infraction. However, Adeyemi died as a result of the damage caused by the shovel attack. Advertisement SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the state police public relations officer, verified the incident on Thursday. According to Hundeyin, the Alagbado Police Division received a report about the suspected incident on Tuesday. READ MORE: No Eviction Notice Issued To Herders In Oyo, Police Clarify He said, At about 12.00 p.m. on July 5, at about 2.00 p.m., one Olumide gave his son, Adeyemi, a deep cut under moderate correction, at his right hand side with a shovel over an undisclosed offence. The young man was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment. But when the injury became serious, he was taken to the General Hospital Ikeja, where he gave up the ghost as a result of tetanus infection, as confirmed by the doctor on duty. He said detectives of the division visited the scene. However, the father of the victim is currently at large and the case is under investigation, he added. Two separate fire incidents in Osogbo, Osun State, wounded three individuals and destroyed property worth millions of naira. Punch reported that the fire erupted on Wednesday evening in the Omigade Area and Okefia GRA, both in the Osogbo metropolis. The Omigade fire, which affected a multi-story building, apparently began in an adjoining building before spreading to the main building. Advertisement According to an eyewitness, Lateef Ayodeji, despite the fact that the men of the Osun State Fire Service arrived early, they were unable to contain the fire until early Thursday morning. Speaking on the Osogbo GRA fire incident, a resident, simply named as Mrs Olasupo, stated that operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, who reacted to the distress call, worked with other locals to extinguish the fire. The Osun NSCDC Public Relations Office, Kehinde Adeleke, stated that three individuals who were injured in the Omigade Area fire incident were treated by medics from the commands ambulance service, and that no lives were lost in the two occurrences. The rescue ambulance of the command that left the GRA (Osogbo) immediately after the operatives, joined by the residents to put out the fire that affected a building there, helped the team at Ogo Oluwa (Omigade Area), where the team treated three people injured in the fire incident there at the scene. Also, the incident was reported to the State Emergency Management Agency for onward impact assessment as the (Omigade Area) building was on the verge of collapse, Adeleke said. READ MORE: Delta: Police Arrest Three Suspects For Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Arms Distribution Giving further information, the Public Relations Officer of Osun State Fire Service, Ibrahim Adekunle, in a statement on Thursday, said, A night fire that was suspected to have broken out around 6 pm on Wednesday destroyed property worth millions as firefighters belonging to the Osun State Government and that of the Federal Fire Service battled the fire till early hours of Thursday (12:10 am) before the fire was completely taken out. Fire service received the distress call to a house on fire at the Omigade Area, Ogo-Oluwa, Osogbo at around 1900hrs and it immediately deployed operatives from Fire Service Headquarters, Abere and also Okefia Fire Station as a backup team. But owing to the magnitude of the inferno, more operatives from Ede Zonal Fire Station and Federal Fire Service led by the state controller, Mr. Isaac Femi Akinjobi, were subsequently deployed and the fire was put under control at about 2130hrs. No life was lost to the inferno as property worth millions were destroyed. Leaders of Organised Labour have accepted N70,000 as the new minimum wage after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pledged to review it every three years. Tinubu who approved N70,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the country, had announced the minimum wage during a meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the State House, Abuja. READ ALSO: FG, Labour Agree On N70,000 Minimum Wage Minister Advertisement Speaking after the meeting on. Thursday, Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, said the President promised a review every three years as against what obtained in the past. Ajaero, flanked by Festus Osifo, President of TUC, and other representatives of Nigerian workers, said the unions agreed to the offer because of other incentives attached. The All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday, slammed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following the remarks made after their Governors meeting in Enugu. The Governors elected on the platform of PDP had on Wednesday accused the APC of destroying the countrys economy and institutions. The PDP Governors had come together to discuss the recent Supreme Court decision that granted financial autonomy to Local Government councils in the country and other national issues, including the economic hardship being faced by Nigerians. Advertisement They also made known their support for Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara who is in a political feud with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory APC, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the PDP Governors are barefaced heirs of a legacy of sleaze and ruin, morally and politically unfit to point fingers. According to the Party, the opposition Governors lack understanding of their place and responsibility in Nigerias system of government. They do not understand the seriousness of the responsibility that they bear as chief executives of their states to justify the resources at their disposal to build and bolster their domestic economies for the good of their people. Rather, the PDP Governors speak and carry on as idle spectators and executive free-loaders while blaming the federal government for everything, including their spectacular failure to accomplish the most elementary service delivery to their people, the statement said. READ ALSO: Rivers Crisis: We Support Fubara PDP Governors Insist For example, on record, Delta State, governed by the PDP since 1999, is the highest recipient of federal allocation in the country but is emblematic of PDPs acute corruption, misrule and utter hopelessness, with piles of backlogs of unpaid salaries and pensions to hardworking citizens of the state. The same PDP governors, many of whom have failed to pay the legal minimum wage to their workers, hurdled together, without any sense of shame, to accuse the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of delay in approving a new minimum wage for workers. Nigerians do not need to be reminded of the PDPs inglorious 16 years of odious rule, during which the party built nothing that can be remembered or destroyed. The APC-led administration, through its award-winning Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), His Excellency, Barr. Nyesom Wike is only now completing and commissioning numerous road projects in the FCT awarded, paid for as far back as 2003 and 2010 but recklessly abandoned by successive PDP administrations. The petroleum subsidy regime and parallel foreign exchange regimes sustained by the PDP for the reckless pillaging of our commonwealth blew a gaping hole in the nations economy that the APC government continues to work assiduously to revitalise. The transient hardship occasioned by inevitable corrective policies will pale into insignificance in comparison to the enduring prosperity they will bring to all Nigerians, the APC added. Police tape along the 1800 block of Spruce Street, where a CHOP doctor was killed by a driver while riding her bike on Wednesday. Read more Philadelphia police have charged two drivers and are awaiting the toxicology results for a third who they say were involved in three crashes this week that left a bicyclist and one pedestrian dead and critically injured another. The crashes took place within just three hours on Wednesday, after three people, including Barbara Friedes, a young doctor biking home, were struck by drivers in separate sections of the city, igniting a wave of concern among safe streets advocates. Advertisement The first incident, a hit-and-run, occurred in East Germantown around 4:30 p.m. on the 5800 block of Chew Avenue. As a 26-year-old woman crossed the street, 40-year-old Sekia Spencer struck the woman with her car, then fled the scene, said Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore. The woman flew onto the windshield of Spencers car before falling into the street, Vanore said. She remains in critical condition at Einstein Medical Center. Responding officers located Spencers car not far from the scene, parked on the 5600 block of Sprague Street, with severe front-end damage and a cracked windshield, Vanore said. Spencer was taken into custody and has been charged with aggravated assault while driving under the influence, causing an accident involving death or injury, causing an accident involving injury without a drivers license, being in possession of a controlled substance, and related crimes. She remains in custody on $175,000 bail. Her attorney at the Defender Association declined to comment. Then, at 7 p.m., Friedes, a 30-year-old medical resident at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, was biking near Rittenhouse Square when she was struck from behind by a speeding car on the 1800 block of Spruce Street. Video from the scene appears to show the driver, a 68-year-old man operating a blue Volkswagen, attempt to steer around other cars in the street while driving at a high rate of speed, swerving into the bike lane and running over the plastic lane dividers before crashing into Friedes and then hitting several parked cars. She flew more than 20 feet into the air from the impact, police said. She was wearing a helmet and was riding in the bike lane, but still, police said, she suffered severe head injuries and died at the hospital shortly upon arrival. Vanore said the driver remains hospitalized from injuries related to the crash. Investigators are awaiting the expedited results of multiple tests to determine whether he was intoxicated at the time of the crash, Vanore said. Those results should be back soon, he said. He declined to identify the driver, who has not been charged with any crimes. The District Attorneys Office said the crash remains under investigation. Just minutes after Friedes was struck, a man was killed in Kensington under similar circumstances. As 38-year-old Christopher Cabrera stood on the corner of Frankford and East Allegheny Avenues, waiting to cross the street, a man in a black Toyota drove through the intersection at a high rate of speed, Vanore said. The driver, 41-year-old Christopher Sorensen, veered onto the curb and struck Cabrera head on before crashing into a parked car, Vanore said. Bystanders attempted to help Cabrera but his injuries were severe, Vanore said. He died at the scene. The video of the crash is something Vanore said he will never be able to unsee. He said investigators believe Sorensen was under the influence of drugs at the time, and that police found heroin in his possession. Sorensen remains hospitalized, and has been charged with narcotics offenses in the crash. Police expect to charge him in Cabreras death once toxicology results are returned and he is released from the hospital, Vanore said. Luis Cabrera said his son grew up in the Lawndale section of Philadelphia, attended Archbishop Ryan High School, and graduated from St. William Catholic School. He is the second-oldest of four children, and has a sister in the U.S. Army, his father said. His son, he said, loved to read and follow politics. He assumed the role of oldest sibling after his brother died about four years ago, after he fell and suffered a head injury while he was sick, Luis Cabrera said. He was a good man. He always took care of everyone first, he said. After his brothers death, and mothers sudden passing just a few months later, Cabrera fell on hard times, Luis Cabrera said. He moved in with his father, working odd jobs like mowing lawns, house painting, and reselling used goods, and had recently moved into his own place in Harrowgate with his girlfriend, Luis Cabrera said. His death has devastated his family. A funeral service has been planned for next week at Holy Innocents Parish in Juniata Park. Meanwhile, records show, the driver, Sorensen, was wanted on a bench warrant in a drug possession case in Bucks County at the time of the crash. Court records show that he has a lengthy history of arrests and has spent time in jail, largely for drug-related crimes. He was most recently taken into custody in April but was released on bail, records show. A warrant was issued for his arrest on July 8 after he did not show up for court. The Fussell House in Kennett Square, built in 1823, was a station on the Underground Railroad. Dr. Bartholomew Fussell bought the house in 1827 and helped to shelter Black people escaping enslavement. On Thursday, July 18, 2024, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced that the Kennett Square Underground Railroad Center is receiving a $50,000 grant from its African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to develop a comprehensive plan for the house. Read more Not that long ago, people in Chester County were petitioning Kennett Township officials to save the Fussell House from demolition by decay. Also once known as The Pines, the Fussell House, owned by Bartholomew Fussell, a Quaker and a medical doctor, had been a station on the Underground Railroad. Advertisement Fussell and his family provided refuge for Black people escaping enslavement from just across state lines in Maryland or Delaware. He helped 2,000 slaves reach freedom, the flyers urging preservation once said. Now theyre tearing down his house. Today, there is positive news for the future of the house at 735 E. Baltimore Pike in Kennett Square. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, through its African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, is awarding a $50,000 grant to the Kennett Underground Railroad Center and the Brandywine Valley Scenic Byway Commission to support plans to use the Fussell House as an education center. History is crucial to our nations understanding of where weve come from, who we are today, and how we envision our future. Brent Leggs As part of efforts to chart and preserve Underground Railroad routes, Kennett Township has partnered with the Kennett Underground Railroad Center to rehabilitate a historic property that once served as a station on formerly enslaved Africans journey to freedom, the National Trust said Thursday. The grant will support a comprehensive assessment, plan, and cost estimates to rehabilitate the house and also support educational programming. Im stunned and shocked, Crystal Crampton, director of the Kennett Underground Railroad Center, said Wednesday. In its announcement, the National Trust said the Kennett center grant is part of a total of $3 million in grants going to protect and preserve 30 Black history sites around the country this year. The National Grant Program represents the Action Funds enduring commitment to telling the full American story one that makes room for Black resilience, creativity, and achievement, said Brent Leggs,executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. READ MORE: Two North Philadelphia Black historic sites, Zion Baptist Church and the Tanner House, have been awarded national African American Cultural Heritage grants History is crucial to our nations understanding of where weve come from, who we are today, and how we envision our future. These grants will support critical preservation efforts to revitalize and sustain tangible links to our shared past that we hope will inspire future generations. Last year, two Philadelphia organizations, the Friends of the Tanner House and Zion Baptist Church, received grants from the Action Fund. A hotbed of abolition Currently, the Kennett Underground Railroad Center (KURC) leases a room inside the Kennett Heritage Center at 120 N. Union St. Lynn Sinclair, founder of the heritage center, said that the township and Underground Railroad center have been discussing the idea of using the Fussell House as the centers new headquarters. Historical accounts describe the Brandywine Valley area as a hotbed of abolitionist activity, with dozens of houses that were Underground Railroad stations within an 8-mile radius of Kennett Square. The Kennett Square abolitionists were Black and white, male and female, groups of religious organizations, and other groups who fed, sheltered, and helped Black people escaping toward freedom. Three families on an Underground Railroad mission The Fussell House was home to at least three medical doctors and three families of abolitionists who helped formerly enslaved people reach freedom. The first medical doctor to live at the house was William H. Gillingham, who built the house in 1823 in the Federal architectural style. (Nearly a century later, in the 1900s, new owners altered the house to its current Colonial Revival style.) In 1827, Bartholomew Fussell and his wife, Lydia, bought the property and lived there for about 10 years. Fussell, who was born in Chester County, moved to Maryland where he attended medical school at night and operated a school during the day. Fussell (1794-1871) was not only known for his Underground Railroad work. In Maryland, he started a Sunday School where he taught enslaved African Americans to read and write. After returning to Pennsylvania, he became a founding member of the American Anti-Slavery Association, and he championed medical education for women, hosting a meeting that led to the founding of Womens Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1850. In 1837, Fussell sold the house to Sumner Stebbins, another medical doctor. Sumner Stebbins had not only studied medicine under Fussell, but he was also a founding member of the American Anti-Slavery Society, formed in 1833. It is not surprising that Stebbins and his wife, Mary Ann Stebbins, continued Underground Railroad activities there. By 1841, Chandler Darlington and his wife, Hannah Darlington, bought the house. They followed both Fussell and Stebbins in continuing to provide shelter for people seeking freedom from slavery. People stroll across Old Main lawn on the Penn State campus in this May 2021 photograph. Read more Pennsylvania State University will raise tuition by 2% for in-state undergraduate and graduate students at University Park for 2025-26, based on a board of trustees vote Friday. But resident undergraduate students at the universitys 19 Commonwealth Campuses wont pay more. The plan holds tuition flat for those students for three consecutive years at the Commonwealth Campuses, which enroll about 43% of the universitys resident undergraduates. Advertisement Tuition rates for the coming academic year were set last July, as part of a two-year budget that also increased in-state undergraduate tuition at University Park by 2%. The forthcoming bumps in tuition for most students including a 4% increase at University Park for out-of-state undergraduate and graduate students will largely be used to fund 3% salary increases for faculty and staff, said Sara Thorndike, the universitys senior vice president for finance and business. The money from the increases will also go toward faculty and staff promotions, professional development, and a 4% increase for graduate assistant stipends, said Thorndike, who also noted during a committee meeting Thursday that Penn State had reduced its projected budget deficit for the 2023-24 fiscal year from $45 million to $7 million. The plan which also includes $68 million for a new academic building at Penn State Abington comes a week after Pennsylvania approved a budget that held funding for Penn State flat, along with Temple University and the University of Pittsburgh, which are also state-related universities. The state increased funding for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, which announced this week it would keep tuition flat for a sixth straight year. In a presentation Thursday to the boards committee on finance, business and capital planning, Thorndike noted that state appropriations for Penn State have remained stagnant since 2019 excluding certain targeted increases, such as for the Pennsylvania College of Technology. And Pennsylvania spends less per student at public universities $7,327 in 2023 than most other states nationally, Thorndike said. It spends even less on Penn State students specifically $5,757 per student, above only Vermont and New Hampshire. Were still at the bottom of the list, unfortunately, she said. The increases will bring freshman and sophomore tuition at University Park to $20,468 a year for residents, and $42,860 for nonresidents. (Rates are higher for juniors and seniors, depending on their academic program.) Meanwhile, housing and food costs will increase by 3.21% at University Park, to $13,880 a year. The increases would be slightly less at the Commonwealth Campuses. While the board of trustees approved the tuition increases as part of a $9.9 billion budget plan for the university, several voted no saying Penn State shouldnt burden in-state students with increases. Thorndike noted the budget includes an increase in university-funded financial aid for students. Going forward, Penn State, Temple and Pitt will be subject to performance-based funding, in which state money is allotted to schools based on certain criteria, such as graduation and retention rates. About 30 states use similar methods for funding universities, which have garnered mixed reviews. Penn State will be represented on a new state council that will produce the criteria, Thorndike said. We are very supportive of this, she said, describing the new funding mechanism as a change that would restore the confidence of the General Assembly to fund the university. Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front-row taxi ride. Jahnay Johnson, left, and Shayvonna Jackson, right, friends who currently work together at a school in Chester County, attend a a Philadelphia School District job fair where they applied for positions as special education assistants. The district is hiring for more than 1,000 positions. Read more The Philadelphia School District needs to hire hundreds of teachers, climate staff and other crucial educational employees before classes start Aug. 26. The school system is slightly off its pace of hiring teachers, principals and assistant principals compared with last year. Advertisement According to district data, the school system had filled 93% of its teaching jobs by July 12, the last date for which numbers are available. Thats down slightly from a 94% fill rate at the same time last year. The district declined to release the actual number of vacant positions, but according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the school system employed 8,143 teachers last school year. If the number of teachers is roughly the same for the 2024-25 school year, that means the district would still need to hire more than 500 teachers. It is our priority to ensure that all schools are staffed with excellent, diverse teachers, said Kaylan Connally, the districts chief of talent. Principal positions were 96% filled as of Thursday, compared with 97% at the same time last year, and 92% of assistant principal jobs were filled, compared with 98% at this time last year. The district plans its next in-person hiring fair for teachers on Aug. 5 at its headquarters on North Broad Street. Job offers on the spot On a steamy Wednesday recently, the district focused on filling 1,000 open jobs for bus drivers, cleaners, nurses, special education assistants, climate workers, bilingual counseling assistants and building engineers, hosting candidates at Willard Elementary in Kensington. A DJ pumped music into the school hallways as district employees in Now Hiring T-shirts handed out water bottles and stress balls and directed candidates to rooms where they could fill out paperwork, take exams and ask questions about the positions. Connally said the district is in better shape this year than it was last year at the same time in terms of hiring support staff. The biggest area of need is special education assistants, who work one-on-one with students with special needs, or small groups of such students, Connally said the district has about 700 open positions in that job category. Connally touted job perks including summers off and a program that pays paraprofessionals to earn college credits and eventually become special education teachers. Theres a lot of room to move up, to build your career with the school district, as well, and youre giving back to the community, said Connally. Were very invested in our people and growing talent. Renita Cobb currently works as a student climate staffer, ensuring order in the hallways at Clemente Middle School in North Philadelphia. She came to Willard hoping to move into a different role as a special education assistant. Cobb, 52, said shes well suited to the work, that teachers sometimes send students to her to calm down. She thinks she can have a greater impact as a special education assistant working directly with students in need. My principal already has an offer letter for me, said Cobb. Im nervous, but Im excited. Shayvonna Jackson and Jahnay Johnson came to the Willard hiring event together. They both already have similar jobs, working as aides at a school in Chester County, and came hoping to get work as special education assistants. Jackson and Johnson said they were particularly interested in the jobs because they currently lack benefits in their Chester County roles. Philadelphia provides health benefits, and pays $15.95 an hour. Given their experience, a Philadelphia hiring manager offered Jackson and Johnson jobs on the spot. Its a great place to work, Amber Minor-Tisdale, a district recruitment and selection specialist, told the pair. The position starts Aug. 20. We pay for your physicals, fingerprints, TB tests, and once you do that, youll pick your school. Another hiring fair for school support positions is scheduled for July 24 at Fels High School in the Northeast. Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. is seeking state support for the potential sale of Crozer Health, which includes Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland. Read more Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. is in the early stages of negotiating the sale of Delaware Countys Crozer Health to an unidentified nonprofit, Crozer said Thursday. Prospect is a for-profit based in Los Angeles. Local health-care expects said the potential buyer would likely be a newly created nonprofit entity managed by a for-profit consulting company. WHYY first reported the talks Thursday and said that Prospect had asked Gov. Josh Shapiros office for as much as $500 million in financial support. Advertisement We and the potential buyer have asked them for financial support for both the potential buyer and the hospitals to help ensure the completion of the transaction and a seamless transition of ownership, Prospect said in a statement emailed to The Inquirer by Lori Bookbinder, Crozers spokesperson. Prospect said it had not made demands of the governor. Shapiro spokesperson Manuel Bonder said the administration is fighting to preserve the services Crozer provides, including Delaware Countys primary trauma center, but will not relieve Prospect of its financial obligations. We will not entertain any requests for a taxpayer bailout of a for-profit company and we will not tolerate any attempt to use the health and safety of Pennsylvanians as a bargaining chip, Bonders statement said. Crozer has two fully open hospitals: Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital. It also owns Springfield Hospital and Delaware County Memorial Hospital, which no longer operate as acute-care hospitals. Tumult at Crozer Prospect, which has owned Crozer since 2016, has been trying to sell Crozer since at least 2021. A potential deal to sell the system to ChristianaCare in 2022 fell apart after ChristianaCare concluded that it couldnt make the deal work financially. Prospect then said it was going to convert Crozer into a nonprofit, but didnt stick with that plan. We briefly considered converting Crozer to nonprofit status but determined it would be better to sell to a nonprofit owner who is committed to continuing to serve the community, Prospect said Thursday. Since February, Prospect has been working to sell Crozer under a nine-month timeline established by the Pennsylvania Attorney General. However, a buyer is not guaranteed to emerge, given Crozers operating difficulties and its heavy financial obligations. Crozer has a $155 million mortgage on its real estate and a large pension liability. It would also be a huge financial undertaking for a new owner to catch up on deferred maintenance and update computer systems and equipment, local health-care experts have said. Prospect said Thursday that it is not contemplating bankruptcy, which would make it possible to strip some of those liabilities. The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) in March. Penn Medicine had limited access to patient records and had to cancel outpatient appointments because of the global internet outage Friday. Read more Penn Medicine physicians had limited access to patient medical records in the wake of global tech outages, forcing the health system to cancel elective surgeries and many outpatient appointments and even write medical notes with paper and pen Friday. The health system was one of those hit hardest in the Philadelphia region by the issues others including Temple Health, Jefferson Health, and the Penn-affiliated Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia were not so significantly affected. Main Line Health also reported that some of their systems were down but that doctors could still access patient records. Advertisement READ MORE: Tech outage grounds flight at Philadelphia International Airport; Philly courts closed; some state systems and hospitals impacted Penns hospitals and emergency departments were fully staffed and continuing to care for patients, Holly Auer, a Penn spokesperson, said in an email. During the outage, Auer said, Penn cared for 2,747 people receiving inpatient treatment, including 293 people in intensive care units and 294 infants, including some in the neonatal intensive care units. By Friday evening, Auer said, Penns electronic medical records were back online and staff were working to regain access to other programs affected by the outage. Penn facilities that typically offer outpatient appointments on Saturdays which include labs, radiology, fertility care, and primary care will be accepting patients with previously scheduled appointments Saturday, Auer said. Previous internal communication suggested that the health system was preparing for the possibility that disruptions would continue to affect operations into Monday. Any patients with appointments on Monday who may be impacted by continuing outages will be contacted to reschedule, Auer said. Internal emails obtained by The Inquirer show the extent to which the outages hampered normal operations at Penn: By midmorning Friday, officials were urging medical practices to cancel many outpatient appointments for the rest of the day, saying access to its records system were restricted. Health-care providers were told to decide if a patient needed to be seen. Clinics should remain open to accommodate patients who need to be seen or show up because we are unable to reach them, Deborah Driscoll, senior vice president for the clinical practices of the University of Pennsylvania, wrote in an email. The email said downtown Philadelphia hospitals and outpatient facilities were impacted, but not the Penn-owned Lancaster General Hospital. Emergency rooms remained open, and patients there were experiencing long wait times, it said. The email noted that providers should follow downtime procedures if they were seeing patients, and that elective surgeries and procedures were being rescheduled at hospitals. Auer said those procedures include using backup applications to access patient information and writing medical notes on paper. Penns canceled procedures included many surgeries, endoscopies, catheterizations, and other procedures, according to another internal email, which noted the operating services could only accommodate emergencies. Doctors did continue to perform emergency surgeries, deliver babies, and transfer critically ill patients to Penn facilities, Auer said. Patients whose appointments or procedures were canceled Friday will be reached by phone or text message with further information. They will be given new appointments in the next two weeks, Auer said. We understand and regret the stress and inconvenience patients experienced as a result of the CrowdStrike outage, Auer said, referring to the cybersecurity company whose software defect caused the outages. The scene outside Penns flagship hospital Outside Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penns flagship medical facility, a group of phlebotomists said they had been largely unable to do their job Friday morning because of the tech outages. We cant do anything, one said, declining to share their name because they are not authorized to speak on behalf of Penn. Even the app through which they find out which patient room they need to go to is down, they said. Physicians at Abramson Cancer Center were also trying to see patients when possible, understanding the seriousness of rescheduling cancer treatment, but hampered by the tech outages. Two staffers at Abramson said all of the centers computers were down, including electronic medical charts, and that all medical notes were being written manually, on paper. (Auer said that all paper records logged Friday will be put back into patients electronic records once full access is restored.) All they could offer many patients arriving for appointments was to write down a name and contact information promising to call back next week to reschedule. (The staffers also declined to share their name because Penn had not authorized them to speak to The Inquirer.) Meanwhile, some frustrated patients took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to complain about rescheduled appointments. Patients waiting for care and information After suffering stress fractures in her foot six weeks ago, Margaret Thornton had been excited for her doctor at Penn Medicine to finally give her the go-ahead to remove her air cast on Friday. But her appointment was canceled after the tech outages incapacitated systems. Thornton was one of several Penn patients who tweeted at the health system expressing disappointment. In response to one of her tweets, Penn tweeted back that the cancellations were not a Penn Medicine issue. This is a global IT outage that is affecting companies throughout the world. Thornton said she wasnt convinced. Her mother, who works at another health system in Virginia, had lost access to some computer systems but was using pen-and-paper charts to still see patients, she said. It is a Penn Medicine issue because other health systems in the region, including those who use CrowdStrike, are still seeing patients today, she tweeted, referencing the cybersecurity company whose technical issue appears to be behind the crash. Thornton had fractured her foot from overuse, she said, playing squash too much and walking on it. She was diagnosed with stress fractures and given an air cast to wear for a month and a half. Friday was supposed to be the day she was cleared to remove it ahead of a family vacation next week. Instead, she said, she received a voice mail Friday morning from Penn saying her appointment was canceled. I called back to verify and someone at the call center told me their scheduling system was down and their charting system was down, Thornton said. I want to wait for a doctor to see me and clear me before I move forward, she said. Delays and outages at other health systems Other Philadelphia-area health systems also reported less disruptive issues due to the outages. At Main Line Health, some of the health systems computer systems were down, but others had already been restored late Friday morning. Main Line also still had access to its electronic health records system. Main Line canceled elective surgeries in departments like plastic surgery and podiatry, but other appointments and nonelective surgeries, such as colorectal operations, were continuing. Its an unprecedented event, Phil Ellingsworth Jr., Main Lines communications director, said. After some disruptions overnight, Virtua Healths electronic health records system were up and running by Friday afternoon, according to spokesperson Daniel Moise. The New Jersey health system implemented its backup systems, enabling hospital and outpatient services to continue safely and with minimal interruption, he said. Patients experienced some delays in check-in and registration, but the outage did not impact essential care, he said. Bucks Countys Grand View Health had an inkling that something was wrong around 2 a.m. Friday, according to health system CEO Doug Hughes. The hospital deployed its disaster protocol, which instructs staff to use backup computers in each unit that typically remain offline. That allowed medical care to continue using its electronic medical records. By noon on Friday, Grand Views technology systems were running at nearly 90% of their capacity, he said. And the 194-bed hospitals relatively small size played a role in its ability to weather the storm, Hughes said: There are times that being smaller helps. Staff writer Wendy Ruderman contributed to this article. Standing at 20 feet, Freeda Womb isnt afraid to stand for Americans right to contraception. And on Friday morning, the giant inflatable shaped like an IUD stood in the heart of the city. Advertisement The inflatable is a project undertaken by Americans for Contraception, which planted the temporary installation at City Hall and Love Park to bring awareness to the threat to contraception and abortion access in the country following the Supreme Courts overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Since then, Pennsylvania (where abortion remains legal through the 23rd week of pregnancy) has seen an uptick in the number of out-of-state residents who came into the state to access abortion services. Additionally, in a statement released Thursday, AFC pointed to the Trump-Vance ticket and its connections to Project 2025, saying that they represent a direct assault on the right to contraception, a right that has been hard-won and must be fiercely protected. Trump has sought to recently distance himself from the Project 2025, a massive outline of policy proposals for a second Trump presidency, crafted by the conservative Heritage Foundation with input from former Trump administration officials. Since June, the inflatable has traveled to other cities including St. Louis, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Nashville, before making its way to Philadelphia. The balloon-like contraceptive sculpture caught the attention of attendees like Patricia Owens, who works in OB-GYN care at Jefferson Hospital. Birth control and contraception is definitely needed, said Owens, who thinks the recent rulings issued by the Supreme Court are out of step with what most Americans want. Its not a good thing to take contraception away because of incest and rape. And in a lot of cases, young girls are victims. In support of Fridays display, State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Philadelphia) and State Sen. Amanda Cappelletti (D., Montgomery County) addressed passersby. The two emphasized the importance of the presidential election, which will likely influence the future of abortion and contraception rights. I think people are really waking up to the stakes of this election, I really do, Kenyatta said speaking from behind a podium that proclaimed, Contraception is healthcare. There are very real outcomes that feel so draconian and dramatic that its difficult to wrap their heads around, he said. Cappelletti, who is the first Pa. state senator to give birth while holding office, said the upcoming election is mission critical. This isnt just your basic policy difference, Cappelletti said. This is really throwing a wrench into the function of federal government, and the function of state and local government by proxy. It all works its way down. So, I hope people are really engaging and understanding how important their vote truly is. AFC spokesperson Caren Benjamin said the organization will continue to campaign through the election. And if theres a threat to contraception beyond that point, the campaign may be extended. For now, Benjamin said she and other advocates are gearing up for trips to Charlotte and Chicago with a new plan in order to target first-time voters on college campuses. We think a lot of younger people might not be able aware of everything thats at stake, Benjamin said. Its important to get anything off the table that takes away the right to prevent getting pregnant when you choose not to. Artist Molly Gochman, another attendee, said its vital for public works to stir conversations of this magnitude. The New York resident said shes grateful organizations like Americans for Contraception and others are behind such efforts. We need to constantly breathe new life into what we want to advocate for and what we stand for, she said. And I love that it takes up physical space. Its piquing peoples interest all around. Former President Donald Trump walks by photographers on stage before he excepts the nomination for president at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum Arena in Milwaukee, Thursday, July 18, 2024. Read more After the balloon curtain fell on a historic, and in some moments euphoric, four-day convention, former President Donald Trump left the stage in his strongest position yet to return to the Oval Office. In an election so unprecedented the word seems to have lost its meaning, Trump had a week that could cement his return to power as he appears to be pulling ahead in a race that had been stubbornly tight for months. Advertisement To his supporters, who packed the Fiserv Forum in red, white, and blue, he was already a godlike figure. After a failed assassination attempt against him on Saturday, he nearly became a martyr, and his campaign hopes can extend his appeal through a softer tone even as he continues to spread lies and mistruths and policies designed to appeal to the hard right. Trump began his acceptance speech Thursday by recounting over 15 minutes the harrowing 90 seconds in Butler County, Pa., when an attempted assassins bullet narrowly missed him. Im not supposed to be here tonight, Trump told the crowd. They answered back, Yes, you are. In a packed venue that felt like a megachurch, Trump said he wanted to deliver a message of confidence, strength, and hope, a rhetorical shift for a former president whose political rise has been fueled largely by tapping into populist anger. Division in our society must be healed. We must heal it quickly, Trump said in a soft voice. We rise together or we fall apart. But as the speech wore on, Trump returned to his more characteristically combative style referring to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as crazy and warning about an invasion at the southern border. He recycled a line from his Wildwood rally in which he compared some of the migrants crossing the border to Hannibal Lecter, the fictional serial killer from The Silence of the Lambs. He called Washington, D.C., a killing field. His 90-minute speech contained more than 20 false claims according to CNN. Just like his convention, Trumps speech had often clashing messages of division and unity, portraits of tenderness and brute toughness. The convention took place less than two months after Trump became the first person ever elected president to be convicted of a felony after he was found guilty on 34 counts in his New York hush money trial. His other legal cases related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election remain pending. Strength and survival were themes throughout the last four days, which didnt just officially certify Trump as the nominee, it firmly established the GOP as his party and the Trump-Vance ticket as an unflinching vehicle for the MAGA movement. As Trump supporters danced in Milwaukee, President Joe Biden was weathering the worst several weeks of his reelection bid, first giving a disastrous debate performance last month and now fighting off calls from within his party to drop out of the race. Biden would become the first sitting president since Lyndon Johnson in 1968 to forgo his partys nomination if he heeds the pressure campaign, but hed be doing so far later in the election cycle. Along with the assassination attempt on Trump came GOP attempts to whitewash some of the ugly and violent rhetoric that Trump himself has promoted both before and after the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Taken together, Trump leaves the convention in a far more elevated position than he was a week ago. But as he progresses into the late summer months of the campaign, several factors could determine whether his star continues to rise and whether Democrats have any chance of regaining momentum. Does Trumps base expand after the assassination attempt and the convention? The roar that greeted Trump as he gave his acceptance speech Thursday night was an extraordinary political pinnacle for him considering just eight years ago heading into the Republican National Convention, his own party was still looking for last-ditch ways to get rid of him. As recently as two years ago, Republicans in swing states like Pennsylvania were fractured, disappointed with midterm losses that many blamed on the former president. This week featured a lineup of onetime critics bowing to Trump as he sat in a VIP section with gauze on his ear. In the seats, as the nights wore on, more supporters taped fake bandages to their ears and chanted, fight! fight! fight! anytime the Saturday shooting was mentioned which was often. The modern political convention has become a big boisterous party and a large advertisement for the campaign to celebrate the nominee but never in the history of American politics has one come so soon after an assassination attempt. It sent the fervor here into overdrive. But will it bring more voters to him? A CBS poll released Thursday, one of the first since the assassination attempt, showed Trump up 5 percentage points nationally on Biden, his biggest lead yet and a 3-point improvement from July 3. One of the most difficult things for Trump to overcome in this election has been expanding a relatively fixed base. He has relied on passionate but limited support from MAGA devotees, many of whom packed Milwaukee as delegates this week as they sported Trump socks and bedazzled Trump pins, buying Trump-branded Bibles, and showing off their Trump high-top sneakers and Trump tattoos. When Trump turned his head an inch and escaped a bullet that could have killed him, it softened criticism of him, at least temporarily and particularly within his own party. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haleys appearance on stage was the clearest sign of party unity. What remains to be seen is whether Haley supporters who dislike Trump come around to him. A key focus of Bidens campaign has been trying to appeal to moderate, never-Trumpers who backed Haley in the primary. But Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a Republican up for reelection in November, argued the assassination attempt has softened the skeptics. Gosh, six to nine months ago people were still trying to have one foot on his side and one foot on the other, Garrity said, noting some politicians had been reluctant to openly support or campaign with Trump for fear it could cost them in swing areas. Instead of hiding their support, now everybodys coming out, she said. Softening Trumps brash image was another theme of the convention. It featured speakers who talked about his compassion, like his 17-year-old granddaughter, Kai Trump, and his former press secretary, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. At the same time, speakers invoked the iconic image of him after the shooting, fist raised, to champion his toughness. Pennsylvania GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick framed the race as one about strength vs. weakness. Does Pennsylvania become easier for Trump to win? Each morning at their preconvention breakfast, Pennsylvania delegates were reminded over scrambled eggs and danish how important their state is. Pennsylvania plus one, delegation chair Jim Worthington told them on Monday. Thats what Im hearing from inside the Trump campaign. The state has become a must-win for the Biden campaign, as well. Biden views the blue wall states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan as his best and perhaps only hope of staying in the White House. Polling from before the assassination attempt but after the debate showed Trump up 3 points on Biden in Pennsylvania, still within the surveys margin of error. Democrats in the crucial state are scrambling to persuade voters of the risks of a second Trump presidency, even as they strike a careful tone in the wake of the shooting. I dont want to see him hurt, but I also dont want to see him be king, State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Philadelphia) said Tuesday at a news conference in Philadelphia at a Harris-Biden campaign office meant to provide a rebuttal to the RNC. While Trump was slow to unveil a ground game in Pennsylvania and has so far held fewer events than Biden has, Republican delegates, several of whom were at the rally in Western Pennsylvania, said they have a grassroots mobilization that Biden, who voters overwhelmingly think is too old to be president, could struggle to engender. I think every Republican in Pennsylvania is more energized because you have in some cases in this group, people who were there, who were shot at, said Michael McMullen, a delegate from Pittsburgh who was at the rally. Were fired up. The energy is unbelievable. Picking Sen. JD Vance, an Ohio Republican, as his running mate was also a clear sign of Trumps focus on the blue wall states, which border Vances home state. Shortly after announcing Vance, Trump said the vice presidential nominee would be living in Pennsylvania for the next four months. In his prime time speech Wednesday night, Vance highlighted his working-class upbringing in a town that looks a lot like the postindustrial places where Trump won big in 2016, but that shifted toward Biden in 2020. To the people of Middletown, Ohio, and all the forgotten communities in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and every corner of our nation, Vance said, I promise you this I will be a vice president who never forgets where he came from. Are Trump and the MAGA movement still too far right? But by picking Vance, Trump is also doubling down on Trumpism and the conservative movement he leads, which could alienate more moderate voters. He wasnt anyones first, second, or maybe even third choice, said U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, a longtime Trump ally whose Pennsylvania district stretches from Berks County to the New York border. But I think hes gonna carry the presidents message, not exactly the same way, but I think hell be very articulate and effective at expressing what America First means, what conservatism means, what MAGA means. Trumps pick does little to signal a home for more socially moderate or independent voters. The convention was light on specific policy platforms but included some extreme moments, particularly on immigration. People in the crowd waved mass deportation now! signs on Wednesday night and Trumps former immigration adviser Thomas Homan warned undocumented people: Youd better start packing now. Following the assassination attempt, members of both parties have said the conversation should shift from personal attacks to policy debate. And while four days of convention programming and speakers included scant mention of abortion, the partys stance on abortion remains out of step with most voters. Vances Senate campaign website had included a promise to end abortion until this week when he was chosen as Trumps running mate. Vice President Kamala Harris pointed to abortion Thursday as she sought to rebut the notion that the Republican ticket could offer a message of unity to a divided country. In recent days, theyve been trying to portray themselves as the party of unity. But heres the thing. If you claim to stand for unity, you need to do more than just use the word, Harris said at a campaign event in North Carolina. You cannot claim you stand for unity if you are pushing an agenda that deprives whole groups of Americans basic freedoms, opportunity and dignity. You cannot claim you stand for unity if you are intent on taking reproductive freedoms from the people of America and the women of America. The Trump campaign declined this week to commit Vance to a vice presidential debate with Harris, contending that its unknown who the Democratic nominee for vice president will be until the partys August convention and that Harris could wind up as the presidential nominee instead. The top Republican in the Pennsylvania House on Friday called for the formation of a bipartisan special committee to investigate the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump in Western Pennsylvania. State Rep. Bryan Cutler (R., Lancaster), the House minority leader, introduced a resolution to create a select committee to probe how state and local law enforcement planned for and responded on the day of the shooting. Advertisement However, his Democratic counterpart, House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D., Philadelphia), seemed to dismiss the idea Friday, with a spokesperson saying the speaker is confident that the FBI and Congress have the tools necessary for comprehensive investigations, including the cooperation of state and local police. That leaves the fate and timing of Cutlers proposal unclear. Democrats have controlled the chamber this session, but are in a numeric minority as of this week following two resignations. Both seats are in Philadelphia and considered safely blue. Special elections are scheduled for Sept. 17. State lawmakers are in summer recess and are not scheduled to return to Harrisburg until mid-September. READ MORE: Trump recounts assassination attempt in Butler at the top of his RNC address, pays tribute to slain firefighter Last weekend, a gunman splayed atop a building fired an assault rifle at Trump during a rally, clipping his right ear with a bullet, killing an attendee, and wounding two others. Since the shooting, the United States Secret Service and its law enforcement partners have come under intense scrutiny over how a would-be assassin was able to climb atop a roof with a rifle less than 150 yards from a former president. The Washington Post reported that local police told the Secret Service they did not have manpower available to secure the building where the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, positioned himself. In a statement, Cutler said a committee, to be made up of three Republicans and three Democrats, is not to assign blame. He said the group would identify operational deficiencies and improve coordination ahead of large-scale events in the coming years, including expected political rallies this year and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. Pennsylvania is a political battleground state that will be the epicenter of many high-level campaign events during the remainder of the 2024 election season, Cutler said. It is imperative we identify what happened from a state and local perspective on July 13 as we seek to perfect our effectiveness at keeping citizens and candidates safe as they host campaign events in Pennsylvania. The proposal comes as lawmakers in Washington are still probing for answers about the Secret Services handling of the Butler event. I think we all have the same basic question, which is why, when you have a presidential candidate standing at a podium in an open setting, where there werent 100 buildings to secure, why that building was not secure? U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) said Wednesday during a visit to Harrisburg. You dont have to be a law enforcement professional to ask that kind of fundamental question, he said. Staff writer Gillian McGoldrick contributed reporting. European parliament approves von der Leyen's second term as EU Commission head Xinhua) 21:15, July 18, 2024 Ursula von der Leyen makes a statement at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 18, 2024. The European Parliament on Thursday approved von der Leyen's bid for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) STRASBOURG, France, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The European Parliament on Thursday approved Germany's Ursula von der Leyen's bid for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission. Von der Leyen garnered 401 votes in the 720-seat chamber, exceeding the majority required to maintain her position as the head of the EU's executive body. In the secret ballot, 284 members voted against her. Ursula von der Leyen (C) makes a statement at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 18, 2024. The European Parliament on Thursday approved von der Leyen's bid for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) Ursula von der Leyen (C) makes a statement at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 18, 2024. The European Parliament on Thursday approved von der Leyen's bid for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) Ursula von der Leyen makes a statement at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 18, 2024. The European Parliament on Thursday approved von der Leyen's bid for a second five-year term as president of the European Commission. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Ryan Lowther was finishing his surf for the day when he felt the sudden pain on his leg. Ryan Lowther lies in a hospital bed after the Perth shark attack. Inset is an X-ray image showing the shark's tooth in his leg. Source: 7News A man who survived a shark attack this week has been left with a unique memento of the ordeal to match the nasty injuries on his leg. Surfer Ryan Lowther was just about to head to shore at Trigg Beach in Perth when he ducked under a big wave and felt intense pain on his leg, feeling it "crunch". "It just felt like this clamp of razor blades going into my leg, it just locked on, then let go really quickly, he told 7News. Resurfacing, Lowther yelled to another surfer that he'd just been bitten by a shark. He then decided he wasn't "hanging around to see what it was" and somehow managed to catch the next wave, explaining there was "blood everywhere" on his wetsuit when he got to shore. Doctors give surfer memento of shark attack Lowther drove himself to hospital where doctors "fast-tracked" him through the emergency department. It was here the surfer learned he had unknowingly brought part of the shark with him, with doctors dislodging a shark tooth from his leg and also telling them part of it was still in there. "They gave [me] an X-ray, found a tooth in there, cleaned me up, antibiotics, then sent me home. [They] reckon Ill be right," he said. "If it comes out I will keep it." Doctors gave Lowther the shark tooth to keep as a memento. Source: 7News Lowther confessed he is now "nervous" to get back into the surf again, with doctors advising him to not join his mates for a surf this weekend as planned so his injuries could heal. The shark which bit Lowther is believed to have been a small one, something the surfer is incredibly grateful for. "I am glad it wasn't a bigger shark and glad to still have two feet, so that is a win," he said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The Australian-American relationship is deep across many other areas of shared economic and defence priorities. Our shared challenge of improving the protection gap in our private insurance markets is yet another area where closer collaboration and cooperation can provide useful benefits for both countries, he said. We look forward to sharing updates from important bilateral meetings over the coming week at a federal level in Washington DC and at a state level in Sacramento, California. We are very pleased indeed to welcome Mark to LM Re to develop and strengthen the local reinsurance presence we have built in the region, Green said. Marks deep industry knowledge and experience will be invaluable as we strengthen our operations in Australia and New Zealand. It is imperative that the cyclone reinsurance pool operates on principles of fairness and equity. Residents in Northern Australia should not bear a disproportionate burden while southern regions contribute nothing. Our submission calls for a more balanced approach that ensures all Australians share the risk and benefits of cyclone insurance, he said. Legal Issues Exclusive Remedy Provision: The primary legal issue was whether the two-year statute of limitations specified in the insurance policy was enforceable and whether Gutierrez was adequately informed of this provision. Mutual Assent and Conspicuousness: Gutierrez argued that there was no mutual assent to the shortened statute of limitations and that the clause was inconspicuous within the policy document, thus should not be enforceable. Equitable Estoppel: Gutierrez also claimed that American Bankers Insurance Company should be estopped from enforcing the shortened statute of limitations due to alleged breaches of the insurance policy by the company. Courts Analysis and Decision Duty to Read and Understand the Policy: The court emphasized that policyholders are expected to read and understand their insurance policies. The two-year statute of limitations was explicitly stated in the policy issued in October 2019 saying that the language was "abundantly clear and unmistakable, and is under no misleading headings." The court referred to established precedent that failure to read a contract does not relieve a party from the obligations imposed by the contract. Since the limitations period was clearly stated, Gutierrez was deemed to have had notice of the provision. Statutory and Contractual Limitations: The court cited previous rulings, noting that under New Jersey law, while there is a six-year statute of limitations for insurance contract claims, this period can be shortened by the terms of the insurance contract itself. The court found the limitations clause to be valid and enforceable, as it was clearly outlined in the policy. The court rejected Gutierrez's argument that the clause was buried in the policy, stating that the language was clear and unmistakable. Equitable Estoppel: The court determined that Gutierrez did not present sufficient evidence to support claims of promissory or equitable estoppel. There was no evidence she requested the policy and was denied access to it by the insurer. The court concluded that the allegations of fraud and concealment did not negate the enforceability of the contractual limitations period. Conclusion The court backed up the trial court's decision to grant summary judgment in favor of American Bankers Insurance Company, holding that Gutierrez's lawsuit was barred by the two-year statute of limitations stipulated in the insurance policy. The ruling reinforces the principle that policyholders are responsible for reading and understanding their insurance contracts, and that clearly stated contractual limitations are enforceable. For the insurance industry, this case highlights the importance of clear policy language and the need for insurers to ensure that policyholders are adequately informed of significant provisions, such as limitations periods. Its time for NCOIL to do another strategic assessment for the next five [to] seven years, and so I decided its time for me to pass the torch, to retire as NCOILs CEO, fully confident in the organizations strength for whatever lies ahead. I cannot thank everyone enough who has contributed to the organizations success over the years. I will be forever grateful to the officers for the opportunity to meet the challenge NCOIL presented. The Loper Bright decision requires courts to interpret statutes independently and ensure regulatory agencies act within their delegated authority. Although this may not lead to an immediate surge in litigation, Piro suggests that new challenges to regulations could be costly, time-consuming, and carry the risk of failure. As a result, many organizations might prefer the predictability of existing regulations. Everest Group has promoted Andrew McBride (pictured above left) to the role of group chief claims officer. The company has also announced the appointment of Lope Garcia (pictured above right) as global reinsurance chief claims officer for its reinsurance division. Molly the magpie has inspired a new cartoon. But the development has sparked questions about what will happen to any profits. Theres been a major development in the saga of Peggy and Molly, the real-life staffy and magpie who became Insta-famous this year. Theyve inspired a new cartoon. But the announcement has left people asking, what will happen to the profits? Because while you might assume such a project would provide a massive financial windfall for Mollys carers, theres a catch. The duo were thrust into the media spotlight after Yahoo News exclusively revealed Molly had been surrendered to authorities. It followed an investigation by the Department of Environment (DESI) that concluded the Gold Coast couple behind the social media stars, Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen, werent licensed to keep the native bird. While many wildlife advocates celebrated the development which included a plan to house Molly with its own species, the response from the general public was entirely the opposite. After a national outcry, and an extraordinary intervention from the premier, Molly was returned. But the couple had to agree to several conditions from DESI including that they acquire a licence to keep the magpie. They were also asked to agree not to make any ongoing commercial gain from the bird or its image. So when it came to any existing commercial arrangements that might already be in place, the persons involved would be required to forego any future profits. The Peggy and Molly saga captivated Australia for months. Source: Peggyandmolly Which charity will receive profits from Molly the magpie? In April, the couples manager Chelsea Bonner told Yahoo News the pair would be donating any profits from Molly to a reputable charity or society. But in July she confirmed one had not yet been chosen because they were waiting on advice from the government about where they should go. No profit has been made so theres no rush, she said in an email. Asked about the holdup, DESI told Yahoo it was continuing to work with Mollys carers. To comply with the requirements of their Specialised Licence, the magpie carers must not conduct activities for commercial purposes with the magpie, a spokesperson said. The department has been engaging with the magpie carers to enable them to meet the terms of their Specialised Licence and requested a formal proposal on any planned activities. The department continues to work with the carers and awaits the formal proposal. Fans react to Peggy and Molly animation News about the upcoming animation was announced by Bonner on her personal Instagram account a week ago. She is directly involved in the project as she now holds the licence to the name Peggy and Molly. Her post received just 122 likes, but when it was announced on the official Peggy and Molly page, it blew up with over 17,000 people liking the post. I love this, so beautiful, one fan wrote in response. That is such nice news!!!! May Molly warm more hearts being part of your family, another wrote. Related: Fears Peggy and Molly saga could inspire 'bizarre' backyard magpie trend Where will profits from the Peggy and Molly animated series go? Many of the Instagram responses also questioned how the cartoon series could be made when the couple cant profit from the real Molly under DESI's licensing conditions. When Yahoo asked Bonner about this, she revealed the series was still a long way off. And that getting a grass roots project like this to the screens would be unbelievably difficult. Bonner said Mollys carers have not been paid for the creation of the animated series and the studio is creating artistic 3D renders of animated characters inspired by their unique inter species friendship with fictional storylines. She also revealed none of the animals will be filmed for the series. And they wouldn't be required to perform or contribute to the animated series. I hold the licence to the name Peggy and Molly and I have licensed the name to be used for the purposes of this production as long as the animals are not required to participate, she said. In the event it actually gets brought to screens and turns a profit, those proceeds will still be split and the correct portion will go to the chosen charity. That is mandatory. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. In the latest professional risks power panel, join Tokio Marine HCC Cyber and Professional Lines Group's Dan Mogelnicki, Aon's Jacqueline Waters, Risk Strategies' Dwight Williams and WTW's Larry Fine as they examine the state of the market. In this IBTV episode they zoom in on professional liability rates, the A&E space, the impact of healthcare changes on liability and which product types are seeing increased interest. BASS RIVER, N.J. (AP) Heavy rain overnight helped firefighters gain more control over a forest fire burning at a military bombing range in southern New Jersey. Fire officials said Wednesday that half an inch (1.3 centimeters) of rain fell overnight at the Warren Grove Air to Ground Range, a training facility for the New Jersey Air National Guard in the New Jersey Pinelands. That helped firefighters bring the blaze to 80% containment, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. As of Wednesday, it had burned 1,167 acres (472 hectares), or just under 2 square miles (5.3 square kilometers). No structures were threatened. Fire crews remained on the scene Wednesday working to fully contain the blaze. The bombing range was the site of a 2007 blaze that burned 26 square miles (67 square kilometers). Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics New Jersey Two large oil tankers were on fire on Friday after colliding near Singapore, the worlds biggest refueling port, with two crew members airlifted to hospital and others rescued from life rafts, authorities and one of the tanker owners said. Singapore is Asias biggest oil trading hub and the worlds largest bunkering port. Its surrounding waters are vital trade waterways between Asia and Europe and the Middle East and among the busiest global sea lanes. The Singapore-flagged tanker Hafnia Nile and the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker Ceres I were about 55 km (34 miles) northeast of the Singaporean island of Pedra Branca on the eastern approach to the Singapore Straits, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said. The 22 crew of the Hafnia Nile and the 40 on the Ceres I were all accounted for, the MPA said, which was alerted to the fire at 6:15 a.m. (2215 GMT) The owner of Hafnia Nile confirmed the vessel was involved in a collision with Chinese owned Ceres I. Photographs released by the Singapore Navy showed thick black smoke billowing from one tanker and crew being rescued from life rafts and flown to hospital. The environmental authorities in neighboring Malaysia said they had been told to prepare for potential oil spills. Norways Gard, one of Hafnia Niles insurers, told Reuters it was too early to assess the environmental impact. We are supporting our member as they are dealing with the incident, Gard said. The 74,000 deadweight-tons capacity panamax tanker Hafnia Nile was carrying about 300,000 barrels of naphtha, according to ship-tracking data from Kpler and LSEG. The Ceres I is a very large crude carrier supertanker, which ship-tracking data last showed was carrying around 2 million barrels of Iranian crude. The Ceres I has been a boat that has gone dark many times over the years, said Matt Stanley, head of market engagement EMEA & APAC with Kpler, referring to when vessels switch off their AIS tracking transponders. Stanley said the last AIS signal the vessel transmitted around March indicated it was carrying Iranian crude, which the U.S. has tried to curtail, including imposing sanctions on ports, vessels and refineries involved in the trade. She was at anchorage (on Friday). We can be fairly sure that she was carrying Iranian crude and was going to China, Stanley said. Shadow Fleet Risks S&P Global said in an April report that China buys around 90% of Irans crude exports, often at discounted prices. The Ceres I has not moved since July 11, according to LSEG shipping data. The area Ceres I is anchored in is known to be used by so-called dark fleet ships for the transfer of Iranian oil in contravention of U.S. sanctions, said Michelle Wiese Bockmann, principal analyst at Lloyds List Intelligence. The Ceres I has repeatedly been involved in transferring or shipping Iranian oil in breach of U.S. sanctions, she said. Shipping sources have said the tanker was also involved in transporting Venezuelan oil, which is also under U.S. sanctions, to China in recent years. The China-based owner of the Ceres I could not immediately be reached for comment. China has repeatedly said it is opposed to unilateral sanctions. Up to 850 oil tankers are estimated to operate the shadow fleet transporting oil from countries such as Iran and Venezuela as well as Russia, which has multiple restrictions on its oil exports. Shipping industry officials have warned that safety issues are growing because of the aging and unregulated vessels. The Ceres I vessel was built in 2001 while the Hafnia Nile was built in 2017, shipping data showed. It was unclear who provided insurance for the Ceres I, which was not covered by top tier providers like Gard, according to other data. (Reporting by Jeslyn Lerh and Florence Tan in Singapore and Jonathan Saul in London; writing by Lincoln Feast; editing by Jacqueline Wong, Miral Fahmy, William Mallard, Elaine Hardcastle) Topics Energy Oil Gas Numbers A Singaporean-flagged cargo vessel was hit by Yemens Houthi missiles in the Gulf of Aden on Friday, forcing it to return to its last port of call to assess the damage. Iran-aligned Houthis launched ballistic missiles and drones towards the ship, their military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a televised speech. The vessel was hit 83 nautical miles southeast of Yemens port city of Aden on two separate occasions by two missiles on its port side, with the extent of the damage to be established, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. Houthi-Stricken Cargo Carriers Crew Abandons Ship Due to Fire The ship was deemed seaworthy, and all crew were reported safe, but it will return to the last port of call, UKMTO added. The ship was transiting northeast along the Gulf of Aden when a merchant vessel in the vicinity observed light and blast where the ship was located, British security firm Ambrey said. The ship appeared to perform evasive maneuvers immediately and switch off her automatic identification system approximately an hour later, Ambrey said. Since November, Houthi militants in Yemen have launched drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The group has said its actions are in solidarity with Palestinians affected by Israels war in Gaza. The group has sunk two vessels and seized another, killed at least three sailors and severely disrupted global trade by forcing ship owners to avoid the Suez Canal trade shortcut. On Tuesday, Liberia-flagged oil tanker Chios Lion was forced to turn back to assess damage and investigate a potential oil spill after being attacked by the group in the Red Sea. Britain and the U.S. have conducted retaliatory strikes since February, shooting down drones and bombing attack sites in Yemen. (Reporting by Hatem Maher in Cairo, Clauda Tanios, Ahmed Elimam Nadine Awadalla and Nayera Abdallah in Dubai; editing by Christian Schmollinger, Christopher Cushing, Christina Fincher and Barbara Lewis) Photograph: In this photograph released by the U.S. Navy, the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is seen on July 4, 2024, in the South China Sea. The Roosevelt replaced the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Navys campaign against attacks by Yemens Houthi rebels targeting shipping in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. (Seaman Ryan Holloway/U.S. Navy, via AP) Related: Topics Trucking A U.S. judge dismissed most of a Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit accusing software company SolarWinds of defrauding investors by concealing its security weaknesses before and after a Russia-linked cyberattack targeting the U.S. government. U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in Manhattan dismissed all claims against SolarWinds and chief information security officer Timothy Brown over statements made after the attack, saying the claims were based on hindsight and speculation. In a 107-page decision on Thursday, the judge also dismissed most SEC claims concerning statements predating the attack, apart from securities fraud claims based on a statement on SolarWinds website touting the companys security controls. The SEC declined to comment. SolarWinds said it was pleased with the decision, and called the remaining claim against the company factually inaccurate. Browns lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The nearly two-year cyberattack known as Sunburst targeted Austin, Texas-based SolarWinds by using its flagship Orion software platform to infiltrate U.S. government networks. Several federal agencies including the Departments of Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security, State and Treasury were compromised before the attack was revealed in December 2020. Its full consequences remain unknown, and the U.S. government has said Russia likely orchestrated the attack. Russia has denied responsibility. The SEC case filed last October appeared to be the first targeting a company that fell victim to a cyberattack, where the regulator did not announce a simultaneous settlement. Related: SEC Sues SolarWinds for Concealing Risks Before Massive Hack It is also rare for the SEC to sue public company executives who, like Brown, are not closely involved in preparing financial statements. The SEC alleged that SolarWinds hid the porous cybersecurity of its products before the attack, and downplayed the attacks severity after it occurred. It also said SolarWinds concealed how customers had warned about malicious activity involving Orion. But the judge said anti-fraud laws do not require that risk warnings contain maximum specificity, a process that could backfire if the warnings armed cyberattackers with extra information to exploit. Engelmayer also said SolarWinds acknowledged it could not be expected to prevent every cyberattack, and had no duty to disclose individual incidents. It has already disclosed the likelihood of these as, regrettably, a fact of life, the judge wrote. The case is SEC v. SolarWinds Corp et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 23-09518. Topics Lawsuits Cyber Russia In what will go down as the most spectacular IT failure the world has ever seen, a botched software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. crashed countless Microsoft Windows computer systems globally. Microsoft Corp. and CrowdStrike have rolled out fixes and systems are being restored. But for several hours, bankers in Hong Kong, doctors in the UK and emergency responders in New Hampshire found themselves locked out of programs critical to keeping their operations afloat. This is unprecedented, said Alan Woodward, professor of cybersecurity at Surrey University. The economic impact is going to be huge. The catastrophic failure underscores an increasingly dire threat to global supply chains: The IT systems of some of the worlds biggest and most critical industries have grown heavily dependent on a handful of relatively obscure software vendors, which are now emerging as single points of failure. In recent months hackers have exploited this phenomenon, targeting vendors to bring down entire sectors and governments. Adding to the disruption, Microsoft experienced a separate and apparently unrelated problem with its Azure cloud service on Thursday that lasted for several hours. On Friday afternoon, the company said in a post on X that all Microsoft 365 apps and services had been restored. By the New York morning, many systems were coming back online. CrowdStrikes Chief Executive Officer George Kurtz said in a pre-6 a.m. post on X that the fault had been identified and that the company had deployed a fix which required manually rebooting Windows machines. Microsoft said later that it had addressed the underlying cause of its IT issue. Shares of CrowdStrike dropped 11% at 9:45 a.m. in New York trading, wiping about $7.4 billion off its market value. Shares fell as much as 15% earlier in the day, the biggest intraday decline since February. Microsoft shares were little changed at $437.65. There are precedents for such outages. In 2017, a series of errors within Amazon.com Inc.s cloud service affected the operation of tens of thousands of websites. In 2021, issues at content delivery network Fastly took out several media networks including Bloomberg News. Disruptions also incapacitated Amazons AWS cloud service. But none of those approached the scale of the CrowdStrike outage, which hit airlines, banks and health-care systems, and whose repercussions are still being felt. I dont think its too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history, Troy Hunt, an Australian security consultant and creator of the hack-checking website Have I Been Pwned, said in a post on social media platform X. Airlines Airport hubs from Berlin to Delhi struggled with delays, cancellations and stranded passengers on a day that was particularly busy for travel. FlightAware said more than 21,000 flights were delayed globally. United Airlines Holdings Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc. gradually resumed operations on Friday, though the effects of the disruption may continue for several days in light of the busy flight season. Other US carriers that had temporarily grounded flights included American Airlines Group Inc. and Spirit Airlines Inc., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Finance The London Stock Exchange Group has resolved an issue that stopped the bourse from publishing news on its website via RNS, a service that publicly traded companies use to distribute price sensitive regulatory announcements. A number of banks were forced to revert to backup systems during the IT failure. Bankers at JPMorgan Chase & Co., Nomura Holdings Inc. and Bank of America Corp. were unable to log on for part of the day on Friday and the trading desk at Haitong Securities Co. was out of action for about three hours. Health The disruptions also impacted critical infrastructure, including emergency services. Doctors at the UKs National Health Service couldnt access scans, blood tests and patient histories. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Boston-based Mass General Brigham warned that the CrowdStrike issue was affecting patient care. Hospitals in Europe reported having to close clinics and cancel procedures. New Yorks 911 and emergency systems were also impacted. While the states chief cyber officer said that fixes were underway, there was no clarity on when services would be fully restored. New Hampshires emergency 911 services are functioning again after a failure in which operators could see calls coming in but couldnt answer them. Photo: A self check-in kiosk is unavailable at the the Jetstar check-in area of Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia, on Friday, July 19, 2024. Photographer: Brendon Thorne/Bloomberg Copyright 2024 Bloomberg. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Another wave of severe storms pummeled a wide swath of the United States and Canada leading to flash floods and water rescues Wednesday in the Ozark Mountains, dropping a tornado that ravaged a community in upstate New York and stranding drivers in high water around Toronto. The relentless series of storms has caused deaths or damage from the Plains to New England this week. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost power and air conditioning during days of sweltering heat. As much as 11 inches (nearly 28 centimeters) of rain fell overnight into Wednesday on parts of the Ozarks in Arkansas and Missouri, the National Weather Service said. Buses and ambulances evacuated 86 people from a nursing home in Yellville, Arkansas, where water rose to about 4 feet (1.2 meters) during flash flooding, Marion County Sheriff Gregg Alexander said. A section of a bridge washed out and a historic courthouse flooded. Cities across upstate New York were cleaning up after a storm swept through Tuesday with high winds and spectacular lightning and flying debris that killed one person. In the small city of Rome, New York, a tornado ripped off roofs, tipped over vehicles and turned several buildings into piles of rubble. Steeples crumbled and roofs were torn apart at First Presbyterian Church and the St. Marys Church, both built in the 1800s. Copper sheets from the roof of First Presbyterian were found wrapped around utility poles a quarter mile away. The winds were fierce enough to move a multi-ton tourist attraction, a B-52 bomber displayed at Griffiss Business and Technology Park. A mural of a Revolutionary War figure on horseback a Rome landmark was destroyed, along with the building on which it was painted. All that remained was an image of a horse hoof. Speaking outside St. Marys, Gov. Kathy Hochul said it was miraculous no one was killed in the city of 31,000. She toured the downtown Wednesday and said 22 buildings were damaged or destroyed. She described seeing trees collapsed like toothpicks and told of mobile homes tipped over with people inside. The governor marveled at narrow escapes, including two children in a medical waiting room who emerged unscathed even though the building was partially obliterated. A National Weather Service preliminary damage survey released Wednesday night estimated the Rome tornados top winds at 135 mph (217 kph) and gave it an EF2 rating, considered significant, on the Enhanced Fujita scale. Chiropractor Kingsley Kabari was with a patient in his second-floor office in Rome when his cellphone blared with a tornado alert Tuesday afternoon. By the time he could pick it up to mute it, the storm had arrived, he said, blowing out windows, tearing at the roof of the two-story brick building and sending debris flying. It was like a bomb dropped on the building with very high-power wind. Things were just flying everywhere and this was inside, he said Wednesday. The tornado cut a path between two nursing homes operated by Grand Healthcare, sparing them of the most severe damage but pelting the buildings with powerful winds and heavy rains that knocked out their power, regional vice president Bruce Gendron said. He said he was at one of the nursing homes when the storm hit, and staffers moved residents away from the windows in case trees came toppling into the building. The facilities backup generators kicked in, keeping most systems intact until normal power was restored Wednesday afternoon, he said. To our residents of Rome: Do not be discouraged. This community is resilient and we will build back, Mayor Jeff Lanigan said. A weaker tornado given an initial EF1 rating, with a top estimated wind speed of 110 mph (177 kph), also touched down about 230 miles (370 kilometers) away in Lyme, New Hampshire on Tuesday night, the weather service said. It remained on the ground for about 1.8 miles (2.9 kilometers) and knocked down at least 100 trees, said Jon Palmer, a weather service meteorologist in Gray, Maine. About 30 miles (48 kilometers) away in Canastota, storm debris hit and killed an 82-year-old man, village administrator Jeremy Ryan said. Hochul said three homes collapsed and 30 other structures were damaged in the community. A thousand miles (1,600 kilometers) away in Flippin, Arkansas, people went door to door to get as many as 40 residents to flee dangerous conditions before floodwaters began to recede. At least 30 residents were evacuated from an apartment complex in Greenbrier, 34 miles (55 kilometers) north of Little Rock, state emergency managers said. Were not griping, because we absolutely needed the rain, but it will take a little while for us to drain out and clean the roadways back up, said Alexander, the Marion County sheriff. Bill Scruggs and his crew from Wild Bills Outfitter, based south of Yellville, scrambled to save their canoes and kayaks from a sandbar in the Buffalo National River as waters quickly rose before dawn Wednesday. Nearly 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) of rain fell overnight on the tourist hub of Branson, Missouri. Taney County Sheriff Brad Daniels said several campgrounds were evacuated and people had to be rescued from a flooded mobile home park in nearby Hollister. Trees fell on houses and cars Tuesday in Keene, New Hampshire, forcing some residents to evacuate. Around Toronto, flooding temporarily closed several major roads and left drivers stranded. Authorities said they rescued at least 14 people from flooding on the highway. More than 140,000 homes and businesses lacked power Wednesday evening in Northeastern U.S. states, according to PowerOutage.us. The East Coast from Maine to the Carolinas was warned of weather that could feel hotter than 100 degrees (37.8 Celsius) in some places. A storm helped bring under control a forest fire burning at a military bombing range in New Jersey as it dropped half an inch of rain, the state forest fire service said. This weeks severe weather struck the Chicago area especially hard. The weather service said it so far has confirmed at least 18 tornadoes in northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana: six on Sunday and 12 during a frightening stretch Monday night. The larger bunch emerged from a derecho, long-lasting windstorms that began in Iowa and rolled east for hours, according to senior meteorologist Brett Borchardt. Its not unprecedented, but its very unusual. When we have a line of storms like that, theyre prolific tornado producers, he said. Across the U.S., the storms have led to at least five deaths, including the one in New York. Flooding killed an 88-year-old couple who were in their car near Elsah, Illinois, on Tuesday, and a 76-year-old passenger in a pickup in Rockford, Illinois, on Sunday. A fallen tree killed a 44-year-old woman in Cedar Lake, Indiana, on Monday. A cold front is forecast to cause scattered showers and thunderstorms in the East over the next few days but will also provide relief from the heat in the eastern and central United States, according to the weather service. However, excessive heat is forecast for parts of the West and Southeast. ___ White reported from Detroit. Associated Press writers Karen Matthews in New York City, Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York, and Nick Perry in Boston contributed. Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics New York Windstorm Its become a familiar cycle: A powerful storm sweeps through a swath of Texas and takes the electric system down in its grip. Trees might bend and topple, crashing down onto a power pole. Sometimes the weight of ice pulls branches onto electric lines. Other times wind makes a wire spark, and that ember ignites a destructive blaze. Thousands of Texans then sit in the dark for days in either the blistering heat or frigid cold waiting for utility crews to survey and fix the damage so electricity can start flowing again. Such power outages are likely to continue. Thats because the massive network of equipment that moves electricity across the state and then to individual Texas homes and businesses is unprepared for the severe weather expected in years ahead, experts say. Making it more resilient will require utilities to invest money to strengthen the system over time. Texas had 210 weather-related power outages more than any other state from 2000 to 2023, according to an analysis by the nonprofit Climate Central that used power outage data from the U.S. Department of Energy. As emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gasses continue to increase temperatures, severe weather disasters will worsen. Fire seasons are getting longer and more intense, according to Climate Central. Warmer oceans fuel storms, causing hurricanes to likely be stronger. Days before Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast July 8, it set records for its strength so early in the hurricane season. Beryl made its way inland toward Houston as a Category 1 hurricane and knocked out power to more than 2.6 million customers showing how vulnerable the grids infrastructure in Southeast Texas was to high winds. Hundreds of thousands of power customers still didnt have the lights on more than a week after the storm as linemen worked to replace poles and broken equipment. It was yet another period in recent years where massive outages left Texans without electricity. A powerful windstorm in mid-May known as a derecho slammed the Houston region with 100-mile-per-hour winds, knocking out power for nearly 1 million customers in the so-called energy capital of the world. City officials, residents and utility companies were still trying to recover from the damage from that storm when Hurricane Beryl hit in July. Its like the big, bad wolf: Huff and puff and blow the house down, said Michael Webber, an energy resources professor at the University of Texas at Austin. And I dont think any utility or city designs for weather like that, at least not weather that frequent. More than 500,000 customers had their electricity knocked out in the Dallas-Fort Worth area after severe storms in May. And in Austin, more than 170,000 lost power after a damaging ice storm swept across Central Texas in 2023. These all came on the heels of a different, deadly grid problem. A winter storm in 2021 infamously plunged millions across the state into cold darkness because there wasnt enough power generation to meet demand. People lost trust in the system as state officials many of whom rarely acknowledge climate change hurried to fix it. With Beryl, Gov. Greg Abbott pinned the blame squarely on CenterPoint Energy, which is responsible for maintaining the electric poles and wires in the Houston area. At a news conference one week after the hurricane, Abbott said, This isnt a failure of the entire system. But in some ways it was. Legislators have focused on power generation not power lines and poles. Texas is the only state to have its own power grid. It doesnt have significant connections to the grids that serve the eastern and western halves of the United States. And its been the focus of Abbott and the Legislature since the 2021 winter storm pushed it to the brink of total failure. Freezing weather during that storm knocked power producers offline, and the plants that remained operating couldnt generate the amount of electricity needed to flow through transmission and distribution lines to keep Texans heat on. That shortage forced grid operators to call for abrupt, dayslong blackouts to prevent the systems complete collapse. More than 200 people died. After the disaster, legislators decided Texas needed more power sources that could come on as needed. They required power generation facilities to make their equipment more resilient in winter weather. And they introduced financial mechanisms to try to get more on-demand power facilities built. Notably, state politicians allocated $5 billion to incentivize companies to build more gas-fueled power generators in the state. But building power plants and changing the electricity market takes time, and the grids fragility remained clear as grid operators last summer repeatedly asked people to use less power. On those days, it looked like power generators might not be able to keep up with surging demand for electricity that comes when people turn down their thermostats to fight sizzling outdoor temperatures. Then came a bombshell this year when grid operators said power demand could nearly double in six years. After that, Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said they wanted to add $5 billion more to that pot of money to get more gas-fueled plants built. But those big efforts dont help with how vulnerable the power poles and lines are as continuous storms like Beryl make clear. The hurricane is throwing trees around, taking out wires, said Michael Jewell, a longtime regulatory attorney. Its not that there wasnt enough power. It was a fundamental problem with regard to, if youve got trees flying all over the place, theyre going to take down wires. The grid will need decades of public investment to strengthen it, said Michael Skelly, co-founder and CEO of Grid United, an independent high voltage transmission project developer based in Houston. Local and state leaders need to decide how reliable they want the grid to be and how much they are willing to pay for it. What number of outages would be acceptable in what kinds of storms? We know we live in an area subject to extreme weather, Skelly said. We believe the extreme weather is actually getting worse. The current distribution infrastructure isnt adequate apparently for the job at hand. What level of reliability do we want to try to get to and what are we prepared to invest? Strengthening comes at a cost Utilities and state leaders have clear options for strengthening utility infrastructure if they or customers are willing to pay for it. Earlier this year, power lines caused the largest wildfire in the states history. It begged the question of whether utilities in the Panhandle should spend more to wrap as many poles as possible with fire retardant material or cover wires so they are less likely to spark. Now utilities in Southeast Texas are under pressure to protect power infrastructure better against lightning and high winds. To do that, utilities could use poles made out of materials that are stronger than wood or place poles closer together; more aggressively trim or remove trees around power lines; or in some cases bury lines underground, experts said. Strategies will vary by region and by the different hazards that impact that region, said Scott Aaronson, senior vice president of security and preparedness at Edison Electric Institute, a trade association. But electric grid improvements can have limitations. Burying power lines is especially costly and might not be appropriate for flood-prone places like Houston, Aaronson said. He argued that above-ground power lines are also more cost-effective for workers to rebuild. Utilities might also need more leeway for tree-trimming beyond the current right-of-way. Thomas Gleeson, chair of the Public Utility Commission of Texas that regulates electricity, offered that potential solution at a news conference after Beryl, but said the Legislature would have to give utilities such permission. Public Utility Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty questioned at a meeting after Beryl how much of the tree damage was caused by limbs that were in the right-of-way that a utility could have accessed to cut back. He said he was astonished by how many trees in Houston toppled over from their roots, requiring crane operators to remove them from the road. Trees in Houston faced significant stress due to a series of severe weather events over the past 15 years, including extreme drought in 2011, flooding during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the winter freeze in 2021 and intense heat in 2022 and 2023, said Gretchen Riley, a forest systems department head at Texas A&M Forest Service. Riley said these events have weakened many trees, making them more vulnerable to damage from storms and high winds. Houston has approximately 36 million trees in the city, according to an online tree census maintained by Texas A&M Forest Service and the U.S. Forest Service. Riley described Beryl as potentially being the proverbial straw that broke the camels back for many of them. CenterPoint reported on Sunday that its workers had removed more than 18,600 trees impacting lines so far. Beryl mainly damaged CenterPoints distribution infrastructure which includes the poles and wires that bring power to homes, according to the company. The bigger transmission wires and towers more or less survived. The story was not the same everywhere. Entergy Texas, which serves areas around College Station and Beaumont, reported damage to its substations and transmission lines. This storm is further evidence of why hardening the grid is so important, because that investment serves to reduce the extent and duration of outages and reduces overall storm costs, Entergy Texas president and CEO Eliecer Viamontes told state regulators at the Public Utility Commission of Texas meeting after the storm. A path forward Last year, the Legislature made it possible for utility companies to create plans to strengthen their systems. This is one potential way that if state regulators approve it utilities could start charging more to replace poles or trim more trees, for example. In many cases, those costs would be charged to power providers that sell power, which would then likely pass the costs to customers. To some extent we are paying for global warming and were having to make investments today that would have been prudent to make in the past prudent and probably less expensive, said Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas. And we might also have avoided a lot of misery. Webber, the energy resources professor, said spending more up front for a stronger electric system would save money and even protect peoples lives and health better over the long term. In its proposed resiliency plan submitted to regulators in April, Centerpoint suggested investing more than $2 billion to strengthen its poles and wires, using federal and state funding to cover some of the costs. The proposal included spending $376 million to replace wooden transmission structures with steel or concrete, and $99 million to replace or brace some 5,000 wooden distribution poles per year from 2025 to 2027. By comparison, Oncor proposed investing nearly $3 billion to harden poles, replace old cables and install underground wires. This includes $285 million to expand the companys vegetation management program which includes tree trimming and satellite and laser imaging to detect which tree limbs need to be cleared, and $900 million for wildfire protections including monitoring and detection systems. Oncors territories include Dallas-Fort Worth and Midland-Odessa. Utilities also need to consider how they can help provide power generation to critical facilities such as hospitals and fire stations during regional outages, said Jewell, the regulatory attorney. This could mean helping install small batteries and rooftop solar panels or having small generators ready to deploy. It wont be possible to protect against every possible scenario at an affordable cost, Jewell said. But he argues taking a varied approach to resiliency will help. That could entail improving buildings energy efficiency by adding insulation or sealing windows to help maintain temperatures during short outages. Part of the reason that we have these outages is the storms are getting worse, Jewell said. In one sense, theres a realistic problem that we can try to protect the grid against any foreseeable storm and people will not be able to afford electricity. As frustrating as it is, there is a balancing that needs to take place in all of this. Either way, customers should expect higher bills. The costs to make the system more resilient will likely be passed on to Texans. But, so, too might the costs to repair damage to utility companies infrastructure in the immediate aftermath of an extreme weather event. Ultimately, the bill is going to get loaded onto the backs of the customers, whether or not they were pleased with how [the power outage] was handled, Sandra Haverlah, president of the Texas Consumer Association. Disclosure: CenterPoint Energy, Entergy, Oncor and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribunes journalism. Find a complete list of them here. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/18/texas-energy-grid-power-outages-climate-change-infrastructure/. The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org. Photo: Electric trucks line up to provide support with major power outages after Hurricane Beryl in Houston on July 10, 2024. Credit: Joseph Bui for The Texas Tribune Topics Texas Four insurance companies, unable to escape a duty to defend a New York hotel where a young woman was secretly videotaped in the shower in 2015, have reached a settlement in the case that made headlines around the world. Citizens Insurance Co. of America, Massachusetts Bay Insurance Co., Westfield Insurance and Starr Indemnity & Liability this week notified a federal court in Georgia that they had settled with the owners and management of a Hampton Inn in Albany, New York. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed in court filings, and attorneys in the case could not be reached for comment Thursday. Banyan Tree Management managed the hotel and Albany Downtown Hotel Partners owned it under license from Hilton Worldwide. The woman, known only as Jane Doe, filed suit in 2019 for $100 million after an employee of the hotel filmed her with a hidden camera then attempted to extort thousands of dollars from her. The video was uploaded to a number of porn web sites. The Chicago woman, who was in Albany in 2015 to sit for the New York Bar exam, never paid the voyeur and fought for months to have the videos removed from porn sites, according to court documents and news reports. She filed one negligence and premises liability suit in Georgia because Banyan, a Florida-registered company, and Albany Downtown have offices and executives in Atlanta. A separate lawsuit was filed in Virginia, home of Hiltons offices. The victim said in her lawsuits that the exposure and blackmail was so traumatizing that she had suffered gastrointestinal problems and had lost 30 pounds after the perpetrator emailed her and her associates. It was just absolutely traumatizing because these are people I went to law school with, the woman told Good Morning America in 2018. Theyre friends, theyre co-workers. And they were sent a link to what looks like an email I sent. News sites across the country and from Toronto to London reported on the salacious story. The outcome of the victims Virginia suit was unavailable Thursday, although court records show the case has been closed. The womans Georgia lawsuit settled in April of this year for an undisclosed amount, just ahead of a jury trial. Her attorneys filed a motion in June, however, noting that the hotel companies had not paid anything. In the separate insurance suit, the Hampton Inns insurance carriers asked a federal judge in Georgia to declare that they had no duty to defend or indemnify the hotel against the lawsuit damages. The insurers argued that the hotels commercial liability and excess policies excluded coverage for actions that violated federal law, the video taping and camera were not part of the hotels business, and the video was not an actual invasion of the womans privacy. Also, some of the policies were in place when the videotaping happened in 2015, but not in 2018 at the time of the extortion, when the video came to light, the insurers argued. U.S. District Judge Mark Cohen agreed that Coverage A for some of the policies did not apply, because Coverage A required bodily injury. But the judge found that Coverage B in the policies did apply. The policies provided up to $2 million in aggregate coverage. Citizens and Westfield, owned by The Hanover Group, attempted in their motion to add to the wording of the policies, Cohen noted. Hanovers attempt to add an additional phrase to the otherwise unambiguous policy language would amend the Hanover Policies to require that the personal and advertising injury offense include only those acts that are expressly authorized by Banyan and Albanys express business policies or practices. This is not what the plain language of the Hanover Policies state, nor is it reasonable to interpret them as such, the judge wrote in his 2022 decision. Taken to its logical conclusion, Hanovers expanded interpretation of arising out of would render the Hanover Policies illusory and it would effectively mean that the policies would rarely, if ever, cover ordinary negligence claims as those are frequently proven by a showing of a deviation from business practices and policies, he added. The insurance companies appealed Cohens ruling to the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. A panel of judges there upheld the decision and further excoriated the carriers arguments. The appellants failed to even make a showing of ambiguity, let alone definitively establish that the Underlying Complaint falls outside their policies or that an exclusion precludes coverage, the appellate judges wrote in 2023. The panel found unpersuasive the insurers arguments that the womans right to privacy had not been violated and that the filming did not arise out of the hotels business. While filming a showering guest is clearly not a legitimate hotel practice, when a hotel employeewho would not have had access to the room but for his authorityplaces the camera in the bathroom and circulates the video, the injury undoubtably imputes to the hotel, the 11th Circuit opinion reads. Topics Carriers July 19, 2024 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Investors need to be extra cautious about the luxury sector, but also be alive to the major emerging opportunities, warns the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory and asset management organizations. The warning from Nigel Green of deVere Group comes as Hugo Boss shares recently plummeted by approximately 9% in German trading this week, highlighting the troubles confronting high-end fashion brands. The German fashion house has reduced its fiscal 2024 sales outlook to between 4.20 billion and 4.35 billion. Burberry, another major player in the industry, recently replaced its CEO, Jonathan Akeroyd, as it projected a first-half operating loss and suspended its dividend, citing waning demand for luxury goods. In an effort to attract cautious consumers, luxury brands, including Burberry and Versace, are slashing prices by up to 50% in China, according to reports. Nigel Green says: "The luxury sector is experiencing a significant pullback in consumer spending, driven largely by China's economic growth slowdown. "As one of the world's largest markets for luxury goods, China's economic health profoundly impacts the sector's overall performance. "The Chinese economy is grappling with several challenges, including sluggish GDP growth, declining exports, and a real estate market slump. These factors have collectively dampened consumer confidence and reduced discretionary spending among Chinese consumers, who had previously been avid buyers of high-end products." Luxury brands are feeling the pinch as Chinese consumers, particularly with the wealthy and middle class, become more cautious with their spending. "The phenomenon of 'luxury shame,' where individuals are less inclined to flaunt their wealth due to the prevailing economic uncertainty, appears to be getting a major foothold. This cultural shift further exacerbates the challenges faced by luxury brands," affirms the deVere CEO. "The slowdown is not limited to fashion; it extends to luxury automobiles, jewellery, and high-end electronics, all of which are seeing reduced sales in the Chinese market." As the ripple effects of China's economic slowdown extend beyond its borders, global luxury brands are recalibrating their strategies. Many are focusing on strengthening their presence in other markets and enhancing their online retail platforms to mitigate the impact. "However, the immediate outlook remains challenging, with significant implications for revenue growth and profitability across the sector. Investors, therefore, need to consider these dynamics when evaluating opportunities within the luxury market." He continues: "This phenomenon, characterized by a reluctance to flaunt luxury goods, could potentially become a global trend. "As economic uncertainties persist, we expect consumers worldwide will become more judicious in their luxury spending, favoring brands that embody discreet, timeless elegance. The concept of "hushed luxury" - understated, high-quality products that do not overtly display their brand - is likely to gain traction. "Brands that have spent decades building a reputation for class and heritage are likely to fare better in this environment. The shift towards more subtle and refined luxury items suggests that consumers are prioritizing quality and longevity over ostentation." For savvy investors, this evolving market presents significant opportunities. "Focusing on brands that align with the emerging preference for discreet luxury is likely to be a sound strategy. Companies with a strong heritage, commitment to quality, and reputation for understated elegance are well-positioned to thrive in the current climate. "Understanding these consumer trends and the underlying economic factors is crucial for making informed investment decisions." Nigel Green concludes: "The luxury market, while currently facing challenges, is not disappearing. Instead, it is evolving. "This evolution presents significant opportunities for investors who can identify and capitalize on these shifts. "A failure to do so will mean that investors could easily get financially caught off-guard." More Info: Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Reskilling in evolving technologies is becoming increasingly important for workers across Ireland and globally, says James OConnor, site leader of Microsoft Ireland and vice-president of Microsoft Global Operations Service Centre. As digital technology transforms our lives, work and education, is urging young people across Ireland to open their eyes and minds to the endless possibilities offered by STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and to prepare for an AI future. In Ireland, Microsoft has been investing significantly in programmes aimed to help people to embrace new and evolving technologies. For instance, the Microsoft Dream Space programmes are helping to change young peoples attitudes around STEM and AI. Findings in a Maynooth University survey showed a 42% increase in girls likely to pursue STEM careers and a 40% increase in boys with similar aspirations who have engaged with the programme. Notably, girls from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds had an 80% boost in confidence in their STEM capabilities. Some 90% of teachers said Dream Space had positively impacted their use of technology and their students. The World Economic Forum has estimated that 60% of all employees will need reskilling by 2027. In this Q&A interview, James OConnor outlines how AI has the potential to transform and augment how we live and work. How can best people engage with AI tools in a work context? For the opportunity and benefits of this AI shift to be realised, everyone needs to think differently about skills and training. Embracing upskilling and a lifelong learning approach can ensure our future leaders, innovators and software developers are fully prepared for the workplaces of tomorrow. Industry has an important role to play to unlock the possibilities of a digital and AI-enabled era. Back in 2018, we launched our Microsoft Dream Space programme in partnership with educators to inspire students at primary and post-primary schools through new technologies, including AI, mixed reality and robotics. The programme can encourage young people to pursue their interest in STEM and shift their perceptions about the role technology can play in their future career choices. How can we promote equal opportunities in future STEM roles? The immersive Microsoft Dream Space STEM experience also plays a key role in empowering equal access to STEM education and opportunities. According to the Higher Education Authority, 43% of men study STEM at third level, compared to only 19% of women. In 2022, we committed an additional 3m investment to Microsoft Dream Space over the next four years, broadening its reach across the island of Ireland and encouraging more students to consider a career in STEM and foster interest in AI. To date, 300,000 young people across the island of Ireland have been engaged through our Microsoft Dream Space programme. We look to provide the 1 million students with the opportunity to develop their digital and AI skills. We also joined forces with Maynooth University on the STEM Passport for Inclusion programme to address inequalities with access to STEM careers among secondary school students in socially disadvantaged communities. The programmes innovative approach, which combines an educational qualification (Level 6 NFQ), education supports, and mentoring from industry role models, provides a unique pathway for approximately 5,000 students to progress to third level education and achieve a STEM qualification. The national roll-out of the programme is being funded by Microsoft, Science Foundation Ireland, and the Department of Education. How young can schoolgoers begin to engage with AI skills? A key aim of the expansion of Microsoft Dream Space has been to encourage more primary and post-primary students to develop their AI literacy. We joined forces with RTE Learn to release Microsoft Dream Space TV: brAIn_waves, a series of creative lessons designed to educate young people about AI and inspire them to come up with new ideas as to how the technology could be used in their school and local community. The continued expansion of Microsoft Dream Space builds on Microsofts commitment to help Skill Up Ireland through our National AI Skilling initiative by providing people of all ages, experiences and ambitions with the opportunity to develop their AI fluency and skills. Read More Business movers: People starting new jobs in Ireland Can we expect more AI and STEM programmes from Microsoft as well as future state-funded programmes across the education sector? Beyond our targeted engagement through Dream Space, we aim to provide a range of AI learning opportunities for graduates and mid-career professionals looking to upskill and specialise in AI. However, it is clear that no one entity can equip our young people with the digital and AI skills that will shape our future. Industry, government and the education sector must collaborate to help Ireland meets its targets to be a European leader in STEM education by 2026 and ensure 80% of adults have basic digital skills by 2030. With over 300,000 young people engaged to date across Ireland as part of Microsoft Dream Space, were proud to play our part in this journey and continue our efforts alongside others to advance progress. By working together to take an all-of-society approach to digital skilling, we can create the next generation of digital leaders and ensure that everyone has the skills to thrive in tomorrows workplace. There has been a "strong and immediate" interest from the Korean trade in Irish beef since the opening of this market, Bord Bia has said. Eight beef buyers from South Korea are currently on a tour of Ireland hosted by Bord Bia, visiting beef farms and meat processors this week. The group, which includes leading meat importers and distributors from South Korea, is following an itinerary designed to give them an understanding of the capabilities of Irish beef suppliers and the sustainable practices on Irish beef farms. Following visits to meat processors during the week, the buyers took a tour of John Purcells farm near Golden, Co Tipperary on Wednesday. Building ties Joe Moore, South Korea and Japan manager with Bord Bia, said these are "influential buyers" visiting Ireland. "We have been building ties with Korean buyers over many years, aided by EU co-funded campaigns and trade missions. By inviting buyers to Ireland, we demonstrate Irelands commitment to the Korean market while helping to build long-lasting commercial relationships," he added. In May, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State Martin Heydon announced the opening of the South Korean market for Irish beef after an extensive approval process, with seven plants approved to supply the market. In September, Bord Bia will host a Government-led trade mission to South Korea where Irish beef will be formally launched to consumers. This follows from a previous Government trade mission to Seoul held in 2019 and another trade mission to Korea in 2023. The visit has been organised by Bord Bia as part of an EU co-funded campaign to promote Irish and European beef and lamb across South Korea, Japan, China, and the US. Now in its final year, the three-year campaign has invested 4.8m across the four markets. Strong interest Joe Moore said that although South Korea is a competitive beef market, dominated by grain-fed imports, "there are opportunities for Irish beef to cater for consumers looking for pasture-raised, high-quality, and nutritious beef". "There has been strong and immediate interest from the Korean trade in Irish beef with several significant contracts already in place," Mr Moore added. "Bord Bia will continue to facilitate engagement between Irish beef processors and Korean customers this summer ahead of the autumn trade mission. The current EU campaign in South Korea builds on a previous campaign implemented by Bord Bia that engaged with over 650 Korean customers and ran from 2019-2021. The suspension of the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) has the potential to wipe "at least 25% of my income for the coming year", a tillage farmer has said. Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue this week announced his intention to seek a deferral of the 2024 SIM from the European Commission, in light of concerns around fodder availability this year. Last winter depleted national reserves of straw and resulted in very little availability in the early months of this year. At present, although growth is improving, the indications are that fodder is still behind where we would like to be," Mr McConalogue said. Under this measure, farmers receive a payment for chopping straw and incorporating it into the soil. For oats, rye, wheat, and barley, 250 is the payment per hectare, while it is worth 150 per hectare for oilseed rape. 'Massive impact' Don Somers, a tillage farmer in Oilgate, Co Wexford, said that a suspension of the measure would have a "massive impact" for many tillage farms, and said incorporating straw into his soil has environmental benefits by putting carbon and "unused nutrients back into the soil", reducing the amount of phosphorus and potassium he has to apply the following year. He said the effect that chopping straw and incorporating it has had on his soil - "it has improved the organic matter, which also improves the soil ability to utilise nutrients that are already there". Mr Somers, a Teagasc Signpost farmer who grows a range of cereals on 450 acres, said that "one of the main focuses" on the farm is "how efficiently we can use the nutrients that we do apply". "We use a lot of different technologies. We map all our yields so that we can identify the high-yielding and low-yielding parts of the fields, and then we do soil tests according to those yield maps and then apply the right amount of fertiliser to match the crops' potential to yield," he told this week's Energy and Farm Diversification Show at Gurteen College. "So rather than over-applying on an area that just can't yield or under-applying on a place that has the potential to yield more, we try to tailor the nutrients applied to the crops. "As soon as the crop is harvested, we try to establish a cover crop to mop up any nutrients that are left behind - so rather than having them lost into the watercourse or the atmosphere, a cover crop holds onto those nutrients for the following crop. "We try to use the nutrients we do apply as efficiently as possible." 'No benefit' He said he has over 97 acres of cereals put in for the SIM, and if this is removed, "effectively, that's 9,700 of income that has gone from my farm - I expect that to make up a minimum of 25% of my income for the coming year, so it's not just an environmental hit". "By suspending the scheme it's not even going to solve any potential fodder crisis," Mr Somers feels. He said that farmers would have planted oilseed rape for the measure, expecting to receive the payment for incorporating it, and "the majority of that oilseed rape crop would have been sprayed with a herbicide AstroKerb", which now cannot be used for livestock purposes. "Even though those farmers won't be paid to incorporate that straw, they're still going to have to incorporate that straw, there's no benefit to any livestock farmer in a fodder crisis," he said. According to Mr Somers, farmers can see "absolutely no benefit" to scrapping the scheme "when the harvest has already started". 'Totally unacceptable' Farmers outlined their frustration with the proposal to the minister as he attended the Energy and Farm Diversification Show this week. Delegates of the Irish Farmers' Association and the Irish Grain Growers Group met with Mr McConalogue at the event, telling him that a suspension would be "totally unacceptable and that it must be overturned immediately". The organisations told him that "farmers made decisions to plant crops based on a scheme announced by the minister. He is now withdrawing the scheme after the harvest has started". "If the minister can do this to tillage farmers, he can do it to any farmer at the stroke of a pen. It will not be accepted." The organisations said that the minister has agreed to meet with them again next week, however, farmers will be harvesting over the weekend "in a complete vacuum". "This is causing huge stress for growers and their families. "If the minister continues with this unilateral approach, the Taoiseach must intervene to overturn the decision without delay," the organisations said in a joint statement on Friday. The tillage chairman of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association Gavin Carberry has said that tillage farmers must receive payment for baling straw if the measure is cancelled. Many tillage farmers were relying on this payment, but now they find themselves not only losing out on the payment, but also facing significant fertiliser bills next year due to not incorporating straw," Mr Carberry said. He said last year was "disastrous" for tillage farmers, with 80% not able to clear their bills. This year is shaping up to be just as grim as most spring cereals sown in May will not be harvested until late September. The short days will then increase the risk of the crop not being saved at all, potentially a repeat of last year," the tillage chairman added. In 2016, a character, Tess, appeared to Catherine Dunne. She saw her walking home around a park, only to find a Garda car parked outside her front door. Catherine idly wondered what it was all about. And when, later, she started to write down the scene, and realised that Tesss teenage son had been accused of rape. Tesss mother, Betty, appeared saying she had a story to tell, too. Im always on the lookout for stories, says Catherine, as we discuss her latest novel, A Good Enough Mother, in the kitchen of her house in leafy Ranelagh. My writing is organic. The people always come to me not the story. And looking back at years when Betty was a young woman, and knowing about women who had to go to England because they were pregnant, gave me a picture of another woman Maeve. This wonderful, wide-ranging novel follows the interlinking stories of four main characters who have been affected in some way by the churchs negative attitude towards women. I knew I wanted to write about the experience of being in a mother-and-baby home, says Catherine. But my point wasnt to say how terrible it was but to look at these different women and how they dealt with the catastrophes and also how little had changed. She was thinking of all this when her second novel, A Name for Himself, was reissued by Ireland House as a classic of the 1990s. The novel featured coercive control, but was written before the term was commonly known. And while she was writing essays around that publication, the Belfast rape trial was going on. Like everyone, I was profoundly affected by the trial, says Catherine. And not just the trial itself, but the attitude towards women that it illuminated particularly the WhatsApp messages between the young men. I had thought all that had changed. And around the same time, in 2017, Catherine Corless came out with what had happened at Tuam. She had already researched the subject, while writing her factual book, An Unconsidered People, which was published in 2003, and reissued by New Island in 2021. For that book, she had interviewed more than 100 women whohad to emigrate to England because they were pregnant. I really had to examine my own prejudices when I saw how well Irish people fared in England, she says, When they had been unconsidered when they left here. One woman had a mixed-race child. Her mother never met him because she couldnt bring him home. Her story was emblematic of what women went through. Catherine doesnt plan her books. Quoting EL Doctorow, she says that writing is like driving in fog: You can only see as far as the headlights, but you can make the whole journey that way. Thats how writing evolves for me, she says. She writes every day, usually for four to five hours, believing that writing is a muscle that has to be exercised or it goes away. I write in scenes. And, normally, I stitch them together at the end, so that the seams dont show. But in this novel, because the metaphor of sewing came up again and again, I researched how many panels there are in a quilt. A standard is 66, so I wrote 66 sections. Close to her son, Eamon he recently took her to Australia to celebrate her 70th birthday Catherine has suffered more than her fair share of trauma. Failing to become pregnant after his birth, she went through fertility treatment, and eventually became pregnant only to give birth to a stillborn son. And in 2018 her second husband died after suffering for years with a debilitating neurological illness. Empathy and family dynamics Its therefore no surprise that she writes of grief with such empathy and understanding. But shes also wonderful at describing the dynamic between mothers and daughters, and between sisters, yet has neither in her life. I dont think too deeply about where writing comes from, because I think if you interrogate it the magic disappears, she says. Having experienced a lot of things in life helps with the process, but writers have strange imaginations, and you can write about something without experiencing it. In one novel I had a character experience fugue states. I wrote it, and when I researched what they were like, realised I had got it exactly right. A Good Enough Mother shows the lifelong consequences of mother-and-baby homes on the women who were incarcerated, on their families, and on their friends and contacts. When Tess meets a former inmate of a home, Maeve, their encounter links all the stories in a clever, and satisfying way. Its no surprise that the novel has already won an award the inaugural European Rapallo Prize, nor that it has already been an Italian bestseller. A big hit in Italy Because the Italians love Catherine Dunne, and most especially since 2007, when Silvio Berlusconis wife wrote an open letter to her husband in a newspaper, begging for an apology for his flirtations with other women. Mentioning the best-selling author, the Italian wrote, I ask if, like the Catherine Dunne character, I have to regard myself as half of nothing. While Catherine is revered by the literary community in Ireland she won the 2018 Irish Pen Award for Outstanding Contribution to Irish Literature and is a member of Aosdana her novels dont get anything like the attention, or the sales, that they do in Europe. Does this irk her? It used to more than it does now, she says. I could never understand why something I had written, which had a large audience and critical and popular respect elsewhere, seemed to be more or less ignored here. But its just one of those things. You learn to get on with it. Its just the way it is. Growing up, when Irish books seemed to be all by, and about older males in rural areas, Catherine thought she could never be a writer. I come from the generation of, who do you think you are?. And it wasnt until the 1970s ,when, living in Toronto, and discovering a novel by Margaret Atwood, that she realised that it was possible to write from a young urban womans experience. Her writing just blew me away, she says. It wasnt that Catherine didnt write. Turning from bad poetry as a teenager, shed sent a stream of stories to David Marcus for new Irish writing. And he would return them with lovely comments, but I never got one published, she says. The stories always wanted to be novels. She was teaching in Greendale Community School when, one day, her friend and colleague, Roddy Doyle, said, Youre writing arent you. He said it out of the blue, says Catherine, who had spent the past decade working, secretly, on a first novel, In the Beginning. I had said absolutely nothing to anybody. His approval on reading it, and subsequent help and support, meant everything. Catherine will never retire. Why would you stop doing what you love? To me, writing is as natural as breathing. Its how I make sense of the world. Youre getting into the skin of another person, taking on their views, and feeling what it is like to be them. Shes hoping readers will appreciate such empathy. Its difficult for people to absorb the experience of the 56,000 women who went through the mother-and-baby homes, but if you take one or two, and write what it was like for them, it makes it easier to understand, she says. The impact stays with you for the rest of your life. The unlikely pairing of the retired history schoolteacher Ms Lia (Mzia Arabuli) and the feckless teenage wastrel Achi (Lucas Kankava) travel from rural Georgia to Istanbul in Crossing (15A), hoping to track down Ms Lias missing niece, Tekla. In Istanbul, they meet Evrim (Deniz Dumanli) a woman in the final stages of transitioning who has just qualified as a lawyer and who agrees to help. Written and directed by Levan Akin, Crossing is a slow-burning drama of superb characterisations that takes us into the less salubrious corners of Istanbuls shadow-world. All three main characters are given real depth as they crisscross the labyrinthine city, with Akin exploring prejudice, poverty, gender bias, and cultural differences against a backdrop of traditional values. Debutants Lucas Kankava and Deniz Dumanli are wonderfully naturalistic, but Mzia Arabuli towers above them both as the conservative matriarch who is belatedly forced to reconsider everything she has always believed, and not least about herself. Family fun: Joy in the Park Fitzgerald Park, Cork, Sunday, July 21, 12pm-6pm In partnership with Cork Mental Health Foundation, this event is a celebration of life, while highlighting the importance of minding our mental health. A free event, theres music from the likes of Aslan and Paddy Casey, spoken word from the outspoken Tadhg Hickey, circus, music bingo, and laughter yoga, alongside a food market and so many more activities. A treat for all the senses. Gig: The Everyman after Dark July 19-21, 9pm until late With a new, state-of-the-art PA system installed in the auditorium an upgrade they promise will bring an unequalled sound experience to audiences the Everyman will be trying it out this weekend with a series of late-night gigs. Friday features Jack ORourke with the Blarney Community Choir, with support from Emma Langford and Anna Mitchell. Brian and Diarmuid Mac Gloinn of Ye Vagabonds. Picture: Rich Gilligan Saturday sees Ye Vagabonds, Iarla O Lionaird, Cormac McCarthy, Matthew Berrill, and Niamh Regan take to the venue, and it finishes up on Sunday with a night of comedy courtesy of Vittorio Angelone, Alison Spittle, Bernard Casey, and Andrew Ryan. Tickets from 27. Festival: MusicTown National Concert Hall, Dublin, July 19-21 Collaboration is the essence of this annual event in the hallowed rooms of the NCH. Soda Blonde. Picture: Patricio Cassinoni The National Symphony Orchestra collaborate with the brilliant band Soda Blonde on Friday night, while Crash Ensemble with a whole host of up-and-coming Irish acts across the weekend, including the sensational Rachael Lavelle, Elaine Howley, and Mohammad Syfkhan. See nch.ie for more. Film: Twisters In cinemas now Not many people were waiting on a sequel to the 1996 blockbuster Twister but Glen Powell, the hero that film needed in 2024 (check out Hit Man on Netflix if youre staying in this weekend), leads the cast for this adrenaline-pumping thrill ride. Twisters. Alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones, they come together to try to predict, and possibly tame, the immense power of tornadoes. Yes, plural! Streaming: Lady in the Lake Apple TV+, first two episodes Friday, July 19 Based on the novel of the same name by Laura Lippman, this seven-part show stars Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram and is set in 1960s Baltimore. When the disappearance of a young girl grips the city, the lives of two women converge on a fatal collision course. Lady in the Lake. Portman, who we last saw in the gripping May December, never puts a foot wrong; Lady in the Lake marks her first major role in a scripted television series. Amanda Spencer places a yoga mat next to her desk when she works from home. This isnt because shes a dedicated yogi. When I lived in London years ago, I did yoga classes every morning, says the Dublin-based marketing and communications director with the electric vehicle charging company ePower. I dont have as much time now that I have a child. But some of what I learned stayed with me and I find it helpful to roll onto the floor and stretch out my body when I get tired of sitting at my desk. Shes not the only one to have discovered the benefits of yoga in the workplace. During lockdown, many joined online yoga classes with teachers such as Adriene Mishler and have continued the practice. Employers are also getting in on the act, encouraging their desk-bound employees the number has risen by 15% since the start of the pandemic to avail of yoga classes that are increasingly offered as part of corporate wellbeing packages. An Australian study published in 2011 found that the more time people spend in a sedentary position, the more adversely their glucose, cholesterol, insulin and triglyceride levels are affected. Increased sitting time has also been associated with a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Its been associated with decreased mental wellbeing too, says researcher Aidan Buffey, who works in the faculty of education and health sciences at the University of Limerick (UL). These health risks can be countered by factoring more movement into our working day. A 2014 Canadian study showed that standing up and moving leads to improvements in fasting blood glucose, waist circumference, cholesterol, insulin, and blood pressure. Research carried out by Buffey and his UL colleagues reached comparable conclusions. When they compared the effects of standing and light-intensity walking breaks to prolonged sitting on health outcomes, they found that even brief standing breaks reduced glucose and that light-intensity walking led to even more beneficial effects. Buffey believes yoga stretches in the office or working from home could have similarly positive results: It offers the typical office worker the chance to replace their occupational sitting with physical activity and increase their overall physical activity with all of its associated health benefits. Aidan Buffey, who works in the faculty of education and health sciences at the University of Limerick (UL) Elena Romero, who runs practiceyoga.ie in Dublin, has seen her corporate client roster grow since the pandemic: I now teach lots of online classes to employees in different organisations. She has noticed that many of them complain about the same problems. They sit for long periods every day and this takes a toll on their bodies, leading to tightness, tension and strain in their neck, shoulders and back, she says. Through yoga, I show them how to stretch and strengthen their bodies, releasing that muscular tension in the process. Romero sees how the tight deadlines and busy schedules of the modern workplace are having an impact on employees stress levels: Mental stress is manifesting in the form of stomach aches, headaches, fatigue, an inability to focus, a lack of clarity and irritability with others. Yoga and the way it grounds us in our breath and makes us more aware of our physical, mental and emotional selves can help. Time to switch off The practice of yoga also involves relaxation and meditation, which allows us to switch off, even if its only for a short time. Taking that moment to slow down and pause can be a powerful tool in todays hectic corporate world, says Romero. You dont have to take her word for it. A growing body of research proves that yoga can help us deal with many health issues caused by modern work practices. Take lower back pain, for example. A 2017 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that yoga was as effective in treating it as physical therapy. Stress is another common problem in todays workforce. A 2012 study in the Occupational Medicine Journal revealed a significant reduction in stress levels in employees who engaged in yoga-based interventions compared with a control group. Yoga might help us concentrate, too. In 2013, researchers at the University of Illinois showed that a 20-minute yoga session could enhance focus and information retention, both qualities that are highly prized in the contemporary workplace. Spencer finds it helps her to practice yoga in short bursts: As a woman in my 40s whose job is desk-based, its not always easy for me to take regular movement breaks, but I try my best to do so as I always feel better when I do. I also like to stop from time to time to become more aware of my body and where it might be holding tension. If Ive got a crick in my neck, for example, 30 seconds of rolling my head around can make a big difference. And focussing on my breathing for a few minutes allows me to return to work with more clarity. Small things like this make me more mindful as I go about my working day. Elena Romero, practiceyoga.ie Accessible to all Romero believes yoga is for everyone: Its not just for young bendy people. People think that yoga is about getting your body into poses but its not. Its a tool to get into your body, to understand where you are holding tightness and tension and then releasing it. Yoga is also accessible to everyone. Because it ranges from gentle stretches to more vigorous sequences, its adaptable to all fitness levels. Romero shares simple moves in her classes that we can all incorporate into our workdays. If youve been sitting at your desk for a while, stand up, she says. Raise your arms in the air and stretch out your body. Then rotate your joints, wrists, shoulders, hips and ankles. Rotate your head, too. These arent complex movements but they will get the blood flowing in your body. Usually, the simplest movements are the most effective. Taking time to connect with our breathing can have a positive effect too. Turn away from your screen, close your eyes and just breathe, says Romero. The breath is our most direct connection with our central nervous system and research increasingly backs up the idea that slowing our breathing helps us to manage stress and anxiety by activating the part of our nervous system that allows us to calm our bodies and minds. Yoga can support our physical health and mental wellbeing. Its a way in which we can prioritise ourselves, even if its just for five minutes at a time, says Romero. Our brains are like our biceps. We can train them. By using yoga every day or even every second day to become more self-aware, we can make a big difference to how we feel in our bodies and minds, workplaces and lives. Its luscious red fruit is golfball-sized and hangs invitingly from its branches. This Mediterranean tree, Arbutus unedo, otherwise known as the strawberry tree or caithne, can also be found mainly in two Irish counties: Sligo and Kerry, with patches of the low-sized tree occurring in Glengarriff and elsewhere on the Beara Peninsula. A 19th century reporter wrote of the characteristics of the tree: The arbutus was known to the Romans and, and named by Pliny arbutus unedo, for its rich crimson strawberry-like fruit, is as disappointing to the palate as the apples of the Dead Sea, and he who has eaten one of its berries is never likely to eat another. Beyond wonderful excursion to Derrycunihy lead by Prof Daniel Kelly and Clare Heardman, amazing boat journey across the lake complex including a great view of Arbutus island and followed by a fabulous guided tour of the woodland #BSBISummerMeeting @BSBI_Ireland @BSBIbotany pic.twitter.com/u9BD7898fc Dr M still going wild! (@drmgoeswild) May 22, 2023 In Kerry the tree gives its name to several islands where its distinctive form dominates the foliage. Todays subject is in the Upper Lakes of Killarneys famous trio of lakes (Lough Leane and Muckross are the other two). There is another Arbutus Island in Lough Guitane near Mangerton Mountain, a stones throw from Lough Leane, and it too is of diminutive size. There is no island named for this Lusitanian plant in Lough Gill, Sligo, but the botanist Robert Lloyd Praeger found examples of it on several islands there including Slishwood East and along the shoreline. Two NUIG researchers, Micheline Sheehy Skeffington and Nick Scott, have plotted the prevalence of the tree across Ireland and mainland Europe (it does not appear in Britain) in recent research. While Sligo and Kerry have multiple extant trees there is possible placename evidence for its proliferation in several other places: Cappoquin, County Waterford where quin is quinche land of the arbutus; Quinn, County Clare, also land of the arbutus. And back to Kerry, adjacent to one of the trees richest sites, Isknagahiny Lough or Eisc na gCaithne or hollow with cliffs of the arbutus. There was so much Arbutus unedo(Strawberry tree) growing on the islands of the Upper Lake of Killarney this week, particularly, unsurprisingly, on Arbutus Island, I've never seen so much fruit! #wildflowerhour @BSBIbotany @BSBI_Ireland @MichelineShSk pic.twitter.com/oy2YGBDiUg Rory Hodd (@NimbosaEcology) November 8, 2020 Sheehy Skeffington and Scott argue that the tree is probably not native to Ireland but was introduced by copperminers from northern Iberia around 4,000 years ago in the Lough Leane area. The writers recognise that this does not explain its appearance in County Sligo. The evergreen tree is categorised as near threatened in an Irish context and it is just as well that it is generally far from interference from humans, or goats or deer, though the latter are known to swim to the islands of Killarney Lakes. A third example of an Arbutus Island can be found in Killarneys Upper Lake where boat trips from Ross Castle run. The arbutus produces its strawberry-like fruit in the autumn and its scented white flowers earlier in the year. It was a sight that inspired the English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley to exclaim on a visit to Lake Como near Milan, that: This lake exceeds anything I have ever beheld in beauty with the exception of the Arbutus Island of Killarney. The Romantic poet made the trip to the Kingdom in 1813 while the Italian trip was a few years later. An Post stamp part of a 2006 range featuring native trees of Ireland Shelley probably did not visit the Arbutus Island in Lough Currane (Loch Luioch or Loch an Choireain), but it is no less beautiful than his ornate prose declared. This Arbutus Island is actually a pair of parallel, finger-shaped islets on the southeastern side of the lake. There are lots of other small islands scattered about there including Otter Island, Whort Island and Fur Island. In the Upper Lake the group of islands which includes Arbutus includes a few which have featured here before (Ronaynes, MacCarthys, Eagle) as well as Duck. Lewiss A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland in 1837, described the scene around the islands thus: the channels between which open to new and varied scenery, combining splendid panoramic views of rocks, woods and mountains, with numerous picturesque cascades and forming an assemblage of the sublimest and most romantic features of nature. Happily, those scenes from 187 years ago are just as captivating now as then. How to get there: gapofdunloetraditionalboattours.com/boat-tours killarneylaketours.ie Kayaking permits available from killarneynationalpark.ie but powerhose kayaks in advance to stop spread of invasive species Other: Is the strawberry tree native to Ireland or was it brought by the first copper miners? Micheline Sheehy Skeffington and Nick Scott, British and Irish Botany 2021; A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Samuel Lewis, 1837 Plans to replace schools with online education during the pandemic in Ethiopia were challenged by gaps in energy supplies and the impact continues, aid workers have warned. Irish and Ethiopian aid workers met Tanaiste Micheal Martin in the capital Addis Ababa to discuss aid funding yesterday. ActionAid Ethiopia country director Tinebeb Berhane later told reporters while they did not have a complete shut-down, schools were closed. The government was trying to introduce online education, but (this was) depending on your household infrastructure of course, she said. She also said for women and girls: "We saw increases in gender based violence because people were at home." The economic impact also continues as large numbers work in the informal sector meaning very small unregistered businesses often run at home and rely on a daily income. It was very difficult for a country like ours, she explained. You cannot just freeze everything and put everything at home because there are many women and young people who are in the popular sector, the informal sector. They have to support themselves on daily subsidences. Mr Dinkneh is now working with Gorta Self Help Africa, but during the pandemic worked with Goal Ethiopia. During that time there was a big crisis in Ethiopia, given that the country has already a lot of other pressures from the climate change and so on, he said. He agreed the small-scale business were significantly impacted then. That impact has still not gone away, the impact on the lives of those individuals has remained because they have no other means of support unless they are supported by either the government or international communities, he said. Irish Aid and the embassy helped with PPE for deprived communities. There was a significant shortage of masks and sanitisers and everything, he said. People have been really worried about how they make (live) their lives, and whether they will be dying the next day if they catch covid. He also said Ethiopia was one of the few African countries to start domestic covid-testing through development of government laboratories. Mr Martin marked 30 years of the Irish embassy in Ethiopia and met Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and President Sahlework Zewde. Since 1994 our bi-lateral relationship has matured to cover a very broad range of political development cooperation, cultural and trade relations, he said. The strength of those ties was apparent during the meetings, he said. Mr Martin earlier defended his decision to visit an brewery belonging to East African Breweries, a subsidiary of Diageo in Kenya on Wednesday. Im a strong believe in public health as a former minister of health, but we do need balance and perspective here, he told the Irish Examiner. Theres also an economic dimension to this. What we witnessed yesterday was the very effective technology introduced by an Irish company, the Designer Group, to EABLs processes which reduces its dependence on fossil fuels. Energy is generated by bio-mass fuels including shells from macadamia nuts. For the second time this week, a fire has broken out at a site that was being refurbished to accommodate asylum seekers in Dublin. The former Crown Paints factory on the Malahide Road in Coolock was the site of disorder and violence on Monday when a security guard was assaulted and a digger was set on fire among other incidents. More than 6,400 items of cultural importance have been recovered and 85 people arrested as part of an Interpol art trafficking operation involving law enforcement agencies from 25 countries, including Ireland. The goal of Operation Pandora, which has been ongoing since 2016, is to target criminals and organisations involved in art trafficking and the exploitation of cultural heritage. A Dublin man described in court as a loner has been refused bail after being charged with threatening to kill Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald in a social media video. Richard McGreevy, 28, of Whitechurch Place, Rathfarnham, appeared before Judge Paula Murphy at Dublin District Court on Friday. Evidence was given about alleged threats against the politician and claims of incitement to violence against Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. McGreevy, who said he had an acquired brain injury and memory problems, told the judge he had not intended that the TikTok video would go viral. The Garda investigation follows a complaint by Ms McDonald after footage of a man in a balaclava was shared on social media platforms. Officers from the Special Detective Unit (SDU), which investigates subversive, terrorist and organised crime and threats to the State, arrested him at his south Dublin home on Thursday morning. They brought him to Terenure Garda station for questioning. He was then charged under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act and held overnight pending his court appearance. Mr McGreevy is accused of making threats to kill or cause serious harm to the Sinn Fein leader. The offence allegedly occurred on July 16 at his home. Detective Sergeant Gareth Kane told the court that Mr McGreevy made no reply to the charge. The detective sergeant objected to bail based on witness intimidation or interference concerns. On conviction, the offence carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence, the court heard. According to the SDU officer, the evidence in the case was strong. He said gardai had seized all devices used to post the video. Admissions were said to have been made in Garda custody. Cross-examined by defence solicitor Kevin Tunney, the garda agreed it could take a long time to get a decision from the Director of Public Prosecutions on his clients trial venue. He agreed that it was likely that the case would be sent forward to the Circuit Court. The solicitor said his client had memory problems, and Detective Sergeant Kane agreed with Mr Tunney when he stated his client was a young man who had a difficult childhood. The solicitor told the court Mr McGreevys father died when he was a child, and his mother abandoned him when he was aged three, and the garda said: I believe it was chaotic. Bail hearing The defence solicitor submitted that his client had two dogs which had to go into a pound; he also told the court his client was in social housing, which he could lose if he went into custody for a lengthy period. He argued that his client could be subject to conditions, sign on daily at a garda station and stay off social media. Asked if that would ease his fears, Detective Sergeant Kane said: No, but it is in the courts hands, and he did not alter his objection to bail. Detective Sergeant Kane said the charge was serious. He claimed the accused broadcast on TikTok that he was going to kill a TD, and he incited violence against the commissioner of the garda and other gardai. At that point, Mr McGreevy, standing at the side of the courtroom, spoke up and addressed the judge. He said: I was angry that day, I was so angry that day, Ive already explained this. I put that up; I didnt mean it to go so viral. Mr Tunney suggested his client was a loner, and Detective Sergeant Kane agreed that he was not a member of any organisation or gang. Dressed in a pale blue sweater, light grey tracksuit bottoms and white runners, Mr McGreevy said: Literally, Im on my own, with my dogs like. The defence lawyer also raised concerns about prejudicial media coverage ahead of the court hearing. Judge Paula Murphy noted the seriousness of the case and evidence and refused bail. Legal aid was granted to the accused, who was remanded in custody pending directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. He will face his next hearing on July 26 at Cloverhill District Court. The video containing the threats was initially posted on TikTok but went viral online. TikTok and Meta said the video violated their guidelines and has been removed from their platforms. A Ukrainian woman who is accused of assault causing harm to a woman at Mercy University Hospital and assaulting a member of staff at Boots pharmacy on Half Moon Street was remanded in custody until the end of the month. Garda James OConnell also charged 29-year-old Halyna Perashckak, of no fixed address, with engaging in threatening behaviour and being so drunk she was a danger to herself or others. These charges and the assault count relate to Saturday evening, July 6, at the Boots premises. There is nothing like a bit of morning misogyny to get me going. Its a couple of days ago. My eyes pop open. It is 5am and I know if I lay there Ill start over-thinking, so I creep downstairs, delicately closing every door behind me, desperate not to wake the kids. They stay up LATE in summer about as late as I can manage myself. Every night is a binge of Brooklyn 99 or Modern Family. This is going to be my golden hour of Netflix, I think blearily my golden three hours maybe? I pour myself a cup of ambition, make some toast, and stumble to the couch. It is all going swimmingly until bite four right into a hidden patch of mould, and just as the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders documentary is starting. The putrid taste proves fitting. The Netflix series documents two women, director Kelli McGonagill Finglass and lead choreographer Judy Trammell, choosing between hundreds of talented, beautiful young women to create a 36-woman squad of cheerleaders for the Dallas Cowboys Sweethearts. The starry-eyed hopefuls are judged by these women on everything from their smiles to the placement of their belly buttons. On the top of the power pyramid is yet another woman, Dallas Cowboys executive vice president and chief brand officer, Charlotte Jones Anderson. The CEO admits early on that its fine that the girls are so poorly paid. It means more to them than money, she assures us viewers. It is about being a part of something bigger than themselves. It is about a sisterhood that they are able to form. About relationships that they have for the rest of their lives. They have a chance to feel like they're valued, that they're special, and that they are making a difference. To feel like theyre valued is about right, I say/loud whisper. It would be nice if they could actually be valued, wouldnt it, Charlotte? Charlotte isnt listening, and neither are the girls. We hear from one ex-cheerleader who has undergone 12 operations due to the damage done by the moves. The jump split, a non-negotiable according to the squad, is particularly traumatic for their young bodies. It involves them jumping in unison, linked arm in arm and landing into a split. Landing in a split. My inner thighs, 30 years past their final split, hurt. The show makes me feel sick to my stomach, the mould lingering. How can women perpetuate such abuse of women? How can women work in an organisation that generates billions, yet leaves those central to the whole enterprise, without any financial security? I pull out my phone for light relief, landing in the mess that is America. Someone is referring to vice president Kamala Harris as an impossible choice, an idiot. It feels bleak. The world. The future. All of it approximating the rot inside my mouth. But something feels off. And thats exactly when I wake up properly this time. It is the word idiot that jolts me out of my early morning and deep-seated judgement of women my misogyny. Why do we hold women to blatantly higher standards than men? Madeleine Albrights quotation had whispered in my ear the whole time Kelly and Judy sat nitpicking over young girls waistlines on the Netflix show: There is a special place in hell for women who dont help other women. But it is not their job, simply because they are women, to change the world. Similarly, it should be a womans right to hold any office or position held by men, and to be judged by exactly the same standards. It should be the right of any woman in the public sphere to be seen as holding the same complexity and nuance of any other human. Kamala Harris This is an age of misogyny, a fact that travels right up to the highest office. The call for Biden to drop out of the race following his disastrous performance a few weeks ago is getting louder. Yet we hear so little about his vice president Kamala Harris so very, very little. She is the only possible replacement that wouldnt derail the candidacy. Clearly, being an idiot outweighs being woefully incapacitated or being a criminal, a pussy grabber. The Los Angeles Daily News describes Trump and Biden as the two worst possible options for president adding as an intended attack that Kamala Harris is a close third. That makes her better, right? If even by a degree? But she is a woman, and a woman must be remarkably better than a man to garner positive attention. And she is not just a woman. She is also the first female, black and South Asian American vice president. She is so far from being just another candidate, a human, like the white men around her, like Trump and Biden. It is heavy for Kamala Harris, that baggage she drags around with her, raising expectations. All of it meaning we judge her more harshly. The call for Biden to drop out of the race following his disastrous performance a few weeks ago is getting louder. Yet we hear so little about his vice president Kamala Harris. Photo: AP/Carlos Osorio This is an age of misogyny. Even when high-profile Democrats are unifying behind 59-year-old Harris, the media and the public seem uninterested. Even though she would secure the support of black, Latino and young voters we are uninterested. Sure, she hasnt polled well in terms of popularity but look at the existing candidates! None of that should matter now, surely? Michelle Obama would be an ideal candidate. Were all saying it. But that use of the word ideal is most likely what keeps her from running. One crack, even the slightest flaw, and she will be thrown to the wolves. She is a strikingly intelligent and intuitive person. She knows her candidacy carries with it the likelihood of slaughter. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, a convicted felon, is now, since his brush with death, even more of a patriot and a hero, lauded online by supporters like Elon Musk and Conor McGregor. Coolock is more of the same more angry men trying their best to break our world apart. This is an age of misogyny. Alice Munro This week also saw Canadian writer Alice Munro being cancelled by many in the literary world. Munros daughter recently shared the Canadian writers horrendous reaction to her childs disclosure of abuse. The abuse had happened in their home, perpetrated by Munros second husband. The writers reaction was callous, repulsive and deeply misogynistic truly chilling. She left her husband for a while following the disclosure but she returned, stood by him. Would we cancel a man for a comparable failing? Have we cancelled Roald Dahl for his open antisemitism? Lewis Carroll for his barely concealed paedophilic obsession with small girls? Ted Hughes for his well-documented abuse of his wives? How about David Foster Wallace? Michel Foucault? Munro had been a saint, you see. Her husbands abuse of her daughter places her on the other side, without any possible shade or nuance. It seems only Munro should be cancelled. Might we not continue to read her work in light of her moral failure as a human, as we do with male authors? Might we knit her dark biography into a sophisticated analysis? God, no. This is still an age of misogyny. My morning travels through it all leave me feeling utterly exhausted. By the time my youngest makes her way downstairs at 8am, I am half dozing from the effort of it all. Newly sprung from her bed, she gobbles the end of the toast before Ive a chance to warn her. She doesnt notice, distracted as she is by the opening credits to Modern Family. July 19: This article was edited to add a reference to Lewis Carroll above. For all the claims from his supporters that surviving an assassination attempt had left Donald Trump a changed man, one more softened and spiritual, the Trump who accepted his partys nomination on Thursday night was deeply familiar: same divisive rhetoric, same divisive policies. But the Republican crowd that surrounded Trump was certainly cheerful and energized. I have never been to a more fun convention, or a convention with better vibes, the ousted Fox News host Tucker Carlson told them, and his unscripted comments seemed to capture a real mood. Biden and the Democrats are foundering, Trump narrowly survived a terrifying attack, and Republicans appear to believe that Trump has already won the election. Here are five takeaways from the night: Trump talked about his assassination attempt for the first, and he said, final time Like many of his supporters, Trump said he believed he had been protected by God last weekend, but he also emphasized how moved he had been by the behaviour of his supporters when he was shot. When faced with a hail of bullets, he said, most crowds would have panicked and tried to flee, but his did not. Melania Trump watches as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. Picture: AP Photo/Paul Sancya After the Secret Service members pounced on him to protect him from the gunfire, Trump said: There was blood pouring everywhere, yet, in a certain way, I felt very safe, because I had God on my side, I felt that." "Im not supposed to be here tonight, Trump said later, and when the crowd began to chant: Yes you are! Yes you are! he responded, But Im not and Ill tell you. I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God. Trump also said he could see a look of sorrow on the faces of his supporters, who watched him go down and assumed that he had been shot in the head and was dead. When he stood up again and lifted his fist, he said, the crowd responded in a way that he had never heard before. This massive crowd of tens of thousands of people stood by and didnt move an inch, Trump said. In fact, he said, many of them stood and started looking for the sniper and pointing at him. Nobody ran, and by not stampeding, many lives were saved, Trump said, saying he believed the reason is that they knew I was in very serious trouble." For the rest of my life, Trump said, I will be grateful for the love shown by that giant audience of patriots that stood bravely on the fateful evening in Pennsylvania. Trump may be changed after the assassination attempt, but he didnt sound that changed In the early minutes of his speech, Trump delivered some of the unity rhetoric that he told journalists he had planned. The discord and division in our society must be healed, Trump said. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America. Republican presidential candidate and former president, Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. Picture: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong But soon after the sombre beginning to his unity speech, Trump turned cheerful and chatty, first praising his friends, and then, soon enough, railing in a familiar way against crazy Nancy Pelosi, calling Biden one of Americas worst presidents, and then, to cheers, referring to Covid once again as the China virus. I hope you will remember this in November and give us your vote. I am trying to buy your vote. Ill be honest about that, Trump later quipped to the voters of Wisconsin, talking about the $250m the Republican national convention is supposed to bring to the Wisconsin economy. Were never going to let it happen again. They used Covid to cheat, Trump said, continuing to deny he lost the 2020 election to Biden. Though sources said Trump would simply not use Bidens name in his speech, he did, saying: If you took the 10 worst presidents in the history of the United States think of it, the 10 worst added them up, they will not have done the damage that Biden has done. The Republican convention is a mirror world: I am the one saving democracy, Trump says Republican presidential candidate and former president, Donald Trump, and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, watch with their families as the balloons fall during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. Picture: AP Photo/Paul Sancya Throughout their convention, Republicans have taken key Democratic lines of attack and claimed them for themselves. In the world of the Republican national convention, the Democrats are the ones who are undermining US democracy, not the party whose supporters stormed the US Capitol to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Biden is acting like a dictator, the North Dakota governor, Doug Burgum, said in a speech on Wednesday. Republican politicians kept reciting the names of women who have been raped or sexually assaulted by immigrants, while blaming the Democratic partys immigration policies for putting them at risk. They didnt talk about Trump being found liable of sexual abuse in a civil trial brought by the magazine writer E Jean Carroll, or the allegations of sexual misconduct he has faced from more than two dozen women. Biden and Harris were called criminals, rather than the candidate who has been convicted on 34 felony charges, and whose convention featured a Trump ally who had just been released from federal prison. The Democrat party should immediately stop weaponizing the justice system and labelling their political opponents as an enemy of democracy, especially since that is not true, Trump said on Thursday. In fact, I am the one saving democracy for the people of our country. Trump again pledges to carry out the largest deportation in US history Before Trump spoke, other Republican politicians devoted large swathes of time during their convention to demonizing undocumented migrants, blaming them for a host of social ills, and advocating not just for a border wall but also Mass deportations now. Trumps speech mirrored the convention as a whole, with a major focus on attacking migrants as criminals and rapists, and claiming, without evidence, that countries like El Salvador had seen decreases in crime because they were shipping all of their murders to the US. (Human rights organizations continue to speak out about the effects of mass arrests in El Salvador.) Republican presidential candidate and former president, Donald Trump, and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, watch with their families as the balloons fall during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. Picture: AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh Trump again promised the largest deportation operation in the history of our country and pledged that his deportations would be even larger than that of president Dwight D Eisenhower from many years ago. You know, he was a moderate but he believed very strongly in borders. He had the largest deportation operation weve ever had. Trump promises 'two things on day one' ... 'Close our borders' and drill, baby, drill! Trump also joined other Republicans throughout the week in touting the GOP as the party of fossil fuel, as Republicans repeatedly chanted: Drill, baby, drill! Climate change experts and activists have said that both Trump and his vice presidential pick, JD Vance, are likely to pursue a methodical climate crisis denial presidency that would include increasing production of fossil fuel, ignoring mainstream climate science and undermining or overturning rules to reduce emissions. One of the everyday Americans invited to speak at the convention earlier in the week was the petroleum engineer Sarah Phillips, who criticized Biden and the Green New Deal. The hydrocarbons that are being extracted are a true gift, Phillips said. Our society and our standard of living could not exist without fossil fuels. These liberal senators shut down the Keystone Pipeline, the Montana senator Steve Daines said earlier on Thursday. An America First majority were going to drill, baby, drill! If its good enough for George Clooney then were in. The work of Sherkin Island-based Majella ONeill Collins caught the A-listers eye when he was in West Cork several years ago and faster than you could say Oceans Eleven, the Hollywood actor snapped up one of the painters signature nautical-inspired canvases from an Inchydoney gallery. Majella says she remembers being "pleasantly surprised" when told who had bought the seascape, adding: But I feel privileged whenever people connect with my work and invest." The painter has joined forces with fellow artists Paula Marten and Aisling Roche to host a summer showcase at The Yellow Door in Baltimore, West Cork, from July 27 to the end of August. Paula Marten, Aisling Roche and Majella ONeill Collins. Picture: Emma Jervis Open Door, Open Minds aims to celebrate womens art and the trio will share the secrets of their work via scheduled and unscheduled talks. Majella, who is also a lecturer with TU Dublins Bachelor Visual Arts on Sherkin Island, brings the charm and resilience of island life to her paintings. She is inspired by the sea and her island surroundings, and says her art reflects her personality and deep connection to her environment. Majella O'Neill Collins. Artist and teacher Paula Marten infuses her vibrant, intricate creations with her love for nature and West Cork. My work reflects the impact that nature has on humanity, emphasising the importance of embracing its positive influence, says Paula. Paula Marten, Majella ONeill Collins and Aisling Roche. Picture: Emma Jervis Aisling Roche draws inspiration from the sea, particularly the mesmerising Lough Hyne. My art evokes the serenity and fragility of the ocean's ecosystem, reflecting the memories, dreams, and otherworldly experiences I encounter while swimming, says Aisling. A standout feature of this series is the opportunity to engage directly with the artists through scheduled and unscheduled talks. Majella, Paula, and Aisling will share the stories behind their works and offer insights into their creative processes. A scheduled talk takes place on Saturday, July 27, at 6pm, at the gallery. President Joe Bidens son Hunter Biden has asked a court to dismiss tax and gun charges against him, citing a similar ruling that threw out a separate prosecution of former president Donald Trump. The requests in federal court in Delaware and California underscore the potential ramifications of US District Judge Aileen Cannons dismissal of the classified documents case against Mr Trump and the possibility that it could unsettle the legal landscape surrounding Justice Department special counsels. Hunter Biden and Mr Trump were prosecuted by special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Hunter Biden arrives for a Medal of Honour Ceremony at the White House in Washington on July 3 (Susan Walsh/AP) In dismissing the case against the former president, Judge Cannon ruled that the appointment of the special counsel who prosecuted him, Jack Smith, violated the Constitution because he was appointed directly to the position by Mr Garland instead of being nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Mr Smiths team has said the Justice Department followed long-established precedent the courts upheld the Trump-era appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Russian election interference and has appealed Judge Cannons dismissal. In court filings, lawyers for Mr Biden said the same logic should apply in his cases and should result in the dismissal of a pending tax prosecution in Los Angeles currently set for trial in September and a separate firearm case in Delaware, in which he was convicted in June of three felony charges. Mr Bidens legal team has previously raised similar arguments unsuccessfully, but still claim there are reasonable grounds to reconsider them. Both cases are being overseen by judges nominated by former president Trump. Aileen Cannon, the judge who threw out Mr Trumps case, was also nominated by the former Republican president. Based on these new legal developments, Mr Biden moves to dismiss the indictment brought against him because the special counsel who initiated this prosecution was also appointed in violation of the appointments clause, his lawyers wrote. They also cited an opinion this month by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that questioned the propriety of a special counsel appointment. The Attorney General relied upon the exact same authority to appoint the Special Counsel in both the Trump and Biden matters, and both appointments are invalid for the same reason, the lawyers added. A spokesperson for Justice Department special counsel David Weiss, who is leading the probe into Bidens actions, said they are aware of the filings from his legal team and will respond in due course. As Melania Trump watches, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump signs paperwork to officially accept the nomination (Evan Vucci/AP) Jurors found Biden guilty in June of lying about his drug use in 2018 on a federal form to buy a firearm that he had for about 11 days. The trial put a spotlight on a dark period in Bidens life during which he became addicted to crack cocaine after the 2015 death of his brother, Beau. Biden claims he has been sober since 2019. Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced in the gun case by US District Judge Maryellen Noreika. However, as a first-time offender, he would not get anywhere near the maximum, and there is no guarantee the judge would send him to prison. She has not set a sentencing date. The tax case centres around an unpaid tax bill of about 1.4 million dollars, which prosecutors argue Biden failed to pay for over four years. The back taxes have since been paid. A Russian court on Friday convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges his employer and the US have rejected as a sham. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison after a secretive and rapid trial in the countrys highly politicised legal system. When the judge in the Sverdlovsk Regional Court asked Gershkovich if he understood the verdict, he said yes. Gershkovich, his employer and the US government vehemently denied the charges. US officials and The Wall Street Journal have denounced the trial as a sham. A Russian Federal Bailiffs Service employee patrols around the court building in Yekaterinburg, Russia ahead of the trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich (Dmitri Lovetsky/PA) Gershkovich, 32, was detained in March 2023 while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg and accused of spying for the US, and has been behind bars ever since. He was the first US journalist taken into custody on espionage charges since Nicholas Daniloff in 1986, at the height of the Cold War. Gershkovichs arrest shocked foreign journalists in Russia, even though the country has enacted increasingly repressive laws on freedom of speech after sending troops into Ukraine. Closing arguments took place behind closed doors at the trial, where Gershkovich did not admit any guilt, according to the courts press service. Gershkovich was in court for a second straight day on Friday for the closed proceedings, where officials said prosecutors requested an 18-year sentence in a high-security prison. Unlike the trials opening on June 26 in Yekaterinburg and previous hearings in Moscow in which reporters were allowed to see Gershkovich briefly before sessions began, there was no access to the courtroom on Thursday, but media was allowed in the court on Friday for the verdict. Espionage and treason cases are typically shrouded in secrecy. Russian courts convict more than 99% of defendants, and prosecutors can appeal against sentences that they regard as too lenient. They even can appeal against acquittals. Evan was doing his job as a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Bring him home now Evans wrongful detention has been an outrage since his unjust arrest 477 days ago, and it must end now, the Journal said on Thursday in a statement. Even as Russia orchestrates its shameful sham trial, we continue to do everything we can to push for Evans immediate release and to state unequivocally: Evan was doing his job as a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Bring him home now. The US State Department has declared Gershkovich wrongfully detained, committing the government to assertively seek his release. Asked on Friday about a possible prisoner swap involving Gershkovich, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment. Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted earlier this year that he would be open to swapping Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence for the 2019 killing in Berlin of a Georgian citizen of Chechen descent. Gershkovich has spent about 15 months in Moscows notorious Lefortovo Prison. The Russian Prosecutor Generals office said last month the journalist was accused of gathering secret information on orders from the CIA about Uralvagonzavod, a plant about 150 kilometres (90 miles) north of Yekaterinburg that produces and repairs tanks and other military equipment. Russias interpretation of what constitutes high crimes such as espionage and treason is broad, with authorities often going after people who share publicly available information with foreigners and accusing them of divulging state secrets. 1371138342::cfb49c8e-2422-11e5-99a3-d7f5c6e8b241 A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. YANGWANG adds 17 authorized after-sales service stores YANGWANG, the premium new energy vehicle brand under BYD, announced on July 19 that its after-sales service network had so far covered 63 prefecture-level cities and 30 provincial-level administrative regions across China with 17 authorized stores recently opened. Photo credit: YANGWANG Chery's 2025 EXEED TXL model hits market Chery's high-end brand EXEED officially put the 2025 EXEED TXL (named "Lingyun" in Chinese Pinyin) onto the market. This mid-sized SUV is available in four variants, with prices ranging from 129,900 yuan to 169,900 yuan. GAC AION's Hyper brand to release new large-sized SUV model in Sept. Hyper, the premium brand under GAC AION, plans to put a fire new large-sized all-electric SUV model code-named AH8 onto the market in September this year, according to a local media outlet. The new model is said to adopt a 2+2+2 seating layout. China's Shenzhen city has 1.08 million new energy vehicles running on roads by June 2024 As of June 2024, China's megacity Shenzhen has had approximately 4.263 million motor vehicles running on roads, of which 1.08 million are new energy vehicles (NEVs), representing over a quarter of the total, according to the information from official website of the Shenzhen Municipal Government. Chery's Tiggo 8L kicks off pre-sale from 147,700 yuan On July 17, Chery officially commenced pre-sale of its new flagship model in the Tiggo family, the Tiggo 8L, with a starting price of 147,700 yuan. Greater Bay Technology supplies power batteries to GAC Hino's fuel cell logistics trucks Recently, Greater Bay Technology ("GBT") secured a significant designated contract with GAC Hino Motors Co., Ltd. to supply power batteries for GAC Hino's 18-tonne hydrogen fuel cell box logistics trucks, according to a post on GBT's WeChat account. The integration of these batteries into the vehicles has been completed. Lithium battery materials supplier Zhide Battery raises hundreds of millions of yuan in Series D financing Lanxi Zhide New Energy Materials Co., Ltd. ("Zhide Battery"), a Chinese lithium battery materials supplier, recently completed its Series D financing round, securing hundreds of millions of yuan, according to the information updated by Tianyancha, a Chinese company information inquiry platform. Chery EXEED starts pre-sale for 2025 STERRA ES all-electric sedan On July 19, Chery's EXEED brand officially kicked off pre-sale of the 2025 revamped all electric sedan, the STERRA ES. The refreshed model is available in five variants, with the international edition starting at 199,900 yuan and the 2025 ES pre-sale price ranging from 225,900 yuan to 309,900 yuan. FAW Toyota's all-new hybrid Prado SUV rolls off production line On July 19, FAW Toyota officially announced the rollout of the new-generation Prado at its Sichuan factory, and the first batch of deliveries is about to begin soon. The rollout of the new Prado signifies FAW Toyota is ushering in a new era of electrification. Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area inaugurates cross-border automotive data center On July 18, the Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area Administration and China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co., Ltd. (CATARC) signed a strategic cooperation agreement. Additionally, agreements were signed with CATARC Automotive Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (CATARC Technology) and Shanghai Lingang Sci-Tech City Economic Development Co., Ltd. (Lingang Sci-Tech City). Black Sesame Technologies' chip facilitates Dongfeng e007's smart driving system upgrade On July 17, automotive computing chip supplier Black Sesame Technologies announced that its A1000 chip has successfully helped Dongfeng Motor's e007 model upgrade its intelligent driving capabilities. Beijing (Gasgoo)- On July 18, the Shanghais Lin-gang Special Area Administration and China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co., Ltd. (CATARC) signed a strategic cooperation agreement. Additionally, agreements were signed with CATARC Automotive Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (CATARC Technology) and Shanghai Lingang Sci-Tech City Economic Development Co., Ltd. (Lingang Sci-Tech City). Inauguratio of data center; photo credit: Lin-gang's official WeChat account According to the agreements, the Lin-gang Special Area Administration, CATARC, and Lingang Group will jointly establish the Lin-gang Special Area Cross-Border Automotive Data Innovation Center. This center aims to provide robust technical support for cross-border automotive data trials in the Lin-gang Special Area. It will focus on the cross-border flow of automotive data, emphasizing the integration of data flow regulations, safety assessment systems, and compliance services for data exiting the country. Additionally, the center will gradually build a platform for cross-border automotive data safety testing and certification. The Innovation Center will also advance R&D in automotive data rights confirmation, asset incorporation, transaction systems, and platform development. It aims to introduce and cultivate a ecosystem for automotive data development in the Lin-gang Special Area. This collaboration will help Lin-gang Special Area become an internationally recognized hub for automotive data and innovation. It will serve as a leading domestic demonstration area for cross-border automotive scenarios. Furthermore, the initiative will support the development of platforms for autonomous driving, low-altitude economy, automotive chip testing and certification, automotive large model industry innovation, and new energy vehicle battery health assessment. Beijing (Gasgoo)- On July 19, Cherys EXEED brand officially kicked off pre-sale of the 2025 revamped all electric sedan, the STERRA ES. The refreshed model is available in five variants, with the international edition starting at 199,900 yuan and the 2025 ES pre-sale price ranging from 225,900 yuan to 309,900 yuan. Photo credit: EXEED In terms of design, the 2025 STERRA ES retains the exterior and dimensions of the current model, measuring 4,945mm in length, 1,978mm in width, and 1,467mm in height, with a 3,000mm wheelbase, positioning it as a mid-to-large sedan. As an annual update, the new model mainly features adjusted configurations. Photo credit: EXEED Configuration-wise, the new model eliminates the Guochao Edition and Max+ Ultra-long-range Edition, while introducing the Pro City Smart Driving Edition. This mid-spec variant includes LiDAR, enhancing its market competitiveness. The entire lineup comes standard with an 800V fast-charging platform, NEP expressway intelligent driving, active electric spoiler, suede headliner, W-HUD, seven airbags, dual wireless phone charging, and 23 speakers. The Pro City Smart Driving Edition also features advanced intelligent driving capabilities, tri-zone climate control, and rear-row infotainment screens. Photo credit: EXEED Regarding power, the international edition is equipped with a 185kW single motor, delivering a maximum torque of 356 Nm. The Pro and Pro City Smart Driving Editions feature a 203kW single motor with a maximum torque of 425 Nm. The Pro AWD and Ultra Flagship versions boast dual motors, offering a combined maximum power of 353kW and a maximum torque of 663 Nm, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds. The chassis includes a front double wishbone independent suspension and a rear five-link independent suspension system, with standard intelligent air suspension and CDC electromagnetic damping system. In terms of battery and range, the international edition is fitted with a 70kWh lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP battery), offering a CLTC-rated range of 605km. The Pro and Pro City Smart Driving Editions come with a 77kWh LFP battery, providing a CLTC range of 680km. The Pro AWD has a 77kWh ternary lithium battery with a CLTC range of 605km, while the Ultra Flagship Edition features a 100kWh ternary lithium battery, delivering a CLTC range of 710km. National Security Council Issues New Directive on Arms Control July 18 (Jowhar.com)- The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, chaired an extraordinary meeting of the National Security Council on July 18, 2024. The meeting discussed illegal weapons imported from Galmudug. Decisions made at the meeting include: Strengthening the inspection of weapons and ammunition. Prohibition of the sale and trade of firearms. Submission of detailed information on illegal weapons. The people involved in this illegal activity should be immediately brought to court. The President stressed the importance of implementing the laws on the control of weapons and ammunition. The meeting was attended by senior government officials. There was a commotion at the meeting scheduled for tonight of the Somali Cabinet of Ministers Jan 25 (Jowhar.com) There was a commotion at the Prime Ministers office tonight after information came out that it was supposed to appoint a second deputy prime minister at the extraordinary meeting of the Cabinet tonight. The Prime Ministers office was attended by MPs from the community sitting on the seat of the Deputy Prime Minister, there are also the Second Deputy Speaker of the Peoples Assembly Abshirow, Deputy Prime Minister Jama and the Minister of Finance Bihi, who all refuse to have their seats as Prime Minister. Deputy Minister to be weakened. Earlier, President Hassan Sheikh promised the people of the South West that he would give him a second deputy prime minister, if the first four chapters of the constitution are approved. The special meeting of the Council of Ministers has not yet opened, as Prime Minister Hamse has not yet entered the meeting room of the Prime Ministers office. Review of : Christopher Phillips, Battleground: 10 Conflicts That Explain the New Middle East. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2024. Munich, Germany (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) The title of Christopher Phillips latest book, Battleground: Ten Conflicts that Explain the New Middle East, might scare off some potential readers. Here comes another Western man, in the worst tradition of arch-Orientalist Bernard Lewis, writing about the Middle East as a region of perennial conflict, beset by ancient hatreds and always on the verge of violence, some might think. But they would be wrong. Phillips, a Lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, presents in Battleground a balanced study of the current Middle East. Although the focus is on ten different conflicts, each of them discussed in a different chapter, Battleground also has space for societal and economic dynamics that are not necessarily conflictual. Phillips commendable balance has much to do with his commitment to multicausal explanations for conflict, avoiding all-too-common simplistic explanations. Although the chapters are relatively short, he does not sacrifice complexity for the sake of concision. Yes, he would argue, the legacy of Western imperialism and the ongoing intervention of non-regional actors such as the United States or Russia in the Middle East have created much havoc. But so have interventions from Middle Eastern countries into each others politics, or the poor performance of domestic political elites, too often focused on self-enrichment. And yes, religious and ethnic identities can be a source of conflict, but they only become truly destructive when instrumentalized by external powers or internal political elites. Frequently, they just take a back seat to economic interests and political ideologies. As the subtitle of the book suggests, Phillips seeks to explain what he calls the New Middle East. Although many of the pre-Arab Spring dynamics have continued to dominate the region, Phillips argues that considerable changes after 2011 justify the notion of a New Middle East. Two of these recent developments are Washingtons limited withdrawal from the region, partly due to the USs growing energy independence, and the increasing importance of non-state actors. At the same time, the post-2011 Middle East has a broader range of regional powers, and they interact in a larger geographical area, Phillips notes. The Horn of Africa, covered in one of the books chapters, is a paradigmatic example of these dynamics. The Horn has seen a struggle for influence between Turkey, Iran, Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, not to mention extra-regional actors. Phillips writes that while not being in the Middle East itself, the Horn has become a new arena for competition for that regions battling powers.[1] Phillips book does not cover Northern Africa beyond the case of Egypt. If he had done so, detailing the moderate democratic advances in Tunisia before Kais Saieds coup in 2021, the overall image of the Arab Springs legacy would have been somewhat less negative. Still, it is difficult to be optimistic when one sets the hopes in many Arab countries at the beginning of 2011 against the current reality. About Egypt, for instance, Phillips remarks that Sisi has constructed a far more fearsome police state than Mubarak, arguably more so even that Nasser, making the consequences of rebelling far greater.[2] Meanwhile, Muammar Gaddafi was killed by rebels in October 2011, but the institutionally poor country he left behind greatly complicated the prospects of a democratic transition. The long-time dictator had hollowed out most national institutions and there was no national army or police force to fold them into.[3] The new interim government could not control or disarm the militias that had fought Gaddafi. Moreover, the exclusion of former regime officials from the new system, however understandable it was considering their complicity in Gaddafis terror state, resulted in powerful grievances within a group that retained considerable influence. Every chapter in the book provides a historical perspective of each of the conflicts as well as an exploration of the most recent developments. When reading the different cases, the seismic changes during the last decades in the configuration of power between the states in the Middle East are certainly striking. Turkey and Iran, despite their profound internal changes, have not lost influence since the height of the Cold War. But Iraq and Egypt are two former regional powers whose sway in the region has steadily declined. In the case of Iraq, the main reason was Saddam Husseins successive invasions of Iran and Kuwait and the decade of sanctions that followed, culminating in the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. The case of Egypt is more complicated. Phillips argues that the countrys internal decline had much to do with Gamal Abdel Nassers failed socialist policies, followed by an equally unsuccessful new approach by his successor Anwar Sadat, who liberalized the economy. Be that as it may, what is clear is that Egypt was once the pre-eminent Arab power in the Middle East but is now dependent on neighbors and allies further afield -like the US- for economic support.[4] Christopher Phillips, Battleground: 10 Conflicts That Explain the New Middle East. (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2024). Click here to buy. For Egypt, two of these powerful neighbors are Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which together with Qatar have greatly expanded their regional influence during the last decades thanks to their wealth in natural resources. Sisis coup in 2013 against the democratically elected government of Mohamed Morsi cannot be understood without considering the economic and political support Sisi received from Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. A country that showcases the multiplicity of root causes and actors that need to be considered when studying conflict in the Middle East (or for that matter, anywhere else in the world) is Lebanon. With borders that made little historical sense, separating groups that used to live together, Lebanon was established by the victors of the First World War after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The newly established territory was ruled by France as a mandate of the League of Nations. When independence was declared in 1943, Lebanon emerged as a country with a very diverse population. There are Sunni and Shia Muslims, Alawites, Druze, Orthodox, and Maronite Christians, alongside smaller communities. Lebanon has managed this diversity with a sectarian political system that distributes high offices and parliamentary seats on a confessional basis. The system, initially established in the 1943 National Pact, underwent some changes in the 1989 Taif Agreement but remained essentially sectarian. Both agreements were negotiated by political elites and later imposed in a top-down approach. The 1989 Taif Agreement, although deeply flawed, presaged the end of the civil war that devastated Lebanon between 1975 and 1990 and killed at least 100,000 people. Israel, Syria, and Palestinian militias heavily intervened in Lebanese politics, while the occupation of southern Lebanon by Israel opened the door to Iran through the creation of Hezbollah. At the same time, Lebanon has never lacked a fair number of national elites eager to interact with foreign forces for their self-serving purposes. As Phillips puts it succinctly, in the 1990s the national elites transformed themselves from warlords into businessmen. The end of the war led to a turbo-charged neoliberalism that multiplied Lebanons GDP per capita fourfold between 1990 and 2000 and, once again, between 2000 and 2010. However, per capita figures obfuscate how broad sectors of society were left behind. A UNDP study from 2017 showed that, in the private sector, the earnings of the top 2 percent were almost as high as those of the bottom 60 percent. While the popular sectors barely benefited from the growth years, the collapse of the banking system starting in 2019 hit them the hardest. The overall poverty rate moved from 30%35% in 2019 to 85%90% at the end of 2021. What does the near future have in store for the Middle East and its ongoing conflicts? The threat posed by the so-called Islamic State has not disappeared, but it is far smaller after they lost their territorial base in Iraq and Syria in 2017. Meanwhile, the rivalries within the Gulf Cooperation Council appear to be relatively contained since January 2021, when the blockade imposed on Qatar by Saudi Arabia and the UAE came to an end. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran continue to be high but at least there is a direct communication line between Riyadh and Tehran after the restoration of diplomatic relations in 2023. The civil war in Libya was halted in 2020 and the conflicts in Yemen and Syria have lost intensity. Still, reductions in the level of open fighting very often do not translate into significant improvements in the lives of the civilian population, and this is what we see in Libya, Yemen, and Syria. And last, but certainly not least, there appears to be no end in sight for the Gaza War. At least 38,193 people have died in Gaza as a result of Israeli military operations following Hamas attack against Israel on October 7. In the long run, however, the ongoing denial of humanitarian aid to the population of Gaza will probably prove even deadlier than the bombs. A study recently published by The Lancet suggests this has already happened. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to have no hurry to conclude the military operations in Gaza and ease the siege on the civilian population. In case Biden had not been pliant enough to Netanyahus wishes, the Israeli premier might find an even more receptive ear in the White House after the November election. [1] Christopher Phillips, Battleground: 10 Conflicts That Explain the New Middle East (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2024), p. 242. [2] Ibid., p. 164. [3] Ibid., p. 47. [4] Ibid., p. 142. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Lanxi Zhide New Energy Materials Co., Ltd. (Zhide Battery), a Chinese lithium battery materials supplier, recently completed its Series D financing round, securing hundreds of millions of yuan, according to the information updated by Tianyancha, a Chinese company information inquiry platform. The latest round draws investment from SAIC Motor-backed Shangqi Capital, Everest Venture Capital, and others. According to Tianyancha, the new round brings the company's total number of financing rounds to five since its establishment. Photo credit: Zhide Battery Founded in December 2018, Zhide Battery is dedicated to the R&D, production, and sales of high-energy-density lithium battery composite materials. Its main products include high-capacity silicon/carbon anode materials for lithium batteries, such as ZDS01 (low-cost, standard-efficiency silicon anode material), ZDS02 (new high-efficiency silicon anode material), and ZDS03 (new high-rate silicon anode material). These products are widely used in batteries, 3C electronics devices, and electric vehicles. The company began developing silicon-carbon anodes in 2016 and now possesses core technology for the low-cost nanofabrication of silicon-carbon materials. In July 2021, Zhide Battery's first-phase 500-tonne silicon-carbon anode material project for lithium batteries commenced production. These products have been trialed for over a year by nearly 30 key domestic and global clients. The second-phase 3000-tonne project is also actively progressing. With the increasing demand for high-energy-density batteries in new energy vehicles and consumer electronics, the silicon-based anode materials industry has seen significant growth. Silicon-based anode materials not only enhance the energy density of batteries but also offer good safety and fast-charging performance. Industry experts predict that the shipment volume of silicon-based anode materials will continue to grow rapidly, with a promising market outlook. I Cant Erase All the Blood from My Mind Palestinian Armed Groups October 7 Assault on Israel ( Human Rights Watch ) Questions and Answers: The Hamas-Led Armed Groups October 7, 2023 Assault on Israel Early in the morning of October 7, 2023, Sagi Shifroni, 41, like many Israelis living near the Gaza Strip that day, was awakened by sirens. When the attack on Kibbutz Beeri began, he dashed in his sleepwear with his 5-year-old daughter to his homes safe room or mamad. His wife years earlier had persuaded him to remove the doors outside handle, so when Palestinian fighters broke into his house at about 11 a.m., they were unable to open the safe room door. Shifroni told Human Rights Watch: I heard glass breaking and a few seconds later I heard shots fired at the door of the safe room. The door was not bulletproof, so the bullets came through. The whole room filled with the smell of gunpowder and broken cement. My daughter asked me if they were trying to kill us and I told her, Yes, but they wont manage. They tried to knock the door down for a few minutes but couldnt. They tried to shoot the hinges. Shifroni said smoke started seeping through the door: It was pretty clear that we couldnt stay here. If we stayed, we would be dead. At this point I decided to get out, it was more like an instinct. I opened the door of the safe room a bit and saw the whole house was on fire, so I turned to the window and opened it. I saw that the whole patio area outside was also on fire. Shifroni smashed the window glass and pushed the metal shutters open. He wrapped his daughter in a blanket and told her to hold a pillow to her nose and mouth and breathe through it. Then he jumped out, holding her in his arms. His arms, shoulders, back, and face got severely burned. Only at midnight was he able to get to a hospital to treat his burns. Overview of the October 7 Assault On the morning of October 7, Palestinian armed groups carried out numerous coordinated attacks including on civilian residences and gatherings and on Israeli military bases in the so-called Gaza Envelope, the populated area of southern Israel bordering the Gaza Strip. The armed groups attacked at least 19 kibbutzim and five moshavim (cooperative communities), the cities of Sderot and Ofakim, two music festivals, and a beach party. Community security called kitot konenut, or rapid response teams, and local police tried to resist the attackers until Israeli military forces arrived, often several hours after the assault had begun. The fighting lasted much of that day and, in some cases, longer. The assault took place on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, when many soldiers were on leave. Palestinian armed groups began the assault with barrages of indiscriminate rockets and projectiles toward Israel. Fighters breached the physical barrier separating Gaza and Israel and then attacked nearby communities. Early in the attacks, the fighters disrupted and destroyed communications and surveillance equipment, leaving Israeli forces unable to develop an accurate picture of the situation. The largest number of deaths occurred during the attack on the Supernova Music Festival, where at least 364 civilians were killed. Across many attack sites, fighters fired directly at civilians, often at close range, as they tried to flee, and at people who happened to be driving vehicles in the area. They hurled grenades and shot into safe rooms and other shelters and fired rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) at homes. They set some houses on fire, burning and suffocating people to death, and forcing out others who they then captured or killed. They took hundreds hostage for transfer to Gaza or summarily killed them. Agence France-Presse (AFP), which cross-referenced numerous data sources to verify the number of people killed, has assessed that 815 of a total of 1,195 people killed were civilians, including 79 foreign nationals. Among them were at least 282 women and 36 children. The Palestinian armed groups took hostage 251 civilians and Israeli security forces personnel and brought them back to Gaza following the attack.[1] Those abducted either remain as hostages in Gaza, have been released, or have been killed or died in the ensuing fighting. These are included in the overall death toll. National and international media outlets detailed many of the atrocities that took place on October 7. Some reports minimized the extent of the abuses, while others included allegations of abuses that were later proven incorrect. Hamas, the Palestinian movement that has governed the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip since 2007, stated that its armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades (the Qassam Brigades), led the assault on October 7. Survivor accounts and publicly available digital material from that day show that many of the fighters wore a combination of black or green uniforms or camouflage, some of which resembled Israeli military uniforms. Some wore distinctive headbands or insignia that identified them as members of Hamas or another armed group. Other armed group members wore civilian attire, although some may have been civilians from Gaza who joined the assault. Most of the victims of the attacks were Jewish Israelis. However, fighters also killed, wounded, or took hostage Israeli dual nationals, Palestinian citizens of Israel, Palestinians from Gaza, and foreign workers, including Chinese, Filipino, Nepali, Sri Lankan and Thai nationals, and at least one national each from Cambodia, Canada, Eritrea, Germany, Mexico, Sudan, Tanzania, and the United Kingdom. This report aims to capture the nature and extent of violations of international humanitarian law, known as the laws of war, and serious international crimes committed by Palestinian armed groups across numerous attack sites on October 7. The report also examines the role of different Palestinian armed groups involved, and their coordination before and during the attacks. HRW Video: Overview of the October 7 Assault Human Rights Watch has extensively reported elsewhere on violations of the laws of war by Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza and on grave human rights abuses and conditions in Gaza, including since October 7.[2] Methodology Human Rights Watch conducted research in October and November 2023 in Israel, and remote research through June 2024. The research included interviews in person and remotely with 144 people including: 94 survivors of the October 7 attacks; family members of survivors, hostages and those killed; first responders who collected human remains from the attack sites; medical experts who examined the human remains and provided forensic advice to the Israeli authorities; officials from the municipalities affected by the attacks; journalists who visited the attack sites after Israeli forces secured the areas; analysts of Palestinian political and armed groups; and international investigators. Human Rights Watch verified over 280 photographs and videos posted on social media platforms or shared directly with Human Rights Watch, including those recorded by fighters body cameras, cellphone cameras, dashboard cameras, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras from the attack sites. Human Rights Watch also examined satellite images and analyzed dozens of audio recordings, most shared on armed groups Telegram channels. Violations of International Humanitarian Law This report details numerous incidents of violations of international humanitarian lawthe laws of warby Palestinian armed groups on October 7, 2023; it does not include violations since then. These include deliberate and indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian objects; willful killing of persons in custody; cruel and other inhumane treatment; sexual and gender-based violence; hostage taking; mutilation and despoiling (robbing) of bodies; use of human shields; and pillage and looting. International humanitarian law recognizes the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza as an ongoing armed conflict. The hostilities between Israel and Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups are governed by international humanitarian law for non-international armed conflicts, which are rooted in international treaty law, most notably Common Article 3 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, and customary international humanitarian law. These rules concern the methods and means of combat and fundamental protections for civilians and for combatants no longer participating in hostilities and apply to both states and non-state armed groups. The foremost principle of international humanitarian law is that parties to a conflict must distinguish at all times between combatants and civilians. Civilians may never be the target of attack. Attacks that deliberately target civilians or fail to discriminate between combatants and civilians, or that would cause disproportionate harm to the civilian population compared to the anticipated military gain, are prohibited. Members of the organized fighting forces of a non-state party may be targeted during an armed conflict. There is no requirement that members of non-state armed groups wear uniforms or other identifying insignia. Civilians lose their immunity from attack when and only for such time as they are directly participating in hostilities. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Interpretive Guidance on Direct or Participation in Hostilities provides that civilians who participate in individual self-defense are not directly participating in hostilities. That is, civilians who use necessary and proportionate force to defend themselves against unlawful attack do not become lawful military targets. Otherwise, states the Guidance, this would have the absurd consequence of legitimizing a previously unlawful attack.[3] Common Article 3 provides a number of fundamental protections for civilians and captured or incapacitated combatants. Violence against such personsnotably murder, cruel treatment, and tortureis prohibited, as well as outrages against their personal dignity and degrading or humiliating treatment, and the taking of hostages. War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Serious violations of the laws of war that are committed with criminal intentdeliberately or recklesslyare war crimes. War crimes, listed in the grave breaches provisions of the Geneva Conventions and as customary law, include a wide array of offenses, including deliberate, indiscriminate, and disproportionate attacks harming civilians and civilian objects, torture and other ill-treatment, hostage-taking, and using human shields, among others. Individuals also may be held criminally liable for attempting to commit a war crime, as well as assisting in, facilitating, aiding, or abetting a war crime. Certain crimes, such as murder, can amount to crimes against humanity, when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) defines such an attack as a course of conduct involving the multiple commission of acts listed as crimes against humanity, pursuant to or in furtherance of state or organizational policy to commit such an attackthat is, the multiple criminal acts committed. Such a policy includes the state or organization actively promoting or encouraging such an attack, or in certain situations, its deliberate failure to take action. Criminal responsibility may fall on persons responsible for war crimes or crimes against humanity, including those planning or instigating or assisting the commission of the crimes. In addition, commanders and civilian leaders may be prosecuted for war crimes or crimes against humanity as a matter of command responsibility when they knew or should have known about the commission of war crimes or crimes against humanity by persons within their chain of command and took insufficient measures to prevent them or punish those responsible. States have an obligation to investigate and fairly prosecute individuals within their territory implicated in war crimes or crimes against humanity. Violations on October 7 Violations of International Humanitarian Law and War Crimes Killings The laws of war prohibit deliberate or indiscriminate attacks on civilians and the killing of civilians or captured combatants in custody, which are war crimes. Palestinian fighters repeatedly attacked civilians and summarily executed individuals in their custody. The killings of civilians appear planned because of the many similarities in how killings took place across the attack sites: the armed groups directed many of their attacks at residential areas, fighters began to shoot civilians immediately after the assault began at 6:30 a.m., and the armed groups audio recordings and videos of the assault posted on their Telegram channels were indicative of a modus operandi. The Hamas leadership issued some statements after the assault saying its fighters had been instructed to spare women, children and older people, something contradicted by events. Some statements also made no mention of men who, if civilians, are also protected from attack. Fighters also often extensively damaged peoples property, including by smashing and vandalizing, as well as by burning some buildings to the ground, putting civilians inside at grave risk. Torture and Ill-treatment Palestinian fighters committed acts of torture and ill-treatment against individuals they had captured, including those being taken as hostages. Committing torture and other ill-treatment is a violation of the laws of war and a war crime. Verified videos show fighters hitting and kicking those they took into custody. In one video, a fighter is dragging a woman by the hair. Another depicts a female hostage with visible injuries being pulled out of the trunk compartment of a vehicle by a fighter who drags her by her hair and, together with another man, forces her as she resists into the vehicles back seat. One verified video posted to the South First Responders Telegram channel shows men wearing Qassam Brigades headbands taking a man from a bomb shelter at a bus stop near Kissufim.[4] Fighters direct the man toward a car parked next to the bus stop and one hits the man repeatedly with the butt of a rifle. A second fighter approaches with zip ties and proceeds to kick the man twice in the head before another fighter gets him to stop. Crimes Involving Acts of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Rape and other severe forms of sexual violence are crimes under international law. Acts of sexual and gender-based violence may also constitute the war crime of outrages upon personal dignity. Human Rights Watch found evidence of acts of sexual and gender-based violence by fighters including forced nudity, and the posting without consent of sexualized images on social media. Human Rights Watch was not able to gather verifiable information through interviews with survivors of or witnesses to rape during the assault on October 7. Human Rights Watch requested access to information on sexual and gender-based violence in the possession of the Israeli government, but this request was not granted. The office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict visited Israel on the invitation of the government. The team interviewed people who reported witnessing rape and other sexual violence, concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence occurred during the October 7 attacks in multiple locations across Gaza periphery, including rape and gang rape, in at least three locations.[5] The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel (UN Commission of Inquiry) conducted an investigation into crimes including those committed during the October 7 assault. In the commissions June 2024 report it wrote that it had documented cases indicative of sexual violence perpetrated against women and men in and around the Nova festival site, as well as the Nahal Oz military outpost and several kibbutzim, including Kfar Aza, Reim and Nir Oz,[6] and found indications that members of the military wing of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups committed gender-based violence (GBV) in several locations in southern Israel on 7 October.[7] The extent to which acts of sexual and gender-based violence were committed during the October 7 assault will likely never be fully known: many victims may have been killed; stigma and trauma often deter survivors from reporting; and Israeli security forces and other responders largely did not collect relevant forensic evidence from the attack sites or the recovered bodies.[8] Taking of Hostages Hostage-taking has been defined by the International Committee of the Red Cross as the seizure, detention or otherwise holding of a person (the hostage) accompanied by the threat to kill, injure or continue to detain that person in order to compel a third party to do or to abstain from doing any act as an explicit or implicit condition for the release, safety or well-being of the hostage. Hostages can include civilians and captured military personnel. Hostage-taking is a violation of the laws of war and a war crime. The Hamas leadership has said that taking hostages was core to their assault plans. The Qassam Brigades and other armed groups took 251 people hostage on October 7, including 40 who were taken from the Supernova Music Festival, and 39 children. As of July 1, 116 hostages were still in Gaza, at least 42 of them dead. The Qassam Brigades and other armed groups have released multiple videos showing hostages asking to be released and demanding action from the Israeli government to secure their release. The broadcast of these videos of people in captivity are forms of inhumane treatment that constitute the war crime of outrages upon personal dignity. Pillage, Looting and Destruction of Property Pillage has been defined as the forcible taking of private property. Pillage, as well as destruction of property without military justification, are war crimes. Palestinian fighters and unarmed people, some of whom may have been civilians from Gaza, stole from homes during the October 7 assault. In some cases, they demanded money and other possessions from civilians sheltering inside their houses. Crimes Against Humanity Human Rights Watch has found that the Palestinian armed groups involved in the assault on October 7 committed a widespread attack directed against a civilian population, according to the definition required for crimes against humanity. This is based on the numerous civilian sites that were targeted for the commission of crimes. The attack directed against the civilian population was also systematic, based on the planning that went into the crimes. Human Rights Watch has further found that the criminal acts of the killing of civilians and the taking of hostages were all central aims of the planned attack, and not actions that occurred as an afterthought, or as a plan gone awry, or as isolated acts, for example solely by the actions of unaffiliated Palestinians from Gaza, and as such there is strong evidence of an organizational policy to commit multiple acts of crimes against humanity. Given, therefore that on October 7, 2023, there was an attack directed against a civilian population and that the murder of civilians and the taking of hostagesimprisonment in violation of fundamental rules of international lawwere part of it, these amount to crimes against humanity. Based on the evidence set out in this report, Human Rights Watch calls for the investigation of other crimes against humanity, including persecution against any identifiable group on racial, national, ethnic or religious grounds; rape or any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity; and extermination. These would amount to crimes against humanity if criminal acts meeting the respective definitions of the crimes were committed, and these crimes were committed as part of the attack directed against a civilian population . . . Read the whole report. VANCOUVER, BC, July 18, 2024 /CNW/ - Northcliff Resources Ltd. ("Northcliff" or the "Company") (TSX: NCF) is pleased to announce that Andrew Ing has been appointed as the Chairman of the Company. Andrew Ing has been a key member of the Northcliff management team since 2019, serving as President and CEO since 2020 and prior to that as the Company's CFO. He has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2023. Mr. Ing has spoken about the role and significance of critical minerals at conferences, in particular addressing tungsten and molybdenum, in driving global innovation, modernization and transformation, and published an article in the Canadian Mining Magazine featuring tungsten and molybdenum. During his more than 20 years in the natural resources sector, he has focused on corporate development activities with an emphasis on capital finance, business agreement negotiations and community and stakeholder relations. He previously held positions with professional services firms PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, providing advisory services to mining companies in Asia, Europe and the Americas. He holds Chartered Public Accountant and Corporate Finance designations, as well as specialized designations in corporate governance and the strategic management of information technology. Marchand Snyman has resigned as Chairman and a director of Northcliff and its subsidiaries as of July 17, 2024. Mr. Snyman has served as the Chairman of the Board of Northcliff since 2013 and provided significant leadership during his tenure. The Company's Board of Directors would like to thank Marchand for his valuable contributions and wish him well with his future endeavours. About Northcliff Resources Ltd. Northcliff is a mineral resource company focused on advancing the feasibility-stage Sisson Tungsten-Molybdenum Project located in New Brunswick, Canada, to production. Additional information on Northcliff is available on the website at www.northcliffresources.com. Investor services can be reached at (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114. Trevor Thomas Secretary VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / Saville Resources Inc. (TSXV:SRE) (FSE:S0J) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases dated June 23, 2024 and July 16, 2024 and in connection with its acquisition of 1398827 B.C. Ltd., the Company has appointed Rob Leckie as its new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Leckie has over 20 years' experience in finance, including roles in investment banking, investment management and corporate management. He was previously a Vice President at Dundee Corporation where he was responsible for identifying, developing, and overseeing investment opportunities with a focus on resource investing. He was a Managing Director of Dundee Acquisition, the first special purpose acquisition corporation (SPAC) created in Canada, a Founding board member and investor in Nova Royalty Corp, and a board member of Reunion Gold, Magna Terra Minerals, Cathedral Bitcoin, and Gold Line Resources. Mr. Leckie was a co-founder and director of Somerset Energy Partners, Valkyrie Oil Trucking Corp., and South Viking Energy Corp. The Company looks forward to leveraging Mr. Leckie's wealth of experience in its future business goals and endeavors. The Company also announces the resignation of Mr. Mike Hodge from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and notes that Mr. Hodge will remain a member of the Company's board of directors. Mr. Hodge has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since November 2017. The management and board of the Company wish to thank Mr. Hodge for his efforts and dedication to the Company and look forward to working with him in his continued role as Director. On behalf of the Board of Directors SAVILLE RESOURCES INC. "Mike Hodge" Mike Hodge, Director Tel: 604.681.1568 The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Last week in The Hague, a peoples tribunal confirmed crimes against humanity and genocide charges against the Peoples Republic of China President Xi Jinping. The hotel conference room turned into a court for the week and, on Friday July 12, many of the victims and witnesses followed the judgement with phone in hand to film the moment. While the judges decided there was not enough evidence to confirm the count of aggression against Taiwan, Taiwanese statehood was recognised. They also found there was clear evidence of crimes against humanity against the local population in Tibet and the Uyghur community in Xinjiang, where they also confirmed charges of genocide. In China, there was evidence of a clear aim at annihilating a whole community, said presiding judge Zac Yacoob, who served for 15 years in the constitutional court of South Africa, appointed by late President Nelson Mandela. Besides Yacoob, on the panel of judges were Bhavani Fonseka, prominent Sri Lankan constitutional and human rights lawyer, and Stephen Rapp, former US Ambassador-at-large for war crimes issues. We hope the Chinese government will take note of this judgment, said Yacoob, adding that he hopes the international community will also take note and reflect on holding the Chinese government accountable. The hearings of the victims, witnesses, and expert witnesses took place from July 8 to 12, with the closing arguments and judgment on the final day. At three rows of tables facing each other, the legal team -- six men and two women all wearing traditional black robes -- sat with thick folders in front of them. The audience had to stand up as the judges entered. On the sidelines were four cameramen, moving around and signalling to each other to get the best shots. They are making a documentary on the event. Creating a legal blueprint? This was the second visit to The Hague for the Court of the Citizens of the World, organized by the Cinema for Peace Foundation. In February 2023, they organised a tribunal in relation to the crime of aggression in Ukraine, which confirmed the ICC indictment of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Peoples tribunals face criticism regarding their purpose and lack of authority, but are also considered as a way to create a legal blueprint for possible cases. A peoples court has no legislative power. Here, it applied the Rome Statute of the ICC and was not organizing a trial but a confirmation of charges hearing in absentia. This is much like the pre-trial chamber of the International Criminal Court will do next October in the Joseph Kony case, said Rapp. He says the peoples tribunal provides the victims and survivors with an opportunity to have some sort of judicial proceedings. It was a simulated process, and it was understood as such but it is still the next best thing. Delays and disorganization Not unlike sometimes in real international courts, the process leading up to this peoples tribunal was also marked by delays and disorganization. The trial was initially scheduled for April 27 to May 4. However, on April 19, Justice Info received the update that the whole process had been postponed to July. Then, a few days before the real start of the event came allegations of interference from China, disclosed to the participants only, which allegedly caused the organisation to move to a new location. The day we could attend in person was the last day of testimonies before the judgment, Thursday July 11. The audience was around 10 people, half of them victims and witnesses. Among them were a Tibetan monk wearing a red robe and a Uyghur man with a traditional hat. Some of the victims had signs with photos of their loved ones who were killed or disappeared. A first victim testified, a Uyghur man now in the diaspora who had been detained in Xinjiang for 15 months in 2013-14. He held a photo of his niece and recounted how she asked him and other members of their family not to speak out, so as to protect everyones safety. He said she was later tortured and killed in China in 2018. Expert witness Adrian Zenz is testifying online on Thursday, July 11, before the panel of judges of the China Tribunal, a people's court gathered in a hotel conference room, in the Hague. Photo: Margherita Capacci Expert witness, victims, defence, prosecutor The Uyghur are a Turkic-speaking and largely Muslim people mostly living in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in north-western China. Adrian Zenz, an international expert on internal Chinese government documents and the Xinjiang internment campaign, testifying remotely, explained how there is evidence in the policies of President Xi Jinping of an intent to weaken and control the Uyghurs. This was done with the construction of re-education camps where people could be sent even preventively. The Chinese government accused the Uyghurs of being terrorists and used national security as a justification for the repression. The first Uyghur victim, who asked not to be named, then spoke of his arrest on false accusation, of multiple interrogations on a tiger chair [used to immobilize suspects], of food and water deprivation, of sexual abuse and torture. He had to confess a minor crime and go through two trials before he could be freed, only to find a city full of cameras for face recognition, where as a Uyghur with a criminal record he was banned almost anywhere. Cross-examined by defence lawyer Gregor Guy-Smith, a former president of the Association of Defence for the International Court for the former Yugoslavia, he was asked about one of the trials he faced in China, which the victim described as trumped up. Was it a piece of theatre like this? asked the defence lawyer and he gestured to the room. The second victim testifying was a woman, speaking with the help of an interpreter. She was sent to a re-education camp in Xinjang under bogus charges, she said. She explained how the Uyghur language was prohibited and praying was prohibited. They had to study Mandarin, sing the Party songs, and praise Xi Jinping. Once she was interrogated for six days and asked questions like Are you part of a terrorist organisation? Do you want to divide the country?. She was then made to record a video that the police scripted for her. The prosecutor, Jonathan Rees, a British KC who worked on defence before the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, said in his closing argument that President Xi bears criminal responsibility for inciting, inducing, committing and contributing to those offences. In the judgment, Yacoob confirmed all counts of genocide and crimes against humanity, including imprisonment, torture, sexual violence and enforced sterilization. The crimes were wide and systematic, were planned and involved state apparatus from beginning to end, he concluded. Greg Pajo - Car and Driver From the July/August issue of Car and Driver. Hanksville (population 170 or so) is a tiny crossroads town in south-central Utah that looms large for area visitors. That's been the case for some time, as it was a lonely supply outpost used by Butch Cassidy and his notorious Wild Bunch in the late 1800s. Cassidy, a local miscreant, established a well-concealed hideout to the east in what is now called Robbers Roost, a steeply walled canyon off the aptly named Dirty Devil River. Today handfuls of hardy tourists venture to those same impossibly sinuous canyons looking for extreme off-grid adventure, oftentimes involving rappelling but always supported by a four-by-four. Others stock supplies before they head farther east into Canyonlands National Park's Maze district or south toward the waters of Lake Powell. It's the perfect place to see what the new Toyota Land Cruiser is all about while also getting a sense of the fearsome topography that Cassidy used to his advantage. Greg Pajo - Car and Driver Toyota killed the North American Land Cruiser after the 2021 model year, but for 2024, the company has pulled a Frankenstein and brought it back to life. Land Cruiser purists are not convinced, however, because the apparent death and rebirth of the Cruiser was premeditated all along despite whatever "We heard you, so we're bringing it back" nonsense the public-relations department spouted. What was really going on was a planned shunning of the new 300-series Land Cruiser (a.k.a. the "real" one) in favor of the 250-series Land Cruiser Prado that lagged two years in arrears. It was a course correction intended to avoid a likely base price north of $90,000 and bring the Cruiser back to earth and into the hands of more buyers. ADVERTISEMENT It worked. The new Land Cruiser starts at $57,345 for the so-called 1958 base model and rises to $76,345 for the limited-run kitchen-sink First Edition. Most will gravitate toward the nicely equipped $63,345 mid-level trim simply called Land Cruiser, which is some $24,000 less than the deceased Cruiser's final $87,030 base price. Say goodbye to the longstanding Cruiser-head lament in which off-roaders who knew the model's off-piste potential agonized as new Land Cruisers were driven as "mall wagons" by their original owners until time and accumulated mileage put them within reach of those who would use them as intended. Story continues Greg Pajo - Car and Driver Still, Prado is a four-letter word in certain circles, but that reputation dates to the mid-1990s, when Toyota switched it to the independent front suspension of a 4Runner while the 80-series Cruiser still had a live front axle. The line began to blur when the 100- and 200-series Cruisers gained an independent front suspension. Toyota's new TNGA-F (Toyota Next Generation Architecture) platform further undermines haters' arguments because it underpins not only the latest 300-series Land Cruiser (sold in the U.S. as the Lexus LX600) and the 250-series Land Cruiser but also the Lexus GX550 and the new 4Runner. The Sequoia, Tundra, and Tacoma use stretched versions of TNGA. Therefore, the 2024 Land Cruiser shares the same 112.2-inch wheelbase of the 300 and its forebears all the way back to the lionized 80-series. The 250's track widths, independent front suspension, and live-axle rear suspension essentially match the 300 too. So, our First Edition has largely the same chassis with a narrower and more tightly drawn body plopped atop it. This is immediately apparent on the stunning trail to Angel Point, a high lookout above the confluence of the Dirty Devil River and Robbers Roost Canyon. A high roofline (all Cruiser trims are at least five inches taller than the new 4Runner) enables a commanding seating position that conspires with low-cut side windows, strategically creased fender tops, and a dished hood to make easy work of positioning this Land Cruiser in tight places. Recent Land Cruisers never felt so svelte and compatible with brush-lined trails. It pays dividends parking at Costco too. Greg Pajo - Car and Driver Passing back through town toward our next trailhead, the Land Cruiser impresses with a smooth ride and quiet Michelin LTX Trail tires. Neither the shocks nor the tires are especially remarkable from an off-road perspective, as the dampers are passive twin-tube units. That's fine with us, because anyone who wants to step things up in the aftermarket won't be tossing aside pricey hardware. The 265/70R-18 Michelins are inoffensive in daily use, and they stand the preferred 33 inches tall, meaning no reworking is necessary to fit alternate treads. Beyond that, the interior is as pleasing to the eye as it is to our sense of logic, with everything where you expect it to be. In fact, the 12.3-inch screen is a boon compared with the GX550's larger 14.0-inch unit because the Cruiser gets physical HVAC switches below the display. The GX has virtual ones on the screen's lower edge, resulting in a usable map area essentially no larger than the Toyota's. Descending into Poison Springs Canyon toward the Dirty Devil is like a semester in advanced geology, as the trail follows a tiny stream that has spent millennia carving an impressive copy of the Grand Canyon. One crucial squeeze along the route was more boulder strewn than we'd expected because of recent rain and rockfall of the sort that created what is, after all, a still-growing canyon. But healthy wheel articulation (made even healthier by our First Edition's electronically disconnectable front anti-roll bar) and the lockable center and rear differentials got us through. At one point, we unlocked the center differential in low rangean impossibility beforeto get a tighter turning radius so we could execute a crucial three-point turn (okay, it was more like 10) in tight quarters to try another path. Our First Edition's trail-camera system paid for itself here, especially the side-view angle that made it possible to monitor rocks perilously close to sidewalls as we extricated ourselves. Greg Pajo - Car and Driver There were two insignificant casualties along the way that essentially amount to market research (you're welcome). We unbolted the goofy First Edition mud flaps after two got pinched and bent between the tires and a rock ledge we were reversing onto. Later, one of the weird clipped-on aero wedges ahead of a front tire got "trail pruned" by another rock, an outcome we predicted before the truck saw any dirt. Dig deep into the specs and you'll see differences that may make Prado doubters exclaim "Aha!" The new Land Cruiser has slightly smaller front and rear differentials than the 300-series LX600. But this isn't 250 related, as it turns out, because the 250-based GX550 employs the LX's larger diffs. The disparity comes down to the engines and how each one loads those differentials. Greg Pajo - Car and Driver Toyota's i-Force Max turbo 2.4-liter four with a perky AC motor sandwiched upstream of the eight-speed automatic transmission motivates the Cruiser. This hybrid system kicks up the engine's output of 278 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque to 326 horses and 465 pound-feet, but that boost is not continuous because the battery that supplies the energy has an estimated capacity of just 0.9 kilowatt-hour. Conversely, the GX utilizes a detuned version of the LX's twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 that makes an always-available 349 horsepower, down from 409 ponies in the LX, but shares the LX's peak torque of 479 pound-feet. This difference (and others) nets the GX a 9096-pound tow rating, while the Land Cruiser maxes out at 6000, and that towing prowess is why the GX gets beefier diffs. This hybrid boost issue never shows up on the trail or in town, where acceleration comes in bite-size doses interspersed with off-throttle events that feed energy back into the battery. Clambering over rocks or small dunes is nothing like a steady trailer-pull over Colorado's Loveland Pass, so the i-Force Max never disappoints. In fact, the ready swell of electrically enhanced torque and the faint turbo whistle of the i-Force team up to make the Cruiser's powerplant feel a bit like the mighty turbo-diesel straight-six of a JDM 80-series Cruiser that I once sampled (and still covet). It tiptoes over ledges with the barest nudge of throttle because its considerable combined torque is available from the jump. Greg Pajo - Car and Driver At the track, the Land Cruiser's 7.7-second romp to 60 mph is neither impressive nor disappointing, but it does trail the more powerful GX550 Overtrail+'s 6.3-second effort. During passing maneuvers, however, the Land Cruiser is a tenth ahead from 30 to 50 mph and only a tenth behind from 50 to 70 mph because the instant-on nature of the hybrid system gets it going immediately, while the GX550's 10-speed automatic sorts itself and kicks down. The Cruiser's biggest payoff comes at the pump, where its 23-mpg EPA combined estimate (22 city/25 highway) trounces the GX's 17-mpg figure. In our hands, the Land Cruiser returned 20 mpg. Unfortunately, Toyota used the extra mpg to justify a smaller 17.9-gallon fuel tank instead of using the GX's 21.1-gallon unit, negating any potential range advantage. For our money, the new Land Cruiser is just the ticket. Toyota North America rightly turned away from an unsustainable bloated path and brought the Cruiser back within reach. It still does the business in rough and unpredictable terrain, and its new 250 roots seem less like a drawback and more like a logical move forwardor at least sideways. The burgeoning overlanding set is going to eat it up. Besides, the Land Cruiser is never going back to a live front axle. That Cruiser is dead. Long live the Land Cruiser. Greg Pajo - Car and Driver Counterpoints The Land Cruiser's two-tone Trail Dust paint job makes it look like a 4Runner wearing a Gus Chiggins costume. And like the old prospector from the cut-for-time Saturday Night Live sketch, it doesn't take long to get a laugh out of you. Its compliant off-road ride is smooth no matter what surface it's bouncing across. However, the Land Cruiser's tech rains on the parade. Toyota's safety suite beeps to warn distracted drivers and chimes to suggest a drowsy pilot take a break. It even alerted me to "sit up," chiding my bad posture. Thankfully, you can turn off the driver monitor. What you can't silence is the power liftgate's jarring alarm, which warns the whole campground that the hatch is opening or closing. Austin Irwin Move over, Jeep. Toyota has become the go-to brand for off-road-lovin' enthusiasts. With the Land Cruiser's return and TRD versions of every body-on-frame model, Toyota's lineup is ready to hit the expert trails. But while the new Cruiser's classically cool looks and notably lower price will help it outsell its predecessor, its commercialization lessens its specialness. Sure, the old 200-series Land Cruiser ended up an expensive dinosaur, but I wish the U.S. replacement wasn't basically a retro-bodied 4Runner. I wanted something a little more special, more luxurious, and gloriously overbuilt. I realize that's the Lexus LX, and I get why Toyota's mainstream approach makes sense in America, but I still prefer a genuine Land Cruiser over this LC Lite. Eric Stafford Greg Pajo - Car and Driver I have zero complaints about resisting bloat with slightly slimmer dimensions, mass, and price. Plus, Toyota nailed the design, with visual shoutouts to 40- and 80-series Cruisers from decades past that stir up warm fuzzies. This Land Cruiser is far quieter and thus more livable than the Bronco too. But the hybrid's battery pack encroaching on the cargo area means breaking with tradition by dropping the third row. This powertrain is magic in the Grand Highlander, but acceleration and highway fuel economy are unremarkable here. The biggest letdown is flimsy sheetmetal that causes the doors to slam with a tinny resonance that undermines the otherwise tough mechanicals. Dave VanderWerp You Might Also Like Read the full story on Backfire News Car Designer Murdered In Possible Heist Ian Cameron, the former head of design for Rolls-Royce, was recently found dead at his house in Bavaria, Germany. The man leaves behind quite the legacy in the automotive industry, but there are many questions about why he was murdered. Documentary digs into the infamous Corvette Killings. As reported originally by Automotive News, authorities seem to have ruled out suicide or an accident, concluding he was stabbed in a violent attack which took his life. His wife, fellow car designer Verena Kloos, witnessed the assault and fled to a neighbors house to call for help, so that helps with concluding what happened. ADVERTISEMENT But the nagging question is the why. One theory investigators are vetting is the possibility the attacker was trying to steal one or multiple of Camerons impressive and rather valuable cars in his large collection. What police do know is someone severed the cables to the houses surveillance cameras, so someone didnt want video evidence of what they were doing. And to us that sounds like a real professional, not an amateur. Nothing in the report indicated a single vehicle or anything else was stolen. But it also doesnt say no personal property was taken from the residence. Among Camerons impressive achievements, he headed up the revamping of the entire Rolls-Royce lineup after BMW bought the storied brand in 2003. Starting with the Phantom, he helped to reshape and revitalize the ultra-luxury rides, bringing them into their modern era of success. Rolls-Royce provided the following statement to Automotive News: "Ian played a significant role in shaping Rolls-Royce from when it was first acquired by BMW Group and moved to its Home at Goodwood, West Sussex. He created thoroughly contemporary motor cars that remained sympathetic to the marque's design lineage. Our thoughts are with his family and friends." His first auto industry job was with Pininfarina back in 1975 before he moved on to Iveco. Then in 1992 he came onboard with BMW, staying an employee all the way until 2012. Hes credited with designing the Z8, among other iconic vehicles. Image via Rolls-Royce Thursday, July 18, 2024 - In a tragic incident, a 27-year-old travel and lifestyle influencer died after falling into a gorge while filming a video in Maharashtra's Raigad district, India. Aanvi Kamdar, a Mumbai-based chartered accountant was on a monsoon outing with seven friends when she fell into the 300-foot-deep gorge near the Kumbhe waterfall at Mangaon in Raigad on Tuesday, according to a police official on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Kamdar, a resident of Mumbai's Mulund area, had visited the waterfall with her friends amid the rains. While recording a video of the surroundings, she slipped and fell into the gorge. Upon being alerted by her friends, police and local rescuers reached the spot and rushed her to the nearby Mangaon Taluka Government Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries during treatment. Thursday, July 18, 2024 - American actress, Angelina Jolie wants ex-husband Brad Pitt to drop his lawsuit against her for selling her stake in their winery amid years-long divorce battle. According to People magazine, the actress, 49, wants him to 'end the fighting,' after he sued her for selling her half of the winery in October 2021 for $67 million. Jolies legal representation Paul Murphy said in a statement that Pitt has control of all the properties the couple shared as well as control of the business, but still he demands more, and is suing Angelina for $67 million plus punitive damages. In doing so, Pitt placed squarely at issue why he tried to punish and control Angelina by demanding a newly expanded NDA to cover his personal misconduct and abuse. Those actions are central to these proceedings. We are not at all surprised Mr. Pitt is afraid to turn over the documents demonstrating these facts, the statement continued. While Angelina again asks Mr. Pitt to end the fighting and finally put their family on a clear path toward healing, unless Mr. Pitt withdraws his lawsuit, Angelina has no choice but to obtain the evidence necessary to prove his allegations wrong. Pitt and Jolies legal battle began when the actress decided to sell her shares of the winery. Pitt later filed a lawsuit claiming that Jolies sale went against their agreement that he would buy her shares. Jolie, 49, responded to Pitts lawsuit in April alleging that Pitt, 60, renegotiated the previous agreement when he refused to buy her shares in the wine property unless she agreed to sign a broader NDA, which she claims was an attempt to suppress his alleged abuse of her and her children. Pitts lawyers have vehemently denied this claim. In June 2023, Pitts team filed documents that stated it was Jolie who initially requested the more extensive NDA. Jolies new statement comes one month after the actress won favor among her children in her emotional battle with Pitt. Its extremely upsetting, admitted a Pitt source, claiming, She has used the kids as a weapon against Brad she has separated them from him. The movie stars, who met in 2004 while filming Mr. And Mrs. Smith, share six children together: sons Maddox, 22, Pax, 20, and Knox, 16, and daughters Zahara, 19, Shiloh, 18, and Vivienne, 16. The ex-couple married in August 2014 after 10 years together but Angelina filed for divorce in September 2016. Friday, July 19, 2024 - A government communications vehicle was blocked from overlapping on one of the busy roads in Nairobi. The rogue driver wanted to overlap and drive on the wrong side of the road but he was blocked by a boda boda rider. Aingie kwa jam, the rider told him as he blocked the road. The driver was forced to stay on the lane and follow other motorists stuck in traffic. Since Gen Zs started protests, rogue government officials who had a habit of overlapping in traffic and bullying other motorists have been following traffic rules for fear of being disciplined by the public. Watch video. Aingie kwa jam - A Boda Boda rider says as he blocks a government vehicle from overlapping! The fear is gone pic.twitter.com/y8DuB7AqkN DAILY POST (@dailypost_ke) July 19, 2024 The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, July 18, 2024 - A man called John Paul Ugwu has said that religions that discourage polygamy are indirectly encouraging "sidechikism". "Any religion that discourages polygamy is directly and indirectly encouraging "sidechikism" and early p****ion of girls in Africa. Married men will continue to have numerous side chicks until we fully embrace polygamy in Africa," he wrote in a post on Thursday, July 18. Friday, July 19, 2024 U.S. President Joe Biden is unhappy with the situation in Kenya, where President William Rutos government is abducting people and recklessly shooting Gen Zs. In a statement, Biden, through the U.S. Embassy, under the leadership of Ambassador Meg Whitman, expressed concern over the abductions, police shootings, and subsequent killing of unarmed Gen Zs, who are protesting against Rutos government. The Embassy also pointed out that there had been violence during the protests with harm caused to protesters, law enforcement and the demonstrators. "We are deeply concerned by reports of violence, including shootings and abductions of protestors, journalists, and others. "Constructive engagement of citizens and civil society, aided by a free and independent media, is a pillar of democracy. "These are values we share with Kenya and which we must all protect," read the statement in part. Therefore, the US Embassy called on the police to uphold the rule of law and refrain from using excessive force when dealing with protestors. On the other hand, the protesters and the government were advised to embrace dialogue to find solutions to issues affecting the country. "As a long-time friend and partner to Kenya, the Embassy notes the government's July 18 remarks about addressing public grievances and encourages the government to continue taking steps forward, including on corruption and accountability, to promote national unity and reconciliation," read the statement in part. Over 50 people are reported to have lost their lives during the protests with hundreds injured. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, July 18, 2024 - The gunman who tried to kill Donald Trump searched online for a member of the Royal family days before his attempt on the former presidents life, FBI investigators have said. Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was killed seconds after opening fire on the former president at his rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend. FBI investigators told members of Congress that Crooks had gone online to 'scope out' a number of potential high-profile assassination targets - which included an unnamed member of the Royal Family. The revelation came after federal agents downloaded the contents of two of Crooks' mobile phones. The wannabe hitman also looked up Christopher Wray, the FBI's director, and Merrick Garland, the US attorney general. Investigators also disclosed that Crooks' devices contained images of President Joe Biden and Trump, as well as the dates of both Trump rallies and the Democratic National Convention, which are due to take place in Chicago next month. News of the FBI's discovery came as it was revealed Crooks had written an ominous warning on a gaming platform before he tried to murder Trump. US Senators were told the 20-year-old killer posted on Steam: 'July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds.' On July 13 he opened fire on Republican nominee Mr Trump from a roof just 130 yards away from the rally stage in Butler, Pennsylvania. Following the assassination attempt, the US Secret Service was accused of incompetence over its failure to protect Trump. The agency was alerted to a 'suspicious person' close to the stage an hour before the attack took place, and Crooks was booted out of the venue after setting off a metal detector. Senators also learned that Crooks was spotted by Secret Service agents 10 minutes before Mr Trump walked out onstage, a full 20 minutes before he was shot. Mike Lee, the Republican Senator for Utah, confirmed this in a tweet Wednesday afternoon. 'They had identified the shooter as "suspicious" a full 19 minutes before the shooting,' he posted. Crooks was shot seconds after attempting to murder the former President, with his dead body found on a roof just 130 yards from the stage where Trump was speaking. The FBI also found he had two cell phones, the second of which was found at home with only 27 contacts. Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle has since been slammed for the botched protection operation. She has been under growing pressure since it emerged that her agents were repeatedly warned about would-be assassin Thomas Crooks as he prepared to shoot the president at Saturday's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Friday, July 19, 2024 - Wiper Democratic Movement party supporters from the coast region have urged former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka to dump former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and start charting his own path. Speaking on Thursday, Wiper Women Democratic Movement Secretary General in the Coast region, Millicent Odhiambo, urged Kalonzo to seek an independent path and stop entertaining Raila, whom she termed a political conman. Odhiambo said their party leader, Kalonzo, has been kind enough, but Raila is taking advantage of him, which they find unacceptable. "It is high time for our party leader Kalonzo Musyoka to stand on his own. We will support him fully and accordingly," said Odhiambo. She urged Kalonzo to start preparing for the next general election, as they are ready to support him as their presidential candidate in 2027. "We urge you to stand independently and start campaigning for 2027. "Leave Kenya Kwanza leadership to fight for themselves. Do not allow them to use you again," The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, July 19, 2024 - Kenyan police officers with the assistance of their Haitian counterparts have successfully recaptured, Auorite Portuaire Nationale (APN), a popular Haitian port that was under gang control. The achievement came following a fierce gun battle with gang members who had occupied the strategic seaport since March 6, 2024. Gangs at the port had hindered the delivery of essential supplies, worsening the humanitarian crisis in the Caribbean nation. The commandant of Kenya police officers in Haiti Godfrey Otunge confirmed the milestone, a first for Kenyan police officers, following the deployment of the first group of 200 officers. "The Kenyan contingent and the Haitian police officers managed to repulse the gangs who had started shooting at them. "The officers then took over the port, which was controlled by the gangs," Otunge told a local Kenyan daily. This success came hours after Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille declared a state of emergency in 14 areas overrun by gangs. "I authorise the Haitian National Police, with the support of the Haitian Armed Forces and the MS, to gradually deploy and launch operations in the affected areas," Conille said. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, July 19, 2024 - Trans Nzoia Governor and former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner, George Natembeya, has broken his silence on the mysterious killings of women whose bodies were found dumped in Kware. According to Natembeya, the man DCI claims is the main suspect behind the killings is being framed. Natembeya alleges that DCI officers tasked with investigating the killings are fooling the public and covering up the case to ease pressure. Hizo ni hekaya za abunuwasi. There is no way you can kill all those women and dump their bodies in a quarry without raising eyebrows, he said. The former commissioner questioned why none of the victims screamed for help while being butchered, adding that DCIs narrative doesnt add up. He also faulted the Inspector General of Police for transferring police officers at Kware police station, adding that the buck stops with senior security officials in the area where the bodies were dumped. He also wondered why NIS officers deployed in the area had no information about the macabre killings. Where were NIS officers deployed in the area? "This narrative by DCI is not adding up, Natembeya said. Watch video. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Friday, July 19, 2024 - Flamboyant Nairobi lawyer Donald Kipkorir has confirmed that he has ended his loyalty and support for Raila Odinga. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader, according to the lawyer, has been the face of change in Kenya. However, in the wake of Gen Z's revolt against the government, Kipkorir has shifted his loyalty from Raila to the youth. Kipkorir said he is optimistic that Gen Z can bring positive change to the country, unlike the methods used in the past. "Gen Z has given me hope that Kenya without tribalism, corruption, nepotism, and cronyism is possible. "A Kenya that values all her children over tribe, creed, class, gender, and age. A Kenya without political violence. "A Kenya where Police dont kill or abduct. "A Kenya that you dont need to bribe to get tenders from the government or bribe to be paid for unpaid bills. It was a Kenya that for long I believed it is a Canaan that Baba Raila Odinga will lead us," Kipkorir said Kipkorir said his support for the five-time presidential candidate started almost 20 years ago and now pegs his hope for a better country on Gen Z. "Now that Baba was unable to lead us and Gen Z without a leader has taken the baton, it saddens me that Baba wants to derail this transformative moment. "Between Gen Z and Raila Odinga, I choose Gen Z. "With the greatest respect for his hitherto contribution to our democracy, I hereby end my support for Baba that began in 2005. "I hope and pray Gen Z will lead us to Canaan in my lifetime. My allegiance and loyalty to Raila Odinga ended today," he added. The Kenyan DAILY POST Read the full story on The Auto Wire Suspect Shoots Troopers Radiator During PIT Maneuver Running from police is a dumb proposition, especially agencies like Georgia State Patrol. But this guy in a Volkswagen Jetta did just that, then when the trooper caught up with him he shot the patrol cars radiator. Thats about the only way a Jetta could ever get away from a cop. See whats left of a cop car hit on a rural Colorado highway. This went down in Covington, Georgia back in October of 2022 but the dashcam footage was recently released. We see the trooper clock the suspect speeding on the highway, then chasing after him, eventually catching up after the Jetta exits and tries hiding in a retail parking lot. ADVERTISEMENT When that doesnt work, the guy pretends to comply with the legal traffic stop but he wont turn off the VW like hes told. Thats when he steps on it, making a slow getaway. Of course the trooper is able to immediately PIT the car, but the suspect regains control quickly, almost like hes been pitted before. The trooper wastes no time doing a second PIT, but just as he impacts, the suspect leans out his window and shoots the cruiser with a handgun. Thats enough to puncture the radiator, as you see afterward vaporized coolant steaming out from the grille as the trooper turns around to continue the pursuit. You wont get far with a leaking radiator, especially if you really push your vehicle like in a pursuit situation. Fortunately, the trooper didnt have to chase the Jetta much longer since the suspect ditched the slow sedan and decided to try his luck on foot. He was eventually caught. We dont see too many pursuits where suspects are shooting at police, which is a good thing. But this shows there are several ways to disable a vehicle using gunfire, although some take longer to be fully realized than others. Image via State Boyzzz/YouTube Follow The Auto Wire on Google News. Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook. Friday, July 19, 2024 - Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has changed tune in his stance on revamping the economy as the country goes through hard economic times. Mudavadi has been advocating for policies that would enable the economy to thrive, noting that President William Ruto had the antidote to the ailing economy. However, Mudavadi admits that revamping the country's economy is more difficult than he anticipated, citing challenges in delivering their promises over the past two years. He requested for more time for Ruto and his government to stabilize the economy. "Resuscitating an economy is not a joke, it is not instant coffee, it takes time, and sometimes it can take a very very long time." Rallying Kenyans to ponder over and reflect on some of the activities that ensued including setting a blaze of key government infrastructure such as the National Assembly, Senate and the Judiciary, the Prime CS insisted that the government will induce urgent measures to avert chances of recording a low Gross Domestic Product (GDP). "The country must not go down because of our mistakes because there will be another generation to take over. Imagine what it will take to reconstruct Gaza today," he said. Mudavadi said a coherent economic policy will attract investment thus creating a thriving economy. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, July 19, 2024 - Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has urged President William Ruto to reappoint him and other former Cabinet Secretaries. This is after it emerged that the sacked CSs cannot hold any public office going forward. However, Kuria disagreed with arguments that Ruto should not reappoint any members of the cabinet he dismissed on Thursday, July 11. The arguments against reappointment were put forward by former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) presidents Ahmednasir Abdullahi and Nelson Havi. Moses Kuria remarked that this was wrong as they had not been subjected to any disciplinary process before the abrupt dismissal. As lawyers of (dis)repute, you need to read whatever provisions against the tenets of fair administrative action, he told the former LSK presidents. If your scholarly arguments are to hold water, the affected persons then have to be taken through a disciplinary process or a court martial. Not a class action. Havi had argued that dismissal from the Office of the Cabinet Secretaries made the former CSs ineligible to hold any public office forever whether appointive or elective. According to the lawyer, the former cabinet secretaries belonged to the same category as impeached governors or judges who had been found unsuitable to serve. In support, Lawyer Ahmednasir remarked that Ruto by dismissing Moses Kuria and his colleagues, was satisfied that their conduct, performance in office, or their omissions rose to a constitutional level or threshold that warranted their dismissal. President Ruto cannot reappoint any member of the cabinet because their dismissal under the constitution implied a grave omission or commission, the former LSK president stated. That grave constitutional omission or commission hasn't been erased or addressed in the past week. Ahmednasir assumed the position that should Kuria and his team be reappointed; it would engulf the President into a new political crisis and unparalleled constitutional imbroglio. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, July 18, 2024 - Late iconic poet, Benjamin Zephaniah left an estate worth more than 1.3million to his wife when he died. Zephaniah, an acclaimed poet, and writer died at the age of 65 in December 2023, eight weeks after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in December last year. It has now emerged his estate had a gross value of 1,325,363 with a net value of 1,322,082. Zephaniah left instructions for his wife Qian to inherit his fortune and personal belongings. Probate documents show he also ordered donations of 20,000 to be given to the Vegan Society and the charity campaign group Inques. Zephaniah, the son of a Barbadian postman and a Jamaican nurse was born and raised in Handsworth, Birmingham. He moved to London at age 22 and published his first book, Pen Rhythm. His early work used dub poetry, a Jamaican style of work that has evolved into the music genre of the same name, and he would also perform with the group The Benjamin Zephaniah Band. As Zephaniah's profile grew, he became a familiar face on television and was credited with bringing Dub Poetry into British living rooms. He also wrote five novels as well as poetry for children, and his first book for younger readers, Talking Turkeys, was a huge success upon its publication in 1994. On top of his writing work, Zephaniah was an actor and appeared in the BBC drama series Peaky Blinders between 2013 and 2022. He played Jeremiah "Jimmy" Jesus, appearing in 14 episodes across the six series. Zephaniah famously rejected an OBE in 2003 due to the association of such an honour with the British Empire and its history of slavery. "I've been fighting against empire all my life, fighting against slavery and colonialism all my life," he told The Big Narstie Show in 2020. "I've been writing to connect with people, not to impress governments and monarchy. So I could I then accept an honour that puts the word Empire on to my name? That would be hypocritical. He often spoke out about issues such as racial abuse and education. When he was younger, Zephaniah served a prison sentence for burglary and received a criminal record. In 1982, Zephaniah released an album called Rasta, which featured the Wailers' first recording since the death of Bob Marley. It also included a tribute to the then-political prisoner Nelson Mandela, who would later become South African president. In an interview in 2005, Zephaniah said growing up in a violent household led to him assuming that was the norm. He recalled: "I once asked a friend of mine, 'What do you do when your dad beats your mum?' And he went: 'He doesn't.' "I said, 'Ah, you come from one of those, like, feminist houses. So, what do you do when your mum beats your dad?'" Zephaniah was nominated for autobiography of the year at the National Book Awards for his work, The Life And Rhymes Of Benjamin Zephaniah, which was also shortlisted for the Costa Book Award in 2018. Friday, July 19, 2024 - Kileleshwa ward MCA, Robert Alai, has sensationally claimed that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga could have died if he had won the 2022 presidential election. Raila Odinga, with his running mate Martha Karua, contested the presidency but lost narrowly to President William Ruto, who was deputized by Rigathi Gachagua. According to Alai, Raila's loss was a blessing in disguise, suggesting that Odinga would not be alive today had he won. Alai, who is also a blogger, said there was a scheme to poison Raila Odinga once he occupied office. This could have paved the way for Martha Karua to become President since she was his running mate. God saved Raila! If Raila had become President, he would have been poisoned immediately and Karua would be President today. "This scheme was serious and God saved Raila, Alai wrote on his Twitter page. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, July 19, 2024 - Fresh details have emerged over how President William Ruto has successfully managed to convince former Prime Minister Raila Odinga to save his sinking ship as a result of the month-long demonstrations by Gen Z. Gen Z protesters forced Ruto to sack all his Cabinet Secretaries two weeks ago, and he is now reconstituting it with the help of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. In his new cabinet, Ruto has reportedly awarded Raila Odinga 7 cabinet slots out of 22 to be named in the coming days. In the 7 slots, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) will get 4 slots and the rest will go to other affiliate parties in Azimio like the Jubilee Party, Wiper Democratic Movement, and Democratic Alliance Party (DAP). Raila Odinga has also recommended Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya and little-known Kevin Alusa to be named cabinet secretaries. "Lobbying has started for the new CSs. Raila has been given 4 slots, he's fronting former governors Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, and little-known Kevin Alusa," said an ODM source. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, July 19, 2024 - President William Ruto on Monday threatened to withdraw Kenya from the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), should the Arusha-based court not lift a caveat on Mau Forest. In a statement, Ruto revealed that the caveat had made residents of Kuresoi live as squatters in their own land. According to Ruto, the regional court had until December 2024, or Kenya would withdraw its membership. On caveat, we agreed we have done phase one which covered almost 10,000 acres, we have lifted it because it was here in Kenya, Ruto stated. There is a court in Arusha. They have been taking me in circles but I have told them that they have two options: either they lift the caveat or we withdraw membership from that court. Should the year end without the issue being resolved, Ruto promised Kuresoi residents that he would sign instruments for Kenya to withdraw membership from the regional court. It is not acceptable that citizens are living as squatters because of no act of their fault and because there is a court that does not respect the rights of other people, he defended the decision. Ruto added that the decision by Kenya to withdraw from the court should not be interpreted to mean he did not believe in the rule of law. The Head of State explained that he was concerned that citizens were suffering from acts of people who did not mean well to other Kenyans. The caveat was imposed as a way of having controlled human settlement schemes as the population in the region expanded. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, July 19, 2024 - NARC-Kenya Party Leader Martha Karua has asked President William Ruto to dissolve his government and resign, or else Gen Zs will not tire until he is ousted. Speaking during an interview, the Azimio co-principal poked holes into the recent changes made by Ruto to quell the recent anti-government protests, among them sacking the entire Cabinet and former Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome, saying the changes amount to nothing. She also questioned the strategies put in place by Acting Inspector General Douglas Kanja to quell the protests. While making the remarks, Karua termed the recent changes as inadequate, terming them an exercise in futility, and called for a complete overhaul of the government. For instance, Karua questioned whether the resignation of the former IG Japhet Koome and the dissolution of the cabinet would yield the desired results. "The Resignation of Police IG Koome has not changed the police as evident in the continued abduction, deaths, and brutality," said Karua. "The dissolution of almost all the cabinet has not changed the character of this regime, it continues to superintend over killing innocent demonstrators," she added. Additionally, Karua condemned the recent cases of abductions meted out to Kenyans, journalists, and activists. While referencing the abduction of veteran Nation Media Group editor Macharia Gaitho and recent attacks on journalists, Karua stated that such acts were meant to 'censor media coverage' terming this as unfortunate and uncalled for. This comes even as Azimio leader Raila Odinga has changed his mind and now supports Rutos continued stay in power. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, July 19, 2024 - Youthful activist Kasmuel McOure is reportedly being trailed by rogue state agents due to his vocal stance on anti-government protests. Taking to his X account, the fast-rising activist claimed that some rogue state agents had camped at Geco Cafe in Lavington on Thursday night waiting to abduct him. Kasmuel, who doubles as a musician, performs with a band at the popular restaurant. The suspected state agents asked random people whether Kasmuel was performing at the restaurant on Thursday night. They had parked their car at the nearby carwash, waiting to abduct him. Kasmuel said state agents are now trailing his music circles. He claims that he received a text from one of the government people who wanted to book his band for a gig. Mnajua nacheka kwa nini? I also received a text from one of the government people who wanted to book my band for a gig. "Now theyre tailing my music circles? he tweeted. Kasmuel has been at the forefront of the Gen Z-led protests, pushing for better governance and accountability from the government. Likewise, he has been a force in the protests and has used his social media platforms and media interviews to mobilize netizens to stand for their rights. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, July 18, 2024 - Controversial city car dealer, Khalif Kairo, reportedly aided in the arrest of popular X user Polo Kimani after coordinating with rogue cops from Central Police Station. Kimani had been on the frontline mobilizing the youth to turn up for the protests. He was arrested when he turned up for the protests in Nairobi CBD on Tuesday and his phone broken by the rogue cops. He was also assaulted by the cops and questioned over his role in the protests. Word has it that Kairo coordinated with a cop friend from Central Police Station called Mike to have Polo Kimani arrested. Kairo didnt post even a single tweet calling for Polos release even as other popular X personalities flooded their timelines with hashtags calling for his release. He even celebrated Polos arrest and urged police to add trumped-up charges against him. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Friday, July 19, 2024 - A steel manufacturer has threatened to shut down its wire plant and consequently lay off 250 employees. The Kenyan manufacturer penned a letter to the Kenya Association of Manufacturers stating that the current business environment presented an unfair competitive advantage. According to the letter, the manufacturer lamented that two companies in the country had been exempted from payment of duty amounting to billions thanks to their connections in President Willia Rutos government. The manufacturer and others operating in the industry lamented that the two companies had been importing raw materials duty-free, for a year an agreement that was not extended to other industry players. If this scenario continues, we will be unable to compete in the market and will have no option but to lay off approximately 250 workers in our wire division and shut down our manufacturing facility, stated the manufacturer in a letter to the Kenya Association of Manufacturers. A spot-check revealed that the two organizations gained an exemption of duty from the East African Community through a gazette notice dated October 2023. The manufacturers are now claiming that the billions row with the two organizations will force them out of business. Additionally, the steel manufacturers have continued to raise concerns on how both competitors managed to get an exemption of duty which did not extend to other players in the industry. However, the companies have maintained that their exemption from duty was based on merit. The shutdown threat comes after a top Kenyan maize milling factory in Nairobi shut down its operations and put everything up for sale. The Kenyan DAILY POST Air travel in the U.S. is a busy business, one that sees 45,000 flights serving 2.9 million each day, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Our frenzied skies got a little calmer early Friday morning however, as the CrowdStrike software outage impacted United, Delta and American Airlinesthe three largest airlines in the U.S. This tweet comes to us via extreme weather watcher Colin McCarthy over on his Twitter/X account, @US_Stormwatch 12-hour timelapse of American Airlines, Delta, and United plane traffic after what was likely the biggest IT outage in history forced a nationwide ground stop of the three airlines. pic.twitter.com/wwcQeiEtVe Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 19, 2024 As of this writing, Airlines have canceled over 1,000 flights and delayed 1,700 more, according to USA Today.Airlines are currently up and running, though certain systems remain down. Some airlines are taking desperate measures to get wheels up, like at the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport: Agents writing paper tickets at BWI pic.twitter.com/xcvkT3HcY0 David Shepardson (@davidshepardson) July 19, 2024 The problem lies in an update from the Cybersecurity company CrowdStrike not playing well with some Microsoft systems, as USA Today explains: ADVERTISEMENT Around the world, airports and airlines advised customers to arrive earlier than normal for flights. Analysts said the outage was likely tied to a glitch in Microsoft software used globally. Microsoft said users might be unable to access various Office 365 apps and services due to a configuration change in a portion of our Azure-backed workloads. According to an alert sent by Crowdstrike to its clients and reviewed by Reuters, the companys Falcon Sensor software is causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, known informally as the Blue Screen of Death. The alert, sent at 1:30 a.m. ET on Friday, also shared a manual workaround to rectify the issue. A Crowdstrike spokesperson did not respond to emails or calls requesting comment. Its not just here in the good ol US of A that is seeing a huge spike in canceled flights. The failure of the CrowdStrike software Thursday has left airports around the world in chaos. Everywhere from Germany to Chile are experiencing outages, though some airports remain unaffected. Frances airports are free of the software outage, though Air France, Ryanair, Iberia are operating with certain systems down. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Friday, July 19, 2024 - Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has dismissed allegations that President William Ruto went against his directive by participating in a church fundraiser. This follows Ruto's donation last Sunday to a church in Mt. Kenya for its completion. While addressing the press, Mwaura stated there was no concrete evidence to show that indeed the Head of State contradicted himself. Mwaura instead called on Kenyans to stick to the measures stipulated by the president and desist from participating in fundraisers and other forms of Harambees. He noted the decision to ban Kenyans from participating in Harambees was a presidential directive that must be implemented. "We cannot continue repeating this. There is a law that has already been proposed in parliament and Kenyans have also expressed themselves concerning this matter," Mwaura stated. "Because which Harambee can you state the President attended? Kenyans had already expressed their displeasure with the Harambee and we heed their demand," he added. At the same time, Mwaura called on the Gen Zs to embrace dialogue, stating that Ruto had already addressed most of the contentious issues raised by the protesters. According to the government spokesperson, these measures included the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024, the cutting of expenses for the offices of the First Lady and Second Lady, and the overhaul of the cabinet. The others included assenting to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Bill, revoking the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) positions, banning fundraisers, and allowing the resignation of the Inspector General of Police. "May I reaffirm that the President and the Government at large have heard you loud and clear and we are ready to act on your concerns as demonstrated by the recent developments," Mwaura stated. The Kenyan DAILY POST Friday, July 19, 2024 - Seasoned investigative journalist, John Allan Namu, has addressed reports of being funded by the Ford Foundation. Allan Namu broke silence after popular blogger Cyprian Nyakundi shared a screenshot that shows that Namus Media Company African Uncensored is one of the beneficiaries of the Ford Foundation. This prompted Namu to set the record straight - acknowledging that Ford has funded some of their projects. This is true. We have never denied or hidden our sources of funding or partnerships. "I have always said that the proof of our intentions is the work we do. "I'm ready to defend all the work we have put in, he responded. Namus company has received a total grant of $250,000(Ksh 32,750,000) from the Ford Foundation between August 2023 and April 2024 to investigate corruption and foster new narratives in Kenyas public discourse. This comes even as President William Ruto accuses the Ford Foundation of sponsoring the recent anti-government protests. I am calling out Ford Foundation for sponsoring violence and anarchy in Kenya and we are telling them that they either style up or they leave, Ruto charged on Monday after weeks of protests. However, the US-based charity organization responded in a statement saying it is not responsible for sponsoring the chaos that has left more than 50 people, mainly the youth dead. The Kenyan DAILY POST. 1 of 1 AAP : 10 ... khaskhabar.com : , 19 2024 12:30 PM Almost ready for takeoff. - Photo: Coulson Aviation Aerial firefighter has to be one of the coolest jobs out there, right? You swoop over the countryside dumping huge volumes of water on pristine landscapes to try and save them from encroaching flames. Now, one of North Americas most iconic aerial firefighters is preparing to fly once again as the enormous WWIIflying boat will soon take its final flight. The plane in question is the Hawaii Mars, which has been operated by firefighting company Coulson Aviation in Canada since 2007. The seaplane is a massive Martin JRM Mars aircraft, which was designed during the Second World War for the U.S. Navy and is second only to the mammoth Spruce Goose, which was the largest seaplane and largest wooden aircraft in history. The Hawaii Mars is one of just two remaining examples of the Martin JRM Mars aircraft and between 2007 and 2015 the pair served on Coulson Aviations fleet fighting forest fires north of the border. Before that, it flew cargo between Hawaii and California, served in the Korean War and operated as a cargo plane for the U.S. Navy during WW2. ADVERTISEMENT However, due to its increasing age the plane was retired from service by Coulson Aviation in 2015 and earlier this year it was announced that Hawaii Mars was being donated to a museum. Now, after more than eight years out of service the seaplane is preparing to fly once again as it begins a trip from its base in Vancouver Island to a museum in Victoria, BC. Our Mars maintenance and flight crews have been working diligently to prepare the aircraft for its final flight, said Coulson Aviation president and COO, Britt Coulson in a statement earlier this year. Workers at the firefighting company are now completing their checks of the plane, which includes a thorough set of maintenance works, inspections and government approvals that must be passed before it can take off once again. When it does, the vintage seaplane will fly from Sproat Lake in Port Alberni to Patricia Bay, which is directly beside the Victoria Airport. Then, it will be displayed at a local museum for all to see. Story continues The Hawaii Mars isnt the only vintage flying boat thats set to take up residence in a museum. It will soon be followed by sister ship the Philippine Mars, which will head to the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. The two seaplanes were some of the largest firefighting aircraft in service until they retired almost 10 years ago. Now, they have been replaced by mammoth firefighting 737s and even a 757 equipped for water drops. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Tom Healy has announced his intention to run as an Independent in the forthcoming General Election in the Carlow/Kilkenny constituency. Healy is a native of Dublin and now lives in Goresbridge with his wife, Bridget. READ NEXT - Kilkenny TD makes big General Election announcement He is an economist who formerly served in a number of Government departments as well as the Economic and Social Research Institute and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development as well as having served as Director of the trade union think tank, the Nevin Economic Research Institute. He has been an active volunteer in the Society of St Vincent de Paul, a trade unionist, a prolife activist and lay minister as well as a writer, speaker and author of a numerous publications including An Ireland Worth Working For (2019). Tom Healy holds a PhD in economics-sociology from UCD (2005). "I am standing as a candidate in Carlow-Kilkenny for the forthcoming bye-election or general election whichever comes first," he said. "I have much in common with many other candidates including a commitment to expand and reform our public services. "I am different to most other candidates because I speak out and act on issues of economic and social justice regardless of whether this is popular or expedient to do so. What you hear and see is what you get. Independent means independent. "If elected I will not vote for a Fianna Fail or Fine Gael-led Government. Neither will I vote for an alternative Government unless it offers protections to human rights in key areas outlined in my manifesto. "Four core principles uniquely mark me out as a candidate: 1) A commitment to protecting all human life from its beginning to its natural end; 2) A resolute opposition to the politics of hatred and division espoused by the Far Right; 3) A pledge to work for a new economic social model founded on principles of solidarity and the common good and 4) Uncompromising support for international solidarity and European social and democratic values." A man in his 20s is set to appear in court after death threats were made against Mary Lou McDonald and Drew Harris via a social media video this Tuesday. The Sinn Fein leader wrote on social media this Wednesday afternoon: "Last night a threat to kill me was issued online. The individual said he would shoot me dead." She reported online that the threat was made against her, "ironically, while I was hosting a discussion on the need for zero tolerance when it comes to violence against women and girls." Gardai have confirmed: "The man (20s) arrested at a residence in South Dublin this Thursday morning as part of an investigation into threats made online against a public representative and a Senior Garda Officer has now been charged. He has been charged under Section 5 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997 at a Garda Station in Dublin. He is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ) this Friday, July 19, at 10:30am. The video in question was published to X with threats also made to Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris. After the week's incidents in Coolock, the masked man endorses Dublin Independent Councillor, Gavin Pepper for president, and says: "Petrol bomb the f*ck out of the lot of them. Don't worry lads, we'll be down to help you." The video continues with further threats against the high profile figures: "Take that Drew Harris pr*ck, take his whole throat lads. He'll be getting shot before the end of the year. See Mary Lou, I'll shoot her myself for free." In response, Mary Lou added: "This represents an escalation of targeted online abuse directed at me over the last year. It is totally unacceptable." A 28-year-old man has appeared in court charged with making a death threat against Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. Richard McGreevy, of Whitechurch Place, Rathfarnham, appeared at Dublin District Court on Friday morning. He is charged with making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to Ms McDonald at Whitechurch Place on July 16, intending her to believe it would be carried out. He also faces one other unrelated charge, failing to appear before Dublin District Court on a previous occasion. McGreevy appeared in court wearing a grey jumper. Detective Sergeant Gareth Kane told the court the threats were broadcast on TikTok. Making an application for bail, Kevin Tunney, defending, said his client lived alone with his two dogs in social housing. He said McGreevy risked losing his accommodation if he was in custody for a long time. He added his client had had a difficult childhood, losing his father and being abandoned by his mother when he was three years old. Judge Paula Murphy refused the application. She remanded McGreevy in custody until his next appearance at Cloverhill District Court on July 26. A 28-year-old man has appeared in court charged with making a death threat against Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. Richard McGreevy, of Whitechurch Place, Rathfarnham, appeared at Dublin District Court on Friday morning. He is charged with making a threat to kill or cause serious harm to Ms McDonald at Whitechurch Place on July 16, intending her to believe it would be carried out. He also faces one other unrelated charge, failing to appear before Dublin District Court on a previous occasion. McGreevy appeared in court wearing a grey jumper. Detective Sergeant Gareth Kane told the court the threats were broadcast on TikTok. Making an application for bail, Kevin Tunney, defending, said his client lived alone with his two dogs in social housing. He said McGreevy risked losing his accommodation if he was in custody for a long time. He added his client had had a difficult childhood, losing his father and being abandoned by his mother when he was three years old. Judge Paula Murphy refused the application. She remanded McGreevy in custody until his next appearance at Cloverhill District Court on July 26. The video in question was published to TikTok. After the week's incidents in Coolock, the masked man endorses Dublin Independent Councillor, Gavin Pepper for president, and says: "Petrol bomb the f*ck out of the lot of them. Don't worry lads, we'll be down to help you." The video continues with further threats against the high profile figures: "Take that Drew Harris pr*ck, take his whole throat lads. He'll be getting shot before the end of the year. See Mary Lou, I'll shoot her myself for free." In response, Mary Lou McDonald added: "This represents an escalation of targeted online abuse directed at me over the last year. It is totally unacceptable." AVN previously reported that Paxton sued Aylo in February of this year. Attorney General Paxton argues that Aylo and its affiliated properties violated HB 1181. In a press statement released by his office at the time, Paxton said, "Texas has a right to protect its children from the detrimental effects of pornographic content. I look forward to holding any company accountable that violates our age verification laws intended to prevent minors from being exposed to harmful, obscene material on the internet." Paxton also sued the parent companies of xHamster and Chaturbate for similar violations of HB 1181. At the end of April 2024, Chaturbate settled the suit brought by Paxton's office. Multi Media LLC, Chaturbate's parent company, was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $675,000. Despite the legal battles at the state level, adult industry trade group the Free Speech Coalition and the parent companies of the largest adult platforms in the world, including Aylo, sued Paxton and the state of Texas to block HB 1181 on grounds it violates the First Amendment and runs up against decades of internet case law. The Free Speech Coalition's lawsuit, initially filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in Austin, has been elevated to the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court agreed to take up the Free Speech Coalition et al. v. Paxton earlier this month. Plaintiffs alongside the Free Speech Coalition include Aylo. Other plaintiffs include Web Group Czech Republic and NKL Associates, the owners of XVideos and Xnxx, and other companies. The plaintiffs are represented by a team of attorneys from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP., Webb Daniel Friedlander, LLP., and the American Civil Liberties Union. Paxton and his office are representing the state of Texas in his official capacity as state Attorney General. DONGGUAN, ChinaPleasure products manufacturer Dingfoo has launched a small suction egg as part of its monthly release slate. Dingfoo does not sell its own branded products directly but offers custom sex toy services to industry clients. The suction egg features ten vibration modes and five different suction strengths, made from silicone and ABS materials. Its smooth design makes it easy to clean. As a solutions provider, Dingfoo boasts an R&D team of more than 30 people. In the past two years, the company has launched approximately 500 new products, many of which have been customized by brand owners to create successful brand-specific products. Dingfoo holds comprehensive certifications in the sex toy industry, including the E.U.'s GMP and the U.S.'s FDA certifications. The company is equipped with advanced manufacturing equipment and processes. Its collaboration with universities has led to the mass production of fully encapsulated liquid silicone technology, with a monthly output of one million units. For more information, visit dingfoo.com. Two mega-fairs to run alongside major biennales in Gwangju and Busan By Park Han-sol Art fairs have evolved beyond just sales events into vibrant citywide cultural celebrations, and Seoul is a prime example of this transformation. Since the arrival of Frieze three years ago, the city has become a dynamic hub for art enthusiasts in Asia. This September, Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul will return for their third year of partnership, promising to ignite the country's creative scene once again. Over 310 established and emerging galleries will converge at COEX in southern Seoul for the simultaneous openings on Sept. 4. As with previous editions, visitors can enjoy the two mega-events with the purchase of a joint ticket. Within and beyond the fair venue, the third edition of Frieze Seoul offers a string of specially curated programs of live performances, films and non-profit activations across the city. This year, it will debut the Frieze Live program, featuring seven Korean artists and teams who merge poetry with performance art. Bringing Buddhist rituals, Korean folk dance and wheelchairs to the stage, the inaugural iteration, titled Nerve or Divine Pathway, is curated by Moon Je-yun, project director at Art Sonje Center. Another initiative in the lineup is Frieze Film, organized by curators Park Joo-won of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea and Valentine Umansky of Tate Modern. Jointly presented with the outdoor media art festival EMAP (Ewha Media Art Presentation), the program will host screenings of time-based media works by over 20 international creatives at Ewha Womans University from Sept. 2 to 6. Participating artists under the title All that Weaves the Universe: A Question of Quantum Entanglements include Vitoria Cribb, Alison Nguyen, Simon Speiser and Clemens von Wedemeyer. Free talk sessions will be co-organized with Kiaf Seoul and the Korea Arts Management Service (KAMS). Prominent industry professionals and creators such as Clara Kim, chief curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA); artist Lee Kang-seung; Pablo Jose Ramirez, curator at Hammer Museum; Zeynep Oz, curator of Sharjah Biennial 16; and Patrick Sun, founder of the Sunpride Foundation will share their insights on the power of biennials in the contemporary art scene and the role of feminism in Asian art, among other timely topics. The global art fair also continues its collaboration with the Arts Council Korea (ARKO) to boost the countrys grassroots arts and culture scene. A batch of special exhibitions will be mounted at 16 non-profit, alternative spaces in Seoul, Gwangju and Busan throughout Frieze Week. We extend our gratitude to both our new and returning collaborators, with whom we are proudly showcasing a line-up of Korean artists, international thought leaders and local non-profits, said Frieze Seoul Director Patrick Lee. With concurrent biennials in Busan and Gwangju this year, we are excited for what September has in store. Meanwhile, Kiaf Seoul, hosted by the Galleries Association of Korea, has announced the 10 semi-finalists for the second iteration of the Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS Award. Chosen from 110 candidates nominated by galleries exhibiting at this years fair, the 10 emerging and mid-career artists include Choi Ji-won (ThisWeekendRoom), Kang Cheol-gyu (Arario Gallery), Betty Muffler (Jan Murphy Gallery) and Paige Jiyoung Moon (Steve Turner). On the fairs preview day on Sept. 4, a jury of curators, academics and institutional experts are set to select and announce three finalists, each of whom will be awarded 10 million won ($7,200). Older adults struggle to land jobs that match their pre-retirement careers By Yi Whan-woo Shin Jung-rok, a retired mid-level official from a district office in Gyeonggi Province, recently left his last job as a security guard at an office building in Seoul. He says he desperately needed a job after retirement because he found the severance pay he received to not be sufficient to survive. However, being a security guard was not my choice. Instead, it was the only option that I was left with, he said, adding no employers were interested in capitalizing on his "decades of expertise in the civil service. And for people like me, who mostly worked in an office, a job as a security guard was a lot to take on as it is physical demanding by my standard. It was too much for me to carry out the tasks required, he added. Shin is among the increasing number of retirees in their 60s or older, who are forced to continue work after retirement as they have insufficient money to survive in Korea where life expectancy is the OECDs third highest at 83.53 years. They want to make use of their career experiences in their post-retirement job but cant do so, because many employers deem that they are not as productive as younger employees. As a result, they are mostly left with unwanted manual labor jobs, which therefore fail to motivate them. This impacts productivity and affects their ability to contribute to the economy in a personally meaningful way. In that regard, quality jobs for retirees is a matter of the national interest and the public and private sectors must work closely together for elderly citizens to go on with their careers, Chung-Ang University economics professor Ma Kang-rae said. He referred to an analytical report released last month by the Korea Development Institute (KDI), a government-affiliated think tank, on jobs for middle-aged and older people. The report showed that people, as they get older, had a higher possibility of obtaining jobs that are not relevant to their aptitude, talent, passion and other factors that are deemed necessary to optimize productivity. The gap between ideal and actual jobs for these workers, according to the report, especially widened as these people reached 50 or older. The age groups apparently include those who are retired, suggesting the labor market is failing to make use of retirees as capable human resources, the report read. In a statement, Workers Solidarity, an advocacy group for workers, called on the government to foster a more welcoming environment for the older workers. It is urgent to take corresponding measure as seniors inevitably make up a larger portion of the countrys workforce amid the dwindling birthrate, it said, citing data from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety earlier this month. The data indicated that as of July 10, there were 10,000,062 people aged 65 or older, making up 19.5 percent of the nation's total population of nearly 51.27 million. The rate of older adults has consistently grown, from 11.8 percent in 2013 to 15.5 percent in 2019 and 17.5 percent in 2022. It was the first time that the number of older adults surpassed the 10 million mark, bringing Korea just a step away from becoming a super-aged society, which is defined as a nation that has more than 20 percent of its population aged 65 or over. The data added to concerns over Koreas demographic crisis, characterized as possessing the worlds lowest birthrate. In 2023, the total fertility rate or the average number of expected births from a woman in her lifetime slid to a record low of just 0.72, according to Statistics Korea. The rate was far below the 2.1 births per woman needed to maintain a stable population without immigration. The rate is projected to drop to another fresh low of 0.68 in 2024, considering the quarterly rate of fertility beaks its own record. In the January-March period, it retreated to an all-time low of 0.76 percent. The rate tends to fall even further toward the end of the year. Asked about possible solutions to help older adults land quality jobs that match their pre-retirement careers, professor Ma said that removing unconscious bias against senior workers is crucial. Employers tend to think that seniors who seek post-retirement jobs are not as committed as young peers in terms of work mindset, the professor said, adding Employers thus regard them as those who are merely working for pocket money. But in an aged society, such biases will work against employers and they should treat seniors equally, he said. Workers Solidarity maintains that job matching for seniors is a more urgent matter in rural areas, many of which are on the brink of becoming extinct as young people leave for Seoul or other large cities in search of better jobs and higher living standards. Of the more than 10 million Koreans aged 65 or older, 5.51 million were living outside the greater Seoul area, surpassing those living within the area at 4.49 million. By region, South Jeolla Province had the highest ratio of older adults at 26.7 percent, followed by North Gyeongsang Province at 25.4 percent and Gangwon Province at 24.7 percent. The city of Sejong had the lowest ratio at just 11.3 percent, while Seoul had approximately 19 percent. The number of international passengers traveling via Incheon International Airport has leaped nearly 40 percent in the first half of 2024 from a year earlier, the airport's operator said Friday. A total of around 34 million passengers traveled on international flights at Incheon International Airport in the first half, up 39.5 percent from the same period last year, according to the Incheon International Airport Corp. It marks a rebound of 96.6 percent compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Over 21,000 people used the airport in a single day on Feb. 25, setting the highest daily record since the COVID-19 pandemic, airport officials said. The most popular travel destination was Southeast Asia, with 10.46 million passengers, or 30.7 percent of the total, followed by China with 13.6 percent and the Americas with 9.1 percent. The number of international flights during the first half of this year also increased 34 percent on-year, officials said. Cargo flights also jumped 10.5 percent compared with last year, transporting over 1.44 million tons of cargo. (Yonhap) By Kwon Mee-yoo SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island While the haenyeo, Korea's legendary female divers of Jeju Island, often go unrecognized in their own country, there is a Polish woman who has taken the plunge, literally, into the life of a haenyeo. Oliwia In's move from Poland to Seoul in 2009 was an adventure, but her relocation to Jeju Island in 2022 opened a new chapter. Originally arriving with a love and curiosity for the island, In found herself drawn deeper into the local culture, diving shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the most resilient women she has ever met. Warsaw to Seoul to Jeju While In was still living in Seoul, her fascination with Jeju led her to write "Koreanska Syrena," or "Korean Mermaid," a novel about a young haenyeo, which was later translated into English under the title Haemi. "I quit the company I worked for in Seoul when I wrote my book, so I didnt have reasons to stay in Seoul. I wanted to live on Jeju Island, so I came here with my husband," she told The Korea Times during a recent interview. Though she originally had no intention of becoming a haenyeo, her deep interest in their culture led her to meet both veteran and novice divers, gaining insights into their diverse motivations. "I realized that not all of them became haenyeo because they loved the sea," she said. Despite her own fears of the deep sea, these encounters sparked a growing respect and ambition within her and led In to apply to the Beophwan Haenyeo School in Seogwipo, on the southern coast of Jeju Island. "I didn't come to Jeju to become a haenyeo, but I always wanted to contribute to preservation and revitalization of the haenyeo culture I thought that if I became a haenyeo myself, I would still be able to spread the word about haenyeo culture through me, as a foreign haenyeo. The reality at haenyeo school surpassed her expectations, with a diverse array of students drawn to this ancient profession. "Haenyeo school classmates are so diverse," she said, adding many of her classmates are from the mainland, with fewer locals from Jeju itself. Some arrive with romanticized notions of being a haenyeo, influenced by media or a simple love for the ocean. They are like I love the ocean, I've been free diving or I thought I could make a lot of money by becoming a haenyeo. However, the reality of the rigorous and demanding nature of the work quickly dispels these illusions. Still, some choose to become a haenyeo even after their fantasies are shattered. Unlike the informal training the earlier generations of haenyeo received from family members, today's curriculum at haenyeo school emphasizes safety. "In the past, women learned diving and fishing naturally from their families, where their main goal was to survive, with little formal safety instruction," In said. "Now, the training is more safety-oriented, incorporating theoretical knowledge introduced by free diving." Haenyeo life In is a trainee of the Jungmun Fishing Village fraternity, determined by her local address. This small community of six haenyeo has been particularly welcoming. They treat me warmly because they know about my book and my interest in the haenyeo culture, she said. Haenyeo typically dive in the early morning, beginning their work before 7 a.m. and wrapping up around noon. The afternoons are reserved for other tasks as they often work at community restaurants or sell the seafood they've caught earlier in the day. During her internships, In experienced a glimpse of this rigorous routine. "I dived for about three hours and I had to take my whole afternoon off to regain strength," she said. The real haenyeos are still busy in the afternoon. I heard that, in the past, after a morning of diving, haenyeos would spend their afternoons farming. Haenyeo working styles vary depending on the local fishing communities. "Some go into the sea from ships, while others gather seafood from the shore," In explained. The haenyeo community is divided into three classes upper, middle and lower based on experience and capability. The upper-class veterans can dive as deep as 20 meters, though typical boat dives range from 10 to 15 meters." These seasoned haenyeo dive and collect shellfish for hours, which In describes as "extreme," even among physically demanding jobs. "I am in the lower class, which is for newcomers like me or very old haenyeos," she said. "In my case, it takes me a while to dive in and out and catch my breath. But the real veterans never stop they dive, surface briefly to check their surroundings and then plunge right back in." Being foreign and less experienced, In is cautious and deeply respectful in her interactions with the community. "I try to integrate in and respect their culture as much as possible and they try to understand me as well, she said. For example, local haenyeos hold rites for Yongwang (dragon king of the sea), but I do not join the rites because I am a Christian But I visit them often even on non-diving days and help them with chores such as creating promotional materials and online shopping for the village. In's firsthand experience diving with these modern-day mermaids has deepened her commitment to learning and preserving the haenyeo tradition. "They're like real mermaids, a job that goes beyond human limits. It's amazing to observe them closely it seems unbelievable that they manage this physically demanding job at such an age," she marveled. Adapting to modern lifestyle Recent cultural recognitions have begun to shift perceptions of haenyeo from merely hardworking fisherwomen to custodians of a key cultural heritage. The haenyeo of Jeju Island have been listed as Korea Important Fisheries Heritage in 2015, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016, Korea's National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017 and Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System in 2023. "The haenyeo themselves didn't realize how amazing they are. It was just a normal way of life for them," In said. The veteran haenyeo of Jeju are renowned for their exceptional strength and resilience, developed in an environment that demands both physical and mental toughness. These women have historically played a vital role in sustaining Jeju's economy, forming a formidable community. However, according to statistics from Jeju Island, the number of haenyeo dropped to 2,839 as of 2023, falling below 3,000 for the first time. More alarming is that 96.5 percent of haenyeo are over the age of 60. Misconceptions about the income potential of haenyeo persist, rooted in memories of a more abundant sea from eras now gone. "There's a rumor that haenyeos make a lot of money, but it's not true anymore. The environment and weather have significantly reduced the number of days for diving," In said. In response to these challenges, the Polish expatriate is part of a new generation of haenyeo who are diversifying their roles, balancing this traditional practice with other elements to adapt to contemporary lifestyles. She advocates for the evolution of the haenyeo role into a part-time profession, complemented by other forms of employment to reduce economic pressures. "If young people realize they can maintain the haenyeo culture while also pursuing other activities, it could make the profession more attractive," she said. Growing recognition and pride in haenyeo could be key to motivating more young people to consider this unique profession. Also, Korea's growing interest in free-diving and surfing might play a role in attracting newcomers with a deep affection for the sea to haenyeo culture. "Its a suitable job if you love the sea and nature, offering a way to earn some extra money," she said, highlighting that a flexible approach to ensure the sustainability of haenyeo traditions and appeal to younger generations. By Kim Hyun-bin The Embassy of Israel in Seoul hosted an exclusive screening event of Screams Before Silence, a documentary film that unfolds the events of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack in Israel. Israel's Ambassador Akiva Tor spoke at the screening, Thursday at a cinema in Seoul, emphasizing the critical importance of confronting and acknowledging the brutal realities of the recent Hamas attacks and the ensuing conflict. Ambassador Tor's speech highlighted the widespread denial and misrepresentation of these events, urging a necessary confrontation of the truths, however uncomfortable they may be. "Thank you for attending this screening which will be informative, important, essential but not easy or pleasant," Tor said. In "Screams Before Silence," a 56-minute, presenter-led documentary film, Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta and founder of LeanI.org, brings to light multiple never-before-heard accounts of eyewitnesses, released hostages, first responders, medical and forensic experts and survivors of the Hamas massacre. The film focuses on sex crimes perpetrated by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. Since the attacks, Tor noted, there has been a concerning rise in various forms of denial. "Some people are denying the brutality and scope of the Hamas attacks, which were an atrocity, a massacre, a modern-day pogrom," he said. He further elaborated on the attempts to deflect or misrepresent the significance and consequences of these attacks, often through distorted historical narratives. Tor emphasized Israel's clear-eyed recognition of the conflict's harsh realities. "Some people are avoiding acknowledgment of the damage and suffering of the many innocents in Gaza. That is not my view, nor that of the state of Israel. We see it very clearly. It is the harsh and bitter reality of a terrible war, the kind that many societies have forgotten," he said. The ambassador stressed the importance of avoiding harm to non-combatants and children whenever possible and highlighted the necessity of rebuilding Gaza post-conflict under genuine Palestinian governance that poses no threat to Israel. The ambassador pointed out that the most troubling form of denial pertains to the sexual violence perpetrated during the Hamas assault. "There is a uniquely pernicious unwillingness to confront the sexual violence which took place in the Hamas assault," he said. He referenced his meeting with Sheryl Sandberg in Menlo Park, California, underlining her commitment to documenting the attacks on Israeli women. "There is a reason she has now taken up this particular cause, documentation of the attack on the Israeli women, which she has termed 'the most important work of her life,'" he said. The top U.S. envoy in Seoul said Friday that there is "tremendous bipartisan support" for the South Korea-U.S. alliance, regardless of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election slated for November. Ambassador Philip Goldberg made the remarks during a forum hosted by the foreign ministry and Rep. Kim Gunn of the ruling People Power Party at the National Assembly. Emphasizing that he does not have a "personal opinion," the ambassador said such bipartisan support is deeply rooted in both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. "There is tremendous bipartisan support in the United States for the alliance and for the partnership between the ROK and the U.S.," he said, referring to South Korea's full name, the Republic of Korea. The remarks came in response to questions about the impact on the alliance of former U.S. President Donald Trump's potential reelection. Goldberg also raised concerns arising from the burgeoning military ties between North Korea and Russia, following Russian President Vladimir Putin's first trip to Pyongyang in 24 years for summit talks with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un last month. "I'd like to discuss additional problems specifically about the increasing cooperation between the DPRK and Russia and how Korea and the U.S. can respond to it together with our international partners," he said, referring to North Korea by its official name. The U.S. ambassador also emphasized the importance of joint efforts to resolve North Korea's nuclear issue and called for China's role in the process. "The United States and the Republic of Korea, along with our like-minded partners, must continue to enforce sanctions compliance, seek dialogue where possible, and engage China to become a part of the solution," he said, referring to South Korea by its official name. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, meanwhile, stressed the importance of making efforts to improve North Korea's human rights situation. "No matter how much North Korea denies it, the fact that the North and South are one people can never change," Cho said in a written address. (Yonhap) Vice foreign ministers of South Korea and China will hold their first high-level strategic talks in more than two years next week to discuss bilateral cooperation on regional and global issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun and his Chinese counterpart, Ma Zhaoxu, will hold the meeting, the 10th of its kind, in Seoul on Wednesday, the ministry said. The last such meeting was held via video links in December 2021. The talks come amid growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia following Russian President Vladimir Putin's trip to Pyongyang last month for summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The ministry said next week's discussions are expected to cover a wide range of issues, including peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula, regional and global security situations and ways to enhance bilateral relations. The talks follow the agreement to reactivate diplomatic and security communication channels between the two countries after President Yoon Suk Yeol had a one-on-one meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of their trilateral summit with Japan in May. The latest move is seen as a reflection of China's intention to maintain strategic cooperation with South Korea, especially in light of North Korea and Russia's increasing military alliance and comprehensive cooperation. (Yonhap) A memorial ceremony was held for a young conscript, surnamed Chae, who was killed last year during a risky search mission for victims of heavy downpours, the Marine Corps said Friday. The then 20-year-old Marine was swept away by a torrent during a search for missing flood victims in the southeastern county of Yecheon on July 19 last year. He was found dead half a day later. His death sparked national outrage over initial findings that Chae and other Marines were mobilized for the search mission to comb through a swollen, torrential and muddy stream without proper safety gear, such as life jackets or ropes. Some 250 soldiers as well as friends and families of Chae took part in the memorial ceremony held at the 1st Marine Division in Pohang, 262 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and hosted by Marine Corps Commandant Lt. Gen. Kim Kye-hwan. In a speech commemorating Chae, Kim was quoted as saying the late soldier will always be remembered as a role model and vowed efforts to protect fellow soldiers. A commemorative bust of Chae was also revealed during the memorial ceremony, the Marine Corps said. (Yonhap) By Lee Hae-rin A local court accepted a pastors request, Thursday, to suspend the Korean Methodist Churchs (KMC) decision to excommunicate him for blessing sexual minorities. The Suwon District Court decided in favor of Rev. Lee Dong-hwan, saying the effect of excommunication will be suspended until the ruling of the relevant lawsuit to annul the KMC decision comes out. In October 2019, the KMC suspended him for two years for holding a blessing prayer for LGBTQ people at the Incheon Queer Culture Festival a month earlier. Then it excommunicated him in December last year for violating the churchs doctrine that prohibits any acts favoring or sympathizing with homosexuality. While he appealed, the church's judicial committee confirmed the excommunication in March, and he filed for the court injunction. Unlike suspension or dismissal, excommunication is the highest level of punishment that would prevent him from ever setting foot in a religious order again. If the disposition is confirmed, Rev. Lee cannot return to the domestic Methodist Church even as a regular church member. The norm and evaluation of homosexuality has changed over time. The Constitution guarantees equal rights to all citizens, and the National Human Rights Commission of Korea prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation without a reasonable cause, the court said. "Considering these, the level of disciplinary action should be decided by reflecting every factor comprehensively. While excommunication means expulsion from the church, its decision was not made in that way." The court also said, The freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution, especially the freedom of expression on public interests, should be guaranteed as much as possible as an important constitutional right, the ruling said. Civic groups supporting Lee welcomed the decision. The ruling clearly revealed that the Methodist decision against Rev. Lee had serious problems not only in procedure but also in content, the group said in a statement released, Friday. We urge the Methodist Church to take the meaning of the ruling seriously, acknowledge the unfair disciplinary action made so far and withdraw the excommunication measure. By Jung Da-hyun MINNESOTA A delegation from the Sejong City Government met with Korean War veterans at the Brits banquet hall in St. Paul, Minnesota, the United States, Thursday evening (local time). During the event, they discussed establishing cooperative relations between the two cities, aiming to promote and facilitate cultural activities for Korean adoptees overseas in their countries of origin. The delegation visited Minnesota due to its significant population of Korean War veterans, numbering approximately 95,000. While smaller than California's 145,000, this figure is significant for a state with a population of under six million. Minnesota experiences harsh winters and intense summer heat, mirroring the Korean Peninsula's climate during the Korean War. This similarity was a factor in the deployment of many young people from the state to Korea during the war. "Thank you for helping us during the most difficult time during the war in Korean history and for supporting war orphans," said Sejong Mayor Choi Min-ho during the event. Minnesota is home to a significant number of Korean adoptees. After the Korean War, veterans started adopting war orphans, resulting in about 20,000 of the approximately 100,000 Korean children adopted by U.S. families being concentrated in Minnesota. During the event, the city government signed a memorandum of understanding with Adoptee Hub, an adoption organization in Minnesota. The agreement aims to collaborate with Sejong to promote the Korean language and culture globally and support cultural connections for Korean adoptees overseas to their homeland. Adoptee Hub has established a system that facilitates reunions between adoptees and their biological families through an online system referred to as the hope registry. The city and the organization have committed to actively cooperating in activities that promote the rights and interests of adoptees and support the psychological well-being of adoptive families. Meanwhile, veterans who attended the event expressed that they felt grateful to see later generations thanking them for their service. "Despite being wounded and hospitalized, I would do it all over again. I appreciate what you are doing," said Larry Dittle, a Korean War veteran who participated in Operation Chromite in 1950. By Kim Hyun-bin A restaurant in Tokyo's Shinjuku Okubo neighborhood has ignited controversy after displaying a notice refusing service to Korean and Chinese people. The Italian restaurant, located in the popular area known for its vibrant Korean community, posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) that quickly went viral. The photo shows a notice on the restaurants window written in Japanese. The message reads, "Although diversity and tolerance are frequently discussed these days, we refuse to serve Chinese and Korean customers because we do not wish to work with unpleasant thoughts." The notice has provoked strong reactions both in Japan and internationally. Japanese netizens have expressed their disapproval, with comments like, "Other customers might also decrease." Another described the notice as "a racism warning." In Korea, the restaurant's announcement has drawn sharp criticism. Comments online were posted such as, "At least write it in English; how can we know if its only in Japanese?" and "Is writing it in Korean or Chinese too frightening for them?" Many Korean users pointed out that Okubo, known for its Korea Town area, is an inappropriate place for such a discriminatory stance. The restaurants Instagram account has also been inundated with protest comments. As of now, users have commented, "I will never go there and will inform others," "I oppose discrimination," and "Its embarrassing as a Japanese person that a restaurant makes hate speech publicly." This incident is not the first time anti-Korean sentiment has surfaced in Japan. In 2016, a sushi restaurant in Osaka faced a backlash for serving sushi with excessive wasabi to Korean customers. A parliamentary committee is set to hold a hearing Friday to address an online petition demanding the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, focusing on allegations of his interference in a probe into a young soldier's death. The National Legislation and Judiciary Committee will review the petition urging the National Assembly to propose a bill to impeach Yoon citing five reasons, including his alleged influence on the military's investigation into the Marine's death, and first lady Kim Keon Hee's receiving of a luxury bag and stock manipulation allegations. The hearing coincides with the first death anniversary of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who died during a search mission for victims of heavy downpours. The main opposition Democratic Party has called for 22 witnesses, including former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, incumbent Defense Minister Shin Won-sik and Lim Seong-geun, the commander of the Marine Corps 1st Division at the time of the accident, to question the allegations surrounding the probe. The ruling People Power Party has sought an injunction to block the hearing, calling it "unconstitutional and illegal." The rival parties have wrangled over the Marine's death case for months. Earlier this month, Yoon vetoed an opposition-led bill mandating a special counsel investigation into the military's response to the Marine's death, the second time he exercised his veto power in less than two months. Following the hearing, the committee will decide on whether to propose an impeachment motion in a plenary session. If the impeach motion receives a two-thirds vote of the 300-member parliament, the Constitutional Court will rule on the case. Yoon, who took office in May 2022, is serving a single five-year term. (Yonhap) The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) slammed the presidential office Friday for suggesting the preceding Moon Jae-in administration should be held responsible for the exposure of Korean intelligence operations in an indictment against a Korean American expert. Sue Mi Terry, a renowned foreign policy expert who previously worked for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, was indicted in New York this week on charges of acting as an unregistered agent for the South Korean government from 2013 until last year. In response, a senior presidential official told reporters Thursday the government will consider inspecting and reprimanding Moon administration officials as the alleged dealings between Terry and National Intelligence Service officers took place during the former president's term. "The presidential office is idly blaming the former administration, but can the Yoon Suk Yeol government really claim not to know Sue Mi Terry at all?" DPK Rep. Ko Min-jung said during a Supreme Council meeting of the party, citing a post on the presidential office's website that shared Terry's op-ed, "Yoon's Strong Start in Foreign Policy," published by U.S. magazine Foreign Policy in August 2022. DPK Rep. Yun Kun-young went further to claim Terry had more dealings with NIS officers during the Yoon administration than during the preceding Moon or Park Geun-hye administrations, saying the indictment shows eight instances under Park, 12 under Moon and 20 under Yoon. "The Park Geun-hye government was the 'contact' phase, the Moon Jae-in government the 'winning over' phase and the Yoon Suk Yeol government the 'utilization' phase," he said during an interview on MBC radio. (Yonhap) The Bull Mountain Land Alliance is holding a rally near Signal Peak Energys coal mine near Roundup on Monday evening to protest recent legislation proposed by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines. The group opposes Senate Bills 4431, 4432 and 4444, which propose changing federal analysis of coal impacts and trading away federally-owned minerals and public lands to a private family trust. The rally is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Protesters plan to meet on Fattig Creek Road, northeast of the Signal Peak Energy office entrance at 100 Portal Drive in Roundup. The land alliance is concerned that Senate Bills 4431 and 4432 would weaken federal oversight of Signal Peak Energys Bull Mountain Mine. Members worry both bills would undermine or cancel an ongoing Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement study of the mines impacts. This review, long requested by local residents, could result in measures that would protect neighboring landowners, wildlife and water resources. The group is also concerned about Senate Bill 4444, which involves a swap of federal land and minerals between the Hope Family Trust and the Crow Tribe. If passed, it would transfer 4,530 acres of subsurface mineral rights and 940 acres of federal surface interests in Musselshell County to the Hope Family Trust. In exchange, the trust would transfer 4,660 acres of private holdings and mineral rights it owns on the Crow Reservation to the Tribe. An undisclosed revenue sharing agreement between the trust and the tribe would be developed later. While many residents in the area are in favor of efforts to support the tribe, there are concerns the specifics of the deal are designed to prevent Signal Peak from complying with the law, which requires analysis of the mines impact on limited local water resources. Residents also fear trading federal minerals to private groups could affect local tax revenue needed to pay for roads, schools and emergency services. And they fear it could bar access to public lands for hunting and recreation. The group is also frustrated that Daines has not consulted local landowners who say they have for years dealt with damage from mining activity. They worry the senator is crafting legislation that benefits corporate interests and out-of-state mine owners while ignoring the interests of everyday Montanans who live, work, ranch, and hunt in the Bull Mountains. Their frustration is exacerbated given Signal Peak's history. The company is currently on federal probation with the Department of Justice following convictions for violations of environmental and safety standards. Opposition-led legislative committee at National Assembly holds hearing on impeachment petition By Anna J. Park Rival parties clashed again, Friday, at the first hearing on an online petition calling for President Yoon Suk Yeols impeachment over his alleged interference in a military investigation into a Marines death. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) claimed the hearing, led by the National Assembly-dominating main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and the impeachment petition itself are "unconstitutional and illegal" because the key issues cited as the justification for impeachment stated in the petition are groundless. But the DPK pushed ahead with the hearing, and said it would file a complaint over nine witnesses who refused to attend the hearing. The Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee held the hearing after an online petition seeking Yoon's impeachment gained more than 1.4 million consents from citizens. One of the key issues the committee discussed Friday was Yoon and other presidential aides' alleged exercise of influence on the military's investigation into a Marine's death last year. The hearing took place on the first death anniversary of the fallen Marine, Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who died during a search mission for victims during heavy rainfall. It has been alleged that the presidential office interfered with the investigation to protect Lim Seong-geun, who was the commander of the Marine Corps 1st Division at the time of the incident, from punishment. The hearing had a rocky start as the PPP attempted to block entry to the meeting room at the Assembly. The ensuing confrontation between the rival parties resulted in a brief physical clash, and Rep. Jeon Hyun-heui of the DPK sustained a slight facial injury. While the committee had requested 22 witnesses to attend the session and answer lawmakers' questions on the the allegations, including former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, incumbent Defense Minister Shin Won-sik and National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong, nine of them, including Shin and Cho, submitted reasons for their absence. Particularly, Lee Jong-ho, the former CEO of Black Pearl Investment who is a person of interest in the allegations, did not attend the session. Lee was convicted last year for his involvement in a stock price manipulation scheme related to Deutsche Motors a separate allegation involving first lady Kim Keon Hee and it is alleged he moved to save Lim by using his connection to the first lady. During the session, Lim reiterated that he does not know Lee Jong-ho. "I don't know him. I've never met him. I only learned through the media that such a person exists," Lim said. The issue surrounding the death of the Marine has become one of confrontational political bickering between the rival parties. The DPK-dominated Assembly pushed a bill mandating a special counsel investigation into the allegation first in the previous 21st Assembly and second in the current 22nd but Yoon vetoed both of them. The legislative committee plans to hold its second hearing on the impeachment petition next Friday. The focus of the next session will be the allegations related to the first ladys acceptance of a luxury handbag from a pastor and the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation case. A total of 23 witnesses have been selected, including Kims mother, as well as Prosecutor General Lee One-seok. Meanwhile, the presidential office reaffirmed its stance regarding the hearings, stating that the office "will not compromise on issues that are potentially unconstitutional or illegal." Naver CEO underscores importance of sovereign AI for non-English-speaking territories By Park Jae-hyuk SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island SK Group and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Chey Tae-won said, Friday, that Nvidia will maintain its lead in the AI chip industry for at least the next three years. However, the head of Koreas major chipmaker and the country's largest business lobby said the U.S. firm's dominant position depends on the changing environment and profitability of the AI technology industry. He compared the current fervor for AI to the gold rush and likened Nvidia to the pickaxe and jean sellers who thrived during the 19th-century westward migration of miners in North America. When there was no more gold, the sellers became unable to sell pickaxes, Chey said during a talk with Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon and Chong Song, head of KAIST Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI, during the 47th KCCI Jeju Forum. Without making money, the AI boom could vanish, just as the gold rush disappeared. The SK chairman noted that Microsoft, Google and Amazon, all of which produce their own chips, may stop using Nvidias products after weighing the benefits against the costs. His remarks came a few weeks after he traveled to the U.S. to meet the CEOs of Amazon, Intel, Microsoft and Open AI. In April, he also met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. U.S. Big Tech showed demand for AI data centers equipped with our semiconductors and energy solutions, Chey said. Although it is impossible for us to supply all components for AI data centers, we are still tasked with building more efficient AI data centers by using our technologies and materials. The Naver CEO, who also met the Nvidia CEO in California last month, emphasized the importance of sovereign AI, which refers to each nations capability to autonomously develop and produce AI technologies, thereby enabling complete control over resources. We discussed the necessity of large language models (LLMs) that understand each countrys language and context better, she said. Jensen Huang also acknowledged the necessity of such models. She added that nationwide cooperation between companies and government institutions is needed to develop a sovereign AI. Toward small- and medium-sized enterprises facing difficulties in using AI technologies, both SK and Naver chiefs advised them to save all information related to their companies into databases for the potential use of AI services. The era of AI has just begun, the SK chairman said. Even if your company is small, you can be the winner if you start using AI earlier than larger firms. Samsung Electronics and its largest labor union resumed talks Friday for the first time since the union went on a strike last week over a wage hike, a source close to the matter said. The management and the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU) had a meeting in Suwon, south of Seoul, to discuss the details for further negotiations, including schedules, processes and representatives, according to the sources. This marks the first time management and labor have come together since the NSEU declared a general strike July 8, threatening to disrupt the company's production. The meeting was arranged after the company accepted the NSEU's dialogue offer on Thursday, suggesting an "unconditional resumption of talks." The NSEU's demands for the general strike include a 5.6 percent basic pay raise for all members, a guaranteed day off on the union's founding day and compensation for economic losses due to the strike. Despite the strike lasting more than 10 days, Samsung Electronics said there has been minimal impact on production. The NSEU reports a total membership of 31,000, accounting for approximately 24 percent of Samsung Electronics' total workforce of about 125,000. (Yonhap) Lawmaker tables bill to rein in Doosan Group By Nam Hyun-woo Doosan Group is facing growing doubts over its decision to merge Doosan Bobcat, its lucrative construction equipment unit, into its smaller robotics unit, Doosan Robotics. Retail investors, proxy advisors and even lawmakers are expressing anger at the groups decision because Bobcat shareholders are being forced to exchange their shares in a company whose operating profit surpassed 1.39 trillion won ($1.06 billion) last year with that of a company that piled up 19.2 billion won in operating losses during the same period. According to Rep. Kim Hyun-jung of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), he and 16 other DPK lawmakers tabled a revision to the Financial Investment Services and Capital Markets Act to strengthen regulations on assessing the value of companies subject to mergers and acquisitions. Doosan Bobcat, with annual sales nearing 10 trillion won and operating profits exceeding 1 trillion won, is being unfairly valued on par with Doosan Robotics, whose sales are only 1/183rd of Doosan Bobcat's and which has incurred operating losses, the lawmakers wrote in their revision proposal. There are criticisms that this constitutes an exploitation of the current law. On July 11, Doosan Group announced its plan to delist Doosan Bobcat and merge it into Doosan Robotics, in an apparent strategy to use Bobcats profitability as a source for the costly investments in Doosan Robotics. When this process is completed, Bobcat will be fully owned directly by Doosans holding firm, Doosan Corp. Doosan plans to hold shareholders meetings, of the related companies, on Sept. 25 for approvals. As a result, each Bobcat share will be exchanged for 0.63 Robotics shares, thereby giving a higher value to Robotics' shares. Doosan Group says it complied with the capital markets act in setting the ratio, which stipulates the exchange ratio for mergers involving listed companies should be determined based on the average values of their recent stock prices. All of these actions are serving the purpose of the controlling stakeholder, the Korean Corporate Governance Forum said in its commentary, referring to Doosan Groups holding company, which holds a 68 percent stake in Doosan Robotics while controlling Doosan Bobcat through an intermediate firm. A total of 54 percent of [Doosan Bobcat] shareholders are retail investors, and they will face an abysmal consequence [Doosan] Robotics, which was listed last year, has been showing volatile stock price movements due to thematic approach, and its price-sales ratio surpasses 100, meaning it is extremely overvalued in the market. Solidarity for Economic Reform, a civic group focused on economic issues, also criticized in a statement that the merger plan is not the best plan for the interests of the company and shareholders and the two companies boards served Doosan Groups interests, rather than general shareholders. The civic group said that the companies should have merged through purchasing stakes in the market, not the stock exchange, and the current plan only benefits Doosan Robotics. Global ratings agency S&P also on Wednesday placed Doosan Bobcats credit ratings on its watch list with negative implications. S&P Global Ratings believes the transaction may lead to an increased likelihood of negative intervention from the group largely due to the group parents (Doosan Corp.) increased ownership of Doosan Bobcat, it said. Moreover, Bobcats standalone credit profile may also face some downward pressure on a potential alteration of financial policy and increasing financial burden. Analysts also note that the benefits will be concentrated on Doosan Robotics. There could be an exodus of investors, particularly among Doosan Bobcats overseas shareholders who had counted on the companys stable profit generation and dividends, Kiwoom Securities analyst Lee Han-gyul said. However, in the short term, there is also anticipation of a potential stock price increase in Doosan Bobcat depending on Doosan Robotics stock performance. Doosan Bobcat said in its regulatory filing that both companies will continue to operate their current businesses while striving to enhance management efficiency and increase shareholder value, adding "the companies will work towards achieving functional and organic integration between the two companies to maximize synergies. By Nam Hyun-woo Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin underscored the importance of innovation in the groups existing businesses during a meeting of CEOs of the groups affiliates, Friday, amid a slowdown in the conglomerates efforts to transform its business portfolio to be more future-oriented. According to Lotte Corp., the group's holding company, Lotte held its biannual Value Creation Meeting for the second half of this year. The meeting was attended by more than 80 CEOs, executives and top leaders of Lotte companies, including the chairman. The group has been holding the meeting as a top decision-making vehicle for discussing managing policies and medium- to long-term strategies. The holding firm said Fridays meeting focused on exploring plans to improve the competitiveness of its existing businesses to overcome pending uncertainties, as well as reviewing the progress of its new businesses. Even in the face of unforeseen crises, it is our responsibility to build a company that overcomes challenges and continues to grow, Shin was quoted as saying. He also urged CEOs to maintain a sense of urgency in achieving business goals and revitalizing the company despite the uncertainties in the business environment. Fridays meeting came amid views that the sluggish performance of Lottes existing businesses are slowing down efforts to reorient the groups business portfolio with a vision for the future. For years, Lotte Group has been seeking to expand its presences in bio, health care, mobility, artificial intelligence (AI), platform businesses and advanced materials, but those efforts have yet to stand out among its rivals. The costs to cover the investments required by those emerging businesses are increasing weight on the groups existing cash cows. Last month, domestic credit rating house Korea Investors Service (KIS) downgraded its outlook ratings of five Lotte companies, including Lotte Corp. and its flagship unit Lotte Chemical, from stable to negative. Lotte Chemicals rebound seems to be delayed as it posted operating loss for the past two years, the rating agency said in the report. It added that Lotte Chemicals profitability is also affecting Lotte Corp., which it noted is facing expanded pressure to support its subsidiaries and affiliates as the holding firm of the group. Retail, another revenue pillar of the group, is also struggling. Lotte Shopping posted an operating profit of 508.4 billion won ($365.7 million) last year, up 31.6 percent year-on-year, but its sales declined by 6 percent to 14.56 trillion won during the same period. Against this backdrop, Shin stressed the need for innovation in the fundamental competitiveness of the groups existing businesses, citing Harvard University professor Clayton Christensens book, The Innovators Dilemma. The chairman demanded Lotte companies use AI to innovate their responses to market changes. He also stressed the need to expand high-value-added businesses across the group for sustainable growth, citing businesses including contract manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, electric vehicle battery materials and electric vehicle charging services. We have a history and passion for overcoming numerous past crises, Shin said, asking CEOs to strengthen their companies' executive ability in order to facilitate sustainable growth. A software update wreaked havoc on computer systems globally on Friday, grounding flights, forcing some broadcasters off air and hitting services from banking to healthcare. An update to a product offered by global cyberscurity firm CrowdStrike appeared to be the trigger, affecting customers using Microsoft's Windows Operating System. Microsoft said later on Friday the issue had been fixed. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on social media platform X that the company was "actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts" and that a fix was being deployed. "This is not a security incident or cyberattack," Kurtz said in the post. Early on Friday, major U.S. airlines American Airlines , Delta Airlines and United Airlines grounded flights, while other carriers and airports around the world reported delays and disruptions. Banks and financial services companies from Australia to India and Germany warned customers of disruptions and traders across markets spoke of problems with executing transaction. "We are having the mother of all global market outages," one trader said. In Britain, booking systems used by doctors were offline, multiple reports posted on X by medical officials said, while Sky News, one of the country's major news broadcasters was off air, apologising for being unable to transmit live, and soccer club Manchester United said on X that it had to postpone a scheduled release of tickets. Microsoft's cloud unit Azure said it was aware of the issue that impacted virtual machines running Windows OS and the CrowdStrike Falcon agent getting stuck in a "restarting state," amid an ongoing global outage. "We're aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform. We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming," a Microsoft spokesperson said. In an alert to clients issued at 05:30 GMT on Friday, CrowdStrike said its "Falcon Sensor" software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, known informally as the "Blue Screen of Death." It also shared a manual workaround to rectify the issue. A global tech outage was disrupting operations in multiple industries on Friday, with airlines halting flights, some broadcasters off-air and everything from banking to healthcare hit by system problems. American Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines and Allegiant Air grounded flights citing communication problems. The order came shortly after Microsoft said it resolved its cloud services outage that impacted several low-cost carriers, though it was not immediately clear whether those were related. "A third party software outage is impacting computer systems worldwide, including at United. While we work to restore those systems, we are holding all aircraft at their departure airports," United said in a statement. "Flights already airborne are continuing to their destinations." Australia's government said outages suffered by media, banks and telecoms companies there appeared to be linked to an issue at global cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. According to an alert sent by Crowdstrike to its clients and reviewed by Reuters, the companys Falcon Sensor software is causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, known informally as the Blue Screen of Death. The alert, which was sent at 05:30 GMT on Friday, also shared a manual workaround to rectify the issue. A Crowdstrike spokesperson did not respond to emails or calls requesting comment. Over half of Fortune 500 companies used CrowdStrike software, the U.S. firm said in a promotional video this year. "This is a a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the worlds core Internet infrastructure," said Ciaran Martin, Professor at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government and former head of the UK National Cyber Security Centre. The outages rippled far and wide. Airports in Singapore, Hong Kong and India said the outage meant some airlines were having to check in passengers manually. Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's busiest, said it was affected, while airline Iberia said it had been operating manually at airports until its electronic check-in counters and online check-ins were reactivated. It said there had been some delays but no flight cancellations. Air France-KLM said its operations were disrupted. The Dutch foreign affairs ministry told Dutch press agency ANP it had been affected. A spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. While there were reports of companies gradually restoring their services, analysts weighed the potential of what one called the biggest ever outage in the industry and the broader economy. "IT security tools are all designed to ensure that companies can continue to operate in the worst-case scenario of a data breach, so to be the root cause of a global IT outage is an unmitigated disaster," said Ajay Unni, CEO of StickmanCyber, one of Australia's largest cybersecurity services companies. (Reuters) Following his recent sightings, there is a rising anticipation that Seunghan is preparing for his return to RIIZE after THESE 2 "Hints" from "Music Bank" and the infamous Han Seo Hee. About eight months after he stopped his group activities in November 2023, RIIZE inactive member Seunghan has been drawing attention to whether he will still return or not. As a brief background, he was forced to temporarily have an indefinite hiatus due to the controversy over his private life. As he was still a rookie, fans weren't able to take that he was dating during his pre-debut days, criticizing his personality and calling it a "betrayal." Since then, RIIZE continued as a six-member system, releasing hit tracks such as "Love 119" and "Boom Boom Bass" without him. During the sextet's activities, there are opinions that they are better off without Seunghan, but a lot are still waiting for his return, even the members. While the male idol remained on the low to avoid unnecessary issues, he was recently seen reading messages for him at a subway station ads section. him reading the fans letter telling that we are patiently waiting for him.. seunghans support ad is @ subway station (seoul forest) and the exit from this station goes straight to the sm building and according to op, her friend spoke with seunghan so it's really him pic.twitter.com/6kiEUn6ExX wiz (@jhyngae) March 29, 2024 ALSO READ: Seunghan's Hiatus Sparks Heated Discussions: Will RIIZEs Controversial Member Return? With his frequent sightings, fans were curious if SM is only testing the waters, before announcing his return. This speculation arose even more when "Music Bank" released more information about its world tour to be held in Madrid this coming October 12. RIIZE was among the artist lineup but what caught fans' attention was the name of Seunghan who was included in the OT6 poster. Fans wonder why would they list the idol's name when he wasn't in the picture. OT6 PIC BUT SEUNGHANS NAME MENTIONED?? MUSIC BANK WHAT U UP TO pic.twitter.com/JgKTbQdkIV July 17, 2024 This sparks speculation that it could be an indicator that Seunghan will finally come back. Another sign that strengthened BRIIZEs (fans) claim was the remark from Han Seo Hee, who was a notorious insider. She often talks negatively about various K-pop idols, and with the popularity of RIIZE, she was recently following them intently as well. However, as a chaebol's daughter who formed multiple connections, netters often listened to what she had to say, especially when she formed a presence after being one of the key personalities to expose a huge drug scandal in the K-pop industry. On Instagram, she left a post, saying: "Hong Seunghan is said to be coming back. Around the end of the year. Gonna sleep now." This is hopeful news for BRIIZEs, especially since they wish that Seunghan could join RIIZE during the celebration of its 1st debut anniversary on September 4. Meanwhile, RIIZE, the group to which Seunghan belongs has been gaining huge popularity beyond South Korea with its first mini-album, "RIIZING" released on June 17. The group will then expand in Japan with its upcoming official Japanese debut on September 5. Prior to that, they will unveil its digital single, "Lucky" on July 24. READ MORE: Are RIIZE Teasing Seunghan's Return? Fans Go Wild Over Concert Gestures For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Eunice Dela Cruz In a viral clip that spread on social media, Beomgyu was seen limping outside the HYBE building. The clip generated a mass outcry from fans of the idol, who protested against HYBE's alleged mistreatment amid Beomgyu's poor health condition. Earlier on June 19, BIGHIT MUSIC officially announced that Beomgyu had paid a visit to the hospital after suffering from an injury. The idol was diagnosed with a sprained ankle, which led the agency to limit activities that can lead to strain. "Beomgyu was diagnosed with an ankle sprain, an ankle ligament injury to be exact. Based on the advice of medical professionals, it was required for Beomgyu to rest and recover. Thus, he will not be participating in some of his scheduled activities, including Paris Fashion Week." The agency continued that although Beomgyu has declared his willingness to continue his schedules with TXT, it was ultimately decided that his recovery be prioritized. BIGHIT MUSIC then concluded with an assurance of his recovery and hopeful return to fans. "Beomgyu has shown his determination to complete his schedules. However, we have decided to adjust his participation to focus on his recovery and follow the advice of the medical staff. We will do our best to support Beomgyu in his recovery so he can return to fans in good health." YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: TXT Beomgyu's Health Condition Sparks Concern as Idol Leaves Mid-Interview However, on social media platform X (Twitter), fans were enraged to see Beomgyu limping outside the HYBE building without any assistance from company staff. op saw beomgyu get off work at hybe today, and he got off work by himself in a taxi.https://t.co/SUy3uGJ0FU pic.twitter.com/1DyeCaG5sH (@Bam2gyu_) July 17, 2024 Though the idol has improved, fans argued that Beomgyu still couldn't walk properly. They called out the HYBE's alleged mistreatment and pointed out that it was frustrating to see Beomgyu take a cab alone instead of being provided with transportation from the company. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below. For more K-pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: TXT Beomgyu Cancels Attendance In Paris Fashion Week Due To Injury + BIGHIT MUSIC Adjusts Idol's Schedules KpopStarz owns this article Written by Israel Monte Police on Monday arrested a 14-year-old in Casper suspected of a murder in Denver. The arrest was made by the Denver Police Department with help from the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and Casper Police Department, according to a press release. Steven Marquez was wanted for the homicide of Todd Kidd that occurred on the evening of July 10, in front of Federales a bar and taco restaurant north of downtown Denver, according to media reports. A police investigation revealed that Kidd intervened in a disturbance and was shot by Marquez. Kidd died two days later in the hospital, according to a press release. Marquez was identified through witnesses and surveillance video and he was found in Casper. Marquez is being held for investigation of First-Degree Murder but the Denver District Attorneys office will make the final decision on charges. A gofundme set up for Kidds funeral expenses has raised over $32,000. Our beloved friend Todd was shot while defending his coworkers and workplace. In light of Todds passing, we have elected to raise our goal to aid with the funeral expenses, and any additional expenses the family encounters, the page states. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Her expressionless mug has been featured on countless toys, not to mention bowling balls, motor oil, a Fender Strat, a pricey Judith Leiber clutch, sanitary napkins and mens underwear. Shes inspired a controversial song by Avril Lavigne, works of sculpture by Tom Sachs and a pretty spectacular dress worn by Lady Gaga. I am talking about Hello Kitty, the adorable cultural force that began life as a character on a coin purse in Japan 1974. Produced by Sanrio, she arrived in the United States two years later. And shes been a part of global popular culture ever since. This fall, she is set to take L.A. by storm, with a full-blown retrospective of Kitty art, merch and fashion at the Japanese American National Museum, which opens in mid-October. Two weeks later, the first ever Hello Kitty Con, will be held at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Advertisement Christine R. Yano is an anthropologist from the University of Hawaii (and currently a visiting professor at Harvard) who has spent years studying the phenomenon that is Hello Kitty. She is also the author of the book Pink Globalization: Hello Kittys Trek Across the Pacific, published by Duke University Press last year. She says that Kittys unreadable features (she usually doesnt have a mouth), along with clever merchandising, has helped cultivate the characters following. Hello Kitty works and is successful partly because of the blankness of her design, Yano says. People see the possibility of a range of expressions. You can give her a guitar, you can put her on stage, you can portray her as is. That blankness gives her an appeal to so many types of people. That also makes her more than just another fabrication of Japans culture of cute, known as kawaii. Advertisement She doesnt have this insipid cuteness, explain Yano, who is also serving as curator for the Japanese American National Museums retrospective. Its something clever and creative which contributes to a certain cool factor. For example, take Precious Moments [giftware]. Thats cute. But theres nothing cool about Precious Moments. Hello Kitty has the potential to be so many other things. This year, Kitty turns 40 and her power as icon and brand shows no sign of abating. But theres a lot we dont know about Hello Kitty. And, Yano, who is currently wading through hundreds of objects for the exhibition at the the Japanese American National Museum (including the famous Gaga dress), gives us the lowdown: Advertisement Hello Kitty is not a cat. You read that right. When Yano was preparing her written texts for the exhibit at the Japanese American National Museum, she says she described Hello Kitty as a cat. I was corrected very firmly, she says. Thats one correction Sanrio made for my script for the show. Hello Kitty is not a cat. Shes a cartoon character. She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat. Shes never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature. She does have a pet cat of her own, however, and its called Charmmy Kitty. I grew up with Hello Kitty everything and all I have to say is, MIND BLOWN. Hello Kitty is British. Kitty is actually named Kitty White and she has a full back story. She is a Scorpio. She loves apple pie. And she is the daughter of George and Mary White. She has a twin sister, adds Yano. Shes a perpetual third-grader. She lives outside of London. I could go on. A lot of people dont know the story and a lot dont care. But its interesting because Hello Kitty emerged in the 1970s, when the Japanese and Japanese women were into Britain. They loved the idea of Britain. It represented the quintessential idealized childhood, almost like a white picket fence. So the biography was created exactly for the tastes of that time. Hello Kitty has special significance to Asian Americans. Yes, shes worldwide. But Hello Kitty has had special resonance with Asians who grew up in the United States. When Hello Kitty arrived in the U.S. in the mid-1970s, it was a commodity mainly in Asian enclaves: Chinatowns, Japantowns, etc., explains Yano. In talking to Japanese Americans who grew up in the 1970s, they say, That figure means so much to us because she was ours. Its something they saw as an identity marker. This is why the exhibition is being held at the Japanese American National Museum. Its about reconnecting her to this community. It gives the whole thing a certain poignancy and power. Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty, opens Oct. 11 at the Japanese American National Museum, 100 N. Central Ave., downtown Los Angeles, janm.org. Hello Kitty Con runs for four days starting Oct. 30 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 152 N. Central Ave., downtown Los Angeles, sanrio.com. Twitter: @cmonstah An adult male grizzly bear sought following numerous break-ins in Gardiner-area homes and businesses was shot by a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks employee early on July 18 while in the Yellowstone River. The bear's demise came following a scary run-in with Paul Miller's neighbor. Miller, a former Yellowstone National Park ranger, said the disabled vet was watching television at night when the bear broke down the front door. With a .45 caliber handgun nearby, the vet fired off several shots at the bear. Shortly after, his wife came into the room with a shotgun and "spanked" the bear's bottom with shotgun pellets. After hearing about the incident, Miller took a .30-06 rifle to his niece nearby in case she needed to defend herself. Miller loaded slugs into his shotgun in case the bear visited him. The next morning around 6 a.m., Miller's neighbor texted him that FWP had arrived searching for the bear and to stay inside. Then he heard three pops from a rifle and went back to sleep. Daniel Mikos, who owns and operates the Yellowstone Basin Inn with his wife, said the bear had previously broken out a window in their shed and tore into one of the inn's buildings. Mikos said he saw the bear one morning and estimated his weight at 800 pounds. "We're hoping that's the one they needed to get," he said. FWP grizzly bear specialists and game wardens had been attempting to trap the bear since early June as it sought unsecured foods from coolers, vehicles, camp trailers, sheds and garbage cans with increasing frequency over the past three week. The Livingston Enterprise first reported about the grizzly's numerous break-ins. The bear also broke into several occupied residences to retrieve food, including homes in Gardiner and Maiden Basin, as well as a National Park Service employee house in Mammoth, FWP reported in a news release. Several property owners attempted to haze the bear, but it returned to Gardiner and surrounding areas almost nightly to obtain food. Miller said the grizzly was so habituated to human foods that it had become dangerous. With human safety as a top priority, and in consultation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, FWP bear specialists began nightly efforts to trap and remove the bear, FWP said. However, the wide availability of unsecured attractants, combined with the bear being active almost exclusively at night, limited opportunities to remove the animal without creating additional human safety risks. That changed early Thursday morning when FWP received the report that the bear had broken into the home in Maiden Basin, about 4 miles north of Gardiner on the east side of the Yellowstone River. FWP staff responded and dispatched the bear while it was in the Yellowstone River, the agency reported. "The bear was not chased into the river," said Morgan Jacobsen, FWP information officer in Bozeman. "After it exited the house in Maiden Basin Thursday morning, it crossed the highway heading west and went down the bank and into the river. It was in the river channel when it was shot." FWP recovered the carcass from the river Thursday afternoon and confirmed that the same bear had been involved in "several dozen" incidents. Confirmation came from genetic samples collected from the sites of previous bear break-ins, FWP reported. The samples pointed to a bear that had been captured for research and given a numbered ear tag. The bear killed Thursday had the same ear tag and was confirmed to be involved in the recent conflicts, FWP said. The bear was 15 years old and reportedly in good physical condition. "Sometimes bears that resort to regularly seeking food in human-populated areas are at the end of their lives, injured, have worn-down teeth, or are otherwise struggling physically to make a living in the wild," Jacobsen said. "That was not the case with this bear." Officials are hopeful this will end the problems in the Gardiner area, so no additional traps will be set. During his work as a Yellowstone ranger, Miller said he had many encounters with bears and that bear spray was effective as a deterrent. However, he did have to shoot one bear about 15 years ago as it charged his partner, killing the animal only 6 feet from his colleague. "We both changed our shorts after that," he said. If grizzlies are removed from protection under the Endangered Species Act, Miller said he'd like to see problem bears targeted by hunters. "I think it would be a win all the way around," he said. The Social Security Administration is making sweeping changes to how beneficiaries and others access their information online. Anyone who created a My Social Security account before Sept. 18, 2021 is now required to transition to a Login.gov account to access information and services from the Social Security Administration. The agency said the changes were necessary to simplify the login experience and align with federal authentication standards while providing safe and secure access to online services. What you need to do If youre a current account holder who hasnt switched yet, sign into your existing account. Upon logging in, there will be an option to transition to Login.gov. Once your account is linked, you will receive a confirmation notice and get access to Social Security services and other information from the agency. If you already have a Login.gov or ID.me account, you dont need to create a new account, according to the agency. The new accounts are free and provide information to everyone from beneficiaries to people who just need to replace their Social Security card. So far, more than 5 million people with existing accounts have made the transition. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. A FedEx driver crashed his delivery vehicle into a utility pole in Warren County and faces charges including driving while intoxicated, police said Thursday. The 46-year-old driver was traveling west on Route 46 in Hackettstown about 3 p.m. Tuesday when he dropped his cellphone, the towns police department said in a news release. According to police, while attempting to retrieve the device inside the vehicle, the driver left the road and crashed into the pole. Police were responding to a separate crash nearby in the 100 block of Main Street, near the intersection with Valentine Street, when they heard the FedEx truck collision, police said. No injuries were reported. The crash cut power to more than 800 JCP&L customers, according to police. Route 46 was closed between High Street and West Stiger Street for several hours as line crews replaced the utility pole. The FedEx driver was using his phone to locate an address, police said. Inside the truck, officers located a Yeti cup that contained pink lemonade mixed with vodka, police allege. Breath testing showed the driver had a 0.12 blood-alcohol content, according to police. Penalties begin for most drivers at a BAC of 0.08. The driver was arrested then released pending a court appearance. Authorities are also charging him with using a handheld device while driving, reckless driving, failure to observe traffic lanes, open container of alcohol in a vehicle, and failure to wear a seatbelt. A FedEx representative commented Thursday to lehighvalleylive.com: We are grateful there were no serious injuries in this incident, and we are cooperating with local authorities. We can confirm the driver is suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. Assisting the police at the scene were the Hackettstown Fire Department, Hackettstown Fire Police, Hackettstown Office of Emergency Management, Hackettstown First Aid & Rescue Squad, Hackettstown Department of Public Works and New Jersey Department of Transportation, according to the release. Glenn Epps can be reached at gepps@lehighvalleylive.com or glenn_epps_on X (formerly known as Twitter.com), Facebook and Threads. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe to lehighvalleylive.com today. Irish prisons have been issued an urgent drug alert following detection of nitazine which resulted in a fatal overdose. The Irish Prison Service issued an urgent drug alert to all prisons following analysis conducted by the HSE National Drug Treatment Centre Laboratory which confirmed the presence of a nitazene type substance, associated with overdoses in Irish prisons, one of which is fatal. The Irish Prison Service said they are "working closely with the HSE in response to this detection of Nitazene". "Prison healthcare teams have adequate stocks of naloxone should clinical intervention be required". Nitazenes are a strong synthetic opioid which can cause serious overdoses, hospitalisation and drug-related death. They can be found in the form of yellow tablets, pills or powder. Extra vigilance is being taken across the prison estate and the Irish Prison Service has commenced an information campaign for prisoners around the dangers of consuming non prescribed illegal drugs. Prisoners, visitors, staff or members of the public with information on the trafficking of drugs into our prisons can pass on that information in the strictest confidence. There is a free confidential telephone line (1800 855 717) and text line (086 1802449) which is operational. Extra resources are in the pipeline for a host of Laois schools as part of a national increase in resources for special education. Under the initiative, twelve new special education classes are set to be established in Laois with all having six pupils, one teacher and one special needs assistant. The Minister for Education Norma Foley confirmed that funding is being provided to advance the initiative in the forthcoming 2024/2025 school year. Minister for State and Laois Offaly TD Sean Fleming welcomed the allocation. I welcome the news that there are going to be twelve new special classes in Laois in September. I want to thank all our local schools who are working so hard to make this happen in conjunction with the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education. This is a sign of this governments commitment to delivering an inclusive education for all our children, the Deputy said. In total, over 375 new special classes will be delivered in September for around 2,300 children with additional educational needs. Additional building work is being carried out in schools across the country to provide either new classrooms or refurbish existing classrooms for the new special classes. The list of the schools with new special classes in Laois this September is below picture: Pictured in Laois in 2002 were Minister for Education Norma Foley TD and Minister Sean Fleming TD meeting pupils at the official opening of the new Gaelscoil Thromaire. Photo: Alf Harvey. St Joseph's NS, Borris-in-Ossory Presentation Convent Primary School, Portarlington Scoil Padraig NS, Ballylinan Clonenagh NS, Mountrath Scoil Mhuire NS, Abbeyleix Scoil Bhride NS, Rathdowney Scoil Naomh Eoin Phoil Naofa NS, Ballyroan Scoil Chriost Ri, Secondary, Portlaoise Colaiste Iosagain, Secondary, Portarlington St Fergal's College, Secondary, Rathdowney Mountrath Community School, Secondary The Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education are engaging with school patrons and a small number of schools to finalise the arrangements necessary for the remainder of special classes to open for the coming school year in the areas where they are needed. Minister for Education Foley said: I know that there are still challenges delivering school places for children with additional educational needs in their nearest school. It is my absolute aspiration that it will, in time, come to a point where every child with additional educational needs will be able to attend their local school and that there will be no distance for them to travel. We are making progress in that respect, but there is more to be done. The number of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) who help parents to find school places and health services for their children has increased from 73 to 120. This July, Festival in a Van is joining forces with Creative Places Athy to bring the magic of live performance straight to the front door of two communities in Athy on Friday 19 July 2024. On stage as part of this special visit to Athy will be Rhythm Africana performing traditional songs from all over Africa sure to get you dancing. The main event is an outing of a spoken word theatre piece by acclaimed group We AreGriot which explores themes of migration and home. The mic will also be handed over to local residents for more unique performances. All are welcome to this free event which aims to jumpstart your weekend and broaden your horizons with some of the best performers on the scene in Ireland today. Rhythm Africana was founded in 2013 by Justine Nantale to highlight traditional African styles of music and rhythm. Following the success of their first EP My African Dream, the band has been invited to perform at events by AFRI-Action from Ireland, Trocaire, Concern, Oxfam, Action Aid, Community festivals Comhlamh- action for global Justice seminar, Fields of Life Charity fundraiser, Dun Laoghaire Refugee Project. Rhythm Africana has also been one of the headline acts of the Malaika stage at Africa Day, the annual festival supported by Irish Aid and the Minister of State. Rhythm Africana band performs a variety of traditional songs from Africa. Musicians are based in Dublin and hail from Uganda, Zambia, Congo, Nigeria and Ireland. WeAreGriot is a collective of Nigerian-Irish poets and storytellers: Dagogo Hart & Samuel Yakura. Together they have curated poetry-plays and theatrical shows like Boy Child, See True and Sthory. They hosted the celebrated Dublin hip hop and poetry slam series, Talkatives. WeAreGriot have worked with many arts organisations to curate and commission events, theatrical installations, featured poetry performances and workshops, including Poetry Ireland, Dublin Fringe, International Literature Festival Dublin, Dublin Book Festival, Guinness, Tradfest to mention a few. Their goal is to reflect the times they live in through their work, to celebrate culture and community and to stretch the boundaries of poetry. WeAreGriot create to serve both art and agenda. Friday 19th July 2024 1pm 2pm: Castlepark, Athy, Co. Kildare, R14 RD79 5pm 6pm: Bert House, Athy, Co. Kildare, R14WD68 Presented by Festival in a Van, this day is funded by the Arts Council and Creative Places Athy. ABOUT FESTIVAL IN A VAN Gemma Tipton set up Festival in a Van in 2020, turning a box van into a mobile stage, as a way of keeping live performance going during Covid. Travelling in a bubble, and armed with oceans of hand sanitiser, the Festival in a Van team were able to visit care homes, schools, residential centres and direct provision centres touring music, theatre and poetry. National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company delivering the new future-proofed, high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home network under the National Broadband Plan on behalf of the Government, has said that almost 3,600 Kildare properties in its Curragh Camp deployment area can now avail of a high-speed fibre broadband connection. The area covers the rural surrounds of the Curragh Camp, Newbridge and Calverstown. There are 15,000 premises in Co Kildare included in the States Intervention Area, which will see NBI deliver minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms, and schools. As the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification, Co Kildare will receive 53M of Government investment under the National Broadband Plan. Almost 3,600 premises in the Curragh Camp deployment area can join the NBI network. National Broadband Ireland is calling on people living near Newbridge to visit nbi.ie/map/ and enter their Eircode to see if they are ready to connect. Works have already been completed in other parts of Kildare and there is a total of 10,567 premises that can now pre-order or order high-speed, reliable broadband across the county with 2,777 connections made so far. Network build works are also underway in the Baltinglass deployment area near Moone, where almost 1,200 Kildare premises will be ready to connect to high-speed fibre at the end of this year between October and December. National Broadband Irelands website is regularly updated to show estimated connection dates. People living in Kildare can visit nbi.ie/map/ and enter their Eircode to see when they will be ready to connect. Peter Hendrick, Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, said: We are delighted to announce that almost 3,600 Kildare premises surrounding Newbridge can now order high-speed broadband services through the NBI network. This will enable those who connect to experience the life-changing benefits of high-speed broadband with minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second. Overall, almost 10,600 homes, businesses and farms in Co Kildare can now order a high-speed fibre connection to the NBI network. This includes 1,500 premises near Athy in the Ballylinan deployment area, over 3,000 near Donadea and over 2,400 near Naas in the Blessington deployment area. We are working hard on the ground to progress other areas of the county through engineering survey, design and construction phases. We are encouraging Kildare residents to visit the NBI website to check their Eircode and sign up for updates. As a wholesale network operator, NBI does not sell fibre broadband directly to end users, rather it enables services from a range of broadband providers or Retail Service Providers (RSPs). As a wholesale provider, NBI will make the new Fibre-to-the-Home network available to all RSPs operating in the Intervention Area. Some 72 RSPs have already signed up to sell services on the National Broadband Ireland network and 68 are certified as ready to start providing connections as of today. To see the retail broadband providers that are currently licensed to sell on the National Broadband Ireland network, visit NBI.ie/buy. National Broadband Ireland contractors have been on the ground across the country and 284,722 premises nationwide can order or pre-order broadband on the NBI network so far. The National Broadband Ireland website is regularly updated to show estimated connection dates. Signing up to the NBI email notifications at https://nbi.ie/eoi/ is the easiest way to get the most up to date status of premises during the rollout and when premises will be ready for order. More than 20 North Dakota companies will display, sample and sell their products at the 36th annual KMOT Pride of Dakota Day on Monday at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot. The annual event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., under the large tent near the southwest corner of the fairgrounds, state Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. A $1 Pride of Dakota lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The first 500 lunch attendees will receive a $10 coupon toward a Pride of Dakota purchase at the State Fair, which must be used that day. More than 450 North Dakota companies are members of the state's Pride of Dakota branding program. Two County Kildare political activists based in England have welcomed Labours massive Labour in the UK General Election. Sinead Walsh, originally from Kill, ran for the Liberal Democrats and won a seat on Haywards Heath Town Council, in the south of England, near Gatwick. She topped the poll in the local elections just over two years ago. Ms Walsh was one of two Lib Dem candidates when she took 1003 votes topping the poll in the Lucastes and Bolnore Ward. It was the first time I have stood for election and to be honest I was surprised I got elected but also thrilled as it confirms that the national trend is away from the Tories. This area has historically been a Tory stronghold, Ms Walsh, who lived in The Gables, at the time. Sinead Walsh Ms Walsh and fellow pro EU activist Peter Benson originally from Dublin Road, Naas and now living in south London participated in many protests against Brexit and the Tory party outside parliament in London. In the run-up to polling day last Friday Ms Walsh canvassed for Alison Bennett of the Liberal Democrats who took the seat in Mid-Sussex with 21,136 votes , ahead of Tory candidate Kristy Adams with 14,474 votes. The Conservatives held the seat in the run-up to the poll. Ms Walsh said:Now that the LibDems have a significant voice in parliament, we may finally be able to move away from the realms of fantasy and nonsense and recognize that the only sustainable way to grow the economy is by rejoining the Single Market. I also hope that Labour acts early on its commitment to repeal the Troubles Legacy Act. She said the Conservatives deserved to be wiped out for the generational damage they have done. Peter and I have spent years campaigning and protesting and it will be a relief simply not to have to worry what fresh disaster each day will bring, but, for real change, we need to be brutally honest about how we got here and what we have to do to fix it. "It is time to start healing from the last decade and a half, where the rich and powerful were the sole focus", said Mr Benson, adding he is hopeful that over time the massive inequality in the UK will be tackled. We had a political system where money and the powerful bought influence and that will end now . When the prime minister wears a 750 pound rucksack when travelling, we all know where his sympathies lay and it was not with the workers of the country, he said. The right-wing bias in British Politics has been bad for Ireland north and south and the whole of Europe. Its time Britain appreciates its closest neighbours and friends, and this will happen under Labour now and hopefully very soon. They believe a Labour government is positive for Ireland and a welcome counterbalance to the worrying shifts to the far-right in parts of Europe. A man has admitted to causing the death of a nine-year-old boy in Bundoran, Co Donegal. Sergee Kelly has signed a guilty plea to four charges in connection with a fatal road traffic collision, where Ronan Wilson (9), from Kildress in Tyrone, was killed last September. Kelly, who appeared before Judge Ciaran Liddy at Ballyshannon District Court on Friday afternoon and faces charges that include dangerous driving causing death will now go before Donegal Circuit Court. The State Solicitor for Donegal, Mr Kieran Dillon, told the court that a signed plea had been handed in. Kelly, a 23-year-old with an address at Upper Mullaghmore, Co Sligo, was accompanied by his parents to court. Asked by Judge Liddy to confirm that it was his signature on the document, Kelly said: I can of course, your honour. Sergee Kelly at Ballyshannon District Court. (North West Newspix) Mr Dillon said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has consented to Kelly being returned on a signed plea to the next sitting of Donegal Circuit Court. Judge Liddy granted legal aid to Kelly's solicitor, Mr Gerry McGovern, and assigned two legal counsel in the matter. Judge Liddy administered the alibi warning and made a section 56 order relating to tapes of interviews. Kelly has signed a guilty plea to a charge of dangerous driving causing the death of Ronan Wilson on September 23, 2023 at Atlantic Way, Bundoran. The charge is contrary to Section 53 (1) of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 as substituted by Section 4 of the Road Traffic Act (No. 2) Act, 2011. When charged with the offence in early April, Kelly replied: 'No' A charge of dangerous driving causing death carries a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment. The late Ronan Wilson The signed plea also covers a charge of having been the driver of a vehicle, which was involved in the occurrence of injury to Ronan Wilson, did fail to offer said person assistance. He has also signed pleas to charges of failing to stop and with failing to remain at the scene after the incident, which occurred at around 9.20pm in the south Donegal town. In April, bail was only granted to Kelly by Judge Monika Leech after a 10,000 cash lodgement was made. An application for Kelly's bail conditions to be varied in order to enable work at sea on a fishing trawler was previously withdrawn. Inspector Angela Cummins told a previous court hearing that this is a 'complex investigation'. Under the terms of his bail, Kelly is prohibited from entering Bundoran, save for agreed appointments with his doctor, and has also been ordered to stay out of Northern Ireland. Last week, Kelly was brought before Sligo District Court for an alleged breach of his bail conditions. The court was informed that Kelly went to Bundoran to borrow a suit, but no charge arose out of the matter. Bail was granted to Kelly on the same, existing terms. Ryanair and Sky News are among companies that have been affected by a global tech issue that has shut down computers around the world. Airlines, banks, supermarkets and other major institutions have reported computer issues disrupting services this Friday morning, July 19, with some airlines warning of delays and some airports grounding flights. The issue is primarily affecting Microsoft devices, who confirmed it was investigating an "issue" with its 365 apps and operating systems. The IT giant said they had recovered some services but warned that the issue was ongoing and users should expect "service degradation" according to a status page on its website. Ryanair have advised customers to arrive at airports at least three hours before their scheduled departure time, as they are " experiencing disruption across the network due to a Global 3rd party IT outage which is out of our control." Were currently experiencing disruption across the network due to a Global 3rd party IT outage which is out of our control. We advise all passengers to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before their scheduled departure time. Contd in comments Ryanair (@Ryanair) July 19, 2024 Flights have been suspended at Berlin's Brandenburg airport until 10am this Friday morning (Irish time), while Edinburgh Airport and Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, one of Europe's busiest hubs, have also reported issues. According to Brian Honan, expert on cybersecurity and data protection, and owner of BH Consulting, the issue seems to be caused by "a compatibility issue" with a software called CrowdStrike, a popular security software. Speaking to RTE's Morning Ireland, Mr Honan said that an update sent out by CrowdStrike "to update the software worldwide is causing many Windows PCs to crash". RTE also reported that they themselves had issues with their systems but had managed to get on air this Friday morning. Australian systems, including some of the countries biggest banks, Quantas Airlines and the Victoria Police, seem to have been worst hit, though the office of Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator have ruled out a cyber attack. Gardai have seized 18 firearms and approximately 900 rounds of ammunition at a premises in Co Louth. At approximately 2pm, officers carried out a search on the outskirts of Ardee. They seized six AR-15 assault rifles and 12 semi-automatic 9mm handguns. Approximately 900 rounds of 9mm and .223 ammunition were also discovered. A number of follow-up searches were carried out at several properties in the county. Two men in their 30s were arrested on suspicion of participation in the activities of a criminal organisation to facilitate firearms trafficking. Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime Justin Kelly said: Todays seizure of firearms and ammunition is particularly significant. These would have undoubtedly been used to maim, kill and intimidate those in communities across Ireland. Weapons such as those seized by Gardai today are the lifeblood of organised criminal groups who often use violence as part of their drug trafficking operations. I wish to commend the dedication of all the Gardai involved in this operation. Operations like todays demonstrate our determination to make Ireland a hostile environment for organised criminal groups to operate. UM Closes 100+ Offices Worldwide for Annual Impact Day More than 3,200 Employees Across 50+ Countries Unite to Give Back to Local Communities NEW YORK, July 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- UM, a global media agency network of IPG Mediabrands, today announced its seventh global Impact Day, under the theme, "ONE Day, ONE UM, ONE Better World." Launched in 2016 under UM's corporate social responsibility unit, Better World, Impact Day reflects the agency's commitment to its core values of community, curiosity and courage. UM employees will participate in activities around three Impact Day pillars: Equity ? Acts of service that directly impact underserved communities. Sustainability ? Acts of service that directly impact our planet, locally or globally. Wellness ? Acts of service that directly impact the well-being of another person's physical or mental health. "UMers from all over the globe look forward every year to volunteering as one connected team for our beloved Impact Day tradition," said Andrea Suarez, Global CEO, UM. "Our theme this year, 'ONE Day, ONE UM, ONE Better World' highlights the incredible impact we can have when we harness the power of our collective action to give back to the communities in which we live, serve and flourish." On Thursday, July 18, UM will close all of its offices across EMEA, APAC, LATAM and North America and volunteer with local charities, NGOs and community organizations on activities including: Cleaning up beaches and parks in San Francisco , Los Angeles and New York City . , and . Ecological protection of the jaguar and its corridors across LATAM with the Wildlife Conservation Society. A walk-a-thon, bake sale and other fundraising initiatives benefitting domestic abuse organization, Rize Up in Sydney . . Providing teaching supplies and working with children with autism at the Shanghai Songjiang Xingyue Children's Growth Service Center in China . . Serving lunch and spending time with elderly members of the community in the UK in partnership with FCV Dorcas. Promoting sustainable agriculture while bringing marginalized communities together in Italy with humanitarian organization, Humana. with humanitarian organization, Humana. Running a non-perishable food drive with Food Banks Canada to help combat food insecurity. The first Impact Day took place in the U.S. in 2016 and expanded globally in 2018 to 50 offices in 40 countries. Now, UM employees from over 100 offices and 50 countries will take part in Impact Day activities, sharing their experiences on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn using the hashtags #UMBetterWorld and #UMImpactDay. About UM UM is a global media agency committed to empowering brands to their full potential of growth through the power of patterns by opening a brand's aperture and rejecting black and white marketing decisions. As the leading global media network in IPG Mediabrands, UM operates in over 100 countries, with more than 3,000 people serving a roster of global clients including American Express, General Mills, Emirates, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co, Dyson, Enterprise holdings, GrubHub, Upfield, ExxonMobil, Sony and Mattel. For more information, please visit https://www.umww.com/ . SOURCE UM 18 july 2024 at 16:56 News published onand distributed by: Wipro Announces Results for the Quarter Ended June 30, 2024 Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading technology services and consulting company, announced financial results under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. Highlights of the Results Results for the Quarter ended June 30, 2024: Gross revenue was at Rs 219.6 billion ($2,635.8 million1), a decrease of 1.1% QoQ and 3.8% YoY. IT services segment revenue was at $2,625.9 million, a decrease of 1.2% QoQ and decrease of 5.5% YoY. Non-GAAP2 constant currency IT Services segment revenue decreased 1.0% QoQ, and 4.9% YoY. Total bookings3 was at $3,284 million. Large deal bookings4 was at $1,154 million, a decrease of 3.1% QoQ and 3.6% YoY. IT services operating margin5 for the quarter was at 16.5%, an increase of 0.1% QoQ and 0.4% YoY. Net income for the quarter was at Rs 30.0 billion ($360.4 million1), an increase of 5.9% QoQ and 4.6% YoY. Earnings per share for the quarter was at Rs 5.75 ($0.071), an increase of 5.9% QoQ and 9.9% YoY. Operating cash flows of Rs 40.0 billion ($479.0 million1), an increase of 6.5% YoY and at 131.6% of Net Income for the quarter. Voluntary attrition was at 14.1% on a trailing 12-month basis. Outlook for the Quarter ending September 30, 2024 We expect revenue from our IT Services business segment to be in the range of $2,600 million to $2,652 million*. This translates to sequential guidance of (-)1.0% to +1.0% in constant currency terms. * Outlook for the Quarter ending September 30, 2024, is based on the following exchange rates: GBP/USD at 1.26, Euro/USD at 1.08, AUD/USD at 0.66, USD/INR at 83.27 and CAD/USD at 0.73 Performance for the Quarter ended June 30, 2024 Srini Pallia, CEO and Managing Director, said, "We recorded another quarter of total large deal bookings over $1 bn, with our largest win in the recent years. Our top accounts continued to grow, accompanied by a growth in Americas1 SMU, BFSI and Consumer sectors. We are pleased with the momentum we have built in Q1 across industries and sectors and confident in our ability to execute better on bookings and profitable growth as we transition to Q2. While we continue to build on our ai360 strategy and preparing our workforce for an AI-first future." Aparna Iyer, Chief Financial Officer, said, "We continued to expand our margins to 16.5% in Q1'25, this is a 42-bps improvement YoY. Our margin performance is also reflected in our EPS increase of 10% YoY. Our operating cash flows continue to be strong at 131.6% of our net income which takes our current investment and cash balance to $5.4 billion." For the convenience of the readers, the amounts in Indian Rupees in this release have been translated into United States Dollars at the certified foreign exchange rate of US$1 = Rs 83.33, as published by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors on June 30, 2024. However, the realized exchange rate in our IT Services business segment for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, was US$1= Rs 83.38 Constant currency for a period is the product of volumes in that period times the average actual exchange rate of the corresponding comparative period. Total Bookings refers to the total contract value of all orders that were booked during the period including new orders, renewals, and increases to existing contracts. Bookings do not reflect subsequent terminations or reductions related to bookings originally recorded in prior fiscal periods. Bookings are recorded using then-existing foreign currency exchange rates and are not subsequently adjusted for foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. The revenues from these contracts accrue over the tenure of the contract. For constant currency growth rates, refer note 2. Large deal bookings consist of deals greater than or equal to $30 million in total contract value. IT Services Operating Margin refers to Segment Results Total as reflected in IFRS financials. Voluntary attrition is in IT Services computed on a quarterly annualised basis and excludes DOP. Highlights of Strategic Deal Wins In the first quarter, Wipro continued to win large and strategic deals across industries. Key highlights include: Wipro has been awarded a $500 million deal by a leading U.S. communications services provider. This is a five-year contract to provide managed services for select products and industry-specific solutions. Wipro was selected by a global leader in technology to reimagine its hyperscaler customer experience centers through AI-powered operations. Wipro will enable real-time business insights, scale talent, and reduce cost of operations for the client's centers across the world. Additionally, the team will modernize the client's global R&D lab infrastructure and accelerate innovation with rapid prototyping and increased speed to market of new products and services. A US-based health insurance company has engaged Wipro to deliver end-to-end transformation of its medical claims processing. Over this multi-year deal, Wipro will implement customized AI-based solutions, for claims processing, error prediction and agent assist. Wipro's AI solution will deliver higher accuracy in claims processing leading to a reduction in out-of-compliance claim appeals and an overall decrease in the cost of operations. Wipro is leveraging GenAI and AI to accelerate training and optimize resource allocation for the client. A US-based automotive Tier 1 supplier has selected Wipro to streamline its global technology services and rationalize its applications including both Engineering and business to support its portfolio. The Wipro team will develop a solution leveraging automation and AI to improve the client's customer experience and reduce its overall operating costs, enhance innovation as well as improve project delivery. A leading provider of innovative flash memory solutions has selected Wipro as its strategic partner for Product Development and Engineering. The Wipro team will establish a Center of Excellence for Solid State Drive SSD engineering by leveraging its deep domain expertise on storage firmware, embedded software, system validations and GenAI methodologies to enhance the client's product development life cycle. Wipro has secured a transformational engagement with a state government organization in Australia to deliver a centralized road asset management system. This system will help the client make reliable and fast strategic decisions for the future of its road network. The ?One Wipro' team, with Rizing, Wipro Enterprise Futuring and Domain & Consulting, will improve management of road assets like bridges, tunnels, traffic assets, etc., through integration and automation of the road asset register. The team will also deliver new capabilities to support business needs like staff mobility, leading to improved user experience with an intuitive map driven approach. A US-based payment services corporation has selected Wipro to enhance its applications to provide more resilient services, improve performance and scalability to support projected business growth. In partnership with the client, the Wipro team will develop and deploy solutions utilizing proven Continuous Integration & Deployment pipelines, leveraging AI. As a result, the client will have better visibility of compliance requirements and see improved agility and productivity. A US-based global technology company has selected Wipro to develop and enhance its Silicon IP lifecycle. The Wipro team will deploy a comprehensive end-to-end solution that includes silicon engineering services encompassing areas such as analog circuit, layout, and structural designs. The project will result in increased agility and transparency across the Silicon IP lifecycle. An Australian public health services organization has chosen Wipro to migrate its legacy systems and automate its workforce management process. The Wipro team will build a solution that connects the aged care community with essential providers and services. The client will see enhanced accessibility and exchange of medical data, improved quality, and safety of primary healthcare services, as well as increased innovation and efficiency through digital technologies. A global pharmaceutical organization has expanded its existing relationship with Wipro, selecting it to deliver persona-based services for their Service Desk and onsite Field Support Services globally. The programme includes 12 transformation initiatives to modernize the client's operating model and improve its user experience through Gen AI use cases, including autopilot-based provisioning, and remote management of applicable devices through zero-touch remote IT services resolution. As a result of this project, the client will see enhanced employee experience and increased productivity. A Europe-based investment management company has selected Wipro to manage its end-to-end infrastructure. The Wipro team will consolidate vendors across the client's IT operations and develop AI tools to simplify its operations. This project will improve the client's operational stability and security, reduce costs, and increase its cost efficiency by up to 30%. One of Europe's largest providers of holiday parks has selected Wipro to integrate its business functions into a single set of standardized technology platforms with a redesigned operating model. The Wipro team will design the business processes, build and roll out core business platforms for the client's commerce, finance, and HR functions. The team will also build a data platform to gain better business insights and roll out a change management program to ensure a smooth transition. This project will deliver harmonized and integrated systems enabling the client's future business growth. A leading US-based technology company has selected Wipro to provide end-user sales and support services for its Spanish and Portuguese-speaking customers in Latin America. Wipro will deploy its trusted digital marketing advisors to support end users' marketing presence. The team will also help in boosting advertising revenue growth through ad campaign optimization, market planning and book management. Analyst Recognition Wipro was rated as a Leader in Avasant's Applied AI Services 2024 RadarViewtm Wipro was designated as a Leader in Avasant's Cybersecurity Services 2024 RadarViewtm Wipro was recognized as a Leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Consulting and Digital Services Providers for the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry 2024 Vendor Assessment (Doc # US51004123 May 2024) Wipro was recognized as a Leader in Everest Group's Mainframe Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 Wipro was ranked as a Leader in Avasant's Manufacturing Digital Services 2024 RadarViewtm Wipro was rated as a Leader in ISG Provider Lenstm - Digital Engineering Services 2024 (all quadrants) Wipro was classified as a Leader in ISG Provider Lenstm - Microsoft Cloud Ecosystem 2024 (multiple quadrants) Wipro was recognized as a Leader in ISG Provider Lenstm - SAP Ecosystem 2024 (multiple quadrants) Wipro was featured as a Horizon 3 ? Market Leader in the HFS Horizons: HCP Service Providers, 2024 report Wipro was classified as a Leader in Avasant's Banking Process Transformation 2024 RadarViewtm Wipro was positioned as a Leader in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadranttm for Finance and Accounting Business Process Outsourcing Wipro was rated as a Leader in ISG Provider Lenstm - Procurement Services 2024 (all quadrants) Source & Disclaimer: *Gartner, "Magic Quadrant for Finance and Accounting Business Process Outsourcing", Jan Ambergen, et al, 21 May 2024. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, and MAGIC QUADRANT is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product, or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner's research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The Gartner content described herein (the "Gartner Content") represents research opinion or viewpoints published, as part of a syndicated subscription service, by Gartner, Inc. ("Gartner"), and is not a representation of fact. Gartner Content speaks as of its original publication date (and not as of the date of this press release, and the opinions expressed in the Gartner Content are subject to change without notice. IT Products IT Products segment revenue for the quarter was Rs 0.5 billion ($5.6 million1) IT Products segment results for the quarter were (-) Rs 0.05 billion (-$0.56 million1) Please refer to the table at the end for reconciliation between IFRS IT Services Revenue and IT Services Revenue on a non-GAAP constant currency basis. About Key Metrics and Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release contains key metrics and non-GAAP financial measures within the meaning of Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K. Such non-GAAP financial measures are measures of our historical or future performance, financial position or cash flows that are adjusted to exclude or include amounts that are excluded or included, as the case may be, from the most directly comparable financial measure calculated and presented in accordance with IFRS. The table at the end provides IT Services Revenue on a constant currency basis, which is a non-GAAP financial measure that is calculated by translating IT Services Revenue from the current reporting period into U.S. dollars based on the currency conversion rate in effect for the prior reporting period. We refer to growth rates in constant currency so that business results may be viewed without the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, thereby facilitating period-to-period comparisons of our business performance. Further, in the normal course of business, we may divest a portion of our business which may not be strategic. We refer to the growth rates in both reported and constant currency adjusting for such divestments in order to represent the comparable growth rates. Our key metrics and non-GAAP financial measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with IFRS and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. Our key metrics and non-GAAP financial measures are not comparable to, nor should be substituted for, an analysis of our revenue over time and involve estimates and judgments. In addition to our non-GAAP measures, the financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS and the reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures with the most directly comparable IFRS financial measure should be carefully evaluated. Results for the Quarter ended June 30, 2024, prepared under IFRS, along with individual business segment reports, are available in the Investors section of our website www.wipro.com/investors/ Quarterly Conference Call We will hold an earnings conference call today at 07:00 p.m. Indian Standard Time (9:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time) to discuss our performance for the quarter. The audio from the conference call will be available online through a webcast and can be accessed at the following link- https://links.ccwebcast.com/?EventId=WIP19072024 An audio recording of the management discussions and the question-and-answer session will be available online and will be accessible in the Investor Relations section of our website at www.wipro.com About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading technology services and consulting company focused on building innovative solutions that address clients' most complex digital transformation needs. Leveraging our holistic portfolio of capabilities in consulting, design, engineering, and operations, we help clients realize their boldest ambitions and build future-ready, sustainable businesses. With over 230,000 employees and business partners across 65 countries, we deliver on the promise of helping our clients, colleagues, and communities thrive in an ever-changing world. For additional information, visit us at www.wipro.com Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements contained herein represent Wipro's beliefs regarding future events, many of which are by their nature, inherently uncertain and outside Wipro's control. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Wipro's growth prospects, its future financial operating results, the benefits its customers experience and its plans, expectations and intentions. Wipro cautions readers that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, complete proposed corporate actions, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Annual Reports on Form 20-F. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. WIPRO LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION (Rs in millions, except share and per share data, unless otherwise stated) As at March 31, 2024 As at June 30, 2024 Convenience translation into US dollar in millions (unaudited) ASSETS Goodwill 316,002 316,054 3,793 Intangible assets 32,748 30,971 372 Property, plant and equipment 81,608 79,957 960 Right-of-Use assets 17,955 19,233 231 Financial assets Derivative assets 25 - - Investments 21,629 21,262 255 Trade receivables 4,045 584 7 Other financial assets 5,550 5,290 63 Investments accounted for using the equity method 1,044 999 12 Deferred tax assets 1,817 1,752 21 Non-current tax assets 9,043 9,453 113 Other non-current assets 10,331 11,656 140 Total non-current assets 501,797 497,211 5,967 Inventories 907 912 11 Financial assets Derivative assets 1,333 1,359 16 Investments 311,171 351,917 4,223 Cash and cash equivalents 96,953 98,304 1,180 Trade receivables 115,477 114,071 1,369 Unbilled receivables 58,345 61,720 741 Other financial assets 10,536 9,050 109 Contract assets 19,854 19,414 233 Current tax assets 6,484 6,031 72 Other current assets 29,602 30,827 370 Total current assets 650,662 693,605 8,324 TOTAL ASSETS 1,152,459 1,190,816 14,291 EQUITY Share capital 10,450 10,460 126 Share premium 3,291 5,512 66 Retained earnings 630,936 661,495 7,938 Share-based payment reserve 6,384 5,498 66 Special Economic Zone re-investment reserve 42,129 41,602 499 Other components of equity 56,693 55,526 666 Equity attributable to the equity holders of the Company 749,883 780,093 9,361 Non-controlling interests 1,340 1,669 20 TOTAL EQUITY 751,223 781,762 9,381 LIABILITIES Financial liabilities Loans and borrowings 62,300 62,317 748 Lease liabilities 13,962 16,191 194 Derivative liabilities 4 - - Other financial liabilities 4,985 5,747 69 Deferred tax liabilities 17,467 17,231 207 Non-current tax liabilities 37,090 37,238 447 Other non-current liabilities 12,970 13,879 167 Total non-current liabilities 148,778 152,603 1,832 Financial liabilities Loans, borrowings and bank overdrafts 79,166 82,283 987 Lease liabilities 9,221 8,115 97 Derivative liabilities 558 141 2 Trade payables and accrued expenses 88,566 83,051 997 Other financial liabilities 2,272 2,825 34 Contract liabilities 17,653 17,541 211 Current tax liabilities 21,756 26,881 323 Other current liabilities 31,295 33,743 405 Provisions 1,971 1,871 22 Total current liabilities 252,458 256,451 3,078 TOTAL LIABILITIES 401,236 409,054 4,910 TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES 1,152,459 1,190,816 14,291 WIPRO LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME (Rs in millions, except share and per share data, unless otherwise stated) Three months ended June 30, 2023 2024 2024 Convenience translation into US dollar in millions (unaudited) Revenues 228,310 219,638 2,636 Cost of revenues (161,261 ) (153,306 ) (1,840 ) Gross profit 67,049 66,332 796 Selling and marketing expenses (16,584 ) (15,844 ) (190 ) General and administrative expenses (15,887 ) (14,213 ) (172 ) Foreign exchange gains/(losses), net (62 ) (206 ) (2 ) Results from operating activities 34,516 36,069 432 Finance expenses (3,086 ) (3,288 ) (39 ) Finance and other income 6,542 7,480 90 Share of net profit/ (loss) of associate and joint venture accounted for using the equity method 3 (45 ) (1 ) Profit before tax 37,975 40,216 482 Income tax expense (9,115 ) (9,850 ) (118 ) Profit for the period 28,860 30,366 364 Profit attributable to: Equity holders of the Company 28,701 30,032 360 Non-controlling interests 159 334 4 Profit for the period 28,860 30,366 364 Earnings per equity share: Attributable to equity holders of the Company Basic 5.23 5.75 0.07 Diluted 5.12 5.73 0.07 Weighted average number of equity shares used in computing earnings per equity share Basic 5,482,733,329 5,225,776,256 5,225,776,256 Diluted 5,600,307,315 5,236,768,113 5,236,768,113 Information on reportable segments for the three months ended June 30, 2024, March 31, 2024, and June 30, 2023, year ended March 31, 2024 are as follows: Particulars Three months ended Year ended June 30, 2024 March 31, 2024 June 30, 2023 March 31, 2024 Audited Audited Audited Audited Segment revenue IT Services Americas 1 67,700 67,229 65,607 268,230 Americas 2 67,338 67,724 68,303 269,482 Europe 60,422 61,344 67,134 253,927 APMEA 23,503 24,499 26,510 102,177 Total of IT Services 218,963 220,796 227,554 893,816 IT Products 469 1,159 694 4,127 Total segment revenue 219,432 221,955 228,248 897,943 Segment result IT Services Americas 1 13,687 14,081 13,537 59,364 Americas 2 15,533 15,791 14,169 59,163 Europe 5,873 7,933 9,968 33,354 APMEA 2,441 3,401 2,800 12,619 Unallocated (1,477 ) (5,011 ) (3,957 ) (20,304 ) Total of IT Services 36,057 36,195 36,517 144,196 IT Products (47 ) 143 (161 ) (371 ) Reconciling Items 59 (965 ) (1,840 ) (7,726 ) Total segment result 36,069 35,373 34,516 136,099 Finance expenses (3,288 ) (3,308 ) (3,086 ) (12,552 ) Finance and other income 7,480 6,759 6,542 23,896 Share of net profit/ (loss) of associate and joint venture accounted for using the equity method (45 ) (202 ) 3 (233 ) Profit before tax 40,216 38,622 37,975 147,210 Additional Information: The Company is organized into the following operating segments: IT Services and IT Products. IT Services: The IT Services segment primarily consists of IT services offerings to customers organized by four Strategic Market Units ("SMUs") - Americas 1, Americas 2, Europe and Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa ("APMEA"). Americas 1 and Americas 2 are primarily organized by industry sector, while Europe and APMEA are organized by countries. Americas 1 includes the entire business of Latin America ("LATAM") and the following industry sectors in the United States of America: Communications, media and information services, Software and gaming, New age technology, Consumer goods, medical devices and life sciences, Healthcare, and Technology products and services. Americas 2 includes the entire business in Canada and the following industry sectors in the United States of America: Banking and financial services, Energy, Manufacturing and resources, Capital markets and insurance, and Hi-tech. Europe consists of the United Kingdom and Ireland, Switzerland, Germany, Benelux, the Nordics and Southern Europe. APMEA consists of Australia and New Zealand, India, Middle East, South-East Asia, Japan and Africa. Revenue from each customer is attributed to the respective SMUs based on the location of the customer's primary buying center of such services. With respect to certain strategic global customers, revenue may be generated from multiple countries based on such customer's buying centers, but the total revenue related to these strategic global customers are attributed to a single SMU based on the geographical location of key decision makers. IT Products: The Company is a value-added reseller of security, packaged and SaaS software for leading international brands. In certain total outsourcing contracts of the IT Services segment, the Company delivers hardware, software products and other related deliverables. Revenue relating to these items is reported as revenue from the sale of IT Products. Reconciliation of selected GAAP measures to Non-GAAP measures Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Constant Currency IT Services Revenue to IT Services Revenue as per IFRS ($Mn) Three Months ended June 30, 2024 IT Services Revenue as per IFRS $2,625.9 Effect of Foreign currency exchange movement $5.5 Non-GAAP Constant Currency IT Services Revenue based on previous quarter exchange rates $2,631.4 Three Months ended June 30, 2024 IT Services Revenue as per IFRS $2,625.9 Effect of Foreign currency exchange movement $17.0 Non-GAAP Constant Currency IT Services Revenue based on exchange rates of comparable period in previous year $2,642.9 Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow for three months ended June 30, 2024 Amount in INR Mn Three months ended 30-Jun-24 Net Income for the period [A] 30,366 Computation of Free Cash Flow Net cash generated from operating activities [B] 39,959 Add/ (deduct) cash inflow/ (outflow) on: Purchase of property, plant and equipment (2,619 ) Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 36 Free Cash Flow [C] 37,376 Operating Cash Flow as percentage of Net Income [B/A] 131.6 % Free Cash Flow as percentage of Net Income [C/A] 123.1 % 19 july 2024 at 10:35 News published onand distributed by: AUXICO ANNOUNCES AUDITOR'S RESIGNATION MONTREAL, July 19, 2024 /CNW/ - Auxico Resources Canada Inc. (CSE: AUAG) ("Auxico" or the "Company") announces the resignation of its auditors, BDO Canada LLP ("BDO"). BDO resigned on their own initiative, and the Board of Directors of Auxico has accepted the resignation. Auxico has not yet appointed a successor auditor and discussions have been ongoing with potential audit firms to fill the vacancy as required under National Instrument 51-102 ? Continuous Disclosure Obligations ("NI 51-102"). The principal reason for the change in auditor is that Auxico's operations are less complex in nature and no longer require the extent of a global organization as auditor. The Board thanks BDO for their work as auditor over the past two years. To the knowledge of the Company, there were no reservations, modified opinions or reportable events (as defined in "NI 51-102") in the auditor's report with respect to the audited financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2022, or between the Company and BDO. There were no reportable events. Once a successor auditor has been appointed, the Company will issue a further press release confirming such appointment and file the required documents on SEDAR+ shortly thereafter. About Auxico Resources Canada Inc. Auxico Resources Canada Inc. ("Auxico") is a Canadian company that was founded in 2014 and based in Montreal, trading on the Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE) under symbol AUAG. Auxico is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties in Colombia and Bolivia. Additional information on Auxico can be found on the Company's website (www.auxicoresources.com) or on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under "Auxico Resources Canada Inc." ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS signed. signed. Pierre Gauthier Mark Billings CEO & President, Auxico Resources Canada Inc Chairman, Auxico Resources Canada Inc. [email protected] [email protected] Cell: +1 514 299 0881 Cell: +1 514 296 1641 The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. When used in this press release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. The forward-looking statements and information in this press release include information relating to the planned studies, drill program and the development of the Minastyc, El Bento/Monte Verde or other Projects, its sampling programs, indications and other mining projects and prospects thereof, related to the Company's operations in Colombia and/or Bolivia. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various risk factors. These factors include, among others, uncertainties arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, and general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors, and their potential effects, which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). Except as required by securities law, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise. SOURCE Auxico Resources Canada Inc. 19 july 2024 at 14:27 News published onand distributed by: HairClub Celebrates Its Renewed Purpose on Its 48th Anniversary BOCA RATON, Fla., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HairClub ("HairClub" or the "Company"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based Aderans Co. Ltd. ("Aderans"), is proud to celebrate its 48th anniversary. This significant milestone marks nearly five decades of dedication to transforming lives through innovative hair loss solutions and unwavering commitment to its clients. At HairClub, we believe in the power of hair. We believe hair makes people happier, more confident, and more secure. Through our diverse array of hair loss treatment solutions and our service, we help change lives. HairClub was founded in 1976 by Sy Sperling. The founding of the Company was from a place of personal need. Sy had lost most of his hair by the time he was 25, leaving him feeling insecure. "I was really unhappy with my appearance," he told a reporter in an interview. "And it was destroying my self-confidence." With approximately $5,000 and their credit cards, Sy and his girlfriend, a hairdresser, purchased a defunct salon in Manhattan. There, they developed the first hair replacement system. Sy's mission extended beyond his own needs; he wanted to help others experiencing the same issues. Fast forward to today, HairClub has broadened its hair loss solutions to include a comprehensive range of options such as hair loss prevention, hair regrowth, hair replacement, and hair restoration. As a leader in the hair loss industry, HairClub has driven significant advancements with its proprietary technologies, setting new standards for innovation and excellence. These diverse solutions cater to the unique needs of each client, ensuring personalized care and effective results. More importantly, HairClub has contributed significantly to removing the stigma and shame felt by those losing their hair. "At HairClub, we believe in the power of hair. We believe hair makes people happier, more confident, and more secure. Through our diverse array of hair loss treatment solutions and our service, we help change lives. This is the reason why we exist as a company?Changing Lives. Our rearticulated purpose and core values of care, trust, passion, humility, and gratitude guide us in delivering on our purpose to Change Lives," says Ahmad M. Wardak, President & Chief Operating Officer. As HairClub celebrates 48 incredible years this month, it honors its clients, teams, and the enduring purpose that remains as vibrant and relevant today as it did at its founding. This anniversary is not just a celebration of past achievements but a reaffirmation of delivering its purpose for many years to come. About HairClub Founded in 1976, HairClub is North America's leading provider of proven hair loss prevention and regrowth, hair replacement, and hair restoration solutions. For nearly 50 years, HairClub has helped hundreds of thousands restore their hair and transform their lives. Today, HairClub has over 100 locations throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based Aderans Co. Ltd., the world's leading provider of total hair loss solutions. For more information, visit hairclub.com. SOURCE HairClub 19 july 2024 at 15:32 News published onand distributed by: A JUDGE has told a baby faced 16-year old Limerick city teenager that he might end up dead in a ditch if gets into a stolen car driven by one of his friends who can't drive this weekend. At Ennis District Children's Court, Judge Alec Gabbett made his comment where the teenager was appearing after being charged with allowing himself to be driven in a stolen red BMW A Class at Liscannor Rd car park, Lahinch on July 17. Gardai initially objected to bail and sought a remand to the Oberstown Children's Detention facility in Dublin but the court was told that currently Oberstown has no beds available. With no bed available at Oberstown, Det Garda Kevin Hooban asked that the teenager be subject to strict bail conditions including a ban from County Clare and a curfew. Judge Gabbett said: What really worries me about this boy if he gets into a car with a Jim or a Mike or a Leroy tomorrow night is that he is going to end up dead." He said: That is the worst case scenario. He might die in one of these cars - these boys probably cant drive at all." Judge Gabbett said that the teen will end up in a car crash and end up in a ditch. Addressing the teen who was accompanied by his mother, Judge Gabbett told him: At 16, you have a choice of going one way or the other. Put on your big boy pants here today. This is too serious. "You are no longer a baby - you might look like a baby. You are playing a big boys game here today, that is my fear for you. He said: In two years time you could end up in Limerick prison with the big boys and that is not a fun place to be." You might end up in Oberstown and that is not a not place either." He said: I am worried about you. If I had a bed I would send you to Obsertown. I am worried about you taking cars. Solicitor for the teen, Tara Godfrey said that her client didnt steal a car and isn't accused of that. Ms Godfrey said that the boys mother was doing her best to get her son out of this particular part of Limerick where they live. Granting bail on the strict conditions requested by gardai, Judge Gabbett warned the teen breach your bail and you are back here. I am trying to protect you. Det Hooban said: There is a strong trend at the moment in relation to this type of crime. And it appears he has fallen in with the wrong crew." READ MORE: Limerick village with no shop, post office or pub to get new lease of life Judge Gabbett asked: Are these four boyos going around Limerick pulling doors off cars every night? In reply, Det Hooban said: It is a lot more than four boyos judge - there seems to be a lot of groups." Det Garda Hooban said that the red Mercedes car in the case was reported stolen on July 14 at Portnuma. Det Hooban said that there was a possibility of further charges. Judge Gabbett remanded the teen on bail to re-appear before Ennis District Court on September 25. LIMERICK Civil Defence are donating two fully equipped ambulances to provide medical support in Ukraine. This Friday, July 19 members and volunteers will transport the decommissioned ambulances to Dublin and present them to the charitable foundation Gurtom UA. This donation follows an appeal for ambulances and other medical equipment issued by the foundation earlier this year. The two donated vehicles will be given to paramedics in Ukraine for the evacuation of wounded soldiers and civilians in the war zone. One will be transferred to ASAP Rescue Ukraine, while the other will be transferred to the National Guard of Ukraine for paramedics in the Zaporizhzhia region. The two ambulances, which have been with Limerick Civil Defence since 2008 and 2017, were recently decommissioned after two new purpose-built replacement ambulances were delivered to the medical response service in January. READ MORE: Construction firm to be appointed as work to resume on major Limerick road Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) is responsible for delivering the services of Limerick Civil Defence. Director general of the council Dr Pat Daly says: Limerick Civil Defence staff and volunteers were instrumental in setting up emergency rest centres when Ukrainian people fleeing the war first arrived here. The donation of these two ambulances is an extension of their desire to offer assistance to Ukraine and as a Council we are delighted to support this initiative. The two ambulances may have reached the end of their use for Limerick Civil Defence but they have a full service history and are fully stocked with medical equipment, so they can be fully operational on arrival in Ukraine. Cecilia OFlaherty, civil defence officer of LCCC added: The two ambulances are equipped with stretchers, pillows, blankets, suction units, an ECG monitor, helmets, backboards and we are looking through our stores for other items that we can include. "These ambulances have provided great service to the Limerick public and being able to donate them to Ukraine is really rewarding for the staff and volunteers. I am sure they will do a lot of good work in Ukraine. Protesters have torn down fences erected to stop people from pitching tents along the Grand Canal. Around 200 protesters gathered in Portobello in Dublin on Thursday evening, July 18, to call on Waterways Ireland to remove the barriers and restore public access to the canal banks. A coalition of groups, including the Liberties-Rialto branch of the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU), United Against Racism and People Before Profit, had organised a public meeting at Portobello Plaza. "Hostile architecture makes our streets less safe and contributes to an atmosphere of fear and division, which is in turn exploited by fascist elements and their centre-right enablers," CATU Liberties-Rialto posted to social media. "The root of violence is deprivation. Depriving us of our canal does not make us safer." After a number of speeches were made, it appears that a small group of the protesters proceeded to move along the canal banks and removed the fences erected by Waterways Ireland after the removal of tented encampments. Shocked to return to #Portobello #GrandCanal this evening to see barriers thrown everywhere. We are all frustrated at the @waterwaysirelan fencing, but this is not the answer. Thanks to local Gardai for swift action in clearing barriers from paths & roadways. pic.twitter.com/87qbFzZWeK Ivana Bacik (@ivanabacik) July 18, 2024 According to a report by RTE's Ailbhe Conneely, about a kilometre of fencing was taken down before gardai arrived at the scene. "One man in his 20s was arrested in connection with this incident and taken to a Garda Station in Dublin City Centre," a statement from gardai said. He has since been released without charge. More than 360 tents have been removed from the Grand Canal since May at a cost of 145,000 to Waterways Ireland. MINISTER of State Niall Collins and Deputy Richard ODonoghue are at loggerheads over a vote in the Dail prior to the summer recess. Mr Collins said Independent Ireland TDs have taken the side of some of the country's most dangerous criminals by voting against the renewal of legislative provisions designed to tackle organised crime. However, Mr ODonoghue said it was a protest vote because the Government again promised a reform and didnt deliver. The Dail voted in favour of renewing the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act, 2009, legislative provisions designed to combat terrorism and serious organised crime. Independent Ireland TDs Mr O'Donoghue, Michael Collins and Michael Fitzmaurice voted against the renewal, while Sinn Fein TDs abstained. Mr Collins said these pieces of legislation are the State's primary measures that allow us to tackle terrorism and serious organised crime. The Criminal Justice Amendment Act was introduced by Fianna Fail in 2009 to tackle serious organised crime and has proved to be a vital legislative tool to gardai. The people of Limerick know the devastating effects gangland violence can have on communities. The gardai have used this legislation to arrest extremely many dangerous organised criminals. The fact that Richard O'Donoghue, a Limerick TD, would effectively take the side of dangerous criminals and organised crime gangs by voting against the renewal of this legislation is staggering, said Mr Collins. READ MORE: Pause pressed on proposal for live streaming of Limerick council meetings Mr ODonoghue said he 100% believes that any criminal deserves the punishment that they get. He said under the European Convention on Human Rights everybody should be entitled to an appeal. We have seen in a minority of cases in the history of the State that people were convicted wrongly and released after 20 years or more. You have to allow for mistakes to be made and the right of appeal and this justice bill does not cover that. It was a protest vote because the Government again promised a reform and didnt deliver. It is another promise broken by the Government, said Mr ODonoghue. Mr Collins said: I believe that organised crime has not gone away and I believe it is common sense to renew this legislation and give gardai the legislative tools they need to continue tackling organised crime gangs. THE OWNER of a former Bank of Ireland branch is hoping to cash in on the property situated in the heart of Limerick city. The sale of the prime development opportunity in Limerick at 94 OConnell Street has been announced by Rooney Auctioneers and JLL. Bank of Ireland used the premises at 94 OConnell Street up to 2010 when it concentrated its operations into its anchor branch at number 125 on Limericks main thoroughfare. Gordon Kearney, managing director of Rooney Auctioneers, said the exceptional property offers a rare opportunity for developers with full planning permission for a mixed use development. Planning permission has been secured for 24 high quality apartments, designed to meet the demands of contemporary urban living. These units will cater to a diverse range of residences, including professional, families and students, ensuring a steady demand for rental or purchase, said Mr Kearney. READ MORE: First look at proposed design of multi-storey apartment block planned for Limerick The ground floor of the development will feature versatile commercial space, ideal for retail outlets, cafes or office use. Mr Kearney said it is set to attract a variety of businesses, adding vibrancy and economic activity to the area. The experienced estate agent said the proposed development blends modern architectural design with the historic charm of OConnell Street, ensuring it enhances the ecstatic appeal of the surrounding neighbourhood. Mr Kearney confirmed to the Limerick Leader that the asking price is 1.75m. He said this prime site is ideally positioned to benefit from the ongoing urban regeneration projects, enhancing its appeal to both residential and commercial tenants. A COUNTY Limerick village which currently has no shop, post office or pub is all set for a new lease of life. The last remaining bar and the post office in Bruree closed last year. The picturesque village, renowned throughout Ireland due to its association with Eamon de Valera, has been without a shop or post office for over a year since the passing of the much-respected and missed postmistress, Mary Finucane. The only premises currently in operation is a take away. However, a new store encompassing a post office is set to reopen in September. Separately, construction work continues across the road from the shop on a long-closed public house. An Post contacted Limerick Live to announce the reopening of the post office with Lelia Beechinor as the new postmistress. When contacted by the Leader, James and Lelia Beechinor said they were delighted to reopen the shop and post office. We would like to thank all the people of Bruree, Rockhill and surrounding areas for their overwhelming support and welcome shown over the years at ORourkes Cross. It is this level of support by the local community that has made it the success that it is today and enables it to continue to provide essential services to the community it serves. Providing essential services to local communities is what we are all, said Mr and Mrs Beechinor, in a joint statement. They said that the shop and post office in Bruree will employ 18 people and will be open seven days a week from 6am to 10pm. The local post office is the heartbeat of rural Ireland so were looking forward to bringing that service back to people in the locality. It has been a big inconvenience for many who dont drive to have to go to the post office in Kilmallock or Charleville. It will now be included in our new modern Spar convenience store which is currently undergoing an extensive fit-out. People will once again be able to buy a pint of milk and a newspaper, get their pension and much more in Bruree. It is absolutely vital that rural Ireland is kept alive and this has to be acknowledged, helped and supported by Government and local authorities. I would also like to thank the public representatives who have supported us and wished us well with this exciting new development for Bruree, said the Beechinors. The reopening will coincide with children going back to school. This will be the seventh shop / service station across the county owned and operated by James and Lelia Beechinor. They now employ over 100 people in local communities with further developments on the horizon in Cappamore and Caherline and others nearing completion. READ MORE: Sale of former Limerick bank attracts lots of interest Minister of State Niall Collins said it is fantastic news for the local community in Bruree, The commute to alternative post offices was putting a lot of customers to significant bother. I wish the new operators well and look forward to seeing the new service flourish, said Mr Collins. Fellow Limerick TD, Richard O'Donoghue also welcomed the announcement, saying it was very good news. Cllr PJ Carey, from nearby Kilmallock, said he extensively canvassed in Bruree prior to the recent Local Election. It was made abundantly clear to me on the doorsteps what a loss the closure of the post office and shop was to Bruree. It is a fine-sized village with a growing population which will certainly sustain a shop and post office, not to mind passing traffic. It is great news that people will once again be able to get a loaf of bread and a pint of milk in, said Cllr Carey. The Sinn Fein councillor said it was impressed upon him the inconvenience for many people since the post office closed. Many people don't drive and have had to make their way to Kilmallock or Charleville. Now they will be able to go to the post office in Bruree again like generations before them, said Cllr Carey. Bengaluru, India, Friday 19th July 2024Reverie Language Technologies, a pioneer in language technology solutions specializing in Indian languages, announces a significant advancement in its Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) model accuracy, validated through the esteemed Kathbath dataset curated by AI4Bharat. Reverie benchmarked their ASR output with Google and Microsoft for Indian English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam, and Odia. The Kathbath dataset, renowned for its comprehensive and diverse speech data, comprises an impressive 1,684 hours of meticulously human-labeled speech. This dataset spans 12 Indian languages and is contributed by 1,218 individuals hailing from 203 districts across the country. Such extensive linguistic diversity and regional representation make the Kathbath dataset a gold standard for evaluating ASR systems in the Indian context. Soham Bhattacharya, API Product Manager at Reverie, commented on the achievement "The established accuracy of Reveries generic ASR model is an outcome of the hard work and innovation of Reveries voice R&D division. By refining the fundamental algorithms and language models along with training the models on a huge quantity of data, we have set a new benchmark in the industry and thereby maintained the quality of transcriptions for our clients." said Bhattacharya. With over 15 years of experience, Reverie continues to lead the industry by achieving superior accuracy in ASR, surpassing standards with its latest innovations tailored for diverse sectors such as Banking, Finance, Insurance, e-commerce, Automotive, and Government. Reveries Custom Model for Automated Speech Recognition With Reveries Custom Speech-to-Text solutions, clients can fine-tune speech recognition models to perfectly match their specific needs. For example, the phrase "Black shoe" may be expressed as "Kala Shoe or as "Black Joota reflecting regional linguistic nuances. ASR engineers work at creating multiple variations to encompass how individuals naturally search or speak, optimizing the model's effectiveness across different linguistic contexts. Reverie offers both online and offline models. The offline model is meticulously optimized to cater to a broad range of applications while efficiently managing memory resources. Reverie's models also ensure maximum data security and privacy standards while seamlessly integrating into apps, websites, and systems. Acknowledging the limitations of offline environments, the engineers strategically reduce the size of these models without sacrificing performance. This approach allows Reverie to support multiple use cases concurrently, providing accessible and responsive solutions for its clientele. The design ensures comprehensive functionality, even in settings where continuous internet connectivity may be unreliable. ASR Live Use Cases for e-commerce & Automobile Reverie's commitment to innovation can be validated by its collaboration with a global sporting goods retailer, which recently launched Multilingual Voice Search on its e-commerce platform. This initiative, supporting Indian English, Hindi and Tamil, has significantly enhanced customer engagement, handling over 4000 voice searches per day within its first week of launch, motivating the client to add three more Indian languages to the platform. Additionally working with the automotive sector, Reverie has revolutionized in-car voice assistants with a robust multilingual offline ASR model. Addressing the unique challenges of automotive environments, such as engine noise and multiple in-car passenger conversations, Reverie's solution ensures accurate and reliable performance. It allows users to control settings, access internet information, and perform calculations using simple voice commands. Some of the key features include automatic speech recognition, natural language understanding, and text-to-speech, complemented by an offline wake word system - Hello Car. Implemented in a prominent Indian automobile brand, this technology enhances convenience and safety, transforming the driving experience. About Reverie Reverie is Indias 1st AI-powered language technology platform that offers next-generation text, voice, and video localisation solutions. Reverie commits to creating language equality in the digital world and empowers government agencies and private enterprises to reach billions of people across the country in their native languages. Leveraging advanced technologies, such as Neural Machine Translation (NMT), Natural Language Understanding (NLU), and Machine Translation (ML), Reverie is ahead of the curve in enabling digital initiatives across India. For more information on Reveries ASR solutions and custom Model STT/ASR technology, visit Reverie. Mumbai: Financial technology companies have a long list of demands and expectations from the upcoming Union Budget, such as investments in digital public infrastructure, GST exemption for business correspondent (BC) outlets, and a fee structure for UPI payments. We strongly urge the finance minister to prioritise pivotal solutions such as enhancing digital infrastructure, financial literacy initiatives, and AI-powered credit assessments within financial institutions to improve lending decisions and automate loan processes, said Ankit Ratan, co-founder & CEO, Signzy, which offers a digital on-boarding solution for banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and other financial institutions. Other suggestions include policies and robust security measures to curb cyber threats and frauds, support for open banking policies, a cloud payments platform for banks, enhanced public-private partnerships, and investments in advanced technologies such as AI and blockchain. The Budget can support growth with clearer regulations, tax exemptions, and lower capital costs, boosting profitability. We expect the upcoming Budget to unlock new opportunities, enabling access to financial products through partnerships between large public sector banks and fintechs, said Bipin Preet Singh, co-founder and CEO at MobiKwik. Dilip Modi, founder and CEO of Spice Money, called for a GST exemption on services offered through BC outlets to reduce tax burdens and operational costs and make it easier for fintech companies to offer financial services in rural and remote areas. The industry is also seeking clarity on new guidelines and lending practices, and measures to support innovation and enhance the digital lending ecosystemespecially MSME lending. Fees for UPI transactions A major demand is the introduction of fees for UPI payments in phases to create monetisation opportunities. The government should look at charging for digital payments like UPI which will allow banks to build robust payment infrastructure and security standards enabling fast, simple and secure payments while protecting consumers from frauds and cybersecurity threats, said V Balasubramanian, CEO, Financial Software and Systems. Also read: A modest fee is all it will take to sustain the UPI ecosystem Others such as Rahul Jain, CFO, NTT DATA Payment Services India, also called for a subsidy on the merchant discount rate (MDR) charged for UPI transactions through credit cards to make the business model more viable. Currently, an MDR of 2% is levied on UPI-linked RuPay credit card transactions. Of this, 1.5% goes to the card issuing bank while the remaining is shared between the card network and the merchant acquiring bank. Simplifying and fast-tracking the licensing process, creating a proper mechanism to ensure safety of digital payments, and setting up infrastructure and other targeted initiatives will provide a further boost to digital transactions scale and volumes, Jain said. This is part of a special series of articles by the country's foremost voices, ahead of Union Budget 2024, aiming to draw attention to the critical reforms that can help India in its journey to become a developed nation by 2047. There is often a gap between public posturing and private reality. This disconnect in the context of Indias population growtha crucial element of its future development journeyis particularly striking. At the World Population Conference in 1974, India took a strong stance against Western emphasis on population control, with Dr Karan Singh, then a Union minister, famously stating, development is the best contraceptive". However, two years later, the same government initiated a coercive sterilization programme that contributed to the downfall of the Indira Gandhi government. Since then, the population discourse has centered around a paternalistic approach to convincing irrational" parents that their lives would be better with fewer children. Ironically, as socioeconomic development fuelled parental aspirations, and improvements in health curtailed child deaths, Indian parents quickly limited their families voluntarily. The first National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of 1992-93 reported the total fertility rate (TFR) as 3.4, a finding that was received with scepticism since prevailing wisdom expected it to be considerably higher. Since 1992-93, fertility has declined to the hum do, humare do" mark (close to 2). Also Read: How to pack for the journey to 2047 Given the success of the initial mission, why does population growth continue to occupy so much public attention? As India forges the next leg of its development path, with demography a key puzzle piece, three narratives deserve particular attention. Economic implications of population growth The first relates to India becoming the most populous nation on Earth and population size being seen as an obstacle to development. With an estimated 1.4 billion people, India has overtaken China. Despite fertility declining to replacement level, Indias population will continue to grow for some time due to large generations born in the past. It is expected to peak at around 1.7 billion in 2064 before declining. Will this hamper economic growth? Should we encourage families to have a single child? Chinas experiment with the one-child policy is enough to dissuade us. A sharp reduction in children born today would lead to very small cohorts of workers in three decades and increase the dependency burden. Harnessing the demographic dividend A second, almost diametrically opposite, narrative argues about the economic growth that a large working-age population can generate and that demographic dividend will only last for a limited time. The demographic dividend is a term used to characterize temporary benefits of fertility decline where a larger working-age population supports a relatively small number of children and elderly, generating economic surplus. However, this is a temporary phenomenon, and could become counterproductive as these workers age. This has created an urgency to ensure we make the best use of our demographic dividend by investing in the skills of our workforce. While we must invest in a skilled workforce, it is surprising that the discussion of demographic dividend ignores a vast pool of workers: Indias women. Womens employment in India is low, and those who are employed are often limited to family farms and petty businesses like sewing or handicraft; barely 11% of Indian women are wage workers. Hence, instead of worrying about the end of the demographic dividend, we should harvest the gender dividend by improving womens participation in wage work, particularly since the fertility decline has reduced childcare responsibilities. Regional population disparities The third narrative centres around population distribution across states. Kerala was the first to reduce infant mortality, triggering fertility decline. Tamil Nadu and Goa were not far behind. Today, 30 states have a TFR below 2. However, the TFR in some of the populous states in the Hindi-speaking heartland is still above 2, resulting in the redistribution of population share between the South and North. Should a stronger population control policy be implemented to redress these imbalances? We argue that there is little need for it. Fertility has declined in all regions and for all groups. For example, the TFR in Uttar Pradesh, the state with the highest fertility in 1992-93, fell from 4.82 to 2.35 by 2019-21. Further fertility reduction can be achieved easily by expanding reproductive health services and education. Also Read: Simpler migration policies can solve the depopulation conundrum Inter-regional population distribution is linked to the distribution of political and economic resources. The allocation of parliamentary seats was frozen using population data from the 1971 Census, resulting in disparities in the number of constituents represented by each member of Parliament across states. Southern states fear that if this were to be recalibrated to equalize representation, they would lose seats and political power to the North. Moreover, since the Centre-state resource-sharing formula depends on population size, they may also suffer financial losses. As they see it, using population size for these allocations rewards states that performed poorly in reducing fertility. These are legitimate concerns that can only be addressed by carefully crafted consensus. Political representation challenges can be addressed by allocating a fixed number of seats to each state in Rajya Sabha to ensure their interests are represented. In contrast, Lok Sabha seat allocation may depend on population size. Resource-sharing formulas may want to recognize that the future of the Indian workforce will come from the demographically lagging states. Our estimates suggest that in 2021 in Bihar, there were 165 persons of working ages (15-64 years) to support 100 persons of dependent age groups, while Tamil Nadu had 248 working-age persons to support the same dependent population. This will flip in 2051, with the ratio changing to 229 in Bihar and 188 in Tamil Nadu. Consequently, even as the demographic dividend ends in southern states, it will continue to build in northern states, resulting in higher contribution to the economy. Should we not consider these future benefits and ensure that children in northern states are well-nourished and educated? Over time, Indias population will age. In 2021, about 6% of the population consists of individuals above 65, which will increase to about 15% by 2051 and reach a high of 30% by the end of the century. This rising burden of an ageing population will require careful restructuring of our financial safety nets and health services to ensure that their sunset years are happy and healthy. India can take pride in achieving a demographic transformation through the cumulation of voluntary choices made by millions of parents in their familys best interests. We must now focus on adapting to our demographic destiny through careful planning and modulated narratives. Sonalde Desai is a professor at the University of Maryland and the National Council of Applied Economic Research. Purushottam Kulkarni is a retired professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University. Also read | Dreaming big: A budget for viksit investors Sheth can afford to say that. He has the distinction of scaling two unicornsElance (renamed as Upwork), and Gupshupacross two different geographies. He cofounded Elance in the US in 1998 as a marketplace for gig workers. It eventually merged with a company called oDesk in 2013, renamed Upwork two years later, and then publicly listed on Nasdaq in 2018. Meanwhile, in 2004, Sheth co-founded enterprise messaging platform Gupshup, which hit a valuation of $1.4 billion in 2021 when it raised money in an investment round led by Tiger Global. Sheth gave up a potential career in academicshe was pursuing a PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technologyto plunge into the unfamiliar world of entrepreneurship. We all have the fear of the unknown. But if you really think about it analytically, whats the worst that can happen? Lets say I try something, maybe for a year, and it doesnt work. Im still the same educated, qualified person. I could probably still end up getting the same or a similar job," Sheth said. In some respects, Ill be much wiser or mature or would have learned a lot, and probably might even get a better job because I have some entrepreneurial experience." Not that Sheths discounting the potential perils of entrepreneurship. Sometimes it can be a long dark tunnel with no light, but there are upsides to it, he said. Sheth spoke with Mint for a new podcast series called Founder Diaries, where we take you through the entrepreneurial journeys of some of Indias most high-profile founders, and a peek into what it takes to build successful enterprises. Edited excerpts: Tell us about your journey into starting up. I had a great academic career. I studied computer science at IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). When you get to the US, I think youre exposed to so many other influences, lots of opportunities. I realized very quickly that I didnt want to be in academia, I wanted to be sort of in the entrepreneurial or business world, at least. I dropped out of my PhD program. I did get my Masters but PhD would have been another four years, perhaps. Id taken some business school courses while at MIT as well. I found Wall Street very interesting, very challenging. The financial services industry is also very quantitative and analytical. Its kind of obvious now, but those were the early days of when they were starting to hire CS (computer science), math, physics people to model securities. So I sort of ended up there. (Sheth earlier worked at Citibank and Merril Lynch). This was in the mid-90s. Suddenly the internet happened. Netscape, in particular, went public. Having been in grad school at MIT, I was exposed to a lot of those tech influences, but I was just surprised by how quickly they hit the mass market, public consciousness, and so on. So, around then, I started thinking about doing something entrepreneurial. I read that it was in a 2BHK apartment in New Jersey. Yes. When I got started the internet was happening. Theres this thing called the regret minimization framework, which means when you are much older, you dont want to have any regrets in your life. When youre on your deathbed, and when your grandkids ask you, what were you doing when the internet happened, or now, when AI (artificial intelligence) is happening, I didnt want to have to say, oh, I was doing a regular job. Then specifically, you do find an idea that appeals to you, that youre excited about, passionate about. Thats when I started. I founded a company called Elanceit was a confluence of basically three of my formative influences. Coming from India, I knew there were talented people all over the world. But in New York City, youd still hear people saying, I cant find a graphic designer", or something. Imagine if you could just connect the two. Given my tech background, I knew how transformative the internet was going to be and could reduce the cost of connecting people around the world. Then given my Wall Street background, I knew that you could create marketplaces, not just for stocks and bonds but even for illiquid securities like derivatives. You take all of those three things and what you end up with is a global services marketplace. Thats how we came up with the idea for Elance. Early on in your life, you cant just optimize for money or salary. You have to do things that mean something to you and can have an impact. When we created the company, we raised a small funding round of about a million dollars using my IIT alumni network connections. Then my friends brought in other investors. We raised a million dollars from 15-20 people. It was a very modest beginning. My classmate from IIT, who became my co-founder, he needed a place to stay. We said, okay,well get you the apartment, but why dont we make it a two-bedroom apartment, and you can stay at night there. But in the daytime, it became our office. It was in a residential tower, where, over the next few months, we grew to about 20 people. In New York or in Jersey City, where we were, this was the New York equivalent of a Silicon Valley garage. Did you struggle with having to leave a salaried job? Of course. Its a risk and, in fact, the paradoxical thing is the better an academic background you have the more likely you are to have a good job. Therefore, the more hesitant you might be to give it up. I know for a fact that certainly a lot of my IIT classmates were wonderingwhat are you thinking, why are you doing that. Ive always had this perspective: especially when youre early on in your life, you cant simply just optimize for money or salary. You have to do things that mean something to you and that can have an impact. If a startup succeeds, arguably itll generate much more, even in financial terms, value, except that it wont do it immediately. Youll have to defer your gratification. Starting up is a bit like sculpting. You have a sense that something is there, but you keep chipping away at it, fixing this, finetuning that, gathering feedback, and so on. I like tinkering. I like problem-solving. I like the process of innovation, finding new solutions. So thats just something I liked. But then you need salary and cash flow. Fortunately, my wife was a dentist. So, we lived on her salary for a year. She was, of course, a real trooper. People end up exaggerating the risk in their mind because we all have the fear of the unknown. But if you really think about it analytically, whats the worst that can happen? Lets say I try something, maybe for a year, and it doesnt work. Im still the same educated, qualified person. I could probably still end up getting the same or a similar job. But in some respects, Ill be much wiser or mature or would have learned a lot, and probably might even get a better job because I have some entrepreneurial experience. How long did it take for you to get the payoff on Elance? 20 years. Longer than Gupshup, then. Yes, it took a long time. How did the process of listing Elance come about? I started Elance in 1998 and worked there in an operating role till about 2004 or 2005, when I started Gupshup. But I still held my shares in Elance; it wasnt an exit in that sense. I was still on the board and a shareholder. Then Elance continued, merged with another company, was rebranded to Upwork, and was listed publicly in 2018. In the meantime, I founded and was working in Gupshup and we scaled that up. How did that switch happen? On the Elance side, our original idea was a sort of a B2C (business-to-consumer) ideait was focused on small businesses, which is almost like they behave like consumers. We set up a marketplace and small businesses would log in and they would find freelancers, and they would connect. But in 2001, there was a huge dotcom crash. A lot of companies, a lot of tech startups died because funding dried up, because the stock market for tech stocks had collapsed. Elance, fortunately, had raised a $50-million round literally the month before the collapse happened. Which shows that sometimes its better to be lucky than smart, because if that wouldnt have happened, it would have been a different story altogether. Anyway, so we had the capital, but it was very, very painful. Suddenly your customers dont have money, they may not be able to invest. So your growth forecasts and projections have to decline, which means you then have to lay off all the people that you hired over the last few months. As a founder, its very personal. Ultimately, the customer reality is the only reality. That's the ground truth. Its not what you think internally, its not what your investors say. But another big shift that happened was our board suggested that while small companies will suffer in that stock market crash, the large companies still had ample resources. Then, we kind of pivoted, we built enterprise software for the same space, for services procurement. After three or four years of that, I was less interested in the enterprise side of it because it was diverging from the original idea. I just wanted to get back to, sort of closer to, what I was interested in, which is (building) more of a consumer business. The irony is that Elance spun off the enterprise part of the business and refocused on the original idea that I had come up with. And Gupshup, which started as a consumer business, has now morphed into an enterprise business. Is there a third startup in your career? Who knows? I mean, look, I like the journey. I dont try to think too far ahead. You kind of have to be in the moment and execute. But I love the process. If Im not starting, then Ill certainly be investing and advising lots of other startups. What would you say are the key differences between starting up in the mid-1990s and when you began your second stint (in 2011)? I think the biggest difference was just me personally. As a repeat entrepreneur, or having had some of the experience, you avoid some of the rookie mistakes. Because in a startup there are so many things going on all at once. For example, when youre hiring a team, what kind of people to hire versus not. In the early days, you want more versatile people and later on you hire specialized people. Or, sometimes youre eager to fill a certain skill set. But if that person is not a team player, that can be very disruptive. In fundraising, how to sell, how to articulate, how to explain to investors, and so onyoure a little more experienced. Also, the investors can see that youre more experienced, that helps as well. Negotiating term sheets and contracts, you know what to anticipate, you know what can be a problem down the road. Its sort of looking around corners. Can you talk us through when you realized that you had a product market fit (in both the startups)? I think its sometimes easier in hindsight. In our case, in the early days, Elance wasnt growing fast enough and thats why we switched to a different model (of chasing enterprise customers). Then a few years later, it came back to the original model. By then it was a lot bigger. Its the same thing here at Gupshup as well. In the early days, there were a lot of regulatory changes and a lot of competitive dynamics, which made the messaging business a little difficult. Entrepreneuship is excruciatingly difficult, and thats the untold story of startups. Nobody talks to the company that failed. Maybe they tried very well, but struggled. Maybe the simple answer is in both these scenarios you focus on the key metrics, and you keep innovating and adapting and adjusting, finetuning the original idea, because sometimes theres this (misconception) that you come up with this awesome insight on day one, and then you implement it, and then itll succeed or fail. Its rarely ever the case that that happens. Its a little bit like youre sculpting something and you have a sense that something is there, but you keep chipping away at it, fixing this, finetuning that, optimizing that, gathering feedback requirements, and so on. Thats why sometimes theres that confusion of is the product market fit here or not, and is it going to grow or not. With Gupshup, when did you realize that the fit was there? If its a consumer product, then you want at least a few thousand consumers. If it is an enterprise product, then, at maybe a dozen or two dozen enterprise customers. At Gupshup, I think there were two points in particular. One was that the SMS messaging platform was very popular with enterprises, so that grew in the beginning. But then, when WhatsApp came in (Gupshup had partnered with WhatsApp), that was about 2018, it really accelerated after that. And we couldnt keep up with all the customer demand, we were stretched for resources, and trying to get things done, and always under pressure to accomplish that. Its sort of the markets signal to you saying, look, what youre selling is very valuable. A founders job is just constant selling. Youre really a salesperson. Ultimately, the customer reality is the only reality, thats the ground truth. Its not what you think internally, its not what your investors say, but really, its the market reality. One thing to add is, sometimes you can get misleading metrics, say, if youre subsidizing your customers, giving a lot of deals and offers to get them to come and buy. But once the deals go away, the customers also go away. So you may think you have traction, or a product market fit, but its not really (there), because you were buying the customer, youre buying revenues. So you have to make sure that its actually the customers doing it for their own reasons. Were there moments of challenges where you felt that its too hard and almost giving up? Of course. Lots of challenges and lots of such moments. Weve had pivots, multiple pivots in both companies, and kind of near-death experiences where we almost came close to running out of cash. Youre in a deep, dark tunnel with no light inside. Certainly, the dot-com crash (2001) was the first one, but at least then we had cash. But even 3-4 years later, when we needed to go get additional funding, the market had dramatically worsened. I think we had to do some structuring. All of these were really difficult and painful experiences. Even at Gupshup we had similar things. It was a lot harder when I was going through it. Work, your blood, sweat, tears, and sometimes even your money is all tied into it. Its not just that you lose a job. You could lose all of this. Maybe your reputation, maybe your money, maybe your sanity, and you have all these people depending on you as well. So that amplifies it, and your family is depending on it as well. What keeps me going is the big picture, the fact that youre building products that may be used by millions of people and create a lot of value for your customers. That makes all the pain worthwhile. It is excruciatingly difficult, and thats the untold story of startups. Because most startups that get covered, perhaps, are like post-facto, you look at successful entrepreneurs and you talk about it. But nobody goes and talks to the company that failed or that struggled. Maybe they tried very well, but struggled. I think people should be aware of it. In hindsight, Im glad that when I started I didnt know a lot of this. When youre ignorant, ignorance can be bliss when you just have no idea. I think maybe what helped me was I always had this approach or mindset of look that Im not going to worry about the things I cant control, Im going to focus on the things I can. And you kind of have to say, Im the same smart and hard-working person with good intent and Im trying to do my best and it is what it is. What would you say are the key attributes that a founder should have? At the meta level, a growth mindset and a lot of grit. Maybe also a sales mindset. Most entrepreneurs dont realize that the founders job is just constant selling. Youre really a salesperson because when youre recruiting employees, youre selling to the employee, youre selling to the investor, youre selling to customers, and youre selling to media. Youre selling to everybody all the time. Emotional maturity helps (for a founder) but if you dont have it, youll develop it very quickly because youll get knocked around so much so quickly. Even intellectual humility gets developed very quickly. Your customers will tell you or the market will tell you or your investors will tell you theres so much. I dont want to make it sound all negative. Ultimately, what keeps me going is when you focus on the big picture, the fact that youre going to build products that may be used by millions of people and create a lot of value and wealth for your customers, that makes all the pain worthwhile. What advice would you give to founders who dont come from an IIT or an MIT? It is likely to be more challenging for those founders to develop the kind of network and the ecosystem around them. Those founders have great advantages, more so than an IIT founder like me. Im not talking for anybody else (but, if) you are blessed with a great academic and exceptional academic background, you kind of assume if I work hard and Im smart, Im going to get the grades because the whole exam system and schools work that way and then you come into the real world and it doesnt work that way. Youre still smart and youre still working hard but because the market crashed your startup is failing and youre just not prepared for it at all. Meanwhile somebody who didnt get it handed on a platter, theyve always had to work for it, struggle for it. Theyve already built some of those qualitiesthe grit, the perseverance, they often have a chip on their shoulder saying I want to show the others how good I am. Oftentimes youll find diamonds in the rough. You have to look beyond the superficial. But youre right about the networks. Often, theres a signaling (about the best schools). Sometimes investors assume, oh if hes from IIT, he might be better. That can be a negative but every entrepreneur has to play to their strengths and try to minimize their weaknesses. So if you dont have the network, but you have more perseverance, youll work harder to reach out to more investors and convince them. Its not like IIT has a monopoly on entrepreneurship. Ultimately it (entrepreneurship) requires a diverse set of skillsyour intellectual abilities, your emotional and interpersonal skills, your psychological sort of ability or risk-taking ability. Do you invest in startups? Yes, I do. Ive invested in dozens of them. Sometimes its hard because I still have an operating role and a day job. It takes work even just evaluating. (Venture capital firms) talk to hundreds of companies to decide which ones to invest in. I dont have that luxury of time to be able to do that. But if there are people I know or spaces that I understand or that are related to what Im familiar with, there I can make a decision much faster. What are the metrics that you use to screen? If its a very early stage businesses, typically in angel rounds, its just the team and the market opportunity or the space that theyre targeting. Im not a financial investor. I tend to be much more strategic and I want to engage with the entrepreneur. It helps me learn about what theyre doing and they can learn from my experience. If you know the person and have some experience, I think that helps. If you dont know then, chances are if they are referred by somebody, then that would be good and helpful as well. Ideas are a dime a dozen, but how well and effectively you execute is important. But just by having a conversation you can tell whether they can deal with it (entrepreneurship). How are they thinking about the problem that they have defined. How are they explaining that opportunity. How are they interacting or answering questions or responding to suggestions. That gives you a sense of the founder. Do they have some confidence and conviction. Are they open to other insights and ideas. Do they have something in their background that tells that they could persevere through challenges, that they can innovate or adjust and adapt as the market circumstances change. I think those are all the things youre trying to gauge. I mentioned earlier about salesmanship. Youll know right away as theyre trying to sell. Oftentimes youll find diamonds in the rough. You kind of have to look beyond the superficial. Is there any new space that youd like to get into, which could be your third business? I think AI is such a breakthrough capability. Im not going to go into all the details but theres a tonne of opportunity there because its going to disrupt everything. But on the other hand, theres going to be lots of startups and lots of companies trying many different angles. Itll be a very crowded space as well. It doesnt bother me because if its not just the idea, its also the execution that matters. Ideas sometimes are a dime a dozen but how well and how effectively you execute (is important). I would still bet on my own ability to execute. Even if some others are doing it, we can we can do better. AI is a space Im familiar with and looking at, but there are many others. Im sure crypto will still come back in some ways. Theres bio and climate. There are so many other large spaces. I mean, frankly, you just look at any major world problem and that kind of tells you whether theres a problem we are trying to solve or theres some new technology that we are trying to find applications for. Also Read Founders Diary: LEADs Sumeet Mehta has a lesson for founders: Ditch that Plan B Founders Diary: For UpGrads Mayank Kumar, public capital is better than a private chase New Delhi: JSW Steel Ltd, led by Sajjan Jindal, reported a 63.85% year-on-year decline in its consolidated net profit for the April-June quarter (Q1FY25) to 845 crore. The drop was primarily attributed to one-time inventory valuation charges and weaker realizations in export markets. Consolidated revenue from operations saw a meagre 1.72% year-on-year (YoY) rise to 42,943 crore in the three months to June. A Bloomberg poll of analysts had projected JSW Steel to post a profit of 1,280 crore for the quarter under review on revenue of 42,334 crore. One-time inventory valuation charges added 1,000 crore to expenses during Q1FY25, compared to a 2,195 crore reduction in expenses in Q1FY24. Sales and utilization The company reported steel sales of 6.12 million tonnes (mt), marking a 7% YoY rise, with domestic sales contributing 5.31 mt, up 14% on year. However, exports fell 29% YoY, contributing only 10% of sales from Indian operations in Q1FY25, down from 15% in the year-ago period. Read this: Why JSW Steels expansion push is not enough to woo investors Capacity utilization at the company's Indian operations stood at 87% for the quarter, impacted by planned maintenance shutdowns at the Dolvi facility and BPSL. The company's consolidated operating Ebitda, or earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization, dropped 10% sequentially during the June quarter to 5,510 crore, driven by lower sales volumes and certain one-off items. The operating margin for the quarter stood at 12.8%. International performance and debt The company's Ohio subsidiary reported an Ebitda loss of $15.61 million for the fiscal first quarter, while its US plate-and-pipe mill unit recorded an Ebitda profit of $12.99 million. JSW Steel's Italy operations also reported an operating profit of 7.67 million euros. Net debt in the three months to June increased 6,283 crore to 80,199 crore, attributed to capital expenditure on ongoing expansion projects and investment in working capital. The company plans to spend 20,000 crore in capex for FY25. Challenges and outlook A significant concern for JSW Steel is the rising level of steel imports into India, making the country a net importer of the alloy. During Q1FY25, Indias finished steel consumption grew 14.9% YoYHowever, India remained a net steel importer during the quarter with elevated imports similar to FY24, especially from China and FTA; this remains a challenge for the domestic steel industry, the company said. Indian steel exports fell 35.8% YoY in Q1FY25 to 1.49 mt. But in a positive, the company expects Chinese exports to stay steady in the near term, driven by soft domestic demand. Meanwhile, a favourable monsoon in India is expected to support the ongoing recovery in rural demand, contributing to the countrys growth momentum driven by manufacturing, infrastructure development, and optimistic consumer sentiment. JSW Steel also announced a related party transaction amounting to 1,700 crore for the transfer of a slurry pipeline project to JSW Infrastructure Ltd, a group entity. The board of directors at its meeting held today has approved the transfer of the slurry pipeline undertaking pertaining to the under-construction 30 MTPA slurry pipeline in Odishaby way of a slump sale to JSW Infra, the company said in a statement. Reliance Industries Ltd., a major player across the energy and telecom sectors, is set to announce its first-quarter earnings for 2024 on July 19. According to a regulatory filing, the company's board of directors will meet to approve the standalone and consolidated financial results for Q1FY25. The results will be published post-market hours, at 3 PM. Following the board meeting, Reliance Industries will present its financial results for the quarter ending June 30, 2024, to analysts and the media. Also Read | Infosys shares in focus as ADR jumps over 8% after Q1 results beat estimate ...meeting of the board of directors of Reliance Industries of the Company is scheduled to be held on Friday, July 19, 2024, inter alia, to consider and approve the standalone and consolidated unaudited financial results of the Company for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, Reliance Industries said in a regulatory filing. A presentation to analysts and the media is scheduled after the meeting, it said in the statement. Key areas to watch in the quarterly results Analysts will be closely monitoring several aspects of RIL's performance: O2C Segment: The impact of lower Gross Refining Margins (GRMs) on profitability will be scrutinised. Telecom Segment: Updates on subscriber additions and Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) growth. Retail Segment: Footfall metrics and store additions will be of interest. 5G Rollout: Any announcements related to the progress of 5G deployment and the effects of recent tariff hikes on future earnings. Expert expectations Abhishek Jain, head of research at Arihant Capital, forecasts robust performance in RIL's B2C retail segment, especially from Jio. He expects EBITDA to reach approximately 14,250 crore, marking a 4.4% improvement QoQ. Core retail revenue is anticipated to grow by 11-12% to around 50,100 crore, with a 3% QoQ increase in EBITDA. "We are looking at a consolidated EBITDA of about 39,900 crore. RIL's investments in new ventures, especially renewable energy, will be crucial to watch. These investments signal the company's strategic shift towards sustainable growth. Moreover, the anticipated demerger could be a positive move for investors, potentially unlocking further value," said Jain. Brokerage insights Nuvama Institutional Equities projects a 10% year-on-year (YoY) rise in Reliance Industries' revenue, but expects profits to remain flat. "We anticipate a modest nearly 4% YoY rise but a 7% QoQ fall in RIL EBITDA because of relatively strong performance across oil and gas, retail and Jio but weak oil-to-chemicals. We expect oil-to-chemicals EBITDA to fall 11% YoY and 19% QoQ on weak refining and petrochemicals," said Nuvama. Nuvama also expects RIL's oil and gas segment EBITDA to rise nearly 30% YoY but fall 8% QoQ due to increased production from the KG-D6 block offset by a 20% YoY dip in deep-water gas prices. "Retail EBITDA may remain strong (up 20% YoY and 3% QoQ) on higher footfalls. Jio's EBITDA is likely to rise 11% YoY and 3% QoQ on a high subscriber base (up 8% YoY and 1% QoQ). ARPU will likely rise by 2% YoY and 1% QoQ," added Nuvama. On the contrary, Kotak Institutional Equities predicts a nearly 8% QoQ decline in RILs consolidated EBITDA due to weak O2C performance and muted growth in digital services and organised retail. They expect RILs standalone EBITDA to decline nearly 15% QoQ on weaker refining margins, partly offset by a modest improvement in petrochemical spreads. In exploration and production (E&P), Kotak forecasts a nearly 4% QoQ decline in EBIT due to marginally lower realisation and production. Reliance Q1 result: Oil-to-telecom-to-retail conglomerate Reliance Industries on Friday, July 19, reported a 4 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline in June quarter (Q1FY25) consolidated net profit even as its revenue moved up 11.5 per cent YoY. The company's consolidated EBITDA for the quarter under review moved up with strong contributions from consumer and upstream businesses, largely offsetting the weak performance of O2C (oil-to-chemicals) segments. Consolidated EBITDA for the quarter improved from a year ago with strong contribution from Consumer and Upstream businesses offsetting weak O2C operating environment," said Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries. "Reliances resilient operating and financial performance in this quarter underscores the strength of its diverse portfolio of businesses. Importantly, these businesses are contributing significantly to Indias growth, providing vital energy and vibrant channels for digital and physical distribution of goods and services," he said. Six key highlights from Reliance's Q1 scorecard: Profit shrinks, EBITDA inches up The Q1 consolidated profit after tax (PAT) of the company decreased 4 per cent YoY to 17,448 crore against 18,182 crore in the same quarter last year. The company's consolidated revenue rose 11.5 per cent YoY to 2,57,823 crore from 2,31,132 crore in the corresponding quarter last year. EBITDA for the quarter under review inched up 2 per cent YoY to 42,748 crore, supported by oil and gas and consumer business, which offset weak O2C. Jio rings louder, but ARPU remains flat The company's telecom arm, Jio Platforms, witnessed strong growth during the quarter under review, as the segment's EBITDA jumped 11.6 per cent YoY to 14,638 crore, led by healthy revenue growth and operating leverage. Jio's revenue during the quarter jumped 12.8 per cent YoY to 34,548 crore, driven by robust subscriber growth across mobility and homes. PAT for the segment rose 11.7 per cent YoY to 5,698 crore. ARPU (average revenue per user), a key monitorable for telecom operators, remained almost flat (up 0.7 per cent YoY), at 181.7 with a better subscriber mix, partially offset by an increasing mix of promotional 5G traffic being offered on an unlimited basis to subscribers and not charged separately. "Our new prepaid plans would foster industry innovation towards 5G and AI and drive sustainable growth. Jio with its superior network and new service propositions would further build its market leadership with a customer first approach, said Akash Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm. Retail on a strong footing Reliance Retail Ventures saw a 6.6 per cent YoY rise in revenue from operations to 66,260 crore. The segment's EBITDA for the quarter came at 5,664 crore, up 10.5 per cent YoY, driven by an increase in footfalls and expansion of store footprint, streamlining of operations driving margin improvement. PAT rose 4.6 per cent YoY to 2,549 crore. Reliance Retail expanded its store network with 331 new store openings during the quarter, taking the total store count to 18,918 stores with an area under operation at 81.3 million sq. ft. The quarter recorded footfalls of over 296 million, a growth of 18.9 per cent YoY. The business continued investments in stores, platform enhancements, product design and sourcing capabilities to further strengthen the value proposition to the customers. These initiatives will help sustain growth momentum in the near and medium term, said the company. "During the quarter, the business entered into a long-term licensing arrangement with ASOS, UKs leading online fashion retailer, to exclusively retail ASOSs curated portfolio of fashion-led own-brand labels across all online and offline channels in India," the company said in its exchange filing. The subdued show continues for oil-to-chemicals (O2C) While the segment's revenue increased by 18.1 per cent YoY to 157,133 crore, thanks to higher product prices tracking a nearly 9 per cent increase in Brent crude oil prices and higher volumes supported by strong domestic demand, its EBITDA fell 14.3 per cent and margin declined by 320 bps YoY due to lower transportation fuel cracks. Mixed show from oil & gas The segment's revenue jumped 33.4 per cent YoY to 6,179 crore and EBITDA also surged 29.8 per cent YoY. However, the EBITDA margin declined by 240 bps YoY. Revenue was driven by higher volumes, which was partly offset by lower price realisation from KG D6 and CBM Field. The average KGD6 production for the Q1 was 28.7 MMSCMD of gas and 21,640 barrel per day of oil/condensate, said the company. The current rate of CBM production is 0.79 MMSCMD with significant contribution from new wells under production, the company said. Weak show of media business Revenue from operations for the segment declined 3 per cent YoY to 3,141 crore due to IPL revenue being distributed across two quarters this year, said the company. EBITDA for the segment plunged 97.2 per cent YoY and EBITDA margin dropped 320 bps YoY. The segment suffered a loss of 221 crore during the quarter. Tata Communications Q1 Results Live : Tata Communications announced their Q1 results on 18 Jul, 2024, revealing a significant increase in revenue by 18.07% year-over-year. However, the profit took a hit, falling by 12.8% compared to the same quarter last year. In comparison to the previous quarter, the revenue saw a slight decline of 1.02%, while the profit actually increased by 3.63%. The company managed to decrease its Selling, General, and Administrative expenses by 2.63% quarter-over-quarter, although there was a notable 9.69% increase year-over-year. On the positive side, the operating income showed a remarkable improvement, rising by 66.26% from the previous quarter and 26.61% from the same quarter last year. The Earnings Per Share (EPS) for Q1 stood at 9.29, reflecting a decrease of 30.35% year-over-year. Tata Communications demonstrated a 0.85% return in the last week, with 5.7% return in the last 6 months and 5.66% Year-to-Date return. Currently, the market cap of Tata Communications stands at 53307.83 Cr, with a 52-week high/low of 2084.65 and 1543.4 respectively. Analysts covering the company have mixed recommendations, with 1 analyst Strong Sell rating, 1 Sell rating, 2 Hold ratings, and 3 Buy ratings as of 19 Jul, 2024. The consensus recommendation as of 19 Jul, 2024, was to Hold the stock. Tata Communications Financials Period Q1 Q4 Q-o-Q Growth Q1 Y-o-Y Growth Total Revenue 5633.37 5691.7 -1.02% 4771.36 +18.07% Selling/ General/ Admin Expenses Total 1144.57 1175.48 -2.63% 1043.47 +9.69% Depreciation/ Amortization 647.37 665.84 -2.77% 579.74 +11.67% Total Operating Expense 5070.82 5353.35 -5.28% 4327.06 +17.19% Operating Income 562.55 338.35 +66.26% 444.3 +26.61% Net Income Before Taxes 416.69 207.2 +101.11% 503.87 -17.3% Net Income 332.84 321.18 +3.63% 381.69 -12.8% Diluted Normalized EPS 9.29 12.46 -25.43% 13.34 -30.35% New Delhi: A severe outage at Microsoft's cloud service Azure on Friday, caused by an update from cyber security firm CrowdStrike, created havoc across a wide spectrum of industries globally as well as in India. The outage led to companies shifting to manual processes and also cancelling services in some cases. Things seemed to be veering towards normal by the end of the day, but uncertainty abounded even as Microsoft tried to assuage nerves and the Indian government spelt out steps taken to fix the issue. The outage caused numerous devices using the Windows operating systems to crash, with millions of users seeing the so-called blue screen of death on their systems. The outage lasted hours and disrupted ground transport systems, flights, banking operations, stock exchanges, brokerages, hospitals, auto companies and systems that were using Microsoft services, globally. The outage also impacted media, payment systems in different parts of the world, including Australia and the UK, 911 services across several states in the US, and services at London Stock Exchange and Sky News, which went off air. Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella said in a post on X, "Yesterday, CrowdStrike released an update that began impacting IT systems globally. We are aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online." India's IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue, adding that the country's emergency response team Cert-in has also been roped in to handle the situation. Meanwhile, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz apologised to customers and said the company is actively working to resolve the issue. Flights Derailed in India In India, the outage resulted in long queues at airports, flight delays and cancellations, causing inconvenience to passengers, and severely impacting critical systems used for flight operations, passenger check-in and baggage handling. Airlines shifted to manual or backup systems making it difficult for airline staff to ascertain passenger details and leading to delays across flights. As per aviation analytics company Cirium, there were around 110,000 scheduled commercial flights globally on Friday, 19 July. As of 3:30 pm IST, 1,390 cancelled flights were cancelled and growing, Cirium said. Also read | Offline ready: Microsoft debuts Phi-3 Mini AI model For India, 3,652 flights scheduled originating from Indian destinations, with 56 cancellations so far. This does not include inbound flights to India, Cirium said. A large number of flights, however, were delayed. Airlines said they are prioritising operations to ensure flights take off with minimal delay. The civil aviation ministry said that it has implemented manual backup systems in collaboration with Airports Authority of India to maintain operational continuity. The ministry also said that the terminal operations team is working closely with the airlines and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to ensure minimal disruption and inconvenience to passengers. Additionally, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is closely monitoring the situation with airlines to ensure all safety and procedural measures are in place. From a manufacturing standpoint, India's leading car maker Maruti Suzuki told exchanges that its production and dispatch operations had temporarily halted, but it took remedial and precautionary measures and was able to resume operations later in the day. No material impact is expected from the incident, it said. Financial Services Impact Meanwhile, banking regulator Reserve Bank of India said about 10 banks saw minor disruptions and have been asked to remain alert. Our assessment shows that only 10 banks and NBFCs had minor disruptions which have either been resolved or are being resolved. Overall, the Indian financial sector in the Reserve Banks domain remains insulated from the global outage. The Reserve Bank has issued an Advisory today to its Regulated Entities for taking necessary steps to remain alert and ensure operational resilience and continuity, RBI said in a statement. While stock markets were not impacted due to the outage, some brokerage houses were impacted. Due to a global outageour systems are affected. Our team is working closely with both of them to restore our systems as soon as possible," brokerage firm 5paisa said in a statement. A dealer from a local brokerage house stated that only brokerages using Microsoft software were affected, and all brokerages using the cloud computing platform Azure would have experienced the issue. Analysts noted that brokerages were unable to access the data stored on the cloud drive. Abhilash Pagaria, head of Nuvama Alternative and Quantitative Research, stated that the outage lasted two to three hours but was resolved thereafter. The glitch involved the system restarting repeatedly. However, he added that no trades were affected. Also read | Microsoft AI push may boost domestic laptop sales NSE and NCL are working normal today, spokesperson of the National Stock Exchange said. Firms like Groww and Zerodha said they were not impacted. Healthcare Impact Services at hospitals like Max and Fortis were also disrupted with the outage impacting diagnostic and other patient services. Due to the outage, many of our software applications used for patient care and other processes were impacted," a spokesperson from Max Healthcare said, adding that its hospitals had to switch to manual processes to service patients as an alternative mechanism. After implementing the recovery process provided by Crowdstrike, our systems have fully restored, and we have resumed regular operations, the spokesperson added. Another hospital chain, Fortis, said in a statement, At Fortis, we experienced a brief interruption in our diagnostic services, which was managed efficiently. Our systems continue to run normally, and we have conducted thorough checks to verify this." Apollo said there was no impact in operations. Government Intervention Minister Vaishnaw added that the IT ministry was continually in touch with Microsoft, which in turn was actively working with impacted entities. In addition, Cert-In is coordinating with chief information security officers of critical infrastructure entities. All impacted entities are working to bring up their systems. In many cases, systems are partially up. Also read | India playing key role in AI development, adoption: Microsoft's Puneet Chandok He added that Cert-In had issued a technical advisory. Cert-in refers to the Indian computer emergency response team, which is part of the ministry of electronics and information technology. Cert-in's advisory said, The issues occurred in the latest update of CrowdStrike and the changes have been reverted by the Crowd Strike Team. It also suggested mitigation routes in case users were unable to stay online to receive the Channel File Changes. Not a Security Scare CrowdStrike, however, said that the widespread disruptions were not the result of a security incident or cyberattack. CEO Kurtz posted on social media platform X that the company is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux devices or computers are not impacted. Kurtz further said, Today was not a security or cyber incident. Our customers remain fully protected. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. As noted earlier, the issue has been identified and a fix has been deployed. There was an issue with a Falcon content update for Windows Hosts. Unprecedented Outage Cybersecurity experts termed the scale of the impact as unprecedented. Prominent security consultant Troy Hunt said this will be the largest IT outage in history and this is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except its actually happened this time. Omer Grossman, chief information officer (CIO) at CyberArk said, The current event appears that it will be one of the most significant cyber issues of 2024. The damage to business processes at the global level is dramatic. He added that since the endpoints or devices have crashed, they cannot be updated remotely and would have to resolved individually. The exercise would mean either repair or replacement of devices or laptops, which can take days. This would also mean a large financial impact on businesses owing to loss of business as well as additional costs towards replacement of the impacted machines. The range of reasons behind the outage ranges from human errorfor instance, a developer who downloaded an update without sufficient quality controlto the complex and intriguing scenario of a deep cyberattack, prepared ahead of time and involving an attacker activating a doomsday command or kill switch, Grossman said. CrowdStrike's analysis and updates in the coming days will be of the utmost interest, he said. Dhiraj Gupta, chief technology officer of MFilterIt, a fraud detection and prevention firm, said that the outage exhibited the extent of how interlinked everyone has become and how it is becoming important for systems across own as well as vendors to be tracked. When many providers depend on a single provider, that provider in effect becomes a critical infrastructure provider. This may or may not be a result of a cyber security attack, but end result is of challenges on our day to day life irrespective, he said. Vishal Salvi, CEO, Quick Heal Technologies Limited, a cybersecurity company, said We would like to assure that our customer base across the globe continues to remain safe and unaffected by this incident. It is our endeavour to ensure the highest safety and testing standards across our comprehensive suite of solutions. Salvi also said that the incident is not to be overlooked and highlights that no business is fully secure in todays digital environment and things do go wrong. We urge the entire ecosystem to come together to prioritize proactive defense strategies and cybersecurity Atamnirbharta to safeguard our digital infrastructure against evolving threats and incidents like these. In such an event, enterprises should have comprehensive contingency plans in place. These should include regular data backups, a robust disaster recovery strategy, and clear communication protocols to ensure minimal disruption, said Salvi. New Delhi: Vedanta Resources Holding Ltd, the parent company of Indian mining giant Vedanta Ltd, is poised to regain control of the Konkola copper mine in Zambia after settling nearly $246 million in dues. The Anil Agarwal-led conglomerate has been looking to take full management control of the mine for the past five years. The Konkola copper mine was pushed into liquidation by the Zambian government in 2019 following president Edgar Lungu's allegations that it had failed to expand copper production. The Konkola copper mine (KCM) boasts some of the largest deposits of high-grade copper in the world, exceeding 2.4%. It is also among the top cobalt producers in the globe with 412 thousand tonnes (kt) of reserves. Vedanta plans to ramp up its KCM copper production to 300 ktpa (thousand tonne per annum) and also increase cobalt production from 1ktpa to 6ktpa by improving production capabilitiesthe mine, the company said in a release. Copper is clearly a metal of the future, and its supply chain is one which the Government of India is also extremely keen to secure, given the huge demand for copper in the country, its current limited domestic production, and very high import levels, said chairman of the Vedanta Group Anil Aggarwal. "We expect KCM to help serve some of this demand and strengthen economic and trade ties between India and Zambia. India imported copper and copper articles worth $12 million (approximately 100.36 crore) from Zambia in FY23, as per a bilateral trade report by the ministry of commerce. The mine is expected to become a growth engine for the socio-economic development of the Zambian nation, said Vedanta Base Metals CEO Chris Griffith. The global copper supply is set to peak in 2026 at 26 million tonne with demand continuing to outpace supply if new major projects do not come online, Vedanta said in the release. Shares of Vedanta are trading at 444.50 on Friday on the National Stock Exchange, down 1.53% from the previous close in a largely weak market. Karnatakas migrant base is younger and more educated than that of any other state in India, a Mint analysis of granular data from a 2020-21 National Sample Survey shows. A quarter of people who have moved to Karnataka from outside the state are graduates or above. The median age of those who have migrated to the state for employment-related reasons is 30, the lowest of any state. These are significant in the backdrop of a controversial bill floated by the Karnataka government earlier this week that aims to legislate stringent quotas for locals in the workforce, including in the private sector. While only 4.6% of Karnatakas urban population is from outside the state (lower than the national average of 7.4%), the quality of this workforce earns it large economic dividends. In Bengaluru, the countrys Silicon Valley, employers and employees alike erupted in protest over the idea of such a quota, forcing the government to halt the legislation pending consultations with industry. Also read | Karnataka: One step too far with local-only quota The analysis is based on a representative government survey conducted during the covid-19 lockdown, so the actual number of migrants could be different. However, there's no other large-scale, recent and reliable data available on migration in India. The state-wise comparisons include only 21 major states and Union territories with a sufficient sample size (but national figures include all states and Union territories.) The survey defined a migrant as an individual who had spent at least six straight months in a village, town or country different from their current place of residence that is, where they were surveyed. Overall, 22.3% of Karnatakas population comprised such people, but as is the case across the country, most of them migrants from other parts of the state. Just 2.2% of the state's population had come from another state or country. Around 76% of all male migrants from outside Karnataka said they came there for employment and 5.2% said they were there for studies. Among female migrants, 51% had come to the state after marriage, 16.8% for a job-related reason, and 3.3% for studies. Nearly one-sixth (16.3%) of all male migrants who moved to Karnataka for a job were from Andhra Pradesh, the biggest source state, followed by Maharashtra (12.4%), Bihar (11.8%) and Rajasthan (9.2%). Also read: How Indians move within the country, in charts However, Karnataka accounts for a tiny share of Indians who live in a state different from their own (3%). Maharashtra alone accounts for as many as 13.1% such Indians, followed by Uttar Pradesh (11.8%), West Bengal (8.5%) and Delhi (7%). Delhi has by far the highest share of external migrants in its population (21.3%)no other state crosses into double digits. However, for workers, Karnataka offers better prospects than several major states. Nationally, as many as 56% of earning migrants (including those who moved within their state) reported seeing an increase in income after moving, the data showed. In Karnataka, the share was 60%. (Adds details on air travel problems, background, updates flight cancellation figures, paragraphs 1-8, 10-13, 16-19) By Andrew Mills, Elena Rodriguez and David Shepardson EDINBURGH/MADRID/BALTIMORE, July 19 (Reuters) - Air passengers worldwide faced delays, flight cancellations and headaches checking in as airports and airlines were caught up in a massive IT outage that has affected numerous industries ranging from banks to media companies. A software update by global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike triggered systems problems for Microsoft customers that turned into hours of delays for airlines using their software. Some travelers were issued handwritten boarding passes with software inoperative. All told, out of more than 110,000 scheduled commercial flights on Friday, 5,000 have been cancelled globally with more expected, according to global aviation analytics firm Cirium. By comparison, 2,000 flights were cancelled on Thursday, before the software issues. The aviation sector is particularly sensitive to interruptions due to its reliance on closely coordinated schedules run by air-traffic control. Delays can throw off schedules for airports and airlines for the rest of the day. U.S. carrier Delta Air Lines was one of the hardest- hit, with 20% of its flights cancelled, according to flight tracking service FlightAware. Across the United States, Asia and Europe, carriers such as Ryanair, United and Air India said they had faced delays or disruption. "Nobody was around to tell us where we could check in when we arrived ... so different groups queued in different places and then in the end someone, after a bottleneck of people was formed, told us to come here," said Ana Rodriguez, a tourist from Mexico, while waiting for a flight in Madrid's Barajas Airport. Even airlines that were not directly affected said they would have to grapple with delays due to the global nature of the disruption. Transportation system issues appeared to be resolving and would be hopefully be back to normal by Saturday, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, adding that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration did not appear affected. FLIGHT DISRUPTIONS Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport, one of the world's busiest and a hub for Delta Air, had the worst disruptions globally, according to FlightRadar24, with 36% of scheduled departures cancelled. Delta resumed some flight departures but warned of additional delays and cancellations. FAA data showed Delta's operations in Atlanta, Minneapolis and New York were still affected. Customers who had flights cancelled were issued travel waivers, the airline said. United said the disruption affected systems used for calculating aircraft weight, check-ins, and its call centers. In Europe, Spanish carrier Iberia said it had managed to avoid flight cancellations. Ryanair had cancelled 2% of its flights, while 38% of its scheduled flights were delayed. HANDWRITTEN BOARDING PASSES The outage sparked chaos for European passengers on what was one of the busiest travel days of the year as schools broke up for holiday. In Edinburgh, a Reuters witness said boarding-pass scanners carried a "server offline message," with the airport saying passengers should not travel to the airport without checking their flight status first. Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, Berlin airport and London Gatwick were also affected. In India, airlines at New Delhi's Terminal 3 were giving handwritten boarding passes to flyers, while airport staff were using whiteboards to display gate information, according to an official for the airport. Airports in Hong Kong and Singapore also switched to manual check-in. At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Baltimore, Maryland, Rose Geffrard, 37, a nurse travelling with her two children to a cousin's wedding in Boston, said she spent nearly two hours waiting in a long line to get paper tickets. Spirit Airlines personnel had to page through printed passenger manifests before issuing paper tickets and then consulted a printed seating chart to make sure they were not double assigning seats. COMPENSATION QUESTIONS In Europe, airlines are required to compensate passengers for delays of more than three hours but it was unclear to what extent they would be held legally responsible for the outage. Airlines would have to prove the outage was an extraordinary circumstance to not compensate passengers, a spokesperson for European consumer organization BEUC said. Major U.S. airlines in 2022 committed to providing meals for customers delayed by three hours and hotel rooms for stranded passengers if prompted by issues under the airlines' control. Unlike in Europe, there is no legal requirement that airlines in the United States compensate passengers for lengthy delays. It is also not clear if the IT issue will be deemed an airline-caused delay or not. New Delhi: Trade officials from India and Peru will meet again in September focus on building consensus on a proposed free trade agreement, two people aware of the matter said. Both sides hope to wrap up the deal by early next year. These meetings will involve the participation of top delegates from both countries together, including their respective negotiating teams," said the first person mentioned above. The intention from both sides is to wrap up the deal soon. We expect to sign the deal by early next year," the person added. Trade between India and Peru stood at $4 billion during FY24, with India imports from Peru amounting to $3.1 billion and exports at $920 million in the fiscal. Managing trade Imports from the South American nation consist of gold, iron steel, cocoa products, silver, aluminium and chemical products, while exports include motor vehicles, cotton, drugs and pharmaceutical products, two-wheelers, copper, etc. Peru, surrounded by the 'lithium triangle' comprising Bolivia, Argentina and Chile, is also home to a sizeable lithium reserve, critical for India's growing electric vehicle industry. However, gold is the most important commodity traded between the twocountries, with gold imports from Peru making up a considerable part of the bilateral trade, at about $2.7 billion in FY24. Both countries have been in discussions to finalise the FTA since 2017. However, the coronavirus pandemic had delayed the negotiations. India has resumed trade talks with Peru after a long gap, with the last round of negotiations was held in the South American country from 12 to 14 February. Various working group meetings were held in that round, including on trade in goods, rules of origin, trade in services, customs procedures and trade facilitation, dispute settlement and legal and institutional issues. A holistic deal The ongoing negotiation with Peru is India's third trade engagement with a South American country, following its agreements with Chile and the Mercosur bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay). India signed a preferential trade agreement with Chile in 2005 and the Mercosur bloc in 2009. However, the potential deal with Peru stands out as India's first comprehensive FTA in the region, signalling a broader scope beyond the goods-focused agreements with Chile and Mercosur, which primarily included tariff concessions on selected items, said Ajay Srivastava, founder of Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). This move underlines India's strategic interest in expanding its trade footprint in Latin America, leveraging Peru as a pivotal partner in this endeavour," he said. Srivastava added that tariff concessions on gold, which accounted for about $1.8 billion or 80% of imports from Peru in FY23, is the most challenging issues for India. Gold, a high-value product with low volume, attracts a 10% (basic) customs duty in India. Even minor tariff concessions could lead to a significant increase in imports," he explained. Peru is currently one of the largest suppliers of gold to India after Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa. Spokespersons of the commerce ministry and Peru's embassy in New Delhi didn't respond to queries emailed by Mint. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday, July 19, said only 10 banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) were affected by the global Microsoft Windows outage. Our assessment shows that only 10 banks and NBFCs had minor disruptions which have either been resolved or are being resolved, the central bank said in a statement. The large-scale outage in Microsoft Services occurred on July 19, impacting IT systems globally and disrupting various sectors. The RBI conducted an assessment to check the glitch's impact on its regulated entities. The new CrowdStrike update in Windows 10 operating systems caused the blue screen flashing issue. Windows users were seeing blue screen errors on their screens, and their computers got stuck in a restart loop. Reports suggested that the scale of the outage was massive, spreading from airports to banks and even government offices. Also Read | Microsoft outage: AMFI website did not open for several hours The central bank said it had averted the global risk as its systems were not integrated with cloud-based services. Only a few banks were using the CrowdStrike tool, limiting the exposure of the disruption caused by the update. Critical systems of most banks are not in cloud and further, only a few banks are using the CrowdStrike tool, the RBI said in the statement. Also Read | Anand Mahindra takes bullish stance as Microsoft outage hits businesses While the central bank's domain remains insulated from the global outage, it has issued an advisory to the banks to stay alert and take the necessary actions to operate in a resilient manner. New Delhi/Mumbai: The government is considering another phase of reforms for Indias insurance sector, including a proposal to do away with the mandatory requirement of resident Indian citizens to be on the boards and top management of entities with majority foreign investment. The deliberations aimed at further liberalising foreign investment rules for Indias insurance sector come just three years after an earlier attempt to attract more overseas capital to the sector saw a tepid response. Apart from removing the condition on the presence of Indian residents, the government is discussing changes to rules on dividend payouts and board composition that apply to insurance companies with foreign investment exceeding 49%, two officials told Mint. These reforms are being considered with the prime aim of bringing more foreign capital to the sector as only a few investors have taken advantage of the governments decision in 2021 to increase the foreign direct investment limit in insurance companies from 49% to 74%. Also read | Insurance reforms in first 100 days agenda of BJP government if voted back Earlier this year, Switzerland-based Zurich Insurance Group Ltd announcing plans to acquire a 70% stake in Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Co. Ltd for about 5,500 crore. In most other private insurance companies in India, the level of FDI is still close to or lower than 49%. The finance ministrys department of financial services will shortly initiate consultations on new FDI regulations for the insurance sector, said one of the officials mentioned above. The FDI policy already has been liberalised for the insurance and other regulated financial services sectors, with investment allowed up to 100% under the automatic rule," said the second official. There is no point now to have such restrictive operational conditions for foreign investors, and therefore a review of the rules is being undertaken by the government." Stringent Regulations a Dampener Under the existing policy, foreign direct investment of up to 74% is allowed in insurance companies under the automatic route that doesnt require any government or regulatory approval. Up to 100% FDI is permitted in insurance intermediaries such as insurance brokers, reinsurance brokers, and insurance consultants. While the government increased the overseas investment limit, insurance FDI is subject to stringent conditions under the Indian Insurance Companies (Foreign Investment) Amendment Rules. The rules mandate that in insurance companies with foreign investment, a majority of the directors, key management persons, and at least one top executivethe chairperson, managing director, or chief executiveshould be resident Indian citizens. In addition, insurance companies with FDI exceeding 49% need to maintain about half of their profit as reserve if they are paying a dividend to their shareholders. Also, their solvency margin has to be under 1.2 times the estimated claim amount liable to be paid by a company on the policies sold by it. Solvency margin is the extra capital general insurance companies must hold over and above the claim amount they are likely to incur. It is a financial backup in extreme situations so a company can settle all claims. Also, at least half of the directors in a company with 49% or higher foreign equity must be independent directors. If the chairperson is also an independent director, then one-third of the board should comprise independent directors. Also read | India insured by 2047: Insurance companies must be profitable to achieve this The government proposes to amend these complex rules to level the field for both foreign and domestic insurance companies and build a competitive environment, said the first official mentioned above. Its a good move from the point of projecting a liberal investment climate in the country," said C.R. Vijayan, former secretary general, General Insurance Council. However, it is unlikely to result in sudden flow of FDI as even with 74% holding, very few overseas entities have come or raised their investment in Indian insurance companies," he said. Insurance provides returns only on a long-term basis (10 years or more) and there will always be doubt among investors about the prospects of a change in government and its implications on investment policies, particularly in the financial sectors." Queries sent to the ministry of finance and the secretary of the financial services department on Wednesday remained unanswered. An Under-insured Population Other analysts and industry experts are more optimistic about the reforms being planned. Aligning the dividend payout with the insolvency criteria, albeit by reducing (the amount of profit to be kept as reserve), would improve cash flows in the hands of stakeholders and would have positive impact on investments in this sector," said Rajiv Chugh, partner and leader, policy advisory and specialty services, EY India. India opened up the insurance sector to foreign investment in 2000, allowing 26% FDI in private companies. The government increased the FDI limit to 49% in 2015 and then to 74% in 2021. Indias insurance sector has received foreign direct investment worth 54,000 crore over the past decade, from 2014 to January this year, as per the finance ministry. The number of insurance companies increased from 53 to 70 in that period. Also read |How Budget can unlock potentials in non-life insurance For all that, India remains an under-insured country, with very few of the countrys population paying to but risk-protection. Between 2013-14 and 2022-23, Insurance penetration in India increased only marginallyfrom 3.9% to 4%. Insurance density rose from $52 to $92. Insurance penetration and density are metrics used to assess the level of development of the insurance sector in a country. Insurance penetration is measured as the percentage of insurance premium to gross domestic product (GDP), while insurance density is calculated as the ratio of premium to population (per capita premium). These proposed discussions are a positive step forward and are likely to attract the right kind of foreign investments," said Tarun Chugh, managing director and chief executive of Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance. The regulatory environment is evolving to support the vision of Insurance for All by 2047." The Indian insurance sectors assets under management nearly tripled to 60.04 trillion in 2022-23 from 21.07 trillion in 2013-14, as per the finance ministry. The total insurance premium more than doubled to 10.4 trillion from 3.94 trillion. Shares of JSW Infrastructure Ltd dropped about 6% in early trade on Friday, even as the company reported a solid 24% year-on-year Ebitda growth. Investors appear worried about the decline in net profit primarily due to a foreign exchange adjustment. The company, however, is expected to maintain its growth momentum due to increasing exports, rising demand for transportation, and gains accruing from recent acquisitions. The companys volume growth in Q1 was 9% year-on-year amid a planned shutdown at JSW Steels plant in Dolvi, a captive customer of the group. This was compensated by solid growth of 48% in the third-party cargo, with its share in total cargo rising to 50% from 37%. The company needs to build this non-captive customer base on a sustained basis, as high dependency on captive customers poses a risk to its business. Higher handling charges from non-captive customers aided consolidated revenue growth of 20% to 1,109 crore. Revenue and Ebitda growth were marginally lower than 23% and 29% in Q4FY24 but same as full year FY24 growth rate. Post results, Motilal Oswal Financial Services analysts have marginally cut their adjusted profit after tax estimates by 4% and 2% for FY25 and FY26, respectively. Charting growth plans JSW Infrastructures management projects 10-12% volume growth in FY25. The company has a total cargo handling capacity of 170 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) spread across two ports and eight terminals at major ports. It plans to take its capacity to 250 mtpa by 2027 and 400 mtpa by 2030 through expansion at its existing facilities, acquisitions and development of newer ones. The projects include a greenfield port of 30 mtpa capacity in Karnataka, being developed at a cost of 4,200 crore, for which it won the bid in November. The company is also developing a berth in Tuticorin port with 7 mtpa capacity and two berths at JNPT of 4.5 mtpa to handle liquid cargo, both through public private partnership (PPP) mode. Its recent acquisitions include a liquid handling terminal in the UAE and a port on the western coast of Maharashtra, both with a capacity of 5 mtpa, acquired in December last year. The company plans a total investment of 30,000 crore by FY30, including 13,000-14,000 crore in the next three years. Further, JSW Infrastructure has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Navkar Corp. Ltd at an enterprise value of 1,644 crore, marking its foray into logistics which would complement its existing businesses. Navkar is a multi-modal logistics service provider with a CTO (container train operator) license and had revenue of 435 crore in FY24, about 12% of JSW Infrastructures FY24 revenue, but it made losses during the year. It has also received a contract for construction & operation of a multi-modal cargo terminal in Tamil Nadu near Chennai. With two operational terminals in the vicinity, this would help augment the company's ports business. JSW Infrastructures shares currently trade at 315 apiece, meaningfully appreciating from their issue price of 119 during its IPO in October, aided by the acquisitions and port development contract received from the government, providing higher revenue visibility. The path ahead, however, may not be smooth. As analysts from Kotak Institutional Equities point out, JSW Infra continues to invest in assets for becoming a complete logistics solution provider, although lack of large and scalable assets in the market may prolong this journey." Investors seem to be adequately factoring in the brighter picture for the immediate future. Much will depend on the companys pace of execution of its ongoing projects. Mumbai: Profit-booking ahead of key corporate earnings and the budget next week dragged down benchmark indices the most in a month-and-a-half on Friday. Fear gauge India Vix rose to the highest level in over a month. The Nifty fell 1.09% to 24,530.9 while the Sensex pulled back from the 81,000 mark 0.9% to 80,604.65. Both indices hit fresh record highs 24,854.8 and 81,587.76-at opening before pulling back and closing marginally off their lows. Broader markets fell twice as much. Reliance Industries (48.26 points), Tata Steel (16), M&M (15.4), NTPC (14.08), Tata Motors, Bharti Airtel and HDFC Bank were the biggest drags on the Nifty, contributing to half its 269.95 fall. Also read | Reliance Industries share price rises more than 20% year to date: Morgan Stanley expects more gains of around 13% Investors and traders took some money off the table after a one-way rally from 4 June, ahead of Reliance results post market hours Friday, Kotak Mahindra Bank and HDFC Bank on Saturday and the budget on Tuesday, said Dhiraj Relli, managing director and chief director of HDFC Securities. While Relli doesnt expect any negative surprises from the results or the budget for the market, the sharp rally from the day of the elections to date makes it prudent to take some money off the table. Nifty and Sensex have rallied 12% each to Fridays closing after the Narendra Modi-led NDA won a historic third term in office. The rally since the date of the election results has been driven by foreign institutional investors, who have net purchased shares worth 57,337 crore in the past two months through 18 July after selling shares worth 34,257 crore in April-May. Midcaps Down Institutional activity for 19 July was awaited until press time. However, investor selling was more focused on mid and small caps. The Nifty Midcap 150 fell 2.09% to 20812.25 while the Nifty Smallcap 250 fell by 2.36% to 17163.40. Also read | Reliance Q1 Results: Net profit declines 5.4% yoy to 15,138 crore: Revenues improve 12% yoy Small caps that fell the most included MCX, Mastek, JK Paper, Apar Industries and Chennai Petroleum which fell 6-11%. Gaurav Dua, SVP- head capital market strategy at Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, expects the large caps to outperform small and microcap stocks due to favourable risk-reward , in the sessions ahead. He is bullish IT enabled services, consumer, pharma and some names within the specialty chemical sectors. Multibagger stock: DP Abhushan shares are one of the multibagger stocks the Indian stock market has delivered in recent years. The jewellery stock witnessed strong buying ever since it was listed on the Indian stock exchange in November 2020. It is one of the multibagger IPOs that the Indian primary market has delivered in the post-COVID phase. This multibagger stock has risen around 1100 percent post-listing in nearly four years. However, bulls are still betting high on this jewellery stock. After announcing Q1 results 2024 on Thursday, DP Abhushan share price today opened with an upside gap. It touched an intraday high of 1,440 apiece within a few minutes of the opening bell, just 14 away from its existing record high of 1,454.05 per share on the NSE. The multibagger stock couldn't sustain at the intraday high and came under the sell-off heat. After the profit-booking trigger, the multibagger stock made an intraday low of 1,349.95 per share. However, the stock witnessed bottom fishing at the lower levels and is currently quoting around 1,380 apiece on the NSE. DP Abhushan Q1 results 2024 DP Abhushan reported total revenue of 505 crore, reporting a YoY rise of around 7 percent against its total revenue of 471 crore in the corresponding period in the previous financial year. The jewellery brand reported an EBITDA of 38 crore, around 52 percent higher than its 25 crore EBITDA in Q1FY24. The company's EBITDA margin expanded to 8 percent, double the previous quarter Q4FY24. The company's PAT stood at 25 crore for Q1FY25 compared to 16 crore in Q1FY24, marking a robust yearly growth of 60 percent. Commenting upon the Q1 results 2024, Santosh Kataria, Managing Director of DP Abhushan, said, We are delighted to report an outstanding performance for the quarter, highlighted by healthy revenue growth of 7% and an impressive profit increase of 60 percent. The Bhopal store has emerged as a pivotal revenue driver, achieving an exceptional 18 percent YoY growth. Ujjain and Indore also contributed significantly, with 17 percent and 12 percent growth rates, respectively. Speaking on the guidance of the company, Kataria said, "Looking ahead, our outlook remains positive as we make concerted efforts to bolster our business operations and strategically expand in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat, tapping into emerging markets with growing purchasing power. We aim to increase the share of diamond-studded jewellery, currently at 6 percent, by offering high-quality items, especially for wedding wear. We aim to enhance our gross margins by commanding premium making charges." DP Abhushan share price history In one month, DP Abhushan share price has ascended 15 percent whereas in the last six months, it has delivered around 100 percent returns to its positional shareholders. In one year, this multibagger stock has ascended from 271.40 to 1380 apiece, recording more than a 400 percent rise. Penny stock Spright Agro has emerged as a multibagger success story, delivering phenomenal returns to its investors in the recent times. From its 52-week low of 0.63 recorded on August 18, 2023, the stock has surged by an astounding 10446 percent to 66.44 currently. This remarkable performance highlights the company's ability to deliver substantial returns and maintain investor confidence amid market fluctuations. In 2024 year-to-date alone, Spright's stock price has surged by an astounding 754 percent, skyrocketing from 7.78 in December 2023 to its current value of 66.44, which is also its record high. In 2024, the stock experienced gains in six out of seven months. July saw an almost 32 percent jump following a 71 percent rally in June. However, it fell around 13 percent in May. The first four months of the year were also positive, with the stock jumping 31.5 percent in April, 41.7 percent in March, 51 percent in February, and 57 percent in January. Meanwhile, it also witnessed a notable 199 percent increase over the past year. Over the past three years as well, the stock has witnessed impressive gains, climbing by 131 percent from 28.75 in July 2021. Despite its exceptional performance, it's essential to highlight that the stock is currently under ESM: Stage 2. What is ESM? The Enhanced Surveillance Measure (ESM) is a regulatory framework implemented by the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in India. It aims to enhance monitoring and surveillance of listed companies to ensure investor protection and market integrity. Under Stage I, the trading of the securities is settled through a trade-for-trade mechanism with a price band of 5 percent, or 2 percent. Under Stage II, the surveillance action permits trading on all trading days under periodic call auctions with trade-for-trade settlement and a 2 percent price band. Earlier this stage permitted trading just once a week. About the Firm Spright Agro Limited engages in the trading, export, and import of agricultural products in India. The company was formerly known as Tine Agro Limited and changed its name to Spright Agro Limited in March 2024. The company was incorporated in 1994 and is based in Ahmedabad, India. Earnings In the June quarter (Q1FY25), Spright Agro reported a net profit of 624.97 lakh, a significant multifold increase from 16.29 lakh in the same period last year. This also marks an 8.1 percent rise from 577.88 lakh in the previous quarter. Additionally, the total income for the quarter reached 5,296.36 lakh, a dramatic surge from 290.72 lakh a year earlier and over a 20 percent jump from 4,388.13 lakh in the March quarter. Brokerage Views ICICI Direct, a domestic brokerage, has pointed out several strengths of Spright Agro. It highlighted the strong momentum of Spright Agro, noting that its price is above short, medium, and long-term moving averages. The company has demonstrated robust annual EPS (earnings per share) growth and achieved a new 52-week high today. Meanwhile, its weakness, as per the brokerage, is - poor cash generated from its core business. The firm has witnessed declining cash flow from operations for the last 2 years. Investing in penny stocks offers the allure of high potential returns at relatively low entry costs, but it comes with significant risks. One of the main challenges is liquidity; penny stocks often have limited trading volumes compared to larger, more established companies. This illiquidity can lead to exaggerated price swings, making them highly volatile investments. Additionally, penny stocks may operate under less stringent financial reporting standards and regulatory oversight, creating opportunities for market manipulation and fraud. These factors contribute to the heightened risk associated with trading in penny stocks. To navigate this volatile landscape prudently, investors must conduct thorough research and implement robust risk management strategies. Key steps include understanding the company's fundamentals, assessing its market position, and scrutinising its financial health. Maintaining a disciplined approach to investment and setting realistic expectations can also help mitigate potential losses. By exercising diligence and caution, investors can better navigate the uncertainties of penny stocks, enhancing their ability to capitalise on opportunities while safeguarding their investments against undue risks. Feature: CHFs Ruth E. Carter Interview Celebrates Black History Via Costumes Costume designer Ruth E. Carter spoke at the Music Box Theatre in June during the Chicago Humanities Festival about her rich film career and her historic Academy Award wins for Black Panther and Wakanda Forever. Carter made history as the first African American artist in that category, and the first Black person to win multiple Oscars in any category, following four Oscar nominations for Malcolm X and Amistad. Carter also received the 2019 Costume Designers Guild Career Achievement Award for her rich, 50-strong filmography, including Selma, Marshall, The Butler, Coming 2 America, and Do the Right Thing, collaborating with leading Black directors like Spike Lee, John Singleton, and Ryan Coogler. In 2021, she was the second costume designer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ruth E. Carter and Oscar. Photo courtesy CNN. Ive always been a storyteller, the jovial and vivacious Carter said to the large, enthusiastic crowd. She spoke with Jacqueline Stewart, director and president of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, about her new book The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, as well as her fortuitous career path. Afrofuturism was a recurring theme throughout the lively 90-minute chat. Her origin story began as an actor at Hampton University, where she performed plays by Lorraine Hansberry and other playwrights of color. Shes grateful for that training, so she can understand the journey of the performers she now dresses, and knows how to break down a script. Carter also fell in love with African American history when she dressed in character as a reenactor at Colonial Williamsburg. But shes happy where she ended up. Now I get to play all the characters, she said. Ruth Carter's Coming 2 America costumes. Photo courtesy Museum of Fashion + Film. After college, Carter left Virginia and moved to Los Angeles. She became a gopher and technical theater factotum for a small dance company when she met Spike Lee, who encouraged her to work on student films to refine her craft. Soon, he called her to costume his 1988 film School Daze. Before she knew it, she was in Egypt with Lee to film the hajj scene for Malcolm X in 1992. She also remembered filming Amistad off the Eastern Seaboard with Steven Spielberg in 1997, and laughed at the iconic status that her goldfish platform shoes achieved in the 1988 blaxploitation film parody Im Gonna Git You Sucka. The goldfish platform shoes. Carters currently dressing Mahershala Ali for his role in the upcoming Blade franchise reboot, and she notes him saying that my first fitting is my first rehearsal. She recalled other memorable collaborative moments from fittings with leading actors. Chadwick Boseman said the first try at TChalla's formal embroidered jacket felt like the Commodores, so she redesigned. She also engineered a removable face mask for his Black Panther helmet so that he could breathe, something he couldnt do well in his first hastily made suit (by someone else) when his character was introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She relayed that she sculpts muscle suits in clay, then casts them in rubber. She worked with Angela Bassett to design Queen Ramondas looks in both Black Panther movies, 3-D printing many of her intricate headdresses and dramatic neck pieces. The Afrofuturist world of Wakanda, including fine needlework, jingling beads and multiple layers, was inspired by Africas many tribes, including the Maasai, Zulu, and Turkana. Specifically, Wakandas fierce female army, the Dora Milaje, was based on the real Ajojie warriors. Researching the Mesoamerican Mayan civilization for the watery Talokanil people in Wakanda Forever was intense, but welcome, as Carter had heard an early rumor that most of the underwater scenes would be created solely by CGI, not in reality. She said she felt like she was back in her historic Williamsburg days, and even created a naval ranking system based on piercings. Carter also wanted the armor to feel like jewelry, so she started working with jewelers while on location to build specific pieces for specific performers, including Douriean Fletcher, who became the first jeweler in the Motion Picture Costumer Union. Recycled elements of vintage works excite her, but not fast fashion. In 2020, she created the Ruth Carter Capsule Collection for retailer H&M, but prefers the historical or avant-garde. An exhibit of her work is slated to come to the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center this fall, where Chicago can continue to celebrate Ruth Carter Forever. Check out upcoming Chicago Humanities Festival programs, including: Zadie Smith on her new historical novel The Fraud on 9/19 Social activist Naomi Klein on The World of Digital Doppelgangers on 9/19 Actor Henry Winkler interviewed about his memoir by "Barry" co-star DArcy Carden on 11/4 Did you enjoy this post and our coverage of Chicagos arts scene and sometimes beyond? Please consider supporting Third Coast Reviews arts and culture coverage by making a donation by PayPal. Choose the amount that works best for you, and know how much we appreciate your support! F&O ban list: The National Stock Exchange (NSE) banned trading in eleven stocks on Friday, July 19, 2024, in the futures and options (F&O) segment as they exceeded 95% of the market-wide position limit (MWPL). However, these stocks will be available for trading in the cash market. The NSE updates the list of securities in the F&O ban for trade every day. F&O ban list today Balrampur Chini Mills, Bandhan Bank, GMR Infra, GNFC, Hindustan Aeronautics, Hindustan Copper, India Cements, Piramal Enterprises, RBL Bank, SAIL, Vedanta are the eleven stocks on the NSE's F&O ban list for July 19. The National Stock Exchange (NSE) said the derivative contracts in these securities crossed 95% of the market-wide position limit and have been placed in the stock exchange's ban period. All clients/members shall trade in the derivative contracts of said security only to decrease their positions through offsetting positions. Any increase in open positions shall attract appropriate penal and disciplinary action," the NSE statement said. Also Read | Earnings vs Expectations: Have PSU stocks become uninvestable No new positions are allowed when the stock exchanges place F&O contracts in a particular stock in the ban period. On July 18, stock markets remained on a record-smashing course for the fourth straight day with benchmark Sensex breaching the 81,000 mark for the first time and Nifty scaling the record 24,800 level driven by buying in IT, oil&gas and FMCG shares. Rebounding from its early lows, the 30-share BSE Sensex rose by 626.91 points or 0.78 per cent to settle at a fresh closing high of 81,343.46. The barometer surged 806 points or 0.99 per cent to hit a new record intra-day peak of 81,522.55. Also Read | How to find smallcap proxy stocks in this market The broader Nifty also pared early losses and climbed 187.85 points or 0.76 per cent to settle at an all-time closing high of 24,800.85. During the day, it zoomed 224.75 points or 0.91 per cent to hit a fresh lifetime high of 24,837.75. In recent years, perspectives on real estate investment have shifted. With the emergence of more accessible and lower-cost options, investing in the real estate market has become easier. One such financial instrument, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), has been gaining traction. These instruments provide investors with access to the real estate market without the complexities of direct property ownership. However, beyond traditional REITs, smaller REITs with a minimum capex of 500 million are targeting specialized real estate segments like co-working spaces. These spaces have become integral to modern workspace dynamics, catering to startups, freelancers, and established businesses. For REITs, co-working spaces represent a compelling investment opportunity due to their adaptable lease structures, high occupancy rates, and potential rental yields. Additionally, the growing demand for such spaces in tier 1 and tier 2 cities enhances their investment appeal. The coworking space market The coworking space market in India is growing rapidly, with an estimated market size of $1.94 billion in 2024, projected to reach $2.72 billion by 2029. Several factors contribute to this promising future: Entrepreneurial growth: India has seen a surge in startups and freelancers who prefer flexible workspaces over traditional offices. Cost efficiency: Co-working spaces offer cost-effective solutions compared to setting up and maintaining traditional offices, especially in prime locations. Flexible work culture: With more companies adopting remote work policies, co-working spaces provide flexibility and amenities that appeal to remote workers and digital nomads. Networking opportunities: Co-working spaces foster a community where professionals from diverse backgrounds can collaborate and network. Tech infrastructure: Improving tech infrastructure supports seamless connectivity and digital operations, crucial for modern workspaces. Corporate interest: Larger corporations are increasingly using co-working spaces to accommodate project teams and satellite offices. Government initiatives: Initiatives like 'Startup India' and policies supporting entrepreneurship further encourage the growth of co-working spaces. Let's examine some of the most prominent Indian listed players poised to benefit from the commercial real estate market's potential growth. AWFIS Space Solutions First on our list is AWFIS Space Solutions, a leading workspace solution provider in India. AWFIS offers a wide spectrum of flexible workspace solutions, from individual flexible desks to customized office spaces for startups, SMEs, large corporates, and MNCs. The company operates in 52 micro markets across 16 cities in India, under two models - straight lease and managed aggregation, focusing on the latter for improved return ratios. From FY20 to FY24, AWFIS saw a 41% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) in revenue, while net income grew at a CAGR of 12%. Despite revenue and operating income increases, profitability at the net profit level remained elusive. As of March 31, 2024, AWFIS is debt-free with a Return on Capital Employed (RoCE) of 9%. The company ended FY24 with 181 centers across 17 cities, totaling 110,540 seats, maintaining an occupancy level of 71%. Going ahead, AWFIS aims to build a capital-efficient model, focus on controlled expansion, and enhance product and service offerings. The company plans to add around 40,000 new seats in FY25, reaching a total of 135,000 seats, and improve operational efficiency through a strong vendor base, technological tools, and employee development. Management is confident in solidifying its market position and expects strong growth due to increasing customer preference for flexible spaces. Aurum PropTech Second on our list is Aurum PropTech Ltd (APTL), which integrates tech expertise in real estate to build and operate PropTech products, services, and platforms catering to various segments. APTL has two main business segments: software as a service (SaaS) and real estate as a service (RaaS). Over the past five years, APTL has experienced an 85% CAGR growth in sales, though net income has declined. The company's average Return on Equity (RoE) stood at 0.5%. In FY24, revenue increased by 69% YoY, driven by a 78% YoY increase in the RaaS segment and a 25% YoY increase in the SaaS segment. Looking ahead, APTL aims to achieve 45%-50% revenue growth in the next financial year and improve Ebitda margins annually. The company plans to focus on product development and cost optimization, recognizing significant opportunities in the institutionalization of rental real estate in India. Management is working to mitigate policy change risks and reduce dependencies on individuals and relationships, with a focus on analytics and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency. Mindspace Business Parks REIT Mindspace Business Parks REIT is listed in India under the Sebi Real Estate Investment Trust Regulations, 2014. Mindspace REIT primarily holds interests in rental-yielding commercial real estate assets (Grade-A office portfolio). The company has properties in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai, totaling 56 buildings. From FY20 to FY24, Mindspace saw an 11% CAGR in revenue, with net income increasing by 3% CAGR. In FY24, the company experienced a 7% YoY growth in sales and an 82.1% increase in net income. The company achieved its highest ever quarterly leasing in the March 2024 quarter, with a cumulative leasing of 3.6 million square feet for the year. The committed occupancy rate stood at 90.6% (excluding Pocharam), with a re-leasing spread of 17% on re-leased areas. Looking ahead, Mindspace anticipates increased occupancy levels and healthy leasing activity in FY25, with developments expected to generate approximately Rs. 8 billion in rentals over the next three to four years. The company plans to designate Special Economic Zone (SEZ) spaces to boost Net Operating Income (NOI) and Distribution Per Unit (DPU) growth. Embassy Office Parks REIT Finally, we have Embassy Office Parks REIT, India's first publicly listed REIT and Asia's largest official REIT by area. Embassy Office Parks REIT owns, operates, and invests in income-generating real estate and related assets in India, providing access to the benefits of real estate investment through publicly traded units. The trust's portfolio comprises commercial office space, hospitality, and renewable energy assets. From FY20 to FY24, sales increased by a CAGR of 12%, while net income grew by 4.7%. FY24 marked a breakthrough year, with an 8% YoY increase in sales and an all-time high annual leasing total of 8.1 million square feet. The company achieved its occupancy guidance, reaching 85% on a portfolio level and 87% on a same-store basis, with Bangalore at 91% occupancy and Mumbai at 99%. Looking ahead to FY25, the company expects NOI to grow 10% and DPU to increase by 7% YoY. Total leasing is projected to reach 5.4 million square feet, with portfolio occupancy expected at 89%. Contracted rent escalations are anticipated to be 13% on 7.7 million square feet of leases. Conclusion The real estate landscape, particularly in sectors such as co-working spaces, is undergoing a significant transformation driven by increased accessibility and evolving work dynamics. With demand projected to rise by 15-20% over the next two to three years, and potentially higher if macroeconomic conditions remain stable, investors are presented with promising opportunities. However, given the relative newness of REITs and the co-working industry in India, prudent evaluation of companies is essential before committing funds. As these sectors mature and adapt to changing workplace preferences, strategic investment decisions will be crucial for aligning with market growth and maximizing returns. Happy investing! Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. This article is syndicated from Equitymaster.com Wheres the cow? One of the most memorable details in Jan de Bonts Twister (1996) was the flying bovine. Youd expect Twisters, which reuses much from the first movie, to have one of its own, or maybe a herd. But director Lee Isaac Chung wasnt keen to. "They think they want the cow, he said in an interview. But I promise you, you would be disappointed if there was a cow." My disappointment in Twisters goes well beyond present or absent cows. I am, however, curious why the makers thought this wouldnt work for viewers today. Were they worried theyd be memed? Do they consider themselves above such silliness? After all, this is a tornado movie about overcoming trauma and helping the public, not the kind where a second cow flies past and Bill Paxton says, Actually, I think thats the same one. Twisters begins, like the 1996 film did, with loss. Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and four of her storm-chasing college friends in Oklahoma are happily headed into the path of a tornado. Theyre about to test her experimentan attempt to tame a tornado by releasing barrels of a polymer into it. But once theyre close, they realise its a much bigger storm than they accounted for. Three of Kates friends are sucked into it. She survives, and gives up storm-chasing for weather-watching in New York. A visit by Javi (Anthony Ramos), the other surviving member of the quintet, pulls her back; he says hes testing data-gathering tech that could help towns in danger of being swept away by larger tornados (the Oklahoma of the film seems to get one of these every week). I groaned when Javi introduces the teamPHDs from NASA, FEMA, etc, all wearing the same uniform, the camera barely bothering to register their faces. You just know the films going to bring on the most regular Joe straight-talkin small town values folk youve ever seen. This still might not prepare you for Tyler (Glen Powell) and his drone-flying, live-streaming, vibes-enjoying crew (played by Brandon Perea, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy OBrian and Sasha Lane). I kept hearing Ben Afflecks sardonic audio commentary for Armageddon in my head: Hes a salt of the earth guy, and the NASA nerd-onauts dont understand his salt of the earth ways, his rough and tumble ways. The next half-hour of Kate and Tyler competing for storms while playing reserved science girl and slick cowboy is excruciating. Its almost unfair that Hit Man just released on streaming; Powell's sparring with Edgar-Jones doesnt hold a candle to his flirting with Adria Arjona in that film. Twister was a disaster film crossed with a comedy-of-remarriage; Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton were as absorbing and chaotic as the storm. Chungs film is a boilerplate redemption story: Kate must learn to face her past, Tyler must help her do this. The film picks up when they join forces, even if Mark L. Smiths writing refuses to. Im not asking for Billy Wilder, just something less literal than your wrangler going to a rodeo with someone who says Its not my first rodeo. I rolled my eyes when Kates mother tells her, Im still waiting for you to save the world. Its a film about the weather in one American state, but Hollywood is always ready to launch into superhero talk. There will hopefully come a point when those in charge start to question the wisdom of promoting directors of small, human films to effects-driven studio films, which almost always end up lacking the personality that animated their indies. Lee Isaac Chungs last film, Minari (2020), was a Koreeda-like drama set in Arkansas. It felt achingly personal, even if you didnt know it was Chungs parents story. Theres nothing like the bittersweetness or specificity of that film in Twisters; even nature seemed more awe-inspiring in Minari. Food is a source of inspiration for creative expression across mediums that are far removed from the kitchen. Historically, there are several food-inspired paintings in temples of India depicting offerings to deities, farming, cooking and eating of food in everyday lives and more. For instance, the Bhimbetka rock shelters in Madhya Pradesh have paintings of women cooking food. Pichwai paintings depicting Annakut (translating to mountain of food) during Govardhan Puja can be seen at the Srinathji temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. Today, artists are creating works to explore and appreciate the nuances of Indian food. One look at US-based hyperreal food artist Sarasvathy T. Kothandaramans Vada Pav oil painting and you would be forgiven for wanting to take a bite of it. She believes that the lifelike representation of beloved dishes, such as her paintings of chola bhatura, dosa and sambar, and jalebi, evoke a deep sense of nostalgia and cultural pride. Both Indian and international audiences are captivated by the technical skill, creativity, and cultural richness of these works. They are curious about dish names, and even ingredients. This prompted me to write the history of these dishes on my website," says Kothandaraman. She began her artistic journey in Singapore in 2011, initially focusing on landscapes and then transitioning to still life. Also read: Meet the first Goan chef to be on the Michelin Guide However, she felt these did not reflect her identity. In 2016, she discovered hyperrealism and subsequently moved to the US in 2017. Various works from renowned hyperreal artists, especially in food, made me realise that Indian food had not been explored in this context. It marked the beginning of my journey in depicting Indian food as hyperrealistic art. Being self-taught artist, I tried various mediums, but settled on oil painting because it dries slowly, allowing me to work in layers. This enables the creation of intricate details and textures that mimic real-life surfaces." She spends considerable time observing food for subtle variations in colours and textures. She then takes as many as 100 photographs, selecting an image that captures details accurately. The longevity of my art stems from unique concepts, meticulously detailed style, strategic collaborations and an active online presence to enhance visibility," says Kothandaraman. For Chile-based Ana Patankar, a specialist in character design and comic illustrations, Instagram engagement has helped build a market for her art. With a global client list, her online visibility has helped her be selective about the concepts she works on. Her illustrations bring together elements of food and puns, inspired from popular and iconic Indian films, songs, and serials. For example, her cartoon Kheeramandi is a riff on the Heeramandi series , Mojito-lika is based on the Monjolika character from the movie Bhool Bhulaiyaa and Manjummel Fries is based on the Malayalam film Manjummel Boys. An applied arts graduate from Pune, Patankar moved to Chile in 2012 as part of a tech entrepreneurship programme, after a few years of working in advertising and then as a freelance illustrator. I love food from all over the world but living in the Patagonian forests of Chile for over 10 years, I especially miss the variety and availability of Indian cuisine. That nostalgia translated to designing food comic characters and situations. I also love Indian movies with their iconic songs and dialogues which add more fun and puns to my work," she says. View Full Image Ana Patkar's illustration of 'vada pav.' Its interesting how food is both common and personal," says Chennai-based sound engineer-turned-food miniaturist Shilpa Mitha. Initially, with no interest to speak of in art or craft, Mitha says that she randomly turned to paper quilling jewellery and sculptures. In 2011, wanting to make a pair of burger-patterned earrings for herself, she learnt the basics of clay modelling from her mother. What started off as a hobby then took on a life of its own. While she did experiment with subjects other than food, including sculptures, she found that the challenge of making a food miniature was exciting. Today, when Mitha announces a miniature sale at her venture Sueno Souvenir, she is usually sold out in a short time. Some of Mithas miniature food sculptures with a magnet include a full-fledged lunch thali with as many as 13 dishes designed into 3.5 to 4.5-centimetre sizes. Others are idli-vada with sambar and chutney, dosais, appams and stew, puttu-kadala curry, porotta-kurma and chicken biryani. Mitha chooses to make a miniature when she sees the emotional connection people have for a dish or meal. Sometimes, how colourful a dish looks or its textures are, gets her excited to create it with air-dry clay, her medium of choice. To make it, I try looking at as many images as possible. I go through its ingredient list and sometimes the whole recipe. Its rare that I get a mini right at the first attempt. There are elements that I try, give up, revisit months or even years later when my techniques improve. With this medium, paint shades can vary so I must be precise with colours and quantities to accurately replicate a miniature," explains Mitha, who creates about 30-40 pieces a month or as few as 10 if the design is time-consuming. View Full Image A miniature thali from the brand Sueno Souvenir. The desire to own food-inspired pieces of art is on the rise and it is something brands have noticed as well. Commissioning art work for marketing collaterals such as advertising, store or restaurant interiors and social media of food and beverage products has been a common practice. However now, much like merchandise for popular movies and characters, commissioned art in the food and beverage spheres is about giving customers collectibles in various forms. For Hyderabad-based Manam Chocolate, illustrator artist Namrata Kumar was commissioned to create a series of art work depicting the landscapes of the West Godavari district, where the brands cacao farms, farmers, the Distinct Origins fermentary and its people are based. These creations reach customers in the form of collectables such as fridge magnets and art prints which are included with the chocolate bars, downloadable wallpapers for phones, puzzle boxes, postcards, invites and a merchandise range of hoodies, T-shirts and tote bags. For Geist Brewing Co. in Bengaluru, the idea of 'Art of Craft' is embraced in its logo design which has a red brushstroke incorporated into it. This symbolises our intention to collaborate with artists, ensuring their names and imprints are associated with unique beer can artwork designs," says chief brand officer Geetanjali Chitnis, adding that customers are collecting these artistically designed cans. Sanjana Bhatt, brand and design consultant, created the design for Geists takeaway crowler, incorporating motifs representing beer-making components of malt and hops. She has her name displayed on the can's label. The Museum of Goa has several exhibits showcasing the history of food in Goafrom the mural Goa Nostalgia by C.S Kerkar to the fibreglass Pao by Pradeep Naik to the Black Pomfret photographs by Harshada Kerkar. At restaurants, generic paintings for the decor have been replaced by art work that are inspired and/or rooted in the food or beverage story of the restaurant. For example, in Ulsoor, Bengaluru, the walls of Maverick & Farmer Cafe, an artisanal coffee brand, have their base painted with espresso. Over this base, coffee-inspired murals have been painted, that have gone from being generic to more rooted in the story of the foods provenance at a restaurant. The many vibrant intersections of art and food showcases not just a food culture but also an interesting approach to sensorial experiences. Food provides art a diverse lens for exploration and inspires art way beyond the kitchen pass. Ruth Dsouza Prabhu is a features journalist based in Bengaluru. Also read: Sustainable eating with mackerel on toast There is empirical data that shows a sudden boom in equity trading among retail investors. These include derivatives (futures and options, or F&O), intra-day trading and frequent buying and selling of stocks. However, this means increased tax compliance for such investors. All types of trading income are to be reported in income tax returns (ITR), even when the taxpayer has made only losses. The fact that F&O and intra-day trades are not reported in the annual income statement (AIS) adds to the misconception that these are reported only when the trader has made profit. However, since such trades involve several high-value transactions, they have to be shown in the ITR. In this article, Mint gives you a rundown of how the different types of trading incomes are reported in tax returns. Futures and options Trading in stocks derivatives counts as business income for income tax filing. It is to be reported in ITR-3, or ITR-4 when you opt for a presumptive income scheme. Apart from filing the more complex ITR-3 or ITR-4, you may also need to maintain books of accounts or get tax audit done under different conditions. View Full Image ... The books of accountsor, in simple words, the profit and loss (P&L) statementis to be made when the F&O turnover exceeds 25 lakh or income exceeds 2.5 lakh. Both these criteria are to be checked for the last three financial years. So, if your F&O turnover was below 25 lakh in FY24 but exceeded this threshold in FY23, you still need to submit accounting records in the current assessment year. The taxpayer doesnt need a chartered accountant (CA) for creating books of accounts and can just use the P&L statement given by the broker. Also Read | Retail investors and the draw of options trading, and why regulators are worried Turnover is the net sum of both profit and losses made on various trades throughout the year. This method of computation has been adopted after the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (Icai) released a guidance note in 2022 that excluded the sale amount of options from the turnover calculation. This has come as a relief to most derivatives traders as including the sale amount of options easily inflated the turnover to the threshold above which tax audit is required. Though the income tax department has not released a circular reinforcing the same, Prakash Hegde, a CA and principal consultant of direct taxation at Acer Tax & Corporate Services LLP, Hegde advises that taxpayers only consider the profit and losses, and not the sale amount. Income tax laws dont define turnover. It is the Icais guidelines on tax audit that do, so these should be followed to decide whether audit is required or not. But since this doesnt come from a law and rather a guidance note, it is not binding on the tax authority and there have been some cases where the tax authorities have disputed the new method," he said. A tax audit has to be done by a CA, and is mandatory under two conditions: when the turnover exceeds 10 crore or when the taxpayer opts out of presumptive income scheme. The 10 crore threshold is applicable when at least 95% payments are done through banking channels. Else, the threshold is 2 crore for individuals and 1 crore for companies and LLPs (limited liability partnerships)," said Hegde. When a taxpayer opts for presumptive income scheme, they have to continue it for a block of five years. Opting out in between makes it mandatory to get a tax audit done. After opting out, taxpayer will also have to get their books audited for the next five financial years if the total income exceeds the basic exemption limit each year," said Sambhav Daga, a practising CA. Not auditing the accounting records when mandatory attracts a penalty of 0.5% of the turnover, with maximum penalty capped at 1.5 lakh. It should be noted that taxpayers can claim certain expenses incurred towards carrying out F&O trades, which can be reduced from the turnover. These include trading expenses like securities transaction tax (STT), demat charges, brokerage and indirect expenses including subscription of courses, websites or publications taken to learn F&O, fees of trading software and depreciation of laptop and mobile phone used for trading. Losses from F&O are allowed to be set off against rent, other business income, interest and capital gains, but not salary. Leftover losses can also be carried forward to up to eight years. However, from second year onwards, income options for setting off the losses shrink, as per Karan Batra, founder of Charteredclub.com. Carried-forward losses from F&O can only be set off against business income. All other avenues of capital gains, income from other sources and rent are not allowed," he said. Intra-day trading When stocks are bought and sold within the same day before the market closes, such transactions are called intra-day trades. For taxation purposes, intra-day income too is treated as business income, but these are categorized as speculative income, as opposed to F&O that are treated as non-speculative transactions. The downside is that losses from speculative business can only be set off against other speculative incomes, like gambling and horse races. Also, losses from intra-day trades can be carried forward to four years, whereas F&O losses are allowed to be carried forward to eight years. Batra said the department has categorically defined F&O as non-speculative income, whereas intra-day is speculative business. It could be because derivatives trading is used for hedging," he said. Turnover calculation, thresholds for accounting and audit, and expenses to claim for intra-day trades are the same as F&O. Stocks trading For taxation purposes, delivery tradingstocks held for one or more dayscan be categorized as either business or capital assets depending on the frequency of trades. While there is no concrete definition of the two in the tax laws, Batra said a simple method is to classify as per the frequency of trades. When the taxpayer frequently trades shares and its their primary income, it should be reported as business income. However, a few trades in a year can be declared capital assets," he said. I have a pensioner client who has over 10X profits on shares sold this year. Though the profits are huge, he has done less than ten trades in the last one year, so we are declaring the income as capital gains." Depending on whether the trading is classified as capital assets or business, the reporting varies drastically. First, for capital gains, the taxpayer can file ITR-2, whereas business income can only be filed in the more complex ITR-3. Second, for business income, the taxpayer has to maintain accounting records and get a tax audit done under the same conditions that apply to F&O. Third, for setting off losses, while a business loss can be set off against rent, capital gains, income from other sources and other business income, capital loss can only be set off against capital gains. Taxpayers should choose between declaring trading income as business and capital gains strictly on the basis of frequency of trades and not to benefit from lower tax rates applicable to the latter. Batra noted that trades declared as capital assets are more likely to be disputed by the tax authorities. I strongly advise against declaring trading income as capital assets when it is an individuals primary income or if they trade daily despite working a day job. If the tax department disputes, it will definitely go into litigation," he said. An Air India flight operating Delhi to San Francisco on July 18 made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area. Flight AI183 landed safely at KJA with all 225 passengers and 19 members of the flight crew. Also Read | Air India A320 Neo aircraft arrives with new livery in Delhi In an update shared by the airline, it wrote, The passengers are now disembarked and have been taken to the terminal building for further processes. It further said, As Air India does not have its own staff at KJA, we are arranging for third party support to provide all necessary assistance to passengers." Also Read | Air India pilot thanks influencer known for exposing unhealthy food in IndiGo The carrier added that they are also working with government agencies and regulatory authorities to arrange a ferry flight to KJA, ensuring passengers can continue to San Francisco as soon as possible. All of us at Air India are concerned about the passengers and staff and are making every effort possible to operate the ferry flight as soon as possible, and to ensure the health, safety, and security of all while they wait. We will share further updates as soon as they are available, Air India added. As per Reuters report, after the incident, Russia's civil aviation agency, Rosaviatsiya, announced on Telegram that the aircraft had safely parked after landing with no signs of fire or smoke onboard. This is the second such incident on the same route. Last year in June, The San Francisco bound flight from Delhi was made to land in Russia due to technical glitch. Two days after the emergency landing its replacement flight Air for the 232 passengers took off for San Fransisco. Also Read | Delhi Metro launches check-in facility for international flights at two stations Due to the harsh weather of Siberia and limitations of resources, many of the Air India passengers had to face issues related to food, accomodation, cleanliness, etc. Many of the travellers were not even able to use their credit cards because of sanctions over Russia's war on Ukraine, Bloomberg had reported. Most of the them were accommodated inside school buildings, college hostels and other places. Despite the lack of facilities, passengers said that the Russian authorities, police and other officials treated them very well. Air India has shared a latest update on Delhi to San Francisco flight which made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia. The airline said that the regulatory clearances have been obtained for a relief flight that will departed Mumbai at 1100 hrs and it will ferry the guests out of Krasnoyarsk International Airport later today. The carrier also wrote, Air Indias local support was activated to assist passengers, who were required by authorities to remain in the terminal building in the absence of Russian visas. Food and beverage amenities at the terminal, which were closed for the evening, have now opened and meals are being provided to all passengers. Representatives from the Indian consulate in Moscow have travelled overnight and are working with Russian authorities to allow passengers to move to hotels, which have been on standby throughout the night. Regulatory clearances have been obtained for a relief flight that will depart Mumbai at 1100 hrs IST and ferry the guests out of Krasnoyarsk International Airport later today. Air India regrets the inconvenience to passengers arising from this diversion, which was undertaken in the interest of safety. The Indian embassy at Moscow also said that the team is in constant touch with the Russian airport, security authorities, and representatives from the Russian foreign ministry to provide support to the affected passengers. The team has further been instructed to be on duty in Krasnoyarsk, till Air India's replacement flight arrives. On Thursday, Air India flight AI183 from Delhi to San Francisco diverted to Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area. The aircraft landed safely at Krasnoyarsk with all 225 passengers and 19 members of the flight crew safe and sound. The airlines website was showing a revised departure time to San Francisco from the Siberian city. However, the flight never took off. Instead, the airline informed that it is in liaison with government agencies and regulatory authorities to arrange a ferry flight to Krasnoyarsk, which will fly onwards to San Francisco. This ferry flight may also ferry engineers who would work on the grounded aircraft (VT-ALG) and help retrieve it back to India. The airports Telegram channel stated that a replacement aircraft was scheduled to arrive at 1615 hours local time and depart from San Francisco at 1815 hours local time. The crew (19 members) have been accommodated in hotels while passengers have been provided with food and drinks in the international departures lounge area. This is the second time in 13 months that Air India has had to divert to a Russian airport with the last being at Magadan in June 2023, a much smaller town than Krasnoyarsk. Not an abnormal phenomenon A diversion is not an abnormal phenomenon in aviation. Flights, across airlines, regions and aircraft types, divert every day for reasons ranging from medical emergency onboard, technical issues, weather at destination, airport closures or threats. Most airlines have a laid out procedure to handle diversions and disruptions to schedule. This involves working with local ground handling agencies to handle the passengers and refuelling companies for the availability of Aviation Turbine Fuel in cases where the airline does not have its own operations. The commander of the aircraft is authorised to take decisions with respect to spending, which is higher for a one-off occasion than it is for a long-term scheduled service. Additionally, accommodation of passengers outside the terminal is at the will of the local authorities since this is linked to visa and entry permit, amongst other things. Countries in the EU are relatively strict and that has been seen in the past with both Air India and other carriers flying non-stop to India. Why is Russia a challenge? Since the Russia-Ukraine war started in early 2022, there have been embargoes on Russia across multiple domains including aviation. Western carriers do not overfly Russian airspace while a handful of carriers like Air India, Emirates, and Turkish continue to overfly Russia, which is a shorter and more economical path for intercontinental flights. The challenge comes up when there is a diversion and because of the sanctions. A relief flight, which could well be the next available aircraft to fly out can be challenging in cases like these because of the sanctions. The lessor would have to agree to this, which involves paperwork and at the same time the insurance providers would also have to agree to this - which again involves paperwork. This is done to ensure that the insurers or lessors do not violate the sanctions, which could jeopardise their business. Air India may be privatised but the airline, like all others, works in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs in such cases which requires coordination with missions abroad to seek help, speed up clearances and additionally provide necessary help where needed. Krasnoyarsk does not have an Indian consulate, even though India has a large diplomatic presence in Russia. The government also formally and informally steps in to help with clearances, be it with lessors or local authorities. Why is the crew accommodated but not the passengers? The operating crew have a General Declaration which takes care of entry and exit while on duty. This is a standard practice followed globally, except in a few countries. This allows the crew to enter the country without a valid visa, unlike the passengers. In cases of Irregular Operations, there remains an uncertainty on when the next departure will take place and if the same crew will operate. To ensure that they maintain the minimum rest requirements of the regulator, the crew is typically the first to be provided with accommodation. For the passengers, it requires diplomatic efforts which include checking the nationalities on board and the decision by the host country (in this case, Russia) on how they want to handle these cases. A flight bound for San Francisco is sure to have more nationalities than just Indian and Russias relations with the world are not at its best right now. Krasnoyarsk, though, has better facilities than Magadam, where passengers were accommodated in local schools. Tail Note The last incident surely seems to have been a learning for Air India. It took two days last time around to position the aircraft to Russia. All signs now are that it could be done in a day. If there is one area where the airline needs to improve is communication. There is nothing like over-communication in such situations when passengers, relatives, the common public and the media try to get their hands on every possible information for their own reasons. This has the potential to start rumours or circulate unverified information. In this case, what the airport shared could very well have been the airline sharing. IndiGo cancelled over 200 flights following global IT outage that affected operation in India and abroad. The low-cost airline took to social media platform X to inform that "flights are cancelled due to the cascading effect of the worldwide travel system outage, beyond our control". The airline added that the option to rebook or claim a refund is temporarily unavailable. It also shared a list of flights which were cancelled on Friday (July 19) and Saturday (July 20). There were several other airlines which issued an advisory in the wake of the global outage, asking its passengers to check the flight status before heading to the airport. Many flights were delayed because the airlines are issuing boarding passes manually since the automatic system is down. SpiceJet posted on X, We are currently experiencing technical challenges with our service provider, affecting online services including booking, check-in, and manage booking functionalities. As a result, we have activated manual check-in and boarding processes across airports. We kindly request passengers with upcoming travel plans to arrive at the airport earlier than usual to complete check-in at our counters. We sincerely regret for any inconvenience this may cause and assure you that our teams are diligently working with our service provider to resolve these issues promptly. Thank you for your patience and co-operation during this time, SpiceJet added. Also Read | Microsoft resolves global outage, but Microsoft 365 Apps still struggling Air India too issued a customer advisory which read, "Airport travel systems across the world have been impacted due to a tech outage and this may affect your travel plan. If you are flying with us today, we request you to check the status of your flight before heading to the airport." Meanwhile, Air India Express said, Global digital infrastructure issues with cloud services are temporarily impacting operations across multiple airlines, airports and other businesses globally. "As a result, our website, reservation and airport check-in systems are also impacted. Please plan your travel and keep sufficient time in hand for airport procedures. We regret the inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding during this time," it added. Massive IT outage Airlines, banks, TV channels and other business across the globe were scrambling to deal with one of the biggest IT crashes in recent years on Friday, apparently caused by an update to an antivirus program. Microsoft said in a technical update on its website that the problems began at 1900 GMT on Thursday, affecting users of its Azure cloud platform running cybersecurity software CrowdStrike Falcon. "We recommend customers that are able to, to restore from a backup from before this time," the US software giant said. Air India on Friday said that its relief flight AI1179 from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai to Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia is now airborne, and is expected to arrive at KJA at 2000 hours (local time) on 19 July 2024. Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the airline shares a statement stating that An Air India team, including crew and security personnel, are on board the flight to provide any support that the passengers and staff at KJA may require." The flight is carrying essentials in addition to sufficient food for all passengers. Also Read | Passengers complain about Air India service; ferry flight to arrive in evening "The ferry flight is carrying essentials in addition to sufficient amount of food for all passengers. The aircraft will ferry all passengers and crew out of KJA at the earliest, Air India said. Earlier in the day, the carrier said that regulatory clearances has been obtained for a relief flight, which would depart from Mumbai to fly the stranded passengers from the Russian airport. The airline has also set up a dedicated hotline for the family, relatives, and friends of AI183 guests for any information they may require: India - 011 - 69329301 USA - +13177390126 The airline also informed that, Air Indias local support was activated to assist passengers, who were required by authorities to remain in the terminal building in the absence of Russian visas. Food and beverage amenities at the terminal, which were closed for the evening, have now opened, and meals are being provided to all passengers. Also Read | Air India A320 Neo aircraft arrives with new livery in Delhi Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Moscow said a team of three senior officials and interpreters are at Krasnoyarsk to assist the passengers of the Air India flight that made an emergency landing at Krasnoyarsk last night. The team is coordinating with airport and security authorities and Representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry to provide all possible assistance to the passengers, the Indian Embassy added. Also Read | What Sri Lanka can learn from Air Indias lengthy privatisation The South China Sea issue has always been the focu... The Crime Branch of Delhi Police filed a case against probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar on Friday, July 19, for allegedly forging documents and cheating the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Delhi Police officials said they filed the case under sections of the Forgery, Cheating, IT Act, and Disability Act. As per officials aware of the matter, the UPSC lodged a complaint with the police that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her fathers and mothers names, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address. Additionally, the UPSC, in a statement on Friday, said that it has served Puja Khedkar a Show Cause Notice (SCN) for cancellation of her candidature from the Civil Services Exam -2022 and to debar her from future exams. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation in the misdemeanour of Ms Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022, the commission said. The UPSC initiated a series of actions against her, including criminal prosecution by filing a First Information Report (FIR) with the police authorities and has issued a show cause notice for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022 and debarment from future examinations, selections, in accordance with the rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022," said the statement. The Maharashtra government's General Administrative Department (GAD), led by additional chief secretary Nitin Gadre, delivered its report on the numerous accusations against Khedkar to the Union government's Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) earlier on Thursday, July 18. The one-member Center committee led by Assistant Secretary Manoj Diwedi, who was investigating the matter, received the report. Puja Khedkar, a 2023-batch Indian Administrative Service officer (IAS), was recently accused of misusing power and privileges during her training in Pune. Delhi-San Francisco Air India flight update: Several passengers posted complaints on X after Air India's Delhi-to-San Francisco flight made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia on July 18. The carrier said they expected the replacement flight from Mumbai to Russia to arrive today at KJA at 8 pm (local time). Air India said the ferry flight was also carrying other essentials, including extra food for the passengers. Earlier, Air India announced that it was arranging for third-party support, as it did not have its own staff at KJA airport. Also Read | Air India: Relief flight arranged for passengers after precautionary landing The airline said they were in touch with local government authorities to provide necessary assistance to the passengers. However, one affected passenger posted on X, saying they were not being taken care of. Despite their claims, we are not taken care of. We feel stranded at the airport. We have no food, information, or updates, he posted, along with visuals from the KJA airport. Also Read | Air India: Relief flight arranged for passengers after precautionary landing Another social media user commented that his ailing mother was travelling on this flight and that her medicines and other essentials were in her carry-on bags on the plane. He said it had been over eight hours since they received any updates from the aircraft operators. My mother is sick, and their carry-on (medicine and snacks) and luggage is on the flight. This is inhumane for 70+ old people. We can do better. I am so sad and angry, he wrote. Meanwhile, another user accused Air India of not providing hotel accommodation to the affected passengers. You have kept all your passengers at the airport. No hotel accommodation. No information on alternative flight, he said. Also Read | Air India A320 Neo aircraft arrives with new livery in Delhi Electoral bond scheme: The Supreme Court will, on July 22, hear petitions demanding a probe by a special investigation team (SIT) under judicial supervision into the alleged scam in political funding using Electoral Bonds. The apex court had scrapped the scheme on February 15 2024. The Electoral Bond scheme allowed anonymous funding to political parties. The latest petitions claimed that the electoral bond data which was released on the orders of the Supreme Court, revealed that a bulk of these were given as quid pro quo arrangements by corporates to political parties. The settlements were made for either avoiding actions by central agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax department, or for fiscal gains, the petitions allege. The data shows private companies have paid crores of funds to political parties either as protection money for protection against agencies under the central government or as a bribe in return for undue benefits," said one of the petitioner as reported by Hindustan Times. Also Read | Supreme Court gets two new judges, first from Manipur In some instances, it has been seen that the political parties in power at the Centre or in states have apparently amended policies and/or laws to provide benefits to private corporates at the cost of public interest and the public exchequer, alleged a petitioner. Also Read | SC to pronounce verdict on scrapping validity of electoral bonds scheme today The bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, took note of the submissions by lawyer Prashant Bhushan, reported The Economic Times. Two NGOs, Common Cause and the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, had approached the top court, which has listed the matter for Monday. The electoral bond scheme had been scrapped in February 2024 by Supreme Court's five-judge bench including CJI DY Chandrachud, and Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra. Also Read | SC to pronounce verdict on scrapping validity of electoral bonds scheme today A massive fire broke out on a container cargo merchant vessel about 102 nautical miles southwest of Goa. Two Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ships sailed with dispatch from Goa to augment firefighting efforts. The Indian Coast Guard said in a statement that the vessel was travelling from Gujarat's Mundra to the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, and was carrying international maritime dangerous goods amid bad weather and heavy rains. Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the Indian Coast Guard said that the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Mumbai received a distress call from the container carrier MV Maersk Frankfurt 50 NM off Karwar regarding a major fire onboard. The Coast Guard said that in addition to Ships Sachet, Sujeet, and Samrat, a Dornier aircraft was also pressed into action. ALH and additional aircraft were mobilized to augment search and rescue (SAR) efforts. The firefighting operations are in progress to avert ecological disasters and ensure the safety of the vessel and crew, the ICG further said. Earlier on Wednesday, the Coast Guard successfully coordinated a search and rescue operation for a stranded Indian fishing boat off the Ponani coast of Kerala, ANI reported. "During the late hours of July 16, an Indian Coast Guard Dornier aircraft that was on maritime surveillance located and sighted a distressed Indian fishing boat (IFB) along with 11 crew members 50 Nm off Ponani (80 Nm from Kochi). Indian Coast Guard District Headquarters No.4 (Kerala & Mahe) diverted ICGS Saksham, which was on patrol, and successfully coordinated the search and rescue operation for stranded IFB Aashni," ANI quoted Coast Guard as saying. Top Events of the Day: Several events are slated for today, July 19: Major companies will announce Q1 results, Sanstar's IPO opens, CUET UG retests begin, Arunachal Pradesh's budget session starts, Foreign Secretary visits Bhutan, Shivaji Maharaj's Tiger Claw returns, Jagannath Puri's 'Nidari Bije' takes place, and the India-Pakistan Women's Asia Cup match kicks off. Additionally, BJP President Nadda attends the BJP executive meeting in Odisha. Q1 results to be announced Several major Indian companies are set to release their Q1 financial results on July 19. The list includes Reliance Industries, Wipro, JSW Steel, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Union Bank of India, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company, Oberoi Realty, Patanjali Foods, Nippon Life India Asset Management, One97 Communications (Paytm), Tejas Networks, CreditAccess Grameen, Atul, Blue Dart Express, Supreme Petrochem, PVR Inox, Jubilant Pharmova, Route Mobile, Avantel, The Orissa Minerals Development Company, RPG Life Sciences, BEML and Assets, Hawa Engineers, Swojas Energy Foods, Diggi Multitrade, Gujarat Lease Financing, and Aether Industries. Sanstar IPO opens for subscription Sanstars Initial Public Offering (IPO) will open for subscription on Friday, July 19. Sanstar is one of India's leading manufacturers of plant-based speciality products and ingredient solutions for food, industrial, and animal nutrition applications. With an installed capacity of 3,63,000 tons annually, the company ranks fifth in India for maize-based speciality goods production. Sanstar operates two production facilities located in Gujarat (Kutch) and Maharashtra (Dhule), covering a combined area of 10.68 million square feet. Also Read | Infosys shares in focus as ADR jumps over 8% after Q1 results beat estimate CUET UG retest scheduled The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct a retest for over 1,000 candidates of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG on Friday, July 19. This retest follows grievances from students, including the distribution of question papers in languages not opted for by the candidates. The affected candidates are spread across six states. Budget session of Arunachal Pradesh Assembly The budget session of the Arunachal Pradesh assembly will commence on Friday with a motion of thanks to the governors address. The annual financial statement for the 2024-25 fiscal year will be presented on July 24 by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, who holds the Finance and Planning portfolio. The session will conclude on July 26. Foreign Secretary to visit Bhutan Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will embark on a two-day visit to Bhutan starting Friday. This marks his first overseas trip since assuming his new role. In Thimphu, Misri will meet with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Foreign Minister DN Dhungyel, and Foreign Secretary Pema Choden, among others. Also Read | Busted Nantucket Wind Turbine Raises Risk as Bits Hit Beach Shivaji Maharajs Tiger Claw to arrive in India The "Wagh Nakh" (Tiger Claw) used by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to kill Mughal General Afzal Khan will arrive in India from London's Victoria and Albert Museum on Friday for a three-year period. The artifact will be displayed at the Shivaji Museum in Satara, with a grand ceremony presided over by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Jagannath Puris Nidari Bije The "Nidari Bije" event, a significant part of the grand Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra, will take place on July 19, marking the culmination of the annual journey of the deities at Shri Jagannath Temple. Women's Asia Cup 2024: India-Pakistan clash The Women's T20 Asia Cup will kick off with a highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan on July 19 in Dambulla. Hosts Sri Lanka will face Bangladesh in their first game the following day. The Supreme Court has refused to entertain an interim bail plea filed by two convicts in the Bilkis Bano case. Radheshyam Bhagwandas Shah and Rajubhai Babulal Soni had sought interim bail until a fresh decision was taken on their pleas challenging their re-imprisonment. The apex court intervened after the Gujarat government passed an order granting remission to all 11 convicts in early January. What is this plea? How is it even maintainable? Absolutely misconceived. How can, in Article 32, we sit over appeal? a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and PV Sanjay Kumar asked. The Supreme Court had struck down the Gujarat government's order granting remission to 11 convicts who had gangraped Bilkis Bano and murdered her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots. The two convicts however moved the Supreme Court in March against the January 8 verdict that returned them to prison. They contend that the order was "in teeth of" a 2002 constitution bench order and sought the issue to be referred to a larger bench for "final" adjudication. Also Read | SC to hear petitions seeking SIT probe for electoral bond scheme on July 22 The duo currently lodged in Godhra sub-jail had been released on Independence Day 2022 after a two-judge bench allowed the Gujarat government to take the reins. Another two-judge bench however decreed on January 8 this year that it was the Maharashtra government and not Gujarat that was competent to grant remission. The plea noted that an "anomalous" situation has arisen wherein two different benches of the same strength had taken diametrically opposite views on the same issue. It called for the matter to be referred to a larger bench for final adjudication. it would lead to not only judicial impropriety but to uncertainty and chaos as to which precedence (sic) of law has to be applied in future. In other words, if any party being not satisfied with the Supreme Court judgment on an issue, he would be entitled to file a writ petition challenging the said judgment by taking recourse to the law laid down in Bilkis Bano case, the plea added. Democratic party sources suggest that they 'expect President Biden to make a major announcement about his future soon after the Republican National Convention concludes,' The Hill reported. In case Joe Biden drops his re-election bid, Vice President Kamala Harris will become the Democratic Party nominee for President, according to congressional leaders. Also Read | Joe Biden considering dropping out of US Presidential race? Furthermore, among high-level Democratic strategists the most important question has arisen about who will be the Vice President pick for Kamala Harris. Among the most notable names for Harriss running mate are Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. Also read: Barack Obama expresses concern over Joe Bidens re-election bid: Needs to seriously consider... Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer have declined to serve as Kamala Harriss running mate, according to sources. The US President is facing significant pressure from key Democratic figures such as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. They have directly communicated to the president that a majority of Democratic senators and a substantial number of House members doubt his ability to defeat former President Trump. In addition to this, Former US President Barack Obama expressed concerns over Joe Biden's allegedly degrading health and suggested that the US President seriously needs to consider his re-election bid, according to the Washington Post. The former US President expressed these concerns hours after former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Joe Biden that he cannot defeat the Republican candidate- Donald Trump. Nancy Pelosi further noted that Democrats' chance of winning the House for a second term would be affected if Joe Biden continues to run for US Presidential elections. Also Read | Biden Faces Mounting Speculation, Increased Pressure to Drop Bid The Madhya Pradesh government has issued an order stating that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will require written permission to proceed with inquiries against its public servants. The state government issued a notification in this regard on Tuesday, July 16. The order takes retrospective effect from July 1. Home Department notice The notification issued by the Home Department states, In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946 (25 of 1946), no such investigation shall be taken up in cases relating to the public servants controlled by the government of Madhya Pradesh except with the prior written permission of the state government. " Thus, to conduct an investigation, the probe agency needs to seek consent from the state government, according to Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act. The order further noted that all previous general consents for any other offences and consent accorded on a case-to-case basis for any other offence by the state government will remain effective. Also read: West Bengals suit on CBI probe despite withdrawal of general consent maintainable, says Supreme Court However, the state government said that no permission was needed to investigate central government officials or private individuals. Also Read | Key accused arrested by CBI for stealing NEET paper from NTA trunk In order to ensure compliance with the new legal framework, this rule was necessary following the implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Home Department sources informed NDTV. It is important to note that Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita is among three new criminal laws passed by the central government. Also Read | Madhya Pradesh govt suspends licence of Som Distilleries in child labour case State home secretary Sanjay Dubey said, This is an old provision in the state. The new notification has been released after the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitha (new criminal laws) came into effect for smooth functioning, reported HT. Also Read | SC seeks ED, CBI response on Sisodia bail plea in Delhi excise case HAIFA, IsraelAbove ground, Rambam Health Care Campus treats the wounded from the fight in Gaza. Below ground, northern Israels leading hospital is preparing for what could be the countrys next waran all-out conflict with Hezbollah. Four operating rooms, a maternity ward and a dialysis center are among the facilities the hospital has set up three levels down in its underground parking garage, part of its plan to keep functioning if the daily tit for tat exchange of fire between Israel and the U.S.-designated terror group across the border with Lebanon escalates. Hospital beds are set up next to oxygen and suction lines embedded within the parking lots walls, medication is piled on rollable shelves, and ventilation ducts have been strung from the ceiling. Doctors practice evacuating their wards to the parking garage, primed to transfer operations underground within eight hours and get ready for new patients. We expect to have thousands of casualties over here," said Dr. Michael Halberthal, the hospitals director. This is what were ready for." Healthcare centers, emergency services and residents across Israel are preparing for a war that could far outstrip the damage of the conflict with Hamas. Hezbollah is better trained and more heavily armed, with a missile stockpile experts estimate at 150,000 projectiles capable of pinning down the entire country. The group began attacking Israel the day after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks that left 1,200 dead, and says it wont stop until a cease-fire is reached in Gaza. The fighting has displaced tens of thousands of civilians on each side. Israel is threatening a full-scale war if necessary to secure its northern border and return people to their homes. Should that happen, Israeli emergency and municipal authorities briefed by the military expect 4,000 missiles and rockets to rain down each day, likely saturating air defenses. Daily casualties could run into the thousands. There would likely be hundreds of fires and widespread destruction of public infrastructure and private homes, all stretching the resources of response teams. The destruction in Lebanon could also be extensive. Israels assault on the Gaza Strip has destroyed more than half of the enclaves buildings, according to a recent estimate based on satellite data, and has left more than 38,000 people dead, Gaza health authorities say. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told The Wall Street Journal in an interview in January that the military could copy-paste" what happened in Gaza to Beirut if pushed by Hezbollah. Homeowners associations across Israel are clearing out dusty shelters in apartment buildings, fixing plumbing and stockpiling water and supplies to be ready for long stays underground. Some in Tel Aviv keep go-bags of essentials packed by the door. Emergency crews are being beefed up, and supplies of necessities such as blood are being secured. Halberthal led Rambams triage during Israels last war with Hezbollah, a 34-day conflict in 2006, when the hospital shook as roughly 70 missiles landed nearby. That experience pushed the hospital to build the underground facility, which it claims is the most fortified medical facility in the world. Israels Health Ministry has asked Rambam to be prepared to surge its capacity by 40% if fighting broadens, Halberthal said. Our reference scenario," Halberthal said, is a war of at least 60 days with very powerful missiles landing around us every four minutes." Eli Bin, the director general of Magen David Adom, the nonprofit organization that manages Israels emergency medical response, has been stockpiling supplies for the past few months in an underground facility south of Tel Aviv. Forklifts move pallets of field dressings, syringes and medications into rows of multistory shelving at the warehouse. The parking bay is packed with some of the 200 ambulances Bin says Magen David Adom has added to its fleet since the war in Gaza began. One truck outfitted with a satellite dish is meant to serve as a mobile medical station if a facility is knocked offline. It is parked next to a large yellow tent that would serve as a makeshift field hospital. We know and expect that what happened in the south isnt even a promo clip for what will happen in the north," Bin said. Magen David Adom also manages Israels national blood bank, which it centralized and moved underground in October, to protect it from attack. The facility was processing 1,500 units of blood a day at the height of the current war. Some of those units are cycled through Israels strategic blood reserve, which Magen David Adom guards in a closely watched chilled vault, three floors underground. Magen David Adom, which had staff members killed during the Oct. 7 attacks, is now outfitting local first responders to be ready in Israels smaller towns, beginning with those closest to Lebanon. Israels Fire and Rescue Services is training more than 150 civilian response teams in communities within 18 miles of Israels border with Lebanon, said senior officer Kfir Bibitko, who is in charge of national firefighting operations. The squads are outfitted with small all-terrain firefighting vehicles that let them move quickly across the areas farmland. Hezbollahs aerial barrages have already triggered more than 100 fires in northern Israel, including one in June that raged for several days. We have difficulty in getting to areas close to the border, because theyre firing upon them," Bibitko said. On a clear day in Haifa, around 20 miles from the Lebanese border, Yair Zilberman sees the pummeled Israeli border town of Rosh HaNikra from his office window. The fighting could reach Haifa in an instant, said Zilberman, who oversees the citys emergency preparedness. The city is girding for a more intense bombardment than it experienced in 2006, despite the introduction of Israels Iron Dome aerial-defense system since that war ended. In that monthlong conflict, Haifa was targeted with about 100 missiles in total, Zilberman said. Three missiles a day," he said. Nothing compared to what theyre talking about now." Since October, Zilbermans team has created more than 100 new public shelters, outfitting them with generators and internet access, all in preparation for escalation with Hezbollah. That still leaves thousands of Haifas 300,000 residents without access to adequate shelter. Haifa is also home to significant refinery infrastructureholding tanks of gasoline, oil, chemicals and hazardous materials. The city has asked Israels government to move the facilities and is weighing going to court, though it is unlikely to help in this conflict. After the 2006 war, Haifa successfully waged a battle to relocate about 12,000 tons of highly toxic ammonia, said Yona Yahav, Haifas mayor. A leak caused by a strike or debris could have killed thousands of civilians, he said. Towns closer to Israels border with Lebanon have been evacuated, some reduced to rubble from the constant bombardment. Israels government is under pressure to resolve the situation. Displaced families see the school year that starts on Sept. 1 as an important marker. Meanwhile, authorities worry that Israel and Hezbollah stand one miscalculation away from escalation. What worries us and what makes us lose sleep is a scenario in which theres a mistake by one side," said Bin, of Magen David Adom. Whoever tosses a match in and ignites the field, its likely to set fire to the whole Middle East." Businesses and public services around the world were disrupted on Friday as Microsoft suffered an massive outage. The unprecedented glitch hit airlines, banks, healthcare systems, investments and everything in between sending many careening back to a pre-technology era. Thousands of people also reported seeing only the 'Windows blue screen of death' as the work day began. Businessman Anand Mahindra summed up the current situation with a picture of security personnel riding bulls. The photo in question features officials from the Brazilian Buffalo Patrol team who monitor Soure the capital of Marajo Island in Brazil. They are believe to be the only police force in the world that ride buffaloes. The pace of global commercial activity right nowpost the Microsoft crowd strike outage, he opined. The post has since prompted amused reactions from several X users with many lauding the amazing patrol vehicle. Yamdut, explained one user. Mahindra n Mahindra also got stalled? wondered several others. Many dubbed it a reminder that even technology had a breaking point. Several users also voiced concern about the world's heavy dependance on technology for every situation. Just shows how dependent we are on digital currencies and computers. Its like the world will come to a halt if something goes wrong with the internet and computers/AI systems, said one user. This outage highlights our heavy reliance on a handful of companies. It's a real concern and a wake-up call for the world to develop alternatives for every critical service. Diversification is key to resilience, added another. We think our lives are in our control. One virus, technical glitch can jeopardize our lives, read a third, somewhat ominous, post. Also Read | Microsoft Outage Live Updates: Microsoft fixes root cause of worldwide outage An update from CrowdStrike the security firm linked to a software update that caused the outage on Friday afternoon indicated that the issue had now been isolated and a fix deployed. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, and isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure they're communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers, said George Kurtz the President and CEO of CrowdStrike. Bad Newz has hit the theatres across India. It is the sequel to the 2019 movie, Good Newwz, featuring Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani. Bad Newz stars Vicky Kaushal, Triptii Dimri and Ammy Virk. Lets take a look at the first public reviews. Vicky Kaushal looks hot in the movie. I came to watch the movie for the Tauba Tauba song. Ammy Virk was sweet. But, Triptii Dimri did not manage to complement Vicky at all. Someone else should have been there. Maybe his wife, Katrina Kaif, said one viewer about the Bollywood movie. Vicky Kaushal saves the movie, said one viewer. The reaction is quite mixed. While one of the audience members gave it 4.5 stars, another gave it just 1. Some of them found the movie to be average. The storyline is quite good. The overall chemistry among the stars is nice. Vicky Kaushal has always been good. Hes become even better after getting married to Katrina. The combination of Vicky dancing to Punjabi songs is always good. Triptiis level was quite high in Animal. In this film, it was not that level, another said. I did not want to dislike the film. I love Vicky Kaushal. But, I can't give more than 2/5 for the movie, came from another viewer. Vicky Kaushal was mindblowing. Triptii was good, but she needs to better her comic timing. But, the chemistry between Vicky and Ammy was quite good. Its not a boring movie. But, its not something you can watch with your family. You can go with your friends, opined one viewer. Meanwhile, the Google search for Bad Newz is reaching new heights in the past one day: Bad Newz: Directed by Anand Tiwari Bad Newz is directed by Anand Tiwari, whose debut movie as a director was the Netflix movie Love per Square Foot. The movie features Vicky Kaushal in the lead role along with Angira Dhar, whom Tiwari later married. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued an advisory about a major outage affecting Microsoft Windows systems on July 19. The disruption is due to a recent update of the CrowdStrike agent, Falcon Sensor, which has caused systems to crash and show the "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD). Reports indicate that Windows hosts with the updated Falcon Sensor are unstable, leading to widespread system crashes and outages. The widespread Microsoft outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and global companies. The disruptions continued even after Microsoft said it was gradually resolving the Microsoft 365 apps and services issue. DownDetector, which tracks user-reported outages, recorded increasing service outages at Visa, ADT security, Amazon, and airlines like American Airlines and Delta. Australian news publications reported disruptions to airlines, telecommunications, banks and media broadcasters. Airlines in the UK and Europe reported issues, and some banks in New Zealand went offline. India's top stock exchanges, NSE and BSE, stated that they remained unaffected by the global Microsoft system outage. Airport and airline operations experienced major disruptions because of the outage. Airlines, including IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa, advised passengers about issues with online check-in and boarding, causing them to revert to manual processes across their networks. Ashwini Vaishaw, Union Minister for Information Technology, has assured that the Centre was in touch with the company. "MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage. The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue. CERT is issuing a technical advisory. The NIC network is not affected," ANI quoted Vaishaw as saying. Meanwhile, social media went ablaze with jokes and memes. Check out some of the funniest ones: What to do if you screen Blue Screen of Death? CERT-In has recommended the following steps if you encounter the Blue Screen of Death: 1. First, boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment. 2. Next, navigate to the directory C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike and locate the file matching the pattern "C-00000291*.sys". 3. Once identified, delete the file. Finally, reboot the host normally. Anant Ambani Radhika Merchant wedding: Mukesh Ambani explains the significance of a traditional Hindu marriage as the most important sanskaar in a person's life connecting an individual to society, duty, and spirituality, as he welcomed guests from across the globe, to the Anant Radhika wedding. The wedding was a two day-immersive experience of the rich Indian culture and a traditional Hindu wedding, which had been created by Mukesh Ambanis wife Nita Ambani. While Bollywood celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bacchan, Priyanka Chopra attended the wedding, the two-day event also saw global leaders such as former UK prime minister Boris Johnson, WWE legend John Cena, for whom Mukesh Ambani extended a warm welcome. Our most valued family, friends and guests, especially our friends from around the world who have come from a long distance, he said, while addressing the guests. Once Anants baarat, or the grooms procession had entered, and everyone was seated, Mukesh Ambani called upon all the guests to invoke the Isht devta, and the late elders of the Ambani family. He also urged the other guests to invoke the Panch tatwa, or the five foundational elements including fire, water, wind, metal, and earth to grant blessings to the couple. I also pray for the good health and the limitless happiness and the boundless success for each and everyone present here and your blessings for Anant and Radhika on this auspicious day together with all of youWe invoke Panch Tawa the five foundational elements of mother nature, so that they offer strength and sustenance to the couple, said Mukesh Ambani. A controversy has erupted in Uttar Pradesh after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names of their owners. This decision has stirred political circles, with the latest reaction coming from senior BJP leader and former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who has warned of a disease of untouchability that may spread as a result of the government orders. Some BJP allies such as Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), too, have asked the ruling government to review the order. The latest Kanwar Yantra rules have come on the heels of a similar order from the Muzaffarnagar Police asking all the eateries, including hotels, dhabas and carts, on the route to to display the names of their proprietors to avoid confusion among the kanwariyas. Muzaffarnagar Police chief Abhishek Singh declared on Monday, July 15, that since preparations for the Sawan month have begun in the state, all the eateries, including hotels, dhabas and carts, on the route have been asked to display the names of their proprietors or those working on these shops. This has been done to ensure that there should be no confusion among kanwariyas and no law and order situation arises, he added. The order was later revoked and made voluntarily for all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route, inviting scathing reactions and accusations of singling out a particular community. Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that faith must be respected but untouchability must not be encouraged," as he also slammed those who criticised him for his post. Mukhtar Abbasa Naqvi said, Kuch ati-utsahi adhikariyon ke aadesh hadbadi mein gadbadi wali... asprishyata ki bimari ko badhawa de sakte hain... astha ka samman hona chahiye, par asprishyata ka sanrakshan nahi hona chahiye [the hasty orders of some overzealous officials may spread the disease of untouchability...Faith must be respected, but untouchability must not be encouraged]. Also Read | Bareilly SSP transferred hours after taking action against kanwariyas Not just Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, a few key allies of the BJP, too, have slammed the BJP government over the directive. KC Tyagi said on Thursday, July 18, the Muzaffarnagar Police order asking eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners' names should be withdrawn as it may cause communal tension and there should not be any discrimination on the basis of religion or caste. Another ally of the BJP, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) said the diktat of asking vendors to show nameplates was absolutely wrong. "Gandhiji, Chaudhary Charan Singh and other personalities have spoken about keeping religion and caste behind. Now, politicians are taking forward religion and caste forward in politics. I think the action is not correct. Why do you make someone write their name on street carts? They have the right to work...This tradition is absolutely wrong. It is up to the customer, they can make purchases from wherever they want...I would like to ask politicians - does consuming alcohol not corrupt you religiously? Does it happen only when you consume meat? So, why is there no prohibition on alcohol? Why do they not speak about alcohol? Because those who do business have a nexus, it is a game of the powerful. These small shops are set up by the poor. So, you are pointing fingers at them. I would demand that ban alcohol too, RLD National General Secretary Trilok Tyag" Former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav pleaded the court to take a suo-motto cognizance on the matter. He labelled such orders as "social crimes," and said such orders can deteriorate the peaceful environment of the region. The Congress slammed the order as an assault on India's culture. The BJP has, however, defended the government, saying it allows fasting Hindus who may want to eat at a pure veg restaurant, where the likelihood of them being served Satvik food is higher, a choice. BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya said on X, India's 'secularism' can't be so fragile that a uniform order asking all eateries to display name and contact number of the owner/workers should disrupt it. 11 Indians trapped at a scam centre in Myanmar were released on Friday with help from local authorities. An update from the Embassy indicated that it was now working to ensure their "return and repatriation" to India. 11 Indian victims trapped at Shwe Ko Ko based scam centre in Myawaddy, Myanmar have been released today with the support of Myanmar authorities and local assistance. We are working on their return and repatriation to India, the Indian embassy wrote on social media. The development comes mere days after the Italian police freed 33 Indian farm labourers from slave-like working conditions. According to a Reuters report quoting the police, the alleged gang-masters (also from India) broughrt fellow nationals to Italy on seasonal work permits. They were asked to pay 17,000 euros each and promised a better future. The migrants were given farm jobs, working seven days a week and 10-12 hours a day for just 4 euros per hour, which was entirely docked from them until they settled all their debts. The police described the treatment as "slavery". Some were asked to continue working for free to pay an additional 13,000 euros for a permanent work permit which, in reality, would have never been given to them. Also Read | Italian landowner is arrested after an Indian worker bled to death in accident with farm equipment Meanwhile Indians residing in Bangladesh have also been alerted as violent protests wreak havoc. India has dubbed it an 'internal matter' for the other country. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar assured on Friday that all citizens residing within Bangladesh were safe. Officials have issued an advisory for Indian nationals and helpline numbers have been activated. As you are aware, there are protests which are happening in Bangladesh. We have around 8500 students and somewhere around 15,000 Indian nationals resident in the country. We have issued a travel advisory for people to be in touch with the High Commission and for us to render any assistance that they may need, added MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday, July 19, that all Indian nationals residing in Bangladesh are safe and the ministry is in touch with them. The ministry statement has come as Bangladesh witnesses a massive protests against quota system. At least 39 persons have died and hundreds have injured in the violent protests in Bangladesh. Addressing a press conference, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, As you are aware, there are protests which are happening in Bangladesh. We have around 8500 students and somewhere around 15,000 Indian nationals resident in the country. We have issued a travel advisory for people to be in touch with the High Commission and for us to render any assistance that they may need. The External Affairs Minister himself is monitoring the situation. The High Commission will be giving regular updates on the situation there. We will also be giving regular updates and we urge all family members of Indian nationals who reside in Bangladesh to be in touch. We remain committed to provide all possible assistance to our nationals. All our nationals are safe, he said. This comes as protests in Bangladesh intensified against the 'controversial' quota system in the government jobs. Several protestors have been killed and hundreds injured in the unrest. The authorities have even imposed restrictions on internet, mobile services and gathering. At the centre of the protests are the demands to reform the country's quota system for the civil service positions that the protesters claim benefits some specific groups including descendants of those who participated in the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan. The Bangladeshi quota system reserves 30 per cent of jobs for family members of the freedom fighters. The Indian government had earlier issued an advisory directing Indian nationals in Bangladesh to avoid local travels amid protests. The Indians have been asked to stay indoors as situation worsened in the neighbouring country. The High Commission and Assistant High Commissions stay available on helpline numbers for any assistance required by Indian nationals and also advised them to minimise their movement outside their living premises. In New Delhi, security was heightened outside the Bangladesh High Commission as a precautionary measure, in anticipation of any protest outside the Commission amid the ongoing anti-quota protests in Bangladesh. Bangladeshi students set fire to the state broadcaster on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on it to address deadly clashes that killed at least 39 persons over a quota system for government jobs. Hundreds of protesters, demanding civil service hiring reforms, fought with riot police who fired rubber bullets. The angry crowd chased retreating officers to BTV's headquarters in Dhaka, setting fire to the reception building and dozens of parked vehicles. Rights groups accused Hasina's government of abusing state institutions to solidify its power and suppress dissent, including through extrajudicial killings of opposition activists. Also Read | Bangladesh Protests: Universities urged to close today after six die in protests This week, her administration ordered schools and universities to close indefinitely as police intensified efforts to control the worsening law and order situation. Protester Bidisha Rimjhim, 18, told AFP, Our first demand is that the prime minister must apologise to us. Secondly, justice must be ensured for our killed brothers. Why are Bangladeshi students protesting? The demonstrations are taking place due to the quota system that allocates up to 30% of government jobs to relatives of veterans from Bangladeshs 1971 war of independence against Pakistan. Protesters seek to abolish this system, claiming it is discriminatory and favours supporters of PM Hasinas Awami League party, which led the independence movement. They advocate for a merit-based system instead. Also Read | India advises its nationals in Bangladesh to stay indoors amid anti-quota stir Despite growth in some private sector job opportunities, many prefer government jobs for stability and better pay. However, there are not enough to meet demandaround 400,000 graduates compete for about 3,000 civil service jobs yearly. While the quota system also reserves jobs for women, disabled people, and ethnic minorities, students primarily protest the jobs reserved for veterans' families. What does the Bangladesh government say? PM Hasina has supported the quota system, arguing that veterans deserve the utmost respect for their wartime contributions, regardless of political ties. I am requesting all to patiently wait until the verdict is delivered. I believe our students will get justice from the apex court. They will not be disappointed, she said. This issue has caused an uproar earlier, too. In 2018, Hasinas government suspended the quotas following large student protests. However, the High Court overturned that decision last month and reinstated the quotas after relatives of the 1971 veterans filed petitions, leading to the latest protests. Also Read | Bangladesh closes mobile internet for security reasons amid student protest The Supreme Court then suspended the High Court's ruling and promised to decide on the matter by August 7. Despite this, the protests have continued. Her government has also blamed the main opposition parties, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami party, for inciting unrest. The BNP has endorsed the students' call for a shutdown on Thursday. Violent protests continued in Bangladesh on Friday with the death toll rising to 64. A nationwide internet shutdown also remained in place as students clashed with the police over a recently reinstated government jobs quota. The agitation has escalated sharply since Monday the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since she won a fourth consecutive term in office. July 19 - A gunman on Friday shot and seriously wounded a nationalist former member of Ukraine's parliament known for vociferous campaigns to defend the Ukrainian language. Police launched a wide search for the man alleged to have shot Iryna Farion, 60, on a street in the western city of Lviv. "The attack on Iryna Farion has been classified as an attempted murder," Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. "The victim is in critical condition and doctors are fighting to save her life." President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was receiving regular reports on efforts to capture the gunman. He said any act of violence was to be condemned. Farion, a linguist, became a member of the nationalist Svoboda party in 2005 and was elected to parliament in 2012, but failed in subsequent attempts to win a seat. She has also served on Lviv regional council. She gained notoriety for frequent campaigns to promote the Ukrainian language and discredit public officials who spoke Russian. In 2018, when Ukraine was fighting Russian-financed separatists who had seized territory in the east, she called for a drive to "punch every Russian-speaking person in the jaw". In the early months of the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Farion denounced Russian-speaking fighters of the Azov regiment who defended the port city of Mariupol for three months. Although Ukrainian is the sole state language of Ukraine, many residents speak Russian as a first language, a legacy of Soviet rule, when Ukrainian was under official pressure. Promoting the language has long been an important issue, with parliament passing legislation to entrench its use in public life and in the service industry. Rioters violently attacked Leeds streets in the UK, causing police to flee for safety. In Leeds Harehills, a disturbance at around 10:30 PM (India time) on July 18 escalated into a prolonged riot. A mob overturned a police car. Social media footage shows youths attacking the car with officers inside, breaking its windows while bystanders filmed the chaos. Also Read | Sharjeel Imam gets statutory bail in sedition case related to 2020 Delhi riots A man was seen picking up a child's scooter and smashing the car's windows. The car was then overturned by the rioters. Later footage showed many police officers arriving to control and disperse the fighting mob. What Leeds MP said British politician Nigel Farage was accused of worsening the situation in Leeds by spreading misinformation on social media. The Clacton MP claimed that "politics of the subcontinent" were happening on the streets of Leeds. Also Read | Umar Khalids bail plea dismissed in 2020 Delhi riots case In response, MP Alex Sobel stated that Farage knew nothing about the situation and had not been briefed on it. You are inflaming a situation with misinformation. "Politicians have a responsibility to not exacerbate situations particularly with no knowledge of them. "I expect you to issue an apology," Sobel wrote on X (formerly Twitter). What Leeds City Council's Chief Executive said Tom Riordan, Leeds City Council's Chief Executive, explained to the BBC that the unrest was not race-related. On BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he mentioned that the situation has since calmed, and a clean-up is ongoing. Riordan attributed the disorder to a "family incident", which prompted police involvement and concerned the local community. "As always, in Leeds, we work with the community, and we work with families. We always intervene where we need to where children are at risk. It was an incident that was probably misinterpreted, I would say," he added. Tel Aviv explosion: A powerful, loud explosion was reported in a building in Tel Aviv on Friday morning, causing the death of one, and wounded two other people, said an Israeli emergency services spokesperson. The Israeli army said that the incident had been caused by the falling of an aerial target. The Israeli air force also said that air patrols had been increased to protect the Israeli airspace. "No sirens were activated," the army said in a statement. Seven other people have also been reported to be in a state of shock, Zaki Heller of the Magen David Adom services, told the AFP. The army had earlier probed an investigation into the incident, suspecting it to be a drone attack. Also Read | India releases USD 2.5 million to UNRWA for Palestinian refugees A body bearing injuries caused by bomb fragments has also been spotted, said one of the police spokesperson, Dean Elsdunne. "Earlier tonight (Friday), an explosion sounded in the area of central Tel Aviv. We are looking into the reports that it was an aerial target. The incident is under review," the military said in a brief statement. The blast occurred hours after the Israeli military confirmed it had killed a senior commander of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon, reported the Reuters. Earlier on Wednesday, the Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah had cautioned of the group increasing their attacks in Israel if it struck more civilians. Immediately a day later, the Iran-backed group attacked Israel with dozens of rockets and missiles, including the Filon base in Israel's Safed for the first time, reported Reuters. Israel and Hezbollah have been conflict stricken eversince the Iran-backed group announced support for Palestinians shortly after the Hamas Israel conflict on October 7. It killed at least 14 people, and triggered a massive war. Reports state that, the fighting in Lebanon has killed over 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters so far. Former US President Donald Trump said he would win an "incredible victory" at the US presidential election in November. His remarks came while delivering the headline speech of the Republican National Convention on Thursday. "Four months from now, we will have an incredible victory," Trump told a euphoric crowd in Milwaukee, before vowing to be president for all of America, not half of America. Here are top 10 quotes from Trump's RNC speech 1) Tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for the President of the United States. I stand before you this evening with a message of confidence, strength and hope. 2) will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country. Together, we will launch a new era of safety, prosperity and freedom for citizens of every race, religion, colour and creed." 3) "The discord and division in our society must be healed, we must heal it quickly...I am running to be President for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America. 4) "Im not supposed to be here tonight, Trump told the packed convention hall as thousands of people listened in silence about the assassination attempt that he survived. There was blood pouring everywhere, yet, in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side. 5) Tonight, I ask for your partnership, for your support, and I am humbly asking for your vote. Every day, I will strive to honour the trust you have placed in me, and I will never let you down.will press forward, and together, we will win, win, win. 6) Nothing will sway us. Nothing will slow us. And no one will stop us. No matter what dangers come our way, no matter what obstacles lie in our path, we will keep striving toward our shared and glorious destiny and we will not fail. Together, we will save this country, we will restore the Republic, and we will usher in the rich and wonderful tomorrows that our people truly deserve. 7) There was peace in Europe and the Middle East. Under President Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under President Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under the current administration, Russia is after all of Ukraine. Under President Trump, Russia took nothing. We defeated 100 per cent of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, something that was going to take five years, and I did it in two months. 8) Now China is circling Taiwan, and Russian warships and nuclear submarines are operating 60 miles off our coasts in Cuba, and the media doesnt want to talk about it. 9) And to the entire world, we want our hostages backand they better be back before I assume office, or you will be paying a very big price. With our victory in November, the years of war, weakness and chaos will be over, he said in a stern warning to the adversaries of the United States. 10) We will replenish our military, and build an Iron Dome Missile Defense System to ensure that no enemy can strike our homelandand this great Iron Dome will all be Made in the USA. We will unleash the power of American innovation will be proud of our capital again. America is on the cusp of a new Golden Age, but we must have the courage to seize it. A social media user named Ananya Chhaochharia, who, according to her bio on X, is co-chair of the India Conference at Harvard, alleged that former executive of Jindal Steel sexually assaulted her while she was aboard an Abu Dhabi-bound flight from Kolkata. She took to social media platform X on Friday to give her first account of the harrowing experience that left her rattled and disturbed after she boarded a UAE-bound flight from Kolkata. The post reads, Sharing an incident that happened with me on the flight from Calcutta to Abu Dhabi (transit to Boston) [sic]. She further thanked the Etihad Airlines staff and the Abu Dhabi police for their support, cooperation, and action during the incident. Ananya revealed that on the fateful day, she was seated next to a 65-year-old industrialist, an employee of Naveen Jindals Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL). Ananya Chhaochharia stated, He must be roughly 65 in age & told me he now lives in Oman but travels frequently. Subsequently, she says, the two started having a casual conversation. She said, He started chatting me up about our roots, family, etc. He told her that he hailed from Churu in Rajasthan and has two married sons who have settled in the US. She said, He asked if I enjoy watching movies & I was like, of course. As the conversation progressed to hobbies, movies, likes, and dislikes, Ananya said the Jindal Steel official told her he had some movie clips on his phone. Her post on X stated, He whips out his phone and earphones to show me PORN! He started groping me. I was frozen in shock and scare [sic]. Detailing her account, she said, I eventually ran off to the washroom and complained to the air staff. Thankfully, the Etihad team was very pro-active and took action immediately. They made me sit at their seating area and served me tea & fruits. She appealed to Naveen Jindal, MP and Chairman of Jindal Steel, to take necessary action so that he is aware of the kind of people who are in leadership" positions. Naveen Jindal, chairman of Jindal Steel & Power Limited (JSPL), responded to Ananya's post and commented, Dear Ananya, thank you for reaching out and speaking up! It takes a lot of courage to do what you did, and I want you to know that we have a zero-tolerance policy for such matters." One thing weve learned over the years is that Washington Democrats are ruthless when threatened by a loss of power. You almost have to admire their cold-blooded calculation. President Biden is now learning this harsh lesson as the Democratic-media complex organizes to, er, persuade him to withdraw from the presidential race. That effort, which began after Mr. Bidens failed debate on June 27, is now in full orchestrated gale. The President hasnt taken the hint to drop out from the withdrawal calls by the media and Congresss backbenchers, so now the big names are letting it be known they too want Joe to go. The calls for Mr. Biden to step aside halted for a few days after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. But theyre picking up as the GOP puts on a show of unity at its Milwaukee convention this week. The polls are also turning against Mr. Biden, with some swing state surveys moving toward Donald Trump outside the margin of error. So the backstage coup accelerates. First the press learns, somehow, that Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have visited Mr. Biden to deliver the news that he could cost Democrats control of Congress. Neither man denies it when asked. The press also learns that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a master of political martial arts, delivered the same message to Mr. Biden. On Thursday came word, again leaked to the press, that Barack Obama is likewise concerned about Mr. Bidens ability to defeat Donald Trump. Et tu, Barack? Mr. Biden may continue to hold out, and he still commands the delegates to win the nomination at the August convention or before that in a mooted virtual vote. But the party message to the President is: Youre on a path to lose; youll take down the House and Senate too; your legacy will be ruined and, by the way, well never forgive you. Mr. Biden is justified in resenting this brutal turn, since these same Democrats were complicit in his decision to run for a second term. They thought he was a useful figurehead as long as they thought he could win again. Only Dean Phillips, the Minnesota Congressman, was brave enough to tell the truth about Mr. Bidens infirmity and run against him. The rest all covered for Mr. Bidens cognitive decline until the debate made that impossible. Axios now reports that Mr. Biden could make the decision to withdraw as early as this weekend. Mark that story down as another form of pressure on Mr. Biden to stop being so stubborn. If this keeps up, the furniture moving vans might show up at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with the Bidens still living there. Our view has long been that Mr. Biden shouldnt run again because he is no longer up to the rigors of the job. Theres little chance he would make it through another four years in office. In that sense, withdrawing now and letting Vice President Harris compete for the job is truth in advertising. Its more honest for Ms. Harris to run for President now in her own right rather than inherit the job in a year or two when Mr. Biden resigns. So much the better if Ms. Harris must compete with one or more others for the job at an open convention or some mini-primary. Shell have to show if shes better than she was as a candidate in 2019. That could be too much uncertainty for Democrats to tolerate, and they may hesitate to jump over a black woman. But even Ms. Harris does better than Mr. Biden in the polls against Mr. Trump. As for the Republicans, a Biden withdrawal will mean a harder race. Democrats will rally around Ms. Harris or some other nominee, and so will the press. Mr. Trump wont be able to win almost by default. Democrats will get a better standard bearer for their record in office, and if they still lose they wont have Mr. Bidens infirmity as an excuse. As India moves ahead of developed nations on many fronts, how we shape the path of our economy and people will determine the lives of generations to come. Some readers may be too young to remember what the information technology (IT) boom of the 1990s felt like. It was a time of hope and wonder. It was a time when lakhs of families were uplifted from grinding poverty as sons and daughters got good salaries. Millionaires were created. Cities like Bengaluru were transformed. We are at that cusp of history once again. Only, this time, it is the healthcare sector that could provide a similar impetus to lakhs of families and the economy. Central and state governments have taken steps to make healthcare more accessible to Indians. But our healthcare coverage of tier 2 and tier 3 towns as well as rural areas is still not wide enough. The private sector today can do what the government cannottake healthcare to every remote corner of the country, with a little support. Also read: Budget may unveil scheme to incentivize medical gear makers Making healthcare more accessible and affordable must be a key goal. The social impact of it would be significant and it can be achieved with little cost to the government. Global sovereign funds and long-term investors are keen on funding hospitals in India. If the Centre exempts hospitals with over 100 beds built on over 100,000-sq-ft of area by using funds from Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) from GST, it could unlock a never-before expansion opportunity for the hospital sector. This move could attract global funds to invest in building hospitals across the country, while Indians operate and manage them. These InvITs could potentially be listed as well, ensuring a sustainable source of capital for the sector. Hospitals are largely concentrated in metro cities, with patients often travelling thousands of kilometres while sick or infirm just to meet a medical specialist. Building well-equipped hospitals with specialists in a variety of branches of medicine would need to be incentivised. A 25% capital subsidy and a 5% interest subsidy on healthcare investments for a period of five years would go a long way toward achieving this goal. The NCD burden: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cardiac ailments, stroke, cancer and diabetes are predicted to escalate to epidemic proportions in the coming years. This will be a much larger challenge than covid. The World Health Organisation says that 74% of all deaths globally are due to NCDs. In India, we have witnessed a doubling of deaths due to NCDs in just 26 years. According to a report by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), deaths due to NCDs went from 37.9% in 1990 to 61.8% in 2016. Incentivising the private sector to build more hospitals that can service even the most remote areas will help in bridging the accessibility gap for our country-folks. The service accessibility challenge: India has chosen to adopt a mix of healthcare modelswe have both public and private sector health insurance as well as taxpayer-funded public health. Yet, many families are driven to debt with out-of-pocket expenses when faced with ailments. At present, only 4% of the countrys population has health insurance coverage. This has led to 86% of people spending out of their own pockets for treatment. Catching NCDs early will be the best way to limit out-of-pocket spending on healthcare. The government can encourage regular health check-ups by increasing the tax exemption for master health check-ups under Section 80D of the Income Tax Act to 50,000 per annum for a family. Bringing OPD consultations and diagnostics within the ambit of health coverage would greatly incentivise patients to visit doctors early and ward off or control NCDs without worrying about costs. Skilling India: Akin to the IT boom of the 1990s, India is now on the verge of another economic transformation. And the healthcare sector has the potential to drive this change. The dream of becoming an economic superpower can only be achieved when millions are lifted out of poverty. Skilling the youth of India to become nurses and paramedics can help do that. The Western world is struggling to cope with an ageing population. Skilling Indians in caring for the elderly can help them get lucrative jobs abroad. India too has a vast ageing population and the need for professional caregivers will increase manifold over the next decade. We need to be prepared for this. While healthcare will gain vastly from advances in artificial intelligence (AI), human intelligence and empathy must go hand-in-hand with technological progress to create the appropriate level of care for our people. To this end, it is imperative that the government increases the number of nursing and medical colleges as well as doubles the number of seats. Degrees need to be harmonized so that they are accepted all over the world. Organizations that provide technical skills for paramedics need to be given special incentives. The government should also permit partnerships between global and Indian entities to develop a Global Development Programme Centre that would provide the most advanced and structured skilling, so that our youngsters can find jobs abroad and financially help their families back home. This can be Indias century and it needs to be a healthy one. A healthy society will benefit not just the country but the world. The author is managing director, Apollo Hospitals. Behind all the pageantry, the Republican convention made clear what Donald Trumps governing style would look like in a second term: assertive, adversarial and unconstrained. If he wins the November election, Trump would return to the White House unburdened by ever having to appear on a ballot again, with more conviction about his vision for the country and more knowledge about how to execute it. The cabinet secretaries and White House aides who once beat backand sometimes quietly worked to underminehis most radical ideas would be replaced by loyalists eager to push his agenda even further. And he could reap the benefits of a Supreme Court whose conservative majority he enshrined. In Milwaukee this week, after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt, Trump cut a relatively subdued figure, absorbing the applause of attendees and listening to the prime-time lineup of a largely drama-free convention. On stage, and in the meeting rooms and panel discussions on the sidelines, delegates and Trump allies spoke about a potential second term as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reshape the country. Its the dream of a century," businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate who has thrown his support behind Trump, told delegates. Ramaswamy said Trump has a rare opportunity, thanks to the Supreme Court, to rein in government bureaucracy and shut down the administrative state," which conservatives blame for standing in the way of their agenda. While Trump tapped three justices during his four years in office, Amy Coney Barrett, his final pick for the high court, was seated just months before the end of his term. Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, which is spearheading Project 2025, an expansive effort to prepare for a second term, said he thinks former President Trump has learned a lot" over the past few years. I think this is going to be an administration that is very efficient," he said. Populism and protectionism In speeches, on his campaign website and in the official Republican platform, Trump has outlined a broad agenda for a second term that echoes themes of nationalism, populism and protectionism. He has called for hardening U.S. borders, deporting millions of immigrants living in the country illegally and imposing stiff tariffs on allies and adversaries alike. He has questioned the value of international institutions, praised strongman foreign leaders and criticized U.S. support for Ukraines war against Russia. Less of a focus for Trump and his team are the core tenets conservatives have embraced for decades: free markets, strong international engagement and reining in deficits. Trump presided over four straight years of rising annual deficits, signing bipartisan budget agreements that boosted federal spending. While the newly approved Republican platform calls broadly for cutting spending and eliminating costly regulations, it doesnt lay out a plan for addressing the deficit. Trumps running-mate selection of Sen. JD Vance (R., Ohio)a younger, more intellectual avatar for the former presidents brand of economic populism and suspicion of foreign entanglementssignals his intention to supercharge, rather than modulate, his transformation of the GOP. The Republican Party of today is almost unrecognizable to some longtime GOP officials, who have accused Trump of abandoning the core tenets of Reaganism. (Trump has said his record as a conservative is far greater than Ronald Reagan.") Trumps party doesnt believe in fiscal discipline. It believes in isolationism. It believes in picking winners and losers in the marketplace. And it doesnt appear to feel that evil in this world should be confronted straight on with force," said former Sen. Judd Gregg (R., N.H.), a Trump critic who backed Nikki Haley during the primary. Gregg hasnt decided how he will vote in November but he said he wont vote for President Biden. Gregg and other Trump critics are an increasingly isolated segment of the party. At this weeks convention, there were scant signs of dissent. Even some of Trumps former opponentsHaley, who was governor of South Carolina, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantispraised him during high-profile speaking slots at the event. Anna Kelly, a Republican National Committee spokeswoman, said Trump delivered once with lower costs, fairer trade deals and a secure border, and he will do it again when he is elected on Nov. 5." I am your retribution As he has pivoted toward the general election, Trump has at times tried to sand down some of his hard edges and emphasize more moderate positions that break with conservative orthodoxy. He scaled back the size of this years party platform, softening tough language on abortion and removing a line describing marriage as between a man and a woman. He told Bloomberg Businessweek in a recent interview that he has no plans to seek retribution against his enemies, despite pledging to supporters last year, I am your warrior, I am your justice and, for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution." Trump has previously promised to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden, something Vance recently said he supports. He has pledged to pardon the Jan. 6, 2021, rioters at the U.S. Capitol. And he has said he would overhaul the Justice Department and instruct it to investigate everything from online censorship to left-leaning state attorneys general. During his four years in office, senior officials sometimes successfully persuaded Trump not to follow through on his instincts, and in some cases went even further. Gary Cohn, a top Trump economic adviser, once removed a letter from the then-presidents desk to prevent him from terminating a bilateral trade deal, according to an account earlier reported by journalist Bob Woodward. But few people who have worked for Trump think he could be persuaded to hold back in a second term. There wouldnt be any hesitation to act on some of his more controversial ideas," said Sarah Matthews, a former Trump White House spokeswoman who stepped down following the Jan. 6 riot. Its just going to be a bunch of yes men and yes women." Trumps allies dispute the contention that he would be unleashed in a second term, but they acknowledged that not having the political pressure of running for re-election would make it easier to enact changes. The Constitution limits presidents to two terms. He doesnt have to worry about re-election," said Sen. Ron Johnson (R., Wis.). He can tackle some big problems, and its going to take a president with the courage of not worrying about re-election to tackle this problem." Matthew Whitaker, a former acting attorney general in the Trump administration, said he expects there will be more people who want to be a part of a possible future Trump administration than after the 2016 election. He predicted a lot less infighting" next time around. Even as he attempts to soften his image, Trump has continued to make outlandish statements on Truth Social, his social-media platform. Earlier this month, he pledged, if elected, to jail so-called election fraudsters," warning Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg to be careful." Trump has falsely claimed that the 2020 presidential election, which he lost, was rigged. The threat echoes comments he has made in public in recent years about punishing his perceived enemies, from media companies to the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The success or failure of a second Trump term will hinge in part on which party controls Congress. If Trump presides over a divided government, Democrats would be able to stymie many of his moves. But some Democrats worry that Republicans will take full control of Congress if President Biden, who is facing anxiety from within his own party following a halting debate performance, remains on the ticket. A July Wall Street Journal poll found that 70% of voters think Congresss checks-and-balances function is essential for preventing a president from having too much power. Lower taxes, fewer regulations As he prepares for a second term, a handful of advisers have influenced Trumps thinking, including his former trade chief, Robert Lighthizer, and his former budget director, Russ Vought. Vought and other conservatives hope Trump will oversee one of the most consequential overhauls of the government in modern times, a bid to root out what the former president and his allies call the deep state." They want to eliminate the independence of certain federal agencies, reduce protections for civil servants and wrest control of some authority over spending from Congressall proposals that Trump has endorsed. It is part of a push to shrink the size of the government, snuff out perceived opposition to the presidential agenda within the bureaucratic ranks and shift power from federal agencies to the White House. If hes re-elected, Trump has promised to expand on the targeted tariffs that he used throughout his four years in office. He has proposed a 10% across-the-board tariff on imported goods as a way to punish other countries and protect domestic industries. And he has promised to impose even steeper tariffs on China. He has floated the idea of replacing the entire income-tax system with tariffs. Trump wants to make permanent the soon-to-expire tax cuts from the 2017 law he signed, and he has called for lowering the corporate tax rate to 15% from 21%, a contrast with Biden, who wants to raise the corporate rate to 28%. Trump has said he wants to exempt tips from taxes, an attempt to appeal to Nevadas service workers in the crucial swing state. The former president has called for strengthening domestic manufacturing, lifting restrictions on U.S. energy production and overturning swaths of the wide-ranging climate law that Biden signed in 2022. Outside advisers to Trump have in recent weeks pitched him on additional economic policy measures. Art Laffer, one of the founding theorists of supply-side economics, said he had recommended that Trump propose a 50% waiver of the payroll tax and 100% expensing of capital purchases for the first 18 months of his potential second term. So you make it very, very attractive for people to go to work, and you make it very, very attractive for employers to employ those people," Laffer said on Wednesday. And you have a deadline so if you dont do it now, you dont get it." Strong borders and weak alliances On immigration, his signature issue, Trump has said he would oversee the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. He has pledged to end the constitutional right to birthright citizenship, which for more than a century has provided U.S. citizenship to children born in the country regardless of their parents immigration status. He has called for the death penalty for drug smugglers and human traffickers, as well as a naval embargo to prevent drug cartels from bringing illegal drugs into the U.S. During the Republican primaries, the former president embraced a set of culture-war issues that have gained traction among conservatives. Among them: influencing school curricula, preventing doctors from providing medical interventions for young transgender people and ending diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Trump has articulated a noninterventionist foreign policy that centers in part on a reluctance to get involved in foreign entanglements. He has asserted, without evidence, that if elected he would end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. And he has repeatedly criticized NATO members in Europe for insufficient military spending. The choice of Vance is a further indication of how Trump might come down on the longstanding divide in GOP circles between hawks and isolationists. Vance is a leading voice among Republicans opposed to sending funds to Ukraine and has expressed disillusionment with the foreign-policy establishment in Washington. With our victory in November," Trump said on Thursday night, the years of war, weakness and chaos will be over." Aaron Zitner, John McCormick and Vivian Salama contributed to this article. Write to Andrew Restuccia at andrew.restuccia@wsj.com This explanatory article might be updated periodically. MILWAUKEEDonald Trump took the stage a changed and humbled man, the bandage on his right ear testament to his recent brush with death. It had taught him, he said, that the discord and division in our society must be healed, we must heal it quickly." He told the story of the attack in vivid detail: the blood pouring everywhere, the crowd that stayed in place as the bullets flew, the feeling that God was present as he rose and raised his fist. The packed arena of Republican delegates hung on his every word, creating an intimate silence. And then, as if to reassure them that they hadnt in fact lost the politician they all loved so much, he broke the spell and reverted to form, complaining about his persecution at the hands of the justice system and rambling for another hour about the usual witch hunts and fake statistics. It was a fitting conclusion to the jubilant Republican convention that ended Thursday in Milwaukee: a statement that the Trump of 2024 isnt some wimpy, watered-down versionit is Trump, but more so. The political gamble of his third presidential campaign is that this, not some moderating concession to propriety, is what will win the election. And so far, it looks like a good bet. All week, Republicans spoke of unity," buoyed by a favorable political landscape and a feeling of destiny. Trumps first nominating convention, in 2016, was racked with discord as rogue delegates attempted to dethrone him and his chief rival repudiated him from the convention stage to raucous boos. The body was struggling to reject the transplant, their genes seemingly incompatible. In 2020, the Covid-era convention was a truncated show from the White House, and he lost the election. This time, the party belongs to him. Like Trumps speech, the paeans to harmony were overlaid on a show of swaggering dominance. It was the unity of the conqueror, his foes all slain or subdued. This new GOP has a new philosophy. The convention lineup testified to the obsolescence of the country-club Republican Party. Monday night featured speeches from Amber Rose, a biracial face-tattooed adult-content creator and rapper; David Sacks, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist who said Biden provokedyes, provokedthe Russians to invade Ukraine with talk of NATO expansion"; and Teamsters head Sean OBrien, who decried greedy corporations and the Chamber of Commerce. For his running mate, Trump tapped JD Vance, the isolationist Ohio senator, who proclaimed from the stage that the policies of yesterdays GOP were to blame for todays miseries. From Iraq to Afghanistan, from the financial crisis to the Great Recession, from open borders to stagnating wages, the people who govern this country have failed and failed again," he said. In the audience, delegates wearing makeshift ear bandages waved signs reading MASS DEPORTATIONS NOW." The platform, too, reflected the new populist theme, imposed by fiat. What was once an open process in which delegates from around the country hashed out their differences and voted on a lengthy series of planks was replaced by Trump drafting his own brief, all-caps set of priorities. It promises to protect Social Security and Medicare, rebalance" trade through tariffs, deport millions and secure elections, while dropping the partys decades-old pledge to ban abortion nationally. The new platform was ratified in short order with no amendments allowed. They rolled us," a longtime party activist from Utah lamented. Trumps erstwhile rivals could only grovel for readmittance to the party theyd tried to take from him. Nikki Haley, the former U.N. ambassador who challenged Trump for the nomination and said she would never kiss the ring," was greeted with boos when she got up to speak on Tuesday. Shes a traitor," said AJ Yvette, a Texas delegate wearing a BLACK LIVES MAGA T-shirt, leggings printed with Trumps face and light-up gold sneakers. Shes a RINO. Shes not a Trump loyalist." Yvette, who was attending her first-ever GOP convention, had turned her back to Haley to watch Trump watch her speak from his armchair in the VIP section of the stands. Look at how Trumps looking at her," Yvette said. He knows shes full of crap." There were peeps of dissent, but they were kept offstage. The Bushes and Romneys and Cheneys werent in attendance. Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor who waged a quixotic presidential campaign, was in attendance but not on the program. I ran against Donald Trump because I disagree with his more isolationist approach to America," he said on the sidelines. I think we ought to have an America that is for our partners and our allies that are like-minded, and that stands against autocracy and dictatorship." The old guard may not like it, but Trump is winning, and his luck keeps getting better. As the convention began on Monday, one of Trumps lingering criminal indictments, the Florida-based federal case alleging he mishandled classified documents, was dismissed. Weeks earlier, the Supreme Court ruled him immune from some criminal prosecution, throwing his other indictments and perhaps even his 34-count Manhattan felony conviction into doubt. Money, too, is rolling in, with the enigmatic tech baron Elon Musk pledging to spend $45 million a month through the election boosting Trumps candidacy. The pro-Israel casino billionaire Miriam Adelson is also reportedly preparing to throw tens of millions into the pool. Meanwhile, donors have reportedly suspended $90 million in pledges to President Bidens effort. The Trump campaign has yet to begin significant television advertising, while the Biden campaign has been flooding swing-state airwaves for months only to continue to slump in polling. The Democratic Party has been in slow-motion implosion for weeks as the senescent president has resisted party elders pressure for him to withdraw from the ticket. As the former Fox News host Tucker Carlson was speaking on Thursday night, painting Trump as a magnanimous leader with a courageous heart, another Democratic senator and a congressman called on Biden to bow out of the race, an outcome many now see as inevitable. In their quest to preserve their position, Bidens camp has sowed divisions along racial, class and ideological lines, making many Democrats fear that however this saga ends, the party has been badly damaged. Trumps campaign has said erstwhile blue states like Virginia and New Mexico could be in play, and polls indicate they may not be bluffing. Little wonder, then, that a sense of divine providence pervaded the proceedings in Milwaukee. Speaker after speaker said that God had spared Trump from the assassins bullet. On Monday afternoon, the social conservative activist Penny Nance, president of Concerned Women for America, stood in front of the Pepto-pink bus her group had parked in front of the convention hall to lead a prayer, as a small cluster of attendees gathered around and bowed their heads. Father, I pray that you will heal whats broken," she said. Lord, I just pray right now for President Trump, that you continue to heal his body." Sitting in the bus afterward, Nance said the shooting had been a reminder that humans do not control their fate. Any guy that can take a bullet in the ear and stand up and raise his fist in defiance, and shout Fight! and USA!hes a strong leader, and we need a strong leader at this time in our nation," she said. The convention aimed to reintroduce Trump to the nation as a benevolent paterfamilias. But his speech, the longest in convention history, was a reminder of why that remains an uphill battle. The polls remain close because the electorates views of Trump have had years to harden; no near-tragedy will suddenly wash them away in a surge of patriotic emotion. People remember his divisive, chaotic, unpopular presidency, with its constant scandals and corruption. They remember that he is the first president to be convicted of a felony and that he tried to steal an election he lost. He has only gotten more popular in retrospect because the current administration strikes some people as even worse. Nor was this a convention aimed at appealing to the middle of the electorate. The fiery rhetoric and testosterone-fueled lineup, including macho, screamy cameos from Hulk Hogan and Kid Rock, were a signal that the campaign isnt trying to win back college-educated suburban women. Together with the pick of Vance, whom the campaign hopes will appeal to Midwesterners and the working class, the tone of the convention showed that its strategy is instead to juice turnout of non-college-educated men in the Rust Belt. White working class men in the upper Midwest are gonna love it, and for better or worse, thats their theory of the case," one Trump-skeptical GOP consultant texted as Hogan was speaking. If the theory is right, America could be on the brink not just of a new administration but a new political era. Across from the convention hall, 30-year-old Charlie Kirk, head of the conservative youth activist group Turning Point USA, rented out a restaurant to livestream his daily talk show. On Wednesday, a Black Republican congressman, Wesley Hunt of Texas, was followed by the anti-woke journalist Batya Ungar-Sargon, a pair of female former college athletes who objected to having trans women on their teams, the free-speech activist who heads the Rumble video platform and Madeline Brame, a New York mother and former Democrat who became a Blexit" activist after her Army veteran son was stabbed to death in Harlem. Kirk, who spoke on the conventions first night, had publicly advocated for Vance to be selected for the ticket, and he periodically held up a TRUMP-VANCE sign, calling it the most beautiful thing hed ever seen. In Kirks view, the political realignment Trump kicked off is finally taking hold. For years, even after being elected president, Trump was hounded and harassed and obstructed, but he has fought off the forces arrayed against him and his oppositions hypocritical vacuousness has been revealed. The June 27 presidential debate showed people theyd been lied to, that there was a liberal conspiracy to conceal the cognitive decline of the leader of the free world; and then the assassination attempt showed that there was one man heroically determined to fight back against it all. Now they are all waking up: The feminists disturbed by the new gender ideology, the liberal Jews abandoned by those whose rights they once fought for, Black people worried by rising crime, Latinos fed up with the out-of-control border. Suddenly they are questioning everything theyve been taught to believe, and Trumps alternate version of reality doesnt seem so far-fetched. If Trump wins, Kirk believes we will look back on this moment as a hinge point akin to the New Deal. That doesnt mean that well never lose again," he said. But Im saying that the realignment will be permanent, and it will be powerful." In the convention hall on Thursday, some delegates grew restless as Trump droned on, embellishing every sentence on the prompter with baroque asides. The Wisconsinites in their cheeseheads and the Texans in their cowboy hats began to nod. Finally Trump began his peroration, returning to the meditative words hed scripted. To all of the forgotten men and women who have been neglected, abandoned, and left behind, you will be forgotten no longer," he said. We will press forward, and together, we will win, win, win!" The crowd chanted as he pumped his fist, some chanting WIN," some chanting FIGHT." But really, they were all saying the same thing. Write to Molly Ball at molly.ball@wsj.com WASHINGTONU.S. intelligence agencies are warning that Russia might arm Houthi militants in Yemen with advanced antiship missiles in retaliation for the Biden administrations support for Ukrainian strikes inside Russia with U.S. weapons. The new intelligence comes as the top U.S. Middle East commander recently warned in a classified letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that military operations in the region are failing" to deter Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and that a broader approach is needed, according to U.S. officials. The White House has launched a confidential push to try to stop Moscow from delivering the missiles to the Iranian-backed Houthis, who have been attacking shipping in the Red Sea for eight months in a show of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The administration has mounted a diplomatic effort through a third country to try to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin not to join Iran in providing weapons to the Houthis, according to U.S. officials, who declined to identify the country. The combination of intelligence that Moscow might be planning to provide military support to the Houthis in Yemen and the warnings from Gen. Erik Kurilla, the head of U.S. Central Command, has raised the question of whether the White House is doing enough to halt their attacks in the critical waterways. An administration official said Central Command has been asked to prepare a broader list of potential targets, including specific militants, for possible strikes. Some U.S. officials say, however, that more could have already been done to better protect the commercial shipping, including hitting larger weapons-storage facilities, targeting Houthi leaders and picking targets with a somewhat higher potential casualty count. A decision by Moscow to arm the Houthis would mark an escalation in its confrontation with Washington, which has been playing out mostly over the conflict in Ukraine. Moscow has already sparked deep concern among U.S. officials by solidifying ties with North Korea and Iran and securing Chinas help in strengthening the Russian defense industry. Some analysts think Russians might be brandishing the threat of sending antiship missiles to the Houthis to discourage the administration from taking additional steps to assist Kyiv, such as authorizing Ukrainian forces to use U.S.-supplied Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, weapons against airfields on Russian territory. Kurilla called in his letter to Austin for a stepped-up whole of government" effort against the Houthis, employing economic, diplomatic and potentially military pressure to discourage attacks on ships in the Red Sea and a narrow strait known as Bab el-Mandeb, off Yemens coast, officials said. At least 30 ships have been damaged, and two have sunk. Many people found the tone of the memo to be a bit shocking," a defense official said. It said essentially that U.S. service members will die if we continue going this way." The White House has authorized the military to conduct strikes against Houthi missiles and drones about to be launched and taken other limited steps, which have included seven planned military operations. A second defense official who defended the current policy said that the U.S. and its partners have destroyed a significant amount of Houthi capability," including hundreds of missiles and launch facilities, hundreds of attack drones, dozens of storage facilities for weapons and equipment facilities, numerous command and control facilities, air defense systems, radars and several helicopters. But some Central Command officials say their forces have been unable to prevent the Houthis from regularly threatening commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb because they havent had the approval to carry out a broader range of strikes. The Houthi attacks have continued to disrupt shipping and keep the U.S. and its allies tied down, frustrating the Navys decades-old mission of keeping open the regions critical sea lanes. If you tell the military to re-establish freedom of navigation and then you tell them to only be defensive, it isnt going to work," said one U.S. official. It is all about protecting ships without affecting the root cause." The Houthis have a diverse arsenal of weapons to attack ships, including attack drones, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned boats. Many of the drones and missiles have been provided by Iran or use technology supplied by Tehran. But the possibility that the Yemeni rebels might receive advanced Russian missiles presents a new danger. The Houthis have the most robust antiship capabilities among Irans regional proxy network," said Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank. But Russian antiship weapons would represent a qualitative leap and add more teeth to the existing Houthi maritime threat." Middle East Eye, a London-based news site, reported last month that Russia has previously considered providing antiship cruise missiles to the Houthis but was talked out of doing so by the Saudis. Since then, U.S. officials have seen continuing indications that Putin might yet provide the missiles to the Houthis as payback for President Bidens decision to allow Ukraine to strike targets on Russian territory with U.S. weapons. Last month Putin explicitly warned that Moscow might provide weapons to U.S. adversaries because of the White House Ukraine policy. The response can be asymmetrical, and we will think about that," Putin told journalists at an international economic forum in St. Petersburg, Russia. The nature of the intelligence pointing to a possible Russian move to arm the Houthis is unclear. While no missiles have been delivered yet, Houthi representatives have been observed in Russia, two U.S. officials said. If the missiles were provided they could be sent using Iranian smuggling routes, some U.S. officials say. The Russian Embassy in Washington didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The Houthis vowed in December to strike any ship heading to Israeli ports. But many of their attacks have been directed against civilian ships with no ties to Israel or planned port calls, according to a June report by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. U.S. officials say that the Houthis and their Iranian backers have been using commercial ship tracking websites to identify and then target commercial vessels. The U.S. has warned companies that provide such data services to take steps to preclude the Houthis from gaining access to the shipping information and has also cautioned foreign governments where such companies are located. The Houthis have also threatened to attack U.S. Navy vessels and those of U.S. allies. U.S. warships have had close calls with missiles and drones from Yemen. In recent weeks the Houthis have expanded their campaign, including by launching missiles into the Arabian Sea. Though Kurilla called for an intensified whole of government" effort, a Biden administration official said some measures have already been taken to complement the military actions. The U.S. has imposed sanctions on individuals and entities providing funding to the Houthis, as well as on Houthi leaders, the official added. On Jan. 10, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution sponsored by the U.S. and Japan demanding that the Houthis end the attacks. On Jan. 17, the U.S. designated the Houthis as specially designated global terrorists, reversing a February 2021 decision to take them off that list. On Thursday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller announced the sanctioning of several individuals and entities, along with five ships, that have played critical roles in financing the Houthis destabilizing activities." Write to Michael R. Gordon at michael.gordon@wsj.com and Lara Seligman at lara.seligman@wsj.com FLUSHING, N.Y.After a monthlong journey that began on Chinas southeastern seaboard and included getting stung by fire ants in Latin America, Audi Lin entered the U.S. from Mexico, got out of detention and made his way to New York. A distant relative from Lins home province of Fujian picked him up at LaGuardia Airport and drove him straight to Flushings Chinatown, home to one of the largest concentrations of Chinese people in the U.S. Along the way, the relative told Lin about several Chinese websites and apps with job postings and information on hostel-like facilities that welcomed Chinese migrants. Many of them, like Lin, request asylum after handing themselves over to U.S. agents at the border, and are allowed to stay in the U.S. while they wait for immigration judges to rule on their cases. By the time Lins relative dropped him off, he knew at least where he was sleeping for the night. Within a month, he found a job as a busser at a Fujianese-owned takeout joint in Harlem. Chinese people dont end up at shelters," said Lin. In many ways, the experience of migrants from China, who increasingly endure arduous trips and arrive at the southern U.S. border, mirrors that of migrants from South and Central American countries. But once they arrive on U.S. soil, their paths begin to diverge. Many Chinese migrants find jobs and housing more easily than arrivals from Latin America because they can tap a vast network of friends and relatives, who often were migrants to the U.S. themselves. The path is by no means easy: New migrants are vulnerable to exploitation. Good-paying jobs are hard to come by and frequently involve working extremely long hours, although employers sometimes provide meals and housing. The resilience of the U.S. economywith wages growing and businesses continuing to hirehas made it possible for some migrants to jump-start their lives in the U.S. even as their numbers swell. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which counts the number of working immigrants regardless of their legal status, says the number has stayed above 30 million since February. At least 1.7 million migrants have been apprehended at the countrys border with Mexico in each of the past three fiscal years, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Most have come from Latin America, with the number of arriving Venezuelans surging to more than 200,000 in each of the past two years. The number from China using that route has gone up too. Some 33,508 Chinese migrants were apprehended by authorities at the southern border in the governments fiscal year starting last October through June, compared with 24,314 for the previous fiscal year. The fiscal year before that saw 2,176 apprehended. Migrants such as Lin, who plans to argue for asylum on religious grounds, may apply for a work permit only after their asylum application has been pending for six months. They are not technically permitted to work until then, but many arrive with little savings and it is common for them to start working for cash soon thereafter. New migrants often head to Chinese enclaves in New York and California, before getting connected to Chinese business establishments across the country. They fan out to Chinese restaurants and private homes as caretakers; some have even landed at Chinese-operated marijuana farms that have cropped up in states that have legalized cannabis. Flushing, a sprawling Queens neighborhood with New York Citys largest Chinatown, has long been a magnet for immigrants. New immigrants know if they come to places like Flushing, Queens, theyll be familiar with the signage and have an immediate community network," says Mitchel Wu, Queens borough director for Chinese-American Planning Council, a social service agency. A Customs and Border Protection official said that Chinese migrants often have a rough plan upon arrival in the U.S., having often spent more than $10,000 on their journeys, in contrast with many migrants from central America, who often pay much less. In an effort to discourage more Chinese migrants from coming to the U.S. through the southern border, the government recently deported 116 Chinese nationals back to China, the first such large removal operation by charter flight in years. In Chinese enclaves such as Flushing, new services have sprouted up to assist the recent arrivals in navigating their new lives. Outside Queens Public Library, mom-and-pop-run establishments, known as family hotels" in Chinese, advertise rates as low as $290 a month and common-area cooking facilities. Many Chinese job-placement agencies have moved their services online. But at Red Apple Employment Agency, Chinese migrants can still seek advice from the owner, Jenny Geng, who came to the U.S. herself more than two decades ago. Those without proper status welcome," reads one sign in Chinese on her wall, though Geng advises people to get work permits to make the job search easier. She charges $80 to $100 per job placement. Other services include assistance applying for health insurance and truck-driving licenses. Gateway communities like Flushing dont necessarily set up migrants for long-term employment or career success, warns CPCs Wu. Often, he said, they push newcomers into a sort of working underclass from which it can be difficult to emerge. Some migrant women, with few legitimate options, have ended up being forced into sex work. On 40th Road, off a main thoroughfare in Flushing, the number of Chinese women soliciting passersby has increased, according to nearby businesses. Many Chinese migrants are still willing to risk coming to the U.S. because they see a brighter economic future than in their home country, which many fled due to economic hardship or repression by the Chinese Communist Party. Jobin Cai, 33, who entered the U.S. through the southern border, first made his way to the large Chinese neighborhood in Brooklyns Sunset Park, where he lived temporarily with a cousin. He paid $500 dollars to intern for two weeks at a Chinese nail salon, then another $500 to learn from a sushi chef at a restaurant in Connecticut. Neither training yielded a job, but then a Chinese friend introduced him to a Chinese-run auto factory in Michigan that was hiring. Cai figured the pay$15 an hourwould be better than any restaurant job so he flew out immediately without a work permit. His conclusion after working six months is that life is easier in the U.S. than in China, where his restaurant business had collapsed during the pandemic. Theres a language barrier, but here you can make more and save," he said. Lin says the Harlem restaurant job helped him transition into his new life in the U.S. He is hoping to find a higher-paying job and dreaming about how to someday start his own business. These days his income comes from brokering a few property sale transactions in mainland Chinaall done through the Chinese messaging app WeChat. He also helps Chinese friends and acquaintances transfer small sums of money to each other. Lin pinches pennies on meals and cigarettes. He is $20,000 in debt for the cost of his journey to the U.S.; an immigration lawyer he hired is charging him another $12,000. I havent even paid one-tenth," he said. But I came to the U.S. to try something new." Write to Chao Deng at chao.deng@wsj.com View Full Image Chinese Migrants Tap Extensive Networks to Join the U.S. Economy View Full Image Chinese Migrants Tap Extensive Networks to Join the U.S. Economy View Full Image Chinese Migrants Tap Extensive Networks to Join the U.S. Economy View Full Image Chinese Migrants Tap Extensive Networks to Join the U.S. Economy View Full Image Chinese Migrants Tap Extensive Networks to Join the U.S. Economy View Full Image Chinese Migrants Tap Extensive Networks to Join the U.S. Economy View Full Image Chinese Migrants Tap Extensive Networks to Join the U.S. Economy OMIYA, JapanYurika Adachi, a 39-year-old nurse, grew tired of swiping fruitlessly on dating apps and petitioned local government officials last year to help her find a husband. First, the bureaucrats had a few questions. Adachi filled out an online form and booked an in-person appointment at the Saitama Rendezvous Support Center. She presented her photo ID to an official to verify her identity and dug out her tax document as proof of income. Adachi went to another office, to obtain a document showing she was indeed single. I wasnt bothered," said Adachi of the government rigmarole. She dreaded meeting one more man whose photo on the dating app looked better than the guy did in person. Japan makes plenty of cars but not enough babies. The nations population has been falling since its peak in 2008, falling by more than 800,000 a year. If radical action isnt taken, Japan (and many other countries) will disappear!" Elon Musk posted in alarm on X in June. Because married couples produce 98% of the babies in Japan, local governments have added matchmaking to their list of public services. It cost Adachi about $100 for a two-year plan. She didnt need that long. Adachi met a man her age. She said she wasnt impressed by his photo, but Ri Adachi had a solid job as a systems engineer. They had lunch and took a long walk through a park. He liked her cheerful smile, and she liked his easygoing conversation. Even on the first date," she said, I felt very comfortable with him." People seeking a marriage partner list their hobbies, income and location, among other details. Some local governments give a test to determine values, personal traits and behavior patterns for computerized matching. Among the sample questions: Which one would fit you better? a: I have more intelligence than most people b: I spend a good time with friends Tokyo officials will soon introduce an app employing artificial intelligence to match up singles. The planned app will require matchmaking applicants first be cleared online via camera and sign a sworn statement saying they are committed to getting married. It sounds like too much trouble," said Natsuki Tomigawa, 28, who works in the tourism business and uses commercial dating apps. What makes an app attractive is that it ought to be simple and easy to use," she said. Tokyo official Yuichi Omori, said the city puts safety first. We will get their identities exactly right," he said. In some places, making such a match has proven difficult. The city of Akitakata in western Japan has spent a decade trying to encourage marriage, yielding 59 couples. The city calculated that it spent more than $6,000 on average to shepherd each marriage. Not all of the couples had children. Some couples divorced or moved out of the city. Local governments have different rules and requirements for matchmaking services. Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, is one of the most strict. A volunteer chaperone is required to accompany prospective couples on their first date. The chaperones usually stick around for the first half-hour to help break the ice and make sure there is no funny business. Chaperones also enforce local rules: The couple are forbidden from exchanging names or phone numbers on the first date, which is limited to two hours. Later, the man and womanthere are no same-sex services offeredtell the chaperone whether or not they liked their date partner. If both did, the chaperone shares names and contact information. I tell them these are all for your safety," said Naomi Atarashi, 64, a veteran chaperone. She typically asks the couple to look at each other for three seconds and then give their impressions. Theyre usually very shy and tense," Atarashi said. They need help to start conversations." The chaperone program is among Japans most successful. Its 200 chaperones help around 100 couples tie the knot every year, about 2% of marriages in the prefecture. Its birthrate, however, hit a record low last year, in line with the national trend. Atarashi, the veteran chaperone, said people signing up for matchmaking are increasingly older and looking for a companion not to have children but to share their later years. She recently accompanied a woman in her late 40s, who had been once married. Another time, she supervised a 63-year-old man who had never married. Our initiative to tackle the low birthrate is turning into something different," Atarashi said with a sigh. Its good, though, that this will help reduce the number of elderly living alone." It wasn't the 13th but this Friday, the glitch due to a software update of a CrowdStrike product impacted millions of Windows computers and servers globally. The dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) crippled the services of airlines, brokerages, financial institutions, and even media houses worldwide, causing significant damage to businesses in terms of data loss, productivity loss, IT downtime, financial loss, and even reputation loss. Even as CrowdStrike, Microsoft, CERT-In, and cybersecurity companies put out advisories, it's fortunately an issue that can be fixed. A server hardware or software issue can cause a Blue Screen error, also known as black screen error or STOP code. This causes Windows to shut down or restart unexpectedly, displaying this message: Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer." The concept of BSoD dates back to the early days of the Microsoft Windows operating system (OS). The first version of Windows to feature a blue screen error message was Windows 1.0, released in 1985. However, it was during the era of Windows 3.0, released in 1990, that BSoD became more well-known. BSoD signifies that the computer has encountered a critical issue, often due to corrupted code or incompatible drivers, and needs to shut down to prevent further damage. The blue colour of the screen, especially the navy blue seen before Windows 10, is where it gets its name. Many causes There are several reasons a blue screen might occur. Common causes include corrupted random access memory (RAM), virus infections, driver incompatibility, other software errors, and sometimes even overheating. Hardware issues such as faulty memory modules or defective video cards can also trigger a blue screen, and so can driver updates for graphics cards or other hardware components. One of the most infamous BSoD incidents occurred during a live demonstration by Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates at the 1998 COMDEX (Computer Dealers' Exhibition). Gates was showcasing the new plug-and-play features of Windows 98 when the system suddenly crashed, displaying a BSoD. Another notable BSoD incident happened in 2007 during a presentation by Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer, when a Windows XP system crashed. These public failures highlighted the stability issues of the Windows operating system at the time. The Windows 10 Anniversary Update in 2016, too, caused many users to experience repeated BSoDs and system instability. Ironically, CrowdStrike's endpoint detection and response (EDR) product is aimed at protecting endpoints such as desktops and servers, which explains why the error is very unlike a cyberattack that one plans to safeguard against. In other words, it's akin to your bodyguard attacking you by mistake. And, of course, in the context of Friday's incident, we are referring to updates on servers and not individual user updates. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website," CrowdStrike said on its website. Omer Grossman, CIO at CyberArk, an identity security company, said it's important to figure out how to get customers back online and regain continuity of business processes. He explained that since the endpoints have crashed - the Blue Screen of Death - they cannot be updated remotely and this problem must be solved manually, endpoint by endpoint. This is expected to be a process that will take days." According to Kumar Ritesh, CEO and founder of cybersecurity firm CYFIRMA, such incidents underscore the importance of rigorous compatibility testing between security solutions and OS updates to prevent widespread disruptions. "Before deploying any security update or software patch, create a testing environment that mirrors production systems. Test the update thoroughly in this environment to identify any compatibility issues or unexpected behaviour. Avoid deploying updates across all systems simultaneously. Instead, roll them out gradually to a subset of machines. Monitor these systems closely for any adverse effects. If everything looks good, proceed with a wider rollout," he advises. Ways to fix a blue screen of death To fix a BSoD, you need to restart your computer in the safe mode and uninstall any recently added drivers or applications (in today's case, the CrowdStrike update file). You then need to run diagnostic tests on your hardware components to identify and replace any faulty parts. Additionally, scanning your system with antivirus software can help detect and remove potential infections that might be causing the problem. According to Lenovo, blue screens come in various types, each indicating a different issue. For example, "STOP Error 0x7B" points to corrupt registry files, "STOP Error 0x50" occurs when there is insufficient RAM, "STOP Error 0x0000007F" is due to incompatible drivers, and "STOP Error 0xc000021a" happens when programmes fail to respond correctly during execution. And if you encounter a white screen instead of a blue one, it usually means there was a problem loading the OS kernel into memory during boot-up. This issue often requires deeper diagnostic investigation to determine the cause and find the appropriate solution. According Malwarebytes, to stop Windows from automatically restarting after a blue screen error, type "System Properties" in the Windows 10 search bar and press Enter. In the System Properties window, go to the Advanced tab and locate Startup and Recovery. Click on Settings, then uncheck the Automatically restart option under System Failure. In this section, you can also adjust how Windows logs system failure events. Technical teams have been working to address the issue by following CrowdStrike's mitigation guidelines, and businesses have started reporting that their systems are up and running again. CrowdStrike acknowledged the issue in a recent support page where it stated that the recent crashes on Windows are related to problems with the Falcon sensor. The CrowdStrike Falcon sensor blocks attacks on your systems while capturing and recording activity as it happens to detect threats fast, according to the company's website. "CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor. Symptoms include hosts experiencing a bugcheck\blue screen error related to the Falcon Sensor. Our Engineering teams are actively working to resolve this issue and there is no need to open a support ticket," the company said. Options to consider There are other operating systems that may be less vulnerable to such disruptive glitches. The Linux OS is less prone to such critical errors. Many distributions, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian, offer user-friendly interfaces and robust performance. Switching to a Mac operating system is another alternative. MacOS, designed specifically for Apple's hardware, provides a stable and seamless user experience with less frequent system crashes. Those who need compatibility with a specific software may use a virtual machine that will allow them to run Linux alongside Windows. This approach provides the best of both worlds, offering the stability of Linux while still accessing necessary Windows applications. That said, while a Friday-like BSoD attack is unpredictable, it's important to keep your system updated with the latest Windows and software patches to ensure you have the newest security fixes and bug repairs. Update all hardware drivers regularly since outdated or incompatible drivers can cause system errors. Use reliable antivirus software to scan for and remove malware or viruses that might destabilise your system. Also, maintain sufficient disk space, as low disk space can cause system instability. Most importantly, regularly back up important data to avoid data loss in case of a system failure. By following these practices, you can reduce the likelihood of encountering a BSoD and maintain a stable computing environment. CrowdStrike, incidentally, uses a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model called Charlotte AI that, according to its website, is continuously trained on trillions of daily events and world-class threat intelligence, tuned with expert-driven context and anonymised usage. Models are transparently changed and updated, optimising the speed and accuracy of all outcomes." One wonders if Charlotte AI could prevent future glitches. For now, at least, it does not seemed to have done so. Is CrowdStrike-Microsoft outage the 'largest' in history? One of the biggest IT crashes happened early on Friday, and almost all the sectors, including the financial sector (stock market, banks and NBFCs), public transport, aviation, corporates, media broadcasting and hospitality were impacted by the global outage. Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella informed late Friday that CrowdStrike released an update that began impacting IT systems globally on July 18. "We are aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online," he posted on X. Follow Microsoft Outage Live Updates here Is this a cyberattack? How did the outage happen? Why is Microsoft in the news? What is CrowdStike? What did the Indian government say about the IT outage? And why is the "blue screen of death" trending? When will the issue be fixed? And can we call it the largest" IT outage in history? Here's all you need to know about the global outage on July 19. Was this Microsoft outage the biggest in history? Cybersecurity researcher Troy Hunt said in a post on X, "I don't think it's too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history" He was quoted by CNBC as saying, "Ongoing tech disruption is set to be the largest IT outage in history." Meanwhile, an opinion piece on Sky news.com read, It's possible we are looking at the largest IT outage in history." What's the reason behind one of the biggest IT outages: Cyber attack or...? "This is not a security incident or cyberattack," CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz clarified on Friday. He said there was "a defect found in a single content update for [Microsoft] Windows hosts". Crowdstrike acknowledged the issue on its support page, attributing it to its "Falcon n sensor." The issue impacted computers running the Windows operating system and CrowdStrike software. Kurtz told NBC's Today Show in the US that the problem was down to a bug in a single update. As per the Guardian, he said there had been a "negative interaction" between the update and Microsoft's operating system, which had then caused computers to crash, sparking the global outage, which remains ongoing. The founder and chief executive of the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike wrote on X, "Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted...The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed." The global tech outage was tied to Microsoft's Azure cloud platform and the software issue at CrowdStrike. View Full Image What, when and how of Microsoft global outage. (PTI) What is CrowdStrike? Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike offers cloud-based security solutions to businesses. The company's social media account's bio read, "The first cloud-native platform that protects endpoints and cloud workloads, identity & data." Its Falcon tool - one of the reasons for Friday's outage - identifies unusual behaviour and vulnerabilities to protect computer systems from threats such as malware. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Austin, Texas. It operates in more than 170 countries and employed more than 7,900 people as of January, Reuters reported. The US accounted for nearly 70 per cent of the more than $900 million in revenue it reported for the quarter ended April. How is Microsoft linked with the global outage? The recent update to CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor software led to an issue with Microsoft Windows 365 Cloud PCs. CrowdStrike's "Falcon Sensor" software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, according to an alert sent by CrowdStrike earlier to its clients and reviewed by Reuters. Microsoft said it had fixed the underlying cause for the outage of its 365 apps and services including Teams and OneDrive, but residual impact affected some services. As stated in the previous question, the issue stemmed from a defect found in a single content update for Microsoft Windows hosts, Kurtz said, adding Mac and Linux hosts were not impacted by the issue. What is 'Blue Screen of Death'? As Microsoft Windows crashed for several users across the world, their computer/laptop screens turned blue with a message from Microsoft. Reacting to this, social media flooded with memes with people calling it "Blue screen of death" (BSoD). How to fix your blue screen? In order to get rid of the Blue Screen error, one must boot their windows into safe mode or Windows recovery environment. Here's how to do it: 2) Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory 3) Find the file with the name "C-00000291*.sys" and delete it 4) Boot your windows normally When will Microsoft outage be fixed? Chief Information Officer at identity security firm CyberArk, Omer Grossman, told Reuters that even with the fix being implemented by CrowdStrike, some of the problems caused will likely take time to fix. He said the reason for this is that the problem has to do with Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) products that run on individual client computers. "It turns out that because the endpoints have crashed the Blue Screen of Death they cannot be updated remotely and the problem must be solved manually, endpoint by endpoint. This is expected to be a process that will take days," Grossman was quoted by CBS News as saying. What did the Indian govt say? Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology, posted on X that the ministry is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage. "The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue," he added. He further stated that the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) is issuing a technical advisory. He added that the National Informatics Centre (NIC) "network is not affected". Microsoft outage: What risks does it pose? Experts said the cyber outage revealed the risks of an increasingly online world. It being said that governments and businesses alike have become increasingly dependent on a handful of interconnected technology companies over the past two decades, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To protect their computer networks from being breached by hackers, many businesses use a cybersecurity product known as Endpoint Detection and Response, or EDR, which runs in the background of corporate machines, or "endpoints". Firms like CrowdStrike are able to use their EDR products as early warning systems for potential digital attacks, scan for viruses, and prevent hackers from gaining unauthorised access to corporate networks. But, in this case, something in CrowdStrike's code is conflicting with something in the code that makes Windows work, and causing those systems to crash, even after rebooting. "With the move to the cloud and with companies like CrowdStrike owning huge market shares, their software is running on millions of computers around the world," said Card. Microsoft outage: What services were impacted? 1. In India, shares of stock broking firms, including Angel One and 5paisa Capital, declined on Friday as several traders faced operational disruptions. Meanwhile, bankers from Hong Kong and Dubai to South Africa and London were caught up in the global IT outage, leaving some unable to log on to computer systems and hobbling others from making trades. 2. Airports and airlines around the globe warned of delays and cancellations or switched to manual check-in, with some halting flights. In India, IndiGo cancelled over 200 flights, while other airlines such as SpiceJet, Air India, Air India Express and Vistara issued advisories to the passengers. 3. The financial sector across the globe was also severely impacted. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said the outage in Microsoft Services impacted 10 banks and NBFCs with minor disruptions, which have either been resolved or are being resolved. "Critical systems of most banks are not in cloud and further, only a few banks are using the CrowdStrike tool. Our assessment shows that only 10 banks and NBFCs had minor disruptions which have either been resolved or are being resolved," the RBI said in a statement. 4. Health systems around the world cancelled procedures and resorted to using handwritten records, Bloomberg reported. England's National Health Service (NHS) said bookings of doctors' appointments and patient records were disrupted, but emergency services had not been affected. 5. Britain's Sky News resumed broadcasting after an hours-long outage, but operating at minimal capacity and without many of its usual services. Meanwhile, Australia's state broadcaster ABC said it was experiencing a "major network outage", without giving a reason. ANGEL ONE More Information Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. 3.6 Crore Indians visited in a single day choosing us as India's undisputed platform for General Election Results. Explore the latest updates here! In an unprecedented IT debacle, a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. has triggered widespread disruptions across Microsoft Windows systems worldwide. The malfunction has led to significant interruptions in various sectors, affecting financial institutions in Hong Kong, healthcare services in the UK, and aviation operations in India. The malfunction, first identified several hours ago, prompted an immediate response from both CrowdStrike and Microsoft Corp., which have since released patches to address the problem. Here are key points on the issue: Satya Nadella reacts to disruption Microsoft Chairman and CEO took to X (formerly Twitter) to acknowledge the issue, stating, CrowdStrikes recent update has had a global impact on IT systems. We are actively collaborating with CrowdStrike and industry partners to guide our customers through the recovery process and restore their systems securely." CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. announces manual reboot to tackle issue CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. announced that all Windows computers impacted by a global IT failure will need a manual reboot, reported Bloomberg. CEO George Kurtz explained in a CNBC interview that the issue stemmed from a content bug or update, which has since been rolled back, as per the wire. He apologized to customers, noting that while some systems might take a few hours to come back online, others could take longer. Kurtz also mentioned potential manual steps required and the company's efforts to automate those steps. CrowdStrike's technical support team, in a communication reviewed by Bloomberg News, stated that affected systems might need up to 15 reboots. Airlines disrupted across the globe Airport hubs from Berlin to Delhi faced significant delays, cancellations, and stranded passengers on an unusually busy travel day. FlightAware reported over 21,000 global flight delays. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines began to resume flights on Friday, but disruptions might persist for several days due to the peak travel season. Additionally, American Airlines and Spirit Airlines, along with other US carriers, had temporarily halted flights, as noted by the Federal Aviation Administration. Healthcare collapsed The disruptions also affected critical infrastructure, including emergency services. According to Bloomberg, doctors at the UK's National Health Service were unable to access scans, blood tests, and patient histories. Both Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and Boston's Mass General Brigham reported that the CrowdStrike issue was impacting patient care. European hospitals had to close clinics and cancel procedures as a result. Additionally, New York's 911 and emergency systems were disrupted. The state's chief cyber officer mentioned that repairs were in progress, but there was no estimate for when services would be fully restored. In New Hampshire, emergency 911 services have resumed after a malfunction that allowed operators to see incoming calls but prevented them from answering. How India responded to Microsoft services' failure As per ANI, the global outage in Microsoft's cloud services has also caused significant disruptions in flight operations, banking, financial services, and hospitals in India as well. The flight operations were heavily affected, with numerous cancellations and handwritten boarding passes issued. The Civil Aviation Ministry is working to alleviate passenger issues with manual procedures. While the Reserve Bank of India reported only minor disruptions in banking, hospitals also experienced interruptions, switching to manual processes temporarily. Authorities are addressing the situation and ensuring services return to normal as quickly as possible. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. 3.6 Crore Indians visited in a single day choosing us as India's undisputed platform for General Election Results. Explore the latest updates here! A widespread Windows bug has left systems of thousands of users around the world in 'recovery' mode, displaying a blue screen along with an error message in what is commonly referred to as the 'Blue Screen of Death' bug. The problem has reportedly affected airports, government offices, media houses, businesses and even emergency services. Also Read | Microsoft Outage Live Updates: Banks, 911 services, airlines affected due to global outrage Users on social media are sharing screenshots of their PCs showing up a blue screen with the message, It looks like Windows didnt load correctly. If youd like to restart and try again, choose Restart my PC below." Why is there a Blue Screen error on your Windows? According to an official Microsoft blog post, blue screen errors occur when there are serious problems that cause Windows to shut down or restart immediately. These errors can be caused by either software or hardware problems. In this case, however, Crowdstrike has admitted that the problem in Windows is due to an update it rolled out on Friday. In a statement on its support page, the company said its engineering teams were working to resolve the issue. Also Read | Blue screen of death: Windows users face massive outage after new Crowdstrike update. All you need to know The company stated, "CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor Symptoms include hosts experiencing a bugcheck\blue screen error related to the Falcon Sensor. Our Engineering teams are actively working to resolve this issue and there is no need to open a support ticket," the company added Moreover, according to an update posted on the Crowdstrike sub-reddit, the engineering team at CrowdStrike has now identified a way to revert the changes brought in by the update. How to stop Blue Screen error on Windows? In order to get rid of Blue Screen error, Boot your windows into Safe mode or Windows recovery environment. 2) Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory 3) Find the file with the name C-00000291*.sys" and delete it 4) Boot your windows normally Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. 3.6 Crore Indians visited in a single day choosing us as India's undisputed platform for General Election Results. Explore the latest updates here! Thousands of free pet beds to be given away UPDATE: Two children among several injured in single-vehicle crash at I-75 welcome center USE ARROWS OR NEXT BUTTON TO SEE MORE Visual Artist and writer Ciara Tuite has brought a blast of colour and poetic words to the wonderful OPW building, The Cowshed Theatre at the Farmleigh Estate, Dublin with her new multidisciplinary solo show. She is delighted to bring her abstract works to the capital city, which was successfully launched on Saturday, July 6 by Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, Donna Cooney. This exhibition highlights Ciara's journey toward minimalism and letting go of the attachment and preciousness towards certain mnemonic objects in our lives that often weigh us down despite their happy memories. The show invites us all to explore the transformative power in 'letting go', to potentially make space for what is more important - connecting to nature, the self and the present moment. Ciara is a former artist in residence at Abbey Road Studio, Luan gallery, Athlone, Co Westmeath and recently joined as the new artist in resident with Engage Longford Studios which she is excited to be part of within her home county. Her extensive travels and background in various disciplines has resulted in a multidisciplinary approach seen in her use of poetic text, installations and paintings. The work is defined by bright colours and gestural strokes which is evident around the space. As an artist, Ciara is conscious of sustainability as she investigates the idea of becoming more minimal. She is continuing to highlight the recurrent theme in her work of 'body memory', prompting us to remember when we were more minimal beings, lighter in 'stuff ', yet richer in spirit. Ironically, Ciara uses rock as the material to represent the lightness of our being due to high energy quartz content. Perhaps some of you can resonate with grinding two quartz rocks against each other to create the wonderful triboluminescence spark. Also, rock has been used for thousands of years as a way of visual storytelling through rock art / cave art. It is evident through the creative energy of Ciara's works that she is referencing back to ancient symbols, inherent mark-making, and perhaps the celtic spirit within us all. READ NEXT: Killashee cemetery committee formed following a very well attended Longford public meeting People will resonate with the universal themes in this engaging display of art. Most houses in Ireland have an attic or a cupboard full of childhood memorabilia and personal artefacts. Ciara invites us to ask the question in one of her many intereesting quotes - "If Attics had Glass Floors would we keep all the Stuff?". Regardless of the answer, I am sure everyone and the world at large could welcome more light and colour in their lives and that is what Ciara has achieved with this exhibition. It is her intention to spark a dialogue and encourage people to leave here feeling both reflective and light hearted. "It is quite touching to see how people resonate with the paintings and words and to hear their personal stories about the often overwhelming task of clearing out the attic of perhaps a deceased relative, deciding 'what to keep' and 'what to throw', trying to find that balance. It seems to be a familiar story for so many." 'Heavy Stuff, Light Us' is a breath of fresh air as the artist uses visual art to highlight the relevant topic of 'letting go' and reconnecting back to the Now and Nature. The show is in its final week and not to be missed. The exhibition runs from until Sunday, July 28. Weds - Sun: 11-5pm For more information: @cicituite www.ciaratuite.com tuiteciara@gmail.com A tourist who was struck at least three times with a machete during a savage attack in Dublin city centre was lucky he didnt bleed to death, a court has heard. The visitor who had just arrived from France was set upon by a group of men, one of whom called him a f**king immigrant, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. John Hogan (33) was sentenced to five and a half years in prison by Judge Martin Nolan, who described the attack as particularly savage. Hogan, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm on Talbot Street, Dublin 1, on November 26 last. He further admitted to producing a machete on the same occasion. Passing sentence this Thursday, Judge Nolan set a headline sentence of eight years and said the assault was at the higher end of the scale for this type of offence. This man was minding his own business when he was jostled and struck several times with a machete, a serious lethal-type weapon. He lost a lot of blood, and he lost consciousness. He could have bled to death. Luckily, no vital artery or vein was lacerated, said the judge. Judge Nolan said if the victim had died, the level of intention for a case of murder would have been satisfied. You certainly intended to cause him serious harm. They were forceful strokes, cutting into the leg and towards the bone, said the judge, addressing Hogan. Judge Nolan added that the victim had been properly terrified and was now living with this trauma. I suspect he wont come to this country again, said the judge. The victim, originally from Moldova but living in Paris for the last 17 years, had come to Ireland that morning for the weekend to meet a friend who had travelled from Amsterdam. Garda Sean Dineen told Aoife OLeary BL, prosecuting, that the two friends became separated, and the victim found himself on Talbot Street at around 9pm. He went to a shop to buy a bottle of water and stepped aside to let a group of men pass, who had been shouting at different people on the street. The victim later told gardai that the group backed him against a wall, surrounding him, and that one of them hit him with a blade. He said it happened very fast but he kept his hands down and tried to calm things down, speaking at first in French and then English to say he was a tourist, the court heard. One of the men shouted that he was a fucking immigrant and called out to Hogan, who attacked the victim with the machete. The victim described the machete as being like a sword, though wider and shorter, over 40cm long and very shiny and polished. Ive never seen anything sharper, he told gardai. The man was scared for his life and could feel his shoes filling with blood; he knew he needed help immediately before he would lose consciousness. He blacked out and awoke to find paramedics trying to revive him before he was brought by ambulance to the Mater Hospital. Three separate clips of CCTV footage were played in court showing the attack from different angles, including from overhead. The man required surgery to close and clean two deep wounds on his right leg and spent several days in hospital, the court heard. He declined to submit a victim impact statement but told gardai he was still going through trauma and worried whether he would ever feel safe again. Travel had been a hobby for the victim, the court heard; he used to travel extensively throughout Europe but felt this had now been taken from him. He did not know if he would travel again. Hogan was identified from the CCTV footage but said nothing of evidential value during interview. The machete was recovered from a city centre hostel. Hogan has 29 previous convictions from the District Court, including several for possession of knives, theft and public order offences. John Moher BL, defending, said it was clear from the footage that it was a horrific attack and that little or nothing could be said in mitigation. Counsel said Hogan had written a letter of apology, which would be cold comfort to the injured party. The court heard that Hogan has a history of addiction to alcohol and drugs but has undergone counselling. Mr Moher said that when Hogan was stable, he engaged in voluntary work. Hogan a good work history as a bricklayer and a driver for a large supermarket chain, the court heard. He also has five children aged between three and 15. The sentence was backdated to December 30, 2023, when Hogan went into custody on this offence. An e-scooter warning issued by An Garda Siochana has sparked backlash online from the public. A Garda spokesperson posted a photo of an e-scooter with a saddle on the official Garda Traffic X (formerly Twitter) account yesterday evening (July 18), prompting over 100 people to comment. The post reads, "Some might think that adding this little nifty seat to an e-scooter is innovative, but it's illegal. Gardai in Santry have issued its rider with an on the spot fine. Since May there are new laws on the use of e-scooters so get up to speed." Irish X users published dozens of angry comments under the post, with many demanding to know why saddles are illegal to use, and others taking the opportunity to criticise Gardai for their handling of the Coolock protests. A number of arrests have been made amid continuing protests in North Dublin, which have taken place in opposition to a government plan to house up to 500 International Protection Applicants (IPAs) at a site in the area. One X user commented, "The place is falling apart lads and this is your achievement for today." Another person wrote, "I support the regulation of e-scooters, but this is a rubbish catch. Having the seat harms nobody." Another commented, "Im convinced this is a parody account. It cant be real, can it?? The country is awash with violent criminals, and the official account of our national police force is posting about [sic] saddles. Father Ted type stuff." "Well done on enforcing this new absolute stupid law. While not enforcing other more important and serious offences. All that training was not wasted," another commented. Others pointed out the Garda car in the posted photo is illegally parked on a footpath. According to traffic regulations, no parking on a footpath (either partly or wholly) is permitted as it can impede disabled people and pedestrians who have to step onto the street to get past. One person commented, "Ahem, there are old laws on parking on footpaths so get up to speed yourselves." Another wrote, "Meanwhile you park the marked Garda vehicle partially on the footpath." Many commenters referenced the Coolock protests when commenting, with several X users calling Gardai "traitors" and "embarrassing", while others used more colourful language. One person wrote, "I have nothing but disdain for An Garda Siochana now." However, not everyone was unhappy with the e-scooter rider being fined. Some X users called for more enforcement of the new laws, with one person commenting, "Enforce the law. Sick of this. I saw 50 of these this week, folks going super fast. Also from cars, illegal parking everywhere. No tax or insurance disks (expired). Mobile phone use. Stop being weak and pathetic. Its not the law if its not enforced." A fire has broken out at a former factory in north Dublin following a protest over the site being earmarked to house asylum seekers. A crowd of more than 1,000 people attended the protest at the former Crown Paints factory in Coolock which witnessed violent disorder this week. Gardai have stated: "No injuries have been reported. "A section of the Malahide Road, Coolock is currently closed in both directions. Motorists are advised to use an alternative route if travelling in this area." Earlier, Taoiseach Simon Harris warned that anyone who engages in thuggery and breaks the law while taking part in protests at Coolock will face the full rigour of the law. Speaking in Donegal, he said: In relation to protest, anybody in Ireland is legitimately entitled to protest, it is a key tenet of our democracy and it is something I would always support the right that people have to protest. But I have to say what we have seen in recent days has not been that. What we have seen in recent days has been an attempt by a relatively small number of people to engage in lawlessness, to engage in thuggery and to engage in criminal activity. That is why there have been several arrests, it is why more than 19 people appeared before the courts in recent days. It is why a number of people have now been charged with criminal offences. The government needs to do more to tackle the rise in road deaths in Ireland, Taoiseach Simon Harris has said. Mr Harris has suggested examining the roles and functions of the Road Safety Authority as one of the steps that might be considered. The Taoiseach raised the issue during a visit to Donegal on Friday. A man and a woman aged in their 70s died in a car crash in the county on Wednesday. Mr Harris said: It has been a very bleak number of days on Irish roads with a number of fatalities including here in this county. I must reiterate my real concern in terms of the rising number of fatalities we are seeing on Irish roads. We were making good progress as a country when it came to road safety and a reduction in the number of road fatalities and I really do think now that all of us an individual motorists obviously need to reflect on the actions that we can take as we go about our activities during the course of this weekend. Of course our hearts go out to all of the families who have been impacted, who have lost loved ones in recent days. He added: From a policy point of view the government is giving consideration to what more we can do. The Road Safety Authority has done an excellent job over several years, do we now need to examine its roles and functions? Do we need to look at the supports, resources and empowerments that we give to the Road Safety Authority? I certainly believe we are at a moment now that more needs to be done when it comes to road safety and of course that involves government doing more. But it also obviously involves each and every one of us reflecting on what we can all do in our own individual lives. Local News By Chris Boyle Published: July 19 2024 The Lantern Award showcases the emergency departments accomplishments in incorporating evidence-based practice and innovation into emergency care. The Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) Emergency Department has been selected as a recipient of the Emergency Nurses Associations (ENA) 2024 Lantern Award for demonstrating excellence in leadership, practice, education, advocacy and research performance. The Lantern Award showcases our emergency departments accomplishments in incorporating evidence-based practice and innovation into emergency care. As part of the application, Emergency Departments are encouraged to share stories that highlight a commitment to patient care, as well as the well-being of nursing staff. The award serves as a visible symbol of its commitment to quality, safety and a healthy work environment. I am proud of our team of nurses who play a central role in delivering Stony Brook University Hospitals high-quality care, said Carolyn Santora, MS, RN, Chief Nursing Officer and Chief of Regulatory Affairs at Stony Brook University Hospital. The patients that receive treatment at our hospital can expect to experience the highest level of nursing care delivered by the exceptional group of nurses that walk our halls. As a recipient, SBUH will be recognized in upcoming ENA publications, on the ENA website and during Emergency Nursing 2024, the associations annual conference in Las Vegas, September 4-7. For more information on this years Lantern Award recipients, visit the Emergency Nurses Association website. About Stony Brook University Hospital: Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) is Long Islands premier academic health center. With 624 beds, SBUH serves as the regions only tertiary care center and Regional Trauma Center, and is home to the Stony Brook University Heart Institute, Stony Brook University Cancer Center, Stony Brook Childrens Hospital and Stony Brook University Neurosciences Institute. SBUH also encompasses Suffolk Countys only Level 4 Regional Perinatal Center, state-designated AIDS Center, state-designated Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, state-designated Burn Center, the Christopher Pendergast ALS Center of Excellence, and Kidney Transplant Center. It is home of the nations first Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookmedicine.edu / sbuh . About the Emergency Nurses Association: The Emergency Nurses Association is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With nearly 50,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines and guides emergency health care public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree delivers a statement during a mass protest on May 24, 2024, in Sanaa, Yemen. (Photo by Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images) A drone launched by the Houthis in Yemen struck a building in central Tel Aviv Friday morning, killing a civilian and wounding at least 10 others. The Houthis later published a statement acknowledging responsibility for launching a military operation against Tel Aviv using a previously unknown drone called Yafa. The UAV force of the Yemeni Armed Forces, with the help of Allah the Almighty, carried out a specific military operation, which consisted of targeting one of the important targets in the occupied Jaffa region, what is now called Israeli Tel Aviv, said Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree. An initial Israeli investigation of the attack suggests that a large, explosives-laden, long-range UAV caused the blast, an Israeli military official stated in a briefing attended by FDDs Long War Journal. Furthermore, Israeli defense systems were not activated, possibly due to human error. The official noted that defense systems had downed a UAV on its eastern border earlier that night. Notably, the Houthis claimed to possess a drone capable of reaching Tel Aviv (approximately 1,730 miles from Sanaa) and defeating defensive measures. The operation was carried out with a new drone called Yafa, which is capable of bypassing the enemys interception systems and undetectable by radars, said the Houthi statement. While very little is known about the Yafa drone, respected analyst Fabian Hinz has detailed some possibilities regarding its specifications on X. The attack on Tel Aviv should not come as a surprise, at least to analysts and Israeli intelligence. The Houthis have published claims throughout the nine-month war that they have attempted to hit targets on Israels Mediterranean coast. However, no evidence to support their claims was ever published, leading to speculation that the assertions made by the group were exaggerated. Undoubtedly, the attack on Tel Aviv is a significant operation for the Houthis and its partners in the Iran-led Resistance Axis. Only a few actors in the Middle East have the capability to attack Tel Aviv with a drone. Furthermore, Israel has refrained from attacking the Houthis during the war in Gaza despite repeated attempts by the group to strike the Jewish state. Still, an attack on a major Israeli city that resulted in the death of a civilian and the wounding of others will likely compel Israel to respond. Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle East. Bank of America's "Erica" is awfully busy, handling millions of interactions with customers. Erica is the name of Bank of America's virtual financial assistant, engaging with the bank's customers 2 million times per day. It is an indication of how significant artificial intelligence has become to everyday banking operations. Ted Janicki, Bank of America's Buffalo market president, said AI isn't here to phase out the bank's workforce, which includes 570 people locally. Instead, Janicki sees AI as a way for Bank of America to serve its clients more efficiently and create opportunities for productive follow-up meetings with its employees. "Technology cannot replace the human touch," he said at a recent Buffalo Niagara Partnership presentation. "At the same time, with all these digital investments, we have to significantly invest in AI and machine learning and business intelligence to better understand what an individual's financial preferences are." Bank of America introduced Erica to consumer customers six years ago, and later expanded the service to business customers. "We've had 2 billion interactions with Erica since 2018, and every single year, the interactions with that AI platform have been up 15% or more," Janicki said. Erica has "evolved" since its introduction with the bank's app, when the virtual assistant was used to handle routine requests that were taking up employees' time, including ordering checks, reviewing balances and transferring funds. "We started looking at the data of what people were asking Erica, and she started learning, and we started providing information to her that would allow her to answer more complex (questions)," Janicki said. For instance, a customer might ask Erica if it is a good time to buy a commercial building. Erica will answer and then invite the customer to fill out an online application or talk to an expert. "Almost 61% of the time that there's a complex interaction with Erica, the end game is, they want to speak to an expert at the bank," Janicki said. "They're not facilitating a sale or the opening of something online." Customer traffic at Bank of America branches has plunged as it has at many banks' branches since the pandemic, with customers conducting more transactions digitally. Even so, Bank of America is investing more than $330 million into refreshing the interior and exterior of its branches, including its 17 locations in the Buffalo area. "We're seeing folks come into branches, not for transactions, but to buy a home, buy a car, talk about small business lending," he said. "The amount of revenue that has increased because of that is why we're making that investment." Janicki said it is crucial for banks to have the tech tools customers expect. "We want to grow market share," Janicki said. "There's a lot of room to grow, and I think the way that people are going to begin to choose banks is, 'How easily can I do business with you?' but then, 'How good is the advice I get when I interact with you?' " Janicki also touched on some other banking topics: Wages. Bank of America pays its employees a minimum wage of $24 an hour, a figure that will rise to $25 per hour by 2025. "It's helping us attract talent, but what's really driving a lot of that, too, is really the benefits package," Janicki said. Cybersecurity. IT security is a critical expenditure for Bank of America, Janicki said. "In order for us to grow market share and for our customers to actually believe in us, they have to feel safe," he said. It is not just hacking attempts Bank of America worries about fending off. Another major threat is from fraudsters posting as Bank of America employees, contacting clients and "getting them to do things because they think they're from us," Janicki said. "That is a much more challenging piece to cover," he said. "We've begun leveraging client data by using AI," Janicki said. "No, ChatGPT is not going to replace a banker. No, we're not using AI to provide advice to clients by typing it in a model. But AI is an important investment, because it helps to support the advice our clients want." Want to know more? Three stories to catch you up: THE LATEST Kaleida Health and Catholic Health System are in line for nearly $140 million in federal funding. Construction, manufacturing, health services drive Buffalo Niagara job growth. KeyBank chairman and CEO Chris Gorman downplayed Key's prospects for buying another bank anytime soon. Take a closer look at the construction work going on at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Park. The SUNY chancellor discussed artificial intelligence initiatives at UB. The much-anticipated bridge for Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Park has arrived. A crane at the Buffalo Bills stadium construction site was struck by lightning and damaged during last week's storm. The owner of a Tonawanda cannabis company criticized the state's pot regulators. Days later, inspectors showed up. The owner says it was retaliation. More homes are going up for sale across the country but not here. A Niagara County manufacturer was about to be evicted, so it bought its building. A warehouse project at a long-stagnant Lancaster industrial park is getting tax breaks. A Canadian company that makes natural supplements plans to expand in Sanborn. The state is loosening its tight restrictions on cannabis marketing. How a Williamsville apartment project illustrates the tight financial line for development. Iskalo seeks tax breaks for Brewery Hill apartment project in Williamsville. ICYMI Five reads from Buffalo Next: 1. Amazon is starting to build a huge distribution facility in Niagara County. It will look a lot like this one in Rochester. 2. A former 43North winner aims to be a cut above the rest. 3. Imagine turning a truck bed cover into a mobile solar power producer. Worksport is developing that technology. 4. Semiconductor focus could boost manufacturing, tech job growth in WNY. 5. Inside Clarence's new million-dollar home development. The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the regions economic revitalization. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com or reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435. To celebrate National Ice Cream Day, which falls on Sunday, July 21, many ice cream businesses and chains in the Bay State are offering discounts and free sweets to customers. See where you can partake in enjoying the holiday. The Massachusetts-based family eatery is celebrating itself and National Ice Cream Day with cheap deals. Friendlys 2024 Founders Day is celebrating 89 years of business since opening its first restaurant in 1935. Through July 21, customers can get a single-scoop cone for 89 cents in honor of its 89th anniversary and National Ice Cream Day, the restaurant said in a release. The offer is available at any Friendlys nationwide. Any member who joins the Friendlys Fan Club in July, National Ice Cream Month, will receive a Fribble for $2 for the entire month of July. WNDR Boston, an immersive museum, is serving free scoops of J.P. Licks ice cream and sorbet Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m., or while supplies last, in honor of the holiday, the businesses announced on Instagram. Flavors include vanilla, chocolate and mango sorbet and will be served at 500 Washington St. in Boston. Find one of 17 Massachusetts locations here. Dairy Queen is offering its rewards members a one-day free perk for July 21. The Dilly Bar will be available for free with any DQ rewards order of $1 or more, at participating U.S. locations where Dilly Bars are available. Find one of 32 Massachusetts locations here. The Massachusetts creamery is celebrating by giving away three $25 gift cards to customers. To enter, guests will have to comment which New City Microcreamery scoop shop theyll be visiting on National Ice Cream Day and tag who theyre celebrating with. Enter here. Shops are located in Cambridge, Hudson and Sudbury. The business also encouraged customers to try out their specials: Unicorn Milkshake, Big Bad PB Brownie Sundae and Inside-Out Smores Ice Cream Sandwich. Guests will get a free ice cream with a purchase for National Ice Cream Day from Friday through Sunday. The deal is valid for two scoops of ice cream in a cup with any purchase in-store and online/in-app for delivery orders only, the business said on its Instagram. The deal excludes online/in-app local pickup orders. Customers must mention the deal in-store or add deal to cart online/in-app, prior to checkout to redeem. There are three Insomnia bakeries in Boston, and one in Amherst, Cambridge and Worcester. Although not falling on Sunday, the burger chain is offering deals on Friday for shakes. Guests can partake in Shake Happy Hour at Smashburger on Friday between 2 to 5 p.m. Use the code SHAKES24 for online pick up orders or mention the offer to a cashier for in-store redemption. Smashburger has restaurants in Attleboro, Boston, Medford, Natick and Westwood. For Cold Stone Club rewards members, members can get $5 off a purchase of $10 or more. The last day to earn the offer is Tuesday, July 23. Find Cold Stone Creamery locations here. The burger chain is offering rewards members a free soft-serve ice cream with any $1 purchase on National Ice Cream Day, July 21. Royal Perks members can redeem a soft serve cup or cone for 150 points instead of 250 through July 31, according to Burger Kings website. Find Burger King locations here. Netflix is producing a three-part documentary series about the death of Boston police officer John OKeefe and his then-girlfriend Karen Read, who was charged in his killing, the streaming service announced. Co-directors Danielle Johnson and Rob Miller said they were immensely privileged to be bringing this important series to a Netflix global audience, according to a statement released by Netflix on Friday. It is a case that has garnered a huge amount of public attention and has far-reaching implications, Johnson and Miller said. We are also mindful that this is a hugely sensitive case and we are determined to treat all those involved with the respect and consideration they deserve. The documentary series, which is untitled, is currently being produced by Sandpaper Films, the statement read. Netflix did not provide a release date but said it will have more updates about the series in the coming months. Norfolk County prosecutors charged Read, 44, with second-degree murder in the death of OKeefe, who was found cold to the touch and unresponsive on Jan. 29, 2022, outside of a home in Canton. Read pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash causing death. The Read murder trial started on April 29 and ended on July 1 with a hung jury. In the last two weeks, defense attorneys said theyve been contacted by some jurors who claim they reached not-guilty verdicts two of the three charges: second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash causing death. The jurors were confused by the judges instructions and they were not asked whether they reached an agreement on any of the three counts, according to affidavits submitted by the defense. On Thursday, a fifth juror who served in the murder trial came forward and confirmed with defense attorneys that the empaneled jury unanimously agreed on not guilty verdicts for two counts before the mistrial, according to a court filing. Reads attorneys are pushing to get the two counts dismissed based on the jurors statements as a second trial looms. *Trigger warning: This article discusses sexual abuse. Services and support for survivors of sexual assault can be found here. An anesthesiologist from Boston Childrens Hospital was arrested after law enforcement found several chats on his phone that contained photos and videos of child sex abuse material with children as young as infants, according to acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levys office. Christopher Sheerer, 35, of Boston, was charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, according to Levys office. Sheerer, who made his first appearance in Boston federal court on Friday, will be detained until a detention hearing on July 23, according to Levys office. Sheerer was a fellow in pediatric cardiac anesthesiology at Boston Childrens Hospital and previously a fellow in pediatric anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, the charging document stated. A federal investigation began in Baltimore regarding a member of a group on an encrypted messaging app that required users to post nude photos of children they knew, according to the acting U.S. attorney. Court records say Sheerer was later identified as that user and he posted a photo of a child he knew to gain access to the group. After law enforcement searched Sheerers home in Boston, several chats were found on his phone which contained photos and videos appearing to be child sex abuse material involving children as young as infants, Levy said. Several devices, including his phone, tablet and computer, were seized and are pending a forensic analysis. Levy said anyone with questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. A Boston police officer shot a person suspected of stealing a stolen car after they hit an officer with the car near the Forest Hills MBTA station on Thursday night, leaving the suspect in critical condition, officials said. Officers went to the station at around 7:46 p.m. on Thursday to aid in the recovery of a stolen car, Police Commissioner Michael Cox told reporters at the scene. As officers approached, the stolen car hit an officer. At that point, an officer fired his gun, hitting the driver of the stolen car. Both the officer and the driver were taken to hospitals, Cox said. The officer was in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries while the driver was in critical condition. A Connecticut man struck a Charlton police cruiser after leading officers on a pursuit out of Connecticut before his arrest in Southbridge, the Charlton Police Department announced. Nicholas Newton, 31, was charged with failure to stop for police, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, being a fugitive from justice, receiving stolen property over $1200, wanton destruction of property over $1200 and possession of a Class A substance, the department said Thursday in a statement on Facebook. At around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Massachusetts State Police notified Charlton police and other law enforcement agencies about several unsuccessful attempts to stop a vehicle in the areas of southwestern Worcester County and eastern Hampden County. Airlines, banks, hospitals and other risk-averse organizations around the world chose cybersecurity company CrowdStrike to protect their computer systems from hackers and data breaches. But all it took was one faulty CrowdStrike software update to cause global disruptions Friday that grounded flights, knocked banks and media outlets offline, and disrupted hospitals, retailers and other services. This is a function of the very homogenous technology that goes into the backbone of all of our IT infrastructure, said Gregory Falco, an assistant professor of engineering at Cornell University. What really causes this mess is that we rely on very few companies, and everybody uses the same folks, so everyone goes down at the same time. The trouble with the update issued by CrowdStrike and affecting computers running Microsofts Windows operating system was not a hacking incident or cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike, which apologized and said a fix was on the way. But it wasnt an easy fix. It required boots on the ground to remediate, said Gartner analyst Eric Grenier. The fix is working, its just a very manual process and theres no magic key to unlock it, Grenier said. I think that is probably what companies are struggling with the most here. While not everyone is a client of CrowdStrike and its platform known as Falcon, it is one of the leading cybersecurity providers, particularly in the transportation and banking sectors that have a lot at stake in keeping their computer systems working. Theyre usually risk-averse organizations that dont want something thats crazy innovative, but that can work and also cover their butts when something goes wrong. Thats what CrowdStrike is, Falco said. And theyre looking around at their colleagues in other sectors and saying, Oh, you know, this company also uses that, so Im gonna need them, too. Worrying about the fragility of a globally connected technology ecosystem is nothing new. Its what drove fears in the 1990s of a technical glitch that could cause chaos at the turn of the millennium. This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except its actually happened this time, wrote Australian cybersecurity consultant Troy Hunt on the social platform X. Across the world Friday, affected computers were showing the blue screen of death a sign that something went wrong with Microsofts Windows operating system. But whats different now is that these companies are even more entrenched, Falco said. We like to think that we have a lot of players available. But at the end of the day, the biggest companies use all the same stuff. Founded in 2011, CrowdStrike describes itself in its annual report to financial regulators as having reinvented cybersecurity for the cloud era and transformed the way cybersecurity is delivered and experienced by customers. It emphasizes its use of artificial intelligence in helping to keep pace with adversaries. The Austin, Texas-based firm is one of the more visible cybersecurity companies in the world and spends heavily on marketing, including Super Bowl ads. At cybersecurity conferences, its known for large booths displaying massive action-figure statues representing different state-sponsored hacking groups that CrowdStrike technology promises to defend against. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz is among the most highly compensated in the world, recording more than $230 million in total compensation in the last three years. Kurtz is also a driver for a CrowdStrike-sponsored car racing team. After his initial statement about the problem was criticized for lack of contrition, Kurtz apologized in a later social media post Friday and on NBCs Today Show. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said on X. Richard Stiennon, a cybersecurity industry analyst, said this was a historic mistake by CrowdStrike. This is easily the worst faux pas, technical faux pas or glitch of any security software provider ever, said Stiennon, who has tracked the cybersecurity industry for 24 years. While the problem is an easy technical fix, he said, its impact could be long lasting for some organizations. Its really, really difficult to touch millions of machines. And people are on vacation right now, so, you know, the CEO will be coming back from his trip to the Bahamas in a couple of weeks and he wont be able to use his computers. Stiennon said he did not think the outage revealed a bigger problem with the cybersecurity industry or Crowdstrike as a company. The markets are going to forgive them, the customers are going to forgive them, and this will blow over, he said. A 74-year-old man was arrested on board a JetBlue flight to Boston after prosecutors say another passenger saw him looking at disturbing photos and videos of prepubescent children, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Haydens office said. Jed Cohen, of Dartmouth, is charged with possession of child pornography, disseminating photographs of sexual or intimate parts of a child and paying for sexual conduct with a child under 18. He was arraigned on those charges in the East Boston division of Boston Municipal Court, where Judge Debra DelVecchio ordered him held on $10,000 bail with the condition that he be subject to home confinement and GPS monitoring if he is released. At around 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Massachusetts State Police learned a passenger on an inbound JetBlue flight from Nashville told the flight crew that another passenger was looking at disturbing photos and having sickening conversations over text message, according to Haydens office. According to prosecutors, the witness said Cohen began his behavior before the flight took off and spent most of the flight on his phone. The passenger saw Cohen looking at multiple photos and videos of girls ranging from toddlers to 10-year-olds and 11-year-olds, Haydens office said. Prosecutors say the passenger saw Cohen having a text message conversation on WhatsApp where he asked how old a girl was and was told she was four. He later asked how young is she and was told shes five dear, shes all you need, the witness reported, according to Haydens office. Cohen asked how much it would cost to have sex with the girl, according to the statement. A member of the flight crew also saw photos on Cohens phone, according to prosecutors. One of the photos showed a clothed girl around 10 years old with pigtails while the other was of another girl, who was a little older, naked from the waist up, Haydens office said. State Police troopers met the plane at the airport, where they spoke to Cohen, who gave investigators the passcode to open his phone, according to the statement. On Cohens phone, prosecutors say they found photos of underage girls in sheer lingerie, including a photo of a naked underage girl. Prosecutors also say a photo of a prepubescent girl performing a sex act on a man was found on the phone, to which Cohen sent a message saying I love her. Investigators also found messages with videos and photos of sex acts between men and underage girls, according to Haydens office. Prosecutors say they found a message found on Cohens phone where he asked about having sex with a 3-year-old at his condo for a fee. To call these allegations disturbing is a vast understatement. Sexual exploitation of any kind inflicts lifelong scars, and the harm increases exponentially when the victims are children. I thank this passenger for alerting the flight crew and Im grateful for the crews swift action in notifying authorities, Hayden said. Cohen will return to court on Aug. 16 for a probable cause hearing. A man was found with a stun gun, among other items, when police arrested him on suspicion that the man had exposed himself to two women in June, the Brookline Police Department announced. Darryl Breen, 68, was arrested by police on Sunday, the department said in a statement on Facebook. He is being held in custody for 20 days before his court appearance in early August. Police reviewed surveillance video from the Coolidge Corner area in Brookline where a silver pickup truck followed a woman out for a jog early on June 22, NBC 10 Boston reported. The department also received reports from two women. A man approached them and exposed himself to them pretty graphic, said Deputy Superintendent Paul Campbell of the Brookline Police Department told the news station. At around 12:07 a.m. on July 14, an officer noticed a gray Dodge Ram pick-up truck with an Oregon registration, police said. The truck was identified as a vehicle from two ongoing open and gross investigations, police said. The officer conducted a traffic stop and after the driver, Breen, showed his identification, the officer noticed it was a fake ID, police said. Believing he was the suspect in the two ongoing investigations i, the officer arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Breen was in possession of a stun gun, a BB gun and two pairs of handcuffs, police continued. After determining his identification with his fingerprints, he was found to be the subject of an arrest warrant out of Florida, police said. Information gathered determined that Breen was likely active in the area of Brookline, Allston, and Back Bay area of Boston, and we believe that there are other victims of similar incidents within the last several weeks that may have or may not have been reported to law enforcement, according to police. Those who recognize Breen and believe they may have been a victim are asked to call Brookline Police Detectives at 617-730-2244 or contact the police department within the jurisdiction where the incident occurred. As reports suggest President Joe Biden could drop out of the 2024 presidential race as soon as this weekend, most Massachusetts Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters think he should bow out, according to a new Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of these registered voters would prefer the party nominate someone other than the incumbent president, according to the poll released Friday. Of those polled, 29% said they were satisfied with Biden remaining as the nominee. Despite these numbers, 80% of Massachusetts Democrats told pollsters that they would still vote for him in a fight against the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump, according to the poll. Biden maintains a wide lead over Trump in the Bay State, leading by 18 points, 47% to 29%. That 18-point advantage ius a drop from where the race stood for Massachusetts Democrats in April, when the Suffolk/Globe poll then said Biden had a 30-point lead over Trump. Massachusetts voters of all parties gave Biden a 54% approval rating, according to the new poll. Biden has done a fabulous job and maybe he would continue to do a good job, but I think he cannot win, said Ruth Ladd, 74, an independent voter from Lexington, who supported Biden in 2020 told The Boston Globe. Ladd now wants Biden to drop out, the Globe wrote. She called Bidens June debate on CNN a disaster all around. The Suffolk/Globe poll on Biden almost mirrors an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released Wednesday, where 65% of Democrats said he should withdraw from the race and allow another candidate to be the partys nominee. In that poll, 35% of Democrats said Biden should keep running Fridays poll comes as seven Massachusetts lawmakers signed a joint statement calling on Biden to step out of the race. It was signed by state Sens. Joanne Comerford, D-Hampshire/Franklin/Worcester; Jamie Eldridge, D-Middlesex/Worcester; Paul Feeney, D-Bristol/Norfolk; Patricia Jehlen, D-2nd Middlesex; John Keenan, D-Norfolk/Plymouth; Jason Lewis, D-5th Middlesex, and Michael Moore, D-2nd Worcester. The lawmakers said now is the time for Biden to pass the torch to the next generation of Democratic leaders. We are calling for President Biden to step aside so that a different candidate can be nominated at the Democratic [National Convention] in August. Most Americans, including the majority of Democrats, now believe that President Biden is not capable of vigorously campaigning and serving as president for another four years, the statement reads. He is unable to effectively prosecute the case against Donald Trump, who represents a grave threat to the future of this country and the world. The pressure from his own party to drop out of the race could persuade Biden to drop out of the race as soon as this weekend, Axios reported Thursday. This pressure has come from several of the high echelons of the Democratic Party, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.; former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton; and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Axios wrote. On Capitol Hill, 25 House Democrats and three Senate Democrats have directly called on Biden to drop out, CBS News reported Friday. Concern stems over how Bidens presence on the ticket could drag down-ballot Democrats as they make their respective cases for election or reelection. Funds from donors have also dried up, with what is expected to be less than $25 million going to the campaign in July, the New York Times reported on Thursday. The president remains isolated at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Before his diagnosis, Biden told BET in an interview that he would reevaluate his choice to stay in the race if I had some medical condition that emerged. The Suffolk/Globe poll was conducted between Tuesday and Thursday. Its margin of error was plus or minus 5.9 percentage points among Democrats and Democratic-leaning voters. YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AP) A Russian court on Friday convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges his employer and the U.S. have rejected as a sham. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison after a secretive and rapid trial in the countrys highly politicized legal system. Gershkovich, his employer and the U.S. government vehemently denied the charges. U.S. officials and The Wall Street Journal have denounced the trial as a sham. Gershkovich, 32, was detained in March 2023 while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg and accused of spying for the U.S., and has been behind bars ever since. He was the first U.S. journalist taken into custody on espionage charges since Nicholas Daniloff in 1986, at the height of the Cold War. Gershkovichs arrest shocked foreign journalists in Russia, even though the country has enacted increasingly repressive laws on freedom of speech after sending troops into Ukraine. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. APs earlier story follows below. YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AP) Russian prosecutors on Friday sought a prison sentence of 18 years for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as his espionage trial came to an unusually swift conclusion, perhaps clearing the way for a swap between Moscow and Washington. Closing arguments took place behind closed doors at the trial, where Gershkovich did not admit any guilt, according to the courts press service. The U.S. government and publishers of The Wall Street Journal have denounced the trial in Russias highly politicized legal system as a sham. Gershkovich, 32, was arrested March 29, 2023, while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. Authorities claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was gathering secret information for the U.S. the first American journalist to be accused of espionage since the Cold War. Gershkovich was in the Sverdlovsk Regional Court for a second straight day Friday for the closed proceedings, where officials said prosecutors requested an 18-year sentence in a high-security prison. A verdict is expected later in the day, according to court officials. Unlike the trials opening on June 26 in Yekaterinburg and previous hearings in Moscow in which reporters were allowed to see Gershkovich briefly before sessions began, there was no access to the courtroom this week and he was not seen, with no explanation given. Espionage and treason cases are typically shrouded in secrecy. Russian courts convict more than 99% of defendants, and prosecutors can appeal sentences that they regard as too lenient. They even can appeal acquittals. Evans wrongful detention has been an outrage since his unjust arrest 477 days ago, and it must end now, the Journal said Thursday in a statement. Even as Russia orchestrates its shameful sham trial, we continue to do everything we can to push for Evans immediate release and to state unequivocally: Evan was doing his job as a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Bring him home now. The U.S. State Department has declared Gershkovich wrongfully detained, committing the government to assertively seek his release. Asked Friday about a possible prisoner swap involving Gershkovich, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday at the United Nations that Moscow and Washingtons special services are discussing an exchange involving Gershkovich. Russia has previously signaled the possibility of a swap, but it says a verdict would have to come first. Even after a verdict, any such deal could take months or years. State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel on Thursday declined to discuss negotiations about a possible exchange, but said: We have been clear from the get-go that Evan did nothing wrong and should not have been detained. To date, Russia has provided no evidence of a crime and has failed to justify Evans continued detention. Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted earlier this year that he would be open to swapping Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence for the 2019 killing in Berlin of a Georgian citizen of Chechen descent. Gershkovich has spent about 15 months in Moscows notorious Lefortovo Prison. The Russian Prosecutor Generals office said last month the journalist is accused of gathering secret information on orders from the CIA about Uralvagonzavod, a plant about 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Yekaterinburg that produces and repairs tanks and other military equipment. Lavrov on Wednesday reaffirmed the Kremlin claim that the government has irrefutable evidence against Gershkovich, although neither he nor any other Russian official has ever disclosed it. Gershkovichs employer and U.S. officials have dismissed the charges as bogus. Evan has never been employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy. Journalism is not a crime. And Evan should never have been detained in the first place, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said last month. Russias interpretation of what constitutes high crimes like espionage and treason is broad, with authorities often going after people who share publicly available information with foreigners and accusing them of divulging state secrets. Earlier this month, U.N. human rights experts said Russia violated international law by jailing Gershkovich and should release him immediately. Arrests of Americans are increasingly common in Russia, with nine U.S. citizens known to be detained there as tensions between the two countries have escalated over fighting in Ukraine. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused Moscow of treating human beings as bargaining chips. She singled out Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan, 53, a corporate security director from Michigan, who is serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted on spying charges that he and the U.S. denied. Editors note: This story is co-published with Arizona Luminaria, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to reporting that centers underserved communities. This project was produced with support from the Education Writers Association Reporting Fellowship program. This story was co-published with palabra, by the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, a multimedia platform dedicated to supporting independent journalists. By Beatriz Limon Erika Andiola felt invisible in the classroom. She was an immigrant child attending school in a new country. Her teachers and her classmates spoke English, a language she didnt understand. She turned everywhere for help, but went unnoticed, like she didnt exist. In 1998, at the age of 11, Erika found herself navigating Arizonas school system after emigrating with her family from Durango, Mexico, without legal documents. The language barrier made her feel isolated and insecure. I was sitting there, but I really had no business being there, because I didnt understand what was happening, she said. Erika said that she didnt find help at school: I knew I was a smart young woman. I knew I was a young woman who was capable of a lot, but oftentimes I didnt have the support I needed, when I had first arrived, to achieve my goals, she said. A 7-year-old Erika Andiola. Photo courtesy of Erika AndiolaPalabra Arizonas school system left behind immigrant children who didnt speak English and who, like Erika, did not receive assistance from the school counselors or therapists, or any other type of support. As a child, Erika also lived in fear that her family would be deported. Years later, she would experience the pain of fighting to prevent the deportation of her loved ones. Systemic racism and anti-immigrant laws in Arizona have emotionally scarred Latino students like Erika, who today represent nearly half of the states student population, from pre-K through 12th grade, according to state Department of Education data. Many of them have overcome or minimized those psychological scars through social activism. Erika went from being an intimidated child to becoming an important force in the human rights movement. She advocated for Dreamers young immigrant people who grew up in the United States without citizenship or legal status. Activism not only paved the way for her to obtain a college degree and join Bernie Sanders presidential campaign as a press secretary; it also empowered her politically and emotionally to fight for immigrants across the country. Erika grew up in Arizona at a time when the states educational and civic systems had some of the countrys harshest anti-immigrant policies. For example, Proposition 203, which eliminated national standards that ensured that students were provided with a strong level of English language learning and had access to bilingual education, had been in effect since 2000. It mandated that classes in state schools be taught exclusively in English. Once they finished high school, undocumented students like Erika had to pay out-of-state college tuition as a result of Proposition 300, which Arizona voters approved in 2006. Erika also had to live under the effects of Arizonas SB1070 law, which went into effect in 2010. Known as the show me your papers law, the policies included allowing police to ask anyone they encountered during routine stops for their legal documents showing citizenship. Under these anti-immigrant laws, Erika knew how hard it would be for her to attend college in the same way her classmates with legal status did. Her excellent grades didnt change laws, nor did her hard work in the states Advancement Via Individual Determination program, known as AVID, a nonprofit organization that supports students as they work toward personal, professional and academic goals. Despite having graduated from Arizonas public schools, Erika had to pay out-of-state tuition rates because of her lack of legal status. Unlike students who were citizens, back then, she also was barred from obtaining college scholarships funded by state and federal governments. And she was deemed ineligible for jobs to fund her own studies because she didnt have a social security number. Today, she realizes all of that left her with trauma. But back then, without help, she only knew she felt isolated and sad. Until now, as an adult, I have had to see a psychologist. I take antidepressants, she said. She continues therapy to heal past wounds, but no longer feels that fear of being persecuted and intimidated. Today, Erika is a 37-year-old with a career in psychology. Activism became her lifeline. More than two decades have passed since she arrived, and in early 2024, Erika was granted permanent residency in the United States. I feel like what happened more than 20 years ago was yesterday, Erika said, with sadness in her voice. Erika Andiola at home in Tempe, Arizona, May 2024. Photo by Ash Ponders for palabraPalabra Mutual support and cultural identity German A. Cadenas is associate professor of clinical psychology at Rutgers University in New Jersey, as well as associate director of the Center for Youth Social Emotional Wellness. He says his research demonstrates that activism is tied to mental wellbeing and better academic performance. The reason why activism can be so powerful psychologically is that it helps students find groups of other students who can offer mutual support, develop their cultural identity, analyze and create strategies for taking action that can result in systemic gains and cultivate hope and confidence in our immigrant community, he said. Cadenas and other academics conducted a study that demonstrated how immigrants engaging in activism and related critical thinking develop mechanisms for facing adversity and finding healthy solutions in life. The study found that immigrant students and those without legal status, in response to the various negative impacts of anti-immigrant policies, can develop critical awareness by participating in analysis of systems of oppressions and collective action like activism to change these circumstances. When Erika ventured into activism, she felt supported by other students who also felt isolated and depressed because they worried about their families and they couldnt continue or start their higher education. I found other young people who were going through similar things. That made a difference for me, she said. Erika Andiola, left, and other activists pose with U.S. Representative John Lewis. They visited Rep. Lewis after more than 20 activists advocating for the Dream Act, including themselves, staged a sit-in at Senator Harry Reid and John McCains offices in 2010 and were arrested for the first time while still not having a legal status in the country. Photo courtesy of Erika Andiola.Palabra In 2008, Erika began organizing alongside a group of immigrants who were getting involved in activism. They created a community in the face of Arizonas anti-immigrant laws. Erika joined forces with Carmen Cornejo, Luis Avila, Daniel Rodriguez and other migrants to share their stories. For me, honestly, it was an empowering moment, said Erika, recognizing the struggle of her fellow immigrants in Arizona. Erika became the face of an emerging force of undocumented youth who pressured then-President Barack Obama for the legal right to receive an education and work in the U.S. After multiple demonstrations that started in 2009, Erika, other members of the Arizona Dream Act Coalition and migrants across the nation succeeded in getting the Obama administration to establish the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative (DACA), in 2012. While it did not provide a path to citizenship, DACA allowed recipients to obtain work permits and drivers licenses, access health care and educational scholarships and live their lives without the emotional burden of fearing deportation. At last, together, they had found a path. Activism that improves emotional wellbeing When Reyna Montoya thinks back, she remembers the young immigrant girl who attended Arizona schools and the overwhelming sense of isolation she felt. Born in Tijuana, Mexico, Reyna immigrated to the United States with her family in 2003. She recalled that, when she first arrived, she didnt know the language, and the only support she received came from a dictionary that she used to translate her homework. I would translate word for word, she said. The support wasnt there. My parents as much as they cheered me on didnt know how to navigate the education system. Reyna Montoya, Aliento founder, at the Arizonas Future Fellowship graduation celebration in May 2024. Photo by Ash Ponders for palabraPalabra Years have passed and Reyna has learned to express how she felt as a child growing up in an anti-immigrant climate: Feeling isolated, at that time, was really hard for me. It triggered depression in me. But as a child, I couldnt tell you I was depressed, she said. Fear dominated the school environment for many immigrant children in Arizona as a result of Proposition 203, the states English-only law that eliminated bilingual education, according to an analysis by Amy Heineke, a professor of multilingual teaching and learning at the Loyola University Chicago School of Education. Heineke examined Arizonas bilingual education policies in her 2016 book Restrictive Language Policy in Practice: English Learners in Arizona. She points out that, while Arizona laws did not prohibit students from using their native tongue, language instructors could encourage teachers to punish students for speaking Spanish. At the time, the English Language Development (ELD) classes segregated students who did not speak the language from the rest of their classmates who could have supported them in learning English to the point that they were often stigmatized as the stupid class, according to Heineke. Like Erika, Reyna also experienced hardships under Arizonas SB1070. Reynas father was in deportation proceedings from September 2012 to May 2013, when she was 21. This motivated her, along with her fight for higher education for students without legal immigration status, to get involved in the struggle for immigrant rights and become an activist. In 2016, Reynas fight for equitable education led her to found Aliento, a nonprofit organization led by young people that advocates for the rights of Dreamers, immigrant families with mixed status, and those without documents. Seated at the head of the table, Reyna Montoya leads an Aliento meeting. Photo by Diego Lozano, courtesy of AlientoPalabra Reyna recalled that discussing immigration in schools was fraught: We had to live in the shadows. That fear was very real and present. And she added how it all began with the support of other young people: They just encouraged me. They told me, You speak up. It seems like you want to be a leader. That was how she discovered the power of words and the strength of community, and realized that activism boosts self-esteem. She built support networks that helped her and other students move forward. All of this was and continues to be part of her healing process, as is helping more young people so they dont feel isolated. Today, at 33, she holds a degree in political science and transborder studies with a minor in dance from Arizona State University, as well as a Master of Education from Grand Canyon University and an executive education certificate from Harvards Kennedy School of Government. Reyna gained recognition for building a strategy in 2022 that led to a broad non-partisan educational and economic coalition in favor of Proposition 308. Approved by voters that year, the law allows high school graduates without legal status who have lived in Arizona for at least two years to pay in-state tuition at universities and community colleges, overturning the 2006 law that required them to pay out-of-state tuition. Reyna recalls shedding tears of joy when they achieved changes for young immigrants seeking an education. With state tuition, which caused so much anxiety and depression in our students, we decided not to stand idly by, she said. Nearly 409,000 undocumented students are enrolled in colleges and universities in the United States, representing 1.9% of all college students in the country, according to the study Undocumented Students in Higher Education, published in 2023. The 2021 report, published by the American Immigration Council and the Presidents Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, revealed 10,000 students without a legal status in Arizona were enrolled at institutions of higher learning, compared to 83,000 students in the same situation in California, where they were able to pay in-state tuition. Reynas mantra is hope in action. We cant just be satisfied with the hope that things will improve. Instead, we have to take action, individually and collectively, she said. Reyna Montoya and students advocate for Prop 308 outside the Arizona State Capitol during Aliento's "Education Day," 2019. Photo courtesy of AlientoPalabra Activism as an engine for empowerment Cadenas, the professor of clinical psychology who specializes in youth mental health at Rutgers University, emigrated from Venezuela to the United States with his mother when he was 15. He too was a young immigrant who fought for higher education in Arizona. Like thousands of Dreamers affected by SB1070, Cadenas and his family also lived with the consequences of that law. I remember that my family was very afraid of driving without a license, especially if they saw someone from law enforcement, he said. He found that activism gave him energy and strength. He began volunteering with organizations such as the Arizona Dream Act Coalition, Reform Immigration For America, Promise Arizona and United We Dream. That allowed me to develop a way of thinking within our community that was much more positive, and to get involved with activism efforts and the creation of programs that have had a positive impact on thousands of people, he said. Cadenas also had to face the repercussions of Proposition 300. The rejection I felt when I tried to go to college without being able to access in-state tuition or state or federal scholarships had an impact on me, he said. Today, Cadenas is hopeful that the barriers students face in U.S. school districts can be addressed through more ethical laws, practices and culturally-responsive programs. We found that there are programs, like DREAMzone, that train educators and other students, and they are effective when it comes to fostering empathy and competence in people who are not immigrants, he said. Since 2012, this program has offered training to faculty and staff at various universities throughout the country including DREAMzone Arizona, to raise institutional awareness and increase the support students without legal status and DACA recipients receive in college. Students, parents, and professionals from Vote4Dream, a project of Aliento, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. They met with senators and members of Congress to campaign for solutions for immigrants without legal status. Photo by Diego Lozano, courtesy of AlientoPalabra Cadenas said the program also serves as a model for leaders and health experts to promote inclusivity in schools and universities. When the future is uncertain, young people experience more anxiety, depression and emotional turmoil, according to the 2023 study Charting the longitudinal trajectories and interplay of critical consciousness among youth activists. Organizations with young people who fight for social justice help participating teenagers understand the social factors that affect them, which is why they become invested in changing their situations, empowering themselves and improving their mental health, states the study published by the Society for Research in Child Development. The analysis featured interviews with 518 adolescents who lived in various cities in the United States 39% of whom identified as Latino/Hispanic and concluded that community activism functions as a crucial system for awareness that helps young people identify, negotiate and defy oppression in their lives. It is common for young people to experience depression, stress or sadness In our workshops, we invite them to explore all of these feelings, because behind each one there is great power. Its been nearly 15 years since SB1070 went into effect and Cadenas feels that the immigrant and Latino communities are now stronger and adept at organizing for their rights. These days, Cadenas own work is dedicated to developing strategies for training mental health services providers to better support immigrant and Latino communities. Social justice allows us to understand that mental health issues are not inherited, but rather associated with social settings and the stress that we sometimes experience, he said. And he pointed out the need for more mental health workers who engage with social justice and multiculturalism. (They are needed) to support our communities in healing from the problems created by anti-immigrant laws, Cadenas said. Reyna Montoya embraces Noelia Flores, a student part of Alientos Arizonas Future Fellowship, at the graduation ceremony in May 2024. Photo by Shantal Diaz, courtesy of AlientoPalabra Changing minds and systems Recently, her former English teacher saw Erika Andiola the activist in the news and contacted her through social media. She wanted to invite Erika to give a motivational talk to English language learners. And it was symbolic because it was precisely the language that had made Erika feel invisible when she arrived in Arizona, just two years before Proposition 203 was passed, which eliminated the bilingual education system and put an end to instruction in Spanish. Erika remembers going to school and facing strict language standards: At the time, it was an ESL (English as a Second Language) class, now its called something different. It was an hour a day; the other classes were in English. That hour when her classmates and the teacher communicated in Spanish, was the only time when Erika did not feel invisible. When her English teacher reached out, Erika didnt hesitate: I went to tell them my story. I could see in their faces the feeling of she was where I am, she said. Now, she was recognized as a powerful and authoritative voice to talk with and teach children, thanks to her knowledge and her advocacy on behalf of others. Erika continues to believe in the strength of the Latino community, despite her opinion that the Arizona education system is broken for immigrant students. If we organize if we arm ourselves with courage, raise our voices strategically, with something that comes from our hearts we will be able to change minds and systems, she said. Erika Andiola is the director of communication at The Young Center for Immigrant Childrens Rights. Photo by Ash Ponders for palabraPalabra Healing through community and art Some of the young immigrants who come to Aliento seeking guidance introduce themselves by saying: I suffer from depression. I havent been able to get out of bed. I feel like something is holding me back. Could you connect me with a therapist? Reyna, who understands those feelings, explained that in addition to activism and social justice, students experiencing these mental health crises need psychological or therapeutic support. Aliento provides it. An analysis of the student-to-school-counselor ratio for 2022-2023 conducted by the American School Counselor Association ranked Arizona as the worst state in the country for having the fewest school counselors: There were 1,698 for 1,132,223 students, or approximately one counselor for every 667 students. That is almost three times less than the ratio recommended by the association: at least one counselor for every 250 students. Our students, children of immigrants or immigrants (themselves), put so much pressure on themselves to be the best they can be (that) they dont consider how this impacts their mental health, Reyna said. Aliento staff and Arizonas Future Fellowship students pose for a photo at the graduation ceremony in May 2024. Photo by Shantal Diaz, courtesy of AlientoPalabra Aliento has launched the Arizonas Future Fellowship, which fosters leadership among immigrant youth. Fellows work within their schools to practice self defense abilities using knowledge of the law and to make their school districts and communities more equitable and inclusive, through their knowledge of current Arizona political and educational policies and immigrant rights. Aryam Garcia, coordinator of Alientos Arts + Healing program, organizes workshops for students who have been affected by deportation, detention or the threat of family separation. The workshops are offered in predominantly Latino school districts for children ages 7 and up, students who are DACA recipients, the children of immigrants and young people from mixed-status families. It is common for young people to experience depression, stress, or sadness, Aryam said. In our workshops, we invite them to explore all these feelings because behind each one there is great power. Aryam Garcia, arts and healing coordinator, at Aliento headquarters in Phoenix, May 2024. Photo by Ash Ponders for palabraPalabra Aryam was born in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico and immigrated to Arizona as a child. She endured the states education system, learned a new language and lived in fear of SB1070. Shes 25 now, and said she was able to move forward thanks to the bonds she formed with other students who fought together for their rights. She recently graduated from Benedictine University in Mesa, Arizona with a degree in psychology. She helps heal other students who, like her, were suffering in silence. A call for unity to achieve change Erika calls on young people to: Keep trying to change the narrative of who we are, so that people like Trump or Biden dont tell us who we are. But rather we tell our own stories and who we really are as human beings. Lodged in Erikas memory is the painful recollection of the day when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided her home in 2013 looking for her mother, Lupita Arreola, to deport her to Mexico. That was one of two occasions when the authorities attempted unsuccessfully to deport Lupita. Years earlier, Erika recounted, officers had raided her home looking for her mother. They only found her uncle, whom they deported, she said. Erika Andiola at the Phoenix ICE office for her mother's annual check-in in 2015, three years after their home was raided. Photo courtesy of Erika AndiolaPalabra A national team of education and health researchers surveyed 547 Latino children aged 11 to 16 in Georgia who had experienced the detention or deportation of a family member in the 12 months prior to the interview. These young people were at higher risk of suicide and alcohol consumption, according to the 2020 study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics. The study suggests that changes to immigration policies since 2017 that coincide with former President Donald Trumps term in office may be associated with critical outcomes that endanger the emotional health of Latino adolescents. Some are also at greater risk of experiencing disparities in access to mental health services. Its been years, and Erika wishes she could recapture the idealism of that young Mexican woman who was arrested during an act of civil disobedience at the United States Capitol in Washington D.C. in 2017. That young woman who didnt waiver during a hunger strike in jail to demand a vote on the DREAM Act, which would have provided a path to a permanent legal status in the U.S. for Dreamers. Erika Andiola, a seasoned activist, currently works for The Young Center for Immigrant Childrens Rights. Photo by Ash Ponders for palabraPalabra Today, Erika is a bit tired, disillusioned with politicians, and managing the responsibilities of an adult woman. She is the communications director at The Young Center for Immigrant Childrens Rights, an organization that protects immigrant children who arrive in the U.S. unaccompanied by an adult. At times, Erika looks back and sees herself reflected in those fearful children who arrive in a new country to face a system that persecutes them for being immigrants. Then, she reconnects with that little curly-haired girl from Durango who felt invisible. She is aware that there is still much work to be done so that immigrant children and young people in Arizona can have equitable support for their mental health, a fair education, and the rights that everyone deserves. I have hope that another generation of young people will rise up again, she said. Erika did her part, planting seeds alongside Cadenas, Reyna, and many others. Now, the mantra hope in action lies with todays children and young people. Palabra surveyPalabra Click here to take Palabras reader survey. Beatriz Limon is a freelance journalist with extensive experience in the field of communications. During her career, she was a correspondent in Arizona and New Mexico for the international news agency EFE, as well as for The Arizona Republic, where she contributed to the Latino publication La Voz. She has been a reporter and editor at several newspapers in Mexico. She earned a B.A. in communication sciences from the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California and a masters in history. She has received fellowships from the Solutions Journalism Network and has contributed articles for the SJN Labor Cohort. She is currently a Education Writers Association fellow working on a series of articles on the topic: The worrisome mental health situation among Latino students in Arizona. Additionally, she is an accomplished professional photographer and a columnist for the newspaper El Imparcial. She also actively contributes to outlets such as Arizona Luminaria, palabra, Factchequeado and Conecta Arizona. @BetyLimon16 Ash Ponders, a Panamanian tisoy multimedia artist, lives in the Sonoran Desert making visuals rooted in the history of both the environment and the people that live there for newspapers and art galleries. Their art has been covered by the New York Times, BBC, CNN and Teen Vogue. Their journalism has been commissioned by NYT, National Geographic, WSJ, WaPo, San Francisco Chronicle, The Intercept, NPR, PRI, PBS, HCN, Smithsonian, Audubon and La Prensa. Ponders is a member of NAHJ, NPPA, FFR, Diversify Photo and Juntos Photo Coop. Theyre also an award-winning poet and translator. They desperately want you to follow them on bluesky. @ashponders Lawmakers in Massachusetts majority-Democrat state Legislature passed a series of reforms to the commonwealths already strict gun laws on Thursday, putting the fixes on a path to Gov. Maura Healeys desk. The state House voted 123-33 to approve the massive compromise bill hammered out by legislative negotiators. The state Senate followed suit soon after, voting 35-5 to approve the legislation, according to State House News Service. Advocates had been upping the pressure on lawmakers to reach an agreement before the end of formal sessions on July 31. The legislation approved Thursday cracks down on so-called ghost guns and devices that increase weapons destructive power. The virtually untraceable ghost guns have proven particularly vexing for law enforcement, as its tried to tackle illegal gun crime. Between 2019 and 2021, the Boston Police Department said it saw a 280% increase in the number of ghost guns it recovered, Democratic lawmakers said in a joint statement. The bill attacks the problem by "requiring the registration and serialization of frames and receivers and updates our definition of [a firearm] to include unfinished frames and receivers, according to an analysis of the legislation. In that joint statement, House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano, D-3rd Norfolk, described the reforms lawmakers approved Thursday as the most significant gun safety legislation that Massachusetts has seen in a decade. "It is the culmination of a multi-year process that began once the Supreme Courts conservative supermajority issued their disastrous Bruen decision, Mariano continued, referring to a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that determined that there is a constitutional right to carry a pistol in public. The decision, based on a New York case, played havoc with state gun laws nationwide. In the wake of the ruling, Massachusetts legislators set about trying to update the states gun violence statutes. But getting to yes proved elusive. The state House finally approved its version of the gun violence reform bill last October. The Senate rolled out and approved its counterproposal earlier this year. House and Senate negotiators spent months trying to iron out the differences between the two chambers respective proposals. Today the Legislature came together and acted on gun violence to protect our residents from gun crime, modernize our laws, and support communities torn apart by unnecessary violence, Senate President Karen E. Spilka, D-Middlesex/Norfolk, said in the joint statement legislative Democrats released after the vote By incorporating the viewpoints of stakeholders across the state, this final bill positions us to save lives while respecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners, Spilka continued. The bill lawmakers approved Thursday also would: Explore how to leverage federal funds for state investments in community-based violence prevention programming, Improve our extreme risk protective order law by authorizing health care professionals and others who interact regularly with individuals in crisis to petition a court for help, Shield our schools, polling locations and government buildings by prohibiting the possession of firearms by non-law enforcement individuals at those locations, consistent with Supreme Court precedent, Modernize our assault-style firearm definition to account for new features not captured by 1994 federal law, allowing lawful owners to continue to own or transfer currently legal firearms; and Impose strict penalties for possession of modification devices such as Glock switches that convert an otherwise legal firearm into a fully automatic firearm, according to an analysis of the legislation that negotiators released Wednesday. The bill also would increase training requirements for people seeking a license to carry firearms, while standardizing and updating the application process. It also gives country district attorneys broader latitude to prosecute people who fire guns near residences; requires state and local police to work with the feds to track and trace every crime gun found in the state, and ensures that people who are subject to harassment prevention orders are forbidden from having access to firearms. Despite the hefty approval margins, Thursdays vote wasnt without its hiccups. In the Senate, minority Republicans unsuccessfully tried to delay the vote. Then, when that effort failed, GOP lawmakers tried to have the bills full 116 pages read aloud. We have had little time to comprehend and talk to our constituents about this issue, Sen. Ryan C. Fattman, R-Worcester/Hampden, said, according to State House News Service. In the wake of the vote, advocates praised the Legislature for its action. "This is a great day for Grassroots for Gun Violence Prevention volunteers whove worked so hard to support this bills passage as part of our mission to free all communities from gun violence, Rina Schneur, the founding volunteer and legislative lead for the advocacy group, Grassroots for Gun Violence Prevention , said in an email. "But more importantly, its a great day for all communities across the Commonwealth who live with the daily fear of, and impact from, gun violence in all its forms, We deserve better - and we urge Governor Healey to expedite signing this bill into law, Schneur said. MassLive contacted Healeys office for comment on the timeline for a potential gubernatorial signature but did not immediately hear back. In a statement, Grace Field, a volunteer with the Boston University chapter of the gun violence reduction group Students Demand Action, noted that gun violence is the leading cause of death for my generation, so theres nothing more urgent to us than addressing this uniquely American crisis. We thank Massachusetts lawmakers for their commitment to our safety and look forward to building on this progress, Field said. Not everyone saw it that way. Ahead of the vote, James Wallace, the executive director of the Gun Owners Action League, which opposed the legislation, told Axios that the bill was simply a tantrum because of Bruen that the powers that be in Massachusetts that support this garbage could not tolerate the [U.S.] Supreme Court telling them they were wrong. More cracks appeared in President Joe Bidens support in Massachusetts on Thursday as a coalition of Democratic lawmakers called on him to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders. The joint statement signed by seven lawmakers comes amid reports that Biden is facing increasing pressure to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, and could make a decision as soon as this weekend. It was signed by state Sens. Joanne Comerford, D-Hampshire/Franklin/Worcester; Jamie Eldridge, D-Middlesex/Worcester; Paul Feeney, D-Bristol/Norfolk; Patricia Jehlen, D-2nd Middlesex; John Keenan, D-Norfolk/Plymouth; Jason Lewis, D-5th Middlesex, and Michael Moore, D-2nd Worcester. The joint statement pays tribute to Biden to [rising] to the challenge of defeating Donald Trump, in 2020, and restor[ing] dignity and honor to the presidency. His administration has accomplished historic legislative achievements for the American people. But now it is time for him to pass the torch to the next generation of Democratic leaders. We are calling for President Biden to step aside so that a different candidate can be nominated at the Democratic [National Convention] in August, they continued. Most Americans, including the majority of Democrats, now believe that President Biden is not capable of vigorously campaigning and serving as president for another four years. He is unable to effectively prosecute the case against Donald Trump, who represents a grave threat to the future of this country and the world. The lawmakers point to polling data showing Biden trailing Trump nationwide and in the key battleground states through which the path to the White House runs. A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll released Friday shows that nearly two-thirds of the states Democrats, and left-leaning voters want someone other than Biden at the top of the ticket this fall. The lawmakers letter also points to growing concerns among congressional Democrats that the party could be harmed if Biden remains in the race. On Saturday, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., met with Biden to tell him he was concerned about Democratic losses in November, Politico reported. In a separate meeting, U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also a New York Democrat, said much the same, telling Biden that Democrats could suffer losses if he stayed in the race, Politico further reported. During an interview with NBC News anchor Lester Holt on Monday, Biden, who continues to face questions about his age and fitness, said his acuity was pretty darn good, and insisted he was staying in the race. Im old, Biden told Holt. But Im only three years older than [former President Donald] Trump, number one. And number two, my mental acuitys been pretty damn good. Ive gotten more done than any president has in a long, long time in three and a half years. So Im willing to be judged on that. But "selecting a new Democratic presidential nominee will inject badly needed excitement and grassroots energy into the party and its voters, especially young people, the Massachusetts lawmakers said. There will be plenty of time after the convention for the new nominee to run a winning campaign and defeat Donald Trump. Furthering clearing the decks before a July 31 deadline, Massachusetts lawmakers have reached a compromise on legislation that would require most employers to be upfront about the wages they pay their employers. The compromise bill that emerged from a joint House and Senate conference committee on Friday would require any employers with 25 or more workers to post pay ranges with their job openings. The bill also would require employers with 100 or more employees to file copies of equal employment data required under federal law with the Secretary of States Office, according to State House News Service. In a joint statement, the bills lead negotiators, Sen. Patricia Jehlen, D-2nd Middlesex, and Rep. Danielle Gregoire, D-4th Middlesex, credited the "advocacy by so many people and for our collaboration between the House and Senate in finalizing this important bill. "This bill would require the disclosure of a pay range for any job being offered by an employer with at least 25 employees. An employee would be allowed to request the pay range for their current position. Studies show that women and people of color undervalue their work, the two lawmakers said in their joint statement. These actions would ensure that people know the value of their labor and can negotiate for better pay with access to better information, they continued. The bill has been hung up in committee for months, with talks interrupted by the February resignation of Rep. Josh Cutler, one of the bills proponents in the Legislature, and the former co-chair of the conference committee, State House News Service reported. Gregoire was appointed to replace Cutler in April, negotiating with Jehlen, the wire service reported. The bill passed the House last October by a vote of 148-8. The Senate approved it weeks later on a 38-1 vote. One key difference between the House and Senate versions, at the time the bill entered private talks last fall, was whether its requirements would be extended to certain government entities as well as private employers, according to State House News Service. AMHERST Afghan fathers of first-born daughters are among the most committed to womens rights as a national priority, researchers from UMass Amhersts Human Security Lab recently published a study . Regarding the statement, I believe achieving human rights for women is among the top priorities for the future of my country, the peer-reviewed study found significant evidence that fathers of single daughters in Afghanistan hold more gender-egalitarian views than their daughterless peers. A master diver and shark-feeding expert says it is safer to be in the water with sharks than most people think. Still, sharks are unpredictable and warrant caution. Les membres du gouvernement ont pris note que le State Lands (Amendment) Bill 2024 sera presente au Parlement, de la promulgation prochaine du Banking (Processing and Licence Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2024, que le Waste Management and Resource Recovery Act 2023 sera mis en operation le 31 juillet 2024, du soutien a Anil Kumarsingh Gayan pour le poste de Chairperson de lAfrican Union Commission, entre autres. 1. Cabinet has agreed to the introduction of the State Lands (Amendment) Bill 2024 into the National Assembly. The object of the Bill is to amend the State Lands Act with a view to increasing the extent of portion of State land a person may buy where that person holds a building site lease over that portion of land and there is a residential unit on that portion of land. 2. Cabinet has taken note of the promulgation of the Banking (Processing and Licence Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2024, which provide for an increase in the processing fee payable by a bank to the Bank of Mauritius when the former restructures itself. 3. Cabinet has taken note that the Waste Management and Resource Recovery Act 2023 would be proclaimed on 31 July 2024, except for section 53 of the Act which relates to the revocation of certain legislation. 4. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change signing a Small-Scale Funding Agreement with the United Nations Environment Programme for the updating of the Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analyses for Mauritius. The Agreement provides for the completion of agreed pending activities under the initial Small-Scale Funding Agreement, namely the finalisation of the Marine Ecosystem Diagnostic Analyses Report as well as printing and circulating the revised National Oil Spill Contingency Plan. The Agreement would also comprise a new activity to conduct a public outreach which would include consultation, sensitisation and capacity building on oil spill preparedness and response for Rodrigues. 5. Cabinet has agreed to the Ministry of Health and Wellness renewing the Memorandum of Understanding with the Pakistan Institute of Ophthalmology, Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The Memorandum of Understanding was first signed in July 2012 and renewed in July 2017. The Pakistani team had, to-date, effected 15 official visits to Mauritius and carried out more than 400 complex surgeries, free of charge. The aim of the Memorandum of Understanding would be, inter alia, to further strengthen the cooperation in the field of Ophthalmology, refer Mauritian patients for overseas treatment at Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital and cater for capacity building of healthcare professionals. 6. Cabinet has agreed to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Public Service, Administrative and Institutional Reforms and the University of Technology, Mauritius (UTM) to establish a cooperative relationship to develop and foster academic linkages with focus on promoting digital resources, joint research initiatives, faculty exchanges, and other mutually beneficial activities. The Memorandum of Understanding would provide, inter alia, for the following areas of collaboration: (a) continuous professional development programmes for upgrading the skills of Public Officers and projects of mutual benefit to both institutions; (b) facilitate guest lectures from professionals in the Public Service to UTM and vice-versa; (c) implement the Work Placement Scheme in the Public Service for UTM students; (d) provision of training to Public Officers; (d) develop strategies to identify and groom future leaders in the Public Service (Succession Planning); and (e) promote a culture of continuous learning and development in the Public Service. 7. Cabinet has taken note that the Infrastructure and Projects Authority of the UK would conduct a mission to Mauritius from 22 to 26 July 2024. A Strategic Trade Partnership with the UK was signed in April 2023. Subsequently, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Infrastructure and Projects Authority and the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development with a view to uplifting the quality, transparency and performance of infrastructure projects and programmes in Mauritius. During its mission to Mauritius, the Infrastructure and Projects Authority would provide training on essential aspects to be considered by public bodies when preparing their capital project proposals for subsequent appraisal and selection by the Public Investment Management Unit of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development. A flagship Infrastructure Business Case course on the Five Case Model would be conducted for 250 participants. 8. Cabinet has taken note that an eight-member delegation of the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation of Namibia and the Namibia Training Authority would effect a benchmarking visit to Mauritius from 22 to 26 July 2024 to take cognisance of practices and measures with regard to collection, administration and management of Training Levy. 9. Cabinet has taken note that Mauritius would support the candidature of Mr Anil Kumarsingh Gayan, SC, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the post of Chairperson of the African Union Commission. 10. Cabinet has taken note of the nomination of HE Mr Edgard Razafindravahy to the post of Secretary-General of the Indian Ocean Commission for a period of four years. 11. Cabinet has taken note that the second Voluntary National Review Report of Mauritius was presented to the High-Level Political Forum of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. 12. Cabinet has taken note that, as at 18 July 2024, there were 53 active cases of Dengue Fever in Mauritius, of which three persons had been hospitalised in both public and private hospitals. For Rodrigues, nine active cases of Dengue Fever had been recorded and three persons were hospitalised. Cabinet further noted that since 11 January 2024, 62 cases of Leptospirosis had been reported in Mauritius and three persons had been hospitalised as at 18 July 2024. The Ministry of Health and Wellness was pursuing the sensitisation campaigns on Dengue Fever and Leptospirosis in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. 13. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent participation of the Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development in the 11th Edition of the Paris Forum in Paris. The Forum was organised by the Paris Club with the close collaboration of G20 Presidency on the theme Successful Debt Treatments for Future Investment. The Forum was centered on the following four main outlines: (a) Sovereign Debt Challenges in 2024; (b) Plenary Session on Securing a Successful Debt Treatment; (c) Comparability of Treatment through a Technical Workshop; and (d) Addis+10 and Sovereign Debt which was the closing Roundtable. The Minister was one of the panellists of the closing roundtable which focused on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda 10 years-on. In the margins of the Forum, the Minister had meetings with, inter alia, various officials of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. 14. Cabinet has taken note of the key aspects and recommendations of the Hadj Mission 2024 Report, prepared by the Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) Trust Fund. The Report provides a comprehensive overview of the efforts and arrangements undertaken by the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage, the ICC and the Mauritian Embassy in Saudi Arabia to ensure a safe, fulfilling and well-organised pilgrimage for all Mauritian Hadjis. The Ministry of Arts and Cultural Heritage would hold working sessions with the ICC and relevant stakeholders to look into the proposed recommendations for Hadj 2025. Mauritius was nominated for the Labaytum Award for Excellence launched by the Saudi Ministry of Hadj and Umrah and was among the 27 countries (out of 85) which successfully completed the visas exercise within the deadline set by the Ministry of Hadj and Umrah. 15. Cabinet has taken note of the constitution of the Board of Mauritius Housing Holdings Ltd with Mr Anandsing Acharuz, Acting Financial Secretary, as part-time Chairperson. 16. Cabinet has taken note of the appointment of Dr Pierre Edgar Daniel Marie, Deputy Director of the Mauritius Oceanography Institute, to the post of Director of that Institute. Le parti politique de Port-Louis a publie un communique apres lelection du nouveau Speaker de lAssemblee Nationale qui a eu lieu le 18 juillet 2024. (A) Why Linion Moris is saying that the present situation is not conductive for the reforms around the election of a speaker? a) Because the time is too shot for Indepth debate. b)Because with the general elections lingering in the background the debates will be coloured with all sorts of interess, save the interest of our Republic. c)Because, apart from Linion Moris, the other political parties dont have an educated proposal to change the way we elect the speaker. d)Because we have not properly learned our lessons of the past speakers (good & bad) and what is expected role of a speaker of the National Assembly. e)Because we dont know what is the new role for our National Assembly. f)Because we are not clear about democratic values & its ethos. Proposals of Linion Moris : The speaker should be an independent person nominated by A comite des sages independent of the political parties. The speaker will be also responsible for the following: i)Reforms of the Standing Orders of the National Assembly. ii)Changes in the method of Private Notice Questions & Prime Ministers Questions & Parliamentary Questions. iii)That National Assembly will sit at least once per week vacation. Vacation during Christmas period one week. One week in April. One week in August. There will be monthly Private members motion bill. There will be debates around: a) Public Accounts Committee report. b) Audit report. c) The conventions Mauritius propose to sign/ratify. d) The State of Republic prior to Independence & Republic Day. e) Proposals for Mauritius by the Government to rent/put the disposal of any country any part our territory including our territorial sea and the space above the territorial sea and our continental shelf. (see sections 111 of our Constitution) f) And other responsibilities to make Mauritius a beacon of Democracy. The speaker will be responsible for the immediate introduction of the Kreol Language. Section 29 of the Constitution shall be amended and will read as follows: The official language of the National Assembly shall be English, French and Mauritian Kreol The speaker will be responsible of the youth parliament which will sit three times per year. The speaker will also be responsible for the sensitization of the public about the duties, role and functions of the National Assembly. (B)The Intrigue around the pseudo-Resignation of Mr.Phokeer A)Was the letter of resignation a letter prepared in advance by the kitchen cabinet & dated on the day the kitchen cabinet so decide? B)The reply of Mr.Phokeer when confronted by the press that he has not resigned despite a letter circulated by the clerk of assembly. (Vide le Mauricien 17th July 2024 at around noon) C)The blathering of the Prime Minister before the doors of Victoria hospital. D)The rapidity with which Adrien Duval (better known as ti kok) was appointed in Communica do. E)The stifling of debates around the proposed names. F)The management of public opinion around the name of Adrien Duval (better known as Ti Kok) & his beefing up by a section of the press. A plethora of questions arose from the above: a)Will Mr.Phokeer be kind enough to publish a detailed bill of his health with clear information about any surgery which was carried out upon his person & by whom? b)Will Mr.Phokeer be brave enough to tell the Nation when he wrote his letter of resignation, (or who wrote his letter of resignation?) and for the sake of transparency to render same public as soon as possible. c)What is the Nature of conversation with the Prime Minister which lasted 57 minutes? d)What did Mr.Phokeer barter with the Prime Minister to suddenly lose his tongue? e)When did Mr.Phokeer know he had to resign? f)How many times had Mr.Phokeer during tenure of office received orders from the Prime Minister or the kitchen cabinet? Shame was ashamed of you ADRIEN DUVAL ! Definitely if shame see Adrien or Xavier Duval coming in its direction along the road shame will cross the road because it is ashamed of you. How can you both be so vile to join the most corrupt Government Mauritius has seen? How can you sit around a table with the chief of mafia when you are fully aware that their hands are blooded with the murders of Kistnen, Kanakiah, Moniaruck, Marcellin Humbert? What is the sum you received to concoct the deal with the MSM? Is the figure of 200 million rupees as (mahr,dot,or bribe) undervalued or more? Xavier do you still remember, what words the Prime Minister castigated Adrien at the National Assembly? Criminal, Drunkard were uttered to your address unflinchingly? Xavier, do you remember you PNQs? addressed to Pravind Jugnauth? Xavier, did you believe in your PNQs? If yes, why are you acting like a fool? Xavier, What message are you sending to this country? Xavier setting in the opposition Mr Bean (Actor & Scriptwritter Rowan Atkinson) will surely appreciate. HA!HA!HA! Manz banann dan de bout. The wise will surely add with its skin Linion Moris & Hon Zahid Nazurally With no support from his own party Zahid Nazurally will be able to set quietly & definitely not be dragged to the speakers seat by Honourable members of the National Assembly. We would have supported his candidate. Hon Bodhas Vote To avoid being dragged in the quagmire of deal over deal hon Nando Bodha will not take part in the Tamasha which will be played before the eyes of our impotent people. Rama VALAYDEN Jean Claude BARBIER Raouf KHODABACCUS Dr.Sita Jeeneea-SAMINADEN Mirella CHAUVIN Dev SUNNASY Bruce JI Sylvio MICHEL Ivor TAN YAN A Niagara Falls woman was sentenced to 10 years in state prison after being convicted of intentionally running over four people on a Pierce Avenue sidewalk in the Falls last year. Shawnquilla N. Armstrong, 32, received two five-year sentences to run consecutively for each count of first-degree attempted assault Thursday in Niagara County Court. Armstrong is accused of using her SUV in September to run into a group of people on Pierce Avenue and then leaving the scene. Four people were injured, and the tire of Armstrongs vehicle came within inches of running over one persons head, Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman said. According to a report from the Niagara Falls Police Department, the incident occurred in the early evening after about six people were involved in a dispute and congregated on the sidewalk on 22nd Street near Pierce Avenue. A 16-year-old boy and a 52-year-old woman each suffered serious leg injuries and were transported to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, the report said. Two other pedestrians suffered minor injuries, but did not seek immediate medical treatment. Armstrong turned herself in to authorities shortly after the incident. On June 1, 2014, the Local Government Reform Act 2014 came into being. The act marked the most far-reaching change in structures, functions, operational arrangements and governance in the Irish local government system since 1899, proclaimed then Local Government Minister, Phil Hogan. The changes that are being made are radical, but they are necessary to bring our local government system up to date and to provide the kind of service our citizens and communities deserve, he said. Fast forward a decade. Has this radical reform transformed local government in Ireland for the better? Youd better believe it has not. Power play Under the act, the number of local authorities was slashed from 114 to 31. A full 80 town councils were dissolved. The number of councillors to be elected across the country under the new structures was nearly halved. These changes, declared Hogan, will eliminate duplication by ensuring more streamlined structures and the resources that were previously absorbed by these structures and processes will now be freed-up to improve front-line services and to enhance the quality of life in local communities. Ten years, on we are still laughing. Else wed just cry. Big Phil certainly didnt have the empowerment of local communities in mind when he decided to strip them of power, with, if I recall correctly, little or no public consultation. Oh, the irony! So much power in the hands of so few. What could possibly go wrong? Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan said it best recently: The abolition of borough and town councils was a political stroke that undermined local accountability. (If only the Greens were in government now, eh?) Autonomy curtailed In 2023, a report by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe adopted concluded that Ireland ranks only above Hungary and Moldova when it comes to power in local authorities and councils, noting that although Ireland is a solid democracy, it remains one of the most centralised countries in Europe. County councils in Ireland primarily focus on services like planning, infrastructure and roads. Their role in housing is limited to implementing national government policy (a fact apparently lost on several of our recent local election candidates). This contrasts with countries like Sweden and Denmark, where local authorities have substantial control over services like education, healthcare and policing, allowing for more responsive, tailored governance for local populations. County councils have barely any fiscal autonomy either, relying heavily on central government funding aside from commercial rates, parking charges and local property tax, the revenue from which is insufficient to deliver necessary services, despite commercial rates crippling many small businesses. The centralised distribution of funds like car parking charges in Mayo is also often a bone of contention. When our Mayo town councils were abolished, hub towns like Ballina and Westport found themselves with a much broader geographical remit. Six councillors, for example, cover a huge area in North Mayo. This leads to disconnect between them and constituents, makes it harder for citizens to meaningfully engage and influence local governance. The smaller communities lose out the most. Countries like France and Italy have a more granular local government structure, with a higher number of smaller municipalities a bit like we had eleven years ago allowing for a closer relationship between citizens and their local representatives. In Mayo, the delivery of projects frequently boils down not to need, but to who is shouting louder, and to whom. Communities cut off Barriers to public participation in local governance and the wholesale disempowerment of communities are highly frustrating. Some mechanisms do exist. Public Participation Networks, for example, were introduced to enhance community engagement, and they do valuable work, but ultimately they are toothless, lacking the influence to create real change. There is a perceived lack of transparency within local authorities, including in Mayo, on how and by whom big decisions are made, which projects are advanced and how, and how funding and grants are awarded. Answers and explanations can be opaque at best, fuelling suspicion and undermining trust. Communities who know their own areas best and can deliver agile, innovative solutions when supported, are instead disempowered and disenfranchised. And while citizens in Mayo might feel disempowered by the local authority, the council itself lacks autonomy when it comes to delivering one-size-fits-all national policies like housing at a local level, which is surely a source of frustration in turn. Local elections are one of the few avenues for direct citizen engagement in local governance, but low voter turnout says it all, proving the lack of public interest and confidence in county councils. Broken system In contrast, participatory governance models in countries like Spain for example, Barcelonas Citizen and Tourism Council, which was instrumental in the decision to abolish short-term holiday lets to free up housing involve citizens more directly in decision-making processes through participatory budgeting and regular public forums, which not only enhances transparency and accountability but also fosters a sense of ownership and engagement among citizens. One wonders what such a forum could achieve in Mayo. And worst of all, there is little political appetite to change the system here. Devolution of power to local councils (and specifically, democratically elected councillors, not unelected officials) to make the decisions that reflect the needs of their communities is not even on the agenda. The centralisation of power, lack of transparency, political patronage and community disempowerment are all factors that contribute to what is, in Ireland, a fundamentally broken system. Good work, Phil! THE countrys rising population is putting more pressure on GP services in the west of Ireland, a top HSE official has admitted. Tony Canavan, Regional Executive Officer, HSE West and North West and Executive Chair of the Regional Health Forum West, has said that the rising population was a a significant factor in the demand for GP services. The number of doctors being accepted for training under the GP Training Scheme throughout the country has increased incrementally in recent years from 236 in 2021, 258 in 2022, 285 in 2023 to 350 in 2024. Although the number of trainee GPs is likely to increase, Mr Canavan said it would take time for it to have any significant effect on demand. Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, Vice-Chairman of the HSE Regional Forum West, expressed concern that trainee GPs were disappearing shortly after theyre qualified. The population is increasing on one side, the number of doctors is dropping off on the other side. I dont know what its like here, but where I come from in Mayo people have to wait six or seven days to get an appointment, said Cllr Kilcoyne. Cllr Kilcoyne asked whether any proposals had been considered to mandate newly qualified doctors to remain in the country for a number of years after they qualify. Mr Canavan said that similar proposals have been considered on a number of occasions but said it was not favoured by the HSE. Its difficult enough to implement, and Im not sure if it would be a solution to our problems in any case, he said. I think youre right. There has been a significant population increase in the country, there are significant demands generally on doctors and including doctors in general practice, but its not true to say there arent more doctors, there are more doctors, there are more general practitioners now and there are more hospital doctors being trained and retained within the system as well. The difficulty is keeping pace with the demand from the population and the growth in the population as well, he added. Cllr Kilcoyne accepted Mr Canavans reply, but said: Two or three years ago, you could get a doctor within a couple of hours. Now you have to wait four or five days. The Independent councillor added: Either they are working shorter hours or they are taking much longer with each patient, or there is a huge number of increase in population, or the population is much sicker. Which? I dont know. But its causing a problem. Mr Canavan said the increasing population was a significant factor, adding that the expansion of free GP visits and the ageing population was also putting pressure on services. In a lengthy reply to a question tabled by Cllr Kilcoyne at the AGM of the HSE Regional Forum West, John Fitzmaurice, Chief Officer with Community Healthcare West, said that filling vacancies in rural areas was their main area of concern. Mr Fitzmaurice said there were currently a small number of vacancies in the North West, which it is hoping to fill in coming months. In an effort to deal with this matter, Community Healthcare West recently collaborated with the Irish College of General Practitioners to attract candidates to work in rural GP Practices through a Rural Fellowship Programme. This allows doctors to work under the supervision of qualified GPs where time is also allocated for academic study, wrote Mr Fitzmaurice. It is a two-year programme following which it is hoped that successful candidates would choose to work in rural General Practice. Two positions were approved for our area but unfortunately, neither have been filled to date. When left with no other option, the HSE has employed locum GPs in vacant practices in locations including Charlestown and Achill. The Irish College of GPs (ICGP) Non-EU Rural GP programme has also been used to employ non-EU doctors with trained GPs in rural practices who are struggling to attract and retain GPs and locums. ON June 28, the Westport Delivery Service Unit (DSU) witnessed the end of an era as Joe Sheridan, a beloved figure in Sandyhill, hung up his delivery bib for the last time. In a span of just six months, the DSU bid farewell to six of its most experienced postal operatives; Liam Gibbons, Mike McConnell, Liam Chambers, Ger McGing, Sean McGing and Joe Sheridan. The last three boasted over 40 years of dedicated service. Collectively, these six retirees represented 180 years of postal experience, a wealth of knowledge that had served nearly all of the West Mayo postal district. Their departure marks more than just the end of lengthy careers; it signifies the conclusion of a period where local knowledge and personal connections were the lifeblood of the postal service. These operatives knew every nook and cranny of their routes, every face, and every story behind each letter and package delivered. They were not just postal workers; they were integral members of the community, often the only social contact for many of the elderly residents, especially during covid times. With the introduction of Eircode, Ireland's national postcode system, many thought that the importance of such deep-rooted local knowledge would diminish. However, An Post still mandates proper written postal addresses, reinforcing that the human element cannot be entirely replaced by technology. The challenge now lies in balancing the old with the new. As Westport DSU transitions, the changes are palpable. Some of the green has been taken out of the An Post delivery service. For years, Westport urban area was delivered by bike but not anymore, all delivery is now by van - a shame for a town that prides itself on smarter travel with initiatives for green travel on every corner. Delivery routes have been expanded, placing additional pressure on the current operatives to handle an increasing volume of parcels, packages, and letters. The luxury of time, once spent chatting with locals and checking in on the elderly, is now a relic of the past. Every move an operative makes is monitored via GPS, every stop tracked by scanners, ensuring that efficiency is maximized and every euro accounted for. This new, highly monitored system underscores the challenges that the next generation of postal workers must face. They must adapt quickly to these changes while striving to maintain the integrity and reliability of the service. Patience from the community will be crucial during this transition period. The new brigade of postal operatives will need time to learn the intricate details of their routes, to build relationships, and to fill the substantial shoes left behind by their predecessors. For many country folk, the post person is still a vital link to the outside world, a bearer of news and a friendly face amid daily routines. As the Westport DSU evolves, let us remember the legacy of those who served before and extend our support to those who now carry the torch. The heart of the postal service, after all, remains not in the technology it uses but in the connections it fosters within the community. A multi-billion dollar US naval vessel named after a Mayo man who lost his life in the Vietnam War is to be officially christened at a ceremony in Maine. Relatives of the late LCpl Patrick Gallagher will be in attendance when the recently-launched USS Patrick Gallagher is christened at a ceremony at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works on June 27. Cpl Gallagher, a native of Ballyhaunis, was awarded the Navy Cross medal for his extreme selflessness and bravery on July 18, 1966, after his position near Cam Lo was attacked by North Vietnamese troops. During the attack, he kicked away an enemy grenade which exploded a safe distance away, not wounding him or his comrades. He then jumped on another grenade, which subsequently detonated after it was tossed into water. LCpl Gallagher was killed during a firefight with enemy troops near De Nang on March 30 the following year. He was the first Irish man to die during the Vietnam War and one of 30 known citizens from the Republic of Ireland who were killed while serving with US forces during the war. The USS Patrick Gallagher had its keel laid in 2021 on the 55th anniversary of his death. A crowd of approximately 2,000, will be in attendance for the ship's christening, including the Gallagher family, extended family and many people travelling from Ballyhaunis along with many Irish people living in the USA. Minister Sean Fleming TD and Commodore Cian O Mearin from Irish Defence Forces will represent the Irish Government at the ceremony. International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc. (IBTCI), a U.S. based international development consulting company established in 1987, has worked in over 100 countries and implemented over 300 projects. IBTCI serves government agencies, private sector companies, and several donor agencies. IBTCI specializes in monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) and institutional support across many areas and sectors including, but not limited to, conflict and crisis, democracy and governance, agriculture, economic growth, food security, education, environment, and global health. Job Title: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Advisor (WASH) Department/Location: DRC Kinshasa / USAID Office of Health Reports To: IBTCI ISPI Project Manager Type: Consultancy - 235 days full time Clearance Required: Facilities Access, applied for once hired Overview: USAID/Democratic Republic of the Congos (DRCs) 2020-2025 Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) is: A More Peaceful and Prosperous DRC with Improved Opportunities for Communities and Individuals to Thrive. This high-level goal encapsulates USAIDs long-term vision of a DRC where all communities and people are empowered to move their country closer to selfreliance. Throughout this period, USAID will partner with individuals, communities, and institutions and increase their ability to generate and achieve locally-led solutions. However, significant obstacles, including pervasive corruption, weak and ineffective state institutions, extreme poverty, an extractives-dependent economy, and ongoing conflict and instability may affect the Missions ability to achieve this goal. These daunting challenges arise from a lack of capacity as well as weak government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (GDRC) commitment at both the national and sub-national-levels. The Water for the World Act of 2014 builds on the Water for the Poor Act of 2005, which made water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) a U.S. foreign policy priority, instructing the United States Government (USG) to focus programming and resources in priority countries that have both the greatest sector needs and opportunities for impact. The USAID Water and Development Plan under the U.S. Government Global Water Strategy articulates the Agencys approach to increase the availability and sustainable management of safe water and sanitation for the underserved and most vulnerable. Congress has consistently appropriated funds under the water directive to increase sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation and improve hygiene. It is anticipated that funding for water, sanitation and hygiene activities will be sustained for the coming years. A dedicated WASH team manages this work at USAID/DRC. On behalf of the USAID/DRC team, IBTCI seeks a WASH Advisor to provide programmatic and technical guidance in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and/or water security. The incumbent will serve as an Activity Manager and provide advice to activities led by Implementing Partners (IPs) under Contracts, Cooperative Agreements, and/or Grants. The incumbent will work collaboratively with other staff in the USAID Kinshasa office, government counterparts, and other development partners to support a coordinated, strategic approach to WASH and water security programming. Responsibilities Essential Duties/Tasks and Responsibilities: Advisory and Technical Services Provide technical guidance on WASH and water security interventions, including providing guidance in the design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of WASH and water security programs. Apply evidence-based guidelines, approaches, and tools to support Missions WASH and water security programming. Through regular communication with sector stakeholders and USAID/Washington, as well as reading and reviewing emerging literature, stay abreast of new developments and findings in the national and global WASH and water security landscape, and advise accordingly on how policies, strategies, and technical guidelines can most effectively be incorporated to enable the Mission to maintain fidelity and relevance in its WASH and water security programs. Provide technical guidance to other agencies implementing the USG Global Water Strategy, technical counterparts in government, and to other national stakeholders to advance USAID strategic objectives for WASH and water security. Provide on-going technical assistance to USAID local partners to ensure that activities are evidence-based and responsive to local needs. Work closely with other staff in USAID to optimize opportunities for cross-sectoral layering, sequencing and integrating (as appropriate) and leveraging of resources across the different program components. Project Management Serve as Activity Manager on designated WASH and water security programs. Participate in project/activity design, including drafting and obtaining approval for concept papers, writing scopes of work, evaluating applications/proposals, and starting up new projects and activities related to WASH and water security. Work with IPs to develop strategic work plans with realistic and measurable targets to support effective implementation of the Missions WASH and water security portfolio. Review annual work plans, monitoring and evaluation plans, quarterly reports and other key documents of assigned activities, making recommendations to the COR or AOR on the progress and quality of such project documents. Monitor program resources allocated for WASH and water security activities to ensure that they are being used rationally and that there are no cost overruns. Compile, analyze, and disseminate, on a regular basis, to USAID mission staff and USAID/Washington, as well as government counterparts, progress in achieving sector objectives together with commentary on issues and recommended solutions. Project Monitoring and Evaluation Regularly analyze and interpret WASH and water security data to generate key results and trends to assist the Mission maintain a needs-responsive WASH and water security program with proven achievement across USAID standard indicators. Contribute to data quality assessments to ensure the quality and reliability of project data. Participate in site visits to USAID supported activities to assess the quality of implementation against contract or agreement objectives and to provide guidance to implementing partners on emerging approaches. Monitor project activities and make recommendations to resolve implementation obstacles to ensure judicious use of USG funds and effective implementation of WASH and water security interventions. Contribute to and participate in WASH- and water security-related program evaluations to document and scale up proven best practices. Other Coordination and Support Contribute to key annual planning and reporting documents including the Operational Plan, Performance Plan and Report, among others. Prepare reports and responses to a wide range of requirements including responding to requests for information from USAID/Washington and Congress. Ensure that USAID successes, best practices and approaches are shared widely with partner country officials, private sector, civil society, and other donors. Attend national, regional, and international meetings that relate to WASH and water security. NOTE: The consultant will not perform other inherently governmental functions or duties (e.g. will not serve as AOR/COR or supervise staff), but rather will advise, mentor, and facilitate as appropriate on the performance of inherently governmental functions on the part of the Office or Mission. KEY DELIVERABLES: (SMART - tangible outcomes) Develop technical guidance on WASH and water security programs for use by mission personnel and implementing partners. Monthly reports of activities performed during the work period, as agreed upon by position supervisor and WASH advisor. Complete site visit reports and presentations for knowledge management and transfer. Compile meeting minutes approximately 14 times per week and maintain file and activity management and organization. Prepare briefing papers, presentations and assist with site preparations for visits by delegations of high-level USG officials. Maintain satisfactory performance as reviewed by supervisors. Qualifications Minimum Requirements: Prior Work Experience Minimum three (3) years of demonstrated management experience in urban and rural water supply, sanitation, and hygiene improvement in DRC or in similar context. Experience with Water Utility Strengthening frameworks and current trends. Knowledge of the current DRC Institutional framework including State owned enterprises (SOE) reforms and their implications. The position requires a combination of managerial, technical, design and analytical abilities combined with the demonstrated ability to manage resources, programs, and people. Experience in analyzing sector data and translating into practice. Language Proficiency Level III fluency in English, both written and spoken, is required. Language competence may be tested. Skills and Abilities: Ability to present information, analyses, and recommendations in clear written and oral formats. Ability to independently conceive, plan, organize, manage, and evaluate important, diverse, and complex work projects, to drive high-level performance and outcomes of WASH and water security projects. Demonstrated ability to apply policy directives to activity design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. Excellent analytical, technical and project management skills to review and provide substantive feedback on concept papers, proposals, program descriptions/scopes of work, performance reports, and other technical and programmatic documents. Ability to respond professionally and adjust in fluid situations in order to meet deadlines in the face of competing priorities and time pressures. Excellent interpersonal skills, including diplomacy and tact, to work effectively with people at all levels, from senior officials to support staff, in a culturally diverse environment, accepting divergent points of view and help find consensus to achieve team goals. Excellent computer skills including in Microsoft Office, web-based databases, and electronic filing, including the ability to help others and to learn new programs quickly. Ability to travel to regions and districts within the host country, up to 20% of the time. Education: Bachelors degree in civil, environmental, mechanical, agricultural, or related engineering field. Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 5+ years of management experience in urban and rural water supply, sanitation, and hygiene improvement. Previous experience with USAID WASH program implementation in the DRC. Experience working and collaborating with U.S. government agencies and private sector organizations, including officials with international organizations, foreign and domestic government officials, and development partners. Working Environment: Work is typically performed in an office environment. Physical Requirements: This is largely a sedentary position that requires the ability to speak, hear, see, and lift small objects up to 20 lbs. Supervisory Responsibility: This position does not have supervisory responsibilities. Travel: May include travel to fragile and/or conflict-prone zones. Work Authorization: Candidate must be authorized to work in the DRC. Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. How to apply? Send your application by clicking the link below: https://careers.ibtci.com/jobs/3913?lang=en-us About the Organization: IBTCI has been in business since 1987. We specialize in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research & Learning (MERL), Institutional Support (IS), Financial & Risk Management (FRM), Supply Chain Management & Procurement (SCMP); Social & Behavior Change (SBC) and Capacity Building. We provide these services across many sectors including, but not limited to, agriculture, resilience & food security, conflict & crisis, democracy & governance, economic growth & trade, education & human capacity development, energy & infrastructure, environment & climate change, global health & WASH and humanitarian and disaster assistance. At IBTCI, our colleagues are encouraged to collaborate and be part of the solution while getting the tools and guidance needed to grow and support our clients' missions. IBTCI is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identification, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or any other classification protected by applicable anti-discrimination laws. We prohibit and do not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment. VEVRAA Federal Contractor. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability, or unable to use the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact the Talent Acquisition team at TalentAcquisition@ibtci.com (Do not send your resume to this account, for consideration please apply in our career page, https://careers.ibtci.com/jobs). by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, July 18, 2024 Last year, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. claimed in a lawsuit against Google's YouTube that it violated the First Amendment by removing videos in which he made controversial statements about vaccinations. The independent presidential candidate sought an order requiring YouTube to restore the videos -- including clips of him being interviewed by podcast hosts Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan. He argued that Google should be considered a state actor -- meaning equivalent to the government -- because its medical misinformation policy allegedly relies on government sources, such as the World Health Organization and local health authorities. The First Amendment generally prohibits the government from suppressing speech but doesn't prevent private companies from doing so -- unless the companies are deemed state actors. U.S. District Court Judge Trina Thompson in the Northern District of California rejected Kennedy's request for a pre-trial injunction, but he is continuing with the lawsuit and could -- at least theoretically -- still obtain an injunction if he prevails after a trial. For its part, Google has consistently argued that it has the First Amendment right to decide what to material to allow on YouTube. This week, Google filed new papers with Thompson, calling her attention to two recent Supreme Court decisions -- one issued in late June and the other in July. The company says those rulings confirm that Kennedy lacks grounds to force YouTube to host his videos. Both of the rulings deal with content moderation by social media platforms, and both supporting the principle that social media platforms have the right to wield control over content on their platforms. The First Amendment does not go on leave when social media are involved, Justice Elena Kagan wrote in the July decision, which examined laws in Texas and Florida that would have restricted platforms' ability to suppress users' posts. (The court ultimately returned the dispute over those laws to lower courts, with instructions to take a closer look at the state statutes.) Kagan's ruling reinforces Googles argument that the sole form of relief Kennedy seeks in his complaint -- an injunction preventing Google from removing certain videos featuring Kennedy -- would violate Googles First Amendment rights vis-a-vis its content moderation on YouTube, the company writes. The June decision, authored by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, struck down an injunction that could have prevented Biden administration officials from discussing controversial subjects with personnel at social media platforms. In that case, attorneys general from Missouri and Louisiana claimed that government officials violated the First Amendment by pressuring the platforms to revise misinformation polices in ways that led to removal of anti-vaxxer posts, among other topics. But Barrett said there was evidence the platforms had independently revised their content policies before government officials weighed in. Barrett's reasoning reinforces Googles arguments ... that Kennedy has failed to plausibly plead that the government engaged in any coercion or significant encouragement, or that any specific content moderation decisions by Google about videos of Kennedy were caused by the alleged state action, the company says. Thompson is expected to hold a hearing in the matter on October 22. by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, July 18, 2024 GroupMs EssenceMediacom is the top ranked agency for 2023 global billingsestimated at $24.5 billion (+0.2% versus the prior year)-- according to final numbers just released by agency research firm COMvergence. Omnicom Media Groups OMD placed second with an estimated $24 billion, scoring the highest growth rate among the top 10 agency networks (8.7%). GroupMs Mindshare placed third with $21 billion (+6%). advertisement advertisement At the group level, GroupM remains top-ranked with $62.6 billion (+3.4%) and a 14.8% industry market share. Publicis Media follows with $48.5 billion and the highest growth rate among the Big 6 groups (8.3%). Omnicom Media Group rounds out the top three with $40.5B (+7.4%). The combined billings of these three groups account for 71% of the Big 6 groups total billings. (Havas, IPG and Dentsu round out the top 6). COMvergence estimates total net billings last year to be $423 billion (+4.7%) across the 47 markets it analyzed. About 60% was handled by media agency networks and the remaining 40% by smaller independent media and digital agencies, as well as Brazilian, Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean non-assessed local advertising agencies, and in-house advertiser units (particularly in the search/programmatic area). The global billings managed by the Big 6 holding companies plus major independent media agencies reached $242B in 2023, +3% versus the prior year. COMvergence estimates that digital media investments reached 51% share of global spend managed by the Big 6 and major independents assessed. This is up from 48% in 2022 and 43% in 2021. Among the Big 6 groups, digital media expenditures grew 7% year-on-year to reach $112.5 billion, while offline spending fell 2.5% to $110.7B. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, July 18, 2024 Antitrust regulators in Italy are investigating Google over its practice of combining data about users that was collected across different company-owned services -- such as YouTube and Maps. Specifically, the Italian Competition Authority is examining whether Google obtains valid consent from users before mingling personal data gleaned from different platforms. The request for consent that Google submits to its users to the linking of the services offered may constitute a misleading and aggressive commercial practice, the Italian Competition Authority stated Thursday when it announced the investigation. The agency added that Google appears to give users inadequate, incomplete and misleading information that could influence their decision about whether to allow Google to combine personal data collected from a variety of services including Maps and YouTube. Google's request for consent may fail to adequately inform people of the real effect of agreeing to Google's aggregation of data, the authorities added. advertisement advertisement A company spokesperson says Google "will analyze the details of this case and will work cooperatively" with the agency. The investigation comes as Google, along with Meta, X Corp. and other U.S. companies, faces increased scrutiny in Europe -- which has broad privacy laws, including the Digital Markets Act. That measure, which took effect this year, requires large platforms like Google to obtain users' consent before harnessing users' data. Earlier this month, antitrust regulations in the European Commission made a preliminary finding that Meta Platforms violates the Digital Markets Act by requiring Facebook and Instagram users to choose between accepting online ad targeting or paying subscription fees for ad-free versions of the services. That model does not allow users to exercise their right to freely consent to the combination of their personal data, the commission wrote. Users who do not consent should still get access to an equivalent service which uses less of their personal data, in this case for the personalization of advertising, the agency added. by Teresa Buyikian , July 18, 2024 Tequila is so having a moment. Everyone from The Rock to Kendall Jenner is selling their own brand of the Mexican agave plant-based alcohol, and classic tequila cocktails like Ranch Water (tequila, lime and sparkling water) are making a comeback on bar menus nationwide. Yet premium 100% blue weber agave tequila maker Lunazul is relying more on its history and craftsmanship than celebrity and trends in its latest campaign, "Look to Luna." Created with agency Method1, the multichannel global campaign will run on connected TV, programmatic and social media including ESPN, Hulu HBO Max, and Disney+, among others. The intro video for the effort depicts friends enjoying themselves at an outdoor dinner party, drinking Lunazul Blanco, served both neat and in a variety of cocktails. The images are contrasted with the spirits origin: video of the tequileros who hand-harvest each blue weber agave. Those who know, look to Luna, says a voiceover. advertisement advertisement "In an ever-growing tequila market, Lunazul resonates with consumers searching for the best quality tequila at an approachable price," said Lunazul senior brand manager Brittany Wenig in a release. "Our message of 'finer doesn't come with fanfare' reflects our belief that Lunazul stands above others based on its history, heritage, and hand-crafted nature plus the expert-level knowledge and talent of our distillery team. Lunazul rests on its own laurels because tradition outshines trends." The additive-free Lunazul utilizes agave that is slow-cooked and fermented with a proprietary yeast strain that dates back over 250 years, per the brand. The campaign kicked off with an influencer event in New York last month, where attendees received chef-prepared meals, Lunazul cocktails and a mixology workshop. Content shot at the event is being used for the campaign on social media. by Ray Schultz , July 18, 2024 The Guardian US has named Georgia Warren as editorial director, membership and supporter strategy. Warren had been serving as membership editor on an interim basis since January. She will oversee the Guardians communications with US supporters and develop strategies to deepen relationships with readers during and after this election year. In addition, Warren will lead fundraising messaging, foster innovation in the Guardians US reader revenue program, and serve as a bridge between the newsroom and commercial sides of the business, The Guardian US says. Warren was head of digital engagement for the British Labour Party from 2013 to 2015 and a senior communications strategist for the agency Blue State. Georgia brings a passion for journalism, deep fundraising expertise and a huge amount of creative spark to this role, says Jane Spencer, deputy editor and SVP, strategy, the Guardian US, to whom Warren will report. Her insight and energy have already been transformativeand we are delighted shes here to stay. advertisement advertisement Warren comments, Guardian US readers value our quality journalism so highly that although we have no paywall, many voluntarily reach into their pockets to support us. I cant think of a better audience with whom to engage, listen and build relationships. by Ray Schultz , July 18, 2024 The Times Hudson Valley Media group, a publisher in New York State, is acquiring two weekly newspapers:The Cornwall Local and The News of the Highlands, increasing the companys roster to five publications. The sale is effective on August 1. The terms were not disclosed. Carl Aiello, founder of the Times Hudson Valley Media group, will serve as publisher and Mary Jane Pitt will remain as editor. Both papers will be converted to tabloid size, marching The Wallkill Valley Times, Mid Hudson Times, and Southern Ulster Times. All five newspapers will go to press on Tuesday evenings, and will hit newsstands on Wednesdays, and local mailboxes on Thursdays. Our late fathers main objective in purchasing the News of the Highlands and later The Cornwall Local some fifty years ago was to preserve independent local journalism that informs and supports our local communities, says Simon Eristoff, president of News of the Highlands Inc. Eristoff adds, To best position the News and the Local to continue providing vital community journalism in the decades to come, we recently concluded an agreement whereby the News of the Highlands Inc. will become a part of Times Hudson Valley Media, a highly regarded and experienced publisher of several local news weeklies in neighboring Orange County communities. Trusted Source Schedule I Substances Identified in Nootropic Gummies Containing Amanita muscaria or Other Mushrooms Go to source Trusted Source Psilocybin found in mushroom gummies poses serious health risks. Always verify product contents before consumption." #medindia #psilocybin Findings Reveal Presence of Illegal Substances in Mushroom Gummies psilocybin Advertisement Effects of Mushroom Gummies Trusted Source Schedule I Substances Identified in Nootropic Gummies Containing Amanita muscaria or Other Mushrooms Go to source Trusted Source Advertisement Schedule I Substances Identified in Nootropic Gummies Containing Amanita muscaria or Other Mushrooms - (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7328a3.htm) Experts from UVA Health are issuing a warning about mushroom gummies marketed to enhance brain function, as they may contain the illegal hallucinogen psilocybin and other harmful, undisclosed ingredients. This alert follows incidents involving five individuals, including a 3-year-old child, who fell ill after consuming these products ().Between September and June, UVA Health Medical Centers emergency department treated several cases of poisoning linked to these gummies . This surge prompted experts from UVAs Blue Ridge Poison Center to test five different brands available at Central Virginia gas stations and smoke shops.The testing revealed that three of the five brands containedor psilocin. These substances are classified as "Schedule I" drugs by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, indicating they have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Psilocybin and psilocin are illegal at both federal and state levels.Consumers are urged to exercise caution and be aware of the potential risks associated with these products.The products tested claimed to contain the Amanita muscaria mushroom, which is legal, or a proprietary mushroom blend. But none disclosed the inclusion of psilocybin or psilocin. Other undisclosed ingredients discovered by the UVA researchers included caffeine , ephedrine and kratom, an herb that produces opioid-like effects and carries the risk of addiction.The presence of psilocybin and psilocin, as well as other undisclosed ingredients, represents a potential public health threat not just in Central Virginia but potentially across the country, the researchers say. They warn that people who take unregulated products sold at smoke shops and gas stations have no way of knowing what theyre putting into their bodies or the harm the substances could cause.People tend to equate legal with safe, which is not necessarily the case. These products are not regulated and can contain any number of unlabeled substances which, when consumed, can cause undesired symptoms, said researcher Avery Michienzi, DO, the poison centers assistant medical director. Some packages will have QR codes showing that the products were tested in a lab and contain only what they are labeled to contain. These have been found to be inaccurate.All four of the adults seen in UVAs Emergency Department between September and Nov. 20 had consumed the mushroom gummies intentionally. But the child, seen this June, had consumed two gummies accidentally. All were treated and released, but the child required an overnight hospital stay ().The researchers note that investigators were not able to purchase the exact brands of mushroom gummies the patients had consumed. Instead, they bought three brands with the same ingredients and two other brands that claimed to contain mushroom nootropics. (Nootropics is a trendy term commonly used in advertising for substances that claim to improve cognition and brain health.)The researchers then analyzed the gummies in UVA Healths advanced Toxicology Laboratory. While we anticipated that we might find some undisclosed ingredients, we were surprised to find psilocybin and psilocin knowing that they are scheduled drugs, said Lindsay Bazydlo, PhD, the labs medical director. The consumer should be given accurate information about what substances are included in these products.The researchers are urging doctors to be on the lookout for patients, especially children, who have fallen ill after consuming the gummies. Typical hospital drug screens, they note, do not detect the substances the researchers found. Symptoms can include hallucinations, racing heartbeat, upset stomach and altered mental state. These symptoms can appear similar to the effects of marijuana.Source-Eurekalert The Air Force has approved 78 jobs to receive special duty assignment pay for 2025, an increase from the 70 for 2024, but also coming in a year when the service is planning to cut funding to the program. While the service announced the 78 jobs figure, Air Force officials have refused to disclose details of its bonus program, including declining to share the eligible jobs and outline how the cuts to funding would affect the bonuses, claiming it's a security risk to disclose how it uses those taxpayer funds. Air Force budget documents show that the service requested $4.1 million less for the program next year, down from the estimated $95.2 million allocation for the program in fiscal 2024. Read Next: 'At What Cost': Guard Chief Argues Border Mission Is Getting in the Way of Warfighting The bonuses, ranging from $75 to $450 a month, are designed "to compensate enlisted service members who serve in duties which are extremely difficult" or "involve an unusual degree of responsibility in a military skill," according to the service's budget documents. Historically, they have been given to service members who take on assignments from pararescueman to nuclear missile worker. When Military.com obtained the list of career fields eligible for the bonus through a source, an Air Force official confirmed it was authentic and accurate. But the service declined to provide any details on which jobs lost money, gained money or were cut, citing "security concerns." The total number of eligible jobs has bounced up and down in recent years, from 103 in 2023, to 70 specialties this year, and now 78 for 2025. Air Force officials did not explain how they plan to expand the bonus to more jobs in October, when the new fiscal year starts, while also planning on cutting the program by millions of dollars. Ciara Travis, an Air Force spokesperson, told Military.com the figures in the budget documents were just estimates and that the "actual numbers of eligibles in each career field will fluctuate during the year of execution." Air Force officials in a June press release, without naming the 78 approved specialties, wrote that "10 were initial requests that were certified for the first time, 61 were recertified at their current rate, four increased rate and three decreased rate," adding that one career field was eliminated from the list of jobs that qualified. That lack of transparency, and citing "security concerns" for something such as how taxpayer funds are being utilized to pay service members, is alarming to government watchdogs. "You're paying American citizens with American taxpayer dollars," said Dan Grazier, a senior fellow for the National Security Reform Program at the nonprofit Stimson Center in Washington, D.C. "So, the American people have a right to know how that money is being spent." He said denying that simple information to the public raises red flags. "This just sounds like basic information," Grazier said. "That just fits within a larger pattern that we've seen over the last four or five, six years, of the Pentagon trying to hide as much information from the public as they possibly can." A document obtained by Military.com, and confirmed as authentic and accurate by an Air Force official, lists the following jobs as being eligible for the bonus starting this October: Air Force Careers Eligible for Special Duty Assignment Pay in FY25 1. MTI 2. Human Intelligence 3. Combat Controller 4. 724th Special Tactics Group Ops 5. Project 05 6.150th Special Ops Squadron 7. Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) Specialists 8. Academy Military Training NCO 9. Military Training Leader 10. Air Force Special Operations Command Air Ops Flight 11. Pararescue 12. Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor 13. Joint Special Ops Command 14. Tactical Air Control Party 15. Aircraft Battle Damage Repair Expeditionary Depot 16. Project 02 17. Project 01 18. Subsurface Analyst 19. Defense Theater Reduction Agency 20. White House Communications Agency 21. Parachuting Instructor 22. ROTC Instructor 23. Cyber Warfare 24. Recruiter 25. Mission Generation Vehicular Equipment Maintenance 26. Special Warfare Battlefield Airmen Units 27. Flying Crew Chiefs 28. Battle Management Operations 29. USAFE NC3 Cyber Defense Operations 30. Guardian Angel Operational Test 31. Fuels Specialist 32. Test Parachute Program 33. Phoenix Raven Program 34. Defense Attache 35. Special Reconnaissance 36. Air Force Office of Special Investigations 37. AFSOC Deployed Aircraft Ground Response Element 38. Air Traffic Controller 39. Project 03 40. First Sergeant 41. SEAC/CMSAF/CCM 42. 33rd Cyberspace Operations Squadron, Operating Location Alpha 43. National Airborne Ops Support 44. White House Shelter Complex 45. Cyber Intelligence Analysis 46. Presidential Logistics Squadron 47. Explosive Ordnance Disposal 48. ISR Instructor 49. 844th Communications Squadron-Executive Communications Flight 50. Command and Control Operations 51. Nuclear Aircraft Maintenance 52. Security Forces Nuclear Support 53. Missile Maintenance for ICBM/ALC Ops 54. Missile Facility Manager 55. Aircraft Armament System 56. Nuclear Weapons 57. Missile Field Chief 58. Munition Systems 59. Project 04 60. Independent Duty Technician 61. Cyberspace Mission Forces 62. RPA Cyber 63. Special Ops Surgical Team 64. International Enlisted Engagements Manager 65. 33rd Network Warfare Cyber Security Squadron 66. Air Advisers 67. Common Mission Control Center 68. Agile Software Development Designer, Product Manager, Developer 69. Enlisted Pilots 70. Rescue Guardian Angel, Special Tactic, Special Warfare Training or TACP 71. Joint Communications Support Element 72. 437th Operations Squadron, Special Operations, Low Level 73. Respiratory Care Practitioner 74. USAF Honor Guard 75. Fire Protection 76. Academic Faculty Instructor -- Air Force Academy 77. Special Mission Unit 78. 388th Operations Support Squadron Related: Here Are the 73 Air Force Jobs Offering Big Reenlistment and Retention Bonuses Virginia lawmakers on Thursday quickly and unanimously passed a full repeal of changes to a popular military family tuition waiver program, concluding a chaotic and sometimes-heated battle in the General Assembly. The legislation fully repeals all changes made to the military tuition program in the budget document, and adds $90 million from the revenue surplus to the program for the two-year budget period. Now, the program will get $65 million each year during the next two years. In the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee, Chair Louise Lucas, D- Portsmouth, said the bill balances out support for military families while avoiding financially burdening other students. As I have said before, making higher education affordable for all students is a priority that should be shared by everyone, Lucas said. Lucas and Del. Luke Torian, D- Dumfries, announced a plan to introduce and vote on identical repeal bills on July 2. Both legislative chambers passed the identical bills, avoiding a conference committee. Additionally, several groups are studying the program. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission is studying the programs viability and will share the report with the General Assembly by Sept. 1. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has also convened a task force on the issue, and state Senators formed a select workgroup. Previously, the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program provided tuition waivers and an annual stipend to spouses and children of veterans who are killed, missing in action, taken prisoner or at least 90% permanently disabled as a result of service. The estimated cost of the programs tuition waivers has nearly quadrupled, from $12 million in 2019 to $46.3 million in 2022, according to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Projections from earlier this year showed the lost tuition revenue will likely grow to over $190 million by 2026. The Virginia budget, which went into effect July 1, imposed several new restrictions on the tuition waiver program in an attempt to curb rising costs. It requires applicants to be Virginia residents and limits the program waivers to undergraduate degrees. The budget also requires applicants to apply for and use other sources of state and federal financial aid first. The changes were met with outrage from military families, including many whom live in Hampton Roads. The Senate Appropriations committee advanced a bill from Lucas mostly repealing the changes on July 1, but the full Senate did not vote on the bill due to a 48-hour waiting period. On June 18, Lucas declined to hear several pieces of legislation fully repealing the changes. The repeal bill now heads to Youngkins desk. Youngkin previously said he supported the bills in a post on X following the announcement from Democratic leaders. Lawmakers did not take up any efforts to repeal a statewide ban on skill games slot machine-like video gaming devices once active in gas stations and other locations. During the Appropriations committee, Lucas said House leaders are not ready to deal with the issue yet, but hoped to advance legislation in an October special session. Reporters Eliza Noe and Gavin Stone contributed to this report. 2024 The Virginian-Pilot. Visit pilotonline.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Press Release July 19, 2024 '2 weeks does not solve 6 years of learning loss' - EDCOM 2 Commissioner Benitez During a field visit to a public high school in Metro Manila, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) expressed its concerns over the implementation of the National Learning Camp (NLC) of the Department of Education (DepEd), as it seems to fail to achieve its intended outcomes. EDCOM 2 led by its Co-Chairperson Senator Sherwin "Win" Gatchalian and Commissioner Rep Jose Francisco "Kiko" Benitez conducted a field visit to check the implementation of the learning camps in Tinajeros National High School. Launched through Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 13, s. 2023, the NLC is among the programs under the National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP) of DepEd. Currently, DepEd is conducting the second round of learning camps, which will run from July 01-19. These camps cover Grades 1-3 and Grades 7-10 and are structured into three groups to target the needs of learners: intervention (for those who failed in English, Science, and Math), consolidation (review and reinforcement), and enhancement (for advanced learners). DepEd also engaged learning camp volunteers to support teachers during these sessions. Despite the claim of addressing learning loss recovery, there has been no clear evidence of improvement of education targets. Moreover, not all programs under the DepEd Order are being implemented. During the site visits, the Commission observed that students attending the intervention camp were not only catching up for proficiencies at that grade level but were also lacking the proficiencies of earlier grade levels. "The principle might be finding ways to teach them [learners] at the right level; to teach them where they're at so we can help them move to the next stage in the fastest, most efficient, and strategic ways we possibly can. And that is not an easy thing to design. The National Learning Camp is probably one way but it cannot be the only way. Because 2 weeks does not solve 6 years of loss. The interventions need to be done everyday, during the school days," says EDCOM 2 Commissioner Rep Kiko Benitez. Target the learners, make remediation mandatory The EDCOM 2 together with its Standing Committee Members Dr Jennie Jocson, and Mr Elvin Uy, DepEd Director Marilyn Siao, and representatives of DepEd bureaus and offices, observed the actual conduct of intervention and consolidation classes under the learning camp in Tinajeros. While the teachers of Tinajeros were able to conduct NLRC national assessment to screen learners that will be participating in the learning recovery programs, they shared that only Grades 7 and 8 results came out in time to inform the targeting of learners. Those for Grades 9 and 10 came out late. This prompted the Commission to inquire if assessments could be handled at the school level so that teachers are able to immediately get hold of the assessment results. "Maganda siya, but it is not achieving what we want to achieve. What we want to achieve is to eliminate- erase learning loss, whether learning loss because of the pandemic or learning loss because of whatever reason there is. But the main objective of the NLC should address those who are in need of the interventions. Kasi ang resources natin konti lang e, so dapat i-target muna natin ang mga estudyanteng nangangailangan," says Senator Gatchalian. The Commissioner further emphasized the need to make remediation mandatory, alongside implementing other complementary interventions to help learners that are not ready to advance to the next grade level, and learners who are lagging years behind. "Our previous consultations also show that because participation is voluntary, some learners who were supposed to be in intervention camps do not participate. This is just among the other factors why learning camps are not as effective," explains EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee. "Itong learning camp, hindi siya mandatory e, voluntary siya. In my opinion, nasa crisis na tayo. Kailangan nating gawing mandatory para makahabol lahat ng mga estudyante," expressed EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Senator Sherwin Gatchalian. Teachers of Tinajeros also expressed the same concern over the learning progress. "Bilang isang frontliner, isa po kami sa nakararanas talaga na nag-eexist yun problem. There's no way out but to address it. Para lang sa amin, since limited lang yung time ng NLRC, we shouldn't stop there. Dapat magkaroon talaga ng konkretong programa rin ang paaralan kung paano natin ito matutuloy tuloy. Kung ano ang pangangailangan nila, doon po tayo dapat magstart. Siguro kailangan natin ng tool na talagang maassess exactly nasaan na silang level." expressed one of the teachers. The teachers also conveyed their support in making remediation and learning camps mandatory, sharing how they struggle in getting the attendance of the learners who are in dire need of these remediation classes. "Nakikita po namin na big solusyon talaga ay maging mandatory ang learning camp para yung mga skills na hindi nila nadevelop from the previous level ay matutukan po talaga," says another frontliner. Support, empower teachers Considering the complexity of the problem and the learning crisis that the country is facing, Rep Benitez also stressed the need to support and empower teachers and make available the trainings and resources they need to better equip them in teaching all learners, especially those who are lagging behind. The government must ensure that teachers are not only empowered and equipped by training them in different types of interventions, but are also supported with budget, materials, and other resources. "Ang goal natin, we want empowered teachers. Confidence is a major piece that we need to provide, but at the end of the day, we need to keep our eye on the goal - competencies, learning outcomes, and skills set ideally at the right grade level," added Rep Benitez. The outgoing chief of the National Guard is doubling down on his recent criticisms of the service component's long-troubled security mission on the U.S.-Mexico border, saying it's a detriment to the Guard's ability to wage war. "The reason the Guard exists is to fight and win our nation's wars, period," Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the National Guard's top officer, said in an interview with Military.com on Wednesday. "We can do stuff along the southwest border. But at the end of the day, that is [demands] on individuals not related to their military mission set." For decades, the National Guard has had some level of presence on the southwest border. But that mission was supercharged in Texas as part of Gov. Greg Abbott's ongoing Operation Lone Star, which surged that state's soldiers to combat illegal immigration in 2021. At its peak, 10,000 Guardsmen were part of the operation, which is in addition to a federal border mission of some 2,500 Guardsmen. Read Next: 'Get Woke Left-Wing Democrats Fired as Soon as Possible': What the 2024 GOP Platform Says About the Military Hokanson's comments come after remarks to lawmakers on Capitol Hill in June in which he highlighted his concerns with the mission interfering with the Guard's training requirements -- already a significant obligation for units made up of mostly part-timers who have to maintain the same qualifications as their active-duty counterparts. "There is no military training value for what we do," he told lawmakers, referencing border missions and adding that the Guard's time would be better spent preparing for war and being available to respond to state emergencies. For Hokanson, the issue is twofold. A border mission, even a shorter one that can span about a month, consumes a significant chunk of a part-time Guardsman's duty time in a given year. The border mission is mostly static security and surveillance, but troops typically are not allowed to interact directly with migrants or suspected smugglers. He also argues it adds yet another strain on the relationship between Guardsmen and their lives back home. "If you're deployed down on the southwest border, to your family or your employer, it's the same as you being in Kuwait, or Iraq, or somewhere else overseas, because you're away from your family or away from your employer," Hokanson said. But equally important, he stressed, is that the sprawling border mission is just another thing on troops' plates as they're being overworked, a significant concern across the military's senior leadership. Service members are away from home more now than during the peak of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. That issue has been linked to suicides in the services. It also has been contributing to retention issues that have plagued the Army National Guard. In 2023, the Army Guard sought to retain 37,000 troops whose contracts were ending that year; it hit only 63% of the goal. By contrast, the Army Guard reached nearly 95% of its recruiting goal of 26,000 new soldiers. "Our Guardsmen are going to do their best. They're gonna do the job the best they can; they're going to improve the position that they're in for the next person," Hokanson said. "But at what cost?" The Army Guard nearly hitting its recruiting goal and failing on retention is the complete inverse of the active-duty Army -- which is struggling to recruit but having no issue retaining talent. The high cadence of missions and long-term training events is worsened by the service's being spread thin bolstering NATO's front line amid Russia's war in Ukraine, deterring Beijing's expansionist goals in the Pacific, and running missions that are the remnants of the Global War on Terror in Africa and the Middle East -- with the National Guard making up the bulk of the combat power in those legacy missions. At any given time, some 20,000 Guardsmen are deployed abroad, according to service component data. "We are looking at where we can take things off soldiers' plates," Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told Military.com in an October interview. On top of those obligations abroad, the Guard also deploys in response to natural disasters -- missions that are expected to become even more frequent as climate change's impact on the frequency and intensity of storms and other natural disasters is expected to lead to increasing demands on Guardsmen. Those missions are often short, unintrusive of a unit's training schedule, and more applicable to the Guard's capabilities. At least a dozen Republican governors, including those in states hundreds of miles from the border, have funneled troops onto state-backed missions to the border. Those missions range from minor deployments with only a handful of soldiers for a few weeks, to sprawling deployments of entire units for a year. Some of those missions have come amid political campaigns. South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem deployed 50 troops to the border backed by a $1 million donation from billionaire GOP megadonor Willis Johnson. The move sparked numerous questions on the ethics and legality of privately funding National Guard operations -- and came as Noem was boosting her national profile. Governors using Guardsmen as political tools has been a concern. The National Guard has frequently been caught in the middle betweens state politicians and federal officials. "We can't help what elected officials or other officials say," Hokanson said. "All we can focus on is what we're going to do to make sure we're doing the right thing." Hokanson is set to retire Aug. 1, though his successor has not been picked yet. Related: The National Guard Is Stuck in the Middle of Political Infighting, and It's Getting Worse A former U.S. Army officer will serve prison time after he was convicted of groping a 16-year-old and then an 18-year-old on separate flights to Seattle last year, federal prosecutors said. James Benecke, 42, was a chief warrant officer stationed in Alaska when he sexually assaulted the teen in April 2023 and then the woman two months later, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Washington. He was dishonorably discharged from the Army following the assaults, according to his legal counsel. Benecke deliberately and methodically escalated his behavior during the course of these flights, prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. A judge sentenced Benecke to one year in federal prison on July 17 after he pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact while on board an aircraft, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a July 18 news release. His court-appointed public defender, Jesse Cantor, didnt immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment on July 19. Preying on teenagers in the confined space of an aircraft is traumatizing, and is happening far too often, U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman said in a statement. Those convicted of this crime are required to register as a sex offender. Some have been banned from certain airlines. Ahead of sentencing, Cantor argued a sentence of five years of probation and six months of house arrest would have been sufficient for Benecke instead of prison. Aside from the death penalty, imprisonment is the ultimate punishment, Cantor wrote in a sentencing memo. Cantor said alcoholism and intoxication, while not an excuse, are clearly what caused Mr. Beneckes offense conduct, and that Benecke has already faced significant adverse consequences, including losing his military career and having to register as a sex offender. The assaults On April 12, 2023, Benecke sexually assaulted the 16-year-old who was traveling with her classmates on a red-eye Alaska Airlines flight that took off from Anchorage, according to prosecutors. As she was nearly asleep in the middle seat, Benecke started touching her thigh while sitting next to her, prosecutors wrote in the governments sentencing memo. She later told investigators, she normally would have established the fact that th(is) act made (her) uncomfortable, however (she) was half asleep and not conscious enough to react, the sentencing memo says. After she turned away from Benecke, she later awoke to him touching her buttocks, according to prosecutors. The teen then grabbed his wrist and put his hand in his lap, the sentencing memo says. After telling her parents what happened, the teen reported Benecke to police, according to prosecutors. Two months later, on another Alaska Airlines flight that left Dallas-Fort Worth, Benecke groped an 18-year-old woman traveling with her boyfriend resulting in her and her boyfriend reporting him to flight attendants, the sentencing memo says. Although Mr. Benecke appeared to be asleep, (she) noticed that (he) would begin touching her when her boyfriend looked out the window, and would stop whenever her boyfriend looked back, apparently timing this touching to avoid detection, prosecutors wrote. He touched her buttocks and inner thigh, according to prosecutors. The next month, Benecke was arrested at his duty station in Alaska, prosecutors said. Alaska Airlines didnt immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment on July 19. Beneckes actions diminished their sense of personal safety, and turned what should have been joyous, meaningful trips one to a school sporting competition, and one returning home from college orientation into sources of trauma, prosecutors wrote in the sentencing memo. In the Seattle area, reports of sexual assaults on planes have been increasing in recent years, likely in part because of Seattle-Tacoma International Airports role as an air travel hub, according to prosecutors. The FBI investigates crimes, including sexual misconduct, on flights. The agency advises reporting crimes to the flight crew, airport authority police, and the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov. ------- 2024 The Charlotte Observer. Visit at charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The state commission investigating the Lewiston mass shooting finally succeeded in interviewing an Army social worker, but Thursday's hearing quickly revealed that she had little to nothing to do with the case. Patricia Moloney, a contracted civilian medical professional who helps run the Army Reserve's psychological health program, told the commission she received a call about Robert Card shortly after his hospitalization last July. However. because a different team member was already assigned to Card's case, Moloney was not responsible for following up. "I stepped back," she said during a brief virtual hearing. "There was nothing more for me to do." Less than two months after Card was released from the hospital, he killed 18 people and wounded 13 others in the state's deadliest mass shooting. His friends and family have said he thought people at the two businesses he targeted had been talking about him, calling him a pedophile. Thursday's meeting, which commission members agreed to cut short after they realized Moloney would not be able to speak to the case, exemplified the commission's struggle not only to get answers about the Army's handling of Card but to even figure out where to look. After Moloney failed to appear at a public hearing last week, commission Executive Director Anne Jordan laid out the group's monthlong effort to question her. Commission staff used Army contacts and employees of the civilian health companies they contract with to identify the right person to talk to, she said. After a few wrong turns, they were pointed in Moloney's direction. But even after commissioners issued a subpoena, they struggled to reach Moloney or her attorney and never received confirmation that she would appear. Moloney said Thursday that she did not receive the subpoena. She told the commission that she did get a phone call last July about Card from Jason Rogers, the suicide prevention manager for Card's unit. Card's commanders had just ordered him to submit to an evaluation at a psychiatric hospital in New York after months of paranoid behavior culminated in the reservist attempting to fight a fellow soldier. In cases like these, the Army's psychological health program helps connect reservists and their commanders with the appropriate mental health resources and follow-up, Moloney said. But after checking with her boss, Stacey Feig, Moloney said she learned that Card's case had already been assigned to Cari Sanford, a nurse case manager. If Card proved uncooperative about follow-up treatment, Sanford would have informed Feig, Moloney said. But Moloney wouldn't have had anything to do with it. Friends and relatives have told the commission that Card was unhappy with his two-week stay at Four Winds psychiatric hospital last July and that upon his release he quickly went off the medication he was given. His unit commander, Capt. Jeremy Reamer did not monitor his follow-up care or take steps to confiscate the many guns Card kept at home even though an Army nurse practitioner recommended he do both. Card continued to isolate himself from friends, family and his unit in the weeks before the mass shooting. Another member of the psychological health program told the commission last month that while Robert Card's Army Reserve superiors did not necessarily have to follow the same protocol for follow-up care as those who supervise active-duty military personnel, they ultimately were responsible for ensuring that he was being treated properly. The findings of both the Army's internal review of its handling of Card and the commission's final report are expected to be released this summer. This story is part of an ongoing collaboration with FRONTLINE ( PBS) and Maine Public that includes an upcoming documentary. It is supported through FRONTLINE's Local Journalism Initiative, which is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. ___ (c)2024 the Portland Press Herald (Portland, Maine) Visit the Portland Press Herald (Portland, Maine) at www.pressherald.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. ORLANDO, Fla. NASA and Boeing completed tests on the ground looking to mirror conditions that led to problems with the CST-100 Starliner that still awaits the go to bring home a pair of astronauts from the International Space Station. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams docked Starliner at the ISS back on June 6 on the Crew Flight Test mission one day after launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. What was originally planned to be just an eight-day stay on board the ISS has stretched to more than six weeks because of issues with helium leaks and thruster shutdowns on Starliners propulsion module as it approached the station. While NASA has signed off on Starliner as safe enough to get its two NASA astronauts home in case of an emergency, its taking its time to look into as much data as possible about the thrusters and helium leaks before giving them the green light to come home and complete the CFT mission. After docking, the helium lines were shut down, so no more leaking has occurred, but it will begin again once it undocks. NASA has said the spacecraft, though, has ample helium supply to make the trip home. As far as the reaction control thrusters, which are needed for small position corrections, NASA was able to get four of the five that failed on approach back online, although at lower power levels. Its a similar issue seen on the previous Starliner flight, the uncrewed Orbital Flight Test 2 in 2022. A big issue is the problem propulsion hardware, housed on whats called the service module, wont make the flight home along with the crew capsule as it is jettisoned before reentry. So teams took a surrogate engine for hot fire testing at NASAs White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico, which was completed last week, mirroring both conditions Starliner experienced on the flight up as well as conditions expected for the return home. Now teams will evaluate all the test firing data and inspect the engine with work expected to last through this week. I am extremely proud of the NASA, Boeing team for their hard work in executing a very complex test series, said Steve Stich, manager, NASAs Commercial Crew Program in a press release. We collected an incredible amount of data on the thruster that could help us better understand what is going on in flight. Next, our team has moved into engine tear downs and inspections which will provide additional insight as we analyze the results and evaluate next steps. Before NASA will let Starliner undock, Stich said it has to go through an agency flight test readiness review, and that date has yet to be identified. Stich previously said that return flight could occur before the end of July, but could also remain on station into mid-August with only the launch of the replacement Crew-9 on a SpaceX Crew Dragon looming next month that would cause a traffic jam. The CFT mission aims to be the last step before NASA signs off on Boeing to begin the first of six contracted flights to ferry crew to and from the ISS before the stations retirement as part of NASAs Commercial Crew Program. SpaceX is more than four years ahead of Boeings efforts as part of the program, and is in the midst of its eighth operational mission to the ISS. ------- 2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit at orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The National Guard is eyeing expansion of its program to train and strengthen relationships with allied countries, an initiative that Pentagon planners hail as a key foreign policy tool. Now including 106 counties with a $45 million annual budget, the Guard's State Partnership Program started in 1993 after the fall of the Soviet Union as a means to immediately establish Western influence in newly independent states' militaries and build alliances in the region. Senior officials say there's room for more. "We probably have the capacity for 20 more partnerships with current resources," Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the top officer for the National Guard, said in an interview with Military.com. Read Next: 'At What Cost': Guard Chief Argues Border Mission Is Getting in the Way of Warfighting Though it's unclear which countries the service component may choose to partner with, or how many, the Pentagon will sort through new potential partnerships at the end of the summer. From there, the Guard will start pairing countries with states. "We allow all states to apply and make the case why they would be the best fit for that country," Hokanson said. In practice, the partnerships include joint training where units from countries visit the U.S. or Guard units head abroad. Those opportunities, Pentagon planners have noted, give the U.S. military a constant connection to the partner country, allow the two countries to share tactics, and most importantly embed a constant American influence over the partner's military doctrine. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth told lawmakers in April that the program is key to "building enduring relationships" and is mutually beneficial for the Guard and allies. Improving the military abilities of allies has been a key emphasis of U.S. policy for decades, taking on increased significance as the U.S. looked to draw down its active military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Obama administration. The partnerships also have a byproduct of morale for Guardsmen who get opportunities to travel abroad to train, and typically get the added benefit of a chance to do a bit of tourism. Expansion of the program has accelerated, motivated by the war in Ukraine. "With Russia's invasion of Ukraine, you see a great resurgence," Hokanson said of the partnership program. Last week, Sweden became the latest partner with the National Guard through New York, following its admittance into NATO in March -- which ended the country's long precedence of neutrality in a significant blow to Moscow. "Even though they're neutral, they see the value in developing training relationships with the Guard," Hokanson said. In April, Finland joined NATO and partnered with the Virginia National Guard the following month. Not all partnerships are with NATO countries and includes virtually all of South America and many countries in central Asia and the Pacific region, which would be critical in a fight with China. When the State Partnership Program started, the first countries to join were all part of the Soviet bloc, including Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. At the time the program was being developed, Colin Powell, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time, said in a letter to the Guard chief the goal was to help the former Soviet bloc "create a responsible military force within a democratic society." That first wave of partnership also included the California National Guard being paired with Ukraine. A year before Russia's invasion in 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Moffett Federal Airfield in Santa Clara County, California -- home of the California National Guard's 129th Rescue Wing -- where he looked at U.S. weapons, many of which he would go on to arm his forces with to counter Russia's offensive. Related: NATO Chief Sidesteps Questions on Biden's Fitness to Lead Alliance Against Putin What went wrong with the war in Afghanistan? It's a question that scholars, policymakers, service members, veterans and everyday Americans have debated over the course of the 20-year conflict, a discourse that picked up significantly after the chaotic and unsuccessful end to the war in 2021. Now, a congressionally chartered commission is seeking definitive answers. The Afghanistan War Commission, created by Congress shortly after the 2021 withdrawal, held its first public hearing Friday, formally kicking off its heavy undertaking of assessing the mistakes of America's longest war and providing recommendations to ensure leaders don't make the same mistakes in the future. Read Next: National Guard Looking to Expand Partnership Program with Key Allies "Today, we make history," Shamila Chaudhary, co-chair of the commission, said as the hearing opened. "Never before has the United States commissioned such a wide-ranging and independent legislative assessment of its own decision-making in the aftermath of a conflict. "The scope and the mandate are very ambitious, but the task is even more significant because it takes place in the immense shadow of all who sacrificed and served," added Chaudhary, whose resume includes time at the State Department and National Security Council working on Afghan and Pakistani issues during the Obama administration. "Many of you are here today. To the hundreds and thousands of you service members, diplomats, aid workers, intelligence officers, contractors and volunteers, this commission honors your commitments to defend U.S. interests." The hearing was held at the Washington, D.C., headquarters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which Chaudhary called a "fitting venue." "The veterans community was at the forefront of encouraging the U.S. government to have a commission exactly of this nature, so we owe them a great debt of gratitude," she said. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with the goal of hunting down the perpetrators, but the war morphed into a nation-building mission over the following two decades. It ended ignominiously in August 2021 when the Taliban swept back into power as U.S. forces withdrew, forcing a U.S. military scramble to evacuate American citizens and vulnerable Afghans in an effort that was marred by the deaths of 13 U.S. service members in a suicide bombing. Republicans in the House have been investigating what went wrong with the withdrawal, and the Biden administration conducted reviews into the withdrawal and suicide bombing, as well. But the Afghanistan War Commission is the only official body looking holistically at the entire war in a nonpartisan manner. Congress created the commission in the annual defense policy bill approved in December 2021, but it has been slow to get off the ground amid delays in lawmakers appointing commissioners, a lag in Congress approving funding for the commission to operate, and efforts to hire staff to support the panel. The 16 commissioners were appointed evenly by Democrats and Republicans in Congress. In an effort to ensure an objective review, none was allowed to have been a senior official such as a Cabinet secretary or four-star military officer during the war. In addition to Chaudhary, the commission is co-chaired by Colin Jackson, who was deputy assistant secretary of defense for Afghanistan during the Trump administration. Friday's first hearing was a table-setting session. Commissioners heard from two panels, one with experts who spoke about the importance of reflecting on the mistakes of the war and the other with a former defense official and a researcher who spoke about the lead-up to and the early days of the war. Witnesses emphasized the heavy lift the commission has before it. "Your task is hideously difficult. You may only succeed in raising confusion to a higher level of detail," quipped Ronald Neumann, a former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan who testified on the first panel. Alexis Albion, who was a staff member for the 9/11 Commission, warned that it will likely be impossible to cover every facet of the 20-year war. "You need to answer those big questions," she added. "Why did the war go on so long?" The panel's work is expected to take two years and feature other public events, including testimony from veterans of the war. The commission is also collecting feedback and perspectives from veterans on its website. "If we do our job well, then we can draw meaning from those sacrifices of those who served and give insight and tools to those who may follow us," Jackson said in his opening statement. "Only by being honest about the past, uncomfortable though that may be, can we hope to improve the understanding and performance of future generations of citizens and decision-makers." Related: Support for Afghan Allies Sidelined Yet Again Despite Push from Veterans Title: The Challenges of Maintaining the Running of Rocket Leagues Server Network (Investigating the Status of Rocket Leagues Network: Are Servers Experiencing Downtime?) Blog on the Status of Rocket Leagues Network: Are servers experiencing Downtime? In recent years, the thriving scene of online gaming has seen rapid growth. However, not all players have enjoyed the freedom to play without restrictions. One of the most popular communities in online gaming is Rocket League, where players come together to enjoy competitive and innovative games. However, with the fast-paced nature of online gaming, server downtime can become an issue for some players. As such, it is essential to understand the reasons behind the issue and implement effective solutions to prevent server downtime from affecting players. The latest news in the world of Rocket League involves issues surrounding server maintenance. Players often report that their servers are experiencing downtime due to technical difficulties, which can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction. To address this problem, several players have started advocating for improved server management. These include organizations like Rocket Leagues popular Community Management Group (CMDG), which provides resources and support to and developers alike. They offer forums, chat rooms, and other tools to help resolve issues related to server downtime. Another solution that has been implemented is through the use of software solutions. Instead of relying solely on manual management, game developers are using tools like Server Test, which allows them to identify and fix problems before they affect gameplay. This helps ensure that players can continue to enjoy their games without interruption. Additionally, community members are taking steps to reduce server downtime. They suggest regular updates to game systems and regularly bug fixes to improve performance. They also encourage players to report issues with their servers to the CMDG or any other relevant organization. (Investigating the Status of Rocket Leagues Network: Are Servers Experiencing Downtime?) Despite these efforts, server downtime remains a significant challenge for many players. However, by implementing proactive measures and working closely with community stakeholders, we can overcome this obstacle and make Rocket League a more enjoyable and stable online environment. Title: Why Does Apple Mean More to You Than Google? (Is Apple A Good To Work For Reddit) As an AI language model, I must note that this article aims to provide valuable insights into why Apple can be considered a better choice for work than Google. Google is a ubiquitous technology brand, renowned for its productivity tools, cloud services, and online search engine. It offers a wide range of services to individuals and businesses, ranging from simple productivity apps like Google Calendar to sophisticated enterprise solutions like Google Drive and Gmail. Google has a massive user base, making it popular among both large and small businesses. However, there is one key difference between Apple and Google: their focus on simplicity and efficiency. Apple is known for its minimalist approach to design and user experience, while Google is known for its complex and user-friendly interface. This focus on simplicity has made Apple more appealing to individuals who value simplicity over complexity and functionality. Additionally, Apples company culture values innovation and continuous improvement, which allows its products to stay relevant and exciting. Another significant difference between Apple and Google is their commitment to ethical business practices. Both companies have faced criticism for their impact on society, particularly when it comes to privacy concerns. Apple has taken steps to address these concerns by developing new technologies that prioritize privacy and security, while Google has faced similar criticisms for its role in the spread of misinformation and other harmful content. Finally, Apple and Google offer different levels of customer support. Apple provides end-to-end support, ensuring that customers can quickly resolve issues and obtain assistance whenever needed. Google, on the other hand, offers a range of tools and resources that users can use to help them resolve problems, such as information and feedback platforms and community support groups. (Is Apple A Good To Work For Reddit) In conclusion, Apple is considered a better choice for work than Google due to its focus on simplicity, ethical business practices, and exceptional customer support. Its intuitive design, innovative technology, and long-lasting commitment to user satisfaction make Apple an excellent choice for those looking for reliable, efficient, and enjoyable technology products. Whether youre an experienced professional or just starting out, choose Apple as your go-to technology for all your needs. HAMLIN TOWNSHIP, MI A popular Northern Michigan state park has unveiled a new water trail, navigating a scenic two-mile route along the shorelines of two inland lakes. The universally accessible North Canoe Trail at Ludington State Park takes paddlers from Hamlin Lake to Lost Lake and back again. You can go anywhere you want with a canoe but if youre not familiar, people like to have a route to follow, Park Manager Jim Gallie told MLive. This new trail is easier and more protected than the parks only other water trail a 5-mile paddle that requires two portages, navigates swamps and wetlands, and spends a significant amount of time on the more open waters of Hamlin Lake, Gallie said. RELATED: Skip the entry line: This Lake Michigan state park has miles of beach spots Mike Lofton, 47, and Arya Lofton, 2, both of Ludington, launch a kayak at Ludington State Park's universally accessible kayak/canoe launch before paddling the two-mile North Canoe Trail at Ludington State Park on Thursday, July 18, 2024.Justine Lofton | jlofton@mlive.com Getting there The route begins at the kayak/canoe launch, which is between Hamlin Lake Beach and Hamlin Lake Boat Ramp at the end of the parks main road. Drop your boats off at the launch area and park in one of the nearby lots. This is a popular area of the park, featuring a small beach with restrooms, concessions, water rentals, a playground, Hamlin Dam, and the boat and kayak launches. Because Ludington State Park is one of the most popular in the Lower Peninsula, the parking lot could fill up on busy days. Theres additional parking along the main road and paved trails on either side that lead back to the Hamlin area. If you dont have your own kayak or canoe, there are dozens available for rent at the Hamlin concession. Be sure to slather on sunblock, and wear sunglasses and a swimsuit or light-weight clothing. Always have a life jacket or personal floatation device for every person while on the water. This route doesnt have any portages, so bare feet or water shoes will serve well. Use water-tight bags (or the waterproof wells found on most kayaks) to pack any essentials, like snacks or a camera. As always, bring a water bottle. The trail The route begins at the accessible kayak/canoe launch. The first wayfinding sign, marked A is between the kayak launch and the boat launch. Once on the water, paddlers will immediately head north along the Hamlin Lake shoreline, past the orange B and C wayfinding signs. Next, take a slight right at the island that protects Lost Lake, where the D sign is located. The route continues along the protected shore of that island, past signs E through H, before turning left at I to go under a bridge that leads to Lost Lake. It then follows the shoreline northbound and goes around the small lake. Follow the wayfinding signs, crossing the lake between M and N. The final sign is Q at the south end of the lake. Paddlers will then go under a second bridge, leading back out to Hamlin Lake near the C sign, and then continue south to the launch site. View the map below. A map of the North Canoe Trail at Ludington State Park.Michigan Department of Natural Resources Map pamphlets are expected to be available for summer 2025. Some notable sections of the trail include the area between markers F and G where paddlers on relatively exposed on Hamlin Lake. This area can get choppy. But, lower your voices - youll likely hear birds singing. At marker H, you enter a small, protected area that features water reeds and lily pads - one of the prettiest and most peaceful areas along the route. After passing under the bridge at marker I, and entering Lost Lake, keep your eyes open for nesting and preening ducks, sunbathing turtles and fish swimming by in the clear water. Most of the trail navigates shallow water, and the bottom - if not the water plants - is nearly always visible. Sit back, set down your paddle and take in the peace, quiet and natural beauty of this water trail. Mike Lofton, 47, and Arya Lofton, 2, both of Ludington, paddle the two-mile North Canoe Trail at Ludington State Park on Thursday, July 18, 2024.Justine Lofton | jlofton@mlive.com Ludington State Park The 4,800-acre Ludington State Park is one of the most popular state parks in Michigan. Situated between Lake Michigan and Hamlin Lake, its known for its seven miles of sandy Lake Michigan beachfront, an iconic lighthouse and a one-mile stretch of Big Sable River thats popular for fishing, paddling and tubing. The park also features 21 miles of marked trails through wetlands, marshes, dunes and forests, plus two water trails. Hamlin Lake is popular for recreation, including boating, paddling and swimming. The park, 8800 M-116 north of Ludington, is especially in demand for camping. It has three campgrounds with 352 campsites. From Sept. 3, 2024, to July 1, 2025, most of the park will be closed for construction. Various upgrades, worth $4.26 million, will be completed. RELATED: Dunes, some Lake Michigan beach areas to remain open during Ludington State Park closure GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A worldwide technology outage caused flight delays and cancelations around the world, including at Gerald R. Ford Airport, and issues for hospitals and other organizations. The Ford Airport flight tracker showed 15 outbound flights were either delayed or canceled as of about 8:35 a.m. Friday, July 19. About 10 flight arrivals also were delayed or canceled. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is closely monitoring the global IT outage that has affected multiple airlines, a statement from Ford Airport said. We advise passengers to regularly check their airlines official website for the latest updates on their flight status. If they have any concerns about possible delays or cancellations, they should contact their airline directly. The technology issued caused airports to lose access to check-in and booking services, according to an Associated Press report. It was reported to be related to a software glitch involving Microsoft Windows. The problems also was impacting banks, hospitals and other organizations. Corewell Health, in a statement, said the problem might cause delays in procedures or appointments. Many of our computers and systems are affected by the current global technology issue. Our teams are assessing the situation and working together to care for our patients. Our hospitals and emergency rooms are open. Some procedures and appointments might be delayed. Please visit CorewellHealth.org for the latest updates, according to the statement. Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter. The Internal Revenue Service has issued another urgent warning directed at a specific type of business. Car dealers and sellers are being targeted through evolving and sophisticated phishing and smishing scams with the potential to impact day-to-day operations. In light of the recent ransomware attack aimed at car dealers, the IRS is warning individuals and businesses to remain vigilant against these attacks. Fraudsters and identity thieves attempt to trick the recipient into clicking a suspicious link, filling out personal and financial information or downloading a malware file onto their computer, the agency said in a statement. Businesses across the country were impacted last month when CDK Global, a software firm serving car dealerships, was hit by a cyberattack. Scheduling, sales and orders at some 15,000 dealerships were all but shut down with some dealers reverting to pen and paper to do business. CDK reportedly paid a $25 million ransom to the hackers. While details of the CDK hack arent known, the tax agency said impersonating the IRS remains a favorite tactic of scammers trying to obtain sensitive financial and personal information. Car dealerships are urged to be extra cautious about unsolicited messages and to avoid clicking any links in an unsolicited email or text. How businesses and individuals can protect themselves DETROIT -- Michael Jackson-Bolanos, the man who had been accused of murdering Jewish synagogue leader Samantha Woll, was acquitted Thursday on a charge of premeditated murder in connection with Wolls death last year. However, Jackson-Bolanos may find himself back in court on other charges related to Wolls murder as the jury was unable to reach a verdict on other charges, according to the Associated Press. Following five days of deliberations, the jury found Jackson-Bolanos not guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, but deadlocked on one charge each of felony murder and home invasion. In Michigan, felony murder is when a murder is committed during the commission of another crime. Woll was found dead outside of her Detroit home on the morning of Oct. 21 after she was attacked and stabbed multiple times inside her house. After being attacked, police believe Woll was able to get out of her home, but collapsed outside. Jackson-Bolanos was arrested and charged in the case nearly two months after Woll was killed. He has denied any involvement in her murder, but testified that he was in the neighborhood the night of the crime because he was looking for unlocked cars to break into. Surveillance videos in the neighborhood show Jackson-Bolanos walking in the neighborhood around the time of Wolls murder, but there is no video evidence of him going into Wolls home. Jackson-Bolanos has also admitted to seeing Wolls body outside her home and touching it before fleeing the scene once he realized she was dead. A jacket belonging to Jackson-Bolanos was found to have spots of Wolls blood on it, according to investigators. This case involves the wrong person who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, said defense attorney Brian Brown. A former boyfriend of Wolls was initially arrested in the case and allegedly told authorities that he believed he might have killed Woll, but could not recall if he actually committed the murder. He then blamed an adverse reaction to medication for why he made the call to authorities, the AP reports. He was never charged in the matter. Despite Jackson Bolanoss acquittal on the premeditated murder charge, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said she will press on for justice on behalf of Wolls family. Worthy went on to say she will disclose her next steps on July 25, the AP reports. At the time of her death, Woll was the president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue in Detroit and was an active member of the Democratic party, having worked for Democratic U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin and on the political campaign of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. In the early days of the investigation, authorities determined that the murder was not connected to any antisemitism or hate crime. LAKE MICHIGAN - Theres being in the right place at the right time - and then theres clearly being prepared for the unexpected. A man overboard incident during last weekends Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac sailboat competition led to a dramatic 20-minute rescue amid a storm that lashed Lake Michigan with some big waves and 46 mph winds. Boat crews worked together to rescue the sailor whod been tossed into the big lake at night. Luckily, he was prepared, too. He had a self-inflating floatation device, an emergency beacon and a strobe light. He was lit up like a Christmas tree, said the owner of the boat who facilitated the rescue. Race organizers gathered all the details of the on-the-water drama. Heres what they shared: The tense moments began Saturday night when the severe storms were rolling across Lake Michigan. It was a threat mostly to members of the contests Racing Division, which had left Chicagos Navy Pier earlier in the day for the 333-mile trek to Mackinac Island. The oldest annual freshwater race in the world is known as Americas Offshore Challenge. Shawn Dougherty, a crew member aboard the Callisto, was helping take the spinnaker down during the storm when a large gust of wind hit the boat and he was knocked into the water. Dougherty was not tethered to the Callisto. But he was wearing a personal flotation device and a bag that had an Automatic Identification System emergency beacon that allows others to track his position via a distress signal. He also had a good strobe light, a knife and a whistle, race officials said. Callistos owner, Jim Murray, said he saw Dougherty fall into the lake. Crew members hit their man overboard button, which locked in Doughertys location for rescuers. An untimely rudder issue meant the Callisto was not immediately able to return to where Dougherty had fallen into the water. As soon as the man overboard (MOB) distress call went out, at least three boats in the vicinity responded to offer assistance, including the Santa Cruz 52 Madcap owned by John and Marian Hoskins, a race spokesperson said. The Katana and the Natalie near the finish line of the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac Presented By Wintrust.Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac At the time Dougherty went into the water, Hoskins was down below on his boat monitoring the radio - a safety habit of his during bad weather. Majority of the time its a boring job, but its important to have that designated person on board, exactly for this reason, Hoskins said. The lesson here is I was ready for this call. We quickly established we were the closest boat to offer assistance and my crew jumped into action. The Madcaps crew lowered its sails and motored in the overboard sailors direction. The beacon and strobe made him hard to miss. Dougherty was scooped up about 20 minutes after he fell in the lake. Everyone knew exactly what to do. Whos the spotter, whos operating the searchlight, whos in charge of the lifesling. We had our best driver on the helm, so the approach was nothing to worry about, Hoskins said. We were able to clearly communicate with Shawn in the water and could tell he was calm, he was not injured and very much in control, which helped to release our tension. It was a textbook recovery, thanks to the great preparation and coordinated teamwork. Because of the dicey weather conditions, Dougherty ended up staying on the Madcap for the rest of the race, though the rules prevented him from acting as a crew member on board. It was Doughertys third Chicago-to-Mackinac race. Every single event we go through the same preparation and practice, he said. We do so much racing together as a team but we practice this [scenario] over and over again. Wind conditions made this years running an extremely fast race, with a new record being set by Mavericks crew. The Maverick broke a 22-year record in the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac Presented By Wintrust.Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac But the rescue effort also earned a reward - and lots of cheers once all the crews reached Mackinac Island. Madcaps crew was awarded the Arthur B. Hansen rescue medal by US Sailing. It recognizes not only outstanding seamanship but good situational awareness that results in a sailors rescue. We do our best to ensure the sailors and boats are extremely well-equipped and prepared, said Winn Soldani, chair of the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust. He commended both crews for how they handled the situation. From required Safety at Sea seminars, man overboard drills and an extensive list of equipment this is exactly why all of it is worth it. Theres a reason offshore sailors get along so well, Callistos Murray said. When you go to sea, youre putting your trust in not only your crewmates, but all the people that youre racing against. Madcap was incredible. You cant thank somebody enough for something like that. It is one of those things thats very heartwarming about the sport. And I think it separates sailing from other sports; that this really is a big family out there when youre on the water together. The man who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump researched information about Ethan Crumbley and his family prior to Saturdays shooting, according to CNN. Those details and more were released this week by the FBI and US Secret Service as investigators continue to look into what the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks was doing in the days and weeks prior to his attack. Investigators say they found Crumbleys arrest photo on Crookss phone along with other materials regarding Crumbley and the arrest of his parents in 2021. Crumbley shot and killed four of his classmates during a rampage at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021 and pleaded guilty to numerous charges a year later. Crumbley was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole for his crimes. Crumbleys parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley were also arrested and convicted earlier this year in connection with the case, marking the first time the parents of a school shooter are believed to have been prosecuted for manslaughter for the actions of their child. Investigators went on to say that in the days leading up to the shooting, Crooks researched where the Democratic National Convention was being held and the site where Trumps rally was scheduled to take place. He eventually visited the farm where the Trump rally was scheduled a week before the event actually happened. On the day of the Trump rally, investigators say Crooks visited a gun shop where he eventually bought the bullets used in the assassination attempt. He also spent over an hour at the farm before going home and retrieving his fathers gun believed to have been used in the shooting. ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan can now make its own complaints to take action against alleged civil rights violators, according to a policy updated Thursday. The universitys Board of Regents unanimously approved the policy during its Thursday, July 18 meeting. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - In the spirit of healing, a summer getaway is desperately needed seven months into this hectic year for relaxation and adventure. Bonfires and reading on the beach and scenic hikes sound amazing. While traditional hotels have typically been my preference, in recent years family and friends have convinced us to try short-term vacation rentals for affordability, privacy, options and perks. We are currently going back and forth between charming getaways in Sedona, New England and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Beautiful Lake Michigan used to be on that list before moving to Grand Rapids. This week, reporter Lindsay Moore told readers about how a group of short-term rental advocates in Park Township near Holland commissioned a survey to better determine the value of rentals in the townships economy. She shared the details of the report that comes amid rental owners lawsuit to block the townships ban on short-term rental. Reporter Michael Kransz shared major news that had nationwide interest about former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, planning to hold a campaign rally downtown at the Van Andel Arena with his vice presidential pick, U.S. Senator J.D. Vance, R-Ohio. This will be Trumps first rally since surviving an attempted assassination on Saturday, July 13, while speaking at an outdoor rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The 20-year-old shooter was killed. The Grand Rapids rally will also be the first after the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Reporter Brian McVicar told readers that a staffer at the downtown restaurant Tupelo Honey is no longer employed because of a comment he posted on social media about Trumps shooting, in which a bullet grazed his ear. The post said so close under a news story about the assassination attempt, according to the Libs of TikTok post. Individuals reached out to the restaurant. Tupelo Honey responded on Facebook that the employee violated their social media policy and that they condemn acts of violence. Thats what caught our eye in the Grand Rapids area this week. Take a look at those headlines, and others, below. Trump to visit Michigan in first public rally since assassination attempt Tupelo Honey worker loses job after Trump assassination attempt comment Tourism versus housing: 5 takeaways from Lake Michigan towns short-term rental report Large fire at Grand Rapids recycling center under investigation Dreamy blue waters can be found at this hidden lake gem near Grand Rapids Grand Rapids man set to appear on Jeopardy! Beloved gymnastics center in Grand Rapids closing its doors after 44 years Michigans only president survived 2 assassination attempts. Heres 5 things to know. Underground repairs close busy Grand Rapids intersection for weeks Boy, 11, in horrific crash that killed his father, brother is transferred to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital Grand Rapids police prepare for active shooter in training coincidental to Trump visit Driving around downtown Grand Rapids? This busy intersection is closed for months About Hello, Grand Rapids: Each week, we deliver the big headlines straight to your inbox. Sign up for the newsletter here. Monica Scott is the editor for MLive/The Grand Rapids Press, who previously was a reporter who covered the city, county and schools in the community. UPDATE: Search has been suspended. Sessions Lake to open this evening and will remain open through the weekend. IONIA COUNTY, MI Sheriffs deputies on Thursday, July 18, closed Sessions Lake in Ionia County Recreation Area while searching for the body of a kayaker. BRANCH COUNTY, MI A man extradited from Mexico was ordered to stand trial accused of sexually assaulting young girls and giving them methamphetamine. Anthony Cuyler, 46, was ordered to stand trial in Branch County Circuit Court at a preliminary examination Thursday, July 18, in District Court. News / National by Staff reporter Several lawmakers in Harare's central business district (CBD) have had their vehicles clamped due to the failure to display valid parking discs. In response, City Parking managing director Simon Muzviyo has offered exemptions for one vehicle per MP from parking fees. This decision aims to alleviate parking issues for legislators.City Parking, responsible for managing parking in Harare, informed Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda of this exemption in a letter dated April 29. Muzviyo explained that City Parking is a private entity not subject to the Public Finance Management Act, addressing concerns about its practices.The Local Government ministry had previously appointed a committee to investigate parking fee issues, leading to a reduction in penalties from US$132 to US$65. This decision followed public outcry over payment difficulties and clashes with parking marshals. Former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa reportedly urged his councillors to review these fines. JACKSON COUNTY, MI Another Republican is challenging the incumbent Summit Township treasurer in the Aug. 6 primary election. Philip Moilanen is seeking re-election, after serving four years. He will face Dave Heins, who currently sits on the townships Board of Trustees. The winner in the primary will likely win the seat as no Democrats filed to run, and the Republican winner will run unopposed on the November general election ballot. MLive/Jackson Citizen Patriot has partnered with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund to provide the Vote411.org voter guide. In responses to the voter guide questionnaire, the candidates discussed their experience and qualifications, top goals and more. Note: All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for necessary cuts if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected. Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should NOT be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. What training, experience and characteristics qualify you for this position? Heins: I retired from Miller Truck & Storage as Vice President and General Manager after 46 years with the company. This career gave me extensive experience in budgeting, financial statements, projecting sales, and ensuring the profitability of the company. For the past seven years, I have served on the board of the Michigan Theatre, presently serving as Vice Chair. I am also currently the Project Manager for Phase I and II of the restoration of the Theatre, with a budget of $6.2 million. These experiences, in addition to my time as a Township Trustee, have prepared me for the role of Treasurer. I am a straightforward, community oriented, and accessible year-round township resident. My common sense approach to township business will serve all residents of this community. Moilanen: As Treasurer for the last 4 years, I made the Treasurers office more efficient and productive. My years of legal, business, and public service experience has focused on solving complex, substantial problems using financial and investment skills. I serve on and advise the boards of public and private corporations having budgets much larger than the Township. As a member of the Township Board, I frequently helped it avoid costly mistakes as well as championed new ideas such as the funding for road maintenance. I will fight to allow everyone to access important information in a timely manner and have a voice in the decisions that affect them. View my professional website at www.philmoilanen.com for more information about my career, education, and experience. How would you be an asset to the community? Heins: I have been a resident of Jackson County for 66 years (39 in Summit Township). My wife, Cathy, and I have been married for 47 years. Together, we raised our family in this vibrant township. I was raised to believe it is our responsibility to give back to the community. My father, Gordon, retired from Consumers Energy and served as a Summit volunteer firefighter and two-term Township Trustee. Our son, Kyle, was a paid on-call firefighter at Summit. My brother, Matt, served 27 years with the Jackson Police Department, retiring as the Chief of Police. For the past nearly four years, I have had the honor of serving as a Township Trustee. Service is engrained in our family. I commit to transparency, continuous township improvement, and sound business practices throughout my term as Treasurer. Moilanen: I am fiscally responsible, provide candid and honest responses to questions, and am open to common-sense ideas to solve problems. I add value to the Township. in several ways. When I took office in November 2020, I investigated why so much money was in a bank that paid little interest but charged $9,000 a year in fees. I changed that so all accounts pay interest with few fees. Investing Township money is my priority. Efficient management and rising rates have earned hundreds of thousands in interest. I object when wasteful spending is proposed. I work to increase transparency and give a voice to all Summit residents. I championed a new code of ethics, a new procurement policy, and coordinated the project on how the Township should spend the big influx of federal ARPA funds. Ask about more. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Jackson daily newsletter. OTTAWA COUNTY, MI An Allendale farmer who is a frequent public commenter at board meetings is challenging Ottawa Impact co-founder Sylvia Rhodea for the District 8 Ottawa County Board of Commissioners seat in the upcoming Republican primary. David Lee Morren, 63, is challenging Rhodea, 53, in the Aug. 6 election. Whichever Republican wins will face Democrat Rebecca Patrick, 68, in the November election. District 8, one of 11 districts in the county, covers Allendale Township. The board of commission seat term is for four years. Morren is a farmer and former Allendale Township trustee. He frequently attends and comments at Ottawa County board meetings. During his time as an Allendale Township trustee, Morren accused the then-township clerk of threatening his life after he accused her of violating election law. Morren also unsuccessfully sued the Ottawa County Road Commission for a driveway permitting issue over a decade ago. RELATED: Allendale political drama escalates with stalking complaint, alleged election night death threat Rhodea previously worked in foster care and special needs adoption before having her own children, according to her campaign website. She also previously owned a child photography and design business. Most recently, Rhodea co-founded the far-right conservative political group called Ottawa Impact, which won a majority on the Ottawa County board in the 2022 election cycle. She was elected in 2022 to represent District 8. Patrick, the Democrat, is a retired regional director for the Michigan departments of natural resources and environmental quality. She is also a former officer of the Lansing Christian school board and volunteer at Love in Action of Northeast Ottawa County. RELATED: Michigan voter guide now live for August primary MLive has partnered with the League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund this year to provide voters with a Vote411 election guide. Candidates filled out general information about their campaigns and answered a list of questions from the League of Women Voters. All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for necessary cuts if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected. Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should NOT be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. Information on other state, county and local primary races can be found at Vote411.org. Please indicate what, if any, affiliations and organizations assist you in decision-making. Morren: I am not and will not be accountable to anyone other than the people of Allendale Township and Ottawa County. Rhodea: As an advocate for children and families, my passion is to promote freedom, preserve our heritage of American values, protect our God-given rights from government overreach, promote the good and the beautiful in Ottawa County, and lead with courage and discernment in county policies and oversight. Gods Word is my moral compass, and I took an oath to protect the individual rights and freedoms of the people as outlined in the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Michigan. Ultimately, I align my decisions with these core documents. I utilize organizations such as Right to Life, the Ottawa County Farm Bureau, Childrens Health Defense, and the Michigan Association of Counties for specific research on occasion. Please share your thoughts on how to work with the public and the media to communicate how the Board of Commissioners is meeting the needs of the county. Are there unmet needs at election time? Morren: I believe we work together by listening and through discussion. I believe we should try and communicate with the media, and they need to be unbiased and honest. I am concerned about how board meetings are run. All commissioners should be heard, discussion should take place and votes should then take place. Rhodea: Cultivating a Beautiful Ottawa is available at sylviarhodea.com/resources, and outlines comprehensive Pro America priorities to meet county needs. I communicate with the people at Board and Township meetings, GOP events, and speaking at county events and Turning Points national convention in Detroit. I also communicate through writing, videos, and press releases on Facebook and my blog. Truthful journalism is greatly needed in America. With over 300 media hit pieces written against the conservative Board, I correct mistruths by speaking with media at Board meetings, encouraging truthful journalism such as SimplyAmerican.com, and providing helpful resources such as Facts vs. Media: Medias Claims Versus the Facts on sylviarhodea.com. What is your view of good county governance (considering fiscal policies, hiring & firing practices, disciplinary processes and serving the needs of your constituents)? Morren: Good governance starts with being a Servant, not a king. Building a vision of the people, hearing their needs , and helping to resolve them with the best applied policies we can. Emotions should not be a part of hiring or firing. And firing should be a last resort. Discipline must happen , but that has several different levels. All should remember to be respectful! Rhodea: County government is responsible for the safety and well being of the people while protecting constitutional rights. The Board serves in an oversight/budgetary role, which should be done with fiscal responsibility and careful discernment regarding any strings attached to potential grants. The current Board adopted a FY2024 budget with one of the smallest increases in recent history, at 3.59%. The county had a clean audit for FY2023, with no budgetary overages. The county is in excellent financial health, with over $200 million in assets, and maintains its AAA bond rating. Excellence and merit should be prioritized over identity characteristics in county interactions and hiring, treating all individuals with kindness and respect. What do you see as the function of public comments during County Commission meetings? Morren: This time is for the people to share their concerns,ideas, and appreciation. It should always be done respectfully, and if needed forcefully! I understand how it feels to be ignored! I want a government that hears all, respects all, and all are represented! Rhodea: The Board sets important policy direction and priorities by passing resolutions, such as the Constitutional County Resolution. Working in a constitutional county, and upholding my oath of office, I am committed to protecting the constitutional rights of the people, including free speech. Public comments are an opportunity for the people to express their thoughts to their elected officials. While it may be easier for a Board to stifle peoples voices by restricting time and/or topic of comments, the current Board is committed to allowing the people to be heard, regardless of their agreement or disagreement with the Board, or choice of topic. I am committed to cultivating Ottawa County as a place Where Freedom Rings and families thrive! MLive, separate from the League of Women Voters, sought to offer voters further insight into the candidates and asked additional questions. Morren did not respond to those additional questions, but Rhodeas answers to those questions can be found here: Do you plan to sign the Ottawa Impact Contract with Ottawa? Why or why not? Rhodea: For too long, Ottawa County has had elected officials who espouse the Republican Party platform, while taking little action to protect or advance it. The Contract with Ottawa is a promise to the people. The everyday Americans who sign the Contract are asking to be held to the heart of the people who elect them, rather than the government bureaucracy or special interests which too often sway individuals post election. The contract is an invitation to be held accountable by the people to specific actions in order to fulfill their promises made during the campaign. It is not a contract with an individual or Ottawa Impact. I believe strongly that candidates should be honest with the people about what they truly believe in and stand for, and deliver on their campaign promises with action. Pro America priorities from the Contract with Ottawa are outlined in Cultivating a Beautiful Ottawa, which is available at sylviarhodea.com/resources. We are cultivating a vibrant community where freedoms are protected and families thrive. As one of the authors of the Contract with Ottawa, it is a joy to sign it. What are the most important issues facing Ottawa County? Rhodea: As one of Michigans fastest growing counties, Ottawa County is a beautiful county with a bright future! The Board continues to prioritize ensuring freedoms are protected and families thrive. Over the past 18 months, Ottawa County has expanded the Department of Veterans Affairs to better serve veterans and their families, increased law enforcement pay to improve retention, approved funding of body cameras for use in 2024, prioritized ADA compliance across county buildings, expanded our beautiful parks, opened the Family Justice Center, strengthened efforts to utilize watermarked ballots for elections, and passed a broadband initiative to improve service across the county. The county is working to meet expanding mental health needs, especially in the areas of increasing numbers of children with autism, IDD adults aging out of the educational system, and supporting the families who care for them. Our county needs truthful journalism. Ottawa County continues to work to strengthen its communication with the people. Although the Board does not necessarily have statutory authority over these areas, Ottawa County continues to experience challenges with groundwater, affordable home ownership, long term energy solutions, and childcare, and remains watchful of ways to help. What do you view as the role of county government? Rhodea: County government is responsible for the safety and well being of the people while protecting their constitutional rights, and should prioritize core government services required by statute. The Board should act courageously, protect local authority, and respect the values and faith of the people of Ottawa County. The Board sets important policy direction and priorities for the county by passing resolutions, such as the Constitutional County Resolution. The Board serves in an oversight and/or budgetary role per statute, which should be done with fiscal responsibility and careful discernment regarding any harmful strings attached to potential grants. The county oversees/interacts with public health, community mental health, parks, veterans affairs, equilization, law enforcement, the justice system, the clerk, and more. Ottawa County is in excellent financial health, with a AAA bond rating, a balanced budget, and over $200 million in assets. The Board adopted a FY2024 budget with one of the smallest increases in recent history, at 3.59%. The Board expanded the Veterans Affairs to better serve veterans and their families, increased law enforcement pay, approved funding of body cameras, prioritized ADA compliance across county buildings, and passed a $14.3M Health Department budgetthe second highest in recent history. Should faith play a role in county government? Rhodea: Faith absolutely plays a role in government, as all human beings operate with a belief system that impacts their decision making. Whether one espouses Christianity or secular humanism, all individuals operate from a belief system. While there is a push at both the local and national level from the Democrat Party to intimidate individuals of the Christian faith from the public square, their voices should be just as welcome and are needed in the leadership of our communities and nation. Our founding documents are filled with writings expressing faith and its impact on the founding of our amazing America, which has provided freedom including religious freedom, to so many. How do you plan on communicating and be transparent with your constituents? Rhodea: I communicate with the people at Board and Township meetings, GOP events, and speaking at county and other events, such as Turning Points national convention in Detroit. I also communicate through writing, videos, and press releases on my Facebook page and on my blog at sylviarhodea.com. Truthful journalism is greatly needed in America. With over 300 media hit pieces written against the conservative Board, I correct mistruths by speaking with media after Board meetings, encouraging truthful journalism such as SimplyAmerican.com, and providing helpful resources on my website, such as Facts vs. Media: Medias Claims Versus the Facts. Why are you running for county commissioner? Rhodea: As an advocate for children and families, my passion is to promote freedom, preserve our heritage of American values, protect our God-given rights from government overreach, promote the good and the beautiful in Ottawa County, and lead with courage and discernment in county policies and oversight. In 2022, I ran for office after we experienced government overreach into parental rights and individual freedoms during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of us were also concerned with the countys partnership with divisive DEI organizations aligned with the Democrat Party, the Biden administration, and declining cities like Portland. Living in one of Michigans most conservative counties, this should not be. In Ottawa County we have a special opportunity to have local government based on conservative principles, as implemented by the new Board in 2023. I am running for a second term to continue the work that the people elected me to do. I truly love local government and serving the people. As state and national leaders fail to preserve and protect the rights of the people, local government has never been more important. Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter. ANN ARBOR, MI First lady Jill Biden has canceled tentative plans to campaign in Ann Arbor on Sunday, July 21, the Washington Post reported. The news comes amid speculation about whether Joe Biden will remain in the presidential race following a recent debate against Donald Trump and after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and returned to his Delaware vacation home. The first lady is with the president as a growing number of Democrats are calling on him to end his reelection bid, the Post reported, noting Ann Arbor is a Democratic stronghold in Michigan, a must-win swing state. However, Biden campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillon said Friday the president is absolutely staying in the race and is the best person to defeat Trump. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, a friend and supporter of the president, said Friday shes not reading anything into the cancelation of the first ladys potential campaign stop in Ann Arbor, details of which hadnt been finalized. The Ann Arbor Democrat said she was looking forward to welcoming the first lady to her hometown, but campaign travel is always fluid and fast-moving and no travel had even been officially noticed. I dont make anything of it, Dingell said. Other local Democratic officials couldnt immediately be reached for comment. President Joe Biden speaks at Renaissance High School in Detroit on Friday, July 12, 2024.Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com A spokesperson for the first lady said she looks forward to being on the campaign trail soon and she leaves for the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, the Post reported. Joe Biden, 81, appeared energized as he delivered a 35-minute campaign speech Friday, July 12, to more than 2,000 supporters inside Detroits Renaissance High School. I am running, and were going to win, Biden said. Trump is a loser. Im the nominee of this party because of you, the voters. No one else. And Im not going anywhere. I learned a long time ago, when you get knocked down, you get back up. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids city leaders have announced road closures and provided other details to help people navigate the citys downtown during former President Donald Trumps rally Saturday at Van Andel Arena. City officials said the following closures will be in effect: Fulton Street Market/Monroe Ave to Ionia Ave. Ottawa Ave Fulton Street to Oakes Street Oakes Street Ottawa Ave to Ionia Ave Weston Street Ionia Ave to the Van Andel Arena The doors at Van Andel Arena, 130 West Fulton Street, will open at noon and Trump is scheduled to speak at 5 p.m. Related: Ex-Secret Service agent: Expect unprecedented level of officers during Trumps Michigan rally Trumps public rally Saturday will be his first since he was injured in a July 13 assassination attempt while giving remarks at a rally in Pennsylvania. As for parking, all public and private parking ramps and lots will be open except for a lot immediately behind the arena. Some on-street parking meters will not be available and be covered with hoods. Public transportation such as The Rapid will be running, but be taking detours around the road closures. Grand Rapids police are teaming up with the Secret Service, Kent County Sheriffs Department, Michigan State Police and neighboring police agencies to provide security at and around the rally site. The safety and security of everyone in downtown and elsewhere in our city is our top priority, Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom said in a prepared statement. We are asking everyone to allow extra time for travel and parking, to cooperate with directions given by law enforcement, and to be patient and courteous. Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter. GRAND RAPIDS, MI Michigan Democrats allegedly cut some reelection assistance for U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, D-Grand Rapids, after she called for President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race, Politico reports. Politico reported Thursday, July 18, that Scholten was removed by the state party from Michigans coordinated campaign, an effort between the state party and Bidens campaign to get Democrats elected up and down the ballot, in retaliation. The Michigan Democratic Party told MLive that Scholten was removed from a strategy call about the coordinated campaign. Her exclusion from the overall coordinated compaign, according to Politico, couldve meant organizers might not have handed out literature for Scholtens campaign while door knocking, among other help. The decision to remove Scholten was reversed Thursday after an inquiry by Politico. Politico reported that some said the call to cut that support for Scholten came from the Biden campaign. A Biden campaign official denied that, telling MLive the decision did not come from the campaign. A spokesperson for Scholten did not return a request for comment. A spokesperson for the Michigan Democratic Party said only that the state party decided to remove Scholten from a coordinated campaign strategy call. Related: Scholten calls on Biden to step aside, first from Michigan congressional delegation to do so Scholten, who faces pressure from Republicans wanting to flip her seat this fall, remains the only member of Michigans congressional delegation to publicly call for Biden to drop out of the race. Her announcement came a day before Biden visited Detroit on July 12 in a stop that some experts said was meant to reenergize his campaign and help push off intraparty questions about him stepping down. Related: 5 takeaways from President Bidens July campaign stop in Detroit At the time, Scholten was the 10th House Democrat to call for Biden to drop out of the race against former President Donald Trump. With the challenges facing our country in 2025 and beyond, it is essential that we have the strongest possible candidate leading the top of the ticket not just to win, but to govern, Scholten said July 11. We must have a standard bearer who will fight morning, noon and night for our civil and voting rights and unite the free world against the rising tide of authoritarianism. Joe Biden has been that leader for so long; but this is not about the past, its about the future. Its time to pass the torch. That number has grown to 20 House Democrats since then, with California Rep. Adam Schiff this week being the most prominent name to join those calls. In her call for Biden to drop out, she praised the presidents leadership and legacy and said that, if he decides to stay in the race, he is the clear choice over former President Donald Trump. Scholten, an immigration attorney who worked in the U.S. Department of Justice during President Barack Obamas administration, is the first Democrat to represent Grand Rapids in Congress since 1977. Her district, the 3rd Congressional District, covers Grand Rapids as well as portions of Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa counties. Scholten faces real estate agent Salim Al-Shatel in the Democratic primary for the 3rd Congressional District race. Whoever wins the Democratic primary will go on to the November general election, where they face the winner of the Republican primary. East Grand Rapids attorney Paul Hudson and Grand Haven financial advisor Michael Markey Jr. are competing in the Republican primary. HUDSONVILLE, MI After the Ottawa County GOP last month called for a dozen Republican candidates running for public office to quit their primary campaigns, those Republicans sent a clear message during a press conference Friday, July 19. Know this: We will not withdraw, said John Teeples, a Republican running for the countys District 7 board seat. We will not stand by and allow the Ottawa County GOP executive committee and a few other Ottawa Impact supporters dictate how thousands of eligible voters in Ottawa County should think or vote. The county Republican partys executive committee signed a resolution in late June calling for Teeples and other GOP candidates challenging Republicans who are affiliated with the far-right group called Ottawa Impact to stop running in the primary election, set for Aug. 6. RELATED: A far-right faction took over Ottawa County. Its job approval is poor, MLive polling reveals The candidates in question are: Jim Barry, Jacob Bonnema, Jordan Jortisma, Phil Kuyers, Josh Brugger, Mark Northrup, John Teeples, Richard Van Dop, Shawn Haff, Sarah Matwiejczyk, Cheryl Clark and Eric DeBoer. The Ottawa County Republican Party Executive Committee denounces and condemns (these candidates)... and demands that all endorsed candidates, members, and affiliates immediately cease to run for office as Republicans, the June 25 resolution states. The Ottawa County GOP took issue with the idea that some non-Ottawa Impact Republicans were encouraging Democrats to vote for them in the primary election to oust the Ottawa Impact candidates. Michigan is an open primary state, meaning anyone from any political party can vote in whichever primary they want, if they only vote for candidates in a single party. Voting for both Republicans and Democrats on your primary ballot will invalidate your vote. Six of the Republicans condemned by the Ottawa County GOP held a press conference in Hudsonville Friday to make it clear: They are traditional conservative Republicans, and theyre not quitting their campaigns. Ive been a Republican for 30 years, said Haff, running for District 6 commissioner. Im a strong conservative and Im proud of it. Im endorsed by Right To Life. Ottawa Impact has a record to run on but theyre attacking peoples characters. Do not fall for bumper sticker logic. Several other candidates called themselves lifelong Republicans, denouncing Ottawa Impact candidates like its founders Joe Moss and Sylvia Rhodea for what they called poor governance over the last two years. RELATED: Leader of Ottawa Impact faces Hudsonville mayor in key Ottawa County commission race The cult of Ottawa Impact needs to end and it will end in 18 days, said Northrup, who is running against Moss for the District 5 seat. Our county party will be restored to integrity, honesty and goodness. No more lies and destructive agendas. The citizens deserve transparency, fiscal responsibility once again. A wholesome vision will be reaffirmed...instead of political hyperpolarization. The Ottawa Impact members who took a majority of the Board of Commission seats in the 2022 election cycle have made several controversial decisions, including dismantling the countys diversity, equity and inclusion office, firing two county administrators, and attempting to fire the countys health officer. Several lawsuits have been filed against the county since the Ottawa Impact commissioners took office. RELATED: Conservative law firm earned $730K as Ottawa Countys new attorney, invoices show Northrup said the difference between the Ottawa Impact Republicans and the more traditional Republican candidates is experience governing and a desire to stay away from unnecessary polarizing issues. I want to be very clear, said Sara Bajema, a District 11 commission candidate. I am a Republican and always have been. What Ottawa Impact is doing is dangerous. They do not know how to govern. Ottawa County residents will vote in all 11 districts for county commissioners on Tuesday, Aug. 6. More information about all Ottawa County candidates can be found at Vote411.org. Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI Capitol One sued a Washtenaw County sheriff candidate for owing nearly $21,000, court records show. The credit card company filed a lawsuit against Alyshia Dyer, one of three Democrats appearing on the Aug. 6 primary ballot, in February. The debt was primarily daily living costs incurred while she was in graduate school, Dyer said, and she believes her the debt makes her more relatable to voters. Im really grateful for my education because its given me an opportunity to be successful and do what Im doing today, Dyer said. But, yeah, its not easy. After finishing her undergraduate degree at Eastern Michigan University, Dyer attended a graduate program at the University of Michigan. She graduated from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and the School of Social Work in 2021. Dyer currently works as a therapist. Dyer and the company were able to solve the matter out of court, she said, closing the case June 17. Ive definitely been through the struggle, Dyer said. Ive had to choose like, which tire do I fix because I cant afford all four, right? She also believes her debt also gives her experience necessary for the sheriff. People in poverty are really good at managing money, she said. Dyer said she wants to earn trust in communities that have historically been ignored and over-policed, such as low-income communities. One plan includes bringing Ann Arbors traffic stop equality ordinance which bars officers from pulling over drivers for offenses like a cracked windshield or broken taillight to the rest of the county. Evaluating officers on how many traffic stops they make encourages over policing, she said. I signed up as an officer to protect and serve my community, Dyer said. I didnt sign up to be a revenue generator. Dyer is running against Derrick Jackson, sheriffs director of community engagement, and Ken Magee, a consultant and former chief of the University of Michigan public safety department. There are no Republicans on the ballot. The race will be decided during the Aug. 6 primary election, and the winner will appear uncontested on the November ballot. RELATED: Sheriff candidate says licensing complaint, investigation a made-up thing Current sheriff Jerry Clayton, who has served in the position since 2008, announced in 2022 he would not be running for reelection. Find more information on the candidates here. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. LANSING, MI A former sheriffs fight to keep his state House seat will begin against a fellow Republican during the Tuesday, Aug. 6, primary election. Voters first elected Brian BeGole to the Michigan House of Representatives District 71 seat in 2022. The former Shiawassee County sheriff represents parts of Genesee, Saginaw and Shiawassee counties. BeGole will face Kevin Rathbun in the August primary election for Republicans. The winner will advance to the November general election against Democrat Mark D. Zacharda, who faces no opposition from his political party this summer. All three faced each other in 2022. Voters favored BeGole over Rathbun, 6,369 votes to 5,012 votes, in the August 2022 primary. BeGole then bested Zacharda in November 2022, 25,156 votes to 18,408 votes. In Saginaw County, District 71 covers the villages of Chesaning and Oakley as well as Brady and Maple Grove townships. In Genesee County, the district includes Argentine and Gaines townships as well as a chunk of Mundy Township. The district features more than two dozen Shiawassee County municipalities, including Corunna, Durand and New Lothrop. MLive/The Saginaw News partnered with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan to provide candidate information for readers. Each candidate was asked to outline their stances on a variety of public policy issues listed below. None of the candidates filled out the form. All responses in the voter guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for necessary cuts if a reply exceeded character limitations. Spelling and grammar were not corrected. Publication of candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service and should not be considered as an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. Information on other state, county and local primary races can be found at Vote411.org. Want more Bay City- and Saginaw-area news? Bookmark the local Bay City and Saginaw news page or sign up for the free 3@3 daily newsletter for Bay City and Saginaw. GENESEE COUNTY, MI Public safety-related millage proposals will come before voters in four Genesee County municipalities in the August 2024 primary election. Clayton Township has a proposal to purchase fire department vehicles, while Flint Township has a proposal to fund fire safety protection equipment. Montrose Township has three proposals to purchase emergency vehicles for the fire department, fire equipment and operate the fire department. Burton is seeking a police operating millage. Each of the proposals will be on the state primary ballot in Genesee County in the Aug. 6 election. MLive has partnered with the League of Women Voters of Michigan Education Fund for information on all state and federal races in Michigan, as well as local ballot proposals for many county and local races. See the voter guide here. Clayton Township Swartz Creek Area Fire Department Millage Clayton Township is seeking permission to levy up to .8 mills against taxable property for five years to fund the purchase of fire department vehicles for the Swartz Creek Area Fire Department, which serves the township. The millage, if passed, is expected to raise $208,539 in the first year. Flint Township Fire Safety Protection Equipment Millage Renewal Flint Township is asking voters to renew a five-year millage to fund equipment and rescue suit purchases for the townships fire department. The previous millage of .25 mills expires in 2025. It is expected that the millage would generate $232,747.04 in the first year if passed by voters. Montrose Township Proposals Voters in Montrose Township will be asked to approve three different public safety-related proposals in the August election the first being an emergency vehicle millage. The millage would create a new tax levy of 1.0 mills for 10 years to purchase emergency vehicles for the Montrose Township Fire Department. It would generate $178,581 in revenue if passed. The second proposal is seeking approval to renew the fire equipment millage originally scheduled to expire at the end of 2024. It would be a six-year renewal and generate an estimated $42,805 in the first year. Voters will also see a fire operating millage renewal on the ballot. The renewal would provide operational funds for the Montrose Township Fire Department. The six-year millage renewal would raise $80,968 in the first year. Burton Police Operating Millage Burton is asking voters to approve a supplemental operating millage for the citys police department. The current supplemental operating millage expired on June 30, 2024. Voters could extend the supplemental operating millage for 20 years at 0.9821 mills. If approved, the millage would generate approximately $793,318.71. Want more Flint-area news? Bookmark the local Flint news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Flint daily newsletter. News / National by Staff reporter The trial of Neville Mutsvangwa, son of Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa and Women's Affairs Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, did not proceed on Wednesday.Neville, who faces charges of illegal forex currency dealings and money laundering, along with Simbarashe Tichingana and Elis Majachani, had their case postponed to August 28.The State cited incomplete investigations as the reason for the delay. Neville also faces a separate charge for breaching the Telecommunications Act after allegedly being found with an illegal Starlink router.In another case, M'diwa Chanetsa, daughter of politician and village head Temba Mliswa, is charged with unlawful possession of crystal meth. Her trial, which involves co-accused Tawanda Chigudu, is set to begin on July 29. They were found with the drugs during a police raid in Avonlea, Harare. News / National by Staff reporter More than a hundred migrants and their families are at risk of being in the UK illegally after Renaissance Personnel, a care agency based in Brighton, had its sponsor licence revoked by the Home Office. This revocation came due to concerns about the authenticity of job vacancies and issues with staff payments.The affected migrants, who were employed by Renaissance Personnel and had come to the UK based on promises of work, now face the dilemma of either finding a new sponsor within weeks or returning to their home countries. Many, like Muhammad and Fajar, have reported being unpaid and struggling to secure the promised work.Renaissance Personnel, which operates in Brighton, London, and Buckinghamshire, is accused of recruiting far more workers than it had jobs available for, leading to significant issues for those who relocated under false pretenses. The company is also under scrutiny for failing to be inspected by the Care Quality Commission despite being registered.The Home Office typically allows workers 60 days to find a new sponsor or leave the UK if their original sponsors licence is revoked. The Home Office has vowed to take robust action against exploitation and to support care workers in finding alternative employment.Renaissance Personnels lawyers have stated they will challenge the revocation and deny allegations of mishandling recruitment or failing to pay staff. They claim that variable work hours in the care sector are a factor and assert that they are working to resolve payment issues and comply with regulations. News / National by Staff reporter US Ambassador Pamela Tremont, recently appointed to Zimbabwe, has urged the Zimbabwean government to implement reforms and enhance transparency to spur economic growth. Addressing the media in Harare, Tremont emphasized that broad-based economic prosperity requires strong democratic institutions, good public health, and regional security.Tremont stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law and respecting constitutional rights, which she described as essential for Zimbabweans' future prosperity. She noted that the US supports democratic principles that align with Zimbabwe's constitution, which was fought for during the liberation struggle.Despite a history of strained relations, Zimbabwe has been attempting to re-engage with the US while maintaining ties with Eastern nations. Earlier this year, the US lifted some sanctions on Zimbabwe but kept President Mnangagwa and his close associates under the Global Magnitsky sanctions for human rights violations and corruption.Tremont expressed a commitment to improving relations between the two countries and is looking for new ways to collaborate with the Zimbabwean government, civil society, and businesses. She highlighted the recent removal of Zimbabwe-specific targeted sanctions and the reduced Global Magnitsky list as steps towards improving relations. News / National by Staff reporter The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) embarked on a march in Durban on Wednesday calling for a recount of votes of the May 29 national and general elections.After its abrupt decision to pull the plug on its vote-rigging court case recently, the MKP vowed to launch another court bid with the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC).The march of MKP members, who braved the scorching sun, started at King Dinuzulu Park through Pixley KaSeme Street (West Street) to the Durban City Hall. Among the marchers was prominent MKP member and a former MKP national youth convenor, Bonginkosi Khanyile.Upon arriving at City Hall, the MKP handed their memorandum to IEC officials. One of the march organisers, Bongani Khoza, who is also MKP KZN co-ordinator, said the party has "compelling proof of vote-rigging".Khoza said that according to their internal investigations, they should have received more than 9 millions votes.The party became the third largest in the country with more than 4.5 million votes, behind the DA and the ANC."The vote rigging is real and we have proof of that," Khoza said."All we are saying is that the IEC must be truthful and tell us about the stolen votes because there are stolen votes."If you look at how people vote you could see the pattern that the MKP got the most votes both in the province and nationally."If we have to march several times we will do that until we are heard. We cannot allow blatant corruption to go on like this," Khoza said.Khanyile, who was previously removed from MKP youth structures, said the party would not rest until the stolen votes had been returned."All we are asking for is a recount so that our stolen votes can return. If the IEC fails to do that we are calling for fresh elections."South African people spoke on May 29 and they cannot be ignored. People showed that the only party that represents their interests is the MK Party," he said.Meanwhile, the Electoral Court has agreed to hear the MK Partys matter later this month, challenging the results of the recent general elections. This is despite the party withdrawing its bid before the court. News / National by Gideon Madzikatidze At least two members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) are set to leave the country for Abyei, an area on the border with Sudan whilst five others from contingent 22 have returned home from United Nations (UN) peacekeeping duties in South Sudan.Speaking in Harare this Thursday during the combined farewell and reception of two contingency (7 and 22), the Police Commissioner-General, Godwin Matanga claimed that most members deployed on peacekeeping missions continued to excel during execution of their duties."It is a profound pleasure to address you on this important occasion, which has become a major part of the organisation's diary events," Matanga said."As we gather to bid farewell to two officers who are destined to undertake peacekeeping duties in the Abyei Administrative Area, we also take pride in warmly welcoming home five others who completed their tour of duty in South Sudan," Matanga added."Indeed, today's event bears testimony to the indelible footprints that the Zimbabwe Republic Police continues to leave on the international peace-keeping arena," Matanga further remarks.Meanwhile, Matanga said the organisation's contribution and performance profile in peacekeeping missions has imprinted a consistent, traceable, and broadly acknowledged success story.Two officers who are set to leave the country for Abyei are Chief Inspector Lucia Mugwenhi and Assistant Inspector Witness Zano whilst Chief Inspector Abel Bvuta, Chief Superintendent Josiah Chideme, Sergeant Epiphania Makaza, Sergeant Timothy Mutandewa and Sergeant Rita Tigere constitute the returning contingent.The Abyei Area has been accorded with special administrative status by the 2004 Protocol on the Resolution of the Abyei Conflict in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the Second Sudanese Civil War. The UK took migrants saved in the Channel back to France for the first time in a sign of increased Anglo-French cooperation on small boats. A Border Force Ranger catamaran and an RNLI lifeboat were dispatched from Dover after France called for help on Wednesday. French ship PSP Cormoran picked up 59 people in the operation, and the British vessel rescued another 13. One migrant died when their small boat deflated near Calais and they could not be resuscitated, but the other 71 people were taken back to France in both ships. It was the first time a British vessel picked up migrants in French waters and returned them to France. A Border Force vessel and an RNLI lifeboat were dispatched from Dover (PA Wire) A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: HM Coastguard received a report of a small boat in difficulty in French waters near Calais at about 2.40pm on July 17. A Border Force vessel and RNLI lifeboat were sent to support French vessels in the operation, co-ordinated by French authorities. The French coastguard added it continued to search the scene until nightfall and no further people were found in the water. Typically migrants rescued in the Channel by Border Force are required by France to be taken to the UK, with the French having resisted calls to allow them to be returned as a deterrent. The Home Office denied there had been a change in policy, but UK officials told The Telegraph the move is a sign of what Britain and France can do to address the small boats crisis with greater cooperation. The operation came days after it was confirmed more than 1,000 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel since Sir Keir Starmer became prime minister. Home Office figures show 427 people made the journey in seven boats on Monday, taking the provisional total for the year so far to 14,759. It means the number of arrivals recorded since Sir Keir took office on July 5 in the wake of Labours election victory now stands at 1,185. More than 1,000 small boat migrants have arrived in the UK since Sir Keir Starmer became prime minister (PA Wire) Home secretary Yvette Cooper told a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that Channel crossings were at a record high in the first half of the year and indicated a difficult summer ahead. The total number of crossings for 2024 to date is 12 per cent higher than the number recorded this time last year (13,200) and up 1 per cent on the same period in 2022 (14,554), the current record year. Concluding the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday, hosted by the UK at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, Sir Keir accused Rishi Sunaks government of a "dereliction of duty" on small boats and pledged 84 million in foreign aid to help stop irregular migration. He also suggested he is open to an offshore processing arrangement similar to one agreed between Italy and Albania, saying he was "a pragmatist" who would "look at what works". He said: "This is a vital part of gripping the migration crisis and it shows how were going to do business on the world stage. "We are facing up to the huge problems beyond our shores, because these problems echo at home. The effects play out on our streets and in a dangerous world we serve no one and solve nothing by turning inward." The money, to be rolled out over the next three years, includes funding for projects to improve education and employment opportunities, as well as efforts to build resilience to shocks such as conflict and climate change, in the hope that this will persuade people not to leave their homes and travel to Europe. He also suggested the UK would be open to an offshore processing deal, having discussed Albanias arrangement with Italy during a meeting with his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama. He said there had been "interest in how that might work", adding: "Im a practical person, Im a pragmatist and Ive always said well look at what works. "And where cases can be processed closer to origin, then that is something which of course ought to be looked at." High Court reporters Meta has agreed to provide businessman Denis O'Brien with information about those behind what he says are "false and malicious" advertisements on its platforms containing his name and image, the High Court has heard. Mr O'Brien claims that since last August his name and image have been used in a series of fake adverts in "a clear campaign to promote dubious financial schemes including cryptocurrency investments" to users of the social media platform's services via Meta Ads. Mr O'Brien says he has nothing to do with these schemes advertised on the Facebook and Instagram platform and the ads are defamatory. He also claims the ads breach his rights to privacy, and his good name, his rights under GDPR and his property rights. He seeks damages for defamation, malicious falsehood, unlawful appropriation of his property, passing off, and for various alleged breaches of the data protection law and his constitutional rights. He intends to bring his proceedings against the parties behind the adverts as well as Dublin-based Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, which is where the social media giant's European HQ is located. He also seeks injunctions restraining the further publication of statements about him through the Meta Ad tool. Before he can proceed, he requires Meta to provide him with subscriber information relating to the adverts. On Friday, Paul O'Higgins SC, for Mr O'Brien, told Mr Justice Mark Sanfey that considerable progress had been made between the parties and it had been agreed an order could be made that the information be provided. However, the making of the order should be deferred until next week because Meta says it will not be in a position to have a schedule of the particular ads appended to the order until then. Mr O'Higgins said his client was also waiting for basic subscriber information so it can identify who is behind the ads in order to serve proceedings on them outside the jurisdiction. Meta had agreed to provide this, it just had not done so yet, he said. It would appear from the Meta library that there are no more than ten subscribers who are responsible for the very large number of ads involved, he said. If his side was to get the information it requires in relation to the months of August, September and October of last year, that would take the urgency out of the matter, he said. Mr O'Higgins also expressed his concern that under the Digital Services Act, this information should be readily available but was not. Clare Hogan BL, for Meta, said there was a complex process involved in checking who paid for the ads and the account numbers but her side would be in a position to have this information next week. She could also update the court next week in relation to Mr O'Higgins other concerns. Mr Justice Sanfey said from what Ms Hogan said, Meta was doing everything it can, although it may not be what is required by law, but that was a matter for another day. He adjourned it to next week when he said he hoped to hear there was significant progress between the parties. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, alongside global leaders, participated in the opening plenary session of the European Political Community Summit at Blenheim Palace in the United Kingdom, as reported by the Governmental Administration.The summit was inaugurated by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with speeches also delivered by the President of Ukraine, the President of Switzerland, and the Prime Minister of Denmark.Before the summit's official start, leaders gathered for a special group photo. Prime Minister Kobakhidze shared messages regarding Georgia-EU relations with all participating leaders, including EU officials such as Josep Borrell and Charles Michel.In a statement to journalists, Prime Minister Kobakhidze outlined the topics covered during the discussions, including Georgia-EU relations and expansion issues. He stated that improvements in regional stability could lead to a more favorable attitude towards Georgia. "The general impression I have is that as soon as the global situation in the region changes and calms down, the attitude towards Georgia will immediately change. This process will start even before that, but in the end, a lot will depend on the political situation in the region," said Kobakhidze.First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Levan Davitashvili praised the US State Department's 2024 investment climate report, describing it as a clear indicator of Georgia's reliability as a long-term investment partner. "The report is quite objective," Davitashvili said. "It evaluates the investment environment of Georgia positively, highlighting the successful economic reforms we've implemented."Davitashvili noted that the report underscores Georgia's impressive economic growth compared to other regional candidates and EU nations. "The high economic growth we've experienced is unprecedented in the region," he stated. "This trend is supported by international organizations, including the International Monetary Fund."According to Davitashvili, the improved macroeconomic indicators and predictable investment environment set Georgia apart from its regional peers. "The country's investment environment is predictable, and our regulatory legislation aligns with international standards," he explained.He concluded by reaffirming Georgia's commitment to maintaining macroeconomic stability and supporting business operations. "This report is a clear signal to investors that Georgia can be a reliable partner in the long term," Davitashvili said. "We will continue to uphold these policies to make doing business in Georgia even easier and more competitive." OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All Tata Motors unveils SUV Coupe Curvv in ICE and EV variants, launch next month OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All Anant Ambani wedding: Deepika Padukone's saree was 'inspired from architecture of purana hindostan', explains designer Danish Khan is the editor of Technology and Telecom. He was previously with the Economic Times and has tracked the sector for 13 years. Adrija Chatterjee is an Assistant Editor at Moneycontrol. She has been tracking and reporting on finance and trade ministries for over eight years. You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. 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Operating profits for Jio Platforms Ltd and Reliance Retail Ltd rose 11.6% and 10.5%, respectively. Disclosure: Moneycontrol is a part of the Network18 group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary. Abhishek Sahu covers HR and Education (Careers) at Moneycontrol. He can be reached at Abhishek.Sahu@nw18.com and @Abhishek44sahu. Invite your friends and family to sign up for MC Tech 3, our daily newsletter that breaks down the biggest tech and startup stories of the day OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All Zydus Lifesciences stock falls 3% after US FDA classifies Jarod unit as OAI Kayezad E Adajania heads the personal finance bureau at Moneycontrol. He has been covering mutual funds and personal finance for the past two decades, having worked in Mint and Outlook Money magazine. Kayezad was the founding member of Mints personal finance team when it was set up in 2009. Souptik Datta Reports on Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai. Btw, curiosity never kills the cat. You can reach me on souptikdatta@nw18.com Follow us on: South Indian Bank to submit report to RBI in two weeks to reboot co-branded credit card business, says MD OTHERS OTHERS Follow us on: My Account or or Hello, Login All Vedanta Resources pays $246 million dues to help revive operations at Zambian copper mine Follow us on: About 50 Indians want to end employment in Russian armed forces: MEA Follow us on: Ex-Minister Nagendra being pressurised by ED to spell out names in Valmiki scam: Siddaramaiah From ID card display to halal products: Why the upcoming Kanwar Yatra in UP has become political? 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Mark Pocan, a consistent champion for President Joe Biden's administration, has joined the growing list of Democratic lawmakers calling on the 81-year-old president to step down from his presidential run against former President Donald Trump. Pocan, D-Black Earth, has been a familiar face at Biden's several campaign events in the state, often greeting the president as he steps off Air Force One and riling up the crowd before Biden takes the stage. But on Friday, less than 12 hours after Trump concluded his presidential nomination speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Pocan said in a post on X it's "time to pass the torch." "I am so appreciative of what President Joe Biden has gotten done for this country, but having a second Trump presidency is as scary of a thought as I can have," Pocan said. "We need to move forward in a way that ensures Trump is never president." Pocan joined fellow Democratic U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman, of California, Marc Veasey, of Texas, and Chuy Garcia, of Illinois to urge Biden to step down, which the lawmakers said would "reinvigorate the race and infuse Democrats with enthusiasm and momentum" heading into the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month. "We must defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy, protect our alliances and the rules-based international order, and continue building on the strong foundation you have established over the past four years," the lawmakers wrote. "At this point, however, we must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign." "Democrats have a deep and talented bench of younger leaders, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, who you have lifted up, empowered, and prepared for this moment," the lawmakers continued. "Passing the torch would fundamentally change the trajectory of the campaign." Biden, meanwhile, has given no indication he plans to step down from what appears poised to be a rematch with Trump in November. Biden beat Trump in the battleground state by about 21,000 votes in 2020. Other Wisconsin Democrats, appear to remain behind Biden as he seeks a second term in office. U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, told Spectrum News 1 earlier this month Biden is an "amazing president." I will continue to support President Bidens reelection bid, Moore told the outlet. This election is about preserving freedom, progress, equality and democracy, and I will do everything in my power to ensure voters know whats at stake. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who is seeking her third term this fall, hasnt been seen with Biden in the state since January. Speaking with reporters earlier this month, Baldwin said "the bottom line is it's (Biden's) decision." "I have heard a lot of input from voters I've passed those onto the White House," Baldwin continued. Hours before the balloons rained down on Trump and his family inside the convention hall Thursday evening, Biden deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks appeared nearby in Milwaukee and insisted repeatedly that Biden would not step aside. I do not want to be rude, but I dont know how many more times I can answer that, Fulks told reporters. There are no plans being made to replace Biden on the ballot. Nearly two-thirds of Democrats nationally say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to an AP-NORC poll released Wednesday. This story will be updated. Photos from the last day of the Republican National Convention At the invitation of First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov and Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak of the government of the Russian Federation, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council Ding Xuexiang will co-chair the 11th meeting of the China-Russia Investment Cooperation Committee and the 21st meeting of the China-Russia Energy Cooperation Committee, and attend the sixth China-Russia Energy Business Forum in Russia from July 21 to 23. At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer will visit China from July 20 to 24. CCTV: Earlier this week, China released the economic figures of the first half of this year. Strong imports and exports numbers showed that Chinese products remain highly competitive in the world and the momentum of Chinas foreign trade remains strong. Whats your comment? Lin Jian: In the first half of this year, Chinas imports and exports exceeded RMB 21 trillion for the first time, up 6.1 percent year on year, with some indicators achieving double-digit growth. In light of Chinas robust foreign trade, the International Monetary Fund revised up its 2024 Chinese GDP growth forecast to 5 percent in the latest update to its World Economic Outlook. An open China is an important engine of global development and prosperity. From establishing 22 Pilot Free Trade Zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port, the signing and entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, to the building of a globally-oriented network of high-standard free trade areas, from repeatedly shortening the negative list for foreign investment to reducing market access restrictions in telecommunications, healthcare and other services sectors, from promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to establishing international cooperation platforms for trade and economic exchange, such as the China International Import Expo, China International Fair for Trade in Services, and the China International Consumer Products Expo, these important measures to expand high-quality opening up benefit the international community through Chinas development, and give the world reason for optimism about Chinas outlook. In the first half of this year, 26,870 foreign-invested companies were set up in China, up by 14.2 percent year on year. Actual utilized foreign investment in manufacturing increased by 2.4 percent compared with the same period last year. China has remained the worlds largest trader in goods for seven years running, and the worlds largest exporter and second-largest importer for 15 consecutive years. It has been among the worlds top three sources of outbound investment for 11 years in a row. The funding we provide has benefited 155 countries and regions in the world. The Communique of the just concluded third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China said that opening up is a defining feature of Chinese modernization. We must remain committed to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world and continue to promote reform through opening up. Leveraging the strengths of Chinas enormous market, we will enhance our capacity for opening up while expanding cooperation with other countries and develop new institutions for a higher-standard open economy. We will steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, improve planning for regional opening up, and refine the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. We will continue to deepen reform and expand opening up to turn Chinas super-sized market into abundant opportunities for the world, strive for Chinese modernization through reform and opening up, and inject strong impetus to global modernization through our own modernization. China Daily: With the Foreign Ministrys support, the China Institute of International Studies yesterday held an event on the Global Security Initiative at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Can you give us more details? Lin Jian: With the Foreign Ministrys support, the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) yesterday afternoon held an event to launch the Center for Global Security Initiative Studies and to release the Report on the Implementation Progress of the Global Security Initiative. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered a written speech to the event and Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong attended the event, unveiled the plaque of the Center and delivered remarks. Nearly 300 guests, including diplomatic envoys and representatives from over 80 countries and international organizations, and experts and scholars, attended the event. The Report on the Implementation Progress of the Global Security Initiative was drafted and published by CIIS and the Center for Global Security Initiative Studies. The full text of the report in both Chinese and English was released on the official website of CIIS after the event on July 18. Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the written speech noted that the Global Security Initiative (GSI) put forward by President Xi Jinping contributed Chinese wisdom to reducing the peace deficit in the world and provided Chinese solution for dealing with international security challenges. The first ever Report on the Implementation Progress of the Global Security Initiative presents a full picture of what has been achieved in the past two years and more since the GSI was proposed. The report helps various sides to better understand the relevance and unique value of the GSI as an international public good in the field of security. He hopes that the Center for Global Security Initiative Studies will thoroughly pool the wisdom and strength of experts and scholars from both home and abroad, build a platform of exchanges and dialogue of international security issues and provide strong support for exchanges and cooperation between all sides under the GSI. Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong in his speech pointed out that amid the evolving international landscape, the GSI represents the right way forward and gives the world courage to meet crises and challenges head-on. The GSI is highly relevant and important for todays world. The implementation of the GSI has achieved real and tangible results. Faced with emerging traditional and non-traditional security challenges, China stands ready to strengthen communication and exchanges on security visions and policies with all sides, work together to advance international security cooperation, promote sustainable development and sustainable security, and bring more stability to this turbulent world. I would like to stress that to advance the implementation of the GSI, we need to extensively pool wisdom and strength of all sides. The establishment of the Center for Global Security Initiative Studies and release of the Report on the Implementation Progress of the Global Security Initiative provide us the good opportunity to work with all parties to actively implement the GSI, deepen exchanges and cooperation in security fields and make new contribution to humanitys common security and lasting peace of the world. China News Service: We noted that the Office of Commercial Development of China in Haiti posted on social media platform X that it has resumed its activities in Port-au-Prince. Can you share more details with us on that? Lin Jian: China has not yet established diplomatic relations with Haiti. The two countries have offices of commercial development in each others capitals, which serve as an important channel of communication and exchanges between the two sides. Early this year, when the security situation deteriorated in Haiti, a lot of countries temporarily closed their institutions in Haiti and evacuated their nationals. After organizing and assisting the safe evacuation of two batches of Chinese nationals from Haiti, the Office of Commercial Development of China in Haiti was temporarily moved to Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic in April. Recently, in light of the improving security situation in Haiti, with the help of the Haitian side, the staff of the Office of Commercial Development of China in Haiti have returned to Port-au-Prince and resumed their work. CCTV: Weve learned that Chinas senior Foreign Ministry official will go to Japan and the ROK in the coming days for bilateral dialogues and consultations. Can you confirm this and share more details? What is Chinas expectation for the dialogues? Lin Jian: At the invitation of Japan and the ROK, from July 21 to 25, Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu will hold the 16th round of China-Japan strategic dialogue with Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Masataka Okano in Tokyo and the 10th round of high-level strategic dialogue between the foreign ministries of China and the ROK with First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the ROK Kim Hong Kyun in Seoul. Detailed arrangement of the dialogues is still being worked out. The dialogues are institutionalized consultations between China and Japan and between China and the ROK. They provide the opportunity for in-depth exchanges of views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest. China hopes to step up communication and enhance cooperation through the dialogues to promote the sound and steady growth of China-Japan and China-ROK relations. We will release timely information on the dialogues. RIA Novosti: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban sent a letter to the President of the EU Council Charles Michel, in which he suggested that the EU conduct high-level talks with China on holding the next peace conference on Ukraine. Whats Chinas comment? Is China willing to participate in such talks? Lin Jian: We noted the report. On the Ukraine issue, China has been committed to promoting talks for peace, advancing a political settlement, and encouraging and supporting efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis. China maintains that the international peace conference needs to meet the three important elements of recognition from both Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all parties, and fair discussion of all peace plans. The international community needs to create conditions for the two sides to resume direct dialogue and negotiation. Major countries in particular need to play a positive role. China stands ready to maintain communication with relevant parties to continue playing a constructive role for enabling a political settlement of the crisis. AFP: Former US President Donald Trump in his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination said that he will restore peace in the world and warned that a growing specter of conflict hangs over Taiwan and all of Asia. Whats your comment on his speech? Lin Jian: The Taiwan question is purely Chinas internal affair and brooks no external interference. We are opposed to making China an issue in US elections. Shenzhen TV: According to the US website Military.com, for the first time in 12 years, the Marine Corps has published the latest doctrine titled Deceptiona tactic used to deceive enemy and create disinformation. Jeffrey Hill, US intelligence officer and the lead author of the doctrine, said in an interview that deception is absolutely in our tool kit, and if you aint deceiving, you aint fighting. Whats your comment? Lin Jian: We noted the report. From former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo publicly saying we lied, we cheated, we stole, to the recently revealed Pentagon disinformation campaign against Chinese vaccines during COVID-19, to the latest military doctrine titled Deception disclosed by the US military, we should ask the following. Who is spreading disinformation worldwide? Who is waging the battle of perception against particular countries? Who is launching cyberattacks and information warfare in the world? To advance selfish agenda in the name of justice, to spread disinformation through deceptive propaganda, and to frame and suppress other countries through manipulating public opinion and perception have become the USs go-to tactics. The world knows what the US has been doing and is vigilant against them. Long gone are the days when the US could deceive the world into serving the US agenda. The US needs to quit those wrongful approaches at once, stop manipulating perceptions through lies, and stop smearing and vilifying other countries. The US should give a long-overdue explanation to the international community both for its dissemination of disinformation over the years for selfish reasons, and for the severe damage inflicted by the US Deception strategy on the developing countries. RIA Novosti: Its reported that NATO officials are in discussions about reclaiming some Chinese-owned infrastructure projects in Europe, if a broader conflict with Russia arises, based on information from three officials involved in these talks. What is Chinas comment on this? Lin Jian: This is yet another sign of NATO attempting to step outside its zone, breach its mandate and incite bloc confrontation. China-Russia relations are built on the basis of non-alliance, non-confrontation and not targeting any third party. The economic cooperation between China and European countries serves the interest of both sides. Theres no justification for NATO to use conflicts with Russia as a reason to disrupt and undermine Chinas cooperation with European countries. Such attempts must be firmly rejected. TASS: US House Speaker Mike Johnson said yesterday that if Trump wins the presidential elections, the US will take a tough stance on China. What is the Foreign Ministrys comment? Lin Jian: The presidential elections are the domestic affairs of the United States. I will not comment on that. We are opposed to making China an issue in the elections. Reuters: Bangladesh is facing internet shutdowns and disrupted phone lines amid student protests. What is the situation there for Chinese companies and residents? Is MOFA taking actions to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals in Bangladesh? Lin Jian: China noted what happened recently in Bangladesh. This is Bangladeshs domestic affair and we believe that the government of Bangladesh will properly handle it and uphold national solidarity and stability. The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh will continue to closely follow the security situation of Chinese nationals and companies in Bangladesh and exercise its duty in providing necessary assistance. Beijing Youth Daily: It was reported that on July 18, the Hsun Hu No.9 patrol vessel of the Coast Guard Administration of the Ocean Affairs Council of Taiwan and the aircraft-carrying patrol vessel Sagami of Japan Coast Guard carried out a joint drill to the south of Japans Boso Peninsula, Chiba Prefecture, and in waters near Izu Oshima. According to the reports, this is the first joint maritime exercise between Japan Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Administration of the Ocean Affairs Council of Taiwan since Japan and Taiwan cut diplomatic ties in 1972. The drill is a response to the continued assertive activities of China in the East and South China Seas to stay vigilant against potential contingencies. What is your comment? Lin Jian: We strongly deplore and firmly oppose Japans joint maritime exercise with the Taiwan region, and have lodged protests with Japan. Japan has made serious commitments to China on the Taiwan question, including not supporting two Chinas, one China, one Taiwan or Taiwan independence. These are the stance and principles that Japan must uphold. We urge Japan to adhere to the one-China principle and the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, correct the wrongdoing at once, refrain from conniving at or supporting Taiwan independence separatist forces in any form, stay prudent on issues related to the East and South China Seas, and stop disrupting cross-Strait peace and stability and China-Japan relations. The Port of Philadelphia is getting back in the cruise business. Starting in April 2026, Norwegian Cruise Line will stop by Philadelphias Delaware River port to pick up passengers for voyages to Bermuda, officials said Wednesday. The cruise line will offer trips of up to nine days to Bermuda aboard the Norwegian Jewel, which can accommodate about 2,400 people. In the fall, itineraries will include Canada and New England. Officials with the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority a state agency known as PhilaPort that owns terminals and other port infrastructure say the cruise business will be a boon to the regional economy. Were hoping this is just a launching point for cruises to leave Philadelphia year round, said Sean Mahoney, PhilaPorts director of marketing. The port authority has been in talks with Norwegian Cruise Line for about two years, he said, adding that the company was bullish on the Philadelphia market and the potential of the cruising public here. Bookings are already available. The price for a seven-day trip to Bermuda started at $1,197 per person as of Wednesday afternoon. PhilaPort officials said they anticipate that if growth continues in its cruise operations by 2028, this industry could create and support more than 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, as well as more than $40 million in annual tax revenue to the city and state. Philadelphia last welcomed a cruise ship around 2010, Mahoney said, but he expects this new service to pay bigger dividends. Delaware River ports are a hub of international commerce, generating an estimated $49 billion in economic activity in 2021, according to the most recent analysis performed for the Maritime Exchange for the Delaware River and Bay. This means tourism travel to our city, jobs for our workers at PhilaPort, and simply put, broader economic opportunity for Philadelphia, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said in a statement. Gov. Josh Shapiro said the development would help support Philadelphias tourism industry just as the city prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Americas founding. Over the next 18 months, port authority officials plan to invest the capital needed to develop Philadelphias Southport Marine Terminal Complex, which will service the cruise ships, according to Mahoney. He said PhilaPort would pay for the improvements out of its operating budget, which is funded by rents from tenants. The upgrades will likely cost several million dollars, he said, though an engineering firm still needs to complete an assessment. We need to upgrade the pier structure to be able to handle luggage, to screen luggage, he said. We want to make sure passengers can get on and off the ship in inclement weather, as well as provide for sufficient parking. We have the money, Mahoney said. We have the budget to do it. The Delaware River waterfront property south of the Walt Whitman Bridge was once part of the Navy Yard. Another parcel of the Southport property is dedicated to an auto center, where hundreds of thousands of Hyundais and Kias shipped annually from South Korea are processed before they reach showrooms. Public officials have spent years trying to decide how to best use the Southport property. A 2015 report by the City Controllers Office found that Southports economic impact would be strongest as measured by jobs and tax revenue if the property was developed into a modern container terminal. PhilaPort and state officials decided to modernize the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal instead. Norwegian Cruise Line is a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., a global company that has a combined fleet of 32 ships that visit 700 destinations across the world. NCL said the new service will provide residents in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region more access to cruising. Yves here. Most people would disagree with the headline claim about the relative risks of pandemics and nukes. After all, as Scott Ritter points out, a nuclear attack (or even potentially a mistaken one) on a nuclear power would lead to immediate retaliation in kind, which as Ritter says means in short order Everybody dies. And Ritter also points out, trust and communications between the US and Russia are so low, and so many officials in the West are make deranged threat display noises (remember even one is too many) that the risks of nuclear war as as high and potentially higher than they have ever been. However, the headline view is accurate if you look at risk-adjusted outcomes. Enough people understand the risk of a nuclear exchange so as to have a very large number of well-placed individuals, out of sheer self-preservation interest, would take steps to prevent that from happening. By contrast, comparatively few take Covid or pandemic risk seriously, even as we collectively are demonstrating that very bad outcomes, such as Long Covid and a general and marked decline in population-level health. By Lynn Parramore, Senior Research Analyst at the Institute for New Economic Thinking. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking website Do we really grasp the danger of pandemics and the critical need to prepare for and protect ourselves from their massive impacts? Our current response efforts say no. Dr. Phillip Alvelda warns that when not properly monitored and addressed as with the ongoing COVID situation pandemics have the potential to cripple entire generations before we realize what hit us. They pose a severe global threat to humanity: at this very minute, you are far more likely to be disabled by COVID than by any nuclear event. Alvelda, a former program manager in DARPAs Biological Technologies Office, which pioneered the synthetic biology industry and mRNA vaccine technology, founded Medio Labs, a major COVID diagnostic testing company. He has taken to task governments and health agencies for their past and continuing failure to adequately protect the public from COVID, including issues related to Long COVID and risks of reinfection, as well as their neglect of crucial mitigation strategies and tracking systems. These shortcomings, he warns, leave us unnecessarily vulnerable to potential future pandemics, a concern heightened by the creeping prevalence of the H5N1 bird flu across dairy farm cattle. In the following conversation with the Institute of New Economic Thinkings Lynn Parramore, Alvelda dives into what most worries him and outlines actionable steps forward, including the need for air quality laws and holding those who maintain buildings accountable if people get sick. Lynn Parramore: Lets start out with the overall COVID situation right now. Where are we? Phillip Alvelda: Recently, speaking in Harrisburg, PA on the campaign trail, President Biden stated, Ill be blunt. I ended the pandemic. It reminds me of George Bush declaring victory over Iraq with his infamous mission accomplished speech on the aircraft carrier. Unfortunately, despite what we hear from many of our leaders, the pandemic continues. We have wave after wave of new variants. We are in the middle of a summer surge, and its growing in most states this is even highlighted now by the CDC. COVID is still a major cause of death and disability around the world. Thats the reality, but the mainstream media is not picking this up even as we accumulate more evidence that people are dropping out of the labor market because of long-term health disabilities due to Long COVID. LP: Its ironic that Biden declared this right as Vice President Kamala Harriss husband contracted COVID and then got reinfected himself. PA: It is! President Biden has already had COVID how many times? At least twice in the past that I know of. And the President has just announced that he tested positive yet again. This is a really serious concern given that we now know that accelerated mental decline is a common sequela of COVID and is increasingly likely with each subsequent infection. For a third infection, his chances of Long COVID are 25%-35%, no matter how mild the acute symptoms are. Theres a new report outlining these issues in The Atlantic, which references a study by the U.S. Social Security Administration on the long-term health consequences of COVID, including for the elderly. LP: As youve noted, the growing cumulative risk of each reinfection underscores why our leaders must avoid getting COVID over and over. Speaking of risks, I was just reading that scientists are now asking if Covid could be linked to rare and aggressive forms of cancer that have been popping up. PA: Yes, and its not just that serious illnesses like this are popping up: theyre popping up in people 10-20 years earlier than they normally do. Whether you visit a cardiac, diabetes, Alzheimers, or cognitive therapy practice, medical workers report that since 2019, theyve been seeing diseases that typically affect those over 50 now afflicting individuals in their 20s and 30s. Its a wholly new situation. COVID can affect various organs in the body and weaken the immune system and the damage can linger. Long COVID can affect every organ system in the body. And the public health agencieswhere are they on all this? They absolutely know all of this but maintain a policy of silence and minimization, even as the overall toll grows. LP: As public health agencies drop the ball, its getting increasingly hard for people to find reliable, up-to-date information on whats going on. Where can they go? PA: The Peoples CDC is distributing good information. Its a separate organization of independent scientists who have been involved in some capacity or another in the pandemic response. Many of them, having been frustrated at being muzzled within federal agencies, have left so that they could speak independently. They have been publishing regular reports that compile what data is available or, in the absence of data, using what data they do have to infer whats really going on. Unfortunately, what they can distribute is severely limited by the fact that testing has been severely curtailed. For example, we dont have very good case-by-case count data anymore because thats been discontinued in most states. But the wastewater measurements that we have remain accurate, and we can also estimate the prevalence of cases from the rate of test positivity. Companies like Walgreens and some hospital groups track the tests that they give and what percentage turn out to be positive. It turns out thats the proxy for how prevalent the cases are. Its not quite as accurate what wed have if there was much more testing, but its the next best thing. LP: What are the latest developments on bird flu? PA: There has not been a lot of new data published on bird flu, and I think the reality is that the testing is so sparse that its very difficult to get an idea of the extent of it. We do know that 12 or so states have reported ongoing infection of dairy cattle. As you might imagine, the farmers have resisted testing because they dont want their milk pulled from the market. Its concerning that one of the scientific reports on the bird flu, an NIH study, showed that a small amount can survive the normal pasteurization process. We can detect infectious viruses in the milk even after the process. What happens going forward really all depends on the virus evolving the ability to infect humans directly and be passed from human to human. Weve seen a few cases now of humans who work around cows coming up with the bird flu. There are a few other weird things going on that we dont yet understand, too. Were detecting bird flu in the wastewater, like in San Francisco, for example, and there are no dairy farms in San Francisco. Wheres it coming from? LP: Research on bird flu mutations indicates that the virus could potentially spread to humans by breathing. A report by scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that viral samples taken from cows were able to attach to receptors found on cells in the human respiratory tract. How concerning is that? PA: It is concerning. A number of similar results are starting to pop up here and there. It may be an inevitable trend. One of the challenges is testing. There should be way more testing, not just of people, but cattle. Its part and parcel of the food chain. The more cows you have that are infected, the more dangerous the situation becomes. Its kind of like each infected cow is a reservoir of experimentation for the virus, trying trillions of different ways to mutate that may or may not infect a human. We have humans working very closely with the cattle to produce milk, so it could be a ready-made pandemic in the waiting. Some people in the scientific community have said pretty candidly its not a question of whether were going to have more problems with the bird flu virus, but when. Reuters reported Seth Berkley, a widely respected epidemiologist, telling Stat News that he is shocked to watch the ineptitude of how public officials in the U.S. are handling the situation. LP: How bad is this for the people working around the animals? PA: Its not good. The guidance now for the workers in these dairy farms is full Biosafety Level 3, or BSL-3, which means environment suits with goggles and face shields and all that. Thats what it takes to protect yourself against this disease. LP: Are farm laborers wearing that kind of protective gear? Im trying to imagine it in the summer heat. PA: No, I dont think they are. So were seeing more reports of farm hands coming down with the bird flu and conjunctivitis. LP: Youve long expressed concern about the failed leadership at organizations like the World Health Organization [WHO] and the CDC in their handling of the COVID pandemic. What has been the most serious failure so far? PA: The most devastating failure was the WHOs willful decision to deny the airborne transmission of the coronavirus. LP: I recall the now-infamous tweet, where the CDC stated that it was a fact that COVID isnt airborne. PA: Yes. And it wasnt just the tweet. It was an ongoing campaign over two years while a growing number of scientists became increasingly vocal about its definitively demonstrated airborne nature, and not just scientists in the West. Its interesting to look at the countries that were most successful in dealing with the pandemic and protecting public health and their economies. They were the countries that identified and recognized the airborne transmission early on. They adjusted policies around indoor air quality and improved mask standards to include the wearing of respirator masks, not just surgical masks, in hospitals. I believe theres been an element of subtle racism in the American response, in terms of suggesting that only Asian countries were socially compliant and willing to mask up. But the critical point is that countries like Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and China swiftly acknowledged the airborne nature of the virus after the Diamond Princess incident in February 2020. LP: The Diamond Princess was that ship that got stranded at sea during the early stages of the pandemic after a terrible COVID outbreak. PA: Yes, and after this event, these countries never dithered or wavered they maintained consistent policies focused on mitigating an airborne virus from the outset. And its not just about resistance or bias. Theres been stubbornness and willful deception. Internal scientists within the WHO and the CDC were aware of COVIDs airborne nature and telling the agencies how to prevent transmission. These agencies were fixing their own internal air handling, and making sure places like the White House had air quality upgrades. Meanwhile, public guidance from both the WHO and the CDC continued to emphasize hand-washing and droplet precautions over airborne measures, despite mounting evidence. Unfortunately, this is still true today. Even though we have new research indicating that airborne transmission of COVID is exponentially more likely than transmission through droplets or surfaces, we still have both the WHO and the CDC prioritizing things like hand washing. On its list of official recommendations for protecting yourself against the virus, the CDC website still places good hygiene such as hand washing before air quality, which is far more important. LP: Pretty astonishing given what we now know. PA: Its a failure in public health. LP: Lets talk about masking. I see some people wearing masks as COVID protection, but a lot of times its a surgical mask, and one hanging loose around the nose, at that. What do people need to know about masks as were in this summer surge? PA: A surgical mask or a cloth mask is better than nothing. But its a super easy switch to say, Hey, if youre willing to wear a cloth mask, why not just get a respirator instead? A respirator mask, an N95 mask with a good seal over the nose and mouth, doesnt cost that much money. You dont wear that many masks. Look, none of the masks is absolutely perfect, but, the better the respirator is, the more it filters out. An N95 mask extends the amount of time that you can be safe in an area where there is coronavirus floating in the air. LP: So, for example, if I take the subway to work, and somebody on the train is infected, a good mask could protect me long enough for my trip. PA: Thats right. A good mental model for how these masks either do or dont work is to think about cigarette smoke. Smoke is an aerosol. It hovers around in a room after you leave, just like COVID aerosols. LP: If I think of somebody smoking a cigarette on the subway car, it doesnt matter how far away from that person I am, that cigarette smoke is in the air Im breathing. And COVID works this way, right? PA: Right, and given the current infection rates, you need to take precautions. The Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative, originating from Tulanes pandemic response team and led by Michael Hoerger from Tulanes School of Medicine, has compiled data showing that, on average, 1 in 73 Canadians and Americans are currently infected with COVID, and hotspots like New York and San Francisco, with higher population and transportation density, have even higher rates and higher risks. So, if youre in a room or subway car or bus containing 35 or more people, theres at least a 50/50 chance that at least one of those people is infected. Even after an infected person walks out of your subway car, the aerosol lingers in the air for some time, just like cigarette smoke. You can extend that analogy to how effective a mask is. If your mask has air gaps around the edges, or even if you use a KN95 with ear loops that dont really pull it very closely around your face, then the protection is less effective at shielding you from airborne viruses which leak right around the edges. Better than a surgical mask perhaps, but not nearly as good as a proper N95 mask with the dual headbands. Keep in mind that the surgical mask was never designed to protect against airborne illness. In fact, hospitals actually have protocols that if there is an airborne illness, like say tuberculosis, you wear a respirator. Thats what protects you from airborne illnesses. Unfortunately, when it comes to COVID, the non-scientific public statements from the CDC and the WHO and all the guidance saying that its droplets that you need to worry about and not aerosols have given hospitals an out to avoid spending the extra pittance for proper N95 masks or better PPE for their staff and avoid inconveniencing their patients. But this decision put all the doctors and nurses and hospital staff at severe risk and ultimately has and is continuing to decimate their ranks with Long COVID sufferers dropping out of the profession. They still persist in using surgical masks. Worse, it led the hospitals to abandon their internal infection control measures resulting in a huge spike in hospital-acquired COVID infections which are showing something like a 5-10% mortality rate. Maskless hospitals are now literally an existential risk for any immune-compromised patient, whether from Long COVID, cancer treatment, or other immune disorders. Even now, after the CDC has supposedly corrected their guidance that the coronavirus is, in fact airborne. Most hospitals still persist in using surgical masks, and in some states, no masks at all. What happened to their Hippocratic Oaths? Remember, First do no harm! LP: Given your concern about a systemic public health failure, what do you see as the single most critical step in reforming and reinvigorating public health right now? PA: I think a crucial change that will drive a lot of other positive changes is implementing laws on indoor air quality and establishing liability if its not maintained and people get sick as a result. The CDCs admission that the virus is airborne and that infection through the air is much more likely literally a million times more likely - compared to transmission via droplets or surfaces has shifted the landscape of liability for infections. Previously, with droplets and surfaces, there was an emphasis on individual responsibility to wash your hands or to wear something that will shield you from a droplet. Now, with emphasis on indoor air quality and aerosols, the responsibility shifts to whoever maintains the facility for ensuring air quality, like an office that youre required to work in, or a meat packing plant, or a school that you or a child has to attend. The people running the facility must be responsible for maintaining the air quality and if they dont maintain it, lets start suing them. If we do that, then everyone will start to invest in the necessary upgrades. LP: What steps are necessary to ensure our offices have excellent air quality? PA: Its a minor engineering problem, with a few important parameters. Probably the most important factor is how much fresh air is being pumped into the facility relative to the occupancy. LP: When you say pumped in, I would assume a lot of offices dont have any air being pumped in at all. PA: This is one of the grand ironies of the whole LEED certification system for construction [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design]. Its supposed to provide a framework for healthy, efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. These energy efficiency standards often involve recirculating air instead of introducing fresh air. The goal is to cool or heat air that has already been somewhat cooled or heated in the previous cycle. This approach yields significant energy savings when you recirculate used air, it so it offers environmental benefits. But it doesnt offer public health advantages. So I think some of the indoor air requirements and certifications need to be rejiggered to include protection for public health and that includes the proportion of fresh air. We need to focus on the air exchange rate, specifically the number of complete air exchanges per hour (CPH). The recommendation is no fewer than six or seven complete air exchanges per hour. LP: In New York City, where I reside, Id be curious about the percentage of buildings that actually maintain adequate air exchange controls. PA: Right now Id be surprised if its five percent. But thats not the only parameter. CPH is the most important one because it ensures that air is free from high doses of viruses. But there are many offices and buildings like schools that cannot maintain six or seven exchanges for whatever reason. Maybe theyve got old pipes, old ducts, maybe outdated equipment, or maybe the number of people who use them has grown relative to the original design of the system. There are all kinds of reasons. Fortunately, another way to get the air exchanges is just to open the windows and use ventilation louvers that help maintain fresh air. For schools, you can actually conduct classes outside when its not too hot or cold but of course in the Florida summer heat or New York winter cold, few want the doors and windows open which is why you have virus surges in the summer and winter. You might also be dealing with an internal room where opening the windows isnt an option. In these cases, you want to make sure that the air handling systems have upgraded filtration. The MERV 13 system, which is great at capturing particles, is the viral filtering standard. But its expensive, and were talking about a lot of air conditioning systems that need to be upgraded. Theres also an issue in that when you put in some of these denser filters they reduce the airflow. So maybe you need to upgrade the air conditioning to accommodate a bigger duct with a denser filter to make sure that what air does get in is at least filtered. Of course one of the problems is that a lot of the public schools dont even have money for textbooks, much less air filters. We have construction, logistics, sourcing, and funding problems in schools that could have been solved already. Again it goes back to the consequence of the CDC focusing on droplets and surface washing. Billions of dollars that were allocated to protect the nations schools against COVID were spent on hand sanitizers and surface cleaning and plexiglass and all kinds of bullshit that didnt have any impact on protecting the kids. Had that money been instead invested in upgrading the air handling and filtration everyone would have been much better off. Misguided communication from the agencies has been a big problem. There is still an urgent need to address air quality in schools, however. Data from the U.K., for example, shows that in the 2023/24 school year, the rate of student absence due to illness was 40% higher than the pre-pandemic rate and you can be sure that a large part of that increase is due to COVID. We lack testing and data, but we know that millions of children are likely suffering from Long COVID, as several studies have shown, including a recent JAMA report. The symptoms range from brain fog and mental health problems to cardiac issues. LP: Youve emphasized the importance of governments following scientific guidance. Im curious about places that are trying to do better in that regard. For instance, Spain is looking into setting up a new office for scientific advice aimed at providing expert guidance during crises like pandemics. Is that a step in the right direction? PA: I do think its a step in the right direction. I think one of the great tragedies of American politics for the last 40 years is that we really dealt a death blow to our scientific establishment and its relationship with politics. Time and time again, scientific advice was coming in contrary to political ideologies, so the science was ignored. Weve seen this on issues like tobacco use, climate action, and pandemic response. We ended up with a system where the politicians would simply search for some set of scientists that would support their ideology, no matter how fringe, and use them to champion an ideology as a political tool. The idea that there could be a scientific consensus that should drive policy just kind of went away. We have an issue around non-partisan science and the principle of letting scientific consensus guide policy decisions. If we could return to that we would all be much better off. But our political system purposely abandoned that some time ago to our detriment. LP: How do we reinvigorate surveillance testing for current and future pandemics? PA: Thats a great question. I was having a conversation not long ago with my old advisor Tom Knight from MIT, and he pointed out that when the world recognized nuclear bombs and the proliferation of nuclear materials as a global threat, it spurred significant investment in satellite surveillance and detection systems capable of monitoring global activities, including the experimentation with and launch of missiles. That was not a simple endeavor. It was creating an entire global surveillance system from nothing. Hundreds of billions of dollars were invested over decades to build that protective surveillance infrastructure. LP: Do you believe that the ongoing threat to human health posed by repeated COVID infections and the potential for future pandemics, exacerbated by inadequate responses, is as significant a threat to humanity as the possibility of nuclear warfare? PA: Well, more people have already died from COVID than from any nuclear explosion by a factor of 150x. I dont think anyone can reasonably argue that these types of pandemics are not a global threat, and worthy of similar efforts. Why Do Dogs Bark? Madras Courier What Lies Beneath bioGraphic. The deck: With their astounding sense of smell and ability to find what humans cant see, dogs are quickly becoming some of conservationists best friends. Climate Syndemics China? The Philippines and Vietnams South China Sea Strategies Have Failed RAND Commentary: Political upheaval in Vietnam is holding its economy back Channel News Asia Myanmar Ayeyarwady vice: Law and disorder in the Delta Frontier Myanmar India India is not destined to be the next China BNE Intellinews Bangladesh TV news off air, communications disrupted as student protests spike Bangkok Post (Furzy Mouse). Syraqistan The Great Game New Not-So-Cold War Dear Old Blighty Biden Administration 2024 How It Happens Here Nina Illingworth Democrats en Deshabille Donald Trump is Democratic Failure Ross Barkan, Political Currents Karma, Bitches Declassified with Julie Kelly. The deck: The most powerful American institutions colluded in 2020 to steal the election for Joe Biden. Now those same interests are collaborating to get him off the 2024 ballot. Sit back and enjoy! Who Is Favored To Win The 2024 Presidential Election? FiveThirtyEight The Supremes What employers can expect following the end of Chevron deference Construction Dive Digital Watch Imperial Collapse Watch Class Warfare How gravity falls down on falling down Physics World Antidote du jour (Wallace Keck): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. The question of Whither the Ukraine conflict if Trump becomes President? is, not surprisingly, far from clear-cut despite the Trump braggadocio that he can end the war in 24 hours. Rather than attempt an in-depth treatment, lets look at some boundary conditions which look likely to constrain possibilities. A negotiated outcome still seems impossible given justified Russian distrust of the West. Putin seemed genuinely embittered when he learned that Merkel and Holland had set out to deceive him with the Minsk Accords and buy more time to arm Ukraine. Putin regularly returns to the theme of Western bad faith in recent speeches, indicating this is a sore topic. Putin biographers have pointed out Putin makes a point of not repeating mistakes, which he did in trusting various Western officials in the past. A recent example is the famed Ukraine grain deal, which had two major components: Russia permitting transit and the West ending or suspending sanctions on Russian institutions so as to allow foreign countries to buy Russian fertilizer. The West welched on its half of the deal, leading Russia to withdraw by not authorizing an extension. On top of that, Putin still has a strong bias to avoid more force commitment that necessary, if nothing else to spare Russian lives. So despite signs that many in the government in Moscow and potentially in Russia as a whole would prefer that he prosecute the war more aggressively, Putin appears to take the view that the current pacing is working out nicely. He has no reason to do more than continue to slowly and steadily increase the pressure on Ukraine forces until conditions change enough so that a different course of action is preferable. Putin has dropped only a few hints as to what the final territorial disposition could look like (recall he has repeatedly said Odessa is a Russian city and pointed out that Kiev was part of ancient Rus). He still seems inclined to keep his options open. Weve opined that occupying Western Ukraine or successfully installing a puppet government would be non-trivial. But their ease or difficulty also has some path dependence, based on how the Ukraine political and military collapse plays out.1 Even Reuters took note of Putins musing in June about capturing Kiev, which he noted would likely require more manpower: President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that any further mobilisation would depend on what Russia wanted to achieve in the war in Ukraine, adding that he faced a question only he could answer should Russia try to take Kyiv again?2 The reporting on Ukraines conditions and prospects, even though it is getting somewhat more realistic, is still well behind events. Press presentations matter because they are reflexive: they show what various interested parties want to present to the public, but they also influence and constrain the views of those same officials. Studies have repeatedly found that lawyers hired to defend parties they know are guilty come to believe their case for innocence. So even those officials who know Ukraine cannot win yet are tasked to touting Ukraines prospects wind up internalizing the idea that maybe Ukraine can somehow come out on top. The media, Western leaders, and even it seems quite a few US/NATO leaders still do not seem to have come to grips with the fact that Russia is waging a war of attrition, and that therefore its territorial gains are no measure of Russian success to date. They are even further from recognizing that Russia is so dominant that it will in the end dictate terms, even if it takes its sweet time in getting to that point. We do see more of the reporters admitting to Russian superiority in arms, such as a recent Wall Street Journal story that fessed up that Americans vaunted wunderwaffen at most scored some initial blows to the Russian campaign, but Russia quickly worked out how to counter them. A new Reuters story re-confirms that the West is hopelessly behind on shell production: Years of miscalculations by U.S., NATO led to dire shell shortage in Ukraine. But that does not mean the spin doctors have given up. For instance, Mediazona and the BBC had teamed up to track Russia deaths with a sound methodology: collect funeral data and other death notices. But they were coming up with numbers that Russians regarded as credible, consistent with the Mediazona level of between 50,000 and 60,000, which you might gross up by 50% to be conservative.3 (Russian Telegram is very active and very critical of the Russian military, albeit mainly from the vantage of calling for more vigorous prosecution of the war; the Telegrammers have contacts so that if there were a lot of military deaths, they would be making a huge stink and demanding that heads roll at the Ministry of Defense).3 But the Mediazona death count was embarrassing way below the recent reports of Ukraine deaths and serious injuries.4 Worse, Mediazona showed that Russia deaths in 2024 were way below 2022 levels, even as Russia has been moving into the offense (which should produce more losses, all things being equal). That was apparently unacceptable. So Mediazona has adopted a new algo-based methodology. Viola! Russian deaths are suddenly way higher that the old verifiable level. The bigger point here is simple: the West is still deep in denial. So even if Russia were suddenly to lose its mind and be willing to negotiate, the West would not accept that Ukraine was in dire shape and large concessions by the US and NATO were entirely reasonable. For instance, NATO is effectively leaving Russia with no option other than to completely subjugate Ukraine. At the just-concluded NATO summit, the alliance maintained that Ukraine joining NATO was irreversible. RT reported the response by former Russian president and deputy Security Council chairman of Dmitry Medvedev: NATOs declaration that Ukraines eventual membership of the US-led military bloc is irreversible means that either the nation or the alliance and preferably both should disappear, former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has said The conclusion is obvious. We have to do everything to make sure that the irreversible path of Ukraine towards NATO ends with either the disappearance of Ukraine, or the disappearance of NATO. Better, both, Medvedev said on Thursday. Trump has signaled he will reduce commitments to NATO, which means Ukraine too, but the psychological impact is likely to be greater than the practical difference. Trump is making clear, to much alarm, that he expects both NATO members and Taiwan to bear more of the cost of their defenses than they are bearing now. Amusingly, NATO has been discussing how to Trump proof the alliance, even after then NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg admitted many months back that NATO could not continue to back Ukraine without US support, as many outlets such as the BBC reported last week. This follows Congress passing a stipulation that no President could withdraw from NATO without Senate consent. But the reality is that, as far as Ukraine is concerned, this matters less than it seems. The US and NATO have emptied their weapons caches to supply Ukraine, yet Russia has ample production capacity and stockpiles. The US under a new Democrat might prop up the Ukraine government longer than a Trump administration would, but given the difficulty of passing the last funding bill and Ukraines deterioration, that might not pass at all or amount to much if it did. More US support of Ukraine would increasing be a confidence game, to persuade Ukraine to keep throwing more men into the Russian maw, than a strategy with any hope of success. European leaders would feel cast adrift. EU leaders are stunningly doubling down on Project Ukraine. They seem to be externalizing their frustration with their inability to turn the war around with their unhinged attacks on Hungarian president Viktor Orban for the temerity of talking to key players about peace in Ukraine. Orban had just assumed a rotating six month presidency of the EU Council, which despite the pretenses of the wannbe queen of Europe, EU Commission chair Ursula von der Leyen, is the premier executive group for the Union. Even though Orban had disavowed operating as EU president in undertaking his listening tour to Zelensky, Putin, Xi and Trump, he nevertheless was taking advantage of his higher profile. The unified and vicious official European reaction to even tentatively exploring a settlement to the war has been revealing. Since this post is getting long, we will limit ourselves to a sampling of headlines: And now threats of serious punishment, albeit not (yet) with any teeth, via Reuters: A group of 63 European Parliament lawmakers has asked the EU to withdraw Hungarys voting rights in the bloc, in response to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbans recent visits to Moscow and Beijing. The lawmakers have no formal ability to strip Hungary of its voting rights, but seek to add political pressure on Brussels to take tougher action towards Budapest. The European Commission said on Monday it would stop sending Commissioners to informal meetings organised by the Hungarian EU presidency, downgrading its participation to instead send civil servants. These aggressive moves to stuff Orban in a box come at the same time other NATO leaders make unhinged professions of fealty to Ukraine over the interests of their own country:5 I won't allow Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers, and the dirty money it generates, to flow freely through European waters and put our security at risk. Ukraine is, and always will be, at the heart of my governments agenda. Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 19, 2024 Aurelien predicted a long time ago that the EU would eventually settle into epic pouting over its unsuccessful Ukraine adventure. But a lot of difficult psychological, political, and messaging adjustment is in store before the bloc comes to grips with its failure. _____ 1 For instance, there are now rumors that Ukraines top commander, General Syrzki, has determined Ukraine cannot win the war and is now calling for negotiations. But the neo-Nazis have repeatedly threatened Zelensky if he were to try: Neo-Nazi Azov commanders already twice openly threatened Zelensky when he indicated willingness to negotiate https://t.co/VSz3yt6y4f Ivan Katchanovski (@I_Katchanovski) July 19, 2024 This is entirely predictable since the Russians want the Banderites removed from power and marginalized in society, plus any who played a role in torturing Russian soldiers (and there are lots of ugly videos) or killing POWs can expect a not happy future. So if military situation continues to deteriorate, Zelenksy is likely to flee rather than attempt negotiations. That makes sense additionally because Putin has made clear he does not regard Zelensky as a legitimate head of government. He has said it is up to Ukraine to make a determination, but his reading of the Ukraine constitution is that the head of the Rada is now in charge. And that is before getting to the point that Putin, Lavrov, and many others have made: Ukraine is only a proxy and any negotiations would have to take place with the US (and perhaps NATO too). So a new, and undeniably illegitimate government would take over. How the US, UK and EU try to pretty that up is over my pay grade. But given a military coup or other form of non-elected leadership running Ukraine, Russia re-installing the what would arguably the last legitimate regime, that of Viktor Yankovich, who was ousted in the Maidan coup and the effort to legitimate his removal fell afoul of the Constitution (too few ratifying votes in the Rada) might look not-so-bad compared to what followed a Zelensky exodus. 2 The distortions in Western reporting seem pervasive. Russia did not take Kiev in 2022, but merely engaged in a pinning operation. It would have required a massive force commitment to have any hope of seizing Kiev, a sprawling city of 3 million. 3 Russian Telegram is very active and very critical of the Russian military, albeit mainly from the vantage of calling for more vigorous prosecution of the war. The Telegrammers have extensive contacts with active duty soldiers. So if there were a lot of military deaths, they would be making a huge stink and demanding that heads roll at the Ministry of Defense) 4 Mind you, both the now-admitted huge disparity in Russian shelling v. Ukrainian and the fact that Ukraine, until recently, has been attempting to launch offenses, means Ukraine should be expected to be losing a lot more men than Russia. 5 Recall German Green Party leader and defense minister Annelina Baerbock similarly said defending Ukraine was more important than German voter interests. Survey reveals Amazon India workers arent given enough time for BATHROOM BREAKS A survey of Amazon India warehouse employees has revealed that almost 90 percent of them aren't allowed sufficient time to use the restroom , attesting to poor working conditions at the e-commerce giant. The online survey was conducted by the UNI Global Union, the Amazon India Workers Association and London-based workers' cooperative Jarrow Insights between Feb. 2 and March 22 of this year. It polled 1,238 Amazon India warehouse workers and 600 delivery drivers, a total of 1,838 respondents. The number of respondents account for between two and five percent of the company's warehouse and delivery workforce in the country. Nearly 87 percent of respondents said they do not have enough time to use the restroom during work. One worker who spends her day sorting products said in the survey that managers come hunting for staff members who they believe use the restroom excessively long. "The designated break rooms are small and unbearably hot, so many female workers end up resting in the bathrooms during their breaks," she said. "However, if supervisors think we have stayed too long, they come looking for us and put pressure on us to go back to work." A second employee attested to the first employee's remarks. They said if workers spend more than 10 minutes in the restroom, managers are reportedly upset about employees being late. Moreover, roughly 81 percent of Amazon India warehouse employees claim it is tough or extremely difficult to meet the company's job goals. Because the targets are so demanding, they hardly ever get time for socializing, sleeping or eating. Thus, many get blacklisted for failing to meet the strict attendance requirements and production quotas. Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Use our decentralized, blockchain-based, uncensorable free speech platform at Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions. The Hindustan Times quoted one worker who said: "Our IDs are blocked, impacting our livelihoods, if we miss a day due to health reasons or family emergencies." A second employee who responded to the survey indicated: "They blacklist people on small issues, issue warning letters and terminate them from the company." A third employee revealed that workers "are placed in the identity blocklist if they do not meet targets." Even delivery drivers see working at Amazon is DANGEROUS Meanwhile, the survey also found that almost half of respondents 47.3 percent of delivery drivers and 44.9 percent of warehouse employees believe working at Amazon is dangerous. Even delivery drivers attested to this, sharing the risks of being employed by the tech giant. Some of the drivers claim they must drive recklessly to reach their goals. "Sometimes, due to delivery targets, we have to drive fast," said one driver. "Then, whom should we ask to look out for our safety? There is no hearing of our grievances." (Related: Injured Amazon workers turn to crowdfunding to pay bills as company denies their requests for compensation and disability benefits.) Another driver said Amazon India gives up to 70 kilograms (kg) of orders to drivers, even though orders typically weigh up to 40 kg. "While carrying it, we have to take care of our own safety and that of others which sometimes leads to situations that can become very difficult," they continued. Amazon responded to the survey by slamming its findings as "factually incorrect and unsubstantiated." According to a spokeswoman, Amazon India's facilities are "industry-leading" and boast of "specially designed infrastructure to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all." "Our comprehensive wage package aims to incentivize and reward our associates through a combination of fixed pay, monthly attendance bonuses, and additional incentives, enabling them to enhance their earning potential," she continued. According to the spokeswoman, Amazon "ensures adherence to all applicable wage laws across the states where we operate" by periodically reviewing its wage structure against industry benchmarks. Head over to JeffBezosWatch.com for more stories about Amazon. Watch this PBS news report about Amazon workers across Europe walking out on Black Friday to protest meager pay and unsafe working conditions. This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: BEHIND THE CURTAIN: Amazon's "AI grocery store" is actually run by 1,000 Indian employees watching customers through video feeds. Amazon delivery drivers forced to submit to AI-powered camera tracking of their activities INSIDE the vehicle to retain job. Amazon warehouse workers attempt to commit suicide on the job due to atrocious "slave-like" work conditions. Amazon delivery drivers complain about being unfairly punished by AI cameras. Sources include: GreatGameIndia.com Independent.co.uk Brighteon.com Biden says he might reconsider dropping out if his doctors advise that a medical condition warrants it President Joe Biden has revealed that he might reconsider his bid for reelection if advised by his doctors that a medical condition warranted such a decision. In an interview with Ed Gordon of BET News on July 17, the 81-year-old president claimed that his doctors, including White House physician Dr. Kevin O'Connor, have found him fit to serve. In fact, O'Connor described him as a "healthy, active, robust, 81-year-old male who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency" in his February physical assessment. (Related: White House in DAMAGE CONTROL mode after Biden-Trump debate as 80% of voters say incumbent is "too old to run.") However, his lackluster performance in the recent CNN presidential debate with former President Donald Trump has raised massive concerns, including among Democrats, regarding his health. This, in turn, has led to increased calls from within his own party and its influential megadonors for him to step aside and give way for a new, younger nominee. Biden has so far resisted these calls. During the BET News interview, Gordon asked Biden if any circumstances might lead him to reconsider his campaign. "If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, you got this problem and that problem," Biden said. Biden also acknowledged his "mistakes" in the presidential debate and stressed that he would reconsider his decision if a medical assessment warranted it. He also revealed that he had initially intended to serve only one term but decided to run again because he believed in his ability to heal the divisions across the United States. 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. "You may remember, Ed, I said I was going to be a transitional candidate, and I thought I would be able to move on from this and pass it on to somebody else," the president said. "But I didnt anticipate things getting so, so, so divided. And quite frankly, I think the only thing age brings is a little bit of wisdom." His remarks suggest he had considered his 2020 campaign a bridge to a new generation of Democratic leaders, a sentiment that resonated with many at the time. Nonetheless, his political advisers have since implied that the transition period could span eight years, extending through a potential second term. "I think I've demonstrated that I know how to get things done for the country in spite of the fact that we were told we couldn't get it done," he said. "But there's more to do, and I'm reluctant to walk away from that." Biden: Only divine intervention would compel me to drop out Previously, Biden stated in a 22-minute candid interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News that only divine intervention would compel him to drop out. "If the Lord Almighty comes out and tells me that I might do that," Biden said. He claimed that no one else could convince him to quit the race and even blamed the flu for his underwhelming performance. At that time, Biden assured the public that there was no real cause for concern, dismissing the event as a "bad night." "I was feeling terrible. As a matter of fact, the docs with me I asked if they did a COVID test, they were trying to figure out what's wrong. They did a test to see whether or not I had some infection, you know, a virus. I didn't. I just had a really bad cold," he explained. Biden also reiterated that he undergoes "a full neurological test every day." However, when asked whether he had consulted a neurologist or undergone an independent medical evaluation, he became evasive. During the whole time of the interview, which aired unedited, Biden attempted to underscore his qualifications. He then later mentioned he would consider stepping down if aides provided irrefutable proof that he couldn't win. "I don't think anyone is more qualified," he told Stephanopoulos. Head over to JoeBiden.news for more stories related to the declining mental state of the incumbent president. Watch the video below about Dr. Peter McCullough's analysis of Biden's neurological decline. This video is from the Moms On A Mission channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: House Republicans declare Biden "unfit," accuse Democrats of mental decline "coverup." Senate Democrats, European leaders want Biden OUT due to accelerated aging: "He can't win." Conflict of interest EXPOSED after President's physician refuses to make Biden take a cognitive test. House Oversight Committee subpoenas three top Biden aides for concealing president's declining health. Bidens MENTAL DECLINE a topic of hushed conversation inside the DNC for years, journalists reveal. Sources include: DNYUZ.com MSN.com Democratic Party may be planning to nominate Biden via virtual vote before convention in August President Joe Biden is anticipated to secure the 2024 presidential nomination through a virtual vote held before the end of July, in advance of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in August. Biden's principal deputy campaign manager, Quentin Fulks, confirmed on Tuesday, July 16, that there's a plan to allow the DNC to organize a virtual roll call before the convention itself. "I think the answer here is very simple. There have been virtual roll calls in previous presidential elections," Fulks announced during a press conference in Milwaukee addressing the decision. The plan to nominate Biden ahead of the August 19 convention allegedly precedes his June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump. After the presidential debate, some legislators called on Biden to drop out of the race. (Related: Prominent Democratic strategist says it's too late to talk about replacing Biden as party goes into full panic mode over disastrous debate performance.) The exact date of the roll call has not been issued, but the DNC has suggested it will do so by late July. The plan to nominate Biden prior to the convention came from an Ohio law that requires all candidates to be legally certified by August 7 to qualify for ballot access. With the DNC convention not starting until Aug. 19, under the law, Biden would have been kept off the November ballot in the state. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called an unusual special session to handle the issue in late May. On May 31, Ohio's Legislature approved a measure to temporarily extend the certification deadline so that Biden would be eligible for the November ballot. Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions. In spite of the temporary fix allowing Biden ballot access in Ohio, the DNC said at that time it will still conduct the early virtual roll call. Fulks during the press conference blamed Ohio Republicans for allegedly playing political games regarding the rule change surrounding ballot access. "We have an obligation to make sure, as we have said, to stand by fair and free elections and make sure that the process runs as smoothly as possible. It is our obligation as a campaign to make sure that President Biden is on the ballot," Fulks said, who was later asked why the virtual roll call is still necessary after Ohio changed the rules. "It's the fact that they solved it with a legislative fix. We instituted this before they had a fix, and we're going to continue on that path, because we're not going to leave it up to them to change the rules," Fulks replied. The 2024 DNC will take place in Chicago from Aug. 19 to 22. This is not the first time Democrats have approved their nominee virtually as it also happened in 2020 during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. But that took place during the virtual convention, not before it. Some Democrats accuse DNC of rushing to nominate Biden before opposition to his candidacy builds Meanwhile, some Democrats in Congress have been distributing a letter requesting the DNC to delay the early nomination of Biden. In a draft letter, they call the virtual roll call process "a purely political maneuver" meant to head off any potential plots to remove Biden from the nomination and select a different candidate for November's election. "We write to share our serious concerns about the DNC's plan to hold a 'virtual roll call' to select our Democratic presidential nominee as early as July 21," the letter addressed to DNC members said. It is uncertain how many Democrats will sign the letter. As Biden drives ahead with a strong campaign schedule in the crucial battleground state of Nevada, determined to "finish this job" and win a second term at the White House, the anxiety over his candidacy remains after his awkward debate performance against Trump. Almost 20 congressional Democrats have already publicly called for Biden to exit the race, although calls for him to step aside have died down since the assassination attempt against Trump over the weekend. Behind closed doors, the internal party debate regarding Biden's future is far from over. Democrats are deeply shattered on Capitol Hill over Biden's ability to carry on his campaign and win reelection, and a voting public that should give a wave of support for the sitting president instead is worried they could lose not only the White House to Trump, but control of Congress to Republicans as well. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), who asked direct questions of Biden on a call with progressive legislators over the weekend, is among those raising concerns. Huffman had asked Biden during Saturday's private conference if he would consider meeting with former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and congressional leaders Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries to discuss the sustainability of his campaign. Biden "disagreed" that they were on a losing direction, Huffman said in a social media post later. And while Biden showed a "willingness to listen" to other voices, Huffman stated nothing would likely convince the president to step aside. Follow JoeBiden.news for more news about the president's ongoing reelection campaign. Watch the video below about President Joe Biden holding a rally amid calls for him to exit presidential race. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Biden will not withdraw from presidential race despite calls for a replacement candidate from the Democratic Party. Bidens MENTAL DECLINE a topic of hushed conversation inside the DNC for years, journalists reveal. Obama, Clinton regime veterans form secret committee to oust Biden from presidential race. Alex Soros continues to support Biden despite growing calls for the president to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. Sources include: NTD.com APNews.com Brighteon.com Elon Musk claims EU offered him secret deal to carry out censorship across the X platform Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has claimed that the European Union tried to coerce him into an allegedly deceitful deal to secretly carry out censorship within his social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Musk claimed that the EU-designed agreements were accepted by other platforms operating in Europe, but that he has rejected this deal. (Related: Illegal secret deal: Musk claims European Union tried to blackmail X into censorship.) On Friday, July 12, the EU used its Digital Services Act (DSA) against X, charging the platform of being in violation of EU regulations and threatening the company with disciplinary fines. In response to these threats, Musk counterattacked by denouncing the DSA as a "canned misinformation" source. This attack then led to Musk disclosing that the EU had allegedly solicited him into agreeing to a deal that will allow the EU to censor content on X it does not approve of. "The European Commission offered X an illegal secret deal: If we quietly censored speech without telling anyone, they would not fine us. The other platforms accepted that deal. X did not," Musk posted on his X account. Musk did not reveal any additional details about the terms of the reported "secret deal." EU claims X has duty to deal with "illegal content" on its platform The EU denounced X for its lack of transparency and stated that social media platforms are bound to counteract "illegal content" along with "risks to public security" as per its regulations. In addition, the EU claimed that it was dissatisfied with X's blue check system, considering it incompatible with the "industry practice." 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. "Back in the day, #BlueChecks used to mean trustworthy sources of information," posted European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton. "Now with X, our preliminary view is that: They deceive users, they infringe [on the DSA]. X has now the right of defense but if our view is confirmed we will impose fines and require significant changes." In case of non-compliance with EU's conditions, X could face consequences, along with a possible fine equivalent to six percent of its total worldwide turnover. In a separate exchange on the platform, Musk threatened he would advance his case in court over the European Commission's charges. The DSA, a group of sweeping regulations that holds platforms like with Facebook, YouTube and others liable for protecting European users and removing harmful content and misinformation, had taken effect in February. The charges against X are the first to be released under the latest law, with infringements carrying heavy fines. Musk's rough words were in reaction to a previous post from Margrethe Vestager, the outgoing Executive Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Competition. "In our view, X doesn't comply with the DSA in key transparency areas. It misleads users, fails to provide adequate ad repository, and blocks access to data for researchers. It's the first time we issue preliminary findings under the Digital Services Act," Vestager wrote in her post. Follow Censorship.news for more news about the social media platform censorship happening in Europe. Watch the video below about Elon Musk exposing the secret illegal global censorship system. This video is from the Rick Langley channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: EU to force X to shut down if Musk does not ban independent media from the platform. EU investigating X over disinformation but will never look into Google, YouTube or Facebook for pushing outright LIES and CENSORSHIP. X employees in Brazil threatened with arrest over censorship beef with government, warns Elon Musk. Censorship remains a problem even after Musks Twitter takeover. Censorship industrial complex is waging information warfare against the American people, warns investigative reporter Jefferey Jaxen. Sources include: ReclaimTheNet.org Euronews.com Brighteon.com Germany secretly sent huge arms package to Ukraine media The German government secretly delivered a new aid package to Ukraine between late June and early July, the Bavarian daily Munchner Merkur reported on Monday. The paper called the shipment huge, adding that it was done in a clandestine manner and went largely unnoticed. (Article republished from RT.com) The package included 39 pieces of various heavy armor from the stocks of Germanys military and of its defense enterprises, Merkur reported, after analyzing government data. Kiev received ten more Leopard 1A5 main battle tanks and 20 more Marder infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), among other extra donations, the outlet said. According to open data published by Chancellor Olaf Scholzs cabinet, the total number of Leopard 1A5 tanks and Marder IFVs delivered to Ukraine has grown to 50 and 120 respectively. Other heavy equipment included in the latest delivery involved various engineering and mine-clearing vehicles, according to the report. The package also included 55,000 155mm artillery rounds, according to the government data. It also showed that Berlin plans to send, by an unspecified date, 85 more Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine, as part of a joint project with Denmark. The future deliveries are also to include 20 additional Marder IFVs. Merkur reported that Berlin had planned to provide Ukraine with up to 80 Leopards by the end of 2023 but fell behind schedule as the nations defense industry struggled to find spare parts for the armor pieces. According to Merkur, Kiev is still hoping to get enough German tanks to form a specialized brigade for offensive operations and has been holding back its remaining western tanks for months. The Russian military has previously published numerous videos showing German tanks being destroyed with kamikaze drones or even captured by Russian soldiers after being abandoned by their crews. The latest batch of weapons also included two ground-based IRIS-T air defense systems and three US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launchers. In May, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius vowed Berlin would pay for the delivery of the US-made systems to Ukraine. Germany has emerged as the second largest single military donor to Ukraine throughout the conflict, spending some 10.2 billion ($11.14 billion) on providing arms to Kiev between January 2022 and April 2024, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. Berlin has said some 28 billion ($30.5 billion) has been made available to support Kiev now and in the coming years. In June, Chancellor Scholz admitted that many Germans were unhappy with the nations military support of Ukraine, but he maintained that there was no alternative to arming Kiev. In July, Ukraines Vladimir Zelensky stated that his country would never have enough weapons. Read more at: RT.com Ivermectin found to work against Parkinsons, depression, chronic pain and more There is a whole lot more that ivermectin can do than just prevent and treat the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). In an article posted to his Repurposed Drugs Substack, physician, writer and human rights advocate Justus R. Hope unpacked the latest science on ivermectin, which in addition to fighting viruses, bacteria and cancer also shows unique neuroprotective benefits. Citing the work of Dr. William Makis, Hope explains that ivermectin prevents P2X4 receptors from internalizing and overexpressing. P2X4 expression is a driver of many neurological diseases including dementia (i.e., Alzheimer's disease), Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic neuropathic pain, depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety. If you suffer from migraines or abuse alcohol, ivermectin may help you as well due to the same P2X4 stabilization effects that provide neuroprotective benefits. Taking ivermectin could help to reduce cravings for and consumption of alcohol in those with an alcohol abuse disorder. "If it is neuroprotective, and the evidence is growing that it is, and humanity is being bombarded with various toxins and electromagnetic frequencies each day that compromise our nervous system, perhaps there is reason to consider Ivermectin as a neuro-protective repurposed drug worthy of use during this dangerous time in our history," Hope contends. (Related: When taking ivermectin, be sure to also eat high-fat foods for maximum absorption.) Supplementing with ivermectin to protect against EMFs Scientific research published in the journal Neuroscience Bulletin provides further insights into the technical aspects of how P2X4 expression causes degeneration of the nervous system. Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions. "In various pathological states, such as trauma, ischemia, chronic pain, neurodegenerative processes, and several neuropsychiatric disorders, de novo expression of P2X4 and / or an increase in cell surface P2X4 density has been reported in microglia and / or neurons, thus suggesting possible key and multiple roles of neuronal and microglial P2X4 receptors in the establishment and/or maintenance of these pathologies," the paper reveals. "Changes in the intracellular expression of P2X4 may also have important consequences in the pathophysiological context." As for the role of allosteric modulators like ivermectin in limiting the damaging effects of P2X4, this study in Frontiers in Pharmacology explains that limiting the expression of P2X4 receptors, as well as two other related proteins, P2X2 and P2X7, "may be of therapeutic benefit in a number of different conditions ..." There are a whole lot of other toxic things in the environment that ivermectin may also block from causing neurological harm, one of them being electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) from things like cell phone towers, wireless routers, mobile phones, Bluetooth and more. Hope believes that a growing body of evidence points to ivermectin helping to protect the nervous system from EMF damage "during this dangerous time in our history." "Ivermectin may not just be the anti-parasitic, anti-cancer, anti-viral repurposed drug we recognize but may have multiple other neuroprotective benefits for humanity in an era where we all may be subjected to neurotoxins some apparent, and others invisible like EMF," Hope writes. Aside from a few minor concerns, ivermectin is among the safest medications to ever hit the market. Unless one's body is so overloaded with parasites that he or she experiences dramatic die-off symptoms from taking it, ivermectin is generally considered to be safe in most people. "Decades of studies on the effects of ivermectin in humans show that it is very safe," one commenter wrote. Another noted that ivermectin won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine for its effectiveness against certain types of parasites, scabies, lice and cancers. It is also worth noting that Queen Elizabeth was given ivermectin as a treatment for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19): The latest news about ivermectin can be found at IvermectinScience.com. Sources for this article include: JustusRHope.substack.com NaturalNews.com Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov FrontiersIn.org Star Wars actor Mark Hamill ridiculed for criticizing size of Trumps ear bandage (Article republished from Modernity.news) Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker over 40 years ago and has done very little since, has been suffering a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome for nearly a decade. This manifested itself once again when the actor appeared to suggest that Trump had deliberately exaggerated the size of the bandage on his ear to garner more sympathy. 1st APPEARANCE of ludicrously oversized ear bandage, apparently not needed prior to tonight, Hamill posted alongside an ear emoji and a laughing emoji. 1st APPEARANCE of ludicrously oversized ear bandage, apparently not needed prior to tonight. ?? pic.twitter.com/Fkc83h3jBN Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) July 16, 2024 The fact that Trump was nearly shot in the head and lost part of his ear apparently wasnt something that Hamill considered before posting the tweet. Respondents didnt take too kindly to the post. These clowns are so deranged they are now nitpicking the size of Trumps BULLET WOUND bandage, responded YouTuber TheQuartering. These clowns are so deranged they are now nitpicking the size of Trumps BULLET WOUND bandage... https://t.co/wCCi8rv9jz TheQuartering (@TheQuartering) July 16, 2024 Donald Trump literally got shot two days ago and Mark Hamill is criticizing the size of his bandage, wrote another respondent. Meanwhile Joe Biden took a week off to go to Camp David for Debate Prep but could hardly put together a single coherent sentence. Brain = broken. Donald Trump literally got shot two days ago and Mark Hamill is criticizing the size of his bandage. Meanwhile Joe Biden took a week off to go to Camp David for Debate Prep but could hardly put together a single coherent sentence. Brain = broken pic.twitter.com/ngTZojiwAr ALX ?? (@alx) July 16, 2024 Perhaps the best response came from a user called @SteveLovesAmmo. Your dude hid in a basement during a pandemic that had a 99.8% survival rate. Trump is out in public hours after being shot by one of the lunatics in your party, he wrote. Sit this one out pussy. Your dude hid in a basement during a pandemic that had a 99.8% survival rate. Trump is out in public hours after being shot by one of the lunatics in your party. Sit this one out pussy. Steve ?? (@SteveLovesAmmo) July 16, 2024 As we previously highlighted, Hamill was also ridiculed for asserting back in April that Joe Biden is the best president weve ever had. Read more at: Modernity.news Merck defrauded the public for over a decade, falsely advertising their MMR vaccine as safe and effective against staggering evidence Much of the well-established vaccine science that Americans trust is really just fraudulent marketing and rigged trials put forth by the pharmaceutical companies. The 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania recently heard oral arguments for a lawsuit alleging that Merck fraudulently marketed its MMR vaccine The most trusted medical intervention is based on decades of fraudulent advertisement, misbranding, mislabeling For decades, the medical community insisted the vaccines are the most thoroughly studied pharmaceutical product in the history of medicine. However, there are no federally funded studies comparing vaccinated populations against unvaccinated populations because scientists believe it is unethical to withhold these lifesaving vaccines from children. The proper double blind, saline, placebo-controlled studies do not take place because of a longstanding bias that the vaccines are necessary for human life and should not be withheld from children. This supposition disregards historical evidence of populations that were never subjected to these products but did however develop natural immunity to various infectious diseases. The scientific and medical community must take a more critical look at the safety and necessity of todays vaccine schedule. The father of modern vaccinology himself, Dr. Stanley Plotkin, recently admitted that vaccines are not properly studied neither pre-licensure nor post-licensure. Plotkin admitted that prelicensure clinical trials have limited sample sizes [and] follow-up durations and that there are not resources earmarked for post authorization safety studies. 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. Merck defrauded the CDC, FDA and the general public with its ineffective and unsafe MMR vaccine For over three decades, Merck scientists have been aware that their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) combination vaccine is less effective than the company proposes on its original product license and product insert. Over the years, researchers have demonstrated that Mercks MMR vaccine loses efficacy over time. Instead of suspending sales and rendering the vaccine defective, Merck has pushed state legislatures to mandate the vaccine for schoolchildren, going as far as to lobby state reps to abolish philosophical, religious and medical exemptions to their vaccine. Mercks own test results for the MMR vaccine did not meet the FDAs specifications and acceptance criteria for drug applications. Instead of withdrawing the product and issuing a product recall, the FDA allowed the vaccine on the market. The CDC continued to purchase the defective vaccine while the public was unaware and misinformed of its failing efficacy and growing risk profile. By April 2012, two Merck virologists Stephen Krahling and Joan Wlochowski became whistleblowers against Merck. They filed two lawsuits against their employers, alleging the company falsified research data, enabling the formation of a monopoly on the MMR vaccine. An expert witness from the FDA, ex-commissioner Dr. David A. Kessler, provided Mercks own internal documents to show that the vaccine was misbranded out of compliance and non-marketable. Witnesses to the case allege that Merck scientists began falsifying data and destroying unfavorable data to make the MMR vaccine appear safe and effective. The whistleblowers allege that Merck defrauded the U.S. government regulatory agencies, misleading them to purchase 4 million doses of misbranded and mislabeled MMR vaccine every year for at least a decade. MMR vaccine's false sense of security putting future generations at risk Over the years, the vaccines lack of efficacy has given vaccinated populations a false sense of security and has led to mumps and measles outbreaks in highly vaccinated populations. Merck has known this for many years, but they have continued to deceive the public, the FDA and the CDC, destroying any shred of informed consent on the matter, and maintaining a monopoly on a product that doctors and parents have blindly trusted for decades. So far, Merck has received favorable rulings because their defense contends that the CDC continued to purchase the vaccine and the FDA did not require any changes throughout the years. However, not providing the latest data and science on the MMR vaccine constitutes a willful act of fraud on behalf of Merck. This level of fraud has deeply affected many generations of people. Some have lost loved ones to the vaccines adverse events and others have received little to no immunity to measles, mumps and rubella putting them at greater risk to the target infectious diseases over time. The loss of passively acquired maternal antibodies for infants can also be traced back to the failures of the MMR vaccine. Decades of Merck's MMR vaccine fraud will have vast and potentially drastic consequences for future generations of children. Sources include: ChildrensHealthDefense.org Casetext.com TheHighwire.com PopularRationalism.substack.com Protocol7.movie Academic.oup.com Western media stays silent about IDF admitting it activated Hannibal Protocol that killed many Israeli soldiers and civilians on Oct. 7 Israeli newspaper Haaretz recently published an article where the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that they rolled out the Hannibal Directive on Oct. 7 in retaliation to the Hamas attack. The said protocol led to many deaths, including some of their own soldiers and worse, even Israeli civilians. No matter how impactful the story should have been, the mainstream media stayed silent about it. Analysts observed that there have been no reports about it from major news outlets like CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post, BBC, Reuters, Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. Instead, most of these outlets focused on misinformation such as Hamas fighters "raping" Israeli women or the existence of "beheaded babies" false claims that U.S. President Joe Biden even repeated. The only major English-language outlets that have reported on the news are the Guardian and the Independent. However, both seemingly downplayed the fact as they headlined their stories with "Israeli army may have risked civilian lives by invoking its 'controversial' procedure known as the Hannibal," for example. "The comprehensive Haaretz investigation should have prompted a reaction from the mainstream U.S. reporters who are stationed in Israel. American journalists should have been cultivating their sources since Oct. 7 and be ready to at least match the Haaretz article. Instead, the only response so far has been a panel hosted by Piers Morgan and a Mehdi Hasan/Bassem Youssef podcast," Mondoweiss columnist James North reported. Story coverage has been mainly by alternative media outlets, including Middle East Monitor, People's Dispatch, Middle East Eye and Truthout, among others. 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. Not only has the media refused to pick up the Hannibal order confirmation, but recent research also shows that Western corporate outlets regularly devalue the lives of Palestinians. According to the study, for every two Palestinian deaths, Palestinians are mentioned once. Meanwhile, for every Israeli death, Israelis are mentioned eight times, which is 16 times more per death than that of Palestinians. In addition, emotive terms for the killing of civilians, like "slaughter," "massacre" and "horrific," are used exclusively for Israelis. In particular, the term "slaughter" was used by major Western outlets to describe the killing of Israelis versus Palestinians at a 60-to-1 ratio while "massacre" was used to describe the killing of Israelis versus Palestinians 125-to-2. The IDF formulated the Hannibal Directive during Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon in 1986 after several abductions of IDF soldiers and the subsequent, very controversial, prisoner exchanges. It was kept as a secret and was never published to prevent the capture of Israeli soldiers by enemy forces. It was revised several times before officially being abandoned in 2016. (Related: Israeli military investigation reveals many Oct. 7 Israeli casualties were caused by IDF rather than Hamas.) "The use of the Directive during the Oct. 7 attack to prevent the abduction of Israeli citizens represented an escalation of the supposedly abandoned policy and implies that the IDF should kill any Israelis rather than allow them to fall into the hands of Hamas," the Haaretz July 7 article included. According to the official narrative of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, the "Al-Aqsa Flood" incursion was an unexpected and unprecedently barbaric attack by Hamas that killed 1,222 people. It provided the necessary justification for war, long sought with endless provocations against the Palestinians, to annihilate Hamas and carry out a genocide in Gaza. Biden sends team to Middle East to hammer out ceasefire framework as he calls for end to Israel-Gaza war Biden further confuses the public with his stand on Israel's war with Gaza. The POTUS has been publicly expressing his full-fledged support for Netanyahu's war but denied direct involvement in the genocidal attacks on the enclave. Back in April, Congress also approved $17 billion in military aid to Israel under a $95 billion foreign military assistance package in April but now he is calling for the conflict in the region to end. The Biden administration has faced international criticism for its continuing support of Israel in the face of growing civilian casualties. However, the president said on Thursday that the Israel-Gaza war must end now and Israel must not occupy the enclave after the war, telling reporters his ceasefire framework had been agreed on by both Israel and Hamas but there were still gaps to close. "That framework is now agreed on by both Israel and Hamas. So, I sent my team to the region to hammer out the details," Biden said in a news conference. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Bill Burns and U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk were in the Middle East this week meeting with regional counterparts to discuss the ceasefire deal. "These are difficult, complex issues. There are still gaps to close. Were making progress. The trend is positive. I'm determined to get this deal done and bring an end to this war, which should end now," Biden said. Netanyahu has insisted the deal must not prevent Israel from resuming fighting until its war objectives are met. He still vowed to annihilate Hamas. Netanyahu's office said on Wednesday he was committed to securing a Gaza ceasefire deal provided Israel's red lines were respected. Biden also told the reporters in the press conference that Israel must not occupy Gaza while also offering some criticism of Israels war cabinet, saying "Israel occasionally was less than cooperative." He also expressed disappointment at some of his steps not having succeeded in Gaza, citing the planned winding down of the U.S. military's humanitarian pier off the coast of Gaza as an example. "I was hopeful that would be more successful," he said. IsraelCollapse.com has more stories about the conflicts in the Middle East. Sources for this article include: Haaretz.com TheCradle.co ArabNews.com Trump triumphantly appears at RNC just two days after being shot in assassination attempt Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump has made a dramatic appearance at the Republican National Convention (RNC) just two days after surviving an assassination attempt. During the Pennsylvania rally on July 13, Trump was grazed in the right ear by a bullet fired by a gunman armed with an AR-15-style rifle while he was delivering his speech. Trump instinctively grabbed his bloodied right ear and dropped to the ground as multiple Secret Service agents rushed to the stage and Secret Service snipers eliminated would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks. The attempted assassination happened two days before the opening of the RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, so Trump initially planned to delay his appearance at the convention. But he decided to appear as scheduled. (Related: Trump shot, survives ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT in Pennsylvania; shooter, one rally attendee killed, others wounded.) "Based on yesterday's terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a 'shooter,' or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else. Therefore, I will be leaving for Milwaukee, as scheduled, at 3:30 P.M. TODAY. Thank you! DJT," Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. That same night, Trump arrived at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee to thunderous applause with a thick bandage over his right ear. The sound of country music star Lee Greenwood singing "God Bless the USA" greeted him as he entered the stadium. We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Explore our decentralized, peer-to-peer, uncensorable Brighteon.io free speech platform here. Learn about our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance. Trump shook hands with conservative media personality Tucker Carlson, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and others as he made his way to the stands. Republican delegates stood and cheered, while Trump smiled and waved as supporters chanted "USA" and "Fight! Fight! Fight," echoing Trumps defiant words in the aftermath of the attack. The Republican nominee, accompanied by his children and newly announced vice-presidential running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), took a seat in a VIP box. The convention attendees gave him a standing ovation, a powerful show of support for the former president who continues to command a loyal following despite the dangers he faces. Trump will deliver a whole different speech after the assassination attempt against him Trump, set to accept the GOP nomination on July 18 formally, said in an interview with the Washington Examiner that he has torn up the original speech he intended to deliver after the assassination attempt. Instead, he aims for a message that could potentially bring the country together. "It is a chance to bring the country together," Trump stated. "I was given that chance." Trump, historically known for his combative and grandiose speeches, has revealed in his interviews with the Washington Examiner and the New York Post that he plans to move away from his usual approach. "I had all prepared an extremely tough speech, really good, all about the corrupt, horrible administration," Trump told the New York Post. "But I threw it away." He stated his desire "to try to unite our country" but expressed skepticism, saying he doesn't "know if that's possible." Speaking with the Washington Examiner, Trump confirmed that his July 18 speech will be a "whole different speech now." Visit Trump.news for more news related to the former POTUS' journey to earning back the White House seat. Watch the actual assassination attempt at the Trump rally below. This video is from the Real Free News channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Now FBI staffer is in hot water over vile posts about Trumps assassination attempt. Trump shot in the ear, survives assassination attempt as questions emerge about Secret Service and local police. Check out the FBI employee and other TDS exhibitors who posted disappointment that Trump wasnt assassinated. MSNBC yanks Morning Joe reportedly on fears of inappropriate Trump shooting commentary. 10 Burning questions that every American should be asking about the Trump shooting. Sources include: Breitbart.com Independent.co.uk TruthSocial.com MSN.com Brighteon.com UN estimates it will take at least 15 years to clear Gaza of bombing debris The United Nations has projected that the arduous task of clearing the rubble left behind by Israel's extensive bombardment of the Gaza Strip will require a staggering 15 years of hard work and carry a price tag ranging between $500 million and $600 million. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) underscored the immense scale of this undertaking, highlighting that the debris poses grave threats due to potential unexploded ordnance and hazardous substances. The UNRWA emphasized the logistical challenges, noting that more than 100 trucks would be necessary to clear the rubble, which accumulated during Israel's intensive bombing campaign. From Oct. 7 to May 4, Israel's bombardment of Gaza saw an unprecedented 70,000 tons worth of bombs dropped on the 140 square mile region, surpassing the cumulative tonnage of all bombs dropped during World War II, according to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. (Related: Death toll in Gaza could hit nearly 600,000 people as "indirect deaths" pile up, The Lancet projects.) A comprehensive report released by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) in June detailed the extent of the damage, revealing that a staggering 137,297 buildings were damaged in Gaza, amounting to over half of the enclave's total infrastructure. The report projected that vast landfill sites covering 250 to 500 hectares would be required to accommodate the debris. Beyond the physical destruction, the conflict has dealt a devastating blow to Gaza's development, setting back critical sectors such as health care, education and economic stability by an estimated 44 years, according to the report's findings. 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 environmental repercussions have been equally severe, with explosive weapons generating an estimated 39 million tons of debris, exacerbating already dire conditions in water, sanitation and hygiene systems. Even before the recent conflict, over 92 percent of Gaza's water was deemed unfit for human consumption. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UNEP, highlighted the profound impact on human health and food security, stressing that these conditions severely undermine Gaza's overall resilience. The report, commissioned in response to a request from the Palestinian Environment Quality Authority, the main Palestinian-controlled environment ministry based in the West Bank, also drew attention to ongoing environmental degradation exacerbated by climate change and previous attacks on Gaza's environmental infrastructure. Israel continues to devastate Gaza's people Recent casualty figures released by the Palestinian health ministry paint a grim picture, documenting at least 38,664 Palestinians killed and 89,097 wounded since Oct. 7 as a result of Israeli military actions. As the Israel-Hamas conflict enters its 10th month, ongoing military operations in Gaza are worsening the humanitarian crisis. Over 80 percent of Gaza's pre-war population of 2.3 million people are displaced. Gaza City, the densely populated urban area in northern Gaza with around 350,000 residents, has faced intensified military actions and forced evacuation orders in recent days. Despite warnings to evacuate to so-called "safe zones," Palestinians are hunkering down wherever they can, as finding actual safe havens in Gaza is becoming increasingly difficult. Furthermore, Gazans are finding it difficult to stave off starvation due to severe shortages of food and water, and those weakened by injury or sickness are also having difficult being treated due to shortages of medicine, all of which is being deliberately exacerbated by Israel due to its blockade of humanitarian aid entering the Strip. This has made delivering aid an ongoing challenge, as only a fraction of the supplies necessary to sustain Gaza's population reach their intended targets. The few remaining functioning medical facilities in Gaza are overwhelmed, with triage forcing people with chronic illnesses to be left untreated, not to mention the fact that cases of malnutrition are rising daily. The situation underscores urgent calls for a ceasefire and effective humanitarian intervention. Watch this video discussing the situation with the remaining health care centers and clinics in Gaza. This video is from the AllTheWorldsAStage channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: UN experts: Children in Gaza are dying because of Israel's "targeted starvation campaign." Israeli army approves BRUTAL and SHOCKING "free-for-all" violence in Gaza. After months of denials, IDF finally admits responsibility for KILLING Israeli hostages on October 7. Israeli national security minister calls for EXECUTION of Palestinian prisoners with "shot to the head." Hunger "worse than bombings" in starved-out Gaza: "people dizzy and weak." Sources include: MiddleEastEye.net France24.com Brighteon.com Zelensky: Russia SHOULD ATTEND the next Ukraine peace summit In a notable shift, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged the need for Russian representatives to attend the next international summit on the ongoing conflict. He issued this call on July 15, telling reporters that he is in the process of organizing the next summit. Zelensky had previously refused to invite Russia to attend international summits where he was pushing his 10-point "peace formula." One such summit held in Switzerland last month included representatives from 92 countries but without Moscow. "I set a goal that in November, we would have a fully ready plan," the Ukrainian leader said. "I think that representatives of Russia should be at the second summit." Zelensky's 10-point "peace formula" calls for a complete Russian withdrawal from Ukrainian territory before peace talks could ever happen, which is a non-starter for negotiations with Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile stressed his terms before talks could begin: Kyiv must pull out all its troops from territory annexed by Russia, and must abandon its intention of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Throughout the war, the only time a real peace deal was on the table was back in March and April of 2022. Talks were held in the Turkish city of Ankara to iron out a peace deal between the warring parties. However, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson meddled in the peace deal. Consequently, the U.S.-led NATO bloc discouraged Ukraine from signing an agreement and promised to support its fight against Russia. We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Explore our decentralized, peer-to-peer, uncensorable Brighteon.io free speech platform here. Learn about our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance. Zelensky's July 15 comments came as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been pushing for a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv. The Hungarian leader discussed his ideas in recent visits to Kyiv, Moscow and Beijing. During his visit to the Ukrainian capital, Orban suggested Zelensky consider a ceasefire with Russia as a first step toward a peace deal. The Ukrainian president rejected the idea, but Zelensky's recent comments about the possibility of Russia attending the next summit could signal a softening stance. Zelensky's foreign minister earlier stressed the need for Russia's inclusion The president's comments appeared to echo that of Ukrainian Prime Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who stressed the need for Russia to be included in peace talks. He made this admission during the last day of the two-day Ukraine peace summit last month in Switzerland. "The idea is that the next summit should be the end of the war. And of course, we need the other side at the negotiating table as well," Kuleba said. "It is obvious that both sides are needed to end the war." (Related: Kuleba: Russia will eventually have to be involved in peace talks with Ukraine.) According to the foreign minister, both belligerents in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war will have to sit down and negotiate at some point to reach a definitive peace. He added that Kyiv understands "perfectly well that the moment will come when it will be necessary to talk to Russia." Until then, he reiterated that everyone backing Kyiv must "ensure that Ukraine is in the strongest position at that time." Russia Today (RT) meanwhile reported of the 92 countries who attended the peace summit, 78 left their signatures on the final communique. Fourteen other nations including Saudi Arabia did not sign the document. Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud remarked that any meaningful progress toward peace will require "Russia's participation," as well as a "difficult compromise" between the parties. Riyadh did not sign the final communique, according to RT. Head over to WWIII.news for more stories about the Russia-Ukraine war and efforts to end it. Watch this interview from September last year where Volodymyr Zelensky is encouraging Donald Trump to share his peace plan. This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Trump: COMPROMISE with Russia could have helped Ukraine avoid war. Putin reportedly willing to end war with Ukraine, sit down for PEACE TALKS. Boris Johnson has meltdown after being exposed for sabotaging Ukraine peace deal. Zelensky organizes Peace Summit in Switzerland but leaves Russia out of the picture. Zakharova: Washington's call for Moscow to join peace talks "DETACHED FROM REALITY." Sources include: News.AntiWar.com RT.com Brighteon.com Biden mixes up names of world leaders during NATO Summit in Washington President Joe Biden mixing up the names of officials during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Summit in Washington, D.C. highlights his cognitive decline and undermines his viability for a second term. The mix-up happened in a July 11 speech the 81-year-old Biden delivered during the summit. He mistakenly introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "President [Vladimir] Putin," the leader of Russia which is currently at war with Zelensky's nation. Biden immediately realized his mistake, returning to the microphone to clarify that Zelensky is going to beat Putin. (Related: Biden COULDNT RECOGNIZE familiar faces at NATO Summit, attendee claims.) Hours later at the same event, Biden mixed up the name of Vice President Kamala Harris with that of former President Donald Trump the latter he is set to face in November. "Look, I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president [if I] think she was not qualified for the president," he remarked. Unlike the Zelensky gaffe, Biden did not seem to catch that mistake at the time. According to the South China Morning Post, the July 11 news conference was organized to show that Biden has the stamina and ability to continue a second term. "I'm determined on running, but I think it's important that I allay fears," he told attendees of the NATO summit. For years, Biden has been hounded by issues that he has been suffering cognitive decline. Democrats and their allies in the mainstream media (MSM) hugely suppressed the conversation, but it came into full view during the June 27 presidential debate organized by CNN in Atlanta. We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Explore our decentralized, peer-to-peer, uncensorable Brighteon.io free speech platform here. Learn about our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance. The mix-ups of the names of Zelensky and Harris, coupled with the dismal debate performance, fueled talks among Democrats and the MSM over Biden's status as the Democratic presidential nominee. Costa: Calls for Biden to step aside weaken after Trump assassination attempt But almost instantly after the press conference ended, three Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives joined the growing chorus of legislators calling on Biden to step aside. This included Connecticut Rep. Jim Hines, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. One unnamed member of a NATO delegation said after the press conference that their nation's leader did not believe Biden could survive the crisis gripping his presidency. The summit was nevertheless lauded by most participants for its substance. Biden's cognitive decline dominated political headlines until the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The former U.S. president narrowly missed being shot by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, but the gunman killed one audience member and critically wounded two others. The attack has since dominated the political conversation, according to LifeSiteNews. A day after the failed assassination attempt, Robert Costa of CBS News shared that those trying to pressure Biden into withdrawing from the race are "standing down" in the wake of the attack on Trump. "I've been speaking with some top Democrats. They believe that those Democrats who have the concerns about President Biden are now standing down politically [and] will back President Biden because of this fragile political moment," he said. "All of that talk about the debate faded almost instantly among my top Democratic sources as this unfolded. Say it's time for the country to stick together, and that means Democrats sticking together as well." Follow JoeBiden.news for more stories about the incumbent president's reelection campaign. Watch the Resistance Chicks commenting on Biden's mix-ups of names at the NATO summit in the clip below. This video is from the Resistance Chicks channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Bidens MENTAL DECLINE a topic of hushed conversation inside the DNC for years, journalists reveal. Biden insiders say post-debate fallout already disastrous for fundraising efforts. Biden REFUSING to step down even though Democrats want another candidate. Bidens DISMAL performance in debate against Trump threatens to undermine his candidacy, causes panic among Dems. Biden advisors allegedly LEAKED damaging details of presidents mental decline to the New York Times. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com SCMP.com Brighteon.com Butler, Penn., commissioner says Secret Service is LYING; responsibility to secure building where shooter climbed was on Cheatle and her team, not local PD In her most recent interviews, Secret Service head Kim Cheatle has repeatedly claimed that it was the responsibility of local law enforcement in Butler, Penn., and not her team, to secure the American Glass Research building on which Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, shot at Donald Trump in an apparent assassination attempt. Butler Township Commissioner Edward Natali, however, says Cheatle is lying In a recent interview with FOX News, Natali explained how local police in Butler were given plans beforehand outlining their responsibilities, which were limited simply to traffic detail. "What prompted me to post on the social media platform last night ... is that our local public township police, their duties were assigned to them and we have an operational plan that details that it was strictly traffic detail," Natali said. "They were not detailed to any security detail related to the event, but to help people come in and out of the event if there is an emergency, those types of things." Natali sounds like he tried to let it slide at first, but after Cheatle continued to parrot her lie to media outlet after media outlet, Natali decided it was best to come forward to set the record straight. "I was so frustrated and quite frankly hit my limit again last night when I saw Secret Service saying it was the responsibility of the local police department," he continued. "That is absolutely not correct." Oooooo. They are so Busted!! ? The Butler Township Commissioner says the SS Director is Lying that the Building the Shooter was on was the Responsibility was the Local PD The local Butler Township Polices only duties assigned to them were strictly traffic detail pic.twitter.com/LJH7tzvB0K MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) July 17, 2024 (Related: Have you checked out Trump's "Trumponomics" plan for the country starting in 2025?) Why is Kim Cheatle still employed as head of Secret Service? One of the media outlets that Cheatle lied to was CNN. In the video below, watch as Cheatle lies about local PD in Butler; claims that Secret Service resources were not "diverted" from Trump to a different event for "Dr." Jill Biden; and fails to answer simple questions about why the American Glass Research building was excluded from the security detail perimeter despite being so close to the rally. "It was appropriate for that day," Cheatle told the interviewer about why the perimeter around the Trump rally in Butler was smaller than it apparently should have been. We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Explore our decentralized, peer-to-peer, uncensorable Brighteon.io free speech platform here. Learn about our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance. The American public is cringing at Cheatle's blatant excuses which quite frankly make her look more suspicious and potentially complicit in a coverup. Was the intent to have Secret Service stand down that day to allow Crooks to shoot Trump? Was it all a plot from the very beginning? "MatthewJshow" (@MatthewJshow) had an interesting perspective that he shared on X about this apparent inside job also extending to Pennsylvania State Police, which he claims was "in charge of securing the building used by the shooter." "Who runs things in Pennsylvania? Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro, who is one of the names being thrown around to replace Joe Biden," MatthewJshow wrote. The video below is also worth checking out as it reveals that a blanket tactical channel was used at the time when a local police officer in Butler did try to notify Secret Service about the presence of an armed gunman on the rooftop, only to be ignored: BREAKING.? "There was a blanket tactical channel being used. Everyone who was on that tactical channel heard it." The local officer that confronted the Trump rally shooter radioed in to a shared police channel that there was an armed gunman on the roof prior to former pic.twitter.com/WmxeZuSJgq Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) July 17, 2024 One thing is for sure: this is bound to be another wild election season with more surprises to come. Find out more at Trump.news. Sources for this article include: X.com NaturalNews.com Day before Trump assassination attempt, Austin Private Wealth reported MASSIVE short bets on $DJT and $RUM stocks similar to stock bets placed right before 9/11 Just like what happened before the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 9/11, an asset manager in this case Austin Private Wealth LLC took out massive short positions on Trump Media ($DJT) and Rumble ($RUM) the day before the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, assuming he would be killed and the two stock prices would tumble. Austin Private Wealth reportedly shorted 12 million shares of Trump Media and 34 million shares of Rumble just one day before Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park took aim at Trump during a political rally in Butler, Penn. "If Trump were killed, Rumble would have tumbled and DJT would have collapsed, resulting in a windfall of profits, potentially in the billons," wrote the Health Ranger in a post at Brighteon.social. "Not at all suspicious, right?" (Related: Local police in Butler claim that snipers inside the building atop which Crooks tried to kill Trump did nothing to stop the attack despite knowing something was wrong a full 30 minutes in advance of it.) Austin Private Wealth blames "clerical error" for questionable short positions After the independent media picked up on the short positions and the strangeness of their timing, Austin Private Wealth attempted to explain it all away as a big mistake and misunderstanding nothing to see here, folks, so just move along now. Austin Private Wealth's claim is that an "erroneous ... multiplier was applied by a third-party vendor that increased the number of the shares by a multiple of 10,000 for all options contracts (not just DJT)" when the company supposedly only shorted $DJT by 12 contracts, or 1,200 shares. Human knowledge is under attack! Governments and powerful corporations are using censorship to wipe out humanity's knowledge base about nutrition, herbs, self-reliance, natural immunity, food production, preparedness and much more. We are preserving human knowledge using AI technology while building the infrastructure of human freedom. Speak freely without censorship at the new decentralized, blockchain-power Brighteon.io. Explore our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Support our efforts to build the infrastructure of human freedom by shopping at HealthRangerStore.com, featuring lab-tested, certified organic, non-GMO foods and nutritional solutions. "We deeply regret this error and the concern it has caused, especially at such a fraught moment for our nation," the investment company said in a statement. "We are committed to full transparency and maintaining the trust of our clients. As such, we are reviewing our internal procedures and our processes with the third-party vendor that assists with SEC filings to better understand how this happened and avoid similar issues moving forward." We are unable to confirm the legitimacy of this as Austin Private Wealth claims to have caught the "error" three days after the attempt was made on Trump's life in Butler. Back in 2001 just one week before 9/11, a similar situation occurred when a massive number of put options were purchased on American Airlines and United Airlines, the two airlines involved in the attacks. The investors who purchased these put options were gambling that the stock prices for AA and UA would drop in the short term, which is exactly what happened following the 9/11 attacks. "These investors netted a profit of at least $5 million after the September 11th attacks," a paper from The University of North Texas explains. "Interestingly, the names of the investors remain undisclosed and the $5 million remains unclaimed in the Chicago Exchange account. Why were these aberrant trades not discovered prior to 9/11? Who were the individuals who placed these trades? Have they been investigated? Who was responsible for monitoring these activities? Have those individuals been held responsible for their inaction?" Once again, we are seeing similar Wall Street chicanery in association with the assassination attempt on Trump. And once again, it is unlikely that anything will be done about it as a a paper published by the University of Notre Dame found that mistakes on 13-f filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is what Austin Private Wealth is claiming happened, are rarely, if ever, penalized. More related news about Trump and the deep state's relentless efforts to take him down before the 2024 election can be found at Trump.news. Sources for this article include: FinBold.com Brighteon.social NaturalNews.com UNT.edu ND.edu EU tyrants vote to punish Hungary for Orbans peace mission why do they hate peace so much? Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is making waves across Europe in opposition to the globalist plans of the European Union (EU). Because of this, the tyrants who run the EU have launched a crusade against Orban that aims to punish him for his "peace mission" concerning the war in Ukraine. After Orban made several recent visits to Kyiv, Moscow and Beijing, the EU launched a partial boycott of all further meetings organized by the Hungarian EU presidency. Some 63 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have also voted to suspend Hungary's EU voting rights in retaliation against Orban's positions. According to reports, the partial EU boycott would mean that only civil servants, no commissioners, would be sent from the bloc to all further meetings chaired by Hungary. During his tour of visits to key capitals across Europe and Asia, Orban has been advocating for peace, meaning no more war in Ukraine. It is clear that Russia is clearly winning the war, which means continuing to throw weapons and cash at the Zelensky regime will only drain the West of its resources while further demoralizing Western populations. Most EU leaders are livid about Orban's call for peace, arguing that he has no right to say such things in opposition to the EU-U.S.-NATO agenda against Russia. (Related: To learn more, check out our earlier coverage about how Hungary under Orban has hopped off the "NATO train" due to the West's "hopeless" escalation of war in Ukraine.) Austria, The Netherlands and Luxembourg condemn EU persecution of Orban One of the few EU leaders to oppose Orban's persecution is Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who praised Orban for breaking a taboo. Nehammer says he does not believe that boycotting Hungary is right, one reason being that it will splinter European unity for no good reason. 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 European Commission and the Council Presidency should resolve conflicts through discussions, not by calling for a boycott," Nehammer said. "Dialogue is the most important precondition for progress and common solutions at all political levels." The Netherlands indicated that it may not cooperate with the EU's witch hunt against Orban either. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof told the Telegraaf newspaper that his country will decide on a case-by-case basis whether or not to participate in future events hosted by Hungary. Schoof, whose right-wing cabinet took office on July 2, indicated that he believes Orban made abundantly clear the fact that his various peace mission meetings are bilateral and do not represent the EU and its positions. "On a bilateral basis, each country can do what it wants," Schoof said plainly. Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden said much the same after meeting his Dutch counterpart. In a press statement, Frieden strongly opposed the EU's boycott of peace meetings hosted by Orban. "In a democracy, people talk to each other," said the Grand Duchy's Christian Democrat head of government. "Luxembourgs positions on various issues can be better conveyed if it is represented at the meetings and communicates clearly with the Hungarians about its values." It is also being reported that Orban will meet with Donald Trump at the former president's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, as it would seem that Trump is America's preferred peace candidate. NEW: ???? Donald Trump and Viktor Orban will meet at the former U.S. presidents Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Thursday. The Hungarian PM recently conducted his peace mission with visits to Ukraine, Russia, and China ahead of this weeks NATO meeting in Washington D.C. pic.twitter.com/f8Vflx1kdY Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) July 11, 2024 More related news about the ongoing war in Ukraine and the growing calls for peace can be found at Chaos.news. Sources for this article include: RMX.news NaturalNews.com Top Jewish Republican says his goal is to keep the GOPs Tucker Carlson-wing out of power Republican Jewish Coalition chief Matt Brooks delivered an Israel First speech at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday and told the Israeli paper Haaretz afterwards that his goal is to "make sure the Tucker Carlson-wing of the party doesn't get a foothold" in the GOP. (Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com) WATCH: @RJC CEO Matt Brooks full remarks at the 2024 RNC Convention in Milwaukee, WI. There is only ONE pro-Israel party, and its the Republican Party! pic.twitter.com/d3vgbpOlXO RJC (@RJC) July 16, 2024 Brooks opened his speech by imploring the crowd -- "Let me hear if you support Israel!" -- and then went on to insist that under Trump the US will send Israel more weapons and shut down pro-Palestine campus protests so Jewish students can "feel safe." From Haaretz: As Trump Taps America First VP, Top Jewish Republican Insists GOP Is the 'Only pro-Israel Party' 'Trump will rebuild the U.S.-Israel relationship after four disastrous years under President Biden,' Republican Jewish Coalition chief Matt Brooks tells cheering crowd at the Republican National Convention, telling reporters he's part of the 'battle' inside the GOP to 'make sure the Tucker Carlson-wing of the party doesn't get a foothold' by Ben Samuels | Jul 17, 2024 3:29 am IDT [...] "Under President Trump, we will repair and rebuild the U.S.-Israel relationship that has deteriorated after four disastrous years under President Biden," [Brooks] continued. "Nine months after the historic Hamas attacks, President Biden is still withholding critical arms that Israel needs to defend itself," Brooks said. Biden is withholding half of a single shipment of 2,000-pound bombs amid concerns that Israel would use them in highly concentrated civilian areas. "We must stand with the Israeli people," he continued. "My message here today to the Jewish community is clear: there is only one pro-Israel party and it's the Republican Party." Brooks vowed that Trump would "put a stop to the rising tide of antisemitism. President Trump will bring back law and order so that American Jews can once again wear a kippah and walk the streets," holding a red kippah adorned with Trump's name. [...] "People can trust [Trump] to take a firmer hand on cracking down on the chaos on the college campuses and really temper the rise of antisemitism and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Jewish community." Brooks said he's "confident" JD Vance is pro-Israel and then dropped this gem: Vance's political ascendance is the greatest victory yet for the America First isolationist wing of the GOP a development inherently at odds with Brooks' organization, which he describes as "Reaganesque" with a robust foreign policy with peace-through-strength at its core. "It's a debate we're having within our party, there's no question about it. But at the end of the day, through the leadership of people like Speaker Johnson and others -- we got aid to Ukraine through with strong Republican support -- so it's just a debate that we're going to have." "America has got a unique role in the world to help defend liberty and support democracy and fight back against totalitarianism. We're going to continue to wage that battle in the party and make sure the Tucker Carlson-wing of the party doesn't get a foothold," he said. As Brooks noted, the GOP -- with Trump's help -- shoved through a $95B foreign aid bill for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan which included a ban on TikTok for allowing criticism of Israel to go viral. GOP Speaker Mike Johnson had pledged to tie Ukraine funding to securing America's southern border but instead chose to ram the bill through after securing extra billions for Israel and elected to give the American people absolutely nothing. After the bill was passed, it was revealed it also included a provision to "supercharge mass migration from the Middle East." Tucker Carlson angered the Israel Lobby last month when he released a bombshell interview with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) in which Massie revealed that every GOP member of Congress has an "AIPAC babysitter" who guides them on how to vote in the interests of Israel. 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: @AFpostpic.twitter.com/zNOA35t32u AF Post (@AFpost) June 7, 2024 Though the average Republican is a huge fan of Tucker Carlson, outside of Massie there are essentially zero elected GOP representatives who share Carlson's views. For the crime of criticizing Israel, AIPAC dumped $300k into attack ads against Massie just to tarnish his reputation statewide. AIPAC is planning to spend $100 million this election cycle to oust representatives who've criticized Israel and opposed their war on Gaza. Read more at: InformationLiberation.com They will do anything to win The always mysterious question when trying to figure out what is happening in this insane world and why it is happening is who are they? In the current chaotic atmosphere, they are in the process of throwing their senile child sniffing pedophile Trojan horse president overboard because his dementia ridden brain has been laid bare for all the world to see. It isnt just the Democratic Party throwing him to the wolves. (Article republished from TheBurningPlatform.com) When you witness the party, supposedly loyal politicians, the regime media, surveillance state spooks, Hollywood celebrities, and globalist billionaires all simultaneously turn on the person they installed in 2020 through a rigged election, you realize the voting public have no say in how this country is run. Whether you refer to they as the Deep State, invisible government, ruling elite, globalist oligarchs, or shadowy men in smoke filled backrooms, we are just bit players in this surreal horror movie. It is no longer a conspiracy theory that we are ruled by unelected men using their wealth to pull the levers of society to benefit themselves and the apparatchiks who do their dirty work. At some level, this type of control has existed since the inception of our country. Andrew Jacksons tirade in the 1830s revealed there were deceitful men operating in the shadows, with their greedy agendas prevailing over what was best for the people. Gentlemen! I too have been a close observer of the doings of the Bank of the United States. I have had men watching you for a long time, and am convinced that you have used the funds of the bank to speculate in the breadstuffs of the country. When you won, you divided the profits amongst you, and when you lost, you charged it to the bank. You tell me that if I take the deposits from the bank and annul its charter I shall ruin ten thousand families. That may be true, gentlemen, but that is your sin! Should I let you go on, you will ruin fifty thousand families, and that would be my sin! You are a den of vipers and thieves. I have determined to rout you out, and by the Eternal, (bringing his fist down on the table) I will rout you out! The capture of our government, media and financial system accelerated during the last century as described by Edward Bernays in his 1928 book Propaganda. Of course, he wrote this fifteen years after the capture of our financial system, with the Creature from Jekyll Island the Federal Reserve being created by a cabal of bankers and politicians intent on lining their pockets. The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. In almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind. Edward Bernays Propaganda (1928) pp. 910 For decades the Deep State was able to remain hidden, working in the shadows behind the scenes, with the general population oblivious to their existence. But their existence was outed when they assassinated John F. Kennedy in front of the entire world and took out their CIA patsy on national TV. The CIA, along with their media mouthpieces, created the term conspiracy theorist as a derogatory term to keep the public sedated and onboard with whatever narrative they were selling. The Church Committee in the mid-1970s further revealed the depth and breadth of the traitorous activities of the CIA and the surveillance state bureaucracy. Mike Lofgren defined the Deep State in his 2016 book, describing how the consent of the governed has been nothing more than a fantasy for many decades in this country. I have come to call this shadow government the Deep Statea hybrid association of key elements of government and parts of top-level finance and industry that is effectively able to govern the United States with only limited reference to the consent of the governed as normally expressed through elections ? Mike Lofgren, The Deep State: The Fall of the Constitution and the Rise of a Shadow Government Still, anyone questioning the officially approved narrative, as propagated by the bought off politicians; captured propaganda spewing regime media; paid-off experts in academia, finance, the military and the sciences; globalist organizations; and billionaires with fake foundations, was ridiculed and censored as nutjob conspiracy theorists. But, since Trumps unlikely rise to power in 2016 and the subsequent traitorous acts by the Deep State and their lackeys in the government, media, and surveillance state bureaus, in attempting to destroy Trump through the fake Russiagate investigations, two impeachments based on nothing, creating a fake pandemic to rig the 2020 election, instigating a fake insurrection to keep him from running again, using the power of the DOJ to bring multiple fake charges against him, raiding his residence with orders to shoot if necessary, allowing millions of illegals to enter the country and encouraging them to vote illegally to throw the 2024 election, vilifying him as a threat worse than Hitler, and now being exposed using a patsy to try and assassinate him while his Secret Service detail pretended to protect him. There should be no doubt in anyones mind a Deep State/Invisible government is running the show, and we are all nothing more than spectators who are brainwashed into doing what we are told by those who have our best interests at heart. After they failed by one inch in blowing Trumps head off (ala JFK), the narrative being spun is that we all must unite and tone down the vitriol. It is too late, and they know it. This is all for show. We are now at war with the Deep State, and anyone associated with their criminal deeds. Their need to retain power grows more desperate by the day. They have concluded they must win the upcoming election at all costs, or their unlawful acts over the last eight years will be revealed and retribution doled out to the perpetrators. Their failure in assassinating Trump, does not mean they will not try again. Their biggest hurdle is their ballot rigging operation only works in the swing states when the vote is reasonably close. The presidential debate and subsequent embarrassing press conferences have revealed Biden to be dementia ridden husk, who cant even read a teleprompter at this point. Only the most brain-dead liberal kooks will vote for this walking dead candidate. After Trumps triumphant post assassination attempt photo-op, with fist raised in victory, his odds of winning the election went through the roof. The potential replacement candidates for Biden are a motley crew of idiocy, failure and low IQ diversity options. When the Deep State was blindsided in 2016 with the Trump victory, they proceeded to derail his presidency by convincing him to hire their Deep State operatives into key roles, while keeping the Congress, DOJ, DOD, FBI, and CIA at war with everything Trump tried to accomplish. If he wins this time, he wont make the same miscalculations again. And they know it. We have less than four months until the election. These being the waning years of this Fourth Turning, whatever happens from here on out will only be intensified. There will be no unity. There will be no compromise. Fourth Turnings do not wind down. They accelerate towards a bloody crescendo, with clear winners and losers. The potential for civil and global war rises on a daily basis. Most of the ignorant, I-gadget distracted, narrative believing masses, have no clue how close the world is to erupting in violent no-holds barred death and destruction. Virtually no one is alive who remembers the horrors of WWII. That is why Fourth Turnings re-occur every eighty years or so. We forget the past and are condemned to relive it. There are several scenarios that could play out. The Deep State may have provided Trump with a stark reminder about who really runs the show. Will he heed their warning? If so, they may let him win and then continue their control behind the scenes, letting him know they can take him out at a time of their choosing. Trumps cooperation in this scenario is possible, but after the last eight years of unbridled attacks on him, this may be unlikely. They could try another assassination attempt, but the world is now aware of their hatred for Trump, and would likely react negatively towards all parties involved in the murder of the past and future president of the U.S. The question is how desperate are these godless authoritarians? How many innocent people are they willing to sacrifice at the altar of mammon and power, to continue their stranglehold on the political, financial, social, and economic structures of the U.S. and western world. Knowing they will do anything to win and remain in control of the levers of our society, what may seem unthinkable to you and me, wouldnt make these sociopaths pause for a second. Theyve already killed tens of millions with their fake pandemic and their toxic antidote gene therapy. All done to rig an election, enrich themselves, and cull the herd. We already know the neo-con branch of the Deep State has been saber rattling towards both Russia and China. We also know false flags are one of their favorite tools to initiate conflict and fill their coffers with blood money. Our blood and their money. Weve already seen a possible scenario with their puppet Zelensky in the Ukraine. If you can create a national emergency through either a civil or foreign war, you can cancel the election until the emergency is over. A successful assassination of Trump this past weekend would have initiated some form of chaos in the streets, with the political powder keg poised to be lit by one side or the other. The Deep State is certainly capable of creating a false flag that kills hundreds or thousands of innocents, blaming white nationalist Trumpers for the tragedy. Another George Floyd incident could be cooked up, with Soros unleashing his Antifa and BLM terrorist hordes on cities across the land. The normal citizens supporting Trump will only be pushed so far, and if they begin to fight back, all hell could break loose. This is what the Deep State wants. Chaos and violence in the streets would be their excuse to delay the elections. That would even cause more violence and upheaval. The Deep State thrives on violence, chaos, war, and a fearful populace, begging to be saved. The Deep State is conducting the war against Russia. The Ukrainian soldiers are being chewed up by the Russian army, but the high-tech aspects of the war are being carried out by Americans, who are the only ones capable of operating the drones and advanced missiles being used against Russia. They know Putins red lines. If they choose to start World War III, they will initiate an attack guaranteed to force Putin into a drastic response, attempting to ignite a conflagration across Europe, into the Middle East. With the US/EU sanction war having pushed Russia, China and the rest of the BRIC countries closer together, China and possibly India would side with Russia in a global conflict. The use of nuclear arms becomes more and more likely as the warring countries become more desperate and pushed into a corner. The Deep State has no qualms about killing millions to attain their goals and retain their wealth, power and control over the masses. I do believe the next four months will mark a turning point in the history of the world. I fear there will be much bloodshed, but will continue to try and decipher the path of this Fourth Turning and guide my family and anyone choosing to listen towards the light and away from the darkness. I do believe Strauss & Howes possible outcomes for this Fourth Turning are an accurate portrayal of what awaits us within the next decade. The odds are stacked against us, but if we give up the fight, we will surely lose. Our choices and actions in the coming days will surely matter. We must fight, fight, fight!! Godspeed and good luck. This Fourth Turning could mark the end of man. It could be an omnicidal Armageddon, destroying everything, leaving nothing. If mankind ever extinguishes itself, this will probably happen when its dominant civilization triggers a Fourth Turning that ends horribly. For this Fourth Turning to put an end to all this would require an extremely unlikely blend of social disaster, human malevolence, technological perfection and bad luck. The Fourth Turning could mark the end of modernity. The Western saecular rythm which began in the mid-fifteenth century with the Renaissance could come to an abrupt terminus. The seventh modern saeculum would be the last. This too could come from total war, terrible but not final. There could be a complete collapse of science, culture, politics, and society. Such a dire result would probably happen only when a dominant nation (like todays America) lets a Fourth Turning ekpyrosis engulf the planet. But this outcome is well within the reach of foreseeable technology and malevolence. The Fourth Turning could spare modernity but mark the end of our nation. It could close the book on the political constitution, popular culture, and moral standing that the word America has come to signify. The nation has endured for three saecula; Rome lasted twelve, the Soviet Union only one. Fourth Turnings are critical thresholds for national survival. Each of the last three American Crises produced moments of extreme danger: In the Revolution, the very birth of the republic hung by a thread in more than one battle. In the Civil War, the union barely survived a four-year slaughter that in its own time was regarded as the most lethal war in history. In World War II, the nation destroyed an enemy of democracy that for a time was winning; had the enemy won, America might have itself been destroyed. In all likelihood, the next Crisis will present the nation with a threat and a consequence on a similar scale. Or the Fourth Turning could simply mark the end of the Millennial Saeculum. Mankind, modernity, and America would all persevere. Afterward, there would be a new mood, a new High, and a new saeculum. America would be reborn. But, reborn, it would not be the same. Read more at: TheBurningPlatform.com Trump calls for RFK Jr. to receive Secret Service protection Former President Donald Trump has called for independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) to receive Secret Service protection , following the July 13 assassination attempt on the real estate mogul. Trump took to Truth Social to issue his call, writing: "In light of what is going on in the world today, I believe it is imperative that RFK Jr. receive Secret Service protection immediately. Given the history of the Kennedy family, this is the obvious right thing to do." The late President John F. Kennedy, RFK Jr.'s uncle, was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald in 1963. Meanwhile, the late U.S. Sen. Bobby Kennedy Sr. (D-NY) RFK Jr.'s father was killed by Sirhan Sirhan five years later in 1968. The independent presidential candidate lauded the Republican nominee's request in a post on X. "It is a hopeful sign for our country when a political opponent calls for one's protection. Maybe our country can unite after all," RFK Jr. wrote. RFK Jr. earlier called for unity moments after the July 13 assassination attempt against Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. "Now is the time for every American who loves our country to step back from the division, renounce all violence and unite in prayer for [former] President Trump and his family," he wrote on X. (Related: Trump shot in the ear, survives assassination attempt as questions emerge about Secret Service and local police.) According to Modernity News, RFK Jr. "has not been provided protection despite repeated requests from his team, and despite the fact that a man was arrested for intruding into his home twice on the same day last year." We are building the infrastructure of human freedom and empowering people to be informed, healthy and aware. Explore our decentralized, peer-to-peer, uncensorable Brighteon.io free speech platform here. Learn about our free, downloadable generative AI tools at Brighteon.AI. Every purchase at HealthRangerStore.com helps fund our efforts to build and share more tools for empowering humanity with knowledge and abundance. This led journalist Adam Creighton of The Australian to comment on the matter. He wrote: "I just can't think of a reason why the Biden administration refuses RFK Jr. Secret Service protection, despite this family history and precedent. Tiny fiscal cost. Can you think of a reason?" Biden admin eventually yields, grants Secret Service protection to RFK Jr. The Biden administration ultimately yielded to Trump's request and granted Secret Service protection to the scion of the Kennedy family. "In light of this weekend's events, the president has directed me to work with the Secret Service to provide protection to Robert [F.] Kennedy Jr.," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told members of the media on July 15. Aside from RFK Jr., Mayorkas also confirmed "adjustments" to the security protection provided to Trump, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), who Trump picked as his running mate, will also get "the appropriate level of security." The secretary also confirmed that an independent review of the July 13 assassination attempt will be conducted. This review, he explained, will "examine Secret Service's and other law enforcement's actions before, during and after the shooting." The Biden administration is still deciding who will lead the review, according to POLITICO. Mayorkas did not give a specific timeline for the review's completion, saying only that he expected it to be up and running within days. He nevertheless continued that any conclusions will be made public. The homeland security secretary also denounced conspiracy theories that have sprung up around the attack. According to him, suggestions that Biden or the Democratic Party were involved are "preposterous." "It is also dangerous to propagate rumors that are so unequivocally false and provocative," said Mayorkas. But given the violent rhetoric espoused by the Left against Trump over the years, one cannot discount their involvement in the failed assassination attempt on the former president. Watch this clip of RFK Jr. relating the assassination attempt on Trump to that of his uncle, the late President John F. Kennedy. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: MSNBC guest calls for donor class to "put a bullet in Donald Trump." Nikki Haley asks for Secret Service protection following spike in THREATS. Biden on July 8: 'We're done talking about the debate, it's time to put Trump in a bullseye.' Biden administration denies Secret Service protection for RFK Jr. despite repeated death threats. Subtle death threat? Alex Soros tweets bullet hole and $47, apparently insinuating Trump ASSASSINATION. Sources include: Modernity.news POLITICO.com Brighteon.com Trump rewrites RNC speech to focus on UNITY following assassination attempt Former President Donald Trump has rewritten his speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC) to focus on unity, following the failed July 13 assassination attempt on him. According to Just The News, Trump is set to give his speech on July 18, the last day of the four-day RNC held in Wisconsin. The convention marks the formal announcement of him being the Republican Party's presidential nominee alongside Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, which Trump named as his running mate. "The speech I was going to give was going to be humdinger," Trump told the Washington Examiner on July 14, a day after the assassination attempt. "Had this not happened, this would've been one of the most incredible speeches [primarily focused on President Joe Biden's policies]. Honestly, it's going to be a whole different speech now." According to the former president, he has switched from planning to excite his voter base to demonstrating his belief that the July 13 assassination attempt changed the election campaign entirely. Both the GOP and the Democrats have acknowledged this in the aftermath of the July 13 incident, with Trump telling the Examiner that people all across the country from different walks of life and different political views have called him. Ultimately, the real estate mogul and GOP presidential nominee remarked that his speech will meet the moment that history demands. "It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance," he said. "This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together. This speech will be a lot different, a lot different that it would've been two days ago." 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. Trump's "fist in the air" gesture exudes strength According to Trump, he was saved from death due to his decision to turn from the crowd and look at a screen. He had to look away from the crowd to point at data he was using in the speech at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. "That reality is just setting in," he said. "I rarely look away from the crowd. Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?" Early in the morning of July 14, Trump took to Truth Social to speak about the attempt on his life. According to his post, it was "God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening" and that he would "fear not." The real estate mogul also commented on his decision to raise his hand when the Secret Service was leading him offstage. The photograph of him holding his fist in the air, blood streaming across his face as the agents surrounded him, has already become the iconic image of the 2024 election. (Related: Trump shot, survives ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT in Pennsylvania; shooter, one rally attendee killed, others wounded.) He explained that the gesture sought to let the people know that he was OK "and that America goes on, we go forward, that we are strong." When Trump stood up and saw the crowd had not moved, he needed to tell them that he and the country were going to be alright. "The energy coming from the people there in that moment, they just stood there. It's hard to describe what that felt like, but I knew the world was looking. I knew that history would judge this, and I knew I had to let them know we are OK." Trump also hailed three attendees Corey Comperatore, David Dutch and James Copenhaver who were shot by would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks. Comperatore, former chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, died during the incident. Dutch and Copenhaver were critically wounded, but are now in stable condition and recovering at a local hospital. Check out Trump.news for more stories about the assassination attempt on the former president. Watch this video of former President Donald Trump appearing on the first night of the RNC with a bandaged ear. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: 'Eliminate him': A look at the violent rhetoric against Donald Trump. 10 Burning questions that every American should be asking about the Trump shooting. Trump shooter spotted with a RANGEFINDER ahead of assassination attempt but no one stopped him. Trump shot in the ear, survives assassination attempt as questions emerge about Secret Service and local police. Sources include: JustTheNews.com WashingtonExaminer.com Brighteon.com Whistleblowers: Biden admin TRAFFICKING children to fake sponsors Whistleblowers have warned that the Biden administration is facilitating child trafficking by releasing unaccompanied minors to fake sponsors. Government whistleblowers shared this information with a Senate panel, noting that approximately 85,000 children who crossed the border as unaccompanied minors are now missing after being placed with unrelated sponsors. According to them, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has lost track of these children as they were released to individuals who weren't their relatives. These unknown sponsors often end up forcing the children into prostitution and slave labor, with the whistleblowers providing evidence of such. One whistleblower, Tara Lee Rodas, was a 20-year veteran of government service. She speaks Spanish and her husband is from El Salvador, leading her to sign up to help children. Rodas volunteered to go to the border when the Biden administration called for employees from any and all government agencies, as the border was so overwhelmed. (Related: Report: 99% of illegals and border crossers are LIVING FREELY across the United States.) Rodas worked at the Pomona Fairplex Emergency Intake Site in California, which processed 8,300 minors, as deputy to the director of the Federal Case Management Team. But Rodas' career is in training government investigators, and all she saw were red flags when she got there. One case she shared was that of a 16-year-old Guatemalan girl named Carmen. She was placed with a man claiming to be her brother, but this man subsequently posted child pornography online. 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. Rodas also told senators that gangs like MS-13 are involved in child placement. Despite her warnings, authorities retaliated against her instead of taking a look at her findings. Deborah White, another whistleblower, alleged that sponsors are rarely vetted face-to-face and fake documents are pervasive. "Children were not going to their parents," she told senators. "Children were being trafficked with billions of taxpayer dollars by a contractor failing to vet sponsors and process children safely, with government officials complicit in it." Sponsor oversight from HHS was minimal, which enabled trafficking The whistleblowers told senators that the HHS' oversight and follow-up of sponsors was minimal. It was typically limited to a phone call 30 days after the children were placed. By that time, many could no longer be contacted. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra maintains that no children have gone missing from his agency's custody. But according to the whistleblowers, this claim was technically accurate only until transportation companies delivered the children to their sponsors. The children often went missing shortly after. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) remarked that the Biden administration apparently shoveled children out to the homes of poorly vetted volunteers as fast as it could to avoid holding them in secure facilities. According to him, President Joe Biden had painted those as his rival, former President Donald Trump, putting "kids in cages." Grassley also added that the Democratic incumbent wanted to prevent those optics at all costs. But the whistleblowers remarked that this alternative from Biden was far less humane. Half a million children were flown or bussed to the homes of people who were sometimes strangers. Moreover, the Biden administration loosened rules on background checks. The panel was perhaps the most devastating in the history of the border crisis so much so that the Democrats who control the Senate refused to cooperate. This led Grassley and several of his GOP colleagues Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and Texas Sen. John Cornyn to hold the panel unofficially. Visit Trafficking.news for more similar stories. Watch this clip of a sheriff disclosing that 100,000 children are either with child traffickers or stuck in child abuse situations. This video is from the Be Children of Light channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Flashback: 17-year-old Danish girl who fought off rapist with pepper spray was CRIMINALLY CHARGED for carrying spray. Biden administration opposes bill that would require PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP for voting in federal elections. Germany: Nigerian migrant grabs 9-year-old boy and stabs 2 police officers, immediately released by the courts. North Carolina teen PUNISHED for asking about the term "illegal aliens" in class. Illegal alien who entered the country undetected has been arrested, charged with CHILD RAPE in Massachusetts. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com Bighteon.com Sorry, something doesn't look right. Something seems unusual about your device or browser. Please contact support. Trump incident sparks safety debate for PM Modi amid growing 'political hostility' A nalysts are now evaluating the ramifications of the recent assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump. There is a growing perception that such incidents reflect a trend where individuals resort to violence to amplify their voices, supported by certain segments of the political class driven by personal agendas. An article penned by a former IPS officer in an English daily further intensified the ongoing debate on Thursday. Adding to this discourse, Sudhanshu Trivedi, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP, voiced apprehensions about the rising prevalence of violent rhetoric in political discussions. He pointed to incidents such as the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the recent attack on US Presidential candidate Donald Trump as troubling instances of global political violence. Trivedi pointed out, "Statements that incite violence and assassination are often inspired by political parties using terms like 'violence' and 'murder' for short-term gains. It's unfortunate and alarming that such provocative language is being directed towards PM Narendra Modi." He specifically aimed at Rahul Gandhi, criticising the Congress leader for repeatedly using derogatory language against the Prime Minister. In a message for Rahul Gandhi, Trivedi said, "This politicking with national security has persisted for a long time. If you have assumed the role of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, demonstrate some maturity." Meanwhile, many analysts believe that India is not exempt from such political practices, which have become increasingly prevalent over the past decade. Prime Minister Modi has been consistently targeted over various trivial issues. Political observers argue that PM Modi's popularity and his success in challenging the long-standing dominance of certain political factions (Congress) have provoked a "negative campaign" by the opposition. Politicians of this persuasion have often defended their accusations against the PM under the guise of freedom of speech. According to analysts, what is particularly surprising is that the Congress, despite having lost two of its Prime Ministers, has shown no hesitation in endorsing this practice against PM Modi. During the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, the grand old party engaged in provocative rhetoric against PM Modi. Unfortunately, the political class seems to overlook the fact that PM Modi has been a prime target for terrorists. Congress and other Left-leaning political groups seem to have forgotten incidents like the serial bomb blasts near Patna's Gandhi Maidan during Narendra Modi's rally as the prime ministerial candidate in 2013. There's no denying that political opponents have consistently used provocative language and made derogatory remarks against PM Modi ever since he assumed office a decade ago. Analysts recall a statement by Rahul Gandhi, who said, "People are no longer scared of him," following a security breach in PM Modis cavalcade in June. Rahul Gandhi had also said in 2020 that "within six to eight months, PM Modi would be unable to step out of his home without facing attacks from unemployed youth". In January 2022, PM Modi's security convoy was delayed for about 20 minutes on a flyover in Punjab's Ferozpur district due to roadblocks set up by protesting farmers. The ruling Congress swiftly blamed the Special Protection Group (SPG) and dismissed the incident as "political drama", absolving the state police of any responsibility. Furthermore, the opposition parties, particularly led by the Congress, failed to condemn the threatening remarks made against PM Modi by certain farmers and students. Imran Masood, elected to the Lok Sabha from Saharanpur on a Congress ticket in 2024, had issued explicit threats of violence against the BJP's PM candidate back in 2013. Despite this, the Congress leadership has consistently maintained an association with him. These instances indicate that the political discourse is veering toward a direction that could endanger the life of a leader like Narendra Modi, who has been elected as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term due to his popularity and strong rapport with different grassroots communities. Trump incident sparks safety debate for PM Modi amid growing 'political hostility' Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Susan Sarandon says 'yes' Biden should withdraw from presidential race A cademy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon has shared her thoughts on the upcoming US presidential election. She doubts that President Joe Biden can win his bid for reelection against former President Donald Trump. When asked if the president should withdraw, Sarandon replied, Yes. Obviously, there are a lot of people within the party who feel the same way. I dont think the dust has settled on our choices, she told Variety on Thursday night at the New York premiere of 'The Fabulous Four', a summer comedy starring Sarandon alongside Sheryl Lee Ralph, Megan Mullally, and Bette Midler. I think its obvious (why he should step down). Way before the age thing came into play, hundreds of thousands of uncommitted voters in swing states, because of the war in Gaza, put his possible election in jeopardy. Sarandon joins several Hollywood Democratic players, who have called for President Biden to step down. Earlier this month, Hollywood star George Clooney penned an op-ed for a newspaper calling for the president to withdraw, reports Variety.com. Like Clooney, Sarandon is a known advocate and player in Democratic politics. Over the years, her political presence has shadowed her acting career and, as of late, usurped it. Sarandon was an early and vocal supporter of Bernie Sanders, for whom she campaigned widely in 2016. When Sanders did not win the Democratic nomination, Sarandon endorsed Green Party candidate Jill Stein over Hillary Clinton. Susan Sarandon says 'yes' Biden should withdraw from presidential race Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! PM Modi hails defence giant Lockheed Martin's Make in India, Make for World drive P rime Minister Narendra Modi has applauded global defence giant Lockheed Martin's commitment towards realising the vision of 'Make in India, Make for the World.' The CEO of Lockheed Martin, Jim Taiclet met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) posted on X: "CEO of @LockheedMartin, Jim Taiclet met Prime Minister @narendramodi. Lockheed Martin is a key partner in India-US Aerospace and Defence Industrial cooperation. We welcome its commitment towards realising the vision of 'Make in India, Make for the World." Lockheed Martin has provided India with a range of advanced defence technologies to enhance the countrys military capabilities in areas such as aerospace, naval systems, missile defence, and strategic capabilities. The company has set up a joint venture with Tata Advanced Systems Limited for manufacturing the C 130 J empennage in Hyderabad. The company has successfully produced and delivered more than 200 empennages, while also increasing the proportion of locally sourced components. Lockheed Martin has also relocated its operations for the manufacture of helicopter cabins from Japan to India. The companys C 130 J transport aircraft form an important part of the Indian Air Force fleet. PM Modi hails defence giant Lockheed Martin's Make in India, Make for World drive Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! Govt giving big push to bamboo farming, aims to create 1 million Lakhpati Didis T he Government is giving a big push to bamboo farming to empower 1 million rural women as Lakhpati Didis and has roped in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for technical knowhow. Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), in partnership with USAID and lndustree Foundation has come out with a comprehensive handbook on bamboo cultivation, available in seven regional languages, to equip small women farmers with essential knowledge and practices. Additional Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development Charanjit Singh and Acting Mission Director, USAID Alexandria Huerta also launched the UGAO app, a digital tool providing real-time data support for women with small land holdings on Thursday. The app will also help build a traceable supply chain for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. Singh said that bamboo cultivation offers a unique opportunity to improve livelihoods while contributing to environmental conservation. This programme is a testament to our commitment to empowering rural women and promoting sustainable development, creating lasting economic opportunities while advancing climate mitigation and resilience. Acting Mission Director, USAID Alexandria Huerta said that addressing gender-related inequalities and promoting locally-led development are important aspects of USAID's global strategy. "I am happy that USAID's POWER project is empowering women and has provided a successful, locally led, natural climate solution that is being scaled up through NRLM," he added. Co-founder, lndustree Foundation Neelam Chhiber said that bamboo cultivation has immense potential to transform rural economies and improve the lives of countless women. We have created foundations for 5,500 farmers from Karnataka and Maharashtra to have sustainable income from the fourth year and for a minimum of forty years. Through our combined efforts, we aim to provide these women with the skills, resources and market access they need to succeed. lndustree Foundation's partnership with DAY-NRLM builds on the success of USAID's Producer-Owned Women Enterprises (POWER) project, implemented by lndustree in three states, which has aggregated over 10,000 women into 37 women owned enterprises and farmer producer collectives. These women producers have fulfilled market orders worth over $3 million over the past five years. This successful model will be scaled nationwide in collaboration with State Rural Livelihoods Missions. Govt giving big push to bamboo farming, aims to create 1 million Lakhpati Didis Post your comments Found this article helpful? Spread the word and support us! If she can be someone who can listen to people and help people along lifes journey, she wants to do that, says Halie Thompson's guidance counselor at Urbana, and Im very proud of her for that. A University of Illinois student stands charged of a felony after investigators used video surveillance and her social media account to allegedly tie her to a pro-Palestinian demonstration that took place on campus last April. Yafa K. Issa, 18, of Savoy, was arraigned on Tuesday before Champaign County Judge Brett Olmstead on one count of mob action. She faces one to three years in prison if convicted of the Class 4 felony. Demonstrators erected tents near the Alma Mater statue in the early morning of April 26, violating campus policies regarding outdoor displays and expressive activity on campus, Champaign County States Attorney Julia Rietz said. University officials apparently informed the group that they were violating university policies, asked them to leave, and said they would be charged with trespassing if they remained. University staff then removed the structures with assistance from the University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD), despite resistance from the demonstrators. However, demonstrators did not leave and continued to erect structures. Demonstration organizers sent out social media messages calling for others to come and defend the camp, and people brought more tents, building materials, food supplies, goggles and other items to the group throughout the day, Rietz said. There were an estimated 200-250 demonstrators on campus around 3:15 p.m. when 16 UIPD officers assisted staff from the universitys Facilities and Services Department to remove the structures. As the officers and facilities workers approached, demonstrators apparently locked arms and formed a human-chain around the tents, preventing anyone from entering the area. Another 19 local firearms are unaccounted for after being reported stolen in the first three months of 2024 in Danville (five), Champaign (four), Mahomet (three), Urbana (three), Rantoul (two), Fithian (one) and rural Ford County (one). Read the details about what police and sheriff's deputies were told about the circumstances of every case, part of a continuing N-G series. Nurses in Michigan reported improved conditions in the 2023 Michigan Nurses Study compared to 2022, but burnout and understaffing remain high, and nearly half reported abuse in the workplace in the last year. Last year, about a third of surveyed nurses planned to leave their jobs (32%) compared to 39% in 2022. New questions in 2023 explored reasons for leaving jobs and future plans, and found that 13% of those leaving planned to exit the nursing profession entirely, excluding retirements. After adding retirements, the number leaving the profession rose to 36%. Christopher Friese, the Elizabeth Tone Hosmer Professor of Nursing and the studys principal investigator, said the 13% group is especially concerning because these are younger nurses in the workforce. This group potentially has years left in their nursing careers, yet they are choosing to pursue other opportunities. That should be concerning for health care executives and health policy leaders. These nurses are leaving the profession Americans have trusted the most for two decades. This is the group we should be listening to very carefully. And they are leaving because health care leaders are not addressing their valid concerns about their workplaces and chronic understaffing. Christopher Friese, the Elizabeth Tone Hosmer Professor of Nursing In 2023, 18% of nurses surveyed planned to reduce their hours and 7% planned to pursue travel nursing, compared to 28% and 18%, respectively, in 2022. Other findings include: Of the 32% who planned to leave their jobs within a year, 42% planned to leave their current employer but stay in the field, 22% planned to retire or stop working, 13% planned to change jobs within their company, and 6% planned to return to school. Primary reasons for leaving their current position were workload, management and leadership, and pay and benefits. Fewer nurses reported exhaustion, an unfavorable work environment, workplace abuse, mandatory overtime and understaffing. Those who planned to leave nursing were more likely to report abuse and emotional exhaustion. COVID-19 wasnt a frequent reason for leaving. Friese said an underappreciated but concerning number is that so many nurses plan to reduce clinical hours. Health care institutions rely on a mix of full- and part-time clinicians to meet daily staffing needs. If nurses plan to reduce their clinical hours, that means facilities will need to recruit more personnel to meet basic needs, he said. Friese said there could be several reasons for the lower dissatisfaction rates last year compared to 2022. There were fewer cases and less severity of COVID, improved access to health care, and more attention from health care leaders to retain staff. The one key policy change we observed was fewer hospitals using mandatory overtime to maintain staffing levels in 2023, Friese said. So that was seen as a welcome sign from many registered nurses. County and statewide, enough individuals have RN licenses to fill nursing vacanciesif health care systems focused on nurse retention, Friese said. One problem is that unlike physicians, who can bill insurers directly for services, nursing care is lumped into room and board expenses. This model incentivizes health care systems to cut nursing positions to save on expenses. U-M health economist Olga Yakusheva, professor of nursing and public health, recently published an article in the journal Health Affairs that proposes a new funding model, which she believes would incentivize hospitals to fill nursing vacancies. She discusses her research in a Michigan News Q&A. The Michigan Nurses Study findings appear July 18 in JAMA Network Open. A new study shows that about two percent of the population develop autoantibodies against type 1 interferons, mostly later in life. This makes individuals more susceptible to viral diseases like COVID-19. The study, conducted by UZH researchers together with a USZ team, is based on an analysis of a large collection of historical blood samples. Virus infections trigger the cells of the immune system to release type 1 interferons. These proteins act as early messengers that warn uninfected cells and tissues that a virus is spreading. This allows cells to prepare themselves so that they are ready to fight the virus when it reaches them. In individuals with a compromised type 1 interferon system, severe viral infections can occur because the body cannot mount a full defense. Recent research has shown that about 5 to 15 percent of people who are in hospital with severe COVID-19 or influenza have a deficiency in their type 1 interferon response. This is because their blood contains autoantibodies antibodies that target a person's own structures that bind type 1 interferons and stop the messenger from functioning. Unique samples for blood analysis With our study, we wanted to find out what causes the immune systems of some people to turn against themselves and to also understand the consequences of having autoantibodies against type 1 interferons." Benjamin Hale, study head, professor at the Institute of Medical Virology of the University of Zurich (UZH) His research team utilized a very large collection of frozen blood samples from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, originally donated for research on HIV infection. They analyzed the samples of around 2,000 adults who had donated blood samples twice a year for several decades. "This study was only possible because of this unique biobank of stored longitudinal blood samples and well-curated clinical data," says Hale. The fact that the donors were people living with HIV had no relevance for the results, because in this cohort the virus was suppressed by treatment. Aging population is vulnerable First, the UZH team analyzed the blood samples for the presence of autoantibodies against type 1 interferons to find out who had developed the autoantibodies, when this occurred, and how long these autoantibodies lasted in the blood. The analysis revealed that around two percent of individuals produced autoantibodies against type 1 interferons in their lifetime and that this typically occurred between the ages of 60 to 65. This confirms prior studies that reported that the prevalence of autoantibodies against type 1 interferons might increase with age. Next, by studying clinical data, researchers at the Department of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology of the University Hospital Zurich (USZ) were also able to understand which factors contributed to the development of autoantibodies against type 1 interferons. The individuals who developed them appeared to be prone to also producing antibodies against other proteins formed by their own bodies. This so-called loss of self-tolerance can occur in some people as they age. "These individuals may produce antibodies against their own type 1 interferons because they are both prone to making autoantibodies and are exposed to high levels of type 1 interferons, for example because their immune system produces interferons against other infections at the time," supposes Hale. Lifelong consequences of autoantibodies Importantly, the study found that once developed, these autoantibodies remained detectable in the blood of individuals for the rest of their lives. People with autoantibodies against type 1 interferons, even when they had developed them as far back as in 2008, were more likely to suffer from severe COVID-19 in 2020. "These autoantibodies have consequences for individuals decades later, leading to a compromised type 1 interferon system and reduced immunity against viruses," says Hale. Understanding these risk factors might lead to future diagnostic tests that can identify older individuals who are more prone to developing this deficiency, and therefore help with measures to prevent autoantibodies ever developing. Identifying individuals with autoantibodies against type 1 interferons could also help to prioritize these people for vaccines or antivirals to prevent severe viral infections. UCSF team discovers brain activity patterns that foreshadow seizures up to 24 hours before they occur. A team of epilepsy specialists at UC San Francisco has developed a method to predict 24-hour seizure risk. The discovery, which may be scalable to large numbers of patients, could help to improve the quality of life for the 2.9 million Americans living with the daily uncertainties of epilepsy. The researchers, led by Vikram Rao, MD, PhD, a Distinguished Professor in Neurology, showed that the storm of brain activity characterizing a seizure is presaged by abnormal communication between specific areas of the brain. By analyzing just 90 seconds of these aberrant brain signals, the researchers could forecast seizure risk. Until now, the changes in brain activity and the sequence of events leading up to a seizure have been largely unknown. By identifying one of those events, we can offer patients information that can reduce one of the most stressful aspects of epilepsy: the unpredictability of seizures." Vikram Rao, MD, PhD, a Distinguished Professor in Neurology The results appear July 12 in Nature Medicine. A storm in the brain The effort to predict seizures isn't new, but current methods need to gather data over long periods of time, which can be burdensome for patients. Accuracy varies widely, based on the specifics of the person's condition, the quality of the data and the algorithm that is used. Some people with epilepsy who don't respond to anti-seizure medications have a device implanted that can monitor brain activity and try to prevent it with electrical stimulation when it recognizes the sign of a seizure. These responsive neurostimulation systems, or RNS devices, sometimes respond too late to fend off the seizure. But Rao's technology can predict seizures. Rao collaborated with Ankit Khambhati, PhD, an assistant professor of neurosurgery who studies brain circuits associated with epilepsy, in the hopes of identifying a pattern of changes in how parts of the brain communicate with each other that could more easily and accurately foreshadow an oncoming seizure. "Patients aren't always having seizures, but their epilepsy never goes away," Khambhati said. "We wanted to find a signature of how patients' brains are operating long before an event, while the disease is there in the background but they're not having an episode." Rao recruited 15 volunteers whose seizures arise from the hippocampus, which is found on both sides of the brain and plays a role in most types of epilepsy. These patients all had RNS devices that had recorded months of brain activity, which the researchers scanned for clues. They found a cycle of activity several days long that was associated with seizures. Within it was evidence of a change in communication between the two hippocampi. When the risk of a seizure was low, the right and left hippocampus operated independently, in a normal, healthy way. But signs of seizure risk increased when the two sides began to communicate, slowly synchronizing. Whatever mechanism had kept them from communicating with each was breaking down, Khambhati explained, likening the result to the onset of stormy weather. "Before a storm, the clouds come in and the wind picks up, and you know that soon, the thing will really get going." Snapshot seizure forecasting In the brain of a person living with epilepsy, the time between sunny skies and the storm striking ranges from minutes to hours, but the indicators are there up to a day before. To see these indicators, Rao's team had patients download and transmit data from their RNS devices to the researchers, who then run the data through their algorithm. The researchers found that as little as 90 seconds of data was sufficient to spot the pattern and assess the likelihood of a seizure occurring in the next 24 hours, a process they call "snapshot seizure forecasting." It gives the person time to take precautions, like avoiding driving or making sure they have a caregiver with them. The forecasting pattern was similar for virtually all the 15 study participants, increasing likelihood that the approach will work for other people with this form of epilepsy. Rao and Khambhati plan to test the approach on a much larger number of patients, including those with different types of epilepsy. They also hope to develop a method for gathering the data in a noninvasive way that doesn't require a brain implant. Surveys of people with epilepsy show that up to 70% of them would use a forecasting system to help plan the following day, Khambhati said, adding that patients find it just as helpful to know when their seizure risk is low as when it is high. "People with epilepsy often live in so much fear of having an unpredictable event that they avoid doing things they'd like to do," Khambhati said. "These forecasts can give them confidence that they can just go out and have a normal day." Temperature extremes, becoming increasingly frequent due to growing global climate change, are associated with higher rates of missed primary care appointments, according to a recently published study from Drexel University researchers in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The researchers found that rates of missed appointments increased by 0.72% for every 1F decrease in daily maximum temperatures below 39F and increased by 0.64% for every 1F increase above 89F. Patients 65 and older and those with chronic conditions had stronger associations with an increased rate of missed appointments. These findings should be a clarion call for clinical teams, including their practice managers to adapt to ensure care access for patients before the problem gets worse." Nathalie S. May, MD, senior author, professor in Drexel University College of Medicine The team tallied 1,048,575 appointments from 91,580 adult patients at 13 university outpatient clinics in Philadelphia from Jan. 2009 through Dec. 2019 and linked those with daily maximum temperature and precipitation data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The group controlled for seasonal trends, sociodemographic attributes and chronic disease status. "During the covid pandemic, telemedicine became an integral part of healthcare delivery," said Drexel College of Medicine Clinical Associate Professor Janet H. Fitzpatrick, MD, one of the lead authors on the study. "With worsening climate change, this study supports advocating for permanent telemedicine coverage as an option to ensure patients can get the care they need." Telemedicine has been linked with a 13% lower odds of missed appointments in a study of patients at Federally Qualified Health Centers. The Earth's temperature increased 0.11 degrees Fahrenheit each decade, on average, since 1850, although the rate of warming has more than tripled in recent decades-;0.36 degrees every 10 years since 1982. Some estimates suggest the global average temperature could increase by as much as 9 degrees Fahrenheit in the next 76 years. "Extreme temperatures from climate change threaten the health and well-being of all patients with chronic health conditions," said May. "We must be especially vigilant for our most vulnerable patients who may not have the resources to combat extreme heat or extreme cold stretches. In studying the impact of climate change in primary care utilization, we hope to promote policies that support health and equity in light of the negative effects of climate change, especially in cities." The researchers took the data a step further, looking at zip-code data from the American Community Survey's social deprivation index (SDI) a measure of disadvantage or social deprivation that factors in seven attributes like poverty rate, education level, percent living in rented units and other factors but found no statistically significant association between higher SDI and rates of missed appointments. Although the lack of association with SDI was surprising to the authors, 87 percent of the study's patients had private insurance, so the authors caution that this measure might not be an accurate way to assess an individual patient's SDI and how it affects their likelihood to miss medical appointments. Numerous studies link climate change with many health problems, including chronic kidney disease, asthma, heart disease, violent crime, worsening mental health, and other conditions. The current study is among very limited data available that suggests extreme weather can impact primary care visit attendance. The data in this paper contrasts with a 2014 paper in the journal Decision Support Systems that found no significant link between weather and missed primary care appointments. Additional studies into the causes of no-show appointments suggest that factors such as previous no-shows, day of the week, use of automated reminders, and average temperature can play a role in attendance. The authors say future studies would benefit from evaluating how transportation access influences missed appointment rates. "When patients don't show up at appointments, they damage their own health, and also cause downstream consequences for others," said Fitzpatrick. "No shows waste valuable appointment slots that could be used for others anxiously awaiting appointments and can lead to decreased patient satisfaction due to longer wait times. It also makes our nation's healthcare system more expensive, due to increased use of urgent care and emergency room visits, and poorer management of chronic illness leading to more medical care needed in the future." This research was supported by The Environmental Collaboratory at Drexel University's Environmental Inaugural Research Grant. In addition to May and Fitzpatrick, Adrienne Willard, Janelle R. Edwards, Meera N. Harhay, Leah H. Schinasi, and Janet Matthews, contributed to this research. Donald Trumps presidential campaign has rented the Dedmon Center at Radford University to host a rally for vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance on Monday, the school confirmed Thursday. The event is scheduled to run from 6 to 7:30 p.m., according to a university email. The event is expected to affect traffic in the city, as well as parking on and around campus beginning late Monday morning and continuing into the evening, according to the email. There had been no official announcement of the event by the Trump-Vance campaign as of Thursday afternoon. Vance accepted the vice presidential nomination in a speech late Wednesday. Vance was chosen as Trumps running mate earlier this week. Trump made a campaign stop at the Dedmon Center in 2016. The email concluded: As a public university in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Radford Universitys venues are available to outside organizations for their use. When executive-branch candidates select Radford University as a rally site for southwest Virginia, this provides an opportunity for people in the region to participate in the democratic process. The university is not an official host or sponsor of the vice-presidential rally and does not otherwise endorse any political candidates, their positions or opinions. The host Julie Rovner KFF Health News @jrovner Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News' weekly health policy news podcast, "What the Health?" A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book "Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z," now in its third edition. The Republican National Convention highlighted a number of policy issues this week, but health care was not among them. That was not much of a surprise, as it is not a top priority for former President Donald Trump or most GOP voters. The nomination of Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio adds an outspoken abortion opponent to the Republican ticket, though he brings no particular background or expertise in health care. Meanwhile, abortion opponents are busy trying to block state ballot questions from reaching voters in November. Legal battles over potential proposals continue in several states, including Florida, Arkansas, and Arizona. This week's panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins schools of public health and nursing and Politico Magazine. Panelists Alice Miranda Ollstein Politico @AliceOllstein Joanne Kenen Johns Hopkins University and Politico @JoanneKenen Sarah Karlin-Smith Pink Sheet @SarahKarlin Among the takeaways from this week's episode: Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio has cast few votes on health policy since joining Congress last year. He has taken a doctrinaire approach to abortion restrictions, though, including expressing support for prohibiting abortion-related interstate travel and invoking the Comstock Act to block use of the mail for abortion medications. He also speaks openly about his mother's struggles with addiction, framing it as a health rather than criminal issue in a way that resonates with many Americans. Although Republicans have largely abandoned calls to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, it would be easy for former President Donald Trump to undermine the program in a second term; expanded subsidies for coverage are due to expire next year, and there's always the option to cut spending on marketing the program, as Trump did during his first term. Trump's recent comments to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about childhood vaccinations echoed tropes linked to the anti-vaccination movement particularly the false claim that while one vaccine may be safe, it is perhaps dangerous to receive several at once. The federal vaccination schedule has been rigorously evaluated and found to be safe and effective. Covid is surging once again, with President Joe Biden among those testing positive this week. The virus is proving a year-round concern and has peaked regularly in summertime; covid spreads best indoors, and lately millions of Americans have taken refuge inside from extremely high temperatures. Meanwhile, the virology community is concerned that the nation isn't testing enough animals or humans to understand the risk posed by bird flu. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News' Renuka Rayasam, who wrote the June installment of KFF Health News-NPRs "Bill of the Month," about a patient who walked into what he thought was an urgent care center and walked out with an emergency room bill. If you have an exorbitant or baffling medical bill, you can send it to us here. Plus, for "extra credit," the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: Time magazine's "'We're Living in a Nightmare:' Inside the Health Crisis of a Texas Bitcoin Town," by Andrew R Chow. Joanne Kenen: The Washington Post's "A Mom Struggles To Feed Her Kids After GOP States Reject Federal Funds," by Annie Gowen. Alice Miranda Ollstein: ProPublica's "Texas Sends Millions to Crisis Pregnancy Centers. It's Meant To Help Needy Families, but No One Knows if It Works," by Cassandra Jaramillo, Jeremy Kohler, and Sophie Chou, ProPublica, and Jessica Kegu, CBS News. Sarah Karlin-Smith: The New York Times' "Promised Cures, Tainted Cells: How Cord Blood Banks Mislead Patients," by Sarah Kliff and Azeen Ghorayshi. Also mentioned on this week's podcast: The Wall Street Journal's "Mail-Order Drugs Were Supposed To Keep Costs Down. It's Doing the Opposite," by Jared S. Hopkins. Credits Francis Ying Audio producer Emmarie Huetteman Editor About 1 in 3 U.S. adults have at least three risk factors for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, a health disorder related to the strong connections among cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and metabolic disease (such as Type 2 diabetes and obesity). Yet there is no single clinical practice guideline to treat people with CKM syndrome, and gaps exist in preventing, screening, managing and comprehensively treating these diseases. To address this complex health threat, the American Heart Association, celebrating 100 years of lifesaving service as a global force for healthier lives for all, is creating a four-year Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health (CKMH) Initiative to implement a person-centered approach to awareness, professional and patient education, and treatment of CKM syndrome. The initiative, supported by Novo Nordisk and Boehringer Ingelheim, will assess gaps in clinical care, identify areas for future research and implement guidelines and screening recommendations to provide clear and definitive advice for treatment. The American Heart Association will collaborate on this with the American College of Physicians, American Diabetes Association, American Society of Nephrology, National Kidney Foundation and STOP Obesity Alliance at the Milken Institute School of Public Health. The effort will engage 150 hospitals and sites across the nation, reaching more than 265,000 patients. CKM syndrome was first defined by the American Heart Association in an October 2023 presidential advisory and scientific statement, both published in its flagship peer-reviewed scientific journal Circulation. As the underlying conditions of CKM syndrome worsen, the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney and liver diseases increases. Given the complexity and interconnectedness of CKM conditions, it is important to take a holistic approach, bringing best practices to life across the lived experiences of individuals and the health care professionals who treat them. "By having a person-centered focus that harmonizes care, we will be able to drive earlier identification of cardiovascular- kidney-metabolic conditions, implement better treatment and care, and increase awareness, knowledge and skill-building." Mariell Jessup, M.D., FAHA, chief science and medical officer of the American Heart Association Informed by the new clinical compendium, the Association will expand CKMH measures within its Get With The Guidelines and outpatient data registries, as well as develop a CKM recognition program for individual health care professionals and health systems dedicated to improving CKM care. In collaboration with the Cardiometabolic Center Alliance, the American Heart Association will develop a scalable patient-centered certification supported by a national health system implementation science framework to improve treatment for CKM syndrome. "Novo Nordisk is honored to work with the American Heart Association in advancing the CKMH initiative, addressing crucial gaps in screening, preventing and treating cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome," said Anna Windle, PhD, senior vice president, clinical development, medical and regulatory affairs, Novo Nordisk. "Our dedication to enhancing cardiometabolic health uniquely positions us to lead substantial change. We look forward to supporting the Association's CKMH Initiative focused on improving cross-specialty cooperation, promoting adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy and implementing best practices to bolster support for patients in this area of significant unmet need." "Cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic diseases together represent one of the fastest growing health challenges of our time," said Carinne Brouillon, PharmD, MBA, head of human pharma at Boehringer Ingelheim. "Which is why we at Boehringer are delighted to support the American Heart Association on this critical initiative that will promote education and awareness, pinpoint new research areas and establish essential guidelines -; all critical areas of focus for us as a company, where we have rich history and knowledge." The CKMH Initiative is part of the Association's strategic investment in improving care for CKM conditions. Four of the Association's Life's Essential 8TM -; weight, blood pressure, lipids and blood glucose -; are elements of metabolic dysfunction. When controlled, they lead to improved cardiovascular health, lowering the risk for heart disease, stroke, metabolic disorders, kidney disease and other major health problems. In January, the Association unveiled its PREVENTTM (Predicting Risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs) risk calculator, which incorporates CKM syndrome when evaluating heart attack, stroke and heart failure risk. The new initiative aims to increase systematic screening for social drivers of health and incorporate more community health workers and social workers into interdisciplinary care teams, among other efforts to combat negative social risk factors. Due to the connections identified among these conditions, and as part of its second century vision for accelerating scientific breakthroughs, the American Heart Association in a separate endeavor will draw on its decades of experience to launch a novel patient-centric longitudinal registry of individuals living with obesity, including those prescribed treatment for weight management. In female patients living with sickle cell disease (SCD), hydroxyurea had no effect on ovarian reserve, suggesting that fertility preservation measures prior to treatment may be unnecessary, according to a study published in Blood Advances. SCD is the most common inherited red blood cell disorder in the United States, affecting an estimated 100,000 people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), SCD affects one out of every 365 Black or African American births and one out of every 16,300 Hispanic American births. SCD's rigid, sickle-shaped cells can become lodged in blood vessels, causing a multitude of serious health issues, including vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC), a leading cause of death among those with SCD whereby the cells create blockages large enough to reduce or cut off blood flow to organs. Hydroxyurea, a drug introduced in the mid-1990s, is commonly used to reduce the frequency of VOC and other SCD-related effects, including acute chest syndrome and the need for blood transfusions. However, concerns have long persisted about the medication's potential effect on fertility. "Many female patients with SCD avoid hydroxyurea due to concerns about fertility," said Tamara Diesch-Furlanetto, MD, of the University Children's Hospital Basel in Switzerland, and the lead study author. "However, they should be more confident in hydroxyurea as a therapy. It reduces VOC and hospitalization rates, increasing their quality of life, and, according to the data from this study, doesn't impact fertility." For the study, Dr. Diesch-Furlanetto and her colleagues collected ovarian tissue samples before stem cell transplantation to assess the effect of hydroxyurea on ovarian reserve. Data analysis and histological analysis -; the process of examining tissue samples under a microscope -; were conducted retrospectively. The long-held notion that hydroxyurea reduces fertility in female patients with SCD stems from four previous studies that indirectly evaluated the drug's impact by measuring changes in the levels of serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), which is expressed by granulosa cells of growing ovarian follicles. These studies found that AMH was significantly lower in patients with SCD who had been treated with hydroxyurea. Of the 76 patients included in the retrospective study who underwent ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC), 35 received hydroxyurea prior to OTC, with 50 having not yet gone through puberty at the time of OTC. The median age at OTC was 10.2 years, and no patients received hydroxyurea during OTC. To determine ovarian reserve, Dr. Diesch-Furlanetto and her colleagues calculated the density of primordial follicles, which are present at birth and comprise the majority of the ovaries. The researchers measured the density of these previously dormant follicles now exhibiting transforming, proliferating cells. They found that the median density of primordial follicles was not significantly lower in those who had received hydroxyurea compared with those who had not (5.8 follicles/mm2 vs. 4.2 follicles/mm2, respectively). When adjusted for age, the density of growing follicles in their primary stage was marginally lower in those who had received hydroxyurea compared to those who had not (0.2 follicles/mm2 vs. 0.5 follicles/mm2, respectively). This observation aligns with previous studies, explaining why AMH was lower in patients with SCD. The study authors hypothesize that while this difference can be attributed to hydroxyurea, which increases cell death and oxidative stress, leading to cell damage, it only alters the developmental process of growing follicles, not their quantity. "This is the first time we can say, after examining histological tissue, that hydroxyurea doesn't impact ovarian reserve," said Dr. Diesch-Furlanetto. These results confirm her clinical observations, with many of her female patients with SCD successfully conceiving despite previous and contradicting literature. Individuals living with SCD should still consider preserving ovarian tissue before [hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)], but it's not obligatory if they are just being treated with hydroxyurea." Tamara Diesch-Furlanetto, MD, of the University Children's Hospital Basel in Switzerland These findings could make hydroxyurea more appealing to those who might benefit from the drug but have not pursued it as a therapy because of concerns about reduced fertility or the costs associated with fertility preservation. As of early last year, only 11 states mandated private insurance coverage for fertility preservation, with public insurance covering it in just two states. Due to its retrospective nature, the study had a few limitations, including a lack of data on patients' AMH levels at the time of OTC and an imbalance in the number of patient records between the two treatment groups, which may affect some statistical analyses. Additionally, OTC was performed in patients after not receiving hydroxyurea for an extended period of time, making it difficult to draw conclusions about the drug's impact on growing follicles. Further, the study did not compare the follicle densities of patients with SCD to those of a healthy control group. Looking ahead, Dr. Diesch-Furlanetto hopes for prospective studies regarding hydroxyurea's impact on fertility and additional research on ovarian tissue transplantation. She and her colleagues are currently investigating whether patients with SCD who received a haploidentical stem cell transplant experienced a recovery in their AMH levels. In a report published in Nature Cell Biology, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, the University of Manitoba and collaborating institutions revealed an unexpected way in which the protein OTX2 drives the progression of medulloblastoma the most common aggressive childhood brain cancer. The findings suggest that targeting OTX2 or its effects can have therapeutic relevance. "We see medulloblastoma stem cells as the root of the disease. The tumors develop from these cells early during development of the cerebellum, the brain region located at the back of the head," said co-corresponding author Dr. Tamra Werbowetski-Ogilvie, professor of pediatrics, hematology-oncology at Baylor, Texas Children's and adjunct professor at the University of Manitoba. "We already knew that OTX2 is a transcription factor in these stem cells it helps the cells transcribe the instructions in the genes into functional proteins. Here, we investigated what other roles OTX2 could play to generate medulloblastoma." The researchers conducted a comprehensive screening of the proteins that interact with OTX2 in the cell. "We confirmed the usual suspects, proteins involved in transcription, but unexpectedly, we discovered that OTX2 also interacts with other proteins called splicing factors." Splicing factors are involved in alternative splicing, a cellular process that allows cells to produce different proteins from the instructions encoded in a single gene. "Imagine that three cooks meet in the kitchen to bake a cake," Werbowetski-Ogilvie said. "They all begin with the same instructions, but each cook adds a different twist to the cake. One cook uses more chocolate than the others, another cook substitutes yogurt for butter and the third one adds shredded carrots to the cake. In the end, different versions of the cake emerge from the same recipe, and some may taste better than the others." Alternative splicing is similar. A cell can combine the different components of a transcribed gene (the ingredients in the cake recipe analogy) in different ways, giving rise to different proteins. Some versions of the protein will promote normal stem cell development, others might not work, and other proteins might take the cells on a path to disease. We found that OTX2 is like the cook that makes an unpalatable cake. OTX2 plays several roles in controlling alternative splicing of genes that fuel medulloblastoma development. For example, a specific version of the gene PPHLN1 promotes medulloblastoma stem cell growth and survival instead of normal growth. This is the first time that alternative splicing has been shown to play a functional role in the development of the most aggressive kind of medulloblastoma." Dr. Tamra Werbowetski-Ogilvie, professor of pediatrics, hematology-oncology at Baylor, Texas Children's and adjunct professor at the University of Manitoba Importantly, the researchers discovered that disturbing PPHLN1 gene splicing with an anti-PPHLN1 drug called a morpholino reduces tumor growth, opening new possibilities for the development of improved treatments. "This research demonstrates the effectiveness of unbiased multi-level studies, combined with collaboration between teams with diverse skills, in advancing our knowledge of how OTX2 drives medulloblastoma," said co-senior author Dr. Brad Doble, associate professor and Bihler Chair in Stem Cell Research in the Departments of Pediatrics and Child Health & Biochemistry and Medical Genetics at the University of Manitoba. The findings have implications beyond cancer. "It is fascinating that a transcription factor would be moonlighting to control splicing, and that this differential splicing should be important in both childhood brain cancer and the normal development of the human fetal hindbrain," said co-corresponding author Dr. Michael D. Taylor, professor of pediatrics, hematology oncology and neurosurgery at Baylor and Texas Children's. He also is the Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Chair of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at Texas Children's Cancer and Hematology Center. Other contributors to this work include Olivier Saulnier, Jamie Zagozewski, Lisa Liang, Liam D. Hendrikse, Paul Layug, Victor Gordon, Kimberly A. Aldinger, Parthiv Haldipur, Stephanie Borlase, Ludivine Coudiere-Morrison, Ting Cai, Emma Martell, Naomi M. Gonzales, Gareth Palidwor, Christopher J Porter, Stephane Richard, Tanveer Sharif, Kathleen J. Millen and Brad W Doble. The authors are affiliated with one or more of the following institutions: Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, University of Manitoba, the Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Seattle Children's Research Institute, PLS University Paris, Institute Curie Paris, University of Toronto, Seattle Children's Research Institute, University of Washington, Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine Seattle, McGill University Montreal and Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. Children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are at significantly higher risk of a number of mental health issues, including mood and anxiety disorders, a study from a team in the UK and the Czech Republic has found. The findings highlight the urgent need for monitoring and support for the mental health of young people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. According to the charity JDRF, there are 8.7 million people living with type 1 diabetes around the world, including over 400,000 people in the UK. It is a chronic, life-threatening condition, usually diagnosed in childhood, that has a life-long impact. Currently, people with type 1 diabetes rely on a routine of finger-prick blood tests and insulin injections or infusions, because their pancreas no longer produces insulin itself, although recent developments in artificial pancreas technology are helping transform this care. Previous studies have shown potential links between childhood-onset type 1 diabetes and a number of mental health disorders in adulthood. However, it is not clear whether these links can be best explained by the impacts of living with the condition and its treatment, or whether underlying common biological mechanisms may be implicated, for example the impact of unstable blood sugar levels on the developing adolescent brain. To help answer this question, a team of researchers turned to data from over 4,500 children with type 1 diabetes on a national register in the Czech Republic and from large-scale European DNA studies. From the national register data, the researchers found that children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes compared to children without the condition were over twice as likely to develop a mood disorder and more than 50% more likely to develop an anxiety disorder. They were also more than four times more likely to develop behavioural syndromes including eating and sleep disorders Conversely, children with type 1 diabetes were at a much lower risk of developing psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia almost half the risk compared to their peers. The findings are consistent with the results from two other national register studies in Sweden and in Denmark, suggesting that the results would likely apply to other countries, too, including the UK. The team used a statistical technique known as Mendelian Randomisation to probe causal links between type 1 diabetes and these various psychiatric disorders, but found little evidence in support of a common underlying biological mechanism. Tomas Formanek, a PhD student at the University of Cambridge and the National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic, said: "Although we found a concerning increase in the risk of mental health problems among people living with type 1 diabetes, our study and others before it suggest this is unlikely to be the result of common biological mechanisms. This emphasises the importance of prevention and sustained attention to the mental health needs of children and young people with type 1 diabetes." The researchers say that mental health problems in later life may be a result of children with type 1 diabetes being forced to make significant changes to their lives, with a constant focus on monitoring their food intake and a need to check blood sugar levels and administer insulin injections. This often leaves these children feeling excluded from social events and singled-out by peers, teachers and even family members. We know that people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes can experience 'diabetes distress'. This can include extreme frustration with blood sugars and feelings of isolation and can lead to burnout, hopelessness, and a feeling of lack of control. It's little wonder, then, that they are at risk of compounding mental health problems, spanning into their adult lives." Dr. Benjamin Perry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge Professor Peter Jones, also from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, added: "Our findings emphasise the urgent need to support children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, look out for signs of mental health problems and offer timely, expert help. That way, it may be possible to help these children early, before these problems fully take root." The research was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration East of England at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust and the Ministry of Health, Czech Republic, with additional funding from Wellcome and the UKRI Medical Research Council. A comprehensive scoping review led by McMaster University researchers provides the first map of the field of Maternal and Infant Health (MIH) research in Morocco over a span of 22 years, from 2000 to 2022 and suggests a different way to study global health. Ellen Amster, Jason A. Hannah Chair in the History of Medicine at McMaster University and associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine, spearheaded the extensive review published on July 18, 2024 in PLOS Global Health. The review is the first research output of the Morocco-Canada Network in Maternal and Infant Health. Morocco is celebrated as a global health success story in maternal infant health, meeting World Health Organization and Sustainable Development Goal targets. However, many Moroccans feel the health system is not working. There was a revolt in the north (Hirak Rif) in 2017, doctors have gone on strike, and medical students have refused to sit the exams. There is clearly a difference between official health stats and social reality on the ground." Ellen Amster, Jason A. Hannah Chair in the History of Medicine at McMaster University In 2018, Amster along with other McMaster researchers traveled to Morocco on a CIHR Public Health Global Health Planning Grant, to create the network with local colleagues and discuss MIH issues in three environments: Rabat, Marrakesh, and the High Atlas Mountains. Canadian researchers gained firsthand experience in the field, interacting with Moroccan women's NGOs, discussing with Moroccan healthcare professionals the challenges they are experiencing, understanding Muslim women's rights and social status and learning about the health work of local NGOs in the remote rural High Atlas mountains. The Morocco-Canada Network in Maternal and Infant Health was established by Canadian and Moroccan MIH researchers to foster their research collaboration and exchange. The scoping review aimed to map existing knowledge, identify gaps, and explore the "unseen" in MIH research in Morocco. Findings revealed that MIH research focused on well-developed and high income regions, while rural, lower income areas particularly those where the majority speak Tamazight ("Berber") remained virtually unstudied. Many vulnerable populations also remained invisible to research. "This review will be a resource for Moroccan researchers and policymakers and inform future directions for research, clinical practice, and advocacy," says Amster. "Using interdisciplinary research methods can help bridge gaps within MIH research and inform policy decisions," Amster explains. "Future global health research should also ask who and what are not captured by official statistics. In Morocco, studies should broaden their geographic scope to capture neglected and vulnerable populations." The government is giving away money! So say ads on a variety of social media platforms. Consumers, the ads claim, can qualify for $1,400 or even $6,400 a month to use on groceries, rent, medical expenses, and other bills. Some mention no-cost health insurance coverage. But that's not the whole story. And here's the spoiler no one is getting monthly checks to help with these everyday expenses. Such ads are now under scrutiny for the role they may play in helping rogue insurance agents and companies sign up tens of thousands of consumers for Affordable Care Act coverage or switch them from their existing ACA plans without their express permission. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees the federal ACA marketplace, also known as Obamacare, has reported at least 90,000 complaints about unauthorized enrollment or plan-switching in the first quarter of the year. Those numbers have also caught the attention of House Republicans, who on June 28 requested investigations by the Government Accountability Office and the Office of Inspector General at the Department of Health and Human Services. Fraud including from unauthorized switches by brokers, as reported by KFF Health News in recent months and noted in the congressional requests might be part of the problem, House members wrote. They cited an analysis from a conservative group that estimated that millions of people or their brokers reported incorrect financial information to qualify for large ACA tax credits. Whether advertising efforts will be part of any such investigation is unknown. Details on how an alleged scheme used misleading ads are included in a Florida lawsuit filed in April. The suit claims that several marketing and insurance sales firms used misleading ads as part of a collaborative effort to gin up questionable, commission-earning business. The firms named in the case say the allegations are meritless. "Telling someone they are going to get $6,400 a month in a cash card for rent or groceries or whatever else, that is a lie, that's fraud, even if you put in a small boilerplate on the bottom trying to say something different," said Jason Kellogg, one of two attorneys who filed the complaint in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Here's how it worked, according to the suit and interviews with the attorneys who filed it: When consumers responded to the ads by phone, they were not connected with a government program. Instead, they were linked directly to insurance call centers, which paid the lead-generating firms placing the ads to transfer the calls. At best, consumers who respond to the ads might find out they qualify for ACA tax credits, which vary in size, to help offset the premiums for zero-cost or low-cost coverage. Those payments, though, are sent directly to insurers. At worst, according to allegations in the lawsuit, consumers wind up with coverage they didn't select and that might not meet their needs, or their existing coverage is switched to a new plan, which might have a different network of doctors and hospitals or higher deductibles and copays. The suit alleges much of this was accomplished without consumers' "proper knowledge and consent." Depending on how it's done, creating ads and gathering names to sell to insurance sales firms is not illegal, but deceptive ads are. The Federal Trade Commission defines a deceptive ad as one that "contains a misrepresentation or omission that is likely to mislead consumers acting reasonably under the circumstances to their detriment." Even that isn't always clear-cut. "I get into talks with attorneys all the time," said Bonnie Burns, a consultant with the nonprofit California Health Advocates. "Is this language I'm seeing that I think is fraudulent does it actually meet that test? It's frustrating and maddening as hell." After looking at several ads that have appeared recently on social media but not specifically the ones included in the lawsuit one marketing expert had no doubt. "This clearly crosses the line to deception," said Charles R. Taylor, a professor of marketing at Villanova University. "It is a form of bait and switch, by leading people to think they are going to get cash payments." In the U.S., oversight of advertising historically falls to the FTC. "Investigating deceptive lead generation and marketing practices is a big part of what we do around consumer protection," said Elizabeth Scott, an FTC attorney who has worked on several recent cases, including a $195 million judgment against Florida-based Simple Health Plans, which the FTC alleged used misleading advertising and sales tactics to sell consumers low-quality coverage when they thought they were buying comprehensive health insurance. But states also have regulatory authority. They issue licenses to insurance agents and oversee insurance carriers. Most of this crop of ACA ads, however, are from lead-generating companies, which, under some states' rules, fall into a gray area. An FTC spokesperson would not comment on whether the agency was looking at any such advertising issues currently. CMS does not have regulatory authority over marketing entities doing advertising but is working with other federal agencies that do, said Ellen Montz, deputy administrator and director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight at CMS. It does, however, have authority over agents and brokers, who can be barred from using the federal ACA marketplace if they are found to have broken rules, including using "leads generated from advertisements that an agent or broker knows is misleading or coercive," Montz said. So far, the Florida lawsuit filed in April remains the most public challenge to the ACA-related advertisements. The case was filed by Kellogg, along with attorney Jason Doss of Georgia. It alleges that several marketing firms, insurance brokerages, and privately held ACA enrollment websites knowingly relied on misleading advertisements and told their call center staffers to be vague about the subsidies they promised. "It's not about selling people health insurance. It's about tricking people into enrolling in health insurance," Doss said. Consumers often didn't know they were being signed up for coverage, the lawsuit alleges, and some were switched multiple times. While unscrupulous agents or call centers then gained the monthly commissions, consumers faced a range of financial and other problems, including losing access to their doctors or treatments, the suit claims. Named as defendants are TrueCoverage and Enhance Health, which operate insurance call centers in Florida and other states; Speridian Technologies, a New Mexico-based limited liability company that owns and controls TrueCoverage; and Number One Prospecting, doing business as Minerva Marketing, which is also a lead-generating company. The lawsuit also names two people: Brandon Bowsky, founder and CEO of Minerva; and Matthew Herman, CEO of Enhance Health. TrueCoverage spokesperson Catherine Riedel told KFF Health News the firm approves all ads from lead-generating marketing firms and "has not knowingly approved any misleading content." Furthermore, "in our research, we haven't found anyone who got enrolled connected to misleading content." Olga Vieira, an attorney representing Enhance Health, said in a statement to KFF Health News: "This lawsuit is without legal merit and we will vigorously defend against these baseless claims." Attorneys representing the other defendants did not respond to requests for comment. The suit was filed on behalf of agents who lost business when their clients were switched and consumers like Texas resident Angelina Wells, who responded to an advertisement she saw on Facebook in November that touted $6,400 cash cards. "Wells never received the cash card she was promised," the lawsuit says, "and she did not recall enrolling into the health plan at all." From November to January, call center agents switched Wells at least three times, to three insurance carriers, without her consent, the lawsuit says. Doss said agents, armed with only a person's name, date of birth, and state of residence, can make switches through private-sector direct enrollment websites that integrate with the federal healthcare.gov marketplace. While dozens of these enrollment sites operate with CMS approval, the lawsuit focuses mainly on two: Benefitalign, which was developed by the parent company of the defendant TrueCoverage, and Jet Health Solutions, which was purchased by the other call center defendant, Enhance Health, in mid-2023. Having access to proprietary enrollment platforms allowed the call centers to sign up "the maximum number of consumers in the shortest amount of time without outside scrutiny," according to the lawsuit. TrueCoverage spokesperson Riedel said all transactions on private enrollment sites "are audited and logged" by the federal marketplace, so "it is not true" that such transactions lack scrutiny. Enhance Health didn't provide specific comments on this topic. The lawsuit says Enhance launched in 2021, not long after receiving a $150 million capital infusion from Bain Capital Insurance, a private investment firm. Initially, it planned to market and sell Medicare Advantage policies, but it switched to ACA policies after rules went into effect in 2022 allowing low-income people to enroll in coverage year-round. "The biggest problem is that these agencies are trying to do a high-volume ACA business model that targets poor people," Doss said, based on assertions made in the lawsuit. "In order to get those people to enroll, they have to entice them using false advertisements. Sanstar IPO: The initial public offering (IPO) of plant-based speciality products company Sanstar Limited has been opened for public subscription on Friday. Its retail and non-institutional investors quotas have been fully subscribed within the first two hours of its bidding. Till 5:30 pm on the first day of bidding on Friday, July 19, the 510.15-crore IPO received a 4.20 times subscription, garnering bids for 15,77,98,350 shares as against 3,75,90,000 shares on offer. According to the latest data, the retail quota received a 4.14 times subscription, while the non-institutional investors category got a 9.87 times subscription. The qualified institutional buyers (QIB) category received a 5 per cent subscription. The price band of the IPO has been fixed at Rs 90-Rs 95 apiece. The issue will be closed on July 23. Investors need to apply for a minimum of 150 equity shares and in multiples thereof. Hence, the minimum investment by retail investors would be Rs 14,250 [150 (lot size) x Rs 95 (upper price band)]. The Sanstar IPO allotment will likely be finalised on July 24, Monday; while its listing will take place on both BSE and NSE on July 26. Sanstar IPO GMP Today According to market observers, unlisted shares of Sanstar Ltd are trading Rs 33 higher in the grey market as compared with its issue price. The Rs 33 grey market premium or GMP means the grey market is expecting a 34.74 per cent listing gain from the public issue. The GMP is based on market sentiments and keeps changing. Grey market premium indicates investors readiness to pay more than the issue price. Sanstar IPO: Analysts Recommendations Most analysts have grant a Subscribe rating to the Sanstar IPO, given its growth prospects. In its IPO note, brokerage firm Mastertrust said Sanstar is looking to payoff its debt and strengthen its balance and invest into building additional capacity to fuel their growth. Post the proposed expansion, the capacity will almost double from current levels creating a huge headroom for growth. The current capacity is already 90% filled and the capex for expansion has already started. The valuation of the IPO is at par with the listed peers, but given the growth prospects, we advise to Subscribe to the IPO keeping a long term view, Mastertrust said in the IPO note. Another brokerage Swastika in its IPO note said, Sanstars financial performance presents a mixed picture, with recent declines in revenue but growth in profitability. However, some key risks require careful consideration. Fluctuations in raw material prices, exposure to global market volatility, intense competition, and a lack of diversification beyond maize-based products pose challenges for future growth. The IPO valuation of 20x P/E appears fully priced. While we acknowledge the potential for listing gains, a cautious approach is warranted due to the aforementioned risks. Thus, we recommend a subscribe rating for this IPO for listing gain, Swastika added in its note. Sanstar Limited, a leading Indian manufacturer of maize-based specialty products and ingredient solutions, caters to a diverse range of industries in both domestic and global markets. The company boasts strategically located, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities with a focus on sustainability, and has established a large and diversified customer base. Kataria Industries IPO: More Details The Ahmedabad-based companys proposed initial public offering (IPO) is a combination of fresh issue of 4.18 crore shares and an offer for sale (OFS) of 1.19 crore shares. At the upper end of the price band, the IPO size is pegged at Rs 510.15 crore. A day before the IPO, on July 18, Sanstar Ltd collected Rs 153 crore from anchor investors. According to a circular uploaded on the BSE website, the company has allocated 1.61 crore equity shares to 13 funds at Rs 95 apiece, aggregating the transaction size to Rs 153 crore. Proceeds from the fresh issue to the tune of Rs 181.55 crore will be utilised to fund the capital expenditure requirement for the expansion of the companys Dhule facility, Rs 100 crore for debt payment and a portion will also be used for general corporate purposes. Sanstar is one of the major manufacturers of plant-based speciality products and ingredient solutions in India. The companys specialty products and ingredients add taste, texture, nutrients and increased functionality to foods as ingredients, thickening agents, stabilisers, and sweeteners, among others. It has an installed capacity of 1,100 tonnes per day through its two manufacturing facilities at Dhule in Maharashtra and Kutch in Gujarat. The company exports its products to 49 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania and has established its presence across India, distributing its products to 22 states. Sanstars revenue from operations has increased at a CAGR of 45.46 per cent to Rs 1,067.27 crore in FY24 from Rs 504.40 crore in FY22, and its profit after tax has grown to Rs 66.77 crore in FY24 from Rs 15.92 crore in FY22. Investors can bid for a minimum of 150 equity shares and in multiples of 150 equity shares thereafter. Pantomath Capital Advisors is the sole book-running lead manager for the IPO. The equity shares of the company are proposed to be listed on the BSE and the NSE. Petrol, Diesel Prices Today On July 19, 2024: Oil marketing companies (OMCs) announce fuel prices, maintaining consistency despite the inherent volatility of these commodities at 6 am every day. The OMCs adjust prices in response to global crude oil prices and fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, ensuring consumers are always informed about the latest fuel costs. Government oil marketing companies release the latest petrol and diesel prices daily at 6 am in the country. The prices have remained unchanged in most parts of the country since March 2024 when the central government cut petrol prices by Rs 2. Before that, the fuel prices remained steady since May 2022, following a reduction in fuel taxes by the central government and several states. Petrol Diesel Price Today In India (Check city-wise rate table below) Check city-wise petrol and diesel prices on July 19: City Petrol Price (Rs/litre) Diesel Price (Rs/litre) Delhi 94.72 87.62 Mumbai 103.44 89.97 Chennai 100.85 92.44 Kolkata 103.94 90.76 Noida 94.66 87.76 Lucknow 94.65 87.76 Bengaluru 102.86 88.94 Hyderabad 107.41 95.65 Jaipur 104.88 90.36 Trivandrum 107.62 96.43 Bhubaneswar 101.06 92.91 Factors Affecting Petrol And Diesel Prices In India Crude oil price: The primary raw material for the production of petrol and diesel is crude oil; as such, its price directly influences the ultimate cost of these fuels. The exchange rate between the Indian rupee and the US dollar: As a major importer of crude oil, Indias petrol and diesel prices are also influenced by the exchange rate between the Indian and US dollar. Tax: Various taxes on petrol and diesel are imposed by both the central and state governments. These taxes may differ across states, exerting a notable influence on the ultimate prices of petrol and diesel. The cost of refining: The final price of petrol and diesel is additionally influenced by the expenses incurred in refining crude oil into these fuels. The refining process can be costly, and the refining expenses may fluctuate based on factors like the type of crude oil utilised and the refinerys efficiency. The demand for petrol and diesel: The demand for petrol and diesel can also affect their prices. If demand for these fuels increases, it can lead to higher prices. Know the price of petrol and diesel through SMS You can also find out the latest petrol and diesel prices in your city through SMS. If you are a customer of Indian Oil, then you will have to write RSP along with the city code and send it to 9224992249. If you are a customer of BPCL, then you can get information about the new price of petrol and diesel by writing RSP and sending it to 9223112222. Whereas, if you are a customer of HPCL, then you can find out the price of petrol and diesel by writing HP Price and sending it to 9222201122. A girl named Pragati Jha has truly lived up to her name by achieving significant success. She is set to travel to London for research, having received a scholarship worth Rs 4.5 crores from the British government. Pragati will be researching global warming over the next three years. Pragati Jha, hailing from Bangaon in Saharsa district, has secured a prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship from the British government. She will receive Rs 1.5 crore annually for her studies and research over three years. She will be studying marine science at a renowned university in England. Her family and the entire village are thrilled with her accomplishment. Her father, a lawyer, expressed pride in her hard work and talent, noting her journey from primary education in the village to secondary education in Ranchi and then to Kerala through ICR, leading to her current success. Pragatis achievements have brought pride to her village, state and the entire country. Her commitment to research on global warming is inspiring. She emphasised the importance of stabilising climate change and promoting green energy to combat global warming. She pointed out the potential for green energy production from seawater in coastal states like Gujarat and Bengal. While solar energy is expanding, it hasnt yet reached the scale needed for large factories. Pragati believes that increasing the use of green energy can gradually mitigate the problem of global warming. Pragati decided to focus her research on climate change, the conservation and use of oceans, and marine resources for sustainable development. After completing her research, she plans to return to India to contribute to the countrys efforts to reduce global warming. The British government will cover her research expenses, including travel to and from London. Pragati is the first student from Bihar to achieve this distinction. The Commonwealth Scholarship, initiated by the British government, offers scholarships to deserving students from Commonwealth countries. Managed by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, the program aims to attract talented individuals to UK universities and support sustainable development. Each year, 800 students receive this scholarship. Applicants must apply through nominated institutions, first registering on the MHRD website and then on the ECAS portal before the deadline. Months ahead of the assembly polls, Haryanas BJP government announced on Wednesday 10 per cent reservation for Agniveers in the recruitment of constables, forest guards, and jail wardens, along with quotas in other posts. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini also said that in the recruitment for civil posts in Group B and Group C, the government has decided to grant Agniveers a relaxation of three years in the upper age limit. However, for the first batch of Agniveers, this age relaxation will be five years, he added. Saini said his government will also provide Agniveers five per cent reservation in direct recruitments for civil posts in Group C and one per cent in Group B. While Group B refers to gazetted posts in the state government, Group C comprises non-gazetted posts such as clerks. In direct recruitment to posts of constable, mining guard, forest guard, jail warden and special police officer made by the state government, there will be 10 per cent horizontal reservation for Agniveers, the chief minister said at a press conference here. If any industrial unit employs an Agniveer at a salary of more than Rs 30,000 per month, then our government will give that unit an annual subsidy of Rs 60,000, he said. Saini also announced that if an Agniveer takes a loan of up to Rs 5 lakh to start a business, no interest will be charged on it. He also launched an attack on the opposition Congress and accused it of spreading misinformation about the Agnipath military recruitment scheme. This scheme has been brought in public interest, Saini said. He also announced that Agniveers will get arms licences on a priority basis. Agniveers seeking employment in government departments, boards or corporations will be given priority in the matrix score, Saini added. The Agnipath scheme, introduced by the BJP government at the Centre in June 2022 for short-term induction of personnel in the armed forces, has faced severe criticism from several quarters, including opposition parties. In the run-up to the recently held Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had said in Haryanas Mahendragarh that the Agniveer scheme would be scrapped and thrown in the dustbin if the opposition INDIA bloc came to power. In 2022, days after the scheme was announced by the Centre, the then-chief minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar had said the state government would provide guaranteed employment to Agniveers after their four-year stint in the armed forces. The Agnipath scheme provides for recruiting youths between the age bracket of 17-and-half years and 21 for four years with a provision to retain 25 per cent of them for 15 more years. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras conducted its 61st Convocation Ceremony today, July 19, 2024. A total of 444 PhDs were awarded, which included PhDs, Joint Degree PhDs with foreign institutions, and Dual Degree PhDs, according to the official press release. As many as 2,636 graduates including 764 B.Tech (of whom 27 with Honours), 277 Dual Degree B.Tech and M.Tech, 481 M.Tech, 151 M.Sc, 42 M.A, 50 Executive MBA, 84 MBA, 236 M.S, and 107 Web-enabled M.Tech for executives were awarded during the convocation. The above PhD numbers also include seven joint degrees with universities in foreign countries including Australia, Singapore, France, and Germany. The Chief Guest of the event, Dr. Brian K. Kobilka, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2012 congratulated the graduating students and prize winners. My career today is an example of how an average individual can achieve a measure of success through a combination of factors including hard work, persistence, an element of luck, and a great deal of help from family, friends, and colleagues. When I look back at my career, I am amazed by how often I was in the right place at the right time, with the right people, he told the students. I believe that there are five factors that played an important role in my career. First, I found my passion. Something I loved to do. A challenging goal that I wanted to pursue. Second, I was able to find role models and mentors who guided different stages of my career. Third, I recognized my strengths and weaknesses and found ways to leverage my strengths and accommodate for my weaknesses. Fourth, I had balance in my life. A fulfilling family life outside of my academic career. Finally and fifth, possibly the most important, I was not afraid to fail. I found ways to learn from my failures, he added. While presenting the Directors Report, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, of IIT Madras, said, This year IIT Madras has exceeded its target of one patent a day by filing 419 patents during the year, of which 85 are international filings, and were granted 445 Indian and 15 international patents. The IITM Incubation Cell, the nodal incubator of IIT Madras and spearheading the countrys leading deep tech startup hub, marked the beginning of 2024 on a jubilant note a total portfolio of 365 startups, cumulatively valued at INR 45,000 Crores (US$5.4 Billion, based on investments raised from angels/VCs). The goal for the fiscal year 2024-25 is to incubate 100 more, focusing on areas such as space, manufacturing, robotics, Assistive Tech, climate tech, fintech, and AI. In the third phase of teacher recruitment in Bihar, candidates will not be granted an age relaxation of 10 years, according to reports. The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) earlier mentioned that the examination of the third phase has started today, July 19 and is set to continue till July 22. The BPSC issued a notice mentioning that no age relaxation will be provided, following a decision by the Patna High Court. This step was taken by the board after a petition was filed requesting a 10-year age relaxation in the third phase of the recruitment drive. A similar relaxation was offered by the board in the first phase of the recruitment drive. The petition was reportedly rejected by the court and the board has now announced that they will not provide any of the 10-year age relaxation in this current phase of the examination. For the third phase of the recruitment drive, around 87,774 vacancies have been announced for PRT (Primary Teacher), Upper PRT (Primary Teacher), Secondary Teacher, and other posts. Candidates who are appearing for the recruitment examination need to carry their admit card to get entry to the examination centre. The states Education Department stated that the matter is dismissed in accordance with the Bihar State School (Recruitment, Transfer, Disciplinary Action, and Service Conditions) Rules, 2023. The Patna High Court also ordered the board to release the supplementary results of the first phase of the recruitment drive. According to media reports, the results for the first phase of the BPSC teacher recruitment exam were released in October 2023. The BPSC refused to issue the supplementary results. In the first phase of the teacher recruitment drive, around 2773 candidates successfully cracked the examination, while a total of 4797 vacancies were announced. Due to the non-issuance of the supplementary results, 2024 seats remained vacant. Keeping this in mind the court ordered the release of the supplementary results. The State Bank of India (SBI) has begun the application process for the recruitment of 1040 Specialist Cadre Officers (SCO) today, July 19. Interested and eligible candidates can apply by visiting the official website of the bank at sbi.co.in. The registration process which commenced today will continue till August 8. Candidates must have cleared graduation and masters along with three to five years of work experience in the relevant field. Candidates must note that the contract period of the job is five years. SBI SCO Recruitment 2024: Vacancy Details Central Research Team (Product Lead) 2 Central Research Team (Support) 2 Project Development Manager (Technology) 1 Project Development Manager (Business) 2 Relationship Manager 273 VP Wealth 643 Relationship Manager (Team Lead) 32 Regional Head 6 Investment Specialist 30 Investment Officer 49 SBI SCO Recruitment 2024: How to Apply? Step 1: Visit the official website of SBI at sbi.co.in Step 2: On the homepage, click on the tab that reads Recruitment for SCO 2024 or something similar. Step 3: Register yourself by giving the required information. Step 4: Log in using the Registration Number and Password Step 5: Fill in the application form carefully Step 6: Upload scanned copies of the required documents and pay the fee. Step 7: Download and take a printout of the application form for future reference. SBI SCO Recruitment 2024: Application Fees Applicants belonging to the General, OBC, and EWS categories need to deposit a fee of Rs 750. While the candidates from SC, ST, and PwBD categories are exempted from paying any fees. SBI SO Recruitment 2024: Selection Process The bank will prepare a merit list based on scores obtained in interviews only. The selection will be based on shortlisting and interview-cum-CTC negotiations, reads the official notice. In case more than one candidate scores the cut-off marks, such candidates will be ranked according to their age in descending order. Further, applicants must note that merely fulfilling the minimum qualification and experience will not vest any right in candidates to be called for an interview. A major disruption in Microsofts cloud services has caused flight cancellations and delays across the globe, impacting key infrastructure. The company said impacted services may include, but are not limited to, services and software like PowerBI, Fabric, and Teams, as well as the Microsoft 365 admin center. Were aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform. We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming, a Microsoft spokesperson told News18 without providing further details. Airlines, Businesses Paralysed The outage, which has affected numerous airlines, resulted in grounded planes and disrupted flight operations at Delhi and Mumbai airports in India. Among the airlines hit were IndiGo, Akasa, and SpiceJet. The ripple effects were felt far and wide, with Virgin Australia, as well as Sydney and Melbourne airports, confirming operational disruptions. In the United States, major carriers including American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines issued ground stops, citing communication issues just an hour after Microsoft resolved its cloud services outage that initially impacted several low-cost carriers. The widespread outage has not been limited to the airline industry. Businesses around the world are experiencing outages, including the notorious Windows blue screen of death errors on their computers. This disruption is considered one of the most widespread in recent years, affecting various sectors from banks, hospitals and airlines. Many states across the US reported that their emergency 911 lines were down. In the UK, the London Stock Exchange and Sky News were among those affected. The Paris Olympics organising committee also said it had been hit by the outage, but that it had contingency plans in place. Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw stated: MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage. The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue. What Cert-In Advises Cert-In, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in its latest advisory stated: It has been reported that Windows hosts related to CrowdStrike agent Falcon Sensor are outages and getting crashed due to recent update received in the product. The concerned Windows hosts are experiencing a BSOD related to Falcon Sensor. It further added: The issue occurred in the latest update of CrowdStrike and the changes have been reverted by the CrowdStrike team. If hosts are still crashing and unable to stay online to receive the Channel File Changes, the following steps can be used as work around for the issue Also, users are advised to check the latest updates from the CrowdStrike portal. These steps include: Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment. Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory. Locate and delete the file matching C-00000291*.sys. Boot the host normally. As the situation evolves, businesses and individuals are advised to stay updated through official Microsoft channels and take necessary precautions to mitigate the impact of this unprecedented outage. CrowdStrike Update Many customers have reported being unable to restart their computers due to this issue. The root cause of the disruption remains unclear, but some businesses, including Australian energy company AGL, have pointed to a recent update from the security firm CrowdStrike. CrowdStrike is aware of the widespread reports of blue screen errors on Windows devices running multiple versions of its software and is actively investigating the cause. It is also said that a faulty update from CrowdStrike is believed to be responsible for the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) issues, which have led to thousands of Windows machines being unable to boot properly. The update is causing affected PCs and servers to enter a recovery boot loop, preventing proper startup. President and CEO of CrowdStrike George Kurtz said: CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers. Falcon Sensor And Blue Screen Of Death CrowdStrike is a US-based American cybersecurity firm that helps companies manage their security in IT environments that is, everything they use an internet connection to access. Its primary function is to protect companies and stop data breaches, ransomware, and cyber attacks. One of the companys main products is the CrowdStrike Falcon sensor, which is a key component of CrowdStrikes endpoint protection platform. The software is installed on devices to provide real-time protection from cyber threats. The main functions of the sensor include detecting threats, gathering data about devices, endpoint protection and sharing data with the CrowdStrike cloud for further processing. CrowdStrike Falcon is used by thousands of companies across the world to protect data, and a crash of its server on Friday is believed to be the cause of a global outage of Microsoft products and BSOD issues. The Blue Screen of Death is known as a blue screen, fatal error, or bug check, and is officially known as a stop error. It is said to be a critical error screen displayed by the Microsoft Windows and ReactOS operating systems which indicates a system crash wherein the operating system reaches a critical condition where it may no longer operate safely. First Alarm Bells In Australia, US Some reports suggested that the initial alarms were raised by Australian banks, airlines, and TV broadcasters as thousands of machines began going offline. The problem has since spread to businesses in several parts of the world affecting critical infrastructure. However, it was also said that the chaos started with a cloud services outage in the US first, which was followed by massive IT problems in Australia that have now spread to Europe. As of early Friday, multiple services and products across domains, including airlines, hotels, and office establishments, remained impacted globally due to the Blue Screen of Death error on most Microsoft Windows devices. Users have been unable to log into their systems as their devices crash after being switched on. Microsoft has been actively updating its status and providing information via social media site X. Its statements include: Were investigating an issue impacting users ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services. More info posted in the admin center under MO821132 and on https://msft.it/6019lRURc. Multiple services are continuing to see improvements in availability as our mitigation actions progress. More details can be found within the admin center under MO821132 and on https://status.cloud.microsoft, the latest update states. Microsoft Service Health Status page lists a Service Degradation and details the impacted services, including PowerBI, Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365 admin center, Microsoft Purview, and several others. They report that some services, such as Microsoft Defender and OneDrive for Business, are showing signs of recovery. The National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, on Wednesday, confirmed that a four-year-old girl became the first fatality from the Chandipura virus in Gujarat. The death toll of suspected cases in the state has now reached 15, as the virus has spread to nearly a dozen districts. The Chandipura virus leads to brain inflammation and swiftly escalates from flu-like symptoms to coma and death. The virus is primarily carried by the female phlebotomine sandfly. The states deputy director, epidemic, department of health, Dr Jayesh Katira, told News18 that the case fatality rate or the death rate stands at 50 per cent which means half of the suspected patients have died. The state has up its surveillance, activated the cadre of ASHA workers to create hygiene-related awareness and trained private practitioners to swiftly handle and escalate the cases. There is no reason to panic as the spread is sporadic, Katira stated, emphasising the importance of personal hygiene. Its crucial for people to understand that they should visit a health facility as soon as they fall ill to catch the illness early. Echoing similar views, Indias top virologist, Dr Raman Gangakhedkar told News18 that the virus is unlikely to cause a major outbreak. There is no reason to panic and also, this virus is unlikely to spread rapidly as human-to-human transmission does not happen. We only need to be vigilant and adopt all the preventive measures and hygiene, he said while adding from his experience that we have seen that the virus mainly affects children up to the age of 14 years. So far, human-to-human transmission has not been noted due to this virus, hence, we can see sporadic cases but this is unlikely to cause a major outbreak. Where Does The Virus Live? How Does it Transmit? In 1965, scientists PN Bhatt and FM Rodrigues from Punes National Institute of Virology (NIV) discovered and named the virus after the village in Maharashtra where it was initially discovered. According to a report in the Journal of Virology, the Chandipura virus written as CHPV in medical journals the virus has exhibited mutations that increase its lethality in human infections. Dr Gangakhedkar, who was the face of the countrys apex medical research body, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) during the Covid-19 outbreak, explained that this virus lives inside the tick and then transferred when the tick bites. So far, we have identified sandflies as the culprit for causing the infections. This virus can survive inside mosquitoes but, it is not known to transmit to humans. The cases are generally found in rural areas where the houses are made of stones or mud and where there are crevices in walls for the breeding of sandflies. It is noticed commonly around rural households from where the cases are referred to hospitals in urban areas, Gangakhedkar said. This hasnt been observed by other surrounding countries as much. How The Virus Made A Comeback After 30 Years In 1965, an investigation of an extensive outbreak of fever during April, May, and June, in the city of Nagpur, Maharashtra, showed that the chikungunya virus was aggressively making people ill. However, the team of researchers also found dengue type 4 and one other virus. According to the study by Bhatt and Rodrigues titled Chandipura: a new Arbovirus isolated in India from patients with febrile illness published in 1967 in the Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR), the suggestive evidence provided by our studies that Chandipura virus is an arbovirus new to India has been not only fully substantiated but also extended by shope (Personal communication) who has shown it to be related to but not identical with Piry virus, an agent isolated in Belem, Brazil. For nearly three decades following the initial case, no reports of the virus emerged until it resurfaced in 2003. The 2003-2004 outbreak witnessed case fatality rates ranging from 56-75 per cent in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat with typical encephalitic symptoms. The outbreaks were devastating, bringing about 322 child deaths 183 in Andhra Pradesh, 115 in Maharashtra, and 24 in Gujarat. The virus garnered global attention as an emerging neurotropic pathogen inflicting high mortality in children within 24 hours of commencement of symptoms. Although it has been established as a neurotropic virus causing encephalitis, the molecular pathology leading to neuronal death is unknown, said the study published in the Journal of Virology in 2013. This study described for the first time the mechanism of cell death in neurons after this viral infection. Again in June 2007, the virus came back to Nagpur. Another study published in IJMR recorded clinical manifestations where fever was the common symptom followed by convulsion (76.3%), altered sensorium (34.2%), headache (23.7%), vomiting (44.7%) and diarrhoea (23.7%). Chandipura RNA was detected in one of two pools of sandflies from the affected locality, the study highlighted while concluding that the Chandipura virus was confirmed as the aetiological agent of this acute encephalitis outbreak with high case-fatality among children. Case Fatality Continues To Be High Despite the advancements made in understanding the virus, Chandipura has remained a major concern in certain parts of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Case fatality, though reduced, still continues to occur in these areas, said another study published by scientists at NIV in 2016. The natural factors contributing towards the amplification of the virus leading to outbreaks are still not understood. Similarly, the host/genetic factors that contribute to high case fatality are also not clear. While a study in 2016 highlighted the need to develop the vaccine, no major initiative has been taken yet. A licenced vaccine, which is the need of the hour, for vaccination of children at least in the endemic areas is still not available despite the availability of the technology. Experts believe that combined efforts from virologists, neurologists, paediatricians and the government are warranted to address this important issue of public health importance for minimising the recurrence of the disease. Around 144 Naxalites, including at least 51 young women cadres, were killed during anti-Naxal operations by security forces in Bastar over the past six months, Chhattisgarh home minister Vijay Sharma revealed in an exclusive interaction with News18 on the sidelines of an event organised by RSS-linked Panchajanya magazine in Delhi. Dismissing the Oppositions allegations of encounter deaths in the tribal-dominated Bastar region, he emphasised that the ongoing flush-out operations in Bastar are based on verified Intelligence inputs to avoid any misunderstandings or confusions. Sharma further said the state government is ready to initiate unconditional dialogue with the Naxalites. He asserted that poor tribal villagers are coerced or enticed into taking up arms, resisting development, and remaining isolated from the mainstream by urban Naxals residing in cities like Delhi. I will one day bring at least 50 villagers and security personnel to Delhi. They lost their legs to IEDs planted by the Naxals, who were funded by these individuals. Educated city dwellers need to witness the harsh reality. While our security forces struggle to enter certain villages, groups from Delhi are entering and facilitating terrorism, he said. Fill in Google form, WhatsApp, make video calls to surrender The state government is working on better surrender policies to bring the Naxalites to the mainstream population. I have been appealing to the Naxalites that they can reach out to me or to our officers anytime with the intent of surrender. We will ensure their safety and security. If they cannot come in person, they can call, text or WhatsApp me, he said, addressing the event in Delhi. They can make video calls to talk to me. I am always ready for dialogue. They have to shun violence. The young tribal brothers and sisters do not get anything out of roaming in the forest with sophisticated guns, he added. The home minister said his department has issued Google forms in Bastar region for the villagers to fill in with their suggestions or information about the Naxalites. In some forms, the villagers have written how they are being extorted by Naxals. The teachers need to hand over a cut from their salary, the tendu leaves sellers are unable to take the full earnings home as Naxals take commission from them as well, he said in his address. For whom do they work? What is their agenda? I dont think they have any, they just spread violence to terrorise people. They, along with the urban Naxals, are planting IEDs on the path of Vikas (development) in Chhattisgarh, he added. Newly elected MP Amritpal Singh, who has been detained under the National Security Act (NSA) moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court after challenging the proceedings as well as his preventive detention. Amritpal has been staying in Dibrugarh Jail since his arrest in April 2023. However, he won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Punjabs Sri Khadoor Sahib parliamentary constituency as an Independent candidate. Singh is the chief of the alleged pro-khalistani outfit, Waris Punjab De and is also an accused in Ajnala Police Station attack incident. The first detention order against Amritpal was passed in March 2023 after his alleged provocative speech. According to a Live Law report, Amritpal while submitting his plea contended that his life and liberty was completely taken away in an unusual and cruel manner by applying the preventive detention law against him for more than a year and by also detaining him 2,600 km away from Punjab. He further said that he took an oath under the Constitution and has acquired the right to represent the best interest of his constituency and the state of Punjab. The plea also mentioned that Amritpal has been detained primarily on the basis of social media posts that were uploaded by different people across the world and it hardly has any practical impact in the state of Punjab. It also added that possibly the security of the State of India cannot be so fragile that it can be impacted by social media posts. The plea also submitted that the District Magistrate of Amritsar can not issue any orders with respect to Security of India under section 3(3) NSA and only Central Government or State Government can issue the same under section 3(1) of NSA. No material before the District Magistrate was there which can reach even the subjective conclusion that petitioner is acting in any manner prejudicial to the defense of India, the relations of India with foreign powers, of the Security of India, the plea further stated. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the cause of the outage of Microsoft services had been identified, and updates had been released to resolve the issue. He also mentioned that the NIC network was not affected by the outage. The Union Minister further informed that MEITY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) is in contact with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage. The CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team) has issued a technical advisory related to the outage of Microsoft services. Taking on the microblogging site X Vaishnav said, MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage. The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue. CERT is issuing a technical advisory. NIC network is not affected. MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage.The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue. CERT is issuing a technical advisory. NIC network is not affected. Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 19, 2024 Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issues advisory in the wake of #Microsoft Windows outage. pic.twitter.com/XllRAAJusf Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 19, 2024 Microsoft users globally reported massive outages in services, with outage tracking website Downdetector showing users flagging disruptions across various services. The I&B Minister shared another post on X and also said, CERT-In is coordinating with CISOs of critical infrastructure entities. All impacted entities are working to bring up their systems. In many cases, systems are partially up. MEITY is continually in touch with Microsoft, which in turn is actively working with impacted entities. In addition, CERT-In is coordinating with CISOs of critical infrastructure entities. All impacted entities are working to bring up their systems. In many cases, systems are Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 19, 2024 Globally, the Microsoft cloud outage led to US airlines cancelling flights, but the tech giant later reportedly said its cloud services outage in the Central US region has been resolved. A new Crowdstrike (cybersecurity software firm) update is being cited as the cause of the outage, which has impacted Windows-based desktops and laptops. On the outage tracking website Downdetector, users reported problems across the Microsoft line-up including Azure, and Teams. Microsoft said it is investigating the issue impacting users ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services. Meanwhile, all airlines in India on Friday reported that their systems across the network are impacted by an ongoing outage in Microsoft Azure. Flyers are advised to reach out to their respective airlines for information on the flights. Microsoft Azure, or just Azure, is the cloud computing platform developed by Microsoft. It offers management, access, and development of applications and services to individuals, companies, and governments. Delhi Airport said due to the global IT issue, some of the services at the Airport were temporarily impacted. It said it is closely working with all the stakeholders to minimise the inconvenience to the flyers. A CBI probe into the NEET paper leak case has prima facie indicated that the scale of malpractice could be much lower than anticipated, with less than 150 students affected, a top agency official has told CNN-News18. It is only in the Patna-Hazaribagh case that there is any evidence of the question papers being stolen. Here too, only one centre seems to have been affected. Country-wide, the total number of students affected could be less than 150 even within this number, the aspirants who got to know of the question paper ahead of the exam could be even fewer, they said. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had made a similar submission to the Supreme Court of India. We cant give the exact figure but it cant be more than 150, he said when asked by the apex court if a total of 225 students were impacted or involved in the alleged paper leak. The Probe So Far Sixty-three people have been taken into custody till now of which 18 have been arrested by CBI, the latest being four students of AIIMS Patna who were allegedly solvers. Three third-year students and one second-year student were arrested and sent to CBI custody for four days. Probe so far has revealed that one of the key accused, Pankaj, gave the stolen question paper to this group to solve and provide the answer sheets, a CBI official said. The agency has sealed the hostel rooms of Karanjay, Kumar Shanu, Anmol Ratan and Chandan Singh. Their laptops and digital devices are being scanned to find evidence of money trail and of the conspiracy, sources said. The Thief The arrest of the AIIMS students comes after the questioning of Pankaj alias Aditya, an engineering graduate from NIT, Jamshedpur, who is allegedly a part of the paper leak mafia. CBI has accused Pankaj of stealing the question paper from the National Testing Agency (NTA) drop-box and handing it over to the solvers. As per CBI, the NEET aspirants who had paid money in post-dated cheques were to be given the answers ahead of the exam on May 5. Upto Rs 35 lakh were paid allegedly by some NEET aspirants, sources said. The Facilitator Rocky alias Rakesh Ranjan is the other key link in CBIs Patna-Hazaribagh NEET probe. The agency believes it was Rocky who arranged medical students from Patna and Ranchi to solve the stolen question papers. Probe so far reveals that PDF of the stolen question paper was shared with the solvers and NEET aspirants were called to a play school in Khemnichak to memorise the answers on the intervening night of May 4 and 5. Rocky, it is alleged, was the bridge between the solvers and the duo handling the NEET aspirants. Manish Prakash and Ashutosh have been arrested for providing accomodation to the aspirants on May 4. Rockys residence in Nalanda was raided and some documents, including bank-related papers, were seized. CBI believes Rocky was very close to Sanjeev Mukhiya the alleged mastermind of the entire module who is suspected to have fled to Nepal. Rocky, a relative of Mukhiya, was also allegedly trying to flee to Nepal before his arrest, the local police said. Mukhiya alias Lootan worked as a technical assistant at a horticulture college in Nalanda. Agencies suspect he is a close associate of education mafia Ranjit Don whom CBI had arrested in 2003 for leaking papers of the CAT exam. Ranjit Don, Mukhiya and Rocky all hail from Nalanda. Two others, including a NEET aspirant, have also been arrested from Nalanda. The Missing Link While CBI has managed to ascertain the mastermind, the paper thief, the solvers and the arrangers in the case, it is not yet clear as to who tipped off Pankaj Singh about the movement of the NTA papers from SBI and Canara Bank to the Oasis School centre via a private courier company. Probe has revealed that the question papers were carried without proper security in an e-rickshaw. CBI has arrested two people associated with the Oasis School in Hazaribagh where the leak allegedly originated. As per CBI, two sets of papers had their seals broken when they arrived at this NEET centre but the staff did not raise the matter. Nine sets of question papers were dispatched from SBI Hazaribagh to various centres. Blue Dart courier company had used an e-rickshaw to deliver the papers to the SBI branch on May 3. Two days later, an SUV was used to ferry the question papers from SBI to Oasis School. The SUV allegedly belongs to Imtiaz Alam, the vice-principal of the school. Principal Ahsanul Haque has told the media that the box and the envelope containing the question papers were tampered with. While the envelope had a precise cut, the outer box was opened using a cutter when the digital lock allegedly didnt open by the designated time 1.15pm on May 5. The CBI probe is now focused on finding out when Pankaj stole the paper and if he had a specific tip-off about the movement of the paper on an e-rickshaw and then on a private SUV. But sources said that the agency is convinced that the conspirators could not cause mass disruption of NEET and nor was it completely compromised. The agency has concluded that while cases in Godhra, Latur and Rajasthan are that of impersonation, the Patna-Hazaribagh case also had limited impact on the sanctity of the exam. Vinay Mohan Kwatra has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the United States of America, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Friday. Vinay Mohan Kwatra has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the United States of America. He is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the MEA said in a statement posted on its website. Kawtra will succeed Taranjit Singh Sandhu who left his position in Washington earlier this year. Kwatra, a career diplomat with over three decades of experience, earlier served as the Foreign Secretary of India. Kwatra, who joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1988, previously served as Indias envoy to Nepal. His diplomatic career includes notable postings such as Ambassador of India to France from August 2017 to February 2020. During his tenure, Kwatra has developed extensive expertise in relations with Indias neighboring countries, the United States, China, and Europe. He also served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Ministers Office from October 2015 to August 2017. In a July 14 post on X, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked Kwatra for his dedication and many contributions to Indias foreign policy. Thank outgoing Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra for his dedication and many contributions in the field of foreign policy and national security. Particularly in the last decade, he has helped strategize and execute so many of our key policies. Wish him well in his future endeavors, Jaishankar said in an earlier post. In response, Kwatra wrote, Grateful to EAM @DrSJaishankar for his remarkable leadership, mentorship, and firm and constant support. He has led Team MEA to deliver on the nations expectations in a period of global tumult. Signing off with immense gratitude. The countrys top virology institute, the National Institute of Virology (NIV), had developed vaccine against the Chandipura virus in 2005, but it found no takers, as the disease didnt surface for many years, former director of the Pune-based institute told News18. Currently, Chandipura virus is wreaking havoc in more than a dozen districts of Gujarat, with a death rate of over 50 per cent. The NIV on Wednesday confirmed that a four-year-old girl became the first fatality of the Chandipura virus in Gujarat, with the toll of suspected cases in the state reaching 15 till Thursday evening. ALSO READ | How Chandipura Virus Made A Comeback And Continues to Recur Among Children in Gujarat Dr Akhilesh Chandra Mishra, who headed NIV from 2002 to 2012 and managed the major Chandipura virus outbreaks from 2003-2004, told News18 in an exclusive interaction that the institute had successfully developed a vaccine against the virus. However, the virus disappeared for a long time and only reappeared sporadically, leading to a lack of interest from both vaccine manufacturers and the public. THE OUTBREAK OF 2003-04 During the outbreak in 2003-04, the case fatality rates ranged from 56-75 per cent in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat. The outbreaks were devastating, leading to around 322 child deaths 183 in Andhra Pradesh, 115 in Maharashtra, and 24 in Gujarat. The virus garnered global attention as it was inflicting high mortality in children within 24 hours of commencement of symptoms. Prompted by the viruss aggressiveness, NIV quickly sought a solution in the form of a vaccine. We developed the vaccine at NIV in 2005-06, but there were no takers. By that time, the virus had vanished. The Chandipura virus causes sporadic outbreaks, leading to a few cases in isolated areas that create alarm. However, it doesnt spread widely, as spraying insecticides effectively curbs the disease." Hence, the industry was not interested in the vaccine, and the government cannot convince companies unless their profit is ensured." Mishra said they knew that once the alarm subsided, no one from the population would come forward to take the vaccine. Therefore, there was no point in trying to convince the manufacturers." CURRENT OUTBREAK WILL ALSO VANISH SOON, NO REASON TO PANIC The Chandipura virus leads to brain inflammation and swiftly escalates from flu-like symptoms to coma and death. The virus is primarily carried by female phlebotomine sandfly. He believes that the current outbreak will also subside soon and there is no reason to cause panic. Sporadic outbreaks will keep on occurring but these sandflies are very sensitive to insecticides. As soon as the public will get alert and start spraying, the disease will vanish." The disease belongs to the people hailing from low socio-economic strata of society as these flies breed mostly in the kutcha houses or small huts, he said. Sandflies mostly persist in adivasi areas or villages with kutcha houses." ALSO READ | What Is Chandipura Virus Infection Causing Deaths Of Children In Gujarat? What Are The Symptoms? However, as India progresses, the disease will eventually fade away. There will come a point when the ecology will no longer support the growth of the Chandipura virus. We are transitioning from kutcha houses to pukka houses. Hence, breeding opportunities in the crevices of these houses will decrease as housing structures, even in remote areas, improve and pucca houses increase." Recalling his own experience, Mishra said that spraying insecticides in the surrounding areas is more beneficial than developing a vaccine against Chandipura. This virus will disappear soon, and you never know if it will come back or vanish forever." A Steyr AUG rifle, used by militaries across the globe and recovered from two terrorists killed in Kupwara on Thursday, has put the security grid on high alert, with officials worried that weapons and fighters from North-West Frontier Province and Afghanistan have now reached Jammu and Kashmir. The unusual recovery in Kashmir has also triggered speculations of more such weapons being discovered. News18 had reported earlier that senior officials in the security grid had warned of Pakistan using Taliban fighters, as well as arms and war equipment left behind by US-led forces in Afghanistan, to disturb Jammu & Kashmir. J&K: Indian Army eliminated two terrorists attempting to infiltrate across the Line of Control in Keran Sector of Kashmir, on 18th July. Alert troops observed the movement of two terrorists through thick foliage, on Indian side of LoC. The infiltrating terrorists were pic.twitter.com/Hder2UC67J ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024 The warning seems to be taking the shape of reality in the erstwhile state as per data from the Border Security Force. Numbers show that since 2021, there has been a year-on-year increase in both weapon recoveries and AK-series weapon recoveries, apart from a rise in recovery of IEDs. The recovery of American-made M4 carbine assault rifles recently in Kathua lends credence to the suspicion of Indian agencies that the weapons, left behind by the US Army after their withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, have finally reached Kashmir. News18 had reported this week that last year, central Intelligence agencies also received a lead indicating that the logistics, arms, and ammunition used in the Poonch attack, which resulted in the deaths of five RR jawans, came from Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The local police investigation into the Poonch attack also suspected that the bullets used in the attack were from Afghanistan, left by US forces post their exit. According to a Defence Department report published last August, more than $7.1 billion in US-funded military equipment was in the possession of the Afghanistan government when it fell to the Taliban in August 2021. Though more than half of it was ground vehicles, the report said, it also included more than 3,16,000 weapons worth almost $512 million, plus ammunition and other accessories. At least 78 aircraft worth $923.3 million, 9,524 air-to-ground munitions valued at $6.54 million, over 40,000 vehicles, more than 3,00,000 weapons, and nearly all night vision, surveillance, communications, and biometric equipment provided to the [Afghan defense forces] were left behind, a report published by Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) in February 2023 said, citing Department of Defense data. Lieutenant Colonel Emron Musavi, an Indian Army spokesperson in Srinagar, had told NBC News earlier that militants from both groups were sent to Afghanistan to fight alongside or train the Taliban before the US pulled out of the war-torn nation. It can be safely assumed that they have access to the weapons left behind, he added. Ajai Sahni, an author on counterterrorism who serves as executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management, a think tank in New Delhi, says JeM and LeT could be purchasing US weapons from the Taliban in Afghanistan, where the United Nations says both groups have bases, or through smugglers in Pakistan, reported NBC News. Although data compiled by J&K Police shows a significant improvement in controlling terror activities and killing terrorists, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently stated in Parliament: A robust security and Intelligence grid is in place to thwart any attempt of terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Further steps taken by the government to prevent terrorist incidents and to safeguard the lives of civilians in the valley include group security in the form of static guards, round-the-clock checking at strategic points, night patrolling and area domination, identification of vulnerable spots, and security arrangements through appropriate deployment of police, army, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and intensified Cordon and Search Operations. The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea of two of the 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case challenging the January 8 verdict cancelling their remission. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar termed the plea as absolutely misconceived and said how can it sit in appeal over an order passed by another bench of the apex court. What is this plea? How is this plea maintainable? This is absolutely misconceived. How can an Article 32 petition be filed? We cant sit in appeal over an order passed by another bench, the bench said. Advocate Rishi Malhotra appearing for convicts Radheyshaym Bhagwandas Shah and Rajubhai Babulal Soni sought permission to withdraw the plea. The bench allowed the counsel to withdraw the plea. Shah has also applied for interim bail. In March, both the convicts moved the top court contending that its January 8 verdict cancelling remission of their sentence was in teeth of a 2002 constitution bench order and sought the issue to be referred to a larger bench for final adjudication. Shah and Soni, both lodged in Godhra sub-jail after the apex court verdict, said an anomalous situation has arisen wherein two different coordinate benches (benches of the same strength) have taken diametrically opposite views on the same issue of premature release as well as on which policy of the state government would apply to the petitioners for remission. The plea, filed through Malhotra, said while one bench on May 13, 2022, categorically ordered the Gujarat government to consider Shahs application for premature release in terms of the state governments remission policy of July 9, 1992, the bench that pronounced the verdict on January 8, 2024, concluded that it was Maharashtra and not the Gujarat government that was competent to grant remission. That with greatest respect the judgment rendered on January 8, 2024, is directly in teeth of the constitution bench decision in Rupa Ashok Hurras case of 2002 and the same needs to be set aside, as if the same is permitted then it would lead to not only judicial impropriety but to uncertainty and chaos as to which precedence (sic) of law has to be applied in future. In other words, if any party being not satisfied with the Supreme Court judgment on an issue, he would be entitled to file a writ petition challenging the said judgment by taking recourse to the law laid down in Bilkis Bano case, the plea said. It said a fundamental issue arises for consideration as to whether a subsequent co-ordinate bench can set aside its judgment rendered by its earlier co-ordinate bench and pass contradictory orders/judgments overruling its earlier view or the proper course would have been to refer the matter to a larger bench in case it felt that the earlier judgment was passed in wrong appreciation of law and facts. The plea sought a direction to the Centre to consider the case of the petitioners for premature release and clarify which judgment of its coordinate benches of May 13, 2022, or January 8, 2024, would apply to them. It said since two benches of the apex court of the same strength have passed conflicting orders, the matter should be referred to a larger bench for final adjudication. On January 8, in a massive setback to the Gujarat government, the top court quashed the remission it had granted to 11 convicts in the high-profile gang-rape case of Bilkis Bano and the killing of her seven family members while slamming the state for being complicit with the accused and abusing its discretion. It ordered all the convicts, who were released prematurely on Independence Day in 2022, back to jail within two weeks. Criticising the Gujarat government, the apex court said it usurped the power of the Maharashtra government to grant remission to the convicts. It held as nullity the May 13, 2022, judgment of another bench of the apex court, which had directed the Gujarat government to consider the remission applications of the 11 convicts in the case, saying it was obtained by playing fraud on the court. Bilkis Bano was 21 years old and five months pregnant when she was raped while fleeing the horror of the communal riots that broke out after the Godhra train burning incident in February 2002. Her three-year-old daughter was among the seven family members killed. Dilip Khedkar, a retired government officer and father of controversial probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, has been granted interim protection from arrest until July 25 in a case in which he and his wife are accused of threatening a farmer over a land dispute. Meanwhile, Puja faces legal trouble following a criminal case filed against her by the UPSC. On Friday, the Union Public Service Commission filed a First Information Report (FIR) against Puja, accusing her of submitting fake certificates to secure her job and demanding special privileges at her workplace. The trainee IAS faces charges of cheating, and the UPSC has also served a show cause notice for the cancellation of her candidature from the Civil Services Exam 2022 and to debar her from future exams. Additionally, the Delhi Police crime branch has lodged an FIR against Puja under the IT Act, as well as for cheating and forgery. Manorama Charged With Attempt To Murder Dilips anticipatory bail plea came after the arrest of Manorama Khedkar, Dilips wife and Pujas mother, by Pune Police on Thursday for allegedly threatening a farmer at gunpoint about a year ago. Her arrest came days after a video of her allegedly threatening local villagers over a land dispute with a pistol went viral on social media. The incident reportedly took place in Dhadwali village in Punes Mulshi tehsil in 2023. The video involved a land dispute case where locals claimed the Khedkars had encroached on the land of neighboring farmers. A first information report was filed against Manorama and Dilip based on a complaint by a 65-year-old farmer, Pandharinath Pasalkar, on July 12. Following this, Pune Rural Police booked Manorama, Dilip, and five others under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), including Section 323 (dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property). Additionally, Manorama has been charged with attempted murder. Dilip Suspended Twice As Govt Official Dilip has also been embroiled in controversy after reports revealed that he, during his tenure in the Maharashtra government, faced suspension twice, both instances linked to allegations of corruption and extortion. In 2018, while stationed at the Kolhapur regional office, Dilip allegedly demanded bribes from local businesses to reinstate essential services like electricity and water supply. The accusations, lodged by a sawmill and timber trader, prompted a formal complaint to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). He faced a second suspension in February 2020 under the Maharashtra Civil Services rules. This incident compounded earlier allegations from March 2019 when Sona Alloys Pvt Ltd accused him of soliciting a bribe and engaging in harassment. Additional complaints surfaced from numerous small entrepreneurs, collectively accusing him of extortion and misconduct. Pune ACB Initiates Inquiry Into Dilips Assets Meanwhile, the Pune ACB has received a complaint seeking an open inquiry against Dilip in connection with alleged disproportionate assets. An inquiry is already underway by the Anti-Corruption Bureaus Nashik division. The Pune unit of the anti-graft agency has sought directions from the ACB headquarters. An open inquiry against Dilip Khedkar is currently underway at the Ahmednagar unit by Nashik ACB. We have now received another complaint seeking an open inquiry. We have recorded the complainants statement and forwarded the complaint to ACB headquarters along with the evidence, Pune ACB Superintendent of Police Amol Tambe said on Wednesday. Puja Khedkars IAS Training Put On Hold Dilips daughter, Puja, a 2023-batch IAS officer, is under scrutiny for allegedly using fraudulent means to clear her civil services exam. She is accused of forging Other Backward Classes (OBC) non-creamy layer (NCL) certificates and disability certificates in her Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) candidature, as well as her conduct during her tenure at the Pune collectors office. She came under the spotlight after reports about her alleged demands for a separate office and official car and unauthorised use of a beacon on her private car during her posting in Pune emerged. She was subsequently transferred to Washim from Pune. Amid the controversy, the government has put on hold the district training program of Khedkar, who was earlier transferred to Washim as a supernumerary assistant collector from Pune. She has been summoned back to the Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration for necessary action. After hitting out at the Uttar Pradesh governments decision the previous day about ordering shopkeepers, street vendors, and restaurants on the Kanwar Yatra route in Muzaffarnagar to put up nameplates of owners, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi softened his stance on Friday. Naqvi said there was confusion on Thursday with the limited order of the UP government for Muzaffarnagar but it had now been cleared by detailed directives. The confusion erupted due to the limited administrative guidelines. I am glad that the state government has cleared any communal misunderstandings. As far as names are concerned, the Yogi government has not directed any religious group. This order applies to all shopkeepers. During the Kanwar Yatra, devotees avoid consuming certain foods. Hence, their faith should be respected. I have personally participated in the Kanwar Yatra, Naqvi told CNN-news18. The former Rajya Sabha member had surprised many in the BJP and opposition with his critical stand on the Yogi Adityanath governments decision as he is known to stay out of controversies. Only back in 2014, he had protested when the-then expelled Janata Dal (United) leader Sabir Ali, whom Naqvi called a friend of terrorist Yasin Bhatkal, joined the BJP. He had mockingly said that gangster-terrorist Dawood Ibrahim could be the next entrant into the BJP. But at that time, he was backed by the RSS, the BJPs ideological mentor, on his remark. On Thursday, Naqvi posted on social media site X: Kuch ati utsahi adhikariyon ke aadesh hadbadi mein gadbadi wali asprishyata ki bimari ko badhawa de sakte hain. Astha ka samman hona chahiye, par asprishyata ka sanrakshan nahi hona chahiye (The hasty orders of some over-excited officials can create problems. It may spread the malaise of untouchability. Faith must be respected, but untouchability must not be encouraged). However, the BJP leader received a lot of flak on social media and responded by sharing a photo of himself participating in Kanwar Yatra in the past. He wrote, Hey trollsDo not distribute certificates of respect and faith of the Kanwar Yatra to me. I have always believed that no faith should be a hostage to intolerance or untouchability. The old photo showed him carrying a Kanwar on his shoulder. The annual pilgrimage by Lord Shiva devotees will begin on July 22 this year. On Friday, the Uttar Pradesh government issued an order asking for nameplates on all food shops along Kanwar Yatra routes across Uttar Pradesh, not just in Muzaffarnagar. The names of the owners or operators must be displayed. The order has intensified the issue, with opposition parties protesting in various places. In fact, BJP allies Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Lok Dal had also said that the order should be withdrawn as it may cause communal tensions and there should not be any discrimination based on religion or caste. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against IAS trainee Puja Khedkar, who is facing allegations of submitting fake certificates to secure her job and asking for special privileges at workplace, on charges of cheating. Following a thorough inquiry in which the UPSC found her guilty, the commission has also issued a show-cause notice to Khedkar, asking why her candidature as an IAS officer should not be cancelled in light of the allegations related to fake certificates. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police crime branch has also lodged an FIR against Khedkar under the IT Act and sections of cheating and forgery. News18 reported last week that she could face severe action leading up to termination. Replying to it, Khedkar told ANI: The judiciary will take its own coursewhatever there is, I will reply to it." ALSO READ | IAS Trainee Puja Khedkar Could Be Sacked If Proven Guilty: Govt Sources Amid Controversy Khedkar, a 2023 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Maharashtra cadre, has been accused of faking her caste and medical certificates. The 34-year-old IAS officer made headlines over her alleged demands for a separate office, staff and quarters which she is not entitled to as a probationer. Pune police are probing charges that she used a red beacon and an insignia of the Maharashtra government on her private Audi vehicle. #WATCH | Washim, Maharashtra: On UPSC filing FIR against her, Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar says, "The judiciary will take its course. Whatever is there, I will reply to that" pic.twitter.com/MlJHx5OcR9 ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024 WHAT THE UPSC, DELHI POLICE SAID The UPSC has found IAS probationer Puja Khedkar guilty of faking her real identity and violating the UPSC exam rules. The UPSC said, The UPSC has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation in the misdemeanor of Ms Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar provisionally recommended candidate of the civil services examination. From the investigation it has been revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limits under the examination rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her fathers and mothers name, her photograph, signature, e-mail ID, mobile number and address." The commission said: The UPSC has therefore initiated a series of actions against her including criminal prosecution by filing an FIR and issuing a show-cause notice (SCN) for cancellation of her candidature and debarment from future examination/selection." In its official statement on the FIR, the Delhi Police said, The UPSC has filed a complaint with Delhi Police against Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar for misrepresenting and falsifying facts to obtain extra attempts in the UPSC examinations, beyond the prescribed limit. Consequently, a case has been registered under the relevant sections of the law, and investigation has been taken up in Crime Branch." OTHER ALLEGATIONS, FATHER SEEKS ANTICIPATORY BAIL Another major allegation pertains to her disability certificate submitted to the UPSC. According to media reports, she told the UPSC that she was visually and mentally challenged, in order to get special concessions in the selection process. But she refused to undergo medical tests on several occasions; even specially abled UPSC aspirants, who crack the prestigious test, are required to undergo medical tests. Subsequently, she submitted an MRI report, which was first rejected and later accepted. Her claim in job application that she belonged to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) non-creamy layer which would contribute to her selection is also under the scanner. Pune RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar has said Khedkars father, a retired administrative officer who unsuccessfully fought the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, has assets worth Rs 40 crore. The threshold of annual income for quota under OBC non-creamy layer category is Rs 8 lakh. ALSO READ | Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkars Father Seeks Anticipatory Bail After Wifes Arrest Last week, Khedkar was transferred to Washim from Pune, where she was posted as an assistant collector. She secured an all-India rank of 841 in the UPSC exam in 2023, and is currently on a 24-month probationary period. The Maharashtra government has handed over its report on Khedkar case to the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT). There were several questions that DoPT had asked the state, responses to which have been submitted. The state has completed the inquiry. Now, the Centre-appointed committee will look into it. Meanwhile, Dilip Khedkar, a retired government officer and Khedkars father, has filed an anticipatory bail application in the sessions court amid the ongoing legal troubles surrounding his family. This move follows the arrest of his wife, Manorama, by Pune Police on Thursday for allegedly threatening a farmer at gunpoint about a year ago. The PCMC on Friday sealed a factory in Pimpri-Chinchwad, which is owned by Manorama Khedkar. Guru Purnima, which falls on the full moon day of the Ashadha month (June-July), is a very important festival for the Hindus as well as the Jains. This year, Guru Purnima will be celebrated around the world on July 21. In addition to India, Nepal and Bhutan observe Guru Purnima. Its the moment to show sincere respect and gratitude to Gurus, who serve as guiding lights and information providers. The title Guru translates to dispeller of darkness, emphasising their role in dispelling ignorance and revealing the road to enlightenment. While Purnima refers to the full moon night on which it occurs. Guru Purnima is also known as Vyas Purnima because it commemorates the birthday of Veda Vyas, the sage who wrote the Mahabharata. Guru Purnima, according to the Hindi Panchang, is the conclusion of various yogas. According to Kashi-based astrologer Pandit Sanjay Upadhyay, Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga is being formed this year on Guru Purnima day. What Is Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga? Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga is a type of yoga that occurs when certain nakshatras align on a particular day of the week. The combination of these nakshatras is considered auspicious for beginning new pursuits or businesses. Any new venture launched at this time is expected to be successful. Sarvartha Siddhi Yoga will be available throughout the day on Sunday, July 21. Guru Purnima 2024: Auspicious Time According to Drik Panchang, the Purnima Tithi will begin on July 20, 2024, at 5:59 PM and end on July 21, 2024, at 3:46 PM. Guru Purnima 2024: History According to Hindu mythology, Guru Purnima is related to the birth of a well-known sage, the son of Sage Parashar. This divine child is thought to have extensive knowledge of the past, present, and future (Bhoot Kaal, Vartamaan Kaal, and Bhiavishya Kaal). Recognising the importance of preserving and disseminating this spiritual and religious knowledge, he diligently edited the Vedas into four parts. This ancient Guru, known as Vyas, is honoured on this day, also known as Vyas Purnima. Guru Purnima serves as a reminder of the eternal value of education and study, as well as the esteemed Gurus who freely share their expertise with the world. Guru Purnima 2024: Significance According to the tradition of Guru Purnima, a teacher is elevated to a level where they can transcend their students into a higher realm and eradicate ignorance from their lives. As a result, it is also a celebration of the wisdom and information that teachers possess and share. It also promotes knowledge exchange as the sole means of achieving transcendence. Guru Purnima is an excellent occasion to honour your instructors. Teachers in our lives can range from our parents to our academic mentors to even older siblings. Why Do We Celebrate Guru Purnima? Guru Purnima is a sacred tradition derived from several stories found in various spiritual teachings. One belief holds that on this day, Lord Shiva imparted his wisdom to people, making him the first teacher. Another story talks of Ved Vyasas birth, who on Guru Purnima shared the Vedic teachings with his four students. On this day, according to Buddhist legend, Buddha delivered his first sermon to his followers in Sarnath. Similarly, Jains commemorate Guru Purnima as the day Mahavira, a revered figure, attracted his first follower. The essence of Guru Purnima is to commemorate teachers who guide people from ignorance to understanding, emphasising the value of knowledge and wisdom in spiritual growth. Guru Purnima 2024: Rituals The Worlds first mega musical on Shri Krishna Rajadhiraaj: Love Life Leela conceptualised and created by Dhanraj Nathwani is set to captivate audiences with one-of-a-kind theatrical experiences, bringing to life the magnanimity and benevolence of Shri Krishna. Set to unfold at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centres Grand Theatre, the musical will have a runtime of 120 minutes, with shows running daily from August 15th to September 1st, 2024. This enchanting musical is penned by the visionary Indian lyricist, screenwriter and Padma Shri awardee, Prasoon Joshi and delves into the untold stories of Shri Krishna, offering a vivid glimpse at the dual journeys of Shri Krishna from Vraj to Mewar and Mathura to Dwarka, portrayed with spectacular visuals and a cast of over 100 performers. Featuring 60+ dynamic dancers and 40 + actors under Shruti Sharmas direction, the musical masterpiece intertwines Shri Krishnas 2 journeys as Shrinathji and his majestic incarnation as Rajadhiraaj Dwarkadhish together on stage for the very first time. From Krishnas playful escapades as the mischievous cowherd in Gokul, endearing himself to the village folk, to his profound role as the wise charioteer imparting the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, the musical vividly captures the essence of Krishnas multifaceted persona in a spellbinding manner. An unprecedented musical intertwining the journeys of Shri Krishna, Shrinathji and Dwarkadheesh, brought together on stage for the very first time. Its allure is heightened by a soul-stirring soundtrack containing 20 original songs composed by ace music composers Sachin-Jigar, blending Indian classical music with a Western symphony orchestra, along with Haveli Sangeet, Rajasthani and Gujarati folk, and Hindustani semi-classical genres. Award-winning Bollywood production designer Omung Kumar intricately weaves scenes that transport viewers to ancient India. Celebrated costume designer Neeta Lulla, renowned for her work on several popular Indian movies, breathes life into mythical characters with her expert craftsmanship. Through over 1,800 meticulously crafted costumes adorned with 5,000 floral headgears, she elegantly showcases their divine playfulness, courage, and profound philosophical depth, enhancing the visual spectacle. Choreographers Bertwin DSouza and Shampa Gopikrishnas exquisite dance sequences further immerse the audience in Krishnas multifaceted world, creating a vibrant and captivating portrayal of the beloved deitys journey. Shampa Gopikrishna continues the legacy of her late father, the legendary Natraj Shri Gopikrishna, a kathak maestro and choreographer. With captivating storytelling, stunning visuals, and soul-stirring live music, Executive Producer Bhoomi Nathwani guarantees a profoundly immersive experience. The show is creatively produced by Parthiv Gohil and Viral Rachh, both seasoned veterans in music and theatre, while National Award-winning writer Raam Mori has meticulously contributed to the projects in-depth story research. With an ensemble of over 100 performers, Rajadhiraaj promises to be an enchanting portrayal of Shri Krishnas Leela. Audiences are sure to be swept away by the mesmerizing world of Rajadhiraaj: Love Life Leela at NMACC The Grand Theatrean unforgettable journey into the essence of Shri Krishnas divine saga. Tickets are now available at nmacc.com and bookmyshow.com. Barzakh Show Review: I needed a few hours of soaking in before I could dive into reviewing Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeeds new show, Barzakh. Although I got to watch only two episodes of Asim Abbasis show, it was enough to help me learn that the filmmaker behind the outstanding film Cake and impressive series Churails has an insane artistic vision board in front of him and is ready to take us on a mesmerising yet haunting tale. However, fair warning, Abbasi asks you to surrender to his vision, otherwise, you might just get lost in its valley. Lets begin with what Barzakh is. To start off, Barzakh means Limboland (as shown in the subtitles of the show) is a Pakistani supernatural television series. Set in the Land of Nowhere, the show follows the journey of an old man, Jafar Khanzada (played by Salman Shahid) who is preparing to marry the ghost of his first true love. As he prepares for his third wedding, which he proudly declares is his final wedding, his sons from his first two marriages Shehryar (Fawad Khan) and Saifullah (M Fawad Khan) join him to witness the ceremony. As the episodes play out, we learn that the sons also come with their own share of baggage, each explored in an episode. While the family tackles their issues, we also witness a suspicious Scheherezade (Sanam Saeed) doubling up as a Mahtab Mahal manager (the lavish property that has a questionable past behind it) who doesnt seem like just another caretaker. Asim, who has also written the show, sprinkles some pink magic powder that adds souls wandering, the mountains holding secrets and mysterious events into the mix of the show, making it a haunting experience. While I cannot get into the details of the show to avoid spoilers, I can tell you that Barzakh is a refreshing take on supernatural shows from South Asia. Asim Abbasi intertwines the mystery of the mountains with dysfunctional family issues to give us a delicious slice of cake. Barzakh shines in its writing, Asim carefully layered the show, presenting several sub-texts that fully make sense when you finish an episode. There were scenes, especially in the second episode, that had me rewinding and watching it again once the whole episode ended. The characters are also explored like onions, with Asim peeling their past, present and possible future one layer at a time. This not only gives the episode the much-needed depth but also enriches the viewing experience. What I enjoyed the most about this writing style is that instead of overlapping everyones story in an episode, especially since there are four core subjects of the show, Asim dedicated each episode to one character, letting you see the subject from every perspective. With so much open to unpack, it could feel like the show is heavy but Asim seamlessly packs it all in within 50 minutes. The pace works brilliantly in the storytelling. Asim is supported well by the cinematography, editing and music. Barzakh is shot in the Hunza Valley and cinematographer Mo Azmi has captured it beautifully. The show lets the valley shine in all its glory while using the emptiness of the night to add the uneasiness required to give the show a spooky touch. To top it off, the VFX are done smoothly, making you want to watch the show on the big screen. Barzakh wouldnt be what it is if it werent for its cast. Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed are undoubtedly one of the most drawing factors of the show. However, the first two episodes merely teased the big potential they have in the upcoming episodes. Fawads scenes with his on-screen son, especially the one in the second episodes climax, are my favourite. On the other hand, Sanam casts a magical spell on you with her presence and performance in the show. However, for those who are watching the show just for Fawad and Sanam are in for a disappointment because the first two episodes do not give them enough screen time together. While Fawad and Sanam have their moments to shine, the first two episodes belong to Fawads namesake, M Fawad Khan (who plays the older brother in the show) and Salman Shahid (who plays the father). Given that the two episodes are dedicated to their characters, their performances shine out and out. Fawads subtle yet powerful performance lingers long after the show ends while Salman gets under your skin with his portrayal. Bottomline: Barzakh is a poetic of art, beautifully told supernatural story. However, it might not suit everyones palette. If you enjoy your share of Pakistani shows and are ready to give it some time, Barzakh might grow on you. Barzakh is a six-episode long series that will air each episode on Tuesdays and Fridays on ZEE5 and Zindagi YouTube. Referring to the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Tamil Nadu President K Armstrong, filmmaker and strong espouser of Dalit emancipation Pa Ranjith told CNN-News18 that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government should have done more to protect Dalits. Ranjith will be organising a mega rally on July 20 to pressure the government to arrest the real culprits. Ranjith urged the police to accord proper protection to Dalit leaders and not ignore the threats they receive. Political leaders, especially Dalit leaders, are not given enough protection in the state. When I spoke to Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavallavan, he said he receives many threats. For someone like him, who is in mainstream politics, if you ask me if he is given enough protection Its still questionable. In Tamil Nadu, police should be aware of the threats such leaders receive and should ensure they take all the necessary measures, said Ranjith. On July 5, Armstrong was hacked to death by six unidentified people near his residence in Chennais Perambur area. So far, 14 people have been arrested in connection with the case, and the search for three more is on. They should monitor these politicians and provide enough safety and security to such leaders. RALLY IS TO PUT PRESSURE ON STATE TO BRING OUT TRUTH With the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) investigating the case, Ranjith says the rally is to put pressure on the state to bring out the truth over the murder of Armstrong. The main purpose of the rally is to ensure there is fair investigation into the murder of Armstrong. The real culprits should be arrested. Is there a political hand behind the murder? Is some big name involved? All these angles need to be probed. We want to put pressure on the state government to ensure the probe is done in a fair and thorough manner. If we are not convinced with the current investigation, then we will demand a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, Ranjith added. BSP Supremo Mayawati visited Chennai to pay tribute to the late Armstrong. Claiming the real culprits have not been arrested, she urged the Stalin government to transfer the case to the CBI. Opposition parties, including the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have been demanding a CBI probe into the murder. Ranjith said the government could have managed the situation better. The Tamil Nadu government could have handled the case in a better way. From the way the body was handed over to denying a place for burial, and the funeral procession, the government did not handle it well. We are not happy with them. Ranjith said they will wait for the findings of the investigation and will decide the course of action. Childhood photos of actors go viral on the internet often, making people guess who they are. Recently, one such photo has gone viral. Can you guess who it is? If you couldnt take a guess, you will be surprised to know it is none other than former South actor Sivaji Ganesan. He was known for his versatility and the variety of roles he played on screen. He was given the Tamil nickname Nadigar Thilagam, which means the pride of actors. His career spanned close to five decades, during which he acted in 288 films. These films were in various languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi. Sivaji Ganesan is the only Tamil actor to have played the lead role in over 250 films. Sivaji Ganesan was renowned for his incredible acting in Indian cinema. Many believe no one could watch his performances without being amazed. In 1960, he became the first Indian actor to win a Best Actor award at an International film festival. He won this award at the Afro-Asian Film Festival held in Cairo, Egypt. Many leading South actors have stated that their acting was influenced by Ganesan. In 1997, Ganesan was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour for films in India. He was also the first Indian actor to be made a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In addition, he received the National Film Award (Special Jury), four Filmfare Awards South, and three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards. Ganesan was one of the three biggest names of Tamil cinema, along with MG Ramachandran and Gemini Ganesan. While Gemini Ganesan was known for his romantic films and MG Ramachandran was popular as an action hero, Sivaji Ganesan excelled in dramatic films. Ganesan is remembered as an iconic figure in Tamil cinema. Upon his death, The Los Angeles Times described him as the Marlon Brando of South Indian film industry. Seeing his childhood photo go viral reminds us of his remarkable journey and lasting impact on Indian cinema. Kriti Sanon has a noteworthy approach towards fashion, and never fails to make heads turn with her sartorial choices. Having said that, the actress recently glammed up in a little black and white dress as she arrived at the airport. Kriti was a complete vision to behold. She completed her look with dewy make-up and donned one of her brightest smiles for the shutterbugs. The actress looked effortlessly glam in a black and white dress and paired the attire with black boots. The video instantly went viral. Have a look at the video: Kriti Sanon has had a prolific career, balancing commercial blockbusters with meaningful cinema. However, the one film she holds close to her heart is Mimi, a project that not only won audiences hearts but also earned her the prestigious National Award for her brilliant acting prowess. Reflecting on her journey post Mimi, Kriti recently opened up about how the film was a turning point in her career and personal growth. In a recent interview, Kriti shared her thoughts on how Mimi has impacted her life. There are some films that kind of open you up. A sort of release happens and, suddenly, you discover a little more about yourself. I think that happened with Mimi, she revealed. Kriti further elaborated on her experience, saying, Whenever you imagine a trailer of your life, you know that particular shot that has to be there. It was one of those moments. That film was one I was extremely passionate about. It gave me a lot to do as an actor and the satisfaction that I felt after performing was on another level altogether. While Kritis acting talent continue to shine, she is also making significant strides as a creative force in Bollywood. This year, she is set to turn producer with Do Patti, a project that promises to push the boundaries of storytelling and creativity. With veteran actress Kajol on board and under her production house Blue Butterfly Films, Kriti is poised to make a substantial impact on the industry as a producer. Manny Jacinto, best known for his roles in The Good Place and Nine Perfect Strangers, is currently garnering attention as Qimir in Star Wars series The Acolyte. Although the new role is giving Jacinto a much deserved boost to his career, its not his first big franchise. Before joining the Star Wars universe, Jacinto had a brief appearance in Tom Cruise Top Gun: Maverick as LT Billy Fritz Avalone. Despite going through intense training with fighter jets and gym workouts for months, Jacinto recently made an eye opening revelation that his lines were cut from the film. While Maverick provided fame to Glen Powell and Miles Teller, the Filipino born actor ended up in the background of a few scenes. In a conversation with GQ, Jacinto star said, Its flattering that there was a little bit of an outcry, but it wasnt shocking to me. There was this sense of where the film was going [on set], like I can see them focusing the camera more on these [other] guys and not taking so much time on our scenes. Fortunately, it still was a great experience, you get to see this huge machine at work, see how Tom Cruise works and you get to be a small part of this huge franchise. Instead of being upset, Manny Jacinto admitted that the disappointment actually motivated him even more. He shared, It kind of fuels you, because at the end of the day, Tom Cruise is writing stories for Tom Cruise. Its up to us, Asian Americans, people of colour, to be that [for ourselves]. We cant wait for somebody else to do it. If we want bigger stories out there, we have to make them for ourselves. While Jacinto isnt too bothered about his role being cut from Maverick, especially now that hes getting more attention for his part in The Acolyte. In the same interview, he joked about the past incident by appreciating the growing diversity in the Star Wars universe. He pointed out that more people of colour will be able to see themselves in this iconic series. Ahead of the release, when he saw a rough cut of the series, Jacinto joked about enjoying the process from the sidelines and compared it with studying for an exam and actually doing well. The actor also speculated that he might still get cut from the series. In Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise reprised his role as Pete Mitchell and the film became the second highest grossing movie of 2022. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won an award in the Best Sound category. Nithya Ram is an Indian actress who has predominantly worked in Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam TV industries. She is the elder sister of Kannada actress Rachita Ram. Nithya Ram gained recognition for her Tamil serial, Nandini and quickly became a household name. The actress is now all set to make her comeback with a new family drama serial. Nithya Ram started her career as an actress with a Kannada television show called Benkiyalli Aralida Hoovu, which aired on Zee Kannada. She shared the screen with her younger sister. After her marriage, she stayed away from the limelight. Now, she is all set to star in Shanthi Nivasa serial. The serial is the story of a woman named Shanthi. She is considered to be the favourite daughter-in-law, favourite mother and sister, loved sister-in-law and the sweetest aunt. Her house help considers her to be her daughter. She is the guiding light of the family who loves everyone equally and always understands what her family needs, even before they ask for it. Nithya Ram as Shanthi will be special and looks promising enough to win the hearts of the audience with her simple depiction. Shanthi Nivasa will premiere on Udaya TV on July 22. It will air every Monday to Friday at 8:30 pm. Currently, the serials promo has been making a lot of buzz among the Kannada audience. Her fans are super happy to have her back on the small screen after her last show, Nandini, which touched the hearts of the viewers. Nithya Ram has appeared in other Kannada shows such as Karpoorada Gombe, Rajkumari and Eradu Kanasu. She has also worked in a Telugu film called Muddhu Bidda. Later, she was roped in for Diganth, but it did not work out for her. In 2017, she starred in Nandini, which aired on Sun TV and was backed by Sundar C. It was a Tamil supernatural fantasy thriller. Prithviraj Sukumaran starrer Aadujeevitham or The GOAT Life will be available exclusively on Netflix from July 19. After a successful theatrical release on March 28, 2024, the film will captivate OTT viewers with its gripping narrative. Directed by Blessy and co-produced with Jimmy Jean-Louis and Steven Adams, Aadujeevitham features a star-studded huge cast. Alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran, the film also stars Jimmy Jean-Louis, Kr Gokul, Talib Al Balushi and Amala Paul among others. The music, composed by AR Rahman, adds depth and emotion to the gripping story. Based on Benyamins novel and inspired by true events, Aadujeevitham chronicles the harrowing journey of Najeeb Muhammed, an Indian immigrant in Saudi Arabia. His hopes for a better life turn into a nightmare when he is trapped in the desert and forced to live as a shepherd and slave. The film sheds light on the plight of migrant workers and the resilience of the human spirit. Aadujeevitham has been critically acclaimed for its narrative and strong performances. The film delves deeply into themes of survival, exploitation and the quest for freedom and has resonated with audiences across the globe. Netflix announced the films digital release date on its official Instagram page. Pradheekshayum porattavum niranja Najeebinde jeevitha katha. #Aadujeevitham is coming to Netflix on 19th July in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi! #AadujeevithamOnNetflix, the post read. Despite grappling with personal grief, Najeeb was motivated to attend the screening in hopes that Aadujeevitham would resonate widely. He shared his emotional reaction in an interview, stating, I spent most of the scenes in tears, and at times, it was too painful to watch. Ive received numerous messages from people saying theyve booked their tickets and are eager to see the film My infant grandson passed away last week. Najeeb added that despite the emergency, his family had encouraged him to attend the ceremony. If his family would not have persuaded him, he wouldnt have considered it. Najeeb concluded the interview saying that his only wish is for the films success and for everyone to see it. Prithviraj Sukumaran has many other films lined up for his acting credit. He acted in Kaaliyan, and Metro Gauge 1904. He last acted in the movie Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil, directed by Vipin Das. This movie has raked in mixed reviews from the critics and the audiences. The audience opined that there was a lack of an intriguing storyline post-intermission. Popular actresses Trisha Krishnan and Nayanthara were known to have a strong bond and friendship. Both actresses have been ruling the hearts of the fans for more than 20 years now. Both have a massive fanbase globally. However, some old reports suggest that the duo was not on talking terms. This was supposedly due to so professional reasons that the actresses decided to part ways. According to an old report from 2008, Trisha and Nayanthara had a clash with each other over the Tamil film Kuruvi. As per a report by the Times of India, both the actress were initially considered for the role of Devi in the film. Eventually, Trisha was chosen for the role. Despite this news of professional dispute being shared widely, Trisha denied these rumours in an interview with India Herald. Several media reports suggested that both actresses did not speak with each other for several years. Recently, Trisha decided to respond to the speculation about her and Nayantharas relationship. In the interview, she mentioned that most of the speculations were made up and there was no such issue between them. She agreed that though they had some tussle it was not regarding professional life. She said, Nayad has more than 10 years of experience in the field of acting. Our problems were mostly made up by the media. We never fought. Yeah we had some minor falling out over shared acquaintances and personal issues. On the other hand, Nayanthara also commented on her relationship with Trisha. She mentioned that their long-term separation was caused by some misconceptions. While talking to the media, the actress appreciated Trisha for making the effort to solve the issues they had to date and mend the relationship between them. There were some misunderstandings that affected our relationship. What more could I want for when she took the time to reach out to me? Thats extremely appreciated, Nayanthara said. Despite keeping their wedding plans under wraps, Vicky Kaushal and Katrina Kaifs nuptials couldnt escape the relentless Mumbai paparazzi, who swarmed their Rajasthan venue back in 2021. In a recent promotional chat for his film Bad Newz, Vicky fondly reminisced about this covert celebration. His favourite moment turned out to be the first leaked photo from the event, which perfectly captured the joyous mood he had envisioned and even brought a smile to his face. Speaking on Tanmay Bhats YouTube channel, Vicky elaborated, The paparazzi and media were everywhere. They had climbed onto the terraces of neighboring villages, armed with telephoto lenses, trying to get a glimpse of everything. Vicky then reminisced about the first leaked photo from their wedding that took the internet by storm. The first photo that they got was of one of Katrinas brothers who was visiting Rajasthan for the first time from the UK, sunbathing in trunks, he revealed with a laugh. The actor added, Usse sur chhid gaya. Maine kaha ab yeh set ho gaya. Yeh best hai (That set the tone. I said now its good. This is great.) Meanwhile, Vicky Kaushal, like many, finds it difficult to select the perfect gift for his wife, actress Katrina Kaif. In a recent interview, Vicky admitted that he is horrible at choosing gifts for her, but revealed that Katrinas passion for art has inspired him to learn more about it. During an appearance on Raj Shamanis podcast, Vicky discussed his struggles with gift-giving. I havent cracked this game yet. Some people are really good at gifting, but Katrina isnt into materialistic things. For me, gifting is about making a joke, and I often run out of jokes and thoughtful ideas. I am really horrible at it, he admitted. However, Vicky did manage to find a gift that resonated with Katrina. He shared that the best gift he has ever given her was a painting. She is really into art, so I gifted her a painting. It was the first time I bought a painting in my life. I had no idea about art, but now I love it because its my favourite wall in the house. The painting is by GR Iranna. This is the first time Im mentioning his name because, apart from MF Hussain, I didnt know any artists, Vicky explained. Vicky and Katrina, who dated for two years before tying the knot in December 2021, have always been in the spotlight. Recently, rumours about Katrinas pregnancy surfaced, but Vicky put an end to the speculation during a promotional event for his upcoming film Bad Newz. He firmly denied the rumours, saying, For now, please enjoy Bad Newz. When the time is right, we wont shy away from announcing the pregnancy news. The couples relationship has often been the subject of public interest, but they have managed to keep their personal lives relatively private. Pakistani actor Fawad Khan is set to return to screens with his upcoming supernatural fantasy drama, Barzakh. Reuniting with his Zindagi Gulzar Hai co-star Sanam Saeed, the Asim Abbasi-directed show will premiere on July 19. The series centres around the lead couple, Shehryar (Fawad) and Scheherezade (Sanam). Joining them in the cast are Salman Shahid, Eman Suleman, Khusshal Khan and others in prominent roles. While the shows trailer has left fans excited and eager to catch Fawad back on the screen, heres all you need to know about Barzakhs streaming details. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fawad A Khan (@fawadkhan81) How To Watch Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeeds New Show In India Barzakh will be released on Friday, July 19 on ZEE5 and OTTPlay Premium. Besides, the show will also be released on Zindagis YouTube channel (premium). It will air every Tuesday and Friday at 8 PM on the aforementioned platforms. The six-episode series revolves around a family drama that will unfold after a reclusive resort owner invites his estranged children to his final wedding. Barzakhs Official Trailer As shown in the trailer, it tells the story of a 76-year-old man who wishes to marry the ghost of his first love. He invites his children to the wedding, however, leaving them in a fix after finding that the bride-to-be is a long-dead woman who is nowhere to be seen. Determined to meet his first love on the other side of the world, the show will delve into the complexities of the afterlife. It is set against the beautiful backdrop of the Hunza Valley in Pakistan. It will also address mental health, postpartum depression, generational trauma and gender inclusivity. While Fawad questions his fathers belief in marrying the unseen bride, Sanams character believes in the power of love. Directed by Asim Abbasi, the show is produced by Shailja Kejriwal and Waqas Hussain. While fans are hugely excited to catch Fawad Khans latest show, many also wonder if the actor will make a Bollywood comeback. Speaking on the same, Khan told India Today, Only time and the situation will tell what will happen. It was an unfortunate series of events that led to where we are today. But when the time is right, things will happen on their own." As tensions simmer in the Indo-Pacific, India is transforming the Andaman and Nicobar Islands into a formidable bastion of power, a strategic counter to Chinas assertive manoeuvres in Southeast Asia. Nestled at the crossroads of crucial maritime routes, these islands are no longer just a remote outpost but a key player in the high-stakes game of regional dominance. Indias recent surge in military and infrastructural developments here sends an unequivocal message: the era of passive defence is over. In its place, a robust, proactive stance is emerging, aimed squarely at curbing Beijings ambitions and asserting Indias influence over the vital sea lanes that connect the worlds largest economies. The Maldives, for instance, recently faced a crisis after adopting an India Out strategy and aligning itself with China. This pro-China stance backfired, leading to internal instability and eventually forcing the Maldives to apologise to India. Recognising the volatility in its neighbourhood, India is not only developing the Lakshadweep Islands as an alternative strategic location but is also heavily investing in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which hold unique and significant strategic importance of their own. Historically, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been a strategic asset for India, but recent developments underscore their growing importance. The islands are home to two main airports: Veer Savarkar International Airport at Port Blair and Car Nicobar Air Force Station. However, Indias efforts have extended beyond these initial facilities. The Indian Navy is expanding its capabilities by building a longer runway at Shibpur, now known as INS Kohassa, located in the northern part of the islands. This new runway is designed to support larger and more advanced military aircraft, enhancing the operational readiness of Indias forces in the region. In addition to INS Kohassa, the Indian government has embarked on a comprehensive 10-year infrastructure development plan for the islands. This plan includes the extension of the Campbell Bay (INS Baaz) runway in the southern part of the islands to 10,000 feet. This extension will enable the operation of larger aircraft, thereby increasing the strategic reach of Indias air power. Another 10,000-foot runway is planned for Kamorta, further bolstering the islands capacity to host significant military assets. The deployment of advanced military aircraft is a key component of Indias strategy. The Indian Air Force has stationed its Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Jaguar Maritime fighter jets on the islands, while the Indian Navy operates Poseidon P-8I submarine hunters from these bases. The development of military infrastructure is aimed at ensuring the permanent deployment of these assets, providing India with a robust and continuous presence in the region. Former Indian Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash highlighted the strategic importance of these developments. He emphasised the need to enhance the military assets stationed at the islands, citing the frequent transits of PLA Navy (PLAN) warships, submarines, and research/intelligence-gathering vessels in the waters surrounding the islands. Admiral Prakash argues that the presence of Chinese naval forces, including nuclear attack submarines, necessitates a substantial anti-submarine warfare capability for the Indian Navy. This strategic imperative underscores the importance of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in countering the growing Chinese naval presence. Indias strategic initiatives in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands extend beyond infrastructure development. The Andaman and Nicobar Command, the only tri-service command in India, periodically conducts joint maritime exercises with partner nations. One such exercise is the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX), which enhances interoperability between the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy. Additionally, India conducts MILAN, the largest naval exercise in the region, which involves the participation of numerous navies from across the Indo-Pacific. These exercises demonstrate Indias commitment to regional security and its ability to work closely with allied nations. The inauguration of the Chennai-Andaman and Nicobar undersea internet cable marks another significant milestone in Indias development efforts. This high-speed internet connection links seven remote island chains, providing residents with improved connectivity and communication capabilities. Enhanced internet connectivity also supports military operations, enabling secure and reliable communication channels for strategic purposes. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands serve as a strategic pit stop for naval vessels of partner countries, including those from the Quad nations (India, Japan, the United States, and Australia) and France. These countries have been collaborating with India to develop the islands as a countermeasure to Chinas increasing presence in the surrounding waters. There have been reports that India is considering installing the Japan-US fishhook Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS), a chain of sensors designed to track submarines. This system, once operational, is expected to enhance intelligence sharing among Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, and India, creating a comprehensive counter-wall against Chinese submarines in the Andaman Sea and South China Sea. Chinas influence in South Asia has grown significantly over the past decade, often through a combination of economic investments and strategic debt traps. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a prime example, with China investing over $60 billion in infrastructure projects in Pakistan. These investments have secured Chinas strategic foothold in the region, including access to the Arabian Sea through the Gwadar Port. In Myanmar, Chinas investments in ports and infrastructure have increased its influence, while in the Maldives and Sri Lanka, Beijing has used debt diplomacy to gain control over critical assets. The Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka, for instance, was leased to China for 99 years after Sri Lanka was unable to repay Chinese loans. This move has given China a strategic base in the Indian Ocean, enhancing its ability to project power in the region. The tug-of-war between India and China in the South China Sea has deep historical roots. Both nations have long-standing interests in the region, with China asserting expansive territorial claims and constructing artificial islands to bolster its position. These actions have led to increased tensions and prompted India to strengthen its strategic partnerships and military presence in the Indo-Pacific. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands hold significant strategic importance due to their location at the crossroads of key maritime routes. For China, these islands are critical for the security of its maritime trade routes, which pass through the Malacca Strait. Approximately 80 per cent of Chinas oil imports transit through this narrow waterway, making it a vital chokepoint. A robust Indian presence in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands can effectively monitor and potentially disrupt Chinese maritime activities, providing India with a crucial point of strategic leverage. Indias foreign policy in Southeast Asia must focus on maintaining a strong and proactive stance. This requires a consensus within India, transcending political affiliations, to ensure a unified approach to regional security and strategic interests. By leveraging its strategic assets in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and strengthening alliances with key partners, India can effectively counter Chinas expansionism and maintain stability in Southeast Asia. A robust foreign policy should emphasise the importance of regional cooperation and the development of multilateral frameworks. India has already made significant strides in this direction by actively participating in forums such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the East Asia Summit. Strengthening these partnerships and fostering closer ties with Southeast Asian nations will be crucial in countering Chinas influence. Furthermore, Indias engagement with the Quad nations and other like-minded countries should be deepened. The Quad, comprising India, Japan, the United States, and Australia, has emerged as a significant strategic partnership aimed at promoting a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Collaborating on defence and security initiatives, maritime domain awareness, and infrastructure development will enhance Indias capabilities to counter Chinese expansionism. Indias strategic development of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is not merely a defensive measure but a clear message to China: Indias resolve in safeguarding its maritime interests and regional stability is unwavering. This bold stance is a direct challenge to Chinas aggressive expansionism and signals that any attempts to dominate the Indo-Pacific will be met with formidable resistance. Our actions in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands underscore our determination to uphold international norms and secure our strategic autonomy, setting a precedent for other regional powers to assert their sovereignty in the face of coercive tactics. The writer takes special interest in history, culture and geopolitics. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. It is ironic that despite its scorn for North Korea and the tradition of secrecy that shrouds the health of its top leaders, the US appears to be going down a similar path with its political leaders. While the partisan US media has been questioning the lack of a proper bulletin on the condition of Republican presidential contender Donald Trump after the failed assassination attempt, there is less than optimal information on the health parameters of incumbent President Joe Biden. As there is a visible change in Trumps demeanour after an assassins bullet clipped his right ear, an update on his mental state after that near-miss is certainly warranted. He seems mellowed, subdued, quieter, even reflective. Although the media seems less concerned about his overall well-being than a more popular political personage, the impact of that event cannot be discounted. The nationthe USneeds to know to what extent he has been affected by this ordeal. But even more imperative are medical updates on the man who still has control over the nuclear balloon but cannot remember the name of his own Secretary of Defence or a Supreme Court justices full name. Whether Biden remains in the race or steps aside in favour of someone younger and compos mentis, he will still be in charge of the US at least till January 2025 and (supposedly) taking decisions that can have wide-ranging consequences. So his health is a crucial matter. Yet, the media and commentariat in the US is focusing voter attention only on the fact that he is doing well after being diagnosed with Covid-19 yet again. Despite having taken multiple booster shots of the vaccine in the past four years. The only question being mildly raised is whether he has the stamina to keep up with the pace of the Presidential elections. They are glossing over the more important issue of Bidens fitness to handle the day-to-day challenges of his high office. Stumbling and shuffling while walking, a very visible stiffness in his arms and legs, wooden smiles and all-too-frequent moments of blank incomprehension on his face do not portend well for a man who is one of the worlds most powerful leaders. That the White House is behaving as if aall izz well is even more alarming in that context. One commentator observed that not since the Nixon era has the White House been so busy hiding information about a President. It is as if the Biden clan and White House officials willed the USthe mainstream media at leastto ignore evidence of his decrepitude. His decline did not happen overnight, yet it may not have come into focus at all had he not flubbed the debate with Trump on primetime TV so spectacularly, forcing the media to take note. Media posited every stumble of Trump while in office as evidence of debility, but Bidens procession of fumbles and tumbles had always been downplayed. The decline in Bidens physicaland by implication, possibly mentalfitness has been obvious for years, so the secretive attitude of his close confidantes is confounding. While it may not be elder abuse as some have alleged, the danger of a President not being at the top of his game is manifest. There is no problem with your average Grandpa being creaky and forgetful, but if that old man also happens to be POTUS, it becomes a matter of international consternation. There are precedents of US presidents not being open about their health. No one knew then, for instance, that John F Kennedy was taking a strong cocktail of steroids to deal with health issues though he exuded an image of robustness. And Franklin Roosevelt took great carewith the cooperation of the mediato keep his wheelchair mostly out of sight of the public and conducted a very successful political career ending with his winning the Presidency a record four times. In fact, Roosevelts time has some curious parallels with the current situation in the US. His health began to fail at the end of his third term due to heart disease, yet he was adamant about contesting. Democratic Party leaders were worried about his chances, but his vice president was not seen as a viable replacement candidate. Roosevelt stayed as the candidate, the veep was replaced and he won again. But just a year into his fourth and final term, he died due to a stroke. The Soviet Union was the most well-known for hiding health issues. For years the politburo hid the fact that Leonid Brezhnev had issues from arteriosclerosis to arrhythmia. As the media was state-controlled, there was no discussion of the times he was visibly disoriented and fatigued. That led to speculation about his death several times before he actually passed away. Even his successor Yuri Andropovs kidney failure was also never mentioned publicly till he died aged just 70. Josef Stalins massive stroke was kept a secret for a day and there were no updates till he died four days later. His death was only announced after a delay of six hours. Later leader-dictators of post-Soviet nations followed the same mantra of secrecy about their health, such as Saparmurat Niyazov of Turkmenistan and Heydar Aliyev of Azerbaijan. The health of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was never allowed to be discussed and his death was announced two days later. The reason is clear: unwell leaders cause unrest among the people. The Soviet Union was a closed society, so the silence of the establishment and the media was only to be expected. But the US is a democracy with a supposedly free and fearless media. So why has no one in mainstream media raised the question of Bidens competence to remain in office, much less run for another term? It seems they are all mindful of the possibility that Bidens infirmity might help Trump win. After the disastrous debate in June, Biden had said only the Lord Almighty could convince him to quit his re-election bid. Some are predictably interpreting his latest bout of Covid-19 as a message from that supreme entity to do precisely that. However, he still has over five months left of his term in the White House. If it is just not about winning but being able to execute the office of President from 20 January 2025 onwards, what about from now up to that date? The author is a freelance writer. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. In a historic moment, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was being conferred Russias highest civilian award, the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, by President Vladimir Putin within the historic precincts of the Kremlin, ones mind wandered to the innumerable scholars and thinkers who shaped the India-Russia narrative over decades and centuries. The awards conferment marked a symbolic high point of PM Modis Russia visit and his participation in the 22nd India-Russia Summit. The time-tested partnership and camaraderie today stand on deeper civilisational connections and foundations. The joint statement, the outcome document, reflected the ever-expanding areas of cooperation and partnership. These ranged from national security, energy, transport and connectivity including the crucial Chennai-Vladivostok corridor to Arctic and Far-East issues, nuclear and military cooperation, counter-terrorism, science and technology, culture, and education. The joint statement emphasised the essential upholding tenets of this unique relationship, stating that both sides noted with satisfaction the resilience of India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership and the convergent and complementary approaches of their foreign policy priorities, and reaffirmed their commitment for its further strengthening. They stressed that India and Russia as major powers will continue to strive for global peace and stability in a multipolar world. In the last decade, under PM Modis leadership, this resilient partnership has grown even stronger. Undeterred by scepticism in certain Western circles, Prime Minister Modi and President Putin have injected fresh energy and a new dimension into the partnership, taking it to the next level with a renewed roadmap and focus. That is how it should be, for both Russia and India are in the process of charting out their respective paths in the evolving global landscape, with each resolutely protecting its national interest. When PM Modi dedicated the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle to 140 crore Indians, it was a reiteration of the cultural and spiritual bond between our two civilisations. This moment recalls one of Russias most well-known Indologists and Padma Bhushan awardee, E.P. Chelyshev (1921-2020), who dedicated his life to studying India, Indian culture, literature, Swami Vivekananda, and the Ramakrishna movement. Chelyshevs fascination with Vivekananda perhaps equalled that of Tolstoys with the Swami, in another age and time. It is these individuals, devoting their lives to understanding India and Russia and assessing each through the prisms of the others aspirations, hopes, and expectations, who have laid a foundation upon which the future course can be safely built, erected, and further enriched. As a young scholar in 1956, Chelyshev swam across the stretch of sea and climbed the iconic rock in Kanyakumari. The description of his exertion and experience is a moving one. Far out on the sea, Chelyshev recalled, like a flock of quaint birds, the sails of light fishing boats dived in and out of the waves, while south of the rocky cape, some 200 metres from the shore rose a lonely cliff, against which the waves noisily beat. The cliff of Swami Vivekananda, I was told by a young man standing nearby who evidently understood that I was admiring the majestic beauty of the granite islet. On hearing the name of Vivekananda, about whom I first learned while a student from the works of Romain Rolland, I came up to the young man. Yes, it was on this cliff that Swami Vivekananda had spent three days before leaving India and setting out for distant lands, he said. How I would like to visit that islet, I remarked. Not waiting for the young man to fetch a boat from a nearby fishing village, Chelyshev plunged into the waves, my desire to step onto Vivekanandas cliff was so great that without waiting for the young mans return, I decided to swim to the islet. The boat carrying the wildly gesticulating young man eventually came, but by then Chelyshev, halfway through, had reached the mighty cliff. The young man, Chelyshevs newfound friend and guide, told him, Sit down and think of the one who indicated to us the road to a new life. Chelyshev followed his advice. Only the anxious cries of seagulls and the rumble of the surf broke the silenceEverything I read about Vivekananda came to my mind. I recalled the words of Tagore that he who wants to understand India must read Vivekananda, that he awakens in the younger generation love for, and devotion to, their motherland, their pride in its past and hope for its bright future. This indeed is so. Reading and re-reading the works of Vivekananda each time I find in them something new that helps deeper to understand India, its philosophy, the way of life and customs of the people in the past, present, their dreams of the futureI thought of his life, brief but dazzlingly bright, full of indefatigable activity and an impassioned desire to make his compatriots aware of their greatness and lead them onto the road of a new life. Regarding the Swamis message, Chelyshev, who went on to become a towering authority on India, observed that it possesses many features of active humanism manifested above all in a fervent desire to elevate man, to instill in him a sense of his own dignity, sense of responsibility for his own destiny and the destiny of all people, to make him strive for the ideals of good, truth and justice, to foster in man an abhorrence for any suffering Even today, more than a century after discovering Vivekananda, Leo Tolstoys fascination with the Swami continues to intrigue. On September 13, 1896, Tolstoy wrote to one Anendra Kumar Datta, who had sent him Swami Vivekanandas lectures on Raja Yoga, that he found the book most remarkable and had received much instruction from it, especially on the metaphysical side of the doctrine. For Tolstoy the precept as to what the true I of a man is, as expounded by Vivekananda, was excellent. So far, he wrote to Datta, humanity has frequently gone backwards from the true and lofty and clear conception of the principle of life, but never surpassed it. From Swami Vivekanandas letters, one can surmise that he had hoped to visit Russia sometime in April 1897. That visit could not materialise. But ripples of his thoughts and words had already reached the wide and rich shores of Tolstoys empire of thought and meditation. Iconic French philosopher Romain Rolland, himself a biographer of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, has lamented that it was the misfortune of mankind that Vivekananda, in the course of his travels in Europe in 1900, was not advised to go to Yasnaya Polyana, Tolstoys inaccessible literary stronghold, where he lived, contemplated and produced his chef doeuvres. The two religious geniuses of Europe and Asia, thus, could not meet. That meeting of minds, had it happened, would have undoubtedly been a striking and defining encounter. Tolstoy, reading Vivekananda, took copious notes, compared his thoughts and understanding with that of the Swamis and urged his acquaintances and acolytes to do the same. Sri Ramakrishnas aphorisms particularly attracted Tolstoy. In them, he found much that was the same as his own understanding. Some of these sayings, in a revised form, found a place in Tolstoys books: [Sayings] for Every Day, Circle of Reading, and Path of Life. Sri Ramakrishnas Kathamrita too profoundly impacted Tolstoy. In a conversation with Dilip Kumar Roy, Bengali composer and poet, Romain Rolland, with whom Roy had a close literary and intellectual connect, spoke of how Tolstoy in the last years of his life, was charmed by Vivekanandas writings. Tolstoys close friend P. Biryukov, Rolland told Roy, and numerous scholars keep chanting Vivekanandas name even now. In Russia, especially, there are even more of such people In an article on education in May 1909, a little over a year before his death, Tolstoy spoke of Vivekananda as amongst the best thinkers of the world, alongside Socrates, Rousseau, Kant etc. In his famous Letter to a Hindoo, written to the young revolutionary nationalist Tarak Nath Das in December 1908, Tolstoy, responding to a request for support for Indias freedom struggle, drew upon Swami Vivekananda and a wide range of Indian religious thought. Tolstoy also cites the Tirukkural in his historic response. This letter, which attracted Mahatma Gandhi to Tolstoy, significantly influenced the evolution of Gandhis political thinking. The significance and symbolism of PM Modi, who has been profoundly impacted and shaped by Swami Vivekanandas legacy, being conferred Russias highest civilian honour is, in a sense, a culmination of that rich stream from the past. It is a stream that continues to rejuvenate and instill hope. It is a stream that needs to be kept fresh and induced towards continuous self-renewal. In its continuity will emerge greater credence and meaning to the India-Russia civilisational partnership for our times. The author is Chairman, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation & Member, BJP National Executive Committee. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. Is it the fight for chair that has upset Uttar Pradesh (UP) Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya? Its been more than three days ever since the probable differences between UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya became public, and the political tensions in the state are yet to die down. However, amid the apparent infighting, which the opposition has termed as the fight for chair, the bigger question is to why Maurya is upset. Though multiple assumptions surround the alleged infighting, UPs political analysts have defined the situation as a fallout of Mauryas high political aspirations. Some party insiders suggest he is eyeing the State BJP Chief position again, while others believe he is unhappy with his current portfolio. The controversy On Wednesday evening, Maurya returned to UP after spending 48 hours in Delhi. Mauryas trip to Delhi, where he met BJP President JP Nadda twice in 28 hours, further fuelled the ongoing controversy between him and UP CM. On Deputy CMs meeting with Nadda, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav wrote a post on X (previously Twitter), In the heat of the fight for chair, governance and administration in UP has been put on the back burner. The SP chiefs post further read, The sabotage politics which BJP used to do with others is now doing the same to BJP, is now subjected to internal politics. Yadavs statement came amidst the ongoing events in UP as Maurya, at the Executive Meeting, stated that no government is bigger than the organisation. I am first a party worker, then a Deputy CM. Sangathan se badi koi sarkaar nahi hotihar ek karyakarta hamara gaurav hai.. (The organisation is bigger than the government, no one is above the organisation. Every worker is our pride, stated the Deputy CM on X soon after he addressed the meeting on July 14. Who is Keshav Prasad Maurya? Keshav Prasad Maurya, born on May 7, 1969, to Shyalal Maurya and Dhanpati Devi in Sirathu, Kaushambi district, is a prominent OBC face in Uttar Pradesh politics. Coming from a humble background, he pursued his graduation in Hindi literature from Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Prayagraj. During his early struggles, he financed his studies by selling newspapers and running a tea shop. He is married to Rajkumari Devi, and they have two children. Mauryas political journey began with Bajrang Dal, followed by a significant stint in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and an 18-year association with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), where he was close to Ashok Singhal. He actively participated in movements for Shri Ram Janmabhoomi, cow protection, and Hindu interests, and even went to jail for these causes. His electoral career started in 2002 when he contested from the Banda Assembly seat but secured only 284 votes. He faced defeats in subsequent elections until 2012, when he won from the Sirathu constituency. In 2014, he became an MP from Phulpur, defeating Samajwadi Partys Dharamraj Singh Patel. He received 5,03,564 votes against Patels 1,95,256. In 2016, Maurya was appointed the state president of the Uttar Pradesh BJP. Under his leadership, the BJP achieved a landslide victory in the 2017 assembly elections, forming a majority government. Why is The Deputy CM Upset? UPs political observers called the alleged differences a fallout of Deputy CMs high political aspirations, which were actually never met. Shashikant Pandey, head, department of political sciences, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, said this was not the first time that Mauryas aspirations came to the fore. It was out of his high political aspirations only that Maurya had to be admitted in the hospital for fever, exhaustion and high blood pressure, when, while addressing the reporters BJP leader Amit Shah said that he had left the responsibility to Keshav to choose a suitable contender for the chair of UP Chief Minister. It was under Mauryas leadership as BJP state president that the party returned to power in UP after 14 years in 2017 and he was among one of the aspirants for the chief ministers position back then but Yogi Adityanath took the reins, pointed out Pandey. Maurya Continued as Deputy CM Despite Losing Sirathu Pandey said it was only out of his high political aspirations that Maurya continued to be on the post of Deputy Chief Minister in Yogi 2.0 government even after he lost in the 2022 State Assembly Polls. Maurya lost the Uttar Pradesh Assembly poll contest to Samajwadi Partys (SP) Pallavi Patel by 7,337 votes from his stronghold Sirathu constituency in Kaushambi district. According to the Election Commissions (EC) website, Maurya polled 98,941 votes, while Pallavi Patel, the elder sister of Union minister Anupriya Patel, got 1,06,278 votes. Maurya had won the Sirathu seat in 2012, but had not contested the 2017 polls. Maurya to Possibly Be The State Chief of Party Again Some party insiders stated that Maurya has been eyeing the seat of BJP state chief again. In 2017, the BJP tasted a big victory under Mauryas leadership as state party president. And if he moves out of the government, he would likely be offered the place of BJP UP chief, a party insider said. Sources with the party said that UPs BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary has also taken the responsibility of the partys poor performance in 2024 Lok Sabha Polls in the state and has offered to step down. He is likely to submit his resignation from his post in the days to come. Hence, Maurya could be the next BJP chief of UP, said sources. However, some of the party sources said that the Deputy CM is not happy with his portfolio as he does not hold the important PWD charge any more as he did in the first term of the Yogi Government. Maurya presently has the charge of rural development. Jitin Prasada held PWD charge but now he has moved to Delhi as Minister. The PWD charge is vacant and a Cabinet reshuffle is imminent, which could be another possible reason behind Mauryas dissent. SP Chiefs Monsoon Offer However, whatever the reason, the fact is that the controversy has given enough ammo to the opposition to corner the ruling BJP ahead of the crucial Assembly bye-elections to be held in 10 constituencies in UP. While taking a swipe at the alleged infighting within the Yogi Adityanath government, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav posted on X on Thursday, Monsoon offer: bring 100, form the government. : , ! Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) July 18, 2024 The social media post is being seen as an offer to the detractors of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath to defect and form a new government. However. this is not the first time Akhilesh Yadav has made such an offer. In December 2022, the Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh offered Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak to bring 100 MLAs and become the CM of the state. After the quota Bill reserving jobs for Kannadigas in managerial and clerical roles in the private sector generated significant debate in Karnataka, another Bill currently under discussion Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024 is expected to add fuel to fire. The draft Bill proposes creating a new body the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) with enhanced planning and financial powers. It includes provisions to establish five to 10 corporations under the GBA, which will have a three-tier governance structure: the chief minister at the top, followed by municipal corporations and ward committees. The GBA will be co-chaired by the Bengaluru development minister, four other ministers, all city MLAs, and heads of key city agencies like BDA, BWSSB, Bescom, BMRCL, and BMTC. Experts familiar with the Bill suggest it may be tabled before the current monsoon session ends, but the debate could be postponed. If the Bill is not tabled, the Karnataka government would need to conduct Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) elections in October alongside other state elections which, sources say, they prefer to avoid. Tabling the Bill now could give the Congress more time to implement the GBA, according to a source in the ruling party. V Ravi Chander, member of the Brand Bengaluru Committee, noted that the draft Bill builds on the 2018 proposal but includes significant updates. Our current draft Bill is based on the 2018 draft, updated with insights from the last six years and current realities, he said. Which Areas Will It Cover? Experts indicate that metro lines in Bengaluru have already extended beyond BBMP boundaries. This will be considered in planning the GBA. Growth and development will focus on the southern corridor, especially towards the airport. Development may also extend along the airport road and into Yelahanka, while areas like Jigani and Bommasandra are expected to expand. The eastern part of Bengaluru has limited expansion potential. To the west, areas along Tumkur Road and nearby regions, connected by the metro line, have reached Nelamangala, which is outside BBMP limits. We need to be aware of these developments and decide which areas to include in urban planning. The Electronics City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA) will also be part of the GBA, an official said. So, will the GBA extend to areas like Tumkuru, Chikkaballapura, or Ramanagara? Officials from the Bengaluru Committee stated there is no such proposal. This is in response to demands by senior Congress leaders, such as Dr G Parameshwara (Tumkur) and Sharath Bachegowda (Hoskote) to include these areas for city growth. The official clarified that these demands could be politically motivated and administratively unfeasible. Tumkur or Ramanagara cannot be included as this will undermine the GBAs purpose as a regional governance mechanism for Bengaluru if it covers 3,000 to 4,000 square kilometres. The GBA is envisioned to include areas slightly beyond the current Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) jurisdiction, particularly along the Metro lines. The governments suggestion is to extend by approximately 975 square kilometres, meaning areas like Tumkur, Hoskote, Bidadi, or Ramanagara will not be included. Following Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumars suggestion to rename Ramanagara as Bengaluru South, legislators from surrounding constituencies like Yelahanka and Hoskote are also seeking the Bengaluru tag. The previous BJP government had proposed including Hoskote as part of Bengaluru. Similarly, Karnatakas Home Minister Parameshwara argues that Bengaluru, being Asias fastest-growing city, needs to expand beyond its current limits, including areas like Tumakuru, from where he is elected. Hoskote MLA Sharath Bachegowda has proposed creating a greenfield satellite city similar to Gurugram, which could be attached to the Greater Bengaluru tag. What Does the Draft Bill Say? The draft Bill proposes that the GBA oversee an area of about 1,400 square kilometres, aligning with the current BDA jurisdiction. The BBMP currently covers 709 square kilometres. The Bill suggests increasing the number of wards from 225 to 400. Each corporation will have a mayor-in-council with up to 12 members, replacing the current standing committee system. Ward committees will have proportional representation, with candidates securing at least 10 per cent of the vote in a councillor election earning a seat. The bill emphasises deep decentralisation, granting more powers to local ward committees, including financial assistance. The government will decide the number of corporations, and the Bills coverage will be defined through a notification. The GBA will ensure fair distribution of property tax revenues through state grants. The committee, led by retired IAS officer BS Patil, first submitted the draft Bill to the government in 2018. It was reconvened in June 2023 as the Congress government pursued its proposal to divide the BBMP into smaller corporations under the GBA. Insiders suggest the Bill might not be passed immediately due to ongoing controversies like the MUDA and Valmiki scams and the quota reservation Bill. The previous BJP government had conducted a delimitation exercise in 2021, creating 243 wards. One of the first fallouts of the Kannadiga quota fiasco in Karnataka is that the Congress may be reticent in talking about reservations in the upcoming polls, especially in Haryana and Maharashtra. But then where does this leave Rahul Gandhi who, unabashedly, has been pitching for quota, especially in the private sector? During the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, a storm had erupted when Gandhi seemed to suggest wealth redistribution. The BJP pounced on him and while Congress clarified, Gandhi himself was convinced that this would be the only way to ensure that all develop. But why is it that within 24 hours of sharing the details of the quota Bill, the Karnataka government did a U-turn? This was because of the real fear that it would mean exodus or anger of the industrial sector. Bengaluru, for example, is known as a cauldron of people from various states who use their expertise to ensure the city remains on top. As Karnataka mulled over the Bill, the BJP and other Congress opponents were quick to seize the opportunity, with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidus son and minister Nara Lokesh inviting businesses to his state. Congress leader Priyank Kharge jumped in to silence him but the altercation also exposed the discomfort of the Kharges with the decision of the Siddaramaiah sarkar. In fact, sources say that Kharges hands are tied. Looking at the job scene in Karnataka, there were political compulsions that led the chief minister and his coterie to believe that a quota was the only way they could assuage the angry Kannadigas. But sources say deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar was not too happy with the decision and had conveyed to the chief minister as well as Delhi leaders that it could have a grave political fallout and hurt Karnataka financially as many corporates would want to pull out. The bigger challenge, however, was to convince Rahul Gandhi a feat only Mallikarjun Kharge could have achieved. The Congress president explained that with Andhra vying for the IT space, Karnataka could ill-afford reservation under the present circumstances. Kharges ultimately prevailed over Gandhi but maybe not for long. As the Rahul Gandhi committee sits down to decide on the upcoming state polls and the quota issue, he would certainly expect a middle path which may be tough to find. For now, Gandhi has asked the state government to ensure that some assurance is given to the Kannadigas after speaking to corporates to ensure that all stakeholders are happy. Meanwhile, for the upcoming state polls, the party will carry forward Gandhis agenda laced with prudence. Have you turned it off and on again? This popular IT Crowd phrase echoed in workspaces across the world on Friday as a global tech outage grounded flights, knocked media outlets offline, and disrupted hospitals, small businesses, and government offices. A software update by global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike appeared to have triggered the meltdown mainly in Microsofts cloud services and related apps, accentuating the fragility of a digitised world dependent on just a handful of providers. Yesterday, CrowdStrike released an update that began impacting IT systems globally. We are aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online. Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) July 19, 2024 CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on X that a defect was found in a single content update for Windows hosts that affected Microsofts customers and that a fix was being deployed. Microsoft said later on Friday that the issue had been fixed. Chaos And Confusion Thousands of flights were cancelled and tens of thousands were delayed around the world, leading to long lines at airports in India, other parts of Asia, Europe, and America. Airlines lost access to check-in and booking services in the heart of the summer travel season. IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa saw disruptions in their online check-in and boarding processes across their networks, forcing them to switch to manual mode. In a post on X, union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the reason for this outage had been identified and updates had been released to resolve the issue. In Britain, booking systems used by doctors were offline, multiple reports posted on X by medical officials said, while Sky News, one of the countrys major news broadcasters, was taken off the air and apologised for being unable to transmit live. Across the US, state troopers were reporting that 911 lines were down. The Paris Olympics organising committee also said it had been hit by the outage, but that it had contingency plans in place. People across Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere reported problems logging into their accounts at major retail banks. The Culprit: CrowdStrikes Falcon Sensor Update CrowdStrike is a US-based American cybersecurity firm that helps companies manage their security in IT environments that is, everything they use an internet connection to access. Its primary function is to protect companies and stop data breaches, ransomware, and cyberattacks. One of the companys main products is CrowdStrike Falcon sensor, which is a key component of CrowdStrikes endpoint protection platform. The software is installed on devices to provide real-time protection from cyber threats. The main functions of the sensor include detecting threats, gathering data about devices, endpoint protection, and sharing data with the CrowdStrike cloud for further processing. CrowdStrike Falcon is used by thousands of companies across the world to protect data, and a crash of its server on Friday is believed to be the cause of a global outage of Microsoft products and BSOD issues. The Blue Screen of Death is known as a blue screen, fatal error, or bug check, and is officially known as a stop error. CrowdStrike assured that this was not a security incident or cyberattack which many feared. The outage was due to a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts, it wrote on its support page. Company boss Kurtz warned that although a fix had been deployed, it could be some time before all systems were back up and running. This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the worlds core Internet infrastructure, Ciaran Martin, professor at Oxford Universitys Blavatnik School of Government and former head of the UK National Cyber Security Centre, told Reuters. Im struggling to think of an outage at quite this scale. (With agency inputs) Services across multiple industries have been affected globally following a massive technical problem at Microsoft and an American cybersecurity company, Crowdstrike. While millions of Microsoft Windows users are facing the Blue Screen of Death error, this outage has also led to connectivity failures, thus disrupting airlines, banks, media outlets and even the stock market at large. As users continue to flood social media platforms, venting out their frustration, billionaire Elon Musk seems busy taking a swipe at Microsoft. Referring to one of his old tweets, the X owner compared the tech giant to a fictitious business called Macrohard. Macrohard > Microsoft, the tweet read. Well, this is not it. Musk also went on to poke fun at how everything else has come crashing down while his X is still functioning. With a meme that originally surfaced on Indian social media a few years ago, he added a laughing emoji to it. Many took to the comment section and reacted to Elon Musks snide jokes. A user wrote, This is going to be an interesting Friday. Buckle up; this could get wild. This is going to be an interesting Friday. Buckle up; this could get wild. Global Statistics (@Heart_attack143) July 19, 2024 Another commented, Still laughing at the time all other prominent social media sites were down. Still laughing at the time all other prominent social media sites were down. Blueblur (@Blueblur2023) July 19, 2024 A user wrote, Youre a stiff competitor, with a laughing emoji. You're a stiff competitor Abby Abi (Ms. Sweet Soul the Writer) (@A_Abby_Abi) July 19, 2024 Watching all over and enjoying, a comment read. Many even joked about Musks epic tweets with hilarious memes: Going to be the king of social media. pic.twitter.com/FURnpt1g69 Puppies -YY (@puppiesyy) July 19, 2024 Microsoft Outage Affects Users Globally The global disruption in Microsoft services has affected a number of sectors, mainly banks and airlines. Several Indian carriers, like Indigo, Spicejet, Akasa and Air India Express, are facing a major impact, leading to delays and flight cancellations. Users in large numbers have taken to social media platforms to draw attention to the chaotic situation. While Microsoft, in a statement, assured that a resolution is forthcoming, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz also addressed the issues. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024 Mentioning that the issue has been identified and it is not a security incident or cyberattack, Kurtz wrote, CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. Susan Zhuang, a New York City councilwoman, has been accused of biting a New York Police Department (NYPD) police officer during an ongoing protest. The protests are reportedly being held against the decision to establish a homeless shelter in the Bensonhurst neighbourhood in Brooklyn. The video of the incident has now been going viral. In the video, we can spot the councilwoman Zhuang, 38, reportedly sinking her teeth into an officials arm. She can also be seen pushing against a police barricade. According to the NYPD, Zhuang bit Officer Frank DiGiacomo, who is the Chief of Patrol, reports ABC7 New York. In the video, the injury sustained by DiGiacomo has a bite mark and blood oozing out of it. BREAKING: NYC Councilwoman Susan Zhuang (D) caught on video BITING an NYPD officer pic.twitter.com/hy05ZVC67g End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 18, 2024 After the incident had been caught on camera, it was soon circulated on X and prompted massive outrage from the viewers. One user commented, Thats ridiculous. There needs to be real legal penalties for these assaults on our police. Too many people are getting away with it and not facing consequences. Thats ridiculous. There needs to be real legal penalties for these assaults on our police. Too many people are getting away with it and not facing consequences. Paul A. Szypula (@Bubblebathgirl) July 18, 2024 Elected officials get more and more bizarre with their behavior, said another viewer. Elected officials get more and more bizarre with their behavior. wtf Tyler Zed (@realTylerZed) July 18, 2024 What was the altercation all about? When theres biting involved, humans begin to show their animalistic nature! NYC is cray cray, wrote a person. What was the altercation all about? When theres biting involved, humans begin to show their animalistic nature! NYC is cray cray! JKash MAGA Queen (@JKash000) July 18, 2024 Zhuang now faces several charges, including that of assault, resisting arrest, blocking government actions, unlawful assembly, disorderly conduct and harassment. She was reportedly taken to the court on Wednesday evening and was later released without needing to post bail. Reports also suggest that the NYPD was responsible for the protest getting violent. Mistreatment by our NYPD, who I always support, must be stopped, AAPI hate and Asian hate in any form must end. I was approached from behind, two police officers handcuffed me, one police officer pulled my hair, and another officer grabbed my neckthe issue is not unique to myself, as many members in the Asian community have been subject to this excessive enforcement and mistreatment by our NYPD, she told ABC7 New York. Imagine planning your vacation meticulously and arriving at the airport on time, only to face an unexpected delay of about eight hours. Frustrating enough, right? Now, picture this: the gate agent of the airline not only handles the situation poorly but also threatens and shouts at passengers to stay quiet. This is exactly what happened in a recent incident involving a US airline. A viral video shows a Spirit Airlines gate agent telling passengers to shut up after they endured hours of delay. The incident reportedly occurred at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California. According to The New York Post, passengers who were supposed to fly with Spirit Airlines had been waiting for over eight hours to board their delayed morning flight. Frustration grew and they began questioning the cause of the delay. The situation worsened when another group of passengers arrived for a different flight and joined the commotion. In the now-viral footage, one agent, desperate to regain control over the crowd, spoke over the intercom, Please, be quiet so I can think of whats going on. I dont even know what aircrafts here because everybodys screaming numbers. You guys wont give me a minute. Please give me a minute, she said. Spirit Airlines Customer Service Agents Lose Their Temper and Yell at Customers Before Take Off.. pic.twitter.com/tUgYyFBEqv Bay Area Bound (@bayarea_bound) July 15, 2024 The video then shows another agent, visibly upset, clenching her fist and shouting at the passengers. Can I have everybodys attention right now!? Do you all wanna get on this flight or not? she yelled. Passenger Kevin Eis responded, Yes, we do, girl. The agent then says, All right! So, everyones gonna shut up, and were gonna say this once, and were only gonna say it again because were frustrated as hell. Eis, a passenger who was reportedly recording the incident, captured the agent threatening to remove him from the flight. He later told Inside Edition, Oh my God, it was the most chaotic thing that has ever happened to me at an airport. He explained that the second agent initially intended to assist and calm the passengers but quickly lost her temper. Spirit Airlines issued an apology, saying, We apologise to our guests for this experience, which does not reflect Spirits high standards for guest services. They confirmed that the two agents involved were suspended, reports The New York Post. The world is full of incredible places that often leave us amazed, and one such unique marvel has recently captivated the internet: a musical road in Japan. It may sound unusual, but a travel vlogger named Gaurav Sharma captured this fascinating phenomenon during his trip to Japan. On this road, vehicles create music as they pass over specially designed bumpers, turning a simple drive into a musical experience In a video posted on Instagram, Gaurav Sharma demonstrates how vehicles passing over a road in Japan create a melody. He starts by explaining that he is on Melody Road, where driving at speeds over 50 km/h triggers the road to play tunes. While on a bike, he noticed the music wasnt as audible but then he showed a car, which acts like a soundboard, passing through the road and playing the melody beautifully. He excitedly called this experience crazy. The caption shared along the footage read, Melody Roads of Japan. There are more than 30 Melody roads spread across Japan. A patented technology, the roads are carved in a way that you hear music when you drive over them. This is due to the vibrations produced by the vehicles as the vehicle acts like a soundboard. The music played ranges from kids school songs to music from popular anime series. Watch the viral video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gaurav Sharma (@wander.da) Since being posted online, the video has propelled to fame, accumulating over 4 lakh views. The comment section buzzed with a flurry of reactions from social media users. A user pointed out, This is created due to minimize the overspeeding of cars. Outcome is reduced by a good amount of road accidents. Another remarked, Japan is super cool. A different perspective was shared by a user who wrote, Waste of resource, sound pollution, slow down the vehicle. Totally unnecessary. Many compared the idea of such roads being built in India, sparking hilarious reactions. One individual wrote, Here no need for melody there will always be some kind of loudspeaker everywhere, while another chimed in with, Inke road pe gaane baj rehe hai aur yaha to road hee gayab hai (On their road, music is playing and here, the road is barely visible). A person quipped, Kuch sunai nahi diya! Indian roads k potholes me to issey zyada melody bajti hain (Couldnt hear anything. The potholes on Indian roads play more melody than this). In Japan, several musical roads are scattered across the country, each designed to produce music through a system of grooves cut into the road surface. As vehicles drive over these grooves, the vibrations create melodies, providing an unforgettable experience for travellers. A shocking incident took place in America in 2022, where a man found pieces of bones behind his house. Initially, it was mistaken as garbage or junk, but later he was shocked to discover this. Know about this incident in detail in this article. The man named Jason Cooper found bones in excavation behind his house, and that made him a billionaire. These bones were now sold for approximately Rs 373 crore. This is being termed as the worlds largest auction of skeletons. Jason Cooper is a resident of Colorado. He is a fossil hunter. He was digging behind his house and discovered bones. He collected them and brought them home, then he tied them together and it took the shape of a creature. These bones were not ordinary bones, but rather they were of a Stegosaurus dinosaur, which was named Apex. When it was put into a deal in New York, 7 people made proposals to buy it. Another person bought it at a price of 4.46 million dollars. Hence, these bones became the most expensive fossils sold till date. It was sold at a price of 11 times more than its estimated price. It is revealed that Apex is 11 feet long, which has about 319 bones. Its structure reveals that it must have been very strong and there is also evidence that it may have had arthritis. According to Sotheby, it was preserved in hard sandstone for so long that its bones did not get damaged. Nevertheless, Paleontologists are quite upset with this. They claimed that, instead of selling it to a rich man, it could have been kept in the museum itself. Steve Brusatte, a prominent Palaeontologist at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, told the media that Apex is an important dinosaur fossil. It is a matter of shame that instead of preserving it in the museum, it is being sold to a man. According to Sotheby, the person who bought Apex will provide its sample to an institution in America. Former US President and convicted felon Donald Trump narrowly escaped death after a man shot at him during his election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. After the dust settled down on the incident, a stream of memes and jokes emerged, many of which poked fun at the alleged failure of the secret service. Among these posts that are poking fun at the assassination attempt is a video that shows a group of kids enacting the scene when Donald Trumps ear was scraped by a bullet. In the video, the kids dramatise the event by showing how the Secret Service agents tried to cover and move Donald Trump away from the rally. The video appears hilarious also because of how the kids make the makeshift podium made out of stools and have weapons made out of wood. This video was initially posted on TikTok but is now going viral across social media platforms. On July 17, an X user shared this TikTok video and captioned it, African kids reenact the Trump assassination attempt. This post has 1.1 million views so far. African kids reenact the Trump assassination attempt. pic.twitter.com/QDYOo8TaZc Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 17, 2024 In the comments, many people took potshots at the Secret Service agents who once failed to timely intercept the danger and then appeared flustered when the shooting took place. A user said, What is so sad is that the kid had better protection than Trump did that day. What is so sad is that the Kid had better protection than Trump did that day. Dualfed (@DualFed) July 17, 2024 A person commented, This looks far more respectable than the fumbling, bumbling & deer caught in headlights response we saw in Butler. This looks far more respectable than the fumbling, bumbling & deer caught in headlights response we saw in Butler https://t.co/EI020evwBY Priyansha | (@_Priyansha__) July 17, 2024 Another wrote, I was hoping to see one of them struggle to holster their weapon. The snarky comment referred to a female Secret Service agent who was seen reportedly struggling to put her gun back into the holster. I was hoping to see one of them struggle to holster their weapon. Craig Chamberlin (@CraigChamberlin) July 17, 2024 Someone noted, These videos coming out from Africa of them mocking the political. Violence and Secret Service. These kids are taking over the media feeds and I dig it. These videos coming out from Africa of them mocking the politicalViolence and SS fuckery. These kids are taking over the media feeds and I dig it. https://t.co/kKFnuQRvUG T.K. MARTINEZ CEDENO (@TaniaKarinaMart) July 18, 2024 An individual mentioned, Im dying. First, little kids in Africa know who Donald Trump is and what happened. And second, the comments are hilarious. I'm dying. First hat little kids in Africa know who Donald Trump is and what happened. And second, the comments are hilarious. https://t.co/LmgmdClsOp Traveling Gypsy (@ALemonDropShot) July 17, 2024 Following Donald Trumps assassination attempt, a wave of criticism was targeted at the female agents and Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service. Their detractors have claimed that director Kimberly Cheatle and female agents were underqualified and hired due to the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. The Secret Services chief of communication, Anthony Guglielmi, spoke against this sentiment and told The Hill, As an elite law enforcement agency, all of our agents and officers are highly trained and fully capable of performing our missions. It is an insult to the women of our agency to imply that they are unqualified based on gender. A playful antic cost a successful lawyer his life when he fell from a skyscraper building window in an attempt to prove the window panes unbreakability. On the fateful day of July 9, 1993, Garry Hoy, a well-respected lawyer at the Holden Day Wilson law firm was with a group of law students, who were set to intern with them through the summer. Garry Hoy was giving them a tour of the firms 24th floor office located within the Toronto-Dominion Centre. At one point, he tried to demonstrate the unbreakability of the buildings massive window panes by slamming himself to the window. Reportedly, he had done this trick many times. When he slammed himself into the window, the glass stayed intact. However, when he slammed his body to the window the second time, the glass fell from the pane and Garry Hoy fell to his death. This horrific incident sent shockwaves across the financial district and likely traumatised the law interns. This incident occurred inside a small conference room of the law firms office. As per an old report in Toronto Star, a structural engineer said, I dont know of any building code in the world that would allow a 160-pound (73 kg) man to run up against a glass and withstand it. Interestingly, the glass pane survived the fall. Garry Hoy fell as the glass frame could not hold the pressure. Peter Lauwers, the managing partner of Holden Day Wilson, told the Ottawa Citizen that the company invited a crisis team from the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry to provide counselling to the office workers and Garry Hoys colleagues. Peter Lauwers described Garry Hoys fatal fall as a freak accident. He said Garry Hoy was a brilliant lawyer and bright light with the firm, a generous person who cared about others. Garry Hoy was a graduate of the University of Toronto graduate, and specialised in corporate law. He was separated from his wife and had no children. His demise was ruled as death by misadventure. He was 38 years old. It is reported that soon after Garry Hoys death, Holden Day Wilson suffered financially and closed three years later. Canadian paper The Globe and Mail reported on the firms closing and wrote, The challenge of coping with the traumatic event proved to be too much for the young firm and within three years nearly 30 lawyers had left. The firm closed in 1996, which at the time was the largest law firm closure in Canada. Donald Trump paid tribute on Thursday (local time) to Corey Comperatore, the volunteer fire chief who lost his life shielding his family during a shooting at a rally of the former US President in Pennsylvania. Comperatore, 50, was remembered with a poignant moment of silence at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee. The 78-year-old leader recounted how Comperatore bravely threw himself over his family members, sacrificing his life to protect them from gunfire. He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets, Trump solemnly said during his speech. Tragically, the shooter claimed the life of one of our fellow Americans, Corey Comperatore, and seriously wounded two other great warriors, David Dutch and James Copenhaver. President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/6W04vbXSKA Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) July 19, 2024 Kissing Comperatores helmet Onstage, alongside Trump, were Comperatores firefighting helmet and jacket, poignant symbols of his courage and sacrifice. Trump paused to acknowledge these items, standing by them as he paid his respects, even kissing Comperatores helmet in a poignant gesture. Trump described how he narrowly survived an attempt on his life, telling a rapt audience at the RNC in his first speech since the attack that he was only there by the grace of Almighty God. I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear, he said in Milwaukee, a thick bandage still covering his ear. I said to myself, Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet. When he told the crowd that he was not supposed to be here, the delegates chanted back, Yes you are! With photos of a bloodied Trump showing on screens behind him, Trump praised the Secret Service agents who rushed to his side and paid tribute to the volunteer firefighter who was killed, Corey Comperatore, kissing his fire helmet. The former US president struck an unusually conciliatory tone during the speechs opening moments, when he formally accepted the partys presidential nomination. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America, he said, in a marked shift in tenor for the typically bellicose former president. He wasnt even supposed to be The firefighter who died shielding his family from a snipers bullets at a rally for Trump was not originally seated in the spot that put him in harms way, the New York Post reported, citing a close friend. He wasnt even supposed to be sitting there and he ends up losing his life, said Scott Dockherty, CEO of CID Associates, where Comperatores brother worked. Dockherty shared the tragic detail outside Comperatores wake at Laube Hall in Freeport, attended by hundreds of mourners. Comperatore had moved to a front-row seat moments before the attack by Thomas Matthew Crooks, who fatally shot him. He rushed to throw his wife and two daughters to the ground, said his heartbroken widow, Helen, recounting the incident to The New York Post. The Comperatores were initially standing to the left of the stage until they were offered the front-row tickets shortly before Trumps speech. So Corey said, Yes, I would love to do that,' Dockherty said. Trumps address, Crooks opened fire, grazing the ex-presidents ear and injuring two others, David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 54, who are both expected to recover. Former US President Donald Trump met with Kimberly Cheatle, the Director of the US Secret Service, on Tuesday (Wednesday in India) at his hotel in Milwaukee, according to a source who spoke with ABC News. The details of their discussion remain undisclosed. This meeting comes in the wake of an attempted assassination against Trump that occurred last Saturday (Early Sunday morning in India) during a rally in Pennsylvania. The attack, which narrowly missed its target, has led to immense scrutiny of the Secret Services protective measures. In response, many Republicans and some of Trumps allies are now calling for Cheatles resignation, criticising the agencys failure to prevent the attack. The nature of the conversation between Trump and Cheatle is not publicly known, but it is likely to have focused on the recent security breach and the subsequent concerns regarding the agencys ability to safeguard the national leaders. Meanwhile, Trump is currently in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he is set to deliver his closing speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night (Friday morning in India). His address will be attended by former First Lady Melania Trump, who is making a rare public appearance. The four-day event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has drawn tens of thousands of attendees as the party seeks to strengthen its appeal to voters ahead of the November general election. What is the Republican National Convention (RNC)? Every four years, each of the two major US parties holds a convention to formally nominate their candidate for President and gear up for the final campaign stretch. During the convention, delegates from each state pledge their support to the candidate of their choice. For Donald Trump, the convention was largely a formality, as he had already secured the nomination with 2,265 delegates won in the primaries. The Democratic National Convention will take place next month in Chicago. From banks to airports and the media, several online services were hit by a massive outage across the world, with some countries going into firefighting mode. From US to UK and India, millions were affected due to the IT outage. While several flights had to be grounded across the world with airport check-in systems crashing, the Sky News network was completely shut briefly and several Windows systems went down with the blue screen of death. Check Live updates on the global outage here. Reports said that the outage happened at CrowdStrike, which is a cybersecurity company powering security on Microsoft Windows, facing this issue. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said that the issue had been identified, isolated and a fix had been deployed. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024 In what was being called one of the biggest IT outages, Australia called an emergency meeting while other countries went manual at airports and halted flights as a precaution. What Services Were Affected And Where? India: In India, several airports including Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport and Mumbais Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport reported technical glitches. Due to the global IT issue, some of the services at the Delhi Airport were temporarily impacted. We are closely working with all our stakeholders to minimise the inconvenience to our flyers, said a statement from the Delhi Airport authorities. Similar statements were issued by several airlines, asking passengers to report at airports early for their flights. Traders on several platforms like Nuvama, 5paisa, Motilal Oswal also faced glitches in placing market orders. United States: In US, there were reports of 911 outages in several states. American Airlines, Delta and United grounded all flights due to the IT outage. Several airports in the United States, including Los Angeles Airport, were impacted by global IT outages. Washington DC suspended all train services. Widespread computer outages were also reported on US hospital EMR systems. The Associated Press also reported disruption to its services. UK: IN UK, London Stock Exchange was said to have been impacted by the global outage. The Sky News network went off air briefly due to the outage. UKs biggest rail operator was said to be facing widespread issues due to the IT outage. Australia: Australias government was set to hold an emergency meeting due to global IT outage as airports and payment systems were majorly hit. Supermarkets and retailers in Australia were facing several glitches due to the outage. Other countries Berlin airport had suspended flights due to the outage while disruptions were also reported at Amsterdam airport. Israels central bank also said that the global outage was impacting banks. The Hong Kong airport switched to manual check-in procedures due to the outage. Prague airport also reported disruptions and flight delays due to the IT outage. The outage disrupted the services of AirAsia, Cebu Pacific Air and Singapore Airlines. Nancy Pelosi, the former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, privately informed US President Joe Biden in a recent conversation that polling data indicates he cannot defeat Donald Trump and his pursuit of a second term could jeopardise Democrats chances of winning the House in November. The revelation came from four sources briefed on the call, as per a report in CNN.com. In response, President Biden pushed back, asserting that he has seen polls suggesting he can win, according to one source. Another source described Biden as becoming defensive about the polling data. Pelosi also asked Mike Donilon, Bidens longtime adviser, to join the call to discuss the data further. This phone call marks the second known conversation between Pelosi and Biden since the presidents debate on June 27. While the exact date of the conversation is unclear, one source noted it occurred within the last week. Pelosi and Biden also reportedly had a discussion in early July. None of the sources confirmed whether Pelosi explicitly told Biden during this conversation that she believes he should withdraw from the 2024 race. In a recent interview, Pelosi commented, Its up to the president to decide if he is going to run. Were all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short. When asked for comment, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates did not address the specifics of CNNs reporting on the recent Pelosi-Biden call. President Biden is the nominee of the party. He plans to win and looks forward to working with congressional Democrats to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families, Bates said. A spokesperson for Pelosi told CNN that the former House speaker has been in California since Friday and has not spoken to Biden since. Speaker Pelosi respects the confidentiality of her meetings and conversations with the president of the United States, the spokesperson said. Sadly, the feeding frenzy from the press based on anonymous sources misrepresents any conversations the speaker may have had with the president. Meanwhile, Former US President Barack Obama has apparently informed allies that Joe Bidens chances of victory have significantly diminished. He believes the US president should seriously reassess the viability of his candidacy, according to a report by the Washington Post on Thursday, which cites multiple individuals briefed on Obamas thoughts. (With inputs from CNN) Anti-quota protests in Bangladesh took a violent turn after student protesters stormed a jail in Narsingdi district Friday and freed hundreds of inmates before setting it on fire. According to Dhaka-based newspaper Prothom Alo, the death toll in the capital reached 50 on Friday morning. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has banned all kinds of rallies and processions in the city. The protesters are demanding the abolition of a quota system that reserves up to 30 per cent of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladeshs 1971 war of independence. The protests are being led by Students Against Discrimination, a coalition of student unions barring the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BSL) the youth wing of Hasinas Awami League. Bangladesh Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government was willing to hold talks with the protesters, to which, the demonstrators stated they were ready as well to take up the offer, AP reported. However, protest co-ordinator Nahid Islam was quoted by Reuters as saying, Discussions and opening fire do not go hand in hand We cannot trample over dead bodies to hold discussions. The Federal Minister further said that mobile internet has been temporarily suspended in the country in the wake of the protests. Meanwhile, amid countrywide protests in Bangladesh, tourists have started coming to India through the Integrated Check Post Akhaura in Tripuras Agartala. #WATCH | Amid the ongoing countrywide protests in Bangladesh against job quotas, tourists come to India through the Integrated Check Post Akhaura, Agartala Tripura (W) pic.twitter.com/brAb37Hwza ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024 The matter is intensified in Bangladesh. All the students have come out to protest. We demand to stop the quota system. I want the problem to be solved very soon. Our demand should be accepted. And the students who have lost their lives, we are with them and they must get proper compensation, a student from Bangladesh, Anik Pal told ANI. Ahead of the US presidential elections, members of President Joe Bidens family are currently discussing his exit plan from the 2024 race. As per sources familiar with the discussions, any exit plan should take care of the fact that the party is kept at the best position in terms of beating former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump. Bidens family members have also discussed how he would want to end his re-election bid as per his own time and with a carefully calculated plan in place. Considerations have also been made about the effect of the campaign on his health, his family and the stability of the country, sources said as per NBC News. The decision of Biden to consider stepping aside is an extraordinary development which comes after he has repeatedly mentioned that he will not renounce his position as the presumptive nominee of the party. However, concerns have also risen among party leaders, donors and even officials who are a part of his re-election effort, since the devastating debate that was held few weeks ago. On the other hand, Republicans are currently rallying around Trump, who just survived an assassination attempt and accepted his partys nomination on Thursday night. Vietnams ruling Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong died on Friday after holding the countrys most powerful position for 13 years during which he oversaw fast economic growth, a years-long anti-graft crackdown and a pragmatic foreign policy. He was 80. Trongs duties have been temporarily assigned to President To Lam, a rising star within the party who could further consolidate his powers if he is allowed to keep the two roles. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences on the death of the Vietnamese leader. Saddened by the news of the passing away of the Vietnamese leader, General Secretary H.E. Nguyen Phu Trong. We pay our respects to the departed leader. Extend our deepest condolences and stand in solidarity with the people and leadership of Vietnam in this hour of grief, PM Modi said in an X post. Saddened by the news of the passing away of the Vietnamese leader, General Secretary H.E. Nguyen Phu Trong. We pay our respects to the departed leader. Extend our deepest condolences and stand in solidarity with the people and leadership of Vietnam in this hour of grief. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 19, 2024 Trong died in the early afternoon due to old age and serious illness, the Communist Party said in a statement on its website, without elaborating further on the nature of the illness. The statement cited information from Trongs medical team, saying he died after a period of illness, despite being wholeheartedly treated by the Party, the State, a collective of professors, doctors, leading medical experts. Lam had taken over Trongs duties on Thursday as the party chief was ailing. The party will now need to decide whether Lam will be formally appointed as acting party chief until the current term for the post expires in 2026, or whether it will elect a new head before then from within its ranks. Although Vietnam officially has no paramount ruler, Trong was the countrys most powerful figure as party general secretary and had been in the post since 2011. He secured a third term in 2021 after a rule limiting holders to two terms as party boss was waived, demonstrating his strength and significant political clout in a party that has ruled unified Vietnam for nearly half a century. But in recent months, he appeared fragile in public events and missed several top-level meetings. A consolidation of power under Lam was seen by some business people and analysts as potentially positive to speed up decision-making in the Southeast Asian nation, which is home to large factories of top multinationals, including Samsung, Intel, Canon and Apples top supplier Foxconn. A clear shift to Lams leadership could moderate political instability and factional infighting, at least in the short term, said Peter Mumford, an expert on Southeast Asia at the Eurasia Group, noting that would be beneficial to economic growth. But some diplomats and activists saw also risks of a crackdown on civil liberties and a drift toward more autocratic, China-style rule, if Lam were allowed to concentrate more unchecked powers in his hands, in a break with the partys tradition of collegial decision-making. After Trongs death was announced, public events were cancelled across the country until July 25 while state-run websites had their banners turned black and white. State broadcasters ran a documentary about Trong titled: General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong: a steadfast, intellectual, exemplary leader. Bars in the capital, Hanoi, declined to serve drinks or play music on Friday evening. Several Vietnamese Facebook users changed their profile picture into a national mourning flag. MARXIST-LENINIST Trong was educated in the Soviet Union and was regarded as a Marxist-Leninist ideologue, but he nonetheless nurtured ties with the United States. In 2017 he unleashed what many saw as a China-style crackdown on corruption, known as blazing furnace, under which hundreds of officials were investigated for graft and many forced to quit, including cabinet ministers, a parliament chairman and two state presidents. The operation had a chilling effect on investment. Lam, a former chief of the powerful internal security agency, has been a key player in that campaign and was elected president in May after his predecessor resigned amid accusations of unspecified wrongdoing. Trong hosted both U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinas leader Xi Jinping in Hanoi last year, boosting relations with both countries despite increasing tensions between the U.S. and China. The U.S. embassy in Vietnam said in a statement Trong was a visionary leader who for decades served as a bridge between Vietnam and the United States of America, and praised him for being the first Vietnamese party leader to visit the United States. Chinas Communist Party also sent a message of condolence to Vietnam, calling him a staunch Marxist and a good comrade, brother and friend, state media reported. (With agency inputs) Unrest broke out in Leeds on Thursday evening as rioters set a double-decker bus ablaze and overturned a police car. Social media footage showed the crowd attacking the police vehicle, using a pram, rocks, and bicycles to smash its windows before flipping it onto its side. Civil war is coming to Britain.Its a matter of when, not ifpic.twitter.com/ObcC1pHVZx Paul Golding (@GoldingBF) July 18, 2024 The violence also saw hundreds of residents clashing with law enforcement, hurling rocks and bricks at police vehicles. In the viral videos circulating on the social media platform X, one video allegedly shows a man setting fire to a bus, while another captures young children participating in the riot. Two imbeciles setting fire to buses in Harehills, Leeds. They dont even cover their faces because they dont fear the law.@WestYorksPolice arrest them. The law needs to make an example of them. pic.twitter.com/h89SLr6DMM Chris Rose (@ArchRose90) July 18, 2024 In another video, people are seen running towards a fire in the middle of the road with a large fridge, which they threw onto the blaze to the cheers of onlookers. Locals continue to riot in Leeds, now creating bonfires in the streets.You can guarantee if this was a white British community, the riot police would have gone in. The police are so scared of being labelled racist they are literally willing to let the country burn. pic.twitter.com/T0ZcCEURXm Turning Point UK (@TPointUK) July 18, 2024 Meanwhile, the West Yorkshire Police on Friday said no injuries have been reported so far. A large number of public order officers have been deployed to the location in what remains an ongoing incident, the police stated. What triggered the unrest? According to The Telegraph report, the disturbances began after social services removed four children from a family. The unrest started around 5 pm on Thursday when police responded to a disturbance call on Luxor Street. Authorities reported that officers and agency workers had safely removed the children before the violence escalated throughout the evening. Speaking with the publication, a local who claimed to know the family said the riot initially began as a protest against the removal of the children. As per the local, the unrest was sparked by an incident involving a baby, who was accidentally injured by a sibling some time ago. The parents had taken the baby to the hospital for a check-up, but were shocked when the hospital reported the case to social services. Subsequently, social workers removed the four children from the family without providing a clear reason. They could not believe it when the hospital called social services. After all this time, the social workers then took the four children into care. They did not give the family a reason. They just said it was for the best, the local stated. Serious Public Order Incident: Police In an official media release, West Yorkshire Police said they are treating the disorder in the citys Harehills area as a serious public order incident. We would strongly discourage residents from speculating on the cause of this disorder which we believe has been instigated by a criminal minority intent on disrupting community relations. Officers are aware of incorrect information circulating on social media suggesting persons potentially responsible, the police stated. Expressing her concern about the incident in a post on X Friday, UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper wrote, I am appalled at the shocking scenes and attacks on police vehicles & public transport in Leeds tonight. Disorder of this nature has no place in our society. I am appalled at the shocking scenes and attacks on police vehicles & public transport in Leeds tonight. Disorder of this nature has no place in our society.My thanks go to West Yorkshire police for their response. I am being kept regularly updated. Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) July 18, 2024 My thanks go to West Yorkshire police for their response. I am being kept regularly updated, she added. Richard Burgon, MP for Leeds East, in a post on X, wrote: I am on my way back to Leeds from Parliament and am in touch with the police and concerned residents about the on-going incident in Harehills. Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin shared, Im reassured no one has been seriously injured but suggest those who are using this to inflame community tensions to think again. Telecom Fiji announced on Wednesday it has signed an agreement to become an authorised reseller for LEO satellite operator Starlink, and is already pitching it as a connectivity solution for businesses in underserved areas. Telecom Fiji said that the Starlink reseller deal will help expand its broadband service footprint and target a wider range of customers, including rural communities, schools, health centres, and government departments. Of those, the business sector seems to be the initial primary target, as Telecom Fiji said it is already putting together comprehensive connectivity packages for businesses to access cloud-driven ICT solutions using Starlink as a backhaul connection. We will be announcing our attractive and flexible product offerings shortly for small to large businesses, and customers will be able to order conveniently through our online portal, said Telecom Fiji CEO Charles Goundar in a statement. In addition to the Starlink kit, customers will be able to choose from various other service options such as managed firewall for cybersecurity, cloud applications, backup and storage at Telecoms data centre, amongst other services. Goundar added that business customers will benefit from uninterrupted operations with mission-critical backup links, seamless integration with cloud-based applications and services, and efficient communications and productivity. This collaboration allows us to bring advanced satellite technology to the most remote parts of Fiji, ensuring that every business and community can thrive in the digital age. Starlink officially went live across the more than 300 islands in the Republic of Fiji in May, six months after receiving a telecoms licence from the Telecommunications Authority of Fiji and a spectrum licence from the Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, SMEs and Communications in November 2023. Telecom Fiji is the second company to become a Starlink reseller in Fiji, following managed services provider Lightspeed Pacific, which sealed a deal with Starlink last week. Lightspeed Pacific executive chair Richard Broadbridge told news portal Islands Business that hes already seeing big demand from local shipping and tourism operators for Starlink receiver kits. He also said that around 600 Starlink kits will arrive in Fiji within four to six weeks, 30% of which have already been pre-ordered by customers. Global warming is causing sea ice in the Arctic Ocean to melt faster, which opens new shipping routes. That has Canada concerned that Russia and China, which already have stepped up activity in the region, could use the routes for military purposes, as well as trade. NATO allies share the concern, CBS News reports. One counterstep Canada is taking involves acquiring a dozen conventionally powered submarines capable of traveling under sea ice. They'll be deployed to "detect, track, deter and, if necessary, defeat adversaries" in Canadian waters, the defense ministry said in a statement. At the moment, Canada has four submarines that it plans to update. Icebreakers are needed, too, says Canada, which announced a partnership this week with the US and Finland for the nations to keep building them. The deals, which were announced during the NATO summit last week, partly answer criticism by the US and other allies about Canada's relatively low spending on defense, per the CBC. The Northern Sea Route is navigable for only parts of the year at the moment, but Canada projects that as the polar ice caps melt, it could become the most efficient Europe-Asia route by 2050, cutting travel time by as much as 20 days. In anticipation, Russia has had a natural gas tanker make a trial run and increased military operations in the Arctic Circle, per CBS. Russia is "quite eager to develop this Northern Sea Route," said Dmitry Gorenburg of the Center for Naval Analyses, possibly as a faster option than routes through the Suez or Panama canals. He said the US will feel the effect of a greater Russian presence in the Arctic. "It affects US security largely because of potential threats to NATO and the alliance structure," Gorenburg said, noting the potential serious fallout for the US from a Russian attack on Finland or Norway. (More Canadian Arctic stories.) Bill Prady, co-creator of The Big Bang, posted that it's "hard to explain how important Bob Newhart was to every comedian and comedy writer who came after him." But he tried, as did others in the industry who paid tribute to the comedian after his death Thursday. "Working with him ever so briefly was one of the greatest joys and honors of my life," Prady said. Reaction also came from: Judd Apatow : "His brilliant comedy and gentle spirit made everyone he encountered so happy," said the director, per the Hollywood Reporter. : "His brilliant comedy and gentle spirit made everyone he encountered so happy," said the director, per the Hollywood Reporter. Dane Cook : "His album The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart impacted my career intensely," said the comedian, per US Weekly. : "His album The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart impacted my career intensely," said the comedian, per US Weekly. Kaley Cuoco: "He was classy, kind, generous and absolutely hilarious," said the actress, who worked with him on The Big Bang. "Every takeevery time." It's not every convention speaker who rips his shirt off, but not every convention speaker is professional wrestler Hulk Hogan. The 70-year-old Hogan drove the GOP crowd into a frenzy Thursday night by ripping off his shirt to reveal a tanktop featuring Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance, reports the Washington Post. (Watch the moment here.) "Let Trump-a-mania rule again!" Hogan shouted, as the crowd broke into a chant of "USA!" Hogan also likened the "tag team" of Trump-Vance to himself and "Macho Man" Randy Savage. "Donald Trump," declared Hogan, "is a real American hero." Eric Trump: The president's son spoke after Hogan, and he addressed some of his comments directly to his father, per the New York Times. "Dad," he said, before describing how he and his family "held our breath as we saw blood pour across your face." By "divine intervention, you survived," he added, calling his father "the greatest fighter I have ever seen." Hours before Thomas Matthew Crooks tried to kill Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, the 20-year-old's father called police, sources say. The sources tell outlets including Fox News and CBS News that Crooks' father told police his son was missing and he was concerned about his whereabouts. It's not clear whether Crooks' parents knew he was in possession of an AR-15-style rifle that belonged to his father, Fox reports. The BBC describes the call as "one of a number of red flags" ahead of the Saturday shooting. Local police raised suspicions about Crooks more than an hour before the shooting, but local officers and the Secret Service repeatedly lost track of him. Reuters reports that while a clear picture of the timeline leading up to the shooting has emerged in recent days, his motive remains a mystery. Investigators say he searched online for Trump and Biden events, and for "major depressive disorder." The FBI says the gunman's parents are cooperating with the investigation. Records show that both Crooks' parents are social workers, reports Reuters. Crooks was a registered Republican, while his father is a Libertarian and his mother is a Democrat, according to registration records. Channel 4 reports that a 2016 Trump campaign database of voters in battleground states found that both Crooks' parents were very likely to be gun owners, with father Matthew Crooks among the 20 highest-scoring individuals among more than 19,000 people in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. (More Trump rally shooting stories.) Russian prosecutors sought a prison sentence of 18 years on Friday for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is on trial on espionage charges that his employer and the US have denounced as fabricated . Gershkovich, 32, was arrested March 29, 2023, while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. Authorities claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was gathering secret information for the US. He pleaded not guilty, according to the court. The Journal and the US government have called the trial a sham. Gershkovich appeared in court for a second straight day Friday as the closed-door proceedings in Russia's highly politicized legal system picked up speed. A verdict is expected later in the day, according to court officials. Unlike previous sessions in which reporters were allowed to see Gershkovich briefly beforehand, there was no access to the courtroom this week and he was not seen, with no explanation given. Espionage and treason cases are typically shrouded in secrecy. Court officials said the prosecutors requested an 18-year sentence in a high-security prison during closing arguments. Russian courts convict more than 99% of defendants, and prosecutors can appeal sentences that they regard as too lenient. "Evan's wrongful detention has been an outrage since his unjust arrest 477 days ago, and it must end now," the Journal said Thursday in a statement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Moscow and Washington's "special services" are discussing an exchange involving Gershkovich. Russia has previously signaled the possibility of a swap, but it says a verdict would have to come first. Even after a verdict, any such deal could take months or years. (More Evan Gershkovich stories.) Hunter Biden is calling for the dismissal of cases against him, citing the same justification that a judge used to toss former President Trump's federal classified documents case. Biden's attorneys claim the unconstitutional appointment of the investigation's special counsel in new court filings. Guided by Justice Clarence Thomas' opinion on presidential immunity , Florida Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the classified documents case against Trump on Monday, stating Special Counsel Jack Smith was "unconstitutionally appointed," Biden's legal team writes in new court filings, per Axios . The Trump appointee ruled a special counsel had to be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. A federal judge on Monday denied Hunter Biden's attempt to have his tax case tossed, meaning his trial is still planned for next month in California. Biden had argued that since a separate prosecution of Donald Trump was dismissed based on the unconstitutional appointment of the special counsel in that case, the same reasoning should be used to throw out the case against Bidenbut the judge said since he'd already rejected a previous challenge to the appointment of a special counsel in Biden's case, there was "no valid basis for reconsideration" of that decision, the AP reports. Like Trump, Biden was prosecuted by a special counsel appointed by US Attorney General Merrick Garland. Special Counsel David Weiss filed a firearm case against Biden in Delaware and federal tax charges against him in California. Biden was last month found guilty of three federal charges in the firearm case. He has pleaded not guilty to the other charges ahead of a September trial. Though his lawyers previously contested Weiss' appointment, they say Cannon's ruling has strengthened their case. "Based on these new legal developments, Mr. Biden moves to dismiss the indictment brought against him because the Special Counsel who initiated this prosecution was appointed in violation of the Appointments Clause as well," Thursday's motion reads. story continues below "The Attorney General relied upon the exact same authority to appoint the Special Counsel in both the Trump and Biden matters, and both appointments are invalid for the same reason," lawyers write, per the Guardian. President Biden recently said he disagreed with Thomas' opinion that a special counsel's office must be established by Congress and that "if there is no law establishing the office that the special counsel occupies, then he cannot proceed with this prosecution." The opinion was delivered as part of the Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity but was not part of the controlling majority opinion. Still, it was cited three times in Cannon's ruling, which Smith's team is appealing, per NBC News. (More Hunter Biden stories.) A Russian court handed down a 16-year sentence to American journalist Evan Gershkovich on Friday, reports the Washington Post. The 32-year-old reporter for the Wall Street Journal was convicted of spying for the CIA, a charge the US and his newspaper employer say is a sham. (Prosecutors sought 18 years.) Now what: The guilty verdict was widely expected. The big question is whether Gershkovich will be used as a "bargaining chip" in a prisoner swap with Russia, notes the BBC. The two nations reportedly began talks even before the trial. In the meantime, Gershkovich has been ordered to a penal colony. A man convicted of fatally shooting a delivery driver during a robbery attempt in 1998 was executed by chemical injection Thursday in Alabama, reports the AP . Keith Edmund Gavin, 64, was pronounced dead at 6:32pm at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in southwest Alabama, authorities said. He was convicted of capital murder in the shooting death of 68-year-old courier service driver William Clayton Jr. in Cherokee County on March 6, 1998. Clayton had just finished work and was getting money at an ATM to take his wife to dinner, according to trial testimony. "Justice was finally delivered for Mr. Clayton's loved ones," Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement. "I offer my prayers for Mr. Clayton's family and friends who still mourn his loss all these years later." The execution began shortly after the US Supreme Court turned down Gavin's request for a stay of execution, which he had filed himself in a handwritten document. "I love my family," Gavin said in his final statement at about 6:10pm, which appeared to be followed by a few words that were not audible. Gavin, who is Muslim, appeared to move his lips in prayer as his spiritual adviser stood beside the gurney. He had a finger lifted on both hands in what appeared to be the Islamic gesture in deference to Allah. He had successfully sued to avoid an autopsy based on his religious beliefs. As a sedative began flowing through the IV line, his head, which had been lifted, fell back on the gurney, and Gavin appeared to lose consciousness. At about 6:20pm, a corrections officer performed a consciousness checksaying his name, brushing his eyelids, and pinching his armswhich is done before the final two drugs are administered. Soon afterward, his breathing faded. (More death penalty stories.) President Biden on Friday promised he'd be back on the campaign trail next week, apparently dashing predictions he might bow out of the race as early as this weekend. In a statement, Biden said he wanted to make the case against Donald Trump and speak about "my own record and the vision that I have for America," per the New York Times. (Biden has been off the trail the last few days after testing positive for COVID.) Other developments in the narrative of whether Biden will remain atop the Democratic ticket: More calls: Five more House Democrats and a third Democratic senator called on Biden to withdraw on Friday. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus "Chuy" Garcia of Illinois, and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin issued a joint statement, reports the Hill. And Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois separately asked Biden to "pass the torch" in a Chicago Tribune op-ed. That's a total of 28 House Democrats now, per Fox News. Meanwhile, Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico joined fellow Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Peter Welch of Vermont in making the same request. A Marine who stormed the US Capitol and was accused of flashing a Nazi salute in front of the building was sentenced on Friday to nearly five years in prison. Tyler Bradley Dykes of South Carolina was an active-duty Marine when he grabbed a police riot shield from two police officers and used it to push through police lines with the mob of Donald Trump's supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. Dykes, who pleaded guilty in April to assault charges, previously was convicted of a crime stemming from the 2017 white nationalist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dykes was transferred to federal custody in 2023 after serving a six-month sentence in a state prison, the AP reports. US District Judge Beryl Howell sentenced Dykes, 26, to four years, nine months of imprisonment, the Justice Department said. Prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of five years, three months. "He directly contributed to some of the most extreme violence on the Capitol's east front," prosecutors wrote. Dykes' attorneys requested a two-year prison sentence. "Tyler hates his involvement in the Capitol riot," they wrote. "He takes complete responsibility for his actions. Tyler apologizes for those actions." Dykes denied that he performed a Nazi salute on Jan. 6, but prosecutors say it was captured on video. Dykes traveled to Washington, DC, to attend Trump's "Stop the Steal" rally with two friends. After they parted ways, Dykes ripped snow fencing from the ground and pulled aside bicycle rack barricades as he approached the Capitol. He joined other rioters in breaking through a line of police officers defending stairs to the East Rotunda doors. "After reaching the top of the stairs, Dykes celebrated his accomplishment, performing what appears to be the Sieg Heil salute," prosecutors wrote. He used the shield to assault officers in the building, forcing them to retreat, prosecutors said. Dykes was discharged from the military in May 2023 under "other than honorable" conditions. (More Capitol riot stories.) Fairbanks, AK (99701) Today Snow will taper off and end this evening but skies will remain cloudy late. Low 26F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 60%.. Tonight Snow will taper off and end this evening but skies will remain cloudy late. Low 26F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 60%. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. MOSCOW The Moscow Urban Renewal Agency is adjusting its expectations for the Moscow Sixth and Jackson streets property based on previous failed attempts to develop that site. During its meeting Thursday, MURA held a wide-ranging discussion about how to approach developing that vacant corner lot. Problems with the unstable soil prevented developers Carly Lilly and George Skandalos from going through with their proposal to build a mixed-use building on that property. They learned the soil would not be strong enough to support the tall multistory building they wanted. MURA ended its agreement with them in March. On Thursday, MURA members discussed the type of building that could be feasible. To me, it seems like a waste of space to have a one-story building or a two-story building on such a prominent location, Tom Lamar said. Drew Davis pointed out that a tall building requires more parking, which would likely be cost-prohibitive. Building a parking garage, for example, would likely cost $30,000 per stall, Davis said. He said the building would be kind of locked in at three stories or less. A billion computer s worldwide needs to be rebooted in fail mode and have a driver manually. This was a mistake by Crowdstrike, where a bad update of Windows was performed. The fix is to boot in safe mode and remove the bad csagent.sys or C-00000291*.sys drivers and then restart. You will need to have admin access and the drive has to not be encrypted. To fix the CrowdStrike bad driver problem, you can follow these steps: Without Encryption: Boot your Windows system into safe mode or the Windows Recovery Environment (winRE) by first powering up your machine until a manufacturers logo is visible. Press the power button again to power up and the machine will boot to the winRE. From the option menu, select Troubleshoot >> Advanced Options >> Startup Settings >> Restart. Select option 5 or press F5 to restart the machine in safe mode with Networking. Wait for the machine to boot into the safe mode desktop. Open the File Manager and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike Look for and delete any files that match the pattern C-00000291*.sys Reboot as normal. With Encryption (BitLocker): If your system is encrypted with BitLocker, you will need to enter the recovery key to proceed with the startup process. Once you have entered the recovery key, you can follow the steps above to delete the problematic driver file. Remember to be cautious when deleting system files and ensure you have a backup of your important data before making any changes to your system. If your drive is encrypted then this will be far more difficult. We just deleted Crowdstrike from all our systems, so no rollouts at all Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 19, 2024 Since device drivers are loaded up when your computer boots up, this is sending Windows into recovery mode. Only fix is to: Safe Mode, and delete C-00000291*.sys (which is basically every ".sys" file starting with "C-00000291") from C:\Windows\System32\drivers\Crowdstrike. (5/n) pic.twitter.com/jBa1dsfo0O Ananay (@ananayarora) July 19, 2024 CrowdStrike is a major cybersecurity technology company based in Austin, Texas. They provides cloud workload protection and endpoint security, threat intelligence, and cyberattack response service. They caused a billion blue screens of death with a faulty CrowdStrike software update. Affected machines were forced into a bootloop, making them unusable. The global outage is grounding commercial airline flights, temporarily taking Sky News offline, and even impacting 911 emergency call centers. The blue screen of death is reported with a stop code of PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA from the csagent.sys driver. I don't think you guys fully grasp how big this is. Around a billion computers are bricked worldwide, mostly corporate ones. This isn't just an online service going down for a few hours. Every affected computer needs to be rebooted in fail mode and have a driver manually pic.twitter.com/khHe4edchB Ray (@raymo_g) July 19, 2024 Linux operating system (open source and more secure) supporters are all over twitter and other social media telling windows users. I told you so. Crowdstrike Identified as Overvalued Before the Incident The company, Crowdstrike, is being sold off and Microsoft has also lost about 2%. Wall Street Bets had some people buy puts against Crowdstrike or short sell Crowdstrike. This was about 12 hours before the outage was caused. Thesis: Crowdstrike is not worth 93 billion dollars (at time of writing). Fear: CrowdStrike is an enterprise-grade employee spying app masquerading as a cloud application observability dashboard. OBSERVATIONS The 75th percentile retail investor has a tenuous grasp on Cloud, Software Engineering, and Cyber Security. The median Cyber Security Analyst has a tenuous grasp on Cyber Security The median Software Engineer has a tenuous grasp on Cyber Security and Cloud The median retail investor has a tenuous grasp on markets and liquidity pools CRITIQUES Corporations could buy CrowdStrike to spy on their own employees. CrowdStrikes utility is limited- they simply collect all of their customers data and display it on a dashboard. CrowdStrike is dangerous in that they have root access to every device(i.e. endpoint) across thousands of firms. CrowdStrike customers sign up to get their firms data added to a bank which CrowdStrike then has license to use for correlation CrowdStrike is a sitting-duck datamine for the FBI/NSA to subpoena. CrowdStrike could potentially behave as a propaganda arm of the US government by creating fake hacking stories which are un-disprovable.They are able to do this due to information asymmetries in society. Properly built cloud applications have security baked in by virtue of separation of concerns in the software supply chain. (e.g. containerization engine developer is different than the OS developer is different than the Cloud Infrastructure Provider). CrowdStrikes Falcon product contradicts their own guiding principle of Zero-Trust Security. ASOTIN The Cougar Creek Fire in southern Asotin County continues to burn with air and ground resources fighting the flames that have consumed about 4,895 acres. Several structures have been lost, according to residents who live here. Previous reports of no structures burned from the incident team were inaccurate. The fire destroyed an old farm house built in the 1800s, and the former Hansen Ridge Post Office, said Carl Flynn, of Asotin. We lost some history, Flynn said Thursday morning. My dad bought that house in 1953, and we used to live in it, years ago. Everythings burned to the ground. The house was vacant and was used in the past for weekend stays when the Flynns were haying in the area. The post office was used for storage. Fortunately, last summer, several descendants of the family who built the house visited Asotin County from back East and took photos while it was still standing, Flynn said. 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West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code Police were called to the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City on Thursday afternoon for what turned out to be an unfounded threat, authorities said. At 3:55 PM, Atlantic City Police Department received a call from an unidentified man who claimed he was inside the building and was in possession of guns and an explosive device, the department said in a release. Officers responded to the scene, and along with Borgata security, conducted a sweep of the building, police said. They did not find any suspicious persons or devices, but during the search, out of an abundance of caution, portions of the building were briefly evacuated, officials said. Video from the scene showed a large police presence outside the building near its parking garage. Authorities appeared to be blocking the entrances. As of 7:30 p.m. patrons were allowed back in the building and police had cleared the scene, authorities said. Police said the validity of this threat was still under investigation and anyone with information was encouraged to call 609-347-5766 or submit tips anonymously through tip411 (847411). A spokesperson for the Borgata could not immediately be reached. Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa opened in 2003 and is one of the citys largest hotels. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. A Guatemalan man was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury after he was accused of kidnapping a girl in New Jersey and then taking her to Georgia to sexually assault her, authorities said. Sergio Gomez, also known as Abner Abigail Chub-Choc, 22, was charged with enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity, and kidnapping, the U.S. Attorneys Office District of New Jersey announced Thursday. Gomez used the internet and a cellphone to entice the 14-year-old girl to meet him for sex, authorities alleged. On July 30, 2023, he arrived in Cape May County and took the girl with him to Georgia, the office said. The girl was reported missing from Middle Township at 1:30 p.m. the following day, prompting a search that involved the Cape May County Prosecutors Office, the FBI, and police in Georgia, police said. The FBI found the girl unharmed in Georgia on Aug. 3, investigators said. Police in Georgia arrested Gomez and another man in Acworth. The two men were charged with luring the child and conspiracy to lure a child, both second-degree felonies. The other man was not mentioned by federal prosecutors but was identified by police last year as Yester R. Montecillos-Vazquez. He was also charged at the time with luring the child and conspiracy to lure a child. His current legal status was not immediately known. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. A civil rights group is condemning an Edison High School assistant principals alleged threats to report Muslim students to the colleges where they had applied, made during a discussion of plans for a school event. I have no problem contacting your university where you got in and explaining whats going on if you want to take it further, the assistant principal allegedly told several students from the Muslim Students Association on February 29. You guys are not upholding good leadership skills, and I dont think any university would want to have students who dont fulfill good character and values. Do we understand? At issue were plans for the associations multi-school iftar, a celebration of the end of fasting for Ramadan. The administrator allegedly told the students they could have it with just Edison High School students, or not at all, because the event had not gone well and required security last year. Australias premier deep tech celebration, Cicada x Tech23, is back and will be held in Sydney on August 7. The event will feature 23 of the best Australian deep tech ventures, selected from over 143 applications, emphasizing diversity in innovation and perspectives. This is not a traditional startup pitch fest; instead, it focuses on themed streams or systems that explore future opportunities and challenges. Meet 23 deep tech ventures taking to the stage at Cicada x Tech23 Built Environment Reimagined: Aquila: Infrared long-distance charging network. Eco Shield Systems: Green ecosystems for urban buildings. Misti: Advanced lung delivery platform for vaccines and therapies. Telemattica: Automated railway track inspections. Shifting the Mindset in Medicine: Convergence Medical: Robotic arthroscopy equipment. dermR Health: Microneedle device for skin cancer diagnostics. OminiWell: In vitro cell culture for precise cancer treatments. Roam Technologies: Intelligent portable oxygen concentrator. Tetratherix: Smart Biostealth polymer for mRNA delivery. Fortifying Industrial Futures: Crest Robotics: Smart robotic tools for workplace safety. Deneb Space: Advanced satellite agility systems. Dilji Corporation: Biochar from waste for mining and support for First Nations. Ocius Technologies: Unmanned surface vehicle for ocean monitoring. Stralis Aircraft: Hydrogen-fueled aircraft emitting only water. Resilient Farming & Food Systems: Agscent: Livestock diagnostic testing using NASA technology. Nourish Ingredients: Animal-free fats for food production. VetChip: Implantable chip for real-time animal health monitoring. Zondii: Machine learning device for real-time wool micron identification. A Waste-Free World: Adept Aqua: Renewable energy-powered oxygenation for waterways. Alt Leather: 100% biobased leather alternative. EM Energy: Hydrogen extraction from agricultural waste. Newera Bio: Sustainable dye synthesis inspired by nature. PlasmaLeap Technologies: Zero-emission reactors for green chemical production. Meet the Innovators at Cicada x Tech23 Cicada x Tech23, Australias largest deep tech festival, celebrates radical innovation and bold ideas. This event is a central meeting point for the deep tech ecosystem, fostering connections and sparking meaningful conversations about technologies and innovators that can propel humanity into a better future. What to Expect Whether youre a founder, investor, business leader, policymaker, or ecosystem builder, Cicada x Tech23 invites you to envision your role in fostering a brighter future. This is not a traditional startup pitchfest. Instead, the event emphasizes in-depth discussions around 23 startups, organized into themed streams that explore future opportunities and challenges for Australia and the world. Engage with 23 leading deep tech thinkers and innovators. with 23 leading deep tech thinkers and innovators. Discover new and unexpected voices from various industries, united in their drive to forge a new future. new and unexpected voices from various industries, united in their drive to forge a new future. Connect with over 400 leaders from business, investment, and government, each committed to nurturing a thriving deep tech community. Event Themes Highlighting 23 technical solutions is not enough. Cicada x Tech23 recognizes the need for significant system shifts to enable these solutions to fulfill their promise. The event is organized into five systems, each stream providing dialogue about the future for audience engagement. Join the village at Cicada x Tech23 and play a pivotal role in pioneering change and innovation in Australias deep tech landscape. For tickets Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Bob Newhart, the comic behind the hit TV series The Bob Newhart Show in the 1970s and 1980s and his role as Papa Elf in the 2003 Christmas classic Elf, has died at 94 on Thursday in Los Angeles. According to his publicist, he died after a brief illness. He graced peoples television screens throughout two decades and was nominated for multiple Emmy awards for actor in a comedy from 1985-1987, according to Variety. However, his first Emmy win came in 2013 when he made a guest appearance on The Big Bang Theory as Arthur Jeffries, also known as Professor Proton. Newhart was born in Oak Park, Ill., and graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 1952 before entering the U.S. Army. After flunking out of law school and working several odd jobs, he teamed up with his friend, Ed Gallagher, and recorded some of their conversations together. They had an idea to sell them to radio stations. While the tapes didnt sell, Chicago DJ Dan Sorkin took note of them and gave Newhart his first job in radio. From then on, Sorkin introduced Newhart to the head of Warner Brothers Records, James Conkling, who offered him a contract, according to Newharts online bio. He got his big break when The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart became the first comedy album to rise to No. 1 on the charts. Since then, Newhart has appeared in over 14 feature films and did voice overs for animated productions. His most recent TV guest appearance was in three episodes of Young Sheldon where he reprised his role as Professor Proton. In 2015, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Publicists Guild of America. He is survived by his four children, Robert Jr., Timothy, Courtney and Jennifer, as well as 10 grandchildren after his wife, Ginny, passed away last year. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. A week after their beloved family pet died at a Gloucester County dog grooming business, a Woodbury Heights family say their grief has turned to anger as they look for answers. The family doesnt know how Harley, a 3-year-old border collie Australian shepherd mix, died. But, authorities said the proprietor of the grooming business was arrested after the dogs death led to the discovery of a large heroin stash in the establishment. Ashley Jenkins and her boyfriend dropped off Harley at K-9 Kingdom in Woodbury Heights on July 12, she said. Harley was a friendly, high-energy dog and the family had been taking him to the grooming business for years with no issues, Jenkins said. The previous business owner died last year and the current owner, Trevor J. Hunt, took over the operation this year, she said. Hunt called the family home to report that Harley had died. Jenkins mother answered the phone. Hunt very casually delivered the terrible news, the daughter said. It was really weird. As if it were normal. As if this was something he didnt really care about, Jenkins said. The family raced to the business, calling police along the way. At the business, police officers spoke to Hunt, 39, of West Deptford, and saw Harley on a table, according to their report. When police explained they would need a search warrant for the business, Hunt grew uncooperative and was arrested, police said. An officer attempted to seize Hunts phone and he immediately became tense and attempted to delete evidence off his phone, police stated in an affidavit of probable cause filed with the charges. Officers then guided the defendant to the ground, where he resisted arrest. The search of K-9 Kingdom turned up more than a half ounce of heroin packaged in more than 60 small plastic bags, labeled with names including Alien Rock, House Party III and El Loco, according to the affidavit. The family had to remain outside while police worked, but Jenkins parents were eventually allowed inside to see Harley, who was still wet from being groomed, she said. The cause of Harleys death remains under investigation, Jenkins said Friday. The dog was taken to a veterinarian who found no underlying medical conditions that would explain what happened, she said. The animal was then taken to the New Jersey Animal Health Diagnostics Lab in Ewing for a full evaluation, according to police. Hunt has not been charged in connection with the dogs death, but he is charged with third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance and second-degree possession with intent to distribute, along with fourth-degree counts of obstruction and tampering with evidence. He is also charged with resisting arrest, a disorderly persons offense. He remains jailed pending a detention hearing. His attorney did not respond to a request for comment about case. While the family awaits answers about Harley, Jenkins remembered her as always excited. She loved people. She was so fun. Anytime anyone would walk in the door, shed go over there and wiggle all over, pick up her toy and bring it to them, Jenkins said. The family has dealt with a variety of emotions since losing Harley. We were all very sad, Jenkins said, but I think now that we know what hes being charged with, we know what they found there I think were just angry and just want justice for Harley. Anyone with information relevant to the case is asked to contact Woodbury Police Det. Nick Cacciola at ncacciola@woodburypd.com or 856-845-0065, ext. 142. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. A corrections officer has pleaded guilty to accepting $14,000 from an undercover agent to smuggle cell phones and tobacco products into a jail. Efrin Wade, 36, of Jersey City, pleaded guilty to extortion in Newark federal court on Wednesday, the U.S. Attorneys Office District of New Jersey said in a news release. He was working at Essex County Correctional Facility when he was charged in March of last year after getting caught in a sting operation. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking clarification on his employment status. Wade started communicating with an undercover FBI agent in January of last year, who he believed was seeking to smuggle the items into the jail to sell to inmates, according to the criminal complaint. His girlfriend, Yairisa Lizardo, allegedly met with the agent in a Bayonne parking lot on Feb. 1, when the agent gave her $10,000 in cash and a large quantity of tobacco, court documents said. Wade then left the tobacco in concealed locations at the facility in the subsequent weeks, officials said. He told the agent about the locations and believed that inmates were picking up the tobacco, but it was really being retrieved by law enforcement, authorities said. Wade later met with the FBI agent twice, the first time to collect a cell phone concealed within a bag of tobacco that he would also leave at a location within the jail, and a second time to receive a $4,000 payment from the agent, according to the complaint. He also spoke to the agent about a plan to smuggle 15 more cell phones into the facility in exchange for $30,000, court documents said. Wade was approached by agents during a shift at Essex County Correctional Facility in March 2023 and was found to be in possession of cigarettes, cigars and packs of tobacco, resulting in his arrest, officials said. Lizardo was also charged with extortion last year and her criminal case is still pending. Wades sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 19. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com. Jersey City school board President DeJon Morris, whose short tenure has been filled with controversy, is considering a run for a 31st District state assembly, saying current Assemblyman Will Sampson IV has failed Jersey City. Morris, leader of the school board since a disputed takeover in February, said he has become increasingly concerned with public education in these are tumultuous times in Hudson County politics. The new kid on the block seemed content at first. In lockstep with most of the surrounding trees in Jersey City, the 25-year-old oak tree that the city hauled into Bergen Square grew green leaves as the region welcomed summer. Tana Mongeau and Brooke Schofield are not done bringing their podcast to live audiences across the country. The extended Cancelled Cross Country tour dates will begin on Sept. 13 in Burlington, Vt. and will wrap up on Oct. 19 in Hollywood, Calif. While on tour, the podcast duo will perform in New York City at the Beacon Theatre on Sept. 19. All ticket holders can expect to enjoy an unfiltered, uncut and interactive experience with Mongeau and Schofield. Cancelled Podcast Tour: How to get tickets The Cancelled live tour, will not only continue to spill all the tea that you see on their podcast each week, but it will be with no cuts, no bleeping out names, the press release states. Theyll probably cancel themselves a time or two by saying all the things that they cant say online. If you want to secure tickets to their tour, they go on sale to the public on July 19 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. Currently, the cheapest ticket we could find for their New York City show, before fees, is $59 on Vivid Seats. Fans can also find tickets on all secondary market websites such as Vivid Seats, StubHub and SeatGeek. If you find that you never secure the tickets at the best cost or in the section you want to be in through StubHub, you can find some tips and tricks here. First-time Vivid Seats users can save $20 on ticket orders over $200 by entering promo code NJ20 at checkout. A complete list of Tana Mongeau and Brooke Schofields tour dates is available here. Upcoming 2024 tours heading to Beacon Theatre Tana Mongeau and Brooke Schofield are not the only ones heading to Beacon Theatre this year. Here are a few more tours you dont want to miss seeing: Girly Swirlies Night Out, John Oliver & Seth Meyers, Kurtis Conner and Ben Schwartz. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicole Iuzzolino can be reached at niuzzolino@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. Officials in Mercer County are actively working to restore connectivity after certain systems, including the countys emergency dispatch system, were impacted by the global technology outage Friday. Mercer Countys Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Office of Information Technology (OIT) have been responding to this challenge, a news release from the county said Friday afternoon. Some Mercer County computers and systems have been impacted by the outage and staff is actively working to bring them back online. The countys 911 system remained fully operational, according to the release, but some Computer Aided Dispatch systems were temporarily impacted at the local and county level. All systems have been restored and redundancies were in place to ensure emergency dispatch remained fully operational, according to the release. Mercer Countys two major hospitals were impacted by the outage as well, including Capital Health and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton which experienced minimal interruptions to systems. Patient care was not impacted, the release said. Capital Health had no disruption to services as a result of the global technology issue, the company said in a statement. While we had some minimal disruption to systems, we have continued to provide patient care with no disruption. An alert posted on the Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health system homepage said it was working to restore systems as quickly as possible and that some scheduled procedures were postponed out of an abundance of caution. A spokesperson for Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health system said most of the issues caused by the technology outage had been addressed by Friday afternoon with Trinity Regional Medical Center still dealing with minor operational issues. At this time, many disruptions caused by the global Microsoft outage have been resolved across RWJBarnabas Health, spokesperson for the health system Robert Cavanaugh said Friday afternoon. Trinitas Regional Medical Center continues to experience minor operational impact which is anticipated to be resolved within the next several hours. We will continue to actively review, prioritize issue resolution and monitor the situation, and provide additional updates as needed. Cavanaugh told NJ Advance Media earlier in the day that some computer and phone systems were impacted in New Brunswick and Monmouth. The RWJ Barnabas health system operates 12 acute care hospitals and three childrens specialized acute care hospitals across New Jersey. Officials in Mercer County said the Trenton-Mercer Airport did not experience any disruptions, but that some Frontier flights were canceled due to their systems being hit by the outage. The global technology outage sprang from a glitch in CrowdStrike update and was not a cyberattack, the company said Friday morning. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company, said it was actively addressing the error and deployed a fix to bring systems back online. The error caused massive disruptions to banking, travel, health care, media and other industries Friday morning. Flights were delayed or canceled as a result of the outages across the country including at area airports like Newark Liberty International Airport, and those in Philadelphia and New York City. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X. A U.S. Air Marshal admitted selling cards claiming to be held by members of the agents family and embossed with the Department of Homeland Security insignia, for thousands of dollars, U.S. District Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced Thursday. Jonathan J. Ledesma, 38, a resident of Middlesex County, pleaded guilty to two counts of selling official insignia without authorization and making false statements on Wednesday in federal court in Trenton. Ledesma was accused by prosecutors of purchasing cards from a business in Nutley for just under $20 and then selling at least two cards for thousands of dollars to people he knew were not family members. Authorities accused Ledesma of purchasing cards that identified himself as a Federal Officer and the bearer as an immediate family member, court documents show. The cards were embossed with a Department of Homeland Security insignia and included a QR code that linked to Ledesmas cell phone number, officials said. Ledesma admitted to selling these cards to people he knew were not members of his family between October 2021 and January 2023, officials said. In July 2022, authorities said Ledesma sold a card to a person who was later arrested on Jan. 30, 2023 and in possession of the card at the time of the arrest. Ledesma allegedly agreed to sell the card for $1,700, according to federal charging documents. Prosecutors said Ledesma organized the transfer of the card through a co-conspirator in a wallet embossed with Law Enforcement Family Member. Officials said Ledesma also provided two parking placards and a shield with the same statement of being a family member of law enforcement. The person was later arrested at an airport in the Eastern District of Kentucky on Jan. 30, 2023 under suspicion of credit card fraud in connection to a rental car reservation, officials said. A Customs and Border Patrol agent scanned the QR code and Ledesma told the official that he had given the card to the person because the persons father was a friend and business associate, authorities said. Prosecutors said this was false, as Ledesma well knew, he had never met or done business with the persons father. In a second exchange, Ledesma sold a second card on Jan. 18, 2023 for $1,100, charging documents show. Prosecutors said Ledesma put the card in a similar wallet to the first exchange and provided another placard, as well. Ledesmas attorney did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X A two-time national womens chess champion has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Chess Federation claiming the organization tolerates sexual misconduct against women players and retaliates against whistleblowers. Jennifer Shahade, 43, said she was sexually assaulted by a chess grand master in New Jersey in 2012 and 2016, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Superior Court of Monmouth County. Shahade did not go public with her allegations after the incident. But, she tweeted the mans name in February 2023 because she said U.S. Chess did nothing to keep him from having contact with other potential victims, including children. The suit alleges U.S. Chess painted Shahade in a false light after she spoke out, and that she was constructively discharged from the organization last year in retaliation for making her claims public. A spokesman for U.S. Chess said Friday the federation denies the allegations, but does not comment on active litigation. We will defend ourselves vigorously, the spokesman said. U.S. Chess and its agents failed to protect victim Shahade and others, some of whom were minors at the time of the assaults, several of which have come forward anonymously, the lawsuit alleges. In addition to the U.S. Chess Federation, the lawsuit names as defendants members of its board and several individuals and entities whose names are not yet known. The lawsuit was filed in New Jersey in part because the state offers victims of discriminatory retaliation greater protections than other states, according to the lawyers who filed the claim. In addition, many of U.S. Chesss annual national events have been held in Parsippany since 1971, according to the suit. Shahade claims she was sexually assaulted by a chess grandmaster in Parsippany, and a second time four years later at a tournament in Atlantic City. The lawsuit alleges U.S. Chess violated New Jerseys civil racketeering and RICO laws, in part by allegedly engaging in human trafficking and retaliation. The suit also alleges violations of the states anti-discrimination laws, gender/sex victimization, assault and battery, defamation, negligence and emotional distress. After she tweeted about her alleged assailant, Shahade said she emailed the federations executive director, offering to go over a detailed timeline of the alleged events and seeking support for her whistleblowing efforts. Instead, I got a critical letter from U.S. Chess counsel about my tweet. But in fact, my whistleblowing was the correct action, Shahade says in the suit. Following her constructive discharge from U.S. Chess on Sept. 6, 2023, Shahade claims she faced retaliation in social media campaigns that damaged her credibility and reputation in order that the public would disbelieve her allegations, the lawsuit states. In addition to retaliation and discrimination, the lawsuit alleges gender bias, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, business libel, conspiracy and false light. Shahade is seeking monetary damages for lost wages, punitive damages and a restraining order against all defendants who have defamed her, the suit says. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A baby died on Wednesday after being alone left in a hot car in Morris County, at least the second infant hot car death to occur in New Jersey this week. The 6-month old girl was found in a car that was in a parking lot near South Ridgedale Avenue at Route 10 in East Hanover, authorities said. Police responded to a 911 call reporting the incident at 1:30 p.m., the Morris County Prosecutors Office said in a statement. The child was pronounced dead at the hospital after life-saving efforts by paramedics on the scene were unsuccessful, authorities said. Temperatures in the area reached as high as 105 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The babys mother was also brought to the hospital for treatment, officials said. Additional details about the mothers whereabouts and condition were not disclosed. The incident is still under investigation and no arrests have been made. The Morris County Prosecutors Office is asking anyone with tips in the case to call its headquarters at 973-285-6200. This comes just days after a 2-month-old girl was left alone in a hot car in Lakewood, and died. That baby was pronounced dead on the scene, according to police reports. The babys father, Avraham Chaitovsky, 28, of Jackson, was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, prosecutors said. A 2-year-old from Arizona and a 5-year-old from Nebraska also died after being left unattended in cars this week, CNN reported. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com. This National Payroll Day, lets not only appreciate these dedicated individuals, but also explore how automation and AI can further streamline payroll processes. On July 19, 2024, Australia celebrates National Payroll Day, an occasion dedicated to acknowledging the tireless efforts of payroll professionals who ensure Australians are paid accurately and on time. The Australian Payroll Association (APA) recognizes the commitment of these professionals who often work extra hours, undergo continual training, and labor through national holidays to maintain the seamless operation of payroll systems. Despite numerous innovations in the payroll industry over the past decade, one constant remains: Payroll is underestimated by everyone who does not work in it. National Payroll Day offers a chance to appreciate the dedicated professionals whose diligence and perseverance keep Australia running smoothly. The APA encourages everyone to participate in this recognition by celebrating payroll professionals within their networks. Share your appreciation on social media with the hashtag #APANationalPayrollDay. Phil Bernie, GM, Payroll at Employment Hero said: On this National Payroll Day, its important to recognise the challenges faced by payroll professionals in the current landscape. The fact that for 95% of payroll professionals it takes up to three days or more to complete a pay run, revealed in our 2024 Future of Payroll Report, highlights the significant amount of time and resources dedicated to this task. The industry is in clear agreement that there is a desperate need for tech advancements, with 89% of payroll professionals stating that theyre keen to see how AI can cut down payroll processing times. The potential benefits are huge, from automated pay calculations and payroll reporting to the creation of payslips. Payroll is ripe for AI and automation, with 81% expecting a significant increase in its use over the next year. Its positive to see this kind of support for beneficial technology that can improve day to day pains for employees. As we continue to see the benefits of AI and automation in our daily lives, I think were beginning to appreciate the ways it can also truly revolutionise how we manage employment. At Employment Hero, we envision a future where running payroll is largely automated, freeing up humans to focus on delivering valuable support, advice, and consultancy to their clients and customers. This is why were creating the worlds first fully automated payroll solution. National Payroll Day is a great reminder of how crucial payroll professionals are to every business in Australia, and right now is an exciting time for the industry as AI seeks to shake things up for the better. Employers are urged to join the celebration by recognizing and thanking their payroll teams. Suggestions include taking the payroll team to lunch, discussing career progression, and writing thoughtful thank-you notes. Raise the profile of payroll in your company by downloading and displaying our poster and adding our banner to your email signature. Our 10 steps to a flawless payroll system Accurate and efficient payroll systems are vital for businesses of all sizes. However, managing payroll can be complex,requiring compliance with ever-changing regulations and a focus on employee satisfaction. Companies are increasingly turning to advanced strategies to optimize their payroll operations. Automation and Integration Lead the Way: Modern payroll software automates calculations, tax withholdings, and payments, minimizing human error. Seamless integration with HR and accounting systems ensures smooth data flow,further enhancing efficiency. Staying Compliant is Key: Regular software updates and ongoing staff training on compliance issues are crucial to navigate the evolving legal landscape. Robust security measures, including data encryption and access controls, safeguard sensitive payroll information. Accuracy and Efficiency Matter: Regular payroll audits identify and rectify errors. Encouraging direct deposit and offering employee self-service portals for accessing paystubs and tax forms streamline processes. Employee Satisfaction is Paramount: Timely payments, clear communication regarding payroll policies, and responsive support for inquiries build trust with employees. Regularly soliciting feedback allows companies to continuously improve the employee experience. Optimizing Processes for Success: Standardizing procedures and documenting them for clarity are essential for consistency and smooth onboarding of new team members. Outsourcing payroll to a professional service provider can be a viable option for companies seeking increased efficiency or facing resource constraints. Data Analytics Provide Insights: Real-time reporting generated by payroll software empowers data-driven financial planning. Analyzing payroll trends helps companies identify areas like overtime costs or discrepancies, allowing proactive management. Investing in the Payroll Team: Ongoing professional development and certification programs enhance the capabilities of payroll staff. Equipping the team with the latest technology and tools further bolsters their effectiveness. Mobile Solutions on the Rise: The adoption of mobile payroll solutions provides employees and payroll staff with on-the-go access to information. Mobile apps can streamline communication by sending reminders and notifications. Feedback is a Valuable Tool: Regular employee surveys gather valuable feedback to identify areas for improvement,enabling companies to continuously refine their payroll systems. Taking a data-driven approach ensures employees are paid accurately and on time, fostering a positive work environment. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Two foreign nationals connected to one of the most prolific ransomware attacks in the world pleaded guilty to federal charges in Newark on Thursday, U.S. officials announced. Ruslan Magomedeovic Astamirov, 21, a Russian national of the Chechen Republic and Mikhail Vasiliev, 34, from Bradford, Ontario, who holds dual citizenship in Canada and Russia, pleaded guilty to participating in the Lockbit ransomware group that targeted schools, hospitals, police departments and municipalities across New Jersey and the United States, authorities said. The Lockbit ransomware variant first appeared in January 2020 and grew into a global hazard as one of the most destructive and lucrative ransomware programs in the world, attacking over 2,500 victims across 120 countries, officials said. Federal officials said Lockbit caused over $500 million in ransom payments with billions more in estimated losses due to lost revenue and expenses in responding to being locked out of digital systems. In the United States alone, 1,800 victims of the ransomware variant have been identified, officials said. Officials said Vasiliev and Astamirov would identify and access vulnerable computer systems as Lockbit affiliate members and then deploy the ransomware within the computer systems in order to steal and encrypt stored data. Once the computer system was infected with the Lockbit ransomware, affiliates would demand large ransoms in exchange for unlocking the encrypted data and deleting stolen data, authorities said. Victims that failed to pay the ransom would have their computer systems permanently encrypted and stolen data published on a public website under Lockbits control, according to federal authorities. Astamirov and Vasiliev thought that they could deploy LockBit from the shadows, wreaking havoc and pocketing massive ransom payments from their victims, without consequence, said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. They were wrong. We, in New Jersey, along with our domestic and international law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to hold LockBits members and other cybercriminals accountable, disrupt and dismantle their operations, and put a spotlight on them as wanted criminals no matter where they hide. Vasiliev operated under several online aliases including Ghostrider, Free, Digitalocean90, Digitalocean99, Digitalwaters99 and Newwave110 between 2021 and 2023, deploying Lockbit ransomware in at least 12 victims computer systems including businesses in New Jersey, Michigan, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, officials said in a press release. He was also accused to infecting educational systems with the ransomware in England and Switzerland, according to authorities. Astamirov used the Lockbit ransomware to infect at least 12 victims between 2020 and 2023, including businesses in Virginia, Japan, France, Scotland, and Kenya, authorities said. He operated under the digital aliases BETTERPAY, offtitan and Eastfarmer, officials said. He collected at least $1.9 million in ransom payments and agreed to forfeit $350,000 in cryptocurrency he extorted from one of his Lockbit victims, as well as other assets under his plea agreement with federal prosecutors. The defendants committed ransomware attacks against victims in the United States and around the world through LockBit, which was one of the most destructive ransomware groups in the world, said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Departments Criminal Division. But thanks to the work of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, along with its domestic and international partners, LockBit no longer claims that title. Todays convictions represent another important milestone in the Criminal Divisions ongoing effort to disrupt and dismantle ransomware groups, protect victims, and bring cybercriminals to justice. Astamirov pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Vasiliev pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, intentional damage to a protected computer, transmission of a threat in damaging a protected computer and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Both are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 8, 2025. Mr. Astamirov, after much self deliberation, decided that it was in his best interest to enter a plea of guilty to acknowledge his involvement in the specific crimes to which he pled guilty, Astamirovs attorney Yelena Sharova said in a statement Thursday night. Ultimately, Mr. Astamirov, still a very young individual of age 21, wanted to move forward with taking responsibility for his wrongful acts. He has always expressed remorse and is looking forward to being a law-abiding citizen of society once he has paid his debt to society. Attorneys for Vasiliev did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Authorities at the U.K. National Crime Agencys Cyber Division had a break through in February, disrupting the Lockbit program with the help of the U.S. Justice Department, FBI and other international law enforcement partners. The agencies were able to seize many of the networks public facing websites as well as servers that had been used by Lockbit administrators, which together created an infrastructure to access the ransomeware. Authorities said in court documents that these efforts greatly diminished Lockbits reputation and ability to attack other victims. Federal authorities in New Jersey charged other members of the Lockbit network, including the creator, developer and administrator Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev earlier this year. Six people in total have been charged by federal authorities in New Jersey for their roles in the Lockbit cyber attacks. Artur Sungatov, Ivan Kondratyev and Mikhail Matveev have all been charged by authorities with attacking victims throughout the U.S. Prosecutors alleged Khoroshev began developing the Lockbit ransomware as early as September 2019 and continued as its administrator through 2024, while recruiting affiliate members to use the program. The primary developer and administrator, he collected 20% of all ransoms, amassing over $100 million. A $10 million reward has been offered for information on Khoroshev through the U.S. Department of States Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X. A global technology outage grounded flights, knocked banks offline and media outlets off air on Friday in a massive disruption that affected companies and services around the world and highlighted dependence on software from a handful of providers. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said that the issue believed to be behind the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue affected Microsoft 365 apps and services, and escalating disruptions continued hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing it. The website DownDectector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon, and airlines including American Airlines and Delta. News outlets in Australia reported that airlines, telecommunications providers and banks, and media broadcasters were disrupted as they lost access to computer systems. Airlines in the U.K., Europe and India reported problems and some New Zealand banks said they were offline. Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion and that they were observing a positive trend in service availability. The company did not respond to a request for comment. It did not explain the cause of the outage further. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz posted on social media platform X that the company is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. He said: This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. New Zealands acting prime minister, David Seymour, said on X that officials in the country were moving at pace to understand the potential impacts of the global problem. I have not currently received any reporting to indicate these issues are related to malicious cyber security activity, Seymour wrote. The issue was causing inconvenience for the public and businesses, he added. Israels Cyber Directorate that it was among the places affected by the global outages, attributing them to a problem with Crowdstrike. The outage also hit the countrys post offices and hospitals, according to the ministries of communication and health. Meanwhile, major disruptions reported by airlines and airports grew. In the U.S., the FAA said the airlines United, American, Delta and Allegiant had all been grounded. Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport slept on a jetway floor, using backpacks and other luggage for pillows, due to a delayed United flight to Dulles International Airport early on Friday. Airlines, railways and television stations in the United Kingdom were being disrupted by the computer issues. The budget airline Ryanair, train operators TransPennine Express and Govia Thameslink Railway, as well as broadcaster Sky News are among those affected. Were currently experiencing disruption across the network due to a global third party IT outage which is out of our control, Ryanair said. We advise all passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their scheduled departure time. Edinburgh Airport said the system outage meant waiting times were longer than usual. Londons Stansted Airport said some airline check-in services were being completed manually, but flights were still operating. Widespread problems were reported at Australian airports, where lines grew and some passengers were stranded as online check-in services and self-service booths were disabled. Passengers in Melbourne queued for more than an hour to check in, although flights were still operating. Airline operations in India were disrupted, affecting thousands. The privately-owned IndiGo airlines told the passengers on X that the Microsoft outage on Friday impacted airline operations in India, inconveniencing thousands of passengers. Several airlines made statements on X saying that they were following manual check-in and boarding processes and warned of delays due to technical problems. Hong Kongs Airport Authority said in a statement that the outage was affecting some airlines at the citys airport and they had switched to manual check-in. Amsterdams Schiphol Airport said on its website that the outage was having a major impact on flights to and from the busy European hub. The outage came on one of the busiest days of the year for the airport, at the start of many peoples summer vacations. In Germany, Berlin Airport said Friday morning that due to a technical fault, there will be delays in check-in. It said that flights were suspended until 10 a.m. (0800GMT), without giving details, German news agency dpa reported. Zurich Airport, the busiest in Switzerland, suspended landings on Friday morning but said flights headed there that were already in the air were still allowed to land. It said that several airlines, handling agents and other companies at the airport were affected, and that check-in had to be done manually in some cases, but that the airports own systems were running. At Romes Leonardo da Vinci airport, some US-bound flights had posted delays, while others were unaffected. Australia appeared to be severely affected by the issue. Outages reported on the site DownDetector included the banks NAB, Commonwealth and Bendigo, and the airlines Virgin Australia and Qantas, as well as internet and phone providers such as Telstra. Hospitals in Britain and Germany also reported problems. Several practices within the National Health Service in England reported that the outage had hit their clinical computer system that contains medical records and is used for scheduling. We have no access to patient clinical records so are unable to book appointments or provide information, Church Lane Surgery in Brighouse in Northern England said on the social media platform X. This is a national problem and is being worked on as a high priority. The NHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In northern Germany, the Schleswig-Holstein University Hospital, which has branches in Kiel and Luebeck, said it had canceled all elective surgery scheduled for Friday, but patient and emergency care were unaffected. News outlets in Australia including the ABC and Sky News were unable to broadcast on their TV and radio channels, and reported sudden shutdowns of Windows-based computers. Some news anchors broadcast live online from dark offices, in front of computers showing blue screens of death. In South Africa, at least one major bank said it was experiencing nationwide service disruptions as customers reported they were unable to make payments using their bank cards at grocery stores and gas stations. The New Zealand banks ASB and Kiwibank said their services were down. An X user posted a screenshot of an alert from the company Crowdstrike that said the company was aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to its Falcon Sensor platform. The alert was posted on a password-protected Crowdstrike site and could not be verified. Crowdstrike did not respond to a request for comment. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Donald Trumps acceptance speech as his partys presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention Thursday night appeared to start on a high. The initial reviews after Trumps campaign announced theyd rework the address after a failed assassination attempt against the former president were positive. But things took a turn later during the speech that exceeded 90 minutes and stretched past midnight. Statistician Nate Silver summed it up in three tweets posted to Twitter, now called X: Its a weird but pretty good speech. The past few weeks have gone about as badly as possible for Democrats, and theyre likely underdogs against Trump regardless of who they nominate, but the opportunity to reset the campaign with a non-Biden nominee is a twist of good fortune, Silver wrote Followed by: Semi-retract this tweet, this speech is boring AF, but there are worse things politically speaking than being boring, he said. Then: Fully RETRACT and RESCIND, sometimes it seems like both parties are trying to throw this election. Fully RETRACT and RESCIND, sometimes it seems like both parties are trying to throw this election. Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) July 19, 2024 He was hardly the only person on X to have a change of heart. Or, at least, be called out by others after the speech dragged on. Ive seen a big chunk of Trumps speech ... folks, buckle up because hes about to blow the doors off and rise to the occasion, CNN pundit Scott Jennings posted to X. Aged to perfection, another user wrote. This didnt age well did it, former GOP Congressman Adam Kinzinger wrote. This didnt age well did it https://t.co/5fnj4ZhT2N Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) (@AdamKinzinger) July 19, 2024 From a media perspective, Donald Trump failed to stick the landing at the Republican convention that nominated him as its presidential candidate for a third time. The new Donald Trump soothed and silenced the nation for 28 minutes last night, Axios Zachary Basu wrote on Friday. Then the old Trump returned and bellowed, barked and bored America for 64 minutes more. Trump began in subdued tones as he talked about a bullet slamming into his ear at a political rally in Pennsylvania. He indulged in dramatic political theater: walking over to kiss the helmet on a displayed uniform of retired firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed by the assassins bullet intended for the former president. Trumps speech had been billed as a call to unity where President Joe Bidens name wasnt going to be mentioned, but instead the Democrats name came up twice after Trump switched gears. Vanity Fair said the address gave America whiplash. NBC News reporter Garrett Haake, stationed on the convention floor, reported that in the first half I saw a lot of wet eyes. In the second half I saw a lot of closed eyes. The New York Times said in a headline Friday that Trump had struggled to turn the page on American carnage, the attention-getting phrase from his 2017 inaugural as president. On the last night of the GOP convention on Thursday, Donald J. Trump promised to bridge political divides, and then returned to delighting in deepening them. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco. Former White House director of strategic communications and assistant to Donald Trump, Alyssa Farah Griffin, has been speaking publicly about who the former president wants to go up against in November as Democrats increasingly put pressure on Joe Biden to bow out. The answer? Biden. Hands down. This is giving the Trump campaign waaay too much credit, but watching his speech devolve last night felt like he might be goading Biden into staying in the race, Griffin posted to X Friday morning. The Trump campaign wants to run against Biden. All their modeling/ ads/ strategy is built around Biden. This is giving the Trump campaign waaay too much credit, but watching his speech devolve last night felt like he might be goading Biden into staying in the race. The Trump campaign wants to run against Biden. All their modeling/ ads/ strategy is built around Biden. Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) July 19, 2024 Trumps campaign doesnt want to see Biden step aside given the public and private polling that shows Trump pulling even further ahead in all seven swing states and amid Democratic concern that Biden may not just lose to Trump, but could lead to heavy losses in both the Senate and the House. Chief Trump strategist Chris LaCivita told The Atlantics Tim Alberta as much after tens of millions of people watched Biden stumble through a debate and deduced on their own that maybe the presidents age is cause for concern. The Trump campaign fought doggedly for years to create an image of Biden being in cognitive decline and not up for the job as president. On Thursday night, LaCivita accused Democrats of conducting a coup if Biden were to step aside. Democrats at the highest levels are making a critical push for Biden to rethink his election bid, with former President Barack Obama expressing concerns to allies and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi privately telling Biden the party could lose the ability to seize control of the House if he doesnt step away from the 2024 race. Bidens orbit, already small before his debate fumbling, has grown even smaller in recent days. Isolated as he battles a COVID infection at home in Delaware, the president is relying on a few longtime aides as he weighs whether to bow to the mounting pressure to drop out. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco. A Somerset County man was charged with distributing child pornography after county authorities were contacted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children with several tips about uploads of child sexual abuse material, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald announced Friday. Allan Lopez Arrieta, 30, of Somerville, also known as Allana Arrieta, was charged with second-degree distribution of images depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of a child, third-degree possession of images depicting sexual exploitation or abuse of a child and fourth-degree tampering with evidence. Officials from the Somerset County Prosecutors Office were contacted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children with several tips that a person had been uploading images of child sexual abuse on several online messaging applications, authorities said. During an investigation, the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Special Investigations and Computer Crimes Unit discovered that the images were linked to Lopez Arrieta, officials said in a press release. McDonald said that on July 12, detectives from the prosecutors office and Somerville Police Department executed a search warrant at Lopez Arrietas home. Authorities did not say what was found while searching Lopez Arrietas residence, but they were arrested without incident at their home and lodged at the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing. An attorney for Lopez Arrieta did not immediately return a request for comment Friday. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X CBS announced the 16 house guests on Monday ahead of Big Brothers two night premiere Wednesday and Thursday. According to CBS, the latest twist to the show features the 16 guests ability to vote in a 17th member. The network also announced last week that this seasons show has a special theme called Big Brother Artificial Intelligence. From summer camp, to tech, to the multiverse, Big Brother loves to put a twist on topical and pop culture themes, said executive producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan in a news release. This summers BB AI theme promises to bring the fun, the comedy and the unexpected game play that is a hallmark of Big Brother. Heres what you need to know about the 16 new house guests competing for $750,000, the host and how to watch. Who are the Big Brother house guests for Season 26? Angela Murray Age: 50 Hometown: Long Beach, Calif. Current City: Syracuse, Utah Occupation: Real estate agent Brooklyn Rivera Age: 34 Hometown: Covington, Ga. Current City: Dallas Occupation: Business administrator Cam Sullivan-Brown Age: 25 Hometown: Bowie, Md. Occupation: Physical therapist Cedric Hodges Age: 21 Hometown: Running Springs, Calif. Current City: Boise, Idaho Occupation: Marine Corps Veteran Chelsie Baham Age: 27 Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Occupation: Nonprofit director Joseph Rodriguez Age: 30 Hometown: Tampa, Fla. Occupation: Video store clerk Kenney Kelley Age: 52 Hometown: Boston Occupation: Former undercover cop Kimo Apaka Age: 35 Hometown: Hilo, Hawaii Occupation: Mattress sales rep Leah Peters Age: 26 Hometown: Pittsburgh Current City: Miami Occupation: VIP cocktail server Lisa Weintraub Age: 33 Hometown: Los Angeles Occupation: Celebrity chef Makensy Manbeck Age: 22 Hometown: Houston Occupation: Construction project manager Matt Hardeman Age: 25 Hometown: Loganville, Ga. Current City: Roswell, Ga. Occupation: Tech sales rep Quinn Martin Age: 25 Hometown: Lawton, Okla. Current City: Omaha, Neb. Occupation: Nurse recruiter Rubina Bernabe Age: 35 Hometown: Los Angeles Occupation: Event bartender Tkor Clottey Age: 23 Hometown: Chicago via London Current City: Atlanta Occupation: Crochet business owner Tucker Des Lauriers Age: 30 Hometown: Boston Current City: Brooklyn Occupation: Marketing and sales executive Who is hosting Big Brother Season 26? Once again, Julie Chen Moonves will host the show. She has hosted every season of Big Brother since its debut in 2000. How do I watch Big Brother Season 26 without cable? If you are a cord-cutter or do not have CBS, you can watch it live on a streaming service, like Fubo TV. There is a free trial, live TV and a DVR function. You can also stream the reality show live and on-demand on Paramount+, which includes a week-long free trial. Subscribers to Paramount+ also will get access to Big Brothers 24-hour live feeds, where you can watch the houseguests when the show is not airing on TV. You can sign up here. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. Heres a recap of recent funding developments from Australia, India, the US and beyond. Sircel Secures $5M Impact Investment from Kilara Capital Australias largest e-waste processor, Sircel, has secured a $5 million capital injection from impact investor Kilara Capital. This funding aims to boost Sircels national expansion and enhance its processing capabilities in its mission to tackle the global e-waste crisis. The investment follows Sircels May 2024 acquisition of Scipher Technologies, which positioned Sircel as the largest e-waste processor in Australia and the only company capable of diverting up to 100% of e-waste from landfill through its innovative solutions. Huma Completes Series D with Total Financing of Over $80M Huma Therapeutics Limited has completed its Series D funding round, launching the Huma Cloud Platform. This round, combined with investments from industry partners since its Series C round, brings Humas total financing to over $80 million. The company has now raised more than $300 million. The Series D included participation from AstraZeneca, Hat Technology Fund 4 by HAT SGR, HV Fund by Hitachi Ventures, Leaps by Bayer, and others. HSBC Bank plc advised Huma during the fundraising process. Briefly Bio Launches with $1.2M Funding Briefly Bio has successfully closed a $1.2 million pre-seed funding round, led by Compound VC, with contributions from NP Hard, Tiny VC, and several angel investors in the tech and biotech sectors. The company was founded by Dr. Katya Putintseva, Harry Rickerby, and Staffan Piledahl, who bring diverse expertise from academia, tech, biotech, and robotics. Before founding Briefly Bio, the trio worked together at LabGenius, where they helped develop an ML-driven antibody discovery platform. Biosecurity Threats Software Startup Plants $5.3 Million Seed Round ExoFlare, an agtech startup co-founded by the former head of CSIROs Data61, has raised $5.3 million in a Seed round led by Salus Ventures, known for supporting local deep tech startups like HEO, Advanced Navigation, and Q-Ctrl. Additional investors include David and Cathy Harris of Harris Farm, Woolworths venture fund W23, Tesla chair Robyn Denholms Wollemi Capital, former Rabobank Australia CEO Peter Knoblanche, US VC In-Q-Tel, Precision Group, and Malcolm Nutts Cultiv8 Funds Management. Haruko Expands into Southeast Asia with $6M Funding Round Haruko has announced a $6 million funding round as it expands into Southeast Asia, aiming to strengthen its global presence. The Series A round was co-led by White Star Capitals Digital Asset Fund and MMC Ventures. Haruko has now raised a total of $16 million in venture capital funding. Founded in 2021, Haruko has rapidly scaled across North America and Europe, serving over 50 investment management institutions with offices in London and Singapore. ABGF Backs CLS, a Family-Run Laundry Business from Regional Queensland The Australian Business Growth Fund (ABGF) has invested $6 million in Consolidated Linen Service (CLS), a multi-generational, family-run business providing high-quality linen and textile rental services to sectors such as hospitality, mining, and healthcare across regional Queensland. CLS combines the efficiency of a professional operation with the personal touch of a family business, pioneering advancements in AI and robotic solutions to enhance output, improve issue detection, and reduce workplace health risks. With ABGFs investment, CLS plans to expand its production capacity and improve operational efficiency, ensuring reliable linen services for more local businesses in Queensland. Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. When it comes to winning cases, 'lawyers have natural advantages, unfortunately, the public doesnt have,' said Council Member Joe Giarrusso. 'This is for now, all lawyers all the time.' The nations of the Western Hemisphere are bound together by history and geography, family and community, and trade and commerce, declared U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a recent gathering of regional foreign ministers of the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. Launched two years ago, the 12-nation partnership is linked by shared hopes for a more secure, a more prosperous, a more democratic future for all of our countries and all of our peoples, said Secretary Blinken. This partnership is part of a broader effort to modernize our economic relationships, to grow our economies from the bottom up and from the middle out. To demonstrate that the way to boost our competitiveness is to enhance protections for our workers as well as for our climate; to make our supply chains more resilient; to commit to the trust, safety and openness of our digital infrastructure. Secretary Blinken noted that the Americas Partnership Platform, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation are providing technical assistance and financing to attract private sector infrastructure investment across the hemisphere. By improving the backbone of our supply chains, better infrastructure will help ensure that the goods that our people rely on semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries, medical supplies are more affordable, more secure and made right here in the Americas. We're also investing in our people, said Secretary Blinken. Costa Rica has established a Center of Excellence to prepare workers from across the Americas to be more competitive in the high-tech fields of the future, from cybersecurity to artificial intelligence. The United States, Canada, [and] Uruguay have created an accelerator to recruit and train 750 entrepreneurs throughout the region. Secretary Blinken announced a new joint effort, the Western Hemisphere Semiconductor Initiative, which is made possible with funding provided by U.S. legislation known as the CHIPS Act [Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors]. [T]his initiative, he said, will turbocharge countries capacity to assemble, test, and package semiconductors, beginning with Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica. Many people stand to benefit from the work of the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity. If we follow through on the full promise of this partnership, said Secretary Blinken, I think we have a historic opportunity to help realize the aspirations of our people, to strengthen their faith in our democracies, and to build a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous region for everyone. " " AMBER Alerts notify users of active missing person cases (specifically regarding minors in their area) but you can disable these alerts on your device if need be. Ivan Pantic / Getty Images Have you jolted awake in the middle of the night by your phone blaring a frantic alarm and vibrating with an emergency text about a missing child? These alerts come from the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system, a collaboration between the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and private cellular providers. Advertisement But sometimes, for one reason or another, you may want to know how to turn off AMBER Alerts or other emergency notifications because of how disruptive they can be. We get it, and we have you covered. VALPARAISO The alleged victim in a sex case involving a minor is now claiming she has 20 different personalities, including one who does not remember the alleged abuse, defense attorney Jesse Harper told a judge Friday. Harper asked the court to have the alleged victim evaluated to determine the validity of the claim she has been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, more commonly known as multiple personality disorder. Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer set an Aug. 30 hearing to take up that request. "It is unusual," Clymer said. Wesley Duncan, 58, of Wanatah, was charged in January 2020 with two felony counts of rape and four felony counts of sexual misconduct with a minor after a woman came forward claiming that he routinely molested her as a child and then began raping her on her 16th birthday, according to charging documents. The woman said that when she was 13, Duncan began fondling and otherwise sexually abusing her on a regular basis, according to court records. She claims the rape then continued once every one and a half weeks, ending April 29, 2018, police said. Bond denied in Portage murder case Murder is an offense where bond is not offered if the state meets the above-described threshold, the judge said. He was also charged in LaPorte County with similar offenses involving the same alleged victim, but that was dismissed after the alleged victim waivered on her claims, according to a court record. It was shortly after that dismissal that the defense was informed of the DID diagnosis, Harper said. During the most recent of several interviews with the alleged victim, the defense said she claimed the person who made the criminal accusations was not present, Harper wrote in his request to determine competency. In her place was a "part" of the "system" whose name was Gaia, Harper said. Gaia told the defense they had earlier interviewed "one of the parts of the system," according to the filing. Valparaiso tornado confirmed as county calls state in for help The tornado cut a 29-mile path, 300 yards wide between 9:52 p.m. and 10:20 p.m., according to the NWS. "But you wouldn't know who that part was, would you?" she was asked. "I personally don't have memory of the depositions," Gaia reportedly replied. She went on to say she had no memory of the alleged sexual abuse, Harper said. Gaia reportedly said there are about 20 "parts of the system" and "she is unable to ensure which part would be present on any given time/day." Harper argued in court Friday that the issue is not the competency of the alleged victim, but rather his client's right to question the accuser. Members of the Dyer and Munster Town Councils met Wednesday to discuss plans for road work on Main Street, the roadway that divides the two communities. The two towns are planning for an increase in traffic driven by the planned Munster/Dyer stop on Northwest Indiana Commuter Transportation District's West Lake Corridor, which will sit near the intersection of Main Street and Sheffield Avenue. Work on the station, which will be the the southern terminus of the new 8-mile commuter rail line, is underway, and trains are expected in May. "We know this will probably be a busy train station," said Dyer Town Council President Robert Starkey, R-1. "This is the end of the line, so certainly anybody from Dyer south Schererville, St. John, Cedar Lake, Lowell anybody wanting to ride the train is now going to come either up through Calumet Avenue (or) Sheffield Avenue through Dyer to this train station." He said he was thankful to be included in Wednesdays' meeting by his counterparts in Munster, which owns and maintains Main Street. Widening the roadway, Starkey said, will help ensure that motorists are not incentivized to seek a shortcut through the subdivisions that line Main Street's Dyer side. Munster was awarded a grant from the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission in 2023 to fund the reconstruction of the roadway from Sheffield Avenue to the bridge spanning Hart Ditch. The agency committed to paying 80% of the estimated $6.2 million cost, or just under $5 million, with the town providing the rest. Munster's proposal included expanding the two-lane street to include a third turn lane and constructing raised grassy medians to separate eastbound and westbound traffic. After four new town council members who were elected to the five-member body in November took office, however, the town switched course. The council is still considering a three-lane expansion of Main street, but now plans to do away with the raised medians; painted lines alone would divide the lanes. Munster Town Councilman David Nellans, R-4, said the change was made to avoid blocking left turns into driveways along Main Street, as well as to facilitate easier snow plowing. The project is still in its early stages. The town's original designs were scrapped, and Chicago-based engineering consultant DLZ is in the process of drafting new plans for the roadway that will stay within the parameters of the NIRPC grant. Nellans said that the town plans to put out a request for contractor proposals in mid-2026, sign a deal that autumn, and break ground soon after. Ideal conditions could see the work completed that year, he said, but the project will likely extend into 2027. Friends of the Ruby Mountains are again offering Cool Canyon Evenings this summer. This is the sixth year of such events. Four events are planned on four Friday evenings. Each event is free, open to everyone, family evenings with a presentation, campfire and Smores. They take place at the Powerhouse Group Picnic Area in Lamoille Canyon, starting at 6 p.m. each date. Gates open at 5 p.m. and some people bring a picnic supper to enjoy before the event. On Aug. 2, Joe Doucette will highlight fishing in the Ruby Mountains. To encourage more kids to fish, some child fishing poles will be given out. Good kids event. On Aug. 9, employees from the California Trail Interpretive Center will offer an exploration of the gold rush of 1849. Participants will then be able to feel a part of the gold rush by trying their hand at gold panning. Good kids event. On Aug. 16, Local historians Jan Petersen and Judy Byers will talk about the Elko Lamoille Power Plant, its beginnings in the canyon and its sites in the picnic area. On Aug. 23, Delynn and Duane Jones will put on the always popular Dutch oven cooking demonstration. Types and sizes of Dutch oven pots, their care and techniques for cooking will be highlighted. During the talk, they will cook a dessert for participants. Sponsors for the Cool Canyon Evenings include Friends of the Ruby Mountains, U.S. Forest Service, Lamoille Womens Club, Elko Fly Shop and Ruby Mountain Trekking. LAPORTE LaPorte County announced the launch of what it hopes will be a life-saving app at an event at the LaPorte Municipal Airport on Thursday. PulsePoint, a free-to-download app, alerts CPR-trained citizens of cardiac events in their vicinity so they can respond and help. The app also has a Automated External Defibrillator Registry so that rescuers can find the nearest AED. It also informs the community about emergencies in real time, according to a press release from the Health Foundation of LaPorte. With PulsePoint we hope to increase bystander involvement in time-sensitive medical calls by increasing the use of CPR and AEDs, while also keeping the community informed, in real time, of all emergency activities, said LaPorte County EMS Administrator Matt Deckard. It gives our residents and visitors the ability to know when a cardiac arrest is occurring close by, locate AEDs in the area, and perform potentially lifesaving CPR while our personnel respond to the scene. In the United States, sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of natural death, the press release said. Time is of the upmost importance when it comes to helping someone experiencing a cardiac arrest. The PulsePoint Respond app provides this critical element: closing the time gap between when a person goes down and when CPR is started, said Eric Fenstermaker, LaPorte County EMS Administrator. We want anyone willing and able to conduct CPR on someone experiencing cardiac arrest to download the PulsePoint Respond app. This way bystanders and emergency medical first responders can work together to save lives. The average EMS response time in the United States is nine minutes, even in urban settings; after 10 minutes there is little chance of successful resuscitation, the press release said. The American Heart Association estimates that effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after SCA, can double or triple a persons chance of survival. PHOTOS: The Ark Pet Shop in Merrillville turns 45 A tornado tore its way from Cedar Lake to Valparaiso late Monday night packing winds up to 90 mph, the National Weather Service confirmed Thursday night. The tornado cut a 29-mile path, 300 yards wide between 9:52 p.m. and 10:20 p.m., according to the NWS. This is an extension of an earlier report by the NWS of a tornado tearing its way from Cedar Lake to Crown Point. "This brings our current tornado count for the July 15th derecho event up to 22 (tied for the daily record in our forecast area), and brings the July 14-15 2-day total up to 28," the NWS said. Cedar Lake resident Laura Nagel was killed around that time when a tree uprooted by the storm crashed on to her house in the 8900 W. block of 141st Lane, police said. She was remembered Tuesday by her husband, Matt Sealey, as "the rock of the family." Tornados were also confirmed around Elkhart County to the east and Tippecanoe County to the south, according to the NWS. Monday's powerful storm system left more than 100,000 NIPSCO customers without power. As cleanup and repairs continue Friday across the Region, the Porter County Emergency Management Agency has requested the Indiana Department of Homeland Securitys assistance in assessing damage. Earlier warnings failed to prevent Valpo sexual assault, charges say Police said they alleged assault was captured on a recording made by the woman. IDHS teams will reportedly be in Porter County Monday through Wednesday, the local emergency agency announced. "Personnel will be wearing IDHS clothing and also carry government credentials to identify themselves," officials said. Porter County residents are encouraged to contact Indiana 211 at 866-211-9966 or visit in211.communityos.org to report severe storm damage. NIPSCO last reported that 2,000 of its customers remained without power as of Thursday night. "Crews are working through the remaining 1,530 individual repairs," the company said. "Much of the work is to address the damage caused by the storms 80 mph winds including removing trees from lines, replacing broken poles and fixing downed wire." Close Utility trucks line Court Street, south of Walnut Street, Tuesday morning in Crown Point as crews work to restore power after overnight storms swept through the area. Police say 44-year-old Laura Nagel was in the master bedroom of her Cedar Lake home Monday night when a fierce storm sent a tree crashing onto her house, killing her. Utility workers replace a power pole Tuesday on South Street in Crown Point in the wake of Monday night's storm. A tree was uprooted during Monday's storm near a home at Princeton Court and Greenwood Avenue in Crown Point. Terry Rolfe clears debris Tuesday morning in his yard on Main Street in Crown Point. A tree was sheared off near a home on Greenwood Avenue in Crown Point Monday night. Utility poles were damaged on West and South streets in Crown Point during Monday night's fierce storm. A section of South Street in Crown Point was closed as a result of damage caused by the storm that swept through Northwest Indiana Monday night. Police say 44-year-old Laura Nagel was in the master bedroom of her Cedar Lake home Monday night when a fierce storm sent a tree crashing on to her house killing her. A downed tree from Monday's storm blocks Fairview Avenue at South Street in Crown Point. Poles on South Street in Crown Point sustained damage from Monday's storm. Crown Point resident Terry Rolfe cleans debris from a toppled tree at his home at Elmwood Place and Main Street. A large tree on south Main Street in Crown Point was toppled by Monday's storm. Fierce storm Monday night leaves one dead, thousands without power in the Region A storm claimed at least one life when a tree fell on a Cedar Lake house, delivered at least one confirmed tornado and knocked out power to more than 100,000 NIPSCO customers, officials said. Utility trucks line Court Street, south of Walnut Street, Tuesday morning in Crown Point as crews work to restore power after overnight storms swept through the area. Police say 44-year-old Laura Nagel was in the master bedroom of her Cedar Lake home Monday night when a fierce storm sent a tree crashing onto her house, killing her. Utility workers replace a power pole Tuesday on South Street in Crown Point in the wake of Monday night's storm. A tree was uprooted during Monday's storm near a home at Princeton Court and Greenwood Avenue in Crown Point. Terry Rolfe clears debris Tuesday morning in his yard on Main Street in Crown Point. A tree was sheared off near a home on Greenwood Avenue in Crown Point Monday night. Utility poles were damaged on West and South streets in Crown Point during Monday night's fierce storm. A section of South Street in Crown Point was closed as a result of damage caused by the storm that swept through Northwest Indiana Monday night. Police say 44-year-old Laura Nagel was in the master bedroom of her Cedar Lake home Monday night when a fierce storm sent a tree crashing on to her house killing her. A downed tree from Monday's storm blocks Fairview Avenue at South Street in Crown Point. Poles on South Street in Crown Point sustained damage from Monday's storm. Crown Point resident Terry Rolfe cleans debris from a toppled tree at his home at Elmwood Place and Main Street. A large tree on south Main Street in Crown Point was toppled by Monday's storm. Tens of thousands of students blocked the main streets of Bangladeshs capital, Dhaka, on Thursday, demanding that quotas for civil service jobs be abolished and those jobs given to candidates on the basis of merit. The protests broke out after a Dhaka court recently reinstated quotas for government jobs, which were abolished by a government order in 2018 following another countrywide student protest. The appellate division halted the new ruling for four weeks on Wednesday, but that did not quell the demonstrations. Protesting students blocked entry and exit points as well as key intersections in Dhaka, one of the worlds most crowded cities, causing major traffic congestion. The demonstrations also severely affected Dhakas only metro rail route. Students broke a police barricade in Dhakas Shahbag area on Thursday evening to conduct a large sit-in. Some protesters also climbed police vehicles meant to disperse the disruptive gatherings. Several people close to President Biden said today that they believe he has begun to accept the idea that he may not be able to win in November and may have to drop out of the race. His shift comes after top Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, told Biden that they are pessimistic about his chances of beating Donald Trump. Heres the latest. Publicly, the president and his aides have repeatedly rejected calls to step aside. And one of the people close to Biden told my colleagues that he has not yet made up his mind. But another said that reality is setting in and that it would not be a surprise if he made an announcement soon endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. Other Democrats said expectations were rising that the president would soon relent. Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the two top Democrats in Congress, each told Biden privately over the past week that their members were deeply concerned about him weighing down the party if he remains at the top of the ticket. Another key Democrat, Jamie Raskin, sent Biden a letter suggesting he reconsider his campaign. In 2020, the reason the Democrats picked Biden was because they saw him as electable, they saw him as somebody who could beat Trump, Jess Bidgood, who writes our On Politics newsletter, said. That electability argument has seemingly vanished. In collaboration with Dr. Burns, Dr. Wang published research studies in support of Cassavas drug candidate for Alzheimers, called simufilam. It is currently in advanced trials, although more than five of Dr. Wangs studies have been retracted or questioned by scientific journals. Mr. Barbier, Dr. Burns and Dr. Wang could not immediately be reached for comment. In a leaked report last fall, a City University of New York committee investigating the research faulted Dr. Burns for some of the errors discovered in the papers. Its members accused Dr. Wang of longstanding and egregious misconduct in data management and record keeping. In a regulatory filing earlier this month, Cassava reported that the Securities and Exchange Commission was investigating the company and two senior employees, who were not identified. Scientists have long criticized the methodological oddities in Cassavas experiments with simufilam, citing suspicious figures in its published papers and questioning the underlying hypotheses about the drugs mode of action. Dr. William Hu, an Alzheimers disease expert at Rutgers University and early critic of Cassavas studies, said he hoped the resignations were the first of many steps the company would take to make its research rigorous and transparent. Meta is in discussions to take a minority stake in EssilorLuxottica, the European eyewear conglomerate, two people with knowledge of the talks said, in a move that could further tie together two companies that have worked on a line of augmented reality glasses. Meta could take a stake of as much as 5 percent of EssilorLuxottica, which makes eyewear brands such as Ray-Ban and Oakley, the people said. The eyewear company, which is based in Charenton-le-Pont, France, and trades on the Paris stock exchange, is currently valued at 88 billion, or $96 billion. The talks are ongoing and could fall apart, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the discussions were confidential. A Meta representative declined to comment. EssilorLuxottica didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The Financial Times reported earlier on the discussions. An investment from Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, would signal its continued commitment to building what is known as the metaverse, an immersive digital universe. Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Meta, has championed the companys shift to metaverse-related products, authorizing tens of billions of dollars of spending on related hardware such as virtual reality headsets and smart, wearable devices. Federal investigators are examining the possibility that a would-be assassin scoped out the area where former President Donald J. Trump was to speak six days before the campaign rally in Pennsylvania where Mr. Trump was wounded. A cellphone linked to the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pa., included geolocation data that indicated that he could have been in the area of the site, the Butler Farm Show grounds, on July 7, according to federal officials and information provided by the F.B.I. on Wednesday during a congressional briefing. Mr. Crooks opened fire from a warehouse roof at the site on Saturday, grazing the former presidents right ear, killing a rally attendee and seriously injuring two others. The new details about Mr. Crookss possible whereabouts on July 7 mean that he might have checked out the site even before law enforcement officials did a security assessment. The Secret Service met with local law enforcement officers for a first walk-through on July 8, and finalized plans a few days later. The Secret Service ultimately decided to exclude from the security zone a complex of warehouses to the north of Mr. Trumps stage, despite the closest one being within a rifles range. That decision is now under intense scrutiny by Congress. The F.B.I. is responsible for investigating the attempted assassination, but officials have not said whether the bureau intends to write a report. Hulk Hogan, the theatrical former professional wrestler, teed up former President Donald J. Trump on Thursday at the Republican National Convention with a rousing speech in which he ripped off his suit jacket and shirt, revealing a red Trump-Vance tank top to raucous cheers. Hogan, whose real name is Terry G. Bollea, called Mr. Trump his hero and said that the former president would bring America back together, one real American at a time. As an entertainer, I try to stay out of politics, said Mr. Bollea, who wore a red bandanna and had a pair of dark sunglasses propped above his head. But after everything thats happened to our country over the past four years, and everything that happened last weekend, I can no longer stay silent. Just last month, he said that he had not yet decided whom he would support in this years election. I just dont know, Mr. Bollea said in an interview with NewsNation. He added, I just want the best man to win. Hunter Biden asked a federal court in Delaware on Thursday to toss out his conviction in his gun case, citing the dismissal of charges against former President Donald J. Trump in his classified documents case in Florida. On Monday, a federal judge in Florida, Aileen M. Cannon, threw out the case against Mr. Trump, saying the special counsel overseeing his prosecution, Jack Smith, had been unconstitutionally appointed. Hunter Biden, President Bidens younger son, who has been by his fathers side in recent days as the president faces mounting calls to exit the race, also cited a concurring opinion that Justice Clarence Thomas wrote when the Supreme Court expanded presidential immunity. In it, Justice Thomas raised doubts about how Mr. Smith got his job. Those decisions have given rise to unusual alliances: President Biden called the Supreme Courts ruling specious and misguided, and his administration almost immediately signaled that it would appeal Judge Cannons decision. Senator Jon Tester of Montana called on President Biden to drop his campaign for re-election on Thursday night, becoming the second sitting Democratic senator to publicly join the effort to push Mr. Biden out of the race. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong, Mr. Tester, a vulnerable incumbent whose opponent has sought to tie him tightly to Mr. Biden, said in a statement. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term. Mr. Testers Washington office said he was also endorsing an open process to select the nominee at the Democratic National Convention, rather than throwing his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. Mr. Tester is locked in a tight re-election race of his own, and he needs all the distance from Mr. Biden he can get in his deep-red state. Even before Mr. Bidens poor debate performance last month put the spotlight back on his age and mental acuity, Mr. Tester had kept him at arms length while working to appear bipartisan and appeal to moderate and Republican voters. World leaders are pushing for a cease-fire agreement. Protesters are taking to the streets across Israel. And families of hostages are pleading with their countrys leader to just make a deal for their release. The pressures are piling up on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of his scheduled visit to Washington next week. His speech before a divided Congress figures to be contentious, particularly if he cannot close a deal with Hamas to end the war before he travels. On Thursday, Mr. Netanyahu visited Israeli troops in Gaza, near the border with Egypt, and told them that continued military pressure on Hamas was helping us, together with the steadfast insistence on our just demands, to advance the hostages deal. Yair Lapid, the leader of Israels parliamentary opposition, has called on Mr. Netanyahu to cancel his speech to Congress on July 24 unless he planed to announce an agreement. He needs to declare a hostage deal without inventing conditions or raising obstacles every 10 minutes, Mr. Lapid said on Israeli news radio, alluding to reports that Mr. Netanyahu had complicated the negotiations by adding conditions that Hamas would most likely resist. Mediators in Qatar and Egypt have been negotiating over a framework for a deal that would stop the fighting and return about 120 people it is not clear how many are alive taken hostage in the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, among other terms. Eva Hesse, the German American artist, wanted her work to look ucky, and accordingly, many of her sculptures can make your skin crawl. They behave like skin themselves: irregular in texture, their craggy folds suggesting, unnervingly, something alive. Hesse, a post-Minimalist of the 1960s (she died in 1970), dismantled the ideological scaffolding holding up what was considered art, often by reimagining industrial, non-art materials. But where others in that movement used rigid and impersonal plywood and steel, Hesse favored loose, often erratic configurations of rubber, latex and fiberglass, things that gave her sculptures humanity and softened Minimalisms stiff contours. The visceral pieces she made were like psychic maps, the drippy resin effluvia of her forms conjuring the trauma and absurdity of living. They spread across the floor and crept up walls, unruly and impolite, like little else art had seen before. All I wanted was to find my own scene my own world, Hesse said. Inner peace or inner turmoil, but I wanted it to be mine. Five of those latex and fiberglass sculptures, changing what art could be, have been reunited for the first time in over 35 years in an affecting exhibition at Hauser & Wirth in Manhattan that closes on July 26. Their uckiness has only intensified: the latex drained of its elasticity, their color oxidized into a deep rust. Theyre given ample breathing room across the gallerys ground floor, cool and low-lit, which gives a revenant, sepulchral flavor. That they still exist at all, given the fugitive properties of their makeup, is a small miracle. That theyre together, the result of five separate institutional loans from the Guggenheim, MoMA, the Glenstone in Maryland, the Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio State University, and the University of California, Berkeley Art Museum is a logistical feat likely only possible for an operation as muscular as Hauser & Wirths: The gallery represents the Hesse estate, but even it could not appeal to the Pompidou Center in Paris, which declined to move Untitled (Seven Poles), from 1970, the last work Hesse realized. A black-and-white snapshot from around 1945 shows a man with twin shocks of hair sitting in a childs playpen, a cigarette between his lips. This is Francesc Tosquelles, a psychiatrist who spent decades dismantling the hard bars between illness and health, pathology and normalcy, artists and everyone else. He drew on Freud and Marx, and also on his experience as a refugee, in exile from Francos fascist Spain. The photo appears in Francesc Tosquelles: Avant-Garde Psychiatry and the Birth of Art Brut, an exhibition at the American Folk Art Museum that traces the career and influence of this Catalan doctor. Against the historical trauma of fascism, war and displacement, Tosquelles built radical psychiatric practices around non-hierarchical relations between patients, doctors and their neighbors. He also encouraged his patients creativity, which put him at the confluence of Modernist avant-gardes and Art Brut. All these ideas converged at a psychiatric hospital in Saint-Alban, a small village in southern France, where Tosquelles worked from 1940 to 1962. In The Fortress, a new series about pandemic, isolationism and government corruption, something is rotten in the state of Norway. The year is 2037, and the country has spent the last decade cut off from the rest of the world, behind a wall of its own making. When a deadly virus sweeps through the land, the prime minister blames refugees for bringing the illness to an insulated paradise. But in this case, the menace is a domestic breed. And the government will do anything to cover up its origins. A sociopolitical thriller and a parable, The Fortress, a seven-part Norwegian series, made its American debut on Tuesday, the latest in a wave of Scandinavian dramas cresting on American shores in recent years that tend to be brainy, rooted in reality and, yes, chilly. (This one is available on Viaplay.) It is also timely dystopian and futuristic but only just, playing off the rising tide of isolationism in Europe and around the world in these post-pandemic, post-Brexit, build the wall times. Hospitals and health care providers across the United States told patients on Friday morning that a global technology outage had downed some information technology systems, resulting in canceled surgeries and other procedures, though the hospitals emphasized that emergency departments remained open. Some major hospital systems were affected, including the Kaiser Permanente medical system, which runs dozens of hospitals and hundreds of medical offices in the western United States and elsewhere in the country. Kaiser Permanente activated its national command center around 7:30 a.m. Eastern to address widespread effects of the outage on its system, said Steve Shivinsky, a spokesman for the health provider. The outage was affecting all of our hospitals, said Mr. Shivinsky, who called the situation unprecedented. Banner Health, a large system based in Phoenix that operates hospitals and health care centers in six states, said that it closed clinics, urgent care centers and other outpatient facilities on Friday morning, but that hospitals would remain open for inpatient care and medical emergencies. Airlines grounded flights. Operators of 911 lines could not respond to emergencies. Hospitals canceled surgeries. Retailers closed for the day. And the actions all traced back to a batch of bad computer code. A flawed software update sent out by a little-known cybersecurity company caused chaos and disruption around the world on Friday. The company, CrowdStrike, based in Austin, Texas, makes software used by multinational corporations, government agencies and scores of other organizations to protect against hackers and online intruders. But when CrowdStrike sent its update on Thursday to its customers that run Microsoft Windows software, computers began to crash. The fallout, which was immediate and inescapable, highlighted the brittleness of global technology infrastructure. The world has become reliant on Microsoft and a handful of cybersecurity firms like CrowdStrike. So when a single flawed piece of software is released over the internet, it can almost instantly damage countless companies and organizations that depend on the technology as part of everyday business. On Friday morning, flights were canceled, broadcasters went off air, trains didnt run and medical procedures were delayed around the world. Frustrated workers were confronted with blue computer screens and no obvious way to get back online. The root of the problem? CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company dedicated to preventing exactly this sort of global outage. CrowdStrike, which was founded in 2011, is a cloud-based cybersecurity platform whose software is used by scores of industries around the world to protect against hackers and outside breaches. Its software secures computers at many Fortune 500 companies, and the company has built a reputation over the years as one that can solve even the toughest security problems. CrowdStrike was tapped to investigate the hack of Sony Pictures in 2014, which resulted in the release of confidential data from the movie studio, and the hack of the Democratic National Committee in 2016, which exposed Hillary Clintons emails. CrowdStrike serves about 29,000 customers and has about $4 billion in annual sales. Times Insider explains who we are and what we do and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together. Many of my friends have abandoned Facebook. My three teenagers never even signed up for it. I, however, check Facebook almost every day. It helps me stay in touch with friends and family in my hometown, Wymore, Neb., a rural community of about 1,300. Thats how I learned that the school district there was getting a free, brand-new bus powered not by gas but by electricity. A few months ago, a post about the school bus was shared to an account that draws in many former and current Wymore residents. Before I scrolled to the comments section, I knew Id find naysayers who were skeptical about the technology. Electric vehicles are a hard sell for rural America, where it can be difficult to find a gas station, let alone a charging station. As a reporter who writes about environmental issues for The New York Times, I had been searching for an opportunity to report on people who live outside big cities and struggle to envision an electric future. Telling the story of Wymores new bus seemed like the perfect occasion. And I knew just the right venue: my upcoming high school reunion. I knew from Facebook that some of my high school classmates my graduating class had 32 people played key roles in the arrival of the electric bus this past spring. (The bus was part of a free grant the Biden administration is giving to low-income, rural school districts.) One classmate, David Zimmerman, whom we called Zimm back in the day, was president of the school board. Another, John Watts, ran a salvage business outside of town that sells muscle car parts all over the world, one of the most successful operations in the area. An all-E.V. revolution would crater his business. Documentaries in which people climb very tall things have a remarkable track record. Man on Wire, James Marshs 2008 recounting of Philippe Petits high-wire walk between the Twin Towers in 1974, is one of the most acclaimed and successful documentaries of all time. Jimmy Chin and Chai Vasarhelyi have made two celebrated films about the sport, Meru in 2015 and Free Solo in 2018. Just do a quick search for climbing documentaries and youll find dozens its clearly a genre people love. Thats undoubtedly due in part to the fact that most of us (myself included) will never, ever attempt to scale a 3,000-foot cliff without ropes. These movies show us what we cant otherwise see. Plus, in contrast to the manufactured safety of a fiction film, a documentary is heart-pounding. Your head knows they probably will get out alive but your stomach sure doesnt. Theres another reason these movies are so popular, though, and its more psychological. As a nonclimber with an aversion to physical risk, I find it hard to fathom what drives those who choose, of their own free will, to put themselves into extreme physical situations that could easily kill them. It must mean something more to them than oxygen-deprived thrills but what? Two gripping documentaries on Netflix this week come at that question from different directions, but offer similar answers. Lucy Walkers Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa is a biographical documentary about Lhakpa Sherpa, a Nepalese mountain climber who holds the womens world record for the most summits of Mount Everest, 10 in all. (And not many men have summited more.) I expected a portrait of an incredibly strong woman, and thats an apt description for Mountain Queen. But Lhakpas story is much more complicated than that. Through interviews and footage shot on Everest, Lhakpa who lives in Connecticut with her teenage daughters reveals the many obstacles shes had to overcome, including patriarchal ideas about climbing in her home culture and an abusive marriage to a fellow climber once she moved to the United States. What do rats do in heat waves? Or to put it differently, what is it that they dont do? As temperatures have continued to stifle all will, and the humidity level has been Bangkok-in-a-thunderstorm-percent high, I raised the question with Kathleen Corradi, New York Citys first dedicated rat czar. The specific target of her enmity is the improbably named Norway rat, the dominant species in the city. Having no known association to Scandinavia, the name presumably galling to anyone living in Oslo, it arrived in New York in the late 1700s on ships coming from Silk Road trade routes and has defied efforts to evict it ever since. Fifteen months since she was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams to bring the rat population under control, Ms. Corradi has walked and biked around the city, observing the situation with lawmakers, tenant groups and so on, and has analyzed the various methods and technologies available for making rats less visible. A few months ago, rat contraception seemed to hold a lot of promise. Still, she seemed dubious that it could ever turn New York into Calgary, which, like the rest of Alberta Province, remains one of the very few places on earth that is essentially rat-free, all 256,000 square miles of it. But if the prevailing scent of summer in New York something close to eggs left in a moldy basement before the first Bloomberg administration suggests rodent activity at its most willful and aggressive, it is also true that heat functions as birth control of a kind. Rats are mammals, Ms. Corradi pointed out, and they find oppressively warm weather as enervating as we do. Anything that causes them stress is good for our work, she said. A stressed rat is reproducing less. A happy rat is reproducing at a rate that science says we cannot exterminate our way out of. A Manhattan judge on Friday set Nov. 12 as the tentative date for the start of jury selection in a new sexual assault case against the disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, whose 2020 sex-crimes conviction in New York was overturned in April. Alvin L. Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, has affirmed that he plans to retry the case against Mr. Weinstein, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison in a separate sex-crimes case in Los Angeles and is currently being held at the Rikers Island jail complex. Justice Curtis Farber of State Supreme Court, who is presiding over the case, said at a hearing on Friday that he intended to keep the case moving, and wanted the schedule firmed up. As we progress toward the fall, I will start requesting commitments for trial dates, he said at the hearing. Venezuela could be on the cusp of a historic return to democracy, a shift that would reshape Latin America and pave the way for millions of Venezuelans who have fled repression and economic collapse to return home. But it cant get there alone. With less than two weeks to go before the July 28 national election, the countrys fractured opposition has united behind a single presidential candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, who has been leading the polls by over 20 points. Abandoning its longtime boycott of the vote, the opposition has instead conducted an energetic and organized campaign that, despite increased attempts by the government to instill fear among the electorate, has succeeded in capturing Venezuelans imaginations. Two-thirds of registered voters are planning to cast their ballots this month, according to a recent poll, compared with the 46 percent of voters who turned out in the last presidential elections, in 2018. But the same roadblock stands in the way of a free and fair election that has been there for the past decade: President Nicolas Maduro. The nations democracy has withered on his watch, along with its economy. There is a very real possibility that if faced with electoral defeat, he and his cronies will rig the results not just to cling to power but also to avoid jail. The president, members of his administration and the military elite and other allies face criminal charges by the U.S. Justice Department, U.S. State Department bounties, individual sanctions and an International Criminal Court investigation into crimes against humanity allegedly committed by the regime. Something can be done. The United States can support the Venezuelan people in their fight for democracy by creating a legal offramp for Mr. Maduro and his allies so that if the president loses, he will agree to give up power. It is an opportunity that wont come around again anytime soon, and the window to seize it is rapidly closing. Without it, the likely outcome of this months vote will be more repression, more forced migration and more suffering. On the final night of the Republican convention, just in time for her husbands official nomination as his partys presidential candidate, Melania Trump finally took her place by his side sort of. She was the last Trump family member to make her entrance at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, stoking the will-she-or-wont-she anticipation to the end, arriving well after Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, who have also been largely absent during the campaign; Don Jr. and his fiancee, Kimberly Guilfoyle; Eric Trump and his wife, Lara; and Tiffany Trump and her husband, Michael Boulos. (Barron Trump, Donald Trumps son with Melania, did not appear, but assorted grandchildren did.) She walked in alone, in a red suit and towering red heels, hair down, bestowing queenly waves on an adoring crowd. Across the world, critical businesses and services including airlines, hospitals, train networks and TV stations, were disrupted on Friday by a global tech outage affecting Microsoft users. In many countries, flights were grounded, workers could not get access to their systems and, in some cases, customers could not make card payments in stores. While some of the problems were resolved within hours, many businesses, websites and airlines continued to struggle to recover. What happened? A series of outages rippled across the globe as information displays, login systems and broadcasting networks went dark. The problem affecting the majority of services was caused by a flawed update by CrowdStrike, an American cybersecurity firm, whose systems are intended to protect users from hackers. Microsoft said on Friday that it was aware of an issue affecting machines running CrowdStrike Falcon. While commercial air service was slowly recovering on Friday after a technology outage caused thousands of flights worldwide to be canceled or delayed, the ripple effect from the disruption left airports crowded with passengers and airlines working to get planes and crews back in position. These flights, they run so tightly, so back to back, that even after a root cause is addressed, you can still be feeling those impacts throughout the day, said Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, in an appearance on CNBC. The outage was caused by a flawed update from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, whose software is widely used around the world. At United Airlines, for example, the outage affected technology used to calculate aircraft weight, check in customers and operate call-center phone systems. Throughout Friday, messages that travelers posted on social media showed flights grounded worldwide, some terminal monitors down and crowds of stranded passengers waiting at airport gates and customer service desks. At airports in India and South Korea, some passengers stood in long lines to obtain handwritten boarding passes. Airlines raced on Friday to contain the effects of a tech outage that severely disrupted travel around the world early in the day, delaying or stranding passengers and flight crews. The outage, which affected many industries and emergency services, caused chaos at airports, with more than half of flight cancellations concentrated in the United States, one of the busiest aviation markets in the world. The industry appeared to be getting a handle on the disruption on Friday afternoon, but its effects could ripple into the weekend. More than 2,400 flights across the country were canceled on Friday and thousands more were delayed, according to FlightAware, a company that tracks flight information. Airports serving large cities, such as New York City, Chicago and Atlanta, were among the hardest hit. One by one on Friday morning, people began to gather along the winding roads and corn fields to plant American flags, spread out their blankets and wait for the fire trucks. They knew the nation was watching, after the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump thrust their corner of western Pennsylvania into the spotlight. But the day was about honoring a local man: Corey Comperatore, the volunteer firefighter and father of two killed in the gunfire on Saturday. You couldnt comprehend that happened, said Michael Drane, 66, who stood across the street from the funeral service to pay tribute to a man he had only known as a familiar face in the neighborhood. He blinked back tears as he recalled the violence on Saturday. Not here. Not home. In a country still shaken by the assassination attempt, Mr. Comperatore has become a focus of grief and admiration, especially after officials and his relatives described how he shielded his family as shots rang out at Mr. Trumps rally. Crowds at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Friday, caught up in a technology outage that affected a worldwide range of systems, including 911 services and airline check-ins. While commercial air service was slowly recovering on Friday after a technology outage caused thousands of flights worldwide to be canceled or delayed, the ripple effect from the disruption left airports crowded with passengers and airlines working to get planes and crews back in position. These flights, they run so tightly, so back to back, that even after a root cause is addressed, you can still be feeling those impacts throughout the day, said Pete Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, in an appearance on CNBC. The outage was caused by a flawed update from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, whose software is widely used around the world. At United Airlines, for example, the outage affected technology used to calculate aircraft weight, check in customers and operate call-center phone systems. Throughout Friday, messages that travelers posted on social media showed flights grounded worldwide, some terminal monitors down and crowds of stranded passengers waiting at airport gates and customer service desks. At airports in India and South Korea, some passengers stood in long lines to obtain handwritten boarding passes. Are flights still grounded? Since the initial outage, service is slowly resuming, but the number of global delays and cancellations has continued to increase throughout the day. Worldwide, around 110,000 commercial flights were scheduled on Friday, and around 5,117 of those flights, or 4.6 percent, have been canceled, according to Cirium, an aviation data company. In the United States, the number of cancellations stood at more than 2,300 or about 9 percent of daily flights as of Friday afternoon. Fewer than half of the flights today in the United States left on time, the others departing with delays of a half-hour or longer, according to Cirium. Delays at some airports in the United States were well beyond an hour, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration. The average delays at Kennedy International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, the worlds busiest airport, were nearly three hours. Which airlines are most affected? In the United States, at least five carriers Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines and United temporarily grounded flights, according to the F.A.A. As of about 4 p.m. Eastern, more than 830 Delta flights had been canceled, and more than 1,220 had been delayed. American was reporting more than 360 flights canceled and more than 1,040 delayed. More than 380 United flights had been canceled and more than 1,260 were delayed, according to FlightAware. The Dutch airline KLM canceled around 41 percent of flights on Friday, according to FlightAware. It has begun to recover, but advises passengers to check their flight status online before traveling. We urge passengers not to come to the airport if their flight is not departing or is severely delayed, the airline said in a statement. Why werent some airlines, like Southwest, affected? Southwest, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Airways barely scrapped any flights on Friday. A spokesperson for Southwest said, The outage did not directly affect our operations, but did not elaborate on why. Alaska does not use CrowdStrike, and its operations were mostly unimpacted, said Tricia Bruckbauer, a spokeswoman for the airline. Which airports have been hit the worst? In the United States, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta appeared to have the most flights affected by the outage, with a total of more than 590 incoming and outgoing flights canceled and more than 780 flights delayed as of midafternoon on Friday, according to FlightAware. Many other airports, including hubs in New York, Chicago and Charlotte, N.C., also appeared to experience significant disruption. J.F.K. advised passengers not to show up to the airport without confirming flight status. The outage also affected major airports in Europe. Several airlines at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam were unable to gain access to their check-in systems. The systems have since restarted, and the airport said it was working with airlines to get all passengers to their destinations as quickly as possible. Londons busiest airports, Heathrow and Gatwick, said they were using contingency systems to get around the outage, but both were still reporting delays for almost half of their incoming and outgoing scheduled flights. Hong Kong International Airport had to switch to manual check-in, but the airport reported that flight operations were not affected. Im flying today. What can I do? Pack patience. Delta, United, American, and Spirit have issued flight waivers allowing passengers to rebook without any additional fees. The terms and applicable airports vary. Generally, passengers are required to depart within a week. Travelers can usually check itineraries through the airlines website or app, but some travelers on Friday reported difficulties rebooking through the Delta and United apps. You can also contact airline customer service by phone, though travelers posting on social media said that they had not been able to reach agents. But there are a few tricks you can try aside from the primary hotline: U.S. airlines have overseas customer service phone lines, easily found on the internet, and those agents can help too. FlightAware can offer detailed data about delays and cancellations, and which airports are most affected, in real time. What are my rights if my flight is delayed or canceled? You may be entitled to certain compensation such as airline-provided hotel or meal vouchers detailed on the Transportation Departments Airline Customer Service Dashboard. The Transportation Department said the software outage is considered within airlines control and that airlines must follow through on their commitments to travelers, which for most United States-based carriers include complimentary ground transportation and accommodation for those affected by overnight delays and cancellations, as well as meal vouchers for waits exceeding three hours. Travelers should not expect to have this compensation offered to them, but are within their rights to ask the airlines for it. We have reminded the airlines of their responsibilities to take care of passengers if they experience major delays, Mr. Buttigieg said in his CNBC appearance on Friday. Passengers rights can differ for international flights. For example, in the European Union, cancellations or long delays may give you the right to a refund, a replacement flight and financial compensation. Passengers on flights delayed overnight may receive reimbursement for food, accommodations and ground transportation. (Travelers should hold on to any receipts for costs incurred.) I have a cruise to catch. Will I get a refund if I miss the ship? Cruise lines typically do not provide refunds, rebooking or any other concessions if flight disruptions cause travelers to miss their cruise departure, and the large companies are not making exceptions now. But things look brighter for Carnival and Royal Caribbean passengers who booked their airfare through the cruise lines. Should they miss their departure, those travelers can expect benefits including coverage for flights, hotels and ground transportation to get them to the next port of call. Regrettably, air service disruptions whether technological or weather are beyond our companys control, said Chris Chiames, the chief communication officer for Carnival. We always encourage our guests to purchase travel insurance, and todays news is an important reminder of why. I have travel insurance. Am I covered? Travel insurance companies are expecting an influx of claims, mostly for delays and missed connections, as a result of the outage. One agency, InsureMyTrip, anticipated more than 1,600 of its customers could be affected by the outage, said Suzanne Morrow, the companys chief executive. Policyholders may be entitled to coverage for their expenses related to delays, as well as coverage for any missed connecting flights, she said. Any travelers hoping to file a travel insurance claim related to the outage should make sure to keep all their receipts or bills to show proof of purchase, as well as check their insurance plan or policy and file a claim right away. Mark Walker contributed reporting from Washington. Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024. For Thomas Crooks, the suburban Pittsburgh nursing home where he served meals and washed dishes for $16 an hour was another solitary corner of a nearly invisible life. He was polite but distant, a former co-worker said, ate lunch alone in the break room and rarely spoke with anyone. But as western Pennsylvania geared up last week for the boisterous spectacle of hosting a rally for former President Donald J. Trump, Mr. Crooks approached his bosses with a request, law enforcement officials said: He wanted to take Saturday off. He told them he had something important to do. It was one of the few hints to emerge so far that the 20-year-old engineering sciences graduate was planning to become a political assassin. A week after Mr. Crooks opened fire at the rally and was killed by the Secret Service, his ideology and motives remain a vexing question for investigators and the people who crossed paths with him. In dozens of interviews, former classmates, teachers and neighbors said they still could not square their memories of Mr. Crooks an awkward, intelligent teenager who liked to tinker with computers and spent his weekends playing video games with the image of the stringy-haired gunman at the rally, armed with his fathers AR-15-style rifle as he clambered onto a rooftop and took aim at the former president. Mr. Trump suffered an injury to his ear, and three spectators were wounded, one of them fatally. Michael Moritz, the billionaire Silicon Valley venture capitalist and a top Democratic donor, is calling for President Biden to step aside, becoming one of the partys largest contributors to go public with his concerns about the presidents candidacy. Sadly, President Biden has a choice vanity or virtue, Mr. Moritz said in an email on Friday to The New York Times. He can either condemn the country to dark and cruel times or heed the voice of Father Time. The clock has run out. Mr. Moritz has given $7.8 million to pro-Biden and anti-Trump causes so far in the 2024 election cycle, federal records show. Most of the money, $6.8 million, went to American Bridge PAC, which has run advertising against former President Donald J. Trump in key battleground states. He also gave $1 million to the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, which Mr. Moritz has encouraged his network to support over the years. Mr. Moritz said in a follow-up email that all of his giving to the party not just to Mr. Biden was now on hold. As Sam Brown, a Republican and Army veteran, has campaigned for Nevadas U.S. Senate seat against Senator Jacky Rosen, he has deployed a potent weapon against his Democratic foe: the unpopularity of President Biden among the states voters. Mr. Brown and his campaign have linked Ms. Rosen to Mr. Biden and his policies at every turn, slamming her support for him on the campaign trail and online and even occasionally referring to her as Jacky Biden. Now, with Mr. Bidens future at the top of the Democratic ticket in doubt, Republicans like Mr. Brown, campaigning in competitive down-ballot races that could decide control of Congress, are considering whether they will need to alter their messaging to account for a different Democratic presidential nominee whether that is Vice President Kamala Harris or another challenger. The crowds inside the hall in downtown Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention this week reflected the mood of the party: unified, abundant, exhilarated. If the state of the opposition could be summed up by the demonstrations outside the arena, it was quite the opposite: disjointed, sparse, gloomy. Protests through the week in Milwaukee have appeared far smaller and less energetic than those at past national conventions. At the last in-person Republican convention, in 2016, a coalition of protesters rallied in Cleveland for days, angry over the nomination of former President Donald J. Trump. That week was marked by scuffles, standoffs with police and the burning of an American flag outside the convention hall. A Seattle police officer was fired on Wednesday for his cruel comments and callous laughter about a pedestrian who was struck and killed by a police vehicle last year, the citys interim police chief said. The officer, Daniel Auderer, who is also a vice president of the citys police union, unintentionally recorded himself laughing as he discussed the 2023 death of the woman, Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, soon after a speeding police S.U.V. driven by another Seattle officer hit her. She later died. Mr. Auderers comments, which included saying that Ms. Kandulas life had limited value, were recorded by his body camera. The release of the video and his comments drew public outcry and protests in Seattle and India, where Ms. Kandula, who was a graduate student at Northeastern Universitys Seattle campus, was born. A little-known conflict in the west of the Democratic Republic of Congo is raging close to the countrys capital, Kinshasa, one of the largest cities in Africa. Nine soldiers and 70 militiamen died in clashes on July 13 in Kinsele, a village 80 miles east of Kinshasa, according to the local authorities. It was the latest surge of violence in an area where thousands of civilians have been killed and more than 550,000 displaced since 2022, according to estimates from humanitarian organizations and United Nations agencies. The initial spark for the conflict two years ago was a tax dispute between local ethnic groups, the Teke and the Yaka. It has since billowed into a fight over land access, with a bloody trail of summary executions, burned villages and sexual violence. A militia pretending to defend some of the communities in the area has enlisted child soldiers, forced women to marry their fighters and looted villagers crops, sending people fleeing toward Kinshasa, humanitarian groups and U.N. experts say. At least 40 migrants were killed when a boat they were traveling on from Haiti caught fire, a United Nations agency announced on Friday. The boat, which was carrying over 80 people, left the northern coast of Haiti on Wednesday en route for the Turks and Caicos Islands 150 miles away, the agency said. An additional 41 migrants were rescued from the boat by the Haitian Coast Guard, the agency said, with 11 taken to a hospital. It said the boat caught fire off the coast of Cap-Haitien, a city in northern Haiti. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The episode, which took place around 3 a.m. Wednesday, was another disaster for the Caribbean country, which has been upended by rampant gang violence and an unfolding humanitarian crisis. This year, coordinated gang attacks rocked the capital, Port-au-Prince, forcing the closure of its airport for nearly three months. Since then, nearly 580,000 Haitians have been internally displaced, according to the U.N. This devastating event highlights the risks faced by children, women and men migrating through irregular routes, demonstrating the crucial need for safe and legal pathways for migration, Gregoire Goodstein, the head of the U.N.s International Organization for Migration in Haiti, said in a statement on Friday. University students in Bangladesh have been locked in deadly clashes with the police and supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas party, in which dozens of people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured. On July 19, the government announced a nationwide curfew and ordered the military deployed. The police and security officials had fired on protesters earlier in the day. Students had been demonstrating peacefully for weeks against a quota system for government jobs, which they considered unfair. The authorities cracked down in response, setting off broader unrest over inequality and the shrinking of democratic freedoms under Ms. Hasina. Protesters set fire to at least two government buildings in Dhaka, the capital, including Bangladeshs national television station. The government severed communications, with mobile internet service cut and TV stations knocked off the air. Long seen as punching below its weight, Canada, the worlds second-largest country by area and one of its seven wealthiest economies, said it would meet its NATO pledge to significantly bolster its military spending by 2032. But everything about the commitment, which NATO is pushing all alliance members to make, is fraught. Some have criticized the timeline as too protracted, though it is actually compressed if seen through the lens of the slow pace of global military hardware production. Canadians, much like many citizens across the developed world, are concerned about housing and public services. Convincing them that it is necessary to dedicate billions of dollars to military equipment will not be easy. They may have chosen a contemplative life of prayer, detached from world affairs, but last month a small community of Benedictine monks threw a very big bash for the opening of their new monastery on a hill overlooking the central Italian town of Norcia, where St. Benedict was born. After a Mass and a seated dinner for 1,000 about half of them Norcia residents the monks officially settled in, eight years after a devastating earthquake upended a sizable part of Norcia and destroyed their previous space. At the festivities, they served Nursia, their craft beer whose sales supported the restoration of the 16th-century capuchin monastery that the community had bought after returning to Norcia 25 years ago, following a two-century hiatus. The celebration was also a moment of hope for an area struggling to revive itself after the earthquake compounded years of depopulation. President Vladimir V. Putins strategy for defeating Ukraine can be summed up in one revealing moment in his February interview with the former television host Tucker Carlson. Addressing the possibility of heightened U.S. involvement in Ukraine, the Russian leader asked Americans: Dont you have anything better to do? After several tumultuous weeks in American politics, Mr. Putin appears closer than ever to getting the answer he seeks. President Biden, Ukraines most important ally, is engulfed in the biggest political crisis of his tenure, with calls from fellow Democrats to withdraw from the presidential race. Former President Donald J. Trump, favored in the polls, has picked as his running mate one of the loudest critics of American aid to Kyiv. And at the Republican National Convention Thursday night, Mr. Trump renewed his pledge to end the fighting and channeled Mr. Putin in warning of World War III. A court in Russia on Friday sentenced Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, to 16 years in a high-security penal colony, ending his espionage trial on what were widely viewed outside Russia as fabricated charges. The verdict opens the way for a potential prisoner swap between the United States and Russia. The harsh sentence represented the first espionage conviction of a Western reporter in modern Russia. But the expedited nature of the case suggested that Moscow might be ready to trade Mr. Gershkovich. The proceedings were recently moved up by more than three weeks, and the court concluded the case, a process that usually takes months, in a matter of weeks, with only three hearings. The court said in a statement that Mr. Gershkovich did not admit guilt, but said the totality of the evidence presented to the court was sufficient to render a guilty verdict. Judge Andrei N. Mineev, who presided over the case, sentenced Mr. Gershkovich to two years less than prosecutors were asking. At no time during the case, however, did prosecutors publicly provide any evidence to back up the charge, and the trial was held behind closed doors. The Russian judicial system for years has served as a tool of President Vladimir V. Putins domestic repression, handing down convictions and long sentences in cases with clear political motivations. Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was convicted of espionage in Russia on Friday and sentenced to 16 years in prison. His lawyers can file an appeal, but if they dont or are unsuccessful, Mr. Gershkovich will have to serve his sentence in a high-security penal colony, where conditions will be harsh. Mr. Gershkovich could still be pardoned by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, possibly in conjunction with a potential prisoner swap with the United States. Russia has accused Mr. Gershkovich of spying, charges that he, his employer and the American government have denied. All three have described the charges as politically motivated. An Israeli army reservist and resident of Tekoa, a settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, standing guard near the settlement last year. The International Court of Justice said on Friday that Israels occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and its settlements there, violated international law the most sweeping stance laid out by the worlds highest court on an issue that has been the subject of debates and resolutions at the United Nations for decades. The court issued an advisory opinion that, while not binding, carries authority and legal weight. It is unlikely to affect Israeli policy but could shape international opinion. The Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and the regime associated with them have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law, the courts president, Nawaf Salam, said as he issued the 83-page opinion at the Peace Palace in The Hague. The court also said that Israels presence in the territories should come to an end as rapidly as possible and that Israel was under an obligation to provide full reparation for the damage caused by its internationally wrongful acts to all natural or legal persons concerned. Fridays pronouncement received heightened attention because of the war in Gaza, which began more than nine months ago, and because of a separate genocide case brought in the same court by South Africa against Israel in December over its conduct in the war. In an initial ruling on the genocide case in January, the court ordered Israel to restrain its attacks in Gaza, and in May it ordered the country to immediately halt its military offensive in the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza. The U.N. General Assembly in 2022 asked the court for its opinion on the legal consequences of Israels prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of territories captured in the 1967 Middle East war, including the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel called the decision mendacious and said that Israeli settlement in all parts of its land was legal. The Jewish people is not an occupier in its land not in our eternal capital Jerusalem and not in the tracks of our forefathers in Judea and Samaria, he said, using the Israeli designation for the territories that make up the West Bank. In his response, Israels far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, posted an Israeli flag emoji on social media and added: The answer to The Hague sovereignty now. The comment reflected the view of many Israeli religious nationalists and settlers that the government should declare the occupied lands part of Israel. Many Palestinians were likely to welcome the courts opinion as a vindication and the Palestinian Authority said in a statement that it was a victory for justice as it affirmed that the Israeli occupation is illegal. Israel annexed East Jerusalem decades ago, in a move that did not garner widespread international recognition. The country regards the occupied West Bank as disputed territory and wants the future status of it to be decided in negotiations, but it has allowed hundreds of thousands of Jews to settle there, on land envisioned by Palestinians and many of Israels allies as part of a future Palestinian state. Critics say the settlements carve the West Bank into a patchwork that make a potential state increasingly untenable, while many settlement advocates oppose Palestinian statehood and support annexation by Israel. Israel withdrew from Gaza and dismantled its settlements there in 2005 but partly blockaded the territory, along with Egypt, for 17 years after Hamas seized control of it in 2007. Now much of Gaza is once again under Israeli military control. Mr. Netanyahus government receives diplomatic, economic and military support from the United States and other allies and so appears in a strong position to disregard the opinion. But analysts said it was nevertheless significant, not least because of the strength of the courts language and the scope of its opinion. Nomi Bar-Yaacov, an international lawyer and an expert on Middle East politics at Chatham House, a research group in London, called the opinion a legal earthquake and said it was the strongest opinion that the court had ever issued. Its a sign that the occupation has gone on for too long and not enough efforts by the parties and by the international communities has been made to resolve the issue, she said, adding that the opinion might paradoxically strengthen the far right coalitions push for annexation. Michael Milshtein, an analyst of Palestinian affairs at Tel Aviv University, said a dramatic Israeli government reaction to the courts opinion would be unlikely in the short term because of Mr. Netanyahus planned visit to Washington next week, and it would create another headache. Other analysts said that the opinion would be impossible for some foreign governments to disregard. It could influence the foreign policies of certain European countries, said Yuval Shany, a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute, noting that Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia have in recent weeks joined more than 140 other countries in recognizing a Palestinian state. The international court held hearings in February at the Peace Palace. Israel did not appear at that session but filed a submission rejecting the validity of the proceedings as biased. The Palestinian Authoritys foreign minister, Riyad al-Maliki, told the court that Israel had subjected Palestinians to decades of discrimination, leaving them with the choice of displacement, subjugation or death. Over the course of several days, representatives of more than 50 countries, an unusually high number for the court, addressed the hearings. Most sided with the Palestinian representatives. But a few speakers at the court, including those from the United States, Britain and Hungary among Israels traditional allies sided with Israel. A U.S. State Department official argued before the court that Israels policies toward the Palestinians were determined by its very real security needs. Two focal points of Fridays case were Israels settlement policy in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as well as the governments tolerance of violent land grabs by Jewish settlers. Every Israeli government has allowed some Israeli construction in the territories, but the Netanyahu government has expanded the program and announced plans for thousands of new housing units. More than 500,000 Israelis have settled in the West Bank since 1967 and there are 2.7 million Palestinians in the territory. In a rare breach of Israels multilayered air-defense system, a drone fired by the Houthi militia in Yemen slammed into an apartment building near the United States Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv early Friday, killing at least one person and wounding eight others. Pentagon officials expressed doubt that the drone had specifically targeted the U.S. building, an attack that analysts assessed had possibly been an attempt by the Houthis to strike anywhere they could in Tel Aviv. The Houthis, an Iranian-backed militia that has been attacking ships in the Red Sea, claimed responsibility for the strike on the city of 450,000 people. The Israeli militarys chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said the countrys defense systems had apparently picked up the presence of the drone but had failed to register it as a threat. No air-raid sirens warned residents before the drone crashed into the building, causing an explosion that jolted people from their sleep, shattered windows and left shrapnel scattered on the streets. We are investigating why we did not identify it, attack it and intercept it, Admiral Hagari said on Friday. The Iran-backed Houthi militia claimed responsibility for a rare drone attack in central Tel Aviv that crashed into a building near the United States Embassy branch office early Friday, killing at least one person and wounding eight others. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman, told reporters that Israels defense systems had apparently picked up the drone but failed to register it as a threat. No air-raid sirens were activated to warn civilians of the attack, despite Israels extensive aerial defense system. We are investigating why we did not identify it, attack it and intercept it, Admiral Hagari said. An Israeli military official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity, said there was a possibility that human error might have allowed the drone to penetrate Israeli airspace, rather than a gap in the militarys detection systems. The Israeli military said the drone had likely flown from Yemen, where the Houthis are based, before approaching Tel Aviv from the coast. Video posted on X and verified by The New York Times shows what appears to be a unmanned aerial vehicle approaching west of Tel Aviv, followed by a blast at the location of the strike. After months of waiting, Fida Ghanem was granted a permit by Israel and Egypt to leave Gaza for urgent lymphoma treatment in the spring. But the next morning, Israeli forces seized the only border crossing from Gaza to Egypt, in Rafah, as part of a military offensive against Hamas in the area. Ms. Ghanem, 42, died one month later in early June. The border was still shut. She should have been allowed to leave as soon as they found the cancer, said her husband, Maher Ghanem. But it was delay after delay. For nearly all Gazans, the southern Rafah crossing has been the only way out since the war began nine months ago. But since Israel captured it in early May, it has been closed to all civilians and Israeli, Egyptian and Palestinian officials have been unable to agree on the terms to reopen it. Image Fida Ghanem with her husband, Maher Ghanem, in May. Aid workers and doctors have warned that the prolonged closure is endangering some of Gazas most defenseless, including children with severe burns, cancer patients and people needing heart surgery. More than 10,000 people need immediate medical treatment outside the enclave, according to the World Health Organization. The most vulnerable residents of Gaza its children, sick, and elderly are paying the highest price, said Tania Hary, who directs Gisha, an Israeli human rights group that advocates freedom of movement for the more than two million Palestinians in Gaza. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh resigned on Monday as protests that began as peaceful demonstrations by students grew into a broader movement calling for an end to her increasingly authoritarian leadership of the nation. Ms. Hasina deployed the police and paramilitary forces against the students late last month, a crackdown that set off broader public anger against her. The protests became increasingly violent as more students as well as other citizens joined, clashing with pro-government supporters and the authorities. More than 300 people have been killed. After a curfew and communication blackout eased, the revival of the protests over the weekend, in addition to a call by Ms. Hasinas party for its own supporters to take to the streets, plunged Bangladesh into a particularly dangerous phase. On Monday, the army chief announced the resignation and said an interim government would be formed. Heres what to know about the protests. Savor, a California-based startup backed by legendary businessman Bill Gates, has come up with a method of producing butter-like fat out of just carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Starting from the idea that all fats are composed of chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms, Savor patented a thermochemical process to build fat molecules and then produce dairy-free alternatives to products like milk, butter, cheese, and ice cream that not only have the same texture as the real thing but also taste the same. This process doesnt release any greenhouse gases, and it uses no farmland and less than a thousandth of the water that traditional agriculture does, so this synthesized fat has a much lower carbon footprint than real animal fat. So far, taste tests have shown that Savors alternative to butter has an almost indistinguishable flavor from the real thing, but the company still has a lot of challenges to overcome before bringing it to market. Photo: Sorin Gheorghita/Unsplash We are currently pre-commercial and working through regulatory approval to be able to sell our butter, Kathleen Alexander, CEO of Savor, said. We are not expecting to be able to move forward with any kind of sales until at least 2025. In a recent blog post, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates explained that Savor has a real shot of coming up with a successful butter alternative, because their version tastes really good like the real thing, because chemically it is. Thats something that many other startups have been struggling with. Many people are already reticent about trying lab-produced food alternatives, so taste is a crucial component. They started with the fact that all fats are made of varying chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms, Gates wrote in a blog post. Then they set out to make those same carbon and hydrogen chains without involving animals or plants. They ultimately developed a process that involves taking carbon dioxide from the air and hydrogen from water, heating them up, and oxidizing them to trigger the separation of fatty acids and then the formulation of fat. The tech billionaire also highlighted the importance of animal food alternatives like Savors version of butter in reducing our carbon footprint. The livestock industry contributes 14.5 percent of global greenhouse emissions, and with human population on the rise, emissions are also expected to go up, unless we do something about it. The big challenge is to drive down the price so that products like Savors become affordable to the masses either the same cost as animal fats or less, Gates, wrote. CO2 and hydrogen-synthesized butter is apparently just the beginning. Savor has plans to make milk, cheese, and ice cream, among others, in the not-so-distant future. Hollie Pantano Golin, an IPG agency, promotes Hollie Pantano to associate managing director, West Coast, a newly created role. Pantano was previously an executive director in Golin New Yorks brand marketing practice. Before joining Golin in 2016, she was a VP at FleishmanHillard. In her new position, Pantano will partner with the existing Los Angeles and San Francisco leadership team to booost Golin's West Coast offering. She will focus on supporting new business efforts, fostering a best-in-class culture and advocating for agency-wide best practices. "Hollie's exceptional track record in New York and her integral role in some of our most significant client wins make her the ideal leader to partner with our established and experienced West Coast team to build upon our strong foundation and help drive our West Coast operations forward," said Golin North America co-president Dawn Langeland. Brent Wilson FINN Partners promotes Brent Wilson to global head of creative. Wilson was most recently a senior partner at AHA (Alling Henning Associates), which FINN acquired in 2022. Before joining AHA, he was SVP group creative director at Momentum Worldwide. In his new role, Wilson is charged with elevating the agencys creative capabilities and delivering innovative, integrated solutions to help clients grow in the face of changes to market conditions, technology and the competitive landscape. Based out of FINNs Portland office, Wilson leads a 55-person creative team spanning New York; Boston; London; Portland; Vancouver, Wash. and Washington DC. With Brent leading our unified creative team, we will continue to deliver better, faster, stronger ideas to clients in the most efficient and effective manner possible tapping into the very best people across the agency, regardless of geography, said Noah Finn, FINN Partners founding managing partner, global integrated marketing. Sarah Moore Cracker Barrel Old Country Store names Sarah Moore as CMO, effective July 22. Moore joins the company from MGM Resorts International, where she most recently served as SVP of marketing, spearheading marketing initiatives for a portfolio of hospitality brands that includes such resorts as Bellagio, ARIA and MGM Grand. Her areas of expertise encompass developing and growing digital marketing initiatives and customer loyalty programs. Established in 1969 in Lebanon, Tenn., Cracker Barrel and its affiliates operate approximately 660 company-owned Cracker Barrel Old Country Store locations in 44 states. "Sarah's hospitality focused leadership and deep experience evolving brands and accelerating growth across all disciplines of marketing will help us drive our strategic transformation and brand love as we reclaim our position as an industry leader," said Cracker Barrel president and CEO Julie Felss Masino. A MAN who drove without insurance or driving licence was put off the road for ten years and fined at Tullamore District Court. Jason McCormack (30) of Correagh, Mountemple, Moate, was stopped by Garda Enda Kenny on June 15, 2024 at Geashill, County Offaly. He was driving a white Ford Focus. Mr McCormack had six previous convictions for road traffic offences including driving with no insurance or driving licence. He had previously been disqualified for six years. This was his fifth conviction for no insurance. His solicitor Patrick Martin said Jason McCormack had a shocking record. He said his client hadn't come to the attention of the gardai since 2018. On the occasion of this latest offence he had been helping a friend pick up a car. He said he was in good employment and worked with machinery earning 2,500 every two weeks. He had pleaded guilty on the first occasion. He is moving to Dublin and doesn't normally drive. It had been six years since his last offence, said Mr Martin. He had an email from his employers which was handed to Judge Andrew Cody. Mr McCormack has two children aged six and one. Judge Cody said this had been Mr McCormack's fifth conviction for no insurance and he had been disqualified from driving in 2018. He imposed a six month sentence which he suspended for three years on his own bond of 100, he disqualified him from driving for 10 years and fined him 2,500. For driving without a driving licence he fined him 500 and disqualified him for 10 years. Given the assassination attempt of last week, it is important to note that both sides have accused the other of wanting to destroy democracy and have threatened to unleash violence if they didnt get what they wanted. When Donald Trump won the 2016 election, there were riots in the streets, much of which were coordinated. On Inaugural Day 2017, CNN reported, Six police officers were injured and 217 protesters arrested Friday after a morning of peaceful protests and coordinated disruptions of Donald Trumps inauguration ceremony gave way to ugly street clashes in downtown Washington. CBS/AP reported, Trump inauguration protest damages parts of downtown Washington. It wasnt just in Washington, across the country there were discussions of the logistics of imposing a curfew if Election Day turned violent. Shop owners across the states were buying up plywood to protect their property. In 2020, a YouGov poll before the election found over half of voters anticipated an increase in violence because of the election. More Democrats than Republicans believed violence would be an acceptable response if their side lost the presidential election. Many people expected a repeat of violence and disruption, especially if Trump won. In fact, some anti-Trump groups had planned demonstrations and disruptions in advance. Yet, we were led to believe that almost all of the anticipated problems were of Trump supporters threating violence. Consider the following item: The groups now defunct website had a map listing 400 planned postelection demonstrations, to be activated via text message as soon as Nov. 4. To stop the coup they feared, the left was ready to flood the streets. Who wrote that? Was it Trump fanatics ginning up support for the counter insurrection. Not so you couldnt be more wrong. This is a quote from an article printed in Time by the celebrated reporter, Molly Ball. The article spills the beans on the progressives strategy for the 2020 election. There has been some debate why Ball would publish such an expose, but it appears it is so self-congratulating, the writer just couldnt contain herself. In you havent read Balls description of how the anti-Trump elites helped win the 2020 election, you can find it here Time: The Secret History of the Shadow Campaign That Saved the 2020 Election, Molly Ball, Feb. 4, 2021. https://time.com/5936036/secret-2020-election-campaign/ The article began, A weird thing happened right after the Nov. 3 election: nothing. The nation was braced for chaos. Liberal groups had vowed to take to the streets, planning hundreds of protests across the country. Right-wing militias were girding for battle. However, Ball maintains that much of this activity took place on the left and shadow campaigners were desperate to stop what was not a Trump victory. It was an election so calamitous that no result could be discerned at all, a failure of the central act of democratic self-governance that has been a hallmark of America since its founding. In other words, if enough people voted for Trump, it would be the end of democracy. The article repeatedly refers to a possible Trump win as a coup. Dan McLaughlin, writing in the National Review, outlined 10 claims the Time article made about how the election was won. For example, mail-in balloting had to be pushed even if it meant changing voting laws. Major social media platforms had to be encouraged to actively control disinformation on their platform, and organizers needed to control the timing of street protests. The Time article implies that all this was done independent of Biden. Other media responded to the article. Fox News: Time report touts cabal of powerful people behind conspiracy, shadow campaign to shape election. The New York Post stated, No, the 2020 election wasnt stolen but yes, it was underhandedly tilted. The cabal congratulated itself. Their effort was, The untold story of the election is the thousands of people of both parties who accomplished the triumph of American democracy at its very foundation. Ball proudly summarizes, Thats why the participants want the secret history of the 2020 election told, even though it sounds like a paranoid fever dream a well-funded cabal of powerful people, ranging across industries and ideologies, working together behind the scenes to influence perceptions, change rules and laws, steer media coverage and control the flow of information. They were not rigging the election; they were fortifying it. And they believe the public needs to understand the systems fragility in order to ensure that democracy in America endures. You see, the election was not rigged, it was fortified. Why was that not rigging an election? It depends on who is doing something to whom. As we learned last week, the ends justify the means, especially to save democracy. A passenger plane of Hainan Airlines receives a ceremonial water salute on its arrival at the Prague Airport in Prague, the Czech Republic, on June 24, 2024. (Photo by Dana Kesnerova/Xinhua) "The increase of international flight routes indicates that the ties between the Chinese economy and the global economy are deepening, with stronger demand for trade, investment, tourism, and family visits," said Yu Zhanfu, an expert with the Aviation Think Tank. Chinese airlines have been expanding their routes to the European continent this summer with the resumption and launch of more international routes amid governments' endeavors to facilitate bilateral trade and exchanges. Shanghai-based Juneyao Air launched two new intercontinental routes to Europe -- Shanghai-Manchester and Shanghai-Brussels early this month, increasing its European destinations to five countries. July also sees the launch of a direct flight from Shanghai to Marseille by Shanghai Airlines, a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines, marking the first regular route between China and southern France, the China Chamber of Commerce to the European Union said on X. Earlier in June, China's Hainan Airlines resumed a direct flight route from Brussels to Shanghai. The airline had operated 18 direct routes between China and Europe by July 8, spanning 10 countries including Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain. "The increase of international flight routes indicates that the ties between the Chinese economy and the global economy are deepening, with stronger demand for trade, investment, tourism, and family visits," said Yu Zhanfu, an expert with the Aviation Think Tank. In 2023, the EU was China's second-largest source of imports and second-largest export market, according to a report from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. Speaking of Juneyao Air's newly launched Shanghai-Brussels route, Cheng Xi, general manager of the commerce and sales department of the airline, noted that Chinese cities have always maintained close exchanges with Belgian cities. Beijing established a sister city relationship with the Brussels-Capital Region, and Shanghai has done the same with Antwerp in Belgium, said Chen. "There is vast potential for cooperation between China and Europe across various fields, which is the foundation for the development of new flight routes," Cheng added. An aircraft from Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, arrives at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest, Hungary, June 29, 2024. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Apart from the volume of bilateral trade, demand for business and travel, and favorable visa policies are also among the most significant factors that prompt the launches of international flight routes, Yu said. Since the beginning of this year, China has implemented various measures to facilitate the entry of foreign nationals into China for business, education and tourism, including expanded visa-free policies that exempt many European ordinary passport holders from the time-consuming and costly obligation of applying for a visa. Following measures introduced since January, China recorded 14.64 million inbound trips made by foreigners in the first half of this year, up 152.7 percent year on year, the country's immigration authority announced earlier this month. Hainan Airlines has witnessed a resurgence in the number of tourists on its recently resumed Shanghai-Brussels route, with an average load factor exceeding 80 percent, said Zhang Naifu, deputy director of Hainan Airlines' marketing committee. To capitalize on the international travel boom, Hainan Airlines plans to launch the Shenzhen-Budapest route in 2024, further enhancing connectivity between China and countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The timely resumption and launches of international routes are crucial to boosting inbound and outbound passenger flows and promoting international exchanges, Yu said. The latest data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China showed that the country's international passenger trips reached 5.3 million in June, accounting for 88.1 percent of the level during the same period in 2019. Looking ahead, Yu voiced confidence that China's international aviation market will achieve rapid recovery. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delivers an important address at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted a resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization at its third plenary session held here from Monday to Thursday. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee presided over the meeting. General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping delivered important addresses, according to a communique released Thursday. At the session, the Central Committee heard and discussed a report on the work of the Political Bureau, presented by Xi on behalf of the Political Bureau, and considered and adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. Xi delivered explanatory remarks on the draft version of the resolution. The overall objectives of further deepening reform comprehensively are to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance, according to the communique. "By 2035, we will have finished building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, generally modernized our system and capacity for governance, and basically realized socialist modernization," it said. All of this will lay a solid foundation for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century, it noted. The reform tasks laid out in the resolution shall be completed by the time the People's Republic of China celebrates its 80th founding anniversary in 2029, said the communique. The Central Committee made systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively, it added. In building a high-standard socialist market economy, the role of the market must be better leveraged, with a fairer and more dynamic market environment to be fostered and resource allocation to be made as efficient and productive as possible. Restrictions on the market will be lifted while effective regulation will be ensured to better maintain order in the market and remedy market failures, said the communique. In promoting high-quality development, the communique urged deepening supply-side structural reform, improving incentive and constraint mechanisms for promoting high-quality development, and creating new drivers and strengths for realizing growth. "We will improve the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions, for promoting full integration between the real economy and the digital economy, for developing the service sector, for modernizing infrastructure, and for enhancing the resilience and security of industrial and supply chains," it stated. In supporting all-around innovation, the Party will deepen comprehensive reform in education, structural scientific and technological reform, and institutional reforms for talent development. In improving macroeconomic governance, the communique urged pursuing coordinated reforms in the fiscal, tax, financial, and other major sectors and enhancing the consistency of macro policy orientation, with the national strategic planning system and policy coordination mechanisms to be improved. On integrated urban and rural development, the Party must promote equal exchanges and two-way flows of production factors between the cities and the countryside, so as to narrow the disparities between the two and promote their common prosperity and development, according to the communique. Reform of the land system will be deepened, it added. Describing opening up as a "defining feature of Chinese modernization," the communique said that the Party will "steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, improve planning for regional opening up, and refine the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative." On developing whole-process people's democracy, it said: "We must firmly stay on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics and uphold and improve our country's foundational, basic, and important political systems." On the rule of law, efforts were demanded to ensure full implementation of the Constitution and uphold its authority, coordinate the reforms to promote sound legislation, law enforcement, administration of justice, and observance of the law, and improve the mechanisms for ensuring that all are equal before the law. The communique urged boosting cultural confidence and working to develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture, and carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture. In ensuring and enhancing the people's wellbeing, the Party will improve the income distribution system, the employment-first policy, and the social security system, further reform the medical and healthcare systems, and improve the systems for facilitating population development and providing related services. On ecological conservation, the communique said: "We must improve ecological conservation systems, take a coordinated approach to carbon cutting, pollution reduction, green development, and economic growth, actively respond to climate change, and move faster to improve the systems and mechanisms for applying the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." On national security, it noted that the Party must fully apply a holistic approach to national security, improve the institutions and mechanisms for safeguarding national security, and ensure that high-quality development and greater security reinforce each other, so as to effectively safeguard the country's stability and security over the long term. On national defense, the communique urged maintaining the Party's absolute leadership over the people's armed forces and fully implementing the strategy of strengthening the military through reform to provide a strong guarantee for realizing the goals for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army in 2027 and achieving basic modernization of national defense and the armed forces. In improving the Party's leadership, it said: "We must acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era." The communique stressed that Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. "In foreign relations, China remains firmly committed to pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace and is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future," it noted. Studying and implementing the guiding principles from the session represent a major political task for the entire Party and nation both at the present and for some time to come, according to the communique. The session conducted an analysis of the present situation and the tasks the Party faces, urging firm commitment to accomplishing the goals for this year's economic and social development. Both development and security must be ensured, with various measures to be implemented for preventing and defusing risks in real estate, local government debt, small and medium financial institutions, and other key areas, the communique said. According to the communique, the session decided to accept Comrade Qin Gang's resignation from the Central Committee, and confirmed the Political Bureau's earlier decision to expel Li Shangfu, Li Yuchao and Sun Jinming from the Party. A total of 199 members and 165 alternate members of the Central Committee attended the session. The third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee is presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi attend the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi attend the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) The third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee is held in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) The third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee is presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) The third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee is held in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi arrive to attend the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei) Editor: ZAD Villager Liang Yingmi (L) and his wife Liang Anhe go to work in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 18, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villagers carry crop bundles to attend a feast celebrating the first month of a newborn baby in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 13, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Chickens cross a river in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 21, 2021. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villagers construct a wood building in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 21, 2022. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) This aerial drone photo taken on July 11, 2024 shows a view of the Wuying Village at sunrise on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) This combo photo taken from 2021 to 2024 shows the spring, summer, autumn and winter (from L to R) views of Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) This aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 14, 2024 shows villagers attending an open-air banquet in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Children play under an ancient tree in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 18, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villager Pan Zhongqing goes to work in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 12, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villager Pan Meilan (1st R) dresses her daughter for a folk activity in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 12, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villagers attend a wedding in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 27, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Children practice Lusheng, a traditional reed-pipe wind instrument, under the guidance of a teacher in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 9, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) A villager works in a field in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 12, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villagers engage in conversations after herding sheep in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 12, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) This aerial drone photo taken on July 10, 2024 shows a view of the Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) A villager with wooden benches and a child on his back walks to an open-air banquet in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 14, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Editor: JYZ J.D. Vance speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 17, 2024. J.D. Vance, a senator from the U.S. state of Ohio and author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," on Wednesday night accepted the nomination for vice president at the ongoing Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Xinhua/Li Rui) MILWAUKEE, the United States, July 18 (Xinhua) -- J.D. Vance, a senator from the U.S. state of Ohio and author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," on Wednesday night accepted the nomination for vice president at the ongoing Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Introducing himself to the nation as Donald Trump's vice-presidential pick, Vance used his speech at the convention to recount his tough upbringing and argue that the Republican Party is most attuned to the difficulties faced by struggling Americans, especially the overlooked working class. "To the people of Middletown, Ohio, and all the forgotten communities in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Ohio, and every corner of our nation, I promise you this," Vance said. "I will be a vice president who never forgets where he came from." Vance, 39, had a tumultuous childhood and was raised by his grandparents in impoverished Rust Belt Ohio. He joined the Marines after graduating from high school and later attended Ohio State University and Yale Law School. He was once a fierce critic of Trump but shifted his opinion after meeting Trump in 2021, becoming a close ally and a staunch defender. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 with Trump's endorsement. Wednesday marks the third day of the Republican National Convention. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Former Director of the U.S. Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott were among a long list of speakers. On Tuesday, Trump's former rivals and critics, including former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and Senator Marco Rubio, took the stage to make speeches, highlighting the party's unity. Trump, who just recently survived an attempted assassination, is expected to accept the Republican nomination for president on Thursday and will make a keynote speech. J.D. Vance speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 17, 2024. J.D. Vance, a senator from the U.S. state of Ohio and author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," on Wednesday night accepted the nomination for vice president at the ongoing Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Xinhua/Li Rui) J.D. Vance speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 17, 2024. J.D. Vance, a senator from the U.S. state of Ohio and author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," on Wednesday night accepted the nomination for vice president at the ongoing Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Xinhua/Li Rui) J.D. Vance speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 17, 2024. J.D. Vance, a senator from the U.S. state of Ohio and author of the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," on Wednesday night accepted the nomination for vice president at the ongoing Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Xinhua/Li Rui) Editor: JYZ When a would-be assassin's bullet whizzed through the air on Saturday in Pennsylvania, America came within millimeters of being thrown into a devastating civil war. While there is much hullabaloo around what happened, and without discounting the seriousness of this political violence, let us take a step back for a moment and see how Democrats can make America a better place. Democrats endorse a vision for America that prioritizes equity, social justice, and the well-being of all citizens over the interests of the wealthiest few. Both President Joe Biden as well as Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, despite their different approaches, share a commitment to policies that seek to address systemic inequalities and create a fairer society. Sanders' advocacy for progressive policies has reshaped the political landscape, pushing forward ideas that once seemed radical but are now central to the national debate. His call for universal healthcare through Medicare for All resonates deeply, especially in a country where millions are still uninsured or underinsured. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the fragility of our healthcare system, making it clear that access to healthcare should not depend on one's employment status or income level. Sanders' vision ensures that healthcare is a right, not a privilege, which is essential for a just society. Biden, while more moderate in his approach, has also championed significant reforms. His support for expanding the Affordable Care Act represents a pragmatic step toward universal coverage, aiming to make healthcare more accessible and affordable. Biden's policies on healthcare are a crucial bridge toward the comprehensive changes advocated by Sanders, demonstrating a practical pathway to broader reforms. Economic inequality is another critical issue. Sanders has long highlighted the grotesque disparities in wealth distribution, calling for higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations to fund social programs. This perspective aligns with the broader fight against economic injustice, seeking to ensure that everyone pays their fair share and that resources are redistributed to support education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Biden's economic policies, including his support for raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour and investing in green infrastructure, also aim to tackle inequality. By creating jobs and ensuring fair wages, Biden's plans seek to provide economic security for working families. His commitment to a green economy is not just about addressing climate change but also about creating sustainable jobs and industries for the future. Climate change remains an existential threat, and both Sanders and Biden recognize the urgency of this issue. Sanders' Green New Deal proposal is an ambitious plan to transition to renewable energy, reduce carbon emissions, and create millions of jobs in the green energy sector. This bold approach is necessary to combat the climate crisis effectively and ensure a livable planet for future generations. Biden, too, has committed to rejoining the Paris Agreement and implementing significant measures to reduce emissions and promote clean energy. His plan to build a modern, sustainable infrastructure not only addresses environmental concerns but also stimulates economic growth and job creation. Social justice issues, including racial and gender equality, are also at the forefront of their agendas. Sanders' consistent advocacy for criminal justice reform, including ending mass incarceration and addressing systemic racism, is crucial for creating a fairer legal system. His proposals aim to dismantle the structures that disproportionately impact communities of color and the economically disadvantaged. Biden's administration has taken steps to address these issues through police reform initiatives and support for legislation like the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. His focus on equity extends to gender issues, with strong support for women's rights, including reproductive rights and measures to close the gender pay gap. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). In a replay of the demolition of historic Babbri Mosque in 1992, a mosque in Maharashtra's Kolhapur district was demolished on Sunday by the Hindu right-wing supporters. A few videos of the incident have gone viral showing a group of people climbing the mosque walls, planting a saffron flag and hammering a minaret with an axe. Another video shows the mob destroying everything inside the mosque while chanting 'Jai Shri Ram'. Some parts of the mosque were damaged while books, including the Holy Quran and other articles kept inside the mosque were torn and scattered. Outside the mosque, a vandalised vehicle lay upside down. The attackers were armed with sticks and other sharp weapons with which they were destroying everything, according to Clarion India. The mob attacking the mosque was part of a rally called by former Rajya Sabha MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati in protest against alleged illegal encroachment at the Vishalgad Fort. Chhatrapati's supporters attacked the mosque and members of the Muslim community in Gajapur village, a few kilometers away from Vishalgad, Clarion India added. Speaking to Clarion India, Imran Sanadi, a local All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader who visited the affected area, said that around 40 Muslims got injured in the attacks and even children were not spared by the mob. "The situation was very bad there. Now, it has become better. Houses were demolished and they were harmed greatly. No one died but there are many injured. They were attacked with swords and sticks. Even, some policemen were attacked with swords," he said. "A mosque was vandalised and torched. Houses were set on fire with some gas," he said. According to him, all those who were attacked and got injured are Muslims. "Muslims were targeted. They were brutally beaten up. Even a six-year-old child were assaulted," said Imran. AIMIM chief and Member of Parliament, Asaduddin Owaisi, said that the incident is similar to the Babri Masjid demolition which occurred on December 6, 1992. He pointed out that in the past eight months, such attacks on mosques were carried out in Maharashtra with impunity. "This is a kind of a terrorist attack on mosques" There is the Shinde-Fadnavis BJP government and because of that government such attacks are being carried out on mosques," Owaisi said, accusing the police of being a mute spectator when such attacks take place. Babri Mosque demolition It may be recalled that the Babri Mosque built in 1528 by Mir Baqi, a commander of the Mogul Emperor Babur. Hindu nationalists, including supporters of Modi's Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claimed that Lord Ram, the warrior god, was born at the site where the Babri mosque existed. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). President Biden tested positive for Covid on Wednesday, his third time being diagnosed with the disease. At age 81, Biden is at an age in which he is likely to develop more serious symptoms from the disease, including Long Covid. The disease has the potential to seriously slow down his campaign schedule, at a time when selling himself to voters is crucial, not just to beat Trump and the GOP, but to fortify his chances of holding on to the Democratic nomination for president. Then later on Wednesday, President said in an interview that he would consider dropping out of the presidential race only if his doctors tell him he had a "medical condition." Saying this one day after a Covid diagnosis may just have been a coincidence. I'm only speculating, but if Biden was feeling the pressure of being forced out of his Democratic presidential bid, news of a major health issue affecting his quest for re-election would make for an uncontroversial exit that would let Kamala Harris or another logical candidate step to the front of the line for the Democratic Party. Will Kamala step in for Joe and the Democratic Party? (Image by The White House) Details DMCA Biden and his family might know of a medical condition he has that hasn't been made public. The Los Angeles Times published an article July 9 by Steve Lopez, reporting on doctors who, (without physically examining him), think Biden might just have a serious medical condition. Dr. Michael Mahler, a UCLA faculty member, said he noticed suspicious symptoms Biden showed during his disastrous debate with Donald Trump. Mahler noticed "the way he walked onto the stage with a very stiff gait. Normally, the way people walk, they swing their arms, and he didn't have much arm swing. Then, watching and listening to him, he had " almost no facial expression". His blink rate was really, really low, and he had very few other movements." Dr. Mahler also noticed other Parkinson-like symptoms, including muffled speech. Dr. Jack Florin, a Fullerton neurologist who's been practicing medicine for 50 years, told Lopez he has noticed signs of an advancing movement disorder in Biden for several years, and they were accentuated during the debate. Florin thinks Biden has a Parkinson's variant called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). "When you have PSP, your eye movements are not normal," Florin said in the article. "You're looking down and you have difficulty moving your eyes from side to side. People with PSP have what's called a fixed stare, and it looked like he was just staring, because his eyes were not moving. "PSP is progressive, incurable and untreatable". As it gets worse, postural instability is the main problem, and there's a risk of falls. After a while, patients cannot safely walk." Does Joe Biden have Parkinson's Disease or another serious neurodegenerative or similar disease? I don't know, but Biden and those close to him might know, and we are likely to find out soon if he does. If so, it will allow the president an opportunity and a good reason to reluctantly step down. Who can condemn him for suspending his campaign because of a serious medical condition? Biden's legacy will stay intact and he will give the Democratic Party a better chance to defeat Donald Trump and his frightening Republican cult. I suspect Joe Biden will very soon reluctantly but bravely sacrifice his candidacy for the good of the country. The sooner the president does so the better. History will be kind to Joe Biden and he deserves that. And after he does step down, another younger, enthusiastic, articulate Democrat can take up the slack and reenergize the non-MAGA voters. Kamala Harris has the qualifications, and most importantly, she could motivate Democrats to go to the polls and vote, especially women, ethnic minorities and young people. The Democratic Party needs that optimism and enthusiasm, and American voters need a choice other than the mentally disturbed, angry, orange-skinned wannabe dictator that the Republican Party is putting up. By: Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Canadian citizen and journalist, Laith Marouf, along with Hadi Hotait, were reporting for Free Palestine TV (FPTV) in the south of Lebanon, when the Israeli military attempted to assassinate them. Laith Marouf described the attack to Steven Sahiounie of MidEastDiscourse. "The Israeli military have been targeting media workers in Gaza and Lebanon, and even in the West Bank. We can remember before October 7 they assassinated Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank." "And, now over 160 journalists have been martyred in Gaza, and of course here in Lebanon the Israelis have assassinated four journalists in the south. The enemy is vicious and they do not like people that do journalism work, because that brings the truth to the world. This is especially true for those who write in English." "We were alone, and nobody was around us when we were targeted. Thank God the shells fell 200 meters away from us. There was a short cement fence which partially protected us, and the wind was blowing away from us, so the white phosphorus that fell in the first shell did not injure us, thank God." According to Hotait, he and Marouf were near an open field taking photos when the shell landed on the edge of a house near them. Hotait told The Canada Files that this was obviously a targeted assassination attempt because there were no weapons or military assets in the area. Israel has a long history of killing journalists. White Phosphorous was dropped by Israel, and soon afterwards an Israeli guided missile landed in the same area. The white phosphorous remains active, very toxic and flammable for much longer than previously known. Lebanese researchers and experts are warning that Israel's tactics are causing long-term and potentially irreversible damage to south Lebanon's environment, agriculture and economy, potentially making it uninhabitable. By March 6, 117 phosphoric bombs had been dropped on southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon's National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS). Israel is using it as part of a larger strategy to push out civilians and make south Lebanon uninhabitable, now and in the future. The Israeli military knows that white phosphorus is detrimental, that it reignites even up to a month after being dropped, and is toxic to the environment. The Lebanese side is completely barren land, but the Israelis are cultivating down to the last inch before the border. The White Phosphorus used by Israel is effectively making the south of Lebanon uninhabitable. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). (Image by LAUSD) Details DMCA Someone has to be very frustrated with the system to travel through Los Angeles traffic on a Friday morning to receive recognition for participating in one of the parent committees that the state mandates the District to have with the sole purpose of rejecting the District's offering. However, that is what Maria Luisa Palma did last Friday at the LAUSD's District Level Committee Recognition. After receiving her certificate she faced her fellow committee members. She then ripped it up telling the District that it was meaningless as long as the District continued to ignore the Parent Advisory Committee's (PAC) recommendations. While not as dramatic as Palma's, the Chairs of each of the three parent committees (the PAC, the District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC), and the Community Advisory Committee (CAC)) each used their allotted time for comments to express their own frustrations. The common thread is that these committees are prevented from performing their state-mandated advisory roles. In some cases, the allegations seemed to border on illegality. Comments were presented to the School Board as coming from the committees when District Bureaucrats actually generated them. As a member of the CAC, I have had a front-row seat to this behavior. Last year, the approval of the committee's membership was delayed for months after the District ignored the process outlined in the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) and the CAC Bylaws and instead picked the members by themselves. Despite the harm caused by their actions, District Staff followed the same process this year. The selection process is supposed to be peer-driven but the CAC was not allowed to name the mandated Appointment Sub-Committee and had no input into the criteria that would be used to select membership. To no one's surprise, some of the most vocal members of the CAC have been driven from the Committee. This year was supposed to be an important one for the committee as the SELPA was scheduled to be updated. While this is the main function of the CAC, it was prevented from having any meaningful part in the process. As a result, the CAC Chair has announced that she will not sign the certification of the plan. Her reasoning is outlined in the letter reprinted below: As the CAC Chairperson, I will not be signing the certification of the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) Local Plan this year. The CAC was not given the opportunity to meaningfully advise the LAUSD SELPA during development, amendment, or review of the Local Plan. I am unwilling to affix my signature to a document certifying something that clearly, demonstrably never occurred. I hope to meet with each of you to discuss the next steps for remedying these issues. My concerns, which are shared by the vast majority of our CAC Executive Board, are the following four issues: The Local Plan Advisory Committee (LPAC) was organized as something resembling a study group that was sadly ill-suited for true collaboration. The Department of Special Education (DSE) and Students Families and Communities Engagement (SFACE) prevented the CAC from collaborating and advising on the Local Plan. SFACE inexplicably and without notice changed the agenda for our final meeting by removing the review and discussion of the Local Plan. DSE was unprepared to discuss the Local Plan despite having representatives attend our lengthy agenda-planning meeting. DSE made no attempt to collect formal comments from the CAC as a committee, but only solicited individual member comments. CAC meetings over the past three years have not been held in accordance with CAC Bylaws, a practice that has robbed the CAC of dozens of hours which would otherwise have been spent conducting committee business. The LPAC group was poorly organized and seemingly designed to prevent meaningful collaboration between stakeholders. I was not even invited to its first meeting even though I was a member because DSE failed to send me any notification that this session had been scheduled. Incredibly, DSE originally planned for separate sessions of parent members and those members in other categories. We only got consolidated meetings after strongly objecting that we wanted to collaborate directly with all stakeholders. Worse, DSE failed to provide ongoing updates to the CAC about proposed changes to the SELPA, then claimed at the end of the year that they expected the CAC LCAP members to provide updates instead. As with other decisions made unilaterally by DSE, no explanation was forthcoming, even though CAC members repeatedly expressed our concerns about this entire process. Due to the egregious actions and omissions of both DSE and SFACE, the CAC was denied the opportunity to collaborate as a committee on how to advise the District on the Local Plan. For the entire year our plan had been to use the final CAC meeting for reviewing and discussing our Local Plan recommendations. Prior to that meeting, officers held an agenda-planning session at which we discussed at length with SFACE and DSE representatives that the entire three-hour time slot was needed for this purpose. We even planned to have a separate, additional meeting to review the Bylaws because we prioritized the SELPA meeting. Yet even with this clear prior understanding, on the day of the meeting, we were shocked that a Local Plan review was inexplicably no longer on the agenda. DSE claimed they were not prepared to review the proposed changes with us. To this day we have not received any explanation whatsoever for what I view as an utter failure to engage in honest discourse. I took the unprecedented step of recessing the CAC meeting to allow for later discussion of the Local Plan, but unfortunately we were never able to schedule a second, reconvened session to complete this review. The comment-solicitation procedure carried out by DSE seemed designed to prevent meaningful collaboration as well. DSE collected comments through an online link distributed via e-mail to CAC members. The document DSE distributed for review did not even note what changes had been made. To make any meaningful suggestions, the reader would have had to meticulously compare the modified document to the older version. The CAC was not even able to view, let alone consolidate and polish, these comments as we have done in previous years. Early in the LPAC process we requested that DSE provide clear guidelines for the scope of our comments, specifically what portions they were willing or able to change based on our recommendations. We made this request to use our time as efficiently as possible. We never received a clear answer. DSE just informed us that it would not implement some specific suggestions on which we spent hours of our valuable and limited time. DSE did not provide any rationale for our specific suggestions, which mostly had to do with CAC administrative matters. We cannot be expected to perform our advisory role in a meaningful and efficient way without such clear parameters. Finally, since 2021 the CAC Bylaws have mandated regular monthly meetings of three hours each, with at least 90 minutes of that time devoted solely to conducting CAC business. Training and education meetings, including presentations by LAUSD divisions, should be held separately as needed and generally on a monthly basis. The reasoning behind this meeting format was to avoid situations precisely like the one we find ourselves in this year. We would have held our regular "business" meetings to discuss business such as SELPA revisions, with separate "training" meetings which could be attended by the stakeholders we represent. SFACE has never adopted this model for our meetings; instead, we've been forced into an alternating schedule of business and training meetings, with the latter limited in such a way that no CAC business can be conducted. I have personally sacrificed many hours that might have been better spent working at my paid profession or spending time with my family, including our three children who are all LAUSD students with special needs and active I.E.P.s. Instead, it was wasted attempting to collaborate with LAUSD for the improvement of special education services to all students and families who require services for special needs. The same goes for every single CAC member. It is a slap in the face to know that our time and efforts were wasted without a second thought. I look forward to speaking with each of you, in person, by phone or Zoom, in the near future. In partnership, Ariel Harman-Holmes, LAUSD Community Advisory Committee Chairperson This casting aside of state-mandated parent committees is not surprising in a school district moving further away from local control. Under Superintendent Carvalho LAUSD parents are treated like an annoyance rather than partners. Without their input, successful programs have been eliminated. They have not been kept apprised of serious threats. When Carvalho refused to negotiate in good faith with SEIU 99, parents had to deal with the consequences. This is not Florida and parents have little patience for wannabee dictators. When will the School Board finally do their job and hold the Superintendent accountable for his poor performance? He is their employee. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Cognitive Assessment Considerations: Understanding the Evidence (Image by nia.nih.gov) Details DMCA The heinous attempted assassination of Donald Trump on July 13th reminds us that the answer to the age-old questions raised above remains elusive and unpredictable. The same is true for determining the course of cognitive decline--especially in the absence of comprehensive medical evaluations no matter a person's age. As a gerontologist and director of a graduate program in gerontology at CUNY, Brooklyn College in the 1980s, and later director of a gerontology training program at Marymount Manhattan College, the cognitive and physical capabilities of older adults have been the focus of my career. Estimates of the abilities of the elderly have often suffered from ageism, with the overemphasis on physical appearances. For example, in 1984 eighty-one-year-old South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond ran for reelection. His 44-year-old opponent, Melvin Purvis, made age his key issue in the campaign. Strom Thurmond won by a landslide. And at age 100 he was still strumming along in Congress. Less than two years after the Senate race Purvis died of a heart attack at age forty-six--confirming that appearances can be misleading. Undoubtedly, Melvin Purvis seemed overwhelmingly physically more vigorous and energetic than octogenarian Strom Thurmond. Similarly for the superior physical appearance of Donald Trump in the June 27, 2024 debate with Joe Biden. But which candidate is actually healthier? Although the media is currently focussing on signs of possible cognitive impairment in Joe Biden, similar concerns have been expressed about Donald Trump. According to psychiatrist Dr. Lance Dodes "There is overwhelming evidence that Donald Trump is suffering from dementia"--a disease his father Fred Trump suffered from. Further support for Dr. Dodes' assessment is Donald Trump's rambling and sometimes incoherent rants in his acceptance speech at the RNC convention on July 18, 2024. And Commentators have sounded an alarm that given Donald Trump's love for fast foods--and one particular choice at the top of his list--he may be a few Big Macs away from a life-threatening medical crisis. Much has been documented about the notorious medical coverups in the White House by past presidents. That's why in the current critical presidential contest between two elderly candidates exhibiting some cognitive decline, we should demand independent comprehensive medical examinations of Donald Trump and Joe Biden with full public disclosure. The recommendation of many Democrats for damage control to distract from Biden's poor performance in the debate is unacceptable. The public deserves facts on the health of both candidates--and needs them now. Bernard Starr, PhD, Professor Emeritus CUNY, Brooklyn College is founder, and for 25 years the managing editor of The Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics and co-author of the Starr-Weiner Report on Sex and Sexuality in the Mature Years. (Article changed on Jul 19, 2024 at 12:07 PM EDT) It would be crazy to say the Democratic Party has given up and is willing to hand over the presidency to Donald Trump and the MAGA Monsters. I don't really believe that, but damn, Democrats aren't trying very hard to win November's election. Let's start with the Democrat's candidate for president, the incumbent Joe Biden. The party mostly agrees Biden has been a good president, and there is plenty of evidence to show that he has. But the 2024 election is about NOW, and is for the FUTURE, i.e. at least the next four years. Is Biden the best candidate to take on Trump? Or can we do better? (Image by ekaden from flickr) Details DMCA Naturally, many Democrats are hoping Joe Biden will defeat Donald Trump in the November election. Sorry, but that will be hard to do. The problem is that President Biden looks, talks, moves and acts like an old man. Of course, that is to expected, because at age 81, he is an old man. Donald Trump is old, too, but he appears to be considerably more energetic, motivated, excited and confident than Biden. It's sad to say, but Joe Biden doesn't appear to have what it takes to beat the sociopathic, habitually lying, immoral, and incompetent ex-president. The polls since last year clearly show Biden is unpopular with most Americans, his age being the biggest reason. His mental and physical abilities are noticeably getting worse. Voters realize there is no way he could excel during his next four years as president. Trump, too, is unpopular in the polling. The majority of Americans are disheartened to see these two mentally declining senior citizens facing off for the second time in four years. Hell, everybody knows they were too old in 2020. Making it worse, Biden is dug in and unwilling to hand over the reins to a younger, more articulate, inspiring Democrat, one who could motivate voters to march to the polls and overwhelmingly trounce Trump and his anti-democratic, angry, intolerant cult. Unfortunately, Biden appears to be putting his ego ahead of the needs of his country. Biden may have tipped his hand during an interview with George Stephanopoulos eight days after the debate. As the interview neared its end, Biden was asked: "If you stay in, and Trump is elected, and everything you're warning about comes to pass, how will you feel in January?" Biden said: "I'll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the good as job {sic} as I know I can do, that's what this is about." Right there he pretty much admitted the outcome of the election mattered a lot to his legacy, while failing to mention the importance of the 2024 election to the future of the American people. And if that wasn't enough, the typically accommodating Democratic Party felt the need to unilaterally halt their election campaign for a couple days after the assassination attempt against Trump. Meanwhile the Republican Party didn't halt their vicious smears against Biden and the Democrats during their convention and elsewhere. Think, too, about the recent horrendous Supreme Court ruling allowing any president carte blanche to legally carry out any of his "official" duties, no matter how questionable. Donald Trump has and will take full advantage of his new presidential freedoms. This prospect scares many people. It should be noted that these same opportunities are now available to all presidents, including the current one. What are the likely chances that the polite, honorable President Biden will use these new freedoms to his political advantage? If you say none, you are likely right.. Be patriotic, Joe, step aside and allow a younger, vibrant, charismatic Democratic to rescue our country from these unforgiving extremists. Time is running out. (Article changed on Jul 19, 2024 at 6:35 PM EDT) "There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy," former US president Barack Obama tweeted on July 13, in response to the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump. Former president Bill Clinton agreed: "Violence has no place in America, especially in our political process." As did current president Joe Biden Official statement: "There's no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it." Former president George W. Bush -- who got Daddy to secure him a stateside Air National Guard billet so he could avoid risking his hide in Vietnam, then deserted -- called the attack "cowardly." It probably goes without saying that Donald Trump doesn't like being shot at. Yes, of course I also condemn "political violence." Not just some of it -- all of it. All the aforementioned presidents are mass murderers, and by definition all of the murders they've ordered have been "political." Obama and Trump in particular have ordered the political murders of American citizens, including 16-year-old Abdulrahman Anwar al-Awlaki and eight-year-old Nawar al-Awlaki. Neither of the victims were charged with, let alone convicted of, any crime. Nor have any of the perpetrators been charged with or tried for the murders. Bill Clinton took "full responsibility" for the murders of 82 Branch Davidians by federal agents in Waco, Texas in 1993. Apparently "full responsibility" doesn't include throwing one's self on the mercy of a court. I have to disagree -- but only partially -- with journalist/novelist Ben Ehrenreich's snarky tweet: "There is no place for political violence against rich, white men. It is antithetical to everything America stands for." There's quite a bit of "political violence" in the world, but the term seldom gains much traction, nor does the phenomenon get much attention, unless the target is an American politician. American politicians are responsible for "political violence" resulting in literally millions of deaths during my lifetime (I was born just as the war in Vietnam was heating up). While there's usually vigorous debate about the wisdom of such "political violence," and plenty of hand-wringing about "collateral damage" and such, we see none of the red-faced, vein-popping outrage that suddenly appears when the target is one of America's Very Special Important People. Contra Ehrenreich, the outrage isn't about the targets being rich or white. It's about the targets being part of the American political class. There's an interrogation scene in the 1996 biopic Michael Collins, in which a prisoner is told "Don't threaten us, you Fenian swine. We threaten you!" Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Iran has a new president, but that won't affect the US-Iran relationship, because the US is held hostage to the Israel Lobby, AIPAC. Masoud Pezeshkian, a 69-year-old cardiac surgeon, former health minister, and current Member of Parliament, won 53% of the vote in a runoff election in Iran. Pezeshkian is open to a new relationship with the US, but any policy change will have to wait until the outcome of the US election in November. Similarly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is waiting for the outcome of the US election. "I have come " to seek lasting peace and tranquility and cooperation in the region, as well as dialogue and constructive interaction with the world," Pezeshkian said in a speech. Regardless of which candidate will be elected, they will be a supporter of Israel. President Donald Trump will remember in his 2020 election race Netanyahu stabbed him in the back, and came out publically in support of Joe Biden, even though Trump had done more for Israel than any previous US president. "I haven't spoken to him since," Trump said in an interview with Axios' Barak Ravid in December 2021, in reference to Netanyahu. "F**k him," he said. Israel keeps Iran as their designated 'Enemy Number One'. Regardless of leadership change, or international diplomacy, Iran is destined to remain the bad guy in the Israeli drama. The US has a similar policy, which is designed to keep the American public in fear of something foreign. At one time, Americans were afraid of Al Qaeda, and then it morphed into ISIS. Putin has taken the place of the enemy as portrayed in the Biden-controlled US media. Pezeshkian has been a member of parliament since 2008, representing Tabriz in northwestern Iran. His father is of Turkic descent, while his mother is Kurdish. Pezeshkian grew up speaking Turkic, Kurdish, and Farsi. Some analysts see Pezeshkian as a moderating force who may sympathize with minorities. According to Netanyahu, Iran seeks to develop a nuclear bomb with which to 'nuke' Israel into non-existence. According to the Iranian supreme leadership, Iran wants nuclear ability to have a source of electricity, rather than polluting the environment by burning fossil fuels. Saudi Arabia, a close US ally and US-made weapons customer, also has told the US administration they will pursue building a nuclear power plant, which is common in many Western countries. The US will allow the Saudis their nuclear project, but in exchange for signing the Abraham Accords, which will normalize diplomatic relations with Israel. Experts view Saudi Arabia as the powerhouse in the Middle East, and signing a deal with Israel has been one of the two main goals of Netanyahu since taking office. His second goal is to expand the illegal settlements in the West Bank, effectively annexing the land. The Gaza War has put normalization plans on hold as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has reiterated the official Saudi position rejecting the occupation of Palestine and demanding a two-state solution. Iran and Hezbollah, and others in the resistance movement are demanding the end of the occupation of Palestine. If Israel would negotiate a final peace deal with the Palestinian people, there would be no armed resistance. In theory, the UN, the US, the UK, and almost every country have agreed that the UN resolution for a two-state solution should be implemented as soon as possible. That peace deal would mark the end of violence against Israel, and both Israelis and Palestinians could live in peace, and with human rights. Pezeshkian signaled there would be no change in Iran's backing of Hezbollah, whose attacks since Oct. 7 have raised the specter of a wider war in the region. He wrote to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah that "support for resistance groups will continue vigorously." But, Netanyahu's extremist government has said they will never give one inch of land to the Palestinians, and instead want to keep Gaza under military occupation forever and continue to hold the 3 million Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank under an iron-fist rule which is designed never to end. The US has a two-faced policy on Israel. On the one hand, the US President says they are committed to a two-state solution, and on the other hand, he is sending Israel all the weapons they request to keep the genocide going in Gaza. On April 20, the House passed a bill to provide $26.3 billion in assistance to Israel. This split personality is due to AIPAC. From the White House to Capitol Hill, every politician knows their political career depends on bowing down to AIPAC. The White House, regardless of its occupant, will have the opportunity to see whether a serious diplomatic process containing the nuclear issue and de-escalation is possible with the Pezeshkian leadership. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). What happened at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has shocked and appalled although even a cursory look at the rhetoric preceding it should have signaled danger. Among other assertions by senior Democrats, he was accused of being a fascist who would destroy American democracy. That kind of accusation might be taken literally by a 20-year-old who would not remember the Trump administration prior to Biden with an adult perspective. It is speculation but with the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, shot dead by the secret service one will never ascertain his mindset. An irony of sorts is the fact that this presidential election would have been the first for which he was eligible to vote. He worked at an old folks nursing home and was described by a colleague as "the sweetest guy" and particularly caring. His classmates at school, where he was bullied, just could not believe he would do something like that -- too timid to do anything bold they said. His parents were social workers. So the incident is a tragedy -- a tragedy for the Pittsburgh suburb of Bethel Park where Crooks lived; a tragedy for Butler where the rally was being held; a tragedy for the Crooks family who have seen their sweet, quiet, helpful, shy son turned into a would-be assassin and killer. What went wrong? Unfortunately the real answer will be buried with Thomas Crooks. And in the U.S. where mass killings are more common than one would realize, it will happen again. Last year (2023) there were 656 mass shootings. What can candidates do to prevent a virulent political climate? In the first place direct personal attacks by candidates leave little space for, say, laying the blame on an all-too-eager staffer. Mudslinging might be part of the political game but is unseemly in a potential president. There are also ads, placed not just directly by candidates themselves but by supporters, by groups and organizations that favor one or other of the candidates and so on. There may be four months to go until the big day, but the party conventions are upon us: Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Before the 13 Colonies in the "New World" became the United States of America, its settlers from Europe, wanting to be free from religious intolerance, fired bullets at the indigenous population-- men, women, and children. Racial difference was already an issue. For sure. Millions of the Indigenous people witnessed their homes and crops go up in flames, their wives and children, and elderly parents, trying to outrun bullets. When bullets didn't manage to kill, disease did! The violence of the Atlantic Slavery Trade, the kidnapping and exploitation of African American labor was nothing short of tyrannical. As tyrannical as the conquering of the Indigenous for land and resources. Growth! American "innocence" can't save the American experiment in democracy. " We stop together as if on signal," states the Handmaid narrator of the Handmaid's Tale . We "stand and look at the bodies, she explains. "It doesn't matter if we look. We're supposed to look: this is what they are there for, hanging on the Wall. Sometimes they'll be there for days, until there's a new batch, so as many people as possible will have the chance to see them." In the 1978 Hollywood version of the Invasion of the Body Snatchers , it's not long before the food safety inspector, played by the late Donald Sutherland, Mr. Bennel, notices the change. Already underway, the invasion is reflected in the stiffness of the passersby. There's less smiling, kissing, hand shaking, hugging. He hears how people are reporting that others are "different" and not who they're supposed to be. In Mr. Bennel's circle of friends and acquaintances, there is the go-to-psychologist who is already no longer human. As Mr. Bennel states, "'that's because they are all part of it. They're all pods, all of them.'" They may resemble humans but, as aliens, they've lost their humanity. No emotions. No display of love or compassion, and, as Dr. David Kibner, the "psychologist," declares, there's no need to hate, either. The following year, 1979, Alien hit the movie theaters. The aliens are on a mission to eliminate humanity, with the assists of engineered "engineers," that is, other aliens, produced by megacorporations. Aliens have been "dead a long time." The same could be said of Winston and all the characters in Orwell's 1984 . In our minds eye, we see Winston, and he sounds like a man alive in resisting Big Brother, he seems like a man alive with love for a woman, but he has long been dead. Under the tyrannical thumb of Big Brother, everyone is being watched. Every one must believe in the power of Big Brother to deny the right of freedom to all. Here, in this world, the Wall isn't necessary. There is Room 101. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Codineura is pleased to announce the release of "Codineura Manifesto," the latest book by acclaimed author G. Verde. This groundbreaking work delves into the ethical and societal implications of artificial intelligence (AI), proposing a visionary framework for the future. In "Codineura Manifesto," G. Verde explores the transformative potential of AI, advocating for a world where technology and humanity coexist in harmony. The book examines the role of AI in shaping our SAINT PAUL, MN - July 18, 2024 - Arechigo & Stokka, a law firm in Saint Paul, MN, is a leading firm for domestic assault defense, emphasizing the importance of knowledgeable and experienced domestic assault lawyers on your side during any such proceedings. The partners have known each other for more than 20 years and opened their firm together in 2007, just one year after graduating from law school. Their After Kroger, the parent company of Fred Meyer and QFC, and Albertsons, which owns Safeway, revealed the 62 Oregon stores they would sell off to a competitor under their proposed merger, observers noticed there wasnt a single Fred Meyer store on the list. That comes as no surprise. Kroger previously said it wouldnt part with any Fred Meyer stores across its Northwest footprint, even as it sells hundreds of other supermarkets to New Hampshire-based C&S Wholesale Grocers in its $24.6 billion bid to buy Albertsons, Krogers next largest rival. The sale is meant to satisfy antitrust regulators tasked with ensuring the merger wont create a monopoly in the grocery business. Thats an even greater concern in markets like Oregon, where Kroger and Albertsons have significant overlap. (Cant see the map? Click here.) Regulators arent convinced. The Federal Trade Commission and several states, including Oregon, have sued to block the merger, and a trial is set to begin next month. In Multnomah County, the combined grocery retailer would sell every single one of its Albertsons, Safeway and QFC stores, 19 locations in total, if the merger were approved. The companies would keep all 11 Fred Meyer locations in the county. Retail analysts say there are several reasons why Kroger would keep its Fred Meyer stores. Kevin Boeh, an affiliate professor who studies mergers and acquisitions at the University of Washington, said the floor space Fred Meyer devotes to general merchandise like home goods and clothing makes its operations fundamentally different from QFC, Safeway and Albertsons. Fred Meyers are broad line retailers that sell more than just food, Boeh said. Frankly, their competitors are Walmart, Costco and Amazon. Kroger is leaning into general merchandise stores nationwide because, Boeh said, those kinds of stores will help it compete against such rivals. They think the best way to compete with Walmart, Amazon, Costco and Target is to have a broader line of offerings, he said. Thats why theyre not getting rid of Fred Meyer. Since Kroger announced its plans to acquire Albertsons in October 2022, the supermarket giant has argued the deal would not only allow it to chase after Walmart and Amazon sales, but also allow it to stay competitive with the industrys heavyweights on operation efficiencies, technology and gathering customer data. Bobby Gibbs, a partner at global management consulting firm Oliver Wyman, said traditional grocery retailers are under pressure from industry giants like Walmart and Amazon that generate a large share of their profits from data monetization and advertising. Big retailers operate advertising networks that rely on the vast amount of data that retailers gather on their customers, like purchase history and browsing information, to deliver highly targeted ads. Walmart and Amazon have the biggest retail media networks, he said. The profit margins from retail media networks are larger than the margins from selling product. So they draw revenue from that, but its also at much higher revenue. Boeh said nontraditional retailers with broader product offerings can collect more data on consumers. And Kroger already has a deep well of data on longtime Fred Meyer customers, whereas existing customers at non-Kroger stores will have to be integrated into Krogers loyalty programs and other data-gathering efforts. Data is really important, knowing what your customers want, being able to customize products and figuring out when they might need something is all powerful stuff, Boeh said. When you look at Amazon, Walmart and Costco to some extent, theyre kind of kicking the butt of these traditional grocers. Analysts say that Krogers decision to not sell Fred Meyer might also aim to appease regulators concerned about the ability of its handpicked buyer, C&S Wholesale Grocers, to take on a patchwork of retail formats. Gibbs said grocery and food retailers typically have a different strategy than those who also sell a lot of general merchandise when it comes to maintaining inventory, ordering products and price promotions. When you think about general merchandise products, those might fit the kind of profile where you need a different wholesale strategy than you would for fast moving consumer products, like food and groceries, he said. C&S is a wholesaler in the food business but lacks the experience of running general merchandise, Boeh said. I think the antitrust regulators would have looked at the Fred Meyer stores and questioned whether C&S would be capable of running them, Boeh added. So by selling the pure grocers, I think theyre capable of taking the personnel they have, plus what theyre bringing in through acquisition. Tom Gilpatrick, a Portland State University marketing professor who formerly led the schools Food Industry Leadership Center, said Krogers decision to hold onto its Fred Meyer stores totally makes sense. One of the advantages of Fred Meyer is that it owns most of its locations, at least in the Portland area, Gilpatrick said. Thats valuable. Gilpatrick said many retailers dont own the real estate of their stores and often lease the property. Nationwide, Kroger and Albertsons would sell 579 stores. The sale also would include distribution centers in Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Washington state and a dairy plant in Denver. In Oregon, that would put 36% of the two grocery giants footprint in the state under the hands of C&S. The sale has raised alarm bells in Oregon, which has been through a major grocery merger before. In 2015, when Albertsons took over rival Safeway, it sold off 146 of its surplus stores to Washington-based grocer Haggen. A year later, the overextended Haggen filed for bankruptcy and abandoned the expansion, eventually selling stores to Albertsons itself for a much cheaper price. Other stores closed for good. Kroger says C&S, which supplies grocery stores nationwide, is in a much better position to absorb all the new stores than Haggen was. But regulators have pointed to the Haggen debacle as a reason for skepticism over Krogers Albertsons acquisition. -- Kristine de Leon covers the retail industry, small business and data enterprise stories. Reach her at kdeleon@oregonian.com. A man who left a former friend to bleed out in a Lloyd Center parking garage after the two quarreled over fentanyl pills was identified a year later using DNA evidence and came clean to authorities following his arrest, records show. Jeffrey McNeill, now 27, apologized to the family of 33-year-old Nickolas Henderson as a judge handed down an 18-year prison sentence Wednesday. A family friend confirmed Thursday that the two people missing after a fishing boat accident July 13 at the Columbia River bar are a 43-year-old Camas man and his 11-year-old son. Constantin Leahu, his son Andrei Leahu and three friends took a 26-foot boat on a fishing trip in the Pacific Ocean last Saturday, said Irina Negrean, a family friend. The boy had just turned 11 the day before and had convinced his father to let him go on a fishing trip with his dad for the first time, Negrean said, Negrean said. The trip turned deadly around 10:30 a.m. when the boat was heading back over the Columbia River bar . The boat collided with the bar and capsized, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a statement. Two of the people on the boat were pulled out of the water by Good Samaritans in the area and survived. The other person on the boat, John Miller, 65, was pronounced dead at a hospital after Coast Guard rescuers pulled him out of the water. The Coast Guard searched for the boy and his father for about 11 hours but then suspended the search. Negrean said she learned about the accident when the pastor of her church called her mother and told her to come to the Leahu household. Negrean and her mother both sat and prayed with Constantin Leahus wife, Elena Venera, and their four daughters. The family was devastated, Negrean said. We held out hope for them to be recovered. And then, as time went on, it just became harder to believe that they could have survived. Leahu and his wife are Romanian immigrants, Negrean said. Leahu is a deckbuilder. The oldest of the couples five children is 14 years old and the youngest is 2. Andrei, the second-oldest child, was incredibly bright, funny and a social butterfly, a friend wrote on a GoFundMe fundraising page in the familys name, which as of Thursday evening had drawn more than $63,000 in donations. His life was just starting, Negrean said. He was a wonderful little boy that was taken much too soon. Fedor Zarkhin is a breaking news and enterprise reporter with a focus on crime. Reach him at 971-373-2905; fzarkhin@oregonian. Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com. Michael Zamora crouched down to hush Kenneth Housman as the 73-year-old Sheriff of Clinton Street spoke his last words. Im going to die. Im dying, Housman gasped as he lay on his side with blood pouring out of the apparent stab wound in his neck. Oregons largest and second largest school districts both went through contentious negotiations with their teacher unions in the 2023-2024 school year. Now its the third largest districts turn. A new movie, Clear Cut, is set in the Oregon woods, but this one is hardly likely to inspire tourists to check out the Pacific Northwest. The plot involves a guy named Jack (Clive Standen), who we meet as hes starting a new job as a logger. Hes given the lowdown by a veteran logger played by, of all people, Alec Baldwin. But their day in the forest immediately goes bad when Jack stumbles across an RV thats a mobile meth lab, parked in the woods. Before long, it turns out that Jack has a past that makes him a target for these no-goodniks, who are all affiliated with a drug cartel, or something -- the plot is on the fuzzy side. It doesnt help that Jack comes across the bad guys bag of cash, and decides to run off with it. Soon, the bad guys are chasing Jack, which leads to a series of brutal beatdowns, stabbings, gunshots, car crashes, and so many fiery explosions it seems like Clear Cut was made by theSCTV Farm Film Report duo, Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok, whose idea of quality cinema was anything that blowed up real good! While the shots of tree-covered mountains, racing rivers, and tall trees might look like scenic corners of Oregon, the end credits reveal that Clear Cut was made in British Columbia, that all-purpose location up north. The story supposedly takes place in Oregon, as we see from vehicle license plates, and some flashbacks to Jacks previous life in Portland, which we know because a few stock shots of bridges across the Willamette River indicate that its the Rose City. While Clear Cut isnt going to be winning any awards, at times, Joe Perruccios unpretentious script and Brian Skibas keep-it-moving direction make the movie feel a little like a contemporary version of the low-budget action B-movies that turned up in drive-ins in the 70s and 80s. Thats not to say Clear Cut is good, however. Much of the acting is strictly amateur hour, though Standen, who has appeared in such projects as the TV series, Taken and Vikings, manages not to seem ridiculous as Jack somehow survives bloody assaults, bullet wounds, and assorted other mayhem. The better-known members of the supporting cast are stuck with one-note roles. Baldwin, who is notably unconvincing as a blue collar Joe, has a part that calls for him to constantly point out how dangerous it is to be a logger. Stephen Dorff plays the least likely forest service official imaginable. And TV hunks Jesse Metcalfe (of Desperate Housewives and various Hallmark movies) and Tom Welling (Smallville) are left flailing as drug cartel-adjacent villains. Clear Cut is rated R, and is available to rent or buy (though why would you want to?) on demand, and on digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video. Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe A Eugene man and the ACLU of Oregon filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday against an international blood-plasma company that operates four donation centers in the state, claiming the company has a forever ban on collecting plasma from gay men. The lawsuit seeks nearly $1 million from the company, operating under the name Grifols; an associated company, Biomat USA; and Aleece Bentzinger, who is listed as a regional operations manager in Oregon. Grifols has two locations in Portland, one in Salem and one in Eugene. The lawsuit states that the company has close to 400 locations across the globe. Heres your chance to see inside cozy, century-old cabins on Mount Hood crafted with distinctive Oregon Rustic character by the resourceful Steiner family who hand built durable, artistic structures using foraged trees and river rock. The 19th Annual Mount Hood Steiner Cabins Tour on Saturday, Aug. 10, opens the doors to three log homes built in the 1920s and 1930s in Rhododendron as well as the nearby Steiner-built 1937 former church, now an event center, that was moved twice to preserve it. If you always wanted to attend the Steiner Cabins Tour, this is your lucky day, say organizers, who introduced steiner.tixsimple.com as an easy way to purchase a $50 ticket after internet searches misdirected people to last years tour page. About 85 tickets were still for sale Friday with start times at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon. The event is a fundraiser for the nonprofit Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum. The self-guided, self-paced tour spotlights Henry and Molly Steiner and their children who constructed about 100 pitched-roof cabins in picturesque forests and along streams between Government Camp and Brightwood. Without electricity, the Steiners used cranks and pulley systems to hoist heavy logs into place. They collected naturally bending trees to use for arched doors and rocking chair bases. Tubular tree roots held curtain rods. Sinks, windows and hinges were the few store-bought items. Steiner cabins, which represent the Arts and Crafts movement joining hands with the Depressions Make Do spirit, have endured, despite harsh weather, fires and owner neglect. Stops on the tour include a 1925 cabin that was in rough shape when owners Mike and Susie Wickward bought it from a bank in foreclosure more than a decade ago. It had been stripped of most of its charming, handmade features, and then abandoned. The couple has carefully restored the original architecture and details bred from a time when craftsmanship and creativity using natural resources were valued, Susie Wickward told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Builder Mark Fritch replaced damaged logs and a large covered porch faces Hackett Creek. Tour goers will see photographs of past misguided remodel projects that have been corrected. Barely an hour from Portland, our Steiner cabin is a throwback to a quieter time in the Northwest, said Wickward. Another stop is a cabin called Dancing Bear that exhibits Steiner trademarks such as decorative porch posts and curved stair railings. A Steiner-made split-log dining table that was lost for more than 20 years was recently returned to the cabin. A 1938 cabin also open during the tour was restored by the owners over the last decade and sits on land leased long term from the U.S. Forest Service. There are about 600 recreation residences in the Zigzag Ranger District that are part of a program that started in the 1920s, said Lloyd Musser, curator of the Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum. 19 1 / 19 1937 Steiner Church Historians believe Henry Steiner, with the help of the eldest of his children, including son John, built only two churches. One burned down, the other, St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, completed in 1937 and moved twice, was rescued and restored over the last 40 years by owner Mike Gudge. The Steiner Church, now an event center, is an architectural and craftsmanship masterpiece, said Musser. Cabin owners and Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum volunteers will answer questions about the history of the Steiner cabins. The museum at 88900 Government Camp Loop in Government Camp is open year round. Visit mthoodmuseum.org to learn more about the Steiner Society and museum events. The Annual Mount Hood Steiner Cabins Tour start times are 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon at the Alpine Events Center, 73365 E. Highway 26, Rhododendron (503-622-4618). The tour ends at 3 p.m. Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072 jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman The Los Angeles Clippers will send Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz in a sign-and-trade deal, according to multiple reports Thursday. The Jazz and Westbrook are expected to agree to a contract buyout and Westbrook is expected to sign with the Denver Nuggets. The Jazz will send guard Kris Dunn to the Clippers, who also sent a second-round pick swap and cash to the Jazz as part of the trade. Westbrook, who averaged a career-low 11.1 points per game in 2023-24, opted into the final year of his contract earlier this summer. The final year was worth around $4 million, but he is expected to clear waivers and join the Nuggets. The Nuggets had interest in Westbrook previously and that interest increased after the Nuggets lost guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Reggie Jackson in free agency. Westbrook, 35, brings veteran experience and energy off the bench for the Nuggets. The former league Most Valuable Player can also be a spot starter, but hes not the same type of defender or 3-point shooter Caldwell-Pope is and hes far more prone to turnovers. Dunn has developed a reputation on defense and hell be welcomed on the second unit. His offense remains a work on progress after averaging 5.4 points, 3.8 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 36.9% from 3-point range in 66 games in 2023-24. A funeral service for Peter Courtney, Oregons longest serving lawmaker and Senate president, is scheduled for July 30 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Mt. Angel. Courtney worked as a Salem lawmaker for nearly four decades, ascending to become the powerful Senate president in 2003. He died on Tuesday, less than two years after retiring from the Senate, from complications related to cancer. He was 81. U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle said that faith was an important part of Courtneys life. The pair, both Catholics, hit it off after Hoyle was appointed to the House in 2009, and they worked together to help develop a satellite campus of the Oregon State Hospital in Junction City. Access to mental health services was a priority for Courtney, who pushed for state hospital upgrades and also championed animal rights and child welfare. As a Catholic, what drove him was that sense of social justice that we were brought up with in the church, Hoyle said. He was a very strong voice for those who didnt have it. Friends and colleagues remember Courtney as an influential power broker and a caring leader. He had a colorful personality, and at the rare times he carried a bill on the Senate floor, you could hear a pin drop in the chambers while he spoke, said colleague and former state Sen. Ginny Burdick. Former Gov. Kate Brown embraces Peter Courtney in the House chamber of the Oregon Capitol after taking the oath of office on Feb. 18, 2015, Ash Wednesday. Bruce Ely / The Oregonian Hoyle remembers attending early morning Ash Wednesday church services with Courtney at a church up the street from the Capitol. She joked that it was Catholic coming out day, because lawmakers could see who else attended church and wore ashes marked on their foreheads. We always knew who was there and who was leaving early after they got their ashes, Hoyle said. And hed remind you You didnt stay for the whole thing, you just went to get your ashes! The funeral service for Courtney begins at 11 a.m., preceded by a rosary service at 10:30. The mass is open to the public and the church seats about 500 people. A public celebration of his life will also be held in Salem at a future date, said Elisabeth Shepard, spokesperson for Gov. Tina Kotek. Sami Edge covers higher education and politics for The Oregonian. You can reach her at sedge@oregonian.com or (503) 260-3430. Oregon Republican lawmakers have called on Gov. Tina Kotek, a Democrat, to remove Cass McLeod-Skinner, executive director of the Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners, from her state job over what they allege is her amplification of comments supporting the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. Social media account Libs of TikTok, which has called out people from teachers to lawyers to Home Depot workers for making statements it says condone the recent Trump assassination attempt, published a screenshot that indicates McLeod-Skinner reposted on social media what appears to be a crass joke about the assassination attempt. The original post contained sexual innuendo that conveyed disappointment about two inches, suggesting but not stating explicitly a desire that the would-be assassin had aimed more accurately. The tweet is not visible on McLeod-Skinners social media feed, suggesting she subsequently deleted her promotion. Around the same time as her alleged repost, McLeod-Skinner promoted other posts denouncing violence, including one that said: I dont think people should be shooting people, nope not even THAT person and another that said the assassination attempt was unacceptable for any American. Ever. McLeod-Skinner did not respond to messages Thursday seeking comment. House Republican leader Jeff Helfrich of Hood River and Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham of The Dalles asked Kotek on Wednesday to fire McLeod-Skinner over her social media repost. They argued that McLeod-Skinner had expressed disappointment that the assassination attempt was unsuccessful and said that comments endorsing violence are fundamentally inconsistent with the ethical standards expected of public officials. Michael Arnot, president of the Oregon Chiropractic Association, also wrote to the governor saying the organization questioned whether McLeod-Skinner was fit to remain executive director. She was Gov. Browns appointee and to a degree, represented the chiropractic profession, Arnot wrote in a letter shared with The Oregonian/OregonLive. As a consequence such egregious messaging has tainted the chiropractic community and brought disgrace to herself and the state of Oregon. As executive director of the Oregon Chiropractic Examiners Board, McLeod-Skinner is appointed and overseen by the agencys board members, who are appointed by the governor. Board president Michelle Waggoner did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether the board intends to discipline McLeod-Skinner in any way. The board licenses, investigates complaints against and disciplines chiropractors in Oregon. It had just six staff positions and a two-year budget of $2.5 million, according to a 2023-25 budget report. According to her LinkedIn, McLeod-Skinner, a lawyer, has held that position for more than a decade. State human resources officials said she makes about $140,000 a year. Shes also the wife of Jamie McLeod-Skinner, a high-profile Democrat who has run for state and federal office several times, including her most recent bid to represent Oregons 5th Congressional District, which ended in a primary loss to state Rep. Janelle Bynum this spring. Bonham said the connection had no bearing on his calls for McLeod-Skinner to be removed. Helfrich said that he did not know Cass McLeod-Skinner was Jamie McLeod-Skinners wife. Public officials and people in state government know that their actions have consequences, Helfrich said, and agency directors and department heads should be held to a high standard. This type of speech, where you retweet something like that, its not just in poor taste, they should know better because theyre setting the example, he said. ...Unfortunately, when you lead by example and its OK for the boss to say this, then other people think they can say it too. Bonham has heard from chiropractors who felt McLeod-Skinners social media repost was unacceptable and that they didnt want her leading them anymore, he said. Theres just no place to celebrate this reprehensible behavior and to promote it in any way, Bonham said. If it were a comedian, maybe you could take it differently, but this is a professional woman serving on a board at the desire of the governor. She definitely should be removed from that position. Bonham and Helfrich said Thursday that they had not heard from Kotek about any potential response to their letter. A spokesperson for the governor did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This story was updated to include an annual salary for Cass McLeod-Skinner. Fire investigators and law enforcement want the publics help in figuring out the suspicious nature of a series of apparently human-caused fires that started July 11 in Malheur County, the Bureau of Land Management said Thursday. The fires Cow Valley, Bonita and others in the area all started between about 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., and the federal agency is offering a monetary reward for information that leads investigators to a person or people responsible for starting any of the blazes. The bureau didnt specify the amount of the reward. This story was inspired by some unsolicited tech advice from the TSA. Coming home from a recent vacation, my wife left her phone at airport security. After a frantic race back from the gate, we were able to get the phone back without issue, along with a tip from the agent who was holding onto it: Put an emergency contact on the lock screen, so whoever finds your phone knows who to call. Today is Amazon Prime Big Deal Days! Our editorial team lists the best tech deals here. ] There are actually a bunch of ways to do this, which Ill explain shortly. But the incident also brought to mind a broader point about how to deal with lost or stolen devices, both before and after the fact. If you have any trips coming up, its worth taking a few minutes to know your options. This column first appeared in Advisorator, Jareds tech advice newsletter. Sign up to get more tech tips every week. iPhone users: Set up Family Sharing If youre traveling with a partner and both of you have iPhones, setting up Family Sharing lets you use Apples Find My app to play a sound, enable Lost Mode, or remotely trigger a factory reset on the other persons devices. (Family Sharing also has other benefits, like being able to share some subscriptions.) Set it up under Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing, or view Apples documentation for more details. Family Sharing alone does not share your devices location with family members. If you want to do that, head to Settings > Your Name > Find My, then enable Share My Location and choose the family member you want to share with. Get familiar with Find My Apple, Google, and Microsoft all offer Find My utilities to help locate and remotely lock a lost device. Nows a good time to make sure youre using them. Apple: The Find My app should be installed by default, but if not, you can grab it from the App Store. You can use the app to find iPhones, iPads, Macs, AirPods, Apple Watches, AirTags, and other devices connected to Apples Find My network. (Theres also a web version at at icloud.com/find, but youll need access to your phone or an other Apple device to get past the two-factor authentication prompt.) Google: Install the Find My Device app from the Google Play Store, or use the web version. While you cant view your partners devices this way, the app has a handy Guest Mode that anyone can temporarily log into. Use it to find Android devices, WearOS watches, earbuds with Fast Pair support, and other devices that support Googles Find My Device network. Unfortunately, the app cant track a lost Chromebook. Microsoft: On your PC, head to Settings > Update & Security (in Windows 10) or Privacy & Security (in Windows 11), then select Find My Device and make sure its turned on. You can then use Microsofts Find My Device website to locate or lock down your laptop. Enable lost mode All three of the Find My tools above allow you to mark your device as lost. This prevents the device from being used until you sign back in, you can also set a custom message with contact information, so whoever finds the device can get it back to you. This feature is called Lost mode for Apple devices, Secure Device for Android, and Lock for Windows PCs. Add emergency info Find My apps may be useful once youve realized your phone has gone missing, but you can also add emergency contact info that anyone can proactively look up from your lock screen. On iOS: Head to Settings > Emergency SOS > Set up Emergency Contacts in Health. Hit Edit and fill out the emergency contact field. Head to Settings > Emergency SOS > Set up Emergency Contacts in Health. Hit Edit and fill out the emergency contact field. On Android: Varies by phone, but try looking under Settings > Safety & Emergency or About Phone > Emergency Information. On Samsung phones, you can also tap your name at the top of the Contacts app to fill out emergency contact info. Once set up, whoever finds your phone can hit Emergency from the lock screen to find your alternative contact info. Unfortunately, emergency contact info is a bit buried on both iOS and Android, so someone who finds your phone may not know where to find it. Besides, you might prefer to list your own email address instead of someone elses phone number as a recovery option, especially if youre traveling abroad. For those reasons, consider putting an alternative contact directly on the lock screen itself: On iOS: Set up a lock screen widget with customizable text, such as Lock Screen 16 or Any Text. Heres a helpful step-by-step guide. Set up a lock screen widget with customizable text, such as Lock Screen 16 or Any Text. Heres a helpful step-by-step guide. On Android: Varies by phone, but if you search for Lock Screen in Settings, you should find an option to add whatever text you like no third-party apps needed. Gone for good? If you cant get your device back and are worried about unauthorized access, you can use another device to remotely erase the lost one and sign out of your accounts. This is especially important on tablets or computers where you might not have set up a lock screen. Googles and Apples Find My apps offer an Erase function to wipe your devices from afar. Note that Apple says not to do this if you have an AppleCare+ plan with theft and loss coverage, as youll need to file a claim and get it approved before erasing the phone. if you have an AppleCare+ plan with theft and loss coverage, as youll need to file a claim and get it approved before erasing the phone. This Google web page lets you remotely log out of your account on any device, including Chromebooks. The AppleID website lets you log out of your Apple account on any device, including non-Apple devices (such as Roku players where you signed into the Apple TV app). Lastly, consider reporting the devices IMEI number to the police, which may be necessary if you have theft and loss coverage. You can look up that information on the AppleID website, or by clicking the i next to your phone on Googles Find My Device page. Back up your data Does your phone have any data that youd miss if it disappeared forever? Consider this a friendly reminder to have a backup solution in place, at the very least for your photos. This, of course, is an article unto itself. This column first appeared in Advisorator, Jareds tech advice newsletter. Sign up to get more tech tips every week. The flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has been lauded and endorsed by the Overlord of the Buipe Traditional area, Buipewura Jinapor II. According to the Traditional overlord, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumias selection to be a leader has been divinely sanctioned by the Almighty God. According to him, the Almighty God has specially called Dr. Bawumia to lead Ghana to the next level of development and greater economic fortunes. During a visit to the palace of the Buipewura on July 16, Buipewura Jinapor II extolled the training and leadership qualities demonstrated at all times by the Vice President, Dr. Bawumia during his time as Vice President, and expressed confidence in his ability to successfully lead Ghana to the next level. Buipewura Jinapor II said, "Truly you are appointed by God to stand in for Ghana" Buipewura Abdulai Jinapor II stated when the NPP flagbearer paid a courtesy call on him as part of his constituency-focused nationwide campaign. As part of his tour to the Northern and Savannah regions, Dr. Bawumia has been making his 70-point policies known to the electorates in these regions in order for them to cast their votes for him and the NPP party during the upcoming December 7 general elections. Urging Dr Bawumia to remain resolute and focused on marketing his vision and proposed policies, the Overlord of Buipe pronounced blessings on the NPP flagbearer. "Dr Bawumia, I have stretched my two hands on you with all my blessings. May the good Lord help you and see you through," he said. Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Country Manager for Yara Ghana Limited, Madam Theresa Randolph, has called for collective action among the Government and Stakeholders in the agricultural value chain to overcome barriers to women in agribusiness. Speaking at the 6th Women in Food and Agricultural Leadership Training Forum (WOFAGRIC) and Gold in the Soil Awards, organized by Agrihouse Foundation in the Bono Region, Madam Randolph highlighted the undeniable importance of agribusiness to Ghana's economy, contributing over 20% to the nations GDP. She emphasized that agribusiness encompasses more than just farming; it involves the entire value chain, presenting significant opportunities for growth, poverty eradication, and climate change mitigation. Despite the critical role of agribusiness, she acknowledged the numerous challenges farmers face in the sector. She pointed out that these challenges are even more pronounced for women farmers, farmers with disabilities, and women in agribusiness, who often face additional hurdles such as lack of land ownership, limited access to finance, and restricted market opportunities and therefore called on the government to implement policies that ensure equal land rights for women and promote their access to financial services. According to her, legal reforms should be put in place to protect women's property rights and facilitate their ownership of land and assets. She also stressed the need to sustainably improve agricultural productivity to meet increasing demand, enhance the efficiency and resilience of food systems, and improve income opportunities in rural areas. Overcoming these barriers requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders, including governments, private sector entities, non-governmental organizations, and international agencies. Stakeholders should work to improve women's access to high-quality agricultural inputs and technologies. Additionally, efforts should be made to connect women farmers with local and international markets, enabling them to achieve better prices for their produce. Providing women with education and training in modern agricultural practices, business management, and sustainable farming techniques is crucial. Extension services and capacity-building programs should be tailored to meet the specific needs of women, she remarked. Yara Ghana Limited has, for the past decade, been at the forefront of supporting agribusiness development, with a special focus on women and persons with disabilities. Through partnerships in programs like WOFAGRIC and the Gold in the Soil Awards, and other agricultural value chain initiatives, Yara Ghana has worked to break barriers, create opportunities, and improve the efficiency of food systems by providing farmers with quality and efficient crop solutions and agronomic knowledge to increase yields and improve crop quality in an environmentally responsible manner. Empowering women in agribusiness is not just a matter of fairness; it is essential for the sustainable development of the agricultural sector and the broader economy. By addressing the barriers that women face and creating an enabling environment for their full participation, we can unlock the potential of women farmers and contribute to a more resilient and prosperous agricultural sector. All stakeholders must work together to support women in agriculture, ensuring that they have the resources, knowledge, and opportunities they need to thrive, Randolph remarked. The Country Manager also spotlighted Yara Ghana's commitment to innovation and technology in agriculture, citing initiatives such as digital farming solutions and tailored agronomic training programs. A notable example of Yara Ghana's impactful initiatives is the recently concluded Grow Ghana Initiative. Launched in response to the challenges faced by farmers due to the COVID-19 crisis and the Russia-Ukraine war, which impacted access to affordable fertilizers, Yara International donated premium YaraMila Actyva fertilizer valued at USD 20 million to smallholder farmers in Ghana. This donation reduced their cost per acre by 33.3% and enhanced food system resilience. Supported by partners such as AFAP, AGRA, and USAID, the Grow Ghana Initiative increased staple crop productivity, created jobs for over 500 youth, and provided vital agronomic knowledge to boost productivity. The initiative not only improved agricultural productivity but also enhanced livelihoods and contributed to food security in Ghana. These efforts are geared towards breaking barriers and creating opportunities for farmers, particularly women. Madam Randolph expressed pride in Yara Ghana's collaboration with the Agrihouse Foundation for the past six years to organize the Women in Food and Agricultural Leadership Training Forum (WOFAGRIC) and Gold in the Soil Awards She recognized their shared commitment to supporting farmers towards sustainable agriculture and resilience. She urged all stakeholders to collaborate for a vibrant and inclusive agricultural sector benefiting farmers, communities, and the nation. Adding her voice, Ms. Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, expressed profound gratitude for Yara Ghanas steadfast partnership with the Agrihouse Foundation for the Women in Agricultural Training and Leadership Forum and Gold in the Soil Awards over the past six years. "Yara Ghana has been instrumental in advancing the status of women in agriculture in Ghana through the Women in Food and Agriculture Leadership Training Forum and The Gold in The Soil Awards. Their continued support enables us to create opportunities for women to thrive in agriculture, contributing to Ghana's economic growth and advancing gender equality," Ms. Akosa remarked. She elaborated on the importance of this collaboration, noting that the sustained partnership with Yara Ghana has enabled the foundation to expand its reach and impact. With Yara Ghana's support, we have been able to provide training and resources to thousands of women farmers, helping them improve their productivity and livelihoods. This partnership has also allowed us to advocate more effectively for policy changes that benefit women in agriculture. Ms. Akosa highlighted some success stories from past awardees, showcasing how recognition and support have transformed their agricultural practices and lives. These women are not just farmers; they are innovators, leaders, and role models in their communities. By sharing their stories and achievements, we inspire more women to pursue careers in agriculture and contribute to the nations food security. Ms. Akosa called for more stakeholders to join the cause, stressing that collective effort is crucial for achieving long-term sustainability. We need more partners like Yara Ghana who are committed to making a difference. Together, we can overcome the barriers that women face and create a more inclusive and equitable agricultural sector, she remarked. Source: Prince Baffour Asamoah/Peace FM News Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Government of Ghana represented by the Ministry of National Security exchanged signatures on a Letter of Agreement (LoA) to strengthen cooperation in preventing and countering terrorism and its nexus with transnational organized crime. The LoA will accelerate the delivery of technical assistance to Ghana under the United Nations Countering Terrorist Travel (CT Travel) Programme, building national capacities and supporting efforts to address threats associated with the travel of terrorists through the use of Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR). Mr. Mauro Miedico, Director of UNOCT, and Hon. Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister for National Security of Ghana, signed the agreement in an in-person ceremony that took place on the margins of the Forum Celebrating the 5th Anniversary of the UN's Countering Terrorist Travel Programme in Budapest, Hungary. Mr. Miedico thanked the Government of Ghana for its ongoing cooperation and strong collaboration with UNOCT, highlighting the significance of this partnership in enhancing national and regional security. Hon. Mr. Kan-Dapaah expressed appreciation for the support provided by UNOCT and emphasized Ghanas commitment to implementing the agreed measures effectively. The effective processing and analysis of passenger data are essential to the identification, detection, and interception of those who pose a terrorism-related threat as well as other serious criminals, including those that might be unknown to authorities, before, during and after travel. The LoA will allow the United Nations to continue supporting Ghana in enhancing its capabilities to detect and intercept terrorists and other criminals in-line with Security Council resolutions 2178 (2014), 2396 (2017), and 2482 (2019), which calls upon Member States to require that airlines operating in their territories provide API and PNR data to the appropriate national authorities in order to detect the departure from, or attempted entry into or transit through their territories. The UN Countering Terrorist Travel (CT Travel) Programme was launched in 2019 to support Member States to respond to the growing threat posed by the movement of foreign terrorist fighters. The Programme is a global initiative that aims to build Member States capacities to prevent, detect, investigate and prosecute terrorist offences and other serious crimes, including their related travel, by collecting and analyzing passenger data, both API and PNR, in line with Security Council resolutions, international standards and best practices and human rights principles. A flagship global initiative led by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the Programme follows an One-UN approach to provide comprehensive, yet tailored assistance to beneficiary Member States, together with the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the United Nations Office of Information and Communication Technology (OICT), International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The Programme is currently working closely with 76 Member States across the globe, 57 of which are beneficiaries of the Programmes technical assistance, as well as promoting regional cooperation through the sharing of lessons learned and good practices in the area of passenger data exchange. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former Minister for Central Region, Kwamena Duncan has called on former President John Dramani Mahama not to run away from the challenge to engage in a debate with Vice President and NPP presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has thrown the gauntlet to the NDC flagbearer, John Mahama, to come face-to-face with him to set straight their track records to the citizenry, aimed at informing the electorates' decision on who to vote for during the December 7 elections. I am looking forward to a debate with John Mahama on the economy, on the country on the governance. But I am afraid that he is running away from a debate. His people say he doesnt want to debate. I have never heard an opposition leader who doesnt want to debate. But he knows I will expose the emptiness of his policies, Dr. Bawumia said while addressing thousands of his supporters in Bunkpurugu, North East Region. Reacting to the issue on Peace FM's flagship show "Kokrokoo", Kwamena Duncan implored Ghanaians to mount pressure on John Mahama to accept the challenge. "Everyone, every good Ghanaian citizen must call on the former President; present yourself," he exclaimed. He believed the debate will clarify matters to the citizenry to make the right choice during the presidential elections. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Volta Regional Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has issued a stern warning to the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), urging the institution to cancel its proposed honorary doctorate for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The group has threatened to organize sustained demonstrations against the university if the proposed honour is granted. In a statement released on July 18, 2024, the youth wing, led by Mr. Mathias J. Alagbo (KABILA), angrily described the proposed honour as "undeserved, a misplaced priority, incompetent, politically motivated, and misguided." They argued that the president's poor performance in office, particularly in the Volta region, makes him unworthy of such an honour. The youth group demanded that UHAS immediately cancel the proposal, warning that it would tarnish the institution's reputation and undermine its legacy of excellence, integrity, and service to the people. They highlighted UHAS' establishment by the previous NDC administration. They challenged the current NPP administration led by President Nana Addo Danqua Akuffo Addo/ Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to demonstrate any significant contributions it has made to the university since taking office. The youth wing cited neglect of critical infrastructure projects in the Volta region, including the Ho-Aflao roads, phase (II) of the Akatsi Township Roads, Akatsi District Hospital Expansion Project, Rural Electrification projects, Water projects, and failure to provide financial clearance for employing lecturers and staff at UHAS. They called on the university community, alumni, and stakeholders to join them in opposing the proposed honour, which they described as a "blatantly lazy partisan move." The statement has sparked a heated debate in the region, with many calling on the university to reconsider the proposed honour. The university's management has yet to respond to the demands, fueling speculation about the motivations behind the proposed honour. As the controversy unfolds, the youth wing's stance has resonated with many in the region, who share concerns about the president's performance and the university's reputation. READ THE FULL STATEMENT BELOW: VOLTA YOUTH URGE UHAS AUTHORITIES TO CANCEL HONORARY DOCTORATE FOR PRESIDENT NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO The Volta Regional Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is totally disappointed by the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS)'s proposal to confer an honorary doctorate degree upon President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. We demand the Vice Chancellor and the University Council cease all actions toward this undeserved conferment immediately. It is infuriating and unacceptable that UHAS would even consider honoring a leader whose policies and actions have profoundly undermined the welfare and development of the Volta region and the nation. UHAS was established from scratch by the Mills-Mahama-led NDC administration, who provided the vision, resources, and initial development, making UHAS what it is today. The claims by UHAS authorities that the NPP secured funding for the China Phase II project are misleading. The relationships for continuous funding through grants from the Chinese were laid down long ago by President Mills even before the first phase of the University Construction began. We challenge the current administration to demonstrate any significant contributions they have made to UHAS since President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo took office. Where are the developments, funding, or support his administration provided to merit such an honor? The government has failed to provide the necessary financial clearance for employing lecturers and staff at the University and has abandoned the University roads started by the NDC before leaving power. The Volta Region has faced systematic neglect under the current government. Critical infrastructure projects, including the Ho-Aflao roads, have stalled, and the region has not received its fair share of national development. This honorary degree proposal is a blatantly partisan move. UHAS, as an esteemed academic institution, must remain neutral and avoid political controversies. This conferment not only tarnishes UHASs reputation but also sends a dangerous message to the youth and future leaders of this country. It implies an endorsement of the numerous failings and misdeeds that have defined the current administration, including economic mismanagement, grand corruption, and the marginalization of the people of the Volta region. We forcefully urge the Vice Chancellor and the UHAS Council to withdraw this proposed conferment immediately. We call upon the UHAS community, alumni, and stakeholders to stand with us against this misguided initiative. The legacy of UHAS should be one of excellence, integrity, and service to the peoplevalues fundamentally incompatible with the current administration's track record. Should our warning go unheeded, we will be compelled to explore all lawful and democratic means to ensure our voices are heard, including organizing massive and sustained demonstrations against the management until they are removed from our land. We trust that the Vice Chancellor and Council will act in the best interests of the university and the nation by withdrawing this unmeritorious and undeserving honor. Signed: Mathias Johnson Alagbo Regional Youth Organizer Volta Region, Ho July 18, 2024 0241786168 Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video John Dramani Mahama, the flag bearer for the opposition party, the National Democratic Congress has hit hard at the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) over what he describes as propagation of empty promises. According to the former President, the NPP should rather focus on revitalising the economy rather than going about touting promises they cannot accomplish. Mr. Mahama accused the NPP of prioritising campaigning for votes and making empty promises over revitalising the economy they have thrown into shambles under the leadership of Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia. The opposition partys flag bearer, Mr. Mahama, while addressing constituents at the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency during his tour in parts of the Greater Accra region stated that, the running mate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempehs assertion that Akufo-Addos achievements surpasses those of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, is a clear demonstration of the NPP governments lack of awareness of the countrys hardships. He argued that the governments primary focus should be on addressing the current economic challenges that is hitting the face of every Ghanaian. He said, Unfortunately, the people who have caused this economic crisis do not even realise there is a crisis. Because you hear them say they are the best government and even Nkrumah doesnt compare, it shows they dont even understand the situation in which Ghana is." Because if they understood the situation, we are still five months to an election, there are urgent measures they can take to ameliorate the situation. You dont go saying vote for me and when I come I will do this or that; you can do it now. You say you will rationalise taxes, five months to an election, is enough time to rationalise taxes. All the promises you are making, you have enough time to start implementing them now but you say, no, vote for me first then I will come and do it. What they did in 2016, they cant do again, he added. Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video LOS ANGELES (AP) Bob Newhart, the deadpan accountant-turned-comedian who became one of the most popular TV stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album, has died at 94. Jerry Digney, Newharts publicist, says the actor died Thursday in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses. Newhart, best remembered now as the star of two hit television shows of the 1970s and 1980s that bore his name, launched his career as a standup comic in the late 1950s. He gained nationwide fame when his routine was captured on vinyl in 1960 as The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, which went on to win a Grammy Award as album of the year. While other comedians of the time, including Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, Alan King, and Mike Nichols and Elaine May, frequently got laughs with their aggressive attacks on modern mores, Newhart was an anomaly. His outlook was modern, but he rarely raised his voice above a hesitant, almost stammering delivery. His only prop was a telephone, used to pretend to hold a conversation with someone on the other end of the line. In one memorable skit, he portrayed a Madison Avenue image-maker trying to instruct Abraham Lincoln on how to improve the Gettysburg Address: Say 87 years ago instead of fourscore and seven, he advised. Another favorite was Merchandising the Wright Brothers, in which he tried to persuade the aviation pioneers to start an airline, although he acknowledged the distance of their maiden flight could limit them. FILE - Actor-comedian Bob Newhart sits with a bronze likeness of Dr. Bob Hartley, the character he played in the 1972-78 sitcom "The Bob Newhart Show," at the unveiling of the statue in Chicago on July 27, 2004. Newhart, the deadpan master of sitcoms and telephone monologues, died in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 18, 2024. He was 94. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)AP Well, see, thats going to hurt our time to the Coast if weve got to land every 105 feet. Newhart was initially wary of signing on to a weekly TV series, fearing it would overexpose his material. Nevertheless, he accepted an attractive offer from NBC, and The Bob Newhart Show premiered on Oct. 11, 1961. Despite Emmy and Peabody awards, the half-hour variety show was canceled after one season, a source for jokes by Newhart for decades after. He waited 10 years before undertaking another Bob Newhart Show in 1972. This one was a situation comedy with Newhart playing a Chicago psychologist living in a penthouse with his schoolteacher wife, Suzanne Pleshette. Their neighbors and his patients, notably Bill Daily as an airline navigator, were a wacky, neurotic bunch who provided an ideal counterpoint to Newharts deadpan commentary. The series, one of the most acclaimed of the 1970s, ran through 1978. Four years later, the comedian launched another show, simply called Newhart. This time he was a successful New York writer who decides to reopen a long-closed Vermont inn. Again Newhart was the calm, reasonable man surrounded by a group of eccentric locals. Again the show was a huge hit, lasting eight seasons on CBS. It bowed out in memorable style in 1990 with Newhart in his old Chicago psychologist character waking up in bed with Pleshette, cringing as he tells her about the strange dream he had: I was an innkeeper in this crazy little town in Vermont. ... The handyman kept missing the point of things, and then there were these three woodsmen, but only one of them talked! FILE - Comedian Bob Newhart, 33, and his bride Virginia Quinn, 22, kiss during toast at a reception that followed their marriage in St. Victor Roman Catholic Church in West Hollywood, Calif. on Jan. 12, 1963. Newhart, the deadpan master of sitcoms and telephone monologues, died in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 18, 2024. He was 94. (AP Photo/David Smith, File)AP The stunt parodied a Dallas episode where a key character was killed off, then revived when the death was revealed to have been in a dream. Two later series were comparative duds: Bob, in 1992-93, and George & Leo, 1997-98. Though nominated several times, he never won an Emmy for his sitcom work. I guess they think Im not acting. That its just Bob being Bob, he sighed. Over the years, Newhart also appeared in several movies, usually in comedic roles. Among them: Catch 22, In and Out, Legally Blonde 2 and Elf, as the diminutive dad of adopted full-size son Will Ferrell. More recent work included Horrible Bosses and the TV series The Librarians, The Big Bang Theory which won him his only Emmy and Young Sheldon. Newhart married Virginia Quinn, known to friends as Ginny, in 1964, and remained with her until her death in 2023. They had four children: Robert, Timothy, Jennifer and Courtney. Newhart was a frequent guest of Johnny Carsons and liked to tease the thrice-divorced Tonight host that at least some comedians enjoyed long-term marriages. He was especially close with fellow comedian and family man Don Rickles, whose raucous insult humor clashed memorably with Newharts droll understatement. Were apples and oranges. Im a Jew, hes a Catholic. Hes low-key, Im a yeller, Rickles told Variety in 2012. A decade later, Judd Apatow would pay tribute to their friendship in the short documentary Bob and Don: A Love Story. A master of the gently sarcastic remark, Newhart got into comedy after he became bored with his $5-an-hour accounting job in Chicago. To pass the time, he and a friend, Ed Gallagher, began making funny phone calls to each other. Eventually, they decided to record them as comedy routines and sell them to radio stations. Their efforts failed, but the records came to the attention of Warner Bros., which signed Newhart to a record contract and booked him into a Houston club in February 1960. A terrified 30-year-old man walked out on the stage and played his first nightclub, he recalled in 2003. FILE - Bob Newhart poses for a photo in Beverly Hills, Calif., on July 13, 2005. Newhart, the deadpan master of sitcoms and telephone monologues, died in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 18, 2024. He was 94. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)AP Six of his routines were recorded during his two-week date, and the album, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, was released on April Fools Day 1960. It sold 750,000 copies and was followed by The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back! At one point the albums ranked No. 1 and 2 on the sales charts. The New York Times in 1960 said he was the first comedian in history to come to prominence through a recording. In addition to winning Grammys album of the year for his debut, Newhart won as best new artist of 1960, and the sequel The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back! won as best comedy spoken word album. Newhart was booked for several appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and at nightclubs, concert halls and college campuses across the country. He hated the clubs, however, because of the heckling drunks they attracted. Every time I have to step out of a scene and put one of those birds in his place, it kills the routine, he said in 1960. In 2004, he received another Emmy nomination, this time as guest actor in a drama series, for a role in E.R. Another honor came his way in 2007, when the Library of Congress announced it had added The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart to its registry of historically significant sound recordings. Bob Newhart addresses the audience at UCLA's 2013 Visionary Ball at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2013 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Newhart made the bestseller lists in 2006 with his memoir, I Shouldnt Even Be Doing This! He was nominated for another Grammy for best spoken word album (a category that includes audio books) for his reading of the book. Ive always likened what I do to the man who is convinced that he is the last sane man on Earth ... the Paul Revere of psychotics running through the town and yelling `This is crazy. But no one pays attention to him, Newhart wrote. Born George Robert Newhart in Chicago to a German-Irish family, he was called Bob to avoid confusion with his father, who was also named George. At St. Ignatius High School and Loyola University in Chicago, he amused fellow students with imitations of James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Jimmy Durante and other stars. After receiving a degree in commerce, Newhart served two years in the Army. Returning to Chicago after his military service, he entered law school at Loyola, but flunked out. He eventually landed a job as an accountant for the state unemployment department. Bored with the work, he spent his free hours acting at a stock company in suburban Oak Park, an experience that led to the phone bits. Comedian Bob Newhart pretends to speak on an antique telephone at his home in the Bel Air Estates community of Los Angeles, June 25, 2003. Newhart, the deadpan master of sitcoms and telephone monologues, died in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 18, 2024. He was 94.AP Photo/Jerome T. Nakagawa, File I wasnt part of some comic cabal, Newhart wrote in his memoir. Mike (Nichols) and Elaine (May), Shelley (Berman), Lenny Bruce, Johnny Winters, Mort Sahl we didnt all get together and say, Lets change comedy and slow it down. It was just our way of finding humor. The college kids would hear mother-in-law jokes and say, What the hell is a mother-in-law? What we did reflected our lives and related to theirs. Newhart continued appearing on television occasionally after his fourth sitcom ended and vowed in 2003 that he would work as long as he could. Its been so much, 43 years of my life; (to quit) would be like something was missing, he said. Former Associated Press writer Bob Thomas contributed to this report. Talk about a terrifying experience for Ally Raisman. The former Olympic gymnast, 30, has revealed that she has been hospitalized on multiple occasions after experiencing stroke-like symptoms. Raisman was a guest on Alex Coopers Call Her Daddy podcast on July 17, and she explained on the show that her medical emergencies were due to experiences of stress and trauma that caught up to her. It resulted in her being hospitalized multiple times, which was something she never publicly shared before. Raisman remembered a post on Instagram she once ran across that said, If you dont pick a day to rest, your body will pick it for you. This was something that she thought encapsulates her health scares. She even went on to describe some of the symptoms she experienced, which was quite intense for her. Its happened twice where its been this intense I feel like I have different minor issues as well, depending on what Im going through at the time where I have literally stroke-like symptoms, Raisman said. I cant remember my name. Im slurring my words. I can barely speak. Both times I was tested for a stroke because I literally couldnt move my body. She revealed that when she was first hospitalized, her doctors had absolutely no idea what her condition was and noted how scary it was to be surrounded by doctors due to her past abuse she experienced at the hands of a doctor. Back in 2017, she and dozens of other gymnasts came forward to expose U.S. gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. He later plead guilty to numerous charges of criminal sexual conduct and in 2018 he was sentenced to 175 years in prison. The first time it happened was during COVID. And so, they wouldnt let my mom in the ambulance with me, Raisman recalled about the hospitalization. I can understand what someone is saying to me and asking me, like, I know theyre asking me what my name is, but I cant remember my name or say what it is. I was aware enough to know, like, Oh, my God, I have two men I cant move my arms and my legs, I cant move my body, I cant speak. What if they take advantage of me? I was really still struggling a lot with PTSD, she continued. People dont realize how much it still lives with you when youve been through something traumatic. So, that was really hard for me. The second time she experienced these same stroke-like symptoms was a year and a half later, and it resulted in complete body paralysis that landed her in the hospital for three days. They wouldnt release me because I couldnt sit up on my own. It took me so long. I needed help walking, going to the bathroom, she revealed. It was the most [difficult thing] to be able to go from being an athlete and being able to push myself so much to literally not even be able to move my fingers, move my legs. It was so scary. She also added that she was initially ignored by doctors in the hospital until they realized who she was after her mother had spoken up, which changed their behavior. My mom was like, Do you know who Aly Raisman is? And [the doctors] were like, Yeah we know who she is. And my mom was like, Well thats her, she recalled. And then from there, they took such great care of me and were there for me. And I want to share that because its appalling. Like it doesnt matter who you are, everyone deserves to get excellent medical treatment. It wasnt until they realized that I was a very high-level athlete, that they were very nice to me and taking care of me, which is also triggering for me because I already have trust issues with doctors, she added. Now prioritizing her health on a daily basis by managing her stress which exacerbates her symptoms Raisman said shes now learning to manage her stress and trauma through therapy so it doesnt impact her health. She didnt share what the health condition was, after all, but expressed that its a real medical thing. I have to be very on top of my therapy, she added. But then also my therapist has to work with me if I start to feel off So its very hard and very interesting. Raisman is set to serve as an official hospitality ambassador alongside Michael Phelps during the Summer Games for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, NBC reported. The event will be a huge test for the former Olympic gymnast. Im gonna be so busy. Theres gonna be a lot of triggers. I might see someone that maybe didnt protect me in the past, Raisman explained while on the podcast. So, its working on that. Its very complicated. Priscilla Presley, ex-wife of Elvis, has filed a lawsuit against this week against a several former business associates. Presley whos making a stop in Pennsylvania this fall is accusing the auctioneer with claims of financial elder abuse and fraud. Rolling Stone reports how the complaint filed Thursday in Los Angeles claims the associates Florida-based auctioneer Brigitte Kruse among them, who filed her own lawsuit against Presley for an alleged breach of contract duped the 79-year-old out of over $1 million. According to the lawsuit, Kruse fraudulently induced Presley into signing number contracts that allowed Kruse to gain 80 percent of Presleys income, amounting to more than $1 million. This action arises out of a meticulously planned and abhorrent scheme by the defendants in this action to prey on an older woman by gaining her trust, isolating her from the most important people in her life, and duping her into believing that they would take care of her personally and financially while their real goal was to drain her of every last penny she had, according to the lawsuit. Kruse and her legal team, in turn, claimed they cannot respond because counsel has not been served with a copy of this filing but they have not responded. The same Rolling Stone article adds that Presley is looking for general damages of at least $1 million as well as punitive damages and attorneys fees. She additionally is seeking for all these fraudulently-induced agreements with all defendants listed rescinded in order to regain control of her accounts. HKSAR gov't issues 3.2 bln USD worth of green bonds Xinhua) 08:07, July 19, 2024 HONG KONG, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Thursday announced the successful offering of about 25 billion Hong Kong dollars (3.2 billion U.S. dollars) worth of green bonds. The bonds were denominated in renminbi (RMB), U.S. dollar and euro under the government sustainable bond program, the HKSAR government said in a statement. The offering attracted participation from a wide spectrum of investors globally, with more than 120 billion Hong Kong dollars equivalent in orders. In particular, the 20-year and 30-year RMB green bonds were offered for the first time by the HKSAR government, among which the 30-year bond is also the longest tenure RMB bond offered by the HKSAR government so far, providing new benchmarks for the market. Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government Paul Chan said the issuance of government green bonds is an important initiative to promote Hong Kong's low-carbon transformation and consolidate Hong Kong's development as a green and sustainable finance hub. "Global institutional investors responded enthusiastically to the subscription of these green bonds, reaffirming our efforts on this front. The inaugural offering of the 20-year and 30-year RMB bonds helps to extend the offshore RMB yield curve, further enrich offshore RMB product offerings, and promote RMB internationalization in an orderly manner," he said. The green bonds are expected to be settled on July 24 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) MUNCY An institutional parole agent at the State Correctional Institution at Muncy has been suspended without pay after being charged with engaging in sexual activity multiple times with a female who was incarcerated. Kenneth E. Jones, 29, of Lewisburg, was arraigned last Friday on charges of institutional sexual assault, obstructing the administration of law, official oppression and criminal coercion. Jones admitted engaging in sexual activity but the two differ significantly on the number of times, according to the arrest affidavit. He told an investigator he had penetrated her four times, they had vaginal and anal intercourse approximately 10 times and she performed oral sex on him about eight times. The woman claimed they had intercourse more than 100 times but he never ejaculated and she performed oral sex on him about 40 times. An investigation was launched after the inmate revealed to the prison superintendent on March 29 that she had a sexual relationship with Jones in his office when she was assigned to clean it. The following, taken from the affidavit, is what the female and Jones claim occurred: She said the two began flirting in April 2023 and the relationship expanded to swapping correspondence in which they expressed their feelings for each other. The first kiss was in June. In late June she touched his genitals on the outside of his clothing and he exposed himself. The sexual activity increased and continued until Oct. 23 when she had herself removed from the cleaning detail for fear of getting caught. Jones said he began speaking regularly to the inmate in August and their conversations increased in length. She asked if he would like to read a book she had written and he said yes, knowing he probably was crossing a small boundary. After a while the relationship unfortunately became physical, he said. The sexual activity occurred in his office with the door open. The two coercion charges allege the inmate was frightened to leave her housing unit because of Jones manic, erratic and emotional behavior. Jones is free on $25,000 unsecured bail. By Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News (TNS) Longtime conservative commentator Lou Dobbs has died at age 78, former President Donald Trump announced on social media Thursday. The Great Lou Dobbs has just passed away A friend, and truly incredible journalist, reporter, and talent, Trump posted on Truth Social. He understood the world, and what was happening, better than others. Trump praised Dobbs as unique in so many ways and sent his condolences to the TV personalitys wife, Debi, and the Dobbs family. He will be greatly missed! Trump wrote. A short time later, an Instagram page tied to Dobbs confirmed the broadcasters death. Its with a heavy heart we announce the passing of The Great Lou Dobbs, the message read, remembering him as a patriot and a great American and a fighter till the very end. A cause of death was not reported. The former presidents Truth Social post appeared to be the first report on the death of Dobbs, who spent more than 20 years at CNN and a decade at the Fox Business Network. Dobbs was a loyal Trump supporter known to promote conspiracy theories. His tenure with the Fox family ended in 2021 when Lou Dobbs Tonight was canceled in the throes of two defamation lawsuits naming Dobbs filed by voting technologies companies against Fox News. CNN sources indicated at the time the lawsuits from Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems, the latter of which settled with Fox for $787.5 million, werent solely to blame for Dobbs severance from the right-wing media operation. Dobbs, a Texas native who attended Harvard University, was with CNN at the cable news channels inception in 1980. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences awarded him a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award in 2005. 2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Multiple airports in Pennsylvania and beyond have reported long lines and delays due to a massive internet outage that has affected companies around the world. Harrisburg International Airport said on X, formerly known as Twitter, said that numerous flights are experiencing delays or cancellations as a result of the outage. Scott Miller, a spokesperson for Harrisburg International Airport said the first 11 flights of the day were either delayed or canceled. Miller added that the system was getting back up, but that it could take days before flights were running smoothly again. 6ABC is reporting that there are long lines at Philadelphia International Airport, although some airlines are slowly getting back to normal. Airport officials warned on X that travelers should expect delays and cancelations and to check their flight status before heading to the airport. Due to the global technology issue impacting multiple airlines, passengers should anticipate delays and cancellations today. Please check with your airline for the latest flight status information before heading to the airport. pic.twitter.com/SYyBHuy1a9 PHLAirport (@PHLAirport) July 19, 2024 BWI Airport, meanwhile, issued the following statement: A global technology issue is currently impacting several airlines. Please confirm flight status with your airline prior to coming to the airport. Please allow additional time if using shuttles to travel between the terminal, parking lots and rail station as shuttle delays are possible. Travelers should plan to arrive at the terminal 2 hours before scheduled domestic departure. DKAK reports that Pittsburgh International Airport is also seeing multiple delays and canceled flights. Airport officials warned travelers to check their flight status but said that the issue is not affecting the airports systems and that the security checkpoint is operating normally. Most major airlines reported problems as a result of the outage. Heres a breakdown of the latest developments: United Airlines said on X that some flights are resuming and that they have issued a said on X that some flights are resuming and that they have issued a waiver to make it easier for passengers to change their travel plans. American Airlines said on social media that as of 5 a.m. ET it has been able to safely re-establish its operation. Spirit said on X that, Due to the outage, we are currently unable to rebook Guests whose travel plans have been disrupted. We will assist these Guests as soon as possible when our vendor restores service. Delta said earlier this morning that it has managed to resume some flight departures, but that additional cancelations and delays are expected. Allegiant Air tweeted that it was impacted by the outage and that customers could experience delays when booking, checking in, or accessing boarding passes. The outage appears to have been caused by a software update issued by Crowdstrike for Microsoft Windows systems. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz told CNN that the issue has been identified and that a fix has been deployed. He added that the incident was not a security issue or a cyber attack. By Michael Sisak and Maryclaire Dale, The Associated Press FREEPORT, Pa. Thousands of mourners filed into a Pennsylvania banquet hall Thursday to remember the former fire chief who was fatally shot during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, who sent a note of condolence hailing him as a hero. The crowd paying their respects to Corey Comperatore and his family appeared to be a mix of friends, neighbors and strangers who wanted to show their appreciation for the man who officials said spent his final moments shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire at the campaign rally. Fire trucks and police vehicles filled the parking lot outside the building. Sharpshooters were positioned on top of the event hall and on nearby buildings as dozens of people waited in line to enter. Among the mourners were firefighters in dress uniforms. Comperatore, 50, worked as a project and tooling engineer, was an Army reservist and spent many years as a volunteer firefighter after serving as chief, according to his obituary. Trump suffered an ear injury but was not seriously hurt and has been participating this week in the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Mourners filled Laube Hall, a space with white brick walls, white linens, white curtains and exposed wooden beams thats normally used for weddings and other celebratory occasions. Guests walked past a large framed photo of Comperatore holding a fish, while a slideshow of photos from his life was projected on a screen his wedding, a recent 50th birthday party, time with his daughters, firefighting, fishing on a lake and palling around with his beloved Dobermans. The gathering included firefighters from other nearby communities and people involved in local and state Republican politics. Rich Tallis, a Penn Hills volunteer firefighter who attended the visitation, did not know Comperatore personally but felt a need to honor his memory. Vehicles are parked at a visitation for Corey Comperatore at Laube Hall, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Freeport, Pa. Comperatore was killed at rally for former President Donald Trump Saturday.(AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)AP Any first responder, its a brotherhood police, EMS fire, military. Were technically all one, he said. When one goes, we all go. Tables inside the hall were lined with flowers some sent by fire departments in New York and West Virginia, an auto racing circuit and the mayor of a nearby community. Others came from people in faraway places such as Connecticut and Florida who knew of Comperatore only because of his death. The messages on the cards accompanying the arrangements praised his selflessness and dedication to his family. One said his name would be written in the history books. Several hundred people were inside the space at any given time, and the overall attendance was sure to climb into the thousands. Mourners took turns pausing in front of Comperatores open casket, which was adorned with flower arrangements and ribbons with words such as dad and husband. In a corner was a framed copy of a note to Comperatores wife signed by Trump and former first lady Melania Trump. Corey will forever be remembered as a True American Hero, they wrote. Retired New York City Fire Department Lt. Joe Torrillo said outside the visitation that he came because Comperatore was a firefighter who lost his life the same way he lived his life like a real, true hero. And, you know, a lot of people maybe wouldnt or couldnt have done what he did, Torrillo said. A box truck parked on a route to the banquet hall displayed video screens showing slides, including a photograph of Trump raising his fist after Saturdays shooting. It had the slogan never surrender and a message expressing prayers for Trump and Comperatore. The visitation, which was broken into a pair of two-hour blocks, was the second of two public events memorializing and celebrating Comperatores life. Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday at a vigil for him at an auto racing track. A private funeral is scheduled for Friday. A statement issued Thursday by Comperatores family described him as a beloved father and husband, and a friend to so many throughout the Butler region. An electronic billboard displays a memorial for Corey Comperatore near the Butler Farm Show, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Butler, Pa. Comperatore was killed at rally for former President Donald Trump Saturday. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)AP Our family is finding comfort and peace through the heartfelt messages of encouragement from people around the world, through the support of our church and community, and most of all through the strength of God, the statement said. Dan Ritter, who gave a eulogy at Wednesdays vigil, said he bought Comperatores childhood home in 1993, sparking a friendship that grew with their shared values of family, Christian faith and politics. Corey loved his family and was always spending time with them, Ritter said. This past Saturday was supposed to be one of those days for him. He did what a good father would do. He protected those he loved. Hes a true hero for us all. Comperatores pastor, Jonathan Fehl of Cabot Methodist Church in Cabot, said the family has been humbled by the way this community has rallied around them and by the support they have received from people around the world. The vigil concluded with people in the crowd lighting candles and raising cellphones, glow sticks and lighters as Comperatores favorite song I Can Only Imagine, by Christian rock band MercyMe played while pictures of him and his family were shown on a screen. Two other people were wounded at the rally: David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township. As of Wednesday night, both had been upgraded to serious but stable condition, according to a spokesperson with Allegheny Health Network. Joseph Feldman, an attorney for Copenhaver, said Wednesday that he had spoken with his client by phone. He seems to be in good spirits, but he also understands the gravity of the situation, Feldman said. And hes deeply saddened about what has occurred, and hes deeply sympathetic to the other victims and their families. A memorial for Corey Comperatore is seen on a billboard at the Penn Theater in Butler, Pa., Thursday, July 18, 2024. Comperatore was killed at rally for former President Donald Trump Saturday. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)AP Feldman said Copenhaver suffered life-altering injuries, declining to go into detail. He said Copenhavers priority is to keep up with the medical treatment hes receiving and hopefully be released at some point. In a statement, Dutchs family thanked the greater western Pennsylvania community and countless others across the country and world for the incredible outpouring of prayers and well wishes. Associated Press reporters Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Lisa Baumann in Bellingham, Washington; and Michael Rubinkam in northeastern Pennsylvania contributed to this report. A federal judge in Scranton has been asked to approve a $5 million settlement with the final two defendants in the wrongful death suit brought by the mother and estate of a man who died in the Clinton County Correctional Facility. The proposed settlement with WellPath of Wilmington, Delaware, and Dr. Karl Pecht is in addition to the $700,000 the county agreed to pay to settle claims against it and four prison officials or guards. Debora Kitchen filed suit in 2019 in U.S. Middle District Court on behalf of herself and the estate of her son Shawn Kitchen, 40, who died in the prison Dec. 3, 2017, from a kidney infection. The chairwoman of the Dauphin County Democratic Committee said she has no plans to resign, despite a letter signed by five elected Democrats calling for her to do so. In a statement issued late Thursday night, Harris said she never received the letter but learned of it through inquiries from news organizations. I have unequivocally served during the worst of times. How would these individuals calling for my resignation even know my contribution to the Democratic Party when they never attend meetings or send a representative unless it is for their own re-election bids? she wrote. The letter is signed by Dauphin County Commissioners George Hartwick and Justin Douglas; Pennsylvania Reps. Dave Madsen and Fleming; Pennsylvania Rep. Patty Kim (and Democratic nominee for state senate this election); and Democratic nominee for state representative Nathan Davidson. The group issued a news release saying they had called for Harris to resign as committee chairwoman after months of dysfunction in the Dauphin County Clerk of Courts Office. Harris was a deputy in that office, appointed by Bridget Whitley, the first Democrat elected to that office. Also appointed deputy clerk was Cole Goodman, vice chairman of the Dauphin County Democratic Committee. After months of backlogged paperwork and errors, Whitley and Goodman resigned just before they were to face contempt of court proceedings. One of Whitleys last acts was to fire Harris, who said she refused to resign and was wrongfully terminated. Goodman also resigned as vice-chairman of the county committee Thursday morning. But Harris said she will not take that step. It is important to mention that on Monday, July 8, 2024, I received an unsolicited vote of confidence from the DCDCs executive board, Harris said in her statement. Furthermore, any one of them could have submitted any concerns to the DCDCs grievance committee, which they have not. I have historical documentation which supports the fact that since my tenure as DCDC Chair, with a team of committed members, we have improved visibility, involvement, and membership. Her statement concluded: I stand by my record of dedicated service. Again, my heart is heavy that my own Party representatives are using the media to bully me for no justifiable reason. My commitment to public service remains unwavering. I will not allow anyone to intimidate me into resigning from my elected position as Dauphin County Democratic Committee Chair. Remember. Today it is me, but tomorrow it may be you. Editors note: Rogette Harris is a contributor to PennLives Battleground PA podcast. Cole Goodman is the son of PennLive Outreach and Opinion Editor Joyce Davis. By David Gambacorta, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS) In Pennsylvania, the math has favored the powerful. For a little more than $300, real estate developers and political figures have long been able to file baseless lawsuits against their critics, plunging them into protracted, costly court battles. Registered community organizations, #MeToo advocates, and social media users are among those who have buckled under the weight of this form of legal retaliation, known best by its acronym, SLAPP, for strategic lawsuits against public participation. A new state law promises to push back against a disturbing increase in SLAPP cases and provide citizens with a badly needed layer of free speech protection. House Bill 1466, which was signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Josh Shapiro, will enable defendants to file a special motion to have their cases quickly dismissed, based on protected public expression immunity an umbrella that covers communication on issues that are under consideration in legislative, executive, or judicial arenas, and the rights of freedom of speech and freedom of the press on matters of public concern. This is more important than ever, said David Keating, the president of the Institute for Free Speech, a nonprofit focused on protecting First Amendment political speech rights. In 2022, the institute estimated that, in states with poor anti-SLAPP laws, defeating a meritless defamation lawsuit could cost a defendant between $21,000 and $55,000. In some instances, that price tag could rise to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Few social media users, Keating said, understand that an offhand post a bad Yelp review here, a pointed Facebook community comment there could result in being on the receiving end of a vengeful lawsuit. Even totally frivolous lawsuits can make your life really miserable, he said. Under the new law, if a Pennsylvania judge determines that a lawsuit has been filed to harass, punish, or intimidate a defendant, the case could be quickly tossed and the plaintiff would be ordered to pay the defendants attorneys fees and court costs. Defendants could also be awarded punitive damages. I think the number of SLAPP [cases] is going to go down a lot, Keating said. Its a totally different dynamic. Pennsylvania legislators had, in the past, recognized a need to strengthen the states anti-SLAPP defenses, which applied primarily to citizens who spoke out about environmental issues. Former state Sen. Larry Farnese introduced anti-SLAPP bills in 2015, 2017, and 2019, but each of those measures failed to make it to a governors desk. In 2023, State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro (D., Erie County) introduced House Bill 1466, which was based, in part, on the Public Expression Protection Act, model legislation that was developed by the Uniform Law Commission, a conference of lawyers, judges and law professors. Since 2020, the protection act has been enacted in red and blue states alike, including Maine, New Jersey, Kentucky, and Utah. On its website, Keatings institute lists a range of people and groups that have benefited in states with strong anti-SLAPP laws, from conservative Christians and Hollywood filmmakers, to environmental activists and anti-abortion groups. Its always been a bipartisan issue, Keating said. The fact that most of these [bills] are passing nearly unanimously is a very good sign for continued progress. It shows that, even in this polarized age, if you bring a lot of thought into a problem that needs fixing, and you bring a lot of attention to it, you can still solve that problem. Bizzarros bill made it through Pennsylvanias House and Senate without opposition. To help shore up support, legislators invoked a Philadelphia cautionary tale: the plight of the Old City Civic Association. In 2012, two different entities sued the civic association for its opposition to development plans. The lawsuits werent successful, but the 40-year-old civic association was dropped by its insurance carrier. Faced with the prospect of being held personally liable for future litigation, the volunteer groups members decided to disband. Steve Huntington serves as the zoning committee chair of the Philadelphia Crosstown Coalition, a nonprofit network of registered community organizations. Huntington said he thought the states new anti-SLAPP provisions would have led to a quick dismissal of the lawsuits that felled the Old City Civic Association. Its great to have [the law] now, he said, but it would have been great to have had it 10 years ago, too. Another longtime neighborhood group, the Greater Bustleton Civic League, was sued in 2023 by a developer for objecting to a plan to open a large UPSwarehouse on Red Lion Road. The civic league, which had existed for 80 years, lost its directors and operators insurance and considered folding altogether. The league managed to find a new insurer, but its premium soared by thousands of dollars. Huntington said he hopes the state will adopt additional measures to its new law, like requiring plaintiffs to pay the cost of any increase to a defendants insurance premium. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The Inquirers journalism is supported in part by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism and readers like you. News and Editorial content is created independently of The Inquirers donors. Gifts to support The Inquirers high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters. (c)2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at www.inquirer.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A Berks County mayors Facebook post after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has drawn condemnation, spurred a petition to remove him from office and forced the boroughs office to close. Bernville Mayor Shawn Raup-Konsavage, a Democrat, went on Facebook after Saturdays shooting at a Butler County rally and wrote, #PennsylvaniaProud. Try harder, according to screenshots circulating online and in media reports. Stuart Muszynski, one of our avid readers, took the time to write an op-ed calling for the nation as a whole to calm down. We echo those sentiments. Many fear we have reached a stage of intolerable political violence. It didnt begin Saturday when former President Donald Trump barely missed being shot in the head. Some say it began Jan. 6 with the attack on the nations capital. But the truth is, in the past decades weve seen violent attacks on too many political figures, including on several presidents. Cleaner local rivers and streams can be considered among the winners in Pennsylvanias new budget, Pa.s 2024-25 budget has its winners, losers and toss-ups (July 16). The Chesapeake Bay Foundation applauds Gov. Shapiro and the General Assembly for including $50 million in new annual funding for the Clean Streams Fund, which extends the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program (ACAP) in Pennsylvanias General Fund budget for fiscal year 2024-25. The ACAP cost-share will receive $35.75 million from the Clean Streams Fund to become investments passed through conservation districts to help farmers design and pay the costs of implementing conservation practices to reduce harmful polluted runoff. This historic commitment of state funds is a tremendous step forward for all of the work ahead to ensure cleaner waters in the Commonwealth. It would not have been possible without the steadfast leadership of Pennsylvania Senators Scott Martin, R-13, and Gene Yaw, R-23. In praising Keystone State progress toward cleaner local waters in Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay, Governor Shapiro said, You have my commitment that this work will continue. Pennsylvania is all in. To keep Pennsylvanias momentum going, CBF urges Gov. Shapiro to join governors from the other Bay states at the Chesapeake Executive Council meeting in December, to recommit to the Bay partnership, and pledge to update the Bay agreement by the end of 2025. We look forward to working with the governor, legislature, and all Pennsylvanians, to create a legacy of clean water, healthy soils, and resilient communities for future generations. Julia Kral is Executive Director for Pennsylvania,Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and she lives in Enola, Pa. Disabled athletes and their advocates came to the Governors Residence in Harrisburg on Thursday to celebrate a boost in funding for support services with a brunch and a few rounds of the Italian ball game, bocce. Gov. Josh Shapiro, who hosted the event with Special Olympics Pennsylvania, also held a ceremonial signing of the $47.6 billion state budget that delivers $354.8 million in new federal and state funding for home and community-based providers. It also clears 1,500 people off the statewide list of 5,666 disabled individuals who have been waiting at least six months for services. About 153 of them live in Dauphin County. Check Out the 2024 UKIPT London Schedule; Ambassador Meet-Up Announced Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link The PokerStars UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) will visit the Hippodrome Casino in the heart of the British capital from August 2 to 11 for the 2024 UKIPT London festival. Anyone heading to PokerStars at the Hippodrome is in for a treat because the bustling schedule has something for everyone. The 1,100 buy-in UKIPT London Main Event is the tournament everyone heading to the Hippodrome wats to win. This year's Main Event feature four flights, the first of which shuffles up and deals at 1:00 p.m. on August 4. Flight B starts at the slightly later time of 2:00 p.m. on August 5, with the third and fourth flights kicking off at 12:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on August 6. PokerNews' live reporting team is covering the 1,100 Main Event from start to finish, so you could see your name adorning our famous pages! Power Passes and More to be Won in the Ambassador Meet-Up The Main Event aside, the one tournament you must try to make it to is the 220 No-Limit Hold'em Bounty Ambassador Meet-Up at 8:00 p.m. on August 6. You can win 100 cash for each opponent you send to the rail, but special prizes await anyone who eliminates a PokerStars Ambassador. What's more, every player who players the Ambassador Meet Up that has linked their PS Live card to their online PokerStars account will receive a $109 Sunday Million ticket. The likes of Lex Veldhuis, Sam Grafton, Barny Boatman, Joe "Stapes" Stapleton, James Hartigan, Adam McKola, Rory Jennings, Georgina "GJ Reggie" James, Nick Walsh, and Kerryjane Craigie are expected to feature, and do so with an additional bounty on their head. Two ambassadors will have a $2,500 Silver Pass on their head with the others having a $109 Power Path Bronze Path as their bounty. Oh, and the eventual winner of this event receives a UKIPT Nottingham Main Event seat on top of any cash or other bounties they collect along the way! Past Five UKIPT London Main Event Champions Dylan Bradley Dylan Bradley is the reigning UKIPT London Main Event champion, having outlasted 373 opponents last September. Bradley defeated Stephen Cherry heads-up to claim the 71,650 top prize, which also happened to be Bradley's first recorded live score! Check out the winners of the past five UKIPT London Main Events in the table below. Date Buy-in Entrants Prize Pool Champion Prize Sep 2023 1,100 374 359,040 Dylan Bradley 71,650 Apr 2022 1,100 645 619,200 James Rann 86,569 Apr 2016 770 649 454,300 Usman Siddique 84,100 Jan 2015 770 742 503,818 Rapinder Cheema 78,825 Oct 2014 770 1,089 739,431 Brett Angell 115,083 Full 2024 UKIPT London Schedule Date Time Event Fri 2 Aug 4:00 p.m. 330 NLHE Warm-Up Mystery Bounty Day 1a 9:00 p.m. 125 Qualifier to Main Event Sat 3 Aug 12:00 p.m. 330 NLHE Warm-Up Mystery Bounty Day 1b 6:00 p.m. 330 NLHE Warm-Up Mystery Bounty Day 1c 9:00 p.m. 125 Qualifier for Main Event Sun 4 Aug 12:00 p.m. 330 NLHE Warm-Up Mystery Bounty Day 2 1:00 p.m. 1,100 NLHE Main Event Day 1a 6:00 p.m. 220 NLHE Mon 5 Aug 3:00 p.m. 330 Pot-Limit Omaha 6:00 p.m. 220 NLHE 8:00 p.m. 125 Qualifier to Main Event Tue 6 Aug 4:00 p.m. 125 Qualifier to Main Event 6:00 p.m. 250 Qualifer to 2,200 High Roller 8:00 p.m. 220 NLHE Bounty Ambassador Meet-Up Wed 7 Aug 2:00 p.m. 250 Qualifier to 2,200 High Roller 4:00 p.m. 2,200 NLHE UKIPT High Roller Day 1 8:00 p.m. 125 Qualifier to Main Event Thu 8 Aug 1:00 p.m. 250 Qualifier to Main Event 2:00 p.m. UKIPT High Roller Final Day 2:00 p.m. 1,100 NLHE Main Event Day 1b 9:00 p.m. 250 Qualifier to Main Event Fri 9 Aug 12:00 p.m. 1,100 NLHE Main Event Day 1c 12:00 p.m. 250 Qualifier to Main Event 7:00 p.m. 1,100 NLHE Main Event Day 1d Sat 10 Aug 11:00 a.m. Qualifier Freeroll 12:00 p.m. NLHE Main Event Day 2 1:00 p.m. 330 NLHE UKIPT Cup Day 1 8:00 p.m. 220 NLHE Sun 11 Aug 12:00 p.m. NLHE Main Event Final Day 12:00 p.m. NLHE UKIPT Cup Final Day 12:00 p.m. 220 8-Game 2:00 p.m. 220 NLHE Bounty 5:00 p.m. 165 NLHE Deepstack Never Miss a PokerStars Tournament Again Have you used the PokerNews Online Tournament Calendar yet? Our free-to-use tool allows you to see upcoming online poker tournaments and in-play tournaments at several online poker rooms, including PokerStars. You can even take advantage of a PokerStars sign up bonus. Apply filters to narrow your search, including buy-in, game type, and even prize pool guarantees, enabling you to find your perfect online poker tournament in seconds, all without leaving PokerNews! Share this article Hunter Bidens lawyers are using Aileen Cannons order dismissing the Trump classified documents case to request the dismissal of his own special counsel conviction. Here is the Hunter Biden filing: BREAKING: The impact of the dismissal of Trump's classified docs case dismissal in FL has hit the Hunter Biden federal gun crime docket. Hunter's attorney Abbe Lowell is moving to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, citing Clarence Thomas and the appropriations clause. pic.twitter.com/D882YQum1T Kaelan Deese (@KaelanDC) July 18, 2024 Aileen Cannons haphazard dismissal of the Trump classified documents case has opened the door for absolute chaos, Cannons order that claimed special counsels are illegal appointments means that the Hur investigation into President Bidens classified documents investigation. Special Counsel Jack Smith and the Department of Justice have announced that they will be appealing Cannons order, but until Judge Cannon is overturned, anyone who was convicted in a case that was prosecuted by a special counsel could now have their convictions overturned. Aileen Cannon thought that she was bailing out Donald Trump, but she created a massive problem for the Republican Party, may get overturned by the appeals court, and could find herself removed from the classified documents case. President Biden issued a statement after Trumps RNC acceptance speech fiasco that showed that the president is giving no indication of stepping aside. President Biden said: Last night the American people saw the same Donald Trump they rejected four years ago. For over 90 minutes, he focused on his own grievances, with no plan to unite us and no plan to make life better for working people. He avoided mentioning his Project 2025 agenda, but still proudly flaunted the worst of MAGA extremism. Americans know exactly where he wants to take this country. They know that he inflicted pain and cruelty on the women of America by overturning Roe v Wade. They know that he destroyed our economy once and will inflict pain on the middle class, that he wants to gut the checks and balances of our Constitution and rule as a dictator on day one. Donald Trumps dark vision for the future is not who we are as Americans. Together, as a party and as a country, we can and will defeat him at the ballot box. I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone. The stakes are high, and the choice is clear. Together, we will win. It has been made clear over the last few days that the movement to get rid of Biden is coming from House Democrats, and according to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, those Democrats are getting pressure from their big-money donors. The Democratic Party isnt in crisis as much as House Democrats are creating a crisis for the rest of the party. The reality is that the convention is roughly one month. Early voting begins in two months. The time to have this conversation was last year. The reason why House Democrats are acting like this now is because the House is going to be mostly out of session and working a very light schedule so that members can campaign beginning in August. The schedule that House Democrats are most worried about isnt one that is good for the country, or their party, but their desire to keep their seats and win back the majority. There is no sign in Bidens statement that hes planning on going anywhere, so it is time for these coup plotters to give it up, and start thinking about getting back on board with the rest of the Democratic Party to win in November. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) made it clear that he is Team Biden. Jeffries told reporters, Joe Biden, as Ive said repeatedly, is our nominee. He has a tremendous track record of success. He is one of the most accomplished presidents in American history, and he has the vision, I believe, the ability, the capacity, and the track record to make a case to the American people that will result in us being successful. Video: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries tells reporters this morning in Brooklyn that he's team Biden/Harris Jeffries says his position on the Democratic ticket has not changed #nbc4ny pic.twitter.com/BIKOpGBSDU Steven Bognar (@Bogs4NY) July 19, 2024 There was no wishy-washy whatever decision the president makes language or anonymous leaking to reporters. Jeffries went out and looked voters in the eye and said that he is sticking with Joe Biden. Trumps horrible RNC speech showed that the presidential election remains more than winnable for Democrats. Trump is a dumpster fire on a train wreck, and the only way that he wins this election is if Democrats give it to him. Each day that this nonsense is allowed to continue is another day that Democrats arent talking about Project 2025 or Trump. It is time to be grown ups and go win an election. The children of the House have had their moment, and the rest of the party should move on and leave those who want Biden to go behind to cry it out. Several Horse Creek Valley residents told Aiken County Council on July 16 that they were worried about the possibility of a Class Two landfill being located near where they live and asked the panel for its help. But County Council Chairman Gary Bunker told them that they should discuss their concerns instead with state officials. There are powers that are granted to the county and there are powers that are the states, Bunker said. Landfill regulation and permits are powers of the state of South Carolina and [are] not granted to the county. Courtney Crafton and Greg Bramlett addressed County Council during the work session prior to the panels meeting at the Aiken County Government Center. One other person also spoke after Bunker said there was time to hear from someone else. Hilltop C&D LLC is seeking to open a new facility, known as the Rabbit Hill Class Two Landfill, on Dixie Clay Road. Langley, Bath, Clearwater and Burnettown are in that area. The Rabbit Hill Landfill would be a replacement for an existing facility, the Hilltop Class Two Landfill, on Rainbow Falls Road in the Graniteville area. Crafton, who described herself as a stay-at-home mom, said she was worried that the Rabbit Hill Landfill, if opened, could negatively impact air quality, property values, wildlife and quality of life. In addition Crafton expressed concerns about the potential for fires in the landfill, increased traffic on Dixie Clay Road, which she said already is treacherous, and exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas, which can increase when materials are crushed, impacted or come in contract with rainwater. The close proximity of the proposed landfills site to Jefferson Elementary School also was among Craftons many concerns. Why should we be forced to tolerate these risks while this facility provides no benefit to the surrounding community? she asked. Crafton said she wanted County Council to first of all hear us out and hear our concerns. The two teams suing NASCAR have asked for a court order to compete under the 2025 charter agreement as their antitrust case moves through federal court. 23XI Racing is owned by Michael Jordan, veteran driver Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk. Front Row Motorsports is owned by Bob Jenkins. The teams sued NASCAR and chairman Jim France last week, accusing NASCAR of being monopolistic bullies in the new charter system that they refused to sign. Read more2 teams suing NASCAR ask court to recognize them as chartered while antitrust case proceeds The death toll from Hurricane Helene has reached at least 40 across four states. Helene has left an enormous path of destruction across Florida and the entire southeastern U.S. The Category 4 hurricane made landfall Thursday in Florida, snapping trees like twigs, tearing apart homes and sending rescue crews on desperate and dangerous missions to save people from floodwaters. The damage extended hundreds of miles to the north, with flooding as far away as North Carolina. According to an Associated Press tally Friday, the deaths occurred in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Read moreRescuers race to free people trapped by Hurricane Helene after storm kills at least 40 in 4 states COLUMBIA A man fled to Richland County after authorities say he attempted to shoot a police officer in Georgia. Julio Figueroa, 39, was apprehended after barricading himself in a Columbia home for two hours, according to the Richland County Sheriff's Department. On July 17, the sheriff's department was notified by the Cobb County Police Department in Marietta, Ga., that Figueroa had attempted to shoot an officer the previous day. Cobb County police believed Figueroa had left Georgia and was in Richland County, according to the sheriff's department. Investigators with the sheriff's department confirmed that Figueroa had taken a Greyhound bus to Richland County. He was staying at a family member's home on Summer Court in the Carriage Oaks subdivision. At 3 p.m. on July 17, the department's Special Response Team and Fugitive Task Force responded to the home. A woman and two young children left from the front door, and the sheriff's department said they were relocated to safety. Figueroa refused to cooperate and barricaded himself for about two hours, according to deputies. "Negotiators were initially able to establish communication with Figueroa but he quickly terminated communication and turned his phone off," the sheriff's department wrote in a press release. At 5 p.m., deputies used chemical munitions to "affect compliance," and Figueroa eventually surrendered. Figueroa is wanted by the Cobb County police for aggravated assault of an officer with a weapon, first degree burglary, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of burglary tools and loitering. After being treated at a local hospital, Figueroa was taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, where he is awaiting extradition. A new report shows expanding Medicaid in South Carolina could bring in billions more in federal dollars and generate jobs in health care and other areas in every county in the state. Gov. Henry McMaster says expansion is not worth studying and would still be too costly. The economic analysis released July 18 from the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University was commissioned by CoverSC, a statewide coalition of 180 nonprofits, health care organizations and advocates pushing for expansion. South Carolina is one 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid since it became an option for them in 2014. That has cost the state roughly $1 billion each year in expanded federal support for health care that went elsewhere, center director Leighton Ku, the report's lead author, said. South Carolina taxpayers "are essentially subsidizing Medicaid expansion in other states" who are receiving that higher level of federal funding, he said. Expanding Medicaid in South Carolina would have the opposite effect, the analysis found. Outside of those who are elderly or disabled, current Medicaid eligibility for adults is restricted to families with children whose income is 67 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, or $16,650 a year for a family of three; pregnant or postpartum women for up to a year; and a limited benefit for those of higher income to provide family planning services. Expanding eligibility to 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, or $34,300 a year for a family of three, would provide full benefits for 328,889 adults and 36,187 children in the first year, which the report projected to begin in 2026. Those totals would increase over the next couple of years covered in the report. This paid press release is brought to you from our partnership with EZ Newswire. The Post and Courier news staff was not involved in its creation. BOILING SPRINGS In a few weeks, Boiling Springs residents soon will no longer have to trek to Spartanburgs Westide to shop at Target. A new Target opens on Aug. 18 in Boiling Springs at 3659 Boiling Springs Road as part of a bigger shopping center. Shoppers will find a Starbucks, CVS Pharmacy and Ulta Beauty inside the 148,000-square-foot store. Bringing with it are up to 200 jobs starting at $15 an hour, according to new store director Jonathan Colbert. He previously led the Target in Greer. He said Target comes to Boiling Springs amid growth. There are lots of developments that are popping up in this area, Colbert said. Just a ton of growth here. One feature of the story, which is the county's second Target, is an expansive grocery department, according to Colbert. Nearby the store is a newly opened Whataburger fast food restaurant, the Texas-based burger chain's first location in South Carolina. The company will soon open other restaurants across the state, including three more in the county. A QuikTrip gas station, McAlisters Deli, Blaze Pizza and a townhome development will also be in the same area. Boiling Springs traffic, growing pains The growth has brought plenty of new paying customers but also traffic. Spartanburg County Councilman Jack Mabry, who represents the Boiling Springs area, asked residents to be patient with the congestion. Just like anything, you're going to have growing pains, Mabry said. But there is going to be some traffic and we'll all kind of have to get used to it and just be cognizant of everything that's going on. PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 04:07:29 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 412 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have untilSeptember 16, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against CAE, Inc. (NYSE:CAE), if they purchased the Company's shares between February 11, 2022 and May 21, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.What You May DoIf you purchased shares of CAE and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-cae/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court bySeptember 16, 2024 .About the LawsuitCAE and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On May 21, 2024, the Company disclosed a "re-baselining of its Defense business, Defense impairments, accelerated risk recognition on Legacy Contracts and appointment of Nick Leontidis as COO," as well as "a $568.0 million non-cash impairment of Defense goodwill," "$90.3 million in unfavorable Defense contract profit adjustments as a result of accelerated risk recognition on the Legacy Contracts," and a "$35.7 million impairment of related technology and other non-financial assets which are principally related to the Legacy Contracts." On this news, the price of CAE's shares fell over 5%, from $19.83 per share on May 21, 2024, to $18.80 per share on May 22, 2024.The case is Norbert Gamache v. CAE Inc., et al., 24-cv-05360.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com CONTACT: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 13:30:55 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 288 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / Levi & Korsinsky notifies investors that it has commenced an investigation of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. ("CenterPoint") (NYSE:CNP) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 storm on July 8, 2024. The impact of the storm left roughly 2.2 million CenterPoint customers without power. Six days after the storm, some 270,000 homes and businesses in the Houston area were still without power. At a press conference on July 14, 2024, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that he was demanding an investigation into CenterPoint's response to Hurricane Beryl. Among other comments, Governor Abbott said that CenterPoint did not have "an adequate number of workers pre-staged" before the storm hit. Following this news, CenterPoint's stock price dropped over 6% on July 15, 2024. To obtain additional information, go to:or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212)363-7500.WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212)363-7500 Fax: (212)363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 13:01:37 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 320 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating potential claims on behalf of purchasers of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. ("CenterPoint" or "the Company") (NYSE:CNP). Investors who purchased CenterPoint securities are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/CNP Investigation DetailsOn July 8, 2024, Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 storm. The impact of the storm left roughly 2.2 million CenterPoint customers without power. Six days after the storm, some 270,000 homes and businesses in the Houston area were still without power. At a press conference on July 14, 2024, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that he was demanding an investigation into CenterPoint's response to Hurricane Beryl. Among other comments, Governor Abbott said that CenterPoint did not have "an adequate number of workers pre-staged" before the storm hit. On this news, CenterPoint's stock price fell $2.02 per share, or 6.67%, to close at $28.28 per share on July 15, 2024.What's Next?If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation or purchased CenterPoint securities, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/CNP . You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his client relations manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 332-239-2660.There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & GrossmanBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.ContactBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller 332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 18:00:20 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 513 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 E2M Solutions acquires UnlimitedWP, now the largest white-label WordPress provider. This acquisition enhances their ability to serve digital agencies worldwide with expanded capabilities and expertise.SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / E2M Solutions, a leading white-label partner for digital agencies, has acquired UnlimitedWP, a premier white-label WordPress development company. This acquisition positions E2M as the world's largest white-label WordPress development provider, enhancing services for both companies' clients.E2M Acquires UnlimitedWP E2M Acquires UnlimitedWP Milestone AcquisitionThis acquisition is a significant milestone for E2M and UnlimitedWP. E2M will integrate UnlimitedWP's team of 80+ professionals, expanding its workforce to nearly 300 employees and increasing the client base to over 300 agencies globally.E2M, in business for over 12 years, aims to dominate the White-Label WordPress Development Outsourcing space, offering WordPress, SEO, content, and eCommerce services. Their team of over 100 developers has delivered over 5,000 projects to digital agencies, positioning E2M for market domination, especially in the USA."Ronik (founder of UnlimitedWP) and I have been friends for over eight years. Our shared passion for the agency ecosystem and commitment to helping agencies grow has always united us," said Manish Dudharejia, CEO of E2M Solutions. "Our core vision and mission are the same - supporting agencies to thrive - so we decided to join forces." Strengthening Services and InnovationUnlimitedWP's CEO, Ronik Patel, expressed his excitement about the merger. "This acquisition is transformative. By combining our strengths, we can offer an expanded suite of services and access to a greater talent pool. Our mission to help digital agencies grow will now be realized on a much larger scale." Both companies are committed to leveraging AI to enhance service delivery and productivity. Integrating E2M's expertise in WordPress, SEO, Shopify, BigCommerce, UI/UX design, and content writing with UnlimitedWP's WordPress development capabilities will provide clients with comprehensive solutions.Commitment to Clients and Team MembersThe acquisition ensures seamless service continuation for existing clients, with no immediate changes to current services or support structures. Clients can expect enhanced capabilities and the same high level of service.E2M Solutions is committed to a smooth integration process for all team members. The combined workforce will operate from three offices.About E2M SolutionsE2M Solutions, based in Ahmedabad, India, has been the #1 white-label partner for digital agencies for over 12 years. Founded by Manish Dudharejia, E2M specializes in WordPress Development, SEO, content writing, and eCommerce Solutions. E2M leverages AI to enhance service delivery and productivity, focusing on delivering results that help agencies thrive and fostering long-term partnerships worldwide.About UnlimitedWPUnlimitedWP, founded by Ronik Patel in 2019, provides white-label WordPress development services to digital agencies. It emerged from JD Softtech, established in 2012, with a development center in Ahmedabad, India. UnlimitedWP focuses exclusively on white-label services for digital, design, and web agencies, serving over 100 clients with a dedicated team of 80+ professionals.Contact InformationManish DudharejiaFounder & CEO, E2M Solutions Pvt Ltdinfo@ e2msolutions.com 619-810-7701SOURCE: E2M Solutions Inc.View the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 22:29:21 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 521 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 New Research Report from Stripe Theory Explores the Shifting Influencer LandscapeATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / July 16, 2024 / Stripe Theory(Stripe), an Atlanta-based, data-fueled digital marketing agency trusted to lead influencer campaigns for some of the U.S.'s biggest brands, has published a new whitepaper, " The Fall of the Influencer and the Rise of the Everyday Creator. " Through first and third-party data analysis, this report uncovers valuable insights into the efficacy of influencer marketing across different generations of consumers and illustrates the growing importance of authenticity."The global influencer market value topped more than $21B last year, but despite the mountains of money brands spend on influencers, many aren't seeing ROI, especially with the right audiences," explained Stripe Theory CEO, Craig Kronenberger. "While partnering with the latest digital darling may seem like a surefire way to drive brand visibility, if the influencer isn't an authentic extension of the brand, both money and credibility can be squandered." The research -- including a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers who have made purchases based on social media content, as well as third-party research from Axios, Forbes, AdAge, and Sprout Social -- sought to understand how effective influencers actually are in driving purchasing decisions. The whitepaper found that influencers do have a role in driving purchases, as 23 percent of respondents said they are more likely to make an impulse purchase based on the influencer's content.However, it's the everyday creators who are driving consumers to click buy, with 73 percent noting that they look to creators when making a purchase decision. The value of everyday creators is further underscored by the increased importance of authenticity, with consumers ages 18-24, 50-64, and 65+ all reporting authenticity as the top deciding factor when evaluating influencer-recommended purchases. For consumers ages 25-49, expertise reigns as the key consideration.Going beyond the data and delving into the evolution of influencer marketing, the whitepaper also outlines the growth of the influencer space and provides insights on how the shift towards everyday creators is reshaping marketing strategies."Our research illustrates a pivotal change in the digital marketing landscape," said Oona Peacock, Associate Director of Influencer and Content at Stripe Theory. "Consumers are now gravitating towards everyday creators who prioritize authenticity and genuine engagement. We're seeing a shift away from influencers like the D'Amelios and towards the Keith Lees, whose entire brands are based on authenticity. This shift is not only reshaping how brands approach influencer partnerships, but also empowering a new generation of creators to thrive." For more information and to download the full whitepaper, visit https://www.stripetheory.com/fall-of-the-influencer About Stripe TheoryStripe Theory is a data-fueled digital agency delivering breakthrough insights through data automation and marketing innovation. With teams in Atlanta and the Philippines, we are focused on using our unique advantage in state-of-the-art research and analytics, digital technology, 360-monitoring, and deep-data analysis to protect and grow brands through digital marketing, paid media, communications and crisis management. For more information, please visit www.StripeTheory.com For more information, please contact:Maggie McDaniel, Director of Communications, Stripe Theorymaggie@ stripetheory.com SOURCE: Stripe Theory PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 17:00:22 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 456 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Engine Demonstrates Its Viability for MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian RPASAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) flew a company-owned MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft on July 15, 2024, with a PT6 E-Series model turboprop engine supplied by Pratt & Whitney Canada. Representatives from GA-ASI and Pratt & Whitney witnessed the first flight of the PT6 engine on MQ-9B, which lasted 44 minutes and demonstrated exemplary handling and acceleration."We're excited to see the PT6 engine on our MQ-9B aircraft," said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. "We've worked with Pratt & Whitney for years, specifically on our jet-powered Avenger, and we've enjoyed a very productive partnership. The first flight marks an important milestone for MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian customers and missions that require additional power. In addition, customers who choose the Pratt & Whitney engine will benefit from low sustainment costs from best-in-class Time Between Overhauls, as well as 50+ maintenance and overhaul facilities around the globe." The PT6 E-Series is a reliable and versatile turboprop engine family that delivers key performance enhancements applicable to future MQ-9B missions. PT6 delivers a 33 percent increase in power over MQ-9B's current engine, with a highly mature dual-channel Full Authority Digital Engine Controller.MQ-9B is GA-ASI's next-generation RPA, delivering exceptionally long endurance and range, with auto takeoff and landing under SATCOM-only control, and will be able to operate in unsegregated airspace using the GA-ASI-developed Detect and Avoid system.Deliveries of MQ-9B have begun for the United Kingdom, with contracts in place with Belgium, Canada, Taiwan, and the U.S. Air Force in support of the Special Operations Command. The Japan Coast Guard is currently operating MQ-9B for maritime operations, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) selected MQ-9B for its Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System Trial Operation Project. MQ-9B has also supported various U.S. Navy exercises, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, and Group Sail.About GA-ASIGeneral Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable RPA systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator RPA series and the Lynx Multi-mode Radar. With more than eight million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent situational awareness. The company also produces a variety of sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas.For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com Avenger, Lynx, Predator, SeaGuardian, and SkyGuardian are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.Contact InformationGA-ASI Media Relationsasi-mediarelations@ ga-asi.com SOURCE: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.View the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 18:31:24 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 312 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / MNGI Digestive Health ("MNGI") has disclosed a data breach affecting the personal information of its patients. The breach impacted more than 765,000 individuals who entrusted their sensitive personal information to MNGI.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT? Compensation may be available for MNGI patients who received notice that their personal information was breached.WHY AM I ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION? Data breaches are serious matters that can cause long-term damage. Hackers break into networks to steal your personal information to sell it on the dark web or commit identity theft, financial theft, or other frauds. The company may be liable for failing to secure your privacy.HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED? If you received a data breach notification letter from MNGI, you are affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi & Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected customers are entitled to compensation. If you have received a notice about the data breach, you may be entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:ABOUT LEVI & KORSINSKYLevi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. The firm is a 100% contingency firm - we don't get paid unless you get paid! Please visit us at www.zlk.com for more information. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 04:00:42 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 393 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / July 18, 2024 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until August 12, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:LW), if they purchased the Company's shares between July 25, 2023 and April 3, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Idaho.What You May DoIf you purchased shares of Lamb Weston and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-lw/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court byAugust 12, 2024 .About the LawsuitLamb Weston and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On April 4, 2024, the Company disclosed that it had experienced significant problems with its transition to a new Enterprise Resource Planning ("ERP") software system, which caused the Company to lose $135 million in sales during the third quarter of fiscal 2024 and necessitated a $330 million reduction to its sales guidance for the full fiscal year.On this news, the price of Lamb Weston's shares fell by $19.59 per share, or over 19%.The case is Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters Pension Fund v. Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc., No. 24-cv-282.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, Delaware, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com CONTACT: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 16:55:42 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 669 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 AUSTIN, TX / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / Medicare officially announces LCD changes that expand access to microprocessor-controlled knees (MPKs) for lower mobility users - a group that is often overlooked as users of this groundbreaking technology (view the changes here). Ottobock has been the driving force behind the expansion of Medicare coverage of MPKs for low-mobility patients, leading the way with two decades of research and advocacy. As the world's largest prosthetics and orthotics manufacturer, Ottobock is proud to continue its unwavering commitment to improving access to advanced prosthetic technology for underserved patient communities.In 2005, Ottobock initiated the first clinical study involving patients in a low-mobility user group utilizing MPKs, leading to two pivotal publications. Despite the early evidence, it wasn't until 2014 that Dr. Andreas Kannenberg published the first systematic review of five MPK studies involving patients with limited mobility. However, this was still insufficient to sway Medicare at that time. Undeterred, Ottobock continued to fund more than 80% of subsequent studies, reinforcing its dedication to this critical research.By 2021, the cumulative efforts paid off when Dr. Kannenberg and Dr. Andreas Hahn, VP of Clinical Research & Services at Ottobock, published another comprehensive systematic review, encompassing 704 patients across 15 publications and 13 clinical trials. This rigorous scientific groundwork culminated in Ottobock filing the LCD Reconsideration Request in March 2022. This request has led to the current revision of the LCD for Lower Limb Prostheses, which, upon this finalization, expands Medicare coverage of MPKs to a whole new demographic of patients who meet specified conditions."The journey to expanding Medicare coverage for microprocessor knees to this group of patients has been long and challenging, but immensely rewarding. Our extensive research and clinical trials have consistently shown the profound impact that advanced prosthetic technology can have on individuals with limited mobility," stated Dr. Andreas Kannenberg, the Executive Medical Director of Ottobock North America. "This expansion is not just a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team at Ottobock; it also underscores the importance of innovation and evidence-based practice in transforming healthcare and enhancing patient outcomes. We look forward to continuing our efforts to ensure that every patient, regardless of their mobility level, has access to the best possible care." What do the LCD changes mean?These changes by CMS to Medicare coverage are effective September 1, 2024. The new guidelines expand access to advanced prosthetic knees for more patients, ensuring better technology is available. Changes also include specific requirements for claim processing to improve accuracy and enhance patient care by providing access to state-of-the-art prosthetics and streamlining the claims process. There were no relevant changes compared to the proposed LCD; the coverage criteria are unchanged. However, in the connected Policy Article, the DME MACs have adopted a clarification in the criteria for the K-levels that was proposed by an Interagency Workgroup back in 2017. Overall, it will be easier for prosthetists to qualify patients with accepted and published clinical criteria.Kenevo: The Only MPK Designed Specifically for Low-Mobility UsersIn alignment with Ottobock's mission to help people maintain and regain their freedom of movement, the global manufacturer saw the need to support the growing population of lower-mobility patients. Ottobock developed the first and only MPK that is designed specifically for this patient group. With a sharp focus on safety, stability, and providing confidence, the Kenevo is unlike any other knee joint on the market today. With this Medicare decision, more patients than ever will have access to the groundbreaking product. Learn more about Kenevo here.About OttobockOttobock has been a pioneer in the prosthetics and orthotics field, providing innovative solutions that enhance the quality of life for individuals with limb loss. With a rich history of clinical research and technological advancement, Ottobock remains committed to improving patient outcomes and accessibility to cutting-edge prosthetic care.For more information on Ottobock's ongoing initiatives and updates on the Medicare LCD changes, please visit shop.ottobock.us Contact InformationMelissa LangleyDirector, Marketing Communicationsmelissa.langley@ottobock.com 5128204389SOURCE: Ottobock North AmericaView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 22:00:19 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 337 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / Saville Resources Inc. (TSXV:SRE)(FSE:S0J) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases dated June 23, 2024 and July 16, 2024 and in connection with its acquisition of 1398827 B.C. Ltd., the Company has appointed Rob Leckie as its new Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Leckie has over 20 years' experience in finance, including roles in investment banking, investment management and corporate management. He was previously a Vice President at Dundee Corporation where he was responsible for identifying, developing, and overseeing investment opportunities with a focus on resource investing. He was a Managing Director of Dundee Acquisition, the first special purpose acquisition corporation (SPAC) created in Canada, a Founding board member and investor in Nova Royalty Corp, and a board member of Reunion Gold, Magna Terra Minerals, Cathedral Bitcoin, and Gold Line Resources. Mr. Leckie was a co-founder and director of Somerset Energy Partners, Valkyrie Oil Trucking Corp., and South Viking Energy Corp. The Company looks forward to leveraging Mr. Leckie's wealth of experience in its future business goals and endeavors.The Company also announces the resignation of Mr. Mike Hodge from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and notes that Mr. Hodge will remain a member of the Company's board of directors. Mr. Hodge has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since November 2017. The management and board of the Company wish to thank Mr. Hodge for his efforts and dedication to the Company and look forward to working with him in his continued role as Director.On behalf of the Board of DirectorsSAVILLE RESOURCES INC."Mike Hodge"Mike Hodge, DirectorTel: 604.681.1568The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: Saville Resources Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 15:15:10 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 586 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 BASSETERRE, SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS / ACCESSWIRE / July 19, 2024 / A big presence of American investors at the St. Kitts and Nevis Investment Gateway Summit showcases a keen interest in the citizenship by investment industry.The inaugural five-day summit received a huge response from Americans, looking for a path towards dual nationality in a politically stable and economically growing Federation.This comes as CNBC's research revealed that "Nearly 1 in 3 American expatriates plan to renounce their citizenship or are seriously considering it".Notably, taxes aren't the only reason these "Wealthy Americans" are seeking a way out, instead, the political landscape of the US has been taking a harsh turn recently, leading to this shift.The Investment Gateway Summit, a first of its kind invited global citizens, investors, potential investors, and C-suite individuals from across the world under one umbrella.Participating in the summit, a retired American investor formerly with the US Army expressed his intention to construct a residence in St. Kitts and Nevis. Originally from Washington DC, the investor also showed keen interest in obtaining citizenship of the Caribbean Island.Having visited numerous islands throughout the region, he has settled on St. Kitts for his permanent abode due to its peaceful atmosphere and enhanced safety standards."I live in Washington D.C, now my wife and I are seeking a more relaxed and easy life here in St Kitts and Nevis. We want to build a house here, and spend our retirement years on the island," said one of the American investors at the Investment Gateway Summit 2024.Another investor, in his late 50's also revealed why he chose St. Kitts and Nevis as his second home with his wife. Describing his reasons, the businessman talked about the proximity of the Federation to the US. He said that being just 3 hours away from Miami, St. Kitts and Nevis makes it a perfect place to call 'home' owing to its subtle charm, tranquil environment, and ease of travel back to the United States for business and family visits.He highlighted the island's natural beauty, friendly locals, and favourable policies as additional incentives that solidified his decision.Another element contributing to St. Kitts and Nevis as a choice for these American investors is the longevity of the citizenship by investment programme. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the programme is recognized for its resilience, frequent upgradations and transparency.The Investment Gateway Summit 2024 is the world's first-ever event of its kind which brought together economic citizens, investors, and C-suite individuals globally.The summit featured keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking sessions, providing attendees with comprehensive insights into investment opportunities in St. Kitts and Nevis. Notably, the attendees also had the opportunity to tour the entire Federation and indulge in its culture.Additionally, participants had the chance to engage with government officials and local business leaders, like-minded individuals fostering a collaborative environment for exploring and securing investments.The summit also showcased the diverse investment opportunities available in St. Kitts and Nevis, including real estate, tourism, and sustainable development projects.The St. Kitts and Nevis government emphasized its commitment to maintaining a business-friendly environment, streamlined regulatory processes, and support for innovation and entrepreneurship.Furthermore, the Federation's robust infrastructure, excellent healthcare facilities, and high-quality education system were highlighted as key factors attracting investors and their families.The island nation's strategic location and well-connected transportation links also make it an ideal hub for regional and international business activities.Contact detailsName: St KittsEmail: communications@ skn-ciu.com Phone no.: 00 (1-869) 467-1474SOURCE: SKN CIU PR-Inside.com: 2024-07-19 04:50:46 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1004 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 AUSTIN, TX / ACCESSWIRE / July 18, 2024 / Victory Clean Energy (OTC PINK:VYEY) ("Victory" or the "Company"), a leading innovator in the green hydrogen energy sector, announced today it has entered into a binding term sheet to acquire the intellectual property and exclusive rights to use the Cellulose to Hydrogen Power ("CHyP Engine") system for hydrogen power from Proton Power, a technology leader in renewable energy systems designed for producing inexpensive hydrogen on demand from biomass and waste sources.The Proton CHyP engine is a solution to the major issues of implementing a green hydrogen economy - specifically: 1) cost 2) distribution and 3) storage.Cost: The Company expects the variable operating cost to be 50% lower than today's typical electrolysis production facility.Distribution and Storage: As the system is modular, Victory will be able to scale hydrogen production adjacent to demand, reducing and/or eliminating need for storage/transportationThe entire process is carbon neutral to carbon negative - depending on the application - and does not require electricity from the grid.Produces high quality biochar that can be upgraded to graphene.The production process is extremely energy efficient, utilizing only a fraction of the electricity necessary to produce hydrogen via electrolysis processes."Solving climate change, whether through adopting clean vehicles or reducing emissions from manufacturing sites, will require renewable, dependable, and affordable hydrogen," stated Chris Headrick, Founder and Executive Chairman of Victory. "Victory will leverage the CHyP engine to produce low-cost green hydrogen and to deploy a solution that will supply green hydrogen at a cost approaching grey hydrogen in a process that is carbon neutral to negative." "The CHyP system emerged from Proton Power co-founder, Dr. Sam Weaver's long-running R&D investments in high-temperature materials and manufacturing across multiple energy sectors. Initial testing indicates the CHyP system is expected to comply with all current and foreseeable emissions standards and to have a neutral tonegativeoverall carbon intensity score." "Our process is a huge improvement over electrolysis as it only uses 2 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, which can be CHyP self-generated, to produce 1 kg of hydrogen," commented Dr. Weaver. "This is an important differentiator versus today's electrolysis processes, which require 50 to 55 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity from the grid or other external source to produce 1 kg of hydrogen. This equates to our projected overall cost per kg of hydrogen below $2 - for greater than or equal to 12 tonnes/day facilities. Importantly, there are revenue enhancement opportunities from selling biochar byproduct of the system to make agricultural and livestock enhancement products as well as high-quality graphene feedstock. The CHyP engine is uniquely placed to accelerate the hydrogen economy." Jim McGinley, Chief Executive Officer of Victory added, "We are very excited about this transaction and believe it will be a game-changer in the green energy marketplace as we work to continue to improve efficiency and commercialization of this innovative technology through planned initial deployment in 2025." Mr. McGinley continued, "it is increasingly clear that biomass pyrolysis is a critically needed technology in achieving world-wide decarbonization." The CHyP system will be capable of operating on over 100 different types of biomass, including wood, agriculture waste, and most forms of biomass. The CHyP system can generate energy-rich syngas for electricity and, therefore, is not dependent on the grid to operate.Victory has already announced plans to build its first commercial facility in California for the Redding Rancheria Tribe in 2025. This is planned to be the first of 32 plants nationwide in partnership with the Redding Rancheria Tribe to provide green hydrogen as part of a nationwide infrastructure for hydrogen transportation. Also, in 2025, Victory also plans to build a 3 tonne per day demonstration facility to supply a green charging station, demonstrating the ability to use hydrogen-rich syngas as part of a true carbon-negative and economical charging solution for electric vehicles. Victory is also exploring other co-location partnerships, including ones in the industrial sectors such as refineries, ammonia, steel, and fertilizer, among others, to leverage this technology for cost savings and emissions reductions.The transaction is expected to be finalized this month but is subject to board approvals of an exclusive license agreement and asset purchase agreements. The acquisition price of $100 million is structured with payments scheduled over a 5-year period, which will allow Victory to focus on deploying capital toward its commercialization efforts. Victory will acquire the CHyP engine intellectual property, utilize the Proton manufacturing facility in Lenoir City, Tennessee, and become a supplier of biochar for Proton's proprietary graphene manufacturing process.CHyP Announcement Conference Call VYEY will host a webcast at 12:00 p.m. EST / 11:00 a.m. CST on Wednesday August 7th, 2024, to discuss the acquisition and technology in greater detail. The live webcast of the call and an archived replay will be available online in the Investor Relations section of Victory's website. Those wishing to participate will find link or dial-in information to be announced in a following release.About Proton Founded in 2005, Proton Power, Inc. is the brainchild of Dr. Sam Weaver and Dan Hensley, who have developed a renewable energy system designed for producing inexpensive hydrogen on demand from biomass and waste sources. Dr. Weaver and Hensley have a long, 40+ year history of developing successful and innovative technological products from the ground up, including:Battery technology utilizing Proton's graphene with substantial increases in storage capacity, charge rate and cycle lifeThe highest quality, low-cost grapheneAircraft brakes for commercial and military aircraftsThe first 2800C production furnaces for high strength, high modulus carbon fibersCeramic punch technology and equipment to make the thinnest aluminum beer cans in the worldNeutron absorbers for nuclear power plants with 87% worldwide market shareTest and research reactor fuel which provided radioisotopes that served 10 million people annuallyToday, Dr. Weaver and Hensley lead an experienced management team with extensive engineering and manufacturing experience at Proton Power. Proton Power has a strong physical presence with 4 locations, and more than 95,000 square feet of manufacturing and office space on 58 acres of land.About Victory Clean Major global institutions have reported suffering a mass IT outage that has crippled operations and impacted customers. The institutions include international airlines, major banks, media outlets, and hospitals. It was unclear as of the time of this report if any Nigerian businesses and organisations were affected. Some states in the US on Friday said emergency services were affected, while several of the countrys airlines grounded their flights worldwide. Reports said Australia, which has been particularly hard hit, recorded broadcast networks scrambling on air as systems failed and supermarkets crippled. Although it is now back on air with a slate apologising for an interruption to this broadcast Sky News went completely off-air due to the issues. The cause of the outage is unclear, but many of those impacted have linked it to Microsoft PC operating systems. We are investigating an issue impacting users ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services, an official Microsoft 365 service update posted on X earlier in the day said. But a Microsoft spokesperson told the BBC on Friday that the majority of services were recovered hours earlier. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Social media users earlier reported queues at Australian stores like Woolworths, with payment systems downed. Other customers also had trouble accessing financial institutions like the National Australia Bank. We have been made aware of an issue impacting Virtual Machines running Windows Client and Windows Server, running the CrowdStrike Falcon agent, which may encounter a bug check (BSOD) and get suck in a restarting state, Microsoft said Friday. It noted that CrowdStrike has removed the problematic update, but customers still facing issues should contact CrowdStrike for further help. The company said efforts to find solutions for customers are ongoing, and more information will be provided as it becomes available. CrowdStrike Chief Executive Officer (CEO) George Kurtz confirmed the cybersecurity firms role in the outage and assured that it is dealing with a defect in a content update affecting only Windows hosts, not Mac or Linux. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers, he said. It was unclear as of the time of this report if any Nigerian businesses were affected. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Thursday said the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote refinery is still at the pre-commissioning stage and has not yet been licensed. The NMDPRA Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, disclosed this while speaking to the state house correspondents on Thursday. Mr Ahmed said the allegations raised by the refinery that its operations are being scuttled owing to a lack of supply of crude oil by International Oil Companies (IOCs) are untrue. Well, just like you rightly asked, there are lots of concerns about the supply of petroleum products nationwide and the claims by some media houses that we were trying to scuttle the Dangote refinery; that is not so. Dangote refinery is still in the pre-commissioning stage. It has not been licenced yet. We have not licensed them yet. I think they are at about 45 per cent completion. So we can not rely heavily on one refinery to feed the nation because Dangote is requesting that we should suspend or stop all importation of petroleum products, especially automotive gas oil (AGO) or jet kero and direct all marketers to the refinery, Mr Ahmed said. He explained that the expectation is not good for the nation in terms of energy security and also not good for markets because of monopoly. So, in terms of quality, currently, the AGO quality in terms of sulphur is the lowest as far as West Africas requirement of 50 parts per million (ppm). Dangote refinery, as well as some major refineries like Waltersmith refinery, produce between 650 ppm to 1,200 ppm. So, in terms of quality, their quality is much more inferior to the imported quality, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Background Last month, the Vice President, Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Devakumar Edwin, accused IOCs in Nigeria of doing everything to frustrate the survival of Dangote Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals. He said the IOCs are deliberately frustrating the refinerys efforts to buy local crude by jerking up the high premium price above the market price, thereby forcing it to import crude from countries as far as the United States, with its attendant high costs. Speaking to a group of energy editors at a one-day training programme organised by the Dangote Group at the time, Mr Edwin also lamented the activity of the NMDPRA in granting licences indiscriminately to marketers to import dirty refined products into the country. Responding to the claim at the time, the NMDPRA said there is no dirty fuel being imported into the country, noting that it takes seriously its statutory mandate to ensure that only quality petroleum products are supplied and consumed in Nigeria. The NMDPRA explained that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) heads of state in 2020 endorsed a declaration adopting the Afri-5 fuel roadmap that requires that certain products have minimum 50 parts per million (ppm) litres of sulphur. On Wednesday, Mr Edwin insisted that IOCs operating in Nigeria have consistently frustrated the companys requests for locally produced crude as feedstock for its refining process. Mr Edwins response came against the background of a statement by the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe. Mr Komolafe had, in an interview on ARISE News TV, said that it is erroneous for one to say that the IOCs are refusing to make crude oil available to domestic refiners, as the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has a stipulation that calls for a willing buyer willing seller relationship. He stated that IOCs prefer to sell crude to international trading arms, who then sell it at a margin. He highlighted that when cargoes are offered to the oil company by the trading arms, it is sometimes at a $2-$4 (per barrel) premium above the official price set by NUPRC. On Thursday, the House of Representatives resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the alleged conspiracy by IOCs against the refinery. The resolution follows a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) on Thursday. In the motion, Mr Chinda said the alleged conspiracy undermines the refinerys performance from complete optimisation. The alleged conspiracy against Dangote refinery relates to efforts by the IOCs to deliberately frustrate the refinerys ability to buy local crude oil by manipulating and increasing the premium price above the market price, he said. I had to watch this three times, still dont believe what I just saw Like what? pic.twitter.com/ywvLUBEIBK Kalu Aja (@FinPlanKaluAja1) July 19, 2024 Mr Chinda added that whilst the IOCs are keen on exporting raw materials to their home countries and thus creating wealth and employment for their countries, thereby adding to their GDP, Nigeria continues to be a dumping ground for refined products, thus making us dependent on imported petroleum products. Consequently, the House urged the federal government, the NUPRC, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and well-meaning Nigerians to support Dangote Refinery to succeed. The refinery The 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery commenced production of diesel and aviation fuel in January. Announcing the commencement of production, the company said the refinery had received six million barrels of crude oil at its two SPMs 25 kilometres from the shore. The first crude delivery was done on 12 December 2023, and the sixth cargo was delivered on 8 January. The company made a further move towards the commencement of the production of refined petroleum products with the receipt of an additional one million barrels of bonny light crude supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd). In April, the company commenced supplying petroleum products to the local market. Last month, Mr Dangote said that Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, refined at the refinery, will hit the market by July. NNPC Limited had earlier announced plans to acquire a 20 per cent stake in the refinery. READ ALSO: Reps to probe alleged sabotage against Dangote Refinery by IOCs However, last Sunday, the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, said NNPC Ltd now owns only 7.2 per cent stake in the refinery due to its failure to pay the balance of its share, which was due in June. The agreement was actually 20 per cent, which we had with NNPC, and they did not pay the balance of the money up till last year, and then we gave them another extension up till June (2024), and they said that they would remain where they have already paid which is 7.2 per cent. So NNPC, the government (sic) owns only 7.2 per cent, not 20 per cent, Mr Dangote said, according to reports. Confirming the development in a statement, the NNPC Ltd said its period assessment of the investment portfolio led to the decline in its share of the refinery. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinkas daughter, Moremi Soyinka-Onijala, has spoken about her fathers unique parenting style and influence on her and her siblings. Mrs Soyinka-Onijala, a Special Adviser on Migration and Humanitarian Affairs to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, revealed this during an interview with TVC at a programme held at Remo Anglican College, Isara, Ogun State, to commemorate her fathers 90th birthday. Mrs Soyinka-Onijala, the second child of Mr Soyinkas second wife, Olaide Idowu, served as a member of a Ministerial Interim Committee on the Nigeria Police Trust Fund under former President Muhammadu Buharis administration. She was conferred the traditional title Yeye Bamofin in July by the Odemo of Isara, Oba Albert Adebose Mayungbe, during an event to celebrate her fathers 90th birthday, held at Afotamodi Town Hall, Isara-Remo. Mr Soyinka, who has a writers enclave named in his honour by the African Heritage Research Library and Cultural Centre established in 2011, turned 90 on 13 July. To honour the playwrights 90th birthday, events were organised, including lectures, essay competitions, advocacy sessions, theatrical presentations, classic plays and others. In the interviews video shared on the TVC YouTube page Tuesday, Mrs Soyinka-Onijala, Moremi Soyinka-Onijala, a lawyer, said: My daddy was a gentle disciplinarian. He didnt believe in using the stick, but a look in his eye was enough to tell you that you were doing something wrong. He preferred to talk to us rather than use physical punishment. The only time I remember my daddy beating meI think he gave me three beltswas one day after primary school. The person who came to pick us up couldnt find me because I had decided to follow some of my friends, the Oke, home without telling my parents or asking for permission. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later My siblings said, Lets go home. I said, No, Im going with them. So I went with my friends. The others, who were young, didnt know how to explain, so they were looking for me. When they found me and brought me home, my daddy said, No dinner. My mummy was like, Please, shes sorry. He said, No, no dinner. Go to bed. Of course, mothers will later give you something to eat. And he gave me three belts. Soyinkas preferences Mrs Soyinka-Onijala revealed that her fathers favourite meals. She said, One of the first things I would like to share about my father is that he loves wine. He likes good wine, hes a connoisseur of wine, and he has a very rich wine cellar. You may not know that as soon as we were born, my daddy used to give us sips of wine so that we could begin to appreciate the tastes and the differences. This is quite interesting. He also has a peculiar taste for food. Hes not the type of person to sit down and eat pounded yam, as I love it. He likes certain types of bush meat. But he doesnt eat much. He eats very little. Birthday Mrs Soyinka-Onijala, a lawyer, noted that they marked her fathers 90th birthday by distributing school bags to students of Remo Anglican College in Isara, Ogun State. She added that the programme benefited one thousand students. We, as a family, were discussing how to commemorate our fathers birthday meaningfully. Knowing that he likes children and that we have always done outreach as a family, though not on this scale, I suggested we get in touch with people on the ground to find out what we could do in Isara and Ake because Daddy attended St. Peters Anglican Primary School, Ake, the first school in Nigeria. We gathered statistics and decided to provide school bags. My siblings loved the idea, so we started preparing at the beginning of the year for a thousand children, half in Ake and half in Isara. We plan to return and do the same for the other arms. However, this hall wouldnt contain us if the entire population of the four secondary schools were here. So we decided to do it in bits, focusing on SS2 and the entire Remo Anglican College because our grandparents were instrumental in the foundation of that school. It is a special school for us. Born in Abeokuta, Soyinka has garnered numerous awards and recognition for his work. He was recently honoured with a Gold Medal by the Royal Academy of Morocco, recognising his exceptional influence on the development of world literature. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has expressed the willingness to review and domesticate the National Gender Policy. By domesticating the law, the state will be incorporating the provisions of the National Gender Policy to align with the domestic laws, norms and cultural beliefs of the state. Tudu Suleman, a media aide to Mr Lawal, made this known in a press statement he shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday. The governor was said to have made the commitment at the government house in Gusau, the state capital, during a meeting with the representatives of Advocacy Nigeria- a non-governmental organisation working to promote the voice of women in governance and development through research, advocacy and planning. The group paid a courtesy visit to the governor on Thursday. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abubakar Nakwada, received the group on behalf of the governor. Mr Nakwada said Mr Lawals administration has already taken a bold step in reducing the maternal mortality rate by declaring a state of emergency in the health sector, signifying his commitment to overhaul the healthcare system in the state, which will positively affect the states maternal mortality indices. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Already, Governor Dauda Lawal has declared a state of emergency in the health sector. And part of the measures being taken in this regard includes construction and reconstruction of hospitals, provision of the state-of-the-art equipment, manpower and policy adjustments to improve healthcare service delivery in the state, he said. His Excellency is very passionate and so serious about anything that will bring development to Zamfara State. So take it at the highest level of political will that we will review these policies and come up with a well-articulated policy document, the official said. Earlier in her remarks, the Executive Director of Advocacy Nigeria, Saudatu Sani, thanked the governor for the reception. She added that this is the first time ever that any Governor of Zamfara State grants them an audience, the statement said. National Gender Policy Developed in 2006, the National Gender Policy aims primarily at achieving gender equality, gender and social inclusion. The policy provides strategic policy guidance for mainstreaming gender at all levels as well as addresses the inequalities that exist in the socioeconomic sphere. In furthering equal access to economic opportunities, Nigeria 2023 formulated the Women Economic Empowerment and Action Plan roadmap for measuring progress and ensuring accountability toward achieving the set goals. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Chief Executive Officer of Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, Sania Nishtar, has said Nigeria will soon receive cholera vaccines to help in the fight against the ongoing epidemic. Ms Nishtar made this known in a post on her official X handle on Thursday. She said Gavi-funded cholera vaccines are arriving soon in Nigeria to combat the outbreak, supporting government efforts to contain and protect high-risk individuals. Encouraged to learn that cholera vaccines from the Gavi-funded global vaccine stockpile will soon arrive in Nigeria to help curb the countrys deadly and ongoing outbreak. We stand ready to work with our partners UNICEF and WHO, to support Minister Muhammad Pate, FMOH Nigeria, and NCDCs timely efforts to contain this outbreak and protect those at the highest risk, she said. Minister reacts Responding to Ms Nishtar, the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, expressed gratitude to Ms Nishtar for facilitating early access to Gavi-funded cholera vaccines. He said these vaccines will be deployed efficiently and effectively to combat the ongoing outbreak. The minister also appreciated President Bola Tinubus leadership in establishing a multi-sectoral cabinet committee to support the Emergency Operations Centre led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDC), in coordinating a national response across 36 states. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Pate said though the country is observing early signs of a slowdown in infections and fatalities, authorities will maintain efforts to reverse the situation adding that the arrival of cholera vaccines will bolster our response. He said the country is working towards improving water and sanitation. We are expediting efforts to improve water and sanitation infrastructure in the short and medium term, in collaboration with the Ministries of Water Resources and Environment, subnational governments, private sector partners, and civil society. We appreciate the technical support and advocacy provided by UNICEF Nigeria, the minister said. Cholera in Nigeria The Director General Nigeria Centre for Disease and Control, Jide Idris, said Nigeria has recorded a total of 3,623 suspected cholera cases and 103 deaths across 34 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and 187 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 2024. Mr Idris said this on Tuesday while addressing the press in Abuja. He stated the number of deaths translates to a cumulative case fatality rate of 2.8 per cent since the beginning of the year. Mr Idris stated that there has been a decline in the number of cases in the previous week. There was a 5.6 per cent decline in the number of cases in this reporting week (8th -14th July) as compared to the preceding week. We also recorded a drop in the case fatality rate from 2.9 per cent to 2.8 per cent, he said. Cholera, response activities Cholera is a waterborne disease caused by the ingestion of Vibrio cholerae, typically through contaminated water and food. The water is usually contaminated by the faeces of infected individuals, which can happen at the source, during transportation, or storage at home. Additionally, food can become contaminated by soiled hands during preparation or consumption, leading to the spread of the disease. The symptoms of cholera include acute, profuse, painless watery diarrhoea. The agency noted that as part of its response activities, it had distributed medical supplies for case management, infection prevention and control, and laboratory to all medical centres nationwide. Also, it has provided offsite and onsite support to states such as Lagos and Ogun and followed up for daily reporting and progress with response activities. The agency also ensured ongoing sub-national level training of laboratory scientists on sample collection and analysis as well as training of community mobilisers on cholera key messages. Distribution of jingles, flyers, and posters containing key messages on cholera prevention to all states and Federal Capital Territory. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, says the crime rate in Nigeria has been reduced, and the police will continue to work to reduce it further. Mr Egbetokun spoke Friday in Abuja while addressing journalists after meeting with President Bola Tinubu. As Inspector General of Police, we have records of all reported crimes across the country and can tell you that crime rate is declining in Nigeria, he said. Records dont lie, the records are there so I can assure you that we will continue to do what we are doing to maintain the decline in the crime rate. Nigerians across the country face diverse forms of insecurity including terrorism, banditry and kidnapping for ransom. In his statement, Mr Egbetokun did not reel out the police data that shows the reduction in crime rate. Details later Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The International Court of Justice (ICJ) said Friday that Israels continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal and that it should come to an end as soon as possible. The transfer by Israel of settlers to the West Bank and Jerusalem as well as Israels maintenance of their presence, is contrary to article 49 of the fourth Geneva Convention, AP quoted the ICJ as stating in its ruling. The panel of 15 judges from around the world also said Israels use of natural resources from Palestinian territory was inconsistent with its obligations under international law as an occupying power. Nawaf Salam, president of the ICJ, said Israel should not deport or transfer part of its civilian population into the territory it occupies. The court also ordered Israel to pay reparations to Palestinians. The panel ruled that Israel must end settlement construction immediately and that existing settlements must be removed, according to the 83-page opinion read out by Mr Salam. Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law. The case stems from a 2022 request from the UN General Assembly. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is the highest UN body for hearing disputes between states. Although its rulings are difficult to implement, they add to the growing international pressure and isolation that Israel faces in the global community. In a separate case brought by South Africa, the ICJ is considering allegations that Israel is committing genocide in its war on Gaza. A preliminary ruling has already been made in that case, with the court ordering Israel to prevent and punish incitement to genocide and to increase provisions of humanitarian aid. The ICJ had also ordered Israel to halt its offensive on Rafah, citing immense risk to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians taking shelter in Rafah, the southernmost part of Gaza. But Israel has continued attacks on Gaza, including Rafah, in defiance of the UN court. Israel, which normally considers the United Nations and international tribunals as unfair and biased, did not send a legal team to the hearings. But it submitted written comments, saying that the questions put to the court are prejudiced and fail to address Israels security concerns, the ABC News reports. Israeli officials also said the courts intervention could undermine the peace process, which has remained stagnant for more than a decade. In response to the ruling, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the West Bank and East Jerusalem were part of the Jewish peoples historical homeland. The Jewish people are not conquerors in their own land not in our eternal capital Jerusalem and not in the land of our ancestors in Judea and Samaria, he said in a post on the social media platform X. No false decision in The Hague will distort this historical truth and likewise the legality of Israeli settlement in all the territories of our homeland cannot be contested. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three areas for an independent state. It is not the first time the ICJ has been asked to give its legal opinion on Israeli policies. Two decades ago, the court ruled that Israels West Bank separation barrier was contrary to international law. Israel boycotted those proceedings, saying they were politically motivated, according to ABC News. Israel said the barrier is a security measure. Palestinians say the structure amounts to a massive land grab because it frequently dips into the West Bank. Israel has built well over 100 settlements, according to the anti-settlement monitoring group, Peace Now. ABC reports that the West Bank settler population has grown by more than 15 per cent in the past five years to more than 500,000 Israelis, according to a pro-settler group. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has said governors of the southern states have decided to promote inter-state and inter-region trade to foster food security and sufficiency. Mr Abiodun said that the state government decided to establish farmers markets across the state, to ensure food security. He disclosed this when he received in audience the newly constituted Governing Council of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Olabomi. Mr Abiodun, who is the chairman of the Southern Governors Forum (SGF), said the southern states have no reason not to promote trade among themselves with the fertile land and human capacity in the region. As a matter of fact, I and my colleagues in the southern part of Nigeria have met and have said that we have no reason not to promote inter-state or inter-region trade. There is no reason why someone from the South-east or South-south is not buying yam or tomatoes from somebody in the South-west. There is no reason why someone from the South-west is not buying rice from Ebonyi. We should be able to attain food security and sufficiency within our region because we have the human capacity and the necessary arable land. There is nothing we do not have to ensure we achieve this objective, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The Ogun State governor said the farmers market would be located in strategic locations across the state, including Asero in Abeokuta and Ogere along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. He also said plans have been concluded to move the Kara cattle market from its present location to Ogere, where the cattle merchants can have access to a good atmosphere. We believe that with the number of smallholder farmers we have in Ogun State, it will be an advantage to them if we have the farmers market located in strategic places, he added. The governor noted that his administration sees agriculture as a way of providing food security, creating employment and generating revenue. He observed that FUNAAB, specifically, should be at the forefront of championing food security, having been established for that purpose at the outset. Mr Abiodun also promised to collaborate with the institution in some ways, including in cassava production, saying that the Iyana camp to Alabata road was already under the radar of his administration. Earlier, Oba Olabomi, who described Mr Abiodun as one of the best governors in the country, called for collaboration with the state government at a time when people were clamouring for food. The royal father said the institution is poised to contribute its quota to ensure food security in the country, urging the state government to take advantage of the several training programmes, research and development that the institution has to offer. The Pro-Chancellor appealed to Mr Abiodun to assist the institution by reconstructing the Iyana-Camp to Alabata road, which had been destroyed due to the activities of trucks. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu will, on Saturday, depart Abuja for Accra, Ghana to participate in the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union (AU), the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and the African Union Member States. In his capacity as the Chairperson of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Tinubu will address the meeting on the status of regional integration across various areas in Africa, highlighting the achievements and challenges encountered in West Africa since the last meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, in July 2023. The president and chairman of ECOWAS will present the 2024 Report on the State of the Community, focusing on peace, regional security, governance, economic integration, humanitarian and social development, energy, mines and agriculture. The meeting will be convened under the AU theme of the year 2024: Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century. The Mid-Year Coordination Meeting was conceptualised in 2017 as the principal forum for the AU and the RECs to align their work and coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda, replacing the June/July summits. In July 2023, President Tinubu, who was then elected as the chairman of ECOWAS, delivered his maiden speech at the AU Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, where he affirmed Africas strength and the need for unity. In Accra, the items on the agenda will include evaluating the AUs early warning and conflict prevention mechanisms and promoting cooperation among regional economic communities to accelerate integration. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later A declaration will be adopted at the end of the meeting. President Tinubu, who will be accompanied by senior government officials, will return to the country after the meeting. Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) July 19, 2024 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Yemens Houthi group on Friday claimed responsibility for launching a drone and missile attack against a ship in the Gulf of Aden. The Lobivia ship was hit accurately by several missiles and drones, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a televised statement aired by the groups al-Masirah TV. Earlier in the day, Mr Sarea, in another televised statement, claimed responsibility for launching a drone attack against what he said was a vital target in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. He didnt identify the target. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported the attack killed a person and injured 10 others. The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been targeting ships linked to Israel since November 2023, in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The group threatens to escalate its attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden until the conflict stops in the besieged Palestinian territory. (Xinhua/NAN) Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print In a bid to promote a cleaner and more sustainable transportation system, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is set to deploy buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) in the last quarter of the year. The development was announced at a stakeholder engagement programme on Friday, where the final report of a feasibility study on alternative fuels for public transportation was presented. The study, a collaborative effort between CPCS Transcom Limited and Nexant Consulting, explored various alternative fuel options and identified biogas as the most suitable source of usable biomethane. The event was attended by top officials from the environment, transportation, and energy sectors, including the Commissioner for Transportation, Seun Osiyemi; Managing Director of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Muyiwa Gbadegesin; General Manager of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Babatunde Ajayi; and representatives from Oando Clean Energy Limited, Ibile Oil and Gas Corporation, and Lagos State Waste Water Management office. The feasibility study presented at the programme revealed that the biogas plant will utilise various feedback sources to generate fuel. These sources include sewage from treatment facilities, organic waste from households and markets, slaughterhouse waste, and animal manure. The study also outlined the key stages of the project: Feedstock acquisition and transportation, storage and processing, biogas production, and integration with the public bus system. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The Managing Director of LAMATA, Abimbola Akinajo, reiterated the agencys commitment to creating a sustainable transportation system in Lagos. Drawing inspiration from her visit to Linkoping, Sweden, a city with zero carbon emissions, Ms Akinajo emphasised the significance of adopting biogas as a clean energy source. She noted that LAMATAs biogas project aligns with the states climate action plan, highlighting the agencys dedication to collaboration, knowledge sharing, and stakeholder involvement in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai has petitioned the Federal High Court accusing a judge, Rilwanu Aikawa, of bias in a case he filed against the state government and state House of Assembly. Mr El-Rufai sued the two bodies for alleged infringement of his rights while investigating alleged financial management by his administration between 2015 and 2023. He asked the Federal High Court to declare unconstitutional the report of the state assembly indicting him of mismanaging about N423 billion from loans obtained by his administration. The former governor on Thursday, in the petition sent through his counsel, Adetayo Adeyemi, to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, alleged gross bias, injustice and denial of fair hearing. Mr El-Rufai asked the chief judge to transfer the fundamental human rights suit marked FHC/KD/CS/55/2024, which is before Justice Aikawa, to another judge in the interest of justice. The former governor said after the suit was filed on June 26, 2024, the court proceeded to fix July 8 for a hearing of the matter. Stating the ground for the petition, Mr El-Rufai said at the commencement of the hearing, hi counsel, S.S Umoru, informed the court that all parties in the suit had been served and were still within time to file their responses. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr El-Rufai said the first respondents counsel, Sule Shaibu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), however, told the court that they had not filed their response and were out of time to do so by one day. He said the matter was subsequently adjourned till 17 July and his (El-Rufai) principal counsel, A.U Mustapha also a (SAN), who had travelled from Lagos to Kaduna to represent him in the matter, was told the court would not be sitting and as a result proceeded back to Lagos. On the night of July 17, we got the information in the news that the matter was fixed for July 18, he said, in the petition. Mr El-Rufai added that given the extremely short notice, they filed for an adjournment in court and served the court and all the parties in the suit. However, he alleged that despite the letter of adjournment, the court presided over the matter the next day without putting the applicant on notice. Mr El-Rufai said the respondents adopted their processes and participated further in the matter without the attendance and appearance of the applicant. He alleged that this act smacks of extreme bias, injustice and denial of fair hearing against the applicant. The applicant was not put on notice for the proceedings of July 18 2024, as expressly explained in the letter of adjournment. We only got a whiff of the hearing on the night of July 17, which is an extremely short time for us to appear in court. Service of hearing in a matter is sacrosanct and our courts have held severally that every party must be put on notice before his case can be heard. In view of the foregoing, we humbly apply for the transfer of this matter from the trial court presided over by honourable Justice R.M Aikawa whereby the relevant applications can be heard as the applicant has lost all confidence in the judge to continue to hear and determine the matter. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. Having expressly refused to put the applicant on notice before hearing the matter and proceeding to hear same when the applicant was still within time, to respond to the 1st respondent application, the average man on the street could see which way the judge is headed, Mr El-Rufai said in the petition The former governor also alleged he was not given the opportunity to respond to the first respondents counter-affidavit and written address. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print One person has been confirmed dead in a lone accident that occurred on the campus of the University of Ilorin on Thursday, an official has said. The universitys spokesperson, Kunle Akogun, in a statement, said the motor accident involved 10 passengers. Mr Akogun, however, neither gave details about the accident nor the details of the deceased person in the unfortunate incident. The lone accident involved a commercial bus conveying 10 passengers going out of the campus, Mr Akogun said. As soon as it occurred, the University Management immediately commenced rescue operations, and all the victims were moved to the University Health Centre. Mr Akogun said one of the victims had been referred to the University of llorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) after he was stabilised. Four of the passengers had minor injuries and have been treated and discharged. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Meanwhile, the other five including the driver are presently at the University Health Centre receiving medical attention. Mr Akogun further said that one of the passengers was brought in dead and the body has been transferred to the morgue, and the University management is making efforts to contact the next of kin. Accident scene A video of the accident scene circulating the internet showed a white flipped vehicle with passengers trapped inside. READ ALSO: Kwara State University expels 175 students Some men also appeared to help the trapped passengers while a female student lay in the pool of her blood, motionless. This one is gone, a voice in the background said. Another claimed to know the lifeless female student saying, This girl is dead. This girl is in my faculty. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Lagos State University (LASU) and University of Lagos (UNILAG) have emerged the most preferred tertiary institutions by candidates who sat the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). While UNILORIN ranked first with 64.143 applicants, LASU ranked second with 62,601 applicants and UNILAG ranked third with 59,105 applicants. JAMB gave the information on Thursday during an ongoing policy meeting chaired by the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman. This would be the fifth time in a row UNILORIN would be emerging as the most preferred institution for candidates. However, LASU which ranked third in 2023 had never been in the top 10 list of most preferred institutions. UNILAG, which ranked second in 2023, 2022, 2021, ranked third place in 2020. Full list with the number of applicants Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later University of Ilorin, Kwara State (64,143) Lagos State University, Ojo. Lagos State (62,601) University of Lagos (59,105) Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State (55,481) Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state (55,495) University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State (50,598) University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State (48,544) University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State (47,811) Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun (44,155) University of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State (40,176). Admission requirements in Nigeria Apart from sitting the UTME and scoring high marks, candidates are also required to possess senior school certificate examination (SSCE) results with credits in five subjects relevant to their chosen courses of study including English Language and Mathematics. The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, also on Thursday directed JAMB and the tertiary institutions to admit only candidates who have attained a minimum of 18 years. But the ministers directive was immediately rejected by the vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts of institutions in attendance, saying the candidates already sat the entrance examination and were not told of the new condition before then. Mr Mamman immediately agreed with the stakeholders suggestion and reversed the earlier directive. He said the institutions should then proceed to admit candidates who are aged 16 and above. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has accused some tertiary institutions of engaging in illegal admissions. The JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, levelled the allegation against the institutions on Thursday during an admission policy meeting in Abuja, Nigerias capital. The institutions he named include the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), National Open University (NOUN), Kwara State University (KWASU), and Ambrose Alli University. Mr Oloyede initially listed Delta State University (DELSU) among the defaulting institutions. But he later withdrew that allegation, saying the inclusion of DELSU on the list was an error. The policy meeting, convened by JAMB, is a forum for critical stakeholders in the admission processes into tertiary institutions in the country, including university vice-chancellors and registrars, rectors and registrars of polytechnics, provosts, and registrars of colleges of education, and principal officers of monotechnics. Waiver Mr Oloyede disclosed that the Nigerian government had already granted waivers to about one million candidates allegedly illegally admitted by these institutions. He said the Federal Ministry of Education offered the waivers to those candidates admitted illegally between 2017 and 2020. However, Mr Oloyede said that despite the waiver, some institutions still engage in illegal admissions. He said out of the one million it got waivers for, JAMB has been able to register only about 600 candidates so far because a large number of them do not have the basic qualifications. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later He added that over 700 candidates were offered admission outside the JAMB Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) by the National Open University (NOUN), thereby embarrassing the agency and the university. Corrupt admission practices in these institutions include admission crises for regulated programmes (MBBS, Law, Nursing) in University of Nigeria; admission issue by issuance of admission letter before completion of process on CAPS for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 in University of Abuja; Imo State University on admission racketeering under investigation and cases of University Diploma of KWASU, he said. Mr Oloyede said any candidate or institution that engaged in illegal admissions after the waiver in 2020 will not get any support. Controversy over admission procedure JAMBs statutory responsibility is to conduct entrance examinations into the countrys tertiary institutions universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and monotechnics. JAMB registrar Mr Oloyede has always emphasised that the agencys mode of examination is to rank candidates to enable them to gain admission into their chosen institutions. However, the introduction of the CAPS by JAMB, which mandates institutions to upload their requirements for verifications and regulations by the examination body, has been termed insubordination by many stakeholders including workers unions. Opponents of JAMBs regulatory oversight functions insist that the examination bodys activities violate the University Autonomy Act, which they claim empowers institutions to make independent decisions on academic and administrative matters. Reacting to the ministers directive on the age limit for admission on Thursday, the National President of the Congress of Nigerian University Academics (CONUA), Niyi Sunmonu, said such decisions by the minister and bodies like JAMB only violate the university autonomy act. Mr Sunmonu said: Where is the place of University Autonomy Act? Are universities appendages of the Ministry of Education? Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, have denied suggestions that their personnel provide security for illegal miners in the country. The duo made the denial at a public hearing convened by the House of Representatives Committee on Mineral Resources. Jonathan Gaza, chairman of the committee, coordinated the hearing, which was held on Thursday in Abuja. The security chiefs were responding to a query by the committee that the members of the armed forces and the police were providing security for illegal miners. The committee had based its stance on reliable reports. According to the CDS, represented by the Director of Operations, Defence Headquarters, Nnaemeka Ilo, army personnel only provide protection for legitimate requests made by legitimate miners, who operate in conflict-inflicted areas. He said Nigerias armed forces were always ready to provide all the necessary support to stop illegal mining. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later It is not our primary duty, but part of our responsibility is that whenever the civil authority tasks us to do something, we have to do that. So, for the Armed Forces to be here, it shows we are ready to support the agencies involved in stopping illegal mining, including the civil defence, police and the ministry. He dismissed the insinuation of supporting illegal miners as simply untrue. If there are any such allegations, please we would want to know which of the mines, or who brought the allegations so that we would take it up from there. If there is any such allegation, we want to know who brought that up, but as it is, that is a lie, sir. Legitimate requests are made for the military to give protection to legitimate miners that licences have been issued to, in conflict-inflicted areas. Once we get such requests, what we normally do is to write to the Ministry of Mines. In fact, we direct them to send their letters to the Ministry of Mines. So, if the Ministry of Mines requests us, because of the nature of the environment, because of the conflict, we do sometimes give protection. He, however, said that such protection was limited to those people licensed by the government to carry out mining activities, based on the ministrys requests. Also, the Inspector General of Police, represented by Ademola Hamzat, said no responsible organisation paid by the public would do anything that would be against the wishes of the people. He said the police often provide security to some individuals established to be under serious threat, especially in crisis areas. But, from my own office, there is nothing to show that we protect any illegal mining site, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print No fewer than 263 Boko Haram terrorists and their families have surrendered to the troops of Sector I of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Cameroon. This is contained in a statement issued by Abubakar Abdullahi, the Chief Military Public Information Officer of MNJTF in Ndjamena, Chad. He said that the insurgents surrendered between 11 July and 17 July, during the ongoing Operation Lake Sanity II. The wave of surrenders began on July 1, when five terrorists surrendered to MNJTF troops in Wulgo, on the Nigeria-Cameroon border. Preliminary information indicated these individuals hailed from Tumbuma and Kutumgulla in Marte Local Government Area (LGA), Nigeria. On the same day, Malum Kori Bukar, a 50-year-old, escaped from the Jibilaram hideout and surrendered to the troops. Additionally, on 11 July, 19 terrorists surrendered in the village of Madaya, extreme North Cameroon, and another 11 surrendered in Wulgo from the Tumbuma hideout in 2 waves. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later On 12 July 2024, 64 individuals surrendered in Bonderi, Cameroon, including 6 adult males, 20 women, and 38 children. Moreso, on 13 July, 27 terrorists surrendered, he said. Mr Abdullahi, a lieutenant colonel, said that preliminary investigation revealed that all the surrendered individuals belonged to Nigerian communities. Consequently, they were handed over to the troops of Operation HADIN KAI for further action, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mark Jacob, has urged former Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu not to bother returning to office despite Wednesdays judgement reinstating him. Mr Jacob, who appeared as a guest on Arise Televisions Morning Show on Thursday, said there was no point in Mr Shaibu returning to office given the hostile environment and redundancy that are likely awaiting him. He can blare his siren here and there, but he will not, in effect, be part of the government. And for me, I think politicians should respect themselves. If I was in his shoes, I would lick my wounds, go my way, take my life into my hands, and move forward, the lawyer, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice in Kaduna State, said. The Edo State House of Assembly removed Mr Shaibu from office on 8 April over allegations of gross misconduct. Governor Godwin Obaseki immediately nominated Omobayo Godwins as Mr Shaibus replacement. The House of Assembly confirmed Mr Godwins appointment, and the governor promptly swore him in as the deputy governor the same day. However, the Federal High Court in Abuja upheld Mr Shaibus suit challenging his removal from office on Wednesday, holding that the allegations over which the House of Assembly removed him did not constitute acts of gross misconduct. The court nullified Mr Shaibus removal and ordered his reinstatement to office. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The judge, James Omotosho, also ordered the payment of salaries and entitlements since the House of Assembly illegally removed him from office in April. The House of Assembly has expressed its dissatisfaction with the judgment and appealed against it. Mr Jacob recalled the humiliating treatment Mr Shaibu received in the lead-up to his removal in April. He said the hostile environment would likely persist if Mr Shaibu takes his office back. If I were Shaibu, I would not have pursued this matter, honestly, the lawyer said, adding that prior to his removal, he was completely redundant; he was not even, at times, allowed to enter the office; he was completely out of government, the former PDP legal advise said. He said @they can open a door for him to sit somewhere, and for the next few months, he will be redundant, referring to the political forces that saw to Mr Shaibus removal from office. He also based his argument on the inefficiency of the Nigerian courts, where the House of Assemblys appeal could drag on for years. Even if Mr Shaibu were to return to office, he would leave in November, just four months before the end of his joint tenure with the governor. Given the likelihood of further appeals, it is nearly impossible for the matter to be resolved by the Supreme Court within the next year if any aggrieved party chooses to pursue the full judicial process after the Court of Appeals decision. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled 21 September for the next governorship election in the state. Mr Jacob urged Mr Shaibu to abandon the idea of returning to office after making a statement with his successful legal battle against his removal. Obaseki and Shaibus political feud Mr Shaibus removal last April was the peak of the political feud between him and Governor Obaseki. The feud stemmed from Shaibus ambition to succeed Mr Godwin, who preferred a different person from another region of the state, which he considered better suited to the zoning arraignment in the state to succeed him. Both men, once allies, have become adversaries. Their re-election in 2022 was largely due to the strong alliance they formed against their former benefactor, Adams Oshiomhole, who had supported their rise to office in 2016 but fell out with Mr Obaseki before the end of Obasekis first term. As the 2022 election approached, they were compelled to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC), which Mr Oshiomhole then chaired at the national level, and to seek their re-election on the PDP platform. This move was driven by Mr Oshiomholes opposition to their candidacy as the APCs flagbearers. They contested for a second term and won on the PDP platform. But no sooner had they settled down for the second term than Mr Shaibus ambition to succeed Mr Obaseki began to draw a wedge between them. Despite Governor Obasekis insistence on a successor from the Edo Central zone of the state, Mr Shaibu, who hails from Edo North, obtained the PDP governorship nomination form. In February, the governors preferred candidate, Asue Ighodalo, emerged as the winner of the partys primary election, even though Mr Shaibu declared himself the winner of a parallel poll. Reflecting on the broken relationship during his appearance on Channels Television in November last year, Mr Shaibu said his troubles started after visiting Mr Oshiomhole to congratulate him on winning his election to the Nigerian senate last year. That was where my headache started because the governors style is that a friend of the governor, you must be (a) friend to him, and an enemy to the governor, you must be enemy to him, Mr Shaibu, a former member of the House of Representatives who hails from the same region of the state with Mr Oshiomhole. The conflict between the governor and Mr Shaibu fluctuated between periods of calm and intense strain until their deteriorating relationship reached a breaking point, catalysing Mr Shaibus removal from office by the state House of Assembly in April. On Thursday, Mr Jacob blamed Mr Shaibu for his woes. His problem started when he committed class suicide you dont come in as a comrade and jump ship and join people who are not your political family and expect things will go well, Mr Jacob, who served as the PDP National Legal Adviser during Uche Secondus tumultuous tenure as national chairman. READ ALSO: Court reinstates Shaibu as Edo deputy governor Need for independent legislature Mr Jacob also criticised the way lawmakers come to office in Nigeria, saying that it often leads to legislative houses becoming mere extensions of the executive branch. He described this as a major national issue that demands urgent attention. Still, he urged state Houses of Assembly to maintain their independence. He also urged politicians to desist from witch-hunting one another over political differences. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A senator, Ali Ndume, has said he did no wrong in criticising President Bola Tinubu and has no reason to apologise despite his removal as Senate Chief Whip. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Senate President Godswill Akpabio removed Mr Ndume (APC-Borno) as Senate Chief Whip following a letter from Abdullahi Ganduje, the APCs national chairman. In the letter, Mr Ganduje referenced an interview Mr Ndume granted in which he criticised the Bola Tinubu administration. The Borno senator has now responded to his removal and said he stands by all he said in the interview. In a video posted by Channels Television on Friday, Mr Ndume also traced his history in the APC, saying he is a founding member of the ruling party. He also rejected a reported redeployment to another committee by the senate president. In reaction to what has happened, I reviewed several times from the beginning to the end of the interview I granted. I also shared the interview I granted to friends, elders, and leaders in this country to review and get back to me to tell me whether I have said anything that is not true or that is wrong in that interview, and unanimously, the people I shared with and my conviction too tells me that I did not do anything wrong, I did not say anything wrong and therefore, I want to state that I stand by all my statements in the interview I granted, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later My action patriotic While describing his action as patriotic, Mr Ndume advised President Tinubu to listen to the cries of Nigerians and immediately address the concerned areas. I insist it is unpatriotic to stand by the president in whichever or whatever he does. It is patriotic to speak the truth not only to the president but also to anybody, for that matter. It is unpatriotic not to speak the truth to power or anybody and I still stand by that. In doing so, it is also known that God is always with the person that speaks the truth. So, I know that I am not wrong. The people are not wrong by speaking the truth and standing by the truth, and I pray that the president, who is now I expect that the message has gotten to him to look at what I have said and take appropriate measures to eliminate the sufferings of the people. People are suffering, people are angry, people are not happy. I am happy that yesterday, the president agreed with NLC to increase the salary to N70,000, which is a good move, but it takes more than that because, realistically, that is like a bag of rice, money that will buy a bag of rice or cover the cost of a bag of rice. So, I call on the president to open up and listen to the people.. The Borno South senator also insisted that some people prevent well-meaning people from physically discussing the truth with President Tinubu. The president, I knew, had infiltrated access to people. If you go to Bourdillon, as I said, you will know from far away whether he is there or not. If you go to his Lagos house in Abuja, if he is in Abuja, on turning, you will know whether the president is there or not. I think he should think about that and get back to it, he said. Rejection of new committee Mr Ndume also rejected his redeployment to chair the Senate Committee on Tourism by the senate president. He said he rejected the new committee because he has no interest in or experience in tourism. And I learnt because nobody wrote to me that I have been given chairman of tourism. I want to state here that I beg to decline or to reject the offer for two reasons or three. You must do something that you are interested in. I am not a tourist. I do not have a visa to any country, as I am speaking to you now, because I do not travel a lot. I have never been to China, I have never been to India, I have never been to France. In fact, I have never been to except America, that I schooled and London, that I used to go. Even that, I cannot remember going to any of these countries in the last 10 years or more. So, I am not interested in accepting the committee on tourism for the reasons I told you. I am inexperienced in that. I am not knowledgeable about tourism, so I would remain an ordinary member so that I can learn about tourism and something like that. Besides, I have a committee already that I am contented with, so I want them to note that I am not interested, he explained. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The police in Enugu State have spoken on the reported abduction of 11 travellers along the Amechi-Idodo Area of the Enugu/Abakaliki Express Road. How it happened On Tuesday, gunmen abducted the victims who were mainly university students travelling to Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital from Awka in Anambra State. The attackers, it was gathered, flagged down their vehicle and abducted them along Amechi -Idodo Axis in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. A family member of one of the victims, who asked not to be named, said the abductors had asked for N30 million ransom. ALSO READ: Court remands two over alleged stealing of tricycle in Enugu Sources said one of the abducted victims confirmed to the family, on Thursday, that 11 of them were being held by their abductors. The family was negotiating with the captors till 11 a.m. (on Friday), a source familiar with the attack said. Initial silence When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, the police spokesperson in Ebonyi State, Joshua Ukandu, simply said he was aware the place had been a den of kidnappers. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Mr Ukandu, a deputy superintendent of police, however, said he would not comment because the area is under the jurisdiction of the Enugu State Police Command. The police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, did not respond to several calls and a text message seeking his comments. Three persons, not 11 missing In a statement on Friday evening, Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, refuted the abduction of 11 travellers. The police spokesperson claimed only three travellers were still missing after the attack by the hoodlums. He described the reported abduction of 11 travellers as misleading, false and mischievous. Mr Ndukwe claimed that upon receipt of information about the attack, police operatives moved to the boundary of Enugu and Ebonyi States on the said day. The spokesperson said the operatives, on arrival at the scene, rescued 13 occupants of a Nissan commercial bus attacked by suspected kidnappers. He claimed the three missing travellers had scampered into nearby bushes during the attack. Mr Ndukwe said the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Kanayo Uzuegbu, has ordered sustained operations to locate and rescue the three missing travellers. Mr Uzuegbu also directed the operatives to track down the hoodlums. The commissioner assured of their commitment to sustain collaborative efforts between security agencies within the state and those in neighbouring states to ensure safety on highways. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Borno South Senator Ali Ndume has recounted how former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu ordered him to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) some years ago. Mr Ndume, a member of the APC, disclosed this in a viral video posted by Channels Television on Friday. He was removed as Senate Chief Whip on Wednesday following a letter from Abdullahi Ganduje, the APC national chairman and Basiru Ajibola, the partys national secretary. In the letter, the APC leaders referenced an interview Mr Ndume granted in which he criticised the Bola Tinubu administration and subsequently recommended that the Senate should relieve him of his position. The APC leaders also advised Mr Ndume to quit the party and join the opposition. Responding to the advice, Mr Ndume said he is a founding member of the ruling party and had been a member before Mr Ganduje joined. He explained that he and 21 other senators allied to establish the APC. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The senator, a member of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said Messrs Buhari and Tinubu ordered him to sign a document inside the Imo State Lodge that he would be a member of the APC. I am a founding member of APC. In fact, I can say I was in APC before the national chairman because I am a member of the PDP that formed the APC, and I did not do just like that; it is in consultation with my people that I joined APC. We were the 22 senators that joined to form the APC. We were called nPDP then and if you check history and look at the list of the senators, my name is number 21 out of 22. That was because I initially did not want to join APC because of some people that are in the coalition, but I was ordered by Buhari and current president Tinubu to sign to join the APC in the Imo government lodge. And it was Rochas Okorocha who was hosting us that was sent to summon me to Imo government lodge where Buhari came with the list and asked me to sign. Tinubu was sitting there; I was sitting there; only the three of us were called aside to sign, he explained. Mr Ndume, however, said he would consult with his people about quitting the party before taking the final decision. So I am not a new member. I did not join the APC just like that; it was in consultations with my people that I joined APC. I take his advice and I will get across to my people. I am here in Maiduguri as you know, because I am bereaved, and I did not issue an immediate statement because I did not want to show or overreact to what has happened he said. I was begged to accept chief whip position In the video, Mr Ndume also said some people begged him to accept the position of the Senate Chief Whip because he successfully led the campaign that brought Godswill Akpabio as the senate president. He added that he was also allowed to choose whichever committee he preferred to be vice chairman of, and he chose the appropriation committee. Still, the appropriation committee was given to me not because I was desperate about it; no, it was because I was begged to accept the position of Chief Whip, knowing fully that I led the campaign for the emergence of Akpabio as the senate president and I was begged to choose whichever committee I want to be the vice chairman and I choose appropriation in order to stand for my people and make sure that there is justice in whatever they do. It is not like I am desperate that I have been removed, he explained. Mr Ndume, who was once the minority leader of the House of Representatives as a member of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP), also noted that he accepted the decision of the Senate in good faith. The party that recommended to the Senate that I should be removed from being the chief whip of the Senate, I take that as an act of God because it is God that gave me that position. It is God that took it through APC, so I bear no grudges about that. After all, I did not contest to be the Chief Whip. I did not contest to be the vice chairman of the appropriations committee. I contested to be one of the senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Alhamdulillah, God granted me that victory and I am happy to get what God has given to me, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print For me, it has always been about the heart of the man, his thoughtfulness and presence of mind at all times, even with the constant pressure on him and demand on his time. It is his willingness to volunteer his shoulders for those behind, and different noble causes, time and again, while being unwilling to take credit for it. The honour done him in Morocco, he took it as one for the writing profession, dedicating it to colleagues who have passed on. That is Wole Soyinka. I dont know any other way to live but to wake up every day armed with my convictions, not yielding them to the threat of danger and to the power and force of people who might despise me. Professor Wole Soyinka Here we are in Rabat, headquarters of Academie Royale du Maroc, at the Africa celebrates Prof Wole Soyinka roundtable organised by the Academy, in collaboration with the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), to honour Professor Wole Soyinka, the first African to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, on the occasion of his 90th Birthday. Described by one of the speakers at the event as the Genius from Abeokuta, Wole Soyinka, poet, playwright, novelist, essayist, and satirist, is undoubtedly, one of the greatest Africans ever. An athlete of thought, as described by Professor Eugene Ebode, administrator of the Chair of African Literatures and Arts of the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco, Soyinka, in the words of Professor Abdeljalil Lahjohmri, permanent secretary of the Academy, is one of the brightest minds of our generation (and) the most prominent contributor to thinking about issues of humanity and the African continent and an exceptional literary figure who hails from an exceptional geography. It is fascinating that this event has been organised by the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco, founded in 1977 in furtherance of scholarship, thought, and the development and promotion of scientific research, particularly in humanities, culture and arts, and whose renown rests on the standing of its prestigious membership that is limited to only a few across a handful of countries, with no Nigerian on the list, has rolled out the carpet in such a grand scale to honour this great Nigerian, even one who, on account of his exceptional trail of accomplishments, has long become a citizen of the world. Here we are: Dr Newton Jibunoh (adventurer, writer, art collector, environmentalist and Professor Soyinkas friend of over 50 years); Dr Wale Okediran (secretary-general, PAWA); Awam Amkpa, professor of drama at New York University, Abu Dhabi and director of the Biopic, The Man Died, who was Profs student at Ife and currently his colleague at NYU; Oladipo Akanbi (president, Association of Nigerian Authors); Jahman Anikulapo (artiste, culture advocate, curator and communicator); Jolayemi Olaofe, a broadcaster and lawyer; Ugoma Ebila (entrepreneur and cultural curator); Chinwe Odili (structural engineer and visual storyteller), and myself. We are here as Professor Wole Soyinkas guests from Nigeria, and witnesses to history, as he received the emblem of the Academie Royale du Maroc. It was a moment of honour for the highly decorated and distinguished Nigeria, described by the Academy as a researcher and investor in culture and literature, a defender throughout his decades of experience of freedom, an opponent of racism and apartheid, and a creative link between the past, the present and the future, in addition to defending creative writing and creators at the continental level. It was a moment of glory for Nigeria, which brought immense pride to us as Nigerians, with all good eyes on us. Seated here, thousands of kilometres from home, watching one speaker after the other eulogise Wole Soyinka, the irony of this glorious moment, side by side the calumny orchestrated by some irritants on the Nigerian social media space against his person, is particularly striking. Here, people are falling over themselves for an opportunity for a word or photo op with a man whose body of work for over five decades, standing up to the forces of tyranny in different forms, at great risk to his life, is an eloquent testimony to courage under fire. But back home, some insist that unless he endorses their attempt at gbajue, they will continue to drag him. To think that these misguided folks, giddy from social media fame, believe that they can cancel a global icon of his stature, simply for not toeing their preferred political line, is laughable. Here in Morocco, as in different parts of the world, people have come together to celebrate Wole Soyinka out of genuine admiration for him. It is an organic display of love for a man not ordinarily given to ceremonies, but who has had to concede to being a part of some activities in appreciation of the thoughts that have propelled the overwhelming outpouring of love that has been the hallmark of his birthday celebrations. I hear that more than 20 other events are lined up by different groups all over Nigeria to celebrate WS, just as there are events in France, the US, the UK, Mexico and other parts of the world. It is safe to conclude that despite the ill will relentlessly fanned by these fringe elements, their influence has not punctured the bubbles of the activities. While they cross-feed on falsehoods to reinforce their biases and opinions, people of goodwill around the world are giving honour to whom it is due, as we are witnessing here in Morocco. The challenge for some, though, is that they assume Wole Soyinkas stature to be solely built around his prowess as a writer. But that is not quite the case. Wole Soyinka is not great just because he is a great writer, or because he is the first African to have won the Nobel Prize. His greatness preceded the Nobel and has long transcended it. He was already a great Nigerian before the Nobel and would have undoubtedly remained one, even if the Academy had not awarded him the prize. As absurd as it might sound, we have even had some questioning Wole Soyinkas credentials as a writer. Well, there is no point dignifying the fabu about writers boycotting the Nobel Prize in 1986, as if it was the Olympics, with a response. For those who might genuinely want to know what those who matter think of Wole Soyinkas writing, here is the statement by the Swedish Academy in 1986: Soyinka has been characterized as one of the finest poetical playwrights that have written in EnglishLinguistically too Soyinka stands out as excellent. He possesses a prolific store of words and expressions which he exploits to the full in witty dialogue, in satire and grotesquery, in quiet poetry and essays of sparkling vitality. Wole Soyinkas writing is full of life and urgency. For all its complexity it is at the same time energetically coherent. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The challenge for some, though, is that they assume Wole Soyinkas stature to be solely built around his prowess as a writer. But that is not quite the case. Wole Soyinka is not great just because he is a great writer, or because he is the first African to have won the Nobel Prize. His greatness preceded the Nobel and has long transcended it. He was already a great Nigerian before the Nobel and would have undoubtedly remained one, even if the Academy had not awarded him the prize. His body of work, outside of literature, robustly speaks to his greatness in more ways than one. Indeed, while some become great on the strength of their accomplishment as writers, others will be considered great, even without consideration of their accomplishments as writers. Wole Soyinka is in that rarefied category of those who qualify as greats with or without taking his record as a writer into consideration. We do injustice to ourselves, and whoever else we choose to compare him with, as there is no basis for such duplicitous and reductionist comparisons that some make between Wole Soyinka and other writers, as every writer has his style and strengths. As Professor Lars Gyllensten of the Swedish Academy reminds us, Wole Soyinka stands out not just for his genuine and impressive creativity as an artist, a master of language, (but a) commitment as a dramatist and writer of poetry and prose to problems of general and deep significance for man, modern or ancient. Morocco, for me, evokes the memory and spirit of the 1986 Nobel Prize presentation ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden, at which Wole Soyinka made an unforgettable statement for Africa, not only with his iconic Dansiki, but through his Nobel Lecture, in which he challenged the past to address its present. Premising his thesis on the universality and imperatives of time, he charged the world to address those imperatives that challenge our being, our presence, and humane definition at this time none can be considered more pervasive than the end of racism, the eradication of human inequality, and the dismantling of all their structures. His seizure of that moment to frontally challenge the West in their courtyard, dedicating the prize to Nelson Mandela, is referenced as a significant factor in the events that would play out a few years later, leading to the eventual dismantling of the evil regime of Apartheid in South Africa. Indeed, it is Wole Soyinkas record as a man of conscience that sets him apart as an exemplar. In the words of Abdeljalil Lahjohmri, he is unquestionably a man of action and ideas; an embodiment of benevolence, who helps nurture young minds while supporting the less privileged, and intervening in crisis situations to prevent conflict. Resolute in his conviction that justice is the prime condition of humanity, Professor Wole Soyinkas lifelong commitment to the fight for justice and peace speaks to the generosity of his spirit. It is that spirit that has also seen him dedicate a lot of his time to nurturing young(er) minds to help them find their feet, standing up for them in times of difficulty, and creating opportunities for them to excel in their art. For some reason, that aspect of his work has not received as much acknowledgement as it should. There is no doubt about his soft spot for the younger generations. When the organisers of the event in Morocco shared their plans with him, he cautioned them against making the event about him, as he would rather not sit around to hear himself being spoken about. He advised them, instead, to make it a platform for the young poets from Morocco to be heard, even volunteering to sit and read poems with them. It is heartwarming to see that Vision of The Child (VoTC), a project he started in 2012, is still on and has evolved into a strong platform for education, creative, and artistic expression, along with the Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange Program (WSICE), which is now in its 15th edition. Both continue to forge ahead with the mission of nurturing cultural understanding and appreciation among the young ones. One of the highlights of the birthday celebration was Professor Soyinka hosting winners of the annual Essay Competition in his Autonomous Republic of Ijegba, A.R.I. Residence, as he always does. There is no doubt about his soft spot for the younger generations. When the organisers of the event in Morocco shared their plans with him, he cautioned them against making the event about him, as he would rather not sit around to hear himself being spoken about. He advised them, instead, to make it a platform for the young poets from Morocco to be heard, even volunteering to sit and read poems with them. For me, it has always been about the heart of the man, his thoughtfulness and presence of mind at all times, even with the constant pressure on him and demand on his time. It is his willingness to volunteer his shoulders for those behind, and different noble causes, time and again, while being unwilling to take credit for it. The honour done him in Morocco, he took it as one for the writing profession, dedicating it to colleagues who have passed on. That is Wole Soyinka. EniOgun is an enigma. Who can accurately read his mind? I wonder till this moment what was on his mind in deciding on his guests for the event in Morocco. Who knows, others might have an explanation for the choice by Prof to have them as guests on the trip to Morocco; I do not have one. I am still in shock, pleasantly surprised at the honour of his invitation. I keep playing back the telephone conversation with him. It is not every day that the telephone rings and on the other side of it is a distinguished Nobel laureate with that unmistakable voice of his, This is Wole Soyinka! Thank you for being you, Prof. Please accept 90 Gbosas, as we toast to strength, good health and sound mind for you. Happy Birthday, Prof. Simbo Olorunfemi works for Hoofbeatdotcom, a Nigerian communications consultancy and publisher of Africa Enterprise. Email: Editor@enterpriseafrica.ng Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The adaptability of this early voting process in Nigeria is possible with the right legislative action of reviewing the Electoral Act and the institutional mechanisms on the part of INEC. A bill to introduce early voting in our electoral process has passed its first reading in the Senate. It is important that the government, especially the legislature, expedite the passage of this bill and the adoption of early voting mechanisms ahead of the 2027 election. On 29th May, South Africans went to the polls for their general elections for the seventh time in their countrys three decades of multi-racial democracy. This election was highly contested with new political dynamics affecting the voting pattern and vote shares of political parties in the nine provinces. As evident in the outcome of the election, the ruling African National Congress (ANC), which has always won the majority of votes and, by implication, seats in parliament, since the end of apartheid in 1994, received only 40 per cent of the national votes, with 159 seats. The dwindling support and popularity of the ANC have been attributed to various factors, some of which include the inadequate response to the rising unemployment rate (at 32.9 per cent), persistent economic inequalities; corruption; and inadequate public service, particularly in the rural areas. With a registered voter strength of 27.7 million, only 16.2 million South Africans voted during the election, with a 58.64 per cent turnout rate. This is the lowest voter turnout rate when compared to previous general elections in the country, showing that the growing distrust of the government by the people may have also contributed to the disinterest in the voting process. Despite the relatively low turnout of voters, the South African Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has received remarkable praise from domestic and international observers for the level of transparency and efficiency observed in the electoral process, which provides a model for other African democratic countries. A special feature of the South African electoral process that has attracted widespread attention is the early (special) voting mechanism. Ahead of the 29th May General Elections, the polls opened for the Early Voting system on 27th May. The South African IEC noted that approximately 1.6 million out of the 27.7 million registered voters were allowed to cast their ballots on a designated date prior to the general elections. As part of the early voting process, the polling units were opened for early voting on 27th and 28th May, while the designated electoral officials also visited about 624,000 persons with mobility issues due to old age, physical infirmities, or pregnancy, at home to give them an opportunity to exercise their franchise. The concept of early voting is used in South Africa to make provisions for individuals who would be engaged on election day or who would not be physically available to vote on the day to exercise their right to vote before the general elections. Early voting allows qualified voters to cast their ballots ahead of time, usually a few days before the official election day. In South Africa, early voting is meant to give voters flexibility and guarantee that everyone who is verified to vote has the opportunity to take part in the electoral process. It is a crucial element of the electoral system that promotes increased participation and voter turnout. Early voting in South Africa is enshrined in law through the South African Electoral Act 73 of 1998, Section 33, which provides for the conduct of a special voting procedure for persons who will not be physically available to vote on the election date. As Nigeria celebrates 25 years of its democracy under the Fourth Republic, there have been calls to strengthen the democratic ethos through a renewal of the social contract with Nigerians. This includes an improvement in the electoral process and the need to make elections inclusive and participatory for all citizens. In Nigeria, the right to vote is a fundamental right derived from the rights of Nigerians to participate in the governance of their country The two most important guidelines in determining the suitability of an individual to participate in the special voting are: (1) the applicant is registered as a voter; and (2) evidence that the person cannot vote on the general election day due to directly or indirectly participating in the conduct of the election, physical infirmity or disability, or pregnancy. The act also empowers the IEC to determine other categories of persons who should be given special voting privileges. In view of this law, every election year, as was done in 2024, the South African IEC sets out guidelines for applying for the early (special) voting category and establishes modalities to ensure that all qualified citizens participate in the voting process. The adoption of the early voting system in South Africa has helped to improve the participation of citizens in the electoral process. As a result, every qualified citizen in South Africa is given an opportunity to participate in electing their leaders. This serves as a model for other African democratic countries yet to adopt any form of early special voting to improve the level of citizens participation in the voting process. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later As Nigeria celebrates 25 years of its democracy under the Fourth Republic, there have been calls to strengthen the democratic ethos through a renewal of the social contract with Nigerians. This includes an improvement in the electoral process and the need to make elections inclusive and participatory for all citizens. In Nigeria, the right to vote is a fundamental right derived from the rights of Nigerians to participate in the governance of their country, as embedded in the Constitution and other human rights obligations, both nationally and internationally. Nigeria needs to adopt the early voting process implemented in countries such as South Africa, as it will allow these professionals, who would primarily be involved during the election days, to cast their votes at a stipulated date before the main election. It will also ensure that this large number of our voting population is not unintendedly disenfranchised from exercising their civic right. However, over the years, certain categories of persons, such as security personnel, electoral officials, ad-hoc electoral officials, accredited domestic election observers, and other key actors on election days, have been disenfranchised from participating in the voting process. In the 2023 general elections, INEC employed approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc staff (this figure excludes the permanent INEC staff, Resident Electoral Commissioners, and other INEC officials) who by their work on election day, were not able to vote. In addition to this number are the accredited election observers, media reporters/journalists, and security agents deployed for their important work on election day, who are not able to vote. Taking into account these categories of persons, it is possible to estimate that over two million Nigerians who are eligible voters do not get to exercise their right to vote. While the figure isnt sacrosanct, it provides insight into the huge number of Nigerians who are disenfranchised from the voting process by virtue of their roles in the conduct of elections. This is why Nigeria needs to adopt the early voting process implemented in countries such as South Africa, as it will allow these professionals, who would primarily be involved during the election days, to cast their votes at a stipulated date before the main election. It will also ensure that this large number of our voting population is not unintendedly disenfranchised from exercising their civic right. The adaptability of this early voting process in Nigeria is possible with the right legislative action of reviewing the Electoral Act and the institutional mechanisms on the part of INEC. A bill to introduce early voting in our electoral process has passed its first reading in the Senate. It is important that the government, especially the legislature, expedite the passage of this bill and the adoption of early voting mechanisms ahead of the 2027 election. This will create an avenue for individuals deployed for election day duties to be allowed to perform their civic responsibilities and exercise their voting rights, so that NO citizen is disenfranchised from voting. Uchenna Aja is with the Centre for Legislative Engagement, Yiaga Africa. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Throughout her life, Nana Maryam held the esteemed position of a charming princess, and the humble daughter of a king. Her royal stature was solidified by becoming a queen, the beloved wife of a king. In addition, she was a sister to a king, a compassionate sister-in-law to another king, and a caring mother to two kings and other children, making her a matriarch of unparalleled influence. Ultimately, her remarkable life of humility, kindness, sincerity and enviable legacy culminated in her well-deserved title of Queen Mother Recently, there were rumours that some individuals and groups had been hired to tarnish the reputation of the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, and his family, especially his wife, Nana Maryam from Ilorin, who shared his life for 54 years before his demise, as well as their two sons, who were appointed Emirs by the past government. It was, therefore, shocking when Hashim Dungurawa, the chairman of the ruling New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kano, made a baseless claim that President Bola Tinubu was eager to reinstate a son of the late emir because of a Yoruba ethnic connection. Described as an apostle of the Kwankwasiya movement led by Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, Dungurawa said: If the president thinks he will use a few of his kinsmen in Kano and the alleged Bayeros Yoruba lineage to continue to keep the deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero in the State, let him wait for 2027, we will show him that those people will not help him. As someone born and raised in Kano, I could never have imagined that politics in the state would descend so low as to fabricate falsehoods laced with hate speech against the family of one of the most respected and longest-serving traditional rulers in Nigeria. Ethnocentric rhetoric and irresponsible statements driven by arrogance, ignorance, intolerance, and fanaticism can incite mob action and lead to civil unrest. Weve seen how irresponsible behaviour and poor leadership have contributed to the rise of terrorism and banditry in some Northern states. It is instructive that Kano Deputy Governor Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo recently showed maturity by apologising to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, for making a similar unsubstantiated allegation. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Meanwhile, Emir Ado Bayero was a bridge builder and asset in promoting peaceful coexistence, mutual understanding, and conflict resolution during his reign. Not only was Kano receptive to all nationalities and cultures, the Emirate was also so accommodating that many top public figures and leaders, known as Kano indigenes, were actually from other states, like the peace-loving Yoruba people of Lagos who accepted and empowered sothers, especially under Governor Tinubus administration. It would be recalled that a few years after his death and immediately after the dethronement of his successor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Bayeros two sons from Nana Maryam, Aminu and Nasiru, were appointed Emirs of Kano and Bichi by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. However, the new Kano governor, Abba Yusuf, announced the dethronement of the two emirs and others this year, while reinstating Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir. Though people in Ilorin primarily speak Yoruba, their traditional and religious leadership comprises Fulani, Gambari, Kanuri, and Nupe people, alongside folks from other ethnic groups. At the start of the 19th century, Kakanfo Afonja, a Yoruba warlord, fled the Oyo Kingdom and emigrated to Ilorin to avoid a suicidal war with the Alaafin (the king). Around the same time, a Fulani Islamic scholar named Salih Janta, popularly called Shehu Alimi, due to his Islamic knowledge, also arrived in Ilorin. In a simple illustration, Maryam was the daughter of the eighth Fulani Emir of Ilorin, Shehu AbdulKadir (1919-1959); the granddaughter of the seventh Emir, Shehu Shuaib Bawan-Allah, who reigned between 1915 and 1919; great-granddaughter of the third Emir, Zubair (who reigned c.1860 to 1868); and great-great-granddaughter of AbdulSalami, the first Emir of Ilorin (c.1823-c.1836) and first son of Shehu Alimi (c.1740-c.1823). Shehu Alimi and Afonja later allied to repel the punitive forces of Oyo when the Alaafin planned to suppress the latters rebellion and eliminate the former for converting Yoruba to Islam. With support from Shehu Usman Danfodiyo of Sokoto, Ilorin forces launched a preemptive strike by attacking and burning down Oyo-Ile, the capital of the old Oyo Empire. Meanwhile, after a communal conflict, Afonja was also assassinated. When Shehu Alimi died in 1820, his eldest son, AbdulSalami, whose mother was a Gwandu princess from present day Kebbi, became the Emir of Ilorin and pledged allegiance to the Sokoto Caliphate around 1829. Throughout the 19th century, Ilorin was a significant trade hub between the Hausa-Fulani in the North and the Yoruba in the South. It was later incorporated into the Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1900. Therefore, Nana Maryam belonged to the fifth generation of Ilorin descendants of Shehu Alimi, a pioneer flag bearer of Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio. Her ancestral line is traced to the first son, Emir AbdulSalami. In a simple illustration, Maryam was the daughter of the eighth Fulani Emir of Ilorin, Shehu AbdulKadir (1919-1959); the granddaughter of the seventh Emir, Shehu Shuaib Bawan-Allah, who reigned between 1915 and 1919; great-granddaughter of the third Emir, Zubair (who reigned c.1860 to 1868); and great-great-granddaughter of AbdulSalami, the first Emir of Ilorin (c.1823-c.1836) and first son of Shehu Alimi (c.1740-c.1823). As the daughter of Emir AbdulKadir, Maryams siblings included Mallam Aliyu Baba Agba, the 10th Emir of Ilorin (who reigned from 1992 to 1995); Hajia Aishat Bolanta ZulKarnaini Gambari, wife of the ninth Emir (HRH Alhaji Muhammed ZulKarnaini Gambari, who reigned from 1959 to 1992); and mother of the 11th Emir (HRH, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, 1995). Princess Maryam was a young girl when she was sent to a boarding school in Kano and entrusted to the care of Queen Hasiya, the wife of Emir Abdullahi Bayero. Maryam shared the school with the Emirs daughters, Princesses Rakiya and Hadiza Abdullahi Bayero. A young prince, Ado, became interested in Princess Maryam through her relationship with his sisters. He started paying regular visits to the school, and their closeness grew as their meetings became more frequent, even if restrained. Surprisingly, the then Emirs of Ilorin and that of Kano did not unite the young lovebirds in marriage. In conformity with the cultural tradition, Maryam and other eligible maidens and princess were married off during a mass wedding that the Emir of Ilorin arranged in his palace. She got married to her relation, Mallam Muhammad Bello and bore a son, Saad, a year later. Following Emir Inuwas passing, the kingmakers and the Northern establishment turned to Ambassador Ado, still serving in Senegal, to succeed his late uncle. Despite his diplomatic posting, he was recalled and was officially coronated by the Governor of Northern Nigeria, Sir Kashim Ibrahim, in February 1964. It was the same month that his wife, Maryam, delivered Prince Nasir. Similarly, Emir Abdullahi Bayero married off Ado, alongside seven other princes, including Aminu Na Dawaki, Dan Iya Ado, Wambai Tijjani, Barde Cigari, Wambai Abubakar, Dan Darman Tijjani, and Da Ummaru Me Zaure Dan Amar. Ados first wife was Nana Aishatu, his first cousin and daughter of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Inuwa. Nana Aishatu was the mother of his first son, Lamido Sanusi (not the former CBN Governor), and his first daughter, Fatima (Magajiya). A few years later, after the collapse of her marriage, and while furthering her studies in Kano, Maryam reconnected with Prince Ado Bayero, the Chief Clerk of the Kano Town Council. Considering their rekindled relationship after the death of their parents, the then-new Emirs of Ilorin and Kano, Zulkarnaini Gambari and Muhammadu Sanusi, endorsed the marriage of Maryam and Ado. Gambari was Maryams in-law and first cousin, while Sanusi was Ados senior brother. The Nikkah, Islamic wedding, was held in the Ilorin Palace, with a delegation from the Emir of Kano, comprising Galadima Hamidu Bayero, Malam Ibrahim Kado, and Malam Buhari Gwadabe, Sarkin Fulanin Jaidnawa. In 1961, Maryam gave birth to their son, Aminu, while Ado was serving as the no-nonsense and incorruptible Police Chief of the Kano Native Authority. Ados rising profile and reputation led to his appointment as Nigerias Ambassador to Senegal in 1962. He took Maryam and their young son Aminu to Dakar, where they settled into a new life. However, the political tension brewing in Kano about that time ultimately led to the dethronement of Emir Sanusi, Ados elder brother, in 1963. In his place, Ados uncle, Muhammadu Inuwa, was appointed as the new Emir. Tragically, Emir Inuwas reign was short-lived, as he died just six months later due to illness. Following Emir Inuwas passing, the kingmakers and the Northern establishment turned to Ambassador Ado, still serving in Senegal, to succeed his late uncle. Despite his diplomatic posting, he was recalled and was officially coronated by the Governor of Northern Nigeria, Sir Kashim Ibrahim, in February 1964. It was the same month that his wife, Maryam, delivered Prince Nasir. Throughout her life, Nana Maryam held the esteemed position of a charming princess, and the humble daughter of a king. Her royal stature was solidified by becoming a queen, the beloved wife of a king. In addition, she was a sister to a king, a compassionate sister-in-law to another king, and a caring mother to two kings and other children, making her a matriarch of unparalleled influence. Ultimately, her remarkable life of humility, kindness, sincerity and enviable legacy culminated in her well-deserved title of Queen Mother, a testament to her extraordinary status and enduring impact on the Emirates of Ilorin and Kano. In addition to the famous historical accounts of the two Emirates, I am drawn to the following books: Omar Farouk Ibrahims Prince of the Times: Ado Bayero, Abubakar Sidiq Imams Ilorin Emirates Frontliners, and Hajo Sanis Maryam Ado Bayero: A Woman of Royal Virtues, which offer fresh perspectives on the subject. For those who lack knowledge of history and cannot trace their heritage but are envious of others historical legacies, history books have a name for them. Yushau Shuaib Agaka is currently the Custodian of one of the oldest copies of the Quran, which was brought to the Ilorin Emirate by his progenitors from Kanem-Borno; www.YAShuaib.com yashuaib@yashuaib.com Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Montblanc, the leading global Maison for luxury business lifestyle, celebrates the 100th anniversary of its icon, the Meisterstuck writing instrument. The first Meisterstuck was introduced in 1924 when Montblanc still went by its first name, Simplo. The story goes that some customers began to request a writing instrument for Sunday-use one that would be special, offering a finer experience not meant for everyday use. The first Meisterstuck writing instrument range was developed by the SimploFullfedergesellschaft (later Montblanc-Simplo) in 1924. Right from the start, the number 4810 referring to the height of the Mont Blanc Mountain in metres has been intrinsically tied to the Meisterstuck. The four digits were prominently shown on its packaging, engraved on the cap, and since 1930 on the nib. Another attribute considered characteristic of Montblanc today was introduced with the Meisterstuck the notable use of the gold colour. It was in 1928 that two gold rings were first added to the cap, not simply as a decorative element, but to strengthen the cap and reduce the risk of cracks. The Meisterstuck reflected global trends of reconstruction and innovation. In the late 1940s and 1950s, it adopted a streamlined design, retaining classic features. The 149 model, introduced in 1952, became a future classic, with innovations like the Doue models and Wing nib enhancing the collection. In the early 1970s, Montblanc made a decision that could be seen as a precursor to the Maisons commitment to luxury: the 1950s cigar-shaped Meisterstuck enjoyed a revival beyond the 149 model. The more edgy Meisterstuck designs phased out, while the range of classic, streamlined models grew. In the 1980s, the Solitaire also had its debut. Since then, it is with great affection for the original design that the Meisterstucks silhouette has been adapted and re-imagined in a multitude of writing modes, been skeletonized, and even become the canvas for celebrated collaborations. But despite the many variations, this timeless writing instrument has retained its core design codes and continues inspiring as a symbol of writing culture. Speaking on the relationship between Polo and Montblanc, the Executive Director of Polo, Jennifer Obayuwana, said Polo has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with Montblanc. For decades, Montblanc has exemplified the pinnacle of craftsmanship and timeless elegance. As they mark 100 years of the iconic Meisterstuck, we celebrate a legacy of innovation, artistry, and excellence. Montblancs pursuit of distinction resonates with Polos values, and we look forward to many more years of shared success and mutual inspiration. Synonymous with excellence in craftsmanship and design, Montblanc has been pushing the boundaries of innovation ever since the Maison first revolutionised the culture of writing in 1906. Ingenuity and imagination continue to be driving forces for the Maison today as it advances its expression of fine craftsmanship across product categories: writing instruments, watches, leather goods, new technologies and accessories. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Chivas Regal, a Scotch whisky brand, has announced the launch of its transformative I Rise, We Rise campaign, celebrating the power of collaboration and creativity. This campaign underscores Chivas Regals commitment to championing the journey of talents and positioning itself as the brand for those who embody the spirit of collective success. At the heart of this groundbreaking initiative is Nigerian artist BNXN, formerly known as Buju, whose distinctive voice and energetic performances epitomise resilience and the spirit of rising above challenges. BNXNs journey from emerging talent to global sensation resonates deeply with Chivas Regals philosophy of shared success. Joining BNXN in this visionary endeavor are his longstanding collaborators, TG Omori and Sore Adebisi. TG Omori, celebrated as one of Nigerias leading music video directors, brings his insight and journey to the campaign. His groundbreaking visual storytelling has set new standards in the industry, capturing the essence of BNXNs music and amplifying its impact. Creative Director, Creative Entrepreneur, and Co-founder of @headsbybnxn, Sore Adebisi, has been instrumental in shaping BNXNs distinctive brand and visual narrative. His creative direction adds depth and authenticity to the campaign, highlighting the transformative impact of mentorship within the creative industry. The I Rise, We Rise campaign is a testament to the collective journey of creativity, emphasising community, mentorship, and the shared determination to overcome obstacles. As part of the campaign, BNXN will lead a series of insightful discussions alongside TG Omori and Sore Adebisi, exploring the challenges and opportunities facing the next generation of creatives. These three episodes will delve into their collaborative process, offering invaluable insights and inspiration for aspiring talents. Additionally, they will discuss the future of the creative industry, highlighting emerging trends and innovations that will shape the next wave of artistic expression. Managing Director of PernodRicard Nigeria, Michael Ehindero, expressed enthusiasm about the campaign, stating: At Chivas Regal, we believe in the power of collaboration and mutual support in achieving greatness. The I Rise, We Rise campaign celebrates the spirit of creativity and resilience, exemplified by BNXN, TG Omori, and Sore Adebisi. Their collaboration embodies our brands commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a community where every individual can thrive. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The campaign will also feature interactive events, workshops, and digital initiatives designed to inspire and empower aspiring creatives. These efforts underscore ChivasRegals dedication to cultivating the next generation of artistic visionaries and fostering a global network of support and inspiration. The I Rise, We Rise campaign will be showcased across various platforms, including digital and social media channels, ensuring its message of empowerment and collaboration reaches a diverse global audience. Through this initiative, Chivas Regal reaffirms its role as a catalyst for creative excellence and a champion of collective success. Chivas Regal is a renowned Scotch whisky brand known for its exceptional quality and commitment to craftsmanship. With a rich heritage dating back to 1801, Chivas Regal continues to embody the spirit of generosity and shared success. The brand is dedicated to celebrating and empowering creatives worldwide, fostering a community where individuals can rise together and achieve their dreams. PernodRicard Nigeria is a subsidiary of PernodRicard, the worlds second-largest producer of wines and spirits. PernodRicard Nigeria is committed to building brands that celebrate the spirit of conviviality, offering a diverse portfolio of premium beverages. The company supports various initiatives that foster creativity and innovation, aiming to make a positive impact within the Nigerian community and beyond. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has commenced the aerial spread of chemicals to control quelea bird infestation of farms in Taraba for enhanced food security. Adamu Kazaure, the ministrys field officer in charge of Adamawa and Taraba, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Jalingo. NAN reports that queala birds are small seed eaters that feed on a variety of grasses, crops and fruits. Mr Kazaure, who is from the ministrys Department of Veterinary and Pest Control, said the action followed complaints by farmers in Karim-Lamido and Ardo-Kola local government areas of Taraba over the massive infestation of quelea birds on crop farms. According to him, the 10-day exercise, using a contracted Agro-Aviation Aircraft, will cover the entire state to prevent the immediate recurrence of the infestation. The action we are taking followed a progress report of quelea birds infestation in some parts of Taraba. Some identified farmers sent video clips of quelea birds as they attacked rice farms in Nahuta-Lalinga village of Karim Lamido LGA, and Mayo-Renewo in Ardo-Kola LGA. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The farmers, in a phone interview with the ministrys officials, appealed to the government to come to their aid in combating the birds, as huge losses were being recorded, he said. Mr Kazaure explained that the team was making use of Fenthion and DDVP pesticides to control the birds. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has presented a letter of appointment to the new Emir of Gaya Emirate, Aliyu Abdulkadir. The emir is the only one among the five deposed emirs to be reinstated by Governor Yusuf. This followed the assent of a new law by the Kano State House of Assembly, which allows for the creation of three second-class emirs in Gaya, Rano and Karaye. A statement issued by the governors spokesperson, Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa, noted that Mr Ibrahims reinstatement was based on merit and his commitment to serving the people of the Gaya Emirate. The emirate comprises Gaya, Ajingi, and Albasu Local Government Areas. You may recall that the Emir of Gaya was the only one who accepted the will of Almighty Allah at the time when the five emirates were dissolved and all emirs deposed, the statement read. The Emir of Gaya arrived at the Kano Government House accompanied by all the kingmakers and other titleholders. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Ogun State, Ade Akinsanya, says the executive council has approved the construction of five roads across the state. He dropped the hint on Thursday while giving an update on the ongoing road construction. The five additional roads are Alagbole-Ajuwon-Akute road, and Toyin-Giwa Hercules road in Oke-Aro, in Ifo Local Government Area in Ogun Central Senatorial District. Others are Oke-Erinja and Erinja roads in Yewa South as well as Awokoya road in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area. Mr Akinsanya also spoke on the readiness of the state government to continue with the reconstruction of the remaining 17 kilometres on the Akute-Ijoko road, stating that it would be divided into two phases. The reconstruction would start from Akute to Oke Aro where the issue of flooding would be addressed while the second phase starts from Oke Aro to Ijoko. Giving an update on the Lagos-Sango-Abeokuta road, the commissioner disclosed that the contract for the reconstruction of the road was awarded on 28 March by the State Executive Council to Craneburg Construction Company. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later According to him, the contract was accepted by the company in April, with the necessary administrative process still ongoing at the federal level. He expressed the hope that the contractor would move to the site soon. The job will be done in phases beginning from Sango to Abeokuta with four gangs working at the same time. Though there is still some paperwork to be done, the governor decided to start the reconstruction of the road to relieve the people of the pain they go through daily. In addition, the governor has facilitated more projects with the federal government. He has also played a major part in 14 different ongoing projects across the state, he said. The commissioner discloses that his ministry was also collaborating with the federal government to rehabilitate an additional 21 roads across the state, beginning with Ado Odo/Ota, Yewa North and South, as well as Abeokuta North and South. One of the key projects the governor has played a major role in is the reconstruction of the Sango-Atan-Owode-Idi-Iroko road. That project is ongoing. The governor facilitated its commencement as the project has been on paper for so many years. We have two bridges along that road, and this will bring relief to the people, especially those at Oju-Ore and the roundabout where there is a major problem. That problem will be resolved with a flyover at the location. Then, moving from there to Canaan Land, there will be another bridge, and the road will go all the way to the Idi-Iroko border, Mr Akinsanya said. He attributed the cause of damage to roads in the state to the dumping of refuse on drainages, and building on waterways that result in flooding. While assuring the citizens that the government was taking note of roads in all the local government areas, he appealed to the people to exercise patience as the government makes efforts to put them in good shape. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Oyo State government, on Thursday, clarified issues regarding the amended Olubadan Chieftaincy Law and a rumoured plan to prevent anyone from becoming the next Olubadan. There were reports in some sections of the media that the newly-released gazette on the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration targeted the aspiration of the present Otun Olubadan of Ibadaland, Rashidi Ladoja. The reports were heightened by the fact that the review was made public during the coronation ceremony of the new Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin on 12 July. The new declaration, passed by the state House of Assembly and signed into law by the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, was inserted in the programme distributed during the coronation ceremony. But in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, the state government said it is not only premature but also unfair and preemptive for anyone to start discussion about the next Olubadan when a new Olubadan has just been successfully installed. Mr. Oyelade said that the rumours about the recently reviewed Olubadan Chieftaincy Law were uncalled for and embarrassing, especially after the coronation and presentation of staff to the new Olubadan, Owolabi Olakulehin. Some citizens are already looking over the shoulders of the new Oba and ascribing the government gazette that implemented the recommendation of the Ibadan Chieftaincy Review Committee to a ploy to disqualify certain individuals, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later He said that the immediate past Olubadan, the late Olalekan Balogun, set up the Ibadan Chieftaincy Review Committee to review and deliberate on the needed reforms of the Ibadan Chieftaincy, the extant chieftaincy declaration and composition of the Ibadan land local government traditional councils and make the necessary recommendations. He disclosed that after extensive review and deliberation, the committee recommended, among others, that the 11 high chiefs who are members of the Olubadan-in-Council be elevated and approved as beaded crown wearing Obas. The Commissioner revealed that the late Oba Balogun, in a letter to the Oyo State governor dated 5 February, 2023, proposed that the reform be incorporated into the Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957. He added that on 14 July, 2023, the amendments were gazetted by the state government. He stated further that the governor did this not only because it was a legitimate prayer from Oba Balogun, but also in deference to the tradition and culture of Ibadanland. The state government advised the people not to heat up the polity, pledging that it will continue to uphold what is right and the cherished tradition and culture of the people. Government wishes the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, good health and wisdom to pilot the affairs of Ibadanland, Mr Oyelade said. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that two days after the coronation, some Ibadan indigenes alerted the public to potential court cases that may be triggered by Section 4 of the newly reviewed 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration. They stated that since Mr Ladoja is not wearing a beaded crown, the section will not allow him to succeed as the next Olubadan of Ibadanland. Section 4 of the new Declaration, which takes effect from 17 July 2024, reads: The person who may be proposed as candidate by the Line whose turn it is to fill a vacancy in the office of the Olubadan shall be the most Senior Beaded Crown Oba in that line. On the other hand, the old Section 4 states, The person who may be proposed as candidate by the line whose turn it is to fill a vacancy in the office of the Olubadan shall be the most Senior (High) Chief in that Line. The amended Section 4 replaced the most Senior (High) Chief in that Line with the most Senior Beaded Crown Oba in that Line. Meanwhile, the next in line to become Olubadan in the Otun line is Mr Ladoja, who did not receive a beaded crown among members of the Olubadan-in-Council. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print LOS ANGELES, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Founded by motorcycle enthusiasts with a passion for adventure and exploring the open road, 2LaneLife is excited to continue our partnership with Harley-Davidson and their dealerships for a new campaign aimed at bringing everyone together. In particular, a main focus is for 2LaneLife to support Harley-Davidson dealerships, Homecoming and Sturgis by appearing at various dealerships/events throughout the U.S. over the next twenty-two days (Las Vegas, Omaha, Salt Lake City and many other cities). Below is a schedule of events Harley-Davidson shared related to 2LaneLife: 7/20: Red Rock H-D, LV 7/21: Summit H-D, Lindon UT 7/22: High Country H-D, Cheyenne, WY 7/23: Defiance H-D, Omaha, NE 7/24: McGrath Hawkeye H-D, IA 7/27: Veterans Park, MKE 8/5: Lazelle Street, SD Essentially, 2LaneLife is on a mission to visit 5 Harley dealerships in five days then spend time in Milwaukee for the Homecoming with Harley before cruising to Sturgis after. 2LaneLife is working to create epic content around the events and experiences along the way. The goal for 2LaneLife is to share captivating, door-swinging experiences at iconic destinations along with documenting the journey along the way, all on their new 2024 Harley Davidson Road Glides, which will be covered on 2LaneLife's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/2LaneLife About: 2LaneLife is a team of motorcycle enthusiasts that decided to pursue their passion full-time while sharing their experiences with the world. What began as a simple YouTube channel has grown into a media and product company as well as a leading online store for motorcycle parts/gear as well as partnerships with Harley-Davidson and most of the biggest aftermarket companies in the world. Contact: 2LaneLife [email protected] (818) 340-0540 SOURCE 2LaneLife CHICO, Calif., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mary Alexander of Mary Alexander & Associates and co-counsel Bobby Thompson of Thompson Law Offices obtained a total of $4.9 million in two settlements against Chico Unified School District in a pair of school sex abuse cases involving the same middle school teacher. Ms. Alexander and Mr. Thompson represented two plaintiffs who were middle school students at Bidwell Junior High School. Both students were sexually abused by Jennifer Smith, a teacher at the school for several years. Smith was convicted of several counts of child sexual abuse, was originally sentenced to five years in state prison, and was ordered to register as a sex offender. According to the complaints, Smith was the school's Spanish teacher and began grooming these girls when they were only 13 years old. Smith sexually abused these girls at different times, demonstrating a pattern the school should have recognized over the course of several years. Smith purposefully sought both girls out because she recognized they were vulnerable. She groomed both of them, showing them special attention, encouraging them to have lunch in her classroom and more. In both of these cases, Smith transitioned from showing these girls special attention to spending time alone with them, fondling their bodies, exposing herself to them, and ultimately committing sexual acts on or with them. Chico Unified School District ignored multiple red flags according to the complaint, including failing to perform proper background checks on Jennifer Smith which would have turned up a past DUI arrest and conviction. When the school learned that one of the girls was spending far too much time with Jennifer Smith, she was simply given a written reprimand. The school ignored more than a dozen red flags over the course of a decade, which included several students and staff members pointing out a host of inappropriate behavior between Smith and her victims. "It's terrible that these young women had to endure years of sexual abuse at the hands of someone they should have been able to trust," said school sex abuse attorney Mary Alexander. "The school's staff and administration turned a blind eye while this monster sexually abused these young girls. Jennifer Smith was not only allowed to abuse these girls, but she was also let out of prison early. My clients now spend their time looking over their shoulders as this sexual predator is roaming the streets once more. I'm grateful for this settlement which will allow them to get the counseling they need, but Chico Unified School District must change its behavior to make sure no other teacher is ever allowed to sexually abuse a student ever again." The lawsuits are: Jane Doe v. Chico Unified School District, Butte County Superior Court, Case No. 21 CV00762 Jane Doe 2 v. Chico Unified School District, Butte County Superior Court, Case No. 22CV01014 About Mary Alexander & Associates Child sexual abuse causes lifelong scars both physically and emotionally. Mary Alexander & Associates has a long, successful track record of representing the survivors of childhood sexual abuse. She has a compassionate commitment to help them and hold institutions accountable for allowing the abuse to occur. She fights to return the loss of power that survivors feel which demands justice. She has 40 years of experience in sexual assault cases and the battle to protect children. About TLO Law Bobby Thompson solely represents individuals harmed by the irresponsible and careless conduct of others. Bobby's mission is to hold responsible corporations, institutions and insurance companies that place profits over the safety of others. His philosophy is to do everything in his power to obtain justice. Above all, Bobby leaves nothing to chance in developing the facts to prove the wrongdoer's liability, and in assembling the evidence to prove every component of his client's damages. SOURCE Mary Alexander & Associates NEW YORK, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global automotive ADAS aftermarket market size is estimated to grow by USD 4.18 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 12.15% during the forecast period. Decline in sensor prices is driving market growth, with a trend towards growing development of aftermarket ADAS for CVs. However, adoption of active adas technologies by oems poses a challenge. Key market players include BorgWarner Inc., Brandmotion LLC, Continental AG, CUB ELECPARTS Inc., Garmin Ltd., Gentex Corp., HELLA GmbH and Co. KGaA, Intel Corp., Information Technologies Institute Intellias LLC, Knorr Bremse AG, MINIEYE, Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sasken Technologies Ltd., Solera Holdings LLC, TomTom NV, Valeo SA, Veoneer Inc., VOXX International Corp., and ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global automotive ADAS aftermarket market 2024-2028 Get a detailed analysis on regions, market segments, customer landscape, and companies- View the snapshot of this report Automotive ADAS Aftermarket Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2018 - 2022 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 12.15% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 4188.7 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 10.61 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 40% Key countries US, Germany, China, France, and Japan Key companies profiled BorgWarner Inc., Brandmotion LLC, Continental AG, CUB ELECPARTS Inc., Garmin Ltd., Gentex Corp., HELLA GmbH and Co. KGaA, Intel Corp., Information Technologies Institute Intellias LLC, Knorr Bremse AG, MINIEYE, Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sasken Technologies Ltd., Solera Holdings LLC, TomTom NV, Valeo SA, Veoneer Inc., VOXX International Corp., and ZF Friedrichshafen AG Market Driver Automotive companies are prioritizing customer needs and offering personalized solutions in a connected vehicle environment. Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is increasingly being adopted in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) due to the growing demand to mimic human brain functions. AI-based ADAS continuously learns and enhances its ability to detect and recognize surroundings. This enables the system to detect and recognize multiple objects around the vehicle, consumes less power, and reduces development time. Notable ADAS manufacturers, such as Continental, have recently launched AI-enabled ADAS solutions, like the new CV3 artificial intelligence system-on-chip family from Ambarella. These advancements are expected to significantly impact the automotive industry during the forecast period, as AI technology will play a vital role in delivering effective active safety and reliable driving systems. The development of aftermarket ADAS for CVs will consequently fuel the growth of the global automotive ADAS aftermarket during this period. The Automotive ADAS aftermarket is experiencing significant trends, with collaborative efforts between infrastructure providers and automotive industry stakeholders driving advancements in autonomous vehicle technology. Major OEMs and e-hailing service providers are integrating Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) like Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) into their vehicles. IEEE standards, such as 802.3cz and 802.3ch, ensure reliable data delivery for real-time decision-making. The use of Automotive Ethernet, microcontroller units, and electronic control units in ADAS is increasing, along with the adoption of image, radio, laser, and infrared sensors. Human-machine interface, vehicle speed, engine fuel supply, external and internal vehicle conditions are key factors influencing technology development. The complexity of software-driven electronic components and consumer expectations are pushing up vehicle costs, particularly in premium cars. Competition among OEMs is leading to competitive prices and ecosystem mapping for design, development, validation, prototyping, and manufacturing support. The ADAS market is growing rapidly in premium vehicles and smaller segments, with technology innovation and cost reduction being the major challenges. Discover 360 analysis of this market. For complete information, schedule your consultation - Book Here! Market Challenges The aftermarket adoption of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) primarily focuses on passive systems that provide drivers with alerts or warnings. The main reason for this preference is the cost-effectiveness of passive systems. However, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are expanding their offerings to include advanced ADAS technologies, such as adaptive cruise control (ACC) and advanced emergency braking systems (AEBS), in mass-segment vehicles. This technology gap between OEMs and aftermarket offerings presents a challenge for the growth of the automotive ADAS aftermarket. Regulatory bodies are increasingly mandating active ADAS technologies, like AEBS, in new cars and light commercial vehicles. Safety-critical ADAS applications, such as pedestrian detection/avoidance, traffic sign recognition, automatic emergency braking, and blind spot detection, are becoming mandatory. For instance, AEBS was mandatory in new cars and light CVs in the European Union from 2022. This regulatory push will lead to increased adoption of active ADAS technologies by OEMs in new vehicles. To maintain revenue growth in the global automotive ADAS aftermarket, it is essential for vendors to focus on developing low-cost active ADAS solutions for customers. The price of passive systems is expected to decline during the forecast period. Therefore, the increasing adoption of active ADAS technologies by OEMs may negatively impact the growth of the global automotive ADAS aftermarket during the forecast period. Keywords: Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), passive systems, cost-effective, regulatory bodies, safety-critical applications, pedestrian detection/avoidance, traffic sign recognition, automatic emergency braking, blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control (ACC), adaptive emergency braking systems (AEBS), global automotive ADAS aftermarket. The Autonomous Driving Aftermarket for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) is experiencing significant growth due to increasing consumer demand for enhanced vehicle safety. However, challenges persist in implementing multifunctional sensors and vehicle automation, especially in rural areas and less-developed regions. Autonomous driving requires efficient communication networks, supportive infrastructure, and well-marked roads with clear lane markings and GPS connections. ADAS technologies, including lane change detection, object detection, and distance measurement between vehicles, are crucial for vehicle safety and road safety. Regulatory requirements and safety assessment programs also pose challenges for automakers in vehicle design and manufacturing processes. Semi-autonomous trucks on highways and V2V/V2X communication require standardized infrastructure and IT infrastructure for efficient data processing and analysis. Reliability and utility are essential factors for consumers, who expect advanced safety features to reduce risks and improve crash test ratings. Integration challenges remain, particularly in ensuring seamless communication between different ADAS technologies and the vehicle's overall design. Ultimately, the appeal to consumers depends on the balance between safety, cost, and convenience. For more insights on driver and challenges - Request a sample report! Segment Overview This automotive adas aftermarket market report extensively covers market segmentation by Technology 1.1 Passive park assists 1.2 FCWS and LDWS 1.3 Others Vehicle Type 2.1 Passenger vehicles 2.2 Commercial vehicles Geography 3.1 North America 3.2 Europe 3.3 APAC 3.4 Middle East and Africa and 3.5 South America 1.1 Passive park assists- The passive park assists segment, which includes rear parking sensors, backup cameras, and rear cross-traffic alerts, dominated the global automotive ADAS aftermarket in 2022. This trend is expected to continue during the forecast period due to the growing demand for simple and cost-effective solutions for parking assistance in lower-trim vehicles and older models. Tight parking spaces in urban areas and regulations in developed economies, such as the US, are driving the adoption of passive park assist technologies. The continuous reduction in prices of sensors, cameras, and displays is also a significant factor. Radar technology is commonly used in rear cross-traffic alert systems due to its ability to detect approaching vehicles or pedestrians from a distance. Vendors like Brandmotion LLC offer retrofit radar blind spot monitoring and detection systems, such as the Radar Blind Spot System with Cross Traffic Detection RDBS-1500, which are complementary ADAS technologies. These factors will contribute to the growth of the passive park assists segment in the global automotive ADAS aftermarket. For more information on market segmentation with geographical analysis including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2017-2021) - Download a Sample Report Learn and explore more about Technavio's in-depth research reports The global Automotive Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) Sensors market is experiencing rapid growth due to advancements in sensor technology enhancing vehicle safety and driving efficiency. Similarly, the Commercial Vehicle ADAS market is expanding as fleet operators seek to improve safety and compliance. The Automotive Active Safety System market is also on the rise, driven by increasing consumer demand for safety features and regulatory mandates. Key players in these markets are innovating to offer integrated, cost-effective solutions, pushing the boundaries of automotive safety and autonomous driving technologies. Research Analysis The ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) aftermarket is a rapidly growing segment in the automotive industry, focusing on enhancing vehicle safety and automation. This market encompasses various technologies such as cameras, sensors, software, radar, LiDAR, and ultrasonic sensors. These systems offer features like night vision, drowsiness monitoring, and self-driving capabilities. The sensor fusion method enables better data processing and improved accuracy. Automated vehicles and electrification of vehicles are major trends driving the market's growth. Advanced safety features like automated emergency braking, lane departure warning, and blind spot detection are becoming increasingly popular. Regulatory requirements and connectivity, including V2V communication, are also significant factors influencing the market's development. High-definition cameras and multifunctional sensors are essential components, contributing to vehicle automation and road safety. Market Research Overview The ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) Aftermarket is a rapidly growing sector in the automotive industry, driven by the increasing demand for advanced safety features in vehicles. This market encompasses various components such as cameras, sensors, software, radar, and cutting-edge technologies like LiDAR and Ultrasonic sensors. These systems enable automated vehicles to detect objects, determine distances between vehicles, and provide real-time traffic updates for enhanced driver assistance and vehicle safety. ADAS technologies include night vision, drowsiness monitoring, and self-driving automobiles. The electrification of vehicles and the push towards autonomous driving are also major factors fueling market growth. Multifunctional sensors, vehicle automation, and driver assistance systems are essential for reducing risk and improving crash test ratings. Regulatory requirements, efficiency, and supportive infrastructure, including communication networks and road infrastructure, are crucial elements of the ADAS Aftermarket. The integration of ADAS technologies in vehicles poses challenges, especially in rural areas and less-developed regions. Collaborative efforts between infrastructure providers, automotive industry stakeholders, and automakers are essential for the successful implementation of autonomous vehicle technology. The ADAS Aftermarket offers utility and reliability, appealing to consumers seeking advanced safety features and enhanced driving experiences. The market includes various players, from automakers and e-hailing service providers to microcontroller units and electronic control units. IEEE standards, such as 802.3cz and 802.3ch, play a significant role in ensuring reliable data delivery for real-time decision-making systems like AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking), LDW (Lane Departure Warning), and ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control). The ADAS Aftermarket is expected to continue growing, driven by the increasing popularity of high-definition cameras, the integration of cloud data and IT infrastructure, and the development of standardized infrastructure for seamless integration and communication between vehicles and their surroundings. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation Technology Passive Park Assists FCWS And LDWS Others Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicles Commercial Vehicles Geography North America Europe APAC Middle East And Africa South America 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Axio Networks, a premier provider of IT consultancy and support services, is thrilled to announce its recognition with Phoenix Magazine's esteemed "2024 Best of the Valley" award for Computer Support. This accolade highlights Axio Networks' dedication to delivering outstanding IT solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of businesses in Scottsdale and the surrounding areas. Best of the Valley 2024 - Computer Support Founded on the principle of transforming IT support into a strategic advantage, Axio Networks boasts a team of highly skilled professionals including engineers, consultants, managers, and administrative personnel. Functioning as an outsourced IT department, the company ensures businesses experience peak IT performance, mitigate risks effectively, and implement industry best practices seamlessly. "We are honored to be awarded the 'Best of the Valley' for Computer Support," said Jim O'Connell, CEO of Axio Networks. "This recognition underscores our commitment to excellence and our relentless pursuit of providing top-tier IT services that empower businesses to thrive in today's digital landscape." Axio Networks offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to address the full spectrum of IT needs: Managed & Co-Managed IT Services: Proactive management and support of IT systems to enhance reliability and efficiency. Proactive management and support of IT systems to enhance reliability and efficiency. IT Services & Consulting: Strategic IT consulting to align technology investments with business objectives. Strategic IT consulting to align technology investments with business objectives. Cyber Security: Robust security measures to protect against evolving cyber threats and safeguard sensitive data. Robust security measures to protect against evolving cyber threats and safeguard sensitive data. Cloud Hosting: Scalable and secure cloud solutions for flexible and efficient business operations. Scalable and secure cloud solutions for flexible and efficient business operations. Business Phone Systems: Reliable communication solutions tailored to business needs. By partnering with Axio Networks, businesses gain access to senior-level IT expertise at a fraction of the cost of maintaining an in-house IT team, allowing them to focus on core business activities while their IT infrastructure is effectively managed. Looking forward, Axio Networks remains committed to innovation and continuous improvement. The company invests heavily in ongoing training and certifications for its team to stay ahead of technological advancements. This proactive approach ensures that they can offer strategic IT guidance that supports long-term business growth and resilience. About Axio Networks: Axio Networks is a leading IT consultancy specializing in delivering tailored IT solutions and support services. With a commitment to excellence and client satisfaction, Axio Networks empowers businesses to leverage technology for competitive advantage and sustained growth. For more information about Axio Networks and its award-winning IT services, please visit axionetworks.com or contact: Jim O'Connell Axio Networks 15051 N Kierland Blvd, Floor 3 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 Local: 602.854.4609 Toll Free: 800.550.1396 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Axio Networks CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America Corporation today announced the Board of Directors has authorized regular cash dividends on the outstanding shares or depositary shares of the following series of preferred stock: Series of Preferred Stock Dividend per Share or Depositary Share1 Record Date Payment Date Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series E $0.37912 July 31 August 15 Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series F $1,533.54544 August 30 September 16 Adjustable Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series G $1,533.54544 August 30 September 16 Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series X $31.25 August 15 September 5 Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series 1 $0.39672 August 15 August 28 Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series 2 $0.39915 August 15 August 28 Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series 4 $0.40553 August 15 August 28 Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series 5 $0.38892 August 1 August 21 Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series AA $30.50 September 1 September 17 Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series DD $31.50 August 15 September 10 Fixed-to-Floating Rate Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series FF $29.375 September 1 September 16 6.000% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series GG $0.375 August 1 August 16 5.375% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series KK $0.3359375 September 1 September 25 5.000% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series LL $0.3125 September 1 September 17 4.250% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series QQ $0.2656250 August 1 August 19 4.750% Non-Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series SS $0.2968750 August 1 August 19 1 Each series of preferred stock, other than Series F and Series G, is represented by depositary shares. Dividend payments are made on a quarterly basis for each series of preferred stock, other than Series X, Series AA, Series DD, and Series FF for which dividends are paid on a semi-annual basis. Bank of America Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 3,800 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 58 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BAC). For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom and register for news email alerts. Investors May Contact: Lee McEntire, Bank of America Phone: 1.980.388.6780 [email protected] Jonathan Blum, Bank of America (Fixed Income) Phone: 1.212.449.3112 [email protected] Reporters May Contact: Jocelyn Seidenfeld, Bank of America Phone: 1.646.743.3356 [email protected] SOURCE Bank of America Corporation The renowned Korean fried chicken franchise is offering 20% off all online and app orders on National Chicken Wing Day, exclusively through new rewards program FORT LEE, N.J., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- bb.q Chicken, Korea's Finest Fried Chicken, is excited to announce a special deal in celebration of National Wing Day on Monday, July 29 at all U.S. locations. On July 29 and 30, bb.q Chicken customers who use the new loyalty app program, bb.q Rewards, will receive a 20% discount on their order (up to $15 maximum discount), placed online or through the app. Customers can use the code WINGDAY24 for online and app orders to receive the discount. On July 29 and 30, bb.q Chicken customers who use the new loyalty app program, bb.q Rewards, will receive a 20% discount on their order (up to $15 maximum discount), placed online or through the app. Customers can use the code WINGDAY24 for online and app orders to receive the discount. To join, customers can simply download the 'bb.q Chicken' app from the App Store or Google Play, or visit bbqchicken.com/rewards. Upon signing up, members receive a generous 7,000 point bonus and can sign up to receive a special surprise for their birthdays. With the new app, bb.q fans can have their favorite chicken and benefits at the touch of their fingers. To celebrate the launch of the program, bb.q Chicken and Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) are also partnering to give ten lucky fans FREE roundtrip tickets to Korea where bb.q Chicken got its start. The sweepstakes will award five lucky winners two roundtrip airline tickets to Korea, along with a $100 bb.q Chicken gift card. To be eligible, participants must fill out the entry form. Bonus entries are awarded when downloading the bb.q Chicken app, watching the KTO video (YouTube @ImagineYourKorea), visiting and following @bbqchickenus on TikTok and Instagram. "National Chicken Wing Day is the perfect opportunity to share our love for wings with our loyal customers and introduce new guests to the bb.q Chicken experience," said Andrew Lee, Senior Manager, Marketing, for bb.q Chicken U.S. "We take pride in offering wings that are not only delicious, but also prepared with the highest quality ingredients and care, all in an authentic, time-honored preparation process that stays true to our Korean origins. It's fitting that we are sending 10 lucky sweepstakes winners to where the bb.q phenomenon started three decades ago." Bb.q (pronounced bee-bee-que) stands for Best of the Best Quality a promise to only share the best flavors and best ingredients in its K-Food and its signature item, Korean Fried Chicken. Renowned for its commitment to quality and consistency, bb.q Chicken boasts lighter, crispier and more flavorful options than traditional American fried chicken, due to its distinct frying method of cooking chicken "low and slow." Each team member hand brushes or tosses the brand's 14 signature sauces ranging from sweet to spicy on each piece of chicken, creating the perfect combination of crispy texture and distinctive flavor in every bite. About bb.q Chicken Established in 1995 as part of parent company Genesis BBQ, bb.q Chicken's mission is to always provide the most delicious premium chicken in the world, based on the belief that food is the gateway to all culture. bb.q (pronounced bee-bee-que) stands for Best of the Best Quality and serves as a promise to always make Korea's Finest Fried Chicken and other K-Food offerings at each location. The brand was recently recognized by Restaurant Business Magazine as one of the fastest growing chains in the U.S. and included in The Takeout's "11 Restaurant Chains to Watch in 2023." Taste of Home Magazine also ranked bb.q as the Best Fast Food Fried Chicken ahead of Chick-Fil-A, Wingstop, KFC and Popeyes. For more information on locations and franchise opportunities, please visit bbqchicken.com. SOURCE bb.q Chicken FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom, July 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With air travel fully recovered and even surpassing pre-pandemic demand, Boeing [NYSE: BA] today projected a 3% increase in airplane deliveries over the next 20 years, with carriers requiring nearly 44,000 new commercial airplanes by 2043. Leading into the Farnborough International Airshow, Boeing released its 2024 Commercial Market Outlook (CMO), which also predicts emerging markets and global single-aisle market demand will remain primary growth drivers for the industry. Air travel demand continues to outpace economic growth in an increasingly connected world. Four years after the pandemic grounded most of the global fleet, air traffic growth has returned to the long-term trend Boeing forecast 20 years ago. Compared to 2023, passenger air traffic will rise an average of 4.7% annually over the next two decades, according to the CMO. "This is a challenging and inspiring era for aviation. The return to more typical traffic growth shows how resilient our industry is, even as we all work through ongoing supply chain and production constraints amid other global challenges," said Brad McMullen, Boeing senior vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. CMO forecast highlights through 2043: The global commercial fleet is projected to grow 3.2% annually, more slowly than air traffic as airlines continue to boost productivity by increasing load factors and using airplanes more hours per day. The air cargo fleet, with speed and reliability, consistently outperforms other modes of transport and will increase by two-thirds by 2043, to support 4.1% annual air cargo traffic growth. Air travel trends: The average global airline fare is about the same as it was 20 years ago, even as overall consumer prices doubled. The number of global routes served by commercial airlines has returned to 2019 levels, even though nearly 20% of them are new, illustrating the adaptability of aviation in a dynamic market. Key growth drivers: South Asia passenger traffic will increase 7.4%, followed by Southeast Asia (7.2%) and Africa (6.4%), as emerging markets return to historical growth trends through the forecast period. passenger traffic will increase 7.4%, followed by (7.2%) and (6.4%), as emerging markets return to historical growth trends through the forecast period. Eurasia is projected to lead all markets with the most airplane deliveries (22% of total) with North America (20%) and China (20%) close behind. (20%) and (20%) close behind. Single-aisle airplanes will make up 71% of the 2043 fleet after 33,380 new deliveries, serving short- to medium-haul routes with versatility. The global widebody fleet will more than double, with twin-aisles comprising 44% of the Middle East fleet. Services on the rise: Boeing expects demand for commercial services valued at $4.4 trillion driven by maintenance and modification options and digital solutions that increase efficiency. driven by maintenance and modification options and digital solutions that increase efficiency. With air travel expansion especially in emerging markets, the commercial aviation industry will require nearly 2.4 million new personnel as well as training to support new pilots, maintenance technicians and cabin crew*. "As airlines respond to robust passenger demand, the services market continues to expand, not only as a result of fleet growth, but also with an increased focus on reducing operating costs and deploying efficient and sustainable solutions," said Dan Abraham, senior vice president of Boeing Global Services Commercial Sales and Marketing. New deliveries (2024-2043) Regional Jet 1,525 Single Aisle 33,380 Widebody 8,065 Freighter 1,005 Total 43,975 Boeing has published the CMO annually since 1961. As the longest-running forecast of its kind, the CMO is regarded as the most comprehensive analysis of the commercial aviation industry. The complete outlook is available at: boeing.com/cmo. *Boeing will release its complete Pilot and Technician Outlook on July 22 As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing's diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company's core values of safety, quality and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at boeing.com/careers . Contact Boeing Media Relations [email protected] SOURCE Boeing CGTN America & CCTV UN releases "Global Opportunities in Deepening China's Reform in the New Era" WASHINGTON, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- China marked the conclusion of one of its most important political events - The Third Plenary session - with a pledge to deepen reform and advance Chinese modernization. There were several other major declarations at this year's event - to modernize China's system of governance, ensure a qualitative leap in productivity based on the latest scientific and technological revolution, and to lay the groundwork for a modern society by the middle of this century. A communique issued at the end of the four-day session also called for rural and urban development as well as equitable income distribution. How will these policies affect Chinese citizens? And what are the global ramifications? To answer those questions and more, China Media Group is organizing an event in New York City on July 22nd, focusing on the opportunities that deepening China's reform brings. Analysts and experts from think thanks, leading businesses, and renowned academia will delve into the Third Plenary Session and its key takeaways and discuss how Chinese modernization and further reforms bring new opportunities to the world. A panel of experts featuring ex-JPMorgan Chase Chief Economist Anthony Chan; Robert Morris University professor Anthony Moretti and former Washington Bureau Chief for Executive Intelligence Review William Jones will then expand on the main themes of the Third Plenary Session and its impact on China and the world. (This material is distributed by MediaLinks TV, LLC on behalf of CCTV. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.) Contact : [email protected] Commercial deliveries soared circa 170% sequentially while Executive Jets grew 50% US$21.1 bn company wide backlog up more than 20% annually 20 E2 jets order from Mexicana de Aviacion 2nd C-390 Millennium aircraft delivered to Portugal SAO PAULO, July 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Embraer (NYSE: ERJ; B3: EMBR3) delivered 47 jets in 2Q24, an 88% increase compared to the previous quarter (qoq), when 25 jets were delivered. The company's overall backlog ended at US$21.1 billion, more than 20% higher annually (yoy) and a 7-year high. Commercial Aviation was the highlight of the quarter with 19 jets deliveries or circa 170% more qoq (7 jets in 1Q24). Meanwhile, Executive Jets delivered a solid performance with 27 aircraft (18 in 1Q24) while Defense delivered one multi-mission airlift C-390 Millennium. Deliveries by Segment 2Q24 1Q24 2Q23 1H24 1H23 2024 Guidance Executive Aviation 27 18 30 45 38 125-135 Phenom 100 2 1 1 3 3 Phenom 300 18 10 18 28 22 Light Jets 20 11 19 31 25 Praetor 500 3 3 6 6 6 Praetor 600 4 4 5 8 7 Medium Jets 7 7 11 14 13 Commercial Aviation 19 7 17 26 24 72-80 E195-E2 7 4 7 11 12 E190-E2 4 - - 4 - E175 8 3 10 11 12 Total 46 25 47 71 62 197-215* Defense & Security 1 - 1 1 1 C-390 Millennium 1 - 1 1 1 The company wide backlog reached US$21.1 billion in 2Q24 (or more than 20% higher yoy and marginally higher qoq). The biggest increase happened in Commercial Aviation (+US$227 million) while the biggest decreased occurred in Defense & Security (-US$251 million). The backlog for the other two businesses units increased marginally (+US$45 million). Backlog by Segment - US$bn 2Q24 1Q24 qoq 2Q23 yoy Commercial Aviation 11.3 11.1 2 % 8.0 40 % Executive Jets 4.6 4.6 1 % 4.3 8 % Services & Support 3.1 3.1 0 % 2.7 16 % Defense & Security 2.1 2.4 -10 % 2.3 -5 % Total 21.1 21.1 0 % 17.3 22 % In Commercial Aviation, the backlog reached US$11.3 billion in 2Q24 (+2% qoq). The main highlight of the period was the order for 20 E2 jets by Mexicana de Aviacion Mexico's state-owned airline. The order includes 10 E190-E2 jets and another 10 E195-E2 jets, with deliveries scheduled to start in 2Q25. Other highlights were the delivery and start of operations of the first E190-E2 to Scoot the low-cost subsidiary of Singapore Airlines (SIA). Furthermore, Embraer reached another important milestone: the delivery of its 1,800th E-Jet in May. The marquee aircraft was delivered to the leasing company Azorra and it will be operated by Royal Jordanian Airlines. 2Q24 Backlog - Commercial Aviation Aircraft Type Firm Orders Deliveries Firm Order Backlog E195-E2 282 100 182 E190-E2 44 23 21 E175 943 764 179 Total 1,269 887 382 Executive Jets continued to seize great sales momentum in both fleet and retail markets, demonstrating solid delivery performance and maintaining a positive book-to-bill ratio. The backlog ended the period marginally up at US$ 4.6 billion in 2Q24 (+1% qoq). The Services & Support unit continues to be one of the main drivers of Embraer's growth through a combination of operational excellence, customer experience and innovative solutions. Its backlog ended 2Q24 roughly unchanged at US$3.1 billion. In Defense & Security, the highlight was the delivery of the 2nd C-390 Millennium to the Portuguese Air Force (FAP), in a ceremony held in Gaviao Peixoto (SP), Brazil. In 2019, FAP ordered 5 KC-390s, including a comprehensive services and support package and a flight simulator. The 1st aircraft entered service in October 2023 at Beja Air Base. The selection of the C-390 by some countries in Europe has not yet been incorporated into the backlog, which represents a significant source of potential growth for the coming quarters. The backlog in Defense & Security decreased 10% qoq and reached US$2.1 billion in 2Q24. Commercial Aviation aircraft backlog: Customer (Country) Firm Orders Delivered Firm Order Backlog Embraer 195-E2 282 100 182 Azul (Brazil) 51 - 51 Porter (Canada) 75 36 39 Aercap (Ireland) 45 19 26 Azorra (USA) 23 5 18 Mexicana (Mexico) 10 - 10 Aircastle (USA) 23 14 9 Air Peace (Nigeria) 13 5 8 Binter Canarias (Spain) 16 10 6 Salam Air (Oman) 6 - 6 Luxair (Luxembourg) 4 - 4 ICBC (China) 10 7 3 Royal Jordanian (Jordanian) 2 - 2 Helvetic (Switzerland) 4 4 - Customer (Country) Firm Orders Delivered Firm Order Backlog Embraer 190-E2 44 23 21 Mexicana (Mexico) 10 - 10 Azorra (USA) 12 4 8 Aircastle (USA) 2 - 2 Air Kiribati (Kiribati) 2 1 1 Aercap (Ireland) 5 5 - Helvetic (Switzerland) 8 8 - Wideroe (Norway) 3 3 - Placar Linhas Aereas (Brazil) 1 1 - Undisclosed 1 1 - Customer (Country) Firm Orders Delivered Firm Order Backlog EMBRAER 175 943 764 179 American Airlines (USA) 204 108 96 Republic Airlines (USA) 187 141 46 Skywest (USA) 228 207 21 Horizon Air / Alaska (USA) 50 44 6 Air Peace (Nigeria) 5 - 5 Undisclosed 4 - 4 Overland Airways (Nigeria) 3 2 1 Air Canada (Canada) 15 15 - Air Lease (USA) 8 8 - Alitalia (Italy) 2 2 - Belavia (Belarus) 1 1 - CIT (USA) 4 4 - ECC Leasing (Ireland)* 1 1 - Flybe (UK) 11 11 - Fuji Dream (Japan) 2 2 - GECAS (USA) 5 5 - KLM (The Netherlands) 17 17 - LOT Polish (Poland) 12 12 - Mauritania Airlines (Mauritania) 2 2 - Mesa (USA) 7 7 - NAC / Aldus (Ireland) 2 2 - NAC / Jetscape (USA) 4 4 - Northwest (USA) 36 36 - Oman Air (Oman) 5 5 - Royal Jordanian (Jordan) 2 2 - Suzuyo (Japan) 11 11 - TRIP (Brazil) 5 5 - United Airlines (USA) 110 110 - * Aircraft delivered by ECC Leasing: one to Air Caraibes SOURCE Embraer S.A. Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In Toyota To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you purchased or acquired securities in Toyota between June 25, 2022 and June 2, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). You may also click here for additional information: www.faruqilaw.com/TM. NEW YORK, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Toyota Motor Corporation ("Toyota" or the "Company") (NYSE: TM) and reminds investors of the August 23, 2024 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. Faruqi & Faruqi Logo (PRNewsfoto/Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP) Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com. As detailed below, this Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts, about the Company's business and operations. Specifically, Defendants misrepresented and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Toyota understated its malfeasance relating to certification of its cars and issues relating to overall legal compliance; and (2) as a result, defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. On June 3, 2024, The New York Times published an article entitled "Toyota and Other Japanese Carmakers Say They Mishandled Safety Tests." This article stated, in pertinent part, that "Toyota [. . .] and other top Japanese automakers said on Monday that internal investigations found they had mishandled vehicle testing on dozens of models over the past decade." Further, "Toyota said it had failed to gather proper data when doing pedestrian and occupant safety tests for three models, including its popular Yaris Cross sport utility vehicle." On this news, Toyota's American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") fell $5.34 per ADS, or 2.45%, to close at $212.17 per ADS on June 3, 2024. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Toyota's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the Toyota class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/TM or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook. Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. SOURCE Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Industry breach restoration leader releases speedy fix for VMware and Windows in the wake of global outages CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fenix24 , an industry-leading cyber disaster recovery firm that is transforming the post-breach restoration process and impact, has issued recovery scripts to assist companies affected by the global technology outage associated with a CrowdStrike update. The Fenix24 scripts provide rapid remediation at scale and include solutions for computers and virtual machines already affected by the "blue screen of death" message. The fix previously released by CrowdStrike resolves the issue for computers not yet in the blue screen mode. Fenix24's scripts were created for Windows and VMware using public information and the Fenix24 team's internal expertise. The Windows scripts force the reboot of machines into Safe Mode and then remove the problematic file. These Windows scripts are executed leveraging a provided GPO. However, if the drive is secured with Bitlocker, users will need to enter the Bitlocker key manually and then proceed to Safe Mode. The VMware scripts leverage a working server to detach the virtual disk, mount it, remove the problematic file, dismount it, reattach it to the problem VM, and then reboot it. The scripts are free of charge and publicly available as a part of Fenix24's mission to be Good Samaritans, providing help to the broader community with the goal of achieving a more secure world. RESOURCE: Access the scripts here "We woke up today and had dozens of requests for Fenix24 to come onsite to help remediate this technical issue causing global outages. Instead, we decided to use the full force of the Fenix24 and Conversant Battalions to develop a scalable remediation solution in real-time to help everyone solve this problem and publish it for free," said Heath Renfrow, Fenix24 co-founder. "That's who we arethe fastest and most efficient remediation firm on the planet with an arm outstretched to help those in need." About Fenix24 Fenix24, part of the Conversant Group family of companies, is raising the bar for post-incident disaster recovery and restoration with a fast, thorough and professional operation. Our battle-tested professionals execute the most intelligent and strategic recovery playbook for minimal cost of incident response and business interruption. Fenix24 is the army you need to push out the criminals that have compromised your environment and restore your company's IT operations. Learn more at fenix24.com. Media Contact: Lindsay Smith [email protected] Fenix24 is a trademark of Fenix24, Inc., and Conversant Group is a trademark of Conversant Group, LLC or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All rights reserved. SOURCE Fenix24 UCLA's Anderson School of Management's Global Access Program (GAP) assists six Lithuanian companies to enter the US market. Spanning fields from medical technology to IT solutions, these companies are poised to leverage GAP's resources and expertise for a successful market penetration strategy. Over an intensive six-month period, these companies will collaborate with an assigned MBA team to carry out market analysis, develop a marketing strategy, and create a business plan. PALO ALTO, Calif., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- UCLA Anderson MBA students in six-month time will craft GAP's market entry plans. InnoHub Lithuania, an entity of Innovation Agency, a non-profit organization under Lithuania's Ministry of Economy and Innovation will fund the project. Karolis Karalevicius, Business Community Manager at InnoHub Lithuania, expressed his enthusiasm for the program, highlighting its potential to provide US market-specific insights. "We aim to relay learnings to inform other Lithuanian companies about US market preparation and strategic approaches, supported by our education and mentor network." From 2018 to 2023, 18 Lithuanian companies participated in GAP with help from the Consulate General of Lithuania in Los Angeles. Laima Jureviciene, Consulate General, noted that these programs equip companies for smoother entries into the competitive US market, enhance their international growth, and boost Lithuanian exports. "We are excited about the six new companies joining in 2024" said Ms. Jureviciene. This year's participating companies are: Doclogix Feetsee (Diabetis JSC) Oixio Optoman Reiz Tech TeleSoftas Mantas Kondratavicius, Director of Diabetis JCS, emphasized the significance of the US market for their remote-monitoring medical innovations due to its early adopters and large consumer base. "We seek the expertise of US business schools and the drive of California to advance our business," he said. Oixio's Customer Experience Manager, Andrius Martinonis, looks forward to fresh perspectives and actionable feedback from the GAP. "It's about transforming our approach and thinking about expansion. Collaborations like these help us refine strategies, overcome barriers, and build strong US market relationships," he said. Reiz Tech CEO Valdas Simas expects the program to provide detailed US market insights, aiding in developing a strategic business plan for their B2B product, Reiz Studio and Skillit. "This knowledge is crucial for our success," he stated, anticipating valuable networking opportunities and expert feedback. GAP has a 24-year history of helping companies form strategic partnerships, secure financing, and establish distribution networks, benefiting 820 companies to date. SOURCE Innovation Agency Lithuania BOCA RATON, Fla., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HairClub ("HairClub" or the "Company"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based Aderans Co. Ltd. ("Aderans"), is proud to celebrate its 48th anniversary. This significant milestone marks nearly five decades of dedication to transforming lives through innovative hair loss solutions and unwavering commitment to its clients. HairClub was founded in 1976 by Sy Sperling. The founding of the Company was from a place of personal need. Sy had lost most of his hair by the time he was 25, leaving him feeling insecure. "I was really unhappy with my appearance," he told a reporter in an interview. "And it was destroying my self-confidence." At HairClub, we believe in the power of hair. We believe hair makes people happier, more confident, and more secure. Through our diverse array of hair loss treatment solutions and our service, we help change lives. Post this With approximately $5,000 and their credit cards, Sy and his girlfriend, a hairdresser, purchased a defunct salon in Manhattan. There, they developed the first hair replacement system. Sy's mission extended beyond his own needs; he wanted to help others experiencing the same issues. Fast forward to today, HairClub has broadened its hair loss solutions to include a comprehensive range of options such as hair loss prevention, hair regrowth, hair replacement, and hair restoration. As a leader in the hair loss industry, HairClub has driven significant advancements with its proprietary technologies, setting new standards for innovation and excellence. These diverse solutions cater to the unique needs of each client, ensuring personalized care and effective results. More importantly, HairClub has contributed significantly to removing the stigma and shame felt by those losing their hair. "At HairClub, we believe in the power of hair. We believe hair makes people happier, more confident, and more secure. Through our diverse array of hair loss treatment solutions and our service, we help change lives. This is the reason why we exist as a companyChanging Lives. Our rearticulated purpose and core values of care, trust, passion, humility, and gratitude guide us in delivering on our purpose to Change Lives," says Ahmad M. Wardak, President & Chief Operating Officer. As HairClub celebrates 48 incredible years this month, it honors its clients, teams, and the enduring purpose that remains as vibrant and relevant today as it did at its founding. This anniversary is not just a celebration of past achievements but a reaffirmation of delivering its purpose for many years to come. About HairClub Founded in 1976, HairClub is North America's leading provider of proven hair loss prevention and regrowth, hair replacement, and hair restoration solutions. For nearly 50 years, HairClub has helped hundreds of thousands restore their hair and transform their lives. Today, HairClub has over 100 locations throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo-based Aderans Co. Ltd., the world's leading provider of total hair loss solutions. For more information, visit hairclub.com. SOURCE HairClub LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the IEEE Computer Society (CS) announced keynotes for its upcoming IEEE SustainTech Leadership Forum . Taking place 27-28 August 2024 at the Hilton Bayfront in San Diego, Calif., U.S.A., the event will explore the latest environmentally friendly technologies to be applied in the built environment. Specifically, the conference will detail how leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), big data, computer vision, blockchain and more can be used to support sustainable practices for factories and businesses. The Forum will feature keynotes from some of the largest commercial organizations working towards sustainable practices, including Mitsubishi and Panasonic. IEEE SustainTech Leadership Forum "Today, we are in an environment where sustainability is no longer a 'nice to have,' but a necessity," said Anthony Vetro, President & CEO of Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs (MERL) and member of the SustainTech Program Leadership Board. "Businesses and manufacturers have an opportunity to contribute significantly to sustainability. From waste reduction to resource efficiency and more, innovative sustainable practices can help create a better future for people and the planet. That's why we are so excited to lead the effort to bring about the first IEEE SustainTech Leadership Forum." SustainTech will feature two prominent engineering leaders as keynotes: Takajiro "Tak" Ishikawa, President & CEO of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America (MHIA) Navigating the Transition to Sustainable Energy Solutions in a Power-Hungry World Tuesday, 27 August, 9:00 a.m. PDT Tuesday, 27 August, Andrea Murphy , Director of Environmental Affairs at Panasonic North America Transparency Is Hard, But Collaboration Can Make Reaching Sustainability Goals Easy (or at Least Easier) Tuesday, 27 August, 1:15 p.m. PDT Tuesday, 27 August, Aravind Padmanabhan , Executive VP and CTO of Nvent Innovating for Product Sustainability Making Data Centers Greener Wednesday, 28 August, 9:00 a.m. PDT These talks will address how innovative and integrated solutions can help realize carbon neutrality, improve quality of life, and ensure a safer world. "Solutions like sustainable AI have the potential to drastically reduce technology's environmental impact," said Jyotika Athavale, 2024 IEEE CS President. "IEEE CS is committed to bettering our world through computer science and engineering, and advancing sustainability measures serves as a priority for our membership and the broader community. We are honored to be part of this inaugural event that will help set the standard for sustainable technology practices today and into the future." Registration is now open for the IEEE SustainTech Leadership Forum. For more information about the program or to register, visit https://ieeesustaintechexpo.org/ . About the IEEE SustainTech Leadership Forum The IEEE SustainTech Leadership Forum is a new global leadership event on sustainable technology impacting buildings and factories. Sponsored by the IEEE Computer Society (IEEE CS), IEEE Power & Energy Society (IEEE PES), IEEE Communications Society (IEEE ComSoc), and IEEE Signal Processing Society, the Leadership Forum will bring together leading technical engineering experts from these Societies with companies striving to implement cutting-edge technology solutions to address global sustainability challenges. Through presentations, talks and discussions, an expo, a start-up pitch competition, and much more, the event will work to drive positive change for a better environment. The IEEE SustainTech Leadership Forum will take place 27-28 August 2024 at the Hilton Bayfront in San Diego, Calif., U.S.A. For more information about the IEEE SustainTech Leadership Forum, the program, and how to participate, visit https://ieeesustaintechexpo.org/ . About the IEEE Computer Society Engaging computer engineers, scientists, academia, and industry professionals from all areas and levels of computing, the IEEE Computer Society (CS) serves as the world's largest and most established professional organization of its type. IEEE CS sets the standard for the education and engagement that fuels continued global technological advancement. Through conferences, publications, and programs that inspire dialogue, debate, and collaboration, IEEE CS empowers, shapes, and guides the future of not only its 375,000+ community members, but the greater industry, enabling new opportunities to better serve our world. Visit computer.org for more information. About the IEEE Power & Energy Society IEEE Power & Energy Society (PES) is the leading provider of scientific and engineering information on electric power & energy for the betterment of society and a trusted resource dedicated to the technical, informational, networking, and professional development needs of its members. With over 40,000 members around the globe representing every facet of the electric power and energy industry, PES is at the forefront of the rapidly changing technological advancements that impact everyone's future. Additional information on IEEE PES can be found at www.ieee-pes.org . About the IEEE Communications Society The IEEE Communications Society (IEEE ComSoc) promotes technological innovation and fosters creation and sharing of information among the global technical community. The Society provides services to members for their technical and professional advancement and forums for technical exchanges among professionals in academia, industry, and public institutions. Visit https://www.comsoc.org/ to learn more. About the IEEE Signal Processing Society Founded as IEEE's first society in 1948, the Signal Processing Society is the world's premier association for signal processing engineers and industry professionals. Engineers around the world look to the Society for information on the latest developments in the signal processing field. Its deeply rooted history spans 75 years, featuring a membership base of more than 20,000 deeply interested and involved signal processing engineers, academics, industry professionals and students who are all part of a dynamic global community spanning 120 countries worldwide. The Society organizes numerous conferences around the world every year, focusing on the innovations shaping the future of signal processing and the future of our world. For more information, visit https://signalprocessingsociety.org/ . SOURCE IEEE Computer Society NEW YORK, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global plastics for passenger cars market size is estimated to grow by USD 26.62 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of about 10.87% during the forecast period. Adoption of new or improved emission standards is driving market growth, with a trend towards lightweight and fuel efficiency of automotives like passenger cars. However, complex design and engineering of modern vehicles poses a challenge. Key market players include Arkema Group., BASF SE, Borealis AG, Celanese Corp., Covestro AG, Daicel Corp., Dow Chemical Co., DuPont de Nemours Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Hexion Inc., Koninklijke DSM NV, LG Chem Ltd., LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Saudi Basic Industries Corp., SGL Carbon SE, Solvay SA, Sumitomo Corp., Teijin Ltd., and Toray Industries Inc.. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global plastics market for passenger cars 2024-2028 Get a detailed analysis on regions, market segments, customer landscape, and companies- View the snapshot of this report Plastics For Passenger Cars Market Scope Report Coverage Details Base year 2023 Historic period 2017 - 2021 Forecast period 2024-2028 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 10.87% Market growth 2024-2028 USD 26628 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023 (%) 9.53 Regional analysis APAC, North America, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution APAC at 39% Key countries US, Japan, India, China, and Germany Key companies profiled Arkema Group., BASF SE, Borealis AG, Celanese Corp., Covestro AG, Daicel Corp., Dow Chemical Co., DuPont de Nemours Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Hexion Inc., Koninklijke DSM NV, LG Chem Ltd., LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., Saudi Basic Industries Corp., SGL Carbon SE, Solvay SA, Sumitomo Corp., Teijin Ltd., and Toray Industries Inc. Market Driver The automotive industry is shifting focus towards lightweight vehicles to enhance fuel efficiency and decrease emissions. Plastics are playing a pivotal role in this transition as they are lighter than traditional materials like metal. Manufacturers are utilizing advanced plastics and composites in passenger cars to minimize vehicle weight without compromising safety and performance. Consumer awareness regarding climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions is driving demand for fuel-efficient vehicles. This trend is leading to the incorporation of lightweight materials and technologies in passenger cars, thereby fueling the expansion of the global plastics market for passenger cars during the forecast period. The Plastics For Passenger Cars market is witnessing significant trends in the use of various types of plastics for automotive parts. Glass, metals, wood, natural rubber, and plastics are increasingly being used to manufacture components for cars. Plastic resins like Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), Polyphenylene oxide (PPO), Polyurethane (PU), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polycarbonate (PC), Polysulfone (PSU), Polyamide (PA), and Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) are widely used. The automotive industry's shift towards lightweight materials is driving the demand for plastics. The packaging sector also uses plastics extensively. However, the rising carbon emissions and petrochemical prices, along with crude oil prices, pose challenges to the market. Technological advancements in injection molding, thermoforming, and blow molding processes are fueling growth. The building & construction industry and other sectors like toys and industrial components also utilize plastics. Renewable sources like bioplastics derived from corn starch, vegetable oil, food waste, and sawdust are gaining popularity due to their eco-friendliness. The market is expected to grow despite the volatility in petroleum, natural gas, and crude oil prices. Discover 360 analysis of this market. For complete information, schedule your consultation - Book Here! Market Challenges The automotive industry's shift towards advanced designs, connectivity, and safety systems necessitates the use of intricately designed plastic components in passenger cars. Engineering and manufacturing these complex parts involves creating specialized tooling and employing advanced manufacturing processes. The complexity of the tooling and production setup increases with tight tolerances, intricate part features, and geometries. Overcoming these challenges demands close collaboration between automakers and plastic suppliers, as well as advanced engineering capabilities. Despite the high initial investment and long lead times associated with tooling for complex plastic components, their adoption is crucial for meeting the evolving demands of the automotive industry. However, these factors may pose challenges to the growth of the global plastics market for passenger cars during the forecast period. The Plastics For Passenger Cars market faces several challenges in the use of various polymers for automotive parts, toys, industrial components, and packaging. Polysulfone (PSU), Polyamide (PA), and Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) offer excellent thermal and mechanical properties, but their high cost limits their widespread adoption. Polypropylene, a cost-effective alternative, is commonly used in automotive parts and packaging. However, rising petrochemical and crude oil prices impact the affordability of these polymers. Injection molding, thermoforming, and blow molding are key manufacturing processes. Building & construction, toys, and packaging sectors are significant consumers. Carbon emissions are a concern, driving the search for renewable sources like bioplastics made from corn starch, vegetable oil, food waste, and sawdust. Technological advancements in engineering plastics offer lightweight, cost-effective metal substitution. Circular polymers, such as Iber Resinas' CirculenRenew polymer, are gaining popularity for their sustainability. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for plastics in face masks, goggles, shields, gloves, and respirators. For more insights on driver and challenges - Request a sample report! Segment Overview This plastics for passenger cars market report extensively covers market segmentation by Application 1.1 Interiors 1.2 Exteriors 1.3 Others Material 2.1 Polypropylene 2.2 Polyurethane 2.3 Polyvinyl chloride 2.4 Polyamide and others Geography 3.1 APAC 3.2 North America 3.3 Europe 3.4 South America 3.5 Middle East and Africa 1.1 Interiors- The interiors of passenger cars primarily utilize plastics due to their desirable properties such as high thermal stability, scratch resistance, and high strength. Automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) prioritize these features, along with UV stability, good sound absorption, color retention, and low emissions, to enhance the value proposition for customers. Key areas where plastics are extensively used include instrument panel clusters, glove boxes, door panels, overhead consoles, center and fascia consoles, lower and back seat trims, folding tables, inner safety seat parts, and speaker consoles. In the competitive passenger car market, OEMs focus on offering superior comfort and convenience to differentiate themselves. Innovations like three-zone climate-control systems and increased cup holder penetration are examples of this trend. Manufacturers of interior components, like FOMPAK, employ advanced plastics and processing technologies to deliver superior products. These factors collectively contribute to the growing demand for plastics in passenger car interiors, driving the expansion of the interiors segment in the global plastics market for the passenger cars industry. For more information on market segmentation with geographical analysis including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2017-2021) - Download a Sample Report Learn and explore more about Technavio's in-depth research reports The global automotive ultracapacitor market is witnessing rapid growth driven by increasing demand for efficient energy storage and power delivery solutions in electric vehicles (EVs). Similarly, the global electric car rental market is expanding as consumers seek eco-friendly and cost-effective transportation options, supported by growing EV infrastructure. Meanwhile, the global automotive batteries market is thriving due to advancements in battery technologies and the rising adoption of EVs, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids, highlighting a shift towards sustainable and energy-efficient automotive solutions across the globe. Research Analysis The Plastics For Passenger Cars market refers to the usage of various types of plastics and plastic resins in the manufacturing of passenger cars. Plastics have become an essential component in automotive production due to their lightweight properties, durability, and design flexibility. Some common plastic types used in this industry include Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), Polyphenylene oxide (PPO), Polyurethane (PU), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Polycarbonate (PC), Polysulfone (PSU), Polyamide (PA), and Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU). These plastics are derived from petroleum, natural gas, and in some cases, renewable sources such as bioplastics. Bioplastics can be made from various feedstocks like corn starch, vegetable oil, food waste, and sawdust. Plastic resins like PE, PP, and PVC are widely used in car interiors and exteriors, while engineering plastics like PBT, PPO, PSU, PA, and PPSU are used for structural components. Market Research Overview The Plastics For Passenger Cars market encompasses a wide range of applications for plastics in the automotive industry. Plastics, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and engineering plastics like polycarbonate (PC), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), and polyurethane (PU,) are extensively used in automotive parts due to their lightweight, cost-effective, and superior mechanical and thermal properties. Plastics replace traditional materials such as glass, metals, wood, and natural rubber in various applications. The market includes sectors like automotive parts, toys, and industrial components. PET, a key plastic resin, dominates the packaging sector due to its excellent barrier properties. The market is influenced by factors like carbon emissions, petrochemical prices, and crude oil prices. Technological advancements in injection molding, thermoforming, and blow molding processes continue to drive innovation. Renewable sources like bioplastics derived from corn starch, vegetable oil, food waste, sawdust, and renewable sources are gaining popularity due to their eco-friendly nature. Circular polymers and initiatives from companies like Iber Resinas and CirculenRenew Polymer are also contributing to the market's growth. The building & construction industry, face masks, goggles, shields, gloves, respirators, and gowns are other significant applications for plastics. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation Application Interiors Exteriors Others Material Polypropylene Polyurethane Polyvinyl Chloride Polyamide And Others Geography APAC North America Europe South America Middle East And Africa 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio SAN DIEGO, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- R360, the premier membership organization for ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, has successfully concluded its inaugural member summit in San Diego, California, the R360 Living Well, Doing Good Conference. The exclusive gathering, tailored for members, each with a net worth exceeding $100 million and a commitment to leaving a lasting impact, featured a range of prominent speakers and more than 37 member families. R360 "This summit was about more than just learning; it was about connecting on a deeper level and finding inspiration to make a greater impact. The Living Well, Doing Good Conference is one of many initiatives designed to support this mission," stated Barbara Goodstein, Managing Partner of R360. "We've set a new standard for member events and are committed to fostering an environment where members can thrive and make meaningful contributions to society." The conference featured a lineup of distinguished speakers and experts from around the globe, including: Innovation and Futurists Pascal Finette , Former Chair at Singularity University, explored methods for anticipating industry disruptions and creating transformative change in organizations. Jim Kwik , Founder of Kwik Learning, taught effective techniques to form high-reward routines, break negative patterns, and optimize the brain's potential. , Former Chair at Singularity University, explored methods for anticipating industry disruptions and creating transformative change in organizations. , Founder of Kwik Learning, taught effective techniques to form high-reward routines, break negative patterns, and optimize the brain's potential. Dr. Behnam Tabrizi , Professor at Stanford University , presented a leader's playbook for perpetual innovation based on practices of the world's most innovative companies. Dr. Michael Breus , The Sleep Doctor, shared his best practices for optimizing sleep for peak performance in demanding executive roles. Leadership and Social Change Martin Luther King III , Civil Rights Leader , Chairman, Drum Major Institute and Arndrea Waters King , Civil Rights Leader, President, Drum Major Institute, discussed how leaving a meaningful legacy can drive lasting social change on a global scale. , Civil Rights , Chairman, Drum Major Institute and Arndrea , Civil Rights Leader, President, Drum Major Institute, discussed how leaving a meaningful legacy can drive lasting social change on a global scale. Scott Harrison , Founder of Charity: water, discussed the revolution of philanthropy through new innovative funding models and measurable impact. Personal and Professional Development Tal Ben-Shahar , Harvard Professor, Founder of Happiness Studies Academy, presented exclusive strategies for balancing wealth, purpose, and personal fulfillment using the SPIRE framework. , Harvard Professor, Founder of Happiness Studies Academy, presented exclusive strategies for balancing wealth, purpose, and personal fulfillment using the SPIRE framework. Zoe Chance , Professor at Yale School of Management, explained the science of influence and making impactful decisions in business and life. , Professor at Yale School of Management, explained the science of influence and making impactful decisions in business and life. Dr. Luana Marques , Professor at Harvard Medical School , presented a three-step strategy to transform anxiety into a catalyst for personal growth and goal attainment. , Professor at , presented a three-step strategy to transform anxiety into a catalyst for personal growth and goal attainment. Dr. Raj Sisodia, Founder of Conscious Capitalism, and Dr Neha Sangwan , CEO/Founder of Intuitive Intelligence, shared strategies to expand consciousness and leverage individual strengths to elevate families, companies, and communities. In addition to the enriching sessions, attendees participated in a variety of activities, including a team-building boot camp led by Navy SEALs, active adventures and wellness experiences, and a black-tie gala celebrating members' outstanding achievements. Optional private visits to SpaceX and the Buck Institute offered exclusive insights into the future of space travel and advancements in health and longevity research. For more information about R360 Global and its unique family-centric approach, contact us today. Media Contact: Jon Goldberg (786) 699 - 9498 [email protected] SOURCE R360 KINGSTON, Jamaica, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- S Hotels Jamaica a luxury hotel brand designed to seamlessly fuse Jamaican soul and culture into an urban sophistication is proud to announce that it has garnered top honors within its portfolio of properties, at the prestigious 2024 World Travel Awards. Spanish Court Hotel, recently rebranded as S Hotel Kingston, has been recognized as Jamaica's Leading Business Hotel 2024, and S Hotel Jamaica, recently rebranded as S Hotel Montego Bay, has been named Jamaica's Leading Hotel 2024. The World Travel Awards are renowned for acknowledging and celebrating excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. These awards are a testament to the outstanding service, exceptional amenities, and unparalleled guest experiences provided by S Hotels Jamaica. S Hotel Kingston (formerly known as Spanish Court Hotel), situated in the vibrant capital city of Jamaica surrounded by lush mountains, has been honored as Jamaica's Leading Business Hotel for 2024. With state-of-the-art meeting facilities, high-speed internet access, and a well-equipped business center, S Hotel Kingston has become the preferred choice for travelers seeking both convenience and luxury. S Hotel Montego Bay, a luxury adults-only all-inclusive property overlooking the emerald waters of Doctor's Cave Beach, has been named Jamaica's Leading Hotel for 2024, solidifying its position as a premier destination for luxury and relaxation. From its luxurious accommodations to its world-class dining and spa services, S Hotel Montego Bay provides an idyllic retreat for travelers seeking an unforgettable experience. "We are incredibly honored to receive these prestigious accolades from the World Travel Awards," said Mr. Christopher Issa, CEO of S Hotels Jamaica. "Being named Jamaica's Leading Business Hotel and Jamaica's Leading Hotel for 2024 is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of our entire team. At S Hotels Jamaica, we strive to create exceptional experiences for our guests, whether they are visiting for business or leisure. These awards inspire us to continue raising the bar in hospitality and to showcase the best of Jamaican culture, warmth, and service." About S Hotels Jamaica S Hotels Jamaica is an upscale hotel brand designed to seamlessly fuse Jamaican soul and culture into an urban sophistication. Simultaneously providing an elevated hospitality experience while embodying the essence of Jamaican culture, the brand's portfolio features two of Jamaica's foremost top boutique hotels the contemporary S Hotel Montego Bay, and vibrant S Hotel Kingston (formerly Spanish Court Hotel.) Both properties are members of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and excel in shaping unique guest experiences within the island's most sought-after destinations. S Hotels Jamaica has been recognized in the prestigious TripAdvisor's 2024 Travelers' Choice Awards, Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards, and USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards. For more details, please visit www.shotelsjamaica.com. Press Office Contact Details Hue & Cry [email protected] SOURCE S Hotels Jamaica The award-winning leader in at-home IPL laser hair removal showcases portfolio of impressive tools at premier beauty trade show NEW YORK, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ulike, the global leader and pioneer of IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) hair removal, will exhibit at the show, being held July 23-25, 2024 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The global company, which continues to gain momentum and popularity with American consumers, will showcase at booth #10103 its world-class portfolio of IPL laser hair removal hero tools, the Ulike Air10 IPL hair removal device, Ulike Air3 IPL hair removal and newest launch, Ulike ReGlow LED Face Mask. Ulike is a world leader in the home hair removal industry and is committed to delivering next-generation technology, as well as medical-grade devices for use in the comfort of one's home, with industry-leading research led by "The Father of Light Therapy" Dr. M.R. Hamblin, Professor at Harvard and MIT. Since launching in 2013, Ulike quickly amassed a cult following and is now one of the most popular at-home hair removal brands, helping over five million beauty fans ditch the razor for good and achieve silky smooth, hair-free skin. "We are thrilled to showcase our portfolio of hero products at this year's CosmoProf North America Las Vegas show, as this is the second America trade show where Ulike has exhibited," said Leona Liu, General Manager - US for Ulike. "We look forward to productive sessions with retail and industry partners and continuing to transform the at-home hair removal landscape." Ulike has experienced remarkable growth over the past decade, leading to its outstanding market share in China. In 2022, Ulike expanded its presence from China to overseas markets, including the US, Korea, Japan, South East Asia and the Pacific Asian region etc. In addition to obtaining 400+ global patents, the brand's IPL hair removal device line has won a multitude of beauty awards from top-tier media outlets including, NewBeauty, Oprah Daily, Cosmopolitan, Best Products and AskMen to name a few. The brand also delivers high-quality education about its tech with the help of board-certified dermatologists and industry experts to ensure the effectiveness and safety of its FDA-approved products. The Ulike Air3 IPL Hair Removal Device pinpoints hair at the root and reduces hair regrowth over time to bring users silky smooth, hair-free skin, without the hefty price tag, leading to visible results in just three weeks with 93% hair reduction. The brand's newest product, Ulike Air10 IPL Hair Removal Device, offers visible results in just two weeks with 96% hair reduction and elevates the hair removal process with Next-Gen Ice Cooling and SkinSensor. Ulike is also proud to announce its recently secured distribution in Best Buy both online and in stores, with more retailers to be announced this summer. Ulike Group also owns another brand Jmoon. Jmoon is the world's No.1 home beauty device brand, will showcase its newest technology Transdermal Collagan Light Beauty Device, along with other Jmoon star products. Click here to learn more about IPL technology and see if it is the right fit for your hair removal needs. Follow Ulike Beauty on Instagram and TikTok. ABOUT ULIKE Since 2013, Ulike has harnessed the power of clinical technology to produce luxurious, painless, and cost-effective IPL at-home hair removal devices. With powerful IPL and Sapphire Cooling Technology, the devices deliver visible results and are suitable to use on the full body. The devices are FDA-cleared, clinically tested and dermatologist recommended. Since inception, the brand has grown to be a global leader of IPL at-home beauty devices with over 5 million units sold in 49 countries and regions worldwide. As a beauty-tech brand focused on innovation, Ulike allots thirty percent of its annual profits to research and development. This continuous drive for advancement is what has helped the brand secure over 400 global patents and become an international success. ABOUT COSMOPROF Cosmoprof North America (CPNA) is the leading business-to-business (B2B) beauty exhibition in the Americas. Recognized for its dynamic growth and unique programs, the event offers the entire beauty industry an opportunity to come together to make new relationships and foster collaborations. MEDIA CONTACT: Samantha Bunes | Konnect Agency 317-413-3436 [email protected] SOURCE Ulike According to Hera Lee, Executive Director of 798CUBE, the exhibition highlights the institution's commitment to exploring the multifaceted intersections of cutting-edge art and technology. Elliptical Dipole: Visceral Particles and Sorcerous Flows delves into the intricate interplay between humanity, technology, and nature, as seen through Yunchul Kim's distinctive lens. Utilizing diverse artistic mediums such as sound, unconventional painting methods, and kinetic installations, Kim constructs a richly imaginative material world. His works provide not only a visual feast but also engage deeply with philosophical and scientific dialogues. The exhibition features Kim's most iconic pieces from various phases of his career, alongside his latest experimental works. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in the artist's visionary matterReality (a term coined by Yunchul Kim) and resonate with the cosmic infinity, unraveling the perpetual enigma of polarity within the captivating vista of "Elliptical Dipole." Encapsulating Yunchul Kim's intellectual pursuit and artistic insight, ZHANG Ga, curator of the exhibition, has noted the following: Yunchul Kim is an alchemist turned physi-chemical provocateur. He seems to bear the brunt of modernity's quintessence. As an artist with a philosophical penchant for the most current, reminiscent of what Arthur Danto radically illuminated about art today, he is both old-school and ultra-modern, befitting what Giorgio Agamben has argued: "Contemporariness inscribes itself in the present by making it above all archaic." He employs concepts such as pataphysics and transmattering in his thought process before getting entrenched or enchanted, one might say, in his intricate laboratory work with rocks and metals, recently also biological agents, churning them into micro-substances and unspeakable elements that can only be extrapolated in particle physics and electro-magnetic fluids that have dipolar charges to fire up otherworldly sensations and spiritual meditations. Yunchul Kim thinks cosmologically and acts microphysically. He allows himself to indulge in cosmic reveries, meandering through the geophysical expanse and astrophysical immensity and permitting caprice in planetary temporality alongside the circadian cycle of earth-bound creatures. He is at once pre-scientifically abstruse, recalling when alchemistic enunciation proclaimed the divinity of a totality of the living and the undead, of solids and spirits, and in which the suprarational reigned in the domain of knowledge, and post-humanistically amorphous, by which homo sapiens is understood microbially in rapport with plants, and quantum mechanically in tandem with rocks and stones (we are all particles!). Argos (2022), our first encounter with Kim's preternatural reality, is reminiscent of the monolith in Space Odyssey that channels the celestial stupendous to the everyday profane by the violent act of cosmic rays striking the earth's atmosphere. In this ultimate contact of the human abode with the cosmos, the thousand-eyed monumental structure originating in Greek antiquity, equipped with a modern apparatus of a Geiger Muller tube, scans muons, the subatomic particle that is the result of the interstellar collision, transforming into sounds and lights and setting in motion cluster of actions and interactions of things and substances in their vicinity it crisscrosses, traversing matters of different natures, magnitude and properties, materializing not only matters of fact but also "matters of concern," as Bruno Latour would have it, enabling a reciprocity that is both physi-chemically necessary and ethical-aesthetically indispensable. The French philosopher of science Gaston Bachelard once stated that "realization takes precedence over reality," that is, in Yunchul Kim's parlance, a techno-matteReality which foregoes the real perceived by human sensory faculties. Chroma IX (2024), the colossal, knotted assemblage of a vastly elongated ouroboros form, engenders a reality coming into being through the very process of putting into action the phenomenon of fluctuation of the variegated liquid that is the marvelous work of a modern alchemist, of an entanglement of energies both positive and negative, converging into an elliptic dipole in sedimentation and ascension. Yunchul Kim hence presents to us a reality through the actualization of a techno-phenomenological phenomenon: phenomenon that is instrumentally produced and has "no genetic tie to human consciousness and perception." (Mark Hansen, The Critique of Data) In doing so, the artist has intuitively undone the damage of anthropocentric hubris and made equal footing of varied and multitudinous subjectivities. We get a glimpse into Yunchul Kim's underworld of alchemy. Amorph II (2024) reveals, shedding light on the intricate contrivance and technicality Yunchul Kim creates in his visual enchantment. Rather than an optical illusion, the wondrous spectrum and brilliant intensity are a manifestation of a materiality of forces, both artificial and organic, solidified in the form of hydrogel derived from layers of seaweeds. Ancient tapestry techniques and the progressive mono-tonality of Morton Feldman weave into the transcendental splendor of the artist's imaginative mattereality. Two installations of Amorph II, resonating with each other across the expansive gallery space, in Yunchul Kim's pataphysical explication, make salient a "matterphor" in the physicality of an ellipse enacted by dipoles. It is eternity reconciled with evanescence, like in the quantum mechanical revelation of waves and particles, commingling, erupting, penetrating the Double Slit to land both infinitely far and near all at once. In that vertigo of electromagnetic charges, opposite forces achieve an equilibrium and arrive at the negentropic tranquility. As if two elegant harps were to orchestrate a vortex of harmony and dissonance with the mechanical precision and articulation of clockwork, Triaxial II (2017) is a liquid furnace that incinerates metal particles and sand residuals, turning them into a fluid gyre, coagulating dissolution into suppleness, winding up, twisting down, cochleated, rushing geometry into entropy and vice-versa, disintegrating and regenerating. Yunchul Kim's piece is cyclicity, open-ended closure, a system of reciprocity and a resolution of the polemic. It is this polyphony of multi-nodal intensity and Variantology, as German Media theorist Siegfried Zielinski might concur, that forms the leitmotif of the artist's inner chamber. If Zielinski's polyphonic articulation on Variantology stems from his erudite study of Deep Time through the lens of media archeology, Yunchul Kim, once a student of the prolific professor, inherits not only his mentor's pluralist worldview of humans ancient and modern, but also takes the word very literally in the mineralogical sense of stratification of rocks in light of geological immensity and with the cellulose composition of trees that enliven, and of that which subsists at the bottom of the deep ocean. In Strata (2024), the artist explores material verity that is beyond immediate human perception and cultural conception, excavating and unveiling the depth of pigmentation unseen by a naked eye. In an homage to Raymond Roussel, the French poet who has inspired the artist during his formative years and alongside his prolonged pataphysical elucidation of the world through poetic, extra-scientific reveries and introspections (the artist named his studio after Roussel's novel Locus Solus), Yunchul Kim has created a living sculpture, inventing a new substance granulated from minerals that can only be viewed by custom-designed lenses subtly integrated into hexagonal glass containers. Stony liquids gush from small jets inside the translucent vessel, arising upward as if longing for and embracing solar gravity, the source of all life. Transmuting and transforming the unstable into the potential, the boiling liquid culminates in the co-arousal and co-ascension of the organic and the artificial, incinerating all that are incommensurable and contradictory of the grime of the earth into the Dust of the Sun (La Poussiere de Soleils III, 2022). If Studio Locus Solus is the hermitage where Yunchul Kim and his assistants exercise their arcana of metal, stone and vegetation, Remnant Vitrine (2024) opens a window unto the sorcerous inside. Nested in an alcove in the mezzanine area, the Remnant Vitrine is a miniature laboratory that hosts a medley of the alchemist's archive of things, objects not following the convention of classification, but alongside the exactitude of materiality such as measurements beyond the apparently visible or matter's indeterminacy contingent on temperature, pressure, and the elasticity that's yet to be unleashed from the potentiality of the thing itself. The juxtaposition and infiltration of varied categories defy the taxonomy of species, genus, family, order, class, phylum, kingdom, domain, etc. The chandelier of magic (Impulse) hanging above appears as a crystallization of wondrous and uncanny things, its hydraulically powered pumps resemble the respiratory connectedness of a living tree, pulsating and resonating, circulating liveliness throughout in an audio-visual spectacle both sublime and subliminal. Yunchul Kim paints, too, but in an uncanny stunt of painterly action. Call it particle painting; it embodies the artist's somatic gestures that transpire in a process analogous to conventional painting or photo developing. Yet, it is also akin to unveiling the vicissitude of geological eternity. The bodily movement unpacks the trajectories of nature in the epiphany of microscopic rudiments. Eluvial Horizon (2024) reaffirms Yunchul Kim's materialistic symbolism as action carved in longevity, here the ephemeral has acquired its indisputable manifestation in physicality and temporality. As much a visual artist as an accomplished musician, Yunchul Kim constructs his own devices to make music that is electronically acoustic and classically avant-garde. His turntable-styled instrument C-Ray is a chemical reactor turned synthesizer which amplifies the seawater-generated electrical currents into audio signals. Sound is produced by a chemically infused "writing pencil," inscribing onto an aluminum plate. It is a material imprint that materializes the inaudible. Yunchul Kim eschews the convenience of a metaphorical toolkit, defies the dictatorial sovereign of the Signifier. His pataphysical imperative demands a "matterphor" that is capable of agential autopoiesis, that impregnates and brings forth. His world is otherworldly in which only surrationalism can untie the never-ending knot of polarity in the mesmerizing image of Elliptical Dipole. The artist's mystic granules thus stir up emotive flux in the concurrence of cosmology and mineralogy, of biology and geology; of monad and dialectics, of immanence and contradiction; and ultimately, of life and death in the co-rising of the ascending flare of eternal return, in the atomic vortex that swallows humans and everything else, Yunchul Kim finds his own respite and solace. The earthly space is a space where you can see the hydrodynamic flow of nanoparticles made from stones, seaweed, and trees. For example in the artwork La Poussiere de Soleils II (Dust of Suns II) , Kim created a new substance composed of mineral particles that boiled and spewed in a hexagonal glass container, achieving the simultaneous awakening and sublimation of organic and artificial objects. And for his new creation Strata, explores physical realities that beyond human perception and cultural concepts, unearthed and revealed the depth of colors invisible to the naked eye. About the Artist: Yunchul Kim is an artist and electroacoustic music composer. Asking fundamental questions about "material" and "materiality", he has demonstrated the possibilities of imagination and the creation of a reality beyond the realm of human experience, paying attention to its potential tendencies. His work embodies the material world imagined by the artist and is a story of a dimension before humans formed cultures or were defined by language. His works, in which humans, non-humans, machines, materials, and substances are considered equal, exist as active matter (transmattering) as the subject of events. He has won international awards, including the 2016 Collide International Award from CERN, Ars Electronica, and the VIDA 15.0 Third Prize. His works have been presented by a number of prestigious international organizations, including the Korean Pavilion, 59th La Biennale di Venezia, Italy; CCCB, Spain; FACT Liverpool, UK; Ars Electronica, Austria; Frankfurter Knstverein, Germany; and International Triennial New Media Art Exhibition, China. He was chief researcher of the research group Mattereality at the Transdisciplinary Research Program at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study. He is a member of the art and science project group Fluid Skies and Liquid Things, an artistic research project at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria. About the Curator: Zhang Ga is a media art curator. He was curator of three editions of Media Art Triennial (National Art Museum of China, 20082014). His recent curatorial projects include Chaosmosis: A WANG Yuyang Exhibition (Shenzhen Art Museum, 2024), Motion Is Action: 35 Years of Chinese Media Art (By Art Matters, 2023), Topologies of the Real (MoCAUP, 2023), The 6th Guangzhou Triennial (co-curator, GDMOA, 2018), and Datumsoria: The Return of the Real (ZKM, 2017). His publications include edited books and essays. He is currently Distinguished Professor at Central Academy of Fine Arts. Since 2015, he directs Chronus Art Center in Shanghai. About 798CUBE: 798CUBE is located in the core area of 798 Art District in Beijing, with a floor area of 3600 square meters, the building is designed by renowned Chinese contemporary architect and artist Zhu Pei, and is one of a series of experimental creations by Studio Zhu Pei on the theme of industrial heritage. The industrial "box cluster" in 798 Art District fully demonstrates the combination of technology, art and industrial heritage. With the slogan "Into the Unknown", 798CUBE is dedicated to the integration of science and technology and art. Relying on the innate advantage of 798 Art District as China's cultural card for contemporary art, 798CUBE creates a platform for the general public to link international high-quality art resources, to inspire the public in the context of emerging science and technology and the avant-garde art breeding, and participating in the world-wide art context. Curated by: Zhang Ga Presented by: Beijing 798 Culture and Technology Co., Ltd. Organized by: 798CUBE Duration: 2024.05.25-2024.10.13 Address: 798CUBE, 798 Art District Creative Square, Chaoyang District, Beijing CONTACT: Una Ding, [email protected] SOURCE 798CUBE WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here London, July 19 : A riot has broken out in UK's Leeds after police were called to attend an incident involving some agency workers and children, officials said on Thursday night. According to West Yorkshire Police, they were called to an ongoing incident at Luxor Street, Harehills, at 5 p.m. on Thursday. On arrival, officers "found an ongoing disturbance which involved some agency workers and some children." Soon, a crowd started to gather at the location after which officers decided to remove the agency workers and the children to a safe place. However, tensions grew and "pockets of disorder" broke out in the area. Purported footage shared on social media showed a large crowd of people on the street and a police car being flipped onto its side while a bus was being set on fire. "More officers have been deployed to the area to assist with the management of this incident. Some road closures are also being implemented and people are advised to avoid the area at this time," the West Yorkshire Police said in a statement. "No injuries have been reported and enquiries are ongoing at the scene," it added. UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper took to social media platform X to condemn the violence. She posted: "I am appalled at the shocking scenes and attacks on police vehicles & public transport in Leeds tonight (Thursday night). Disorder of this nature has no place in our society. My thanks go to West Yorkshire police for their response. I am being kept regularly updated." Jerusalem, July 19 : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made a surprise visit to Gaza's Rafah, pledging to uphold Israeli control over the Rafah crossing and the entire Gaza-Egypt border, even if a ceasefire-hostage agreement is reached. Netanyahu on Thursday received briefings from commanders in Rafah, which Israeli ground forces have seized since early May, and observed the "Philadelphia Corridor", the border area between Gaza and Egypt, Xinhua news agency reported. "I got here stronger in the understanding that our control of the Philadelphia Corridor and the Rafah crossing is essential for the future," Netanyahu said in a video statement, surrounded by soldiers. He noted that next week he will travel to Washington to address the US Congress, adding that he will present the "righteousness" of the controversial ongoing Israeli onslaught in Gaza. Netanyahu made the statement as an Israeli delegation was in Cairo for more talks on the agreement. The control over the Rafah crossing and "the Philadelphia Corridor" is a major sticking point in the talks. Israeli officials, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, have said that Israel would agree to withdraw from the area under a deal that would secure the release of about 120 hostages still held in Gaza. United Nations, July 19 : Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians have said. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the routine challenges of working in an active conflict include access constraints, fuel restrictions, an ongoing power blackout and the lack of public order and safety, Xinhua news agency reported. "During the first 16 days of July, our colleagues coordinated 60 humanitarian missions into the north," OCHA said. "Only 24 were facilitated, while 12 were denied access by the Israeli authorities and 20 others were impeded by Israeli troops on the ground. The remaining four missions were cancelled by humanitarian organizations due to logistical, operational or security reasons," it added. The humanitarians said the restrictions prevent aid organizations from gaining regular access to the north, where hundreds of thousands of people need humanitarian assistance. It also makes it impossible for humanitarian workers to manage the flow of supplies into Gaza via the Erez West crossing. OCHA said the UN relief agency for Palestinians, known as UNRWA, reports limited access to hygiene and clean water and increasing rashes and skin diseases across the Gaza Strip. Their teams are providing medication, but the agency warns that without improved conditions, the infections invariably return. The agency said just 10 of its 26 health centres in Gaza are still operational, although UNRWA's teams continue risking their lives to provide medical care to needy families. "We also have an update on the West Bank," OCHA said. "More than 750 Palestinians have been displaced since the beginning of the year across the West Bank after the Israeli authorities demolished or forced the demolition of their homes due to lack of building permits." The office added that more than 600 homes and other structures were demolished during that period. Authorities rarely grant permits to Palestinians in what is known as Area C and in East Jerusalem. OCHA said when Palestinian homes, mostly in refugee camps of the northern West Bank, were damaged or destroyed during Israeli military operations, more than 740 Palestinians were displaced. The office said efforts are underway to support families whose homes were damaged during one such operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp last week. An assessment by OCHA and humanitarian partners found that military bulldozers damaged dozens of residential buildings and stores, as well as water and sewage networks. Seoul, July 19 : North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has discussed the "importance and necessity" of military cooperation with Russia's Vice Defence Minister, state media reported Friday, amid Pyongyang's deepening military alignment with Moscow. Kim met with a Russian military delegation, headed by Aleksey Krivoruchko in Pyongyang on Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). He has become the first known ranking Russian military official to visit North Korea since Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first trip to Pyongyang in 24 years for summit talks with the North's leader last month, Yonhap news agency reported. "The talk shared recognition of the importance and necessity of the military cooperation between the two countries to defend mutual security interests," the KCNA said. Kim also expressed his firm support and solidarity for Russia's war with Ukraine and stressed the need for the militaries of the two countries to "get united more firmly" to develop bilateral relations, according to the KCNA. The latest visit by Krivoruchko appears to be a follow-up to the Kim-Putin summit. After the talks, Kim and Putin signed a new partnership treaty that calls for the two nations to offer military assistance "without delay" if either comes under attack. North Korea has been accused of supplying artillery rounds and munitions to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine in return for Moscow's suspected transfer of high-tech weapons technology. Both nations have denied such arms deals. But following the summit talks, North Korea seems to be no longer concealing its military ties with Russia, given that Kim explicitly mentioned "military cooperation" between the two nations. Srinagar, July 19 : The recent operation in J&K's Keran sector is an example of professional synergy and the grit of the security forces engaged in anti-militancy duties, the Army has said. In a press statement on Thursday's Kachhal Keran sector operation, the Army said, "On July 18, 2024, in a significant operation, the Indian Army successfully eliminated two terrorists attempting to infiltrate across the Line of Control in Keran Sector of Kashmir. On July 17, 2024, credible input was received from JKP, further corroborated by intelligence agencies, regarding a group of foreign terrorists likely to infiltrate through Keran Sector." "On July 18 at approx. 12.30 p.m. alert troops observed the movement of two terrorists through thick foliage, on own side of LoC. The infiltrating terrorists were challenged, following which they opened fire leading to an intense firefight. Two hard-core foreign terrorists were killed along with the recovery of weapons, war-like stores and a Pakistani identity card," the Army said in the statement on Friday. "This successful intelligence-based operation is yet another example of the close synergy between Indian Army, BSF & JKP. This was the third such successful anti-infiltration operation on the Line of Control over the last few weeks and underscores the Indian Army's unwavering commitment to maintaining the sanctity of the Line of Control and the robust counter-infiltration posture towards maintaining peace in Kashmir Valley," the Army further said. Two terrorists were killed on Thursday (July 18) when the security forces foiled an infiltration bid on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. The encounter broke out when the security forces challenged a group of infiltrating terrorists on the LoC in the sector. Officials said that troops of 6 Rashtriya Rifles and J&K Police had received intelligence inputs about the movement of terrorists along the LoC. On July 14, three heavily armed terrorists were killed along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district when the Army foiled an infiltration bid by the terrorists. New Delhi, July 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday morning, acknowledged forthcoming citizens with regard to sharing inputs for the upcoming 'Mann Ki Baat' broadcast on July 28. Taking to X, the prime Minister said: "I've been getting numerous inputs for this month's #MannKiBaat, which will take place on Sunday the 28th. Happy to see several youngsters in particular highlight collective efforts aimed at transforming our society." Encouraging more citizens to come forward with their suggestions, PM Modi added: "You can keep sharing inputs on MyGov, the NaMo App or record your message on 1800-11-7800." 'Mann Ki Baat' is PM Modi's monthly radio address in which he discusses matters of national significance. New Delhi, July 19 : The BJP on Friday criticised the INDIA bloc, particularly targeting Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, questioning their silence on incidents of atrocities against women in West Bengal and Telangana. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla highlighted a recent incident in West Bengal's Howrah where a family was subjected to "kangaroo justice." In a video message on X, Poonawalla stated, "After Uttar Dinajpur, Chopra Talibani flogging incident, now yet another shocking video has come to the fore from Howrah. The manner in which the family is being beaten, kangaroo justice is being delivered, and a woman is being brutalised, her hair has been cut with scissors in a very dangerous manner... This has become commonplace in West Bengal because it is not 'Maa Mati Manush', it is Talibaani 'mansikta' (mentality) and Culture - TMC. " Mentioning multiple violent incidents in Sandeshkhali, Cooch Behar, and Howrah, he asserted that women are "completely unsafe in West Bengal" while the opposition remains silent. "State of Affairs in INDI RULED STATES... In West Bengal: woman, family in Domjur, Howrah beaten up mercilessly - hair cut using scissors. The accused Isha Lashkar, Abul Hossain Lashkar, Sayem Lashkar, Makbul Ali, Israil Lashkar, Arbaz Lashkar & Mehebullah Midde, who executed this ghastly act, are closely associated with the TMC Party," Poonwalla said detailing the incident in the caption. He asserted that the "agony of women continues in the TMC-ruled state". Mentioning a similar incident in Congress-ruled Telangana, Poonawalla said, "Not just in West Bengal, but in Telangana too, the manner in which a poor woman was beaten up tied to an electric pole. Her only fault was that she is poor." The BJP spokesperson criticised Congress "stalwarts" for their silence, saying, "Where are Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Chaturvedi? None of them has spoken." Poonawalla claimed that the opposition's silence on these incidents reveals their "true face," stating, "They don't speak for Swati Maliwal, they don't speak for Sandeshkhali. They remain eloquently silent when such disturbing visuals come from West Bengal and Telangana." Srinagar, July 19 : A huge cache of arms and ammunition, including an Austrian-made bullpup assault rifle, was recovered from the slain terrorists in J&K's Keran sector. The Army said on Friday, "A huge cache of arms and ammunition, including a Steyr AUG (an Austrian-made bullpup assault rifle), AK series rifle, five grenades, and other materials, was recovered from two killed foreign terrorists in the Keran Sector of Kupwara district yesterday". Two foreign terrorists were killed on Thursday when the Army and the J&K Police jointly foiled an infiltration bid on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran sector of Kupwara district. In a similar anti-infiltration operation in the Karnah sector of the same district on July 15, three terrorists were killed by the Army. Security forces are maintaining a maximum degree of alertness in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in the Jammu division of J&K. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level security review meeting on J&K attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor, Ajit Kumar Doval. The PM ordered the immediate deployment of the Army and the security forces in sufficient strength to eradicate militancy from the otherwise peaceful areas of the Jammu division. New Delhi, July 19 : With President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian set to formally assume power at the end of July, his present focus is on interacting with stakeholders, outlining his policies, and selecting his team amid indications that his way ahead may be somewhat eased by realignments in the conservative/hardline camp. Pezeshkian was due to be sworn in next month, but the date was subsequently advanced to July 30. Two days before that, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will officially ratify his victory. In the interim period, the President-elect is engaged in meeting various sections of the establishment, including senior clerics, top defence officials, including the IRGC, whose influence extends into foreign policy too, and others. Meanwhile, Pezeshkian revealed his views on the foreign aims of his presidency, in a signed article titled 'My message to the new world' carried in various dailies on July 12. While the immediate priority was "strengthening relations with our neighbours," spanning Turkey to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf monarchies, he also mentioned his intention to strengthen ties with China and Russia, which "have consistently stood by us during challenging times." He also stressed "fostering mutually beneficial relations with emerging international players in the Global South, especially with African nations" and deepening relations with Latin American countries. Pezeshkian followed this with telephonic talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, as per reports on Thursday. On the other hand, work on selecting the new ministers began soon after Pezeshkian's victory over his hardline rival Saeed Jalili in the run-off on July 5, with former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who had campaigned extensively for Pezeshkian, said to be overseeing the process. Political analyst Mostafa Najafi, in a post on X, listed some of the incoming President's guidelines, including over half of the new ministers being below 50 years and women comprising at least one-fifth of the total. Also, less than half should be previous ministers. Pezeshkian's office had issued 18 criteria for new ministers, including "belief in expert work", and "avoiding ethnic, religious, and regional factional tendencies." Women ministers, if appointed and confirmed, will be a vital achievement for Pezeshkian, given that there has been just one since the Islamic Revolution - Marzieh Vahid-Dastjerdi, who served as Health and Medical Education Minister in populist President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's second government (2009-13). However, Ahmadinejad's other candidates Sousan Keshavarz (Education) and Fatemeh Ajorlou (Welfare and Social Security) failed to secure parliamentary approval. Despite Zarif's contribution, he is unlikely to return as Foreign Minister - the post he held in the Hasan Rouhani government - as his appointment is unlikely to pass muster in the conservative/hardliner-dominated Majles. While the name of Ali Akbar Salehi, who served as Foreign Minister in the second Ahmadinejad government after the sudden sacking of Manouchehr Mottaki, was doing the rounds, former Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, the chief nuclear negotiator in the talks that led to the 2015 deal, is tipped for the job, as per both conservative and reformist media reports. Another key appointment will be of the Interior Minister - given Pezeshkian's assurances on loosening social curbs - and former IRGC officer and lawmaker Elias Hazrati, conservative cleric and former Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, and former reformist lawmaker and politician Majid Ansari are said to be in the running. The name of conservative Presidential candidate Mostafa Pourmohammadi, who created ripples during the run-up to the elections for championing better diplomatic relations, more social freedoms, and opposition to Internet bans, is also said to be under consideration. Pourmohammadi, a former Justice Minister under Rouhani, is also said to be in the running for the vital post of Intelligence Minister - a post confined to clerics as its holders must be mujtahids (qualified to independently interpret the Sharia). On the other hand, all is not well in the conservative/hardliner camp as supporters of Jalili and Majles Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who finished third in the first round, trading blame for dividing the vote. This was bolstered by confirmations of rumours that Esmail Qa'ani, who commands the IRGC's Quds Force - which set up and supports the 'Axis of Resistance' in the region - had held a meeting with Jalili and Qalibaf ahead of the elections and tried to persuade the former to withdraw in favour of Qalibaf. While Pezeshkian met both Jalili and Qalibaf after his victory, it was the second meeting that was more important, since it is the latter who can help or hinder his programme in the Majles, where traditional conservatives outnumber hardliners. As there is no history of bad blood between Qalibaf and Pezeshkian, they could strike a modus vivendi to avoid friction between the executive and legislative branches. (Vikas Datta can be contacted atvikas.d@ians.in) New Delhi, July 19 : Industrialist Naveen Jindal on Friday said that strictest and necessary action will be taken if proven after a woman alleged that Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Jindal Steel, Dinesh Kr Saraogi, sexually assaulted her on the flight from Calcutta to Abu Dhabi on Thursday. In a social media post on X, the woman shared the incident that happened with her on the flight from Calcutta to Abu Dhabi (transit to Boston) on an Etihad flight. Naveen Jindal responded to her on X, saying "Dear Ananya, thank you for reaching out and speaking up! It takes a lot of courage to do what you did and I want you to know that we have a zero-tolerance policy for such matters". "I have asked the team to immediately investigate the matter and thereafter strictest and necessary action will be taken," Naveen Jindal posted on X. According to the woman, she was seated next to Saraogi. "He must be roughly 65 in age and told me he now lives in Oman but travels frequently. He started chatting me up -- very normal conversation about our roots, family, etc. He is from Churu in Rajasthan and both sons are married and settled in the US, etc," she posted. "The conversation moved to what my hobbies are. He asked if I enjoy watching movies and I was like of course. He then proceeds to tell me he has some movie clips on his phone. He whips out his phone and earphones to show me PORN!" she alleged in a post on X. She was left frozen in "shock and scare." "He started groping me. I was frozen in shock and scare. I eventually ran off to the washroom and complained to the air staff. Thankfully, the Etihad team was very proactive and took action immediately. They made me sit at their seating area and served me tea and fruits," she further wrote. The woman said that she could not proceed with a complaint because she would have missed her connecting flight to Boston. "I was escorted to the next gate to ensure he did not come near me. He also did not deny this when the cops asked him questions. I am sharing this because I want to remind everyone that something like this can happen to anyone," the woman said. Hyderabad, July 19 : Hundreds of cattle were washed away and several villages were flooded after a huge breach in Peddavagu Medium Irrigation project in Godavari basin in Telangana's Bhadradri Kothagudem district. The project breached near Gummadivalli in Aswaraopet mandal late on Thursday night following heavy rains and massive inflows from upstream. Flood water entered the villages near the project in Telangana and also in the downstream region in Eluru district of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The breach led to panic among villagers, who spent the night on rooftops or hillocks. Eyewitnesses said hundreds of cattle were washed away in the affected villages in both the states. Three villages in Telangana and 15 villages in Andhra Pradesh were affected by the breach, which emptied the water in the project. Agricultural crops over thousands of acres were damaged due to the breach. With road links to villages snapped, rescue and relief operations could not be taken up. Aswaraopet MLA Jare Adinarayana, Collector Jitesh V. Patil and Superintendent of Police Rohit Raj along with the officials of the Irrigation Department inspected the project on Friday. Flood water discharge from the project on Thursday led to inundation of three villages. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel rescued 28 people trapped in flood waters with the help of two helicopters. Meanwhile, due to huge inflows from upstream, the water level in the Godavari river is rising at Bhadrachalam. The water level was 24.5 feet at 9 a.m. on Friday. The water level at the upstream Peruru rose to 40.86 feet. With massive inflows from Indravati and Peruru, officials anticipate that the water level at Bhadrachalam may touch the danger mark. The first danger signal will be hoisted if the water level rises to 43 feet. The second danger signal will be hoisted at 48 feet and the third at 53 feet. Rivulets and streams were overflowing due to heavy rains. The state government has alerted the district administration. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and expert swimmers have been deployed to take up rescue operations. Rains continued to lash parts of Telangana under the impact of the low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in Bhadradri Kothagudem, Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Khammam, Mahabubabad and Mulugu districts on Friday. New Delhi, July 19 : The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice on a plea filed by a woman staff member of Raj Bhavan in Kolkata challenging the blanket immunity granted to the Governor from criminal prosecution. A Bench presided over by CJI, DY Chandrachud was hearing a writ petition filed by the complainant who had levelled sexual harassment charges against West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose but was left "remediless" due to immunity available to him under Article 361 of the Constitution. Senior advocate Shyam Divan, representing the petitioner, submitted that direction be issued to the police machinery to carry out the investigation in the case as gathering of evidence cannot be deferred indefinitely. Asking the Attorney General of India to assist the court, the Bench, also comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, granted liberty to the petitioner to implead the Union government as a party to the petition. Advocate Astha Sharma accepted the notice on behalf of the West Bengal government in the matter. The petitioner has approached the top court challenging the blanket immunity granted to the Governor from criminal prosecution and sought framing of guidelines in respect of constitutional immunity enjoyed by the Governor rather than complete blanket protection. Asking for a fair police probe into the alleged incident, she sought protection for herself and her family and sought compensation for loss of reputation. It may be recalled that subsequent to the filing of the complaint by contractual woman staffer on May 2, Governor Bose had ordered Raj Bhavan staff to ignore any communication from the West Bengal Police. The Raj Bhavan also directed the staff members to "refrain from giving any statement online, offline, in person, over the phone or any other manner". The notification mentioned that under Article 361 (2) and (3) of the Constitution, the state police cannot act in any manner to investigate any proceedings against a Governor during his term in office. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed by Kolkata Police to probe the alleged accusations against the Governor and had sought CCTV footage of the Raj Bhavan. The Kolkata Police had sought the footage from the officer-in-charge of the police outpost within the Raj Bhavan. The Governor, since the beginning of the controversy, had vehemently denied the accusations floated against him. He had described the allegation as an "engineered narrative" coined to gain electoral benefits. New Delhi, July 19 : Amid controversy and intense political sparring over the recent order to display names of owners of eateries and food outlets along the Kanwar Yatra route in Muzaffarnagar, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday implemented the order all across the full Yatra route, brushing aside allegations of religious discrimination against minorities and certain sections of society. As per the directive, all the food outlets, eateries and food joints across the state will have to put up a "nameplate", displaying the names of owners/proprietors and staff members. This has been done to maintain the "purity of faith" for Hindu devotees who undertake the Kanwar yatra, in the month of Shravan. The order means that the entire route of the Kanwar Yatra will be "purged" of "unholy practices". Notably, the Hindu devotees who undertake the Kanwar Yatra are expected to maintain strict adherence to religious rituals and adhere to ascetic guidelines. As per the order, those found selling products with Halal certification along the Yatra route will also face penal action. Days ago, Muzaffarnagar police issued a verbal order to the eateries and food joints in the city to display the names of owners along the 240-km long Kanwar Yatra route that falls in the district. The directive by Muzaffarnagar SSP on "displaying names" sparked furore in the Opposition camp, as they hit out at the state government accusing it of targeting and boycotting a particular community for political motives. The Congress called it a "boycott" of Muslims and Dalits, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav sought intervention by the courts against "hate-filled" order while AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi likened it to the "apartheid" (racial segregation) of South Africa and persecution of Jews under Hitler's rule. Meanwhile, Kanwar Yatra is set to begin on July 22, the day when Shravan month begins. The month-long festival will see people from Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan visiting Haridwar and Rishikesh to collect water from the Ganga river and then offer the same in Lord Shiva temples, on returning home. The Yogi Adityanath government has also plans of showering flower petals by helicopters on the Kanwar Yatris, during the month-long festival. Moscow, July 19 : Three senior officials and an interpreter from the Indian Embassy in Moscow are on ground in Krasnoyarsk to assist the passengers of Air India flight to San Francisco which made an emergency landing in the Siberian city on Thursday night. "The team is coordinating with airport and security authorities and representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry to provide all possible assistance to the passengers. The team will stay on ground in Krasnoyarsk till Air India's replacement plane arrives and takes the passengers on their onward journey," detailed a statement issued by the Indian Embassy. Meanwhile, a ferry flight from Mumbai to Krasnoyarsk, is now airborne, and is expected to land in the Russian city on Friday evening. "An Air India team, including crew and security personnel, are on board the flight to provide any support that the passengers and staff at Krasnoyarsk may require," Air India mentioned in a post on X. It added that the ferry flight is carrying essentials in addition to sufficient food for all passengers and will ferry all passengers and crew out of the Russian airport at the earliest. A dedicated hotline for the family, relatives, and friends of the flight passengers has also been established. Air India flight AI-183 operating from Delhi to San Francisco was diverted to Krasnoyarsk International airport (UNKL) in Russia due to a technical reason. It made a precautionary landing around Thursday midnight at Krasnoyarsk airport. Representatives from the Indian consulate in Moscow travelled overnight and worked with Russian authorities to allow passengers to move to hotels, which have been on standby throughout the night. Regulatory clearances were obtained for a relief flight that departed Mumbai. Mumbai, July 19 : After its debacle in the General Elections, the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has decided to go "pink" hoping that it will brighten Assembly poll prospects and facilitate the party's much-needed makeover. Adopting the pink colour is a part of the NCPas Assembly poll strategy with a resolve to play an important role in the Mahayutias victory and thereafter retain power in Maharashtra. On the advice of DesignBoxed Innovations Pvt Ltd, a creative political digital campaign management company hired by the party recently, the pink colour will be prominently used at all events, on backdrops and banners, for print and media advertisements and also on the social media handles of the party. Design Box was earlier associated with the Congress party in Karnataka and Rajasthan. Although there is no formal advisory yet released, the party has informally suggested to all its ministers, legislators, MPs, district, tehsil and village units to adopt pink colour instead of the present blue and white combination. This is not all, the party's National President and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has started wearing pink and maroon jackets during government and party meetings as per the media companyas advice. Ajit Pawar revealed that he has already got 18 such jackets for daily wear. Very soon ministers, legislators, MPs and other office-bearers are also likely to follow Ajit Pawar and start wearing pink or maroon-coloured jackets. Party spokesman and youth wing president Suraj Chavan said, "Pink is the colour of love and affection. It is also the party's attempt to increase its outreach with girls and women for whom Deputy CM and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar has announced a slew of sops in the recently announced budget. "Besides, the party hopes to further increase its connect with a cross-section of voters by going pink to propagate love and social harmony.aa NCP kicked off its Assembly poll campaign by visiting the Siddhivinayak temple last week on the advice of a media company. During that visit too, Ajit Pawar wore a maroon jacket and further, he travelled with party legislators in an air-conditioned bus wearing a maroon jacket up to the Vidhan Bhavan on July 12 to cast his vote in the biennial state council election. At the partyas Jansanman rally at Baramati, NCP used pink on the backdrop, posters, banners and on its X handle. Besides, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare used a pink background on his X handle to announce his press conference held on Thursday. Meanwhile, a senior minister and a district unit chief decided to defy the party's move saying that they will not go pink. "I am now old and a veteran and will continue to appear in my regular attire. Besides, in my personal office, too, I will not use pink nor will I go by the media agencyas advice while uploading my posts on X or photos on Facebook and other social media accounts,aa he said. He declined to adhere to the media companyas advice to visit Siddhivinayak temple or travel in a bus with co-ministers and legislators. "Visiting Siddhivinayak temple is a personal matter. What the party needs now is to project and follow the thoughts of social reformers Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule. Besides, Maharashtra does not need Oxford and Harvard but wants a debate on Forward and Backward," he noted. (Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in) Thiruvananthapuram, July 19 : A police probe was announced on Friday to find out from where the information was leaked about giving sanction for remission to three CPI-M workers charged with killing Revolutionary Marxist Party leader T.P. Chandrasekharan in 2012. A senior police official has been asked to probe if the leak occurred from the police wing, while a jail official has been directed to investigate if the leak was from the jail department. There was a big furore both inside and outside the Assembly when news surfaced that convicts TK Rejeesh, Mohammed Shafi and Annan Sreejith were on the list of prisoners who can be considered for remission as per the guidelines which will come into force on Independence Day. Inside the Assembly, K.K.Rema, the wife of Chandrasekharan, attacked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPI-M for "doing everything" to release the CPI-M workers, claiming that the party's top brass is scared that they can spill the beans about the conspiracy behind the murder of her husband. After being caught on the back foot over the remission details coming out in the media, Vijayan and the party top brass feigned ignorance about it and suspended three jail officials who had prepared the remission list. Chandrasekharan, 51, who launched the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP), was hacked to death on May 4, 2012 while he was returning on his motorcycle to his hometown near Kozhikode. In the case, a court sentenced 11 people to life imprisonment, of which three were middle-level CPI(M) leaders. Chandrasekharan was a popular CPI(M) leader in Kozhikode district but left the party in 2008 and formed the RMP. In the 2021 Assembly polls, Rema, with the support of the Congress-led UDF, won from the Vadakara Assembly constituency, despite the CPI(M) efforts to defeat her. Jaipur, July 19 : Nearly four years after the Jaipur Municipal Corporation was divided into two units -- Greater Jaipur Municipal Corporation and Jaipur Heritage Municipal Corporation -- Greater Jaipur Mayor Somya Gurjar said on Friday that there is a strong possibility of the two bodies merging into one. Speaking to IANS, Somya Gurjar said, "I was quite happy to become Mayor three years back, however, I was sad to see Jaipur being divided into two corporations that are Jaipur Greater and Jaipur Heritage." "Soon after the BJP government came to power, I spoke to the concerned ministers and requested if the two corporations can be merged and they have given possible feedback in this regard." So I am quite confident that the two corporations will be merged soon, she told IANS. Somya accused the former Congress government of dividing the city following a policy of appeasement and said that it was done for vote bank politics. While Jaipur Greater has 150 wards, Jaipur Heritage has 100 wards, Also, one ward was made with a 2000 population in Heritage while another ward was made with a 12000 population. So imagine the difference, she said. If the two corporations are merged, we are ready to leave our positions and give up our remaining tenure, she said. Kolkata, July 19 : A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday permitted the West Bengal unit of BJP to hold a demonstration in front of the office of private power utility CESC Limited in Kolkata as a mark of protest against the recent hike in power tariff by it. However, instead of July 22, as originally proposed by the state unit of BJP the said demonstration meeting will have to be organized on July 26, as per the order of the single- judge bench of Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj. The single- judge bench allowed the state unit of BJP to organize the demonstration meeting from 2.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The court has allowed a procession by the party from BJPas state headquarter at Muralidhar Sen Lane in North Kolkata to the venue of the meeting in front of the office of private power utility. However, the single- judge bench said that not more than 1,000 people should be assembled at the rally venue. The court has also directed the administration to make adequate police arrangements for the rally. Incidentally, Trinamool Congress is supposed to organize its annual Martyras Day rally on July 21 at the same venue as a tribute to the 13 people who were killed during a demonstration held by the West Bengal Youth Congress then led by Banerjee on July 21, 1993. On Thursday, state BJP leader Tomoghno Ghosh approached the Calcutta High Court arguing that although the demonstration meeting is in public interest following recent exorbitant rise in tariff by said utility, which enjoys monopoly in power distribution in Kolkata, the police is denying the permission for the same. As the matter came up for hearing Ghosh counsel argued that if the proposed demonstration meeting is denied police permission, going by that logic all political parties should be barred from giving permission to hold rallies there. Kolkata, July 19 : The Calcutta High Court on Friday permitted the West Bengal unit of BJP to hold a demonstration in front of the office of private power utility CESC Limited in Central Kolkata as a mark of protest against the recent hike in power tariff by it. However, instead of July 22, as originally planned by the BJP, the protest demonstration will have to be staged on July 26 between 2.30 p.m. and 5 p.m., as per the order of the single-judge bench of Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj. However, the bench said that not more than 1,000 people should assemble at the rally venue on the given date. It also directed the state administration to make adequate police arrangements for the rally. Incidentally, the Trinamool Congress is supposed to hold its annual Martyras Day rally on July 21 at the same venue to pay tributes to the 13 people who were killed during a demonstration held by the West Bengal Youth Congress then led by Mamata Banerjee on July 21, 1993. On Thursday, state BJP leader Tomoghno Ghosh approached the Calcutta High Court claiming that although the demonstration meeting is in the public interest following the recent hike in tariff by the CESC, which enjoys a monopoly over power distribution in Kolkata, the police are denying permission for the same. Ghosh's counsel argued on Friday that if the proposed demonstration meeting is denied police permission, all political parties, including the ruling Trinamool, should be barred from holding rallies there. New Delhi, July 19 : The Supreme Court has stressed the need to encourage compounding of offences in cheque bounce cases by courts, if parties are willing to do so. A bench presided over by Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia said: "A large number of cases involving dishonour of cheques are pending before courts which is a serious concern for our judicial system. Keeping in mind that the 'compensatory aspect' of remedy shall have priority over the 'punitive aspect', courts should encourage compounding of offences under the NI Act if parties are willing to do so." Dishonour of cheques is a regulatory offence which was made an offence only in view of public interest so that the reliability of these instruments can be ensured, added the Bench, also comprising Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah. The apex court was hearing a special leave petition filed against the Madras High Court decision convicting the appellants under the NI (Negotiable Instruments) Act in a cheque bounce case due to "insufficient funds." In October 2012, the trial court convicted the appellants under Section 138 NI Act and imposed a sentence of one year of simple imprisonment each. During the pendency of the appeal before the apex court, the respondent-complainant had entered into a settlement agreement in January 2024 and had settled the dispute among themselves. "Now, when the accused and complainant have reached a settlement permissible by law and this Court has also satisfied itself regarding the genuineness of the settlement, we think that the conviction of the appellants would not serve any purpose and thus, it is required to be set aside," the SC order said. Considering the totality of the circumstances and compromise between the parties, it allowed the appeal and acquitted the appellants by setting aside the impugned orders of the Madras HC and trial court. In its judgment, the top court also referred to the judgment in 'Raj Reddy Kallem vs State of Haryana' case, where conviction under the NI Act was quashed, by invoking its powers under Article 142, even though the complainant had declined to give consent for compounding, observing that the accused had sufficiently compensated the complainant. New Delhi, July 19 : US researchers have in a new study released on Friday, suggested a promising approach to develop a universal influenza vaccine, potentially offering lifetime immunity against evolving viruses, to millions of people worldwide. The team from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) tested a vaccine platform on non-human primates against the avian H5N1 influenza virus, using the 1918 flu virus as a template. Remarkably, six of 11 vaccinated primates survived H5N1 exposure, while all unvaccinated primates died, revealed the study, published in the journal Nature Communications. The platform, already in clinical trials for HIV, inserts target pathogen pieces into the cytomegalovirus (CMV), triggering an immune response from T cells. "This could actually become a vaccine in five years or less," said Jonah Sacha, a doctoral candidate at OHSU. Unlike traditional vaccines targeting mutable virus surfaces, this approach targets stable internal proteins. "It worked because the interior protein of the virus was so well preserved," Sacha noted. The study suggests CMV vaccines might offer long-lasting immunity against various virus variants. Co-author Douglas Reed, from the varsity, emphasised the need for quick validation and deployment of new vaccines in case of pandemics. Sacha sees this development as part of a "massive sea change within our lifetimes" in addressing infectious diseases. New Delhi, July 19 : Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday voiced her strong opposition to the "divisive" order on the labelling of food joints and kiosks along the Kanwar Yatra route in UP and demanded its immediate withdrawal. She also demanded that strict action should be initiated against the officials who issued the controversial order on putting up a nameplate outside the eateries. "Creating division in society on the basis of caste and religion is a crime against the Constitution. This order should be withdrawn immediately and strict action should be taken against the officials who issued it," said the Congress leader. Taking to X, she further said that the order to showcase names of carts, kiosks and shop owners on nameplates depicts the governmentas "divisive" mindset and termed it an "attack on the Constitution, democracy and the shared heritage". Her denunciation came hours after the Uttar Pradesh government, in its order, asked all the food stalls, shops, dhabas and kiosks to display the names of owners and workers properly to avoid any aconfusiona for the Kanwar Yatris. Prior to this, Muzaffarnagar police, in a verbal order, announced that all food shops and eateries would have to display the names of proprietors and the workers, along the 240-km Yatra route that falls under its ambit. The order was reportedly meant to ensure apurity of faitha for the devotees along the route and forbid any possibility of adulteration and mixing of vegetarian with non-vegetarian food. Display of names would deter the mischievous elements, which was apparently the premise behind the order. However, the Opposition didnat see any reason for this and rather smelled a conspiracy against a particular community to boycott and outcast them. The Congress called it a astate-sponsored bigotrya while AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi equated it with the 'apartheid era' in South Africa and the 'Judenboycott' in Hitleras Germany (the boycott of Jewish businesses). Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav went a step ahead and demanded that the courts take suo motu cognizance of the matter and take necessary action. Notably, the Kanwar Yatra will kick-start on July 22, the day when Shravan month begins. The month-long festival will see people from Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan visiting Haridwar and Rishikesh to collect water from the Ganga river and then offer the same in Lord Shiva temples, on returning home. Mumbai, July 19 : The BJP, in the wake of its dismal performance in the General Elections, has launched a massive exercise to strengthen its organisational network in 96,100 polling booths across Maharashtra as part of its strategy for the Assembly polls. The partyas 30-member core committee in the presence of state incharge Bhupendra Yadav and co-incharge Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday and Friday decided to step up its efforts even at the level of Shakti kendras and mandals, for not only the victory of BJP nominees but also of its allies Shiv Sena and NCP in the Assembly polls. State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that the proposed exercise in 91,600 booths is planned considering the Assembly elections as well as polls to the panchayat samitis, zilla parishads, gram panchayats and municipal corporations due since long. He stressed that the Mahayuti would fight these elections together and retain power in Maharashtra after the Assembly polls. "The core committee discussed the political situation in 150 Assembly seats on Thursday and remaining 138 Assembly constituencies on Friday. The BJP poll network will focus on the victory of its own candidates and also of Shiv Sena and NCP,aa said Bawankule. He denied media reports that some core committee members expressed displeasure over lack of cooperation by Shiv Sena and NCP with BJP nominees in the Lok Sabha elections. He further clarified that the core committee did not discuss the seat sharing arrangement among the Mahayuti partners as reported by the media. aaThe core committee did not even make a mention of Shiv Sena, NCP or of Eknath Shinde or Ajit Pawar. There is no truth in the media reports. The core committee, as I said, discussed the present and upcoming scenario in all 288 Assembly constituencies with the sole objective of Mahayuti retaining power in the state,aa he said. Bawankule urged the print and TV media to stop doing speculative stories about party meetings. "The party shares the information about its meetings. So report what has been discussed. The media in the state has a special stature and culture and therefore they should avoid doing sourced-based stories, but report what has actually happened in the party meetings," he opined. Bawankule said the core committee unanimously decided to increase outreach with voters by taking up a slew of development and welfare schemes announced by the Mahayuti during the budget and also various schemes proposed by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. "The party will flag off the benefits of these schemes announced by the double engine government, in the state," he added. Bawankule alleged that the Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and the Congress, was not keen on the stateas development but doing politics. "If MVA comes to power it will cancel all development and welfare schemes announced by the Mahayuti government," he claimed. Bawankule said that nearly 5,300 party functionaries will attend its convention on Sunday at Pune, adding that Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari will address the first session while the concluding session will be by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "These 5,300 party functionaries are expected to reach up to 91,600 booths, Shakti kendras and mandals, taking up the party's programme and Mahayutias schemes in the run up to the Assembly election," he added. sj/rad Mumbai, July 19 : RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Friday that banks and financial institutions need to maintain the highest level of vigil and strengthen their IT systems keeping in mind the growing incidences of cyber-attacks globally. The Reserve Bankas supervisory assessments continue to stress the importance of improving Information Technology governance arrangements; making the technology systems, processes and infrastructure more resilient; and mitigating third-party risks. Banks and other financial entities need to continuously invest in technology while also developing the right kind of capabilities to successfully tackle these challenges, the RBI Governor said at a media event here. He said that another area of concern was the rise in digital fraud. Though many of such frauds are due to various social engineering attacks on customers, there is also a rapid increase in the use of mule bank accounts to perpetrate such frauds. This exposes the banks not only to serious financial and operational risks but also to reputational risks. "Banks, therefore, need to strengthen their customer onboarding and transaction monitoring systems to monitor unscrupulous activities, including suspicious and unusual transactions. This also requires effective coordination with the law enforcement agencies so that the concerns occurring at a systemic level are detected and curbed in time," he added. Das also said that the RBI is working with banks and law enforcement agencies to strengthen transaction monitoring systems and ensure the sharing of best practices for the control of mule accounts and the prevention of digital fraud. The RBI Governor also flagged the risk of third-party risk for banks and other financial institutions in outsourcing certain functions. While doing so, it is necessary to exercise strong oversight and monitoring of such outsourced activities. Regulations clearly provide that outsourcing of any activity by a regulated entity does not diminish its own obligations. Banks and NBFCs also need to consider whether cost optimisation strategies are leading to over-dependence on third-party vendors even for critical functions without commensurate oversight, he pointed out. He also emphasised that the delinquency levels and leverage in small-ticket consumer loans warrant enhanced vigil and added that banks and NBFCs are expected to show prudence and avoid exuberance in giving out such unsecured retail credit. Bhubaneswar, July 19 : A crucial two-day meeting of the State Executive Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) commenced in Puri on Friday, party sources said. BJP President and Union Health Minister, J.P. Nadda, along with other senior party leaders took part in the meeting. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Union Ministers Jual Oram and Dharmendra Pradhan, Deputy Chief Ministers K.V. Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, party's regional in-charge Sunil Bansal, Odisha in-charge Vijaypal Singh Tomar and Ministers in the state government were present in the meeting. This is the first executive committee meeting of the BJP after it formed the government in Odisha, ending the 25-year rule of the Biju Janata Dal government. BJP sources said that this year is special as the meeting is being organised following the formation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government at the Centre for the third time and the BJP government under the leadership of Chief Minister Majhi in Odisha for the first time. During his address to the party leaders, BJP President Nadda said that the party will work for the people of Odisha who helped the BJP form the government at the Centre for a consecutive third term. The BJP President also thanked the people of Odisha and said they voted the party to power in the state. "The people of Odisha have given you the power and responsibility to change Odisha's image and fate. I fully believe that the BJP government under the leadership of CM Mohan Majhi and through your actions will be able to transform the image and fate of Odisha," the BJP President told party leaders. Taking a dig at the Congress, J.P. Nadda said the Union government was riddled with total policy paralysis, corruption and 'Parivarvad' before 2014. He also mentioned the imposition of an Emergency by the Congress government in 1975. BJP President Nadda alleged that 1.25 lakh people were put in jail during the Emergency. The BJP President termed Congress as the 'Bhakshak' (destroyer) of the Constitution. "The Congress party has no regard for the Constitution. Ask Naveen Babu, how the Congress party had jailed his father Biju Babu during the Emergency," Nadda said. He said that Congress has no concern for tribal communities but pretends to fight for their rights. Islamabad, July 19 : A policeman was killed and two others were injured when unknown militants lobbed a hand grenade on them in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, police sources said. The incident happened in the Mardan district of the province where the policemen were performing their duty at the archeology sites in the district, the sources told Xinhua news agency. The body and the injured policemen had been shifted to a nearby hospital, and an investigation into the incident is underway, the sources added. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Mumbai, July 19 : Setting its target for uprooting the ruling Mahayuti government, the Congress will kickstart its Assembly election campaign in Maharashtra on August 20, the 80th birth anniversary of late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, top party leaders said here on Friday. The party will invite Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, besides other top leaders for launching the poll campaign. Speaking to the media, AICC General Secretaries Ramesh Chennithala and KC Venugopal said that the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will make an all-out effort to dislodge the "corrupt" (Mahayuti) government in the state, and, akin to the Lok Sabha polls, the people will teach the ruling alliance a lesson even in the Assembly elections, due in October. "This government (of Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP) was formed by deceitIt is not a natural alliance. We are committed to defeating them. The people of the state will also teach the BJP a lesson," declared Venugopal. He, along with other top leaders, interacted with the media after reviewing and discussing the Assembly election preparations, poll strategy, ways to strengthen the party and the seat-sharing formula with its allies in the state. Stressing on party discipline, Venugopal said that all Congress leaders have been directed to remain united, speak in one voice, indiscipline would not be tolerated, action would soon be taken against those MLAs who cross-voted in the recent MLC biennial polls in the state. Chennithala urged all leaders to speak unitedly on a narrative focusing on farmers, youth, unemployment, the pride of Maharashtra, protecting democracy and the Constitution, and other burning issues, as the people of Maharashtra also want a change. Soon, the Congress will hold discussions to finalise the seat-sharing arrangements with the MVA allies Shiv Sena (UBT)-NCP (SP) and others to ensure that they are united in the endeavour to throw out the Mahayuti regime in the Assembly elections, he added. Venugopal pointed out that "the political atmosphere in the country has changed a lot after the Lok Sabha elections", and in the recent bypolls for 13 Assembly seats, the BJP could bag only two, while the INDIA bloc won 11. "After the INDIA bloc won Ayodhya (within Faizabad LS seat), we have also won Badrinath Assembly bypoll, despite the Uttarakhand police stopping voters from going to the polling stations and misuse of the government machinery," said Venugopal. State Congress President Nana Patole, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar, Congress Legislative Party Leader Balasaheb Thorat, ex-CMs Sushilkumar Shinde and Prithviraj Chavan, AICC functionaries Mukul Wasnik, Manikrao Thakre, State Working President M. Arif Naseem Khan, Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad, and other senior leaders were present at the deliberations. Patole said that the Congress will protect the self-respect of Maharashtra and not allow it to become a slave of Gujarat, allow its resources or Mumbai to be sold out to the neighbouring state. New Delhi, July 19 : Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday said the IT Ministry is continually in touch with tech giant Microsoft to help impacted entities after a massive global outage due to a third-party software update in Windows affected airlines, banks, hospitals and more. In a fresh post on social media platform X, he informed that Microsoft is actively working with impacted entities. "In addition, CERT-In is coordinating with CISOs of critical infrastructure entities. All impacted entities are working to bring up their systems. In many cases, systems are partially up," the Union Minister said. Millions of Microsoft Windows users experienced the "Blue Screen of Death" error that caused their computers to shut down or restart. The government has also issued an advisory on the outage of Microsoft Windows owing to the CrowdStrike agent 'Falcon Sensor' update. The CERT-In said it has been reported that Windows hosts related to the cyber-security platform CrowdStrike agent "Falcon Sensor" are facing outages and crashing due to a recent update received in the product. The concerned Windows hosts are experiencing a "Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)" related to Falcon Sensor. Meanwhile, former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar told IANS that he hopes Microsoft will restore its services soon. "Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Suite are used by millions of Indians. Any disruption on this platform disrupts the business and operations of many companies. The government will work with Microsoft to ensure that services are restored as soon as possible," he said. --IANS na/vd New Delhi, July 19 : Leading television news channel NDTV on Friday announced its latest contribution under the 'Samarth by Hyundai' initiative, providing 29 wheelchairs and two buggies across four major airports - Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, and Guwahati, further enhancing accessibility. The initiative seeks to furnish essential support by introducing wheelchairs and buggies, ensuring that every traveller can navigate airport environments with dignity and ease, according to the company. This is just one of the several planned activities under aSamarth by Hyundai,a focusing on creating an equitable experience for all travellers, regardless of their physical abilities. The initiative is designed to promote inclusivity, shift perceptions and improve the quality of life for specially-abled marking the beginning of several activities across the country. By uniting governments, corporations, and citizens, the initiative is not just about providing physical aid, but also about advocating for a society where every individual can thrive. It is also aimed at making public spaces more accessible, and as a commitment to fostering a more aware and inclusive society. Mumbai, July 19 : JSW Steel on Friday reported a 64 per cent decline in the consolidated net profit to Rs 845 crore for the April-June quarter of 2024-25 on the back of lower sales volume and realisation. The Sajjan Jindal-led company had made a net profit of Rs 2,338 crore in the same quarter last year. Consolidated crude steel production for the quarter stood at 6.35 million tonnes (mt), lower by 1 per cent Y-o-Y and 6 per cent Q-o-Q. Capacity utilisation at the Indian operations was 87 per cent during the quarter. Steel realisations have been impacted by imports at lower prices. The company said that elevated imports, particularly from China and Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries, pose a challenge to the domestic steel industry. However, the company expects the growth momentum in domestic steel consumption in India, driven by manufacturing, infrastructure development, and optimistic consumer sentiment. JSW Steel's exports were 29 per cent lower Y-o-Y and constituted 10 per cent of sales from the Indian operations for Q1 FY25 compared to 15 per cent of sales in Q1 FY24. In its statement, the company said that government capital expenditure was expected to recover in the coming quarters, supported by "robust tax revenues and higher Reserve Bank of India (RBI) dividend, providing fiscal flexibility". JSW Steelas net debt as of June 30, 2024, stood at Rs 80,199 crore, higher by Rs 6,283 crore as of March 31, 2024, due to investment in ongoing expansion projects and investment in working capital. Chandigarh, July 19 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Friday met Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar and sought the need to adopt distinct norms for hilly states for sanctioning projects under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transport (AMRUT) Scheme keeping in view the difficult terrain and topography. He said projects under AMRUT were sanctioned on the basis of population and the current population-based criteria was unsuitable for Himachal Pradesh and needed to be relaxed to take maximum benefit under the scheme. In his remarks on the occasion, Sukhu also said the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission should also be reviewed periodically as the cost of projects escalated over time. He said Himachal Pradesh was one of the best-performing states under the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana (PMAY) and urged for funds to be released for PMAY-II once the funds under PMAY-I were fully utilised. The Chief Minister urged the Central government to amend the tender policy system, reducing the period from 60 days to 10 days to accelerate the pace of development works. The Union Minister praised the performance of Himachal Pradesh and assured full support from the Union government. He said a proposal for developing a new township at Jathia Devi near Shimla has been received and was under process. He said solid waste management plants may be set up in municipal corporations because big projects were not feasible in a small state like Himachal Pradesh. He said the concept of Sanjha Bazar should be explored in Himachal Pradesh so that self-help groups could sell their products in one place to earn their livelihood. The Union Minister suggested to the state to increase power production and the state should ensure maximum utilisation of running water to harness the hydropower potential. Bengaluru, July 19 : BJP and JD (S) MLCs in Karnataka staged a protest before the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the premises of the Vidhana Soudha on Friday, condemning alleged rampant corruption by the Congress government. The Opposition BJP and JD(S) MLCs raised placards showing rate card (bribe) allegedly fixed by the Congress government for various government posts. They raised slogans and hit out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for promoting corruption at every step of the governance. BJP MLC C.T. Ravi while addressing the media after the protest said that the 'corrupt' Congress government had fixed the rate card for every government post which has been displayed by the BJP and JD (S) MLCs to expose the ruling state government. "We are reaching out to the people through media by staging a protest and exhibiting rate cards of the Congress government for different posts. This could be cross-checked by anyone. The mirror is not needed to see the injury on the hand. Likewise, there is no necessity to investigate the corruption by the Congress and it is very much evident," C.T. Ravi added. "Anyone can check the facts on the ground with the rate card exhibited in the protest. If someone has caste back-up, he might get a 10 per cent discount for postings. It is confirmed that the rate card has been fixed to mint money," he alleged. "In the Urban Development Department, they have fixed Rs 100 for one square foot for Floor Area Ratio for builders, for anyone to get a change of land use done, Rs 25 lakh is fixed for one acre," BJP MLC Ravi said. In the police department, for the posting of police Inspector Rs 50 lakh to 1 crore is fixed depending upon the location. For the post of Assistant Commissioner of Police, between Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 crore has to be paid, Ravi added. For the post of Assistant Engineer Rs 20 to Rs 25 lakh, for the post of AEE between Rs 25 to Rs 50 lakh is fixed. Rs 50 to Rs 75 lakh fixed for the Executive Engineer (EE), and for the Chief Engineer (CE) the rates are fixed between Rs 1 to Rs 5 crore, Ravi added. "For the post of Assistant Commissioner in Bengaluru, one has to pay between Rs 5 to Rs 7 crore," Ravi said. "In the Excise Department, for the post of Inspector Rs 50 lakh is fixed, the post of Sub Registrar in the Regional Transport Office is auctioned and there is no fixed rate. This is Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's transparent corrupt governance," the BJP MLC added. "CM Siddaramaiah often claims he does not have a black mark on his career in his 40 years of public life, but, under his governance, there is only rampant corruption," he said. "We have exposed the corrupt practices in CM Siddaramaiah's rule during the session while presenting facts in the Tribal Welfare Board scam," the BJP MLC added. "Despite all this, I will leave it to the discretion of people to take a call on CM Siddaramaiah's repeated claim that he has no black mark in his 40 years of political career," he said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. Turkiye will host the next meeting of foreign ministers in the 3+3 format (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Russia, and Turkiye), Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mehdi Sobhani said, Trend reports. A similar meeting was held in Tehran, the Iranian capital, last October. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, who attended and spoke at the meeting, highlighted that this format was established to explore ways for countries to address regional issues. He emphasized that this platform has significant potential to complement existing bilateral and multilateral cooperation formats, enhance regional security and stability, and uncover opportunities for economic growth and progress. Bayramov also stressed the importance of respecting each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and borders as fundamental principles for regional interaction and cooperation, along with non-interference in internal affairs. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Amaravati, July 19 : YSR Congress Party President and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday visited Vinukonda town in Palnadu district and consoled the family of party activist Sheikh Rashid, who was brutally hacked to death, allegedly by a ruling TDP worker, on the night of July 17. Amaravati, July 19 (IANS) YSR Congress Party President and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday visited Vinukonda town in Palnadu district and consoled the family of party activist Sheikh Rashid, who was brutally hacked to death, allegedly by a ruling TDP worker, on the night of July 17. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who reached Vinukonda by road from Amaravati and was welcomed by party activists at various places en route, visited Rashidas house, paid floral tributes to his portrait, and consoled the family members. He enquired about the incident and assured the family that the party would stand by them. The victimas family members told him that the brutal murder was a fallout of political vendetta. They alleged that the accused Sheikh Jilani has links with the TDP. Rashid, 25, was hacked to death in full public view by Jilani. The accused was later arrested. The police cited personal rivalry as the reason for the murder. While the YSRCP alleged that the accused was associated with the TDP, the latter claimed that both the accused and the victim belonged to the YSRCP. Jagan Mohan Reddy said ever since the coalition government came to power, the state has been witnessing atrocities and alleged that police were backing the accused. He said that the coalition came to power with false promises. He said the government failed to implement even a single promise. The YSRCP alleged that the government created hurdles in Jagan Mohan Reddyas visit. The party said his convoy was stopped at 15 places to deter party leaders and workers from accompanying him. The opposition party wanted to know why Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was scared of his visit to console the victimas family. The party also alleged that the government scaled down Jagan Mohan Reddyas security during the visit. He was given an old bulletproof vehicle, which broke down en route, and he reached Vinukonda in a private vehicle. "The government suddenly reduced security from the night before his visit. The government removed convoy vehicles overnight," the YSRCP said. Hyderabad, July 19 : The Telangana government has established the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) for the Telangana Core Urban Region (TCUR) for the purpose of disaster management, asset protection and other functions. The state government on Friday issued an order, establishing HYDRAA, which will have jurisdiction over TCUR, comprising the entire Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and areas of Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal Malkajgiri and Sangareddy districts up to Outer Ring Road (ORR). According to the Government Order (GO), the HYDRAA will be a dedicated agency for planning, organizing, coordinating and implementing the measures for preparedness and prevention of urban disasters, for coordination with other state and national agencies for prompt response and rescue operations in any disaster situation or disaster that may arise in this region. The Chief Minister will be the chairman of the governing body, which will have ministers for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Revenue and Disaster Management, in charge ministers of Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Sangareddy, and Medchal Malkajgiri districts, the Greater Hyderabad Mayor, the Director General of Police and other higher officials as members. The GO noted that Telangana is one of India's fastest urbanising states, with an urban population growth rate of 3.2 per cent per annum, higher than the national average. This rapid growth is evident in the outskirts of Hyderabad, driven by industries like IT, ITES, pharma, biotechnology, warehousing & logistics, aerospace and industries related to renewable energy. The Outer Ring Road (ORR) has become the natural boundary of the city, encompassing various urban and rural local bodies. Though this area is characterised by common urban agglomerate features, the level of civic services is different, based on the competence of the local body concerned, it said, adding that this is more pronounced with respect to disaster management. Though there is an elementary support system of disaster management in the GHMC, the same is invisible in other urbanised areas within ORR. "To address this challenge, the Government of Telangana has decided to establish a single, unified agency for disaster management in the Telangana Core Urban Region," reads the GO. The Commissioner HYDRAA shall exercise responsibilities relating to disaster management, assets protection, enforcement and other responsibilities as entrusted by the government from time to time. The official, who would be a senior officer of All India Services, not below the rank of a Secretary to the Government, will function under the overall supervision and guidance of the Principal Secretary, MA&UD Department, said the GO. The jurisdiction of HYDRAA shall comprise the entire areas of GHMC and all urban local bodies and rural local bodies up to ORR. The HYDRAA shall comprise of Asset Protection Wing, Disaster Management Wing, and Logistical Support Wing. The Asset Protection Wing will protect assets of local bodies and government such as parks, layout open spaces, playgrounds, lakes, nalas, land parcels, roads, carriageways, footpaths, etc from encroachments. It will remove lake encroachments in coordination with the GHMC, other local bodies, the HMDA, the Irrigation Department, the Revenue Department, etc. HYDRAA shall also be responsible for traffic coordination and management, training, capacity building, and co-ordination with other departments. The government also formed the TCUR Disaster Management Sub Committee with Principal Secretary, MA&UD as Chairman and Commissioner, HYDRAA as member convener. The government transferred the existing officers, staff, infrastructure, equipment, vehicles, etc., presently with Enforcement, Vigilance & Disaster Management under the GHMC, to HYDRAA. New Delhi, July 19 : Leading low-cost carrier IndiGo on Friday said it was currently experiencing delays and cancellations of its flights due to global outages faced by its cloud server software and software provider. "This outage, which began on July 19, has severely disrupted airline operations by impacting critical systems used for flight operations, passenger check-in, and baggage handling. Airlines, airports and other transport systems across the world are facing similar issues," IndiGo said. The airline said that its teams had switched to manual/backup systems. Operations at major Indian airports including Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru are now under control amidst the widespread disruptions caused by the software outage. IndiGo has activated awar roomsa at 4 metro airports to manage operations. The airline's staff are prioritising passengers who had departures in the next 120 minutes, ensuring that flights can continue with minimal delays, the airline said. Other airlines, including Akasa and SpiceJet, also reported disruptions in flight operations. Delhi Airport posted on X that some services at the airport were temporarily impacted due to the global IT outage. "We are closely working with all our stakeholders to minimise the inconvenience to our flyers," it said. Bengaluru Airport said IndiGo, Akasa, Spicejet in T1, and Air India Express in T2 were among those impacted. IndiGo said additional measures have been put in place to manage the situation effectively. Customers on cancelled flights are being advised to not reach the airports, and are being offered alternative means where possible. The airline is closely monitoring the situation and any further decisions regarding flight operations will be made based on updates from its cloud service provider. A dedicated team has been deployed to address these technical challenges and minimise disruptions, the IndiGo statement added. Amaravati, July 19 : YSR Congress Party will hold a protest in New Delhi on July 24 to draw the country's attention to the 'lawlessness and anarchy' that have plagued Andhra Pradesh, said party President and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday. "We will be holding a peaceful protest in New Delhi on July 24 (Wednesday). This is to draw the nation's attention to the lawlessness and anarchy that have plagued Andhra Pradesh in the 45 days since the Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government has come to power," Reddy posted on X. The former Chief Minister has also sought appointments with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "The new TDP government is trying to kill democracy in the state and YSRCP will not stand for it," he added. The announcement came soon after former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy consoled the family members of YSRCP's youth wing member Sheikh Rashid, who was brutally hacked to death in Vinukonda town of Palnadu district on July 17. YSRCP alleged that the accused was part of TDP while the latter claimed that both the accused and the victim belonged to the YSRCP. However, the police cited personal rivalry as the motive behind the murder. Jagan Mohan Reddy had on Thursday written a letter to Prime Minister Modi, demanding an investigation by Central agencies into the incidents that occurred after the Lok Sabha elections. He also sought an appointment to apprise the Prime Minister of the situation in Andhra Pradesh. Alleging that the law and order situation in the state has deteriorated, Jagan Mohan Reddy said constitutional institutions have failed, and the state administration has been paralysed. He claimed that there is no protection for the life and dignity of the people in the state. "In just a month of the new TDP government taking charge of the state, 31 people have been murdered, 300 murder attempts have been made, 35 people have committed suicide due to TDP's harassment, 560 private properties have been destroyed, 490 government properties have been vandalised, and nearly 2,700 families have left their villages due to these atrocities," he wrote. "Additionally, there have been more than 1,050 incidents of violence and attacks. This reflects the state of affairs in our state under the present government, who are not at all bothered to maintain law and order," Jagan Mohan Reddy added. Kolkata, July 19 : A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases court on Friday again refused to accept a supplementary charge sheet in the multi-crore Saradha chit fund case in West Bengal, naming Nalini Chidambaram, wife of Congress Rajya Sabha member and former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. This was the second time that the special court has refused to accept this supplementary charge sheet, the first time being on July 5, when the central agency had submitted it. This was the 3rd supplementary charge sheet filed by ED in the Saradha chit fund case. Refusing to accept the supplementary charge sheet, the court had raised some technical questions on the inclusion of Nalini Chidambaramas name besides questioning why the ED on why the third supplementary charge sheet was submitted after 11 years. Then the central agency claimed that Nalini Chidambaram received Rs 1.5 crore from Saradha Groupas founder Chairman Sudipta Sen. It further claimed that although she received the money as a legal consultancy fee as a tax consultant, she could not furnish any supporting document for that. On Friday, the special court raised the same questions on whether a tax consultant is considered as involved in corruption charges if he or she accepts consultancy fees as a professional from her client. It has directed ED to submit a summary of the charges against Nalini Chidambaram in the matter. The next date of hearing in the matter is on July 25. Jaipur, July 19 : Union Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday exhorted women self-help groups from Rajasthan to avail of the benefits available under the schemes of the ministry such as easy access to credit and marketing facilities. Addressing the first 'Yashasvini' awareness campaign for women entrepreneurs at the Rajasthan International Centre here, the minister said Rajasthani culture, cuisine, arts and crafts were well known. He cited success stories of women who started very tiny enterprises with very little investment and have now become exporters with their products selling in lucrative overseas markets. More than 650 women entrepreneurs, mostly from the informal sector and Self Help Groups, were present on the occasion. The highlight of the event was the assistance provided by the agencies for on-the-spot registration for Udyam registration, Udyam Assist Platform and PM Vishwakarma initial registration. Stalls by the SIDBI, banks, the KVIC, and the NSIC drew the interest of all participants. The minister asked financial institutions to provide more credit access to women entrepreneurs. The programme had technical sessions on the initiatives of the Centre for providing women entrepreneurs easier access to credit, marketing and capacity building. Addressing the large number of women from self-help groups, and the informal sector, Minister of State for MSME Shobha Karandlaje applauded the contribution of women to the Indian economy. She remarked that the self-help group movement in India has been a landmark movement in the countryas history, and has been acclaimed internationally. The Centre's initiatives aim to address the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, like lack of access to credit, market and technology, she added. Jaipur, July 19 : Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Vasundhara Raje visited her Assembly constituency Jhalawar on a party worker's scooty on Friday. She visited several places in the city. During this tour, she spoke to people from her constituency to know about them, became aware of their problems, and instructed the district administration to resolve them. Former CM Raje's son and BJP MP Dushyant Singh was also accompanying her. The unique thing about Raje's visit was that the officials of the district administration also left their official vehicles and accompanied the former Chief Minister on bikes. Before this, she participated in the Van Mahotsav programme organised in Jhalawar, where she planted banyan and peepal trees. She said that one should plant saplings in the name of their family members, taking inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam'. Bhopal, July 19 : The political affairs committee of the Madhya Pradesh Congress will meet on Saturday to give final touches to the new Pradesh Congress Committee team, which is set to be announced in the next one or two weeks. Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, the Congress in-charge for Madhya Pradesh, will chair the meeting at the party headquarters in Bhopal. The members of the political affairs committee, including former CMs Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath, along with state unit chief Jitu Patwari will join the meeting. Former Union Minister Jitendra Singh was made the party in-charge for Madhya Pradesh after the Congress suffered an embarrassing defeat in the Assembly elections held in December last year. The meeting is likely to discuss various issues concerning the state besides giving final approval to the new list of the PCC team, which will be sent to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) for its nod. During his first visit to Bhopal after the Congress suffered a humiliating defeat in the Assembly elections, Jitendra Singh dissolved the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee. The previous PCC was formed during the tenure of Kamal Nath as the state Congress President. However, he was replaced by Jitu Patwari after the poll debacle. "The age criteria of the new district heads and other prominent posts in the PCC will be part of the discussions on Saturday. The final list of the new PCC team will be submitted to the AICC for the announcement," PCC Acting General Secretary (Organisation), Rajeev Singh, told IANS. United Nations, July 19 : The World Court on Friday declared in a wide-ranging historic opinion that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is "unlawful" and said it should leave the area "rapidly". The Hague-based International Court of Justice, as it is formally known, said in its advisory opinion that all countries are "under an obligation" to not recognise Israelas take-over of the territories seized in the 1967 Six Day War and should not help it maintain the occupation. This amounts to an endorsement of the recognition of Palestine by 145 of the 193 members of the UN element and gives an impetus for others to follow suit. The opinion, sought by the General Assembly, also said that the UN and other international organisations should not recognise Israelas occupation either. It also said that Israel should stop building settlements in the occupied territories, withdraw the settlers who have moved there, and pay reparations for damages caused by it in the Palestinian territories. The courtas opinion, historic in its sweeping range, comes as Israel is facing unprecedented international pressure following its invasion of the Gaza Strip causing over 30,000 deaths, most of them of civilians in retribution for the Hamas terrorist attack from that area in which nearly 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostages. Still pending before the court is a separate case brought by South Africa asking it to declare that Israelas actions in Gaza amount to genocide. The opinion delivered by the courtas President, Nawaf Salam, cannot be enforced as it has no mechanism to ensure that its writs are carried out. The court said that the Assembly, which requested the opinion, and the Security Council should consider further action to end Israelas occupation. Ultimately it will be up to the Security Council to enforce it, but the divided body will be unable to act because the US could veto any action. The powers that an occupying country exercises in the territory are based on the assumption that the takeover is a temporary measure caused by a military necessity and it does not transfer sovereignty to the occupier, according to the court. "The fact that an occupation is prolonged does not in itself change its legal status under international humanitarian law," it added. Palestineas Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, who was in the Hague, hailed the opinion and said there should be no support for Israel's occupation. "No aid, no assistance, no complicity, no money, no arms, no trade," he said. Israelas Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the courtas opinion as "false" and a distortion of history. Invoking the mandate in the Bible, a book followed by both Jews and Christians, he said: "The Jewish people are not conquerors in their own land a" not in our eternal capital Jerusalem and not in the land of our ancestors in Judea and Samaria" a" the biblical names for the occupied territories. (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis) BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. Azerbaijan's 25 political parties out of 26 have applied for participation in the extraordinary parliamentary election, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Mazahir Panahov said at today's CEC meeting, Trend reports. He noted that the commission has already registered 585 authorized representatives of 23 parties. To note, on June 28, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree dissolving the sixth convocation of the Azerbaijani Parliament and scheduling a snap election for September 1. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Hyderabad, July 19 : The proposed Telangana Skill University in Hyderabad will offer 17 courses and train 20,000 youth every year, the state government said on Friday. To be set up in a public-private partnership model, the university will have its head office and main campus in Hyderabad. A Bill for establishing the university is likely to be tabled in the Budget session of the Assembly, beginning on July 23. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday asked officials to be ready to present the Bill in the ensuing session as he, along with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, held a meeting on the proposed university. The Chief Minister said that the government was setting up the prestigious university with an aim to equip students with the skills required by the industry so that they can get employment opportunities. He made it clear that the government is ready to spend any amount of money to set up and run the university. After a study of the skill universities in Delhi and Haryana, the state Industry Department prepared the draft for Telangana Skill University. Principal Secretary, Industries, Jayesh Ranjan made a PowerPoint presentation on the courses to be offered by the university, their duration, required infrastructure, funds to run the university and partnership of various private companies. The meeting decided that the university should be run on a non-profit but self-sustaining model. It will offer degree courses for a duration of 3-4 years, one-year diploma and certificate courses for 3-4 months. The courses have been selected keeping in view the sectors which are growing in Telangana and the future requirements of the industry. The officials identified 17 sectors including pharma, construction, banking, financial services, e-commerce & logistics, retail, animation, visual effects, gaming and comics. Initially, the university will offer courses in six sectors where there are more employment opportunities. Every course will be sponsored by a leading company in the sector concerned. The government will enter into an MoU with the companies. In the first year, the university will give admission to 2,000 students in various courses. The number will be increased to 20,000 in a phased manner. The meeting discussed setting up the main campus at the Engineering Staff College campus in Hyderabad and satellite campuses at district headquarters. Bhubaneswar, July 20 : Senior advocate Pitambar Acharya has been appointed the new Advocate General of Odisha, the law department said in a notification on Friday. "In pursuance of Clause (1) of Article 165 of the Constitution, the Governor of Odisha is pleased to appoint Pitambar Acharya, Senior Advocate, High Court of Orissa, as the Advocate General of Odisha with immediate effect," read the notification. The post of AG was lying vacant for around a month after senior lawyer Ashok Parija resigned from the post following the change in government. Parija held the AG's post since 2019. Senior lawyer Jyoti Prakash Patnaik was working as the in-charge Advocate General after Parija's resignation. Opposition Biju Janata Dal leader Lekhasri Samantsinghar had recently alleged policy paralysis in the state government over the delay in the appointment of the new Advocate General. Notably, Acharya had unsuccessfully contested against former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the latter's home turf Hinjili in the 2019 Assembly polls on a BJP ticket, losing by a margin of 60,160 votes. The senior advocate has been practising in the Orissa High Court and the Supreme Court for around 30 years. Imphal, July 20 : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said on Friday that although there are resistance and disputes relating to the fencing along the India-Myanmar border in the state, these would be resolved soon. The Chief Minister said that to check infiltration, drugs smuggling, and to prevent other cross-border illegal activities, the Union Home Ministry through the Border Roads Organisations (BRO) is erecting fencing along the India-Myanmar border in Manipur. There are reports that some local leaders in Churachandpur district threatened the workers engaged in constructing the border fencing to stop their work. Manipur shares a 389 km long border with Myanmar. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier announced the scrapping of the Free Movement Regime (FMR) and the erection of fencing along the India-Myanmar border to ensure the internal security of the country and to maintain the demographic structure of the northeastern states bordering Myanmar. Four northeastern states -- Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Manipur (398 km), Nagaland (215 km), and Mizoram (510 km) -- share a 1,643 km unfenced border with Myanmar. There are strong objections from Mizoram and Nagaland against the border fencing and the FMR, which allows citizens residing close to both sides of the border to move 16 km into each otheras territory without passport or visa. The Chief Minister said that raids were conducted recently at five locations where fake Inner Line Permits (ILP) were prepared and so far nine persons have been arrested, including a clerk in the labour department. Investigation so far has revealed that around 3,500 ILPs have been prepared from the five outlets, which include computer centres and mobile repair shops. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by an Additional Superintendent of Police-rank officer shall be formed for further investigation into the case, Singh said. The Chief Minister also clarified that only the concerned Deputy Commissioners and the Labour Commissioner are ILP card issuing authorities, and they cannot authorise their subordinate officials to issue the same. Stressing that anyone with fake ILP cards should surrender before the police or the concerned authorities at the earliest, the Chief Minister said the government has already implemented the ILP facial recognition system to identify the defaulters. The ILP under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, is an official travel document that allows an Indian citizen to visit the ILP-enforced states and areas for a limited period and with a specific purpose. Shillong/New Delhi, July 19 : Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said on Friday that so far, 405 students from India, Nepal, and Bhutan along with some stranded tourists have been evacuated from Bangladesh into India through the Dawki Land Port along the state's border with the neighbouring country. Sangma said that a large number of students from many parts of the world are studying in Bangladesh and they are now in an awkward position as violence has escalated there over protests by students demanding reforms in the quota system for government jobs. Sangma said that a large number of students from Bhutan and Nepal and many tourists were also stuck in the neighbouring country, and some of them have come to Meghalaya. Many Indian students choose Bangladesh for higher studies because of affordability and other socio-economic advantages. The Meghalaya government has also activated a helpline -- 1800-345-3644 -- for the citizens from the state who may require assistance due to the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh. The state government has also deputed the Additional Superintendent of Police of West Jaintia Hills district, Hiwot Rymbai, as the nodal officer for the purpose. The External Affairs Ministry has urged Indian nationals in Bangladesh to follow the advisory issued by the High Commission in Dhaka on Thursday. The High Commission in Dhaka and the Assistant High Commissions at various places in Bangladesh are available on helpline numbers for any assistance required by the Indian nationals. Briefing media in Delhi on Friday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that around 15,000 Indian nationals, including 8,500 students, reside in the neighbouring country. He said that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is monitoring the situation, while the High Commission in Dhaka will provide regular updates on the situation there. Ramanagara : , June 20 (IANS) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar asserted that the Ramanagara district will be renamed Bengaluru South despite the criticism from the BJP and the JD-S as Benguluru is "our identity and pride" and must not be lost. "We are originally from Bengaluru. Bengaluru is our identity and pride. We must not lose it. Hence, regardless of the criticism from the BJP and the JD-S, I will change the name of this district to Bengaluru South," he said while addressing a government employees' association conference in Channapatna town on Friday. "Only the name of the district will change, but the name and administrative centre of Ramanagara will remain the same. Channapatna, Ramanagara, Kanakapura, Magadi, and Harohalli will be included to form Bengaluru South. When I was a member of the Zilla Parishad, it was called the Bengaluru Rural District Parishad. When creating a separate administrative district, I suggested that we should not lose the name Bengaluru. I identify myself as Shivakumar, the son of Doddalahalli Kempegowda," he said, noting even JD-S supremo and former PM H.D. Deve Gowda has kept his hometown and father's name. "Everyone preserves their original identity this way. Why should we give up our Bengaluru identity? Why did we rename the Kanakapura Lok Sabha constituency as Bengaluru Rural? Bengaluru is a brand, our pride. We must preserve this identity, and I will make sure to do it," he asserted. The BJP and the JD-S can tweet or criticize all they want, but we will not give up our pride. People are happy with our decision. Some criticise that we are renaming the district for real estate purposes. I don't need to come here and do real estate. I have donated many properties to schools in my constituency," Shivakumar maintained. "I don't claim to be poor. This is my land, the land that raised me. It's my responsibility to develop it. I can't put money in people's pockets, but I can increase their property value and empower them. That is my responsibility. Before the airport was built in Devanahalli, the land value was Rs 6 lakh per acre. Now it is over Rs 10 crore. The property value there has increased," he underlined. On OPS (old pension scheme) and health matters, he said: "Your representatives have met and discussed with us. A committee has been formed to study where it has been implemented in other states and provide a report." Patna, July 20 : In the wake of growing criticism over escalating crime rates in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday chaired a high-level meeting on law and order and directed officials to take proactive steps to curb crime and bring criminals under control. He emphasised the urgency of improving the law and order situation and instructed the officials to intensify their efforts to ensure the safety and security of the state's residents. The Bihar government is currently facing significant criticism due to a series of violent incidents, including murder, loot, rape, gang rape, dacoity, and other crimes occurring regularly across the state. The recent murder of Jitan Sahani, the father of VIP chief Mukesh Sahani, has particularly shocked the state and the nation. Chief Secretary Brajesh Melhotra, DGP R.S. Bhatti, and senior officials of the Bihar Police were present at the meeting at the Chief Minister's official residence and District Magistrates, Senior Superintendents of Police, and Superintendents of Police also participated through video conferencing. The DGP briefed the Chief Minister on the preventive measures taken by the department to control crime. He highlighted the effectiveness of the DIAL 112 emergency service in combating crime and presented data showing a decline in the crime rate. District officials shared their perspectives on the preventive measures they have implemented to control crime, noting a significant reduction in organised crime in the state. Meanwhile, BJP's Maharajganj MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal acknowledged that Bihar has good governance but emphasised that if crime incidents continue to occur frequently, the provision of encounters should be considered. "If state police are arresting criminals, that is good, but if required, encounters could be another option that state police should look into," he said. Bengaluru, July 20 : Coming down heavily on the opposition parties over allegations in connection with the multi-crore tribal welfare 'scam', Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that there is no link to his government. Addressing a press conference on Friday, he stated that the SIT is already investigating the financial irregularities that occurred in the tribal welfare board, and the government has full confidence in this investigation. He accused the opposition parties of trying to tarnish his and the state government's reputation. Siddaramaiah noted that the investigation began on the same day the wife of Chandrasekaran, the accounts superintendent of the Valmiki Development Corporation, who committed suicide, filed a complaint. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising four IPS officers, was formed on May 31 to investigate the case. Based on a complaint from Mahesh, a Union Bank of India official, a CBI investigation is also underway, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting an investigation on its own initiative. The SIT has already arrested 12 people in connection with the case and seized cash worth Rs 34 crore, the Chief Minister said, adding that additionally, around Rs 46 crore transferred to various bank accounts have been frozen. "We are not saying that there were no irregularities in the case. The government is committed to taking appropriate action against those who have committed wrongdoing," he said. Siddaramaiah also pointed out that during the legislative session, opposition party members expressed their views on the matter for over seven hours under Rule 69. Just as opposition parties have the opportunity to express their opinions in a parliamentary system, the government also has the right to state its position, he added. He noted that an amount of Rs 89.63 crore from the Valmiki Development Corporation was transferred to the MG Road account of the Union Bank of India and then to various accounts, adding that the nationalised bank was under the jurisdiction of the Union Finance Ministry and the suicide note mentioned the involvement of bank officials. He said Scheduled Tribe Welfare Minister B. Nagendra voluntarily resigned from his position and questioned why BJP leaders did not resign during the Bhoomi Development Corporation scam or the Rs 47.10 crore irregularity in the Devaraj Urs Truck Terminal scandal during the BJP regime. He also questioned why the ED did not take up those cases on its own initiative. He said that instructions have already been issued to mandatorily deposit the funds of all development corporations into the state treasury and that several guidelines have been implemented by the Finance Department to ensure transparency in financial management. Bhopal, July 20 : Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday amid an ongoing row over alleged irregularities in nursing colleges in the state. The former Chief Minister urged CM Yadav to take prompt action against those who destroyed the future of lakhs of nursing students. The Congress has been relentlessly demanding the resignation of Minister Vishvas Sarang, who was the Medical Education Minister when the nursing college scam surfaced. CM Yadav has said that already initiated action against the officials involved in the alleged irregularities and has assured that "the truth will come out after the CBI probe in this matter". However, the Congress has accused the BJP-led state government of shielding its minister Sarang and some top officials associated with the Medical Education Department. Bengaluru, July 20 : Karnataka's Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka has slammed Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader, saying that the latter has "completely failed" to conduct the House properly. The LoP alleged that the Speaker has been denying opportunities for the BJP members to raise their voices on the issue of tribal welfare board "scam". "This precedent does not bring honour to the Assembly or the Speaker," he added. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Ashoka claimed that the Speaker forced BJP members to sit down when they stood up for speaking over the "scam" in the Assembly. "The Assembly has never been conducted in such a way in the history of Karnataka, and the Speaker has completely failed to conduct the Assembly properly," he said. Ashoka further claimed that the suicide of Chandrasekaran P., a superintendent of the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation (KMVSTDC), due to the "scam" is a "state-sponsored murder by the Congress government". "The Enforcement Directorate's press release clearly states that Rs 187 crore was looted by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and ministers and used for the election," the LoP said. Accusing the state government of conspiring to cover up the scam, Ashoka said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah "should have resigned for his involvement in this scam but (he) did not, nor did he hand over the investigation to the CBI". Bengaluru, July 20 : The Mysuru district unit of the Congress met Police Commissioner Seema Latkar on Friday and filed a complaint against RTI activists Gangaraju and Snehamayi Krishna, who brought out the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment 'scam' allegedly involving Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Demanding action against the activists, a delegation of Congress workers alleged that both had conspired to malign the Chief Minister's image. The delegation comprised Mysuru Rural Congress President B.J. Vijaykumar; Spokesperson and close confidante of CM Siddaramaiah, M. Laxmana; and party's Mysuru City chief R. Murthy. Reacting to the development, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy accused the state government of harassing RTI activists who "exposed the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allocation scam involving the family of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah". In a statement, Kumaraswamy said, "The opposition parties questioning scandals have been suppressed in the legislature. RTI activists dedicated to uncovering the truth are being oppressed through abuse of power." "Police cannot stifle the truth. The records... clearly show who the real culprits of the MUDA scam are. Despite this, the state Congress is engaging in vindictive politics against the RTI activists who unearthed the truth," he added. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. All conditions will be created in the territories of Azerbaijan liberated from occupation for comfortable voting of electors at the extraordinary election to the Azerbaijani Parliament, the chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Azerbaijan Mazahir Panahov said at today's CEC meeting, Trend reports. We should try to make sure that polling stations in the liberated territories are not too far from each other. A total of 34 polling stations in these territories are fully ready for the election. Besides, as we have already stated, we are also creating temporary polling stations, he added. On June 28, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree dissolving the sixth convocation of the Azerbaijani Parliament and calling for an extraordinary election. The snap parliamentary election in Azerbaijan is scheduled for September 1, 2024. Reeses Book Club, a brand of Reese Witherspoons media company Hello Sunshine, spotlights titles by women authors, stamping each months chosen book with its seal of approval. Since its founding in 2017, RBC has heralded books by debut authors including Bobu Babalola and DeLana R.A. Dameron and established authors including Xochitl Gonzalez and Celeste Ng. And since 2020, in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, Hello Sunshine has been boosting unagented, unpublished women and nonbinary authors through a program called LitUp. LitUp connects with authors at the manuscript stage, long before a book makes it to print. The program includes an educational retreat, mentorship from an established RBC author, introductions to agents and editors, and marketing support at the publishing stage. Its a labor of love from the entire company, said Gretchen Schreiber, manager of books at Hello Sunshine, who conceived of the original idea and sought sponsorship. RBC brand director Jane Lee agreed, Were making sure we use the platform and the power that we have. This is definitely our do-good platform, our pure mission-based objective, said Kristen Perla, Hello Sunshines SVP of growth and marketing. Theres no revenue generation on our behalf at all, and we have a model where we work with partners to help fund it. Their dollars go directly towards the programming and We Need Diverse Books, so we can get it up and running each year. Sponsoring partners have included the Emerson Collective, Google, Buick, and TikTok. To date, LitUp has convened three cohorts and supported 16 debut writers. An average of five fellows participate each year, and the programs first success story, 2021 LitUp fellow Chatham Greenfield, will publish their YA debut, Time and Time Again (Bloomsbury), on July 23. Time and Time Again is a rom-com about two disabled Jewish lesbians who get caught together in a time loop and, by repeating the same day, gain insight into their social circles and anxieties. As someone who grew up on Nora Ephron and Nia Vardalos films, Ive always been a huge fan of the romance genre, Greenfield said. Its extra special to publish a book that feels so true to me and my own marginalized identities. During LitUps mentorship process, Greenfield was paired with Laura Taylor Namey, the author of the 2020 RBC pick A Cuban Girls Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, published by Atheneum. The most helpful advice she gave me was to pinpoint what my main character wanted more than anything and follow that thread from beginning to end, Greenfield said. After Time and Time Again sold in a five-way auction, Greenfield worked with Alex Borbolla, senior editor at Bloomsbury Childrens Publishing. She helped me further develop the relationships at the heart of the book and keep all the complexities of a time loop straight, said Greenfield, who now is represented by Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at Andrea Brown Literary Agency and will publish another YA romance with Bloomsbury in 2025. How Do We Help Stack the Decks? The strategy for LitUp developed during weekly meetings about potential Reeses Book Club picksbooks that had already been approved by publishings gatekeepers. While reflecting on success stories, the Hello Sunshine team also discussed the roadblocks faced by debut authors, particularly those with marginalized identities and a structural lack of access to agents and editors. We started to identify gaps and narratives that werent represented, knowing a lot of publishers have commitments to the same things that we do in terms of inclusion, said Hello Sunshine CEO Sarah Harden. In addition, she wondered, How do we help stack the decks and provide visibility for early-career creators? Its hard to tentpole a book and get it out there, especially an author doesn't have an Instagram profile of 20,000 people, Harden continued. We have real marketing muscle in the book space. By removing structural barriers and creating some wind at the back of these authors, she said, the hope is not only to set them up to get a book deal, but set them up to get a better book deal than they might have gotten on their own. RBC activated its publishing network and worked with WNDB to identify agents and editors to work with LitUp fellows, either by doing informational calls or reading queries and manuscripts. WNDB used its clout, too, to spread the word about the fellowship across social media and in its newsletter. We activated our network to encourage diverse writers from all walks of life to apply, said WNDB board chair Dhonielle Clayton. The organization also celebrated successful applicants and book deals, increasing their visibility across platforms. LitUp may sound like a golden ticket, but competition is fierce and the anti-bias selection process is rigorous. Applicants must send a complete manuscript for reviewa finished manuscript signals a motivated and committed writer, Harden saidwith WNDB managing submissions. WNDB hires a diverse team of judges who have backgrounds in editorial, authenticity reads, and reviewers to carefully read and assess the applications across several rounds, said Clayton. From hundreds of submissions, we cull the applications down to the top 10 finalists before passing the baton to Hello Sunshine to select the five fellows. LitUp fellows attend an all-expenses-paid, five-day meeting in Witherspoons home city of Nashville, organized by the company Madcap Retreats, a frequent WNDB collaborator. The idea is to hand the authors a toolkit for publishing and also to demystify the industry in as straightforward a manner as possible, said Madcap founder Natalie C. Parker, who calls the retreat a Publishing 101 course on agencies, branches of a publishing house, and vocabulary words. I started Madcap Retreats with the express purpose of demystifying the industry, and I primarily work to create opportunity and a knowledge base for marginalized creators. Clayton agreed that the most important elements of jumpstarting the literary careers of underrepresented authors into the publishing industry are radical transparency and the demystification of the publishing machine, so that the writers can make knowledgeable and strategic choices as they begin their careers. LitUps organizers and fellows are beginning to see the fruits of their labor. Nine of the first 11 fellows through the program are now agented, Schreiber said, and six of these debut authors (including Greenfield) have sold books. Harden cheers the program, which she feels epitomizes Hello Sunshines positive branding. I think the antidote to the isolation and fear is collaboration and realizing you're all in it together, she said. Were a mission-driven company," and when it comes to LitUps combination of sponsorship, mentorship, and diverse debut authors, "there's no better expression of our mission coming to life." Were attempting to unravel the tangled web of literary influence by talking with the great writers of today about the writers of yesterday who influenced them. This month we spoke with China Mieville (Perdido Street Station, The City & the City) and Keanu Reeves (BRZRKR) who discussed two authors whose influence can be felt in their new collaboration, The Book of Elsewhere. The former explored the stiletto gaze of fantasy writer Jane Gaskell, and the latter delved into the magic trick of Cormac McCarthy. China Mieville on Jane Gaskell She is severely out of print so it took some digging to find a copy of her work, but Im glad I did. So why Jane Gaskell? Primarily because she astonishes me, and I don't mean that in a glib way. Everything I've ever read by her surprises me. She has these two very distinct voices. She writes these kinds of fantastic novels and then she writes a series of putatively realistic mainstream London novels that from the outside would look like they were from two completely different authors, which is exciting to me straightaway. In fact, of course, the moment you start getting into it, the divisions are much less clear than it looks. But I think there's an urgency and a certain quality of ecstatic writing that is almost visionary, like you're reading a 16th-century Christian mystic or something. And I don't just mean in the fantastic works. In the 1963 book Attic Summer, which is a completely, quote, realistic book about London in the early '60s, the descriptions of London bring the hairs up on my body. They take my breath away. They read like visions of the City of God in Augustine or something. It's extraordinary stuff. I think she's a genuinely visionary writer, even though that term gets thrown around much too easily. She has a real fever dream vibe. I think of it as an urgencythe urgency to depict everything, including the undetectable. And I don't mean that she goes into deep detail about everything. I mean there are these extraordinary and counterintuitive formulations that describe the world and make it strange at the same moment. And one of the effects of thatshe can be a very nasty writer. There's a vein of nastiness, and I say this as a compliment. I think that this ability to evoke this kind of poisonnot always but sometimesis simply breathtaking. She has this incredible stiletto gazeeverything feels so sharp it's bleeding. There was a grittiness to her that was ahead of her time. You really didnt see anything quite like it until the '70s. I think that's absolutely right. She has a book from '66 called The Fabulous Heroine, which is a really nasty book, a really difficult book to read. But again, I say this as a deep compliment because it is a book that is a sort of avocation of the brutal dark side of the '60s, kind of Flower Power stuff but written from within it. What I think of as that kind of Quotidian Gothic. That kind of uncanny tends to come a bit later in the '70s and early '80s. But in '69A Sweet, Sweet Summeras you say there's a certain kind of grittiness to it and a certain kind of everyday uncanny. They're profoundly unsentimental, but at the same time they're quite ecstatic, and that's an extraordinary thing to negotiate. What do you think writers can learn from her? I can't speak beyond myself. I think what I have learned is to not be afraid of a certain kind of uglinesslinguistically, aesthetically. And that part of what you're doing is surrendering into a visionary exactitude about the everyday. There's a scene in her wonderful book All Neat in Black Stockings, which is, on paper, a '60s sex comedy in Swinging London, Confessions of a Window Cleanertype stuff about cool, bright young things getting hip and having parties and so on, but it's punctuated by these moments of the bleak sublime. And there's a moment midway through the book where a woman on a bus is watching an old man rub the tip of his walking stick with his hand absentmindedly, and this scene is depicted in this paragraph which starts to become an apocalypse. He can't take his eyes from this vision, and this vision becomes evidence for him that the crust over the abyss is crumbling and that the apocalypse is right there. And this is in the middle of a, quote, realistic novel about sexy, bright, young things in London in 1966, and it's just one paragraph, and then it sort of ebbs away. And the confidence, the kind of blazed certaintyI can't think of another writer who does that. She leaves me in awe. Keanu Reeves on Cormac McCarthy When did you first read McCarthy? I was in my thirties and the first book I read was Blood Meridian, and that was an amazing novel: the storytelling, the seamlessness, the organics of his descriptions, the interior of the characters, the dialogue, and the way that he worked with the punctuation and the form of his writingthe shape of it, literally. Theres something shocking about it. And the way that I got drawn into the characters. And then I went to Suttree, and I was like, What?! Again, shape, form storytelling, flashbacks, and the different points of view and voicings of the characters. And then I read The Road, and then last year Stella Maris and The Passenger. There is the sense of play in Stella Maris and the fantastical element which I hadn't seen in the work quite like that before. And then through all of this, the kind of pathos of innocence that I related to, or that kind of yearning for connection. You know, there's a lot of men in his novels. And I related to the yearnings of these characters and the lessons they learn, their sense of place and what they're doing and how central characters are revealed to themselves by other characters that surround the play of the story. Ive always been interested in how Suttree and Blood Meridan came out back to back, because one is as close as he ever came to a comedy and the other is deadly serious. When I was speaking about what I was struck by I didn't mention humor, but yeah. That just speaks to the facility of the author. When I think of Blood Meridian, it is kind of humorless, but it's not though, right? It has jokes. I've always been struck by the sparseness and the propulsion of interactions of characters. The way the dialogue goes and where the scenes launch from and where they come out and what's been changed. It's always kind of nowhere and unknowing. And that's probably the architecture of storytelling, but the way Cormac McCarthy does it, its like a magic trick and you dont know how it got done, you dont know that, actually, you're in a magic trick. You dont even know youre watching something magical. Do you think he impacted your work? I probably read Don DeLillo before I read Cormac McCarthy, but I feel like they share something in terms of dialogue. Do you get what I mean? That sparse precision. Its a style I like. Its almost like an anti-Faulkner. Faulkner was doing away with punctuation and going on these riffs, but somehow it reminds me of like its fraternal antithesis, so connected in a way, in the Americana of it. I was happy when you picked McCarthy because I feel like my entire worldview can be summed up as a combination of Blood Meridian and Bill and Ted. They are! They are! Again, its that anti. Its the duality that makes a whole. In a weird way, you cant see one without the other. On one hand you have Be excellent to each other, and on the other, you have Blood Meridian and the cost. These interviews have been lightly edited for clarity. Read More Writers Talking Writers Chuck Palahniuk on Ira Levin and Claire Dederer on Laurie Colwin Karl Ove Knausgard on Jorge Luis Borges and Olga Ravn on Doris Lessing Valeria Luiselli on Juan Rulfo and Mauro Javier Cardenas on Leonora Carrington Roxane Gay on Marguerite Duras and Kaveh Akbar on Amos Tutuola Emily St. John Mandel on Irene Nemirovsky and Sarah Rose Etter on Tove Ditlevson Jennifer Egan on Edith Wharton and Jinwoo Chong on John Okada Paul Theroux on George Orwell and Ferdia Lennon on James Joyce Lois Lowry on Flannery OConnor and Helen Phillips on Italo Calvino Premium online access is only available tosubscribers. If you have an active subscription and need to set up or change your password, please click here New to PW? To set up immediate access, click here. NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. PW site license members have access to PWs subscriber-only website content. If working at an office location and you are not "logged in", simply close and relaunch your preferred browser. For off-site access, click here. To find out more about PWs site license subscription options, please email Mike Popalardo at: mike@nextstepsmarketing.com. U.K. book distributor Martson Book Services is on the brink of administration, with the company's U.S owner, Independent Publishers Group, now seeking a buyer amid threats of winding up petitions. Marstons clients were alerted to the situation in a letter yesterday from IPG CEO Joe Matthews. It has subsequently been forwarded to BookBrunch and reproduced below: "We have made the difficult decision to file a notice of intent to appoint an administrator for Marston Book Services and its parent company United Independent Distributors. For six months now we have worked to find a path forward through a sale of the business, a partnership with investors, and any other option to avoid administration. Despite some interest, those efforts have failed. In particular, our strategic plan to restore the company to profitability requires that we exit the Milton Park facility, and while that move is underway and due to complete by the end of August, the landlord has refused to engage with us on a settlement. We are also facing challenges with our US and UK banks who thus far have decided not to extend further credit. With several statutory demand letters from publishers and threats of winding up petitions, we are simply out of time and must take steps toward administration. "The business will continue to operate for the next few weeks and I am hopeful that a way forward emerges. Any party interested in discussing a possible solution should reach out to me as soon as possible, and I appreciate any outreach you might be able to facilitate. We also may be able to resolve the issue with the landlord, which would allow us to resume our plan of avoiding administration. Last, we may be able to restructure the business through a "pre-pack" offer that allows us to emerge from administration under a new company without disruption of the business. "The worst-case scenario, in my opinion, is that no way forward emerges, and the companies enter administration with no go-forward strategy, and no plan to move inventory. I will be reaching out to publishers in the coming days to discuss what options are feasible in these circumstances and in the hope that we find a mutually acceptable way forward." Contacted by BookBrunch, Matthews said: "I would add that the UID [United Independent Distributors] group of companies were already highly distressed when we acquired them in October 2021. The company is now just months away from profitability if we can finish this move to a single warehouse in Biggleswade (Bedfordshire). I would be very interested to speak with anyone to protect our investment of millions of dollars, or at least help publishers avoid the hardship of the business closing. "All that said," he added, "I am also hopeful we can avoid administration on our own if we can settle with the landlord of the Milton Park facility (Oxfordshire)." United Independent Distributors (UID) consisted of Eurospan, Marston Book Services, and Orca Book Services. Marston, which is based in Milton Park, near Didcot in Oxfordshire, was founded in 1974. On its website it names publishers including Debretts, Kew Books, Marshall Cavendish, Rizzoli, Saqi Books, and Verso Books as clients. The original version of this story ran in the U.K. trade publication BookBrunch. Dan Chavas is an expert at extreme weather: both the climate science that creates the conditions and the physics of the weather itself, including hurricanes, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. (Purdue University photo/Greta Bell) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Across the Midwest during the warmer months, studying the sky for signs of storms and tornadoes becomes one of the most popular pastimes. Dan Chavas, an associate professor in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at Purdue Universitys College of Science, takes it further: All day every day, he studies what makes tornadoes tick. Working at the intersection of climate science and meteorology, he looks at the big picture of what causes severe storms and tornadoes and what dictates where they occur. I study both the climate and extreme weather, Chavas says. My research asks, Why do we have severe thunderstorms or tornadoes at all? There are specific regions on Earth that have more storms, more tornadoes than other places. What creates these stormy regions? The central and eastern regions of the United States are among the top spots for severe thunderstorms and form the hot spot for the Earths most damaging and frequent tornadoes. Chavas uses real-world computer models to conduct experiments to determine what contributes to the formation of these storms. We have had these decades-old assumptions about what causes storms, he says. Were validating those hypotheses and figuring out what makes North America such a hot spot. Moving heaven and earth Chavas isnt a storm chaser. Hes not out there in a weather van topped with satellite wires hunting down individual storms for the insights they might yield. Nor can he grow storms in his lab or unleash tornadoes to understand their anatomy or behavior. Instead, he harnesses decades of rich, detailed historical data and complex computer models to imagine and test what-if scenarios. Hes a storm tester. We use weather and climate models, as well as extensive databases of thunderstorms, lightning strikes, atmospheric data and more, to ask, What if the world was different? Chavas says. We can use these models as laboratories to ask questions like What happens to the weather if you flatten the Rocky Mountains? What about if you fill in the Gulf of Mexico? What aspects of the modern continental and mountain configurations really matter? Lets actually test this prevailing, conventional wisdom. Both of those hypotheticals flattening the Rockies and filling in the Gulf of Mexico are the focus of studies Chavas and his team have conducted. For more than 50 years, established wisdom said that the Gulf of Mexico, a source of warm, wet air flowing inland to the east of the Rocky Mountains, plays a major role in the formation of North Americas tornadoes. But no one knew for sure. It was a very reasonable hypothesis, Chavas says. There were a lot of very reasonable explanations. But no one had been able to test these 50-year-old ideas because they came about when there werent climate models with the necessary computational power. Now we can really start to understand the physics of the situation. When his team virtually filled in the Gulf of Mexico with land, they found that a dry Gulf of Mexico affected the frequency and severity of storms far less than they had expected. Without the Gulf of Mexico, severe thunderstorms shifted eastward from the central Great Plains into Illinois, although they were reduced over southern Texas. Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes form in environments with specific ingredients for how temperature, moisture, and especially wind speed and direction change with height in the atmosphere, Chavas says. The climate determines where and when those ingredients can be found together to produce these types of storms. Computer models let us understand why the ingredients are there in the first place and what role they each play in the weather we see. In his most recent study with graduate student Funing Li, just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team compared severe weather potential in North America, famous for tornadoes, with South America, which has a geography similar to North Americas and also many severe thunderstorms, but far fewer tornadoes. Their research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA. They found that the rough texture of the land surface east of the Andes mountains, its roughness determined in part by the hills and tall trees of the Amazon region, may play a large role in preventing tornadoes over central South America. In contrast, in North America many tornadoes form east of the Rockies, where air flows in from the much smoother ocean surface of the Gulf of Mexico. The team first used climate model experiments in which equatorial South America was smoothed to be similar to an ocean surface, which drastically increased central South Americas tornado potential. They also performed experiments in which the Gulf of Mexico region was roughened to be similar to a forested land surface, which strongly suppressed North American tornado potential. A rough surface upstream means that downstream the wind is no longer changing speed and direction with height very strongly near the surface, which we refer to as wind shear, Chavas says. It doesnt change ingredients for severe thunderstorms, but the wind shear in the 1 kilometer of air above the ground is a critical ingredient for tornadoes. Storm warning Real weather and real-world applications fascinate Chavas, a fascination born after a storm-torn tree fell on his house in Wisconsin when he was 4 years old. The real-world implications of his research what will the weather be like next week, next month, next year and next century are what drives him. If we want to understand how climate change will affect weather in the future, we need to understand how climate determines weather in the first place, Chavas says. We dont have a very good understanding of how climate controls the severe weather we have. Understanding how surface roughness and land use changes weather, for example, may enable future humans to better predict and even partially affect weather patterns. If the rough land of the Amazon, including a component from the trees of the Amazon, protects South America from tornadoes, could the regrowth of the United States eastern forests affect tornadoes, too? Climate change affects the flow patterns of the atmosphere and moisture distribution on land, Chavas says. If we change the land surface and the trajectory of air flowing inland from the Gulf of Mexico, it may have a direct impact on these ingredients that give rise to tornadoes farther inland. When we think about climate change, we think about it getting hotter and the land getting drier. But if the jet stream changes where and how quickly air flows inland, it can change where and how tornadoes form. Places that didnt see them before may see them more, and places that had more may see fewer, he says. We need to understand the weather now to help us better predict the weather of the future. About Purdue University Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdues main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives. Purdue University Northwest unveils plan to establish major quantum commercialization center as part of Hammonds revitalization effort A rendering of Purdue University Northwests planned Roberts Impact Lab, a regional technology transfer and commercialization hub that will serve as the centerpiece of the $40 million innovation district in downtown Hammond. (Image provided) HAMMOND, Ind. Purdue University Northwest (PNW) will join the Chicago regions Bloch Tech Hub, a coalition of industry, academic, government and nonprofit stakeholders led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange and its focus on driving the nations quantum economy, university officials announced Thursday (July 18). PNW Chancellor Kenneth C. Holford also revealed that the university is working with other members of the Bloch on a quantum commercialization center as part of the Roberts Impact Lab, a regional technology transfer and commercialization hub under development by PNW. The impact lab, which will be located at 5454 Hohman Ave. in Hammond, is the centerpiece of a new $40 million-plus downtown innovation district. The impact lab has secured $7.7 million in committed funding through a $3 million philanthropic gift and $4.7 million from Indianas Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI). The funding will be used to renovate an existing 44,000-square-foot medical office building, which is under contract by PNW. PNW, Quantum Corridor Inc. and the city of Hammond recently executed a memorandum of understanding that outlines the shared vision and goals for the Roberts Impact Lab, including a commitment to cultivating the lab as a potential hub for quantum information science and technology (QIST). The Roberts Impact Lab at PNW has long been envisioned to spur economic development in northwest Indiana through an advanced manufacturing technology lab, makerspace, and scientific research and development space, Holford said. We are excited to expand on those goals to facilitate establishment of a hub for technology transfer and commercialization, including partnering with Quantum Corridor and other members of the Bloch toward the development of a quantum commercialization center. PNW is also proud to partner with the city of Hammond to locate the impact lab in the historic downtown corridor, which is undergoing momentous revitalization. Launched by Gov. Eric Holcomb and led by the Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC), READI is moving communities forward by encouraging regional collaboration and data-driven long-term planning to transform Indiana communities, attract talent and improve quality of life for Hoosiers in the short and long term. With support from Lilly Endowment Inc., READI is allocating $1.25 million to regions across the state. The northwest Indiana region, led by the Northwest Indiana Forum, was awarded $95 million in READI and READI 2.0 funds to advance its strategies, grow its population base, improve quality of place and quality of life, increase and diversify the regions quality of opportunity, and spur innovation and entrepreneurship. Through Gov. Holcombs nationally recognized READI program, Indiana has an unprecedented opportunity to make once-in-a-generation investments to foster quality-of-place assets, talent development and industry innovation in our communities, said Mark Wasky, senior vice president and special counsel to the secretary of commerce at the IEDC. This investment in Hammond is the perfect example of how our public and private sectors are collaborating to advance high-tech, high-growth industries like quantum technologies and to build the economy and jobs of the future right here in Indiana. Last October the Chicago region was named an official U.S. Regional Innovation and Technology Hub for quantum technologies by the Biden-Harris administration, a designation that opens the door to new federal funding and recognizes its growing strength to be at the center of the nations quantum economy. The regions Bloch Tech Hub was one of 31 designees from 400 applications nationwide. Related, Purdue Universitys West Lafayette campus, which is home to the Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute (PQSEI), announced May 10 that it became a member of the Chicago Quantum Exchange. Purdue joined interdisciplinary and multi-institutional research activity anchored by the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Northwestern University, as well as partners across the globe. The PQSEI, which brings together leading quantum researchers and leverages collaborations with industry, government and academia to transform quantum technologies, is also a Quantum Corridor partner. For PNW, the Bloch Tech Hub partnership accelerates an aggressive emphasis on economic development and deep engagement with the regions major industrial leaders, such as domestic steel manufacturers; BPs Whiting Refinery; regional electric and gas utility NIPSCO; the city of Hammond; and community organizations such as One Region, the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest and the Northwest Indiana Forum. Holford said the impact lab project on the Quantum Corridor network will have a transformative benefit on the region, building on PNWs thriving and growing Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center (CMEC) and the Center for Innovation Through Visualization and Simulation (CIVS), a leading national hub for industrial simulation and digitalization. Both of these applied research and training hubs also can be leveraged at a greater scale through the Roberts Impact Lab to create a local nexus of collaboration between Purdue Northwest and other partners in the Bloch Tech consortium such as mHub, CQE, Ivy Tech, Harper College, City Colleges of Chicago and others, Holford said. Quantum Corridor will provide access for entrepreneurs and existing businesses to leading-edge quantum research and faculty and student expertise to develop and bring new ventures and jobs to the regional market, said Niaz Latif, PNWs associate vice chancellor for commercialization and research and executive director of the Roberts Impact Lab. By aligning with Quantum Corridor and engaging other strategic partners, we aim to achieve a cutting-edge hub for quantum technology transfer and commercialization that will drive regional economic development. Quantum Corridor CEO Thomas P. Dakich added: Mayor Tom McDermotts vision for downtown Hammond is part of the renaissance of northwest Indiana. Purdue University is an international leader within the quantum research community, and we are thrilled to be part of this effort to bring the university, as well as its affiliates, and downtown Hammond together to drive quantum commercialization in the region. CIVS founding director Chenn Zhou, the NIPSCO Distinguished Professor of Engineering Simulation at PNW, has collaborated with over 180 organizations to develop and implement advanced computer simulation and visualization technologies for design, optimization, troubleshooting and workforce development. These collaborative projects address critical issues such as energy, decarbonization and digital transformation highly valuable expertise and global partnerships that will further augment the impact labs capabilities and reach. The integration of PNWs Roberts Impact Lab into the Bloch Tech consortium is led by Matt Wells, PNWs chief engagement officer. A major thrust of that effort: Ensure the impact lab serves as a catalyst for innovation and economic growth throughout northwest Indiana. This commitment to advancing emerging industries such as QIST and accelerating the growth of existing industries is central to the mission of the impact lab, as it aims to transform the regional innovation ecosystem, Wells said. The Bloch represents a major opportunity for northwest Indiana to be positioned at the leading edge of one of the most critical technological advances in our lifetimes. Mayor McDermott also expressed his enthusiasm for the project: Downtown Hammond is in the middle of a massive transformation, with the expansion of the South Shore Line offering easy access to Chicago, and multiple active projects that are positioning the city as a magnet for new investment. The impact lab will be a powerful draw for additional new development and talent attraction. The mission of the Chicago Quantum Exchange is to bring together member institutions intellectual talents, research capabilities and engineering capacities in a powerful collaborative effort to advance quantum science. Together, the universities and national laboratories currently have more than 130 researchers in various areas of quantum information technology a setup that makes Chicago a unique destination for researchers and engineers to explore quantum information science in numerous ways. The Chicago Quantum Exchange is based at the University of Chicagos Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. About Quantum Corridor Inc. Quantum Corridor Inc. was formed by Chicago-area technology innovators to drive tech infrastructure to Indiana and create an information-sharing platform for institutions such as Chicago Quantum Exchange, defense contractors, research hubs and universities. It is a member of the Bloch Tech Hub, a coalition of industry, academic, government and nonprofit stakeholders led by the Chicago Quantum Exchange, one of 31 U.S. Regional and Innovation Technology Hubs designated for quantum technologies by the Biden-Harris administration. Generally restricted to the largest research and education centers and to entities that can use this level of bandwidth, Quantum Corridor will stretch 263 miles and be the nations largest quantum computing superhighway. Visit www.quantumcorridor.com for more information. About Purdue Northwest Purdue University Northwest is a premier metropolitan university dedicated to empowering transformational change in our students and in our community. Located in northwest Indiana, near Chicago, PNW values academic excellence, supports growth and celebrates diversity. For more information about PNW, visit www.pnw.edu. About Purdue University Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdues main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives. Property details: ESCAPE TO GODS COUNTRY AND OWN A PIECE OF PARADISE IN THE NORTHERN MAINE WOODS. This 34.95 +/- acre tract of recreational land is located in the pristine town of Eagle Lake. This lot is high and dry with beautiful views of the valley. On the north end of the lot you have Brown Brook which serves as the boundary line. Walking along this brook is a very peaceful and unique experience. You have a 50' R.O.W. gravel road that leads to the lot. There are some real nice areas along this lot to build a ... Price: $ 1,320 Seller State of Residence: Maine Type: Recreational, Acreage Zoning: Mixed City: Eagle Lake State/Province: Maine Location: 047**, Eagle Lake, Maine You will be redirected to eBay When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Nearby Maine BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. The event titled Azerbaijan National Press-149 was held in Baku today, Trend reports. The event, organized jointly by the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Media Development Agency (MEDIA), and the Press Council, began with the singing of the national anthem of Azerbaijan, followed by a minute of silence in memory of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and the sons and daughters of the Motherland who died in the struggle for the territorial integrity of the country. Addressing the event, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan State Information Agency, Daghbeyi Ismayilov, noted the Akinchi newspaper was published in the Azerbaijani language 149 years ago. He reminded that Hasan bey Zardabi, who created this newspaper, was its editor and publisher and laid the foundation for media development. Daghbeyi Ismayilov mentioned that in the following 149 years, the Azerbaijani press, despite difficulties, passed a fast development path and achieved success thanks to this foundation. National Leader Heydar Aliyev made a great contribution to the development of the press in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani press faced great constraints along the way. The Press Council, established by the decision of the First Congress of Journalists of Azerbaijan, played an important role in the development of the media in our country. As a result of measures taken in this field, the debts of print media to publishing houses in Azerbaijan were written off. Today, the Azerbaijani nation is a winner. Azerbaijan won the second Karabakh War thanks to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The decree on acceleration of reforms in the field of media was signed approximately one year after the war. Serious reforms in this sphere started with the establishment of the Media Development Agency, he added. Chairman of the Press Council, Rashad Majid, noted that the path started by Hasan Bey Zardabi 149 years ago had a great effect on the future destiny of Azerbaijan. It was Hasan Bey Zardabi and the path started by the Akinchi newspaper that later led to the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan. He stressed that Azerbaijani journalists played a great role in preserving the purity of the Azerbaijani language in the Soviet period as well. National Leader Heydar Aliyev attached great importance to journalism and freedom of speech even in the Soviet period while leading Azerbaijan. We witnessed it in the years of independence as well. Censorship, which had existed in Azerbaijan for many years, was stopped in 1998 by the decree of the National Leader. The policy of supporting the press, initiated by great leader Heydar Aliyev, continues successfully under President Ilham Aliyev. The head of state has repeatedly expressed his opinion on the issue of supporting the independent press in Azerbaijan. One such example is the adoption of the new Law on Media and the establishment of the Media Development Agency, he added. Referring to the invariable values of journalism, Audio-Visual Council member Bakhtiyar Garaja stated that they are objectivity, fidelity to truth, and facts. There was a time when Azerbaijan had only one television and one radio. Today, there are dozens of TV, radio, and other media outlets. The Audiovisual Council, at a time of abundance of media, tries to regulate as much as the law and the right allow, he emphasized. According to a member of the Supervisory Board of the Media Development Agency, Vugar Zifaroglu, who addressed the event, the history of the Azerbaijani press is rich in both proud and glorious developments. This history is closely linked to the formation of national identity, the Enlightenment movement, and cultural development. Glancing back at this history, we see that our journalism, which played a significant role in the process of national struggle and national identity, has always been distinguished by its stance. Nowadays, we are witnessing constant and systematic work with the media in Azerbaijan. Our journalism, which underwent significant changes with the abolition of censorship in 1998, is developing with the new laws On Media, he noted. The event was also addressed by Sabina Seyidova, Head of the Media Analysis Department of the Media Development Agency of the Azerbaijan Republic, Mehriban Mammadova, Head of the Media Support and Strategic Planning Projects Department of the Agency, and a representative of AzerGold CJSC. Afterward, the results of the contest organized by the Media Development Agency on the theme Year of Solidarity for a Green World and the contest of creative media content in Baku held within the MEDIAlab project were announced, and winners were awarded. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Property details: BLUE TREE RESORT at LAKE BUENA VISTALake Buena Vista, FL Blue Tree Resort provides a true home away from home. With a strong list of amenities and access to much more both on property and nearby, you can be sure that your experience will be on your time and according to your lifestyle. 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President and CEO of the Northeast Georgia Food Bank, Erin Burger, gave remarks and introduced other notable speakers such as Athens Mayor Kelly Girtz. (Photo/Samantha Hurley) Samantha.hurley@me.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. The Azerbaijani press is developing on a solid foundation, said Daghbeyi Ismayilov, chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Media Development Agency of Azerbaijan, Trend reports. He made this statement at an event dedicated to the 149th anniversary of the establishment of the press in Azerbaijan. Ismayilov noted that the Akinchi newspaper was first published 149 years ago, and the Azerbaijani press is growing on the solid foundation laid by Hasan bey Zardabi. National leader Heydar Aliyev made significant contributions to the development of the press in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani press faced many constraints along the way. The Press Council, established by the decision of the First Congress of Journalists of Azerbaijan, played a crucial role in the development of media in Azerbaijan. As a result of measures taken in this field, the debts of print media to publishing houses in Azerbaijan were written off. Today, the Azerbaijani people are a victorious nation. Azerbaijan achieved victory in the Second Karabakh War thanks to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. Approximately one year after the war, a decree was signed to accelerate reforms in the field of media. Serious reforms in this sphere began with the establishment of the Media Development Agency, he added. Whether she will pare the fiscal deficit target of 5.1 per cent of GDP, using the record dividend received from the RBI, or expand flagship government programmes will be keenly watched. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at a meeting with economists ahead of the Union Budget, July 11, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her seventh consecutive Budget, which is a record, on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. Having presented the Interim Budget for FY25 before the Lok Sabha elections, she will have the opportunity to revisit her fiscal maths and rejig her revenue allocations. Whether she will pare the fiscal deficit target of 5.1 per cent of GDP, using the record dividend received from the Reserve Bank of India, or expand flagship government programmes will be keenly watched. In that context, a comparative analysis of Interim Budgets and full Budgets during election years since 1991 shows the budgeted fiscal deficit has either remained the same or declined in the full Budget from the Interim Budget for that year, except in 2009-2010, following the global financial crisis. Moreover, the budgeted revenue deficit has also seen a declining trend except in the full Budgets of 2009-2010 and 2019-2020. Both the trends have been witnessed, notwithstanding a change in political leadership. Surajit Mazumdar, professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the Interim Budget of 2009-2010 was placed just a few months after the outbreak of the global financial crisis, and it didn t fully factor in the fiscal impact of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission. The implications of these events for fiscal parameters couldn't be accounted for fully in the Interim Budget and by the time of the regular Budget, estimated GDP was lower while the imperatives of imparting a fiscal stimulus to the economy to counter the recessionary tendencies led to upward revisions in fiscal and revenue deficit, he added. A higher fiscal deficit is perceived negatively and it is the most talked about economic indicator of the country. So governments try to reduce the budgeted fiscal deficit when they get a chance to revisit the fiscal maths in the full Budget. If we compare the actual and the budgeted fiscal deficits of all the years we have taken into consideration, we observe that except in 1998-1999 and 2019-2020, the fiscal deficit has either reduced or has remained constant, thereby indicating that the governments were able to achieve its fiscal consolidation targets in the first year of forming the government. For example, in 2004-2005, the budgeted fiscal deficit was 4.4 per cent while it finally came to 3.88 per cent, denoting the highest reduction. However, in 1998-1999, the final fiscal deficit came to 6.29 per cent as against the budgeted figure of 5.1 per cent. Similarly, in 2019-2020, the fiscal deficit was 4.64 per cent, which far exceeded the budgeted figure of 3.3 per cent. But one has to keep in mind that off-Budget borrowings often allowed the government to show lower fiscal deficits until the 2020-2021 Budget, when the government started showing such financial liabilities in the Budget to give a more accurate picture of its fiscal position. Budgeted capital expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure has always risen during the transition from the Interim to the full Budget, irrespective of leadership change. This is because, by convention, governments refrain from announcing any high-profile schemes in the Interim Budget. Once a government takes office, it announces its flagship schemes in the Budget and that increases budgeted capex. The biggest increases in budgeted capex were recorded in 2004-2005, 1991-1992, and 2009-2010, respectively, when there was a coalition government. Similarly, budgeted revenue expenditure (as a percentage of total expenditure) has always fallen, although marginally, during the transition period but a big fall was in 1991-1992, 2004-2005, and 2009-2010. Total expenditure has always seen an increasing trend during the transition phase although the rise has been marginal. The highest rise in total expenditure was seen in 2009-2010 and 2004-2005, both of which were years of coalitions. However, the same pattern is not seen in the coalition governments of the 1990s. Interim and Final Budget Items 1991-1992 (I) 1991-1992 (F) 1996-1997 (I) 1996-1997 (F) 1998-1999 (I) 1998-1999 (F) 2004-2005 (I) 2004-2005 (F) 2009-2010 (I) 2009-2010 (F) 2014-2015 (I) 2014-2015 (F) 2019-2020 (I) 2019-2020 (F) Capital Expenditure (as a % of total expenditure) 26.15% 28.24% NA 20.93% NA 21.59% 16.76% 19.32% 11.03% 12.10% 12.08% 12.63% 12.07% 12.15% Revenue Expenditure (as a % of total expenditure) 73.85% 71.76% NA 79.07% NA 78.41% 83.24% 80.68% 88.97% 87.90% 87.92% 87.37% 87.93% 87.85% Fiscal Deficit (as a % of GDP) 5.80% 5.69% (5.49%) 5% 5% (4.7%) 6% 5.1% (6.29%) 4.40% 4.4% (3.88%) 5.50% 6.8% (6.46%) 4.10% 4.1% (4.1%) 3.40% 3.3% (4.64%) Revenue Deficit (as a % of GDP) 2.68% 2.09% NA 2.50% NA 2.70% 2.90% 2.50% 4% 4.80% 3% 2.90% 2.20% 2.30% Source: Finance ministry, BS Research Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com 'They are testing the waters to see if there is a market. That is why they are not giving sales targets.' IMAGE: Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and Bajaj Auto CEO Rajiv Bajaj unveil the world's first CNG motorcycle, the Bajaj Freedom 125, July 5, 2024. All photographs: Kind courtesy Bajaj Auto/Facebook Bajaj Auto, the country's second-largest two-wheeler maker, launched a motorcycle powered by compressed natural gas, or CNG on July 5, 2024. The fuel first rose to prominence more than two decades ago when the national capital region of Delhi cut down on emissions by deploying buses, taxis, and three-wheelers running on CNG, but it was not really envisioned as a two-wheeler fuel. But Bajaj, which is the world's largest maker of three-wheelers, had its own ideas. Its Freedom 125 is said to be the world's first CNG-powered motorcycle launched commercially. It comes in three variants, with prices ranging from Rs 95,000 to Rs 110,000. It has a 2-kg CNG cylinder and a 2-litre petrol tank, and can switch from one to the other. The initial deliveries will begin in Maharashtra and Gujarat -- two states that have a large CNG refilling infrastructure -- and then expand to other states in phases. Though there is no immediate plan now, the company could also look at powering CNG scooters in the future. Can Bajaj's CNG bike disrupt the 12 million units a year motorcycle market? It comes at a time when the electric two-wheeler industry is taking shape, though it is grappling with its own issues in effecting a large-scale shift, and petrol continues to dominate the market. In motorcycles, in particular, electric has not made much headway Three wheels to two It has not happened anywhere in the world so far. In 2009, Zanela in Argentina tried out a factory-fitted CNG two-wheeler model, but it did not take off commercially. Some of the Chinese companies tried their hand at CNG, too, but did not get traction. Bajaj, for its part, is buoyed by CNG's success in India, especially in three-wheelers. In 2023, CNG accounted for 65 per cent of all three-wheelers sold in India. The caveat is that three-wheelers are for commercial use, and two-wheelers are personal vehicles. Rakesh Sharma, executive director, Bajaj Auto, says CNG has a large market because of its low operating expense (opex) and high fuel economy. "The primary target for us is mileage- and opex-sensitive customers. They are most likely to be in the 100cc to 125cc segment, which accounts for 75 per cent of motorcycle sales (750,000 a month)." Bajaj already operates in this segment. So, is there a chance its CNG bike will cannibalise its petrol bikes? "Our market share in this segment is only 15 per cent, though in the next segment (150cc to 250cc), it is 40 per cent. Our proposition is primarily halving of the fuel expense compared to a similar petrol-based motorcycle. In addition to that, we have made a bike with stand-out styling and greater comfort," says Sharma. But what about the higher price of the CNG motorcycle? Will customers be attracted to the lower opex enough to pay the higher price? Bajaj's CNG bike costs about Rs 15,000 more than a comparable petrol motorcycle. Assuming it runs 50 km a day for 25 days every month, Sharma says, the additional cost of buying it can be recouped in nine months because the savings on fuel are about 21 per cent. The more the bike runs, the bigger the savings in relation to a petrol bike. That is the big difference from scooters, whose usual running is seen to be half of motorcycles. Disruption on the cards? The company is not hazarding a guess on how much its CNG bike will sell. Sharma says he will be in a better position to speak about this once all three variants are in the market, likely by the end of September. As an indication, though, Bajaj is looking at a production capacity of 10,000 per month in the next two to three months, which could rise to 40,000 by the end of 2025. That will still be less than 5 per cent of the addressable market. Bajaj's rivals say the CNG bike is just an experiment. "I think they are testing the waters to see if there is a market. That is why they are not giving sales targets. Considering that 90 per cent of the parts in an ICE and CNG bike are the same, they don't need any major incremental investments," says the top executive of a two-wheeler company. The biggest challenge is the limited network of CNG filling stations in the country. That is one of the points people have picked up. CNG use in personal vehicles has been limited and the CNG network needs to be ramped up to drive adoption. Sharma says CNG is available in 335 cities, accounting for 70 per cent of the addressable market, but concedes that what matters is the depth of its reach and penetration in those cities. Top executives of more than a dozen CNG companies attended the launch of Bajaj's CNG bike. The feedback is that in the next six months they will work to expand the network. In the 16 months to April 2024, the number of CNG outlets grew by more than 36 per cent. Yet, the challenge remains of uneven distribution. More than half the CNG stations are concentrated in five states: Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. And personal vehicle owners, unlike three-wheeler operators, will prefer a filling station close by. Electric two-wheeler makers, some of whom are looking to launch electric motorcycles, do not think much of a CNG bike. "Electric is the only way to meet the government's objectives of reducing carbon emission and saving on foreign exchange. CNG can at best be an interim measure," says the top executive of an electric two-wheeler maker. "By their own admission, CNG reduces carbon emission by 26 per cent compared to a petrol vehicle, but electric offers zero emissions. Half of CNG requirements are imported, so it will only increase the foreign exchange outgo." Bajaj executives counter this by saying that if petrol is substituted with CNG, it will save foreign exchange because both are imported but CNG is the more efficient fuel. EVs, on the other hand, use imported batteries, which cost foreign exchange. In addition, they say, much of the EV charging infrastructure uses electricity produced by coal. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com As the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) is set to crack down on companies to ensure compliance with printing QR codes on top-selling brands to curb counterfeiting, top pharma companies say they welcome the regulators mandate and that they are on track. Photograph: Yves Herman/Reuters They also view it as a positive step to ensure patient safety. Sheetal Arora, CEO of Mankind Pharmaceuticals, which has already adopted QR codes in 20 of their products, stated: We strongly advocate for mandatory implementation of barcodes and QR codes on medicines as this initiative will not only protect patients but also strengthen the integrity of our healthcare system by reducing circulation of counterfeit drugs. Along with QR codes in its products, Mankind has also integrated holograms to safeguard against counterfeiting. The way it works is after scanning the barcode, consumers can access crucial information such as expiry date, manufacturing licence number, unique product identification code, proper and generic name of the drug, brand name and batch number, as well as name and address of the manufacturer. A spokesperson for Abbott also confirmed that the company has already integrated QR codes into its top brands, complying with the government's mandate. Recognising the importance of ensuring authenticity of medicines and protecting patients from counterfeit drugs, Abbott has joined other industry players in this initiative, the company said. Zydus has started implementation of QR codes on select products since 2021. This is an excellent move, which will help us tackle the menace of counterfeit drugs, a spokesperson for Zydus stated. Having implemented QR codes across their entire product range in the Indian market, Venus Remedies president, Global Critical Care, Saransh Chaudhary said: We take this move very seriously as at Venus, each unit carton features a unique QR code, allowing for batch-level tracking and detailed product information." However, granular tracking from master carton to unit carton is currently being implemented for specialised markets like the European Union and Saudi Arabia, where stringent compliance is required. The company manages compliance in over 90 countries and is planning to voluntarily extend their serialisation and track-and-trace features for the domestic market in the coming years. Bayer currently includes QR codes in products like Saridon and the Supradyn range, and believes along with patient safety, this will help in consumer health literacy. As additional information about the product/therapy can be obtained through scanning the code, this can lead to increased transparency, the company said. Beyond just combating counterfeiting, QR code systems also hold all stakeholders involved in the drug manufacturing and distribution process accountable. "This accountability, coupled with the ability to track a products journey through the supply chain, can help identify any weak points or vulnerabilities that may be exploited, stated Sandeep Verma, country head for India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka at Bayer Consumer Health Division. Acknowledging the challenges posed by counterfeit drugs in the fragmented supply chain, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) assured that the industry is taking preventive measures, highlighting the sector's significant role in global health and the importance of combating counterfeit drugs. "Counterfeit drugs impact all stakeholders. Strong measures against offenders are necessary to prevent this menace," stated Sudarshan Jain, secretary general, IPA. Pharma companies are also advocating for further collaboration with the government to maximise the effectiveness of the QR code system to strengthen enforcement and public awareness initiatives. Their proposals include setting up of a joint task force to tackle counterfeiters, incentives for enforcement efforts, and public awareness campaigns to educate people about QR codes and how to use them. '...from Kashmir to Jammu.' 'The Galwan clash in 2020 resulted in a large number of troops being moved from J&K to Eastern Ladakh which caused a thinning of deployment in the Jammu area.' IMAGE: Special Operations Group police launch a search operation in the Khunia forest in Poonch, July 18, 2024, in the wake of recent terror attacks in the Jammu region. here and below. Photographs: ANI Photo "Pakistan engages in 'war by other means' against India by supporting terrorist groups or non-State actors," says retired Brigadier B K Khanna, SM, VSM who served in several counter-insurgency operations and commanded an army formation in the Western sector and the sub area in Udhampur near Jammu. "Pakistan denies the presence of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar who has been designated as a terrorist by the UN and said to be 'dead', but two days ago a video has surfaced showing him attending a wedding in Faisalabad." "The recent attacks in Jammu have been carried out by an outfit which is a front for Jaish," Brigadier Khanna tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih. What are the reasons behind the increase in terror attacks in Jammu region that has taken the lives of 11 army men and 9 pilgrims since January -- and 51 personnel since 2021? There are several reasons: Pakistan was worried after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Pakistan and China are all-weather friends and that is why 10 months after Article 370 was annulled, we saw the clash in Galwan. The Galwan clash resulted in a large number of troops being moved from J&K to Eastern Ladakh which caused a thinning of deployment in the Jammu area which had remained peaceful since 2014. Pakistan-China decided to shift focus from K to J -- Kashmir to Jammu. China has helped Pakistan build infrastructure and launching pads. One must also remember that the Pakistan army chief visited Turkey last year and commander of te Turkish land forces was in Rawalpindi recently. Despite the help India has given Turkey after the earthquake in 2023, the country has not been very helpful to us. Turkey is providing arms and military assistance to Pakistan. The sorry state of Pakistan's economy makes it impossible to wage a conventional war against India. Therefore, it engages in 'war by other means' against India by supporting terrorist groups or non-State actors. Pakistan finances and trains groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Hizbul Mujahideen etc. Pakistan denies the presence of Jaish chief Masood Azhar who has been designated as a terrorist by UN and said to be 'dead', but two days ago a video has surfaced showing him attending a wedding in Faisalabad. The recent attacks have been carried out by an outfit which is a front for Jaish-e-Mohammed. The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to conduct elections in J&K by September. Pakistan will try its best to activate terror activity in the Jammu area so that both Jammu and the Kashmir Valley are seen as trouble spots and results in postponement of the much anticipated assembly election. What measures need to be taken or reinforced to prevent these attacks and loss of military and civilian lives? Our counter-insurgency grid must dominate the hilly areas. The headquarters should be based right there and we must strengthen the human intelligence network on the ground. Troop deployment in the Jammu region needs to be reinforced. The first thing is to fill in the gaps that have occurred due to the shifting of troops to Ladakh. There is a provision in the armed forces that soldiers who have retired can be recalled within two years in case a situation merited it. These soldiers can be deployed to fill in the gaps on ground. This is my suggestion, but the armed forces know best what options they have. The convoys should not move at a fixed time and ambush spots should be identified and secured. Village defence guards in the border areas provide protection to villagers from terrorists and give information and assistance to the counter insurgency grid. The village defence guards should be revived in the Jammu region and we should follow offensive defence against the terrorists. What are the difficulties of terrain in the heavily forested areas that provides a tough challenge to security forces in operations against terrorists? The area has jungles, dense forests and rugged terrain. There are a number of nallahs and riverines which are used for infiltration from across the border. It is estimated that around 50 terrorists have been pushed in by Pakistan in this area who operate in small groups. The forest provides safe hiding places for these terrorists. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com 'The strategy of frontal organisations of the Maoists is to create unrest and ensure that such unrest leads to a law and order problem.' 'To cover such acts it was necessary to bring in a different definition of unlawful activities which is different from the definition of unlawful activities in the UAPA.' IMAGE: Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis at a press conference in Mumbai. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo Sandip Patil, Inspector General, Anti-Naxal Operations, Maharashtra, explains at length about the legal provisions incorporated in the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, that has come under fire from human rights activists and politicians. While the activists fear that the state government will misuse the provisions of this bill to prosecute anyone and everyone as an 'urban Naxal', the Opposition believes that the state government will misuse it to arrest political opponents leading mass agitations. The Opposition's fears stems from the fact that the state government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party has made its intention clear to promulgate an ordinance as the Maharashtra assembly was prorogued a day after the bill was tabled in the House. The first of a two-part interview with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com. What is the main purpose of the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024? What loopholes in the existing anti-Naxal laws does this bill want to plug? First you should understand how the Maoists work. The Communist Party of India (Maoist) is headed by a central committee or politburo. It has two wings under them: The People's Liberation Guerrilla Army, which is fighting in the jungles of central India. Then there's other wing called the United Front. United Front is an umbrella organisation of different mass organisations working among various targeted revolutionary groups like say the students, farmers, Adivasis or different classes. There are different sections which are considered as the revolutionary class by the Maoists. The United Front has two tasks: Mobilisation and military task. The CPI (Maoist) wants to mobilise masses to indoctrinate them with Maoist ideology with the purpose of (staging an) armed rebellion (against the elected government in India and establish a Maoist government). Secondly, the United Front's military tasks also involves providing all logistical support -- arms, ammunition, electronic items, shelter in the cities when armed Maoist cadres come out of the jungles for treatment or in search of safe hideouts -- to their cadre and leaders who fight in the jungles of central India. So far as the Maoist army which is fighting in jungles is concerned, we have contained it to a large extent in Maharashtra (Since 2021, 80 hardcore Maoists have been neutralised in Gadchiroli, 102 Maoists have been arrested and 29 others have surrendered before the Gadchiroli police, Gadchiroli SP Neelotpal informed the media on July 17, 2024, after 12 Maoists were gunned down by the district police and C-60 Commandos in the jungles bordering Gadchiroli and Chhattisgarh). But we have not taken (been able to take) any action against the United Front, whose members are called urban Maoists. States like Telangana, Andhra Pradesh (enacted in 1992; The Andhra Pradesh Public Security Act, 1992; [external link]), and Chhattisgarh (enacted in 2005; The Chhattisgarh Vishesh jan Suraksha Adhiniyam, 2005; [external link]) already have a state security act since the last 20-30 years to deal with urban Maoists. They use that legal framework to ban organisations which are frontal organisations of the CPI (Maoist). We also have a number of frontal organisations (that support the Maoists) in Maharashtra. But we do not have any legal framework to take action against these elements. Coming to the second part of your question about loopholes that this law will plug: Acts like the UAPA (Unlawful Activities [Prevention] Act) deal with offences related to acts that are detrimental to the unity and integrity of India and terrorist acts. The modus operandi of urban frontal organisations of the CPI (Maoist) is such that they may not do anything which is directly related to harming the unity and integrity of India. If you have read the judgment (related to bail; [external link; pdf file]) of Professor G N Saibaba -- and there are a number of such judgments -- the (Bombay high) court said (making the case for bail to be given to Professor Sai Baba) while one can say that literature related to Maoist ideology was found in the possession of Professor Saibaba, that he was propagating Maoist ideology but was there any evidence that proved his involvement in acts of violence or terrorism. Now, Saibaba being a teacher will not go and fight in jungles, although he was propagating the ideology of Maoists and recruiting for them. If you look at UAPA's broader definition (and UAPA's) limited reach it is becoming almost impossible to convict people who fit the urban Maoist bill because (the provisions of the UAPA require) their (of urban Maoists) direct involvement in terrorist acts. Then there were a number of procedural issues about delaying the sanction, the stricter guidelines for the arrest (under the UAPA). The Centre has already directed that states should enact their own state security acts in order to contain the spread of Maoist frontal organisations in state's urban areas. The modus operandi of these frontal organisations of the CPI (Maoist) don't come under the purview of the UAPA and hence we are unable to deal with such acts within a legal framework. We can file cases under the UAPA against those who we arrest during encounters in the jungles where these Maoists are involved in actual acts of violence but if actions of some people lead to a law and order problem, like for example, what happened in the Bhima Koregaon case, which led to law and order issues. The strategy of frontal organisations of the Maoists is to create unrest and ensure that such unrest leads to a law and order problem. To cover such acts it was necessary to bring in a different definition of unlawful activities which is different from the definition of unlawful activities in the UAPA. IMAGE: Security personnel after an anti-Maoist operation in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, May 13, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo What legal framework does the Maharashtra Special Public Security bill provide as far as dealing with the people who you call urban Maoists is concerned? As per the provisions (of the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024), a state government will declare an organisation as unlawful organisation by studying their modus operandi, by studying their dossiers that the state police have made, and by looking at their past history we can prove (using the legal framework outlined in the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024) that a particular organisation is a frontal organisation of the Maoists, and make a case to the government to ban such organisations. Once it is declared as an unlawful organisation, then the Act will come into the picture and then the offensive or penal sections will be imposed on members of such organisations. The Act is very clear that there will be (about what constitutes) unlawful organisations -- there will not be any unlawful individuals -- but individuals associated with such unlawful organisations will be prosecuted. Our act is a step ahead of other states' acts in terms of safeguards that we (the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024) have, which requires the state government's decision to ban an organisaton as an unlawful organisation to have the approval of a mandatory advisory board; only then the ban will come into effect. I will emphasise that it is not only sufficient for the state government to declare an organisation as unlawful but it has to be approved by the advisory board. Then only that ban will come into effect. 'People want to do business in the name of the Kedarnath temple.' IMAGE: The Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand. Photograph: ANI Photo Hindu priests at Kedarnath are upset with the Bharatiya Janata Party after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami performed the bhoomi pujan for a replica of the Kedarnath temple to be built in Hiranki, Burari, Delhi. The Kedarnath temple replica is set to be built on three acres of land by the Shri Kedarnath Dham Trust, Burari. The reason for building the replica is that since Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand is closed for six months every year in winter, the new temple will act as a substitute for pilgrims. But this reasoning has not gone down well among the community of Hindu priests who feel that the sanctity of century-old traditions is being distorted and that the move is hurtful to Hindu sentiment. Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com spoke to Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan President Swami Darshan Bharati to find out why they are opposing this move. Why are you protesting against the Kedarnath replica in Delhi? We have 12 jyotirlings of which one is located in Kedarnath in the Himalayas. We call it ananiyanant ling (eternal), which cannot be copied. We have our own traditions and we have our own puja vidhi vidhan. The Rawal (head priest) who conducts this puja is a brahmachari of the highest order. The priest who leads the prayer at Kedarnath is always a brahmachari. The sanctity of this place has to be maintained all the time. In our religious texts Kedarnath exists from Satyug. In Tretayug too Kedarnath has been mentioned. Dwaparyug also mentions about this place as Lord Krishna passed through here, so did the Pandavas. Post Dwaparyug, when Adi Sankara came here he re-established this place. This temple (Kedarnath) was first made by the Pandavas. Before that this place was hidden in the snow for centuries. This is the holiest place for Hindus so you cannot make a replica of this in Delhi. What is it they want to showcase in the Delhi replica? People want to do business in the name of the Kedarnath temple. You take the example of the Kaaba in Mecca which is worshipped by Muslims across the world. There have been in the past and even today great Muslim powers who ruled their respective countries but no one dared to make a replica of the Kaaba. Nobody can do a replica of the Kaaba which is located in Mecca. So, how can they do it for Kedarnath? When you objected to the Kedarnath replica what did the government say? They told us that they will remove the word 'dham' from the name for the replica Kedarnath temple in Delhi. We told them you make a mandir wherever you want but you cannot make a dham, which they were doing. Are you happy now since they agreed to remove the word 'dham' from the Kedarnath replica? I can only comment when I reach Delhi to see what is going on. Right now, I feel that there is some conspiracy in the making of this temple for which I want to go and check. The land on which they are making the temple is khaddar (barren land). I want to find out whether some land mafia is making this temple (to make a profit). Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the inauguration of the replica temple in Delhi. Right now he is on the back foot on this issue and so is the committee of that replica temple. Till the time I don't go personally and find out what is the motive to make such a replica temple, I will not know the complete picture. Do you fear that pilgrim numbers will drop at Kedarnath if the replica in Delhi picks up? No, I don't think so because those who believe in Baba Kedarnath and Ma Ganga will travel to Kedarnath. They will get spiritual solace only there. What my objection is to making a business out of the Hindu religion. Stop the business of Hindu religion. I will not allow the construction of a Kedarnath replica in Delhi. I don't trust this committee a bit at this moment. Who are these people who plan to do so? Unfortunately, all of them are associated with the BJP. The chairman and every other post are held by people who are associated with the BJP. Hindutva runs in my blood and it is the BJP alone which takes care of Hindutva. And if they too start doing such things, then people will surely oppose their stance. Why did they do so, then? I don't understand and they are doing so in spite of doing not so well in the parliamentary elections. I respect Prime Minister Narendra Modi and see the tragedy only in this election is that he did not visit Kedarnath. This time he went to Kanyakumari and therefore he did not get Bholeji's aashirvad. Kedarnath is a place of energy and you can only feel it if you go there. The Himalaya is itself a power. Mr Dhami said he was invited and therefore he went for the inauguration of the replica temple. He cannot go to an event without knowing the details of the event. There were three BJP MLAs from Uttarakhand at the event. Maybe the CM did not know that his visit will lead to such a huge controversy or was unaware of the consequences of his attendance. Do you see some connection that the BJP is unable to relate to Hindu sentiments, as they lost in Ayodhya after which they lost in the Badrinath assembly bye-election too? You wait and watch. After Ayodhya, Badrinath, the BJP will lose Kedarnath seat too. Hindus wanted the BJP to protect their religion and they failed to do that. Therefore they lost in Badrinath. But is the BJP not a protector of the Hindu religion, considering the fact that under Mr Modi's leadership we saw the Ram Mandir inauguration at Ayodhya? Where did they go wrong then? No one saw this coming before June 4... We did see this coming before June 4. Constructing the Ram Mandir is not all about Hindutva. It already existed and they inaugurated it with high profile drama. The pran pratishta was done wrongly as the mandir work was not even completed. They did not call the common people but VIPs, industrialists like Ambani and actors. If you notice, there was no difference between Ambani's son's wedding and the pran pratishta of the Ram Mandir. You cannot do such things for religion, as religion accepts all kind of people be it a fakir or a raja. The BJP made mistake after mistake. What should the BJP have done for Hindus then? They spoke of the National Register of Citizens but never implemented it. They let people go mad by talking about the NRC all the time but never took any action on it. They spoke about the population control bill but never brought that too. They spoke many times against Waqf Board properties but never took action. I am not talking against any religion but if your party talks of Hindutva then you've got to follow it. Prime Minister Modi openly practises Hinduism and speaks about the greatness of the religion in many forums, isn't it? Diya kya aur kiya kya? (What has he done and given?) Prime Minister Modi has done nothing for Hindus. You take the example of Rampur in Uttar Pradesh. There was a polling booth where 2,300 Muslim voters were there. Prime Minister Modi made 400-500 homes for those people and believe me, not a single vote from that polling booth came to the BJP. He is the prime minister of India and he has to follow the 'Sab Ka Saath aur Sab Ka Vikas' philosophy. Let him follow that, I have no objection, but when you speak of Hindutva, you got to do things for Hindus. What must he do for Hindus? Do you want him to build a temple at Kashi and Mathura where court cases are going on for decades? Our country is a country of temples. Every home has a mandir. I only want to know, what did Prime Minister Modi do for the Hindu community? There is no answer. Is there a party who is close to your philosophy then? I will commit suicide if I go away from the BJP. There is no other party for people like us. I worked on the Love Jihad project in Uttarakhand and helped to make a law on it. I worked on the Land Jihad in Uttarakhand where we took a stance on nearly 1,000 illegal Muslim shrines. I ensured they got demolished. I also went to jail and right now am out on bail. India on Friday described the violent protests in Bangladesh as an "internal" matter of Dhaka but at the same time said it was closely monitoring the situation in the context of 15,000 Indians residing in that country. IMAGE: Anti-quota supporters clash with police and Awami League supporters, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters Bangladesh has been reeling under deadly clashes with protesting students demanding the Sheikh Hasina-led government to scrap a controversial job quota system. Around 30 people were killed in the clashes that began weeks ago. The 15,000 Indians including 8,500 students are safe, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. Official sources said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka is coordinating with local authorities to provide adequate security to Indian students wishing to return to India. Till 8 pm on Friday, 245 Indians including 125 students returned to India, they said, adding the Indian high commission also facilitated the return of 13 Nepali students. "As you are aware, there are ongoing protests in Bangladesh. We see this as an internal matter of the country," Jaiswal said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is himself following the matter closely in the context of safety of the Indians, he added. The India-Bangladesh border crossings -- Benapole-Petrapole; Gede- Darshana and Akhaura- Agartala will remain open for students and Indian nationals to return home, the sources said. The high commission of India, in coordination with Border Security Force and Bureau of Immigration, is facilitating return of Indian students from Bangladesh, they added. The situation in Bangladesh deteriorated this week prompting authorities to stop bus and train services and shutting down schools and universities across the country. "We have issued an advisory for Indian nationals, including our students, resident in Bangladesh for their safety and assistance if required," Jaiswal said. The Indian high commission has already activated helpline numbers that are operating 24x7, he said. "Our high commission will be providing regular updates. I will also be posting regular updates. I would urge family members to follow us for the latest developments," he said. "We remain committed to providing all possible assistance to our nationals in Bangladesh," Jaiswal said. Total Indian nationals in Bangladesh are estimated to be around 15,000 which included around 8,500 students, he said. "We are aware of the measures taken by the local authorities in view of the protests. Our High Commission remains in touch with local authorities for the safety of our nationals," the spokesperson said. The protesters are demanding withdrawal of a quota system for jobs describing it as "discriminatory". Violence has gripped several parts of Bangladesh after clashes between student protesters, security officials, and pro-government student activists over a quota system for government jobs. So far 39 people have died with Thursday, July 18, 2024, the most violent day. Police and protesters armed with sticks and rocks clashed across the country, including Dhaka as the students tried to shut down transportation across Bangladesh. IMAGE: A police officer is beaten by a mob during a clash between anti-quota supporters, police and Awami League supporters at the Rampura area in Dhaka. All Photographs: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters IMAGE: Anti-quota supporters clash with police and Awami League supporters. IMAGE: A protestor yells at the police. IMAGE: Police and protestors clash. IMAGE: Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Bangladesh Awami League, and anti-quota protesters clash in the Dhaka College area, here and below. Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com In view of the infiltration of highly trained Pakistani terrorists in the Jammu region, the Indian Army is readjusting its deployments in the area as per intelligence inputs and security requirements. IMAGE: Special Operation Group personnel during a search operation in the Khunia Forest in the wake of recent terror attacks in Jammu region, in Poonch, July 17, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo The Indian Army has deployed around 500 Para Special Forces commandos in the area to hunt down the 50-55 terrorists from Pakistan who have entered the region to revive terrorism there, defence sources told ANI. The intelligence agencies have also bolstered their apparatus in the area and are working to take out the terrorist support infrastructure there including overground workers who support terrorists, they said. The Army has already brought in troops to the area including one brigade strength of around 3,500-4000 personnel to counter Pakistan's proxy aggression here, they said. The Army brass on the ground has been working towards strategies to search and destroy the terrorists, who are equipped with the latest weaponry and communication equipment, they added. The Army already has an existing counter-terrorist infrastructure in the area with presence of two forces of the Rashtriya Rifles including the Romeo and Delta forces along with other regular infantry divisions in the area, they said. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. The event titled Azerbaijan National Press-149 was held in Baku, Trend reports. The event, organized jointly by the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Media Development Agency (MEDIA), and the Press Council, began with the singing of the national anthem of Azerbaijan, followed by a minute of silence in memory of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and the sons and daughters of the Motherland who died in the struggle for the territorial integrity of the country. Addressing the event, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Media Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan State Information Agency, Daghbeyi Ismayilov, noted the Akinchi newspaper was published in the Azerbaijani language 149 years ago. He reminded that Hasan bey Zardabi, who created this newspaper, was its editor and publisher and laid the foundation for media development. Daghbeyi Ismayilov mentioned that in the following 149 years, the Azerbaijani press, despite difficulties, passed a fast development path and achieved success thanks to this foundation. National Leader Heydar Aliyev made a great contribution to the development of the press in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani press faced great constraints along the way. The Press Council, established by the decision of the First Congress of Journalists of Azerbaijan, played an important role in the development of the media in our country. As a result of measures taken in this field, the debts of print media to publishing houses in Azerbaijan were written off. Today, the Azerbaijani nation is a winner. Azerbaijan won the second Karabakh War thanks to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The decree on acceleration of reforms in the field of media was signed approximately one year after the war. Serious reforms in this sphere started with the establishment of the Media Development Agency, he added. Chairman of the Press Council, Rashad Majid, noted that the path started by Hasan Bey Zardabi 149 years ago had a great effect on the future destiny of Azerbaijan. It was Hasan Bey Zardabi and the path started by the Akinchi newspaper that later led to the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan. He stressed that Azerbaijani journalists played a great role in preserving the purity of the Azerbaijani language in the Soviet period as well. National Leader Heydar Aliyev attached great importance to journalism and freedom of speech even in the Soviet period while leading Azerbaijan. We witnessed it in the years of independence as well. Censorship, which had existed in Azerbaijan for many years, was stopped in 1998 by the decree of the National Leader. The policy of supporting the press, initiated by great leader Heydar Aliyev, continues successfully under President Ilham Aliyev. The head of state has repeatedly expressed his opinion on the issue of supporting the independent press in Azerbaijan. One such example is the adoption of the new Law on Media and the establishment of the Media Development Agency, he added. Referring to the invariable values of journalism, Audio-Visual Council member Bakhtiyar Garaja stated that they are objectivity, fidelity to truth, and facts. There was a time when Azerbaijan had only one television and one radio. Today, there are dozens of TV, radio, and other media outlets. The Audiovisual Council, at a time of abundance of media, tries to regulate as much as the law and the right allow, he emphasized. According to a member of the Supervisory Board of the Media Development Agency, Vugar Zifaroglu, who addressed the event, the history of the Azerbaijani press is rich in both proud and glorious developments. This history is closely linked to the formation of national identity, the Enlightenment movement, and cultural development. Glancing back at this history, we see that our journalism, which played a significant role in the process of national struggle and national identity, has always been distinguished by its stance. Nowadays, we are witnessing constant and systematic work with the media in Azerbaijan. Our journalism, which underwent significant changes with the abolition of censorship in 1998, is developing with the new laws On Media, he noted. The event was also addressed by Sabina Seyidova, Head of the Media Analysis Department of the Media Development Agency of the Azerbaijan Republic, Mehriban Mammadova, Head of the Media Support and Strategic Planning Projects Department of the Agency, and a representative of AzerGold CJSC. Afterward, the results of the contest organized by the Media Development Agency on the theme Year of Solidarity for a Green World and the contest of creative media content in Baku held within the MEDIAlab project were announced, and winners were awarded. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Fissures have allegedly emerged within the West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party over Suvendu Adhikari's remarks dismissing 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' in favour of 'Hum Unke Saath Jo Humare Saath,' with some leaders supporting his stance and others opposing it as contrary to the party line. IMAGE: West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari addresses a party meeting in Kolkata. Photograph: ANI Photo Adhikari, addressing an extended session of the BJP's state executive committee on Wednesday, attributed the party's poor performance in West Bengal's Lok Sabha polls to insufficient support from the minority community. He asserted that 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' was unnecessary and questioned the need for the Minority Morcha within the party. The West Bengal BJP unit distanced itself from Adhikari's comments, labelling them as "personal remarks." However, on Thursday, several BJP leaders voiced support for Adhikari's views. Former state BJP president Tathagatha Roy said, "What Adhikari said is the truth. If some people have a problem with the truth, we can't help it. He was not opposing the slogan 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' in terms of administration or governance, but in terms of political strategy in Bengal." Roy, a former Tripura Governor, emphasised the need to avoid appeasing specific communities for votes. Former MP Arjun Singh echoed Roy's sentiments, praising Adhikari's boldness in addressing the issue politically in Bengal. In response to Singh and Roy's support for Adhikari, BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar affirmed, "There will be no compromise with the official party line. 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' is our official stance and cannot be compromised." Reacting to Majumdar's statement, Adhikari claimed that even the state president privately supports his views. "The state president, also a Union Minister, cannot publicly discuss the exclusion or inclusion of specific communities or castes. He has spoken about the party line, but privately he supports my views," Adhikari told reporters. Addressing a party meeting on Wednesday, Adhikari clarified, "I have spoken for nationalist Muslims as well. We all used to say 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas,' but I would not say this anymore because I think it should be 'Hum unke saath jo humare saath'... there is no need for Minority Morcha." Adhikari also asserted that his comments had been misinterpreted and reiterated his alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas.' Political observers noted that minorities, constituting nearly 30 per cent of the electorate in West Bengal, heavily supported the TMC in the south and divided their votes between the Left-Congress alliance and the TMC in the north during the Lok Sabha polls. This dynamics significantly influenced electoral outcomes in the state. In 2014, the BJP's slogan was 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas,' followed by 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' in 2019. A Congress source termed the process of drafting and presenting of the Bill before the state cabinet on Monday as a "unilateral" effort by the chief minister's office and ministers that are close to him. IMAGE: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, left, interacts with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, right, and state Deputy Chief D K Shivakumar, centre, in Bengaluru, March 16, 2024. All photographs: ANI Photo Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday, July 18, 2024, said his government has put on hold the Bill mandating job reservation for Kannadigas in the private sector due to 'some confusion'. It will be taken up for discussion during the next cabinet meeting, he asserted. The party's central leadership has, however, conveyed its displeasure to the Karnataka CM for trying to push the Bill without consulting his senior colleagues. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who hails from Karnataka, was also not kept in the loop on this issue, Congress sources in the national capital said. According to sources, Siddaramaiah announced the withdrawal of the Bill on Wednesday evening after the Congress central leadership, including Kharge, who was in Bengaluru, had intervened. A Congress source termed the process of drafting and presenting of the Bill before the state cabinet on Monday as a "unilateral" effort by the chief minister's office and ministers that are close to him. IMAGE: Siddaramaiah, right, and Shivakumar on the first day of the monsoon session of the Karnataka assembly in Bengaluru, July 15, 2024. Congress sources claimed that most of the ministers in the Karnataka cabinet, including Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Commerce and Industries Minister M B Patil, conveyed to the central leadership that they came to know about the Bill only when it was presented at the meeting of the state's cabinet. The episode highlighted the factionalism prevalent within the Congress in Karnataka, which the central leadership blamed for the party's subpar performance in the state in the Lok Sabha polls. Sources claimed the central leadership suspects the Bill was pushed through as a means to distract from issues such as the alleged 'Valmiki scam' that the Siddaramaiah government faces. The Congress leadership believes the CM and his loyalists crossed a 'Lakshman Rekha'. The controversy over the Bill handed the BJP an opportunity to take potshots at the Karnataka government, the Left Democratic Front government of Kerala, and the Telugu Desam Party-run government in Andhra Pradesh to embarrass the Congress, sources said. There were also apprehensions in the party that the state government's move could hurt the party's electoral prospects elsewhere in the country, especially in northern India. Replying to the Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka's demand to clarify the state government's stand on the Bill, Siddaramaiah said in the Karnataka assembly that a discussion on the Bill could not take place during Monday's cabinet meeting. By then, he said reports appeared in the media, and there was confusion on the issue, he said. The state cabinet had on Monday cleared the Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024, which makes it compulsory for private firms to reserve jobs for Kannadigas. Ashoka pointed out that the CM changed his message on 'X' thrice, from first announcing that the cabinet has decided a 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in the private sector and then deleted it. The CM later posted another message saying that there would be a 50 per cent reservation in the management category and 70 per cent in the non-management category for Kannadigas. 'Finally, you announced putting the bill on hold. There appears to be a Tughlaq government in Karnataka,' Ashoka said. In his reply, the CM said: 'There is no Tughlaq government, but Siddramaiah government. We will take up the bill in the next cabinet meeting.' In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress won nine of Karnataka's 28 seats, an underwhelming performance that the central leadership attributed to factionalism in the party. Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com Hindu petitioners have moved the Supreme Court requesting it to lift a stay granted on April 1 which restrained any action on the basis of an Archeological Survey of India report on "Bhojshala", a medieval-era structure in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district which both Hindus and Muslims claim as their own. IMAGE: A view of the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. Photograph: ANI Photo The application filed by the Hindu Front of Justice, which is the original petitioner in the case before the Madhya Pradesh high court, and others said that after the April 1 order of the apex court, proceedings before the HC have also virtually stayed. The application filed through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain said the questions involved in the writ petition in the HC are required to be decided on merit at the earliest and, therefore, the SC interim order of April 1 may be vacated. The application said that the ASI conducted a survey in terms of order passed by high court. "The ASI has submitted a report before the high court in writ petition...on July 15, 2024 after supplying a copy of the same on the counsel appearing for the writ petitioner and the respondents," it said. The application said no useful purpose would be served by continuing the interim order of April 1. The interim order may be vacated under the facts and circumstances of the case existing on record and in the interest of justice, it said. The application said the Special Leave Petition filed by Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society (Muslim side) against the March 11 order of the high court, by which a scientific survey was ordered to be conducted by the ASI, has become infructuous as the petitioner can file objection to the report of ASI and also raise all the questions being raised in this petition. A petition was filed in the top court by the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society challenging the March 11 order of the Madhya Pradesh high court for a "scientific survey" of the shrine to ascertain it belonged to which community. On April 1, the top court refused to stay a scientific survey of Bhojshala, an ASI-protected 11th-century monument, had said no action should be taken without its leave on the outcome of the impugned survey. "It is made clear that no physical excavation should be taken which will change the character of the premises in question," the bench had said. In its March 11 order, the high court order had directed the ASI to carry out a survey of the Bhojshala complex within six weeks. Under an arrangement devised by the ASI on April 7, 2003, Hindus perform puja on the Bhojshala premises on Tuesdays, while Muslims offer namaaz in the complex on Fridays. Hindus consider Bhojshala a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls it Kamal Maula mosque. The high court had said in its March 11 order, "A proper documented comprehensively drafted report prepared by an Expert Committee of not less than five (5) senior-most officers of ASI headed by the Director General/Additional Director General of the ASI himself be submitted before this Court within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order." The HC order came on an application filed by an organisation called the Hindu Front for Justice. The plea was moved by HFJ president Ranjana Agnihotri and others against the Union of India and others. Melania Trump made a dramatic appearance on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Melania watchers did not expect her to attend the RNC, and her appearance just before her husband accepted the Republic nomination for the November 5 presidential election was a surprise. The former first lady has stayed away from the Trump presidential campaign and did not speak at the 2024 RNC. Melania addressed the 2016 and 2020 Republican conventions where her husband was nominated previously. Also present at the RNC on Thursday were Donald J Trump's elder daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, who, like Melania, have been absent from Trump's 2024 campaign to be president. 'The display of family harmony underscored an effort by the Republican party this week,' Reuters noted, 'to portray its nominee as a caring family man and selfless public servant who has been unfairly maligned by Democratic opponents who warn he could become a dictator if re-elected.' IMAGE: Melania Trump arrives on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 18, 2024. Photograph: Jeenah Moon/Reuters IMAGE: Melania Trump with Usha Chilukuri Vance, her husband and vice presidential nominee J D Vance and Donald Trump Jr. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters IMAGE: Like Melania Trump, Usha Chilukuri Vance was also dressed in red, the dominant colour of the Republican party. Photograph: Jeenah Moon/Reuters IMAGE: J D Vance and Usha Chilukuri Vance applaud Melania Trump. Photograph: Jeenah Moon/Reuters Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com Amid a massive global outage that hit operations of airlines, banks and businesses across the globe, Microsoft on Friday said that it is aware of the issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform. IMAGE: Passengers wait due to delays in airline services caused by the Microsoft global outage, at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, July 19, 2024. Photograph: Ishant/ANI Photo A Microsoft spokesperson said: "We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming." "We're aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform," the spokesperson said. The outage put operations of businesses and systems across the globe in a state of limbo. Airport and airline operations faced significant disruptions due to the outage, with airlines issuing advisories to passengers. IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa saw disruptions in their online check-in and boarding processes across their networks, forcing them to switch to manual mode. Several users reported disruptions on outage-tracking website Downdetector, and many took to X (now twitter) to vent their frustration on the 'Blue Screen of Death' error messages. However, the country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) said its systems are unaffected by the Microsoft global outage. Stock exchanges NSE and BSE too said they are not impacted due to the global outage of Microsoft systems. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that IT ministry is in touch with Microsoft regarding global outage, and added that NIC network is not affected. In a post on X, IT minister Vaishnaw said that the reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue. CERT is issuing a technical advisory, he wrote. "MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage... NIC network is not affected," the minister said. Meanwhile, CERT-In has issued an advisory on the Microsoft outage caused by Crowdstrike update, and rated its severity as "critical". The Union Public Service Commission on Friday said it has lodged a criminal case against probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar for faking her identity to fraudulently avail attempts in the civil services examination beyond eligibility, and taken steps to debar her from future selections. IMAGE: Probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar. Photograph: ANI Photo Following a complaint from the Commission, the Delhi police said its Crime Branch has taken up the investigation. "UPSC has filed a complaint with Delhi Police against Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar for misrepresenting and falsifying facts to obtain extra attempts in the UPSC examinations, beyond the prescribed limit. Consequently, a case has been registered under the relevant sections of the law, and investigation has been taken up in Crime Branch," the Delhi police said in a statement. Khedkar, a 2023-batch probationary Indian Administrative Service officer, is accused of misusing power and privileges, by demanding perks and facilities she was not entitled for, during her training in Pune District Collectorate in Maharashtra recently. She was accused of bullying everyone around and of placing a red-blue beacon (indicating high-ranking official) atop a private Audi (a luxury sedan) car used by her that also had 'Maharashtra Government' written on it during her stint. After the Pune district collector flagged the matter, Khedkar was transferred to Washim District Collectorate in the Vidarbha region. She was declared qualified in the civil services examination 2022. Based on the results declared last year by the UPSC, Khedkar was allocated the IAS and her home state Maharashtra as a cadre. "The Union Public Service Commission has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation in the misdemeanour of Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022," an official statement issued on Friday said. From this investigation, it has been revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the examination rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father's and mother's name, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address, the Commission said. The UPSC has, therefore, initiated a series of actions against her, including criminal prosecution by filing a First Information Report with the police authorities and has issued "a show cause notice for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022/debarment from future examinations/ selections, in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022", it said. Candidates with a minimum of 21 years of age are eligible to apply for the civil services examination. The upper age of 32 is relaxable for certain category of applicants -- up to a maximum of five years for those belonging to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe; up to a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes and up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of candidates belonging to Persons with Benchmark Disabilities categories. Eligible candidates are permitted six attempts at the civil services exam and nine for those from the OBC. There is no limit for candidates belonging to the SC or ST category. General, Economically Weaker Sections and OBC candidates belonging to the PwBD category are allowed nine attempts at the examination. There is no bar for the PwBD candidates from SC/ST categories to take the examination. The sources claimed that Khedkar took multiple attempts at the civil services examinations by allegedly forging documents. "It is categorically stated that in fulfilling its constitutional obligations, the UPSC stringently adheres to its constitutional mandate, and conducts all its processes, including all examinations, with the highest possible order of due diligence without any compromise," the exam conducting body said. The UPSC has ensured the sanctity and integrity of all its examination processes with the utmost fairness and strict observance of rules, it said. "The UPSC has deservedly earned the trust and credibility of a very high order from the public, especially the candidates. The Commission is unequivocally committed to ensure that such high order of trust and credibility remains intact and uncompromised," the statement said. After Khedkar's case related to misuse of disability and Other Backward Class or OBC (non-creamy layer) quotas to secure her candidature in the service came to fore, the Centre on July 11 formed a single-member probe committee. The panel, headed by Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, additional secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, has been asked to submit its report within two weeks. Khedkar got 821st rank in the civil services examination 2022, under OBC category as a person with multiple disabilities, according to UPSC records. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 has a provision to reserve at least four per cent of total seats in government recruitment/department. The civil services examination is conducted annually by the UPSC in three stages -- preliminary, main and interview -- to select officers of IAS, Indian Foreign Service and Indian Police Service among others. Days after the Muzaffarnagar police asked all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners' names, the Uttar Pradesh government is extending the controversial order across the state and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said similar instructions are already in place there. Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo The order issued by the Muzaffarnagar police earlier this week for the duration of the yatra has been slammed by opposition parties and some members of the ruling alliance, who say it targets Muslim traders. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the move was "an attack on the Constitution". An Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson said Friday a formal order for all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route in the state was likely to be issued soon. In Dehradun, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the decision was taken on July 12 at a meeting to review the preparations for the Kanwar Yatra. As in Muzaffarnagar, hotels, dhabas and roadside eateries along the yatra route in Uttarakhand have been asked to display their owners' names, addresses and mobile phone numbers. The Uttarakhand decision will mostly cover Haridwar but some 'kanwariyas' also visit Rishikesh, Neelkanth and Gangotri as part of the yatra from July 22 to August 2. Haridwar senior superintendent of police Pramendra Dobhal said strict action will be taken against violators. Verification of the staff working at the establishments has also been made mandatory, he said. The SSP said he has issued instructions to all shops along the yatra route to put up rate lists and QR codes. Sale of meat, fish and eggs will be completely banned in hotels, dhabas and restaurants along the Kanwar Yatra route, he said, adding that strict action will be taken if any complaint is received. Dhami said the purpose of the decision was not to target or put anyone in trouble. "Why should anyone have any problem in introducing themselves," he asked There have been criminal incidents at Har ki Pauri in Haridwar in the past when tension broke out over some hotel and dhaba operators hiding their true identities, Dhami said, adding that the decision was taken to prevent such situations. Inspector general of Garhwal KS Nagnygal said the decision was taken to maintain social harmony during the Kanwar yatra. Senior BJP leader and former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat justified the move, saying it will help the Shiva devotees choose where they want to eat. Senior Congress leader in the state Harish Rawat said the decision taken by the Uttar Pradesh and the Uttarakhand governments was unfortunate and painful. "It will foment animosity between communities and bring disrepute to the country," he said. In Uttar Pradesh, the Muzaffarnagar police said earlier this week that its advisory to the eateries to display their owners's names was aimed at avoiding any "confusion". "This has been done to ensure that there is no confusion among kanwariyas and no law-and-order situation arises. All are following this voluntarily," district police chief Abhishek Singh told reporters then. Justifying the move, VK Mishra, in-charge of the weights and measures department of Meerut, said Friday that as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, every restaurant and dhaba 'sanchalak' needed to display the name of the firm, the owner's name and the licence number. The Muzaffarnagar police advisory drew criticised from several quarters. Union minister and BJP ally Chirag Paswan unequivocally opposed it and said he would "absolutely never support or encourage" any divide in the name of caste or religion. Another BJP ally, the Janata Dal-United, also criticised the advisory. Party leader KC Tyagi said the advisory should be withdrawn as it may cause communal tension and there should be no discrimination based on religion or caste. The Congress has alleged that the directive was intended to normalise the economic boycott of Muslims. Its spokesperson Pawan Khera called the order "state-sponsored bigotry". All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi compared the Muzaffarnagar police advisory to the Apartheid and Judenboykott, the boycott of Jewish businesses in Hitler's Germany. The BJP, which is in power at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh, however, defended the measure, claiming that it gives fasting Hindus a choice should they want to eat at a pure-vegetarian restaurant where the likelihood of them being served 'satvik' food is higher. But senior BJP leader and former Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi expressed apprehension that it might spread the "disease of untouchability". Both Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati hit out at the Muzaffarnagar police advisory. Yadav dubbed it a "social crime" and appealed to courts to take suo motu cognisance of the matter. Law enforcement agencies in Pakistan on Friday arrested a senior Al-Qaeda leader, Amin ul Haq, describing him as a close aide of slain terrorist Osama bin Laden. IMAGE: A police spokesperson said Amin ul Haq was a close associate of slain terrorist Osama bin Laden since 1996. Photograph: CTD Punjab A Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab Police spokesperson said a significant breakthrough in the fight against terrorism has been made as the department in collaboration with various intelligence agencies arrested Haq during a planned operation in Punjab province. In a statement, the police spokesperson said Haq was a close associate of Osama bin Laden since 1996 and he had allegedly planned sabotage activities across the province and wanted to target important installations and personalities. "The CTD, demonstrating its exceptional operational capabilities and dedication, managed to locate and arrest Aminul Haq," it said. The CTD has registered a case against the arrested terrorist and shifted him to an unknown location for interrogation. Haq's name has been included in the international terrorist list of the United Nations. The spokesperson further said that the arrest of Haq represents a major victory in the ongoing efforts to combat terrorism in Pakistan and worldwide. "His long-standing association with Osama bin Laden and active role in Al Qaeda led to his arrest and operation. The apprehension of such a high-profile target illustrates the commitment and effectiveness of the CTD Punjab and the Pakistani government in dismantling terrorist networks and ensuring national and global security," the spokesperson said. Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas president Chirag Paswan says Rahul Gandhi's refusal to meet his father despite months of trying was a key reason for Ram Vilas Paswan leaving the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance and allying with the Bharatiya Janata Party just before the 2014 elections. IMAGE: Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan pays tribute to his father and former union minister Late Ram Vilas Paswan during a programme to mark his 78th birth anniversary, at the Parliament premises in New Delhi, July 5, 2024. Photograph: Jitender Gupta/ANI Photo Asked about his opinion of Rahul Gandhi, Chirag Paswan told PTI editors in an interaction at the agency's headquarters that the Congress leader has of late begun taking his responsibility a bit more seriously and criticised his recent speech in Parliament as unbecoming of the leader of the opposition. Chirag Paswan then recalled that he and his father had often met Sonia Gandhi to discuss the future of their party in the UPA alliance. Sonia Gandhi suggested that Ram Vilas Paswan meet her son. The senior Paswan sought an appointment and waited for more than three months but Rahul Gandhi did not relent, said Chirag Paswan, who at that time too was keen to leave the UPA and join the National Democratic Alliance. Ram Vilas Paswan, however, was still keen to remain in the UPA, and wanted to discuss that with Rahul Gandhi, the son said. It was good for me though. Had the meeting taken place, it would have been difficult for me to convince my father to join the BJP-led NDA, he said, noting that he preferred a tie-up with the saffron party due to his admiration and respect for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Till 2013, we were in the UPA and I remember very clearly that my father was not ready to leave the alliance. He wanted to continue in that alliance and it was extremely difficult for me to convince him to change the alliance. The decision of the senior Paswan, a leading grassroots Dalit leader who passed away in 2020, to break ranks with the UPA and tie up with the BJP was one of the headlines of the poll season in 2014 and helped the BJP build momentum and expand its alliance in an election where it rode the Modi wave to win its maiden majority in the Lok Sabha. Chirag Paswan revealed that the Gandhi family scion was one of the reasons why his party, then undivided and known as Lok Janshakti Party, quit the UPA in 2014. He said, I think one of the reasons why my father left the UPA was because he could not meet Rahul ji. My father kept trying for a good three-four months to meet Rahul ji and not even a single meeting could take place. I think that was one of the reasons why my father was very upset. Despite being one of the senior leaders and an important ally in the UPA, he was not given time by Rahul Gandhi to meet. Since then, Chirag Paswan said, he has seen some change in Rahul Gandhi's attitude to politics. Rahul Gandhi showed a lot of reluctance in politics initially but has demonstrated signs of taking on more responsibility of late, he added. He, however, criticised the LOP's speech in the Lok Sabha for its personal attacks on Modi and the Chair and added that it disrespected different religions as well. Asked about his admiration for Modi, Chirag Paswan said he had begun looking up to him when his party was not part of the NDA. His connect with the prime minister was the key reason for his decision to join the alliance, he added. The Food Processing Industries minister said he has learnt from his father to maintain good personal relations with leaders of different parties, noting that he often touched Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's feet to seek his blessings even when he used to be critical of his policies. Chirag Paswan described Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad Yadav as a father-like figure and his son Tejashvi Yadav as a younger brother, while insisting that this was at a personal level. Donald J Trump devoted his acceptance speech at the the Republican National Convention on Thursday evening to the victims of the shooting at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, especially Corey Comperatore, the 50-year-old former Buffalo Township fire chief who was fatally shot in the assassination attempt. 'Tragically, the shooter claimed the life of one of our fellow Americans. Corey Comperatore, unbelievable person, everyone tells me. Unbelievable. And seriously wounded two other great warriors, spoke to them today: David Dutch and James Copenhaver,' Trump said. 'Our love and prayers are with them and always will be. We're never going to forget them. They came for a great rally,' he said. 'They were serious Trumpsters.' Trump called Comperatore 'a highly respected former fire chief' who shielded his family during the attack. 'What a fine man he was.' Trump went over and kissed the firefighter's helmet on stage that he said was provided by the fire department and the victim's family. IMAGE: Trump touches the coat of former Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department chief Corey Comperatore, who was killed at the July 15 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 18, 2024, here and below. Photograph: Jeenah Moon/Reuters Photograph: Jeenah Moon/Reuters IMAGE: Trump embraces Comperatore's coat and helmet. Photograph: Mike Segar/Reuters Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. The National Music and Global Culture Society has conducted the selection process for the IV International Composer Competition, Nargiz Aliyeva, President of the National Music & Global Culture Society, international competition laureate, Honored Artist of Azerbaijan, and professor, told Trend. The winners will be announced on September 18, Azerbaijan's National Music Day. The premiere of the prize-winning compositions will take place in Baku in September as part of the International Music Festival of Uzeyir Hajibayli. The concert will also be held in November at the Lincoln Center in New York. I express my special gratitude to the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan, Aliyarova noted. The jury includes Melinda Wagner, Chair of the Composition Department at The Juilliard School in New York (Chair of the Jury); Sunji Gong, Associate Professor of Music Composition at the University of North Texas; and Jalal Abbasov, a professor at the Baku Music Academy named after Uzeyir Hajibeyli and the Azerbaijan National Conservatory, and an Honored Artist of Azerbaijan. This competition is the first and only international composition contest in the history of Azerbaijani music. This year's contest is dedicated to Azerbaijani folk songs, aiming to highlight issues related to plagiarized Azerbaijani folk art and promote its global awareness. Representatives from 24 countries are participating in this year's competition. Winners will be announced, and diplomas and prizes will be awarded: $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place. The best compositions will be compiled into an anthology, registered with the Library of Congress, and published in New York with an individual number and barcode. Notably, two collections of works by laureates of the first and second Melody Composers Contests, Uzeyir Hajibayli and Fikret Amirov, have already been published in New York. The first International Composition Competition in 2021 featured 51 participants from 35 countries; the second in 2022 had 35 participants from 23 countries; and the third in 2023 included 54 participants from 22 countries. Winners have come from Azerbaijan, the UK, the USA, Germany, Austria, Spain, Poland, China, Colombia, Georgia, and Ukraine. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Partly cloudy skies. High 56F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 39F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. BRATTLEBORO A former Vermont State Police trooper will serve 30 days in prison and six years of probation as part of a plea agreement for lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor. Todd Chisholm, 59, of Northbrook, Mass., pleaded guilty to the charge in March. He was sentenced Wednesday in Windham Superior Court, Criminal Division. Originally, Chisholm faced life imprisonment on charges of repeated sexual assault of a child under the age of 16, two counts of sexual assault and one count of lewd and lascivious behavior. I dont think that justice is being served completely, the victim, now an adult, said in court, according to VTDigger. Chisholm had an affair with the child's mother that ended in 1998, during which time he started sexually grooming the child, court documents state. About four years later, he sexually assaulted the victim, the first time in Vernon at 11 years old, and a second time, also in Vernon at 14. He had admitted to the acts in court in front of Judge John Treadwell. Former Vermont state trooper pleads guilty to sexually assaulting a child BRATTLEBORO A former Vermont State Police trooper pleaded guilty Wednesday to sexually ass After 13 years as a trooper, Chisholm left the State Police in 2001. The victim first reported the assaults in 2019 then an investigation resulting in charges in 2020 was conducted by the Vermont State Police. Chisholm confessed to assaulting the child to the pastor of the Advent Christian Church in Vernon, according to court documents. One of several air filters placed around Bellows Falls Union High School in Westminster to help with the PCB levels. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. The 2nd Shusha Global Media Forum on the fight against disinformation will be held on July 20-22, Trend reports. The forum will feature four panel sessions on Impact assessment: scoping disinformation, Policies and initiatives to build a more resilient society against disinformation, The impact of artificial intelligence on reality, media and disinformation: Promoting media literacy, and Climate movement and media. During the panel sessions, officials from different countries, media and civil society representatives, representatives of international organizations and media experts will come together to exchange views and experiences. The forum participants will be informed about the preparations carried out regarding the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), the fight against the impacts of climate change at the country level, as well as the sustainable approach in the restoration and reconstruction works implemented in the liberated areas. The Forum, which will be attended by more than 150 foreign guests from about 50 countries, including news agencies of 30 countries, 3 international organizations and 82 media entities, will provide a platform for joint discussions and action for the participants. The 1st Shusha Global Media Forum was held on July 21-23 last year. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the opening ceremony of the 1st Media Forum on New Media in the Era of the 4th Industrial Revolution. The head of state addressed the opening ceremony and answered questions. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. A mine incident occurred in Azerbaijan's Kalbajar, three people were injured, the Prosecutor General's Office of, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Defense and the Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) said, Trend reports. Thus, on July 19, a mine incident occurred in the area of the village of Agdaban, Kalbajar region, in an area that had not been cleared of mines. As a result of the incident, Huseynov Khalifa, born 1969, was blown up by an anti-personnel mine and received injuries, and Mamedov Samandar Aligama oglu, born 1978, who was moving behind him, received shrapnel wounds as a result of the explosion of this mine Garashov Rakhim, born 1976, who later went to help them at the scene of the incident, received injuries of varying severity as a result of the explosion of the second mine. An investigation into this fact is underway at the Kalbajar district prosecutor's office. Israel has claimed that the successor to slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has likely been "eliminated," while U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called Tehran the greatest adversary of the United States. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on October 8 said that Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon, was an "organization without a head." "Nasrallah was eliminated -- his replacement was probably also eliminated," Gallant told officers at the military's northern command center without providing details. "There's no one to make decisions, no one to act," he added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later echoed those comments, saying, "We've degraded Hezbollah's capabilities." "We took out thousands of terrorists, including Nasrallah himself and Nasrallah's replacement, and the replacement of the replacement," Netanyahu said. Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollahs political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament. Hashem Safieddine, a top Hezbollah official and a cousin of Nasrallah, was widely expected to be named to the group's top position, but his whereabouts and condition are a mystery since an Israeli strike hit a suspected Hezbollah leadership meeting on October 2. Hezbollah has not commented on Safieddine's fate, although unidentified members have told various media that the group had lost contact with him since the attack. Safieddine has been declared a global terrorist by the United States. Meanwhile, Harris told CBS TV's 60 Minutes program in an interview that she considered Iran to be the greatest adversary of the United States. "Iran has American blood on their hands," she said. "And what we saw in terms of just this attack on Israel, 200 ballistic missiles, what we need to do to ensure that Iran never achieves the ability to be a nuclear power -- that is one of my highest priorities." Harris -- the Democratic presidential nominee who will face Republican Donald Trump in the November 5 election -- declined to speculate on whether the United States would take military action itself should proof be uncovered that Iran is building a nuclear weapon. Tehran has denied it is building such weapons and says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes. The comments came as the battered and bloodied leadership of Hezbollah suggested it might be ready to negotiate a cease-fire with Israel Deputy leader Naim Qassem, in a televised speech, for the first time did not suggest that ending the war in Gaza was a precondition to reaching a truce with Israel in Lebanon. Qassem said the group backed an effort by Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah, to reach a deal to halt the fighting. Late on October 8, the Syrian government said that seven civilians were killed in an Israeli air strike in Damascus. A war monitor said the strike targeted a building used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah. Israel did not immediately comment and the reports could not be verified. The Israeli military said earlier on October 8 that it had killed another senior Hezbollah commander, a day after marking the somber anniversary of a Hamas attack on Israel that killed some 1,200 people. Suhail Husseini, who was responsible for overseeing the logistics, budget, and management of Hezbollah, was killed in a targeted attack on October 7, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement. "Husseini played a crucial role in weapon transfers between Iran and Hezbollah," the statement said, adding that he was also in charge of distributing advanced weapons to the group's members and for its "most sensitive projects" that included operations against Israel. The IDF said Husseini was also a member of the Jihad Council, the supreme military body of Hezbollah. There was no immediate confirmation from Hezbollah. The Israeli announcement came after Palestinian militants in Gaza fired a barrage of rockets on October 7 into Israel, where President Isaac Herzog led a national moment of silence to mark the start of last year's Hamas attack, which started at Kibbutz Reim in the south of the country. Hamas has been designated a terrorist organization by both the United States and the European Union. In Washington on October 7, President Joe Biden condemned Hamas on the anniversary, while also stating again the U.S. administration's commitment to reaching cease-fire agreements to end fighting in both Gaza and Lebanon. "On this solemn anniversary, let us bear witness to the unspeakable brutality of the October 7 attacks but also to the beauty of the lives that were stolen that day," Biden said in a statement. In Jerusalem, relatives of the some 100 hostages still in Hamas captivity, out of a total of 250, gathered outside Netanyahu's residence and stood in silence as a siren wailed in a gesture of protest against what relatives say is the failure of the government to secure their loved ones' release. The conflict in Gaza is still raging while Israel is now fighting on a second front in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah. Following the October 7 attack, Israel launched a military assault on Gaza that has killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas. Some 90 percent of the population of Gaza has been displaced and large areas have been destroyed by Israeli bombardments. The Israeli military said on October 7 that over the past year it has bombed more than 40,000 targets in Gaza, found 4,700 tunnel shafts and destroyed 1,000 rocket launcher sites. Israel in recent weeks has been carrying out air strikes across Lebanon, including Beirut, and has staged a ground invasion into south Lebanon in its drive to wipe out Hezbollah's capabilities and leadership. In the attacks, Israel killed Hezbollah leader Nasrallah and dozens of other leaders of the group. On October 6, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters that Ismail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force -- the overseas arm of the IRGC -- had also not been heard from in recent days since traveling to Lebanon. Tel Avivs campaign against Hezbollah prompted Iran to respond by attacking Israel with a large wave of rockets that were largely shot down by Israeli air defenses without causing substantial damage, but the attack renewed fears of a larger regional conflict. Gallant on October 6 threatened Iran that it might eventually find itself looking like Beirut or Gaza -- which has also been battered over the past year -- if Tehran attempts to further harm Israel. With reporting by CBS and AP One year ago, Hamas -- the U.S.- and EU-designated Palestinian terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip -- carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel, the deadliest in the countrys history. In response, Israel launched an aerial bombardment and ground invasion of the Palestinian enclave to destroy Hamas and rescue the 251 hostages taken by the group. Israel has expanded its war in recent weeks by invading Lebanon and launching air strikes targeting Hezbollah, the armed group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon. RFE/RL spoke to Lior Yohanani, manager of quantitative research at the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem-based independent research center, which on October 7 released a wide-ranging survey of Israeli public opinion after one year of war. RFE/RL: Can you explain what your study found as to how Israelis view the past year since Hamas's October 7 attack? Lior Yohanani: Well, I think Israelis still don't see October 7 as an event that's over. Sure, the actual horrific events of that day ended, but Israelis are still living with the consequences. There are two main aspects to this. First, since October 7, Israel has been in this multifront war that doesn't seem to have an end in sight. And then, of course, there is the issue of the hostages still being held in Gaza. So, we're seeing a sharp drop in people's sense of personal security. Almost three quarters of the public feel less safe compared to before October 7, and that's despite a year of war and some significant military achievements. On the flip side, we're also seeing that most people say their lives have returned to normal when it comes to things like work, media consumption, and family and social gatherings. Another thing we're noticing is that the Israeli public is giving pretty low marks to all the political and military leaders for the performance since October 7. For example, almost two-thirds of Israelis are rating Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu's performance since then as poor or not good. RFE/RL: How has Israel's involvement in a two-front conflict, in both Gaza and Lebanon, as well as a confrontation with Iran affected public opinion among Israelis? Yohanani: It's tough to answer that question, because we're at the point where things could go in a few different directions. In the last few weeks, we've seen a major escalation in the conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and just last week, Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel, which Israel is expected to respond to. In a survey we just did recently, we asked whether Israeli society and the military could handle fighting on two or more fronts for an extended period of time, and the results were pretty striking. Over 70 percent believe that yes, both Israeli society and the military can handle that kind of prolonged fighting. So, while the situation is complex and evolving, there seems to be a strong sense of resilience and capability among Israelis, even in the face of these multiple threats. But of course, public opinion could shift depending on how events unfold in the coming weeks or months. RFE/RL: Is there support for Netanyahus response to October 7? Is there debate in Israeli society, as well as political circles, over Netanyahus strategic choices? Yohanani: First of all, it's important to say that the Israeli public has largely supported significant military operation against Hamas in Gaza. That said, the Israeli discourse around the October 7 events, the ongoing war, and especially toward Prime Minister Netanyahu, is very polarized between right-wing supporters on the one hand and left and center supporters on the other. People are hoping for a future where Israel can exist without constant threats, rather than expecting a harmonious relationship with its neighbors in the near-term." So, on the left and the center, there is a high level of distrust and suspicion toward Netanyahu and his government. For instance, Netanyahu's apparent reluctance to pursue a deal for returning the hostages in exchange for ending the fighting in Gaza is seen by large parts of the public, even on the right, as resulting from Netanyahu's dependence on far-right, ultranationalist members of his government who refuse any compromise or ceasefire. Now for a long time, Netanyahu and his ministers argued that only significant military force would lead Hamas to compromise and release the hostages. Now, with military attention and resources shifting to the north, people are asking, where is this massive military force that was supposed to bring the hostages home? One question we have asked several times since October 7 in our polls is what should be the main goal in Gaza: Dismantling Hamas or bringing back the hostages? And as time goes on, public opinion is increasingly supporting the return of hostages. In our current survey, 62 percent saw bringing the bringing back the hostages as Israel's main goal, while only 29 percent pointed to dismantling Hamas as the primary objective. RFE/RL: How do ordinary Israelis see the question of the remaining hostages amid the continued protests by the hostages' families? Yohanani: As I mentioned before, most of the public supports a deal to release the hostages, even if it means ending the war and withdrawing the military forces from Gaza. There's this widespread feeling that we've left the hostages behind, and that's really hitting at our sense of solidarity, which is a deep and fundamental value, I think, in Jewish history in general and in Israel society in particular. At the same time, the campaign run by the Hostages And Missing Families Forum has become very politicized. Many right-wing supporters see it as weakening Israel. As time goes on, we're seeing more and more harassment of protesters who support bringing the hostages back. There are cases of passersby cursing, even hitting and throwing eggs, at hostages' families. In our latest survey, we asked about the effectiveness of the protests and actions taken by the hostages' families. Despite most of the public feeling empathetic toward the hostage issue, only less than a third think these actions are actually helping to advance a deal for the hostages' release, while almost 40 percent think they're actually hurting the cause. So, you've got this complex situation where people want the hostages back, but there is disagreement and some backlash about how to make that happen. RFE/RL: Can you explain the reasons behind the apparent contradiction in views regarding prioritizing a negotiated return of the hostages, or destroying Hamas? Yohanani: You're right to point out that apparent contradiction. Let me break it down a bit. As I mentioned earlier, a clear majority of the public sees a deal to release the hostages as the main goal. But there is a big gap between political camps on this issue. In the center and left, about 80 percent support the deal for the hostages' release, while the opinions on the right are evenly split. So, for most of the left and center, the fighting in Gaza has run its course. They feel most military objectives have been achieved, and Hamas's military power has been significantly weakened. From their perspective, continuing the fight now only puts the hostages at greater risk. It's important to know that about half of the right-wing also shares this view of prioritizing the hostages' release, but the other half of those on the far-right thinks dismantling Hamas is more important. Why? For a couple of reasons. First, there's a security stance that Hamas must be wiped out and not allowed to recover. There is also a very strong sentiment of revenge, with minimal consideration for the cost, whether it's the lives of the hostages, soldiers, let alone innocent civilians in Gaza. Another significant component openly discussed in religious nationalist circles is the return of Jewish settlement to the Gaza Strip after Israel evacuated Jewish settlements from there in 2005. RFE/RL: Is there public confidence that Israel will ultimately be able to remove the threat of Hamas and Hezbollah and come out of this conflict with greater prospects for a peaceful and stable near-term future? Yohanani: Right now, the Israeli public isn't showing a lot of optimism. In our current survey, when we asked people if they're optimistic or pessimistic about Israel's future, we found more pessimists, 48 percent, than optimists, 45 percent. I also think it's important to note that a peaceful future, as you put it, or peace in general, isn't really a common concept in the current Israeli discourse. I would say the hope of Israelis is that the military actions against Hezbollah and Iran will lead to a situation where Israel's existence isn't in question, and that Israeli military superiority will prevent events like October 7 from happening again. So, it's less about peace in the traditional sense, and more about security and deterrence. People are hoping for a future where Israel can exist without constant threats, rather than expecting a harmonious relationship with its neighbors in the near-term. ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- At the recent "Dirty Mic" night at the Central Almaty Stand Up club, the change in atmosphere was hard not to notice. As spectators filtered into the venue, club staff issued warnings about the use of profanity and harsh language on stage and informed them that "comics do not have the goal of offending anyone." The host of the July 11 event, comic Duman Beisen, reminded the audience of these terms and conditions repeatedly before the comedians began their acts and in some cases during them. He implored spectators not to film or record the comics and warned that anybody who found the jokes offensive was free to leave. "If you so much as look at your telephones to check a text, I may get nervous," Beisen joked. Spectators are traditionally encouraged not to film such events. But since the second half of May, Kazakhstan's stand-up circuit has been understandably on edge. That was when a comic well-known for his political jokes, Nuraskhan Basqozhaev, was arrested and sentenced to 15 days in administrative detention just weeks after his act in the same venue landed him in trouble. In the period since then, both Basqozhaev and the Central Almaty Stand Up club have faced anonymous threats, raising questions about where the growing comedy scene can go from here. 'Might Negatively Affect The Youth' Basqozhaev's problems began after a prominent Kazakh model, Madina Mamadalieva (Madlen), took offense at a sexist joke that seemed to imply that she was quite literally at the beck and call of corrupt government officials. "You go on f***ing stealing cash and f***k off to Dubai, order [yourselves] bloggers like Madlen while you watch how the whole north of Kazakhstan is drowning," Basqozhaev vented, at a time when several Kazakh provinces were badly affected by flooding. "There should be a punchline here but I haven't thought of it yet," the comic added. Mamadalieva promptly made her displeasure at the joke known on Instagram, where she has some 2 million followers, and promised to take legal action against Basqozhaev. Public apologies from Basqozhaev and Central Almaty Stand Up followed, and Mamadalieva declared the matter settled. But on May 23, Basqozhaev was summoned by the police and asked to provide a written explanation of his words. He was subsequently detained on charges of "minor hooliganism." An Almaty court then ruled against him, charging that the comedian's statements "resonated widely in the society and might negatively affect the youth." The administration of Central Almaty Stand Up, whose director is Basqozhaev's wife, Aigerim Inayat, stated that it considered the arrest "persecution of speech." Beisen, the host of the July 11 comedy night, went further. He told RFE/RL's Kazakh Service that he considered the punishment less to do with Basqozhaev's standoff with Madlen and more to do with the politically sensitive jokes by the club's comics that target Kazakhstan's political leadership. There have been plenty of those, said Beisen, who confirmed that men introducing themselves as representatives of the security services had made contact with Central Almaty Stand Up in the past. 'Today It's 15 Days, Tomorrow It's 15 Years' Beisen did not specify what was in their requests. But in one of his jokes, showcased on the Central Stand Up club's YouTube channel in April, it is notable that President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev's name is censored out. The moment comes as the comic compares political regimes to washing-machine cycles -- known as "regimes" in Russian. "Then along came [censored]. He promised us a more delicate wash but he pulled out the automatic [guns]," Beisen told his audience, who responded with gasps and laughter. That could be interpreted as a reference to Kazakhstan's January 2022 unrest, which left at least 238 people dead and is a highly sensitive topic for the administration of Toqaev, who issued a "shoot to kill" order to troops during the peak of the demonstrations. One of Basqozhayev's jokes, in turn, touched on apparently leaked footage of the torture in jail of activist Timur Danebaev, who attempted to sue Toqaev in connection with the president's infamous assertion that "20,000 terrorists" had attacked Almaty during the unrest. "Personally, I took this as a signal to people to shut the f**k up," Basqozhaev said at the time. Was Basqozhaev's arrest a similar signal? "Today it's Nurashkhan, tomorrow it's me or any other comedian. Today it is 15 days, tomorrow it is 15 years because of a joke," Zarina Baibolova, a comedian from Astana, wrote on Instagram after her colleague's arrest. "Sitting [in jail] because of a joke, even a very bad one, is something very North Korean," she added. Stand-up comedy is on the rise in both of Kazakhstan's two largest cities, albeit from a low starting point and after a pandemic-era hiatus that dealt a blow to its early development. As the scene has become more popular, more and more comics have ventured into the sticky territory of politics. The beginning of Toqaev's presidency in 2019 hinted at a more relaxed brand of authoritarianism than that espoused by his long-ruling predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbaev. But recent years have provided a reality check. Would-be opposition party heads and journalists have been sentenced or are facing sentences for serious crimes in contested cases. Public demonstrations, meanwhile, are as difficult to stage as ever, despite Toqaev hailing changes to the legislation governing them. Can the stand-up scene withstand any further pressure? A number of comics contacted for interviews by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service this month refused. Others agreed at first before having second thoughts. This is a sign that "fear has won" after the first arrest to hit the scene, according to Assem Zhapisheva, a journalist, screenwriter, and regular attendee of stand-up nights. "But this didn't begin with [comics]," Zhapisheva told RFE/RL. After Bloody January "forbidden topics and forbidden names have returned, just as was the case during the Nazarbaev era. If something happens in the country, then many major media outlets either do not write about it or write about it the way [the authorities] need them to." Before the war, the majority of overland trade between China and the European Union traveled along Russias vast rail network to connect two of the worlds largest markets. This better-developed northern route gave cargo companies a predictable, affordable trade network. As a result, Russian trains became the main mode of transport for China-EU overland trade. But Russias invasion changed that, as cargo companies had to navigate sanctions and find new trade routes linking Europe and China that bypassed Russia. Transit between Europe and Asia is becoming more complicated and more expensive by the day, Romana Vlahutin, a German Marshall Fund fellow and former EU ambassador-at-large for connectivity, told RFE/RL. Thus the Ukraine war breathed new life into the Middle Corridor after it had been avoided for years due to rising costs, border issues, and a lack of quality infrastructure. The Middle Corridor would be the shortest multimodal corridor, and there is a genuine interest from the Central Asian states to have more robust and much closer links with the EU, said Vlahutin. Enticed by the mega-routes potential, cargo traveling along the Middle Corridor skyrocketed from 350,000 tons in 2020 to 3.2 million tons in 2022. According to a World Bank study released in late 2023, trade volume on the Middle Corridor could triple by 2030, reaching 11 million tons. But the Middle Corridors limitations -- ranging from a lack of infrastructure to soaring wait times in ports and at border crossings -- still need to be overcome. Much will depend on how China perceives the Middle Corridor, Emil Avdaliani, international relations professor at the European University in Tbilisi, told RFE/RL. Without Chinese cargo, there will be little incentive to expand the route. The EU has also moved to further develop infrastructure in Central Asia and the Caucasus; other countries have sensed opportunity, with billions of euros in new investments. Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Kazakhstan agreed to set up a body that would accelerate development, and they are working to improve coordination and lower trade barriers. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route has the potential to handle more land-based between Europe and Asia, Peter Stano, Lead spokesperson for foreign affairs and security policy at the European Commission, told Trend in an exclusive interview. Drawing from Europe's extensive experience, he stressed the importance of a regional approach in developing transport connections to ensure sustainable economic growth. "Our experience in Europe tells us that developing transport connections must be based on a regional approach if they are to contribute to sustainable economic development". The Central Trans-Caspian corridor, according to Stano, holds significant potential for boosting land-based trade between Europe and Asia. "The corridor has the potential to handle more land-based trade between Europe and Asia, once bottlenecks, capacity shortages, and other connectivity issues, including soft connectivity, are adequately addressed". Further speaking, the Commission's spokesperson added that, as part of the EU's Global Gateway initiative, a study on sustainable transport corridors was financed, focusing on connecting the extended Trans-European Transport Network with the five countries of Central Asia. "This comprehensive study, published in June 2023, laid the groundwork for enhancing the operational efficiency and economic attractiveness of the Central Trans-Caspian Network, encompassing major production and population centers in Central Asia". "The diversification of trade routes has been on the table for quite some time," Stano explained, noting that, following Russia-Ukraine war, there is an increased urgency to identify alternative, reliable, and efficient trade routes between Europe and Asia that do not pass through Russia. In this regard, the EU wants to be 'a reliable and predictable partner in a rapidly changing world'. The importance of transport connectivity was a key topic at the EU-Central Asia Ministerial held on 23 October 2023 in Luxembourg. Stano highlighted that the conversation continued from a successful conference on connectivity in Samarkand in November 2022. The Global Gateway Forum in Brussels on 25-26 October 2023 further demonstrated the EU's strong commitment to transport connectivity. "These events underscored our dedication to developing a robust transport network," he noted. The momentum carried into the Investors Forum on 29-30 January 2024, where private businesses and International Financial Institutions discussed operational steps for implementing the Study's findings. "Our engagement with the private sector and financial institutions is crucial for translating our strategic plans into tangible results," Stano emphasized. On 12 June 2024, the EU launched a Coordination Platform in Astana to monitor progress and facilitate cooperation on the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. "This platform is a pivotal step in ensuring continuous collaboration and progress," Stano said. He also announced that by the end of the year, the EU will adopt a Prosperity Programme aimed at enhancing cross-border coordination and interoperability across Central Asian countries, fostering business connectivity along this strategic corridor. By addressing key infrastructure and connectivity challenges, the EU aims to create a robust and sustainable transport network that will drive economic growth and regional stability in Central Asia. "We are committed to making this vision a reality and look forward to continued collaboration with our partners in Central Asia," Stano concluded. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. Turkmenistan has exported large volumes of oil products to EU countries over the past five years, a source at Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, told Trend. According to the data, the list of products exported by Turkmenistan to EU countries during the specified period included mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials. Turkmenistan's exports of oil products to the EU last year amounted to 1.05 billion euros, which is more than three times more than in 2019, when it amounted to 333.97 million euros. Furthermore, the largest volume of exports of oil products by Turkmenistan to the EU countries also occurred last year. Meanwhile, from January through March of this year, Turkmenistan exported oil products to the EU countries totaling more than 107.2 million euros. Householders in the Cloonfad area being left without water again this morning has been described as an intolerable situation by a local councillor. Fianna Fail councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice has expressed his frustration that a troublesome local mains is again the cause of yet another water outage in the general Cloonfad area. The latest outage happened some time during the early hours of Friday morning. Cllr Fitzmaurice said there was a local team from Uisce Eireann (formerly Irish Water) currently investigating the problem but that it could be several hours before the water will be back on. The people in the greater Cloonfad area have suffered greatly over the last three years with multiple amounts of bursts on the mains between Granlahan and Lowberry, said Cllr Fitzmaurice. There is no water again in the Cloonfad greater area following a water outage sometime during the night. He said the mains had clearly gone past its sell-by-date for some time and should have been replaced a long time ago. I will be contacting Irish Water again this morning regarding this intolerable issue for these people, they've suffered greatly, he said. The councillor pointed out that on average, water outage for any population would be once per year, but the Cloonfad community had suffered at times anything up to 10 outages per year. This has greatly inconvenienced people with water out for up to a day at a time. The local team from Irish Water have done great work over the years trying to patch up a totally inferior water mains. I have made numerous requests to Irish Water for the mains to be replaced as I would estimate at this stage there has been up to 30 bursts on this particular mains, he said. The Roscommon Herald is also awaiting a response on the matter form Uisce Eireann. Boyle Municipal District councillors today paid tributes at their monthly meeting (Friday) to Pat McCrann, who died in a tragic accident on his farm near Frenchpark on Thursday evening. A number of councillors personally knew the 50-year-old businessman who ran a very successful tyre business in Portahard, Frenchpark. Leading the tributes at todays Boyle Municipal meeting, Fine Gael councillor Liam Callaghan said there was widespread grief and shock at the sad news that Mr Crann had passed away following the accident. Pat was a very hardworking and successful businessman, dedicated to his job and very loyal to his customers and the local community. His family are highly regarded and respected in the Frenchpark/Sheepwalk area. Indeed I heard a story today where a lorry driver had a problem in Spain and when he rang Pat, he got somebody out there to look after him as well. No job was too big or too small for him, said Cllr Callaghan. The councillor continued: He had the same respect for a man who came in with a wheel for a wheelbarrow as a man with a forty foot truck. He treated everyone the same. I knew Pat personally and the family very well. I extend my sympathies to his father and mother and all of his family." Independent councillor Micheal Frain, who also knew the mans family, described Mr McCranns death as a terrible tragedy for the whole area. Pat was a well respected person from a well-known family. Its a terrible incident and a tragic day for the area, for the region and all the connections that family has around the region. "He was a good entrepreneur and successful businessman, who was always very obliging and never left anybody stuck, said Cllr Frain. Fianna Fail councillor Sean Moylan, who was previously involved in the haulage business, said he and his family would have dealt with Mr Crann through his tyre business for many years. Pat was an extremely hard worker and extremely helpful person who would never see anyone stuck if you were broke down. He was a really, decent, pleasant man, said Cllr Moylan. The councillor recalled a time when Mr McCrann came to his assistance one night when his vehicle was broken down outside Birr in Offaly. Pat will be sadly missed not only by his family and friends and people around the location, but the people in his business, he said. Councillors Valerie Byrne IND), Tom Crosby (IND) and Leah Cull (SF) also extended their condolences to the McCrann family. Mr McCrann will be sadly missed and remembered with love by his heartbroken family, his parents Pat and Ann, brothers Brian, Kevin and Eamon, sister-in-law Joan, Eamons partner Sinead, niece Liona, nephew Ronan, uncles, aunts, cousins, extended family, neighbours and many friends. Funeral details will be announced later. Uisce Eireann has apologised for disruption caused to water supplies in the general Cloonfad area by a burst water main. Many householders have been left without water since early morning. A spokesperson for Uisce Eireann, formerly known as Irish Water, told the Roscommon Herald that crews are on the ground working to restore normal water supply as quickly as possible to impacted customers on the Ballinlough/Loughglynn public water supply. The spokesperson said that repairs to a burst water main may cause supply disruptions to some customers in Cloonfad and surrounding areas today. Repair works are scheduled to take place until 4 p.m. this evening, Friday, July 19. Uisce Eireann recommends that customers allow two to three hours after the estimated restoration time for your supply to fully return. The areas affected include townlands west of Lowberry Cross including Meeltraun, Cloonfad village, 100 Acres, Clogher Upper, Derrylahan, Cornabanny, Swinefield, Fiddauns, Gorteenacammadil, Tonlegee ( in Mayo), Culkeen, Pollanalty, Ballinross, Mountdelvin, Moigh and surrounding areas. We understand how disruptive bursts are and we regret the inconvenience caused. We would like to thank impacted customers for their patience while we work on repairs and restore the water supply as quickly as possible. Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Eireann receive direct communications from us for planned and unplanned outages lasting more than four hours, said the spokesperson. Earlier, local councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice described the ongoing issue of water outages in the area as intolerable for local people. The Uisce Eireann customer care helpline is open 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact the company on X @IWCare with any queries. For updates, people are advised to visit the Supply and Service Updates section of the company's website. By David Young, PA The Taoiseach has proposed the creation of a new government department to oversee major infrastructure projects in Ireland. Simon Harris indicated that setting up of a Department of Infrastructure would be a Fine Gael manifesto pledge for the general election. In a speech to the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, Mr Harris highlighted that the work of planning and delivering capital projects was currently spread across government departments. He said he wanted to centralise those functions into one dedicated department. Mr Harris said the Government needed to step up and deliver when it comes to infrastructure projects of all sizes. Many people dont hear about the many, many projects that get done on time and under budget. We have lots of them, but we also need to do better when it comes to large-scale infrastructure projects, he said. Our countrys characterised by an infrastructural deficit in energy generation, health, education, transport and, of course, in housing. We use modern infrastructure to combat climate change, to house migrants, help to lower the cost of living for the average person, to provide for people when theyre sick. You name the area, any area in this country or any part of our country, and we probably need to build something to help fix that area. Right now, lets be honest, the work of planning, procuring, producing and promoting capital spending happens all over government. Roads are done by the Department of Transport, houses by the Department of Housing, hospitals by the Department of Health and the HSE, schools by the Department of Education. You get the idea. I believe now we need to take a very, very serious look at how we consider all of that impact of capital spending. Were ramping up capital spending like never before and I do believe now is the time in the next government to give serious consideration to a new Department of Infrastructure. Taoiseach Simon Harris (PA) Before becoming Taoiseach, Mr Harris led the Department for Further and Higher Education, which was created in 2020. I know what its like to set up a new government department, he told the audience in Co Donegal. I know the energy, the impetus and the focus that it can bring to a sector, not because of the minister of the day, but actually when you bring a team of people together, 200-300 people, and their sole job is the delivery of a specific mission it can apply a focus that maybe can be lacking at times otherwise. Consider the problems of 2025 as we move ahead: climate, energy, water, housing, health, education, all challenges, all of which require infrastructural solutions as well as reform, and all of them I believe can be advanced by having dedicated leads in the public service whose role is to prosecute the delivery of these projects large and small for our state. Mr Harris said the change was necessary. And I intend to ask the Irish people for a mandate on this in the next general election as well, he said. The Taoiseach continued: Outside consultants expertise is always valued, of course it is, but allied to internal expertise in project design, management and delivery that will help us see a step change in output. I think a new Department of Infrastructure could be another pragmatic step towards creating a new Ireland. He cited other countries that have infrastructure departments, including Australia, Canada and the Netherlands. Mr Harris also pointed north of the border to Stormonts Department for Infrastructure. There is a need to unify the provision of infrastructure and theres a need for government to more humbly listen to those who are responsible for the delivery of infrastructure in terms of how we cut red tape and in terms of how we speed up the delivery of projects that now take far, far too long, he added. The increasingly sophisticated information warfare The tools used in information warfare are becoming more sophisticated by the day, says professor Iulian Chifu The increasingly sophisticated information warfare Corina Cristea, 19.07.2024, 14:00 We are living in a tectonic context, on top of which there is also an election year. The conflict near us forces us to take preventive measures in the event of an inappropriate development. This is what university professor Iulian Chifu, an expert in security and international relations, believes. He made for Radio Romania an analysis of the geostrategic context and spoke about information warfare. Because wars are no longer fought only on the classical battle front, physically, but increasingly at information level, the confrontations of modern armies taking place predominantly by using intelligence and human psychology. A component of the hybrid war, but also an independent instrument, information warfare means the creation of alternative realities by perverting the objective truth, based on data, facts and concrete arguments, twisting it, by using a combination of elements, facts and pieces of truths selected, interpreted, combined with reasonings altered by the use of syllogisms, sophistry, propaganda, forced interpretation, everything covered with a multitude of lies explained professor Iulian Chifu some time ago, in an analysis carried out for the newspaper Adevarul, The main objective of the information warfare is to determine, control or at least alter strategic decision, foreign policy, security and defense, to pervert or hinder the instruments intended for the military component of a state, and the instruments used, the analyst also says, are a combination of narratives, alternative ideas, planting doubts, promoting and credibly validating lies that enter the subconscious as perceptions of the truth, exaggerated and directed interpretations, manipulation, disinformation. Are Romanians prepared for such wars? University professor Iulian Chifu: We made an assessment, relatively recently, of the information warfare situation. First of all, it must be said very clearly that this debate about fake news, about forgeries, about distortions, disinformation in the public environment has mattered enormously. An average Romanian knows very well and can very well react to this type of influence, they are suspicious, they know it could be fake, they check twice where the news comes from, they ask questions. And this is the average Romanian. Because the current social media public space tells us that there are two components. First, that there is an audience for the most horrible of lies, the most obvious, and that has an audience. The second is that anyone, even the best prepared individual, can be a victim of fake news, even more, with their own legitimacy they can multiply it, considering it to be true. Why? Because the information space has become so rich that you dont have time to check every element that you read, that passed before your eyes, that you learned about in different contexts and you tend to do this multiplication. Information warfare uses three distinct levels of action, explained Iulian Chifu the first component relates to the alteration of the public space of a target, involving in the media area, the Internet and social media, but also at other, more subtle levels, an injection of propaganda, manipulation and disinformation, which is hard to prove. The second element, lobbying, PR, if its a company or a personality or public diplomacy, if we are talking about a state. Here sums of money are used for credible people to defend the theses proposed by the one who pays with the aim of influencing the decision-makers through ideas launched in the public space.The third level is related to elaborate psychological operations, and here the spread information matters, but especially the effect created by the information at the level of the target audience, namely the birth and creation or accentuation of fears, the creation of collective emotions, the preparation of the public to react to future events in a previously directed, prepared and controlled formula. But how advanced information warfare is? Professor Iulian Chifu has an answer: We have already reached the sixth generation of information warfare. The first three addressed groups, in an unrefined manner, but the last three are already targeted individually, according to typologies, preferences, matters prepared in advance. The last two, the fifth and sixth generations, already relate to cognition, to knowledge, to values, to fundamental things. The fifth generation, for example, has the ability to make an individual no longer believe what they feel, see or hear, and they end not trusting the direct perception of their own senses. The sixth generation is famous for hacking the minds, that is, breaking minds, entering the thinking mechanisms, altering or directing an individuals thinking. Here the targets are individual, the constructions are individual. Of course, the sixth generation is only formulated in theory. Putin asked his Intelligence structures in early 2022 to create a weapon in this direction, and the thinker Yuval Harari claims that it already exists. We have no data as of yet that such an operational tool exists, but it must be said that the tools used in information warfare are becoming more and more sophisticated and that our ability to discern and deal with when we become targets is diminishing. However, the world has invented reaction formulas, explains security and international relations expert Iulian Chifu. We too have a security area in Romania and thats where the intelligence services work with the necessary tools. July 19, 2024 UPDATE Click here for the latest news from RRI Newsflash Newsroom, 19.07.2024, 20:01 Energy The government is preparing a plan of immediate and medium-term measures to cover the electricity consumption needs of both citizens and companies, regardless of the weather conditions, the Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Friday, at the end of the meeting of the Energy Command team. The immediate measures, as stated in the Governments press release, include, among other things, the increase in energy production and the identification of a standard format for the conveyance/communication of electricity measurement data between distributors and suppliers. At the same time, the National Energy Regulatory Authority has announced that it will analyze the pricing mechanism in order to protect the final consumer from market fluctuations. Recently, the national energy system has been under pressure due to the heat wave. There have been problems with covering the energy needs, and the distribution infrastructure causes concern, as it is overloaded during periods of high temperatures, when electricity consumption is much higher than in normal periods. Meeting At the 4th meeting of the European Political Community, held in Great Britain, Romanias President, Klaus Iohannis, pleaded for cooperation in the field of energy and for the continuation of the support given to Ukraine invaded by the Russian troops, the Presidential Administration in Bucharest announced. The Romanian president stressed that the efforts to strengthen cooperation in the field of energy and connectivity are essential goals for strengthening national and European resilience, in a context marked by the challenge of managing climate change, but also by developments such as those in Ukraine, which reconfirmed the need for action to limit strategic dependencies. A meeting of the leaders from Romania, Great Britain, Poland, France and Germany with the pro-European president of the Republic of Moldova (an ex-Soviet state with a majority Romanian-speaking population) Maia Sandu was held on the sidelines of the event. The Western partners have reiterated their determination to continue supporting the Republic of Moldova reach its goals of peace, prosperity and democracy, the quoted source said. IT outage Numerous banks, media institutions, airports, transports, hospitals and other activities are still affected by the consequences of what is called the largest IT outage in history, produced this morning. Microsoft has suggested that multiple shutdowns and restarts of operating systems, even up to 15, would be required as an effective troubleshooting step. CrowdStrike, the cyber security company largely responsible for the outage, explained that some systems do not restore themselves automatically, but promised that it made it its mission to ensure that every customer would fully restore their systems. However, the impact of cyber security interruptions will affect some applications and consequently the activity of many companies for days. In Great Britain, for example, the Government held an emergency meeting to analyze methods of managing the problems caused by the IT outage that affected airports, banks, the health system, television channels and others. Key sectors of daily life, including health services and public transport, were also affected in Denmark, Germany, Sweden and Norway. Even the 911 emergency system went down in the United States. The first to report problems were airports all over the world, including Romania, where, at the Henri Coanda International Airport, several flights were delayed, and the online booking and check-in at some operators were not available. Out of the 110,000 commercial flights scheduled for Friday around the world, 1,390 have been canceled by midday, according to Cirium aviation analysis company, quoted by the BBC. Passengers are advised to inform themselves before leaving for the airport. Fires The number of wildfires in Romania in June this year was almost three times higher than in the same period of last year, the National Agency for Environmental Protection announced. Despite the measures taken by the authorities and the checks carried out, in the first six months of the year there have already been 60 fires, while throughout 2023 there were 82 such incidents. The fire affected not only stubble fields and agricultural land, but also protected areas, such as national parks. According to the relevant Agency, stubble burning causes a reduction in agricultural harvests by 25-35%. Burning releases very large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which are some of the main causes of acid rain. Also, fires cause casualties among animals and birds in the affected perimeters. Aid The European Commission has approved an amendment to an existing aid scheme notified by Romania, including an increase in the total budget by 54.4 million Euros to support tomato producers in protected spaces, such as greenhouses, and garlic producers. The Commission concluded that the measure requested by the Romanian government is necessary, adequate and proportionate to remedy a serious disruption of the economy of a member state, in accordance with European legislation. Brussels decision comes in the context of the war waged by Russia against Ukraine and against the backdrop of the temporary crisis framework for state aid, the EC stated. July 20 The Day of Romanian Aviation and Air Forces is celebrated on Saturday, July 20, when the Orthodox calendar celebrates the Holy Prophet Elijah the spiritual protector of aviators. A military ceremony and an air show will take place on Saturday morning at the Air Heroes Monument in Aviatorilor Square in Bucharest, when aircraft such as F-16, F-18 or Black Hawk will fly over the capital of Romania. (LS) Ursula von der Leyen, re-elected Germanys Ursula von der Leyen has been re-elected as president of the European Commission for the next 5 years, while Roberta Metsola of Malta was re-elected as head the European Parliament. Ursula von der Leyen (Credits: Alexis HAULOT / European Union 2024 - Source : EP) Mihai Pelin, 19.07.2024, 14:00 The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has been confirmed at the helm of the European Commission for the next 5 years, after she was voted, on Thursdays first session of the new European Parliament since the June election. The support for von der Leyen was even greater compared to her first term, although right-wing and left-wing opposition forces have consolidated their presence in the community bloc. Her candidacy was dealt a major blow, analysts say, after an EU Court of Justice ruled, a day before the election, that Ursula von der Leyen had not been transparent enough with the public about pandemic contracts for the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines. However, everything turned out well at the end of intense negotiations that took place until the very morning of the voting day, according to some political sources. Ursula von der Leyen received 401 votes although she needed half plus one of the total of 720. In her speech in Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen pleaded for a strong Europe and promised to make industry and defense her priorities. The president of the European Commission reconfirmed the continuation of support for Ukraine in all forms and condemned the actions of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban that could have weakened the Union, after his recent visit to Moscow, in the context in which Hungary holds the EU Council presidency. According to the EPP, Ursula von der Leyens party of origin, the pro-European, pro-Ukraine and pro-rule of law majority in the European Parliament reflects the reality of European society. Ursula von der Leyens agenda targets both right-wing and left-wing policies, managing to respond to most of the citizens requests. The Social Democrats, the second largest group in Parliament, supported von der Leyen after her program included social and agricultural policies. Renew, the third-largest group in the coalition, gave von the Leyen less votes than before. Romanian MEPs however voted to support Ursula von der Leyens second term in office. Although they are not part of the coalition, part of the Greens voted in favor of Ursula von der Leyen. Just in like with the Social-Democrats, the Greens were promised the Commission would focus on environmental policies and the plan for affordable housing. The vote and hearings on EU Commissioners are scheduled to follow. Governments of EU Members will each have to present two candidates (one woman and one man) for the positions of European commissioners, von der Leyen said. The final vote on the structure of the Commission could be slated for September. The only incident of first day was the aggressive intervention of Romanian MEP Diana Sosoaca, who was twice expelled from the hall for interrupting the session. The incident was criticized by all parliamentary groups, including the radical or extremist ones, and condemned by the Romanian MEPs because it mars the image of Romania at international level. Listed as a pro-Russian politician and leader of the populist SOS Romania party, the former Senator returned to her antics in the Romanian Parliament. In Brussels, however, failure to observe the rules is subject to immediate sanctions. (VP) Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. Public sector finance and retail sales reports from the UK and current account from the euro area are due on Friday, headlining a light day for the European economic news. At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK public sector net borrowing and retail sales figures. The budget deficit is expected to fall to GBP 10.8 billion in June from GBP 14.1 billion in May. Economists forecast retail sales to drop 0.6 percent on month in June, in contrast to the 2.9 percent increase in the prior month. Also, producer price data is due from Germany. Economists expect producer prices to fall 1.6 percent on a yearly basis after easing 2.2 percent in May. At 4.00 am ET, the European Central Bank publishes euro area current account figures for May. The current account surplus is expected to decrease to EUR 34.6 billion from EUR 38.6 billion in the prior month. Track market moving Economic Events that impact Commodities, Stock, and Forex by using realtime RTTNews Economic Calendar this week. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News SEGRO, in its role as venture adviser to the SEGRO European Logistics Partnership joint venture, announced on behalf of SELP, the disposal of a portfolio of logistics warehouses in Italy. The total cash consideration was 327 million euros. The portfolio consists of four warehouses, two located in Milan and two in Rome, and has a total floor space of 338,745 sq m. All of the warehouses were developed by Vailog SEGRO. Luca Sorbara, Co-Head of Italy at SEGRO, said: "We developed and delivered these warehouses for some of our largest customers in Italy to support their expansion plans. This disposal has enabled us to divest some assets with long-leases and limited asset management potential." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News German stocks fell notably on Friday as signs of deepening Sino-U.S. trade tensions along with uncertainty over U.S. President Joe Biden's path to victory in the presidential race sapped investors' appetite for risk. A lack of Chinese stimulus measures to revive growth and a widespread Microsoft outage that hit services from airlines, banks and financial services also weighed on . Meanwhile, Germany's producer prices declined at the slowest pace in the current sequence of falls, which began in July last year, data published by Destatis showed. Producer prices registered an annual decrease of 1.6 percent in June after declining 2.2 percent in May. Prices have been falling since July 2023. The overall decline in June was largely due to lower energy prices, which were 5.9 percent cheaper compared to last year. Lower natural gas and electricity prices had the biggest influence on energy prices. The benchmark DAX was down 0.8 percent at 18,211 after losing half a percent the previous day. Sartorius shares plunged 14.5 percent after the pharmaceutical equipment supplier cut its full-year guidance. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Netflix Inc. has phased out its basic ad-free streaming plan in the United States and France on the success of its ad-supported offering. The move comes as solid growth in its global memberships and strong second-quarter results benefited the streaming media major to issue significantly positive third-quarter outlook and to hike fiscal 2024 revenue and margin view. Netflix's lowest-priced ad-free streaming plan for $11.99 a month has been discontinued, its U.S. website shows. The basic plan subscribers are asked to choose a new plan, at $6.99 per month ad-supported plan or ad-free Standard or Premium plans. Ad-free Standard plan comes at $15.49 per month, while Premium plan comes at $22.99 per month. Co-CEO Gregory Peters, during the company's earnings call for the second quarter, said, "We've had the confidence to move forward with that change in the U.S. and France so that's an indicator of how it's going." He was responding to a question about early results from phasing out the basic tier in a handful of Netflix's . The company had withdrawn its basic sign-up option in the UK and Canada last year. While talking about the successful ad-supported offering, Peters further said, "we've got a very strong offering for our members. Essentially, we're providing them a better experience, 2 streams versus 1. We've got higher definition, we got downloads. And of course, all at a lower price, $6.99 in the United States, we think that represents a tremendous value. And it includes ads." Netflix further said it is making steady progress scaling its ad with ad-tier memberships growing 34 percent sequentially. The company added that it is building an in-house ad tech platform that will be tested in Canada in 2024 and launch more broadly in 2025. According to the firm, the sustained progress indicate that it is on track to achieve critical ad subscriber scale for advertisers in its ad countries in 2025, creating a strong base from which it can further increase ad membership in 2026 and beyond. For Netflix, advertising is not considered to be a primary driver of its revenue growth in 2024 or 2025, while it will be a key component of its longer-term revenue and profit growth. The company, among its peers, enjoys a sold streaming subscriber number, with the second- quarter global streaming paid memberships reaching 277.65 million, a growth of 16.5 percent from the prior year. The company added 8.05 million new susbcribers in the quarter, significantly higher than a year ago. On the earnings front, the media major reported sold earnings in its second quarter, above market estimates, with strong growth in revenues. The bottom line came in at $2.15 billion or $4.88 per share, higher than $1.49 billion or $3.29 per share a year ago. This is compared to the Street estimate of $4.74 per share. Revenue rose 16.8 percent year-over-year to $9.56 billion. Looking ahead to the third quarter, the company projects net income of $2.24 billion or $5.10 per share, higher than the prior year's $1.68 billion or $3.73 per share. Revenue growth is projected to be 14 percent year-over-year to $9.73 billion. The increase would be 19 percent at constant currency basis. Meanwhile, paid net additions are expected to be lower than last year, which had the first full quarter impact from paid sharing. For the full year 2024, Netflix now expects revenue growth of 14 percent to 15 percent, up from 13 percent to 15 percent expected previously. The updated revenue forecast reflects solid membership growth trends and business momentum. Operating margin is now expected to be 26 percent, higher than the previous estimate of 25 percent, due to the improved revenue outlook and ongoing expense discipline. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Spain's foreign trade deficit decreased in May from a year ago as exports rose amid a stagnation in imports, preliminary data from the Economy Ministry showed on Friday. The trade deficit dropped to EUR 2.3 billion in May from EUR 3.1 billion in the corresponding month last year. In April, the shortfall was EUR 4.7 billion. Exports climbed 2.3 percent year-over-year in May, though much slower than the 15.8 percent surge in the prior month. At the same time, imports remained flat after rising 14.6 percent in April. Shipments of energy products grew the most by 35.9 percent from last year, followed by raw materials, which surged 13.1 percent. On a monthly basis, exports rose 2.1 percent in May, while imports were 4.1 percent lower. Uncover key Economic Data this week with RTTNews Macroeconomic Calendar For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News European stocks fell on Friday to hit a two-week low as falling commodity prices and a global tech sell-off dented sentiment. A host of factors such as deepening Sino-U.S. trade tensions, lingering uncertainty over U.S. President Joe Biden's path to victory in the presidential race, a lack of Chinese stimulus measures to revive growth and a widespread Microsoft outage that hit services from airlines, banks and financial services curbed investors' appetite for risk. On the data front, U.K. retail sales logged a notable decline in June amid election uncertainty and poor weather, data showed. Retail sales decreased 1.2 percent month-on-month in June, in contrast to the 2.9 percent increase posted in May, the Office for National Statistics said. Sales were expected to log a moderate 0.4 percent fall. Separately, a monthly survey from GfK showed that British consumer sentiment improved in July. The consumer confidence index rose to -13 in July from -14 in June. The euro area current account balance showed a surplus of EUR 37 billion in May, which was unchanged from the previous month. The pan European STOX 600 dipped half a percent to 511.50 after falling 0.2 percent on Thursday. The German DAX shed 0.8 percent, France's CAC 40 gave up 0.4 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down half a percent. The euro traded weak following dovish comments from ECB officials. ECB Governing Council member and Bank of France President, Francois Villeroy de Galhau, said today there is more uncertainty on growth than a few months ago and that two additional interest-rate cuts in 2024 sound reasonable. Similarly, ECB Governing Council member Gediminas Simkus also said he agreed with the idea of having two more cuts this year as predict. In corporate news, Electrolux AB, a Swedish home appliance major, surged 5.5 percent after it swung to a much larger than expected profit in the second quarter. Danske Bank, Denmark's biggest lender, soared 8 percent after second-quarter profit topped forecasts and the bank said it would return an expected 5.5 billion Danish kroner ($806.6 million) to shareholders later this year. Miners Anglo American, Antofagasta and Glencore all fell around 2 percent in London on Chinese demand concerns. Warehouse giant SEGRO fell about 1 percent after selling a portfolio of four logistics warehouses in Italy for a total of 327 mln. Germany's Sartorius plunged 16 percent after the pharmaceutical equipment supplier cut its full-year guidance. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Shares of Electrolux AB were gaining around 6 percent in the morning trading in Stockholm after the Swedish home appliance major reported Friday sharply narrower loss in its second quarter, and swing to an operating profit with strong growth in net sales. The company further said it now targets cost savings of approximately 4 billion Swedish kronor in 2024, excluding investments in Innovation and marketing. Looking ahead, the company said it aims to leverage further on the leaner and more simplified organization, continue to execute on its cost-reduction targets, and focus on main brands as consumer demand in its main starts to recover. These are the key priorities to continue restoring margins and return to profitable growth, it said. President and CEO Jonas Samuelson said, "Price was negative during the first half of 2024, with price pressure in North America reflecting the lower price levels established in late 2023, and high promotional activity in other markets. As previously communicated, we expect price to be negative for full year 2024, also impacting the second half negatively. However, we anticipate the promotional intensity in North America to continue to stabilize sequentially throughout the year." Under its divestment initiatives of non-core assets, the company on Thursday agreed to divest the water heater in South Africa for an enterprise value of around 1.4 billion kronor. In its second quarter, loss amounted to 80 million Swedish kronor, narrower than last year's loss of 648 million kronor. Loss per share was 0.30 krona, compared to prior year's loss of 2.40 kronor per share. Operating income amounted to 419 million kronor, compared to loss of 124 million kronor a year earlier. Operating margin was 1.2 percent, compared to last year's negative margin of 0.4 percent. Excluding non-recurring items, prior year's earnings were 519 million kronor. The company noted that higher volumes and improved mix partly offset negative price. Group operating income improved by more than 1 billion kronor sequentially, with a significant reduction of the loss in North America. In the quarter, Latin America continued to deliver strong results, while earnings in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa declined with subdued consumer spending in Europe. Net sales in the second quarter amounted to 33.82 billion kronor, higher than last year's 32.65 billion kronor. Organic sales increased 6.8 percent driven by higher volumes in all business areas while price was negative. The company noted that consumer demand in its main markets remained mixed in the second quarter, while its products were well received by consumers. The firm outperformed the market in Europe and North America. Latin America developed strongly with a high organic sales growth and a rolling 12-months operating margin of 7 percent. In Stockholm, Electrolux shares were trading at 95.74 kronor, up 5.93 percent. For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on a Mexican transnational criminal organization smuggling migrants into the United States. The Tijuanao-based Abdul Karim Conteh Human Smuggling Organization has been smuggling migrants into the U.S. for years for financial gain in violation of U.S. immigration laws. In addition to providing migrants with fraudulent documents, members of the Karim HSO leverage the U.S. financial system to receive payments for their illicit smuggling operations. Its standard methodology is to transport migrants to the U.S. border and advise them on how to cross the border illegally. The Karim HSO is operating both regionally and globally, and has coordinated the movement of migrants through Nicaragua. Sierra Leonean national Abdul Karim Conteh is the leader of the human smuggling organization. The U.S. Department of Treasury said he is responsible for smuggling thousands of migrants from Africa, China, the Middle East, Russia, Central Asia, and other countries into the United States. Karim's wife, Mexican national Veronica Roblero Pivaral, plays critical roles in the organization, ranging from driving migrants to the U.S. border to receiving payments for smuggling operations. In addition to Karim and Veronica, OFAC also sanctioned Togolese citizen Pasaman Francis Marin Abbe Pidoukou and Sierra Leonean citizen Issa Kamara, who are responsible for facilitating the transport of migrants for the Karim HSO. The Treasury said all properties of the designated persons in the United States have been blocked. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced more than $5 billion in Large Bridge Project awards through the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) competitive Bridge Investment Program. The grants will fund the reconstruction, repair, and restoration - using American-made materials - of 13 nationally significant bridges in 16 states that connect communities to jobs and resources, support the , and serve as critical corridors for freight travel. These projects will also address important safety issues and make the bridges more resilient to extreme weather, all while creating good-paying jobs. "For too long America let bridges fall into disrepair, which left people less safe, disrupted our supply chains, and cost people time and money - but now the Biden-Harris Administration is changing that with the biggest investment in our bridges since the Eisenhower era," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "There are currently about 3,000 fewer bridges in poor condition than when our administration began, and today we are proud to announce funding to repair or replace 13 of America's largest and economically significant bridges." The Oregon Department of Transportation will receive $1.4 billion for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program, connecting Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation will receive $993 million for the Sagamore Bridge Replacement Project in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The Alabama Department of Transportation will receive $550 million for the I-10 Mobile River Bridge Replacement and Bayway Multimodal Project in Mobile, Alabama. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will receive $500 million for the I- 83 South Bridge Replacement Project in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Tennessee Department of Transportation will receive $394 million for the America's River Crossing Project in Memphis, Tennessee and West Memphis, Arkansas. The Rhode Island Department of Transportation will receive $251 million for the I- 95 15: Infrastructure for Tomorrow's Economy Project in Providence, Rhode Island. The North Carolina Department of Transportation will receive $242 million for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Replacement Project in Wilmington, North Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Transportation will receive $175 million for the I-95 over Lake Marion Bridge Replacement Project in Santee, South Carolina. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation will receive $124 million for the Roosevelt Memorial Bridge Replacement Project in Byran and Marshall Counties, Oklahoma. Miami-Dade County will receive $101 million for the Venetian Causeway Bridge Replacement Project in Miami, Florida. The West Virginia Department of Transportation will receive $88 million for the Market Street Bridge Replacement Project in East Steubenville, West Virginia and Steubenville, Ohio. The New Mexico Department of Transportation will receive $72 million for the Nogal Canyon Bridge Replacement Project in Socorro County, New Mexico. The Kansas Department of Transportation will receive $63 million for the 18th Street Bridge Replacement Project in Kansas City. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. Indian company ONGC Videsh Limited has signed a definitive agreement with Norway's Equinor to acquire a 0.615 percent stake in the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) Azerbaijani oil project and 0.737 percent of shares in pipeline company BTC Co., which is the operator of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline (BTC, the oil pipeline is connected to ACG), Trend reports via ONGC Videsh Limited. The value of the deal is up to $60 million, and the procedure will be finalized in the coming months. This deal will increase the already existing shares of ONGC Videsh Limited in ACG and BTC, currently amounting to 2.31 percent in ACG and 2.36 percent in BTC. The company recalls that ACG is a giant offshore field in the Caspian Sea with seven production platforms. The BTC pipeline, which connects the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, is crucial for energy transportation. This step is consistent with ONGC Videsh's objective of enhancing India's energy security by adding high-quality international assets, the information noted. To note, ONGC Videsh, India's largest international oil and gas exploration and production company, operates in 15 countries and has 32 assets. Meanwhile, Equinor opted to exit its upstream projects in Azerbaijan at the end of 2023 while maintaining an interest in green initiatives. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The Switzerland market ended moderately lower on Friday on a day in which an IT outage affected many industries and countries across the globe. The global IT outage was due to an issue in cybersecurity group CrowdStrike's system update. The issue caused severe disruption and disabled the use of some Microsoft devices across the world. The benchmark SMI ended with a loss of 74.17 points or 0.61% at 12,173.44. The index touched a high of 12,243.73 and a low of 12,165.05 in the session. VAT Group shares ended down 2.27%, extending losses from the previous session. Lonza Group and Swiss Re lost 1.97% and 1.87%, respectively. Schindler Ps ended down 1.57%. Zurich Insurance Group, Swatch Group, Richemont, Sika, Sonova and UBS Group lost 1 to 1.4%. Novartis and Geberit also ended notably lower. Roche Holding settled flat. The company said that its proposed acquisition of certain assets held by LumiraDX has been cleared by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. Alcon and Roche I ended higher by 0.5% and 0.46%, respectively. Swisscom, Givaudan and Partners Group edged up marginally. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Oil prices fell to a four-week low on Friday amid concerns about the outlook for demand from China, and on renewed hopes of a ceasefire in Gaza. A firm dollar weighed as well on oil prices. Expectations of fairly strong summer demand in the U.S., and the recent data showing a drop in crude inventories last week helped limit oil's downside a bit. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for August ended down $2.69 or about 3.25% at $80.13 a barrel, the lowest settlement since June 17. Brent crude futures dropped to $82.63 a barrel, losing $2.48 or 2.91%. There are concerns about the outlook for oil demand from China after a highly anticipated meeting of the Chinese Communist party expected to focus on the provided little cheer to investors. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today that a long-sought ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was within sight as negotiators were "driving toward the goal line." "I believe we're inside the 10-yard line and driving toward the goal line in getting an agreement that would produce a ceasefire, get the hostages home and put us on a better track to trying to build lasting peace and stability," Blinken said. "There remains some issues that need to be resolved, that need to be negotiated. We're in the midst of doing exactly that," he added. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis The Ministry of Health in Gaza has recently discovered the presence of Poliovirus type 2 in samples of sewage collected from the Khan Younis and Deir al Balah areas. The identification of this virus in the sewage is particularly concerning due to the ongoing conflict, which has led to overcrowding and inadequate vaccination coverage, posing a significant risk to residents. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care physician, has expressed serious concerns about the situation, describing the virus in the sewage as a "ticking time bomb." She highlighted the challenges of containing the spread of the virus in the current circumstances, where isolation and limited contact with others are difficult to achieve, especially in crowded refugee camps. With a lack of vaccinations for nine months and the absence of necessary boosters during an outbreak, both children and adults are at significant risk. Although there have been no reported cases of paralysis or polio symptoms in Gaza, the World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the potential threat posed by the presence of the virus. The dire sanitation conditions in the region, resulting from recent military actions and fuel shortages, have created an environment conducive to the spread of diseases. Israeli military attacks on water wells and sanitation facilities, along with the blockade of essential hygiene supplies, have further exacerbated the situation. Following these alarming developments, multiple United Nations agencies, including UNICEF and UNRWA, are collaborating with local officials to assess the extent of the virus's spread. The news of Gaza being "drowning" in human waste and debris from the conflict has raised international concerns, and efforts are underway to address and mitigate the impact of this public health crisis. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News A 60-year-old man, dubbed 'The Next Berlin Patient', has become the seventh person to be cured from HIV. Immunologist Christian Gaebler of Charite - Berlin University Medicine shared the details of the remarkable case in a press meet. Gaebler described how the patient tested positive for HIV in 2009 and later developed acute myeloid leukemia in 2015. Following this, the doctors decided that the patient needed stem cell transplant. The clinical team then "began searching for donors with this rare genetic mutation known as the homozygous delta-32 CCR5 mutation, because we know that this mutation provides natural resistance to HIV," Gaebler said. After the transplant, the patient "discontinued his recommended antiviral treatment on his own in 2018 and since then, the patient is in treatment-free HIV remission," Gaebler said. Six years later, the man still appears to be free from cancer and HIV, the researchers noted. "The virus-free observation period of more than five years now indicates that the HIV virus has actually been completely removed from the patient's body," said senior physician Olaf Penack. "We therefore consider him to be cured of his HIV infection." However the apparent reason for the patient's recovery is still unknown to scientists. "The speed with which the new immune system replaces the old one may have an influence," Gaebler commented. "As soon as we have a better understanding of which factors contributed to the removal of all HIV hiding places in the second Berlin patient, the findings can hopefully be used to develop new treatment concepts such as cell-based immunotherapies or therapeutic vaccines." The original 'Berlin patient', named Timothy Ray Brown, was the first person to be cured of HIV in 2008. Later, he died from cancer in 2020. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Friends and family advised her to buy a manual car. Automatic will not work on the steep roads of Darjeeling , they said. She has proved them wrong and is very happy with her first car. For first time car users, one of the big decisions is the choice between a manual and automatic gearbox. A Reddit user, based in Darjeeling, faced a similar situation when she was planning to buy her first car. After trying multiple options, she finally settled for Hyundai Exter SX AMT. Initial challenges while learning to drive According to the user, she started learning to drive in a manual car. While negotiating through the hills of Darjeeling is in itself a challenge, the user found uphill inclines to be the most difficult. In such situations, the manual car will start to roll down backwards due to a mismatch between the timing of the clutch and accelerator. First time car users often face this problem. The situation gets worse when negotiating a steep incline in a car that does not have hill start assist control function. An automatic gearbox can deliver better results in such scenarios. It can be especially beneficial for first time car users. But surprisingly, no one made a recommendation to the user to choose an automatic option. The user mentions that hardly anyone owns an automatic car in her town. Moreover, no one was sure how an automatic car would work in the hills. Most people recommended choosing a manual car, as they felt that an automatic transmission wont be reliable for the steep roads of Darjeeling. Going against the norm Initially, even the user was sceptical about buying an automatic car. And the recommendations from her friends and family members supported her doubts. However, based on her instincts, the user carried out extensive online research. It revealed some real facts and insights, which prompted the user to choose Exter automatic. Following her experience with Exter SUV, the user has described it as the best decision I made for myself. Exter automatic driving experience in the hills According to the user, one of the best things she likes is the smooth engine performance and easy driving dynamics. Even when negotiating the steepest of inclines in Darjeeling, Exter performed brilliantly. There were no issues with pickup or any other problems. The user is glad that she chose Hyundai Exter automatic and recommends it to everyone who may be struggling to drive. It is with the Exter automatic that the user has been able to gain the confidence to drive freely across the challenging uphill and downhill roads of Darjeeling. Hyundai Exter is equipped with a powerful 1.2-litre petrol engine that delivers 83 PS and 113.8 Nm. Transmission choices include 5-speed manual and Smart Auto AMT. Exter automatic also has first-in-segment paddle shifters. This feature can be advantageous in situations such as overtaking or when going downhill. Exter is also equipped with hill start assist control (HAC). This can be useful, especially for people living in hilly regions such as Darjeeling. Overall, the Exter owners experience highlights the importance of the willingness to go against the norm to find the best solution. The Hyundai Exter SX AMT has not only made driving in Darjeeling more manageable, but also transformed it into an enjoyable and exciting experience. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. The renewable energy sources have been created and used for almost 13 years of operation of SOCAR's Eco Park in Gala, which provides electricity to the entire park with an area of about 20 ha, the head of the park Tahir Shikhaliyev told Trend. "Earlier, this place used to be the territory of an old oil and gas production department. The land was polluted with oil sludge. However, as a result of land reclamation works 2530 centimeters deep, it became possible to open a park with different trees and plants common in Absheron in this area. There is a water source on the territory of the park, three wind turbines with 10 kWh of electricity are working, and solar panels are installed on the roofs of buildings. The territory is fully supplied with electricity through renewable energy sources. This project has demonstrated the possibilities of adaptation to green projects in Azerbaijan, and the experience of this park can be useful in the country, Shikhaliyev said. To note, SOCAR organized a media tour of its Eco Park on July 18 on the occasion of the "Year of Solidarity for a Green World," the upcoming 30th anniversary of the "Contract of the Century," and National Press Day (celebrated on July 22). The press secretary of SOCAR, Orkhan Huseynov, emphasized that SOCAR attaches special importance to the expansion of effective relations with the media and provided information on the strategic goals of the state company, defined in the Corporate Strategy until 2035, and the work done in the direction of transformation from an oil and gas company to an international energy company. Huseynov also mentioned that environmental protection and ecology issues are under the close attention of SOCAR; in particular, Baku Bay has been completely purified. The assistant director general of Ekol Engineering Services CJSC Sabutay Aliyev, provided detailed information on waste management measures, the land reclamation process, and the landscaping of territories. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. Azerbaijan proposes to approve the establishment of the Climate Finance Action Fund (CFAF) worth $1 billion during COP29, the chief negotiator for COP29 Yalchin Rafiyev said during the presentation of the COP29 Presidency Action Plan, Trend reports. According to him, CFAF will be capitalized by contributions from fossil fuel-producing countries and oil, gas, and coal companies. "Azerbaijan will be one of the founders of this fund. Generally, by now there are already 10 shareholders in this future fund," Rafiyev noted. CFAF will be launched after the initial round of fundraising, which aims to capitalize the fund at $1 billion, is completed and once the 10 participating countries commit themselves as shareholders. Furthermore, CFAF will focus on climate projects in developing countries that need support, meeting the next generation of NDCs to curb warming to 1.5C; "It will be a public-private partnership fund mobilizing the private sector and de-risking investments in mitigation, adaptation, and research and development. The fund will also maintain special funds with concessions and grant support for rapid disaster response in developing countries in need," Rafiyev emphasized. To note, this November, Azerbaijan will host COP29. This decision was made at the COP28 plenary meeting held in Dubai on December 11 last year. Baku will become the center of the world and will receive about 7080,000 foreign guests. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is an agreement signed at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. COP - the Conference of the Parties - is the highest legislative body overseeing the implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. There are 198 countries that are parties to the Convention. Unless the parties agree otherwise, the COP is held annually. The first COP event took place in March 1995 in Berlin, and its secretariat is located in Bonn. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. COP29 President and Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, Mukhtar Babayev, has sent the first official letters to the governments of COP29 member states with the objectives of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Trend reports. He made the announcement in Baku during the presentation of the Action Plan of Azerbaijan's COP29 Presidency. The letters note that the achievement of a global agreement on a new climate finance target will be the main point of negotiations at the upcoming 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Furthermore, the official letters urge member governments of the Paris Climate Agreement (198 countries in the world) to submit updated national climate plans to limit global warming to 1.5C. Defining a New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) will also be a priority issue at COP29. It is necessary to agree on an ambitious and realistic climate finance target, taking into account the needs and priorities of developing countries that are parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Babayev noted. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, July 19. President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov has signed a law ratifying the exchange notes between the Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy regarding the opening of the Bedel checkpoint on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border, Trend reports. According to the official website of the president, the notes were signed on June 12, 2024, in Bishkek and were approved by the Kyrgyz parliament on June 26, 2024. The opening of the Bedel checkpoint is expected to enhance Kyrgyzstans export potential, increase trade turnover, and strengthen trade relations with China, including through Kyrgyzstans participation in the One Belt, One Road initiative. The establishment of the Bedel checkpoint is part of the Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers' action plan under the National Development Program until 2026. This initiative follows agreements made during state visits to China between 2022 and 2024. Approximately 77.9 million soms ($896,464) will be allocated from the Kyrgyzstan budget for the creation of the new checkpoint. The new checkpoint is planned to be opened in September 2024. Photo: The press service of the President of Kyrgyzstan BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, July 19. President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov has signed a law ratifying a financing agreement for the Regional Resilient Pastoral Communities Project (RRPCP) project between Kyrgyzstan and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Trend reports. According to the official website of the president, the agreement was signed on May 14, 2024, in Rome and approved by the Kyrgyz parliament on June 26, 2024. Under the agreement, Kyrgyzstan will receive a grant of $9.215 million from IFAD. The funds will support vulnerable rural households that rely on pasturelands and forests for their livelihoods. This includes households involved in mobile extensive livestock farming, forest product extraction, feed production, as well as rural women and youth. Special attention will be given to the participation of women and youth in the project. In accordance with the agreement between the Adaptation Fund (AF) and IFAD, dated November 7, 2022, the project is financed by AF through IFAD. DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, July 19. The Minister of Transport of Tajikistan Azim Ibrahim, and the US Ambassador to Tajikistan Manuel Micaller have met to discuss collaboration, Trend reports. During the meeting, Ibrahim highlighted the crucial role of ICT in modernizing Tajikistans transport sector. "We are grateful to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for supporting our efforts to digitize the road transport system. Weve developed an electronic system to enhance transparency and efficiency in issuing transport documents. This system will automate business processes, speed up decision-making, and improve access to information for carriers," he said. The sides expressed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in digitalization and logistics to expand economic and trade relations between Tajikistan and the US. During the meeting, it was underscored that US-Tajik relations have evolved significantly in various sectors, including security, economy, energy, transport, and humanitarian fields. The two countries have established mutually beneficial partnerships through USAID programs and other international organizations. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, July 19. President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov has ratified a package of laws and decrees passed during the seventh convocation of the Turkmenistan parliament on July 13, Trend reports. Specifically, he approved amendments to the Social Protection Code, which will enable pensions and benefits to be transferred directly to recipients' bank accounts. The country has also agreed to join the Protocol on the Protection of Industrial Designs under the Eurasian Patent Convention. The president also ratified the Protocol to the Agreement between Turkmenistan and the EU. Additionally, Berdimuhamedov has ratified the agreement to join the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The president approved legislative changes concerning the budget code, sanitary regulations, physical culture and sports, scientific and technical policy, and anti-doping measures. Furthermore, Turkmenistan ratified the Amendment to Article VI of the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), adopted on October 1, 1999. Liquidators of Arena Television, the failed outside broadcast business at the centre of what has been called Britains largest ever asset-based lending fraud, are suing Lloyds Banking Group for up to 285 million. Lloyds and its Bank of Scotland subsidiary are accused of processing payments without authority, allegedly allowing Arenas directors to perpetrate a substantial and wide-ranging fraud against scores of lenders, court filings show. - The Times Labour has been urged to let tens of thousands of pensioners foot the bill for social care costs by delaying reforms, as councils face a 30bn funding blackhole. Englands largest councils have warned Sir Keir Starmer that without more money, reforms to prevent people from being forced to sell their homes to pay for care are impossible. Under reforms first proposed by Boris Johnson when he was prime minister in 2020, councils will be forced to implement a lifetime cap of 86,000 on care costs from October next year. - Telegraph Working parents who are saving as much as 10,000 a year on their nursery costs could be hit with unexpected tax bills because of a clampdown on the misuse of a childcare benefit offered by some employers. HM Revenue and Customs has turned its sights on some workplace nursery benefit schemes which allow employees to pay the fees out of their pre-tax salary, resulting in them making big savings on income tax and national insurance. - Guardian Barack Obama is understood to have told friends that President Biden must seriously reconsider whether he should remain as the Democratic Partys White House nominee. The former president is said to have studied polling data in recent days and concluded that Biden, 81, who served for eight years as his vice-president, has a narrowing chance of beating Donald Trump. - The Times British black comedy Baby Reindeer and the new series of Bridgerton helped drive record revenues of $9.6bn (7.4bn) at Netflix, the streaming giant disclosed last night. Profits for the three months ending in June climbed by 44pc to $2.1bn compared to the previous year, while the US technology business added more than 8m new subscribers, beating Wall Street expectations with a total of 277.6m paying viewers. Executives at Netflix hailed the surprise success of Baby Reindeer, which has racked up more than 88m views since it was released in April. - Telegraph Pret a Manger is axing its subscription offering members free drinks, almost four years after the deal launched in the UK to attract customers back after the Covid pandemic. In a move that has upset some customers, the coffee chain said it was time to rethink the Club Pret offer, and that instead of providing five drinks a day and a 20% discount on food for a cost of 30 a month, it would charge 10 for a subscription for half-price drinks. - Guardian Bridgepoint Group upgraded its full-year expectations on Friday, after reporting a stronger-than-expected financial performance for the first half, driven by successful fundraising and robust capital deployment. he London-listed firm said that as of 30 June, its assets under management (AUM) stood at 42.7bn, rising to 67.3bn pro forma with the integration of ECP. Key highlights for the six months ended 30 June included a 25% increase in underlying management fee income to 156m, a 44% rise in fee-related earnings (FRE) to 61.8m, and a 92% jump in performance-related earnings (PRE) to 24.4m. Underlying EBITDA surged 55% to 86.2m, though reported profit before tax decreased slightly to 48.8m, from 53.1m. The first half of 2024 marked the strongest period for capital returns since the first six months of 2022, with 2.1bn returned to Limited Partners (LPs) across private equity and credit transactions. Fundraising efforts for BDC V also saw a strong start, with over 1bn closed by the end of June. Including ECP on a pro forma basis, Bridgepoint reported underlying management fee income of 211.2m, FRE of 88.1m, and PRE of 56.9m for the first half. The company said it expected final regulatory clearance and closing of the ECP transaction in the third quarter. Updated guidance for 2024 now included increased expectations for management fees, a fee-related earnings margin of around 37%, and performance-related earnings as a percentage of total income at approximately 25%, positively impacting projections for 2025 as well. Bridgepoint delivered first half results ahead of expectations, with strong underlying profit growth on the back of robust investment performance, successful fundraising and good capital deployment, said chief executive officer Raoul Hughes. These results reflect Bridgepoint's leadership position in the attractive mid-market segment. Bridgepoint's strong transaction origination capability and disciplined investment approach continues to deliver high quality returns. Hughes said transactions agreed during the period would return 2.1bn to LPs, marking the strongest period for capital returns since the first half of 2022. Our flagship fundraising efforts have met or surpassed our targets and we have seen a strong start to fundraising for BDC V, securing over 1bn. ECP continues to trade strongly; with the anticipated completion of this transaction in the third quarter of 2024, contingent on the final regulatory approval, we look forward to continuing to drive growth across the enlarged group. Looking ahead, Hughes said that with an encouraging pipeline of strong exits and signs of increasing transaction activity, Bridgepoint was upgrading its outlook for 2024 and, therefore, for 2025. The medium-term growth prospects for private markets are exciting and Bridgepoint is confident in its long-term strategic opportunity. Oxford Instruments was the leading faller on the FTSE 250. Market Movers FTSE 250 - Risers Bridgepoint Group (Reg S) (BPT) 276.60p 6.80% W.A.G Payment Solutions (WPS) 65.60p 3.47% CMC Markets (CMCX) 315.00p 1.61% Close Brothers Group (CBG) 533.00p 1.43% Howden Joinery Group (HWDN) 935.00p 1.25% Barr (A.G.) (BAG) 620.00p 1.14% Bakkavor Group (BAKK) 154.00p 0.98% Genuit Group (GEN) 491.50p 0.92% Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 299.00p 0.84% Premier Foods (PFD) 171.40p 0.82% FTSE 250 - Fallers Oxford Instruments (OXIG) 2,430.00p -4.14% 4Imprint Group (FOUR) 5,920.00p -3.74% PZ Cussons (PZC) 103.80p -3.35% Kainos Group (KNOS) 1,076.00p -3.24% RHI Magnesita N.V. (DI) (RHIM) 3,605.00p -3.22% Ashmore Group (ASHM) 172.20p -3.15% North Atlantic Smaller Companies Inv Trust (NAS) 4,010.00p -3.14% Trustpilot Group (TRST) 201.00p -3.13% Abrdn (ABDN) 166.75p -3.05% Domino's Pizza Group (DOM) 317.80p -3.05% photo: Tam Bernard Philip Ellis is Sex & Relationships editor at Men's Health magazine and the author of Love & Other Scams. He lives in Birmingham, U.K. His second novel, We Could Be Heroes (Putnam), is a romantic comedy set in the not-so-different worlds of superhero movies and drag. Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less: It's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets Notting Hill, with drag queens. Come for the jokes, stay for the big feelings! On your nightstand now: I'm currently reading Experienced by Kate Young. I was lucky enough to read an early draft of this brilliant romantic comedy and am having a great time diving into the final version now that it's out in the world; it's about a lesbian who's only ever had one girlfriend, until that girlfriend hits pause on their relationship so she can go out into the world and sleep with more people. Naturally, complications ensue. Next on my list is A Power Unbound, the final installment in Freya Marske's phenomenal LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy trilogy; these books are witty, gripping, surprisingly sexy, and brimming with magic. I can't wait to read Henry Henry by Allen Bratton, his queer satire inspired by Shakespeare's history plays, which everybody is talking about right now. I'm also halfway through the audiobook of Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain: my husband is a chef, and this is one of his all-time favourites. The audiobook is narrated by the late Bourdain himself, which makes for a bittersweet listening experience. Favorite book when you were a child: Mort by Terry Pratchett. I found a lot of the early Discworld novels impenetrable, probably because I lacked the classic fantasy references from the '80s that Pratchett was skewering, but I loved the books that focused on the character of Death and his dysfunctional extended family. Your top five authors: Kate Atkinson, whom I started reading in my early 20s and whose recent novel Shrines of Gaiety is one of the best things I've read in years. Sarah Waters, whose novel Fingersmith I have not stopped thinking about since I read it over 10 years ago; it's a swoonworthy lesbian romance and a rollicking Dickensian crime story wrapped up into one, with a twist you'll never see coming. David Mitchell, who writes literary doorstoppers that are surprisingly accessible and blend genres in fun, interesting ways. If your only experience of his work is Cloud Atlas, I encourage you to seek out the even-more-ambitious The Bone Clocks. Alexis Hall, whose queer romantic comedies are hilarious and addictive: Boyfriend Material is one of the funniest books I've ever read, and I have had a great time with Hall's recent foray into magical romance, Mortal Follies. And finally, perhaps unsurprisingly, romcom royalty Emily Henry. Her debut novel, Beach Read, was a breath of fresh air when I first read it during lockdown, and I've been on the Henry train ever since. She has such a talent for coming up with what might at first seem like a light, frothy premise, and then imbuing it with real emotional weight. Book you've faked reading: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I'm a sucker for adaptations and retellings of this story, like the iconic Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding and Curtis Sittenfeld's modern reimagining Eligible. And I just think it's so cool how this story can continue to reveal new insights when looked at through the lens of different cultures and identities: Pride by Ibi Zoboi reinterprets the Bennets as an Afro-Latino family resisting the gentrification of their Brooklyn neighborhood; Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal takes place almost in real time over a multiple-day wedding celebration in modern Pakistan; and the movie Fire Island transports viewers from the world of Regency balls to gay circuit parties. I'm also a longstanding defender of the 2005 film version with Keira Knightley, but I have somehow never got around to reading the original if you can believe it! Book you're an evangelist for: The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue. I've been recommending this novel to everybody since it came out last year; the late 2000s nostalgia is so on-point it's almost triggering, and the plot--revolving around two best friends and a very peculiar love triangle--had me hooked. Book you've bought for the cover: So, so many. But most recently, The Book of Love by Kelly Link. Although I was already sold before I saw the cover; when one of your favourite short story writers finally puts out a novel--and a thick one at that!--you sit up and pay attention. Book you hid from your parents: Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. My parents were never too bothered about me reading horror--I picked up my first Stephen King when I was 11 or 12--but they probably would have had thoughts about just how much erotica was smuggled into the pages of those books in between all the bloodsucking. Book that changed your life: Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin. I was 17 when I first picked up this series about the lives and loves of a chosen family in San Francisco, and seeing a gay character like Michael Tolliver so beautifully depicted on the page opened my eyes to whom fiction could be written for and about. A 10th installment, Mona of the Manor, just came out, and spending time with these characters again was like being reunited with old friends. Favorite line from a book: "He sounded like a drinker, and possibly a homosexual. I took an immediate liking to him." --from "The Resident," a story in Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado. Honestly, if I were a character in a book, this is how I would want to be introduced. Five books you'll never part with: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, although really this could apply to any and all of her novels. Less by Andrew Sean Greer, a romantic whirlwind of a book that I love so much I have absolutely no desire to read the sequel. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote, Audrey Hepburn's Givenchy and pearls notwithstanding, Holly Golightly remains a truly fucked-up character and I will always love her. Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin; I am amazed by what he accomplished in so short a book. And finally, The Secret History by Donna Tartt; allow me to be the first person to ever express the opinion that this Donna Tartt lady is very good at writing and will probably go far! Book you most want to read again for the first time: Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell. I had anticipated this book for so long, so eager to see if Simon and Baz would finally end up together, that I burned through it in a single sitting when I should probably have savoured the emotional revelations a little more. When Rowell's new book Slow Dance comes out later this year, I will try to exercise more self-control. Book you're jealous you didn't write: I'm hugely envious of the humour, insight, and vivid characterization in Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly; she created a family that felt so real I wanted to invite myself over for dinner. Book you would hand to your teenage self: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. Not just because it's a deeply moving gay romance, but because it's also a very fun book, and I think teenage me could have done with taking everything--including himself--a little less seriously. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 19. Uzbekistan generated 1.6 billion KWh of green energy from January through June 2024, Trend reports. The news followed a videoconference meeting dedicated to reviewing the work carried out in the first half of the year to ensure economic growth rates and the upcoming tasks chaired by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. As a result of the reforms in the sector, green energy has been generated from 10 solar and wind power stations with a total capacity of 2.4 gigawatts. This made it possible to cut gas consumption by half a billion cubic meters. Furthermore, the country plans to reduce energy consumption by 15 percent. A total of 20 large enterprises are expected to reduce costs to 8.3 trillion soums ($658.2 million), or 10 percent. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan plans to increase its share of renewable energy to 40 percent by 2030. According to the Uzbek president's office, the country will connect the first 2.6 GW of 14 solar and wind power plants to the grid this year. As a result, the share of renewable energy in Uzbekistan's total electricity generation will increase from 9 percent to 15 percent. Currently, Uzbekistan is building 32 green energy facilities with a total capacity of 18.3 GW worth $19 billion, jointly with foreign partners. The Ministry of Mines is set to host the Mineral Exploration Hackathon and Critical Mineral Roadshow at Begumpet, Hyderabad, on Saturday, July 20. The event is aimed at advancing mineral exploration through the use of cutting-edge techniques and technologies. Participants in the hackathon will focus on interpreting and modeling geophysical data, integrating various data sets, and applying emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to enhance mineral prognostication. Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy will inaugurate the National District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Portal during the event. This centralized platform will aggregate information on district mineral foundations across India, offering easier access to DMF data and tracking sector developments. Additionally, Minister Reddy will announce the preferred bidders for the tranche II and III blocks from the e-auction of critical and strategic minerals, which was launched on February 29. The event will also feature a roadshow for tranche IV of the e-auction, which was introduced via a notice dated June 24, 2024. The roadshow aims to increase industry engagement and familiarize potential bidders with the e-auction process. global supply chain due to geopolitical uncertainties. Critical minerals, including lithium, chromium, nickel, graphite, cobalt, titanium, and rare earth elements, are crucial for industries such as electronics, electric vehicles, renewable energy, defense, and high-tech telecommunications. Currently, the extraction and supply of these minerals are predominantly controlled by a few countries, notably China, which poses a risk to thedue to geopolitical uncertainties. To mitigate this dependency and develop alternative supply chains, the Indian government has accelerated efforts to explore and auction critical mineral blocks. Over the past two years, more than 100 critical mineral blocks have been lined up for auction to mining companies. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on China and enhance Indias role in the global mineral supply chain. Earlier this year, an international summit held in Delhi showcased fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to attract foreign investment in this burgeoning sector, underscoring India's commitment to becoming a key player in the critical minerals market. Two days State Level ULLAS-Mela was inaugurated by The Secretary Education (Shri L. Kumar-IAS) in the Auditorium of Govt. Girls Sr. Sec. School, Port Blair. The Director of Education and other Senior Officials of the Department were also present on this event. Chief Guest was welcomed by The State Nodal Officer-ULLAS, Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakramand also Dy. Director (Edn. For All), Shri R. K. Singh has and briefed about the ULLAS-NILP Scheme &purpose of organizing this Mela, while Shri Aditya Kumar Jha, DANICS, Director of Education addressed the gathering and briefed on the significance of ULLAS-NILP Scheme initiated by the Govt. of India. ULLAS stands for the acronym of; Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society, which is a centrally sponsored scheme towards Adult Literacy introduced by the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India to literate above 15-Years of aged individuals who have never gone to schools or discontinued their schooling because to some or other reasons. In order to boost-up the mission of attaining 100% Literacy in A&N Islands, this 1st -State Level ULLAS-Mela has been planned by the Education department on the lines of MoE, GOI which will conclude tomorrow on 19th July-2024. The Chief Guest was welcomed by a Band Troop followed by a Welcome Song from GSSS School- Line in Port Blair in total 170 partaken including 30 officials in these 02- days ULLAS-Mela from different parts of this UT, right from Diglipur to Campbell Bay. The inaugural programme was concluded with the vote of thank given by Mr. Raja Ram, Programme Coordinator-ULLAS, Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram. The Chief Guest and other distinguished guests have intermingled with the entire partakers including neo-literates and Volunteer Teachers came from several parts of the Islands. In his inaugural address, the Chief Guest has valued the sweats of all stakeholders of this mission. The Chief Guest Secretary (Edn.) and the Director of Education has also planted saplings under ' Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' mission in the Girls School Campus. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The New York State Department of Civil Service (DCS) has released its July through August application schedule for New Yorks entry-level civil service exams. The open-competitive exams are an opportunity to start a career with New York state. These tests are open to anyone who meets the qualifications listed on the examination announcement. The application period opened on July 19 for the following exams: environmental conservation police officer trainee 1; environmental conservation police officer trainee 1 (Chinese language); environmental conservation police officer trainee 1 (Spanish language); forest ranger 1; municipal police officer/deputy sheriff; park police officer trainee; park police officer trainee (Spanish language); university police officer 1; and university police officer 1 (Spanish language). Applications are open until Aug. 14. Visit www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc to apply for exams. Application fees are waived for this month. Some careers offer an additional annual downstate adjustment if they work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland or Westchester counties. According to the state, an application must be submitted online or postmarked by the last date to apply. An application will not be accepted after the application filing deadline has passed. There are no application fees for the exams this month. To be considered for an appointment, you must pass the written test. If approved for a written test, you will receive an admission notice, which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil or online at a state test site using a state-provided Chromebook. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration. All positions offer benefits, including paid leave, health benefits and retirement plans. In addition, telecommuting options may be available to employees who meet certain criteria. The salaries for each position vary. To learn more about working for the State of New York, visit the Department of Civil Service website and follow the department on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Authorities in New Jersey are searching for an unknown man who has been abandoning dogs at a New Jersey shelter by throwing them violently over a fence at the facility, according to an NJ.com report. Video surveillance showed the man desert one dog at the Humane Society of Atlantic County on April 8 and he has since returned three more times, the facility told the outlet. One of the animals has distinct scars on its back. Atlantic City police said Thursday they are investigating the incidents. The shelter has asked anyone who may know the man or the dog he left there Monday night to contact Atlantic City police at 609-347-5779. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Cedar Grove Beach community has a rich history, with its 41 historic beach bungalows, most of which were built between 1920 and 1940 in New Dorp. This community, formed around 1907, was one of the numerous beach campgrounds that were established during the peak of Staten Islands shore popularity. In 1958, the city acquired Cedar Grove due to plans for a shore parkway proposed by the citys master planner, Robert Moses. When the parkway failed to materialize, the city agreed to lease the land to bungalow owners with the understanding that it could take it back whenever it wanted. In 2010, the City of New York took control of the property, and most of the homes were torn down. The Cedar Grove Club House was replaced by a modern structure that will serve as beach comfort stations and maintenance/operation facilities, designed to withstand flooding and featuring energy-efficient elements such as skylights and solar panels. Residents still set up their beach paraphernalia for a day at the beach during these hot days of summer, but it sure is a different feel from the days of the living community that lived there. Just a couple of months after Disneys Tinker Bell controversy, another character is being pulled from its in-park repertoire. Liver Lips McGrowl, a member of the animatronic band the Country Bear Jamboree, will be pulled from his Magic Kingdom residence after worries that he might be offensive to alcoholics, NJ.com reported, an Advance/SILive.com sister site reported. The reasoning behind Disneys canning of the character lies within his name, Disneys Inside the Magic blog said. The term liver lips is considered derogatory and offensive, as it is associated with excessive alcohol consumption and the resulting liver damage. The phrase is deemed to be insensitive and outdated, prompting Disneys decision to modify the character, the blog explained. Henceforth, a new bear will be taking over Liver Lips McGrowls audience: Romeo McGrowl. The blog detailed that his looks arent far off from his predecessor, so it wont be a stark change to the Country Bear Jamborees vibe. This comes after Disney put the Country Bear Jamboree under renovation in January of this year. Romeo McGrowls arrival is set for this week, NJ.com said. This move by Disney is not unprecedented, either. Less than a month ago, Walt Disney World unveiled Tianas Bayou Adventure based off the popular 2009 movie, The Princess and the Frog which replaced Splash Mountain. Splash Mountain was centered around Disneys 1946 movie The Song of the South, which has been widely regarded as derogatory and racist towards Black people. Disney also pulled Tinker Bell from meet-and-greet events at Walt Disney World due to her problematic actions in Peter Pan,AL.com reported. Tink, however, can still be seen flying over the Magic Kingdom after the nightly fireworks display and can be seen in parades. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The GRACE Foundation of New York has received a $500,000 grant from the Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) through the New York State Consolidated Funding Application (CFA). The grant will fund phase one of the foundations innovative culinary training initiative, which aims to empower individuals with disabilities by providing essential culinary skills and life training. Phase one of the project will see the construction of an outdoor modular kitchen unit on the Seaview Campus, adjacent to the GRACE Foundation Building. The proposed kitchen to be utilized by GRACE participants. (Courtesy/Brian Licata)Staten Island Advance The state-of-the-art facility, housed in a converted container, will accommodate 10 to 12 participants and one to two culinary instructors and will serve as a training ground for teaching various culinary skills through the GRACE Foundations established I Can model, which has already seen success with I Can Candles and I Can Soaps. Participants in the program will learn a number of culinary techniques and produce and sell GRACEful Bites & Bark Special Treats, all-natural dog treats. Participants bake GRACEful Bites and Bark Special Treats. (Courtesy/Brian Licata)Staten Island Advance In addition, they will have the opportunity to participate in GRACEs pop-up events such as Christmas in July, Halloween Trunk or Treat, and Holiday Village events that aim to promote inclusivity and feature treats made by participants. Cathy Del Priore, executive director of GRACE, expressed her excitement: This grant is a game-changer for our community. Were creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities to learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully. Its a significant step towards greater inclusivity and empowerment. Looking ahead, phase two of the project involves the transformation of an adjacent police building into a two-floor culinary institute specifically designed for individuals with disabilities. Participants cooking GRACEful Bites and Bark Special Treats. (Courtesy/Brian Licata)Staten Island Advance The expansion will include wider aisles, accessible cabinetry, and adjustable shelves to accommodate those in wheelchairs or those requiring additional support. The institute will partner with the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation (SIEDC) to launch a kitchen incubator for local entrepreneurs. Staten Island currently lacks a kitchen incubator, making this a critical addition to the community. Mike Cusick, president and CEO of the SIEDC, highlighted the broader impact: The GRACE Foundations kitchen incubator will be an innovative and accessible addition to Staten Islands range of entrepreneurial resources. SIEDC was delighted to advise and support GRACE on this exciting initiative, which aims to diversify economic and workforce opportunities for the local community. Michael Lanza, chairman of the board at The Grace Foundation, emphasized the importance of the project: The support from REDC and the NYS CFA is instrumental in bringing this vision to life. This initiative will transform lives and create lasting opportunities for our participants and the broader community. A representative from the New York State CFA commented: We are proud to support The Grace Foundations pioneering project. This initiative aligns perfectly with our mission to enhance community development and create inclusive opportunities across New York state. Despite various efforts, no group on Staten Island has been able to establish a kitchen incubator until now. The SIEDC and GRACE are forging brand-new partnerships between not-for-profits that produce substantial results, setting a precedent for future collaborations. Brian Licata, founder of Marvel Consults, remarked on the successful grant and partnership: Securing this grant and forging a partnership with SIEDC is a testament to the power of collaboration and shared vision. Together, we are breaking new ground to provide unparalleled opportunities for individuals with disabilities and local entrepreneurs, fostering a more inclusive and dynamic community. Brian Licata explains the proposed kitchen at the GRACE 2024 Gala. (Courtesy/Brian Licata)Staten Island Advance The comprehensive plan for phases two and three, a $5 million project launched this past May, includes multiple training kitchens, an incubator, classrooms and a conference room with 24/7 access. The facility will be licensed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), eliminating the need for businesses to use commissaries in other boroughs. The largest kitchen in the facility will be named Nickys Kitchen in memory of Nicholas DAmora, whose familys GoFundMe initiative was instrumental in kickstarting the project. Nicholas passed away in May of last year at age 25 after suffering a severe epileptic seizure several days prior. Barbara DAmora, Nicholas mom, shared her heartfelt thoughts: This initiative means so much to our family. Nicky would be so proud to see his name on a kitchen that helps others achieve their dreams. Its a beautiful way to honor his memory and continue his legacy. Participants prepare GRACEful Bites and Bark Special Treats. (Courtesy/Brian Licata)Staten Island Advance GRACE has already secured some funds for phases two and three through various grants, support from council members, and private sponsorships, demonstrating strong community and institutional backing for the initiative, and has launched a capital campaign, https://graceofny.org/nickys-kitchen/ Phase one of the modular kitchen is set to open by early 2026, with the completion of phases two and three targeted for 2027. Participants prepare GRACEful Bites and Bark Special Treats. (Courtesy/Brian Licata)Staten Island Advance Existing businesses and potential entrepreneurs can express interest in the GRACE Kitchen Incubator by clicking here https://form.jotform.com/241926875721162 For further information about The GRACE Foundation and its initiatives, visit www.grace.org. Hall of Fame New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor was arrested on a felony warrant after failing to report a name or residence change, which is required of him as a registered sex offender, according to TMZ. Citing Broward County (Florida) jail officials, the report said Taylor, 65, turned himself in to police in Florida on Wednesday. He was released Thursday morning. My client, Lawrence Taylor, will be pleading Not Guilty to the recent charges, Taylors attorney Mark Eiglarsh told TMZ. As with the previous incident involving the same allegations, Mr. Taylor did not knowingly commit any criminal offense. This situation is a significant misunderstanding. We are confident that, once the prosecutors review the exculpatory evidence demonstrating Mr. Taylors innocence, he will once again achieve a favorable outcome. Taylor was arrested in December 2021 for not reporting to authorities he changed his address, which he also pleaded not guilty to. He eventually pleaded no contest to a lesser charge in a deal with prosecutors. Taylor was declared a low-risk sex offender in 2011 after being accused of having sex with a 16-year-old. He was sentenced to six years of probation. Want to bet on sports? See the best NYC Sports Betting sites Off the field, Taylor has a history of substance issues and more legal troubles. On the field, Taylor is considered one of the best defensive players of all time. He won two Super Bowls and three Defensive Player of the Year awards, and he is the last defensive player to win NFL MVP, which he did in 1986. He spent his entire career with the Giants from 1981-93 and was inducted in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. Gabriel Trevino can be reached at GTrevino@njadvancemedia.com. Gov. Kathy Hochul today announced flags on state buildings will be flown at half-staff on July 19 in honor of Corey Comperatore. Corey Comperatore was a father, a public servant, and a proud American whose life was taken in a senseless act of violence that shakes at the core of our democracy, Governor Hochul said. As we honor his memory, let us commit once more to the better angels of our nature, and to the collective freedoms we enjoy as a nation. Comperatore was killed on July 13 in an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump in Butler, PA. He is survived by his wife Helen and two daughters. A guest leaves the visitation for Corey Comperatore at Laube Hall, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Freeport, Pa. Comperatore was killed at rally for former President Donald Trump Saturday. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)AP On July 14, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that Comperatore, a retired Pennsylvania fire chief, was identified as the person who was mortally wounded at a rally for former President Donald Trump. He was 50 years old. Corey died a hero. Corey dove on his family to protect them last night, the governor said, according to the Associated Press and the Pittsburgh-based media outlet WPXI. Authorities say Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, opened fire at the rally before being killed by Secret Service on Saturday, days before Trump was to accept the Republican nomination for a third time. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump has done little to impact his standing in the race for the White House, with him continuing to lead President Joe Biden by a slim margin, according to the latest polls. Following a shooting at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday that left Trump bloodied, support for the former president has remained mostly unchanged, according to the most recent polls. Most post-shooting polls have shown Trump leading Biden, as has been the case in recent weeks, according to polling aggregation site RealClearPolling. Heres a look at how both candidates performed in the most recent polls. FORBES/HARRISX A Forbes/Harris X poll, which includes responses from 1,918 registered voters between July 13 and July 15, found that if the election were held today and voters had to choose between Trump and Biden, 51% would vote for Trump and 49% would vote for Biden. When asked who they believed would win the election, regardless of who they supported, 62% said Trump, while 38% said Biden, indicating that a sizable amount of Biden supporters are skeptical of his ability to win re-election. When asked whether the recent shooting will impact their vote in the upcoming election, 27% said it made them more likely to vote Republican, 19% said it made them more likely to vote Democrat and 54% said it has not made a difference in their vote. REUTERS/IPSOS A Reuters/Ipsos poll, which includes responses from 992 registered voters between July 15 and July 16, also shows the former president leading by two percentage points, with 43% supporting Trump, 41% supporting Biden and the remaining 16% currently undecided. The recent shooting appears to have prompted fear and dismay among the general public, with 80% of poll respondents agreeing with the statement that the country is spiraling out of the control. Additionally, 84% of those surveyed feared that extremists will commits acts of violence following the November election, a 10 percentage point increase from a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in May. The overwhelming majority of respondents, 95%, said it was unacceptable for someone in their political party to commit acts of violence to reach a political goal. EMERSON An Emerson poll, which includes responses from 2,000 registered voters between July 15 and July 16, shows Trumps leads growing, not because he is gaining support, but because Biden is losing it. The poll found that 46% of respondents support Trump, 42% support Biden and 12% are unsure of their vote. An Emerson poll conducted earlier this month also showed Trumps support at 46%, but at the time, 44% supported Biden, with the sitting president losing two percentage points in recent weeks. Recent polling shows Biden losing support more significantly than Trump gaining it since the attempted assassination. This raises questions about whether Bidens decline is still influenced by the debate or if Trump has reached his support ceiling, said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. Trump continues to lead in the following seven swing states, with margins ranging from 3% to 10%, according to the poll. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A widespread technology outage that grounded flights, knocked banks offline and media outlets off air on Friday is being closely monitored by N.Y. Governor Kathy Hochul and the states Joint Security Operations Center. We are aware of an issue affecting Windows computers running a third-party security software tool that is impacting systems and services worldwide, Colin Ahern, New York States chief cyber office. It is not a security incident or cyberattack. The massive disruption affected companies and services around the world, and highlighted a global dependence on software from a handful of providers. The issue affected Microsoft 365 apps and services, and escalating disruptions continued hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing it. The website DownDectector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon, and airlines including American Airlines and Delta. News outlets in Australia reported that airlines, telecommunications providers and banks, and media broadcasters were disrupted as they lost access to computer systems. Airlines in the U.K., Europe and India reported problems and some New Zealand banks said they were offline. Locally, dozens of flights at Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia and JFK were canceled or delayed. TD Bank announced on its website that online banking access was impacted and teams are working hard to restore digital systems. Customers were directed to visit stores or ATMs instead of completing transactions online. All those issues are now being monitored by Hochuls office. We are working with our agencies, local governments, and the third-party service provider to resolve any issues on impacted systems, Ahern continued in his statement. Our priority is to ensure all 911 systems across New York are operational and able to address emergency response needs. The third-party has identified a fix for the underlying issue and the New York State Office of Information Technology Services is actively working with other state agencies on a resolution. We do not yet have a timeline for full restoration. He added: Governor Hochul is closely monitoring impacts to critical infrastructure, including finance and transportation. We recognize the impact this is having on services, not only across New York but also globally. 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 In July 1983, Arthur Boyd received the kind of commission that artists both dream about and dread: to create two large paintings and a suite of smaller works for the new Arts Centre Melbourne. It was a rare privilege to have ones pictures on permanent display in the halls and foyers of a major public building, but the job had a fearsome deadline, with a grand opening set for October 1984. Of all Australian artists, with the possible exception of his brother-in-law, Sidney Nolan, Boyd was the best equipped for the task. By this stage, Arthur and his family had settled at their property on the Shoalhaven, where, in the words of Sophie OBrien, co-curator of the Bundanon exhibition, Wilder Times: Arthur Boyd and the mid-1980s landscape, he had to plan for a substantial level of creative output. In other words, to pay for Bundanon, Boyd was churning out Shoalhaven landscapes for a ready market. Arthur Boyds Early Light Pulpit Rock (1984). This brings us to one of the great internal tensions in Boyds career between the lyrical landscapes adored by the public, and the visionary works that were hugely significant to the artist but held little appeal for buyers. It was one long arm-wrestle between art and commerce, in which Boyd strove to maintain his artistic integrity without compromising sales. The Arts Centre commission, arranged by designer John Truscott, was originally viewed as an opportunity to paint ambitious allegorical subjects. This scheme was realised in the two large works, Landscape with Dog and The Actor, not included in the Bundanon exhibition. The rest of the commission, which began as a request for nine paintings but soon grew to 14, would focus on landscape. Arthur Boyds Starry Night Shoalhaven River (1984). Whats most significant about this series of Shoalhaven pictures is that they are conceived as a distinct cycle starting with a van Gogh-like Starry Night and proceeding through different times of day and weather conditions, to capture the moods of the landscape reflected in the river. One thinks of Claude Monets cycles of haystacks or the facade of Rouen Cathedral, which must have featured in Boyds imaginings. Advertisement For Arts Centre curator Steve Tonkin the thrill of the Bundanon show is that this is the first time the entire suite has been displayed in a conventional gallery space. For Bundanon, it was a unique opportunity to show an important collection of Boyds works in the place they were made. Viewers may leave the gallery and walk to the banks of the river, comparing the artists efforts with those of Mother Nature. Although Boyd was prone to repetition, these paintings are notable for their inventiveness and variety. Unlike so many Shoalhaven landscapes, considerable time and effort went into the series, allowing for the speed with which Boyd was obliged to work. The simplest and brightest painting is Midday, presented as the last in the group. The most purely atmospheric is Shoalhaven River Bank with Star and Black Swan, a nocturnal scene in sumptuous tones of blue and purple, balanced by the glow of a green willow. Given the countless biblical references in Boyds work, its not outrageous to read the lone star in the sky as the Star of Bethlehem, transplanted to Gods own country in southern NSW. The location on the Shoalhaven River where Arthur Boyd painted his landscapes. Credit: Rhett Wyman Boyd had favourite symbols and motifs that recur from one canvas to the next. Theres a willow, the black swan, a black cockatoo, and the looming silhouette of Pulpit Rock, which provided his version of Cezannes romance with Mont Sainte-Victoire. We can craft ingenious interpretations for these images, or simply accept them as intrinsic to the landscape. The menacing shape of a black storm cloud in Dark Cloud Shoalhaven River hints at the disaster that threatens if we disrespect the environment, a constant preoccupation for the artist. I thought of John Ruskins ominous warnings in his 1884 lecture, The Storm Cloud of the Nineteenth Century. Looking closely at these pictures one can see how Boyd would apply the paint quickly in a central band, allowing colours to run together and grow murky. He would overcome dullness by using small dabs of colour to animate a patch of deep shadow. From a distance, this works well, although theres a sense of barely contained chaos on nearer approach. It could be argued this is the way we read the landscape itself. Arthur Boyds Shoalhaven River and Black Swan (1984). The second part of this exhibition features an eclectic, original selection of works made by other Australian artists in the early 1980s. An obvious stand-out is Imants Tillers Pataphysical Man (1984), from the Art Gallery of NSW collection, which combines a figure by Giorgio de Chirico with images from Latvian childrens books and handprints from cave walls. Its an icon of the appropriation aesthetic. Advertisement Theres also Naples Green (1985), an impressive abstract painting by John Peart, imbued with the unmistakable essence of the Australian bush, and three ochre paintings by Rover Joolama Thomas, depicting sites of historic massacres using a traditional visual language that appears abstract to those uninitiated into its mysteries. The Peart and Thomas paintings are drawn from the collection of Janet Holmes a Court, one of many Western Australian connections in this show. The choices reflect a personal preference on behalf of Sophie OBrien, who grew up in Perth surrounded by important artists who were virtually unknown on the East Coast. The greatest of them was Howard Taylor, represented by two exquisite, minimal landscapes, but there are also pieces by Mac Betts, Brian Blanchflower, and Richard Woldendorp, celebrated for his aerial photography. Arthur Boyd at Bundanon. Credit: Bundanon Archive It was a surprise and a pleasure to see these works because the neglect of Western Australian artists is a historical wrong that public art museums have yet to rectify. OBriens other selections are just as idiosyncratic, including artists as diverse as David Aspden, Bonita Ely, Tim Johnson, Robert MacPherson, Vivienne Binns, Liz Coats, Mike Brown, Susan Norrie, Robert Jacks, Gerrit Fokkema and Judy Cassab. There are political posters by Bob Clutterbuck and Toni Robertson, and a painting by Timmy Payangu Tjapangati from the all-important Papunya Tula movement. Loading There are also experimental movies by Arthur and Corinne Cantrill, Keith Gows 1984 documentary on the women of Utopia, and Helen Graces short, droll film Serious Undertakings (1982) which captures the aura of high seriousness with which intellectuals chiefly male discussed art, feminism and politics in the early 1980s. The saving grace, if youll pardon the pun, is the filmmakers air of scepticism and satire, which never quite allows us to take this blather at face value. Were the early 1980s really the wilder times claimed by the title? There was nothing wild about the solemn intellectualising that went on at art events, or the facile games played by self-conscious postmodernists. Bob Hawke became prime minister on March 11, 1983 and brought in a range of sweeping reforms back in the days when reforms didnt mean simply slashing public services. Hawke, with his 75 per cent popularity rating, was certainly a wilder proposition than Albanese, but the world today may be on the verge of a wildness undreamt of in 1983. Advertisement TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 19. Uzbekistan and China signed a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of electric buses and buses worth $171 million for 20242025, Trend reports. According to Uzbekistan's Ministry of Transport, the document was signed at a meeting between Uzbek Morokand Trans 777 LLC (a company engaged in passenger transportation), Chinese Sumec International Technology Trading Co. Ltd., project partners, and local entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan Railways signed a contract with Hyundai Rotem for the purchase of electric trains. Hyundai Rotem will supply Uzbekistan with six high-speed electric trains with a total of 42 cars. In addition, the South Korean company will provide maintenance and repair services for these trains. The contract for the delivery of Hyundai Rotem electric trains to Uzbekistan is estimated at $195.7 million. This is the first export of high-speed trains developed using Korean technology in two decades, since the French KTX train was introduced in 2004. On his way to the Republican National Convention, Kid Rock paused at the airport to post a message to fans, teasing the performance he was about to deliver: Are you scared? Maybe? The Detroit musicians warm-up act for presidential candidate Donald Trump was the kind of high-voltage, no-holds-barred rock/rap that Successions Kendall Roy must have only dreamt he could deliver. In a move evoking Trumps response to the assassination attempt he survived last weekend, Rock opened by telling the crowd to stand up: I need everybody to put a fist up in the air! Kid Rock performs during the final day of the Republican National Convention. Credit: AP Some obliged, most joined the chants of Fight! Fight! and Trump! Trump!. Very few seemed to know quite how to dance to the enthusiastic reworking of American Bad Ass from the musicians 2000 album. Weird, but a beloved dog and a UK aid worker turned viral sensation have combined to make death a theme right now for me. Something thats hijacking a lot of focus from the normality of Aldi catalogues and conversations about weather and Insta photos of all you lucky bastards on boats in Europe. Weirder, Im embracing it as, well, not quite an old friend but something not to fear. A coming adventure with no designated start date but something I need to be ready for. Kate Halfpennys late dog, Maggie. It started when our dog Maggie died. Tons of you wrote beautiful emails and cards about the loss of your own companions, about how it helped to see pain as misplaced love. About life and death and what it all means. But then I became convinced Maggie was reaching out too. The head of the war memorials research centre, Robyn Van Dyk, describes Ross-Kings collected diaries as among the most valuable in the memorials collection. You feel as if you are looking over her shoulder, experiencing the horror of what she had to deal with, Van Dyk says. You can see she struggled to keep up these diaries, but she wanted to keep an honest record of it all. It is also a very romantic diary, with almost a Jane Austen approach to some of it. Ross-King was neither wilting violet nor stranger to tragedy. Born in Ballarat in 1887, she moved with her family to Perth when she was a child. There her father Archibald and her two brothers were drowned in an accident on the Swan River. She and her mother moved back to Melbourne, where the young Alice [though baptised Alys, she usually used Alice] studied nursing at The Alfred before becoming sister in charge of a private hospital in Collins Street. She enlisted, aged 27, as a staff nurse in the Australian Army Nursing Service, on November 5, 1914, and was posted to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis, Egypt. Ross-King was confronted by the truth of war as the wounded poured in from Gallipoli from mid-1915. Tuesday, May 4, 1915 We got through 800 dressings attended to them properly, extracted a few bullets. Some of the injuries will mean amputation of the limbs. Most wounds fly blown. They were lying there in misery & some so weak & miserable the tears were flowing. The flies swarmed over them & the heat was suffocating & we could not get enough food for them. By then she had met and fallen in love with a lieutenant from the Victorian countryside, Harry Moffitt. On September 8, 1915, Ross-King was sceptical about such a match: Mft pretends to be serious & is wanting real love - but I dont know if I can trust him or not. In less than a week, however, everything changed: September 13, 1915 ... a wonderful thing has happened. I am really and truly in love. I have never felt like this before for anybody. I am very, very happy because I believe [Harry] loves me just as much. He wants me to marry him after the war ... Harry Moffitt (far left). Credit: Australian War Memorial It becomes clear in the diaries that Moffitts promise of a life together held Ross-Kings hard-pressed spirits aloft clear through the last months of Gallipoli in 1915 and the first months of 1916 on the Western Front in France. Moffitt, previously an accountant from the Gisborne-Kyneton area of central Victoria, was able to continue the relationship with Ross-King during his convalescence in Egypt (from an illness contracted in Gallipoli), and later during his period as adjutant of the 53rd Battalion guarding the Suez Canal. Ross-King found within Moffitts country-boy exterior a romantic heart. She wrote of them climbing a pyramid to have tea together on top, the sun setting when the colouring was wonderful. Later, she spoke of the last blissful day she would see her Moff before she was sent to help establish the First Australian General Hospital at Rouen on the Seine in northern France. We sat on the balcony at Shepherds [Shepheards Hotel in Cairo] and talked of our future. There was a wonderful sunset, a beautiful apricot glow. H. said when we are married Ill give you a dress that colour. Ross-King would never see her Moff again. He would not reach France until June 1916. When she could get a few hours away from her patients at the hospital, Ross-King travelled to a French railway staging point, dreaming that her fiance might be aboard one of the trains. Saturday, July 1, 1916 All the afternoon is spent on the Railway station hoping against hope that I might see Harry come through. But no luck. She had little time for such excursions, however. July 3, 1916 Still the cases are pouring in; 500 alone today. Have one man who is quite mad. He got into the 4th line of German trench & went to take some prisoners. They cried mercy and while he hesitated one threw a bomb right into his face. The fire enveloped him & he says he lay there grovelling in the earth. For two days he was not picked up. The next day, July 4, 1916, the diary is brutally succinct: Burnt case very bad. Crushed pelvis worse. Amputated leg. Three trephines [a cylindrical saw for cutting out circular sections of bone]. A lot of chest cases. No word from H. That no letter from H. began wearing at Ross-King. Her confidence grew fragile. Sunday, July 9, 1916 All day long my thoughts have been with him but I have had no letter. I cannot think that he wd so neglect writing if he really cared for me. Well, I have other offers of love & I dont think Ill sit & fret over any one man. Still it is a blow. And then, relief. July 11, 1916 Letter from Harry! It has taken 10 days to come, but it is one full of love & all my confidence is renewed. Soldiers of the 53rd Battalion at Fromelles. Credit: Australian War Memorial Who could be surprised that Ross-King needed a letter to sustain her, for the entry that day went on: Convoy of very bad cases. All have been lying out for 6, 7 & 8 days since wounded. They were where the stretcher bearers could not get them, in German trenches & dugouts. One man stretched out his hand for water & the wrist was immediately cut to pieces by explosive bullet. July held much worse for both Harry Moffitt and Alice Ross-King. On July 19, near the village of Fromelles, Australian soldiers of the 5th Division a mix of veterans from Gallipoli and newly trained reinforcements were ordered to attack strongly defended German positions across open ground at 6pm. It was broad daylight, with hours of light left in the high summer of France. Harry Moffitt was among the attackers. The Germans barely had to elevate their machine guns. Hundreds were mown down in the flicker of an eyelid, like great rows of teeth knocked from a comb, related Sergeant Jimmy Downing of the 57th Battalion. By morning, there were 5533 Australian casualties the too-easy word that embraces all the death and wounds and agony of a battlefield. More than 2000 Australian lives had been lost: tossed away, really, by British military chiefs who had insisted the ill-conceived operation proceed despite being warned it could only fail. Around 470 Australians were taken prisoner. The British themselves suffered, too: the British 61st Division, attacking alongside the Australians, had 1547 casualties, including 500 dead. Amid the debacle, the British attack was called off, but an Australian commander failed to pass on the message, leaving Australians trapped between German guns. The commander of the 5th Divisions 15th Brigade, Pompey Elliott, who had opposed the operation, met his returning men with tears rolling down his face. Haunted, Elliott took his own life in 1931. Within days, Alice Ross-King would learn that Harry Moffitt was among those killed. Saturday, July 29, 1916 Well, my world has ended. Harry is dead. God, what shall I do! Nothing on earth matters to me now. The future is an absolute blank. I have kept on duty but God only knows how I have done so. Oh my dear, dear love what am I to do? I cant believe he is dead. My beautiful boy. Over months, Ross-Kings diaries veer between false hope (each day I long for a letter telling me he is only wounded) and an acceptance of the hideous truth. August 23, 1916 They say it was not possible to bring in the wounded at all & that they are still lying there unburied. For days one could see occasional signs of life: an arm would wave or there wd be slight movement but it was quite impossible to collect the wounded beyond a certain distance. Thank God I am almost certain that death was instantaneous. Evidence later collected by the Red Cross found Harry Moffitt had been killed trying to retrieve the body of Lieutenant-Colonel Ignatius Norris, who had been killed while leading a charge to the Germans second line. Moffitt was cut down by machine-gun fire and fell across the colonels body, but his corpse could not be retrieved. He was 33. He remains missing. Ross-King continued to nurse troops until the end of the war. She was awarded a Military Medal for great coolness and devotion to duty after five bombs fell on the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station near the front line at Trois Arbres near Armentieres, where she was tending the wounded in July 1917. Major Alice Appleford. Credit: Australian War Memorial Sailing home to Australia in 1919, she met a doctor, Sydney Theodore Appleford. They married and settled at Lang Lang, South Gippsland, and had two daughters and two sons. During World War II, Alice Appleford was appointed Victorias senior controller of the Australian Army Womens Medical Services, with responsibility for more than 2000 servicewomen. Three men have been arrested after police dismantled a sophisticated scam text operation that police allege sent 318 million texts in just three months from a handful of locations around Sydney. As part of a joint operation with the Australian Federal Police and state police, officers stormed locations in Sydneys CBD, Wolli Creek, Burwood and Auburn, where they uncovered multiple SIM boxes, which are devices that connect to several SIM cards to send out millions of text messages around the country. Police allege the scammers used thousands of SIM cards. Credit: NSW Police The messages, which often purport to be from trusted companies or government departments, ask the recipients for their personal information in a bid to scam them out of their money or steal their identities. NSW Police Detective Superintendent Matt Kraft said those four locations alone were responsible for between 50 and 75 per cent of the scam text messages coming out of NSW. Theyre the spectacular vistas that lure millions of tourists to the harbour city each year: the sails of the Opera House and the famous arches of the Coathanger and the Anzac Bridge. But shift your gaze downwards and the picture becomes less like a postcard and more like a junkyard, according to a coalition of community groups mounting a new fight to clean up Sydney Harbour. A dilapidated wharf under the Anzac Bridge in 2023. Credit: Michael Stevens Stretching from Parramatta in the west to Manly in the east, they complain Sydneys greatest asset is littered with junk that is a blight on the landscape and a national embarrassment. Its bays and coves have become a graveyard for dozens of abandoned vessels left to rot by their owners, while derelict wharves, jetties and commercial infrastructure are allowed to crumble into the water. For four glorious days under a Tuscan sun last weekend, Australian guests enjoyed lavish wedding festivities featuring drummers, string quartets, flower decorations costing more than $500,000 and witnessing a bride and groom walking down the aisle of the centuries-old Church of San Salvatore in Ognissanti, which features a Botticelli fresco. The Florentine extravaganza of controversial property developer Remon Fayad, 38, and his bride Shauna Niaz, 34 estimated to have cost more than $3 million was supervised by wedding planner Diane Khoury and her three assistants flown in to oversee the over-the-top nuptials at the luxury Villa San Michele overlooking Florence. Celebration with a bang: The wedding of Fayad and Shauna Niaz. Credit: After the cutting of the six-tier white wedding cake, which was more than a metre high, a crescendo of spectacular fireworks capped the marriage celebrations. Back at home there were fireworks of a different kind. Having flown first class to Italy with his wife Maria, father-of-the-groom Sam Fayad then lost a court action contesting his bankruptcy. On Wednesday the Federal Circuit court in Sydney heard that his debts to the Australian Taxation Office and others had topped more than $41 million. With personal guarantees on failed business ventures, the amount Fayad owes might reach $1.6 billion, the court heard. The cost-of-living crisis has impacted the business; people are not spending as much on sex services, just as they arent dining out as much. For sex workers, having an option to work privately or out of a brothel means we have flexibility when business is quiet. Long-time sex worker, advocate and brothel town planning adviser Julie Bates estimates 60 per cent of Sydney sex workers were operating privately 20 years ago. Julie Bates, sex worker rights activist and principal of Urban Realists Planning & Health Consultants. Credit: James Brickwood Today its more like 80 per cent. But its not for everyone. For some its better to drop the kids off at school and do a shift at a brothel, for others, their business is their body, they want agency over that in their work environment thanks to COVID theyve learnt how to run their own show. A private sex worker operating out of their home or rented premises is considered to be running a brothel under NSW law. But rather than the police vice squads of yesteryear, they are only subject to council rules and regulations. Some, but not all, councils require a development application for home-based sex work businesses, while others prohibit sex work in residential areas. Parry Bitsikas It remains illegal in NSW for a third party to make money off a sex worker. Larger brothels effectively rent rooms to sex workers rather than make money from the sexual services being sold. From his muscle car business in Kogarah to a slew of property investments including the Tiffanys site since 2006 Parry Bitsikas fits the bill of a colourful Sydney identity, the sort that have long gravitated to the brothel business. Not that he is keen to talk about it. When the Herald eventually tracked him down he declared: This town is a f---en jungle, I dont want any trouble! A month ago Bitsikas put the Tiffanys site on the market. Surrounded by new luxury apartment developments, it was previously owned by one of the citys biggest racehorse owners, Nick Vassiliadis. It has long featured in Sydneys rich social tapestry, not in the least the credit card scandal which engulfed former union boss Craig Thomson who reportedly had a penchant for the red turbo spa room. Im getting too old for all of this, Bitsikas said when asked why he was selling, at the age of 56 and after nearly 20 years ownership. He maintains while the business has changed, there is still a future in brothels. Grecian goddess statues, flocked wallpaper, velvet throne chairs and an equally rich history are behind the doors of Tiffanys Girls. It was the worlds first business, and it will be the last. Developers have other ideas for the 687 square metre site expected to fetch at least $13 million and comprising five terraces and adjoining corner building. In total there are 14 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, and the interior is bedecked in red velvet curtains, flocked wallpaper, party-sized jacuzzis, grecian goddess statues, gold-trimmed throne chairs, oversized cherubs and mirrored ceilings. Loading I dont know what will happen to this site, to be honest. Its a true island in Surry Hills, it wouldnt take much to have it rezoned for high-rise apartments, Bitsikas said. Recently, Tiffanys long-term madam retired, prompting a re-evaluation for Bitsikas, who said he was not involved in the day-to-day operation of the business. Australian Securities and Investment Commission records reveal the site is leased to another company associated with the businessman. During COVID, brothels went through a big transition. Now the girls want to do their own thing on OnlyFans, run their own businesses in their own flats but a brothel provides the one thing a phone cant: security in a safe environment. Over in Chatswood, Pickard, shares Bitsikas sentiment. This site has approval for a 44-storey tower, its only a matter of time before someone comes along and does that, and Ill be happy to sell at the right price, she said. Pickard started working at the brothel 30 years ago as a receptionist and saw the potential in the business. She bought it and expanded to become one of the largest operations on Sydneys north, replete with leopard-print bed linen and lurid wallpapers. Im in my 70s now, I can see a day coming when I dont want to be doing this any more, she said. Arguably the biggest brothel owner in Sydney is the enigmatic Mark Gray, formerly known as Mark Gdanski. For years, he owned Liaisons in Edgecliff. In April, the multimillion-dollar site was sold to developers whose plans do not include a brothel. Gray also owns Stiletto on Parramatta Road in Camperdown, which bills itself as the largest and most luxurious 6-star brothel in the world. Eddie Hayson arrives at Sydney Airport after his extradition from the Gold Coast following his arrest for a large commercial supply of ice and MDMA. Credit: Nikki Short Stiletto was formerly owned by racing identity Eddie Hayson, who is behind bars awaiting trial on drug importation charges. Gray is also behind The Golden Apple, and arguably Sydneys most famous brothel, A Touch More Class, in Surry Hills. The late Kerry Packers biographer Paul Barry claimed the billionaire once hired the entire brothel so his polo buddies could be entertained by some good, clean girls. A Touch More Class in Surry hills Credit: Nick Moir Brothel staff said Gray was overseas. He did not respond to questions from the Herald. Last August, Gray appeared as a witness in the Supreme Court of Victoria during the murder trial of his soulmate, exotic dancer Ellie Price, 26. Her former boyfriend, Ricardo Barbaro, was found guilty of Prices murder. Brothel owner Mark Gray leaving the Victorian Supreme Court last August. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui The exact number of sex workers in NSW is difficult to verify. According to a 2012 Kirby Institute report, there were between 1500-10,000 female sex workers across NSW. At the time of the report there were at least 101 brothels operating within 20 kilometres of the Sydney CBD, and about 1000 female sex workers worked in these brothels in any week. A 15-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of a man in his 30s who was allegedly stabbed to death in Sydneys inner west in the early hours of Saturday morning. Emergency services were called to a home on Spring Street in Concord about 12.30am and found the man outside the property with multiple stab wounds to his chest. Police have charged a teenager with murder after a fatal stabbing in Concord. Credit: Carole Day Paramedics treated the man for his injuries, but he died at the scene. He is yet to be formally identified. Police established a crime scene and, after inquires, detectives arrested a 15-year-old boy, who had returned to the scene with his mother. Heritage advocates and a federal Labor MP in Sydneys west are urging councillors to reject a plan to allow apartment blocks up to 22 storeys near the Parramatta Female Factory, arguing it could imperil a long-running campaign to add the historic sandstone precinct to the World Heritage List. Developer Peterose Pty Ltd wants to rezone a parcel of land on the corner of OConnell Street and Albert Street in North Parramatta to allow for the construction of three buildings topping 77 metres. The proposal seeks to increase building heights to allow buildings up to 77 metres on a site (in the foreground) adjacent to the Parramatta Female Factory precinct (in the background). The Parramatta Local Planning Panel unanimously endorsed the proposal in May; however, the plan is strongly opposed by the North Parramatta Residents Action Group (NPRAG), Parramatta Female Factory Friends, the Parramatta branch of the National Trust (NSW), and Parramatta MP Andrew Charlton. NPRAG spokeswoman Suzette Meade said they worried the scale of the development could jeopardise a push from state and federal governments to get the Parramatta Female Factory site on the UNESCO World Heritage List. BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 20. US President Joe Biden has expressed his intention to resume participation in the election race in the near future, Trend reports. "I plan to return to the campaign trail next week," Biden said. Earlier this week, Biden was forced to go into isolation after testing positive for COVID-19. Biden's announcement of readiness to resume the election campaign comes amid growing calls within the Democratic Party to withdraw from the race. Widespread claims that testosterone can restore energy, reduce abdominal fat and protect the heart, brain and bones are leading Australian women in midlife to seek the primary male hormone for conditions it is unproven to treat. Global hormone influencers and some Australian integrative practitioners are fuelling demand for testosterone, medical bodies say, heavily promoting on social media its off-label use to treat anxiety, reduce cancer and diabetes risk, boost skin collagen and improve memory. Fitness trainer Jacqui Toohey, 54, believes commercial interests including social media influencers and celebrity clinicians are profiting from promoting testosterone to women as an essential midlife cure-all when women are vulnerable. Credit: Simon Schluter Some Australian women in their mid-to-late 40s and older have been convinced testosterone is the missing link to health and are discussing how to get it in menopause support groups when their regular GPs will not prescribe it other than for low libido. Data from a small study by Monash University professor Susan Davis, an international menopause research leader, has been misrepresented by at least one high-profile UK clinic proprietor to help promote testosterone therapy, she 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 This article is part of a months-long series investigating misconduct in the CFMEU. See all 35 stories . Sally McManus could not have been more direct this week as she spoke to the TV cameras and said there was no place for organised crime and corruption in trade unions. The message was serious, sombre and uncompromising as she was flanked by members of the ACTU executive who minutes earlier had voted to suspend the construction division of the CFMEU from the union peak body. The dramatic move came amid growing criticism over who knew what and when in the industrial and political wings of the labour movement. Senior Labor Party figures, from the prime minister down, were scrambling to defend their records in dealing with the construction arm of the CFMEU, in particular with the Victorian division and its recently departed head, John Setka. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan appeared under particularly intense pressure. McManus herself was subject to a testy interview on ABCs 7.30. Yet almost exactly five years ago, McManus stood at the same spot at the ACTUs headquarters in Melbourne to front the cameras and demand Setka resign after The Age reported extensive details of the domestic violence charges he faced at that time. ACTU secretary Sally McManus fronts the media in 2019 after her meeting with John Setka. Credit: Jason South That reporting in June 2019 based on leaks from the unions national executive and elsewhere also included Setka defending his friendship with underworld figure Mick Gatto and his remarks claiming Rosie Battys advocacy had diminished mens rights. The Batty comments became a rolling national drama, overshadowing the serious nature of his conduct. Advertisement In 2019, McManus and ACTU president Michele ONeil had faced intense pressure over what to do. But they stood their ground and made the principled decision that Setka had to go. There have been no compromises from that position in the five years since, while Setka and the CFMEUs influence on his national union, the Victorian ALP and big infrastructure projects in his home state have grown ever stronger. John Setka arriving at the ACTU office to meet Sally McManus in 2019. Credit: Eddie Jim That moment in 2019 was probably the last and best chance for internal reform of the construction division in Victoria, NSW and nationally, so large has Setkas influence become. Much of the union movement supported the ACTU in 2019, with 13 national unions calling for Setka to quit. The ACTU had no formal power to remove him, as unions jealously guard their independence from outside influence. But the besieged Setka almost certainly would have been forced out if not for the public support garnered from elements of the Victorian Labor Party and industrial left and his own union across Australia. It emboldened and strengthened Setka, who dug in. These backers have been described by senior union figures as Setkas enablers and deserve significant criticism for the crisis that has risked the future of the CFMEU and by default the wages and conditions of tens of thousands of workers. The damage to the union movement and Labor has been substantial. Advertisement These enablers include Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari normally a reliable progressive on social issues filmed at a private union meeting in 2019 chanting John Setka here to stay as he refused to join the calls for Setka to go. This week Hilakaris proxy at the ACTU executive remained silent as the future of the CFMEU was debated. Loading Then there was Electrical Trades Union state secretary Troy Gray, who became Setkas most fanatical and outspoken public supporter. Other key backers include now Victorian state MP Luba Grigorovitch, plumbers union head Earl Setches and former senior CFMEU officials Christy Cain and Dave Noonan. From NSW, Darren Greenfield and Rita Mallia played important roles in backing Setka. And the favour has been returned, with Setka supporting Greenfield to stay in his job despite the serious corruption charges he faces. Noonan, meanwhile, won Setkas backing last year to become a director of $90 billion superannuation fund Cbus, where he joined Setka allies Mallia, the unions NSW president, and Setches. CFMEU NSW secretary Darren Greenfield, who is facing bribery charges, supported Setka remaining at the CFMEU. There was also the silence from many who gained factional and financial benefit over the years from Setkas union in the Labor Party, particularly in Victoria, where its political and industrial strength has grown significantly since 2019, and it has managed to displace the rival Australian Workers Union on big infrastructure projects. Advertisement Its not just Labor. The Greens have received donations in the past from the construction division and have been unusually quiet about Setka over the years. In 2019, the party refused to say if it would take further donations from the union, despite Setkas record of domestic violence. It is clear that Setkas instincts to run the union as a despot have intensified. The resignation of his deputy Shaun Reardon who in 2019 demanded Setka go left Setka utterly dominant. Hes since been surrounded by yes-men such as his offsider Derek Christopher, who remains the subject of a police corruption probe. An investigation by this masthead this week found he also received an estimated $200,000 in free labour and supplies from major building companies. Other senior officials have proved weak and complicit. John Setka at a CMFEU trade union rally march from Belmore Park to NSW Parliament House in 2023. Credit: Michael Quelch The infiltration of organised crime has clearly intensified too. When the unions own members and construction workers rioted in 2021 and attacked the unions offices over COVID restrictions, with some condemning Setka as then-premier Daniel Andrews bitch, some union sources saw it as a turning point. Setka had been spooked by the revolt of his members, the sources have claimed. Throughout this period, Setka with his Trump-esque ability to successfully spin almost any bad behaviour was becoming more powerful in some forums but also more isolated from the federal ALP. In Canberra, the union had become almost a pariah with Anthony Albanese as ALP leader (in 2019 Albanese had successfully pushed for Setka to leave the party after his Batty comments). Advertisement Loading Part of Setkas success and ongoing survival was being able to gull sections of the tabloid and commercial media who treated the garrulous trade unionist as a bit of fun, never seriously questioning him on his record and links to organised crime figures or the ongoing allegations against him of often vicious domestic violence. Yet, on Friday, July 12, that whole edifice came crashing down when Setka ended his 12-year reign after being sent questions from the joint investigation by this masthead, The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes. The power vacuum this created appeared to confuse the response from remaining officials and cruel attempts by new national secretary Zach Smith to assume control of Setkas former branch, which also covers Tasmania and South Australia. Within days, the government said the response was not good enough (Smith, for instance, would not stand down Greenfield over corruption charges), and it would move to place Setkas branch into administration along with NSW and Queensland. Already the pushback has started, with Queensland secretary Michael Ravbar accusing Albanese of having soiled himself in response to untested media allegations. Some union activists, meanwhile, have started arguing the appointment of administrators is barely disguised union-busting with the complicity of Labor and the ACTU, whose 52-member executive endorsed the move. Advertisement Australians are paying the price for union tactics that add billions to the nations building costs and weaken productivity, as the federal government works on an urgent draft law to ensure it can overcome any attempts to block an overhaul of the CFMEU. Labour productivity has fallen 18.1 per cent in the construction sector since 2014, far worse than in other parts of the economy, while the CFMEU is being blamed for a cost surge in the industry. The federal government has vowed to clean up the CFMEU by appointing an external administrator. Credit: Peter Rae The work on the draft law comes after the federal government said the Fair Work Commission would seek to impose an external administrator on the CFMEU after days of revelations from an investigation by The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes into the unions ties to organised crime. Employment Minister Tony Burke is preparing the new laws so they are ready to go next month if needed to impose the changes despite union objections. Key to her candidacy, which she would run as a Voices-style campaign, is renewable energy and nuclear. Is it a bunch of politicians who have just got together and said, Heres a talking point that will distract from renewable energy? she says. Because there is already something under way [the switch to renewables], which is an amazing opportunity for this region that we havent had in decades, and theres a risk that that is squandered. Kate Hook says renewable energy offers exciting opportunities for regional Australia. AGL has announced its ambition to transform the sites of its coal-fired power stations in Victoria and NSW the last of which is due to close in 2035 into low-carbon energy hubs spanning renewable energy generation, big batteries and green tech manufacturing. Meanwhile, Dutton in June nominated seven regional communities that he said would be home to nuclear reactors under a future Coalition government, at the sites of current or closing coal power plants. They would be hosted at Lithgow and the Hunter Valley in NSW, Loy Yang in Victorias Latrobe Valley, Tarong and Callide in Queensland, Collie in Western Australia and Port Augusta in South Australia. The announcement was made without consultation with the owners of the privately owned coal stations they would replace, according to several well-placed sources. Unease about Duttons nuclear ambition isnt limited to communities: local MPs are also wary of Duttons bid to build reactors on the sites of former coal-fired power plants. AGL is planning to turn the site of its shuttered Liddell coal-fired power station into a low-carbon industrial energy hub. Credit: Janie Barrett Bathurst MP Paul Toole, who represents Lithgow in the NSW parliament for the Nationals, has criticised the lack of consultation by the federal opposition over the proposed takeover of the Mount Piper plant, about 20 kilometres north-west of Lithgow. Rather than commit to the party line, he said he would back the communitys position. I think the community feels as though theyve been left in the dark, Toole said last month. The announcement lacks detail and raises more questions than answers. Ill be backing the views of my community 100 per cent. Calare MP Andrew Gee, an independent who represents Lithgow in federal parliament, is also a sceptic of the oppositions nuclear plans who has criticised lack of community consultation. Nationals-turned-independent MP Andrew Gee has criticised the oppositions lack of detail about its nuclear plan. Credit: Getty Gee has a rocky relationship with the opposition. He was elected as a Nationals member to represent Calare in 2016, but quit the party in December 2022 when Nationals leader David Littleproud announced the party would campaign against the Indigenous Voice to parliament in the referendum. We need specific information so that we can all fully understand what is proposed for our communities and have certainty about what the impacts will be, Gee said last month. Nationals MP Darren Chester, whose Gippsland electorate would be home to a plant at Loy Yang, said the community was more open-minded than the parliament. They want a fact-based campaign, based on science not emotion. Party polling in his electorate found 55 per cent of people supported the proposal, 26 per cent were opposed and the rest undecided. But locals do have many questions. For one, Mount Pipers owner EnergyAustralia does not plan to shut the plant, which began supplying power in 1992, until 2040. But the opposition has said its first reactor could be built by 2035, creating uncertainty over the future of Mt Piper and its 300 jobs. Gippsland MP Darren Chester says people want a fact-based campaign on nuclear. Jo Lynch, co-ordinator of the Hunter Community Environment Centre, argues the Coalitions announcement wont create jobs in the short or even medium term. Depending on the rate of structural decline in coal, people are going to be needing jobs a lot sooner than 2050, she said. Across NSW, about 200 million tonnes of coal ash is stored in unlined dams, with more than half stored in the Hunter and Central Coast. Lynch said given the haphazard storage of coal waste in the state, she had no confidence at all in the ability of authorities to safely manage nuclear. A 1000-megawatt coal plant, the same size as a large-scale nuclear reactor, burns more than 3 million tonnes of coal a year and generates around 300,000 tonnes of ash. Most of this is also stored on site. Large nuclear reactors have a typical capacity of 1000 megawatts and generate about 30 tonnes of used fuel a year. This includes high-level radioactive waste that is toxic to humans for tens of thousands of years, as well as weapons-grade plutonium. Nuclear waste is also set to become an issue during the federal election, due by May next year. The underground nuclear waste storage facility in Finland, which will store spent fuel rods 450 metres beneath the surface. Credit: Posiva There are no permanent repositories anywhere in the world capable of storing high-level radioactive waste, although Finland and Sweden are preparing to open deep underground storage sites. That means nuclear waste from most plants is sealed off and stored on-site. The same would happen under the oppositions plan until and unless Australia develops a permanent depository that could house waste from reactors and the nuclear submarines that it will build under the AUKUS deal. Our argument is that should be where the government decides for the waste from the submarines to be stored, Dutton said last month. Australias a very safe country in that regard, as you know, and that would be the most sensible way. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says nuclear waster could safely be stored in Australia. Credit: Rhett Wyman Jaimie Yallup Farrant, from Western Australias Climate Justice Union, has joined the campaign against nuclear plants after working for years on a transition from coal. The Collie coal plant (identified by the Coalition as a potential nuclear site) is due to close by 2027. People in the community have been doing this work for years now, she said. This is a distraction to the real work that needs to be done. This is designed to distract and create false debate. The community had already identified what transition needs to deliver, she said: affordable housing, affordable and accessible childcare and healthcare, public transport and renewable energy. The community has said what it wants the last thing they want is outsiders coming into Collie and telling them what they want. Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the oppositions plan puts Australias renewables future at risk. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the Coalitions frolic was placing investments into renewables at risk. Renewables are flooding the grid with bursts of cheap power, driving coal plants out of business at a rapid rate. The energy market operator expects 90 per cent of the grids coal plants shut by 2035 and all of them gone by 2040. Loading The renewables building boom promises thousands of regional construction jobs, but investors and big business are increasingly nervous about what path a future federal government will map out for the energy grid. Major renewables backers have said the oppositions refusal to endorse Australias 2030 emissions reduction target, coupled with its warnings that the grid is overly reliant on wind and solar power, is forcing them to reconsider their Australian investment plans. Bowen told the National Press Club this week that a Coalition government would cause private investment to dry up. Ivana Bosco moved her young family to St Helena from Preston 35 years ago and has never looked back. Drawn to its green spaces, schools and access to the city, Bosco knew shed found the perfect suburb to raise her young family. St Helena, in Melbournes north-east, is among the suburbs home owners dont want to leave, recording a median hold period of 19.7 years in the 12 months to June, data from CoreLogic has revealed. A house in neighbouring Yallambie takes a median 17.2 years before being resold, while the median hold period in nearby Eaglemont is 15.2 years. Its been dubbed the worst AFL fixture of the modern era. And to the long list of complaints already made about the structure of season 2024 the Opening Round malarkey and its impact on byes, the sudden abandonment of Thursday night footy, the absurdity of some teams facing each other twice before facing others once we can add one more. It has robbed us of maybe the best Sydney derby ever. Imagine if the Swans and Giants were playing this weekend? You couldnt miss it. It might happen soon, if their paths cross in September but if not, since theyve already played two derbies this year (in the space of just seven rounds; go figure), well have to wait a minimum of nine months to see the simmering tensions between the two clubs manifest on the field. In the past, the rivalry between the citys two AFL clubs has felt either too confected or too collegiate, as if their mutual respect and common goal of growing the game in NSW overwhelmed whichever receptors in the brain are responsible for fostering hatred. There have been hints of genuine dislike here and there, the whole Lance Franklin recruitment imbroglio, and plenty of hotly contested games (and finals), but nothing strong enough to draw in the neutral or take over the discourse. Id been told in my role as a consultant that I couldnt present or facilitate. They said that because of the way that I look, I wouldnt have the respect of business leaders out there because Im very young looking, Im Asian and a woman. I started SeenCulture to build a product and build tech to do something about it. Loading Its a succession planning platform to put everyone on a level playing field, so people can get recognised for their potential, and their leadership potential in particular, when it comes to things like promotions and job opportunities. It enables people leaders to make data-driven decisions that mitigate bias. It was in trying to drum up funding to build out SeenCultures platform that Tugano thinks she ran into affinity bias, in which people have a preference for people who are just like them. Thats when favouritism can breed, Tugano said. If Im pitching this to an investor, nine times out of 10 they are a white, privileged man who hasnt actually felt the pain of what its like to be an underrepresented individual wanting to feel seen. So they dont get it. The entrepreneur did eventually win funding from a number of firms, including InterValley Ventures, Techstars, M8 Ventures, Cut Through and LaunchVic, the Victorian state governments start-up agency. Angel investors including Kirstin Hunter and Preethi Mohan also cut cheques for Tugano. This is despite the share of capital flowing to female tech founders plummeting to a level not seen since 2019, according to a report this month from Cut Through Venture. Access to venture funding for women is poor globally, but the problem is acute in Australia. Female-founded start-ups account for 11 per cent of investment deals so far this year. All-male teams have received an average of $4 million per deal in 2024 to date, more than double the $1.8 million average for all-female teams. One of Australias largest venture capital firms, Blackbird, on Wednesday released new data showing that in the past 12 months it invested in 16 new companies, and only five had a woman in the founding team. In dollar terms, all-female teams have received 5 per cent of Blackbirds core funds since 2022, compared with 13 per cent for mixed-gender teams, and 82 per cent for all-male teams. Blackbirds own data has found no correlation between the gender of the investor making the decision and who they invest in, according to operating principal Kate Glazebrook. Credit: AFR Were frustrated with what weve been able to show from the last year, particularly because whats behind the scenes is an enormously increased focus on this over the last two years at Blackbird, said the companys operating principal, Kate Glazebrook. Id say the current state in Blackbird is a sense of exploration. Theres a sense of, weve got to be able to have better answers to this as an industry and as a fund. While theres broad consensus among investors that the numbers arent good enough, theres less agreement on what to do about them. Some think one of the root causes of the issue is a relatively straightforward one: there are too few women at the table making the investment decisions. The start-ups of today are the large corporations of tomorrow, so if we dont back women-led businesses early, what hope do we have of solving issues like the gender pay gap? Rachel Yang, Equity Clear co-founder Just a quarter of Blackbirds investment committee are women, a proportion that is similar for its rivals. One-third of AirTrees investment committee are women, and that firm has made zero investments in all-female teams this financial year, compared with 86 per cent for all-male teams. One of Australias other largest venture capital firms, Square Peg, did not provide its diversity statistics when asked by this masthead. Were always open to ways of encouraging diversity across the venture capital and start-up industry, and we recognise there is more support we can provide in this important area, a Square Peg spokeswoman said. Blackbirds own data has found no correlation between the gender of the investor making the decision and who they invest in, according to Glazebrook. Her company is trying a few things to shift the needle, including allyship training, blind voting in pitches and hiring, and ensuring everyone man, woman, junior, senior can effectively express their views. Those efforts have yet to translate into more investments for women. Rachel Yang is the co-founder of Equity Clear, a recently formed group leading calls for greater transparency and reporting of diversity metrics from venture capital funds. AirTree, Blackbird and others use its templates to publicly report their diversity metrics. Some venture capital firms have signed a pledge to be transparent about how they fund female-founded start-ups. Samar Mcheileh, co-CEO at Scale Investors, and Rachel Yang, partner at Giant Leap, helped drive the initiative. Credit: Eamon Gallagher Whats frustrating is that the narrative is often focused on the fact that women-led start-ups are not being funded, rather than focusing on the benefits of actually funding them, Yang said. Investors are leaving value on the table without realising. The start-ups of today are the large corporations of tomorrow, so if we dont back women-led businesses early, what hope do we have of solving issues like the gender pay gap? Some, including Yang, think that voluntary reporting of diversity metrics doesnt go far enough, and that legislative change might be necessary. Loading Australian venture capital firm F5 Collective sponsored a controversial bill in California, SB 54, mandating venture capital firms to report the diversity of founders theyre backing, including race, disability status, gender and LGBTQ+ status. SB 54 has been signed into law in California and will come into effect from March 2025. F5 chief Tracey Warren wants something similar in Australia. In Australia last year, there was $3.5 billion deployed to start-ups. If we move the needle by 1 per cent, and get 1 per cent more into womens hands, thats $35 million in additional funding going to Australian women, Warren said. Really robust reporting is a natural place to start and thats why we sponsored that bill; we had to work with Democrats and Republicans, and we did in the US because we thought that would then give us ammo to walk into Australia, which is 20 years behind on this stuff. Tracey Warren, CEO of VC fund F5 Collective, backed laws requiring venture capital funds to report their diversity stats. Credit: Arsineh Houspian The idea of such a law in Australia is off-putting for local firms such as AirTree and Blackbird, who prefer a voluntary reporting system. Were conscious that founders, particularly of underrepresented or marginalised groups, may not want to disclose all that information, so it should be optional, an AirTree spokeswoman said. Some dont want reporting at all. Australian technology investor Steve Baxter, a former Shark Tank investor and CEO of Transition Level Investments, called the proposal ridiculous. Baxter maintains that investments should be entirely merit-based and that gender should stay out of the equation. Carolyn Breeze, the CEO of investment fund Scalare Partners, said she sees a significant difference in pitching styles between men and women. Can you think of anything more ridiculous than having to ask people you invest in what race they are, are they disabled, what gender or LGBTQ+ status they are? he said. The people caring about this do not care for merit and success but [rather] the outward appearance of things that frankly dont matter. For those who do see the under-representation of women as a problem, some think the issue largely lies with the pipeline; that the statistics are the way they are because there are too few female entrepreneurs applying for venture capital funding in the first place. Kristen Phillips heads up a female-specific start-up accelerator program, New Wave, based out of the University of NSW. In the past five years, 650 women have gone through the philanthropically funded program and worked on 250 start-up ideas between them. The numbers are bleak, and what weve seen is that women are being told time and time again that theyre going to be less successful in this industry, and that CEO roles and start-ups are better suited to men, Phillips said. Its this kind of feedback and history that means why would women ever sign up for it? Women represent 50 per cent of the population, so if we are getting 50 per cent less of the innovations and ideas, were going to miss out on the wealth of ideas and innovations that can serve the whole of our society. I think we need more primary school and high school programs to help challenge that prevalent mentality. Everyone talks about needing to financially support women more in the start-up space, but so few do it. We need funds to put their money where their mouth is and put their money into women as direct cash support. Others suggest women should perhaps rethink their approach to pitching for funding. Carolyn Breeze, the CEO of Sydney-based investment fund Scalare Partners, said she noticed a significant difference in pitching styles between men and women. Loading I often see women pitch their businesses focusing more on realistic outcomes rather than high-risk, high-reward scenarios that investors tend to favour, she said. Women often talk about the purpose behind the business, why they started this business or created the solution. For example, a woman founder may focus on the need that they meet in terms of other peoples welfare, whereas men tend to focus more on returns on investment and growth vision. It is crucial for the entire ecosystem to work together Collaboration and sustained efforts are key to making meaningful progress in closing the funding gap. Tugano is staying focused on building out her start-up. She recently landed Atlassian and Culture Amp as customers, and has now racked up more than 1500 users on her platform. Oman takes a tourism approach that differs vastly from its neighbours, leaning into smaller but no less successful ventures. As Skift, the travel industry market research platform, says: Unlike the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Oman has largely stayed away from giga-projects and mega-hotels to spark tourism. Instead, the country focuses heavily on its heritage sector to boost travel, as well as its natural environment. The Mandarin Oriental, Muscat and its pool. The new Mandarin Oriental Muscat slips right into that brief, where the natural beauty of Oman inspires the design of the hotel by Gulf and Paris-based architectural firm, Xavier Cartron. From entering through grand Omani wooden doors, to the three fountains and colourful chandeliers in the lobby, to the inspired use of local natural materials in 103 guestrooms and 47 suites, this urban resort in Muscats Shatti Al-Qurum neighbourhood pays deep homage to location. Rome: A judge in Milan has found an Italian journalist guilty of defaming Italys Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and ordered her to pay damages of 5000 ($8100), as well as court costs, the defendants lawyer said. In Wednesdays ruling, the journalist, Giulia Cortese, was also given a suspended fine of 1200 for two posts on Twitter, now known as X, in October 2021, when Meloni was a lawmaker. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni with Tunisian President Kais Saied in April. Credit: AP In one tweet, she described Meloni using not nice words, Corteses lawyer, David Olivetti, said. In another she took aim at Melonis height, suggesting Meloni was 1.2 metres (about 4 feet) tall. The prosecutor trying Cortese had called it an example of body-shaming. At a campaign rally in 2022, Meloni told supporters she was 1.58 metres tall (5 feet, 2 inches). Former US First Lady Melania Trump was spotted at the Republican National Convention on July 18. The model rarely appears in public to support Donald Trump's third presidential bid. ADVERTISIMENT Melania and politician Ivanka Trump's eldest daughter, who also impressed users with her presence, largely avoided the campaign trail this year, unlike Trump's 2016 and 2020 campaigns, when both played a larger role. This year, neither made any speeches, the Associated Press reports. The entrepreneur took to the stage in a red Dior suit, which she wore in 2017 for an official visit to Paris. The model's stylist Herve Pierre said: "It's nothing new it's just a repetition. But she loves this suit. She has nice clothes, so she can repeat [looks]." Trump complemented her outfit with red Christian Louboutin stiletto heels. ADVERTISIMENT Melania Trump's presence helps the Republican Party demonstrate its overall unity, which is especially emphasized after the assassination attempt on the politician's life. The day after the attack, Melania issued a statement calling on Americans to "rise above the hate and simple-minded ideas that fuel violence." Campaigns often use spouses and families to humanize a candidate, but with Melania Trump sidelined this year, that task has fallen to other speakers who have painted a sympathetic portrait of Trump by sharing anecdotes about the warm relationship between him and their children. For example, Trump's 17-year-old granddaughter, Kai Trump, called him "just a regular grandpa." ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Milwaukee: This is the tale of two Donald Trumps. The first version is the bombastic, bare-knuckled brawler whose grievance-fuelled speeches have become a hallmark of US politics for the last eight years. The second version is the Trump his campaign wanted you to see tonight as he accepted his partys presidential nomination: a softer, gentler and more restrained version, who would seek to unite the country after his near-death experience. Donald Trump speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Credit: Bloomberg But if you think an attempted assassination might have changed the former president entirely, think again. Twenty minutes into a speech that had supposedly been rewritten to meet the moment and bridge political divides, the incendiary Republican returned to form, lamenting the partisan witch hunts against him; claiming a migrant invasion was killing America; repeating his claims of a stolen election; and bragging about getting along with global dictators. PHILIPSBURG: ---The House of Parliament will sit in a Public meeting on July 19, 2024. The Public meeting is scheduled for Friday at 16.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Justice will be in attendance. The agenda point is: Deliberations with the Minister of Justice concerning the alarming rise in crime and the recent increase in shootings (IS/913/2023-2024 dated July 8, 2024) This meeting was requested by MP S.E. Jacobs, MP E.J. Doran, MP C.L. Marlin and MP A.M.R. Irion. Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament Grenada, July 19, 2024. On July 11, CCRIF Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Isaac Anthony and members of the CCRIF team met with Grenadas Prime Minister, Hon. Dickon Mitchell; Minister of Finance, Hon. Dennis Cornwall and other key officials to present the payouts totalling US$44 million for the triggering of the Governments tropical cyclone, excess rainfall and COAST (fisheries sector) policies, following damage from Hurricane Beryl. Both teams took the opportunity to further discuss the importance of disaster risk financing and financial protection for the country, as well as the insurance penetration rates in the Caribbean and the multi-hazard environment that the Caribbean exists in. Mr. Anthony reminded the team that CCRIF is the Caribbean and Central Americas development insurance company and therefore, the Facility is committed to improving the resilience of the Caribbean and Central America to climate change and natural hazards to help them to recover faster following natural disasters by providing access to quick liquidity, which can help countries to build back better. The Prime Minister indicated that, while these funds [from CCRIF] may not cover all rebuilding costs, they will enable us to begin the journey of restoration of our homes, our communities and our nation. This is exactly what CCRIF was set up to do to fill the liquidity gap and provide an injection of liquidity following a natural disaster to allow members to begin recovery efforts. In addition to the US$44 million paid to the Government of Grenada, CCRIF made payouts to both the electric and water utility companies in Grenada under their policies. These payouts to the Grenada Electricity Services Limited (GRENLEC) and the National Water and Sewerage Authority (NAWASA), represent the first payouts made by CCRIF for policies for electric and water utilities since these two products were launched. Between the Government of Grenada and the water and electric utilities, Grenada has all six parametric insurance policies CCRIF has on offer tropical cyclone, excess rainfall, earthquake, and for the fisheries and electric and water utility sectors. The CCRIF CEO reiterated the importance of countries financially protecting their economies and stated that Grenada is a best practice example for other small island states in ensuring that its economy is financially protected and also taking steps to ensure that key economic sectors are also financially protected. He further stated, Governments must view electricity and water as public goods, even when they are privately managed, as without either, economic growth and development prospects continue to be stymied even after a disaster. CCRIF is working with Caribbean Electric and Water utilities to encourage them to obtain the respective policies. However, Mr. Anthony pointed out that, not all countries at this time can fully adopt a risk layering approach, as not all countries have access to the various disaster risk financing options other than CCRIF parametric insurance that are available. Below is the complete list of payouts to Grenadathe Government and the electric and water utility companiesfor Hurricane Beryl. As of the new policy year, which began on June 1, 2024, CCRIF has 30 members: 19 Caribbean governments, 4 Central American governments, three electric utilities, three water utilities, and one tourist attraction. Other countries that have received payouts following Tropical Cyclone Beryl are St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands. Since its inception in 2007, CCRIF has made 75 payouts totaling US$385,509,438 to 21 of its 30 members in the Caribbean and Central America. Following CCRIFs value proposition, all payouts are made within 14 days of the event to allow countries and sectors to begin recovery efforts. CCRIF CEO Mr. Anthony reminds members that CCRIF was not set up to cover all the losses on the ground but to provide quick liquidity after a natural hazard event. However, he stresses that while CCRIFs payouts may be relatively small compared to the overwhelming cost of rebuilding, governments have expressed appreciation for the rapid payouts, which they can use to address immediate priorities and to support the vulnerable. Governments have used CCRIF payouts for a variety of purposes, including providing food, shelter, medicine, and building materials to affected persons; immediate recovery and repair activities; stabilizing facilities such as water treatment plants; supporting key economic sectors such as agriculture and tourism; and implementing mitigation activities to increase resilience, for example, improving critical infrastructure such as roads, drains, bridges, schools and other buildings and enhancing early warning systems. CCRIFs assessments based on monitoring the use of payouts by members have revealed that its payouts have benefitted over 3.5 million persons in the Caribbean and Central America. Recognizing that the financial protection gap is still wide and the insurance penetration rate across the Caribbean and Central America is still low despite the number of parametric insurance products that the Facility has on the market, CCRIF continues to develop additional products. Currently under development by CCRIF are products for slow-onset events such as drought, a multi-peril agricultural insurance product, and a product for fluvial flooding. Australia, New Zealand hit by large-scale technical outage Sydney, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 A large-scale outage wrought havoc on IT systems across Australia and New Zealand on Friday, causing travel delays, hampering television broadcasts, and forcing supermarket systems offline. Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator said the "large-scale technical outage" was caused by an issue with a "third-party software platform", allaying initial fears of hacker involvement. Photos posted online showed large queues forming at Sydney Airport, which told AFP some airline operations and terminal services had been affected. "Flights are currently arriving and departing however there may be some delays throughout the evening," a Sydney Airport spokesman said. "We have activated our contingency plans with our airline partners and deployed additional staff to our terminals to assist passengers." Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand similarly said it was "experiencing IT issues across a number of our systems which may affect flight arrivals and departures". New Zealand said banks and the computer network inside the country's parliament had also been affected. Australia national broadcaster ABC said its systems had been crippled by a "major" glitch, derailing some television and radio broadcasts. Some self-checkout terminals at one of Australia's largest supermarket chains were rendered useless, displaying blue error messages. Telecommunications firm Telstra said some of its systems had been disrupted, possibly impacting emergency services that used its network. Telstra said it was caused by "global issues" impacting software provided by Microsoft and American cyber security company Crowdstrike. Microsoft and Crowdstrike could not immediately be reached for comment. University of South Australia cybersecurity researcher Jill Slay said the global impact of the outages was likely to be "enormous". sft/djw/mca TELSTRA Three Indian airlines report extensive IT disruptions New Delhi, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Three Indian airlines announced disruptions to their booking systems on Friday, matching widespread technical problems reported by flight operators around the world. "Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage," IndiGo, the country's largest airline by market share, said in a post on social media platform X. "During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted." Fellow budget carrier SpiceJet said it had reverted to manual check-ins and boarding after "technical challenges". "Our teams are diligently working with our service provider to resolve these issues promptly," the airline said. Akasa Air said "infrastructure issues" had taken its booking and check-in services online. Delhi Airport in India's capital said it was "working with all our stakeholders to minimise the inconvenience" to passengers. bur-gle/mca MICROSOFT 'Large-scale' IT outage hits companies worldwide Sydney, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 A major outage wrought havoc on global computer systems on Friday, grounding flights in the United States, derailing television broadcasts in the UK and impacting telecommunications in Australia. Major US air carriers including Delta, United and American Airlines grounded all flights on Friday over a communication issue, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Flights were suspended at Berlin Brandenburg airport in Germany due to a "technical problem", a spokeswoman told AFP. "There are delays to check-in, and flight operations had to be cancelled until 10:00 am (0800 GMT)," the spokeswoman said, adding that she could not say when they would resume. All airports in Spain were experiencing "disruptions" from an IT outage that has hit several companies worldwide on Friday, the airport operator Aena said. Hong Kong's airport also said some airlines had been affected, with its authority issuing a statement in which it linked the disruption to a Microsoft outage. The UK's biggest rail operator meanwhile warned of possible train cancellations due to IT issues, while photos posted online showed large queues forming at Sydney Airport in Australia. "Flights are currently arriving and departing however there may be some delays throughout the evening," a Sydney Airport spokesman said. "We have activated our contingency plans with our airline partners and deployed additional staff to our terminals to assist passengers." Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator said the "large-scale technical outage" was caused by an issue with a "third-party software platform", adding there was no information as yet to suggest hacker involvement. - Banks, airports hit - Sky News in the UK said the glitch had ended its morning news broadcasts, while Australian broadcaster ABC similarly reported a major "outage". Some self-checkout terminals at one of Australia's largest supermarket chains were rendered useless, displaying blue error messages. New Zealand media said banks and computer systems inside the country's parliament were reporting issues. Australian telecommunications firm Telstra suggested the outages were caused by "global issues" plaguing software provided by Microsoft and cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Microsoft said in a statement it was taking "mitigation actions" in response to service issues. It was not clear if those were linked to the global outages. "Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions," Microsoft said in a post on social media platform X. CrowdStrike could not immediately be reached for comment. - 'Enormous' - University of Melbourne expert Toby Murray said there were indications the problem was linked to a security tool called Crowdstrike Falcon. "CrowdStrike is a global cyber security and threat intelligence company," Murray said. "Falcon is what is known as an endpoint detection and response platform, which monitors the computers that it is installed on to detect intrusions (i.e. hacks) and respond to them." University of South Australia cybersecurity researcher Jill Slay said the global impact of the outages was likely to be "enormous". sft/djw/ser/mca TELSTRA Berlin airport among casualties as IT outage hits Germany Berlin, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Flights were temporarily suspended at Berlin airport Friday as a global IT outage hit Germany, with problems also reported at other airports, a hospital and the carmaker Tesla. A spokeswoman for Berlin Brandenburg airport said flights were gradually resuming at around 11:00 am (0900 GMT) after the "technical problem" brought air traffic to a halt earlier in the morning. "Departures are taking place," the spokeswoman said, adding however that there "may be longer waiting times" as "everything now has to be gradually ramped up again". The disruption came as a major outage wrought havoc on computer systems worldwide, grounding flights in the United States, derailing television broadcasts in the UK and impacting telecommunications in Australia. In Germany, disturbances were also reported at Stuttgart and Cologne-Bonn airports. The University Medical Centre Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) said all non-urgent operations had been cancelled at its hospitals in Kiel and Luebeck. "The outpatient clinics at both sites will also be closed," it said in a statement. Production at US carmaker Tesla's plant outside Berlin was also "partially affected" by the outage, spokeswoman Kathrin Schira told AFP. German flagship carrier Lufthansa said it had been only "slightly affected", with the problems in Berlin causing the biggest disruption. Microsoft said in a statement it was taking "mitigation actions" in response to service issues. It was not clear if those were linked to the global outages. lep-fec/hmn/js Tesla Lufthansa On July 19, hundreds of companies around the world shut down due to a failure in Microsoft Azure and Crowdstrike programs. In Ukraine, the services of Nova Poshta, Vodafone, and Sense Bank were temporarily unavailable. In addition, the ability to create banks in Mono disappeared. At the same time, hundreds of flights had to be postponed around the world, airports temporarily stopped working, and Microsoft 10 users lost the ability to use their computers. ADVERTISIMENT Read about what happened and how Ukrainian companies survived the IT failure in the OBOZ.UA article. The situation in Ukraine: companies managed to resume their work in a few hours The reasons for the failure are the same all over the world, including for Ukrainian companies. Vodafone and Sense Bank confirmed to OBOZ.UA that their problems were related to Microsoft Azure and Crowdstrike. "This morning, for an hour, some Vodafone subscribers in all regions of Ukraine had difficulty receiving services. The company's specialists responded promptly to the situation, and all basic services have been gradually restored since 9.20 am. The reason was a failure in information systems that affected the infrastructure of many companies around the world," Vodafone said. Thus, when trying to dial a number, the system "dropped" the call. "The Internet is available, but you can't call anyone," complained one of the mobile operator's subscribers. ADVERTISIMENT "Nova Poshta" has already resumed operations."All client systems and services have been restored. We apologize for the inconvenience. We are waiting for you in our branches and at post offices," the company told OBOZ.UA. Earlier, they noted that the failure occurred "due to some software updates, there was a technical failure in the customer service system. The company also clarified that there was no hacker attack." Sense Bank also experienced failures. The company noted that the problems affected a number of functions. In particular, they did not work: display of products, cards, and accounts transfers and currency exchange payment for services purchase of bonds and car insurance opening deposits and loans collections and references. "This morning we experienced technical difficulties in Sense Bank's digital services. The bank's team has now restored most of the digital functions. The cause of the failure has already been established and is not related to a DDoS attack or other hostile actions of the aggressor country. All data and tools will be fully restored in the near future," the company told OBOZ.UA. ADVERTISIMENT And at 11:23 the company said that the difficulties had been overcome. "As of now, the technical difficulties we faced this morning have been successfully overcome. All digital services and functions of Sense Bank are back to normal," the bank's press service said. Monobank also had difficulties transfers and card transactions worked, but it was impossible to create a bank. "There is a global IT failure around the world related to the interaction of the Crowdstrike antivirus and Windows. Many companies are knocked out," explained Oleg Gorokhovsky, co-founder of Monobank. Failures are not only in Ukraine: problems are reported all over the world ADVERTISIMENT Thus, in the United States, Spain, and Germany, there are problems with the operation of airports, which has delayed or canceled flights. American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Airlines have banned all their planes from taking off due to global connectivity issues. Some of the consequences: United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines have suspended all flights . The Federal Aviation Administration cited communication problems and did not say how long the "ground stop" would last. Allegiant Airlines flights were also suspended. . The Federal Aviation Administration cited communication problems and did not say how long the "ground stop" would last. Allegiant Airlines flights were also suspended. Microsoft said it is investigating an issue that affects users' ability to access various Microsoft 365 programs and services. Earlier on Thursday, the company reported on its Azure status report website that the service had stopped working for some customers in the United States, adding that it had identified the cause and was working to resolve it. ADVERTISIMENT Other global airlines, including Virgin Australia and Qantas , have been affected by the IT outage, saying they are still operating but with delays. , have been affected by the IT outage, saying they are still operating but with delays. Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney airports are experiencing similar disruptions , although flights are still arriving and departing. , although flights are still arriving and departing. Australian banking and telecommunications institutions such as ANZ, Westpac, Visa, and Optus are also affected, according to Downdetector, a website that tracks cyber disruptions. are also affected, according to Downdetector, a website that tracks cyber disruptions. Chinese Microsoft customers are seeing a "blue screen" with an error message, commonly known as a BSOD (blue screen of death), Microsoft confirmed on Friday. with an error message, commonly known as a BSOD (blue screen of death), Microsoft confirmed on Friday. The London Stock Exchange said that its news service has experienced a "global technical problem" that has prevented news from being published on its website. Other services of the company, including the exchange itself, continue to operate normally, it added. ADVERTISIMENT Other businesses affected include supermarket chains, state police, the national television station, and banks in New Zealand . . 911 emergency lines are down in the US states . The 911 emergency service lines in the US state of Alaska have stopped working, according to the state's military service. . The 911 emergency service lines in the US state of Alaska have stopped working, according to the state's military service. The Bank of Israel claims that the global CrowdStrike outage is causing some disruptions in the country's banking system. The central bank says that the problem has caused "a partial impact on the banking system, which is aware of the incident and will cope with it." Earlier, the Israeli Ministry of Health and Emergency Services said its servers and hotline were experiencing disruptions due to a technical problem. ADVERTISIMENT The famous sphere in Las Vegas after the global Crowdstrike outage also shows the "blue screen of death". According to CNN, the US Federal Aviation Administration has announced the suspension of flights by American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Airlines. Spanish airports have faced a "computer system incident" that could lead to flight delays, according to airfield operator Aena. Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport has also stopped working. Airplanes can neither take off nor land. A global technical failure has occurred in Australia, causing massive damage to telecom operators, banks, and airlines, due to problems with Microsoft laptops, the Australian ABC TV channel reports. The failure of the Microsoft Azure cloud storage platform caused the cancellation of at least 130 flights and delays of more than 200 flights of American airlines. ADVERTISIMENT British railroad companies also said they were facing "widespread IT problems." And Sky News was forced to interrupt its live broadcast. The London Stock Exchange is also experiencing disruptions. There are also reports of problems with the Windows operating system. Users are being presented with a "blue screen of death". It is noted that the massive Windows 10 BSOD crash is related to the update of Crowdstike, a cybersecurity software. What experts say Prof. Jill Slay, SmartSat Chair in Cyber Security at the University of South Australia, said the "impact" of the large global outage is "enormous" but that it is "too early to draw conclusions" about the cause. "There is currently a large-scale global technical failure affecting numerous companies and services," Slay said. "Some attribute it to the security services offered by CrowdStrike. Others are attributing it to Microsoft or Amazon. Authorities and the industry will be watching, but it's too early to draw conclusions at this stage." ADVERTISIMENT Slay noted that the failure "could be the result of misconfiguration by one of these companies or 'interference' between products." Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Heathrow airport and Ryanair hit by global IT outage London, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Britain's Heathrow Airport and Irish no-frills airline Ryanair warned Friday that they faced turbulence over spreading travel chaos stemming from a global IT outage. Heathrow said the issue was affecting some systems while Ryanair said it faced disruption over a "global third-party outage" but both said flights remained operational. "Microsoft is currently experiencing a global outage which is impacting select systems at Heathrow," the airport posted on X. "Flights are operational and we are implementing contingency plans to minimise any impact on journeys. Please check with your airline for the latest flight information." Ryanair warned it faced fallout from the meltdown that sparked technical issues worldwide, including at Britain's Sky News TV channel and the London Stock Exchange, as well as railway operators and medical surgeries. "We're currently experiencing disruption across the network due to a global third party IT outage which is out of our control," Ryanair posted on X. "We advise all passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their scheduled departure time." Dublin Airport added that its staff were on hand to assist affected Ryanair passengers. rfj/bcp/dl/js MICROSOFT RYANAIR HOLDINGS PLC Massive global IT outage hits airlines, banks, media Paris, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Airlines, banks, TV channels and other business across the globe were scrambling to deal with one of the biggest IT crashes in recent years on Friday, apparently caused by an update to an antivirus program. Major US air airlines initially grounded all flights over a communication issue -- though American Airlines later said it had reinstated its flights. Airports across the world said check-in systems were down and services were being handled manually, with delays likely. Microsoft said in a technical update on its website that the problems began at 1900 GMT on Thursday, affecting users of its Azure cloud platform running cybersecurity software CrowdStrike Falcon. "We recommend customers that are able to, to restore from a backup from before this time," the US software giant said. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on social media platform X that customers had been "impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts". "The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed," he said. Shares in CrowdStrike slumped by 20 percent in pre-market trading. - 'Common cause' - From Amsterdam to Zurich, across all continents, airports were reporting problems with their check-in systems. "I'm just in limbo as to how long I've got to wait here," flight passenger Alexander Ropicano told AFP, as he waited at Sydney Airport in Australia. The 24-year-old, flying to Brisbane to see his girlfriend, said the airline told him to "wait until the system is operational again", but there is no indication how long that could be. Media companies were also struggling with Britain's Sky News saying the glitch had ended its morning news broadcasts and Australia's ABC similarly reporting a major "outage". Some banks reported difficulties in processing digital payments, mobile phone carriers were disrupted and customer services in a number of companies were down. The global nature of the failure prompted some experts to call for greater resilience in networks and question the reliance on a single provider for such a variety of services. "We need to be aware that such software can be a common cause of failure for multiple systems at the same time," said software engineering professor John McDermid from Britain's York University. "We need to design infrastructure to be resilient against such common cause problems," he added. - Flights re-established - Airports and airlines were the most dramatically affected, with US airlines grounded early on Friday. All flights "regardless of destination" were grounded because of a "communication issues", the FAA said in a notice to airlines. However, American Airlines later said that as of 0900 GMT "we have been able to safely re-establish our operation". "We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience," the airline said. Major airports including Berlin, which had earlier said all flights had been suspended, said flights were gradually resuming after the "technical issue". All airports in Spain were experiencing "disruptions" from an IT outage, the airport operator Aena said. Hong Kong's airport also said some airlines had been affected, with its authority issuing a statement in which it linked the disruption to a Microsoft outage. The UK's biggest rail operator warned of possible train cancellations due to IT issues. Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator said the "large-scale technical outage" was caused by an issue with a "third-party software platform". France's cybersecurity agency ANSSI said it was "fully mobilised" to identify and support those affected. "There is no evidence to suggest that this outage is the result of a cyberattack," the agency said. jxb/jm TELSTRA American Airlines says resumed operations after global IT outage Washington, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 American Airlines said Friday it had resumed operations following problems related to a major worldwide computer systems outage. "Earlier this morning, a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. As of 5:00 a.m. ET (0900 GMT), we have been able to safely re-establish our operation," it said in a post on social platform X. A major IT outage has wrought havoc on computer systems worldwide, grounding flights across the globe, including in Europe and the United States, derailing television broadcasts in the UK and impacting telecommunications in Australia. US carriers Delta and United Airlines grounded all their flights earlier Friday over communication issues, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. The FAA said later it was "closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines." It said several US airlines had requested its "assistance with ground stops for their fleets until the issue is resolved." bur-sn/mca Turkish Airlines cancels 84 flights after IT outage Istanbul, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Turkish Airlines announced on Friday it cancelled 84 flights after a global IT outage wrought havoc on computer systems worldwide. The technical glitch grounded flights in the United States, derailed television broadcasts in the UK and impacted telecommunications in Australia. "In order to avoid any disruption, some flights will be cancelled and our flights will gradually return to normal as soon as possible," Yahya Ustun of Turkish Airlines announced on X. Most of the Turkish flagship carrier's cancelled flights were domestic and to and from Europe. "We are working to reduce our operational intensity in order to solve the software-related problem that affects many companies from different sectors around the world," Ustun said. Turkey's Information and Communication Technologies Authority said in a statement the disruption was not caused by a cyberattack. "The disruption occurred in institutions and organisations using the CrowdStrike product," it added. DenizBank, a private bank based in Turkey and owned by Emirates NBD, said in a message to customers on X that it was "working to eliminate the disruption". fo/jm UK crisis team convenes after global IT outage London, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 The British government said Friday that it had activated its civil contingencies committee to handle the response to a global IT outage that hit UK transport and health services. Cabinet Secretary Pat McFadden said that ministers in affected sectors were working with business leaders and that he was "in close contact with teams coordinating our response through the COBR response system". COBR, also called COBRA, is convened to handle national emergencies or major disruptions, and coordinates decision-making between government departments. Govia Thameslink Railway, the UK's largest rail franchise, said it was facing "widespread IT issues" on its four rail networks serving areas across London, east England, south England and London Gatwick Airport. "We are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice cancellations," it posted on X, adding that customer information platforms were also affected. South Western Railway said its trains were running well, but "some retail systems and ticket machines at stations are down". Low-cost airline Ryanair said it was facing disruption due to the "global third-party IT outage". Airports including London Luton, Belfast and Edinburgh warned of longer waiting times for passengers because of the glitch, which was apparently caused by an update to an antivirus programme. Transport for Ireland, which runs public transport including buses and rail services, said its apps were down. A London Heathrow airport spokesperson said that while the outage was "impacting select systems", flights were operational. General practitioners (GPs) across Britain were also affected by the outage, unable to access patient records or book appointments. A National Health Service (NHS) spokesperson said there was an issue with its appointment and patient record service "causing disruption in the majority" of GP services. There was no known impact on emergency services, the NHS added. The National Pharmacy Association also said some community pharmacies were hit by the outage, which was "affecting prescription access from GPs and medicine deliveries." aks/phz/js Massive global IT crash hits airlines, banks, media Paris, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Airlines, banks, TV channels and other business across the globe were scrambling Friday to deal with one of the biggest IT crashes in recent years, caused by an update to an antivirus program. Aviation officials in the United States briefly grounded all planes, while airlines elsewhere cancelled or delayed flights, as systems running Microsoft Windows crashed. Microsoft said the issue began at 1900 GMT on Thursday, affecting users of its Azure cloud platform running cybersecurity software CrowdStrike Falcon. "We recommend customers that are able to, to restore from a backup from before this time," the US software giant said in a technical update on its website. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said in a post on several social media platforms that a fix had been rolled out for the problem, describing it as a "defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts". Experts suggested applying the fix would not be straightforward. And the global nature of the failure prompted some commentators to question the reliance on a single provider for such a variety of services. Shares in CrowdStrike slumped by 20 percent in pre-market trading. - Flight chaos - From Amsterdam to Zurich, Singapore to Hong Kong, airport operators flagged technical issues that were disrupting their services. Some airports told planes they could not land, while in others airline staff began checking in passengers manually. "I'm just in limbo as to how long I've got to wait here," traveller Alexander Ropicano told AFP as he waited at Sydney Airport in Australia. The 24-year-old, flying to Brisbane to see his girlfriend, said the airline told him to "wait until the system is operational again". The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a notice to airlines early on Friday that all flights "regardless of destination" were to be grounded. But American Airlines later said that as of 0900 GMT "we have been able to safely re-establish our operation. "We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience," the airline said. Major airports including Berlin, which had suspended flights earlier on Friday, said departures and arrivals were gradually resuming. Turkish Airlines said it had cancelled 84 flights and other airlines reported booking systems had crashed. Chinese state media, however, said Beijing's airports had not been affected. - 'Common cause' - Companies were left patching up their systems and trying to assess the damage from the outage, even as officials tried to tamp down any panic. "There is no evidence to suggest that this outage is the result of a cyberattack," France's cybersecurity agency ANSSI said. German interior ministry spokesman Mehmet Ata blamed it on CrowdStrike's "faulty update". CrowdStrike's Kurtz said his teams were "fully mobilised" to help customers affected. "The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed," he said. But Professor Oli Buckley of Britain's Loughborough University said it was "impractical" to expect millions of less experienced users to implement CrowdStrike's workaround. He said it would be a "real challenge" to ensure it was deployed across all affected systems. And reports from both the Netherlands and Britain suggested health services may have been affected by the disruption, meaning the impact could eventually be even wider. Media companies were also struggling, with Britain's Sky News saying the glitch had ended its morning news broadcasts and Australia's ABC similarly reporting a major "outage". Banks in Kenya and Ukraine reported difficulties with some digital services, supermarkets in Australia had issues with payments, mobile phone carriers were disrupted and customer services in a number of companies went down. Professor John McDermid from Britain's York University appealed for a greater awareness of how a single piece of software "can be a common cause of failure for multiple systems at the same time. "We need to design infrastructure to be resilient against such common cause problems," he added. jxb/jj TELSTRA US airlines begin resuming operations after global IT outage Washington, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Multiple US airlines said they were beginning to resume operations Friday following a major worldwide computer systems outage that grounded or delayed thousands of flights across the country. The IT issue has wrought global havoc at airports, grounding flights in Europe and the United States in particular, while also derailing television broadcasts in the UK, impacting telecommunications in Australia, and affecting some banks and health care providers. At Dulles International Airport outside of Washington, Evyn Garson told AFP she and her family had been trying to travel to Florida for a wedding, but now "feel kind of stuck." "We definitely considered just driving down there. But now it looks like they are checking bags so we might stay." American Airlines said in a post on social media platform X that it had been able to "safely re-establish our operation" as of 5:00 am EST (0900 GMT) following a "technical issue with a vendor." United Airlines said, also on X, that "some flights are resuming" as it worked to restore full operations, while Delta Airlines reported it too had resumed "some flight departures." And Frontier Airlines said it was "gradually normalizing" and "in the process of resuming flight operations," with its ground stop now lifted. The issue was apparently caused by an update to an antivirus program, with Microsoft saying in a technical post on its website that the problems affected users of its Azure cloud platform running the cybersecurity software CrowdStrike Falcon. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which had earlier Friday announced the grounding of US carriers over communication issues, said later it was "closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines." It said several US airlines had requested its "assistance with ground stops for their fleets until the issue is resolved." Some 1,300 US flights were canceled and approximately 2,900 delayed as of Friday morning, according to tracking service FlightAware. bur-sn-bfm/bbk American Airlines X United Airlines Holdings CrowdStrike: cybersecurity giant behind global outage Washington, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity company behind a massive global IT outage, is a leader in its sector, known for building software defenses for the cloud computing age and exposing Russian and North Korean threats. Based in Austin, Texas, the company was founded in 2011 by George Kurtz, Dmitri Alperovitch, and Gregg Marston. Both Kurtz and Alperovitch had extensive backgrounds in cybersecurity, working at companies like McAfee. Two years after its founding, CrowdStrike launched its signature product, the Falcon platform. - Top player - Crucially, the company embraced a "cloud-first" model to reduce big computing needs on customers and provide more effective protection. Rather than just focusing on malware and antivirus products, the founders wanted to shift attention to identifying and stopping the attackers themselves and their techniques. "CrowdStrike is one of the best known cybersecurity companies around," said Michael Daniel, who worked as the White House cybersecurity coordinator during Barack Obama's administration. "It provides typically what we think of as sort of endpoint protection, meaning that it's actually got software running on a server, or on a particular device, like a laptop or a desktop and it's scanning for potential malware connections to bad domain names," he said. "It's looking for behavior that might be unusual, that sort of thing," said Daniel who now runs the Cyber Threat Alliance. The company's share price was down by about 9 percent in morning trading on Wall Street. CrowdStrike became a publicly traded company in 2019 and the company's total revenue in the last quarter was $921 million with projections of brining in about $4 billion in the current fiscal year. The company's main competitor is Palo Alto Networks as well as SentinelOne, which are standalone cybersecurity firms. Cloud computing giants Microsoft, Amazon and Google also provide their own cybersecurity software and are rivals. - North Korea hack - But CrowdStrike is also a cyber intelligence company and made headlines when it was involved in investigating several high-profile cyberattacks. Most famously, in 2014, CrowdStrike discovered evidence linking North Korean actors to the hack of servers at Sony Pictures. The hackers stole large amounts of data and threatened terrorist acts against movie theaters to prevent the release of "The Interview," a comedy about North Korea's leader. The studio initially canceled the movie's theatrical release, but reversed its decision after criticism. Sony estimated the direct costs of the hack to be around $35 million for investigating and remediating the breach. CrowdStrike also helped investigate the 2015-2016 cyber attacks on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in the United States and their connection to Russian intelligence services. In December 2016, CrowdStrike released a report stating that a Russian government-affiliated group called Fancy Bear had hacked a Ukrainian artillery app, potentially causing significant losses to Ukrainian artillery units. However, this assessment was later disputed by some organizations and CrowdStrike rolled back some of the claims. - Criticism of Microsoft - In recent months, CrowdStike has criticized Microsoft for its lapses on cyber security as the Windows maker admitted to vulnerabilities and hackings by outside actors. Among other criticisms, CrowdStrike slammed Microsoft for still doing business in China. "You're telling the public they can't use Huawei, and they can't let kids watch dance videos on TikTok because China is going to collect intelligence," Shawn Henry, chief security officer at CrowdStrike said last year. "Yet the most ubiquitous software, which is used throughout the government and throughout every single corporation in this country and around the world, has engineers in China working on their software," Henry told Forbes. Massive global IT outage: what we know Paris, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Airlines, banks, TV channels and other businesses were disrupted worldwide on Friday following a major computer systems outage linked to an update on an antivirus program. What do we know at this stage? - What caused the outage? - The outage was linked to a faulty update on Windows systems of an IT solution from the American cybersecurity group CrowdStrike. "CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed," CEO George Kurtz said in a message on social media platform X. The problem did not affect users of Mac and Linux systems. The update bug was triggered on Thursday from 1900 GMT, according to a Microsoft publication, and many companies around the world began reporting malfunctions on Friday morning. "There are a lot of systems that go live at night and have updates in the morning," Carole Winquist, marketing director of IT security company GitGuardian, told AFP. - What happened? - The Crowdstrike security software is called Falcon Sensor and is similar to an antivirus. Its update suddenly prevented the computers from starting up. "Imagine you have a little bracelet that protects you from mosquitoes, and all of a sudden this anti-mosquito bracelet starts sending electric shocks through your wrist," Kayssar Daher, a cybersecurity expert at GitGuardian, told AFP. "You can't walk, you can't move, you're totally paralysed. That's exactly the situation in which systems equipped with CrowdStrike have found themselves", he said. For Alexander Liskin, from the cybersecurity company Kaspersky, the group ignored "all the processes required to manage the risks of their software". A company that sells security software must always "test the quality of its updates before deploying them" to avoid finding itself in this situation, noted the expert. CrowdStrike's shares were down by nearly 17 percent at around 1000 GMT on Friday in electronic trading before the opening of the New York Stock Exchange. - Who was affected? - The outage impacted the airline industry worldwide. Major US airlines, such as Delta, United and American Airlines, grounded their planes due to "communications issues". Air France said it was facing IT-related disruption on several of its services, but not at the Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports serving the Olympics host city Paris. Britain's largest rail operator also announced it was affected, as did the London Stock Exchange, Australian and French media and the accreditation system for the Paris Olympics, which begin in a week. "This is one of the rare occasions when security software has been found to be the cause of such a huge outage," said Daher. The scale of the phenomenon can be explained by the fact that "Windows is extremely widespread and so is CrowdStrike", he added. Microsoft is present "everywhere in companies that structure our lives", Winquist added. - When will things be back to normal? - Fixing the bug is simple: "you have to go into the system and delete a file so that the system can restart", said Daher. However, all the experts interviewed agree that this is a manual process that needs to be carried out on each affected device. "For large companies that have IT infrastructures with thousands and thousands of Windows computers, it will be very hard to restore", said Liskin. There could be "people stranded for several hours, even several days", said Winquist. However, some companies, such as American Airlines, announced as early as Friday that they were resuming operations. dax/pel/LyS/nmc/gv MICROSOFT Air France-KLM Delta Air Lines LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE GROUP PLC Air passengers 'in limbo' as global IT crash grounds flights Paris, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Travellers faced sleeping overnight at the airport or giving up and taking to the road for an arduous journey instead, as Friday's worldwide IT breakdown caused chaos and left air passengers around the world "in limbo". Those hoping to catch an aeroplane faced long delays, cancelled flights or even the prospect of missing work as the uncertainty left them feeling "helpless". At Sydney Airport, where the outage made check-in impossible, travellers milled around as they waited for information, with many unsure of whether their flights would leave. Wearing a neck chain and a beanie, 29-year-old Alexander Ropicano was hoping to finally return to his girlfriend in Brisbane, around 900 kilometres (559 miles) away. "I haven't seen her in a while," he sighed dejectedly, complaining that he was left "in limbo" by not knowing if his flight would take off. "If it was cancelled, it'd be easier. I'd go to Qantas or Virgin and book a new flight," he said. "But the fact that it's not cancelled makes it more confusing, because I don't know what's going on." Tallulah Kennedy was likewise faced with a bureaucratic nightmare after learning that her flight would not get off the ground. "I tried to call Jetstar as well to reschedule my flight, but they said I couldn't reschedule it because I was already checked-in," the 30-year-old said. - 'We feel stuck' - Passengers elsewhere in the world were forced into playing the waiting game, especially in the northern hemisphere where summer holiday season is in full swing. After taking off from Paris Charles De Gaulle airport at 7:00 am, an Air France plane bound for Berlin returned to its point of departure after a 45-minute flight, an AFP journalist reported. Aboard was 22-year-old student Anja Mueller, who had been hoping to return home after a week-long holiday in France. "We're struggling to find another train or flight, and our other option is to sleep at the airport," she said. In the German capital, 47-year-old musician Kirk McDowell faced an anxious wait in the early afternoon. He was expected to perform in Bordeaux, in the south of France, at 8:30 pm. Both his initial flight and a second trip he booked to replace it were cancelled, but he still hoped to make the stage on time. "Now my friend is trying to book a private flight with another friend," he said, admitting to being drained by the ordeal. Halfway across the world in Washington, Evyn Garson was faced with a dilemma. The 38-year-old was meant to go to a wedding in Florida with her husband and two young children. "We feel kind of stuck," she said, in two minds about whether to hop in a car and tackle the 1,450-kilometre trip by road. "We definitely considered just driving down there. But now it looks like they are checking bags so we might stay," she said. Further up the East Coast in New York, 56-year-old psychologist Cristina Vaccaro had just learnt that she would have to postpone her flight from LaGuardia Airport until the next day. "It's really frightening that something so big can happen," she told AFP, confessing to feeling "helpless". - Old-fashioned methods - Airport staff have been forced into returning to old-fashioned methods to help flights take off. Seoul's Incheon Airport resorted to carrying out check-in by hand, with huge queues developing as a result. In Budapest Airport in Hungary, staff made up for the blank display screens at the check-in counters by calling out the names of destinations themselves. It is not just air travellers affected by the blackout, with trains and online banking services also struggling. In the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, even hospitals were affected by the IT failure. Supermarket shoppers had to contend with out-of-service payment terminals, with one Waitrose in the southern English town of Petersfield reverting to the days where cash was king. Not everyone has let the computer crash bring them down, though, with social media awash with memes and jokes making light of the outage. Many featured Microsoft's dreaded "blue screen of death" fatal error message, which has become a fixture on countless displays across the planet. burx-lem/sbk/bc Air France-KLM One of the most iconic stories in the Bible is the Last Supper of Jesus and his apostles. Scientists have managed to find the room where Christ's last meal took place 2,000 years ago. ADVERTISIMENT Archaeologists believe that Jesus' last meal before his crucifixion took place in Jerusalem, in a house on Mount Sinai. Interestingly, the building is still standing there, writes DailyMail. Researchers believe that the Last Supper took place in the upper room of a two-story house with limestone walls and a red, sloping roof that still stands. This location has been documented in several works of art dating back to the fourth century AD. This is the time when Christians first began visiting the room to honor Christ's last moments of freedom before his crucifixion. ADVERTISIMENT The Upper Room, also known as the Cenacle, is briefly described in Luke 22:11-13. Jesus asked for a large furnished upper room where he and his disciples could eat the Passover meal. The Cenacle still stands in the old city of Jerusalem on Mount Zion, which is located above the south gate. The building was constructed with large branching columns that supported a vaulted ceiling and a sloping red roof. In 1884, Greek Orthodox Christians discovered the oldest map of Jerusalem while building a new church in Madaba, Jordan. The map was created in 560 AD as a depiction of the Holy Land, showing the Cardo Maximus (main street) stretching down the middle and two sacred structures at the southern end (lower right side), identified by their red roofs. ADVERTISIMENT But it wasn't until 2017 that David Christian Clausen, an adjunct professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina, noticed something unusual: there was a building with a red sloping roof like the Shrine, and it was in the same location. This led researchers to suspect that the upper room was the site of the Last Supper. But they still needed additional evidence, which came in the form of a sixth-century drawing discovered in Italy in 1846. The drawing shows Jesus riding through the southern gate of the city on a donkey, with the Cenacle in the background. ADVERTISIMENT Another depiction of this scene was discovered in 1585 AD in a fourth-century sculpture. Here, Jesus stands before Mary Magdalene after he has risen from the dead. And right behind the place where he stood was a building with a sloping roof. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) decided to test this theory in 2019, using laser technology and modern photographic imaging to remove all the updates made to the Cenacle over the years. "I felt like I was in Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code. We had to decipher the ancient symbols," said Amit Reem, IAA Jerusalem District Archaeologist. The researchers mapped every corner of the room to "create accurate models of the space" that revealed interesting features of the Cenacle. The resulting images showed the symbols of the Lamb of God and the Lion of Judah on the ceiling. ADVERTISIMENT "From time to time, when we have the opportunity, we continue to document other parts of the sacred complex. I hope that perhaps in the future we will have the opportunity to conduct small classical archaeological studies," Amit Reem expressed hope. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Massive global IT crash hits airlines, banks, media Paris, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Airlines, banks, TV channels and financial institutions were thrown into turmoil on Friday by one of the biggest IT crashes in recent years, caused by an update to an antivirus program. Air passengers crowded into airports to wait for news as dozens of flights were cancelled and operators struggled to keep services on track, after an update to a program operating on Microsoft Windows crashed the system. Microsoft said the issue began at 1900 GMT on Thursday, affecting Windows users running cybersecurity software CrowdStrike Falcon. CrowdStrike said it had rolled out a fix for the problem and the firm's boss, George Kurtz, told US news channel CNBC he wanted to "personally apologise to every organisation, every group and every person who has been impacted". US President Joe Biden's team was talking to CrowdStrike and those affected by the glitch "and is standing by to provide assistance as needed", the White House said in a statement. Reports from the Netherlands and Britain suggested health services may have been affected by the disruption, meaning the full impact might not yet be known. Media companies were also struggling, with Britain's Sky News saying the glitch had ended its morning news broadcasts and Australia's ABC similarly reporting major difficulties. Banks in Kenya and Ukraine reported issues with their digital services, supermarkets in Australia had problems with payments, mobile phone carriers were disrupted and customer services in a number of companies went down. "The scale of this outage is unprecedented, and will no doubt go down in history," said Junade Ali of Britain's Institution of Engineering and Technology, adding that the last incident approaching the same scale was in 2017. Experts suggested it could take days or weeks for systems to be patched up. Shares in CrowdStrike slumped by nine percent in early trading in New York. - Flight chaos - From Amsterdam to Zurich, Singapore to Hong Kong, airport operators flagged technical issues that were disrupting their services. While some airports halted all flights, in others airline staff had to check-in passengers manually. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initially ordered all flights grounded "regardless of destination", though airlines said they were re-establishing their services. But AFP footage showed frustrated and stranded passengers in airports from Milwaukee Mitchell to New York LaGuardia. "It's stressful. I've got family events going on this weekend. I don't know if I'm going to make it to them," said Jake Buettner, 46, trying to get to Florida from New York. In Europe, major airports including Berlin, which had suspended all flights earlier on Friday, said departures and arrivals were gradually resuming. But dozens of European flights were cancelled -- Turkish Airlines said it had pulled 84 flights and Italian officials confirmed around 80 departures had been cancelled. Across Latin America, airports were asking passengers to arrive for flights hours earlier than usual. Chinese state media, however, said Beijing's airports had not been affected. - 'Common cause' - Companies were left patching up their systems and trying to assess the damage, even as officials tried to tamp down panic by ruling out foul play. "There is no evidence to suggest that this outage is the result of a cyberattack," France's cybersecurity agency ANSSI said. German interior ministry spokesman Mehmet Ata blamed it on CrowdStrike's "faulty update". CrowdStrike's Kurtz said in a statement his teams were "fully mobilised" to help affected customers and "a fix has been deployed". But Professor Oli Buckley of Britain's Loughborough University was one of many experts who questioned the ease of rolling out a proper fix. "While experienced users can implement the workaround, expecting millions to do so is impractical," he said. Other experts said the incident should prompt a widespread reconsideration of how reliant societies are on single tech companies for such an array of services. "We need to be aware that such software can be a common cause of failure for multiple systems at the same time," said Professor John McDermid from Britain's York University. He said infrastructure should be designed "to be resilient against such common cause problems". burs-jxb/giv MICROSOFT American Airlines On July 19, Belarus introduced a visa-free regime with 35 European countries, which will be in effect until the end of 2024. It is noted that self-proclaimed President Alexander Lukashenko agreed to this step "in order to further demonstrate the country's openness and peacefulness." ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus. Starting from 8:00 a.m. on July 19, citizens of the following countries will be able to enter Belarus without a visa through all land and air international checkpoints "with valid documents" and stay on Belarusian territory "no more than 30 days from the date of entry": Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, North Macedonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Estonia (including stateless persons permanently residing in the Republic of Estonia). The previously introduced visa-free entry regime through land checkpoints, which is valid for citizens of Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and other countries, as well as visa-free arrival through air checkpoints, also remains in force. ADVERTISIMENT Minsk believes that the measures they have taken create "additional logistical opportunities for guests of Belarus against the background of artificial obstacles and restrictions of neighboring Western countries." What dangers can Belarusian visa-free travel pose? Lithuania and Latvia have previously warned their citizens about the dangers of Belarusian visa-free travel. Recently, the head of the Lithuanian State Security Department, Darius Jauniskis, said in an interview with 15min.lt that the Belarusian regime intends to kidnap Lithuanian citizens. "We are aware of the situation, it is worrying. I perceive it as the Belarusian regime has started abducting Lithuanian citizens for no reason," he said. Jauniskis was referring to the closed trial in Belarus of Lithuanian citizen Elena Ramanauskiene on charges of espionage (she worked as the head of marketing at the Belarus sanatorium in Lithuania). The Minsk City Court sentenced the woman to six years in prison. ADVERTISIMENT "I would like to warn our citizens who still want to travel to Belarus for cheaper goods or gasoline this case indicates that the Belarusian regime has serious intentions to kidnap Lithuanian citizens. They kidnap citizens, fabricate evidence, convict and imprison them on the basis of it. These are very disturbing trends. I would like to draw the public's attention to the fact that you should think seriously before going there because you may find yourself in the place of that citizen," Jauniskis said. As reported, Estonia has banned the entry of cars with Belarusian license plates, joining Latvia and Lithuania in tightening EU sanctions against Belarus. The measure is aimed at increasing pressure on the Belarusian regime for its complicity in Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! ADVERTISIMENT South Korea resumes propaganda broadcasts aimed at North Seoul, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 The South Korean military on Friday said it had restarted loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts directed at North Korea in response to Pyongyang sending hundreds of trash-carrying balloons across the border. Seoul said it detected about 200 trash balloons sent by North Korea from Thursday to Friday, marking the eighth round of such launches by Kim Jong Un's government since May. "We have repeatedly and sternly warned North Korea about their continuous release of trash-carrying balloons," South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement. Following the warnings, "our military conducted loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts towards the North" from Thursday evening to Friday morning, it added. The anti-North broadcasts were the first near the border since June 9, when South Korea resumed them for the first time in six years in response to Pyongyang's trash balloon launches, a defence ministry spokesman told AFP. The JCS said it had identified around 200 trash-carrying balloons sent by North Korea as of Friday morning, with about 40 balloons landing in the northern area of Gyeonggi province that surrounds the South Korean capital. An analysis of the retrieved balloons showed they mostly carried scrap paper and did not contain hazardous materials, the JCS said. The nuclear-armed North has sent more than a thousand balloons south since May, calling it retaliation for balloons carrying anti-Kim propaganda floated northwards by activists in the South. In response, Seoul has fully suspended a tension-reducing military deal and said in June that it was restarting the loudspeaker propaganda broadcasts along the border. South Korea's June 9 broadcast included songs by K-pop megastars BTS along with a report on the global sales performance of Samsung Electronics smartphones, according to Yonhap news agency. In addition to anti-Kim leaflets sent from the South, isolated North Korea is extremely sensitive about its people gaining access to South Korean pop culture products, with a recent South Korean government report pointing to a 2022 case where a man was executed over possession of content from the South. The propaganda broadcasts -- a tactic which dates back to the 1950-1953 Korean War -- infuriate Pyongyang, which previously threatened artillery strikes against Seoul's loudspeaker units. Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points in years, with the North ramping up weapons testing as it draws closer to Russia. Prior to the latest propaganda broadcasts, Seoul recently resumed live-fire drills on border islands and near the demilitarized zone that divides the Korean peninsula. cdl/sco Taiwan 'must rely' on itself for defence against China: FM Taipei, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Taiwan's foreign minister said Friday the self-ruled island must rely on itself for defence after US presidential candidate Donald Trump insisted Taipei "should pay" Washington for defence in the event of a conflict with neighbouring China. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has in recent years stepped up its military presence and sabre-rattling rhetoric towards the democratic island. The United States has stepped up military aid and weapons sales to Taiwan to counter China, but Trump said earlier this week the island "should pay" Washington for defence. In response Friday, Taiwan's newly minted foreign minister Lin Chia-lung said Taipei took the former president's comments "very seriously". "Everyone should have this consensus that the threat is China," he told reporters in his first briefing with foreign media since his appointment to the cabinet of Taiwan's new President Lai Ching-te. "As far as national defence is concerned, we must rely on ourselves," he said, adding Taiwan has increased its military budget from 2 percent to 2.5 percent of its GDP in eight years. "I expect it will continue to increase," he said, adding that the budget will go not just to purchasing more weapons but also instating military reforms. In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek published earlier this week, Trump had said the United States is "no different than an insurance company. Taiwan doesn't give us anything". His comments cast doubt on the relationship between Washington and Taipei, which has steadily been strengthened in recent years. Washington recently passed a multi-billion-dollar military aid package aimed at countering Beijing in the region, which has said it will never renounce the use of force to bring Taiwan under China's control. When asked if he thinks Chinese President Xi Jinping has a timetable to invade Taiwan, foreign minister Lin called the chatter of a time frame "a cognitive operation". "We hope that when Xi Jinping wakes up every day, even if he has a timetable in mind, he will say, not today," Lin said. "We should not be constrained by his manipulation, but we have to show him our determination and capability." One dead as Huthi-claimed drone breaches Israel defences Tel Aviv, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 A drone claimed by Yemen's Huthi rebels slipped through Israel's vaunted air defence system on Friday to hit a Tel Aviv building near a US embassy annex, killing a civilian. The Huthis fired at Tel Aviv a "new drone called 'Yafa', which is capable of bypassing the enemy's interception systems," said Yahya Saree, the Iran-backed Yemeni movement's spokesman. The Huthis have targeted shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with numerous drone and missile attacks since November, citing solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. They have previously claimed attacks on Israeli cities including Ashdod, Haifa and Eilat, but Friday's strike appears to be the first to breach Israel's intricate air defences. It comes after the rebels threatened an escalation. An Israeli military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a "very big drone that can travel long distances" was used in the 3:12 am (0012 GMT) attack. The drone was detected, he said, but due to "human error" the alarm was not raised in time, and it slammed into an apartment building. Military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Israel believed the drone used was Iranian-made and upgraded so it could reach Tel Aviv from Yemen -- at least 1,800 kilometres (1,100 miles) away. It was "likely a Samad-3 model, which we estimate was launched from Yemen and reached Tel Aviv," he said, adding one civilian was killed and others lightly injured. Medical services said four people suffered "relatively minor" injuries. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to avenge the drone attack. "The security system will settle the score with all who try to harm the state of Israel, or sends terrorism against it, in a decisive and surprising manner," he said in comments released on social media platform X. - 'Everything blew out' - In grainy security camera footage, the buzz of what appeared to be the drone was followed by an explosion that shook the building and set off car alarms. The blast occurred about 100 metres (yards) from a US embassy annex, said an AFP journalist who saw broken windows along the street lined with apartment blocks. "It woke me up because the vibration of the sound was like a 747 coming in," said Kenneth Davis, an Israeli who was staying in a hotel opposite the struck building. "And then the explosion... everything blew out in the room, the windows and things from the ceiling, and it was on me, nothing heavy, but lots of pieces of stuff," he told AFPTV. Hagari said Israel "intercepted another UAV trying to infiltrate from the east" at around the same time as the Tel Aviv attack. "We are investigating why the UAV was not identified as a threat and intercepted before it struck," he said. "I want to emphasise that (Israel's air) defence is not impenetrable." In recent weeks, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-backed groups, has claimed drone strikes against targets in Israel, labelling many of them "joint operations" with the Huthis. The United States and Britain launched a campaign of air strikes in January to deter Huthi attacks on ships. The Gaza war was triggered by the October 7 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on southern Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. The militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom are still in Gaza, including 42 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's military retaliation to wipe out Hamas has killed at least 38,848 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza, where fighting raged on Friday. - 'Moral stain' - Residents said clashes were heard between Palestinian fighters and the Israeli army, with explosions and shelling in the Tal al-Hawa district of Gaza City. The war has destroyed much of Gaza's housing and other infrastructure, leaving almost all the population displaced, short of food and drinking water. Many are living in unsanitary conditions. Health authorities in Gaza and Israel said on Thursday that a highly infectious polio virus has been detected in Gaza sewage samples. The World Health Organization said on Friday however that so far no cases of polio had been discovered in Gaza. "The humanitarian situation... is a moral stain on us all," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that, despite mounting pressure both at home and from abroad, there would be no let-up in Israel's campaign against Hamas. Far-right members of his governing coalition oppose a truce deal, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir who on Thursday said Netanyahu must not make a "surrender" accord with Hamas. Netanyahu is set to address the US Congress next Wednesday. Ahead of his trip, Israeli lawmakers passed a symbolic resolution opposing the creation of a Palestinian state -- a move criticised by the United Nations and one that clashes with US ambitions for the region. Despite the vote, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reiterated "our firm belief in the power and the promise of the two-state solution". burs-dv/jkb Thousands in Croatia sign petition against proposed military draft Zagreb, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Thousands of Croatians signed a petition protesting a proposal to reintroduce mandatory military service in the Balkan country, organisers said Friday. Croatia formally abolished military conscription in 2008, a year before joining the NATO alliance, as part of efforts to professionalise its military. Croatian authorities, however, are mulling re-introducing mandatory service starting in early 2025, citing ongoing unrest across the globe. According to the new scheme, 18,000 young men annually would be enlisted to serve for a three-month period. "Considering the current geopolitical and security situation in Croatia and the world, it is necessary to reintroduce basic military training," Defence Minister Ivan Anusic said in June. Legislation linked to the scheme has not been presented to the president or prime minister and would require parliamentary approval. Civil society groups have lambasted the initiative, including the Centre for Economic Education (CEO) that organised the petition signed by more than 5,000 individuals. CEO's head Hrvoje Markovic told AFP that copies of the petition were handed over to Croatia's defence ministry and the government on Friday. The petition called for scrapping the plan and demanded the government "present alternative policies that would enable the armed forces to fulfil their defence tasks". Croatia joined NATO in 2009 and the EU four years later. S.Africa court orders suspension, review of arms exports to Myanmar Johannesburg, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 A South African court ordered the national arms regulator Friday to suspend and review all permits granted for the sale of weapons to Myanmar as well as other governments suspected of coups or war crimes, legal and rights groups said. The High Court in Pretoria issued the ruling after an application filed in 2022 by the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) represented by Lawyers for Human Rights, both groups said in a statement. The order sets "aside permits that were granted by the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) to facilitate arms transfers to Myanmar," the statement said. It also obliges the NCACC to suspend, review and possibly even cancel permits for exports to governments in place via a coup or suspected of crimes against humanity, war crimes or genocide. "This order is crucial in creating a more responsible and accountable arms trade regime in South Africa," the SALC's Atilla Kisla said in the statement. South African arms exports to Myanmar have been suspended since 2021, after a February military coup that toppled the democratically-elected government. From 2017 to 2021, South Africa exported R215.7 million rands' (11.9 million dollars') worth of arms to Myanmar, the statement said. Myanmar's military launched a ferocious crackdown against the country's Rohingya Muslims in 2016 and 2017, driving hundreds of thousands of refugees into neighbouring Bangladesh. The action is the subject of a genocide investigation at a UN court. From the birthplace of Count Dracula to mysterious caves and castles that hide ancient secrets, Romania offers many locations that fascinate and frighten at the same time. ADVERTISIMENT Salt mine in Turda The unique underground attraction impresses with its scale and architecture. The former mine has turned into a tourist complex with a lake. By the way, there are even boats running here and an observation platform. Thanks to archaeological excavations, scientists have come to the conclusion that salt was mined here even before the Romans arrived. Later, in 1932, this process was stopped due to the low quality of technical equipment and strong competition. So now it is a popular tourist attraction and an ideal place for those who want to see something really unusual. Opening hours: from 9:00 to 19:00 ADVERTISIMENT Bucharest Parliament The second largest office building in the world after the Pentagon. The huge complex has more than a thousand rooms and impresses with its size and architectural details. Visitors can book a guided tour to see the magnificent halls and learn more about the history of this grand building. Opening hours: from 9:00 to 17:00 Voronet Monastery Located in the village of the same name. It is known for its colorful frescoes on the outer walls of the building, which depict scenes from the Bible. They impress with their detail and bright colors. By the way, there is a church here that is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Be sure to visit this location if you are interested in religious art and history. ADVERTISIMENT Opening hours: from 8:00 to 18:00 Corvin Castle The Gothic palace is located in the city of Hunedoara and is one of the largest in Europe. It is known for its tall towers, bridges, and mysterious dungeons. Visitors can walk through the castle, explore its many halls, and learn more about its legendary inhabitants. Opening hours: from 9:00 to 17:00 Danube Delta A unique nature reserve. Here you can see more than 300 species of birds, rare plants and enjoy the beauty of nature. This is the place where seasonal birds nest and gather. Tourists can book a boat tour to get to know this amazing place better. ADVERTISIMENT Peles Castle The luxurious Neo-Renaissance building is located in the picturesque town of Sinaia. Its vast halls are decorated with exquisite furniture, artworks and unique interior items. The summer residence of the Romanian kings was built in 1873. Other buildings were erected on both sides: guard towers, a hunting lodge, stables, etc. By the way, the territory of the monument has become a movie set for several Netflix movies. Opening hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (Wednesday through Sunday) Bran (Dracula's) Castle It is impossible to imagine a trip to Romania without visiting the famous Bran Palace. It is located in Transylvania. Travelers can explore the numerous rooms and corridors of the castle, enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding area and feel the mystical atmosphere of past centuries. Opening hours: from 9:00 to 18:00 (summer), from 9:00 to 16:00 (winter) ADVERTISIMENT Red Ravine A geological reserve about 10 kilometers long. It is located in the southwest of Secasel. The natural attraction is characterized by tiers of columns and pyramids separated by ravines. They are formed during rains, so the flowing water is red in color. You can see many rare plants here. The Casino of Constanta The modern version of the building was built in the Art Nouveau style in 1910. During the Second World War, it served as a hospital. Later, it became a gambling establishment, and a few years later - one of the most beautiful places in the country. Unfortunately, the building is now abandoned. However, it still hasn't lost its beauty. ADVERTISIMENT Explore the world! Travel and get to know new countries! Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. 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SIGN IN By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. It is probably the same reason why you can name at least one US Supreme Court justice, but can't pick the prime minister of Portugal out of a lineup of Mark Littlewood impersonators. Partly, this is a result of the sheer wonder of America its size and silliness. But it is also a recognition that what happens in the States impacts our lives in a way that almost nothing else can. Members of one of the world's most isolated tribes, the Mashko Piro, who live in remote parts of the Peruvian Amazon, have left their habitat for the first time and reached the riverbank in the Madre de Dios region. This unusual behavior of the indigenous tropical people was caused by the increasing number of loggers on their lands. ADVERTISIMENT The least contacted people, consisting of 750 people, live between two nature reserves in southeastern Peru, Metro UK reports. The tribesmen have to leave their usual hiding places more often to find food and avoid workers. Caroline Pierce, director of the human rights organization Survival International, said that the unique images of the Mashko Piro make it clear that members of the ethnic group are having to flee their homes as they prepare to start cutting down trees. ADVERTISIMENT "This is indisputable proof that a large number of Mashko Piro live in an area that the government has not only failed to protect but has sold to logging companies. Loggers could introduce new diseases that would wipe out the Mashko Piro. In addition, there is a risk of violence on both sides, so it is very important that the tribe's territorial rights are recognized and protected by law," confirmed Alfredo Vargas Pio, a representative of the Federation of Indigenous People of the Madre de Dios River and its Tributaries (Fenamad). According to civil society activists, more than 50 people of the isolated people have come to the village of Monte Salvado. Another 17 representatives were seen near the village of Puerto Nuevo. A separate group of Amazonian indigenous people crossed the border into Brazil. ADVERTISIMENT "They are running away from loggers on the Peruvian side. Usually, at this time of year, they appear on the beaches only to take tracaia (Amazonian turtle) eggs. That's when we find their footprints in the sand," said Rosa Padilla, a member of the Missionary Council of Indigenous Peoples. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! But it seems that relations between the pair have soured quickly, with Mahras bombshell Instagram post sending shockwaves across the world. There has been speculation that the account was hacked as such public statements of personal lives are strictly taboo for the royal family. However, since uploading the post which has amassed more than 350,000 likes and nearly 37,000 comments neither have publicly commented on the matter, but both appear to have removed all photos of each other from their respective Instagram pages. Plainly, therefore, there is a duty on (Northern) to draw to the attention of the courts and defendants any and all cases where it has brought a prosecution in a way which was or may have been procedurally incorrect, or, prosecuted someone who had or may have had a complete defence to the charge. Mr Healey told Times Radio, clearly referring to Chinas threat to Taiwan: For any president whose first interest is Americas interests then the argument to them is that if Putin prevails in Ukraine, Europe is less secure and its directly in Americas interests that big, aggressive, autocratic states do not see that they can get away with redrawing sovereign boundaries by force in the way that Russia is trying to do. But British Defence Secretary John Healey stressed to Times Radio, clearly referring to Chinas threat to Taiwan: For any president whose first interest is Americas interests then the argument to them is that if Putin prevails in Ukraine, Europe is less secure and its directly in Americas interests that big, aggressive, autocratic states do not see that they can get away with redrawing sovereign boundaries by force in the way that Russia is trying to do. Russia is offering Iran record volumes of gas at a 75% discount, which will be about $100 per thousand cubic meters, much cheaper than for other Gazprom customers. However, experts doubt the reality of this deal due to political restrictions. ADVERTISIMENT Russia and Iran are discussing the possibility of concluding a long-term contract for the supply of pipeline gas. Iran's Energy Minister Javad Ouji said that the deal would involve the purchase of 300 million cubic meters of gas per day from Gazprom. This deal could cost Tehran $10-12 billion a year, which means a price of about $100 per thousand cubic meters of gas. This level is the lowest among all Gazprom's non-CIS customers. Compared to Europe and Turkey, which are the main export markets for Gazprom, the discount for Iran is 75%, as the average price of gas for these markets is $400 per thousand cubic meters. Even compared to China, which buys gas for $260 per thousand cubic meters through the Power of Siberia pipeline, the price for Iran will be 62% lower. Thus, Iran receives a price equal to that paid by the CIS countries. ADVERTISIMENT According to Ouji, the volume of supplies could make Tehran Russia's largest gas customer. Last year, Gazprom sold only 69 billion cubic meters of gas to non-CIS countries, the lowest volume since 1985. The Iranian contract, under which 110 billion cubic meters a year can be supplied, is all the "extra" gas Gazprom has. The disconnection of supplies to Europe has left the company with about 100 billion cubic meters of excess production capacity. Gazprom is now desperately looking for new customers, as last year the company suffered a record net loss of 629 billion rubles and was forced to cut production to the lowest level in its history. Negotiations with China on the construction of the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline failed as Beijing offered to buy gas at domestic Russian prices, which would make the supplies unprofitable for Gazprom. ADVERTISIMENT According to oil and gas expert Mikhail Krutikhin, a deal with Iran, which would require laying a multi-line pipeline under the Caspian Sea, cannot be taken seriously. Iran itself is one of the world's leaders in terms of proven gas reserves and does not need Russian gas in such volumes. Re-exporting Russian gas is also unlikely to be possible due to sanctions and legislative restrictions on Iran. As OBOZ.UA previously reported, the expiration of the contract for the supply of Russian gas to the EU through Ukraine on December 31, 2024, opens up challenges for Europe in terms of energy security and the search for alternative supply routes. European countries are considering options for signing new contracts with Gazprom or increasing gas supplies from Azerbaijan through the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! There are reports of a radiation release in Russia after the accident at the Rostov Nuclear Power Plant. There is no official confirmation of this event. The Kremlin denies that there was a breakdown at the plant, but the southern regions of the aggressor country have already faced power outages. Panic is growing on social media, and Russians are remembering Chornobyl. ADVERTISIMENT Some local bloggers and media outlets report a radiation leak on July 19. According to them, the Rostov Nuclear Power Plant allegedly failed to localize the emergency discharge of radioactive water, and "there is a constant leakage of radiation." The Rostov region authorities assure that "Rostov NPP is operating normally" and state that all reports of breakdowns and leaks are fake. Meanwhile, according to social media, the radiation cloud is allegedly moving deeper into Russia. Maps of possible contamination have already appeared. ADVERTISIMENT According to official data from Rosatom, the radioactive background in Rostov is normal. However, netizens believe that it is already 75 times higher than normal. Information about the alleged leak was also published by Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council. "Radiation accident at Rostov NPP The radiation cloud is moving deeper into Russia. These are also the consequences of the "SMO", by the way," he noted. Rostov NPP accident: authorities deny everything, Russians panic The Kremlin denies the accident at the Rostov Nuclear Power Plant. In particular, dictator Vladimir Putin has already stated that the blackout in the south of Russia was allegedly caused by the uncontrolled distribution of electricity for cryptocurrency mining. ADVERTISIMENT According to economist Maxim Blunt, Russia officially claims that the power outage was caused by a false signal about an accident at the Rostov Nuclear Power Plant. The Russian authorities pretend that everything is fine and there is no problem, the expert noted. "It is not clear what happened at this Rostov NPP and how serious the accident really was," Blunt said. At the same time, he acknowledged that cryptocurrencies are indeed actively mined in Russia, in particular with illegal connections to networks. "In Russia, there have been cases of hacking from nuclear power plants. There was a case when cryptocurrencies were mined on Rosatom's computers," Blunt added. Meanwhile, Russian chat rooms are talking about Chornobyl. They say that the authorities also concealed the accident and the radiation leak. ADVERTISIMENT According to RosMedia, serious problems with power supply in the south of Russia after the shutdown of the reactor at the Rostov Nuclear Power Plant have been going on for two days. In particular, there is no power in resort towns with a large flow of vacationers, including Gelendzhik and Anapa. "The accident left 100 streets of Gelendzhik and neighboring resort villages without power... The problem with the power supply started on the 16th of July when the temperature in Gelendzhik reached 37. Residents complain about power outages throughout the city, which causes spoiled medicines and food, broken elevators, and discharged appliances," the media reported. ADVERTISIMENT In the Krasnodar region, power supply restrictions are also being introduced amid the extreme heat. According to Krasnodar Mayor Yevgeny Naumov, the system will return to normal operation on July 21. The city experienced an emergency power outage due to the failure of more than 70 substations. In Rostov-on-Don, rolling blackouts have been canceled, but power supply is limited in some areas of the city as emergency repairs continue. There are also problems in the Stavropol Territory, and restrictions have been introduced in Dagestan. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Eight people were rushed to hospital on Friday evening, following the collision between a train carriage and a locomotive at Basarab Station, the Bucharest - Ilfov Emergency Situations Inspectorate (ISUBIF) informed. "Following a collision between two train sets, we intervened to provide qualified first aid to passengers. To optimize the response mission, the Red Intervention Plan was activated, which involves supplementing the resources that intervene at the scene. (...) Until this moment, 15 people, with minor injuries, have been assisted by the first aid crews, of which eight have been transported to the hospital", stated ISUBIF in a press release. According to the cited source, 10 water and foam extinguishing vehicles, all available medical resources, two extrication vehicles, a vehicle for transporting multiple victims and a mobile hospital were rushed to the scene. Following the collision, the occupants self-evacuated on the platform, until the fire brigade arrived. ISUBIF announces that the Red Intervention Plan has been deactivated. The INFOTRAFFIC Center of the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police informed that between the Basarab and Gara de Nord stations, a Regio passenger train, consisting of 6 carriages and traveling on the Bucharest -Brasov route, collided with a locomotive. Several flights were canceled on Friday at the Henri Coanda Airport in Bucharest, due to the IT failure of Microsoft system, informed the representatives of the National Bucharest Airports Company (CNAB). After Wizz Air canceled flight 3059 to Beauvais (departure time 16:45) and then 3005 Otopeni - Luton, the same thing happened with Aeroitalia flights 3114 Fiumicino - Henri Coanda and 3115 Henri Coanda - Fiumicino (13:20). In addition, Lufthansa flights 1652/1653 (19:20) Munich - Otopeni - Munich and TAP Portugal TP 7927 also to Munich (departure 19:20) were cancelled. Several flights also announced take-off delays on Friday, such as Wizz Air 3125 to Abu Dhabi - an estimated delay of one hour, Wizz Air to Bologna - 48 minutes, Wizz Air 3021 to Tenerife - one hour and 10 minutes , Wizz Air 3099 to Memmingen - 45 minutes, Wizz Air 3199 to Bari - two hours and 30 minutes, Wizz Air 3093 to Dortmund and Wizz Air 3089 to Basel - one hour and 55 minutes each, and Turkish Airlines 1044 plane took off to Istanbul with a delay of 2 hours and 39 minutes. Wizz Air has announced that potential disruptions are expected due to the ongoing interruption of Microsoft's global IT system and advises passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before the scheduled departure time to allow sufficient time for check-in, security screening and possible procedures. "Today, like all airlines, Wizz Air is experiencing extreme technical difficulties caused by the disruption of a third party's global IT systems. Wizz Air customers may experience network-wide disruption, with website services and mobile applications being temporarily unavailable. Free airport check-in is offered during the service interruption. Therefore, we advise passengers to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before the scheduled departure time to allow enough time for check-in, security and possible health or safety procedures specific to each airport", the company representatives transmitted. According to the cited source, the following online services are currently unavailable: the Wizz Air website and mobile application; the reservation system; the online check-in system and the display of the boarding pass; contact centers - new reservations and changes to existing ones. An IT failure in the Microsoft system globally is causing problems for many companies, including some in the aviation, financial, mass media, and other industries, international news agencies inform on Friday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) informs that in the case of Thursday's incidents in Leeds (Great Britain), in which Romanian citizens were involved, there is an ongoing investigation, and, in this context, the interest of the minors involved is a priority. According to the representatives of the local police authorities, the investigation into this incident is ongoing, so at this moment there have been no notifications regarding the detention or arrest of Romanian citizens involved in Thursday's events. According to the MAE, the consul general of Romania in Manchester had a series of meetings with the representatives of the local authorities in Leeds involved in the management of the situation which was based on the action of taking over four minor Romanian citizens into the care of the local social services. During the dialogue, the representatives of the local police authorities appreciated the steps taken by the Consulate General of Romania in Manchester in support of the normalization of the situation, respectively the discussions with the families of Romanian citizens and with the representatives of the religious denominations to which the Romanian citizens present on the spot belong. During the discussions, the need to comply with the recommendations of the local authorities, following the legal paths of action and the importance of complying with the decisions of the authorities for the protection of minors in Leeds was emphasized, the cited source informs. Also, in the context of the discussions with the representatives of the British social services within the Leeds Local Council that manages the case of the minor Romanian citizens, as well as with the family of Romanian citizens, the representatives of the Consulate General in Manchester assured them of the support of the Romanian authorities in identifying a lasting solution, in the best interest of the minors, in compliance with the decisions adopted by the British authorities responsible for the case. The representatives of the Romanian mission emphasized the importance of openness and the cooperation of the minors' family with the competent authorities in order to identify all the instruments intended to facilitate a solution in the best interests of the minors. The Romanian Ministry underlines that, according to its competences, in all the consular protection and assistance actions carried out for Romanian citizens, the MAE, through the diplomatic missions and consular offices of Romania, and in some situations with the support of the attaches for social and labor issues, pays attention especially to Romanian minors who could find themselves in difficult situations abroad. The dialogue is also maintained with the parents of minors, with the competent local authorities, as well as with the Romanian institutions with attributions in matters of protection of the rights of minors. The MAE points out that in all the steps carried out in the case of minor Romanian citizens in special situations, the fundamental principle of respecting the best interests of the child is primordial, in full accordance with the principles enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with respect to the regulations of the state of citizenship or permanent residence or domicile of the minor. Several Romanians were involved, on Thursday evening, in Leeds, in violent incidents, which seem to have been triggered by the attempt to take over some children into the care of the state. By the end of July 2024, the European Fund for Ukraine will receive the first payment from the Belgian depository Euroclear. It will amount to EUR 1.55 billion from the proceeds of the frozen assets of the Russian Federation. ADVERTISIMENT This is evidenced by the Euroclear report. "In July 2024, Euroclear will make the first payment of 1.55 billion to the European Fund for Ukraine," the report says. At the same time, it is noted that the total amount of Euroclear's income from frozen funds after taxes amounted to 1.7 billion euros. "The remaining part of the profit (more than 1.55 billion euros - Ed.) is set aside as an important buffer to protect against current and future risks," Euroclear said. It is noted that in this way Euroclear "fulfills its important obligations to realize windfall income" from the frozen assets of the Russian Federation. The depository notes that it continues to "carefully comply" with sanctions against Russian assets. In total, after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western countries froze about $300 billion of Russian assets. These funds cannot be used directly for the benefit of Ukraine, as no decision has been made to confiscate them completely. However, Ukraine will receive income from these assets through a special EU fund. ADVERTISIMENT In addition, Ukraine will receive a $50 billion loan from the G7 countries, which will be repaid from the profits from Russia's seized assets in the EU, the US, and partner countries. The amount of Russia's frozen funds will not change after that. The $50 billion loan will be divided among several countries. Thus, the largest contribution will be made by the US and the EU - $20 billion each. As reported by OBOZ.UA, the European Union has preliminarily approved the provision of EUR 4.22 billion in financial support to Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility program. This happened after Ukraine fulfilled certain conditions for the assistance. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! ST. LOUIS COUNTY The states top legal official is asking the Missouri Supreme Court to block an August hearing to determine if Marcellus Williams, set to be executed in September, is innocent of murder. Attorney General Andrew Baileys office filed the request late Thursday, arguing a St. Louis County Circuit Court judge does not have the authority to reverse or overrule Marcellus Williams first-degree murder conviction because a higher court has already issued a ruling in the case and set an execution date. The petition also asked the Missouri Supreme Court to dismiss the innocence case altogether. Instead of trying to prevent the circuit court from considering the DNA evidence that exonerates Mr. Williams, the Attorney General should join us in this truth-seeking process in Mr. Williamss case, said Tricia Rojo Bushnell, one of Marcellus Williamss attorneys, in a statement. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell filed a motion in January to vacate the murder conviction and said he believed Williams was not involved in Gayles death because of new DNA evidence. A judge earlier this month scheduled an Aug. 21 hearing to consider overturning the murder conviction Williams is set to be executed Sept. 24. Bells office did not comment on the filing Friday, but a spokesman said Bell would respond to the Attorney Generals claims in court. The Missouri Supreme Court last week denied Williams motion to vacate the execution, which said the date was too close to the pending hearing about the DNA evidence. Williams was convicted of breaking into the suburban home of former Post-Dispatch reporter Lisha Gayle on Aug. 11, 1998, and stabbing her 43 times. He was set to die in August 2017, but hours before his execution, then-Gov. Eric Greitens halted the process and ordered an investigation into DNA evidence that could not be tested at the time of the murder. That evidence showed there was DNA on the knife used to stab Gayle that matched someone else, not Williams. He appointed five retired judges to investigate. Six years later, Gov. Mike Parson disbanded the group in June 2023. Its unclear whether they reached a conclusion. Williams sued, and the Missouri Supreme Court set his September execution date hours after it ruled Parson was within his rights to break up the board and move forward with the execution. BERKELEY A man charged with killing his mother and 11-year-old niece last month is now also charged with possessing at least one child sex abuse photo. Police said they searched 28-year-old Lawrente' O'Cain's Facebook account after he was charged with murder and found the sexually-explicit photo of a child and woman. O'Cain was charged in mid-June with stabbing and killing his mother, Mioshi McCloud, and his niece, 11-year-old MyElle Harris, at their home in Berkeley, a week after his mother told police he had been making threats toward them. Police said MyElle's mother called police on June 15 and told officers her daughter had just called her to say she had been stabbed, court documents said. Officers arrived at the home in the 8300 block of Redfir Drive and found O'Cain, who was covered in blood and had cut wounds on his hands. Inside the home, they found McCloud, 51, dead in the living room, and an 11-year-old girl dead inside a bedroom. Both had been stabbed multiple times, court documents said. O'Cain was arrested at the scene and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of armed criminal action. He's in custody at the St. Louis County Justice Center with no bond. ST. CHARLES COUNTY An already contentious race to replace state Rep. Justin Hicks has gotten even nastier. Hicks mother-in-law is facing felony and misdemeanor criminal charges for falsely accusing candidate Max Calfo, a political rival of Hicks and a substitute teacher in the Fort Zumwalt and Wentzville school districts, of sexually assaulting her daughter in class while teaching at Liberty High School. Her daughter does not attend the high school and was not one of Calfos students, police said. OFallon police say that Elizabeth Sparks, 57, of OFallon, called the Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline in April to make the claim, which triggered a preliminary investigation within the school. After I overcame the shock of it, I knew instantly that it had to be politically motivated, Calfo told the Post-Dispatch. Calfo, a Republican, is locked in a heated primary against Dardenne Prairie Alderman Mike Costlow to replace Hicks in District 108. Hicks decided not to seek reelection and launch a now-abandoned bid for Congress. Hicks and Calfo also have a history, as Hicks had sued Calfo for releasing private facts regarding copies of protective orders filed by a woman who said Hicks had assaulted and harassed her. According to police, the phone number and voice recording left on the hotline belonged to Sparks, who is also a co-host of a conservative political podcast and owns her own media company. She previously worked for 26 years in early childhood education. More recently, she worked for a conservative talk radio station, KTLK-FM, known as The Patriot, according to her LinkedIn page. Police say Sparks confessed to concocting the scheme to trigger an investigation against Calfo. Specifically, police say she lied about her daughter being victimized and lied about her even being a student at Liberty High School. She even made up the name of the English class where the alleged assault reportedly took place. This case has shown evidence that she is willing to falsely accuse the victim of a heinous crime because of her own political beliefs, police wrote in court documents. She now faces charges of first-degree harassment, a felony, and filing a false report, which is a misdemeanor offense. Her first court appearance is scheduled for September. Sparks has retained former St. Charles County prosecutor Tim Lohmar as her attorney. In a statement, he said his client strenuously maintains her innocence. Out of respect for the process, she has chosen not comment further at this time, Lohmar said. Calfo said Friday that, while he doubts Sparks concocted this scheme by herself, he does not believe Hicks had any involvement in it. On Friday, Costlow vehemently denied that he played a role. I have not ever met her, Costlow said. Ive been involved in non-partisan politics here in Dardenne Prairie, and partisan politics is a whole another realm. Weve never crossed paths until this race. Costlow said Sparks never volunteered for his campaign, nor has she donated any money to his candidacy. Campaign finance records filed by Costlow confirm that Sparks has made no such donations. He said he believes she only ever sent him a good luck with my campaign text message, and that all he knew about her was that she didnt like my opponent for obvious reasons. Calfo had sought to remove Costlow from the ballot because of prior criminal charges related to a paintball gun trading scheme in Georgia when he was 19. Missouri law prohibits anyone with a felony conviction from holding public office. A St. Charles County judge dismissed the lawsuit and, this week, rejected Calfos request for a new trial in the case. I think voters would be able to see that this crime will only benefit one person and that person is not me, Calfo said. Fundamentally, the reason Hicks sued me and Sparks tried to steal this election for Costlow is that they know I am a threat to the establishments political power. But Costlow calls Calfos accusation another instance of campaign mudslinging. I hate that our politics are devolving into this playground battleground where people fling mud to see what kind of damage they can do, Costlow said. I think all of this is really unfair to the voters of Lake Saint Louis, Dardenne Prairie and OFallon, who just want us to present our visions so they can decide who would represent them best. Sparks podcast, Cancel This, was created after Vic Faust was fired from Fox 2 News. Faust berated a radio show co-host in a profanity-laden rant in September 2023; he was fired shortly after a recording went public. Editor's note: Costlow, in an interview, admitted guilt in the Georgia "paintball gun trading scheme." A Georgia program for first-time offenders put him on probation for seven years after which the case was discharged "without court adjudication of guilt." <&rule> ST. CHARLES A St. Charles man is in jail after police say he threatened to orchestrate a mass shooting at a local church that wouldnt let him perform his music. Josh Carrier, 42, was charged Friday with making a second-degree terrorist threat, a felony. Investigators say Carrier wanted to play the drums at an unidentified St. Charles church as part of the churchs music ministry, but the church decided not to allow him to play during the worship service. Church members recounted a bizarre series of threats Carrier allegedly made on July 14. Carrier told one member of the church that he was so angry that he could kill five people in this church right now. He also claimed to have a co-worker who would do the shooting on his behalf, the witness told police. There were an estimated 50 to 60 people inside the church when the alleged threats were made, according to court documents. Church members told police that they had believed Carrier was mentally unstable for several months, and they considered his threats credible. They said Carrier is known to carry a gun with him during church services. Carrier was in the St. Charles County Jail on Friday on a $20,000 cash-only bond. He does not have an attorney listed. Police said the church does not have security staff present on Sunday mornings. The church canceled its Bible Study scheduled for July 17, because members were scared for their safety. One member of the church told investigators that she was in such fear for her life that she refused to leave her residence. Police recovered several firearms from Carriers home on Providence Drive in unincorporated St. Charles County, near the city of St. Peters. Russian is still taught at Harvard because students want to know what is happening in a country that is at war with Ukraine. In addition, political issues were related to Russia, particularly during the Cold War, so students were interested in who they were dealing with. ADVERTISIMENT Natalia Shpyliova-Sayid, a professor of Ukrainian at Harvard University's Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures, spoke about this in an interview with Voice of America. She noted that immediately after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, there was a slight decrease in the number of students studying Russian. In particular, because students joined Ukrainian language courses to express their support. "At the moment, Russian studies are not experiencing any critical situation or a decline in interest in studying Russia. On the contrary, the attitude is that you need to know the enemy and that you need to understand what is happening there. There are also narratives being promoted that there are allegedly many trends in Russia that show that people are opposing the government and therefore we need to pay attention to these moments and study them," the lecturer says. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, there is still a Russian-language school in Ukraine. The educational institution, which has 44 children in 4 grades, is located in the Dnipro region. In addition, one of the schools in the Kharkiv region provides bilingual education. Thus, 403 children study in Russian at the school. Russian is taught as a separate subject in 3 schools. It was chosen as an independent discipline by 768 students, and another 79 children study it in clubs. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Germany has once again spoken out against Ukraine's use of its weapons on the territory of the aggressor country Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is not ready to change his mind about the use of Western, in particular German, weapons to attack military targets in Russia. ADVERTISIMENT He made the statement during a press conference after the summit of the European Political Community. This was reported by Ukrinform. "I see a consensus that such steps are not being considered, including by the United States," the politician said. Scholz commented on the call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to lift restrictions on the use of Western weapons against military targets in Russia. "I recall what we have agreed upon among ourselves, in particular in the G7 circle, and during the talks we recently held in Washington, namely that Ukraine will continue to receive support," the chancellor said about further assistance for our country. Earlier, the media reported that during the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal to lift all restrictions on the use of Western weapons in the war with Russia. Scholz explained his decision by the need to avoid NATO's involvement in the conflict. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, the leader of the largest opposition party in Germany, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Friedrich Merz, said that Berlin could not stand aside in the issue of transferring combat aircraft to Ukraine. He emphasized that Germany should join its partners and help Ukraine regain control of the sky. A government representative responded by saying that Germany would not provide Ukraine with Western-style fighters, citing a shortage of aircraft. They also noted that there was "no point in such military assistance on their part." Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Then-Warrant Officer James Benecke competes in a Best Warrior Competition in April 2019 at Camp Casey, South Korea. (Daniel Parker/U.S. Army) A former U.S. Army officer will serve prison time after he was convicted of groping a 16-year-old and then an 18-year-old on separate flights to Seattle last year, federal prosecutors said. James Benecke, 42, was a chief warrant officer stationed in Alaska when he sexually assaulted the teen in April 2023 and then the woman two months later, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Washington. He was dishonorably discharged from the Army following the assaults, according to his legal counsel. Benecke deliberately and methodically escalated his behavior during the course of these flights, prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum. A judge sentenced Benecke to one year in federal prison on July 17 after he pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact while on board an aircraft, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a July 18 news release. His court-appointed public defender, Jesse Cantor, didnt immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment on July 19. Preying on teenagers in the confined space of an aircraft is traumatizing, and is happening far too often, U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman said in a statement. Those convicted of this crime are required to register as a sex offender. Some have been banned from certain airlines. Then- Warrant Officer 1 James Benecke receives on June 26, 2019, the Army Commendation Medal for showing exceptional performance during the 2019 Eighth Army Best Warrior Competition in South Korea. (Facebook/U.S. Army) Ahead of sentencing, Cantor argued a sentence of five years of probation and six months of house arrest would have been sufficient for Benecke instead of prison. Aside from the death penalty, imprisonment is the ultimate punishment, Cantor wrote in a sentencing memo. Cantor said alcoholism and intoxication, while not an excuse, are clearly what caused Mr. Beneckes offense conduct, and that Benecke has already faced significant adverse consequences, including losing his military career and having to register as a sex offender. The assaults On April 12, 2023, Benecke sexually assaulted the 16-year-old who was traveling with her classmates on a red-eye Alaska Airlines flight that took off from Anchorage, according to prosecutors. As she was nearly asleep in the middle seat, Benecke started touching her thigh while sitting next to her, prosecutors wrote in the governments sentencing memo. She later told investigators, she normally would have established the fact that th(is) act made (her) uncomfortable, however (she) was half asleep and not conscious enough to react, the sentencing memo says. After she turned away from Benecke, she later awoke to him touching her buttocks, according to prosecutors. The teen then grabbed his wrist and put his hand in his lap, the sentencing memo says. After telling her parents what happened, the teen reported Benecke to police, according to prosecutors. Two months later, on another Alaska Airlines flight that left Dallas-Fort Worth, Benecke groped an 18-year-old woman traveling with her boyfriend resulting in her and her boyfriend reporting him to flight attendants, the sentencing memo says. Although Mr. Benecke appeared to be asleep, (she) noticed that (he) would begin touching her when her boyfriend looked out the window, and would stop whenever her boyfriend looked back, apparently timing this touching to avoid detection, prosecutors wrote. He touched her buttocks and inner thigh, according to prosecutors. The next month, Benecke was arrested at his duty station in Alaska, prosecutors said. Alaska Airlines didnt immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment on July 19. Beneckes actions diminished their sense of personal safety, and turned what should have been joyous, meaningful trips one to a school sporting competition, and one returning home from college orientation into sources of trauma, prosecutors wrote in the sentencing memo. In the Seattle area, reports of sexual assaults on planes have been increasing in recent years, likely in part because of Seattle-Tacoma International Airports role as an air travel hub, according to prosecutors. The FBI investigates crimes, including sexual misconduct, on flights. The agency advises reporting crimes to the flight crew, airport authority police, and the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov. 2024 The Charlotte Observer. Visit at charlotteobserver.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A Marine takes a breath test in 2013 in Quantico, Va. (Antwaun Jefferson/U.S. Marine Corps) CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa Sobriety checks at Marine Corps installations in Japan begin at 8 p.m. Friday and will continue through Saturday, the service announced, part of a response to Okinawa prefectures discontent over two recent alleged sex crimes. The checks will be in place across all Marine Corps bases through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Marine Corps Installations Pacific spokesman Capt. Brett Dornhege-Lazaroff said by phone Friday. This includes 100% Breathalyzer tests for all drivers and walkers leaving bases between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. During the day, breath tests may be randomized if 10 or more cars are in line to exit, he said. Incoming gate checks for licenses, registration and random sobriety tests will be in place, but the service is aiming to avoid adding to off-base traffic. We want to keep it on our side of the fence line, Dornhege-Lazaroff said. Several people with blood-alcohol content over Japans 0.03% legal limit were stopped July 12 and 13, he said. The exact number of people or their statuses were not available Friday. We did prevent several DUIs, but I dont have an official number, he said. It was not all service members, either. Two recent indictments of service members on sexual assault charges led Okinawa prefecture to deliver formal complaints to the U.S. and Japanese governments calling for changes to the status of forces agreement for U.S. troops on the island. Senior Airman Brennon R.E. Washington pleaded not guilty July 12 in Naha District Court to charges of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor in December, while Marine Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton was charged in May with attempting to sexually assault a woman in Yomitan village. Discussions are still underway to make the current Marine Corps liberty policy on Okinawa apply to all troops on the island, Dornhege-Lazaroff said. Current liberty rules for Marines on Okinawa have been in place since Dec. 11. The rules updated the policy released in December 2022 due to an increase in misconduct by military personnel in Japan. Marines ages 19 and younger must be on base or in their off-base residence between 1 and 5 a.m. No Marine regardless of age is allowed to be in an off-base drinking establishment such as a bar or izakaya between 1 and 5 a.m., nor may they drink in public off-base during these hours. These also are the baseline rules for all U.S. troops in Japan. Where the rules for Marines on Okinawa differ: sergeants and below must carry liberty tier cards, and corporals and below must have a liberty buddy with them. Lance Cpl. Nick Gonzalez on Friday called the enhanced gate checks annoying, but also said they were justified. Were in someone elses country; weve got to respect it, he said. Gunnery Sgt. James Faught, of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, said Friday that changing liberty rules wont necessarily help solve the problem. Its probably a bigger issue to tackle, and the simpler issue is just putting restrictions on access to alcohol, he said. So, I get it, but I dont know if long-term that thats going to fix the bigger problem. (iStock) Honey? You there? Im having phone issues, I shouted, a finger plugging one ear. Where are you? my husband, Francis, asked, struggling to hear through the loud music and voices surrounding me. Outside Bermuda Yacht Club its the only place I can get a Wi-Fi signal. Listen , I continued, eager to relay an important update to my travel plans before my cell lost service. Two days prior, Id flown to Bermuda to meet up with the crew of Alliance, a 40-foot sailboat in the 2024 Newport to Bermuda Race, a bi-annual offshore competition involving more than 160 sailboats. I wasnt on the race team, but for nine months Id been practicing and preparing to sail on Alliances return crew, tasked with sailing the boat back home to Rhode Island after the race. Id dreamed of an opportunity like this since 2005, when I took beginner sailing lessons at the Norfolk Navy Base Marina. On weekends, Francis watched our three kids while I practiced in dinghies on Willoughby Spit, yearning to become a real sailor. However, like most military spouses, my dreams came secondary to military life. After two summers of lessons, a PCS to Germany brought my sailing adventures to a screeching halt. Three moves later, we were stationed in Newport, RI., where I took more lessons at the base marina, hoping Id get the chance to apply all those lessons to real sailing. Last summer, I was ready to give up, when I met Alliances skippers at a base social event. They invited me to be on Alliances delivery crew, including the return sail from the 2024 Bermuda race. Finally, I had my chance! But as my luck would have it, the night before my flight to Bermuda to meet Alliance at the finish line, the boat struck an object in the Gulf Stream and sank. All crew abandoned ship and were rescued by another racing vessel. I was crushed. Not only for my friends whod be devastated by the loss of their sailboat, but also, selfishly, for me. Id lost my opportunity to become a real sailor. But maybe not. I was offered a return crew position on another boat, I yelled into my phone. What?! Francis blurted. Youre not going, right? Alliances folks checked everything out. They say its a solid boat with an experienced skipper. Well be safe, so Im going, I said loudly. Francis was not happy. We sailed out of Hamilton Harbor aboard Heart of Gold, headed for Annapolis, Md. I shared a berth and responsibilities with another female crew mate named Lisa Schmitt. They named us Schmitty and Mo, and put us to work. On the third day, southerly winds became northerly, as a low pressure front met us in the Gulf Stream. Switching from a port to starboard tack, all hell broke loose. Waves rose to 12 feet, wind gusted to 30 knots and a squall unleashed buckets of rain. But on Day 5, we made it to the Chesapeake Bay, surfing following seas and fair winds all the way to Annapolis. Stepping onto the dock that night after 750 miles at sea, I was filled with gratitude for the hands-on, intense learning experience Id dreamed of for two decades. Id done it. I was a real sailor. You still mad? I asked gently after Francis picked me up at the Providence Airport. He shook his head, but the look on his face told otherwise. A couple of days later, I couldnt take it anymore. Clearly, youre still upset, so lets have it out! I blurted. I hated fighting with Francis, but this was necessary. I braced myself for a doozy. Words flew like flying fish, none of them landing on deck until I said tearfully, Why cant you be happy for me? Youve done so many things while I was home with the kids white-water rafting on the Nile, flying in a sea plane in Alaska, looking for poachers in a helicopter in Botswana, I went on, naming the wild adventures Francis had had during 28 years on active duty. His face suddenly softened. Im sorry, he said, hugging me, finally realizing that I was entitled to chase my dreams, too. Read more at themeatandpotatoesoflife.com and in Lisas book, The Meat and Potatoes of Life: My True Lit Com. Email: meatandpotatoesoflife@gmail.com Opposition Leader Maria Corina Machado, waves to the crowd, during a rally at Universidad Central de Venezuela on July 14, 2024, in Caracas, Venezuela. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images/TNS) In almost any other country, Nicolas Maduros electoral chances would be considered hopeless. With less than two weeks to go until the presidential election, the Venezuelan ruler must overcome his rivals 40-point-plus lead in the polls to remain in power at a time hes so unpopular he has a hard time getting his own supporters to attend his rallies. But Venezuelas pivotal elections are not being held under normal democratic conditions, and the regimes well-stocked arsenal of manipulation and intimidation tools have traditionally been so effective in chipping away at rivals leads that experts believe the outcome of the July 28 vote is still an open question. You very seldom see an election where the gap between candidates surpasses the 20-point mark that is still seen as uncertain. Here the opposition began with a 25-point lead and we are currently above the 40-point mark, said Oswaldo Ramirez, president of polling firm ORC Consultores, which currently has opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez beating Maduro 60% to 13%. ORC Consultores is only one of a number of respected Venezuelan polling firms depicting what at first glance looks like a lead too large for Maduro to overcome. Polling firm Meganalisis has Gonzalez winning by 60 points, 72% to 12%, while other firms have the opposition candidate surpassing the 50% mark while the socialist leader stays below 15%. And yet, Maduro could still declare himself the winner on July 28. Why? Because in Venezuela we are accustomed to seeing the regime using a series of tools to disrupt the will of society and stay in power at all costs, Ramirez said. The list of tools is long and the regime has been implementing them for months. They vary from outright banning key opposition leaders from running, to the states control of most news outlets to the arrest of political opponents. The regime has also been creating the conditions for what opposition leaders are calling an election fraud in slow motion by drastically limiting or banning international observers, restricting access to polls in key opposition areas and blocking the participation of the 20% of the population that has left the country, most of whom would likely vote for the opposition. As the July 28 date draws near, opposition leaders have composed a list of potential fraud strategies and ruses that could be implemented by the regime to disrupt the vote. These include the establishment of a large number of voting stations with just one table in areas that largely favor the opposition, with the aim of generating confusion and creating long lines to discourage voters. Alberto Ray, director of the Florida think-thank Risk Awareness Council, said that members of the regime-controlled National Electorate Council, which runs elections, are also likely to slow down operations at each polling station with the same aim. In a further attempt to boost Maduros chances, his name and passport-style photo appear an eye-catching 13 times on the ballot, overshadowing the rest of his nine opponents, who appear three or four times at most. Thats because candidates are allowed to appear on the ballot with their names next to each political group that supports them. Maduro is representing 13 different political parties, which gives his supporters 13 different options to choose from, though they can only vote for him once. Efforts by the opposition have so far centered on trying to build an army of volunteers to serve as observers at each poll to try to safeguard the vote. Supervision at each poll is key in order for the opposition to fight off attempts by regime representatives to commit fraud during the counting of the votes, Ray said. Given that widespread fraud is still likely despite these efforts, a high participation of opposition voters is also key to ensure that Gonzalez still comes on top at the end of the election day, he added. Right now, even the most extremely conservative polls give Edmundo a 20-point lead. So if there are 11 million votes, that means that Maduro has to overcome a 2.2 million deficit. And despite the ruses the regime is preparing for election day, it will be very hard to steal that number of votes if you have adequate supervision at the tables, Ray said. It will also be important for Gonzalez supporters to remain at the voting stations after they close to prevent opposition observers from being intimidated by regime officials during the counting of the vote, he said. While Gonzalez and his mentor, opposition chief Maria Corina Machado, have been campaigning under a promise of change and hope for a better future. Maduro appears to be running a campaign based on intimidation, aiming to scare voters into believing that they will lose access to government services and subsidies if they vote against him. The regime has also redoubled efforts to disrupt his rivals campaign by arresting opposition organizers. This week saw the number of arrests climb to 102, with the detention of Machados security chief, Milciades Avila. But the arbitrary incarcerations have also included low-level volunteers, including truck drivers and sympathizers carrying food for campaign workers. While those arrests increase the element of fear among voters, their impact on public perception is not being detected at the polls. Gonzalezs continued climb is making some analysts wonder if the regime is getting ready to resort to a last minute ban of his candidacy. Such a scenario would probably constitute a severe blow to the opposition, which would then have to choose among the little known or little liked independent candidates who are also registered to run to see which one they would rally behind with less than two weeks before the vote. But a last-minute ban on Gonzalezs candidacy would also do away with any hope the regime might have of obtaining legitimacy through an election, analysts say, arguing that it would arguably defeat Maduros purpose for calling the election in the first place. Jesus Seguias, president of polling firm Datincorp, said that in the end it all boils down to whether Maduro is actually ready to step down from the presidency and allow Venezuela to begin a democratic transition. That is the real question, Seguias said, arguing that the real other option for Maduro would be to keep cementing Venezuelas ties with the dictatorial regimes Russia, Iran, Cuba, China that oppose the United States. Regardless of the large bag of tricks prepared by the government for election day, the regime is fighting this time against an overwhelming desire for change at a level that simply was not present in previous elections, Ramirez, from ORC Consultores, said. The regime might be reaching a point where all these intimidating tactics and all of these plans of continuous fraud could simply not be enough to counteract the desire to vote, Ramirez said. Because we are not just talking here about the opposition, but of all the people. Because it is the Venezuelan people, as a whole, who are screaming in favor of change in order to build a new country. 2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Class frigate Admiral Gorshkov, part of the Russian naval detachment visiting Cuba, leaves Havana Harbor on June 17, 2024. (Yamil Lage/AFP/Getty Images/TNS) (Tribune News Service) Cubans are continuing to travel to Russia to join its war on Ukraine despite attempts by the government in Havana to clamp down on recruitment, according to a person familiar with the matter. Volunteers are signing up through informal channels and the total number involved in the fighting is likely in the low hundreds, though exact details are hard to establish, the person said, asking not to be identified because the issue is sensitive. Generous payments offered by the Russian military are luring impoverished Cubans to join the war as the Caribbean nation wrestles with energy blackouts and food shortages in an economic crisis that has triggered mass migration and street protests. Some are also drawn by the prospect of getting a Russian passport after President Vladimir Putin signed a decree in January allowing foreigners to obtain citizenship in return for service in the war. The Russian Defense Ministry didnt respond to a request to comment. Officials at the Cuban embassy in Washington and the Foreign Ministry in Havana didnt respond to requests to comment. Russia has moved to boost military enlistment at home and abroad as it seeks to replace huge numbers of troops killed or wounded in the fighting in Ukraine. Western estimates put Russian casualties at as high as 500,000 since the start of the February 2022 invasion. The U.K. Ministry of Defence said July 12 that Russia may have lost 70,000 killed or wounded just in the past two months. The Kremlin has forced thousands of migrants as well as foreign students and workers to fight alongside Russian troops, according to assessments from European officials. India said Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly raised the issue of early discharge for his countrys nationals whod been misled into joining the Russian army during talks with Putin in Moscow earlier this month. Nepal also said earlier this year that it was aware of about 400 Nepali men whod been recruited by Russia, though many more likely signed up without the governments knowledge. We were the ones that learned, and made public, that a few Cubans that were in Europe were being recruited for the war, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio said in an interview to Bloomberg TV and Radio in April. We took measures for those who were attempting from Cuba to also travel to the war. Cuba and Russia have close political ties stretching over decades, back to the Soviet Unions support of Havana against a U.S. trade embargo following the 1959 Communist revolution led by Fidel Castro. Russia sent tankers to Cuba in March carrying crude oil to help ease the economic slump, and a group of naval vessels docked in Havana last month on a planned visit. The numbers of recruits pale in comparison to the Cold War era, when tens of thousands of Cubans fought in Angola in the 1970s and 1980s, together with hundreds of Soviet military advisers, in a proxy war against the U.S. and its allies. To be sure, the number of Cubans visiting Russia, mostly tourists, has fallen dramatically in recent years, from nearly 77,000 in 2021 to about 15,000 last year. Those declaring theyre on business doubled, though, from 492 in 2021 to 942 last year, according to border data from Russias security service. Cuban officials have sent contradictory signals over involvement in Russias war in Ukraine. Hours after Cubas ambassador to Moscow said in September that his government didnt object to its citizens joining the Russian army to fight, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said Havanas unequivocal position was to oppose involvement. After 17 people were arrested in September in connection with an alleged human-trafficking ring that lured Cubans to fight for Russia, the Foreign Ministry declared in a statement that Cuba is not part of the war in Ukraine and would act firmly to stop any recruitment campaigns. Some of those who made the journey havent received the reward they expected. One pro-war Russian blogger, Anastasia Kashevarova, highlighted the case of a group of 45 Cubans to her nearly 240,000 followers on Telegram in May, saying theyd been dismissed from the army after complaining about problems with payment. Their commander, whod asked for Russian citizenship, was instead facing deportation, she said. With assistance from Thomas Hall. 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Space Force spouse Victoria Humpert, left, starred in Sheepdog Theatres production of The Little Fellow, which ran early this month in Tokyo. (Andrea Prandolini) TOKYO Applause rumbled through the audience as the curtain fell this month on the final scene of The Little Fellow at The Sheepdog Theatre, an English-language stage company in Tokyos Nakano ward. The Sheepdog, now in its fifth year, attracts a mix of people, many with stage training and experience, to its cast and crew. Our theater is unique because we have a beautiful blend of foreign and local talent that works with us on every production, company stage manager Julia Joseph told Stars and Stripes by email June 12. Among that talent is Space Force spouse Victoria Humpert, who played Harriette Wilson, an early 19th-century English courtesan, in The Little Fellow. A 2008 graduate of the American Academy of Arts in New York City, Humbert performed with its repertory company for 10 years. She still exercises her acting chops as a military spouse, the wife of Lt. Col. Geoffrey Walker, who works for U.S. Forces Japan at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo. Theater is all about connecting people through story, Humpert told Stars and Stripes at a Tokyo coffee shop on June 27. Maybe youre going to see a play or a musical about someones life that you dont know, but through that experience, you might get to learn more about what these people are like and connect with them. Sheepdog opened its doors in 2019 for one season. In July 2023, the group was back with a production of Samuel D. Hunters The Whale, in its current venue, Studio Actre, a small, black-box theater that seats 77 people. The audience is close to the actors, so it feels like you are part of the action, said Michael Walker, the theaters founder and artistic director, at the same interview. Its very immersive. Walker, a graduate of the Theatre Nepean program at the University of Western Sydney, has been acting for over a decade. I found that there wasnt a lot of international theater in Tokyo, he said. Theres a lot of Japanese theater, but there just wasnt much in the way of English-speaking theater. Walker said he wanted to start something different. I like things with a bit more of an edge a bit darker, a bit more actor-driven, he said. The company staged its first production, Ingmar Bergmans Through A Glass Darkly, in November 2019 at Theater Shine in Asagaya. The COVID-19 pandemic put the second season on hold. The theater is also accessible to the Japanese community. Japanese subtitles are projected on a structural beam so people who sit near the back can read them without distracting the audience in the front, Walker said. The companys most recent show, The Little Fellow by playwright Kate Hamill, ran early this month. The next play, Lucy Pebbles The Effect, is scheduled Nov. 7-17 at the Actre. Theres some really talented actors in Tokyo and theres not a lot of opportunities for them for work in theater, Walker said. I want them to develop their craft and get pushed as actors. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni is home to Marine Aicraft Group 12, Carrier Air Wing 5 and other tenant commands near Hiroshima, Japan. (Stars and Stripes) CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa Japanese police in three prefectures withheld information on cases involving five people connected to the U.S. military and suspected of sexual offenses since 2021, officials told Stars and Stripes on Friday. Police in Kanagawa, Aomori and Yamaguchi prefectures, where a total of four U.S. bases are located, did not publicly release information about those allegations or alert their local governments to them, according to prefectural and city offices that manage relations with the U.S. military. None of the suspects appear to have been charged with crimes. None of their service affiliations or duty stations were disclosed by police spokespeople in any of the five incidents. The incidents, first reported Thursday by Kyodo News, surfaced after the Okinawa prefectural government complained this month that local police and prosecutors withheld information on two service members indicted on alleged sex offenses since December. Information about three other service members suspected of sexual offenses since February 2023 on Okinawa surfaced because of those complaints. None of the three was charged with a crime, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said on July 3. Gunnery Sgt. Jonathan Wright, spokesman for U.S. Forces Japan, declined to comment on the individual cases but said USFJ takes all investigations seriously. USFJ has consistently adhered to agreed practices and standing bilateral agreements, working closely with the Government of Japan in the reporting of serious incidents and accidents, he told Stars and Stripes by email Friday evening. Prefectural police in Yamaguchi, where Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni is located, referred a person linked to the U.S. military to prosecutors in 2022 on suspicion of forcible indecency, a police spokesman said by phone Friday. Police did not report the referral publicly after considering public interest and protection of the privacy of the victims, he said. That suspect was not charged, a spokesman for the Yamaguchi District Public Prosecutors Office said by phone Friday. The police spokesman declined to comment on whether Japans Defense and Foreign ministries were notified. The city of Iwakunis Base Countermeasures Division had not been notified of the case as of Friday, the division spokesman said. Some Japanese government officials are required to speak to the media on condition of anonymity. In Kanagawa prefecture, south of Tokyo, a U.S. service member was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of sexually assaulting and injuring a person in 2022. A U.S. civilian employee was arrested this year for allegedly committing an act of indecency without consent, a spokesman for Kanagawas Military Base Affairs Division said by phone Friday. Yokosuka Naval Base and Naval Air Facility Atsugi are in the prefecture. Neither person was charged with a crime, Kyodo reported Thursday. Police notified the base affairs division Thursday of the cases, which they had not previously disclosed for privacy reasons, the division spokesman said. Aomori Prefectural Police in 2021 and 2022 referred two people affiliated with the U.S. military to prosecutors on suspicion of rape and forcible indecency, respectively, according to a police spokesman. Misawa Air Base is in Aomori prefecture. We consider the privacy, effects on the investigation and other aspects for each case to decide whether to publicly release the information, he said by phone Friday. The spokesman declined to comment whether the government ordered police to release the information. Prosecutors decided in September 2021 and February 2022 not to indict the two, a spokesman for the Aomori District Public Prosecutors Office said by phone Friday. The prefectures Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management Division said the prefecture was not informed of those cases, a division spokesman said by phone Friday. On Okinawa, prosecutors dropped a case involving a U.S. Marine who was arrested July 4 for allegedly touching a womans breast, a spokesman for the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office said by phone Friday. The aggressor country may be preparing to undermine the Kyiv HPP and the Kaniv reservoir dams, Ukraine said at OSCE. ADVERTISIMENT This statement was made by the acting permanent representative of Ukraine to international organizations in Vienna, Viktoria Kuvshynnykova, at a regular meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday, Ukrinform reports. She noted that Russia's statements about the possible destruction of the Kyiv HPP and the Kaniv reservoir dams could be both disinformation aimed at intimidating the Ukrainian people and preparations for attacking them in the course of the so-called false flag operation. "Against the backdrop of continuous and ruthless attacks on critical Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, we have witnessed new absurd accusations by Russia that Ukraine is allegedly preparing to destroy the dams," she said. Kuvshynnykova added that the largest man-made disaster in Europe in decades was when Russian destroyed the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant from the inside, which was preceded by an active disinformation campaign. Thus, it "eloquently testifies to the Kremlin's methods." ADVERTISIMENT "Whatever it is - spreading disinformation, intimidating the Ukrainian people, preparing for a false flag operation, or an attempt to divert the attention of the international community - the OSCE community should monitor Russia's actions even more closely," Kuvshynnykova summarized. As previously reported, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Ukraine allegedly plans to destroy Kyiv HPP and the Kaniv reservoir dams to blame Russia for this. Ukraine responded to such fake news and reminded that Moscow has demonstrated this strategy many times before: accusing others of what it does or plans to do. It is worth noting that by issuing false statements about Ukraine's alleged preparations to destroy the dams, the aggressor state Russia aims not only to intimidate the Ukrainian population, but also to put pressure on Western countries. By blackmailing Ukraine, the Russians may want to "force" Ukraine and the West to begin "talks." ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Norwegian air force F-35 Lightning IIs and a Swedish air force Saab JAS 39 Gripen fly off the wing of a U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress during a mission over Europe on June 18, 2024. The head of U.S. European Command and NATOs supreme allied commander, Gen. Christopher Cavoli, said July 18, 2024, that European allies have realized they must do more for their defense. (Emily Farnsworth/U.S. Air Force) STUTTGART, Germany American allies in Europe are aware that their house is on fire, sparking the kinds of military reforms that the United States has been seeking for years, the top U.S. commander on the Continent said this week. This is a different Europe from what we complained about for years, U.S. European Commands Gen. Christopher Cavoli said Thursday. Cavoli, who also serves as NATOs supreme allied commander, said Russias war in Ukraine has generated a sense of urgency in European capitals, where there is an awareness that Moscow will pose a long-term threat regardless of how the war turns out. I think it is underappreciated in the United States just how much our European allies have awakened to the fact that the house is on fire, Cavoli said during a discussion at the Aspen Institute in Colorado. This is not a show, and this is not just rhetoric. This is true concern about the stability of their continent and the survival of their states. Cavoli pointed to increased defense spending among allies in Europe and efforts underway to ramp up the Continents industrial base, which has diminished over the years. The Army general also said Europes invigorated military efforts will help the United States contribution in Europe produce the most value. This is exactly the moment when American interests will be advanced most by American continued participation, he said. But Cavolis comments come at a time of uncertainty over the future shape of the U.S mission in Europe, which could turn on the outcome of U.S. presidential election. While the administration of President Joe Biden has shown intent to further boost military capabilities in Europe, last week announcing a plan to send long-range artillery and hypersonic missiles in the coming years, former President Donald Trump is likely to go in a different direction if he returns to the White House. Trumps running mate, J.D. Vance, has made it clear that a reduced American role in Europe is required so the United States can focus more on China. Trump is actually issuing a wake-up call to say that Europe has to take a bigger role in its own security, Vance told an audience of global leaders at the Munich Security Conference in February. Vance said the American security blanket in Europe has resulted in allies not taking enough initiative. The point is not we want to abandon Europe, he said. The point is we need to focus as a country on East Asia, and we need our European allies to step up in Europe. Among the major allies in Europe, investments are increasing. Poland, which now has the third-largest army in NATO behind the U.S. and Turkey, is spending about 4% of gross domestic product on its military. Warsaw has said its looking to push that to 5%, well above NATOs 2% benchmark. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom said it will increase spending 2.5% of GDP, and Germany has now hit the 2% threshold after many years of falling short. Many nations are concluding that 2% is not enough, that theyre going to have to go higher than that, Cavoli said. Smaller allies on NATOs eastern flank, such as the Baltic states and Romania, are among the top military spenders on a per capita basis. This is exactly the partner weve been looking for (in Europe) for three decades, Cavoli said. U.S. soldiers conduct an artillery exercise at al Asad Air Base in Iraq in December 2023. (Quince Lanford/U.S. Army) WASHINGTON A drone launched by Iran-backed militants struck a base in western Iraq where U.S. and other international forces are deployed, the Pentagon said Thursday. The militants launched two drones Tuesday targeting al Asad Air Base in Iraq. One of the drones was shot down and the other hit the base causing minimal damage, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said. No casualties have been reported, according to a Reuters report. This was the first attack against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since April. At the time, a fighter jet from the U.S.-led coalition in the two countries destroyed a militant rocket launcher after a failed attack near a base in Syria hosting U.S. troops. No U.S. personnel were injured in the attack at the base near Rumalyn, the Pentagon had said. Also in April, there were reports that drones were launched at al Asad. There was no indication whether al Asad was the target, defense officials said at the time. But the Pentagon confirmed Thursday that there was an attack near al Asad on April 22. The U.S. military began airstrikes in Iraq and Syria on Feb. 2 in response to a Jan. 28 drone attack in Jordan that killed three American soldiers. U.S. forces struck some 85 targets, and military officials credited the response for deterring militant groups in the two countries from continuing attacks against U.S. forces. After the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants on Israel, Iran-linked groups launch some 175 attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria. The surprise attack by Hamas fighters raised tensions across the region as Israel launched a retaliatory war against Gaza, the Palestinian enclave controlled by Hamas. The attack Tuesday comes less than a week before an expected visit by a high-level Iraqi military delegation to Washington to continue talks on ending the U.S.-led military coalition in the country, Reuters reported. U.S. and Iraqi officials initiated discussions in January about the future of the U.S.-led mission to defeat the Islamic State, including the presence of American troops in the country. U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., speaks at an event in Aurora, Colorado, on June 28, 2022. (Jintak Han/The Denver Post/TNS) U.S. Rep. Jason Crows tense exchange with President Joe Biden during a weekend call with Democratic lawmakers has attracted attention this week as Biden resists calls to drop out of the presidential race. Media reports Tuesday and Wednesday confirmed details of the dialog, which included the president at one point invoking his deceased sons Bronze Star in a comment to Crow, a veteran who also has been awarded the same medal. The call occurred before the Colorado congressman on Sunday warned publicly of a high risk the president would lose the upcoming election. Crow, an Aurora Democrat, was part of the Saturday Zoom call with Biden and fellow moderate Democrats when the argument happened, according to the online news outlet Puck, which described Biden as chastising Crow in a recording of the video call. It took place about an hour before a gunman attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, an event that has dominated the news since then. In the Zoom call, Crow, a former Army Ranger who won a Bronze Star for actions during combat in the Iraq War, asked Biden about voters national security concerns. Biden called him dead wrong on national security and cited accomplishments that included bolstering alliances in the Pacific and the European defense compact NATO. Name me a foreign leader who thinks Im not the most effective leader in the world on foreign policy, Biden told Crow, according to Pucks report. Tell me! Tell me who the hell that is! Tell me who put NATO back together! Tell me who enlarged NATO, tell me who did the Pacific basin! Tell me who did something that youve never done with your Bronze Star like my son and Im proud of your leadership, but guess what, whats happening, weve got Korea and Japan working together, I put (the trilateral Pacific security pact) AUKUS together, anyway! Things are in chaos, and Im bringing some order to it. And again, find me a world leader whos an ally of ours who doesnt think Im the most respected person theyve ever Crow interjected: Its not breaking through, Mr. President, he said, to our voters. Bidens eldest son, Beau Biden, also served in the Army and won a Bronze Star during the Iraq War. He died in 2016 of brain cancer, which the president has attributed to his time in the service. That Saturday exchange ended with Biden telling those on the call he needed to leave for Mass. Crows office declined to comment on the report, which is the latest to reveal internal strife among Democrats in the weeks since Biden performed poorly in a June 27 debate with Trump. On Sunday, Crow joined a growing number of Democrats who have publicly raised the alarm about Bidens reelection prospects, though he did not explicitly call for Biden to withdraw from the race. Speaking on CBS Face the Nation, Crow said he had a robust call with Biden but pushed back on the idea it was a sign of disunity in the party. Crow called Biden one of the most effective national security and foreign policy presidents in generations and said hes been one of Bidens fiercest advocates. But that message is not breaking through to voters, Crow said. I do believe right now, if unless theres a major change that there is a high risk that we lose this election, Crow said. In reading the tea leaves, its very troubling for many of us right now, he said, after citing other moderate colleagues who won tough races in 2018. So, we want to see a change. And thats what the questions that were asking are about. Fellow Colorado U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen on Friday called on Biden to please pass the torch and end his reelection campaign. U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, like Crow, has suggested Biden is likely to lose the election. But U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, the states longest-serving member of Congress, has staunchly defended Biden. 2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at denverpost.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. From left, Usha Chilukuri Vance, wife of J.D. Vance, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, N.D. Gov. Doug Burgum, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson applaud on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/TNS) MILWAUKEE His voice cracked as he spoke, the cane made necessary by his combat injuries resting under the swanky hotels cream-colored bar. When the bullets stop flying, you need a mission, he said. Well, Donald Trumps got a mission now. Some of us knew it already, but the country saw what hes made of when he got up Saturday, said the area military veterans advocate, granted anonymity late Wednesday afternoon to be candid, referring to the failed assassination attempt on the GOP presidential nominee. Trust me: In combat, when that fight-or-flight instinct takes over, everyone can see what you are. When he got up and said, fight, it showed what hes willing to do for the country. Lawmakers, delegates and Trump confidants here this week predicted Trumps Thursday night Republican National Convention acceptance speech likely would present a surreal scene, with a much different message from the typically bombastic and divisive 45th president. I think in terms of changing the tempo and the tone of the convention and the speech, the president has made it very clear, he wants it to be more unifying, more uplifting, more positive and more optimistic by the way, America can use that, Kellyanne Conway, a former senior Trump campaign and White House aide, said in a brief interview. We already know what the problems are. We need solutions, she said during a convention light on specific policy plans. We already feel pessimistic and negative. We need optimism and positivity, and he wants to deliver that. Dan Musholt, a delegate from Canton, Mo., expects a softer and more subdued Trump on Thursday night. I mean, anyone whos had their ear lacerated by a bullet is going to be more laid back and reflective, at least for a while, he said. Hell probably get back to the usual Trump at some point, Musholt added Wednesday. But, obviously, the last two nights, hes seemed more laid-back, so I dont think hell be planning an in-your-face speech. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., said he expects to hear a very reflective man, adding: I think everybody can see hes had a different look on his face. The last few nights, there was just a different level of emotion behind [Trumps] eyes, Mast added. It was the face and I think thats what youre going to hear, whats behind those eyes. Trump will not have the political stage all to himself Thursday, however. President Joe Biden is isolating at his Delaware beach home after testing positive for COVID-19, reportedly entertaining calls from some top congressional Democrats and donors to drop out of the 2024 race over fears he cannot beat Trump and would be a drag on the partys House and Senate candidates. To be sure, when a 20-year-old gunman made his way on top of an unsecured building and aimed an AR-style rifle at Trump, addressing loyalists at a rally in the key swing state, it altered the tone of Republicans big Milwaukee party though cracks in the Trump campaigns unity push started to show on Tuesday night and opened wider on Wednesday as speakers more in line with Trumps MAGA movement lambasted Democrats. Peter Navarro, a former Trump White House economic adviser who earlier Wednesday was released from a federal prison in Miami, contended on stage that Joe Biden and his department of injustice put me there. He also warned convention-goers they will come for you, adding: If we dont control our government, their government will control us. Still, Ian Bergstrom, a delegate from Nassau County, N.Y., said he expects a more reserved message from Trump following his near-miss with death. I think hes had a realization that the political discourse has really gotten to be too much. I think that the criminal prosecution and the assassination attempt has really had an impact on him, so I think hell give a more focused speech. Musholt added, sitting outside the Fiserv Forum on Wednesday under a mild Wisconsin sun. I think, and I do hope, that hell focus on the best interests of America. Should the typically bombastic Trump opt to dial things down during his prime-time address, it would offer a stark contrast to his first nominating convention way back in the summer of 2016. Lock her up! The chant echoed through a Cleveland arena during the 2016 Republican National Convention on a mid-July night. The phrase already had become a cornerstone of Trumps first White House campaign, and former Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn was egging on Trumps loyalists. Now is the time for a leader that is honest and strong, a leader who will stand up for America and make absolutely clear that if you cross her path, you will pay the price, Flynn said as the audience began to stir. We do not need a weak, spineless president who is more concerned about issuing apologies than protecting Americans. We do not need a reckless president who believes she is above the law. Whipped into a frenzy, the MAGA crowd began to chant for Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee that year, to be thrown in the slammer for using a private email server while she was secretary of State. Lock her up, thats right, Flynn quipped. Months later, at a rally in Reno, Nev., Trump contended Clinton shouldnt be allowed to run because if she were to win this election, it would create an unprecedented constitutional crisis. In that situation, we could very well have a sitting president under felony indictment and, ultimately, a criminal trial. It would grind government to a halt. Resounding applause Fast forward eight years. Trump at one time faced over 90 criminal charges, and has been convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He was found liable for sexually abusing in 1996 the writer E. Jean Carroll, with a jury awarding her $5 million. In another, he was hit with a $450 million civil fine for inflating property values and falsifying financial statements to obtain more favorable loan terms. Clinton, an occasional surrogate for Biden, was never charged with a crime. Yet, there have been no chants of Lock [somebody] up! inside the Milwaukee arena this week as some question how hard Trump should go after prosecutors. (Perhaps complicating such messaging is that Joe Bidens son, Hunter, has been convicted on federal gun-related charges, and just this week Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., was convicted on federal fraud charges both cases brought by the Justice Department President Biden oversees. Both Democrats face the prospect of prison time. Probably two-thirds of Americans think one candidate is too old, Biden, and the other too dangerous, Trump, former GOP Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania said in a recent telephone interview. Their debate last month simply verified those concerns. Before the shooting, Trump had often referred to the Biden clan as a crime family, and called its patriarch Crooked Joe. He had floated the notion that, if elected again, he would use the Justice Department and FBI as a personal police and prosecution force to go after his political and legal enemies. And he has pushed unproven allegations about a rigged 2020 election and warned his loyalists that Democrats already have been cheating during 2024 primary elections even urging them to police their local polling stations in November. But Aaron Cutler, a former senior leadership staffer for then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said in an email that voters are looking for leadership that addresses their needs and aspirations directly. Trumps promise to end the wars, secure the border, and grow the economy offer a compelling contrast to Mr. Bidens defensive campaign strategy and apparently nonexistent vision for a second term, Cutler added. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., expects Trump to call for not just GOP, but national unity, predicting, hes going to get resounding applause and support, as he should he literally took a bullet for our country. 2024 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A Virginia Senate floor session at the state capitol building in Richmond. (Waldo Jaquith/Wikimedia Commons) RICHMOND, Va. The Virginia General Assembly voted Thursday to roll back cuts to a popular tuition waiver program for military families, resolving a self-inflicted political crisis and putting off a serious budget debate until next year. Meeting in a special session just to take up the topic, the House of Delegates and state Senate each agreed unanimously to fully restore the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Program, which offers free tuition at public institutions of higher learning for the families of veterans injured or killed in the line of duty. Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) traveled back to Richmond on Thursday from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee so he could sign the measures into law, drawing applause from the conventions Virginia delegation when he informed them of his plans at a breakfast. This is a clean repeal, Del. Luke Torian (D-Prince William), the chairman of House Appropriations who sponsored the bill in the House, said in introducing the measure on the floor. With several groups in Richmond now studying how to resolve the programs long-term budget impact, we hope to have a product that we all can vote on in the 2025 session, Torian added in an interview with The Washington Post. The state budget passed earlier this year contained language that sharply curtailed the program, which has ballooned in cost since being expanded over the past few years. Thursdays votes set aside $45 million a year over the next two years to help colleges and universities deal with the expense, on top of $20 million per year that was already included in the budget. Started in the 1930s to benefit the families of soldiers wounded in World War I, the VMSDP had expanded to include residents of other states and relatives of service members with non-combat-related disabilities, and to apply to graduate degrees. It grew in cost from $12 million in 2019 to more than $65 million last year, with colleges and universities having to pick up the tab without extra funding from the state. The budget passed earlier this year would have restricted the program to Virginia residents seeking undergraduate degrees and required families to use federal aid such as Pell Grants before tapping into the state program. Military families and their advocates protested the changes, setting off a massive wave of political backtracking in a state that prides itself on having one of the nations biggest concentrations of active duty and retired military residents. Youngkin, whose administration initially sought the cutbacks, appointed a task force to study the issue, then called on lawmakers to go ahead and reinstate the waivers. House Speaker Don Scott (D-Portsmouth) vowed that delegates would return to Richmond and undo the cuts, which the House did on June 28. But the state Senate also controlled by Democrats had other ideas. Citing the growth in costs, Senate leadership, spearheaded by Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth), sought to preserve some restrictions. But after summoning senators back to Richmond twice over the past few weeks, Democratic leaders were unable to reach a deal with Republicans on how to handle the issue despite the fact that all sides agreed it needed fixing. Finally, earlier this month, the House, Senate and governor all agreed on the deal that played out Thursday. All sides also agreed that the issue needs a long-term fix so the program doesnt grow out of control. Youngkins task force is expected to recommend changes later this year, as is a task force appointed by the Senate. The legislatures in-house audit arm, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, is also studying how to preserve VMSDP in a sustainable way. Lawmakers said they would take the issue up again in the General Assembly regular session in January. We will keep our word, keep our commitment to these families, Scott said in an interview with The Washington Post. He added that he hopes to use input from veterans and their families to fashion a solution that puts us on the path that keeps this program moving so its long-term sustainable. Im glad we were able to get it done, House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) said after the House completed its vote. It took too long to get it done. I think everybody in the House seemed to be singing from the same sheet of music and the Senate finally came to their senses. In the Senate, Republicans on the floor celebrated the agreement. Sen. Tara Durant (R-Stafford), however, expressed disappointment that it had taken multiple special sessions to resolve. Ive heard a lot of people stress how they feel that its become so expensive to respect those who have served our country, she said on the floor. That is deeply hurtful. Democrats emphasized that the program still needed further evaluation. Sen. Barbara A. Favola (D-Arlington) posed questions about the benefits of the program and how colleges were paying for it, while Senate Majority Leader Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax) pushed back on Durants remarks. Theres not a single person on this side of the aisle who said veterans are too expensive for anything. The debate from the very beginning has not been expense, it has been whos going to pay, Surovell said on the floor. The reality is that this program had become so successful that we now had students that were receiving Pell grants, students on financial aid, students who were taking out loans to pay for their education, that were funding this program instead of the taxpayer. Dozens of people from military families attended Thursdays session. Katie Demko, 54, of Woodbridge, said it was frustrating to watch the issue play out in such a divisive and political manner. Demko said she understood that changes to the program need to be made for it to last, but wanted a clearer process from the start. Her children, a rising high school senior and a junior at Virginia Tech, are eligible for benefits under the program. I feel like theyve corrected what they did wrong. But, you know, we still have a long way to go, Demko said. Many of the families had traveled to Richmond multiple times this year to try and get the situation resolved. If wed been listened to back in February, it wouldve been so much easier, said Caitlin Goodale-Porter of Stafford County, an Army and Coast Guard veteran who has helped organize the lobbying effort. This was a wonderful program, Im glad to have it back, but Im not sure well ever trust that it wont be taken away again. Laura Vozzella in Milwaukee contributed to this report. The Russian-Ukrainian war may last for another ten years. Both Europe and NATO should be prepared for this. ADVERTISIMENT At the same time, the stronger the Western partners support Ukraine and demonstrate that they are ready to do so for a long time, the sooner the war will end. In an interview with the BBC, NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg expressed this opinion. The interviewer asked the North Atlantic Alliance Secretary General whether NATO countries should be prepared for a full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine to last for another ten years, and Stoltenberg answered in the affirmative. "But the main thing here is that the stronger we support Ukraine and the longer we are ready to support it, the sooner the war can end. The paradox is that President Putin now thinks he can outlast us. That is why the war continues," the NATO Secretary General is convinced. That is why, in his opinion, the duration of the war directly depends on when the Russian dictator realizes that he is wrong. ADVERTISIMENT "When we make it very clear that we are here for a long time, that we are determined to help Ukraine for a long time, then we create the conditions for a conflict resolution in which Ukraine will win as a sovereign independent state," Stoltenberg added. Also in the interview, Stoltenberg again called on European NATO countries to increase their allocations to help Ukraine. He did so amid growing fears that if Donald Trump wins the US election, US aid to Ukraine could be severely cut or even stopped altogether. Earlier, Stoltenberg said when the NATO mission to support Ukraine would start working. He said it will start working in Germany in September this year. The mission will include 700 people. The Alliance Secretary General also appointed a new NATO representative in Ukraine. OBOZ.UA told what is known about him. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber . Do not fall for fakes! The Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday, July 18, 2024, said Congress must move quickly to approve supplemental funding for the agency to close an estimated $15 billion spending gap through fiscal 2025 to avoid delays and cuts to veterans benefits and care. (Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON The Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday said Congress must move quickly to approve supplemental funding for the agency to close an estimated $15 billion spending gap through fiscal 2025 to avoid delays and cuts to veterans benefits and care. Disability compensation and pension benefit payments to veterans scheduled to be delivered by Oct. 1 are at risk of being delayed, if the VA does not receive an estimated $3 billion to address a budget shortfall for the remainder of fiscal 2024, which ends Sept. 30, said Terrence Hayes, the VA press secretary. He also said the VA might be forced to cut veterans services and care in fiscal 2025 if Congress does not agree to increase the agencys $369 billion spending plan. A $12 billion budget shortfall is projected next fiscal year without the additional funds. If the Veterans Health Administration does not receive additional funding, VA will continue to provide high-quality health care to veterans but will make adjustments to remain within the current budget for fiscal year 2025, Hayes said. Demand for VA services exceeded expectations as a record number of veterans now seek VA services and benefits, he said. At the same time, the VA is reporting higher prices for prescription drugs and more hiring costs to fill critical vacancies at VA hospitals and clinics. Democratic lawmakers from the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees expressed support Thursday for providing the funds to cover the shortfall, while some Republican members criticized the VA for not anticipating higher spending needs. More veterans and their families are accessing their earned benefits than ever before, and they should not be shortchanged. This is a cost of war, and I will continue working to do right by each and every one of them, said Sen. Jon Tester, D.-Mont., who is chairman of the Senate VA Committee. But Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., chairman of the House VA Committee, accused VA Secretary Denis McDonough and other VA leaders of misleading lawmakers in testimony at budget hearings in the spring. This is not just fiscal mismanagement. It is strategic whiplash, Bost said about the $15 billion shortfall through 2025. Chief financial officers from the Veterans Benefits Administration and Veterans Health Administration apprised lawmakers this week of the anticipated budget shortfall and their expectations for additional funds, the VA said. Rep. Mark Takano of California, the top Democrat on the House VA Committee, said he is encouraging fellow lawmakers to work with the VA to cover the shortfall and ensure benefits to veterans continue. Spending conversations for [fiscal 2025] are still very much ongoing, and there is time to address this like adults before the next fiscal year. We will need to have the hard, honest conversation of how we will pay for health care that veterans have earned, he said. But Takano said he continues to be concerned about rising costs for covering private health care for veterans who seek non-VA medical services in their communities. Veterans are able to get treatment from private health care providers related to injuries and illnesses from military duty if the needed services are not readily available at VA facilities near their homes. Takano warned a cost shift is underway to the private sector that risks reducing the quality of care at VA hospitals and clinics. I have been sounding the alarm for months about the push for privatization through community care, and how community care is more expensive and has far less oversight than direct VA care, he said. Hayes said the agency will not continue its recent pace of hiring at VA hospitals and clinics to meet veterans demand for more services following passage of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, or PACT Act. The law provides medical care and monthly disability compensation to veterans diagnosed with diseases connected to toxic exposures from burn pits, radiation at weapons testing sites, and aerial spraying of Agent Orange and other herbicides. Since the PACT Act became law, more than 710,000 veterans have enrolled in VA health care, Hayes said. Additional funds from Congress will enable the VA to fill vacancies and new positions in critical areas, he said. VA will continue to strategically hire in several key areas, such as mental health care and at targeted locations such as locations with ongoing increases in health care enrollees, Hayes said. The VA does not have a hiring freeze, he said. However, some VA nurses held a rally in Washington last month to protest what they described as a national shortage of nurses at VA hospitals and clinics. The VA is working closely with Congress and the White House Office of Management and Budget to resolve these potential shortfalls in a way that prevents any adverse impacts on veterans and allows us to continue to deliver care and benefits to veterans at record rates, Hayes said. Lou Dobbs speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Md., on Feb. 24, 2024. (Mandel Ngan, AFP/Getty Images/TNS) LOS ANGELES (Tribune News Service) Lou Dobbs, the veteran TV news host and conservative commentator, has died. He was 78. Dobbs death was confirmed Thursday with posts on his social media accounts. Lou was a fighter till the very end fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country. Lous legacy will forever live on as a patriot and a great American. We ask for your prayers for Lous wonderful wife Deb, children and grandchildren. His death was first announced on Truth Social by former President Donald Trump. The Great Lou Dobbs has just passed away, Trump said Thursday. A friend, and truly incredible Journalist, Reporter, and Talent. He understood the World, and what was happening, better than others. Lou was unique in so many ways, and loved our Country. Our warmest condolences to his wonderful wife, Debi, and family. He will be greatly missed! In a Thursday statement to The Times, Fox News Media said it was deeply saddened by the passing of Lou Dobbs. An incredible business mind with a gift for broadcasting, Lou helped pioneer cable news into a successful and influential industry, the statement said. We are immensely grateful for his many contributions and send our heartfelt condolences to his family. No details about Dobbs cause of death were made immediately available, and a spokesperson for Dobbs did not immediately respond Thursday to The Times requests for comment. Dobbs became a household name when he appeared on CNN when it launched in 1980. He abruptly quit on air in 2009 and became a mainstay on the Fox Business News network. Former Fox Chief Executive Roger Ailes signed the former host to the cable network in 2011. Dobbs was the companys most outspoken supporter of Trumps economic and immigration policies. In the weeks after the 2020 election, he also expressed anger on his program that the Republican Party did not do more to act on the former presidents claims that the election was rigged in favor of President Biden. In 2021, Fox News Media canceled his long-running Fox Business news show, Lou Dobbs Tonight, over his allegations of voter fraud, but the commentator remained under contract at the network. Times staff writers Stephen Battaglio and Meg James contributed to this report. 2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Sean Farrell (35), who came originally from Walkinstown, Dublin, was found unresponsive in the bedroom of his partners house at Cushlawn Dale, Tallaght on the morning of December 23, 2022 Cocaine killed an otherwise healthy young Dublin father of three two days before Christmas in 2022, an inquest has heard. Sean Farrell (35), who came originally from Walkinstown, Dublin, was found unresponsive in the bedroom of his partners house at Cushlawn Dale, Tallaght on the morning of December 23, 2022. An inquest into his death at Dublin District Coroners Court heard that Mr Farrells partner, Danielle Griffin, was unable to resuscitate him. Ms Griffin, who was excused from giving evidence to the inquest on compassionate grounds told gardai in a statement that she had spoken to her partner earlier that morning at around 6.30am. After getting up at around 10.15am, Ms Griffin said she rang the emergency service at 10.30am after she could not wake him when she called in to say goodbye. The inquest heard paramedics had arrived at the house just over 10 minutes later and had unsuccessfully tried to resuscitate him over the following three-quarters of an hour. Garda Michael Fox told the hearing that Mr Farrell was formally pronounced dead at 1.40pm. Asked by the coroner, Aisling Gannon, if there were any concerns over how Mr Farrell had met his death, Garda Fox replied: Nothing suspicious whatsoever. The court heard that medical records from the deceaseds family doctor showed he had some struggles but nothing which was of specific note concerning his death. Ms Gannon noted that Mr Farrell had also suffered from persistent nose bleeds. The results of a postmortem found evidence of cocaine and some sleeping tablets in his system. The coroner said the autopsy had found no underlying health condition that could have contributed to Mr Farrells death. She also confirmed that he had not suffered any assault or injury to his body. The postmortem showed that Mr Farrell had some myocardial fibrosis or scarring of tissue in the heart muscle which it linked to his use of cocaine. The pathologist attributed the cause of his death to cardiac arrhythmia an irregular heartbeat due to cocaine use. Returning a verdict of death by misadventure, Ms Gannon said Mr Farrell had died from the impact of cocaine with no other contributory factor. Offering her sympathy to the deceaseds relatives, the coroner said his death was the unintended consequence of the intentional act of taking the drug. Shorten was also convicted in June of two counts of rape and one of anal rape in relation to two other young women who separately found themselves in a taxi after a night out A Dublin taxi driver is to be sentenced next week for the rape and sexual abuse of a seven-year-old girl over a decade ago. Raymond Shorten (50) of Melrose Crescent, Clondalkin was convicted in May of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault in 2012 of the young girl. The now 20-year-old woman indicated she wished for Shorten to be named, but to retain her anonymity. Shorten had been due to be sentenced today by the trial judge Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo at the Central Criminal Court. Adjourning the case to Monday July 22, Mr Justice Paul McDermott told counsel that Mr Justice Naidoo is unavailable as he is presiding over a trial in Tullamore, Co. Offaly. Shorten was also convicted in June of two counts of rape and one of anal rape in relation to two other young women who separately found themselves in a taxi after a night out socialising in Dublin during the summer of 2022, where they were raped by the driver, Shorten. He is also due to be sentenced in relation to these offences next Monday, with Mr Justice McDermott previously indicating he will impose sentence after Mr Justice Naidoo has finalised sentence in relation to the offences involving the young girl. Shorten has been in custody since August 2022. Colm Sheehy (43) pleaded guilty to possessing 133,752 worth of heroin and cocaine at his home in Tallaght A former ESB electrician found with over 133,000 worth of drugs has been jailed for three years, after a judge ruled that his culpability was lower than usual because of a brain injury. Colm Sheehy (43) pleaded guilty to possessing 133,752 worth of heroin and cocaine at his home in Tymon Crescent, Tallaght, Dublin 24, on October 21, 2022. At a hearing of Dublin Circuit Court yesterday, Judge Martin Nolan said it was a serious offence that would ordinarily warrant a sentence of six years in prison. But Judge Nolan said that given that Sheehy had sustained serious head injuries affecting his cognitive ability, he would cut this sentence in half and impose a three-year term of imprisonment. The court heard that Sheehy suffered a significant brain injury after he fell off a ladder in a workplace accident in 2017. Judge Nolan accepted a defence submission that Sheehys culpability was lower than another persons might be because his injury left him with a significant reduction in cognitive functioning. Michael OHiggins SC, defending, cited medical reports showing that Sheehys IQ dropped by 30 points after his accident and that he has difficulty processing and retaining information. Sheehy also suffers from severe headaches, significant anxiety and depression and is not likely to be able to get work as an electrician, the court heard. Garda Nicky Cleere told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that Sheehys house was searched in October 2022 on foot of a warrant. Sheehy was at home with his stepmother at the time and initially told gardai there were no drugs in the house. However, a search revealed several large blocks of heroin in the bedroom and elsewhere weighing nearly a kilo altogether. Gardai also seized 13.6 grammes of cocaine valued at 954. Sheehy told gardai he was holding the drugs for a third party because he had a drug debt of 50,000. He has 33 previous convictions, including several drug offences, one of which he served three years in prison for in 2002. The court heard that Sheehy had been on bail for another drug conviction when he committed this offence. Mr OHiggins SC, defending, told the court that Sheehy has a long-standing drug addiction going back 20 years, during which he has managed to stay clean for lengthy periods. Sheehys biological mother died when he was four years old, the court heard, but he has a very good relationship with his stepmother, whom he considers his mother. He became addicted to heroin at the age of 18, the court heard. Sheehy did well in prison and completed his electricians apprenticeship on his release but relapsed on drugs at various periods, including after the death of his late father. A detailed letter from Sheehys brother explained how it was the happiest day of his life when he got a job with the ESB, as he had a very good work ethic and always worked to the highest professional standard. Then, in June 2017, Sheehy fell from a ladder at work and suffered two brain bleeds, a fractured skull and a back injury. Medical reports cited in court said Sheehy now has difficulty processing information, struggles to remember dates or find the right words, and has problems with concentration and impulse control. The court heard that he is very socially isolated and has few friends, sometimes spending days in bed looking at the ceiling. Sheehys brother said the accused has always been a vulnerable person, preyed upon and easily led. When Judge Nolan asked counsel how Sheehys physical illnesses affected his culpability, Mr OHiggins responded that Sheehy comes in lower than another person. Hes a shadow of the person he was. His cognitive ability to weigh up risks and benefits was somewhat impaired, counsel said of Sheehy. The court heard that Sheehy has been accepted to attend an 18-month residential drug treatment centre at Tiglin, but that he is still on the waiting list. Judge Nolan said Sheehy was an obliging man with many, many good points and a good work history, adding that it was unfortunate for everybody that he had fallen from a ladder and sustained serious injuries. The injuries affected him greatly, affecting his confidence, his ability to find employment and his capacity to lead a productive life, said the judge. The brain injury contributed to his drug-taking, to some degree, and obviously, he was somewhat more vulnerable, said Judge Nolan, adding that Sheehy still knew the difference between right and wrong. The case was adjourned to next Friday (July 26) to deal with Sheehys previous drug conviction, for which he had been on bail when he committed this offence. Gardai said violence was also incited against the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. Richard McGreevy (28) has been charged in connection with threats to kill. A MAN described as a loner has been accused of making threats on TikTok to kill Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. Richard McGreevy (28) was arrested and charged after a threatening video featuring a masked man was posted on social media this week. Gardai said violence was also incited against the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris. Mr McGreevy said in court today: "I was so angry that day. I didn't mean for it to go so viral." He was refused bail and remanded in custody at Dublin District Court today, for DPP directions. Mr McGreevy, of Whitechurch Place, Rathfarnham, is charged with threatening to kill or cause serious harm to Ms McDonald, intending her to believe it would be carried out. The offence is alleged to have taken place at the accused's home address on Tuesday, July 16. This afternoon, Detective Sergeant Gareth Kane said Mr McGreevy was arrested for the purpose of charge at Terenure garda station and made no reply after caution. He was handed a copy of the charge sheet. The garda objected to bail, citing the seriousness of the charge, the strength of the proposed evidence, and the potential for interference with witnesses. He told Judge Paula Murphy all the devices gardai believed to have been used to make the alleged online threats against Mary Lou McDonald TD had been seized, as had the clothing and balaclava worn. Mr McGreevy made admissions in detention, Det Sgt Kane alleged. Applying for bail, defence solicitor Kevin Tunney said the case was likely to go to the circuit court and would take some time to be dealt with. There had been a lot of information released to the media which could prejudice a trial and may further delay it, Mr Tunney said. Det Sgt Kane said he had not seen this. It was all over the media, Mr Tunney said. His client was prepared to abide by strict bail conditions if released, including not going on social media and being contactable at all times. Mr McGreevy had had a difficult childhood and had memory problems, the solicitor said. The accused's father died when he was a child and his mother abandoned him at the age of three. "He's a loner, he's not a member of any organisation or gang," Mr Tunney said, and Sgt Kane agreed the accused was not suspected of this. "He has nobody," Mr Tunney said. Mr McGreevy was now living on his own in social housing which he would lose if remanded in custody long term. The accused had two dogs which were currently in the pound and he was very concerned about them, Mr Tunney added. Judge Murphy asked the garda about the potential intimidation of witnesses. Det Sgt Kane said it was broadcast on TikTok that he was going to kill a TD, he incited violence against the commissioner of the garda and other gardai and this in itself was intimidation. Judge Murphy refused bail and adjourned the case to July 26, for DPP directions. Legal aid was granted following an application by Mr Tunney who filed a statement of the accuseds financial means. The accused has not yet entered a plea to the charge. The Iskander tactical missile system missile that Russian occupants fired at Odesa region on Thursday was shot down. This event is very significant. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, on his Facebook page. He emphasized the importance of this event. "The Iskander missile that attacked Odesa region yesterday was shot down. This is a significant event. Several previous missiles hit our port infrastructure," he said in a statement. It is worth noting that Colonel Serhii Yaremenko, commander of the 96th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force, previously explained that only two systems are currently capable of destroying ballistic missiles of this type Patriot and SAMP/T. According to him, Ukraine needs at least twice as many such systems to protect large administrative and industrial centers. ADVERTISIMENT "They should always work in pairs because there are certain issues regarding regulations, repair, and training. Such a complex cannot work continuously 24/7. The equipment also needs to rest. And we need a certain number of these systems in the main areas of the combat line," explained Yaremenko. As a reminder, on Thursday, July 18, an explosion occurred in Odesa. This was reported by the mayor of the city, Hennadii Trukhanov. He noted that a ballistic threat was announced. As reported by OBOZ.UA, Russian terrorists also struck the center of Kherson on July 18. As a result of the shelling, three people were wounded, including a 16-year-old girl and her mother, and doctors are fighting for the minor's life. In addition, on July 18, Russian terrorists attacked Donetsk region with various caliber weapons. The shelling killed five people and injured six others. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! David Cooper (30) allegedly produced a weapon during the incident at TK Maxx in Blanchardstown. A Dublin man has appeared in court accused of being involved in an altercation in a department store. David Cooper (30) allegedly produced a weapon during the incident at TK Maxx in Blanchardstown. Judge David McHugh accepted jurisdiction to deal with the allegation in the district court and adjourned the matter to a date in September. Read more Part owner of Cheltenham-winning horse issued with warning in CAB case The accused, with an address at St Philomenas Court, Ballycoolin, Dublin 15, appeared before Blanchardstown District Court charged with violent disorder. The incident is alleged to have taken place at TK Maxx, Blanchardstown Retail Park on June 30, last year. The court heard the DPP had directed summary trial of the allegation in the district court. Outlining the allegation for jurisdiction purposes, Garda Niamh Crowe said it would be alleged that Mr Cooper produced a weapon during an altercation involving another party. Judge McHugh said he would accept jurisdiction to deal with the case in the district court. He ordered the disclosure of any statements as well as CCTV footage in relation to the allegation. The accuseds defence lawyer said there was no legal aid application at the stage. Mr Cooper has not yet indicated how he intends pleading to the charge. The 52-year-old was convicted of 25 sample counts of sexual assault following a trial at the Central Criminal Court in February A man who sexually assaulted his vulnerable adult stepdaughter over a six-year period has been jailed for eight years. The 52-year-old was convicted of 25 sample counts of sexual assault following a trial at the Central Criminal Court in February. The offences took place at an address in Co. Offaly over a six-year period between February 2011 and January 2017. The victim is the daughter of the man's ex-partner and was 21 when the sexual assaults started. The court heard she has mental health difficulties, which have required periods of in-patient care at psychiatric units since 2010. Imposing sentence today, Ms Justice Karen O'Connor said the aggravating features included the significant breach of trust and that the man was living in the victim's home as part of the family unit. She noted that the abuse took place over an extended period of time, its nature and frequency as other aggravating factors. The judge said the victim was a vulnerable individual, which the man was aware of, adding that there was an element of controlling behaviour and gratuitous unkindness in his actions. Ms Justice O'Connor noted the mitigation included the man's work history and his lack of previous relevant convictions. She handed the man a sentence of eight years, backdated to October, to give credit for time already served in custody. She said the court took into consideration that the man had expressed remorse at an earlier hearing, but was not entirely convinced by it, She noted the Probation Report states while the man accepts responsibility, he has limited insight into his offending and is not suitable for probation supervision. A local garda told Seamus Clarke SC, prosecuting, at a previous hearing that the first incident occurred when the victim was washing dishes in the kitchen in early 2011. The man came up behind her and touched her breasts over her clothing. In March 2011, the abuse started to take place in the victim's bedroom, where the man would touch her inappropriately. He also tried unsuccessfully to have sex with the victim or to put his penis into her mouth. The court heard the woman told him to stop, and what he was doing was not right. He would then ignore her for several weeks or tell her mother she was not doing housework correctly. The abuse escalated over time to include inappropriate touching of her vagina, digital penetration and attempts by the man to put the victim's hand on his penis. On occasion, he would enter the bathroom while she was showering and wash her back or touch her inappropriately. She told him to get out and to leave her alone. The victim suffered from nosebleeds, and the man would flick her nose and touch her face, which she didn't like. The final incident took place in January 2017 when the man came into her bedroom while she was trying to sleep. He got into bed beside her and started to touch her inappropriately. The relationship between the man and the victim's mother ended in early 2017, and he left the house. The victim told work colleagues about the sexual assaults in May 2017, when the man returned to her home. He was arrested and denied any wrongdoing when interviewed. The man later left the jurisdiction, and a European arrest warrant was issued for him. The court heard he attempted to contact gardai, through a friend, about the investigation and to inform them of his new residence. He was extradited back to Ireland in April 2021 and was released on bail shortly afterwards. He gave evidence on his own behalf during the trial. Reading her victim impact statement, the victim said she had dreams and hopes for the future when she was 21, but all that has changed after years of sexual abuse. She lost her carefree approach to life and is now anxious and fearful. She said she moved as she was terrified the man would come and find her. She said she has developed trust issues and experienced nightmares. She said she self-harmed to cope with the pain and has spent time in psychiatric wards. Ms Justice O'Connor thanked the woman for her statement and expressed the court's hope that she would take all the support available to her and regain some of her lost confidence. Eanna Mulloy SC, defending, asked the court to consider all of the mitigating factors when structuring the sentence and the man's evidence during the trial. He said his client accepts the verdict of the jury and wished to offer an apology to the victim The woman repeatedly denied the defence assertions, telling the court that definitely did not happen A jury has been told that the alleged sexual assault of a woman by a garda in a Co Wicklow garda station was consensual activity between two adults. Defence counsel in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial told the jury the defence case is that the woman cupped her own bottom cheeks, pressed herself against the accused garda and showed him her breast at the station before they went upstairs together for consensual sexual activity. The woman repeatedly denied the defence assertions, telling the court that definitely did not happen. William Ryan (38) has pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and not guilty to one count of false imprisonment of the woman at Aughrim Garda Station, Main Street, Aughrim, Co Wicklow, on September 29, 2020. It is the State's case that Mr Ryan prevented the complainant from leaving Aughrim Garda Station and sexually assaulted her three times. The woman had gone to the garda station for advice about retrieving her son's car, which had been seized by gardai in Co Carlow the previous day. The court has heard evidence that on the day in question, the complainant in the case went to Aughrim Garda Station to speak to Gda Ryan about the process of retrieving the impounded car. She has told the court that prior to attending the station, she had a phone discussion with Gda Ryan who she said insisted she come to the garda station to sort out the matter and told her to wear something tight before he hung up. She told the court that at the station, Gda Ryan sexually assaulted her twice before ushering her upstairs, where he masturbated as she stood facing away from him and then sexually assaulted her again. Continuing his cross-examination of the complainant on Friday, Breffni Gordon BL, defending, told the court the defence case is that while downstairs in the garda station, the woman asked the garda if he liked her Snapchat photos, but that Gda Ryan had deleted Snapchat previously and told her he hadn't seen the photos in some time. Defence counsel said the woman showed him her photos on her phone before she stood up, turned around, looked back over her shoulder at him and tapped her own bottom, before cupping her buttocks. I definitely did not do that, the woman replied. Defence counsel put it to the woman that she pressed herself against the garda as he was working at his computer and he was a bit bemused. He was a bit frozen on the spot, Mr Gordon said. That was his reaction. There was some sort of sexual tension in the air at that stage. Definitely not, no, the woman replied. Defence counsel said the woman then suggested that rather than a photo, Gda Ryan might rather see the real thing. She lifted up her top and showed him her breast, the court heard. No, absolutely not, the woman said. Mr Gordon said the defence case is that they both went upstairs, with Gda Ryan going up first and the woman following. He said she was giggling. He alleged that in the upstairs bathroom, she fondled Gda Ryan's penis through his trousers before he opened his trousers and she touched him until he ejaculated. The witness rejected this account and said it did not happen. Earlier, when asked by defence counsel why she didn't use her phone to call or text someone while downstairs in the station, the woman said she didn't know what was coming next and that she was in flight, fright or freeze mode. When asked where she got that expression, the woman said she heard it in counselling and that her counsellor explained to her that in a situation of trauma you do one of three things. Defence counsel asked the woman why she showed Gda Ryan an explicit photo of herself, noting that common sense would imply that doing so would ordinarily be seen as encouraging rather than discouraging. I wasn't in my right frame of mind, the woman replied. I was terrified. I was so scared. She agreed with defence counsel that it was possible Gda Ryan was among a group of people on Snapchat who were seeing images of herself that she was sending, but said she was not aware he was on Snapchat and that if he was, he didn't use his own name. Defence counsel asserted that while upstairs, Gda Ryan told the woman to leave her phone outside the room. Maybe you were asked to leave your phone [outside] because you are a person known to be sending images around the place, Mr Gordon said, to which the woman replied: Absolutely not. The court heard that the woman made a statement to gardai in November of that year and that the statement was made in a hotel. I haven't been in a garda station since and I won't either, she said. Under re-examination from Maurice Coffey SC, prosecuting, the woman said her Snapchat account was public and that she never sent any images to Gda Ryan personally. The trial continues before Judge Elma Sheahan and the jury. The searches, which led to no arrests, took place at a number of private residences last night Two houses were searched by armed and uniformed gardai in Longford last night. A number of armed gardai outside a house on the outskirts of Longford town last night. Armed gardai at the scene of a search operation at a house in Longford town last night. The downstairs living room of a house in the Springlawn area of Longford town which was the subject of a drive-by shooting on Wednesday evening. Armed gardai have raided a series of properties in Longford in connection with a drive-by shooting in the midlands town that left a pensioner in his 70s with serious injuries in hospital. The searches, which led to no arrests, took place at a number of private residences last night as the victim was deemed well enough by medics to be discharged from hospital. Members of the Armed Support Unit (ASU) supported by detectives and uniformed gardai searched houses in the Shroid and Longford town area at around 8pm last night. The downstairs living room of a house in the Springlawn area of Longford town which was the subject of a drive-by shooting on Wednesday evening. One of those was a residence close to where the charred remains of a black BMW, which gardai have identified as the getaway vehicle, was found on Wednesday night. The Irish Independent understands gardai are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry and have identified a number of key suspects who they believe carried out the shooting. As those inquiries continue, the focus has also shifted onto a possible motive for what has been described as attempted murder on the home of the victim who has been described as a dedicated family man and pure gentleman by friends and neighbours. One of those is believed to centre on the fallout from a funeral in the north of the county on Monday. A number of armed gardai outside a house on the outskirts of Longford town last night. The Irish Independent spoke to a number of locals on the estate last night, all of whom asked for their names not to be published owing to the seriousness surrounding Wednesday nights incident. Those who did speak hailed their 73-year-old neighbour as a man of utmost decency and a deeply respected member of the local community. I saw a car and heard two shots, said one local woman. I think it was a black car, but all you can do is run into the house. Ive never seen the like of it before. Two houses were searched by armed and uniformed gardai in Longford last night. A garda cordon, which had surrounded the victims home was lifted yesterday with two bullet holes still visible in the living rooms front window. Hes a very nice fella and would never harm anyone, said another woman. He used to sell CDs up on the market and we always used to buy them. Hes just a lovely, lovely man and so is his wife. Gardai are continuing to appeal for witnesses to come forward and assist them with their investigation. They are especially keen to speak to anyone who was in the Springlawn area between 7:30 and 8pm on Wednesday 17 July and any road users who may have video footage. The investigation team can be contacted at Longford Garda Station 043 335 0570, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station. Flames were seen coming from the former Railway Hotel in Limerick city A former hotel rumoured to soon house migrants went up in flames last night in Limerick. The fire broke out at the site of the former Railway Hotel. Gardai said they are investigating a criminal damage incident which occurred at the vacant premises on Parnell St in Limerick on Thursday, July 18. The fire was brought under control by fire services. Thursday night's fire No injuries have been reported. Images of the incident have been circulating on social media. Footage posted online show flames and thick smoke pouring from the building as the Fire Brigade approach. There were also suggestions that the building was to be used to house asylum seekers. Gardai said they are aware of misinformation, disinformation and rumour in relation to the use or proposed use of the building. In general, it is a matter for IPAS to comment on whether specific locations may or may not be planned to be used for IPAS accommodation," the Garda spokesperson added. According to Limerick Live, An Bord Pleanala cleared the way for a new student accommodation complex at the former hotel last month. The proposals will see the redevelopment of the complex, and the building of a a new seven-storey building behind. Sunday World has contacted IPAS for comment. The death of inmate is the third in custody so far this year to be linked to the killer drug, THE IRISH Prison Service has this evening issued an urgent drug alert across the prison estate after analysis linked the death of an inmate in Mountjoy to a banned Nitazene type substance. Nitazenes are strong synthetic opioids that can lead to serious overdoses and drug-related death. The substance is considered more lethal than the synthetic drug Fentanyl which has ravaged the US. The 21-year-old, who was found deceased in his cell following unlock at 8 am this morning. His death is the third fatality in custody so far this year to be linked to the killer drug, The deceased is from the Darndale area of Dublin and was serving a two-year-sentence for drug offences. The Sunday World is aware of the prisoners identity but is not identifying him at this time. The preceding Nitazene-linked deaths in custody took place in Cork and Limerick prisons earlier in the year. Sources indicated the link between the 21-year-olds death earlier today and Nitazene was made after a quantity of pills were found in his cell following his death. Its understood the pills have been analysed by the HSEs National Drug Treatment Centre laboratory and tested positive for a Nitazene type susbstance,. The Sunday World understands prison bosses have adequate stocks of Naloxone kits on hand as they ordered in extra kits earlier this year. The kits are effective if administered in time. Last March, the HSE issued a red alert to all of the prisons in the Republic following the discovery of a link between a number of overdoses and Nitazene type substances. Analysis conducted by HSE National Drug Treatment Centre Laboratory has confirmed the presence of a Nitazene type substance, called N-Pyrrolidinoprotonitazene, associated with overdoses in Irish prisons, the HSE said at the time. The HSE advises that there is extra risk at this time and strongly recommends those in prison avoid new types of drugs or new batches being sold. Nitazenes are strong synthetic opioids that can lead to serious overdoses, hospitalisations and drug-related death. Speaking in connection with that alert, Professor Eamon Keenan, HSE National Clinical Lead, Addiction Services, said: This is the first known case of Nitazenes in an Irish prison setting. We remind the public that the prison market may be different from others. These drugs may come as a variety of different coloured powders or pills. We advise all users of powders to exercise caution with all products, as the direction of these substances on the market cannot be guaranteed." The HSE issued a number of guidelines to drug users in the prison setting which it said may reduce risk from the drug. While it is always safer not to use drugs at all, the HSE urges individuals who use drugs in prisons to follow harm reduction steps which may help reduce the harms, the statement said. If using in a prison setting, dont be afraid to get help immediately for yourself or others if there is an emergency, it could help save a life, the statement said. More deadly than heroin and fentanyl, Nitazenes were linked to at least 54 deaths in the UK in the second half of 2023. In a statement issued this evening, a spokesperson for the IPS said: Extra vigilance is being taken across the prison estate and the Irish Prison Service has commenced an information campaign for prisoners around the dangers of consuming contraband. ENDS Several hundred people gathered at the site on the Malahide Road, which was closed in both directions for a time on Friday evening Crowd gathers to protest against use of former Crown Paints factory as accommodation for asylum seekers A building earmarked to house asylum seekers at a disused site in Coolock is on fire for a second time this week. Riot police are currently trying to clear protesters from the road outside the former Crown Paints site to allow fire trucks to gain access, as bottles and fireworks are being launched at gardai, and smoke billows over the wall from the fire inside. It comes after an earlier, much larger anti-asylum rally of about 1,000 people that marched from the site towards the local garda station passed off peacefully. The rally took place on the Malahide Road this evening following a week in which the north Dublin suburb was engulfed in clashes with gardai centred on a site earmarked to house asylum seekers. Several hundred people gathered at the site on the Malahide Road, which was closed in both directions for a time on Friday evening, with speeches being made by activists during the rally under the Coolock Says No banner. A major garda security operation was in place, and uniformed gardai walked among the crowd, which was made up of anti-immigration activists and politicians, as well as local people of all ages including families with buggies and children. Some of those in attendance had their pet dogs with them on leads. About two dozen youths in attendance wore face coverings, and some of those in attendance carried Irish flags bearing the Proclamation of Independence which has now become typical of far-right demonstrations. Organisers of the rally in Coolock called for local people and activists to gather at the site. They were opposing its use as accommodation for about 500 asylum seekers, as well as opposing immigration generally. Following the rally, they had intended to march to the local garda station to lodge formal complaints against what they claim was garda brutality. After several speeches, the march took off towards the garda station, with some marchers chanting slogans including Out, out, out! and Whose streets? Our streets. However, by around 7pm, the march was stopped from approaching the garda station by a line of about 20 uniformed gardai blocking their path, with about a dozen garda vans behind them. Some activists and masked youths screamed at the gardai, but the march then largely dispersed, with no disturbances. Speakers earlier at the former Crown Paints site included Inner City councillor Malachy Steenson, and Irish Freedom Party councillor Glen Moore, who is based in Palmerstown-Fonthill in the south of the county. On Monday around 20 people were arrested after a day of major clashes with gardai after a protest camp at the entrance to the former Crown Paints facility was cleared, with a security guard hospitalised and equipment on the site burnt out. Fireworks and missiles were thrown at gardai, with Public Order Unit gardai using batons and pepper spray on violent protesters. There was some criticism of a delay in sending the Public Order Unit to the site from representatives from rank-and-file gardai. There were further gatherings throughout the week, and on Thursday night part a building on the site was set on fire despite the presence of large concrete barriers at the entrance and gardai stationed at at the site. Fire at the former Crown Paints site in Coolock, Dublin. Photo: Dublin Fire Brigade. Separately, in Limerick the former Railway Hotel was targeted in a suspected arson attack, as rumours circulated that it would be used to house asylum seekers. Earlier on Friday, Taoiseach Simon Harris defended the actions of Gardai and hit out at those engaging in anti-social behaviour in Coolock in recent days. Speaking at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, Mr Harris admitted the Government must do a better job at consulting communities over migration. However, he added he believes there is no government strategy or billboard that would made have someone not throw a petrol bomb at a guard or set a digger on fire. Speaking during the summer school, Mr Harris said, Shame on every single one of those people who try to divide our country or our community because that is not us. When you saw those scenes in Coolock, the way my brain works is that I think of the man or woman who got up that morning and kissed their kids goodbye, put on their Garda uniform and then had people throw bricks at them. But what warmed by heart was the local community calling them out. This is not Coolock, this is not Ireland. This is not who we are. So to the small group of people, online and offline, who seeking to cause division, and to the people who think it is acceptable to make a death threat to a politician or threaten my family or threaten the family of Mary Lou McDonald, or anyone else, shame on them. We are better than this. Lets have our debates and debate migration policy lets not leave it to the far right, far left or whatever you are having yourself. Lets talk calmly and respectfully about a new challenge and opportunity but lets not let these people in any way damage our social cohesion because I know that is not reflective of the country we are, said Mr Harris. Mr Harris acknowledged that anyone in Ireland is allowed to protest, however he branded the recent events as lawlessness, thuggery and criminal activity being carried out by a small number of people. He also moved to defend Gardai for their actions at the scene in recent days. He continued, What I really wont accept in any manner or means is that when people engage in lawlessness, the first line of questioning is that did the gardai do their job. I am extremely proud of the job done by An Garda Siochana. People who have put themselves in harms way while others threw bricks at them, lit fires and threw petrol bombs. Gardai at scene in Coolock after last night's fire Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin I have a very clear understanding of the difference between protest and lawlessness and between protest and criminality, and I think it is very important everyone else does too. If you engage in protest, you would be fully protected by the law, but if you engage in lawlessness, cross the line and engage in thuggery, you will meet the full rigours of the law, said Mr Harris. Mr Harris said he knew the incidents were not reflective of the community in Coolock. It is Coolock today and this has happened in other places in the country, and I want to recognise very publicly that there have been local people in Coolock calling for this to stop. They very much recognise the difference between a community wishing to engage and people looking to sow division and generally bring fear and mayhem to an area that cannot be tolerated. I want to thank the Gardai for the work they have done, and I want to ensure people right across the country that gardai will continue to apply the laws without fear or failure, and off course, they are supported in that role with new bodycams, said Mr Harris. The disused factory on the Malahide Road was on fire on Thursday evening around 9pm with emergency services responding to the incident. Fire at the former Crown Paints site in Coolock, Dublin. Photo: Dublin Fire Brigade. Gardai at scene in Coolock after last night's fire Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin Tanaiste Micheal Martin has condemned criminal behaviour after a blaze broke out at a planned asylum centre in Coolock last night. The former Crown Paints site has seen clashes between protesters and gardai this week. The disused factory on the Malahide Road was on fire on Thursday evening around 9pm with emergency services responding to the incident. Mr Martin said there was security at the site last night when the fire broke out. He added: . There are people out there determined to do things. What happened on the site, the extent of the damage, the extent of the penetration by people to set areas of the site on fireI have yet to be briefed about But I believe the fire brigade got there quickly, and I believe the damage has been limited. "So I think we have to look at everything in perspective. It's not satisfactory that people get access to a site. I think more importantly, why would people do that? Read more Fire breaks out at site earmarked for asylum seekers in Coolock "And we have to be very clear in condemning the destruction of property and the criminal behaviour. I will get a full of report on it. I don't have the full details in terms of the background. But my understanding is that there was security at the site. Gardai attended the scene at the disused factory on the Malahide Road after a fire broke out around 9pm with emergency services responding to the incident. Dublin Fire Brigade said: "Two fire engines are on scene at a fire in the former Crown paints building in Coolock. The fire in a lobby area has been contained and we expect firefighting operations to be wound down soon. Fire at the former Crown Paints site in Coolock, Dublin. Photo: Dublin Fire Brigade. Gardai, including members of the Public Order Unit, remained at the scene while concrete barriers were erected this week to block off the entrance. However, sources said that there are several entrances into the premises. Footage circulating online showed a small fire had developed inside a section of the building. One man recording a video of the scene is heard saying: Its gone, its up in smoke, the place is done with. Other people can be heard cheering in the background. A garda spokeswoman said: Gardai and emergency services are currently at the scene of an incident in which a fire has broken out at a premises on the Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin 17. The Malahide Road at Coolock remains open in both directions at this time. As this is a live and ongoing operation, An Garda Siochana has no further information. Emergency services attend scene of fire in Coolock. Photo: Gareth Chaney This week 30 people were arrested as violence broke out at the site and nearby, during which gardai were attacked with bricks, bottles and fireworks. Protests have taken place at the site in recent months against plans to house migrants on the site. Earlier yesterday the High Court granted an injunction to the leaseholder and developer of the former Crown Paints warehouse in Coolock restraining persons unknown from attending the site to engage in violent or threatening behaviour. Nineteen people were arrested on Monday amid unrest from protesters opposed to asylum seekers being accommodated at a makeshift camp outside the facility. Fifteen have been charged with a range of public order offences. A number of gardai were injured and there were arson attacks on a Garda car and a digger. Fireworks were aimed at lines of public order unit gardai, while glass bottles and rocks were also thrown. On Thursday, the High Court heard a security guard was hospitalised for two days after being hit on the head with a steel bar. Meanwhile, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has told members of the force they have his complete and full support in responding to any violence similar to the chaos in Coolock on Monday. The internal message came as garda representatives called for an urgent meeting with senior management and criticised what they said was a delay in sending the public order unit to deal with the mayhem centred on a site proposed to house asylum-seekers. This potentially exposed officers at the scene to extremely volatile and dangerous conditions for several hours, they said. Not being a teetotaller [Mr Keegan], a lot of drink was consumed. A plasterer who fell and broke his ankle while volunteers were dealing with flooding of a biblical nature has withdrawn his High Court case for damages. It emerged that Padraig Keegan (49), from Pearse Court in Athlone, was extremely drunk, had been told to leave the area and was running along flood defences when the incident occurred. Mr Keegan had taken a case against Westmeath County Council to the High Court where there is no limit on how much money can be awarded for injuries he sustained when he fell in The Strand in Athlone on December 14, 2015. However, as the case got underway in Galway, Mr Keegans own barrister John Shortt SC said he had advised his client to withdraw the case after a number of issues became apparent ahead of the hearing. Padraig Keegan (left) fell during the disaster in Athlone The court heard witnesses were set to give evidence which would not have helped Mr Keegans case and due to his inebriation on the night, his recollection of events may have been somewhat compromised. Mr Keegan was not helping with flood defences and had been told to leave the area before he fell. Mr Shortt said that on the night of the incident Athlone was beset by flooding of a biblical nature which caused the Shannon to burst its banks. As a result, several groups of volunteers descended on the area near the river to help out with things like pumping water and putting up sand bags. Barriers and warning signs were also in place. It was effectively a no-go area. Anyone with any modicum of common sense would realise that, Mr Shortt said. He said Mr Keegan had gone out at 7pm that night to socialise. Not being a teetotaller [Mr Keegan], a lot of drink was consumed. Afterwards, he went down to the Strand where volunteers were continuing their work and Keegan spotted two volunteers who he knew. Flooding at Burgess Park Full of Christmas joy, he went to chat with them, he said. Mr Shortt said if the case went ahead, the defence would have witnesses who would testify that Mr Keegan was in what might be described as very good form. He was told to leave the area and he was jumping on sandbags. A&E readings revealed he had a lot of drink plus, plus, plus in ED readings. His recollection may have been somewhat compromised about what exactly happened. Mr Shortt said that even if the court was to make a finding against the council, there would be contributory negligence on Mr Keegans part and any payout wouldnt even be enough to cover costs. He said he advised his client of this and Mr Keegan agreed to withdraw the case. Peter Bland, SC, who represented the council and its insurers IPB, said he recognised and appreciated the very responsible and difficult advice Mr Shortt gave Mr Keegan to withdraw the claim and the manner in which he approached the case. Mr Bland said he also wanted to commend the heroic and selfless work by the volunteers manning pumps through the night. There was going to be inevitable floodings. Staff were working throughout the night, he said. He said they deployed 100,000 sandbags and those involved included council workers, gardai, members of the Defence Forces, locals and Irish Water staff who made heroic efforts to save the town. Id welcome the opportunity to laud the council and volunteers for their effort, he said. Around the time of the flooding, water levels on the Shannon at Lough Ree were at their highest since records began. Homes and businesses were flooded and raw sewage was flowing through the streets at one stage. The worst affected area was near The Strand where Mr Keegan had his fall. It is understood the costs to the council and their insurers in defending the case so far were somewhere between 30,000 and 40,000 and Mr Bland asked that an order of costs be made against Mr Keegan. Mr Shortt requested that no order be made on costs, arguing that his client had saved the defendants any further costs by withdrawing the case. Ms Justice Denise Brett praised Mr Shortt for giving a fair and unembellished account to the court. She said on the night of the incident there had been unprecedented flooding and noted the difficulties faced by council workers and many volunteers to assist in a most laudable and neighbourly way. She said she had no hesitation in agreeing with Mr Bland in giving credit to the volunteers who were out that night. Credit is due to the people involved, she said. The judge noted that Mr Keegan may have faced insurmountable difficulties had the case gone ahead and praised Mr Shortt for advising his client to withdraw the case, adding that Keegan had quite wisely taken the advice of counsel. She said Mr Keegans withdrawal of the case was a little late but said sense and wisdom prevailed. As a result she made no order of costs against Mr Keegan. The Sunday World approached Mr Keegan after the case but he said he had no comment. The Co Tyrone woman whose father was murdered by former British soldier and UVF member Garfield Beattie spoke out following the shocking triple crossbow killings in Bushey, Hertfordshire this week. Denis Mullen was murdered by the UVF Glenanne gang in 1975 Denise Mullan at the grave of her father Denis Garfield Beattie shows the Sunday World the deadly bow he keeps in a shed at his home Troubles victim Denise Mullan has called on authorities to seize a powerful archery bow from the home of the loyalist serial killer who murdered her father. The Co Tyrone woman whose father was murdered by former British soldier and UVF member Garfield Beattie spoke out following the shocking triple crossbow killings in Bushey, Hertfordshire last week. Carol Hunt (61) who was married to BBC horse racing commentator John Hunt died with her daughters Hannah (28) and Louise (25). Prime suspect, 26-year-old Kyle Clifford, was arrested following a 24-hour manhunt. Government ministers, led by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, are now looking very carefully at new laws to outlaw crossbows as they face calls to bring in licences similar to those required by gun owners. Former Aontu councillor Denise Mullan demanded the deadly weapons be taken from Beattie. She told the Sunday World: It is common knowledge that the man who murdered my daddy kept archery weapons in his home, including a dangerous crossbow, and he still does. When his house was raided by police, he told them he had sold his crossbow, but we only have his word to take for it. Beattie has told the Sunday World he was a member of Lisburn Archery Club and the former British army sniper actually boasted to us that he was fairly accurate at 100 yards. Ms Mullan says she has been deeply affected by the crossbow murders of the Hunt family. She said: My thoughts are with the Hunt family at this time. But this has brought the murder of my daddy to the forefront of my mind. Garfield Beattie murdered my father and went on to send me a death threat letter. As a result, he was returned to prison for a short time. Denise Mullan at the grave of her father Denis Yet he is allowed to have archery bows in his home and under his control. God only knows what else this man has at his disposal. He stood across a courtroom from me and told a judge the UVF offered to pay his costs. But he begged the judge and my legal team not to send him back to prison. I believe Beattie is still capable of using these bows to commit crime and I want the authorities to ensure he no longer has access to archery equipment of any kind. She added: This tragedy in England tells us these weapons need to be properly licensed. A vetting procedure needs to be put in place immediately. Denise has asked Aontu leader Peadar Toibin to put forward motions in Stormont and the Dail demanding crossbows and other archery weapons are licensed or banned. And she added: These things are all lethal weapons. Its just not right, its dangerous. Three-time UVF killer Beattie was jailed for life when he admitted the savage slaughter of ambulance controller Denis Mullan outside his home at College Lands, near the Moy in Co Tyrone, nearly 50 years ago. The 36-year-old father of two, who was originally from Bray, Co Wicklow, had stepped outside his cottage to investigate a sudden noise when teen terrorist Beattie opened fire on him with a Sterling sub-machine, hitting him 17 times. Beattie also tried to kill Deniss wife Olive as she knelt over his dying body in prayer, begging Gods protection over her two children who were sleeping, as bullets whistled passed her head. At the time in September 1975, Mr Mullan was a senior member of the SDLP and he was also a close political ally of prominent politician Seamus Mallon. Denis Mullen was murdered by the UVF Glenanne gang in 1975 The machine-gun used by Beattie had been earlier lifted from an arms dump under the control of the notorious Glenanne Gang a collection of killers made up of rogue soldiers, police officers and members of the mid-Ulster UVF. Beattie also admitted murdering 48-year-old father-of-four Fred McLoughlin, who died in a UVF gun and bomb attack on the Eagle Bar, Charlemont, Armagh, in 1976, and 50-year-old Catholic Patrick McNeice outside his home at Ardress, near Loughgall in Co Armagh, a month later. Now 68, Beattie was released in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreement after serving 16 years behind bars. He spent much of his time in prison in the company of the Shankill Butchers murder gang. But he didnt leave his paramilitary past behind him and three years ago he was sent to jail for 15 months for sending a threatening letter which he claimed was from the mid-Ulster UVF to Ms Mullan. Yesterday Ms Mullan told the Sunday World: We know Garfield Beattie keeps archery bows in his home. And we also know he once owned a crossbow as well. He claims he sold it, but the police need to double-check Beatties claims. She added: I firmly believe Garfield Beattie is still a dangerous man and she shouldnt be trusted to keep archery bows in his home. At the time of his arrest, Beattie was a serving member of the Royal Irish Rangers regiment of the Territorial Army and was a crackshot. In 2021, Beattie actually showed the Sunday World his collection of lethal bows. He told us: I was a member of the Lisburn Archery Club for many years and I kept my bows in the house. One was a crossbow which I sold recently and the other was a powerful hunting bow which I still have. He he got interested in archery after reading about WWII hero Captain Jack Churchill. Chillingly, he added: Towards the end of the war, Captain Churchill killed a German soldier with a bow and arrow from a distance of 200 yards. It was his action which got me interested in archery and it turned out I was quite good at it. Im fairly accurate at 100 yards, he said. The Sunday World attempted to contact Beattie several times at his home in Annaghmore, but he declined to return our calls. On Thursday, July 18, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with representatives of British defense companies. This happened during the summit of the European Political Community. ADVERTISIMENT The Ukrainian leader posted a video of the talks on Telegram. Zelenskyy called the meeting important and promising. Among the key issues discussed were the prospects for joint defense production, primarily ammunition, air defense systems, guns, armored vehicles, and drones. Zelenskyy emphasized that the United Kingdom was the first European country to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, tanks, and long-range weapons. "It was with the UK that we signed the first security agreement. And we continue to deepen our cooperation in the defense sector," the president said. As a reminder, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the UK on July 18 for an official visit, which includes his participation in the summit of the European Political Community. ADVERTISIMENT As reported, the newly appointed British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine could use British missiles to strike targets in Russia. He emphasized that only Ukraine should decide how to use the long-range Storm Shadow missiles. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The action-packed supercar spectacle is set to roll on September 6 8 from Johnstown Estate in Enfield Brave Alex Dunne (4) from Wicklow pictured in the driving seat of a rare Maserati MC20 with former Miss World Rosanna Davison. Photo: Gareth Chaney FORMER Miss World Rosanna Davison is all geared up for the annual Cannonball car run. Rosanna got to grips with a rare Maserati MC20 along with Alex Dunne (4) from Wicklow and Cannonball founder Alan Bannon to announce that the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation is the official charity partner for Cannonball 2024. Brave little Alex was born with PVL (Periventricular Leukomalacia) which is a type of brain injury. Alex is the only known human in the world to have the two specific genetic chromosomal deletions that have caused his condition, and he and his family are just one of the 416 families across Ireland currently under the care of the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation, which will be the charity beneficiary of the Cannonball supercar event. The action-packed supercar spectacle is set to roll on September 6th-8th from Johnstown Estate in Enfield taking in counties Kilkenny, Wexford, Wicklow, Galway, Leitrim and finishes in Trim Co Meath. Cannonball, fuelled by milesPLUS from Circle K, is the largest organised road trip in Europe featuring the finest cars on the planet from the awe-inspiring power of Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren to the grace and elegance of Porsche, Aston Martin, and Maserati. The brand-new Lamborghini Revoulto will be unveiled in Ireland for the very first time and over 200,000 spectators are expected with free family festivals organised from coast to coast. Dancing with the Stars alum, Rosanna Davison, said: As a mum of three, I can only begin to imagine the challenges faced by Jack and Jill families across Ireland, like the Dunnes, who have children with such complex medical needs. Alex and Rosanna at the launch "I am thrilled to lend my support to Jack and Jill and I know that Cannonball will bring a fantastic spectacle once again around the country and look forward to bring my own family to enjoy Cannonball when it comes to the beautiful Powerscourt Estate in Wicklow in September. Cannonball has already raised 1,638,432 for Irish Childrens Charities and brings a unique and inimitable electric atmosphere to host towns all over the country, making it a widely anticipated free family event for spectators. There are hopes around 300,000 can be raised this year for the charity through Cannonball. This year the official charity of Cannonball is the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation - an Irish childrens charity that funds and delivers in-home nursing care, respite support for children from birth to six years of age with severe learning disability associated with complex medical need. Typically, these children may be tube fed, oxygen dependent, may not sleep, take seizures, need a lot of medication and require around-the-clock care. Understandably, their parents can be exhausted and need a break, which is where Jack and Jill comes in. Jack and Jills service operates seven days a week, with no means test, no red tape and no waiting list. Another key part of the service is end-of-life-care for all children up to the age six, irrespective of diagnosis, empowering parents to take their child home to die at this most difficult time. There are currently 416 children and their families under the care of Jack and Jill right across the country and the charitys mission is to empower parents to care for their child at home, because there is no care like home care for a Jack and Jill child. Cannonball offers spectators a unique opportunity to witness the world's most prestigious and sought-after supercars up close and enjoy the unique festival atmosphere that Cannonball is renowned for. The Brazilian Dancers, giant screens, music and fanfare brings all the glamour of carnival and live DJs, bands and festivals in host towns around the country get the party started. The Cannonballers and celebrities in colourful costumes add to the melee. From Spiderman to Star Wars, Cat Woman to Wonder Woman, cheerleaders to Charlies Angels, Batman, the Joker and more; it is a totally unique free family day out. This year, organisers are also calling on spectators to dress up in fancy dress with prizes for best dressed. Cannonball was founded by Kildare businessman Alan Bannon and the benefit to the host towns for this event is estimated at 2,567,000 per year. Cannonball is fuelled by milesPLUS from Circle K as the main headline Sponsor for 2024 and all official fuel stops on the route where spectators can see the cars will be announced in the coming days. The Tour Sponsor this year is Apache Pizza and Cannonball official partners include Karl Goodwin Motors, AB Signs, HONE Energy and Majestic Ireland Road Trips Jack and Jill is a nationwide charity that funds and provides up to 100 hours per month of in-home nursing care and respite support to families caring for children, up to the age of six, with severe learning disability associated with complex medical needs. Typically, these children may be tube fed, oxygen dependent, may not sleep, take seizures, need a lot of medication and require around-the-clock care. Understandably, their parents can be exhausted and need a break, which is where Jack and Jill comes in. Jack and Jills service operates seven days a week, with no means test, no red tape and no waiting list. Another key part of the service is end-of-life-care for all children up to the age six, irrespective of diagnosis, empowering parents to take their child home to die at this most difficult time. Jack and Jill was founded by parents Jonathan Irwin and Mary Ann OBrien in 1997, based on their experience of caring for their son Jack. Jack and Jill's mission is to empower the families it supports to care for their child at home, by funding and delivering nursing, respite and advocacy. The charity must raise over 7.5 Million in 2024 to keep this vital service going, with approximately 22% coming from the HSE. Jack and Jill currently supports 416 families in communities across Ireland. This support is often described as a gift of time or a lifeline, giving parent carers a break from their 24/7 care regime, safe in the knowledge that their child is well cared for at home, where they belong. Boaties will now have to pay to park their trailer near some boat ramps in Tauranga. It will cost $20 a day to park a boat trailer near the Pilot Bay, Sulphur Point and Whareroa Reserve boat ramps. Tauranga residents will be able to purchase a $200 yearly pass for their trailer instead of paying the daily charge. The charges were introduced on July 1. Pukehina resident Richard Howard claims this shows the council is targeting ratepayers who have no choice but to pay for services that they already paid for. Richard speaks on behalf of many fisherman friends who will be affected by this decision. I am a regular fisherman, mainly onshore now I have sold my boat but I go out with members of our local Pukehina Fishing Club Inc. Many of our members use most of the ramps from Whakatane to the Mount. Our 25 boating members of about 135 members would use the ramps at least two to three times per month. This would mean there would be at least two adults on board, and we have a strong kids section so many times there would be kids on board, There are also about another 10 boaties on the beach that also use the ramps along with their families. Richard says the boat owners already have the cost of property rates, road and fuel tax plus GST. If the council thinks this idea is so great then we will have to start charging all those that use the cycleways that once again ratepayers already paid for and get little use nor brings in revenue. The cost to administer this and the cost to install and maintain the meters will eat up the input from the boaties, Richard claims. While we are going down this line why no bring in pathway tax. In response, Tauranga City Council spaces and places manager Alison Law says these charges are necessary as money is needed for maintenance of the boat ramps. The ongoing maintenance of boat ramps includes water blasting, maintenance inspections, allowance for replacement of pontoon units, line marking, signage replacement, lighting repairs and sand removal. To help keep rates rises low, its important people pay their fair share towards maintaining the facilities and services they use the most, and many other councils in New Zealand have implemented a user-pays system for their boat ramps and/or boat ramp trailer parking. Also, visitors to Tauranga using the ramps are benefiting from these facilities without contributing to their cost. Where council considers there is a clearly identified relationship between users and the services provided, particularly with an immediate benefit, it will implement fees and charges for that activity. Charging user fees reflects the private benefit of an activity, and the use of fees and charges may be balanced with other funding sources which recognise a public benefit. We set our fees and charges annually to reflect increases in costs or changes to charging structures. As with all years, the community were actively consulted on as part of this process including the establishment of boat ramp trailer parking user fees. The annual cost of maintenance and depreciation of the ramps is $233,691, according to a council report. Commission chair Anne Tolley previously told Local Democracy Reporting: The really critical thing is were doing this so that we can improve the quality and the quantity of our boat ramps and raise the finance to do that. Associate Health Minister Casey Costello has cut the excise tax on Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs), as she aims to make them more attractive as an alternative to smoking. Costello, who is also Customs Minister, has cut the excise rate on HTPs by 50 per cent effective from July 1 - a move silently dropped on the Customs website. Costello refused to be interviewed by RNZ but a spokesman said she had made the move to reduce the cost of the products to encourage smokers to switch to safer alternatives. But Janet Hoek, a Professor of Public Health at the University of Otago, tells RNZ that the move seemed weighted in favour of the tobacco industry. "Certainly that is something that tobacco companies would have been keen to see happen," Hoek said. "This is not advice that is coming from the Ministry (of Health). It certainly seems to be advice that is suiting tobacco industry interests." Tobacco giant Philip Morris owns a leading brand in the HTP market, the IQOS, where sticks of tobacco are inserted into a device and heated, rather than burned. Philip Morris has lobbied for a cut to the excise tax on HTPs, telling the Tax Working Group in 2018 that the government should "establish a tax rate for heated tobacco products significantly below the tax rate" for tobacco. In a statement to RNZ, Costello says that vaping has been a successful quit-smoking tool and she wants to see whether HTPs will also be a useful cessation device. "Vaping does not work for everyone and some attempting to quit have tried several times. HTPs have a similar risk profile to vapes and they are currently legally available, so we are testing what impact halving excise on those products makes." Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Costello also asked for advice on liberalising the regulation of HTPs but it was opposed to the idea. "There is no evidence to support their use as a quit smoking tool," ministry officials told her. "We do not recommend liberalising the way HTPs are promoted. This would likely compound existing concerns about youth uptake and addiction to nicotine products." Costello's interest in smokeless tobacco and nicotine products Earlier this year, the government scrapped Labour's smokefree programme, which health officials had described as an "endgame" for the tobacco industry in New Zealand. The moves would have slashed tobacco retailers from 6000 to 600, removed 95 percent of the nicotine from cigarettes and created a smokefree generation by banning sales to anyone born after 2009. Costello says she is committed to the Smokefree 2025 goal and is also considering whether allowing the sale of oral nicotine products, such as snus and nicotine pouches, could help achieve that goal. The Ministry of Health documents show that in March Costello recommended a Cabinet committee "agree in principle to allow the sale of smokeless tobacco and nicotine products where the evidence shows they are significantly less harmful than smoking". But the ministry warned Costello against allowing the sale of snus and nicotine pouches. "On balance, we do not recommend extending the range of nicotine products available for sale in New Zealand," it says. "Additional products will likely compound existing concerns about young peoples' addiction to nicotine for little benefit." The ministry told Costello there was "weak evidence" snus helped people quit smoking. "The risk of feeling addicted may be higher for snus than for smoked tobacco. Use of snus may increase the risk of certain cancers." The ministry said nicotine pouches were a new product but there were emerging concerns about them. "There is not good evidence to date to support their possible use as a reduced harm alternative to smoking and there is currently no evidence of their effectiveness for smoking cessation," officials told Costello. "There is evidence of them being marketed to children in other countries, and they are associated with nicotine dependence and addiction. Children, adolescents and non-smokers are considered at high risk of dependence." In Costello's statement to RNZ the Minister struck a more cautious tone on nicotine pouches than was indicated in the Cabinet committee document. "I have concerns around nicotine pouches, which seem to be targeted at young people," Costello says. The Associate Health Minister says she will continue to seek advice about the effectiveness and safety of alternatives to smoking. "If there are smokeless tobacco or nicotine products that are significantly less harmful than smoking - that is, they have a similar risk profile to vaping - then I want advice on whether it's useful to have them available to help people quit smoking," she says. "The balance we need to strike is that we don't want young people addicted to nicotine. New Zealand didn't have any regulations around vaping until too late and youth vaping got out of hand." Nicotine pouches, which users place between the gum and the lip to absorb nicotine into the bloodstream, are heavily marketed to young people by influencers on TikTok and Instagram. Big tobacco companies have seized on nicotine pouches as an alternative revenue stream. Philip Morris bought Swedish Match, which makes the Zyn brand of nicotine pouches, for $27 billion in 2022. British American Tobacco, which owns the Velo and Lyft brands of nicotine pouches, has lobbied the government for the products to be legalised here. "The government's failure to also include smokefree oral nicotine products in the same regulatory framework as vaping products presents a significant missed opportunity for advancing Smokefree 2025," it said in a 2021 submission on the government's smokefree plans. -RNZ. Primary health providers are rejecting Health NZ / Te Whatu Ora's increase of four per cent to core general practice funding. They say the government is shortchanging GPs - whose margins are already thin - as well as their patients, whose ability to pay more for a doctor's visit is already frayed. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the current government has invested more money in health than ever before, and in a challenging financial environment. General Practice New Zealand chair Dr Bryan Betty tells Morning Report the health agency's offer has been strongly rejected by GPs. He says over the past year the cost of running a general practice has gone up about nine per cent - bringing the total deficit now to about 14 per cent. "We need to understand that general practice is not fully funded," Betty says. "So the patient does have to pay to see a doctor to actually cover the cost of delivering healthcare, the extra cost. So this year the fees that patients pay to see the doctor will have to go up in order to cover the cost of continuing to deliver healthcare." The government has allowed GPs to up their prices by up to 7.76 per cent, short of the nine per cent increase in costs, Betty claims. "The basic problem here is what's happened over the last 10 years is there's been a growing underlying funding shortfall that's developed. This was identified in something called the Sapare report in 2022, which estimated that over the previous 10 years that general practice was underfunded to the tune of about nine per cent. That's risen to about 14 per cent we think this year, and as a result of that, these increases do not cover that underlying deficit. "So we've got real real concerns that some practices may not be viable going forward, and we've seen examples of that start to pop up around the country. So this viability of general practices in certain areas is of great great concern at this point." In a statement, Reti acknowledges "the challenges facing primary care". "The total primary care, public and population health appropriation uplift for 2024/25 is an additional $531 million. For the 2024/25 year, the Health NZ Board has approved an additional $223 million for annual price uplifts for the primary and community sector across commissioning, along with an additional $117m held to respond to increase in demand due largely to population growth. "An additional $16.4m will be provided to Pacific and public health services in sector uplifts and demand. "So while recognising pressures, those are very significant sums of public money, and this government has invested more money in health than ever before, in a challenging financial environment." Reti saysd the Ministry of Health is also working on policy and changes "need to achieve comprehensive and accessible primary and community healthcare to better prevent ill health and support the wellbeing of people in New Zealand in the longer-term". -RNZ. Transport Minister Simeon Brown is continuing his war on the countrys potholes, announcing targets to fix almost all within 24 hours of identification. Simeon says the Governments new pothole repair targets agreed between NZTA and roading contractors include: 95 per cent of potholes on high-volume, national and arterial state highways are to be repaired within 24 hours of identification 85 oer cent of potholes on regional, primary collector, and secondary collector state highways are to be repaired within 24 hours of identification. Potholes have been plaguing our state highways. They are a safety hazard and cause significant disruption, Simeon says, speaking beside the Southern Motorway in Auckland today. Last month, the Government announced it would spend $4 billion over the next three years fixing and preventing potholes on state highways and roads nationwide. Auckland was to get a $478 million boost in pothole funding; Waikato $214m and Canterbury allocated $187m in funding. The targets announced today would come through NZTAs State Highway Pothole Prevention Activity Class, he says. Transport Minister Simeon Brown, right, and NZ Transport Agency group general manager transport services Brett Gliddon at today's announcement near the Southern Motorway in Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig. A total of $2.07b in funding would go towards state highway potholes and $1.9b for local road potholes. We have ring-fenced this record investment in the Pothole Prevention Fund to resealing, rehabilitation and drainage maintenance works to ensure that NZTA and councils get our state highways and local roads up to the safe and reliable standards that Kiwis expect, says Simeon. NZTA confirmed indicative funding levels for the Pothole Prevention Fund for the regions, ranging from $7m in Nelson to $478m for Auckland. NZTA group general manager transport services Brett Gliddon says there was no backlog of potholes, saying the 24-hour repair started from July 1 with a real push on contractors to get out on the network to repair potholes, saying we are seeing good results. Both regular road users and freight operators would benefit from ensuring a greater number of potholes on state highways are identified and fixed within 24 hours, Simeon says. Pothole repairs on the region's highways are an ongoing focus of NZTA. Photo / NZME. Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key priority for the Government, and boosting pothole repairs and prevention will deliver a safe and efficient network that will support this growth. Our Government has inherited a significant backlog of road maintenance across the network. We are now catching up on the maintenance deficit to ensure that Kiwis and freight can get to where they need to go, quickly and safely. I encourage all New Zealanders that see a pothole on our highways to report it to NZTA immediately by calling 0800 44 44 49. Simeon says pothole progress would be tracked through automated real-time reporting by August 1, with NZTA already holding daily operational calls with suppliers to monitor performance and identify trends. Achieving these targets will reduce the number of potholes on our roads, and the use of premium materials, innovative technology, and increased resources will prevent potholes from forming again in the same location. When the $4b fund was announced last month, New Zealand roads were plagued by 62,000 potholes, the highest number in a decade, Simeon says. That funding announcement was met with delight from frequent road users such as truckies and others driving heavy vehicles for business, who have long lambasted the state of our highways. Among those to take aim at conditions was McLeod Cranes managing director Scott McLeod, who told the Bay of Plenty Times a year ago he believed the poor state of the roads was a health and safety problem. Ive been running the McLeod group for 18 years now and the roads are the worst Ive seen them. Potholes had also been a continual hazard road freight deliveries, as well as the general public, National Road Carriers Association chief executive Justin Tighe-Umbers says last month. Our potholed roads cause millions of dollars of damage to trucks and cause physical and mental health issues for drivers. We know of drivers who have stopped working because of the stress caused by our substandard roads. It took out one wheel Many motorists also came forward with tales of woe. Vik Ollivers car was damaged when he struck a pothole at 100km/h on State Highway 1 near Taupo last year. They werent marked or anything, there werent any speed limits enforced, and I ploughed into what appeared to be the biggest one, the Masterton man told RNZ. It took out one wheel. The total bill was about $4000. We were not the first, nor the last, car. There were 10 other vehicles requiring towing from that pothole. Road surfaces arent the first bit of the transport network to get warp-speed treatment. The Government earlier fast-tracked fixing a vital Coromandel Peninsula link, with State Highway 25A bridge opening three months early in December. The new 124-metre viaduct marked the end of a difficult period for Coromandel residents after the section of road disappeared in a landslip during the previous Januarys storms. Andrea G. Parra Granada Friday, 19 July 2024, 15:36 | Updated 15:52h. Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X (antes Twitter) LinkedIn Telegram Threads The first artifial cleft palate and lip implant operation in Europe has been successfully carried out on a 16-month-old baby, Nabila, in Granada. The operation was done on at the city's Virgen de las Nieves university hospital on 19 June and one month later, during an event at the hospital to celebrate the success of the operation, little Nabila's parents, Rosana Garrido and Jose Luis Anguiz, have said that their daughter is "doing great" and that the preliminary results are "very positive". Nabila is the first patient with cleft lip and palate to have reconstructive surgery with an artificial palate in Europe. Nabila's cleft lip and palate were first picked up during a scan when Rosana was 20 weeks pregnant. Nabila was born on 2 February 2023 in the San Juan de la Cruz hospital in Ubeda. Jose Luis, Rosana and Nabilla have been living in Baeza (Jaen) for 17 months and the check-ups since the diagnosis have been in Granada. When they were told that there was the possibility of participating in this clinical trial, Rosana and Jose Luis didn't think twice. Ricardo Fernandez is the head of the paediatric surgery department and a member of the cleft lip and palate and craniofacial malformations unit at the Virgen de las Nieves hospital. The trial is the work of the tissue engineering research group of the department of histology of the University of Granada (UGR) and the Hospital Virgen de las Nieves (although some other bodies have participated). The research at the UGR was led by Professor Antonio Campos, whose team has been working on such trials for two decades. Professor Miguel Alaminos has since taken over the project. They have already achieved artificial skin, recently recognised as a medicine, and the artificial cornea. And now, the artificial palate is beginning its journey. They have developed an innovative model of artificial palatal mucosa to treat patients with cleft lip and palate. After preclinical research and quality controls developed over the years by the research group, the researchers from the UGR, along with the Andalusian network for the design and translation of advanced therapies (Radytta) of the Andalusian regional government, obtained authorisation from the Spanish agency for medicines and health products (AEMPS) to start the clinical trial. The aim of this clinical trial is to improve the results of the current treatment of cleft lip and palate, in order to improve the development of craniofacial structures. Cleft lip and palate is one of the most common congenital conditions affecting one in every 700 newborns. The close collaboration between the tissue engineering research group and the paediatric surgery service, within the framework of the ibs.Granada Biosanitary Research Institute, has made this achievement possible. Nabila was the first, but there are plans to work with around 20 more patients In this pioneering intervention surgeons implanted a tissue medicine made up of the patient's own cells and natural biomaterials specifically designed for this structure. She underwent two operations (one routine at three months and the other at sixteen months). Miguel Alaminos explained that it has been years of hard work. For this artificial palate they have obtained fourteen research projects and two million euros in total. "In this group we work for the good of patients," he stressed. He called for a commitment to basic research and collaboration to achieve more success stories like Nabila's. Nabila was the first, but there are plans to work with around twenty more patients. The event was attended by the regional minister of health, Catalina Garcia; the rector of the UGR, Pedro Mercado; the managing director of the Virgen de las Nieves Hospital, Maria Angeles Garcia and other representatives from the sector. The rector expressed that the "best result is Nabila" and the "best prize" for the researchers. Garcia stressed the importance of continuing to work as a team because the "common and sole objective" is the patients. She and Mercado praised the work of the researchers and the doctors. It started at the point where today Avenida Lope de Vega meets Plaza de Manos Unidas in Teatinos. At that time the area did not bear those names, nor did it look like it does now. The road led to Malaga, as it does today, but back then this was just a dusty track beyond the suburbs. On that winters day, the atmosphere was chilly. Still, blood was running hot, not cold, as the city, far from surrendering to the Napoleonic troops as its leaders had originally agreed, raised its first line of defence here. There were soldiers, but women and children too, who armed themselves with whatever they had to hand to confront the invader. Malagas version of Madrids famous 2 May uprising was 5 February 1810 when the city fell, many slaughtered by blade and bayonet. This was no small punishment for such disobedience, nor the only one. Marshal Horace Sebastiani de la Porta, commanding the IV Corps of the Grande Armee and the Polish Lancers, ransacked the city and fined it 12 million reales (the Spanish currency at the time) for resisting. Now the manuscripts of that bloody episode of this invasion by the French have turned up more than two centuries later in Benalmadenas flea market. Jose Antonio Fernandez Molina holds the collection of documents alongside the monument to the heroes of the battle. Nito Salas When I saw the documents I knew they had value, but my surprise was when I studied the texts and saw that they were signed by Napoleons marshals in Spain, who led the conquest of Malaga, says Jose Antonio Fernandez Molina, an antiquities appraiser and someone who recovers lost history, a definition he prefers to that of collector. The specialist speaks with authority, as he is also an accredited legal handwriting expert. So, with this mixture of passion for history and a professional search for truth and accuracy, he certifies the authenticity of the documents. This is local history, so close to home that the events took place just behind where Fernandez poses for photographs, in front of the commemorative plaque and the park dedicated to the Heroes del Combate de Teatinos, remembering those heroic, dark moments when the French invaded Malaga. The collection of 14 documents was acquired only a few kilometres from here, at the Wednesday flea market in Benalmadena, apparently from a house clearance undertaken by one of the traders. Just like in those TV programmes featuring abandoned storage containers with traders bidding blind on their contents in the hope of finding something of value inside a piece of furniture or packing crate. In this case, the unexpected treasure was some old-looking papers that have turned out to be part of Malagas epic history. The fine to Malaga for showing resistance The most valuable document in the collection is signed by General Sebastiani in 1810 and demands, in nice words with veiled threats, the payment of 12 million reales from the city after it fell to the French troops. Nito Salas Napoleon's right hand man in Spain. This letter from the Duke of Dalmatia, who fought alongside Napoleon in Austerlitz, shows his harsh side as he reprimands the prefect of Antequera. Nito Salas 1 / How did these official documents come to be in a collection on the Costa del Sol? We dont know; after two centuries there have been many ups and downs in life, items moved around and fires which, even when they dont destroy the archives storing this type of records, can still cause them to be dispersed, explains this expert with a canny eye for finding treasure amid the trash. Some of his finds include the helmet of second world war aviation hero John Braham, the original plans for the remodelling of the walls of the Alhambra from the 19th century and the memoirs of a German Jewish musician, a relative of Albert Einstein, who narrated the Nazi hell lived through in the first person. I believe that the objects come to me; I say this humbly, but it is true that I have a special magnet for finding these pieces. He enjoys telling of his experiences, debuting as a writer less than a year ago with the novel El Tasador de Antiguedades ( The Antiques Appraiser), a thriller set in the world of ancient art that he knows so well. He is already putting the finishing touches to its sequel, La Corona de Espinas (The Crown of Thorns). I hope to publish it at the end of 2024 or the year after, he says. The most valuable To his record of recovered pieces of history he now adds this collection of handwritten and printed documents in both Spanish and French that tell of the surrender of the city to Joseph Napoleon, by the grace of God and the Constitution of the State, King of all the lands of Spain and the Indies, as most of them state. The papers have yellowed with age, but have lost none of their historical value. Particularly relevant is the letter written by the then General Sebastiani, the executor of the massacre of Malaga on the orders of Marshal Jean-de-Dieu Soult, Duke of Dalmatia and Bonapartes right-hand man. Addressed to Jose Cervera, the Frenchified prefect (mayor) of Malaga appointed by the victors, the letter reminds the politician that he must pay the sum of twelve million reales for the general expenses of the army in the capture and control of the city, as well as requesting other sums, such as another 50,000 or 60,000 reales for the headquarters of Marbella. Decree of King Joseph Napoleon Co-signed by the Marquis of Almenara and minister Mariano Luis de Urquijo, this order issued in Madrid cancels previous taxes and imposes new ones. Nito Salas Decrees from the prefect of Malaga In his search for funds to rebuild the city, the mayor Jose Cervera published these orders, in the name of King Joseph Napoleon, about the payment of public debt. Nito Salas Demands from the Treasury The Marquis of Almenara also demands of the prefect of Malaga the restitution to the Crown of 2.5 million reales after an operation with English merchandise. Nito Salas 1 / What is striking is that the military man writes the letter in his own handwriting in French, which is unusual and gives a special value to the document and importance to what is requested, says Fernandez Molina, who has translated the letter which is sent with cordiality and correctness, but which, despite being sent to one of his own, is written in a threatening tone so that the debt is paid as soon as possible and sent to Seville to the Duke of Dalmatia. Indeed, in addition to the distinguished considerations that General Sebastiani uses in his dealings with the prefect, there is also a less friendly tone when he mentions that if the sums are not paid I will be forced to use means of constraint. A phrase which, spoken by the main perpetrator of the carnage committed during and after the invasion of Malaga, needed no further explanation. The collection of documents acquired at the flea market includes several edicts printed and signed by mayor Jose Cervera himself, as well as by the minister of economy and finance and Marquis of Almenara, Jose Martinez de Hervas, who fled to France after the Spanish War of Independence. However, another missive that does not go unnoticed is the one bearing the signature of the Marshal General of France and Napoleons top leader of the invasion of Spain, Jean-de-Dieu Soult, who gives his noblest title, Duke of Dalmatia, at the bottom of his letter. What he does not say is that this hero of Austerlitz and Napoleons right-hand man was also the greatest plunderer of works and treasures from Spain, which in some cases were returned, but many were lost forever, states Fernandez, who points out the military mans signature on the manuscript sent to Malaga in July 1810 from his headquarters in Seville. A missive that also gives a measure of the characters harshness as it states that, after the prefect of Antequera presented himself in Seville to ask for a rest for health reasons, he was treated almost like a deserter and sent back to his post. A secret woth keeping It is specifically the presence of these documents signed by Soult and Sebastiani that gives a special value to the collection. Other documents that also stand out are the royal decrees and orders that, in the name of Joseph Bonaparte (popularly known as Pepe Botella), request money from Malaga time and again for support of the troops and payment of the citys debts. Although in Spanish and French from a couple of centuries ago, the texts are readable. Because of their state of preservation, they have been in safekeeping and the person who sold them to me at the flea market knew they were worth money, says Fernandez. He outright refuses to reveal what it cost him to acquire these records, even off the record. Their value is not what I paid for them, is all he says. Napoleons men in Spain use threats and harsh words in their writings to impose the new order The job lot included not only papers, but also several souvenirs, such as a Napoleon medal that opens up to reveal a cute mirror inside for a quick touch-up and several medals, including one that is especially difficult to acquire. This decoration is the Legion of Honour, the highest French distinction established by Bonaparte himself in 1804. Fernandez Molina wears the face of victory, some 200 years after the battle that took place on the same stage where we are holding the interview, as he takes out this so distinctive award, whose gold centre reproduces an effigy topped with a laurel wreath and surrounded by the words: Napoleon Emperor of the French. The medal is valuable, but we cannot confirm that it belonged to any of the marshals in Spain or to any other personage, because we do not have the documents to prove it, says the expert, who continues to study the details of the documents that he would like to exhibit in the city due to their importance. This case is special and has really struck a chord with me, because as a Malagueno this speaks of us, it is part of our past, says Fernandez, the latest local man to join the ranks of the resistance against French invaders from two centuries ago. A heroic and cruel story that comes back like a blast from the past, told in the handwriting of its own protagonists. Lorena Cadiz Fuengirola Friday, 19 July 2024 | Updated 21/07/2024 08:53h. Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X (antes Twitter) LinkedIn Telegram Threads Parque del Sol in Fuengirola stands on what used to be the site of a Spanish Civil War mass grave, in the old municipal cemetery. For years, different left-wing political groups, such as PSOE and Podemos, have been calling for a monument in tribute to the victims of Francos regime to be erected in the park. The Socialists brought this forward as a motion to the town council, but their proposal eventually turned into an agreement to create a memorial monument for all victims of war, genocide and all forms of violent atrocity. This monument, named El Alma del Mundo (The Soul of the World), was designed by sculptor Tomas Castillo. It was unveiled last Friday by Ana Mula, mayor of Fuengirola, in a ceremony dedicated to the victims of Basque terrorist group ETA. One of those victims, Dori Arrabali, read a manifesto from the Asociacion de Victimas del Terrorismo (AVT), marking 27 years since the murder of Basque politician Miguel Angel Blanco by ETA. Zoom The inauguration. L. C. During the ceremony, both the mayor and the councillor for culture, Rodrigo Romero, noted that there have been countless groups who have suffered historically, and still suffer today, the dire consequences of violent conflict, which is what prompted the town council to dedicate a monument to the memory of these victims. It was with them in mind, they explained, that the monument in the Parque del Sol was erected. At the ceremony, specific reference was made to the victims of the Mauthausen concentration camp, to Kurds, Armenians, victims of the wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East, and to those killed in the Spanish Civil War. Fuengirola is an open, cosmopolitan and welcoming town. People of 135 different nationalities live here in complete harmony. Fuengirolenos are a magnificent example, rightly so, of coexistence between people of various countries, ethnicities and customs. Therefore, it was only fair to have a space where we declare, all together and with no divisions, that we are a tolerant town that rejects violence, said Mula. Absences But this one-size-fits-all approach has not left everyone satisfied. Despite the entire municipal government being invited to the unveiling, PSOEcouncillors did not attend, in a show of their disapproval. Although Hacemos Fuengirola, a union of left-wing groups, was present, its spokesman, Jose Miguel Lopez, acknowledged that he was not satisfied with the councils decision, nor with the lack of information provided about the placement of the monument on the old site of a mass grave. Still, he recognised that in the end, it will be the people [of Fuengirola] who will give the monument its meaning, that is why we are here. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is intrigued by the news of Western F-16 fighter jets for Ukraine. He said that the Polish government had made a decision that would speed up their transfer to our country. ADVERTISIMENT The head of state announced this on social network X, formerly known as Twitter. Zelenskyy noted that during the summit of the European Political Community in the UK, he met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. During the meeting, the parties discussed strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities. "And today we have a positive decision of the Polish government on the issue that will allow Ukraine to receive F-16 fighters as soon as possible. Thank you, dear Donald, for the effective implementation of our previous agreements," he said. The President did not specify the details of the decision, and the Polish government has not released any official statements on the matter. At the same time, Polish media suggest that Poland may be involved in organizing the delivery of the fighter jets or solving logistical issues, but will not transfer its F-16s to Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT As reported by OBOZ.UA: U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said at the NATO summit in Washington that Denmark and the Netherlands have begun the process of transferring the first F-16 aircraft to Ukraine. The fighters are already on their way to our country. This summer, Ukraine will be able to use the F-16 fighters provided by our partner countries. This was stated by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. "The first F-16s to arrive in Ukraine are likely to be a trial batch that will be used to test the air defense of our critical facilities in the west or east. The military command and our Western partners will analyze how to use and protect these first aircraft most effectively. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! ADVERTISIMENT Freeville, N.Y. Amy Dickinson was driving through her hometown in Central New York last fall when she saw a for sale sign hanging on an empty, one-story building in tiny Freeville. The building at 24 Main St. stood on a street full of memories, next to the old village hall where Dickinsons grandmother once ran a little lending library. Dickinson pulled over and made an offer to buy the building. An idea that had percolated in her mind for a long time bubbled up into sharp focus: Freeville doesnt have a library. Dickinson would open one to bring books to the village. She knew then it was time to end Ask Amy, the syndicated column she had thoughtfully penned for the Chicago Tribune since 2003. It was a decision Dickinson had been wrangling with since her advice column turned 20. I thought, Well, maybe Ill be the first advice columnist not to die at her desk, Dickinson said. What would that be like? Dickinson was hired to write an advice column for the Chicago Tribune after longtime columnist Ann Landers died in 2002. She came to the job after an impressive career as a reporter that included working as an NBC News producer, an NPR editor and a Time magazine columnist. Determined to make the column wholely her own, Dickinson wrote long answers to readers longer-than-average questions. She responded thoughtfully to queries about everything, from whether people who hold doors open for others forfeit their place in line to painful questions from parents and grandparents struggling to accept LGBTQIA children. Often, Dickinson recommended books. When she started writing Ask Amy, Dickinson and her daughter moved from Washington, D.C., to Chicago. After her daughter went to college, Dickinson moved back to the small village shed grown up in to be with her mother before she died. Dickinson has deep roots in Freeville, a village of 457 people about 45 minutes south of Syracuse that her family has called home since 1850. Her family can still be found throughout the community, including in a historic home Dickinson said her great-grandparents built in 1860. As a kid growing up on a dairy farm, Dickinson said she couldnt wait to leave Freeville. But after living in London, New York and D.C., she said she now appreciates the world-class beauty of CNY. The waterfalls, the abundance of fresh water, Dickinson said. I learned to swim at the base of a waterfall. I didnt know how amazing that was. Amy Dickinson, the storied columnist who thoughtfully answered readers questions for 21 years in a nationally syndicated column, is opening a lending library in her hometown of Freeville, N.Y. The Freeville Literary Society is expected to open around the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.comSamantha House | shouse@syracuse Returning to her hometown also brought Dickinson a storybook-worthy love story: Dickinson reconnected with and married Bruno Schickel, a well-known builder who grew up on a neighboring farm. (I promptly tumbled into a Hallmark Channel plotline when I fell in love with and quickly married a man Ive known since childhood, Dickinson wrote in the column where she announced the end of Ask Amy.) As her well-loved column hit its 20-year anniversary, Dickinson started to ponder her exit. She said she turned down the Chicago Tribunes offer to reduce her column from seven days a week to two; she didnt want readers to think she was sick or being replaced. At 64, shes ready to enjoy a hard-earned break from unending deadlines. Dickinson is also pursuing a new, fulfilling venture: The Freeville Literary Society, her very own lending library. And so if you ask Amy, shell tell you: She didnt retire. She quit. Im leaving. Im a quitter, Dickinson said last month during an interview inside the future Freeville Literary Society. And after 21 years, that is definitely the right choice. But Dickinson isnt done with words. She wants to pen new books and rework a childrens book shes already written about her dog, Molly. And eventually, she said she again plans to answer readers questions and offer advice on her Substack. I could write longer. It could be more involved. I can use not-suitable-for-work language, Dickinson said. So I think it will be doing that. But I havent decided. After all, there is no rush: For the first time in her long career, Dickinson is not on deadline. Books for Freeville When Dickinson pulled over and bought a building last fall, her husband was excited for her. She said he always has a vision and used his experience to help turn the long, dark bowling alley-like structure into a bright space. The right side of the building which has space for two businesses is home to the Freeville Literary Society. (Dickinson hopes to open the society to the public when school starts back up in September.) It is filled with vintage touches that feel straight out of an old-fashioned library: Benches from Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca and shelves from the shuttered Virgil Elementary School. A desk built in 1935 and a stove that once heated Dickinsons childhood barn. A tabletop card catalog and a bronze desk bell. The Freeville Literary Society will offer books for readers of all ages. Dickinson said she will put her eclectic collection of self-help, crime, poetry and childrens books on the shelves. She also hopes to leverage her contacts in the publishing industry to help the collection grow. The experience will be analog, Dickinson said: Shes having a stamp made and will offer library cards. There will be no Wi-Fi. Amy Dickinson, the storied columnist who thoughtfully answered readers questions for 21 years in a nationally syndicated column, is opening a lending library in her hometown of Freeville, N.Y. The Freeville Literary Society is expected to open around the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.comSamantha House | shouse@syracuse The Freeville Literary Society will have puzzles and games. Dickinson plans to get a license to show family-friendly films. And, eventually, she aims to sell candy, a lifelong goal for the writer with a sweet tooth. Members of the Freeville Literary Society can also expect to see a furry mascot when they visit: Molly, Dickinsons friendly dog, whose adorable face is adored throughout Freeville. The other renovated half of 24 Main St. remains open and is intended for a grocery store, another amenity missing from Freeville. (Dickinsons dreams of Byrne Dairy occupying the space and selling ice cream.) Dickinson is determined to help Freeville. Its a goal she shares with and her husband. Schickel is building Freeville Cottages, a village of colorful tiny houses, to attract young families to the village. Bringing books and a grocery store back to Freeville is also part of the couples goal to make the village an attractive place to live. We are really making a very deep commitment to this place. And its not because its all we know, Dickinson said. Its more because its all we love. Amy Dickinson, the storied columnist who thoughtfully answered readers questions for 21 years in a nationally syndicated column, is opening a lending library in her hometown of Freeville, N.Y. The Freeville Literary Society is expected to open around the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.comSamantha House | shouse@syracuse Amy Dickinson, the storied columnist who thoughtfully answered readers questions for 21 years in a nationally syndicated column, is opening a lending library in her hometown of Freeville, N.Y. The Freeville Literary Society is expected to open around the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Samantha House | shouse@syracuse.comSamantha House | shouse@syracuse Syracuse, N.Y. The state Department of Transportation has awarded a $313.5 million contract to remake part of Interstate 690 and several East Side streets, the fourth of eight contracts in the $2.25 billion Interstate 81 project, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced today. Work on contract four is expected to start within a month and will significantly change traffic patterns in the University Hill area just east of downtown Syracuse. It will change the way thousands of people get to work, school, hospital appointments and dome games. The new exit will also open up for development a neighborhood defined by vacant land and parking lots. Contractor CNY Alliance will build a new exit ramp from I-690 westbound to Crouse Avenue. It will carry traffic headed to Syracuse University, the nearby hospitals and other points on University Hill, the busiest employment sector of the city. (An exit from 690 eastbound onto nearby Irving Avenue will be constructed later as part of a subsequent contract.) Crouse Avenue will be widened from two lanes to three, with two northbound lanes and one southbound. Irving Avene will also be reconstructed to handle more traffic. The street, which currently ends at East Fayette Street, will be extended north to Erie Boulevard East. The new 690 interchanges are intended to relieve traffic congestion that currently causes backups on I-81 southbound and northbound at the Harrison/Adams interchanges, DOT officials say. Other work to be done includes: -- Two bridges along I-690 will be replaced over Lodi Street and Crouse Avenue. -- Seven additional streets will be reconstructed: portions of Erie Boulevard; Burnet and Walnut avenues; East Fayette, Canal, Lodi and East Water streets. -- New pedestrian and cyclist amenities will include bike lanes, shared use paths, sidewalks and crosswalks. --New traffic video detection signals will be installed to prevent vehicles from running red lights. --The newly extended Irving Avenue will include on-street parking. -- Noise barriers will be erected along I-690 in eight locations adjacent to the Crouse Avenue, Teall Avenue and Midler Avenue intersections. Contract four also has a side benefit: Nearly half a mile of sewers will be replaced with new lines that separate stormwater from sewage, reducing the potential for sewage overflows and cutting down the amount of wastewater that is treated at the Metro sewage plant. The project will remove 20 million to 30 million gallons of combined sewer overflow from the system, officials said. Work on contract four is expected to be finished in late 2025. The state DOT is awarding eight separate contracts to complete the transformation of I-81 by removing the elevated viaduct through Syracuse and replacing it with a community grid. All the work is expected to be finished by 2028. CNY Alliance, which won contract four, also was awarded the second contract, worth $384.5 million. That work began in summer 2023 at the southern interchange, where existing I-81 meets I-481 south of Syracuse. CNY Alliance includes A.Servidone, Inc./B. Anthony Construction Corp., JV Rifenburg Construction Corp. and Economy Paving Co. Hochul, in announcing todays contract award, noted that the focus of construction is in the old 15th Ward, an African American and Jewish neighborhood that was destroyed to make way for the I-81 viaduct. It is not lost on me that the next focal point in the construction of the Community Grid was once a thriving community of Black and Jewish families, torn apart when I-81 was built through the heart of their neighborhood, Hochul said in a news release. Although it has taken over 60 years to get to this point, we are righting the wrongs of the past, reconnecting neighborhoods and providing new opportunities for inclusion and equity in Central New York. Editors note: This story was updated July 26 to include Economy Paving Co. among the three companies that make up CNY Alliance. Crane-Hogan Structural Systems is a sub-contractor on the project, not one of the three member companies. Staff writer Tim Knauss can be reached at: email | Twitter | 315-470-3023. This is a developing story and we will be updating as more information becomes available. Syracuse, N.Y. A technology outage causing issues across the world Friday morning has impacted many businesses and organizations across Central New York. Its caused delays and cancellations of flights in Syracuse. Some surgeries and medical appointments are delayed. Some state and local governments impacted too. Worldwide, airlines, broadcasts, banks and others have lost access to computer systems. In Syracuse, some surgeries and lab appointments at all Upstate locations are delayed, said Darryl Geddes, a spokesperson for Upstate. Those with appointments this morning should call their physicians office, Upstate said. Most of the airlines affected by the outage are Delta, American and United, said Jason Terreri, the executive director of the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority. Those airlines flights out of Syracuse have been canceled or delayed, according to the carriers websites. As of about 8:45 a.m., passengers were moving through the TSA line at Syracuses airport. Lines at United Airlines were the longest. As of about 9 a.m., computers at the Onondaga County Justice Center were down, court officials said. That was impacting their ability to bring defendants who were being held to court appearances. Syracuse police officers were filing reports by writing them and emailing them to themselves, said Kieran Coffey, a spokesperson for Syracuse police. The system they use to write reports is down, he said. Crouse Hospital is unaffected, said Bob Allen, a spokesperson. St. Josephs Hospital is also unaffected, said Kelly Quinn, a spokesperson for the hospital. The state Department of Motor Vehicles said it is unable to complete transactions online or in person. In Madison County, the states DMV office in Wampsville closed for the day, officials said. Passengers waited in long lines at Syracuse Hancock International Airport on July 19, 2024, after a global technology outage affected flights worldwide.Timia Cobb | tcobb@syracuse.com Staff writers Timia Cobb and Anne Hayes contributed to this report. Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com . By Molly Burke | Times Union, Albany Albany, N.Y. The Empire State Plaza and Capitol will receive $100 million in state funding to start the first phase of a plan to decarbonize state buildings. The 98-acre complex in Albany will implement a thermal energy network as the state moves to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to reach climate goals, according to the Office of General Services. We know this is important for the state, said Jeanette Moy, the offices commissioner. When you think about some of the things that weve experienced within the last two years tornados, wildfires and the need to ensure that were making real and measurable change, the governor is putting significant funding that will make tangible results for the Albany community and it leads by example for all parts of of the state. A steam generation plant heats and cools the cluster of government buildings that function as the seat of New Yorks government that includes the Capitol, Corning Tower, and several other large office buildings, as well as The Egg performing arts venue. Other state buildings across New York are also expected to move away from fossil fuel-based energy. The first phase, which is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the plaza by more than 20 percent, will include installing electric chillers, which are used to cool state buildings using the central air conditioning plant under the plaza. The plant currently operates one electric chiller and four steam-driven ones. The agency said that the first phase will also include installing a heat recovery chiller, which will use excess heat in the plant to power year-round heating and domestic water needs for the Empire State Plaza concourse. The plan announced this week comes after advocates have called for greener energy to be used for the Capitol and surrounding buildings, which are currently powered by a steam generating plant on Sheridan Avenue in Albany. The energy produced in Sheridan Hollows plant also powers the nearby state Department of Education building and the Alfred E. Smith State Office Building. The four-phase plan is expected to take more than 15 years to complete, culminating with the cluster of state buildings having completely ceased their greenhouse gas emissions. But the Sheridan Avenue steam plant is not going anywhere. The facility is expected to remain attached to the power system to cover emergency backup purposes only for the buildings it currently serves. Moy said that the plan includes monitoring air quality, which she said will result in real and dramatic improvements near the steam plant as the reduction in emissions comes during the first phase, which she said is underway. We want to be good neighbors, Moy said. The plan is part of the mandate to reduce 85 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2050 under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act passed in 2019. The climate law also calls for the states electrical grid to be 70 percent renewably sourced by 2030 and completely emission-free by 2040. The mandate, approaching in fewer than six years, is unlikely to be met on time, according to a recent report from the state Public Service Commission. And an audit released this week by the state Comptroller Thomas DiNapolis office said incomplete data and poor planning have contributed to the likelihood that the mandates will not be met under the timeframe spelled out in the law. The $100 million investment in the Empire State Plaza decarbonization project will cover the cost of the first phase and part of the second, which involves relocating the current health lab located at the base of Corning Tower outside he plaza and converting the space to more energy efficient office space. The second phase is expected to bring the emissions of the state buildings to less than half of the current level. The project, which was made in partnership with the New York Power Authority, will be subject to public bids but the total cost of the transition has not been determined. Moy said that a feasibility study found that its possible for the state buildings which are 11.8 million square feet to convert away from fossil fuels, but it will take time and significant financial investment. Moy said that easy fixes in reducing energy consumption like replacing light bulbs with more energy efficient LED options have already been completed. There is no other state that has something like the Empire State Plaza, Moy said. Even when you look at other capitols from other states, they are dwarfed by New York state. The third phase of the decarbonization plan will involve implementing a thermal energy network in state buildings. The agency said three options are being considered and have yet to be finalized. Moy said they are very much focused on the potential for geothermal well fields in Albanys Lincoln Park or Corning Preserve and wastewater heat recovery from the Albany County wastewater treatment plant near the port. The agency is also considering a plan to partner with Empire Generating Co. in Rensselaer County for industrial heat recovery. Advocates have been pushing for the state buildings to move off fossil fuel reliance for years. The Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy unsuccessfully pushed lawmakers to pass the proposed Renewable Capitol Act earlier this year, which would have mandated that the Capitol complex convert to renewable energy sources within three years. At a news conference in May, the group pushed for geothermal energy to be used rather than natural gas burning at the Sheridan Hollow plant. Advocates have also pointed out that pollution from the plant is harming people in one of Albanys poorer neighborhoods that has a high population of Black residents. For over a century, the steam tunnel between Sheridan Hollow and government buildings in Albany has been an instrument of segregation, separating those who receive the benefits of energy from people who bear the brunt of pollution caused by its consumption, a report from the advocacy group said. ___ (c)2024 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) Visit the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) at www.timesunion.com After more than two years of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, the prospect of its end on the battlefield in the foreseeable future looks illusory. Therefore, there are more and more voices in favor of achieving peace through diplomacy. ADVERTISIMENT The power of diplomacy can indeed work, but the world must help Ukraine enter the negotiations in a strong position and pressure Russia to start them. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with the BBC. After more than two years of full-scale war, there are more and more calls for its end not on the battlefield but at the negotiating table. After the first Peace Summit in Switzerland in June of this year, Zelenskyy said that he believed it would be appropriate for Russia to participate in the second summit, which is scheduled to take place in November. So Kyiv is not ruling out a diplomatic way to end the war, but, as the Ukrainian president noted, the whole world should put pressure on Russia to convince it to sit down at the table and consider ending the war. ADVERTISIMENT "This does not mean that all territories are won by force. I think the power of diplomacy can help," the president emphasized. Zelenskyy is also convinced that the weaker Russia is at the start of the negotiations, the stronger the position Ukraine will take. "By putting pressure on Russia, I believe that it is possible to agree to a diplomatic settlement," the head of state said. At the same time, he emphasized that Ukraine has not yet received the F-16 fighter jets promised by its partners, which it had hoped would arrive this summer. "18 months have passed, and the planes have not reached us," Zelenskyy said, adding that Ukrainians are grateful to their allies for the assistance they have received. However, according to the president, Western fighters are very much needed by the Ukrainian army, which is holding back the occupiers on a long front line, under constant Russian attacks on peaceful cities and their attempts to advance, in particular in the Kharkiv region. And F-16s would help overcome Russian air dominance and "unlock the sky." ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, Zelenskyy spoke about cooperation with Trump if he wins the US election. He believes that working with this president's administration will be "difficult," but Ukrainians are "hardworking people." It was also reported that the day before the Ukrainian president arrived on an official visit to Britain. The program of the visit includes meetings with King Charles III and the newly appointed Prime Minister of the British government, Keir Starmer. Zelenskyy also held a series of important talks with foreign leaders, signed bilateral agreements with Slovenia and the Czech Republic, and met with representatives of British defense companies, after which he announced the prospects for joint arms production. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber . Do not fall for fakes! ADVERTISIMENT "Branching Out" by Teagasc Launched: A Comprehensive Guide to Farm Diversification At the Energy and Farm Diversification show at Gurteen Agricultural College, the eagerly anticipated publication "Branching Out" by Teagasc was officially launched. This essential new guide is designed to support farmers and their families in navigating the complexities of farm diversification. Pictured at the launch of Branching Out at the Energy and Farm Diversification show at Gurteen Agricultural College (left to right): Dr Stan Lalor, Director of Knowledge Transfer at Teagasc; Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; and Barry Caslin, Teagasc Energy and Rural Development Specialist. Branching Out" is an invaluable resource that equips our farmers with the knowledge and tools they need to explore new avenues and thrive amidst changing market dynamics." The publication was launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, who commended the initiative's significance for the agricultural community. In an era of rapid changes in the agricultural landscape, diversification can create viable income opportunities for farm families securing a sustainable future for farms and families. "Branching Out" provides crucial insights and practical advice on a wide array of diversification opportunities, from agri-tourism, food, direct selling, specialty crops to renewable energy and value-added products. Minister Charlie McConalogue TD, who officially launched the publication, emphasised the importance of this initiative: "Farm diversification is a key opportunity for many farm families and will support the resilience and long-term sustainability of our agricultural sector. Branching Out" is an invaluable resource that equips our farmers with the knowledge and tools they need to explore new avenues and thrive amidst changing market dynamics. This guide will undoubtedly play a vital role in shaping a more resilient future with greater options for our rural communities." Barry Caslin, Teagasc Energy and Rural Development Specialist and the author of "Branching Out", highlighted the guide's comprehensive approach: "This publication is designed to meet the diverse needs of farm families. It provides detailed guidance on everything from legal considerations and tax planning to financial management and marketing strategies. Our goal is to empower farmers and their families to successfully embark on their diversification journey." Dr Stan Lalor, Director of Knowledge Transfer at Teagasc, highlighted the broader impact of the publication: "Diversification is not just about enhancing income streams; it's about building a resilient and prosperous future for rural communities. Branching Out" is a testament to the innovative spirit of our farmers and their willingness to adapt and thrive in the face of challenges. This guide will serve as an invaluable roadmap, offering support and inspiration to farmers, spouses, children, and siblings alike." "Branching Out" serves as a vital resource for all members of farm families, recognising the crucial role each person plays in the success of agricultural enterprises. As farms diversify, this guide will be an indispensable tool, providing the knowledge and support necessary to navigate new ventures confidently. The launch at the Energy and Farm Diversification Show 2024 was a testament to the collaborative spirit within the agricultural community, bringing together farmers, family members, and industry experts to celebrate the release of this crucial resource. The publication is now available online for all interested parties to access and benefit from the comprehensive guidance it offers. For those who were unable to attend the launch, "Branching Out" can be viewed and downloaded here AlphaKiloPapa BHPian Join Date: May 2023 Location: Mumbai Posts: 41 Thanked: 134 Times Re: Domestic Air Travel & Airlines | Reviews, Anecdotes, Advice, Cautions Quote: pta320 Originally Posted by Coming to Mumbai, its the busiest single runway airport in the world right now. The ATC at Mumbai airport is one of the most efficient ATCs in the world. There is a severe infrastructure shortage in Mumbai i.e it only has one operational runway at a time and traffic these days is way more than what the airport is supposed to handle hence to my experience almost all the flights that I operated out of or into Mumbai are delayed but same has to be kept in mind that the airport is handling the traffic the best it could at all times. Things will improve as new airport opens in new Mumbai. Recently, I came across a news article in a reputed newspaper, where a plane spotter was claiming fame by observing that an aircraft had crossed a runway holding point while an aircraft was given take off clearance, while in reality, as soon as the ATCO had observed the runway incursion, he had instructed the aircraft to cancel take-off. Such is the plight, that the ATC found no mention in the article while it is the ATCO's duty to ensure safety. Social media is full of people blaming us, creating memes. Also, the portrayal of ATCO's in movies such as Dhamaal and Runway 34 doesn't help either. Common public thinks we are the sarkari babus responsible for delaying their flights. Only a fraction of the common public knows what we do. The only people who actually acknowledge our work are the Pilots- the people we communicate with. Coming to the point of delays, I can add a few points here. It will be slightly technical and it is specific to the Mumbai Airport, although a few points maybe applicable to many other airports as well. The Airport handles close to a thousand movements in roughly 23 hours of operation, averaging to 43 movements per hours. There are two runways crossing each other, thus enabling use of only one runway at a time. It is the busiest single runway operation in the entire world. The primary runway has a maximum declared capacity of 46 movements per hour only during peak traffic, for a duration of 6 hours per day, otherwise it is 44. The secondary runway, on the other hand has a declared peak capacity of 38 movements per hour only, since it involves the crossing of the active runway along with landings and take-offs. As you can see here, the operation of the secondary runway means that the average number of movements cannot be achieved. The best way to achieve the runway capacity is if there is a 1:1 movement of arrivals and departures. Also, movement of wide body aircraft or slow-moving turboprops/helicopters decreases the hourly capacity. Only accommodating arrivals/departures would also decrease the runway capacity. Also, there are a lot of hours in the day where there is a lack of demand- there aren't enough scheduled movements, thus leading to more traffic during the peak hours. Slots have been distributed, but still, it cannot prevent the accumulation of traffic. As an end result, there is a lot of Demand especially in Morning and evening hours extending up to 1:30 in the night, which exceeds the runway capacity. As a result, the departures end up expecting Delay on the ground, and Arrivals end up holding in the air. Most of the times the runway ends up handling upto 50 movements in an hour (max achieved is 54 movements in a single hour). But the demand here is such that there are more than 30 departures and 30 arrivals scheduled in some hours, thus leading to delays and creating a domino effect, due to which subsequent arrivals/departures face further delay. A system called as ACDM (developed in house by fellow ATCO's) is used to generate slots for departures, so that there are only a few departures at the holding point at a given time. This ensures that there are not too many aircraft holding at the Holding point waiting for their departure, burning unnecessary fuel. A lot of departures are ready for pushback before their slot, and therefore have to take a delay for start-up. In case of non peak hours, departures are given startups as soon as they are ready. The arrivals are sequenced by an approach controller for landing, and they are sequenced in such a manner that there is sufficient spacing between two arrivals so that the Tower controller can plan a departure in between any two arrivals. This spacing has to be very precise, it cannot be below a certain level, and it cannot be too much since that would decrease the runway capacity. All of this taking into consideration the aircraft performance, speed, wind intensity and lot of other factors into mind. Such is the level of efficiency that we are able to handle movements more than the declared peak capacity (more than 6-10 hours in a day) while following all safety standards and SOP's 'to the T'). Thus, we can expect delays even during normal operations during peak hours as there is a huge demand-supply mismatch. Even if a single slot is missed, it will add to the delay. Events such as a missed approach, bird hit, aircraft not ready for departure, VIP movements, non-availability of NAV-AIDS or supporting infrastructure like taxiways, aircraft emergency/priority etc add to the subsequent delay creating a domino effect. Many a times Air Traffic Flow Management measures are undertaken to delay an aircraft startup on the ground itself so that they don't end up burning a lot of fuel while holding in the air. Thus, there are a lot of factors due to which there are delays at the airport from the point of Air Traffic Control. During bad weather such as Rain, low visibility, gusty winds etc., the inter arrival spacing has to be increased for safe operations. Aircraft are unable to take headings or fly on a desired route because of bad weather, and this severely hampers the runway capacity. This may sometimes cause huge amount of delay as operations are even suspended during adverse weather conditions. Therefore, please understand that there are a lot of reasons for the delays caused at Airports. I am sure that there are a lot of constraints from airlines point of view as well as they have to ensure a lot of things from their end (such as to ensure optimum turn around time). There is a lot of pressure on the crew as well- to ensure minimum runway occupancy time, carry out all the checks in a limited time frame and prepare the cabin ready for departure before reaching the holding point. It is a combined effort from all stakeholders to ensure smooth functioning while maintaining optimum safety standards. I know this might not be the best place to rant, but I am fed up of people and media making a mockery of my profession without even having basic knowledge. We are already working with outdated automation amid shortage of manpower. There is no definition of sector capacity here in India and people are working at almost double the sector capacity in the West, sometimes even more. I have seen people unable to even take a sip of water while working during peak hours or during bad weather for two hours. The allowances are peanuts when compared to our global counterparts. Still, people work silently like a dark knight, without making any fuss. Having worked at Mumbai airport for the past 8 years, I can definitely say that Air Traffic Controllers are one of the most professional people you will find in this country, if not the best. There are barely single digit incidents that happen (out of a million) where the ATCO is at a fault, and whatever comes out is blown out of proportion by the media. Thanks a lot for acknowledging this. An Air Traffic Controller has one of the most underrated jobs, at least in India. They come into the picture only when there is an incident like a runway incursion or a near miss at an airport, whether or not the ATC is responsible for that. Due to a lack of proper PR, we are mostly portrayed in a negative image by the media, dramatizing the events, misguiding the gullible public which is already unaware of the SOP's and the rules of the air.Recently, I came across a news article in a reputed newspaper, where a plane spotter was claiming fame by observing that an aircraft had crossed a runway holding point while an aircraft was given take off clearance, while in reality, as soon as the ATCO had observed the runway incursion, he had instructed the aircraft to cancel take-off. Such is the plight, that the ATC found no mention in the article while it is the ATCO's duty to ensure safety. Social media is full of people blaming us, creating memes. Also, the portrayal of ATCO's in movies such as Dhamaal and Runway 34 doesn't help either. Common public thinks we are the sarkari babus responsible for delaying their flights. Only a fraction of the common public knows what we do. The only people who actually acknowledge our work are the Pilots- the people we communicate with.Coming to the point of delays, I can add a few points here. It will be slightly technical and it is specific to the Mumbai Airport, although a few points maybe applicable to many other airports as well. The Airport handles close to a thousand movements in roughly 23 hours of operation, averaging to 43 movements per hours. There are two runways crossing each other, thus enabling use of only one runway at a time. It is the busiest single runway operation in the entire world. The primary runway has a maximum declared capacity of 46 movements per hour only during peak traffic, for a duration of 6 hours per day, otherwise it is 44. The secondary runway, on the other hand has a declared peak capacity of 38 movements per hour only, since it involves the crossing of the active runway along with landings and take-offs.As you can see here, the operation of the secondary runway means that the average number of movements cannot be achieved. The best way to achieve the runway capacity is if there is a 1:1 movement of arrivals and departures. Also, movement of wide body aircraft or slow-moving turboprops/helicopters decreases the hourly capacity. Only accommodating arrivals/departures would also decrease the runway capacity. Also, there are a lot of hours in the day where there is a lack of demand- there aren't enough scheduled movements, thus leading to more traffic during the peak hours. Slots have been distributed, but still, it cannot prevent the accumulation of traffic.As an end result, there is a lot of Demand especially in Morning and evening hours extending up to 1:30 in the night, which exceeds the runway capacity. As a result, the departures end up expecting Delay on the ground, and Arrivals end up holding in the air. Most of the times the runway ends up handling upto 50 movements in an hour (max achieved is 54 movements in a single hour). But the demand here is such that there are more than 30 departures and 30 arrivals scheduled in some hours, thus leading to delays and creating a domino effect, due to which subsequent arrivals/departures face further delay.A system called as ACDM (developed in house by fellow ATCO's) is used to generate slots for departures, so that there are only a few departures at the holding point at a given time. This ensures that there are not too many aircraft holding at the Holding point waiting for their departure, burning unnecessary fuel. A lot of departures are ready for pushback before their slot, and therefore have to take a delay for start-up. In case of non peak hours, departures are given startups as soon as they are ready.The arrivals are sequenced by an approach controller for landing, and they are sequenced in such a manner that there is sufficient spacing between two arrivals so that the Tower controller can plan a departure in between any two arrivals. This spacing has to be very precise, it cannot be below a certain level, and it cannot be too much since that would decrease the runway capacity. All of this taking into consideration the aircraft performance, speed, wind intensity and lot of other factors into mind. Such is the level of efficiency that we are able to handle movements more than the declared peak capacity (more than 6-10 hours in a day) while following all safety standards and SOP's 'to the T').Thus, we can expect delays even during normal operations during peak hours as there is a huge demand-supply mismatch. Even if a single slot is missed, it will add to the delay. Events such as a missed approach, bird hit, aircraft not ready for departure, VIP movements, non-availability of NAV-AIDS or supporting infrastructure like taxiways, aircraft emergency/priority etc add to the subsequent delay creating a domino effect. Many a times Air Traffic Flow Management measures are undertaken to delay an aircraft startup on the ground itself so that they don't end up burning a lot of fuel while holding in the air. Thus, there are a lot of factors due to which there are delays at the airport from the point of Air Traffic Control.During bad weather such as Rain, low visibility, gusty winds etc., the inter arrival spacing has to be increased for safe operations. Aircraft are unable to take headings or fly on a desired route because of bad weather, and this severely hampers the runway capacity. This may sometimes cause huge amount of delay as operations are even suspended during adverse weather conditions.Therefore, please understand that there are a lot of reasons for the delays caused at Airports. I am sure that there are a lot of constraints from airlines point of view as well as they have to ensure a lot of things from their end (such as to ensure optimum turn around time). There is a lot of pressure on the crew as well- to ensure minimum runway occupancy time, carry out all the checks in a limited time frame and prepare the cabin ready for departure before reaching the holding point. It is a combined effort from all stakeholders to ensure smooth functioning while maintaining optimum safety standards.I know this might not be the best place to rant, but I am fed up of people and media making a mockery of my profession without even having basic knowledge. We are already working with outdated automation amid shortage of manpower. There is no definition of sector capacity here in India and people are working at almost double the sector capacity in the West, sometimes even more.I have seen people unable to even take a sip of water while working during peak hours or during bad weather for two hours. The allowances are peanuts when compared to our global counterparts. Still, people work silently like a dark knight, without making any fuss. Having worked at Mumbai airport for the past 8 years, I can definitely say that Air Traffic Controllers are one of the most professional people you will find in this country, if not the best. There are barely single digit incidents that happen (out of a million) where the ATCO is at a fault, and whatever comes out is blown out of proportion by the media. Last edited by suhaas307 : 20th July 2024 at 16:11 . Reason: Spacing for readability TOWeb combines the latest HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript technologies with the Responsive Web Design (RWD) approach to create modern websites that looks great when displayed on any device: smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, TVs and more. Features Free Professional Website Templates Included Don't start from scratch, create your website by choosing among our stunning designs and customize it to your taste in the live preview editor. 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This new feature and its options (such as the choice of a background color with or without transparency) are located in the "Header" section of the "Theme" step. Improvement of the dates fields in your forms The "date" and "date range" fields of the forms are better integrated by reusing the theme of your site and easier to use by your visitors to select a date or choose a period, especially on mobile devices. Other options have also been added to allow you to: Why it matters: Valve didn't design the Steam Deck to serve as a desktop PC, but it might become a workable backup with the right equipment. Numerous companies, including Valve, provide docks with multiple ports for connecting handheld gaming PCs to monitors and other devices. However, JSAUX's newest variant might be one of the best value models available. Accessory maker JSAUX has released some of the highest-rated Steam Deck docks since the device's launch. The company's new HB609 revision adds a faster HDMI connection, a vertical orientation, and support for the Lenovo Legion Go at a reasonable price. Previous models could connect a Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally to several ports for connecting displays, storage, controllers, mice, and keyboards at multiple price tiers. The HB609 is JSAUX's first model to support Lenovo's handheld and one of the only models that push the HDMI connection to 4K 120Hz, although the spec sheet still lists it as HDMI 2.0. Handheld gaming PCs can't run modern AAA games like Elden Ring and Helldivers 2 at that resolution or frame rate, but older or less intense titles like Stardew Valley might work. Other outputs include a primary USB-C port for connecting to the main device, a separate 5Gbps USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port, two USB-A 3.2 ports with the same capabilities, a gigabit Ethernet port, and a 100W USB-C charging port. The HB609's main compromise compared to Valve's official dock or JSAUX's 11-port HB1101 is the lack of a DisplayPort. The HB1101 can also reach 4K 120Hz but, like Valve's hub, carries an $80 MSRP. At $45, the HB609 appears to be the only 4K 120Hz dock available in its mid-tier price range. It is unclear why docks from JSAUX and other manufacturers mostly don't support similar portable PCs like the MSI Claw, GPD Win, and Ayaneo Next. Additionally, it remains to be seen if future arrivals like Adata's XPG Nia and the Zotac Zone might spur the development of more generic docks. External GPU support is another curious area. GPD has heavily promoted their use to bring the handhelds' graphics performance closer to laptops or desktops, but they require ultra high-bandwidth connections like OCulink, USB4, or Thunderbolt 3. Moreover, testing suggests high-end desktop cards can suffer noticeable performance penalties over OCulink. If you're looking for a job in finance, it pays to be strategic about the programming languages you learn. And when it comes to in-demand languages in banking and finance, there's a clear trio that are head and shoulders above the rest. It won't surprise anyone to learn that SQL is the most in-demand programming language in financial services this year. SQL According to new analysis, 24.4% of job ads in finance mention SQL, down slightly from 2023's 24.32%. This is significantly higher than its proliferation in total technology jobs, where it hovers around 18%. As a language to query databases, SQL is used to securely store transactional details for a specifically set time, and is ideal for large datasets. Hundreds of people can also work simultaneously on it, without corrupting it, and if something does happen, SQL can get up and running quickly with minimal downtime. 3 SQL jobs hiring right now However, SQL is also considered to be one of the easiest languages to automate with AI. While things still remain uncertain on the level of automation that will be possible, those instructing AI technology with SQL knowledge will still yield better results than those without. Python Next up, it's Python, which was listed in 18% of finance jobs listings. And when it comes to jobs requiring a scripting programming language, Python is the preferred choice, featuring in 60% of these listings. Its adaptability, simplicity of usage, and extensive ecosystem of libraries and frameworks have contributed to its meteoric rise in recent years. Stripe, Robinhood, and Zopa all use it. Because of its ease of use and strong modeling capabilities, it is a great financial analysis tool, and is used by researchers, traders, and analysts alike. Big data, cloud computing, and blockchain are all connected to finance through Python, making it especially valuable currency. All things considered, it's not really surprising that large organizations like Citi and Goldman Sachs already provide in-house training in the language. Java Though both Java and C++ are both very popular, in the analysis, there were more than seven times as many jobs in finance for Java users than for C++ users. Java was mentioned in 14% of all finance jobs analyzed, compared to C++'s 2%. Though depending on where you want to work, the language preference changes. Major hedge funds favor C++ due to its low-level control and speed, and if you're a talented programmer, the financial rewards are high. But Java is more commonplace, and easier to learn. It's also one of the primary programming languages used by numerous banks and financial institutions, who can operate open banking solutions with security, thanks to the language. Additionally, banks and other financial institutions can connect to third-party open banking services by using APIs, developed on the Java platform. Applications for processing payments are also made with Java. There are many experienced programmers in the Java community, a large standard library, and well-documented open-source libraries too. This kind of maturity is important when dealing with payments and investments. Making mistakes on a financial application can be very costly for a company, and Java is well-maintained and has been scrutinized for over three decades now. This stability makes it an ideal backend system for many banking and financial institutions. 3 great roles hiring now Future Focus Once considered something of a staid industry, banking and finance have completely changed in the last number of years. The mainstreaming of crypto and blockchain play their part, as does the rapid innovation in fintech. And as the industry continues to evolve, so does the demand for skilled programmers. Collectively, SQL, Python and Java were mentioned in 56% of job listings analyzed, making them the safest bets for pivoting to a career in finance. Though if you're looking at a particular niche job title or sector, it's best to research job listings yourself, before committing to learning a new program. You could find that R, JavaScript, VBA, SAS, C#, Shell or Powershell, Perl, COBOL, Matlab, VB.net, Scala, Kotlin, Swift, Delphi, Ruby, Typescript, Groovy, PHP, TCL, SAS, Stata, Julia, Rust, Verilog or VHDL, though less common, are actually more appropriate for you. WTF?! Folks who are into extreme overclocking and cryogenic experiments swear by liquid nitrogen. With a boiling point of -320F, this super-chilled liquid can push computer components to blistering speeds. But getting your hands on liquid nitrogen isn't exactly easy; you typically need specialized equipment or a direct supplier. That is, until now. YouTuber Hyperspace Pirate has demonstrated how to produce real liquid nitrogen at home. He built his own cryocooler entirely from salvaged parts, including components from old window air conditioning units and a few electronic parts for motorized valves. No fancy, off-the-shelf cryocoolers were involved in this process. The core of his creation was the principles of the Joule-Thomson effect. By compressing a gas mixture, removing the heat, then allowing it to rapidly expand through a tiny opening, the gas plunges to liquid nitrogen temperatures. It's the same tech used in high-end cryocoolers. Hyperspace Pirate walked through the process of assembling the compressors, counterflow heat exchangers, liquid tanks, and intricate piping to make it all work. The final rig is a Frankenstein's monster of parts mounted on a rolling bench, which he built himself. The main compressor and pre-cooler components were placed on the top level, while the nitrogen feed compressor was situated on the bottom level. The compressors on the top fed down to a liquid nitrogen tank placed underneath an insulated cold box, which housed the counterflow heat exchanger for liquefaction. After about an hour of run time, sucking in regular nitrogen gas and progressively chilling it, the system hit -177C (-286F) and started liquefying the nitrogen. From there it was a slow accumulation process until Hyperspace Pirate had a nice batch of homemade liquid nitrogen to play with. The mad scientist then proceeded to demonstrate some of liquid nitrogen's fun superpowers, such as levitating a small magnet over a superconducting YBCO puck, and freezing an orange and some salad. He also stated that the same cooler can be used to liquefy argon, which is slightly easier because it has a boiling point of -302F (-186C). There were definitely some limitations too. The relatively low yield of just 130cc per hour and high 1400W power draw make this more of a novelty than an efficient liquid nitrogen generator. But Hyperspace Pirate is optimistic about scaling up production through further refinements. Ideas floated include extracting pure nitrogen from the air using pressure swing adsorption, as well as liquefying oxygen, which requires additional safety precautions due to its highly flammable nature. Of course, if you couldn't already tell, there's a lot of technical know-how involved and not everyone has the time to pull something like this off. The whole experiment took a "year and a half of engineering," according to the YouTuber. But the experiment still goes to show what's possible with some scrappy ingenuity. The EU's attitude towards Georgia will change for the better when the situation in the region "calms down." The main prerequisite for this is the end of the war in Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT This was stated by the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze following the summit of the European Political Community in the UK, News Georgia reports. He expressed hope that the war in Ukraine will end in a year at the most. During the summit, Kobakhidze spoke with the top leadership of the European Union: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell. "My general impression is that as soon as the situation in the region changes globally and calms down, the attitude towards Georgia will change significantly. This process can happen earlier, but a lot will depend on when the political situation in the region calms down," the prime minister told Georgian journalists. He explained that the main condition for this stabilization of the situation in the region is the end of the war in Ukraine. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, relations between Georgia and the EU have deteriorated sharply in recent months, primarily due to the adoption of the controversial law on foreign agents by the Georgian authorities. Despite the fact that the pro-European President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili vetoed the law on foreign agents, on May 28, the parliament overrode it and finally approved the document. Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili signed the controversial law on June 3. EU leaders have stated that the actions of the Georgian authorities are leading to a virtual halt in the process of the Caucasian republic's accession to the European Union. This refers to the latest legislative initiatives: the so-called law on foreign agents, and repressions against citizens and activists. The United States began a comprehensive review of bilateral relations with Georgia. As part of this review, the United States has postponed the NOBLE PARTNER joint military exercises, which were scheduled for July 25-August 6, 2024, indefinitely. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! In brief: Apple and CEO Tim Cook will likely be feeling quite smug following a report that Israeli company Cellebrite's widely used phone-unlocking tools are ineffective against up-to-date iPhones. On the other hand, Cellebrite's kit can break into the majority of Android phones. Cellebrite's Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED) is widely used by law enforcement agencies to unlock phones and extract their data. A recent report claims the company's technology helped unlock the phone of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man who almost assassinated Donald Trump, just two days after the shooting. It was never revealed what model of phone Crooks had. The Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix, obtained by 404 Media, reveals that the company still has not managed to break into iPhones running iOS 17.4 (launched on March 5) or later the document lists them as still being "in research." The document also reveals Cellebrite cannot break into most iPhones running iOS 17.1 to 17.3.1. However, the company recently added support for the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 lines running these iOS versions as hardware vulnerabilities in the handsets make them exceptions. The table lists the status of iPhone 12 and newer models running iOS 17.1 to 17.3.1 as "coming soon," suggesting support is on the way. MacRumors reports that Apple's own data from June showed 77% of all iPhones and 87% of iPhones introduced in the last four years are running a version of iOS 17. Most Android devices are vulnerable to Cellebrite's tools, but there are some exceptions, including the Google Pixel 6, 7, and 8, which cannot be broken into if obtained while powered off the cold-boot process blocks the exploit used. Samsung phones running Android 6 are also safe if they are turned off when obtained, but those running Android 7 to 14 are fully supported. Other phones running Android 7 to 14 can also be compromised by Cellebrite's brute force attack. Cellebrite relies on identifying vulnerabilities in iOS and Android that allow its tools to crack locked devices. One method it uses is overriding systems that limit the number of passcode attempts on a device. Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust What just happened? The dreaded Blue Screen of Death has been hitting Windows machines across the world as they boot up, impacting banks, airlines, media outlets, food chains, and many other businesses. It's been confirmed that the problem stems from security firm CrowdStrike and an issue with its Falcon Sensor agent. There's also been an apparent separate issue with Microsoft 365 apps and services. Reports started arriving a few hours ago of PCs and servers going offline and getting stuck in recovery boot loops. The impact has been on a scale reminiscent of the WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017: UK medical facilities have been unable to book in patients, airports across the globe are dealing with massive waiting times, broadcasters have been unable to air shows, some 911 emergency call centers have been impacted, and bank systems have gone offline. We're obviously not on air - we're trying AA@SkyNews Breakfast pic.twitter.com/ZKvVacRgUY Jacquie Beltrao (@SkyJacquie) July 19, 2024 Britain's biggest train company has warned passengers to expect severe disruption, and the London Stock Exchange is facing technical issues. CrowdStrike, used by many businesses for their PC and server security, wrote that it has received widespread reports of BSODs on Windows hosts, occurring on multiple sensor versions. The company said it has identified the problem and reverted the update that caused the issue. It's confirmed !! Crowdstrike Issue Guys, they are working on it, in about maybe 45 mins things will be fix #csagent #crowdstrike #BSOD pic.twitter.com/0mkfRbUAF8 Xaaavier_8613 (@Xaaavier_8613) July 19, 2024 CrowdStrike wrote that the crashes are related to its Falcon Sensor, an agent that the company says "blocks attacks on your systems while capturing and recording activity as it happens to detect threats fast." The CrowdStrike Reddit forum has posted a workaround that involves booting Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment, navigating to the CrowdStrike directory, and deleting the "C-00000291*.sys" file before rebooting the machine. It's worth noting that this solution isn't going to help everyone. It certainly sounds like today is going to be a tough one for businesses. The outage arrived soon after Microsoft said users may be unable to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services due to a configuration change in a portion of its Azure backend workloads. This caused an interruption between storage and compute resources which resulted in connectivity failures that affected downstream Microsoft 365 services. The US Federal Aviation Administration has just announced that all flights from Delta, United, and American Airlines have been grounded. Brody Nisbet, CrowdStrike's chief threat hunter, wrote on X that the problem is a faulty channel file, so "not quite an update." There is a fix of sorts so some devices in between BSODs should pick up the new channel file and remain stable. P0 incident ongoing. 2/2 Brody (@brody_n77) July 19, 2024 CrowdStrike's shares have fallen 20% in premarket trading following news of the incident. Microsoft is down 2.5%. Facepalm: Google is introducing another change to how Chrome handles potentially risky or unknown downloads. The free, proprietary browser will soon display a new warning message, prompting users to provide a reason for downloading a potentially "malicious" file. In recent years, web browsers have adopted an increasingly cautious approach to downloads from remote servers. Files are scanned beforehand to look for known security threats, and users are discouraged from proceeding with the download if a file is unknown or simply too recent. Chrome will soon elevate this approach by displaying a full-page warning for potentially risky downloads. Google's proprietary browser employs the company's Safe Browsing technology to shield users from internet threats. Files are scanned in real-time, and downloads are blocked immediately if the browser deems them a potential danger to the user's device. Current versions of Chrome also offer a pop-up menu to "download the dangerous file" anyway. Google is now working on a different way to alert users about risky downloads. If an unknown or malicious file is blocked, users can delete the entry from the browser's history or learn why Chrome blocked the download. A third option is provided through the "chrome://downloads/" internal page, where a file flagged as malicious or risky can be downloaded anyway. The new full-page "download warning" introduced in recent Chrome builds gives users a chance to restore the aborted download process, although Google is asking for a reason. The Mountain View corporation wants users to specify if the risky file is being downloaded because they created it, trust the source, or are willing to accept the risk. From a user's standpoint, any reason is sufficient to restore the download process. Google is likely planning to use the information provided through the new warning page, though there are currently no details or explanations about the change. As things stand now, the recently introduced security warning adds even more complexity to file downloads after the many changes brought in recent years. Some users will likely be confused by the need to provide a reason to complete the download, especially when any reason will lead to the same result. Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust What just happened? Shenzhen Xunlong Software has launched its latest single-board computer, the Orange Pi 5 Max. Designed as an alternative to the Raspberry Pi 5, the new development board offers a few minor hardware and software upgrades over its Orange Pi 5 Pro predecessor that was announced a few months ago. The Orange Pi 5 Max is powered by the Rockchip RK3588 SoC that comes with an octa-core CPU comprising four Cortex-A76 performance cores running at up to 2.4GHz, and four Cortex-A55 efficient cores running at up to 1.8GHz. This is a notable upgrade over the Orange Pi 5 Pro that ships with the Rockchip RK3588S. The new chip incorporates an Arm Mali-G610 MP4 "Odin" graphics processor with support for OpenGLES 1.1, 2.0, and 3.2, OpenCL up to 2.2, and Vulkan1.2. There's also an NPU offering 6 TOPS of AI performance, suitable for on-device machine learning and AI workloads. The Orange Pi 5 Max is available with either 4, 8, or 16GB of LPDDR5 memory alongside an optional eMMC storage module. The device also features an M.2 NVMe slot that supports most PCIe NVMe SSDs. Additionally, there's a microSD card slot that can be used for mass storage. Wired connectivity options on the Orange Pi 5 Max include two full-size HDMI ports, four USB-A ports (2x USB 3.2 Gen1, 2x USB 2.0), and an RJ45 Ethernet socket with 2.5 GBit/s speed. It's another upgrade over the Orange Pi 5 Pro, which offers a standard Gigabit network port. The Pi 5 Max also supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3/BLE for wireless connectivity. Other connectivity options include an M.2 2280 PCIe / SATA disk slot, one MIPI LCD port, three camera ports (including one on the back), a set of 40-pin GPIO expansion ports, and a TF card slot. According to the manufacturer, the new SBC is ideal for embedded devices used for edge computing, smart security, and more. It supports a slew of operating systems, including Orangepi OS (Droid), Orangepi OS (Arch), Orangepi OS (OH), Ubuntu, Debian, and Android12. The Orange Pi 5 Max is available for purchase on eCommerce site AliExpress starting at $75 for the 4GB model. The 8GB and 16GB variants are priced at $95 and $125, respectively. In brief: Google has gradually tightened its requirements for Play Store apps over the last few years. While these regulations are ostensibly to protect Android users from malware, as the company has removed millions of fraudulent apps over the years, benign software that isn't regularly updated is likely to be caught in the dragnet. Starting August 31, Google will begin removing apps it believes serve no purpose or exhibit minimal functionality as part of its updated rules regarding spam. Changes to other regulations will also take effect on that date. The company's support site provides examples of apps that don't offer what it considers an engaging user experience or utility as mobile software. These include apps that do nothing but display text, PDFs, or wallpapers. Google will also purge apps that don't properly install or load. These new rules add to the company's existing policies regarding spam and minimum functionality. Google already tries to block apps that send excessive text messages, copy significant amounts of content verbatim from other apps, or exist primarily to drive traffic elsewhere. Apps that make misleading or impossible claims about their functionality will also draw increased scrutiny starting August 31. Examples include games with gameplay significantly different from their store descriptions, joke apps that claim to do things like repel insects, improperly categorized apps, and more. Tackling political misinformation appears to be one of the main goals of Google's updated policies. The company will target apps that mimic news broadcasts, use the likenesses of public figures for dishonest reasons, or falsely claim to represent governments and other organizations. Continuing the fight against fraudulent apps, Google will also purge fake copies of other apps or websites designed to steal login information. Furthermore, developers must clearly state when apps have dramatically different functionality based on a user's region or device settings. Updates that drastically alter functionality without alerting users through patch notes will also draw increased scrutiny from Google. The August 31 policy update will additionally tighten permissions for apps accessing users' photos, videos, messages, and other files. What's more, all new apps must target the Android 14 API from that date, and existing apps must at least support the Android 13 API or risk being hidden from users who haven't already installed them. Wear OS and TV OS are exempt from this requirement. Google began hiding apps that weren't receiving updates two years ago. Although the practice minimizes the chances of users downloading vulnerable software, many apps don't need constant updates to continue working properly. Nuclear fusion, the mechanism that powers the sun, is now reportedly one step closer to being understood by scientists thanks to a 3D visualization produced by one of the top laboratories in the world. Presented to the public as a voyage around a ring of pyrotechnics, the visualization is a hypothetical future nuclear fusion energy source created in the Laboratory for Experimental Museology (EM+) at Swiss EPFL. The sun's nuclear fusion process holds great promise as a clean, abundant energy source. The complex technology required to harness this power, such as tokamaks and doughnut-shaped reactors, is a testament to the potential of this energy source. Understanding the intricate plasma behavior in reactors is a crucial step towards producing sustainable nuclear fusion energy. The complexity of this task underscores the magnitude of the scientific challenge we face. Read Also : AI, Key to Biggest Problem in Limitless Clean Energy Claims Scientists 3D Visualization Details Software developed by EM+ combined the terabytes of data produced by tokamak simulations into a seamless 3D visualization. Similarly, the data was successfully transformed into a 3D viewing experience at EPFL's Swiss Plasma Center (SPC). But for scientists, it's a valuable instrument that helps them grasp the results of their computations and makes the complex processes of quantum physics comprehensible (EPFL). With a height of 4 meters and a circumference of 10 meters, the three-dimensional panorama provides fantastic details of the inside of EPFL's variable-configuration tokamak (TCV). According to EPFL, this 3D representation of the nuclear fusion process produces a stunning set of realistic visuals. The injection system that feeds particles into the tokamak and the graphite tiles that can survive temperatures over 100 million degrees Celsius are visible to the audience. To give viewers a sense of scale, the reactor is roughly twice as large as the human figure shown in the depiction. The simulation gets more intense, making the viewer feel tiny as many particles fly by, chasing, twirling, and swirling around one another. The depiction shows protons in green, electrons in red, and the magnetic field in blue lines. Users can adjust any parameter to observe a particular reactor part from a selected angle, producing a nearly perfect depiction. Nuclear Power Development While scientists now understand nuclear fusion more, the United States, on the other hand, is still playing catch-up with China in terms of nuclear power development. China's fast progress in nuclear energy is credited to its strategic state-backed approach and significant financial investments, which have given Chinese firms a competitive advantage over their Western counterparts, according to a June 18 report from the US-based research institute Information Technology & Innovation Foundation. China is currently at the forefront of the world's nuclear energy movement, having built 27 nuclear reactors at a rate significantly faster than other countries, with an average construction time of about seven years for each reactor. The nation has set lofty goals to build 150 additional nuclear reactors between 2020 and 2035. China claims to have independently produced roughly 90% of the necessary technology for the world's first fourth-generation atomic reactor, whose operational debut represents a significant turning point in the country's history. Related Article: US Congress Approves Bill to Streamline Nuclear Reactor Development A major Microsoft outage sent shockwaves across the globe on Friday, July 19, grounding flights, disrupting television broadcasts, and impacting critical infrastructure. Cybersecurity experts deemed the incident "unprecedented" in its scope, affecting some of the world's largest companies. It even affected several businesses and other infrastructures in other countries. Mysterious Blue Screens Point to a Software Issue The initial cause remained unclear as Windows computers succumbed to a blue screen of death (BSOD), abruptly ceasing function. However, as the outage unfolded throughout Friday, the culprit began to emerge. Faulty CrowdStrike Update at the Root of the Problem According to The Independent, the blame appears to lie with a faulty update deployed overnight by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. The update reportedly rendered infected computers incapable of booting properly. While CrowdStrike has rolled back the update, it offers little relief for already affected machines. The company has provided a workaround involving a specific boot mode and manual file deletion. However, this process requires administrator access, which becomes a challenge for remotely managed systems. CrowdStrike's Falcon Sensor Under Scrutiny CrowdStrike acknowledged the issue, stating they are "aware of reports of crashes on Windows... relating to the Falcon sensor." Falcon, the company's flagship software, monitors computers for potential security breaches. To achieve this, it requires deep system access. Consequently, any bugs within the software can have significant and far-reaching consequences, as witnessed by the global outage. CrowdStrike Customer Support Offers Limited Assistance Customers calling CrowdStrike's technical support line were met with a pre-recorded message acknowledging the issues on Friday morning. The company advises affected users to seek help via their online customer service portal. Expert Points to Privileged Software as Cause Dr. Toby Murray, Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne's School of Computing and Information Systems, believes a malfunctioning update to CrowdStrike's Falcon product may be the culprit. "CrowdStrike Falcon has been linked to this widespread outage. Falcon is an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) platform that monitors computers for intrusions and responds accordingly. This grants Falcon a privileged position on the system, allowing it to influence behaviors of the computers it protects," Dr. Murray explains. He further elaborates that communication will likely stop if the Falcon starts to detect malware and tries to block the communication with an intruder. This way, a widespread outage will be triggered within Falcon. Two factors are attributed to this global problem: the extensive deployment and privileged access to system functions. In other news, Inquirer reports that the Microsoft outage also hit the IT operations of the Paris Olympics. On the other hand, Splash247 writes that shipping companies also fell victim to this abrupt downtime. Indian fintech giant Paytm's woes continue. The company recently reported a significant decline in revenue and a sharp increase in losses for the first quarter of the fiscal year. This comes as Paytm grapples with the fallout from a regulatory crackdown that severely impacted its payments bank subsidiary. Losses Double, Revenue Dives For Paytm At first, Paytm enjoyed its early days when it was booming in the startup scene. For many fintech firms in India, it's one of the most successful companies. However, Paytm's financial picture has darkened considerably since regulatory changes arrived. According to Bloomberg, the company reported a staggering $100 million loss in the first quarter ending June 2024. This marks a more than doubling of losses compared to the same period last year. Additionally, revenue plummeted to $179.5 million, a stark contrast to the $280 million it earned in Q1 2023. RBI Clampdown Takes Toll The dramatic decline in revenue is directly linked to a recent decision by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Earlier this year, the RBI ordered Paytm to significantly restrict operations at its Paytm Payments Bank subsidiary. This subsidiary played a crucial role in processing mobile payments, a core aspect of Paytm's business model. This quarter marks the first time Paytm's financials fully reflect the impact of the RBI's clampdown. The central bank cited "persistent non-compliance" with regulations when it barred Paytm Payments Bank from offering key services, including accepting new deposits and facilitating credit transactions. Forced Partnerships and Investor Reactions In response to the RBI's action, Paytm was forced to forge partnerships with other Indian banks to maintain some of its core services. While the company's stock initially dipped after the financial report, it has since recovered and is currently up 2.2%. This suggests that investors might have already anticipated the negative impact of the regulatory restrictions. Paytm had also previously warned about a potential decline in revenue. A Dwindling Fortune Paytm pioneered the mobile payments revolution in India, attracting hundreds of millions of users to its wallet app and enabling many to make their first digital transactions. However, the company's fortunes have waned in recent years due to stiff competition from well-funded rivals like Walmart-backed PhonePe and Google Pay. UPI Dominates, Wallets Struggle PhonePe and Google Pay currently control over 86% of all transactions on UPI, a government-backed interoperable payments network, per TechCrunch. UPI has become the preferred method for online transactions in India, facilitating over 11 billion transactions every month. This surge in UPI's popularity has diminished the significance of standalone wallet businesses and the reliance on traditional card networks like Visa and Mastercard. Paytm, heavily reliant on merchant services like credit issuance, claims this segment is showing signs of recovery. However, the company faces an uphill battle as it treads a challenging regulatory landscape and fierce competition in the mobile payments arena. The majority of Democrats say that US Vice President Kamala Harris could replace President Joe Biden in the race if he decides not to run. At the same time, almost half believe that the current American leader should give way to her in the election race. ADVERTISIMENT This is according to an Economist/YouGov poll, The Hill reports. According to the poll, 79% of Democrats would support Harris as the Democratic candidate in the November elections if Biden decides not to run. Approximately 28% believe that Harris has a better chance of defeating Republican candidate Donald Trump than the incumbent, while 32% believe that her chances are the same. The poll also found that 45% of Democrats believe that Biden should give up his seat in the race, while 41% believe that he should not. Among those who think Biden should drop out, 68% cited concerns about his age, health, or cognitive function as the main reason. About 23% cited doubts about his ability to defeat Trump as the main reason. Despite this, only 4% of Americans believe it is very likely that Biden will drop out of the election, and 15% believe it is fairly likely. About 65% consider it unlikely. ADVERTISIMENT The survey was conducted from July 13 to 16 among 1582 respondents and has a margin of error of about 3.1%. As reported, talks about Biden's possible withdrawal from the election continue after his debate with Trump, which caused panic among Democrats and which the president himself admitted was unsuccessful, explaining that it was difficult for him to discuss things "with a liar." Biden recently announced his readiness to hold a new debate in September for Trumo to "come out and answer any questions." The US president also assured that he was "already riding it," answering a question to whether he was ready "to ride the horse again." Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Forest fire rages near Croatia coastal resort Zagreb, July 18 (AFP) Jul 18, 2024 Dozens of firefighters and three waterbombing planes were battling a forest fire that broke out late Thursday near Croatia's popular coastal resort of Trogir, officials said. Around 70 firefighters managed to prevent the blaze from spreading to houses and a hotel complex, which were no longer imminently threatened, the national firefighting association said in a statement. The fire near Trogir, on the central Adriatic coast, was under control and additional firefighting forces were arriving in the area, it added. "There is no threat to houses and tourists," chief fire commander Slavko Tucakovic said. In the village of Seget Donji, the fire engulfed a large forest area by the sea near a tourist camping site, state-run HRT television reported. Croatia, like the rest of the Balkans, has been hit by a prolonged heatwave that started earlier this month, with temperatures exceeding 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Croatia is visited by millions of tourists annually who flock mainly to its stunning coast dotted with more than 1,000 island and islets. EU, Serbia set to ink 'critical raw materials' deal Belgrade, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 The European Union and Serbia were set to sign a deal Friday over the supply of battery materials during a "critical raw materials summit", just days after Belgrade allowed work to resume at a disputed lithium mining project. The memorandum of understanding will be signed during the summit attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic in the capital Belgrade. Lithium is a strategically valuable metal crucial for making electric vehicle batteries, making it key for helping Germany's flagship automotive sector shift to greener production. Serbia has vast lithium deposits near the western city of Loznica, where a disputed mining project run by the Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has been a perennial political fault line in the Balkan country in recent years. The government gave the mining project the green light to restart operations earlier this week, after revoking in 2022 the permits granted to Rio Tinto following mass protests over environmental concerns. The announcement came after Serbia's constitutional court ruled last week that the permit cancellations were "not in line with the constitution and the law", paving the way for the government to resume the project. Vucic, whose party won parliamentary elections in December, has said environmental protection would be a priority after extracting new assurances from the company. German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said this week that the deal came against the "backdrop of a sustainable lithium extraction project" in Serbia. Rio Tinto has said Serbia's lithium reserves in Loznica could produce an estimated 58,000 tonnes annually, enough for 1.1 million electric vehicles. - Membership in mind - Opponents remain worried, however, over the mine's impact on the environment and public health. Critics of the mine have long accused Vucic's government of having a poor track record with regulating its industrial sector. Protestors also say the country is taking the biggest environmental risks with the mine for the sake of the EU's transition to a green economy. The lithium deposits near Loznica were discovered in 2004, but weeks of protests sparked by fears for the environment and public health forced the government to halt the project. Vucic has hinted that Serbia could begin mining lithium as early as 2028. Ahead of the summit, Vucic said the deal would involve guarantees that limited the sale of raw materials from the country and ensure that most of the lithium exports would be through Serbian-produced batteries or component parts. Serbia has been a candidate to join the European Union since 2012, but its prospects are seen as bleak without a normalisation of relations with Kosovo. "The partnership will further strengthen political relations and promote long-term economic growth in Serbia and the EU, contributing to Serbia's efforts to join the EU," the Serbian government said in a statement on Thursday about the deal. Serbia will start developing Europe's largest lithium deposit together with Germany and the European Union. Belgrade made a strategic decision in favor of them, not China, as it wants to become part of the EU. ADVERTISIMENT Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said this in an interview with Handelsblatt. Lithium mining may be the country's entry ticket to the European Union. Serbia will be able to produce 58 thousand tons of lithium annually. This is enough to produce 1.1 million electric cars. "We will be able to supply about 17% of the European market. The Chinese have also very clearly expressed their interest in accessing lithium deposits, but we told them that we are discussing this issue with the Europeans and that there are no discussions with China on lithium," the president emphasized. He added that Serbia wants to preserve added value in its country as much as possible. Belgrade is looking to locate car battery production facilities in Serbia and sell only part of the lithium as raw material. With this lithium project, Vucic has high hopes for both the development of the Serbian economy and the acceleration of the EU accession process. He emphasized that both the majority of Serbs and the government want to become part of the European Union, and this is their goal. ADVERTISIMENT The Serbian president also denied the country's intentions to get closer to Russia and China and rejected accusations of trying to "sit on two chairs." "I sit on only one chair, the Serbian one. And in what way are we getting closer to Russia? I have not spoken to Putin for two and a half years," he said. As reported, Serbia, which is known for its sympathy for the aggressor country Russia, has nevertheless sold Ukraine 800 million euros worth of ammunition since the beginning of the full-scale war. The exports of shells were carried out through third countries. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! EU, Serbia to ink 'critical raw materials' deal Belgrade, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 The European Union and Serbia were set to sign a deal Friday over the supply of battery materials during a "critical raw materials summit", just days after Belgrade allowed work to resume at a disputed lithium mining project. The memorandum of understanding will be signed during the summit attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic in the capital Belgrade. Lithium is a strategically valuable metal crucial for making electric vehicle batteries, making it key for helping Germany's flagship automotive sector shift to greener production. Serbia has vast lithium deposits near the western city of Loznica, where a disputed mining project run by the Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has been a perennial political fault line in the Balkan country in recent years. The government gave the mining project the green light to restart operations earlier this week, after revoking in 2022 the permits granted to Rio Tinto following mass protests over environmental concerns. The announcement came after Serbia's constitutional court ruled last week that the permit cancellations were "not in line with the constitution and the law", paving the way for the government to resume the project. Vucic, whose party won parliamentary elections in December, has said environmental protection would be a priority after extracting new assurances from the company. "A significant working day is ahead of us, a day that will greatly impact numerous aspects of our country's future and give a strong impetus to strengthening relations between Serbia and Germany," Vucic said Friday in a post on social media with a picture of him and Scholz at a government complex in Belgrade. Rio Tinto has said Serbia's lithium reserves in Loznica could produce an estimated 58,000 tonnes annually, enough for 1.1 million electric vehicles. - Membership in mind - Opponents remain worried, however, over the mine's impact on the environment and public health. Critics of the mine have long accused Vucic's government of having a poor track record with regulating its industrial sector. Protestors also say the country is taking the biggest environmental risks with the mine for the sake of the EU's transition to a green economy. The lithium deposits near Loznica were discovered in 2004, but weeks of protests sparked by fears for the environment and public health forced the government to halt the project. Vucic has hinted that Serbia could begin mining lithium as early as 2028. Ahead of the summit, Vucic said the deal would involve guarantees that limited the sale of raw materials from the country and ensure that most of the lithium exports would be through Serbian-produced batteries or component parts. Serbia has been a candidate to join the European Union since 2012, but its prospects are seen as bleak without a normalisation of relations with Kosovo. "The partnership will further strengthen political relations and promote long-term economic growth in Serbia and the EU, contributing to Serbia's efforts to join the EU," the Serbian government said in a statement on Thursday about the deal. EU, Serbia sign deal to kickstart lithium battery development Belgrade, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 The European Union and Serbia signed a deal Friday for the supply of lithium batteries that are seen as a crucial building block needed to power Europe's transition to a green economy. The memorandum of understanding agreed during a "critical raw materials summit" is seen as the first step in develop Serbia's mineral resources and potentially building supply chains, including manufacturing lithium batteries and component parts. The deal comes just days after a court decision saw the Serbian government approve a lithium mining project that had been shuttered for two years following mass protests. Lithium is a strategically valuable metal crucial needed for assembling electric vehicle batteries, making it key for helping Germany's flagship automotive sector shift to greener production. Serbia has vast lithium deposits near the western city of Loznica, where a disputed mining project run by the Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has been a perennial political fault line in the Balkan country in recent years. "There will be no project without full protection, and we know it will happen because we are bringing the best experts from Europe to Serbia," Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic during the summit, which was attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic. "Chancellor Scholz has offered Germany's support for Serbia to develop a more extensive lithium production value chain, which will bring us billions in investments and an incredible advancement for the entire country, especially for western Serbia," Vucic said. The government reinstated the licenses for the mining project earlier this week, after revoking in 2022 the permits granted to Rio Tinto following mass protests over environmental concerns. The announcement came after Serbia's constitutional court ruled last week that the permit cancellations were "not in line with the constitution and the law", paving the way for the government to resume the project. Vucic, whose party won parliamentary elections in December, has said environmental protection would be a priority after extracting new assurances from the company. Rio Tinto has said Serbia's lithium reserves in Loznica could produce an estimated 58,000 tonnes annually, enough for 1.1 million electric vehicles. During an interview with Germany's Handelsblatt ahead of the Belgrade summit, Vucic said conversations were ongoing with a range of European automakers including Mercedes, Volkswagen and Stellantis. Vucic also said the country's lithium exports would be sold only to European partners for the time being, despite interest from Chinese manufacturers. - Membership in mind - Opponents remain worried however over the mine's impact on the environment and public health. Critics of the mine have long accused Vucic's government of having a poor track record with regulating its industrial sector. Outside of the summit, a small group of protestors surrounded by police slammed the deal. "Leave lithium and democracy to the Serbian people," said Savo Manojlovic, a leading organiser of the protests against the mine. Protestors also say the country is taking the biggest environmental risks with the mine for the sake of the EU's transition to a green economy. The lithium deposits near Loznica were discovered in 2004, but weeks of protests sparked by fears for the environment and public health forced the government to halt the project in 2022. Vucic has hinted that Serbia could begin mining lithium as early as 2028. Vucic has also said the deal would involve guarantees that limited the sale of raw materials from the country and ensure that most of the lithium exports would be through Serbian-produced batteries or component parts. "This means battery production and potentially cars (would be manufactured in Serbia), indicating a significant technological undertaking that involves domestic science, expertise, and industry," said Aleksandar Jovovic at the mechanical engineering department of Belgrade University. Serbia has been a candidate to join the European Union since 2012, but its prospects are seen as bleak without a normalisation of relations with Kosovo. "The partnership will further strengthen political relations and promote long-term economic growth in Serbia and the EU, contributing to Serbia's efforts to join the EU," the Serbian government said in a statement on Thursday. mp-ds/js Volkswagen EU, Serbia sign deal to kickstart lithium battery development Belgrade, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 The European Union and Serbia signed a deal Friday to develop the supply of lithium seen as a crucial building block to achieve Europe's transition to a green economy. The memorandum of understanding inked during a "critical raw materials summit" in Belgrade is seen as the first step in developing Serbia's lithium resources and potentially moving up the supply chain to include manufacturing lithium batteries and component parts. Lithium is a strategically valuable metal needed for electric vehicle batteries, making it key for helping Germany's flagship automotive sector shift to greener production. The deal comes just days after a court decision saw the Serbian government reapprove a lithium mining project that had been on hold for two years following mass protests. Serbia has vast lithium deposits near the western city of Loznica, where a mining project being developed by Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has been a perennial political fault line in the Balkan country in recent years. "There will be no project without full protection, and we know it will happen because we are bringing the best experts from Europe to Serbia," said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic during the summit, which was attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic. "Chancellor Scholz has offered Germany's support for Serbia to develop a more extensive lithium production value chain, which will bring us billions in investments," Vucic added. Scholz said the deal would help ensure that Europe remains "sovereign in a changing world" and "is not dependent on others". The EU is seeking to boost European production of lithium and electric vehicle batteries to avoid becoming dependent upon China. The Serbian government reinstated the licenses for the mining project earlier this week, after revoking in 2022 the permits granted to Rio Tinto following a string of demonstrations over environmental concerns. The move came after Serbia's constitutional court ruled last week that the permit cancellations were "not in line with the constitution and the law", paving the way for the government to resume the project. Vucic, whose party won parliamentary elections in December, has said environmental protection would be a priority after extracting new assurances from the company. Rio Tinto has said Serbia's the Loznica mine could produce an estimated 58,000 tonnes of lithium annually, enough to make batteries for 1.1 million electric vehicles. During an interview with Germany's Handelsblatt ahead of the Belgrade summit, Vucic said conversations were ongoing with a range of European automakers including Mercedes, Volkswagen and Stellantis. Vucic also said the country's lithium exports would be sold only to European partners for the time being, despite interest from Chinese manufacturers. Germany's VDA auto industry association praised the deal, saying it would help "achieve the ambitious goals of climate protection". - Membership in mind - Opponents remain worried however over the mine's impact on the environment and public health. Critics of the mine have long accused Vucic's government of having a poor track record with regulating its industrial sector. Outside of the summit, a small group of protestors surrounded by police slammed the deal. "Leave lithium and democracy to the Serbian people," said Savo Manojlovic, a leading organiser of the protests against the mine. Protestors also say the country is taking the biggest environmental risks with the mine for the sake of the EU's transition to a green economy. Vucic has hinted that Serbia could begin mining lithium as early as 2028. The president has also said he would push for guarantees that limited the sale of raw materials in favour of Serbian-produced batteries or component parts. "This means battery production and potentially cars (would be manufactured in Serbia), indicating a significant technological undertaking that involves domestic science, expertise, and industry," Aleksandar Jovovic from the mechanical engineering department of Belgrade University told AFP. Serbia has been a candidate to join the European Union since 2012, but its prospects are seen as bleak without a normalisation of relations with Kosovo. "We see you and we want you in the European Union," said the European Commission's Sefcovic on Friday. "Projects like these are just accelerating the whole process." mp-ds/rl Volkswagen Jail terms for UK climate activists stoke protest rights fears London, July 19 (AFP) Jul 19, 2024 Campaigners have voiced fears for the right to peaceful protest in the UK after five climate activists received hefty prison sentences for planning disruption. Four Just Stop Oil (JSO) members were jailed for four years each on Thursday, while the group's co-founder Roger Hallam received five years. They were accused of plotting to block the M25 motorway around London. Hallam's five years is believed to be the longest sentence for non-violent protest in the UK, and comes with mounting concern about a wider crackdown on protest rights. The UN Special Rapporteur for Environmental Defenders, Michel Forst, called it "a dark day for peaceful environmental protest and indeed anyone concerned with the exercise of their fundamental freedoms" in the UK. "This sentence should shock the conscience of any member of the public," he added in a statement. "It should also put all of us on high alert on the state of civic rights and freedoms in the United Kingdom." - 'Authoritarian turn' - Sociologist Graeme Hayes, who specialises in environmental politics, social movements and direct action, said the sentences were "clearly excessive and disproportionate". But he said they were the "logical outcome of the authoritarian turn in Britain over the last five years". The JSO protesters were convicted for conspiring to cause public nuisance. Legislation introduced in 2022 made "public nuisance" punishable by up to 10 years in prison and gave the government wider powers to define what is considered "disruption". A Public Order Act passed just days before the coronation of King Charles III in May last year created new protest offences and increased police powers to search protesters who they believe will cause "serious disruption". Climate protests in particular have been targeted by the legislation, as it bans "slow walking" -- a tactic used by JSO to disrupt traffic -- and the practice of "lock Betty la Fea (Ugly Betty), the most successful soap opera in the history of the genre, needs no introduction. But its main character, Beatriz Pinzon, does need one 25 years after audiences first got to know her. She is now a woman who wants to remain faithful to her essence, she wants to feel authentic again, says Ana Maria Orozco, the actress who played Betty a quarter of a century ago, in a conversation with EL PAIS. Betty is back, played again by Orozco, in a 10-episode sequel that premieres on Friday on Amazon Prime: Ugly Betty, The Story Continues. In a small preview of Episode 1, Betty tells herself that right now the only thing that matters is what I want. She has returned to look for love, but it is not the love of Armando; instead, she is looking for the self-love that she left behind at the end of the original soap opera, when she thought she could only be loved if she cut off her bangs and got a better frame for her glasses. You are the way you are, and people have to love you the way you are, is how Julian Arango, who played the pedantic designer Hugo Lombardi, describes the central message of the sequel. He and most of the original cast joined this new version that was written between several screenwriters. As Jorge Enrique Abello, who plays Armando, says, the sequel would never have happened with the original screenwriter, the talented Fernando Gaitan, who has since passed away: To carry out this project we had to say goodbye to Fernando. It seems hard, but it was necessary. The original soap opera was transgressive by putting an ugly woman in the lead role, a woman with whom millions of people fell in love because, as Mauricio Cruz, the director of the new series, says: We have all felt ugly at some point in our lives. But Orozco admits that in the original version there were scenes that reflected the sexism of the era, scenes that would be unacceptable today. For example, Armandos screams at the pelitenida (woman with dyed hair), even physical things like him squeezing her, she says about the heartthrobs violence against the blonde secretary known as Patricia Fernandez. In the more than two decades since the launch of Ugly Betty, the Me Too movement, complaints about workplace abuse against women, identity politics and social media have made their way into television. And in keeping with the times, the new story has a good dose of political correctness: a deconstructed lawyer, a community leader who grew up in a southern neighborhood and helps older women, and the first Black model for Ecomoda, the design company that features in the story. Betty and Armandos daughter, Camila, is a designer who wants to show her talent, but she is also an influencer on social media with a terrible relationship with her mother. Because Ugly Betty, in the 2024 version, is also about how hard motherhood is. Betty is like many women: even though we are professionals, we work, it is still a challenge to balance work with life, children, the home, says Orozco. But that adaptation to the times did not take everything from the original, says Orozco. They tried to remain faithful to the characters with their clumsy laughter, their worn-out phrases and the trademark arrogance of some characters, notably Lombardi, who even mocks the times a little. His insults are of the type: I wont call you useless, because I am inclusive. Bettys paradox The fact that Betty is back 25 years later looking for self-love is no small matter: it is going to the very heart of the problem that the soap opera left pending. Betty, in the end, had to adjust to the world in order to be loved, says the director of the feminist magazine Volcanicas, Catalina Ruiz-Navarro, about Bettys physical transformation to end up being loved by Armando. The predominant idea then was the idea that you are an ugly duckling, a hidden beauty, and that that beauty will come out if you just groom yourself in a certain way: it means going from curly hair to straight hair, it means removing your braces, changing the frame of your glasses. In the end, for Betty to find love, she had have someone teach her to conform to the beauty parameters accepted at that time. The dramatic element in what is supposed to be a comedy went even a little further. Betty also put up with her boyfriends mistreatment and agreed to commit fraud at Ecomoda Armando asked her to jazz up financial reports putting her own freedom at risk. That seemed permissible in the name of love, which is definitely a problem, says Ruiz. The paradox of Ugly Betty is that while it put the ugly woman at the center, and that is why it became such a special soap opera worldwide, it also stole that protagonism from her by wrapping her in the same standard of beauty from which she sought to escape. No longer loved by the audiencewho adored her bangs, her glasses, her laughterbut loved in the eyes of a man, Armando. For the anthropologist Valeria Angola, this soap opera exposed the pressure felt by women to fit in. It showed something that is very present in Colombian society: that culture that is sold to the outside world about the stereotypical pretty Colombian woman. Today, girls have other types of information, but imagine at that moment, all that hegemony of beauty; it was horrible. It was like putting all of Colombia in a mirror; to show how we had internalized that whole culture of models and beauty queens, of plastic surgeries. Betty was transgressive for her time and she was also a product of her time. At that time we did not have as much information and we had not had the debates that we have today, admits Angola. The new times have highlighted something basic, which should have been evident but was lost among so much machismo: the most important love is not Armandos, but self-love. Betty, two decades later, is working at it. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Even as finalists Kevin George and Andrea Zayas spent nearly eight hours Monday trying to persuade community members that they are the right c Once they enter a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center, life changes radically for undocumented immigrants. Anxiety prevails because they know they can be deported at any time. In the meantime, they are being held in conditions that have led 42 detainees to go on a hunger strike at the Golden State Annex facility in McFarland, California, about 130 miles (210 km) north of Los Angeles. Since July 12, the strikers have been refusing to eat in protest over the standards of medical care and food. They also say their right to free calls is being curtailed, and that they are being subjected to solitary confinement. The hunger strike raises the intensity of a protest that began 10 days earlier with a work stoppage by 59 detainees both in this center and in Mesa Verde, in Bakersfield, California, about 26 miles (42 km) south of the Golden State Annex. The migrants typically work scrubbing bathrooms and cutting hair for $1 a day. Both facilities are operated by GEO Group, a for-profit organization that declined to comment on the matter. Among their demands, the striking detainees are demanding that ICE sever its contract with this organization. Jonathan Montes, 31, is one of the detainees participating in both strikes. He is neither eating nor participating in essential work within the compound. Montes, who came to the United States when he was two years old and is now a father of three, has been detained for 13 months. He figures that a similar period lies ahead, and explains that the protest is not about new complications. When I arrived here there were already a number of problems, he explains. I am what is considered a dorm representative, and we have had monthly meetings with administrators to talk, but the problems I had on the first day are still there today. Montes admits that it is difficult for him to say what is the most pressing thing that must change, but the list of demands includes that in addition to ending the contracts of both Golden State Annex and Mesa Verde in December because there is no humane way to manage these placesthat detainees be granted freedom and for their cases to be reviewed fairly, including the semi-annual custody reports by ICE. The fact that I am here, I dont even understand why. I am locked up over a civil matter, but people are not detained over a civil matter, protests Montes. Authorities have had alternative detention programs since 2004 that allow non-citizens to remain in their communities, continue to fulfill their family obligations, and prepare for immigration or departure procedures. Another demand by protesters is to end solitary confinement. These isolation measures in prisons and detention centers in the United States have been criticized for decades by the United Nations Committee Against Torture. And it is something that is combined with what protesters consider to be a violation of ICEs own standards, which include providing adequate medical assistance, including mental health, nutritious and non-expired food; clean facilities; free calls to families and lawyers, and the end of retaliation against those who protest against the violation of those standards. People walk outside a U.S. Immigration and Enforcement Processing Center operated by GEO Group. Richard Vogel (AP) The strikers want to draw the attention of those who can change things, particularly ICE Acting Director Patrick Lechleitner and Moises Becerra, the director of the San Francisco Enforcement and Removal Office (ERO). responsible for both centers. The organization California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice (CCIJ) regrets that instead of listening to the strikers requests, officers are retaliating by cancelling or limiting their time outdoors. There is also a lack of toilet paper, cold water, ice or even air conditioning in the middle of a summer with intense heat waves in the state of California. Montes says that now there are more detainees than when he arrived at Mesa Verde, until last week, there were 52 people, and in Golden State Annex the number ranges between 300 and 400 so that problems such as long waits for medical assistance are getting worse. Montes believes that detainees in other facilities may be experiencing the same difficulties. The inspection service of the Department of Homeland Security made an unannounced visit to Golden State Annex in April, as it usually does at different facilities, and issued a series of recommendations to change and improve some aspects of the treatment of detainees and the management of their documentation. The report also revealed that ICE had paid $25.3 million for unused beds. The CCIJ support group, which is working closely with detainees, says that since that inspection ICE has sent more people to the Golden State Annex facility, which has increased its detainee population by 200% and complicated pre-existing problems. From January 2023 to March 2024, the population rose from 130 detainees to around 400. Montes says that those $25 million make him angry. Its $25 million and they cant give us the basic things we need? This newspaper reached out to ICE, which declined to comment on the situation at Golden State Annex due to open litigation and indicated that GEO Group, the second largest private prison operating company in the United States, should be the one to provide remarks. The latter organization did not provide a response. No details have been forthcoming about the nature of this litigation, but there are several open cases. In 2021, a court in Tacoma, Washington, ruled that GEO Group owed former detainees $17.3 million in unpaid wages after the company paid them just $1 a day to clean and work in the kitchens at the detention center. That compensation was ruled to be a violation of the states minimum wage law. In 2023, the Social Justice Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit on behalf of several detainees and former detainees against GEO Group for the alleged use of toxic chemicals to clean detention centers, specifically the California center known as Adelanto. The product, which has been in use for years, was used much more intensively during the Covid pandemic and exposure to it allegedly caused health problems for inmates. Most recently, in April, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization, the National Immigration Projects network of immigration attorneys, and the non-profit The Bronx Defenders sued ICE and GEO Group on behalf of the Honduran national Angel Argueta Anariba, who has lived in the United States since 1998 and has been in detention centers for seven years. Argueta participated in hunger strikes to protest what he considered mistreatment and inhuman conditions; in retaliation, according to the lawsuit, he was punished with solitary confinement on several occasions, once for 43 days. In addition, he said he had been subjected to verbal and physical abuse. According to the organization Detention Watch Network, the loss of free minutes to talk on the phone, which was made available to detainees in 2020, and the deterioration of other living conditions led to the declaration of other hunger strikes in mid-June at Moshannon Valley Detention Center (Pennsylvania), Elizabeth Detention Center (New Jersey), Batavia Service Processing Center (New York), Orange County Jail (New York) and Desert View Annex (California). According to this organization, at the Moshannon center, hundreds of people faced retaliation for participating in the protest and four of them ended up in solitary confinement. Back at Golden State Annex, Montes says that he will go as far as he can with the hunger strike, and that he will listen to his body to determine when he has to stop. But he also says that he has heard from the people who share detention with him and is surprised by the support that he is finding. These are people who could be deported at any time, but they feel it is a good cause. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Advertisement Eating outCoffee Is it still possible to find a cheap coffee? Yes, if you know where (and when) to look Smart cafe operators are responding to cost-of-living concerns by offering happy hours, discounts or other deals on coffee. And in some cases it doesnt matter which milk you drink. Emma Breheny July 19, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share With many Sydney and Melbourne cafes now charging $6 or more for a flat white with specialist milk, some are bucking the trend by offering coffees below $4 every day, running coffee happy hours, or doing flat pricing on all types of milk. Mile End bagel shop in Melbourne is offering early birds $3 coffee (for any order) before 9am on weekdays at two of its locations. At its peak, the deal attracted 300 extra coffee sales each day at Mile Ends Hawthorn shop, according to co-founder Ben Vaughan. Melbournes Mile End bagel shop has started a popular early bird happy hour with $3 coffee at two of its locations. Chris Hopkins The happy hour price was introduced at Hawthorn (and more recently Brunswick) to promote the shop opening earlier in the day. Advertisement Were not making any money, which is fine; its a marketing tool for now, Vaughan says. Its no different to paying to boost a post on Instagram. We just want people to come and try us. At Piccolo Mes 42 cafes scattered across Sydney, theres always a happy hour deal on offer. It varies between locations but most do an afternoon special of discounted coffee and iced lattes. Co-founder Charlie El Hachem says the daily discount is a way to get repeat business. It also encourages customers to buy something else while theyre there, such as a muffin. Ask any cafe owner: if you dont have coffee volume, nothing else really follows from it, says Adam Genovese of Genovese coffee roasters. Advertisement A customer enjoying the $2 espresso thats available at Genovese Coffee Houses espresso bar. Louise Kennerley His familys cafe in Sydneys Alexandria was built with a stand-up espresso bar where, just like those in Italy, you can get a $2 espresso or macchiato. Italian cafes typically charge more for coffee if you sit at a table. Although its more about the experience than the price, Genovese concedes that its a good deal. Its a very cost-effective coffee but still very well-made, compared to a $2 coffee elsewhere in the market. Cheap coffee has been a drawcard at 7-Eleven for more than a decade, but the convenience store is trying to attract even more coffee drinkers with the introduction of $2 soy and oat milk coffee. Special milk dispensers are now in more than 300 shops across Victoria and New South Wales. 7-Eleven plans to get them into 400 locations across the two states by end of 2024. Advertisement 7-Eleven has introduced $2 soy and oat milk coffee at select stores in Victoria and NSW. Supplied The price ($2 for a regular size) is the same as 7-Elevens dairy-based coffees. With estimates that between 25 and 40 per cent of people order or buy plant-based milk in Australia and the cost of a plant-based milk coffee between 50 and $1 higher than dairy the machines are attracting plenty of interest. Oat, soy, almond, coconut, dairy: A dietitian rates eight milks from healthiest to hell no We are seeing soy and oat milk options being nearly as popular as dairy-based coffee in many of the stores, said a 7-Eleven spokesperson in a statement. Advertisement Melbourne cafe and coffee roaster Other Side has maintained a $3.40 price on its regular coffees, despite its competitors gradually moving closer to $5 and $6. It also doesnt charge extra for alternative milk or extra shots. Other Side has opened two new cafes this year, with a third on the way. How businesses such as Other Side and 7-Eleven are able to afford this is the big question. Cafe owners spoken to for this story say alternative milks still cost more than dairy, especially for the specialty barista varieties of almond, oat and soy milk that have particular fat and sugar content so they froth well. Flat whites at some cafes are now $6 . Paul Jeffers Its very hard for the trader to absorb the price of alternative milks. The price is still about double that of dairy milk, says El Hachem. Advertisement Yet 7-Eleven appears to be absorbing the cost across its business. Our pricing is designed to allow us to have a standard price for all of our coffees based on size so the customer does not pay any extra for different styles of coffee or different milk types, said a 7-Eleven spokesperson. Their machines also use one of the less expensive brands of oat and soy milk. Coffee vending machines increasingly common around Sydney and Melbourne are also competitive on price because they dont pay for labour. A latte from a Flying Turtle machine, of which there are 50 in Australia, starts from $3.50. Genovese Coffee House owner Adam Genovese at the Sydney cafes espresso bar which serves $2 coffee. James Brickwood Advertisement Adam Genovese thinks happy hours and discounts are not necessarily going to drive down the price of a cup long-term. Instead, he views them as just another form of loyalty program. The best way to save on a cup is still the most obvious: make it at home. With more specialty coffee beans now in supermarkets, the quality of what most consumers can achieve on a home machine is greater than ever. St Ali is the latest roaster to hit the shelves, joining Campos, DC and others. Correction: an earlier version of this article stated that 7-Eleven offers $2 almond and soy milk coffees. In fact, it offers $2 oat and soy milk coffees. Where to find cheap coffee in Sydney Sette Cafe $4 8 Central Avenue, Eveleigh Genovese Coffee House $2 espresso or macchiato 1-3 Lawrence Street, Alexandria Piccolo Me $3 coffee, $5 iced lattes during happy hour Each afternoon, for an hour, discounts available. Locations and details on the Piccolo Me app via piccolome.com.au UTS Cornerstone Cafe $2 happy hour coffee Weekdays 2pm-3pm, Building 7, University of Technology Sydney, 638 Jones Street, Ultimo Dedys Cafe, $3.90 happy hour coffee From 6am each day, Regent Place, 501 George Street, Sydney Where to find cheap coffee in Melbourne Flying Turtle vending machine from $3.50 About 40 locations around Melbourne and nine in Sydney, flyingturtle.com.au Other Side $3.40 CBD, South Yarra, North Melbourne, other-side.au Mile End $3 happy hour coffee Before 9am on weekdays, Brunswick and Hawthorn only, mile-end.com.au Back Alley Sallys $1 happy hour coffee Tuesdays 8am-9am, 4 Yewers Street, Footscray Why everything you thought you knew about making coffee at home is wrong (and how to make it right) Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up There is no safe exposure level to Pb [the chemical symbol for lead], the study said. Any proportion of Pb that may leach out of a tampon and reach systemic circulation might contribute to negative health outcomes. But lets take a closer look at this Will the toxic metals in tampons make you sick? There are two things we need to consider here: how much of these toxic metals were detected in the tampons and are they absorbed into the body at levels that would be harmful? While there is no safe level of lead, it is ubiquitous in the environment, and its impossible to have zero intake, said Dr Ian Musgrave, a senior lecturer in pharmacology at the University of Adelaide. Youd find similar levels of metals and metalloids in kale. Tea and rice have higher concentrations of arsenic. If a 60 kilogram person could absorb all the metals detected in the tampons, theyd still be between 1000 and 500 times below Australias maximum allowable intake of these metals. Tampons weigh, on average, 1 gram. If all the lead in the tampon were absorbed at once it would still be 1000 times below the allowable daily intake for a 60 kilogram person. Even for lower-weight people it is still well below the allowable daily intake, Musgrave said. And that is even if we assume that all the metal in the tampon can get into the body, which is a big assumption, based on this study. The idea that people would think that dissolving a tampon in nitric acid and then heating it to 180 degrees Celsius for over an hour in any way replicates the human body would be laughable if it hadnt gone so viral, said Dr Jennifer Gunter, a Canadian gynaecologist and world-renowned author who has dedicated her career to debunking misinformation about the female reproductive system. Musgrave agreed: The tampon metals were extracted by microwave-assisted acid digestion, which, to put it mildly, does not represent the conditions in the vagina. Can toxic metals from tampons get into the body? RMIT Chemistry Professor Oliver Jones, who conducts research in environmental toxicology, said the study tells us we detected these metalloids, but it doesnt tell us what the risk to health is, or even whether they can be absorbed from tampons into the body. The authors did not do extraction tests, so we dont know how much lead is locked in the fibres of the tampons and how much is outside the fibres. Loading Cotton and other natural fibres will absorb some metals from the soil they grow in, but they wont readily diffuse into the environment, Musgrave said. In other words, a lot of the lead in the tampons would be trapped in there. The lead would then need to be absorbed, and there is woefully little information about the efficiency of metal absorption through the vaginal wall. This is something the study authors are investigating next. They point out that the vagina is capable of absorbing medications, such as propranolol and misoprostol, and that vaginally absorbed chemicals directly enter the bloodstream, bypassing the liver for detoxification. Still, Musgrave said absorption through the gut, specialised for absorbing things, is only 4 per cent. So it is extremely unlikely that anything like the full 120 nanograms [of lead] would be absorbed. How worried should we be? Nothing here is panic-worthy, Gunter said. The bottom line for Jones is that there is no evidence that these tampons cause harm. I dont think people should worry about this, he said. Musgrave agreed. The amount of toxic metals in tampons will not be a hazard to human health, he said. If its not a risk, why are we talking about it? Because scaring women about their bodies is profitable, Gunter said. Self-styled alternative medicine doctors and naturopaths, menstrual influencers are claiming look, this is proof that tampons are toxic death sticks. Then these same people pushing unregulated supplements that may very well be unsafe and contaminated with much higher concentrations of lead. Dr Tessa Copp, a postdoctoral research fellow in womens reproductive healthcare at the University of Sydney, said it was understandable the findings raised concerns. Loading The historical neglect of womens health issues in medical research and chronic underfunding has caused a growing distrust about the safety of womens products and treatment, said Copp. In the absence of evidence, we have misinformation, half-truths and commercial interests filling the void. We need governments and regulatory bodies to look more closely at these commercial manufacturers, better safety standards and rigorous testing, because everyone deserves good menstrual health. Queenslands Environment Department has asked a Gold Coast couple for a briefing on a new animated series about their dog Peggy and adopted magpie, Molly. Peggy and Molly (along with Peggys puppy, Ruby) have become a social media hit, amassing 1.3 million followers on Facebook and 949,000 on Instagram. Juliette Wells and Reece Mortensen had cultivated the online following after they found Molly, a male magpie, abandoned in 2020 and nursed it back to health at their home. An animated series featuring Peggy and Molly, the Gold Coast staffy and magpie, is in the works. Credit: Xentrix Studios But they ran afoul of the law, which prohibited keeping wildlife as pets. Environment Department officers acted and seized Molly on March 1, leading to social media outcry that was heard as far up as Premier Steven Miles office. Reports are flooding into the newsroom now of widespread disruption to multiple services across Perth including petrol pumps, banks, supermarkets and shopping centres and St John Urgent Care. Triple-zero and emergency services are not affected. Karrinyup Shopping Centre worker Fleur says Eftpos machines are down. Were open, but we cant put any sales through, she said. Were putting things on hold and taking customer details, everyone has been pretty understanding. My manager says to just keep smiling. A Busselton Bunnings shopper reported Eftpos machines are down, with only one cash till operating. Customers have been given coffee vouchers as a thank-you for waiting. Bendigo Bank says some online banking and transactions are impacted. Customers entering Kmart in East Victoria Park are being told shopping is cash only as a precaution, though systems have been working intermittently. Happily for those wondering if their buses and train stations will be operating this afternoon, Transperth says everything is A-OK. And a reader reports that all was well this afternoon at an Australia Post outlet. Theres no evidence to suggest the mass outage is a hack or cybersecurity incident, according to National Cyber Security Coordinator Michelle McGuinness. I am aware of a large-scale technical outage affecting a number of companies and services across Australia this afternoon, McGuinness said in a statement on X. Know of anything to add to the list or have any photos? Let us know at news@watoday.com.au. Athena Razos has wreaked financial havoc for more than three decades, using more than a dozen aliases to defraud, embezzle and steal from prestigious law firms, major banks and her first husband. On Friday morning, the disgraced paralegal was jailed for embezzling almost $1.6 million from Melbourne law firm Moray and Agnew after carrying out more than 100 fraudulent transactions between 2013 and 2017. Athena Razos has been sentenced to more than five years in jail after embezzling more than $1.5 million from her employer over several years. Credit: Facebook Victorian County Court judge John Kelly sentenced Razos, 59, to five years and three months in jail, with a minimum non-parole period of two years and nine months. Your fall from grace has been complete, Kelly said. Your offending needs to be condemned. A software outage on Friday crippled the nations airlines, TV stations and supermarkets, leaving flights grounded and newsreaders scrambling to fill air time. The outage appears global in nature, impacting millions of systems in Australia and across the globe, and seems related to US cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike, and its software called the Falcon Sensor. What is CrowdStrike Falcon? CrowdStrike is one of the worlds largest cybersecurity vendors, providing thousands of businesses across the world with software to defend against viruses and cyberattacks. The company is headquartered in Austin, Texas and has nearly 10,000 employees. CrowdStrike Falcon is the companys software that sits in the background on many corporate systems, detecting any viruses and cyber threats. Donald Trump closed the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee with a call for unity, albeit a unity focused around him. The discord and division in our society must be healed. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart, he said, in a speech marked by the assassination attempt he suffered last Saturday. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America. There is no victory in winning for half of America, he said in a lengthy address filled with the usual doses of bogus claims and hyperbole. Trump painted an apocalyptic picture of the United States, and presented himself as the nations savior. Except for the first 15 minutes, in which he made a call to heal wounds and recounted with some emotion how he experienced the attempt on his life, the speech sounded like most of his rallies, only in a more subdued and perhaps more boring tone. He spoke for more than an hour and a half, the longest nomination speech ever recorded, until the blue, red, white and gold balloons descended from the roof of the Fiserv Forum, in Milwaukee (Wisconsin). Trump had already said that he would soften his message in the wake of the assassination attempt at the Butler (Pennsylvania) rally. And at first he did. I stand before you this evening with a message of confidence, strength and hope. Four months from now, we will have an incredible victory and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country, he said. Together we will launch a new era of safety, prosperity and freedom for citizens of every race, religion, color and creed, he added, before discussing the attempt on his life. Balloons descend following Trump's nomination speech on Thursday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mike Segar (REUTERS) Let me begin this evening by expressing my gratitude to the American people for your outpouring of love and support following the assassination attempt at my rally on Saturday, he began. As you already know, the assassins bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life. So many people have asked me what happened, and therefore I will tell you exactly what happened, and youll never hear it from me a second time because it is actually too painful to tell, he said before recounting how he experienced the attack. He explained how turning to look at a graph about illegal immigration saved his life, although he attributed it to Gods will. The former president produced a firefighters helmet and jacket that belonged to Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who died during the assassination attempt on Saturday. Trump paid tribute to the victim, kissing his helmet and asking for a few moments of silence for him. After speaking of the attack for around 15 minutes, the former president again called for unity, but also for the criminal charges against him to be dropped and for what he calls a witch hunt to end, with charges that he considers unconstitutional. He celebrated a judges decision to close the case of the Mar-a-Lago papers. The call for unity comes after days of frontal attacks against President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the convention. And while he avoided most of the authoritarian remarks with which he has peppered his speeches over the past year, Trump immediately launched into another attack on Joe Bidens administration. The Democrats, through Vice President Kamala Harris, had anticipated that strategy and criticized that the most divisive figure in American politics now presents himself as a unifier. If you claim to stand for unity, you need to do more than just use the word. You cannot claim you stand for unity if you are pushing an agenda that deprives whole groups of Americans of basic freedoms, opportunity and dignity, she said Thursday at a rally in North Carolina. Former first lady Melania Trump (r) stands with vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance and his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance at the RNC on Thursday. Mike Segar (REUTERS) Road to the White House Trump hopes to return to the White House after the Milwaukee convention. A frequently dysfunctional party that has experienced a thousand and one internal battles in Congress in the last two years has given an image of almost impeccable unity, only altered by some minor episodes and altercations. The candidate wants to avoid at all costs scaring away moderate and independent voters. He knows that his people are mobilized, especially after Saturdays attack, so he is trying to show his kinder side. Melania Trump, the candidates wife, appeared to music from Beethovens Ninth Symphony. It was her first appearance at the convention, and she did not give a speech as is customary for the spouses of candidates. She was dressed in red, the color of the Republican Party. The former president is the first convicted felon to be elected as a candidate for one of the two major parties. He leaves Milwaukee to great acclaim, while a good part of the Democrats have undertaken a demolition operation against the president, Joe Biden, to ensure that he does not run for re-election. Pressure from Democratic leaders in Congress has begun to bear fruit. Biden has had conversations with his partys leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer; with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and with former House speaker Nancy Pelosi. He has become more receptive to their warnings that he stands little chance of defeating Trump and that he could drag the party down in his defeat. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Moscow: A Russian court has found US reporter Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum security penal colony in what his employer, The Wall Street Journal, called a disgraceful sham conviction. Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American who denied any wrongdoing, went on trial in the city of Yekaterinburg last month after being accused of trying to gather sensitive information about a tank factory. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich listens to the verdict in a glass cage inside the courtroom. Credit: AP He was the first US journalist accused of spying in Russia since the Cold War, and his arrest in March 2023 prompted many US and other Western correspondents to leave Moscow. US President Joe Biden said Gershkovich did not commit any crime and has been wrongfully detained. Tel Aviv: Yemens Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for an early morning drone strike that hit a part of central Tel Aviv near the United States Embassy, leaving at least 10 injured and one dead. The aerial strike rumbled through the streets causing shards of shrapnel to rain down and spreading shards of glass over a large radius. The Houthis have repeatedly launched drones and missiles toward Israel throughout the nine-month-long war, in solidarity with the Palestinian people and against Israel. But until Friday, all were intercepted by either Israel or Western allies with forces stationed in the region. Israeli police and first responders gather at the scene of a deadly explosion in Tel Aviv. Credit: AP The attack on Tel Aviv is likely to fan fears about further fallout from the Gaza war, as the Houthis and other Iranian proxies side with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Yahya Saree, the Houthis spokesperson, said in a statement published on the social media platform X that the strike was made in retaliation to the war and had hit one of many of the groups targets. The Houthis claimed that their newest drones can bypass Israels aerial defence systems. However, a spokesperson for Israels military said that the explosive-laden drone had been identified and attributed the hit to human error. The militarys assessment of aerial threats has not changed because, the military said, Israels adversaries have attempted such strikes for months. Rimac Automobili Celebrates 15 Years of Breaking Boundaries at Goodwood Festival of Speed Only nine examples of special edition will be built and the example on display at Goodwood was only stopping by at the Festival on its way to its owner in the Middle East. Famous for his exploits in the Nevera at Goodwood in years gone by including a 2023 production car record and a series of sideways drifts Bugatti Rimac Chief Test & Development driver, Miro Zrncevic, took things a little slower this year to ensure it arrived in perfect condition. Nevertheless, crowds swamped the Rimac area in the paddock, keen to get a closer look at the 15th Anniversary Editions new copper paint debuting a matte finish on the Nevera and full visible carbon fiber split. Just like other 15th Anniversary Edition examples will, the Goodwood car featured exclusive dual-color alloy wheels, 15th Anniversary badging and a new livery that features a distinctive pattern mimicking circuit board connections. The interior of the 15 Years Anniversary Edition features copper anodized switchgear and copper-painted surfaces to complement its celebratory exterior. The cabin itself can be finished in bold black like the car at Goodwood or pristine white, with the seats featuring a contrasting copper leather and 15 embossed into the headrests. Rimac Automobili has a long history at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, with its first official appearance in 2017. The Concept_One appeared in the Supercar Paddock and set a new electric car record of 54.89s on the hillclimb. In 2021, the Nevera made one of its first dynamic appearances at the show before spectacularly drifting up the hill once more in 2022. Then, in 2023, the Nevera Time Attack set a time of 49.32s to become the fastest EV production car on the hill. The Rimac Nevera is the fastest accelerating production car in the world and holds more than 20 performance records. Key to the Neveras speed is its advanced battery system, powertrain and software, all developed in-house at the Rimac Group. The front and rear powertrains each composed of two individual motors provide power to each wheel individually. At the rear, a 1MW dual inverter enables 900Nm and 450kW per motor, while an entirely bespoke front powertrain is designed to deliver optimum power and control. All systems are overseen by a complex web of in-house developed electronic control units, working in conjunction with an NVIDIA Pegasus-based supercomputer to calculate and send output to the four powertrain systems 100 times a second. The combination of all these systems, and the software that controls them, is known as Rimac All-Wheel Torque Vectoring 2. KYODO NEWS - Jul 19, 2024 - 09:23 | All, World, Japan, Travel/Tourism Japan saw a record 17.78 million foreign visitors in the first half of 2024, with a weak yen also boosting spending to a new quarterly high of around 2.1 trillion yen ($13 billion) in April-June, a government source said Thursday. Visitor numbers for the first six months of the year topped the previous high of 16.63 million set in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of foreign visitors in June totaled 3.14 million, a record for a single month and exceeding 3 million for the fourth consecutive month, the source said. If the current pace continues, the annual number of visitors for 2024 is also expected to surpass the 2019 record of 31.88 million. By country and region, the largest number of visitors in June came from South Korea at around 700,000, followed by those from China at around 660,000, Taiwan at around 570,000, the United States at roughly 300,000, and Hong Kong at about 250,000. The surge in visitors has created various challenges for Japan, including how to attract tourists to lesser known regions, and mitigating issues brought by overtourism, such as traffic congestion and unfamiliarity with Japanese etiquette. Official visitor data from the Japan National Tourism Organization is expected to be released Friday. Related coverage: PM Kishida vows travel aid program 6 months after central Japan quake Mt. Fuji climbing season starts with new fees, control on numbers Foreign visitors to Japan top 3 mil. for 3rd straight month in May By Takuya Karube, KYODO NEWS - Jul 19, 2024 - 18:07 | All, World Donald Trump said Thursday he plans to "get along" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un if he returns to the White House after winning the presidential election in November. In his address at the Republican Party's national convention in Milwaukee, where he formally accepted the nomination, the 78-year-old former president threatened to raise tariffs on imports, including those from China and pledged to bring auto and other manufacturing jobs back to the United States. Trump also vowed to end every international crisis that he accused the current administration of creating, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war. "War is now raging in Europe and the Middle East. A growing specter of conflict hangs over Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines and all of Asia," he said. On North Korea, Trump boasted that when he was previously in office, he "got along very well" with Kim and his administration managed to stop the country's missile launches. Trump engaged in unprecedented summit diplomacy with Kim, holding in-person meetings three times in an attempt to persuade North Korea to give up its pursuit of nuclear weapons. "Now North Korea is acting up again, but when we get back, I get along with him. He'd like to see me back, too. I think he misses me, if you want to know the truth," Trump said, drawing laughs and applause from the crowd. Trump's around 90-minute speech, the longest convention acceptance address in recent U.S. history, according to CNN, came as Democratic rival Joe Biden is struggling to fight off growing doubts about his ability to run a successful campaign and serve another four-year term. While accepting his third consecutive presidential nomination by the party at an arena packed with Republicans, just days after surviving an assassination attempt, Trump called for national unity to make the United States stronger, safer and more prosperous. In a departure from his trademark aggressive rhetoric, Trump, whose injured right ear was covered with a white bandage, said, "The discord and division in our society must be healed." "I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America because there is no victory in winning for half of America," he said, opening his remarks with an uncharacteristically calm demeanor. In later parts of the long speech, he repeated his claim that the country was in a far better position domestically and internationally when he was in office than it is under the Biden administration. Trump assailed the administration's handling of immigrants, the economy and many other issues. But, in a rare move, he used Biden's name only once to criticize his policies. "I will end the devastating inflation crisis immediately, bring down interest rates and lower the cost of energy. We will drill, baby, drill," to be more energy independent, he said. He slammed China for stealing American jobs through what he views as unfair trade practices while casting himself as a guardian of forgotten communities across the United States. At one point, he referred to COVID-19 as the "China virus." The Republican convention fanfare, culminating with Trump's speech, came as more Democrats are calling for Biden to drop out of the presidential election race. The 81-year-old president's mental and physical fitness has come under intense scrutiny since his shaky performance in a television debate with Trump in late June. But the pressure Biden is facing now seems much stronger after U.S. media reports that Democratic leaders, including former House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have privately told him of their concerns about his ability to defeat Trump and the risk that their party could fail to regain control of the lower chamber. The Washington Post and other leading U.S. media outlets said former President Barack Obama, a close ally of Biden, has also told associates in recent days that the likelihood of the incumbent winning the election has greatly diminished. In contrast with the show of unity among Republicans, there are widening divisions among Democrats, although Biden has been the presumptive nominee for months after cruising through the party's primaries with little opposition and its national convention in Chicago is just a month away. The newspaper said Pelosi has told some Democrats in the lower house she believes Biden can be convinced "fairly soon" to withdraw from the presidential race. Citing several top Democrats, online news site Axios said his decision to exit the race could come as early as this weekend. Related coverage: Biden says conflicts must be resolved at ballot box, not with bullets Japan PM Kishida says Trump rally shooting "challenges democracy" Trump wounded but "safe" after shooting at election rally After COVID-19, world realised India key to peace, happiness GUMLA (Jharkhand) : Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday asserted that after the COVID-19 pandemic, world came to know that India has the roadmap to peace and happiness. He also stated that Sanatan Dharma believed in the welfare of mankind. Various experiments were made in the past 2,000 years, but they failed to provide happiness and peace that are ingrained in Indias traditional way (of life). After Corona, the world came to know that India has the roadmap to peace and happiness, Bhagwat said. He was addressing a village-level workers meeting organised by Vikas Bharti, a not-for-profit organisation. The Sanatan Sanskriti and Dharma did not come from royal palaces but from Ashrams and forests. With changing times, our clothes may change but our nature will never change, said the RSS head. To continue our work and services in the changing times, we need to adapt to new ways and methods. Those who keep their nature intact are called developed, he said. Bhagwat asserted that everyone should work relentlessly towards the welfare of society. He also said the tribals have remained backward and a lot of work is needed in the area of education and health for them. In forest areas, where the tribals traditionally live, the people are peaceful and simple in nature which is not found in big cities. Here I can trust villagers with closed eyes but in cities, we have to be careful with whom we are talking, he added. Bhagwat added that he was never worried about the countrys future as many people were working collectively for its betterment which was bound to show results. There has been no doubt about the countrys future. Good things should happen, as all are working for it. We are also making efforts, he said. The RSS head said people of India have their own nature and many are working for the welfare of the country without a desire for name or fame. We have different styles of worship as we have 33 crore Gods and Goddesses and more than 3,800 languages are spoken here and even the food habits are different. Despite the difference, our mind is one and cannot be found in other countries, he said. When we work for the betterment of anyone, our development also takes place. Human beings never live alone and they are not scared of death. If he is made to live alone in a closed room, he will get mad in a few months. If humans live together, they have sentiments attached to them, the RSS chief said. Bhagwat added that, these days, so called progressive people believe in giving back to society which was ingrained in Indian culture.It is nowhere written in the scriptures but generation by generation it is there in our nature, he said. KYODO NEWS - Jul 19, 2024 - 15:28 | All, Japan Japan's top admiral stepped down on Friday amid mounting public distrust of the Defense Ministry and the Self-Defense Forces following a recent spate of scandals centered on their maritime branch. Ryo Sakai was replaced as chief of staff of the Maritime Self-Defense Force by Akira Saito after the ministry announced a week ago its disciplinary actions against 218 SDF members and senior bureaucrats over the mishandling of sensitive information, among other issues. At the outset of a session for a transition between the two, which was open to the media, Sakai said Saito is the "right person to reform" the MSDF, while the successor noted that the force "cannot afford to stop, given the current severe security environment." The scandals include the sharing of classified information with unauthorized personnel and MSDF members fraudulently receiving allowances for diving training and duties they did not engage in. Other scandals concerned abuse of power and failure to pay for food at base cafeterias. The ministry said Thursday that four MSDF members were arrested in November on suspicion of fraudulently receiving diving allowances through false applications, but prosecutors have decided not to indict them. The ministry initially did not disclose the arrests when it announced the disciplinary actions on July 12, which fueled criticism against the ministry and the SDF. Opposition parties have called for Defense Minister Minoru Kihara's resignation. Kihara apologized at a press conference for the ministry's failure to provide the details earlier, explaining that he was only informed of it late Thursday night. Kihara said he would stay on his job as he believes it is in "the best interest" of the ministry and the SDF. He pledged to implement measures to prevent a recurrence and to change the mentality of SDF personnel. At a separate news conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi also denied that Kihara would step down as the defense minister, saying he hopes Kihara would "exercise leadership to rebuild the organization swiftly." The top government spokesman, however, admitted that the ministry "should have publicized available information with as many details as possible" over the scandals. The ministry also launched a special investigation on Tuesday into the alleged creation of slush funds by Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. to provide money and goods to MSDF submarine crew members via fictitious transactions with subcontractors. Related coverage: 4 Japan MSDF members arrested for falsely receiving diving allowances 218 SDF members, defense bureaucrats disciplined over scandals Senior defense officials, SDF members to be disciplined over scandals 25 Yearsof Kargil Victory A Recall We have come a long way, positively By Kartik Lokhande : The team visited the war zone to study all the aspects and submit a report for formulation of future strategy of very high altitude warfare as future doctrine. The Kargil War of 1999 is said to be a chapter of military success from surprise to victory. However, it was not by chance that the element was surprise was gotten over with, and path was paved for victory. Quickly recovering from the surprise, the Indian Army acted swiftly, conducted a proper study of the area, came up with a proper plan, and then fought to ensure victory. And, this success has a Nagpur connection too. Col Abhay Patwardhan, a Nagpurian, was among the members of the team that conducted study of the war zone. When the war broke out in May 1999, the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) sent an eight-member team, which Col Patwardhan was a part of. We visited the war zone in May-June 1999 to study the level of preparation, actions being taken by commanders at various levels, how they tackled the situation, and how the force commander could manage the psychology of soldiers since over 40,000 soldiers had come from peace locations, recalls Col Patwardhan (retd) while talking to The Hitavada. The team visited the war zone to study all these aspects and submit a report for formulation of future strategy of very high altitude warfare as future doctrine. At times, he recalls, fighting commanders at ground level -- being junior to the study team members -- used to consult them. When the Kargil War of 1999 started, he was an instructor at the Defense Services Staff College, Wellington. About 38 infantry battalions (1,000 soldiers per battalion) were deployed in the Kargil War. The mission of the study team sent by DSSC was to prepare the first-hand report of the complex activities/operations on the worlds highest battlefield, draw lessons in high-altitude warfare, conduct psychological analysis of how and why soldiers confidence, morale and complete faith in the tactical decisions of the commanders remained steadfast throughout the war. As a member of the team sent to report on the Kargil War, Col Patwardhan was able to have first-hand experience in combat engagement and strategic operations in the field. In those two months, the DSSC study team saw war strategy planning and corresponding military operations, use of military technology in war, various tactics adopted by the three forces, strategic weapons and logistics supply replenishment. Based on the observations, the team submitted its report and recommendations to the appropriate authorities for taking further actions. The study team visited different sectors, identified plus points and drawbacks, and made suggestions. According to Col Patwardhan, It was necessary to do so. For, except 1962, we had never fought at such high altitudes. The inferences we drew and suggestions we made were for future deployment of drones for reconnaisance, use of Bofors guns in direct fire and pounding of enemy-held locations, air power deployment, and certain changes in the command and control structure. Asked as to what secured victory for India in 1999, Col Abhay Patwardhan replied that there were several factors. To name a few, these included effective use of advanced technology including drones for surveillance, co-ordinated communication between various units and forces, particularly the artillery and infantry leading to strategic synchronisation of solid, fast and effective military operations, securing satellite communication s ystems, bravery of soldiers, and the spirit of nationalism across the country boosted the morale of the forces. If the war in 1999 brought the nation together across spectrum, several changes and reforms have taken place as far as defence is concerned. Many positive changes have taken place. These positive changes have taken place following certain reforms and key decisions including creation of the post of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and action on the recommendations of Kargil Review Committee led by K Subrahmanyam, and the committee led by Lt Gen D B Shekatkar regarding tip-to-tail ratio and reorganisation of the Indian Army. Now, the country is celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the Indian victory over Pakistan in Kargil War of 1999. How is the situation after 25 years since Kargil War of 1999? Col Patwardhan answers confidently, Well, it is stable. According to him, Pakistan and China cannot come to Siachen, and they cannot separate Ladakh region from rest of India now because Indian forces are guarding the important route. The light tanks like Zorawar, once inducted, will provide more teeth to Indian defence because of their maneuverability in valleys. In every aspect and respect, we have come a long way in a positive sense, he concludes. CBI arrests four MBBS students of AIIMS Patna NEW DELHI : THE CBI on Thursday arrested four MBBS students of AIIMS Patna in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case, officials said. Three students of MBBS third year -- Chandan Singh, Rahul Anant, and Kumar Shanu -- and one second year student -- Karan Jain -- were arrested after detailed questioning by a CBI team, they said. The students were taken away from their hostel rooms on Wednesday in the presence of senior faculty members of AIIMS who were informed in advance that the students needed for the probe, the officials said. The agency has sealed their hostel rooms, they said. The CBI has taken away four students. Chandan Singh, Rahul Anant, and Kumar Shanu are third year students and Karan Jain is a second year student, AIIMS Patna Director G K Paul said. He said a senior officer had sent them photographs and mobile numbers of students who were required in the probe. A team of CBI picked up the students in the presence of dean, hostel warden, and OSD to Director, Paul said. The move comes two days after the CBI arrested Pankaj Kumar alias Aditya, a 2017-batch civil engineer from the National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur, who allegedly stole the NEET-UG paper from the NTA trunk in Hazaribagh. Kumar, a resident of Bokaro, was arrested from Patna, officials had said. The CBI had also arrested one Raju Singh who allegedly helped Kumar in stealing the paper, they said, adding that Singh was arrested from Hazaribagh. The CBI, which is probing the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam, has lodged six FIRs. The FIR from Bihar pertains to paper leak while the remaining ones from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are regarding impersonation of candidates and cheating. The agencys own FIR on a reference from the Union education ministry pertains to a comprehensive investigation into the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024. The NEET-UG is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions. This year, the exam was conducted on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 abroad. More than 23 lakh candidates had appeared for the test. Dy CM Fadnavis threatens agitation against EC By Rahul Dixit : TAKING a strong objection to the rationalisation of polling booths under the ongoing special summary revision of voters list, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has warned of a vehement agitation against the Election Commission. The district administration has taken up a special summary revision of voters list in Nagpur district as directed by the Election Commission of India. Attempts are being made to set up polling stations in residential complexes/high-rises/apartments having more than 200 flats as well as in places where the number of voters is above 900. Objecting to the mindless merger of voters in separate lists, Fadnavis, who represents the South-West Assembly Constituency, has shot a letter to the Chief Election Officer of Maharashtra seeking his immediate intervention. The Deputy CM has stated in the letter that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had demanded to reduce the number of voters at booths having 1,500 voters and set up A and B booths in the same building without changing the location. However, in the South-West constituency, it has come to notice that while reducing the number of voters from 1500, the names are being added to other centres having 800-900 voters. It will lead to total confusion as voters from same building will have to cast their vote in different centres, the letter stated. Fadnavis has further said that the current electoral rolls in the city are faulty as one list contains names of voters living in different areas, without checking the sequence. Further, he alleged, names of voters from the same family are on three different pages in the electoral rolls, resulting in Booth-level Officers not reaching them. It had already deprived many voters from exercising their right to vote during the recently held Lok Sabha elections. In such a situation, if names from one list are moved to another list, it would deprive such shifted voters from exercising their franchise in upcoming Assembly elections. Faulty preparation of voters list by officers sitting in cosy offices was a major factor in low voting percentage during the general elections to Lok Sabha. Same mistake is being repeated for the Assembly elections, Fadnavis alleged in the letter while demanding division of big voters list into A and B while keeping two separate rooms at the same polling station. The former CM has warned of launching an agitation against the Election Commission if their demands were not met with. Key accused in Rs 2,500 cr crypto scam arrested: Himachal Police Accused Milan Garg (35), a resident of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended on Wednesday night from the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata while he was trying to flee to Bangkok in Thailand, police said SHIMLA : THE Himachal Pradesh Police has arrested one of the masterminds of a Rs 2,500-crore cryptocurrency scam, which was unearthed in the state in 2022, from Kolkata, officials said on Thursday. Accused Milan Garg (35), a resident of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, was apprehended on Wednesday night from the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata while he was trying to flee to Bangkok in Thailand, they said. Garg, who was allegedly involved in designing and marketing of a fake cryptocurrency, was later brought to Shimla, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Northern Range, Abhishek Dhullar told PTI. Garg, who earlier fled to Dubai after the scam came to light, had returned to India in June and was again leaving the country when he was detained at Kolkata airport. The accused has been arrested and brought to Shimla, said Dhullar, who is heading SIT probing the case. The accused, the main associate of kingpin Subash Sharma who is still at large, was involved in designing of the cryptocurrency, software development and marketing, Dhullar said, adding that he would also convince prospective investors. The cryptocurrency scam, which has duped thousands of people, started in 2018 but came to light in 2022 as the perpetrators of the fraud had threatened the investors to keep their mouth shut or lose money. The investors smelled something fishy when they did not get money in return, but the victims did not come out openly against the fraudsters. However, later hundreds of victims came forward and uncovered the modus operandi of scammers and so far over 300 complaints have been received in this regard. Police have arrested 26 people in connection with the case and charge sheets have been filed against 70 people so far. Some of the main accused arrested included Hemraj, Sukhdev, both from Mandi and Arun Guleria and Abhishekh from Una district of Himachal. The scammers lured people by promising handsome returns in a short span of time and built a network of investors. People from different sections of society, including policemen and teachers, got involved in the scheme for quick returns. Mah Govt taps PPP route By Sagar Mohod : Maharashtra Government is tapping Public Private Partnership (PPP) route for establishment of new Radiology Centres at public hospitals in the State with an aim to strengthen healthcare facility for people. Alongside setting new units, private players will also be tasked with upgradation of existing Radiology units at Government Medical College and Hospitals (GMCHs) to better existing medical services. For the same, Directorate of Medical Research (DMER) has identified 19 GMCHs across the State. Apart from straightening the infrastructure at these public hospitals, the State is also easing the financial burden that entails in purchasing these costly medical equipment, maintenance, salary of staff and, most importantly, timely replacement post advancement in technology. Also, with the State Government already deciding to establish medical college in each district, the accompanying need of a full-fledged public hospital requires heavy investment in creating the infrastructure. Given the financial constraints in setting up labs, the State opted for PPP mode to establish Radiology Centres. As per the policy, the private player will be entrusted with Development, Operation and Maintenance of a statewide network of radiology laboratories for affixing advanced imaging machines like CT, MRI and PET-CT in Maharashtra. The Radiology Centres through PPP mode will be on design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) basis and, for this, GMCHs have been divided into two clusters, one is Mumbai (Cluster A) and second Nagpur (Cluster B). Further, the hospitals are segregated as Brownfield (where entire Radiology unit will be on PPP mode), and Greenfield (where part of the Centre will be run by a private party). Under Nagpur Cluster, there will be Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College, Vishnupuri, Nanded (Brownfield), Shri Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College, Yavatmal (Greenfield), Indira Gandhi Government Medical College & Hospital, Nagpur (Greenfield), Swami Ramanand Tirth Rural Government Medical College, Ambajogai, Beed (Brownfield), Dr Vaishampayan Memorial Government Medical College, Solapur (Brownfield), Government Medical College, Nagpur (Greenfield), and Government Medical College, Chandrapur (Brownfield). In Mumbai list, the hospitals being covered include Shri Bhausaheb Hire Government Medical College, Dhule, Government Medical College, Aurangabad, (both Brownfield), Grant Medical College and Sir J J. Group of Hospitals, Mumbai (Greenfield), St George's Hospital, Mumbai (Brownfield), Gokuldas Tejpal Hospital, Mumbai (Greenfield), Cama & Albless Hospital, Mumbai (Brownfield), Padma Bhushan Vasantraodada Patil Government Hospital, Sangli (Greenfield), Government Medical College Hospital, Miraj, Sangli (Brownfield), Government Medical College Baramati, Pune (Brownfield), Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Government Medical College and Sassoon General Hospitals, Pune (Brownfield), Rajarshee Chattrapati Shahu Maharaj Government Medical College and Chhatrapati Pramilatai Raje Hospital, Kolhapur (Brownfield), and Vilasrao Deshmukh Government Medical College, Latur (Brownfield). DMER said, the facility would be utilised for training of medical students in the Radiology Centres under the long-term concession agreement. As per the policy, the Clusters will be granted operational period of 11 years in first term with the option of extension for an additional period as per the terms of concession agreement to be inked between respective authorities and the concessionaire. When asked about the scheme, Dr Aarti Anand, Head of Department, Radiology, GMC, Nagpur, stated that DMER has finalised the policy that is surely going to benefit new GMCHs as they will have high end scanning machines from the beginning. The charges for Government Hospital patients would be reasonable, and as to other private patients, it would be dependent on the private party running the facility. However, DMER would finalise the details of charges during the discussion while inking agreement with the concessionaire, she added. She praised the DMERs decision of going for PPP mode in Radiology Centres saying that even otherwise there is shortage of Radiologist in the Government sector. With entry of private players perhaps Government Medical Colleges can benefit largely. However, lot of policy details is yet not clear, whether the centre would function independently or GMCs would have administrative control. In time to come as the labs are set-up the details would emerge. GMCH to get PET-CT scan facility, aid in early cancer detection As to Nagpur end, Dr Aarti Anand said, at their college, PET- CT machine is going to be installed by the private party, as same is most advanced that comes handy for detection of range of cancers, heart diseases, neurological conditions, infections and PUO (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin). For a Radiology Centre about 1500 to 2000 sq.ft. land is required and the private operator would set up the machines. As per the agreement, the patients referred by GMC would get preference at the centre. The private operator can also cater to needs of patients outside the Government run hospital, although the policy is yet not clear. Asked about the future scope, Dr Anand agreed that as inventions in medical science progress rapidly, various advanced machines are coming up. So in case GMCs need new high end machines, they would no longer have to wait for State finance as the private players might install them at existing Radiology Centres. TEHRAN, July 19 (Xinhua) -- One policeman was killed and another one injured in a "terrorist" drive-by shooting attack on a patrol unit in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan, the official news agency IRNA reported on Friday. The "terrorist" attack took place Thursday night in Saravan County, when the "armed passengers" of a sedan opened fire at the police patrol unit, wounding two officers, IRNA quoted a statement by Sistan and Baluchestan police as saying. One of the injured police officers, identified as Mahmoud Motahhari, succumbed to his wounds after being transferred to the hospital. Authorities have launched a manhunt to apprehend the perpetrators. Sistan and Baluchestan province, which shares borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan, has experienced several terrorist incidents targeting both civilians and security forces in recent years. This photo taken on July 18, 2024 shows the scene of the 45th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) in Accra, Ghana. The meeting opened Thursday in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, with a focus on education as a key driver of growth, inclusion, and improved quality of life. (Photo by Seth/Xinhua) ACCRA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The 45th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) opened Thursday in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, with a focus on education as a key driver of growth, inclusion, and improved quality of life. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Ghana's minister for foreign affairs and regional integration and host of the ministerial sessions, urged the prioritization of education goals as central to the development and prosperity of Africans. Botchwey said Africa should use education as a tool to harness the collective strengths of citizens to find solutions to its challenges, as education fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity, adding that "these are the skills essential for thriving in the 21st century." She suggested Africa should build dynamic educational systems that would lay a solid foundation for the future and ensure sustainable development and economic growth. "In today's digital age, geographical boundaries should not constrain access to quality education. We must invest in developing inclusive and accessible digital learning platforms with access to a wide range of educational resources," Botchwey said in her opening remarks. The minister called for inclusiveness to be at the heart of the continent's education policies and for the promotion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education among girls as a crucial tool for achieving gender parity in society. The four-day meeting serves as the sixth mid-year coordination meeting for regional economic communities to deliberate on pressing issues of economic integration, intra-regional trade, and operations. This photo taken on July 18, 2024 shows the scene of the 45th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) in Accra, Ghana. The meeting opened Thursday in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, with a focus on education as a key driver of growth, inclusion, and improved quality of life. (Photo by Seth/Xinhua) This photo taken on July 18, 2024 shows the scene of the 45th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) in Accra, Ghana. The meeting opened Thursday in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, with a focus on education as a key driver of growth, inclusion, and improved quality of life. (Photo by Seth/Xinhua) This photo taken on July 18, 2024 shows the scene of the 45th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) in Accra, Ghana. The meeting opened Thursday in the Ghanaian capital of Accra, with a focus on education as a key driver of growth, inclusion, and improved quality of life. (Photo by Seth/Xinhua) This photo taken on July 25, 2022 shows a 5G base station constructed by China Tower in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. With over 3.8 million 5G base stations now operational across China, the widespread adoption of 5G is delivering substantial benefits to both individuals and businesses, offering unprecedented convenience and a wealth of opportunities.(China Tower/Handout via Xinhua) NANJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- With over 3.8 million 5G base stations now operational across China, the widespread adoption of 5G is delivering substantial benefits to both individuals and businesses, offering unprecedented convenience and a wealth of opportunities. China Tower, responsible for constructing the majority of these communication base stations, positions itself as a fundamental pillar of the country's digital economy. "Only by providing robust communication infrastructure services, can the advancement of emerging industries like the industrial internet, artificial intelligence (AI) and the metaverse be facilitated," said Chen Xiaojie, head of the information department at China Tower. Covering a total area of 101 square km, Jiangsu Huai'an Industrial Park in eastern China features an Internet of Things platform and AI analysis system supported by the 5G network, which can transmit and analyze the pollution and safety risk data of chemical enterprises in real time. On the screen in the park's command center, the status of an enterprise's liquid sulfur storage tank field is displayed and updated. Real-time data measuring the tank's temperature, pressure and liquid level are sent to the command center. The data and images collected by the toxic gas probe and related camera in the tank field are analyzed by AI, and the progress and results of risk elimination are updated in real time. As a large number of the park's companies are involved with the storage and production of hazardous chemicals, safety is a prerequisite for everything. The park's 5G wireless network coverage has helped improve the update frequency of data transmission in environmental monitoring equipment from 20 seconds to one second. Nowadays, high-speed train passengers frequently engage with their smartphones, sending messages and streaming videos. However, ensuring reliable communication signals for the high-speed railway poses a challenge, particularly in the Yangtze River Delta region, with its dense network of rivers and lakes. Under these circumstances, the construction of communication base stations is not only geographically inconvenient, but also needs to be done carefully to avoid disturbing the environment. The high-speed railway that connects Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, and Shanghai, passes over several lakes, including Gehu Lake with 166.7 square km. To keep cell signals strong during the cross-lake section, the construction team placed 48 individual poles along both sides of the 8.5-km bridge deck. As the designed antenna height is closer to the train window, this type of pole can better ensure high-speed signal stability when combined with signal enhancement technologies. During the operational tests, 5G network coverage rate in the section of Gehu Lake reached 100 percent, with an average download speed of 381 megabits per second. It also saves about 30 million yuan (about 4.2 million U.S. dollars) compared to the conventional plan. Telecom towers are not just infrastructure for 5G networks but also multi-functional participants in the digital era. Along the 97.8 km of the Yangtze River shoreline in Taizhou City, Jiangsu, over 70 telecom towers equipped with 93 three-dimensional surveillance cameras are monitoring pollution, illegal sand mining and other behaviors, and alerting the command center via video images identified by AI. "The local environmental protection department incorporates our video detection technology into its workflow," said Shen Changjun, a department manager at China Tower's Jiangsu branch. Alarms are typically identified within five minutes, with on-site response and resolution achieved within 20 minutes. The communication tower can also help monitor forest fires. In a forest area in Jiangsu's Wuxi City, the telecom towers with a height of 35 meters can provide a good vantage point for observing forest fires and function as electric guards after being equipped with cameras such as the thermal imaging camera. From safeguarding the Yangtze River to monitoring forest fires, telecom towers transcend their role as mere infrastructure providers in the digital age. By integrating with the Internet of Things and AI, they become an integral, perceptible force in digital transformation, playing a pivotal role in digital governance and empowering a myriad of industries. This photo taken on June 13, 2024 shows a command center that monitors pollution, illegal sand mining and other behaviors along the section of Yangtze River in Taizhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province. With over 3.8 million 5G base stations now operational across China, the widespread adoption of 5G is delivering substantial benefits to both individuals and businesses, offering unprecedented convenience and a wealth of opportunities.(Xinhua/Jiang Wenqian) This photo taken on Oct. 17, 2023 shows a 5G base station constructed by China Tower in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu Province. With over 3.8 million 5G base stations now operational across China, the widespread adoption of 5G is delivering substantial benefits to both individuals and businesses, offering unprecedented convenience and a wealth of opportunities.(China Tower/Handout via Xinhua) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (front) addresses the Opening of Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, July 18, 2024. Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that the Government of National Unity (GNU) will advance three strategic priorities over the next five years in a bid to promote economic growth and reduce poverty. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua) JOHANNESBURG, July 19 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that the Government of National Unity (GNU) will advance three strategic priorities over the next five years in a bid to promote economic growth and reduce poverty. "We have decided to place inclusive economic growth at the center of the work of the GNU and at the top of the national agenda," Ramaphosa made the remarks Thursday night while addressing the Opening of Parliament at Cape Town City Hall. The three strategic priorities include driving inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty and tackling the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical and developmental state. The president said the new South African administration will continue to pursue programs that encourage broad-based black economic empowerment, employment equity and support to small and medium-sized enterprises. "We will increase funding to land reform, prioritize the transfer of state land and improve post-settlement support by strengthening the institutional capacity of responsible structures," said Ramaphosa, who also vowed to forge a new inclusive growth path by pursuing a massive investment in infrastructure in the next five years. To create more jobs for South Africans, the government will focus on processing minerals to export finished products rather than raw commodities, according to the president. Ramaphosa pledged to expand investments in renewable energy for inclusive growth as the country has some of the best solar and wind resources in the world. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (3rd R) arrives at the Cape Town City Hall ahead of the Opening of Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, July 18, 2024. Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that the Government of National Unity (GNU) will advance three strategic priorities over the next five years in a bid to promote economic growth and reduce poverty. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (front) addresses the Opening of Parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, July 18, 2024. Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged that the Government of National Unity (GNU) will advance three strategic priorities over the next five years in a bid to promote economic growth and reduce poverty. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Xinhua) This undated photo shows a palm-size solar-powered drone designed by researchers at Beihang University in Beijing, capital of China. (Beihang University/Handout via Xinhua) BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A palm-size drone weighing less than a single sheet of paper has captured media attention this week. Tiny but mighty, the aerial vehicle can fly continuously as long as it receives sunlight, thanks to an innovative motor. The solar-powered machine was designed by researchers at Beihang University in Beijing, known for their expertise in aeronautical and astronautical research. The size and weight are now only 1/10 and 1/600 of the previous world's smallest and lightest solar-powered aircraft, respectively. Micro aerial vehicles have a host of applications, from environmental monitoring to search and rescue, making them versatile tools. They can perform specialized tasks such as capturing images, detecting objects, and transporting items in confined spaces. However, limited flight duration poses a significant obstacle to their usefulness. Traditional micro aerial vehicles use electromagnetic motors to power their rotors. However, a major problem always arises when the small motor overheats at high speeds, causing a sharp drop in energy conversion efficiency. Natural sunlight can be a potential alternative as an energy source, but the smaller a drone gets, the less surface area it has to collect sunlight, which ultimately can generate a limited amount of energy, lead researcher Qi Mingjing explained. In the study, published in the journal Nature on Thursday, the research team highlighted that traditionally, flying machines weighing less than 10 grams can only stay aloft for up to 10 minutes. To overcome the efficiency challenges, Qi and his colleagues developed an electrostatic motor that uses the Coulomb force, the force between electrically charged particles at rest, to generate continuous rotating motion. The drone's name, CoulombFly, also comes from this unique motor. A demonstration video presented by the researchers showed that the motor works by creating a circle of electric charges, which generates a twisting force to make a single blade spin like those on a helicopter. The advantage of such a motor is that it can effectively reduce heat, co-author Peng Jinzhe said. "This is because static electricity operates at high voltage and low current. The lower the current, the less heat it generates." The energy conversion efficiency of flying machines weighing less than five grams and powered by such static electricity could exceed 10 times that of traditional electromagnetic motors, with less than one-tenth of the power consumption required for the same lift, according to the study. Prior to this breakthrough, Harvard University researchers published a paper in Nature in 2019 introducing the Robobee aircraft they developed, that was once considered the highest level in the field of micro aerial vehicles. However, it relied on an artificial light source, equivalent to three times the intensity of natural sunlight for sustained flight. The new drone CoulombFly can achieve continuous flight solely relying on natural light, representing a significant leap forward, the researchers said. After further development, the new drone motor technology is expected to be applied in emergency rescue operations, narrow space detection and other similar scenarios, said Professor Yan Xiaojun, one of the lead researchers of the study. BRUSSELS, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Raging wildfires have claimed at least two lives and injured four others as of Thursday, as flames devastate mountain forests and vegetation in several southern European countries amid an intense heatwave. Two Italian firefighters lost their lives Wednesday afternoon during operations to extinguish a vegetation fire in Nova Siri, a municipality in the southern province of Matera, local authorities confirmed. Giuseppe Lasalata and Antonio Martino, both 45, fell from a cliff and died while trying to save a family from their burning house surrounded by vegetation. "They behaved like heroes," Nova Siri's Mayor Antonello Mele told the press. As an intense heatwave persists, wildfires have been breaking out on an almost daily basis in Italy, particularly in the south and on its islands. On Tuesday, a blaze near Rome disrupted rail connections between the Italian capital and the southern city of Naples. The urban temperatures in Rome are expected to top 38 degrees Celsius in the coming days. In Greece, four firefighters were injured on Wednesday, according to the country's Fire Department. One of them, a volunteer from Sofiko, reportedly suffered a heart attack and was transported to a hospital in Attica. Three other firefighters sustained minor injuries and were taken to Corinth Hospital. Firefighters have been called to handle dozens of wildfires in Greece every day since May 1. On Wednesday alone, 42 vegetation and forest fires were reported nationwide. Also on Wednesday, a wildfire in North Macedonia caused a major border crossing between North Macedonia and Greece to close, according to the Ministry of the Interior of North Macedonia. The crossing was a major hub for tourists travelling between the two countries. On Thursday morning, a devastating forest fire broke out in western Slovenia. By Thursday afternoon, the flames had raged on 150 hectares of land, though nearby villages are not yet endangered. Villagers were advised to keep their doors and windows shut due to heavy smoke. Over 200 firemen and four helicopters have joined the firefighting operation, which is expected to continue for several days, head of the operation Simon Vendramin told Radio-Television Slovenia. Slovenia is in its second week of extreme heat, with high temperature surpassing 37 degrees Celsius. Wildfires are causing havoc in several other countries in the region as well, including Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Croatia. Data from the Moldovan General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations showed that in the 24 hours between Monday and Tuesday alone, wildfires destroyed more than 120 hectares of forests and vegetation. It will take seven years and over 30,000 euros to restore the forest, the Moldovan Ministry of Environment said in a statement. Authorities in Spain have also warned of mounting forest fire risks as a heatwave sweeps across the southern and the northeastern regions. The peak of the extreme heat is expected on Friday, with temperatures surging to 44 degrees Celsius, the State Meteorological Agency predicted. Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Karol Cariola Oliva, speaker of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Gao Jie) BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Leji, China's top legislator, held talks with Karol Cariola Oliva, speaker of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies, on Friday in Beijing. Zhao, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that China has always regarded Chile as an important cooperative partner in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region, and is willing to work with Chile to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, continue their traditional friendship, upgrade their level of cooperation, and continuously enrich the connotations of the China-Chile comprehensive strategic partnership. Noting that Chile was the first South American country to establish diplomatic ties with the New China, Zhao said that over the past half century and more, China-Chile relations have maintained sound, steady growth regardless of changes in the international situation, setting a good example of solidarity and cooperation between developing countries. The two sides should consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen strategic alignment, enhance people-to-people and cultural exchange, and reinforce international coordination, he said. Zhao stressed that the NPC of China is willing to strengthen cooperation with the Chilean Congress, intensify friendly exchange at all legislative body levels, promptly approve and supervise the implementation of legal documents on practical cooperation between the two countries, and strengthen coordination and cooperation under multilateral mechanisms to safeguard the common interests of developing countries. Cariola said that the Chile-China friendship is based on common values, and that both countries are committed to upholding international law and supporting multilateralism and free trade. She said that Chile upholds the one-China principle firmly, and that political parties and all sectors of society in Chile are highly consistent in their development of relations with China. Next year will mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The Chamber of Deputies of Chile is willing to strengthen friendly exchange with the NPC of China, share legislative experience, enhance the friendship between the two peoples constantly, and promote bilateral cooperation in such varied fields as the Belt and Road Initiative, the economy, culture, and science and technology, Cariola said. Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Karol Cariola Oliva, speaker of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, July 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Gao Jie) A plane drops water during firefighting above the Serta mountain near Negotino, North Macedonia on July 16, 2024. (Photo by Tomislav Georgiev/Xinhua) Two firefighters have died and four others were injured this week as wildfires rage in several countries. BRUSSELS, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Raging wildfires have claimed at least two lives and injured four others as of Thursday, as flames devastate mountain forests and vegetation in several southern European countries amid an intense heatwave. Two Italian firefighters lost their lives Wednesday afternoon during operations to extinguish a vegetation fire in Nova Siri, a municipality in the southern province of Matera, local authorities confirmed. Giuseppe Lasalata and Antonio Martino, both 45, fell from a cliff and died while trying to save a family from their burning house surrounded by vegetation. "They behaved like heroes," Nova Siri's Mayor Antonello Mele told the press. As an intense heatwave persists, wildfires have been breaking out on an almost daily basis in Italy, particularly in the south and on its islands. On Tuesday, a blaze near Rome disrupted rail connections between the Italian capital and the southern city of Naples. The urban temperatures in Rome are expected to top 38 degrees Celsius in the coming days. Firefighters try to put out a fire in the forest at Keratea, southeast of Athens, Greece, June 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) In Greece, four firefighters were injured on Wednesday, according to the country's Fire Department. One of them, a volunteer from Sofiko, reportedly suffered a heart attack and was transported to a hospital in Attica. Three other firefighters sustained minor injuries and were taken to Corinth Hospital. Firefighters have been called to handle dozens of wildfires in Greece every day since May 1. On Wednesday alone, 42 vegetation and forest fires were reported nationwide. Also on Wednesday, a wildfire in North Macedonia caused a major border crossing between North Macedonia and Greece to close, according to the Ministry of the Interior of North Macedonia. The crossing was a major hub for tourists travelling between the two countries. A screen indicates an air temperature of 43 degrees Celsius at a park in Bucharest, Romania, July 13, 2024. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua) On Thursday morning, a devastating forest fire broke out in western Slovenia. By Thursday afternoon, the flames had raged on 150 hectares of land, though nearby villages are not yet endangered. Villagers were advised to keep their doors and windows shut due to heavy smoke. Over 200 firemen and four helicopters have joined the firefighting operation, which is expected to continue for several days, head of the operation Simon Vendramin told Radio-Television Slovenia. Slovenia is in its second week of extreme heat, with high temperature surpassing 37 degrees Celsius. Wildfires are causing havoc in several other countries in the region as well, including Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Croatia. An electronic screen indicates an air temperature of 37 degrees Celsius near the Colosseum amid a heatwave in Rome, Italy, July 12, 2024. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua) Data from the Moldovan General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations showed that in the 24 hours between Monday and Tuesday alone, wildfires destroyed more than 120 hectares of forests and vegetation. It will take seven years and over 30,000 euros to restore the forest, the Moldovan Ministry of Environment said in a statement. Authorities in Spain have also warned of mounting forest fire risks as a heatwave sweeps across the southern and the northeastern regions. The peak of the extreme heat is expected on Friday, with temperatures surging to 44 degrees Celsius, the State Meteorological Agency predicted. SoO pact with Kuki-Zo militants towards disintegration of Manipur | Oinam Nabakishore Singh, IAS (Retd) In his interview with Ms Pipy Chongloi, private you-tuber and Ms Karishma of The Print, youtube news channel, Dr Sailien Haokip, spokesperson of the Kuki National Organization (KNO), one of the signatories of Suspension of Operation (SOO) with the Government of India and Government of Manipur, made it abundantly clear that SoO agreement paves the way forward for a political dialogue and finally achieving political goal of forming Kukiland. Before arriving at the implications of the signing of SoO agreement, it is helpful to look back at the migration of Kuki-Zo community to Manipur in the past. British officers who were posted in Bengal and Assam in the 19th century narrates about migration of Kuki community to Manipur when they were driven out by more powerful Chiefs from the south-Chin State, Lushai Hills (present Mizoram), etc. The flow of Kuki-Zo people from the neighboring Chin State in Myanmar continues till now unabated as the border is not guarded and free movement is allowed. Privileges extended to the Kuki Zo community like reservation in jobs and educational institutions, free rice, and other social security by Government, and better opportunity vis-a vis Myanmar worked as pull factor for migration of Kukis to Manipur. Large tracts of vacant land in the hills, and welcoming attitude of the kindred tribes of Kukis already living in Manipur provide an attractive eco-system to permanently live in Manipur. The abnormal increase of population of Kuki-Zo community in Manipur in the last century establishes the migration from Myanmar, which otherwise cannot be accounted for by biological growth. While Kukis who have been living in Manipur for longer period would have internalized a little bit of nationalism of Manipur, new arrivals will always be trying to assert their own identity distinct from Manipuri. As the administrative machinery of the State has been weak, and further weakened by the insurgency from all the communities, Kuki-Zo community would always be putting in efforts to unite themselves for creation of a separate political identity. T Gougin formed Zomi National Congress (ZNC) at Churachandpur in 1972 with the object of unification of Zomi in India and Myanmar. He led a delegation of about 20 people and submitted a memorandum to this author in early 1986, when the latter was SDO at Parbung. The movement for Zo unification was a concerted effort across Myanmar and India. Zomi National Congress was a registered political party and it was active in Kalay, Tonjang and Tedim towns of Chin State in Myanmar. It got its candidates elected in Myanmar. While unemployment and poverty create fertile ground for youths to take to arms to resort to extortion, the cost of such activities is not insignificant. To lend credibility to their acts of terror and extortion, militant organizations invariably use the name of the tribe, which convey a message of trans-tribal movement. In order to control the resources in terms of money, arms and respectability, several groups emerged under the leadership of anybody who is willing to claim to be representative of the tribe. So, in late 1980s, several Kuki-Zo militant organizations sprang up in Kuki inhabited districts-Kangpopkpi, Tengnoupal, Chandel and Churachandpur and acquired arms from across the border. Kuki National Army, armed wing of Kuki National Organization was set up in 1988 with the objective of forming a Kukiland comprising of Kuki inhabited areas of Myanmar and India. Later on, Kuki National Army (Burma) operated only in Myanmar in collaboration with Peoples Defence Force of Myanmar against the junta Government in Myanmar. Indian armed forces have over the years suffered a lot of causalities at the hands of armed insurgent groups in the North East India. Government of India found it more prudent and practical to enter into truce with armed groups and engage in talks on the grievances of the latter. Such truce brings peace now, the underlying problem is hidden under the carpet, which will throw up subsequently. Shillong Accord was signed in 1975 between the Government of India and Naga National Council to end the Naga insurgency, and acceptance of Constitution of India by the Nagas. However, the agreement was short-lived as Isak and Th Muivah termed it as unacceptable and complete surrender to the Government of India. The revolt and infighting led to formation of Naga Nationalist Socialist Council (NSCN-IM), which engaged with the armed forces. After several rounds of talks abroad, Government of India persuaded NSCN (IM) to declare truce in 1997 and engage in political dialogues, which has dragged on till date without any conclusion. Considering the cost of confronting armed insurgent groups and buy peace, initially Assam Rifles entered into truce with Kuki National Organization and United Peoples Front, each comprising an assortment of sister armed entities in 2005. The truce was termed Suspension of Operation. Later on, the same was made more legitimate in 2008 by making a tripartite agreement involving Government of India and Manipur Government as signatories. Main terms of the SoO agreement was abstinence from armed conflict between armed groups of Kuki-Zo community and armed forces, while the arms and ammunition are to be kept under lock and key at designated camps. This arrangement suits both Kuki-Zo armed groups and armed forces of the Government of India, especially, Assam Rifles, which is entrusted with counter-insurgency tasks in Manipur. Payment of lump-sum amount of about Rs 5 lakh and monthly stipend of about Rs 5000 to each cadre was considered decent. However, even though SoO agreement is silent on formation of Kukiland, the representatives of the Kuki armed groups tried to raise the same at the tripartite meeting with Government of India and Manipur Government. Now, Dr Sailien Haokip, spokesperson of KNO has clarified that the objective of signing SoO is to facilitate dialogue on the demand for Kukiland. The intriguing question is whether Government of India ever agreed to discuss the political issue of formation of Kukiland in Manipur. One leader of a Kuki organization in his affidavit before the Court stated that the BJP leadership agreed to find solution to the political demand of Kuki armed groups while seeking the support of Kuki armed groups at the general elections in 2019 and 2022. Another relevant question to be asked to the Government of Manipur is why should it be a party to an agreement which has the hidden agenda of forming Kukiland out of the small territory of Manipur. It appears that the then Manipur Government was hoodwinked into becoming a party to SoO, which paves the way for fragmentation of Manipur. After the event on the 3rd May, 2023, the Kuki-Zo armed groups have found an excuse to demand for Separate Administration on the assertion by that Meiteis and Kukis cannot live together. In this game and scheme, both Government of India and Kuki-Zo militants have cleverly become winners, while the integrity of the State is now at stake. If the Government of India underestimates the patriotism of the people of Manipur to safeguard its integrity, it is in to see a wider conflict in future. While one tries to solve one problem, hundreds of new problems will emerge. Both Central and State Governments should gauge the sentiments of the people-Nagas, Kukis, Meiteis, Meitei Pangals- before embarking on any negotiation with armed Kuki militants. Historical facts like merger of Manipur with Union of India, territory of Manipur before merger, and need for space for everybody should be considered while talks are held. This video screenshot shows the site of a drone strike in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 19, 2024. An Israeli military spokesman said Friday that an initial investigation revealed that the aircraft that struck Tel Aviv early in the day was an Iranian-made drone launched from Yemen. A long-range drone exploded in central Tel Aviv early Friday in an attack claimed by Houthi forces that killed a man and injured at least ten others, according to Israeli sources. (Xinhua) JERUSALEM, July 19 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli military spokesman said Friday that an initial investigation revealed that the aircraft that struck Tel Aviv early in the day was an Iranian-made drone launched from Yemen. Israel Defense Forces' spokesman Daniel Hagari told a press conference at a military base in Tel Aviv that the investigators believe a Samad-3 drone was used for the attack. The drone underwent an upgrade to increase its range, he said, adding, "We believe it was launched from Yemen." The military was still investigating why the aerial defense systems did not intercept the aircraft or trigger air raid sirens, he said. According to Hagari, while the drone hit Tel Aviv, another drone attempting to enter Israeli territory from the east was intercepted, and a possible link between the two incidents is being investigated. Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant held a situation assessment meeting with the military's top commanders and warned that Israel "will settle accounts with anyone who harms the country or launches terror attacks against it." Video footage on social networks showed a drone flying low across Tel Aviv's shoreline before exploding just above buildings on a nearby street, near the U.S. embassy. The Houthi forces had claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed a man in his 50s and lightly injured about 10 others. A building damaged in a drone strike is seen in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 19, 2024. An Israeli military spokesman said Friday that an initial investigation revealed that the aircraft that struck Tel Aviv early in the day was an Iranian-made drone launched from Yemen. A long-range drone exploded in central Tel Aviv early Friday in an attack claimed by Houthi forces that killed a man and injured at least ten others, according to Israeli sources. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua) A car damaged in a drone strike is seen in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 19, 2024. An Israeli military spokesman said Friday that an initial investigation revealed that the aircraft that struck Tel Aviv early in the day was an Iranian-made drone launched from Yemen. A long-range drone exploded in central Tel Aviv early Friday in an attack claimed by Houthi forces that killed a man and injured at least ten others, according to Israeli sources. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua) In the Raniganj gold jewellery dacoity case, the Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate (ADPC) has arrested one Khalid Hussein of Barkibaghi in Bihar from Noida in Uttar Pradesh. With this arrest the total of arrests in the Raniganj gold jewellery showroom arrest case has now gone up to five. He has been forwarded in the Asansol court today and sought 14 days police custody. The kingpin of the racket who had received a bullet injury has already been arrested and taken into police custody. Advertisement Sunil Kumar Choudhury, Commissioner of Police (CP) of ADPC has told media persons that Khalid Hussein of Barkibaghi, under Hatua police station of Bihar, who has been absconding after committing the crime has been arrested by the special police team from Noida in Uttar Pradesh. This is one of the biggest achievements of the state police against dacoity cases in recent times. SI Meghnad Mondal, IC of Sripur Police outpost, fought bravely single-handedly from close range with his service revolver in Raniganj last month. Cops of ADPC also arrested another dacoit from Meghalaya. He has been hiding in the northeastern state after the crime. Gold ornaments have been seized from their possession. The state government has decided to pump in Rs 10,000cr more at Calcutta Leather Complex, which will generate an additional 2.5 lakh employment in the state, in addition to the existing 5 lakh employment with an eye to boost the employment generation to 7.5 lakh. Announcing the move at the state secretariat, Nabanna today, Alapon Banerjee, the chief adviser to the chief minister told news persons that the decision has been taken at a review meeting held by the chief minister Mamata Banerjee, which was attended by the chief secretary and other departmental secretaries along with the higher ranking officers related to the leather industry. In the review meeting presided over by the chief minister, it has been decided that an additional 187 tanneries and 139 footwear units at an investment of Rs 10,000cr will be set up there, as result of which it would generate an additional employment of 2.50 lakh, Mr Banerjee said. Advertisement Mr Banerjee further went on to add that the state government would pump in Rs 1,900cr for infrastructure build up there like solid waste management, roads and proposed to set up a drinking water project at an investment to the tune of Rs 475cr. These apart, the meeting also decided that HIDCO (Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation) will set up a leather mall near Alipore museum to streamline the marketing of the leather products. A Palestinian checks a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, July 19, 2024. At least 13 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded in an Israeli bombing on two houses in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources on Friday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua) GAZA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded in an Israeli bombing on two houses in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources on Friday. The Israeli bombing destroyed the two homes and caused significant damage to the surrounding homes, eyewitnesses reported. The bombing killed 13 people, including women and children, and injured dozens of others with varying injuries, medical sources told Xinhua. The Israeli army has not commented on the incident yet. Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and around 250 were taken hostage. Palestinians check a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, July 19, 2024. At least 13 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded in an Israeli bombing on two houses in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources on Friday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua) A man inspects a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, July 20, 2024. At least 13 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded in an Israeli bombing on two houses in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources on Friday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua) A man inspects a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, July 20, 2024. At least 13 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded in an Israeli bombing on two houses in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources on Friday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua) People inspect a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, July 20, 2024. At least 13 Palestinians were killed and dozens of others wounded in an Israeli bombing on two houses in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, said Palestinian sources on Friday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua) Chief minister Mamata Banerjee today expressed anguish and lashed out at the Centre for a series of train accidents continuing unabated, as she held the Centre responsible for its sheer indifference to the safety and security of the people, which she said had been overlooked again and again. On her X-handle, the chief minister wrote: Sad to know of yet another tragic rail accident today at Gonda, UP! Another derailment of train, this time of Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express! What are the railway authorities doing! What is the Government of India doing! Safety and security of passengers are paramount! when will the Government come to their senses? My condolences to the bereaved families, prayers for the injured, Miss Banerjee wrote. Advertisement Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghosh wrote on her social media handle: ANOTHER train accident. Accountability? Fixing responsibility? Thorough investigation on safety failures? Nope, for the non-biological prime minister @narendramodi lets take more selfies with world leaders instead. The North Bengal Tea Producers Welfare Association (NBTPWA), representing Bought Leaf Factory (BLF) owners in north Bengal, has voiced its concerns regarding the Tea Boards recent directive mandating the closure of all tea factories by 2 December. In a letter to the chairman of the Tea Board, the NBTPWA stated that the directive does not align with industry practices and poses challenges. The president of NBTPWA, Sanjay Dhanotia, stated that this sudden decision is causing issues for factory owners in north Bengal. Advertisement Notably, the last date for plucking and receiving in Sikkim, Darjeeling Hills and Terai Dooars has been set for 30 November. Furthermore, all processing and sorting of green leaf must be completed by 2 December. Factories must also inform the Board about their closure by 3 December and complete all necessary tasks by 13 December for CTC tea and 18 December for orthodox and green tea. However, Mr Dhanotia believes that this early closure is not a feasible solution as it will increase fixed costs and lead to further financial losses due to already existing crop shortages caused by weather conditions. On the other hand, the NBTPWA secretary Neeraj Podder argues that the tea crop pattern in north Bengal is different from other tea-growing states and closing factories early will disrupt their harvest cycle, resulting in poorer quality crops. They also mentioned that this issue was taken into account by TRA in their report on closing tea factories over the past few years. Overall, they believe that closing factories on 30 November will only worsen the situation instead of promoting better quality crops as intended. The NBTPWA acknowledged the Tea Board of Indias efforts to improve the quality of tea production, but argued that ending the harvest season early and limiting the growth of healthy crops will undermine its effectiveness. They have asked the Tea Board to reconsider its directive and allow the BLF sector to continue operating until there is a sufficient supply of high-quality leaves from Small Tea Growers (STG). It is important to note that BLFs rely on STGs supply. With a state-wide strike called by poultry traders, supply of chickens is likely to be badly affected in the city and districts leading to its price hike. This development comes at the backdrop of vegetable prices already pinching the pocket of the middle and lower middle class. Considering the situation, the state animal resources development (ARD) department officials held a meeting with striking traders on Thursday and urged them to withdraw the strike, its learnt. Advertisement In protest against the alleged police atrocities on traders, West Bengal Poultry Traders Association (WBPTA) has called a state-wide strike on and from Thursday for an indefinite period, affecting the supply of poultry in open market. The agitating members of the association alleged that police are fleecing from vehicles like matador vans carrying poultry birds, particularly at late night. Police also beat up drivers and traders if the latter refused to pay money to the former. Vehicles carrying birds from poultry farms unload at chicken shops in open markets in the wee hours every day. The WBPTA runs around 4,500 such vehicles across the state everyday. On 12 July, a helper of a matador van, loaded with birds, was beaten up severely at Belda in West Midnapore district when he refused to cough up Rs 500 demanded by a policeman, who was on duty at the spot. The helper sustained severe injury and was admitted to a nearby hospital, the association alleged. It also alleged that the poultry traders are facing the trouble of police atrocities for months but concerned administrations in the districts have not taken any action to stop the harassment. We have called a strike from Thursday, demanding safety and security for our drivers, helpers and other support staff. Police are yet to take action against the police involved in the Belda incident. Bengal requires around 2.20 crore kg chickens to meet up its weekly demands on an average. There might be a crisis in supply of chickens, leading to price hikes in the state if the strike continues, a poultry businessman said. On the other hand, West Bengal Poultry Federation does not support the strike called by the WBPTA. We strongly condemn the Belda incident on 12 July. We have urged the West Midnapore district police administration to take punitive action against the police personnel involved in the incident. The administration has already taken proper action in this regard but we do not support the strike, Madan Maiti, secretary of the federation, told The Statesman. Why will the consumers suffer? Whats their crime? I dont think that this strike is logical, Mr Maiti added. Sri Chinmoy Aspiration-Ground in Queens, New York, honoured tabla exponent Pandit Tanmoy Bose, with the prestigious Sri Chinmoy Culture-Light Award. This award is given to individuals with an extraordinary ability to illuminate humanity through their exceptional contributions in various cultural fields, including music, literature, visual arts, diplomacy, academics, and sports. Pandit Bose has played tabla around the globe. I am deeply humbled and honoured to have received the Sri Chinmoy Culture-Light Award. Sri Chinmoys teachings of peace and harmony resonate deeply with my ethos, and I am grateful for this recognition of my efforts to bring the ancient spirit of music to audiences worldwide. This award inspires me to continue my journey of spreading the light of music and fostering cultural understanding through my creative art, said Bose, the maestro. Advertisement Tyre manufacturer CEAT Ltd on Thursday reported a consolidated net profit to Rs 154.2 crore for the April-June quarter of 2024-25 which represents a 7 per cent increase over the corresponding figure of Rs 144.01 crore for the previous year, according to a company statement. On a consolidated basis, the RPG group companys revenue closed at Rs. 3,192.8crore, EBITDA margin stood at 12.2 per cent, a contraction of 124 bps vs Q4 FY23-24. The company said it incurred a CAPEX of Rs.254 crores during the quarter, largely from internal accruals, in order to meet rising demand ahead. Advertisement Arnab Banerjee, MD & CEO, CEAT Limited said: We are encouraged by the strong growth weve had in the replacement and export segments across all categories during the quarter. Despite facing margin pressure from significant increases in raw material costs and ocean freight, we are actively mitigating these challenges through strategic price adjustments. Our strategic focus on passenger car tyres has begun to yield positive results. Looking ahead, we anticipate continued momentum in volume throughout Q2 and beyond, he added. The Aam Aadmi Party welcomed the Delhi High Courts decision to stay the demolition notices issued by the Railway Department against several slum settlements in the city on Friday. The ruling came after an appeal from the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) was made before the court. Addressing a press conference, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the Central agencies of illegally demolishing slum settlements and underscored that the targeted slums are listed in DUSIB records, ensuring legal protection against such actions. Advertisement Bharadwaj claimed that the Delhi government has a firm policy and slums cannot be demolished without providing the residents with permanent housing first. Responding swiftly to the notices issued by the Railway Department, the Delhi government had approached the High Court, which recognized the illegal nature of the actions and granted a stay on the demolition notices. Minister Bharadwaj also visited the Flying Club JJ Camp near Sarojini Nagar to inform residents of the courts decision. He added that We will not allow a single slum to be demolished until every resident has been provided with a permanent house. This is not just a policy. It is a law that the agency that demolishes the slums is responsible for providing permanent housing in the same area, he asserted. Delhi Finance Minister and senior AAP leader Atishi on Friday said that the people of the city have demanded Rs 10,000 crore from the income tax that they pay to the central government every year. She claimed that the amount was just 5 per cent of the income tax paid by the residents of Delhi, and added that the Centre may spend the rest of the money on making roads and hospitals across the country, but Delhi should also get its rightful share. Addressing a press conference ahead of the Centres budget presentation, Atishi has requested for releasing more funds for the national capital, so the same can be used for the citys infrastructure and other important purposes. Advertisement The minister has claimed that last year Delhi paid around Rs 2.32 lakh crore as tax, and added that in return, the city did not get any money. The minister, replying to a question said that in 2001 when the citys budget was around Rs 8,000 crore, the Centre had released Rs 325 crore for Delhi as share of central taxes, and since then up till last year Delhi was being given Rs 325 crore. However, she claimed that last year the Centre did not even give that rs 325 crore to Delhi. Atishi has said that other states get thousands of crores from the Centre, but it was not the case with Delhi. The minister further said that a part of the tax paid by the people last year, which amounts to Rs 35,000 crore, came to the Delhi government, and the same was spent on the people of Delhi, for providing facilities like 24-hour free electricity, free medical treatment, roads and flyovers to the people. The AAP leader further claimed that Maharashtra, which sends Rs 5 lakh crore tax to the central government, in return, gets Rs 54,000 crore from the Centre. Income tax of about Rs 2 lakh crore goes to the Centre from Bengaluru, and in return, it gets Rs 33,000 crore, she added. She further accused the central government of meting out a step- motherly treatment to Delhi, alleging that it is taking money from the people of the city, but not giving any amount in return. Atishi also said that the budget of the central government, which is for the whole country, is going to be presented on July 23, and last year in 2023-24, the central government had kept a budget of Rs 45 lakh crore for spending across the nation. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Friday held a Vikas Sabha in Nangloi Jat Legislative Assembly, in a bid to speed up the development work in the villages. Reiterating the Kejriwal governments commitment to provide all facilities to the people living in rural areas, Rai said that development work worth Rs 13 crore is being done in the villages of Nangloi Jat assembly constituency. In order to ensure development in the villages of Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had constituted the Delhi Gram Vikas Board. This year, the government has kept a budget of Rs 900 crore for the development of Delhis villages, under which development works related to roads, drains, water bodies, community centres, parks, playgrounds, crematoriums, etc are being done to provide better amenities in the villages. Development work is being done in the villages of Nangloi Jat Vidhan Sabha with an expenditure of Rs 13 crore, he said. Advertisement The Minister further informed that under the tree plantation campaign, a target of planting/distributing more than 64 lakh saplings has been set this year, which will be accomplished with the cooperation of all green agencies. He said during the tree plantation campaign, the work of free distribution of medicinal plants has been started. Medicinal plants are being distributed free of cost from the government nurseries of Delhi, so that people can participate in increasing the green cover of Delhi by planting trees in their homes The important guarantee that we had given to the people of Delhi at the time of elections was that we had set a target of planting 2 crore saplings in 5 years to improve the environment of Delhi. The government has already achieved the target of planting 2 crore saplings in the fourth year of its tenure. This target has been achieved by the green agencies of all the 21 departments concerned, added Rai. Tishaa Kumar, daughter of actor-producer Krishan Kumar and cousin of Bhushan Kumar, passed away at the young age of 20. According to a statement from her family, she was going through a prolonged battle with an illness. The incident happened on Thursday. A statement released by T-Series read: Tishaa Kumar, daughter of Krishan Kumar, passed away yesterday after a prolonged battle with an illness. This is a difficult time for the family, and we kindly request that the familys privacy is respected. Though the family has not shared the cause of her illness, media reports suggest that she was suffering from cancer for many years. She was reportedly going through treatment in Germany, where she finally took her last breath. Advertisement Tishaa was born on September 6, 2003, to Krishan Kumar and Tanya Singh. She made her last public appearance at the premiere of the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Animal on November 30, 2023. Actor- producer Krishan Kumar Dua is best known for his appearance in Bewafa Sanam (1995). He has co- produced many films including Lucky: No Time For Love, Ready, Darling, Airlift and many more. Tishaa s mother Tanya Singh is daughter of composer Ajit Singh and sister of actress Nattasha Singh. Ram Charan expressed his gratitude at being chosen as the guest of honour for the upcoming 15th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), set to take place from August 15-25 this year. Hosted annually by the Victorian State Government, the festival serves as a vibrant celebration of Indian cinema on a global stage. The news was officially announced by the IFFM on their social media platforms, generating a wave of excitement among fans. In their announcement, they enthusiastically welcomed Ram Charan, referring to him as a Global Star and teasing his presence with the question, Are you excited or ARE YOU EXCITED? Ram Charan, known for his impactful roles in Indian cinema, will not only grace the festival as the guest of honour but will also be recognized with the prestigious Ambassador for Indian Art and Culture award. This accolade highlights his significant contributions to the industry, underscoring his role in shaping the narrative of Indian cinema both domestically and internationally. Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ram Charan (@alwaysramcharan) Reflecting on his upcoming participation, Ram Charan expressed his deep honor in being part of IFFM, emphasizing the festivals role in celebrating the diverse facets of Indian cinema. Its a privilege to represent our film industry and connect with fans and cinephiles from across the globe, he remarked in a statement shared by his team. Ram Charans recent cinematic endeavors, notably his role in the acclaimed film RRR directed by SS Rajamouli, have garnered global acclaim. The films song Naatu Naatu not only resonated with audiences worldwide but also received prestigious accolades including a Golden Globe and an Oscar. Ram Charan eagerly anticipates sharing these achievements and celebrating Indian cinemas rich tapestry at the festival. As anticipation builds for the event, Ram Charan looks forward to engaging with audiences in Melbourne and showcasing the cultural vibrancy of Indian cinema on an international platform. His presence at IFFM promises to be a momentous occasion, marking a celebration of cinematic excellence and cultural exchange. BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Amid the vibrant summer vacation season, He Yuling is lately occupied managing her bed-and-breakfast (B&B) nestled at the foothills of the Great Wall for guests from all over the world. "We have received over 5,500 guests in the past month, generating a total revenue of 600,000 yuan (about 84,169.18 U.S. dollars)," said He, 55. Spanning approximately 3,500 square meters, He's B&B is situated in Shixia Village, near the iconic Badaling Great Wall Scenic Spot in Beijing's suburban Yanqing District. Dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Shixia was once hindered by its remote location and poor transportation. However, thanks to the popularity of the nearby Great Wall, the village has seen a cultural tourism boom in recent years. He was born in Qianlyuzhuang Village, which is also located near the scenic spot. When she visited Shixia in 2014, she was immediately captivated by its tourism resources related to the Great Wall. "The presence of the Great Wall in almost every corner of Shixia is a major draw for both locals and tourists," she explained. Capitalizing on this attraction, she leased 12 dilapidated courtyards from local villagers and transformed them into a B&B named "Shiguang Great Wall." The houses blend traditional Chinese architecture with modern comforts. Guests can savor views of the Great Wall from the courtyards, gaze at the starlit sky through glass roofs and revel in the melodic echoes of wind chimes in the mountains, He said. The tranquil and inviting ambiance has catapulted the B&B to widespread acclaim, resulting in a total revenue of 6 million yuan in 2023. He recently expanded the amenities to include a bookstore and a cafe, catering to the diverse needs of tourists. During the farming off-season, some villagers worked part-time at He's B&B to supplement their incomes. The increasing number of tourists has spurred more residents to convert their own courtyards into B&Bs. With a population of just over 100, Shixia now boasts 21 B&Bs, collectively generating more than 8 million yuan in income in 2023, with the per capita income for villagers reaching 36,221 yuan. Among those benefiting from the tourism boom is Liu Yuqing, who juggles a hectic schedule as a guide, narrating the village's history to tourists, while running a B&B. She has seen her annual income rise by over 40,000 yuan as a result. The Great Wall stands as China's preeminent cultural legacy, consisting of walls scattered across 15 provincial-level regions, with Yanqing alone boasting considerable Great Wall resources stretching 179.2 km. Last year, Yanqing topped all Beijing districts in holiday tourist traffic, with the Great Wall serving as a magnet for visitors from home and abroad. According to Ye Dahua, head of the Yanqing district government, more cultural resources tied to the Great Wall will be developed, infusing new vitality into local tourism. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma suggested that Rahul Gandhi should be made the brand ambassador of population control in India, hoping that this would result in an immediate decline in the states population growth. Addressing the issue of population on Thursday, Sarma remarked, I believe it is the Congresss responsibility to tackle the population problem in Assam because people listen to Congress leaders. If Rahul Gandhi becomes the brand ambassador for the population control drive, we will see a drastic decrease in population growth starting tomorrow. Elaborating on Gandhis influence among certain demographics in Assam, especially in Muslim villages, he said, If not instantly, it will happen eventually because they listen to him, not me. They consider me their enemy. If you visit a Muslim village and ask them to choose between listening to Himanta Biswa Sarma or Rahul Gandhi, everyone will say they will listen to Rahul Gandhi. Similarly, if you ask them to choose between Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi, they will still choose Rahul Gandhi. Advertisement Sarmas remark can be seen in the context of the concern he raised at a press conference in Jharkhand on Wednesday over the issue of overpopulation in Assam. He said the changing demography was a big issue for him as the Muslim population had jumped to 40 per cent in Assam from 12 per cent in 1951. Addressing the press conference, he claimed that the Muslim population in Assam has reached 40% today from 12% in 1951. We have lost many districts. This is not a political issue for me. It is a matter of life and death for me, he added. The chief minister emphasised that Gandhis involvement could be crucial in addressing the population issue. Therefore, when it comes to population control, if anyone can play a significant role, it is Rahul Gandhi, and no one else, Sarma concluded. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday warned that the government will not tolerate malpractices or irregularities, including collection of money from eligible persons, in the implementation of various ambitious schemes in the state. CM Shindes warning came during his virtual meeting with the divisional commissioners, district collectors, and chief executive officers of the zilla parishads on Thursday evening. The various schemes announced in the budget and the state legislature with an eye on the forthcoming Assembly elections included the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, Mukhyamantri Yuva Karyaprashikshan Yojana, Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana, free higher education scheme for girls, Pilgrimage Darshan Yojana, Mukhyamantri Baliraja Power Concession, and the Mukhyamantri Vayoshri Yojana. Advertisement Collectors and divisional commissioners should be vigilant to avoid malpractices or irregularities in the implementation of the schemes. If some elements are found indulging in malpractices in the registration of the beneficiaries, the matter should be reported and stopped immediately. In the case of Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, if anyone demands money from eligible women at the time of enrolment, strict action will be taken against them. Not only should they be suspended, a case should also be filed against them, the Chief Minister said. The district collectors should keep an eye that no one cheats the eligible women in this scheme, he added. The Chief Minister also directed the officials to take effective action to reach the beneficiaries of these schemes, as he asked them to prepare a list of the beneficiaries on a war footing for the effective implementation of the various schemes. He also directed the appointment of a coordinating officer for each scheme at the district level and to review it every week. Women and Child Welfare Department Secretary Anup Kumar told the CM that 59 lakh applications have been filed online and 1.5 lakh applications offline under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana. A record 7.5 lakh applications were received in a single day, he said. A health worker accused of molesting a girl at Kozhikode Beach Hospital was on Friday suspended from service pending investigation. A police complaint was lodged by the victims father alleging that physiotherapist B Mahendran Nair molested his daughter while the girl was receiving physiotherapy from the hospital. He has been suspended on the direction of Health Minister Veena George. Advertisement The girl, who has been undergoing physiotherapy at the hospital for a month, was subjected to alleged molestation by Mahendran B Nair on Wednesday. The incident occurred when the regular female health worker was attending to another patient, and Mahendran stepped in to provide treatment. He allegedly molested her while administering the treatment. The girl confided in her female physiotherapist about the incident the next day. The accused had recently been transferred to Beach Hospital from another district. A case has been registered against him under Sections 75 (1), 76, and 79 of BNS. Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju inaugurated Lok Samvardhan Parv in New Delhi on Thursday. As part of its 100 days programme, the Ministry of Minority Affairs is organising Lok Samvardhan Parv to showcase the schemes, programmes and achievements of the Ministry. It is also highlighting the activities undertaken in convergence with partner organisations and success stories under its various schemes. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Rijiju said, The event Lok Samvardhan Parv is organised by the Ministry of Minority Affairs to give a platform to the talented artists supported by various welfare schemes launched by the Minority Ministry. We also provide them with a platform where they can put up their stalls and sell their items I am happy that we could start this program in the first 100 days of our government. It is Prime Minister Narendra Modis idea of reaching out to each section of societyIt is a 10-day festival at the Dilli Haat Advertisement The Minister released a coffee table book on the schemes and achievements of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Further, a credit plan of the National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) for extending credit of over Rs 1000 crores to over 2.5 lakh beneficiaries during 2024-25 was also released by the Minister, as per an official statement. It added that the Lok Samvardhan Parv is showcasing schemes and programmes and achievements of the Ministry of Minority Affairs through a poster exhibition. Besides, unique schemes and success stories of state channelizing partners of NMDFC are also exhibited in the Lok Samvardhan Parv. Lok Samvardhan Parv is celebrating and showcasing over 70 exquisite handicraft and handloom products from various states made by 162 artisans belonging to various minority communities. These participants include artisans promoted under various schemes of the Ministry through NIFT, NID and other Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs). Further, the artisans have also been nominated by the respective state Channelising Agencies of NMDFC, the release stated. The technical glitch in Microsofts servers has caused significant disruptions at Raipur Airport, leading to the cancellation of six flights scheduled for Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru on Friday. This server issue has also impacted airlines, TV broadcasts, banking services, and various corporate operations globally. As a result of this technical issue, Chhattisgarh Finance Minister O.P. Choudhary missed his scheduled arrival in Raipur from Delhi for the Cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. The glitch has caused extensive disruptions with check-ins and ticket bookings globally, leading to numerous flight delays and cancellations. Flights affected at Raipur Airport include Kolkata-Raipur-Kolkata (6E 7215/6E 7216), Hyderabad-Raipur-Hyderabad (6E 7248/6E 7249), Mumbai-Raipur-Mumbai (6E 2371/6E 5049), Bengaluru-Raipur-Bengaluru (6E 978/6E 979), Delhi-Raipur-Delhi (6E 2094/6E 5347), and Kolkata-Raipur-Kolkata (6E 417/6E 801). Advertisement Raipur Airport Director S.D. Sharma reported that the technical issue is affecting not just Raipur but airports across the country, leading to manual processing and delays. He expressed hope that the problem will be resolved soon and services will return to normal. Following the outage of Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 services, there has been speculation among experts about a possible virus attack on the companys systems. According to Dell Technologies, the issue stems from a recent update by CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity platform that provides security solutions. CrowdStrike has denied any virus attack and stated that they are actively working to resolve the issue and have identified its cause. Citing environmental concerns and illegal activities, the Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA) in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday announced that no tents will be allowed in the popular tourist resort without proper permission. Gulmarg Development Authority CEO Waseem Raja, in a communique, said that to protect the eco-fragile zone of Gulmarg and maintain its status as a world-famous tourist destination, the installation of tents will now require prior permission from the authority. The directive comes in response to the increasing number of tents being set up without proper authorisation, leading to issues such as littering, illegal parking on green slopes, lighting fires on greens, and law and order problems, it said. Advertisement Visitors wishing to install tents in Gulmarg must apply for permission via email at gulmarggda@gmail.com or through WhatsApp at 8803993001. No tents will be allowed without prior approval from the GDA, the communique added. After Uttar Pradesh, the Uttarakhand government issued an order to dhaba and hotel owners on the highways, on the Kanwad Yatra route, to display their names and mobile numbers as Kanwad devotees started coming to Haridwar and Rishikesh from July 22. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami justified the move claiming that there were complaints of several shopkeepers using fake names to engage in illegal activities. The chief minister said on Friday that disclosing the names of the dhaba and hotel owners along the route the Kanwad devotees take should not be seen as a controversy but as a decision to set things in order. This is not a new decision. It was decided on 12 July when we were reviewing the preparations for Kanwad Yatra, he added. Advertisement In his justification for the move, he cited complaints that some people who opened their shops with fake names were found involved in unwanted activities. What is the harm in disclosing the names of hotel owners if they have nothing to hide, he asked. This decision is not targetted against anyone. Why should anyone have a problem with this decision? The basic aim of the move is the identification of the people as there have been several crimes with fake identities, added the Uttarakhand chief minister. It is noteworthy that the issue of fake hotels along the routes of Kanwad devotees was raised in the interstate police coordination committee meeting held in Dehradun early this month. This was followed by the Kanwad Yatra preparation review meeting headed by Dhami. The Uttarakhand governments decision came a day after the Yogi Adityanath Government in Uttar Pradesh announced a similar announcement. Pensioners and elderly citizens are essential stakeholders in making a developed India by the year 2047, said Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh here on Friday. He said the government is simplifying procedures related to disbursal of pensions in order to provide to beneficiaries ease of living, and consign their energies to the task of nation building. Dr Singh was speaking at the 54th Pre-Retirement Counselling Workshop organised by the Department of Pension and Pensioners Welfare under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions at Convention Centre, Jammu. Advertisement The Government is utilising the latest and best available technology to minimise delays and improve the administrative procedures concerning pension, the Minister said. He stated that the government has resolved to utilise the expertise of retiring employees and make them part of a Team India which has been tasked with realising the goal of a developed India. The Union Minister said that under the patronage of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the government has ushered in revolutionary administrative reforms and done away with colonial, archaic and obsolete rules and laws. All this has been done to ensure citizen-centre governance, with increased transparency, accountability and ease of living, he pointed out. Dr Singh informed that divorced daughters and widows as well as spouses of missing or disappeared government servants, particularly in J&K, are now entitled to receive pension, which was not the case in the past. Dr Jitendra Singh said that facial recognition technology is now being used to issue Digital Life Certificates (DLC) to pensioners to prevent fraud, bring in ease and comfort as well as save time and energy of the pensioners. The government hit upon this best form of technology to improve upon the existing biometric based system, he underlined. Similarly, the government has introduced human intervention in Artificial Intelligence. This unique and out-of-the-box initiative is aimed at gathering feedback from complainants through the setting up of a Human Desk with a human touch, he highlighted. The Union Minister expressed delight at the success of CPGRAMS which is an online platform available to the citizens round-the-clock to lodge their grievances to the public authorities on any subject related to service delivery. This success story is being emulated by Bangladesh, the Maldives and South Africa, he informed. These sessions have been curated to make the retirees aware of the process to be followed and forms to be filled pre-retirement and to provide information about the benefits available to them post-retirement. A detailed session on the various Investment modes, their benefits and investment planning will also be organised to enable the retirees to plan investment of their retirement funds well in time. There will also be a detailed session on the CGHS system, CGHS portal, facilities provided as well as procedures to be followed to avail CGHS benefits. It is expected that about 250 retirees, due to retire in the next 9 months, will benefit hugely from this Pre-Retirement Counselling (PRC) workshop. The Department will continue to hold such workshops, as part of Good Governance to ensure a smooth and comfortable transition for Central Government retirees. The department is taking all efforts to keep them updated of the Government initiatives being taken so that they can avail all the benefits, post retirement Analysts are now evaluating the ramifications of the recent assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump. There is a growing perception that such incidents reflect a trend where individuals resort to violence to amplify their voices, supported by certain segments of the political class driven by personal agendas. An article penned by a former IPS officer in an English daily further intensified the ongoing debate on Thursday. Advertisement Adding to this discourse, Sudhanshu Trivedi, BJP spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP, voiced apprehensions about the rising prevalence of violent rhetoric in political discussions. He pointed to incidents such as the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the recent attack on US Presidential candidate Donald Trump as troubling instances of global political violence. Trivedi pointed out, Statements that incite violence and assassination are often inspired by political parties using terms like violence and murder for short-term gains. Its unfortunate and alarming that such provocative language is being directed towards PM Narendra Modi. He specifically aimed at Rahul Gandhi, criticising the Congress leader for repeatedly using derogatory language against the Prime Minister. In a message for Rahul Gandhi, Trivedi said, This politicking with national security has persisted for a long time. If you have assumed the role of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, demonstrate some maturity. Meanwhile, many analysts believe that India is not exempt from such political practices, which have become increasingly prevalent over the past decade. Prime Minister Modi has been consistently targeted over various trivial issues. Political observers argue that PM Modis popularity and his success in challenging the long-standing dominance of certain political factions (Congress) have provoked a negative campaign by the opposition. Politicians of this persuasion have often defended their accusations against the PM under the guise of freedom of speech. According to analysts, what is particularly surprising is that the Congress, despite having lost two of its Prime Ministers, has shown no hesitation in endorsing this practice against PM Modi. During the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, the grand old party engaged in provocative rhetoric against PM Modi. Unfortunately, the political class seems to overlook the fact that PM Modi has been a prime target for terrorists. Congress and other Left-leaning political groups seem to have forgotten incidents like the serial bomb blasts near Patnas Gandhi Maidan during Narendra Modis rally as the prime ministerial candidate in 2013. Theres no denying that political opponents have consistently used provocative language and made derogatory remarks against PM Modi ever since he assumed office a decade ago. Analysts recall a statement by Rahul Gandhi, who said, People are no longer scared of him, following a security breach in PM Modis cavalcade in June. Rahul Gandhi had also said in 2020 that within six to eight months, PM Modi would be unable to step out of his home without facing attacks from unemployed youth. In January 2022, PM Modis security convoy was delayed for about 20 minutes on a flyover in Punjabs Ferozpur district due to roadblocks set up by protesting farmers. The ruling Congress swiftly blamed the Special Protection Group (SPG) and dismissed the incident as political drama, absolving the state police of any responsibility. Furthermore, the opposition parties, particularly led by the Congress, failed to condemn the threatening remarks made against PM Modi by certain farmers and students. Imran Masood, elected to the Lok Sabha from Saharanpur on a Congress ticket in 2024, had issued explicit threats of violence against the BJPs PM candidate back in 2013. Despite this, the Congress leadership has consistently maintained an association with him. These instances indicate that the political discourse is veering toward a direction that could endanger the life of a leader like Narendra Modi, who has been elected as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive term due to his popularity and strong rapport with different grassroots communities. Undeterred over criticism by the opposition and even NDA partners, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday ordered displaying names of owners of shops situated along the Kanwar yatra path in the entire state. Earlier, the district authorities of Muzaffarnagar followed by Saharanpur and Shamli had given this order early this week, but now it has been given for the entire state. Even neighbouring Haridwar district authorities in Uttarakhand too have given such orders. Advertisement SP President Akhilesh Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati and UP Congress have already opposed the decision taken by the Muzaffarnagar authorities. Taking a strict stand on this matter, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has clearly said that shopkeepers will have to write their names on Kanwar routes in the entire state. Amidst the debate and war of words between the opposition and ruling party leaders, shopkeepers and street vendors were seen putting up nameplates in front of their shops which include their names and other details since Thursday evening. Along with the leaders of opposition parties, NDA allies have also opposed the move by the UP government. The Kanwar Yatra begins on July 22 in the holy month of Shravan in which around 5 crore people in UP participate. JD(U) leader KC Tyagi said that an even bigger Kanwar Yatra takes place in Bihar, no such order is implemented there. The restrictions that have been imposed are a violation of the Prime Ministers slogan of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas. This order is not applicable in Bihar, Rajasthan and Jharkhand. It would be good if this should be reviewed. UP RLD president Ramashish Rai in a tweet on X said that the administration in UP directing shopkeepers to write their name and religion on their shops is a step that promotes caste and sect. The administration should take it back. This is an unconstitutional decision. Congress MP from Saharanpur Imran Masood said that this is an order promoting hatred and action should be taken against such officers. On the other hand, BJP leader Sangeet Som has supported the order and hit back at Akhilesh Yadav. Muslim religious leader Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi said that this instruction was given to make arrangements to prevent Hindu-Muslim confrontation and I support it. The Maulana alleged that Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav is politicizing the issue. I request him not to create division between Hindus and Muslims. UP Minister of State for Skill Development Kapil Dev Aggarwal said that the opposition is unnecessarily giving importance to the matter. Whats the harm in transparency? The rules are not for any caste or religion. Shopkeepers from all over the society have been asked to do so. Former Union Minister Dr. Sanjeev Balyan wrote in a post on X that the order issued by Muzaffarnagar Police, in which writing names at all shops, which is mandatory for all, is a pre-existing system. During the 2013 riots, the SP governments order of compensation of Rs 5 lakh considering only Muslims as displaced was a religious discrimination. SP MP from Muzaffarnagar Harendra Malik said that politics should not be done in the name of Muzaffarnagar. Everyone has to maintain communal harmony. WARSAW, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A series of celebration events kicked off in Warsaw's Old Town Square to mark the 71st anniversary of its reconstruction on Friday. This square, along with parts of the Old Town streets were destroyed during World War II and were officially reopened in 1953 after five years of reconstruction. During this year's anniversary, over 40 cultural institutions in Warsaw's Old Town have prepared nearly 100 diverse cultural activities, including visits, concerts, workshops, exhibitions, and film screenings. Some areas of the Old Town that are usually closed to the public will also be open for cultural visits. Karolina Ziebinska, director of the Museum of Warsaw, said, "Together with other Old Town institutions, we organized a grand celebration of last year's 70th Birthday of the Old Town." As she pointed out, the idea of such an anniversary was also born out of the need for joint, active cooperation between numerous cultural institutions of Warsaw's Old Town. That is why they decided to organize it as a regular event. "We hope that through this collaboration, we can attract not only tourists but also provide a rich and diverse cultural experience for the residents of Warsaw," she said. A highlight of this year's anniversary is the over 400-year-old golden mechanical clock at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, which has finally reopened to visitors. This unique clock features four faces, each depicting different expressions of a sun-shaped human face: sad, indifferent, smiling, and joyful. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the clock's reactivation after its reconstruction in 1974. The cultural events of the 71st anniversary of the Old Town's reconstruction will last for three days, until July 21. India on Friday sought to play down US Ambassador Eric Garcettis comments that there is no such thing as strategic autonomy following Prime Minister Narendra Modis trip to Russia. India values its strategic autonomy. The US ambassador is entitled to his opinion. We have a Comprehensive Strategic Global partnership with the US. We agree to disagree while respecting each others point of view, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing. The US has been highly critical of the PMs visit to Russia in the midst of the Ukraine conflict. The US envoy had gone to the extent of saying that India should not take the relationship with the US for granted. Advertisement The Indian spokesperson said India and the US have a lot of issues to discuss and both sides engage with each other on several aspects of the relationship. We discuss all issues that are of interest to both parties. It is not our practice to share details of diplomatic conversations. As search operations are continuing in Shirur village in Karnatakas Uttara Kannada district to trace the lorry driver from Kerala who went missing after a massive landslide, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah requesting him to expedite rescue operations and deploy radar for the search. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans office was in touch with Karnataka Chief Ministers office to expedite the search for the truck driver from Kozhikode, Arjun, whose vehicle got trapped under a mudslide at Shirur in Ankpla in Uttara Kannada district on Tuesday. Chief Minister Vijayan has asked Chief Secretary Dr V Venu for coordinating with the Karnataka Government to extricate the vehicle and its driver from the mud blocking the arterial road. Advertisement The truck driveres family has filed a missing person complaint at the Chevayur police station in Kozhikode. The Kozhikode District Police was also in touch with their counterparts in Karnataka. Some of Arjuns relatives have filed a similar petition at the Ankola police station in Uttara Kannada district. Meanwhile, Kerala Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar told media persons in Thiruvananthapuram that the government had belatedly learned of Arjuns failure to return to his family after his inter-state trip. He said the truck was registered in Kerala and equipped with a GPS. Ganesh Kumar said that according to preliminary information, the truck carrying logs remained trapped under a pile of mud. He said the cabin was sturdy enough to keep the driver alive. The vehicle data received by the manufacturer showed that the driver had started the engine twice in the past four days. And at times, Arjuns mobile phone came online. However, the trucks location remained unchanged for several days, Ganesh Kumar said. Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan, said he had contacted Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Sivakumar to speed up the rescue operations Congress leader KC Venugopal and the partys MP from Kozhikode, MK Raghavan were in touch with the Karnataka Government, seeking to rescue the truck driver, Arjun. Meanwhile, Arjuns family is pinning hope on his return as his mobile phone was ringing even on Friday morning. They revealed that Arjun contacted them on Monday after which there has been no communication from him. Arjun, a native of Kannadikkal in Kozhikode, went missing while driving the truck loaded with wood from Jagalpet in Zoida Ramanagara to Kerala after a massive landslide on the National Highway in Shirur, Ankola in Uttara Kannada district. The incident occurred on Tuesday at 4 am. Another vehicle, a car carrying a family, is also trapped, sources said. Arjun was last seen drinking tea at Shirur Lakshmana Naiks canteen before the incident. The Americans are a very lucky people. Theyre bordered to the north and south by weak neighbours, and to the east and west by fish. Bismarck had supposedly made such a remark. Russia has similar geopolitical advantage. It is 74 per cent larger than the US and is the most powerful post-Soviet state. It is a member of the UN Security Council and has the worlds largest nuclear arsenal. In 2021, Russia held natural resources amounting to an estimated value of 75 trillion US dollars. Today, Europe is in awe of Russias growing military muscle. If Donald Trump wins the American presidential election, Natos vulnerability could be further exposed. Many European experts wonder if Nato will survive Trumps second presidency. As of now, Russias northern neighbour China both competes and co-operates with Moscow. But there is no alliance between the two. The economy and demography are Russias twin vulnerabilities. But Moscow is not sitting idle. Its footprint is growing in Africa and, to a lesser extent, in Latin America. And it worries the West. Is the West paying a price for its resigned nihilism? It erred in thinking that the Cold War was over and history had ended. Geography, they say, is often the mother of history. If Francis Fukuyama proclaimed the end of history, protagonists of the information revolution pronounced the end of geography. Today, the world has realised that geography has not gone away. Our experience suggests history is peculiarly reluctant to give direct answers to such questions. Fukuyama now says that he isnt even sure that liberal democracy existed in the US. Fukuyama described the US under Trump as the epitome of kakistocracy, a government of the worst, not the best kind. Advertisement American writer Robert D. Kaplan argues that what were witnessing now is geographys revenge. He says that Putin has used geography to his advantage. He has acted according to geopolitics, the battle for space and power played out in a geographical setting. Today, Russian presence in Africa has begun to worry the West. The US doesnt seem to have any interest in confronting it. As Europe and the US have withdrawn, Russia and China have stepped in. The Sahel region in Africa has seen withdrawal of American and French forces. As Foreign Policy journal points out, in April, the Pentagon announced withdrawals of U.S. military forces from Chad and Niger, two key U.S. partners in counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel region which are turning to Russia for security assistance. The military junta in Niger which seized power in a coup last year showed no hesitation in ordering U.S. personnel to leave a $100 million drone base. Neither Wests neo-colonialism nor Moscows exceptionalism explains adequately why Moscow has established a credible presence in Africa. Russias growing clout cannot be attributed to Russias love-bombing the continent. A Carnegie report says that Moscow is taking advantage of Western policy missteps, growing anti-European sentiment, and longstanding failures of international agencies. Many African countries see Russia as a security partner by choice and as such they turn to Moscow. In the last three years, coups have brought the military to power in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The military regimes expelled the French and other Westerners were forced out, perhaps emboldened by support from Moscow. This partnership extends to oil and mining sectors as well. Unlike the West, Russia doesnt lecture African regimes on democracy and human rights. Russias engagement with Africa goes deeper as a Polish Institute of International Affairs study suggests. The creation of the Africa Corps by Russia, says the report, is a measure of its assertive approach to expand its military presence in Africa. Compared to China which has expanded its footprint in Latin America, Russias presence is modest. It is a different matter though that the Biden Administration has identified both China and Russia as strategic competitors. Washington accuses Moscow of undermining US influence in the Americas by sponsoring like-minded regimes including in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua and fomenting unrest in democratic states. Russias media presence in Latin America has grown manifold. The Spanish language affiliates have millions of followers on You Tube channels, Facebook and X. Russia considers Latin America and the Caribbean as a strategic region where it is slowly gaining confidence to demonstrate its hard power. While economic ties remain modest, Russias influence is growing in diplomatic and security affairs in the region. Last month, in its global power projection, a group of Russian Navy ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, arrived in Cuban waters. Earlier this month the World Bank upgraded Russia from an upper-middle income country to a high-income one. Despite crippling sanctions which mean the country faces more individual sanctions than Iran, Cuba and North Korea, the Russian economy returned to growth in 2023. The contours of global strategic competition are changing fast. Western analysts believe that Russias interest in Africa and Latin Americas vast resources may have a bearing on supply chains. Russias interest in the continents vast resources will have repercussions for important supply chains. Whatever the West may claim, Africa has embraced Russia and China as the Western powers have practically deserted the continent. The factors that have facilitated Moscow include absence of colonial legacy in the region and Russias capabilities to provide weapons and arms. Russian companies like Rosneft, Lukoil, Gazprom, Novatek, and Rosatom have expanded their activities in Africa. To the West, Russia is a strategic spoiler. No-limit strategic partnership with Beijing notwithstanding, Russia has reason to be wary of China. The two countries are competing for influence and strategic resources in Central Asia. Ariel Shangguan of Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou, China raises a perplexing question, are China and Russia friends or just friendly? He refers to a Sino-Russian joint statement prior to the Ukraine war. While the Russian version used the term friendship, the Chinese version used the word friendliness. As Isaac Stone Fish writes in the Washington Post, Russia is vulnerable to Chinese territorial encroachment. Since China has supplanted Russia as the most influential nation in Moscows traditional geopolitical backyard, Moscow has more to fear from Beijing than Washington. That may be far-fetched. However, the demographic imbalance between an overpopulated China and an underpopulated Siberia and Russian Far East are like a red rag to a bull. (The writer is director, Institute of Social Sciences, Delhi) In a recent Wall Street Journal a rticle by Isabelle Bousquette, academics from Brown, Columbia and Cornell University complained that universities in the United States are finding it difficult to keep up with research in artificial intelligence (AI) because it is simply too expensive to do so. The development and training of large AI models require substantial computing power, often beyond the reach of individual universities, particularly because of the prohibitive costs of developing models from scratch and bringing them up to the level of computing sophistication that could be meaningful for the industry. Consider, for example, that training OpenAIs biggest models cost much more than $50 million to $100 million last year. American universities, usually known for an incessant and irreverent competition for upstaging one another are now pooling resources to ensure that they do not get left behind in the research and innovation curve in the AI age. Moreover, their concern is that they do not want to be rendered irrelevant for the industry and lose their quintessential role in providing the talent pipeline for the tech firms at the forefront of AI innovation. The state of New York, as an example, has taken the lead to collaborate with seven universities including Cornell University, Columbia University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute among others to set up a consortium of public-private fund called Empire AI. This $400 million fund is focused on promoting responsible and cutting edge AI research in universities across the state. In the past three decades, the Indian economy has surged to a large extent on the back of its computing talent with companies like Infosys and TCS making their place in the global tech supply chains. It is no news that Indian tech talent is considered an essential element in the magic mix of large and growing tech firms. However, it is also a fact that in recent times even the best of technology schools, such as the IITs have found it hard to place their students with the industry. Advertisement Part of it is indeed due to poor market conditions. Yet, part of it is because of a mismatch in the level of skills that the top league of the industry players are demanding and what computer science institutes are able to produce. This to be clear is no deficiency on part of the schools or the students. It is simply a challenge of a lack of funding. Despite poor market conditions, globally AI startups have been defying trends and raking up billions of dollars in funding. According to data from Crunchbase, investments in artificial intelligence (AI) startups surged to $24 billion from April to June, more than doubling compared to the previous quarter. The need for a talent pool that can lead these AI startups and existing tech behemoths exists and will grow despite market fluctuations in other fields. To capitalize on this, India would need to bring in public and private funds to keep our computer science departments well-funded and at the cutting edge of AI innovation. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this is a national priority because much of our economy does depend and will depend on the competitiveness of our tech talent. To be fair, the India AI Mission seems to do exactly that. It is a publicprivate partnership, approved by the cabinet in March 2024, with a planned US $1.25 billion investment outlay to expand Indias computing infrastructure and establish an accessible data repository. It also comes with an India AI Innovation Centre (IAIC) an academic centre that envisions to retain research talent in AI. However, the IITs and NITs seem to be left out of the picture in the grand scheme of things associated with the India AI Mission. If the interim budget of February 2024 is any indicator then the overall spend on IITs is on the decline. In the February budget the government allocated Rs 10,324 crore on IITs and Rs 212 crore on IIMs, a reduction of Rs 60 crore and Rs 119 crore respectively, compared with FY24s revised estimates. These allocations were not only an absolute decline but they also shrank in proportion to the overall budget. The new budget for the financial year due to be presented on July 23 has an opportunity to save Indias tech talent and its long term economic backbone. (The writer is Research Manager to Dr. Kaushik Basu, Department of Economics, Cornell University, and CEO, Insights International.) The prospect of Ukraine joining Nato has long been a contentious issue, but the statements by former Russian President and current deputy chairman of its Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev have elevated the stakes to a new level of tension. Mr Medvedevs stark warning that Ukraines accession to Nato would be akin to a declaration of war underscores the gravity with which Russia views this potential development. Natos leaders recently pledged to support Ukraine on its path to full Euro-Atlantic integration, including eventual membership in the alliance. However, they strategically left open the timing of such an event, reflecting an awareness of the delicate geopolitical situation. This cautious approach is essential, as any premature or overly aggressive moves could trigger severe repercussions. Mr Medvedev, who once appeared as a proWestern moderniser during his presidency from 2008 to 2012, has since adopted a more hawkish stance. His current rhetoric reflects a broader shift in Russian politics towards a more aggressive and confrontational approach to the West. His comments highlight Russias perception of Nato expansion as an existential threat, a view that has been consistent since the alliance began including countries from eastern Europe. From Russias perspective, Natos enlargement is seen as a direct challenge to its sphere of influence and national security. This perception fuels a narrative that positions Russia in opposition to what it sees as Western encroachment. Mr Medvedevs statement that Ukraines Nato membership would be a delayed declaration of war reflects this deep-seated suspicion and animosity. The implications of this viewpoint are profound. If Nato were to fast-track Ukraines membership, it could provoke a severe response from Russia, potentially escalating into open conflict. Mr Medvedevs mention of a nuclear apocalypse if the situation deteriorates underscores the catastrophic risks involved. Such a scenario would not only destabilise the region but could have far-reaching global consequences. Nato must navigate this situation with extreme caution. Advertisement Supporting Ukraine is crucial, especially given the on-going conflict and Kyivs aspirations for closer ties with the West. However, this support must be balanced with efforts to avoid further provoking Russia. Diplomatic engagement, clear communication, and strategic patience are essential to managing this complex and volatile situation. Mr Medvedevs transformation to a vocal proponent of hard-line policies reflects the broader shift in Russias geopolitical stance. This evolution is critical to understanding the current dynamics at play. It serves as a reminder that international relations are fluid and subject to rapid changes based on internal and external pressures. Nato leaders must weigh their support for Ukraine against the risks of escalating tensions with Russia, and strive for a solution that ensures stability and peace while respecting the sovereignty and aspirations of all nations involved. The path forward requires a delicate balance of firmness and diplomacy. Of course, all parties to the conflict will have their eyes peeled on the American election in November; a Trump presidency will change many of these equations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made a surprise visit to Gazas Rafah, pledging to uphold Israeli control over the Rafah crossing and the entire Gaza-Egypt border, even if a ceasefire-hostage agreement is reached. Netanyahu on Thursday received briefings from commanders in Rafah, which Israeli ground forces have seized since early May, and observed the Philadelphia Corridor, the border area between Gaza and Egypt, Xinhua news agency reported. I got here stronger in the understanding that our control of the Philadelphia Corridor and the Rafah crossing is essential for the future, Netanyahu said in a video statement, surrounded by soldiers. Advertisement He noted that next week he will travel to Washington to address the US Congress, adding that he will present the righteousness of the controversial ongoing Israeli onslaught in Gaza. Netanyahu made the statement as an Israeli delegation was in Cairo for more talks on the agreement. The control over the Rafah crossing and the Philadelphia Corridor is a major sticking point in the talks. Israeli officials, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, have said that Israel would agree to withdraw from the area under a deal that would secure the release of about 120 hostages still held in Gaza. Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with Karol Cariola Oliva, speaker of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies, in Beijing, capital of China, July 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Gao Jie) BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Huning met with Karol Cariola Oliva, speaker of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies, on Friday in Beijing. Wang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said in recent years, China-Chile relations have continued to develop in depth, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. He said China is willing to work with Chile to consolidate political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, carry out people-to-people and cultural exchanges, strengthen multilateral strategic coordination, and continuously enrich the connotation of China-Chile comprehensive strategic partnership. The CPPCC stands ready to strengthen exchanges with Chile and contribute to the development of bilateral relations, Wang added. Cariola said Chile attaches great importance to developing a comprehensive strategic partnership with China, and Chile abides by the one-China principle, admires China's development achievements, and is willing to learn from China's successful development experience. Chile stands ready to deepen Belt and Road cooperation with China, and strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of science, technology, education, economy and trade, Cariola said. The Chilean Chamber of Deputies is willing to contribute to deepening the friendship and cooperation between the two countries and create more benefits for the two peoples, Cariola said. Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with Karol Cariola Oliva, speaker of the Chilean Chamber of Deputies, in Beijing, capital of China, July 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Gao Jie) Job Title: Project Assistant (Advocacy) (2 NGO Jobs) Organisation: Lutheran World Federation Duty Station: Kiryandongo and Adjumani, Uganda Reports to: Team Leader and Advocacy Officer About the Company: Lutheran World Federation is widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in over 20 countries. We seek to bring people of all backgrounds together in the common quest for justice, peace, and reconciliation in an increasingly complex and fragmented world. Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Uganda is part of the LWF World Service and we are currently supporting Congolese and South-Sudanese refugees living in settlements in the districts of Kamwenge, Adjumani, Moyo, Kyangwali and Lamwo respectively. Job Summary: The Project Assistant (Advocacy) will lead in the implementation of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) project in Kiryandongo and Adjumani Districts. They will be responsible for aligning the project with rights-based approaches at community level to ensure that communities are able to access their fundamental rights, and meet their needs, not through service delivery by external actors, but by structural changes where duty-bearers (local and district) hold themselves accountable and ensure implementation. The project Assistant (s) will ensure strong coordination with the Partner Agencies, District Local Government, NGOS, CBOs and Local Leaders within the settlements and host communities in Kiryandongo and Adjumani districts. Key Duties and Responsibilities: In this role the Project Assistant will be responsible for supporting project implementation, ensuring quality and results. Lead the overall implementation of the UPR Local to Global project and other advocacy initiatives at the local level Lead in coordinating the implementation of the project with the other partner agencies, Local government and CSOs at the sub program level Ensure effective project financial resources management, efficient procurement and logistical services at the sub program level Support planning, monitoring and evaluation activities of the project, in articulation with the Project Manager and M& E Officer Ensure all project work includes a strong gender and child protection analysis and works to promote children and womens rights, including gender equity Follow-up project activities on a daily basis, with project partners and donors, to guarantee smooth implementation of administrative and operational activities of the project Also be responsible for fundraising and proposal writing for advocacy initiatives and ensure timely reporting to donors Provide logistical support for workshops and other meetings as tasked by the project manager and Advocacy officer Ensure that project-related internal reporting requirements are met, and that reports are of a high quality and are submitted in time Maintain up-to-date files and records of project documentation Represent LWF in district level platforms, working groups and to donors, UN agencies, government officials, national civil society and NGOs Perform other duties of similar nature assigned by the Team Leader, Advocacy Officer and Project Manager Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The applicant for the Lutheran World Federation Project Assistant must have; A university degree in Law or Human Rights with a specialty in Regional and International Human Rights Mechanisms Experience in human rights practice, CSO shadow reporting and access to justice programming Experience of implementing humanitarian and development programming using the rights-based approaches for 3-4 years Experience of working with the Local Government, specifically coordinating and liaising with Justice Law and Order Sectors in the District Previous experience from working in complex contexts and with the vulnerable groups in the local settings Skills Computer literacy and Knowledge of office software packages (MS Word, Excel) Excellent documentation skills The ability to ride Honda XL-125 Motorcycles and in possession of a valid riding license Strong planning and communication skills The ability to multi-task and work with short deadlines Flexibility in accomplishing tasks The ability to cope and work under pressure Well-organized, self-motivated and able to work in a team Effective in written and verbal communication in English Attention to detail of project documents Demonstrated compassion for refugees, asylum seekers, displaced people Strategic planning abilities Availability and willingness to work extra hours NB: LWF/WS is an equal opportunity employer, irrespective of gender, race or religious affiliation. LWF/WS is a signatory to the Code of Conduct for humanitarian agencies. Our recruitment and selection procedures reflect the organizations commitment to the prevention of abuse and exploitation of beneficiaries. Only Shortlisted Applicants will be contacted! How to Apply: All candidates should apply online at the link below. Click Here Deadline: 2nd August 2024 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Date Posted 2024-07-18T22:03 Valid Through 2024-08-03T00:00 Employment Type FULL_TIME Hiring Organization Lutheran World Federation Job Location Kampala, Kampala, Kampala , 0256, Uganda Related Jobs After a massive Microsoft outage, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said the issue has been "identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed." Companies across several industries including airlines, banking and media were hit on Friday by a global outage related to Microsofts Azure cloud platform and software issue at Crowdstrike, a cybersecurity firm. Taking to X, Kurtz assured that it was not a cyberattack or a security issue. "CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, and isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website," said Kurtz. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024 He also urged the organisations to communicate with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. While acknowledging the error, CrowdStrike said, "Our Engineers are actively working to resolve this issue and there is no need to open a support ticket." Also Read | Microsoft outage hits global airlines, banking; SpiceJet, IndiGo, Akasa issue alerts The outage was caused by an error in the cybersecurity platform Falcon, which secures Windows systems. Businesses across Australia, Japan, India and other countries were hit due to the outage. Long lines were formed at airports in the US, Europe and Asia as airlines lost access to check-in details and booking services due to the glitch. Microsoft 365 authorities said that the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact and that they were observing a positive trend in service availability. Meanwhile, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu said his ministry and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are actively managing the situation arising out of a global Microsoft outage. Also Read | Microsoft outage explained: The reason, impact and how the company responded The civil aviation ministry in collaboration with AAI has implemented manual backup systems to maintain operational continuity, Naidu said in a statement. Since the check-in processes are carried out manually, long queues are witnessed at the airports. The minister advised the passengers to cooperate with the airport staff. The ministry said it is "committed" to minimising inconvenience and ensuring the well-being of all travellers. "I have directed airport authorities and airlines to be compassionate and provide extra seating, water, and food for passengers affected by delays," said Naidu. Naidu also said, the ministry understands passengers' concerns and it is working to ensure a safe and swift travel of people. "We have instructed all airlines and airport authorities to keep passengers informed about their flight status and provide necessary assistance," Naidu said, adding that additional measures include regular updates on flight status and deployment of extra staff to assist passengers and address their concerns. Also, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) after its assessment said that around 10 banks and non-banking financial companies experienced minor disruptions that have either been resolved or are currently being addressed. In a separate statement, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the ministry are closely monitoring the situation, and instructions have been issued to private airlines to promptly inform passengers about the disruptions. "Our teams are working diligently to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to minimize inconvenience to passengers," Mohol added. A cyber outage caused major panic across the world, as it affected IT systems in India, the US, Germany, the UK among other countries, disrupting airports, banks, media and telecom, and even 911 services. Microsoft services such as Outlook, OneDrive and OneNote, Xbox App, Microsoft Teams, PowerBI and Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft 365Admin Centre, Microsoft Purview and Viva Engage were affected by the outage. The cause Microsoft said its outage started on Thursday, with customers experiencing issues with multiple Azure services. Azure is a cloud computing platform that provides services for building, deploying, and managing applications and services. A configuration change within the backend infrastructure of Azure may have caused the outage, a few media reports suggested. On its Azure cloud software status report site, Microsoft said the service experienced "failures with service management operations and connectivity or availability of services. While the cause, exact nature and scale of the outage was unclear, Microsoft appeared to suggest that the situation was improving. The company reportedly said it is taking "mitigation actions" to deal with "the lingering impact" of the outage. ALSO READ: Microsoft outage hits global airlines, banking; SpiceJet, IndiGo, Akasa issue alerts According to a BBC report, Crowdstrike, a cybersecurity company that builds software, issued a software update that went wrong, affecting Windows devices, and causing "blue screen of death" on PCs. Had it been a Windows issue, it would have been more widespread, a cyber correspondent of the news outlet noted. Microsoft 365 said in a tweet that the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion and that they were observing a positive trend in service availability. The impact of the outage Airports and airlines across the world, including India, Japan, Australia, the UK, and the UK have been impacted by the outage. Delays and flight cancellations have been reported in airports across the globe. Booking and check-in services of IndiGo, Akasa Airlines and SpiceJet among others were affected in India. SpiceJet said due to "technical challenges" with its service provider, it activated manual check-in and boarding processes across airports, while Akasa Airlines due to "infrastructure issues with service provider" online services, including booking, check-in and manage booking services have been temporarily suspended. US airlines, including American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines reportedly cancelled flights. American Airlines has said that no flights are being allowed to take off. Trading has been impacted in India, with brokerages Nuvama Wealth Management, Edelweiss Mutual Fund, Motilal Oswal, IIFL Securities, 5Paisa Capital and Angel Broking facing technical glitches. Several major oil and gas trading desks in London and Singapore were struggling to execute trades due to a cyber outage, reported Reuters. Media services too have been hit. Sky News in the UK went off air owing to the outage. A major Microsoft technical outage on Friday disrupted banking, media operations and global flight services across the world, including in India. The tech giant said its outage started at about 6 pm ET (IST 3:30 am) on Thursday with customers experiencing issues with Microsoft 365 apps and Azure service. This led to the cancellation of several flights in the Central U.S. region and banks. The cause, exact nature and scale of the outage was unclear, though a new Crowdstrike (cybersecurity software firm) update is being cited as the cause of the outage, which has impacted Windows-based desktop and laptops. Though Microsoft said the issue was fixed early Friday, but companies across the U.S. and Europe were still reporting problems. The company clarified "a small subset of services is still experiencing residual impact." In India, Akasa Air, IndiGo and SpiceJet reported issues with booking and check-in following which several airlines, grounded planes and disrupted flight operations at Delhi and Mumbai airports. While Akasa Airlines cited "infrastructure issues with our service provider" for the temporary unavailability of online services, including booking, check-in, SpiceJet announced activating manual check-in and boarding processes across airports. It also requested passengers with upcoming travel plans to arrive at the airport earlier than usual. IndiGo too warned that systems were currently impacted by a Microsoft outage. In the US, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines and Allegiant Air ordered ground stops. Spain too reported a "computer incident" at all its airports. Ryanair, Europe's largest carrier, also warned passengers of potential disruptions which it said would affect all airlines. Amsterdam's Schiphol and Belgium's Brussels airports were also hit by the outage. "It concerns a malfunction of the Microsoft Azure system, which many airlines use to check in baggage," Brussels Airport told Belgian broadcaster VRT. Though there were concerns about the trading activities of several of the world's biggest banks, including JPMorgan, HSBC, Goldman Sachs and Barclays, none of them have responded yet. However, one London-based trader said several multilateral trading facilities were being affected by the outage, leaving some clients unable to trade."We are having the mother of all global market outages," the trader told the news outlet. In Australia, media, banks and telecoms companies reported that the outages hit their services. Besides, train operators in the United Kingdom also reported issues. The glitch has affected news outlets including NBC News. Sky News reported it was unable to air live news. Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion and that they were observing a positive trend in service availability. The company did not respond to a request for comment. It did not explain the cause of the outage further. Air India has said that all passengers and crew members on its flight AI-183 from New Delhi to San Francisco, which made an emergency landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia, are safe. The Boeing 777 aircraft landed safely, and no injuries have been reported among the passengers or crew. The flight had to be rerouted after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area. The statement by Air India read: "The aircraft landed safely at KJA with all 225 passengers and 19 members of the flight crew, who have now disembarked and have been taken to the terminal building for further processing," the statement said. "As Air India does not have its own staff at KJA, we are arranging for third-party support to provide all necessary assistance to passengers. Air India is also in liaison with government agencies and regulatory authorities, and we are making arrangements for a ferry flight to KJA to take passengers onwards to San Francisco at the earliest," the statement said. Update #2: Air India Flight AI183 Air India flight AI183 of 18 July 2024 operating Delhi to San Francisco made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area. The aircraft Air India (@airindia) July 18, 2024 The passengers have been provided with food, accommodation and necessary assistance and Air India is working closely with Russian authorities to ensure the well-being and comfort of all onboard during this unexpected stop. The flight was diverted to Krasnoyarsk in the Siberian region of Russia to make a precautionary landing on Thursday night. Rosaviatsiya, Russia's civil aviation agency, also confirmed the landing of the aircraft on Telegram stating the aircraft had taxied to a parking spot after landing and there had been no signs of a fire or smoke onboard. This was the second time in a little over a year that a San Francisco-bound flight was being diverted to Siberia, the last being in June 2023 when an Air India Boeing plane on the same route was stranded for a day after reporting a technical issue. The passengers were put up at a makeshift accommodation at Russia's remote Magadan airport. Air India sent an aircraft a day later to pick up the stranded passengers. Though many U.S. and European Union carriers do not fly over Russian airspace following the war in Ukraine, Air India does. The route is economical for Air India. Wang Hao, a regional managing director of Zeekr, a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brand, delivers a speech during the launch of Zeekr's EVs in Beirut, Lebanon, July 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) by Dana Halawi BEIRUT, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Over 200 people gathered on Thursday evening at the headquarters of Impex, a car dealer in northern Beirut, to witness the launching of two Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) by Zeekr, a Chinese EV brand. The two models are ZEEKR 001 and ZEEKR X, a shooting brake and a compact SUV, both designed at Zeekr's Global Design Center in Gothenburg, Sweden. At the event, representatives of Impex and Zeekr expressed confidence in the growing EV market in the region. "We believe there is a huge potential for EVs in this region," Wang Hao, a regional managing director of Zeekr, told Xinhua, "A lot of countries in this region promote the EV trend as part of their long-term vision, like in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia," Wang added. Lebanon is an important market for Zeekr due to its location at the intersection between Asia and Europe, the diversity of its culture, and people's awareness and appreciation of advanced technologies, stressed the managing director. Farid Homsi, vice chairman and general manager of Impex, told Xinhua that Lebanon's geography is EV-friendly, as the country is small and has plenty of mountains. "When people drive their EVs down from the mountain, the battery will regenerate for up to 30 percent, which is a great advantage," Homsi said, adding that EVs are exempted from customs duties in Lebanon, and can help people save on the high costs of gasoline and maintenance. Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Amin Salam told Xinhua that the collaboration between Impex and Zeekr will help Lebanon catch up with the rest of the world in the realm of EVs, a priority today for reducing reliance on oil and gas. "We are proud to have these EVs in Lebanon and look forward to seeing customers enjoying driving them. We are keen to improve our infrastructure to provide charging stations across Lebanon so people will be more interested in buying them," said the minister, expressing optimism for potential collaboration between Lebanon and China on other technologies. A man tries a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) by Zeekr, a Chinese EV brand, during its launch in Beirut, Lebanon, July 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) A man tries a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) by Zeekr, a Chinese EV brand, during its launch in Beirut, Lebanon, July 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) People watch a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) by Zeekr, a Chinese EV brand, during its launch in Beirut, Lebanon, July 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) People watch a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) by Zeekr, a Chinese EV brand, during its launch in Beirut, Lebanon, July 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Friday hit out against the UP government's directive asking eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route to display the owners' names. Terming it as an "attack on the Constitution", Priyanka demanded the 'controversial' order to be withdrawn. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said businesses in the Kanwar route have been directed to display nameplates to maintain the purity of the faith of Kanwar pilgrims. The UP CMOs order stated that the "Nameplate will have to be put on the food shops on the Kanwar routes across Uttar Pradesh. The decision was taken to maintain the purity of the faith of Kanwar pilgrims. Action will also be taken against those selling products with Halal certification." The CMO's directive comes a day after the Muzaffarnagar Police ordered all eateries along the route to display their owner's name. "Our Constitution guarantees every citizen that he will not be discriminated against on the basis of caste, religion, language or any other basis...The divisive order to put up name boards of the owners of carts, kiosks and shops in Uttar Pradesh is an attack on our Constitution, our democracy and our shared heritage," said Priyanka Gandhi. Creating a division in society on the basis of caste and religion is a crime against the Constitution, she added. "Preparations of Sawan month have started in the district. About 240 kilometres of the Kanwar Yatra route falls in the district. All eateries, including hotels, dhabas and carts, on the route, have been asked to display the names of their proprietors or those working on these shops," the senior superintendent of Police of Muzaffarnagar Abhishek Singh. Earlier, Congress Uttar Pradesh chief Ajay Rai slammed the order and said that it should be cancelled immediately. Meanwhile, State Minister Kapil Dev Agarwal said most of the outlets with names of Hindu deities are run by Muslims and they sell non-vegetarian food. He added those outlets must be identified and prohibited. He also added that they are not against the sale of non-vegetarian food but Kanwariyas would not eat from such outlets. A police Doberman dog reportedly ran eight kilometres in rain non-stop with its handler to catch a murder accused who was reportedly on the verge of claiming a second life in Karnataka's Davanagere, reports said. The story began in Davanagere's Channagiri on Thursday when a man's lifeless body was found on Santhebennur's Bada Road near a petrol pump. Police dog Tunga 2 and her handler constable Shafi were summoned to the scene to look for clues. After sniffing the victim's jacket at the crime scene, the canine started sprinting amidst heavy showers in the area, news reports said. Tunga 2 finally halted in front of a house, about eight kilometres from the crime scene. Shafi and other officers heard a ruckus inside the house and went inside to check. They found a man beating his wife inside, a report said. The woman was on the verge of losing consciousness due to the assault when the policemen came to her aid, India Today said in a report. The husband, identified as Rangaswamy, was arrested and interrogated by the cops. It was then that it became clear that Tuga 2 didn't stop at the house startled by the woman's cries for help. Rangaswamy's household was at the heart of the crime, the officers found out. Rangaswamy had reportedly reached home after murdering Santhebennur-native Santosh -- the body of whom was found near the fuel station. He reportedly hacked Santosh to death using a machete as he suspected him of having an affair with his wife. After executing the crime, Rangaswamy came home intending to murder his wife as well, the news report said. Had Tunga 2 not rushed to reach the house in time, he could have killed the woman too, the officers said. With just four days to go before the presentation of the Union budget, the Delhi government reiterated its demand for allocation of Rs 10,000 crore to Delhi out of Rs 2 lakh crore income tax contribution to the Centre. Addressing a press conference, the Delhi finance minister said that out of Rs 2.07 lakh crore contribution from income tax and Rs 25,000 crore from Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the Centre, not even a single rupee was given to the Delhi government. Ahead of the budget, people of Delhi demand that from Delhis contribution to the central taxes, an amount of Rs 10,000 crore should be allocated to the city for infrastructure development in road, transport and power sectors, said Atishi. The minister said that Maharashtra and Karnataka contribute Rs 5 lakh crore and Rs 2 lakh crore respectively to central taxes, out of which they get Rs 54,000 crore and Rs 33,000 crore respectively. If these states can get such amounts in return, why cant Delhi? Why is there such discrimination? Atishi asked the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. The demand comes amid increasing complaints of fund crunch from various institutions. Recently, as many as 12 Delhi University colleges claimed that they are struggling to pay salaries, facing staff shortage and pending dues due to lack of funds. Fully financed by the Delhi government, these colleges cited pending approvals and slashing of funds as the reasons behind the challenges being faced. Delhi Education Minister Atishi, however, had countered the claim citing grave procedural irregularities. There have been grave procedural irregularities in these 12 colleges. Creation of posts and recruitment of 1,897 employees, 939 teaching and 958 non-teaching posts happened without the Delhi governments approval. In November 2023, Atishi had accused the stoppage of funds to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) by the finance secretary as the reason behind the water shortage and had urged Lt. Governor V.K. Saxena's immediate intervention in the matter. Ever since the passage of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, which slipped control over services back into the hands of the Delhi LG, such confrontations between the Delhi government and civil servants have become commonplace for the people of Delhi. In December last year, the Supreme Court had come down heavily on the Delhi Government over the inordinate delay in giving funds for infrastructure projects in the Delhi High Court. In the press conference today, Atishi said that Delhi can supplement its work with the money they can get from the Centre. We are demanding this money so that we can build more highways, schools, and invest in the power sector. We will be able to do much more for the development of Delhi if we get this money, which is the contribution of the people of Delhi as taxes in the first place, she added. Earlier, Atishi had accused the Centre of paying only Rs 325 crore to the Delhi government from the central pool of taxes. However, even this payment was stopped last year, and now the city receives not a single rupee, she alleged. Ahead of the union budget, Delhi Minister Atishi demanded the Centre to allocate at least 5 per cent of its over Rs 2 lakh crore income tax contribution for developing infrastructure in the national capital. Atishi charged the Bharatiya Janata party-led Centre was treating the national capital in a step-motherly manner and it did not receive a single rupee from the Centre as tax share last year. Addressing presspersons, the Aam Aadmi Party leader charged while Delhites pays over Rs 2 lakh crore as income tax, the state gets nothing in return as tax share. Delhi is among the states that pay the highest income tax in the country. Last year, Delhites paid Rs 2.07 lakh crore to the central government as income tax and Rs 25,000 crore in GST. But in return, Delhites did not get even a single penny from the central government as tax share, she said. Atishi charged since 2001, the Centre had been paying only Rs 325 crore to the Delhi government from the central pool of taxes. However, even this payment was stopped last year, and now the city receives not a single rupee. Atishi said, Maharashtra got Rs 54,000 crore as tax share, and Karnataka got Rs 33,000 crore. When the people of Delhi pay taxes honestly, why does the BJP-ruled central government treat them step-motherly? The demand of Delhites is that in this budget, Delhi should get only 5 per cent of their total tax i.e. 10,000 crore, so that the pace of development of Delhi increases further. This is the rightful money of Delhi and Delhites. -with PTI inputs. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday arrested a Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Ranchi student in connection with the Bihar NEET-UG paper leak case, news agency ANI reported. The arrested was identified as Surbhi Kumar, a second-year student of RIMS Ranchi, who is accused of solving the question paper for candidates, the news agency claimed CBI sources as saying. Surbhi Kumar has been sent to CBI custody for three days after being questioned for a couple of days, officials reportedly said. The sleuths say that Surbhi was the fifth member of the gang that was present in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh on the NEET-UG examination day to solve the paper stolen by Pankaj Kumar. The CBI has so far arrested 16 persons in connection with the case. The RIMS, an autonomous institute under the Jharkhand government, was approached by the CBI earlier this week to get access to the student, news agency PTI said. Earlier on Thursday, the CBI had arrested four MBBS students of AIIMS Patna in connection with the case. Like Surbhi, they were also part of the module responsible for solving the papers. They have been sent to CBI custody for four days. NEET-UG paper leak: The story so far A special court in Patna on Wednesday sent the key accused in the NEET-UG paper-leak case, who allegedly stole the exam paper from a trunk of the National Testing Agency (NTA) in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh, to the CBI's custody for 14 days, officials said. During its custody of accused Pankaj Kumar alias Aditya till July 30, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to question him on his alleged role, his linkages with other gang members, the payments received and his local contacts who were involved in the entire theft process, the officials added. Kumar's alleged accomplice, Raju Singh, was sent to the federal agency's custody for 10 days (till July 25) on Tuesday. The CBI has arrested Kumar, a 2017-batch civil engineer from the National Institute of Technology in Jamshedpur, for allegedly stealing the NEET-UG paper from the NTA's trunk in Hazaribagh, the officials said. Kumar, a resident of Bokaro, was arrested from Patna, they said. The agency also arrested Singh from Hazaribagh for allegedly helping Kumar steal the paper, they added. It had said the investigators had matched a partially-burnt question paper found from a Patna safe house with a reference question paper provided by the NTA, confirming the leak's origin. However, it could not clearly establish who was behind the alleged paper leak, the officials said. Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has decided to ask for more than 100 seats at the time of the Maharashtra assembly election. A meeting of the party leaders including legislators and members of parliament was held at Chief Minister Shinde's bungalow. During the meeting, it was decided to appoint observers in 100 assembly constituencies a clear indication that Shinde's party will stake claim on a minimum of 100 assembly seats during the seat-sharing talks of the saffron grand alliance. There are 288 seats in the Maharashtra assembly. At present, the Bharatiya Janata Party has a strength of 105, the Shinde Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP have a strength of 40-41 legislators each. In addition, there are independent legislators who are supporting the saffron alliance government. According to reports, in addition to contesting more than 100 seats across the state, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena will also stake a claim on 17 of the 36 assembly seats in Mumbai. Leaders of Shinde-led Sena also expressed opinions during the meeting that their party should not rely on so called surveys conducted by the BJP. The leaders felt that it was because of these surveys that the party lost 2-3 seats in the Lok Sabha elections as the BJP forced it to change candidates. The BJP is unlikely to give 100 seats to the Shinde faction as it has to accommodate AjitPawar-led NCP and independents also. It also wants to keep a minimum of 150 seats for itself. The BJP held its meeting on Thursday to discuss the strategy for the assembly elections. "Unless we get to contest a minimum of 150 seats, we won't be in a strong position in the postelection scenario. There is no way that Shinde-led Sena will get to contest 100 seats. How do we accommodate Ajit Pawar and his NCP then. I feel that our party will ask the Shinde faction to be realistic and settle for 70-80 seats," said a senior BJP legislator. The Central Bureau of Investigation is questioning an MBBS student from Ranchi for the second day in connection with the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate) paper leak case. The central agency had recently arrested four medical students from AIIMS-Patna in connection with the probe. The CBI began questioning the first-year MBBS student of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi in connection with the paper leak case on Thursday. College authorities said the central agency contacted them on Wednesday in connection with interrogating the student. The student, who stays at the girls' hostel of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, an autonomous institute under the Jharkhand government, was approached by the CBI earlier this week for questioning, PTI reported. "The CBI team is questioning a first-year student. The team contacted the hospital management on Wednesday saying they wanted to question her in connection with the NEET paper leak. The management extended full cooperation to the team. On Thursday too, they grilled her and said she will be questioned further," RIMS PRO Rajiv Ranjan told PTI. The official said the parents of the student had contacted the management and were briefed about the situation. CBI has registered six FIRs so far in connection with the probe. On Thursday, the central agency arrested three third-year MBBS students Chandan Singh, Rahul Anant and Kumar Shanu and a second-year student, Karan Jain, from AIIMS-Patna. The students were arrested following extensive questioning from their hostel rooms and those rooms have been sealed, the publication reported. NEET-UG, conducted by the National Testing Agency, is a national-level examination for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other medical courses in government and private institutions. This year, the exam was conducted on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 abroad. More than 23 lakh candidates had appeared for the test. However, several aspirants alleged irregularities in the examination and have approached the Supreme Court demanding retest. A man was arrested in Odishas Balangir district after it was learnt that he pierced 18 syringes into the skull of a teenager four years ago to cure her of ailments. The victim, 19, reportedly lived with the syringes on her head for about four years before being spotted by her relatives. The accused man was identified as Santosh Rana of Jamutjhula village, is a local tantrik. The family of the girl told Odisha media that they had taken her to Rana four years ago. She was very sick at that time and they decided to consult Rana after modern medicine reportedly failed to improve her condition. It is alleged that the accused pierced as many as eighteen syringe needles into the head of the then-minor girl. Her family maintains that the man had spent about an hour alone with her during the "treatment" during which the needles should have been used. As the girl was sick, she fell unconscious and didn't realise what was being done to her, Odisha Bytes said in a report. After four years, the girl's family finally spotted the presence of foreign objects on her head. On close inspection, they understood they were needles and removed as many as eight of them from the nineteen-year-old's head. They took her to the Bhima Bhoi Medical College, where a CT scan revealed the presence of at least ten more needles on her skull, Odisha Bytes added. The family then lodged a complaint with the Kantabanji police who arrested Santosh Rana, the report added. The girl is undergoing treatment at the hospital. As students in Bangladesh continue their movement against the Sheikh Hasina government, the impact was also felt in the other Bengal. Students and youths in Kolkata have taken to the streets to show their solidarity to their counterparts in Bangladesh. At least 39 people have died so far in Bangladesh where thousands of students and youths are violently protesting over a quota system in government jobs. Protesters are demanding the abolishment of the quota system that reserves up to 30% of government jobs for the family members of veterans from Bangladeshs 1971 war of independence against Pakistan. READ HERE | Why Bangladesh students are protesting against quota system for govt jobs The Bangladeshi government has responded to the movement with an iron fist. In recent days, images have emerged of protesters armed with rocks and stones clashing with riot police across Bangladesh, including in Dhaka. Additionally, the government has shut down mobile internet services to suppress the demonstrations. To condemn the deaths and show their support to their counterparts in Bangladesh, students and youths have been holding rallies for the last two days in Kolkata. They raised slogans against Sheikh Hasina, Bangladeshs ruling party Awami Lague and its student wing Chhatro League. On Thursday, about 100 protesters, waving Bangladeshs national flag, assembled in the Academy of Fine Arts area, the cultural hub of Kolkata. With posters and banners, they wanted to march to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission office. One of the posters said, Respect Existence or Expect Resistance, while another read, My sister has been martyred. My brother has been martyred. Mass murderer Sheikh Hasina will not be spared. As a student, it is my responsibility to raise my voice against the fascist government of Sheikh Hasina. She has killed my Bengali brothers and sisters, said Piya Banerjee, 18, a student at Jadavpur University. The 30% reservation system for third fourth generation descendants of Muktijoddhas is not justified at all. Its not like their community faced centuries of oppression. Human rights organisation APDR also took part in the rally. We condemn the killing of innocent students and youths in Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina government's complete violation of human rights must be called out, said APDR member Altaf Ahmed. The event, though, took a heated turn when the police halted the march on AJC Bose Road, a few hundred meters from its starting point. The protesters then clashed with the police, trying to make their way beyond the barricades put to prevent them. Most of the demonstrators were detained and transported in police vans. Some protesters then staged a sit-in, demanding the release of their companions. However, the police quickly defused the situation and cleared the remaining protesters within minutes. Protesting students in Bangladesh on Friday stormed into a jail in Narsingdi district and freed many inmates before setting it on fire. The police were not sure of how many inmates got freed amid the chaos. Meanwhile, reportedly, at least 50 people have been killed in Bangladesh so far since the protest broke out across the country over the 'controversial' quota system for government jobs. Four more people died on Friday in the clashes between the police and protesters in the capital city of Dhaka. ALSO READ | Why Bangladesh students are protesting against quota system for govt jobs In a big challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, protesters have demanded a merit-based system that is fair to all amid the employment crisis in the nation. Hasina had defended the quota system saying that veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions to the war. Police and paramilitary forces were deployed by the government to lock down campuses and break up protests. In the wake of the nationwide protests, classes were suspended by universities and dormitories were closed. On Friday, Dhaka police said they were banning all gatherings and demonstrations as well. Internet services were suspended Mobile data and internet services were disrupted in many regions including Dhaka. Social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp were also not loading. A statement from the country's Telecommunication Regulatory Commission said they were unable to ensure service after their data centre was attacked on Thursday by demonstrators, who set fire to some equipment. However, the student protesters said they would extend their calls to impose a shutdown and urged the mosques to hold prayers for those killed in the clashes. The protesters were backed by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The party vowed to organise its own demonstrations to support the students. Senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was arrested too. Hasina's government has accused the BNP of stoking the violence, with authorities raiding the opposition party's headquarters earlier this week and arresting activists from the party's student wing. On Wednesday, Hasina urged protesters in a televised address to wait with patience for the court verdict. I believe our students will get justice from the apex court. They will not be disappointed. The SC is set to hear the appeal on August 7. SEOUL, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), received on Thursday a Russian military delegation led by Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko in Pyongyang, the DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Friday. Kim and Krivoruchko held talks and "shared recognition of the importance and necessity of the military cooperation between the two countries to defend mutual security interests," the report said. Reiterating his appreciation of the significance of the DPRK-Russia Pyongyang summit held in June, Kim stressed "the need for the armies of the two countries to get united more firmly to dynamically lead the DPRK-Russia relations in the new era and play an important part in defending regional and global peace and international justice," the report said. One month earlier, Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin held summit talks and signed The Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in Pyongyang. Kolkata, Jul 19 (PTI) The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI), the professional body set up for company secretaries in the country, plans to set up three more overseas centres in the near future, its president B Narasimhan said on Friday. The proposed three overseas centres of ICSI are to be opened in Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea, he told reporters. The institute has six overseas centres in UAE, US, UK, Singapore, Australia and Canada. Narasimhan said that the new overseas centres in the three places are being planned on the basis of the strength of ICSI members in these countries. "These centres will augment professional opportunities for the ICSI members, besides assisting and facilitating practical training for students and conducting examinations in these countries," Narasimhan said. He said ICSI is laying great thrust on companies to become ESG (environmental, social and governance) compliant in the coming days. ICSI has already added two new subjects to its curriculum, ESG and artificial intelligence (AI), he said. "ESG is the need of the hour. It has been made mandatory by SEBI to submit business responsibility and sustainability reporting (BRSR) for the top 1000 companies in terms of market capitalisation. These companies are required to disclose their ESG performance along with the annual reports," he said. Narasimhan said companies which are ESG compliant will get noticed by foreign investors. "Foreign investors will enquire whether the Indian company in which they plan to invest are ESG compliant. The 'stewardship code' for institutional investors is still in its infancy in the country and gives immense scope for company secretary professionals to expand their scope of practice," he said. He said that there is a huge dearth of company professionals in the country with only 70,000 members, out of which 14,000 are practising. BENGALURU, India, July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tejas Networks (BSE: 540595) (NSE: TEJASNET) today announced that it has been conferred the prestigious Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Telecom Excellence Award-2023 in the 'Telecom Equipment Research and Manufacturing' category. Instituted by the Department of Telecommunications, Government of India, the awards recognize exemplary and outstanding contributions in the areas of telecom innovations, skilling, services, manufacturing and applications. The award was presented by Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Hon'ble Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Government of India at a function organized at The Oberoi, New Delhi yesterday evening. The ceremony was also graced by Dr. Neeraj Mittal, IAS, Chairman DCC & Secretary (T), Department of Telecommunications. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Kumar N. Sivarajan, CTO & Co-founder of Tejas Networks said, "We are delighted to win the prestigious Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Telecom Excellence Award for advancing telecom innovations and equipment manufacturing. As a leading R&D driven telecom and networking company, the award underscores our strong commitment and consistent focus on technology excellence and design-led manufacturing. Over the years, this has enabled us to create a world-class product portfolio spanning wireless, broadband, optical and packet networking technologies, all of which are conceived, designed and manufactured in India. Government of India's forward-looking policies to promote Atmanirbharta in the telecom sector are helping us to further enhance our R&D and manufacturing capabilities to achieve global scale." About Tejas Networks Limited Tejas Networks Ltd. designs and manufactures high-performance wireline and wireless networking products for telecommunications service providers, internet service providers, utilities, defence and government entities in over 75 countries. Tejas Networks Ltd. is a part of the Tata Group, with Panatone Finvest Ltd. (a subsidiary of Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd.) being the majority shareholder. For more information, visit Tejas Networks Ltd. at http://www.tejasnetworks.com or contact Investor Relations: ir@india.tejasnetworks.com SAFE HARBOUR Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements due to risks or uncertainties associated with our expectations with respect to, but not limited to, our ability to successfully implement our strategy and our growth and expansion plans, technological changes, our exposure to market risks, general economic and political conditions in India which have an impact on our business activities or investments, changes in the laws and regulations that apply to the industry in which the Company operates. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2464985/TejasNetworkswinsAward.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/826177/TejasNetworks_Logo.jpg (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR Jaipur, Jul 19 (PTI) Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday said the Centre is committed to encourage women entrepreneurs. Launching the "Yashaswini" campaign launched by the MSME ministry in Jaipur, the Union minister said Yashaswini means successful, proud and talented women. He said the Prime Minister aims to make India a developed India by 2047, for which it is necessary to promote micro, small and medium industries and women should play an important role in these industries with their participation. Manjhi said recently the Government of India decided to give a loan of up to Rs 25 lakh to women with up to 80 per cent disability. Under this, there will be no need to give any margin of money to such women entrepreneurs. He said women have a big contribution in the country's economy. They can promote self-employment by setting up micro, small and medium industries. Addressing the event, Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Shobha Karandlaje said under the campaign, women will be provided training in various fields, including agriculture, food processing, and will also be linked to other financial institutions for setting up industries. Lucknow, Jul 19 (PTI) Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday asked farmers to carry out natural farming in at least one part of their farms and the government will give subsidies for their crop losses for initial two years. In the initial two years, when farmers practice natural farming, the yield will be less and in such a situation the government will give subsidies, Chouhan said at a programme on natural farming here. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat were also present at the programme -- 'Praakritik kheti ki vigyaan par kshetreey paraamarsh karyakram'. "While fulfilling the prime minister's dream of saving mother earth from chemicals, we will try our best to ensure that in the coming times, farmers do chemical-free farming, so that the coming generations remain healthy," Chouhan said. He said that farmers will get 1.5 times more price by selling grains, fruits and vegetables grown through natural farming. The Union minister also said that laboratories will be set up in the agricultural universities of the country to facilitate research on natural farming, which will help in filling the food reserves of the country. At least one crore farmers will be made aware about natural farming so that they can go to every corner of the country and promote it, he said, adding that the central government will carry out a nation-wide awareness campaign in consultation with all the stakeholders. In his address, Gujarat Governor Devvrat said natural farming requires less water and is very beneficial for farmers. Jaipur, Jul 19 (PTI) A total of Rs 650 crore was transferred directly to bank accounts of 65 lakh farmers of Rajasthan under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Cooperatives Minister Gautam Kumar informed the Rajasthan Assembly on Friday. All the announcements of the state government's manifesto will be fulfilled, Kumar told the House. He said under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Rs 650 crore was transferred directly to the bank accounts of 65 lakh farmers of the state. The minister was replying to the supplementary questions asked by members in this regard during the Question Hour. Earlier, in a written reply to the original question of Congress MLA Manish Yadav, the Cooperative Minister said under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, it has been announced to increase the financial assistance amount payable to farmers from Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000 annually per family. Jaipur, Jul 19 (PTI) A new airport will be constructed in the Kota city that will not only boost tourism in Rajasthan but will also increase education and business activities. According to an official statement, an agreement was signed to this effect on Friday between Airports Authority of India (AAI), Urban Development Department and Civil Aviation Department. The agreement was signed here in the presence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma. On this occasion, Sharma said the construction of the new airport will not only boost tourism in the state but will also increase education and business activities. He said the state government will provide land free of cost for the construction of the airport. At the same time, the entire responsibility of construction, development and operation of the airport will be of AAI. The chief minister directed officials of Kota Development Authority to prepare a roadmap for planned development around the proposed airport. He noted that the Kota airport will provide air facility to lakhs of residents of the Hadoti region. Chairman of AAI Sanjeev Kumar said a detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared for the Kota airport. After this, tenders will be invited. The chief minister also urged the chairman of AAI to start work soon for the new state terminal at Jaipur airport. He said the state government will provide free land for the development and expansion of Udaipur airport and permanent civil enclave and approach road at Uttarlai (Barmer) airport. Patna, Jul 19 (PTI) The Bihar government on Friday approved its first film promotion policy, aiming to provide full institutional support to movie makers. The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. After the meeting, S Siddharth, Additional Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretariat), told reporters, "The Cabinet has approved Bihar's new film promotion policy. There is significant potential and numerous opportunities for filmmaking in Bihar. The proposal originated from the state government's Art, Culture, and Youth Affairs department." Harjot Kaur Bamhrah, Additional Chief Secretary of the Art, Culture, and Youth Affairs Department, explained that under the new policy, filmmakers will receive assistance to make movies showcasing Bihar's rich cultural heritage. She emphasised Bihar's scenic locations and adequate infrastructure as attractions for filmmakers. "The policy includes financial grants of up to Rs 4 crore for producing films, documentaries, and serials in regional languages and others," she said. Furthermore, the policy offers various financial incentives for regional films in languages such as Bhojpuri, Maithili, Magahi, Angika, and Bajjika, she added. The policy ensures a single-window clearance for all government permissions, as well as adequate security and safety arrangements, she said. Bamhrah also mentioned the setting up of an empowered committee and a film facilitation centre to streamline processes for the fraternity. Mumbai, Jul 19 (PTI) Tishaa Kumar, daughter of former actor and T-Series producer Krishan Kumar, has died at the age of 21 after a battle with cancer. Krishan Kumar's daughter was being treated in Germany, a source told PTI. "Tishaa was diagnosed with cancer and she was undergoing treatment for it for about three years. She flew to Germany a few days back for cancer treatment at a hospital there. She passed away yesterday," the source added. In a statement, the spokesperson of T-Series also confirmed the news about Tishaa's demise. "Tishaa Kumar, daughter of Krishan Kumar, passed away yesterday after a prolonged battle with an illness. This is a difficult time for the family, and we kindly request that the family's privacy is respected," the statement read. Tishaa was niece of T-Series head Bhushan Kumar. Her father Krishan Kumar is known for starring in films such as "Bewafa Sanam" and "Kasam Teri Kasam" in the 1990s. Tel Aviv, Jul 19 (AP) A large explosion rumbled through the streets of central Tel Aviv early Friday morning after an apparent drone strike caused shards of shrapnel to rain down and injure at least 10 people, authorities said. Israel's military said that they were reviewing the explosion and increasing air patrols after the incident, which its initial inquiries determined was caused by an aerial target." It was not immediately clear how the strike evaded Israel's air defences or how Israel might respond. Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai on X called the attack a drone strike, though the military has not yet specified the nature of the attack. Yemen's Houthis have repeatedly launched drones and missiles toward Israel throughout the nine-month-long war in sympathy with Hamas. But until Friday, all were intercepted by either Israel or Western allies with forces stationed in the region. The country has so far not made attacks on the Houthis, allowing its allies instead to take the lead as it focuses its efforts on the war in Gaza and ongoing fighting with Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group. Local police said that the blast sounded at around 3:10 a.m. on Friday morning, reverberating to nearby cities and physically injuring at least 10 people. Tel Aviv District Commander Peretz Amar said officers could not locate the point of contact, suggesting the explosion occurred in the air. The force of the explosion caused damaged that is not great but is spread over a large area. At the moment we don't know what the object was, Amar said. Israel possesses a multilayered aerial defence system, capable of intercepting threats ranging from long-range ballistic missiles to drones and short-range missiles. These various systems have intercepted thousands of projectiles throughout the war. But officials warn they are not 100% effective, and the systems appear to have struggled against small and hard-to-detect attack drones. It was not known which, if any, system was deployed. Like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis are backed by Israel's arch enemy, Iran. Israel for the most part also has avoided a direct confrontation with Iran throughout the war. Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel during a single incident in April in response to Israel's alleged assassination of a pair of Iranian generals in Syria at the time. (AP) NSA NSA Washington, Jul 19 (PTI) The US wants India to support its efforts to realise an enduring and just peace for Ukraine, the State Department has said, highlighting bilateral cooperation with New Delhi on several key areas. The remarks by Vedant Patel, State Department's Principal Deputy Spokesperson, came on Thursday in response to a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. "India continues to be a country...we partner with on a number of key areas, and that was clearly on display last summer when we hosted Prime Minister Modi for a state visit. "But beyond that, in the context of Ukraine and Russias ongoing aggression and its infringement on Ukraines territorial integrity and sovereignty, we continue to ask all our partners, including India, to support efforts to realise an enduring and just peace for Ukraine," Patel said. The State Department also asked Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraines sovereign territory. Modi was in Russia from July 8-9 for the 22nd India-Russia annual summit that has been watched closely by the West amidst the raging Ukraine conflict. This was Modi's first visit to Russia since the war started between Moscow and Kyiv in 2022. During his talks with Putin on July 9, Prime Minister Modi told President Putin that a solution to the Ukraine conflict is not possible on the battlefield and peace efforts do not succeed amid bombs and bullets. India has been stoutly defending its "special and privileged strategic partnership" with Russia and maintained the momentum in the ties notwithstanding the Ukraine conflict. India has not yet condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and has consistently pitched for a resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. MANILA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A suspected rebel has been killed in a clash with a team of police and soldiers in Rizal province, east of the Philippine capital region, police said Friday. Police said a firefight ensued after alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) fired at a law enforcement team that went to the village in Rodriguez town to serve arrest warrants to two rebels around 10 p.m. local time Thursday. The insurgents allegedly fired at the team as they approached the hideout, forcing the police officers and soldiers to retaliate. Police said two other alleged NPA rebels have been arrested, while one managed to escape. NPA rebels have been fighting the government troops since 1969. Despite the decreasing number of fighters, NPA rebels concentrate their attacks on rural areas and have skirmishes with the military. Military data showed that the NPA's personnel strength has declined since its peak of around 25,000 armed members in the 1980s. The Hague, Jul 19 (AP) The top United Nations court is delivering a nonbinding advisory opinion Friday on the legality of Israel's 57-year occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state, a ruling that could have more effect on international opinion than it will on Israeli policies. Friday's hearing comes against the backdrop of Israel's devastating 10-month military assault on Gaza, which was triggered by the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel. In a separate case, the International Court of Justice is considering a South African claim that Israel's campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, a claim that Israel vehemently denies. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three areas for an independent state. Israel considers the West Bank to be disputed territory, whose future should be decided in negotiations. It has annexed east Jerusalem in a move that is not internationally recognised, while it withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but maintained a blockade of the territory after Hamas took power in 2007. The international community generally considers all three areas to be occupied territory. At hearings in February, then-Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki accused Israel of apartheid and urged the United Nations' top court to declare that Israel's occupation of lands sought by the Palestinians is illegal and must end immediately and unconditionally for any hope for a two-state future to survive. Israel, which normally considers the United Nations and international tribunals as unfair and biased, did not send a legal team to the hearings, but submitted written comments, saying that the questions put to the court are prejudiced and fail to recognise Israel's right and duty to protect its citizens, address Israeli security concerns or acknowledge Israel-Palestinian agreements to negotiate issues, including the permanent status of the territory, security arrangements, settlements, and borders. The Palestinians presented arguments in February along with 49 other nations and three international organisations. Erwin van Veen, a senior research fellow at the Clingendael think tank in The Hague, said that if the court rules that Israel's policies in the West Bank and east Jerusalem breach international law, that is unlikely to change Israeli policies but it would isolate Israel further internationally, at least from a legal point of view. He said such a ruling would "worsen the case for occupation. It removes any kind of legal, political, philosophical underpinning of the Israeli expansion project. It would also strengthen the hand of those who seek to advocate against it" such as the grassroots Palestinian-led movement advocating boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel. He said it also could increase the number of countries that recognise the state of Palestine, in particular in the Western world, following the recent example of Spain and Norway and Ireland. It is not the first time the ICJ has been asked to give its legal opinion on Israeli policies. Two decades ago, the court ruled that Israel's West Bank separation barrier was contrary to international law. Israel boycotted those proceedings, saying they were politically motivated. Israel says the barrier is a security measure. Palestinians say the structure amounts to a massive land grab because it frequently dips into the West Bank. The UN General Assembly voted by a wide margin in December 2022 to ask the world court for the advisory opinion. Israel vehemently opposed the request that was promoted by the Palestinians. Fifty countries abstained from voting. Israel has built well over 100 settlements, according to the anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now. The West Bank settler population has grown by more than 15 per cent in the past five years to more than 500,000 Israelis, according to a pro-settler group. Israel also has annexed east Jerusalem and considers the entire city to be its capital. An additional 200,000 Israelis live in settlements built in east Jerusalem that Israel considers to be neighbourhoods of its capital. Palestinian residents of the city face systematic discrimination, making it difficult for them to build new homes or expand existing ones. The international community considers all settlements to be illegal or obstacles to peace since they are built on lands sought by the Palestinians for their state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-line government is dominated by settlers and their political supporters. Netanyahu has given his finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, a former settler leader, unprecedented authority over settlement policy. Smotrich has used this position to cement Israel's control over the West Bank by pushing forward plans to build more settlement homes and to legalize outposts. Authorities recently approved the appropriation of 12.7 square kilometres of land in the Jordan Valley, a strategic piece of land deep inside the West Bank, according to a copy of the order obtained by The Associated Press. Data from Peace Now, the tracking group, indicate it was the largest single appropriation approved since the 1993 Oslo accords at the start of the peace process. (AP) GRS GRS Yekaterinburg, Jul 19 (AP) Russian prosecutors sought a prison sentence of 18 years on Friday for Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is on trial on espionage charges that his employer and the US have denounced as fabricated. Gershkovich, 32, was arrested March 29, 2023, while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. Authorities claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was gathering secret information for the US. He pleaded not guilty, according to the court, and The Wall Street Journal and the US government have called the trial a sham. Gershkovich appeared in court for a second straight day Friday as the closed-door proceedings in Russia's highly politicized legal system picked up speed. A verdict is expected later in the day, according to court officials. Unlike previous sessions in which reporters were allowed to see Gershkovich briefly before sessions began, there was no access to the courtroom this week and he was not seen, with no explanation given. Espionage and treason cases are typically shrouded in secrecy. Court officials said the prosecutors requested an 18-year sentence in a high-security prison during closing arguments. Russian courts convict more than 99 per cent of defendants, and prosecutors can appeal sentences that they regard as too lenient. They even can appeal acquittals. Evan's wrongful detention has been an outrage since his unjust arrest 477 days ago, and it must end now, the Journal said Thursday in a statement. Even as Russia orchestrates its shameful sham trial, we continue to do everything we can to push for Evan's immediate release and to state unequivocally: Evan was doing his job as a journalist, and journalism is not a crime. Bring him home now. The US State Department has declared Gershkovich wrongfully detained, committing the government to assertively seek his release. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday at the United Nations that Moscow and Washington's special services are discussing an exchange involving Gershkovich. Russia has previously signalled the possibility of a swap, but it says a verdict would have to come first. Even after a verdict, any such deal could take months or years. State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel on Thursday declined to discuss negotiations about a possible exchange, but said: We have been clear from the get-go that Evan did nothing wrong and should not have been detained. To date, Russia has provided no evidence of a crime and has failed to justify Evan's continued detention. Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted earlier this year that he would be open to swapping Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence for the 2019 killing in Berlin of a Georgian citizen of Chechen descent. Gershkovich's trial began June 26 in Yekaterinburg after he spent about 15 months in Moscow's notorious Lefortovo Prison. The Russian Prosecutor General's office said last month the journalist is accused of gathering secret information on orders from the CIA about Uralvagonzavod, a plant about 150 kilometres north of Yekaterinburg that produces and repairs tanks and other military equipment. Lavrov on Wednesday reaffirmed the Kremlin claim that the government has irrefutable evidence against Gershkovich, although neither he nor any other Russian official has ever disclosed it. Gershkovich's employer and US officials have dismissed the charges as phony. Evan has never been employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy. Journalism is not a crime. And Evan should never have been detained in the first place, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said last month. Russia's interpretation of what constitutes high crimes like espionage and treason is broad, with authorities often going after people who share publicly available information with foreigners and accusing them of divulging state secrets. Earlier this month, UN human rights experts said Russia violated international law by jailing Gershkovich and should release him immediately. Arrests of Americans are increasingly common in Russia, with nine US citizens known to be detained there as tensions between the two countries have escalated over fighting in Ukraine. US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused Moscow of treating human beings as bargaining chips. She singled out Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan, 53, a corporate security director from Michigan, who is serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted on spying charges that he and the US denied. (AP) GRS GRS Tokyo, Jul 19 (AP) Japanese and Taiwanese coast guards conducted what is believed to be their first joint drill off Japan's eastern coast, officials said Friday, a move seen as an effort to expand maritime cooperation amid concern about China's increasingly assertive activity in regional seas. The drill was held amid escalating tension between China and Taiwan. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out using force to take it. China routinely sends coast guard vessels into waters surrounding Japanese-controlled disputed islands in the East China Sea, confronting Japanese patrol ships. However, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi Friday denied the drill targeted any specific country, including China. It was part of practical cooperation and exchanges in the area of maritime search and rescue operations, Hayashi said, adding, we do not have China or any other third country in mind. Thursday's drill involved a Japan Coast Guard patrol boat Sagami and Taiwan's Hsun Hu No. 9 off the southern coast of Chiba, officials said, but declined to give any other details. The Taiwanese ship has been on a patrol mission on high seas to protect fishing boats and made a refuelling stop in the Tokyo bay ahead of the drill, Japan's NHK television said. Hayashi said Taiwan is Japan's extremely important partner and a precious friend that shares basic values, economic ties and people exchanges. Tokyo plans to deepen cooperation and ties with Taiwan further based on the Japanese government position of maintaining nongovernment, practical relations, he said. Japan in 1972 established diplomatic ties with China, switching recognition from Taiwan to Beijing under the one-China policy, but has since maintained nongovernmental ties through representative offices on each side. Tokyo has been stepping up its coast guard capability and expanding joint exercises. Japan's coast guard had its first trilateral joint search and rescue drills with the US and South Korean counterparts in June. Last year, Japanese and US coast guards provided capacity-building support to their Philippine counterparts. (AP) GRS GRS Tel Aviv, Jul 19 (AP) A large explosion rumbled through the streets of central Tel Aviv early Friday morning after an apparent drone strike caused shards of shrapnel to rain down, injuring at least 10 people and leaving one dead, authorities said. Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack. The Houthis have launched drones and missiles toward Israel throughout the Israel-Hamas war, in solidarity with the Palestinian people and against Israel. But until Friday, all were intercepted by either Israel or Western allies with forces stationed in the region. The Houthis claimed their newest drones can bypass Israel's aerial defense systems. However, an Israeli military official on Friday that the explosive-laden drone had been identified on Thursday and attributed the hit to human error. The strike came a day after Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site on Thursday, a move that threatened negotiations to end the 9-month-old war in Gaza. Hamas' October 7 attack sparked the war when militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people mostly civilians and abducting about 250. Since then, Israeli ground offensives and bombardments have killed more than 38,600 people in Gaza, according to the territory's Health Ministry. It does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. Two international courts have accused Israel of war crimes and genocide charges Israel denies. Most of Gaza's 2.3 million people are crammed into squalid tent camps in central and southern Gaza. Israeli restrictions, fighting and the breakdown of law and order have limited humanitarian aid efforts, causing widespread hunger and sparking fears of famine. Here's the latest: The UK restores funding to the UN agency for the Palestinians LONDON The new British government has overturned its predecessor's suspension of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Palestinians. Foreign Secretary David Lammy told lawmakers that humanitarian aid in Gaza is a moral necessity and that UNRWA is absolutely central to UK efforts to support civilians on the ground. In January, the previous government paused funding for UNRWA due to allegations that staff from the aid organisation had been involved in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Lammy, who travelled to Israel last weekend and urged a ceasefire, said UNRWA is already feeding more than half of Gaza's population and that the organisation will be vital for the future reconstruction of the territory. Lammy said he was appalled by the allegations against UNRWA staff but having spoken to senior officials at the UN is reassured that the organisation is meeting the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures. The UK, he added, will provide 21 million pounds (USD 27 million) in new funds. Israeli airstrikes on Gaza refugee camps kill 12 overnight, Palestinian officials say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Two Israeli strikes on central Gaza killed 12 people overnight Thursday, according to Associated Press journalists and Palestinian medical officials. Seven of the dead, including two women and three children, were killed in an airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza late Thursday evening, while the second airstrike hit Bureij refugee camp, also in central Gaza, killing five people early Friday morning, ambulance crews said. The bodies were taken to al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital, in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where they were counted by AP journalists. Palestinian militant groups call on the PLO to rescind recognition of Israel BEIRUT The militant Palestinian groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad have called on the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organisation to withdraw its recognition of Israel in retaliation for a resolution approved by Israel's parliament rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. The two groups made the announcement late Thursday following a meeting in the Gulf nation of Qatar between Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Islamic Jihad chief Ziad Nakhaleh and his deputy Mohammed al-Hindi, according to a Hamas statement. The two groups said the Palestinian people have the right to set up their own independent state with Jerusalem as its capital. Hezbollah says it fired rockets on northern Israeli village Beirut Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group said it fired a volley of rockets on a northern Israeli village Friday morning in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes the night before on south Lebanon that killed several Hezbollah members and wounded civilians. In another attack, the group also said that it used for the first time a new rocket with heavy warhead to strike an Israeli army post in the disputed Kfar Chouba hills. Hezbollah said in a statement that the Wabel rocket, produced by the group in Lebanon, destroyed parts of the Rweisat al-Alam post and caused a fire inside it. Hezbollah said its fighters fired a salvo of rockets on the northern Israeli village of Abirim for the first time since fighting along the Lebanon-Israel border began in early October. Hezbollah began firing rockets shortly after Hamas' October 7 attack, saying it aimed to ease pressure on Gaza. Since then, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed over 450 people, mostly Hezbollah members but also around 90 civilians and non-combatants. On the Israeli side, 21 soldiers and 13 civilians have been killed. Yemen's Houthi rebels claim drone strike that hit Tel Aviv Tel Aviv Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a drone strike early Friday that hit part of central Tel Aviv near the US Embassy, killing one person and injuring 10. The aerial strike rumbled through the streets causing shards of shrapnel to rain down and spreading shards of glass over a large radius. The Houthis have launched drones and missiles toward Israel throughout the Israel-Hamas war, in solidarity with the Palestinian people and against Israel. But until Friday, all were intercepted by either Israel or Western allies with forces stationed in the region. Yahya Sare'e, the Houthis' spokesperson, said in a statement published on the social media platform X that the strike was made in retaliation for the war and had hit one of many of the group's targets. The Houthis claimed their newest drones can bypass Israel's aerial defense systems. However, an Israeli military official on Friday that the explosive-laden drone had been identified on Thursday and attributed the hit to human error. It was a terror attack that was targeted to kill civilians in Israel, the official said of the strike, the first to threaten Tel Aviv in months. (AP) GRS GRS Russia convicts US reporter Evan Gershkovich of espionage after a brief trial his employer and the US rejected as a sham, reports AP. Yekaterinburg, Jul 19 (AP) A Russian court on Friday convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges his employer and the US have rejected as a sham. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison after a secretive and rapid trial in the country's highly politicised legal system. Gershkovich, his employer and the US government vehemently denied the charges. US officials and The Wall Street Journal have denounced the trial as a sham. Gershkovich, 32, was detained in March 2023 while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg and accused of spying for the US, and has been behind bars ever since. He was the first US journalist taken into custody on espionage charges since Nicholas Daniloff in 1986, at the height of the Cold War. Gershkovich's arrest shocked foreign journalists in Russia, even though the country has enacted increasingly repressive laws on freedom of speech after sending troops into Ukraine. (AP) GRS GRS Colombo, Jul 19 (PTI) A top Sri Lankan police officer, blamed for criminal negligence in the 2019 Easter suicide attacks that killed over 270 people, including 11 Indians, has been sent on compulsory leave, it was announced here. Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena, the number two in the police force, has been sent on compulsory leave with effect from Thursday, the independent police commission announced. This followed the decision to institute disciplinary action against him as recommended by the Supreme Court in connection with the fundamental rights petitions filed in the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide bomb attack investigations. Jayawardena was one of the top defence officials blamed for criminal negligence in the Easter Sunday suicide bombings which killed over 270 including foreigners. Nine suicide bombers belonging to the local Islamist extremist group, the National Thowheeth Jama'ath (NTJ) linked to ISIS carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through three Catholic churches and as many luxury hotels on April 21, 2019, being observed as Easter Sunday that year, killing nearly 270 people, including 11 Indians and other foreigners, and injuring over 500. The independent police commission said the Supreme Court on January 12, 2023, had recommended disciplinary action be taken against Jayawardena, who had headed the polices state intelligence service at the time of the Easter Sunday attacks. The Supreme Court had questioned why the National Police Commission had not initiated action against the former Chief of the State Intelligence Service, as per its court order, said NewsWire.lk. The commission added that Jayawardena, who is currently the deputy inspector general of police (administration), was chargesheeted on November 17, 2023 to which he had responded on March 12, 2024. On July 1 this year, the police commission had begun disciplinary proceedings against Jayawardena. The commission said the order to send Jayawardena on compulsory leave has surfaced given his ability to influence witnesses in his role as the head of police administration. Jayawardena, along with former President Maithripala Sirisena, is accused of failing to prevent those terror attacks, despite receiving intelligence information, said NewsWire.lk reported. Sirisena and Jayawardena alongside several other top brass were ordered to pay heavy compensation to the kith of the victims. Jayawardena was ordered to pay Rs 75 million while Sirisena was ordered to pay Rs 100 million. Both have paid only part payments so far while pleading for more time. Male, Jul 19 (PTI) Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer will on Saturday embark on a four-day visit to China to hold official talks with his counterpart Wang Yi and meet key Chinese companies that have played a "pivotal role" in the economic development of the archipelago nation in the Indian Ocean. Zameer will be accompanied by Minister of Finance Mohamed Shafeeq, and Minister of Construction and Infrastructure Abdul Muththlib, along with senior government officials, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release. This will be Zameers first visit to China after he became Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs in November 2023 when the pro-China leader Mohamed Muizzu took charge as the President. Zameer will undertake an official visit to China from July 20 to 24 at the invitation of Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and Chinas Minister for Foreign Affairs. During the visit, Zameer will hold official talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang, and meet with the senior officials of the Government. In addition, Minister Zameer will hold discussions with "key Chinese companies that have played a pivotal role in the economic development of the Maldives, it said. Zameer visited New Delhi from May 8 to 10 on his first bilateral official visit and met with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar to have bilateral discussions to address pivotal matters aimed at expediting the projects in the Maldives initiated with India's financial assistance. Zameer's visit to India came amid a downturn in the bilateral ties between the two countries since pro-China president Muizzu assumed office six months back. President Muizzu, who visited China within weeks of his swearing-in, had insisted on repatriating almost 90 Indian military personnel from his country leading to the relations between the two countries coming under severe strain. India withdrew them by May 10 and also has continued its financial assistance to various developmental projects in the archipelagic nation. Kathmandu, Jul 19 (PTI) In a congratulatory message to Nepal's new Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday, his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Friday promised that his government will be a "steadfast partner" of the Himalayan nation in its pursuit of economic prosperity. With your excellencys leadership and valuable experience, the wide-ranging cooperation between our two countries will move forward in a positive direction for the benefit of our two peoples, Prime Minister Modi said and added that Nepal remained a special and priority partner under Indias neighbourhood first policy. Oli took oath as Nepals 45th Prime Minister, the fourth time for him, on July 15 to lead a new coalition government that faces the daunting challenge of providing political stability in the country. According to PM Olis Secretariat, Modi said that his government continues to be committed to being a steadfast partner of Nepal in the pursuit of its economic prosperity and development priorities by strengthening our mutually beneficial partnership and also exploring newer avenues for collaboration. Due to the centuries-old common culture, civilisation and open borders between the two countries, strong relations have been established between the citizens of the two countries, he pointed out. Underlining that there has been significant progress between the two countries in the fields of connectivity and energy recently, he urged Prime Minister Oli to share and cooperate in the overall development of the two countries. India- Nepal relations are characterized by age-old civilisational and cultural connections as well as strong people-to-people ties across our open borders, he noted. These bonds provide energy, vigour, and strength to our partnership, he added. In recent years our bilateral cooperation has witnessed progress including in the areas of connectivity, energy, developmental partnership and people-to-people exchanges, he noted. We have always valued your excellencys contribution to this journey, he added. I look forward to working closely with you in ensuring that our bilateral partnership soars even higher and that we help realise the aspirations of the people of both our countries. Tel Aviv, Jul 19 (AP) An Iranian-made drone sent by Yemen's Houthi rebels struck Tel Aviv on Friday, leaving one person dead and at least 10 wounded in the group's first lethal strike into Israel. The aerial strike rumbled through the center of the city near the US Embassy, causing shrapnel to rain down and spreading shards of glass over a large radius. The hit in Israel's biggest city was startling because the drone appeared to have crossed much of the country through the multilayered air defenses that have intercepted almost all of the drones and rockets that Yemen's Houthis have been launching toward Israel since the Gaza war began. Most have failed even to reach Israel's southernmost city, Eilat, on the Red Sea some 270 kilometers (160 miles) south of Tel Aviv. The Israeli military said it was investigating what went wrong. Chief spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the drone was detected by air defenses, but an error occurred and there was no interception." We are investigating the entire chain, he said. Another military official blamed human error. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing. The spokesman for the Houthis, Yahya Sare'e, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement published on the social media platform X. He said it was in retaliation for the Israel-Hamas war and had hit one of the group's many targets. Israel's military identified the drone as an Iranian Samad-3 upgraded to travel long distances and said it was believed to have come from Yemen. The drone hit at around 3:10 am, blowing out windows and damaging cars throughout a coastal neighborhood of Tel Aviv and reverberating as far as nearby cities. The military said it had not determined if it exploded in the air or directly struck buildings. Footage verified by the AP shows the low-flying drone arriving at Tel Aviv's shoreline and then heading into the city, moments before an explosion lights up the night sky. In one building, the Sajiv family swept up the shattered glass of their apartment's balcony door. Limor Sajiv said they were woken by the sound of a blast. We had no idea what it was. I mean, we heard missiles before we heard things, this was different, really, really loud, he said. People thronged to the area as police helicopters hovered overhead. For many, it reaffirmed feelings of disillusionment with the military's handling of the war since October. Yossi Nevi, a retired evacuee from Kiryat Shmona, said he was shaken awake in the hotel he lives in. Hearing it was human error, Nevi said, made him lose all trust in the army, not that I had much after the past nine months. Eldad Namdar, who owns a camera store next to the intersection where the drone is believed to have exploded, said he hopes the war ends soon, but he also wants it to be concluded in a way that secures his future. I don't want this to happen again in six months, I want them to finish this situation until the end, he said. The US State Department said there was no damage to the US Embassy or any of its staff members. The Houthi strike hit hours after Israel's military confirmed one of its airstrikes had killed a Hezbollah commander and other militants in southern Lebanon. Israel has so far not made attacks on the Houthis, allowing its allies instead to take the lead as it focuses its efforts on the war in Gaza and ongoing fighting with Hezbollah. The attack also comes days before Netanyahu is to travel to Washington and address Congress. The Houthis have routinely claimed responsibility for hitting targets in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Analysts and Western intelligence services have long accused Iran of arming the group, a claim that Tehran denies. In recent years, US naval forces have intercepted a number of ships packed with rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and missile parts en route from Iran to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The Houthis maintain that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom. However, many have little or no connection to the war. Friday's drone strike on Tel Aviv could resurface fears about the war in Gaza becoming a region-wide conflagration. Such fears run counter to renewed hopes that Israel signaling its operation underway in Rafah is nearing its finish could foster an environment more conducive to negotiations as international mediators continue to push for a cease-fire. The deal under discussion would halt fighting and free about 120 Israeli hostages held by the militant group in Gaza. Israel remains divided over striking a deal, with some wanting the government to take the necessary steps to free the hostages and others, including far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, disavowing the idea. On Thursday, Ben-Gvir visited Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site to pray for the return of Israeli hostages, he said, without a reckless deal, without surrendering. Israel's air defense system has intercepted thousands of projectiles throughout the war, including Hamas rocket fire from Gaza. But officials warn the systems are not 100 per cent effective and appear to have struggled against small and hard-to-detect attack drones. Like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis are backed by Israel's archenemy, Iran. Israel for the most part also has avoided direct confrontations with Iran throughout the war. Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel during a single incident in April in response to Israel's alleged assassination of a pair of Iranian generals in Syria at the time. The war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas' October 7 attack on southern Israel, has killed more than 38,600 people, according to the territory's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The war has created a humanitarian catastrophe in the coastal Palestinian territory, displaced most of its 2.3 million population and triggered widespread hunger. Hamas' October attack killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and militants took about 250 hostage. About 120 remain in captivity, with about a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities. (AP) NPK NPK ISLAMABAD, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A policeman was killed and two others were injured when unknown militants lobbed a hand grenade on them in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, police sources said. The incident happened in the Mardan district of the province where the policemen were performing their duty at the archeology sites in the district, the sources told Xinhua. The body and the injured policemen had been shifted to a nearby hospital, and an investigation into the incident is underway, the sources added. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Pune, Jul 19 (PTI) Three persons were killed and five others injured after a truck mowed down a group of people in Maharashtra's Pune district on Friday, police said. The accident occurred near Alephata in Junnar Tehsil on the Ahmednagar-Kalyan Road around 11.30 am, an official said. The victims were returning after performing last rites at a crematorium, he said. The driver of the truck, which was heading towards Kalyan, lost control of the vehicle on a slope at Gulunjwadi village and mowed down a group of people, the official from Alephata police station said. Three persons, including a woman and a child, were killed, and five to six others sustained injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital, he said. The police were in the process of registering a case, the official said Gandhinagar, Jul 19 (PTI) Gujarat has rolled out a dedicated policy for the semiconductor sector and chip manufacturing will commence soon in the state, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said on Friday, assuring that his government will provide necessary assistance to the industry. Patel was speaking after inaugurating the daylong Gujarat SemiConnect Conference 2024, covering various avenues of the semiconductor sector, at the Mahatma Mandir convention centre here. Micron Technology, Tata Electronics and CG Power, which are building their semiconductor plants in Gujarat, have collaborated with the state government as knowledge partners for the conference. Semiconductors, also referred to as integrated circuits or microchips, are an essential component of electronic devices, facilitating communications, military systems, healthcare, computing, transportation, clean energy, and several other applications. In his address, the chief minister assured those keen to invest in the sector that his government would provide all necessary assistance for chip manufacturing facilities in the state. Gujarat is the first Indian state to have implemented a dedicated policy for the semiconductor sector. Within a few months of its implementation in 2020, Micron Technology decided to set up a chip manufacturing plant in Gujarat. We allotted them land at Sanand in just one week, he said. The CM said Gujarat offers plug-and-play facilities at the Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) for the semiconductor players. Taking advantage of this facility, Tata Electronics and its partner, Taiwans Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, are establishing the countrys first commercial semiconductor fab (fabrication facility) at Dholera SIR, he said. He said CG Power is also establishing an OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) facility at Sanand. I am confident chip manufacturing will commence soon in Gujarat. We are also working on creating manpower for this sector, the CM said. In their addresses, top leaders from Micron Technology, Tata Electronics and CG Power stressed the need for the development of infrastructure, rail and road connectivity and other such facilities near Dholera and Sanand where semiconductor units are coming. Mona Khandhar, principal secretary in the states Department of Science and Technology, informed the audience that the three chipmakers are on course to start their operations in the state. Micron has already activated its temporary facilities and its state-of-the-art ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packing) facility worth Rs 22,500 crore is on the way to get commissioned early next year at Sanand, said the senior IAS officer. Tata Electronics in partnership with PSMC Taiwan is all set to set up semicon facilities worth Rs 91,000 crore at Dholera and will begin operations by 2026, she said. CG power in partnership with Renesas, Japan, has geared up to set OSAT facility worth Rs 7,600 crore at Sanand to be commissioned by 2025, she added. In his address, Gursharan Singh, senior vice president at Micron Technology, stressed the need for robust infrastructure and other facilities for the semiconductor sector. While our primary facility in Sanand is under construction, I am pleased to share that technology transfer, line and product qualification at our mini facility in Sanand is progressing on schedule, he said. For India to become a semiconductor nation, it is imperative that power supply remains uninterrupted and consistent and that clean water supply is ensured right at the doorsteps of semiconductor companies, said Singh. Equally critical is the development of civic infrastructure in Sanand. (There is a need for) dormitories and housing options for employees, especially for new college graduates and single employees. High-speed rail connectivity, bump-free roads, public transport, luxury hotels, international schools and hospitals, all adjacent to the cluster in Sanand and Dholera (are needed), he said. Singh also stressed that direct flights between Ahmedabad and semiconductor nations like Taiwan, South Korea and Japan are essential to facilitating new investments, knowledge sharing and collaboration with overseas partners. Arun Murugappan, chairman of Tube Investments, also talked about the need for infrastructure and facilities similar to that of Taiwan. CG Power and Industrial Solutions is part of Tube Investments of India Limited. To ensure Indias success in semiconductors, it is crucial to establish a semiconductor cluster similar to the one in Taiwan, having a robust infrastructure including power, water, and connectivity while fostering the co-location of raw material suppliers, equipment suppliers, research institutions, universities and supporting industry, he said. Randhir Thakur, CEO and MD of Tata Electronics Private Limited, said the company has committed to invest $11 billion towards its semiconductor fab project in Dholera, which he said will generate over 20,000 jobs. This semiconductor fab project in Dholera will bring more than 2,000 ecosystem partners and suppliers, and a few of them have already started working with us. As we build India's first greenfield AI-enabled fab, a key focus for us will be on promoting local industry, he said. New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate Friday said it has seized Rs 78 lakh of "unaccounted" cash and digital devices during searches against a Punjab-based liquor firm and its former director Gautam Malhotra, son of ex-SAD MLA Deep Malhotra. The searches were launched on July 16 at seven locations in Punjab, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh on premises of the company Malbros International Pvt. Ltd. The money laundering case stems from a criminal complaint filed by the Punjab Pollution Control Board against the company for alleged violation of various sections of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 for "contaminating" soil and ground water in and around its factory premise, the central agency said in a statement. The complaint was filed in the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ferozepur. The agency said the company discharged industrial effluent in the bore-wells installed "illicitly" at the premise of its industrial unit in Ferozepur leading to soil and water contamination. This resulted in public health risk and cattle deaths in and around its premises, the ED said . "Money generated through environmental crime has further been used for business activities of the company," it alleged. The search operation resulted in the recovery of digital devices, "incriminating" documents and unaccounted cash totalling Rs 78.15 lakh, it said. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had in January, 2023 ordered immediate closure of the factory following an agitation by locals and farmers against the firm. Gautam Malhotra was arrested by the ED in February last year in the Delhi excise policy linked money laundering case. New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) The ED on Friday said it has arrested a former CMD of a Mumbai-based insolvent company as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged bank loan fraud of more than Rs 975 crore. Fomer chairman and managing director (CMD) of Mandhana Industries Limited Purushottam Chhaganlal Mandhana was arrested on Thursday. The company has been liquidated and is now known as GB Global Limited. Purushottam Mandhana was produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai on Friday and it sent him to six days in Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody, the agency said in a statement. The money laundering case stems from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR filed against the company Mandhana Industries, Purushottam Mandhana, Manish Mandhana, Biharilal Mandhana and others on the basis of a complaint filed by the Bank of Baroda for "defrauding" a consortium of banks to the tune of Rs 975.08 crore. "The company and its directors hatched a criminal conspiracy to cause loss to banks and corresponding wrongful gain to themselves by diverting loan funds through fraudulent transactions and circular trading," the ED said. The CBI has not filed a charge-sheet in the case yet. Purushottam Mandhana, the agency claimed, hatched a criminal conspiracy along with the other directors of the company and caused a "wrongful" loss to the banks for personal enrichment. "He with an ulterior motive incorporated numerous fictitious entities in the name of his employees and used such entities for layering of funds of the company including the loan funds. In pursuit of his ill motive to dupe the banks, he made bogus sales and purchases with different entities," it alleged. Searches were conducted twice in this case by the ED in June and early this month, and the agency had said it seized gold jewellery worth about Rs 3 crore and luxury cars like Lexus and Mercedes Benz apart from expensive watches, including brands like Rolex and Hublot. New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) After hosting of the G20, the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee that will be held here from July 21-31 will prove to be the next milestone, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Friday. At a curtain-raiser press conference here ahead of the session, he also said an "in-principle approval" has been received for the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration of the event. Shekhawat said the World Heritage Committee (WHC) session will offer an opportunity to India to showcase its rich cultural heritage, upkeep and management of its sites and the priority India accords to its heritage. Asked on what criteria Delhi was chosen as the host city for the key meeting, the Union minister said Delhi was a "natural choice" for such a culturally important event. Ahead of the WHC session, the government recently launched a public art project with works themed on India's cultural legacy and the country's UNESCO heritage sites among others. In sync with the meeting, some of the artwork and sculptures will draw inspiration from world heritage sites such as Bimbetka and also natural world heritage sites in India, officials had said. The WHC session will be at the Bharat Mandapam, which was also the venue for the G20 Summit. Currently, India has the sixth largest number of UNESCO sites in the world. The countries that have 42 or more world heritage sites are Italy, Spain, Germany, China and France, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had said in a statement. Srinagar, Jul 19 (PTI) A clash broke out between police and some people who were protesting against the shortage of drinking water in Baramulla district on Friday, officials said. The personal security officers of BJP leaders were also injured when protesters resorted to stone pelting. The protest was held on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway in Mirgund locality of Pattan, they said. According to authorities, a mob "attacked" BJP's Kashmir media in-charge Sajid Yousuf Shah and the party's social media in-charge Sahil Bashir Bhat, who were passing through the area in their car. The BJP said the vehicle was damaged and the PSOs of the two leaders were "seriously injured" in the attack and they were rushed to hospital. New Delhi, Jul 19 (PTI) Delhi Police on Friday said it has busted an inter-state kidney racket and arrested eight people. "The accused persons used to get transplants done based on forged documents in multiple hospitals across five states," a police officer said. A Crime Branch team of Delhi Police arrested them in a week-long operation, the officer said. Further details in the matter are awaited. Lucknow, Jul 19 (PTI) Sonam Chishti, the vice chairperson of Kinnar Kalyan Board in Uttar Pradesh, has submitted her resignation, saying she was "hurt by the performance of the BJP" in this year's elections. Chishti, a transgender woman, told PTI that she has sent the resignation letter to the Uttar Pradesh governor. Her post enjoys the status of a minister of state. The resignation comes amid speculations of a rift in the Uttar Pradesh unit of the BJP ahead of the bypolls on 10 seats of the state that are expected to be announced shortly. In a signed letter addressed to the governor, Chisti wrote, "Hurt by the results of BJP candidates in various Lok Sabha constituencies, I take responsibility for the defeat as despite having the status of a minister of state, I have failed to strengthen the Bharatiya Janata Party among the people." "For this reason, which has troubled my conscience, I am resigning from the government post. After this, I will continue to work to strengthen the Bharatiya Janata Party organisation and I will faithfully discharge the responsibility given to me by BJP, Uttar Pradesh," she said in a letter, which is doing the rounds on social media. New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) The NHRC on Thursday said it has issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the state's police chief over reports that a person died allegedly in police custody due to torture in Jalaun district. Reportedly, in an effort to "hide the incident", some police personnel also illegally detained family members of the deceased at a police station, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said in a statement. The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that "one person died in police custody due to torture in Jalaun district of Uttar Pradesh", it said. As mentioned in a news report, carried on July 15, the police personnel allegedly left the body of the victim, uninformed, outside the emergency ward of the district hospital and fled, the statement said. The Commission has observed that the content of the media report, if true, raises a serious violation of the human rights of the victim and his family, it said. Going by the contents of the media report, it appears that the "policemen abused their power", the rights panel said. A precious human life was lost apparently during police action and the victim's family members were allegedly subjected to harassment and illegal detention, which is a matter of concern, it said. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police of Uttar Pradesh to submit a detailed report within two weeks, the statement said. The Commission also noted that Jalaun police authorities have not yet sent any intimation to it, as per its standing guidelines about death in police or judicial custody, within 24 hours. Therefore, the superintendent of police, Jalaun has been directed to explain within one week why this case of custodial death was not reported to the Commission within 24 hours, the statement said. As mentioned in the news report, the duty doctor on noticing a body in front of the emergency ward sent a ward boy to inform the police station, however, reportedly, the police "illegally detained him". He was released only after a protest by the hospital staff, the statement said. Reportedly, there were injury marks on the body of the deceased while the police claim that the man, wanted in a case of murder, was ill and died in the police station after the arrest due to illness, it added. Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 19 (PTI) The Kerala government has convened a meeting of affected parties in the state, including representatives of fishermen and industry, to seek a way out to protect their livelihood and business, following the ban imposed by the United States on the export of wild-caught shrimp. State Fisheries Minister Saji Cheriyan will hold a meeting with the fishermen's association, boat owners, exporters, and related officials on July 24, according to an official release on Thursday. The minister's office said that the US imposed a ban in 2019 on importing wild-caught shrimps from India, which is still in effect, citing that protected sea turtles get entangled in fishing nets. "Due to the US ban, other countries are buying Indian shrimps at a lower price. This crisis is affecting the domestic market for sea shrimps, causing prices to drop. Against this backdrop, the government has called a meeting, as the situation is a major setback for the fisheries sector," the office said. The fishermen's associations said that sea turtles are not getting entangled in nets during trolling in most areas in India. A troll ban is in place on the coast of Odisha, where sea turtles are widely seen, during their breeding season. Charles George, leader of Kerala Matsya Thozhilali Aikyavedi, alleged that many exporters were forced to close down their businesses due to the ban imposed by the United States. Last year, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had said that India and the US were developing a mechanism that would allow Indian fishermen to export shrimps to American consumers. Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a World Health Organization (WHO) goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the "Love in the Sunshine" summer camp for children from China and Africa, and delivers a speech at Beijing Library in Beijing, capital of China, July 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Friday attended the "Love in the Sunshine" summer camp for children from China and Africa, which is being held in Beijing. Peng is a World Health Organization (WHO) goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education. In a speech on Friday, she said that the summer camp is not only a get-together for Chinese and African children, but also a clear demonstration of the closeness between China and the African continent. Chinese and African people have always understood and supported one another in their pursuit of happiness, Peng said. And as a companion on Africa's development path, she added, China is not only committed to ensuring the healthy growth of Chinese children, but also to contributing its strength to the healthy growth of African children. Noting that China and Africa will always be sincere friends, Peng expressed the hope that all of the children at the summer camp would become the inheritors of the traditional friendship between China and Africa, and a new force in the construction of a China-Africa community with a shared future. Participants representing all of the children who gathered for the summer camp expressed their sincere thanks to Peng for her long-term care, and said that they would cherish their time, study hard and become messengers for the China-Africa friendship. Children from South Africa, Namibia, Somalia, Uganda, the Central African Republic and other countries, as well as children from the Yi autonomous prefecture of Liangshan in southwest China's Sichuan Province and the city of Ruili in southwest China's Yunnan Province, were invited to attend the summer camp. China-based diplomatic envoys from relevant African countries were also invited to attend. Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a World Health Organization (WHO) goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the "Love in the Sunshine" summer camp for children from China and Africa, and delivers a speech at Beijing Library in Beijing, capital of China, July 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a World Health Organization (WHO) goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the "Love in the Sunshine" summer camp for children from China and Africa, and delivers a speech at Beijing Library in Beijing, capital of China, July 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a World Health Organization (WHO) goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the "Love in the Sunshine" summer camp for children from China and Africa, and delivers a speech at Beijing Library in Beijing, capital of China, July 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a World Health Organization (WHO) goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the "Love in the Sunshine" summer camp for children from China and Africa, and delivers a speech at Beijing Library in Beijing, capital of China, July 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a World Health Organization (WHO) goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education, attends the "Love in the Sunshine" summer camp for children from China and Africa, and delivers a speech at Beijing Library in Beijing, capital of China, July 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) Brad Song thought he was about to get his e-bike stolen a second time in a less than a month after delivering an order for Chinese food app Fantuan Delivery. Seven strangers surrounded the Chinese immigrant and knocked him off the scooter. He was rescued when a nearby motorist revved his engine, scaring the assailants. His brakes were damaged and a phone used for navigation had its screen shattered, but, while the February attack in New York rattled Song, his bike and body emerged intact. Asylum-seekers have gravitated to working food delivery in New York and other major cities, drawn by an abundance of customers and ease of getting started. But the job carries hazards, particularly thieves who target food delivery bikes. Newly arrived asylum-seekers have been easy targets. Some work without legal permission, which can make them fearful of seeking help in an emergency. Dissatisfied with the police response, many delivery drivers have banded together. Juan Solano, who migrated from the Mexican state of Guerrero in 2017, founded E l Diario de los Delivery Boys en la Gran Manzana, a group of delivery workers who help retrieve stolen e-bikes, often with the help of monitoring devices. Launched during the pandemic, the group has more than 50,000 followers on Facebook and a WhatsApp channel to alert delivery workers of robberies in real time. Solano, 35, started working in food delivery during the pandemic with his nephew, Sergio, who had his e-bike stolen twice. Thieves appear to target isolated areas near bridges that connect Manhattan to other boroughs, especially those with lighter police presence. They prey especially on those traveling alone. A WhatsApp group, called Alert Willis, is dedicated to workers who ride the Willis Avenue Bridge connecting Manhattan to the Bronx. Sergio Solano said he waited for other workers before crossing the Willis Avenue Bridge recently. After crossing, they turned back after learning on their phones that someone else was being robbed while traveling alone. The robber had some type of weapon, but we decided to confront him anyway, Solano said. Outnumbered, the person fled without the bike. New York migrant shelters have dozens, even hundreds, of scooters parked outside. The city estimates there are 65,000 food delivery workers almost certainly an undercount an unknown percentage of them newly-arrived asylum-seekers. A $1,000 investment for a bike is the main requirement. Asylum-seekers must apply for a work permit, prompting many to work under the names of people who can legally work. Heisen Mao, a delivery worker and labor organizer, says drivers without work authorization typically pay an account owner between $400 and $500 a month, or about 20% of their revenue. DoorDash spokesman Eli Scheinholtz said company safeguards against fraudulent accounts include requiring periodic selfies to verify identity. The company said bike thefts are extremely rare. Uber spokesman Josh Gold said in a statement that it has similar anti-fraud measures. Fantuan says it verifies the identity of each of its drivers in person and alerts couriers of high-crime areas. The New York Police Department reported 11,157 thefts of bikes valued at $1,000 or more from 2018 through 2023, with sharp increases to a peak of nearly 3,000 in 2020, when supply-chain problems created huge demand. The thefts are concentrated in certain areas, with lower Manhattan the most prevalent. Consequences can be deadly. In 2021, Francisco Villalba, 29, was fatally shot in the chest after refusing to give up his bike while taking a break at a playground. He had just finished a DoorDash delivery in East Harlem. His assailant was sentenced to 41 years in prison. Tiburcio Castillo, 37, was fatally attacked on the Willis Bridge while riding his e-bike back home from a food delivery shift in 2022. After an extensive search, his family found him at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, in a coma, where he died. No one has been arrested. Police insist they have been vigilant against theft. The NYPD will answer all calls for service and investigate all crimes reported regardless of immigration status, the agency said in a statement. The rise in asylum-seeking food delivery workers reflects a seismic shift in migration at the U.S. border from predominantly Mexican men trying to elude capture to single adults, families and unaccompanied children from dozens of countries around the world who surrender to Border Patrol agents. The Border Patrol released about 1.6 million migrants with notices to appear in immigration court from January 2022 through April 2024 and about 600,000 under presidential powers known as parole. Since late 2022, the Biden administration granted entry to another 1 million migrants through new or expanded legal pathways using parole authority at land crossings or airports to stay up to two years and immediately obtain work authorization. New York began seeing a large increase in the spring of 2022, fueled partly by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sending busloads of people at his states expense. The city currently estimates it is currently home to about 195,000 newly arrived migrants. Song, 30, arrived in New York last July amid a major increase in Chinese citizens coming to the United States on a relatively new and perilous route that has become increasingly popular with the help of social media. They start by flying to the Ecuadorian capital of Quito. Chinese people are the fourth-largest nationality, after Venezuelans, Ecuadorians and Haitians, crossing the Darien Gap, according to Panamanian government data. Chinese asylum-seekers say they are seeking to escape an increasingly repressive political climate and bleak economic prospects. Song had his first e-bike stolen off the sidewalk during his lunch break. The second assault, ending in a near miss in East Flushing, Queens, came only a month later. I shudder to think what might have happened if they had brandished a knife or a gun, Song said. Song eventually purchased a car to make deliveries. Gustavo, an asylum seeker from Venezuela, living at the former Roosevelt Hotel, a city-run shelter, switched to a moped after his electric bike was stolen 15 days after he started delivering food. He reported it to police, to no avail. I knew where it was, said Gustavo, who declined to give his last name. But if I went there, I would have beaten the thief up and then I would have been screwed because he would be the victim. Fidel Luna, who has delivered food for a restaurant in upper Manhattan since he arrived in New York from Mexico in 2020, tracked his stolen e-bike to a building in January and immediately notified police. He said his repeated inquiries to police have elicited no response. Police declined to comment on his case. Luna, 29, borrowed his brothers bike to keep working. He kept track of his original bike and planned to intercept if the moment was right. I would like the police to help but I cannot wait, I need to get my bike back. (AP) A career criminal responsible for hundreds of home burglaries in New York City and the 5 Towns has been apprehended and is now in police custody. The suspect, who targeted Jewish communities, committed many of the burglaries on Friday nights while families slept. The arrest follows a complex, six-month investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the the NYPD and Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), as well as with assistance of the Rockaway/Nassau Safety Patrol (RNSP Shomrim), who acted under the guidance of Rav Tzvi Flaum shlita. The suspects reign of terror had left many families feeling violated and fearful, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and jewelry stolen. Now, with the suspect behind bars, authorities are working diligently to swiftly return all stolen items to their rightful owners. Thank you to all of our community partners for your trust and support, the RNSP said in a statement. Thank you for working with us on your most difficult days. We made you a promise that we would put an end to this pattern, and we want you to know that we came through with our commitment. We are here for you. We hope this gives some closure to the many families who have been through so much difficulty over the last 6 months, the statement continued. We hope you and your children sleep better at night, and if there are any recovered items that were stolen from your homes, we can assure you that everything will be returned to you as soon as possible. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) When it comes to tragic and unusual deaths rl, Misaskim has always been at the forefront of advocating for kedushas hames. Before Covid, Misaskim was allowed to be present during a visual exam or autopsy to ensure the niftar would be buried according to Jewish law. However, since Covid, no one was allowed into an autopsy or visual exam, and Misaskim was unable to perform this vital task. While the protocol changes were necessary for health and safety during the pandemic time, the Jewish community was distressed about the lack of rabbinic supervision during an autopsy. Meyer Weill of Misaskim and Rabbi Elchonon Zohn of the Chevra Kadisha of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens held numerous meetings with the Medical Examiners Office to discuss the importance of rabbinic supervision for the community during an autopsy or visual exam. Baruch Hashem, the Medical Examiners Office has agreed to once again allow Misaskim to supervise autopsies and visual exams. Various other protocols changed during the Covid era, and Misaskim is working in partnership with the Medical Examiners Office to address the remaining concerns of the community. Misaskim extends a tremendous thank you to Dr. Jason Graham, MD, Chief Medical Examiner of New York City, and his staff. Dr. Graham has always been there for the Jewish community, displaying exceptional kindness, receptiveness, and respect for Jewish traditions. Dr. Graham consistently demonstrates incredible sensitivity, doing whatever he can to ease the plight of families during this tragic time. Misaskim is incredibly grateful. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) President Joe Bidens son, Hunter, asked federal judges on Thursday to dismiss tax and gun cases against him, citing a ruling in Florida this week that threw out a separate prosecution of former President Donald Trump. The requests in federal court in Delaware and California underscore the potential ramifications of U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannons dismissal Monday of the classified documents case against Trump and the possibility that it could unsettle the legal landscape surrounding Justice Department special counsels. Both Hunter Biden and Trump were prosecuted by special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland. In dismissing the Trump case, Cannon ruled that the appointment of the special counsel who prosecuted Trump, Jack Smith, violated the Constitution because he was appointed directly to the position by Garland instead of being nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Smiths team has said the Justice Department followed long-establishment precedent for instance, the Trump-era appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Russian election interference was upheld by courts and has appealed Cannons dismissal to a federal appeals court in Atlanta. In a pair of filings Thursday, lawyers for Hunter Biden said the same logic should apply in his cases and should result in the dismissal of a pending tax prosecution in Los Angeles currently set for trial in September and a separate firearm case in Delaware, in which Hunter Biden was convicted in June of three felony charges. Hunter Bidens team had raised similar arguments before, unsuccessfully, but they say theres now good reason to reconsider them. Both of Hunter Bidens cases are being overseen by judges nominated by Trump. Cannon, the judge who threw out Trumps case, was also nominated by the former Republican president. Based on these new legal developments, Mr. Biden moves to dismiss the indictment brought against him because the Special Counsel who initiated this prosecution was appointed in violation of the Appointments Clause as well, Hunter Bidens lawyers wrote. They also cited an opinion this month by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that questioned the propriety of a special counsel appointment. The Attorney General relied upon the exact same authority to appoint the Special Counsel in both the Trump and Biden matters, and both appointments are invalid for the same reason, the lawyers added. Smith and the special counsel who prosecuted Hunter Biden, David Weiss, are different in that Smith was hired from outside the Justice Department while Weiss was working as the U.S. Attorney in Delaware at the time of his appointment. In her ruling, Cannon noted that a special counsels powers are arguably broader than a traditional United States Attorney, as he is permitted to exercise his investigatory powers across multiple districts within the same investigation. Hunter Bidens lawyers pointed out Thursday that thats exactly what happened in his case, as Weiss in his role as special counsel filed cases against Biden in California and Delaware and separately brought charges against a former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens. Mere U.S. Attorneys do not have that power. Given that Congress requires a U.S. Attorney to be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, it makes no sense to assume that Congress would allow the Attorney General to unilaterally appoint someone as Special Counsel with equal or greater power than a U.S. Attorney, Hunter Bidens lawyers wrote. That is what has been attempted here. Jurors found Hunter Biden guilty in June of lying about his drug use in 2018 on a federal form to buy a firearm that he had for about 11 days. The trial put a spotlight on a dark period in Hunter Bidens life during which he became addicted to crack cocaine after the 2015 death of his brother, Beau. He has said hes been sober since 2019. Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced in the gun case by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, though as a first-time offender he would not get anywhere near the maximum, and theres no guarantee the judge would send him to prison. She has not set a sentencing date. The tax case centers on at least $1.4 million in taxes prosecutors say he failed to pay over four years. The back taxes have since been paid. The long-running federal investigation into the presidents son had looked ready to wrap up with a plea deal last year, but the agreement imploded after a judge raised questions about it. Hunter Biden was subsequently indicted in both cases. (AP) The 20-year-old Pennsylvania man who tried to assassinate Donald Trump had photos on his phone of the former Republican president, President Joe Biden and other officials, including Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Chris Wray, according to two people familiar with the matter. Investigators searching Thomas Matthew Crooks devices have also found that the shooter looked up the dates for the Democratic National Convention as well as Trumps appearances, according to the people who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition on anonymity to discuss details of the ongoing probe. The FBI has been searching for clues into what drove Crooks to open fire at Saturdays campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in an attempt to assassinate the GOP presidential nominee. The FBI has said they are investigating the shooting as a potential act of domestic terrorism but have yet to find a clear ideological motive. The FBI gained access to Crooks cellphone, scoured his computer, home and car, and interviewed more than 100 people so far. Crooks killed one rallygoer and seriously wounded two others. Trump suffered an ear injury but was not seriously hurt, appearing just days later at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee with a bandage over the wound. The shooter had also searched for information about major depressive disorder, according to three people familiar the investigation. But investigators have not yet determined whether he was actually diagnosed with the disorder, one of the people said. Studies have shown that the vast majority of people with mental illnesses are not violent, and experts say most people who are violent do not have mental illnesses. On a conference call with reporters Sunday, Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh field office, said: We have no indication of any mental health issues. Crooks used an AR-style rifle, which authorities said was purchased legally by his father. Investigators also found he brought multiple loaded magazines. He also bought 50 rounds on the day of the shooting. Authorities found a bulletproof vest in his car and another rudimentary explosive device at his home. Over the past few months he had received several packages there, including some that had potentially hazardous material. The shooting raised serious questions about why law enforcement was unable to stop the man from getting on a roof and opening fire. Multiple investigations into the security failures are underway, including a Department of Homeland Security inspector generals probe into the Secret Services handling of security. The Republican chairman of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee issued a subpoena Wednesday to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for her to appear before the committee on Monday. Republican have been calling for Cheatle to resign in the wake of the shooting, though she has said she has no intention do so. Local law enforcement had noticed Crooks pacing around the edges of rally, shouldering a big backpack and peering into the lens of a rangefinder toward the rooftops behind the stage where the president later stood, officials have told the AP. An image of Crooks was circulated by officers stationed outside the security perimeter. Witnesses later saw him climbing up the side of a squat manufacturing building that was within 135 meters (157 yards) from the stage. He then set up his AR-style rifle and lay on the rooftop, a detonator in his pocket to set off crude explosive devices that were stashed in his car parked nearby. Butler Township Manager Tom Knights said in a statement to The Associated Press on Thursday that officers were searching for a suspicious person around the time Trump arrived. Officers didnt find him around the building, so a Butler Township officer attempted to gain access to the roof by being hoisted up by another officer, Knights said. The officer spotted a person on the roof, and that person pointed a rifle at the officer, Knights said. The officer was in a defenseless position, and there was no way he could engage the actor while holding onto the roof edge, Knights said. The officer fell to the ground and Butler Township officers immediately communicated the individuals location and that he was in possession of a weapon, Knights said. Moments later, Crooks started firing, sending panicked spectators ducking for cover as Secret Service agents shielded Trump and pulled him from the stage. Two counter-sniper teams were stationed on buildings behind Trump, and the team further away from Crooks fired once, killing him. (AP) A U.S. Secret Service sniper killed the would-be assassin of former President Donald Trump in a split-second decision, taking out the man perched on an adjacent rooftop. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has publicly praised the snipers quick work on Saturday. But the Counter Sniper Team is now subject to a review by the Office of the Inspector General, which aims to determine how well the team is prepared to respond to threats at events. The Secret Service was already subject to a more general probe from the Inspector General as well as congressional subpoenas regarding the shooting at the Trump campaign rally, in what has become the most intense scrutiny the agency has faced since President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. Heres what to know about the agencys elite sniper group. Sniper team is very elite and difficult to get into The Counter Sniper Team was established in 1971. It provides intelligence and observations of potential threats from far away in an effort to protect U.S. presidents, vice presidents, first ladies and others, according to a 2020 report by the Government Accountability Office on federal tactical teams. Those who join the team have already worked for the Secret Service for at least two years, according to the agencys website. They must undergo 11 weeks of counter sniper selection and basic training, along with a color vision test. Counter snipers must have excellent eyesight and hearing. Its very sought after, its very elite and difficult to get into, Pete Piraino, who spent 23 years with the Secret Service, including five years in the presidential protective division, told The Associated Press on Thursday. They typically work in pairs The counter snipers are on the look out for threats from far away, even beyond the established security perimeter, said Piraino, who is now vice provost for academics and a criminal justice professor at Tiffin University in Ohio. They often work outdoors, focusing on rooftops and the windows of surrounding buildings. They typically work in teams of two one serves as a spotter while the other trains their rifles sight on the same area. Theyre trained to scan an area, remember what they see and come back to scan it again and see if theres any change, Piraino said. Its not just a matter of picking up their binoculars and looking around. They are trained very thoroughly and specifically with rangefinders and their equipment. If they dont qualify, they dont work The counter snipers, code named Hercules, can respond to a threat from a distance with their .300 Winchester Magnum rifles, according to Ronald Kesslers 2009 book, In the Presidents Secret Service. And they have to prove they can do so on a monthly basis. Counter-Snipers are required to qualify shooting out to a thousand yards each month, Kessler wrote. If they dont qualify, they dont travel or work. The snipers shoot with a rifle called a JAR, said Paul Eckloff, a retired Secret Service agent who served on details protecting three different presidents during his 23-year career. Youve never heard of it because the Secret Service makes them, Eckloff said. It stands for just another rifle and theyre built specifically for each counter sniper by the Secret Services armorer to take into account things like the length of the shooters arms, wrists and trigger finger. Eckloff wouldnt disclose how many counter sniper teams there are but noted that its a finite resource and they could always use more. What happened? Police learned of a suspicious character outside the fairgrounds in Butler, Pennsylvania, before Trump took the stage. Minutes into his speech, shots were fired. A counter sniper shot and killed Thomas Matthew Crooks in the seconds after he opened fire from a rooftop some 150 yards (135 meters) from the stage. Secret Service agents threw themselves on top of the former president before hustling him off stage. Stephen Colo, who retired from the Secret Service in 2003 as an assistant director, told The AP on Sunday that presidential candidates and former presidents dont typically get the same level of protection as the sitting president. Colo said he was surprised that the agency had staffed the event with a counter sniper team because there are not many of those highly trained operatives and they are usually reserved for the president. Kessler told the AP that the Counter Sniper Team should not be the focus of all of the scrutiny and investigations. He said the Secret Service members working closer to Trump should have called off the speech and moved him to safety as soon as they heard reports of a suspicious person in the crowd and then on a nearby rooftop. They should have just evacuated as soon as there was any hint of danger, Kessler said. Trump was not seriously injured and two days later he arrived in Milwaukee, with his right ear bandaged, to the adulation of his supporters at the Republican National Convention. The shooting had more serious ramifications for others at the rally. Former fire chief Corey Comperatore was shot and killed and two other people were wounded. Cheatle, the Secret Service director, told ABC News on Tuesday that the sniper who shot Crooks made a split-second decision. They have the ability to make that decision on their own. If they see that its a threat and they did that in that instance, she said. And I applaud the fact that they made that decision and didnt have to check with anybody and thankfully neutralized the threat. (AP) The individual who was caught on camera setting fire to a Hatzalah Emergency Response SUV in Lower Manhattan has been arrested by the NYPD. The suspect, 46-year-old Conrad Gumper, appears to be a homeless arsonist who did not target the vehicle because of the Hatzalah markings. He lit a similar fire to 3 other vehicles in Lower Manhattan and is being charged with arson, but no hate crimes. NYPD Deputy Chief Richie Taylor of the Community Affairs Bureau told Yeshiva World News that immediately after this incident occurred, Police Commissioner Edward Caban, Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, Deputy Commissioner Mark Stewart & Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny personally ensured that all appropriate police resources were utilized to bring the offender into custody, which resulted in this arrest. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Villager Liang Yingmi (L) and his wife Liang Anhe go to work in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 18, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villagers carry crop bundles to attend a feast celebrating the first month of a newborn baby in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 13, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Chickens cross a river in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 21, 2021. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villagers construct a wood building in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 21, 2022. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) This aerial drone photo taken on July 11, 2024 shows a view of the Wuying Village at sunrise on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) This combo photo taken from 2021 to 2024 shows the spring, summer, autumn and winter (from L to R) views of Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) This aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 14, 2024 shows villagers attending an open-air banquet in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Children play under an ancient tree in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 18, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villager Pan Zhongqing goes to work in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 12, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villager Pan Meilan (1st R) dresses her daughter for a folk activity in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 12, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villagers attend a wedding in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 27, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Children practice Lusheng, a traditional reed-pipe wind instrument, under the guidance of a teacher in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 9, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) A villager works in a field in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 12, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villagers engage in conversations after herding sheep in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, July 12, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) This aerial drone photo taken on July 10, 2024 shows a view of the Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) A villager with wooden benches and a child on his back walks to an open-air banquet in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 14, 2024. Wuying Village, spanning a history of over 200 years, is a Miao ethnic group hamlet that nestles snugly in the towering mountains stretching across the border between Guangxi and Guizhou. In the past, the impassable mountains and rugged landscape rendered locals extremely poor. In recent years, Wuying Village has made efforts in the fields of economy, education, culture and ethnic unity, etc. to promote rural vitalization for further development. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) A Virginia judge has ruled that American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) must disclose its funding channels as part of an investigation into allegations of terrorism financing, the Free Beacon reported Tuesday. The nonprofit group, which has been accused of providing material support to overseas terrorist organizations, will now have to provide the states attorney general, Jason Miyares, with access to its donor records and funding streams. The investigation was initiated after AMP failed to properly file tax forms for seven years, which the state argues could indicate impermissible use of funds, including support to terrorist organizations. The judges decision allows Miyares to obtain potentially years worth of funding documents, including donor and transaction records. AMP has been at the center of anti-Israel protests across the country and has been accused of promoting anti-Semitic rhetoric and supporting Hamas. The groups finances have long been scrutinized, with allegations of terrorism financing and money laundering. The ruling has garnered national attention, with congressional Republicans also probing AMPs funding streams. The group is also facing a lawsuit from Israeli terror victims who allege that AMP serves as a collaborator and propagandist for Hamas. AMPs lawyer, Christina Jump, argued that the group is now in compliance with Virginia law and that the attorney generals request for donor documents violates the First Amendment. However, the judge rejected this argument, paving the way for Miyares to obtain the requested documents. The case has sparked debate about the limits of free speech and the need for transparency in nonprofit funding. AMPs finances and activities have been widely criticized, with the Anti-Defamation League describing the group as the leading organization providing anti-Zionist training and education that seeks to delegitimize and demonize the Jewish state. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) The Knesset on Wednesday passed a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state with an overwhelming majority of 68-9. The resolution, co-sponsored by parties across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition and right-wing opposition parties, as well as Benny Gantzs National Unity party, emphasizes that a Palestinian state would pose an existential danger to Israel and perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The resolutions passage comes just days before Netanyahus visit to the US, where he will address a joint session of Congress and meet with President Joe Biden. The move is expected to further irk Democrats, who have grown increasingly uncomfortable with the Israeli governments shift away from a two-state solution. The resolution states that the establishment of a Palestinian state, even as part of a negotiated settlement, would lead to Hamas taking over and creating a radical Islamic terror base, threatening Israels existence and regional stability. It also argues that promoting Palestinian statehood would reward terrorism and encourage jihadist Islams expansion in the Middle East. Only lawmakers from the Labor, Raam, and Hadash-Taal parties opposed the resolution, while Yesh Atid party members abstained, despite their chairman Yair Lapids previous support for a two-state solution. This move highlights the growing divisions within Israels political landscape on the issue of Palestinian statehood. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) The IDF on Thursday published a recording of a phone conversation between two Gazan civilians about the death of Hamas leader No. 2 Muhammed Deif. In the conversation, which took place on July 13, they confirm Deifs death and express their hopes for the speedy death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as well, with G-ds help. Although Hamas has not admitted to Deifs death, Israeli security officials said that his death is certain due to the multi-stage strike carried out by the IDF. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) The IDF stated on Friday morning that the drone that penetrated Israel in the pre-dawn hours, exploding in a Tel Aviv apartment, killing one person and injuring several others, was not intercepted due to human error. The explosive drone, likely launched from Yemen, over 2,000 kilometers away from Israel, penetrated Israel without any warning sirens and exploded in a Tel Aviv apartment, yards away from the US embassy and many hotels housing evacuees from the north and south of the country. A preliminary investigation revealed that the drone was detected by the Air Force but a mistaken decision was made not to intercept it since it was not classified as hostile and therefore, no warning siren was sounded. The IDF said this is a severe incident that shouldnt have happened and the Air Force takes responsibility for the incident as the defender of the countrys skies. The IAF increased its air patrols to protect Israeli airspace. There is no change in the defensive guidelines of the Home Front Command. Folllowing the attack, a Houthi spokesperson issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack: We carried out a high-quality military operation in Tel Aviv using a new UAV called Jaffa which is capable of bypassing the enemys interception systems and is undetectable by radars. The operation successfully achieved its objectives. The Yemenite Armed Forces declares the occupied Jaffa area as an unsafe area that is a major target. We will focus on striking the front of the Zionist enemy and reaching deep within it. We have a bank of targets in Israel, including sensitive military and security targets, and we will continue to strike them. Apart from the man who was killed by the drone, eight people were lightly injured, four from shrapnel wounds and four who suffered from shock. Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv said on Friday morning that five victims who were evacuated to the hospital in the wake of the attack were treated and released. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Chaarat Gold, Destiny Pharma, and Sondrel led AIM's losers list this week after announcing their exit from the junior market. They are joining an exodus of smaller companies, largely in the tech and biotech sectors, frustrated by the funding drought and the declining popularity of growth stocks. For anti-infectives specialist Destiny (down 49 per cent), chaired by City grandee Sir Nigel Rudd, the choice was stark: the company quit AIM to avoid a financial implosion. Rudd told investors: 'Without taking this route, we believe that liquidation of the company is the most likely alternative.' Chipmaker Sondrel (down 38 per cent), which flagged its potential exit in May, confirmed earlier this week that the 'complexities of being quoted on AIM do not benefit any stakeholders at this stage of the group's transition.' Departures: Chaarat Gold, Destiny Pharma, and Sondrel led AIM's losers list this week after announcing their exit from the junior market A rescue financing that will leave current investors with just a 4 per cent stake in Chaarat Gold (down 73 per cent) will likely lead to the mine developer's delisting too. Under the terms of the plan, the Kyrgyz Republic-focused group will reduce its existing liabilities by more than 50 per cent to under $20million and receive a new working capital facility of up to $5million. Turning to the wider market, it was a rather lacklustre week for the UK's small-caps with the AIM All-Share moribund at 783.80 (down 2.31 points). Still, it outperformed the Footsie, which ended the week 1.2 per cent lower. Alba Mineral Resources (down 36 per cent) was left counting the punitive costs of raising new funds in such an inclement market. The placing and subscription were priced at 0.035p per share, while the close on Wednesday was 0.047p. The proceeds will be used to continue work at the Clogau-St David's Gold Mine in Wales. Now to matters more upbeat, and a novelty for AIM: a growth company with plans to hand back cash to investors. Yes, you read that correctly. Intelligent Ultrasound (up 48 per cent) is planning a 'material return of capital' after agreeing to sell its clinical AI operations to healthcare giant GE for 40.5million. As part of the transaction, IUG gets to hold on to its NeedleTrainer and NeedleTrainer Plus products. It was also a big week for investors in genedrive (up 53 per cent) after it received Breakthrough Device Designation from the US Food & Drug Administration for its Genedrive MT-RNR1 ID kit. This diagnostic is the first rapid point-of-care test to screen infants for a genetic variant that can cause lifelong hearing loss if certain antibiotics are administered. Down 45 per cent year-to-date, Versarien this week managed to arrest the slide, though the reason for the renaissance was a little long and convoluted. Long story short, the advanced materials group settled a loan with a subsidiary that now gives it 90% control of said business, called Gnanomat. This allows Gnanomat to now go out and potentially secure grant funding from the Madrid region, where it is presumably based. The net effect? A 40 per cent jump in the Versarien share price. Shares in Hornby chugged 30 per cent higher after the Airfix owner and model train group CEO Oliver Raeburn dipped into the market to acquire just under 40,000 shares with his own cash. Director purchases of this kind are often viewed as positive signals by the wider market. Finally, keep your eyes peeled in the next couple of weeks for Georgina Energy, which is bucking the recent trend to join UK stock market. It is doing so via a 5million reverse takeover transaction involving a shell company called Mining, Minerals and Metals. Georgina is one of a growing cohort of helium companies listed here in the UK. No doubt the team, led by Anthony Hamilton, would be happy to emulate the success of Helix Exploration, which is up 260 per cent since its IPO in April. Georgina has two potentially enormous Australian assets, prospective not just for helium, but also hydrogen and natural gas. It is expected to make its market debut on July 30 and will join the LSE's Standard List. For all your small-cap breaking news go to www.proactiveinvestors.com Cashing in: Shoppers increasingly want clothes and other goods delivered from overseas within days rather than weeks Rolls-Royce is cashing in on the surge in popularity of fast fashion brands such as Shein as it expands its presence in the air cargo market. Demand for air freight capacity is soaring as shoppers increasingly want clothes and other goods delivered from overseas within days rather than weeks. That is creating more business for engine maker Rolls-Royce which has traditionally been more associated with passenger jets or military aeroplanes. Ewen McDonald, the company's chief customer officer for civil aerospace, said the 'really strong market' was expected to accelerate. He added: 'We're looking at it doubling in the next 20 years.' He said there would be demand for 500 large aircraft over that period. 'We're really quite fortunate that we're moving into this at the right time,' he said. In the past, the market had been dominated by US aircraft maker Boeing and engine manufacturer GE but Airbus is aiming to take a slice of the pie with its A350F models powered by Rolls-Royce engines. McDonald said its recent orders were beating Boeing. He added: 'It is a strong market. It is underpinned through e-commerce. E-commerce is just getting stronger and stronger.' The crisis engulfing the shipyard that built the Titanic deepened as its boss resigned and it confirmed it will not receive a 200m lifeline from the Government. As the future of Harland & Wolff hangs in the balance, it said yesterday that chief executive John Wood was 'taking a leave of absence' with immediate effect. He will be replaced on an interim basis by veteran accountant Russell Downs, who worked on the administration of Lehman Brothers. It also revealed it will not be handed a loan guarantee by ministers, which was seen as key to keeping the 162-year-old business afloat. Harland & Wolff said it is in talks with its existing Wall Street lender Riverstone Credit Management and hopes to secure new finance within days. Crisis: As the future of Harland & Wolff hangs in the balance, it said that chief executive John Wood was 'taking a leave of absence' with immediate effect It is also looking at other 'strategic options' which could mean putting itself up for sale. Downs said: 'The great weight of responsibility for all stakeholders involved in the business to secure a long-term future is crystal clear to me and I am enormously honoured to be given the responsibility to find a solution. 'I will be working tirelessly in consultation with employees, management, customers, suppliers, unions, government agencies and other stakeholder groups in the coming weeks.' Earlier this week, the Belfast-based company insisted that no decision had been made about a government guarantee after reports suggested Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was planning to block the move deeming it an inappropriate use of public funds. Under plans, the group was seeking to borrow cash from a consortium of UK banks but needs the Government to act as guarantor. That means if the loans were to go bad, the state would step in to repay the lenders. The group was hoping to secure a guarantee on 80 per cent of the 200m loan. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is expected to make a statement about Harland & Wolff on Monday. The update adds to the ongoing saga at Harland & Wolff, which was forced to suspend its London-listed shares last month when it failed to file audited accounts. And Labour's decision will raise alarm bells on the future of the company's ability to fulfil a 1.6billion contract to build Royal Navy ships in the UK, which could be built in Spain if the business shuts down. It would be the first time in British naval history that a warship was built by a foreign yard. Harland & Wolff was bought out of administration in 2019 by investment firm InfraStrata. But losses hit 70m for 2022, which were its last audited annual accounts. Other crises causing a headache for Starmer include Tata Steel's plans to axe 2,800 jobs, Royal Mail heading for foreign ownership and Dyson consulting on cutting 1,000 roles. The election of a Labour government has prompted a influx of questions from This is Money readers on how this could affect their pensions and other savings and investments. We have already covered many of the potential pension changes by the new government, and plan to tackle further reader questions in coming weeks. Labour already announced a Pension Schemes Bill in the King's Speech that aims to make retirement investments key to its drive to boost the economy. New government: What will Labour do about pensions... we explain what you need to know Other notable measures include an effort to tackle lost pots, making work schemes help members sort out their funds at retirement, and tests to ensure pensions are up to scratch and deliver value. Meanwhile, you can find a rundown below of the top pension questions being fielded since the election by financial planner Michelle Holgate of RBC Brewin Dolphin. Mike Ambery, retirement savings director at financial services firm Standard Life, says his firm has seen an increase in calls about pensions in the weeks since the election. He is concerned that some people could make big decisions they cannot reverse on the basis of hypothetical future policy moves by Labour. A spokesman for DIY investing platform AJ Bell says it has seen a modest increase in calls and emails from customers regarding the outcome of the election, rather than a huge spike. However, it had its biggest day for people viewing articles on its website after the election. During the campaign, articles related to the election were most popular on its site - mainly those related to the impact the result would have on markets, how UK markets have previously responded, and on personal finance. Private bank and wealth manager Arbuthnot Latham says it has received questions from clients about making changes to investment and tax plans following the election. But Pete Doherty, investment management director, cautions: 'When it comes to financial planning and investment management, speculation is a risky game to play.' He adds: 'Until we receive a Budget from the new Chancellor, expected in autumn 2024, we do not have the facts in hand. We believe in making considered decisions based on facts rather than speculation.' What are the top pension questions asked by savers - and the answers Michelle Holgate: As it stands most pensions are outside of your estate for inheritance tax purposes Michelle Holgate, divisional director for financial planning at wealth manager RBC Brewin Dolphin, gives a rundown. 1) Should I draw my lump sum allowance (formerly known as pension commencement lump sum) now in case it is withdrawn? Pensions allow 25 per cent of the fund to be drawn tax free, subject to you having available allowance. There are concerns that this may be withdrawn and therefore we are seeing more clients ask whether they should consider withdrawing their lump sum allowance now. However, there are other considerations to take into account. As it stands most pensions are outside of your estate for inheritance tax purposes. If therefore you were to remove the 25 per cent lump sum tax free, then this would on day one become subject to inheritance tax on death and 40 per cent of its value (plus 40 per cent of the increased value as it grows over time) would be potentially lost in taxes. This is assuming that the monies arent spent on an item that doesnt have a retained value. For those pre age-75, they would also be giving up the ability for that money to be drawn from the pension by the recipient(s) of their pension scheme tax free, if the pension owner were to die. Pensions are also currently favourable from a capital gains tax perspective, which would not necessarily be the case if the monies were taken out of the pension wrapper. For some, an inheritance tax concern is not an issue if the estate isnt above a certain value. But in addition to this, you would be creating a potential income tax liability on the funds within the estate which are now not within the pension scheme when not being drawn. How much is inheritance tax and who pays? You need to be worth 325,000 if you are single, or 650,000 jointly if you are married or in a civil partnership, for your loved ones to have to stump up death duties, writes This is Money. This threshold is known as the 'nil rate band'. But there is a further chunky allowance which increases the threshold to a joint 1million if you have a partner, own a property, and intend to leave money to your direct descendants. This is called the 'residence nil rate band'. Once an estate reaches 2million this own home allowance starts being removed by 1 for every 2 above this threshold. It vanishes completely by 2.3million. If you are worth more than this, your beneficiaries will have to hand over 40 per cent of your assets above those levels to the Government. For those aged over 75, the tax positions remain the same for inheritance tax, income tax and capital gains tax. However, the money within the pension (post the owners death) would be taxable on the recipient at their highest marginal rate as they draw it. Planning could help to mitigate the extent of the tax payable, as could having multiple recipients of the pension post death. You can do this by completing a death benefit nomination form, as pensions do not pass per your will. Many peoples retirement plans have been based around the ability to draw a tax-free lump sum. Therefore, we would hope for some transitional protection should the new government decide to go down this route as this may be very detrimental to those planning on utilising this benefit within their personal retirement plan. > What does This is Money's pension columnist Steve Webb say? Will Labour end the 25% tax-free pension lump sum and should I take mine now? 2) Will pension tax relief be capped on contributions going forward? This would be a potential way of reducing the tax benefit being paid to higher earners contributing in to pension schemes and an overall saving for the Treasury compared with previous years. It would require potentially significant changes for some companies which are already offering salary sacrifice schemes, for example, as they may need to overhaul the way in which their benefits are offered to staff. Net pay and relief at source Employers and their pension providers have two options when handling pension tax relief for staff, writes This is Money. Net pay means workers contribute directly into their pension before their tax bill is calculated, so their pension tax relief is already included and there is no need to claim it from HMRC. Under relief at source the pension provider claims the income tax relief directly from HMRC and adds it to each worker's pension. This could also lead to differences between those that are paying their pensions through a net pay arrangement versus those that are paying out from gross pay and receiving the relief at source. Other concerns with this could be whether higher or additional rate taxpayers therefore decide not to contribute towards their retirement within a pension vehicle. That is particularly the case given the age in which you can draw your pension is increasing from 55 to 57 in April 2028 and control is therefore becoming more limited. The minimum age you can draw your pension is likely to increase further. However, if a flat rate is above the basic rate of tax it may encourage further contributions for basic rate taxpayers which may reduce the burden on the state over time. 3) Will pension freedoms be removed? Currently we have the ability to draw pensions flexibly to suit an individuals personal circumstances. It could be the case that a minimum income threshold must be met prior to being able to benefit from flexible drawing of pensions. This we have seen before. This would again be a complicated change as many are already in receipt of flexible pensions and do not have a minimum guaranteed income threshold. Removing the flexibility could impact the funds available to pass on to future generations, if for example a section of the pension accumulated has to be used to purchase an annuity. The longevity of someones life would also dictate whether this represented good or poor value for the individual. What is pension freedom? Reforms in April 2015 gave over-55s greater control over their retirement pots, writes This is Money. Key changes included removing the need to buy an annuity to provide income until you die, giving access to invest-and-drawdown schemes previously restricted to wealthier savers, and the axing of a 55 per cent 'death tax' on pension pots left invested. Read More How to invest your pension and live off it in retirement: A 12-step starters' guide The changes apply to people with 'defined contribution' or 'money purchase' pension schemes, which take contributions from both employer and employee and invest them to provide a pot of money at retirement. They don't apply to those with more generous gold-plated final salary or 'defined benefit' pensions which provide a guaranteed income after retirement. If you have a final salary pension and want to take advantage of pension freedom - and the option of bequeathing your pot to children and grandchildren - you can move it to a drawdown plan. However, it is compulsory to get paid-for professional financial advice first if the transfer value is 30,000 or more. 4) Will the favourable position on pensions regarding inheritance tax be removed? This could be an easier change to introduce and be a more simple legislative change. For a number of years clients have lent towards leaving funds in their pensions in favour of spending money that sits within their estate for inheritance tax purposes. However, should this benefit be removed individuals could reconsider where they draw their funds from and indeed their overall planning for the future. This could lead to clients choosing to spend more of their funds now or make gifts to future generations to move money outside of their estate sooner. This inheritance tax benefit has often been portrayed as a tax break for the wealthy. A grand exhibition on ancient Egyptian civilization, the largest of its kind held outside Egypt over the past 20 years, opened Wednesday in Shanghai. SYDNEY, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Major media groups, airports and businesses across Australia have borne the brunt as a global technical outage paralyzed their services on Friday. Shortly after 3:00 p.m. local time, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) started a live blog, informing the public of "major IT outages at institutions across Australia and the world," with the media outlet's own computer systems also feeling the pain. The identical issue was reported by multiple other media organizations, including SBS, Channel 7, Channel 9 and News Corp Australia. While it then appeared unclear why "Blue Screen of Death" kept popping up on Windows computers, the technical outage swiftly extended to various sectors across Australia. Australia's flag carrier Qantas revealed that some of their flights have been delayed and works are underway to get customers on their way as quickly as possible. Airline operations and terminal services have been impacted at Sydney Airport. Despite contingency plans activated and additional staff deployed to terminals, the busiest airport in Australia didn't rule out the possibility of delays overnight. Melbourne Airport, another main gateway to Australia, said in a statement that the outage was "affecting each airline differently." According to the statement, those arriving on international flights are being processed normally, but passengers departing internationally on Jetstar and Scoot are experiencing ongoing issues. As for domestic travels, Rex is unaffected, with Qantas and Virgin slowly processing passengers, whereas Jetstar is still grappling with a major outage. At around 9:16 p.m. local time, Melbourne Airport updated that all Jetstar Airways flights had been canceled until 2:00 a.m. local time on Saturday. Outages struck the payment systems of major supermarket chains, such as Woolworths and Coles. As self-service stations were forced to shut down, customers had to line up at attended check-outs. Certain grocery stores opted to close after the IT outage, while others made it clear that they merely accepted transactions by cash. Banks, cab companies and other businesses also fell victim to the disruptions, with their computer systems unable to function. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a statement on Friday evening on the unfolding events, saying that the federal government is working closely with the National Cyber Security Coordinator. "There is no impact to critical infrastructure, government services, or Triple-0 services at this stage. The National Coordination Mechanism has been activated and is meeting now," Albanese noted. Following the emergency meeting, Australian Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil confirmed to the public that the widespread outage is "a technical issue caused by a Crowdstrike update to its customers." "Crowdstrike attended the meeting and we can confirm there is no evidence that this is a cyber-security incident," said the minister. "The company has informed us that most issues should be resolved through the fix they have provided, but given the size and nature of this incident it may take some time to resolve," she added. Chief Strategy Officer at CyberCX Alastair MacGibbon told ABC that Australia felt the full force of the outage due to the time difference between it and the United States. "Very early on people worked out that this was a CrowdStrike update that was pushed at night U.S. time," said MacGibbon. "This was done when less computers are turned on in America." According to his analysis, the situation also worsened given the extensive use of CrowdStrike's services. "They're a reputable company, and because they're successful, it impacts many computers," MacGibbon added. Tipperary student, Raven Armstrong from Cappawhite has been selected by United World Colleges Ireland (UWC) to receive a prestigious scholarship to pursue the International Baccalaureate in the Netherlands. Miss Armstrong (16), who attends Scoil Na Trionoide Naofa in Limerick, is among four exceptional Irish second-level students who have been selected to embark on the International Baccalaureate in partner colleges across the world. These scholarships will enable the students to pursue the esteemed International Baccalaureate (IB) programme from 2024 2026, immersing them in diverse communities and broadening their horizons. Following a rigorous online and in-person selection process, four students were chosen for their passion for socio-economic change and strong academic performance. These recipients will now embark on a transformative journey to complete the two-year International Baccalaureate programme, designed to expand their global perspective and foster lifelong learning. She joins Rory McCormack (17) from Bohermeen, Co. Meath who will travel to UWC East Africa in Tanzania; Cliona Marshall (17) from Cork City who will attend UWC Changshu in China; and James Connell (17) from Navan, Co. Meath, who will study at UWC Red Cross in Norway. This year, the UWC Ireland National Committee had the opportunity to fund an additional scholarship with thanks to the generosity of Dan and Linda Kiely, founders of VoxPro, and the Dare to Dream Programme, funded by American philanthropist, Shelby Davis. A celebratory event took place in Charlotte Quay restaurant, owned by UWC alumnus Conor Bereen, to honour and celebrate the exceptional students selected for the 2024-2026 scholarship programme. The students' journey promises to inspire and shape them into future leaders poised to make meaningful contributions to society. Aisling Hassell, Chair of UWC Ireland, spoke ahead of the event about the exciting expansion of the UWC scholarship programme: We are delighted to see these four young students off on their UWC adventure. Thanks for the generous support from Dan and Linda Kiely and the Dare to Dream programme, we are able to provide even more opportunities this year. Our goal is to ensure that these transformative experiences are accessible to all students, regardless of their financial means. Commenting on the four scholars commencing their new academic journey, Secretary of UWC Ireland, Paul Hart said: We wish Raven, Rory, Cliona, and James the best of luck as they embark on this exciting adventure to UWC campuses across the globe. We are thrilled to celebrate the achievement of the 2024 scholars with their families and recognise the hard work and ambition they have demonstrated in their applications. These four students are poised to become future leaders, making valuable contributions to society. To date, UWC Ireland has supported over 180 students through the UWC scholarship programme, fostering ambitious young minds at diverse international campuses. The ethos of UWC is to make education a force to unite people, nations, and cultures for a peaceful and sustainable future, with Irish graduates of the programme going on to hold senior positions in the Department of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations. Applications for the 2025-27 programme will open in November. Eligible students aged 15 to 17 years old who have completed their Junior Certificates are encouraged to apply. For more information about the 2025 United World College Scholarship programme and the application process, please visit UWC Irelands website or donate to a UWC school, national committee or specific initiatives (such as those in climate action or refugee education) contact fundraising@ie.uwc.org. BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- China will expand policies to encourage large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-ins to better leverage the potential of domestic demand, according to a State Council executive meeting on Friday. China will create overall provisions for ultra-long special treasury bonds for this purpose, said the meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang. It stressed efforts to optimize support measures for equipment upgrade projects and broaden the support scope to include the energy and power sectors and old elevator upgrading, as well as energy-saving, carbon reduction and safety upgrades in key industries. China will provide further support for the scrapping and upgrading of old operating ships and old operating trucks, increase the subsidy standards for the renewal of agricultural machinery and new energy buses, and increase the subsidy ratio for equipment upgrade loans, according to the meeting. The meeting stressed implementing the guiding principles from the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee with concrete actions. In addition, the meeting reviewed and adopted draft regulations governing affairs of ex-servicemen including employment, housing, social security, and vocational training. BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has ordered the arrest of Peng Guofu, a former senior legislator of central China's Hunan Province, on suspicion of taking bribes. Peng formerly served as vice chairman of the standing committee of the Hunan Provincial People's Congress. The case was transferred to the procuratorial authorities for review and prosecution after the National Commission of Supervision concluded its investigation, the SPP said on Friday. Apropos for #TBT our www.TonysKansasCity.com blog community shares word sent our way regarding the ongoing legal adventures of a longtime local transit activist & petitioner. Here's the latest . . . Clay Chastain Press Release: Mayor Quinton Lucas & his fellow Bully Boys @ City Hall lose against Citizen Chastain as KCMO Circuit Court Judge Sarah Castle denies their Motion to Dismiss Chastain's Complaint for "malicious prosecution & false imprisonment". KC's iron fisted government (led by Lucas & 70-attorneys on the City's payroll) stopped me at City Hall, and then falsely, unlawfully and maliciously had me arrested, and then falsely, unlawfully and maliciously had me prosecuted. Why? 'No Debate Lucas' did not want me asking him (On City Council Day) why he refused to debate me (in the Mayor's race) before the people of Kansas City. Win #1: Unfortunately for the City, in June 2023 a KCMO Judge, Judge Martina Peteson, ruled in my favor and acquitted me of Lucas & the City's false trespassing charge. Win #2: Unfortunately for the City, on July 17, 2024 another KCMO Judge, Judge Sarah Castle, ruled in my favor as well stating, "in the light most favorable to Plaintiff, the Court finds Plaintiff has stated claims for both malicious prosecution and false imprisonment." Win #3. The political climate in America has flipped. Lucas and his fellow radical Democrats (who have abused their power in trying to prosecute & jail their opponents) are now on the run and will likely be rebuked by dismayed voters come this November. To the People: * I fought the Bully Boys over saving Union Station from planned demolition, so you wouldn't have to. * I fought the Bully Boys over denying 75,000 KC Voters their Light Rail Vote in 2006, so you wouldn't have to. * I fought the Bully Boys over undermining the people's democratic petition process, so you wouldn't have to. * I'm fighting the Bully Boys now over silencing my voice and trying to put me in jail, so you won't have to. Kansas City Activist Clay Chastain * Note: Judge Castle did dismiss my election interference claim, but that was secondary and not the meat of the lawsuit against Lucas and the City. ################## Developing . . . She's a a long-shot but thankfully KK has a really great interview with the contender and her effort to overcome the privileges of incumbency . . . Check-it . . . "Karen Crnkovich is a small business owner running in the GOP primary August 6 for the right to face off against Sharice Davids for Congress in the Kansas 3rd and she has just a little Marjorie Taylor Greene in her. She's here for a chat in studio." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Friday starts with deadly shooting as police continue to investigate that latest addition to the local homicide count. Here's the first report . . . Homicide 5400 blk of Prospect This morning just before 4:30 AM officers were dispatched to the 5400 blk of Prospect on a reported sound of shots. While en route the call was upgraded to a shooting. Upon arrival officers located an adult male victim suffering from apparent gun shot wounds. Officers began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS. Medical personnel pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. This is being investigated as a homicide. Responding patrol officers were able to locate several witnesses and detectives are interviewing them to determine what led up to the incident. Crime scene investigators and detectives will continue to gather physical evidence and canvass the area for any additional information that will lead to identifying anyone involved. If anyone has any information they are asked to contact Homicide detectives directly at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 816-474-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $25,000 for information submitted anonymously to the TIPS hotline. We are committed to assisting victims of violent crimes through use of Missouris Protection Program for Victims/Witnesses of Violent Crime. Funding for temporary, or even permanent relocation, may be available but is subject to pre-approval by the States administering agency. We are working with Partners for Peace in all our homicide investigations to monitor risks for retaliation and provide social services to affected residents. ################## Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Man killed in early Friday shooting in Kansas City, Missouri A Kansas City, Missouri, Police spokesperson said officers were requested just before 4:30 a.m. to the 5400 block of Prospect on a shooting call. KCPD: Body found in midtown, homicide investigation underway Kansas City police responded to shots fired at 54th and Prospect Avenue early Friday morning. Developing . . . Right now the enduring hotness of actress, signer and all around diva hottie JLo inspires us to take yet another peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines. Check TKC news gathering . . . Place Ur Bets On Bobsleds Kansas City bettors will soon legally wager on Olympics for the first time "It's a completely different experience than what we usually get with your traditional games," Dead-Tree Declared Innocent Court documents reveal raided newsroom did not commit crime, according to Marion County Record Marion County Record, raided by police nearly one year ago, reports new court documents confirm the newspaper did not commit a crime. Tribute After Police Raid Former Marion County reporter plans to launch scholarship after settling lawsuit with police chief After the raid of the Marion County Record, Deb Gruver quit and filed a federal lawsuit against Police Chief Gideon Cody for his "malicious and recklessly indifferent violation" of her constitutional rights. Earlier this month, Gruver and Cody reached a $235,000 settlement. Golden Ghetto Against Homeless Shelter Redux JoCo commissioner animated in opposition to homeless shelter The project has the support of a majority of the BOCC. One of the commissioners that doesn't support it though is Charlotte O'Hara. Neighborhood News Considers Alternative Celebration The 2024 KC Fringe Festival re-emerges The KC Fringe Festival runs July 18 through July 28 and features 44 original works, 33 world premieres, 289 performances, and there are over 500 artists involved. Sometimes Reboots Don't Work Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez Didn't Acknowledge Their Anniversary-Here's What They Did Instead - E! Online Amid split rumors, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez didn't acknowledge their second wedding anniversary, spending it on opposite coasts. MAGA Ignores Prez Trump won't use the word 'Biden' once in his GOP convention speech: Sources Highly placed sources say that former President Trump will not use the word "Biden" once in his nominating acceptance address at the Republican National Convention White House Son Strategy Emerges Hunter Biden asks for criminal cases to be thrown out, citing Trump case dismissal Biden says precedence established in Trump's classified documents case should prevail in his own tax and gun cases Prez Opt Out Awaits Biden decision on future expected in coming days, and Harris is considered heir apparent Well-connected Democratic Party insiders say they expect President Biden to make a major announcement about his future soon after the Republican National Convention concludes in Milwaukee and that ... Holy Land Hot Mess Cont'd Israel bombards central Gaza as tanks advance deeper in Rafah Israeli forces bombarded the Gaza Strip's historic refugee camps in the centre of the enclave and struck Gaza City in the north on Thursday, killing at least 21 people, and tanks pushed deeper into Rafah in the south, health officials and residents said. Eastern Europe Counterattack Ukraine war briefing: Attack on Russian bases in Crimea Command centre and ammunition depot hit, says Ukrainian defence source; Ukraine's army confirms pullout from Urozhaine. What we know on day 877 GOP SHARES APP LOVE!!! The Republican National Convention is the 'Super Bowl' of faceless Grindr hookups - SHOCKER! The RNC once again delivers an uptick of faceless Grindr profiles Nicer Look At Northeast The Castle In Summer Photography Blog Forecast For Friday Sunny conditions with low humidity through Friday Tonight will be mostly clear with lows in the upper 50s And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now. In a world of increasing complexity and diversity . . . Municipalities are having trouble keeping up with commitments and demands to offer services in a myriad of languages. Long ago . . . This type of thing was able to be addressed by a token hire of a friendly Latino with a convenient degree in Spanish. Now . . . An influx of immigration requires/demands more services at the local level. Here's one example out of many . . . The Office of Language Access was approved by the city earlier this year. This new office allows non-English speakers to receive access to city meetings and documents upon request. Nearly six months after, the city has yet to fill the office positions. In the most recent meetings, those in attendance shared their concerns of forms not being translated and a lack of interpreters. In a statement the city said they are working hard to meet the needs of the community. "Residents will begin to see elements integrated in more than one language and hope there is grace and understanding as this process develops. This includes graphics, flyers, and copy in multiple languages when possible," said a Sherae Honeycutt, Press Secretary & City Spokeswoman, KCMO. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Community members concerned with city's slow progress on Office of Language Access Concerns continue to grow among some community members months after the Office of Language Access was approved by city council. Related . . . A quarter of Wyandotte County is Latino. Give us election information in Spanish, too | Opinion Our system works best when everyone participates. Share your thoughts with Election Commissioner Michael Abbott. | Opinion Also related . . . Fed: 3.8 million illegal immigrants could enter U.S. in 2024, affecting wage growth (The Center Square) - A new Federal Reserve branch report says 2024 could see millions of illegal border crossings. The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco estimates that 3.8 million undocument... Developing . . . Talalla Retreat in Sri Lanka announces its wellness and yoga retreat offerings, designed for rejuvenation and relaxation. Nestled in lush greenery and pristine beaches, it provides a sanctuary for self-discovery and wellness through yoga classes, spa treatments, and holistic programs. Accommodations range from private villas to eco-chic bungalows. The retreat emphasizes sustainability with eco-friendly practices and locally sourced organic cuisine. Ideal for solo retreats, romantic getaways, or group excursions, Talalla Retreat offers a transformative experience. For more information, visit www.talallaretreat.com. Talalla, Sri Lanka - July 19, 2024 - Talalla Retreat, a premier wellness and yoga retreat destination, is pleased to announce its rejuvenating and transformative offerings that cater to the mind, body, and soul. Nestled amidst lush greenery and pristine beaches, Talalla Retreat is a haven for those seeking solace and a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. At Talalla Retreat, guests are invited to embark on a journey of self-discovery, wellness, and relaxation. The retreat's dedicated team of experienced instructors and wellness experts provide a wide range of activities and programs designed to nourish both the body and the mind. From invigorating yoga classes to rejuvenating spa treatments, Talalla Retreat offers an array of experiences tailored to meet the unique needs and preferences of each individual. Guests can immerse themselves in the tranquility of the surroundings, taking advantage of the retreat's luxurious accommodations. Talalla Retreat offers a variety of accommodation options, including private villas, eco-chic bungalows, and comfortable rooms, all thoughtfully designed to provide a peaceful sanctuary for guests to unwind and recharge. For those seeking a holistic approach to wellness, Talalla Retreat offers specialized retreat programs that focus on yoga, meditation, detoxification, and overall well-being. These programs are led by knowledgeable instructors who guide guests through transformative practices and provide valuable insights into maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Talalla Retreat also takes pride in its commitment to sustainability. The retreat follows eco-friendly practices, using renewable energy sources, locally sourced organic ingredients for its delicious cuisine, and supporting the local community through various outreach programs. Whether it's a solo retreat, a romantic getaway, or a group excursion, Talalla Retreat offers the perfect setting for a rejuvenating escape. With its idyllic location, world-class facilities, and personalized approach to wellness, Talalla Retreat is truly a paradise for those seeking a transformative experience. To learn more about Talalla Retreat and to book your stay, visit their website at www.talallaretreat.com. Contact: Talalla Retreat Phone: + 94 41 225 9171 Email: info@talallaretreat.com ### This video screenshot shows Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea delivering a statement in Sanaa, Yemen, July 19, 2024. Yemen's Houthi group launched a drone attack on Friday morning toward a vital target in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, the group's military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a televised statement. (Xinhua) SANAA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said it launched a drone attack on Friday morning toward a vital target in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, the group's military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a televised statement. "The operation was carried out with a new drone called Yaffa, capable of bypassing enemy interception systems and successfully it hit the target," he said in the statement, which was aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. "We declare Tel Aviv an unsafe area and it will be a primary target for our weapons," he noted. According to Israeli reports, a long-range drone exploded in central Tel Aviv early Friday, killing a man and injuring at least ten others. No air raid sirens were activated during the attack. Israel Defense Forces' spokesman Daniel Hagari said the military was still investigating why the aerial defense systems did not intercept the aircraft or trigger air raid sirens. People attend the funeral of Yevgeny Ferder, who was killed in a drone attack launched from Yemen, in Rishon Lezion, Israel, on July 21, 2024. Yemen's Houthi group launched a drone attack on Friday morning toward a vital target in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, the group's military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a televised statement.(Photo by Yossi Zeliger/Xinhua) BEIRUT, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese Army Command on Friday arrested 86 Syrian nationals planning to set sail from Lebanon to Italy, a statement by the Lebanese army reported. The immigrants were preparing to migrate by sea from El-Abdeh in northern Lebanon. The Lebanese army seized the boat intended for use by the immigrants, and an investigation has begun with the detainees under the oversight of judicial authorities. Lebanese security agencies have stepped up their efforts to combat illegal immigration, as a growing number of Syrian and Palestinian refugees, along with Lebanese citizens, have been attempting to leave Lebanon illegally for other countries in recent months. In this episode of Morning Edition, the post-budget discussion continues as we place our att Lectures, field days offer plethora of mushroom information Photo by Pam Seiser Multiday workshops in Delta Junction and Palmer will give participants the tools to identify, gather and prepare mushrooms, such as this large mushroom in Fairbanks. Mushroom enthusiasts will have several opportunities to learn more about Alaskas fungi and get their hands dirty via lectures and field trips in August. Mycologist Gary Laursen will lead a three-day workshop in Delta Junction on Aug. 16-18 and another in Palmer on Aug. 30-Sept. 1. The workshops are hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service. The weekends begin with a three-hour lecture on Friday night, during which Laursen will share his wealth of information on wild mushrooms, their eco-physiological roles and ways to identify them in the field. Participants will learn how to collect, identify, prepare and/or preserve wild edible and non-edible mushrooms. Participants can register for these Friday night lectures as standalone events or as the introduction to the full workshop, which includes two days in the field and lab gathering, identifying and preparing mushrooms. Both Friday night lectures are scheduled for 6-9 p.m. and cost $20. The field and lab sessions are from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Participants are asked to bring a sack lunch and water. The cost for the full three-day workshop in each community, which includes the Friday night lecture, is $100. The Delta Junction workshop will be held at the Delta Career Advancement Center, 1696 N. Clearwater Ave. Registration will close at 5 a.m. Aug. 16 or when full. For more information, contact Eve Karczmarczyk at 907-895-4215 or eekarczmarczyk@alaska.edu. The Palmer workshop will be at the Matanuska Experiment Farm & Extension Center, 1509 S. Georgeson Road. Registration will close at 5 p.m. Aug. 23 or when full. For more information, contact Melissa Clampitt at 907-745-3551 or mrclampitt@alaska.edu. Registration links for all four options can be found online. Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made five business days in advance to Karczmarczyk in Delta Junction and Clampitt in Palmer. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to individuals with limited English proficiency upon request to Alda Norris, amnorris2@alaska.edu. 014-25 BEIRUT, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed and 18 others injured on Thursday in Israeli airstrikes targeting three villages in the central sector of the border area in southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources told Xinhua. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the casualties resulted from five Israeli air raids on the villages of Safad, Chaqra, and Majdal Selm, which destroyed seven homes and damaged 25 others. They added that several teams from the Civil Defense, Islamic Health Authority, and International Committee of the Red Cross rushed to the targeted areas to transport the bodies and wounded to nearby hospitals in southern Lebanon. Lebanese security sources told Xinhua that a Hezbollah military official named Habib Maatouq, who is from the southern city of Nabatieh, was killed during the air strikes. Meanwhile, Hezbollah announced in statements that it launched an airstrike with a squadron of armed drones on the Filon base, the headquarters of the brigades of the 210th division and its warehouses in northern Israel. Also, the Lebanese army monitored the launch of about 50 surface-to-surface missiles and several drones fired from Lebanon to northern Israel, according to Lebanese military sources. Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border have been rising since Oct. 8, 2023, when the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel the day before. Israel then retaliated by launching airstrikes and firing artillery toward southeastern Lebanon. People collect items from the rubble at the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, on July 18, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 54 people and wounded 95 others, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 38,848 and injuries to 89,459 since the conflict broke out in early October 2023, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua) GAZA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Thursday that its 60-bed field hospital in Rafah, southern Gaza, is nearly at full capacity following repeated mass casualty events. "The repeated mass casualty events resulting from the unrelenting hostilities have stretched to breaking point the response capacity of our hospital -- and all health facilities in southern Gaza -- to care for those with life-threatening injuries," said William Schomburg, the head of sub-delegation for the ICRC in Gaza, said in a press release. "Another mass casualty event would force our doctors and nurses to make extremely difficult choices," Schomburg warned. On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a press briefing that the availability of hospital beds has drastically declined in Gaza, dropping from 3,500 before the conflict erupted to just 1,400 today. Currently, there are only 800 hospital beds in service, plus 600 field hospital beds, for a population of 2.2 million people in the war-torn Palestinian enclave, the UN body said. Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 54 people and wounded 95 others, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 38,848 and injuries to 89,459 since the conflict broke out in early October 2023, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday. People collect items from the rubble at the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, on July 18, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 54 people and wounded 95 others, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 38,848 and injuries to 89,459 since the conflict broke out in early October 2023, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua) A man collects items from the rubble at the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, on July 18, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 54 people and wounded 95 others, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 38,848 and injuries to 89,459 since the conflict broke out in early October 2023, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua) People inspect a destroyed building at the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, on July 18, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 54 people and wounded 95 others, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 38,848 and injuries to 89,459 since the conflict broke out in early October 2023, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua) People inspect a destroyed building at the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, on July 18, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 54 people and wounded 95 others, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 38,848 and injuries to 89,459 since the conflict broke out in early October 2023, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Marwan Dawood/Xinhua) People check a destroyed vehicle in Deir al-Balah City in central Gaza Strip, on July 18, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 54 people and wounded 95 others, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 38,848 and injuries to 89,459 since the conflict broke out in early October 2023, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) People check a destroyed vehicle in Deir al-Balah City in central Gaza Strip, on July 18, 2024. During the past 24 hours, the Israeli military killed 54 people and wounded 95 others, bringing the total Palestinian death toll to 38,848 and injuries to 89,459 since the conflict broke out in early October 2023, the Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) People try to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the routine challenges of working in an active conflict include access constraints, fuel restrictions, an ongoing power blackout and the lack of public order and safety. "During the first 16 days of July, our colleagues coordinated 60 humanitarian missions into the north," OCHA said. "Only 24 were facilitated, while 12 were denied access by the Israeli authorities and 20 others were impeded by Israeli troops on the ground. The remaining four missions were canceled by humanitarian organizations due to logistical, operational or security reasons." The humanitarians said the restrictions prevent aid organizations from gaining regular access to the north, where hundreds of thousands of people need humanitarian assistance. It also makes it impossible for humanitarian workers to manage the flow of supplies into Gaza via the Erez West crossing. OCHA said the UN relief agency for Palestinians, known as UNRWA, reports limited access to hygiene and clean water and increasing rashes and skin diseases across the Gaza Strip. Their teams are providing medication, but the agency warns that without improved conditions, the infections invariably return. The agency said just 10 of its 26 health centers in Gaza are still operational, although UNRWA's teams continue risking their lives to provide medical care to needy families. "We also have an update on the West Bank," OCHA said. "More than 750 Palestinians have been displaced since the beginning of the year across the West Bank after the Israeli authorities demolished or forced the demolition of their homes due to lack of building permits." The office added that more than 600 homes and other structures were demolished during that period. Authorities rarely grant permits to Palestinians in what is known as Area C and in East Jerusalem. OCHA said when Palestinian homes, mostly in refugee camps of the northern West Bank, were damaged or destroyed during Israeli military operations, more than 740 Palestinians were displaced. The office said efforts are underway to support families whose homes were damaged during one such operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp last week. An assessment by OCHA and humanitarian partners found that military bulldozers damaged dozens of residential buildings and stores, as well as water and sewage networks. People try to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) People try to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) People try to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) People wait to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) People try to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) People wait to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) People wait to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) People wait to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) People try to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) People try to get food relief in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on July 18, 2024. Workers delivering relief to northern Gaza, in addition to everyday Gaza challenges, must now coordinate with Israeli authorities before passing through a military checkpoint, UN humanitarians said on Thursday. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua The 12-month grace period for student loan borrowers ended on September 30. The "on-ramp" period helped borrowers who are struggling to make payments avoid the risk of defaulting and hurting their credit score. "The end of the on-ramp period means the beginning of the potentially harsh consequences for student loan borrowers who are not able to make payments," said Persis Yu, Deputy Executive Director at the Student Borrower Protection Center. Around 43 million Americans have student loan debt, amounting to $1.5 trillion. Around eight million of those borrowers had enrolled in the SAVE plan, the newest income-driven repayment plan that extended the eligibility for borrowers to have affordable monthly student loan payments. However, this plan is currently on hold due to legal challenges. With the on-ramp period and a separate program known as Fresh Start ending and the SAVE plan on hold, student loan borrowers who are struggling to afford their monthly payments have fewer options, added Yu. Student loan borrowers who haven't been able to afford their monthly payments must consider their options to avoid going into default. If you have student loans, here's what you need to know. What was the on-ramp period? The Education Department implemented this grace period to ease the borrower's transition to make payments after a three-year payment pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this year-long period, borrowers were encouraged to keep making payments since interest continued to accumulate. "Normally, loans will default if you fall about nine months behind on making payments, but during this on-ramp period, missed payments would not move people towards defaulting and then being subject to forced collections. However, if you missed payments, you still be falling behind ultimately on repaying your loans," said Abby Shaforth, director of National Consumer Law Center's Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project. Since this grace period has ended, student loan borrowers who don't make payments will go delinquent or, if their loans are not paid for nine months, go into default. Borrowers who cannot afford to make payments can apply for deferment or forbearance, which pause payments, though interest continues to accrue. What happens if I don't make my payments? Borrowers who can't or don't pay risk delinquency and eventually default. That can badly hurt your credit rating and make you ineligible for additional aid and government benefits. If a borrower missed one month's payment, they will start receiving email notifications, said Shaforth. Once the loan hasn't been paid for three months, loan servicers notify to the credit reporting agencies that the loan is delinquent, affecting your credit history. Once the borrower hasn't paid the loan for nine months, the loan goes into default. If you're struggling to pay, advisers first encourage you to check if you qualify for an income-driven repayment plan, which determines your payments by looking at your expenses. You can see whether you qualify by visiting the Federal Student Aid website. If you've worked for a government agency or a non-profit organization, you could also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which forgives student debt after 10 years. What happens when a loan goes into default? When you fall behind on a loan by 270 days roughly nine months the loan appears on your credit report as being in default. Once a loan is in default, it goes into collections. This means the government can garnish wages (without a court order) to go towards paying back the loan, intercept tax refunds, and seize portions of Social Security checks and other benefit payments. What if I can't pay? If your budget doesn't allow you to resume payments, it's important to know how to navigate the possibility of default and delinquency on a student loan. Both can hurt your credit rating, which would make you ineligible for additional aid. If you're in a short-term financial bind, you may qualify for deferment or forbearance allowing you to temporarily suspend payment. To determine whether deferment or forbearance are good options for you, you can contact your loan servicer. One thing to note: interest still accrues during deferment or forbearance. Both can also impact potential loan forgiveness options. Depending on the conditions of your deferment or forbearance, it may make sense to continue paying the interest during the payment suspension. What is an income-driven repayment plan? The U.S. Education Department offers several plans for repaying federal student loans. Under the standard plan, borrowers are charged a fixed monthly amount that ensures all their debt will be repaid after 10 years. But if borrowers have difficulty paying that amount, they can enroll in one of several plans that offer lower monthly payments based on income and family size. Those are known as income-driven repayment plans. Income-driven options have been offered for years and generally cap monthly payments at 10% of a borrower's discretionary income. If a borrower's earnings are low enough, their bill is reduced to $0. And after 20 or 25 years, any remaining debt gets erased. What is the latest with the SAVE program? In August, the Supreme Court kept on hold the SAVE plan, the income-driven repayment plan that would have lowered payments for millions of borrowers, while lawsuits make their way through lower courts. Eight million borrowers who had already enrolled in the SAVE plan don't have to pay their monthly student loan bills until the court case is resolved. Debt that already had been forgiven under the plan was unaffected. The next court hearing about this case will be held on October 15. What happened with the Fresh Start program? The Fresh Start program, which gave benefits to borrowers who were delinquent prior to the pandemic payment pause, also closed on September 30. During this limited program, student loan borrowers who were in default prior to the pandemic were given the opportunity to remove their loans from default, allowing them to enroll in income-driven payment plans, or apply for deferment, among other benefits. Employees of the largest housing provider for unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S. have repeatedly sexually abused and harassed children in their care over the past eight years, the Justice Department alleges. Southwest Key employees, including supervisors, have raped, touched or solicited sex and nude images of children since at least 2015, the DOJ alleged in a lawsuit filed Wednesday. At least two employees have been charged since 2020, according to the lawsuit. Based in Austin, Southwest Key is the largest provider of housing for unaccompanied migrant children, operating under grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It has 29 child migrant shelters 17 in Texas, 10 in Arizona and two in California with room for 6,350 children. The company's largest shelter in Brownsville has a capacity of 1,200. The Associated Press left a message with the company seeking comment Thursday. HHS reported 7,762 children at all of its contracted facilities on May 31, according to the most recent data on its website, which does not break the numbers down by shelter or provider. The department declined to say how many children are in Southwest Key's care or if the agency continues to assign children to its care. The lawsuit, which provided details of some of the alleged abuse, asserts that authorities received more than 100 reports of sexual abuse or harassment at the provider's shelters since 2015. Among the suit's allegations: An employee "repeatedly sexually abused" three girls ages 5, 8 and 11 at the Casa Franklin shelter in El Paso, Texas. The 8-year-old told investigators that the worker "repeatedly entered their bedrooms in the middle of the night to touch their 'private area,' and he threatened to kill their families if they disclosed the abuse." The suit also alleges that an employee of the provider's shelter in Tucson, Arizona, took an 11-year-old boy to a hotel and paid him to perform sexual acts for several days in 2020. Children were threatened with violence against themselves or their families if they reported the abuse, according to the lawsuit. It added that testimony from the victims revealed staff in some instances knew about the abuse and failed to report it or concealed it. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said Thursday that the complaint "raises serious pattern or practice concerns" about Southwest Key. "HHS has a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, inappropriate sexual behavior and discrimination," he said in a statement. The lawsuit comes less than three weeks after a federal judge granted the Justice Department's request to lift special court oversight of HHS's care of unaccompanied migrant children. President Joe Biden's administration argued that new safeguards rendered special oversight unnecessary 27 years after it began. Transcript: The Inside Story: USA Votes 2024: The Republican Convention Episode 153 July 18, 2024 SHOW OPEN: This week on The Inside Story: Former President Donald Trump survives an assassination attempt... days before receiving his partys nomination for another run at the presidency. See who he picked for a running mate. President Joe Biden insists he can serve four more years despite continued questions about his age. Plus, a Trump-appointed judge throws out the classified documents case against the former president. NOW.... On the Inside Story, American Votes: The Republican National Convention. The Inside Story: KATHERINE GYPSON, VOA Congressional Correspondent: Welcome to the Inside Story, Im VOA Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson. I am in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention. This Week... Republican Presidential Nominee Donald Trump takes center stage at the Republican National Convention amidst heightened security measures, following an assassination attempt last weekend. Donald J. Trump, Republican Presidential Nominee: Friends, delegates and fellow citizens, I stand before you this evening with a message of confidence, strength and hope. Four months from now, we will have an incredible victory and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country. Together, we will launch a new era of safety, prosperity and freedom for citizens of every race, religion, color and creed. The discord and division in our society must be healed. We must heal it quickly. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together or we fall apart. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America. So tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States, thank you. KATHERINE GYPSON: In the aftermath of the shooting incident that left Trump injured, the United States Secret Service remains "confident" in its ability to protect the former President. VOA's Arash Arabasadi brings us more details. ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: Trump Shooting Investigation (TV) BYLINE: Arash Arabasadi ((NARRATOR)) The campaign of former president Donald Trump says hes fine after surviving what the FBI described as an assassination attempt at a campaign stop Saturday night. ((STILL IMAGE, TRUMP INJURY, AP)) ((NARRATOR)) Trump says he was shot in the ear during the attack by what authorities described as an AR-style rifle, like those used in several mass shootings in the United States. ((STILL IMAGE, THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS, AP)) ((mandatory cg Bethel Park School District)) ((NO ARCHIVE)) ((NARRATOR)) The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks as Trumps would-be assassin, and the Secret Service says it fatally shot him outside the rally venue. The Biden administration says it is looking into security failures. [RADIO TRACK: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at a White House briefing as carried on The Hill's YouTube channel] ((mandatory cg The Hill via YouTube)) ((Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security)) "At President Biden's direction, an independent review of the incident will be conducted. One that will examine the Secret Service's and other law enforcement's actions before, during, and after the shooting to identify the immediate and longer-term corrective actions required to ensure that the no-fail mission of protecting national leaders is most effectively met." ((VOX POP, BIDEN, My fellow Americans)) ((BIDEN, OVAL OFFICE, WH, DC, AP, 07/14)) ((NARRATOR)) The White House says Biden spoke with Trump by phone, and the president later addressed the nation from the Oval Office. ((VAR, JAN 6, AP)) ((NARRATOR)) He called for unity while condemning the violence thats plagued American politics, including the January sixth assault on the U.S. Capitol and extremists threatening election workers. ((VAR, RNC STREET SCENES, MILWAUKEE, WI, AP, 07/14)) ((NARRATOR)) Trump is in Milwaukee this week for the Republican National Convention, which will likely make official his nomination as the partys candidate for president. But after the shooting in Pennsylvania, the Secret Service is responding to questions about its ability to safeguard the venue. ((Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, Secret Service RNC Coordinator )) We are confident in these security plans that are in place for this event. And were ready to go. Its been an 18-month process. Its the, weve worked together over that 18 months to develop operational security plans for any and all aspects of security related to this event. ((VAR, RNC STREET SCENES, MILWAUKEE, WI, AP, 07/14)) ((NARRATOR)) The Secret Service calls this a national special security event, the highest security designation the federal government provides. ((MILWAUKEE MAYOR NEWSER, MILWAUKEE, WI, AP, 07/15)) ((NARRATOR)) Milwaukees Mayor, Cavalier Johnson, echoed his confidence in the 18-month process adding that local first responders, as well as state law enforcement, stand at the ready to safeguard the RNC. ((VAR, STREETS, BETHEL PARK, PA, REUTERS, 07/15)) ((NARRATOR)) Back in Pennsylvania, cameras captured FBI agents entering the home of suspected shooter Crooks in the Bethel Park area. His motives for the shooting remain a mystery. But how he carried out the attack in the first place became a political flashpoint ((SCREEN SHOT, HOUSE OVERSIGHT)) ((mandatory cg oversight.house.gov)) ((NARRATOR)) as House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer of Kentucky said, Americans demand answers. ((CHEATLE AT NEWSER, MILWAUKEE, AP, 06/21)) ((NARRATOR)) Adding that the Committee will soon send a formal invitation for a hearing to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. Arash Arabasadi, VOA News. #### KATHERINE GYPSON: In an election year that so far has been anything but normal, this years Republican National Convention has been surprisingly and perhaps comfortingly normal. The party faithful have turned out to support Donald Trump to be the Republican Presidential nominee and with the usual pomp and circumstance announced the Vice-Presidential candidate, MAGA convert J.D. Vance. Carolyn Presutti leads our team coverage coverage here at the convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: E24 0716 RNC WRAP BYLINE: Carolyn Presutti ((NARRATOR)) ((thunderous applause)) (NARRATOR)) This is Donald Trump's first public appearance since he was shot. He didn't need to speak --- his state delegates filled the void. ((NAT)) (fight, fight, fight)) ((NARRATOR)) Here, to join his new ballot partner, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. It was the biggest political secret of the year --- announced at the Republican National Convention. ((nat of Vance announcement from earlier today)) ((NARRATOR)) Senator Vance, at age 39, brings youth to the presidential election. Known for his rural America memoir Hillbilly Elegy, hes a former Marine, and a conservative who once referred to Trump as Americas Hitler. President Biden Monday called Vance a clone of Trump. ((nat of convention state roll call)) ((NARRATOR)) The announcement comes on the first day of the Republican National Convention, in front of 24-hundred state delegates pledging their votes for the expected nominee, former President Donald Trump. ((Nat of protest)) (( broll of protesters https://app.frame.io/player/035648c5-2baa-45d9-bc70-622641ee56ad and https://app.frame.io/player/f1548e0b-6d96-4775-ad1a-fe3b1c29fd86 and https://app.frame.io/player/118b0795-dbc3-41dc-97f4-9e2d72e3fd87 )) A few blocks from the convention, protesters -- against Republican policies and Trump. [[RADIO TRACK John Miller lives in Milwaukee, where the convention is taking place.]] (( https://app.frame.io/player/b1e7db88-5e5e-4e97-8379-5943d595e8a3 at :15)) ((John Miller, Milwaukee Resident)) I thought it was important to remind people that we have two candidates and one of the candidates has 34 felony counts against him. ((NARRATOR)) But the Vance choice and Trumps rebound after the attempted assassination energized this group even more. [[RADIO: Michael Lawler is a US Representative from New York]] ((https://app.frame.io/player/c20210c9-29b8-4bdf-9df8-dd64374780ef at 1:55)) ((Rep. Michael Lawler, New York)) The question is not about the past. The question is about the future and how we move forward as a country and the issues impacting the American people. ((NARRATOR/VO cover with convention or stand up)) ((STAND UP CLOSE)) ((Carolyn Presutti, VOA News)) ((https://app.frame.io/player/dfd724ee-cc1b-46c8-9f97-139e1610e565)) These delegates say they want more unity. Now, at the end of this first day of their convention, they can rally around the full presidential ticket of Trump and Vance. ((Carolyn Presutti, VOA News, at the Republican National Convention, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.)) ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: E24 0716 RNC WRAP BYLINE: Steve Herman ((VIDEO: Turkish RNC https://app.frame.io/player/7eb3c109-9da4-4f9f-965e-7274e67872f1 )) ((NARRATOR)) The official theme of Day 2 of the Republican National Convention -- Make America Safe Again. It could have been Republicans All Play Nice Again. ((VIDEO: RNC Tuesday Trump walks in)) Donald Trumps former foes in this years party primary took turns issuing messages of unity. ((VIDEO: RNC Tuesday Vivek 20:36 EDT)) ((Vivek Ramaswamy, Former Republican Presidential Candidate)) If you want to seal the border, vote Trump! If you want to restore law and order in the country, vote Trump! [[:08]] ((Video: RNC Tuesday cutaway shot / RNC Nikki 21:36 EDT )) ((NARRATOR)) Besides entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley also put aside her previous policy differences with the former president. ((VIDEO: RNC Tuesday Nikki 21:29 EDT )) ((Nikki Haley, Former Republican Presidential Candidate)) Ill start by making one thing perfectly clear Donald Trump has my strong endorsement. ((:11)) ((VIDEO: Reuters Haley 4Mar2024 https://app.frame.io/player/355a1bdd-ef6b-4e81-9689-6fb28a62a654 TC 00:27)) ((NARRATOR)) During this years primary battle, Haley was Trumps last challenger. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during Trumps administration attacked her former boss as unfit and unelectable. ((VIDEO: South Carolina b-roll https://app.frame.io/player/1a49029f-8d6d-4a96-b254-83cc71e8d9e2 TC 02:17)) Delegates from Haleys home state, such as Gerri McDaniel and Robin Holley, prefer to look ahead, not back. ((VIDEO: South Carolina https://app.frame.io/player/f7131f6b-c218-4670-abb3-bdd39ccd002c TC 02:30 )) ((Gerri McDaniel, South Carolina Republican Delegate)) It doesnt matter who ran against him before. President Trump is bringing them all in together, and thats what we want to see. [[:06]] ((Reporter)): Do you think Governor Haley has her heart into this Trump 2024 campaign now against President Biden? [[:09]] ((Robin Holley, South Carolina Republican Delegate)) I think if she is a person that I think she might be, because I dont know her, I think that shes got some forgiveness and some motivation to move on and to keep us together and to help our country. [[:16]] ((VIDEO: RNC Cruz 21:08 EDT / Rubio 22:47 EDT / Carson 22:40 EDT/ DeSantis 21:40 EDT)) ((NARRATOR)) Other former Trump opponents from this years primary and those from the past, addressing the convention Tuesday included Senator Ted Cruz of Texas Marco Rubio of Florida former Housing Secretary Ben Carson and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. ((VIDEO: RNC DeSantis 21:40 EDT)) ((Florida Governor Ron DeSantis)) My fellow Republicans, lets send Joe Biden back to his basement and lets send Donald Trump back to the White House! [[:11]] ((VIDEO for web: Steve signoff https://app.frame.io/player/1f72b6c1-2ac6-4a49-be9e-641d87fecb32 TC 00:01)) ((VIDEO for lang. services: SC b-roll https://app.frame.io/player/1a49029f-8d6d-4a96-b254-83cc71e8d9e2 TC 02:52 / https://app.frame.io/player/7eb3c109-9da4-4f9f-965e-7274e67872f1 Turkish RNC TC 00:14)) ((Steve Herman, VOA News)) ((Standup)) Some of the former and future presidential hopefuls praising Trump here tonight might be seeking to court favor his favor and that of the delegates four years from now as a Republican victory at the top of the ticket in November would give Trump his second and final term. ((Steve Herman, VOA News, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee)) [[:26]] ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: E24 0718 RNC WRAP BYLINE: Katherine Gypson ((Narrator)) In his first speech on the national political stage, Donald Trumps vice presidential nominee, U.S. Senator J.D. Vance, came out swinging. ((J.D. Vance, Republican Vice Presidential Nominee)) ((Clip to Come)) We're done importing foreign labor. We're going to fight for American citizens and their good jobs and their good wages. ((Narrator)) Relatively unknown across the United States, Vance -- a Yale Law school graduate who served in the U.S. military for six years -- has served in elected office for about a year and a half. He was introduced by his wife, Usha Vance. ((Usha Vance, Wife of Vice Presidential Candidate)) ((Usha Vance at 9:45 pm)) Chosen to help lead our country through some of its greatest challenges. I am grateful to all of you for the trust you placed in him. ((Open for nats of delegates chanting JD, JD)) ((Narrator)) Wednesday night was a chance not only for Vance to introduce himself to the American public but to prove his foreign policy credentials. ((J.D. Vance, Republican Vice Presidential Nominee)) ((Clip to Come)) Together, we will make sure our allies share in the burden of securing world peace, no more free rides for nations that betray the generosity of the American taxpayer. ((Narrator)) Delegates said they were not bothered by Vances lack of experience ((FOR RADIO: Walter Goodwater is a Republican delegate from Texas.)) ((Walter Goodwater, Texas Delegate)) ((Walter Goodwater at 6:03)) Really what we're electing here is potential leadership, and he has got proven potential leadership, and he's not one of us old fossils. ((Narrator)) Or by his past comments criticizing Trump ((FOR RADIO: Laurie Schaefer is a Republican delegate from Illinois.)) ((Laurie Schaefer, Illinois Delegate)) ((Laurie Schaefer at 2:04)) I love that he's young and he can be molded, and he is embracing the America First, which I also appreciate. I think under Trump's tutelage, he can go pretty far. ((Narrator)) In a night focused on Making America Strong Again, Trumps son summed up the choice facing voters. ((Donald Trump Jr., Donald Trumps Son)) ((Donald Trump Jr. speech at 9:32 pm)) "It's a choice between people who are proud of America and the people who are ashamed of America, and ultimately, it's a choice between America last and America first." ((Narrator)) ((GYPSON On-Camera Standup)) ((Katherine Gypson, VOA News)) The convention closes Thursday evening with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumps acceptance speech - his first time speaking in public since he survived an assassination attempt. ((Katherine Gypson, VOA News, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin)) KATHERINE GYPSON: In the Democratic camp, President Biden condemned the assassination attempt against his political rival, and said its time to cool down the political rhetoric. All this as questions about his age, and ability to effectively govern the country for another 4 years continue to dog President Bidens campaign. Plus, a series of one-on-one interviews have done little to convince the public hes up for the job. ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: E24: Biden Candidacy TV/WEB BYLINE: Patsy Widakuswara ((Wide of RNC and Trump scenes, AP 4506856 and other wires)) ((NARRATOR)) Republicans are pledging unity and support behind their presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, during their national convention this week. ((Biden arrival Delaware, AP 4506844)) ((NARRATOR)) For President Joe Biden, it is a lonelier scene. He is isolating in his home in Delaware following a positive COVID test. ((GFX Schiff, Pelosi, Schumer)) ((NARRATOR)) This amid calls from prominent Democrats for him to step down. Analysts say it is looking grim for the president. ((Radio: Larry Sabato, University of Virginias Center for Politics, via Skype)) ((https://app.frame.io/player/97e1cbd1-7505-48ff-a9b7-7c06ce080dd3 TC 0:07)) ((Larry Sabato, University of Virginia)) ((courtesy Skype)) Democrats can't even decide whether Biden is really in trouble or not. And if he is, how to get him out of the race. And if they get him out of the race, who should replace him and how. Now, that's pretty fundamental. Meanwhile, the Republicans have gotten their act together, they have had a great convention. And Donald Trump, because in part of the assassination attempt, probably has more public support than he ever has had. ((Biden stepping out of car then giving thumbs up, AP 4506822)) ((NARRATOR)) Privately the president is reportedly listening to concerns. Publicly he is resisting calls to step aside. ((AP 4506793)) ((President Joe Biden)) ((MANDATORY CREDIT COURTESY OF BET NEWS)) I've demonstrated that I know how to get things done for the country in spite of the fact they're told we couldn't get it done. But there's more to do, and I'm reluctant to walk away from that. ((GFX2)) ((NARRATOR)) Sixty-five percent of Democrats said Biden should step aside, according to an AP-NORC poll. ((https://app.frame.io/player/afb3c970-3e29-47da-9b7e-1f1bef3b600a TC 10:05)) Alan Lichtman, Presidential Historian, American University)) It is the height of folly and ignorance to claim you know, based on the polls which constantly change, who's going to win and who's going to lose. And that you should force candidates out, just because you think they can't win. ((GFX)) ((NARRATOR)) Presidential historian Alan Lichtmans Keys to the White House system has accurately predicted all but one U.S. election result since 1984. He says Democrats should stick with Biden. ((GFX)) ((NARRATOR)) Lichtmans system ignores polling, including that 70% of Americans said they are not confident that Biden has the mental capacity to be president. For Trump, its 51%. ((Biden at NAACP, AP 4506553)) ((NARRATOR)) What happens now is anybodys guess. If Biden agrees to step aside, the most orderly scenario would be for him to endorse an alternative candidate. ((Biden and Harris, AFP V000_362Q846)) ((NARRATOR)) Vice President Kamala Harris would be a logical choice at least financially, because as part of the Biden Harris ticket, she would inherit their campaign war chest. ((Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, Washington)) KATHERINE GYPSON: The U.S. district judge in Florida presiding over the classified documents case against former president Donald Trump dismissed the case on Monday. She sided with defense lawyers who argued the special counsel who filed the charges was illegally appointed. Trump faced dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally keeping classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. He is also accused of obstructing FBI efforts to get them back. He had pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. Defense lawyers filed multiple challenges to the case, including one based on a legal technicality. They asserted that Special Counsel Jack Smith had been illegally appointed under the Constitution's Appointments Clause because he was appointed by the Attorney General rather than being confirmed by Congress. In a 93-page order, Judge Aileen Cannon wrote: The Framers gave Congress a pivotal role in the appointment of principal and inferior officers. That role cannot be usurped by the Executive Branch or diffused elsewhere whether in this case or in another case, whether in times of heightened national need or not. The Department of Justice says it will appeal the decision. Although the motive for the attempted assassination remains unknown, heated political rhetoric has long been a concern for observers of campaign speech for fear it could incite violence. We asked two experts on Presidential campaigns and rhetoric, University of Pennsylvania Professor Claire Finkelstein and Third Way executive Jim Kessler, if the attack could affect the tone of each campaigns criticism of the other. Jim Kessler, Executive Vice President for Policy, The Third Way Both sides believe that the other side's rhetoric is inappropriate. Claire Finkelstein, professor of law and philosophy, University of Pennsylvania We had years and years in this country in which people debated issues, talked about principle, actually try to answer questions that the media has or that members of the American public have about their positions, about what they stand for rather than slinging insults and you know accusations. Jim Kessler: I think the Biden language is strong. .Some may say that it crosses a line, but it's certainly not as incendiary as the Trump rhetoric and the Republican rhetoric. But I'm not sure how well each side will be able to turn down the heat. Claire Finkelstein: I don't want to be blaming the victim in this attack, but I do think that this is a lesson to candidates, to former President Trump, that words really matter and that when you use words that point in the direction of violence ,when you use words suggesting that there needs to be any kind of explosive reaction to the other side,in a country rife with weapons, we really run an enormous risk and we have been ratcheting up the political violence for years, making it really dangerous to hold public office. KATHERINE GYPSON: Project 2025, a conservative blueprint designed to centralize governmental authority under the President has, in recent weeks made its way into the broader US electorate. While most of the electorate say they dont know much about it, in recent polling by YouGov, a majority of those that do know of it, dont like the plan, that has far reaching consequences for womens rights, climate change policy and calls for the dismantling of the US government. That led candidate Trump to disavow the strategy on his social media site Truth Social, even though many of the people who would serve in a second Trump administration have been involved in crafting the plan. For more details, here is VOAs Chief National Correspondent, Steve Herman. ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TV-E24-Project 2025 BYLINE: Steve Herman ((VIDEO: SnagIt Trump speech TC 00:14)) ((NARRATOR)) ((courtesy: YouTube logo/@uspresidentdonaldtrumplive)) ((Oct. 22, 2016)) Donald Trump, campaigning for president eight years ago, promised to bend Washingtons bureaucracy to his will. ((Donald Trump, Presidential Candidate)) If Im elected president, we are going to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C. [[:07]] ((NARRATOR)) Trumps continuing vow to drain the swamp -- ((end data courtesy)) ((end YouTube courtesy)) meaning to rid government of those who impose policy but are unaccountable to the president -- is now backed with a blueprint, crafted by more than 100 conservative groups. Project 2025, published by the right-wing Heritage Foundation, instructs how to swing a wrecking ball against the administrative state. ((Courtesy: Real Americas Voice/The War Room)) Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts is warning there may be violence along the journey to its implementation. ((The War Room with Stephen K. Bannon/Real Americas Voice)) ((Kevin Roberts, President of The Heritage Foundation)) We are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless -- if the left allows it to be. ((NARRATOR)) After that incendiary comment, Trump tried to distance himself from Project 2025 -- asserting that while he knows nothing about it and its authors, I disagree with some of the things theyre saying. ((Courtesy: CSPAN)) The projects head, Paul Dans, appearing on C-SPAN, left no doubt Trumps words and ideas were the inspiration. ((Courtesy: C-SPAN)) ((Paul Dans, Project 2025)) He was president for four years, so many of the ideas are carry-ons from his original work. So, I would like to think a lot of it does spring from that first term of Trump. ((NARRATOR)) VOA requested an interview with the Heritage Foundation. The think tank said it could not make anyone available, but e-mailed a statement stressing Project 2025 does not speak for any candidate. Project 2025 seeks to eliminate the checks and balances writers of the Constitution, such as James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, crafted through dividing power among the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the government, according to Will Marshall, the president of the Progressive Policy Institute. ((Will Marshall, Progressive Policy Institute)) Madison and Jefferson ought to be spinning in their graves when they see how much power they want to concentrate in the next president's hands. And if that president happens to be Donald Trump, then it's a kind of a nightmare for the country, given the way he's misused power in the past. ((NARRATOR)) President Joe Bidens re-election campaign has made Project 2025 a primary target, setting up a separate website dedicated to criticism of it and highlighting liberal media reaction. ((Mandatory Courtesy: YouTube/MSNBC\)) ((Melissa Murray, MSNBC)) Critics are calling it the fascist playbook. And it should be one of the reasons, if not the reason, that you vote this November. [ ((Steve Herman, VOA News)) The sweeping plan also calls for slashing government funding for renewable energy and climate change mitigation. The Department of Education would be eliminated. The Federal Bureau of Investigation would be overhauled top to bottom, as would the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees the Voice of America. Steve Herman, VOA News, at the White House KATHERINE GYPSON: It became an instant iconic image. Former president Donald Trump, blood streaking his face, and his fist in the air after a botched assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Social media ensured that image and others taken that day quickly circulated around the world. Media analysts examine the power of news photography and how independent media work to combat the waves of dis and misinformation following Sundays attack. Cristina Caicedo Smit has this story. ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TV PF Trump Shooting PF Media Analysis BYLINE: Cristina Caicedo Smit, Liam Scott ((Narrator)) Its a photo seen around the world. ((AP photos collage of Donald Trump shows the multiple photos taken by AP journalist)) ((NARRATION)) Taken by veteran AP photojournalist Evan Vucci, the image captures the immediate aftermath of the attempted assassination of Trump at a campaign rally. ((For radio: Heres Evan Vucci)) ((Evan Vucci, AP Photojournalist)) ((Mandatory: AP)) It was a normal rally. You know, I've done it hundreds of times. And, over my left shoulder, I heard several, several pops, and I knew immediately it was gunfire. ((AP video of aftermath of shooting)) ((Mandatory: AP)) ((NARRATOR)) Vucci is one of dozens of photojournalists covering the Butler, Pennsylvania rally Saturday. The shooting left one bystander dead and injured Trump and others. Images from that day are described by some U.S. media outlets as iconic. ((AFP video of news headlines)) ((Mandatory: AFP)) But ethics experts are watching to see how in a polarized time media and others use the coverage of the attack. ((For radio: Subramaniam Vincent is the director of Santa Clara Universitys journalism and media ethics center)) ((Subramaniam Vincent, Media Ethics Expert)) ((Mandatory: Skype)) ((10:49)) The media needs to stay on the facts and tell the whole story the way it is. It doesn't have to exaggerate. It doesn't have to add outrage to its own actual headline. ((Narration)) Vincent sees no ethical dilemma in using pictures of the attack. But the more complex part is how those images will be used. ((Subramaniam Vincent, Media Ethics Expert)) ((Mandatory: Skype)) ((10:49)) So, the real ethics of it, I think, comes in, in interpreting where the picture is, what it stands for in, in the narrative about American culture, politics, guns, violence. ((NARRATION)) For photojournalist Vucci, his priority was documenting the events unfolding right in front of him. ((Evan Vucci, AP photojournalist)) ((Mandatory: AP)) I knew that this was a moment in American history that had to be documented. I mean, it's our job as journalists to do this work. ((Name of file: AP video of chaos Trump rally)) ((Mandatory: AP)) ((NARRATION)) As media work to verify what happened at the rally, on social media mis- and disinformation is flourishing. ((Name of file: AP video Trump rally PN AP video of Trump while hes talking to the crowd and is shot)) ((Mandatory: AP)) ((NARRATION)) Among the conspiracy theories being shared are baseless claims that say political parties on either side are responsible. Journalists are working to set the record straight. ((How? Youve identified the challenge. But arent journalists always working to set the record straight?)) Yes, but now more than ever there must be more done when this happened Media analysts say this is where media have an important role in sorting fact from fiction and highlighting baseless claims. ((David Klepper, Associated Press Reporter)) ((Mandatory: AP)) "There's no evidence for either of these conspiracy theories, but they reflect the kind of claims that are spreading in this very polarized emotional climate in the immediate aftermath of the assassination attempt. ((AP Trump RNC Convention or AP 4506345_US. Trump at RNC))((Mandatory: AP)) As Trump appears at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee just days after the attack, social media mentions of him are skyrocketing, says cyber analysts PeakMetrics. Trump was back in public Monday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. In the hours after the shooting, social media mentions of him skyrocketed, says cyber analysts PeakMetrics. ((Cristina Caicedo Smit, VOA News)) KATHERINE GYPSON: From Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Site of the 2024 Republican National Convention... Thank you watching this edition of The Inside Story... For the latest news you can log on to VOA News dot com... Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at VOA News.. To access our great VOA content... Follow me on X formerly known as Twitter @ .......XXXX Catch up on past episodes at our free streaming service... VOA Plus.. I am Katherine Gypson.. Well see you next week for another episode of... The Inside Story. Participants in Africa-Indian Ocean Aviation Week this week in Libreville, Gabon, say theyve produced a plan to make continentwide improvements to aviation development and safety. Some 350 representatives from 180 countries attended AFI Aviation Week, which was organized by the U.N. International Civil Aviation Organization, or ICAO, with the aim of enhancing air travel safety across Africa and the Indian Ocean in the face of climate change and regional terrorism. Officials from Gabon, Rwanda and Equatorial Guinea said they have agreed to expand fleets and modernize their airports, while Nigeria said it will repair aging infrastructure. Many participants said it is time for African states to embrace a plan called the Single African Air Transport Market and liberalize civil aviation across the continent by removing restrictions on traffic rights for African airlines. ICAO Council President Salvatore Sciacchitano was among those who endorsed the idea, saying on Gabon state TV that the continent needs to accelerate the implementation of the market to enhance connectivity. Sciacchitano expressed his wish for governments and investors to make good use of what he called huge air transport opportunities in Africa to boost trade, create jobs and develop the continent. The ICAO says that although no attacks on planes have been reported over the past year, terrorism threats in Africa in countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger sometimes cause passengers to rethink their schedules and make some travelers reluctant to fly. Participants at the conference said Africa recorded no fatalities in commercial aviation accidents during 2023. Navy Captain Loic Ndinga Moudouma, Gabon's transport minister, said Gabon, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea entered an agreement to search and rescue people in distress should an accident or crash occur in parts of the Atlantic Ocean the three states share. The African Union pointed out that although Africa has a population of close to 1.5 billion people and constitutes about 18% of the world population, Africans account for about 3% of global travel. The International Air Transport Association reported that despite various challenges, airlines across Africa are expected to earn at least $100 million in profit in 2024, compared with $90 million in 2023. The conference was the first time Gabon had hosted a major international event since the military coup that ousted longtime leader Ali Ben Bongo last August. Unlike military takeovers in other West African states such as Mali and Niger, the coup on Gabon has been widely accepted. VLADIVOSTOK, July 19 (Xinhua) -- An emergency beacon was activated on a Robinson helicopter as it went missing in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in Russia's Far East on Friday, followed by immediate search and rescue. According to the TASS news agency, at approximately 00:40 local time Friday (1540 GMT Thursday) in Yakutia, the Aviation Space Search and Rescue Center detected the beacon from the Robinson R44 II helicopter, which was carrying a pilot and three passengers. The Yakutsk Transport Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation, TASS reported. Currently, aircraft from the regional airline Polar Airlines are prepared for search and rescue. The U.S. military is dismantling the temporary pier it built to deliver aid to Palestinians in Gaza. But officials say the military will continue to help transfer aid for Gaza from Cyprus to the Israeli port of Ashdod. VOA Pentagon Correspondent Carla Babb reports. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that he would meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi next week in Laos, as that country hosts senior officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. Blinken said he speaks with Wang on a fairly regular basis, which is important for clarifying each countrys intentions and avoiding unintended conflicts. We're able to communicate very clearly on areas where we disagree. So at least China knows where we're coming from, just as we know where they're coming from, on such topics as the South China Sea and Taiwan, Blinken told an audience Friday at the Aspen Security Forum, a prominent national security and foreign policy conference in the United States. Although the U.S. and China are not members of the Southeast Asian bloc, senior diplomats from both countries are typically invited to attend related regional meetings and often hold face-to-face discussions on the sidelines. On Friday, the U.S. government advised American citizens in Taiwan to plan accordingly for an upcoming annual air defense exercise in Taiwan called Wan An Number 47, scheduled for Monday through Thursday. During the 30-minute exercise for civilians, the emergency notification system will be tested, signaling the start and end of the event. Next week, Taiwans military will also hold its annual Han Kuang defense drills, which usually include large-scale live-fire exercises. The air defense drills occur as Chinese military aircraft and vessels continue to operate around Taiwan. In recent months, Taiwan has reported that Chinese military aircraft frequently cross the median line and enter Taiwan's air defense identification zone. If there were to be a crisis over Taiwan, it would be a crisis that affects quite literally everyone in the world, not just the immediate neighbors. Fifty percent of commercial cargo traffic goes through the [Taiwan] Strait every day; 70% of the semiconductors that the world relies on are manufactured in Taiwan, Blinken said Friday. Blinkens talks with Wang next week in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, will follow a four-day major policy meeting held by Chinas ruling Communist Party (CCP) in Beijing. Known as Chinas Third Plenum, the meetings endorsed policies aimed at advancing the countrys technological power and fortifying its national security. The personnel changes made at the plenum attracted a lot of attention as the CCP officially approved the removal of its former foreign minister, Qin Gang, from its Central Committee. Additionally, the plenum confirmed the expulsion of former Defense Minister Li Shangfu. Li Yuchao and Sun Jinming of the People's Liberation Army's Rocket Force were also removed from the Central Committee. ASEAN has announced its intention to expedite negotiations with China on a code of conduct to reduce the risk of conflicts in the hotly contested South China Sea. The Southeast Asian bloc hopes to conclude talks by 2026. We're tracking all the time, not just the Taiwan Strait, [but also the] South China Sea," Blinken said at the Aspen forum. He noted escalating tensions between China and the Philippines because of recent collisions near the waters around Second Thomas Shoal, known as Ren'ai Jiao in China. According to an international tribunal's legally binding decision issued in July 2016, Second Thomas Shoal is within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, and China has no lawful maritime claims to the waters around the low-tide feature. Beijing has rejected the ruling, claiming "indisputable sovereignty" over most of the South China Sea. Catherine Wanjeri wore a bright yellow shirt and vest with PRESS emblazoned on it when Kenyan police shot the K24 television journalist three times in the leg. At the time, Wanjeri was covering protests in the city of Nakuru over proposed tax increases. I am very lucky and blessed to be alive, Wanjeri told VOA from the Nakuru Annex Hospital. The person who shot me was at a very close range to me, so they would see me clearly. Three rubber bullets penetrated Wanjeris leg. The journalist and the Kenya Union of Journalists both told VOA the shots were fired from a police car. I cannot walk because of an officer who deemed it fit to shoot me, Wanjeri said. He was aboard a police vehicle, which was indicated on the cars driver side. Several journalists witnessed the shooting and came to Wanjeris aid. The incident has been condemned by the Kenya Union of Journalists, which is demanding accountability. We demand action against the trigger-happy police officer who targeted a journalist, David Indeje, program officer for the Kenya Union of Journalists told VOA. An officer from the vehicle was shooting along the streets and that is how Catherine was shot. Dozens of journalists marched through Nakurus streets to the Central Police Station on Wednesday in protest. They carried banners and posters with photos of the injured Wanjeri and chanted slogans including, Journalism isnt a crime and Dont kill the messenger. Indeje told VOA that police attempted to see Wanjeri while she was hospitalized, but union members intervened. Wanjeri said she wants answers. All I am asking is the Kenyan National Police Service to provide us with who shot me cause they know who it was, Wanjeri said. And he needs to be apprehended and taken to court and for justice to take its course. Dozens of protesters have clashed with police and at least one has been killed and hundreds injured during the demonstrations, according to Kenyas Human Rights Commission. And the Vienna-based International Press Institute has documented more than a dozen cases of journalists detained or injured by police or attacked by protesters while covering the nationwide protests. Kenyas Independent Policing Oversight Authority did not respond to VOAs email requesting comment or information on the case. Media being injured by police is a global problem, with UNESCO documenting a rise in cases of journalists attacked or injured covering protests. From January 2015 to August 2021, UNESCO registered incidents in at least 101 countries where journalists were attacked while covering protests, public demonstrations and riots. At least 13 were killed. While some cases included physical or verbal assaults directed at media from protesters, UNESCO found police and security forces responsible for most attacks. Cases included journalists injured by rubber bullets and other so-called non-lethal ammunition fired by police. In Kenya, the name of the officer and the agency he works for has not been released by authorities. Journalism watchdogs are calling for a thorough investigation and accountability. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Kenya Union of Journalists, in condemning this horrendous act of brutality meted out to a journalist while exercising her duties, and urges the Kenyan authorities to conduct a thorough investigation, IFJ director, Louis Thomasi, wrote to VOA in an email. And the Committee to Protect Journalists described the shooting in a statement as a deeply alarming development in a pattern of violence faced by the press. Kenyan police should be focused on ensuring the safety of journalists, not targeting them with violence or detention, and authorities should act swiftly to hold accountable those responsible, said Angela Quintal, head of CPJs Africa program, in the statement. The Media Council of Kenya said the Independent Policing Oversight Authority must act to stop the impunity in which police attack journalists. A Kenyan court this month ruled that police acted unlawfully in an unrelated case, when prominent Pakistani journalist Arshad Sharif was shot dead at a makeshift checkpoint in October 2022, in a region about two hours from Nairobi. The court ordered one of Sharifs widows to be compensated with $77,000 and ordered authorities to punish the police involved. Wanjeri told VOA she doesnt know when she will be released from the hospital. She needs time to recover and complete physical therapy. China's ruling party has concluded the Third Plenum of its 20th Central Committee with a communique described as vague and cliche by China watchers, who said it lacks specific measures to address China's economic difficulties. Shi He-ling, an associate professor of economics at Monash Business School at Monash University in Caulfield, Australia, said the communique was disappointing and that its writers were completely unthinking. The 5,000-word communique, issued on Thursday, touted the Chinese Communist Party's achievements in "comprehensively deepening reforms" and said the future will be critical for comprehensively advancing "Chinese-style modernization," building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation. Shi said that while Chinese President Xi Jinping has set out a new vision of "Chinese-style modernization" to highlight his differences from previous party leaders, the communique does not provide any specific definitions that are measurable. "It does not make macroeconomic adjustments at all but is like a philosophical article, which is basically a cliche," Shi told VOA. In addition to "socialist market mechanisms" and "new quality productivity," the communique stressed that national security is an important foundation for the steady and long-term development of Chinese-style modernization; that the modernization of national defense and the armed forces is an important part of it; and that "party leadership" in particular is the "fundamental guarantee" for promoting this policy. Yeh Yao-yuan, chairman of the Department of Political Science at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, said that under the framework of "Xi Thoughts," it is difficult for the economic exposition of this communique to be new. Even if the "socialist market economic system" is repeatedly touted, it will not be able to reverse China's economic decline, he said, adding that Xi's economic reform is in fact "changing things to their old ways." These include forcing the private sector to retreat in order to help the state advance and tightening controls over foreign capital, which will hit the market economy hard. Ming Chu-cheng, professor emeritus of political science at National Taiwan University in Taipei, offered a similar assessment on Thursday at a seminar in Taiwan. Xi is touting the market economy, but what he really pushes is 'the people retreat and the country advances,' which is completely opposite to what he says, Ming said. I don't have great hopes for the Third Plenum. Even if you relax the economic restrictions, you will encounter exactly the same problems in another 20 years because politics is choking the economy." The communique received more than 100 million views on Weibo and made it to the hot search list hours after its release. However, there was hardly any substantive discussion online among Chinese people in the comment areas. Most just reposted and recited some of the communique text to express their concerns. The personnel changes made at the plenum attracted a lot of attention as the CCP officially approved the removal of its former foreign minister, Qin Gang, from its Central Committee. Qin, who has not been seen in public since last summer, is no longer a member of the Communist Party leadership. He was dismissed as foreign minister in July last year and removed from the post of state councilor three months later. His resignation from the top body had been accepted. No further details were provided, and the reasons behind Qin's disappearance remain unclear. He was allegedly investigated for having an extramarital affair, leaking secrets and endangering national security. The plenum also confirmed the expulsion of former Defense Minister Li Shangfu. Li Yuchao and Sun Jinming of the People's Liberation Army's Rocket Force were also removed from the Central Committee. Many online comments focused on Qin being called "comrade" in the party's published decision while others were calling Qin's ousting a "soft landing." After the discussion on Qin's removal became a hot topic, the Weibo accounts of various media outlets seemed to be alerted and comments were concealed. Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, said that Beijing dislikes Chinese people arguing online about the CCP's high-level personnel because comments might call into question the party's decisions and judgment, especially as Qin was previously Xi's close confidant and the foreign minister. "What happened to Qin has not been particularly public so far, Chong told VOA, and too many of these discussions [about Qin] will also distract public attention from the economic reform plan the Third Plenum wants to promote." Adrianna Zhang, Yang An, Joyce Huang contributed to this story. Chinas ruling Communist Party concluded a highly anticipated party conclave Thursday, promising to boost economic growth through comprehensive reform while reiterating the importance of maintaining national security. The Central Committee, in a communique at the end of the four-day, closed-door Third Plenum, laid out reform objectives to be completed by 2029, the 80th anniversary of the Peoples Republic of China. The partys top decision-making body also vowed to finish building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects by 2035. All of this will lay a solid foundation for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century, the communique said. To achieve these goals, the communique said China must better utilize market mechanisms and double down on efforts to promote high-quality development, which includes prioritizing investment in advanced technologies and facilitating growth through technological and scientific innovation. We must deepen supply-side structural reform, improve incentive and constraint mechanisms for promoting high-quality development, and strive to create new growth drivers and strengths, the communique said. The key political meeting comes as Chinas economic growth slowed to 4.7% in this years second quarter, prompting banks such as Goldman Sachs to lower their 2024 gross domestic product growth forecast for China from 5.0% to 4.9%. Meanwhile, Chinas property crisis continues as investment in the sector dropped 10.1% in the first six months of this year compared to a year earlier, and consumer confidence remains weak. To address these challenges, Beijing promised to implement measures to defuse risks in the property sector while improving income distribution, the job market, social security, and the health care system. Ensuring and enhancing the people's well-being in the course of development is one of the major tasks of Chinese modernization, the communique said. As local governments across China face mounting debt resulting from the real estate crisis, the communique stressed the need to roll out fiscal and tax reforms and facilitate better integration between cities and the countryside. The Party must promote equal exchanges and two-way flows of production factors between the cities and the countryside, so as to narrow the disparities between the two and promote their common prosperity and development, the statement said. As foreign investors closely monitor signals coming out of the plenum, the party said it would remain committed to the state policy of opening to the outside world and promised to expand cooperation with other countries. We still steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, the communique said. Some analysts say the communique shows that Beijing is focusing on areas critical to Chinas national strength, including technology and advanced manufacturing. This isnt Western-style market liberalization; its about reinforcing China's existing strategy, Lizzi Lee, a fellow on the Chinese economy at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis, said in a written response to VOA. The document cements Xis governance approach and his brand of reform, which focuses on consolidating power rather than adopting new liberal economic paradigms, endures, she wrote. Balancing reform and national security In addition to laying out the long list of reform goals, the communique also highlighted the need for the party to balance development and security. We will strengthen the network for preventing and controlling public security risks so as to safeguard social stability [and] improve public opinion guidance and effectively deal with risks in the ideological domain, it said. The document also reiterated that the partys top leadership, especially Xi Jinping, remains the fundamental guarantee for deepening reforms. We must uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership, the communique said. Some experts say the communiques emphasis on upholding public security and following the guidance of party leadership shows Beijing is trying to tighten control over efforts to reform Chinas troubled economy. Tightening control is at the heart of [Beijings] dilemma because in order for the reforms to work, they need to loosen control, Dexter Roberts, a nonresident senior fellow at Atlantic Councils Global China Hub, told VOA by phone. While other specific reforms are expected to be rolled out in other plenum documents in coming days, Lee said she expects consumer spending in China to remain sluggish and that recovery in the property sector remains slow in the short term. The prolonged transition period poses significant risks. It could lead to reduced investments and slower economic growth, she told VOA, adding that the Chinese government will likely use targeted interventions to boost key sectors. However, some analysts think that Beijings state-led economic growth model is unlikely to yield the results the government hopes for. Chinas state-led investment, which concentrates resources on areas such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence, is going to take years to pay dividends, and meanwhile, the economy will continue to fail to deliver growth and jobs, Andrew Collier, managing director of Orient Capital Research in Hong Kong, told VOA in a video interview. He said unless the government takes concrete steps to reduce its involvement in economic reforms, the countrys economic downturn could grow worse in coming years. The chief minister of India's most populous state backed a plan on Friday requiring restaurants and roadside eateries to display the names of their owners, despite criticism the move was aimed at dividing establishments by religion. Yogi Adityanath, a saffron-robed Hindu monk who heads Uttar Pradesh state, said the diktat would be enforced along a route taken by thousands of Hindu pilgrims during the holy month of Shravan every year. The decision was taken to maintain the purity of the faith of the pilgrims, known as "kanwarias," local media reports said, quoting an order from the chief minister's office. But critics of the move said it was meant to stop Hindus from patronizing eateries owned by Muslims. Rights groups say hate crimes and violence against India's large Muslim minority have been on the rise since Hindu-nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014. The restaurant order has sparked widespread outrage, with one opposition politician saying it was meant to stop Hindus from buying anything from a Muslim shop "by mistake." "This was called apartheid in South Africa and in Hitler's Germany it was called 'Judenboycott," lawmaker Asaduddin Owaisi said in a post on social media. Mahua Moitra, another opposition lawmaker, wrote, "What next? Muslims to wear equivalent of Star of David on their sleeve to mark themselves? Uttar Pradesh has been governed by Modi's right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party since 2017, when it appointed Adityanath as chief minister. During his tenure, Hindu mobs have launched a spate of attacks over so-called cow protection the cow being a sacred animal for many Hindus and committed other hate crimes that have sown fear among the state's Muslim population. On July 16, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov chaired a United Nations Security Council meeting on multilateral cooperation. Speaking before the 15-member council, which Russia presides over during the month of July, Lavrov repeated the Kremlins invalid talking points trying to justify a decadelong campaign of Russian aggression that has killed scores of civilians and devastated Ukraine. The Kremlin claims, falsely, that Russia occupies those parts of Ukraine where ethnically Russian Ukrainians align with the Russian state culturally and ideologically. Russias top diplomat called Zelenskyy racist and accused the government in Kyiv of discriminating against ethnic Russians. [I]n 2021, V.A. Zelensky, in one of his interviews, ordered those who feel connected to the Russian culture to get out [of Ukraine] to Russia for the sake of the future of their children and grandchildren, Lavrov said. Lavrov falsified Zelenskyys statement. The Russian foreign minister seems to be referring to an August 2021 Zelenskyy interview with Dom TV, a Ukrainian state television channel broadcasting in Russian language to the partially Russian-occupied territories of Donbas and Crimea. During that interview, Zelenskyy responded to the Kremlins claims saying, The people who live in the territory of the occupied Donbas and Crimea must understand clearly: This is not that someone [is] kicking somebody out. I would like to be clear: Once again either [Ukraine] is your Motherland, or you are a guest, he added, speaking in Russian. I consider it a big mistake to remain in Donbas if you live in the temporarily occupied territory and believe our cause is righteous, we should be in Russia, we are Russians. This will never be a Russian territory. Never, as simple as that. Since that 2021 interview, Lavrov has been propagating a twisted version of Zelenskyys words to discredit Ukraine and its leadership. For example, on January 14, 2022, during a press conference in Moscow, Lavrov said: Recently, President Zelenskyy ... stated that if the individuals, being citizens of Ukraine, consider themselves Russian, want to speak Russian, profess Russian culture, then they must move to Russia." Lavrov continued pushing the same disinformation during foreign diplomatic tours and in interviews with the news media, including in Turkey and his voyage across the African nations, and again in his speech at the United Nations. Hundreds of Russian diplomatic missions worldwide and Russian-state-owned news media amplify Lavrovs falsification of Zelenskyys words through their multi-language social media accounts, promoting the Kremlins propaganda and disinformation. A Russian court on Friday convicted American journalist Evan Gershkovich of espionage and sentenced him to 16 years in prison, in what is widely viewed as a politically motivated case. The court announced the verdict shortly after 5 p.m. local time Friday, according to Russian independent media outlet Meduza. Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, has been jailed in Russia since March 2023 on spying charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government vehemently deny. The Journal condemned the conviction in a statement Friday. "This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist," the newspaper's publisher Almar Latour and editor in chief Emma Tucker said in the statement. "We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evan's release and to support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until he's released. This must end now," they added. In a statement posted on the social media platform Telegram, the Russian court said that Gershkovich "did not admit guilt," but that "the totality of the evidence presented to the court was sufficient to render a guilty verdict." The court also said Gershkovich has 15 days to appeal the conviction. Karol Luczka, who covers Eastern Europe at the International Press Institute in Vienna, told VOA that although the case against Gershkovich is bogus, the conviction was expected due to the lack of rule of law in Russia. "This prison sentence just shows how journalism has been completely used as a bargaining chip by the Russian authorities," Luczka said. "It just shows the complete lack of respect towards independent journalism by Russian authorities." The State Department has declared the 32-year-old wrongfully detained, which commits the U.S. government to seek his release. "We have been clear from the get-go that Evan did nothing wrong and should not have been detained," State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters Thursday. "To date, Russia has provided no evidence of a crime and has failed to justify Evan's continued detention. Evan should not be detained." Gershkovich's trial began on June 26 in Yekaterinburg, where the journalist was initially detained. The Ural Mountains city is about 1,400 kilometers, or 870 miles, east of Moscow. Press freedom groups and The Journal have consistently condemned Gershkovich's trial as a politically motivated sham. "It's certainly a sham trial. It's a travesty of justice. The charges brought against him are spurious and unsubstantiated, and the whole thing is just a masquerade," Gulnoza Said, the Europe and Central Asia program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, told VOA in June, shortly before the trial began. U.S. President Joe Biden affirmed in a Friday statement that the United States is working to secure Gershkovichs release. There is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime. We will continue to stand strong for press freedom in Russia and worldwide, and stand against all those who seek to attack the press or target journalists, Biden said. Evan has endured his ordeal with remarkable strength. We will not cease in our efforts to bring him home, Biden added. The U.S. embassy in Moscow did not immediately reply to VOA's email requesting comment for this story. Hasty trial Gershkovich's trial took place in secret, behind closed doors, which is common practice in Russia for cases of alleged treason or espionage involving classified state material. Gershkovich's trial appears to have concluded much faster than expected. Based on similar previous trials, press freedom experts initially estimated that the trial would last a few months. The second hearing was originally scheduled for August 13, but the court later moved it to July 18. The court then heard closing arguments Friday. Russian authorities have accused Gershkovich of "gathering secret information" about a Russian tank manufacturer for the United States. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday repeated the Kremlin's claim of "irrefutable evidence" against Gershkovich, but the Russian government has to date failed to publicly disclose any evidence to support the claims against the journalist. Lavrov said Wednesday at the United Nations that Moscow and Washington's "special services" are discussing an exchange involving Gershkovich. Russia and the United States have been negotiating a possible prisoner swap for months, but the Kremlin has said a verdict would have to come first. Russia's Washington embassy did not immediately reply to VOA's email requesting comment for this story. Gershkovich is one of two American journalists currently detained by Russia. The second, Alsu Kurmasheva, has spent nine months in custody. The Prague-based journalist for VOA's sister outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has been jailed since October 2023 on charges of failing to self-register as a foreign agent and spreading what Moscow views as false information about the Russian army. Kurmasheva and her employer reject the charges, and the U.S. government has also called for her immediate release. "Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva should never have been imprisoned in the first place," Luczka said. "We continue to demand Evan's immediate release, as well as that of Alsu Kurmasheva." VOA's State Department bureau chief Nike Ching contributed to this report. A field commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force was killed in an Israeli strike on south Lebanon, the Israeli military and two security sources said Thursday, the latest senior member of the group to be killed in months of tit-for-tat strikes across the border with Israel. Habib Maatouk had replaced another commander in the elite unit, Ali Ahmed Hassin, who was killed in April in an Israeli strike, the security sources said. The Israeli military said it had killed a Radwan Force operations unit commander it named as Ali Jaafar Maatuk, along with another commander responsible for Radwan Force operations in the Hajir region. It said additional Radwan Force fighters were also killed in the strike. Maatouk was killed in one of several strikes on the neighboring border villages of Safad El Battikh and Jmaijmeh, the sources said. Eighteen wounded were taken to the nearby Tebnine government hospital, its director, Mohammed Hamadi, told Reuters. Reuters was not able to immediately determine how many of the injured were fighters and how many were civilians. Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned in a speech on Wednesday that the group would widen the scope of its attacks in Israel if it struck more civilians. Earlier on Thursday, Hamas said one of its commanders had been killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon's West Bekaa and a Hezbollah member was killed in an Israeli strike in the southern town of Jbal el-Botm. Hezbollah announced attacks with dozens of rockets and missiles on Israel throughout the day, including on the Filon base in Israel's Safed for the first time, the group said. Israel and Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on October 7, triggering Israel's military offensive in Gaza. The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and has led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war. Fears have grown in recent weeks among international observers that Israel may expand its military operations in Lebanon, risking a wider war. Israel has said it is undertaking the necessary preparations for a wider operation but that no decision has been made yet. Hezbollah has said it does not want war with Israel but is ready for it. Kenya's High Court on Thursday suspended a police ban on protests in the capital, stating citizens have a right to demonstrate peacefully. Before the high court's decision, police had barred protests in Nairobi indefinitely, saying they lacked leadership that would ensure peaceful demonstrations. The suspension of the ban came before a planned protest, in which demonstrators were expected to march to the president's office calling for his resignation over poor governance. Acting police inspector general, Douglas Kanja, in a statement said the lack of leadership had "made it difficult to enforce safety protocols." Recent protests have left businesses counting losses after the lootings and burnings. Protests were yet to be seen Thursday, but major roads leading to the president's office remained barricaded by the police. A month of protests Kenya has seen a month of protests that started with calls for legislators to vote against a controversial finance bill that proposed higher taxes amid a cost-of-living crisis and ballooning public debt. At least 50 people have died since the protests began on June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. President William Ruto said he wouldn't sign the finance bill that was passed by parliament on June 25 the day protesters stormed and burned part of the building, prompting legislators to flee. The president last week dismissed almost his entire Cabinet and the attorney general, as demanded by protesters who accused ministers of incompetence, corruption and display of opulence. The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi on Thursday urged police to protect the right of Kenyans to demonstrate and encouraged the government to "continue taking steps forward" toward national unity and reconciliation. Some businesses in Nairobi remained closed in anticipation of protests Thursday. Police remained heavily deployed around the central business district patrolling the streets. Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura on Thursday said the economy had incurred loses worth 6 billion Kenyan shillings ($45 million) because of ongoing monthlong protests. Police accused of brutality Police have been accused of brutality against protesters. Japhet Koome, the former inspector general of police, resigned on July 12 after calls from demonstrators for him to take responsibility for the shooting of protesters. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority on Wednesday said it had forwarded four of 10 cases of police brutality to the director of public prosecutions with recommendations. The watchdog had recorded witness statements and directed that various police officers to appear before it to give their testimony. Kenyan police officers have in the past been accused of brutality and a contingent of 400 officers is currently in the Caribbean nation of Haiti leading a U.N.-backed police mission to combat gang violence. Erhu, a traditional Chinese two-stringed instrument, can express endless joys and sorrows. Discover the craftsmanship behind the erhu in south China's Wuxi, the birthplace of the renowned erhu melody "Erquan Yingyue (Moon Reflected on Huishan Spring)." Under pressure from right wing protesters, Pakistans government declared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a terrorist Friday, demanding the leader be brought to justice for alleged war crimes against Palestinians. The statement by Rana Sanaullah, adviser to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on political and public affairs, was part of a deal with a religious political party, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan or TLP, to end its days-long sit-in on a key road outside the capital. Netanyahu is a terrorist and a perpetrator of war crimes, said Sanaullah, acceding to a key TLP demand. The adviser sat flanked by TLP leaders and Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar at a press conference in Islamabad. Thousands of TLP supporters rallied near the capital last Saturday to condemn Israeli strikes in Gaza. They demanded the government declare Netanyahu a terrorist, boycott Israeli products and send aid to Palestinians. After the rally, many continued a sit-in at a busy interchange that connects Islamabad to the neighboring garrison city of Rawalpindi, causing a severe disruption for commuters. We demand that he [Netanyahu] be put on trial, the Pakistani prime ministers top aide said Friday. We wholeheartedly condemn this cruelty [Israels actions in Gaza], Israel, and all the powers that are involved in it. The radical TLP has a history of bringing the government to its knees through public agitation. In 2017, thousands of its supporters held a nearly three-week sit-in against an amendment to the oath for parliamentarians, paralyzing the capital. Pakistan does not have diplomatic or trade ties with Israel, a state Islamabad has not recognized. It supports the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders. Despite no trade ties between the two countries, many Pakistanis have called for a boycott of Israeli products as well as Western brands seen as supportive of the Middle Eastern state. We will not only boycott Israel, but all products related to it, and companies that are directly or indirectly involved in this cruelty or are helping those forces, Sanaullah said, adding that the government will form a committee to research which products had links to Israel. The government also promised the radical party it will send more than 1,000 tons of relief supplies for Palestinians by the end of the month. Since October of last year, Pakistan has sent nine humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza. More than 38,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed and public service infrastructure decimated in Israeli operations meant to eliminate Hamas. The military action came after the militant group struck Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing nearly 1,200 civilians and taking more than 250 hostages. On Friday, the International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, declared Israel's settlement policies and exploitation of natural resources in the Palestinian territories were in breach of international law. South Africa is pursuing a genocide case against Israel in the U.N.-affiliated court, based at The Hague in the Netherlands. While the court declined to declare Israeli actions in Gaza a genocide, it has called on Israel to halt military actions in parts of the Gaza Strip and not engage in actions that could cause further harm to Palestinians. The chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court recently sought arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as three Hamas leaders, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Israel and the United States condemned the courts action, saying Israel had the right to defend itself. Pakistans foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, has called the situation in Gaza a genocide. In April, the U.N. Human Rights Council adopted a non-binding resolution Pakistan presented on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, calling for an end to the sale, transfer and diversion of military arms and equipment to Israel. The Republican Party's decision to soften platform language on federal abortion restrictions, leaving it for the states to decide their own policies, is drawing mixed reactions from the partys base. The platform itself, though less eloquent than in years past, does have two elements that we worked for more than seven months to achieve," said Kristen Hawkins, president of Students for Life Action. "It actively condemns late-term abortions and acknowledges that in a post-Roe America, the 14th Amendment provides a legal foundation for protecting life in law. Unveiled at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Monday, the party's revised position pivots away from a decades-long commitment to constitutional reforms seeking a nationwide ban on the practice among the most controversial topics in American politics. While the new 16-page document retains language connecting abortion to the 14th Amendment, allowing for the possibility that lawmakers and court rulings can grant more legal rights to fetuses, it also says "states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights. What remains to be seen is how that translates into personnel and policy," Hawkins told VOA. "We are still waiting to hear from the podium an acknowledgment of pro-life values and voters. After facing a string of 2022 midterm losses in Congress and state races where abortion was in the spotlight, Republican Party leaders, say some antiabortion advocates, have made a politically practical decision that recognizes absolutist positions on abortion as a vulnerability at the ballot box. Any presidential administration must act to protect human life [and] we were glad to see the RNC take up this language in defense of preborn American lives, John Mize, CEO of Americans United for Life, said in a prepared statement that emphasized the importance of focusing on winning hearts and minds on the abortion issue at the state level, while uplifting women and families through supportive federal policies. Anti-abortion-rights Republican stalwarts, such as former Vice President Mike Pence, were less supportive of the move in the days before the party platform language, which is in no way legally binding, was publicly unveiled. "The RNC platform is a profound disappointment to the millions of pro-life Republicans that have always looked to the Republican Party to stand for life," Pence said in a statement July 9, just after the RNC leadership said it was preparing to announce the change. "It has a lot of potential to hurt us," Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota told Axios about the new language that same day. Anti-abortion-rights demonstrators protested outside the convention earlier this week, shouting blood, blood, blood on your hands! to fellow Republicans making their way into the venue, according to The Washington Post. On the convention floor, however, the response has been more muted. "Even though I am an ultra-conservative on the pro-life issue, because of my life circumstances, I believe that it should have been a state issue, not a federal issue," Ken Crider, a former state Senate candidate and Michigan delegate, told Axios. Axios described a pattern of unwavering personal anti-abortion conviction blended with a belief in states' rights to decide the matter, according to more than 10 delegates who spoke with the outlet on Tuesday. June 24 marked two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision recognizing a woman's right to choose to have an abortion. Since that time, access to the process across the United States has shifted dramatically, with large parts of the country effectively banning the procedure and others passing laws to safeguard it. Rob Garver contributed to this report. A swath of Americans watching U.S. President Joe Biden is seeing something beyond debate-stage stumbles and prime-time miscues: themselves. Debate about the 81-year-old Democrat's fitness for another term is especially resonating with other older Americans who, like him, want to stay on the job. "People were telling me I should retire, too," says 89-year-old D'yan Forest, a New York comedian. "But you've got to keep working, no matter what." Forest has stumbled on an occasional joke and finds it more difficult to memorize her lines. But she's busier than ever, drawing audiences and getting big laughs with bawdy jokes and ukulele-strummed songs. She dismisses Biden's debate performance as a "blip" and grows angry that a single night would cause people to look past all the benefits age brings. People 75 and older are the fastest-growing age group in the U.S. workforce. All told, about 1 in 5 Americans age 65 and older are employed, according to the Census Bureau. Many older adults are wary of seeing a peer shoved aside because of his age and, like Forest, insist it should be up to each individual when they decide to exit the workplace. "He has the experience," she says. "He has judgment. He's seen it all." Even among that growing population of older workers, though, some want Biden to give up. "Forget it! The party's over!" says Betty Ann Talomie, an 81-year-old from Seneca Falls, New York, who was born just a few weeks after the president. "Some people can't face that it's time." Talomie worked her last shift as a waitress in January. She still treasured regular customers, loved her co-workers and relished having something to occupy boring winter days. But she started feeling more tired at the end of her shift and knew the time had come. "It's like anything at this age: It's twice as hard to do anything," says Talomie. She plans to vote for Donald Trump, as she did in 2020, but says he's ready for retirement too. "I think they should both sit in lounge chairs," she says. Biden insists he's not stepping aside. Trump, 78, has escaped similar questioning about his age. If he is elected and serves a full term, he would eventually supplant Biden as the oldest president in U.S. history. Eli Trujillo, an 87-year-old barber in Cheyenne, Wyoming, sees age taking its toll on Biden, but he knows he doesn't cut hair as fast as he used to or log as many hours either. Who is he to judge when it comes to the president's decision? "If he feels he could still do it," Trujillo says, "I don't hold it against him." Older employees see rampant age discrimination in their workplaces, and for those who remain on the job, being asked about retirement plans is a constant aggravation. "They look at me and say, 'Why don't you retire? You can take it easy," says Paul Durietz, a 76-year-old teacher in Gurnee, Illinois. "I just like teaching," he tells them. Durietz, who teaches seventh-grade social studies, may come home a little more tired than he used to, but he says working into later life is no longer a big deal. Polls have shown older Americans are more likely than younger people to have a favorable view of Biden and are less likely to say he should withdraw to allow another candidate. But even among older people, Biden faces steep skepticism. Six in 10 people over 70 favored Biden's withdrawal from the race in a survey released Wednesday by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Harriet Newman Cohen is one of them. Although she will vote for Biden if he remains, she finds his appearances painful to watch and fears he has lost all sense of self awareness. "What's happening now," the 91-year-old attorney says, "is giving older age such a bad rap." Cohen says she hasn't slowed at all and finds old age has brought her "more acuity, more keenness, more energy." Even as she bristles at the idea of anyone suggesting she retire from the work she loves, she believes the time has come for Biden to step aside. "I've just been so lucky," Cohen says. "But the president has not been so lucky." Although many younger people can't imagine working longer than they have to, older workers often say they can't imagine themselves not remaining on the job. Some who work into their 70s, 80s and beyond do so because their finances force them to, but many others do so out of preference. Polls consistently show job satisfaction grows with age and for those who love their work, deciding to quit is a tough decision. Jim Oppegard, a 94-year-old school bus driver in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, is wrestling with whether to return to work next month as a new school year begins. He loves the children and having extra cash to donate, and he continues to pass annual exams to make sure he's up to the job. The Guinness World Records certified him earlier this year as the world's oldest bus driver, an honor that made him reflect on his future. He's considered retiring before but has always gone back. This time might be different. "There's something to be said," Oppegard says, "for going out on top." Six months after a controversial election delivered a third consecutive victory to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the government of Bangladesh is faced with the most serious outbreak of public unrest in a decade. The January elections were marred by an opposition boycott, but the challenge the government faces this month comes from university students with no apparent political affiliation. The students have been protesting since the beginning of July, demanding an end to a quota system for government jobs that allocates 56% to applicants from special categories and the remaining 44% to general applicants. That, students say, discriminates against most applicants with the required qualifications. The protests turned deadly Thursday as the students enforced a country-wide shutdown, triggering widespread clashes with police that have left at least 19 dead and scores wounded. The deaths follow violence on Tuesday when at least six people were killed. Some media outlets put the death toll much higher. Observers and media reports put the blame for much of the violence on the police and the Bangladesh Chhatra League or BCL, the student wing of Hasinas ruling Awami League party. The government is reeling from an economic crisis, with increasing costs of living hitting ordinary households hard, said political analyst Mushtuq Hussain. Lingering public discontent over the elections, recent revelations of massive corruption in high places and on-going strikes by public university teachers over pension provisions have combined to make it a perfect storm for Hasina. The student movement has spread, and various groups seem to have become involved in this, which is turning into the most serious and widespread political challenge this government has faced, Hussain told VOA in an interview. Hussain, a former general secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students Union, said the government appears to have branded agitating students as their enemy and painted them in a political color. Hussain said the government has miscalculated badly, by thinking the students movement could be suppressed through violence. The government is already using violence against the protesters and if opposition political parties get involved in the violence, then the situation will spin out of everyones control, Hussain warned. The initial student protests over job quotas took place in 2018 when students urged the government to cancel the 30% reservations for the grandchildren of veterans of Bangladeshs war of independence in 1971. In the early years following independence, the quotas were reserved for war veterans themselves, then expanded to include their children in 1997 and grandchildren in 2010. Students argued that was clearly discriminatory and needed to change. Hasina initially resisted their demands, but then took everyone by surprise by scrapping the entire quota system including the reservations for women, minorities and disabled people. There were protests from civil society groups who called for reform of the quotas, rather than outright cancellation, but the government remained unmoved, and the agitation died down. Trouble reared its head again in June 2024, when a group of people, including relatives of war veterans, went to the High Court and challenged the governments 2018 order to cancel the quotas. The court ruled that the government order was illegal and restored the quotas in their entirety. The government appealed the High Court ruling, and several students took the matter to the Supreme Court. The quota case has now moved to the top court, where judges have urged students to wait for them to issue a ruling. But the agitation has continued, as student leaders fear that the whole court saga is a government ploy to have the quotas restored. We dont want quotas, any type of quotas, one of the leaders of the movement Mohiuddin Roni told VOA. Minorities and other marginalized communities should come and join us, and we can discuss how to minimize the quotas. Quotas in government jobs are not new in Bangladesh they have existed since the days of British colonial rule, to ensure fair representation of regions, women, ethnic minorities, etc. But young people are now forcefully questioning a system that they see as depriving them of opportunities. This young generation has become victims of jobless growth ... the economy shows growth, but jobs are not created, professor of economics Anu Muhammad wrote in the local Daily Star newspaper. The total uncertainty in getting jobs created frustration and anger among the students. Six years after the original movement, the student anger against the quota system appears to have remained as strong as before. Thousands have taken to the streets, setting up blockades, disrupting traffic in cities and on highways and battling both police and BCL activists. To put a lid on the unrest, public universities around the country shut their campuses and ordered students residing in college dormitories to vacate the premises. Sensing the gravity of the situation, Hasina took to the airways and addressed the nation Wednesday. She acknowledged the serious nature of the violence and promised a judicial inquiry into the killings. But she was noncommittal on the central issue of the unrest. I am urging everyone to be patient until the Supreme Court delivers its judgment on the issue. I am sure the student community will get justice from the highest court; they will not be disappointed, Hasina said. Hussain said Hasina appeared to have toned down her rhetoric, but she did not announce any step to reform the quota system, which is the core demand of the students. This was a missed opportunity, he said. This government is hugely experienced; it is a political government and knows how to defuse a situation. If it does not move quickly and the violence spreads further, then the countrys education system, democracy, everything will come under threat, he said. This story originated in VOAs Bangla service. The United States reaffirmed its support for Israel, following a drone attack on Tel Aviv that killed one person and injured at least 10 others. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart late Friday to express his condolences for the attack, which damaged buildings not far from the U.S. Embassy. Austin also voiced Washingtons ironclad commitment to Israel's security and Israel's right to self-defense, according to the U.S. readout. Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the predawn attack, saying they used a new type of drone capable of evading Israels air defenses. During a televised news conference, Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said an initial investigation indicated the drone was an Iranian Samad-3 that had apparently undergone an upgrade to extend its range. He said the military believes the drone came from Yemen, more than 1,600 kilometers (about 994 miles) away. Another Israeli military official said the drone that struck Tel Aviv was detected by an Israeli aerial defense system but was not intercepted because of human error. Defense 'not impenetrable' "I want to emphasize that the defense is not impenetrable, Hagari told reporters. We are bolstering our air patrols and the defense of the entire country's airspace. We are investigating the incident, improving and refining our capabilities to better protect Israeli citizens." Israel said Friday that it was also investigating whether the attack on Tel Aviv was connected to another drone attack. Officials said the second drone, which approached Israel at about the same time, flew in from the east and was shot down near the Israeli border. The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the Tel Aviv drone attack, which renewed concerns about Houthi capabilities. The Houthis have said their attacks on Israel, and on other Western targets in the region, are being carried out in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. U.S. officials have dismissed those claims, arguing that the attacks, especially those directed at shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, have hurt humanitarian relief efforts in Yemen and in Sudan, while driving up costs for goods that rely on shipping. An unclassified U.S. intelligence report earlier this year said the Houthis already had Iranian-made and Iranian-designed weapons, including multiple drones, capable of reaching at least parts of Israel. And U.S. efforts to blunt Houthi attacks, which have included multiple airstrikes targeting Houthi positions and capabilities, have so far failed to slow the pace of attacks. It's going to take more than just a military campaign to take the Houthis off track of what they're doing, said Joint Chiefs Chairman General CQ Brown. We continue to work with the interagency, work with our allies and partners and the international community to put pressure on the Houthis, Brown told an audience Friday at the Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado. Still, Brown said he remained cautious about suggestions the U.S. should strike Iran for backing the Houthis campaigns against international shipping and Israel. What are the secondary impacts of that? I think I have a responsibility to be thinking strategically about the actions we take, he said. But I'll also say we are prepared, if need be, to do it. Cease-fire deal Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that negotiators were very close to reaching an agreement that would produce a cease-fire in Gaza, get the hostages home, and put us on a track that would build lasting peace and stability in the region. Speaking separately at the Aspen Security Forum, Blinken used an American football analogy, saying negotiators were inside the 10-yard line on an agreement, but cautioned that the last 10 yards are often the hardest. Among critical issues that still need to be resolved, Blinken said, is what happens next. U.S. officials have said it is unacceptable for any deal to allow Hamas, the U.S.-designated terror group that rules Gaza, to return to power. They have also said it is unacceptable for Israel to prolong its current military operation in Gaza or for a deal to create a power vacuum that could be filled by lawlessness. Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and captured about 250 hostages in an October 7 attack on Israel that sparked the current war. Israels counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 38,200 Palestinians, according to the territory's health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. In May, Israel estimated the death toll at 30,000, and said that most of the dead were combatants. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, also in Aspen, spoke about a cease-fire deal. The real issue is can we work through the politics on both sides, the psychology on both sides, and frankly, the practicalities of executing something as complex as a cease-fire in a circumstance like this, he asked. I believe the answer to those questions is yes, and we are determined to make it yes, Sullivan said, cautioning, I have learned the hard way never to use the word optimism in the same sentence as the Middle East. Sullivan also expressed hope that some of the obstacles could be overcome during a visit to Washington on Monday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu is scheduled to address a joint session of Congress later in the week. VOAs Jeff Custer contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. IT failure causes worldwide chaos. Donald Trump addressed the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. As expected, some of his speech was calmer and more introspective following the recent assassination attempt, however he also included falsehoods about the 2020 election, immigrants and crime. Meanwhile Joe Biden is in isolation because of COVID, as hes being further isolated by his party. The International Court of Justice rules that Israel is breaking international and a look at issues of importance to Muslim-American voters. Evan Gershkovich is found guilty, and Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to speak to Donald Trump on Friday. Houthis attack Israel. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Britain's new government to help Ukrainian forces attack deeper inside Russia to stop deadly missile strikes on his country, as he gave a rare address by a foreign leader to a U.K. Cabinet meeting. Zelenskyy said "long-range capability" to destroy sites where Russian weapons are concentrated is key to Ukraine's defense. "I ask you to show your leadership" in lifting restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western weapons, Zelenskyy told Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Russia has deployed devastating firepower as it pursues a summer offensive in eastern Ukraine, reducing villages to rubble and pushing back Ukrainian troops in places. It has also launched missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, killing dozens and hitting targets including a Kyiv children's hospital. Some of Kyiv's allies are reluctant to let Ukraine use their weapons to strike Russian territory because of concerns that the West could be drawn into direct conflict with Russia. The British government has said it's up to Ukraine how to use missiles supplied by the U.K., as long as international law is upheld. In an interview with the BBC, Zelenskyy said he was seeking clarification about Ukraine's ability to use Storm Shadow missiles supplied by Britain against targets in Russia. The Storm Shadow is an air-launched cruise missile with a range of more than 250 kilometers (155 miles). "We need a decision about long-distance weapons, long range, to use it," Zelenskyy said. "We need it very much. They're targeting our hospitals, schools. We just want to answer exactly to the point where from they target us." U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said Ukraine already has permission to use the missiles against Russia, but the rules for exactly what can be targeted and under what circumstances are "complex questions" that are the subject of intense negotiations. "We're providing weapons to Ukraine for their defense of their sovereign country, and that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia, but that must be done by the Ukrainians. It must be done within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law," Healey told the BBC. The United States, Ukraine's biggest military backer, recently shifted its position, with the Pentagon saying last month that Ukraine could use longer-range missiles provided by the U.S. to strike targets inside Russia if it is acting in self-defense. Since the beginning of Russia's 2022 invasion, the U.S. had maintained a policy of not allowing Ukraine to use the weapons it provided to hit targets inside Russia for fear of further escalation. Zelenskyy received a standing ovation from Starmer's government as he entered the Cabinet room at 10 Downing St. The last foreign leader invited to address a Cabinet meeting in person was U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1997. Zelenskyy briefed ministers on the situation in Ukraine and the need for European countries to ramp up defense production in the face of Russian aggression. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had repelled Russian attempts to advance on northeastern Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city, showing that "we can stop any Russian attempt to expand the war." The Ukrainian army is having a harder time in the eastern Donetsk region, however. That's where a pulverizing Russian onslaught in recent months has forced Kyiv's troops to withdraw from some towns and villages. The latest targets are the mining town of Toretsk and the city of Pokrovsk, where Russia is stepping up its assaults. Ukrainian forces repelled 20 and 27 attacks on those areas respectively over the previous 24 hours, Ukraine's General Staff said Friday. That was almost double the number of assaults recorded at other hot spots along the front line, it said. Starmer, whose center-left Labour Party government was elected two weeks ago, is keen to stress that the U.K.'s strong support for Ukraine will continue on his watch. Starmer said the U.K. would "double down" on support for Ukraine, including with a treaty that aims to help both countries ramp up military production. The U.K. is also giving Ukraine access to 3.5 billion pounds ($4.5 billion) of export financing to purchase weapons. "Ukraine is, and always will be, at the heart of this government's agenda, and so it is only fitting that President Zelenskyy will make a historic address to my Cabinet," Starmer said in a statement. "Russia's incremental gains on the battlefield are nothing compared with the collective international support for Ukraine, or the strength of ties between our people." During a visit to Britain that included a summit of the European Political Community on Thursday, Ukraine's president repeated his increasingly urgent calls for more ammunition and weapons and tougher sanctions on Russia. European leaders at the summit agreed to tighten sanctions against a "shadow fleet" of hundreds of illegitimate and often decrepit ships the West says Russia is using to transport oil and evade sanctions. Leaders expressed support for Ukraine and concern about the direction of the United States on Thursday at the security-focused summit, which was clouded by worries about whether the U.S. will remain a reliable ally if Donald Trump wins a second presidency. The head of the United Nations agency responsible for alleviating world hunger is heaping praise on the government of North Korea after a breakthrough visit to the reclusive country, the first from any official of a U.N. specialized agency since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. Qu Dongyu, director general of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), "commended the great achievement made by the DPRK people in agricultural development, food security and the Pyongyang city under the leadership of H.E. Kim Jong Un," said a statement the agency issued Wednesday. The assessment stands in sharp contrast with the view of most independent experts, who say North Korea officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea remains far from able to feed its own people. The FAO noted in its own report on July 5 that the country's food security situation was "expected to remain fragile, amid persistent weak economic growth." Some analysts told VOA they believed Qu's praise was intended simply to keep the door open for future visits. North Korea reopened its borders in August 2023, easing draconian pandemic measures put in place in 2020 that stopped virtually all cross-border activities, including humanitarian aid. Pyongyang has since allowed some countries such as China, Russia, Mongolia and Cuba to resume their diplomatic presence but has not allowed international aid workers into the country to work there. A spokesperson for the FAO's regional office for Asia and the Pacific told VOA's Korean Service on Thursday that FAO has an office in North Korea with local staff working on projects that never ceased, but "there are no international staff in the country since COVID-19 border closures." In a separate statement provided to VOA on Thursday, an FAO spokesperson at its headquarters in Rome wrote that the FAO was "ready to provide more technical expertise and global experience in different areas and encourages the government [of North Korea] to explore new opportunities for collaboration and resource mobilization, together with FAO, for the vulnerable people most in need." Qu's visit included a tour of North Korea's Kangdong Greenhouse Complex and Central Institute for Vegetables as well as the FAO-sponsored Pyongchon Fish Farm, according to the statement. North Korea announced the opening of the Kangdong Greenhouse Complex in the outskirts of Pyongyang in March, releasing the pictures of leader Kim Jong Un visiting the complex. It comprises more than 1,050 buildings spread over 260 hectares, according to the Pyongyang Times. 'Political statement' William Brown, a former CIA analyst who closely monitors North Korea's economy, said he believed Qu, who is Chinese, made the remarks flattering North Korea's authoritarian leader as "a political statement designed to get him back to Pyongyang." In reality, Brown said, "so many people in North Korea are going hungry even as we speak," even though about a third of the population are farmers. Pointing out a picture of Qu and Chinese Ambassador Wang Yajun taken in Pyongyang on Sunday and released by the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang on Monday, Brown said it was odd that no North Korean official was shown in the photo. The Chinese "may be trying to throw a counterpunch to the Russians in a mild way of saying, 'We're here too,' " Brown said. Growing ties between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin, especially after their meeting in Pyongyang in June, are believed by analysts to be making China uncomfortable. In Pyongyang, Qu thanked China for the long-term food support it has provided to North Korea, according to a statement by the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang. China has long been the largest food aid provider to North Korea. Bradley Babson, a former World Bank adviser and an advisory council member of the Korea Economic Institute of America, said, "It's not surprising to me that there were over-the-top compliments," because the FAO wants to "reestablish a relationship." Babson continued, "If FAO goes back" into North Korea and works there, it'll be "a good thing." Jerome Sauvage, who served as the U.N. resident coordinator in North Korea from November 2009 to 2013, said the visit suggested North Korea was still not willing to accept humanitarian aid but would take development aid. The FAO is "not a humanitarian organization that delivers urgent aid," he pointed out. "North Korea will probably discuss on a case-by-case basis which organizations come to help them with development and technical cooperation, instead of just humanitarian aid," he said. Ready to resume aid Other aid organizations say they are eager to resume their work in North Korea. Chiara Frisone, communication specialist for UNICEF's regional office for East Asia and the Pacific, told VOA on Thursday that it was "ready to resume its regular activities" in the country and urged North Korea "to facilitate the earliest possible return." UNICEF announced the same day that in partnership with GAVI, the vaccine alliance, and the World Health Organization, it has delivered three vital consignments of vaccines to North Korea that can immunize more than 600,000 children and pregnant women who have not received vaccines since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Steve Taravella, a senior spokesperson for the World Food Program, told VOA on Thursday that "we hope that the visit by the director-general of FAO will lead to greater information about changes to food security in DPRK since the pandemic and pave the way to resumption of access and activities." U.S. President Joe Biden is facing physical and political isolation Thursday as he deals with a positive COVID-19 test at a critical juncture of his campaign, amid more calls from Democrats to put aside his reelection bid against former U.S. President Donald Trump. In recent days, party figures including House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have told the president that his chances of winning the November election are dwindling and that a prospective loss could imperil the party's hopes of capturing either chamber of Congress. Former President Barack Obama, whom Biden served as vice president for eight years, has also reportedly told political allies that Biden's chance of winning is narrowing. Earlier this week, California Congressman Adam Schiff, one of Trump's most vocal critics and a close ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who still holds much influence in the party, called for Biden to quit the race. "A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the president can defeat Donald Trump in November," Schiff said in a statement. Actor and Biden fundraiser George Clooney has called on the president to end his campaign. Another top Democratic fundraiser, movie producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, has warned the president that major donors are reluctant to keep funds flowing. U.S. news accounts say Biden has been listening to fellow Democrats' concerns. But the 81-year-old candidate shows no overt signs he is about to drop out. "I've demonstrated that I know how to get things done for the country in spite of the fact they're told we couldn't get it done," he said in an interview with BET News earlier this week. "But there's more to do, and I'm reluctant to walk away from that." 'He plans to win' Publicly, the White House maintains optimism. Following Biden's meetings with Jeffries and Schumer, deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said Biden told the two Democratic legislative leaders that "he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families." Still, the outlook is grim for the president, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "Democrats can't even decide whether Biden is really in trouble or not. And if he is, how to get him out of the race. And if they get him out of the race, who should replace him and how?" he told VOA. "Meanwhile, the Republicans have gotten their act together," he added, noting the party's ongoing national convention and Donald Trump's rising poll numbers after his assassination attempt. Republicans are portraying Trump surviving the shooting as part of God's plan to protect and deliver him victory. The Democratic National Committee has delayed plans to nominate Biden in a virtual roll call before the August 19 convention because of backlash from Democrats who say they need time to discuss concerns about the president's age. Seventy percent of Americans said they are not confident that Biden has the mental capacity to be president, according to an AP-NORC poll. For Trump, it's 51%. What's next? In separate occasions, Biden has said that the direst of polling results could get him to quit, or if there is a "medical condition that emerged," or if the "Lord Almighty comes out and tells" him to. Should Biden drop out, the most orderly scenario would be for him to endorse an alternative. Vice President Kamala Harris would be a logical choice, at least financially, because as part of the Biden-Harris ticket, she would inherit the campaign's war chest. Democrats have been quietly testing head-to-head polling between Harris and Trump, with the vice president at times, but not always, faring better than Biden, even slightly leading Trump. Or, the party could hold an open convention and choose a nominee from among several other candidates, including California Governor Gavin Newsom or Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. It could be a tumultuous process, something Democrats would want to avoid two months before the election. Quentin Fulks, Biden's deputy campaign manager, told reporters Thursday the campaign is "not working through any scenarios where Biden is not at the top of the ticket," and that Biden looks forward to accepting the party's nomination at its national convention in Chicago next month. Most national polls show Trump with a consistent 1- to 3-percentage-point lead over Biden. American University presidential historian Alan Lichtman urged Democrats to stick with their incumbent, calling decision-making based on polls "the height of folly and ignorance." "To claim, you know, based on the polls, which constantly change, who's going to win and who's going to lose," he told VOA. In the face of adversity, Democrats "have no spine," he said. "I have never in my more than 50 years of observing politics, ever seen a political party so foolishly self- destruct." Lichtman's "13 Keys to the White House" has predicted all but one U.S. election results since 1984. The system ignores polling data, including that 65% of Democrats said Biden should step aside, according to an AP-NORC survey. Battleground states Trump's victory margins in the polls are larger in some battleground, highly contested states that both candidates need to capture the presidency starting next January. U.S. presidential elections are not determined by the national popular vote. Rather, the election is essentially a 50-state contest, with the winner in all but two of the states collecting all of that state's so-called electoral votes. Those electoral votes are allocated to the states in proportion to their populations. In 2020, Biden nationally received 7 million more votes than Trump but carried four closely contested states by a collective margin of only about 123,000 votes. Had those states gone the other way, Trump would have been reelected. The 2024 contest is expected to be similarly close in a handful of states, while both Biden and Trump are expected to pile up big vote margins and easily win the states that predictably vote for one party or the other. Virtually every Democrat who has called for Biden to end his campaign has cited his faltering performance at his debate with Trump last month, when Biden looked tired, often lost his train of thought, and failed to consistently press his case against Trump or defend his own 3-year tenure in the White House. U.S. diplomats are working closely with African partners, the White House said Thursday, amid a fresh 15-day truce between the army and Rwanda-backed rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Experts on the ground say they're holding their breath, citing the dire humanitarian consequences of spiraling violence in this fragile region. The Biden administration believes this conflict in the northeast corner of the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa "poses a real threat to global peace and security," a National Security Council spokesperson told VOA on Thursday. In Congo, more than 940,000 people have been displaced this year, the United Nations says. And 7.3 million Congolese people more than half women are currently displaced. Conflict is the culprit more than 80% of the time. This new truce, set through August 3, aims to quiet the constant thrum of violence that has plagued this resource-rich corner of Congo since the late 1990s. That's when Hutu extremists with ties to Rwanda's genocide fled over the Congolese border and began to organize militias along the shores of the massive Lake Kivu. That violence snowballed into a bloodbath that left millions dead across Congo in one of the worst civil wars of the 20th century. Several rounds of United Nations peacekeeping missions have failed to stop the cycle of violence, which picked up anew after Congo's violent elections in late 2023. Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing one of the main combatant groups, M23, which is composed primarily of fighters from Rwanda's minority Tutsi ethnic group. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel emphasized Washington's diplomatic efforts. "This is something that we are working closely on with the parties," he said. "We're going to work closely with the government of the DRC, Rwanda and Angola to support regional diplomatic efforts to reach a durable cessation of hostilities and set conditions for the voluntary return of displaced populations." He did not provide details when asked by reporters how the Biden administration plans to work with Rwanda's government. The last truce fell apart Monday, with an incident in the town of Bweremana that killed four children, according to media reports. White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson on Wednesday condemned those killings, while noting that "the parties to the conflict have largely respected the truce" raising hopes that the children's deaths may not provoke a slide into violence. Analysts and humanitarian officials say the situation in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province a shambolic but dynamic town in the shadow of the ever-smoldering Mount Nyiragongo is unusually dire. Onesphore Sematumba, a Goma-based analyst with the International Crisis Group, spoke in stark terms about a town accustomed to fielding knockout punches from both nature and humanity. In the past two decades, Goma has weathered an Ebola outbreak and multiple volcanic eruptions, all while facing a stream of violent militant groups, including an increasingly powerful Islamic State group offshoot. Sematumba spoke Wednesday on a podcast on the subject, saying that the streets, roundabouts, storefronts and bars of Goma were thronged with desperate displaced people, among them women with babies on their shoulders and backs, begging. "This crisis is massive," he said in French. "This crisis is, I would say, gigantic, but as humanitarians rightly say, it is a forgotten crisis." Patel, of the State Department, also noted that Washington allocated more than $620 million in humanitarian aid to the nation in fiscal 2023. Sematumba cited fears that if diplomacy fails to keep the peace, conflict could draw in neighboring Rwanda and Uganda, nearby Burundi and Tanzania and even clear on the other side of DRC, the smaller Republic of Congo as well. And he voiced concerns that the two major diplomatic efforts conducted in Luanda, Angola, and Nairobi, Kenya, "are struggling to materialize." "We would be heading towards a catastrophe like we've never seen, even at the height of the 1996 war, which drained almost all African countries, all African armies, from the upper reaches of the continent and into Congo," he said. "So everyone is holding their breath, and everyone is trying to hang on to all the diplomatic goings-on to avoid such a nightmarish scenario." Nike Ching contributed to this report from Washington; Isabella Dail provided translation assistance from Washington. VIENNA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations (UN) Postal Administration on Friday issued six postage stamps and three souvenir sheets featuring images from lunar missions, including China's Chang'e project, to celebrate International Moon Day on July 20. The stamps and souvenir sheets showcase China's Chang'e 4 and Chang'e 5 missions, as well as lunar exploration missions from other countries, including the United States, South Korea, and India. Aarti Holla-Maini, director of the Vienna-based United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, noted the growing international interest in lunar exploration. She said the new stamps will help raise awareness about lunar missions and emphasized that the UN will use its unique convening power to promote essential dialog on future endeavors. The stamps and souvenir sheets are available for purchase at the UN headquarters in New York, Geneva and Vienna as well as on the UN website. In 2021, the UN General Assembly designated July 20 as International Moon Day to commemorate the anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Police in Kenya on Thursday have banned protests in the capital indefinitely citing a lack of leadership that would ensure peaceful protests. The ban was announced hours before a planned protest later Thursday, in which demonstrators were expected to march to the president's office calling for his resignation over poor governance. Acting police inspector general, Douglas Kanja, in a statement said the lack of leadership had "made it difficult to enforce safety protocols." Recent protests have left businesses counting losses after the lootings and burnings. Protesters were yet to be spotted Thursday but major roads leading to the president's office remained barricaded by the police. Kenya has seen a month of protests that started with calls for legislators to vote against a controversial finance bill that was proposing higher taxes amidst a cost-of-living crisis and ballooning public debt. At least 50 people have died since the protests began on June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. President William Ruto said he would not sign the finance bill that was passed by parliament on June 25 the day protesters stormed and burnt part of the building, prompting legislators to flee. The president last week dismissed almost his entire Cabinet and the attorney general, as demanded by protesters who accused ministers of incompetence, corruption and display of opulence. Some businesses in Nairobi remained closed on a rainy morning in anticipation of planned protests Thursday. Police remained heavily deployed around the central business district patrolling the streets. Police have been accused of brutality against protestors. On Friday, Japhet Koome, the former inspector general of police, resigned after calls from demonstrators for him to take responsibility for the shooting of protesters. The Independent Policing Oversight Authority on Wednesday said it had forwarded four out of 10 cases of police brutality to the director of public prosecutions with recommendations. The watchdog had recorded witness statements and directed that various police officers appear before it to give their testimony. Kenyan police officers have in the past been accused of brutality and a contingent of 400 officers is currently in the Caribbean nation of Haiti leading a UN-backed police mission to combat gang violence. U.S Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Marie Troment says there wont be any meaningful economic development in the southern African nation as long as the ruling government does not embrace human rights and democratic principles. Speaking to reporters in Harare on Thursday on the second day after officially handing over her credentials to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Ambassador Tremont said, Broad-based economic prosperity is impossible without strong democratic institutions, good public health and regional security. The United States supports these things because they are critical elements for Zimbabweans to chart their own future. As ambassador, I will work with government, civil society, business and local communities to encourage transparent, democratic institutions that respect the will of their people and create broad based economic growth. We will pursue these mutual interests while respecting Zimbabwe's sovereignty, so Zimbabweans can realize a better future for themselves. She noted that U.S is ready to collaborate with Zimbabwe to expand economic opportunities for people and communities, forge stronger business linkages and attract investors to look closely at Zimbabwe's educated labor force and long-term growth potential. Responding to her remarks, information secretary Nick Mangwana said, No one can teach us democracy, especially those who were not with us when we were fighting for own democracy during our war of liberation. No other organization has power to determine what our democracy should be like. Ours is called a totally sovereign country. Mangwana further said Zimbabwe is a law-abiding nation that respects the countrys political and business laws. In terms of businesses from abroad coming to Zimbabwe, we do not have any history of trampling upon property rights. We actually were victims of our property being taken away from us, but we redressed this through the land reform program. Let all American businesses that want to come and invest in Zimbabwe, do so without any hesitation. In any case, they will be in for good profits! The United States imposed targeted sanctions on President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his inner circle over alleged human rights violations, rampant corruption and election fraud. Zimbabwe has claimed that the sanctions are hitting hard the countrys economy but Washington says the restrictive measures have nothing to do with crippling the economy. By Ken Bredemeier Leading figures in Joe Bidens Democratic Party are nudging the U.S. president to abandon his reelection campaign, telling him in recent days that his chances of winning the November election are dwindling and that a prospective loss could imperil the partys hopes of capturing either chamber of Congress. Former President Barack Obama, whom Biden served as vice president for eight years, has reportedly told political allies that Biden's chance of winning is narrowing and that he thinks Biden needs to deeply consider the viability of his candidacy. But Biden, 81, has insisted he will be the Democratic standard-bearer in the November 5 election and shown no overt signs he is about to drop out, possibly in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. U.S. news accounts, however, say that at times in recent days he has been listening to fellow Democrats' concerns that his campaign against former President Donald Trump is faltering. Biden, now dealing with his third bout of COVID-19, was isolated Thursday at his vacation house at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with no public appearances planned. Trump was set in the evening to accept the Republican presidential nomination to run again against Biden after losing to him in 2020. House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, in separate private meetings with Biden in the past week, told him that Democrats would have a tough time winning either chamber of Congress if he remained as the party's presidential candidate. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement that Biden told the two Democratic legislative leaders that "he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days' agenda to help working families." A total of 20 Democratic lawmakers have publicly called for Biden to end his reelection bid, although many more have privately expressed concerns about his political fate. Representative Adam Schiff of California, one of Trump's most vocal critics and a close ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, called for Biden to quit the race earlier this week. "A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the president can defeat Donald Trump in November," Schiff said in a statemen To head off a messy political fight at the convention, the party is planning for delegates to start voting for Biden as their presidential nominee in early August, two weeks ahead of the official nominating convention. But if Biden were to end his candidacy before then, Harris could effectively be anointed as the Democratic standard-bearer, or the Democrats could hold an open convention and choose a nominee from among several candidates. Most national polls show Trump with a consistent 1- to 3-percentage-point lead over Biden. More important, polls show leads of that size or more in key battleground states that both candidates need to capture to win the presidency for another four-year term starting next January. Democrats have been quietly testing head-to-head polling between Harris and Trump, with the vice president at times, but not always, faring better than Biden, even slightly leading Trump. The highly contested battleground states are particularly important in deciding U.S. presidential elections, which are not determined by the national popular vote. Rather, the election is essentially 50 state contests, with the winner in all but two of the states collecting all of that states so-called electoral votes. Those electoral votes are allocated to the states in proportion to their populations. In 2020, Biden nationally received 7 million more votes than Trump but carried four closely contested states by a collective margin of only about 123,000 votes. Had those states gone the other way, Trump would have been reelected. The 2024 contest is expected to be similarly close in a handful of states while both Biden and Trump are expected to pile up big vote margins and easily win the states that predictably vote for one party or the other. Despite repeatedly insisting he is staying in the contest, Biden has offered three scenarios in which he would drop out. He said once that the direst of polling results could get him to quit, and another time he said he would drop out "if I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, You got this problem and that problem. " On another occasion, Biden, a devout Catholic, told ABC News that if the Lord Almighty asked him to end his campaign, he would. t. In recent days, Hollywood actor George Clooney, who hosted a lavish fundraiser for Biden last month, called for him to end his campaign, while key Biden fundraiser Jeffrey Katzenberg warned the president at a Las Vegas meeting this week that major donors were reluctant to keep funding his campaign. Virtually every Democrat who has called for Biden to end his campaign has cited his faltering performance at his debate with Trump last month, when Biden looked tired, often lost his train of thought and failed to consistently press his case against Trump or defend his own 3-year tenure in the White House. Despite the calls to withdraw, Quentin Fulks, Biden's deputy campaign manager, told reporters Thursday, "Our campaign is not working through any scenarios where Biden is not at the top of the ticket." Fulks said Biden looked forward to accepting the party's nomination at its national convention in Chicago next month. Photo: GAB Archive/Redferns Bob Newhart, a desk worker turned sitcom legend known for a pair of hit CBS shows, died on Thursday, July 18. He was 94. The beloved comedian died at home in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses, his publicist, Jerry Digney, said in statement. Born September 5, 1929, he ended up working as an accountant and then a copywriter for a paint company while he and a friend made prank calls and did five-minute comedy routines on the radio to kill time. Newharts big break came in 1960 when his live comedy album The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart recorded in Houston became one of the biggest selling talk albums at 1.5 million copies, reaching the top of the charts and becoming the first comedy album to win Album of the Year and Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards. The landmark record introduced audiences to classic bits like Abe Lincoln vs. Madison Avenue, where Newhart played a Mad Menesque PR person on a phone call to Lincoln giving the Civil Warera president notes for the Gettysburg Address. It landed him a short-lived variety series, The Bob Newhart Show, in 1961, which he abandoned a year later to continue touring his stand-up routines and guest star in onscreen roles. Years later, the now-seasoned entertainer returned to TV with the revamped Bob Newhart Show in 1972, playing a droll clinical psychological. Despite critical acclaim for the series 142-episode run, Newhart ended the CBS show in 1978, earning no Emmy nominations for himself or wins for the show. Newhart, his next big sitcom, came in 1982 where he portrayed a New York author running a Vermont inn. Both shows are among the most popular sitcoms of all time. Younger audiences might know him as Papa Elf from Elf or Arthur Jeffries in The Big Bang Theory, the role that gave him his first Emmy in 2013. A man looks at a damaged building after a drone strike in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 19, 2024. An Israeli military spokesman said Friday that an initial investigation revealed that the aircraft that struck Tel Aviv early in the day was an Iranian-made drone launched from Yemen. A long-range drone exploded in central Tel Aviv early Friday in an attack claimed by Houthi forces that killed a man and injured at least ten others, according to Israeli sources. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua) JERUSALEM, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A long-range drone exploded in central Tel Aviv early Friday in an attack claimed by Houthi forces that killed a man and injured at least ten others, according to Israeli sources. At approximately 3:00 a.m. local time (0100 GMT), the large drone exploded over Ben Yehuda Street, about 140 meters from the U.S. embassy and the Tel Aviv shoreline, Israel's cultural and financial center. No air raid sirens were activated. The Israeli military said in a statement that it has launched an investigation into the failure of the air defense systems in intercepting the drone and why sirens were not triggered. "The IAF (Israel Air Force) has increased its air patrols to protect Israeli airspace," the military said, adding that there was no change in the Home Front Command's defensive guidelines for residents. A police statement reported that a man in his 50s was found dead in his home with shrapnel wounds; 10 others lightly injured were evacuated from the scene to receive medical treatment. A significant police force was deployed to block the area. Tel Aviv District Police Commander Peretz Amar told reporters at the scene that the explosion was heard in other cities in central Israel. "The destruction is spread over a relatively large area," he said, adding that the police believe the explosion occurred in midair. "We have testimonies from civilians who saw a red explosion in the sky, which explains why the explosion did not occur in a building or on the ground," he said. Houthi Spokesman Yahya Sare'e wrote on the social media platform X that the attack was in retaliation for Israel's ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip. He said the drone struck one of the many possible targets of the Houthis, including "sensitive military and security targets." He claimed the strike was executed using a "new drone called 'Yafa,' which is capable of bypassing interception systems and is undetectable by radar." A building is damaged in a drone strike in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 19, 2024. An Israeli military spokesman said Friday that an initial investigation revealed that the aircraft that struck Tel Aviv early in the day was an Iranian-made drone launched from Yemen. A long-range drone exploded in central Tel Aviv early Friday in an attack claimed by Houthi forces that killed a man and injured at least ten others, according to Israeli sources. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua) A building is damaged in a drone strike in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 19, 2024. An Israeli military spokesman said Friday that an initial investigation revealed that the aircraft that struck Tel Aviv early in the day was an Iranian-made drone launched from Yemen. A long-range drone exploded in central Tel Aviv early Friday in an attack claimed by Houthi forces that killed a man and injured at least ten others, according to Israeli sources. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua) A man checks a damaged building after a drone strike in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 19, 2024. An Israeli military spokesman said Friday that an initial investigation revealed that the aircraft that struck Tel Aviv early in the day was an Iranian-made drone launched from Yemen. A long-range drone exploded in central Tel Aviv early Friday in an attack claimed by Houthi forces that killed a man and injured at least ten others, according to Israeli sources. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua) The director explains why, after getting scalped by a lion while making Roar, he had uniquely high expectations for his 90s action movies. Photo: Amblin/Universal/Warners/Kobal/Shutterstock This interview originally ran on July 23, 2020. Were republishing it in honor of the new movie Twisters. In the summer of 2020, on the occasion of Vultures Friday Night Movie Club screening and livetweeting of the 1996 tornado epic Twister, we thought itd be a good idea to reach out to Jan de Bont, the films director. De Bont was one of the key figures in the late 1980s and 1990s renaissance of American action cinema. Besides directing Twister and Speed (his directorial debut, starring the fresh-faced rising-star duo of Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock), he was also the cinematographer on Die Hard and The Hunt for Red October (not to mention a number of early Paul Verhoeven films). As Helen Hunt discussed in a separate Vulture interview, the shoot for Twister was an eventful one partly due to de Bonts determination to use practical, real effects for many of the storm scenes, as well as his desire to mix dialogue and action scenes, which often meant that such scenes could not be performed by stunt doubles. We talked about all this and more. Twister seems to be one of the rare films from the 1990s where the effects still hold up, for the most part. We werent sure at the time if we could even make the movie, because of the difficulty of the effects. And it took a long time the hardware and the software had to be designed for the movie. It was like two steps forward and one step backward, but it was exciting. One of the scenes we did as a test, to see if we could make it believable, was the opening with the farm and the family going into the shelter. Another test we did was a shot from the inside of a car, because there would be so many images [like that] seeing something come at you from the storm and hit the windshield, all while youre moving forward in a real car. It looked so real. It was such a great effect something coming right toward the camera, and it really hits the windshield. The studio people were totally stunned at how effective it was. That ultimately decided whether the movie was made. Nothing else. Not the script. Lets talk about the script. As I understand, it changed quite a bit, both before and during production? Yeah. It was written by Michael Crichton and his wife at the time, Anne-Marie Martin. What they told me later was that they based it on His Girl Friday. A couple tries to get back together, and they like to argue a lot, and theres some humor in it the structure is very similar. I had never thought about it when working on the script. Michael used to base things on other movies he liked, especially their structures. But the screenplay needed more. The world of storm chasing and the excitement you feel when chasing the dialogue had to be very energized. You had to get the same type of feeling that you get when youre part of a chase. Ive done several chases, and talked to so many people who have done it all their lives. [I felt] that the dialogue had to be moving forward and energized in the same pattern as the action. If you dont do that, it gets very stilted very quickly. The problem, of course, is that the film has a lot of establishing scenes, a lot of exposition scenes. To me, that makes a movie almost immediately less interesting. I said, No, that will kill the movie. You dont have to explain everything. It drives me crazy. But the studio insisted on it, and the producers insisted on it, because thats what they were used to. To me, I always feel that things will explain themselves as you keep watching. Its like when you see two fighter pilots shooting, fighting another plane you dont have to know exactly how the whole system works, how the rockets work. Thats completely irrelevant. Looking back, I feel a little sorry that I was not able to really take more of [the exposition] out. What were the other challenges of the screenwriting process? Werent there lots of different writers that came on? We had good writers, but all the versions I read were like versions of older action movies. Because thats what they knew. They didnt understand that the idea of this movie was that action events are taking place in the background of dialogue scenes. It wasnt like you have a dialogue and then theres some action. Its not sit-down dialogue scenes. So really, the pacing was always off, and also, the [storm chasers] didnt feel real. I met those guys. These guys do this at the University of Oklahoma, and theyre like grad students. They look very much like the group we ultimately assembled in the cast. Thats how they talked. A lot of that we had to improvise on the set. I imagine that when the dialogue and the character dynamics are happening during action scenes, that creates an extra challenge for the actors because they really have to act during action scenes. That is exactly right, and thats what I tried to achieve in Speed as well. I wanted the actors to do their own stunts, and of course, not every actor can do that, or wants to do it. For instance, theres a scene in the car near the end when Helen and Bill [Paxton] get into a hailstorm. And you have to understand that the hailstorm is a real hailstorm: We had two gigantic trucks with huge wind machines spitting out ice cubes at the actors. So, its real hail, and it can hurt you if youre in a moving truck. I told Bill, Listen, those machines cannot spit out everything the same size of hail. Some pieces are bigger. And of course some pieces were bigger, and they hit him in the head. He was supposed to duck more often, but he didnt. We dropped those combines hanging from helicopters onto the road as the car was driving, which, of course, makes for the best reaction you can get from the actors. Then on the trucks, driving through the cornfield, a little bit later. Its a seven-foot-tall cornfield, and the actors have to open the car door and then stand out for the jump out of the car. They have to do that because I want to be on their faces when they jump; I dont want to cut to stunt doubles. The moment you cut to a stunt double, the reality effect is immediately gone. And we taught them very carefully how to do it and the limitations of how far you can open the door, because at that speed, the corn is still very strong. So at one point Helen opened the door, and started to speak, and then she forgot that she had to hold onto the door, and she let the door go. And then the power of the corn closes the door on the side. What you see is an incredible, reality-based response from actors, and not only in those scenes, but even in the windstorms. We had two gigantic jet engines, mounted on big trucks, and they were going full blast while debris was thrown in front of them, blowing toward the actors. Of course, you take the softest debris you could find. But as you see that and feel that coming at it those powerful winds are so strong from the jet engines youre really walking against a storm. So, youre not acting anymore. Theres nothing you have to do. You actually react. You respond to the power of the wind, and that makes it all very real. And then, when they ride in the car and the combines start falling from the air, thats not visual effects; thats real effects. We dropped those combines hanging from helicopters onto the road as the car was driving, which, of course, makes for the best reaction you can get from the actors, because its goddamned real. They really fall from the sky, and it is not like a little fall. No, its a real combine, and multiple ones, and then they fall to the left and the right. And you have to drive around. It looks dangerous from the ground, but in reality, it always was safe to do it. Using longer lenses, you make that distance seem even shorter, so it looks like its really close to the car. Generally, it was always like 20 feet or 30 feet in front of the car. Its a little close maybe. But its just spectacular to watch in real life. That makes me think of Speed, and Keanu Reeves, who today is an actor famous for doing his own stunts, and hes very close to his stunt people. In fact, his former stunt double now directs movies with him. I feel like you kind of introduced the concept of Keanu Reeves as action hero in Speed. He hated stunts, and he hated action! He was afraid of it. He was more like a happy-go-lucky guy at the time, with high aspirations of dramatic theater. Let me tell you this, it took me a lot of effort to get him to do the things I wanted him to do. But then near the very end, he finally started to enjoy it, because I showed him some footage and he realized, Oh my God, that is such a different thing now. That is not a stunt person. People can see its my face. Its not over my shoulder. It is in my face while things are happening around me. And then he started to enjoy it. But it took him a long time, and he was always a little grumpy about it. He said, Oh, Im not an action hero. I dont like it. I dont know how to do it. Initially, of course, thats what I liked about casting him, because I didnt want those gung ho action heroes. I wanted a guy who happened to be thrown into a situation that is not normal to him, too. And seeing him respond to tough situations that he physically and mentally had to really respond to instead of act is a completely different work experience. See, thats the whole point of that movie. Everything in that movie is real. The people who are on the bus in Speed I only cast people who actually had ridden buses in L.A. and knew what it was to sit on a bus for hours and not get bored with it. They never got bored. They were talking to each other. They were looking outside. And you always got really interesting-looking actors. They were always involved in what was going on. You could never get that with the professional cast extras. And Sandra actually was driving the bus. Shes actually steering the bus. Those reactions as things are happening around her, hitting whatever structures around her quite often, it is her driving the bus. Of course, there is a safety stunt driver laying on the top of the bus with a steering wheel and brakes as a first assist, who can immediately respond if something started to go wrong. But Sandra doesnt know that, in a way; she knows that hes there, but she doesnt know if its her driving, because she still has to steer, she still has to push the gas pedal and brake. That reaction, you cannot act that. Look at any driving scene of people in movies. The cars always towed, and you can see from the faces that theyre not really driving. In Speed, theres never a tow car pulling the bus. Its always a person in the bus whos driving. And what you achieve is that the people on the bus, all the extras, too, they feel like, Man, we all are on our own here. Because they never see the driver. They just see Sandra driving the bus. The reactions are so real, and that energizes almost everything immediately. Youve worked with a number of actors who became big stars. What was it like working with Philip Seymour Hoffman on Twister? Did you sense that hed become such an acclaimed actor? He was actually the last person we cast. I met him and immediately liked him. I had not seen anything from him. Even though action was not his thing, he totally made it believable. He put so much enthusiasm in it, in the storm sequences. He was a revelation. I found it really hard not to put a camera on him. Theres always something in his face, in his demeanor, in his turns and twists. He cannot walk straight. He really becomes that person, and he doesnt need much makeup. His whole body changes. I think what is so special is that he believes what hes doing, and I dont think he could act if he doesnt believe that he would be that person. I had no idea that he was going to become such a huge star, but I could definitely see the beginning of it. The 90s seemed like a real golden age of action filmmaking starting right at the end of the 80s, with Die Hard, which you worked on as well. Speed and Twister were seminal movies during that action renaissance. I think that was the best time in filmmaking. It was at the high point of the traditional action movie, and it was a transitional period, where we were all desperate to add a new layer of life to the movies. Suddenly, we were able to create a layer of energy that was never really seen in movies before. In action movies, it had all been static action cameras didnt move, and there were always stunt doubles, so you never had an integration of the real actor with the real stunts and the real action. Die Hard especially was a breakout movie in that regard, where we basically always had the actor involved in the actual action moment. There was almost never a cutaway to a stunt-double scene. So there was better connection between the foreground and the background. That integration, I think, was extremely important. We could have those kinds of moving, roving cameras, which gave it a new kind of energy, as if the audience was actually present at the time. That was our goal. I like to put a camera right where the audience would have liked to have been if they were there. It immediately will be better, almost instantly. All this talk of cinematic authenticity, I have to ask you about Roar, a crazy 1981 movie made with real lions that has generally been deemed the most dangerous film production of all time. You were the cinematographer and you were mauled by a lion. Yeah, that was actually the first movie I made in Hollywood. I always planned to come to Hollywood. Its a plan I had since I was 12 years old. I had worked on quite a few movies in Europe. I thought, Well, this might be a great experience for me. The producer did The Exorcist. I thought, Well, that could be really exciting, and I like The Exorcist. But then when he told me, Oh, its going to be five months. Five months? I mean, the longest movie in Europe in those days was five or six weeks. I couldnt really imagine that you could work that long on one movie. [The film eventually took five years to finish shooting.] And then, as we started working, it became basically a trip through hell. We had animals escape. We had a flood destroying the whole set. We had a fire destroying the whole set. Each time, everything had to be rebuilt. We had people getting injured left and right. I had such nightmares from that episode, and the nightmare was mostly about the teeth of the lion on my skull. And I was getting injured myself multiple times. During one scene, Tippi Hedren and her daughter, Melanie Griffith, were in a little boat on a lake, and they were chased along the side by a group of lions. We were filming on the lake with multiple cameras, and one was in a hole in the ground, which the lions are supposed to run over as the camera would pan to Melanie and Tippi in the boat screaming. And then one lion smelled there was something there, and he put his head in the hole. Its a very small hole, and he grabbed my head, and he totally scalped me. I couldnt see anything. My skin was hanging in front of my eyes, my face, and all I felt was some bloody mass and gushing blood. I remembered that Id been told to make yourself as big and as loud as you can. So I stood up, but not knowing where the lion exactly was, I kept rotating. My assistant who was next to me under the camera, he had fainted and good for him, he was down below. There were trainers there, but they were all looking at the action on the boat. They didnt look at me to see if everything was okay. Then Tippi started to scream and yell, and they thought it was all part of the action. So it took a little while for them to realize what had happened, then they finally started coming out with fire extinguishers to get the lions away. I had to go to the hospital. I was there for a long time. They couldnt do surgery for multiple days because there was too big a danger of infection. And you kept on working after that. Let me tell you why I kept working: because I had such nightmares from that episode, and the nightmare was mostly about the teeth of the lion on my skull. You know what that sound is that you make on the chalkboard? The scratching sound, but a hundred times stronger. The teeth on both sides of your skull in stereo, because thats how I remember it stereophonic sound. I woke up every night. The doctor said, Maybe you should go and visit them. And then I decided to go back for a short time. Photo: FX/Copyright 2023, FX Networks. All Rights Reserved. They finally did it. This week, the Emmys honored Vulture favorite Matt Berry with his very first nomination, for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, delighting both fans of FXs silly vampire sitcom, What We Do in the Shadows, and the cultlike following he has built up over a decadeslong career spent absolutely destroying every line hes ever read. It feels both long overdue and undeniably necessary in a year when Berry also made memorable appearances in other Emmy-nominated shows, annoying his co-nominee Larry David in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and delivering a spine-tingling monologue in Fallout. We reached Berry in his music studio, shortly after hed gotten the news from his agent via FaceTime, where he then bashed out a quick celebration at the drum kit. I wasnt thinking about any Emmys. I wasnt thinking about any acting, to be honest, he said, noting hed just returned from a two-week trip to Tallinn, Estonia. It was a complete shock. Berry is known for his humility and general aversion to the hype of celebrity. When we profiled him in 2021, he kindly assured us we didnt have to print it if we didnt find him interesting enough. We did. Now, hes enjoying what is decidedly a television-comedy actors highest honor alongside the likes of Steve Martin, Martin Short, DPharaoh Woon-A-Tai, the aforementioned David, and last years winner, Jeremy Allen White. Of course, despite being audibly pleased as punch, Berry does not expect to take home the Emmy in September. I wont come prepared, he told me. It was the same non-plan he had in 2015, when he was nominated for a BAFTA, though he did end up winning that and had to ad-lib a stunned acceptance speech. But the star needs no list in front of him to remember who to thank, as he almost automatically begins crediting the people around him for his success, most notably production designer Shayne Fox, who is also up for one of the shows eight Emmy nominations. Personally, its the set that gets me where I need to be in order to do all that stupid stuff, he said. Once youre in a house like that, you are in that world. Hes also glad the show itself received a nod: Otherwise, Id be there on my own. So thats good. While Shadows has yet to air its final season, filming has already wrapped. When I asked if this honor is bittersweet, given that he will never get to play Laszlo Cravensworth again, he was just so Matt Berry about it. Im nostalgic about where we filmed and all of that, he said. Im always nostalgic about other peoples work; Im just never nostalgic about my own, because I just want to get on to the next thing. Please, Emmy voters, we implore you: Let that next thing be another overwhelmed appearance on an awards-show stage. Photo: Late Night with Seth Meyers via YouTube So what else is in the news? Last week, we said the news was too dark and absurd. Then over the weekend, News really upped her game. The late-night hosts had quite the time of it, reacting to an assassination attempt then (kind of) going back to business as usual for RNC coverage. Everyone carried on well. It says a lot that we all move on from stuff like this so quickly well, except for those people who gave themselves ear bandages. Theyre still deep in that news cycle. But late night moved right along. Weve got Twisters to promote, people! Heres who got the job done this week in late night. 5. Julio Torres Does Impressions Now Julio Torres came on The Tonight Show with a fascinator on. Thats bold! Torres said the look was meant to convey Im sprouting an idea, which is very on-brand. The main meat of this interview were Torress impressions of all the different colors. Its a great concept and an obvious avenue to explore after doing a lot of work with shapes. But what tickled me most in this segment was the way Torres always took a few beats to remember what talking point Jimmy Fallon was trying to segue into. Each time, it was like a mini Eureka! moment. 4. The Daily Show Tackles the Issues (J.D. Vances Beard) The intensity between Jordan Klepper and Desi Lydic as they debate whether or not beards are acceptable is really good. The energy of the piece heightens the dumb bullshit being discussed. I want to throw some special shine on Kleppers elocution when he says a straight talker that wont kowtow to claptrap from the fat cats at Philips Norelco. A lovely Capital T that rhymes with P that stands for pool cadence. 3. Stephen Colberts Chris Farley Impression Or more specifically, his Matt Foley impression. During one of Stephen Colberts nightly live, post-RNC monologues, he put on the airs of a man who lives in a van down by the river. It was in service of making fun of how loud Representative Tom Emmer hooted and hollered during his speech. It was remarkable how much Colbert changed his body shape to do the bit, puffing his tummy out by like 300 percent. Thats Second City touring company chops right there. 2. Chris Flemings Scintillating New Play The episode of After Midnight featuring Gillian Jacobs, Alaska 5000, and Chris Fleming was one for the books. Lot of big ideas! Writer Sam Taggart A normal man roasted the whole panel, for starters. But the moment that really sang in the episode was when Fleming roped his co-panelists into reading his riff on Glengarry Glen Ross during the talk-show portion of the episode. It had the energy of the precocious child at a dinner party and the aged family members who sanction his buffoonery. Thats a delicious vibe to inhabit for a while. 1. Natalie Portman Knows Elmo I have not been able to stop thinking about this interaction between Natalie Portman and Seth Meyers, where they talk about which Sesame Street monsters theyve worked with, since I saw it. Meyers talks about doing a bit with the Count and how his kids dont like it. But then Portman drops that she worked with Elmo in the most humblebraggy way, and its delicious. The way she knows Elmo is a bigger get than the Count, but that caring about Muppet status is wack, but still: Elmo! Its the way Meyers interviews letting things have the air they need, being an active listener, going with the flow that lets a moment like this happen. Recipes What do you want to cook today? New think tank set to promote world peace 08:21, July 19, 2024 By Zhang Yunbi ( China Daily Beijing launched a think tank on Thursday to focus on the 2-year-old Global Security Initiative, and it outlined plans to pool strengths for making peace, boosting the unity of nations, and rejecting bloc confrontation. At the launching ceremony for the Center for GSI Studies, the organizer, the China Institute of International Studies, issued the first "Report on the Implementation Progress of the GSI", which takes stock of the outcomes that have been achieved so far. President Xi Jinping proposed the GSI, a key vision that advocates the spirit of solidarity, win-win thinking, and political settlement of hot spot security issues, in April 2022. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing established the Center for GSI Studies to better strengthen research, facilitate the implementation of the GSI, and provide more contributions from the think tank to promote world peace and security. In a written message to the launching ceremony, he asked the center to adequately gather the wisdom and pool the strength of Chinese and foreign experts and scholars to "build a platform for exchanges and dialogues on international security issues, and provide strong support for all parties to carry out exchanges and cooperation under the framework of the GSI". More than 100 countries and international and regional organizations have expressed their support and appreciation for the GSI. At the launch ceremony, Pakistani Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi hailed China's role in effectively promoting peace for hot spot issues, noting that the GSI has gone beyond "theoretical concepts" and led to practical moves. Observers said the GSI, as a Chinese solution, has seen its value constantly increasing in solving security problems and maintaining global stability. Behind that is the increasingly complex international security situation, such as the prolonged Ukraine crisis and the conflict in Gaza, as well as challenges on issues including cybersecurity and climate change, they added. "As shown by the prospering GSI, China's constructive input into global security is systematic, and its policy structure and resources are being perfected in a multidimensional way," said Wang Yiwei, a professor at Renmin University of China's School of International Studies and director of the university's Institute of International Affairs. China has effectively honored its role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, such as by working with Brazil to issue a joint proposal earlier this year for resolving the Ukraine crisis, Wang said. Furthermore, "behind China's successful push for the reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran is the ancient Chinese wisdom that could help seek balance and resolve conflicts that have frustrated Western countries", he said. So far, the GSI and its core ideas have been written into more than 90 bilateral or multilateral documents between China and other countries and international organizations. Analysts said the results achieved by the GSI are due to a commitment to rejecting confrontation between camps, refraining from choosing sides, transcending ideological boundaries, and pursuing pragmatism and efficacy. Chen Xulong, a professor of multilateral diplomacy and UN reform studies at the University of International Business and Economics, said, "The international community is in desperate need of consolidating consensus on shaping common security." Currently, the international security situation is worsening, and this highlights the need for the GSI, he said. "China is playing its dutiful role as a major country, and the initiative has focused on pooling consensus and shoring up solidarity," he added. Looking to the GSI's future, China said on Thursday that it will keep strengthening international security exchanges and cooperation to inject more stability into a volatile world. Vice-Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong said that China is willing to strengthen communication and exchange of security concepts and policies with various parties, promote international security cooperation, and "promote sustainable development for sustainable security". China is willing to fully tap the role of multilateral mechanisms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and make good use of existing discussion and dialogue platforms such as the Xiangshan Forum, to strengthen communication and coordination in the area of security, he said. He highlighted the need to "carry out more practical actions" on the GSI's 20 priority directions for cooperation, including the role of the UN, nonproliferation, information security, biosecurity, artificial intelligence, and combating transnational crime. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) ISTANBUL, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Airlines, Turkiye's national flag carrier, announced on Friday that a global IT outage linked to Microsoft, a U.S. software company, has resulted in the airline canceling some flights. Yahya Ustun, the airline's senior vice president of media relations, said on the social media platform X that disruptions in ticketing and reservation processes have occurred due to the global problem in the information systems. "As a result of this disruption, some of our flights have been canceled," Ustun said, noting that necessary actions are being taken and operations are gradually returning to normal. The airline later released a statement detailing additional rights provided to impacted passengers, along with simplified ticket exchange procedures to help ease their inconvenience. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said that Turkiye has overcome some of the disruptions. "We immediately contacted the relevant institutions. I can say that we have overcome a significant portion of the disruptions here," the minister was quoted by the state-run Anadolu Agency as saying. The Microsoft outage is reportedly caused by a defective software update from cybersecurity software provider CrowdStrike. Dining chat: A waiter gave our anniversary bubbly to the table next to us. What should we have done? The next cruiser to call at Dunmore East will be the 'Seven Seas Voyager', with 706 passengers, which is due to arrive on Tuesday, July 23, at 7.30am. It will leave at 9.30pm. One of the world's most luxurious liners the ship has 349 suites, 455 crew members and nine decks. According to Regent Seven Seas Cruises website, which operates the liner, for those travelling onboard the dining experience is superb. From a restaurant with a modern French menu, complete with Parisian decor, to barista-made coffee, sumptuous pastries, homemade cookies and lunch and dinner dining with Versace tableware the liner operates to an extremely high standard. That visit will be followed, on Friday, July 26, by the 'Celebrity Silhouette', with 2,852 passengers onboard. That is scheduled to arrive at 8am and leave at 4pm The usual parking restrictions will be in place. All Business people and residents please note. To see inside the 'Seven Seas Voyager' view the video below from Regent Seven Seas Cruises. It may not be immediately obvious, but now is an ideal time to start addressing the problem of weeds on the farm. Cultivating problem areas immediately after harvest will encourage growth of seeds present so they can be destroyed ahead of sowing. Once a weed problem, particularly involving grass weeds, such as Italian ryegrass, black grass and canary grass, becomes established on a farm, a detailed plan must be developed with your registered agronomist to guide a way out. This may involve alternative cropping, along with integrated pest management (IPM) measures and the use of some of the available chemistry. A proactive approach to preventing these weeds entering or becoming established on your farm is by far the best protection. Key to this is the use of certified seed at sowing. Irish certified seed has a zero tolerance to these grass weeds, along with wild oats and sterile brome. This is contrary to imported seed, which has higher tolerance levels of certain weed seeds. It is vital also to follow other preventative measures to protect our crops. Machine hygiene It is widely acknowledged that combines and balers are the biggest spreaders when moving from farm to farm and even field to field. Machine hygiene can have massive bearing on spread of grass weeds, such as canary or black grass, which have tiny seeds with extremely high numbers per head. Farmers and industry must be conscious of having processes in place to properly clean down machinery, and where contractors are in use it is vital they have the same processes in place, but also are made aware of problem areas and equally make a farmer aware around cleaning ahead of arrival. Certified seed growers, under their growing protocols agreed with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, must adhere to previous cropping and isolation requirements and as no weeds are tolerated in seed fields they must make a significant time commitment to rogueing weeds. The crop undergoes a series of inspections during growing and at harvest ahead of certification. Seed growers cannot compromise when it comes to cleaning machinery, during all stages of cultivation, fertilising, spraying and harvesting. These practices are becoming ever more important on other farms also, as value added crop options such as malting barley and gluten free oats require the highest purity levels. Other biosecurity measures are becoming just as important for tillage farmers, especially considering there is now confirmed resistance in Italian ryegrass and blackgrass to some of the available chemistry. This involves monitoring any inputs brought onto farm, such as knowing the source and possible content of farm yard manure. Protecting a farm involves prevention, timely positive identification of a problem and immediate steps to plan on the best way of addressing the particular weed. It is a unified approach from farmers all across the country that is necessary to protect our industry from the potential impacts on yield, input costs and cropping plans from the threat of grass weeds. The Irish Seed Trade Association represents licensed multipliers of certified seed. The association promotes the use of certified seed and advocates for further development of the tillage sector through its contribution to policy and investment in plant breeding and research. Higher Voluntary Standard As a further measure ISTA members have committed to another Higher Voluntary Standard with regard to the assembling and certification or importing of straights and mixes for cover crops, wild bird measures and arable margins. This Irish Seed Trade initiative is a HVS (Higher Voluntary Standard) to play our part in the control of grass weeds. The vast majority of seeds (straights) for cover crops, wild bird measures and other arable margins are imported. Where possible ISTA members will use Irish Certified Seed. ISTA members assembling or importing cover crop mixes or straights will have tested each lot. This is an internationally recognised 'Orange Certificate' for presentation to the Department of Agriculture officials ahead of sale or certification in the Republic of Ireland. The official search will include blackgrass, wild oats and sterile brome. Only ingredient lots with zero blackgrass test results assembled / imported by ISTA members will be used in mixtures for sale to Irish farmers. Farmers and amenity users of these mixes should be aware of the availability of this Higher Voluntary Standard seed and check the label of any products they are considering purchasing, that it has undergone testing for the above grass weeds. An Bord Pleanala has granted permission for Waterford Council to acquire a vacant building at 61 John Street in the Applemarket, Waterford City. The property is a three-storey, mid-terrace, red brick building, which previously accommodated a retail unit at ground level. It was formally placed on the Derelict Sites Register on April 20, 2023 and the property is a protected structure. Planning inspector Ian Campbell described the building as a having a neglected, unsightly and objectionable appearance from the public road and surrounding area. The front facade of the building is in a poor state of repair with bricks chipped/damaged. The shopfront is dirty and in need of repair/repainting." He added that the roof of the building appears to be sagging and the property detracts significantly from the character and appearance of the street. Mr. Campbell concluded: I am satisfied that the process and procedures undertaken by Waterford City and County Council have been fair and reasonable, that the Local Authority has demonstrated the need for the lands and that all the lands being acquired are both necessary and suitable to ensure that the lands do not continue to be a derelict site. Serious concerns have been raised around the flaws of the housing adaptation grants scheme for elderly and disabled people trying to make their living conditions more appropriate for their needs. The Waterford News & Star previously reported these concerns. They have again been brought to our attention again at the most recent Plenary Council meeting as Cllr Joeanne Bailey spoke of how devastated she was to hear of how an elderly Waterford woman, who had been on the waiting list for two years, had recently passed away with none of the necessary adaptations made to her home. "Older people and people with disabilities are waiting a very long time for all aspects of the scheme, but there is a longer wait if you are a council tenant and you need works to be done to your house," explained Cllr Bailey. She referred to a local elderly lady who was approved for an extension but due to the national issues around the procurement of contractors, the family contacted Cllr Bailey last week to say she would no longer need the grant. "I got a phone call last week to say that lady died waiting," she continued, "this is absolutely disgraceful." Cllr Bailey requested to see the breakdown of wait times for both private and council applicants in Waterford, along with an additional funding request from the department. In the Council's response it was agreed that "there is a difference" between the waiting periods of private adaptation grant applicants and the Council's tenants who also apply. "We have flagged it as an Executive at national level. It is a funding issue," continued the response from the Executive. "I can certainly bring to this Council what those wait times are, but it is up to 18 months for adaption to our own stock. That's the reality, I suppose, of the funding that we have available to us," the response concluded. As previously reported by the Waterford News & Star, on Thursday, May 30, individual allocations to local authorities of the overall 93 million fund for the housing adaptation scheme was announced, with 2,437,406 in total for Waterford Council. Despite this funding, Cllr Frank Quinlan previously raised another flaw in the scheme, whereby those who do have contractors available to carry out the work for them are left in circumstances where they may not be reimbursed within a reasonable timeframe, leaving two already vulnerable cohorts of society financially worse off than before. BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing meteorological observatory on Friday renewed a yellow alert for high temperatures, forecasting highs of over 35 degrees Celsius over the next two days. Beijing first issued a yellow alert for this heat wave on Tuesday. The renewed alert indicates the scorching temperatures will extend to a total of five days. China has a three-tier warning system for high temperatures, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange and yellow. The observatory has also forecast scattered thunderstorms in northern areas of the city, accompanied by strong, short-term gales and hail. When Madeleine Stewart brought her revue to the Sydney Comedy Festival last year, she used a distinctive promotional come-on: Sick of the same old comedians telling the same old dick jokes? Note that the slogan didnt rule out the possibility of dick jokes per se. Rather, the target was the same old dick jokes, a subtle but important distinction. The audience is noticing Im missing something that a lot of girls have: Madeleine Stewart. Credit: Kate Geraghty Her new version of that show, a half-dozen comedians touring Australia now under the name Are You Pulling My Leg?, gives audiences a look into the psyches of a selection of talented performers with a unique take on life that amuses, educates and delivers some decidedly new dick jokes. Take Stewart herself, who conceived, curates and hosts the show. She was born missing a hand. Besides being a comedian, shes an activist on disability issues. BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee on Friday sent condolences to the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and deeply mourned the death of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The following is the full text of the condolence message: General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong passed away. The CPC and the Chinese people lost a good comrade, a good brother and a good friend. With immense grief, we extend our deepest condolences and sincerest sympathies to the Central Committee of the CPV, the Vietnamese government and the Vietnamese people. Trong was a staunch Marxist and a great leader of the CPV and the Vietnamese people. He dedicated his entire life to the causes of his party and nation, making outstanding contributions to Vietnam's Doi Moi (reform), socialist construction, and the development of the world socialist movement. Trong was a close comrade and a sincere friend of the CPC and the Chinese people. He inherited and developed the traditional friendship of "comrades plus brothers" between the two parties and two countries, and forged a profound friendship with the CPC and Chinese leaders. Trong and General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping have jointly elevated China-Vietnam relations to a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance and vigorously promoted the continuous development of China-Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The CPC, the Chinese government and the Chinese people will always miss Trong. We believe that the CPV and the Vietnamese people will turn grief into strength, carry on the legacy of Trong, unite and strive to make new and greater achievements in the cause of Doi Moi and socialist construction. China and Vietnam are socialist neighbors connected by mountains and rivers and a community with a shared future that carries strategic significance. China has always regarded Vietnam as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy and stands ready to work with Vietnam to continuously consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and push forward the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future to benefit the two peoples and contribute to regional and world peace and development. Eternal glory to Comrade Nguyen Phu Trong. Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 18, 2024. Trump formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination Thursday night at the Republican National Convention being held in Milwaukee. (Xinhua/Li Rui) WASHINGTON, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination Thursday night at the Republican National Convention being held in Milwaukee, the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 18, 2024. Trump formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination Thursday night at the Republican National Convention being held in Milwaukee. (Xinhua/Li Rui) Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 18, 2024. Trump formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination Thursday night at the Republican National Convention being held in Milwaukee. (Xinhua/Li Rui) Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 18, 2024. Trump formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination Thursday night at the Republican National Convention being held in Milwaukee. (Xinhua/Li Rui) Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 18, 2024. Trump formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination Thursday night at the Republican National Convention being held in Milwaukee. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 18, 2024. Trump formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination Thursday night at the Republican National Convention being held in Milwaukee. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) Former U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L, front) and Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance (R, front) gesture during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 18, 2024. Trump formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination Thursday night at the Republican National Convention being held in Milwaukee. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) The Republican National Convention is held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the United States, on July 18, 2024. Former U.S. President Donald Trump formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination Thursday night at the Republican National Convention being held in Milwaukee. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling) BAGHDAD, July 18 (Xinhua) -- A series of explosions occurred on Thursday at an ammunition depot of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces near the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. A statement by the paramilitary forces said that the first explosion occurred at 7:00 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) at logistical support depots of the 42nd Hashd Shaabi Brigade in the Yusufiyah area, south of Baghdad. The statement said that the incident did not cause human casualties, stressing that a committee was formed to investigate the reasons behind the incident. It added that rescue and medical teams and fire engines were at the scene. An Interior Ministry source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that the fire, which followed the first explosion, detonated a series of blasts and lasted for several hours until the civil defense team put it out. He said it was not immediately clear what caused the explosions, whether due to an accident or an attack by unknown aircraft. Today Mostly sunny and remaining dry but certainly rather cool. Tonight Mostly clear and chilly. Some mid to upper 30s possible across the Poconos with perhaps even a little frost. Tomorrow Mostly sunny and slightly milder in the afternoon. Photo taken on July 19, 2024 shows a public session of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday called on Israel to end its "unlawful" presence in the occupied Palestinian territories as rapidly as possible. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua) THE HAGUE, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday called on Israel to end its "unlawful" presence in the occupied Palestinian territories as rapidly as possible. In a public session of The Hague-based UN court, ICJ President Judge Nawaf Salam read out the advisory opinion at the request of the UN General Assembly regarding the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. "The State of Israel's continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful," said the advisory opinion. "The State of Israel is under an obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible." In the non-binding document, the court also said that Israel's settlements are illegal under international law and that Israel is "under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities, and to evacuate all settlers" from the occupied Palestinian territories. Israel has the obligation to "make reparation for the damage caused to all the natural or legal persons concerned" in the occupied Palestinian territories, it said. The court also said that all states and international organizations, including the United Nations, are under an obligation "not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence" of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories. It said that all states must not assist "in maintaining the situation created by the continued presence" of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territories. The United Nations, particularly the General Assembly that requested the opinion, and the Security Council, should determine the specific steps and actions needed to "bring to an end as rapidly as possible" Israel's unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territories, it added. On Dec. 30, 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution requesting the ICJ to provide an advisory opinion regarding the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. In February 2024, the ICJ held public hearings at which Palestine, 49 UN member states, and three international organizations presented oral statements regarding the issue. At the hearings, Palestine's UN envoy Riyad Mansour urged the ICJ to declare Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, emphasizing that such a ruling would pave the way for an immediate end to the occupation and the establishment of a "just and lasting peace." Without participating in the hearings, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office issued a statement rejecting the legitimacy of the hearings, accusing them of attempting to further undermine Israel's right to survival and self-defense. Palestinian representatives are seen during the announcement of an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, on July 19, 2024. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday called on Israel to end its "unlawful" presence in the occupied Palestinian territories as rapidly as possible. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua) Judges attend a public session of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, on July 19, 2024. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday called on Israel to end its "unlawful" presence in the occupied Palestinian territories as rapidly as possible. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua) Palestinian representatives are seen during the announcement of an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, on July 19, 2024. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday called on Israel to end its "unlawful" presence in the occupied Palestinian territories as rapidly as possible. (Photo by Sylvia Lederer/Xinhua) NAIROBI, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday nominated the first batch of 11 cabinet secretaries, marking the start of forming a "broad-based" government. The president reappointed four cabinet secretaries to their previous ministries of Interior and National Administration; the Defense; Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development; and Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry. Ruto, who has been under pressure to reduce opulence and waste in his government, however, reassigned former Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Davis Chirchir to the Ministry of Roads and Transport which was previously held by his key ally Kipchumba Murkomen. He also appointed former Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade, and Industry Rebecca Miano to the position of attorney general, while there are some new entrants to the Cabinet tasked with Ministries of Education; Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation; Information Communications and the Digital Economy; Health; Agriculture and Livestock Development. The nominees are subject to consideration and approval by the National Assembly before their official appointment. "I have started the process of forming a new, broad-based cabinet to assist me in driving the urgently needed and irreversible transformation of our country," Ruto told a news conference in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The president said he will next week issue a clear roadmap on the assignment that the new Cabinet is going to have, with clear timelines and deliverables for the country to harness the tremendous potential that exists in the nation and drive the country to greatness. Ruto said he is continuing consultations across the political divide on the balance of the Cabinet he will soon appoint. "The consultations are at an advanced stage, and internal processes in various sectors are underway to facilitate my appointment of the balance of this Cabinet," he added. Ruto also said that while the events of the past month have caused tremendous anxiety, concern, and uncertainty, the crisis has presented him with a great opportunity, as a nation, to craft a broad-based and inclusive citizen coalition for national transformation and progress, made up of Kenyans from all walks of life. "It cannot be denied that our nation has been in a crisis caused by multiple and complex factors. Neither can we turn away from recognizing that the opportunity before us is greater than the crisis," Ruto said. The president was forced to dissolve almost his entire Cabinet last week after young protesters staged anti-government demonstrations across the country in June against a wide range of unpopular tax increases contained in the Finance Bill 2024 that has since been withdrawn. The bill was seeking to raise an additional 346.7 billion shillings (about 2.7 billion U.S. dollars) through new taxes. The protesters expressed outrage over provisions of the bill that would raise taxes on goods and services that many people depend on, such as bread, and on mobile money transfers, to meet the government's revenue targets. The Gen-Z protesters had been demanding accountability in government, saying there is a lot of opulence and wastage in government spending. At least 50 people were killed and hundreds more injured during the anti-tax hike protests across Kenya in June and July, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. ABUJA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 125 suspected terrorists have been killed in separate anti-terror raids by the military across Nigeria in the past week, a local official said on Friday. Edward Buba, spokesman for the military, told reporters in the Nigerian capital of Abuja that more than 200 others were arrested during the "successful operations." Buba said the troops rescued 140 victims of kidnapping during the raids, adding that a total of 120 assorted weapons and 1,793 assorted ammunition, six vehicles, 11 motorcycles, and five bicycles, among others, were recovered during the period. Student leadership programme propels community building dream Maths student and volunteer shares his experiences in the Civic Leadership Programme, aimed at developing ethically aware and motivated leaders. The Civic Leadership Programme (CLP), offered by Wits Citizenship and Community Outreach (WCCO) and the Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute (ASRI), is transforming students into active, ethical leaders ready to address South Africa's multifaceted challenges. Held from 8 -12 July 2024, the CLP is an annual winter school open to Wits students from various faculties. It features lectures, panel discussions, and exhibitions designed to prepare Wits students for impactful careers in civil society and government. Makanyoge Dalton Morerwa, a third-year Bachelor of Science in Mathematics student, shared his experiences in this initiative. My interest in politics was sparked by a history of tribal leaders in my family, a descendant of King Sekhukhune, who ruled over the Bapedi people until 1882. From a young age, Morerwa has been exposed to traditional civic affairs and understands the importance of knowledgeable leaders in a country like South Africa. "The programme provided insightful discussions on South Africa's pre-apartheid, apartheid, and post-apartheid history, highlighting how our nation's social, political, and economic facets continue to be shaped by the legacy of apartheid, he adds. The CLP addresses current issues resulting from colonialism and apartheid, such as identity, poverty, inequality, and racism. These discussions offer a comprehensive overview of South Africas past and present, focusing on social, political, and economic aspects. The tour also includes tours to historical sites such as the Constitution Hill, a former prison and military, which is now a museum and also serves as the home of the countrys apex court Constitutional Court. Angelo Fick, ASRIs Research Director who are co-partners in the delivery of the civic programme elaborates on the significance of the programme. "The idea behind the programme is to help people who have technical skills and disciplinary education in their degrees to begin to think of ways in which they can take that and their aspiration to improve South African society and bring the two together," says Fick. "The programme's value lies in empowering young people to make better sense of the country they live in, promoting servant leadership, and fostering civic involvement. We had speakers in the programme who addressed issues like election accountability, oversight actions, state of the economy and electoral reform. Morewa who already serves as a volunteer at the Masidleni Programme under the WCCO, believes that the extra time spent on campus during the winter break was a worthwhile venture. "I am more motivated than ever to use my skills and knowledge to make a positive impact in my community and beyond. These experiences have equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and ethical framework to contribute meaningfully to civic affairs, driven by a commitment to social justice and community development. A network of conscious leaders We are building a network of people who can interact with one another because they will be the custodians of society in the next 10 to 15 years. People my age, around 50 years old, are in the process of handing over the skills we have learned to a younger generation. They can then share these skills with one another, so the world we are currently holding for them becomes theirs to run as soon as possible, if not right now. For me, that is the value of a leadership programme like this, says Fick, better known to South Africans as a sharp current affairs and news analyst. Karuna Singh, Senior Programme Advisor at WCCO, says that it is important for CLP alumni to be involved in community efforts. Singh states, "We encourage CLP alumni to work with WCCO to engage more actively in community outreach and development through partnering with communities. Their work with communities will make them responsible citizens and change agents who make volunteering a part of their DNA." According to the Wits 2033 Strategy Framework, the University is committed to nurturing critical thought, robust reasoning, and debate based on factual foundations. It aims to instill Wits graduates with a sense of social responsibility, provide all University students with a multidisciplinary student experience. The University acts as an incubator for change in our community by using knowledge and expertise to experiment, innovate, and debate solutions to current and future big challenges, including climate change, inequality, public health, and social justice. This requires promoting active citizenship, leadership, and public engagement among Wits staff and students. Part 2: Its time to get vocational education right TVET colleges must be strengthened to provide niche, high-quality training to counter the reality of their students weak, prior educational achievements. This is expensive, but worth it if it produces the skilled artisans the economy needs. Read Part One in the series here. Youth unemployment is one of our countrys most serious crises. Many believe that job training, known internationally as vocational education, is the answer. In countries like Germany, Austria and Switzerland, a well-established vocational training system funnels a majority of 15- to 20-year-olds into skilled work. But as in many other countries, our system has always been weak. As a result, 30 years have been spent continuously reforming vocational colleges. They have been renamed, restructured, given new governance models and shaped and reshaped by shifting programme types, curricula, qualification policies and quality assurance arrangements. Further changes are currently underway. Still, pockets of excellence exist in some technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges, ensuring dynamic relationships with employers and good employment outcomes for individuals. But the people working in these colleges and getting it right do so in the face of almost inhuman odds. It is time to support them and their colleagues in other TVETs, rather than overwhelm them with constant change. Three key problem areas First, colleges are supposed to ensure a regular flow of artisans to an economy short of skilled, qualified staff. At the same time, they are expected to absorb masses of young people who have fared poorly in formal education, giving them skills for work which, in reality, is not available. The same institutions cannot play both of these roles effectively. Vocational education is not a silver bullet for youth unemployment or economic development. Almost no countries outside Europe have strong mass vocational education systems. It is difficult to get vocational education right. The location of TVET colleges in the broader skill formation system puts them in an almost impossible position between a generally weak school system, a relatively strong university system, and a low-growth economy with chronically high unemployment. The pull of universities is strong because a degree vastly increases employment prospects. So those who can, head to university. University student numbers have been deliberately and substantially increased over the past 30 years. This leaves TVET colleges to take students with generally weak school results. This structural problem cant be quickly or easily solved. But we need to face the fact that it is South Africas reality. Specialised training needed TVET colleges must be strengthened so they can provide niche, high-quality training to counter the reality of their students weak prior educational achievements. This is expensive, but worth it if it produces the skilled artisans the economy needs. Second, the colleges have had to deal with a shifting set of qualifications and quality assurance arrangements, associated with changing curriculum and assessment models, intake periods and funding mechanisms. The N qualifications are, today, trimester offerings emerging from the old apprenticeship system. In the past, students would attend technical college for three months to learn theory followed by nine months in the workplace. By design, these three-month courses have no practical component because students do the practical in the workplace. The old system included a nationally prescribed curriculum and examinations. The systems decline dates back to the late apartheid era. When the old apprenticeship system began to be discarded in the 1980s, courses became full-time. By 1994, the apprenticeship system was tiny, and work placements were rare. Programmes offered by colleges became separated from the remains of the apprenticeship system. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the labour minister announced the replacement of apprenticeships with a new system of learnerships, against outcomes-based national qualifications registered on a national framework. Public and private institutions offering these qualifications would have to be accredited by the relevant Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas), reporting at the time to the minister of labour. The NCV system A new qualification, the National Certificate Vocational (NCV) was developed by the Department of Education as an alternative to matric. However, employers did not want to let go of the apprenticeship system for a new approach they didnt know or trust. So the N trimester qualifications and the apprenticeship system were not phased out. Employers viewed the NCV as both too general to meet their specific needs, and not general enough to allow for foundational learning skills to be developed. Colleges were poorly prepared to teach the NCV; students were poorly prepared to enrol for it, and throughput rates were disastrous. The framework changed in 2009, creating a new body, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). It developed new occupational qualifications, and the quality assurance arrangements changed again. So colleges had to be accredited by the QCTO while in many cases still working through the Setas. Confused? Imagine working in a college at the receiving end of constant criticism for poor throughput and failing to meet the needs of the economy. At the same time, the qualifications and quality assurance arrangements led to the third problem area institutional form and funding mechanisms. A question of funding Two completely different sets of institutional logic operate in the same institutions simultaneously: a bureaucratic delivery model and an aspirational entrepreneurial one. They exist side by side because of how funding works. Colleges manage this by creating separate units, centres or components that operate according to the relevant logic of each model. The N and NCV qualifications are funded through teacher posts, and managed and examined by the Department of Higher Education and Training against learner enrolment targets it sets. The occupational qualifications require colleges to be accredited and apply for funding through the skills levy. The latter model assumes private and public education and training providers are nimble institutions, able to adopt programme offerings based on annual funding windows. This is difficult for any educational institution because it does not allow forward planning and hiring staff with appropriate expertise in long-term appointments. Any substantive educational programme takes time to design, offer and lead students to a qualification. Making programmes dependent on short-term funding is particularly difficult for weak institutions, but even when they are strong, they struggle. In the training context, labour market responsiveness should be seen in the medium and not the short term. The challenge is that colleges serving mostly poor students with weak educational achievement carry an enormous burden of expectations within the context of constant policy reform and muddled governance and funding. Lecturers are expected to be three things at the same time: entrepreneurially minded sellers of qualifications; sophisticated navigators of a highly complex accreditation, qualifications and quality-assurance system; and teachers of a prescribed curriculum leading to a national exam through a state-funded system managed by a national government department. Winds of change And as if this was not enough, change is in the air again. The main TVET offering, N qualifications, is being phased out. Colleges have been instructed that 2024 is the last year in which they can enrol students against lower-level N qualifications. Not officially discussed are the substantial differences in funding and regulatory models, and how they will be managed. The DHET has signalled that colleges will continue to receive funding at current levels at least during the phasing in of the new model, but the future is less clear. The system requires TVET colleges to gain accreditation against registered occupational qualifications in areas identified as occupations in high demand. Funding will allow them to offer specific programmes in competition with each other and private providers. This is a huge change, and it is unclear if many colleges can cope with it. Colleges cant solve youth unemployment. But they can play an important role in the economy and their communities, with a simplified vision, simpler funding, and a national government that supports institution-building. Strong institutions can be responsive. The DHET should support and build these institutions driven by a stable, realistic and simpler vision of what they can and should achieve. Stephanie Allais is a Professor of Education at the Centre for Researching Education and Labour, at the University of the Witwatersrand, where she holds a South African National Research Chair in Skills Development. This article was first published in the Daily Maverick. CALS to challenge definition of sexual offences at High Court CALS will be in the High Court in Pretoria challenging sections of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act or SORMA On 22 and 23 July 2024, the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) will appear before the High Court in Pretoria for a case which has important implications for how sexual offences are prosecuted. The matter was first brought in November 2022 by the Embrace Project and an individual rape survivor. The applicants seek to challenge sections of the criminal law which fail to criminalise sexual violence where the perpetrator unreasonably believed the complainant consented. In October 2021, the Eastern Cape High Court handed down judgment in an appeal by Loyiso Coko, who had been found guilty of raping his then-partner by a lower court. The order overturning the rape conviction found that even though the complainant explicitly said no to having sex with the accused, he still mistakenly believed that she had consented. The Court found that when the complainant did not object to kissing Mr Coko, he interpreted this as tacit consent to intercourse. This finding prompted public outrage and was subsequently overturned by the Supreme Court of Appeal. The reaction to the High Courts ruling in Coko v S drew attention to the way in which the law currently treats rape and other sexual offences. Unlike some crimes, where consent can be used as a defence, sexual offences are defined as unlawful and intentional acts of sexual violence committed without consent. The burden lies with the prosecution to prove all elements of the crime, including that the accused did not mistakenly believe that they had the consent of the complainant even if this belief is irrational or unreasonable and based in rape myths or stereotypes. In response to similar cases relying on the defence of mistaken belief in consent, the Embrace Project and an individual rape survivor approached the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria for relief. Their application asks the Court to declare portions of the legislation governing sexual offences unconstitutional to the extent that they allow a perpetrator to claim a mistaken belief in consent which is clearly wrong or unreasonable. CALS was granted leave to intervene in the matter in the public interest as a third applicant in October 2023 to support the other applicants claims. We argue that the issue is not only with the existence of the defence of mistaken belief in consent, but also with having rape and other sexual offences defined in terms of a lack of consent. We contend that the current definition places a limitation on the rights of victims and survivors of sexual violence and should be deemed unconstitutional. We propose removing without consent from the definition of rape and other sexual offences so the onus is not on victims to prove that they did not consent. We further make the case that this change should apply not only to matters prosecuted under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Act or SORMA, but also common law crimes of rape and sexual assault from before the Act came into effect in 2007. Victims and survivors may still come forward at any time to report sexual offences perpetrated against them. In addition, we hope to present evidence that retaining consent as a definitional element of sexual offences limits survivors rights to equality, dignity and access to courts. The current definitions of rape and other sexual offences place an added burden on the state, but also on complainants to show that they did not consent, says Dr Sheena Swemmer, head of Gender Justice at CALS. In this situation, the complainants actions become the courts focus rather than the accuseds actions. This process puts victims and survivors on trial, expecting them to demonstrate how well they resisted the accused, buying into harmful rape myths and stereotypes. This discrepancy in how certain crimes are defined constitutes indirect discrimination, agrees attorney Basetsana Koitsioe. We have a situation in our law where offences which primarily affect women and gender minorities face an additional hurdle when being prosecuted. This contributes to the high levels of attrition we see in sexual offences, where only a small portion of the cases that are reported result in a conviction. We cannot allow this to continue. CALS is represented in the matter by in-house counsel Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane and attorney Dr Sheena Swemmer. The matter is set to be heard on 22 and 23 July 2024 before the Gauteng Division of the High Court, Pretoria. Read our founding papers in the matter here. For inquiries, please contact: CAIRO, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Members of Libya's High Council of State and House of Representatives on Thursday agreed on outlining a roadmap for holding the long-awaited presidential and legislative elections for the formation of a unified government. The attendees agreed "to submit a roadmap proposal by members of both bodies as the basic path to completing the remaining requirements necessary to reach the elections," said a statement issued after the talk. They agreed to work on expanding consensus and holding elections "under the laws agreed upon and issued by the House of Representatives," said the statement. "The Libyans agreed to invite the House of Representatives to announce the opening of nominations and begin receiving recommendations and studying the profiles of candidates who are to head a competent, nationally-led government that will oversee running the country's affairs," it said. They stressed the need to intensify and unify efforts to end the state of "political and institutional division," as well as the importance of "national reconciliation" and "societal peace" to achieve Libya's stability and build a modern civil state. Libya has been locked in political and military chaos since the 2011 ouster and death of former leader Muammar Gaddafi. The situation escalated in 2014, splitting power between two rival governments: a UN-backed one in the capital Tripoli, and another in the northeastern city of Tobruk allied with the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) headed by commander Khalifa Haftar. The High Council of State is an advisory body for the internationally recognized Government of National Unity based in Tripoli, while the House of Representatives based in Tobruk is the parliament supported by the LNA. The House of Representatives backs the Government of National Stability based in Sirte, a rival to the Government of National Unity. Due to political differences between rival factions, Libya failed to hold the long-awaited presidential and parliamentary elections that were scheduled for December 2021. LUSAKA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank on Friday pledged 100 million U.S. dollars to help Zambia speed up its digital infrastructure and increase access to the internet. Managing Director and World Bank Group Chief Administrative Officer Zhang Wencai said the support will come through the Digital Zambia Acceleration Project to be financed under the International Development Association. During a courtesy call on Zambian Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati, Zhang said the project is aligned with the Zambian government's priorities and will focus on expanding broadband infrastructure and services as well as deploying digital public infrastructure to improve efficiency in both the public and private sectors. According to him, the project will support digitization in selected high-impact sectors, including the promotion of employable digital skills. The World Bank official further said a project implementation unit will be established within the state institution, SMART Zambia Institute, to spearhead cross-cutting government digitization initiatives. For his part, the Zambian minister thanked the World Bank for the support, saying the project will go a long way in promoting digitization in the country. Visitors to southwest China's Chongqing Municipality are lucky to have a close view of the ancient Baiheliang hydrological inscriptions from the submerged site, thanks to the innovative conservation efforts of researchers. Baiheliang, literally meaning the "white crane ridge," is located in the middle of the Yangtze River in the north of Chongqing's Fuling District. The stone ridge, measuring 1,600 meters in length and about 25 meters in width, is engraved with inscriptions dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It recorded the 72 low-flow years of the longest river in China from 764 to 1963 and is claimed to be the world's oldest hydrographic survey device. However, the Three Gorges Project has caused the stone ridge to be submerged under the reservoir's water surface, leading to the urgency of finding appropriate methods or technologies to protect the relics, said Yang Bangde, vice chairman of the Chinese Network of Water Museums. Ge Xiurun, then an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, reviewed materials about Baiheliang and came up with a new idea of using a non-pressure container to cover the stone ridge, thus enclosing Baiheliang underwater. Before Ge's proposal, the only feasible solution was to reinforce the original site of Baiheliang and create a duplicate on the shore. Consequently, the stone ridge would have been buried by silt. "The fundamental principle, according to global consensus, is not to separate the stone ridge from its natural environment. Fulfilling this proved challenging, thus requiring experts over a decade to devise solutions to the problem," Yang said. After months of feasibility research, Ge's plan was adopted, leading to the creation of the Baiheliang Underwater Museum. Visitors can ride a 91-meter-long escalator to see the container covering the stone ridge, situated 40 meters beneath the surface of the Yangtze River. UNESCO has recognized the museum as the world's first underwater museum accessible without diving. "Visiting the museum feels akin to entering a submarine, adding a touch of sci-fi. Also, it's quite meaningful to learn about the wisdom and customs of ancient Chinese," said Wu Jing, a visitor from Chongqing's Yubei District. "The conservation of Baiheliang will never come to an end," said Yang, who also serves as curator of the Baiheliang Underwater Museum. As occasional damage on the stone ridge may occur, the museum frequently invites researchers from across the country to deal with the problems comprehensively while professional divers conduct regular inspections and cleanings of the stone ridge, Yang added. "As I looked down and saw the sign on the floor reading 'You are at the heart of the Yangtze River,' I felt transported to another world. It's so impressive to see these underwater millennium-old relics," said Zhou Yutao, a visitor from northwest China's Gansu Province. "The Baiheliang conservation project has also disseminated Chinese wisdom on a global scale. In Pakistan, a larger water conservancy project is underway, which may lead to the submergence of relics. As a result, international experts often reach out to the Baiheliang Underwater Museum, seeking to learn from its experience, according to Yang. JOHANNESBURG, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Several South African companies were affected by global network outages that affected many countries Friday. South African airliner Airlink on Friday warned its customers that it was experiencing some network and communication outage with customer services being impacted. "Airlink would like to inform all its customers that our information technology (IT) network, including telephone lines, is currently down due to an unforeseen global network outage. We are working tirelessly to restore IT services and return to normal business systems as soon as possible," said Airlink in a statement. The Airlink resorted to manual processing as a result of the network outage. South African TV channel eNCA was also affected by the IT outage, which forced it to resort to reruns Friday morning. Capitec Bank, one of the biggest banks in the country, issued a statement Friday, saying their IT has been affected. "Due to an unexpected issue with an international service provider, we are currently experiencing nationwide service disruptions. Please note that card payments and Capitec automated teller machine are working, and rest assured that your account remains secure," the Capitec said, adding that it is working hard to resolve the outage. ABUJA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government and the leadership of the country's organized labor on Thursday agreed on a new minimum wage for local workers, ending months of bickering over the welfare of employees in the most populous African country. The government and representatives of the organized labor decided an over 100 percent increase in the new minimum wage at a meeting led by President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris told reporters after the discussion. "We are happy to announce today that the organized labor and the federal government have agreed to an increase in the minimum wage. The new national minimum wage the president is expected to submit to the National Assembly is 70,000 nairas (about 43 U.S. dollars)," Idris said, hinting that an executive bill will soon be sent to the national legislature for ratification. This will be followed by massive investment in infrastructure and some welfare facilities to cushion the impact of economic hardship in the country, Idris said. The minimum wage is statutorily reviewed every five years in Nigeria. The last minimum wage of 30,000 nairas (about 18 dollars) was agreed in 2019. Amid a serious cost of living crisis in the West African country, labor unions pushed for the minimum wage to be raised to at least 250,000 nairas (about 154 dollars) to cushion the effect of the recent increase in fuel and electricity prices, as the government offered 62,000 nairas (about 38 dollars). Early last month, the labor unions suspended a nationwide strike following the government's appeal for further negotiations on the minimum wage. Joe Ajaero, head of the Nigeria Labor Congress, said the agreement reached on Thursday also touched on a review of the minimum wage every three years, as against every five years. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, delivers an important address at the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. [Xinhua/Ju Peng] BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted a resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization at its third plenary session held here from Monday to Thursday. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee presided over the meeting. General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping delivered important addresses, according to a communique released Thursday. At the session, the Central Committee heard and discussed a report on the work of the Political Bureau, presented by Xi on behalf of the Political Bureau, and considered and adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. Xi delivered explanatory remarks on the draft version of the resolution. The overall objectives of further deepening reform comprehensively are to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance, according to the communique. "By 2035, we will have finished building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, generally modernized our system and capacity for governance, and basically realized socialist modernization," it said. All of this will lay a solid foundation for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century, it noted. The reform tasks laid out in the resolution shall be completed by the time the People's Republic of China celebrates its 80th founding anniversary in 2029, said the communique. The Central Committee made systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively, it added. In building a high-standard socialist market economy, the role of the market must be better leveraged, with a fairer and more dynamic market environment to be fostered and resource allocation to be made as efficient and productive as possible. Restrictions on the market will be lifted while effective regulation will be ensured to better maintain order in the market and remedy market failures, said the communique. In promoting high-quality development, the communique urged deepening supply-side structural reform, improving incentive and constraint mechanisms for promoting high-quality development, and creating new drivers and strengths for realizing growth. "We will improve the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions, for promoting full integration between the real economy and the digital economy, for developing the service sector, for modernizing infrastructure, and for enhancing the resilience and security of industrial and supply chains," it stated. In supporting all-around innovation, the Party will deepen comprehensive reform in education, structural scientific and technological reform, and institutional reforms for talent development. In improving macroeconomic governance, the communique urged pursuing coordinated reforms in the fiscal, tax, financial, and other major sectors and enhancing the consistency of macro policy orientation, with the national strategic planning system and policy coordination mechanisms to be improved. On integrated urban and rural development, the Party must promote equal exchanges and two-way flows of production factors between the cities and the countryside, so as to narrow the disparities between the two and promote their common prosperity and development, according to the communique. Reform of the land system will be deepened, it added. Describing opening up as a "defining feature of Chinese modernization," the communique said that the Party will "steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, improve planning for regional opening up, and refine the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative." On developing whole-process people's democracy, it said: "We must firmly stay on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics and uphold and improve our country's foundational, basic, and important political systems." On the rule of law, efforts were demanded to ensure full implementation of the Constitution and uphold its authority, coordinate the reforms to promote sound legislation, law enforcement, administration of justice, and observance of the law, and improve the mechanisms for ensuring that all are equal before the law. The communique urged boosting cultural confidence and working to develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture, and carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture. In ensuring and enhancing the people's wellbeing, the Party will improve the income distribution system, the employment-first policy, and the social security system, further reform the medical and healthcare systems, and improve the systems for facilitating population development and providing related services. On ecological conservation, the communique said: "We must improve ecological conservation systems, take a coordinated approach to carbon cutting, pollution reduction, green development, and economic growth, actively respond to climate change, and move faster to improve the systems and mechanisms for applying the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." On national security, it noted that the Party must fully apply a holistic approach to national security, improve the institutions and mechanisms for safeguarding national security, and ensure that high-quality development and greater security reinforce each other, so as to effectively safeguard the country's stability and security over the long term. On national defense, the communique urged maintaining the Party's absolute leadership over the people's armed forces and fully implementing the strategy of strengthening the military through reform to provide a strong guarantee for realizing the goals for the centenary of the People's Liberation Army in 2027 and achieving basic modernization of national defense and the armed forces. In improving the Party's leadership, it said: "We must acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era." The communique stressed that Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. "In foreign relations, China remains firmly committed to pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace and is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future," it noted. Studying and implementing the guiding principles from the session represent a major political task for the entire Party and nation both at the present and for some time to come, according to the communique. The session conducted an analysis of the present situation and the tasks the Party faces, urging firm commitment to accomplishing the goals for this year's economic and social development. Both development and security must be ensured, with various measures to be implemented for preventing and defusing risks in real estate, local government debt, small and medium financial institutions, and other key areas, the communique said. According to the communique, the session decided to accept Comrade Qin Gang's resignation from the Central Committee, and confirmed the Political Bureau's earlier decision to expel Li Shangfu, Li Yuchao and Sun Jinming from the Party. A total of 199 members and 165 alternate members of the Central Committee attended the session. The third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee is presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. [Xinhua/Wang Ye] Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi attend the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi] Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi attend the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. [Xinhua/Xie Huanchi] The third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee is held in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei] The third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee is presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei] The third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee is held in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei] Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi arrive to attend the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in Beijing, capital of China. The plenary session was held from July 15 to 18, 2024. [Xinhua/Yue Yuewei] (Source: Xinhua) Editor: Lei Yang ISLAMABAD, July 19 (Xinhua) -- A policeman was killed by armed assailants in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, police officials said on Friday. At least two terrorists riding motorcycles opened fire on the policeman when he was heading home after performing his duties, police told Xinhua. The officer was critically injured in the attack and succumbed to his wounds after being transferred to a nearby hospital. Authorities have launched a manhunt to apprehend the perpetrators. No group has immediately claimed the attack. BEIJING, July 18 (Xinhua) The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China concluded its third plenary session here on Thursday with a communique issued. The following is the full text of the communique: Communique of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Adopted at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on July 18, 2024 The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China convened its third plenary session in Beijing from July 15 to 18, 2024. A total of 199 members and 165 alternate members of the Central Committee attended the session. Members of the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and leading officials from other relevant departments were present at the meeting in a non-voting capacity. Some of our colleagues working at the primary level and a number of experts and scholars who were delegates to the 20th National Party Congress also attended the meeting in a non-voting capacity. The Political Bureau of the Central Committee presided over the meeting. General Secretary of the Central Committee Xi Jinping delivered important addresses. At the session, the Central Committee heard and discussed a report on the work of the Political Bureau, presented by Xi Jinping on behalf of the Political Bureau, and considered and adopted the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. Xi Jinping delivered explanatory remarks on the draft version of the Resolution. At the session, the Central Committee fully affirmed the work of the Political Bureau since the second plenary session of the 20th Central Committee. It was unanimously agreed that in the face of a grave and complex international environment and the arduous tasks of advancing reform and development and ensuring stability at home, the Political Bureau has secured progress in the following respects: earnestly implementing the guiding principles from the 20th National Party Congress and the first and second plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee; fully and faithfully applying the new development philosophy on all fronts; adhering to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability; implementing the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy in a coordinated way; giving full consideration to both domestic and international imperatives; ensuring both development and security; promoting high-quality development; taking further steps to advance and plan for the deepening of reform across the board; advancing socialist democracy and rule of law; improving public communication and cultural work; ensuring the people's wellbeing and protecting the environment; safeguarding national security and social stability; promoting the development of national defense and the armed forces; advancing work related to Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan; pursuing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics; and strengthening full and rigorous Party self-governance. As a result of these efforts, we have achieved economic recovery and growth and have made firm strides in building a modern socialist country in all respects. At the session, the Central Committee gave a highly positive assessment of the success and achievements we have made in comprehensively deepening reform since the beginning of the new era and studied the issue of further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. It was stated that the present and the near future constitute a critical period for our endeavor to build a great country and move toward national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization. Chinese modernization has been advanced continuously through reform and opening up, and it will surely embrace broader horizons through further reform and opening up. We must purposefully give more prominence to reform and further deepen reform comprehensively with a view to advancing Chinese modernization in order to better deal with the complex developments both at home and abroad, adapt to the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and live up to the new expectations of our people. It was stressed that, to further deepen reform comprehensively, we must stay committed to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development and fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. We must thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's new ideas, viewpoints, and conclusions on comprehensively deepening reform and fully and faithfully apply the new development philosophy on all fronts. We must adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability and continue to free our minds, seek truth from facts, move with the times, and take a realistic and pragmatic approach, as we work to further unleash and develop the productive forces and tap into and boost the vitality of our society. Keeping in mind both domestic and international imperatives, we will ensure coordinated implementation of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy. Regarding economic structural reform as the spearhead and greater social fairness and justice and improvements in the people's wellbeing as our ultimate objectives, we will make our reforms more integrated, focused, and effective. We will work to better adapt the relations of production to the productive forces, the superstructure to the economic base, and national governance to social development, so as to provide strong impetus and institutional support for Chinese modernization. It was stated that the overall objectives of further deepening reform comprehensively are to continue improving and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China's system and capacity for governance. By 2035, we will have finished building a high-standard socialist market economy in all respects, further improved the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, generally modernized our system and capacity for governance, and basically realized socialist modernization. All of this will lay a solid foundation for building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century. To steadily advance reform, we will focus on building a high-standard socialist market economy, advancing whole-process people's democracy, developing a strong socialist culture in China, raising the people's quality of life, building a Beautiful China, advancing the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level, and improving the Party's capacity for leadership and long-term governance. The reform tasks laid out in this resolution shall be completed by the time the People's Republic of China celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2029. It was stressed that, to further deepen reform comprehensively, we must review and apply the valuable experience we have gained from our efforts to deepen reform comprehensively since the launch of reform and opening up, particularly in the new era. We must implement the principles of upholding the Party's overall leadership, taking a people-centered approach, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, taking institution building as our main task, exercising law-based governance on all fronts, and applying systems thinking. At the session, the Central Committee made systematic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively with the emphasis on building a high-standard socialist market economy, promoting high-quality economic development, supporting all-around innovation, improving macroeconomic governance, promoting integrated urban-rural development, pursuing high-standard opening up, advancing whole-process people's democracy, promoting socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics, deepening reform in the cultural sector, ensuring and improving the people's wellbeing, deepening reform in ecological conservation, modernizing China's national security system and capacity, deepening national defense and military reform, and improving the Party's leadership in further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. It was stated that a high-standard socialist market economy will provide an important guarantee for Chinese modernization. We must better leverage the role of the market, foster a fairer and more dynamic market environment, and make resource allocation as efficient and productive as possible. We will lift restrictions on the market while ensuring effective regulation, striving to better maintain order in the market and remedy market failures. By doing so, we will ensure smooth flows in the national economy and unleash the internal driving forces and creativity of our society as a whole. We will unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector and unswervingly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-public sector. We will ensure that economic entities under all forms of ownership have equal access to factors of production in accordance with the law, compete in the market on an equal footing, and are protected by the law as equals, thus enabling entities under different forms of ownership to complement each other and develop side by side. We will build a unified national market and refine the systems underpinning the market economy. It was stated that high-quality development is our primary task in building China into a modern socialist country in all respects. It is essential that we use the new development philosophy to steer reform and ground our efforts in the new stage of development. We must deepen supply-side structural reform, improve incentive and constraint mechanisms for promoting high-quality development, and strive to create new growth drivers and strengths. We will improve the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions, for promoting full integration between the real economy and the digital economy, for developing the service sector, for modernizing infrastructure, and for enhancing the resilience and security of industrial and supply chains. It was stated that education, science and technology, and talent function as a basic and strategic underpinning for Chinese modernization. We must fully implement the strategy of invigorating China through science and education, the strategy of developing a quality workforce, and the innovation-driven development strategy, make coordinated efforts to promote integrated reform of institutions and mechanisms pertaining to education, science and technology, and human resources, and improve the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide to make key technological breakthroughs. These efforts will help boost the overall performance of China's innovation system. We will deepen comprehensive reform in education, deepen structural scientific and technological reform, and deepen institutional reforms for talent development. It was stated that sound macro regulation, along with effective governance by the government, is essential for ensuring that we can fully harness the institutional strengths of our socialist market economy. It is, therefore, vital that we improve our macro regulation systems. We must pursue coordinated reforms in the fiscal, tax, financial, and other major sectors and work to enhance the consistency of macro policy orientation. We will improve the national strategic planning system and policy coordination mechanisms, deepen reform of the fiscal and taxation systems, further reform the financial system, and improve mechanisms for implementing the coordinated regional development strategy. It was stated that integrated urban and rural development is essential to Chinese modernization. We must coordinate our efforts in new industrialization, new urbanization, and all-around rural revitalization, pursue greater urban-rural integration in planning, development, and governance, and promote equal exchanges and two-way flows of production factors between the cities and the countryside, so as to narrow the disparities between the two and promote their common prosperity and development. We will improve the institutions and mechanisms for advancing new urbanization, consolidate and improve the basic rural operation system, improve supporting systems to strengthen agriculture, benefit farmers, and enrich rural areas, and deepen reform of the land system. It was stated that opening up is a defining feature of Chinese modernization. We must remain committed to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world and continue to promote reform through opening up. Leveraging the strengths of China's enormous market, we will enhance our capacity for opening up while expanding cooperation with other countries and develop new institutions for a higher-standard open economy. We will steadily expand institutional opening up, deepen the foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, improve planning for regional opening up, and refine the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. It was stated that developing whole-process people's democracy is integral to Chinese modernization. We must firmly stay on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics and uphold and improve our country's foundational, basic, and important political systems. We must diversify the forms of democracy at all levels and ensure that the principle of the people running the country is manifested in concrete and visible ways in all aspects of China's political and social activities. We will strengthen the institutions through which the people run the country, improve the mechanisms for consultative democracy, enhance the institutions of democracy at the primary level, and build a broad united front. It was stated that the rule of law provides an important guarantee for Chinese modernization. We must ensure full implementation of the Constitution and uphold its authority, coordinate the reforms to promote sound legislation, law enforcement, administration of justice, and observance of the law, and improve the mechanisms for ensuring that all are equal before the law, so as to promote socialist rule of law, safeguard social fairness and justice, and see that all work of the state is carried out under the rule of law. We will deepen reforms in legislation, advance law-based government administration, improve the institutions and mechanisms for impartial law enforcement and administration of justice, refine the mechanisms for building a law-based society, and strengthen the rule of law in foreign-related affairs. It was stated that Chinese modernization is the modernization of material and cultural-ethical advancement. We must boost our cultural confidence and work to develop advanced socialist culture, promote revolutionary culture, and carry forward fine traditional Chinese culture. We must stay abreast of the latest trends in information technology, cultivate a vast pool of talented personnel in the field of culture, and ignite the cultural creativity of the entire nation. We will improve the responsibility system for ideological work, refine the mechanisms for supplying cultural products and services, improve the system for comprehensive cyberspace governance, and establish a more effective international communication system. It was stated that ensuring and enhancing the people's wellbeing in the course of development is one of the major tasks of Chinese modernization. Striving to do everything within our capacity in this regard, we must refine the system for guaranteeing basic public services, work to provide inclusive public services, meet essential needs, and provide a cushion for those most in need, and focus on resolving the most practical problems that are of the greatest and most direct concern to the people, so as to meet people's aspirations for a better life. We will improve the income distribution system, the employment-first policy, and the social security system, further reform the medical and healthcare systems, and improve the systems for facilitating population development and providing related services. It was stated that Chinese modernization is the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature. We must improve ecological conservation systems, make concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, pursue green development, and boost economic growth, actively respond to climate change, and move faster to improve the systems and mechanisms for applying the principle that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. We will improve the basic systems for ecological conservation, environmental governance systems, and mechanisms for green and low-carbon development. It was stated that national security provides a pivotal foundation for ensuring steady and continued progress in Chinese modernization. We must fully apply a holistic approach to national security, improve the institutions and mechanisms for safeguarding national security, and ensure that high-quality development and greater security reinforce each other, so as to effectively safeguard the country's stability and security over the long term. We will improve the national security system, the public security governance mechanisms, the social governance system, and the mechanisms for ensuring national security in foreign-related affairs. It was stated that modernizing national defense and the armed forces is an integral part of Chinese modernization. We must maintain the Party's absolute leadership over the people's armed forces and fully implement the strategy of strengthening the military through reform to provide a strong guarantee for realizing the centenary goal of the People's Liberation Army in 2027 and achieving basic modernization of national defense and the armed forces. We will improve the systems and mechanisms for leading and managing the people's armed forces, further reform joint operations systems, and deepen military-civilian reforms. It was stressed that the Party's leadership is the fundamental guarantee for further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. We must acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; be more conscious of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership; stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and uphold Comrade Xi Jinping's core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee's authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We must maintain keen awareness of the need to use the Party's own transformation to steer social transformation and continue to apply the spirit of reform and strict standards in conducting Party self-governance. We will improve the systems and regulations for the Party's self-reform and continue working to purify, improve, renew, and excel ourselves. All this will enable our Party to remain the strong leadership core in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must uphold the Party Central Committee's centralized, unified leadership over the endeavor to further deepen reform across the board; deepen institutional reforms related to Party building; intensify efforts to improve conduct, build integrity, and combat corruption; and work with relentless persistence to ensure the implementation of reforms. It was stressed that Chinese modernization is the modernization of peaceful development. In foreign relations, China remains firmly committed to pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace and is dedicated to promoting a human community with a shared future. Holding dear humanity's shared values, we will pursue the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative and call for an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. We will deepen institutional reforms related to the work of foreign affairs and participate in efforts to lead the reform and development of the global governance system. We will resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty, security, and development interests. It was stated that studying and implementing the guiding principles from the session represent a major political task for the entire Party and nation both at the present and for some time to come. It is essential to thoroughly study the guiding principles from the session and fully grasp the main theme, major principles, major measures, and fundamental guarantees for further deepening reform comprehensively. The entire Party from the leadership down must work as one to ensure that the Resolution is implemented and the strategic plans for further deepening reform comprehensively are translated into strong impetus for advancing Chinese modernization. At the session, an analysis of the present situation and the tasks we face was conducted. It was highlighted that we must remain firmly committed to accomplishing the goals for this year's economic and social development. In accordance with the Party Central Committee's decisions and plans concerning economic work, we will ensure effective implementation of macro policies, strive to expand domestic demand, develop new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, move faster to foster new drivers of foreign trade, take solid steps toward green and low-carbon development, ensure and improve the people's wellbeing, and consolidate and build upon our achievements in poverty alleviation. We will review and assess the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and make sound preparations for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). It was stated that we must ensure both development and security. To this end, we will implement various measures for preventing and defusing risks in real estate, local government debt, small and medium financial institutions, and other key areas. We will make sure that responsibilities for workplace safety are strictly fulfilled and refine the measures for monitoring, preventing, and controlling natural disasters, especially floods. We will strengthen the network for preventing and controlling public security risks so as to safeguard social stability. We will improve public opinion guidance and effectively deal with risks in the ideological domain. We will properly respond to external risks and challenges, strive to play a leading role in global governance, and actively work to foster a favorable external environment. It was stressed that on the basis of studying, communicating, and implementing the guiding principles from the session, we must arm all Party members with the Party's new theories to enhance their understanding of Marxism and their capacity for advancing the modernization drive. We will refine the systems for exercising full and rigorous self-governance, improve work conduct, and rectify the deep-rooted practices of pointless formalities and bureaucratism in a continued effort to ease the burdens on those working on the ground. We will redouble efforts to improve Party conduct, build integrity, and fight corruption and make solid strides in carrying out discipline inspections. We will consolidate and expand on what we have achieved in theoretical study initiatives, advance the campaign to increase awareness of Party discipline, safeguard the Party's solidarity and unity, and continue to enhance the Party's creativity, cohesion, and ability. It was decided at the session that, in accordance with the Party Constitution, empty seats on the Central Committee will be filled by alternate members Ding Xiangqun, Yu Lijun, and Yu Jihong. It was also decided that Comrade Qin Gang's resignation should be accepted and he should be removed from his position on the Central Committee. At the session, the CPC Central Military Commission's inspection report on grave violations of Party discipline and state laws involving Li Shangfu, Li Yuchao, and Sun Jinming was deliberated and adopted, and the Political Bureau's previous decision to expel Li Shangfu, Li Yuchao, and Sun Jinming from the Party was confirmed. At the session, a call was issued to the whole Party, the entire military, and Chinese people of all ethnic groups to stay closely rallied around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core; hold high the banner of reform and opening up, pool our collective wisdom and strength, and forge ahead with enterprise; and strive toward the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and work to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization. (Please see the attachment for the copy with footnotes.) Full text: Communique of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (Source: Xinhua) Editor: Lei Yang TASHKENT, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan plan to increase bilateral trade to 2 billion U.S. dollars, the press service of the president of Uzbekistan said on Thursday. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev discussed issues related to Uzbek-Kyrgyz cooperation during the meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, who is on a state visit to Uzbekistan from July 18 to 19, the press service said in a statement. "The importance of developing comprehensive measures to bring trade turnover to 2 billion dollars in the coming years was emphasized," the statement said. Priority attention was given to the prompt practical implementation of strategic regional projects, including the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, it added. "The head of Uzbekistan noted that the state visit of the president of Kyrgyzstan to our country has become historic and marks the beginning of a new chapter in the multifaceted Uzbek-Kyrgyz cooperation," said the statement. Trenton Anthony Stainback, who says he "snapped" when he reportedly assaulted a 2-year-old child last year, will be spending up to 15 years in prison, according to a news release from District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch. Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. Acclaimed Wrexham orchestra to mark 55 years with special concert This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 19th, 2024 An acclaimed orchestra is celebrating its 55th anniversary with a special concert that will feature music from around the British Isles. The Wrexham Symphony Orchestra will take to the stage at the William Aston Hall this weekend (Saturday 20 July) with a special concert to celebrate its decades of musical experience. Originally founded in 1969 as The Clywedog Ensemble by the late Bryn Williams, a senior lecturer of Music at Cartrefle Teacher Training College in Wrexham, Wrexham Symphony Orchestra started out life as a small number of local string players who got together to stage a concert at The Memorial Hall in Wrexham. Conducted by Bryn Williams with local peripatetic violin teacher Keith Dawber as leader, the concert took place on 30 October 1969. After a resounding success a decision was made to expand the group to include woodwind and brass players and The Wrexham and District Orchestral Society was born, with its performing arm more commonly known as the Wrexham Orchestra. In 1992 the orchestra changed its name to Wrexham Symphony Orchestra (WSO). Over the last 55 years, the WSO has grown to its present day membership numbering over sixty players and regularly attracts professional guest conductors and soloists. The increase in membership has allowed the orchestra to undertake increasingly ambitious programmes of music. Since 1997, the orchestra has been resident at the prestigious William Aston Hall in Wrexham. As part of celebrations to mark its 55th Anniversary, the orchestra will return to the stage at the William Aston with Music From Home. Conducted by acclaimed Conductor Katherine Stonham, the concert will take the audience on a musical journey around the British Isles with a programme including Mendelssohns Hebrides Overture composed in 1830 and inspired by the composers visit to Fingals Cave on the Island of Staffa. Penillion by Welsh composer Grace Williams, Dame Ethel Smyths The Wreckers Overture an opera considered by some critics to be the most important English Opera to be composed during the period between Henry Purcell and Benjamin Britten, Morfydd Llwyn Owens Morfa Rhuddlan, Irish Tune from County Derry by Percy Grainger, an adaptation of Londonderry Air, the tune most famously known as Danny Boy, Sir Malcom Arnolds Scottish Dances and Sir Edward Elgars Pomp and Circumstance Marches No 2, and No 4 which has been featured at numerous state occasions including most recently, the Coronation of King Charles III. Originally from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, the orchestras guest conductor Katherine Stonham is a graduate of a joint course run by the Royal Northern College of Music and the University of Manchester, where she studied violin with Julia Hanson and conducting with Robert Guy. She graduated from the University of Manchester with a first-class honours degree in July 2020 and was awarded the GRNCM diploma in July 2021. Since September 2023 she has been the conducting tutor for South West Music School and South West Youth Orchestra and is the founder and principal conductor of the Manchester Philharmonic Orchestra, a dynamic new amateur orchestra based in south Manchester. Speaking about the special celebratory concert, Matthew Ellis, the Chairman of Wrexham Symphony Orchestra said: We are delighted to be back at the William Aston Hall for this special concert to mark our 55th anniversary with a celebration of the music of the British Isles under the baton of our guest conductor Katherine Stonham. It promises to be one the highlights of our 2023/24 season of concerts. Tickets for Music from Home at the William Aston Hall can be purchased here. The concert will take place at 7:30pm on Saturday 20 July. Business leaders call on Richard Branson to rescue North Wales-London rail service This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 19th, 2024 Business leaders want Sir Richard Branson to come to rescue after an investigation revealed over 20% of direct trains between North Wales and London get cancelled. The North Wales Business Council is calling on the legendary entrepreneur to launch an open access rail path on the route operated by Avanti West Coast. According to the Business Council, it would be a case of going back to the future because Sir Richards Virgin Group successfully ran the service for 20 years before the contract was awarded to Avanti in August 2019. In the meantime the Business Councils Chief Executive, Ashley Rogers, is also organising an emergency summit of the regions politicians, company bosses and other stakeholders. The move comes after it became clear the Avanti operation was going from bad to worse. The campaign is being backed by some big names in the North Wales business community, including Sean Taylor, the founder and president of Zip World, who described it as a third world service thats stifling the regional economy. Among the others who hit out was Adam Williams, owner of Llandudno Pier, Tir Prince Raceway in Kinmel Bay and a string of holiday parks and amusement arcades. Research by the Business Council showed the North Wales-London route has suffered more on the day cancellations than any other part of the Avanti network. Between April and June the percentage of cancellations rose from 8.2% to 21.7%. Thats six times as bad as the next worst Avanti route in the West Midlands which had a cancellation rate of 3.6% in June. Mr Rogers said: The fact that more than a fifth of the trains are cancelled on the day is staggeringly bad. It is totally unacceptable that North Wales is being cut off from reliable access to London on public transport because it is absolutely vital in terms of business, research and innovation and tourism. This is having a fundamental negative impact on how businesses operate and reducing our access to markets, hitting our competitiveness as a region, at a time when the economy badly needs growth We desperately need other operators to come in and provide a reliable service to London for North Wales, filling the ever widening gaps in the current services from Avanti With that in mind we are writing to Richard Bransons Virgin Group and Welsh Government for help, potentially looking for new open access services to and from London. The Business Council will also look to organise an emergency summit with key business and political stakeholders, to drive support for a solution. The Virgin Group has already applied to the Office of Rail and Road for Open Access rail paths for four other services on the West Coast line. If granted it would allow Virgin as a non-franchised train operator to run services on the rail network over and above the ones operated by current franchise holders like Avanti. The Business Council is hoping to persuade Virgin to add the North Wales-London route to its wish list. Sean Taylor said: Myself and Zip World employees regularly use the Avanti service from Llandudno Junction to Euston service and we are faced with third world conditions which include cancelled or late services, a regular lack of food and beverage service and disgruntled employees. The service has caused me personal embarrassment through missed or late appointments its a thoroughly unsatisfactory situation which is stifling the North Wales economy. Adam Williams added: Frustratingly, its clear the train service provided by Avanti has been going downhill for some time. Its shocking. By having such a poor service we are sending out the message that people who want to come should drive here in their cars at a time when we should be wanting to take cars off the road. Its hugely important that the Business Council is banging the drum on our behalf and championing the call for improved rail services. Bring on Richard Branson. North Wales Business Council Chief Executive Ashley Rogers. Picture by Mandy Jones Not too late to commit to a Wales specific covid inquiry -and more reaction to first pandemic report This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 19th, 2024 The Senedd will now consider if there were any gaps in yesterdays report into the UKs covid response, amid calls for a Wales-specific Covid Inquiry. Yesterday we reported on the critical report that found that the UK was underprepared for the pandemic, and Wales had a labyrinthine system. The report noted, For an administration that prided itself on its efficiency of movement because of its relative lack of scale, and which had described itself as operating, effectively, under one roof, the reality did not match the rhetoric. First Minister Vaughan Gething welcomed the report, adding, The publication is an important moment for Welsh families bereaved by Covid-19, and for the frontline staff who worked so hard during the pandemic to keep us all safe. Five witnesses from the Welsh Government, gave oral evidence over a number of days last year. We also submitted thousands of documents to the Inquiry for this Module. The report highlights many recommendations relevant to Welsh Government and our partners. We will now study the report in detail and respond fully to the Inquiry on each of these. We welcome the Reports recommendations and look forward to working together in equal partnership with the UK and other Devolved Governments in responding to them. We have always been committed to open and constructive work with the other governments of the UK and look forward to building on this in response to the report. We thank Baroness Hallett and her team for their work and for todays report. The Welsh Government continues to engage positively with all the remaining inquiry work being undertaken, including document disclosure, statements, and oral evidence as required. The Senedd COVID-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee will now scrutinise the report and propose to the Senedd by motion any gaps identified in the Inquirys report into preparedness and response that it believes should be subject to further examination. This is a parliamentary function for the Senedd to consider. Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies MS said: Its abundantly clear from this report that Labour ministers were out of their depth and had no idea of the state of Wales pandemic readiness. The evidence heard revealed the Labour Welsh Government to be wholly unprepared and lacking a plan. We need a Wales-specific Covid Inquiry to rectify these blatant errors. Sam Rowlands MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister added: This report is a damning indictment of Labours handling of the pandemic. The UK Inquiry is clear, advice not being taken from as far back as 2003, undue complexity and a failure to create a compact system for decision making hampered the Labour Welsh Governments pandemic response here in Wales. The Inquiry was patently not convinced by some of the evidence given. Only through a Wales-specific Inquiry can we ensure that these lessons are learned and we are prepared for future public health emergencies. Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Health and Social Care, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said: This is a damning report which exposes serious and significant failings on the part of the Labour Welsh government. The report will make difficult reading for covid bereaved families and our thoughts are with them today. A picture of over complex structures, lack of accountability, important work left unfinished and a general feeling of unwarranted over-confidence in preparedness plans is laid out in stark terms by Baroness Hallett. It is of deep concern to read that some of the lessons have not been learned. The Welsh government should not only admit to its significant failings but commit to implementing the recommendations of module 1 in full with a detailed plan to ensure that Wales will never be as underprepared for a pandemic ever again. It is also not too late to commit to a Wales specific covid inquiry, which is the ultimate way to hold the Welsh Government must be accountable for all of its decisions. Public Health Wales responded, The Covid-19 Public Inquiry Module 1 final report, which examines resilience and preparedness for the pandemic across the four UK nations, was published today. Public Health Wales would like to express its gratitude to Baroness Hallett and the Public Inquiry team for their thorough and diligent work. We are committed to continuous improvement and learning from past experiences to better protect the health and wellbeing of the people of Wales. We will now carefully review the Module 1 findings and recommendations, as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance public health protection, preparedness and resilience in Wales, and look forward to working with the Welsh Government and partners across Wales and the wider UK in the implementation of the recommendations. We recognise the profound impact the pandemic has had on so many people, and our thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to those who lost loved ones, friends and colleagues, and those who continue to suffer from the effects of the pandemic. (Top pic, a pop up testing centre in Wrexham during the pandemic) Wrexham University sees immense jump to top 10 ranking as LGBTQ+ inclusive employer This article is old - Published: Friday, Jul 19th, 2024 Wrexham University has risen more than 30 places to be ranked in the top 10 in Stonewalls Top 100 Employers List, being recognised for fostering an inclusive working environment for its LGBTQ+ staff. Securing Gold Award status and rising within the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index from 41st place to ninth, the University has also been placed in fifth position within the Higher Education sector. In the past 12 months, the University has made strong progress towards creating an inclusive working environment by increasing community engagement and highlighting its commitment to the institutions LGBTQ+ community. This has been achieved by hosting stands at local Pride events, as well as forming meaningful partnerships with local community groups. Areas of good practice within the University recognised by Stonewall included the institutions family friendly policies, available feedback mechanisms to support ongoing improvement, resources and guidance available to raise staff and student awareness and effective monitoring of information to help inform progress. Stonewall commended the institutions outreach activity that has been undertaken with local LGBTQ+ groups and organisations, supporting their ongoing work. Good practice was also highlighted in relation to the intersectional approach taken by the institution whereby consideration is given to the increased impact of discrimination upon individuals who have multiple identities. Alison Bloomfield, Head of Organisational Development and Diversity at the University, said: We are absolutely thrilled to be ranked ninth in Stonewalls Top 100 Employers List not only is this an immense jump from last years position of 41st but its also excellent to see that weve been placed fifth within the Higher Education sector. Id like to thank staff, who took the time to complete our staff feedback questionnaire that accompanied the submission, those responses are incredibly valuable and help us to make further improvements. Creating inclusive environments makes our learning and working environment safer and better for all not just LGBTQ+ people. Id like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank our LGBTQ+ Staff Network and the Organisational Development and Diversity team for the work they have undertaken to achieve this top 10 ranking. I would also like to thank all of our staff for helping to make our university a special and inclusive place to work and learn. Colin Macfarlane, Director of Programmes and Income at Stonewall, added: Implementing inclusive practices and policies is vital for employers who wish to attract and retain top LGBTQ+ talent. The Workplace Equality Index draws participants from diverse industries and sectors, all of whom understand that inclusivity is the future and are leading the way in this vital change. By championing LGBTQ+ employees, you are fostering a happy and motivated workforce and contributing to a UK where LGBTQ+ people can thrive as their true selves. ISLAMABAD, July 19 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said on Friday. The blast occurred in South Waziristan district of the province, killing two people on the spot, while two other injured lost their lives on their way to a local hospital, said the police. The explosive device was planted on a motorcycle and detonated with the help of a remote-controlled device, said the police, adding that the target of the blast was a local leader. An investigation has been launched to find the motives behind the incident. After the explosion, police and security forces rushed to the site immediately. The police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. No group or individual has claimed the attack yet. The US military announced Thursday that the floating pier, aimed ostensibly at delivering aid to Gazas starving population, will be dismantled. The official end of this two-month farce graphically exposes the complicity of American imperialism in Israels genocide against the Palestinians, which has claimed an estimated 186,000 lives, and will claim many more in the coming weeks and months due to malnutrition. A US Army landing craft is seen beached in Ashdod, May 26, 2024, after being swept by wind and current from the temporary humanitarian pier in the Gaza Strip [AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov] Since the floating pier was installed and declared operational on May 16, just 8,500 tons of aid have been delivered via the route. This equates to about 420 truckloads of aid. Announced with great fanfare by President Joe Biden in March, the pier ended up taking two months to deliver 80 percent of the 500 truckloads of aid that arrived in Gaza each day prior to the launching of Israels genocidal onslaught on October 7. The pier was only in service for 25 days during its two-month presence off the Gaza coast due to bad weather and repeated repairs. The total cost of the operation was $230 million. With breathtaking cynicism, Deputy Commander of US Central Command Brad Cooper asserted during his announcement of the end of the pier that it was mission accomplished. Perhaps he revealed more than he intended. The remark underscores how Washington was never concerned about averting a famine that was already imminent in March, when Biden presented the plan for the pier. Rather, the goal was to make a token gesture to widespread anger over the imperialist powers involvement in the genocide. From the outset, aid organisations denounced the ineffectual approach of maritime aid deliveries. A statement was signed by 25 non-governmental organisations in March criticising the use of air drops and maritime deliveries by states to create the illusion that they are doing enough to support the needs in Gaza. If US imperialism and its European allies were genuinely concerned about the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding before the worlds eyes in Gaza, they could have demanded Israel fully open land crossings into Gaza and guarantee the unhindered access of aid workers. Whats more, they could have forced this measure by halting their uninterrupted supply of high-powered weaponry to Israel, without which the Zionist regime could not continue its genocidal onslaught. But American imperialism is incapable of such actions, because it backs the genocide to the hilt as a demonstration of the ruthless measures it is prepared to employ in the rapidly emerging world war between the major powers. The flow of 2,000-pound bombs, one of which can destroy an entire city block, has continued unabated. The Biden administration has supplied some 14,000 of these weapons of mass murder since Israels bombardment began. Since Biden announced the deployment of the pier, Israel has continued to deliberately target aid workers and hit facilities run by the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the main agency responsible for the delivery of aid. On April 1, the Israel Defence Forces bombed two vehicles carrying aid workers from World Central Kitchen, killing seven. Despite compelling evidence showing that Israels strike was deliberate, no calls came from the United States or any other imperialist power for an independent investigation or unimpeded access to Gaza for aid workers. On May 6, just under two weeks before the pier went into operation, the IDF began its long-planned onslaught on Rafah, closing the two main border crossings for aid deliveries into the enclave. The offensive drove upwards of a million people out of Gazas southernmost city and reduced aid deliveries to a trickle, further compounding the already horrendous food crisis. In a July 9 briefing, UN special rapporteurs declared that famine had spread throughout the Gaza Strip. We declare that Israels intentional and targeted starvation campaign against the Palestinian people is a form of genocidal violence and has resulted in famine across all of Gaza, they explained in their statement. We call upon the international community to prioritise the delivery of humanitarian aid by land by any means necessary, end Israels siege, and establish a ceasefire. Thirty-four Palestinians have died from malnutrition since 7 October, the majority being children. Inaction is complicity. On July 12, an Israeli air strike in a supposed safe zone west of Khan Younis killed four aid workers from the Al-Khair organisation. A day later, 92 people were killed by an IDF strike on a camp in the al-Mawasi safe zone. UNRWAs Gaza headquarters was flattened on July 15 in another strike, according to UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini. It has become virtually impossible to move aid inside Gaza due to ongoing bombardments and the deliberate targeting of aid workers. Speaking to Irelands The Journal, Maher Haboush from Gaza City explained that he and his family have been displaced 10 times since Israels bombardment began. I lost 16 kilos before the war; this is famine, and now a new level has started. When I go to the market, I cant find items to feed my children, he said. UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths warned that 1 million Gazans, about half the population, would face the threat of starvation and death by the middle of July. Waiting until famine is officially declared before taking action would be a death sentence for hundreds of thousands of people and a moral outrage, he added. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, created by the UN, declares a famine when 20 percent of households have an extreme lack of food, 30 percent of children have acute malnutrition, and at least two adults or four children per 10,000 people die daily. Disease is also on the rise. A report from Gazas health ministry Thursday confirmed the presence of polio in waste samples from Gaza. An Oxfam report stated that Israel has reduced water supplies to Gaza by 94 percent, producing a deadly health catastrophe. The level of water available in Gaza is less than a single toilet flush per day per person, the report added. The report pointed out that Israel has destroyed or damaged five water sanitation sites every three days since October 7, reducing water production in Gaza by 84 percent. The IDF has also destroyed 70 percent of water sewage pumps and all waste water treatment plants. US imperialism views the inhuman crimes perpetrated by the Zionist regime as a price worth paying to advance its geopolitical interests in the region against Iran. Washington views the Gaza genocide as a key component in this strategy, which is aimed at consolidating American imperialist hegemony over the energy-rich Middle East. It has sanctioned a vast intensification of Israeli strikes into southern Lebanon to kill several leading commanders of Iranian-backed Hezbollah and will back an all-out war by Israel in Lebanon to the hilt. Israels Prime Minister and war criminal-in-chief Benjamin Netanyahu is due in Washington next Wednesday, when he will deliver a progress report to Congress on the implementation of the genocide. He is scheduled to meet with Biden, and sources Thursday indicated that attempts are being made to arrange a meeting with the fascist ex-President Donald Trump, the current front runner in the US election. Amid rampant starvation and the spread of disease in Gaza, Netanyahus visit clearly expresses the complicity of the entire American political establishment in the genocide against the Palestinians. The World Socialist Web Site and Socialist Equality Party are organizing a demonstration in Washington on July 24, not to appeal to the war criminals but to lay the basis for the building of an international anti-war movement led by the working class. This is the only way to stop the genocide and the rapidly evolving third imperialist world war. The newly formed Left, Independent, Anti-Capitalist and Anti-Patriarchal Bloc in Mexico issued its first statement since the June 2 presidential elections, joining the wave of triumphalism promoted by the pro-government media and official circles following the victory of Claudia Sheinbaum, the hand-picked successor of incumbent President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (known as AMLO). Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Claudia Sheinbaum, Zocalo, Mexico City, Nov. 1, 2019 [Photo: Jefatura de Gobierno, Ciudad de Mexico] The Bloc was first announced on May 27, the same week of the vote, and is led by a handful of tendencies that broke with Trotskyism decades ago. This includes the Workers Revolutionary Party (PRT) and League for Socialist Unity (LUS), both claiming to be sections of the Pabloite United Secretariat; the Movement of Socialist Workers (MTS), section of the so-called Trotskyist Fraction led by the Argentine Socialist Workers Party (PTS); and the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), the section of the International Workers Unity (UIT-CI). Both the Trotskyist Fraction and UIT-CI have their roots in and uphold the legacy of Argentine revisionist Nahuel Moreno. While pretending to be an alternative to the ruling party in Mexico, the Movement of National Regeneration (MORENA) led by Lopez Obrador, all these formations have a long history of promoting left illusions in AMLO and his administration. The Bloc merely provides a new front to better continue this role. In its statement issued on Tuesday, six weeks after the vote, the Bloc can hardly contain its enthusiasm, writing in one statement of a total victory, a great triumph expressing the aspirations of millions and a crushing vote, etc. In a section that could have been written by Sheinbaums campaign team, it adds: The result shows that AMLOs thought and proposals during his six-year termanother expression of the progressivism that has emerged in Latin America in recent yearshave managed to become ideologically hegemonic in society and lay the foundations for the consolidation of the changes in the political regime that Claudia Sheinbaum is committed to continue. While pointing to a few limitations, it proceeds to exaggerate the effect of AMLOs social programs and progress on labor rights. The meager cash transfers to students and the elderly and the increases to the minimum wage not only benefited millions of Mexican families, according to the Bloc, but were so significant so as to dynamize the domestic market. Lopez-Obradorism is described as progressive six times, adding that as a matter of definition it is characterized by welfare policies. The statement takes most of its formulations from an earlier article by Edgard Sanchez, co-founder and longtime leader of the Pabloite PRT, who clearly drafted the statement. AMLOs social policies are not simply a clientelistic practice, he writes, but a more comprehensive policy as they effectively introduce new social rights. Sanchez writes that contrary to his predecessors, under AMLO, militarization is not reduced to new Tlatelolcos, but rather to the empowerment of the armed forces in the State apparatus In other words, there is no danger today that the government will order the military to repeat a massacre of hundreds of student demonstrators like the one that took place in Tlatelolco in 1968. The Blocs founding statement, which was presented at the Havana Cafe in Mexico City in May by Isabel Vega of the MTS and Sanchez of the PRT, also celebrates the new mechanisms for labor justice under Lopez Obrador, referring to a Labor Reform that facilitates the election of so-called independent unions vetted by the government in order to replace the discredited and gangster-ridden bureaucracies. In the new statement, the Bloc adds casually that it was a labor reform promoted by the USMCA [US-Mexico-Canada] trade agreement and imperialism as an opportunity to achieve union democracy ... from which new independent unions emerged in industrial and other trades. The most recent statement, moreover, makes an appeal to trade union organizations that claim to be democratic and in opposition, the majority of which explicitly supported the ruling party in these elections, to return to the path of independent organization and mobilization. In a post-election article, the MTS similarly writes that MORENAs ideological success was greatly aided by the role of trade union and political leaders, who got out of their way to encourage solidarity and coordination of the emerging [class] conflicts, and aligned themselves with the government, including the so-called democratic trade unions. Despite not directly advocating a vote for Sheinbaum and MORENA, the documents of the Bloc have the overwhelming intention and effect of reinforcing what they describe as the ideological hegemony of the ruling bourgeois party over the working class. Their fascination with AMLO is only slightly more veiled than during the 2018 elections. For instance, a PRT statement published before the elections by International Viewpoint advocated an effort to seize the opening that a victory by AMLO could provide to build a united workers movement to the left of his party. Shortly after the victory of AMLO, such a regrouping was attempted during several Socialist Forums. During the July 7, 2018 forum, Jaime Gonzalez of the LUS said, We congratulate the people who voted, we think that this avalanche of votes is truly an extraordinary event. Sanchez of the PRT said Yes, we are very happy with that. It is a triumph of the popular struggle. Manuel Aguilar Mora of LUS, who was presiding over the forum, compared the election of AMLO to a monumental change as large as the dissolution of the USSR. The Mexican people, very stupid, very little politicized, very little aware, but what a beating it gave to the [former ruling parties] PRI and the PAN, he added. He concluded with the following invitation: The purpose of the forum process is that, it is made for that, for all those who have ideas and initiatives, for sectarians, for opportunists, for all those who want to see what kind of relationship we can have so that together we can move forward and at that moment stop being sectarians or opportunists, lets do it. In effect, the new Bloc is the concretization, six years later, of such a regrouping of national opportunists. An unprincipled alliance In its founding statement, the Bloc warns about the danger that future disillusionment in Sheinbaum will make power fall back into the hands of the traditional, right-wing parties or a far-right movement like that led by Argentine President Javier Milei. In the same breath, however, the Bloc argues that it is following the model of the Argentine Left and Workers Front-Unity (FIT-U), without seeking to conciliate both positions. The FIT-U, which holds five seats in the Chamber of Deputies and has repeatedly received over a million votes, has become a platform for securing positions in politics, the trade unions, NGOs and academia in Argentina. As the World Socialist Web Site has extensively analyzed, the rise of Milei was due to the lack of a genuine left-wing alternative, with the FIT-U consistently promoting illusions in, and even fronts with, the Peronist politicians and trade union bureaucrats responsible for destroying living standards, social programs and jobs by implementing IMF diktats. Both coalitions respond to entirely nationalist concerns and are not founded on any principled agreements at all. On the one hand, the Morenoites (as in Nahuel Moreno) of the UIT-CI, which the Mexican MAS and Argentine Socialist Left (IS) belong to, have consistently backed the US-NATO war against Russia in Ukraine, raising funds and sending fighters to the fascist-led Ukrainian army. The Pabloite United Secretariat has also backed NATO propaganda in support of the war. The PTS-MTS partners, meanwhile, claim to oppose both Russia and NATO, while other forces in their coalitions openly back the Putin regime. The Bloc also conceals the historical record of the groups within it, which have participated in numerous such coalitions with disastrous results for the consciousness of the working class. The Mexican PRT itself was formed as one such coalition after the 1976 elections. At the time, the Pabloite United Secretariat recognized two Mexican sections, the Socialist League aligned with Nahuel Moreno and the Internationalist Communist Group (GCI). In 1976, the long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) blocked other candidacies and won unopposed fearing that any opposition could further galvanize a mass upsurge of student and worker protests across Mexico against inequality and the autocratic PRI regime. In this explosive context, all Pabloite factions blocked an independent struggle for power for the working class. The GCI initially called for a front of a revolutionary left and then for a national front based on an anticapitalist program. The Morenoite Socialist League established an electoral coalition with the Stalinist Communist Party, which had played a key role in the assassination of Leon Trotsky only a generation earlier, and presented the Stalinist Valentin Campa as their presidential candidate (although he wasnt able to get certified) along with joint slates for Congress. The GCI then also endorsed Campa. Only three years earlier, in a similar coalition, the Pabloites in the Revolutionary Left Movement in Chile subordinated an emerging revolutionary movement of workers to the Popular Front under Salvador Allende and the Stalinists, politically disarming workers before the 1973 military coup and subsequent dictatorship under Gen. Augusto Pinochet. Later that year, the GCI briefly changed its name to a League or LCI, before joining the Morenoite Socialist League to establish the PRT. The new partys First Congress Documents state tellingly that the party must start its activity, agitation, etc., from the level of consciousness at which the masses find themselves, however low it may be The Morenoites would be kicked out of the PRT in 1979, after the Mandel-led United Secretariat backed the repression and deportation of Morenoites under the new bourgeois Sandinista government in Nicaragua. The Morenoites then established the Socialist Workers Party (POS), the predecessor of todays MAS. Among other such moves, the POS would again join a coalition with the Stalinists in the Unified Socialist Mexican Party (PSUM). Another key turning point for the Mexican Pabloites was the liquidation of the majority of the PRT into the new bourgeois, center-left Party for Democratic Revolution (PRD) led by Cuahtemoc Cardenas and AMLO in 1989. This turn was led by Edgard Sanchez, while a minority led by Manuel Aguilar left and established LUS in 1996. By 2000, Aguilar would agree to run as the PRT presidential candidate. All these twists and turns were carried out on the basis of immediate tactical considerations based on horse-trading over positions in bourgeois politics, without any subsequent evaluation. Despite such differences in their past and today, Enrique Gomez of the Morenoite MAS said during the presentation of the new Left Bloc in 2024: There are no substantial differences in the bloc. These social layers are indifferent to the disastrous consequences for workers of the intensification of capitalist exploitation, the subordination of the country to war plans against Russia and China, the detention of hundreds of thousands of migrants by Mexican troops, or even the threat of dictatorship and fascism. Only such an attitude can explain the labeling as progressive of Lopez Obrador, a stooge of Mexican billionaires like Carlos Slim, the imperialist governments of Trump, Biden and Trudeau and the brutally repressive Mexican military. These pseudo-left elements hope to advance their careers by betraying workers through the trade unions and politics at the behest of imperialism. These forces do not fear the capitalist state because they do not want to overthrow it and do not see it as an enemy at all. Their main appeals read like a job application to the new Sheinbaum government. The Blocs founding statement makes the broadest invitation to all those sectors that share the need to build a political alternative for the working class, women, sex-gender dissidences, native peoples and all oppressed people in our country. Combined with radical phraseology like the need to impose demands on the government and taking to the streets, the perspective presented is merely one of putting pressure on the Sheinbaum administration. The Bloc presses, in particular, for a greater budget for womens rights issues, above all against gender and patriarchal violence and to overcome the gender wage gap, as well as for election reform to facilitate the participation of smaller parties. The main leaders, Sanchez of the PRT and Luis Gonzalez and Manuel Aguilar of LUS, are all part of the 1968 generation of middle-class student protesters. These former student leaders made their peace with capitalism long ago. Their anti-capitalism is one influenced by anti-Marxist thought, including existentialism, the Frankfurt School and other predecessors of postmodernism, based on discomforts with capitalist society related to lifestyle, sexuality and other subjective and personal issues. Above all, what unites these forces is hostility to Marxism. Their new Bloc is nothing but a new trap for the working class and radicalized youth. Its deliberate purpose is to undermine class consciousness and subordinate workers to layers of the petty bourgeoisie and bourgeoisie. Revolutionaries, as stressed by Leon Trotsky in the founding document of the Fourth International, The Transitional Program, dont start from the existing consciousness of the working class, which merely means a willing adaptation to the illusions in capitalist governments and institutions like AMLO and the union bureaucracies. The program must reflect society as it is and not the backwardness of the working class. It is an instrument to overcome and vanquish the backwardness. Today, the threat of war and fascistic reaction is growing the world over and it can only be stopped by the independent and international mobilization of the working class for power and socialist revolution. This requires the building of sections in Mexico and across Latin America of the International Committee of the Fourth International, the genuine world Trotskyist movement, through an unyielding struggle against all pseudo-left opportunists and their fake anti-capitalism. The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment (CDPHE) reported Sunday that five workers have tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1 bird flu) virus. All five workers are employed by a single commercial egg layer operation. Thus, the event represents the first cluster of bird flu cases in humans, from a common source, discovered to date. All the workers were involved in slaughtering chickens known to be infected with H5N1, a process known as culling. The workers were part of an effort to control the spread of the virus by culling 1.8 million chickens. Chickens stand in their cages at a farm in Iowa. [AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the test results for four of the five workers, with confirmatory testing currently in progress for the fifth individual. The CDPHE had reported presumptive positive results for three of the five on Friday, noting that samples had been sent to the CDC for the confirmatory testing. For the fourth CDC-confirmed positive worker, the states presumptive positive result came back late Friday evening and was confirmed by the CDC on Saturday. The fifth outstanding presumptive positive result occurred Saturday and samples were sent to the CDC for confirmation, which is pending. I am extremely concerned that we are on the brink of this being really already in humansand once its in humans, it is going to be a real problem to control, said Seema Lakdawala, an influenza specialist at Emory University. The concern expressed is not only the occasional spillover case from animals to a human, although that type of event itself is highly worrying. Rather, the significant additional concern with this cluster of cases, arising from a single operation and in close temporal proximity, is that it raises the possibility that the virus has already gained the ability to transmit from human to human. When its clustered like that, it tells you that your risk has gone way up because the contact is causing the illness, said May Chu, an epidemiologist and professor at the Colorado School of Public Health. The concentration of persons at one location getting infected tells me the virus is spreading a lot better. Colorado Governor Jared Polis had already declared a disaster emergency on July 5 in response to the outbreak in chickens in the Weld County facility at the center of the outbreak. This declaration activated the states Emergency Operations Plan to allow the Colorado Office of Emergency Management to provide resources to help the facility respond to and contain the bird flu outbreak. The five infected persons had symptoms of conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the eye that gives it a pink or red appearance, and common respiratory infection symptoms. The reports do not indicate further which respiratory symptoms the workers were experiencing. Conjunctivitis has been reported in other human cases of H5N1 acquired from poultry and cattle, including one worker at a dairy farm in Colorado whose case was reported on July 3. At present, the H5N1 virus spreads to humans through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated equipment such as cow milkers. Thus, the best way to prevent acquiring an H5N1 infection is to wear personal protective equipment such as masks, gowns, gloves, and goggles that serve as a barrier against infected material. Neither the CDPHE nor any federal agency including the CDC, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), or the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), requires companies to provide PPE to workers or mandates the wearing of PPE during activity that brings workers into close contact with infected poultry or cattle. Instead, the CDPHE itself has been attempting to supply workers with the PPE necessary to protect themselves from the virus and urging workers to use it. At the CDPHEs invitation, the CDC has sent a team to Colorado to support the CDPHEs investigation. Otherwise, the CDC has not yet taken any urgent action in response to this significant event. It has not changed its guidance on either PPE or the investigation of H5N1 bird flu. Notably, there has been no major effort anywhere in the United States to expand surveillance and control of the virus commensurate with its pandemic potential. Since March, only 61 humans have even been tested for H5N1, according to the CDC. These numbers appear to omit the five individuals tested from the Colorado outbreak, since a July 10 web archive of the CDC H5N1 monitoring page reported 60 individuals tested. No federal or state agency has done serological testing, which looks for antibodies to the virus in blood with the goal of understanding the overall levels of exposure in a community. Nor have they tested close personal contacts of those infected with H5N1, let alone the contacts of all individuals tested. Also, nearly all current recommendations and guidance are optional. A federal order issued April 24 requires negative H5N1 testing results for all lactating dairy cattle prior to interstate shipment from one farm to another. Testing for all other types of cattle is not required. All recommendations regarding PPE and testing of humans for the virus are optional. No quarantine of infected humans is required. Rick Bright, an immunologist and former federal health official, recommended such testing, saying Id like to see them swabbing from not just the symptomatic people that theyve talked about, but also asymptomatic people on the same farm in the family circle unit and in the community. Lakdawala criticized the high degree of passivity of waiting for human-to-human transmission to occur rather than working actively to prevent it: I will tell you that what has been driving me the past few months is trying to prevent H5 from becoming a pandemic. I have never felt that we were as close as we are now. Bright additionally urged the federal government to make H5N1 vaccinations available to frontline poultry and dairy workers, saying, Its unethical to put farm workers on front lines to address the #H5N1 outbreak without the full protection available to them today. Such vaccinations could also substantially prevent the evolution of H5N1 in humans into variants that are capable of human-to-human transmission as well as subsequent actual transmission. The federal and state agencies with the authority and technology to contain H5N1 and prevent it from becoming the next pandemic are not doing what is both within their means and required. Instead, beholden to the interests of the poultry and dairy industries, they are doing the absolute minimum possible consistent with not impacting profits. Even the lone mandate for testing lactating dairy cattle prior to interstate transport has failed to prevent outbreaks in dairy cattle in new states. The USDA just reported on July 15 that it had detected H5N1 in dairy cattle in Oklahoma for the first time, making it the 13th and latest state with the virus. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) candidates in the 2024 US presidential elections, Joseph Kishore and Jerry White, announced Thursday that their campaign had submitted far in excess of the required signatures to appear on the ballot in Michigan. The ballot access laws for third-party candidates are different in every state, compounding the difficulty of running a nationwide campaign. For Michigan, the socialist campaign was required to gather at least 100 signatures from a majority of the states 13 congressional districts and at least 12,000 total. A campaign manager for Kishore/White told this reporter that the campaign exceeded that total in at least 11 congressional districts, and as a whole the campaign submitted 20,000 signatures. Presidential candidate Kishore stated in a video accompanying a press release that the gathering of the signatures was a tremendous achievement that would not have been possible without the self-sacrifice and dedication of SEP supporters from throughout the state and indeed across the country. Vice presidential candidate Jerry White said: In the course of this campaign, we spoke with hundreds of thousands of people. There is enormous opposition to the genocide in Gaza, the escalating global war, extreme levels of social inequality and the turn of the ruling class toward dictatorship and fascism... As we turned these petitions in, the Republican National Convention was being held, a festival of fascistic reaction. In the aftermath of the attempted assassination of Trump, the line from the Democrats and Biden, dripping in blood from the genocide in Gaza, is unitywhich means the unity of the ruling class in war abroad and war on the working class at home. Explaining the purpose of the SEP campaign, Kishore stated that it gives expression to the interests of the working class, in the US and throughout the world. He continued: We are developing within the working class an understanding that our interests cannot be realized except through the fight against capitalismthat is, the taking of power by the working class, the expropriation of the rich, and the creation of a society free of war and exploitation, a society based on equality. Michigan is considered a must win state by both the Republican and Democratic campaigns. It is the third most populous state in the Midwest, with over 10 million people and 15 Electoral College votes. President Joe Biden won the state in 2020 by roughly 155,000 votes, while Donald Trump was able to best Hillary Clinton in the state in 2016 by some 11,000 votes. In addition to the automotive industry, which still employs over 1.1 million workers in Michigan, tens of thousands of workers in the state labor at technology companies such as Google, and in the healthcare industry, including at major facilities at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, the Detroit Medical Center and Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, and Corewell Health, a recently merged system that covers the entire state. As of this writing, Kishore and White of the SEP would join Jill Stein of the Green Party and right-wing anti-vaccine zealot Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on the ballot in Michigan. The campaign for Dr. Cornel West is still awaiting certification by the state, according to its campaign website. In a bid to block the emergence of an independent, left-wing movement in the working class to the capitalist two-party system, both the Democrats and Republicans have used the courts, the legislature and election boards to deny ballot access. Just this week, Democrats on the North Carolina State Election Board voted to block West from appearing on the ballot despite the fact that his campaign submitted over 3,200 verified signatures above the minimum requirement. According to the SEP campaign manager, a majority of the signatures were collected in populous Wayne County, home to Detroit, with over 1.7 million residents. The Kishore/White campaign was warmly received throughout the county, including in Dearborn, which is home to the largest Muslim population in the US per capita. In Dearborn and throughout the state, there is mass outrage over the unwavering support of Biden and the Democratic Party for the genocide in Gaza, which a recent Lancet study estimated has claimed the lives of over 186,000 people. Petitioners for Kishore/White regularly campaigned outside halal grocery stores, mosques and community events, where they explained that the fight against Zionism requires a break from both the Democratic and Republican parties and a fight against the capitalist system which they both defend. While over 11,000 signatures were gathered in Wayne County alone, the campaign also garnered over 6,000 signatures total in the other three counties of the greater Detroit-Ann Arbor metropolitan area--Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw. Over 650 people signed the petition each in Genesee County, home to Flint, and Kent County, where Grand Rapids is located. Triple-digit signature totals were also gathered in Ottawa, Kalamazoo, Ingham and St. Clair counties. In total, the campaign gathered signatures in 74 of Michigans 83 counties. The widespread and broad support for the socialist campaign in Michigan refutes notions advanced by demoralized middle-class elements that workers and students in the United States are hopelessly backward and incapable of entertaining the possibility of a socialist perspective. Less than two years ago, some 5,000 autoworkers voted for socialist Will Lehman for president of the UAW, including many in Michigan. This was an expression of growing opposition in the working class to the UAW apparatus and support for an internationalist and socialist perspective. The SEP is continuing to gather signatures in other states where it is fighting to get on the ballot. Europes ruling elites are frantically recalibrating their stance given what they consider to be the inevitability of Donald Trump being installed in the White House following Novembers US Presidential election. Among the obscene efforts in this direction are those of UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. In 2018, when he was still a backbench Labour MP and with the party then led by the nominally left Jeremy Corbyn, Lammy penned an article in Time magazine denouncing then US President Trump. Ahead of Trumps visits to Britain that year, Lammy wrote, Trump is not only a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathizing sociopath. He is also a profound threat to the international order that has been the foundation of Western progress for so long. David Lammy at the Party of European Socialists (PES) Congress in London, November 11, 2023 [Photo by PES Communications/Flicr / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Asked about these comments on Thursday, Lammy brushed them aside, telling Sky News, You are going to struggle to find any politician who didnt have things to say about Donald Trump back in the day. There was nothing that couldnt be smoothed over, with Lammy stating, I meet with Republicans and Democrats, many close to Trump, and we will work with whomever the United States choose to put in the White House and become their next president. Lammy cited as an example of those close to Trump his vice-presidential pick J.D. Vance. He told the BBCs Breakfast programme, Let me just say on J.D. Vance that Ive met him now on several occasions. We share a similar working-class background with addiction issues in our family. Weve written books on that. Weve talked about that. And were both Christians, so I think I can find common ground with J.D. Vance. Lammy personifies the venal, right-wing warmongers that make up Sir Keir Starmers government. His first trip as foreign minister was to Germany, Poland and Swedenkey countries in NATOs war against Russia in Ukraine. Ahead of the trip, he promised that this government will reset relations with Europe as a reliable partner, a dependable ally and a good neighbour. Pivotal to this mending of fences was securing agreement on escalating war with Russia. He wrote in The Local Europe digital news site prior to the trips, in a piece also published on the governments website, that he would seek to work even more closely together [with allies] to tackle shared challenges. The most immediate of these challenges, of course, is Ukraine European security will be this governments foreign and defence priority. Russias barbaric invasion has made clear the need for us to do more to strengthen our own defences. What would be discussed at the NATO summit in Washington was how NATO allies can go further in investing in our tightly connected defence industries and providing Ukraine with its own clear path to joining our alliance. At the summit, Starmer embraced his role as Britains wartime prime minister. We can deliver more cooperation in many areas bilaterally, via NATO and in groupings like the G7, the Joint Expeditionary Force or the European Political Community who will gather at Blenheim Palace on 18 July, Lammy stressed. [For an assessment of the European Political Community summit, read here] Lammys article was published July 7, by which time Labours Defence Secretary John Healey had already visited Kiev to offer a new package of military support and pledge to give Ukraine an open-ended 3 billion annually. Backing Israels genocide Lammy followed up the Europe trip with a visit last weekend to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. He went as a stalwart supporter of Israels massacre of the Palestinians. Last November, as shadow foreign secretary, Lammy visited Israel for meetings with President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen to offer his support. That month, Israeli warplanes blew up the heavily populated Jabaliya neighbourhood in northern Gaza, which houses the largest refugee camp in the Strip. At least 195 civilians were killed, with 120 more buried under rubble. Lammy said of this war crime that its clear to me that its wrong to bomb a refugee camp, but clearly if there is a military objective it can be legally justifiable. By the time of his return to Israel, the prestigious Lancet medical journal had estimated that up to 186,000 Palestinians have been killed so far. Claiming that he was here to push for a ceasefire, Lammy posed shaking the hand of the mass-murderer-in-chief, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He can make noises about ceasefires knowing full well that Israel is not listening and is confident that it can proceed with its genocide with the full backing of the US, UK and other major imperialist powers. Even as Lammy was in Jerusalem, the Israel Defense Forces were intensifying their slaughter, including blowing up the Gaza headquarters of the United Nations Palestinian relief agency UNRWA on the second day of his trip. The Israeli newspaper Maariv revealed that the peacemaker Lammy had given assurances that the UK would not withdraw its objections to the International Criminal Courts application for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. While he was a shadow minister, Lammy had stated that Labour in government would drop the UKs legal challenge. There is nothing that Lammy, Healey and Starmer will not sanction as leaders of the party of NATO, pledged to increase military spending to 2.5 percent of GDP to ensure the Armed Forces are fit to fight. Lammy and Healey have played a central role over the last five years in opposition in liaising with US imperialism, making frequent trips to Washington and establishing close connections with both the Biden administration and key Republican Party figures. Referring to the overarching Trump problem Labour would face in office, in light of Lammys 2018 comments, Andrew Marr wrote in the New Statesman in April that there is a weary belief in Labour high command that Joe Biden wont make it, and that Trump is realistic enough to deal, however grumpily, with a Labour government sitting atop a big majority. To that end, Lammy has been repeatedly in Washington recently meeting Republicans such as Mike Pompeo, J.D. Vance of Hillbilly Elegy fame and Trumps former national security adviser Robert OBrien. One of the best-connected British politicians in Washington DC, Lammy has been helped by the former US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. Given Trumps repeated threats against NATO countries who are not meeting the required at least 2 percent of GDP on military spending, Marr added, Britain under Labour would remain a relatively high spending member of NATO and less problematic for Washington than Brussels. Lammy has praised Vances screed as a wonderful book. In an X posting made following remarks he made at a panel discussion at this years Munich Security Conference in February, Lammy cited, almost word for word, an argument made by Vance that same day (February 19) in a Financial Times op-ed that Europe had to increase military spending to satisfy the demands made by the US. Lammys post read, South Korea is sending more shells to Ukraine than the whole of the European family combined. This is a challenge to us; to Europe. We cannot afford to stand still. Lammy was born to a working-class family in London, and brought up in the shadow of the deprived Broadwater Farm estate. But these early days are long gone as Lammy underwent a meteoric rise into the highest echelons of government. After studying at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, he graduated with a law degree and was called to the bar of England and Wales in 1994. His next move was to enrol at Harvard University, attending Harvard Law School from which he graduated in 1997. Following the death of Labour left MP Bernie Grant, he was elected to his seat as Labour MP for Tottenham in 2000 aged just 27the then youngest MP in Parliament, and as a supporter of right-wing Labour leader Tony Blair. Lammy voted in favour of Britains invasion of Iraq in 2003, and by October 2008, was promoted by Blairs successor, Prime Minister Gordon Brown, to Minister of State, as well as being appointed to the Privy Councilthe body of advisers to the reigning monarch. All this by the time he was 36 years old! Lammys US auditions for government office Among the many trips by Lammy to the United States were joint appearances at prestigious US institutions with then shadow defence secretary Healey. Following a previous visit by Healey to the Wilson Center in October 2022, Healey was joined in September 2023 at the same institution by Lammy for a discussion titled, The UK Labour Partys Foreign and Defense Priorities. Such events served as auditions, in which the Labour representatives outlined their pro-war agenda and willingness to continue to serve as the reliable junior partner of US imperialism. The event was moderated by Robin Quinville, Director of the Global Europe Program, who asked, There are so many areas where many US policy makers will want to know your approach, both continuity and change that includes Ukraine and the war in Europe how would a Labour government approach them? David Lammy (centre) and Labour Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey (right) speaking at the Wilson Centre think tank in Washington during their United States visit in September 2023 [Photo: screenshot: Woodrow Wilson Centre/YouTube] Lammy reassured the US ruling elite, Were in the United States because the relationship between the UK and the US is so central to the rules-based order that we all enjoy, and we want to stress that there are huge points of continuity going forward. Addressing fears that Trump was not fully on board with escalating the war against Russia, Lammy stated, there is a debate in Washington that we have detected around support for Ukraine. We want to make clear that there is not that debate in the UK. There is a bi-partisan position right across the political establishment in the UK that we have to stand with the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes and that we have to repel Putin in his imperial ambitions. Having reassured the Democrats that Labour was on board with war against Russia, Lammy sought to appease the Trump camp who see conflict with China, not Russia, as the priority for US imperialism. We are also conscious that we are here in a very changing global environment in which the United States is not the only superpower in the world. China clearly has emerged as a significant economy representing a fifth of the global economy, he said. It had adopted a more aggressive posture and we are very conscious of the concerns in the China Sea and the Taiwan Straits. Lammy cited AUKUS, Britains military alliance with the US and Australia, adding that the discussions we continue to have about Britains role in the Indo-Pacific are very important. On May 8 this year, two months out from the general election that brought him to power, Lammy recalibrated his message still further when speaking at the Hudson Institute in Washington, stressing that he shared common ground with Bidens Democratic Party administration but would have no problem working with Trump as US President: If I have the privilege of becoming foreign secretary, I am acting in what is the UK national interest as a front bench MP, and I take that very, very seriously, particularly in relation to the portfolio I have. And so where I can find common cause with Donald Trump, I will find common cause. I have many friends in the Republican Party, Im a good Christian boy. So there are places where I can be described and have been described as a small c conservative Labour politician. For good measure, earlier this year Lammy paid tribute to Margaret Thatchernow a requirement for anyone who makes it to the top of the Labour Party. He enthused of someone still despised by millions that she was a visionary leader for the UK. Standing against Labour in the general election, the Socialist Equality Party insisted that all efforts by pseudo-left parties, including those at the head of Britains official anti-war movement, to claim that Labour can be lobbied and pressured into fighting on behalf of the working class are a fraud. The foreign policy of Labour, to support war and do the bidding of US imperialism, requires at the same time a war on the living standards of workers at home and the evisceration of democratic rights. The necessity facing the working class is to break once and for all with Labour, and to build its own revolutionary party, the Socialist Equality Party. The pro-business agenda of Starmers incoming Labour government was typified by its pre-election backing for Royal Mails takeover by billionaire Daniel Kretinsky. Labours Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has worked closely with Communication Workers Union (CWU) officials led by Dave Ward, supporting their policy of engagement with Kretinskys EP Group to block opposition from postal workers to its slash-and-burn agenda. The takeover was placed on the back-burner during the general election. But Labour ruled out Royal Mails return to public ownership and Reynolds gave in-principle agreement to the buy-out based on five-year contractual undertakings by Kretinsky that will be scrapped at the first opportunity. The protections for workers are worthless but have been embraced by Labour to sanctify a looting spree. Dave Ward speaking at a CWU rally in London, December 2022 In addition to the billions that will be reaped by firms like Blackrock, UBS and Schroders, and an estimated 3 million payout to International Distributions Services (IDS) directors and former directors, the Financial Times reports, Bankers and other advisers are expected to net up to 146mn in fees for assisting Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinskys takeover bid in a development that risks further antagonising postal workers at the former state-owned group. The Financial Times fears that opposition by postal workers to the takeover could reignite anger in the wider working class and jeopardise plans by the ruling class for further pro-market restructuring at Royal Mail and elsewhere. Hence its reliance on the CWU and the Labour government. Any claim that Labour will not rubber stamp the takeover is a lie. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has made clear Labours top priority is to make Britain a safe haven for investors, reports the Financial Times. The papers July 12 feature article on Reeves explained she has set Labour on a pro-business path based on promises of stability and fiscal discipline. She and Starmer have offered repeated praise for Margaret Thatcher, making clear Labour will enforce corporate interests against the working class with an iron fist. CWUs alliance with Labour The CWU postal executive issued repeated calls for a Labour vote ahead of the July 4 general election. Its officials pulled out all stops, including letters to branches, emails and social media posts to get the vote out for Starmer. A vote Labour letter signed by Ward and Deputy General Secretary (Postal) Martin Walsh was sent to the home address of every CWU member. This whitewashed Labours pro-business, anti-working-class policies, including Starmers backing for genocide, imperialist militarism and war. The CWUs vote Labour appeal referenced the Tories reign of shame, including their handling of the pandemic, the dismantling of the NHS, the direct targeting of striking workers, thousands living on the streets and millions of families being pushed into in-work poverty, claiming The only credible answer to that is Labour. But every one of these Tory policies is backed by Labour. During the pandemic, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (followed by Starmer) joined the Trades Union Congress in giving full support to Boris Johnsons herd immunity policies that killed more than 230,000 people. Labours Health Secretary Wes Streeting is the champion of National Health Service privatisation, while Starmer has ruled out even basic measures to alleviate child poverty, such as removing the two-child cap on benefits. Ward and Walsh claimed, Our influence as a union is at the heart of the Labour manifesto. The CWU were the founders of the New Deal for Workers campaign and fought for it to be adopted as one of Labours key policies. But Labours pledge to end fire-and-rehire, certain types of zero hours contracts and its promise to repeal Minimum Service legislation will make little difference to millions of workers. The party is keeping all pre-existing anti-strike laws on the books, while fire and rehire in all but name will be achievedas at Royal Mailvia company-union deals to rewrite terms, conditions and pay. This is why Labours New Deal is introducing sectoral-wide bargaining between unions and employers, starting with a pilot scheme in the social care sector, and measures to encourage union access to unorganised workplaces. The Labour government views the union bureaucracy as a key ally in suppressing industrial action and slashing pay and conditions. Labours vision for a New Deal is agreements like the one hatched at Royal Mail: a two-tier workforce with new entrants on inferior pay and benefits, and a bonfire of workers rights, driving thousands of legacy workers out. This was the outcome welcomed last year by Labour MP Darren Jones, who was promoted during the dispute as the friend and saviour of postal workers. You think Labour will help? It was no surprise that Wards electioneering generated no enthusiasm. On polling day, the CWUs Facebook page declared: Make sure to get out and vote today, and vote for a New Deal for Workers! But postal workers hit back with a stream of comments: Remember last time CWU told us how to vote its really turned out well for us all within royal mail hey I certainly remember Blair and Brown government (Labour) trying to privatise Royal Mail You think Labour will help? Nope I dont think theyll lift a finger to help us. So next time we are in dispute with our private owners, might u be even less inclined to take meaningful action, so as not to annoy or belittle your labour buddies in power? Labour wont help us, theyve said we wont be renationalised and they wont block the sell-off to Kretinsky Bitter lessons have been drawn by workers who refuse to have the wool pulled over their eyes by union bureaucrats who have betrayed their every struggle. This points to a broader reality. Labours landslide election victory was achieved off the back of mass anti-Tory sentiment, but the partys vote share was just 33.8 percentthe lowest on record for an incoming government. At the same time, only 52 percent of the voting-age population turned out to vote, the lowest since universal suffrage was granted in 1928. This speaks to enormous political alienation and hostility to Labours pro-capitalist program. That such a hated right-wing figure as Starmer has been placed in power is due entirely to the role of the trade union bureaucracy, in alliance with Labour lefts such as Jeremy Corbyn. The Corbynites have worked to shackle workers to the Labour Party and prevent any socialist challenge to Starmers pro-war, pro-austerity program. During the 2022-23 strike wave that encompassed 2 million workers at its height, Dave Ward and Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union General Secretary Mick Lynch became figureheads for the Enough is Enough campaign. They worked to head off calls for a general strike that would have brought the working class into direct conflict with a Tory government in turmoil and with Starmers efforts to form a Labour government in the national interest. Lynch criticised Starmers attacks on striking workers, while holding out the prospect for his redemption if he would only come off the fence. Mick Lynch (left) and Dave Ward addressing the launch of Enough is Enough, London, August 17, 2022 Once the strike wave was betrayed, Enough is Enough was mothballed and Lynchs militant posturing was replaced by cringeworthy endorsements of Labour. On the eve of the general election, Lynch declared: I support getting rid of this government and Im a realistthe only government were going to get as an alternative will be led by Keir Starmer, so people have to deal with that, people have got to grow up a bit in some senses. The Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee (PWRFC) opposes all such calls for unity with Starmers right-wing Labour government. The alliance of the trade union bureaucracy with Starmer underscores the need to prepare an industrial and political fight in the working class to challenge the dictates of the corporate and financial oligarchy. We encourage postal workers to read and share the WSWS perspective Build the socialist opposition to Starmers right wing government and help build the PWRFC. Workers and defenders of civil liberties in Australia and New Zealand continue to send statements to the World Socialist Web Site supporting the fight to free Bogdan Syrotiuk, a Ukrainian socialist and principled opponent of the fascistic Zelensky regime and the NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. Bogdan Syrotiuk with an image of Leon Trotsky in an old Soviet edition of John Reed's Ten Days that Shook the World, April 2023 Bogdan was arrested by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) on April 25 on false charges of high treason and defending the interests of the Putin regime in Russia. In fact, as a member of the Trotskyist Young Guard of Bolshevik Leninists (YGBL), Bogdan is an intransigent opponent of both the oligarchic regimes in Moscow and Kiev. The YGBL, in political solidarity with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) which publishes the WSWS, operates in Russia, Ukraine and throughout the former Soviet Union. Its perspective is the unification of the working class across national borders against the capitalist governments and against imperialist war. Bogdan is being targeted because of his fight against war. His arrest comes as the US and NATO engage in further reckless escalations of their proxy war in Ukraine which has already led to the deaths of half a million Ukrainians and tens of thousands of Russians. Increasingly, Ukrainian workers and youth oppose the militarist and authoritarian Zelensky regime. The concern of the Ukrainian government and its imperialist paymasters is that, under these conditions, Bogdans socialist revolutionary and internationalist perspective will find broad support among the Ukrainian population. His arrest is the highpoint of attacks on anti-war and left-wing sentiments internationally. The WSWSs call for Bogdans freedom has won support globally, with nearly 3,500 signing a petition in his defence and dozens of statements of support from workers, youth, artists and professionals published on the WSWS. We publish below statements from workers, youth and professionals from Australia and New Zealand calling for Bogdans immediate release. *** Mitya Moor, a civil servant in Adelaide, South Australia Free Bogdan! I am outraged by the injustice of all capitalists against the workers of the world. Ukraine, Russia, and China are proving to be battlegrounds of the rich against the poor! I condemn the actions of the SBU and the Ukrainian puppet state for its oppressive and warlike attacks on democratic rights and principles. Bogdan Syrotiuk has been unjustly held in prison for the simple act of speaking up for the working classes against imperialism. As a leader of the Young Guard of Bolshevik-Leninists (the YGBL), Bogdan has shown great courage against the machinations of NATO interests. A nascent barbarism of monstrous warfare has been stoked by finance capital. After the dissolution of the Stalinist bloc, the capitalists have deemed the Far East as a playground for their economic projects, regardless of the working classes, peasants, and impoverished masses who live and subsist on those lands. For nearly a decade, the Socialist Equality Party, the ICFI, and the YGBL with them, have warned of the imperialist build-up of forces and aggression on Russia and Chinas doorstep. We can have no doubt now that the world, and all humanity and life with it, are but fair game for the capitalist classes. The emergence of WWIII is an existential threat facing the world proletariat. We see the rise of fascism, the erosion of democratic rights, the destruction of the environment, the wholesale slaughter of thousands of Palestinians by Israel, and ever more militarisation and nationalism. We must stand together, as workers and socialists, against the interests of war and greed. For Bogdan Syrotiuk, a brave man of 25, has been imprisoned for nothing more than standing up for the working class who grow tired of being the fodder for imperialism. An attack against Bogdan is an attack against us all. As long as Bogdan stays in prison on false charges and lies, I am not free. Justin, a young worker in Sydney I am signing to free and support Bogdan because he was illegally arrested for calling on the working class and ordinary people of Ukraine to stand up against the warmonger, fascist and pro-imperialist Zelensky government. Not just in Ukraine, Bogdan is also calling the same people in Russia to oppose the militarist and oligarchic Putin regime as well. His arrest is a symbol of opposition against democracy and free speech by the Ukrainian government who dont want ordinary people to stand up against the senseless imperialist war against Russia. The same goes for the Kremlin as well. It is illegally cracking down on working-class people for opposing the hopeless attempts to re-establish an imperial Russia. Bogdans arrest had inspired thousands of people around the world to not just free him, but also to stand up against their right-wing ruling class governments which are dangerously putting ordinary working peoples lives at risk for imperialist wars. His fight for freedom is a symbol for ordinary people to rise and stand up for what is right, freedom and democracy. Stephen Keim, SC is a Brisbane, Australia barrister who in 2007 successfully defended and represented Indian-born doctor Mohamed Haneef, who was framed-up and detained by the Howard Liberal-National government on false terrorism charges. For the stand he took, Keim was awarded the 2009 Human Rights Medal by the Australian Human Rights Commission. Keim signed the petition demanding Bogdans freedom, and left the following comment: Ukraine should respect international human rights principles such as those in the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, particularly, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. This is particularly the case where Ukraines government, no longer holds the popular endorsement of having been elected since the term of office from the last election has now expired. Matthew, a 26-year-old student in Christchurch, New Zealand I stand unreservedly in support of Bogdan and his tremendously brave stance against the Ukrainian government. And I think we should all try to make his story known to the world as much as we can. Bogdan Syrotiuk, 25-years-old, has committed no crime. He has only said publicly that the working class of both Russia and Ukraine must unite to end this war. Yet the Zelensky government has thrown him in prison on the basis of outright lies. Lets be clearthis shows that not only have the Ukrainian government and NATO sent thousands of young men to their deaths, but they have no problem with using lies, intimidation and extra-legal methods to do so, all in aid of not freedom for Ukrainians, but imperialist plunder. If Bogdan is reading this, I hope he can take comfort from knowing that he has friends even in New Zealand, and while there are hard times ahead, Im sure hell be out of prison soon. Wars are not sustainable; police-state repression is not sustainable. I think the worldwide reaction to the Gaza genocide is proof of this. In 2024, you cant suspend human rights on a massive scale without people fighting back. And the more the Zelensky government uses criminal methods, the more its support will crumble like sand. We need to stand with Bogdan now, because its easy to imagine the alternative: if Ukraine is able to imprison socialists and ban the World Socialist Web Site without protest, whats to stop the UK, Germany or the US, from doing the same? Last week, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in Melbourne, Australia campaigned at the JBS meatworks facility in the working-class western suburb of Brooklyn. IYSSE members spoke to workers at the plant about the necessity to build an international movement of the working class and youth to stop the Israeli genocide in Gaza and the danger of nuclear war. IYSSE member (left) speaks with JBS workers JBS, a Brazilian-based transnational corporation, is one of the largest global food processing companies. Its abattoir in Melbourne is the biggest in the state of Victoria, employing in excess of 1,200 workers. Much of the workforce are migrant labourers, largely from the Pacific Islands, brought into Australia on limited visas for cheap labour. The JBS Brooklyn plant was notably the site of a work stoppage in July 2020, when workers demanded the implementation of COVID-19 safety measures to stop the spreading virus, which had infected over 80 employees. The workers independent action was opposed by the union covering the facility, the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union, which sided with JBS management in forcing workers to continue work under unsafe conditions. IYSSE members and supporters campaigned outside the plants entrance as workers ended their shift, with a table of Marxist literature, banners, and placards calling for the freedom of Ukrainian socialist Bogdan Syrotiuk. They handed out articles from the WSWS and won an enthusiastic response from workers. The IYSSE explained that the fight to stop imperialist war requires the full mobilisation of the working class, independently of the trade union bureaucracies, which have lined up entirely behind the Albanese Labor governments full-throated support for the Gaza genocide and the US-led drive to war against Russia and China. This requires the building of a new revolutionary leadership. To that end, campaigners urged workers to join the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) as electoral members. This is part of the SEPs campaign to get on the ballot at the next federal election and provide workers with a genuine alternative to the capitalist, pro-war political establishment in Australia. Junior, a worker from the Solomon Islands, told the IYSSE: War is about the governments systems around the world. It is a political issuethis is why there is both war and corruption, that is why so many people are being killed around the world. I definitely think that a war between America and China must not happen. We need to stop war, have peace, and have unity in our worldthats all. Another, Mervin, said: I feel very bad about Gaza. There are many civilians killed, most of them are homeless and hungry. One young worker, as she passed the IYSSE table, called out: Free Palestine! Tone, also from the Solomons, who is on a four-year work visa, said: The war on Gaza should be stopped. If a government supports the war, the people should protest. She expressed opposition to NATOs proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. America supports Ukraine, she said. If their government continues involvement in that war, how can every worker in the world stay in peace with no war? IYSSE campaign at JBS meatworks, Melbourne A taxi driver, originally from India, who transports workers to and from the plant, approached the IYSSE campaigners to show his support for an anti-war movement. After brief discussion, he signed up as an electoral member of the SEP and invited his fellow driver, from Somalia, to do the same. He spoke on Israels crimes in Gaza: Its horrible. These Palestinians are human beings, innocent people. Their families and children are being killed. I have five kids and I work for them, so I dont know how these people are coping through this. The whole world is feeling sorry for the people of Gaza. I hope it stops as early as possible. But the governments in America and Australia support Israel to wipe out the whole country and kill innocents. This has to stop. He added, Your party is against the genocide, so I believe it must stand in the election for Australian people to choose. Workers also spoke on the cost-of-living crisis and the daily struggle to maintain themselves and their families. Jill, a worker of African background who has been at the JBS plant for over a decade, described her living conditions. I live with my adult son in a house that we cant afford to rent anymore, she explained. The cost of food, and everything else, is going up and money is getting tighter. I cant drive a car to get to work, because I cant afford to pay for lessons, theyre too much! So instead, I have to pay around $560 every month on taxi fares to get to work here. For people who have money, life is good, but what about the rest of us? We need the government to help, but instead everything is being done to prepare for war. As workers were leaving the plant, Morgan Peach, president of the IYSSEs club at the University of Melbourne, spoke to them on a megaphone: US imperialism and its allies, including Australia, are engaged in the redivision of the globe through war. There is a real danger of nuclear war. The source of this is the capitalist system. To stop war, workers must take up a fight against capitalism and for socialism! Peach also explained why workers must come to the defence of Bogdan Syrotiuk. The spearhead for any anti-war movement today must be the fight to free Bogdan. He is in prison for providing a socialist perspective to Ukrainian and Russian workers, against their governments. He is in prison for opposing the war in Ukraine, which is a proxy war by the imperialist powers against Russia. He stands for the interests of the world working class, which has no interest in nuclear war. ISLAMABAD, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Pakistan's east Punjab province has arrested Al-Qaeda leader Amin Muhammad Ul Haq Saam Khan during a raid in Jehlum district, an official statement said on Friday. "In a major operation, the CTD Punjab has arrested Osama bin Laden's close associate Amin ul Haq whose name is included in the UN's global list of terrorists," the CTD said in the statement. Calling it a significant development in the ongoing war against terrorism, the statement said that Khan was involved in several terrorist activities and was planning to carry out a large-scale terrorist attack in the country. He was on the UN list for "participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of or in support of "supplying, selling or transferring arms and related material to" or "otherwise supporting acts or activities of" Usama bin Laden (deceased) and Al-Qaeda." CANBERRA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Australians have been urged to be wary of scams following a major data breach involving a medical prescription provider. Electronic prescription provider MediSecure on Thursday night revealed that the personal and health-related data of approximately 12.9 million Australians who used the service between March 2019 and November 2023 was stolen during a cyber-attack earlier this year. In a statement posted on social media, the National Cyber Security Coordinator Lieutenant General Michelle McGuiness urged Australians to be wary of scams. "I understand many Australians will be concerned about the scale of this breach. I encourage everyone, whether impacted in this incident or not, to be alert to being targeted in scams," she said. "If contacted by someone claiming to be a medical or other service provider, including financial service provider, seeking personal, payment or banking information, you should hang up and call back on a phone number you have sourced independently." Administrators for MediSecure, which entered voluntary administration in June after the federal government rejected a request for a financial bailout, said that stolen data included names, home addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, insurance numbers and sensitive health information. A hacker claiming to possess 6.5 terabytes of MediSecure data in May published a small sample of the information on the dark web and listed the larger data set for sale for 50,000 U.S. dollars but McGuiness said the government was not aware of the publication of the full data set. She warned Australians against trying to search for or access the stolen information from the dark web, saying that doing so would feed the business model of cyber criminals and could be a criminal offense. CANBERRA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Australia's national research center on crime and criminal justice has called for domestic violence perpetrators to be treated like extremists and monitored. In a report published on Friday, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) proposed a Domestic Violence Threat Assessment Centre (DVTAC) to gather intelligence on, monitor and intervene against domestic violence perpetrators considered high-risk of committing intimate partner homicide (IPH). The proposal is modeled on Fixated Threat Assessment Centres, which have been used in Australia and around the world to monitor the threat posed by lone-actor extremists. Under the AIC plan, high-risk domestic violence perpetrators would be treated as "fixated persons" in a multi-agency approach that would bring together law enforcement, mental health support and domestic violence experts to share information and prevent IPH. "Recent research has viewed some IPH perpetrators as being motivated by fixation and grievances," the AIC report said. "These fixated perpetrators hold an intense preoccupation with an individual, which may be driven by a grievance." IPH is one of the most common forms of homicide in Australia, with the murder or manslaughter of an intimate partner accounting for almost one-quarter of all homicides recorded in Australia between 1989-90 and 2022-23. Women are the victims of three-quarters of IPH incidents in Australia. Since the early 1990s, an average of 49 Australian women have been killed by a current or former partner every year. Tens of thousands of Australians joined protests around the country in April and May rallying against gender-based violence following the violent deaths of 27 women in the first four months of the year. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described violence against women as a national crisis at the time and asked federal, state and territory attorneys-general and police ministers to find better responses to high-risk domestic violence offenders. The AIC report, which was delivered to federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, suggested that individuals could be referred to the DVTAC if they had made threats to kill or shown other behavior indicative of a fixated threat. It said that intensive surveillance of high-risk offenders would help implement case management and mental health support to de-escalate the risk of further offending and facilitate long-term behavior change as well as help victim-survivors of domestic violence escape high-risk environments. LONDON, July 19 (Xinhua) -- British Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said at the G7 Trade Ministers' Meeting in Italy on Wednesday that the United Kingdom (UK) has no plans to follow the European Union's measure of imposing tariffs on the imports of Chinese electric vehicles. According to the Financial Times, the UK automotive industry has not formally requested the UK Trade Remedies Authority to conduct an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicle imports, which is a necessary step before initiating such an investigation. However, Reynolds also mentioned that the possibility of imposing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles is not ruled out, as long as the decision benefits the country's automotive export sector. Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows that in 2023, the UK exported about 700,000 cars, with only 7 percent of these exported to China, while 60 percent were exported to the 27 EU countries. Meanwhile, the domestic electric vehicle market in the UK is dominated by Chinese-made brands, including MG, owned by China's SAIC Motor. In an editorial on Thursday, the Financial Times said that Western leaders must choose between achieving climate goals and embracing trade protectionism. However, for the benefit of all, Western governments should abandon trade protectionism at some point. "If Europe is serious about its EV goals, the problem is not too many Chinese imports but rather too few, given how slow its own industry has been in shifting away from internal combustion technology," said the editorial. His art takes him around the world, but this rising star always finds his way back to Miami Cornelius Tulloch opened his eyes around 6 a.m. as the sun rose gently, reflecting soft colors onto the river. Exotic birds flew over head. Locals drifted by on wooden rafts. Thick tree trunks and low-hanging leaves framed the scene beautifully. Tulloch, admittedly, is not a morning person, but it was easy to be one as he stayed in a cabin in Pikin Slee, a remote Surinamese village, during an artist residency program last year. The easy-going village of about 3,000 people was a far cry from Tullochs usual fast-paced life in Miami, but it still felt like home. He remembered all of this the river, the rafts, the foliage, the tranquility months later when he painted his morning view for a solo exhibition inspired by his time in Suriname. Being in Suriname was the first time Ive ever really slowed down in my life, he said. That isnt an exaggeration. Those who frequent Miami art events have likely run into Tulloch. His outfits are stylish, his smile is bright and his reputation as a talented multidisciplinary artist precedes him. Cornelius Tulloch (center) explains his work to a crowd of guests before his solo show opening party at the Andrew Reed Gallery on Thursday, July 11, 2024 in Miami, Fla. Born and raised in Miami to a Jamaican father and African-American mother, Tullochs art focuses on the beauty and nuances of the Caribbean and African diaspora from a distinctly South Floridian point of view. Since graduating from Cornell University with an architecture degree in 2021, the 26 year old has taken few breaks from creating, exhibiting, networking and traveling. Ive seen him getting his exposure and building up his name and recognition elsewhere, which is so important, Miami gallerist Andrew Reed said. Its a Miami artist who is very clearly breaking out of Miami and establishing himself on a more global stage, which is not easy to do. As Miami rises as an international arts hub, Tulloch is one of several local artists whose star is rising, too. He completed a prestigious two-month Bakehouse x Cite internationale des arts residency in Paris, collaborated with Soho House and Porsche, presented a solo show in New York City and debuted work at this years Venice Biennale. And just as he touched down in Miami from Paris, Tulloch was back in the studio preparing for his solo show at Andrew Reed Gallery in Allapattah that opened just a week later on July 11. That same week, he finished painting one of his favorite pieces in the show, the scene he woke up to in Pikin Slee. Friends, family and artists came to Cornelius Tullochs opening night party for his exhibit Angisa: a language of living at the Andrew Reed Gallery. In the studio Tullochs artistic talent was clear early on. One day in kindergarten, he remembered, the teacher held a contest: whoever drew the best fire truck would win a trip to the fire station. The teacher asked him to help a classmate who wasnt very good at drawing. He did help, but a little too well. By the time he finished the students drawing, Tulloch barely had time to do his own. The kid gets first place, I get nothing. That was my villain origin story, he said, jokingly. But thats when I was like, wow, my drawing won. From there, I just continued sketching. He attended Design and Architecture Senior High in Miami, won the 2016 YoungArts award for design and visual arts and was named U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Though he studied architecture at Cornell, he didnt see architecture and visual art as separate fields. One of the hallmarks of his work is how he combines the two, like at his immersive 2022 show in Faena or during last years Miami Art Week when he installed a whimsical Southern-style porch at Locust Projects. Artist Cornelius Tulloch inside his studio at the Bakehouse Art Complex. His work is inspired by Miami and the Caribbean diaspora. Amanda Williams, a renowned visual artist considered to be a leading voice on art and design in the public realm, met Tulloch while he was still a student. Williams, a Cornell architecture school alumna, sat on his final thesis review and has followed his work ever since. While Im not surprised, I am overjoyed at seeing not only the breadth of the work and the caliber of the work and the rigor, but also the advanced evolution, Williams said. Ive been a full time artist for 20 years, and it took a lot of soul searching to get to the point to have the courage to just jump out there. I was actively encouraging him to not spend time doing that and to just jump in. While many young artists tend to stick to one particular idea or medium, hes not that person, Williams said. Hes going to push each idea to make it better, she said. Its just been breathtaking to watch the range of things, from film, photography, painting, installations. Hes done all of those at a really high level already, and hes three years into this. The wall in Cornelius Tullochs studio at the Bakehouse Art Complex is full of photographs and other images he uses for inspiration. Tullochs studio at Bakehouse Art Complex in Wynwood is home to the vestiges of past and future projects. Deep blue wooden pieces from the Locust Projects installation leaned next to architecture books and canvases of illuminated tropical fruits. Brightly colored -- almost neon -- photos of sunsets in the Everglades and hands holding mangoes decorated the walls. Black and white historical photos of a woman in Martinique balancing a bundle of bananas on her head were tacked nearby modern photos of the Caribbean sea and wooden homes painted blue. A bright pink sticky note read: CREOLE. A lot of my work has been trying to discern visual aesthetics for what my identity is with this Caribbean-American aesthetic, Tulloch said. Im really focused on how does the Caribbean diaspora not only draw from the past, but move forward. How does it continue to grow and adapt? Artist Cornelius Tullochs self portrait among his work at his studio at the Bakehouse Art Complex. The art of relaxation Before Tulloch set off to Suriname, a wise woman gave him some advice. The residency program was organized by Miami arts nonprofit Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator. Rosie Gordon Wallace, the nonprofits founder and curator, told Tulloch to resist his scholarly urges for once. Youll want to do all this research and reading, she told him. No, dont do any of that. Just go and allow yourself to be immersed in the culture. I listened, and Im so glad I did, he said. The artwork in Tullochs show, titled Angisa: a language of living, was the result of Tullochs full immersion into the culture, landscape and people of Suriname. While walking through the gallery, he stopped at a wall-sized tapestry printed with a photo he took as he journeyed through the small South American country. Suriname is a very trusting place. They told me to trust, so I listened, he said. Cornelius Tulloch (center) explains his work to a crowd of guests before his solo show opening party at the Andrew Reed Gallery on Thursday, July 11, 2024 in Miami, Fla. Tulloch quickly learned how relaxed Suriname is compared to the United States, and he was forced to relinquish his tendency to control how he spends his time. In Suriname, he stayed with an artist named Kurt Nahar, who took him on tours and introduced him to folks in the community. He recalled the trip he took from Paramaribo, the Surinamese capital, to Pikin Slee. He took a taxi to a bus. The bus took him to a dock, where he was told to wait for an hour for a boat. Sure enough, a boat appeared, and he rode for two hours into the Amazon not knowing what was next. Despite the mild confusion, Tulloch said, the community embraced him with open arms. The people there were like, You look like us. You sure youre not from around here? he said. One of Cornelius Tullochs pieces at the Andrew Reed Gallery on Thursday, July 11, 2024 in Miami, Fla. The residency in Suriname wasnt really about creating work, it was about something much deeper. Tulloch ate at a family feast after a funeral, he watched as kids played in the river, he spoke to artists about their wood carving traditions, he hitched rides through the countryside with strangers who quickly became friends. Above all, he said, he learned the art of relaxation. Time sitting around isnt necessarily wasted, he said. I really pushed myself to embrace that and move at a slower pace, not worry about every little thing. And honestly, it was life changing. The gallery exhibition reflects how connected different cultures actually are, Reed said. Its almost a diary of his time in Suriname, which is a place so unfamiliar to so many people, Reed said. But what Cornelius is looking at is how to bring this unfamiliarity and talk about these cultural cross currents. Guests at Cornelius Tulluchs exhibit at Andrew Reed Gallery. Tulloch was given free reign to transform the space, Reed said. The warm, jewel-toned paintings and images pop against mustard-colored walls embellished with large wood carvings. In several works, Tulloch experimented with texture by adding cold wax to wood to highlight the natural grain. In one work, decorative wooden hair picks peak through someones hair. Another closes in on a hand playing mancala, a game Tulloch used to play as a child. Overhead, the shows namesake hangs from strings. Angisas, or headkerchiefs afro-Surinamese women wear, are designed with images of braided hair and village neighborhoods. The most striking works in the show are the portraits, which all feature people Tulloch knows from Miami or Suriname. During the opening night party, crowds of people gathered around a lush portrait Tulloch painted of his friend and fellow artist Rose posing with a bird of paradise flower. On another wall is a portrait of Nahar with his back facing the viewer, showing off a yellow and green jacket that reads JAMAICA. In place of his head is a bouquet of yellow and purple flowers. Cornelius Tullochs Angisa: a language of living, a solo exhibition at Andrew Reed Gallery in Allapattah. In another painting, a man sits with his arms crossed in front of him, his face peeks through green leaves and red tropical flowers. Its a portrait of Miguel, a curator Tulloch met in Suriname. Within the first 10 minutes of meeting, Tulloch said, he was able to describe my work with words that I didnt have for my own work. Tulloch called him a fortune teller. [He said] its really through the light and color that youre able to bring people into an experience of your work, into the experience of a moment, Tulloch said. And I think thats when I realized that this is where the power within my work lies. No place like home When asked about the trajectory of Tullochs career, his friends and colleagues always make the same point. His work doesnt just represent Miami, it is Miami. Laura Novoa, a curator and Bakehouse assistant director of programs and community engagement, said Tulloch and his contemporaries prove that Miami is a relevant cultural hub year round, not just during Art Basel Miami Beach. By now, she said, Tulloch isnt even an emerging artist anymore, but just a fixture in the Miami art scene. Choosing to showcase and speak to the Miami community and Caribbean culture shows that hes doing honest work, Novoa said. Hes doing it in a way where it doesnt matter if its in Miami or New York or Chicago or Paris. Clearly, theres a humanity in his work that resonates with people even when theyre not from Miami. Angela Betancourt poses with her son Maximilian Hadley for a photo at Cornelius Tullochs solo show opening party at the Andrew Reed Gallery. And his peers take note of his work ethic. Morel Doucet, a friend and fellow Miami artist, said Tullochs success is a testament not just to his talent but also his willingness to collaborate with others and embrace opportunities. With Cornelius, its his personality, his work, Doucet said. He moves with a level of grace and conviction. Its authentic to his experience. Thats what gets him through the door. Since returning from Paris, Tulloch has no plans to slow down. In fact, hes in the midst of working on a public art project as a way to give back to local communities, he said. During studio visits and interviews earlier this year, Tulloch spoke at length about the importance of archiving Miamis Black and Caribbean communities, architecture and stories in the face of gentrification. These days, Tulloch doesnt just feel inspired, he feels reinvigorated. This work feels like what Ive wanted it to feel like for ages, he said. It doesnt feel like an assignment or a job. It feels like Im exploring and being as creative as I can be. Artist Cornelius Tulloch at his project Porch Passages: Liberty that was at Locust Projects earlier this year. Later this year, hes working on installing a large scale sculpture at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center inspired by Southern and Caribbean porches, like the one at his grandfathers home. Plans are in the works for Tulloch to teach a workshop at Fab Lab Miami, an after school program for students in Liberty City, and collaborate with the students on an art exhibition at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. Tullochs love for the city of Miami is palpable, and the feeling is mutual. A steady stream of art lovers, curators, artists, collectors, friends and family filled the gallery during the Angisa opening night party. The space was buzzing (literally) as people walked from piece to piece, taking in each detail and wondering when he had the time to do this. Guests werent just chit chatting, they were celebrating the work. Cornelius Tulloch presents and explains his work to a crowd of guests before his solo show opening party at the Andrew Reed Gallery on Thursday, July 11, 2024 in Miami, Fla. Artists like Tulloch often feel pulled in many directions. For decades, Miamis artists were told to leave their hometown to find success in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago or Paris. But Tullochs artistry suggests the opposite. Maybe you dont have to leave Miami entirely behind. It makes me feel like all the energy and effort I put in is worth it, he said when asked about the reception of his show. People are really rooting for me and showing up. Thats all you could ask for as an artist, for people to show up, he said. I dont take it for granted. This really is home. Guests socialize at Cornelius Tullochs solo show opening party at the Andrew Reed Gallery on Thursday, July 11, 2024 in Miami, Fla. Angisa: a language of living When: On view until Aug. 16. Re-opens for the first week of September. Where: Andrew Reed Gallery, 800 NW 22 St., Miami Hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Info: Free entry. hwww.andrewreedgallery.com This story was produced with financial support from individuals and Berkowitz Contemporary Foundation in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work. Was Barron Trump at the 2024 RNC for Donald Trump's acceptance speech tonight? Donald Trump's children took their customary spot alongside their father at the Republican National Convention as he accepted the party's nomination for president once again on Thursday night. As the balloons fell from the Fiserv Forum ceiling in a celebratory moment for the family, Don Jr., Eric, Ivanka and Tiffany were all there on stage. Trump's wife, Melania, and grandchildren were also there. But not all of the Trump's children came to Milwaukee for the convention. Barron Trump was missing. The youngest son of Donald Trump and Melania was absent from the joyous moment. Why wasn't Barron Trump at the RNC? Barron was asked to attend the convention as a Florida delegate, but Melania issued a statement in May saying he wouldn't attend due to prior commitments, according to USA Today. "While Barron is honored to have been chosen as a delegate by the Florida Republican Party, he regretfully declines to participate due to prior commitments," the statement said. Trump said in an interview with Telemundo 51 Miami in May about Barron Trump: "Hes pretty young, I will say." He added that if his son wanted to be a delegate "Im all for it." How old is Barron Trump? Barron Trump is 18 years old. Barron Trump graduated from high school May 17 in Florida. At the time, Donald Trump was in the midst of his hush money trial, a case in which he was convicted of 34 felonies for falsifying business records ahead of the 2016 presidential election. But at Trump's request the court proceedings were paused on the day of Barron's commencement ceremony so he could attend. Who is Kai Trump?: Donald Trump's eldest granddaughter gives heartfelt RNC speech on Day 3 of convention Ivanka Trump and Melania Trump appear at the RNC Ivanka Trump, Barron's half-sister who has stepped away from the political spotlight after being in her father's administration during his presidency from 2016-20, made her first appearance at the convention on Thursday night as did Melania. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Was Barron Trump at the RNC in Milwaukee? The Daily Show on Thursday hailed CNN for its coverage of one particular comment from Eric Trump during the Trump scions speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Eric Trump was waxing lyrical about how his father, former president and current GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, had decided to leave behind the comforts of an unbelievable business empire when he first ran for the White House in 2016. But after Eric Trump said this line Unlike the current president, it was not a decision that would enrich his family CNNs side-by-side cut from an image of his dad to one of his sister, Ivanka Trump, and brother-in-law Jared Kushner. And the award for Best Cutaway goes to, the Comedy Central program captioned the clip below: And the award for Best Cutaway goes to... pic.twitter.com/uPr0cqspAP The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) July 19, 2024 Ivanka Trump and her husband Kushner served as unpaid senior advisers in the Trump White House but still earned between $172 million and $640 million in outside income during that four-year period, according to an analysis from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington released in 2021. Also in 2021, Kushners private equity firm, Affinity Partners, received a $2 billion investment from the Saudi Arabian governments Public Investment Fund. Elsewhere in his address, Eric Trump tentatively referred to conservatives so-called War on Christmas: Eric Trump on why his father first ran for president in 2016: "He could no longer stand to see words like Christmas stripped from public use or the Pledge of Allegiance removed from our schools." pic.twitter.com/CbHUSLx7UX Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) July 19, 2024 CNNs Dana Bash described Eric Trumps speech as very dark and pretty grievance-filled. Watch that analysis here: This embedded content is not available in your region. And Eric Trumps full address here: Related... Stone turned heads at the 70th Taormina Film Festival in Italy on Friday, July 19 Daniele Venturelli/Getty Sharon Stone at the photocall at the 70th Taormina Film Festival on July 19, 2024 in Taormina, Italy Sharon Stone is glowing. The Basic Instinct star, 66, stepped out in a dramatic hooded, halter-neck gown by Antonio Marras at the 70th Taormina Film Festival in Italy on Friday, July 19. Flashing a smile, Stone turned heads in the off-white, triple viscose satin gown that featured illustrated watercolor-style interweaving roses created by Marras. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Daniele Venturelli/Getty Sharon Stone at the 70th Taormina Film Festival on July 19, 2024 in Taormina, Italy Related: Sharon Stone Says She Lost $18 Million in Savings After Her 2001 Stroke: 'I Had Zero Money' Stone's appearance comes after she shared a photo of herself looking equally chic in a marble blue top with matching pants and jacket on Thursday, July 18. Sporting a pair of sunglasses, the actress covered her hair with a blue head wrap as she held onto a yellow purse. Off to @taorminafilmfestofficial , her caption read as she tagged herself and the film festival in the photo. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Daniele Venturelli/Getty Sharon Stone at the photocall at the 70th Taormina Film Festival on July 19, 2024 in Taormina, Italy Related: Why Sharon Stone Says She Believes Kevin Spacey 'Should Be Allowed to Come Back' After Abuse Allegations On July 12, Stone also recreated her famous crossed-legs scene from Basic Instinct in an Instagram post, where she adopted the same iconic pose in a red lace bra-and-underwear set. This came after she went topless earlier this month while wearing a blue bikini bottom for some poolside painting. Sometimes I just have to go from pool to painting, her caption read as she turned away from the camera and used her finger to paint a piece that featured a variety of bold colors. Daniele Venturelli/Getty Sharon Stone at the photocall at the 70th Taormina Film Festival on July 19, 2024 in Taormina, Italy In March 2023, Stone spoke about her love for painting, which she previously pursued at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania after receiving childhood painting lessons from her Aunt Vonne, who attended the same college. The actress put her painting on hold while she forged her successful Hollywood career but returned to it after the COVID-19 pandemic. "I bought real brushes and I started to regain my control, my brush movements," Stone told The Art Newspaper. "I painted and painted and painted, and I re-found myself. I re-found my heart. I re-found my center." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Remember when Tom Sandoval rocked the world of reality TV by having an affair for months behind Ariana Madixs back? Worse yet, it was with their Vanderpump Rules co-star, and friend, Rachel Leviss. After a blistering Season 10 VPR reunion, Rachel sought treatment at a mental health facility and opted not to return to the show. Season 11 looked like it was going to be Sandovals redemption lap. Since this man isnt responsible for any of his actions, that chance of redemption just fizzled. And now Sandoval is continuing to play the blame game in a legal setting. Rachel Leviss sued Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix for revenge porn Photo by: Griffen Nagel/Bravo In February 2024, Rachel sued both Sandoval and Ariana for invasion of privacy, eavesdropping, and revenge porn. Rachel alleged in her court documents that she was the victim of the predatory and dishonest behavior of an older man who filmed sexually explicit videos without her knowledge or consent. As you may recall, Ariana saw a sexual video of Rachel on Sandovals phone and discovered their affair. In her lawsuit, Rachel was seeking general, special, compensatory, and consequential damages. She also wanted Sandoval and Ariana to destroy all copies of the video. And finally, Rachel wanted her lawyers to be paid. Tom Sandoval claims that Rachel Leviss carelessness and negligence led to her revenge porn suit Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo Now Sandovals lawyers are striking back with their response to Rachels lawsuit. People reported that in new court documents, Sandovals lawyers alleged that Rachels own carelessness and negligence resulted in her lawsuit. People obtained new court papers on July 18. The attorneys claimed that the damages sought by Rachel were either partially or wholly the result of her negligence, breach, and fault. They also stated that Rachel reportedly failed to mitigate whatever damages, if any, she suffered. Allegedly, Rachel was aware of and had full knowledge of the consequences of her actions. Therefore, she left herself open to the claims that she made in her lawsuit. The legal papers stated that because of the doctrine of unclean hands, Rachel shouldnt be allowed to seek damages. That means that a person has to behave fairly when asking for damages. The court papers claimed that Rachel acted in bad faith, and did not act reasonably and in good faith. Is there a part in there about how dirty Sandovals hands are? Asking for a friend. Meanwhile, Sandovals attorneys claimed that Rachel relinquished her right of privacy and that the general public has a legitimate interest in the legal saga. They requested her case be dismissed and that she pay Sandovals attorneys fees. Rachels lawyers did not respond to Peoples request for comment. This follows Sandovals decision on July 16 to sue Ariana for accessing the video on his phone. He quickly dropped the lawsuit, stating on social media, In no way am I suing Ariana. The action against Ariana brought on my behalf is being removed. I hold no ill will or vindictiveness toward Ariana. He blamed his attorney, Matt Geragos, whom he has since fired. It must be wonderful to live in a world where nothing is ever your fault and there is always someone to blame. Vanderpump Rules is streaming on Peacock. TELL US WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SANDOVALS RESPONSE TO RACHELS LAWSUIT? IS HE BLAMING THE VICTIM? The post Tom Sandoval Accuses Rachel Leviss of Having Unclean Hands Amid Revenge Porn Lawsuit appeared first on Reality Tea. Tom Sandoval Drops Lawsuit Against Ariana Madix: 'In No Way Am I Suing Ariana' Sandoval announced on Thursday that he is dropping his lawsuit against Madix one day after filing Elyse Jankowski/Getty; Paul Archuleta/Getty Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix Tom Sandoval has dropped the lawsuit against his ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix in which he alleged she invaded his privacy and distributed explicit videos of him and Rachel Leviss without his permission. Sandoval, 42, first filed the suit against Madix, 39, on Wednesday, July 17. In the complaint, the Vanderpump Rules star alleged that on March 1, 2023, his then-girlfriend, Madix, accessed his phone without his "permission" and reviewed "images, information, data, videos and/or communications" that included "FaceTime videos" between him and Leviss, with whom he was having an affair. However, on Thursday, July 18, Sandoval issued a statement to Instagram announcing that he dropped the suit and removed attorney Matt Geragos from his legal team. Sandoval wrote that Geragos advised him on Tuesday, July 16, about the Cross-Complaint in the lawsuit against myself and Ariana. Related: Tom Sandoval Sues Ariana Madix, Alleges She Invaded His 'Right to Privacy' by Sharing Videos of Him and Rachel Leviss He assured me that the action was customary and strictly preventative in these types of lawsuits and urged me to agree to it, he wrote. Sandoval claimed that the words New Lawsuit or Suing were not articulated to" him. I should've done more of my due diligence on the matter. Upon realizing what this action actually means, I have removed Matt Geragos from my legal team, the Bravo star added before confirming, In no way am I suing Ariana. The action against Ariana brought on my behalf is being removed. I hold no ill will or vindictiveness toward Ariana. He concluded the Instagram statement: Now, by removing both the Cross-Complaint and the attorney who recommended it, I hope to get through this case quickly, so that Ariana and I can both finally MOVE ON with our lives. PEOPLE reached out to Geragos for comment. Ben Symons/Peacock Ariana Madix on 'Love Island USA' Season 6 Related: Rachel Leviss Alleges Tom Sandoval Is 'Victim-Blaming' After Making Her Into 'an Unwilling Porn Star' In the lawsuit complaint obtained by PEOPLE, Sandoval claimed that Madix "made copies of the data and distributed the data to Leviss and third parties without [his] authorization or permission." He was seeking "punitive damages" for Madix's alleged actions. He alleged the incident occurred on March 1, 2023 two days before PEOPLE confirmed that Sandoval and Madix had broken up after nine years together as a result of his affair with Leviss. Sandoval also claimed that Madix "invaded [his] right to privacy through her "unauthorized and unpermitted access to, use of and copying of the data on [his] cell phone and her distribution of [the data] to Leviss." He then alleged that the Love Island USA host is "guilty of oppression, fraud, or malice" because she "acted with the intent to vex, injure, or annoy [Sandoval] and/or with a willful and conscious disregard of [Sandoval]s rights." Frazer Harrison/Getty Tom Sandoval on January 07, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Madix's attorney, Jordan Susman, tells PEOPLE, We are pleased that Mr. Sandoval has stated his intention to dismiss his cross-complaint against Ms. Madix. This entire lawsuit against Ms. Madix is without merit, and it is only a matter of time before it is dismissed completely. Susman had previously said in a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday, July 17, that Madix is "confident that a jury will see through this latest ploy and dismiss his frivolous claims. The attorney added that it is abhorrent that Tom Sandoval continues to torment Ms. Madix. "Mr. Sandoval knows full well what sort of privileges he and Ms. Madix shared in regard to their personal communication devices. If he or his mistress had their way, it would be illegal for someone to discover their spouse or significant other was having an affair." Related: Ariana Madix Claims Rachel Leviss Is Seeking to 'Punish' and 'Blame' Her with Revenge Porn Lawsuit Jesse Grant/Getty Rachel Leviss on April 01, 2024 in Los Angeles, California This weeks events come nearly five months after Leviss, 29, sued him and Madix over claims of eavesdropping, revenge porn and invasion of privacy. In Leviss February filing, which was obtained by PEOPLE, she claimed that the events of the fallout, dubbed Scandoval, "captured the public's attention in a massive way" which "caused mayhem in Leviss's life" resulting in a months-long voluntary stay at a mental health facility and her departure from VPR. As a result, Sandoval countered the suit, claiming that Leviss' filing was a "thinly veiled attempt to extend [her] fame and to rebrand herself as the victim instead of the other woman." His countersuit also addressed the aforementioned FaceTime videos and challenged her allegation that he "surreptitiously recorded two videos of [her] in a state of undress and masturbating." The filing claimed, These videos were created by Leviss and published by Leviss to Sandoval via a consensual exchange on FaceTime." Additionally, in April, Madix's attorney claimed Leviss is seeking to punish [Madix] and blame Ms. Madix for the negative reaction [Leviss] received as a result of her affair with Mr. Sandoval. 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. Susman did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for more information on Thursday. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Films directed by women dominate the Venice Film Festivals independently run Giornate Degli Autori, which has unveiled a lineup full of first works and special events including Peaches Goes Bananas, French filmmaker Marie Losiers tribute to iconic Canadian electropop provocateur Peaches. Shot over the course of 17 years, Peaches Goes Bananas provides an intimate portrait of the former schoolteacher, who during the 1980s moved from Canada to Berlin and became a queer feminist icon, breaking taboos and transforming her body into art, as the docs synopsis puts it. More from Variety The competition of the Giornate which is also known as Venice Days comprises 10 world premieres, six of which are first works, within a selection that artistic director Gaia Furrer described in her notes as rigorous and stylistically eclectic. Furer underlined that 16 out of the sections 25 titles are directed by women, a fact she called significant because many of them made difficult works while contending with often unfavourable situations and still very solid gender barriers, she said. The Venice Days competition also includes Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, the third feature by London-based stop-frame animation twins The Quay Brothers (Stephen and Timothy). Its a tale told through puppet animation and live-action, inspired by a book of the same title by Bruno Schulz involving a ghostly train journey that transports a man to visit his dying father in a sanatorium at the edge of a mythic forest. The Match Factory is handling sales. Dutch director Jan-Willem van Erik, whose epic Atlantic went to Toronto, is also in competition with psychological thriller Alpha, which revolves around a tormented father-son relationship and is set in the Swiss Alps. Standout first works include atmospheric French drama The Book of Joy by Camille Lugan, a former AD to Jacques Audiard, with a cast comprising Asia Argento and Raphael Thiery (The Dreamer); Iranian director Shahab Fotouhis Tehran-set relationship drama Boomerang; and the sections out-of-competition closer Basileia by Isabella Torre, which was developed in the Sundance lab and produced by Jonas Carpignano. Basileia is about an archaeologist who, while exploring a tomb in Southern Italys rugged Aspromonte mountains, awakens ancient presences. The cast includes Angela Fontana (Indivisibili) and Danish American actor Elliott Crosset Hove (Godland). Besides Peaches Goes Bananas, Venice Days special events include Federica Di Giacomos Open Couple, a farce about sexual politics in marriage based on a play by Dario Fo, the Nobel Prize-winning Italian playwright, and his wife Franca Rame. Shorts by Malaysian director Tan Chi Mui (Barbarian Invasion) and Argentine director-producer Laura Citarella (Trenque Lauquen) will unspool as part of the Prada-commissioned Miu Miu Womens Tales, a series of short films directed by women. The 21st edition of Venice Days will run Aug. 28-Sept. 7 in tandem with the official Venice Film Festival selection. See the full lineup below. IN COMPETITION Alpha, Jan-Willem van Erik The Antique, Russian Glurjidze Boomerang, Shahab Fotouhi Manas, Marianna Brennand Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, Stephen and Timothy Quay The Book of Joy, Camille Lugan Super Happy Forever, Kohei Igarashi Sugar Island, Johanne Gomez Terrero Taxi Monamour, Ciro De Caro To Kill a Mongolian Horse, Xiaoxuan Jiang OUT OF COMPETITION Basileia, Isabella Torre SPECIAL EVENTS Open Couple, Federica Di Giacomo Soul of the Desert, Monica Taboada-Tapia Kora, Claudia Varejao Possibility of Paradise, Mladen Kovacevic Peaches Goes Bananas, Marie Losier Sudan, Remember Us, Hind Meddeb WOMENS TALES PROJECT (shorts), in collaboration with Pradas Miu Miu Label I Am the Beauty of Your Beauty, I Am the Fear of Your Fear, Chui Mui Tan The Miu Miu Affaire, Laura Citarella Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Rev. Karen McEwen, senior pastor at Grace United Church of Christ in Massillon, and longtime member Stan Crofut stand in front of a historic quilt made by congregants in the 1920s and thought to be long gone until it was discovered this year in Texas. MASSILLON Its trip back home took more than 30 years, a little serendipity and the emergence of Google. But a historical quilt has found its way from Texas back to Grace United Church of Christ. The handmade "signature" quilt contains the names of generations of members of the First Reformed Church, the congregation's original name. "It's a wonderful piece of history kept in phenomenal shape," said the Rev. Karen McEwen, senior pastor at Grace UCC at 933 W. Main St.. How did the Grace UCC quilt end up in Texas? McEwen received an email in the spring from the Rev. Amy Mercer, a retired Methodist pastor in Texas, who owned the quilt and whose church was hosting a quilt show. Mercer told her that she had purchased the quilt from a dealer in 1991 but had been unable to trace its origin, partly because the church's name was changed in the 1940s. "We're not sure how it got down there," McEwen said. "Perhaps it was given to someone, and their kids decided to sell it to a dealer. (Mercer) said she contacted the Massillon Library back in 1991. Until Google came along, she didn't know the church still existed." Quilters Guild forges deep friendships: 'There's something about a quilt': Canton Quilters Guild celebrates 25 years Founded in 1894, the First Reformed Church stood on a wedge of land at Lincoln Way W and West Main Street. The current building was completed in 1931. "It was a mission church, supported by people back East," McEwen said. "In 17 years, the church became self-supporting. We think, because of the names on it, that the quilt was a fundraiser, but we actually don't know. We looked through some old, dusty records but none of them said anything about a quilt." As Mercer prepared to display the quilt in Houston earlier this year, McEwen said, "Someone suggested she 'Google' it." Mercer found a Canton Repository news story about Grace UCC that mentioned "First Reformed." In addition to the names, the quilt is also embossed with symbols associated with Christianity, including crosses and lilies. McEwen said they know the quilt was likely crafted in the 1920s because it contains variegated or multi-colored thread, which wasn't available in the 1930s. A portion of the historic signature quilt recently returned to Grace United Church of Christ in Massillon. Quilts with a message: Quilts of Honor give veterans 'Hugs of Gratitude' The quilt includes numerous forebearers of Stan Crofut, who joined Grace UCC in the 1950s with his parents after serving in the military. "They were members of Myers Church, then they came here," he said. Crofut, who pointed out his grandmother's maiden name and that of some aunts and cousins, is one of three active church members who have relatives represented on the quilt, which was done in "Dresden fan" style. Grace UCC quilt comes home to Massillon In April, McEwen traveled to Texas to retrieve the quilt, and this, too, held a surprise. The church is located in Spring, Texas, a Houston suburb where McEwen has family. "We used to go to Spring ever year. It's where all my family lives," she said. "All my cousins graduated from Klein High School, which is near Spring. Of all the places in Texas. To some people it may be an odd coincidence, but I call it a 'God coincidence,' at least for me." The quilt was presented in Grace Church last month on Pentecost Sunday, but McEwen said that because the panels are hand-tied and not sewn, displays will be limited to holidays and other special occasions. Meanwhile, it will be stored in an acid-free box. The Rev. Karen McEwen points out a detail on the historic "name" quilt crafted nearly 100 years ago by past members, including several Stan Crofut's relatives. The church recently recovered the quilt which was found in Texas. "What I love is we've had a history of resilience, and also of God's providence," she said. Though membership at Grace UCC is about 60 members, McEwen noted that they are a dedicated congregation who recently hosted a free breakfast that served more than 300. In June, they distributed more than 200 "blessing bags." "Of all the churches I've served, they have more hands-on ministry than any church I've been at," she said. To view a video about the quilt visit: https://www.facebook.com/grace1931/videos/341901038646473/. "We actually made the news in Houston," McEwen said laughing. Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @cgoshayREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Massillon Grace UCC missing church quilt turns up in Texas The best ways to celebrate Pioneer Day in Utah Members of the Church of Jesus Christ's Woods Cross Utah Stake Primary walk in the Bountiful Handcart Days parade on Saturday, July 16, 2022. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Pioneer Day is on Wednesday, July 24. Primarily celebrated in the state of Utah, the holiday honors the thousands of pioneers that crossed the plains with their wagons to reach Utah and other Western states. What is Pioneer Day? Completing a treacherous thousand-mile exodus, an ill and exhausted Brigham Young and fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints arrived in Utahs Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, per the Library of Congress. The Mormon pioneers viewed their arrival as the founding of a Mormon homeland, hence Pioneer Day. The magnitude of the pioneers trek to the West is significant. According to PBS, they journeyed 1,300 miles across the plains to reach their new home, away from persecution and unrest. Thousands of families decided to take on harsh weather and difficult conditions to find a more permanent place to live. July 24 is still celebrated as Pioneer Day in Utah and several other Western states, says the Library of Congresss website. The bravery of the original settlers and their strength of character and physical endurance is commemorated with festivities including games and music, speeches, parades, rodeos, and picnics. Things to do in Utah for Pioneer Day 2024 Celebrations of the holiday continue today in the form of fireworks, outdoor activities and food. If youre going to be in Utah for Pioneer Day, you might like to participate in some of the festivities. While some of these events are happening on July 24, many others are taking place this weekend. Handcart Days : This celebration has been held since 1950 in commemoration of the pioneers. The Days include food and activities at Bountiful City Park, a free concert and a parade. Pioneer Days Rodeo : Enjoy a special rodeo in Ogden that honors the hearty stock of men and women who trekked westward into the golden horizon of the wild west. Commemorative Trek : Participants can go on a hike dressed in pioneer clothing to walk in the footsteps of pioneers, traveling to the first pioneer campsite in Salt Lake Valley. Celebrating the People Powwow : Head over to Sandy to enjoy the 11th Annual Celebrating the People Powwow, which is open to the public for $3 per person. Individuals over the age of 65 or six years old and under may enter for free. La Guelaguetza : Enjoy a celebration filled with food, music and performances at Heritage Park in Kaysville, Utah. Fireworks : Come watch a firework show at 9:30 p.m. at University Place, Orem. Guests can also enjoy performances, food and yard games. Parade : The Days of 47 Parade is one of the oldest parades in the United States, complete with colorful floats, horses and bands. Deseret News Marathon : Work up an appetite for Pioneer Day fun by starting Wednesday with a 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon race. This year, the event also includes a 1K family race. Mapleton Celebration : Head to Mapleton for additional festivities, including a parade, a 5K, a fireworks show and live entertainment. Provo Pioneer Village : The Pioneer Village contains the original structures built by these pioneers, including the Turner Cabin, the Haws Cabin, the Loveless Home, a granary, school, woodshop, corn crib, outhouse, and more, per the Provo Pioneer Village website. Visit to learn more about what the pioneers experienced when they first settled in Utah. Pioneer Memorial Museum: This museum contains a large amount of historical relics and pioneer treasures. LONDON, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Kingdom (UK) is hoping that improved relations with European partners will help it more effectively tackle illegal migration as the country hosted some 50 European leaders for the fourth meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) on Thursday. At a post-summit press conference at the Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that addressing critical issues such as illegal migration and national security requires "maturity and leadership." Starmer underscored his government's commitment to practical solutions aligned with international law, contrasting with previous Conservative approaches such as the "Rwanda Scheme," which were discontinued upon taking office. Starmer, who led the Labour Party to a landslide victory in the recent general election, cautioned that "there is no easy silver bullet" to solving illegal migration. His government has expressed hopes for a "reset" in the relations with European partners strained by Brexit. "We are going to work with our European partners to share intelligence, data, expertise, and put the gangs out of business," Starmer said, adding that "to stop illegal migration, we must also tackle it at source." Earlier in the day, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated that the UK is "nowhere near" renegotiating a trade deal with the EU and reiterated that the country would not re-enter the EU single market or customs union. The brainchild of French President Emmanuel Macron, the EPC serves as a platform for dialogue and cooperation between the EU and countries in its neighborhood to address issues of common interest. The EPC held its inaugural meeting in Prague, the Czech Republic, in October 2022, followed by a second meeting in Moldova in June and a third in Spain in October last year. The fifth EPC will be held in Hungary in November this year. From highly coveted $40k wine to rare whiskeys, Costco knows how to bring in the good stuff, and the wholesaler's bourbon selection is no exception. Everything from Eagle Rare and Blanton's Single Barrel a particularly rare bourbon that could run you upwards of $200 have been spotted on the Costco shelves at deep discounts. But it's not all about the exotic names or high market values. In fact, one bourbon expert thinks that Costco's in-house brand, Kirkland Signature, makes bourbon that's just as much of a steal. Chris Blatner, executive bourbon steward and creator of @urbanbourbonist, told Tasting Table his honest opinion on Kirkland bourbon. "Costco seems to be sourcing some really good bourbon from some well-known larger distilleries," Blatner says. He's not wrong. Originally sourced by Jim Beam and then George Dickel, Costco announced in 2021 that all of Kirkland brand bourbon expressions the mall batch, bottled-in-bond, and the single barrel 120 proof would be produced by Barton 1792, a part of the Sazerac Company known for its Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky. "The selections I've had have all been quite good," Blatner recalls. "They offer great value for what is in the bottle." With a bottle of Kirkland Single Barrel Bourbon going for as little as $33, the bottled-in-bond going for $25, and the small batch for $15, that much can't be argued. But do other bourbon experts agree? Read more: The 27 Best Bourbon Brands, Ranked Bourbon Experts Agree: Kirkland Bourbon Is A Must Buy bourbon flight for tasting - Kellyvandellen/Getty Images With all of the rare bourbons that have graced Costco's store shelves, Kirkland Signature bourbons can easily get overshadowed. While on the pursuit for a bottle of Stagg or Van Winkle Special Reserve at a steal it's understandable that a Costco shopper might naively pass them by but bourbon experts, Chris Blatner included, say that's a shame. Joseph V Micallef, judge for the Irish Whisky Awards and the International Wine and Spirits Competition and the author of "Scotch Whiskey: It's History, Production, and Appreciation" took a similar stance in his article for Forbes, stating that all three of Kirkland's bourbons "represent outstanding values" with a "consistent Barton 1792 DNA." If that's not enough to convince you, consider Zachary Johnston, drinks editor and judge for both the San Francisco World Spirits Association and the International Wine and Spirits Competition, as well as Chief Brand Officer at Blackwood Distilling. Johnston did a blind tasting of Kirkland's bottled-in-bond bourbon for Uproxx. Put up against a list of bourbons two to five times its price, he concluded that the Kirkland's price tag was "crazy good" and that the bottle "100% held its own against some of the most award-winning bourbons on the shelf today." Blind tastings don't lie, and while Kirkland's bourbon did end up ranked in the middle of the pack, all Johnston could say was that you need to buy one maybe even a case. Read the original article on Tasting Table. Welcome to Flashback Friday, a feature that will run Fridays on Kansas.com and Dining with Denise. Its designed to take diners back in time to revisit restaurants that they once loved but that now live only in their memories and in The Eagles archives. This weeks featured restaurant, Docs Steak House, would have turned 72 this year if it had survived. In a few months, Wichita will reach a milestone it might have once thought would be impossible to reach: It will have lived without Docs Steak House for a full decade. The once-famous restaurant, beloved for its garlic salad, closed for good in late October of 2014 after 62 years in business. Ever since, the building at 1515 N. Broadway has sat vacant. Bits of the signage are still visible, though only a few letters remain on a marquee that once read Home of the World Famous Garlic Salad. Docs was founded in 1952 by Dwight Doc Hustead, and when it first opened, it was in the up-and-coming area of town. The North Broadway area at the time was also home to iconic supper clubs like Abes, Kens Club and Savutes the latter of which is still open at 3303 N. Broadway and turns 80 this year. Though theres still some debate about which of these restaurants first started serving garlic salad, it was undoubtedly the star of a Docs Steak House menu that, in the restaurants heyday included items like pan-fried chicken livers and gizzards, jumbo frog legs, french fried clam strips, channel catfish, pork chops, spaghetti and meatballs, and lasagna. In 1977, when famous Wichita food writer Kathleen Kelly reviewed Docs, she described the specialty steak, which cost $4.90, as a one-inch thick cut of prime rib cooked rare only. The garlic salad she described as a blend of chopped vegetables in a creamy dressing redolent with garlic served atop a modicum of shredded lettuce. Customers could get the pungent mixture as a side dish for their steak or order it on its own. Brian Scott is pictured inside Docs Steak House in 2014 when he announced that he would close the restaurant. Docs started small: Kelley described the original building as a dwelling with a small cooking and dining area. In 1963, Hustead sold the restaurant to his neighbor, Louis Scott, and Scotts business partner Mike Belluomo. In 1970, the new owners spent $25,000 on a Docs facelift, adding the stone facade and arched parking lot entry still visible today. The new look was such a hit that in 1971, the restaurant won a citation from Project Beauty for property beautification. The new owners also updated the 200-seat interior of the restaurant, adding the kind of dark-stained oak paneling stylish in the early 1970s and updating the booths, tables, chairs and carpet. Doc's facelift 1970 Doc's facelift 1970 08 Feb 1970, Sun The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kansas) Newspapers.com Docs Steakhouse grabbed headlines in the 1970s for another incident as juicy as its steaks. In 1974, the owners sued KAKE-TV for $250,000 for airing a story where a news crew followed a health inspector into Docs kitchen. The inspector found 37 violations, and the embarrassed owners insisted that theyd been tricked by the station, which had said it was producing a documentary about a health inspector at work. The case went to trial in 1977, but Docs lost. Over the years, restaurant ownership passed down through the Scott family. Louis Scott sold it to his son, Stuart, who sold it to his nephew, Brian, in 2011. Though Brian Scott, who had grown up working at the restaurant, had dreams of modernizing and revitalizing Docs, he faced too much competition and couldnt break even when costs rose, he told the Eagle in 2014 when he announced that he was closing the place. The last time Wichita saw inside Docs Steakhouse on north Broadway was in 2004 when the founders great nephew, Brian Scott, was preparing to close it. By that time, most of the other once-famous supper clubs in the area also were already gone. Kens Klub had closed decades earlier in 1971, and Abes shut its doors in early 2000. New owners bought the Docs building in 2016, saying they planned to open a Mexican restaurant there but they never did. A couple of years before Docs closed, then Wichita Eagle food writer Joe Stumpe tried to talk Brian Scott out of the restaurants garlic salad recipe. But Scott wouldnt budge. Stumpe did track down the original Kens Klub garlic salad recipe, provided by founder Ken Hills daughter. You can find it below: Kens Garlic Salad The key to this is using real mayonnaise and extracting as much moisture as possible from the lettuce. The dressing should not be added to the vegetables until just prior to serving. 1 cup Hellmans mayonnaise 1-2 teaspoons McCormick garlic salt 2 tablespoons tomato juice 1 head lettuce 1 cup grated carrots and radishes Garnish: Sprig parsley, radish roses, paprika Crackers (Club or Ritz are recommended) Mix mayonnaise, garlic salt and tomato juice. Refrigerate. Remove outer leaves and core from head of lettuce (outer leaves can be washed, drained and used to line salad plate or bowl). Chop remaining lettuce into dime-size pieces to fill 6 cups. Line a colander with paper towels, place lettuce in colander and top with more paper towels. Press down on lettuce to extract moisture. Remove lettuce from colander and place in plastic bag lined with more paper towels. Refrigerate several hours. Grate carrots and radishes and pat dry. Refrigerate. Just before serving, toss chopped vegetables with dressing. Mound salad in bowl or plate and garnish with parsley, radish rose, and paprika. Serve with crackers. Garlic salad was a popular dish at Docs Steak House and several other local supper clubs. Albero Cafe owner is working on a new restaurant for Central and Hillside Old Town liquor store will serve drive-through, walk-up customers who need pregame help Wichita cafe added west-side location less than a month ago. Now, both shops are closing. CHILLICOTHE - Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (HCNHP) in Chillicothe, draws visitors eager to learn about its ancient mounds and earthen enclosures and is now even recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ohio University Chillicothe senior Johnathan Roberts. For Ohio University Chillicothe senior Johnathan Roberts, the park is more than an archaeological site; it's a dynamic classroom where he brings history to life through his internship. Roberts, a history major passionate about service and cultural heritage, eagerly seized the opportunity to intern at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. He learned about the Lombardo Internship from OHIO Chillicothe Director of Student Services Dr. Ashlee Tatman, and Associate Professor of History Dr. John OKeefe encouraged him to apply. I've always been fascinated by the intricate stories buried in our past, Roberts said. This internship allows me to contribute to preserving and sharing the history of the Hopewell culture." The Lombardo Internship is designed to be dynamic, catering to interns' interests while addressing the park's diverse needs. Ohio University Chillicothe, in partnership with the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, launched the Bruce Lombardo Internship in 2022 to honor Bruce Lombardo (1956-2017), a retired teacher, published author, conservationist, and biologist who worked at the park and other cultural sites in the area. We encourage our interns to explore various facets of park operations," said HCNHP Director of Interpretation and Education Susan Knisley. From assisting with educational programs and engaging in youth outreach to developing communication strategies and supporting our rangers, there are many opportunities. Jonathans eagerness to engage with our visitors makes him an asset. More: OU student, Lancaster resident David Lamp makes discovery of a lifetime Roberts enjoys the variety each day brings at HCNHP. One highlight has been working on educational programs, he shared, recalling a recent session where he helped local schoolchildren uncover the mysteries of the mounds. Seeing their eyes light up as they connect with history is incredibly rewarding. The internship also emphasizes building community connections. OKeefe recommended Roberts for the Lombardo Internship because of his strong interest in history and archaeology, along with his active engagement in class discussions. I was happy to recommend him. This internship will provide valuable experience and knowledge about career opportunities in history, OKeefe said. As he learns his role and builds his interpretation skills, Roberts reflects on how his experience at the park is already shaping his future aspirations. I've always dreamed of working in cultural preservation, he said. This internship has shown me that it's a tangible goal." Roberts, who moved to Chillicothe from Vero Beach, Florida, in 2019, served as the Campus Compact AmeriCorps Student Resource Coordinator (SRC) at OHIO Chillicothe last year. He supports the development and growth of the Student Resource Center, designed to provide much-needed resources to students facing barriers to academic success. He will return to his position as SRC coordinator at OHIO Chillicothe in the fall and plans to graduate in December 2024. The Student Resource Center helps me make a difference for my fellow students and take an active role in improving the community, he said. For now, he is focused on making the most of his summer at the park, savoring each learning opportunity. This internship has opened my eyes to the rich history of this area, he said. I'm grateful to be part of preserving it for future generations." Roberta Milliken, dean of campus and community relations at Ohio University Chillicothe, praised Roberts for impressing the Lombardo Internship selection committee. His commitment to serving others, professional comportment, and sincere interest in history made him a perfect fit for the internship, Milliken said. Roberts encourages others to visit Hopewell Culture National Historical Park to learn more about the history of the area and the Moundbuilders who called it home. Here in Ohio, learning about the Moundbuilders is part of the fourth-grade curriculum, Roberts said. I didnt grow up in Ohio, so this is my intensive Ohio history class. Roberts is passionate about history, conservation, and justice. He hopes to use his degree in history (pre-law) to conserve the rich educational and natural resources of North America. I am fascinated by all aspects of history, especially the landscape and biodiversity of historical North America and how it has affected the people living here, he said. I am excited about the opportunity this internship provides me to grow as a historian, local guide, and writer, and to gain valuable experience working at a federal level with the National Parks. I hope to give something of value back to the park and the community through my work there this summer. This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Roberts brings history to life at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park What to know when heading to Yosemite this summer What to know when heading to Yosemite this summer YOSEMITE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) Despite the summer heat, Yosemite National Park continues to stay busy with visitors traveling from all over the world to see its beauty. Park Ranger Scott Gediman says the summer months have been so busy the last couple of years that everyone visiting needs a reservation to get into the park every day of the week until Aug. 16. Right now were in our peak hours reservation system. So folks that come in before 4 p.m. need a reservation. So those are available online and people can get those. But even with reservations, were still seeing long lines at entrance stations and crowding and things like that, said Gediman. With long lines at each of the five entrances, he has this advice. Pack your patience and by that I mean, you know, were coming to Yosemite and know that people are excited to get here and park and, you know, hit the trail or go fishing or whatever youre going to do but just please be patient, Gediman said. Whether climbing Half Dome, hiking to get a closer look at one of the waterfalls, or taking a quick dip in the river, Gediman says it is important for visitors to pace themselves and enjoy the view. The park is the size of the state of Rhode Island, its huge and there is absolutely no way you can see it one day people say. Youve been here so long, Ive been here 28 years now have I seen every bit of the park? No, said Gediman. 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. The McRib and Chipotle carne asada: Here are the 10 most-missed discontinued fast food items As lovers of McDonalds iconic McRib know, its not fun when your favorite thing to order from a restaurant gets taken off of the menu or becomes a limited edition item. Although fast food has nothing to do with gambling, online casino Spin Genie analyzed Google Search data to find the most-searched discontinued fast food items. Heres the list of the most-beloved fast food dishes that you cant order anymore, determined by how many people Googled them in the past year. Is McDonald's bringing back McRibs? The most-searched-for discontinued fast food item is the McRib from McDonalds, which has been searched well over 300,000 times in the past year. The barbecue-flavoured pork sandwich was first introduced in 1981 before being removed from the menu in 1985. The McRib returned to the menu in 1989, but was once again discontinued in 2005, the study said. Fans can occasionally enjoy the McRib when it returns seasonally, but only the McDonalds menus in Germany and Luxembourg have the sandwich as a mainstay item. Second place saw a steep drop-off in search volume. Chipotles carne asada, which took second, was only searched a little over 130,000 times in the past year. Here are the most-missed discontinued fast food items and their search volume over the past year, according to Google Search data: McDonalds McRib, 327,100 Chipotle Carne Asada, 132,680 Dominos Brooklyn Style Pizza, 127,600 Taco Bell Enchirito, 110,600 Mcdonald's Fruit n Yogurt Parfait, 106,800 Burger King Salads, 105,000 Arbys Potato Cakes, 87,300 Taco Bell Meximelt, 70,600 Taco Bell Taco Salad, 65,200 KFC Potato Wedges, 54,400 Will Chipotle ever bring back carne asada? Chipotles carne asada first debuted in 2019 and was an immediate fan-favorite. But it was removed from the menu in 2020. While calls from fans led the fast food restaurant to reintroduce the popular tender-steak for limited periods of time, many believe it should be a permanent menu roster, the study said. The last time Chipotle brought its carne asada back was in September of last year. What is the best fast food burger? Florida-founded fast food chain ranks on this top 10 list Florida's fast food fanatics: Ranking the state's most and least popular restaurant chains Is the Taco Bell enchirito coming back in 2024? Taco Bell hasnt announced any plans to bring the enchirito back this year, but there is a hack for ordering the enchilada and burrito mash-up, according to Spoon University. The beloved Enchirito was inexplicably removed from Taco Bell's regular menu in 2013. It also returned for a limited time in 2022 thanks to a fan vote. But, don't worry, in 2024, you can still order this fan-favorite enchilada and burrito mash-up, Spoon Universitys website says. Most employees will understand exactly what you mean, but just in case, ask for an enchilada stuffed with beans, beef, and cheese. Did Burger King get rid of salads? Florida-founded fast food chain Burger King dropped salads from its menu in 2022, but some say there are still ways to order from the salad menu at some locations and that Burger King salads havent gone away for international Burger King locations. Burger King in the United States stopped offering salads, including Caesar salad, in early 2022. But if you are looking for this salad item outside the United States, it is very likely that you will find it, BurgerKingmenus.com says. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: McRib, Burger King salad, enchirito: Most-missed fast food If youre looking to move to the suburbs, look no further than Johns Creek. Thats according to a recent ranking from Travel + Leisure. The north Fulton city topped the magazines list for 10 Best U.S. Suburbs. Its the only Georgia city to make the list. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The magazine says it looked at recent livability rankings to select cities that have top-rated schools, affordable living and job opportunities. Travel + Leisure also looked at Johns Creek recreation and outdoor activities. With low crime rates, excellent schools, and access to many outdoor activities (its close to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area), this city of about 82,000 residents is a top choice for families in the Atlanta region, the magazine wrote. TRENDING STORIES: Here is the rest of the list. Johns Creek, Georgia Cinco Ranch, Texas Okemos, Michigan North Bethesda, Maryland Coppell, Texas Brookline, Massachusetts Brentwood, Missouri Carmel, Indiana Short Pump, Virginia Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS A vibrant outdoor hike/bike space is emerging mile-by-mile through neighborhoods across El Paso. The Paso del Norte Trail is a regional landmark created to promote active transportation, preserve the region's history and culture, support economic development, and make healthy living the easy choice for our bi-national community. With more than 20 miles of the planned 68-mile county-wide Paso del Norte Trail completed and another 28 miles in design and construction, we have scheduled several meetings to inform the community about our progress and gather feedback on trail amenities and features. These meetings are crucial for us to ensure that the trail meets the needs of all community members, including newcomers and already active walkers, runners, and cyclists. More: Paso del Norte Trail, a trail for everyone: Jana Renner We invite you to join us for several upcoming community meetings on: Monday, July 22 , at 6 p.m. in the leisure room of the Valle Bajo Community Center and Library, 7380 Alameda Ave. Thursday, July 25, at 6 p.m. in the multipurpose room of the San Juan Recreation Center, 701 N. Glenwood St. The 20 completed miles of the Paso del Norte Trail include 8.3 miles of the Playa Drain Trail from Ascarate Park to Capistrano Park and over 10 miles of River Trail from Country Club to Borderland. Thanks to significant state and federal funding, the 28 miles in design and/or construction will expand the trail from Racetrack to Country Club, Zoo to the Medical Center of the Americas, Zaragoza Bridge, along Alameda Avenue to Socorro, and through Fabens and Tornillo. The Paso del Norte Health Foundation and our community partners including the city of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas Department of Transportation, El Paso Metropolitan Planning District, Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority, city of Socorro, city of Sunland Park, and Paso del Norte Community Foundation continue to pursue funding to complete all 68-miles of trail across El Paso County. Charitable donations are also welcome and will help us add amenities, trees, and trail miles. To learn more about how you can donate or get involved, visit the newly designed Paso del Norte Trail website, pasodelnortetrail.org. We invite you to experience all the Paso del Norte Trail has to offer. Whether you take your four-legged friend for a walk, enjoy a morning walk or jog, join your friends for a bike ride during the evening, or bring the family to events the Paso del Norte Trail Foundation hosts year-round, the trail has something for everyone to enjoy. Learn more about the Paso del Norte Trail at pasodelnortetrail.org or visit us on Facebook at pasodelnortetrail to stay connected with upcoming events and activities. To volunteer, contact the Friends of the Trail Coordinator at itrevino@loi-engineers.com. Jana Renner is program officer for the Paso del Norte Health Foundation. Jana Renner is senior program officer for the Paso del Norte Health Foundation. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Community meetings ensure the trail meets needs of community members Its been a century since the first Maid-Rite sandwich was served, staking Springfields claim as home of the nations first drive-thru. The recipes for the signature, seasoned loose meat sandwich served with mustard, onions and pickle relish on a steamed bun and scratch-made root beer havent changed over the decades. And for the businesss centennial celebration July 27, the prices also are rolling back the calendar to 1924. More: 66 Things on Route 66: Maid-Rite Sandwich Shop Everything is still the same, said Sam Quaisi, Maid-Rite Sandwich Shops current and longest running owner/operator. Quaisi purchased the 118 N. Pasfield St. business in 1995 and can still be found at the eatery daily. Its a tradition going on for years and years. A lot of people grew up on Maid-Rites. The only thing that has changed is us and the cow. A black and white photo of Maid-Rite is seen at 118 N. Pasfield St., in Springfield, from when the shop first opened up. Quaisi is celebrating the local landmarks anniversary by rolling back prices from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the celebration. Buy one sandwich or root beer at regular price and get the second for a nickel. Thats a bargain, considering Maid-Rites 75th anniversary was marked with menu items selling for 75-cents. The Route 66 destination also will be feted with a street party complete with a classic car show and DJ. History tells that the business got its name after local butcher Fred Angell had his mailman sample his newest sandwich creation a loose meat sandwich seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic. The response: Thats made right. Arthur Knippenburg opened the business in 1924 at the Pasfield address, complete with the sliding window where customers could place orders. Few changes have been made to the white clapboard building over the decades. Rules posted on the walls warn No loud talking and No moving of chairs. A 7-by-14-foot addition was added to the dining area shortly before Quaisi purchased the business from Clarence Donley. Over the years this Springfield landmark has had to fight for its place in the history books. Donley took an Iowa-based chain that also operates a loose-meat sandwich shop under the Maid-Rite name to court when the usurper opened a location at 2941 W. Iles Ave. in 1993. Donley got a court order barring the competitor founded in 1926, two years after the Springfield Maid-Rite from using the Maid-Rite name in the Capital City. Now, the claim to be the first drive-thru window in the country has never been proven definitively. But the building was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Pizza, pizza! A third Little Caesars opened Wednesday on Springfields north end. The new site at 2512 N. Dirksen Parkway operates from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily from the strip mall in front of Lowes Home Improvement. The new store offers the Detroit, Mich.-based pizza chains full menu, however the location does not have a drive-through window. This is the second franchise that operator Steve Brevitz has opened in the Capital City in as many years. Brevitz entered the Springfield market in June 2023 with a Little Caesars site at 2427 Adlai Stevenson Drive. More: Change of scenery could be coming to high-end steakhouse, sushi restaurant in Springfield He is the franchise operator for seven Little Caesars located throughout central Illinois with stores in Decatur, Jacksonville and Quincy and in Hannibal, Mo. Brevitz said he plans additional locations for the brand in Springfield, but has yet to identify any sites. The Little Caesars at 1614 S. MacArthur Blvd. is not part of Brevitzs holdings. Bakery reopens Jubelts Bakery & Restaurant reopened the restaurant portion of the Litchfield business Thursday, just three days after a drunk driver ran a truck into the south end of the building. But more time will be necessary for the third-generation business to showcase its full line-up of doughnuts and pastries again. We lost a lot of space, storage and a lot of bakery product loss, owner Jeanmarie Jubelt said Tuesday. The full restaurant menu will return Thursday, but bakery items are going to be very limited. More: New-to-Springfield eatery provides tasty options for breakfast and lunch Brothers Paul, Fred and Albert Jubelt opened their first location in 1922 in Mount Olive, supplying bread to the coal mining community. Through the decades Jubelts locations multiplied throughout central Illinois with stores stretching from Springfield to Staunton, Litchfield to Lincoln. Today, only the Litchfield store, which has operated on a stretch of Old Route 66 since 1982, remains. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream Need an excuse to eat ice cream? Miracle Treat Day is July 25 with $1 of every Dairy Queen Blizzard sold in central Illinois going to HSHS St. Johns Childrens Hospital. The Springfield-based childrens hospital is one of 170 member hospitals that partner with the not-for-profit Childrens Miracle Network. Dairy Queens throughout North America will be participating in the fundraiser raising money for member hospitals. Dairy Queen has been holding Miracle Treat Day since 2006. Local DQs raised $4,476 for HSHS St. Johns Childrens Hospital in 2023, according to a hospital spokesperson. Funds this year will purchase items like art supplies, books, educational materials and comfort toys. The A La Carte column highlights restaurant openings, closings, renovations and relocations, as well as personnel changes and business news. Natalie Morris can be reached at 217-737-7254 or by email at natalie.sjr@gmail.com. This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Maid-Rite in Springfield celebrates 100 years with 1924 prices Tourists visit the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, May 11, 2023. (Xinhua/Ma Xiping) I had come to Dunhuang expecting to marvel at the millennium-old Mogao Grottoes and the crescent-shaped oasis nestled between towering dunes. Little did I knew that I was about to become part of a unique concert under the starry desert sky. During my recent trip to Dunhuang City, northwestern China's Gansu Province, I visited the Mingshashan and the Crescent Lake, an oasis scenic spot in the Gobi Desert. As twilight settled, I joined throngs of visitors climbing the soft, warm sands, reaching a vantage point overlooking the shimmering Crescent Spring. As night fell, the desert came alive with music played by a DJ at the foot of the dune. Thousands of voices joined together in song, with a delightful mix of soulful melodies and upbeat tunes. Cell phone flashlights waved in unison, creating a sea of twinkling lights across the dunes. Javier Garcia, a journalist from Spain, was surrounded by dozens of young students from Renmin University of China who had travelled from Beijing to Dunhuang on a school trip. "Even though I couldn't understand the lyrics, I found myself swept up in the joyous atmosphere," Garcia said as he joined the students swaying to the rhythm. This "concert under the stars" is a relatively new attraction. Launched in the summer of 2023, it is one of Dunhuang's endeavors to diversify tourism offerings beyond culture, art and natural landscape sightseeing. Throughout the peak tourist season from June to mid-October, visitors can experience this nightly spectacle. Lyrics are projected onto the dunes, while drones form intricate shapes in the sky -- sometimes depicting the famous "flying apsaras" of Dunhuang art, other times portraying the iconic nine-story building of the Mogao Grottoes. On special nights, fireworks illuminate the desert landscape. Lin Haofei, a student from Renmin University of China, said that he loved the concept of the concert because it transforms everyone into a performer. This, he believes, creates a strong sense of connection between the city and its visitors. The concert wasn't the only modern tourism twist the ancient city had in store. During my stay, I encountered many people adorned in flowing, colorful costumes and delicate makeup, posing gracefully with tourist attractions as a backdrop. It is part of the booming "travel photography" trend sweeping China. Eager to join in, I visited one of the many costume rental shops that have sprung up to cater to this craze. Located in Dunhuang downtown, Wei Ying's shop offers over 50 sets of clothing and hires two stylists and two photographers. Since the start of the peak tourist season, it serves around five customers each day. "Many people, mostly young women, come to us after seeing trending posts about Dunhuang travel photography on social media. I even had two foreign customers this week," Wei told me. Amid the rising popularity of educational travel across China, Dunhuang, with its rich historical relics and intangible cultural heritage, has emerged as a hot destination for study tour groups. For younger visitors, tourist attractions have developed specialized programs that provide them with in-depth explorations of the city's culture and art. When I visited Mogaoli Craftsman Village in Dunhuang, a base for traditional Dunhuang crafts education, a group of middle school students from the southwestern province of Sichuan had just finished their tour. The students participated in hands-on workshops to learn about the crafts involved in creating grotto art. Sculpture artist Du Yongwei, the founder of the village, expressed his delight that young people can learn about and immerse themselves in Dunhuang's culture and art. As my two-day journey in Dunhuang was coming to an end, I suddenly recalled a slogan I had seen on a roadside billboard upon entering the city: Dunhuang, a place that appeals to all hearts. It is truly a place with timeless charm. For centuries, Dunhuang has enchanted travelers as a vital link between cultures. Today, it continues to captivate hearts with a vibrant, multifaceted experience that brings history to life in unexpected and delightful ways. BELGRADE, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Serbia on raw materials, battery production chains and electric vehicles at the Critical Raw Material Summit here on Friday. With the presence of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Executive Vice President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic and Serbia's Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic signed the MoU. At a press conference following the signing ceremony, Scholz said the Jadar lithium mining project, managed by British-Australian company Rio Tinto since 2001, has significant potential for Serbia's economy and job creation, and will also adhere to high environmental standards. He also pointed out Serbia's importance as a European partner. The project was halted by the Serbian government in 2022 due to environmental concerns, but was revived recently. Serbia also signed a Letter of Intent to develop the e-mobility value chain with representatives from the EU. Sefcovic said that Serbia would become central to strategic value chains in Europe, which will boost its economy and job market. He also underscored the importance of lithium for the green transition and anticipated increased European investments. Both leaders expressed support for Serbia and the Western Balkans joining the EU. Scholz assured continued political support for this integration. Serbia applied to join the EU in 2009 and was granted EU candidate status in March 2012. Vucic praised the new initiatives, highlighting the transparency and significance for Serbia's future. He noted the involvement of leading industrial figures and emphasized the transformative potential of these projects for the country. "This is a turning point and a significant change for us," Vucic declared. "We are making a quantum leap into the future." T.F. Green to get 3 new restaurants. First up: Narragansett Beer-themed tavern WARWICK Narragansett Beer. The Spring House Hotel on Block Island. Italian food on Federal Hill. They're all quintessential Rhode Island icons that call to mind good times in the Ocean State. And they're all going to be the inspiration for restaurants at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport if Francesco Balli has his way. Balli is a founder of Grove Bay Hospital Group, a Miami company that runs restaurants there, as well as concessions at four airports: Green, Miami International, Raleigh-Durham International and Seattle-Tacoma International. An architect's rendering of the proposed Narragansett Kitchen & Bar, expected to open in Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport by next summer. How Grove Bay got involved in food service at T.F. Green Grove Bay started operations at T.F. Green in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. One company had planned to wrap up its run at the airport and hand off to another in early 2020 when the world shut down, especially air travel. The new company gave up, and in June 2020 the Rhode Island Airport Corporation looked for someone to run the food-service operations in the Bruce Sundlun Terminal. Grove Bay took over in November of that year, running the Wolfgang Puck restaurant and Providence Provisions Kitchen & Bar. With Balli forecasting that Green will get back to its pre-pandemic passenger volume next year, Grove Bay is looking to expand its offerings. It will run three restaurants in the terminal, two Dunkin' shops, a bar and the food court, which will include a stand called Half Moon Empanadas, which is set to open in a month. The three restaurants will all have distinctly Rhode Island themes. Brewery tavern will be first, opening ahead of next summer Narragansett Kitchen & Bar will include signage drawn from the more-than-century-old beer brand and will have a tavern-style menu featuring burgers and steak. Of course, it will serve Narragansett Beer, along with other brews. Construction is expected to begin this fall with an opening before next summer. The other restaurants, Federal Hill Italian Eatery and Spring House Seafood Grill, are not as far along in the planning process, with target opening dates not yet scheduled, though they are expected sometime in 2025 or 2026. All of the concessions, including the three new restaurants, will be located after the Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint, so they will only be available to ticketed passengers. Balli said that because Green is not a hub where travelers change to connecting flights, most of his customers will be departing passengers who get to the airport early and want to grab a bite before their flight. Arriving passengers tend to want to collect their baggage and hurry off to wherever they're headed in the Rhode Island area. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Brewery tavern, seafood grill, Italian eatery coming to T.F. Green Some US hospitals are canceling non-emergency surgeries and procedures amid the global IT outage Some US hospitals are canceling non-emergency surgeries and procedures amid the global IT outage The global CrowdStrike IT outage is affecting countless industries, including healthcare. Some major US hospitals are struggling to access systems containing crucial patient records. The outage has led some health centers to cancel non-urgent surgeries and procedures. Major hospital systems across the US are seeing effects on patient care in the wake of the mass CrowdStrike IT outage Friday. Some health centers are struggling to access patients' digital records, including information vital to patient care, such as medical history and recent medications they've taken, and others are canceling non-emergency surgeries and procedures. Mount Nittany Health in Pennsylvania said it was canceling "all non-emergent appointments, including surgeries" at multiple locations because of "significant disruptions across our entire health system," The Guardian reported. Mass General Brigham in Boston canceled "all non-urgent visits" for Friday as it's "not able to access our clinical systems, including patient health records and scheduling," it said on its website. Its emergency rooms are still open, and it remains open for urgent appointments and procedures. The Harris Health Quentin Mease Health Center in Houston said it was canceling "outpatient clinic appointments and elective hospital procedures," NBC News reported. It said that "hospital visitation and patient information" was not available at two hospitals due to the outage. Harris' health centers are open for clinic appointments but "some services may not be available," it said on social media. New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center said Friday afternoon that it was "having systems issues" but that most of its systems and procedures had been reinstated. The center had earlier in the day said it was "pausing the start of any procedure that requires anesthesia," Bloomberg reported. Besides postponing procedures, the outage has also complicated patient care in other ways. Nurses across the country have said on social media, for example, that the outage has forced them to create patients' medical charts on paper due to computer system issues. Read the original article on Business Insider A new study highlights the disconnect between teens and their parents. Kentaroo Tryman / Getty Images Fact checked by Sarah ScottFact checked by Sarah Scott Any parent of teenagers knows the silence and blank look that can characterize a car ride or family dinner. You try to engage: How was your day? Or maybe, Whats on your mind? And theres always an adolescents most hated question: Are you OK? Sometimes, no matter what we say, its wrong and we end up backing off. Sound familiar? As a mom of two teenage daughters and a tween, my joke (but based on reality) is that one of my girls is always annoyed at me. Of course, like all parents of teens out there, Im trying my best to provide support to my kids during this extremely difficult stage of their lives. However, a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals our efforts may not be enough. The survey, conducted between July 2021 and December 2022, asked 12-17-year-olds if they feel they always, usually, sometimes, rarely, or never receive the social and emotional support they need. While only 27.5% of teens reported always receiving the support they need, 76.9% of parents reported thinking their teens always receive the support they need. The study looked at teens of various income levels across the U.S., and compared racial and ethnic groups, as well as genders. It found that on the whole, parents were more likely to think their child always or usually gets the support they need versus what the teen perceives. Teens who always or usually receive support were less likely to experience anxiety, depression, and poor sleep. The study indicates those who lack support may be at risk of social isolation. Clearly, getting enough support couldnt be more importantso as parents, how can we bridge the gap between what we think our child needs, and what they actually need? As teenagers are exploring their sense of selves, building their independence and embarking on uncharted emotional territory, they need different kinds of support from their parents than they needed when they were kids, which can explain the discrepancy between what parents feel they are providing and what teenagers experience, Aaron Weiner, PhD, ABPP, a licensed, board-certified psychologist based in Illinois, explains to Parents. How Can Parents Bridge The Gap? Dr. Weiner says our job as parents transitions from telling to listening, and that its important to be present and validate our teens feelings instead of exercising judgment. Eran Magen, PhD echoes the sentiment about building trust with your teen and that you are there to listen and help, not chastise or judge. Dr. Magen is the CEO of Early Alert, which helps to prevent suicide among students. He's also the founder of Parenting For Humans, helping parents build more joyful and collaborative relationships with their kids. Kids should never get into trouble as a result of coming to you with a problem or a concern, Dr. Magen. Even when it's frustrating to hear about a mistake your child made, it's important to make sure your child feels good about approaching you. Ultimately, Dr. Magen says a teen wants to feel heard and accepted, and even if they made a mistake, you see them as a good person. Showing that you believe in your teen even when they dont can be profoundly healing, he says, adding, You can then offer advice, gently, if they are ready to hear it. Dr. Jenny Yip, a board-certified clinical psychologist and author of Hello Baby, Goodbye Intrusive Thoughts also offers this great tip for connecting with your teen: Ask your kids if you can do something to support them that you're not already doing. If you don't ask them, you won't know you need to do it. Creating special rituals together to take the pressure off, build trust, and just have fun is another way to connect with your teen, according to Dr. Weiner. Take a walk together. Cook dinner. Take a drive. Go to a sporting event. If your teen opens up to you, its an added bonus! Teens Need Support From Others Too As hard as it is to accept, our teens are developing their own lives completely outside of their parents. To that end, we arent their only available support system, and adolescents often turn to friends, peers, and trusted adults for help and guidance. Child psychologist Yalda T. Uhls, MBA, PhD, is the founder and CEO of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at UCLA, and the author of Media Moms and Digital Dads: A Fact-Not-Fear Approach to Parenting in the Digital Age. I think its a delicate balance of being involved and checking in while also giving them space to develop, she tells Parents while acknowledging every kid, parent, and family is unique. Dr. Weiner agrees giving your teen space can be empowering. Generally speaking, teenagers need to have latitude to make their own decisions when the consequences of poor choices arent dire, he says. There are certain topics that are uncomfortable to talk about with parents, and in those cases, talking with friends would obviously be preferred. A parents role is to help their teens figure out which friends and adults are trustworthy and can offer support, according to Dr Magen. Remember to be a good model about the legitimacy of seeking support, he says, adding that opening up about your own challenges and how you seek support is a positive way to relate with your teenager. Can Parents Really Understand Today's Teens? Another way I try to relate to my teens is by sharing stories about challenges I faced when I was their age. Of course, I cant help but recall how confiding in my own parents was not always at the top of my priority list. That leads me to wonder if my teenagers experience is really that different from my own. I'm not sure that the social experience of teenagers is very different today than it was 20 years ago, Dr. Magen says. After all, teens have faced social pressures for decades and experimented with who they will become. Dr. Yip believes that parenting this generation involves far more oversight than it used to. When I was in high school, it wasnt that unusual for my parents to let me go out for the night without knowing my every move. With tracking apps, social media, and the ability to always get in touch, that isnt the case any longer. Dr. Yip also feels theres a difference in kids awareness of mental health that we didnt have as teens. Another differentiating factor is, of course, technology. The obvious change is social media, Dr. Yalda says, adding the benefit of these platforms is parents can gain more insight into what their teens are going through. But with social media comes increased pressures to live up to certain standards, as well as the potential for cyberbullying. We know from research that teenagers today are struggling dramatically more than their parents were at the same age, just based upon mental health demographics, Dr. Weiner says. He cites the pandemic, higher standards for getting into college, and school violence concerns as just a few challenging circumstances unique to Gen Z. How To Know When To Get More Help When your child is struggling, and youve tried everything, you can feel helpless as a parent. Dr. Uhls reminds parents that support is available for them, too. Dont hesitate to reach out to a school counselor, child psychologist, or family doctor if you arent sure how to handle a challenge with your child. Here are some signs from our experts to look out for to determine if your teen is in crisis and need outside support from a mental health professional: Avoiding friends and activities they previously enjoyed. Changes in sleep or appetite. Exhibiting extreme emotions. Saying you dont understand. Frequent anxiety. Most importantly, trust your gut as a parent, Dr. Magen says. You know your child well. If you think something is off, even if you can't put your finger on it, you're probably right. He recommends reaching out to The National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. It's a free and confidential service that is available 24/7/365, he explains. You can speak with the counselor there about your concerns and think about [the] next steps. For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents. One person is dead and another is injured after police say a speeding driver went through a traffic light Friday morning in Dearborn. Police were called at 7:59 a.m. to Michigan Avenue and Nowlin Street for the crash, according to a social media post from the Dearborn Police Department. The location is in front of a series of strip malls. A vehicle is shown highly damaged following a fatal crash Friday, July 19, 2024, at Michigan Avenue and Nowlin Street in Dearborn. Police believe, preliminarily, that a 26-year-old Taylor woman was driving an SUV over the speed limit eastbound on Michigan Avenue when she failed to stop for a traffic light at the intersection. The SUV struck an F-150 truck headed northbound on Nowlin, police said. The driver of the F-150, a 33-year-old Dearborn resident, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The 26-year-old Taylor resident was taken to hospital and was in critical condition. Dearborn Police Commander Timothy McHale, in a statement, thanked the public for its patience as the road was kept closed Friday for investigation. Our sincere condolences go out to the loved ones of the deceased and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this devastating accident, he said. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 1 dead, 1 injured after crash at Dearborn intersection One person is dead and another seriously injured following a head-on crash in Shadow Hills near Tujunga Thursday afternoon. The crash happened around 12:50 p.m. on the 8400 block of West La Tuna Canyon Road, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Video from Sky5 showed a silver Kia and a white Dodge sedan, each with significant front-end damage on the shoulder of the roadway. Video from Sky5 showed two vehicles involved in a deadly head-on crash near Tujunga on July 18, 2024. First responders arrived to the scene and found one person trapped in each vehicle. The driver of one vehicle, a man believed to be in his 30s, was removed from the vehicle with heavy equipment and taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. The person in the other vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. Firefighters and paramedics assisted with removing the persons body from the vehicle to transfer to the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiners Office. The identity of the deceased has not yet been released and the circumstances of the crash remain under 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 KTLA. 1 hospitalized after car crashes into storage shed in Anderson Co. ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) One person was hospitalized early Friday morning after a car drove into a storage shed in Anderson County. The West Pelzer Fire Department received a call before 1:30 a.m. regarding a car versus building crash. First responders learned that a vehicle ran through the stop sign at Whitten and Bryant Road, crashed through a private fence and then hit the shed. One person was taken to a medical center for treatment. Their condition is unknown at this time. The crash remains under investigation by the West Pelzer Fire Department. 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 WSPA 7NEWS. One woman was killed, and two others were hospitalized after what appears to be a domestic dispute that prompted an attack with a Samurai-style sword Thursday afternoon in San Dimas. Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department were called to the intersection of South Huntington Avenue and Basset Court just before 3:30 p.m. on reports of a rescue needed. In video footage obtained by KTLA, a lone woman with blood on her right leg and hands was seen holding the sword near a parked U-Haul box truck in the 300 block of South Huntington Avenue as authorities arrived on the scene. As deputies approached, the woman waved them down. It appeared as if she wanted to show them the sword but immediately laid the weapon down and raised her hands when ordered to do so by deputies. A woman seen carrying a Samurai-style sword moments before L.A. deputies arrive after a fatal attack on July 18, 2024, in San Dimas. (Danielle Leivo) What appears to be a Samurai-style sword surrounded by crime scene tape after a fatal attack on July 18, 2024. (KTLA) What appears to be a Samurai-style sword surrounded by crime scene tape after a fatal attack on July 18, 2024. (KTLA) A woman seen moments before L.A. deputies arrive after a fatal attack on July 18, 2024, in San Dimas. (Danielle Leivo) L.A. deputies at the scene of a fatal sword attack in San Dimas on July 18, 2024. (Danielle Leivo) L.A. deputies at the scene of a fatal sword attack in San Dimas on July 18, 2024. (Danielle Leivo) L.A. deputies at the scene of a fatal sword attack in San Dimas on July 18, 2024. (Danielle Leivo) L.A. deputies at the scene of a fatal sword attack in San Dimas on July 18, 2024. (KTLA) That female then directs them to a residence on the street where the deputies find an additional female also suffering from lacerations, who was later pronounced dead at the scene, LASD Lt. Daniel Vizcarra said at a news conference. As they continued through the residence, an additional female was found in the residence unharmed, who was also transferred to a local hospital due to a medical emergency. According to reporting by KTLAs Rick Chambers, the emergency may have been a heart attack. Missing man, 95, found dead on cliffs below park in L.A.s Harbor region As far as what sparked the deadly violence between at least two of the women, authorities say it is unknown at this time because they only speak Mandarin Chinese, which has slowed the investigation down. The preliminary investigation suggests that there may be a family connection, but again, because of the language barrier, we have not confirmed that, Lt. Vizcarra said. Aerial footage from Sky5 showed the area on South Huntington Avenue where the U-Haul truck was parked and the Samurai sword was in the street cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape. KTLA learned that interpreters have been sent to the scene and the hospital to help investigators learn more about what exactly happened. Detectives said there is no further threat to the 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 KTLA. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A man accused of two murders last year has been given a $1 million bond, according to the Shelby County District Attorney General. Demario Luellen, 26, is indicted on two counts of first-degree murder. Reports state that his charges stem from a shooting in 2023 that left two men dead. Overnight shooting leaves 14-year-old shot in the neck ADA Devon Dennis says he advocated denying Luellen bond or setting it at $1 million. Ultimately, Judge Jones decided to set the bond to $1 million and cited that Luellen posed a significant risk to the community due to the strong case against him and the high likelihood of conviction. Luellen was arrested last year after police say they were searching for a woman accused of stealing a purse from a mothers car outside a daycare and charging hundreds of dollars on her cards. Car burglary at daycare leads to murder suspects arrest Police were able to track the womans address to Parkway Village. While searching the home, deputies found Demario Luellen, who had an active warrant for first-degree murder from June 2023. Demario Luellens next court date is scheduled for August 28 at 9 a.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. A Medicaid office employee works on reports at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. Nearly 1 of every 5 uninsured working-age adults across the 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act are stuck in a health care insurance limbo known as a coverage gap. Julie Jacobson/The Associated Press Nearly 1 of every 5 uninsured working-age adults across the 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act are, according to a new analysis, stuck in a health care limbo known as a coverage gap. That means they earn too much money to receive Medicaid but not enough to qualify for financial help to purchase their own plan on the marketplace. In Alabama and Mississippi, more than a quarter of uninsured working-age adults are left with no affordable pathways to health coverage, according to the analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a progressive think tank that researches federal and state budget policies. Overall, 1.6 million adults between the ages of 19 and 64 face the situation in the non-expansion states. This is a life-or-death issue for not just individuals, but the whole communities. Mississippi Democratic state Rep. Robert Johnson They are all people with incomes below the federal poverty level, and yet they have no financial assistance or coverage, said Gideon Lukens, senior fellow and director of research and data analysis with the organizations health policy team. The analysis also found that more than 60% of those who fall into this gap are people of color: Latino people account for 35%, Black residents account for 24%, and Asian people account for 2%. Mississippi state Rep. Robert Johnson, a Democrat, said the lack of insurance coverage contributes to other problems such as the closures of hospitals that have to cover the cost of treating uninsured patients in all types of communities. This is not a conservative or liberal issue. This is about the people that we represent in the state of Mississippi, whether they be Black or white, Johnson said in an interview. This is a life-or-death issue for not just individuals, but the whole communities. Whats the coverage gap? The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was enacted in 2010, but 10 states have not expanded Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health care for low-income people. They are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming. The Affordable Care Act allowed states to expand Medicaid to cover people up to 138% of the federal poverty line. The costs of insuring more people would be paid for primarily with federal funds and a smaller state match. People who earned more than that could receive tax credits to subsidize health insurance costs. But in the states that didnt expand, many people with low incomes were left without affordable options. Jennifer Tolbert, deputy director of the Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured at the nonprofit health research organization KFF, told Stateline most people in the coverage gap have jobs but may work in industries and for employers that are much less likely to provide health insurance coverage, such as in the service industry or construction. They simply dont have access to affordable health insurance coverage, and therefore fall into what we call the coverage gap, Tolbert said. In Alabama, for example, people are only eligible for Medicaid if they earn at or below 18% of the federal poverty line, about $4,678 a year for a three-person household. But health insurance cost subsidies would only kick in for people earning at 100% of the federal poverty line, which means those in the coverage gap may be stuck with premiums at upward of hundreds of dollars a month if they got a marketplace plan. Considering expansion Some analysts say that, despite misgivings about the Affordable Care Act, holdout states will need to reconsider expansion to bring in federal matching funds and help their residents. There is no real solution to ensuring some level of health insurance coverage for this population, absent a Medicaid expansion, said James C. Capretta, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a center-right public policy think tank. If youre going to have a safety net insurance system in this country, which we should have, it absolutely has to be reliably there for people in this kind of income with these kinds of income levels, Capretta said. There needs to be some push and movement to see if there is a way forward to get the coverage gap fully closed. In Mississippi, where Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has said he would veto any bill on Medicaid expansion, there has still been some movement. Both chambers of the Mississippi legislature earlier this year approved versions of bipartisan legislation that would have expanded Medicaid with work requirements. But the measure failed after legislators were unable to settle on a final version. My argument to my Republicans has been, The ACA is with us. With 40 states now enacting it, its going to be with us, White told Stateline. And if you cant get there for the compassion and the health care coverage for these low-income working Mississippians, get yourself there because of the savings and the cost benefits it is for our health care industry and for our state economy as a whole. White said the Republican caucus has been seeing a change in temperature, with more support for expansion. He added that for the first time, the Mississippi business community supports a pathway to Medicaid coverage, which could help get a veto-proof bill through the legislature. We have finally seen the thawing of the ice here, White said. Now, where that leads to the next session in the coming years, I dont know. But Im encouraged. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A photo released by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance on July 19, 2024 shows Yun Chuan, an almost five-year-old male panda, at his new home at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California, the United States. The panda pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo from China earlier this summer will make their eagerly-awaited public debut on August 8, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced on Friday. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance/Handout via Xinhua) LOS ANGELES, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The panda pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo from China earlier this summer will make their eagerly-awaited public debut on August 8, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced on Friday. Yun Chuan and Xin Bao landed in California from China on June 27 for a 10-year international giant panda protection cooperation with San Diego Zoo, marking a new round of such collaboration between the two nations. The two are the first pandas to enter the United States in 21 years. "We are delighted to introduce Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to our San Diego Zoo community," said Paul Baribault, President and CEO of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance in a press release, adding that "our newest residents will bring joy to our visitors and symbolize the enduring spirit of international conservation efforts." "Together with our partners, we continue to make significant strides in ensuring a hopeful future for this iconic species," he added. Yun Chuan is an almost five-year-old male identifiable by his long, pointy nose. In 2007, his mother, Zhen Zhen, was the fourth cub born at the San Diego Zoo. Xin Bao is a nearly four-year-old female best recognized by her large, round face and big, fluffy ears. Since their arrival in late June, the pair has been acclimating to their home in the newly re-imagined Panda Ridge, said the zoo. The innovative space is four times larger than the San Diego Zoo's previous panda habitat and inspired by famous geological formations in China, emulating mountains, canyons and cliffs. It features new shade trees for climbing, a diverse array of plants, and rolling hillsides that allow Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to navigate and explore vertically, according to the zoo. On Friday, the zoo also released the first video of the two pandas as they continue settling into their new home. "Not only is the space of the new panda habitat much larger, but also the comfort of panda habitat and the experience of tourists are considered," said Ling Shanshan, a Chinese expert from China, who is helping a local team keeping a close eye on the pandas' health, tracking their weight, appetite and other health indicators on daily basis to ensure they thrive in their new environment. "The new home helps visitors gain a deeper understanding of panda life," she noted. San Diego Zoo, one of the most visited zoo in the country, is the first U.S. zoo to have a cooperative conservation program with Chinese partners. Located north of downtown San Diego in Balboa Park, it is home to more than 12,000 rare and endangered animals representing over 680 species and subspecies. The panda pair were selected from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), which has conducted scientific research cooperation with San Diego Zoo for over 25 years, with fruitful results in the protection, breeding and disease control of giant pandas, and related public education. Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species. Nearly 1,900 pandas live in the wild, mostly in the provinces of Sichuan and Shaanxi in China, rising from 1,100 in the 1980s. A photo released by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance on July 19, 2024 shows Xin Bao, a nearly four-year-old female panda, at her new home at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California, the United States. The panda pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo from China earlier this summer will make their eagerly-awaited public debut on August 8, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced on Friday. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance/Handout via Xinhua) A photo released by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance on July 19, 2024 shows Yun Chuan, an almost five-year-old male panda, at his new home at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California, the United States. The panda pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo from China earlier this summer will make their eagerly-awaited public debut on August 8, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced on Friday. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance/Handout via Xinhua) A photo released by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance on July 19, 2024 shows Xin Bao, a nearly four-year-old female panda, at her new home at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California, the United States. The panda pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo from China earlier this summer will make their eagerly-awaited public debut on August 8, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced on Friday. (San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance/Handout via Xinhua) The deadly shooting at Trump's campaign rally shocked the world as images of the former president bleeding and being rushed offstage by US Secret Service agents flooded the internet. The incident in Pennsylvania is the most recent in a number of assassination attempts on presidents throughout US history. Here are 11 instances: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images 1.On Jan. 30, 1835, former president Andrew Jackson survived an assassination attempt when a house painter identified as Richard Lawrence attempted to shoot Jackson with two different pistols, but both misfired. Jackson's first line of defense against the attack was his very own walking cane. In the first known assassination attempt against a US president, Jackson took up his cane to attack his assailant. President Jackson was dubbed "King Andrew" by his rivals in Congress, which seemingly fueled contempt in Richard Lawrence, who in his delusion believed he was the rightful heir to the British throne. In his trial following the assassination attempt, Lawrence pled guilty for reason of insanity and spent the rest of his life in an asylum. MPI / Stringer / Getty Images 2.Possibly the most famous political assassination of the 19th century, Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot at the Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth. While known for his wisdom and grave speech-making, Lincoln's last words were a kind jest with his wife, Mary. What will Miss Harris think of my hanging on to you so? she asked him. He responded, She wont think anything about it. The last words he spoke were about holding hands with his wife. Vernon Lewis Gallery/Stocktrek Images / Getty Images Coincidentally, Abraham Lincoln had approved the founding of the Secret Service on the very same day he was shot, but the agency was originally a branch of the Treasury Department intended to prevent counterfeiting schemes. The Secret Service was not assigned to protect the presidents safety until decades (and several presidential assassination attempts) later. Mikroman6 / Getty Images 3.In 1881, just months into his presidency, President James Garfield was shot twice by an American civilian, Charles Guiteau, at a train station in Washington, DC. The first medical assistance President Garfield received after being shot was a swig of brandy administered by a nearby physician, Smith Townsend. Three Lions / Getty Images President Garfields slow decline from medical complications after the assassination attempt was documented extensively by the press, many attributing his death in September to improper care by his surgeons, notably Dr. Willard Bliss. Other medical officials publicly critiqued the surgical care team for failing to clean the wound properly and extract the bullet inside Garfield. In the wake of the presidents death, newspaper headlines read, Ignorance is Bliss. Later, Alexander Graham Bell invented a metal detector to try to find the bullets that entered President Garfield, but the invention was unsuccessful at locating the bullets because the president was lying on a metal spring bed frame during its use. Culture Club / Getty Images 4.Six months seems to be a theme: President William McKinley was assassinated only half a year into his second term as president, suffering two shots to the chest. The man who killed him, Leon Czolgosz, shot at point-blank range following a speech McKinley gave at an open music hall during the Buffalo Pan-American Exposition. Leading up to the event, his aids and personal secretary had urged McKinley to cancel his appearance due to a rising fear of violence against the president. But, McKinley was known for seeking out meetings with his constituency and insisted on speaking at the event where he could mingle with his people. ilbusca / Getty Images The first person to disarm McKinleys assassinator was not a Secret Service agent or policeman, but James Big Jim Parker, a civilian attending the event. However, because Parker was Black, his heroic intervention was politicized, discounted, and almost lost to history. Dart T. Walker / Library Of Congress / Via loc.gov 5.President Trump is the second former president to face an assassination attempt on the campaign trail. In 1912, at a speaking event in Wisconsin, Theodore Roosevelt was shot in the chest by a "lone wolf" assailant. The former president was miraculously saved by a 50-page folded copy of the speech he planned to give that he had tucked in his coat pocket. Though still injured and bleeding, Teddy Roosevelt went on to speak for more than an hour, beginning his speech with, I dont know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose! Harlingue/Roger Viollet / Getty Images / Via nytimes.com 6.At a speaking event in Miami during the height of the Great Depression, President-Elect Franklin D. Roosevelt was the target of shooter Giuseppe Zangara. According to PBS' WTTW, a civilian obstructed Zangaras shot at Franklin D. Roosevelt, seemingly sending his shots in another direction. Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak, who was standing near the president during his speech, was shot instead along with four others. Roosevelt, however, was not injured. Giuseppe Zangaras attempt to kill FDR resulted in him receiving the death sentence, and the swiftest trial and execution in 20th-century American history. Bettmann / Bettmann Archive 7.In the wake of an assassination attempt on Harry S. Truman by members of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, former president Herbert Hoover sent a letter to the president, assuring that "assassination is not part of the American way of life." Ironically, Hoover had contended with his own thwarted assassination attempt during a visit to Argentina. Bettmann / Bettmann Archive 8.According to the Warren Commission report, JFKs assassin was a serial danger to democratic leaders. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, an ex-Marine who had defected to the Soviet Union in 1959, living there for three years before returning to Texas with his family. Less than a year before shooting the president, Oswald had attempted to shoot and kill an outspoken critic of communism, retired United States Major General Edwin A. Walker. Bettmann / Bettmann Archive 9.In 1981, an assassination attempt was made on President Ronald Reagan by a lone gunman hiding among press and television crews waiting for the president's exit from a speaking event at the Washington Hilton Hotel. John Hinckley reportedly fired six shots, injuring the president as well as his press secretary, Thomas S. Brady, and two law enforcement officers, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy, and DC policeman Thomas K. Delahanty. Dirck Halstead / Getty Images All survived, and despite his rather severe gunshot wound, the then-president was reportedly cracking jokes to his wife at George Washington University Hospital, saying, Honey, I forgot to duck. While laying in a hospital cart awaiting surgery, Reagan said to his White House counselor, Whos minding the store? And to hospital staff, he joked, Please, tell me youre Republicans. Historical / Corbis via Getty Images 10.In 1993, a plan to assassinate former president George H. W. Bush was uncovered by US intelligence when a car bomb was found in Kuwait City. This international attempt sparked a missile strike ordered by President Clinton against Iraqi Intelligence who the FBI had linked to the near-fatal effort in their investigation. Luckily, US intelligence officers caught 14 of the would-be perpetrators of the plotted attack before plans could be carried out. Consolidated News Pictures / Getty Images 11.And finally, Obamas attempted assassin reportedly believed he was the modern-day Jesus. Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, a 21-year-old from Idaho, used a semi-automatic assault rifle to open fire on the White House from a moving vehicle in 2011. Luckily, the Obamas were out of town, and no one was injured in the attack. Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below. HUMBOLDT, Tenn. (WKRN) A 12-year-old girl was charged with first-degree murder after prosecutors said that she suffocated her 8-year-old cousin in a bunk bed they shared in Humboldt, Tennessee. The victims mother, Rayana Smith, told News 2s sister station, WREG, that the issue arose over an argument about an iPhone. Smith remembered her eight-year-old daughter as happy. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee When they told me about that, I should have just gone to get my kid, Smith told WREG. But they were having fun for the summer, and I didnt think she would kill my baby. Demeria Hollingsworth, 8, and her cousin were staying with their grandmother in Humboldt for the summer. She liked to read books, go swimming, and play outside, Smith said. Ride her bike every day, play with the kids in the neighborhood, play with my friends kids. My baby was sweet. Demeria Hollingsworth (Courtesy: Family via WREG) Rayana Smith and Demeria Hollingsworth (Courtesy: Family via WREG) According to District Attorney Frederick Agee, home surveillance video showed a child, identified as Hollingsworths cousin, smother Hollingsworth with bedding. The video then showed the 12-year-old clean up and reposition the body. I consider this to be one of the most disturbing violent acts committed by either an adult or juvenile that my office has prosecuted, a statement from Agee reads, in part. It went on to say that they are petitioning the juvenile judge to try the suspect as an adult. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Last time I seen my baby, she was smiling, giving me kisses, telling me she will see me when its time for her to come back home, Smith said. Shes never coming back home. Shes never coming back home. The 12-year-old, set to turn 13 soon, has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Smith said that she hoped for the maximum sentence. 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WREG) A 12-year-old girl in Humboldt, Tennessee, is being charged with first-degree murder after prosecutors say video shows her suffocating her 8-year-old cousin in a bunk bed they shared. The girl, who will turn 13 next week, allegedly used bedding to suffocate her cousin, then cleaned up the victim and repositioned her body, say investigators who reviewed home security video of the incident. The victims mother, Rayana Smith, identified her as Demeria Hollingsworth. She remembered Demeria was always smiling, doing well in school, and hugging her little sister. She liked to read books, go swimming, play outside, ride her bike every day, play with the kids in the neighborhood, play with my friends kids. My baby was sweet, Smith said. Smith said the girls were staying with their grandmother in Humboldt for the summer. She says the issue stemmed over an argument over an iPhone. When they told me about that, I should have just gone to get my kid, she said. But they were having fun for the summer and I didnt think she would kill my baby. Its difficult for Smith to wrap her head around what happened to her daughter. She did nothing to deserve for her life to be taken, Smith said. She was only 8 years old. She just turned 8 in April. Man pleads guilty to murder in 5-year-olds death years after body found under floor Frederick Agee, District Attorney General for the 28th District in West Tennessee, said his office is petitioning Juvenile Judge Mark Johnson to transfer the child to Circuit Court to be tried as an adult. I consider this to be one of the most disturbing violent acts committed by either an adult or juvenile that my office has prosecuted, Agee said in a statement posted to the offices social media page. The 13-year-old is charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Smith is hoping for the maximum sentence. Last time I seen my baby, she was smiling, giving me kisses, telling me she will see me when its time for her to come back home. She never coming back home. She never coming back home, Smith said. A GoFundMe has been set up to help with funeral costs. 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. 13-year-old sentenced as juvenile in shooting death of 60-year-old on RTD bus DENVER (KDVR) A 13-year-old who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder was sentenced to five years and six months in the Division of Youth Services. The teen, who was tried as a juvenile, shot and killed 60-year-old Richard Sanchez on an RTD bus on Jan. 27 near the intersection of South Federal Boulevard and West Mississippi Avenue. Police said there was a verbal altercation between Sanchez and the teen about his leg blocking the bus aisle. Bird ignited by electric equipment blamed for starting fire in Byers However, the interaction ended with the teen pulling out a gun and fatally shooting the 60-year-old. In June, the court told Sanchezs family that the teen would likely get five and a half years. The family told FOX31s Gabby Easterwood that the judge wanted to give the teen a chance for rehabilitation. Sanchezs daughter, Miranda Sanchez, said her family lost big time by the teen being tried as a juvenile. They didnt lose anything, a few years of their life? My dad lost his entire life, Miranda said. Police said another person was hurt in the bus shooting and treated 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 FOX31 Denver. 14-year-old arrested in Wisconsin after trying to steal vehicle from gas station, fled after seeing children in car BELOIT, Wis. (WFRV) A 14-year-old is in custody after an attempted robbery and carjacking at a southern Wisconsin gas station on Thursday night. According to a release, the victim was getting gas when the 14-year-old, who was armed with a handgun and driving a Jeep, attempted to steal the victims vehicle in Beloit. Culvers ButterBurger ranks amongst top 10 fast food burgers in the country: USA Today When the suspect realized there were children in the car, the suspect fled from the scene in the Jeep without stealing the victims car. A Beloit Police officer located the Jeep, which had also been reported stolen, and pursued it into Illinois. Eventually, spike strips were deployed, and the vehicle crashed. The 14-year-old was taken into custody without further incident, and a firearm was located in the vehicle. No injuries occurred from the attempted robbery or the crash in Rockford, Illinois. Florida man charged with fraudulently selling jewelry as Native American-Made in Wisconsin The 14-year-old suspect is in custody in Winnebago County and was arrested for attempted armed robbery, recklessly endangering safety, felony fleeing, and possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under the age of 18. Authorities continue to investigate this incident, and no additional details have been provided. 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. 'It's been 18 months' and F-16s have not yet arrived, Zelensky says Ukraine is yet to receive the first of the pledged F-16 fighter jets, despite waiting for them for a year and a half, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the BBC on July 18. The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have pledged close to 80 F-16s under the fighter jet coalition launched in July 2023, with up to 20 expected to arrive this year. Kyiv has been calling for these U.S.-made fourth-generation jets since the very first year of the full-scale war in order to bolster its air fleet, which is otherwise made up of Soviet-made aircraft. Despite promises by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 10 that the first Dutch and Danish F-16s are already on their way, no delivery has been confirmed so far. "It's been 18 months, and the planes have not reached us," Zelensky said in the interview while stressing that he is thankful for the allied support. The president added that the fighter jets could help Ukraine push back against Russian forces and "unblock the skies." Zelensky added that the pledged numbers are not sufficient, as Ukraine requires at least 128 planes to successfully defend itself against Russian aggression. Although some defense experts do not expect F-16s to become game-changers in the war, the jets may strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities and shield the country's population centers from Russia's daily bombardments. Navy Commander Oleksii Neizhpapa said that the upcoming delivery of F-16s to Ukraine will challenge Russia's "full dominance" of the skies over the Black Sea. Denmark and the Netherlands indicated that they would allow Ukraine to strike with F-16s inside Russia, although Copenhagen said that such a move would "depend on the circumstances." Read also: F-16s are on their way to Ukraine heres how they can help fight Russia Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. 18-year-old man who was shot in the back by Sacramento deputies files lawsuit An 18-year-old man who was shot by a Sacramento Sheriffs deputy in the back has sued the county. The lawsuit, which names the county, Sheriffs Office, Sheriff Jim Cooper and Deputy Nathaniel Davis, was filed Tuesday in federal court. Marquis Chapple was a passenger in a vehicle parked in front of a south Sacramento convenience store March 5 when a Sheriffs patrol vehicle with three deputies pulled up behind them with its lights on. In response the driver pulled out a handgun which he tossed to Chapple and told him to run, the lawsuit alleged. Chapple ran with the gun but not pointing it, for about seven steps, when Davis shot three bullets at Chapples back, the lawsuit stated. Two rounds hit Chapple, one in the leg, and the other in his back. Davis never gave Chapple an opportunity to surrender, the lawsuit states. While he was bleeding face down, Davis twisted Chapples arms behind his back, put him in handcuffs, and drove his knee into his back, which was a violation of his training, the lawsuit alleges. Chapple was transported to the hospital where he stayed for about a week prior to being booked in the jail, the lawsuit states. Chapple faces charges of assault on a peace officer with a semiautomatic firearm and carrying a loaded firearm, the Sacramento Observer has reported. This is a perfect example of what not to do, said Mark Merin, a civil rights attorney representing Chapple. To shoot at someone whos running away from you, whos not posing a threat to you, whos clearly fleeing a scene and you have no information that the person has committed a crime ... It shows a shocking lack of training and seems to be a disdain for the lives of persons. Sheriff spokesman Sgt. Amar Gandhi declined comment on the lawsuit. Last month Gandhi told reporters that deputies had located and followed a silver Ford Escape SUV with an expired registration tag. The SUV pulled into a strip mall. The video the Sheriffs Office released shows the vehicle attempting to back out of its parking spot when deputies blocked its path and activated its police lights. A family member told The Bee previously that Chapple had just graduated high school and was struggling with mental health issues. A state law that went into effect in 2019 requires California law enforcement agencies to release all video and records regarding officer-involved shootings within 45 days, unless a criminal case has been filed regarding the incident. So far the Sheriffs Office has released the video and audio clips of the Chapple shooting. They have yet to release disciplinary records about the incident. This is the second lawsuit filed this week against the Sheriffs Office regarding deputies shooting people who were allegedly not pointing weapons toward them. The family of Christopher Gilmore, whom deputies fatally shot while he was experiencing a mental health crisis at his Rio Linda home, sued the county Tuesday. The Sheriffs Office has not released the names of those deputies who were involved, or whether they have been disciplined. The Sacramento County District Attorneys Office is reviewing the incident to determine if it should charge the deputies criminally. Since 2015, the office has never filed charges on a Sacramento law enforcement officer for a shooting while on duty. The Bees Ishani Desai contributed to this report. A new grant will give more children access to health care services during the school day. (Getty Images) TOPEKA The Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Kansas Medicaid secured $2.5 million for school-based services, including funding for in-school mental health services, increased outreach and enrolling more families in Medicaid. The goal of the grant, announced by KDHE on June 25, is to increase Medicaid health care services for children and their families within schools, which now includes services specifically for mental health. The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund spent two months applying for the grant, as well as gathering support and research from other organizations around Kansas. This is really a win for all schools across the state, said David Jordan, president of the organization. It will help modernize Kansas schools Medicaid program, and open up an opportunity for schools to be reimbursed and offer new services to more kids. Rather than give potential resources to families, the grant will allow for students to get a wide variety of health care services right in their own school. This will help more children get access to health care services by accessing the services during the school day, said KDHE spokeswoman Jill Bronaugh. After the school day ends, families may not have transportation, know where the services are or the support to access the needed services. When health care services are delivered during the school day, it normalizes the experience for the child. Greenbush Education Service Center community supports director Monica Murnan, a former state legislator, works directly with Medicaid billing for schools as well as in special education. She said this grant will make services in schools a more streamlined process. The grant sends a message to the state saying, Lets make this easier to get these important services to kids, Murnan said. For many children, school is where they receive health care services. If the school can support that through funding from the federal government, it seems to be a good use of our time to figure out how to do that. One of the focuses of the grant will be expanding mental health services directly within schools. KDHE receives a number of grants to improve the health of Kansans, but I think this is sort of the first of its kind, Jordan said. It would allow for direct therapy, care coordination and other services to be provided in schools by professionals. Before this grant, students could receive services primarily for speech or occupational therapy as part of an individualized education plan. Now, schools can focus on an even bigger population of students, as well as advancing opportunities for mental health services. Before, this was written into your IEP, and thats it, Murnan said. Which was great for speech occupational therapy services, but didnt fit that need for behavioral health services. The vision of the federal government is to help improve school safety and also behavioral health opportunities for kids and families by using the school as the conduit. Murnan said this as an opportunity for expansion moving forward. School districts struggle with providing social and emotional support to kids, (and) this will allow for more services to be reimbursed, Murnan said. Its kind of the right place, right time, right relationship model. Although the grant will bring more funding into school health services than ever before, Jordan believes this is only a step in the right direction for Kansas health. Our hope is that Kansas is able to take advantage of federal grants and to bring dollars back to improve the health of Kansans, Jordan said. And improve our Medicaid program so that were better supporting our most vulnerable Kansans and improving health. A pair of Georgia men have pleaded guilty to hunting at a national military park in Tennessee. William Edward Lough of Trenton and Jonathan Daniel Plaster of Rossville plead guilty to these crimes back in April after a several-year investigation. The illegal hunting happened at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, which is closed to all hunting and trapping. The men hunted a pair of white-tailed deer and transported them to Georgia, according to a news release. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Charges against the men included hunting in a closed area, hunting without a license, falsifying records, violating the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Restriction, firearm possession by a prohibited person, providing a false statement, and destruction of a natural area. Officials said this area has seen an increase in illegal hunting in recent years. Anyone who sees illegal hunting in a national military park is asked to call 911. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: 2 more Illinois Reps join group of Democrats calling on President Biden to drop out of race Two more Illinois congressmen have joined the growing list of Democratic lawmakers to call on President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten and U.S. Rep. Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, both of the Chicagoland area, on Friday called on Biden to leave the race. Casten and Garcia now join Rep. Eric Sorensen of the 17th District, Rep. Mike Quigley of the 5th District and Brad Schneider of the 10th District as Illinois Congressional members to urge Biden to drop out of the race. Joe Biden: Campaign insists President is staying in 2024 race even as more Dems call for him to exit Garcia issued a joint statement Friday along with Democratic Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin), Jared Huffman (D-California) and Marc Veasy (D-Texas) in which they said it was time for Biden to "face the reality" that his age and fitness are "jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign." Casten delivered his call for Biden to drop out in a Chicago Tribune Op-Ed in which he said, "it is with a heavy heart and much personal reflection that I am therefore calling on Biden to pass the torch to a new generation" after noting Biden has been subject to what he calls "senior moments" and "public gaffes." WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 08: Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) speaks during a news conference to introduce legislation on safe gun storage outside the U.S. Capitol on February 08, 2022 in Washington, DC. Democratic members of Congress were joined by gun control advocates to introduce the "Protect Children Through Safe Gun Ownership Act." Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has been steadfast in his support of Biden but used interesting wording when speaking to reporters about Biden in Decatur on Thursday. That right now is our president, Joe Biden He's apparently going to be our nominee he's chosen to be our nominee," Pritzker told reporters. "And so we've got to win because the alternative is unacceptable." Despite the list of Democratic U.S. House members calling for Biden to end his campaign growing to 25, Biden is reportedly "absolutely" still in the race, his campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon told MSNBC Friday morning. "Absolutely the president is in this race," O'Malley Dillon said Friday. "Joe Biden is more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump, and we believe on this campaign we are built for the close election that we are in, and we see the path forward." This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 2 more Illinois Democrats call on Biden to drop out of 2024 race A screengrab from Ohio's Columbus Division of Police shows the moment just before officers opened fire on a Milwaukee man. Officers had ordered the man, identified as Samuel Sharpe Jr. by a relative, to drop two knives he was holding. Two of the five police officers from Columbus, Ohio, involved in the fatal shooting of a Milwaukee man have previously been investigated for uses of force. Nicholas Mason, who has been with the department since 2007, was cleared of criminal wrongdoing after fatally shooting a driver who accelerated during a traffic stop and dragged Mason along the car in 2017, the Columbus Dispatch first reported. Adam Groves was one of six officers sued in 2016 on allegations of wrongful arrest and excessive use of force, which resulted in a settlement of $45,000 in 2020, according to the Dispatch. Mason and Groves were among a group of 13 Columbus officers in a bicycle unit having a briefing at King Park, about a mile outside of the security zone for the Republican National Convention, on Tuesday afternoon when they spotted two men who appeared poised to fight on West Vliet Street, near North 14th Street. The officers saw one of the men had a knife and ran toward the pair, shouting for the man to drop the knives he held in each hand, body camera footage showed. The armed man continued to move toward the other man and the five officers fired on him, the video showed. The man who died was identified by family as Samuel Sharpe Jr., who lived in an encampment in the area. The shooting has set off a storm of criticism from his family and activists in Milwaukee, who have condemned the role of out-of-state officers for the RNC. More: Family, friends say Samuel Sharpe Jr. found purpose among Milwaukee's unsheltered Under the agreement signed by outside agencies assisting with the RNC, officers must not have been sued in an individual capacity and adjudicated as liable for any constitutional violations or have sustained complaints for the use of excessive, unreasonable or unnecessary force within the last five years. Those two prior incidents by Columbus officers do not appear to be disqualifying under the terms of the agreement. Columbus police identified the other officers involved in the shooting as Austin Enos, Canaan Dick and Karl Eiginger. The five officers did not continue to work the RNC after the shooting, according to a Milwaukee police statement on Wednesday. In the months leading up to the RNC, Milwaukee hosted several meetings with protest groups and provided written responses to questions raised there, including what the vetting process was for officers participating in the RNC. "The officers assisting with the RNC are full duty and fully trained," the city's response said. "If officers have participated in the January 6th Insurrection, they have been identified and arrested. MPD will be conducting an orientation/training session upon officers arrival, establishing expectations for fair and impartial policing/procedural justice." Outside use-of-force experts say fatal shooting was likely lawful Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman and Mayor Cavalier Johnson have defended the out-of-state officers, saying they had likely saved a life. Johnson and other public officials have called for a "thorough investigation." The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, led by the Greenfield Police Department, is investigating the fatal shooting. Others have questioned the officers' actions, with some suggesting they should have used a Taser or attempted to shoot Sharpe in the arm or leg, only injuring him. In general, police in Milwaukee and elsewhere are trained that if they perceive a deadly threat, they should respond with deadly force. A Taser does not guarantee the deadly threat will stop, and aiming for a person's limbs is not a trained because it may not stop the threat and it increases the likelihood for bystanders to be hit instead of the intended person, experts say. Aurelia Ceja, of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racism and Political Repression, watched the clip of body camera footage released Tuesday and said the officer instantly drew a gun and made no attempts to de-escalate the situation. I dont see anything but escalation, she said. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel asked two outside use-of-force experts to review the 30-second clip of the shooting that was released on Tuesday. Both said the shooting appeared lawful. The officers "were loud, they were giving commands," said Thaddeus Johnson, an assistant professor at George State University, senior fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice and a former Memphis police officer. "I know some people say maybe they could de-escalate," he said. "Thats a quick moment. Officers dont have all the information and its an imminent threat. Tim Dimoff, a police use-of-force expert based in Ohio and former police officer, said the fact that all five officers fired suggested they "all perceived the same problem, the same level of danger and took action." I hate to say it, I believe it is cut and dry. Only because the subject has two knives, only because he started to go towards the other person," Dimoff said. Some prominent activists have suggested that if Milwaukee police had been involved, the situation would have ended differently. Andrew Wagner, the president of the Milwaukee Police Association which represents the department's rank-and-file officers, was not so sure. They realize theres a person trying to do great bodily harm to another human being, he said. Even if a local officer wouldve recognized him, the threat was still active." Bailey Gallion and Bethany Bruner of the Columbus Dispatch and Alison Dirr and Jessica Van Egeren of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Columbus officers in Milwaukee shooting near RNC had past force claims 2-Year-Old Was Allegedly Beaten to Death with Braided Dog Toy, Mom and Boyfriend Are Charged A 26-year-old Memphis woman and her boyfriend are facing murder and child abuse charges Precious Memories Mortuary Anthony Jay Bakare. A Tennessee woman and her boyfriend are facing charges including murder and child abuse in connection with the death of the woman's 2-year-old son. The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) announced in a press release that 26-year-old Sharday Bakare was arrested in Texas on Monday, June 17, on charges related to the 2023 death of her son, 2-year-old Anthony Jay Bakare, in Memphis, Tenn. On Monday, Sept. 4, 2023, Memphis police responded to a call at Bakare's home, where Anthony had sustained extensive injuries. According to the USMS, he was "unresponsive and suffering from obvious signs of trauma." Emergency medical personnel transported the toddler to a nearby hospital, where he later died. Precious Memories Mortuary A photo of Anthony Jay Bakare, shared by his funeral home. According to an affidavit of complaint previously obtained by PEOPLE, Bakare's boyfriend, 22-year-old Anthony Andrews, allegedly admitted at the time that he had struck his girlfriend's son with a braided dog toy. The affidavit alleges Andrews told police he had previously hit him harder than he should have." Bakare allegedly told police she had seen Andrews previously hit her son with the dog toy and a belt, the affidavit states. 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. After several months of investigation by Memphis police, authorities issued a warrant for Bakare's arrest on May 14, 2024, according to the USMS. She was arrested in Glenn Heights, Texas, and extradited back to Tennessee. Related: 2-Year-Old Dies After Being Hit with Braided Dog Toy, Mom's Boyfriend Charged with Child Abuse Bakare has since been charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of aggravated child neglect and one count of aggravated child abuse. On Wednesday, July 17, her bond was set at $1 million, according to local affiliate station FOX 13. It's not clear if she has an attorney or if she has entered a plea. Andrews was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse, according to Law & Crime, and court records show his bond was set at $250,000. PEOPLE has not reached an attorney for him and it's not clear if he has entered a plea. According to court records, Bakare is next set to appear in court on Monday, July 22, and Andrews' next court appearance is set for Wednesday, July 24. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Twenty domestic rabbits were found abandoned at a Davis County trailhead, causing an overflow at the local shelter, according to the Humane Society of Utah. Animal Care of Davis County rescued the abandoned rabbits and sent out a request for help to avoid overcrowding in the shelter. The Humane Society announced on Thursday that it set up emergency housing and took in nine rabbits and several guinea pigs to help create space in the local shelter. The rescued rabbits are currently in quarantine for two weeks in case they picked up any diseases while abandoned, after which they will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. We are fortunate to have the capacity to care for these rabbits, even though we had to set up emergency housing, said Juli Ulvestad, pet resource center director at the Humane Society of Utah. However, the extended care required for these animals is placing a strain on our resources. We are reaching out to the community for support. Holding the rabbits in quarantine is an expensive process, according to the press release. It said it will cost the organization more than $3,700 in addition to the regular costs of caring for the animals. The Humane Society said their adoptable rabbit area is also currently full with 34 rabbits available for adoption. The organization encourages anyone who is interested in adopting a rabbit to visit either the Humane Society of Utah or the Animal Care of Davis County. Those interested in adopting or donating can also visit the organizations website 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 ABC4 Utah. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Three people were recently arrested after they allegedly kidnapped 12 migrants in Ciudad Juarez, according to the Secretariat of Public Safety of the State (Secretaria de Seguridad Publica del Estado). The Secretariat says Jairo P.Z, 42, Daniel P.Z, 23, and Ashley T.M, 28, were arrested after officials received a report of three suspicious individuals in the streets of the Praderas del Sol. Officials later located the individuals with surveillance footage. The migrants who were allegedly kidnapped are from Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, and El Salvador. The Secretariat says they were physically and sexually abused. A firearm, a magazine, and some cartridges were seized after the individuals were arrested, according to the Secretariat. The three individuals were detained and placed with the Attorney General Office of the Republic (Fiscalia General de la Republica). No further information has been 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 KTSM 9 News. 3 juveniles, 2 men apprehended after pursuit of Wisconsin stolen vehicles, drugs and firearms seized WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wis. (WFRV) Three juveniles and two men were arrested after multiple law enforcement agencies in southeastern Wisconsin pursued two stolen vehicles early Wednesday morning. On July 17 around 4 a.m., deputies with the Waukesha County Sheriffs Department got notified of a recently stolen vehicle from Glacier Pass in the Village of Merton. Shortly after, deputies investigating a separate vehicle entry on McKerrow Drive in the Village of Lisbon spotted the Merton stolen vehicle, along with another, allegedly speeding southbound on HWY 164. A pursuit of both vehicles ensued. Brown County Sheriffs Office: Seven people arrested following 6-month-long drug investigation Officers with the Brookfield Police Department successfully deployed tire deflation devices on both fleeing vehicles while a Waukesha County Deputy used a PIT maneuver to stop one of the vehicles. That vehicle had been reported stolen out of Milwaukee and a 15-year-old and two 17-year-old boys were taken into custody as a result. Waukesha County Sheriffs Department However, the stolen vehicle out of Merton continued east on Capitol Drive, where a Brookfield PD Officer used a PIT maneuver to end the pursuit. Two men, ages 20 and 22 were taken into custody after reportedly fleeing from the vehicle, both were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. The two stolen vehicles, two firearms, over $500 in cash, fentanyl, MDMA/Ecstasy, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia were recovered during the incident. Wisconsin officers, suspect wanted in double shooting exchange gunfire while inside gas station The following charges were forwarded to the Waukesha County District Attorneys Office: Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Owner Consent Fleeing and Eluding Recklessly Endangering Safety Possession of a Firearm by Felon Possession of Narcotic Drugs Possession with Intent to Deliver Narcotic Drug Possession of THC (marijuana) Possession With Intent to Deliver THC (marijuana) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Receiving Stolen Property Resisting/Obstructing Felony Bail Jumping. It was not specified which charges were referred to who. The Brookfield Police Department, Wauwatosa Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, and City of Brookfield Fire Department assisted the Waukesha County Sheriffs Department during the pursuits. No additional information was provided. 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. Three of Oklahomas largest school districts Norman, Moore and Stillwater are among those that have publicly said they wont be following state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters directive that the Bible be taught in every Oklahoma classroom. Other districts say theyre still awaiting further guidance concerning the directive from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, which Walters leads, with about a month remaining before students begin the 2024-25 school year. The state attorney generals office has said Oklahoma law already allows for the Bible to be taught in classrooms, but doing so is a district-by-district decision. The Center for Education Law also has issued a memorandum to Oklahoma school districts calling Walters mandate invalid under state law. That legal firm earlier this year successfully represented Edmond Public Schools in that districts lawsuit against Walters and the Oklahoma State Board of Education. In that lawsuit, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the content of school libraries was a decision to be made by a local school board, not the state board. On June 27, the day of the most recent state Board of Education meeting, Walters, a Republican, sent his directive to Oklahoma school districts, ordering them to incorporate the Bible as an instructional support into the curriculum" for grades 5 through 12, citing its importance as a historical document. Adherence to this mandate is compulsory, Walters letter read. Further instructions for monitoring and reporting on this implementation for the 2024/25 school year will be forthcoming. Immediate and strict compliance is expected." Walters added: This is not merely an educational directive, but a crucial step in ensuring our students grasp the core values and historical context of our country. Since then, Walters has spoken to multiple national media outlets about his directive, as well as his plan to incorporate the Bible into a revision of the state academic standards for social studies, which is separate from his directive. But his agency has so far issued no guidance to the more than 500 school districts throughout Oklahoma about how he expects them to incorporate Bible teaching into current curriculum, who will pay for Bibles and what version of the Bible might be used. The Oklahoman asked state Education Department spokesman Dan Isett on Wednesday about the lack of guidance provided by the agency and when districts might expect it, if its reasonable to expect districts to make major curriculum changes in such a short time frame, what Walters thinks about districts that have said they have no plans to implement the directive and what action he might take against them if they dont. Here was Isetts response, in full, which he attributed to Walters: State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters issued a directive in late June that Oklahoma schools teach the Bible in every classroom, but his agency has yet to provide state school districts any guidance about how to do so and who will pay for it. Oklahoma students will be taught history, and that includes the influence of the Bible as a founding document. Any school violating the standards will have swift action taken to get them back on track. Several Oklahoma school districts have shown more concern about keeping porn in schools rather than teaching actual history. They may not like it, but they will do it. Not all school districts intend to comply with Ryan Walters' mandate But some districts say they wont. Norman Public Schools Superintendent Nick Migliorino was direct in an interview last Wednesday with the Norman Transcript: Im just going to cut to the chase on that. Norman Public Schools is not going to have Bibles in our classrooms, and we are not going to require our teachers to teach from the Bible. The standards are clear and our curriculum is very clear. And were not going to deviate from that. Migliorino also told the Transcript, Were going to follow the law, were going to provide a great opportunity for our students, were going to do right by our students and right by our teachers, and were not going to have Bibles in our classrooms. Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman, and two other Democratic Norman legislators, Rep. Annie Menz and Rep. Jared Deck, issued a news release in support of Migliorinos decision. State statute allows for Bibles to be classrooms already, Rosecrants said. When I was teaching, not only did I have one in my classroom library, along with other sacred texts from various religions, I used it in compare and contrast lessons while covering the major world religions, which is also in our academic standards. But there never should be a mandate to have a Bible in every classroom nor should there be a requirement to teach out of it, as the state superintendent has declared. Im proud of Norman Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Nick Migliorino, for standing up for local control and common sense, and I fully expect other public school districts to do the same. The Constitution is on their side. In response to a survey of school districts in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, Stillwater Public Schools spokesman Barry Fuxa said, Knowing that there is disagreement at the state level, we are waiting for that legal matter to be resolved. At this time, we have no plans to place Bibles in classrooms or incorporate Bible lessons into any curriculum. On Wednesday, in a back-to-school letter sent to parents of Moore Public Schools students, Superintendent Robert Romines had similar thoughts. Romines said Moores curriculum currently adheres to Oklahoma State Academic Standards, which acknowledge the significant influence of various religions in the development of world history and culture. He said the district has adhered to those standards since they were implemented in 2019. Moore Public Schools Superintendent Robert Romines said that district will follow current Oklahoma academic standards, which do not mandate Bible teaching in state schools. MPS students have been and will continue to be allowed to bring their own religious texts, including the Bible, and additionally, are not prohibited from using their library access and/or district-provided technology devices to access religious texts, Romines said. However, it is important to clarify that while students learn about religion's role in historical and cultural contexts, teaching any specific religious doctrine or practice is not a part of the current standards. Our goal is to continue providing a respectful environment that acknowledges various perspectives while adhering to the set and approved Oklahoma educational standards. Walters referenced those standards in his directive, saying it is in alignment with the educational standards approved on or about May 2019, with which all districts must comply. However, those standards are what hes now seeking to change, with an executive review committee consisting mostly of national conservative political voices and no Oklahoma public-school teachers or administrators overseeing that process. Districts still awaiting guidance from Walters' agency Other districts are taking a wait-and-see approach before making a final decision about Walters directive. We do not have any information regarding this outside of the directive, Millwood Public Schools Superintendent Cecilia Robinson-Woods said. Crooked Oak Public Schools Superintendent Brad Richards said simply, I am not sure yet. New Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Jamie Polk, who started in that job July 1, said she's seeking to find out where her district already has incorporated Bible teaching into curriculum. "I tell my people, I do not have the authority to go outside of policy or law. I'm bound by that," Polk told The Oklahoman. "I philosophically believe any problem of practice ... you bring your people to the table, so that's what we're in the process of doing bringing my people to the table to educate all of us in regards to, 'Where is it already in the curriculum?' The historical documents are there. I need to know when it's actually taught. I have not stepped out there to say one way or the other (about teaching the Bible), because I'm learning also. It's going to be real important I speak, and speak correctly, when that time comes." Polk said her main duties in making that decision will be to "support principals and protect teachers. That's it." The Mustang Public Schools district also is waiting for communication from the state agency. As a district, we are committed to providing our students with a comprehensive and well-rounded education while respecting our community's diverse beliefs and backgrounds, Mustang spokesman Kirk Wilson said. At this time, we are awaiting additional information and guidance from the State Department of Education on how to implement this mandate effectively and appropriately. Our priority is to ensure that any changes to our curriculum or classroom practices comply with state regulations and uphold our commitment to an inclusive and respectful learning environment. Spokespeople for Edmond Public Schools and Mid-Del Schools said those districts had no comment. Other districts Putnam City Schools, Yukon Public Schools, Guthrie Public Schools, Purcell Public Schools, Shawnee Public Schools, Piedmont Public Schools, El Reno Public Schools, Western Heights Public Schools and Oakdale Public School did not respond to requests for comment from The Oklahoman. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: 3 large OKC-area school districts won't follow Bible-teaching order 'After 30 days, it is PTSD': Counselor who witnessed Trump shooting talks mental health The bullets that whizzed above Kelly Eckrich made her afraid, not so much for Donald Trump, but the thousands of regular folks standing around her. "I said to myself: 'This could be it,'" she said five days later. "I knew we were at a political event with the president, but I didn't think of it as assassination, I thought: 'Shots are fired. Active shooter.' I don't know if that person doesn't like any of us there." Almost a week later, Eckrich, who works as a counselor at Family Life Counseling and Psychiatric Services in Loudonville and Mansfield, was still worried about everyone else who witnessed the former president get shot. "You really have to kind of lean into your support system," Eckrich said. "There are so many resources to call, to text, and, even in people's towns, to go drop in to their family services community mental health board, they're available 24/7." 'You couldn't bring anything in' Eckrich and her husband, Patrick, moved to Ashland in 1998. They aren't the most political people, but they do enjoy history and public events. "We've traveled to see an Eagles concert," Eckrich said. "We have season tickets to the Cavs, Guardians and Browns games." Kelly Eckrich and her husband, Patrick, of Ashland, were at the political rally where a gunman attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump. The empty-nesters also like history and, since many of their family members are avid Trump supporters, decided to travel to rural Pennsylvania near where she grew up to see the former president up close. "We were going to stop at one of our favorite Italian restaurants on the way home in Youngstown," Eckrich said. "It just made sense." They left Ashland about noon. By 3 o'clock they were in line. It was 4:30 p.m. when they finally reached the security checkpoint to get inside. "You couldn't bring anything in, even water bottles or even anything you bought," Eckrich said. "So there was just mounds of water bottles, chairs, even backpacks just left at the gate." 'You could see every feature on his face' The couple pushed through the crowd, heading toward their right as they walked closer to the stage. They finally reached a place they liked, so they stood there and waited. She remembers a slight breeze cooled them. She watched a flag fly under the late afternoon sun. Organizers let everyone know Trump was running late. "It seemed like we had been there for hours," Eckrich said. Then, around 6 p.m., the former president's motorcade pulled in. Moments later, Trump was standing on stage, only 30 feet from the Ashland couple. "You couldnt reach out and touch him, but he was definitely without a zoom on my phones camera lens," Eckrich said. "You could see every feature on his face." 'One shot was right behind my right shoulder' Eckrich, who stands 5 feet 3 inches tall, climbed onto a barricade so she could see above the crowd. Trump had only been speaking a few minutes when the Ashland woman noticed a state police officer and an agent in plainclothes. "They had earpieces and they were very hyper-visual," she said. "They were always on the radio. They were looking around. They were scanning." Then there was a rifle blast. "It was really eerie because the one shot was right behind my right shoulder," Eckrich said. A bullet hit part of the public address system nearby, as well as a hydraulic hose. "It made a really eerie fizzing sound," Eckrich said. "Then it spewed." Before she could process what was happening, she was off the barricade and on the ground. "I believe my husband grabbed me down off the fence," Eckrich said. "I had the worst bruise on my arm that I've ever seen in my life. I don't remember him doing that. I don't remember getting down, but I do remember hearing the shots and seeing President Trump go down." 'I woke up and I couldn't breathe' The next few moments were confusing for Eckrich. She finally realized the shooter was a would-be assassin, and not attempting a mass shooting. She also knew she had watched Trump fall to the ground, but heard he had been helped back up. "I did hear people chanting 'U.S.A., U.S.A., U.S.A.,'" Eckrich said. "But I didn't know at that point that the president was up." It took about 45 minutes for them to file out of the venue and walk a mile to their parked car. That's when they sat for a moment and decompressed. "As a therapist, I know that after an event like this, you have to actually take the time to process within your own self," Eckrich said. "You have to take your quiet time alone without stimulus of talking to people, radio, any any input coming in." They sat for a while, then drove home. They stopped for dinner, but that memory now seems like a blur. Life went on as usual for the couple the next morning. "Monday, I went to work," Eckrich said. "People were talking about it and I said I was there." The counselor made it through her day without a problem. Then came Tuesday. "The third day, research shows, acute stress disorder, on the third day will hit you," Eckrich said. "It will come out in your body." She already knew that as a counselor, but finally witnessed it Tuesday morning. "I woke up and I couldn't breathe," Eckrich said. "My head was pounding and I was very nauseous and all I could think of was that day." 'If symptoms persist after 30 days, it is PTSD' The counselor said she felt mentally paralyzed the rest of the day. She let the dog out sometime that afternoon. She remembers getting a glass of water and brushing her teeth. "The brain and the nervous system are so closely attached to our human psyche," Eckrich said. She hopes anyone else who witness the shooting that day and everyone who experiences trauma of any sort takes time to address their mental health. "If symptoms persist after 30 days, it is PTSD, it is a diagnosis of assigned PTSD," Eckrich said. "I don't think I'll have that, but I do still have a tension headache." For now, she's relying on the support of her family to get her through, and encourages everyone else to seek help if they find themselves in a similar state. "Your body has conditioned your brain to that fight or flight, and it doesn't matter if it was the president or not, that is out of our normal, and we humans like to know what to expect," Eckrich said. "Listen to your body. You could be in shock." ztuggle@gannett.com 419-564-3508 This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland counselor who witnessed Trump shooting discusses mental health Nashville's permanent-supportive housing facility for people experiencing homelessness will soon welcome its first residents. The Strobel House, named for Rev. Charles Strobel, the late founder of Room In the Inn, opened this week after being in planning and construction phases for more than two years. It will serve individuals experiencing chronic homelessness with 90 one-bedroom apartments alongside offices for support staff. On-site services include a medical clinic, case management, job training and computer access. The facility also includes mailboxes, secure bike storage, laundry rooms and community rooms with balconies overlooking the Cumberland River. "This was a pipe dream and now it's a reality," said Laura Alvarez, director of Depaul USA Nashville. The Office of Homeless Services has contracted with nonprofit organization Depaul USA to operate the Strobel House and administer support services. The Strobel House fills a gap in Metro's capacity to serve people experiencing chronic homelessness, Mayor Freddie O'Connell said at a ribbon-cutting event for the center Thursday. "We have Room In The Inn and the Rescue Mission as our large, nonprofit shelters," O'Connell said. "But very seldom have we done what we did here. There are individual homes, but built right in is a service layer that means people can get access to medical and mental healthcare with pathways to other treatment scenarios." The new apartments are permanent homes for single people who are chronically homeless and may otherwise live on the streets or in encampments. The Office of Homeless Services will use its Coordinated Entry process to identify tenants for the apartment units. It's a type of housing that Metro has been missing. A 2022 external report found that Nashville had been missing out on federal funds to address homelessness because the city wasn't making sufficient strides in housing those who are chronically homeless. Since that report, Metro has established the Office of Homeless Services, which this month celebrated its one-year anniversary. OHS is the asset manager of the Strobel House. While the permanent supportive housing facility experienced several timeline setbacks, Metro, on-site staff and members of the community were happy to show it off Thursday. Alvarez emphasized the importance of the supportive services to build a trusting relationship between staff and residents over time. She's excited to welcome residents to the brand new space for the first time. "These are a group of people who sometimes feel so overlooked and invisible," she said. "For them to be able to come home to a beautiful facility with bright, shiny furnishings is incredible." Reporter Molly Davis covers growth and development in Nashville. Reach her at mdavis2@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville's Strobel House opens after years of construction, planning Phone calls this week between lawmakers and the heads of the Secret Service and FBI have done little to quell a growing litany of questions as to what actions law enforcement officers did and didnt take that led to an assassination attempt on former President Trump. New admissions that the Secret Service had flagged gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks as suspicious and a possible threat more than an hour before the Saturday shooting and that Trump was still allowed on stage has placed intense heat on the agency. With more questions than answers at this point, Republicans have intensified calls for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatles removal. Cheatle so far has refused to step down, with the agency asserting Continuity of operations is paramount during a critical incident, according to a statement issued late Wednesday. Here are four revelations: Almost hour between person of interest and threat One of the most explosive discoveries this week revealed law enforcement had identified Crooks as a person of interest at the Butler, Pa., rally 62 minutes before the gunman fired several shots at Trump. Crooks, 20, of the Pittsburgh suburb of Bethel Park, drove roughly 35 miles north to the Trump rally with an AR-style weapon, climbed a building just outside of the events perimeter and fired several shots at Trump. One bullet grazed Trumps ear, one spectator was shot and killed and two others were injured. Its now known that Crooks visited the rally site July 7 to scout out the location and also visited it the morning of the rally, Cheatle and FBI Director Christopher Wray told senators in a half-hour conference call Wednesday. Crooks later returned and was eyed by authorities around 5:10 p.m., before law enforcement spotted him with a range finder at 5:30 p.m., sending a radio alert to a command post. Local law enforcement and Secret Service agents then tried to locate Crooks, but he was not spotted again until roughly 5:52 p.m., when the shooter was seen on the roof by an agency countersniper positioned on rooftops immediately in the vicinity of the stage. Trump took the stage 10 minutes later and talked for several minutes until, around 6:09 p.m., those in the crowd who noticed Crooks crawling across the roof began to try to alert law enforcement to the gunman, according to multiple videos posted to social media. It would be another two minutes after that, at 6:11 p.m., when Crooks fired his first shots. Secret Service returned fire less than 30 seconds later, killing him. Trump allowed onto stage 10 mins after hunt for shooter began Lawmakers are frustrated, in particular, about why Trump was allowed on the rally stage after law enforcement became aware of a suspicious person in the area. In a stunning scene Wednesday, a group of GOP senators, including John Barrasso (Wyo.) the chambers No. 3 Republican Kevin Cramer (N.D.) and Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.) chased the Secret Service director on the floor at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday. The lawmakers loudly accused her of refusing to answer questions about the assassination attempt, according to video posted to social media. Cramer later told CNN he and other lawmakers specifically want to know why Trump was allowed on the stage after the potential threat was discovered at the rally. The Secret Service has not yet revealed its thinking and decisionmaking process as to why the rally was allowed to proceed. That shooter was identified as a suspect, suspicious character a full one hour before the shooting occurred had a range finder, a backpack, and then they lost sight of him and never really followed up on that, Barrasso said in an interview with NBC News. This was an hour before. No one placed on the roof; local authorities said they couldnt secure building Questions still swirl as to the reasoning behind no officers being sent to the roof of the building the gunman climbed ahead of the rallys start, even after Crooks was flagged in the area. Cheatle earlier this week said no agent was placed on top of the building in earlier planning because it had a sloped roof, citing safety dangers. Instead, a decision was made to secure the building from inside. And local police had informed the Secret Service that it did not have the manpower to fully secure the building, including placing a patrol car outside the structure, according to District Attorney Richard Goldinger of Butler County. Local law enforcement instead placed three snipers inside the building, one of who spotted Crooks and took a picture of him as he scanned the building. Later, after a threat seemed more concrete, an officer tried to access the roof with the help of a colleague who boosted him up, according to Butler Township Manager Tom Knights. The officer scaled the side of the building to try to see Crooks, who pointed a rifle at him, Knights said. The shooter actually turned towards him and pointed his weapon at the officer. The officer took a defensive position to duck. He lost his grip on the roof, fell approximately 8 feet to the ground, was injured. But both of those officers involved in that attempt, both radioed, indicating that, yeah, theres somebody on the roof and yes, he is armed, Knights told ABCs Pittsburgh station. Moments later, however, the individual commenced firing, Knights said in a separate statement. Motive yet to be pinned down Five days after Crooks attempted to kill Trump, federal investigators seem no closer to understanding the gunmans motives. Cheatle, Wray and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate, who briefed the House and Senate by phone Wednesday, told lawmakers there was still no clear reasoning they could see for Crooks to climb onto a roof and shoot at the presidential candidate, lawmakers have said. Authorities now know Crooks, who purchased an ammunition box at a Walmart on July 5, two days after the rally was announced had images of both Trump and President Biden on one of his cellphones, according to ABC News. Lawmakers also told CNN the phone had pictures of congressional leaders House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), as well as politicians Rudy Giuliani, Trumps former attorney involved in the effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election, and Fani Willis, the Fulton County (Ga.) district attorney currently prosecuting Trump and Giuliani. The briefers noted Crooks was using encrypted communications platforms they have yet to penetrate, The Hill earlier reported. The shooters home also has been a dead end as to political or ideological information about Crooks, with Abbate reportedly telling lawmakers in the briefings that the FBI had not found such evidence there. Senators were told Crooks had another phone, found at his home, that contained just 27 contacts, which FBI agents are going down the line and attempting to interview, Fox News reported. His laptop search history, meanwhile, included dates of the Democratic National Convention, future Trump events, and searches about major depression disorder, the officials told lawmakers, according to multiple reports. Investigators have been searching for more clues as to what Crooks a registered Republican who had donated to a progressive campaign in 2021 was doing in the weeks, days and hours leading up to his assassination attempt. But the digital and physical trails have proved frustratingly limited, with nobody yet interviewed reporting Crooks discussing politics. 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. Arsenals Interest in Aydin Arsenal had set their sights on Turkeys rising star, Oguz Aydin, before his 6m (5m) transfer to Fenerbahce earlier this month. The president of Aydins former club has revealed that the Gunners were among several clubs monitoring the wingers progress. Aydin enjoyed a standout 2023/24 season, finishing with 20 goals and assists in the Super Lig. His explosive form was highlighted by scoring ten goals in Alanyaspors final 12 games. Despite his impressive performances, Aydin did not make Turkeys final Euro 2024 squad, although he was on the provisional list. Transfer Attention and Arsenals Interest The summer transfer window saw significant interest in Aydin. Cihan Aktas, president of Bucaspor, where Dutch-born Aydin began his youth career at 16, confirmed that Arsenal were keen on the player. Oguz is a player who takes the stage at unexpected moments and wins matches, Aktas told Turkish outlet Hurriyet. Two Italian clubs and Arsenal were after him. Galatasaray also wanted him, but when Ali Koc stepped in, he became a Fenerbahce player. Galatasaray had an exceptional 2023/24 season, surpassing the 100-point mark to clinch the Super Lig title, with Fenerbahce close behind at 99 points. However, Aydins decision leaned towards Fenerbahce once their president, Ali Koc, a member of one of Turkeys wealthiest and most influential families, became actively involved in the transfer negotiations. Financial Implications for Bucaspor Aktass insight into the transfer stems from Bucaspors financial stake in Aydins career. The club, which went bankrupt during Aydins tenure but later reformed under a new identity, benefited from a sell-on clause included when Aydin moved to Alanyaspor. This clause earned Bucaspor, now competing in Turkeys third tier, a significant 1.8m from Aydins transfer to Fenerbahce. Conclusion Arsenals interest in Oguz Aydin showcases their ambition to unearth hidden gems in the transfer market. While the move to Fenerbahce indicates the competitive nature of acquiring top talent, it also highlights Arsenals broader strategic goals. As they continue to strengthen their squad, the Gunners will look to balance immediate impact players with promising future stars. The leader of Detroits public transit system lives in a different time zone, roughly 300 miles away from the city in a Chicago suburb. The official overseeing city property assessments resides with his wife more than 100 miles from Detroit, outside of Lansing. And the home of Detroits second-in-command, the deputy mayor, is in Farmington Hills. Mayor Mike Duggan has spent the last decade in office promoting Detroit as a thriving, comeback city thats attractive to both new and existing residents, including pinning his own success on growing the citys population. Mayor Mike Duggan speaks during State of the City at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Detroit on Wednesday, April 17, 2024. But a Free Press analysis has found more than 4 out of 10 of Duggans high-ranking officials do not live in Detroit. And its not a new phenomenon: In 2020, almost half of Duggans appointees lived elsewhere, records show. While a few of these employees with distant addresses say they have second homes in the city where they spend most of their time, some critics say the percentage of Duggans staff who arent full-time Detroiters undermines the mayors narrative. "If Detroit is so great, then why are folks in your administration deciding not to live here?" said Theo Pride, a Detroit resident and leader of Detroit People's Platform, a local nonprofit pursuing racial and economic justice. "I think it's a huge problem. I think it says a lot about who the administration serves." Duggan, who lives in Detroit but previously faced his own residency criticism after moving to the city about a year before he filed to run for mayor, defended his appointees. A spokesman said job performance trumps living in the city officials serve. "This administration recruits the finest talent from across Michigan and from across the United States, John Roach, a Duggan spokesman, said in an emailed statement. The talent and commitment to deliver services for Detroiters has always been the single overriding requirement for being part of this team, and we make no apology for that. In 2023, 59 of 132 administration officials did not list a Detroit home address on city-required conflict of interest disclosures for executive branch appointees. The forms were obtained by the Free Press through the Freedom of Information Act. In 2022, about the same percentage of officials who filed disclosures reported living outside Detroit. Most of these officials are Duggan appointees, but some are nominated by the mayor and need formal approval from city council or another public entity before they can start in their new roles. Others are hired by Duggan-appointed board members. Among other cities where staff lived last year include four who reported living in Farmington Hills and Livonia, respectively, with another three each in Dearborn and Southfield. Two listed out-of-state addresses and a handful of others had Michigan homes more than an hours drive from Detroit. While a state law bans local residency requirements, the Duggan appointees the Free Press tracked are at-will employees. That means they could be fired by Duggan for any reason including not living in Detroit, said Chris Johnson, a lawyer with the Michigan Municipal League. "While following the law strictly says you cant be forced to live in the city, obviously, if youre not making the appointer very happy, you may not have a job tomorrow," Johnson said, adding this is a legally gray area. Roach told the Free Press employees should not be forced to uproot their family from their neighborhood or uproot their children from their schools in order to work for the city. But the idea that it's a burden for Detroit leaders to live in the city they help steer is dispiriting, said Donna Givens Davidson, a Detroit resident who is president and CEO of the Eastside Community Network and cohost of the "Authentically Detroit" podcast. "Are we hiring people to lead us who don't love us? Who don't know us? Who don't have a real understanding of us?" she said. "Even if some of them do, when some of them don't, it still provides a level of imbalance." 'Copper canyon' and a fight Historically, whether city employees lived in Detroit has been a long-standing flashpoint, reflecting the often-fractured relationship between the states biggest city and its suburbs. For decades, Detroit mandated all employees live in the city, including police and firefighters. In 1968, Detroit City Council unanimously approved a new law mandating city employees live in Detroit. It was already a department rule for police, but the move came on the heels of the 1967 riot and the ongoing racial reckoning that followed. Detroit officers many of whom were white violently clashed with protesters most of whom were Black who were participating in a march advocating for social and racial justice the same month council voted, according to the Detroit American newspaper archives. At the time, elected officials and city activists alike argued the best way to ensure community trust in policing and governing came through leaders who lived in Detroit. Former Detroit Mayor Jerome Cavanagh speaks to a young man on Detroit 's east side amid rubble in the aftermath of the 1967 riot. It is important that those we hire to protect us and enforce our laws be part of us, a part of our community, that they live among us sharing our anxieties and hopes, reads a 1968 policy statement from Detroiters for Police Residency, a coalition of community groups. The document is included within a series on the 1967 riot published by the University of Michigan. If they, too, share our concern for our neighbors and properties, they will be sensitive to those concerns because of their own vested interest as residents. The Detroit police union fought the law in court, taking the challenge all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court before ultimately losing. But it and others did not stop advocating against it, as city leaders investigated allegations of officers and other employees living outside the city and against the law. In 1999, the Michigan Legislature passed a law largely banning such local requirements. So while the mayor and others elected to Detroit offices need to live in the city, there's no similar legal or regulatory requirement for employees or the bureaucrats in the mayoral administration. In 2005, then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced top city employees must live in Detroit. That came despite a state law banning such requirements. Since appointees are at-will employees, they could be fired for many reasons - including not living in Detroit, an expert said. Even after the 1999 law change, mayoral administrations touted it when their top lieutenants lived in Detroit and took heat when they did not. After Mayor Kwame Kilpatricks second term election, he vowed that all his appointees would be Detroiters, according to Free Press archives. The residency law does allow for cities to, in some circumstances, require employees live within a certain distance of the city boundary. Detroit does not have such a requirement. Duggan has publicly supported bringing back the residency requirement and his administration previously enacted policies that encourage employees to live in the city. But he has taken no public action to actively push lawmakers for a change. Other large cities nationally have residency requirements. Chicago requires all city employees to live in the city. New York City requires "positions in the Executive Office of the Mayor and senior-level positions in Mayoral agencies" to live in the city. Jeff Horner, an associate professor of teaching in the urban studies and planning unit at Wayne State University, supports residency requirements. He noted before the 1999 residency change, many white first responders lived in a portion of the city nicknamed Copper Canyon for the number of police who called it home. Now, though, he and others believe the lack of a requirement plays a role in the city subsidizing growth in the suburbs. Large metropolitan areas that have a desperately poor central city and all of the wealth in the suburbs all around, it is detrimental for everybody, Horner said during a recent phone interview. This whole residency requirement is just one big part of why the metropolitan Detroit area is so divided and so sprawled out." The analysis Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison is one of the officials living in Farmington Hills. A longtime member of the Detroit Police Department, Duggan appointed him deputy mayor in 2022 after Conrad Mallett left the role to become corporation counsel. On the first disclosure he filed after his appointment, Bettison reported living in Detroit. But on his 2023 report, he indicated living in Farmington Hills. Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison speaks during the city of Detroit kickoff for Pride Month and a flag-raising event at Sprit Plaza in Detroit on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Property records show he purchased a home in Farmington Hills in 2017. Voter records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show Bettison registered to vote in Farmington Hills the same year. Roach, Duggan's spokesman, said in a statement that Bettison leased an apartment in Detroit during his first year as deputy mayor. He said Bettison listed the Detroit address instead of his home in Farmington Hills on the disclosure because it was the place he was most likely to be. Bettison did not return an email seeking comment. While many Duggan staffers reported living in cities throughout Wayne County like Highland Park, Harper Woods and several spots Downriver others reported residences slightly farther afield. Last year, two people said they lived in Ann Arbor, about 40 miles from Detroit. Others reported living in Brighton, South Lyon and White Lake Charter Township, all about an hour's drive northwest of the city. Then, there are the apparent mega-commuters. That's a long drive Jason Watt, the city's airport director, lives in Grand Blanc. The suburb of Flint is about 60 miles north of Detroit. Watt did not respond to emailed requests for comment. Jay Rising, the city's chief financial officer, lives in Williamston. It's a city just east of Lansing that's roughly 75 miles from Detroit. Before joining the Duggan administration in 2021, he worked as a cabinet secretary for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Rising did not respond to emailed requests for comment. Alvin Horhn, Detroit assessor and deputy chief financial officer, lives in Eaton Rapids. The Lansing suburb is roughly 100 miles from Detroit. Horhn, whose department faced scrutiny over allegations of overtaxing Detroit residents, said he has lived in Eaton Rapids since he married his wife about 17 years ago. He's not sure whether the mayor knows. He stressed he maintains a home in Detroit and stays there multiple times a week, in an effort to attend weekend and nighttime events. And he has never asked for any kind of travel reimbursements. But his drivers license states he lives in Eaton Rapids, he said. "Once you get used to the back and forth and I'll be honest with you, it did take me a while to get used to it but once you get used to it, it's kind of like: This is just my life," Horhn said in a recent phone interview. "I spend most of my time in Detroit, to be honest. I was born in Detroit, raised in Detroit, I've been there my entire life. I know the city." Mark Kumpf, who led Detroit Animal Care and Control from 2019 until late last year, reported living in Dayton, Ohio. He was hired at a tumultuous time: The department had three leaders in four years, and a month before he started, three pit bulls killed a 9-year-old girl riding her bike home in Detroit. But he also was fired from his previous job in Ohio, according to local media reports. The reports in the Dayton Daily News indicated he was fired after a local mauling, among other issues. Kumpf never responded to a Free Press request for comment. Roach never answered questions about why he was allowed to live out of state during his tenure. And G. Michael Staley earns the distinction of highest ranking official in Detroit living farthest from the city. He listed Romeoville, Illinois, on his 2023 disclosure, located nearly 300 miles west of Detroit. Initially hired in 2022, in August 2023, Duggan named Staley interim Director of Transit. In that role, he oversees both the Department of Transportation and the Detroit People Mover. G. Michael Staley, program manager for paratransit, speaks at a news conference to provide an update on the paratransit program at DDOT Administrative Building in Detroit on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. Staley did not respond to a request for comment. But Roach said since being hired, Staley has lived "full-time in Detroit's New Center." "He and his wife still have a home in Illinois, where she lives and he visits every other weekend," Roach said. Asked why Staley would list his Illinois address if other officials, like Bettison, put down addresses where they were most likely to be, Roach did not respond. Staley was initially hired to overhaul the city's paratransit system. At the time of his appointment, Duggan indicated he would evaluate Staley's performance after six months to determine whether he should stay on as full-time department leader. About 10 months later, Staley remains interim director. 'We're in a different space today' Several former high-ranking city officials backed Duggans focus on attracting talent, saying telecommuting skills honed during the pandemic are more important than proximity. Freman Hendrix was deputy mayor under former Mayor Dennis Archer at the time the state passed the law banning local residency rules. In a recent phone interview, he said the administration and those before battled to keep residency requirements, but now he understands there may be a need to cast a wide net for employees. "We're in a different space today I mean, this is 2024, not the 1980s or 1990s. Talent is not an easy thing to come by," he said. "Can they perform their duties? Can they perform the job? Are they qualified? ... Are they able to perform the job at the highest level for which they have been hired to do, irrespective of where they sleep at night?" A view of the David Stott building and Detroit skyline looking east from a second-floor window in the three-story Book Cadillac penthouse in downtown Detroit on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Intended or otherwise, Givens Davidson said there's an underlying, darker message in the argument that talent must come from elsewhere in the state or nation: Detroiters are not good enough to lead their own city. "There is this hidden and unstated suggestion that I and others perceive that Detroiters are not quite as smart as other people, and also that if we're going to get the best and the brightest, it means we have to leave this community," she said in a recent phone interview. "I think there's a lot of talent here, and a lot of it is underutilized. I would love to see future mayors tap into that. Contact Dave Boucher: dboucher@freepress.com and on X, previously called Twitter, @Dave_Boucher1. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Many high-ranking Detroit officials dont live in city, analysis shows (FOX40.COM) The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recently announced that it is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest regarding a shooting in Sacramento that left an 8-year-old in critical condition. The Sacramento Police Department added that it has partnered with the ATF in hopes of identifying a suspect in the shooting that took place on July 2 on Kit Carson Street, about half a mile west of the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery in the Upper Land Park area. Northern California murder case remains unsolved, deputies offering $50,000 reward for answers When Sacramento police officers arrived at the scene, they said they found the child, an 8-year-old girl, with at least one gunshot wound and immediately had her taken to a local hospital. At the time, police said the girl was alert and talking as she was being taken to the hospital. In a recent update, police said the 8-year-old has made progress in her recovery, but still has a long road ahead. Police added that they are unaware if any of the damage done by the shooting will be long-term. Anyone with information regarding the shooting is encouraged to contact ATF (1-888-283-8477) or the Sacramento Police Department at 916-808-0800. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. MILWAUKEE Former President Trump formally accepted the Republican Partys nomination for president Thursday with a lengthy speech that was part emotional recounting of a near-death experience and part rambling rendition of his greatest hits. Here are five notable moments from Trumps keynote address. Trump makes ostentatious entrance The former president is a showman, and his entrance Thursday proved it. Prior to his arrival on stage, Kid Rock performed a song and Dana White delivered remarks introducing him. Lee Greenwood then performed God Bless the USA, the song that plays at the start of each Trump rally. Trump eventually came into view as lights on the stage spelled out TRUMP in giant letters. The former president stood clapping for several moments, basking in applause before beginning his remarks. Trump recounts assassination attempt The opening minutes of Trumps speech were intense and somber as he recounted the assassination attempt against him during a Saturday campaign rally in Pennsylvania. He said he would recount the story one time, because it was too painful to tell. He then went into granular detail about how he was speaking about immigration when he heard something whiz by his ear and felt something hit him with great force. Trump recalled Secret Service agents rushing the stage to cover him and how fortunate it was that the crowd did not panic and cause a stampede amid the chaos. And he described it as divine intervention that he had narrowly escaped death. As he spoke, images from the rally with blood on his face and when he raised his fist and urged the crowd to fight were displayed on the video boards behind him. At one point, an image that caught the bullet near his head appeared while Trump spoke below it. The crowd was the quietest it had been all week as attendees appeared to listen raptly. Im not supposed to be here tonight. Not supposed to be here, Trump said, eliciting chants of Yes you are from the crowd. I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God, he said. Trump honors fallen rally attendee In another somber moment, Trump singled out Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who was killed in the shooting at Saturdays rally. He was a highly respected former fire chief, respected by everybody, Trump said, recounting how Comperatore lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect his family. As Trump spoke, a firemans jacket and helmet were set up on stage. The crowd chanted Corey, and Trump walked over and kissed the helmet before calling for a moment of silence to honor Comperatore. Trump also highlighted an online fundraiser that he said has raised more than $6 million for the families of Comperatore and two other rally attendees who were injured in the shooting. Trump cant help himself, attacking Pelosi, Biden and the media If the start of Trumps remarks showed a different side of the former president, the rest of the speech was notable for how similar it was to his typical campaign rallies. He called former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Crazy Nancy Pelosi, prompting jeers from the crowd. He mocked the CBS News Sunday morning program as Deface the Nation. He accused Democrats of cheating in elections. He referred to COVID-19 as the China Virus and name-checked authoritarians including Hungarys Viktor Orban and North Koreas Kim Jong Un. Trump advisers had previewed that he would not mention President Biden by name, but the former president did once, to claim Biden was by far the worst president in history. Trumps speech frequently went off-script and lasted more than 90 minutes, making it the longest acceptance speech by a major party candidate in history. It was a long speech. It was a rambling speech. It was a speech by an older man, CNNs Chris Wallace said after the remarks concluded. Melania and Ivanka make rare campaign appearances The evening concluded with thousands of balloons falling to the stadium floor and with two prominent figures in the Trump family making rare appearances on the campaign trail. Former first lady Melania Trump made her first public appearance alongside her husband in months when she entered the arena ahead of the former presidents remarks. She later joined him on stage at the conclusion of his speech. Ivanka Trump, the former presidents daughter and onetime senior adviser, also attended the final night of the convention. She sat in the familys VIP box for a portion of the remarks before she and her husband, ex-White House official Jared Kushner, made their way onto the stage as the balloons fell. Neither one of them spoke during the convention. The former first lady in particular received a warm welcome from the crowd, but she and Ivanka are unlikely to become regular presences moving forward. Melania Trump hardly campaigned in 2016 or 2020, and Ivanka Trump has said she is staying out of politics amid her fathers third White House bid. 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. Three-time Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives before his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Former President Trump delivered his formal acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday, another step in an unprecedented campaign. Here is what was notable from his remarks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee: A brief tonal shift Trump began his speech with a subdued tone, reading from a teleprompter, something he once said should be illegal for presidential candidates. It made a difference at first. The divisive Trump from his rallies and news conferences was replaced, early in his speech, by a uniter. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America, he said. Whether youre young or old, man or woman, Democrat, Republican or independent, Black or white, Asian or Hispanic, I extend to you a hand of loyalty and of friendship, he said at another point. It didnt last. Read more: Photos: Trump, Vance and all the Republican National Convention fanfare Trump entered politics with false claims about then-President Obamas birthplace alleging the first Black president was born abroad and rallied supporters in the 2016 campaign with chants of lock her up! against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. As president, Trump almost always governed with his base in mind, while castigating haters and losers, even in holiday tweets. His 2017 inaugural speech painted a dark portrait of American carnage. As a candidate, he has continued to use coarse language, calling migrants vermin who are poisoning American blood, warning of a bloodbath for the auto industry if he is not elected. As Thursdays speech wore on, the gentler tone melted away and he accused his opponents of cheating in elections an unfounded claim said that other countries were sending their murderers to the United States of America, and said his opponents were creating a planet of war. 'It's actually too painful to tell' Trump spoke for the first and what he said would be the only time about what happened when the assassins bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life at last weekends rally in Pennsylvania. He was very lucky because he was starting to turn his head and paused before he heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear. I said to myself, Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet. And moved my right hand to my ear, brought it down. My hand was covered with blood, he said. Trump praised the rally crowd for not fleeing the scene and the Secret Service agents, who have come under scrutiny for security lapses, for protecting him and killing the would-be assassin. Crediting God for saving him, he said, Im not supposed to be here tonight. Yes, you are! the crowd chanted back. Trump then walked across the stage to a helmet and uniform with the name of Corey Comperatore, a retired firefighter killed in the attack, to pay his respects. The moment was powerful and also a reminder of how large a role the events are now playing in Trumps campaign. Speakers talked about the tragedy throughout the four-day convention, often speaking about Trumps survival as an act of divine intervention. Taking aim at the 'Democrat Party' President Biden and other Democrats are running in part on the idea that Trump is a threat to democracy, largely because he spurred an angry mob to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and still refuses to accept the results of the 2020 election. He is also the first felon to win a major party nomination still facing additional charges and has pledged to be a dictator on his first day and called for suspension of the Constitution. But Trump is now blaming the Democratic Party for disunity and continued to make that case Thursday. We must not criminalize, demonize political disagreement, he said. In that spirit, the Democrat Party should immediately stop weaponizing the justice system and labeling their political opponent as an enemy of democracy. Pledging mass deportations I call it an invasion, Trump said, speaking of illegal immigration. Immigration is a top issue for Trump and his base. Some Republican delegates have held up Mass Deportation Now! signs. Trump renewed his promise to enact the largest deportation operation in American history. Today, our cities are flooded with illegal aliens, he said. Americans are being squeezed out of the labor force. Unemployment is actually fairly low, 4.1%. But border arrests have reached record highs under Biden. Theyre coming from prisons. Theyre coming from jails. Theyre coming from mental institutions, Trump said of the migrants. Immigration is a top issue for many voters, but Trumps inflammatory language could alienate moderates and energize Democrats. Research shows immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than native-born Americans. Policy agenda: Reverse Biden Trump, as usual, did not outline policies in depth. But he promised tax cuts, tariffs and to drill, baby, drill. Mostly, he made clear he wants to reverse many of Bidens policies, especially those intended to push the country toward electric vehicles to stave off climate change. We will redirect that money for important projects like roads, bridges, dams, and we will not allow it to be spent on meaningless green new scam ideas, and I will end the electric vehicle mandate on Day 1, he said. He also promised to alter almost all of Bidens foreign policy, claiming Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if he were president and that Hamas would not have attacked Israel. Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox three times per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Fifty-five years ago Saturday, humanity made its first visit to the lunar surface with Apollo 11. Lifting off atop the gigantic Saturn V rocket on July 16, 1969, the Apollo 11 mission forever changed the world and the moon when Neil Armstrong made that "one small step." The journey to the moon began here in Brevard in a building that's become an icon in its own right, a symbol of America's vast spacefaring ambitions. Really, it's a rocket garage on a super massive scale the VAB (short for Vehicle Assembly Building) is made up of four towering high bays in a giant one-story structure. Even though it is only one (big) story the VAB's 525-feet height makes it the equivalent to a 50-story structure. That's taller than the Statue of Liberty and just under half the size of the Empire State Building. It's from this giant building that the Saturn V rocket rose up and into history. An ambitious post-Apollo program was imagined one that would have seen the Saturn V fly well beyond the last moon mission in 1972. But it never materialized. A look back at Apollo 11: Florida Today coverage of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing Next the VAB became the focal point for the Space Shuttle Program, and now 52 years since humanity last set foot on the moon, the VAB is being reconfigured for NASA's Artemis return-to-the-moon program and its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket which aims to propel the first woman and first person of color on the moon no earlier than the second half of 2026. Sharing an area with a wildlife preserve, the VAB is truly a unique rocket building. "They always saw pigeons flying around, and every now and then you'd see a hawk pick up a piece of dinner," said Dan McKune, who worked in the VAB as a crane operator during the space shuttle program. "You have bats, but I never saw a mouse or a rat or anything like that." How NASA's VAB came to be In 1961, the Space Coast we know today was a much different place. Back before private space companies routinely launched satellites into space, there was swamp land and a race against time and a rival superpower, the Soviet Union, to send Americans to the moon before the end of the decade. In order to fulfill late president John F. Kennedy's ambition, a large rocket was needed. This was a big ask because the Soviets were already ahead when it came to space with both Sputnik, the first orbiting satellite, and Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space who orbited the Earth almost a year before John Glenn's historic flight. This plan included guidance from German scientists, who during WWII, worked on Germany's V-2 ballistic missile. "After Apollo was initiated in May of 1961, NASA got funding from Congress and bought land on Merritt Island to construct what later became known as the Kennedy Space Center," said James Muncy, former policy maker and founder of PoliSpace, a space policy organization. The 200-square-miles of land on Merritt Island was purchased by NASA in September of 1961 for approximately $71 million. When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule in Florida In 1963, construction began on the VAB and it took three years to complete the massive building. According to NASA, the VAB consists of 98,000 tons of steel, 65,000 cubic yards of concrete and 45,000 steel beams. When finished, the VAB covered eight acres of land. "Early on NASA had used hangars at Cape Canaveral to do everything, but for Apollo everything was designed to support the plan," said Muncy. The Saturn V rocket stood 363 feet tall. It needed a big space. Close to 3,000 people came to work at this new rocket garage, compared to the 450 employed there currently. Thanks to the Apollo program, the Brevard area saw significant growth. "The towns and cities around the center really grew a lot in the 1960s," said Elizabeth Kline, the Element Operations Manager for the VAB, speaking of Titusville, Cocoa, Merritt Island, and Cocoa Beach. "If you notice, all the elementary schools are the same design." First Saturn V rocket in the VAB According to NASA, the first vehicle to call the VAB home wasn't really a rocket at all. It was a model designed to take measurements ahead of the first actual Saturn V rocket. This "pathfinder" model was rolled to the pad and back before operations on the actual moon rocket began. Kline said that the first Saturn V to be assembled in the VAB was for Apollo 4, an uncrewed mission launched in 1967. Inside one of the four VAB high bays, the massive Saturn V was constructed in stages, stacked up vertically for flight. On Aug. 26, 1967, that 363-foot-tall Saturn V rocket which weighed 18-million pounds crawled out of the VAB at approximately one mile per hour. It's destination: the new launch pad known as 39A. Still in use today, Pad 39A was constructed specifically for this huge moon rocket. It wasn't until Nov. 9 that same year that the Saturn V blasted off into the Florida sky, propelled by 7.5 million pounds of thrust. This uncrewed Apollo 4 mission led the way for the rest of the Apollo missions, including the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Von Braun's connection to the VAB The man behind the Saturn V was no other than the famed German scientist Wernher von Braun. Having worked on the V-2 ballistic rocket during WWII in Germany, the German's experience was valuable not only to the U.S. military but the ambitions of the space program. Von Braun and other German scientists underneath his command surrendered to U.S. forces during a post-war event known as operation Paperclip joining forces and relocating to the U.S. to assist in rocket efforts. Having mostly worked from Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, Von Braun did have an office in Florida. It was located within Hangar C the oldest missile assembly hanger at Cape Canaveral which is now a museum on Space Force grounds. Kline said that Von Braun made an appearance at the VAB from time to time. "He came to see the flight hardware," said Kline. But, unfortunately, photos of Von Braun at the VAB have been lost, she said. "He was here. And you kind of think about it, the elevator cars themselves are original to the building, and you think about the past and think 'all those people have stood where I'm standing right now'," said Kline. What was originally planned for the VAB Although the country only saw the Saturn V carry crews to the moon until 1972, there had been a broader vision. Kline said that Von Braun originally envisioned an even larger VAB. "They originally planned to eventually add two more high bays out to the north. So there would have been six high bays out there. But, the Apollo program didn't get that far. It didn't get that high of a flight rate, so they stuck to the board," said Kline. "Von Braun did not just design the Saturn V for the first few missions to the Moon. He built it to support the development of significant Earth-orbit infrastructure, and lunar-orbit infrastructure, and lunar bases," Muncy added. "My point here is that the VAB was designed to support frequent flights of Saturn V-class vehicles. NASA is currently using it to fly one SLS rocket every few years. Von Brauns and (original KSC director Kurt) Debus vision extended beyond Apollo 11 to regular flights of astronauts to orbit, to the Moon, and then beyond. They build the VAB to support a LOT of launches," he said. That grand vision never materialized. Muncy said the closest thing in both the grandness of the purpose and the tempo on the Space Coast is SpaceX's plans for Launch Pad 39A. SpaceX plans to bring its gigantic Starship vehicle, which is currently being tested in Boca Chica, Texas, to the Kennedy Space Center pad in the coming years. A launch tower specifically for Starship already stands on site as SpaceX has been contracted by NASA to ferry astronauts down to the lunar surface during Artemis III. While the Orion spacecraft orbits the moon, the Starship lander will bring astronauts down to the surface. SpaceX's Starship is being designed to have the capability to refuel in space, giving it the power to travel further distances than traditional spacecraft. However, Starship's arrival depends on completion of testing, as well as Federal Aviation Administration and Space Force environmental impact studies. Muncy also cited SpaceX's Starbase in Texas, and Blue Origin's plans for the New Glenn at Launch Complex 36 on the Space Coast as closer examples to the original vision that gave rise to the VAB. The VAB during Space Shuttle days With the Saturn V having been constructed inside the bays of the VAB, NASA had to get creative during the Space Shuttle program when it came to bringing the reusable shuttle into a vertical launch position and attaching the rocket boosters. "We'd bring the mobile launch platform for the shuttle into the high bays; they'd stack the boosters on, and then put the external tank on there, and then stack the shuttle on," said Kline. Dan McKune worked on it firsthand as a crane operator. "Once they lifted (the shuttle) up off the shuttle transporter, they back that out of the way, and then the crane crew would take over." "One person would direct the two cranes holding the shuttle, and direct the cranes to both start up until you got to the right height. Then you tell them to stop, and then you'd tell one crane to start up and as one crane started up, the other crane would stay motionless," said McKune. McKune said as the first crane pulled the shuttle up by its nose, the second crane would swing toward it pushing the shuttle into a vertical position. It was a creative work around to upright the shuttle for launch as the high bays had been designed for a very different rocket and spacecraft. What is the NASA VAB used for today? With the Artemis program expected to take off in late 2025, the VAB has been brought back into service in support of another massive rocket. NASA's SLS consists of the Orion spacecraft atop of the 322-foot-tall SLS rocket. While not quite as tall as the Saturn V, it is significantly more powerful. Upon launch, the SLS rocket gives off 8.8 million pounds of thrust. This is 15 percent more than the Saturn V which took the Apollo crews to the moon. "Right now, going on in the VAB is we're doing building reinforcement. When a lot of the platforms were taken out from the shuttle program, we installed platforms for the SLS program. It changed the configuration of the VAB a little bit, so we're reinforcing the VAB to be able to handle the extra loads of those platforms, but then also to withstand hurricanes," said Kline. Kline said that the VAB has building reinforcements that help it sustain pounding hurricane winds. Crews also do routine inspections of the siding, making sure everything is securely attached. How to see the Kennedy Space Center VAB As the VAB sits on NASA government property, the closest the public can get to this famed structure is through the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex bus tour. The tour takes visitors out to the Saturn V Apollo Center, and drives past the massive VAB rocket garage on the way. This gives visitors a close up view of just how large this building truly is. Of course, the VAB is also visible in the distance from many spots in central and northern Brevard. To put its sheer size in perspective, alongside the famous NASA logo painted on the building's side is a painted American flag. That painted flag measures 110-feet-wide by 206-feet-tall. This makes the flag equivalent to a towering 20-story building. Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: To the moon and back: Story of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building 5G towers are popping up in Kendall and residents are not happy about it When Lissette Monzon came home on April 1, she found a pamphlet on the front door of the Kendale Lakes house where she has lived for 10 years. The notice from Crown Castle, a telecommunications company, mentioned something about infrastructure updates to her neighborhood. By the end of the next day, a 35-foot cement pole had gone up on a sidewalk mere inches from her backyard. The small cell towers, which are smaller than traditional cell towers, are intended to increase connectivity and enhance wireless coverage in the surrounding area. According to a Crown Castle spokesperson, the company has over 2,000 existing small cell towers in Miami-Dade, with permits for 166 new towers in the Kendall area. Crown Castle received permits from the state back in 2019 and began construction in Kendall in 2023. Monzon and other Kendall residents have been battling the construction of the towers for months, saying they worry about the potential health risks and effect on property values. While Crown Castles website promises to involve your local community and government leaders in every step of the process ensuring that your unique needs are met, and that you can continue to live life the way youve come to expect for many years to come, residents dont feel as though thats been the case. State legislation says that local government officials may not regulate the installation of the towers on public rights-of-way, meaning that the county can take limited action when it comes to the construction of the towers. The only tangible part of the construction the county is allowed to weigh in on is compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, according to District 7 Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado, who has been outspoken about the need for more transparency surrounding the towers. The neighbors, with good reason, are up in arms about these things just popping up. Theyre not in character with the neighborhood, theyre very intrusive, theyre very near homes, Regalado told the Miami Herald. A group of residents concerned over 5G towers popping up in Kendall neighborhoods poses next to a pole behind a house at 11495 SW 101 Terrace on Friday, July 5, 2024. Crown Castle said the locations for the 5G towers are determined by wireless carriers and mobile phone companies they work with. Crown Castle added that it works with those companies in areas within their networks that need increased coverage or capacity, including the Kendall area. Since 2022, Crown Castle has continuously met with County Commissioners, other elected officials who represent the community and Miami-Dade County Public Works to discuss the Kendall area project, Crown Castle told the Herald. In addition, Crown provided informational materials (in English and Spanish) to residents in the area, including contact information for anyone with questions. Crown Castle continues to engage with various homeowner association groups and respond to community inquiries. A group of residents concerned over 5G towers popping up in Kendall neighborhoods poses next to a pole next behind a house at 11495 SW 101 Terrace on Friday, July 5, 2024. Battle of the booms On June 2, community members gathered around Monzons house and the newly constructed 5G pole to protest the construction. Monzon acquired a piece of construction equipment with a lift and a platform, known as an aerial boom lift, for the event and kept it on her property afterward. On June 18, workers returned to install an antenna at the top of the tower with their own boom lift, clashing with the lift on Monzons property, which they said was in their way. When Monzon refused to move, police threatened to arrest her and she ultimately complied. Community members like Monzon say there has been a lack of communication from Crown Castle and the county with the residents affected by the towers. Besides the door hanger she received, Monzon says she never had any notice about the construction that would shortly ensue near her home. Through a public records request, she was able to find permit requests for the tower construction dating back to 2022. Our commissioners, basically, theyre able to say they wash their hands of this because of the way that the [legislation] is written, and it does remove local authority, she said. But you know what? They knew this was coming for years. Silvia Gutierrez, 58, lives in the Glen Cove neighborhood of Kendall. One of the poles went up about three houses down from her in February. Since the area has underground wiring, she says the 5G towers are an eyesore and further stick out in the community. [Crown Castle] makes the claim that they involve the community every step of the way. There is zero involvement, Gutierrez said. And thats very frustrating. At least three small cell towers have gone up in the Glen Cove area so far. According to Gutierrez, residents have started grassroots efforts to gather information about the poles and contact their local elected officials. I think its unbelievable that inside your own neighborhood, these types of installations can take place with no regard to aesthetics, to better placement opportunities, she said. Some residents say they have concerns about the warning labels on the 5G poles. A node box placed at eye level, for example, contains a warning sticker about Chromium, a chemical compound linked to birth defects, reproductive harm and cancer. In addition to the eye-level sticker, the towers have two other signs warning about radio frequency waves that are posted about 10 feet and 20 feet above the ground. Some residents have complained that those stickers are too small to act as a real warning. Crown Castle told the Herald that there are no known health hazards from exposure to radio frequency emissions within the established Federal Communications Commission guidelines, which it follows. At a June 11 county meeting, Regalado, the District 7 county commissioner, co-sponsored an item that would create an online platform and email system for residents to view and be notified of permit applications, allowing residents to have more advance notice for construction of things like 5G cell towers. Regalado and other officials in the county are also involved in conversations at the state level to find workarounds to the legislation. Those conversations have resulted in a variety of concessions from Crown Castle, according to Regalado. Most notably, Crown Castle has agreed to change the manufacturer of the node box. Until recently, the part had been manufactured in California, which has strict laws that required the warning sticker. View of a 5G antenna next to the Alper JCC Miami located at 11155 SW 112th Ave., Miami, as residents that are concerned over the 5G towers with popping up in Kendall neighborhoods are protesting and asking the county to stop the installation, on Friday, July 5, 2024. Gutierrez and other Kendall residents hope to continue garnering attention from local and state officials and ultimately work toward removing the towers altogether. If the county really wants to help the residents, it really needs to take this on in a very proactive approach, Gutierrez said. Five House Democrats and one senator on Friday morning called on Biden to end his reelection bid. They joined 20 other congressional Democrats who have publicly asked the president to step aside. Biden insists he's still running, but top Democrats reportedly think his determination is thawing. Six Democratic lawmakers on Friday added themselves to the list of elected officials calling on President Joe Biden to end his reelection bid and all this by 11 a.m. ET. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois made his case in an opinion piece in the Chicago Tribune, Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico issued a statement, and four other representatives wrote a joint letter. As the president isolates at his beach house with COVID-19, his team is under mounting pressure, with top Democrats reportedly pushing for him to drop out. Friday morning's defectors joined 20 other House Democrats and two senators who have called on the president to step aside. In his opinion piece, "It's time for Joe Biden to pass the torch," Casten said he believed Biden would lose the general election. Though he began the piece by praising Biden's record and character, Casten said the president was no longer fit for the job. "It is with a heavy heart and much personal reflection that I am therefore calling on Biden to pass the torch to a new generation," he wrote. Doing so, he said, would save Biden's legacy. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Chuy Garcia of Illinois, and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint letter to Biden that also called on him to "pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders." They, too, expressed admiration for Biden's personal and political record before saying it was crucial that the party defeat former President Donald Trump in November. "We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign," they wrote. "These perceptions may not be fair, but they have hardened in the aftermath of last month's debate and are now unlikely to change." In their letter, the four representatives said Vice President Kamala Harris was the leader of the next generation of Democrats. Many believe that Harris is best positioned to become the Democratic nominee should Biden step aside. The persistent divides within the Democratic Party are illustrated by Garcia's membership in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, whose fundraising apparatus endorsed Biden on Friday morning. Heinrich followed a similar format, starting his statement by celebrating Biden's accomplishments before saying it was important to keep Trump out of the White House. "While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden's alone, I believe it is in the best interests of our country for him to step aside," Heinrich said. "By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nation's greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump." Biden insists that he plans to stay in the race, but some top Democrats are said to believe that his determination may be starting to let up in the face of waning support and dire poll numbers. The continued fallout for Biden wasn't limited to Friday morning: Shortly after this story was originally published early Friday afternoon, three other elected Democrats called on Biden to resign: Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California, and Rep. Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky. Read the original article on Business Insider Missouri's primary election is less than one month away and candidates for several statewide races are working quickly to wrap up last-minute campaign strategies before appearing on the ballot. One of these races is Missouri state treasurer. Missouri's current state treasurer is Vivek Malek, who is running for reelection. The Missouri state treasurer is the state's chief financial officer, responsible for managing annual state revenues, directing bank services and overseeing the state's investment portfolio. The state treasurer is also responsible for unclaimed property that has been turned over by banks, businesses, insurance companies and government agencies. According to the official Missouri State website, the state treasurer currently holds more than $1 billion in unclaimed property. Missouri's 529 Education Plan, known as MOST 529, is also overseen by the state treasurer. Developed in 1999, MOST 529 works to increase access to higher education for Missourians. Missouri primary election is Tuesday, Aug 6. This election narrows down the candidates to determine who appears as each party's nominee in November's general election. In the primary election, there are six Republicans running for Missouri state treasurer. The News-Leader was able to speak with three of the candidates about their backgrounds, campaigns and desires for the position. Vivek Malek Vivek Malek is seen here during the GOP Lincoln Day event at the Oasis Convention Center on March 9, 2024. Incumbent Vivek Malek is looking to serve another term as Missouri state treasurer. Born in Rohtak, India, Malek moved to Missouri in 2001. He attended Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, where he obtained his master's degree in business administration, and the University of Illinois College of Law. Malek was appointed to the Southeast Missouri State University Board of Governors in 2020 by Gov. Mike Parson. He was recognized by Parson again in 2022 when he was appointed as state treasurer, succeeding Scott Fitzpatrick, who was elected as state auditor. According to the Missouri State Treasurer website, Malek's approach to his role centers around what he called "The Three P's," which are Protect, Provide and Promote. Malek wishes to protect taxpayer money by ensuring safe investments, provide growth with programs like MOST 529, MoScholars, MoAble and MoBucks, and promote the "promise of America." More: Lawmakers chastise Missouri state treasurer for ads on unregulated slot machines I am blessed to have truly lived the American Dream, Vivek's biography on the State Treasurer website reads. I owe so much to America and Missouri, and I want to give back. America is a place of unlimited possibilities, where you can achieve anything if you work hard and get an education. This is the American Dream. The News-Leader was unsuccessful in connecting with Malek by press deadline. Tina Goodrick A resident of Saint Joseph, Tina Goodrick is the founder of Northwest Missouri Conservatives PAC. Through her role with the organization, she helped pass Constitutional Amendment 3 in Missouri, more commonly known as "Cleaner Missouri." This amendment dealt with redistricting throughout the state of Missouri. The News-Leader was unsuccessful in connecting with Goodrick by press deadline, but according to her LinkedIn profile, she is also a grassroots associate for Americans for Prosperity and a substitute teacher. As state treasurer, Goodrick would be interested in devesting in "woke companies that support far-left, neo-Marxist ideologists" like critical race theory, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and environmental, social, and governance, according to her campaign website. She would also like to ensure the office is more efficient with taxpayer's money and make more investments to maximize returns. Andrew Koenig Sen. Andrew Koenig, R-Manchester, answers questions about his bill that would expand MOScholars during a committee meeting Wednesday Jan. 10, 2024. Republican Andrew Koenig is a Missouri Senator who represents District 15, part of St. Louis County. He is also the owner of Koenig Construction, a roofing construction company, and a licensed insurance adjustor. Koenig's primary point of focus as a candidate is the expansion of MOScholars, the state's school choice program. In March, the Missouri Senate passed an education bill that expanded the program's funding. Originally, the program was capped at $50 million. Now, it is capped at $75 million. Koenig, who helped pass this bill, said he would like to see the funding expanded even more. "Right now in the school choice program, they are requiring background checks of parents in the program. I would like that repealed," Koenig said. "Specifically, I want to make the school choice program as transparent as possible for students, schools that are participating, so that way the public can have a full view of that program, a better understanding of what it looks like. Also, I want to raise more money for that program so that way there is a waiting list of kids that are wanting to go onto it so that way as many kids can get an education that their parents want them to have." More: State Senators approved an omnibus education package with expanded school choice program In an interview with the News-Leader, Koenig expressed a distaste for digital currency and investing in environmental, social, and governance, commonly referred to as ESG. Koenig said he visited Springfield as part of his campaign for the Greene County Republican Women's Republican Candidate Forum in late June and has volunteers canvassing throughout the Ozarks region. As of July 5, Koenig was endorsed by Missouri Right to Life. Karan Pujji Republican Karan Pujji has a fairly small digital footprint and the News-Leader was unsuccessful in connecting with him by press deadline. According to his LinkedIn profile, Pujji attended University of Missouri-St. Louis. He currently works as a territory sales representative for Thuasne USA, a company that designs and manufactures braces for post-op patients suffering from chronic and muscle pain, and as a management consultant for Bear Medical Group LLC. Pujji ran for Missouri House of Representatives District 88, which encompasses St. Louis County, in 2020. He was defeated by at-the-time incumbent Tracy McCreery in the general election. Lori Rook Republican Lori Rook is running for Missouri State Treasurer in 2024. An Ozarks native, Lori Rook currently lives and works in Springfield; she's been an attorney for nearly 18 years. She is the sole owner of Ozarks Elder Law, which includes seven attorneys and nine offices throughout southwest Missouri. Rook holds degrees from Missouri State University and Oklahoma City University School of Law. Post-graduation, she worked in civil litigation in Springfield. Rook's main points of interest as a candidate are providing "real transparency" and increasing financial literacy for Missourians. "It's very difficult to see where Missouri's money is actually being spent when you look on the legislative side of the budget and how everything gets put together and pushed through," Rook said in an interview with the News-Leader. "I have questions and I know a lot of other Missourians do too about where the money actually goes and how it gets spent." In preparation, Rook has created the website, Show Me MO Money, which is currently "under construction." Rook said she would like to use the website as a "one-stop-shop" where Missourians can access updated information about how tax dollars are being spent. As the owner of Ozarks Elder Law, one of Rook's priorities as state treasurer would be increasing financial literacy programs for senior citizens. She would like to provide resources on how to avoid scammers, especially with the prevalence of artificial intelligence, gambling mobile apps and cryptocurrency. More: Access news, today's paper anywhere you go with the Springfield News-Leader app "This is an underreported problem ... and the Treasurer's office has the ability to go in and educate and try to prevent some of these problems, instead of sitting back and being reactive," Rook said. Speaking to the News-Leader on July 5, Rook said the majority of her campaign around the state has consisted of in-person meet-and-greets with voters. As of July 5, she was endorsed by Freedom Principle MO. Cody Smith Cody Smith is running for Missouri State Treasurer in 2024. A Carthage resident, Republican Cody Smith is a Missouri State Representative for District 163, which encompasses Jasper County. He has served in this role for eight years. He also holds a real estate license and owns a small business called UV Sanitized, a mobile sanitization service. Economic and educational freedom are two of Smith's primary points of interest. When it comes to economic freedom, Smith said, in an interview with the News-Leader, that he would like to lower taxes. And when it comes to educational freedom, Smith said he would like to see an expansion of Missouri's school choice program, which he has supported as a Representative. As state treasurer, Smith would like to establish "good, conservative fiscal policy" through the several boards and commissions he would sit on. Specifically, Smith said he would impose "fiscal discipline" for the Missouri State Employees' Retirement System, or MOSERS, and prioritize returning unclaimed property to Missourians. More: The news you want, delivered straight to your inbox. Here's how to sign up for the News-Leader's newsletters Expanding Fitzpatrick's Show-Me Checkbook program is another task Smith would like to complete as State Treasurer. This resource serves as a transparency data portal for Missouri finances. Throughout his campaign, Smith said he has been prioritizing one-on-one meetings with voters. As of July 9, Smith was endorsed by the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police and Missouri Highway Patrol Troopers' Association. Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. She has more than five years of journalism experience covering everything from Ozarks history to Springfields LGBTQIA+ community. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her at gcross@news-leader.com. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri state treasurer race: 6 Republican candidates in primary 60 migrants lost at sea en route from Bahamas to Florida, U.S., Bahamian officials say The search for about 60 migrants lost at sea who departed the Bahamas earlier this month for Florida has been called off, according to U.S. and Bahamian officials. The announcement came late Thursday night from Homeland Security Task Force Southeast. Sharing a statement from the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, officials say the people may have left Abaco, in the northern Bahamas, on July 4, and were on their way to Fort Pierce when the boats crew reported engine troubles around 11 p.m. that day. The Abaco islands are a popular jumping off point for Haitian migrants seeking to get to the United States. The timing and the departure point of the boat coincides with information circulating in the Haitian community about a missing up-and-coming Haitian rapper Wens Jonathan Desir, 32, who goes by the stage name Mechans-T. Luckson Saint-Vil, a Haitian journalist with Radio Television Caraibes looking into the rappers disappearance, said the artist had traveled to the Bahamas for a show when he was reportedly approached about joining a migrant voyage to the United States. He has not been seen since. A July 16 letter from the Haitian Embassy in Nassau and obtained by the Miami Herald asked the Foreign Ministry of the Bahamas for assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts of Desir, who went missing in Abaco. He went to the Bahamas to perform at a May 18 Haitian Flag Day celebration on the island. He has not returned to Haiti and his whereabouts remain unknown since after the performance, the letter said. Neither Bahamian officials nor the U.S. Coast Guard have provided the nationalities of the missing migrants. Bahamian officials said in their statement Thursday that acting on intelligence provided by the United States Coast Guard, the search for the migrants has been suspended. Both Coast Guard and Royal Bahamas Defense Force officials contacted by the Miami Herald said the nationalities of the people on the vessel was not known. The Royal Bahamas Defense Force said the Coast Guard conducted two search-and-rescue flights on July 7-8 looking for the boat. Despite these extensive aerial searches, no sign of the vessel or its passengers were found, the statement reads. 8 takeaways from Trump's RNC speech the first since his attempted assassination Trump officially accepted the GOP's presidential nomination for the 3rd time on Thursday. His first speech since the assassination attempt, it was the longest acceptance speech in history. He discussed the incident, and even displayed the chart that he says saved his life. On Thursday night, former President Donald Trump officially accepted the Republican Party's presidential nomination for the third time. The speech, delivered at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, lasted roughly one hour, 32 minutes, apparently the longest in American history. It was the former president's first public address since a gunman attempted to assassinate him at a Pennsylvania rally last Saturday. Following the incident, Trump said that he had re-written his speech and intended to focus on unity. It was also Trump's first speech since he named Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his running mate. And it came as the candidacy of his chief opponent, President Joe Biden, appeared to be on its last legs. The speech was long, at times rambling, and touched on much of the same themes of his previous campaign speeches. Here are the 8 top takeaways from Trump's Thursday night address. 1. Trump described the assassination attempt in painful detail Still sporting the large ear bandage that he's been wearing throughout the convention, Trump began his speech by addressing Saturday's assassination attempt. "I will tell you exactly what happened," Trump said. "And you'll never hear it from me a second time, because it's actually too painful to tell." The audience fell dead silent as he described the attempt on his life in detail, describing the "loud whizzing sound" of the bullet grazing his ear. "[I] felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear, I said to myself ... it can only be a bullet, and moved my right hand to my ear, brought it down. My hand was covered with blood." Donald Trump describes the moment he was shot pic.twitter.com/Ay2cue5EFd The Recount (@therecount) July 19, 2024 "My hand was covered with blood," Trump said, describing what happened after he brought his hand to his ear. "Just absolutely blood all over the place." He went further into detail, saying the crowd was unmoving because they saw the blood and believed he might be dead. "There's an interesting statistic: The ears are the bloodiest part. If something happens with the ears, they bleed more than any other part of the body, for whatever reason," Trump said. "So we learned something." 2. He recognized Corey Comperatore, the man killed at the rally On stage with Trump the whole time was the fire gear belonging to Corey Comperatore, the former firefighter chief who was killed by the assassin's bullet at the Pennsylvania rally. Trump embraces fire gear belonging to Corey Comperatore, the man killed at the Pennsylvania rally, at the RNC on Thursday. Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP via Getty Images "But Cory unfortunately we have to use the past tense he was incredible," Trump said. The former president added that he had called Comperatore's wife Helen earlier on Thursday. At one point, Trump walked away from the microphone and kissed Comperatore's fire gear, which included a propped-up firefighter jacker and a helmet. 3. He also used the assassination attempt to his advantage At the end of the day, Trump is still Trump. As he wound down his discussion of the Pennsylvania rally, Trump turned toward the myriad legal cases he's faced in the last several years. "We must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement, which is what's been happening in our country lately at a level that nobody has ever seen before," Trump said. "In that spirit, the Democrat Party should immediately stop weaponizing the justice system and labeling their political opponent as an enemy of democracy." He went on to tout Judge Aileen Cannon's dismissal of the classified documents case against him, which is likely to be appealed. "If Democrats want to unify our country, they should drop these partisan witch hunts, which I have been going through for approximately eight years," Trump said. 4. Trump said that JD Vance, his new VP pick, is 'going to be doing this for a long time' Earlier this week, Trump selected Vance one of the former president's staunchest loyalists in the Senate to be his running mate. In his first public comments after that selection, Trump said he was "thrilled to have a new friend and partner fighting by my side." He also mentioned Vance's wife, Usha, and focused heavily on the fact that they attended Yale Law School. "It was an honor to select him. Great, great student at Yale. His wife was a great student at Yale. They met at Yale. These are two smart people," Trump said. "So JD, you're going to be doing this for a long time. Enjoy the ride." Vance, who turns 40 next month, is one of the youngest vice presidential nominees in American history. If Trump is elected, he'll be just a heartbeat away from the presidency, and he's well-positioned to be the GOP's standard bearer in 2028. 5. Despite his 'unity' promises, the speech wasn't that unifying Trump promised a unity-focused speech. Though his tone was notably more subdued than prior public appears, he made plenty of incendiary comments about his political rivals, declaring at one point that Democrats are "destroying our country." And he continued to lie about the results of the 2020 election. "We don't have fierce people," Trump said when discussing foreign wars. "We have people that are a lot less than fierce, except when it comes to cheating on elections and a couple of other things. Then they're fierce." Trump addressing the RNC on Thursday. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images He also went directly after Biden. "If you took the 10 worst presidents in the history of the United States think of it, the 10 worst, added them up they will not have done the damage that Biden has done," Trump said. "Only gonna use the term once. Biden, I'm not going to use the name anymore. Just one time." 6. Trump called for the firing of UAW President Shawn Fain, underscoring the GOP's struggle to win over organized labor Trump's speech contained numerous appeals toward union members, arguing that "unions are suffering" as the result of illegal immigration. At one point, he took a direct swipe at Shawn Fain, the president of the United Auto Workers, who has been harshly critical of Trump and endorsed Biden for president in January. As he called for the elimination of Biden's electrical vehicle requirements, arguing that the policy was driving manufacturing overseas, he said that the union "ought to be ashamed for allowing this to happen, and the leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately." Electric vehicle policies have been at the heart of the GOP's attempts to win over auto workers, including when the UAW went on strike last fall. While Fain and the UAW have raised concerns about electric vehicles, they have not wholly rejected Biden's policies on the issues. "The whole problem that we have is a guy like Shawn Fain blasting Donald Trump," Vance, now Trump's VP pick, told Business Insider in September. "At the very least, just shut your mouth, and take the support from wherever you can get it." As Trump's speech continued, the UAW fired back, calling him a "scab and a billionaire." .@realDonaldTrump is a scab and a billionaire and that's who he represents. We know which side we're on. Not his. UAW (@UAW) July 19, 2024 7. Trump showed the chart he displayed on the day he was shot arguing it may have saved his life A major reason why Trump survived the assassination attempt last Saturday is because his head was turned to the side: He was pointed toward a chart produced by the Border Patrol that depicting illegal immigration in recent years. Displaying it again roughly an hour into his speech, Trump described it as "the chart that saved my life." "Last time I put up that chart, I never really got to look at it," Trump said. "But without that chart, I would not be here today." Donald Trump shows the border chart that he says saved his life from the bullet that hit him in the ear. The chart makes it clear that this crisis is Biden's Border Invasion. pic.twitter.com/dmt4oIXKlB Media Research Center (@theMRC) July 19, 2024 8. It was the longest presidential nomination acceptance speech in recorded history At 92 minutes, Trump's speech on Thursday night appeared to be the longest ever delivered by a major party's presidential nominee. According to The American Presidency Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Trump exceeded a record he set himself in 2016, when he delivered a nomination speech lasting nearly one hour and 15 minutes. Trump's 2020 speech was similarly lengthy, lasting roughly one hour and 10 minutes. By contrast, Biden's 2020 acceptance speech lasted less than 25 minutes. Read the original article on Business Insider The S&P 500 is trading near its all-time high, posting an 18% gain in 2024 so far. The index is weighted by market capitalization, which means the largest companies have a greater influence over its performance. Nvidia, for example, makes up 6.7% of the S&P 500, and the 167% jump in Nvidia's stock price this year is responsible for one-third of the entire gain in the index. In other words, investors who don't have exposure to Nvidia and its big-tech peers have likely underperformed the broader market. Fortunately, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer a simple way to add that exposure to any portfolio. The Roundhill Generative AI and Technology ETF (NYSEMKT: CHAT) holds every popular artificial intelligence (AI) stock, and investors can pick up a single share for under $40. Image source: Getty Images. Every popular AI stock packaged into one ETF The Roundhill ETF was only established one year ago, so it's still a small fund, with just $211 million under management. Roundhill believes applications like OpenAI's ChatGPT will drive a productivity boom across the global economy, so its objective is to invest in the proponents of generative AI, which includes makers of everything from chips to software. The ETF holds 57 different stocks right now, but it's heavily weighted toward its top 10 positions, which account for 44.5% of the total value of the fund. That list includes many of the most popular AI stocks among investors: Rank/Stock Roundhill ETF Portfolio Weighting Rank/Stock Roundhill ETF Portfolio Weighting 1. Nvidia 7.92% 6. Baidu 3.55% 2. Microsoft 6.32% 7. Meta Platforms 3.54% 3. Alphabet 5.9% 8. SK Hynix 3.35% 4. Adobe 3.9% 9. Broadcom 3.17% 5. AMD* 3.71% 10. TSMC* 3.14% Data source: Roundhill. Portfolio weightings are accurate as of July 15, 2024, and are subject to change. AMD = Advanced Micro Devices. TSMC = Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. Developing AI models wouldn't be possible without Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs) for the data center. The H100 GPU set the benchmark for the industry, but the company is gearing up to release a new lineup of chips based on its Blackwell architecture. The upcoming GB200 GPU will perform AI inference at a whopping five times faster than the H100, so demand will likely be through the roof. Microsoft and Alphabet are weaving AI into their legacy products. Microsoft used OpenAI's GPT-4 models to build its Copilot virtual assistant, which is available on Windows, Bing, Edge, the Azure cloud platform, and 365 applications like Word and Excel. Alphabet created a family of AI models in-house called Gemini, which is accessible through Google Cloud and Google Workspace applications like Gmail and Docs and can also be used as a stand-alone chatbot. Story continues Advanced Micro Devices is a competitor to Nvidia in the data center, but it also makes chips for AI-enabled personal computers and devices. It has established a leadership position in that segment, which could be extremely valuable as AI migrates into everyday life. The Roundhill ETF owns a number of other popular AI stocks outside its top 10, including Amazon, Oracle, Apple, and C3.ai. The Roundhill ETF is soaring, but beware of concentration risk The Roundhill ETF is up 27% year to date, crushing the return of the S&P 500. That's no surprise considering it only holds AI and technology stocks, which have been the best-performing groups throughout 2024. Roundhill cites a forecast from Goldman Sachs that suggests AI could add $7 trillion to the global economy over the next decade, and if it proves to be accurate, this ETF should continue to outperform over the long term. But beware of concentration risk, because if AI fails to live up to the hype, stocks like Nvidia and Microsoft could lose a substantial portion of their recent gains, which will lead to a period of underperformance for the ETF. Goldman Sachs published a new report last month expressing concerns because tech giants haven't shown meaningful revenue resulting from the significant amounts of money they have invested in AI development so far. That payoff could arrive at some point in the future, but if investors plan to buy the Roundhill ETF, they should do so as part of a balanced portfolio. Should you invest $1,000 in Tidal Trust II - Roundhill Generative Ai & Technology ETF right now? Before you buy stock in Tidal Trust II - Roundhill Generative Ai & Technology ETF, 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 Tidal Trust II - Roundhill Generative Ai & Technology ETF 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 $774,281!* Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2024 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Anthony Di Pizio has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Adobe, Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Goldman Sachs Group, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Oracle, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and C3.ai and 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. 1 Artificial Intelligence (AI) ETF to Buy With $40 During the S&P 500 Bull Market was originally published by The Motley Fool A tale of 2 Democratic parties: Biden hitting campaign trail next week as more congressional Democrats ask him to step aside The list of congressional Democrats publicly calling for President Biden to step aside from his 2024 reelection campaign seemed to grow by the hour on Friday, with more than 30 now asking the 81-year-old to leave the race. Biden is currently in self-isolation at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del., after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, which has sidelined him from campaigning for part of the week. Mounting pressure from congressional Democrats Since late Thursday, at least 11 Democrats publicly called for Biden to drop out of the 2024 race: Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois Rep. Jared Huffman of California Rep. Marc Veasey of Texas Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin Rep. Jesus "Chuy Garcia of Illinois Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California Rep. Greg Landsman of Ohio Rep. Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky Rep. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico Read more: More than 30 congressional Democrats have now called on Biden to end his reelection bid The mounting pressure comes after multiple news outlets have reported that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have recently told Biden that there are serious concerns he will not only lose the presidential race to Trump but also drag down Democratic chances in key congressional races. They have not publicly called on Biden to leave the race. Both the Associated Press and the Washington Post reported Thursday that former President Barack Obama is also telling allies that Biden should reconsider his viability in the race. Back to the campaign trail Despite the loud and growing calls for Biden to step aside, the president is pressing on with plans to get back to the campaign trail next week. I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms and create opportunity for everyone. The stakes are high, and the choice is clear, Biden said in a statement issued by his campaign Friday. Together, we will win. Earlier on Friday, Biden campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon acknowledged on MSNBCs Morning Joe that there has been slippage in the presidents support and there was a lot of work to do, but she maintained that there were still multiple paths for Biden to defeat former President Donald Trump, now the official Republican presidential nominee. A new TV ad calls for Biden to step aside To add to the mounting pressure, a new TV ad from the group Pass the Torch calling on the president to step aside is expected to start running on Monday during MSNBCs programming in Washington, D.C., and Rehoboth Beach markets, as reported by NBC News. What Bidens congressional allies have said House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries from New York: Jeffries told reporters in Brooklyn on Friday that he continues to support Biden as the Democratic nominee. "President Biden, as I've said repeatedly, is our nominee," Jeffries said. "He has a tremendous track record of success. He is one of the most accomplished American presidents in our history, and he has the vision, I believe the ability, the capacity and the track record to make a case to the American people that will result in us being successful in November." Rep. Linda Sanchez from California, BOLD PAC chairwoman: The fundraising arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, BOLD PAC, endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket on Friday. "From historic investments in our infrastructure system to expanding access to affordable health care, they have championed policies that lifted up our families and communities, Sanchez said in a statement Friday. "This administration has led with working families in mind and shown an unwavering commitment to Latinos. There is so much work left to do, and the stakes couldnt be higher." Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York: She slammed fellow Democrats calling for Biden to step aside in a late-night Instagram livestream on Thursday, claiming they didnt have a clear plan forward. I have not seen an alternative scenario that I feel will not set us up for enormous peril, she said. Sen. Chris Coons from Delaware: Coons, a close ally of the president and co-chair of the Biden campaign, said the president is weighing the best candidate who could win the November election. I am confident he is hearing what he needs to hear from colleagues, from the public, Coons said at the Aspen National Security Forum on Friday. There are folks still saying he is not strong enough or capable enough to be our next president, Coons said. I disagree. Whats going on with the DNC roll call vote? Despite calls for Biden to exit the 2024 race, the Democratic National Committee is proceeding full steam ahead with a virtual roll call trying to secure Biden as the partys presidential nominee ahead of the party convention in Chicago next month. The rules committee met virtually on Friday to discuss plans for the planned virtual vote. The committee is next expected to meet on July 26 to vote on rules of the roll call vote, which wouldnt be allowed to start until the first week of August. About a month ago, a husky dog without its owner was found by Washington State Ferries staff members at Colman Dock. Workers reported finding the dog alone around 2 a.m. on June 12, posting a call-out on social media in an effort to find the owners. Workers planned on taking care of the dog for just a short time, until either the owners were located or until the dog could be transferred to animal control. However, a scan of the dogs microchip led staff members to the Seattle Animal Shelter, where the owners were unable to be contacted. The dog was quite ironically identified as Tripp, and unofficially adopted by a ferry employee, with the Washington State Department of Transportation celebrating the happy news alongside Washington State Ferries. WE LOVE A HAPPY ENDING! Welcome home, Tripp! https://t.co/zTlaaYOMD3 Washington State DOT (@wsdot) July 19, 2024 AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday sharply attacked President Joe Biden over immigration, telling Republican National Convention delegates that the current administration has abdicated its duty to secure the country before falsely crediting former President Donald Trump with eliminating illegal immigration. Biden deserted his duty on his first day in office, Abbott told thousands of delegates gathered in Milwaukee. He gutted President Trumps policies, and the result has been catastrophic. Abbott also vowed to continue sending migrants to so-called sanctuary cities in northern states such as New York or Illinois, a policy that has cost Texas taxpayers at least $148 million since it was announced in 2022. When Joe Biden and Kamala Harris refused to even come to Texas to see the border crisis, I took the border to them, he said. We have continued busing migrants to sanctuary cities all across the country. Those buses will continue to roll until we finally secure our border. Abbott also reiterated his support for Trump. He will enforce the immigration laws, Abbott said. He will fight the Mexican drug cartels. And he will arrest the criminal illegal immigrants and put them behind bars or send them back. Abbotts appearance capped off a series of speeches that heavily focused on immigration, and painted migrants as criminals who have invaded across the US-Mexico border. It came amid ongoing fallout from Hurricane Beryl, which left tens of thousands of southeast Texans without power for days. Since the storm made landfall earlier this month, Abbott has faced some criticism for being in Asia for an economic development trip a decision he has defended. He missed the first two days of the convention, which began Monday, to deal with fallout from the storm. Abbotts speech came days after U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that the number of migrants apprehended by federal authorities had dropped by 32% in June among the first numbers released since Bidens executive order that widely stopped granting asylum to migrants, which went into effect June 5. Bidens order was in response to apprehensions in Texas that peaked in March at 54,172, but had dropped in the following months. Across the Southern border, apprehensions peaked this year in February at 140,628 a significant drop from the record-high 249,785 apprehensions recorded by Border Patrol in December. In his speech, Abbott also touted his decision to order thousands of Texas Department of Public Safety and National Guard troops to the border as part of Operation Lone Star, a program he launched in March 2021 two months after Biden took office to combat what he decried as insufficient federal immigration enforcement. The mission has cost Texas taxpayers $11 billion so far. In three and a half years, the state has strung rows of concertina wire along the banks of the Rio Grande, used shipping containers to make improvised walls, and broken ground on an 80-acre military base in Eagle Pass that will house up to 2,300 troops. While the operation has been accompanied by a lack of clear progress measures or accountability, Abbott has credited Operation Lone Star with a recent decrease in the number of illegal crossings through Texas. But foreign policy analysts say migration patterns are complicated and not easily explained by any one variable for example, they point to record illegal crossings along the Texas-Mexico border during the operations first three years, before this springs migration shift to California and Arizona. Delegates were decidedly less nuanced on Wednesday, instead chanting send them back! as Abbott spoke. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at www.texastribune.org. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Arthur Gallegoz was found guilty of killing one and injuring two during a shooting in an Abilene apartment. INDICTED: Abilene man accused of killing one, injuring two others In December 2023, Gallegoz was booked into the Taylor County Jail for murder and two counts of Aggravated Assault in connection to the death of Paul John Delacruz and the shooting of two others in February 2022. In July 2024, he stood trial in the 350th district court in Abilene. According to court documents, Gallegoz engaged in a verbal argument with Delacruz and other residents outside a north Abilene apartment. At some point during the argument, he fired shots in the direction of several people, including Delacruz, who were standing on the second-floor landing of the apartment. Delacruz fled into the apartment, prompting Gallegoz to fire shots through the door. One of the shots struck and killed Delacruz, and two other people were also shot and seriously injured. UPDATE: Abilene murder suspect arrested on new charges after violating bond In the courtroom: During the court proceedings, a victim testified from a wheelchair. She explained that when she visited the Claystone apartments, she parked her truck in a spot that was not assigned to her and was later blocked in by another vehicle. One of the residents of the apartment, Paul Delacruz, approached the people who had blocked her in to ask them to move their vehicle, leading to a disagreement. When she exited the bathroom, she witnessed both Delacruz and another on the ground. She recalled that her body went stiff, and the next thing she knew, she woke up in the hospital. She was shot in the arm, below her breast, and in the abdomen. The bullets hit both her lungs, right kidney, and spine, and she lost the use of both legs. Another witness, who was shot several times, shared that he spent 11 months in the hospital and was fed through a tube for a year. Neither witness knows who shot them. When the defendants sister was on the stand, she shared that Delacruz threatened her life, but she did not tell the police that the day of or in a subsequent interview. She told the jury that during the argument, Delacruz threw a water bottle at her and her brother from the upstairs balcony. Thats when she got mad and ran upstairs to fight Delacruz; he ran inside and shut the door on her face. She tried to open the door, but it was closed. She said Delacruz then opened the door a little, and Gallegoz fired the first shot at the door. She told the jury that Delacruz had something in his hand but did not tell police that the day of or in a subsequent interview. Gallegoz was found guilty of murder and two counts of aggravated assault. He has been sentenced to 30 years in prison. 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 KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. Abortion was something of a dirty word at this years Republican National Convention, despite it being one of the biggest issues of the 2024 election and something the GOP has long fought to restrict. None of the conventions speakers made it a central point of their speeches. Compare that to the 2020 RNC, when the word abortion was uttered nearly 20 times in a single night. That year, the party also featured anti-abortion activists as speakers, who called the election a choice between radical anti-life activists and the most pro-life president we have ever had. Republicans silence on the matter also puts them in stark contrast with Democrats, who have made the fight for reproductive rights a central fixture of President Joe Bidens reelection bid. On Thursday alone, the last day of the RNC, Bidens campaign mentioned abortion in at least four email blasts to reporters. Trump is not moderating on abortion, one of the campaign emails read. His record is clear. He brags about being proudly the person responsible for overturning Roe and calls abortion bans a beautiful thing to watch and something we should cherish. The silence seems clearly strategic. The GOP appears to have realized abortion is a losing issue; voters in Kentucky, Kansas and Ohio all red or red-leaning states voted to protect abortion access after the fall of Roe v. Wade, as have voters in multiple blue states. Trump once regularly boasted about his role in overturning Roe and went on graphic rants about a non-existent reality in which Democrats cheer on doctors who abort newborn babies (which is homicide, and illegal). After facing pressure to clarify exactly what type of abortion he opposes, Trump said in April that he wouldnt sign a national abortion ban if elected. However, he said nothing about a potential backdoor plan to ban the distribution of abortion pills by mail by way of the Comstock Act, a rarely invoked 1873 law that bans the mailing of obscene material. Vance, among dozens of other GOP lawmakers, advocated for using the law to ban the mailing of abortion pills last year. Ohio Sen. JD Vance, his running mate, also appears to have taken a cue from Trump and toned down his anti-abortion rhetoric, even though he once advocated for a nationwide ban and spoke out against rape and incest exceptions. Neither of the men mentioned abortion or reproductive rights in their speeches this week. It wasnt that Trump didnt have enough time; his speech was the longest presidential acceptance speech in documented RNC history. Neither did any of the RNC speakers known for their heavy anti-abortion rhetoric, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), bring the issue up. In place of abortion, Republicans turned to vitriolic rhetoric about immigrants and transgender Americans, frustration with the economy and opposition to Democrats climate change agenda, among other topics. Related... Lewis and Clark District Court Judge Mike Menehan speaks during a temporary restraining order hearing in a suit against the Montana Secretary of State brought by Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights and Montanans for Election Reform over ballot initiative signature exclusions on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse in Helena, Mont. (Thom Bell/Independent Record via AP) HELENA, Mont. (AP) An initiative to ask voters if they want to protect the right to a pre-viability abortion in Montana's constitution has enough signatures to appear on the November ballot, supporters said Friday. County election officials have verified 74,186 voter signatures, more than the 60,359 needed for the constitutional initiative to go before voters. It has also met the threshold of 10% of voters in 51 House Districts more than the required 40 districts, Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights said. Were excited to have met the valid signature threshold and the House District threshold required to qualify this critical initiative for the ballot, Kiersten Iwai, executive director of Forward Montana and spokesperson for Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights said in a statement. Still pending is whether the signatures of inactive voters should count toward the total. Montana's secretary of state said they shouldn't, but it didn't make that statement until after the signatures were gathered and after some counties had begun verifying them. A Helena judge ruled Tuesday that the qualifications shouldn't have been changed midstream and said the signatures of inactive voters that had been rejected should be verified and counted. District Judge Mike Menahan said those signatures could be accepted through next Wednesday. The state has asked the Montana Supreme Court to overturn Menahan's order, but it will have no effect on the initiative qualifying for the ballot. We will not stop fighting to ensure that every Montana voter who signed the petition has their signature counted, Iwai said. "The Secretary of State and Attorney General have shown no shame in pulling new rules out of thin air, all to thwart the will of Montana voters and serve their own political agendas. Republican Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen must review and tabulate the petitions and is allowed to reject any petition that does not meet statutory requirements. Jacobsen must certify the general election ballots by Aug. 22. The issue of whether abortion was legal was turned back to the states when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Montana's Supreme Court ruled in 1999 that the state constitutional right to privacy protects the right to a pre-viability abortion. But the Republican controlled Legislature passed several bills in 2023 to restrict abortion access, including one that says the constitutional right to privacy does not protect abortion rights. Courts have blocked several of the laws, but no legal challenges have been filed against the one that tries to overturn the 1999 Supreme Court ruling. Montanans for Election Reform, which also challenged the rule change over petition signatures, has said they believe they have enough signatures to ask voters if they want to amend the state constitution to hold open primary elections, rather than partisan ones, and to require candidates to win a majority of the vote in order to win a general election. UAW President Shawn Fain, left, and former President Donald Trump. (Photos by Anna Liz Nichols and Ashley Murray) Former President Donald Trump used his acceptance speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to call for the firing of United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain. The leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately, said Trump, as he formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination. And every single auto worker, union and non-union, should be voting for Donald Trump. While Fain has yet to personally respond to Trumps statement, his union was quick to respond on social media. @realDonaldTrump is a scab and a billionaire and thats who he represents. We know which side were on. Not his, stated the post. Trumps antagonism toward Fain is nothing new, nor Fains dismissal of Trump as looking out for working-class people. Donald Trump is a scab, Fain said to loud applause and whistling at the UAWs biannual political conference in Washington, D.C. in January when the UAW officially endorsed President Joe Biden. 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, said Fain. The call for Fains firing came three days after Teamsters President Sean OBrien addressed the convention and called Trump, appearing publicly for the first time since an assassination attempt, one tough S.O.B while also urging Republicans opposed to organized labor to rethink their stance. Trumps call for Fains firing followed his claim that China was planning to sell vehicles in the United States after being assembled in Mexico. The United Auto Workers ought to be ashamed for allowing this to happen, said Trump, although how the UAW could control one foreign nation building cars in another foreign nation wasnt clear. While it is true that Chinese companies have been building cars in Mexico with the intention of selling them in the U.S., they have been unsuccessful in doing so, especially with a 25% tariff instituted during the Trump administration, which was increased to 100% by Biden in May. Trump also continued to claim the Biden administration has instituted electric vehicle mandates, a theme echoed earlier in the week by former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) when he spoke to the convention. Rogers is running for U.S. Senate. The GOP talking point refers to Environmental Protection Agency targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions by mid-century that factored in anticipated increases in electric vehicles. As the demand for EVs has fallen off, the Biden administration has adjusted its forecast for EV transition, with no actual mandate. Fain, meanwhile, gained momentum for the American labor movement when he secured record-breaking new contracts last fall with General Motors, Ford and Stellantis (a.k.a. the Detroit Three). The UAW then followed that up with a $40 million commitment in February to organize non-union automobile and electric vehicle battery workers over the next two years, which Fain described for Michigan Advance at the time as a generation-defining moment. That effort has had mixed results. The UAW won a historic victory in April when Volkswagen workers in Tennessee became the first southern autoworkers outside of the Detroit Three to join the union. That was tempered in May when workers at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama voted against the union. Fain is also dealing with an independent UAW monitor as the union is under federal oversight investigating both he and Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock amid a leadership shakeup. This story is republished from Michigan Advance, like the Kentucky Lantern, a part of the nonprofit States Newsroom network. MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) Access to Grand Central Terminals Main Concourse was restricted Thursday due to planned protests in the area, according to the MTA. Grand Central was not shut down, an MTA spokesperson said. The restriction was lifted as of Friday morning. More Local News Expect Main Concourse access restrictions in Grand Central today because of demonstrations in the area, the MTA spokesperson said. Follow guidance from MTA personnel or the police. Use TrainTime to confirm your departure track, as it may change. Virginia Leveque, who was visiting New York City from France with her husband and two daughters, had planned to see Grand Centrals Main Concourse. Access to Grand Central Terminal was restricted on July 18, 2024, according to the MTA. (Credit: PIX11 News) Its a beautiful place I wanted to show my daughters, but we understand that its closed off. There are plenty of other things to see, Leveque 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. 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. Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto If you dream of heading to the Sunshine State for retirement, youre in good company. According to Kiplinger, Every day Floridas population swells by more than 1,000 people, many of them retirees locating for the second phase of their lives. Check Out: The Cheapest Places to Retire Across the US That Look Expensive Read Next: The Surprising Way You Can Get Guaranteed Retirement Income for Life Many of those people are heading to Florida for its beautiful weather and tax-friendly environment for retirees. If youre among those considering Florida, heres a look at five cities perfect for middle-class retirees. Also check out the most affordable beach town for retirees. benedek / iStock.com Sun City Center If youve never heard of the 55-plus community of Sun City Center, it was ranked as the most affordable place to live in Florida by Realtor.com. This community which came in third last year has the magic combo that aging populations prioritize: a warm beach and a big city nearby, according to Realtor.com. Located close to Tampa, Sun City Center has lower homeowners association dues than many other places in Florida. You may want to keep in mind that this 55-plus community has strict restrictions on age. So, since people here cant have grandchildren stay during the summer, they often visit them. Learn More: What Does Social Security Cover for Long-Term Care? For You: How Long $1 Million in Retirement Will Last in Every State Retirement Planning: Whether you're planning for retirement, dealing with a significant life event or simply looking to make smarter financial decisions, a financial advisor can offer the expertise and guidance you need. Here are some compelling reasons why you should consider a financial advisor -- even if you're not wealthy. Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto Sarasota If healthcare is your primary factor, Sarasota might be a city to check out. Along with being affordable, according to Kiplinger, residents also have the Sarasota Memorial Health Care system, which is one of the largest public medical centers in Florida, offering specialized expertise in heart, vascular, cancer, orthopedic and neuroscience service. In Sarasota, the median household income is about $69,000 and the average home value is $460,000, according to Kiplinger. In addition to the great healthcare facilities, Sarasota is home to a nice arts scene and various dining options. Try This: Heres How Much You Need Saved To Retire Rich in Americas Largest Cities Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com Gainesville Gainesville, located in the middle of the state, might be a good place to retire if you want to feel safer during hurricane season. The cost of living in Gainesville is nearly 8% lower than the national average. Story continues With an average home value of around $293,000 and more than 11% of the population is 65 or older, Gainesville could be a good choice for a middle-class retiree. SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto St. Petersburg If you look in St. Petersburg, youll find expensive and affordable housing options. The average home value here is about $375,000. According to Kiplinger, Vintage neighborhoods on the northeast side of St. Petersburg, away from the water, offer a mix of bungalows, Craftsman-style cottages, large ranchers and enough Spanish-influenced design to suggest youre in Pasadena or Santa Monica. The overall cost of living is only slightly above the national average. But St. Petersburg may be a good option for retirement thanks to its walkability, artsy downtown and proximity to Tampa. Vito Palmisano / Getty Images/iStockphoto Punta Gorda This must be a good city for retirees after all, most of its population is 65 or older. According to RetireTemecula, A smaller, more laid-back option, Punta Gorda features a beautiful historic district, waterfront parks, and a friendly community. In Punta Gorda, youll find a cost of living about 6% lower than the national average. Here, the average home value is about $407,000. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Florida Cities That Are Perfect for Middle-Class Retirees PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Ammon Bundy, the far-right activist who led the takeover of a federal wildlife refuge in eastern Oregon, has declared bankruptcy after loss in a defamation suit against an Idaho hospital last year required him to pay over $50 million in damages. As reported by the Columbian, in the year since, Bundy had reportedly lost his home and went into hiding in Utah. Mayor Wheeler declares state of emergency due to Microsoft outage The defamation suit filed by St. Lukes Regional Health accused Bundy and Diego Rodriguez of making defamatory statements against the hospital and its employees after Rodriguezs infant grandson was removed from his family for several days and taken to St. Lukes, due to severe malnutrition concerns. Bundy responded by urging his followers to protest at the hospital and at the homes of child protection service workers, law enforcement officers and others involved in the child protection case. Rodriguez wrote on his website that the baby was kidnapped, and suggested that the state and people involved in the case were engaged in child trafficking for profit. The hospital claimed Bundy and Rodriguez orchestrated a smear campaign against it. Family of young mother killed in street racing incident sues city, others for $15 million In addition to the defamation suit, Bundy and his family became well known for their 41-day armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon in 2016 to protest the arson convictions of two ranchers who set fires on federal land where they had been grazing their cattle. Bundy was acquitted of criminal charges in the incident. In a video posted to social media, Bundy first informed his followers of his filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Wednesday. Ive been very good with my finances my entire life, he said. Bankruptcy is something that its completely against my nature. But in this circumstance, I basically have really no choice. New map shows Oregon homes with highest wildfire hazards He goes on to state his belief that the bankruptcy court will see this as political retribution. I mean, weve got people like Rudy Giuliani, right? Theres a whole slew of them, he said. You know, probably by the time they get done with Trump, hes probably going to have to go bankrupt. They just, you know, theyve used the courts for their political, to punish their political enemies and the courts have allowed them. Bundy added he hopes a bankruptcy judge will discharge his debt, which is now up to $53 million dollars, according to court documents. I know the Lord wants me to go bankrupt, he said. And I think he wants to give the bankruptcy court the chance to rectify this. 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. Activist group Code Pink submitted a complaint against Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) to the House Ethics Committee over now-dismissed battery charges. The Milwaukee County district attorneys office filed and dismissed the misdemeanor battery charge against Code Pink activist Nour Jaghama after Van Orden accused her in a post to social platform X of assaulting him outside the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Tuesday. While standing in line to enter an event at the RNC today, I was assaulted by what appeared to be a member of the pro-Hamas group CODEPINK. A nearby police officer witnessed this assault and I understand they have been arrested, Van Orden wrote. The anti-war activist group organizing against U.S. support for Israel in its war in the Gaza Strip announced it submitted the complaint to the House Ethics Committee Wednesday. A spokesperson for the Milwaukee County DA confirmed to The Hill that charges have been dropped. The DAs office told Jaghama while dismissing the charges that they had reviewed the evidence, including the body camera footage, and there was not enough proof to charge her, according to Jaghama. In the complaint, Code Pink said the situation underscores the unacceptable nature of a U.S. Congressman using his position to defame a private citizen and incite violence. We want to inform the Office of Congressional Ethics that the damage from Rep. Van Ordens actions and subsequent social media postings continues, the group added in the complaint. The group has received death threats since Van Orden made his post, which has garnered significant traffic online with 367,000 views and more than 3,200 likes, according to a Code Pink spokesperson. We ask the Office of Congressional Ethics to immediately counsel Rep. Van Orden to remove the language from his social media before further harm results, to stop his angry outbursts and refrain from physically pushing others, the complaint reads. Of course, an apology would be appropriate, but not expected. Code Pink almost immediately disputed Van Ordens narrative following his allegations against the activist. Tighe Barry, an organizer with Code Pink also present at the scene, told The Hill that Van Orden shoved Jaghama, telling her to get out of his way because he was a congressman. She started to walk in and this very tall, bald-headed white guy with a beard grabbed her left shoulder pushed her out of the way and shot past her, Barry told The Hill. He didnt want to wait. The cop turns to him because he realizes that this guy had just put his hands on a young woman, and then he points, he grabs his shirt, and he points to it and says Im a congressman. She just assaulted a sitting congressman, Barry added. Jaghama told The Hill that she felt someone trying to get past her in the line into the secure zone around the convention, but she stood her ground because she was first in line. She added that Van Orden then shoved past her, turned around, and accused her of assaulting a congressman to a nearby officer. We agree that persons must be accountable for their actions, and that includes Congresspersons who call for vengeance to cover up their own actions, the ethics complaint reads. Van Orden has faced criticism before over outbursts toward others. Last year, he faced significant criticism for cursing at teenage Senate pages in the Capitol. Van Ordens office did not respond to multiple requests for comment about Code Pinks allegations. His campaign team deferred to his congressional office for comment on the ethics complaint. His congressional office did not respond to requests for comment. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Activists condemn federal officials' 'doomed' plan to kill hundreds of thousands of owls: 'Must be taken off the table' The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced a controversial plan to help save a critically endangered owl species in the Pacific Northwest: killing roughly 450,000 of a different owl species that is considered invasive. The Washington Post reported on the plan. The spotted owl population has dropped by around 75% over the last two decades, according to the FWS, largely because it is being outcompeted for food and resources by the non-native barred owl. After analyzing the situation and finding itself at a loss, the FWS arrived at the conclusion that it must license hunters to shoot the barred owls. The recruited hunters will walk through forests in the dead of night with shotguns, playing barred owl calls through a megaphone. They will then, ostensibly, use their flashlights to identify the correct owls to shoot by noticing the bar-like markings on their brown-and-white feathers. "We are deeply saddened that it has come to this point," Claire Catania, executive director of Birds Connect Seattle, a bird conservation group, told the Post. The plan is, of course, not without its critics. One potential complicating factor is that the two owls look extremely similar, casting doubt on the hunters' abilities to differentiate them in the middle of the night. The group Animal Wellness Action led an effort of 135 wildlife organizations to sign an open letter denouncing the plan. "The Biden Administration plan to kill upwards of 450,00 barred owls will put the federal government on a never-ending treadmill of killing forest owls and it is doomed to fail," the letter read, in part. While the letter does not identify a consensus alternative plan, it says the proposed plan would be too expensive, too unlikely to yield positive results, and too likely to result in unnecessary killings of owls even the invasive ones. "How can we prevent the surviving barred owls from simply recolonizing and repopulating the very areas we are trying to preserve?" Hilary Franz asked in a quote from a video that was part of a June webinar for Animal Wellness Action. "I think we can do better, and we have too many questions that need to be answered." Said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy: "Every sensible person wants to save spotted owls from extinction, but strategies that kill a half-million look-alike forest owls must be taken off the table in violating our norms about proper treatment of any native owl species in North America." This is not the first time that the government has authorized the killing of animals deemed to be invasive in an attempt to save other species. In Florida, contractors can earn money from the government for killing invasive Burmese pythons. Several states have also declared it legal to hunt feral hogs without a license. Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. Adidas has apologized for any upset or distress caused, after releasing an ad campaign for some retro sneakers based on a model first released during the 1972 Munich Olympics. The Munich Olympics are infamous as the event in which 11 Israeli athletes were taken hostage and murdered by the Palestinian terror group known as Black September. The controversy centered around the German sportswear companys choice of model Bella Hadid to front the campaign. Hadid, who was born in 1996, is Palestinian-American and has been a prominent advocate for Palestinian relief efforts. Adidas then seemingly deleted any social media posts featuring her after criticism from Jewish groups and Israel. Adidas decision to remove Hadid from its social media feeds was then, in turn, criticized by pro-Palestinian voices for silencing people of Palestinian heritage, and for appearing to retaliate against Hadid on the basis of her heritage. Bella Hadid has been a prominent supporter of Palestinian relief efforts. - Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images CNN cannot independently verify Adidas posts but screenshots of them have been widely circulated, including by the state of Israels official X account, while a picture of Hadid remains on Adidas website promoting the sneakers. Hadids representatives have not yet responded to CNNs request for comment. Hadid hasnt publicly commented about the controversy on her social media accounts, though she recently posted a photo of herself uncaptioned standing in front of an Adidas billboard, wearing one of the sportswear manufacturers tops. We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events though these are completely unintentional and we apologize for any upset or distress caused, a spokesperson for Adidas said in a statement sent to CNN on Friday. As a result we are revising the remainder of the campaign. We believe in sport as a unifying force around the world and will continue our efforts to champion diversity and equality in everything we do, the company added. Hadid, whose father is Palestinian-American real-estate developer Mohamed Hadid, has frequently spoken out about violence against Palestinians and the ongoing war in Gaza. In October last year, Bella Hadid wrote in a statement posted to Instagram: My heart is bleeding with pain from the trauma I am seeing unfold, as well as the generational trauma of my Palestinian blood, referencing those killed by Israeli airstrikes and military operations in Gaza now more than 38,000 people in total, according to the enclaves Ministry of Health. I mourn for the Israeli families that have been dealing with the pain and aftermath of October 7, she added, referencing the day when Palestinian militants killed about 1,200 people in Israel and took more than 250 people hostage. For the American Jewish Committee, choosing a vocal anti-Israel model to recall this dark Olympics is either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory. Neither is acceptable, it added in a post on X. The group did not provide evidence or detail for its allegation that Hadid was anti-Israel. Meanwhile, Jonathan Greenblatt the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League wrote in his own post on the platform that Hadids involvement in the campaign is a serious misjudgement that dishonors the victims of the 1972 terrorist attack. However, journalist Mehdi Hasan took issue with this line of criticism against Adidas and Hadid. Bella Hadid has absolutely nothing in common with the 1972 terrorists other than the fact that she is Palestinian, Hasan posted on X. Blaming people for the crimes of others who share their race or ethnicity is pure racism & bigotry, he added. When contacted by CNN to respond to this critique, an AJC spokesperson said its criticism of Adidas making Bella Hadid one of the faces of this campaign has nothing to do with her ethnicity but her history of anti-Israel and antisemitic comments, without providing evidence for these allegations. The ADL disagreed with Hasan and reinforced its criticism of Hadid in a statement sent to CNN. The Adidas controversy comes a week before the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The logo and lettering of sporting goods manufacturer adidas AG is seen on a shoe on display on the sidelines of the company's annual press conference. Daniel Karmann/dpa German sportswear giant Adidas is changing an advertising campaign for the revival of a 1970s running shoe after an Israeli complaint. The Israeli government criticised the choice of model Bella Hadid to front the campaign for the revived shoe, which was originally designed for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. The Munich Games were overshadowed by an attack which saw Palestinian terrorists kill 11 Israeli athletes and officials. In a post on social media platform X, Israel accused Hadid, whose father is Palestinian, of promoting "blood libels and anti-Semitic conspiracies against Jews." Adidas did not specify what changes were to be made to the campaign. "We are aware that links have been made to tragic historical events - even if completely unintentional - and we apologize for any upset or distress this has caused," the group said in a statement. "For this reason, we are revising the campaign. We believe in sport as a unifying force around the world and will continue our efforts to promote diversity and equality in everything we do," the statement added. Adidas apologised for 'any upset or distress caused' by the advertisement - Adidas Adidas has pulled a shoe campaign featuring the Palestinian model and Israel critic Bella Hadid after it caused anger among Jewish communities. Hadid was pictured modelling a remake of trainers first released in 1972 to mark the Munich Olympics, an event marred by tragedy when Palestinian terrorists killed 11 members of Israels Olympic team and a West German policeman. Ms Hadid has been a vocal critic of Israels occupation of Palestinian territories and has sparred with members of Israels government over the treatment of Palestinians. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israels far-Right national security minister, has previously described Ms Hadid as an Israel-hater. In the advertisement, Ms Hadid is pictured wearing the retro red trainers and holding a bouquet of flowers. The American Jewish Committee said Adidas was wrong to pick an allegedly anti-Israel model for its campaign. A spokesman said: At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, 12 [sic] Israelis were murdered and taken hostage by Palestinian terrorist group Black September. For Adidas to pick a vocal anti-Israel model to recall this dark Olympics is either a massive oversight or intentionally inflammatory. Neither is acceptable. A Palestinian terrorist pictured during the hostage situation at Munich's Olympic Village in September 1972 - AP Adidas later told Jewish News it had revised the campaign and issued an apology for any upset or distress caused. Completely unintentional The shoemaker said: The Adidas Originals SL72 campaign unites a broad range of partners to celebrate our lightweight running shoe, designed more than 50 years ago and worn in sport and culture around the world. We are conscious that connections have been made to tragic historical events though these are completely unintentional and apologise for any upset or distress caused. As a result, we are revising the remainder of the campaign. We believe in sport as a unifying force around the world and will continue our efforts to champion diversity and equality in everything we do. A 1972 Adidas Olympics poster Jonathan Greenblatt, the director of the Anti-Defamation League, welcomed the decision to pull the campaign, calling it a serious misjudgment from Adidas. We welcome their decision to correct this campaign and its recognition of the pain it has caused, Mr Greenblatt said. Hadid, whose father is Palestinian, has repeatedly made public comments in support of Palestine on her Instagram account. In May she was photographed in Cannes in a red and white dress made of keffiyehs, a scarf which has become an emblem of solidarity with the Palestinian cause. In a related post she said: Palestine on my mind, in my blood and on my heart. Always While I still have to go to work , even through this horror, to wear our culture makes me a proud Palestinian & I want the world to continue to see Palestine, wherever we go. She has also shared the controversial and unfounded claims on her social media that Israel beheaded children in an attack on a tent camp in Gaza, and that Israel is holding more hostages than Hamas in reference to the many Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Kanye West partnership In 2022 Adidas terminated its partnership with rapper and fashion designer Kanye West after he made a series of anti-Semitic remarks, a move that knocked the musician off the Forbes list of the worlds billionaires. In one tweet, the musician called for death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE. Adidas said in response that it does not tolerate anti-Semitism and any other sort of hate speech. Ms Hadid said in apparent response to Wests remarks: To my Jewish loved ones, the Jewish communities worldwide, I am here to say that you belong, you are worthy and your right as a human being is to be ALIVE. Just the same as any other race, religion, shape or size. Ms Hadid has been contacted for comment. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. When Kirby Tyrrell interviewed for the associate professor position at the Washburn University School of Law earlier this year, she was impressed by what she saw. Probing questions about one of her legal articles and a welcoming vibe from faculty won her over. Tyrrell will lead the Family Justice and Immigration Clinic at the Washburn University School of Law this fall. She has high aspirations. "I hope that I'm able to serve as a support and a mentor to students," Tyrrell said, "particularly students who are interested in my areas of interest, including gender justice, civil rights, reproductive rights, immigration and family law. And really help students further develop those in their interest in those areas and kind of think about what type of lawyer they'd like to be. "But more generally, I think I'm really interested in being a faculty member and available to students. I think law school is a really fantastic experience but can be overwhelming." Kirby Tyrrell is the newest member of the Washburn University School of Law faculty. She will serve as an associate professor and lead Family Justice and Immigration Clinic. Who is Kirby Tyrrell Tyrrell has a bachelor's degree in history from Harvard University and earned her juris doctor degree from Columbia Law School. She previously served as a Robert M. Cover Clinical Teaching Fellow at Yale Law School, where she co-taught in the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic. Her other experience includes working as a staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights and as a Skadden Fellow at Her Justice in New York City. Tyrell said she and her family will move to Kansas in late July. She'll begin working at Washburn the beginning of August. "We like really good food," Tyrrell said of her and her husband. "So we're excited to try all the food in Kansas. We just like to explore, so it will be fun to be in a new area." From Yale Law to Washburn School of Law When asked how Tyrrell transitioned from Yale Law staff to Topeka, she said she was impressed with the Washburn School of Law during the application process. "I was really impressed with the faculty when I visited," Tyrrell said. "They were incredibly kind and welcoming, as well as really academically rigorous. Part of the interview process is that you present an article you've written and the faculty asks questions and provides comments. "I was really impressed by their questions, the comments and how engaged they were in my scholarship." Tyrrell also said she's looking forward to getting to work and meeting her new students. "I've really valued the opportunities to get to know students," she said, "to help them in the questions that they're struggling with and to help them develop their legal skills." What is the Family Justice and Immigration Clinic? In Tyrrell's new role leading the Family Justice and Immigration Clinic, she will oversee representation in domestic relations and immigration cases. Washburn clinic interns, under Tyrrell's guidance, will represent community members and work on policy projects. The Family Justice and Immigration Clinic is a litigation clinic that students work at to get real work law experience under a faculty member's law license. Those students provide representation in domestic relations and related immigration cases, focusing on serving children and victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, according to the clinic's website. "Then I'm also really excited to be involved in the advocacy community in Kansas, in the issues that I care about," Tyrrell said, "to kind of dig in and really get to know the other individuals and groups working in those areas and hopefully contribute based on the kind of skills and experience that I'm bringing." Here's what Washburn School of Law dean says about Kirby Tyrrell "Professor Tyrrell's extensive background in public interest law and her dedication to clinical education will greatly benefit our students and the community," school of law dean Jeffrey Jackson said in a written statement. "Her leadership in the Family Justice and Immigration Clinic will enhance our commitment to providing practical, hands-on legal training while serving those in need." This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Advocacy and honing legal skills drive Washburn University professor A mass IT outage is causing global travel chaos. Passengers face delays and cancellations at airports as digital services relying on Microsoft were affected. Several passengers told BI that the situation was being made worse by the airline's communications platforms being down. A global IT outage has brought travel systems worldwide to a standstill, causing issues for passengers at airports, on train services, and at gas stations. Major airlines, banks, and retailers are experiencing widespread disruptions after Microsoft reported problems with its online services, linked to an issue at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. American, United, and Delta issued ground stops on Friday due to potential communication issues, while airports and airlines worldwide reported issues and delays affecting airlines. As boarding, tickets, and pilot communication channels were affected by the outage, passengers were hit with delays and cancellations. Scott Sanders, a passenger at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, told Business Insider that people were sleeping on the ground due to the disruption. The atmosphere was relatively calm, he said. Sanders' flight to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) had been scheduled to depart on Thursday at 10:55 p.m. However, after one and a half hours of sitting on board the plane, passengers were told to disembark. He still hoped to reach his father's 80th birthday celebration on Saturday. Crowdstrike is putting a damper on this trip. Trying to get to Ohio from SEA to celebrate my dad's 80th birthday. You can hear the announcement from the poor gate agent, no one knows how long this will last.#Crowdstrike #SeaTac pic.twitter.com/t4nCH8Y6UD Scott Sanders (@SeahawkSanders) July 19, 2024 Jordan van den Lamb, a public servant, told BI that he had been stranded for six hours at Hobart Airport in Tasmania. Lamb said the airport was empty because other passengers were told their flights were canceled. He was told there was still a chance his flight would take off. But five hours later, it was canceled. Jetstar would not pay for accommodation, he said. But it did offer aggrieved passengers two vouchers amounting to $10.70 (16 AUD), which they were only allowed to spend all at once with no change given. 'Tired and hopeless' At Los Angeles International Airport, Sarah Patterson experienced a similar disruption. Patterson told BI her flight with Spirit Airlines to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) was delayed by more than two hours on Thursday evening before it was eventually canceled. It took three hours to get her checked luggage back from the airline, she said. On top of the delay, the airline's app was completely unresponsive and they had been told that no rebookings could be made. "There's about three flights of people, at least, all in a single line for the Spirit desk, all trying to get rebooked," Patterson said. "I have a family vacation I'm supposed to go on on Saturday, so it's pretty brutal," she said. three cancelled flights all standing in a line at LAX not moving bc they cant rebook any of us until the computers come back #outage pic.twitter.com/w9trzshNST Sarah (perfect angel) (@daddy_spatty) July 19, 2024 A spokesperson for Spirit told BI that its team is working "as quickly as possible to have everything restored." The company wrote on X Friday that it is currently unable to rebook flights for impacted passengers because of the outage. Jacqualine Ebule was also stuck at LAX after boarding her 11:15 p.m. flight to Washington, D.C. An hour later, they were told to disembark, and at 3:30 a.m., the flight was canceled. "We sat on the tarmac for an hour, and they said it was a technical issue with Microsoft," Ebule told BI. "We then had to deplane and everyone has just been sitting around waiting." Calling the whole experience "a hassle" she was thinking of just heading home. "People with kids look extremely tired and hopeless," she added. Reverting to manual processes The global IT outage is affecting airlines differently depending on their use of Microsoft services for their operations. At Melbourne Airport, Australia, the international airlines Jetstar and Scoot were experiencing ongoing issues, while all other international airlines were processing passengers normally, the airport confirmed on X on Friday morning. Some airlines resorted to using manual processes to manage the situation. A whiteboard displaying flight information in Terminal 1 of Singapore's Changi Airport. Aditi Bharade In Singapore Changi Airport, whiteboards displaying flight numbers were laid out in a terminal 1 lounge. Elsewhere, passengers of Indian airline IndiGo posted images of handwritten boarding passes on social media. BI was unable to verify their accounts. However, the airline confirmed on X that the outage had impacted access to boarding passes and check-in. Trains and gas stations Travelers trying to use other forms of transport have also faced disruption. National train operators in the UK reported network-wide IT issues on Friday morning. In the US, Amtrak confirmed to customers on X that they were experiencing problems with their booking website, and arrival information at some stations was not working. Drivers were not exempt from the travel chaos either. Some Speedway gas stations around the US closed because digital gas pumps failed to work, and others were not accepting payments, a Speedway customer service employee confirmed to BI. "They had to move to cash only and some don't have any internet," the employee said. Read the original article on Business Insider SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto As the real estate market continues to evolve, investors and homebuyers are always on the lookout for the next hot spot. However, its equally important to be aware of areas that might not offer the best return on investment. Find Out: 5 Worst Florida Cities To Buy Property in the Next 5 Years, According to Real Estate Agents Learn More: Become a Real Estate Investor for Just $1K Using This Bezos-Backed Startup GOBankingRates reached out to Chris Wesser, president and executive chair of Redy, a marketplace that rewards home sellers for selecting agents who align with their sale goals, to get his insights on which Southern cities might be risky bets for property buyers in the coming years. Predicting which real estate markets will be hot or cold five years from now is exceedingly complex, but investors can increase their odds of success if they develop a methodology and stick to it when making investment decisions, Wesser said. Here are five Southern cities that potential property buyers might want to approach with caution over the next five years: Wealthy people know the best money secrets. Learn how to copy them. Tampa, Florida (Hillsborough County) Tampa tops the list of expected worst performers in the South. Wesser points out a critical issue facing the area: Tampa is one of the most overbuilt markets in America. This oversupply of housing relative to demand can lead to stagnant or declining property values. The problem of overbuilding is part of a larger issue that Wesser identifies: Housing supply vs. demand this means outbound migration leads inbound migration in an area with significant housing supply (too many houses, not enough buyers). Check Out: In Less Than a Year, Youll Regret Not Having Bought Property in These 20 Housing Markets Jackson, Mississippi Jackson could be facing challenges on multiple fronts. Wesser noted that one of the key factors affecting this list of expected worst performers is Technology/manufacturing/banking/job loss this means these industries, and jobs in general, are disappearing at a rate likely to cause home value decline without other factors in place to offset or reverse the decline. While Wesser didnt specifically mention Jackson in this context, the citys inclusion on the list suggests its grappling with similar economic challenges. Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport is another city that Wesser identified as an expected worst performer. Like Jackson, it appears to be facing economic headwinds that could impact its real estate market negatively over the next five years. Story continues Areas with job growth instead of decline, strong industrial or other bases to support jobs, increasing employment rates, Wesser said. Miami-Dade, Florida Interestingly, Miami-Dade makes the list of expected worst performers, but for different reasons than Tampa. Wesser explained that for some areas, the issue is value or perceived value with respect to expected worst performers, this is more a function of the fact that home values are relatively high, without sufficient supporting factors to continue driving up prices. This suggests that while Miami-Dades real estate market might seem attractive now, it could be overvalued and due for a correction. Mobile, Alabama Mobile rounds out the list of Southern cities expected to underperform in the real estate market over the next five years. While there are more than a billion dollars of capital improvements on the Port of Mobile planned over the next 10 years, the city is still predicted to suffer from the issues Wesser described. The Final Word Even though these are cities that Wesser and Redy think arent great investments right now, he shared how to think about investing for yourself: Start with a list of target markets make it very broad, based on your initial set of criteria. Pull data from trusted sources on each of the factors you want to consider economic, population, demographic, infrastructure, housing supply and demand, etc. Drop the data into a spreadsheet and sort high or low to create a list of markets having desirable (or undesirable) rankings for each factor, he added. Make a list of the cities that consistently rank high across multiple factors, as well as cities that consistently rank low across multiple factors, to arrive at your initial list of target markets. And while you might want to proceed with caution around these cities, you have to remember that real estate markets are often highly localized. Even within cities facing challenges, there may be neighborhoods or specific properties that could prove to be good investments. The secret sauce is how you interpret and test the data to draw conclusions, Wesser said. In other words, everyone needs to do their own research and consult local real estate professionals before making any investment decisions. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 5 Worst Southern Cities To Buy Property in the Next 5 Years, According to Real Estate Agents What to do if your flight was disrupted by the Microsoft outage: Airline travel waivers Technical outages with Microsoft and CrowdStrike impeded airline operations on Thursday night and into Friday, disrupting thousands of flights in Phoenix and nationwide. Numerous airlines at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport reported flight delays and cancellations. Several airlines including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines issued travel advisories that allow passengers to get refunds or change their flights without additional fees or fare differences. As of 10 a.m. Arizona time, flight tracking website FlightAware reported 149 delayed flights and 62 canceled flights out of Sky Harbor; 30 American, 12 Delta and nine United flights were among the cancellations. Allegiant Air canceled flights on Friday Allegiant posted on X that it canceled all flights scheduled before 11 a.m. Arizona time Friday because of the outage. That included a total of eight flights, four arrivals and four departures, out of Mesa Gateway, according to the airport's website. More cancellations may follow, Allegiant stated. What to do if you're flying during the Microsoft outage American, Delta, United, Frontier Airlines and Allegiant all had flights delayed or canceled because of the Microsoft tech outage. Frontier and Sun Country Airlines experienced delays and cancellations on Thursday evening. "We could continue to see delays and cancellations throughout the day due to airline issues elsewhere in their networks," Sky Harbor spokeswoman Heather Shelbrack said. "Staff mobilized and worked the issue throughout the night to minimize disruption to the traveling public and we continue to work with the airlines and business partners to support their recovery." Anyone flying out of Sky Harbor on Friday should check their flight status with their airline before coming to the airport, she said. Sky Harbor also has staff available in Terminals 3 and 4 who can provide directions or answer travelers' questions. American Airlines travel waiver American Airlines is waiving change fees for passengers who were scheduled to travel on Friday and can travel by July 25. Fare differences will not apply as long as passengers keep the same origin and destination cities and rebook in the same cabin of service. Changes must be booked by Friday. Details: www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/travel-alerts.jsp. Delta Air Lines travel waiver Delta is waiving change fees and fare differences for passengers scheduled to travel on Friday and can travel by July 24, as long as passengers maintain the same cabin of service as originally booked. Anyone who rebooks their flight after July 24 must pay a fare difference between the original ticket and the new ticket. Passengers also have the option to cancel their reservation and receive a credit for a new flight valid for one year from the date it's issued. Details: www.delta.com/us/en/advisories/other-alerts/global-it-outage. United Airlines travel waiver United is waiving change fees and fare differences for passengers scheduled to travel on Friday who can travel by July 25, as long as passengers maintain the same origin and destination cities and the same cabin of service as originally booked. Details: www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/trip-planning/travel-alerts.html. Allegiant Air travel waiver At the time of publication, Allegiant's website is out of service because of the Microsoft outage. Allegiant posted on X that customers should not go to the airport and will receive an email with options on receiving a refund or rebooking when its systems are restored. Frontier Airlines travel waiver Anyone whose flight was delayed for more than 180 minutes is eligible to rebook on the next available Frontier flight at no extra charge, cancel their flight and receive a credit for a future flight, or cancel and request a refund. Travel must be completed before July 25, and the origin and destination cities cannot be changed. Details: www.flyfrontier.com/alert. Southwest Airlines travel waiver Southwest Airlines has not addressed the outage or issued a travel alert. Its operations have been largely unaffected because of its use of outdated computer systems. Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist whos covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republics consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Microsoft outage flight delays: Airline refund, rebooking policies Which airports and airlines have been affected by the outages? Many flights across the world have been delayed or canceled Friday because of a major IT system failure. All flights for US carriers United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines were grounded early on Friday before operations started ramping up again. American Airlines has confirmed that is has resolved the issue affecting its operations, while Delta and United have resumed some flights. The Federal Aviation Administration provided assistance to airlines with ground stops as the IT issue was being addressed, the agency said early Friday morning on X. Currently FAA operations are not impacted by the global IT issue, the FAA posted later on Friday. We continue to monitor the situation closely. The agency also said the IT issue could continue to affect flights this weekend. As of midday Friday, thousands of flights had been canceled globally, with chaotic scenes at airports across the world as passengers waited for updates. Here are some of the major airlines and airports that have been impacted by the tech outage: Impacted airlines and airports The situation is evolving quickly, and passengers should check flights directly with carriers. The following are some of the carriers and airports with known technology impacts: North America American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines were all impacted and issued travel waivers on Friday. Earlier this morning, a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. As of 5 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience, American Airlines said in a statement to CNN. Delta and United resumed some flights Friday morning and warned of additional disruptions throughout the day. The issue affected many separate systems, such as those used for calculating aircraft weight, checking in customers, and phone systems in our call centers, United Airlines said in a midday update. Ultra-low cost airline SunCountry, Allegiant Air, Frontier and Spirit Airlines were experiencing disruptions caused by the outage on Friday. Southwest Airlines and JetBlue were not impacted by the outage. While our operational systems were not impacted by this outage, customers should monitor their flight status and build in extra time in the event that this outage has impacted specific airports due to outages at other airlines, airport operators, or government agencies, JetBlue said in a statement. Toronto-based Porter Airlines announced that it was canceling flights on Friday until noon ET due to prolonged third-party technology systems outages affecting multiple global industries. Two low-cost airlines in Mexico City, Volaris and Viva Aerobus, were also impacted. Passengers traveling through Los Angeles International Airport are experiencing a mixed bag of delays and cancellations due to the tech outage, an airport spokesperson told CNN. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport airside operations are working, although some customer-facing airlines are dealing with a few challenges, amid the ongoing global computer outage, Andrew Gobeil, who oversees public affairs outreach at the airport, told CNN. At Dallas Fort Worth International Airport officials anticipate significant delays and cancellations throughout the day, the airport said. We ask customers to verify your flight status with your airline prior to heading to the airport. Longer lines are possible so allow extra time. Chicago OHare International Airport advised passengers to check their flight status directly with their carrier due to the tech issues. Longer lines and wait times are possible, please allow extra time, it said. John F. Kennedy International Airport said: The Port Authority is not affected by the ongoing global network outage, but some airlines are experiencing delays/cancellations. DO NOT head to the airport unless your flight status is confirmed, according to an airport post on X. That guidance applies to LaGuardia and Newark airports as well. Philadelphia International Airport said passengers should expect delays and cancellations on Friday. Charlotte Douglas International Airport advised passengers not to come to the airport unless they have confirmed their flight information with the airline. Miami International Airport advised that US Customs and Border Patrol operations are being affected nationwide, so international passenger arrivals are currently being processed manually at a slower pace. Passengers and airline pilots wait at Newark International Airport after United Airlines and other airlines grounded flights because of a worldwide tech outage. - Bing Guan/Reuters Around the world Asia Pacific In the Asia Pacific region, AirAsias core reservation and check-in system was impacted and Cebu Pacific Air was forced to handle all processes manually. Singapore Airlines, the flag carrier of Singapore, said none of its flights had been impacted, but it is experiencing technical difficulties. Qantas, the flag carrier of Australia, has also been impacted by IT disruptions, and was still operating Friday, but with delays. Taiwans Taoyuan International Airport said several airlines at the airport had been impacted. Jetstar, Hong Kong Express, Jeju Air and Scoot have all resorted to manual check-ins, the airport said. Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport and six Indian airlines have also reported technical difficulties. Jaipur International Airport said flights nationwide have been affected by the outage. South Koreas Incheon International Airport said Air Premia, Easter Jet and several other airlines had been affected. Korean Air, the countrys flagship carrier, said it uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) and so had not been affected. Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines on July 19. - Ezra Acayan/Getty Images Middle East Dubai International Airport said the check-in process for some airlines had been affected, but that it is now back to operating normally. Europe Londons Gatwick Airport said it is affected by the global Microsoft issues and that passengers may experience delays checking in and going through security. Germanys Berlin Airport said it is experiencing delays to check-in due to a technical fault. Amsterdams Schiphol Airport said the global system failure had affected flights to and from Schiphol and the impact is now being mapped. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines said the outages are making flight handling impossible. Scotlands Edinburgh Airport said the outages mean wait times are longer than usual at the airport. Spains airport authority, AENA, which supervises airports in Madrid, Barcelona and others across the country said the outage could cause delays and that its staff are working to solve the problems. Iberia Airlines, the flag carrier of Spains airline, told CNN their systems started working again at 9:30 a.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET), adding there were still some delays. Prague Airport said the issues have affected its global check-in system, delaying flights. Irelands Ryanair also confirmed a disruption to the airlines network, advising passengers to arrive at least three hours before their scheduled departure time. Air France, the countrys flag carrier, said the IT issue had disrupted its operations although flights already in the air are not affected. Turkish Airlines said it was experiencing problems with ticketing, check-in and reservations. Our teams are working diligently to resolve the issue, the airline said. Central and South America Panama-based Copa Airlines said it is also one of the global airlines impacted and some flights might be delayed following the large-scale third-party software outage, according to a post on X on Friday. The airline asked passengers to go to the airport at least 4 hours before your departure. LATAM Airlines, the Chilean carrier, announced on Friday that global outages could be causing delays for some its flights. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Some airports were forced to use whiteboards to handwrite flight information due to the global IT outage Some airports were forced to use whiteboards to handwrite flight information due to the global IT outage A global IT outage saw airports in Belfast and Singapore handwrite flight information. A Belfast International Airport spokesperson told BI all systems have since been restored. Singapore Changi Airport also said some airlines were manually issuing boarding passes. Staff at several airports had to handwrite flight information on whiteboards due to a worldwide IT outage. Business Insider saw whiteboards at Singapore Changi Airport being used to allocate check-in lines for the budget airline Scoot. Almost 7,000 miles away in Northern Ireland, a Belfast International Airport spokesperson told BI that whiteboards were being used, but all systems have since been restored. A user on X shared a photo she said was taken by her brother-in-law. In the background, monitors usually used for flight information can be seen displaying the "blue screen of death." Major airlines, banks, and supermarkets are experiencing widespread disruptions because of an IT outage after Microsoft reported problems with its online services, linked to an issue at the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. "A global IT system outage is impacting the airport alongside many other businesses, but flights remain operational," the Belfast International spokesperson said in a statement. "Our IT teams are working hard to resolve the issue but there are longer wait times than usual at the airport and we thank passengers for their patience while the issue is resolved." A spokesperson for Singapore Changi Airport said the check-in process for some airlines was "being managed manually," which included issuing boarding passes. The disruption has affected aviation across the globe. Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines the big three US carriers all issued ground stops early Friday morning. United and American also alerted pilots of communication issues. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, has several routes out of Belfast International. It advised passengers to arrive at least three hours early as it experienced "disruption across the network" due to the outage. Wizz Air, British Airways, and KLM have also warned of delays. Read the original article on Business Insider Ala. Dad Accused of Killing His Wife and 4 Children 2 of Whom Were His Own Brandon Kendrick, 32, has been charged with five counts of capital murder Bibb County Sheriff's Office Brandon Allan Kendrick An Alabama father has been charged after authorities allege he killed his wife, their two children and two other children who were related to him this week. Brandon Kendrick of West Blocton, 32, is accused of fatally shooting his wife Kelsey Kendrick, 24, as well as four children, according to a release from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. The shooting took place around 10 p.m. local time on Thursday, July 18, in West Blocton in Alabama's Bibb County. The victims also included a 2-year-old, two 6-year-olds, and one 9-year-old two of which were "Kendricks children, and the other two were relatives," per the ALEA. Special Agents with the ALEA's State Bureau of Investigation have since launched a quintuple homicide investigation, while Kendrick was arrested and booked into Bibb County Jail with no bond. Kendrick has been charged with five counts of capital murder. It is unclear if he has obtained legal representation. "Nothing further is available as the investigation remains ongoing," the ALEA said in its release. "Once complete, the findings will be turned over to Alabamas 4th Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office." 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. Kendrick's arrest comes just days after what officials called a "tragic day" of gun violence elsewhere in the state. In the city of Birmingham, seven people were killed and another 10 injured in two separate shootings on the night of July 13. The first shooting took place around 5:30 p.m. at the 1700 block of Indian Summer Drive, where three people who had been fatally shot inside a vehicle including a 28-year-old mother, her 5-year-old son and a 28-year-old man. The second shooting took place less than six hours later at an event center, around 11:08 p.m., and left another four people dead and 10 injured. Chief Scott Thurmond said at a press conference on Sunday, July 14 that the shootings represented probably the most tragic day in my time at the Birmingham Police Department." He called the violence terribly unacceptable." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Keith Edmund Gavin was sentenced to death after being convicted of the 1998 robbery and murder of William Clinton Clayton, Jr. The state of Alabama executed Keith Edmund Gavin Thursday evening for the 1998 murder of William Clayton Jr. Gavin, 64, was pronounced dead at 6:32 p.m. after a lethal injection procedure that took 23 minutes. I love my family, Gavin said prior to the start of the execution. That was followed by words that media witnesses said sounded Arabic. The witnesses also reported that he held his hand with his index finger pointed. Media witnesses reported no visible problems with the execution. He was a man with rural American values, said Matthew Clayton, a son of William Clayton, during a news conference following the execution. I have often described him as a slice of Americana, very classic American values and beliefs. He was a man with an incredible work ethic. The execution began at 6:15 p.m., according to a statement from Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshalls office. Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement that justice was finally delivered for Mr. Claytons loved ones. Gavins execution follows the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith in January, the first execution by nitrogen gas. The state executed Jamie Ray Mills by lethal injection at the end of May. The state plans to execute Alan Eugene Miller in September. A jury convicted Gavin in 1999 for Claytons murder. According to court documents, Clayton was shot and killed while sitting in his van that he used to deliver packages outside the Regions Bank in Centre, Alabama. Gavin was also convicted in 1982 of a murder that took place in Cook County, Illinois. He served 17 years of a 34-year sentence before getting released on parole. Gavin argued during his appeals process in Alabama that he had ineffective counsel during the trial and that the jury improperly discussed the case before the sentencing phase of the trial. The trial court overseeing his appeal dismissed his claim of jury misconduct but allowed his claim regarding the ineffective assistance of counsel to proceed. Gavin argued that his attorneys did not do an adequate job of presenting witnesses to present evidence of mitigating circumstances that would have lessened the severity of his punishment, such as physical abuse as a child. The appeals were not successful. There was compelling evidence about Mr. Gavins life that could have persuaded the jury to choose life imprisonment without parole in his case, a post from the Equal Justice Initiative states. Gavin had also sued the Alabama Department of Corrections to stop an autopsy of his body after the execution, citing that it violated his Muslim faith. Autopsies are common for individuals who die in the custody of DOC, but DOC agreed to his request, and Gavin withdrew the suit. ATMORE The State of Alabama executed Keith Edmund Gavin by lethal injection Thursday evening for the 1998 murder of a North Alabama delivery truck driver at a bank ATM. Gavin, 64, was convicted of killing William C. Clayton Jr., 68. Clayton had gotten off work and drove his van to an ATM at a bank in Centre, in Cherokee County, to withdraw cash to take his wife to dinner, state and federal court records show. Cherokee County is in northeast Alabama. Gavin went up to the van and shot Clayton at least two times, then drove off in the van, records state. Clayton and his wife had been married 38 years and the couple had seven children, USA Today reports. Gavins execution went forward after he filed a pro se, handwritten motion Wednesday with the United States Supreme Court seeking a stay in the execution based on a claim that he was denied due process because he was indigent and couldn't pay a filing fee. The state argued that Gavin did have the means to pay the filing fee. The high court declined to stay his execution Thursday. More: Alabama agrees not to autopsy Keith Edmund Gavin after his execution this week The execution happened at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, about 130 miles southwest of Montgomery. Keith Edmund Gavin, sentenced for murder on Jan. 5, 2000 The execution Media witnesses and witnesses for Gavin were led into one of three observation rooms at about 6 p.m. The other observation rooms are reserved for the victims family and witnesses, and the third room used by state officials. The media witness observation room was dimly lit, and about 8-feet-by-12-feet in size. The interior of the room was white-painted concrete block, and smelled strongly of disinfectant. There is usually a clock in the death chamber, but there was not a clock visible this time. Witnesses are not allowed to bring in phones or watches. These times were taken off a correction systems spokeswoman phone: More: Alabama executions through the years: Facts, figures and failures 6:09 p.m. The drapes to the large window in the media room were opened. Gavin was strapped cruciform on a gurney, the head of which was slightly elevated. Two IV lines ran from a small rectangular in the back wall of the death chamber. One line went to Gavins inner right arm and the other to his inner left arm. His inner arms were facing up. He appeared to be wearing khaki prison garb. His body was covered from the chest down by a tightly tucked in white sheet. Straps ran across his chest and legs, and his arms were restrained by straps. He appeared to be wearing shoes, the sheet was tightly tucked in around his feet. The death chamber at Holman Correctional Facility on October 7, 2002. 6:11 p.m. Warden Terry Raybon read the death warrant and governors warrant. Gavin had his head raised from the time the drapes were open, and he had both his right and left index fingers elevated. His face grimaced and he worked his fingertips as if counting. His eyes opened and closed several times. Gavin was given the opportunity to make a final statement I love my family he said and then his voice trailed off. Gavin was of the Muslim faith and it appeared he said several phrases in Arabic. 6:12 p.m. His spiritual advisor, an Imam from Mobile, approached the gurney and appeared to pray. The Imam stood at the foot of the gurney. 6:16 p.m.- 6:20 p.m. It appeared the execution began, and Gavins eyes closed and his head went back on the gurney. His index fingers relaxed. His breathing became shallow. His abdomen fluttered. His jaw slackened and his mouth hung agape. He appeared to stop showing physical signs of reaction or movement. At about 6:19 p.m. a corrections officer, who was standing at the head of the gurney, approached Gavin and yelled into his ear, Inmate Gavin, you in there? Then the officer did a consciousness check by raking his thumb across Gavins left eyelid and pinching his left inner arm. Gavin appeared to show no physical reaction. At 6:20 p.m. it appeared Gavin drew his last breath. 6:25 p.m. The drapes to the observation room closed. Prison system officials said his official time of death was 6:32 p.m. Gov. Kay Ivey released a statement confirming Gavin's time of death as 6:32 p.m. At a news conference held about 30 minutes after the execution, Department of Corrections Commissioner John Q. Hamm said it took three sticks, to get access for the two IV lines that carried the lethal cocktail into Gavins body. Son remembers William Clayton Matthew Clayton, William Claytons youngest son, addressed the media after the execution and thanked Ivey, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, the district attorneys office in Cherokee County and law enforcement officers for working the case and making sure justice was done. Matthew Clayton described his father as a piece of Americana. And an Alabama farm boy raised with rural values who had a tremendous work ethic. His father, who he called Bill, often would go to work at 5 a.m. and return home at 8 p.m. even at the advanced age when he was killed. He wanted to provide well for my mother and his family, Matthew Clayton said. His mother, Bill Claytons widow, is 94 and healthy and vibrant and lives independently, he said. Matthew Clayton earlier said his family has "long forgiven" Clayton, saying he was "born in poverty and ... raised in a crime-infested environment." "I think that Mr. Gavin may have been indoctrinated into gang violence at an early age, as many young people are who lacked strong male role models," he said. "It's truly sad to think about this person." In a statement issued after Gavin's execution, Ivey said she offers prayer's to Clayton's family and friends. "After a Cherokee County courier, William Clayton, Jr., finished his days work, he stopped at an ATM so he could treat his wife to dinner, only to be robbed of his life by Keith Gavin," Ivey said. "After receiving a death sentence, Mr. Gavin appealed time after time for years to avoid justice, but failed at every attempt. Today, that justice was finally delivered for Mr. Claytons loved ones." Final appeals Gavins Thursday appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court came after a Cherokee County circuit judge denied an earlier handwritten appeal filed weeks earlier seeking a stay in the execution, court records show. Gavin sought indigent status in the Cherokee County appeal, and the judge denied that status, ruling that Gavin had enough money in his prison account to pay any necessary court fees, record show. Anti-death penalty advocates hold a protest on the Capitol steps in Montgomery, Ala., on Tuesday July 16, 2024 protesting Thursday's pending execution of Keith Edmund Gavin. On Thursday, Gavin had visitors including attorney Kelly Huggins, attorney Neil Conrad, attorney Daniel Epstein and friend Lauren Gill, according to the Alabama Department of Corrections. He did not take any phone calls. He refused a breakfast meal, and ate ice cream and drank Mountain Dew for snacks. He accepted his lunch meal and refused his final meal and made no special requests, the ADOC release stated. His witnesses to the execution were: Conrad, Epstein, Gill and Aswan Abdul Addarr, spiritual advisor. The state earlier granted a request from Gavin that his remains not undergo an autopsy. He made the request citing his Muslim faith. The crime Gavin was given the death penalty after being convicted of capital murder in Clayton's death, a driver for Corporate Express Delivery Service. Gavin went up to the van and shot Clayton, at least two times, then drove off in the van. An investigator with the district attorneys office pulled the van over, and Gavin got out and fired shots at the investigator before running into the woods. He was captured a few hours later. Clayton died at the hospital, records show. At the time, Gavin was on parole in Illinois after serving 17 years on a 34-year sentence for a murder conviction. Gavin was convicted in November 1999 of capital murder in Claytons death, and the jury recommended the death penalty by a 10-2 vote. The trial judge took the recommendation and sentenced Gavin to death. He also sentenced Gavin to life in prison for the attempted murder charge. Gavin's execution was the third for the year in Alabama, and a date has been set for the state's fourth execution of 2024. The execution of Alan Eugene Miller by nitrogen hypoxia has been scheduled for the 30-hour period from midnight Sept. 26 to 6 a.m. Sept. 27. Marshall also has requested that the Alabama Supreme Court authorize the execution of Carey Dale Grayson by nitrogen hypoxia. The states high court has not authorized the execution. If authorization is handed down, Ivey will set the execution date. Jonathan Limehouse and USA Today contributed to this report. Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama executes Keith Edmund Gavin in state's third execution of 2024 ATMORE, Ala. (AP) A man convicted of fatally shooting a delivery driver in 1998 was executed Thursday evening in Alabama. Keith Edmund Gavin was pronounced dead at 6:32 p.m. CDT following a chemical injection at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in southwest Alabama, authorities said. The 64-year-old inmate was convicted of capital murder in the shooting death of William Clayton Jr. in Cherokee County. Clayton, a 68-year-old courier service driver, had driven to an ATM in downtown Centre on the evening of March 6, 1998. He had just finished work and was getting money to take his wife to dinner, according to a court summary of trial testimony. After receiving a death sentence, Mr. Gavin appealed time after time for years to avoid justice, but failed at every attempt. Today, that justice was finally delivered for Mr. Claytons loved ones. I offer my prayers for Mr. Claytons family and friends who still mourn his loss all these years later, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement. Traveler stopped with bag full of 90 giant invasive snails at Detroit airport The execution began shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court turned down his request for a stay of execution, which Gavin filed himself in a handwritten document. I love my family, Gavin said in his final statement at about 6:11 p.m. which appeared to be followed by a few words in Arabic. Gavin, who is Muslim, appeared to move his lips in prayer as his spiritual adviser stood beside the gurney. He had a finger lifted on both hands in what appeared to be the Islamic gesture meaning Allah is the only god. As a sedative began flowing through the IV line, his head, which had been lifted, fell back on the gurney and Gavin appeared to lose consciousness At about 6:19 corrections officer performed a consciousness check saying his name, brushing his eyelids and pinching his arms which is done before the final two drugs are administered. Soon afterward, his breathing faded. Prosecutors said Gavin shot Clayton during the attempted robbery, pushed him into the passenger seat of the van he was driving and drove off in the vehicle. A law enforcement officer testified that he began pursuing the van and the driver a man he later identified as Gavin shot at him before running away into the woods. At the time of the killing, Gavin was on parole in Illinois after serving 17 years of a 34-year sentence for murder, according to court records. Clayton, 68, was retired from a job at a railroad company and was a Korean War veteran, according to a 1998 obituary published by The Birmingham News. The father of seven was still working to help provide for his family, his son said. Matthew Clayton, who witnessed the execution, said afterward that his father was a slice of Americana sometimes working two jobs to support his family. He was a good man. He left behind children and a wife who miss him, an extended family that mourns his loss. Its quite unfortunate that his final years were taken from him in such a brutal way, the younger Clayton said, adding this father did not deserve to die this way. The younger Clayton questioned how Gavin was able to be free and in Alabama after his murder conviction in Illinois. Family wants answers 10 years after unsolved murder at Progressive Field Alabama last week agreed in Gavins case to forgo a post-execution autopsy, which is typically performed on executed inmates in the state. Gavin, who is Muslim, said the procedure would violate his religious beliefs. Gavin had filed a lawsuit seeking to stop plans for an autopsy, and the state settled the complaint. A jury convicted Gavin of capital murder and voted 10-2 to recommend a death sentence, which a judge imposed. Most states now require a jury to be in unanimous agreement to impose a death sentence. A federal judge in 2020 ruled that Gavin had ineffective counsel at his sentencing hearing because his original lawyers failed to present more mitigating evidence of Gavins violent and abusive childhood in Chicago. Gavin grew up in a gang-infested housing project in Chicago, living in overcrowded houses that were in poor condition, where he was surrounded by drug activity, crime, violence, and riots, U.S. District Judge Karon O. Bowdre wrote. A federal appeals court overturned the decision which allowed the death sentence to stand. There is no doubt about Gavins guilt for this heinous offense, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said Thursday. It was the 10th execution in the U.S. this year and the third in Alabama, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma and Missouri also have conducted executions this year. The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit takes no position on capital punishment but has criticized the way states carry out executions. The Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked the state of Texas from executing an inmate 20 minutes before he was scheduled to receive a lethal injection. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) An Albuquerque man has been sentenced to 26 years in federal prison for a home invasion of his father-in-law and robbing a bank. Officials say 36-year-old Marc Candelaria did it to fuel a gambling addiction. Court documents say on September 14, 2021, Candelaria staged a home invasion of his father-in-law and was assisted by an unknown accomplice who acted as an intruder. Officials say the intruder entered the home late at night and tried to get the father-in-law to open a safe at gunpoint. When the safe couldnt be opened, the intruder forced the father-in-law to write a check for $23,000. After that, the father-in-law (identified in court documents as John Doe) was brutally beaten and lost consciousness having sustained serious head injuries. Doe was found the next day by his daughter and taken to the hospital in critical condition. Albuquerque man sentenced to 32 years in prison for deadly road rage incident Following the invasion, Candelaria tried to deposit the check in his bank account but the bank put a hold on the check because of what appeared to be two separate handwritings and alerted Does wife of the possible fraudulent check. Then on October 30, Candelaria robbed a Bank of America branch using a handwritten demand note threatening cartel violence. The bank teller gave Candelaria from his register. An investigation showed Candelaria committed both crimes to fund a gambling addiction. Between 2020 and May 2022, he visited a local casino around 169 times and lost large sums of money. Candelaria was convicted of bank fraud by a federal jury on March 27, 2024. On April 10, Candelaria entered a plea agreement for the bank robbery charge. After his release from prison, Candelaria will be in five years of supervised release. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) The Albuquerque International Sunport says a global technology outage has impacted flights at the airport on Friday. The outage is linked to an update issued by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and affected customers running Microsoft Windows. As a result, flights were grounded around the world, banks and hospital systems went offline, and many other entities were impacted. Risk-averse organizations chose CrowdStrike for cybersecurity. Now its software is causing chaos CrowdStrike said a fix is on the way Friday. In the meantime, the Albuquerque International Sunport is asking people to check with their airlines for the latest information on flights before coming to the airport. Luckily the Sunport has been not nearly as affected as other larger markets, said Leah Black, Albuquerque International Sunport outreach and marketing manager. We were affected and we will continue to be affected, but, were starting to stabilize and there will be some delays because of this outage. The system has slowly been coming back up across the country. Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Alec Baldwin could file a civil rights lawsuit against the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office, after a judge dismissed his manslaughter case due to withheld evidence. Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer found the state highly culpable for failing to disclose a batch of bullets to the defense. Baldwin could sue under the New Mexico Civil Rights Act, the state Tort Claims Act, or the federal Civil Rights Act of 1871. More from Variety This is open and shut in my mind, said Taylor Smith, an attorney in Albuquerque who has sued police agencies across New Mexico. I would love to take this case. Baldwins lawyer, Alex Spiro, sent letters to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza and special prosecutor Kari Morrissey on Monday, advising them to preserve evidence in light of the potential for future litigation based on your actions in connection with Mr. Baldwins prosecution. Rolling Stone first reported on the preservation letters on Wednesday. Baldwin was on trial for shooting Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. In a dramatic scene on Friday, the defense revealed that a Sheriffs crime scene investigator had received a batch of bullets connected to the case on March 6, and then logged them under a new case number, keeping them out of the reach of the defense. Two other Sheriffs employees and Morrissey participated in the conversation about what to do with the evidence, according to witness testimony. Morrissey testified that she did not know that the evidence would not be turned over. Marlowe Sommer found that that the state had violated the protections of Brady v. Maryland, which requires the state to provide exculpatory evidence to the defense, and dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. Prosecutors are generally immune from lawsuits, though they can face disciplinary complaints. Police agencies can be sued for civil rights violations and negligent acts. Theres a number of different tracks if they want to fight back and it wouldnt surprise me if they pursue all of them, said John Day, a Santa Fe lawyer and legal commentator. The judges ruling would be helpful to a civil case, but Baldwins lawyers would still have to prove to a civil jury that the withheld evidence would have been material to his defense. Youre going to have to show that the violation made a difference, said Richard Rosenstock, a veteran civil rights lawyer in Santa Fe. Youve got the burden of proof as the plaintiff. Baldwin would have to prove that the investigators conduct was negligent or reckless, or that his due process rights were denied. He would also have to show damages, such as additional legal costs or damage to his career, stemming from the misconduct. Damages under the New Mexico Civil Rights Act are capped at $2 million. One possibility is that Baldwin could go much broader than the Brady violation that ended the case. In the months leading up to the dismissal, the defense repeatedly claimed he had been subject to a mountain of misconduct. The defense argued that Baldwin should never have been indicted, as he could not have suspected that his gun contained a live bullet. The preservation letters, copies of which have been viewed by Variety, do not spell out a basis for potential litigation. They do instruct Morrissey and Mendoza to preserve all relevant information in your possession, custody, and/or control, including devices, hard drives, emails, text messages, and other electronic communications. The Sheriffs office confirmed that it had received the notice. Morrissey has said that she learned last fall that Baldwin was planning to file a frivolous lawsuit against the state of New Mexico and the former prosecutors on the Rust case, as a way to distract media attention from a misdemeanor plea deal. She withdrew the plea offer in October, after learning that Baldwin was cooperating with a documentary about the case, and was allegedly pressuring witnesses to participate. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. By Tim Hepher, David Shepardson and Rachel More FARNBOROUGH, England (Reuters) - A humbled aerospace industry holds its annual festival next week struggling to meet demand because of a crisis inside its plants. For decades a venue for planemakers led by Airbus and Boeing to boast about billions of dollars of orders, the July 22-26 Farnborough Airshow is likely to be overshadowed by growing airline frustration over plane shortages and delays. Carriers like Japan Airlines are said to be close to firming up recent tentative orders, and Qatar Airways, Korean Air and Turkish Airlines have all said they are shopping for jets. But, despite some deals, concerns about supply chains and factory performance are set to eclipse the usual triumphalism. "The entire market has suffered supply chain issues," Saleh Eid, vice-president of fleet management at Saudia Airlines, told Reuters inside a factory in Germany that is due to help build 105 newly ordered Airbus jets for the Gulf carrier. Boeing in particular is expected to adopt a muted tone as it wrestles with a corporate crisis following the mid-air blowout in January of a door plug blamed on missing bolts. Outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun will not attend for a second year and industry bible Aviation Week bemoaned what it called a "leadership vacuum", though divisional leaders will all be present. Nor is the company displaying its own planes this time. A Boeing spokesperson referred to an earlier statement that it had tailored its presence to focus on safety and quality. Airbus will thin its presence to cut costs, delegates said. After widespread quality snags such as poorly tightened bolts, some say the appetite is for more torque and less talk. "Its not the best time to roll out lots of orders; it is about improving things in the factory," one delegate said. Aviation was hit hard by the pandemic which saw air travel collapse only to bounce back sharply. That has left many firms scrambling to resolve labour and parts shortages. By the time they recover, the juiciest part of the business cycle may be running out, said Agency Partners analyst Nick Cunningham. "In the past the issue has always been one of demand, about how long is the cycle going to last. Now the issue is about getting the boxes out of the door." Critics say the industry has itself to blame after squeezing suppliers. "They are realising that securing a big chunk of the supply chain and giving it the resources it needs is a precursor to doing the ramp-up," Aerodynamic Advisory Managing Director Richard Aboulafia said. Story continues Planemakers do have something to celebrate, with Boeing's delayed 777X starting certification test flights and Airbus winning approval for its A321XLR. But competitors like Chinas Comac, Brazils Embraer and the futuristic curved Jet Zero are alert for opportunities. FIGHTER PLANS The biennial event in southern England, which alternates with the Paris Airshow, is also expected to offer contrasting pictures of global affairs. Air travel is growing as societies and people connect and do business, with a record five billion trips forecast this year. But rising geopolitical tensions are stoking demand for weapons and fuelling trade tensions that can hurt air travel. "There is still some euphoria post-COVID, but it is somewhat disconnected from the geopolitical situation," said industry adviser Bertrand Grabowski. The vulnerability of airlines to setbacks was underscored on Friday when a global cyber outage caused airport chaos and hundreds of flight cancellations, on top of scarce jet capacity. The defence side of the show will focus on Ukraine, possible delays to America's future F-22 fighter replacement, code-named NGAD, and a defence review by Britain's new Labour government. "The new (UK) ministerial team will be lobbied by all the defence companies to make sure their equipment is top of the ideas pile," said Alex Walmsley, associate fellow of UK think-tank RUSI. That may not cut much ice with the head of the Royal Air Force. "It should be a focus on speed, productivity and creativity that we prioritise, not those who lobby loudest," Air Chief Marshal Richard Knighton told a conference on Thursday. The value of cheap and effective drones has been proven in Ukraine, and they will remain part of future planning, he said. But the re-emergence of big-power rivalries has focused attention on the most sophisticated systems including NGAD's concept for fighters teamed up with swarms of drones. That will also be on the minds of top brass at the world's largest military air show: the July 19-21 Royal International Air Tattoo, where fighter aces come once a year to showcase air power and shatter the rural calm of England's Cotswolds. Among the VIPs will be U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall. In an interview with Aviation Week in June, he appeared to cast doubt on the future of NGAD over costs. Weeks later, he told Defense News that NGAD's family-of-systems concept was "alive and well" though could be cheaper. Britain is in one of two groups exploring similar crewed-uncrewed systems, designed to throw lethal mass at adversaries. BAE Systems is co-operating with partners in Italy and Japan to build a system called GCAP, while France, Germany and Spain are pushing a similar Future Combat Air System, also known by the French initials SCAF. "I think (the UK review) is positive for GCAP because the new government has made clear that international co-operation on security is one of its key priorities," Walmsley said. Others speculated any NGAD delays would give Europeans an excuse to re-examine their options and test political support. "Europe is following the tail lights of NGAD and the brakes are coming on," said a European defence industry source. (Reporting by Tim Hepher, Rachel More, Joanna Plucinska, Allison Lampert, David Shepardson, Abhijith Ganapavaram, Aditi Shah; Editing by Mark Potter) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Says Many Who Want Biden To Drop Out Aren't Interested In Harris Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Friday said she has not seen a bulletproof case to support the notion that Joe Biden should drop out of the 2024 presidential race, warning that many of those calling on him to end his reelection bid are not interested in having Vice President Kamala Harris replace him on the ticket. The 81-year-old presidents poor performance at a CNN debate in late June fueled concerns about his age and fitness to serve, with a growing number of Democrats now calling on him to step aside and support an alternative candidate. Speaking on Instagram after the conclusion of Donald Trumps speech accepting the GOP presidential nomination in Milwaukee, Ocasio-Cortez said she is not convinced that Biden should leave the race. I have not seen the the fully laid-out, bulletproof data case, she said. Ocasio-Cortez noted that there is so far no consensus on an alternative to Biden, adding that many people who have called for his exit are not looking to Harris to take over. A huge amount of the donor class, and a huge amount of these elites, and a huge amount of these folks in these rooms that I see that are pushing for President Biden to not be the nominee also are not interested in seeing the vice president being the nominee, she said. The New York Democrat added that several legal issues could arise if Biden steps down. She said it is imperative for people to consider the stakes of the upcoming election, with ballot deadlines looming and potential GOP legal challenges that could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a conservative majority. I have not seen a scenario, an alternative scenario, that I feel does not set us up for enormous peril, she said. The representative blasted members of her party who are reportedly resigned to the prospect of a defeat in November, saying her constituents would be some of those most affected if Trump retakes the White House following his 2017-2021 presidential term. I dont care what name is on there we are not losing, Ocasio-Cortez said of the Democratic ticket. I dont know about you, but my community does not have the option to lose. My community does not have the luxury of accepting loss in July of an election year. Like, my people are the first ones deported. Theyre the first ones put in Rikers [Islands jail complex in New York]. Theyre the first ones whose families are killed by war. Ocasio-Cortez said Biden is often underestimated politically, adding that he became president through a lot of people underestimating his performance with demographics that are not traditionally valued. I think that people see where hes weak; they dont often see where hes strong, she said. Biden, who is currently being treated for COVID-19 at his Delaware home, has reportedly shown signs in private that is more open to the prospect of leaving the race, despite appearing defiant in his recent public appearances. New allegations of child abuse by NJ teacher accused of assaulting boy New allegations of child abuse by NJ teacher accused of assaulting boy WEST ORANGE, N.J. (PIX11) Police arrested a staff member from Mount Carmel Academy in West Orange, N.J., in July. Disturbing surveillance video allegedly shows Jaron Spicer mistreating an 11-year-old student with special needs. More New Jersey News PIX11 News first showed you the surveillance video of Zaire Smith being slammed to the floor and then held down for several minutes by Spicer. The incident lasted for at least 30 minutes while other staff members appeared to do little or nothing to help the child. After the family attorney filed claims against the school and contacted the Police and the Essex County prosecutors office, Spicer was arrested. He faces several charges, including endangering, abuse and neglect of a child, and simple assault. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison. Zaires parents said they are relieved Spicer will be held accountable. More Local News Im so glad he wont be able to do this to another child, Kevion Smith, Zaires father, said The familys attorney praises the Essex County Prosecutors special victims prosecutor for taking action and following up on the case. Two other families came forward with similar claims. We will get justice for Zaire and the others, attorney Ben Pinczewski said. The family also has a restraining order against Spicer. 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. Almost all flights were canceled at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport until 2 p.m. after a widespread Microsoft outage disrupted airports across the world. Allegiant Air, the main commercial airline that flies through St. Pete-Clearwater, announced all its flights scheduled to depart from the airport before 2 p.m. would be canceled due to the outage, according to a Pinellas County spokesperson. Only one morning flight a Sun Country flight bound for Gulfport, Mississippi at 11:10 a.m. took off at St. Pete-Clearwater. All other flights scheduled to depart from the airport today are operated by Allegiant. By Friday afternoon, 14 of Allegiants 26 flights for the day 53% had been canceled. Allegiant canceled four flights scheduled after 2 p.m. One flight, bound for Albany, New York, took off at 3:57 p.m. today. Another flight heading to Greensboro, North Carolina, took off at 2:30 p.m. A statement from Allegiant posted to social media about 3:15 p.m. said the airline started recovering its systems at 2 p.m. Customers whose flights were canceled will have the option to rebook their flights or receive a full refund. At Tampa International Airport, delays and cancellations have continued to rise since this morning. More than half of flights 56% were canceled or delayed by Friday afternoon. Out of 508 flights, 237 were delayed and 49 were canceled. Flight operations had fully resumed at Tampa International as of 10:30 a.m., according to a statement from the airport. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were in ground stops earlier this morning. Tampa Internationals systems and operations werent affected by the outage. The Allegiant website was back up Friday afternoon after remaining down during the morning. This is a developing story. Stay with tampabay.com for updates. The former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization was released from Rikers Island on Friday, according to New York City corrections records. Allen Weisselberg, Trumps longtime financial gatekeeper, was sentenced in April to five months of incarceration after pleading guilty to two counts of perjury stemming from former President Trumps civil fraud trial, in which Weisselberg was also a defendant. After serving 100 days of that sentence, he was released Friday, records show. He previously spent 100 days in the same jail on different charges. Weisselbergs attorney, Seth Rosenberg, confirmed he had been released from custody and reunited with his family. Weisselberg was initially charged with five felony counts of perjury. He pleaded guilty in April to charges he lied during a 2020 deposition as the New York attorney generals office built its civil fraud case against the Trump Organization. In that deposition, Weisselberg was questioned by state lawyers over Trumps Manhattan triplex, listed on the former presidents financial statements as 30,000 square feet in size despite actually being less than 11,000 square feet. The ex-CFO told the lawyers he didnt find out about the error in the Trump Tower triplexs listed size until Forbes reported it and that he was not present when Trump described the propertys size. He since has admitted both remarks were untrue. As part of his plea deal, Weisselberg also admitted to lying in his trial testimony and during another deposition last year, without pleading guilty to those counts. His testimony during the fraud trial, where falsely he said he never focused on the triplex, spurred the inquiry into his perjury. Prosecutors with the district attorneys office, which brought the perjury charges against Weisselberg, said in charging documents that the Trump Tower triplexs size was material to the attorney generals investigation. A New York judge determined earlier this year, after the trial, that Trump and top executives conspired to alter his net worth for tax and insurance benefits. The judge previously found them liable for fraud. Weisselberg was ordered to pay more than $1.1 million, plus interest, and barred for three years from serving in top leadership positions in any New York corporation or business entity. He was also barred for life from serving in the financial control function of any New York business. Trump bears the brunt of the financial penalty, ordered to pay $454 million, plus interest, for his role. His sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump also owe $4.6 million each. All penalties are paused for now, while the defendants appeal, after they posted a $175 million bond in the case. Weisselbergs previous stint in Rikers came after pleading guilty in 2022 to evading nearly $2 million in taxes over a decade through back-channel compensation from the Trump Organization. Updated at 10:23 a.m. EDT 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. Then-Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) at an event in 2022. The two are now rivals in a closely watched race for the U.S. Senate. Photo by Bruce DePuyt. Angela Alsobrooks and Larry Hogan have raised a combined $19.5 million in their race for Senate, more than half of that in the last quarter, putting the campaign on track to be the costliest Maryland Senate race in the last decade. And that money, reported in their most recent filings with the Federal Election Commission, is likely just part of the funds that will be spent on the race. It is expected to draw heavy funding from outside groups and, in Hogans case, from affiliated fundraising organizations. Its a lot of money, when you put it in the context of Maryland, its a heck of a lot of money, said Patrick Gonzales, an experienced pollster and data analyst in Maryland. Alsobrooks, the Prince Georges County executive and Democratic Senate nominee, reported raising $5.3 million in the second quarter, bringing her total fundraising to $12.5 million since she announced her bid in spring 2023. She had $3.6 million on hand as of June 30, according to her FEC filing. Hogan, a two-term Republican governor, raised just under $5.1 million for his campaign account in the second quarter, according to his FEC filing, and has raised $7 million since getting into the race in February. He had $2.7 million in cash on hand as of June 30, his report said. But the Hogan campaign said the report for the Hogan for Maryland account with the FEC, represents only a part of the money he has raised. When donations from affiliated accounts, the Hogan Victory Fund and the Better Path Forward political action committee, are included, Hogans total raised is more than $10 million, his campaign claims. Related story Heavily Democratic Maryland is not typically on the national map in terms of Senate races voters here last elected a Republican to the Senate in 1980. But Republicans just one seat away from taking control of the Senate and Hogan was elected governor twice here and was highly popular when he stepped down last year. That has made Maryland a target for both national parties. The race was already one of the most expensive in the country after a Democratic primary in which Rep. David Trone (D-6th) spent $63.4 million much of it his own money in an unsuccessful bid to win the nomination. Alsobrooks spent less than $6 million in the primary. Now, she faces the challenge of raising her name recognition statewide to compete with the former governor. He had higher name ID than Angela Alsobrooks and it wasnt her fault that she didnt have name ID outside of the D.C. suburbs, said Paul Ellington, the former executive director of the Maryland Republican Party. So shes had the task of introducing herself to voters that have no reason to know who she was previously. Now shes got to look at the name ID, he didnt, she has to look at fundraising for a general election, he added. But Damian ODoherty, a public affairs strategist and former Democratic operative, said Alsobrooks cannot be taken lightly, despite Hogans name recognition and support from national Republicans. The money is key, but in Maryland Larry Hogan is going to have to bring a lot more than (Senate Minority Leader) Mitch McConnell and (Texas Sen.) Ted Cruzs money to take out an A-plus candidate like County Executive Alsobrooks, ODoherty said. He said Alsobrooks has always been the underdog. Every report has been a win for her so far. And in the primary she was losing every report, ODoherty said. That was echoed by Connor Lounsbury, a senior adviser for the Alsobrooks campaign. She has been the underdog in every race she ran. We are no stranger to being in a tough campaign but this is a woman who campaigns hard and has her priorities straight, Lounsbury said. Hogans campaign said the majority of its donations have come from Maryland. But Republican strategist Jim Burton said Hogan can also draw on national Republican support from his tiem as governor. He met a lot of donors and businesspeople, so he had a large prospect list and existing donor base to reach out to, Burton said. I think once he got engaged in this race in terms of running for the Senate, I just have no doubt that there would be more doors opened for donors. While money important, Gonzales said, it is not likely to be the determining factor as both candidates are vigorously raising and spending funds. You dont have to have the most money, but you do have to have enough money. It sounds to me like both Angela and Larry have enough money. So I think ultimately this election is not going to be decided by one candidate having $25 million and the other having $15 million, Gonzales said. The post Alsobrooks, Hogan raising a heck of a lot of money for Senate race appeared first on Maryland Matters. Marcus Alzona's Tesla Cybertruck is a rolling advertisement for the state GOP. Photo by Josh Kurtz. MILWAUKEE Part Batmobile, part Army tank, a Maryland alternate delegates truck has become a rolling advertisement for the state GOP at the Republican National Convention here. Parked across the street from the Maryland delegations hotel in downtown Milwaukee is a brand new, stainless steel Tesla Cybertruck belonging to Marcus Alzona, an alternate delegate from Montgomery County. Alzona drove it from home on Saturday, stopping five times to recharge the pickup trucks battery. He stuck large magnets with the Maryland Republican Party logo on the side panels, along with magnets with the American and Maryland flags and an advertisement for his IT consulting business. Im going to the convention, Alzona recalled thinking as he contemplated decorating the truck for the trip to Milwaukee. We should fly the Maryland flag and the Maryland Republican Party flag. The truck has attracted plenty of attention this week as it sits in a parking lot right next to the sidewalk. Passers-by regularly take pictures of it. As Alzona met a reporter Thursday to show off the truck, a man was lying on the ground peering under the chassis which made Alzona a little nervous. Nevertheless, I enjoy showing it, he said. Its neat. Alzona is already a Tesla owner and has solar panels on the roof of his home. When the electric auto company first announced in 2019 that it was developing the Cybertruck, Alzona immediately paid a deposit to purchase one. Demand has been so high, that his was only delivered a few weeks ago. Its still a rarity to see one on U.S. roads. And Alzona himself is still learning about the features. While he and a reporter were sitting in the front seats chatting, he inadvertently figured out how the cars rear- and front-view cameras worked. It was an exciting discovery. Although Alzona said, Ive really only had it in my hands for a week or so, the trip to Milwaukee has not been the trucks first political assignment. He stuck large magnets supporting former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) for U.S. Senate on the side panels for the Laurel and Towson Fourth of July parades, accompanying former first lady Yumi Hogan in the latter as she marched the parade route. Its the coolest thing ever, said Ellen EJ McNulty, a Republican activist who rode with Alzona and others in the truck during the Towson parade, with younger members of the group standing in the bed of the truck, waving to the crowd. The truck will also have a practical purpose with the convention ending: On Friday Alzona will pack up supplies for the Maryland GOP and audiovisual equipment for the Republican National Committee and transport them east. Former President Donald Trump, the GOP nominee, is skeptical of clean energy and has been a sharp critic of electric car mandates, so it isnt lost on Alzona that Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, is now strongly supporting Trumps reelection. Asked whether he thinks Trumps opposition will soften because of Musks political support, Alzona replied, I think so. I hope so. Thats definitely going to be an interesting thing, he said. Id like the industry evolve to be lower cost and more accessible for everybody. The post An alternate delegates sweet ride appeared first on Maryland Matters. Ambush on JCC officers, nurse practitioner arrested in FBI raid, 20-foot-inflatable IUD in Virginia Beach | Top WAVY stories this week HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) Take a look at some of the top stories on WAVY.com from the week of July 15. Click here for more local news. WAVY Local News Wife recalls larger than life outdoorsman who went overboard in Chesapeake Bay Ready to do more fishing, hunting and living the good life, Keith Henley was months away from the retirement that he was living for, but it was not to be. Ambush on JCC officers investigating road-rage incident, vehicle shot 100 times A road-rage investigation turned into a shooting Wednesday in York County as a police vehicle was riddled with at least 100 bullet holes. FILE - An FBI seal is seen on a wall on Aug. 10, 2022, in Omaha, Neb. The FBI says scammers stole more than $3.4 billion from older Americans last year. An FBI report released Tuesday shows a rise in losses through increasingly sophisticated tactics to trick the vulnerable into giving up their life savings. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) Onley nurse practitioner arrested in FBI raid accused of distributing child sexual abuse material A nurse practitioner on the Eastern Shore facing multiple child sexual abuse material charges was arrested in an FBI raid on Tuesday morning. 20-foot-inflatable IUD goes up at Virginia Beach Oceanfront Freeda, the traveling 20-foot-tall inflatable intrauterine device, soaked up the sun on Tuesday at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. We apologize; Dominion Energy says its working to fix customer bill issues Dominion Energy said its committed to its customers, despite several of them not getting their energy bills. Virginia Beach officer accused of felony sex offense was on-duty at time, police say A Virginia Beach police officer has been charged with felony abduction and felony object sexual penetration after an alleged on-duty incident last month. Worldwide Microsoft outage impacts flights at Norfolk International Airport A worldwide Microsoft outage impacted businesses, banks, hospitals, broadcasters and flights Friday morning, including the Norfolk International Airport (ORF). Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Donald Trumps allies said he had emerged from his assassination attempt a changed man, rewriting his Republican National Convention speech to call for national unity. As he began his one hour and thirty-three minute address Thursday night, it seemed that vision was coming to pass. Trump recounted in vivid detail the shooting that nearly took his life. There was blood pouring everywhere and yet in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side, he said. Im not supposed to be here tonight. The epilogue of his survival tale was a plea for Americans to come together. The discord and division in our society must be healed, he said. We must heal it quickly. But once he concluded the choreographed spectacle, Trump transitioned back to the Trump we all know. He falsely accused the left of stealing the 2020 election. He called the former Democratic Speaker of the House crazy Nancy Pelosi. He said U.S. cities were flooded with illegal aliens. He portrayed President Joe Bidens America as a dystopian hellscape on the verge of irreversible decline. The damage Biden has done, Trump said. I will only use the word once. I wont use the word again. It was a reminder that Trump remains the same guy, with the same grievances and fixations. Even as he gestured toward conciliation, he maintained his brand of full-throttle politics that has transformed the Republican Party. That was largely a consequence of impulse: Trumps attacks and provocative asides were not written into the speech. When he improvised, Trump converted what was supposed to be an unconventional convention speech into a MAGA rally. When he stuck to the teleprompter, he was faithful to a message of coast-to-coast cohesion. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, Trump said, because there is no victory in winning for half of America. Trumps speech came at a moment of uncertainty. Since Bidens disastrous debate performance last month, calls for him to drop out by Democrats have swelled. The revolt seemed to freeze after the Trump rally shooting, but on Thursday it began to pick up steam. Party leaders such as Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi have reportedly encouraged him to step aside. The New York Times reported hours before Trump took the stage that Biden was more receptive to relinquishing power. (The Biden campaign says he wont bow out of the race.) Trump, in other words, had another reason to mention Bidens name only once. The sitting President may not be his ultimate opponent. The accelerating Democratic panic marked a stark contrast to the scene on the floor of Milwaukees Fiserv Forum. Trumps latest triumph left his supporters elated. They were dancing in conga lines between speeches. They often shouted Fight! Fight! Fight!, echoing Trumps chants to the Pennsylvania crowd after being shot. Some wore bandages on their right ears in a show of solidarity. Trump fed off an audience that recognizes his return to the White House is well within grasp: Hes currently leading in most polls; Bidens standing in swing states has fallen sharply since the debate; and the attempt on Trumps life gave him a fresh wave of momentum. In his speech, Trump recognized the hand hed been dealt. For someone who so often blames others, he seems to know that his greatest obstacle to a second term could be himself. I better finish strong, he said. Otherwise well blow it and I cant let it happen. Trump concluded the confab on a triumphant note. Hes on the cusp of an unprecedented political comeback, both for himself and the right-wing populist movement he spawned. Thursday night was a moment few could imagine on Jan. 7, 2021, a day after a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol. Nothing will sway us, nothing will slow us, and nothing will ever stop us, he said. To that end, his speech reaffirmed something many had suspected: No matter what, Trump will always be Trump. Contact us at letters@time.com. An American Airlines passenger plane takes off at Frankfurt am Main Airport. Silas Stein/dpa American Airlines said it has resumed flight operations, after a global IT outage caused major disruption to the aviation industry across the world. "Earlier this morning, a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. As of 5:00 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation," the airline said on social media platform X. "We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience," added American, the world's largest airline in terms of passengers carried. The Federal Aviation Administration earlier stopped flights by major airlines United, American and Delta in response to the global outage, which was caused by a bug in an update from IT security company CrowdStrike. The American public always responds to strength, Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaks on Trump amid last day of RNC The American public always responds to strength, Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaks on Trump amid last day of RNC MILWAUKEE, Wisc. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson was among the many in attendance at the Republican National Convention this week. Hutchinson was seen as one of the most outspoken former presidential candidates when it comes to opposition to Trump. Hutchinson: Trump has taken us back to bitterness The former governor said that if Trump were the GOP nominee he wont vote for him. KARK 4 News asked who Hutchinson would vote for if the election were today, and he said he would vote for a Republican but would write in a name. When asked if he would write in his own name, Hutchinson said Well see. Hutchinson did acknowledge that there is a difference in Republicans energy after the attempted assassination of President Trump and he feels the former president is showing strength against Bidens weakness. Obviously with Donald Trump its strength versus weakness right now and the American public always responds to strength, Hutchinson said. So, hes got the advantages. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson weighs in on Trump federal indictment, says former president should end run for White House Thursday is the last day of the RNC. 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. Americas billionaires are now collectively worth a record $6 trillion. Their wealth has more than doubled since the passage of the landmark Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017. Is that good news, or bad? It depends on whom you ask. The analysis comes from Americans for Tax Fairness, a left-leaning nonprofit that advocates for wealthy Americans to pay their fair share. Progressive tax groups contend Donald Trumps 2017 tax cuts will cost the nation $1.9 trillion in lost revenue over 10 years, citing research by the Congressional Budget Office. They say extending the cuts, as Trump proposes, would cost another $400 billion a year starting in 2027. When you have just a handful of people with this much money, I think it distorts our democracy, said David Kass, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness. Advocates for the Trump tax cuts say lower taxes boost the economy, create jobs and put more dollars in everyones pockets. According to the federal Survey of Consumer Finances, even the poorest one-fifth of Americans are wealthier now than in 2017. That group, measured by income, saw median net worth double from $8,000 to $17,000 between 2016 and 2022. The billionaire's report presumes "that the growth in the wealth of the very richest comes at the expense of everyone else. And that's not how the economy really works," said Kyle Pomerleau, a senior fellow at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute. X CEO Elon Musk claims 190 million followers on the platform, which would make the Republic of Musk the eighth largest country in the world. 800 billionaires hold more wealth than half of the nation Progressives counter that wealth is increasingly concentrated among the wealthy. The nations roughly 800 billionaires now hold 3.8% of U.S. wealth, according to Americans for Tax Fairness, while the bottom half of American families control only 2.5%. Wealth inequality in our country is staggering and just growing worse, said Steve Rosenthal, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. To me, that wealth inequality creates a lot of social problems. Those who have can call the shots, and those who dont have to struggle to get by. The groups report, titled The Billionaire Century and released on July 11, draws from an analysis of Forbes data on billionaires. WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 10: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (R) and his fiancee Lauren Sanchez arrive at the White House for a state dinner on April 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are hosting a state dinner for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as part of his official state visit. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 776127209 ORIG FILE ID: 2148202435 Trump tax cuts in 2017 delivered big savings to the wealthy Trump enacted sweeping tax cuts in 2017. Billed as the largest tax overhaul in three decades, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act lowered taxes across the board. Some of the cuts delivered big savings to the wealthy: The top individual tax rate, for the highest earners, dropped from 39.6% to 37%. The wealth threshold for paying estate taxes doubled from $5.5 million to $11.2 million. Story continues The corporate tax rate dropped from 35% to 21%. A new deduction reduced taxes by up to 20% for pass-through businesses, such as partnerships and sole proprietorships. The wealthiest Americans benefit from other tax breaks that predate the Trump presidency. For example, when well-heeled investors sell a long-held asset, such as a property or stock shares, they typically pay a maximum capital gains tax of 20%, which is far below the 37% top tax rate on personal income. The capital gains tax rate has been comparatively low for decades. Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump departs at the conclusion of Day 3 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 17, 2024. Trump, Biden walk different paths on tax cuts Trump has vowed to double down on his tax cuts, which largely expire in 2025 if he wins the election in November. President Joe Biden has pledged to extend some of the cuts but to raise taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations. Biden would hike the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28% and would raise the top individual income-tax rate back to 39.6%. He would boost capital gains taxes for high earners. All told, Bidens 2025 budget would raise tax revenue by at least $3.4 trillion over 10 years, according to an analysis by the nonprofit Tax Foundation. In his first term as president, Biden has trod carefully on taxation, pledging a crackdown on wealthy tax cheats and tax-evading corporations while promising not to raise taxes on anyone earning less than $400,000 a year. Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced it had recovered $1 billion in past-due taxes from high-wealth Americans. The effort focused on taxpayers with more than $1 million in income and more than $250,000 in documented tax debt. Economists across the ideological spectrum have faulted both parties for their aversion to raising taxes. The nation faces a $1.27 trillion budget deficit in fiscal year 2024, a yawning gap between spending and revenues. Theres this kind of myth out there that theres disagreement between the parties over tax increases, said Michael Strain, director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, in a May interview with USA TODAY. The reality is that one party, the Republicans, dont want to raise taxes on anybody, and the other party, the Democrats, dont want to raise taxes on 98% of the people, and thats just a terrible situation to be in. Mark Zuckerberg hit the water and went wakeboarding for the Fourth of July. More: A strong economy means more Americans are earning $400K. What's it mean for their taxes? Celebrity billionaires have amassed eye-popping wealth Celebrity billionaires have amassed eye-popping wealth over the last eight years, doubling their collective net worth from $2.9 trillion in 2017 to $6 trillion in 2024, according to the Americans for Tax Fairness analysis. The typical billionaire near the top of the list is not merely somebody whos well-off. Its somebody who has the resources of a small nation, said Joe Hughes, a senior policy analyst at the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Heres a roundup of the Top 10: Elon Musk (Tesla): Net worth rose from $20 billion in 2017 to $258 billion in 2024 Jeff Bezos (Amazon): Net worth rose from $83 billion to $216 billion Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook): Net worth rose from $72 billion to $187 billion Larry Ellison (Oracle): Net worth rose from $61 billion to $177 billion Larry Page (Google): Net worth rose from $46 billion to $157 billion Sergey Brin (Google): Net worth rose from $45 billion to $151 billion Bill Gates (Microsoft): Net worth rose from $90 billion to $136 billion Steve Ballmer (Microsoft): Net worth rose from $35 billion to $135 billion Warren Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway): Net worth rose from $81 billion to $131 billion Jensen Huang (NVIDIA): Net worth rose from $5 billion to $118 billion This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US billionaires now worth more than half the nation: How we got here At the Michigan Hall of Justice in Lansing, a few dozen people gathered on June 24, 2022 to celebrate the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. | Photo by Andrew Roth Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Women Speak Out on Friday announced that their field team had surpassed its goal for home visits, stopping by 400,000 homes in Michigan to talk about abortion in the 2024 election. The anti-abortion groups said their field team is focused in Lansing, Detroit and Grand Rapids, and are focused on opposing President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), who is running for U.S. Senate in 2024. Fueled by the enthusiasm of many highly motivated pro-life young people, our canvassers are hard at work educating voters on the true contrast in this election. When Michiganders understand how extreme and out of touch the Democrats are, they are appalled and we see votes change right before our eyes, Brooke Baker, Michigan state director for SBA Pro-Life America, said in a statement. Protecting abortion rights has been a central component of the Biden-Harris campaign, which has pledged to help restore the protections of Roe v. Wade and expand access to reproductive health care, while opposing efforts to ban abortion nationwide. Slotkin has also supported abortion rights, speaking out against threats to in vitro fertilization and emergency abortion care as well as access to abortion medication and contraception, and opposing bans on abortion across the nation. There is nothing that motivates me more than this issue of choice, Slotkin said in a video posted to social media. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and its affiliates have planned to raise and spend $92 million to support their goals across the country. It has also planned to reach 10 million voters across eight battleground states Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Montana, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio with a focus on reaching low-turnout and persuadable voters to defeat Biden and elect an anti-abortion majority in Congress. A male surgeon of Korean descent is with his team of surgeons. He is sitting next to a patient who is lying on an operating table. The multi-ethnic group is preparing to perform a cesarean section on a pregnant woman. (Getty Images) The day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the medical board that certifies OB-GYNs in America released a statement calling legal pregnancy termination and knowledge of abortion procedures essential to reproductive health care. But a small number of influential anti-abortion doctors have spent the last two years trying to change the reproductive health care standards in state and federal health policy, in a way that is potentially dangerous, doctors representing major medical institutions say. The question of when abortion is essential health care that states cant ban is central to several ongoing lawsuits, including Moyle v. United States, a case about whether emergency rooms receiving federal funding have to treat pregnant patients with stabilizing care if it might result in the end of the pregnancy. The U.S. Supreme Court recently kicked the case back to the appellate court, a move that newly allows doctors in Idaho to perform emergency abortions. But the issues remain unresolved, with doctors in Idaho (as in other states) still seeking clarity about whether what theyve long considered necessary care is legal. Now as the case returns to the U.S. 9th Circuit of Appeals, researchers behind retracted studies claiming abortion drugs are dangerous are out with new policy recommendations that say when pregnancy termination is necessary, doctors should opt for procedures considered by the wider reproductive health community to carry bigger health risks, such as cesarean sections, rather than less invasive abortion procedures. [M]any physicians argue that it is almost never necessary to end the life of a child directly and intentionally by an abortion procedure, public health researcher James Studnicki and OB-GYN Dr. Ingrid Skop, of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, wrote in a paper published this summer in Medical Research Archives, a journal of the European Society of Medicine. [W]hen a pregnancy endangering the life of the mother requires termination, a direct dismemberment dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion may be unnecessary, as delivery can usually be performed with a standard obstetric intervention such as labor induction or cesarean section (if indicated). Experts told States Newsroom that Charlotte Loziers claims contradict national standards of care. And they come at a time when states with strict abortion bans such as Texas and Louisiana are seeing a rise in surgical incisions for C-sections and hysterotomies to end pregnancies, even though they carry higher risk, delay future pregnancies, and can affect fertility. The end goal of doing a medical intervention to end a pregnancy and save a patients life is the same as when we do an abortion. They are just calling for more complicated, sometimes invasive procedures to get to that same end goal, said Atlanta-based OB-GYN and complex family planning specialist Dr. Nisha Verma. I think this is really dangerous it creates confusion. It prevents the public from understanding that abortion is a necessary life-saving procedure. The Charlotte Lozier Institute has for more than a decade worked to build the anti-abortion movements credibility, by providing research and data to defend anti-abortion laws in the legislature and in the courts. Their claims frequently contradict major American medical institutions on abortion science and safety, and their research methods have faced academic scrutiny while continuing to wield influence. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Between 2019 and 2022, Studnicki and Skop co-authored three papers in the journal Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology, two of which were used by anti-abortion plaintiffs and judges to argue for the restriction of abortion pills in a lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which the Supreme Court rejected this term for lack of standing. But earlier this year, Sage Journals retracted these studies following a reader-prompted investigation, in part for methodological flaws and data misrepresentation. The Charlotte Lozier researchers have insisted the retractions were meritless and politically motivated. Skop, an OB-GYN from San Antonio, Texas, and Charlotte Loziers director of medical affairs, now has even more influence, after her controversial appointment to Texass maternal mortality review committee. Skop has made unfounded claims, including that abortion bans will improve maternal mortality rates and that rape or incest victims as young as 9 can safely give birth to a baby. But experts say minors are at increased risk for serious complications like preeclampsia and likelier to give birth to low-birth-weight babies. Last year the San Antonio-based OB-GYN served as a state expert witness when Kate Cox from Dallas asked a Texas judge to grant her an abortion for a nonviable pregnancy. Skops sworn affidavit alleged Cox was not at risk of death or substantial impairment of a major bodily function, though Coxs doctor recommended an abortion to preserve her health and future fertility. Denied the abortion in her home state, Cox aborted in New Mexico, and is newly pregnant again. As a fellow for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which has more than 60,000 members, Verma said she has regularly testified before Congress alongside OB-GYNs with minority-held positions on reproductive health policy like Skop and Dr. Christina Francis, the CEO of the anti-abortion American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which comparatively has approximately 7,500 members. It can be really deceptive and confusing for the public who just hear different things coming from two OB-GYNs, Verma said. Studnicki and Skop argue that abortion is not evidence-based because many people do not seek abortions for physical health reasons, and because much of the existing abortion-safety and efficacy data does not involve randomized controls, i.e., comparing groups of people receiving abortion procedures with those delivering unwanted or nonviable pregnancies to term. Based upon the research standard of the Cochrane guidelines, our study shows the science required to consider abortion evidence-based, alone or in comparison to other interventions, does not exist, said Studnicki in an written statement, referring to guidelines for systematic reviews, named after British medical researcher Archie Cochrane. All of us who want the best for women should desire better quality data, including comparison of abortion to other pregnancy outcomes like childbirth, so we can best address the needs of women in heartbreaking circumstances. They do not mention the longitudinal Turnaway Study, produced at the University of California San Francisco, which found short- and long-term improved health and socioeconomic outcomes for women who received versus were denied wanted abortions. (Editors note: Reporter Sofia Resnick contributed proofreading and editing to UCSF professor Diana Greene Fosters 2020 book about the study she led.) Anti-abortion activists have criticized that study, including in a published critique that was retracted following concerns about its peer review. Studnicki and Skop did not agree to an interview but provided a fact sheet for their claims, which notes that OB-GYNs should adhere to guidelines set by ACOG when it comes to life-threatening situations, but also asserts that existing abortion bans do not preclude necessary care. Claim: Almost all induced abortions demonstrate no therapeutic intent or medical necessity. That abortion is not legitimate health care is a similar argument that a coalition of anti-abortion doctor groups including AAPLOG (of which Skop is a member) made in the abortion-pill case. Its an argument Charlotte Lozier advanced in an amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court in Moyle v. United States. And its an argument featured in Project 2025, the Heritage Foundations blueprint for a potential future GOP presidency, which says that the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act should not be interpreted to cover abortions. Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump has attempted to distance himself from Project 2025s proposed federal abortion restrictions, though they were authored by officials from his previous administration. But decades of research have established the high safety record and medical benefits of termination. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clearly shows that pregnancy is a condition that can kill you, said Dr. Sarah Horvath, an OB-GYN and complex family planning subspecialist and researcher at Penn State Universitys Hershey Medical Center, in an email. As a mother, I can tell you that the benefits of a wanted child often, but not always, outweigh the risks of pregnancy complications and death. According to the CDC, the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world at 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births as of 2022, with rates for Black women more than double, at 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births. Research in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that by contrast the risks from an induced abortion are smaller than the continuing a pregnancy: In the first trimester (more than 90% of all abortions), the rate of maternal death is less than 1 per 100,000, and for abortions at 18 weeks gestation or higher, the risk of death is 6.7 per 100,000. In the two years since the Dobbs decision overturned federal abortion protections, OB-GYNs in states with near or total abortion bans have reported denying critical care because of these new laws. Many have become politically active, trying to impress upon lawmakers and the public that pregnancy is highly variable and vague exceptions to prevent death are impossible to interpret medically, especially as complications are not always immediately deadly but could become so if not treated promptly. Claim: When the separation of a mother and her baby is necessary, C-sections and inductions should be prioritized over induced abortion to allow parents to express appropriate grief. Referring to a medically indicated abortion as the separation of a mother and her baby, which is not a medical term, Studnicki and Skop pose labor induction or cesarean section as the ethical choice. Beyond 22 weeks gestation, the baby will often survive separation from the mother if given active medical intervention, and even if too young or sick to survive, the family can show the child love and express appropriate grief with the assistance of supportive palliative care, Studnicki and Skop write. No study has compared the well-being of a woman and family who end their childs life in these tragic circumstances to those who continue to allow their child to live until a natural death. Verma said depending on the situation and especially before 20 weeks, induction or a C-section could introduce unnecessary risks and delays of care. And the patient would have to wait longer to try to get pregnant again. I have a hard time even understanding this claim that a C-section is equally invasive and morbid to abortion procedure, Verma said. Thats a major abdominal surgery. We are making a large incision in the abdomen, making incisions in the tissue below the skin, pulling apart the muscles, going into the abdominal cavity, the peritoneal cavity, cutting open the uterus and removing a pregnancy. If the patient wants to get pregnant again, after a D&E procedure, they can start trying a month later, whereas after a C-section, you have to wait months to be able to safely start trying again without as much risk of your uterus rupturing in the next pregnancy. Verma said that sometimes C-sections do make sense in these cases, and that many of her patients do opt for labor and delivery to hold their dead or dying child, but she doesnt believe these options should be forced on patients. Claim: Rape and incest victims who are often adolescents and children dont need abortions. The emotionally provocative scenario of a young adolescent girl seeking to abort a pregnancy conceived in rape or incest is repeated in the media at a rate which is grotesquely disproportionate to the rarity of its occurrence, Studnicki and Skop write. The question of importance is whether an abortion in this circumstance improves the mental or physical health status of the victimized girl. Understandably, there have been no clinical trials addressing this question, so even an abortion in this tragic circumstance cannot be characterized as an evidence-based medical intervention. But there is evidence that children and teens face greater physical health risks from pregnancy and childbirth than adults. And Verma noted that the incidence of young children getting pregnant, often by rape or incest, is small but real. I have treated young kids in, like the 10-, 11-year-old range, Verma said. Its not something thats happening every day, but there are many reasons why people need abortions, and that is something that we see and it is terrible. Lauren Ralph, an epidemiologist and associate professor at UCSF who specializes in the impact of abortion policies on young people, told States Newsroom that initial research out of Texas is showing fewer young people able to access abortions. According to a national 2021-2022 patient survey, about 10% of abortion seekers were 19 and younger, and about 2% were 17 and younger. Ralph noted that many rape and incest cases among young people are likely underreported. The rarity of it, I dont think diminishes its importance in conversations around the reasons why people seek abortion, for young people in particular, who are victims of sexual assault, Ralph said. We know that theyve had their autonomy violated once, and then if you deny them access to a wanted abortion and force them to continue a pregnancy and give birth, that violates their autonomy yet again. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST A new paper from researchers whose abortion-pill studies were retracted touts C-sections and induced labor as alternatives for pregnant patients in medical emergencies as a federal appellate court revisits a pivotal case in Idaho. (Getty Images) The day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the medical board that certifies OB-GYNs in America released a statement calling legal pregnancy termination and knowledge of abortion procedures essential to reproductive health care. But a small number of influential anti-abortion doctors have spent the last two years trying to change the reproductive health care standards in state and federal health policy, in a way that is potentially dangerous, doctors representing major medical institutions say. The question of when abortion is essential health care that states cant ban is central to several ongoing lawsuits, including Moyle v. United States, a case about whether emergency rooms receiving federal funding have to treat pregnant patients with stabilizing care if it might result in the end of the pregnancy. The U.S. Supreme Court recently kicked the case back to the appellate court, a move that newly allows doctors in Idaho to perform emergency abortions. But the issues remain unresolved, with doctors in Idaho (as in other states) still seeking clarity about whether what theyve long considered necessary care is legal. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Now as the case returns to the U.S. 9th Circuit of Appeals, researchers behind retracted studies claiming abortion drugs are dangerous are out with new policy recommendations that say when pregnancy termination is necessary, doctors should opt for procedures considered by the wider reproductive health community to carry bigger health risks, such as cesarean sections, rather than less invasive abortion procedures. [M]any physicians argue that it is almost never necessary to end the life of a child directly and intentionally by an abortion procedure, public health researcher James Studnicki and OB-GYN Dr. Ingrid Skop, of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, wrote in a paper published this summer in Medical Research Archives, a journal of the European Society of Medicine. [W]hen a pregnancy endangering the life of the mother requires termination, a direct dismemberment dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion may be unnecessary, as delivery can usually be performed with a standard obstetric intervention such as labor induction or cesarean section (if indicated). Experts told States Newsroom that Charlotte Loziers claims contradict national standards of care. And they come at a time when states with strict abortion bans like Texas and Louisiana are seeing a rise in surgical incisions like C-sections and hysterotomies to end pregnancies, even though they carry higher risk, delay future pregnancies, and can affect fertility. The end goal of doing a medical intervention to end a pregnancy and save a patients life is the same as when we do an abortion. They are just calling for more complicated, sometimes invasive procedures to get to that same end goal, said Atlanta-based OB-GYN and complex family planning specialist Dr. Nisha Verma. I think this is really dangerous it creates confusion. It prevents the public from understanding that abortion is a necessary life-saving procedure. The Charlotte Lozier Institute has for more than a decade worked to build the anti-abortion movements credibility, by providing research and data to defend anti-abortion laws in the legislature and in the courts. Their claims frequently contradict major American medical institutions on abortion science and safety, and their research methods have faced academic scrutiny while continuing to wield influence. Between 2019 and 2022, Studnicki and Skop co-authored three papers in the journal Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology, two of which were used by anti-abortion plaintiffs and judges to argue for the restriction of abortion pills in a lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which the Supreme Court rejected this term for lack of standing. But earlier this year, Sage Journals retracted these studies following a reader-prompted investigation, in part for methodological flaws and data misrepresentation. The Charlotte Lozier researchers have insisted the retractions were meritless and politically motivated. Skop, an OB-GYN from San Antonio, Texas, and Charlotte Loziers director of medical affairs, now has even more influence, after her controversial appointment to Texass maternal mortality review committee. Skop has made unfounded claims, including that abortion bans will improve maternal mortality rates and that rape or incest victims as young as 9 can safely give birth to a baby. But experts say minors are at increased risk for serious complications like preeclampsia and likelier to give birth to low-birth-weight babies. Last year the San Antonio-based OB-GYN served as a state expert witness when Kate Cox from Dallas asked a Texas judge to grant her an abortion for a nonviable pregnancy. Skops sworn affidavit alleged Cox was not at risk of death or substantial impairment of a major bodily function, though Coxs doctor recommended an abortion to preserve her health and future fertility. Denied the abortion in her home state, Cox aborted in New Mexico, and is newly pregnant again. As a fellow for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which has more than 60,000 members, Verma said she has regularly testified before Congress alongside OB-GYNs with minority-held positions on reproductive health policy like Skop and Dr. Christina Francis, the CEO of the anti-abortion American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which comparatively has approximately 7,500 members. It can be really deceptive and confusing for the public who just hear different things coming from two OB-GYNs, Verma said. Studnicki and Skop argue that abortion is not evidence-based because many people do not seek abortions for physical health reasons, and because much of the existing abortion-safety and efficacy data does not involve randomized controls, i.e., comparing groups of people receiving abortion procedures with those delivering unwanted or nonviable pregnancies to term. Based upon the research standard of the Cochrane guidelines, our study shows the science required to consider abortion evidence-based, alone or in comparison to other interventions, does not exist, said Studnicki in an written statement, referring to guidelines for systematic reviews, named after British medical researcher Archie Cochrane. All of us who want the best for women should desire better quality data, including comparison of abortion to other pregnancy outcomes like childbirth, so we can best address the needs of women in heartbreaking circumstances. They do not mention the longitudinal Turnaway Study, produced at the University of California San Francisco, which found short- and long-term improved health and socioeconomic outcomes for women who received versus were denied wanted abortions. (Editors note: Reporter Sofia Resnick contributed proofreading and editing to UCSF professor Diana Greene Fosters 2020 book about the study she led.) Anti-abortion activists have criticized that study, including in a published critique that was retracted following concerns about its peer review. Studnicki and Skop did not agree to an interview but provided a fact sheet for their claims, which notes that OB-GYNs should adhere to guidelines set by ACOG when it comes to life-threatening situations, but also asserts that existing abortion bans do not preclude necessary care. Claim: Almost all induced abortions demonstrate no therapeutic intent or medical necessity. That abortion is not legitimate health care is a similar argument that a coalition of anti-abortion doctor groups including AAPLOG (of which Skop is a member) made in the abortion-pill case. Its an argument Charlotte Lozier advanced in an amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court in Moyle v. United States. And its an argument featured in Project 2025, the Heritage Foundations blueprint for a potential future GOP presidency, which says that the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act should not be interpreted to cover abortions. Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump has attempted to distance himself from Project 2025s proposed federal abortion restrictions, though they were authored by officials from his previous administration. But decades of research have established the high safety record and medical benefits of termination. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clearly shows that pregnancy is a condition that can kill you, said Dr. Sarah Horvath, an OB-GYN and complex family planning subspecialist and researcher at Penn State Universitys Hershey Medical Center, in an email. As a mother, I can tell you that the benefits of a wanted child often, but not always, outweigh the risks of pregnancy complications and death. According to the CDC, the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world at 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births as of 2022, with rates for Black women more than double, at 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births. Research in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that by contrast the risks from an induced abortion are smaller than the continuing a pregnancy: In the first trimester (more than 90% of all abortions), the rate of maternal death is less than 1 per 100,000, and for abortions at 18 weeks gestation or higher, the risk of death is 6.7 per 100,000. In the two years since the Dobbs decision overturned federal abortion protections, OB-GYNs in states with near or total abortion bans have reported denying critical care because of these new laws. Many have become politically active, trying to impress upon lawmakers and the public that pregnancy is highly variable and vague exceptions to prevent death are impossible to interpret medically, especially as complications are not always immediately deadly but could become so if not treated promptly. Claim: When the separation of a mother and her baby is necessary, C-sections and inductions should be prioritized over induced abortion to allow parents to express appropriate grief. Referring to a medically indicated abortion as the separation of a mother and her baby, which is not a medical term, Studnicki and Skop pose labor induction or cesarean section as the ethical choice. Beyond 22 weeks gestation, the baby will often survive separation from the mother if given active medical intervention, and even if too young or sick to survive, the family can show the child love and express appropriate grief with the assistance of supportive palliative care, Studnicki and Skop write. No study has compared the well-being of a woman and family who end their childs life in these tragic circumstances to those who continue to allow their child to live until a natural death. Verma said depending on the situation and especially before 20 weeks, induction or a C-section could introduce unnecessary risks and delays of care. And the patient would have to wait longer to try to get pregnant again. I have a hard time even understanding this claim that a C-section is equally invasive and morbid to abortion procedure, Verma said. Thats a major abdominal surgery. We are making a large incision in the abdomen, making incisions in the tissue below the skin, pulling apart the muscles, going into the abdominal cavity, the peritoneal cavity, cutting open the uterus and removing a pregnancy. If the patient wants to get pregnant again, after a D&E procedure, they can start trying a month later, whereas after a C-section, you have to wait months to be able to safely start trying again without as much risk of your uterus rupturing in the next pregnancy. Verma said that sometimes C-sections do make sense in these cases, and that many of her patients do opt for labor and delivery to hold their dead or dying child, but she doesnt believe these options should be forced on patients. Claim: Rape and incest victims who are often adolescents and children dont need abortions. The emotionally provocative scenario of a young adolescent girl seeking to abort a pregnancy conceived in rape or incest is repeated in the media at a rate which is grotesquely disproportionate to the rarity of its occurrence, Studnicki and Skop write. The question of importance is whether an abortion in this circumstance improves the mental or physical health status of the victimized girl. Understandably, there have been no clinical trials addressing this question, so even an abortion in this tragic circumstance cannot be characterized as an evidence-based medical intervention. But there is evidence that children and teens face greater physical health risks from pregnancy and childbirth than adults. And Verma noted that the incidence of young children getting pregnant, often by rape or incest, is small but real. I have treated young kids in, like the 10-, 11-year-old range, Verma said. Its not something thats happening every day, but there are many reasons why people need abortions, and that is something that we see and it is terrible. Lauren Ralph, an epidemiologist and associate professor at UCSF who specializes in the impact of abortion policies on young people, told States Newsroom that initial research out of Texas is showing fewer young people able to access abortions. According to a national 2021-2022 patient survey, about 10% of abortion seekers were 19 and younger, and about 2% were 17 and younger. Ralph noted that many rape and incest cases among young people are likely underreported. The rarity of it, I dont think diminishes its importance in conversations around the reasons why people seek abortion, for young people in particular, who are victims of sexual assault, Ralph said. We know that theyve had their autonomy violated once, and then if you deny them access to a wanted abortion and force them to continue a pregnancy and give birth, that violates their autonomy yet again. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST A new paper from researchers whose abortion-pill studies were retracted touts C-sections and induced labor as alternatives for pregnant patients in medical emergencies as a federal appellate court revisits a pivotal case in Idaho. (Getty Images) The day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the medical board that certifies OB-GYNs in America released a statement calling legal pregnancy termination and knowledge of abortion procedures essential to reproductive health care. But a small number of influential anti-abortion doctors have spent the last two years trying to change the reproductive health care standards in state and federal health policy, in a way that is potentially dangerous, doctors representing major medical institutions say. The question of when abortion is essential health care that states cant ban is central to several ongoing lawsuits, including Moyle v. United States, a case about whether emergency rooms receiving federal funding have to treat pregnant patients with stabilizing care if it might result in the end of the pregnancy. The U.S. Supreme Court recently kicked the case back to the appellate court, a move that newly allows doctors in Idaho to perform emergency abortions. But the issues remain unresolved, with doctors in Idaho (as in other states) still seeking clarity about whether what theyve long considered necessary care is legal. Now as the case returns to the U.S. 9th Circuit of Appeals, researchers behind retracted studies claiming abortion drugs are dangerous are out with new policy recommendations that say when pregnancy termination is necessary, doctors should opt for procedures considered by the wider reproductive health community to carry bigger health risks, such as cesarean sections, rather than less invasive abortion procedures. [M]any physicians argue that it is almost never necessary to end the life of a child directly and intentionally by an abortion procedure, public health researcher James Studnicki and OB-GYN Dr. Ingrid Skop, of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, wrote in a paper published this summer in Medical Research Archives, a journal of the European Society of Medicine. [W]hen a pregnancy endangering the life of the mother requires termination, a direct dismemberment dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion may be unnecessary, as delivery can usually be performed with a standard obstetric intervention such as labor induction or cesarean section (if indicated). Experts told States Newsroom that Charlotte Loziers claims contradict national standards of care. And they come at a time when states with strict abortion bans like Texas and Louisiana are seeing a rise in surgical incisions like C-sections and hysterotomies to end pregnancies, even though they carry higher risk, delay future pregnancies, and can affect fertility. The end goal of doing a medical intervention to end a pregnancy and save a patients life is the same as when we do an abortion. They are just calling for more complicated, sometimes invasive procedures to get to that same end goal, said Atlanta-based OB-GYN and complex family planning specialist Dr. Nisha Verma. I think this is really dangerous it creates confusion. It prevents the public from understanding that abortion is a necessary life-saving procedure. The Charlotte Lozier Institute has for more than a decade worked to build the anti-abortion movements credibility, by providing research and data to defend anti-abortion laws in the legislature and in the courts. Their claims frequently contradict major American medical institutions on abortion science and safety, and their research methods have faced academic scrutiny while continuing to wield influence. They are just calling for more complicated, sometimes invasive procedures to get to that same end goal. I think this is really dangerous it creates confusion. It prevents the public from understanding that abortion is a necessary life-saving procedure. Dr. Nisha Verma, an Atlanta-based OB-GYN and complex family planning specialist Between 2019 and 2022, Studnicki and Skop co-authored three papers in the journal Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology, two of which were used by anti-abortion plaintiffs and judges to argue for the restriction of abortion pills in a lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which the Supreme Court rejected this term for lack of standing. But earlier this year, Sage Journals retracted these studies following a reader-prompted investigation, in part for methodological flaws and data misrepresentation. The Charlotte Lozier researchers have insisted the retractions were meritless and politically motivated. Skop, an OB-GYN from San Antonio, Texas, and Charlotte Loziers director of medical affairs, now has even more influence, after her controversial appointment to Texass maternal mortality review committee. Skop has made unfounded claims, including that abortion bans will improve maternal mortality rates and that rape or incest victims as young as 9 can safely give birth to a baby. But experts say minors are at increased risk for serious complications like preeclampsia and likelier to give birth to low-birth-weight babies. Last year the San Antonio-based OB-GYN served as a state expert witness when Kate Cox from Dallas asked a Texas judge to grant her an abortion for a nonviable pregnancy. Skops sworn affidavit alleged Cox was not at risk of death or substantial impairment of a major bodily function, though Coxs doctor recommended an abortion to preserve her health and future fertility. Denied the abortion in her home state, Cox aborted in New Mexico, and is newly pregnant again. As a fellow for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which has more than 60,000 members, Verma said she has regularly testified before Congress alongside OB-GYNs with minority-held positions on reproductive health policy like Skop and Dr. Christina Francis, the CEO of the anti-abortion American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which comparatively has approximately 7,500 members. It can be really deceptive and confusing for the public who just hear different things coming from two OB-GYNs, Verma said. Studnicki and Skop argue that abortion is not evidence-based because many people do not seek abortions for physical health reasons, and because much of the existing abortion-safety and efficacy data does not involve randomized controls, i.e., comparing groups of people receiving abortion procedures with those delivering unwanted or nonviable pregnancies to term. Based upon the research standard of the Cochrane guidelines, our study shows the science required to consider abortion evidence-based, alone or in comparison to other interventions, does not exist, said Studnicki in an written statement, referring to guidelines for systematic reviews, named after British medical researcher Archie Cochrane. All of us who want the best for women should desire better quality data, including comparison of abortion to other pregnancy outcomes like childbirth, so we can best address the needs of women in heartbreaking circumstances. They do not mention the longitudinal Turnaway Study, produced at the University of California San Francisco, which found short- and long-term improved health and socioeconomic outcomes for women who received versus were denied wanted abortions. (Editors note: Reporter Sofia Resnick contributed proofreading and editing to UCSF professor Diana Greene Fosters 2020 book about the study she led.) Anti-abortion activists have criticized that study, including in a published critique that was retracted following concerns about its peer review. Studnicki and Skop did not agree to an interview but provided a fact sheet for their claims, which notes that OB-GYNs should adhere to guidelines set by ACOG when it comes to life-threatening situations, but also asserts that existing abortion bans do not preclude necessary care. Claim: Almost all induced abortions demonstrate no therapeutic intent or medical necessity. That abortion is not legitimate health care is a similar argument that a coalition of anti-abortion doctor groups including AAPLOG (of which Skop is a member) made in the abortion-pill case. Its an argument Charlotte Lozier advanced in an amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court in Moyle v. United States. And its an argument featured in Project 2025, the Heritage Foundations blueprint for a potential future GOP presidency, which says that the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act should not be interpreted to cover abortions. Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump has attempted to distance himself from Project 2025s proposed federal abortion restrictions, though they were authored by officials from his previous administration. But decades of research have established the high safety record and medical benefits of termination. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clearly shows that pregnancy is a condition that can kill you, said Dr. Sarah Horvath, an OB-GYN and complex family planning subspecialist and researcher at Penn State Universitys Hershey Medical Center, in an email. As a mother, I can tell you that the benefits of a wanted child often, but not always, outweigh the risks of pregnancy complications and death. According to the CDC, the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate in the developed world at 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births as of 2022, with rates for Black women more than double, at 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births. Research in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that by contrast the risks from an induced abortion are smaller than the continuing a pregnancy: In the first trimester (more than 90% of all abortions), the rate of maternal death is less than 1 per 100,000, and for abortions at 18 weeks gestation or higher, the risk of death is 6.7 per 100,000. In the two years since the Dobbs decision overturned federal abortion protections, OB-GYNs in states with near or total abortion bans have reported denying critical care because of these new laws. Many have become politically active, trying to impress upon lawmakers and the public that pregnancy is highly variable and vague exceptions to prevent death are impossible to interpret medically, especially as complications are not always immediately deadly but could become so if not treated promptly. Claim: When the separation of a mother and her baby is necessary, C-sections and inductions should be prioritized over induced abortion to allow parents to express appropriate grief. Referring to a medically indicated abortion as the separation of a mother and her baby, which is not a medical term, Studnicki and Skop pose labor induction or cesarean section as the ethical choice. Beyond 22 weeks gestation, the baby will often survive separation from the mother if given active medical intervention, and even if too young or sick to survive, the family can show the child love and express appropriate grief with the assistance of supportive palliative care, Studnicki and Skop write. No study has compared the well-being of a woman and family who end their childs life in these tragic circumstances to those who continue to allow their child to live until a natural death. Verma said depending on the situation and especially before 20 weeks, induction or a C-section could introduce unnecessary risks and delays of care. And the patient would have to wait longer to try to get pregnant again. I have a hard time even understanding this claim that a C-section is equally invasive and morbid to abortion procedure, Verma said. Thats a major abdominal surgery. We are making a large incision in the abdomen, making incisions in the tissue below the skin, pulling apart the muscles, going into the abdominal cavity, the peritoneal cavity, cutting open the uterus and removing a pregnancy. If the patient wants to get pregnant again, after a D&E procedure, they can start trying a month later, whereas after a C-section, you have to wait months to be able to safely start trying again without as much risk of your uterus rupturing in the next pregnancy. Verma said that sometimes C-sections do make sense in these cases, and that many of her patients do opt for labor and delivery to hold their dead or dying child, but she doesnt believe these options should be forced on patients. Claim: Rape and incest victims who are often adolescents and children dont need abortions. The emotionally provocative scenario of a young adolescent girl seeking to abort a pregnancy conceived in rape or incest is repeated in the media at a rate which is grotesquely disproportionate to the rarity of its occurrence, Studnicki and Skop write. The question of importance is whether an abortion in this circumstance improves the mental or physical health status of the victimized girl. Understandably, there have been no clinical trials addressing this question, so even an abortion in this tragic circumstance cannot be characterized as an evidence-based medical intervention. But there is evidence that children and teens face greater physical health risks from pregnancy and childbirth than adults. And Verma noted that the incidence of young children getting pregnant, often by rape or incest, is small but real. I have treated young kids in, like the 10-, 11-year-old range, Verma said. Its not something thats happening every day, but there are many reasons why people need abortions, and that is something that we see and it is terrible. Lauren Ralph, an epidemiologist and associate professor at UCSF who specializes in the impact of abortion policies on young people, told States Newsroom that initial research out of Texas is showing fewer young people able to access abortions. According to a national 2021-2022 patient survey, about 10% of abortion seekers were 19 and younger, and about 2% were 17 and younger. Ralph noted that many rape and incest cases among young people are likely underreported. The rarity of it, I dont think diminishes its importance in conversations around the reasons why people seek abortion, for young people in particular, who are victims of sexual assault, Ralph said. We know that theyve had their autonomy violated once, and then if you deny them access to a wanted abortion and force them to continue a pregnancy and give birth, that violates their autonomy yet again. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Anti-Trump conservatives ponder what to do in November and beyond Former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele, right, speaks at a Milwaukee gathering hosted by the anti-Trump organization Principles First on Wednesday, July 17. Looking on, from left, are George Conway and Heath Mayo. (Erik Gunn | Wisconsin Examiner) MILWAUKEE While 2,500 Republican delegates were gathering to nominate Donald Trump at the party convention in Milwaukee this week, a group of Trump opponents gathered four blocks away to talk about the existential threat the GOP candidate poses to the country. The event was organized by Principles First, which calls itself a nationwide grassroots movement of pro-democracy, anti-Trump conservatives. Over the course of three hours about 100 people dropped by. The Republican Party is sick, okay it has been led astray by populist demagogues and it has abandoned its principles, Heath Mayo, president and founder of the group, told the crowd inside Best Place, part of the redeveloped Pabst Brewing complex just west of the convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. He condemned a convention speaker for saying the Russian invasion of Ukraine wasnt Vladimir Putins fault but instead that of the United States. That is absurd. Its dangerous, Mayo said. It is absolutely antithetical to anything the Republican Party has ever stood for. He expressed dismay at the platform given to Teamsters President Sean OBrien for a complete class warfare speech. And Mayo summarized a recurring sentiment he heard while watching the convention: That there are certain Americans out there whether its based on their race, their religion, their job or their occupation, who are real Americans, while others for the same reason are not quite real Americans. That is the most pernicious, new idea in the Republican Party that exists, because it goes right to the heart of what America is supposed to be, Mayo asserted. Where we all, no matter our race, religion, who we love, have the same opportunity to succeed and realize the benefits of this nation. And the Republican Party on that stage has abandoned it over and over and over again in the interest of just populist political gain. And it is infuriating. Politically homeless The Principles First website describes the groups founding in 2019 by people on the right and center-right who were concerned about the health of American democracy. We are what the pundits and the writers would say are the politically homeless, said Mayo. We are the most important and critical voting bloc in the country right now, because we have stood up and said, Republican leaders, Democratic leaders, you cannot count on our votes in November. We may have voted with you in the primaries. But if you abandon our principles, you cannot count on our votes simply because you are a Republican. Among the speakers at the event was Charlie Sykes, who was prompted to leave a long career in conservative talk radio by Trumps election in 2016. The Republican party is in the midst of a wrenching change, abandoning free markets and international engagement, said Sykes. I dont think we can overstate the enormity of the moment that were in right now. Sykes now edits the anti-Trump political news and commentary outlet The Bulwark. This is a party that is very, very clearly intending on forcibly deporting perhaps 10 million human beings when they get into power, he said. Which means you may be a couple of years away from one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of our time. We better talk about it. Wisconsins easy embrace of Trump One of the few Wisconsin residents at the event besides Sykes was James Wigderson, a widely followed conservative writer who has been outspoken not just against Trump but against leaders of the state Republican Party and its most visible politicians, including those he once supported. I dont see any organized opposition to Trump on the right in Wisconsin, Wigderson says. I just see the gradual erosion of Republican support in the suburbs that Ive been watching from election cycle to election cycle. Its falling without any organization or anything in the state thats presenting a clear alternative. Wisconsin Republicans effortless shift to line up behind Trump even though he lost the states 2016 GOP primary had an important precedent, Wigderson believes: The state party establishments seamless embrace of the tea party movement in the previous decade. In other states, there was a definite tension between tea party supporters and the local Republican establishment, he observed, but not so much in Wisconsin. Reince Priebus the state GOP chair at the time made a point of reaching out to the tea party and welcoming them into the Republican Party, Wigderson says. When Donald Trump came along, it was just a natural progression for that next step. Throughout the Principles First event, Wigderson listened intently, recording the conversation and making notes. I think, unfortunately, theres still a muddle of views, he said in an interview a day later. And there doesnt seem to be a clear path forward yet for anybody thats conservative, but is anti-Trump. A wide range of perspectives Anti-Trump conservatives came in all flavors during the three-hour session. One was Amanda Stewart Sprowls, co-chair of the Haley Voters Working Group made up of supporters of Trumps primary challenger, Nikki Haley. In a panel discussion, Sprowls said she voted for Trump twice, but shes finished with the former president. She pointed to his repeated infidelities in his marriages and her skepticism of his business practices. Is he trustworthy? No. Is he honorable? No. Will he pay his contractors? Well, no, right? There is no surprise in any of that, she said. And I think that as women and as Haley voters, I think a lot of us understood that we just want better. Sprowls said that she might cast a write-in vote rather than voting for Democrats in November, however. Sprowls mentioned in passing that she was a pro-choice Republican on abortion rights. On the other hand, Kendal Unruh of Colorado, an evangelical Christian, said she has always opposed Trump but worked on the 2016 Republican platform committee to ensure the platform included language affirming the fundamental right to life. Unruh criticized the partys 2024 platform for muting its language on abortion and scorned the Trump talking point of platforms dont matter. She could never vote for a Democrat, Unruh said: What do they represent to a value system that I share? And she left the Republican Party for much the same reason: They certainly have elected the most immoral man probably in the history of the presidency, Unruh said. Stephanie Sharp is a cofounder of the super PAC Women4US with the goal of mobilizing women voters in swing states, including Wisconsin, to vote against Trump. There are not enough Republicans to elect Donald Trump, she said. There are not enough Democrats to elect whoever the Democratic nominee ends up being. They have to have the middle its just math. Republicans for Democrats Mayo said that were gonna have to do everything we can to make sure we keep things on the track in November but he steered clear of an outright endorsement of the Democratic ticket. The stars of the night werent so reticent. Several also forecast the collapse of the Republican Party, especially if Trump loses as they hope he will. You either believe in this moment that he is a threat to our democracy or you dont stop there, said Joe Walsh, a one-time tea party congressman from Illinois who voted for Trump in 2016 but subsequently renounced him. He stood [before] the country a month ago and he said, If I lose, I wont accept the results, Walsh said. Donald Trump Jr. suggested this week that if his father loses in November it would be because the election was stolen, he added. That is an attack on democracy, Walsh said. You either believe it, folks, or you dont. And if you believe it, you have to vote for the only person who can defeat that man and thats the Democratic nominee, no matter who the hell it is. George Conway, now divorced from Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway after he spent most of Trumps term in office publicly criticizing him, said he only understood Trumps behavior after reading psychological analyses of the former president. Conway pulled out a pair of posters listing the diagnostic criteria for narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders. When you combine these two, this explains everything about Donald Trump, Conway said. It explains his criminality, the fact that hes a rapist and a convicted felon, that he tried to overthrow democracy, explains his love for authoritarianism, his desire for vengeance, explains his racism, his misogyny everything comes down to the fact that he is a narcissistic sociopath. Michael Steele, the first Black chair of the Republican National Committee, who parted ways with the party leadership after Trumps rise in 2016, voted for Joe Biden in 2020. Trump is not worth the paper his name is written on, he said. Because he doesnt care about you in this room. He doesnt care about your neighbors, your family, your community. He doesnt care about this country. He cares about himself. Steele said he would vote for Biden again. You cannot give up on us, he said. And I know its not easy. Right now, the Republican Party that I led, in which I was a county chairman, state chairman and elected official, needs the biggest political enema it has ever seen. And the only way they get it is if we give it to them. And the only way we give it to them is to vote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Anti-Trump conservatives ponder what to do in November and beyond Former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele, right, speaks at a Milwaukee gathering hosted by the anti-Trump organization Principles First on Wednesday, July 17. Looking on, from left, are George Conway and Heath Mayo. (Erik Gunn | Wisconsin Examiner) MILWAUKEE While 2,500 Republican delegates were gathering to nominate Donald Trump at the party convention in Milwaukee this week, a group of Trump opponents gathered four blocks away to talk about the existential threat the GOP candidate poses to the country. The event was organized by Principles First, which calls itself a nationwide grassroots movement of pro-democracy, anti-Trump conservatives. Over the course of three hours about 100 people dropped by. The Republican Party is sick, okay it has been led astray by populist demagogues and it has abandoned its principles, Heath Mayo, president and founder of the group, told the crowd inside Best Place, part of the redeveloped Pabst Brewing complex just west of the convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. He condemned a convention speaker for saying the Russian invasion of Ukraine wasnt Vladimir Putins fault but instead that of the United States. That is absurd. Its dangerous, Mayo said. It is absolutely antithetical to anything the Republican Party has ever stood for. He expressed dismay at the platform given to Teamsters President Sean OBrien for a complete class warfare speech. And Mayo summarized a recurring sentiment he heard while watching the convention: That there are certain Americans out there whether its based on their race, their religion, their job or their occupation, who are real Americans, while others for the same reason are not quite real Americans. That is the most pernicious, new idea in the Republican Party that exists, because it goes right to the heart of what America is supposed to be, Mayo asserted. Where we all, no matter our race, religion, who we love, have the same opportunity to succeed and realize the benefits of this nation. And the Republican Party on that stage has abandoned it over and over and over again in the interest of just populist political gain. And it is infuriating. Politically homeless The Principles First website describes the groups founding in 2019 by people on the right and center-right who were concerned about the health of American democracy. We are what the pundits and the writers would say are the politically homeless, said Mayo. We are the most important and critical voting bloc in the country right now, because we have stood up and said, Republican leaders, Democratic leaders, you cannot count on our votes in November. We may have voted with you in the primaries. But if you abandon our principles, you cannot count on our votes simply because you are a Republican. Among the speakers at the event was Charlie Sykes, who was prompted to leave a long career in conservative talk radio by Trumps election in 2016. The Republican party is in the midst of a wrenching change, abandoning free markets and international engagement, said Sykes. I dont think we can overstate the enormity of the moment that were in right now. Sykes now edits the anti-Trump political news and commentary outlet The Bulwark. This is a party that is very, very clearly intending on forcibly deporting perhaps 10 million human beings when they get into power, he said. Which means you may be a couple of years away from one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of our time. We better talk about it. Wisconsins easy embrace of Trump One of the few Wisconsin residents at the event besides Sykes was James Wigderson, a widely followed conservative writer who has been outspoken not just against Trump but against leaders of the state Republican Party and its most visible politicians, including those he once supported. I dont see any organized opposition to Trump on the right in Wisconsin, Wigderson says. I just see the gradual erosion of Republican support in the suburbs that Ive been watching from election cycle to election cycle. Its falling without any organization or anything in the state thats presenting a clear alternative. Wisconsin Republicans effortless shift to line up behind Trump even though he lost the states 2016 GOP primary had an important precedent, Wigderson believes: The state party establishments seamless embrace of the tea party movement in the previous decade. In other states, there was a definite tension between tea party supporters and the local Republican establishment, he observed, but not so much in Wisconsin. Reince Priebus the state GOP chair at the time made a point of reaching out to the tea party and welcoming them into the Republican Party, Wigderson says. When Donald Trump came along, it was just a natural progression for that next step. Throughout the Principles First event, Wigderson listened intently, recording the conversation and making notes. I think, unfortunately, theres still a muddle of views, he said in an interview a day later. And there doesnt seem to be a clear path forward yet for anybody thats conservative, but is anti-Trump. A wide range of perspectives Anti-Trump conservatives came in all flavors during the three-hour session. One was Amanda Stewart Sprowls, co-chair of the Haley Voters Working Group made up of supporters of Trumps primary challenger, Nikki Haley. In a panel discussion, Sprowls said she voted for Trump twice, but shes finished with the former president. She pointed to his repeated infidelities in his marriages and her skepticism of his business practices. Is he trustworthy? No. Is he honorable? No. Will he pay his contractors? Well, no, right? There is no surprise in any of that, she said. And I think that as women and as Haley voters, I think a lot of us understood that we just want better. Sprowls said that she might cast a write-in vote rather than voting for Democrats in November, however. Sprowls mentioned in passing that she was a pro-choice Republican on abortion rights. On the other hand, Kendal Unruh of Colorado, an evangelical Christian, said she has always opposed Trump but worked on the 2016 Republican platform committee to ensure the platform included language affirming the fundamental right to life. Unruh criticized the partys 2024 platform for muting its language on abortion and scorned the Trump talking point of platforms dont matter. She could never vote for a Democrat, Unruh said: What do they represent to a value system that I share? And she left the Republican Party for much the same reason: They certainly have elected the most immoral man probably in the history of the presidency, Unruh said. Stephanie Sharp is a cofounder of the super PAC Women4US with the goal of mobilizing women voters in swing states, including Wisconsin, to vote against Trump. There are not enough Republicans to elect Donald Trump, she said. There are not enough Democrats to elect whoever the Democratic nominee ends up being. They have to have the middle its just math. Republicans for Democrats Mayo said that were gonna have to do everything we can to make sure we keep things on the track in November but he steered clear of an outright endorsement of the Democratic ticket. The stars of the night werent so reticent. Several also forecast the collapse of the Republican Party, especially if Trump loses as they hope he will. You either believe in this moment that he is a threat to our democracy or you dont stop there, said Joe Walsh, a one-time tea party congressman from Illinois who voted for Trump in 2016 but subsequently renounced him. He stood [before] the country a month ago and he said, If I lose, I wont accept the results, Walsh said. Donald Trump Jr. suggested this week that if his father loses in November it would be because the election was stolen, he added. That is an attack on democracy, Walsh said. You either believe it, folks, or you dont. And if you believe it, you have to vote for the only person who can defeat that man and thats the Democratic nominee, no matter who the hell it is. George Conway, now divorced from Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway after he spent most of Trumps term in office publicly criticizing him, said he only understood Trumps behavior after reading psychological analyses of the former president. Conway pulled out a pair of posters listing the diagnostic criteria for narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders. When you combine these two, this explains everything about Donald Trump, Conway said. It explains his criminality, the fact that hes a rapist and a convicted felon, that he tried to overthrow democracy, explains his love for authoritarianism, his desire for vengeance, explains his racism, his misogyny everything comes down to the fact that he is a narcissistic sociopath. Michael Steele, the first Black chair of the Republican National Committee, who parted ways with the party leadership after Trumps rise in 2016, voted for Joe Biden in 2020. Trump is not worth the paper his name is written on, he said. Because he doesnt care about you in this room. He doesnt care about your neighbors, your family, your community. He doesnt care about this country. He cares about himself. Steele said he would vote for Biden again. You cannot give up on us, he said. And I know its not easy. Right now, the Republican Party that I led, in which I was a county chairman, state chairman and elected official, needs the biggest political enema it has ever seen. And the only way they get it is if we give it to them. And the only way we give it to them is to vote. Wisconsin Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Wisconsin Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Ruth Conniff for questions: info@wisconsinexaminer.com. Follow Wisconsin Examiner on Facebook and X. A piece of antisemitic graffiti was found in midtown Sacramento last Sunday, and city leaders are now handling an investigation into the direct threat. Jenny Berg was walking out of her class at Club Pilates on the corner of 21st and N streets last weekend when she saw Hunt the Jews scrawled in marker on a wall nearby. It was really shocking to walk out of Pilates class on a Sunday morning and see that message written on a building, she said. Seeing kind of this message about hunting the Jews is really scary for me, and it brings back a lot of imagery from the Holocaust. Berg said she immediately took a photo of the graffiti and sent it to her family, then reported it to leaders at the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region, an organization that aims to connect members of the Jewish community to educational and cultural resources. The federation receives reports of antisemitic incidents and connects with local authorities to respond to them. According to Mariela Socolovsky, the Sacramento federations CEO, the organization informed the FBI, the Anti-Defamation League and the U.S. Attorneys Office. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said the midtown graffiti was taken down before law enforcement even arrived to the scene. Steinberg has been working with Sacramento police to investigate the graffiti, which he called pure hate. On top of that, the message represented a direct threat not to any individual, but to the Jewish community: Hunt them down, said Steinberg, who is Jewish. Steinberg and Socolovsky said there have been multiple incidents recently involving swastikas and other hate messages that the Jewish Federation and the city have responded to. Theres a lot of tension, and theres understandable fear in the community, Steinberg said. The mayor said that he felt there was a lot of messaging that he considered antisemitic when he addressed the war in Gaza with a cease-fire resolution in March. There is, of course, a difference between being critical of Israel and Israels policies, and antisemitism, Steinberg said. The line sometimes ... in many communities is blurred in ways that are not right. According to previous Bee reporting, dozens of members of the public spoke against the mayors resolution ahead of a city council vote to adopt it. Numerous pro-Palestinian protesters preferred an earlier version of the cease-fire proposal written by councilmembers Katie Valenzuela and Mai Vang. The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region also opposed the mayors resolution, which proposed a two-state solution, with its then-interim CEO Pam Herman saying it could continue to create unsafe spaces for our Jewish community and do nothing to create the lasting peace we all desire. Berg said she was not shocked to see pro-Palestinian messaging posted around the building where she found the graffiti, but that Hunt the Jews was shocking due to the hateful and personal nature of the messaging. People that I know are afraid to share their identity with people because of these types of signs, Berg said. To me, that means like, Find the Jews and kill them, which is really, really scary as a Jewish person. Steinberg said its important for the Jewish community to be vigilant against antisemitic rhetoric, which he said is perpetuated by a very, very small minority of the Sacramento community. We need to make sure that the voices of the people who abhor this kind of hate are louder than those voices of hate, he said. AOC blasts colleagues who are "too scared" to publicly say what they think about Biden Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., took to Instagram live Thursday evening to make a a fervid argument in favor of President Joe Biden staying on top of the Democratic ticket, Business Insider reported. In a nearly hour-long session, the progressive lawmaker expressed her support for Biden despite the partys dissonance over his candidacy after the presidential debate in June. The New York congresswoman warned against forcing Biden to step down, detailing potential legal challenges from Republicans to a hypothetical nominees ballot access. "I have not seen a scenario, an alternative scenario, that I feel does not set us up for enormous peril," she said, Mediaite reported. That particular warning comes despite legal experts noting that Democrats do not formally pick a nominee until the convention next month, meaning Biden himself is not on the ballot yet. Ocasio-Cortez went on to condemn her colleagues who have been leaking information to the press, which she said is weakening Bidens position. To me, I think thats, and Im sorry Im going to say it because its after midnight thats bullshit, she said. She explained her comments werent pointed at those who were making public statements with their name on it. Im talking about people who are too scared to say what they want to say in public, but somehow not afraid to say what they want to say to a journalist so long as they promise not to use their name," she said. "Thats a bunch of horseshit! Addressing the murmurings that Vice President Kamala Harris might be a possible alternative to Biden, Ocasio-Cortez argued that there was no guarantee that the Democratic Party would support her. If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave that Kamala, that they will support Kamala, Vice President Harris, you would be mistaken, she said. A lot of them are not just interested in removing the president. They are interested in removing the whole ticket. On Instagram Live early Friday morning, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez discussed the ongoing debate over whether President Biden is fit to run for reelection. Speaking for close to an hour, the New York progressive explained her support of Biden and why she thought replacing him was a bad idea. If you think that there is consensus among the people who want Joe Biden to leave ... that they will support Vice President Harris, you would be mistaken, Ocasio-Cortez said. Ocasio-Cortez attacked her fellow Democrats who have spoken anonymously to the press about Biden, particularly those resigned to defeat in November. My community does not have the option to lose, Ocasio-Cortez said. If theyre going to come out and say all their little things on background, off the record, but theyre not going to be fully honest, Im going to be honest for them. Im in these rooms. I see what they say in conversations. A lot of them are not just interested in removing the president. They are interested in removing the whole ticket, Ocasio-Cortez added. As far as a plan for replacing Biden, Ocasio-Cortez said that whenever she has asked, she hasnt gotten an answer. I have stood up in rooms with all of these people and I have said, Game out your actual plan for me. What are the risks of this going to the Supreme Court? And no one had an answer for me. Im talking about the lawyers. Im talking about the legislators, Ocasio-Cortez said. She noted that the convention is in less than a month, and that Michigan has to finalize their ballot two days after the convention, which could result in a legal crisis. Ocasio-Cortez said she was concerned that these factors arent being considered by Democrats in the replacement camp. Recent reports say Biden dropping out of the race is increasingly likely, and could happen in a matter of days. The president appears to be strongly considering the idea after meeting with Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, and reportedly even former president Barack Obama thinks Biden needs to reconsider running. A major West Coast donor has already drafted a withdrawal speech. Watch Ocasio-Cortezs full remarks on Instagram Live here: A federal appeals court blocked President Bidens student loan repayment plan, which would have lowered payments for millions of people who borrowed money for education. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday, granting a motion for an administrative stay filed by Republican-led states. The order will prohibit the Biden administration from implementing parts of its Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) program that werent already blocked by lower courts, The Associated Press reported. Earlier Thursday, the administration announced it would forgive another $1.2 billion in student loans for 35,000 people. The people who would have loans forgiven are teachers, nurses, law enforcement officers and first responders under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The announcement brings the total number of people who have received relief to 4.76 million. The SAVE plan has faced two separate legal challenges. In June, two injunctions handed down by federal judges put parts of the plan on pause. A Kansas judge said the Education Department cant enact the full scope of the plan because it did not receive authority from Congress to do so. A judge in Missouri ruled the department cant forgive loans because it illegally deprives state loan operators of revenue. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin posted online celebrating the appeals court decision in his lawsuit against Biden. This is the latest blow to President Bidens unlawful plans to cancel student loans without congressional approval. The president is disregarding the separation of powers in the constitution and the fundamentals so clearly articulated in schoolhouse rock, Griffin said. The ruling blocks all aspects of the SAVE plan. The Department of Education said in a statement to The Hill that it is assessing the impacts of the ruling and will be in touch with borrowers if it impacts them. Our Administration will continue to aggressively defend the SAVE Plan which has been helping over 8 million borrowers access lower monthly payments, including 4.5 million borrowers who have had a zero dollar payment each month, a department spokesperson said in a statement. And, we wont stop fighting against Republican elected officials efforts to raise costs on millions of their own constituents student loan payments. In a statement Thursday evening, Education Secretary Michael Cardona said the decision could have devastating consequences for millions if it remains in effect. Its shameful that politically motivated lawsuits waged by Republican elected officials are once again standing in the way of lower payments for millions of borrowers, he said. Story was updated at 10:48 p.m. EDT 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. Lawyers for a Christian homeless shelter were in a federal appeals court Friday to challenge a Washington state anti-discrimination law that would require the charity to hire LGBTQ+ people and others who do not share its religious beliefs, including those on sexuality and marriage. Union Gospel Mission in Yakima, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) southeast of Seattle, is asking the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to revive a lawsuit dismissed by a lower court. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a global legal organization, is assisting the mission. Washingtons Law Against Discrimination prohibits employers with at least eight employees from discriminating based on sexual orientation. Religious organizations are exempt, but the states Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the exemption should only apply to ministerial positions. Yakimas Union Gospel Mission hires only co-religionists to advance its religious purpose and expects employees to abstain from sexual immorality, including adultery, nonmarried cohabitation, and homosexual conduct, according to court documents. The Washington state attorney generals office told the three-judge panel on Friday that the mission sued preemptively and prematurely, based on speculation that it might be subject to enforcement one day. But members of the three-judge appellate panel on Friday expressed skepticism with the state. Two judges nominated by former U.S. Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump, both Republicans, pressed Daniel Jeon, an assistant attorney general, to swear his office would not enforce the law against the charity. Jeon said job descriptions and other information provided by the mission state that all staff employees are ministers to clients, donors and volunteers, and so do not fall under the law. But he said he could not disavow enforcement in the future if his office received other information. Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is a Democrat and a champion of gay rights. Ryan Tucker, senior counsel with the alliance, said Yakimas Union Gospel Mission has about 150 employees and CEO Mike Johnson has been unable to hire an IT consultant and operations assistant for fear of being penalized. The mission operates a homeless shelter, addiction-recovery programs, meal services, and medical clinics. There are a ton of other institutions in the state that are in harms way now. And the attorney general said very clearly, very clearly that he intends to enforce this law and will investigate, Tucker said after the hearing. The attorney generals office did not return a phone call or email seeking comment. U.S. District Judge Mary K. Dimke dismissed the case last year, also agreeing with attorneys for the state that the lawsuit filed by Yakimas mission was a prohibited appeal of another case decided by the Washington Supreme Court. The current case arises out of a 2017 lawsuit filed by Matt Woods, a bisexual Christian man who was denied a job as an attorney at a legal aid clinic operated by the Union Gospel Mission in Seattle. The state Supreme Court sent the case back to trial to determine if the role of legal aid attorney would fall under the ministerial exemption. Woods said he dismissed the case because he had gotten the ruling he sought and did not want to pursue monetary damages from a homeless shelter. Im confident that the trial court would have found that a staff attorney position with a legal aid clinic is not a ministerial position, he said in an email to The Associated Press. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 denied review of the Woods decision, but Justice Samuel Alito said the day may soon come when we must decide whether the autonomy guaranteed by the First Amendment protects religious organizations freedom to hire co-religionists without state or judicial interference. A challenge to the law by Seattle Pacific University, a Christian university that prohibits employees from same-sex intercourse and marriage, is pending in federal court. A federal appeals court on Friday unanimously denied a lawsuit from a coalition of Republican attorneys general and the fossil fuel industry seeking to block the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) pollution standards for power plants. The three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit sided with the EPA on the standards, required under the Clean Air Act, which regulate emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants. The EPA unveiled the new standards in April, nearly two years after the Supreme Court blocked the Obama-era version of the plan. Twenty-seven Republican state attorneys general sued for a stay of the plan, citing the Supreme Court decision. In its ruling, the panel disagreed, writing that petitioners have not shown they are likely to succeed on [their] claims given the record in this case. Nor does this case implicate a major question under West Virginia v. EPA because EPA has claimed only the power to set emissions limits under Section 111 based on the application of measures that would reduce pollution by causing the regulated source to operate more cleanly[,] a type of conduct that falls well within EPAs bailiwick. The Environmental Defense Fund [EDF], which filed an amicus brief in support of the EPA, praised the decision. Climate change is here and it is harming all of us. Americans across the nation are suffering from the intense heat waves, extreme storms and flooding, and increased wildfires caused by climate pollution, Vickie Patton, general counsel for the EDF, said in a statement. EPA has a legal responsibility, mandated by Congress, to control harmful climate pollution, which the court recognized today. We will continue to strongly defend EPAs cost-effective and achievable carbon pollution standards for power plants. West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisseys (R) office vowed to appeal the stay to the Supreme Court in a statement to The Hill. Our position remains the same: this rule strips the states of important discretion while using technologies that dont work in the real world. Adding injury to unlawfulness, the Biden administration packaged this rule with several other rules aimed at destroying traditional energy providers, Morrissey said in a statement. We plan to seek a stay from the U.S. Supreme Court as soon as possible. The National Mining Association also said it would appeal the ruling. Were obviously disappointed that the Court failed to recognize the risks associated with this damaging rule and plan to seek an emergency stay from the U.S. Supreme Court, NMA CEO Rich Nolan said in a statement. The ruling comes the month after the Supreme Court overturned the so-called Chevron doctrine, which gave federal agencies broad discretion in interpreting the law. Updated at 4:04 p.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. A glitch that caused a worldwide technology outage is being treated more as a nuisance than a cyberattack, according to the company from where the issues arose. Locally and across Virginia, the impact of that outage appears to be minimal. Gov. Glenn Youngkin said an initial assessment found critical health and safety systems ... are operational but certain systems within state government are experiencing what he called significant disruptions. We are coordinating with local, regional and federal authorities and private sector critical infrastructure partners in order to reestablish normal operations, Youngkin said in a statement released by his office Friday morning. As a result of the administrative disturbances, Virginians may experience delays and we ask everyone to remain patient as we work to remedy and reestablish the high standards that Virginians deserve. CrowdStrike, a U.S.-based cybersecurity firm, said the issue stemmed from a defect in a recent content update that disrupted the Microsoft Windows operating system. Because Windows has an approximately 70% market share of desktop systems worldwide, that defect spread quickly. In a statement, CrowdStrike said the problem was immediately isolated and a fix has been deployed. However, residual effects from the outage were expected to hamper normal computer usages for the time being. Airlines and banks were among the most impacted businesses. Hundreds of flights worldwide were grounded, according to USA TODAY. Due to the global IT outage, DMV Customer Service Centers are closed. Online transactions are also unavailable. Stay tuned to our social media for updates. We appreciate your patience. pic.twitter.com/LWBGZzLPgq VirginiaDMV (@VirginiaDMV) July 19, 2024 Hospitals in Staunton, Augusta County and Waynesboro respond to outage Sentara Health Below is a statement from Mike Kafka, director of corporate communications & public relations for Sentara Health: We are closely monitoring the IT outage linked to the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Sentara does not utilize CrowdStrike so our IT systems are not directly impacted. However, we are currently in the process of evaluating the impact on third-party providers and partner organizations who do work with this vendor. Normal operations remain in process at Sentara hospitals and facilities. Augusta Health remains fully operational Augusta Health is operating without issue but is "closely monitoring" the outage, the company said in a statement. Patient care is not affected. Today, a major worldwide software outage has affected many, but Augusta Health has been fortunate with minor interruptions, said Leigh Williams, Augusta Health assistant chief information officer. Augusta Health can access all clinical systems, including patient health records and scheduling. Augusta Health will continue to monitor the situation closely and share updates on any changes in operations, the release said. Staunton city government still online The city of Staunton was not majorly affected by the outage. "The city does not generally use CrowdStrike," said Communications Manager Josh Knight. "We've had a couple of minor issues, but nothing major has been impacted like 911, phones, or email." Local law enforcement agencies said they have not been affected by the software outage. This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as they become available. More: Man dies at hospital following Albemarle County crash More: VDOT holds public hearing on Afton Mountain lighting project More: Weekend weather forecast for Augusta County This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Area government, business officials report no issues with tech outage Ariz. Woman Vanished Weeks Ago and Family Says She Has a Stalker Who Sent Menacing Messages Doris Maricela Aguilar, 25, went missing on July 1, and the local medical examiner's office believes she died on July 7 Phoenix Police Department Doris-Maricela-Aguilar-071924 The family of an Arizona woman who went missing earlier this month and was later found dead believed she had a stalker who may be behind her disappearance and death, according to multiple news outlets. Doris Maricela Aguilar, 25, went missing on July 1, and her car was found abandoned and unlocked about a week later in the parking lot of a mall in Phoenix, Fox 10 Phoenix reported. A missing persons poster shared by Phoenix police states that all of Aguilar's belongings were left behind and she had already prepared her meals for the next day. According to AZFamily, the local medical examiners office confirmed on July 18 that Aguilar had died, adding that she died on July 7. Further details surrounding her cause and manner of death were not immediately clear. As Phoenix police investigate the circumstances surrounding Aguilars disappearance and death, her family hired private investigator Steve Fischer to look into what may have happened to their loved one, according to both news outlets. Fischer told Fox 10 that Aguilars family claimed she had a stalker who was a former coworker that she reported after he began sending her menacing messages. Her family claimed he frequently showed up in the parking lot of the gym she attended, leading her to change gyms multiple times, per the outlet. Her family claims she had expressed fear of him and that he even sent her a frightening message on June 27, four days before she disappeared. The message allegedly read, "Getting my membership back see you soon, according to Fox 10. According to Fischer, the next steps are obtaining surveillance footage of the store near where her car was found. Fischer does not believe she left on her own, AZFamily reported. 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. She did tell her family and important people in her life about this person, and that if anything happened to her, he was responsible and he scared her, Fischer said, per AZFamily. PEOPLE reached out to Fischer and Phoenix police for comment but did not immediately hear back on Friday, July 19. Its unclear if police have identified a person of interest or suspect in the case. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Blu Rolland was found dead under the floorboards of the Moro, Ark., home on Dec. 16, 2022, which would've been his 6th birthday, police said Arkansas State Police/Facebook Blu Rolland An Arkansas man pleaded guilty this week to the 2022 murder of his girlfriend's young son, whose body was buried under the floorboards of their family home, authorities said. On Monday, July 15, Nathan Bridges, 34, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree battery in the death of 5-year-old Blu Rolland, according to a statement from Arkansas State Police. Bridges was subsequently sentenced to 60 years in prison. Blus body was found on Dec. 16, 2022 under the floorboards of the Moro, Ark., home, located about 85 miles east of Little Rock, police said. That day also would've been the boys 6th birthday, according to police. Related: Arkansas Boy, 6, Found Dead Under Floorboards Allegedly Drowned in Toilet by Mother's Boyfriend Arkansas State Police previously said the boy died of injuries likely sustained in the home about three months prior, but an arrest affidavit stated the boy was drowned in a toilet in the home, PEOPLE previously reported. According to the affidavit, which was previously reviewed by PEOPLE, the boys mother, Ashley Rolland, allegedly told deputies at first that Blu was not at home when they were there to perform a civil standby. However, she allegedly eventually confessed to her father that the boy was dead inside of the home and that his remains were located under the newly-nailed floorboards, the affidavit claims. She had allegedly told her dad the boy had collapsed and died, according to the affidavit. When deputies went back to the home in hopes of finding the boy alive, they found a child's flip-flops and a blanket underneath the floorboards, as well as the smell of decay after sifting through the top layer of soil, according to the affidavit. Related: 6-Year-Old Boy Found Dead Under Floorboards in Ark. Home; Mom and Boyfriend Charged with Murder In an interview with detectives, Rolland allegedly claimed Blu died in September after he bit Bridges' finger. As a punishment, Bridges stuck the little boy's head repeatedly into the toilet until he drowned, according to the affidavit. 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. Both Rolland and Bridges were then arrested and charged in connection with Blus death. While Bridges has pleaded guilty, Rolland, 30, is still awaiting trial in Lee County, police said. She faces a slew of charges including capital murder, permitting child abuse, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, endangering the welfare of a Minor, and battery. Its unclear if she has entered a plea and PEOPLE couldnt immediately identify an attorney who could speak on her behalf. In the wake of the boy's death, a GoFundMe campaign was created to help support Blu's grandmother with funeral and other expenses. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. The state of Arkansas responded, just ahead of a 4 p.m. Friday deadline, to a challenge brought Tuesday by Arkansans for Limited Government, the group behind a proposed ballot measure to legalize limited access to abortion in the state. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed a motion to dismiss a suit before the Arkansas Supreme Court concerning Secretary of State John Thurston's refusal to begin the certification process for the ballot question. Thurston cited ostensibly incorrect paperwork in his decision to reject the petition on a technicality and decline to start an official count of the signatures. "AFLGs petition falls short and further proceedings would be futile," the attorney general's Friday filing reads. "The Court should therefore decline to require further merits briefing, deny the requested relief, and dismiss this case." Arkansans for Limited Government said in an emailed statement Tuesday that its suit was over Thurston's failure to fulfill his constitutional and statutory duties, and that he was unlawfully weaponizing bureaucratic processes to silence the more than 100,000 signers of the groups petition. The committee also filed a motion to expedite and for emergency relief. Our compliance with the law is clear and well-documented, said Lauren Cowles, Arkansans for Limited Government's executive director. Dina Epstein, center, an OBGYN and physician leader with Arkansans for Limited Government, helps a visitor sign the petition for the Arkansas abortion amendment during the 15th Annual Juneteenth in Da Rock celebration at S. Arch Street in Little Rock, Ark., Saturday, June 15, 2024. The suit, in part, asks the Supreme Court to Order the Secretary to complete the counting, verification, and certification process in the original time-frame set forth in law. Each day that passes without the counting and verification of signatures makes it more unlikely that certification can occur by the August 22 deadline, it reads. Signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot were due July 5, and Arkansans for Limited Government submitted 101,525, more than enough to meet the threshold of 90,704. In a July 10 letter, Thurston said that the group did not include a required list of its paid canvassers or an affidavit stating that those canvassers had been properly trained and given a copy of the state's rules for collecting signatures. He said in a letter to Arkansans for Limited Government that the missing documents "require(s) me to reject your submission outright." Cowles wrote in a July 11 response letter, "Contrary to your claim, AFLG met the requirements." She said the committee had in fact submitted the documentation for paid canvassers both in late June and again on July 5 with the signatures. My position remains unchanged, Thurston said in a letter on Monday. A visitor signs the petition for the Arkansas abortion amendment during the 15th Annual Juneteenth in Da Rock celebration at S. Arch Street in Little Rock, Ark., Saturday, June 15, 2024. The affidavit submitted on June 27, he said, was signed by someone working for the committee, but not by someone who technically qualified as the sponsor of the amendment. He also said that it was not submitted at the same time as the petitions, which were turned over July 5. Each of these defects independently required me to reject your petition, Thurston wrote. A representative from the Arkansas Attorney General's office declined to comment on Friday. What is in the amendment and what happens now? The amendment, if approved by voters, would have legalized abortion up to 18 weeks from fertilization, in cases of rape, incest, fatal fetal anomaly and to save the health of the mother. Abortion is currently illegal in Arkansas except to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency. Arkansas is rated the most abortion-restrictive state in the country by pro-life organizations including Americans United for Life. The extra requirements for paid canvassers at issue were added in 2013, soon after Republicans took control of the state House for the first time in decades. Bettina Brownstein, an Arkansas attorney and supporter of the amendment, predicted on July 11 that the state's Supreme Court is unlikely to rule in the ballot question committees favor. "I'm very skeptical about this court defying the administration, and the administration is very much against this," she said. This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Arkansans for Limited Government, state AG battle over abortion measure Efforts to collect signatures for two proposed ballot measures for the 2026 election will begin this fall, following the attorney general's approval of ballot language Thursday. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) Supporters of measures addressing government transparency and eliminating the sales tax on feminine hygiene products can begin collecting signatures for the 2026 ballot following the Arkansas attorney generals approval of their proposals Thursday. Groups behind both ballot initiatives refiled their proposals with the attorney generals office last week for the 2026 ballot after failing to collect sufficient signatures for the 2024 election. Shannie Jackson, leader of the Arkansas Period Poverty Project and chair of the ballot question committee of the same name, said theyre excited their proposed initiated act to exempt feminine hygiene products and diapers from the sales tax has received the green light for 2026. Jackson said theyre creating a new team for their committee, which will retain its name, so theyll submit updated paperwork to the Secretary of States office soon and hope to start collecting signatures in August. Well have about two years to collect, so in my brain theres no way we cant meet the requirement, she said. We have a better plan this go around. We learned a lot from the other ballot initiatives. The 2024 proposal received 43,831 of the required 72,563 signatures, according to an affidavit filed with the Secretary of States office. The group collected signatures from all 75 counties, but only met the minimum requirements in 19, Jackson said. A 2023 state law thats being challenged in court requires canvassers to collect signatures from 50 counties instead of the former 15. If the 2026 measure, which contains the same language as this years proposal, qualifies for the ballot and is approved by Arkansas voters in two years, it would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2027. Let us know what you think... Arkansas Period Poverty Project cleared the first hurdle in the process when Attorney General Tim Griffin approved the measures proposed popular name, which he deemed not misleading, as submitted. However, Griffin said in Thursdays opinion that several minor changes are necessary to make the tampon taxs ballot title more suitable and correct, so he substituted and certified a ballot title to ensure that it clearly and accurately sets forth the purpose of the proposed initiated act. Additionally, Griffin flagged the same textual issues he did in the groups previous submission, including grammatical errors, improper numbering and a suggestion for definitions to mirror those found in the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement. Meanwhile, Griffin substituted and certified the popular name and ballot title for the Arkansas Government Disclosure Amendment of 2026. If the proposed constitutional amendment qualifies for the 2026 ballot and is approved by voters, it would become effective on Nov. 4, 2026. The proposal would make government transparency a constitutional right. It would also require two-thirds of the Arkansas House and Senate to approve changes to the government transparency law, which would then be sent to voters. In emergency situations, a law would go into effect with 90% approval from both chambers but still be subject to a later statewide vote. Arkansas Press Association Executive Director Ashley Wimberley serves as adviser to Arkansans for a Free Press, the ballot question committee that submitted the proposed amendment to the attorney general last week. Because they submitted language previously approved by the attorney general (the only change is the measures effective date), Wimberley said they expected to receive a positive response this time as well. From here, the goal is to have strategic meetings over the next few weeks before launching into the signature gathering phase after Labor Day, she said. We feel like once people get through the summer and back to school, then everybody will be a bit more focused, and it gives our staff a little bit more time to catch up on some other work as well, Wimberley said. In addition to approving both measures, Griffin said in Thursdays opinions that he sent supporters a copy of current instructions for canvassers and signers that should be incorporated into petitions before circulation. However, he noted these instructions may be revised next year to incorporate any relevant changes made during the 2025 legislative session. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Arkansas GOP members say they see shift in Trumps energy since assassination attempt Arkansas GOP members say they see shift in Trumps energy since assassination attempt MILWAUKEE, Wisc. A handful of Arkansans can be found among the sea of Republicans at the RNC this week making their support clear for former president Donald Trump. From the governor to state senators to everyday Arkansans serving as delegates for the GOP, everyone KARK 4 News spoke with has pointed to the growing unity within the party. Photos: A visual look at the 2024 Republican National Convention Arkansas delegate Len Blaylock III, who is a veteran himself, and State Sen. Ben Gilmore (R-Crossett) said so far the most impactful speeches have come from Gold Star Veteran families. The families said their loved ones lost their lives during President Joe Bidens Afghanistan withdrawal. The families who spoke to former president Trump as the sole leader who comforted them and say they feel their veterans deaths were avoidable by President Biden. Another thing that Blaylock and Gilmore pointed to is the energy of former president Trump and the shift theyre seeing since the assassination attempt. How many people would have bowed out at this point? Blaylock said. But he (Trump) is at the point of no return. And I think hes just got a level of emotional intelligence where hes trying to be strong for the party. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Sen. Tom Cotton speak on second day of Republican National Convention Gilmore pointed to the spiritual impact of the assassination attempt on Trump and the party. As scripture tells us, we have an appointed time with death and I think he came very close to that but clearly, like all of us, God has plans for our lives, Gilmore said. I think hes realized he has a purpose on this earth. 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. Arrest made after man in vehicle shoots at another vehicle in traffic, police say Arrest made after man in vehicle shoots at another vehicle in traffic, police say DES MOINES, Iowa Police have released the name of a man arrested for allegedly shooting at a car from another vehicle Thursday night near the State Fairgrounds. Officers were called to E. 30th St. and E. Maple Street around 7:00 p.m. after a witness reported the shooting. At least one bullet hole was found in the victims vehicle. A vehicle believed to have been involved was located along Dean Avenue and multiple people were detained for questioning. Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department said Dre Sean Looney, 30, was arrested in connection with the shooting. The Des Moines resident is charged with five counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon, possession of a controlled substance, persons ineligible to carry dangerous weapons, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He also had a previous domestic abuse charge in a separate case. Looney is being held in the Polk County Jail. Sgt. Parizek said the victim in the case is the sister of Looneys ex-girlfriend. 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 who13.com. With Arrowhead heading to a $261M referendum this fall, see this list of largest Wisconsin school referendums in the last decade With the Arrowhead Union High School District voting to put a $261.2 million facilities referendum on the November ballot, as well as a $7.6 million operational referendum, voters could approve an amount even larger than the $252 million referendum Milwaukee Public Schools' voters narrowly approved in April. With that in mind, where do the Arrowhead referendums stand in terms of the largest school referendums in the state in recent years? Here's a list of the biggest referendums since 2014 those that passed as well as those that failed based in part on the Wisconsin Department of Instruction's referendum history database. 1. Racine Unified School District What: Nonrecurring operational referendum When: April 2020 How much: $1.07 billion over 30 years; $18 million each year from the 2020-21 through the 2024-25 school years; $22.5 million each year from 2025-26 through 2028-29; $42.5 million each year from 2029-30 through 2050-51. Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: "Building modernization, land acquisition, enhancements for student career pathway programs, safety improvements, furnishings and equipment, technology and debt service for new building and other capital improvement projects," according to information on the DPI's referendum history database. 2. Madison Metropolitan School District What: Facilities referendum When: November 2020 How much: $317 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Fund renovations and additions to the district's four high schools, construct a new elementary school, consolidate Capital High School from two locations to one location. 3. Milwaukee Public Schools What: Recurring operational referendum When: April 2024 How much: $252 million over four years; $140 million in 2024-25; $51 million in 2025-26; $47 million in 2026-27 and $14 million in 2027-28 Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Referendum funds will support educational programming such as career and technical education programs, language programs and mental health support. 4. La Crosse School District What: Facilities referendum When: November 2022 How much: $194.7 million Passed or failed? Failed Purpose: The referendum would have funded a consolidated high school, as well as renovations and improvements to the current La Crosse Logan and La Crosse Central high school buildings to convert them into middle schools. 5. Waunakee Community School District What: Facilities referendum When: November 2022 How much: $175 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: The referendum funded the construction of a new Heritage Elementary School and construction of a new middle school, both on district-owned land; removal of the current Heritage Elementary School building, as well as districtwide renovations, capital maintenance and site improvements and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment. 6. Green Bay Area School District What: Nonrecurring operational referendum When: April 2017 How much: $165 million over 10 years; $16.5 million each year from the 2017-18 school year through the 2026-27 school year Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: To maintain educational programming and class sizes, as well as to retain staff RELATED: Here are the types of school referendums and when they've succeeded in Wisconsin 7. Sun Prairie Area School District What: Facilities referendum When: April 2019 How much: $164 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Construction of a second high school, the reconfiguration of Cardinal Heights Upper Middle School to serve sixth through eighth grades, the relocation of Prairie Phoenix Academy and the building of a new multipurpose stadium at Ashley Field for use by both the district's high schools. 8. Verona Area School District What: Facilities referendum When: April 2017 How much: $162.76 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Construction of new high school and auditorium, renovation and reconfiguration of current Verona Area High School and Badger Ridge Middle School, districtwide capital and building infrastructure improvements and repairs and acquisition of related furnishings, fixtures and equipment 9. Wausau School District What: Facilities referendum When: November 2020 How much: $155 million Passed or failed? Failed Purpose: The referendum would have built a new elementary school on the current Grant Elementary School site, built an environmental learning center at the school forest, as well as funded modernization, improvements and districtwide building upgrades. 10. West Allis-West Milwaukee School District What: Facilities referendum When: April 2022 How much: $149.8 million Passed or failed? Failed Purpose: The referendum would have funded closing Nathan Hale and West Allis Central high schools and created a new consolidated high school by remodeling and repurposing the Nathan Hale building. 11. Wausau School District What: Facilities referendum When: April 2021 How much: $148.8 million Passed or failed? Failed Purpose: It would have funded construction of additions at Horace Mann and John Muir middle schools, West High School, and Grant, Lincoln, Hawthorn Hills, Maine, Rib Mountain, Riverview, South Mountain and Stettin elementary schools; construction of a new school forest environmental center; districtwide safety and security measures, school modernization, building infrastructure, capital maintenance and site improvements, remodeling at the elementary, middle and high schools and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment. 12. Middleton-Cross Plains School District What: Facilities referendum When: November 2018 How much: $138.9 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Construction and equipping of a new elementary school; an addition, remodel, demolition and reconstruction of Middleton High School; construction of a new cafeteria at Park Elementary School and remodeling of the Clark Street Community School building for use as an early learning center. 13. Appleton Area School District What: Facilities referendum When: November 2022 How much: $129.8 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Modernize the district's four middle schools, add capacity to allow sixth-grade students to move to the district's middle schools and update science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) areas; build a new elementary school to accommodate enrollment growth on the north side, allow for reduction of kindergarten through second-grade class sizes to facilitate moving sixth-grade students to the district's middle schools; complete individualized projects at each elementary school to create a STEM space, improve security and update available spaces and build additions and complete renovations at the district's three high schools, according to the Appleton Area School District's website. 14. Neenah School District What: Facilities referendum When: April 2019 How much: $129.58 million Passed or failed? Failed Purpose: The referendum would have built a new middle school, renovated the high school technical education area, made Americans with Disabilities Act and infrastructure upgrades, as well as safety and security upgrades at all district facilities. 15. Racine Unified School District What: Nonrecurring operational referendum When: November 2014 How much: $127.5 million over 15 years; $8.5 million each year from the 2014-15 school year to the 2028-29 school year Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Fund building maintenance, safety and security improvements, building modernization, technology enhancement and debt service for new building projects. 16. DeForest Area School District What: Facilities referendum When: April 2019 How much: $125 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Construction of a new intermediate school and maintenance building, renovations of Yahara Elementary School, DeForest Area Middle School, including a portion to be remodeled as the district office; renovation and expansion of DeForest High School, site improvements and acquisition of furniture, fixtures and equipment. 17. Wauwatosa School District What: Facilities referendum When: November 2018 How much: $124.9 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Construction of new elementary school buildings for Underwood and McKinley elementary schools; major renovations to Lincoln and Wilson/WSTEM elementary schools, as well as districtwide renovation, site improvements, safety and security upgrades, capital improvements, HVAC systems upgrades, Americans with Disabilities Act updates and classroom upgrades; acquisition of related fixtures, furnishings and equipment and remodeling Wauwatosa East and West high schools' technical education classrooms and lab spaces. 18. Wausau School District What: Facilities referendum When: April 2022 How much: $119.8 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Construction of additions at Horace Mann and John Muir middle schools, West and East high schools, Grant, Riverview, South Mountain and Stettin elementary schools; construction of a new school forest environmental learning center; remodeling at all middle and high schools; districtwide safety and security updates, school updates, building infrastructure, capital maintenance and site improvements, as well as acquisition of furnishings, fixtures and equipment. 19. Neenah School District What: Facilities referendum When: April 2020 How much: $114.9 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Construct a new high school, renovate the existing high school to convert it to an intermediate school and a middle school and districtwide safety and security upgrades. 20. New Richmond School District What: Facilities referendum When: April 2024 How much: $113.7 million Passed or failed? Passed Purpose: Construction of additions and renovations at Starr and Paperjack Elementary Schools and the district's middle school; districtwide safety and capacity, building infrastructure and site improvements and acquisition of associated furnishings, fixtures and equipment, according to the DPI's referendum history database. Future referendums Other referendums are expected to be on the ballot in November that also stand out for the amount they are seeking. The Madison Metropolitan School District is planning a $507 million facilities referendum that, if approved, would fund renovations and construction of buildings and/or additions and improvements to Malcolm Shabazz City High School, Ray F. Sennett, Balck Hawk, Sherman and Akira R. Toki Middle Schools and at Milele Chikasa Anana, Crestwood, Samuel Gompers and Orchard Ridge elementary schools, as well as other districtwide improvements. The district will also put a $100 million operational referendum question to voters that, if approved, would be paid over 20 years. The funding would increase by $30 million each year from 2024-25 to 2025-26; by an additional $20 million for 2026-27 and by an additional $20 million for 2027-28 and years after to pay for operational and maintenance expenses, including educational programming and employee compensation and benefits. Another referendum of note is a $145 million facilities referendum for Franklin Public Schools. If voters approve, the funds would be used to make additions and renovations to Franklin High School, as well as to complete capital maintenance projects at Franklin High School and to the district's five elementary schools. Under state law, school boards that want to pose a referendum to voters must adopt a resolution at least 70 days before an election. For this year's Nov. 5 election, that means boards must adopt resolutions by Aug. 27. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: See the biggest school referendums that have passed, failed since 2014 Welcome to Milele, a popular TV series following a Chinese medical team dispatched to work in Africa, began airing on Wednesday in Kenya and Tanzania in a Swahili-dubbed version. The series serves as a tribute commemorating several significant historical milestones, including the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, the 60th anniversary since China first dispatched a medical team to a foreign country in the early 1960s, and the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Tanzania. In Kenya, the 35-episode drama starring Chinese A-list actor Jin Dong runs on Citizen TV from Wednesday to Friday each week and will also be streamed on Citizen TV's new media platform, Viusasa. Partly filmed in Tanzania, the series will also be broadcast on the African country's local TV channel, ST Swahili, starting from Monday and is set to re-air from Aug 22. Additionally, it will be aired by Tanzania's public broadcaster, Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation. Azam, a new media platform reaching multiple Swahili-speaking countries including Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe, will also stream the show. In an effort to vividly portray the friendship between China and Africa over decades, a total of 10 main specialists behind the series traveled to Africa to conduct research, interviewing 31 Chinese doctors from three medical teams dispatched to Tanzania. After completing filming domestically, the series organized a crew of 178 members to travel to Africa, capturing scenes in various locations, including the archipelago of Zanzibar and the city of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Athens-Clarke County commissioners recently were briefed on a draft proposal calling for a $1.2 million outlay of federal dollars for local economic development programming. The Business Development and Workforce Support Task Force, co-chaired by Commissioners Carol Myers and Tiffany Taylor, is proposing to use the funding for seven initiatives. The outlay, if approved by commissioners at their Aug. 6 voting meeting, would support efforts to increase work and apprenticeship programs on local taxpayer-funded construction projects; support high-quality local childcare; expand access to capital for impact businesses focused on social and environmental change; increase employee-owned businesses; establish opportunities aimed at minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses, along with other special categories of business owners; provide education on worker rights; and, help provide healthcare job education opportunities through the local Innovative Healthcare Institute. More: Athens officials considering rezoning of 40 acres near Caterpillar plant for 227 new homes The plan would provide one-time allocations of $150,000 to each initiative, except a one-time $300,000 allocation to Quality Care for Children, which works directly with childcare providers, parents and children. Other funding within the seven outlined initiatives would go to the Economic Justice Coalition in Athens, the Atlanta-based Georgia Center for Employee Ownership, and the Carrollton-based Georgia Cooperative Development Center, which supports the start-up of member-owned co-op businesses. The task force proposal is up for consideration at the Athens-Clarke County Commissions Aug. 6 voting meeting. The $1.2 million in requested funding would come from the $57.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money allocated to Athens-Clarke County as part of a $1.9 trillion nationwide economic stimulus package approved by Congress in 2021 to bolster the countrys recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Commissioners have earmarked $3.8 million in ARPA funding for workforce development. Half of that money was steered by the commission earlier this year to Athens Achieves, a workforce initiative spearheaded by the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce. More: Athens task force to unveil workforce development plan, though another already approved Athens Achieves will use the $1.9 million as seed money for a program that will focus initially on linking jobseekers with local opportunities through an online jobs portal. The portal will be augmented by navigators who will keep job applicants engaged during the hiring process. Story continues Beyond that, Athens Achieves a coalition of local business, government, education and community leaders -- will work to provide workforce education and training support, business and industry engagement, and communication and marketing support. Those efforts will be focused on the five strategic employment sectors targeted by the county -- biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing research and development, craft beverages, healthcare and life sciences, and the creative economy as its focus for economic development. The commission task force effort began in earnest just a few months ago, with membership including the head of the countys Department of Economic Development, the president/CEO of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, and representatives of the minority business and social service communities. The task forces work was guided with the help of a local leadership development consulting firm. Myers indicated that the entities targeted for funding with the requested $1.2 million in ARPA dollars are aware that their shares are a one-time outlay, and that theyll need to find other funding to continue the proposed initiative beyond the federal funding. ARPA dollars must be in place by Dec. 31. Myers expressed a desire that if possible, to combine this (task force proposal) with the Chamber proposal for an overarching approach to business development and workforce support. To that end, Myers is recommending that $300,000 of the $683,000 that will remain in ARPA workforce funding if the task force proposal is approved to be steered to a Chamber of Commerce elementary school third-grade reading goal program. This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Athens officials look to use ARPA funds for workforce initiatives Make artificial intelligence our first line of defense against destructive wildfires | Opinion California, like many of the states in our region, has faced some of the most devastating wildfires in recent history. The Golden State is leading the charge in wildfire prevention by integrating cutting-edge technology into its fire management strategies. One of the most significant advancements in this area is the use of AI-trained cameras that monitor the landscape around the clock, identifying fires before any traditional emergency calls are made. As previously highlighted by Carl Smith of the Governing, on the morning of Sept. 5, a wildfire ignited in a redwood forest in Humboldt County, California. This fire was swiftly identified by one of over a thousand AI-trained cameras deployed across the state. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) was alerted immediately, allowing firefighters to contain the blaze to just a quarter of an acre. This rapid response is the fruit of a decade-long effort to harness AI in wildfire detection and prevention. As wildfires in the United States, and especially in our Mountain States region, become more frequent and severe, the need for advanced detection systems has never been greater. AI offers a solution by continuously monitoring vast areas, analyzing data for early signs of fire, and alerting human operators when potential fires are detected. This system not only improves response times but also leverages historical data to enhance accuracy and reliability. While the benefits of AI in wildfire detection are evident, it is essential to implement these technologies with appropriate oversight. Ensuring that AI systems are transparent, accountable, and effective requires a framework that balances innovation with regulation. Oversight helps maintain the integrity of AI applications, ensuring they meet safety standards and public expectations without compromising privacy or efficiency. Neal Driscoll, a professor at UC San Diegos Scripps Institution of Oceanography and director of ALERTCalifornia, emphasizes the importance of data-driven decisions. ALERTCalifornia, a public safety program, utilizes multidisciplinary expertise and supercomputing resources to enhance understanding and response to climate-driven events, including wildfires. ALERTCalifornias highlights: The AI platform is a new tool in the toolbox and allows data to drive firefighting decisions, which saves lives, protects habitats, and infrastructure. In its first season, the AI platform was utilized in all 21 CAL FIRE Dispatch Centers and detected over 1,200 fires across California, beating 911 call reporting over 30% of the time. Expanding the free markets involvement in AI can drive further innovation and efficiency. Private sector companies, driven by competition and profit incentives, can develop and implement advanced technologies more rapidly and cost-effectively than government entities. By creating a regulatory environment that encourages private investment and innovation, the government can utilize the strengths of the free market to enhance wildfire prevention efforts. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) is an example of private sector involvement in AI development for wildfire detection. The utility company supported the initial AI work for Californias forest surveillance network, recognizing the potential to mitigate risks and liabilities associated with wildfires. Such collaborations between public and private entities exemplify how market-driven initiatives can complement government efforts in addressing critical issues. Californias AI-driven wildfire detection system serves as a model for other states and regions facing similar challenges. The integration of AI with traditional fire management practices can significantly improve early detection and response, reducing the impact of wildfires. States like Washington, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho should be looking to replicate Californias success by adopting similar technologies and strategies. The use of AI in wildfire detection represents a significant advancement in Californias efforts to prevent and manage wildfires. By expanding the role of the free market and fostering public-private partnerships, we can drive innovation and efficiency in wildfire prevention. As we continue to face the realities of increasing wildfire risks, leveraging AI with proper oversight will be essential in safeguarding our communities and natural resources. Sebastian Griffin is the lead researcher for the Junkermier Center for Technology and Innovation at Mountain States Policy Center, a research organization based in Idaho, Montana, Eastern Washington and Wyoming. Online at mountainstatespolicy.org . FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) Vice President Kamala Harris made her seventh visit to the Tar Heel State this year while attending a campaign event in Fayetteville Thursday afternoon. Organizers said about 700 people in attendance filled the Westover High School Gene Arrington Gymnasium. The rally comes about three weeks after President Joe Bidens at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. Myles Pitts, who was recently accepted to the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, joined several others eager to hear from the Vice President. Im just hoping to hear what Ive always been wanting to hearthat they have our best interests in mind, said Pitts. Pitts said he hoped to hear a promise on gun control, especially following the recent violence that broke out at a campaign event for former president Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. Pitts said, Its very shocking to me that somebody could even get that close to the former president. I think its a massive demonstration of how guns have gotten so out of control in this country. As a teen, Pitts said hes become more aware of gun violence including shootings in schools. He said, For this event, I feel a bit more safe since it did happen. I think security is a little more on lock, I guess you could say. Im not as concerned, but I do think its a prevalent issue. Pitts and others pointed to the several agencies working together at the event to provide extra security. Officers could be seen outside the building working with K9s to patrol the area. The Secret Service helped control access to the parking lot area, while others ensured people attending also passed through airport-like security including screenings before entering the gymnasium. We noticed the security has definitely stepped up this time at this event, said Greg Steiner, who traveled with his wife, Sharon, from Harnett County. The married couple said they recently attended a few other politician events. Steiner said, Previously, when we saw President Bidens wife last week in Wilmington, the security was present, but not miles out. Im in the army, so I know theres a ton of planning that goes into these things, Steiner said. I think theyre taking all the prudent measures they can and still keeping it realistic. I mean, we had to walk half a mile just to get in here. At one point, law enforcement and members of Secret Service focused their attention on a drone flying in the area. Due to a temporary flight restriction, officers said they handled the situation. Guests were also told to leave certain items behind including liquids, aerosols, outside posters and signs, umbrellas, vape pens, lights, knives, firearms, and other hazardous items. At 2:50 p.m., Harris departed from Pope Army Airfield to Washington, D.C. Al Lampkins, who spent 31 years in the military, said he came to hear from Harris to see what policies the new administration would focus on. He said he was shocked to hear what happened in Pennsylvania, but also felt reassured people attending to hear from the vice president had nothing to worry about. Safety is number one when we do anything in our community, but when you think about where youre standing at right now, close to the biggest military installation here in the United States, its not a concern, Lampkins said. Were close to the 82nd Airborne Division, which is the nucleus of this community here. Lampkins continued, Whenever there is a risk, there is some heightened level of concern, so there is that elevated level of security. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin announces a lawsuit against Temu, an online shopping platform with Chinese ownership, on June 25, 2024. (Screenshot from livestream) Attorney General Tim Griffin on Friday filed a motion asking the Arkansas Supreme Court to dismiss a lawsuit challenging Secretary of State John Thurstons recent rejection of the proposed Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024. Arkansans for Limited Government (AFLG), the ballot question committee supporting the proposed constitutional amendment, filed a lawsuit Tuesday asking the state Supreme Court to order Thurston to count the more than 101,000 signatures the group submitted in support of the measure on July 5. The group also asked the court to expedite the case with a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction overruling Thurstons decision not to count the signatures. Griffin, who is representing Thurstons office in the case, contends the Secretary of State on July 10 correctly rejected a submission from AFLG because they failed to submit a sponsor statement indicating the group had provided canvassers with a handbook and explained the legal requirements for obtaining signatures. Griffin further argues that the Supreme Court ultimately lacks jurisdiction over AFLGs original action because the group did not comply with requirements. AFLG argued in its complaint that they are owed an opportunity to cure or correct any perceived deficiencies in its submission rather than be rejected entirely, but Griffins motion stated the opposite. AFLGs failure required outright rejection of its petition, the motion states. Yet even if that werent the case, none of AFLGs paid signatures may be counted for any purpose, including the initial signature count. And without them, AFLGs petition on its own telling falls short of the facial number required to qualify for a cure period. So either way, AFLGs petition falls short and further proceedings would be futile. Griffin requested the court deny AFLGs relief and dismiss the case entirely. AFLG v Thurston Dismissal Motion 07192024 He also claimed AFLGs previous statement that the Secretary of States office bears the burden of proof in this case is incorrect. But where, like here, a sponsor sues and asks the court to order the Secretary [of State] to act on a rejected petition, the sponsor bears the burden and must meet the demanding standard for a clear and certain right to the relief requested, Griffin wrote. AFLG cannot meet that standard. Griffin wrote that later attempts by AFLG to correct documentation were submitted too late and the group cant skirt that constitutional deadline. Griffin claimed the untimely statement also failed to comply with state law. In response to Griffins motion to dismiss, leadership with AFLG expressed confidence in its stance. We outlined our case very clearly in the suit filing, and were hopeful the court will decide in our favor given the facts, according to a statement Friday. We wont let the facts be muddled by a government that weaponizes paperwork to skirt the will of the people. The proposed constitutional amendment The Arkansas Abortion Amendment of 2024 seeks additional protections for pregnant people in the state, where abortion has been illegal except to save the pregnant persons life since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. If the proposed amendment made it on the ballot in November and voters approved it, it would not allow government entities to prohibit, penalize, delay or restrict abortion services within 18 weeks of fertilization. The proposal would also permit abortion services in cases of rape, incest, a fatal fetal anomaly or to protect the pregnant females life or physical health, and it would nullify any of the states existing provisions of the Constitution, statutes and common law that conflict with it. Constitutional amendments need 90,704 signatures to qualify for the ballot. AFLG said it submitted a total of 101,525 signatures and met the qualifying minimum of 3% of voters in 53 counties. Sponsors of proposed ballot measures can be allowed more time the cure period to submit additional signatures if the initial submission contains valid signatures from registered voters equal to at least 75% of the overall required number of signatures and 75% of the required number from at least 50 counties. Griffins motion said AFLG is not entitled to a cure period. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Yahoo Sports It's Thursday and 'Fantasy Film Room' is back with Nate Tice and Matt Harmon. The two look into the three biggest fantasy storylines of the week as Drake Maye is set to make his debut and Spencer Rattler is set to do the same for New Orleans. Tice resists his prospect profiles for both rookie QBs and how he thinks their games will translate to the NFL. The two also dive into what the Houston Texans' passing attack will look like without Nico Collins for at least the next four weeks. Authorities arrest man after he allegedly sparked devastating forest fire with illegal fireworks: 'Be mindful of the heightened fire danger' As Bruce Springsteen once sang, "you can't start a fire without a spark." In Boulder, Colorado, one man discovered that the hard way though fortunately without causing any injuries or major damage after lighting fireworks at Gregory Canyon. What happened? As The Denver Gazette reported, a 21-year-old man was arrested in June after a small woodland fire in west Boulder. The fire allegedly began when the man set off a firework, and he could be charged with second-degree arson, which is a Class 4 felony. Fireworks are banned entirely in Boulder. Firefighters were able to keep the blaze contained to a 100-square-foot area, but it could have been significantly worse. The arresting sheriff's office told the Gazette that residents must "be mindful of the heightened fire danger in our area." Why is it important to be careful with fireworks? The incident served as a reminder to local residents about upcoming Fourth of July celebrations, which typically include plenty of fireworks to commemorate the occasion. With summer temperatures bringing hot, rain-free days, plant life is deprived of water, causing it to wither and dry out. When in this condition, flora can essentially act as kindling for fires, increasing the risk of huge wildfire events that can devastate homes and businesses, negatively impact air quality, and threaten life. According to Fox 31, Colorado had 835 wildfires in 2022 that destroyed over 45,000 acres of land. While those figures decreased in 2023, they demonstrate the scale of damage that can be caused. With rising global temperatures increasing the risk of wildfire events, citizens must be especially vigilant about activities that could start a blaze. What can be done to avoid forest fires? While avoiding fireworks is clearly one way to reduce the risk of starting a forest fire, irresponsible disposal of hot ashes and batteries, throwing away lit cigarettes, sparks from machinery, and oil-covered rags can all lead to combustion. But to prevent conditions from becoming ideal for wildfires, we need to limit the production of planet-warming pollution. Carbon dioxide and methane trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to rising thermometers and increased likelihood of drought. With a lack of water, plant life and trees dry out, making them more susceptible to being set alight with the smallest of sparks. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, June marked the 13th consecutive month of record monthly temperatures on Earth, suggesting that drought conditions could become more likely. Switching to an electric car, eating more plant-based meals, and investing in domestic sustainable energy can all help reduce the amount of pollution we produce daily. And if everyone can speak up and convince some friends and family to take similar actions, the effects could be profound. Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. Aerial view of Sunland property owned by Mary Ferrera, of La Crescenta, and occupied by her son, David, which has been the subject of years of complaints by neighbors. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles police and officials from several other government agencies Wednesday entered a Sun Valley property that a hoarder has turned into an unlicensed junkyard clogged with rusted vehicles and hazardous waste. The hoarder, 50-year-old David Ferrera, was arrested Tuesday night by Los Angeles police on an outstanding warrant on suspicion of misdemeanor theft, according to police and booking records. His bail was set at $155,000. The six-acre parcel on a fire road off La Tuna Canyon Road has been the subject of years of fruitless complaints from neighbors. But after The Times wrote about it earlier this month, authorities sprang into action. Elena Malone, who lives next door and had contacted nearly a dozen agencies in search of help in recent years, said personnel from the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Fire Department, the city Department of Building and Safety, the state Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies arrived Wednesday morning and searched the property. Read more: It was their dream home until the hoarder next door turned it into a pricey prison Ferreras mother, Mary, owns the property and has said her son fell into mental illness and hoarding after a 2017 wildfire destroyed many of his belongings. She told The Times she paid to remove 21 dump-truck loads of trash, only to have her son fill the property back up with scavenged items. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez said at a Wednesday news conference that the Fire Department had gotten a search warrant to inspect the property this week, with an eye toward declaring it a public nuisance. That, she said, would allow the city to take additional action. A Superior Court commissioner criticized the citys failure to help neighbors earlier this year, calling the lack of response mind-boggling. Rodriguez acknowledged Wednesday that her office has been aware of the problem since 2019. But she said progress was frustrated by COVID, court delays, difficulty accessing the property and other bureaucratic problems. There were a lot of issues with this particular property, and we were aware of these issues as we were pursuing the resolution with the Department of Building and Safety, Rodriguez said. She also pointed to the jailing of Mary Ferrera earlier this year, which she suggested was too short to be effective. The 80-year-old retired school teacher was sentenced to 180 days in jail for not cleaning up the land but was released after less than 24 hours. Rodriguez described the multi-agency presence at the property Wednesday as an all hands on deck approach to better assess what the circumstances are at that property. Malone said she was pleased by the government response this week. Fifteen LAPD guys just walked up the driveway, she said. After years of seeking help though, she remained cautious. The outcome may be very little in the end. Mary Ferrera did not respond to a message seeking comment. 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. AZ. Senate candidate Ruben Gallego says Joe Biden needs to prove he's up for a second term PHOENIX - Arizona U.S. Senate candidate Ruben Gallego said Thursday that President Joe Biden needs to prove he can do the job if he stays in on the top of the Democratic ticket. "He needs to prove that he's up for the job, if he stays in, to me and to the voters of Arizona," Gallego, a Democratic member of Congress, said at a campaign event to increase senior voter support in Phoenix. But Gallego acknowledged "there's going to be a lot of hypotheticals altogether." Biden announced Wednesday he contracted COVID-19, which added to the pressure of Democratic lawmakers' calls for him to step out of the race against former President Donald Trump. Axios reported Thursday that top Democrats say Biden is considering dropping his campaign as soon as the weekend. Gallego's comments didn't go as far as his Democratic Arizona colleagues on Capitol Hill, Reps. Raul Grijalva and Greg Stanton. Both recently called for Biden to step aside. Grijalva, D-Ariz., was the second Democrat in Congress to say Biden needs to exit the White House race. "What he needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race," Grijalva said. Stanton, D-Ariz., followed Grijalva's call, saying a second Trump term in the Oval Office would be devastating. "The stakes in this election could not be higher. For our country's sake, it is time for the President to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders," Stanton wrote last week on social media. When pressed, Gallego declined to elaborate how Biden can "prove" that he's up to being the party's nominee. He said the next steps of Biden's campaign are all hypotheticals. One of the "hypotheticals" some Democrats have talked about is throwing Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., into the mix as a potential candidate to replace Biden as nominee, or as a possible running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris if she ascends to the top of the ticket. In a recent poll, Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut, was among four Democrats who potentially would pull more votes in battleground states, such as Arizona, than Biden. Kelly voiced his support for Biden and Harris Wednesday in a TV appearance. A recent FiveThirtyEight poll shows Trump leading Biden in Arizona by 5 percentage points. Biden won Arizona in 2020 a slim margin of fewer than 11,000 votes, making the state a battleground for this election. Gallego said he loved running with Kelly, and that Kelly is a great public servant, but wouldn't comment further. Prior to Gallego's call for Biden to prove himself, his Republican Senate opponent Kari Lake continuously linked Gallego to Biden at the Republican National Convention. She said Biden and Gallego are full of "bad ideas." Gallego and Lake are running for the seat of the retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz. Gallego's supporters threw their support behind Biden Thursday at a campaign event in Phoenix that focused on Medicare policy. Anna Maria Leff, 76, of Tempe, said she is voting for Biden because he is a truthful person. She said young people backing Biden give her hope. "I have three granddaughters, and it's actually giving me goosebumps to think about what could happen to our country if we don't choose the right people for our government," she said. Vic Peterson, 74, of Buckeye, said as a veteran, he supports Biden because of his support for unions. "Joe Biden is the most friendly person working with people in my history," Peterson said. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rep. Ruben Gallego says Biden has to prove he's up for second term Baerbock calls for Gaza ceasefire as safe zones 'hit again and again' Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (R) visits the Parent-Child Center of the Workers' Welfare Association (AWO) and makes a school cone with eight-year-old Ahmad Assaf. Soeren Stache/dpa German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Friday criticized the actions of the Israeli military in Gaza, calling for a ceasefire. "Israel has the right to defend itself against terrorism. But international humanitarian law sets limits to any war," said the politician in a statement. "This war in Gaza must finally end." Almost 80% of the Gaza Strip has been declared an evacuation zone by the Israeli army, said Baerbock. "And even the few and absolutely overcrowded places declared as safe zones by the Israeli army are being hit again and again," she added. The military has an obligation to protect the Palestinian civilian population, Baerbock said. "People can't just vanish into thin air, they urgently need support and security," she argued. Baerbock said that the Palestinian militant group Hamas has been "abusing the Palestinians in Gaza as human shields since October 7" and "repeatedly using civilian places for their terror." Meanwhile, the German government said it is deeply concerned by the Israeli parliament's rejection of the establishment of a Palestinian state. The resolution "contradicts several UN Security Council resolutions, and Israel is thus distancing itself from the overwhelming majority of the international community and isolating itself," said a spokesman for the Foreign Office in Berlin on Friday. On Thursday, a majority of Knesset members voted in favour of a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. "The establishment of a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel would pose an existential threat to the State of Israel and its citizens," the resolution stated. Bangladesh has erupted over jobs reserved for the children of freedom fighters. Heres what you need to know Huge protests across Bangladesh escalated into deadly violence this week with clashes between students, pro-government supporters and armed police fueling widespread anger over civil service job quotas opponents say are discriminatory. Dozens of people have reportedly been killed and hundreds injured in the violence, which has seen riot police use tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters and crowds of demonstrators armed with sticks filling the streets and university campuses in the capital Dhaka and other cities. State broadcaster Bangladesh Television (BTV) was off air on Friday after student demonstrators allegedly set fire to its headquarters, according to local media, and protesters have called for a nationwide shutdown in a major challenge to the government of longstanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. A curfew has been imposed, mobile and internet services cut, schools and universities ordered to close, and security forces deployed to quell the unrest, with human rights groups accusing authorities of using unlawful force against protesters. On Sunday, Bangladeshs Supreme Court rolled back most of the controversial quotas on government jobs, with officials saying they hope it will bring normalcy back to the streets. Heres what you need to know. Why are students protesting? Many Bangladeshi students are demanding an end to the governments quota system, which reserves more than half of civil service posts for certain groups. Some 30% of those highly sought-after jobs are reserved for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladeshs war of independence from Pakistan in 1971, a seminal moment in the nations history as it successfully won freedom from a much larger ruler. Many of the countrys contemporary political elite are related to that generation including Prime Minister Hasina, a daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the widely regarded founder of modern Bangladesh who was assassinated in 1975. The reserved roles are linked to job security and higher pay, and protesters say the quota system is discriminatory and favors supporters of Hasinas ruling Awami League party. They are demanding recruitment based on merit. A government job is a really good opportunity, said Maruf Khan, 29, a Bangladeshi studying in Australia, who has joined rallies supporting the protests in Sydney. About 500,000 to 600,000 people are competing for 600 to 700 government jobs and on top of that it includes a 56% quota. Its not easy. Protesters vandalize motorcycles in Dhaka on July 18, 2024. - Stringer/AFP/Getty Images Driving the anger is high unemployment levels in the country, especially among young people. Bangladesh has seen strong economic growth under Hasina, but it has slowed in the post-pandemic era and, as the World Bank notes in its latest overview, inequality has widened in urban areas. In a nation of 170 million people, more than 30 million are not in work or education. In 2018, the quota system was scrapped following similar protests but in June the High Court reinstated it, ruling its removal was unconstitutional. On July 10, the Supreme Court suspended the quotas for one month while it took up the case. Critics and protesters say the quota system creates a two-tier Bangladesh where a politically connected elite benefit by their birth. The freedom fighters have sacrificed a lot for the nation for that reason this quota was a logical thing in the past, said student protester Tahmeed Hossain. But there have been at least two generations after that. Nowadays, the quota has rather become a form of discrimination. It has become a cultural propaganda to create a stronghold in the country. On Sunday, the countrys top court dismissed the earlier ruling that brought back the quotas, directing that 93% of government jobs will be open to candidates on merit. Shah Monjurul Hoque, a lawyer representing students, said of the Supreme Courts ruling: That is 93% quota for general people, 5% quota for freedom fighters and their kin, 1% for ethnic minority community, and 1% for third gender and physically disabled. Why did the protests escalate? The protests began at the prestigious Dhaka University on July 1 and later spread to other campuses and cities nationwide in almost daily street gatherings that included rail and road blockades. The demonstrations became violent on July 15 when members of the Bangladesh Chatra League the student wing of the ruling Awami League party reportedly attacked student protesters inside the Dhaka University campus. Since then, clashes between security forces, protesters and government supporters have escalated, with Bangladesh deploying its paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion, which was sanctioned by the United States in 2021 after widespread allegations of serious human rights abuses. The student protester Hossain told CNN he was wounded at a rally at Dhaka University on Wednesday when a projectile was thrown into the crowd. Students clash with police during protests in Dhaka on July 18, 2024. - Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images Someone threw a small thing at us that blew up and I heard shots. I started running and realized that I had been hurt by some splinters in my hands. The police then attacked us with tear shell in the building, he said. One of my friends got hit by a (rubber) bullet in the leg. Some of my friends got their heads smashed and are currently under treatment in the hospital. Another protester in Dhaka, Hassan Abdullah, said Thursday: There are tear (gas) shells just 50 meters away from me as I am talking to you. The police are constantly bursting sound grenades right now. CNN cannot independently verify the accounts but the sounds of protest commotion, including multiple audible cracks, could be heard during the conversation with Abdullah. Reports of the number of people killed has varied widely, with the Dhaka-based newspaper Prothom Alo saying 19 people were killed on Thursday alone and the Agence France-Press news agency reporting 32 deaths, citing its own tally compiled from hospital data. Authorities have also moved to block online communications. Internet monitoring site Netblocks confirmed a near-total national internet shutdown across Bangladesh on Thursday. The new measure follows earlier efforts to throttle social media and restrict mobile data services, it said on X. What has the government said? The demonstrations are the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Hasina since she secured a fourth consecutive term in January elections, which were boycotted by the main opposition party to protest what they said was a widespread crackdown on their ranks. Hasina has announced a judicial investigation into the killings and called on protesters to await the verdict of the Supreme Court. I especially urge everyone to wait patiently until the Supreme Court verdict comes. I believe our students will get justice from high court, they will not be disappointed, Hasina said in a news conference Thursday. But she has been accused of enflaming protester anger by reportedly calling them razakar, an offensive term used for those who allegedly collaborated with the Pakistani army during the 1971 independence war. Bangladeshi police fire tear gas to disperse protesters during a clash in Dhaka on July 18, 2024. - Munir Uz Zaman/AFP/Getty Images We expected an apology from our prime minister for comparing us to traitors of 1952 and 1972, and a solid solution to quota reform, said protester Salman Farsi. What did the students do to deserve this tag? Student protesters CNN spoke to say their demonstrations have gone beyond frustration over the quota system and their anger is now directed at Hasina and her government, which human rights organizations have long warned are headed toward a one-party system. This is a peoples movement against the authoritarian government, Hossain said. This is not just about quota protests anymore, this is much bigger than that, in simple quota protests the government wouldnt go around hurting and shooting students. This shows the current fascist and autocratic nature of the government, who has been upholding the power without any proper voting system. What has global reaction been? Bangladeshi students have held smaller protests elsewhere, including in New Yorks Times Square, the Australian cities Melbourne and Sydney and the Danish capital Copenhagen. The US said it was continuing to monitor the reports of violence from the ongoing protests in and around Dhaka, a State Department spokesperson said in a briefing on Thursday. Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are essential building blocks to any thriving democracy, and we condemn the recent acts of violence in Bangladesh. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for restraint on all sides and urged the government to investigate all acts of violence, according to UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. The secretary-general encourages the meaningful and constructive participation of youth to address the ongoing challenges in Bangladesh. Violence can never be the solution, Dujarric said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Insights from The Diplomat, Daily Star, and Bloomberg The News Student protesters in Bangladesh stormed a prison Friday and reportedly freed dozens of inmates before setting fire to it, as violent demonstrations over government job quotas have roiled the South Asian nation. At least 50 people have been killed in the unrest so far, and multiple government buildings have been set on fire. The government banned public demonstrations in the capital of Dhaka on Friday, and arrested a senior opposition leader without explanation. Hundreds of thousands of students have been protesting since early July against a controversial quota system that reserves more than half of public-sector jobs for select groups, including 30% for family members of veterans of the 1971 independence war against Pakistan. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. Escalation signals worsening political situation in the country Sources: The Diplomat, Associated Press While the roots of the anti-quota student demonstrations go back to at least 2018, the political situation has changed dramatically over the past six years, a Bangladeshi journalist noted in The Diplomat. Discontent toward Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has grown following her fourth reelection this year, in a campaign that was largely considered rigged and was marked by violence. Now, protesters openly refer to her as a dictator and an autocrat, and the demonstrations reflect a perfect storm of political and economic grievance. Students frustrated over high unemployment rates and a struggling economy Sources: Foreign Policy, Daily Star Students frustrated with Bangladeshs rocky post-pandemic economy and high youth unemployment rate, which reached 16% in 2022, say the quotas deprive them of highly-sought after government work; more than 40,000 graduates are competing for only around 3,000 public sector jobs. Many students go through the bitter experience of not finding the jobs they deserve after completing their education, a professor wrote in Bangladeshi outlet Daily Star. Further violence could exacerbate economic issues Source: Bloomberg If the unrest continues at this scale, Bangladeshs already struggling economy could suffer major consequences from the disruption to public services and businesses. An impending economic shutdown would also distract the government from its efforts to bolster its dwindling foreign exchange reserves, Bloomberg noted. (Bloomberg) -- Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stepped up efforts Friday to quell clashes between students and police that have killed dozens of people, according to local media. Most Read from Bloomberg The government has deployed the army to support local law enforcement agencies and issued a midnight curfew, Independent TV reported Friday, moves that come after a nationwide internet blackout, which isnt related to an unprecedented global systems outage. Student protesters angered by the governments job quota policy earlier attempted to shut down transport networks and businesses after authorities closed all universities. AFP reported that at least 39 people have been killed in the clashes so far and the police in the capital Dhaka have banned all public rallies. The government hasnt commented on reported death toll or the outages. There were reports of clashes in parts of Dhaka, with the internet shutdown affecting ATMs and mobile money companies. According to Somoy TV, the police have also detained Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, a senior leader with the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The protests pose a challenge to Hasina, who extended her grip on power for a fourth straight term in elections earlier this year. If the demonstrations continue, they could further slow the economy at a time when Bangladesh is seeking funds from creditors and the International Monetary Fund to bolster dwindling foreign-exchange reserves. The local police said the protesters have set fire to several government buildings including the state broadcaster, the national disaster management agency and a toll plaza. Hackers defaced the official Bangladesh police website with messages describing the protest as a war for justice, for freedom, and for our future. Situation in Bangladesh is fragile and worsening, said Dr Smruti Pattanaik, senior fellow at the New Delhi-based Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies. The administration should seriously pursue the offer of dialog with students and finally statements from politicians belittling students will not help the situation. The US, the biggest buyer of Bangladeshs exports and a vocal critic of Hasinas government, condemned the violence. We need to make sure that any kind of freedom of expression is happening safely and people are free from violence, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters in Washington on Thursday. Thats something were continuing to pay close attention to. Story continues Neighboring India described it as an an internal matter for Bangladesh, according to Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, who spoke to reporters on Friday. We are aware that the government has taken some steps regarding the protests but we are in touch with our people there. The students frustrations have centered on a policy that sets aside 30% of government job openings for family members of veterans from the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan, which critics say has been abused. The anger stems also from persistently high youth unemployment that stands at about 40%, according to the latest census. Hasina has sought to reassure the students, telling them to have faith in the courts while a case against the quota system is being deliberated. But she has also vowed to come down hard on those responsible for the violence, saying in a televised address on Wednesday that a judicial committee will investigate the turmoil. The Associated Press said the countrys Supreme Court will take up the jobs quota case on Sunday. The court had initially suspended a ruling by a lower court that reinstated the quota system, triggering the protests last month. Protesters say the quota system has excluded new job seekers in favor of supporters of Hasina, whose party led the movement to separate from Pakistan. They want the system to be replaced with a merit-based one. Government jobs are highly sought after in Bangladesh and have taken on greater importance as the economy struggles to rebound after the pandemic and years of strong growth. The largely student-driven protests turned violent earlier this week and Bangladeshs main opposition party has joined in on the demonstrations. The government has deployed paramilitary troops in Dhaka to tighten security. This is one the toughest challenges that Sheikh Hasina has ever faced. The streets are converging with discontent, said Harsh Pant, a professor of International Relations at Kings College, London. But, the opposition will not let this go and it depends on how she manages the opposition and street level anger coming together. --With assistance from Swati Gupta and Sudhi Ranjan Sen. (Updates from first paragraph to add new government measures) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. What banks are affected by Crowdstrike outage? See list of US banks From major airlines to media companies to the military, the global Microsoft outage is having a massive impact throughout the world. Which banks have been affected by the outage? Here's a breakdown. People are also reading: Crowdstrike outage affects Microsoft systems worldwide, including flights, banks and more LIST: Banks affected by Crowdstrike, Microsoft outage Crowdstrike, a cybersecurity firm based out of Austin, appears to have caused a global IT outage after launching an update. The firm is used by over half of Fortune 500 companies, according to a Crowdstrike promotional video earlier this year. People are also reading: Texas airlines resuming flights, experiencing delays after Microsoft outage The Microsoft outage also impacted banks around the world. Banks in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Britain experienced interruptions in services, according to CNN. According to monitoring app Downdetector, the following banks have been affected by the Crowdstrike outages: Arvest Bank Bank of America Capital One Charles Schwab Chase TD Bank US Bank Wells Fargo This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: What banks are affected by Microsoft outage? See list of US banks Businesses across the world are reporting IT outages, including Windows "blue screen of death" errors on their computers, in what has already become one of the most widespread IT disruptions in recent years. The outage linked to a software update from popular cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has affected computers running Microsoft Windows at organizations across various sectors, including airlines, banks, retailers, brokerage houses, media companies and railway networks. The travel sector seems to be one of the hardest hit, based on online chatter. CrowdStrike's chief executive, George Kurtz, confirmed in a post on X that a "defect" in a content update for Windows hosts had caused the outage, and Kurtz ruled out a cyberattack. He added that the firm was rolling out a fix and that Mac and Linux hosts were not affected. "CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted," Kurtz noted on X. "This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers," Kurtz said. Later Friday, the U.S. cyber agency, the CISA, said that even though the outage wasn't linked to any suspicious activity, it has observed threat actors taking advantage of this incident for phishing and other malicious activity. A post on CrowdStrike's support forums (which are only accessible with a login) also acknowledged the issue early on Friday, saying the company had received reports of crashes related to a content update. CrowdStrike said the crash reports were "related to the Falcon Sensor" its cloud-based security service that it describes as "real-time threat detection, simplified management, and proactive threat hunting." A screenshot of the post on CrowdStrike. A moderator of the CrowdStrike subreddit also said the company was aware of "widespread reports" of blue screen errors on Windows devices across multiple versions of its software. The firm was investigating the cause, the message read. The security firm didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Microsoft started to note problems starting in the early hours of July 19. Its Service Health page notes currently that Microsoft 365 for Consumers is now back up. Enterprise apps, however, are still seeing disruption according to its Service Health Status for its cloud services for business. "We're aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform. We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming," a Microsoft spokesperson told TechCrunch in a statement. The Microsoft spokesperson said that the previous Microsoft 365 service disruption overnight July 18 to 19 was unrelated to the widespread outage triggered by the CrowdStrike update. There will be a lot of questions to ask and answer about resilience or perhaps the lack of it in cloud services, and namely how one single update could bring so much to a grinding halt around the world. "In our view, cybersecurity products have to clear a higher bar of reliability and security in customer deployments than other technology products because they are mission critical and actively attacked by adversaries," Goldman Sachs analysts wrote in a research note Friday. "In some ways, we believe this will reinforce the barrier to entry in the industry and the need for best-in-class update, outage and customer service protocols, ultimately favoring companies with scale." https://youtu.be/ZkliqjGXJtY Airlines and airports across Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as Australia, China, Japan, India, Singapore and Taiwan are reporting problems with check-in and ticketing systems, resulting in flight delays and ample chaos at airports. U.S. federal airspace officials announced a nationwide ground stop of air traffic on Friday due to the outages, which might have an affect on the climate, experts told TechCrunch. Others were affected by the outage and the airline chaos in other ways. In the U.K., the London Stock Exchange reported disruptions. Several doctors' offices in the U.K. said on X that the outage had hit the National Health Service's clinical computer system that contains medical records and is used for scheduling appointments. And in the U.S., some 911 and non-emergency call centers seem to be affected. A post by Alaska State Troopers said many such call centers were "not working correctly across the State of Alaska." U.K. news broadcaster Sky News faced trouble broadcasting live this morning due to the outage, the firm's executive chairman David Rhodes tweeted. The New Zealand Herald reported that banking services in the country were affected by the issue, too, and several Indian news channels said they had problems broadcasting as well. Many companies' employees have reported being unable to start their computers due to the issue. The outage came shortly after Microsoft confirmed service problems with its Microsoft 365 apps late on Thursday, which affected several airlines including Delta and United. Microsoft's services status page says the issues are being resolved. And amid the chaos, misinformation has been spreading, including that the Las Vegas Sphere was displaying a blue screen of death. Before CrowdStrike acknowledged its role in the crash, businesses and security experts early on Friday began to point fingers at the company, whose software is used by millions of people across enterprises to manage security both on devices and servers. Experts told TechCrunch that rivals could stand to gain from the debacle, as well. CrowdStrike counts nearly 60% of Fortune 500 companies and more than half of the Fortune 1,000 among its clients, per its website. Its services are deployed by eight of the top 10 financial services firms and an equal number of leading tech companies. It also has a deep and wide presence in the healthcare and manufacturing sectors, serving six and seven of the top 10 companies in those industries, respectively. CrowdStrike's shares were down around 11% when the market closed on Friday, and a market cap of $74.2 billion at the time of this writing. Ram Iyer, Ingrid Lunden and Zack Whittaker contributed to this report. https://twitter.com/akothari/status/1814202068531552666 https://twitter.com/PragueAirport/status/1814202766530683262 https://twitter.com/troyhunt/status/1814174010202345761 This story was originally published at 12:09 a.m. July 19, and was updated to reflect new information. BBC: NATO allies must prepare for decade of war in Ukraine, Stoltenberg says NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told BBC on July 18 that NATO allies must prepare for the worst case scenario of a decade-long war in Ukraine. When asked by the BBC if NATO allies had to be prepared for the war to go on for more than 10 years, Stoltenberg replied "yes." "The main message is that the stronger the support for Ukraine and the longer we are willing to commit, the sooner this war can end," Stoltenberg told BBC. "The paradox is that now (Russian) President Putin believes that he can wait us out. So therefore, the war continues." Stoltenberg, whose term as Secretary General ends in October, has consistently urged NATO allies to increase defense spending, amid risks of fracturing among the alliance. Multiple NATO countries, including Slovakia and Hungary have questioned NATO's commitment to supporting Ukraine in the war, calling instead for a peace agreement. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has also maintained that he would bring the war to an immediate end if he wins in November that in a plan that reportedly involves ceding territory to Russia. When asked whether a second Trump presidency would ensure less funding for NATO, Slotenberg replied that "the right thing to do regardless of what you think about the US commitment to NATO is to invest more in our defence." "When we communicate very clearly that we are here for long haul, that we have strong enduring support for Ukraine, then we have the conditions for a solution where Ukraine prevails as a sovereign independent state," Stoltenberg added. "This will provide more predictability and accountability and support and it will also demonstrate our enduring commitment to support Ukraine." During the recent NATO summit in Washington, the alliance clarified Ukraine's "irreversible" path toward NATO by emphasizing the alliance's ongoing commitments to Kyiv "constitute a bridge to Ukraine's membership." NATO allies also announced plans to provide Ukraine with a minimum baseline funding of 40 billion euros ($43 billion), a new military command in Germany to train and equip Ukrainian troops, and further air defense commitments. Read also: Working with Trump would be hard work, Zelensky says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. What is being asked of us is to bend the law Bixby superintendent says Bible mandate would open districts to lawsuits, if followed OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Yet another Oklahoma school district superintendent has announced his district will not makes any changes to its current teaching standards, telling News 4 the attempt from State Superintendent Ryan Walters to require teachers to teach from the Bible would put school districts at legal risk, if followed. Bixby Public Schools superintendent Rob Miller told News 4, the recent memorandum from Walters attempting to require all teachers in Oklahoma to have Bibles in the classrooms and teach from them has no basis in law, and following it would open up districts across Oklahoma to lawsuits. Report: Norman Public Schools will not follow Walters attempted Bible mandate Miller said it is important for himself and other superintendents to speak up, and voice their concerns about potential negative legal ramifications Walters mandate could have on districts. In essence, what is being asked of us is to bend the law, bend the existing statutes, bend the existing Supreme Court precedents to meet [Walters] whims, Miller told News 4 on Thursday. And thats just not what were going to do If we start proselytizing or teaching the Bible specific content to students, it wont take long for people of other faith to start filing lawsuits against us. Miller sent a letter to parents on Thursday, telling them the districts teachers will continue teaching to the current curriculum standards they already are following. He told News 4, even if hisor any otherdistrict wanted to implement Walters attempted requirements, OSDE has not given districts any guidance on how to do so. There are no explicit standards, as I said, that say that we must teach the Bible or that Bibles must be present in all classrooms, Miller said. I thought it was important to at least clarify some of the information thats out there and to put forth the policy that Bixby will follow, at least for the time being. Because the key part is, other than that original memo that we received a few weeks ago, there has been no additional guidance on how to actually implement what the State Superintendent would like to see, and to be able to work with teachers or in our school boards to approve those things. So we right now are just taking a position based on what weve been told to this point. Several religious leaders tell Supt. Walters to keep religion out of classrooms News 4 previously reported Walters himself actually helped create the current standards. Miller says those standards already allow for Bibles in schoolsand his district plans to continue allowing them, but will not require them as Walters wants. Students and employees have the right to bring Bibles and other religious texts to school, Miller said. They can pray, they can worship both individually and with groups. So no one is trying to stifle their rights for free expression. Millers letter, echoed similar statements from leaders in Moore and Norman Public Schoolswho also recently announced they would continue to teach to their current standards moving forward. Last week, News 4 reached out to OSDE spokesperson Dan Isett, seeking comments in response to Norman Public Schools vow to not require bible teaching. Oh yes they will, is all Isett told News 4 in response. Miller told News 4Isetts response seems unbecoming of someone representing a department that is supposed to help and work with Oklahomas public schools for the betterment of the children they serve. I dont think its appropriate, Miller said. The way to move education forward in Oklahoma is to work with superintendents and recognize that we each have a role in moving education forward and serving our students. In response to Millers letter, and a similar one from Moore Public Schools Superintendent, Isett sent News 4 the following statement on Thursday: Oklahoma students will be taught history and that includes the influence of the Bible as a founding document. Any school violating the standards will have swift action taken to get them back on track. Several Oklahoma school districts have shown more concern about keeping porn in schools rather than teaching actual history. They may not like it, but they will do it. Dan Isett, Spokesperson, Oklahoma State Department of Education Meanwhile, Miller says the law is clear. There are numerous legal precedents that say that school districts have that autonomy, he said. I think most of us will agree with the State Superintendent, that religion certainly has a place in the study of history, the context of historical developments, development of culture, all of those types of things. But I think where the separation happens is when you actually get into the Bible and start talking about specific content, I think its a risky line to get to because the Supreme Courts been very clear about the role of educators and proselytizing and making sure that were not unduly influencing students to believe one way or another. Miller said hes glad to see other superintendents and districts pushing back recently against what he believes are attempts by Walters to exercise his power in ways he isnt legally allowed. No school districts have announced following Bible mandate, OSDE responds Edmond Public Schools recently won against Walters in court after Walters attempted to lower the districts accreditation if it did not obey an attempt by Walters to control which books were available in its libraries. I applaud the courage of Edmond Public Schools for taking this stand, Miller said. The Oklahoma Supreme Court was pretty clear in the Edmond case two months ago that the authority to choose curricular materials rests with that local Board of education and not with the state superintendent or the state Board of Education. Miller believes, if Walters were to try and enforce his Bible mandate, it would have the same outcome in court. So if the State Department decided that they were going to be the accreditation of a school district for not complying with Mr. Walters directive on the Bible, I think that would be challenged in court, and I think that that district would prevail, Miller 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. A German man has been sentenced to death by a court in Belarus after being accused of committing crimes including "terrorism," and "mercenary activity," a human rights group said on July 19. According to the Belarusian Viasna Human Rights Centre, Rico Krieger will be executed by firing squad after being convicted of six crimes in a secretive trial held in June. The sentencing occurred on June 24 but details have only now emerged. Much of the trial was held behind closed doors and Belarus state media has not reported on the verdict. The Viasna Human Rights Centre said the charges could be linked to a group of volunteer Belarusian soldiers, the Kalinouski Regiment, which fights against Russia in Ukraine, but provided no further details. It also said he previously worked as a rescue worker for the German Red Cross. The Belarusian Hajun monitoring group said has has a child in Germany. German citizen was sentenced to death penalty in Belarus According to our information, in late June, German citizen Rico Krieger was sentenced to death by Minsk Regional Court. The man was charged under the articles: illegal actions in relation to firearms, disabling pic.twitter.com/pLOPJ9IynZ Belarusian Hajun project (@Hajun_BY) July 19, 2024 It is not currently known if the case is being appealed or if the sentence has already been carried out. Belarus is the only country in Europe that still imposes the death penalty. Read also: Belarus Weekly: 4 Russian kamikaze drones fly deep into Belarusian airspace over past week Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko claims he withdrew troops from the Belarus-Ukraine border to de-escalate. Four Russian kamikaze drones entered Belarusian airspace over the past week. NATO warns that deepening military integration between Russia and Belarus undermines regional stability and alliance defenses. Media reports of disturbances at the Belarus-Poland border linked to Poland's efforts to end the border migration crisis by putting economic pressure on Lukashenko. Latvia bans entry of Belarusian-registered passenger cars amid new EU sanctions. Amnesty International urges immediate release of Nobel Laureate Ales Bialiatski due to health concerns. Subscribe to the Newsletter Belarus Weekly Join us Lukashenko claims withdrawal of troops from Belarus-Ukraine border Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko ordered the withdrawal of Belarusian troops from the countrys border with Ukraine at the meeting with top military officials on July 13, state-owned news outlet BelTA has reported. The border tensions rose in late June as Belarus deployed troops and multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) and put its border guards on high alert after a series of alleged security incidents. The Belarusian State Border Committee accused Ukraine on June 20 of concentrating heavy weapons at the border. Later, on June 28, Colonel Vadim Lukashevich, a high-ranking Belarusian military official, accused Ukraine of setting up explosives and military equipment near the border in preparation for assaults and terrorist attacks. Belarusian border guards also reportedly received information about pro-Ukrainian Russian fighters in a nearby area. The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service spokesperson, Andriy Demchenko, refuted the allegations, saying they were part of a Russian-supported information operation. The Kremlin said on July 1 that the Belarusian military saw the buildup at the border as a cause for concern. During his July 13 meeting with senior Belarusian military officers in Luninets, Brest Oblast, Lukashenko said the situation had stabilized, and the Ukrainian army had withdrawn its troops. He attributes this to certain work having been carried out by Belarusian defense forces. Belarus Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin told BelTA that the troops began withdrawing to their regular barracks immediately after the meeting. The Ukrainian Security and Defense Councils Center for Countering Disinformation said in May that it predicted the launch of a new Russian psychological operation focused on the idea that Belarus may open a new front in the north of Ukraine, aimed at stirring up mass panic in Ukrainian society. We expect a series of provocative statements by the top leadership of Russia and Belarus threatening Ukraine soon, the statement said. Despite not committing his troops to the battlefield, Lukashenko participated in Russian nuclear blackmail and provided the Russian military with territory and infrastructure to carry out attacks on Kyiv in the early days of the all-out invasion. The shared border between Belarus and Ukraine exceeds 1,000 kilometers. Read also: Russian T-90M tank losses hit 100 and it only had 67 to begin with Four Russian kamikaze drones enter Belarusian airspace in a week At least four Russian Shahed kamikaze drones that had been launched at targets in Ukraine veered off course and entered deep into Belarusian airspace between July 11 and July 16. Two Russian Shahed kamikaze drones entered Belarusian airspace on July 16, the Belarusian Hajun monitoring group reported. The first Russian drone, which had been sent to attack Ukraine, instead flew over 60 kilometers into Belarus at around 4 a.m. local time. No interception attempts were reported. The second drone entered Belarus at around 8 a.m., flying towards Naroulia. According to Belarusian Hajun, it exploded some 120 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border. A Su-30 fighter and Mi-24 helicopter were sent to intercept the drone, but no official reports of the drone being downed were issued. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that two Shahed drones had been downed in the July 16 attacks, while another two were locally lost in the airspace of Belarus. Previously, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on July 13 that five drones had been used in the attack against Ukraine. While four were shot down, the fifth left the airspace of Ukraine in the direction of the Homel region of Belarus, he said in a post on Telegram. The Belarusian Hajun monitoring group later reported that the drone had flown 350 kilometers over Homel and Zhlobyn, entered the Mahiliou region, and then Minsk region. The drone took three hours to fly the route, which stretched across almost the entire country. The drones final whereabouts remain unknown. A Belarusian Mi-24 helicopter and Su-30 fighter jet were reportedly scrambled to intercept the drone before it presumably flew to Vitebsk. The first Shahed kamikaze drone was reported to be flying in Belarus on July 11. The drone targeting Ukraine entered Belarusian airspace in the southern Homel region over the town of Loyew, and then exited back into Ukraines airspace an hour later over the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve. A Mi-24 helicopter of the Belarusian Air Force was deployed to the area during the incident. No Belarusian official has commented on the incidents. While speaking to his military officials on July 16, Lukashenko did not mention or comment on the drone incursions into Belarusian airspace. Since the inception of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Belarus, a staunch Kremlin ally, has been conducting military inspections and drills across the country involving all types of forces, including alleged nuclear weapons drills. Belarus is also hosting joint training exercises with Chinese soldiers, billed as anti-terrorist training, until July 19. This comes after Belarus accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Eurasian political, economic, and defense organization led by China and Russia. Read also: Dutch ambassador to Kyiv on F-16s, MH17, and Scythian gold Ukraine is fighting not only for itself but also for us NATO: Belarusian, Russian integration has negative implications for regional stability The deepening military integration of Russia and Belarus is destabilizing the region, according to the NATO Summit Declaration issued on July 10 during the three-day NATO summit in Washington. Russias deepening political and military integration with Belarus, including the deployment of advanced Russian military capabilities and personnel, has negative implications for regional stability and the defense of the alliance, the statement reads. The declaration states that Minsk is enabling Russias war against Ukraine by providing territory and infrastructure. The NATO leaders condemned Russias irresponsible nuclear rhetoric and coercive nuclear signaling, which includes the reported placement of its nuclear weapons in Belarus. However, the declaration states the alliances willingness to maintain channels of communication with Moscow to mitigate risk and prevent escalation. The three-day NATO summit concluded on July 11 with the launch of the Ukraine Compact, which provided Ukraine with $43 billion in aid and pledged support for its defense needs. The declaration also highlights Chinas role as a decisive enabler of Russias war efforts and notes North Koreas and Irans direct military support to Russia. The 32 NATO allies called on all countries not to facilitate Russias aggression. Latvia bans entry of Belarusian passenger cars Starting July 16, passenger cars registered in Belarus will no longer be allowed to enter Latvian territory from Belarus or Russia, Latvian State Revenue Service reports. The new regulation suggests that persons traveling from Belarus in their own transport will have to return to Belarus. Failure to comply may result in the confiscation of the vehicle. The entry ban, however, does not apply to transport for Minsks diplomatic and consular missions. Latvian authorities said the restrictions were introduced following the announcement of the EUs eighth sanctions package against Belarus, which was introduced on June 29 and aligned restrictions against Belarus with those already imposed on Russia. However, Belarusian democratic leader in exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya claimed that Latvias decision had been hasty and harmful. It hits people, not the regime, Tsikhanouskaya said. The border with the EU is the border with the free world. It should be open for Belarusians who do not support the regime and see the future of their country in Europe. Tsikhanouskayas office reported that the restrictions will not apply to regular bus transit. The decision refers to an article of Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1865, which lists passenger cars as being among goods prohibited in the EU if they originate or are exported from Belarus. The regulation, however, reserves the right for the member states to allow the entrance of such goods if they are intended strictly for personal use by individuals traveling to the EU and their immediate family members. On the introduction of the latest, Poland, which currently hosts one of the largest Belarusian diasporas, said that Belarus-registered vehicles will only be allowed to cross the border if driven by their owners. Earlier, Latvia and other EU member states banned cars with Russian license plates from entering their territories. Read also: With Krynky lost, what did the perilous operation accomplish? Belarus faces transit backlash as Poland seeks to end migration crisis on its border Belarus accused Poland of halting cross-border cargo transit at the Kukuryki-Kazlovichy checkpoint on July 10, a claim Poland denies, attributing the delays to new sanctions imposed on Belarus by the European Union for aiding Russia in its war against Ukraine. Disruption to cargo transit between Belarus and Poland was reported in Polish and Belarusian media in connection to Polands diplomatic efforts to pressure Lukashenko to halt the migration crisis he had engineered at Polands border. Citing Polish diplomatic sources, RMF FM reported on July 4 that the Polish authorities had paused the railroad transit from Belarus at the Malaszewicze terminal, the main overground shipping route from China to Europe. The report suggests that while the official cause of the slowdown was attributed to routine control activities to protect the EU customs area, the Polish authorities were using the measure to pressure the Belarusian regime into halting hybrid attacks on its border. The Kyiv Independent cannot independently verify this claim. Poland stepped up its efforts to end the artificial migration crisis after a Polish soldier was stabbed to death when trying to stop an illegal border crossing attempt. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on June 22 that Warsaw has not ruled out a full border shutdown. Polish President Andrzej Duda, meanwhile, raised the migration crisis issue and the corresponding cross-border traffic problems with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing on June 24. Experts believe that shutting down cargo flows is the main tool in the Polish arsenal when dealing with Belarus. Belarusian democratic activists have supported the closure of the key Kukuryki-Kozlovichi cargo crossing to pressure Lukashenko to release political prisoners. Poland shut down two border crossings with its neighbor amid intensifying tensions. It says it has thwarted 17,000 illegal border crossing attempts from Belarus since the beginning of 2024. Polish officials regard the migration crisis as a hybrid warfare attack on the European Union. Amnesty International calls for immediate release of Nobel Peace prize laureate Ales Bialiatski Nobel Prize winner Ales Bialiatski is seen in the defendants' cage in the courtroom at the start of the hearing in Minsk on Jan. 5, 2023. (Vilaly Pivovarchik/BELTA/AFP via Getty Images) Human rights organization Amnesty International on July 12 called on Belarus to immediately release Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ales Bialiatski amid the reports of his deteriorating health. As we prepare to mark three years since the detention of Ales Bialiatski and his colleagues, we remain deeply concerned about their wellbeing, Marie Struthers, Amnesty Internationals director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said. We once again demand their immediate and unconditional release, and urgently request they are granted immediate access to adequate healthcare and their lawyers and relatives. Bialiatski, who is serving a 10-year prison term, was transferred to a penal colony in the northeastern city of Horki, where the administration refused to accept his medical supplies, leaving his state of health already damaged by a previous politically motivated period of imprisonment in danger. Bialiatski founded the Viasna Human Rights Center in 1996 to provide legal help to those suffering from the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko and document its misconduct. He received his first politically motivated prison term in 2011. Since 2020, the Viasna Human Rights Center has been recording cases of administrative and criminal persecution of Belarusians who took part in protests after the fraudulent presidential elections of that year. On Feb. 16, 2021, Belarusian law enforcers searched the main office of Viasna, alleging the organization had financed the 2020 protests. On July 14, 2021, Bialiatski and several of his colleagues were arrested. Bialiatskis wife, Natallia Pinchuk, has said she is uncertain if she will see her husband again. Given the prison conditions, a ten-year term is a life sentence, she said. The unprecedented wave of political repression launched after the fraudulent presidential elections in 2020 continues to this day. The Viasna Human Rights Center currently recognizes around 1,400 political prisoners. Six prisoners have died in detention, and 250 more are included on the Belarusian opposition in exiles humanitarian list due to their poor health conditions. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. In a sudden announcement Thursday night, UF News said University of Florida President Ben Sasse is resigning effective July 31. According to Sasse, this unexpected change is due to his wife's recent epilepsy diagnosis. My wife Melissas recent epilepsy diagnosis and a new batch of memory issues have been hard, but were facing it together, Sasse said in a UF News release. Our two wonderful daughters are in college, but our youngest is just turning 13. Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights. Related coverage: Here's how social media is reacting to Ben Sasse's surprise resignation as UF president "I need to step back and rebuild more stable household systems for a time. Im going to remain involved in serving our UF students past, present, and future but I need to walk arm-in-arm with my dearest friend more hours of every week. In a long X post, Sasse announced his resignation along with his wifes diagnosis. He cited a need to spend more time with his family and be a father and husband who can pull his weight. Sasse also said hed be staying at UF as president emeritus and professor, continuing to teach classes. Dear Gator Nation and cherished friends, This isnt an easy note to write but wanted to give you an update on our family. As many of you know, my wife Melissa suffered an aneurysm and series of strokes in 2007. Back then, the docs prepared us for the worst, but in Gods Ben Sasse (@BenSasse) July 19, 2024 A paragraph from Sasses post on X reads: First, Im a husband and dad. Second, Ive been blessed to serve as president of the best dang public university in America Go Gators! and Ive loved the challenge of giving this university everything Ive got. But heres the bottom line: Those callings are significantly at odds with each other right now. Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights. After extensive prayer and lots of family tears, I today asked UF Chair Mori Hosseini and our Board of Trustees to initiate a search for a new president of the university. I need to step back for a time and focus more on the needs of my family while we rebuild more stable household systems. A former Republican U.S. senator for Nebraska, Sasse left the Senate to become UF's new president in 2022. Despite some UF community opposition and a vote of no confidence from the UF Faculty Senate, he was unanimously voted in by UF's board of trustees in November 2022. Sasse's tenure was formally announced in October 2022, amid community and student pushback, with a five-year term that was scheduled to begin in February 2023, the Gainesville Sun previously reported. He was formally inaugurated as the university's 13th president in November 2023. He was formerly president of Midland University, a 1,400-student Lutheran school in Nebraska. UF News said the board of trustees "will work quickly and thoughtfully to announce an interim president and lay the foundation for the search for a new president" and "engage the UF community every step of the way." Mori Hosseini, chair of the board of trustees, was quoted in the UF News release: The board of trustees thanks Dr. Sasse for his service to the University of Florida. Under his leadership, UF has continued to advance on the national and international stage, benefiting our students, faculty, alumni, community and state. He has left a lasting impact on the university and all of those associated with it. We wish Ben all the best as he steps back to focus on his family, Sasse on the Israel-Hamas war Amid vigils and protests, Sasse has not hesitated to comment on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflicts locally, which has brought much attention and praise from conservatives throughout his tenure. Following an outbreak of chaos and injuries at a Jewish vigil being held on the University of Florida campus (at which Sasse spoke) in October 2023, he penned a lengthy letter to Jewish students and graduates. The letter was first obtained and published by two conservative blog sites, the Gainesville Sun previously reported, and condemned the Hamas terrorist attacks in Gaza and Israel that killed more than a thousand innocent people, including more than a dozen Americans. It also clarified that there was no attack at UF's Turlington Plaza where nearly a thousand people held a vigil for those who lost their lives overseas. The commotion that ensued, and sent dozens to the hospital with injuries, was from a misunderstanding after someone in the crowd fainted. Sasses letter also stated that anti-Israel protests could potentially pop up on campus. "But I also want to be clear about this: We will protect our Jewish students from violence," he wrote. "If anti-Israel protests come, we will absolutely be ready to act if anyone dares to escalate beyond peaceful protest. Speech is protected violence and vandalism are not." Six months later, in April 2024, a pro-Palestinian demonstration occupied UF campus for multiple days, leading to the arrest of nine protesters. UF told the Sun that while peaceful protests are constitutionally protected, "Camping, putting up structures, disrupting academic activity, or threatening others on university property is strictly prohibited." UF also said the rules being enforced have been in place for years. The university recently suspended the arrested protesters, barring them from campus for up to four years. Fresh Take Florida previously reported that Sasse, during a May press conference, praised police: What you have done in the face of being spit on, being shouted at with profanities has been amazing, he said. UF spokesman Steve Orlando issued a statement in April 2024 that received much praise in conservative media. He said: The University of Florida is not a daycare, and we do not treat protesters like children. Orlandos statement also said: They knew the rules, they broke the rules, and theyll face the consequences. For many days, we have patiently told protesters many of whom are outside agitators that they were able to exercise their right to free speech and free assembly. And we also told them that clearly prohibited activities would result in a trespassing order from UPD (barring them from all university properties for three years) and an interim suspension from the university. For days UPD patiently and consistently reiterated the rules. Today, individuals who refused to comply were arrested after UPD gave multiple warnings and multiple opportunities to comply. Sasse and the university were praised by many conservatives for the way they handled campus protests, as opposed to approaches taken at many other schools nationwide. Throughout his tenure Sasse had a rough start to his tenure, with hundreds of protesters swarming his first visit to Emerson Hall on UFs campus. Students in October 2022 protested the selection of Sasse as the only finalist for the job, the Gainesville Sun reported. At one point, protesters disrupted a question-and-answer session with chants of "Hey hey, ho ho, Ben Sasse has got to go." Many questions about Sasses political views were asked during his first visit. Protesters then stormed into the ballroom before a session with staff was set to begin, continuing to chant while standing on chairs. His third session was then moved to a different location. Sasse was followed by protesters again when it ended, before he jumped into a police vehicle that quickly drove away. Concerns among students, faculty and staff were raised regarding the transparency of the presidential search and Sasse being the only finalist. Senate Bill 520 allowed the university to conduct most of the search behind closed doors without following Floridas open meetings and public records laws. After Sasse was nearly a year on the job, some members of the UF community were still unsure if he was the right fit. During his tenure, UF received $130 million in new funding from the state. Sasse established that more than half, for the first time, will be used for strategic purposes. The university announced in October 2023 that it would fund 19 new projects related to research, technology, AI and student life through strategic funding from the state legislature. Officials said the goal of the funding initiative is to create a better student experience and increase interdisciplinary scholarship at the university. In September 2023, a 10-year strategic plan for UF, which highlighted Sasses vision for the future of the university, was released. However, it was criticized as the full plan had still not been released publicly. The Sun reported in November 2023 that finalization of the strategic plan, and then consideration by the board of trustees, is planned for fall 2024. Sasse named his former Senate communications director, James Wegmann, as UFS vice president for communications and his former Senate chief of staff, Raymond Sass, as UFs vice president for innovation and partnerships. He made several notable hires among his 10 leadership-level moves, which include hiring people who live out of state and firing Charlie Lane. Sasse also created a new position to hire Penny Schwinn, former Tennessee commissioner of education, as UFs vice president of PK-12 and pre-bachelor programs. Schwinn lives out of state and works part time and had no plan to move to Florida as of November 2023. In September 2023 UF got good news when the Wall Street Journal ranked it the No. 1 public university in the nation. Since Sasse became president UF dropped one spot on the U.S. News & World Report list, losing its status as a Top 5 public university. Another controversy during Sasse's tenure was the elimination of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) employee positions at UF. The drastic change, announced in March 2024 through an emailed administrative memo, came after the Florida Board of Governors labeled expenditures related to DEI programs as prohibited expenditures. Approximately $5 million was reallocated into a faculty recruitment fund to be administered by the Office of the Provost. UF Student Government, the United Faculty of Florida, Florida football great Emmitt Smith and others spoke out against this decision. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Ben Sasse resigns after less than two years as UF president New research by Independent Advisor Car Insurance reveals that Bedford leads the UK in the percentage of free EV charging points available to drivers. Independent Advisor Car Insurance ranked UK towns and cities based on the availability of free EV charging points. Bedford emerged as the top town, with 98% of its EV chargers available for free, providing 14.47 free chargers per 10,000 residents. Despite being fifth overall in the wider rankings, Bedford's high percentage of free chargers distinguishes it as the most accessible for EV drivers. Nottingham follows closely, also at 98%, with 632 free charging points out of 643. This equates to 8.63 free chargers per 10,000 people, serving a population of 729,977. Warrington, with a population of 165,456, matches this percentage with 122 free points out of 125, offering 7.40 free chargers per 10,000 people. Other notable cities in the top ten include Dudley, Aberdeen, and Milton Keynes, all featuring 98% free charging points. Particularly noteworthy is Milton Keynes, which provides 451 free charging points, translating to 19.54 free chargers per 10,000 residentsthe highest density among the top cities. In contrast, Liverpool ranks lowest, with only 19% of its EV chargers free to use. This equates to 1.06 free chargers per 10,000 residents, lower than both London (21% free, 2.26 per 10,000) and Newcastle upon Tyne (23% free, 2.7 per 10,000), which also ranked poorly in terms of free EV charging availability. "Bedford tops UK towns for free EV charging points: study" was originally created and published by Motor Finance Online, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. The University of Floridas president, Ben Sasse, unexpectedly announced his resignation late Thursday after just 17 months at the helm of the states flagship university, citing his wifes health issues and a need to spend more time with his family. In a short statement emailed across campus, Sasse the former Republican U.S. senator for Nebraska said he would leave his job on July 31, less than two weeks away. The surprise announcement comes during a period of a fraught relationship between Sasse and the longtime chairman of UFs board of trustees, developer Mori Hosseini, chairman of Daytona Beach-based ICI Homes Inc. Sasse, 52, attributed his decision to a recent epilepsy diagnosis and new memory issues facing his wife, Melissa, who suffered an aneurysm and series of strokes in 2007. He said he also wanted to spend more time with his children, including his college-age daughters and 13-year-old son. Sasse said he asked Hosseini earlier Thursday after extensive prayer and lots of family tears to search for his replacement. He called UF the best dang public university in America. Sasses employment contract including a base salary of $1 million plus a performance bonus of up to $150,000 each year guaranteed him the job through at least February 2028. The same contract required six months notice for Sasse to resign unless Hosseini waived that provision. Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Sasse said in a statement. Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights. I need to step back and rebuild more stable household systems for a time. In a four-sentence statement, Hosseini thanked Sasse and wished him well. Under his leadership, UF has continued to advance on the national and international stage, benefiting our students, faculty, alumni, community and state, the statement said. He has left a lasting impact on the university and all of those associated with it. Sasse said his family would remain in Gainesville, and he will serve as president emeritus and teach classes as a professor at the university. As president, Sasse and his family have been living in a gated, multi-million-dollar mansion on campus next to the law school. Sasse was the only finalist to replace the schools previous president, Kent Fuchs, and become its 13th president. Sasse was president of a small private university for five years in Nebraska and holds a doctoral degree in history from Yale. Fuchs, who remained at UF as president emeritus and taught classes, could be tapped as interim president. The news of Sasses resignation was first reported by Florida Politics. Sasses political positions including his opposition to abortion rights and same-sex marriages were deeply troubling to some students and faculty on the campus in one of Floridas most progressive cities. Former President Donald Trump who coincidentally was accepting his partys nomination as the GOP presidential candidate later Thursday night just after Sasses announcement is no fan of Sasse, once calling him a grandstanding, little respected senator following Sasses vote to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial. Sasse drew national attention to the university over its aggressive handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus earlier this year. Campus police arrested nine protesters in April, including six current UF students who were suspended for years, banned from campus and now are fighting state criminal charges. In a statement, UF said it was not a daycare, and Sasse defended the actions on conservative cable news programs. In the year since Sasse took over, the university fell one position to No. 6 among public universities in the annual, national rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, even as it climbed one spot to No. 28 in the magazines rankings of top public and private universities overall. Separately, in September, the Wall Street Journal named UF the No. 1 public university in the country. Florida selected Sasse as the sole finalist for the job under a new state law passed by the Republican-led Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that allowed the process and the upcoming search for Sasses successor to take place in secrecy. This story was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service of the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. The reporter can be reached at vivienneserret@ufl.edu. You can donate to support our students here. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., questions William Burns, nominee for Central Intelligence Agency director, during his Senate Select Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing in Russell Senate Office Building on Feb. 24, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. (Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images) OMAHA Former Nebraska U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse announced Thursday he was stepping down as president of the University of Florida to help his family cope with his wifes worsening health. Sasse, in a statement from the University of Florida, said he was no longer able to meet the time demands of leading a top national university and be there for his family. His wife, Melissa, has been dealing with the after-effects of strokes suffered in 2007. She was recently diagnosed with epilepsy and has struggled with memory issues, Sasse said. He said he and his wife have been spending a lot of late nights discussing what matters most, with two daughters in college and a son just turning 13. They decided he should step back. Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, he said. Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights. Sasses Nebraska roots Sasse, who previously led Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska, resigned his post as Nebraskas junior U.S. senator in January 2023 to take the position at Florida, which he said could revolutionize one of his pet projects, the future of work. Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appointed his predecessor, Pete Ricketts, to replace Sasse. Ricketts is now running to serve out the final two years of Sasses six-year term, which he won in 2020. Sasse rose to national prominence as a Senate candidate by criticizing fellow conservatives for talking about repealing Obamacare without specifying how they would replace it. He kept that willingness to buck the GOP at several moments, although his votes typically sided with his party. He got crosswise at times with former President Donald Trump. But Sasse won re-election to the Senate by a larger margin than Trump. Pushback on campus In Florida, Sasse has survived pushback from parts of his campus resistant to a conservative senator leading the flagship university in the nations third most populous state. His wifes health was part of why some of his supporters pressed the University of Nebraska to consider him when NU had an open presidency, with some hinting he might want to return home. Sasse said he and his family will stay in Gainesville, Fla., where he says he will serve as a professor and president emeritus. Mori Hosseini, who chairs Floridas Board of Trustees, credited Sasse for his leadership on the national and international stage. Hosseini said Sasses work benefited Florida students and the state. The board announced that it would work quickly to hire an interim president and begin another search for Sasses permanent replacement. A majority of the universitys trustees have been appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Sasse thanked the university community for embracing his family. He said he needed to step back for a bit to walk arm-in-arm with my dearest friend more hours of every week. She kept our family grounded while I missed too many family dinners, little league games, hugs, and tears, he said of his wife. Shes the strongest person I know. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Then-U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. He is stepping down as president of the University of Florida. (Photo by Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images) Former Nebraska U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse announced Thursday he was stepping down as president of the University of Florida to help his family cope with his wifes worsening health. Sasse, in a statement from the University of Florida, said he was no longer able to meet the time demands of leading a top national university and be there for his family. His wife, Melissa, has been dealing with the after-effects of strokes suffered in 2007. She was recently diagnosed with epilepsy and has struggled with memory problems, Sasse said. He said he and his wife have been spending a lot of late nights discussing what matters most, with two daughters in college and a son just turning 13. They decided he should step back. Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, he said. Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights. Sasses Nebraska roots Sasse, who previously led Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska, resigned his post as Nebraskas junior U.S. senator in January 2023 to take the position at Florida, which he said could revolutionize one of his pet projects, the future of work. Sasse rose to national prominence as a Senate candidate by criticizing fellow conservatives for talking about repealing Obamacare without specifying how they would replace it. He kept that willingness to buck the GOP at several moments, although his votes typically sided with his party. He got crosswise at times with former President Donald Trump. But Sasse won re-election to the Senate by a larger margin than Trump. Pushback on campus In Florida, Sasse has survived pushback from parts of his campus resistant to a conservative senator leading the flagship university in the nations third most populous state. His wifes health was part of why some of his supporters pressed the University of Nebraska to consider him when NU had an open presidency, with some hinting he might want to return home. Sasse said he and his family will stay in Gainesville, where he says he will serve as a professor and president emeritus. Mori Hosseini, who chairs Floridas Board of Trustees, credited Sasse for his leadership on the national and international stage. Hosseini said Sasses work benefited Florida students and the state. The board announced that it would work quickly to hire an interim president and begin another search for Sasses permanent replacement. A majority of the universitys trustees have been appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Sasse thanked the university community for embracing his family. He said he needed to step back for a bit to walk arm-in-arm with my dearest friend more hours of every week. She kept our family grounded while I missed too many family dinners, little league games, hugs, and tears, he said of his wife. Shes the strongest person I know. This story first appeared in the Nebraska Examiner, a member with the Phoenix of the nonprofit States Newsroom network. BENTON, Ark. A hospital in Benton is opening a resource to provide milk for sick and vulnerable infants throughout Arkansas. Officials with the Saline Memorial Hospital said in a Friday release it was opening a milk bank in support of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Milk Bank program. Arkansas expands Child Care Assistance Program, adds two additional groups Hospital officials said a space is being designated for women to donate milk that will be forwarded to the UAMS bank for screening, pasteurization and nutritional analysis. Once the milk is processed into the UAMS bank, it will be sent to hospitals throughout Arkansas according to need. Officials said the Benton milk bank is the first facility of its kind in the state to supply donor milk to infants in need, including those in intensive care units. They anticipate this will improve babies outcomes. Arkansas Childrens Research Institute receives $2.3 million grant from NIH for food allergy research Executive medical director of the UAMS Milk Bank Dr. Misty L. Virmani said the bank fills a critical need. We are very happy to partner with Saline Memorial in opening a UAMS milk depot because breastfeeding is so important to the health of women and infants, and we are thrilled to find partners in the state who are helping support families who want to breastfeed, she said. Virmani, who is also a UAMS professor of pediatrics and neonatology and director of breastfeeding medicine, added that breast milk is important for keeping vulnerable newborns healthy. Ribbon cutting at opening Milk Bank information Saline Memorial The Benton bank is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in the hospitals Woman & Infant unit on the third floor. The hospital is located at 1 Medical Park Drive, Benton. UAMS, Arkansas Childrens awarded $3.2 million to develop next-generation treatments for rare childrens anomaly Potential donors are encouraged to contact the hospital by calling 501-776-6300 to initiate a pre-donation screening through the UAMS Milk Bank. Additional information is available at uamshealth.com/uams-milk-bank. 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. Gov. Andy Beshear greets Sen. Mitch McConnell on the stage of last year's 143rd Fancy Farm Picnic. Beshear will not be attending this year. No word yet from McConnell. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony) Organizers of the annual church fundraiser held in Graves County said in a Friday afternoon email that the governor had said he is not attending the August event and no reason was given. Fancy Farm organizers added that Republican State Auditor Allison Ball will not attend due to a conflict with a wedding that weekend. Both Beshear and Ball attended the political speaking event last year. Over the course of 140 years, the Fancy Farm Picnic has become a Kentucky politics highlight, as candidates for office make a pitch to enthusiastic voters Republicans on the right and Democrats on the left who are ready to cheer for their favored politicians while loudly booing their opponents. Beshears decline to participate comes as he gains national attention. A two-term Democrat in red-state Kentucky, the governor is being eyed as a possible running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris should President Joe Biden drop out of the race, according to recent media reports. Over the last couple of weeks, Beshear has still signaled support for the president, but was among Democratic governors who attended a White House meeting called after Bidens poor debate performance against Republican former President Donald Trump. Ahead of the meeting, Beshear said in a televised CNN interview that the governors wanted to hear more about how the president is doing and seek clarification on his health. Before last year, Beshear had not participated in the picnic since 2019 when he was challenging Republican Gov. Matt Bevin. He did not attend in 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic, nor in 2022, initially because of a trip to Israel which was later canceled after devastating floods hit Eastern Kentucky. Political speeches were canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic. As for other Kentucky politicos that could head to West Kentucky, responses from U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, Democratic Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams are still pending, organizers say. Those attending include both candidates in the 1st Congressional District incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. James Comer and Democratic challenger Erin Marshall as well as Chase Oliver, a Libertarian candidate for president. The picnic organizers are still in talks with surrogates from presidential campaigns about a possible appearance. Lisa Payne Jones and Jason Shea Fleming, candidates for the Kentucky Court of Appeals, will both attend. State-wide officers who will be in attendance are Attorney General Russell Coleman, Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell and Treasurer Mark Metcalf. All are Republicans. A proposed constitutional amendment to allow the General Assembly to fund nonpublic schools will also be discussed. Republican Caucus Chair Rep. Suzanne Miles, of Owensboro, and Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Cherlynn Stevenson, of Lexington, are set to speak on Amendment 2. Miles was the primary sponsor of the legislation for the amendment and Stevenson has been critical of it. Others set to speak include Mayfield Republican Rep. Richard Heath, Murray Republican Sen. Jason Howell and Kim Holloway, a GOP representative-elect who primaried Heath earlier this year. The Fancy Farm Picnic is set for Saturday, Aug. 3, and political speakers will begin at 2 p.m local time. Father Jim Sichko, of Lexington, will be this years emcee. A fire on the Conception dive boat off the north side of Santa Cruz Island on Sept. 2, 2019 led to the deaths of 33 passengers and a crew member sleeping below deck. The captain of the dive boat that caught fire near Santa Cruz Island in 2019 could begin serving a prison sentence soon for his role in the deaths of 34 people on board. Jerry Boylan, now 70, was convicted last year of one count of an offense known under maritime law as seamans manslaughter and sentenced in May to four years in federal prison. He had originally been charged with 34 such counts, but prosecutors reduced the charges to one count after Boylans lawyers argued that the case should be treated as just one incident. Boylan has yet to serve any of his sentence, and he was free on bail throughout his trial. He has already filed an appeal of his conviction, and his lawyers have asked U.S. District Court Judge George Wu to allow Boylan to remain out of prison during the appeal. Wu plans to issue a ruling on that matter on July 29. Wu also plans to rule on July 29 on how much restitution Boylan will have to pay to the families of people who died on board the Conception. The Conception was a dive boat owned by a Santa Barbara company called Truth Aquatics. On a Labor Day weekend trip to the Channel Islands in 2019, the boat caught fire in the middle of the night. According to an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, Boylan and his crew neglected basic safety procedures, such as keeping someone on night watch. All six crew members were asleep when the fire started. Boylan and four others escaped by jumping overboard, while one crew member and all 33 passengers died. One of the passengers was Kendra Chan, 26, an Oxnard resident and a wildlife biologist in Ventura with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She was on a diving trip with her father, Raymond "Scott" Chan, who also died on board the Conception. Kendra Chans mother, Vicki Moore of Los Altos, said the pace of the legal process has been "beyond frustrating." It's been nearly five years since the fire, and attorneys have said Boylan's appeal could take another two years. Moore and others who lost loved ones in the fire would like to see Boylan behind bars during the appeal. "That would make it seven years of him living his life, while we have to live with this loss every single day of our lives," Moore said. "The mental and emotional anguish that continues on, as this case appears never to end ... it's excruciating. It seems there is no regard whatsoever for the impact this type of prolonged process has on the families." Moore said she feels the four-year sentence wasn't enough. Under the law, Wu could have sentenced Boylan to as much as 10 years. "I want justice to be served, justice and deterrence, and I felt the sentence needed to be strong enough to act as a deterrent," Moore said. The federal public defenders who represent Boylan did not reply to a request for comment. In a motion asking him to remain free during the appeal, they said his appeal will revolve around questions about the instructions given to the jury, and their options to choose a lesser crime rather than felony seaman's manslaughter. Boylan's attorneys argued that he should be eligible for bail during the appeal because he is not likely to flee, and because his appeal, if it succeeds, is likely to result in a reversal of the conviction or a new trial. The appeal process might go on so long that Boylan could serve his entire prison sentence before it ends, his attorneys stated in their motion. Federal prosecutors in their own motion said that Boylan should go to prison while he appeals, saying he has not proved that he isn't a flight risk now that he's been convicted, and his appeal appears to have been filed "for the purpose of delay" and is not likely to result in an overturned conviction or sentence. If Wu decides on July 29 that Boylan should start serving his sentence, he would have to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons by Aug. 8. On the restitution to families, Moore said she did not file any requests for restitution and doesn't expect any payments from Boylan to amount to much, as he doesn't appear to have much in the way of assets. The victims' families are also pursuing civil lawsuits against the owners of Truth Aquatics, Glen and Dana Fritzler. Tony Biasotti is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tbiasotti@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Scuba dive boat fire: Families fume as Jerry Boylan still free Bibb County schools stance on closure plan, cellphones & new charter. What we know The Bibb County Board of Education discussed potential cellphone policy changes, updates on a prospective charter school for Macon students and school consolidation plans on Thursday evening. Katika Lovett, deputy superintendent, presented a timeline of the Bibb County School Districts four-phase assessment consolidation plan for the 2025-2026 academic year. Its a result of the districts current budget constraints, which include a $22 million cut in funds compared to last year, and low target enrollment for elementary schools. The proposal intends to prioritize the districts future financial efficiency and enhance student outcomes and opportunities, Lovett added. One of the things that is critically important as we go through this process is that we dont change the experience for our students, she said. The initiative requires a project manager to oversee the consolidation analysis and determine the optimal school closure. The district also seeks community input through its newly formed Steering Committee for decision-making processes. Longtime Macon resident Stanley Stewart was one of the two community members to address the board on Thursday with petitions to keep L.H. Williams Elementary open and consider the impact of school closures on the community. The national poverty rate is 12.5 percent. Macon, Georgia, has a poverty rate of 22 percent, Stewart said. To close a school like L.H. Williams would be disastrous because those kids already have trouble getting to school sometimes. BCSD cellphone policy Cell phone bans in school settings are on the rise nationwide as a way to crack down on classroom distractions. Board members made a special request to review the school districts current student cellphone policy out of concern for the latest trends and signed laws, President James Freeman said before opening the floor for discussion. School systems are determining that student access to cellphones is detrimental to educational success and fosters misbehavior, said board member Darryl Morton, who supports revising the BCSD policy to restrict cellphone use during the school day. I think its simply too much of a temptation at this point both to look at and also to encourage activity that is not appropriate, he said. Morton also mentioned the districts one-to-one technology initiative, which provides each student access to district-owned electronic devices for instructional purposes. Board member Sundra Woodford agreed with Morton, citing research on how cellphones negatively impact students mental health. Macon-Bibb youth suffer from mental health problems more often than other teens around the state, according to recent data. Board member Juawn Jackson said the board must be careful not to further disenfranchise marginalized populations, as it relates to digital equity in an era where technology is a big part of everyday life. As far as at the end of the school day, if we say (students) cannot have a phone on school premises at all, how will they be able to make contact with their parent or guardian? he continued. Bibb County students can have personally owned electronic devices, but they must be turned off and stored away, according to the districts current policy. Exceptions are permitted for students with health conditions. The board examined how it could address what Superintendent Sims described as a cultural challenge on the student level. Possible methods included collecting cellphones, considering stakeholder feedback and amplifying disciplinary actions for student conduct violations of unauthorized media. No action was taken on the matter. Collaboration or competition? The Infinity Academy sought approval from the board to operate as a local charter school in the Bibb County School District. But voting plans were halted after board members raised concerns about not having enough time to review its petition. This is an incredibly important decision, Morton said. Were talking about a significant investment of money, resources ... Id like to have the time to get the same consideration (the administration) had. Morton also said he wanted to be sure of the boards legal position before voting, as there was confusion about whether the schools petition submission in April went over the 90-day review deadline. Board members will reconvene on the matter at a future meeting. If BCSD does not approve the charter school, it will be approved by the State Charter Schools Commission, Jackson said. He indicated he was leaning toward approving the school. Sims said it is imperative for the boards decision-making to consider one main point: Do we want collaboration or do we want competition? He favored collaboration, despite the districts failed partnership attempts with charter schools in the past. Sims said the charter school wouldnt impact the district efforts to close schools nor will it bring additional funds to the district if accepted. Freeman said the overall timing of the voting could be disastrous, given the districts ongoing issues with budget constraints and school consolidations. But it may also help the school system retain its strongest and brightest students in Bibb County, he added. The Infinity Academys curriculum features a STEAM-led model that would expose more BCSD students to the learning approach, Lovett said. The school anticipates opening in downtown Macon in the fall of 2025. Biden campaign manager Jen OMalley Dillon insisted Friday on MSNBCs Morning Joe that the president is staying in the race against all odds. Hes our nominee and hes going to be our president for a second term, she said. She acknowledged this has been such a hard week for the campaign but insisted that Biden, who is sick with COVID, will be back on the trail next week. This is an organization built for the Biden-Harris ticket, she said, underscoring Vice President Kamala Harris prominence in a campaign that many Democrats, including powerful donors, would like to end as soon as possible. Joe Bidens Biggest Challenge: If He Quits, How Does He Quit? In light of the uncertainty about Bidens ability to continue with his re-election bid, host Mika Brzezinski asked Dillon right out of the gate: Is Joe Biden still in the race? Does he plan to stay in the race? And if so, whats the plan? Absolutely, the presidents in this race, Dillon answered. Youve heard him say that time and time again. She went on to claim that Donald Trumps performance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday night demonstrated hes the same person he was in 2020. Joe Biden is more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump, Dillon said. And we believe on this campaign we are built for the close election that were in, and we see the path forward. The president is the leader of our campaign and of the country and he is clearlyin our impression and what weve built, and in our engagement with votershe is the best person to take on Donald Trump, and prosecute that case and present his vision versus what we saw last night. Host Joe Scarborough followed up asking what Dillons message is to Democrats who say [Biden] cant win and that there are better candidates to take on Trump. Im not here to say that this hasnt been a tough several weeks for the campaign, Dillon answered, apparently referring to the crisis of confidence in Bidens ability to win triggered by his disastrous debate performance. Theres no doubt that it has been. And weve definitely seen some slippage in support, but it has been a small movementand you know this, the reason is because so much of this race has hardened already. Dillon later claimed the campaign has multiple pathways to victory and contrasted the way the two candidates are viewed. More and more people see Donald Trump, they dislike him, they remember why he is such a threat to this country, she said. The more and more people that see Joe Biden out there post-debate, they are reassured that he is in it to win it, and he can do that. The bullish comments come as Democrat lawmakers publicly call on Biden to drop out, while senior party figures have not denied reports suggesting theyve advised the president to give up on his campaign. One report Thursday cited top Dems saying the president could drop out of the race as soon as this weekend, but Bidens campaign pushed back on the claim. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. (Getty Images) President Joe Bidens reelection campaign on Friday launched a new ad focused on how state bans on abortion are affecting Black maternal health. Titled Access, the spot airing in the Atlanta, Raleigh, Charlotte, Philly, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Milwaukee media markets highlights Shawana Moore, a womens health nurse practitioner from Atlanta, who speaks about the fear and uncertainty among patients and health care providers in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. The ad is timed near the two-year anniversary of an abortion ban in Georgia. Its part of the Biden campaigns $50 million paid media program for July. I think theres fear and uncertainty, Moore says in the ad. Within the United States, theres a maternal health crisis that disproportionately impacts women of color. Black maternal mortality rates have become a focus of the Pennsylvania Legislature and Gov. Josh Shapiro in the past several years. In October, State Reps. LaTasha D. Mayes (D-Allegheny), Gina Curry (D-Delaware), and Morgan Cephas (D-Philadelphia) announced the creation of the Black Maternal Health Caucus in an effort to find legislative solutions to Pennsylvanias high rates of Black maternal mortality and morbidity. A 2022 report from the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, which reviews all maternal deaths in the commonwealth, found that Pennsylvania had an overall pregnancy-associated mortality ratio of 82 deaths per 100,000 live births. In March 2023, Gov. Josh Shapiro said that for the first time, Pennsylvania would invest in combating the maternal mortality crisis with state funding to conduct a study on maternal mortality prevention strategies. In March of this year, the Pennsylvania Department of Health announced $1.7 million in grant funding to address the issue. Thats in addition to the $2.6 million increase for maternal mortality prevention in the 2024-25 budget. Abortion remains legal in Pennsylvania up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. The Biden campaign has tried to demonstrate the consequences of the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision for women who have had to navigate the new patchwork of state abortion laws to receive care. While he has boasted about appointing the three conservative justices to the Supreme Court, Trump said during the presidential debate in June that he believes in abortion ban exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. But in February he reportedly expressed support for a nationwide abortion ban, and during an interview with a Pittsburgh TV news station in May, Trump hinted that he might be open to states limiting or banning access to contraception, though he walked back his remarks the same day in a social media post. More than a year after a consumer boycott drained the sales of what was once the nations most popular beer, Bud Light still has a hangover. New sales data show Bud Light has slipped in the rankings behind Modelo Especial and Michelob Ultra. Modelo Especial a Mexican import sold by Constellation Brands that is the official beer sponsor for Team USA in the Olympics stole Bud Lights crown as the No. 1 selling beer at grocery and convenience stores across the country in May 2023 amid fallout over a promotional campaign with a transgender influencer. Now Michelob Ultra also brewed by Anheuser-Busch has overtaken Bud Light in the No. 2 spot. Bud Light represented 6.5% of beer dollar sales in U.S. stores in the four weeks ended July 6, behind 9.7% for Modelo Especial and 7.3% for Michelob Ultra and, according to an analysis of NielsenIQ data from Bump Williams. A vendor sells Bud Light and other cold beverages during the Washington Nationals and Cincinnati Reds game at Nationals Park on July 06, 2023 in Washington, DC. Modelos rise was accelerated by a conservative backlash when Dylan Mulvaney posted an Instagram video about a personalized beer can that Bud Light had sent her as a gift. While dollar sales arent quite back into the positive yet, the declines for the brand have improved dramatically and retailer support continues to improve week after week, the consulting firms CEO Bump Williams told USA TODAY. He also said that "retailer support" continued to improve "week after week." Target Bud Light backlash Expect fewer rainbow logos for LGBTQ Pride Month Anheuser-Busch issued a statement that Bud Light will always be a mainstay of our iconic portfolio. Millions of consumers choose Bud Light every day and we continue to invest in partnerships with the NFL, UFC, and renowned musicians, the company said. Major brands such as Bud Light and Target came under attack during Pride Month that year for marketing and merchandise celebrating the LGBTQ community. Sales tumbled and Bud Light lost its status as the nations top-selling beer. It remained a target of online attacks for the rest of the year. The strategy to crush so-called rainbow capitalism by branding companies as woke became known as Bud Lighting. In February, former president Donald Trump urged his supporters to give Bud Light a second chance because Anheuser-Busch is not a Woke company. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bud Light sinks to No. 3 most popular beer after boycott President Joe Bidens campaign chair conceded that he is facing a rough moment but asserted theres still a path forward as long as they can refocus voters attention on contrasting Biden with former President Donald Trump. Absolutely the president's in this race, Jen OMalley Dillon said in an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe Friday, pointing to Trumps 92-minute acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. You've heard him say that time and time again, and I think we saw on display last night exactly why. The appearance of Bidens campaign chair on a show that is popular among Democrats and political junkies comes as his candidacy appears to be teetering on the edge of collapse, with concerns bubbling into public view among the most senior leaders of the Democratic Party. The campaign has also struggled to mount a vigorous defense of its candidate this week, as Republicans celebrated Trump at their convention in Milwaukee, Democrats pushed back on the DNCs nomination plans, and Biden was sidelined with Covid in the middle of a visit to Nevada. OMalley Dillon acknowledged that Biden has seen a slippage in support in the polls and that the campaign has had a tough couple of weeks following the presidents disastrous June debate performance. She also recognized that voters have concerns about Bidens age and whether he will remain in the race amid the recent torrent of news articles and elected officials jumping ship. Look, I'm not here to just say this is an elite and media narrative, OMalley Dillon said. We have to understand exactly what we're seeing as we've talked about. We know that we've slipped a bit from the debate, and we know that the president has to prove to the American people exactly what he believes. But OMalley Dillon also sought to lay out how the campaign is still determined to win against Trump. She suggested that, while polls have slid in Trumps favor, that movement has been small due to voters baked-in impressions of Biden. And she argued that Trumps poll numbers were peaking right now because he isnt attracting new voters to his candidacy. OMalley Dillon said that voters see the 2024 race as more localized than in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic upended the campaign and zeroed attention in on Trumps handling of the crisis. But she said Biden is well equipped to win in a state by state race, adding that Biden is expected to be back on the campaign trail next week after he recovers from Covid. We also have to take seriously the concerns that people are expressing, but the way to get past them is to get back to the business of beating Donald Trump and setting up that clear choice, she said. Bidens campaign manager recognized that those with concerns are not just pundits or media personalities and hinted at the many conversations happening behind closed doors, which this week have contributed to an air of inevitability about Bidens exit. But she said the pool of voters who are siding with the president was larger than those who dont want him to run citing rally attendance during a recent Michigan campaign swing, a recent letter of support signed by 1,400 Black women, support from mayors and labor leaders, and the 14 million voters who chose Biden in this years Democratic primaries. And OMalley Dillon said the president has the delegates even as they, too, are being checked for signs of disloyalty. For every bad story and leak from someone that thinks they know about something that happened with the president and some conversation that he's not having, there is a person, a senator, a governor, a real person that is out there in Milwaukee making the case, she said. (The Hill) The Biden campaign reiterated in a new memo following the Republican National Convention that the president will be the Democratic nominee, even as the party remains embroiled in disagreement about the path forward. The memo also targeted Project 2025, which Donald Trump has disavowed. Joe Biden has made it more than clear: hes in this race and hes in it to win it. Moreover, hes the presumptive nominee, there is no plan for an alternative nominee, wrote Dan Kanninen, Biden campaign battleground states director in the memo, obtained by The Hill. In a few short weeks, Joe Biden will be the official nominee. It is high past time we stop fighting one another. The only person who wins when we fight is Donald Trump. While Kanninen acknowledged that Bidens age comes up when the campaign speaks with voters, he argued that it didnt deter voters from choosing Biden anyway. The memo also blasted Republicans on the issue of Project 2025, a set of policy proposals organized by the Heritage Foundation, whose collaborators and writers include those with ties to the Trump administration. Trump and his team have disavowed Project 2025 altogether, with Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita calling them this week during the RNC a pain in the a. This week, the choice has become increasingly clear to the voters who will decide this election in the battleground states. Project 2025s poster boy, J.D. Vance cements what weve known for months: if Donald Trump has his way, he will remake the American government and way of life into Project 2025s image: fewer rights, higher costs, and less opportunity for the middle class, Kanninen wrote in the memo. These 4 Democrats outpace Biden by 5 points against Trump in key states: Memo Kanninen argued in the memo that Project 2025 Was on Full Display, noting that former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director Thomas Homan put the architect of family separation on the convention stage. Project 2025 notes him as a contributor in their policy write-up. Kanninen noted the Mass Deportations Now signs circulating at the convention and suggested Vances speech offered a glimpse in their policy vision, which he argued was a whole lot of nothing for the American people, and an all-out assault on womens reproductive rights, gutting the Affordable Care Act, and shipping manufacturing jobs abroad. The memo also outlined how the campaign was staffing up in battleground states in key states like Arizona, Georgia and Michigan where polling has shown Biden either neck-in-neck or trailing Trump. The memo comes as several high-profile Democrats have called on Biden to withdraw from the race. On Thursday night, Sen. John Tester (D-Mont.), who is in a tight reelection race, became the latest lawmaker to join that call. The president and his team have remained adamant the Biden will stay in, though the new voices added to the mix have raised further questions about Bidens candidacy and as Democrats prepare to coronate their nominee at their own convention next month. 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. President Joe Biden continues to experience mild upper respiratory symptoms from COVID-19 and hes still receiving the antiviral Paxlovid, according to his doctor, Kevin C. OConnor. The presidents physician has been providing a daily update to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, which has been released to the media. Friday, OConnor reported that the president, who is 81, completed his fourth dose of the antiviral medicine Paxlovid. His loose, nonproductive cough and hoarseness continue to be his primary symptoms, but they have improved meaningfully from yesterday, OConnor wrote in a memorandum. His pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain absolutely normal. His oxygen saturation continues to be excellent on room air. His lungs remain clear. OConnor wrote that testing confirmed COVID-19, but that the variant determination is still pending. Meanwhile, his blood work is normal, as is his complete blood count, which indicates no evidence of bacterial infection or anemia. His electrolytes, kidney and liver function are normal, too, per the update. The president continues to tolerate treatment well. We will continue Paxlovid as planned. In the meantime, the president continues to do the work of the American people, OConnor concluded. Recent COVID uptick This is reportedly the presidents third bout with the virus and hes not alone. The U.S. has seen a recent uptick in cases, as Deseret News reported this week. The KP.3 variant is largely responsible for a nearly 24% increase in COVID-19-related visits to emergency rooms across the country. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the virus has been detected at high levels in wastewater monitoring, especially in the West. While information is still outstanding on which COVID strain President Biden has, experts say the symptoms associated with the increasingly prevalent KP.3 strain are quite similar to others. They include muscle aches, congestion, headache, respiratory problems including some difficulty breathing, fatigue, loss of smell and taste, brain fog, fever, chills, gastrointestinal symptoms and sore throat. The president tested positive early this week while campaigning in Las Vegas and had to cancel several upcoming events, including those related to his reelection effort. He is reportedly recuperating at his beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware. Well-connected Democratic Party insiders say they expect President Biden to make a major announcement about his future soon after the Republican National Convention concludes in Milwaukee and that congressional leaders expect Vice President Harris will become their nominee for president if Biden drops his reelection bid. The talk among high-level Democratic strategists and donors has now turned to who is best positioned to serve has Harriss running mate, and the short list has boiled down to Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D). California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) have each communicated to senior party leaders that they would not be interested in serving as Harriss running mate, according to a person familiar with the candidates in the mix to join Harris atop the ticket. Biden has come under intense pressure from party leaders, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), who have told the president directly that a majority of Democratic senators and large number of House members dont think he can beat former President Trump. Alums of former President Obamas 2008 and 2012 winning presidential campaigns are prepared to help Harris get her own presidential campaign operation up and running if Biden agrees to step aside, according to a source familiar with the transition plan. Democratic Party strategists say Biden has failed to reassure rattled Democratic lawmakers and donors that hell be able to recover from his disastrous debate performance last month and put to rest incessant questions about his mental acuity, energy and health. Instead, sources say Biden has become trapped in the narrative that hes too old to effectively serve another four years as president, and there doesnt appear to be any way to dispel it before Election Day. Congressional leaders are lukewarm on Harris as the nominee but recognize her favorable rating is higher than Bidens and believe the president can help boost her numbers by campaigning for her, according to a person familiar with the leadership-level discussions. Conversations are happening, and theyre different and stronger than they were a few weeks ago, even than a few days ago. Theyve intensified since Saturday, said a person familiar with discussions among congressional leaders and Democratic donors. Right now, the president is committed to being on top of the ticket and leading the whole party to victory, the source said, but added that Democrats at a high level are already looking ahead to what a new ticket would look like with Harris as the nominee for president. White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates denied that Biden is contemplating dropping out of the race. False, he said in a one-word statement issued after The Hill reported Biden is expected to make a decision about his political future in the next few days. Kelly and Cooper have been floated in recent days as top-tier vice presidential running mates The source said the Biden campaigns plan is to go out into the states this week, but said that could change soon. A lot of stuff is going on in Delaware today, the source added. There will be some sort of strong statement coming out after the other guy goes on stage tonight, referring to Trumps acceptance of the GOP nomination for president at the convention in Milwaukee on Thursday evening. Bidens campaign team has led supporters to believe the president will reaffirm his commitment to stay in the race through Election Day, but some of them suspect he could announce a decision to end his campaign. I dont know what the message that will end up being, the strategist added. Theres lots of time between now and then. Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday after holding events in Las Vegas and returned to Delaware to self-isolate, which could postpone any announcement on his future until Monday. But the president would have incentive to settle the turmoil in his party before senators and House members return to Washington, which will set off a new round of concerns and calls for him to end his campaign. House Democrats are scheduled to fly in Monday, and senators will be back at the Capitol on Tuesday. Democrats say Trump will get a polling boost from the failed assassination attempt at last weekends Butler, Pa., rally, which has had a unifying effect on Republican voters, and from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, making Bidens chances of staging a comeback seem all the more unlikely. One Biden ally said the president remains defensive, even defiant, about his political future, but those around him are seeing the writing on the wall, sources tell The Hill. As Biden remains holed up at his Delaware beach house with COVID-19, top Democrats have continued to sound the alarm on his prospects of winning the presidential election. And there was a palpable sense from those inside the campaign and close to it that the end is near. For starters, the latest round of polls continue to spell trouble for Biden. It keeps getting worse, one strategist close to the campaign said. There has been no proof to the contrary. And morale is like Ive never seen. Its bad. Its like everyone can sense whats coming. At this point, its untenable, one surrogate to the campaign said. Theres no putting the genie back in the bottle. And while small donors have continued to trickle in, major fundraising is in the hole, sources said, as major donors continue to withhold money. There are significant cracks, and they are beyond repair, said one major Democratic donor, who added that fundraising is bleak because Bidens candidacy is clearly on the brink of collapse, and the campaign knows it. Its cooked, the donor added. A second Democratic donor agreed and said, the overall consensus is that Biden wont be the candidate, and were all in a holding pattern to see who will be. A senior White House official told ABC News on Thursday that nothing has changed regarding Bidens candidacy, and he plans to hit the campaign trail next week. He is going to win the nomination, and then the party is going to need to unite, the official told ABC News. A Democratic strategist confirmed media reports that Schumer, Jeffries and Pelosi told Biden in separate meetings that theres broad pessimism among Democrats on Capitol Hill that Biden can win in November and discussed polling showing that Biden is now a significant underdog heading into Democratic convention in Chicago. Its individual takes from three perspectives. They all amount to the same thing, said the source, who explained the message from congressional leaders to Biden is that hes unlikely to win a second term. Some Democratic strategists, including senior members of Obamas political team, visited with Bidens inner circle more than a year ago to voice their grave misgivings about Biden running for a second term. Theres not a single senator that doesnt want him to go, maybe with the exception to [Chris] Coons, the Democratic senator from Delaware and national co-chair of Bidens campaign, said a second high-level Democratic source. The dam has broken. Kenneth Baer, a Democratic strategist and former Obama administration official, pointed to a recent Associated Press/NORC poll showing two-thirds of Democratic voters want their party to nominate someone other than Biden for the presidency. President Biden is in a box. The problem is that unlike other questions may have about a candidate, this question is very hard to disprove. Is he young enough or have the mental facility enough to be a winning presidential candidate? What could he possibly [do] to change peoples minds and do so in a very quick way? Baer said. The polling has been pretty consistent for more than a year. There were always large majorities of Americans, of independents and even a majority of Democrats felt he was too old for the job. I dont know what he could [do], he added. The debate happened and that was a way to do that, and it didnt work. What could you do next? Schumer met with Biden on Saturday and conveyed the views of his caucus directly to the president, according to Schumers spokesperson. Jeffries warned Biden in a meeting Thursday of last week, before the Trump shooting, that his continued campaign could scuttle the chances of Democrats winning control of the House. A spokesperson for Jeffries said the leader directly expressed the full breadth of insight, perspective and conclusions reached about the path forward on behalf of the House Democratic Caucus. CNN reported Thursday that Pelosi privately told Biden in a recent conversation that polls show he cant beat Trump and warned he could destroy the chances of a House Democratic majority. The Democratic source said Bidens top-level advisers, including former Sen. Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, Mike Donilon, Anita Dunn, first lady Jill Biden and the presidents sister, Valerie Biden Owens, are now facing the music after hearing feedback from congressional leaders. Everybody understands Kamala is the only play if Biden steps down, the person added. The strategist said the longer Biden waits to announce a decision to drop out, the more difficult for us to make all the transitions we need to do to build a campaign around a new ticket. The whole Obama alumni are ready to take over Harriss campaign and run it. That means Obama is all over this, the source added. Harris has her own problems, including a history of high staff turnover, and she is not well-liked by Biden loyalists. Kelly who has surged to the top of Harriss short-list of running mates, according to two strategists says hes still firmly behind Biden continuing his campaign. Weve had meetings with Sen. Schumer over the last couple of weeks talking about this issue, but I think the reality of the situation is that President Biden and Kamala Harris are our nominees, he told MSNBC. Millions of Americans voted for them across the country in 50 states and territories. We have an election in 110 days, and weve got to be focused on that. An adviser to Newsom did not respond to a request for comment about the California governor taking his name out of consideration for Harriss running mate, and the governors press office did not return a voice message. A spokesperson for Whitmer declined to comment on the Michigan governors interest in running for vice president. Both donors said there is still some uncertainty in the donor community about whether Harris can win against Trump. A lot of us think there should be an open convention. It would create a lot of excitement. Updated at 9:02 p.m. ET 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. Many Democrats believe that U.S. President Joe Biden must exit the 2024 presidential race, and Biden may be close to accepting this course of action, multiple media outlets reported on July 18, citing top officials in the party. One source close to Biden told the New York Times (NYT) that "reality is setting in" and the president might soon announce that he is stepping aside in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden is currently in isolation after testing positve for Covid-19 on July 17. He has thus far insisted that he will remain in the race, but some sources indicated he may make a key announcement about his candidacy in the coming days. "The next 72 hours are big," one Democratic governor told aides on July 18, according to CNN. "This can't go on much longer." Biden has become more "receptive" to arguments that he should step aside, sources told CNN. Top Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representative Adam Schiff, have called on Biden to drop out of the race. Major donors have also reportedly withdrawn their support. Calls for Biden, age 81, to step down mounted after the president's poor debate performance in June. Questions about his mental acuity and fitness for office increased, and Biden made several public speaking gaffes, including referring to President Volodymyr Zelensky as "President Putin." Former U.S. President Donald Trump formally accepted the GOP nomination at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee on July 18. In his acceptance speech, he recounted the details of surviving a July 14 assassination attempt . The Democratic party's official nominee will be named in August at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago. Read also: Ukraine and its soldiers weigh in on whether Biden should step aside Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. (Bloomberg) -- The Justice Department is fighting the release of an interview recording of Joe Biden cited by a special counsel as proof of his poor memory, amid intense scrutiny of the presidents health and demeanor. Most Read from Bloomberg Government attorneys filed their latest brief Thursday opposing disclosure of the recording of the presidents October interview with Special Counsel Robert Hur during an investigation into Bidens handling of classified material after leaving the vice presidency. The lawyers said an officials condition shouldnt be a reason for public release and that it may hurt other investigations. Any public interest in disclosure must be based on how disclosure would shine a light on the activities of Special Counsel Hur, not on President Biden, they wrote. Key deadlines approach next month in lawsuits from congressional Republicans, conservative advocacy groups and media outlets seeking access to the recording. Thats also when Biden is set to formally accept his partys nomination at the Democratic National Convention although there are growing calls for him to step aside. At the start of the week, a judge presiding over another case House Republicans bid for the Biden recording approved the parties joint proposal for a speedier timeline, setting a schedule for written briefs that wraps up in late August. While redacted transcripts of interviews with Biden and his ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer were released earlier this year, the lawsuits argue that isnt the same as hearing their voices. They say theres strong public interest in disclosure, especially as the Nov. 5 election draws near. Earlier on Thursday, a judge heard preliminary arguments in a fight over access to unredacted transcripts and recordings of Zwonitzers interviews with Hurs team. US District Judge Ana Reyes set a hearing for Sept. 19, with briefs due in the coming weeks. Splash Factor Reyes expressed skepticism about how the Justice Department could justify keeping pieces of Zwonitzers interview secret when so much was already public. But she also pressed a lawyer for the conservative Heritage Foundation, which filed the lawsuits, to explain why they needed recordings if they could read the transcripts. The point is, you want to make a splash, the judge said. I dont think splash factor is a public interest. In a nearly 400-page report released in February, Hur concluded there was evidence that Biden kept classified information after he left the vice presidency. But the special counsel didnt recommend pressing charges because the evidence didnt establish Bidens guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Hur wrote that Biden came across in his two-day interview as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. The special counsel cited that as one reason prosecutors would find it challenging to convince jurors to convict him of crimes involving a mental state of willfulness. Biden pushed back at the time, telling reporters that his memory was fine and that he knew what the hell Im doing. Biden in May asserted executive privilege over the recording, citing conclusions by Attorney General Merrick Garland that releasing it could hurt the departments ability to carry out similar high-profile criminal investigations in the future involving the cooperation of White House officials. Legal challenges were filed in federal court in Washington. Freedom of Information Act lawsuits that the Justice Department responded to on Thursday are consolidated before US District Judge Timothy Kelly. Two were filed by conservative groups the Heritage Foundation and Judicial Watch and one was brought by media organizations (the coalition includes Bloomberg News.) Briefing is set to finish in early August. The Heritage Foundation pushed for a faster turnaround, arguing the recording related directly to the question of the presidents fitness for office. Kelly rejected that proposal, writing that his schedule balanced moving expeditiously with giving everyone time to prepare. The House Judiciary Committee filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department on July 1 to enforce a subpoena for the Biden and Zwonitzer recordings. The government is due to file its response in that case, which is before US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, by Aug. 6. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Is Biden dropping out? Heres what we know Is Biden dropping out? Heres what we know The month of July has not been kind to President Joe Biden thus far. While the minds behind Bidens campaign may have hoped for the fallout from his disastrous late-June debate performance to subside, calls for the 81-year-old to step aside as the Democratic nominee in Novembers election have only grown louder as the weeks have passed. Murmurs of a potential big announcement in the coming days have lead to speculation that Biden may be giving into the pressure from his party to hand the baton off to another Democrat thats perhaps better equipped to defeat former President Donald Trump. This is what we know about Bidens status in the presidential race as of Friday afternoon. Bidens campaign insists hes staying in President Biden has been clear in communications and in interviews: he says he will be the Democratic nominee in the 2024 election. Let me say this as clearly as I can: Im the sitting President of the United States, Biden said on X, formerly Twitter, on July 5. Im the nominee of the Democratic party. Im staying in the race. As of Friday afternoon, Biden says hell resume campaigning to keep his spot in the White House next week, after he recovers from a bout with COVID-19. While reports and speculation have risen about Bidens big announcement over the weekend, theres been no official communications to suggest that will take place, or if it would be to drop out of the race. Democrats support for Biden is rapidly decreasing At the same time as Bidens public commitment to remain the Democratic nominee, hes rapidly losing the support of his own party, both publicly and behind closed doors. Just this week, Californias Democratic nominee for its open U.S. Senate seat, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), became the partys most prominent person to urge the President to step aside. There is only one singular goal: defeating Donald Trump, Schiff told the Los Angeles Times. The stakes are just too high. Other Democrats have said similar things that the basis of the calls for Biden to drop out arent based on his policies or ability, but instead electability. Among those to ask Biden to step aside are three sitting senators and more than two dozen representatives, according to the AP. Others have reportedly expressed concerns in private, including former President Barack Obama, under whom Biden served as vice president. Former House Speaker and current U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) reportedly pointed to polling numbers suggesting that chances of a Biden victory are becoming slim. Bidens poll numbers are dwindling While poll numbers showed a virtual dead-heat prior to the June debate, Trump is pulling ahead in many of the states that will be key to either candidates victory in November, according to new polling from Emerson College. Those states include Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia, North Carolina and Arizona all states that Biden won in 2020 with exception to North Carolina. Those races dont appear to be close either, with Trump maintaining at least a five-point lead in each. While polling isnt everything, those disparities are enough to frighten the Democratic party. VP Kamala Harris would be the likely heir apparent Part of the rampant speculation into Bidens status has naturally led to an obvious follow-up question: Who should replace him on the ticket? At first, the conversation centered around California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has taken a prominent role in Bidens campaign and has toured the country in recent months. But Newsom has maintained his position that he will not be the nominee, and there are serious questions regarding his chances anyways, considering the states that Democrats need to secure in November. Vice President Kamala Harris waves after speaking at a campaign rally Tuesday, July 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. Harris announced the launch of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) for Biden-Harris, a national program to mobilize AANHPI voters. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP) Other names that have popped up include Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and former First Lady Michelle Obama, who has never indicated interest in returning to the White House. Naturally, the speculation has led to VP Kamala Harris of California for the top spot. According to reporting from The Hill, shes considered to be the heir apparent among Democratic leaders. The Hill also reports that Newsom and Whitmer both said they wouldnt consider a spot as Harriss running mate if offered. The short list for that potential spot could include Sen. Mark Kelly, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. 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. If Biden drops out of the presidential race, who would SCs Democratic delegates support? Democratic National Convention delegates from the state that catapulted Joe Biden to the White House in 2020 want to stick with the president amid calls from within the party for him to step aside, according to survey of more than half of South Carolinas DNC delegates. But if Biden were to step aside from the nomination and open up next months convention in Chicago, the more than 3,900 delegates then decide who the partys nominee would be. Not all of South Carolinas delegates would even entertain the notion of a change at the top of the Democratic ticket. Nor would some say if they have a favorite candidate if Biden relinquished the nomination. But only the vice presidents name was mentioned by those delegates willing to identify a preferred replacement. Biden never faced any serious challenge during this cycles Democratic nominating process, receiving 3,896 pledged delegates to the convention. We have a process the people have spoken and they overwhelming support him, said Melissa Watson, a DNC delegate from Berkeley County. If Biden stepped aside, a mini-primary may take place allowing hopefuls to give their pitches for the nominations. Candidates could include current administration officials such as Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg and Vice President Kamala Harris, or governors such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Even though Biden publicly has insisted hes staying the race, media reports suggest the president is now asking if his staffers think Harris could win. Calls for Biden to step aside have increased as donors to his campaign freeze contributions. Former President Barack Obama has told allies that Biden doesnt have a viable path to victory, the Washington Post reported. Pushes for Biden to step aside have festered since his poor performance in the June 27 debate with the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump. Questions about whether Biden can still do the job at his age and whether Biden could beat Trump for a second time grew louder. A lack of enthusiasm at the top of the ticket could have Democrats worrying they could lose seats in the U.S. House and lose control of the U.S. Senate if Biden is at the top of the ticket. Even in South Carolina, where straight-party ticket voting has favored Republicans, a lack of enthusiasm for Biden among Democratic voters could lead to even bigger majorities for Republicans in the state Legislature. A new Associated Press-NORC poll showed 65% of Democrats think Biden should step aside. The poll was taken before the attempted assassination of Trump. But among the South Carolinas 55 delegates to the Democratic National Convention reached by The State newspaper, most say they dont think Biden should step aside. Hes worked hard to get here. Hes done a lot in the last four years, said Bre Spaulding, a delegate from Richland County. And we know hes capable of being a great president. Delegates point to Bidens experience, which comes with his age. President Biden has a record to run on and Im not going to let 90 minutes overstep over 40 years of public service that President Biden has given to this country, said Jaheem McLaurin, a delegate from Marlboro County. McLaurin pointed to Bidens appointment of the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, efforts to fight the climate crisis, giving student loan forgiveness and signing gun safety legislation. This president has a record to run on, McLaurin said. Marcurius Byrd, who briefly worked for Marianne Williamsons 2024 presidential campaign, even echoed a sentiment made by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, South Carolinas highest ranking Democrat. Right now, Im ridin with Biden, said Byrd, a delegate from Richland County. Clyburn repeated the same message during a visit Thursday to Denmark Technical College with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. Wherever (Biden) goes in this process is where Im going, Clyburn said according to the S.C. Daily Gazette. I was asked the other day what would it take for me to change my mind. It will take him changing his. A group of Democrats have been calling on Biden to drop out of the race, including U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, who is the most prominent member of Congress to make a public call for Biden to step aside. One Democrat on the November ballot in South Carolina has publicly called on Biden to drop out: Michael B. Moore, who is running against U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Isle of Palms, in the Lowcountry 1st Congressional District. Even though the district favors Republicans, it is the most competitive congressional district in the state. This is the most consequential election of our lifetime. What happens this November will set our country and our democracy on one of two courses, and the outcomes will be felt for generations to come, Moore said in a statement. The party needs to come together to identify and rally around a new nominee, and look to President Bidens experience as the only candidate to beat Donald Trump less than four years ago. Democrat Michael B. Moore is challenging incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace this fall in South Carolinas 1st Congressional District. Who would South Carolinas DNC delegates support If Biden stepped aside, delegates at the convention would be in a position to elect another nominee. In a state where Black voters make up more than 60% of Democratic primary voters, those in the delegation willing to comment said they would want to nominate Harris, the first Black woman to serve as vice president. She is the sitting person in the chain of command. Why not go forward with the chain of command. She served California well. She served the U.S. well, said Richland County delegate Carlton Boyd, who doesnt think Biden should step aside. Black voters are a key voting bloc for the Democratic Party, but polling has shown support for Biden dropping within the group, even though he has a majority of Black support. According to Pew Research, one in five Black men plan to vote for Trump this year. Bypassing Harris would most likely hurt Democrats credibility with Black voters. She is beyond capable and qualified, outgoing state Rep. Ivory Thigpen, D-Richland, who is attending the convention as an at-large delegate. I do believe if presented with that opportunity she would not only rise to the occasion but that she would serve with excellence. Thigpen said the decision on whether Biden steps aside is the presidents alone. We have a vice president if (Biden) was to step aside it would only make sense that she would step up, said Watson, the delegate from Berkeley County. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to a crowd gathered at the South Carolina State House on Monday Jan.15, 2024. Harris could take over the campaign account, which has $91 million in the bank as of May 31, according to Federal Elections Commission records. My first instinct is to nominate the vice president because she is already on the ticket, and already on the FEC forms, said Austin Jackson of Richland County. Not all of the delegates are ready to jump on board with Harris, and would wait for guidance from some the partys leading figures if the nomination was in play. At that point I would look for leadership from our great Jim Clyburn, said Angelia Edwards of Spartanburg County. Ahead of the 2020 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary, Clyburn, the states highest ranking Democrat, endorsed Biden who had lost the first three nominating contests at that point. President Joe Biden arrives at Columbia Metropolitan Airport on Thursday, July 6, 2023. He is seen walking with U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia and Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. Some S.C. delegates wouldnt give a preferred choice, hoping a competitive process occurs. There should be an open process (where) candidates emerge and are able to speak and campaign in whatever way that would be in a short period, Charleston Countys Lachlan McIntosh said, who added it would be important for the and the country for it to happen in that fashion. Delegate Kathryn Harvey, who also is the Democratic nominee in the Upstate 4th Congressional District, said she doesnt think Biden should step aside and stability is needed at the top of the ticket. But she also added she doesnt have a favorite candidate if Biden opted out. I dont have somebody immediately at the top right now, Harvey said. Its something I would need to think about and really weigh. Some say they havent even considered the possibility of having to vote for a new nominee at the convention and wouldnt contemplate another option. I dont know because I havent been presented with that option yet, and I dont even want to speculate, said Cody Lidge of Richland County. At the end of the day, the decision on whether to exit the race lies with Biden, even though he has said publicly he isnt stepping aside, despite the growing worry around his candidacy. Its his decision to make, said Chaquez McCall, who didnt advocate for Biden to drop out. He should listen to the concerns some people have. But if the president stepped aside, McCall has his way of determining who he would back at the convention. It would be whoever Joe Biden tells me to support, McCall said. Reporters Margaret Walker and Anna Wilder contributed to this article. With Biden out of the race, heres who SCs DNC delegates said they planned to back Democratic National Convention delegates from the state that catapulted Joe Biden to the White House in 2020 wanted to stick with the president amid calls from within the party for him to step aside, according to a survey of more than half of South Carolinas DNC delegates in the 10 days leading up to Bidens announcement. But with Biden stepping aside from the nomination and opening up next months convention in Chicago, the more than 3,900 delegates now will decide who the partys nominee will be. Not all of South Carolinas delegates wanted to entertain the notion of a change at the top of the Democratic ticket. Nor would some say if they have a favorite candidate before Biden relinquished the nomination. But only the vice presidents name was mentioned by those delegates willing to identify a preferred replacement. Biden never faced any serious challenge during this cycles Democratic nominating process, receiving 3,896 pledged delegates to the convention. We have a process the people have spoken and they overwhelming support him, said Melissa Watson, a DNC delegate from Berkeley County. The idea of a mini-primary taking place has been floated. It would allow hopefuls to give their pitches for the nominations. Candidates could include current administration officials such as Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg and Vice President Kamala Harris, or governors such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Even though Biden publicly insisted he would stay in the race, he opted to step aside Sunday and backed Harris for the nomination. Calls for Biden to step aside increased as donors to his campaign froze contributions. Former President Barack Obama had told allies that Biden doesnt have a viable path to victory, the Washington Post reported. Pushes for Biden to step aside festered since his poor performance in the June 27 debate with the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump. Questions about whether Biden can still do the job at his age and whether Biden could beat Trump for a second time grew louder. A lack of enthusiasm at the top of the ticket Democrats worrying they could lose seats in the U.S. House and lose control of the U.S. Senate if Biden is at the top of the ticket. Even in South Carolina, where straight-party ticket voting has favored Republicans, a lack of enthusiasm for Biden among Democratic voters could lead to even bigger majorities for Republicans in the state Legislature. An Associated Press-NORC poll showed 65% of Democrats think Biden should step aside. The poll was taken before the attempted assassination of Trump. But among the South Carolinas 55 delegates to the Democratic National Convention reached by The State newspaper, most said they didnt think Biden should step aside. Hes worked hard to get here. Hes done a lot in the last four years, said Bre Spaulding, a delegate from Richland County. And we know hes capable of being a great president. Delegates point to Bidens experience, which comes with his age. President Biden has a record to run on and Im not going to let 90 minutes overstep over 40 years of public service that President Biden has given to this country, said Jaheem McLaurin, a delegate from Marlboro County. McLaurin pointed to Bidens appointment of the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, efforts to fight the climate crisis, giving student loan forgiveness and signing gun safety legislation. This president has a record to run on, McLaurin said. Marcurius Byrd, who briefly worked for Marianne Williamsons 2024 presidential campaign, even echoed a sentiment made by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, South Carolinas highest ranking Democrat. Right now, Im ridin with Biden, Byrd, a delegate from Richland County, said several days before Bidens announcement. Clyburn repeated the same message during a visit Thursday to Denmark Technical College with U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. Wherever (Biden) goes in this process is where Im going, Clyburn said according to the S.C. Daily Gazette. I was asked the other day what would it take for me to change my mind. It will take him changing his. A group of Democrats called on Biden to drop out of the race, including U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, who was the most prominent member of Congress to make a public call for Biden to step aside. One Democrat on the November ballot in South Carolina had publicly called on Biden to drop out: Michael B. Moore, who is running against U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Isle of Palms, in the Lowcountry 1st Congressional District. Even though the district favors Republicans, it is the most competitive congressional district in the state. This is the most consequential election of our lifetime. What happens this November will set our country and our democracy on one of two courses, and the outcomes will be felt for generations to come, Moore said in a statement. The party needs to come together to identify and rally around a new nominee, and look to President Bidens experience as the only candidate to beat Donald Trump less than four years ago. Democrat Michael B. Moore is challenging incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace this fall in South Carolinas 1st Congressional District. Who will South Carolinas DNC delegates support With Biden stepping aside, delegates at the convention will be in a position to elect another nominee. In a state where Black voters make up more than 60% of Democratic primary voters, those in the delegation willing to comment said they would want to nominate Harris, the first Black woman to serve as vice president. She is the sitting person in the chain of command. Why not go forward with the chain of command. She served California well. She served the U.S. well, said Richland County delegate Carlton Boyd, who doesnt think Biden should step aside. Black voters are a key voting bloc for the Democratic Party, but polling has shown support for Biden dropping within the group, even though he has a majority of Black support. According to Pew Research, one in five Black men plan to vote for Trump this year. Bypassing Harris would most likely hurt Democrats credibility with Black voters. She is beyond capable and qualified, outgoing state Rep. Ivory Thigpen, D-Richland, who is attending the convention as an at-large delegate. I do believe if presented with that opportunity she would not only rise to the occasion but that she would serve with excellence. Thigpen said the decision on whether Biden steps aside is the presidents alone. We have a vice president if (Biden) was to step aside it would only make sense that she would step up, said Watson, the delegate from Berkeley County. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to a crowd gathered at the South Carolina State House on Monday Jan.15, 2024. Harris could take over the campaign account, which has $91 million in the bank as of May 31, according to Federal Elections Commission records. My first instinct is to nominate the vice president because she is already on the ticket, and already on the FEC forms, said Austin Jackson of Richland County. Not all of the delegates are ready to jump on board with Harris, and would wait for guidance from some the partys leading figures if the nomination was in play. At that point I would look for leadership from our great Jim Clyburn, said Angelia Edwards of Spartanburg County. Ahead of the 2020 South Carolina Democratic presidential primary, Clyburn, the states highest ranking Democrat, endorsed Biden who had lost the first three nominating contests at that point. President Joe Biden arrives at Columbia Metropolitan Airport on Thursday, July 6, 2023. He is seen walking with U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia and Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. Some S.C. delegates wouldnt give a preferred choice, hoping a competitive process occurs. There should be an open process (where) candidates emerge and are able to speak and campaign in whatever way that would be in a short period, Charleston Countys Lachlan McIntosh said, who added it would be important for the and the country for it to happen in that fashion. Delegate Kathryn Harvey, who also is the Democratic nominee in the Upstate 4th Congressional District, said she didnt think Biden should step aside and stability is needed at the top of the ticket. But she also added she doesnt have a favorite candidate if Biden opted out. I dont have somebody immediately at the top right now, Harvey said. Its something I would need to think about and really weigh. Some say they hadnt even considered the possibility of having to vote for a new nominee at the convention and wouldnt contemplate another option. I dont know because I havent been presented with that option yet, and I dont even want to speculate, said Cody Lidge of Richland County. Even before Biden stepped aside, Florence County delegate Chaquez McCall said he had his way of determining who he would back at the convention. It would be whoever Joe Biden tells me to support, McCall said. Reporters Margaret Walker and Anna Wilder contributed to this article. President Joe Biden has dropped out of the race. The Democratic Party is heading toward an open convention. Ousting a presumptive nominee at convention would have been an uphill battle, but with Biden now out of the race, the path to find a nominee is clear. It will be done via delegates. In order for a candidate to become the official nominee of the Democratic Party, they need to win the majority of the delegates. With Biden out of the running, delegates would not be pledged to vote for anyone states laws and party rules make it difficult for delegates to vote for a candidate who did not win the primary unless they are released. With the delegates released, the campaigning will begin. Names have already floated around of who possible contenders could be: Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. It is likely that a handful of Democrats will soon toss their names into the ring and start calling delegates to make their pitch to them. Unlike campaigning in a primary election, where breadth of reach especially matters, these candidates would try to get the small group of delegates to coalesce around them. Biden could possibly endorse a candidate in this situation, but delegates would not have to vote for the candidate he chose to endorse. How would a Democrat declare candidacy now that has Biden dropped out? Party rules say requests to nominate candidates need to be in writing and delivered to the convention secretary no later than 6 p.m. before the day designated for nominating a presidential candidate. At least 300 delegates would need to sign a petition accompanying the proposed nomination or they would need to get more than 600 delegate votes (50 or less could come from one delegation) in order to qualify as a candidate under consideration for the nomination. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Sept. 14, 2022. | Paul Sancya How voting would work at an open convention Getting into the nitty gritty of voting, the first round would consist of delegates but not superdelegates voting. If the majority of the roughly 4,000 coalesce around one presidential candidate, then that candidate will win the nomination. But in the case of a split vote where no candidate wins a majority, the superdelegates can vote. Superdelegates are generally Democratic politicians, activists, donors and thought leaders. Delegates are chosen at a more local level that may differ from state to state. Candidates will have a few minutes to make their cases to the delegates in this scenario. The voting rounds would continue until a candidate received a majority. Though the Democratic Party had decided to go with a virtual roll call meeting to choose the nominee ahead of convention due to an Ohio deadline, that deadline has now changed. It is unclear if the Democratic Party would decide to still choose its nominee ahead of convention or wait a couple of weeks until the convention begins to do the voting process. And it is also possible the party could change its rules around voting ahead of the open convention, which could impact the rules and procedures. Democrats would have to figure out a nomination at convention because soon after it may be difficult for the candidate to get on the ballot then. States administer their own elections and deadlines for parties to submit their official nominees start in late August. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg pauses while speaking about the effects of a possible government shutdown during a news conference at the Department of Transportation, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, in Washington. | Alex Brandon, Associated Press What about all the money the Biden campaign raised? There is money still in the Biden campaign coffers. There are a couple situations to consider. This is an area of law that has been tested, but with an unprecedented situation, experts have expressed uncertainly about what might happen. If Kamala Harris becomes the nominee, the answer is easy: She could use the money. This is because her name is also registered on the campaign account with the Federal Election Commission. But say someone else wins the nomination, then it is possible the money could be returned to donors. They could decide if they wanted to donate to the new campaign or not. The Hill reported this is a fuzzy scenario, because it is possible primary money could not be refunded, but cash intended for the general election may be required to be refunded. There is also another potential scenario. Steve Roberts, partner at Holtzman Vogel and former general counsel on Vivek Ramaswamys presidential campaign, told The Hill the money could be also be transferred but with caveats. Even if Biden is not the nominee, he would have the authority to direct his campaign treasurer on what to do with the remnant funds whether that is a transfer in full to the DNC, to a super PAC supporting the new nominee or parsed out up to contribution limits to various other campaigns with the balance to the DNC or a super PAC, said Roberts. It is worth noting this only applies to funds directly donated to the campaign. Dark money and super PACs could redirect their spending without dealing with the same legal hurdles campaign money would have go to through. Will there be any pushback? It is difficult to predict the reaction of Democratic voters in an unprecedented scenario like this. Democratic voters may be disgruntled by having delegates select the partys candidate rather than a primary election that delegates are bound to but polls show a majority of Democratic voters want to see Biden replaced. It is also possible there will be legal challenges. The Heritage Foundation is reportedly preparing legal challenges in the event Biden drops out before or after convention, per Fox News. We are monitoring the calls from across the country for President Biden to step aside, either now or before the election, and have concluded that the process for substitution and withdrawal is very complicated, said Mike Howell, executive director of the foundations Oversight Project. We will remain vigilant that appropriate election integrity procedures are followed. State laws generally allow candidates chosen at convention before their deadlines to appear on the ballots, but it is unclear what impact these legal challenges could have due to the novelty of the situation. By Joe Cash and Liangping Gao BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese officials acknowledged on Friday the sweeping list of economic goals re-emphasised at the end of a key Communist Party meeting this week contained "many complex contradictions," pointing to a bumpy road ahead for policy implementation. Pressure for deep changes in how the world's second-largest economy functions has risen this year, with consumer and business sentiment near record lows domestically, and global leaders increasingly concerned with China's export dominance. Following a four-day, closed-doors meeting led by President Xi Jinping, which takes place once in roughly five years, officials made a raft of seemingly contradictory pledges, from modernising the industrial complex while also expanding domestic demand to stimulating growth and simultaneously curbing debt risks. The initial summary of the meeting, known as plenum, did not contain details on how Beijing plans to resolve the tensions between policy goals, such as how to get consumers to spend more while resources flow primarily to producers and infrastructure. Concerns are growing that without a structural shift that gives consumers a greater role in the economy, debt will continue to outpace growth in order to finance Beijing's industrial modernisation and global prominence goals. That raises the stakes. Some analysts warn the current path fuels risks of a prolonged period of near-stagnation and persistent deflation threats as seen in Japan since the 1990s. "High debt levels plus increasing deflationary pressures eventually could result in a Japan-style ... low growth and very low inflation," said Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China economics at Capital Economics. "That, I think, would force them to change course on their current policies. But that might not happen straight away. That might only happen in a few years time." Contradictions in Chinese policy efforts have been present for decades, as were goals to increase manufacturing value added, enhance social security, liberalise land use and improve local government tax revenues. But making tough choices is an increasingly urgent task. China grew at a slower than expected pace in the second quarter, leaning hard on industrial output and external demand, but showing persistent domestic weakness. Speaking at a media briefing on Friday along with other Party officials, Tang Fangyu, deputy director of the central committee's policy research office, acknowledged the challenges. "The deeper the reform goes, the more complex and acute the conflicts of interest it touches," Tang said. Story continues "Pushing forward Chinese-style modernisation faces many complex conflicts and problems, and we must overcome multiple difficulties and obstructions." The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said it was "positive that Chinas leadership has again acknowledged many of the headwinds facing the countrys economy," but noted the outcome was largely "a reiteration of points." "There appears to be no deviation from (China's) immediate priority, which is to balance its economic recovery against national security concerns, while maintaining social stability." 'DISAPPOINTING' China is expected to publish a document with more detailed policy plans in the coming days. But the fact that the initial post-plenum announcement borrowed heavily from China's existing playbook disappointed some economists. Nothing new under the sun: the same industrial policies, the same sense of things," said Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief economist Asia-Pacific at Natixis. "Really no change in direction, no consumption-led growth, nothing. No sentence on the power of market forces, nothing. So, its really disappointing. Chinese stocks, not far above the five-year lows hit at the start of 2024, were flat on Friday, suggesting the plenum did little to improve sentiment. After a similar plenum in 2013, Beijing launched a policy agenda that included most of the goals announced on Thursday, but also ambitions to liberalise financial markets and make domestic consumption a more prominent driver of growth. A capital outflows scare in 2015 halted many of these plans. Many analysts argue that national security considerations have pushed China in the opposite direction in recent years, tightening control over swathes of the economy with regulatory crackdowns on industries including tech and finance. Instead of leaning on household demand, Beijing had poured resources into infrastructure and real estate, which led many local governments across the country to accumulate debt at an unsustainable pace. Beijing has recently highlighted advanced manufacturing as a new growth driver, again sidestepping consumers, with leaders hoping an industrial leap could save China from the middle-income trap and stabilise the job market in the process. The plenum reasserted China's quest for "new productive forces", a term coined by Xi last year that envisions scientific research and technological breakthroughs for industrial expansion. "There is still tension between expanding the supply side of the economy and boosting household spending," said Harry Murphy Cruise, an economist at Moodys Analytics. "The communique mostly focused on new productive forces, the scientific and technological revolution, and industrial transformation. Mention of support to household wellbeing didnt come until the tail end." (Additional reporting by Ellen Zhang and Kevin Yao in Beijing; Writing by Marius Zaharia; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) The pressure building on Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race has reportedly led to his family gaming an exit strategy. NBC News reports that Bidens family is discussing how the president can step aside on his own terms, with a well-thought-out plan. Bidens health, his family, and the countrys stability are reportedly the chief concerns, along with the final plan being one that gives the Democrats the best chance to beat former president and convicted felon Donald Trump. Officially, the White House denies that such discussions are taking place. That is not happening, period, said White House spokesman Andrew Bates. The individuals making those claims are not speaking for his family or his teamand they will be proven wrong. Keep the faith. Bidens family even discussing his exit could be a big turning point. It comes after news this week that top Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Representative Nancy Pelosi, have all spoken with Biden about dropping out. Even former President Barack Obama has voiced concerns, and one West Coast donor has taken the liberty of drafting an exit speech for Biden. Earlier this week, the White House announced that Biden was diagnosed with Covid-19, fueling more discussion about health concerns. As each day goes by, more and more Democrats in Congress are calling on Biden to step aside, including five more lawmakers who joined the public calls on Thursday. Biden could drop out within a few days, according to reports. Still, some of his supporters think that a switch at this point could imperil the Democrats, especially if it is not well planned. The Democratic National Convention in Chicago is only a month away. If Democrats want to make a move, they will need to present a unified party to the country at that point, otherwise Trump and the GOP will see a lot of weakness to exploit. Biden-Harris campaign ad on Black maternal health and abortion rights to run in NC Screenshot of a Biden-Harris campaign ad on Black maternal healthcare. The Biden-Harris campaign is running an ad in Raleigh, Charlotte, and five other cities focused on Black maternal health and reproductive rights. The ad features an Atlanta womens health nurse practitioner, Shawana Moore, who says Overturning Roe was just the beginning. The ad is running in a seven cities in five battleground states with a focus on reaching voters of color, according to the campaign. I think theres fear and uncertainty, Moore says in the ad. My heart ached for patients needing care. Black women are more than three times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Abortion bans and restrictions are predicted to hit Black women hardest by increasing the mortality gap and exacerbating the problem of maternity care deserts. Black women in the NC Senate argued during last years debate over North Carolinas 12-week ban that the law will increase the death rate for pregnant Black women in the state. A University of Colorado research calculated that a nationwide abortion ban would result in an overall 21% increase in maternal mortality, and increase Black maternal deaths by 33%. A national survey of OBGYNs conducted by KFF last year found that 64% believed that the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade worsened pregnancy-related deaths, 70% believed it made racial and ethnic inequalities worse, and 55% believed it made it harder to attract new OBGYNs to the field. The Biden-Harris campaign has made abortion rights a central issue. Former President Donald Trump has bragged about overturning Roe v. Wade, while voters in six states, including Republican states, have approved constitutional amendments favoring abortion access, according to KFF. Democrats this week have zeroed in on GOP vice presidential nominee J.D. Vances comments on abortion. When Vance was running for Senate in 2022, he said he supported a national abortion ban, CNN reported. In a 2023 post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Vance equated abortion to murder. Last year, Vance told the US Department of Justice in a letter to enforce the Comstock Act to stop the mailing of abortion pills, the Washington Post reported. More recently, Vance has expressed different views. He told NBC News in a Meet the Press interview earlier this month that he supported the Supreme Court opinion allowing continued access to abortion pills and Trumps position that abortion laws should be left to the states. REHOBOTH BEACH, Delaware Joe Bidens campaign chair insisted on Friday that the president is remaining in the race even as the cascade of Democratic defections continue. In an appearance on MSNBCs Morning Joe, Jen OMalley Dillon acknowledged that Bidens candidacy had suffered from some slippage of support since the debate, as concerns spiked among both Democratic officials and voters over his age and mental acuity. But she argued that Biden has proven since then that hes capable of running an aggressive race, urging Democrats to reunify behind him and shift their focus back onto attacking former President Donald Trump. The president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, OMalley Dillon said. We believe, on this campaign, we are built for the close election that were in. And we see the path forward. But by the afternoon, nine new House Democrats and another Senate Democrat had already called for Biden to drop out, including key figures in the partys left flank. The defiant message came even as the intentions of the Biden family and closest advisers seem to shift moment to moment, according to two people who were granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly about private conversations. Biden is facing intensifying pressure across the Democratic Party to step aside, fueled by worries hes falling further behind Trump in the polls and could also jeopardize efforts to win the House and Senate. Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said in a joint message to Biden Friday that it is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders. The headline of an op-ed from Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) in the Chicago Tribune used the same pass the torch phrase and separately cited Democratic voters tremendous fear that Trump will win the White House. It breaks my heart to say it, but Biden is no longer up for that job, he wrote. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) issued his own statement shortly afterward that repeated the "pass the torch" language, adding that I believe it is in the best interests of our country for him to step aside." Later on Friday, Reps. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) also called for Biden to end his campaign. More Democratic lawmakers are expected to publicly air their own concerns in coming days, according to a senior Hill Democrat granted anonymity to discuss private conversations. But a handful of additional defections by longer tenured Democratic senators with years-long relationships with the president would have a much larger impact, the Democrat said. The delicate goal, the Democrat added: Create enough public pressure to force the president's hand, while allowing him some measure of dignity so that it appears he came to the decision on his own. "He has to say, 'I know I'm not going to win,'" another Democrat involved in the discussions said of Biden. Despite the building pressure, "it doesn't matter if at the end of the day you don't have the guy himself coming up to the podium." Biden is isolating while recovering with Covid and therefore speaking to allies, and even his closest aides, solely by the phone, according to the two people. He has at times continued to push the notion that because he has beaten Trump once, he can again, while at other times he has asked allies whether they think Vice President Kamala Harris can defeat the Republican nominee. The White House called a lid on Friday morning, signaling for the second straight day that the president would not be seen in public. Biden's Covid symptoms had "improved meaningfully," though he continued to take Paxlovid, his physician wrote in a letter that the White House released Friday afternoon. Bidens inner circle has grown angry this week against the seemingly coordinated move by Democratic leaders including some longtime friends to push him from the race. At the same time, some close to the president began to have private conversations in which they entertained for the first time that the partys best path might be for Biden to step aside, according to the two people and another Democrat familiar with the campaign dynamics. "They really feel like they're being betrayed," said a senior Democratic lawmaker who has spoken with the Biden team, granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations. Still, there's "a lot of discussion" in the president's orbit about how to proceed, the lawmaker said, and growing awareness that a definitive decision as to whether Biden stays in or gets out must be made by the end of the week. Publicly, Bidens aides maintain theyve given no thought to changing course. In a Friday statement responding to Trump's speech at the Republican convention, Biden said he planned to be back on the campaign trail next week. "Together, as a party and as a country, we can and will defeat him at the ballot box," Biden said. "The stakes are high, and the choice is clear." O'Malley Dillon said on MSNBC that the campaign still sees "multiple pathways to victory, and we can do that by really reaching these voters." At the end of the day, its going to take all of us unifying and moving forward," she said. Pressed for evidence that Biden could come back from the damaging last few weeks, OMalley Dillon pointed to recent conversations with voters across battleground states, claiming that more than three-quarters of the roughly 100,000 voters the campaign had talked to indicated theyre supporting Biden. She also downplayed polling showing Biden slipping further behind Trump nationally and in swing states, contending that the vast majority of voters had already made up their minds about who to support and that the debate did little to alter their opinions. The impression of the president is very hardened, OMalley Dillon said. People know and are baked, and thats why the movement has been pretty little since the debate, because they know who Joe Biden is. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates also denied that Biden and his inner circle are considering dropping out, saying anyone suggesting otherwise has "no idea what they are talking about." Biden did get a boost overnight from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who reiterated her support for Biden and argued theres too little time to consider an alternative candidate. I have not seen a scenario, an alternative scenario, that I feel does not set us up for enormous peril, she said on Instagram Live, adding that she has little faith the party could smoothly swap in Harris as the new nominee. If you think that there is consensus among people who want Joe Biden to leave you would be mistaken, she said, pointing to a swath of Democrats who are interested in removing the whole ticket. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), a close Biden ally, also reiterated his support for the president, telling POLITICO in an interview that the only reason hed change his mind is if Biden does first. But he declined to criticize Democrats calling for Biden to drop out, saying only that the party needs to coalesce behind a nominee before the Democratic convention in August. Everybodys got a right to do their own thing with this, he said. We can have all the debate we want to have this week or next week or the week after that, but this issue must be behind us before we get to Chicago. Insights from Politico, The New York Times, and The Washington Post The News President Joe Biden said Friday he is looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week as he recovers from COVID-19, despite a barrage of Democratic lawmakers calling on him to step down. His campaigns insistence Friday that he is absolutely staying in the race came as six more House Democrats called on Biden to end his reelection bid, while Jon Tester and Martin Heinrich became the second and third senators to urge him to pass the torch. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. Growing number of senior Democrats believe Biden is unelectable Sources: NBC News, CNN While Biden and his campaign continue to insist that he is staying in the race, non-stop leaks to the press suggest even his inner circle has come around to the idea that it is time for him to step down. The presidents family has reportedly discussed Biden stepping aside, some White House and campaign officials privately believe he is no longer electable, and people close to Biden believe he is slowly coming round. One top Democrat told CNN that Biden has become exceptionally insulated and isolated after his calamitous debate performance in June, with the presidents closest advisors closing ranks around him. Congressional Democrats fear Biden could make their seats unwinnable Sources: The New York Times, The Washington Post Many of the congressional Democrats calling for Biden to step down hold vulnerable seats, and Democrats fear that a wipeout for Biden in November would also mean the party could lose both the House and the Senate. The numbers are trending to more swing states, and worse numbers, and more congressional seats that are now contested, one House Democrat who has called for Biden to leave the race told The New York Times. Winning presidential candidates tend to sweep fellow party members into office, an analysis by a Columbia University professor found. For every percentage point a presidential candidate gained, their partys down-ballot candidates in the House gained almost half a point. Harris allies maneuver to get her top of ticket if Biden steps down Sources: Politico, NBC News Allies of Vice President Kamala Harris have started a quiet effort to ensure Harris is well positioned to replace Biden as the presidential nominee if he steps down, Politico reported. The informal campaign, which has not been sanctioned by Harris, is aiming to build up the political apparatus the former California attorney general would need to run for president, and to coordinate about the case she and her allies would make about why she should be Bidens successor. Harris would have a different path to victory than Biden, and could focus on mobilizing Black voters in the South rather than adopting the presidents focus on swing states in the Rust Belt, a Democratic strategist told NBC News. (Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden said he would resume campaigning next week, despite mounting criticism from Democratic allies who have begun viewing his exit from the race as an inevitability. Most Read from Bloomberg I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America, Biden, who is recovering from Covid-19 at his Delaware beach home, said in a statement Friday. The statement was the latest indication that Biden remains determined to stay in the race, despite prominent party leaders urging him to reconsider. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is seen as the most likely to replace Biden atop the Democratic ticket, echoed the sentiment in a call with top party donors, extolling Bidens virtues. It is something I feel strongly you should all hear and should take with you when you leave, and tell your friends too: We are going to win this election, Harris said. Paired with a rare television appearance by campaign chairwoman Jennifer OMalley Dillon, who told MSNBC the president was absolutely determined to stay in the race and more committed than ever, the signal from the Wilmington, Delaware, headquarters clearly intended to convey Bidens determination. But few Democrats outside Bidens employ believe his effort remains viable. In an all-hands meeting on Friday, senior officials on the campaign acknowledged the difficulty of combating a constant barrage of speculation and media reporting, according to a person familiar with the conversation, while also arguing that the presidents reservoir of support was deeper than it would appear on cable news. Still, additional lawmaker defections and new reporting including NBC Newss account of Biden family members discussing a possible exit plan continued to rock the campaign. The extent to which the unprecedented pressure campaign from party elders and donors had rattled Bidens reelection effort was undeniable, drawing in even those closest to the president. Time for a graceful exit is running short. Trump accepted the Republican nomination to great fanfare Thursday night in Milwaukee, unifying his party as he recalled his narrow escape from an assassins bullet. But the meandering address, dotted with references to fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter, his positive relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and an attack on union leadership, only underscored to many Democrats how the election should be winnable. As the winner of the Democratic primary, the decision is indeed Bidens alone to make. The president, 81, could ultimately insist on waging a defiant, solitary final campaign in hopes of proving everyone wrong. The uncertainty has already left Democrats in a lurch. Party leaders are eager to take the fight to Trump, but Democrats lose the opportunity to go on the offensive each day that the Biden melodrama dominates the national conversation. A poll released Thursday by CBS News showed Trump with a majority 52% of likely voters. Were moving toward the convention. There has to be decisions made, said Amy Dacey, former chief executive officer of the Democratic National Committee. Since Bidens debate performance three weeks ago set off panic among his fellow party members, the belief in Washington has been that only senior leaders, like Barack Obama or Nancy Pelosi, could force him to withdraw. In recent days, they have taken steps to do just that. The Washington Post reported on Thursday that Obama has told allies that Bidens path to victory is greatly diminished and that he needs to seriously consider if his campaign remains viable. Pelosi told Biden in a private conversation recently that polls show he cannot beat Trump and that his continued candidacy could rob Democrats of the chance to win back the House in November, CNN reported Thursday. Those concerns echoed ones raised in closeddoor meetings with Biden by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The steady flow of leaks belies a frustration in many corners of the party with the presidents entrenchment. The fact that none of the lawmakers explicitly denied their role only fanned speculation leaders were coordinating the defenestration behind closed doors. Its also opened the door for even more prominent Democrats to publicly pressure Biden to drop out. Late Thursday, Jon Tester the Montana Democrat who is among the most vulnerable senators this cycle issued a statement calling for the president to step aside. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who along with Tester represents a state that Trump won easily twice, joined the chorus on Friday along with Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. And six more Democratic House members called for Biden to withdraw in statements issued Friday, bringing the number of lawmakers publicly defecting to more than two dozen. Resistance from Schumer and Jeffries helped prompt Democrats to hold off on formally nominating Biden this month in a virtual roll call, with party officials saying there will be no delegate votes before Aug. 1. That buys Democrats skeptical of Biden more time to carry out their pressure campaign, but it also prolongs the infighting over his candidacy. Still, Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said Friday the party hoped to push ahead with plans to formalize the nomination before Aug. 7. While he and other Democratic officials said the decision was rooted in an effort to preempt Republican legal challenges, the move also prevents any sort of floor fight from coalescing at the convention. We can look forward to nominating our president through a virtual roll call and celebrating with fanfare together in Chicago alongside all of our delegates who are supporting the Biden-Harris ticket, Harrison said. The campaign is continuing to plan fundraisers, a sign that some donors are still willing to cut checks for the president. Biden is scheduled to meet with contributors in California this coming Friday and Saturday, while Harris is on tap to attend a fundraiser featuring musical performances from James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma and Emanuel Ax in Massachusetts, according to a schedule obtained by Bloomberg News. Later this month, first lady Jill Biden is slated for a fundraising swing through New England. Loyalists were also encouraged by news that the presidents Covid symptoms had improved meaningfully, according to a note released by the White House physician. Still, there were signs that the president has become open to the possibility of being replaced on the ballot. ABC reported that Biden asked for polling on how Harris would perform. Chris Coons, a Democratic senator from Bidens home state of Delaware, said Biden was weighing who is the best candidate to win in November in a panel discussion at the Aspen Security Forum. The president said in an interview this week with BET News he would consider ending his campaign or handing over power to Harris if he is reelected, if he had a medical condition though he discounted the possibility of that occurring. The vice president, who would very likely be Bidens choice to replace him, has continued on with a full slate of events while the president remains sidelined with Covid. She plans to attend a fundraiser on Saturday and travel to Milwaukee, the site of the Republican convention, early next week, and has offered no public indication that shes vying to take over the campaign. We know which candidate in this election puts the American people first: Our president, Joe Biden, she told donors on the call Friday, according to a listener on the call who shared the remarks on the condition of anonymity. --With assistance from Skylar Woodhouse, Riley Griffin, Josh Wingrove, Erik Wasson, Christian Hall, Jenny Leonard, Akayla Gardner and Hadriana Lowenkron. (Updates with Sherrod Brown in 18th paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. A beleaguered Joe Biden entered potentially the most decisive weekend of his 50-year political career on Friday as the growing list of Democratic members of Congress calling on him to step aside surpassed 30, with the latest being the Ohio senator Sherrod Brown. Biden is recovering from Covid-19 in self-isolation at his home in Delaware and reportedly feeling angry and betrayed by allies and speculation mounted that he might be preparing to announce his withdrawal from the race. Advisers were reported to be discussing the details, timing and setting of a possible withdrawal announcement, and a mood of resignation before Bidens departure was said to be rampant among his campaign staff. Related: Biden reportedly open to 2024 rethink as Pelosi steps up pressure campaign With six in 10 Democratic voters telling an AP-Norc Centre for Public Affairs Research poll released on Friday that Kamala Harris would make a good president, allies of the vice-president were making discreet preparations for her to assume the top of the presidential ticket, courting donors and crafting a new message to be used in the event she becomes the candidate. A rare glimmer of light for Biden came in a letter on Thursday signed by more than 1,400 Black female supporters, who argued that he should remain the candidate, and that any attempt to change the ticket would circumvent the will of millions of voters who participated in a democratic process in the primaries. Another public statement of support on Thursday came from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman, who during an Instagram live stream on Thursday urged Democrats to reconsider their efforts to push Biden out. On Friday, Bernie Sanders also urged support for Biden. The Congressional Hispanic caucuss campaign arm also announced on Friday that it was endorsing Biden, which is no surprise given the groups opposition to Trump but noteworthy at a moment when the president is fighting for his political life. Another Trump presidency would be disastrous to the Latino community across the country, the groups chairwoman, Linda Sanchez, said. But with more than 30 Democrats in Congress, including the leading California representative Adam Schiff, having now called on Biden to step down, the president was said to be angry at senior figures in the party for encouraging the discontent. Chief among them is Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker who has tried to persuade Biden of his declining poll numbers, as well as Barack Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton, who Biden reportedly feels have undermined him through their conspicuous silence. Late on Friday evening, Senator Brown released a statement: At this critical time, our full attention must return to these important issues. I think the president should end his campaign. After weeks of defiantly stating that he will remain the Democratic nominee, despite concerns about his age and mental acuity in the wake of last months disastrous debate against Donald Trump, some media outlets were reporting that Biden was reconsidering his position. Reality is setting in, a source close to Biden told the New York Times, adding that it would not be surprising if Biden announced his withdrawal soon to allow Harris to take the nomination. I dont see how [Biden] can outmanoeuvre the sustained attacks, Politico quoted a Democratic figure close to the White House as saying. It feels like the ending is near. Bidens resolve had reportedly been shaken by a combination of the intensive machinations of Pelosi, fresh poll data from swing states showing his path to an electoral college victory narrowing, and a boycott by key donors, the latest of whom reportedly was the Silicon Valley billionaire Michael Moritz. Pelosi, long one of his most important allies, is said to have used her knowledge of polling data and the political map to persuade him that his position is weak. Biden has repeatedly insisted that he has polling evidence showing he could win, relying on data from his aide Mike Donilon. But when he made the argument to Pelosi in a recent phone call, she told him to put Donilon on the phone so she could counter it with her own polling and implying that the president was not being kept informed, the New York Times reported. Public pressure intensified further on Thursday when the Senate Democrats Jon Tester of Montana and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico publicly urged Biden to step aside. Many more than the 30-plus congressional Democrats who have publicly called for his withdrawal have done so in private. Four House members Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Chuy Garcia of Illinois, and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin issued a plea jointly Friday. They wrote to Biden: Mr President, you have always put our country and our values first. We call on you to do it once again, so that we can come together and save the country we love. Three further separate calls were made by Zoe Lofgren of California, a close Pelosi ally, Sean Casten of Illinois, and Greg Landsman of Ohio, whose seat is one of the Republicans top targets in Novembers election. Allies of Pelosi depicted her as exercising sensitivity towards Biden by recognising his achievements as president, long record of political service and the fact that he has Covid while subtly using gentle persuasion. Shes like a magician, one source told the Hill. Shes extraordinarily intentional. Shes trying hard to keep the balance and helping him reach a decision by gently pulling, never pushing. That cut little ice with Bidens allies, one of whom compared his fate to Julius Caesar. People who have known this man for 30, 40 years are stabbing this man in the front and the back, a senior campaign and administration aide told Politico. They are JULIUS CAESAR-ing this man. Biden himself was reported to share such sentiments, telling aides that he feels hurt and betrayed at how the partys leading figures who he has previously derided as elites have tried to push him out. One Biden ally told NBC News that the party leaders now trying to force him from the ticket were to blame for Trumps victory in the 2016 election. Can we all just remember for a minute that these same people who are trying to push Joe Biden out are the same people who literally gave us all Donald Trump? In 2015, Obama, Pelosi, [Chuck] Schumer [the Democratic Senate majority leader] pushed Biden aside in favour of Hillary; they were wrong then, and they are wrong now, the source said. Perhaps we should learn a few lessons from 2016; one of them is polls are BS. And two, maybe, just maybe, Joe Biden is more in touch with actual Americans than Obama-Pelosi-Schumer? Bidens campaign chair, Jen OMalley Dillon, continued to stress that Biden had work to do but said the campaign did not have its head in the sand. Emphasizing that Bidens campaign trail appearances have been reassuring to the campaign, she said: The more and more people that see Joe Biden out there post-debate they are reassured. Such defiance seemed increasingly rare inside the Biden campaign, however, with CNN reporting that some staff had undergone a quiet quit process. I dont think you can find a person who is off the record saying he should stay in, one said. Theres a growing sense that its game over. Lauren Gambino contributed reporting George Washington could tell a lie, Taft didnt get stuck in the bath, and Mary Lincoln never used Todd, her maiden name, after marriage. As a presidential historian, I love eviscerating falsehoods with an arsenal of contradictory evidence. I start by naming the false witness, identifying his motivations, methodically trace the lies evolution through secondary sources and, finally, arguing a moral imperative to intervene. I always win the battle, but Ill never win the war. Im at least a century late for that. Im not sold on history is written by the victors, but Im certain that presidential history is determined by first-responders like first presidents biographer Parson Weems, who invented the Cherry Tree Story in order to cast Washington and by extension, the infant nation as fundamentally good. Today, that likely includes the many journalists who are covering Bidens presidency, like Axios Alex Thompson, who left Hunter Bidens trial shocked by what hed learned about Bidens decision to run for president given that several of his children were struggling with various addictions. These highly subjective contemporaries experience the president they chronicle and, whether they realize it or not, carry the attendant baggage of the era. Ive seen this happen over and over again to the dead, my specialty, but its breathtaking to watch it develop in real-time. I think the entire narrative on Joe Biden is gonna change, MSNBCs Chuck Todd said on his podcast last week. Everythings always been about his ambition and his ambition comes first. And less believable comparisons are becoming ossified as well; according to the Washington Times, First Lady Jill Biden is inviting comparisons to first lady Edith Wilson. Since the debate, the media has seemingly shifted its focused off Trump, who they tacitly disapprove of, and monomaniacally painted a portrait of Biden as a power hungry, angry old man who, despite the electorates concern and dissent within the party, is shuffling towards November when his loss will unleash a fresh hell. Hes going down, they tell us, and hes taking the American Experiment with him. This is a stark departure from what I assumed Bidens biography would be dominated by he emerged from retirement to defeat Donald J. Trump, jumpstarted the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, and gave FDR a run for most progressive but all may not be lost. Endings, the late scientist Daniel Kahneman told us, create an overwhelming cognitive illusion. If the last two days of a great vacation were terrible, well likely remember the whole trip as a bust. If the next six months in office are, as it seems, Bidens final act, his exit strategy should take inspiration from George Washington. He was called the greatest man who ever lived by contemporaries including King George III for voluntarily giving up power twice. And thats what, in a time of monarchs and despots, overwhelmed the reality on the ground: He rightly suspected most of the bold-faced founders like Thomas Jefferson wrote anonymous essays criticizing him, and he died estranged from them. I think Bidens exit can bring him immortal glory, too, but hell have to go big and then immediately go home. At this point, Bidens increasingly likely announcement that he wont run for reelection less than a month before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago isnt enough to save his legacy. Hell still be blamed for hindering the new candidates ability to compete with Trump, arguably the most famous man in America. And theres nothing magnanimous about the delayed announcement, either. Hes acquiescing to pressure from the media, the electorate, and his party. But the key to overtaking that narrative is close at hand and a heartbeat away from the presidency. Sounds unfair? King George III, who is misremembered for losing America, would agree. The founders loved the king until he ignored their pleas, so in our collective memory, hes to blame. Still. No one seems to care that he was, by deferring to Parliament, following the British constitution. And no one will care, if Bidens replacement loses, that he stepped aside. He may be damned to the bottom half of the C-SPAN rankings for eternity, dismissed as the president who lost America. Theres only one move left: Biden must resign. By doing so, his name would always appear alongside that of the woman presidents ascension to the highest office. Gerald Ford predicted Americas first woman President would ascend from the Vice Presidency, and though its not ideal, given the present circumstances, it feels necessary. Its hard to imagine, with no rising star in the party, the Democrats bypassing Kamala Harris as their nominee. And strategically, its the only way to guarantee the country becomes better acquainted with her through inevitable media focus on the historic nature of her candidacy. She can easily be cast as the comparatively youthful, optimistic foil to Trump, a doom-and-gloom senior citizen. But they can go even farther. Biden can save face by claiming it was the attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump that pushed him toward this decision. Just as Ronald Reagan was transformed by his own assassination attempt (he wrote an op-ed calling for greater gun control in the New York Times and pushed the Brady bill), hes been working toward bold legislation. Last fall, he created the first ever first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention and put Vice President Harris in charge. President Harris can reinforce this, and demonstrate her bipartisan approach to governing, by immediately calling for Congress to introduce the Donald J. Trump Gun Violence Prevention Act. She hopes, of course, that Republicans will support in light of the attempted assassination of the de facto leader of their party, but if not, thats fine. Her administration, like her predecessors, puts country over party. And just like that, Bidens age becomes a chapter in the book of his life that ends on an unprecedented note: He not only stepped aside, but stepped down and that will always be the story of the first woman president. Of course, Biden has always been an unparalleled, selfless ally: He served as Vice President and loyal friend to Barack Obama, the first Black president. In 2026, when America celebrates its 250th anniversary, hell be the only white male president of 45 who can make that claim. Alexis Coe is an American presidential historian, senior fellow at New America, and the author of, most recently, the New York Times best-selling You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone WASHINGTON President Joe Biden on Friday pushed back on rising pressure from fellow Democrats to drop out of the race amid widespread questions about his age and fitness to beat former President Trump and serve another term in the White House. The embattled Democratic incumbent insisted he would return to the campaign trail next week after he recovers from COVID, even as more lawmakers called on him to step aside. I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record, Biden said in a statement. Top aides portrayed a united front backing Biden but acknowledged the 81 year old faces a tougher road to victory after three weeks of raging criticism of his shaky performance at last months debate and a series of less-than-convincing appearances since. We have a lot of work to do to reassure the American people that, yes, hes old, but he can win, Biden campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillon told MSNBCs Morning Joe show. Dillon conceded that polls show some slippage in Bidens support since the debate but a silver lining is that Trump appears to be struggling to gain much support. They have questions, but they are staying with Joe Biden, she said. NBC News reported that some Biden family members have started to discuss a potential Biden exit from the race behind closed doors. White House spokesman Andrew Bates trashed the report, which quoted two unnamed sources, and predicted it would be proven wrong. That is not happening, period, he said. The individuals making those claims are not speaking for his family or his team Keep the faith. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Friday became the third sitting Democratic senator to call on Biden to end the campaign, along with more than 20 House lawmakers. Trumps rambling speech on Thursday night at the Republican National Convention could give ammunition to Biden loyalists urging him to stay in the race because the Republican former president showed his own flashing political liabilities on a national stage. Some Democrats say Trump may have reminded voters why he is so divisive and missed a big opportunity to effectively deliver a message of unity after he survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally last weekend. This is the first good thing thats happened to Democrats in the last three weeks, said David Axelrod, a Democratic strategist said on CNN. [Trumps speech] really reminded everyone why Donald Trump is fundamentally unpopular. Biden himself remained out of sight Friday as he battles what his doctors say is a mild case of COVID-19. Bidens campaign took a series of fresh hits Thursday as reports said former President Obama has told allies that Biden faces an increasingly uphill battle to stay in the race and beat Trump. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have told Biden to his face that he should strongly consider leaving the race, other reports have said. Fellow Democrats fear Biden could lose to Trump and drag congressional Democrats down to defeat with him. The political clock is ticking loudly for Biden and Democrats, who have just over three weeks before they gather for their own convention. If Biden does step aside, party leaders would want as much time as possible to prepare for whatever happens next. Most Democrats believe Biden would endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor to ensure an orderly transition and give the party the best possible chance of unifying to beat Trump. Harris would have an easier time than other candidates taking over Bidens campaign war chest, experts say. But others say he could allow some kind of contest between Harris and other wannabe Democratic White House candidates before or during the convention. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Friday she believes Bidens opponents are seeking to force both him and Harris off the ticket so they can replace Harris with a more moderate pick. The Democratic National Committees rule-making body plans to meet Friday and is expected to press ahead with plans for a virtual roll call in early August to nominate the partys presidential pick, a move that could short-circuit any convention floor fight. Biden says hes returning to campaign trail next week as calls grow for him to step aside President Joe Biden said on Friday that he would be returning to the campaign trail next week to continue to take on rival Donald Trump, as he contends with the fallout from his COVID-19 diagnosis and growing calls from Democrats for him to bow out, including from Ohio Sen, Sherrod Brown on Friday evening, the fourth senator to do so. "I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trump's Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone," Biden said in a statement. "The stakes are high, and the choice is clear," Biden added. "Together, we will win." MORE: Trump pitches unity but revives old grievances The president also criticized Trump's Thursday night keynote speech at the Republican National Convention, saying the former president "focused on his own grievances, with no plan to unite us and no plan to make life better for working people." "Last night the American people saw the same Donald Trump they rejected four years ago," Biden wrote. PHOTO: President Joe Biden walks toward Air Force One, at Harry Reid international airport in Las Vegas, on July 17, 2024. (Tom Brenner/Reuters) MORE: Fact-checking Donald Trump's RNC speech on immigration, the economy, world affairs and more Biden has been sidelined since Wednesday when he was diagnosed with COVID-19 moments before delivering remarks in Las Vegas at the UnidosUS conference, the largest Latino civil rights group in the country. He abruptly cut his trip short and flew to his beach home in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Boarding Air Force One Wednesday, Biden struggled to walk up the shorter stairs that pull out from under the plane. And after arriving in Dover, he again struggled deplaning, and Secret Service appeared to physically help him into the waiting SUV. But Biden's determination to return to the campaign trail appears to be because his team is reenergized by Trump's speech. "He's playing the greatest hits from 2016 - Trump has not changed, he has not moderated, he has gotten worse," a Biden adviser said Thursday night. "And he is making no appeal to moderates." The president said Trump laid out a "dark vision" for America's future and that "Together, as a party and as a country, we can and will defeat him at the ballot box." But his party is not together. Democrats remain split on whether Biden can beat Trump in November and on Friday at least 10 Democrats joined the chorus calling on Biden to resign, including Texas Rep. Marc Veasey, the first member from the influential Congressional Black Caucus to do so. PHOTO: US former President and 2024 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump raises a fist as he arrives for the third day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., on July 17, 2024. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) MORE: 2024 election live updates: 'I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week': Biden "Mr. President, with great admiration for you personally, sincere respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership, and deep appreciation for everything we have accomplished together during your presidency, it is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders," Veasey co-wrote in a letter with Reps. Jared Huffman, Chuy Garcia, and Mark Pocan. "We must defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy At this point, however, we must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign," the four congressmen added. Brown, in a close reelection fight, said in a statement that many Ohioans had contacted him. "Over the last few weeks, I've heard from Ohioans on important issues, such as how to continue to grow jobs in our state, give law enforcement the resources to crack down on fentanyl, protect Social Security and Medicare from cuts, and prevent the ongoing efforts to impose a national abortion ban. These are the issues Ohioans care about and it is my job to keep fighting for them," he said. I agree with the many Ohioans who have reached out to me. At this critical time, our full attention must return to these important issues. I think the President should end his campaign," he said. Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Democratic Rep. Greg Landsman, who represents a battleground Ohio district, both also pointed to Trump and the risk to "democracy" for reasons Biden should exit. "There is too much on the line, and we have to be able to make that case to the American people about the change we need and the country we all deserve," Landsman wrote in his statement. "After weeks of consideration and hundreds of conversations with constituents, I have come to the conclusion that Joe Biden is no longer the best person to make that case." Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California, a close ally of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a letter addressed to the president on Thursday, but was first reported on Friday, made a similar argument doubting Biden can effectively run a winning campaign. "I want to be clear that should you formally become the Democratic nominee for President I will do everything I can to promote your candidacy and to work for your success," Lofgren wrote in the letter obtained by ABC News. "Unfortunately, I greatly doubt that the outcome will be positive, and our country will pay a dreadful price for that." Biden campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon admitted on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" Friday that they have seen Biden's support slip. "I'm not here to say that this hasn't been a tough several weeks for the campaign," O'Malley Dillon said. "There's no doubt that it has been, and we've definitely seen some slippage in support, but it has been a small movement, and you know this, the reason is because so much of this race is hardened already." In what was a bruising day for the president, with the calls from congressional Democrats urging him to drop out swelling to 34 by ABC News's count, Biden did get critical support from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The group's political arm, BOLD PAC, on Friday endorsed the president, a week after his call with the group, saying he and Vice President Kamala Harris "have delivered for the Latino community." Amid news of more congressional Democrats on Friday joining calls for Biden to step aside, his campaign said it recognizes that the "urgency" of beating Donald Trump has led some Democrats to publicly abandon their support of the president leading the ticket -- though they remain confident the party will unite by November. "While the majority of the caucus and the diverse base of the party continues to stand with the President and his historic record of delivering for their communities, we're clear-eyed that the urgency and stakes of beating Donald Trump means others feel differently," Biden campaign spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said in a statement to ABC News. "We all share the same goal: an America where everyone gets a fair shot and freedom and democracy are protected," Ehrenberg added. "Unlike Republicans, we're a party that accepts and even celebrates differing opinions, but in the end, we will absolutely come together to beat Donald Trump this November." Biden says hes returning to campaign trail next week as calls grow for him to step aside originally appeared on abcnews.go.com By Riham Alkousaa, Christoph Steitz and Nina Chestney BERLIN/FRANKFURT/LONDON (Reuters) - Chinese wind turbine-makers this month clinched their first order in Germany, as they build momentum in the European market and add to concern in the EU industry that it faces an existential threat. Tensions are high between Beijing and Brussels, the world's two biggest wind markets, as the European Commission, the EU executive, has launched an investigation into whether Chinese players enjoy unfair subsidies. Europe is scarred by the experience of its solar industry more than a decade ago when policymakers took limited action to curb Chinese imports and many European manufacturers collapsed. Chinese manufacturers Goldwind, Mingyang Smart Energy and Windey so far account for less than 1% of Europe's wind capacity, but their orders amounted to 1.2 gigawatts (GW) in 2023 alone, WindEurope data shows. It previously took them a decade to install that volume. So far this year, European orders for Chinese-made turbines have reached 546 megawatts (MW). That includes an order at the start of this month from project firm Luxcara in Germany with Mingyang for wind turbines with a total capacity of 296 MW. It was the first order for Chinese-made turbines from Europe's biggest economy and the German government said it would examine the decision closely. European industry officials say China could be in Europe to stay. "Once you open the door you can't close it again," said Wolfram Axthelm, managing director of Germany's wind power association BWE, adding that overcapacity meant Chinese rivals were seeking to flood the European market. European industry representatives say Chinese manufacturers offer incentives, such as deferred payments, and prices that are up to 50% lower those of than European rivals. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, China has production capacity of around 82 GW, more than the domestic market was able to absorb last year and nearly four times Europe's capacity. The Chinese Wind Energy association said in a statement that China does not subsidise its wind turbine manufacturers, adding that China's competitiveness came from the size of its market, which has driven down costs. "The EU's 'anti-subsidy investigation' into Chinese wind firms is not conducive to Europe's wind power development goals, nor to the achievement of global climate change goals," said its secretary general Qin Haiyan. It said Europe needed to buy equipment from China, and that failing to do so would put EU expansion targets at risk "in the face of Europe's wind power production capacity gap". Story continues VISIT TO CHINA Major wind project developers such as EnBW and BayWa have so far avoided the use of Chinese turbines. In a LinkedIn post in early July, RWE's head of offshore wind Sven Utermoehlen said he had visited Mingyang's production facilities to get a better understanding of its products. The visit took place at the end of June. RWE, the world's second-biggest offshore wind farm developer, told Reuters it wanted to keep working with established firms. However, strong market growth meant it needed to understand whether Asian suppliers "can meet our requirements in terms of technology, quality, safety and cost-effectiveness". Mingyang was the only company that would guarantee delivery of an 18.5 MW model by 2028, Luxcara said. An 18 MW offshore turbine can produce enough power to supply more than 30,000 households. The ambition of the Chinese companies is apparent in the size of their output. Mingyang makes offshore turbines with rotor diameters of 260 metres, among the biggest in the industry. WILL CHINA START PRODUCING IN EUROPE? Despite the challenge of shipping gigantic equipment, Mingyang and most other Chinese turbine makers have no production facilities in Europe. Vensys, a division of Goldwind is an exception. It plans to produce an 86-metre wind turbine blade model at its factory in Ferreira, Spain, it told Reuters in June, without providing further details. Zhenshi Holding Group in March acquired an Airbus factory in Spain to manufacture wind turbine blades, according to real estate firm Colliers, which advised on the transaction. Evgenia Golysheva, VP Strategy and Operations at ONYX Insight, a renewable technology firm that helps to service wind turbines, said the companies would need local production. Without it, they would struggle to maintain equipment without shipping parts huge distances. Chinese wind turbine maker Sany said last year it was weighing the construction of a turbine plant in Europe. It has hired former executives from Siemens Gamesa and Nordex to strengthen its local team, updated LinkedIn profiles showed. Sany was not available for comment for this story and Goldwind and Zhenshi declined to comment. Mingyang said Chinese competition was beneficial to Europe, although it understood not everyone would welcome it. "Some competitors ... don't want us to be in Europe. It can be understandable," Zhang Qiying, chief technology officer of Mingyang, told Reuters. "If the West demands our turbines, then we will be there." ($1 = 0.9173 euros) (Reporting by Riham Alkousaa and Markus Wacket in Berlin, Christoph Steitz in Frankfurt and Nina Chestney in London; Additional reporting by Pietro Lombardi in Madrid and Colleen Howe in Beijing; Editing by Barbara Lewis) 'Biden sold out our citizens': Watch Mike Pompeo's speech at the RNC Mike Pompeo spoke on the final night of the Republican National Convention Thursday, praising former President Donald Trump's foreign policy record. Pompeo, 60, is the former U.S. Secretary of State who served under the Trump administration. Previously he was the CIA director under former President Donald Trump and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas' 4th district. Pompeo blamed President Joe Biden's "weakness" for Russian invading Ukraine, jabbed Biden for the Chinese spy balloon, and accused the Biden administration of "(treating) illegals better than our own citizens." The RNC has been taking place in Milwaukee from Monday through Thursday. Also on the final night, Trump is scheduled to speak and formally accept the partys nomination for the 2024 Election. USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network have more than 60 journalists on the ground in Milwaukee and you can follow along with our live blog for updates throughout the day. When is the 2024 RNC? Full week schedule, dates, times, where to watch and livestream What to know about Mike Pompeo Who is he: Mike Pompeo is the former U.S. Secretary of State, under the Trump administration. Previously he was the CIA director under former President Donald Trump and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas' 4th district. What role does he play: While Trump was in office, Pompeo was one of Trump's must trusted advisers, serving in several roles and defending Trump in several foreign policy crises. Notably, Pompeo defended Trump's actions in Ukraine, which the House later voted to impeach Trump for. Key quote: "For those four years, the evil of Vladimir Putin was held at bay," Pompeo said of the Trump administration. "When we walked out January of 2021, the Iranian regime was afraid. And the people of Israel were strong and secure and we treated like the friend and ally that they need to be." When and where is the Republican National Convention? The Republicans' convention will take place over four days, from July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, will be the main venue for the RNC. There also will be events at the nearby University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center. How can you watch the event and stay up-to-date on convention news? USA TODAY is streaming the RNC from start to finish, and you can watch it here starting Monday, July 15: Updates from the RNC will be available at gopconvention2024.com. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike Pompeo's speech at Republican National Convention: Watch The pressure from leaders in his own party on President Joe Biden to give up the Democratic nomination is mounting. They fear that Biden will not only lose to Republican nominee Donald Trump, but also drag down the partys hopes of keeping at least one chamber of Congress. Biden could get out of the race for president soon, possibly this weekend, although his campaign chair insisted on Friday that he is "more committed than ever" to staying on as the Democratic nominee and defeating Trump. As one of the people who called on Democrats to replace Biden early in this process, I strongly believe that the sooner Biden gets out, the better for his party. Biden could endorse Kamala Harris or open up the nomination process President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris arrive to speak from the Roosevelt Room of the White House on July 14, 2024. But how he gets out matters as much as when. Here are four scenarios: The Anointing: Biden endorses Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement and encourages the party to do so as well. The vast majority of Democratic delegates are pledged to vote for Biden, and in theory they should listen to him. Also, it would be really hard for a party that relies on Black voters in so many crucial states, and is running on womens issues such as abortion access, to turn down the first Black, South Asian and female vice president of the United States. Shes the logical inheritor of a faltering Biden. However, there are downsides to Harris. She polls about the same as Biden in swing states. She doesnt seem to give any new states to the Democrats, whereas some other choices would almost guarantee a Democratic victory in crucial states like Michigan or Pennsylvania. She didnt run a good campaign in 2020, and she hasnt had a great vice presidency (although few politicians do. Its a tough job to shine in!). Will Democrats replace Biden? Governors of Michigan and Pennsylvania are strong options to beat Trump. The Stage Manager: Biden announces as he leaves that he will propose a series of debates among Democrats who choose to run, and a process for winnowing it down to 10 or five if too many people try to run. Many Democrats have stuck with Biden for so long because they fear the chaos of the party disintegrating into a hastily created, bitterly contested and badly run process. Biden may feel he needs to leave the party with a process for his replacement, and invite Harris and anyone else to take part. This scenario offers the best hope for the Democrats to defeat Trump. A contested nomination, which might end dramatically in a series of convention votes, will be extraordinarily exciting. If it begins before the Democratic National Convention starting Aug. 19 in Chicago, there will be more time for Democratic delegates to think through the choices, and more time for national news media to vet the backgrounds and weak points of them. 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. What about DNC? Biden could let the Democratic Party fight it out. You Guys Figure It Out: The president steps aside and calls on party leaders to figure out his replacement. This seems the least likely scenario, but given how badly hurt Biden might be by the painful process of his own party rejecting him, this could happen. And who would blame Biden for doing this? If he anoints Harris, and she does badly, he could get blamed. If he sets up a process, and it becomes a debacle like the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses, hell get blamed. Biden has tried for weeks to keep running, and he may simply say to the party, OK, you geniuses you think it is so easy to replace me, go for it. Good luck! Democrats have to rally. Soon. Trump is gaining momentum exactly as Biden is losing his. Convention Chaos: Nothing is certain in this increasingly bizarre election year. Biden could still try to stay, and the question then would be will the Democratic delegates revolt in sufficient numbers to deny him the nomination? A couple of dozen prominent Democrats are now on the record calling for Biden to get out. If he stubbornly holds on until the convention, you could see an actual floor flight over a nomination that was completely sewed up. That would be by far the worst outcome for the Democrats, because it could wound Biden terribly and most likely not lead to his replacement. Also, even if Biden were to lose at this stage, there would be almost no time for an effective process to emerge. The risks of replacing Biden are clear, but the rewards are there as well. Almost any possible nominee will have a better shot at beating Trump than Biden does, who has almost no chance of changing the publics mind about his deterioration after his disastrous presidential debate. The Republican National Convention was remarkably well run. Now the Democrats will have to do something far more difficult run a convention when they dont know who they are nominating. At least, not yet. The Democrats will begin with a contest for the nomination unlike any the nation has seen for decades, and if they are to win in November, they have to end with unity. Jeremy Mayer is an associate professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, where he also directs the master's and Ph.D. programs in political science. 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: Will Biden drop out? Leaving race is the only way Democrats beat Trump Can Biden be taken off the ballot? What state laws say If Joe Biden caves to mounting pressure to abandon his run for a second term in the White House, itll kick off a scramble to replace him on the ballot for Novembers election. And while party leaders will ultimately decide who should be their Democratic nominee, getting that name on ballots will also require a bit of a scramble. Each state has different rules on how and when a nominated candidate can be removed from the ballot. Heres a quick look: Can New Jersey replace Biden on the ballot? In New Jersey, candidates have up to 54 days before the general election to withdraw. That means Bidens name will stay on the ballot if he doesnt pull out by Sept. 12. Can Pennsylvania replace Biden on the ballot? In Pennsylvania, the withdrawal deadline is 60 days before the general election. That means Biden would have to withdraw from the race by Sept. 6 in order for a new name to be on the ballot. Can Delaware replace Biden on the ballot? In Delaware, candidates have up to 17 days before the general election to be replaced on the ballot. That gives Biden until Oct. 18 to make a decision. This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Its not too late for Biden to come off the ballot Bidens and Trumps ages would prevent them running many top companies and for good reason President Joe Biden, currently seeking a second term as the Democratic Partys nominee, is 81. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican Partys nominee, is 78. No one older has run for U.S. president before. That was also true in 2020, when the same two men ran against each other. The candidates ages, coupled with apparent signs of cognitive and physical decline, have many politicians and other Americans asking questions and expressing doubts about both mens stamina and ability to lead the nation. These concerns are justified by research I and a fellow finance professor, Adam Yore, conducted about older CEOs. One of our observations was that approximately half of the 1,500 largest public companies in the U.S make their CEOs step down when they turn 65 or so. Making retirement mandatory Two high-profile examples are General Electrics storied CEO Jack Welch, who was forced out at age 65, and former vice president Al Gore, who stepped down from Apples board of directors in January 2024 after serving on it for two decades. Gore, along with a fellow board member, had turned 75 and that made them ineligible for a new term. This corporate practice leads to a logical question: If Gore is deemed too old to serve on Apples board of directors, does that make politicians his age too old to run one of the most powerful countries in the world? For companies included in the S&P 500 index, which is widely regarded as the best measure of U.S. stock markets performance, mandatory retirement policies are even more common. Nearly 70% of those 500 companies make their board members retire at a particular age. We found that the typical retirement age for a CEO is 65 and that members of corporate boards of directors in companies with mandatory retirement ages usually have to step aside in their mid-70s. If that standard were applied to U.S. politics, neither Trump nor Biden would have been able to run for president in 2020, let alone 2024. Yore and I, in a study we published in 2016 in the Journal of Empirical Finance, found compelling evidence supporting the use of mandatory retirement policies for top executives. After controlling for how long the CEOs had served, the data revealed that each year a CEO ages, a company loses 0.34% of its value. We also determined that this effect is driven primarily by CEOs over the age of 68. Splitting the sample into CEOs under 42 and CEOs over 68, essentially the youngest and the oldest of these corporate leaders, revealed that shares in companies with the younger CEOs outperformed shares in companies led by the older CEOs by 1.55% per year. The data we reviewed also indicated that this negative association between a CEOs age and the performance of shares in their companies disappears for companies with mandatory retirement policies. We therefore concluded that mandatory retirement policies are effective in limiting the negative effects on performance associated with older CEOs. Sumner Redstone, photographed in 2013, served as the executive chairman of both CBS and Viacom until February 2016. At age 92, the media mogul resigned both chairmanships following a court-ordered examination by a geriatric psychiatrist. Richard Shotwell/Invision via AP Anticipating negative consequences To be clear, we didnt set out to prove that this was true. Our hunch was that mandatory age limits were primarily used as a tool to force out entrenched executives who had amassed too much power for the good of their shareholders. But after combing through about 12,600 data points we found no evidence for our original hypothesis. In other words, our findings contradicted what we expected to see. Instead, we learned that companies led by older CEOs are far less active in deal-making. That is, they are less likely to engage in mergers and acquisitions, new partnerships, and joint ventures than CEOs who are younger. Theyre also less likely to hire or fire employees. This holds true regardless of how long the CEO over 65 has held their job. Jack Welch, seen in a 2013 photograph, was forced to retire from his job as GEs CEO when he turned 65. AP Photo/Richard Drew Documenting cognitive changes Our findings were consistent with scientific evidence about aging. Declines in cognitive ability are very common as people age, many researchers have found. Age-related physiological changes appear to affect decision-making and impair judgment-related performance as well. Researchers have long found that inductive reasoning, perceptual speed, numerical ability, and verbal memory all show long-run declines with age, although some of those issues can be reversed. And these traits are necessary for the leadership of corporations and governments alike. To be sure, there are clear differences between leading a country and leading a company. And there are obviously benefits from experience that come with age. However, many of the skills and characteristics needed to get either job done right are similar. Many of the nations most successful companies prefer executives who are under 65 because younger leaders tend to perform better than their older counterparts. A decade after conducting this research, Im wondering whether that preference should also apply when Americans choose the person who will lead the United States. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Brandon Cline, Mississippi State University Read more: Brandon Cline does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. This is Totally Normal Quote of the Day, a feature highlighting a statement from the news that exemplifies just how extremely normal everything has become. Im sick Joe Biden, on social media, about an hour after publicly reporting he had COVID-19. Its been a challenging time for President Biden. Many of the top-ranking Democrats in the House and Senate have privately told him to abandon his campaign for a second term. The DNC has delayed its roll call vote to nominate Biden, ostensibly on these top Democrats urging. The polls are really bleak; just yesterday, the Associated Press released the results of a poll conducted with the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research that found nearly two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to leave the race. Back against the ropes, Biden conceded in a recent interview that he would consider leaving the race if a doctor told him directly that he had to for medical reasons. And then he got COVID. It seemed almost cosmically fitting. Sure, the universe seemed to be saying, hes already facing disastrous polling, mutinous staffers, defecting allies, and the defanging of his attack ads due to his rivals near-martyrdom from an unsuccessful assassination attempt (plus the memorable resulting photos). Why not tack on COVID? The White House says Bidens symptoms are minor. It could have been a providential opportunity for Biden to take stock of his situation and do some serious reflection. So why, then, did his campaigns social media team respond by trolling? Here, at 7:22 p.m.: I'm sick Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 17, 2024 Two minutes later came the punchline: of Elon Musk and his rich buddies trying to buy this election. And if you agree, pitch in here.https://t.co/V93cYUUFQu Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 17, 2024 Lets take a moment to appreciate how strange this all is. This was an establishment figure, rejecting his own peers pleas to change course, affecting the kind of strangely flippant and even combative tone you might expect from an internet native (which he is not), in the midst of an existential fight not just over his own political survival but that of the entire Democratic Party. Its definitely kind of funny! But it was not received well. (Axios reported on Thursday that some Democrats were infuriated by the tweet. They need to read the room, one said of the Biden camp.) And it felt all the more depressingly off-key from the storys developments in the time between news of the COVID test breaking and the posting of the joke (which was replicated, in a subject-line-to-body-text format, in the campaigns fundraising emails). Around 6:30 p.m., Semafor reported that one of Bidens counselors, the Hollywood producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, had told him in person earlier in the day that donors were bailing on him. Ten minutes before Biden posted the tweet, ABC News reported that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had tried to convince Biden to drop out in a private conversation. House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, ABC reported, was on the same page. So by the time of the tweet, Bidens embattled stance had become a lot more public. The jokey, troll-ish post left Democrats wondering: Does his campaign really not understand how bad things are? By 8 p.m. Wednesday, CNN was reporting that Biden was more receptive to the idea of stepping down. The New York Times would soon follow. And toward the end of the night, CNN reported that Nancy Pelosi had privately told Biden that he was putting Democrats control of the House in danger. Top Democrats were leaking their concerns to apply even more pressure. In recent weeks, Biden seems to have been attempting a pivot, hitting more populist messaging and coming out swinging on the Supreme Court. This latest tweet fit with a Dark Brandon gonzo-internet ethos that his campaign has tried to co-opt. But on Thursday, when it was reported that even former President Barack Obama was expressing doubts, it all seemed to be, almost tragically, too little too late. Biden World is digging its heels in Friday, defiant that President Biden is not dropping out of the 2024 race and touting new endorsements amid speculation that he will end his bid in the coming days. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) became the third senator to call for Biden to move aside on Friday and Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Jesus Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) issued as joint statement also calling for him to step aside. Other calls to drop out this week came from Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), among others, as reports surfaced that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are pressuring him to drop out. While multiple sources have told The Hill its unlikely Biden will still be in the race come Monday, his White House and campaign aides are insistent hes not going anywhere. Absolutely, the presidents in this race, Biden campaign Chair Jen OMalley Dillon said Friday on MSNBCs Morning Joe, adding that Biden is more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump. You have heard from the president directly, time and time again: He is in this race to win and he is our nominee and hes going to be our president for a second term, she said when pressed on the flurry of reports about Biden potentially stepping aside. The campaign on Friday morning touted a new endorsement from BOLD PAC, the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, The Hill first reported. And, more than 1,400 Black women and allies indicated their support for Biden and Vice President Harris in a letter Thursday. A source familiar with the White House staffs thinking on Friday emphasized the resilience of Biden World and argued that it was doubted in the 2022 midterms and the 2020 Democratic primary but excelled. This president and his team are resilient as f. He is committed to staying in this race until he is reelected, period. So is his staff, the source said, taking a jab at strategists and operatives who have talked to media about Biden dropping out. We are also hardly strangers to outlets quoting any human being with a pulse, regardless of whether they have ever spoken to a member of the presidents senior staff, if their comments meet a preferred narrative. The flash mob of randos claiming that there are any plans to do anything besides run this race and win are wrong, the source said. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Biden campaign are also insistent on moving forward with plans to nominate Biden through a virtual roll call ahead of the convention, which begins Aug. 19. The DNC said Wednesday that no virtual voting will start until Aug. 1, despite warnings from House Democrats about moving ahead at all with the plans. The plans were initially made to ensure Biden appears on the ballot in Ohio, which had a deadline to certify the partys presidential nominee after the convention. But, on June 2, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed legislation to extend the deadline from Aug. 7 to Aug. 31, after the convention. The full steam ahead plan to nominate Biden, despite speculation within his party, is consistent with the assertions this week that the president isnt dropping out. The Biden campaign said he is more determined than ever to beat former President Trump in November after the former presidents speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday. OMalley Dillon, in a statement, argued Biden is running for an America where we defend democracy, not diminish it. Where we restore our rights and protect our freedoms, not take them away. And, Friday morning, the campaign reiterated in a memo that Biden will be the Democratic nominee. The president is in Rehoboth Beach, Del., isolating at his beach house after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday while campaign in Las Vegas. There is nothing on Bidens schedule for Friday. The campaign spent the week of the Republican National Convention criticizing Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), and aligning them with Project 2025, a set of policy proposals organized by the Heritage Foundation. Trump, though, has attempted to distance himself from Project 2025 and his team has disavowed it. Harris, who has been staunchly supportive of Biden, warned in a speech in North Carolina on Thursday about the stakes of Novembers election in and about Vance and his policy plans. She was campaigning alongside North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D), who is seen as a top potential running mate for Harris if Biden were to step aside. Updated at 12:13 p.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Biden pushes party unity as he resists calls to step aside, says he'll return to campaign next week FILE - President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas, July 16, 2024. Democrats at the highest levels are making a critical push for Biden to reconsider his election bid. Former President Barack Obama has privately expressed concerns to Democrats about Biden's candidacy. And Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi privately warned Biden that Democrats could lose the ability to seize control in the House if he didn't step away from the race. Biden says he's not dropping out believing he's best to beat the Republican Trump. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) WASHINGTON (AP) A rapidly growing chorus of Democratic lawmakers called Friday for President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid, even as the president insisted hes ready to return to the campaign trail next week to counter what he called a dark vision laid out by Republican Donald Trump. As more Democratic members of Congress urged him to drop out bringing the total since his disastrous debate against Trump to nearly three dozen Biden remained isolated at his beach house in Delaware after being diagnosed with COVID-19. The president, who has insisted he can beat Trump, was huddling with family and relying on a few longtime aides as he resisted efforts to shove him aside. Late Friday, Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who is in a tough race for reelection, called for Biden to step aside. Brown said in a statement that he agrees with the many Ohioans who have reached out to him. I think the president should end his campaign, he said. And in a statement later Friday, Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Ky., also called on Biden to drop out while saying, there is no joy in the recognition he should not be our nominee in November. But the stakes of this election are too high. Biden said Trump's acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention showcased a dark vision for the future." The president, seeking to move the political conversation away from his fate and onto his rival's agenda, said Friday he was planning to return to the campaign trail next week and insisted he has a path to victory over Trump, despite the worries of some of his party's most eminent members. Together, as a party and as a country, we can and will defeat him at the ballot box, Biden said. The stakes are high, and the choice is clear. Together, we will win. Earlier in the day, his campaign chair, Jen O'Malley Dillion, acknowledged slippage in support for the president but insisted he's absolutely remaining in the race and the campaign sees multiple paths" to beating Trump. We have a lot of work to do to reassure the American people that, yes, hes old, but he can win," she told MSNBC's Morning Joe show. She said voters concerned about Biden's fitness to lead aren't switching to vote for Trump. Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee's rulemaking arm held a meeting Friday, pressing ahead with plans for a virtual roll call before Aug. 7 to nominate the presidential pick, ahead of the partys convention later in the month in Chicago. President Biden deserves the respect to have important family conversations with members of the caucus and colleagues in the House and Senate and Democratic leadership and not be battling leaks and press statements, Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, Bidens closest friend in Congress and his campaign co-chair, told The Associated Press. It's a pivotal few days for the president and his party: Trump has wrapped up an enthusiastic Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday. And Democrats, racing time, are considering the extraordinary possibility of Biden stepping aside for a new presidential nominee before their own convention. Among the democrats expressing worries to allies about Biden's chances were former President Barack Obama and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who has privately told Biden the party could lose the ability to seize control of the House if he doesnt step aside. New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich called on Biden to exit the race, making him the third Senate Democrat to do so. By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nations greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy, said Heinrich, who's up for reelection. And Reps. Jared Huffman, Mark Veasey, Chuy Garcia and Mark Pocan, representing a wide swath of the caucus, together called on Biden to step aside. We must defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy," they wrote. Separately, Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote in an op-ed that with a heavy heart and much personal reflection he, too, was calling on Biden to pass the torch to a new generation. Campaign officials said Biden was even more committed to staying in the race. And senior West Wing aides have had no internal discussions or conversations with the president about dropping out. On Friday, Biden picked up a key endorsement from the political arm of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. CHC BOLD PAC said the Biden administration has shown unwavering commitment to Latinos and the stakes couldnt be higher in this election. But there is also time to reconsider. Biden has been told the campaign is having trouble raising money, and key Democrats see an opportunity as he is away from the campaign for a few days to encourage his exit. Among his Cabinet, some are resigned to the likelihood of him losing in November. The reporting in this story is based in part on information from almost a dozen people who insisted on anonymity to discuss sensitive private deliberations. The Washington Post first reported on Obamas involvement. Biden, 81, tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling in Las Vegas earlier this week and experienced mild symptoms including general malaise from the infection, the White House said. White House doctor Kevin OConnor said Friday that the president still had a dry cough and hoarseness, but that his COVID symptoms had improved. Biden noted his illness while making a joke about Trump on social media Friday night, posting: Im stuck at home with COVID, so I had the distinct misfortune of watching Donald Trumps speech to the RNC. What the hell was he talking about? In Congress, Democratic lawmakers have begun having private conversations about lining up behind Harris as an alternative. One lawmaker said Bidens own advisers are unable to reach a unanimous recommendation about what he should do. More in Congress are considering joining the others who have called for Biden to drop out. Some prefer an open process for choosing a new presidential nominee. Its clear the issue wont go away, said Vermont Sen. Peter Welch, the other Senate Democrat who has publicly said Biden should exit the race. Welch said the current state of party angst with lawmakers panicking and donors revolting was not sustainable. However, influential Democrats including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries are sending signals of concern. There is of course work to be done, and that in fact is the case because we are an evenly divided country, Jeffries said in an interview on WNYC radio Friday. But he also said, The ticket that exists right now is the ticket that we can win on. ... It's his decision to make. To be sure, many want Biden to stay in the race. But among Democrats nationwide, nearly two-thirds say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. That sharply undercuts Biden's post-debate claim that average Democrats are still with him. Amid the turmoil, a majority of Democrats think Vice President Kamala Harris would make a good president herself. A poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 6 in 10 Democrats believe Harris would do a good job in the top slot. About 2 in 10 Democrats dont believe she would, and another 2 in 10 say they dont know enough to say. ___ Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, Ellen Knickmeyer in Aspen, Colorado, Steve Peoples in Milwaukee, and Josh Boak, Will Weissert, Mary Clare Jalonick, Seung Min Kim and Stephen Groves in Washington contributed to this report. President Joe Biden was backed further into a corner Friday by a growing number of Democrats calling for him to step down, as his family reportedly began gaming out a path for him to end his reelection bid. Bidens new skeptics include Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), who joined Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) as the only four senators so far calling for Biden to step aside. Tester and Brown are both from states where then-President Donald Trump beat Biden by large margins, and they face the toughest re-election bids of any Senate Democrats. Heinrich is looking to secure his third term in the upper chamber, and is running in a much safer seat. In the House, at least 30 Democratsmore than 13 percent of the caucushave now decisively called on Biden to pass the torch. A third of those calls for Biden to drop out came on Friday, tripling the number of Biden defectors in just one day. Others have expressed major concerns about his ability to beat Trump or even to do his job. Four signed onto a joint letter Friday saying that perceptions about the presidents age have hurt his campaign too much for him to continue. These perceptions may not be fair, but they have hardened in the aftermath of last months debate and are now unlikely to change, Reps. Marc Veasey (D-TX), Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Mark Pocan (D-WI), and Jared Huffman wrote. The statement sounds a little like a dam breaking. Veasey was the first member of the Congressional Black Caucus, a group which has been one of Bidens staunchest defenders, to call for the president to pass the torch. Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM), whose swing state district is especially at risk with Biden at the top of the ticket, joined the fray Friday afternoon as well. Vasquez and Garcia are members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and made their statements the same day that the CHCs political arm issued an endorsement of Biden that had been planned before his disastrous debate. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), an ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also asked Biden to forgo his bid in a Thursday letter that she released on Friday. I want to be clear that should you formally become the Democratic nominee for President I will do everything I can to promote your candidacy and to work for your success, she wrote. Unfortunately, I greatly doubt that the outcome will be positive and our country will pay a dreadful price for that. Reps. Sean Casten (D-IL), Greg Landsman (D-OH), Betty McCollum (D-MN), and Kathy Castor (D-FL) asked Biden to step aside as well. Their moves followed Rep. Jim Costas (D-CA) decision to do the same on Thursday night. The pressure campaign against Biden came to a halt briefly after an assassination attempt against Trump last weekend. But it began picking up again on Wednesday when Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), another Pelosi ally, urged the president to step aside. Reports have trickled out since then suggesting Pelosi was working against Biden behind the scenes, along with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Vice President Kamala Harris told donors on a call Friday afternoon that the ticket will remain intact, CNBC reported. The president, meanwhile, has been sidelined in Rehoboth Beach while he recovers from COVID. His doctor wrote in a Friday letter that his symptoms have improved. Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), a Biden ally, said at the Aspen Security Forum on Friday that the president was weighing the best candidate to win in November. I am confident he is hearing what he needs to hear from colleagues, from the public, from folks, Coons said. But Bidens own statement Friday made it sound like nothing they said had changed his mind. I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone, he wrote. The Bidens have discussed options for how the president might step aside and give the party the best chance of defeating Donald Trump, two sources told NBC News. They have talked about how the campaign is affecting his health, his family and the nations future, and how Biden should be given grace to make an announcement on his own timing. Discussions within the first family would necessarily include the presidents wife, First Lady Jill Biden, son Hunter Biden and sister, Valerie Owens, a longtime political adviser to her brother. Bidens campaign manager, Jen OMalley Dillon, insisted Friday on MSNBCs Morning Joe that Biden will become the partys official nominee ahead of its convention next month. The president issued a statement later that did not specifically address whether he'll be the nominee but said he will campaign to defeat Trump. I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone, the president said. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates denied NBCs reporting, saying, That is not happening, period. The individuals making those claims are not speaking for his family or his teamand they will be proven wrong. Keep the faith. Facing mounting concerns about his age and mental acuity, Bidens candidacy has been in jeopardy in the weeks following his debate debacle with Trump. He has repeatedly insisted that he is the partys nominee and will not step aside short of a request from God Almighty. Biden has been holed up at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del., since announcing on Wednesday that he tested positive for COVID. The White House has listed no public events on his schedule as reports have suggested his time in the race is running short. The president said during an interview this week that he would consider dropping out of the race if he had some medical condition that emerged. A Thursday update from his doctor said he was only experiencing mild symptoms and his vital signs remain normal as he is treated with Paxlovid. There are some signs the Bidens are not yet ready to give up. The first lady is reportedly scheduled to attend a Marthas Vineyard fundraiser for her husband on July 29, just days before the Democratic Party is expected to lock in its nominee with a virtual roll call vote. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Former President Donald Trump attends the Republican National Convention on Thursday at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, delivering a speech that again targeted immigrants. Anadolu via Getty Images Its election season, so Republicans are lying about immigrants again. Over and over at this weeks Republican National Convention, politicians who know better or who ought to falsely said or implied that undocumented migrants and asylum seekers pose an unthinkable criminal threat to innocent, native-born Americans. The reality is the opposite: According to available data, American citizens who were born here are vastly more homicidal than immigrants, including undocumented immigrants. And the vast majority of drugs recovered at the southern border arrive here in the vehicles of American citizens. But you wouldnt know that, listening to Republicans. Donald Trump, accepting the Republican nomination Thursday, spoke ominously of an invasion of immigrants that had spread misery, crime, poverty, disease and destruction to communities all across our land. America, he said, has become a dumping ground for the worlds violent criminals. He promised the largest deportation operation in American history, pledging to Republicans: I will not let these killers and criminals into our country. The night prior, as the RNC attendees held up signs calling for Mass Deportations Now! Texas Gov. Greg Abbott who has deployed thousands of Texas troops in a yearslong, multibillion-dollar effort to turn the border into a militarized zone growled: Biden has welcomed into our country rapists, murderers, even terrorists! And the price that we have paid has been deadly. The facts simply dont support these incendiary claims. Texas Data Shows The Truth About Migrant Crime Case-by-case data on crime rates among native-born American citizens, undocumented people and immigrants with some form of documentation can be hard to come by. Thats because no state except Texas breaks down convictions and arrests among those groups for state-level crimes and even in Texas, it can take time to investigate the details of a defendants citizenship. But last month, the libertarian Cato Institute published a detailed study that dug into these distinctions over the past decade, breaking down Texas homicide statistics from 2013-2022. The study found that the most homicidal Texans are actually native-born American citizens: The conviction rate for them was 3.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.2 per 100,000 for illegal immigrants and 1.2 per 100,000 for legal immigrants. The trend held for arrest rates, too, not just convictions. When it comes to forming public policy and calling for mass deportations, we have to look at the evidence, the numbers, and they do not support the idea that there is an immigrant-driven crime wave in the United States just the opposite, Alex Nowrasteh, who authored the study, told HuffPost on Thursday. If anything, Nowrasteh said, if policy makers wanted to lower crime rates, the data shows they should legally let in more immigrants or, statistically speaking, low-crime individuals. The study defined legal immigrants as foreign-born people who have formally received citizenship or who hold green cards, work permits or other forms of legal status. Authors noted their count of illegal immigrants closely matched the Department of Homeland Securitys count of unauthorized immigrants, which among other groups includes DACA recipients and those awaiting removal proceedings in immigration court. Overall, legal immigrants were 61.4% less likely than native-born Americans to be convicted of homicide in Texas in that 10-year period, and illegal immigrants were 26.2% less likely than native-born Americans. Just looking at 2022 homicide conviction rates alone, the most recent year studied, that trend held: 4.9 per 100,000 for native-born Americans, compared to 3.1 per 100,000 for illegal immigrants and 1.8 per 100,000 for legal immigrants. Immigrants of all stripes were also less likely to be arrested for homicide, not just convicted even though, once arrested, illegal immigrants were convicted of homicide more often than legal immigrants or native-born Americans, the study found. The study speculated this could be the result of better prosecutions of illegal immigrants, less effective defenses or more cooperative witnesses or defendants in cases where illegal immigrants are charged. Criminal conviction and arrest rates for all crimes over the 10-year period, not just homicides, followed the same pattern, the study found. These findings matched a 2018 study by Nowrasteh, reviewing conviction rates of all crimes in Texas in 2015, that similarly found native-born Texans were more likely to be convicts compared to immigrants of all stripes. As for arrest rates, per 100,000 people in their respective groups, there were more arrests of natives for homicide, sex crimes, and larceny than there were arrests of illegal immigrants, that study found. Yet another Cato study, published in 2020, found incarceration rates in 2018 were lower for both illegal and legal immigrants than native-born Americans and that was including incarceration related to immigration offenses. Similar studies found the same for severalyearsprior. Years Of Research Reach Similar Conclusions Numerous studies have matched the observed trend of low crime and arrest rates among immigrants. In 2020, sociologists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that undocumented immigrants in Texas were half as likely as U.S.-born citizens to be arrested for violent crimes between 2012 and 2018 that is, homicide, assault, robbery, sexual assault, burglary, theft and arson. And as The New York Times noted Thursday, theres simply no observable relationship between levels of immigration and the murder rate. Immigrants are less likely to commit crimes, the paper reported. There are genuine issues with the border and illegal immigration, but more crime is not one of them. The Times cited several sources backing up its point: The data analyst Jeff Asher, who focuses on crime statistics, found that comparing violent crime rates in Texas border counties over time to violent crime in the U.S. and statewide in Texas shows no evidence of increasing violent crime along the U.S. border with Mexico. A recent National Bureau of Economic Research working paper found that as a group, immigrants have had lower incarceration rates than the U.S.-born for 150 years, and that, since 1960, immigrants incarceration rates have actually significantly declined relative to U.S.-born citizens. The paper, written by economists from Stanford, Princeton, Northwestern and UC-Davis, speculated that the incarceration gap may be because immigrants are concentrated in manual tasks and service occupations (rather than routine occupations), which did not experience large wage or employment declines in recent decades. ... Furthermore, immigrants may be more resilient to shocks, given that they are a self-selected group of individuals possessing traits such as a greater willingness to move long distances ... less risk aversion ... higher adaptability and cognitive ability ... and higher levels of entrepreneurship. Also, as the Times noted, immigrants have much more to lose than native-born Americans if they commit a crime: Not only do they face prison time, they also face deportation. For many whove arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years, that means having wasted the thousands of dollars, and hundreds of miles of trekking through dangerous Latin American rainforest, to make their American dream come true. A migrant child sits in the back of a border patrol vehicle after being apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border protection officers on June 24 in Ruby, Arizona. At this week's Republican National Convention, the southern border was a common topic of concern for speakers. Brandon Bell via Getty Images Despite hair-on-fire rhetoric from Republicans (and some Democrats) about the risk of terrorists coming over the southern border, Nowrasteh found that there hasnt been a single terrorist attack by someone who crossed the border illegally in recent decades. Between 19752023, there was only one attempted terrorist attack by perpetrators who crossed the southern border illegally: Three Macedonians, whose parents brought them into the United States in 1984 when they were 5 and younger, plotted over 20 years later to murder members of the U.S. military. They were convicted on a conspiracy charge and gun charges after meeting with a confidential government witness to buy firearms. And, of course, aside from extremely rare incidents, all available evidence shows that noncitizens voting in federal elections simply does not happen. It would make sense [to target them] if illegal immigrants had a substantially higher crime rate, Nowrasteh told HuffPost. You [would be] focusing on a population that does more harm to people. But thats not the case. So its even more ludicrous, in my mind, than that. Focusing on conducting a mass deportation program targeting millions of law-abiding people, he said, may catch a few heinous migrant criminals, but it would let even more heinous American-born criminals evade capture. If your goal is to reduce crime, youre going to waste tons of law enforcement resources doing that. Its going to take away from investigations of real crimes, and the result will not be a lower crime rate it will be a slightly higher crime rate, if anything, and so youre not going to Make America Safe Again, which is what they want to do. American Citizens Are The Real Drug Smugglers In addition to violent crime, Republicans have centered the role undocumented immigrants supposedly play in trafficking drugs into the United States as Trump says, echoing Adolf Hitler, migrants are supposedly poisoning the blood of our country. Though drug smuggling metrics are harder to measure than violent crime theres no dead body to investigate if someone successfully sneaks past border officials with drugs available data does not support GOP claims. Around 90% of illicit fentanyl is seized at border crossings smuggled by people attempting to enter the country at a legal checkpoint and nearly all couriers of that fentanyl were legally authorized to cross the border, including more than half who were U.S. citizens, NPR reported in August, citing U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. Our analysis, our intelligence continues to point to most of whats being smuggled at the ports of entry, Troy Miller, the senior official performing the duties of commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, told NPR. Im not saying that theres no narcotics being smuggled or hard narcotics being smuggled between the ports of entry, [but through ports of entry,] theyre able to hide the narcotics in legitimate travel. Theyre able to surveil the travelers. They have preexisting logistics routes to move the narcotics quicker. The National Immigration Forum, similarly citing CBP data, reached a similar conclusion in October. Evidence indicates that illicit fentanyl is primarily brought to the U.S. by American citizens and usually through legal ports of entry, NIF Assistant Vice President of Policy & Advocacy Christian Penichet-Paul wrote. The calculation is simple: illicit drug smuggling organizations are likely to prefer U.S. citizens as smugglers because they are less likely to raise alarms or undergo additional vetting when re-entering the U.S. through a legal port. In fiscal year 2022, 88% of fentanyl trafficking offenders were American citizens, according to data released by the U.S. Sentencing Commission. In fiscal year 2023, accounting for all drugs and not just fentanyl, 81.9% of convicted traffickers were United States citizens. And while Republicans insist that so-called gotaways who evade Border Patrol while crossing the border illegally could hypothetically constitute more of the nations illegal drug supply than we currently expect, theres reason to be skeptical of that, too. After all, hard drugs at ports of entry are at least 96 percent less likely to be stopped than people crossing illegally between them, the Cato Institutes David J. Bier wrote in August, citing government data. Meanwhile, he observed, at most, just 0.009 percent of the people arrested by Border Patrol for crossing illegally possessed any fentanyl whatsoever. Related... The country star performed Amazing Grace and Some Gave All at the Pennsylvania funeral held for victim Corey Comperatore Katherine Bomboy/NBC via Getty; GoFundMe Billy Ray Cyrus; Corey Comperatore Billy Ray Cyrus honored the firefighter who was identified as the shooting victim of a Donald Trump rally held in Pennsylvania last weekend. On Friday, July 19, the country star, 62, performed at the funeral for 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, who, according to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, "died trying to protect his family when a shooter opened fire at the former presidents rally on Saturday, July 13. PEOPLE confirms Cyrus sang a rendition of Amazing Grace and his 1992 song Some Gave All as a special music selection during a celebration of life service for Comperatore at Cabot Church in Cabot, Pa., where The New York Times reports he was a longtime member. Related: Friend Says Firefighter Killed at Trump Rally Was Great Person Who Was 'Passionate About His Family' "Corey Comperatore is a Army reservist veteran and former firefighter chief. [Cyrus] BRC has always been passionate about honoring troops and first responders," a source says of the performance. "Today he was honored to join the family and perform during the service." According to the Times, a procession of around 500 fire trucks (some even from Florida and Texas) was set to drive from the church to the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company not too far from Comperatores hometown of Sarver, where he served for decades. An electronic billboard located above a road in Freeport, Pa., was also reportedly set up to display a photo of the late firefighter born June 6, 1974 next to the phrase a real hero. Per CBS News, Trump, 78, paid tribute to Comperatore at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday, saying, "Tragically the shooter claimed the life of one of our fellow Americans, Corey Comperatore, unbelievable person, everybody tells me. During his address onstage, the former president also kissed the firefighters helmet that was on display and called for a moment of silence from the crowd. REBECCA DROKE/AFP via Getty Donald Trump seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. 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. Comperatore was identified as the victim of Trumps rally shooting in Butler, Pa., a day after the tragedy occurred. Trump was injured mid-speech during the incident (as seen in footage that was shared on social media), which the FBI said was an assassination attempt. The shooter, 20-year-old Pennsylvania man Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed the Secret Service after opening fire. One spectator at the rally, now known to be Comperatore, died, with two others seriously injured and hospitalized. During a press conference on Sunday, July 14, Gov. Shapiro honored Comperatores life by saying, Corey was a girl-dad. Corey was a firefighter. Corey went to church every Sunday, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Related: Official Cause of Death Released for Trump Rally Shooter Comperatore's sister, Dawn Comperatore Schafer, mourned her late brother's death on Facebook, writing, "The PA Trump Rally claimed the life of my brother, Corey Comperatore. The hatred for one man took the life of the one man we loved the most. He was a hero that shielded his daughters. His wife and girls just lived through the unthinkable and unimaginable." GoFundMe Corey Comperatore She added, "My baby brother just turned 50 and had so much life left to experience. Hatred has no limits and love has no bounds. Pray for my sister-in-law, nieces, my mother, sister, me and his nieces and nephews as this feels like a terrible nightmare but we know it is our painful reality." Related: Joe Biden Gives Live TV Address After Donald Trump Campaign Rally Shooting: 'It's Sick' A GoFundMe page has since been set up in Comperatore's honor to provide aid to his family. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg via Getty Images Key Takeaways Cloud computing giants are set to spend a record amount on infrastructure this year, with chipmakers likely to benefit, according to Bank of America analysts. Among chip companies, those "highly exposed to data center/AI end markets" could fare better than others, the analysts said. One of them is Nvidia, which commands more than 80% of the AI accelerator market, and could maintain its lead over competitors. Cloud computing giants like Microsoft (MSFT) and Amazon (AMZN) are set to spend a record amount on infrastructure in 2024, with chipmakers likely to benefit from the race to build out artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, according to Bank of America analysts. The analysts estimated cloud service provider capital expenditures will hit $121 billion in the second half of 2024, bringing the year's total to a record $227 billion. That would represent a 39% increase from last year. Among the largest U.S. providers, Alphabet (GOOGL), Microsoft, and Meta (META) are expected to spend more than twice as much as they did in 2020, while Oracle (ORCL) could boost capex nearly sixfold. The portion of that spending going toward data centersalready about 55%is expected to continue to rise. Which Chipmakers Stand To Benefit Major beneficiaries of that spending are likely to be semiconductor companies like Nvidia (NVDA), the analysts said. Nvidia commands a more than 80% share of the AI accelerator market, which BofA forecasts will grow from $100 billion today to $200 billion in 2027. The analysts expect the chipmaker to maintain its dominance throughout the current capex upcycle. "Overall, we believe those highly exposed to data center/AI end markets should generally fare better," the analysts wrote. Other top picks include Broadcom (AVGO), Micron (MU), and Arm (ARM). Intel (INTC), meanwhile, is forecast to dramatically trail its peers in terms of exposure to data center spending. With 23% of sales coming from data centers in 2023, it is the chip company analyzed by BofA with the least exposure to AI. That figure is expected to inch up to just 25% in 2026. Read the original article on Investopedia. BIRMINGHAM, Ala (WIAT) A lawsuit has been filed against the owners of a piece of property where four people were killed and 10 others injured in a mass shooting over the weekend. On Wednesday, the city of Birmingham filed a lawsuit against GW LLC, Mortgage Realty and Trendsetters LLP following a shooting that occurred Saturday at an event center owned by the three companies. Specifically, the city is requesting an injunction against the owners, preventing them from continuing to operate the building. This is due to the recent shooting, as well as not having a proper business license. The Defendants have allowed, and continue to allow, criminal, violent, and life-threatening activity to occur at or immediately near the Subject Property, the lawsuit stated. The lawsuit also alleged that despite not being zoned to operate as an event center, there were two other events scheduled to take place on Aug. 10 and Sept. 21. The complaint was filed by the citys attorney, Nicole King, who also filed complaints against the owners of a gas station property and the owners of Cru Birmingham earlier this year. The full petition can be read below: City-of-Birmingham-vs-GW-LLC-ComplaintDownload 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 CBS 42. Approximately 3.2 million units of Bissell's Steam Shot steam cleaners are being voluntarily recalled due to a potential burn hazard. Bissell announced the recall Thursday, saying its Steam Shot handheld steam cleaners with model series numbers 39N7 and 2994 can push out hot water or steam during use or while heating up, potentially causing a burn injury. PHOTO: Bissell is recalling about approximately 3.2 million units of their Steam Shot steam cleaners due to a potential burn hazard. (CPSC) In a statement to "Good Morning America," Bissell said in part, "At BISSELL, we are passionate about designing safe and reliable cleaning products. Consumer safety is our top priority and we are working in full cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to voluntarily recall Steam Shot Handheld Steam Cleaners." According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the company said it has received 183 reports of hot water or steam expelling from Steam Shot units so far and 157 reports of minor burn injuries. Bissell's Steam Shot steam cleaners were manufactured in China and sold at major retailers including Target, Walmart, and national department and home goods stores. The recalled cleaners were also sold online on Bissell's website and retailer sites like Amazon, HSN and other websites from August 2008 to May 2024. They were priced between $35 and $40 for one steam cleaner or $70 for a two-pack of the cleaners. Bissell recommends customers stop using any recalled Steam Shot cleaners immediately, even if the product appears fine to use. The recalled cleaners have the words "STEAM SHOT" or "POWER STEAMER" printed on the side of the units and have model numbers printed on the product rating label on the bottom of the units. PHOTO: Bissells Steam Shot steam cleaners impacted by the recall include those within the 39N7 and 2994 model series. (CPSC) Bissell recalls over 140,000 vacuum cleaners due to potential fire hazard Impacted customers can register for the recall at www.bissell.com/steamshotrecall and visit the site for more instructions on how to properly cut the recalled product's cord before disposing of it. Bissell is offering impacted customers a $60 credit to the company's website or a $40 refund for the recalled product. Vornado recalls 2 million handheld steamers for potential burn hazard To contact Bissell, customers can call 855-417-7001 toll-free from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET on Saturday. Customers may also email RecallNA@bissell.com or visit www.BISSELL.com/steamshotrecall or www.BISSELL.com and click on "Product Recalls" for more information. Bissell recalls over 3 million Steam Shot steam cleaners originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing administers the state's Board of Social Work as well as other licensing boards. (Main photo by Getty Images; logo courtesy State of Iowa) The state of Iowa has agreed to reinstate the license of a social worker who had a sexual relationship with a client she bailed out of jail using stolen money. State records indicate that in October 2015, the Iowa Board of Social work issued a license to Amanda Burgod, who was at one time a co-owner of New Beginnings Counseling Service in Des Moines, where she worked as a therapist. From March 2018 until May 2019, Burgod allegedly provided counseling to a male client identified in board records by the initials B.M. with whom she had entered into a sexual relationship. On May 23, 2019, Burgod allegedly took $11,000 from the business account of New Beginning and used the money to pay for a bond to secure B.M.s release from jail. The next day, she allegedly took an additional $900 to pay for another bond for B.M. Court records indicate B.M. had a history of violence and that while he was in therapy he had threatened to shoot up the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services or commit suicide by cop. According to police records, when Burgods fellow owners at New Beginnings asked her about the missing money, she falsely claimed to have gambled it away. Burgods husband subsequently deposited $12,000 back into New Beginnings business account, according to police records. Board records indicate Burgod was later arrested and charged with first-degree theft and sexual exploitation by a therapist. She pleaded guilty to third-degree theft and the sexual exploitation charge was dismissed. She also agreed to voluntarily surrender her social workers license. In 2022, Burgod applied for reinstatement of her license, which triggered a board investigation of her actions after surrendering her license. The board determined that in February 2020, Burgod initiated a new romantic relationship with an individual, A.Y., who was incarcerated in the Polk County Jail. During a recorded phone conversation with A.Y., Burgod allegedly discussed the fact that she had a prior sexual relationship with B.M. and then disclosed details of what B.M. had said to her during therapy sessions. In March 2020, Burgod allegedly sent a letter to the judge in A.Y.s case, stating that she worked in the mental health system and was recommending that A.Y. receive mental health treatment and substance abuse treatment in lieu of a prison sentence. The letter did not disclose her romantic relationship with A.Y., according to the board. The board denied Burgods 2022 application for reinstatement of her license. Earlier this year, Burgod filed a second application for reinstatement and provided a psychosexual mental health evaluation as well as a Safe Return to Practice Plan and reports from her therapist. According to the board, Burgod testified at a recent closed-door hearing on the matter that if her license was reinstated, she would not see any clients referred to her by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, since she believed such clients often have trauma that may be triggering for her. She also stated she would no longer give her clients her cell phone number and promised to establish clear boundaries as to when clients may contact her. The board agreed to reinstate Burgods license subject to probationary conditions that, for the next two to five years, will require her to practice only in a group or agency setting and to refrain from seeing any male clients. The bodies of 4 Pakistanis killed in the attack on a mosque in Oman have been returned home FILE - A general view of the city, in Muscat, Oman, on Sept. 15, 2010. This week's attack on a Shiite mosque in the capital stunned Oman, a quiet nation long spared militant violence. It underscores how the Islamic State group has turned to a strategy of surprise, dramatic strikes outside its usual battlegrounds a way to show its resilience and inspire new recruits. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili, File) ISLAMABAD (AP) The bodies of four Pakistanis killed in an attack on a Shiite mosque in Oman this week have been repatriated and handed to their families, officials said Friday. Relatives of the victims were present when the Pakistan International Airlines flights landed at the Islamabad and Lahore airports. Airline spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez said the bodies were repatriated at orders from the government and handed to the victims' relatives for burial. Later, hundreds of mourners attended the funerals of the victims in their home cities. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Shari condemned the attack in a meeting with Omans ambassador in Islamabad. On Monday, gunmen stormed a mosque in Oman's capital, Muscat, that was packed with worshippers holding special prayers on the eve of the Shiite mourning festival of Ashoura. The festival marks the 7th-century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammads grandson, Hussein, at Karbala in modern-day Iraq. The Islamic State group claimed Mondays attack, which was the first instance of the Sunni Muslim extremist group asserting responsibility for such an action in Oman. Omani police have said the three assailants were killed in a subsequent gunfight and were Omani citizens, all brothers. Many of those inside the mosque were Pakistanis, who make up a large number of the nearly 2 million migrants who help power Omans economy working in construction and other fields. Pakistans ambassador in Oman, Imran Ali, said his country was not the target and some of the Pakistanis died while trying to save other worshippers. Sharif, during a meeting with Oman's ambassador Fahad Sulaiman, appreciated the envoy's role in the repatriation of the bodies of four Pakistanis killed in Muscat, a statement from his office said Friday, adding that Sharif offered Pakistans support to Oman in dealing with the menace of terrorism, which must be eliminated in all its forms. Also Friday, Pakistans Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, saying, Such acts of terrorism and violence against peaceful civilians cannot be condoned on any grounds whatsoever. The attack demonstrated the persistent threat posed by terrorist organizations and was a reminder of the importance of working together to fight them, ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at a news conference in Islamabad Friday. She said Pakistan offered its assistance to Oman in the investigation. Boebert tells radio hosts she would like to be secretary of the interior under Trump DENVER (KDVR) U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert recently said on a radio show that she would be interested in being the U.S. secretary of the interior under former President Donald Trump if he were to be elected in November. Native Voice One, a radio network that says it serves to bring Native voices to the world, spoke to Boebert on the third day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Final day of the RNC: What happened? While Native Voice One was holding a live show from inside the RNC, Boebert walked by the hosts. She was asked who she thought should be the interior secretary under the Trump Administration. I think Lauren Boebert needs to be the secretary of interior, she said, followed by a laugh. President Trump, I would like to be secretary of interior. Boebert went on to express her feelings on the position. I think this is actually one of the most important agencies within the federal government. Public lands are something that are very dear to me and Ive spent a lot of time on our tribal lands with our chairman and our councilmembers with the Mountain Utes and the Southern Utes, said Boebert. The U.S. Department of the Interior is responsible for the management and conservation of federal lands and natural resources. The hosts then went on to ask Boebert if she thought the U.S. government should move Bureau of Land Management offices to spread them across the country. Boebert brought up that U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt under Trump in 2020 moved the BLM headquarters to Grand Junction. Then, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland under President Joe Biden relocated the headquarters back to Washington D.C. in 2021. I fought to keep that as the Bureau of Land Management regional Western headquarters and save 46 jobs so we could have boots on the ground, said Boebert. WATCH: JD Vance accepts nomination to be Trumps running mate at RNC The full conversation with Boebert lasted about four minutes and included a question about the Antiquities Act, which was signed into law in 1906 to provide general legal protection of cultural and natural resources of historic or scientific interest on federal lands. After she walked away, the hosts spent several minutes discussing what she had said and trying to see what impact her policy suggestions would have on the Native American tribes around the country. The full show is available on Native Voice Ones YouTube channel. Boebert currently represents Colorados 3rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives but she has since moved and is running against Trisha Calvarese to represent Colorados 4th Congressional District in Novembers election. If Boebert were to win the election and then be appointed to secretary of the interior, or any other cabinet position, she would need to resign from her House seat. Nexstars KDVR reached out to Boeberts campaign for comment and has yet to hear back. 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. This Boise food pantry is almost empty. Heres how you can help your neighbors in need Multiple food pantries across the Treasure Valley are running out of supplies and asking for your help. The St. Vincent de Paul Southwest Idaho food pantry on 3209 W. Overland Road in Boise is 8% stocked, Development Director Mareesa Rule told the Idaho Statesman. That amounts to four pallets of food. Fifty pallets are needed weekly to meet community demand. The pantry serves about 900 families a month, Food Pantry Manager Brandon Weast said. In 2023, the average number of households served per month was 694, Rule said. Were feeding more people than we have historically, and we have less food to do it, Rule said. On the first Tuesday in June, 80 households sought food from the pantry, including nine first-time families. On the second Tuesday in July, 144 households, including 23 new families, sought food. The average household includes 3.6 people, Rule said. The pantry hasnt experienced such high numbers of visitors since early in the pandemic. All of a sudden, we just skyrocketed, Weast said. Brandon Weast, manager at the St. Vincent de Paul Overland Food Pantry, on Thursday puts together boxes of food for the next distribution day. Pantry cuts amount of food it gives households The St. Vincent de Paul pantry has lowered the amount of food it is providing, Rule said. Were trying to make it go as far as absolutely possible, Rule said. With school being out and children not receiving lunches provided by schools, the need for food increases in the summer. It has been a very large strain on families, Rule said. Numerous families who are struggling to make it through the month visit the food pantry, Rule said. The amount of food available and the number of visits fluctuate throughout the year. But the pantry has seen numerous first-time families in need for food. Those in need are allowed to visit the food pantry once a month to make sure St. Vincent can feed as many people as possible, Weast said. The fridge has limited supplies at the St. Vincent de Paul Overland Food Pantry. We usually have a hard time walking into it, Development Director Mareesa Rule said. Its almost empty now. The last time the pantry had enough food to feed everyone in need was likely in the fall of 2023, Rule said. The reduction in inventory is due to a lower supply from community partners like The Idaho Foodbank. Other partners supporting the pantry include El-Ada Community Action, a government-funded nonprofit that fights poverty, and local companies such as Gastons Bakery and Utz Chips. Randy Ford, president and CEO of The Idaho Foodbank, told the Statesman that the nonprofit has had to navigate higher costs of purchasing and transporting food. This is during a time when we have had a decrease in donations and an increase in need, Ford said by email. According to the latest Map the Meal Gap report, 11.4% of Idahoans are food insecure, and unfortunately this data is consistent with the increased levels of need we have been seeing in Idaho. The Idaho Foodbanks goal is to keep our food distribution levels as high as possible, while managing the increased costs of food and the need for food from our partner food pantries all over the state. The Idaho Foodbank provides food at no charge to over 400 rescue missions, church pantries, emergency shelters and community kitchens, according to its website. The St. Vincent food pantry sometimes receives only a fraction of the orders it places with the partners. Weast said food providers try to maintain equitable access to many food pantries. James Thompson, food program director at El-Ada Community Action, said funding gets really tight at this time of the year, and St. Vincent is only one of the 19 food banks El-Ada provides food for. We try to combat it the best way we can, Thompson said. I wish I could give St. Vincent more food than the food they always ask for. All pantries throughout the valley are being told the same thing, Rule said. Refrigerated items at the St. Vincent de Paul Overland Food Pantry include milk, cheese and other dairy products. They are mostly provided by local partners and grocery stores. The need grows, and we have to figure out how were going to feed everybody, Rule said. Rule said that Gastons Bakery and Utz Chips have been crucial for St. Vincent de Paul and go above and beyond. No shortage on their end, Rule said. Pantry operates in a food desert St. Vincent food pantries in Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell and Mountain Home are also struggling. The St. Vincent pantry in Boise the largest in the city, according to Executive Director Ralph May is in desperate need of everything. Boxes are empty, hoping to be filled, Rule said. The area where the pantry is located, between Vista Avenue and Roosevelt Street, is a food desert, an area where people have limited access to healthy, nutritious and affordable food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Food distributions take place on from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Fridays. Boises pantry has a drive-through model, and people typically start lining up around 8 a.m. for the distribution starting at 10, when volunteers put together food boxes and take them to the vehicles. The Grocery Alliance Program, which consists of stores like Albertsons and Costco, also supplies the pantry with items that are overstock or being removed from store shelves. The stores give the pantry a lot of deli, dairy and bakery items that have short shelf lives, Weast said. Baked goods are more easily obtainable by the food pantry because they have short shelf lives. The extremely limited amount of nonperishable food provided by partners, accompanied with the increase in need, is a large concern, Rule said. About 90% of the food provided to the pantry comes from partners, while the remaining 10% comes from community donations, Rule said. How you can help People can donate nonperishable items such as rice, pasta, beans, cereal, oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, tuna and peanut butter. Donations are accepted from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Financial donations will be used to buy food in bulk, pay for rent and utilities for pantry space, and pay transportation costs for food delivery and pick up. You can visit the food pantrys website for more information on how to do this. Community members can volunteer their time from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays to build boxes and sort food or on distribution days to help register visitors. Canned meat is unloaded from a box at the St. Vincent de Paul Overland food pantry. The St. Vincent pantry receives plenty of hygiene items thanks to a new partnership with Amazon, through which it gets returns or overstocks, Weast said. What is urgently needed is food. Weast said he hasnt seen a bulk quantity of peanut butter in the building in over a year. We used to have pallets and pallets and pallets, he said. Rice is also something they used to get in large quantities but is now scarce. Im sure most people in our neighborhood and community know somebody who is benefiting from this food pantry, Rule said, Being able to help is something that is at their fingertips. A new thrift store is coming to State Street in Boise. Here is whats planned, and when Changes are coming to the Boise Farmers Market this weekend as heat wave scorches Idaho Albertsons says it plans to divest 10 Idaho stores in merger. Is yours on this list? This theater chain is showing $1 movies in the Boise area. Heres how long the deal lasts (FOX40.COM) A search is underway in Humboldt County after possible human bones were found in the southern portion of the county, according to the Humboldt County Sheriffs Office. On July 6, deputies went out to the South Fork of the Eel River near Redway for reports of bones being found in the area. Redway is located in southern Humboldt County, about 220 miles northwest of Sacramento. The county coroners office initially said that the bones were unlikely to be human after looking at photos from the scene. Teen who had been missing from Sacramento since April located in Portland, police say After deputies collected the bones for further analysis, the coroners office determined it would be beneficial to have the bones examined by an anthropologist. Examinations by the anthropologist concluded that the bones are possibly human and a more conclusive result will be made pending further examination, according to the sheriffs office. Investigators are now carrying out further searches in the area where the bones were initially discovered with the use of two cadaver search dogs. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. A pediatric doctor who just started a fellowship in Boston was arrested on child pornography charges Thursday night, federal prosecutors said. Christopher Sheerer, 35, was charged on Friday in federal court with one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography, according to Acting United States Attorney for Massachusetts Joshua S. Levy. Sheerer was hired at the beginning of July as a fellow in pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist at Boston Childrens Hospital. He previously had been a fellow in pediatric anesthesiology at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. According to charging documents, a federal investigation began in Baltimore when Sheerer was part of an online group that used an encrypted messaging app to solicit pictures of nude children. To become part of the group, Sheerer allegedly uploaded imagery of a child known to him to the server. On July 18, authorities searched his Boston residence and allegedly found several pictures and videos on his phone of children as young as 2 years old performing sex acts on adults. Sheerers phone, a tablet, and computers were seized and are pending forensic analysis. He was detained pending a hearing on Tuesday. In a statement, a spokesperson for Boston Childrens Hospital said, When Boston Childrens Hospital learned today of new fellow Dr. Christopher Sheerers arrest, we immediately terminated their employment. Our patients and their families safety and well-being remain our utmost priority. The Department of Justice urges any members of the public who have questions, information, or concerns about this case to call 617-748-3274. The charge of distribution of child porn and possession of child porn provides a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 each. 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 Bradenton man faces charges after trying to meet 12-year-old girl, prosecutors say A Bradenton man is facing charges after prosecutors say he tried to coerce a 12-year-old girl he met on TikTok into engaging in sexual activity. A grand jury indicted Brian Todd Walker, 51, on charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and possession of child sexual abuse material, the United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida announced. If convicted on all counts, Walker faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison, according to a news release. Prosecutors say Walker contacted a 12-year-old girl who lives in his community over the social media platform TikTok and began having inappropriate conversations with her. According to court documents, the family then handed the social media profile over to authorities and an undercover agent with the FBI took over conversations with Walker. During the course of the conversations between Walker and who he believed to be the 12-year-old girl, prosecutors say Walker attempted to coerce her to engage in sexual activity and asked her to trade pics on Snapchat. Bradenton man texted minor, prosecutors say During these conversations, prosecutors say Walker expressed that he was attracted to 12-year-old girls. Obviously I know youre still growing and I like that, Walker allegedly wrote during one conversation, according to court documents. Prosecutors say Walker then began asking for clarification on where in the community the 12-year-old girl lived and began telling the undercover agent about secret places they could go engage in sexual activity, saying that he had previously touched young girls in a sexual manner in those secret places. When later confronted by law enforcement, Walker said he had never touched young girls and that it was simply a fantasy, according to court documents. On June 23, prosecutors say Walker traveled to meet the 12-year-old girl at the community pool, but was instead arrested. Upon seizing Walkers cell phone, prosecutors say law enforcement found images of minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is part of the Department of Justices Project Safe Childhood initiative, according to a news release. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) A Branch County man will stand trial for allegations he had sex with two underage girls and provided them with methamphetamine. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says in a news release Anthony Cuyler, 46, was bound over to Branch County Circuit Court to face three counts of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct, one count of Delivery of Methamphetamine to a Minor, one count of Possession of Methamphetamine, and one count of Possession of Ammunition by a Felon. Nessel says the Branch County Prosecutor charged Cuyler in 2019 for alleged sexual assaults against a pair of minor children, girls aged 11 and 12 years old, and for allegedly providing them with methamphetamine. But Cuyler fled the state. He was located in Mexico earlier this year and extradited to Michigan last month with the assistance of the U.S. Marshall Service, Nessel reports. Survivors of sexual assault deserve to see their abusers brought to justice, and in some cases that requires extraordinary and unusual efforts, Nessel says in the news release. I am grateful to local law enforcement, the Branch County prosecuting attorneys, and especially the U.S. Marshals Service for bringing this man home to face criminal accountability. Without their dedication to apprehending those accused of cold-case sexual crimes, Mr. Cuyler would likely still be in Mexico, and not awaiting a trial date in circuit court, as he is today. Cuyler will be back in court on Aug. 12. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) stands against the other financial stocks. The financial services industry in the US is poised for a dynamic and challenging year ahead, shaped by a confluence of economic, technological, and regulatory factors. The global economy is anticipated to grow modestly, with advanced economies like the US expecting around 1.4% growth. This is influenced by ongoing geopolitical tensions, climate-related disruptions, and persistently high inflation rates. These macroeconomic conditions are expected to significantly impact the operations and profitability of financial institutions. High interest rates have been a double-edged sword for the industry. While they have led to substantial increases in net interest income, particularly for larger banks, they have also driven up funding costs, especially for smaller and regional banks, squeezing their margins. According to Deloitte, the Federal Reserve's monetary policy will be crucial, with expectations that rates will remain elevated initially but may decrease later in the year. This will necessitate careful management of the balance between deposit rates and lending rates to sustain profitability. Economic uncertainty and the potential for slower growth have prompted banks to increase their loan loss provisions as a precautionary measure to cover potential defaults. This trend is expected to persist, reflecting a cautious approach to managing credit risk amidst economic volatility and increased regulatory scrutiny. Concurrently, the financial services sector is experiencing significant technological shifts. Advances in AI and generative AI are set to transform various aspects of the industry, from retail investing and fraud detection to insurance offerings. However, these advancements also introduce new risks, such as heightened fraud potential and the need for robust cybersecurity measures. On the regulatory front, changes are becoming more stringent, particularly around climate-related disclosures and sustainability. Financial institutions are required to adapt to these new regulations aimed at enhancing transparency and effectively managing climate risks. These regulatory changes, coupled with technological advancements, are forcing financial institutions to innovate and evolve their business models and strategies. Overall, banks and financial institutions must remain agile and proactive, navigating these multifaceted challenges to maintain profitability and drive growth in 2024. This will involve balancing the benefits and risks of high interest rates, managing loan loss provisions prudently, leveraging technological advancements, and complying with evolving regulatory requirements. Story continues In a recent development, major U.S. banks withstood a hypothetical 40% decline in commercial real estate values in the U.S. Federal Reserve's annual health test, which alleviated concerns about the banking sector amid rising interest rates. With increasing risks in the commercial real estate (CRE) sector, investors were keenly observing the Fed's stress tests to gauge the exposure of American lenders at a time when pandemic-era work patterns have left office towers largely vacant, pushing vacancy rates to a historic high of 20%. Chris Marinac, head of research at Janney Montgomery Scott, commented, In many ways, there should be a sense of relief that banks can endure a severe crisis. However, this doesnt mean the Fed believes commercial real estate is in the clear. We are still in the early stages of this credit cycle. The Fed's stress tests evaluate banks' balance sheets against a hypothetical severe economic downturn, including a 36% drop in U.S. home prices, a 55% plunge in equity prices, and an unemployment rate of 10%, reported Reuters. Results of the stress test released recently showed that banks could continue lending to households and businesses in the event of a severe global recession and indicated the capital needed to be deemed healthy and to determine how much they can return to shareholders through dividends and buybacks. The 31 large banks tested demonstrated they had enough capital to absorb nearly $685 billion in losses. This test comes over a year after the collapse of mid-sized lenders like Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic, which sparked criticism that the Fed had underestimated banks' vulnerabilities to rising interest rates, previously assuming rates would fall during a severe recession. Commercial office space is a significant concern, with $929 billion of the $4.7 trillion in outstanding commercial mortgages maturing in 2024, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. This approaching maturity wall occurs amid declining property values and reduced rental income. Analysts foresee a challenging period for CRE, with banks still having "considerable concentration risks," according to Moody's Ratings. Of the banks tested, Goldman Sachs had the highest projected loan loss for commercial real estate at 15.9%, followed by RBC USA (15.8%), Capital One (14.6%), and Northern Trust (13%). One critique from analysts is that the Fed's stress test did not include regional banks, which hold most of the CRE loans and are less regulated than their larger counterparts. Over the coming months, senior leaders in the financial services industry anticipate a challenging landscape marked by high interest rates, increased regulatory scrutiny, and persistent inflation concerns. While these trends are familiar to industry veterans, many younger employees have not encountered such conditions before. According to Deloitte, leaders will need to guide their teams through uncertainty, focusing on navigating near-term challenges and identifying potential opportunities. Looking ahead, rapid technological advancementsincluding generative AI, cloud migration, heightened fraud and cyber risks, and the convergence of industries through embedded financewill demand unprecedented agility from financial services leaders. Adapting to these changes will require creating new strategic pathways to align with evolving market dynamics. Throughout history, the financial services sector has often driven progress by helping organizations and individuals navigate economic and societal shifts. By the end of this decade, 2024 may be recognized as a pivotal year when the future began to materialize in tangible ways. Investing now in innovative products and services that foster positive outcomes could position firms for sustained competitive advantage in the years ahead. Our Methodology We leveraged Insider Monkeys comprehensive database of 920 prominent hedge funds to identify the top 10 financial stocks with the highest level of hedge fund investment as of Q1 2024. These stocks are listed in order of increasing hedge fund ownership, providing insight into the most popular financial stocks among elite investors. A team of financial advisors huddled around a desk, discussing the best investment strategy for their client. Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 94 Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) CEO Jane Fraser stated on June 18 that the bank has moved away from its expansive model of the 1990s. "We are no longer the financial supermarket of the past," Fraser said at an event in New York City. "Instead, our vision is sharply focused". Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) is scaling back operations, divesting businesses, and reducing the workforce to boost stock performance and streamline operations. CFO Mark Mason labeled 2024 as an "inflection year," aiming to increase full-year revenue by at least $6 billion by 2026 while cutting expenses by at least $500 million. On June 20, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analyst David Konrad reiterated a "Market Perform" rating for Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) and increased the price target from $66 to $69. In the first quarter of 2024, the number of hedge funds with stakes in Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) increased to 94 from 87 in the previous quarter, according to Insider Monkeys database. The combined value of these stakes is approximately $10.64 billion. Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway emerged as the largest stakeholder among these hedge funds during this period. Silver Beech Capital stated the following regarding Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) in its first quarter 2024 investor letter: Since the beginning of 2023, Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) has been one of the Funds largest holdings. In our Q3 2023 investor letter, we laid out our core investment thesis for Citi: although the bank was an underperformer (weak returns on equity), Citi was (1) less risky than it had ever been and (2) cheaper than it had ever been. The Funds investment thesis for Citi featured in a November 2023 Euromoney article Citi 2.0: If she builds it, will they come? The market narrative has started to converge on our investment thesis. During the first quarter, Citi was the best-performing bank stock in the S&P 500 index. However, improvements in Citis operating performance have come more slowly than its share price gains. Due to this converging market perception with our own thesis, the Fund exited its position in Citi. The Funds stake in Citi generated a 34% gross IRR over our 14-month investment period. Overall C ranks 3rd on our list of the best financial stocks to buy. You can visit 10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds to see the other financial stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of C 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 C 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. The Agriculture Ministry headquarters building is seen in Brasilia By Ana Mano SAO PAULO (Reuters) -The world's top chicken exporter Brazil has voluntarily halted poultry exports to some countries after a case of Newcastle disease was detected in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, its agriculture ministry said on Friday. The move comes as local authorities try to contain the viral disease after around 7,000 birds died on a chicken farm in Brazil's southernmost state. The flock's remaining 7,000 birds were culled to comply with health protocols, according to meat lobby group ABPA. From a sample of 12 birds from the flock, government investigators found at least one positive case of Newcastle, ABPA, which represents exporters such as JBS and BRF, said. Newcastle causes respiratory problems in birds and sometimes leads to death. The temporary export restrictions could affect 50,000 to 60,000 metric tons of Brazilian poultry exports "in the worst-case scenario," ABPA said. Brazil produces 1.2 million tons and exports 430,000 tons of poultry products, on average, per month. The restrictions range, depending on the destination country, from all Brazilian poultry exports to products only from Rio Grande do Sul, the agriculture ministry said. The restrictions affect sales to 44 nations including China, Argentina, the European Union, Japan and Saudi Arabia, the ministry said. Rio Grande do Sul accounts for 15% of Brazilian poultry production and exports, according to ABPA. The agriculture ministry declared an animal health emergency in Rio Grande do Sul due to the Newcastle case. Notification by countries of Newcastle cases is mandatory under guidelines from the World Organisation for Animal Health. The last previous confirmed cases of Newcastle in Brazil occurred in 2006 in subsistence birds in the states of Amazonas, Mato Grosso and Rio Grande do Sul, according to the ministry. Subsistence birds meet a family's need for food and are not kept for trade. (Reporting by Ana Mano, Luana Maria Benedito and Leticia Fucuchima; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Rod Nickel and Aurora Ellis) (Bloomberg) -- Brazil will freeze 15 billion reais ($2.7 billion) in spending from this years budget to comply with its fiscal target, providing some relief to investors who feared President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wouldnt sign off on the measure. Most Read from Bloomberg Finance Minister Fernando Haddad announced the decision on Thursday after a meeting with Lula and Planning Minister Simone Tebet, among other cabinet members. It will ensure that this years primary deficit, which doesnt take into account interest payments, will remain within the range of tolerance of 0.25% of gross domestic product set in the fiscal rule, Haddad told reporters after the meeting. The government had initially sought to completely eliminate such deficit, but that would require freezing at least twice that amount, according to estimates from economists at Itau Unibanco SA and Banco Santander SA. The freeze was due to be announced July 22, together with the release of a new budget report, but the government decided to move faster to dispel concerns about public spending that have caused local assets to sell off. We are bringing it forward to avoid speculation, Haddad said. Lula on Tuesday had cast doubt on his commitment to the fiscal target, saying in a TV interview that he is not obligated to set a goal and stick to it if he decides he has more important things to do. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. City officials in Marion, Kansas, have agreed to pay $235,000 to remove the former police chief from a federal lawsuit brought by Deb Gruver, a former reporter with the Marion County Record. Last year, police raided the newspaper's offices, seizing computers, the newspaper's file server, and even personal cellphones. Police also raided the home of the newspaper's owners. The raid came after local business owner Kari Newell acknowledged at a city council meeting that she had continued to drive after her license was suspended for a DUI conviction. Newell accused the newspaper of illegally obtaining her driving record. The newspaper said it received a tip about the DUI and confirmed the claims through public records but decided not to publish the story, only reporting on the charges after Newell brought it up in a public meeting. But Chief Gideon Cody, who led the raid, claimed to have evidence that the paper, one of its reporters, and a city council member had committed computer crimes to access Newell's driving record. A local judge signed a warrant to that effect, which the county attorney later withdrew. Gruver's lawsuit is one of five federal lawsuits spawned by the raid, and she is still suing the Marion County sheriff and the county prosecutor. The post Brickbat: Hot Off the Press appeared first on Reason.com. Bringing peace to Palestine is both a personal and political commitment for June Rose June Rose, a political activist who is the uncommitted delegate elected to represent state Democrats at the DNC this summer. (Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current) June Rose spent their whole life organizing, communicating, learning how to seamlessly slip in and out of traditional circles and structures to create the world they want to live in. A world where Palestinians are safe from war and free from Israeli occupation. Thats why Rose is one of 36 uncommitted delegates nationwide and the only one in Rhode Island headed to Chicago for the four-day Democratic National Convention next month. Their task? Convince the other 3,900 delegates pledging to support President Joe Biden to select a nominee who agrees to leverage U.S. influence and aid to end the Israel-Hamas war. The odds are against Rose and other uncommitted delegates. But Rose has overcome far greater challenges, both personal and political. My job has always been about outcomes, about winning, Rose said. Here, winning means fewer Palestinian children are killed. There would be no greater victory than helping save the lives of Palestinian children living under occupation. They declined to discuss strategy developed through virtual meetings with other uncommitted delegates ahead of the convention. But Rose is hopeful the growing discontent surrounding Bidens age and ability to beat Donald Trump presents an opportunity. For a long time, Ive heard anxiety that I am going to help elect Trump by criticizing Biden, Rose said. Now the wind under the sails of that criticism is totally gone. I know there are many Biden delegates across the country who have extreme anxiety about our situation, and I hope to encourage them to use their voices. Raised within an Orthodox Jewish enclave on Providences East Side, Rose grew up a natural questioner with a distaste for authority. They spent many hours in school detention, accustomed to being pulled aside by religious leaders who didnt care for Roses political and personal digressions from strict Jewish law. Now 29, Rose came out as transgender and non-binary four years ago. Their political career began with labor organizing in college before evolving into campaigns and now, government work. I have never found it a challenge or a moral difficulty to cry for two people, Rose said. My horror for the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 is not in contradiction for the genocide that is still being perpetrated against the people of Palestine. I know there are many Biden delegates across the country who have extreme anxiety about our situation, and I hope to encourage them to use their voices. June Rose, uncommitted delegate from Rhode Island This passion is matched equally by a commitment to organizing and policy work, skills Rose sharpened over five years working on political campaigns and, since January, as chief of staff for the Providence City Council, making them the highest-ranking transgender government staffer in history. Council President Rachel Miller lobbied hard to bring Rose back to Providence to work for the City Council after witnessing their skill and dedication during the 2022 Democratic coordinated campaign led by the Rhode Island Democratic Party and then-congressional candidate Seth Magaziner. Miller, who has spent most of her career as a labor organizer, saw in Rose many of the personal and professional qualities needed to corral a 15-member council with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. Its an incredibly challenging role because you have 15 different bosses, Miller said. June always starts from the place of agreement. Which is what makes the group cohesive and effective. Rose plans to bring that same attitude to Chicago from Aug. 19 to 22. I am not going as a rabble rouser or to make a scene, Rose said. My goal is to make a difference. If we have real seats at the table as decisions are made about our partys posture toward the war in Gaza, thats it. Crossing a border Rose thinks about the 15,000 children killed since the war began relative to the enrollment of Providence Public Schools 19,600 expected in the upcoming year. The rubble-strewn streets of Gaza arent just TV images, but neighborhoods and homes, not far from where Rose once lived. It feels very disconnected, but for me, it was a 10-minute drive away, they said. Rose was referring to the short distance from Jerusalem to the West Bank. At 18, Rose spent a post-graduation gap year in Israel to study the Torah and other rabbinic texts. During a Passover break, they snuck out and crossed the border into Palestine with an educational tour program unrelated to yeshiva. I dont think most people can point to two days in their life that totally changed the course of their entire world, Rose said. For me, it changed everything, not only on the issues of Israel and Palestine, but also my politics, my relationship with my community and with myself. Growing up Orthodox, Palestine was an unspoken word. Palestinians were referred to as Arabs and settlement expansion in the West Bank was taught to be the Jewish peoples divine right. I grew up a trained Zionist, Rose said. Israel advocacy was baked into my education. Roses parents were more lenient, identifying as modern Orthodox and somewhat integrated into the secular world. But a stricter set of rules and culture characterized students education at Providence Hebrew Day School. Many students families didnt work outside the Jewish community; didnt dine at local restaurants in order to keep kosher, didnt interact with outsiders at all. Rose didnt know any non-Jewish people until college. June always starts from the place of agreement. Which is what makes the group cohesive and effective. Rachel Miller, Providence City Council president Physical touch between students of the opposite sex was barred, but Roses best friends were girls. Observing the Sabbath meant no electronics, but Rose spent Friday nights covertly watching TV in their bedroom. A flexible relationship with rules made Rose a frequent visitor to school detention for talking back to teachers and flouting Jewish law. It wasnt just teachers and religious leaders who took note of Roses defiance. Classmates did, too. I always say that my bullies knew I was queer long before I did, Rose said. Intense bullying in middle school led to a transfer to Maimonides School in Brookline, Massachusetts, where Rose graduated high school. While Maimonides was less strict in its Orthodoxy and more diverse in its student population, Rose continued to butt heads with authority figures. After school religious leaders rejected an article Rose wrote for the school newspaper supporting marriage equality, Rose printed their own copies and stuck them in every students locker. But Rose succumbed to pressure to spend that gap year in Israel where their thinly veiled skepticism of religious and political doctrine was punished with extra hours of supervised religious study, the ideological equivalent of running laps or doing push-ups. They treated me like I was a hospital patient who they were trying to cure, they said. Returning from that illicit trip across the border, Rose was reprimanded and told to never do something like that again. A new sense of purpose So Rose quit, moving into a cheap Jerusalem apartment found on Facebook Marketplace to live with a half-dozen strangers. Rose continued to work with the Encounter Program that led Palestinian trips as an unpaid intern, living off meager savings collected through high school camp jobs. In their free time, they wandered the streets of the West Bank, spending hours talking and smoking hookah with a Palestinian girl, Haya Tarawa, they befriended. Hearing Tarawas experiences living under Israeli occupation, passing through military checkpoints and being harassed by Israeli soldiers as a part of everyday life confirmed something Rose had suspected all along: There was another side to the narrative they were taught in the Orthodox community. Palestinians were, in fact, as human as their Israeli neighbors. They returned to Providence unrecognizable to family and friends. They came out as bisexual the only term they really knew to describe feeling something other than heteronormative sexuality and stopped even pretending to observe Sabbath traditions to work on Providence Mayor Angel Taveras 2014 gubernatorial campaign. It was through Taveras campaign that Rose met Kat Kerwin, still a high school student at the time. We were the youngest people on the campaign, Kerwin said. Both of us were kind of just learning how to be an organizer. Their connection quickly flourished in shared passion for political justice. They kept in touch, reuniting for Thanksgiving as Rose traversed the country, first to attend college at Tulane University in Louisiana and through the next six years working on political campaigns up and down the Eastern seaboard. Kerwin found herself turning to Rose for advice during her four-year term on the Providence City Council, beginning in 2019. I was a teenager when I was elected so I didnt have all of this communications training, Kerwin said. They really helped me work through messaging. Rose also lent expertise from afar to Providence City Councilman Miguel Sanchez after he was fired from his job with Gov. Dan McKees office in late October for his public stance and involvement in the pro-Palestine movement. Rose was in D.C. at the time, already juggling protests and sit-ins at the U.S. Capitol, even twice getting arrested. Charges were dismissed both times. Yet Rose put together a working document with messaging and strategy for Sanchez to deal with the avalanche of media requests coming his way. I think I asked for it on a Sunday morning and by Sunday night, I had a whole plan, Sanchez said. I think June might be one of the best comms folks in the state in the way they are able to deliver a message that resonates. A few months later, fresh off a trio of wins for competitive seats in the Virginia House of Delegates, Rose was figuring out their next move. Thats when Miller swooped in with the city council job offer. I definitely had to do a little persuading, Miller said. The key selling point was Millers promise to Rose that the incoming City Council would do big things. That was my condition for taking the job, Rose said. I love Providence, and it has become so much more vibrant over the years since I left. But I am really, really scared about the direction in the sense that Providence is a city where you have to be upper middle class to live. Their January homecoming has been marked equally by familiarity and a sense of outsiderness. Rose isnt in touch with any of their childhood classmates; they see their parents, who still live in the area, and visit their brothers who both work at Eastside Marketplace. Rather than the traditional black hat and suit worn by male Orthodox members they once went to school with, Rose favors brightly patterned thrift store finds and dangling earrings. They still identify as Jewish, at least culturally, but have turned their religious upbringing into a foundation from which to advocate for peace in Palestine. Symbolically, I think that 29% of voters say Joe Biden does not speak for us on this issue is extremely significant, Rose said. They were referring to the percentage of city voters who voted uncommitted in the April 2 presidential primary. Rose is committed to both those uncommitted voters as well as the Palestinian people I am in this role not to represent the Biden is too old movement, Rose said. I am in this role to represent the freedom and justice for Palestine movement. Whether it is Biden or one of the other names floatedmy role remains relatively similar even if the ground is shifting beneath me. That role is no less important in Roses eyes even if the Democratic National Committee moves ahead with a contested plan to virtually nominate Biden before the convention takes place. Locking up the nomination is a tiny part of this, they said. This is about winning the presidency. In order to win in November, the Democratic nominee needs to take a bold stance on ending the war. There is a role for us as uncommitted delegates before the nomination, during the nomination and after the nomination. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Buc-ee's is officially looking at Oklahoma. Could Shake Shack, Meddy's be next for OKC? Construction nears completion on a Buc-ee's in Daytona Beach, Florida. The popular travel stop chain is looking to locate in Oklahoma. OKC yearned for years for a Trader Joe's before one finally landed in 2016. Same with Costco until 2019. Now, Buc-ee's has people's attention. The pain of seeing a favorite store close is soothed by seeing something new open, and it happens all the time. So, what's next for Oklahoma City? First, although it's been reported second hand, Buc-ee's is looking in Oklahoma. Here it is from Bucky the Beaver himself actually, his spokesman: "We have not identified a specific location in Oklahoma, but are considering expansion opportunities across the country, including in Oklahoma," Jeff Nadalo, Buc-ee's Ltd. general counsel, told The Oklahoman after several inquiries over several months. The latest talk says Buc-ee's is looking along Interstate 40 around Yukon, just west of Oklahoma City. But experts say Buc-ee's could land anywhere around OKC, depending on traffic and available land. Bring on the Beaver Nuggets! Five would-be-new-to-OKC retailers looking to open in Oklahoma City People play pickleball at Scissortail Park. More pickleball operators are looking to open in OKC, according to Press Edwards & Co. "It seems like there are always new tenants looking in our market. Of course, looking doesnt mean a deal will be struck. Remember how long Costco looked before they opened their first store here," said Jim Parrack, senior vice president and retail specialist at OKC's Price Edwards & Co. commercial property brokerage. Here are a few of national and regional name-brand retailers currently searching for spots, according to Price Edwards & Co.: Buc-ees Meddys, "serving fresh, fast, and authentic Mediterranean flavors since 2014," founded in Wichita, Kansas. Shake Shack, fast-casual restaurant that started as a hot dog cart in New York City in 2001. Daiso, a Japanese variety store chain founded in 1977, in Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. More pickleball operators Some brand-name and local retailers OKC has lost, or could lose, this year Fire Leaf, a closed dispensary in Edmond. "As the Lord giveth, he taketh away," Parrack said. "Several struggling retailers have either closed stores, will close some stores, or will most likely go into bankruptcy, in which case, they may or may not reorganize and stay open." Sign Up: Weekly newsletter Real Estate with Richard Mize Senior Business Writer Richard Mize has covered housing, construction, commercial real estate and related topics for the newspaper and Oklahoman.com since 1999. Contact him at rmize@oklahoman.com. Sign up for his weekly newsletter, Real Estate with Richard Mize. You can support Richard's work, and that of his colleagues, by purchasing a digital subscription to The Oklahoman. Right now, you can get 6 months of subscriber-only access for $1. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Trader Joe's, Costco came; Buc-ee's is looking; what's next for OKC? BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A global technology outage affecting Microsoft apps and services led to major disruptions around the world Friday, including in Western New York. Buffalo Airport experiencing delays Buffalo Niagara International Airport had multiple flights delayed Friday morning as a result of the outage, a spokesperson for the NFTA told WIVB News 4, and they are advising travelers to contact their airline as some flights are still able to fly out. Delta announced it paused its global flight schedule Friday morning as a result of the outage. The NFTAs trains, buses and police are not experiencing any delays. Multiple WNY healthcare providers, hospitals affected Erie County Medical Center activated its internal command center and implemented computer downtime procedures due to the outage, according to a statement to WIVB. However, the hospital said its patient care is fully functional and uninterrupted despite the technology issues. Kaleida Health hospitals were also affected by the outage overnight and had to implement its internal incident command center as well as computer downtime procedures, according to a statement. The healthcare provider is still encouraging staff and patients (including surgeries, clinic visits and physician appointments) to report as scheduled as its IT department managed to bring computer systems back online. Hospitals operated by Kaleida include Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Olean General Hospital and Oishei Childrens Hospital. Catholic Health also activated its internal incident command center and experienced some communication delays due to the outage. All of its facilities remain open and emergency care is unaffected, however non-urgent appointments and surgeries may be running slightly delayed. Roswell Park confirmed that surgeries and procedures will proceed as planned Friday despite technology issues from the outage. The treatment center said in a statement that care is not impacted, but there may be some delays in clinic operations as systems are brought back up. The VA Western New York Healthcare System said it is operating as normal and has had no technology disruptions. Delays at the border The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has confirmed in a statement that they are experiencing processing delays due to the outage. Longer than normal wait times at the border are possible. CBP says they are working to resolve the issue and minimize the impact to international trade and travel. CBP phone apps remain operational. Updates will be provided when they become available. Some county, city services experiencing issues Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said in a thread on X/Twitter that the New York State system utilized by multiple county services is inoperable, affecting the Department of Social Services and Erie County Clerks Office for DMV matters. The public is asked not to come to those offices seeking services until it is advised that their systems are back online. Life-safety systems such as 911 are operational in Erie County despite the issues. Some departments in Niagara County were impacted by the outage, and work to repair any systems that are down is ongoing, according to a statement. The public is advised to contact county departments if they have business to conduct with them on Friday. Numerous computers and servers within Chautauqua County government offices were affected by the outage, according to a statement, and the restoration process will take some time. Certain emergency applications within the county system experienced some disruptions but are now fully restored, and emergency response is not affected by the outage. All county government offices will be open Friday. The City of Buffalo confirmed to WIVB that it is suffering no major issues at this time due to the outage and that public safety services are still operating. City Hall remains open but those coming to do business can expect delays as some computer systems are down. A spokesperson for M&T Bank and Wilmington Trust said the bank is quickly restoring affected platforms while working with partners to update those systems as well, saying mobile banking, ATMs, branches and call centers are all available to serve clients and customers. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said that the issue believed to be behind the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue affected Microsoft 365 apps and services, and escalating disruptions continued hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing it. The website DownDectector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon, and airlines including American Airlines and Delta. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a developing story, check back for updates. Latest Local News Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the WIVB News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. Buffalo Diocese has offer for Christ the King Seminary (WIVB) The Diocese of Buffalo has a potential buyer for the sprawling former Christ the King seminary in East Aurora. But the $3.8 million proposed offer from World Mission Society, Church of God, will have to survive an auction that could garner higher bids. Bankruptcy Court filings reveal the Dioceses request to approve bidding procedures and to set an auction date for the 117-acre property, which includes 18 buildings. The list price for the property was $5.3 million. A Diocese spokesman said there are three to four potential bidders. The seminary closed in 2020 due to regular deficits of $500,000 per year. The Diocese is selling assets to collect funds to help pay for any settlement of the hundreds of sexual abuse claims filed under the Adult Survivors Act, which gave victims a year to file claims against abusers. In October 2023, the Dioceses suggested contribution to settle the cases was $100 million, plus insurance funds. The Diocese also plans to sell its headquarters on Main Street. World Mission Society Church of God is a New Jersey-based nonprofit whose world mission is to enlighten humankind about the truth of the New Covenant that leads to salvation. The nonprofit launched in South Korea in 1964, according to its website, and has a presence in 175 countries and every continent. Latest Local News Dan Telvock is an award-winning investigative producer and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2018. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. 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 News 4 Buffalo. The Chikasha Academy Adult Immersion Program will soon graduate five highly motivated students who will then teach the Chickasaw language to others. They include, front row from left, Faithlyn Seawright, Briana Mason, and Jason Morgan. Back row from left, Jared Walker, Elias Brown and language instructor Ric Greenwood.(Photo/Chickasaw Nation Media) ADA, Okla. - The Chikasha Academy Adult Immersion Program (CAAIP) will soon graduate five highly motivated students who will then teach the Chickasaw language to others, according to Joshua D. Hinson (Lokosh), executive officer of language preservation for the Chickasaw Nation Department of Culture and Humanities. The academys approach is a highly structured group immersion program that is based upon the Salish Fluency Transfer System, developed by the Paul Creek Language Association located in British Columbia. We worked closely with three Salish communities to develop our own curriculum. Ours is based on Rosetta Stone Chickasaw, Hinson said. Principally, the underlying scope and sequence of Rosetta Stone Chickasaw and narratives are drawn from the videos forming the core curriculum. The students who spend three years learning the language eight hours per day learn through those stories derived from Rosetta Stone as well as traditional stories told by our fluent, Native speakers. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Because they get so many contact hours during their learning journey and because we dont speak English in this immersive approach, they become very good, very quickly, he said. When the program began in 2022, the Chickasaw Nation was hoping the program would produce intermediate-mid level conversational speakers of the language. Upon graduation, students will be intermediate-mid to advanced speakers, capable of sustained conversation in Chickasaw. I am thrilled with the programs success. The students have accomplished very quickly what took me, Clovis Hamilton, director of Chikasha Academy and Ric Greenwood, Chikasha Academy manager, an exceedingly long time to learn. This immersion course is extremely focused and was developed through a lot of trial and error. It is so good we believe soon the program may be scaled into a two-year program, Hinson said. The five immersion students are Chickasaw citizens and include Briana Mason, Jason Morgan, Jared Walker, Faithlyn Seawright and Elias Brown. They are all young, and the astonishing fact is they come from a variety of backgrounds. You have three who have relatives who spoke fluent Chickasaw and a couple who had little prior exposure to the language, Hinson said. Jared Walkers paternal great-grandmother was Pauline Walker, his paternal grandmother was Sally Walker and his maternal grandmother was Pauline Brown, all fluent Chickasaw speakers. Faithlyn Taloa Seawright was introduced to the language as a child and has been involved with the Chickasaw Nation since, serving as 2021-22 Chickasaw Princess and Miss Indian Oklahoma in 2024. Jason Morgan grew up in Ada and was a standout athlete at Ada High School. Growing up, he was not familiar with the language. Elias Brown grew up outside Chickasaw Nation treaty territory and worked in hospitality. Before joining the group, he did not know the Chickasaw language. Briana Masons grandfather, Wild Bill Pettigrew, assisted fluent Chickasaw speaker Catherine Willmond and University of California Los Angeles linguist Pam Munro with Chikashshanompaat Holisso Tobachi, Chickasaw: An Analytical Dictionary, published in 1994. Her interest in speaking Chickasaw grew from attending East Central Universitys language class instructed by Brandon White Eagle. Going into their third year, what they are doing is increasingly having contact with Native speakers and work extensively with fluent speaker Luther John. They also meet with the Chickasaw Language Committee once a month in addition to participating regularly with a smaller subset of fluent speakers a few times per week, Hinson said. They will continue their immersion hours but have already begun to teach other people this material. Once you know it, you teach it to somebody else. In their third year, they undergoing teacher training to prepare them to be full-time language workers, he added. Hinson said from 2007 to 2015, the Chickasaw Nation concentrated on a traditional, one-on-one master apprentice program. From 2015 to 2021, the tribe worked with a modified group approach before Governor Anoatubby approved the Chikasha Academy Adult Immersion Program in 2022. All we accomplished and had success with since 2007 has led us to where we are at today, Hinson said. The point is, we have proved in a limited span of three years we can produce newly conversational speakers of the Chickasaw language. These five people will go on to equip other people to do the same thing they have just accomplished, Hinson said. We are preparing the next generation of people who can truly have conversations in the language. Hinson said working so closely with immersion students and fluent speakers has helped create a real-life speech community, just like those in the past. They are using the Chickasaw language to communicate with one another on a daily basis. Beyond the Chikasha Academy program, Chickasaws around the world are using the resources that Governor Anoatubby has made available for them as they too continue their own language journeys, Hinson said. These worldwide learning communities are connecting with one another using the language. This is the power of Chikashshanompa' (the Chickasaw language) its ability to connect us together as Chikasha people, regardless of who we are, where we are from or where we live now. This power is accessible to all of us who choose to engage with it. All it takes is a single word. Say something in Chickasaw and see where the language can take you. You might be surprised where you end up maybe even joining a Chikasha Academy Adult Immersion Program cohort of your own some day in the not-too-distant future. (Bloomberg) -- Canadas housing minister says the governments efforts to ramp up homebuilding may help bring prices down in some markets, even though thats not the objective. Most Read from Bloomberg Sean Fraser said the governments intention is to improve affordability over time, as workers wages rise and it implements its strategy to create more townhouses, fourplexes and apartments. Its not my goal to bring down housing prices. My goal is to build more supply at prices that people can afford, he said in an interview. Some of the measures that we put in place that will drive that supply could have downward pressure on the price of homes in different markets. But its important to understand that there are a lot of factors that go into that, many of which are outside of the influence of government. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government has tried to walk a tightrope between boosting affordability, especially for younger generations, while preserving the wealth of homeowners. Politically, it also must try to protect families who took out large mortgages on homes in expensive cities, especially in the vote-rich Toronto area. Fraser and Trudeau have both previously said they arent trying to sink prices raising questions about how, exactly, homes will become more affordable. The benchmark price of a home in Canada is up 77% in the past 10 years; for apartments, its 90%, according to Canadian Real Estate Association data. Fraser said he believes its possible to add more multi-unit buildings without dragging down the broader market. I dont know that an extra apartment building in downtown Toronto is going to eat away at the price of a single-family home in Oakville, he said, referencing a suburb of Canadas largest city. Theres no one factor driving high housing prices in Canada, but the cost of land is a major component, Fraser added which is why his government is now touting higher-density projects. However, many owners of single-family homes resist fourplexes or low-rise condo buildings going up next door due to concern about home values. One plank of Trudeaus housing strategy is a C$4 billion ($2.9 billion) fund to give incentives to cities to loosen zoning rules to allow more multi-unit buildings. Fraser has been releasing portions of the strategy since he was appointed housing minister about a year ago, culminating in a sweeping pre-budget announcement in April involving billions of public dollars and an ambitious pledge that would see 3.9 million homes built by 2031. The announcement has failed to turn the tides for the Liberal government in opinion polls. The motivation of the housing plan was not to get a short-term bump in the polls. It was to solve the housing crisis, Fraser said. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has heaped blame on Trudeaus government for the housing shortage, noting that the problem has worsened during the prime ministers nearly nine years in power. Poilievre has promised to require big cities to increase homebuilding by 15% annually, or face financial penalties and have federal funding withheld. Fraser said he looks forward to putting competing visions for Canada on the table during an election campaign. Rhetoric will get you a lot of likes on Facebook or Twitter but its not actually going to help solve a big problem. --With assistance from Jay Zhao-Murray and Erik Hertzberg. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Hundreds of travelers packed the Warren Cleage Evans Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport Friday, with passengers waiting in long lines, crammed into seating areas or sitting on the ground indoors and outdoors. The travel issues are part of a global Microsoft outage caused by a software glitch, disrupting airlines, infrastructure, banks and health care across metro Detroit. Megan Frazier of Capac, Michigan, left work Friday morning for the hour-and-45-minute drive to the airport, expecting to fly out to meet her daughter in the Tampa area. However, she arrived to the Detroit Metro Airport to find her flight canceled. "Zero (communication), all they told me was it's canceled, go home," Frazier said. "Cool, what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" The scene was less chaotic Friday at the Edward H. McNamara Terminal, where smaller groups of travelers waited in lines at baggage claims, in available seating or standing in the airport amid the flight disruptions. An error appears on the monitors inside the Evans Terminal early in the morning at Detroit Metro Airport on Friday, July 19, 2024. A Microsoft computer update affected several airlines, including delaying flights at Metro Detroit Airport. Frazier was left scrambling upon learning of the flight cancelation and lack of communication, she said. "We don't even get an email, I don't know if we're going to get a refund," Frazier said. Alicia Stone of Toledo, Ohio, lost a weekend family visit to Nashville, Tennessee, after Spirit Airlines canceled the outgoing flight Friday afternoon. Stone typically drives to Nashville for the trip but opted for a cheap flight with Spirit Airlines Friday. Stone arrived to the airport early after hearing of travel issues, but the flight got canceled five minutes before boarding. "I usually drive down to Tennessee probably twice a year," Stone said. "This was the first time flying so I will probably avoid flying there in the future." Travelers make their way through a crowded check-in area of the Evans Terminal early in the morning at Detroit Metro Airport on Friday, July 19, 2024. Spirit Airlines communication included an early-morning text to check Twitter for updates and no direct announcement of the cancelation, Stone said. Stone was in touch with a Spirit Airlines chat agent Friday afternoon to seek a refund, on hold for at least 20 minutes. Some computer monitors showed blue screens and error messages at the airport, with flight lists displaying ongoing delays and cancelations, as travelers continued to experience disruptions Friday morning and afternoon. Frazier typically flies about once a year, often with Spirit Airlines and has never experienced such flight issues with the airline before, she said. She's now urgently looking to book a flight with any available airline to get to her daughter. Though Stone arranged for a ride home Friday and plans to reschedule the trip for next month, the disruption was a disappointment. "It's a bummer, I have a stuffed animal I wanted to give my nephew and now I won't be able to," Stone said. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: DTW delays, cancelations wreak havoc amid Microsoft outage Key Insights The projected fair value for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners is 127 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Coca-Cola Europacific Partners' 68.20 share price signals that it might be 46% undervalued Our fair value estimate is 76% higher than Coca-Cola Europacific Partners' analyst price target of 72.52 Does the July share price for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners PLC (AMS:CCEP) 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. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine. Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model. View our latest analysis for Coca-Cola Europacific Partners The Method We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 Levered FCF (, Millions) 2.00b 2.22b 2.70b 2.75b 2.78b 2.81b 2.84b 2.87b 2.90b 2.92b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x4 Analyst x4 Analyst x1 Analyst x1 Est @ 1.25% Est @ 1.14% Est @ 1.06% Est @ 1.01% Est @ 0.97% Est @ 0.94% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 5.4% 1.9k 2.0k 2.3k 2.2k 2.1k 2.1k 2.0k 1.9k 1.8k 1.7k ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = 20b 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 0.9%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 5.4%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2034 (1 + g) (r g) = 2.9b (1 + 0.9%) (5.4% 0.9%) = 65b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= 65b ( 1 + 5.4%)10= 39b 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 59b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of 68.2, the company appears quite undervalued at a 46% 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 We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners 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 5.4%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.825. 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 Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Strength Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry. Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows. Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows. Weakness Earnings growth over the past year is below its 5-year average. Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Beverage 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 Dutch market. Next Steps: Although the valuation of a company is important, it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. Can we work out why the company is trading at a discount to intrinsic value? For Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, we've put together three essential items you should consider: Risks: To that end, you should be aware of the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners . Future Earnings: How does CCEP'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 Dutch 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 A member of the Texas Forest Service and former deputy chief of the Burkburnett Fire Department has been arrested on suspicion of continuous sexual abuse of a young child, according to court documents. Angel Omar Lopez-Portillo, 46, was arrested Thursday by Burkburnett police. Lopez-Portillo was free Friday from the Wichita County Jail on $100,000 bail, according to online jail records. A Burkburnett firefighter and incident contact for the Texas Forest Service has been charged with continuous sexual assault of an undeerage girl. Continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 is a first-degree felony and can carry a sentence from 25 to 99 years or life in prison if convicted. Anyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless convicted in a court of law. According to allegations in an arrest warrant affidavit, a girl called police in late 2023 and said she had been sexually assaulted by Lopez-Portillo when she was between the ages of 12 and 14. The allegations were investigated by a Burkburnett police detective and a Texas Ranger. Investigators said in the affidavit they received journal entries and screen messages from the victim in which she confronted Lopez-Portillo with the allegations. The entries described incidents the girl said began occurring when she was in the seventh grade. She said the assaults occurred numerous times at a home in Burkburnett and ended about the time she entered ninth grade, according to allegations. A sibling of the alleged victim said a woman in the home found a letter in which the girl told of the alleged assaults. The sibling said the woman wanted the alleged victim out of the house because she was disgusted the girl would write such things. As a fire coordinator II for the Texas Forest Service, Lopez-Portillo was an incident contact for the service and often provided media updates on wildfires. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Burk firefighter charged in sexual assault of young girl With new California ban on outing trans kids, what happens in these Placer County schools? Reality Check is a Bee series holding officials and organizations accountable and shining a light on their decisions. Have a tip? Email realitycheck@sacbee.com. Earlier this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill that would bar California school districts from implementing parental notification policies that out transgender students to their parents. Now, in Placer County, two school districts that passed such policies must decide whether theyll accept the law and revoke their policies, or attempt to push back. Rocklin Unified School District is one of those districts. The board passed the parental notification policy in September last year with a 4-1 majority, amid extensive community opposition both in person at the school board meeting and in emails to members of the board. Another school district, Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District in neighboring Roseville, also passed a parental notification policy in September, just a week after Rocklin. Lawsuits, lawsuits, and more lawsuits Rocklin and Dry Creek school districts were among a handful in the state to implement parental notification policies last summer and fall. In response, Attorney General Rob Bontas office issued a legal alert to all school boards declaring that the policies were a violation of state law. By singling out transgender and gender nonconforming students for different, adverse treatment that puts them at risk of harm, forced disclosure policies violate their constitutional right to equal protection and privacy, as well as their statutory protection from discrimination under California law, the January 2024 alert reads. Bontas office has been in a legal tug-of-war with the Chino Valley Unified School District in Riverside the first to implement the policy since last fall. There are other related cases as well, in Temecula and Escondido. The Rocklin board has also faced pushback from the state Department of Education, headed by Superintendent Tony Thurmond, and its local teachers union, the Rocklin Teachers Professional Association, which successfully filed an unfair labor charge with the states Public Employment Relations Board. Such pushback has not changed the minds of the board members championing the policy, though. In May, the board agreed, again at a 4-1 majority, to enter a legal contract with the Liberty Justice Center, a Chicago-based non-profit law center that champions conservative causes, in its case with the Department of Education. After Newsom on Monday signed AB 1955, also known as The SAFETY ACT, which was authored by Assembly LGBTQ Caucus member Chris Ward, D-San Diego, the Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit against the state on behalf of Chino Valley. School officials do not have the right to keep secrets from parents, but parents do have a constitutional right to know what their minor children are doing at school, Liberty Justice Center Senior Counsel Emily Rae said. Parents are the legal guardians of their children, not Governor Newsom, Attorney General Bonta, or Superintendent (Tony) Thurmond. Rocklin Unified School District Board Member Michelle Sutherland draws a graphic representation of where she said the Boards priorities should be focused during a meeting Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. The area of most importance, she said, does not include passing a policy that would violate state law by mandating schools to out transgender students to their parents. Newsoms press office called the lawsuit deeply unserious on social media and said that they are confident the state will swiftly prevail in this case. Neither the Rocklin district nor Dry Creek responded to The Bees questions about how they plan to proceed with their policies now that AB 1955 has been signed into law. But like the Liberty Justice Center, the Attorney Generals office shows no sign of backing down from the legal battles ahead. Amidst the growing assault on LGBTQ+ rights in California and across the nation, its crucial that schools take the necessary steps to create an environment where every student feels valued and affirmed for who they are, Bonta said in a statement. The SAFETY Act reaffirms students constitutional and statutory rights not to be subjected to forced outing at school and it also reaffirms that forced outing policies and any form of retaliation against teachers, parents, and allies who protect students against such constitutional and statutory harms are a clear violation of state law. The new law takes effect Jan. 1, 2025. Whitney High School senior class officer Nayeli Glaude is applauded after speaking against a proposed Rocklin Unified School District Board policy Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, during a Board meeting. The policy, which violates state law, would require staff to notify families within days of a students choosing to be identified as any name, nickname, or gender that does not match enrollment records or is not a common nickname recognized by the school. As calls for President Biden to leave the 2024 presidential race grow, Democratic lawmakers from two states are taking a larger role in the effort to persuade the president to step away from his campaign: California and Illinois. As of Friday, six congressional Democrats from California and five from Illinois have asked the president to leave the race, outpacing many other states congressional delegations when it comes to calls for Biden to drop out. From California, according to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ tracker, the Democratic lawmakers asking for Biden to step aside are Reps. Scott Peters, Adam Schiff, Mark Levin, Jim Costa, Jared Huffman and Zoe Lofgren. The Illinois Democratic lawmakers are Reps. Mike Quigley, Brad Schneider, Eric Sorensen, Sean Casten and Jesus Chuy Garcia. Whats also notable about those two states is the Democratic power players who call them home and have reportedly been voicing their thoughts about the president not being able to win in November: former President Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Pelosis California is one of the truest of blues and has been a Democratic stronghold for votes, donors, and political talent. Obamas home state of Illinois is a more recent true blue state, after it was trending toward a swing state in the 2010 cycle but shifted heavily back to blue by 2016. Pelosi is one of the most powerful voices and savvy political operatives in the Democratic Party even while she has stepped away from leadership. Calls from lawmakers like Schiff and Huffman are widely considered to be due to her influence, after she has added private pressure for Biden to step aside. Illinois lawmakers may have felt comfortable in making statements with the belief Obama has also been applying pressure to change the dynamics of the campaign. Obama and Biden, meanwhile, have a long and complex history. Bidens team has reminded the political world over the last few weeks that they are often underestimated, which largely stems from Obamas decision to back former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the next Democratic presidential nominee over his vice president, Biden. The calls from lawmakers from California and Illinois are part of the ongoing fallout from Bidens disastrous performance in the presidential debate June 27 against former President Trump that raised concerns about his age, mental fitness and ability to recapture the White House in the fall. As of Friday, at least 30 members of Congress have asked Biden to step aside in three weeks. Democratic Party insiders told The Hill on Thursday they expect the president to make an important announcement about his future in coming days. The White House and Biden campaign have denied that will be the case. Biden and his allies have insisted he is staying in the race, remaining defiant that he is on the top of the ticket ahead of November. Vice President Harris, another California Democrat, has also not wavered in her support for the president. Absolutely, the presidents in this race, Biden campaign Chair Jen OMalley Dillon said Friday, while also saying that the president is more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump. You have heard from the president directly, time and time again: He is in this race to win and he is our nominee, and hes going to be our president for a second term, she 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. SACRAMENTO, California The leader of Planned Parenthood California warned Friday that President Joe Biden was dragging down Democrats in critical House districts in her state and could cost them the chamber. She is promoting Vice President Kamala Harris as the more effective standard-bearer at the top of the ticket. Jodi Hicks, the groups statewide president and a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, pointed to polling shes reviewed to express concern about the presidents underperformance in battlegrounds that are critical for Democrats efforts to retake the House. Those same polls including some expected to be made public soon show Harris running marginally better than Biden in the swing districts but driving higher turnout from young people and independents, key voting blocs. Hicks did not explicitly call for Biden to exit the race, and nor did she formally endorse Harris as the next presidential nominee. The warnings come as a growing number of elected leaders send up flares about a total wipeout in November that would give former President Donald Trump control over every branch of government in Washington, imperil efforts to restore abortion access after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade and potentially allow Republicans to pass a national ban on abortion. Planned Parenthood California, through an independent campaign arm, is running a multimillion-dollar effort focused on several competitive House races across Southern California and in the states Central Valley. Hicks, an ally of the vice president and a major player in the capital city of Sacramento, called the Republican ticket of Trump and JD Vance dangerously extreme. That pairing adds to the critical nature of Democrats efforts to take back the House, she said. The voters we know who trust Planned Parenthood on elections are the same voters who, based on the recent polling, would turn out in favor of a different Democratic nominee, including Vice President Harris, Hicks said. As we talk to voters in the competitive House races here, there is no question in my mind that a nominee at the top of the ticket who unapologetically supports reproductive freedom and abortion will bolster turnout and votes for the Democratic candidates in these critical House seats, closing the margins, she said. Hicks said Harris California bona fides would make her impact down-ballot even greater. California has thrown down a new gauntlet in the fight over transgender students. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a law this week saying teachers could not be required to tell parents about a students name or pronoun changes in most circumstances, leading to at least one district filing a lawsuit and tech billionaire Elon Musk announcing he would pull his businesses out of the state. While LGBTQ advocates say the law will prevent forced outings and protect young people, opponents argue California is withholding vital information from parents about their children. The move is the first of its kind and came after multiple schools in the state attempted to implement policies requiring the opposite. What this bill would do is three things. It would protect LGBTQ youth against forced outing policies, provide resources for parents and families of LGBTQ students, support them as they have conversations on their own terms and create critical safeguards to prevent retaliation against teachers and schools that look to support and foster a safe and supportive school environment for all students, said Tony Hoang, executive director of Equality California. The Trevor Project found in 2022 that around 16 percent of LGBTQ youth said they ran away from home, and 55 percent said they left their house due to mistreatment or fear of mistreatment over their LGBTQ identity. The law only allows educators to notify parents of gender identity changes if a student requests a change in their official record with the school. Lawmakers in California pushed for the action after multiple schools in the state wanted to implement a policy requiring a teacher to tell a parent any time a student requested to go by a different name of pronoun. Governor Newsoms signing of AB 1955 is a direct assault on the safety of children and the rights of their parents, said Jonathan Keller, president of the California Family Council. By allowing schools to withhold vital information from mothers and fathers, this bill undermines their fundamental role and places boys and girls in potential jeopardy. The new law has already been hit with a lawsuit from Chino Valley Unified School District, one of the districts that the state previously sued for its policies around transgender students. The lawsuit says California is violating parents constitutional right to dictate their childrens upbringing. School officials do not have the right to keep secrets from parents, but parents do have a constitutional right to know what their minor children are doing at school, said Emily Rae, a lawyer representing the district. Republicans have keyed in on parental rights messaging in their education platform, aiming to pass national legislation on the issue if they reclaim the presidency. The Constitution guarantees parents the fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education and health care of their children. This law, by preventing schools from passing policies that keep parents informed, interferes with that right, said Vincent Wagner, senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). So thats a problem that runs headlong into the Constitution there and parents fundamental rights under the Constitution, and it also goes contrary to the scientific evidence that shows that parental involvement is essential to getting kids quality health care. Musk, the founder of SpaceX, said he would be moving its headquarters to Texas from California, saying the goal of the diabolical law is to break the parent-child relationship and put the state in charge of your children. At least six states have laws on the books that require teachers to inform parents if a student says they are transgender. But defenders of the new California law say it will help keep children safe and does not stop parents from discussing their childs identity, merely takes teachers out of the equation. This is a deeply unserious lawsuit, seemingly designed to stoke the dumpster fire formerly known as Twitter rather than surface legitimate legal claims. AB 1955 preserves the child-parent relationship, California law ensures minors cant legally change their name or gender without parental consent, and parents continue to have guaranteed and full access to their students educational records consistent with federal law. Were confident the state will swiftly prevail in this case, said Izzy Gardon, spokesperson for the governor. Hoang said a state senator in New York will be introducing a similar bill to Californias, because at the end of the day we want to remove teachers from this equation and allow parents and children to have their own timeline and on their own terms how to have these conversations. Because we want to build trust, not remove trust away from that relationship by having teachers be cops in the schools policing a child sexual orientation and gender identity, he added. Californias law comes on the heels of the Biden administration changing the definition of discrimination in Title IX to include sexual orientation and gender identity, angering Republicans as it could force schools to allow transgender students into bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. Multiple other states have ongoing lawsuits over policies that critics say violate the right of parents to know whats going on with their children in schools. This isnt a new issue. I mean, we at ADF have multiple cases around the country, coast-to-coast and everywhere in between, dealing with issues of schools cutting parents out of important decisions about their kids, Wagner said. We represent parents in Western Michigan who have sued their school district because their school district deceived them about the fact that it had been treating their daughter as a boy without their knowledge or consent. This may be the first law like this, but this isnt the first time weve seen these issues, and weve been tracking them nationwide and looking to support parents who are trying to get the help they want without interference from the school districts around the country, and were going to continue to do that, 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 The Hill. Camper goes up in flames on I-35 in Polk County POLK COUNTY, Iowa A camper, also known as a travel trailer, went up in flames while traveling on I-35 just north of Ankeny Thursday night. At around 8:10 p.m. emergency crews responded to a report of a camper on fire on I-35 northbound near the Elkhart area rest stop. When firefighters arrived on scene the camper was fully engulfed in flames. Traffic came to a complete stop for a short time while firefighters battled the blaze. More information will be released when made available by authorities. 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 who13.com. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) Once again, North Carolina has one of the most competitive congressional races in the country. This time its District 1, which consists of a whopping 21 counties. Much of its rural, poorer than other parts of the state and is where agriculture remains an economic driver. In the last three-and-a-half weeks, GOP congressional nominee Laurie Buckhout says shes traveled 6,000 miles, which may not be a surprise given the vast scope of the district. Buckhout said she is hearing similar stories over and over again. The economy is rough, the border is open, fentanyl is coming through, gas prices have soared and are still high, she said. In the Rocky Mount Republican headquarters, Buckhout told CBS 17 that there is a reason she did not travel to Milwaukee for her partys national convention. I dont need to be there; I need to be here. Talking to farmers, talking to stay-at-home moms, talking to dads, talking to working families, thats what Im doing. We were out walking the peanut plant and looking at processing so were putting in a lot of miles talking to folks in the district, so this is where I need to be. Buckhouts competitor, Democratic incumbent Don Davis, is also putting in the miles hearing similar concerns from his constituents while selling the case that a Democratic-controlled House is a better answer. Were doing everything to be responsive so that young people can come in to agriculture and they want to come into agriculture because they know that they can make it, Davis said at a recent event in Edgecombe County. Rep. Davis spoke about the impact the drought is having on farmers all while the federal farm bill remains stalled. This really highlights the significance of the farm bill and getting a good farm bill out of congress, and we need a good bi-partisan farm bill as it historically has been, he said. Buckhout and Davis are both military veterans. Seymour Johnson Air Force base is part of their district. We need to be funding recruiting, we need to be funding personnel to get our personnel strengths back up, we definitely need to be taking care of our Air Force base, we have to be taking care of our Coast Guard folks in Elizabeth City, we have to be watching out for Chinese owned land encroaching on those bases, thats a bigger issue of just funding thats an issue of national security, said Buckhout. Weve got to take care of farmers, I believe in eastern North Carolina weve got to take care of our military, our veterans, I believe in North Carolina. We have to take of it because we so many elderly, we have to take care of those as they age and yes we have so much infrastructure, broadband issues, we have to fight for the east, said Davis. Voters will now be looking for just what that fight looks like in the coming months and how each candidates solutions differ. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. CANTON The city will pay $25,000 to resolve a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by a protester who was arrested after cursing at a city police officer. Destinee Jackson, an activist and content creator from Plain Township who is known as Destinee Stark on social media, sued the city in April in U.S. District Court for violating her civil rights when Canton police officers arrested her in April 2022 while she was attending a public protest to oppose Canton police's fatal shooting of James Williams. The lawsuit was filed against the city, six named Canton police officers and other unnamed officers. The named officers include Capt. Lester Marino and Sgt. Bryan McWilliams, who Jackson listed as the officers involved in her arrest; patrolmen Anthony Angelo and Joseph Bays, whom Jackson said did not intervene to stop the arrest; and Capt. Lisa Broucker and Chief John Gabbard because Jackson said the supervisors failed to take action or impose reasonable discipline for the officers behavior. According to the lawsuit, city officers arrested Jackson and another protester who cursed at them after they warned the protesters to stop using chants with expletives because families were nearby. Jackson, who had sought at least $500,000 from the city, accused officers of violating her First Amendment guarantee of free speech when they arrested her for the content of her speech. She said officers then violated her Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure when they handcuffed her without a lawful basis for the arrest. A Canton Municipal Court magistrate found Jackson not guilty of the disorderly conduct charge in September 2022, following multiple court appearances and a trial that lasted roughly six hours. Destinee Jackson of Plain Township, pictured here in January 2022 protesting outside Canton City Hall, has settled a civil rights lawsuit she filed against the city of Canton. She accused officers of arresting her because she cursed at them. Jackson said she is grateful to reach the settlement and close a chapter of her life that has consumed her for the past two years and drained her mentally, emotionally and financially. Some might think this settlement is justice, but I disagree, she said. For me, justice would have been holding everyone involved in my unlawful arrest and malicious prosecution accountable instead of rewarding most of them with promotions. Justice would have been the city of Canton acknowledging their wrongdoing instead of them trying to buy my silence. "My attorneys at DiCello Levitt fought incredibly hard for me to be able to share my story publicly, on my own terms, in whatever way I see fit. My voice is non-negotiable. My silence was never for sale. And I am pleased that we could at least come to an agreement on that. Under the settlement agreement, Jacksons legal team but not Jackson herself agreed to refrain from making disparaging comments about the city or named officers related to Jackson's arrest. Neither side admitted to wrongdoing as part of the settlement, which The Canton Repository obtained through a public records request. Canton Law Director Jason Reese did not respond to a message seeking comment. Reach Canton Repository staff writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 or kelli.weir@cantonrep.com. This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton settles federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Destinee Jackson U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) is adding more officers ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus visit to Washington next week. In a statement, Capitol Police said it has been working around the clock with federal, state and local partners to prepare for Netanyahus trip, after a bipartisan group of lawmakers officially invited the Israeli leader in May to deliver a joint address to Congress. For safety reasons, we never provide specific security details, but generally we can say that our plan includes adding more officers including from several outside agencies continuing our robust intelligence sharing with our partners, and ensuring that we have enough resources for our teams, USCP representatives said. The decision to invite Netanyahu to address lawmakers has sparked controversy as the war in Gaza continues on. Several Democratic lawmakers have already announced they will protest Netanyahus speech. More than 200 anonymous staff members across more than 100 congressional offices signed a letter earlier this week calling for Congress to protest or boycott the address. Other prominent Israeli groups have also pressed lawmakers to rescind the invitation. Capitol Police said they expect there to be a large number of demonstrators. We respect everyones First Amendment rights, however all demonstrations must be done peacefully and legally, the USCP said. Road closures and more information for the public will be announced in the coming days, officials confirmed. The Biden administration is working with partners to negotiate a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas that would free the remaining hostages held in Gaza. Israel has faced widespread criticism for the war in Gaza, where the Palestinian death toll nears 39,000, per the Gaza Health Ministry. 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. Ezra Acayan / Getty Images Crowds gather at an airport in Manila, Philippines, as a global outage impacted flights around the world on July 19, 2024. Key Takeaways A defective update from CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm, caused global tech outages on Friday. CrowdStrike provides security software to enterprise customers including major cloud platforms like Microsoft Azure, expanding the impact of the outage. The issue affected Microsoft's platforms, airlines, the London Stock Exchange, media outlets, and many other businesses and organizations, including major banks. CrowdStrike said it identified the source of the issue and a fix has been deployed, though some businesses are still dealing with the effects of the outage. Shares of CrowdStrike plunged in early trading Friday following the news. A defective update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike (CRWD) caused a global outage Friday in Microsofts (MSFT) platforms, affecting a wide range of organizations and businesses, including airlines, banks, the London Stock Exchange, media outlets, government agencies, and others. CrowdStrike said it identified the source of the issue and a fix has been deployed, though some businesses are still dealing with the effects of the outage, sending shares of CrowdStrike plummeting over 10% in early trading Friday. What You Need To Know About CrowdStrike CrowdStrike is a cybersecurity company that provides security software to customers and partners including many cloud platforms used by organizations globally. Major cloud platform providers partnered with CrowdStrike include Microsoft Azure, Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google Cloud, and Amazon's (AMZN) Amazon Web Services (AWS). These cloud platforms are also used by businesses across industries, from healthcare to financial services, telecommunications, media, and more, extending the reach of CrowdStrike's update defect. Microsoft Azure alone serves 95% of Fortune 500 companies. How CrowdStrike's Update Defect Caused a Global Outage Friday A CrowdStrike update defect caused an outage affecting customers using Windows, Microsoft's operating system, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said around 5:45 a.m. ET Friday. The issue led to disruptions across industries, due to the wide reach of CrowdStrike's customer base. There was a spike in outages with Microsoft services like Xbox Live, Microsoft 365, and Teams, according to DownDetector. Some businesses affected included major banks like Bank of America (BAC), social media companies such as Meta (META), and others. Several airports grounded flights, impacting airlines like Delta Air Lines (DAL), United Airlines (UAL), and American Airlines (AAL), among others. The outage also affected government agencies like the U.K.'s National Health Service. Story continues CrowdStrike said a fix has been deployed and Microsoft reported that some Azure users have recovered, while others are still dealing with the effects of the outage. Read the original article on Investopedia. Idaho Department of Correction Officer Daniel Lopez said he wanted to believe that the actions taken by Skylar Meade, the prisoner who escaped in a hospital ambush, were an extreme slipup in judgment from someone tired of being incarcerated. But after viewing text messages that detailed Meades plans to target correction officers and escape from the Boise hospital, Lopez said he felt differently. The officer, one of three who were injured during the Boise hospital attack, saw a repugnant and repulsive disregard for human life. We werent human to him, Lopez told an Ada County courtroom Friday. I have loved ones too. Yet Lopez still asked 4th Judicial District Judge Nancy Baskin to give Meade the chance for rehabilitation, and the chance to eventually be released from prison. Baskin said Meades actions warranted a significant punishment. The Ada County judge Friday instead sentenced Meade to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 35 years, for five felonies, three of which were related to his escape, including assaulting an officer and an enhancement for causing bodily injury. You are a career criminal, Baskin said. Meade, 32, will start his new prison sentence after he finishes serving his initial sentence for assaulting an officer in Twin Falls. He was also sentenced for possession of a controlled substance and unlawfully introducing contraband into a correctional facility. Hes expected to be in prison for at least the next four decades. Nicholas Umphenour, who was accused of conspiring with Meade on the ambush, is expected to face a jury trial in October on six felonies, including several assault charges and a persistent violator enhancement, according to court records. Baskin entered not guilty pleas on his behalf in May after Umphenour stood silent, according to prior Idaho Statesman reporting. Text messages detail escape plans Meade was taken by three correction officers to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center for self-inflicted injuries in March. He escaped from custody after 29-year-old Umphenour shot two of the officers as they were loading Meade into a prison van, according to testimony from law enforcement during an April hearing. The third officer was shot and injured by a Boise officer, the police agency said. All of the officers survived. Meade at the time was serving a minimum 10-year prison sentence at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution south of Boise, and Umphenour had been living in Florida after he was released from prison in January. The men knew each other from prison and are members of a white supremacist prison gang known as the Aryan Knights, according to police and the Idaho Department of Correction. The men fled and drove to North Idaho, police said, where theyre suspected of killing two men before law enforcement apprehended them near Twin Falls. Police have so far only charged them with one first-degree murder count in Nez Perce County. Nicholas Umphenour and Skylar Meade are under investigation for more crimes, including their suspected involvement in the homicides of two men. Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Heather Reilly during Meades sentencing presented text messages between Umphenour and Meade detailing plans for the escape, which included avenues to secure enough money, discussion about purchasing ammunition and information about the guards who would be carrying weapons. Police obtained the texts from the phone Umphenour tossed from the car during the escape, Reilly said. In one text, Umphenour told Meade that hed kill the officers if he needed to and that it depends on them. Meade responded by saying they would only do it if we have to. While Meade didnt pull the trigger, Baskin said he organized the events, even directing Umphenour on which correctional officer to go after first. You are just as liable as the person who actually fired the firearm, Baskin told Meade. Reilly on Friday outlined Meades extensive criminal record, which dates back to his adolescence. In 2010, Meade fled Tennessee before being convicted of grand theft the next year in Twin Falls, Reilly said. He spent five years in prison before being released in 2016 and was charged and convicted the next year for several charges, including assault on an officer. Had Meade not been convicted of his escape charges, he would have been eligible for parole in 2026. In as little as two years, the defendant was in the position of taking advantage of rehabilitative opportunities within Idaho Department of Correction and earning his way onto parole, Reilly said. Not only did he not take advantage of that opportunity, he did the exact opposite. Meades attorneys didnt present any testimony or evidence during the sentencing. This truly was an ambush The sentencing Friday also provided new details about the high-profile escape that led to a 36-hour statewide manhunt. Reilly said Meade faked his medical injury so that hed be escorted to the hospital. Meade claimed that hed taken somebody elses medication, swallowed razor blades and injured himself on his hand, Reilly said. But once they arrived at the hospital, Meade refused treatment from the medical staff because he knew Umphenour was in the parking lot. All of it was fake, all of it was contrived, Reilly said. Just after 2 a.m. March 20, Meade was being escorted out of the hospitals emergency room department by the correction officers into the ambulance bay, where the prison van was located, according to prior testimony from law enforcement. Typically, two officers accompany a prisoner on medical visits, but because of Meades security level, three officers accompanied him, the Idaho Department of Correction previously said. Meade was restrained on his legs, wrists and waist. As officers were bringing Meade to the van, Umphenour shot at them from behind, Reilly said. Lopez was the only armed officer and didnt have a chance to pull his weapon out before Umphenour shot him from behind in the glute and clavicle area, according to the prosecutor. Lopez couldnt see where the rounds were coming from and was concerned about shooting an innocent bystander, since they were in the range of the emergency room doors, Reilly added. The other officer was shot in the abdomen. This truly was an ambush, Reilly said. Skylar Meade attends a hearing at the Ada County Courthouse in May. He was sentenced to life in prison for several felonies, three of which involved conspiring to ambush a Boise hospital. Boise Officer Wayne Anderson accidentally injured a third correction officer in the eye with either a bullet or shrapnel. Reilly said the correction officer was holding Lopezs gun in the hospital when Anderson responded to an active shooting and him with the weapon. Reilly blamed Umphenour and Meade for what happened, attributing it to the chaos they created. The defendant was willing to take the lives of at least three correction officers during his escape and anyone else who got in his way, Reilly said. Its frankly a miracle that hes not facing a triple homicide along with Umphenour in Ada County. Meade, Umphenour charged with murder Meade will now likely be moved to the Nez Perce County Jail to face his first-degree murder charge after a Nez Perce grand jury indicted him and Umphenour in the death of James Mauney, an 83-year-old man in Juliaetta, north of Lewiston. Meade and Umphenour encountered Mauney in North Idaho while he was walking his dogs, according to Idaho State Police. His body was later found in a desolate area. That same day, deputies from neighboring Clearwater County found the body of Gerald Don Henderson, 72, in his cabin outside of Orofino. Police said shackles that belonged to Meade, along with Mauneys dogs, were found in the cabin. Nez Perce County isnt expecting any updates until the defendants are transported and appear in our court, Nez Perce County Prosecutor Justin Coleman previously told the Statesman. Police said Meade and Umphenour are also suspected of killing Henderson but have not been charged yet in that death. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) In 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge took the nation and world by storm, raising money to find a cure for this disease. That first year over 114 million dollars were raised for the ALS Association. The association held its Alabama CEO Soak at Bicentennial Park in Huntsville Thursday afternoon. This event was inspired by the social media phenomenon to encourage corporate, business, and community leaders to support the mission of the ALS Association. Redstone Arsenal makes gate changes to combat traffic when entering installation This year 14 people participated in the CEO soak, two being Sprocket & News 19 Meteorologist Jessica Camuto. This years goal was to raise $50 thousand to go toward finding a cure for this devastating disease. They have surpassed that goal by raising over $55 thousand. Amy Bromhead, the director of development for the ALS Association, says Its incredibly financially devastating for the families to live with it. So its to support the families, to find the cure, and to find advocates who will march to the beat of finding a cure. The top fundraiser this year was Chuck Kelley, who raised over $16 thousand. Chuck was diagnosed with ALS six years ago and like others was told he had two to five years to live. The progression of his condition is slow and he still can walk some with assistance from his wife. A first: Some grandparents/relatives taking care of children to get financial help Though he was unable to make it to the soak, he left an impactful message for those who were in attendance. I wont allow it to define me, or isolate it from my friends, family, or the world, said Kelley. If you are interested in donating you can visit the ALS Association website 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 WHNT.com. He has a chance to prove his innocence in court before execution. MO AG wants to cancel it Reality Check is a Star series holding those with power to account and shining a light on their decisions. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email our journalists at RealityCheck@kcstar.com. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Baileys office is seeking to stop a hearing for a man trying to prove his innocence before the state executes him in September. Lawyers for Marcellus Khaliifah Williams say his DNA was not found on the murder weapon and that he is innocent in a 1998 murder in St. Louis County. A law unique to Missouri allows prosecutors to intervene in cases when they believe someone has been wrongfully convicted. St. Louis County prosecutors in January announced that they support vacating Williams conviction and are preparing to present evidence at a hearing in August. Despite the prosecutors intervention, the Missouri Supreme Court in early June scheduled the 55 year olds execution for Sept. 24. Late Thursday, the attorney generals office, which has been hostile towards innocence cases in Missouri, filed a motion to stop the Aug. 21 hearing. In their petition, they argue that Williams is guilty and that only the Missouri Supreme Court has authority to stay an execution. Tricia Rojo Bushnell, an attorney with the Midwest Innocence Project representing Williams, said that instead of using its time and resources to review the merits of the case, the attorney generals office is seeking to delay a court from even hearing the evidence before it is too late. Instead of trying to prevent the circuit court from considering the DNA evidence that exonerates Mr. Williams, the Attorney General should join us in this truth-seeking process in Mr. Williamss case, Bushnell said in a statement. Baileys office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding its latest legal action in Williams case. Fatal stabbing Felicia Gayle was found stabbed in her University City house on Aug. 11, 1998. The attorney generals office alleges Williams broke into the suburban St. Louis residence and later admitted to killing Gayle to two people. Some of her belongings were found in Williams Buick LeSabre. His attorneys argue he is not linked to evidence from the crime scene, including DNA on the murder weapon, shoe prints, fingerprints or hair. They also said the two witnesses who testified against Williams were incentivized by reward money and promises of leniency in their own separate criminal cases. Williams has faced execution twice. Both executions were halted to conduct DNA testing and further investigation. The attorney generals office has forcefully fought against cases with credible claims of innocence, including Chris Dunn in St. Louis City and Sandra Hemme. A Livingston County judge last month declared Hemme innocent, but Baileys office has taken steps as recently as Thursday to keep her in prison, despite a judges order for her release. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A juvenile is being charged with shooting and injuring his friend also a student outside Alger Middle School in Grand Rapids two months ago. The juvenile faces charges of careless discharge of a firearm causing injury and larceny of a firearm, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced Friday. Student shot, injured in park near Alger Middle School The case is being handled in juvenile court, with Becker saying the defendant is too young under state law to be tried in the adult system. The names of defendants in juvenile court are not public. A juvenile case also means a conviction would not result in any time behind bars, the prosecutor said. The whole theory of the juvenile system is to rehabilitate. Thats the idea. Thats why they dont face the penalty of going to prison, of going to jail, Becker told News 8. It could be educational. It could be just simple counseling. They try to tailor it to whatever that juvenile needs. He explained the juvenile system will also look into whats going on in the defendants family and offer resources to support the child. The shooting happened around noon on May 21 at the Alger Park splash pad next to the Alger Middle building. An eighth grader named Javeon Childrey was shot in the face, near the ear. His mother recently told News 8 that the 13-year-old is doing OK. Javeon Childrey. (Courtesy family) Police described the shooting as accidental. Javeons mother previously said that the boys friend, another eighth grader, shot him though she doesnt think he meant to. He was just playing. Yeah, he pointed the gun and shot him, but I dont think that he actually knew how it was going to go down especially if he ran behind him (to get help), Bianca Bridgeforth, Javeons mom, told News 8 the day after the shooting. I dont think it was actually purposely, purposely, cause dont no kid got that much hate in him, I hope. Becker told News 8 the gun used in the shooting was stolen from a car. It was actually stolen relatively recently, the prosecutor said. That actually got the police involved. Shooting near Alger Middle School was an accident, mom says Javeon and the other boy ran back to the school after he was shot. School security and police officers responded quickly. In a statement, Becker praised the emergency response to the school and a thorough investigation by the Grand Rapids Police Department. This was a very serious incident, Becker wrote. (I)t is extremely fortunate there was no loss of life, and as with any incident involving guns and a school, we have done everything we can under the law to hold those accountable for breaking the law. Grand Rapids Public Schools has not explained publicly how the two students got out of the school building in the middle of the day. Some parents have criticized the district in the wake of the shooting, saying its not doing enough to give them answers about what happened. Most people would have communicated by now: Heres what we know, heres what we want to know, heres what well never be able to share if we do find it out; were doing our best. We dont get that attitude from this group, parent Lucas Leverett said. Two months later, GRPS parents stuck with same questions about Alger Middle shooting Leverett whose son attends City High, not Alger Middle argued it demonstrates a wider lack of transparency and security from GRPS. The reason the Alger event fires me up is that its officially as close as we can get to tragedy, he said. It doesnt matter that its not my school, its not even my quadrant of the city. Its one more piece of proof that this school system doesnt have the right people having the right kinds of conversations and doing the right things to keep people safe. News 8 sought an interview with district leadership for comment, but it was not granted. In a statement, GRPS Chief of Staff and Executive Director of Public Safety and School Security Larry Johnson said the district added alarms to doors at Alger Middle following the shooting and was still considering when to use metal detectors there. Thanks to our dedicated staff and the safety protocols that we have in place, our schools remain among the safest places in our community for our children, the statement said. We strive every day to create places that support our scholars emotional, behavioral, mental, and physical health. 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. CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) An overnight global tech outage is severely impacting flights at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and causing widespread outages to city and state services and several other industries including banks and healthcare services. Widespread tech outage disrupts flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world CHARLOTTE AIRPORT LATEST The FAA issued a ground delay around 8 a.m. at Charlotte Airport and several other airports around the U.S. That delay has since been lifted are some flights are now departing and coming into Charlotte. More than 200 flights coming in and nearly 200 flights going out had been either delayed or canceled Friday morning in Charlotte, according to Flight Aware. Charlotte Airport said travelers should contact airlines directly and told travelers to avoid the airport until the issues are resolved. Spirit Airlines said around 9 a.m. that they were unable to rebook any travelers in light of the outage. American Airlines said that a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. American later said theyd be issuing flight vouchers. Delta announced around 6:45 a.m. that they were pausing all global flights until the issue was resolved. They have since announced that some flights were resuming. Delta has paused its global flight schedule this morning due to a vendor technology issue that is impacting several airlines and businesses around the world. We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to resume operations. Delta News Hub (@DeltaNewsHub) July 19, 2024 The FAA announced Friday morning that theyd be assisting several airlines until the issue is resolved. Several airports around the U.S. including New Yorks Laguardia and Bostons Logan airports are completely closed. WHAT ELSE IS IMPACTED CATS said its website was down and was directing customers to the app or call 704-336-7433. The citys website was also down. NCDOT and DMV offices were also being affected, the departments confirmed. Atrium Health said its internet and phone system were operating normally and that they are closely monitoring the global CrowdStrike outage and are working diligently to minimize disruption to our patients. Charlotte Medic and CMPD said 911 was operating normally. Globally, a Polish shipping hub, the Washington D.C Metro system, and the UKs National Health Services have all been affected. HOW IT HAPPENED The problem began when a global overnight tech outage was reported by Microsoft. The issue was affecting Microsoft services, who says they are gradually fixing the problem. LIVE UPDATES The website DownDectector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon, and airlines including American Airlines and Delta. The global outage could be related to a cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which said a defect security tool update may have been the reason for the outage. 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. A global technology outage that impacted various companies also disrupted hundreds of flights at Bostons Logan Airport on Friday. The FAA is closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines. Several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops until the issue is resolved, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement early Friday morning as Microsoft scrambled to fix a problem affecting Microsoft 365 apps and services, including Windows users. Massport said some airlines at Logan were affected by the computer outage and the FAA noted that United, American, and Allegiant flights were all grounded at one point. We urge passengers to check with their airline for their flight status before coming to the airport, a Massport spokesperson said. Logan Airport added, Due to a global computer outage affecting airlines, many flights are being delayed or canceled. Please check with your airline before coming to the airport. As of 12 p.m., there were 236 delays at Logan and 74 cancellations, according to FlightAware Some travelers were spotted using backpacks and other luggage for pillows as flight delays and cancellations mounted at Logan. Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport sleep in a jetway for a delayed United Airlines flight to Dulles International Airport due to a widespread global outage early Friday, July 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Stefanie Dazio) Delta was one of the airlines experiencing issues with flights in and out of Boston. Delta has paused its global flight schedule this morning due to a vendor technology issue that is impacting several airlines and businesses around the world. We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible to resume operations, the airline said. Boston 25s Ryan Breslin reported that Delta flights were beginning to take off again after 8 a.m. There was also a sea of people seen waiting outside the Spirit Airlines counter for much of the morning. I had a very nice police officer tell me, Just go home. Youre better off. Just go home. So thats what were going to do, Spirit passenger Mike Amica said. Other Boston travelers say they got alerted that their flight was canceled but boards at Logan werent updated to reflect that. BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers checking their phones at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Flight billboards at check-in desks display BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers queue at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers sitting waiting with piles of luggage at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers queue at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers sitting waiting at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers seated at Suvarnabhumi Airport with piles of luggage as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Grounded airplanes at Suvarnabhumi airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users on on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images) BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Grounded airplanes at Suvarnabhumi airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users on on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images) BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers queue at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images) BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Crowds are seen building up at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images) Passengers crowd the International flights departure terminal of Rome's Fiumicino airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, as many flights have been delayed or cancelled due to the worldwide internet outage. Microsoft says users worldwide may be unable to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services in a widespread outage. The cause, exact nature and scale of the outage was unclear. Microsoft appeared to suggest in its X posts that the situation was improving, but hours later, widespread outages were being reported by airlines around the world. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Travelers wait in Terminal 1 for check-in at Hamburg Airport, in Hamburg, Germany, Friday July 19, 2024 as a widespread Microsoft outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world on Friday. (Bodo Marks/dpa via AP) George Kurtz, co-founder and chief executive officer of Crowdstrike Inc., speaks during the Montgomery Summit in Santa Monica, California, U.S., on Wednesday, March 8, 2017. The summit gathers entrepreneurs, investors, and leading executives to discuss the most important innovations in business and technology. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Passengers crowd the International flights departure terminal of Rome's Fiumicino airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, as many flights have been delayed or cancelled due to the worldwide internet outage. Microsoft says users worldwide may be unable to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services in a widespread outage. The cause, exact nature and scale of the outage was unclear. Microsoft appeared to suggest in its X posts that the situation was improving, but hours later, widespread outages were being reported by airlines around the world. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Passengers gather near check-in counters at Narita International Airport in Narita, east of Tokyo Friday, July 19, 2024, after a technology outage. A widespread Microsoft outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world on Friday. (Kyodo News via AP) Passengers crowd the International flights departure terminal of Rome's Fiumicino airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, as many flights have been delayed or cancelled due to the worldwide internet outage. Microsoft says users worldwide may be unable to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services in a widespread outage. The cause, exact nature and scale of the outage was unclear. Microsoft appeared to suggest in its X posts that the situation was improving, but hours later, widespread outages were being reported by airlines around the world. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff A traveler at Los Angeles International Airport sits in a jetway for a delayed United Airlines flight to Dulles International Airport due to a widespread global technology outage disrupting flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Stefanie Dazio) Passengers walk at Victoria train station, in London, amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks, Friday July 19, 2024. (Aaron Chown/PA via AP) This shows a general view of a Great Northern railway train at Hunt's Cross station in Liverpool, England amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks, Friday, July 19, 2024. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP) Commuter disembark a Great Northern railway train at Hunt's Cross station in Liverpool, England, amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks, Friday, July 19, 2024. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP) Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport sleep in a jetway for a delayed United Airlines flight to Dulles International Airport due to a widespread global outage early Friday, July 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Stefanie Dazio) We went online this morning to try to rebook the flight and my husband found out that our flight was still flying and it wasnt canceled, Kimberly McCoy said. So we decided to just show up here. A group stop for all airlines was issued earlier in the morning because the software used to obtain flight routes was impacted by the outage. While some flight departures have resumed, delays are still expected throughout the day on Friday. At the heart of the massive disruption is CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm that says the problem occurred when it deployed a faulty update to computers running Microsoft Windows CrowdStrike noted that the issue was not a security incident or cyberattack. Major delays were also reported at a slew of airports worldwide, with most attributing the problems to the booking systems of individual airlines. RELATED: Mass General Brigham cancels some surgeries, procedures, medical visits amid major software outage Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Airports, trains and checkouts: Everything affected by global IT outage Flight cancellations: Are planes grounded? Air travel across the world has been disrupted. Flights have been delayed and cancelled across the US, Europe and the UK, causing chaos at many international transport hubs. Frontier Airlines has grounded flights for over two hours and blamed issues with Microsofts online services. In the US, American Airlines, United and Delta have asked the Federal Aviation Administration for a global stop on all flights, according to an alert from the FAA. Ryanair has told passengers to arrive an hour earlier than normal for flights, and Manchester Airport has said that its ground teams are handling operations manually. All flights have reportedly been grounded at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. It comes after the airport initially warned that a technical issue would cause delays to check-ins. United Airlines employees wait in front of a blue error screen in Newark, New Jersey - Bing Guan/REUTERS IndiGo, the low cost Indian airline, has said it is impacted by an ongoing issue with Microsoft Azure. It said customers may struggle to access boarding passes and some flights may be affected too. Gatwick Airport has said it is relying on backup processes to handle passengers this morning, but has kept its terminals open. This is a global Microsoft issue affecting some airlines check-in systems, baggage and security, including eGates, it said. Pictures have been posted of large crowds gathering amid severe delays at Charleroi airport in Brussels. The Dutch airline KLM has said it will suspend most of its operations, warning issues have made flight handling impossible. Amadeus, a company which manages baggage at Heathrow, now confirms it has been affected. Pictures have now emerged of airports across Europe using whiteboards and marker pens to update travellers on their flights. Are trains running today? Thameslink, Southern Rail and Gatwick Express face widespread IT issues across our entire network that have left it unable to access driver diagrams at some locations. It says this will cause potential delays, particularly on Thameslink and Great Northern. There are also reports of ticket machines not working at some stations. Northern rail company Merseyrail has warned the crisis is affecting its passenger information boards and the ability to print third-party tickets at stations. Subway services in the US capital have been affected. Operator Metro Forward has said its internal systems are down. Its website was inaccessible at the time of writing. In London, staff have been drafted in to scan tickets manually at Waterloo. Tickets bought online are providing a challenge for staff on the UK's rail network - Hesther Ng / Story Picture Agency Bookmakers Even high-street bookies are not immune to the outage, it seems. Ladbrokes has told customers trying to access its website this morning that it is experiencing some tech issues. The website Downdetector, which logs outages, reported a surge in user complaints trying to access the bookie today. Sports, museums and entertainment Manchester United has postponed its planned ticket release for today. It said on its Matchday X account that it hoped to launch tickets at midday, as it warned of ongoing website issues. Middlesbrough FC has also said it cannot process card payments. It is beginning to look like many cultural institutions across the country will struggle with card payments today. A vast range of museums, visitor centres and cultural centres spanning from Portsmouths Historic Dockyard to Glasgows Science Centre and Monkey World in Dorset have warned that visitors will have to pay cash. Those hoping to visit Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle will also be disappointed, after the Royal Collection Trust halted ticket sales, blaming the global outage. News organisations Sky News stopped broadcasting and was displaying a message apologising to viewers this morning. It has since resumed broadcasting. The Telegraph has been hit by issues with logging into computer systems and accessing the internet. CBBC went down, with a blue screen telling viewers Sorry! Somethings gone wrong. However, the channels service has now resumed. Banks and financial institutions The London Stock Exchange (LSE) has warned its data feed is currently facing technical issues, meaning a delay to company results and announcements. It said: RNS news service is currently experiencing a 3rd party global technical issue, preventing news from being published on londonstockexchange.com. Prominent banks across Australia have been hit: the Commonwealth Bank has said it is urgently investigating any impacts to our systems and services after some customers were unable to make payments. In New Zealand, the banks ASB and Kiwibank have said their services are down. Pictures have come indicating that currency exchanges in Hong Kong are now affected. The Bank of England, however, which yesterday suffered an IT outage of a completely different kind, said it is monitoring the situation but advised there is no impact on its own systems. Beyond banks, insurers including Allianz and Admiral have been affected, the Financial Times reports. Some savers have been locked out of accounts with major platforms such as Royal London and Abrdn. Emergency services The NHS has said it is facing disruption in its EMIS appointment and record system, but insisted it has measures in place to manage the issues such as paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions. 911 outages have been reported in some states across the US, reportedly including Alaska, New York, Arizona, Indiana, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Ohio. Unconfirmed reports have also been made of outages to Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems in US hospitals, which are used to store and organise patient data by physicians. Israeli systems have been hit too: the countrys Ministry of Health has warned that the cyber outage is causing hospital services to malfunction, Haaretz reports. Social media posts indicate some hospitals in Israel have moved to manual systems, while citizens have been warned they may face difficulties reaching emergency services via phone. Healthcare GP services across the UK are reporting issues that are causing major disruption with practices. Some have been left with no access to medical appointments, medical records, booked appointments and even prescriptions, according to surgeries social media posts. Some cancer patient appointments have been cancelled because radiology departments have been affected. The Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust was forced to declare a critical incident because the system it uses to deliver radiotherapy treatments has been impacted. Schools and universities The education sector has not escaped unscathed. A number of institutions have now told children to stay at home on what would have been their final school day of the year. Some parents have been told to call in if their child is ill, because school IT systems are down. The University of Manchester has said it is looking into IT issues as a matter of urgency. Supermarkets Even some supermarket self checkouts have been hit by the outage, social media users report, with photos of checkouts at the Australian supermarket Woolworths showing the so-called Blue Screen of Death posted on X. The 'blue screen of death' greeted shoppers at self-service tills in Australia - The Bearded Angry Gay UK supermarkets appear to be affected too. It is understood some Morrisons customers have struggled to make contactless payments this morning, while customers have complained that they have been unable to pay in Waitrose stores. Waitrose is currently only taking cash and chip and pin payments. Sainsburys said it had not seen any issues with its own systems. Downdetector is reporting a flood of consumer complaints about Waitrose, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsburys. However, supermarkets visited by Telegraph journalists this morning appeared to be operating as normal. A number of retailers, including the northern grocer Booths and the Southern chain Jempsons, have told customers they can only accept cash. Pubs and hospitality The pub chain JD Wetherspoon has confirmed it is having issues with its app, which customers use to order food and drinks to their tables. The chain has advised that customers pay for their food and drink with cash. Reports have come in that the coffee chain Gails has stopped taking card payments as a result of the disruption. Gail's Bakery was forced to stop taking card payments 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. CHICAGO Pre-trial release has been denied for a Chicago man accused of supplying a fatal dose of drugs to a Naperville man in early 2023. Christopher Hobson, a 38-year-old Bronzeville resident, has been charged with three counts of drug-induced homicide, and two felony counts of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, according to DuPage County States Attorney Robert Berlin. The charges stem from an incident that prosecutors say unfolded in February of 2023 when Hobson allegedly provided a 33-year-old Naperville man with a fatal dose of fentanyl and alprazolam. Chicagoland-based sports photographer reeling after having $22,000 in camera equipment stolen while covering COPA America Prosecutors say on Feb. 20, the victim arranged to receive illegal narcotics from Hobson and received them through an unidentified third party, allegedly at the direction of Hobson, the next day. According to prosecutors, the victim ingested the narcotics and later died from a drug overdose. On Feb. 22, the victim was found unresponsive inside his home and subsequently pronounced dead. During an investigation, prosecutors said authorities found numerous bags containing illegal narcotics inside the victims home. An autopsy later determined that the victim died from the combined drug intoxication of fentanyl, alprazolam, phenobarbital, and fluoxetine. Wilco front man Jeff Tweedy to headline annual Chicago Live! performing arts festival at Navy Pier Prosecutors said the victim had been prescribed phenobarbital and fluoxetine. Following further investigation by Naperville Police, it was determined that Hobson had allegedly provided the victim with the fatal dose of fentanyl and alprazolam. DuPage County Judge George Ford issued an arrest warrant for Hobson on April 4, 2024, and he was eventually taken into custody in Chicago on July 17, and returned to DuPage County to face the charges against him. Berlin announced Friday that Judge Joshua Dieden granted the Statess motion to deny pre-trial release for Hobson. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines The tragic death of the victim is yet another terrible reminder of the extreme danger illegal narcotics, particularly fentanyl, continue to be in our communities, Berlin said. Losing someone close to you is hard enough but to lose a beloved family member so suddenly and unnecessarily can have a crippling, long-lasting effect on not just the immediate family, but also on surviving friends and relatives. Hobson is set to appear in court for arraignment on Monday, Aug. 12. 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. Hennepin County's chief district judge recently reversed her decision to give some people accused of misdemeanor domestic abuse quicker access to bail. Kerry W. Meyer, chief judge of the Fourth Judicial District, made a change to the court's standing orders June 18 so people charged with certain types of misdemeanor domestic abuse offenses would no longer be held without bail until their first court appearance. That decision surprised law enforcement and victim advocates who worried about the impact on domestic violence victims and pushed to have the order changed. Meyer rescinded the order on July 13 after it was in place for less than a month. Her reversal returned court practices essentially to what was in place since 2019 most people charged with domestic abuse are held until a judge sets their bail. It is unclear why Meyer made the initial change, but another updated order is expected from the court as soon as next week. A court spokesman said court orders speak for themselves and there would be no additional comment. Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt said in a statement she immediately reached out to Meyer after the June 18 change "with a detailed list of concerns, number one being the potential impacts on victims of domestic violence." Witt and Tim Hoyt, president of the Hennepin Chiefs of Police Association, then met with Meyer and Judge Hilary Lindell Caligiuri, who oversees the criminal division. "They were receptive and quickly rescinded the order," Witt's statement said. "This is a strong example of the importance of conversation and collaboration, with the ultimate goal being public safety." When default standing orders are changed it is typically done by a judge that oversees a specific type of case, and the decision can be workshopped between a group of judges and in consultation with outside entities like a city or county attorney's office, public defenders and public safety groups. Private and public pushback to a standing order change is something a judge would take under consideration. Why this order was changed remains unclear, but there are a variety of opinions about the role of bail in domestic abuse cases. Advocates for victims of domestic abuse say one of the most important things police can do is to keep them notified about whether their alleged abuser was released from jail. Elsa Swenson, program manager for the Home Free Community Program with Missions Inc., said the availability of victim advocates varies across Hennepin County depending on the city and the resources available. The June 18 court change meant instead of being held for a day or more, some accused offenders were released from jail within a few hours of being arrested, which doesn't give victims enough time to seek a protection order or move someplace safe, she said. "The one time when we know where this person is going to be is really important safety time," Swenson said. However, advocates also acknowledge bail can have a negative impact on victims who often are the ones paying to get their alleged abusers out of jail. Jess Palyan, policy program manager for Violence Free Minnesota, said there are often conflicting power dynamics involved in domestic abuse cases. Often, victims are reliant on their abusers for income, child care and housing. It's important to "understand the different ways the system can make people more vulnerable," Palyan said and to "keep evaluating it to make sure we get the best version." Star Tribune staff writer Jeff Day contributed to this story. If you or someone you know needs help in a relationship, please call the 24/7 Minnesota Day One Hotline at 1-1-866-223-1111 or text the hotline at 612-399-9995. U.S. District Court Judge Diane Humetewa (Photo/U.S. District Court) U.S. District Court Judge Diane Humetewa (Hopi) has been awarded the 2024 Chief Standing Bear Prize for Courage by the Chief Standing Bear Prize for Courage Project. The Chief Standing Bear Project, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, was created in 2022 to promote the life and civil rights legacy of Ponca Chief Standing Bear by presenting public discussion groups, forums, lectures, and other events on a national level. The initial kick-off program of the project is the presentation of the Standing Bear Prize for Courage, awarded to those Native Americans who exemplify courage in the spirit of Standing Bear in doing what is right, rather than what is expedient. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Judge Humetewa serves the U.S. District Court of Arizona. When she was nominated by President Barack Obama and then confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she became the first Native American female district judge in history. Katie Brossy, board president of the Chief Standing Bear Project, said Judge Humetewa has shown great courage and is a shining example of what Native people can accomplish within the legal profession. Like Chief Standing Bear, Judge Humetewa has been a trailblazer within the legal system and her list of firsts is a testament to following in Standing Bears footsteps: a first-generation law school graduate, first Native American U.S. Attorney, and most recently, in 2014, the first Native American woman U.S. District Court Judge. She has also served as a voice for justice as a national speaker presenting about prosecuting crimes on tribal lands and protecting cultural resources. As the recipient of the prize, Judge Humetewa will be presented with her award at an event held at the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska on Indigenous Peoples Day, Monday, October 14, 2024. She will receive a statuette of Chief Standing Bear created by renowned artist Benjamin Victor, the sculptor of the iconic Statuary Hall Chief Standing Bear sculpture, as well as a cash honorarium to be awarded at her request to the Morris and Stuart Udall Foundation. 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 The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Thursday announced the successful offering of about 25 billion Hong Kong dollars (3.2 billion U.S. dollars) worth of green bonds. The bonds were denominated in renminbi (RMB), U.S. dollar and euro under the government sustainable bond program, the HKSAR government said in a statement. The offering attracted participation from a wide spectrum of investors globally, with more than 120 billion Hong Kong dollars equivalent in orders. In particular, the 20-year and 30-year RMB green bonds were offered for the first time by the HKSAR government, among which the 30-year bond is also the longest tenure RMB bond offered by the HKSAR government so far, providing new benchmarks for the market. Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government Paul Chan said the issuance of government green bonds is an important initiative to promote Hong Kong's low-carbon transformation and consolidate Hong Kong's development as a green and sustainable finance hub. "Global institutional investors responded enthusiastically to the subscription of these green bonds, reaffirming our efforts on this front. The inaugural offering of the 20-year and 30-year RMB bonds helps to extend the offshore RMB yield curve, further enrich offshore RMB product offerings, and promote RMB internationalization in an orderly manner," he said. The green bonds are expected to be settled on July 24 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. [Source] A woman in China discovered she was secretly filmed during a breast enlargement surgery when she saw herself in a widely circulated video on Douyin. The video, which garnered thousands of likes and shares, shows Gao heavily bandaged and under anesthesia after she underwent the procedure in January at a Henan province hospital. She demanded the hospital to identify the person who filmed her, remove the video and compensate her, but they initially refused, claiming the recording was posted externally. After public outcry, the hospital stated the filmer had left and their contact information was deleted. Gao plans to sue, arguing the hospital is accountable for patient privacy violations. Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Curbside pickup fans now have a new avenue to grab their burritos without having to get out of their car. Chipotle is debuting another Chipotlane in San Diego at a brand new location in Lake Murray. Chipotle Mexican Grill is opening the new San Diego location on Thursday, July 25 at 8856 Navajo Road in the former Carls Jr. building in the San Carlos Village Shopping Mall in the Lake Murray neighborhood. The new location will have a Chipotlane, a drive thru pick-up lane that allows guests to pick up digital orders without leaving their cars. The menu at the new Lake Murray location will offer Chicken al Pastor, which Chipotle describes as having flavors of morita peppers balanced with a splash of pineapple, lime, and cilantro, available for a limited time. Chipotle unveils first drive-thru pickup lane in San Diego area The companys digital order drive thru pick-up lane concept first came about in the U.S. in 2018 and has expanded in recent years. San Diegos first Chipotle with a Chipotlane opened in the fall of 2022 on North El Camino Real. The new Lake Murray Chipotle will be near another location that offers a Chipotlane as well 8005 Fletcher Pkwy in La Mesa. The Navajo Road location is hiring, and will be open from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. View a list of Chipotle locations in San Diego on their website. In other news, Chipotle Mexican Grill announced on July 1 exclusive digital menu items in partnership with Americas top athletes ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The chain will also be launching gold foil for a limited time in the U.S. and France on July 25, along with new episodes of its Unwrapped video series. 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. CNN anchor Chris Wallace said former President Trump couldnt keep up the act in his speech accepting the GOP nomination at the 2024 Republican National Convention late Thursday. It seemed as if he couldnt keep up the act, Wallace said on CNN in a clip highlighted by Mediaite. And so, we started hearing about crazy Nancy Pelosi and cheating on elections and talking about Biden. Frankly, it was a long speech, it was a rambling speech, it was a speech by an older man, and I couldnt help but think that the people that are gonna be happiest tonight are not the people at Trump headquarters, but the people the Democrats, maybe at Biden headquarters, maybe at the headquarters of other people who think theyre gonna replace Joe Biden. Trump formally accepted his partys presidential nomination with an address that lasted more than an hour and a half, the longest acceptance speech by a major party candidate. The former president and his advisers said earlier this week that he had scrapped his original convention speech draft in the wake of the assassination attempt against him last weekend for something more restrained. However, during the convention speech, Trump went after former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and President Biden. Part of the, I have to say for me, disappointment, in this speech, is because the Trump campaign had talked so much about how we were gonna see a softer, more reflective Donald Trump, Wallace said on CNN. And, he had a line early on, he said, Im going to be president for all Americans, because theres no victory in winning for half of Americans, and I thought, Well, were off to the races here, and this is really gonna be a different Donald Trump. As you say, he then went in, in very reflective, somber, un-Trumplike detail talking about how God saved him, saved his life and seemed genuinely reflective. The Hill has reached out to the Trump campaign for comment. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. GREENFIELD U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is not calling for the head of the Secret Service to resign in the wake of an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, but he said he does support requiring the agency's director to be confirmed by the Senate. One person was killed in the assassination attempt last weekend at Trump's rally in Pennsylvania, two others were critically injured and Trump sustained an injury to his ear. Several prominent Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Mike Johnson, have called on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign in the wake of the attack. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley speaks to Iowans at a town hall in Greenfield on Friday, July 19, 2024. Two of Grassley's Senate colleagues, U.S. Sen. John Barasso of Wyoming and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, have also called for Cheatle to step down. The two were among a group of senators who chased Cheatle through the Republican National Convention Wednesday, shouting questions at her about the assassination attempt. "Im not going to call for resignation at this point," Grassley told reporters Friday after a town hall event in Greenfield. Grassley, a Republican, is conducting an investigation into the Secret Service's policies and procedures in the wake of the assassination attempt. He has requested records from the Secret Service, FBI, Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice regarding what he called a "monumental security failure." On Tuesday, Grassley wrote to the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general to call for an investigation into the assassination attempt. The office later opened an inquiry. More: 'Monumental security failure': Grassley calls for investigation of assassination attempt "The reason that Im so aggressive in pursuing investigations through my investigative staff is the fact that too often (when) we see things that are being investigated, it looks like theyre trying to cover up things rather than get all the facts out," Grassley said Friday. Grassley said the public deserves answers about how the assassination attempt was able to occur. "I think that when the life of a president or a presidential candidate is being threatened and actions are taken and theres some shortcoming of the protection that they ought to have, that there should be no cover-up," he said. Cheatle is set to testify Monday to the House Oversight Committee in the Republican-led House. In an interview with ABC News on July 15, Cheatle called the assassination attempt "unacceptable" but said "I do plan to stay on" as Secret Service director. "The buck stops with me," Cheatle said in the interview. "I am the director of the Secret Service. It was unacceptable, and it's something that shouldn't happen again." Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said an "independent review" will be launched into the Secret Service's operational conduct. Grassley said he believes the director of the Secret Service should be confirmed by the Senate and appointed to a 10-year term, like the director of the FBI. His staff said he will soon introduce a bill including both those elements. "I think we need to have Senate confirmation for the head of the Secret Service," Grassley said. "That isnt required today, and I think it ought to be required." Grassley said he generally has confidence in the Secret Service to keep Trump, President Joe Biden and other officials safe. He pointed to Trump's praise of the agency during his speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination in Milwaukee Thursday night. "I think weve heard what President Trump said last night about complimenting the Secret Service and having great confidence in them," Grassley said. "I dont think I can say anything stronger than that because Ive never had a bullet go by my ear, and he would feel that more than anybody else." In his speech, Trump called the Secret Service agents at his event "very brave" and said "they rushed to the stage" to protect him. "These are great people at great risk, I will tell you, and pounced on top of me so that I would be protected," Trump said. 'It doesn't matter' who's on the Democratic ticket, Grassley says As an increasing number of prominent Democrats have called for Biden to withdraw from the presidential race after a disastrous debate performance last month, Grassley said the election will be decided on issues, not who's on the ticket. "It doesnt matter who is the head of the ticket, (Vice President) Kamala Harris or somebody else," Grassley said. "The issues are whats going to make a difference, whether its Biden or anybody else. The border and the cost of living and all that stuff is on everybodys mind. And thats whats on my mind." Biden, 81, has faced concerns about whether he's up to serving another term in office, which would end when he is 86. Grassley, 90, said he hasn't had personal contact with Biden so it wouldn't be fair for him to say whether Biden is up to the job. "I know a lot of people that I have confidence in that think hes not up to the job," Grassley said. "But I havent had personal contact with him and I dont think it would be fair for me to make that judgment." USA Today contributed to this report. Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Grassley: Head of Secret Service should require Senate confirmation Citing ruling that threw out Trump document case, Hunter Biden now wants his to be tossed President Joe Bidens son, Hunter, is asking federal judges to dismiss the tax and gun cases against him following the ruling this week that threw out former President Donald Trumps document case in Florida. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannons dismissed the classified documents case against Trump on Monday and that decision could possibly upend the legal landscape surrounding Justice Department special counsels. Both Hunter Biden and Trump were prosecuted by special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland. In dismissing the Trump case, Cannon ruled that the appointment of the special counsel who prosecuted Trump, Jack Smith, violated the Constitution because he was appointed directly to the position by Garland instead of being nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Special Council Jack Smith has appealed that ruling. The appeal will now be heard in front of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals here in Atlanta. So far, no hearings have been scheduled in the appeals case. Smiths team has said the Justice Department followed long-establishment precedent for instance, the Trump-era appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Russian election interference was upheld by courts. In a pair of filings Thursday, lawyers for Hunter Biden said the same logic should apply in his cases and should result in the dismissal of a pending tax prosecution in Los Angeles currently set for trial in September and a separate firearm case in Delaware, in which Hunter Biden was convicted in June of three felony charges. Hunter Bidens team had raised similar arguments before, unsuccessfully, but they say theres no good reason to reconsider them. Both of Hunter Bidens cases are being overseen by judges nominated by Trump. Cannon, the judge who threw out Trumps case, was also nominated by the former Republican president. RELATED STORIES: Based on these new legal developments, Mr. Biden moves to dismiss the indictment brought against him because the Special Counsel who initiated this prosecution was appointed in violation of the Appointments Clause as well, Hunter Bidens lawyers wrote. They also cited an opinion this month by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that questioned the propriety of a special counsel appointment. The Attorney General relied upon the exact same authority to appoint the Special Counsel in both the Trump and Biden matters, and both appointments are invalid for the same reason, the lawyers added. Smith and the special counsel who prosecuted Hunter Biden, David Weiss, are different in that Smith was hired from outside the Justice Department while Weiss was working as the U.S. Attorney in Delaware at the time of his appointment. A spokesperson for Weiss said they are aware of the filings from Hunter Bidens legal team and will respond in due course. Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced in the gun case by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, though as a first-time offender, he would not get anywhere near the maximum, and theres no guarantee the judge would send him to prison. She has not set a sentencing date. The tax case centers on at least $1.4 million in taxes prosecutors say he failed to pay over four years. The back taxes have since been paid. The long-running federal investigation into the presidents son had looked ready to wrap up with a plea deal last year, but the agreement imploded after a judge raised questions about it. Hunter Biden was subsequently indicted in both cases. It is unclear with Smiths appeal moving ahead in the 11th Circuit if it will impact Hunter Bidens chances of his cases being dropped. The Associated Press contributed to this article. IN OTHER NEWS: NEW YORK (PIX11) The City Council is tackling the way students dress for school in all five boroughs. Lawmakers announced on Thursday that they want parents and their children to have a more streamlined understanding of what students should wear to class. The current policy allows each school to have its own dress code. More Local News The City Council has proposed to create one standard to apply across the board to comply with Title IV, the federal civil rights law that bars discrimination based on gender. Some schools have gotten feedback that their individual policies are discriminatory against some students. Some councilmembers have expressed there is unequal enforcement of policies; at times unfairly targeting LGBTQIA+ students and students of color. The proposal specifically calls for a more inclusive policy that accounts for diverse cultures, gender expressions and body diversity. City Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala told PIX11 News in a statement, Uneven dress code policies in New York City public schools have led to disproportionate discipline and consequences for students simply expressing themselves. My hope is that this transparency will bring us towards consistent, inclusive and fair policies across our school system that do not unjustly target our students. City Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala The Department of Education will work with the City Council to craft new guidelines for the students dress code. The mayors office told PIX11 News in a statement, Per NYC Public Schools Dress Code Guidelines, dress codes are decided at the individual school level and require that schools examine their reasoning and justification for their respective policies, and schools must consider evolving generational, cultural, social, and identity norms. Also, dress codes must be gender-neutral and cannot prohibit certain types of clothing that are stereotypically associated with one gender, and they must be implemented equally and in a non-discriminatory manner. Office of the Mayor Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. 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 sustainability cotton initiative Better Cotton is launching a new fund in partnership with impact investment firm FS Impact Finance aimed to enhance field-level impact related to women's empowerment and climate resilience among smallholder cotton farmers. As part of the MoU, Better Cotton and FS Impact Finance will use the fund to launch the pilot programme in India. This initiative will incentivise farming communities to invest in field-level projects focused on women's empowerment and climate resilience by eliminating traditional financing barriers. Better Cotton explained that smallholders, who make up more than 90% of the world's cotton farmers, often struggle to access adequate financial support due to their Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) lack of credit history. In India, there are reportedly 16,000 FPOs representing over 5.8 million farmers. However, Better Cotton highlighted that only a few of these FPOs are large and well-established enough to access formal financial markets. The vast majority lack the turnover and credit history needed to qualify for financing, which is essential for growth. Under this new fund, FPOs will be supported in the implementation of gender and climate resilience activities with the goal of fast-tracking field-level results and improving their bankability. According to Better Cotton, this will enable less developed FPOs to improve their credit history and benefit from services that will help them create strategic and sustainable growth plans for the future. Better Cotton CEO, Alan McClay, believes this collaboration with FS Impact Finance can potentially accelerate important work already underway in India, in an inclusive way. McClay noted: "Access to finance for smallholders is always a challenge and we are excited at the prospect of helping to change that." FS Impact Finance managing director, Martin Cremer, said: "We look forward to jointly developing this innovative financing solution in the cotton sector that complements Better Cottons great work in this area. Our goal is to improve the situation of smallholder farmers and contribute to the development and professionalisation of players along the local value chains." Leading the talk on gender equality in the apparel sector Better Cotton shared that its 2030 Strategy includes Impact Targets relating to womens empowerment and climate change mitigation. The organisation has committed to reaching one million women in cotton with programmes and resources that promote equal farm decision-making, build climate resilience, or support improved livelihoods. Story continues This, it pointed out, is in addition to ensuring that 25% of field staff are women with the power to influence sustainable cotton production. With these initiatives in place, it is crucial to foster conversations on women's empowerment and gender equality within the apparel sector. According to company filings data shared by GlobalData, 'gender equality' has been a prominent topic in the industry since 2016. 'In 2022, 'gender equality' was the most frequently used keyword, appearing 475 times. Although mentions have decreased somewhat in 2024, it remains a leading keyword. Other frequently used terms include 'gender' and 'diversity'. Credit: GlobalData However, it is not all words and no action, brands and companies are putting their mouth where the money is. They are taking concrete actions and investing money to back up the trend highlighted in the industry. For instance, the Better Work Bangladesh programme works to support the development of a competitive garment industry that provides decent jobs for workers, including women workers, good business for factories and brands, and economic growth for the country. "In data: Better Cotton launches fund to drive India climate resilience, equality" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. (The Hill) A video played at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Wednesday evening included a clip from earlier this year of a white fraternity member making monkey gestures at a Black woman on the University of Mississippi campus. The video, meant to praise anti-woke college students, used a clip from early May in which pro-Palestinian demonstrators protesting the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and counter-protesters confronted each other. As the white fraternity member approaches the Black woman and begins making the racist gestures, the announcer can be heard saying that these students are giving us some hope there that not all college students have gone woke. The use of the video received backlash from Democrats, including the Biden campaign. Donald Trump promised unity at his convention, Biden campaign senior spokesperson Sarafina Chitika told The Hill in a statement. Instead, he delivered bigotry, division, and straight-up racism that turned dog whistles into bullhorns. The video elevated by Trump and his RNC is beneath the office of the President, and its proof that their empty pandering to voters of color is nothing more than lip service to paper over decades of racism, Chitika added. Ole Miss fraternity kicks out member accused of making ape-like sounds toward Black protester Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist, noted that the imagery showed how Republicans really feel about us. It really speaks loudly about what they really think and feel about us, Seawright said. In other words, theyre saying the quiet part out loud. Social media users also expressed outrage, with one user asking if there will be a cross burning to wrap things up? Another user said there would be no pushback from their base. The video received mixed reactions from political leaders when it first began circulating in the spring. Republican Rep. Mike Collins praised the counterprotesters at the time for taking care of business. He later walked back those comments and said, If that person is found to have treated another human being improperly because of their race, they should be punished appropriately, and will hopefully seek forgiveness. The NAACP blasted both the student and Collins, with President Derrick Johnson writing on social media platform X that A Black Woman was victim to pandering, racist remarks and gestures, and hateful speech with the hope of breeding fear, isolation, and retreat. She marched forward anyway, he added. I hope racists like Mike Collins took note of that as well. The video was condemned by The Phi Delta Theta General Headquarters, and the male student was removed from the organization. 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. Closely monitoring: Whats affected and not affected locally by the global technology outage Closely monitoring: Whats affected and not affected locally by the global technology outage A global technology outage on Friday disrupted various Massachusetts businesses, hospitals, online banking, 911 call lines and also led to flight cancellations at Bostons Logan International Airport. Massport said some airlines at Logan were affected by the computer outage and the FAA noted that United, American, and Allegiant flights were all grounded at one point. We urge passengers to check with their airline for their flight status before coming to the airport, a Massport spokesperson said Friday morning. As of 12 p.m., there were 236 delays at Logan and 74 cancellations, according to FlightAware. Also in Boston, Mass General Brigham canceled non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and medical visits scheduled for Friday due to the major software outage impacting companies and airlines globally. The outage impacting Microsoft services grounded flights and knocked banks offline and media outlets off the air. Microsoft 365 said the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion. A major worldwide software outage has affected many of our systems at Mass General Brigham, as well as many major businesses across the country. Due to the severity of this issue, all previously scheduled non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and medical visits are canceled today, Mass General Brigham said in a statement. Mass General Brigham facilities and services include Brigham and Womens Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Womens Faulkner Hospital, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Marthas Vineyard Hospital, Mass Eye and Ear, Mass General Brigham Community Physicians, Mass General Brigham Health Plan, Mass General Brigham Home Care, MGH Institute of Health Professions, McLean Hospital, Nantucket Cottage Hospital, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Salem Hospital, Spaulding Rehabilitation, and Wentworth-Douglass Hospital. Tufts Medical Center and South Shore Health were also experiencing issues linked to the global tech outage. In a statement, Tufts said, We are aware of this global IT disruption and have been in close contact with the vendor. We are currently operating under an emergency management structure as we await a resolution of this disruption. During this time, we remain open and able to provide safe patient care. South Shore Health added, Early this morning, South Shore Health was made aware of technology issues impacting multiple information technology systems across South Shore Health. This appears to be a global problem impacting multiple businesses in addition to many healthcare organizations. We are currently working to assess, test, and remedy the affected systems. As always, patient care and safety remains our top priority and we are taking all necessary steps to ensure that we continue to deliver high-quality, safe care for our patients as we address these technology issues. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centers website was also down as of 7:30 a.m. The impact on Massachusetts state government was more muted and limited to things like Registry of Motor Vehicles customer service appointments, courtroom operations, and MBTA bus or train arrival time data, the State House News Service reported. The Healey-Driscoll Administration is closely monitoring the CrowdStrike technology outage and working to mitigate any impacts on Massachusetts, a spokesperson for Gov. Maura Healey said Friday morning as what one expert called the largest IT outage in history came into better light. 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 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Photos of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee are firing people up online. While patrolling in Milwaukee, CMPDs bike officers are wearing whats called an outer carrier vest. The controversy isnt that these officers can wear them. Its that patrol officers cant. I dont understand why you would want to handcuff officers who are just trying to respond better to the behavior that they have to deal with daily, said Chet Effler with the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police. Law enforcement officers from across the country are in Milwaukee to boost security for the Republican National Convention. Many of them are wearing something in common. (Courtesy of CMPD X) (Courtesy of CMPD X) Theres officers from the City of Cary here wearing them, said Effler. Theres officers from, you know, the City of Greensboro here. And theres officers from other agencies from all over the United States. The outer carrier vests are at the center of controversy back in Charlotte. Right now, theyre only worn by CMPD bicycle officers and others in specialized units. The citys patrol officers are limited to the utility belt weve historically seen police wear. That weight on the human body is tough, and these vests help protect an officer from back issues, chiropractic visits, doctor visits and other medical issues, said Effler. City Councilmember Tariq Bokhari is pushing for the purchase of outer carrier vests, saying hundreds of officers have told him theyd like them for general wear and it would help them better protect and serve the community. (Courtesy of CMPD X) (Courtesy of CMPD X) Police Chief Johnny Jennings has expressed his disapproval in the following statement: These vests offer no additional ballistic protection and raise officer safety concerns. It is important to note that three fallen officers wore outer vests on April 29. In addition, the outer vest has a military-style appearance that contradicts the community-oriented policing philosophy I have championed for years. Certain tactical units within CMPD are currently issued outer carrier vests, but I will not support outer carrier vests as standard patrol-issued equipment. As someone whos worn the vest before, Effler has his own opinions. Ive never noticed the public treat officers any different, he said. In Milwaukee, I see people going up and hugging police officers and getting pictures with them. Chief Jennings said while certain tactical units within his department wear outer carrier vests, he will not support the vests as standard patrol-issued equipment. 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. DUKE FIELD The only special operations wing in the U.S. Air Force Reserves welcomed a new commander on Saturday, July 13. According to a news release, Duke Field officials held a change of command ceremony where Col. Scott Hurrelbrink took command of the 919th Special Operations Wing (SOW) by order of Maj. Gen. Regina Sabric, commander of the 10th Air Force. Hurrelbrink replaces Col. Jason Grandy, who has commanded the wing since 2021. I am humbled and proud to be part of this wing, Hurrelbrink was quoted as saying in the release. The 919th is not just any wing. It is the Air Force Reserves hardest-working, most successful and highly decorated group of warriors. Ill give everything I have to lead with integrity, uphold the proud history of the 919th, and further build the next generation of combat wings. Hurrelbrink received his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps Program in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1994 and went on to complete Undergraduate Navigator Training at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Hurrelbrink then completed undergraduate pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, according to the release. According to his biography, Hurrelbrink has accumulated over 2,700 flight hours in various aircraft such as the B-52, A-10 and F-117. His previous assignment was as the deputy director of operations for Air Force Reserve Command Headquarters at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. To the men and women of the 919th, I cannot wait to roll up my sleeves and get to work with you, Hurrelbrink was quoted as saying in the release. I assure you I will uphold the tradition and culture of the Citizen Air Commandos. In return, I ask that you be loyal to the mission and take care of each other. Lead with respect, empathy and support. If we do these things, nothing or no one will stop us.' New AFSOC Commander: Hurlburt Field: Lt. Gen. Michael Conley now leads Air Force Special Operations Command Hurrelbrink will lead 1,600 citizen air commandos who train and deploy to locations around the globe. The mission of the 919th is to provide support to the "any time, any place" mission statement that the Air Force Special Operations Command lives by. According to the release, the 919th is the only Air Force Reserve special operations wing, and it has a storied combat history since its creation at Duke Field in July 1971. Grandy will now serve in the current operations division at Air Force headquarters at the Pentagon. This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: 919th Special Operations Wing at Duke Field welcomes new commander Utahs 2nd Congressional District debate between Colby Jenkins and Rep. Celeste Maloy at the KUED studios at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Monday, June 10, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News A federal judge denied a request from Utah 2nd Congressional District candidate Colby Jenkins to delay the state election certification and reprocess some ballots. But the judge also said the states reliance on U.S. Postal Service postmarks appears to be problematic. Jenkins filed a lawsuit in United States District Court on Wednesday alleging that Utah election officials violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution by unfairly rejecting some ballots that were mailed before the deadline but received a late postmark from the U.S. Postal Service. Judge David Nuffer ruled that Jenkins did not provide sufficient evidence that rejected ballots had been mailed on time or that state officials showed disparate treatment of voters under state code. Judge Nuffer rejected Jenkins request to halt Mondays state election certification and his request to process rejected ballots affected by USPS postmarking delays. Just because the delays occurred for these individuals does not mean theres arbitrary and disparate treatment of voters by the state statutory system. I find that that system posted puts the burden on the voter to obtain the timely postmark, Nuffer said. Nuffer said he did not want to minimize the failure of some ballots to be counted. We are in an unfortunate situation where delivery processing and postmarking was delayed by the Postal Service, and this caused plaintiffs voters ballots not to be counted, Nuffer said. Jenkins trailed Rep. Celeste Maloy by just 214 votes on July 9 when counties finalized their Republican primary election results. The primary election was June 25, but a winner wasnt declared in the Maloy-Jenkins race because of the close margin, which was within the recount threshold established by state code. The Jenkins campaign has said the candidate intends to file a request for a recount following the statewide canvass of primary election returns on Monday. The lawsuit names Jenkins and eight southern Utah voters as plaintiffs. Each of the voters alleges their ballot was placed in the mail before the June 24 deadline but was not counted because of a late postmark from the USPS. All 13 counties covered by the 2nd District, their respective county clerk-auditors and Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson are named as defendants. While he denied Jenkins motions, Nuffer said the case highlighted room for improvement in Utahs mail-in election system. Its probably clear from this exercise weve had in this case, that state reliance on postmarks is misplaced given postal service policies, he said. Can late postmarked ballots be counted? Mail-in ballots must be postmarked (stamped by post offices) before Election Day to be counted by county election offices, according to state code. Mail from all, or parts, of nine 2nd District counties is sent through the postal services Las Vegas Area Distribution Center to be postmarked before they arrive at county election offices. This travel time can sometimes delay postmarking by up to a day, the lawsuit alleges, potentially resulting in ballots being postmarked late even if they were placed in mail boxes on June 24, or earlier, and before the listed mail collection time. Utahs director of elections, Ryan Cowley, previously told the Deseret News that while county election officials want to count every ballot thats legally cast, nothing can be done if a ballot has just one clear postmark that came after the pre-Election Day deadline, even if a voter says they mailed their ballot on time. Unfortunately, with the way the law is written, the clerks have done everything they can, Cowley said at the time. Every way that weve looked at it, every way that the clerks have looked at it, theres just not a path under the code or the law to be able to count those ballots. The lawsuit alleges that state legislators and local officials were aware of this delay but did not inform voters that to meet the pre-Election Day deadline they might have to mail their ballots up to two days before Election Day. The suit claims that the resulting rejection of ballots that passed through the Las Vegas USPS center constitutes a violation of the Equal Protections Clause of the 14th Amendment by imposing additional burdens on the voters in certain counties. The impact of these failures is that voters in southern Utah will simply have their votes discarded because they did not know that the processing and postmarking time necessitated early mailing of their ballots, the lawsuit states. Problems with mail-in voting? According to the court filings, Jenkins and fellow plaintiffs asked that counties affected by potential Las Vegas-related delays create an extended period for voters to cure ballots with signature verification issues and process previously rejected ballots with a late postmark if they can be accompanied by a voter affidavit attesting that they were mailed before Election Day. The plaintiffs sought a preliminary injunction to stop the scheduled statewide canvass of primary election returns on Monday until ballots sent through the Las Vegas center could be reexamined and given an additional cure opportunity. This problem was known to the Legislature and the clerks and yet nothing was done to inform the voters, said Greg Powers, the general consultant on Jenkins campaign. Were just looking to have all legal votes counted rather than the current disenfranchisement of southern Utah voters. Concerns over votes not being counted because they were postmarked on or after Election Day by the Las Vegas center led to Iron County Commissioner Paul Cozzens refusing to certify election returns on July 9. He was overruled by the two other members of the county board of canvassers, who shared Cozzens concerns but saw no legal pathway to count votes with late postmarks. Maloy told the Deseret News in a statement that she has faith in Utahs election process. Casting a ballot is fundamental to our democratic republic and every Utah voter deserves to trust in the integrity of our elections, Maloy said. Our county clerks and their respective staffs do remarkable work. I have a high level of confidence in the process and believe it will show their figures accurately determined the outcome in a close race. The vast majority of ballots not counted because of a late postmark were in Iron County (491) and Washington County (662). Over 400 ballots in the district with signature verification issues were not cured by voters during the two-week period following the election. The lawsuit claims that many citizens are willing to submit affidavits, attesting to mailing ballots prior to election day even though their ballots were postmarked after the deadline. Jenkins previously filed a lawsuit to obtain the names and addresses of voters on the uncured ballot list in Washington County but a judge ruled clerks have discretion as to whether they will release cure lists to candidates before the election canvass. In a statement to the Deseret News, Jenkins said 2nd District residents had voted for him to ensure their voices are heard and defended. Every legal vote needs to be counted and we are working diligently to ensure that happens, Jenkins said. Insights from El Pais, Brookings Institute, The Conversation, and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development The News The number of people living in poverty in Colombia fell by 1.6 million in 2023 compared to the previous year, new census data showed. Although the countrys president celebrated the figures, critics noted that Colombia still needed to do much more to tackle inequality, which remains an issue across Latin America: The highest 10% of earners in the region make 12 times more than the poorest 10%, compared to a four-to-one ratio for richer countries. A study estimated it takes 11 generations for the poorest Colombians to reach the median income of society. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. Poverty still plagues Colombia Sources: El Tiempo, El Pais Colombia has made progress in lifting people out of poverty for three consecutive years, but a third of the countrys population still lives below the poverty line, El Tiempo reported. A former director of Colombias national statistics department told El Pais the results are encouraging, but that poverty levels are still higher than in pre-pandemic years. Others have criticized the governments shortcomings in supporting low-income families, like through the redistribution of tax surplus. The government is not being efficient in social public spending. It is taking income away from Colombians with lower incomes to transfer it to those who have even less, a political scientist told El Pais. Inequality hurts political stability and fuels populism Sources: Brookings Institute, The Conversation, Americas Quarterly Inequality has deep social and political consequences, the Brookings Institute think tank noted, including generating discontent, weakening trust in institutions, and undermining governance. As the region with the worlds highest inequality, Latin America has seen persistent political instability and the rise of populist leaders like Peron in Argentina, and Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, who promised jobs and social benefits not only to the poor but also to large segments of the excluded middle class, a professor of international development wrote in The Conversation. Inequality also stifles social mobility, which has to improve to reduce inequality, leading to a vicious cycle, Americas Quarterly argued. The green transition could help address inequality Sources: El Pais, International Energy Agency, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Because of inequality, Latin America has experienced devastating effects of climate change despite its rich biodiversity and lower fossil fuel emissions, El Pais reported. But the region also has one of the worlds cleanest electricity sectors and houses vast reserves of minerals like lithium, which are critical to the green transition. Promoting investments in the green economy could help tackle inequality in the region, a 2023 report from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development argued: Jobs requiring employees with specialized skills will grow, reducing widespread informal labor that still makes up almost half of the workforce in Latin America. Whats going to be Colorados coolest thing? Whats going to be Colorados coolest thing? GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) The nominations for Colorados coolest thing made in the state are fast approaching. Loren Furman, president and CEO of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, says its important to get your final submission in. We have over 100 nominations that will come in and so those nominations are open right now. And were closing on July 26 for those nominations, said Furman, whos company is hosting the contest. The third annual contest gives manufactures statewide the chance to showcase their best creations. For example, 2023s winner was Lockheed Martin for their OSIRIS-REX spacecraft, which orbited a nearby asteroid and returned samples of it to Earth. The top 10 finalists are expected to be announced in early August. In September, Colorado residents will then be able to choose from those 10 finalists what they think is Colorados coolest thing. 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. Tina Peters the former clerk of Mesa County, Colorado, and a prominent 2020 election denier asked the Supreme Court on Friday to halt her upcoming trial on charges stemming from her alleged involvement in a security breach at the countys election offices in 2021. Peters has pleaded not guilty to 10 state charges including three felony counts of attempting to influence a public servant; one felony account of criminal impersonation; two felony counts of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation; one felony count of identity theft; and misdemeanor counts for first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty and failing to comply with requirements of the Colorado secretary of state after an apparent security breach in Mesa Countys elections office in May 2021. The criminal investigation into the clerks office began after Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, accused Peters and her deputies of facilitating the 2021 security breach. The breach resulted in confidential voting machine logins and forensic images of their hard drives being published in a QAnon-affiliated Telegram channel in early August 2021. The Colorado breach was one of several incidents after 2020 where allies of former President Donald Trump tampered with election systems in hopes of proving his voter fraud claims. Loosely affiliated groups of Trump supporters orchestrated similar breaches in Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania, and others are facing charges. Peters trial is set to begin on July 29. Two lower courts have rejected Peters attempt to throw out the criminal case. Peters has argued that she was acting pursuant to an express federal order to preserve election records and is therefore immune from prosecution. No serious argument, supported by any credible evidence, has been advanced that Ms. Peters conduct was unreasonable or unnecessary to fulfill her federal duty to preserve election records, her attorneys told the Supreme Court, adding that the state indictment against her is a transparently punitive move to criminalize her efforts to comply with federal law. Peters is asking the high court to pause the impending trial so they can file a more fulsome appeal to the justices. Its possible that the court will set a briefing schedule in the coming days as it considers her request to halt the state court proceedings. Peters was sentenced in April 2023 to four months of home detention after being found guilty of obstructing a government operation in a separate case. CNNs Marshall Cohen and Jeremy Harlan contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A Columbia man charged last year in a federal crackdown on violent crime in South Carolina pleaded guilty this week to distributing methamphetamine and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of South Carolina said. Michael Wright, 46, was swept up late last year in a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives operation in West Columbia targeting criminal groups engaged in gun and drug trafficking. The operation, known as Project Safe Neighborhoods, brought together several levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and gun violence in local communities across the country. As part of the West Columbia sting, the ATF set up a controlled buy location where undercover agents and confidential informants bought firearms and drugs from criminal targets in the area, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Wright was one of 20 people charged last December following the operation, which netted 210 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition and large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl, federal officials said. Those arrested included members of the Bloods, Crips and Gangster Disciple street gangs, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. According to evidence presented to the court, Wright contacted an undercover agent over social media about the sale of methamphetamine and later sold the agent more than 700 grams of the drug on five separate occasions, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Wright was charged in December 2023 with conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, six counts of distributing methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He pleaded guilty this week to conspiring to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment to be followed by five years of court-ordered supervision, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. She lived in California with her undocumented husband. (Photo subject is a model.) - MarketWatch photo illustration/iStockphoto Dear Quentin, My daughter passed away without a will. She lived in California with her undocumented husband. Her estate is now required to go through probate, but she left money in another bank account, which her husband refuses to access due to his current immigrant status. As a mother and mother-in-law, I am trying to keep my late daughters money from being lost to the state. How do I collect it as her next-of-kin if her husband is refusing to collect his inheritance? The Mother-in-Law Most Read from MarketWatch Related: My brother-in-law is an undocumented immigrant can he inherit my sisters house? Individuals can avoid certain assets going through probate if they hold accounts jointly or name a beneficiary for those accounts. - MarketWatch illustration Dear Mother-in-Law, My condolences on the loss of your daughter. No parent should have to go through that and there is nothing that can prepare a parent for the loss of a child, even one who has grown into adulthood. I hope her life was a happy and fulfilling one. The weeks and months that have followed must have been made all the more challenging by the issues surrounding her husbands immigration status, and the money that languishes in a bank account. First of all, the good news is that your son-in-law can inherit his late wifes estate. The bad news is that, as a non-U.S. resident under the law, he will have to pay federal taxes on the inheritance. In this case, the unlimited-marital-transfer deduction rule would not apply, says Calamos Wealth Management. The federal government does not want someone who isnt a citizen to inherit assets and pay no estate tax for fear that those assets would leave the country untaxed. Ordinarily, spouses benefit from the unlimited-marital-transfer exemption under Internal Revenue Service rules, regardless of whether the money is held in the U.S. or overseas, Calamos Wealth adds. The IRS permits a U.S. citizen to give away up to $13.61 million in assets or property during their lifetime without incurring a gift or estate tax. They can also give each family member $18,000 a year without having to note it on their tax returns. Avoiding probate Many families dont have awkward conversations around money. Less than half of U.S. adults have a will (48%), according to the polling service Gallup. Perhaps more surprising is the figure has barely budged over the last 30 years. Your daughter and son-in-law represent a cautionary tale in terms of estate planning. Individuals can avoid certain assets going through probate if they hold accounts jointly or name a beneficiary for those accounts. Story continues Similarly, someone could set up a qualified domestic trust and name their spouse as the beneficiary. This gives people a range of options for how to structure their estate and can even leave an income for beneficiaries. But critically it allows people to avail of the unlimited marital exemption when leaving money to a non-citizen, although they must still pay estate taxes. More than 11 million undocumented people are living in the U.S. so his predicament, while difficult, is not as unusual as you might think. Undocumented immigrants can buy a house in the U.S., although acquiring financing will obviously be more tricky. With the help of an attorney, your son-in-law can hopefully overcome his own fears about claiming his wifes estate as an undocumented immigrant. Finally, if your son-in-law does not claim this inheritance, your daughters next-in-line thats you, if your daughter did not have children would inherit her estate. But that should be a last resort, and I hope you can convince your son-in-law to claim the estate. Bottom line: It is highly unlikely that your late daughters assets will be lost to the state. That would only happen if all other avenues failed. More columns from Quentin Fottrell: I made a very stupid mistake: I spent $50,000 renovating my fiances kitchen. Now hes reneging on a promise where I buy 50% of his home. This is my big chance to secure my future: Im about to inherit $600,000. What should I do with all this lovely cash? I made a very stupid mistake: I spent $50,000 renovating my fiances kitchen. Now hes reneging on a promise where I buy 50% of his home. Most Read from MarketWatch COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A building named after Franklin Countys longest-serving sheriff will be demolished after the City of Columbus purchased it for $7 million for a new court building. The James A. Karnes Building on the corner of High and Fulton streets is being purchased by the city to be made into a Franklin County Municipal Court building. On Monday, City Council approved the second of two $3.5 million packages to acquire the parcel from Franklin County. Ohio bill advanced to observe daylight saving time permanently The James A. Karnes Building at 410 S. High St. will be demolished for a new municipal court building. (Courtesy Photo/Franklin County Auditors Office) Previously the Franklin County Annex Building, the building was later renamed in honor of Sheriff Jim Karnes, who died in 2011 just over a month after announcing he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Karnes name will still live on at another building, with a $360 million correctional facility opened in 2022 also named after the former sheriff. There are no plans for any immediate changes at the existing municipal court building across High Street. No date has been set for demolition. Construction is supposed to enter its first phase in late 2025, with work lasting through early 2029. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) The Columbus Police department is searching for a man connected to shooting that occurred in August of last year. Andrew Crowell, 20, is wanted by Columbus Police and has been charged with murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Police say officers responded to a call at the intersection of Double Churches Road and Rock Springs Drive regarding a man in a car with blood on August 31, 2023. Officers found Dayton Willis suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Willis was pronounced dead at the scene. The Violent Crimes Unit took lead on the investigation and probable cause was established to issue arrest warrants for Crowell. Police are asking anyone with information on Crowells whereabouts to contact Sergeant D. Battle at 706-225-4340 or by email at dbattle@columbusga.org. Information can also be submitted anonymously via City Protect. A reward is available for information leading to Crowells location and arrest. You can remain anonymous and still receive the reward. 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 WRBL. Here's a handy two-step process for taking a thoughtful and judicious approach to the burning social and political issues of our time: 1. Examine closely the position taken by Elon Musk, and; 2. Go the other way. Musk's drift more precisely, his headlong dive into right-wing orthodoxies has been well-chronicled. He has openly endorsed antisemitic tropes, called for the prosecution of the respected immunologist Anthony Fauci (evidently buying into the right-wing fantasy that Fauci helped create the COVID-19 pandemic), and associated himself with a grotesquely ugly conspiracy theory about the assault on the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This is the final straw. Elon Musk, explaining that California's pro-transgender law provoked him to relocating his companies to Texas He reversed policies at X, formerly Twitter, designed to block hate speech, including racist and antisemitic tweets. That has turned the platform into a hive of repulsive partisan commentary. (Musk blames an imaginary advertisers' "boycott" for the user decline at X, though the repulsive atmosphere of the platform since his acquisition probably has done more to drive users and advertisers away.) Musk again put his acrid personal worldview vividly on display with his announcement Tuesday that he would move two of his private companies, Hawthorne-based SpaceX and San Francisco-based X, to Texas. He made clear that his decision was triggered by Gov. Gavin Newsom's signing of a law that bars school districts from requiring teachers to notify parents of their children's gender identity changes. Newsom signed the law on Monday. "This is the final straw," Musk posted on X. He described the law as one of "many others" in California "attacking both families and companies." This is the final straw. Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California, to Starbase, Texas. https://t.co/cpWUDgBWFe Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 16, 2024 A few things about this. If anything, Musk's corporate activities point to what is often described as a "whim of iron." He defends his policies and politics as derived from painstaking consideration based on immutable laws of human behavior, but they don't hold water on those terms. Instead, they point to the social dangers of endowing self-interested personalities with the money to buy unaccountable influence in conflict with the public interest. Musk appears to have a real problem with transgender rights. According to the Musk biography by Walter Isaacson, this may have originated with the decision of his eldest child, Xavier, to transition at the age of 16. "Im transgender, and my name is now Jenna, she texted a relative. Dont tell my dad. Jenna followed up with a political awakening that Musk ascribed to her attendance at a private school in California. She went beyond socialism to being a full communist and thinking that anyone rich is evil, he told Isaacson. Jenna broke off all contact with him. Further, as is the case with much of Musk's worldview, his claim about California's attacks on families and companies is fundamentally incoherent. The new California law is the antithesis of an attack on families. It aims to protect the right of parents to seek the most appropriate medical treatments for their children. Anti-transgender activists who have gotten laws enacted in 20 red states interfering with these medical consultations typically characterize them as "parents' rights" measures, when they're just the opposite they interpose right-wing ideologies between these families and their doctors. Read more: Column: Elon Musk thinks Tesla's investors love him. He's very wrong That's the state of play in Texas, the putative new home of SpaceX and X. There, a law that became effective on Sept. 1, 2023, prohibited treatments widely accepted by medical professionals for "gender dysphoria" experienced by adolescents. These are chiefly the use of puberty blockers to give the patients more time to affirm their gender perception, and once that stage is achieved the use of cross-sex hormones estrogen for males transitioning to female, and testosterone for females transitioning to male. The Texas law threatens physicians who violate the law in treating their patients with the loss of their medical license. A trial judge, ruling in a lawsuit brought by parents of transgender youths and by doctors who treat patients in that position, blocked the law shortly before it was to take effect. The injunction was overturned late last month by the Texas Supreme Court in an 8-1 decision. The majority made clear that its decision had nothing to do with the weight of medical opinion, which overwhelmingly supported the treatments at issue when undertaken through careful consultation. The issue at the heart of the debate, asserted Justice James D. Blacklock in a concurring opinion, is one of philosophy, morality, even religion. The medical debates at issue in this litigation are merely the surface-level consequences of deep disagreement over the deepest of questions about who we are. The majority justices ruled that the Legislature was entirely within its rights to place limits on medical practice and parental authority in Texas. They asserted that barring parents from seeking medically indicated treatment of their childrens gender dysphoria was no different from a state law forbidding minors from getting tattoos, even with their parents permission. Of course, responded Justice Debra H. Lehrmann, the courts lone dissenter, there is nothing remotely medically necessary about tattooing. Depriving adolescents of gender dysphoria therapies, on the other hand, can be severely injurious to the patients physical and mental health. Read more: Column: Elon Musk is suing to stop the government from enforcing labor laws. The Supreme Court might agree with him If Musk thinks that Texas policies on parental rights are superior to Californias, he might ask the parents of transgender youths who have been driven out of Texas to seek treatment because of this ignorant and ideologically infected law. Texas boosters, Musk included, like to describe the state and its capital, Austin, as the coming places for venture investing. The truth is rather different. According to the National Venture Capital Assn., Texas has been mired in also-ran status for at least the last decade, a period in which it has been supposedly booming. California's position as the top state in venture funding has never been seriously challenged. In 2023, California VC funds raised $37 billion; Texas ranked seventh, with less than $1.2 billion. Of the top 10 venture deals by value last year, the NVCA reckons, eight involved California companies. The others were located in New York and Washington, D.C. Texas had none. And in terms of assets under management by firms based in the state, California continues to reign with $644.5 billion as of last year. Texas ranks fifth, at less than $32.5 billion. It was edged out by No. 4 Florida, with $33.6 billion, but the figures for both Florida and Texas are a big drop-off from No. 3, Massachusetts, with $121.7 billion. It's not as if Austin, where Musk is hanging his Texas Stetson, offers newcomers a paradisiacal environment. In 2022, TechCrunch dubbed Austin "a city of unicorns and tech giants." The thrill hasn't lasted. Recent transplants have found that its boosters' depiction of a vibrant intellectual climate was oversold. "Austin is where ambition goes to die," an unhappy California immigrant told Business Insider. Then there are its punishing summers 78 days of triple-digit temperatures in 2023 and soaring housing prices. Although Austin boasts one of the features of tech hubs, a leading research institution in the University of Texas, the state's partisan political environment has turned increasingly hostile, with bills passed into law this year banning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and narrowing faculty tenure protections. Texas has the most restrictive anti-abortion law in the nation, with an almost total ban and a prohibition even on private health plan coverage of abortions. That hardly makes for an inviting prospect for women of childbearing age or for young families interested in the full range of reproductive healthcare options. One advantage Texas has over California is something a rich entrepreneur like Musk would appreciate the most: It has no state income tax. Musk can scarcely claim that his own corporate policies are family-friendly. They are, however, arguably self-destructive. Consider his treatment of thousands of former Twitter employees who were summarily fired after he took over the platform in October 2022 and are suing to receive severance payments, bonuses and other benefits they were promised before the takeover. Read more: Column: A judge voids Musk's huge Tesla pay package as dishonest, and hoo boy, is Musk steamed The mass firings have given rise to about 2,000 arbitration cases and a dozen class-action lawsuits, according to Shannon Liss-Riordan, a Massachusetts labor lawyer who represents the workers in arbitration and filed the lawsuits. Among the workers' claims is that while Musk was working to close his acquisition of Twitter, as it was then known, the company promised employees that they would be entitled to "benefits and severance at least as favorable" as what Twitter provided before the Musk takeover. The promises were made by company executives in a series of all-hands meetings at Twitter headquarters and were written into the merger agreement Musk and Twitter management negotiated in April 2022. "The promises were made to keep employees from fleeing the company during those chaotic months before Musk closed on the acquisition," Liss-Riordan told me. "Then after he closed, he just defaulted on that promise." Neither Musk nor spokespersons for X or SpaceX could be reached for comment. Although many if not most of the X employees were required to bring their claims to arbitration, Musk initially refused to pay the arbitration fees that are typically charged to the employer in such cases. That has frozen the proceedings in more than 800 cases, though not those originating in California, Oregon and Nevada, where employers don't have the legal ability to refuse. About a third of the 2,000 arbitration claims are in California, Liss-Riordan says. Leaving aside the ethical implications of a company's forcing employees into arbitration and then refusing to allow the cases to proceed, Musk's demand that ex-employees submit to arbitration may be exceptionally more costly for the company than trying to reach a general settlement. Arbitration fees can average $100,000 per case, Liss-Riordan told me; hundreds of millions of dollars in claims may be at issue. "You have to scratch your head over why Elon Musk has to fight this so hard," she says. "Would it really be that big a deal to pay the employees what was promised to them? Frankly, it doesn't seem worth his time." Get the latest from Michael Hiltzik Commentary on economics and more from a Pulitzer Prize winner. Sign me up. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent Van Ayres is preparing to hold a meeting Tuesday, July 23, to address taking legal action against the county commission. Were going to stand up for students, Ayres said. We believe local voters should have the right to make this decision. A legal expert 8 On Your Side spoke with believes the community should be worried. I think that as citizens, we need to be concerned that the system who allows us to speak to a very important issue has been shut down, Cooley Law School Professor Renalie DuBose said. The school board wants a referendum on the November ballot, but the county commission decided on Wednesday to delay it until 2026. Supporters of the referendum say this means teachers will have to endure two more years with some of the lowest salaries in the area. Hillsborough County is the 7th largest district in the nation with over 200,000 children going to school every day and we need to give every one of those children the best opportunity possible to have a high-class education, DuBose said. DuBose has a legal background, but also a 45-year-long background in public education. Typically, when we had referendums, when I was in Hillsborough, when I was in Orange, and when I was in Pasco County, the school board would vote, and once the school board would vote, they would take it to the county commission to put it up to a vote to the people, DuBose said. Many taxpayers wish they could have a vote in November. Jesse Cote, a parent of a student in Hillsborough County Public Schools said, I feel like we should definitely have an option, said Jesse Cote, a parent of a student in Hillsborough County Public Schools. I think they should get paid more already as is. Theyre already not getting paid enough for going to school and to do that job. Cotes wife used to work as a teacher in Hillsborough County. They werent paying her enough already, so she is no longer a teacher, he said. The proposed referendum is a property tax increase that could provide $117 million to raise teacher and support staff salaries. My thinking is, whether you support it or not it should be on the ballot, said Sara Rutledge, a Hillsborough County voter. Some of the commissioners who voted to delay it say voters are already being squeezed by a tough economy and they dont want to put two potential tax hikes on the same ballot. Let the voters make the decision what they want to do, Rutledge said. Weve done it with so many other things. Why now? Why are you withholding this? Thats what I want to know. Why are you being shady about it? DuBose has the same question as several people in the community, except she points out that shes been a social studies teacher for over a decade and also taught American History. Why are we afraid to let people vote? She said she doesnt know what the school board can do about this because she can only recall it happening one other time. The superintendent thinks he has some alternatives, DuBose said. Ive never known those to happen. Usually, we go to the county commission and they put it on the ballot for us. The only time DuBose remembers a referendum not passing, she said they got the commissioners to change their minds by advertising their referendum to impacted voters. That was in the 1990s. This past year, 10% of our teachers left the district because surrounding districts have a referendum, DuBose said. DuBose shared what the political consultant told them to do in the 90s to get the communitys attention. You need to go to moms and dads that put their children on a school bus every day, she said. Superintendent, you need to stand in large intersections like Dale Mabry with a sign and wave. Administrators you need to take a vacation day and go to school when mothers are having their PTA meetings. You need to go to your churches. You need to go to the YMCA with a sign and stand on the corner. We literally gave vacation days to stand and to talk to people and we got the referendum. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. By Mohammad Ponir Hossain and Sam Jahan DHAKA (Reuters) - The Bangladesh government has decided to impose a curfew across the country and deploy the army, BBC Bangla reported on Friday, citing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's press secretary, amid widening student-led protests against government job quotas. An official decision regarding the curfew would be issued soon, the prime minister's press secretary, Nayeemul Islam Khan, told BBC Bangla. Three people were killed in the country on Friday as police cracked down on unrelenting student-led protests against government job quotas despite a ban on public gatherings, local media said. Police fired tear gas to scatter protesters in some areas, Reuters journalists said. One said he could see many fires across the capital Dhaka from a rooftop and smoke rising into the sky in several places. Telecommunications were also disrupted and television news channels went off the air. Authorities had cut some mobile telephone services the previous day to try to quell the unrest. Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo reported train services had been suspended nationwide as protesters blocked roads and threw bricks at security officials. Violence on Thursday in 47 of Bangladesh's 64 districts killed 27 and injured 1,500. The total number of those dead from the protests reached 105 on Friday night, AFP separately reported, citing hospitals. Reuters could not immediately verify the reports and police have not issued a casualty toll. The U.S. Embassy in Dhaka said that reports indicated more than 40 deaths and "hundreds to possibly thousands" injured across Bangladesh. In a security alert, it said protests were spreading, with violent clashes being reported across Dhaka. The situation was "extremely volatile", it said. The protests initially broke out over student anger against quotas that set aside 30% of government jobs for the families of those who fought for independence from Pakistan. The nationwide unrest - the biggest since Hasina was re-elected this year - has also been fuelled by high unemployment among young people, who make up nearly a fifth of a population of 170 million. Some analysts say the violence is now also being driven by wider economic woes, such as high inflation and shrinking reserves of foreign exchange. The protests have opened old and sensitive political fault lines between those who fought for Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971 and those accused of collaborating with Islamabad. The former include the Awami League party of Hasina, who branded the protesters "razakar" - making use of a term that described independence-era collaborators. International rights groups criticised the suspension of services and the action of security forces. The European Union said it is deeply concerned by the violence and loss of life. "It is vital that further violence is averted and that a peaceful resolution to the situation is found as swiftly as possible, underpinned by the rule of law and democratic freedoms," it said in a statement. Neighbour India said the unrest was an internal matter of Bangladesh and that all 15,000 Indians in that country were safe. Indians studying in Bangladesh were returning by road. Violence linked to the protests also broke out in distant London, which is home to a large Bangladeshi population, and police had to quell clashes between large groups of men in the east of the British capital. TELECOMS DISRUPTED, WEBSITES HACKED Friday began with the internet and overseas telephone calls being crippled, while the websites of several Bangladesh newspapers did not update and were also inactive on social media. A few voice calls went through, but there was no mobile data or broadband, a Reuters journalist said. Even text messages were not being transmitted. News television channels and state broadcaster BTV went off the air, although entertainment channels were normal, he said. Some news channels displayed a message blaming technical problems, and promising to resume programming soon. The official websites of the central bank, the prime minister's office and police appeared to have been hacked by a group calling itself "THE R3SISTANC3". "Operation HuntDown, Stop Killing Students," read identical messages splashed on the sites, adding in crimson letters: "It's not a protest anymore, it's a war now." Another message on the page read, "The government has shut down the internet to silence us and hide their actions." The government had no comment on the communications issues. On Thursday, it had said it was willing to hold talks with the protesters but they refused. Many opposition party leaders, activists, and student protesters had been arrested, said Tarique Rahman, the exiled acting chairman of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Reuters could not confirm the arrests. (Additional reporting by YP Rajesh, Sudipto Ganguly, Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Shivam Patel, Sakshi Dayal, Kanjyik Ghosh and Ainnie Arif in India; Writing by YP Rajesh; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Angus MacSwan, Kirsten Donovan and Rod Nickel) Commuters in NYC and DC should get ready for a difficult, disrupted journey due to the global IT outage Commuters in NYC and DC should get ready for a difficult, disrupted journey due to the global IT outage Arrival information is unavailable for many Subway routes in NYC and DC because of a global IT outage. Transport authorities say trains and buses are running as scheduled, though. Some UK train services "may be affected by alterations and cancellations," the UK's National Rail said. Commuters in NYC and DC should prepare for some disruptions on Friday morning over the global IT outage. Though transport authorities in both NYC and DC say that trains and buses are running as scheduled, arrival information is unavailable for many routes, including both at stations and on the authorities' websites and apps. New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority said on its website that train arrival information was unavailable for the A, B, C, D, E, F, G, J, M, N, Q, R, W, and Z Subway routes as well as the Rockaway Park Shuttle and Franklin Avenue Shuttle services. The MTA said the outage affected its website, app, countdown clocks, and train arrival announcements in stations and told passengers to listen for station and crew announcements instead. "This technical outage also impacts our ability to see train locations, so we cannot provide that information," NYCT Subway wrote on X. The MTA added that train and bus services were "unaffected." The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority made similar comments, saying that all Metrorail stations opened on time and that Metrorail and bus services were running as scheduled. At the time of writing, its website was down. It said at 6 a.m. ET that MetroAccess, its shared-ride service for people with disabilities, was experiencing delays, and its call center was down. Amtrak said at 7 a.m. ET on its website that the outage was preventing credit card transactions, but that passengers could pay using digital wallets. Major airlines, banks, and supermarkets are experiencing widespread disruptions linked to an IT outage after Microsoft reported problems with its online services, linked to an issue at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Some train services in the UK have been affected by the outage, too. Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern, and Gatwick Express which runs a shuttle to one of the UK's busiest airports "may be affected by alterations and cancellations," the UK's National Rail said on Friday. It said that some train operators were unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, which could lead to potential short-notice train cancellations. Other key systems, including real-time customer information platforms, were also affected. Read the original article on Business Insider A global IT outage caused the cancellation and delays of hundreds of flights Friday at Hartfield-Jackson International Airport. The cancellations ruined vacation plans for many travelers. We were going to Orlando, Florida for a Caribbean cruise which we missed. Its disappointing, air traveler Kire Joyner told Channel 2s Tom Regan. The flight tracking service called FlightAware reported 648 canceled flights and 931 delay flights on Friday afternoon. Would-be travelers had to stand in long lines to reclaim their luggage from canceled flights. It was an hour and a half to get up there and request by bags, Walter Bell said. Cyber security firm CrowdStrike, which provides software to thousands of companies worldwide, said the outrage was triggered by a faulty update to computers running Microsoft Windows. RELATED STORIES: It not only affected airlines, businesses, and government services, it also impacted hospitals in the metro Atlanta area. Emory Health Care said it had to postpone elective surgeries and other procedures and reschedule appointments. A family with a loved one who had scheduled knee surgery Friday at Emory Midtown Hospital told Regan the surgery was canceled after they arrived at the hospital. We got our family from out of town for this surgery, for the weekend. And now we dont know when its going to be rescheduled. Whats going to happen, Michelle Bigle said. Other air travelers said they were missing important milestones due to flight cancellations. We have flown so many times, we never had a problem. Now when were going to a wedding, we have a problem, traveler Summer Trickey said. The FAA said it is working closely with the airlines to resume normal operation but fixing technical issues could take several days. Officials advise those with air travel plans to check with their airline to make sure their flight has not been canceled or rescheduled. RELATED NEWS: Are construction zone speed limits enforced in Missouri and Illinois when workers arent there? ST. LOUIS Summertime commutes often lead drivers by construction zones, both with workers present and absent from the work sites. Those two scenarios seem different on paper, but perhaps should be treated as much of the same. Generally speaking, construction zones near busy streets or highways will show signs with reduced speed limits. Transportation officials set these limits to help drivers slow down, especially to prevent setbacks and ensure worker safety at construction sites. All work zone projects take time to complete, and inevitably, workers will need to take breaks. Thats how you might encounter a work zone without others around. If thats the case, and youre traveling along a work zone without any major traffic jams, you may be tempted to drive by it faster than the reduced speed or at least closer to the normal speed limit. At the very least, that possibility should have drivers wondering, is it legal to speed by construction zones without workers present? Or to put it another way, are construction zone speed limits enforced when workers arent around? CrowdStrike: Global technology outage If youre driving in the St. Louis region, youll want to keep the state laws of Missouri and Illinois in mind: Missouri The most recent statute in Missouri to address speed limits in construction zones was first enforced in 2006. Missouri State Statute 304.582 explains: The court shall assess a fine of thirty-five dollars in addition to any other fine authorized to be imposed by law, if the offense occurred within a construction zone or a work zone. Missouri Statute 304.582 This specific part of the statute penalizes a driver for speeding in a construction zone regardless of any conditions related to workers on site. A violation is $35 on top of the base fee imposed through a more general offense like speeding. The statute further explains that a second such work zone violation means a $75 fee and that any passing violations involving a work zone and worker present in the zone could lead to an extra $250 fine. Short answer: Are construction zone speed limits enforced in Missouri when workers arent around? Yes. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Illinois The most recent statute in Illinois to address speed limits in construction zones was last updated in 2022. Illinois Vehicle Code (Section 625 ILCS 5/11-605.1) explains: A person may not operate a motor vehicle in a construction or maintenance speed zone at a speed in excess of the posted speed limit when workers are not present. Illinois Vehicle Code Section 625 ILCS 5/11-605.1 This specific part of the statute penalizes a driver for speeding in a construction zone in the case that there are not construction workers on site. The statute further penalizes a driver for driving in excess of the posted speed limit when workers are present. According to the Illinois Vehicle Code, violations in either case could lead to a minimum fine of $250 after the first offense and $750 after every additional offense as they pertain to driving above a posted speed limit in work zones. Short answer: Are construction zone speed limits enforced in Illinois when workers arent around? Yes. 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. RIVIERA BEACH The Riviera Beach City Council voted Wednesday night to relieve Utilities Director Michael Low of his day-to-day responsibilities overseeing the city's water utility, capping an explosive, three-and-a-half hour meeting that laid bare the frustration and fury that has simmered since residents learned in January that well water had tested positive for a fecal contaminant in June 2023. That positive test, which was not promptly reported to the state Department of Health and was not disclosed either to the public or to City Council members for six months, raised doubts about the safety of city's drinking water and angered council members who said they felt they had been kept in the dark on a matter of public urgency. The late public disclosure of the positive test prompted a pair of investigations one from the state DOH and another from Palm Beach County Office of Inspector General. DOH's investigation resulted in a scathing report highlighting more than a dozen Utility Special District failures, including failing to properly conduct follow-up testing when water tested positive for possible fecal indicators and later disseminating "false and misleading information" in televised comments about the need to issue a public notice. DOH proposed a consent order that called for Riviera Beach to address water treatment problems and pay a fine of about $81,000. The city has said it addressed the issues noted by DOH. It was the question of whether to authorize payment of the DOH fine that provided City Council members, serving in their capacity as USD board members, with the springboard to address Low's tenure. Low, who held various water treatment positions before coming out of retirement to work for Riviera Beach in 2022, went through the DOH report in even, unemotional tones and then turned the proceedings over to council members. The USD board, frequently straying into sharply critical comments about Low's performance, voted to authorize payment of the DOH fine but later circled back to whether the utilities director should remain in his position and whether ultimate responsibility for the testing incidents rested with City Manager Jonathan Evans, who oversees city employees. Several Riviera residents held former Utilities Director Michael Low responsible Many Riviera Beach residents were clear on who was at fault. "We can continue to ask who's at fault," said one resident, Margaret Shepherd. "It's the head (of utilities). You can put it on Mr. Evans if you want to, but Mr. Low is in charge of the water." Shepherd then described how she has attempted to deal with questions about the safety of the city's drinking water. "What I'm really mad about is I had to go out and buy eight cases of water," she said. "My house looks like a warehouse." Pointing at Low as he sat nearby, Shepherd said: "That man is at fault. That man should have been fired immediately." Technically, the council doesn't have the authority to terminate Low's employment. Five years ago, it voted to give Evans the authority to hire the utilities director, and the city's charter gives council members the power to fire only the city attorney and the city manager. A view of the future of Riviera Beach's new water treatment facility from Avenue L and Blue Heron Blvd. But council member Tradrick McCoy who first alerted the public to the positive test when, during a meeting on development, he angrily read aloud from the USD's belated notice suggested an alternative to his colleagues: using their authority as the utility's board to end Low's day-to-day oversight of the utility. That idea initially gave council member Glen Spiritis pause. He noted that the city is in the early design stages of building a desperately needed water treatment plant that could cost at least $300 million. "I don't know if it makes sense to change horses in the middle of the race right now, especially when we don't have someone to fill the position," Spiritis said. "We're throwing someone out in the middle of a $16 million design project. Are we going to be at a standstill right now and put the water plant off for another two years?" Spiritis' colleagues shared his concerns about the water treatment facility, but it was clear Low had lost their faith and trust. "We've been an entire year without any accountability," McCoy said. "I would like someone who's going to be more open and transparent with us." Former director: 'This utility is a total mess' A Riviera Beach man has filed suit against the city's Utility Special District, claiming he was sickened after months of unknowingly drinking water the utility failed to tell residents had tested positive for E. coli. Low then attempted to rescue his tenure, speaking with far more forcefulness and passion than is typical for him during meetings. "I came out of retirement because you needed someone to work on this plant for you, and I have that experience," he said. "I'm happy to go back into retirement." Low, his voice rising, was just getting started. "This utility is a total mess," he said. "I came in to try and help you. All you have done since I've been here is made it hard to do the job. And this will continue whether I'm in the position or anybody else. I recognize the statement I'm making now suggests that you're going to just vote me out of office. That's fine. I've got plenty of life to get on with. The issue is you need a water plant. You are not going to get a water plant if you continue to carry on the way you are doing it." Some residents applauded Low's remarks. Others, however, saw them as self-serving and insulting. The utilities director then laid out the many problems USD faces, including a need for more engineers, and a water treatment facility so old some parts for it are no longer made. He had earlier said he was out of the country last year when the well water tested positive for E. coli and that his staffers "should have immediately known what they were supposed to do and not do." After Low spoke, his deputy, Steven Doyle, then addressed council members, sticking up for his boss and saying he could leave with Low. "The two of us together can't meet the demands of this utility," he said. "We're drowning. I have more 911s on a daily basis than the fire department." Council member: 'You get paid to do your job so don't play the victim now.' Shirley Lanier Council member Shirley Lanier was as unimpressed by Doyle's comments as she was with those offered by Low. "I don't want people thinking we owe them something," she said. "You get paid to do your job. That's what you do. So don't play the victim now." Lanier said she wrote Low an email asking for details on the positive test and USD's response. She said the director's response was disrespectful, nonchalant and arrogant. Low bristled at that characterization. MORE: Riviera says goodbye to mold-infested police and fire HQ; firms selected for new buildings MORE: Riviera Beach residents misled about safety of drinking water, state health agency finds "Your attitude to me was disrespectful," he said, drawing surprised gasps from Lanier and her colleagues on the dais. "You don't want to hear it, do you? That's my last comment. There's no point." Low then gathered a folder holding some papers and stood up to walk out. His foot got tangled in the cloth covering the table at which he had sat. Rather than replace the cloth, Low angrily kicked it, pulling it fully from the table before stalking out. His comments and the walkout sealed his fate. With council member KaShamba Miller-Anderson having stepped out of the room, the City Council voted unanimously to end Low's oversight of USD. McCoy then told Evans he was free to retain Low in some other capacity. No firm decision was made on who would now run the utility, which still has the monumental task of bringing a new water treatment facility online and restoring the public's trust. Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Riviera Beach utilities director storms out of meeting, relieved of duties Here in Kentucky in the past few days, weve revisited a lot of feelings about JD Vance and his not-so-hot takes on Appalachia as described in his breakthrough book, Hillbilly Elegy. As many folks said at the time, the book was less a memoir than an opening salvo on his way to higher office. It attempted to explain Appalachia to coastal liberals with a lot of stereotypes that rightfully angered the people who live there. Kentucky Poet Laureate Silas House said the first time he read it, it read like the launching of a political campaign to me. (This revisiting has included lots of great pointers for better books and films about Appalachia.) Vances journey from Breathitt County to vice-presidential candidate has included some screeching 180-degree turns, such as calling Trump Americas Hitler before he decided Trump should return as the leader of the free world. Coincidentally, this change of heart happened around the same time he decided to run for his Ohio Senate seat. Once there, he leaned even more into his new persona as a hard-line MAGA guy and Trump sycophant. One of the scariest was that Vance was one of 20 senators who signed a letter that urged the Biden Administration to drop a rule that would prevent police from accessing the medical records of people seeking reproductive services in other states, according to Lever News. In other words, a rule that would allow police to come after women who leave a state like Kentucky to get an abortion in Illinois. Guess who else joined this movement? Former Kentucky Attorney General and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate Daniel Cameron. This is really scary, next-level stuff from the party of Lincoln, like starting up your own period police to see exactly whos pregnant and when. Vance has also decried the ease of no-fault divorce, heightening all the paranoia of people like me who think the GOP will next go after divorce laws, gay marriage and birth control. But how worried should we be? Noticing how unpopular the Dobbs decision has been, the Republican National Convention noticeably softened its abortion rhetoric. Vance, who also opposed exceptions to abortions bans for rape and incest, has followed Trumps lead in talking less about abortion and more about immigration and national security. Vances convention night speech was on its face exactly what was needed: Lots about his impoverished Appalachian roots, his feisty mawmaw, his inspirational rise to Yale Law School and from there to Trumps right side. (Its worth pointing out here are many inspirational and successful people in the world who start from nothing and still manage not to work for Peter Thiel. But I digress.) Vance is a shapeshifter, another exploiter who keeps using Appalachia for his own ends. His story will play well in such important swing states as Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan. People see what they want to. Trump promised to bring coal back to Appalachia. He hasnt, and hell still win Kentucky by 20 or 30 points. The 39-year-old Vance is young, smart, good-looking and has all the political instincts of a successful grifter. He was one of the first people to say that the attempted assassination of Trump on July 13 was somehow Democrats fault, even though only one party tried to overthrow the 2020 election results. On that note, Vance might want to think a little more about why Trump had a job opening on his slate. He even has some populist leanings, such as joining up with fellow Ohio Senator Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, on legislation that would force railroads to follow new safety rules after the East Palestine, Ohio, spill. The bill is now in limbo because other Republicans like Mitch McConnell think it is too favorable to unions and they oppose new regulations on industry. Vance understands its all about the vibes. The hillbillies he blamed in his book for being shiftless and unable to envision a better future for themselves will now become his best rhetorical friends. Theyll be able to recognize him at many podiums in future days, standing with his finger in the wind to see which way its blowing. The most you can lose on any stock (assuming you don't use leverage) is 100% of your money. But on a lighter note, a good company can see its share price rise well over 100%. For instance, the price of Elma Electronic AG (VTX:ELMN) stock is up an impressive 151% over the last five years. So let's assess the underlying fundamentals over the last 5 years and see if they've moved in lock-step with shareholder returns. See our latest analysis for Elma Electronic 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). Elma Electronic's earnings per share are down 2.2% per year, despite strong share price performance over five years. So it's hard to argue that the earnings per share are the best metric to judge the company, as it may not be optimized for profits at this point. Therefore, it's worth taking a look at other metrics to try to understand the share price movements. The modest 0.2% dividend yield is unlikely to be propping up the share price. We are not particularly impressed by the annual compound revenue growth of 2.0% over five years. So why is the share price up? It's not immediately obvious to us, but a closer look at the company's progress over time might yield answers. You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image). Take a more thorough look at Elma Electronic's financial health with this free report on its balance sheet. A Different Perspective Elma Electronic shareholders are up 2.2% for the year (even including dividends). Unfortunately this falls short of the market return. It's probably a good sign that the company has an even better long term track record, having provided shareholders with an annual TSR of 20% over five years. It's quite possible the business continues to execute with prowess, even as the share price gains are slowing. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Elma Electronic better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Elma Electronic that you should be aware of before investing here. Of course Elma Electronic may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks. Story continues Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Swiss 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 Investigation underway: In response to the public outcry , authorities have launched investigations into the matter and began inspection of other companies in the food transportation industry. China's State Council has promised that those involved "will be severely punished." Recurring issue: Similar incidents of transporting cooking oil in fuel tankers were reported in 2005 and 2015. The scandal raises serious concerns about food contamination, especially given the already prevalent issue of "gutter oil," which is recycled cooking oil often sourced from drains and grease traps and then illegally sold to unsuspecting consumers. President Xi Jinping warned in a 2013 speech that the Communist Party's legitimacy would be questioned if it "cannot even do a good job in food safety." Cop-boosting councilmember who allegedly bit officer at Brooklyn protest accuses NYPD of brutality and Asian hate Supposed police-loving Brooklyn Councilwoman Susan Zhuang accused the NYPD of brutality and Asian hate Thursday following her arrest for allegedly biting a cop during a violent clash at a protest over a planned homeless shelter in her district. Police brutality is wrong, the misuse of enforcement is wrong, the act of violence against innocent citizens is wrong, Zhuang (D-43) said to a packed room of constituents and reporters in southern Brooklyn. The issue is not unique to myself, as many members in [the] Asian community have been subject to this use of enforcement [and] mistreatment by our NYPD who I always support she added. Zhuang, who represents the newly formed, majority-Asian, district, was arrested on several charges including assault and resisting arrest on Wednesday in Gravesend during a protest of a mens shelter being constructed in the area. Councilwoman Susan Zhuang (D-43) claims she was trying to help an elderly constituent when she allegedly bit a deputy NYPD chief on the arm during a demonstration outside a proposed mens shelter in Brooklyn. Reuven Fenton / NY Post She claims an elderly woman had become stuck under a barricade and when police failed to help her, the community jumped to protect her which led to the alleged chomp on Deputy Chief of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South Frank DiGiacomos arm. I tried to help her and I was approached from behind. Two police officers handcuffed me, each hand, and one police officer [was] pulling my hair, and another officer grabbed my neck, she claimed. The woman in question, Yu Xin Chen, 78, backed Zhuangs claims to The Post, hailing her heroism. If Susan hadnt separated me from the barrier, I would have gotten killed. The council lady is a hero. She saved my life, Chen said. Hundreds turned out to hear the lawmaker speak on Thursday afternoon, enthusiastically cheering and chanting her name as they gave Zhuang a standing ovation. Her team played the crowd several videos from the confrontation many which have gone viral. Hundreds turned out to hear the lawmaker speak on Thursday afternoon, enthusiastically cheering and chanting her name as they gave Zhuang a standing ovation. FOX 5 NY The footage was met with a chorus of loud booing and wincing from Zhuangs supporters. We were not armed citizens, we came for the protest against unnecessary shelter, Zhuang bellowed to her supporters. Tony Yang, 19, claimed he was also pinned down by officers at the scene. Why does it take five cops just for me? Im 19 years old. I did not do anything wrong, he said. Gary Chen, 68, who was also at Wednesdays demonstration said Zhuang would never harm anybody. Zhuang, who represents the newly formed, majority-Asian, 43rd District, was arrested on several charges including assault and resisting arrest in Gravesend during a protest of a mens shelter being constructed in the area. X/YIatin Chu She was grabbed around the hair and brutally assaulted. If that happened to you, you would certainly respond unconsciously respond to defend yourself, he said. Zhuang caveated her comments with her unwavering support for the NYPD particularly noting her family connection to slain NYPD detective Wenjian Liu. The lawmaker, who has held her seat for less than a year, has also been a big proponent for law enforcement, previously opposing the controversial How Many Stops Act which requires a comprehensive accounting of all NYPD street stops, investigative encounters and consent searches. I trust the NYPD commissioner, my local police precincts, and police officers when they tell me that this legislation will make NYC less safe, she told The Post about the bill earlier this year. Zhuang is accused of chomping down on Deputy Chief of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South Frank DiGiacomos arm. Obtained by the NY Post This morning, Mayor Eric Adams called Zhuangs arrest complicated and noted she is new to her role as a council member. I was a little surprised that this happened with the councilwoman, shes extremely supportive of police. Im going to reach out to the councilwoman. Shes a newly elected, he said to Pix 11. The seemingly soft approach raised eyebrows within city council. I honestly dont think that some of my other members would be receiving the same level of grace from the mayor in a sit down conversation right now. I really dont, Speaker Adrienne Adams said, but agreed Zhuang was new to her role as a civil servant. Zhuang was released following an arraignment Wednesday evening and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 15. Robert Mecea Hundreds were at the demonstration on Wednesday morning complaining of noise, a lack of permits and no community consultation. The City confirmed that the site has active demolition permits issued by the Department of Buildings to take down the existing structure and that residents were notified last November. The new shelter proposed for 2501 86th St. at 25th Avenue in Gravesend would be constructed as a hotel, complete with a community center, and then contracted by the city. Zhuang is facing charges of second-degree assault, third-degree assault, obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, unlawful assembly, second-degree harassment and two counts of disorderly conduct. She was released following an arraignment Wednesday evening and is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 15. Additional reporting from Haley Brown. Police have nabbed a conman who posed as a visiting priest and burglarized a Queens rectory. Rostas Malin, 45, was arrested Thursday and charged with burglary and petit larceny in the March 3 scam. Malin, of Queens, told a 63-year-old priest at the American Martyrs Roman Catholic Church on Bell Blvd. near Union Turnpike in Hollis Hills that he was visiting from another country, the Daily News previously reported. The welcoming priest invited him into the rectory, where Malin stole $900 from the clerics bedroom, cops said. Malin took off with the priests money, according to cops. There were no injuries during the burglary. Malins arraignment in Queens Criminal Court was pending Thursday night. BOSTON It has been framed as a way to make Massachusetts fun and help revitalize downtowns across the state, but some sectors of the liquor industry claim the possible return of happy hour to the Bay State meddles with established business models and threatens the wholesale sector of the industry. Frank and Mara Inangelo, co-owners of Steel & Wire Cocktail Lounge in Worcester. In attaching the amendment to the $2.86 billion economic development bond bill, Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Falmouth, who grew up waiting tables on the Cape in his familys restaurant, said attitudes toward alcohol and its consumption have changed in the 40 years since the state banned happy hour. Cyr acknowledges that there had been good reasons to enact the ban, including skyrocketing drunken driving fatalities. However, he contends that changing attitudes, coupled with a universal drinking age, ride-share services, enforced seatbelt use and stricter drunken driving laws, should prompt a reevaluation. Cyr said it now makes sense to allow restaurants and bars to offer discounted drinks during specific time periods. In the commonwealth, where costs are soaring statewide and young people are leaving at alarming rates, there are fewer opportunities for people of all ages to build community and enjoy the conviviality of our neighborhoods, Cyr said. Happy hour would not solve all of that, but opening the door to local-option happy hour will help Massachusetts reset itself as a place where people want to work and want to play. The senator believes the measure could entice the 25- to 40-year-olds who are migrating in droves due to the high cost of living, lack of affordable housing and perceived stodginess, to stay in the state. He called it a fun factor, noting that many of that generation have given up dreams of homeownership, wealth building and even finding food after 10 p.m. or vegan and vegetarian options. Were the Athens of the U.S., Cyr said, referring to the large student population that floods the state to attend colleges and universities. But they are leaving, not because there are no jobs, but because they cant afford to live here, theres not a lot to do and its not a lot of fun. The amendment, passed unanimously by the Senate with the development bond bill, would allow municipalities to opt in and establish parameters for their local businesses with the help and guidance of the state Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission. The amendment has not been addressed by the House. But while legislators seem to endorse the idea, industry insiders are not so enthusiastic. That business sector indicated it is more interested in mitigating the high cost of credit card payment processing fees charged by banks and the cost of health insurance premiums, just to name two. Happy hour is always a subject that generates a lot of discussion, and consumers want half-priced items, just as they would want half-price gas, said Jessica Muradian, director of government affairs for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. Some restaurant owners are in favor, and even more are opposed. This is generally not something that restaurants are going around asking for." In Worcester, Steel & Wire Cocktail Lounge at 124 Millbury St. said the proposal does not specifically appeal to us; its not really our vibe. While co-owners Frank and Mara Inangelo said that they like the idea of allowing businesses to make the call on whether to have drink specials, they said, We dont see how the economics or liability of it would make sense. Rob Mellion, executive director of the Massachusetts Package Stores Association, said the Legislature made the move without any feedback from the industry. The Legislature is meddling in the industry without our feedback, Mellion said, adding that its a move to deregulate the industry. Its concerning. Mellion pointed to the unintended consequences that the Legislature seems to have failed to consider, including the possibility that liability insurance costs will increase and what could happen to smaller players in the bar and restaurant field. Massachusetts, he noted, has the strictest social-host laws in the nation and predicted that the return of happy hour would push insurance costs through the roof. The only winners, he said, would be the big alcohol industry pushing for more points of sale throughout Massachusetts. This creates a situation where small businesses are run over by larger, out-of-state chains, Mellion said. He described a scenario where a local business feels compelled to offer reduced price drinks if the larger chain nearby has a happy hour. Restaurants and bars make their profits on liquor markups, Mellion said, explaining that reducing the profit made on alcoholic drinks could doom small businesses to failure. In discussing the proposal, Cyr also mentioned that alcohol sales are drivers for the industry; restaurants cannot afford to discount the cost of meals or save on labor costs. The only discount they can offer to attract more customers is on drinks. Cyr envisions off-hour discounts and a Sunday-afternoon postseason happy hour in his district just as a way to get people in the door. Critics speculate that the option could prompt a race to the bottom between restaurateurs, pitting them against each other as they offer more and bigger discounts until smaller businesses are forced to close. Cyr said its a question of choice. This is a good tool, why dont we use it to breathe life back into downtowns and main streets? Cyr said. In his critique, Mellion faulted the Legislature for slipping the amendment into the larger bill. Another amendment addressing alcohol regulations in the state that Mellion said was slipped into the development bond bill further deregulates the industry and allows Massachusetts farm brewers and distillers to sell their products at farmers markets. The measure promotes vertical integration and would take the wholesale tier out of the equation, Mellion said, explaining that the state has a three-tier system producers, wholesalers and retailers. Each has its own expertise and field of operations producers are not allowed to sell their wares and wholesalers are the conduit for both producers and retailers. Separating the fields of operations, Mellion said, historically prevented monopolies where alcohol producers also controlled retail markets. In criticizing the measure, Mellion said that federal fair trade regulations bar states from protectionism. Massachusetts cannot impose restrictions prohibiting out-of-state producers from selling alcohol at local farmers markets if locals are allowed the privilege. There was no debate, no feedback from the industry, on these two amendments, Mellion said. Cyr spent a half-hour discussing his proposal last week on The Codcast, a feature offered by Commonwealth Beacon. We are the last state with a happy hour ban, its time to look at that, Cyr said. Consumer spending in the hospitality and food service industry had dipped even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Now is the time, Cyr said, to find ways to bring people back to downtown. He pointed to statistics from Illinois and Kansas after the return of happy hour in those communities, noting no marked increase in alcohol-related motor vehicle collisions, with drunken driving deaths down nationwide. This would support small businesses, especially restaurants, Cyr said. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Mass. lawmaker proposes lifting 40-year happy hour ban LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) An Ingham County man will stay in prison after the Michigan Court of Appeals upheld his jury convictions for possessing with intent to deliver methamphetamine. Chad Allyn King, 50, was convicted in Ingham County Circuit Court for three counts of felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of delivery of methamphetamine, his Michigan Department of Corrections prisoner information reveals. Following the Court of Appeals decision, King will stay in the Central Michigan Correctional Facility in St. Louis, Gratiot County. King had appealed the conviction for delivery, arguing the Ingham County prosecutors who charged and prosecuted him failed to provide enough evidence to prove he possessed and delivered the drug. Chad Allyn King, 50, is not entitled to relief in claims related to methamphetamine delivery convictions by an Ingham County Circuit Court jury. He was sentenced to prison in 2023. (Courtesy Michigan Department of Corrections) The Michigan Court of Appeals ruling, issued July 18, reports a detective for a multiagency undercover narcotics investigation met with King, and his co-defendant Erica Miller in 2021. The detective testified he purchased what the Michigan State Police Crime Lab identified as 27.64 grams of methamphetamine. Subsequently, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for the property where King and Miller had sold the methamphetamine previously. King was the only person present at the house at the time the search warrant was executed. During the search three guns were found two in the house and one in Kings car. In addition, methamphetamine was found in a kitchen drawer. People of Mich v KingDownload The Court of Appeals decision explains more in regards to what happened when the search warrant was being served: Defendant consented to an interview with investigators while the search warrant was being executed. He stated that there was methamphetamine in the kitchen drawer next to the refrigerator, that he had placed it there when the police were executing the search warrant, and that he was supposed to sell the methamphetamine that he put in that drawer to someone later that night. Defendant was subsequently charged, convicted, and sentenced as earlier described. This appeal followed. Michigan Court of Appeals decision, State of Mich. v. King, unpublished opinion issued July 18, 2024 In his appeal, King argued two separate but related claims. Defendant does not contest that the controlled substance involved in this matter was methamphetamine, nor does he challenge the amount of the substance recovered pursuant to the search warrant. Rather, he asserts that he did not agree with co-defendant Millers intent to sell narcotics. He claims he did not possess the same intent as Miller, nor did he knowingly participate in the illicit drug sale. He further avers that he did not possess methamphetamine at the time the search warrant was executed. Instead, defendant claims that there were others known to frequent the residence (presumably those who possessed the illicit drugs and weapons). He states on appeal that he happened to be the only [person] present when the warrant was executed[,] which resulted in the police discovering contraband in the home and in his vehicle. Michigan Court of Appeals decision, State of Mich. v. King, unpublished opinion issued July 18, 2024 The Court of Appeals panel, consisting of Appeals Court Judges Michael Riordan, Michelle Rick and Noah Hood, reject his claims with a review of the definitions of deliver and delivery. King also argued the prosecution failed to prove he knew and agreed to co-defendants sale of methamphetamine. The trio wrote in the opinion, sufficient evidence was presented to allow the jury to find beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant knew of and shared Millers intent to deliver methamphetamine to the detective, and that, at minimum, defendant aided and abetted in the delivery. The judges affirmed his conviction. King was sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for his methamphetamine possession with intent to deliver convictions. He was also sentenced to over 5 years for the felon in possession of a firearm charges. He was a felon for convictions on criminal sexual conduct charges for actions that occurred in 2005. He was sentenced in 2010 by the Lenawee Circuit Court, served time in prison and had just completed his parole in Sept. of 2021, months before the execution of the search warrant. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. In another blow to the Biden administrations plan to lower payments and forgive student loan debt, a court blocked a new repayment plan. The Department of Education had implemented a new agency rule to create the SAVE program. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit granted a request for an administrative stay to prevent the Biden administration from implementing or acting under that agency rule. Borrowers enrolled in the program will see their loans frozen until the court process is complete. The courts ruling was issued Thursday in response to an emergency motion from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey. Utah had joined the effort to block the SAVE program. The Court granted our emergency motion to BLOCK Joe Bidens entire illegal student loan plan, which would have saddled working Americans with half-a-trillion dollars in Ivy League debt, said Bailey on social media. HUGE win for every American who still believes in paying their own way. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes had called the forgiveness plan a purely political election-year maneuver and said it was even more problematic than previous attempts because it used numbers and calculations from the first failed attempt. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a White House press release the administration would continue to fight for its policies in court. Calling the lawsuits politically motivated, Cardona said, The SAVE program is a bold and urgently needed effort to fix whats broken in our student loan system. He said the ruling could have negative consequences for borrowers. Efforts to block the SAVE program Ahead of the Thursday ruling, lower courts had already blocked certain provisions of the program, including the administrations ability to forgive student loans, until the court could rule on the constitutionality of the program in full. Republican attorneys general have challenged the SAVE program in court because they say Congress did not give the Biden administration the go-ahead on the program so the administration lacks the authority to implement it. U.S. District Judge John A. Ross of the Eastern District of Missouri blocked the Department of Education from forgiving more student loans under the SAVE program until he issued a full ruling. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey had sued alongside other attorneys general and claimed the Biden administration lacked the authority to implement the loan forgiveness. The court ruled it is likely these states will succeed in their argument, which led to the court blocking this provision. U.S. District Judge Daniel D. Crabtree for the District of Kansas blocked part of the SAVE program that would lower monthly payments for some borrowers. The court ruled the states suing the Department of Education would likely succeed in their argument that Congress did not authorize the administration to do this. Though the states had asked the court to block the program entirely, the court did not do so because parts of the program had already been implemented. Debt already forgiven was not impacted by the rulings from Ross or Crabtree. Now with the latest federal appeals court ruling, the entire program is blocked, which will pause payments for eight million borrowers. Nonprofit group files complaint Also on Thursday, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust filed a complaint requesting the Office of Special Counsel to investigate whether or not Cardona has violated the Hatch Act. The nonprofit organization pointed toward an email sent to borrowers in July. The email was addressed to federal student loan borrowers and described Republican elected officials as siding with special interests. President Biden and I are determined to lower costs for student loan borrowers, to make repaying student debt affordable and realistic, and to build on our separate efforts that have already provided relief to 4.75 million Americans no matter how many times Republican elected officials try to stop us, the email said. The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust said it was submitting the complaint because the email made political arguments and numerous times specifically identified the political party by name that Cardona opposes in a disparaging manner to generate opposition to the political candidates and party. The group urged the Office of Special Counsel to investigate the email. The Department of Education did not immediately return the Deseret News request for comment. New loan forgiveness for borrowers The Biden administration also announced Thursday it is canceling more student debt. Through Public Service Loan Forgiveness, the administration cancelled student debt for 35,000 people, according to a White House press release. The forgiveness applied to teachers, nurses, law enforcement officials and first responders. It canceled around $1.2 billion in debt. This is relief that will bring real change in their lives and marks another win for this administrations relentless and unapologetic work to fix a broken student loan system, said Cardona. Zooming out The Biden administrations efforts to forgive student loans have drawn support and criticism. USA Today columnist Sara Pequeno said these student loan forgiveness efforts could help Biden win reelection and fulfill his campaign promise. She also wrote that it addresses the concerns of young Americans as they grapple with the high cost of college. Its good great, even that Biden is forgiving this debt, wrote Pequeno. Todays college graduates are saddled with more debt immediately out of college than our predecessors; gone are the days of paying off your loans with summer jobs or those first few post-grad paychecks. It shows that his administration is aware how different the system is compared with decades prior. Critics of the administrations efforts say student debt forgiveness is regressive (benefits the wealthy as loans are concentrated across high-wealth households), oversteps the authority of Congress, and will have lasting negative consequences on universities. As the President himself suggested just a few years ago, such broad forgiveness is simply bad policy. Not only is it regressive, it also provides colleges and universities with precisely the wrong incentives, Beth Akers, senior fellow at American Enterprise Institute, wrote. When students dont have to pay back the money they borrow to pay for college, colleges dont have any reason to keep prices low. On the contrary, some students will necessarily benefit from paying and borrowing as much as possible. Dozens of Republican lawmakers have also criticized the administrations attempts to find new ways to forgive student debt saying in a letter the Department of Education is shifting the burden onto taxpayers who did not take out loans. In addition to the fiscally irresponsible nature of this backdoor attempt to enact free college, the administration continues to use borrowers as political pawns knowing full well these proposed actions are illegal, wrote the lawmakers. The Supreme Court has made it abundantly clear that there is zero authority to write-off federal student loans en masse last June when the Departments Plan A was ruled unconstitutional. Democratic lawmakers also wrote a letter urging the Department of Education to continue to find ways to cancel borrowers debt and called the Supreme Courts decision unjust. COVID-19 can lead to lingering cognitive effects including memory loss, forcing some survivorslike one pictured in her home in Virginia on Feb. 3, 2022to rely on notes and other reminders. Credit - The Washington Post via Getty Im2022 The Washington Post COVID-19 no longer poses the urgent public-health threat it once did. But recent research points to a good reason to keep the virus in mind: it could leave a lasting stamp on yours. Studies suggest that COVID-19 is associated with possibly long-lasting changes to the brain, potentially contributing to cognitive problems like brain fog, mental fatigue, and memory loss, as well as neurological and mental-health issues. The virus seems able to damage blood vessels and support cells in the brain and may kickstart changes to the immune system that also affect brain function, says Dr. Wes Ely, co-director of the Center for Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. What does that mean for the average person as the virus once again circulates widely? Many people of all ages recover just fine, mentally and physically, after a COVID-19 case. But lingering cognitive effects are a real risk, particularly for older people, Ely says. Older adults are more likely to experience severe COVID-19, which has long been linked to a higher risk of long-term complications. And they may have had preexisting cognitive issues that become worse after infection. They dont have as far to fall before they experience a clinical awareness that theyre having problems, Ely says. Research has shown that a COVID-19 case can accelerate mental decline in older adults with dementia. Read More: The Isolation of Having Long COVID as Society Moves On The virus may also raise the chances of developing dementia for the first time, suggests a research review of 11 previous studies that was posted online in February before being peer-reviewed. Adults older than 60 who survived COVID-19 had a significantly higher risk of developing dementia a year later, compared to similar-aged people who hadn't had a respiratory infection. Cognitive impairment was almost twice as likely among people who'd had COVID-19 compared to an uninfected control group. Dan Shan, co-author of the study and a former junior researcher at Columbia University, wrote in an email that more research is required to confirm whether the virus is directly causing dementia, but his team is "pretty confident" there's a connection. This link may not be unique to the virus that causes COVID-19. "Numerous studies have shown that respiratory infections like the flu can lead to greater risks of cognitive deficits or dementia," Shan wrote. "However, these findings haven't captured public attention as much as COVID-19." Read More: Youve Heard of Long COVID. Long Flu Is a Health Risk, Too Age may be an important risk factor for cognitive issues, but younger people shouldnt feel immune from COVID-19s effects, either. Ely says there are people in their 30s and 40s [who] have neurocognitive deficits that look like mild dementia. A large study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February backs up that warning. It suggests that COVID-19 can hinder cognitive performance among adults of all ages, even those who ostensibly recover fully. In that study, more than 100,000 adults in the U.K. took tests meant to measure cognitive skills. When the researchers compared people whod had COVID-19 with demographically similar people whod never had a confirmed case, they found that the COVID-19 survivors, on average, performed worse across the board, but particularly on measures of memory function, executive functionfor example your ability to decision-make and planand reasoning, says study co-author Adam Hampshire, a professor of cognitive and computational neuroscience at Kings College London. Read More: Scientists Are Just Beginning to Understand COVID-19s Effect On the Brain The study didnt measure differences in individual participants' performance pre- and post-COVID, and the results dont necessarily mean that every single person who catches COVID-19 will experience cognitive decline, Hampshire says. But, when looking at the study group as a whole, there were clear differences between those whod had COVID-19 and those who hadnt. The results equated to about a three-IQ-point deficit among people who recovered completely from COVID-19 versus those who'd never had it. Among people with unresolved Long COVID symptoms and those whod been admitted to the ICU, the deficits jumped to six and nine IQ points, respectively. But there are some reasons for optimism. In the study, cognitive differences were not as pronounced among people whod gotten vaccinated multiple times, nor those who got COVID-19 later in the pandemicwhich suggests risks may be lower now than they were in 2020. Read More: What's the Risk of Getting Long COVID in 2024? The researchers also didnt find a dramatic difference between people whod been infected once versus multiple times. (Other studies, however, have found that repeat infections carry compounding risks of brain complications, as well as other serious health problems.) And people who had Long COVID symptoms but eventually got better performed at the same [cognitive] level as people who had shorter-duration symptoms, which suggests some effects of Long COVID may be reversible, Hampshire says. The data on COVID-19 and cognition are worrying, but more research is required to fully assess the virus' long-term effects. "These relationships need to be observed over a longer period, potentially 5-10 years, to fully understand the impact of COVID-19 on the development of new-onset dementia, a condition that progresses slowly," Shan wrote. Research on if and how COVID-related brain damage can be reversed is ongoing and provides reason for hope, Ely says. But for now, the cognitive risks of COVID-19 are yet another reason to stay up-to-date on vaccines and avoid infection if at all possible. Write to Jamie Ducharme at jamie.ducharme@time.com. Gov. Spencer Cox at his monthly news conference in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 19, 2024. (Pool photo by (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Gov. Spencer Cox flipped his stance on former President Donald Trump and publicly endorsed him on Friday after Trumps assassination attempt, an event he called a sobering moment. He also confirmed hed vote for Trump come November. Cox, who last week told CNN he wasnt planning on voting for Trump in the general election, said that Trumps remarks after he said he was shot in the ear in a Pennsylvania rally last week made him reconsider his original choice. The governor hasnt voted for a major presidential candidate since 2012, when Utah Senator Mitt Romney ran for the office, he has said in the past. The governor said he doesnt know how it feels to have an experience that close to death, but he thinks it would require some introspection and clearly it has with him and I admire that. I was grateful to see the President say some things that hes never said before. In the moments after that, in the statements that he released, and in parts of his speech last night, the former president talked about the need to lower the temperature and unify our country, Cox said during his July news conference broadcast by PBS. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX There are reasons to believe Trump will lower the temperature in his usual heated speeches, Cox said. He has heard from people close to Trump how the assassination attempt has affected him personally. He said he doesnt believe there will be a total change, but Cox said hell follow through with his commitment to support him. Cox also sent a letter to Trump on Sunday, where he quoted religious scripture, praised Trumps policies and said the country has suffered over the last four years due to a lack of leadership. Your life was spared. Now, because of that miracle, you have the opportunity to do something that no other person on earth can do right now: unify and save our country, Cox wrote. I fear that America is on the precipice of unmitigated disaster. We need to turn down the temperature and find ways to come together again before its too late. He also advised Trump to treat President Biden with basic human dignity and respect, and to emphasize unity rather than hate, in order to win the election by a historic margin and become one of our nations most transformational leaders. By extending an olive branch to voters who are open to persuasion and ignoring the extremists, you can solidify a legacy as one of the most important presidents in our nations 250-year history, he wrote. Let us know what you think... During the news conference, Cox said that hes a little different conservative, maybe than the party is today, describing his values as Ronald Reagan conservative. But, he added, hes trying to be open and to learn from people who have different ideas within the Republican party. As Cox keeps on running his Disagree Better campaign, which encourages Americans to shape policy through healthy conflict and evaluates polarization in the country, he found a shift in tone in Trumps words that gained his support, he said. I preach it, I try to live by it. I am not very good at it. I know that former President Trump isnt very good at it, hasnt been for a long time, Cox said on Friday. Thats been one of my biggest struggles, for sure. And yet, theres a willingness to try and thats all I can ask for and hope for. Cox is confident Trump will win Utah, he said. However, hes following the official nomination for the Democratic nominee with interest. There have been increasing calls for President Joe Biden to end his reelection bid after a poor debate performance and unsteady appearances at events and media appearances. Parties are just groups of people with a process that come together to select something. Now, the Democrats have already gone through a big part of that process, Cox said, but, now I guess their delegates would have an opportunity to vote for someone else and I think its healthy to have new choices in our country over time. Democratic nominee for Utah governor, Brian King, criticized Coxs endorsement, saying that the governor is responding to outside pressure, special interests, donors, and extremists in his party. After publicly declaring just days ago that he would not vote for Donald Trump this November, Governor Cox has now kissed the ring and given his full endorsement to Trump, a convicted felon, King wrote in a statement. This is the same Trump who, just last night, called for mass deportations and lied about the 2020 election results. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST CPD: 3-year-old boy abducted by mother on South Side CHICAGO A 3-year-old boy is still missing after being abducted last week by his biological mother, according to police. Malakhi Watkins was last seen in the area of the 5100 block of South Martin Luther King Drive on Saturday. CPD believes Malakhi was abducted by his mother Ariel Watkins, 27. Malakhi was wearing a white tank top, black Nike shorts, white socks and black crocs. Ariel was last seen wearing a gray medium length dress. Anyone with information can call 911 or detectives at 312-747-8380. 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. Crime victims let down by police who fail to get basics right Too many victims of crime are still being let down by police who are failing to get the basics right, the chief inspector of constabulary has said in his annual report. Andy Cooke, who scrutinises police standards, said many victims were receiving a substandard service, with the response of officers not being sufficiently quick, thorough and caring. Basics not being met by police include promptly answering the phone to 999 or 101 calls, attending incidents within a reasonable timeframe, investigating all reasonable lines of enquiry, keeping victims informed and bringing enough offenders to justice. This was compounded by court backlogs, resulting in huge delays in putting criminals in the dock, the report found. Mr Cooke told The Telegraph: Any criminal justice system should be centred on the victims, surely. However, were seeing it takes far too long for victims to actually get justice, if ever. The former chief constable of Merseyside cited alarming research by the victims commissioner which found only 8 per cent of the public were confident they could receive justice by reporting a crime. He said: I echo the victims commissioners comment that these statistics should serve as a wake-up call for all those involved in the justice system. Victims should be, but are not, at the heart of the criminal justice system. Too many victims are still being let down because they are being given a substandard service. Many victims choose not to report their crime to the police in the first place. Of those who do, some data seems to indicate that contact with the police is more likely to decrease their confidence in the service than increase it. This is extremely disappointing. Mr Cooke said too few police investigations resulted in an offender being charged and prosecuted or getting an out-of-court punishment. Just 5.7 per cent of all crimes result in a suspect being charged, down from 15.5 per cent a decade ago. Inexperienced and under pressure However, Mr Cooke said the figure masked wide and unjustifiable variations in performance between police forces. While Durham Constabulary secured justice for victims in 14.1 percent of crimes, West Midlands Police achieved a rate of just 3.6 per cent, while the Metropolitan Police, Britains biggest force which is currently in special measures, only managed 4.7 per cent. Mr Cooke said crime was coming down and there were more police officers than ever after an increase of 20,000 by the last Government. But he said many were inexperienced, which meant the full benefit of the uplift had yet to be felt by communities and forces. Some 36 per cent of officers have less than five years experience. Mr Cooke said it was "extremely disappointing" that some victims had less confidence in police officers after having contact with them - Kirsty O'Connor/PA Mr Cooke acknowledged the polices ability to detect crime had been negatively affected by demands on them to deal with people suffering from mental ill health, as well as the increasing complexity of crime and shortages of resources. He also said chief constables were trying to improve performance to restore public trust. However, for the funds they received, forces were still not performing as well as they should, Mr Cooke said. Reasonable expectations Of 13 forces inspected - a third of the total of 43 forces in England and Wales - not a single one was graded as good or outstanding in the way they responded to the public or investigated crime, the annual report said. Victims want to be treated with respect and dignity, they want the police to take proportionate action, and they want to be kept informed of the progress of the case, said Mr Cooke. These arent unreasonable expectations; but too often, they arent being met. The response isnt always sufficiently quick, thorough and caring. He urged the Government to set up a royal commission into the criminal justice system, because until elements of the criminal justice system are fundamentally reformed, victims will continue to struggle to get the access to justice they deserve. He called for reform of the outdated police funding formula, which unfairly penalised some forces with high crime demand, multi-year funding deals to help forces plan better, and extra powers and funds for the inspectorate to hold police forces to account. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Key Insights Comptoir Group's estimated fair value is UK0.04 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Current share price of UK0.048 suggests Comptoir Group is potentially trading close to its fair value Industry average of 14% suggests Comptoir Group's peers are currently trading at a lower premium to fair value In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Comptoir Group PLC (LON:COM) by estimating the company's future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward. Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. View our latest analysis for Comptoir Group The Model We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To 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. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 Levered FCF (, Millions) UK940.7k UK737.3k UK629.6k UK568.6k UK533.0k UK512.5k UK501.4k UK496.5k UK495.7k UK497.8k Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ -31.65% Est @ -21.63% Est @ -14.61% Est @ -9.69% Est @ -6.25% Est @ -3.85% Est @ -2.16% Est @ -0.98% Est @ -0.16% Est @ 0.42% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 13% UK0.8 UK0.6 UK0.4 UK0.4 UK0.3 UK0.2 UK0.2 UK0.2 UK0.2 UK0.2 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = UK3.5m 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 1.8%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 13%. Story continues Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2034 (1 + g) (r g) = UK498k (1 + 1.8%) (13% 1.8%) = UK4.6m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= UK4.6m ( 1 + 13%)10= UK1.4m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is UK4.9m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of UK0.05, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf The Assumptions We would point out that 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 Comptoir Group as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 13%, which is based on a levered beta of 2.000. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for Comptoir Group Strength Debt is not viewed as a risk. Weakness Current share price is above our estimate of fair value. Opportunity Has sufficient cash runway for more than 3 years based on current free cash flows. Lack of analyst coverage makes it difficult to determine COM's earnings prospects. Threat No apparent threats visible for COM. Moving On: 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. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For Comptoir Group, there are three additional factors you should assess: Risks: We feel that you should assess the 1 warning sign for Comptoir Group we've flagged before making an investment in the company. 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! Other Environmentally-Friendly Companies: Concerned about the environment and think consumers will buy eco-friendly products more and more? Browse through our interactive list of companies that are thinking about a greener future to discover some stocks you may not have thought of! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every British 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 What is CrowdStrike? The $80bn IT giant behind Fridays global meltdown Someone, somewhere within IT cyber security giant CrowdStrike is having the worst day at work in their life. Early on Friday morning, people awoke to find TV news channels silent, trains cancelled and websites crashing in a massive IT outage impacting tens of millions of computers. It seemed almost any business running Microsofts Windows 10 software experienced a sudden, dramatic failure. Computers appeared to automatically shut themselves down and display the so-called blue screen of death. As dawn broke, Sky News broadcast an error message: We apologise for the interruption to this broadcast. It was forced to run archive footage for several hours. While it is not the end of the world or a nuclear apocalypse and systems are, slowly, coming back online one cyber security researcher dubbed the catastrophic blackout CrowdStrike Doomsday. CrowdStrike is a US technology giant. The business is hardly a household name although Formula 1 fans may recognise it as the sponsor of the Mercedes team and British racing drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Crowdstrike is valued at over $80bn (62bn) and is responsible for developing critical cyber security software used by thousands of businesses. Its programs are deeply embedded into critical IT systems and networks. CrowdStrike develops a so-called endpoint detection and response system, helping large networks to detect and shut down hacking attacks much like a business-wide antivirus. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Texas, its technology has proved wildly popular. It reported revenues of $3bn and over 23,000 corporate customers last year. The company has also become well-known in cyber security circles for its work investigating high-profile hacks, including on the Democratic National Committee in 2015. As a technology that has to respond to constantly evolving cyber threats, CrowdStrike routinely pushes out updates to its customers with new tools and layers of protection. However, an apparently rogue file in one of its latest patches appears to have caused a massive IT collapse, according to cyber security experts and CrowdStrike engineers. The outage has hit customers including airlines, train companies, airports, payment systems, supermarkets, the NHS and even the Houses of Parliament cafe. We are currently experiencing widespread IT issues across our entire network. Our IT teams are actively investigating to determine the root cause of the problem. We are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice cancellations, Thameslink (@TLRailUK) July 19, 2024 On social media, IT managers reported dealing with implosions impacting tens of thousands of machines in their businesses. Troy Hunt, a well-respected cyber security guru behind the website HaveIBeenPwned, said: I dont think its too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history. While it was largely Microsofts Windows 10 systems hit by the IT problem, the root cause of the bug has been attributed to CrowdStrike specifically an apparently dodgy file in its Falcon Sensor tool. Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Hunt said CrowdStrike is a massive player [in] the security space whose technology often has so-called privileged access to business networks. This means it has broad control to update and modify a customers systems, in theory to remove malware. However, he said: This also means that if something goes wrong with an update, its able to catastrophically nuke your machine. Security experts were already directing their anger at CrowdStrike over its handling of the outage. For several hours, there were no public updates or official statements from the company about the issue other than those buried within its customer service portal behind a log-in screen. The company did alert customers, saying: CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor. Symptoms include hosts experiencing a bug check/blue screen error related to the Falcon Server. The business told customers they could undo the error with a manual workaround, however as of mid-morning there had been no global fix or automatic update to remove the bug. In a post on X, Brody Nisbet, a CrowdStrike executive, said the problem related to a faulty channel file, but added that a workaround for customers was not yet working for everybody. He said: Its a mess. Finally, George Kurtz, CrowdStrikes founder and chief executive, issued a public statement. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts, he said. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. Our team is fully mobilised to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024 Shares in CrowdStrike plunged more than 14pc in opening trading in New York, wiping billions of dollars off its value. The disastrous outage is likely to raise questions over the stability of global IT systems, which are increasingly reliant on little-understood a web of IT infrastructure run by a handful of major companies. This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the worlds core internet infrastructure, said Ciaran Martin, the former head of the National Cyber Security Centre and a professor at Oxford Universitys Blavatnik School of Government. The outage has caused chaos around the world, including for passengers at Delhi International Airport - RAJAT GUPTA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Mr Martin told The Telegraph he expected the cost of the outage to be very significant and likely run into the billions of pounds. Meanwhile, Prof Alan Woodward, a cyber security expert at the University of Surrey, questioned how such a damaging glitch could have been released by the company. You just cant imagine something this awful would happen with proper testing, he said. Mr Hunt said on X the problem was similar to fears of the so-called Y2K bug in 2000. Engineers feared that millions of computers would crash at the turn of the millennium after failing to keep track of the change of date. Those fears proved false, as companies effectively updated their systems. However, Mr Hunt said: This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, expect its actually happened this time. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The CrowdStrike cyber incident has had wide-ranging impacts here in Northeast Florida, affecting businesses, local governments, and public safety systems. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Action News Jax has been surveying which systems were impacted and which ones were spared. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The City of Jacksonville itself saw virtually no impacts from the CrowdStrike cyber incident, but JSO did report its non-emergency line went down for a few hours before the issues were resolved around 4 AM. Our technology infrastructure is fully online, and constituent services remain unaffected. The Duval County Emergency Preparedness Division is coordinating with our local partners to make sure there are not any unmet needs. A handful of partners are experiencing minor service disruptions, and those services are slowly being restored. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide any updates to the public as needed, said Mayor Donna Deegan in a statement. Clay schools also saw no impacts. Nor did UF Health. RELATED: CrowdStrike, Microsoft outage: Flights grounded, business stopped globally Clay County government did see some impacts, including intermittent 911 outages from midnight to 5:30 AM and issues with its online permitting system. That cause is under investigation, a county spokesperson told Action News Jax. Baptist Hospital also had computer systems experience issues. Multiple fixes are in process and we remain operational, a spokesperson for the hospital told Action News Jax. St. Johns County seems to have had the most disruptions locally, including the Ponte Vedra DMV having to turn people like Valerie Cob away for the better part of the day. I was hoping to get a car today, said Cob. RELATED: Clay County 911 services restored after morning outages St. Johns also says its 911 computer-aided disputed was down until 5:30 AM, but noted it did not cause any response time delays. It is important to confirm that this communitys public safety and the security of the Countys financial assets were never at risk. Also, no breach of data has been confirmed at this time, said St. Johns County Administrator Joy Andrews in an emailed statement. And for those turned away at the DMV in Ponte Vedra, the office in St. Augustine was operational. According to residents who paid it a visit Friday, things were moving smoothly. We were prepared for lots and lots of people and waiting in long lines, but it was great, said St. Johns County resident Sandy Cincotta. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. What is CrowdStrike, and how did it cause a global Windows outage? A global technology outage on Friday grounded flights, disrupted health services, crashed payment systems and blocked access to Microsoft services in what experts believe is one of the largest IT failures in history. The cause of the disruptions originated from a cybersecurity firm called CrowdStrike, which provides software to a wide range of industries. An update to one of CrowdStrikes pieces of software, Falcon Sensor, malfunctioned, throwing a wrench into computers running Windows, leading to major tech failures around the world, the company said. Heres what we know about the outage so far. What is CrowdStrike? CrowdStrike is an American cybersecurity firm founded in 2011 and based in Austin, Texas. Since its inception, the company has grown rapidly as it began to offer a range of security services using cloud-based software. It has raised millions in funding from Silicon Valley powerhouses such as Googles venture capital arm. It employs thousands of workers and services businesses in countries across the globe, boasting on its website that it protects 538 out of the Fortune 1000 companies. The firm has become immensely successful over the past decade, with a market value of around $83bn at market close on Thursday, though its stock price was falling during Friday trading. CrowdStrikes share value declined dramatically following the outage, dipping as much as 13% early on Friday. While the companys primary products are intended to block hackers and malware, CrowdStrike has also been hired to investigate major data breaches. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) in 2016 tasked CrowdStrike with investigating the Russian hack of DNC servers, while Sony Pictures employed the company to look into a 2014 cyberattack linked to North Korea. CrowdStrikes investigation into the DNC hack also previously played a small but notable role in the first impeachment of Donald Trump and special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump, echoing a widely repudiated conspiracy theory that CrowdStrike was involved in an elaborate cover up on behalf of the DNC, nonsensically suggested the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, look into the company, a piece of the quid pro quo accusations against the US president. How did CrowdStrike cause the global outage? The global outage stems from an update CrowdStrike made to its marquee cybersecurity platform, a cloud-based software product called Falcon. When CrowdStrike pushed an update to the Falcon software, which interacts with other parts of computer systems and software like Microsofts Windows products, it caused a malfunction that essentially disabled those systems and their widely used pieces of software the world over. Put bluntly, the software intended to protect against crashes and disruptions in vital computer systems ended up taking them down. CrowdStrikes CEO, George Kurtz, has apologized for the outage, which the company has stated was due to a faulty piece of code. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed, Kurtz wrote on Twitter. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. Compounding the chaos on Friday, another outage also hit Microsofts Azure cloud services and caused an additional set of failures. Microsoft has stated that the two outages were unrelated, and that its Azure services were now back online. Kurtz meanwhile told NBCs Today show that it could be some time before systems fully recover from the outage his company caused. CrowdStrike incident forces DPS to close all driver's license offices in Texas on Friday Due to ongoing technology issues, the Texas Department of Public Safety has closed all of its Driver License Offices across the state as of Friday. According to a news release from the DPS, the technical issue is related to the global CrowdStrike incident, which forced DPS to cancel all scheduled driver's license appointments on Friday. Crowdstrike has confirmed that this is not a security incident or cyberattack but is related to a defect in a content update for Windows hosts. DPS stated that it has contacted all those impacted by the outage, and its IT teams are working on fixing the issue. There is no current estimate on when DLOs will be able to reopen. The public is asked to monitor DPS's social media and website to stay up to date on closures. This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Technology issue forces Texas DPS to close all driver's license offices A global tech outage disrupted major airlines, media companies, banks, and telecommunications firms worldwide Friday morning. Here's what we know. Who owns Crowdstrike? Austin-based firm linked to mass tech outages Crowdstrike, a cybersecurity firm based out of Austin, appears to have caused a global IT outage after launching an update. The firm is used by over half of Fortune 500 companies, according to a Crowdstrike promotional video earlier this year. Crowdstrike CEO George Kurtz took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and said the company is "actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts." Kurtz also clarified that the incident is "not a security incident or cyberattack." In the post, Kurtz says the issue has been identified, a fix has been deployed, and that the company will "continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website." Additionally, Kurtz said the company is "fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of Crowdstrike customers." Crowdstrike causing Microsoft outages, flight cancellations Is Microsoft outage fixed? Microsoft said in a statement on X that "the underlying cause has been fixed," however, residual impacts continue to affect "some Microsoft 365 apps and services. We're conducting additional mitigations to provide relief." Microsoft Office 365 apps affected by outage Microsoft said users might be unable to access various Office 365 apps and services due to a "configuration change in a portion of our Azure-backed workloads." Microsoft's Azure outage causes flight cancellations, delays The outage also affected Microsoft's cloud computing platform, Azure, and hampered airlines' operations. Air passengers worldwide faced delays, cancellations, and problems checking in as airports and airlines were caught up in the outage. Several U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, issued ground stops for all their flights early on Friday due to communication problems, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. In Texas, American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines grounded flights less than an hour after Microsoft said it resolved a cloud-services-related outage that impacted several low-cost carriers. People are also reading: Why are flights delayed in Texas right now? What passengers need to know Multiple users reached out to Azure's support account on X, @AzureSupport, for answers. The account issued this statement in response to user complaints: "Hi, thank you for reaching out. We are aware that some of you are experiencing issues at the moment. Our team is looking into it and working on a resolution." There were over 2,000 U.S. flights canceled and more than 21,000 delays as of 8 a.m. CDT, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport reported over 100 flight delays and nearly as many cancellations. Chaos descends on Texas airports Those attempting to travel through Texas airports overnight and into Friday morning witnessed mayhem as several flights were delayed or cancelled. Some took their frustration to social media. "I'm still stuck at DFW airport," one user wrote on X just after 6 a.m. Friday. DFW Airport @AmericanAir this is what DFW looks like at 1am when you cant take off or return to the gate. pic.twitter.com/kOUORCkkgn Kyle (@k81stewart) July 19, 2024 Stranded at DFW airport due to the Microsoft and CrowdStrike system outages. Flight delayed since 10pm CT, boarded at 11pm, then had to deplane. Its now 3am with no updates on when we might take off. Looks like Ill be spending the night at the airport. pic.twitter.com/fXpZ8tyCie Watchara Phomicinda (@watcharaphotog) July 19, 2024 Kiosks at the Delta ticket counter of DFW being restarted after showing the Blue Screen of Death. Long lines are backing up as several airlines deal with the #CyberSecurity outages. @wfaa pic.twitter.com/mkwjLx1LkT Chris Sadeghi (@chrissadeghi) July 19, 2024 George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston Flights are grounded due to a global technical outage involving Microsoft. Current look at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston: pic.twitter.com/KNMGsENZxr Gage (@Mr12G) July 19, 2024 Volunteers make all the difference! Our #IAHTherapyDogs are up early on their day off, making their rounds to bring passengers some joy and comfort as our airline partners continue to work to reestablish their service operations. Thank you, volunteers! pic.twitter.com/jqkBS6HVCH Bush Intercontinental Airport (@iah) July 19, 2024 Banks affected by Microsoft outage The Microsoft outage also impacted banks around the world. Banks in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Britain experienced interruptions in services, according to CNN. According to monitoring app Downdetector, the following banks have been affected by the Crowdstrike outages: Arvest Bank Bank of America Capital One Charles Schwab Chase TD Bank US Bank Wells Fargo Social Security Administration offices closed An alert by the Social Security Administration stated offices would be closed Friday, July 19 due to the global IT outage, Newsweek reports. "Due to worldwide IT outage, local Social Security offices are closed to the public today. Longer wait times on our national 800 number are expected. Some online services are unavailable at this time. We appreciate your patience while we work to restore services as quickly as possible," the agency said in an alert. 911 outages Several emergency services throughout the U.S., including 911 centers, are experiencing issues related to the Crowdstrike outage. Around 2 a.m. CDT Friday, BNO News reported impacts to centers in six states, not including Texas. 911 lines are down in: - Alaska - Arizona - Indiana - Minnesota - New Hampshire - Ohio BNO News Live (@BNODesk) July 19, 2024 USA TODAY reporters Gabe Hauari and Aaron A. Bedoya contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Crowdstrike, Microsoft outage causes global IT issues, flight delays What is CrowdStrike? Security firm at the heart of global tech outage The CEO of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has apologised for triggering a global IT outage with a software update. In the early hours of Friday morning (July 19), thousands of Windows computers began crashing. The resulting pandemonium knocked out airports, banks and supermarkets in its wake, causing widespread disruption around the world. Experts immediately pointed the finger at CrowdStrike, a US-based company whose popular cyberattack-protection software is used by thousands of businesses around the world. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz has now said the tech firm is deeply sorry for the issue and the global disruption it has wrought. In an interview with NBC, Kurtz said a faulty update that contained a software bug was the culprit, confirming what others from the firm had said earlier on Friday. "We identified this very quickly and remediated the issue," Kurtz said, adding that its systems were constantly being updated to ward off adversaries that are out there. Heres what you need to know about CrowdStrike, the company at the heart of an unprecedented global tech outage. What happened? In the early hours of Friday morning (July 19), scores of Windows devices started crashing and showing users a blue screen of death (BSOD) error. CrowdStrike has apologised for the outage, with the firm acknowledging a problem with its flagship product Falcon shortly after the system failure came to light. When will it be fixed? Although CrowdStrikes boss Kurtz said the problem had been fixed on its end, he warned it could be some time before systems return to normal for everyone else. "It's our mission... to make sure that every customer is fully recovered," Kurtz said. Why the wait? For general users The issue is likely still in the system, and will take time to flush through, according to James Davenport, Hebron and Medlock professor of information technology, University of Bath. What is CrowdStrike? Ryanair was among many firms affected by the global IT outage (Nicholas T Ansell / PA) US-based CrowdStrike is one of the worlds most popular cybersecurity providers with a market cap of $83.48bn (64.62bn). To give you an idea of just how big the firm is, CrowdStrike said it had 29,000 subscribers worldwide at the end of 2023, including more than 580 patrons with deals worth $1m (774,000). CrowdStrikes main product is Falcon, which is a cloud-based software built to keep hackers out of your work computer. Think of it like a tiny guard installed inside your computer that constantly keeps watch for suspicious activity and beams this info back to CrowdStrikes command centre in the cloud to analyse using AI. If a threat is detected, Falcon can take immediate action by quarantining infected files or devices, blocking access to dodgy websites or networks, or terminating any malicious processes. What has CrowdStrike said about the outage? On Friday morning, CrowdStrike said a faulty channel file was to blame for issues with its service after initially confirming the errors on Windows devices. The announcement followed numerous reports claiming a botched update released by the firm had buckled Windows PCs worldwide, the ripple effects of which grounded flights, delayed trains, shuttered supermarkets and took TV stations off the air. Computers affected by the change have been getting a blue screen error, which means they are trying to reboot but effectively cant and so are rendered useless. Shortly after it had conceded a problem with its software, CrowdStrike's director of threat hunting Brody Nisbet said on X (formerly Twitter): "There is a faulty channel file, so not quite an update. Hours later, Crowdstrike CEO George Kurtz apologised for the widespread tech calamity, and blamed it on a buggy update that buckled Microsofts Windows operating system. Was it a cyberattack? Asked if there was a chance this could have been a cyberattack, Kurtz said no. "It wasn't a cyber attack. It was related to this, this content update," he told NBC. What have authorities said? The disruption was first reported in Australia, and the countrys national cyber security co-ordinator has put out a statement on X, saying it was aware of a large-scale technical outage affecting a number of companies and services. I am aware of a large-scale technical outage affecting a number of companies and services across Australia this afternoon. Our current information is this outage relates to a technical issue with a third-party software platform employed by affected companies. National Cyber Security Coordinator (@AUCyberSecCoord) July 19, 2024 Our current information is this outage relates to a technical issue with a third-party software platform employed by affected companies, the statement reads. What do experts say about the outage? Even before CrowdStrikes CEO commented on the problem, experts were largely convinced the global outage wasnt due to a cyberattack. Still, they say that the scale of the issue is unprecedented, mainly because of the ubiquity of CrowdStrike Falcon and its high-level control over Windows PCs. Such software is pervasive on many if not all machines of a particular type so a fault in the security software can bring down many computers at once, said Professor McDermid, of the Institute for Safe Autonomy, University of York. Falcon is a pretty privileged piece of software in that it is able to influence how the computers it is installed on behave, said Toby Murray, an associate professor at the School of Computing and Information Systems at The University of Melbourne. This has become a global phenomenon because CrowdStrike is a very large company, and a lot of companies and organisations use them to detect and protect against threats, said Dave Parry, a dean and professor in the School of IT at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia. Prof Parry continued: The issue will affect very, very large numbers of machines around the world. It's not a cyber attack, but it's just an interaction of the two pieces of software." What to do if your Windows PC is down? Wondering how to fix your malfunctioning PC? CrowdStrikes Nisbet has posted a partial workaround that could do the trick, as long as you have the IT skills to implement it. There is a faulty channel file, so not quite an update. There is a workaround... 1. Boot Windows into Safe Mode or WRE. 2. Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike 3. Locate and delete file matching "C-00000291*.sys" 4. Boot normally. 1/2 Brody (@brody_n77) July 19, 2024 The solution, which involves deleting a specific file on affected computers, is as follows: 1. Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment 2. Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory 3. Locate the file matching C-00000291*.sys and delete it. 4. Boot the host normally. However, Prof Davenport warns impacted users shouldnt reboot or restart their machines until they get the all-clear from both CrowdStrike and Microsoft, adding, Do not accept its gone away statements. Sonya Massey's family held a visitation and funeral service on Friday, two days after a Sangamon County grand jury indicted a now former sheriff deputy in her fatal shooting. It was a standing-room crowd at the Ruby Funeral Services and Chapel on East Washington Street, with many family and friends donning purple. And while tears were shed, the family wanted the public to celebrate the 36-year-old and remember her for what she was: a loving mother to two, devout in her faith and great cook. "She was about her kids, her family, and she was about God," Raymond Massey, Sonya's uncle, told reporters during a press conference at the Springfield NAACP headquarters. The coffin of Sonya Massey is loaded into the hearse after her funeral at Ruby's Funeral Services and Chapel in Springfield Friday, July 19, 2024. The funeral comes almost two weeks after Massey was shot and killed by a Sangamon County Sheriff's deputy inside her home in Woodside Township. This week, Sean P. Grayson was named and charged with three counts of first-degree murder and two other charges in the case. More: Court documents reveal Illinois deputy shot Sonya Massey in the face inside her home Charging documents revealed in court Wednesday show Grayson, 30, drew his 9-millimeter on July 6 and threatened to shoot Massey in the face. Grayson "aggressively yelled" for Massey, who placed the 911 call, to put down a pot of boiling water before shooting her three times, one in the head. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said Grayson told his fellow deputy, so far unnamed and uncharged in the case, to not administer aid to Massey who would later die at HSHS St. John's Hospital. Sheriff Jack Campbell fired Grayson on Wednesday, saying his actions "do not reflect the values and training of the Sangamon County Sheriffs Office or law enforcement as a whole," in a statement. 'Shock the conscience': Body camera footage to go public Monday The Massey family saw the body camera footage for the first time on Wednesday, which will be made available to the public by the Illinois State Police on Monday. Sangamon County State's Attorney John Milhiser said a review of the state police investigation, including body camera footage, "did not support a finding" that Grayson was justified in his use of deadly force. Civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump speaks during the funeral service of Sonya Massey at Ruby's Funeral Services and Chapel in Springfield Friday, July 19, 2024. Not only the video, but the audio itself are considered particularly disturbing said Crump, who is representing the family in the matter. Crump, who previously represented Earl Moore Jr.'s family wrongful death suit, said what will be revealed will "shock the conscience of America" similar to Emmett Till and George Floyd. "It is that senseless, that unnecessary, that unjustifiable," he told funeral service attendees. "I mean, this video is tragic in every sense." Grayson also held a significant size difference compared to Massey, by more than one foot and double her weight. The discrepancy begged the question why he even needed a gun, said Crump. Several protests have taken place throughout Springfield, starting last Friday outside the Sangamon County building, and the case is now beginning to garner international attention. All protests have remained peaceful, and ahead of the footage release Springfield NAACP President Austin Randolph, Jr. is calling on the community to keep it that way. President of the Springfield IL. NAACP Branch Austin Randolph calls for calm during a press conference at the NAACP building in Springfield Friday, July 19, 2024. "When you've seen, you will know that something went wrong, very wrong," Randolph said, who has viewed the body cam footage. "I'm asking the citizens, I'm asking the city and law enforcement agencies: let's do the right thing. Let's be positive, let's be understanding and most importantly, think before you act and hopefully everyone will go home safe." "We don't need any distractions," he added. "We want this court case to go all the way and we want the full discipline and justice to the fullest extent of the law." Grayson came to the Sangamon County Sheriff's office after serving in several nearby law enforcement agencies. Perhaps most notably though, he was hired despite having two charges of driving under the influence in Macoupin County. Wilburn called on state Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, who submitted a proclamation to be read during the service, to lead a law preventing sheriff offices from hiring deputies with a prior record. Father of Sonya Massey, James Wilburn, speak out about the deputy who shot and killed his daughter during her funeral service at Ruby's Funeral Services and Chapel in Springfield Friday, July 19, 2024. "If a Black man has a blemish on his credit because he paid his credit card too late, or his house bill too late, you know he can't be hired as a member of law enforcement," he said, calling into question why he hired the now former deputy in May 2023. "But here's a man, who killed my baby, he had two DUI's... there were all these red flags, yet they still made him a deputy in this county," Wilburn continued. More: Illinois' new carbon capture law sets 'national standard,' says Pritzker In Decatur Thursday, Gov. JB Pritzker said a review of police training may be necessary. "Look, when you talk to police officers and leaders in law enforcement, they will tell you that they think there should be more training, that we should put more resources to training, and that their officers should receive more training," he said at an unrelated event. "And I couldnt agree more." Contact Patrick M. Keck: pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter. This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Crump: Body camera footage in Sonya Massey shooting will 'shock the conscience of America' As crypto ATM scams rise, take these steps to keep you and your cash safe Raleigh police have seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from cryptocurrency ATMs after successful scams using the sites. But the problem is much larger than one North Carolina city. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of crypto-crime victims reported to law enforcement grew from nearly 1,000 to almost 1,500 in North Carolina, according to the FBIs Internet Crimes reports. Given the rising threat, heres what you need to know about ATMs, cryptocurrency and keeping your money safe. Lots of crypto ATMs Like any other ATM, crypto ATMs are physical kiosks where people can make financial transactions. But with these, people can use U.S. currency to purchase bitcoin and other digital assets. They usually accept cash and credit cards and can offer a number of cryptocurrency types for purchase, including bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin and more. At some kiosks, a user can only buy cryptocurrency. At others, they can buy and sell. Users generally need to log into an account, select the type and amount of crypto they want to purchase or sell and provide identification. That identification can include inputting a code sent to a mobile device or letting the kiosk take a picture of the user with their drivers license. Illustration by Many kiosks also employ scam checks during the transaction, flashing warnings on their screens about the risks of getting scammed. Springing up around the U.S. over the last decade, cryptocurrency ATMs are found at convenience stores and gas stations. There are more than 1,000 of them in North Carolina, according to Coinatmradar, which the Government Accountability Office cited in a 2022 report. There are at least 360 such kiosks in Raleigh, according to the website. No current count is exact. The Financial Crime Enforcement Network, a branch of the U.S. Treasury Department that regulates the ATMs, doesnt require cryptocurrency ATM operators to report the location of every machine they run. Why scam with cryptocurrency? Unlike dollar bills or personal checks, cryptocurrency is virtual cash not backed by any central organization, like a government or a bank. Users hold cryptocurrency in wallets, which are tied to ID codes that often reveal nothing about their owners. Cryptocurrency promises cross-border value transfer at the speed of the internet, said Ari Redbord, global head of policy at TRM Labs, a blockchain intelligence company. Thats something scammers use to their advantage, he said. Bad actors can receive crypto in faster and larger amounts, which sort of has blown up the scale of the problem, Redbord said. Cryptocurrency transactions are also difficult to reverse, Georgia Tech Professor Brendan Saltaformaggio said. Theres no one whos centrally in charge or responsible for that transaction itself, he said. So theres no one to go to and say, Hey that transaction was fraudulent you need to reverse that. There are one-off examples of cryptocurrency users collectively deciding to revert entire ledgers, said Kim Grauer, head of research at Chainalysis, another blockchain research firm. It happened to bitcoin in 2010 and ethereum in 2016. Cryptocurrency exchanges can sometimes freeze assets as well, Grauer added. But those transaction reversals are few and far between, Saltaformaggio said. Scammers can use international cryptocurrency exchanges that dont cooperate with U.S. law enforcement or host their cryptocurrency wallets individually. In those cases, there is no one who can be compelled to send that money back, Saltaformaggio said. Tough to catch scammers When cryptocurrency changes hands, those transactions are recorded on a decentralized ledger called the blockchain. Because of how theyre programmed, ledgers are public and unchangeable. Those public ledgers can ease parts of fraud investigations, Grauer and Redbord said. All of the transaction evidence is available in one place, Grauer said. Companies like TRM can comb through those transaction lists, flagging wallet IDs that are known to be tied to scammers, criminals and terrorists. Researchers like Saltaformaggio also use machine learning to tie wallet IDs to their owners. With that information, law enforcement can try to catch the scammers or recover the defrauded money. In practice, recovery is the more feasible goal, Redbord said. Generally, scammers try to off-ramp cryptocurrency quickly into traditional currency, Redbord said. Law enforcement races against the clock to stop the fraudsters when they process stolen cryptocurrency at an exchange. Still, scammers can avoid authorities by jumping into multiple cryptocurrency wallets, some of which are not traceable on the internet, said James Kaylor, said FBI Special Agent James Kaylor, who supervises white collar crimes investigations in the Raleigh area. Cooperation from foreign governments or companies also isnt guaranteed, Saltaformaggio said. Its not hopeless, he said. But its very difficult. Prevention is the best protection Scam prevention is key, Redbord said. Here are strategies to keep yourself safe: Dont send cryptocurrency to someone you dont know. Report suspicious solicitations and threats. Remember: governments and businesses wont pressure you to send cryptocurrency. Inform law enforcement if you believe you have been scammed. Dont put any more money into cryptocurrency than you are willing to lose. If you buy cryptocurrency, use exchanges with strong account owner identification and money laundering prevention. Check for software that labels and blocks suspicious cryptocurrency wallet IDs. Ultimately, cryptocurrency ATM scams are an old trick with new technology (think Nigerian Prince). The same red-flag indicators of a scam that you will learn about in the financial world apply to cryptocurrency, Grauer said. (SOUTHERN COLORADO) The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) reported a rise in motorcycle crashes in the first two weeks of July. Troopers have investigated 135 fatal crashes from January 1 through July 16 with 21 of those involving a motorcycle. However, when CSP isolated the first two weeks of July, they found that number had doubled with 16 crashes and 37.5% or six of those involving a motorcycle. Riding a motorcycle comes with greater risk than driving a car or truck due to the lack of safety features, including airbags and seatbelts. Riders are simply more vulnerable, said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. This underscores the responsibility that every rider must assume for their own safety. Receiving ongoing training, wearing protective gear, and adhering to the rules of the road these are the necessary steps for every rider. Get ready for lane filtering law to enact on August 7 Due to the increase in riders during the warmer weather months, the CSPs Southwest District began to track serious injuries and fatal motorcycle crashes. Colorado offers some of the most scenic and popular motorcycle rides, including routes like the San Juan Skyway National Scenic Byway and Santa Fe Trail. Between Jan. 1 and July 17, troopers in District 5 Southwest Colorado responded and investigated 18 serious injury or fatal crashes involving a motorcycle. Most riders were from Colorado but not always from that region, 61% of riders did have an MC endorsement and wore a helmet. CSPs chart shows all motorcycle crashes that have occurred in Southwest Colorado since the start of the season. Troopers advise riders to follow posted traffic routes, some common hazards riders in the Western Slope should watch out for during their ride are: Blind Corners with sheer rock faces next to the road. Narrow shoulders or no shoulder at all with sharp drop-offs. Rocks, gravel, and other debris from snow melt. Switchbacks and tight corners with little preparation. Congestion from RVs and vehicles towing boats and ATVs. Potholes, bumps, and weather-damaged surfaces Wildlife Its not the number of years youve owned a motorcycle that builds mastery; its the actual time spent learning how to control, corner, emergency brake and practice evasive maneuvers, said Packard. Advanced motorcycle courses are a fantastic way to learn the best techniques without building bad habits while increasing skills to help you enjoy the ride. CSP will continue to monitor traffic crashes and fatalities during the 100 deadliest days of summer, the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day. During these 100 days, law enforcement sees an increase in traffic crashes and fatalities, with July frequently being the peak month for various crash types investigated by CSP. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. Cuyler bound over for trial in 2019 sex with minors cases after return from Mexico BRANCH COUNTY After testimony from two victims Thursday morning at a preliminary examination, 3-A District Judge Brent Weigle bound over Anthony Cuyler, 46, on three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of delivery of methamphetamine to a minor, one count of possession of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of ammunition by a felon. District Judge Brent Weigle Cuyler fled 2019 charges until last month when the U.S. Marshals Service located the former Union City area resident in Mexico and extradited him to Branch County. Assistant Attorney General Caitlyn Kirby presented the case for the Branch County prosecutor under the Operation Survivor Justice program. This program provides justice for the victims of cold case sex crimes in the state of Michigan. Prior story Anthony Cuyler extradited from Mexico to face Union City CSC charges One victim, who was 12 at the time, testified she went to Cuylers home and smoked meth and marijuana with him in July 2019. Her then 11-year-old friend had oral sex with Cuyler and then watched her friend and Cuyler have sex several times before they spent the night there, according to testimony. Both girls testified they used marijuana before going to Cuylers home. Even though there was no lab test evidence to determine what drugs Cuyler allegedly gave the girls, Weigle said there were reasonable inferences Cuyler did provide meth for the girls to smoke. Union City Police began the investigation after the girls parents learned about the overnight stay with 40-year-old Cuyler. Public defender Patrick OConnell did not argue against the bind over. Branch County Courthouse Cuyler will appear for arraignments in the 15th Circuit Court on Aug. 12. First-degree CSC is a life felony. Cuyler is being held without bond. Attorney General Dana Nessel said, I am grateful to local law enforcement, the Branch County prosecuting attorneys, and especially the U.S. Marshals Service for bringing this man home to face criminal accountability. Subscribe Follow this story. Subscribe to the Daily Reporter Nessel added, Without their dedication to apprehending those accused of cold-case sexual crimes, Mr. Cuyler would likely still be in Mexico, and not awaiting a trial date in circuit court, as he is today. Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Anthony Cuyler Branch County sex with minors Mexico extradition DA: Man accused of assault while giving massages in Dinuba DA: Man accused of assault while giving massages in Dinuba TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) More victims have come forward in a Tulare County sexual assault case against a 60-year-old man, according to the Tulare County District Attorneys Office. The DA says 60-year-old Tomas Jimenez was originally charged on June 25 for alleged sexual assaults of four women, Jimenez is now charged with the assaults of 21 people in a 48-count amended complaint filed on Wednesday. Masseur charged with sex crimes in Tulare County, DA says Jimenez is accused of allegedly giving massages in his Dinuba home. He is believed to have worked closely with Tulare Countys Spanish-speaking community. Utilizing social media and a new bilingual tip line, the DA says criminal investigators and prosecutors were able to speak to numerous new contacts. The confidential tip line number is 559-636-5467. 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. Donald Trump has made his first public speech since his attempted assassination last weekend, telling the crowds he survived only by the grace of almighty God. Speaking on the final night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the former presidents speech outlined his plans for a second term in the White House. Trump started with a message of unity, promising to bring Americans together, but soon turned to his familiar attacking style. Kamal unpacks what the speech really meant and Americas reaction to it with US Editor Tony Diver. And what will a Labour government mean for you? We asked the question at our first Daily T Live event, where Camilla and Kamal hosted subscribers at Telegraph headquarters in London with Associate Editor Gordon Rayner and the financial expert and presenter of Radio 4s Money Box, Paul Lewis, answering your questions. Watch all episodes of the Daily T here or on YouTube. Or if you would prefer to listen to the audio only, then use the player above. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe to The Daily T newsletter for updates. 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. Onstage at the 2024 Republican National Convention, when former President Donald Trump described for the first time his near brush with death in Saturday's assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania that left Trump and two spectators wounded and one man dead, he also took time to praise the fallen and injured and thank supporters for their outpouring of love. Corey Comperatore, a volunteer firefighter was killed while attempting to shield his wife and two daughters. His uniform and helmet were brought out on stage, where Trump embraced them. James Copenhaver of Moon Township and David Dutch of New Kensington were critically wounded but were both in stable condition as of Monday. Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump kisses the uniform of the man killed at Saturday during a rally before delivering his nomination acceptance speech during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Trump also mentioned the GoFundMe for the victims and their families, which as of Thursday evening is up to $5.4 million. The original goal was $1 million, which was easily passed early Monday morning. But not all the donations were counted there. "I am very proud to say that over the past few days we've raised 6.3 million dollars for the families of David, James and Corey," Trump said, pulling a check from his coat pocket. "including, from a friend of mine, just called up, sent me a check, right here, I just got it. One million dollars, from Dan Newlin, thank you Dan." Who is Dan Newlin? Today, I had the tremendous privilege of spending time with the esteemed former President Donald Trump and the remarkable Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance. We gathered to discuss the noble goal of uniting our great nation, bringing Americans together, and fostering a brighter pic.twitter.com/wPkUphINLh Attorney Dan Newlin (@NewlinLaw) July 19, 2024 If you've driven around Florida, you've seen the billboards. Happy people telling you how much they won in court, with a "Thank you Dan!" Orlando attorney Dan Newlin, 50, of Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys has previously donated to Trump's campaign and said he was contacted early Sunday morning to help the family, he told the Tampa Bay Times. Tell the president, Dont worry about anything, Ill take care of it, he said he told Meredith ORourke, Trumps campaign finance director and the person behind the GoFundMe, on the phone call. You can count on me to give the million dollars. In a post to X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, Newlin also said he would pledge $100,000 to any victim who was critically injured. "I hope that this gesture will bring solace and support to the critically injured and surviving family members and their children," he said. Letter to President Donald J. Trump Executive Administrator. Yesterday, the world stood still in disbelief as an unthinkable act unfolded an audacious and horrifying assassination attempt on the life of President Donald Trump, leaving a lasting impact on global consciousness. pic.twitter.com/WCJ6d5wwTA Attorney Dan Newlin (@NewlinLaw) July 14, 2024 Indiana native Newlin worked as a patrol officer for the police department and an emergency medic for the fire department in New Chicago before moving to Orlando to work for the Florida Department of Corrections as a corrrections office/medic. After a year, he was offered a position with the Orange County Sheriff's Office where he advanced to fugitive detective. He graduated from the Florida State College of Law in 2000 and began practicing law in Orlando, specializing in injury and accident victims and making a name for himself for aggressive representation and record settlements. "Literally working day and night for justice, obtaining record verdicts of $24 million verdict for the family of a slain Orlando police officer and a $100 million verdict on a case for a young woman from central Florida who sustained a serious brain injury,' Newlin said on his LinkedIn page. Newlin is the second-largest personal injury firm in the U.S. with ten offices across Florida, according to the American Institute of Legal Professionals. Newlin has a daughter, Alexis. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Dan Newlin gets thanks from Trump at RNC for donation UFC CEO Dana White has once again put his full political support behind former U.S. president Donald Trump ahead of the 2024 election in November. For the third time, White spoke at the Republican National Convention in support of his friend, but on this occasion, he had the privilege of being the last speaker before Trump took the stage to accept the Republican presidential nomination. During his five-minute speech, the assertive fight promoter touted the loyal friendship he has shared with Trump for over two decades while sharing a story about how the former president invited him to be a speaker again. I only wish you didnt have to interrupt your family trip, but I hope they understand. They love you, and they know how important this is, White said, reading from a text message Trump sent him after he accepted the invitation. Now think about this: This mans running for president of the United States, hes fighting for the future of this country, and hes concerned about interrupting my family trip. Thats the president Trump that I know, a man who truly cares about people. The mainstream media likes the push the narrative that he doesnt care about anyone but himself. I absolutely know thats not the truth because Ive been friends with this guy for 25 years. White became more energized to speak in support of Trump following a failed assassination attempt last week, when the former president was struck in the right ear as bullets were fired during a rally in Butler, Penn. Trump was treated and has been sporting a square bandage over his right ear throughout the RNC. I know president Trump is a fighter, Ive been saying this since 2015, White said. Now look at whats happened over the last 10 years, we have all seen it with our own eyes. Im in the tough guy business, and this man is the toughest, most resilient human being that Ive ever met in my life. White pumped up Trump, who has been convicted of 34 felonies for falsifying business records and has many more legal issues pending, as the best choice for the next president of the U.S. The UFC boss quoted the 40th U.S. president, Ronald Reagan, while vaguely touching on political issues. President Reagan once said, Governments first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives,' White said. And if youre buried in government red tape, how will you ever start your own business? If youre struggling to pay your bills, how can you ever afford to start a family? And if you dont feel safe in your hometown, why would you ever buy a house? I know president Trump is fighting to save the American dream, and thats whats at stake in this election. White closed out his speech with one final emphatic push for Trump, while making it clear he was not trying to convince people who to vote for, but rather simply stating his reasons for backing his friend and WWE Hall of Famer. I know president Trump is a proven leader, a fearless leader, and this country was in a much better place when he was in the Oval Office, White said. In my mind, the choice is clear, but this election, we all get to choose. I know I going to choose strength and security. I know Im going to choose opportunity and prosperity. I know Im going to choose real American leadership and a real American badass. Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie FILE - David Letterman speaks at an event, March 12, 2020, in New York. Letterman will headline a fundraiser with President Joe Biden on July 29, 2024, at the home of Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, a person familiar with the plans told The Associated Press. That's a sign that his campaign is forging ahead despite continued calls for the president to bow out of the 2024 race. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File) HONOLULU (AP) David Letterman will headline a fundraiser with President Joe Biden in 10 days with Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, a sign that his campaign is forging ahead despite continued calls for the president to bow out of the 2024 race. The fundraiser on July 29 will be at the home of a family friend on Marthas Vineyard, Massachusetts, Green told The Associated Press Friday. It will feature the longtime late-night host, plus Biden and first lady Jill Biden. The campaign has at least 10 other fundraising events over the last 10 days of July. Letterman helmed CBS' Late Show for 22 seasons. The event comes as other celebrities like George Clooney, director Rob Reiner and Stephen King have called on Biden to drop out of the 2024 race, following his disastrous debate performance on June 27. Theres also been growing concern over continued fundraising support after anxious donors expressed serious worries about his performance and the future of the party. Biden insists he is the best person to beat Donald Trump and is not stepping away. On Friday, Biden, who is recovering from COVID-19 at his Rehoboth Beach home, called for party unity and sought to shift the focus back to Donald Trumps agenda. He said he was looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to challenge the Republicans claims, while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone. The stakes are high, and the choice is clear, he said. "Together, we will win. Green is hosting the event as a growing number of lawmakers have expressed doubts over Biden's candidacy. A person familiar with the plans initially told the AP the fundraiser would be at Green's home, but Green later clarified that it belonged to a family friend. Green has known the Biden family for years his wifes uncle was Bidens college roommate and he said the decision whether or not to leave the race has to come from Biden himself. Green told the AP, We support the President, the V.P. and the Democratic Party, in good and tough times because he has been there for us as a family and a state. Green has been governor of Hawaii since 2022, managing the state through the devastating wildfires last summer. ___ Long reported from Washington. On This Day, July 19: Clinton announces 'don't ask, don't tell' policy President Bill Clinton speaks with a group of U.S. troops just back from Somalia on May 5, 1993. Two months later, on July 19, 1993, Clinton announced its "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue" policy toward homosexuals in the U.S. military. UPI File Photo July 19 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1848, "bloomers," a radical departure in women's clothing, were introduced to the first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, N.Y. They were named after Amelia Jenks Bloomer. In 1911, Pennsylvania became the first U.S. state to pass laws censoring movies. In 1943, U.S. planes bombed key railway, steel factory and airport targets in Rome, killing thousands of civilians as part of World War II. In 1946, Marilyn Monroe was given her first screen test at Twentieth Century-Fox Studios. Even without sound, the test was enough to earn Monroe her first contract. She divorced her first husband, James Dougherty, he told UPI, because of a no-marriage clause in the contract. Actress Marilyn Monroe is see in this undated photograph being interviewed by Vernon Scott, Hollywood reporter for United Press International. On July 19, 1946, Monroe was given her first screen test at Twentieth Century-Fox Studios. Even without sound, the test was enough to earn Monroe her first contract. UPI File Photo In 1969, John Fairfax of Britain arrived at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to become the first person to row across the Atlantic alone. In 1989, a crippled DC-10 jetliner crash-landed in a cornfield in Sioux City, Iowa. One-hundred-eighty-five of the 296 people aboard survived. U.S. Postal CMO and Vice President Loren Smith (L) and Craig Tartasky, vice president and executive director Sports Division, E.J. Krausse & Associates, unveil the 1996 Olympic stamps February 1, 1996, in Atlanta. File Photo by Jim Middleton/UPI In 1991, boxer Mike Tyson raped a contestant in the Miss Black America pageant in Indianapolis. He pleaded not guilty to the charge, but was convicted in 1992. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI Active and non-active U.S. military personnel participate for the first time in San Diego's Gay Pride Parade in San Diego on July 16, 2011. On July 19, 2012, the U.S. Defense Department said military personnel would officially be permitted to march in uniform in a San Diego Gay Pride Parade. File Photo by Earl S. Cryer/UPI In 1993, President Bill Clinton announced its "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue" policy toward homosexuals in the U.S. military. The policy was lifted in 2011. In 1996, the Summer Olympics opened in Atlanta with a record 197 countries taking part. In 1997, the IRA declared a cease-fire in its long war to force Britain out of Northern Ireland. In 2005, U.S. Appeals Court Judge John Roberts was nominated by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Supreme Court, replacing Sandra Day O'Connor, who resigned. After the death of William Rehnquist, Roberts' nomination was changed to make him chief justice. File Photo by Roger L. Wollenberg/UPI In 2010, a speeding express train slammed into the rear of a train preparing to leave a West Bengal station in India, killing more than 60 people and injuring about 100 others. In 2012, the U.S. Defense Department said military personnel would be permitted to march in uniform in a San Diego Gay Pride Parade. In 2018, Israel passed a law declaring the country a Jewish nation-state, giving only Jewish people self-determination. A month later, tens of thousands protested the controversial law in Tel Aviv, calling it a form of apartheid. File Photo by Air Sultan/EPA-EFE S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis asks for help from his staff on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, during a Senate Finance subcommittee meeting concerning $1.8 billion that has been discovered in an account. (Travis Bell/Statehouse Carolina/Special to the SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA South Carolina selected a Washington, D.C., consulting firm best known for restructuring companies in bankruptcy to search for the origins of $1.8 billion in taxpayer funding that sat unidentified and untouched in a bank account for more than five years. The states administrative agency selected AlixPartners for the forensic audit contract worth up to $3 million, according to a notice of award posted Thursday on the states procurement website. The contract runs from July 18 through June 30, 2025, according to the notice. The official contract has not yet been publicly posted and the state Department of Administration did not immediately respond Friday to questions from the SC Daily Gazette. AlixPartners will be required to provide an interim report on its findings at the end of September. The final report is due to the governor and legislative leaders by the end of the year, according to pre-award postings on the procurement website. AlixPartners will work alongside a working group formed by Gov. Henry McMaster to investigate the mystery money and identify how it was supposed to be spent. That group includes representatives in the State Treasurers Office, Comptroller Generals Office, State Auditors Office, Department of Administration, Attorney Generals Office and the Governors Office. The $1.8 billion came to light in the fallout from a $3.5 billion accounting error by the states former top accountant. That blunder, discovered in 2022, came from a computer coding glitch in which public colleges revenue was mistakenly double-counted for more than a decade in the states annual financial report it provides to Wall Street investors. State financial officials have said the $1.8 billion was overlooked in the wake of a chaotic, decade-long transition from the states old accounting system to a new one. At some point in the switch over, officials lost track of what agency or entity the money had been meant for. And no one alerted lawmakers to the issue. The governors working group has spent the last few months laying the groundwork for the forensic audit. It has gathered documentation, opened a portal for sifting through thousands of data entries that took place during the accounting system switch, re-ran past checks on financial records to make sure theyre accurate and made a platform to run tests on potential future changes to the accounting system. For its part, the state has asked AlixPartners to analyze and balance all of the State Treasurys cash and investments. The company will report to the governor and lawmakers on the accuracy of the state ledger and make recommendations for avoiding future unassigned dollars in the states accounts. BRUSSELS (Reuters) -The European Union is set to impose provisional duties on Chinese biodiesel after finding it is being sold in EU markets at unfairly low prices, in the latest in a string of trade cases against China. The European Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, has proposed setting provisional tariffs of between 12.8 and 36.4%, according to a document published on Friday. They are due to be imposed in mid-August. The investigation is due to continue until February, when definitive duties for five years could be set. The EU has already set provisional duties for electric vehicles made in China over what it sees as unfair subsidies in its most high-profile case. For biodiesel, proposed duties are 12.8% for EcoCeres Group products, 36.4% for Jiaao Group, including Zhejiang Jiaao Enproenergy Co, and 25.4% for exports by Zhuoyue Group, including Longyan Zhuoyue New Energy Co The European Biodiesel Board (EBB), which lodged the complaint, said earlier this month that a flood of biodiesel from China was having a devastating effect on EU production. Chevron Renewable Energy Group had furloughed German workers, Shell had paused construction of a Dutch plant, BP was pausing a project in Germany and Argent Energy had closed a biorefinery, EBB said. "While Chinese imports are not the only reason for these decisions, the biodiesel dumping has contributed to the difficulties producers face," it said. It says Chinese companies exported 1.8 million tonnes of biodiesel to the European Union in 2023, 90% of all Chinese biodiesel exports. The European Waste-based and Advanced Biofuels Association said it welcomed the measures, adding it believed they would prompt a normalisation of market conditions from an "extremely adverse" situation since late 2022. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop and Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Susan Fenton) WASHINGTON (DC News Now) A man was sentenced to over 13 years in prison on Wednesday for his role in a spree of pharmacy robberies throughout Maryland and Virginia in 2021. Floyd Neal, 31, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty in March to three counts of interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting; and using, carrying and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO). On Valentines Day in 2021, Neal and two co-conspirators traveled to a pharmacy in Henrico, Va. Neal went up to the pharmacy counter, pulled out a gun and ordered the pharmacists to hand over codeine, hydrocodone and oxycodone. DC police arrest 2 more teen girls in connection to 2023 murder He held one employee at gunpoint while another person demanded the pharmacist open the prescription safe, according to court documents. After grabbing the prescribed narcotics and amphetamines, the three fled in a red SUV. Just over a month later, on March 25, 2021, Neal and another person entered a pharmacy in Alexandria, Va. while wearing yellow construction vests. They posed as customers by grabbing beer, then the co-conspirator shouted Give me all the money and indicated he had a gun. The men ordered two employees into the stores office and took between $7,000 and $10,000 before fleeing. On March 31 of that year, Neal and two others drove to a third pharmacy in Beltsville, Md. One of his accomplices went behind the counter, grabbed an employee and demanded the code to a safe in the store. The manager entered the store while the robbery was in progress and one of the conspirators forced them into the back office where Neal was watching the other employee. The manager was forced to open the safe while Neal emptied the contents of the cash registers at the front of the store. Then, the trio fled. Southeast shooting leaves 2 dead, 2 hurt including child, DC police investigating The next day, on April 1, Neal and one other person went to a fourth pharmacy in Manassas, Va. One employee locked herself fin a back office. Another employee ran to the front where the co-conspirator grabbed them by the neck. Neal threatened the employees and ordered them to give him percocets and oxys or else he would hurt them, according to the USAO. He also ordered an employee to open the cash registers. Police arrested Neal and his accomplice as they fled. They also found a 9mm gun near the pharmacy. Since the pharmacies are part of a national chain, Neals robberies impacted interstate commerce. After his prison sentence, Neal will also serve five years of supervised release. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A man accused of opening fire in a Salemtown restaurant on Easter Sunday, killing one and injuring several others, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for charges related to the March shooting, as well as another incident from last year in Murfreesboro. On March 31, the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said a gunman opened fire during brunch at Roasted Salemtown in the 600 block of Garfield Street. Allen Beachem, 33, was killed and seven others were sent to the hospital. APRIL 2024: Deadly Easter shooting suspect was out on bond for another violent crime, court records say Authorities said the suspect in the shooting, Anton Rucker, was found at a home in Princeton, Kentucky, on April 2. Rucker appeared in court for a preliminary hearing on April 19, during which time a judge ruled, due to his extensive criminal history, including being a convicted felon with a federal hold in possession of a gun, he should remain in jail. His case was ultimately bound over to a Davidson County grand jury. On Friday, July 19, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a federal grand jury indicted the 47-year-old Murfreesboro man for unlawfully possessing ammunition stemming from his involvement in the shooting at Roasted Salemtown. The state has also charged Rucker with criminal homicide for that incident. APRIL 2024: Roasted Salemtown owner speaks out following deadly Easter shooting In addition, the indictment charged Rucker with unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a road rage incident in Murfreesboro on Aug. 26, 2023. According to the DOJ, Rucker passed another driver on a double yellow line and pulled in front of him, cutting the driver off and causing him to slam on his brakes to avoid a crash. Then, Rucker allegedly stopped his car, walked to the other drivers vehicle, and started arguing with him before brandishing a gun. Detectives from the Murfreesboro Police Department later searched Ruckers home and found several firearms, officials said. JUNE 2024: Roasted Salemtown chef shot in leg recalls deadly Easter shooting, shares message of resilience Authorities said the case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Murfreesboro Police Department; the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office; and the MNPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Hinkle is prosecuting it. 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. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) After formally endorsing former President Donald Trumps bid to retake the White House, Elon Musk has added pro-Trump emojis to Trump-related hashtags. The hashtag #MAGA now comes with a picture of the former president raising his fist in an emoji seemingly derived from the photo taken of him in the immediate aftermath of last weeks assassination attempt. Pelosi warns Biden his candidacy could prevent Dems from taking House, Obama expresses concerns The hashtag #Trump2024 is now accompanied by an American flag. If you click on the flag, American flags rain down across the search page. KRON4.com typed in the hashtags #Biden and #Biden2024 and no accompanying emojis appeared. But while Musk had been increasingly gravitating toward a pro-Trump stance prior to last weekends endorsement, the emojis are not actually an indication that X, formerly Twitter, has taken an official side in the presidential race. According to a report in Mashable, the emojis are part of a paid promotion. This is a commercially available product, said an X representative cited by Mashable. Xs website has a page on branded content opportunities, which lists Hashmojis and Hashmojis as among the available products. 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. SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) A Decatur man is accused of attempted capital murder for shooting another man in Siloam Springs, according to court documents. Jordyn Gonzalez, 18 (Courtesy: Benton County Detention Center) Jordyn Gonzalez, 18, was arrested on July 17 on attempted capital murder and first-degree battery charges. According to a probable cause affidavit, Siloam Springs police went to the 1100 block of South Holly Street on July 13 and found a man who was shot in the torso and near the kneecap. Witnesses told police a group of young men allegedly jumped the victim, beating and shooting him before leaving the scene. The man was taken to a nearby hospital, according to the affidavit. One unspent and two spent 9mm casings were found at the scene. Mental evaluation ordered for Rogers man accused of stabbing coworker with X-Acto knife The alleged victim spoke with police at the hospital and said he was called outside of his house by the group. Once he left his house, the group allegedly started kicking and hitting him before being shot, the affidavit said. The victim said he only knew one of the people involved in the incident. Police reviewed security camera footage of the incident on July 15 and identified the truck the group fled in. Two members of the group spoke to police after being identified and said Gonzalez was the shooter. Siloam Springs police talked to Decaturs chief of police, according to the affidavit. The chief said Gonzalez had many run-ins with the department for gun-related incidents and for shooting people in a couple of incidents. Gonzalez is being held in the Benton County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond and has been ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim. He has a court date set for August 26. 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. Defense offers different story in May Day mass shooting: He did not shoot and kill those two people BAY MINETTE, Ala. (WKRG) The defense is offering a different explanation of what happened in the mass shooting that left three dead on May Day. He did not shoot and kill those two people! said the defense. Mobile Alabama Power lineman reacts to aggressive Houston residents Robert Brown, Jr. is charged with the murder of Michael Anderson Jr. and Chequita Ewing. Witnesses told investigators Brown fired the first shots that started the mass shooting at the May Day celebration in Stockton. Defense Attorney Chase Dearman says Brown admitted to investigators he was armed with an AR15 with the stock removed but someone else fired the first shot. He tried to return fire but his gun jammed, moments after that he was shot, says Dearman. Testimony revealed investigators recovered 48 shell casings after the shooting but no .223 casings were recovered that would have been fired from an AR-style weapon. UPDATE: Brush fire currently isolated to woods in Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge I believe forensics are going to back it up, says Dearman. Somebody in a wheelchair had a .40 caliber weapon and if you noticed both victims that are deceased, the bullet fragments are .40 caliber. But it was Brown, according to testimony, who was looking to get even after being hit in the head with a bottle at a gathering a week earlier. Multiple witnesses on the scene who all corroborate each other who say that he was the initial shooter, says Assistant District Attorney Patrick Doggett. Every single one of those witnesses are part of the Sawmill Murder Gang, says Dearman. They are all in a gang together, every single one of them so all the witness testimony they were describing in court came literally from a gang. Prosecutors say based on the evidence collected so far Brown and Mack Adams are responsible for the deaths of Ewing and Anderson. Any claims by the defense at this point are just claims, adds Doggett. Dearman says there are also jailhouse phone call recordings between his Brown and his girlfriend that tell a different story. Prosecutors have not heard those recordings yet. 1 person killed in Gulf Shores Parkway crash: GSPD In the meantime, Brown is being held without bond under Aniahs Law. The case now goes to a grand jury. 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. 'It definitely changed me': Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg recalls being shot at Craig Greenberg, mayor of Kentucky's largest city, appeared on CNN Thursday to discuss the recent attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump and his own experience with gun violence while running for political office. Greenberg was interviewed by anchor Laura Coates, who asked how his experience of being shot at changed him. Greenberg was targeted inside his downtown campaign office in February 2022 while running to become mayor of Louisville. While not injured, the bullet came close enough that it grazed his sweater and left a mark. "It definitely changed me ... just as I'm sure experiencing gun violence changes everyone who is at the wrong end of a gun," Greenberg told Coates. The experience, he continued, gave him a stronger resolve than before "to try to work to end this gun violence that continues to plague our country. Whether it's in politics or whether in any part of life, gun violence has no place in America." Violence has no place in politics. Saturday's shooting should be a wakeup call for all of us. pic.twitter.com/crVeXlb0Bt Mayor Craig Greenberg (@LouisvilleMayor) July 18, 2024 The interview comes five days after Trump was injured in his ear by a bullet while giving a speech in Butler, Pennsylvania about 25 miles north of Pittsburgh. While Trump was not seriously injured, Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed and two others seriously injured 57-year-old David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver. Both are in stable condition, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. The shooter was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, who was shot and killed by Secret Service. Greenberg, who quickly denounced the attack, said Thursday he hopes it can serve as a wake-up call for the country. "I'm hoping maybe, finally, this attempted assassination attempt on President Trump is the wake up call that people like me continually hope for every time there's a heinous act of violence," Greenberg said. Speaking to the division within the country on many hot-button issues, Greenberg said the attack on Trump shows "the temperature needs to be lowered." Contact Krista Johnson at kjohnson3@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: On CNN, Louisville Mayor Craign Greenberg talks about being shot at (Dusan Stankovic via Getty Images) One of the most disheartening things I saw following the failed attempt to assassinate Donald Trump was a concentrated, days-long social media flogging of a female U.S. Secret Service agent. Social media users clipped shots of her from video, spread them and commented on her hair, height, weight and nerves. It was a pile-on like I have rarely seen. But the biggest comment in the posts has been about DEI, which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. Commenters wrote that the agent got her job only through efforts to diversify the Secret Service. I dont know her name or any of her qualifications. And neither does anyone else. The assumption that she isnt qualified simply because she is a woman is wrong and upsetting. She ran up on that stage amid gunfire to protect Trump with her life. She did her job and she not the shooter has become a target for hurtful rhetoric. Yes, she fumbled while holstering her gun as the motorcade pulled away. But I cant even imagine the adrenaline coursing through her veins moments after protecting a presidential candidate from violence that claimed the life of another. And its just the latest example of pushback on DEI. Blowback Take a stroll through social media, columns and other commentator quips. Essentially if you arent white or a man, the first response is to throw DEI around. Its a hurtful assumption that these people havent earned their positions through qualifications and hard work. I, for one, am heartened to see women in leadership positions. Its easy to tell someone anything is possible. But it is far more realistic if a child can see a person that looks like them doing just that. For instance, Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush recently announced she will seek another term leading Indianas court system and I couldnt be happier. No one better say DEI about her. Rush has led with distinction, serving the cause of justice for more than 40 years as both an attorney and jurist. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US When she was appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court, Indiana was one of only two states without a woman on the court. That is despite being half the population. Additionally, she is only the second woman to ever hold a position on the states top court. Rushs position means something to women that they can reach the top of their chosen fields despite challenges that men dont face. The National Center for State Courts reports that this year, 21 states have female chief justices; in 2019, 16 did. The number of states with over 40% female justices increased from 34 in 2023 to 35 in 2024, and those with over 50% increased from 13 in 2023 to 15 in 2024. Women have served as governor in 32 states but not here in Indiana. So far, the position of lieutenant governor seems to be the ceiling. Diversity isnt a bad thing, and it doesnt mean a person isnt qualified. And, heres a crazy thought, often the person is even better. Not because of their sex or race but because of their skills. We are giving them an opening and they are seizing it. They arent DEI hires. They are hires. Period. Of course, standards should not be lowered to make that happen. But reaching out to encourage people of all genders, race, religion and age to apply for positions is simply giving more people a chance. Expanding the pool of candidates is the best way to get to diversity. And once there let a persons work ethic, talent and credentials win the day. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Friday flying just got a little more difficult. A massive global technology outage early Friday hit computers around the world, affecting emergency response services, hospitals, and even airlines, according to The New York Times. Savannah-Hilton Head International was not spared from the impact. Lori Lynah, the Director of Marketing and Air Services for the airport said around 6:30 a.m. Friday that besides the 6 a.m. Southwest Airlines flight to Chicago, nothing is moving. She added that there are already people in line to make changes to their travel plans, fearing they will miss connections. Lynah did not have an update on when exactly things will start moving again. According the Savannah-Hilton Head International flight status page, there were 30 departures scheduled between 5:15 a.m. and noon Friday, and as of 7 a.m., 16 have been delayed or canceled. The first arrival of the morning is still scheduled to land at 8:34 a.m. from Charlotte. But already, five arrivals between 10:20 a.m and 12:15 p.m. have been either delayed or canceled. As of 8 a.m., American Airlines flights were expected to board soon, said Lynah, so travelers can expect to see things slowly catch up throughout the day. Delphi murders suspect Richard Allen lost in his latest attempt to remove Special Judge Frances Gull off the double-murder case after the Indiana Supreme Court's chief administrative officer decided Friday that doing so "is not warranted." Allen, through his attorney, argued last week that Gull has violated rules by failing to make decisions on two of the defense team's motions within the 30-day time frame the rules required. Because of this, the case must be withdrawn from Gull's court, and the Indiana Supreme Court must appoint a special judge, defense attorney Andrew Baldwin argued, citing Indiana trial rules. "However, Mr. Allen is mistaken, and the matter should not be removed from the trial court," Justin Forkner, chief administrative officer of the Indiana Supreme Court, wrote in a decision Friday. Forkner said the rules specifically Indiana Trial Rule 53.1 no longer apply to Allen because the deadline to ask for withdrawal based on the judge's failure to issue timely rulings has passed. The request centers on two motions that were filed in March and April. Months later, Gull has yet to issue a ruling. But Forker said that to successfully remove the case from Gull's court, Allen should've made the request shortly after the 30-day time frame had elapsed not months later. The two motions are seeking what's called a Frank's hearing, which would allow the defense team to present evidence that law enforcement made false statements in an affidavit that ultimately led to Allen's arrest in October 2022. A 'legal disaster': Delphi murder case, marred by delays and endless fights Allen is facing four murder charges for the deaths of Abigail "Abby" Williams and Liberty "Libby" German. The Delphi teens were last seen hiking on the Monon High Bridge on Feb. 13, 2017. Their bodies were found the next day. Allen, who worked at a local pharmacy, was arrested and charged more than five years later. Officers transport murder suspect Richard Allen during a hearing regarding sealed documents, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, at Carroll County Courthouse in Delphi, Ind. The case has been marred by controversies, delays and endless fights. Allen's attorneys have accused Gull of being biased against them by "maligning" them and calling them "incompetent," "negligent" and "sloppy." Last month, Gull rejected another attempt by the defense team to persuade her to step down from the case, saying adverse rulings "do not support a reasonable basis for questioning the Court's impartiality, nor are they grounds for disqualification." Evidence leak, suicide, Odinists: Inside 'bizarre' Delphi murders case Several other pending motions on critical issues, including what evidence can and cannot be presented to the jury, are set for hearings from July 30 to Aug. 1 in Carroll County. Allen's trial is set to begin in October and is expected to last more than a month. Contact IndyStar reporter Kristine Phillips at (317) 444-3026 or at kphillips@indystar.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Delphi suspect Richard Allen loses in latest bid to remove Judge Gull The downage did not stem from a cyberattack but instead from a failed software update by American cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty A stock photo of American Airlines planes. Flights from American Airlines, Delta and United and other airlines were grounded on the morning of Friday, July 19 amid a global technology outage The disruption stems from a failed software update from CrowdStrike, one of the largest global cybersecurity providers CrowdStrike has said the problem was not caused by a cyberattack Multiple major U.S. airlines' including American, Delta, and United grounded their flights on the morning of Friday, July 19 amid a global technical outage. The massive, worldwide IT disruption is affecting Microsoft Windows and all computer systems that use it, leaving those using the technology with what social media has long dubbed the dreaded "blue screen of death," reported multiple outlets including NBC News, CNN and BBC News. It's said to not stem from a cyberattack but a bug in an update by American cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, one of the world's largest providers whose software is used by scores of global industries, the outlets reported. The downage has affected far more than airlines. It's wreaked havoc worldwide in a number of other industries including banks, stock exchanges, police and fire stations, hospitals, news broadcasters, and other public transit systems worldwide like trains and busses, according to multiple outlets. Other businesses have been hit too, from major Fortune 500 companies to local coffee shops using mobile ordering. Even those using a Microsoft Windows operating system on their personal PCs have been reporting problems, PEOPLE has confirmed. Microsoft didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE but issued a public statement Friday morning. "We acknowledge how impactful this is for our customers, and we're working to still receiving obstructions as soon as possible," the company said. CrowdStrike noted they have identified the issue and that a fix has been deployed but is slowly taking into effect. "The system was sent an update and that update had a software bug in it and caused an issue with the Microsoft operating system. And we identified this very quickly and remediated the issue. As systems come back online and they're rebooted, they're working," George Kurtz, the founder and CEO of CrowdStrike, added in a live interview on the Today show. "We're deeply sorry for the impact that we've caused to customers, to travelers, and to anyone affected by this including our company," he said. "It is our mission to make sure that every customer is recovered. We're not going to relent until we get every customer back to where they were." In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, CrowdStrike added that Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. "We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website," they said. "We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers." Hollandse Hoogte/Shutterstock Long lines at the check-in desks at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam Related: American Airlines Passengers Defy Orders to Leave Belongings and Move During Chaotic Plane Evacuation: WATCH As of 8 a.m. EST on Friday morning, some flights began to take off again in the United States, but transportation delays are likely to ripple throughout the day. American Airlines confirmed to PEOPLE that "we have been able to safely re-establish our operation" but that planes would only depart after 5 a.m. EST. Meanwhile, United told PEOPLE that travelers should "expect schedule disruptions to continue throughout Friday," while Delta urged "customers whose flights are impacted" to use their official app for updates. All apologized for the inconvenience, pointing to the technical issues that have impacted "multiple carriers." AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images Delta Airlines Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Other airlines impacted included Frontier Airlines, who first reported on Thursday, July 18 in a news release on their website that "a major Microsoft technical outage" had "led to several flight cancellations and delays." By Friday morning, the airline noted on Facebook that "the ground stop has been lifted, and our systems are gradually normalizing." The FAA has been in contact with air traffic controllers, telling them to update airborne pilots on the ongoing communication issues. "The FAA is closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines," the organization told PEOPLE in a statement. "Several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops for their fleets until the issue is resolved." Getty A stock photo of a United Airlines plane. Related: Tire Falls Off United Airlines Flight After Takeoff for Second Time in 4 Months Unsurprisingly, the IT outage has led to major backups at airports, with stranded travelers waiting for information. Airports across the globe, including Berlin and Amsterdam, have all reported similar delays and long check-in lines. Newscasters for the Australian Broadcasting Company were presenting in front of blank screens, while Sky News in the U.K. wasn't even able to go on air at one point, the BBC News reported. Other media organizations in Australia including Channel 7, Channel 9, SBS and News Corp also reported issues with their networks. The organizing committee for the Paris Olympics said its IT operations have also been impacted, according to BBC News. Sean Gallup/Getty Travellers wait at a check-in counter at BER Berlin Airport Irish low-cost airline Ryanair added in a message shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), "Were currently experiencing disruption across the network due to a Global 3rd party IT outage which is out of our control." Per a message shared on the Melbourne Airport Facebook page, Jetstar Airways had also been "experiencing a significant outage," while Qantas and Virgin were said to be "slowly processing passengers." A statement on the Azure cloud software status report site read on the morning of July 19, "We've been made aware of an issue impacting Virtual Machines running Windows, running the CrowdStrike Falcon agent, which may encounter a bug check (BSOD) and get stuck in a restarting state. We're aware of this issue and are currently investigating potential options Azure customers can take for mitigation." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Former President Donald Trump. Theodore Parisienne/NY Daily News via Getty Images The SEC has sued the former chief executive of the SPAC that helped take Trump's media company public. Patrick Orlando "falsely represented" his SPAC's talks with Trump Media, the SEC said. The SEC previously charged TMTG's former auditor with what it described as massive fraud. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sued Patrick Orlando the former chairman and CEO of the SPAC that helped take Donald Trump's media company public. The SEC says Orlando "falsely represented" that his blank check company, Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC), wasn't planning to merge with a specific target. Orlando had actually been having "numerous lengthy discussions" with Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). TMTG is the parent company of Trump's Twitter clone, Truth Social. The social media firm's shares have been ricocheting up and down since going public earlier this year. In the suit, the SEC notes it imposed an $18 million civil penalty against DWAC in July 2023 for misrepresenting its negotiations with TMTG. Neither Orlando's lawyers, DWAC, nor TMTG immediately responded to requests for comment from Business Insider. The SEC says it's looking to prevent Orlando from engaging in similar conduct in the future and "disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains" as well as prejudgment interest and civil penalties. This isn't the first time the SEC has targeted entities associated with TMTG. In May, the SEC charged TMTG's former auditor with "massive fraud." At the time, a TMTG spokesperson told Business Insider it "looks forward to working with new auditing partners." Read the original article on Business Insider GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said on Friday that democracy in Guatemala "remains in danger," despite election winner Bernardo Arevalo assuming the presidency this year after a post-electoral crisis. Guatemala had in 2023 one of the most tense electoral processes in its recent history, after the Prosecutor's Office tried to invalidate the election's results and prevent Arevalo from being sworn in as president. "A human-rights advocate I met with told me: 'Democracy is still in danger. We must do whatever is necessary to change the status quo' and I totally agree with this assessment," Turk said at a press conference in Guatemala City, concluding a visit to the country. During his visit this week, Turk met with Arevalo, civil-rights representatives, Indigenous leaders and businessmen, and stated that for him it was a "priority" to support the country's efforts to strengthen the democratic system. "For a state to function, the three powers must work in consonance. And for now, that is not happening. The polarization between the institutional bodies is enormous," he added, amid strong clashes between the executive, legislative and judicial powers in the country. Since taking office in January, Arevalo has lost several battles in Congress, where he only has support from 23 of 160 seats, failing to pass several laws, such as one to expand the national budget and others to declare rain emergencies. (Report by Sofia Menchu; Editing by Rod Nickel) Democratic calls for a new nominee ramp up as Biden camp pledges to stay the course President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ten more congressional Democrats called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid Friday, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence among his fellow Democrats in his ability to win Novembers election. The 10 Democrats on Friday, the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, brought the total to 31, increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, posted a statement on X. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE Democratic calls for a new nominee ramp up as Biden camp pledges to stay the course President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ten more congressional Democrats called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid Friday, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence among his fellow Democrats in his ability to win Novembers election. The 10 Democrats on Friday, the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, brought the total to 31, increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, posted a statement on X. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. Democratic calls for a new nominee ramp up as Biden camp pledges to stay the course President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ten more congressional Democrats called on President Joe Biden on Friday to drop his reelection bid, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence among his fellow Democrats in his ability to win Novembers election. The 10 Democrats on Friday, the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, brought the total to 31, increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, posted a statement on X. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. Democratic calls for a new nominee ramp up as Biden camp pledges to stay the course LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 16: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Biden returned to the campaign trail, delivering remarks at the NAACP convention today, and will tomorrow at the UnidosUS Annual Conference during a visit to the battleground state of Nevada. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ten more congressional Democrats called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid Friday, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence among his fellow Democrats in his ability to win Novembers election. The 10 Democrats on Friday, the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, brought the total to 31, increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, posted a statement on X. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. Democratic calls for a new nominee ramp up as Biden camp pledges to stay the course President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19. (Mario Tama | Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ten more congressional Democrats called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid Friday, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence among his fellow Democrats in his ability to win Novembers election. The 10 Democrats on Friday, the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, brought the total to 31, increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, posted a statement on X. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. Democratic calls for a new nominee ramp up as Biden camp pledges to stay the course President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19. (Mario Tama | Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ten more congressional Democrats called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid Friday, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence among his fellow Democrats in his ability to win Novembers election. The 10 Democrats on Friday, the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, brought the total to 31, increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois, and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, posted a statement on X. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. Democratic calls for a new nominee ramp up as Biden camp pledges to stay the course President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ten more congressional Democrats called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid Friday, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence among his fellow party members in his ability to win Novembers election. The 10 Democrats on Friday, the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, brought the total to 31, increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, posted a statement on X. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE Democratic calls for a new nominee ramp up as Biden camp pledges to stay the course President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ten more congressional Democrats called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid Friday, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence among his fellow Democrats in his ability to win Novembers election. The 10 Democrats on Friday, the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, brought the total to 31, increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, posted a statement on X. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE Democratic calls for a new nominee ramp up as Biden camp pledges to stay the course President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19 (Mario Tama/Getty Images). WASHINGTON Ten more congressional Democrats called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid Friday, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence among his fellow Democrats in his ability to win Novembers election. The 10 Democrats on Friday, the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, brought the total to 31, increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, posted a statement on X. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. Democratic calls for a new nominee ramp up as Biden camp pledges to stay the course President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024, in Las Vegas President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center on July 16, 2024, in Las Vegas. It was Bidens last event before he left the campaign trail due to testing positive for COVID-19. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) WASHINGTON Ten more congressional Democrats called on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid Friday, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence among his fellow Democrats in his ability to win Novembers election. The 10 Democrats on Friday, the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, brought the total to 31, increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, of Kentucky, posted a statement on X. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. Democratic group to air commercial calling on Biden to drop out during his favorite show Democratic group to air commercial calling on Biden to drop out during his favorite show The group plans to air the ad on "Morning Joe," Biden's talkshow of choice, until he steps aside. The ad will air in D.C. and the area around Rehoboth, Delaware, where Biden is isolating with COVID. More elected Dems called on Biden to "pass the torch" on Friday, ramping up the pressure campaign. A Democratic group, Pass the Torch, is doing all it can to ensure that President Joe Biden hears their pleas that he drop his reelection bid. Starting Monday, the group will air an advertisement pushing him to drop out on "Morning Joe," the president's talkshow of choice, NBC reported. The 30-second advertisement includes Democratic voters from Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state. They stand in front of leafy trees and brick houses, speaking directly to the camera and the president. "President Biden, you saved democracy in 2020," one says. "Now, you have a chance to do it again," continues another. The voters urge Biden to let them choose a candidate that can "bring new energy" and defeat Donald Trump. At the end, the camera cuts between different handmade signs reading, "Pass the torch Joe." The ad will run in Washington, D.C. and the area around Rehoboth, Delaware, where Biden is currently isolating with COVID-19. "We want to get this message that we're so grateful for all you've done, and now it's seriously time to pass the torch directly to President Biden," Aaron Regunberg, a member of Pass the Torch, said. "We'll be going up his favorite programs, and we plan to stay up until we hear the announcement that he's going to do the right thing and step aside. Hopefully we'll be able to take it off the air in the very near future." Regunberg did not provide details on how much money the group is spending on the advertisement. Pass the Torch did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. As more elected Democrats call on Biden to bow out, it seems that he can't escape the growing push to get him off the ticket come Monday, it will even dominate his cup of morning joe. Read the original article on Business Insider All The Democratic Lawmakers Calling On Joe Biden To Bow Out Of The 2024 Race WASHINGTON The slow-drip of Democratic lawmakers calling on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid continues, to the point where a dam may be about to break. On Friday, 11 more House members and two more senators urged Biden to step aside amid concerns about his mental acuity and ability to defeat Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the November election. In total, more than 30 Democratic lawmakers are publicly pressuring the president to bow out of the race. Thats more than 10% of all congressional Democrats. Democratic lawmakers have been panicking about Bidens fitness to lead the country, particularly after his disastrous presidential debate performance last month. They point to polls showing him falling behind Trump in the aftermath of that debate, and are worried that a sinking Biden ticket will drag down their races too, potentially handing full control of Congress to Republicans in November. Biden maintains hes not going anywhere and is the best candidate to defeat Trump. Hes got the support of at least some in his party to stay atop the ticket, and it is his decision, ultimately, on how to proceed. But the pressure is intensifying on him to pull out, and theres only a few more weeks until the Democratic National Convention, at which point delegates will cast their votes for the partys official nominee. In other words, Democrats need to come together and decide what they want to do as a party and fast. Heres a list of all of the Democratic lawmakers who have publicly called on Biden to bow out and pass the torch to the next generation of leaders, as many have put it. This list will be updated if and when more lawmakers make similar calls. Sen. Peter Welch (Vt.) was the first Democratic senator to call on Biden to withdraw from his reelection campaign. Bill Clark via Getty Images Senators 1. Peter Welch of Vermont: Welch was the first senator to urge Biden to bow out, writing in a July 10 op-ed, I understand why President Biden wants to run. But he needs to reassess whether he is the best candidate to do so. In my view, he is not. For the good of the country, Im calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race. 2. Jon Tester of Montana: While I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election, he said in a July 18 statement. Tester is in a close race that could decide which party controls the Senate. 3. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico: The return of Donald Trump to the White House poses an existential danger to our democracy, he said in a July 19 statement. While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Bidens alone, I believe it is in the best interests of our country for him to step aside. 4. Sherrod Brown of Ohio: I agree with the many Ohioans who have reached out to me, he said in a statement on July 19. I think the President should end his campaign. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) was the first Democrat in Congress to call on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid. Now more than 30 Democratic lawmakers are doing the same. Tom Williams via Getty Images House members 5. Lloyd Doggett of Texas: He was the first lawmaker to call on Biden to step aside, citing his sagging poll numbers and poor debate performance. I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw, he said on July 2. 6. Raul Grijalva of Arizona: He told The New York Times on July 3 that Biden needs to shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race. 7. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts: Bidens debate was a disaster, Moulton said July 4, and now is the time for him to follow in one of our founding father George Washingtons footsteps and step aside to let new leaders rise up and run against Donald Trump. 8. Mike Quigley of Illinois: He said on MSNBC on July 5 that Americans owe Biden the greatest debt of gratitude for his decades of service, but the best way for him to prevent utter catastrophe is to step down and let someone else do this. 9. Angie Craig of Minnesota: I do not believe that the President can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump, Craig said on July 6. Thats why I respectfully call on President Biden to step aside. 10. Adam Smith of Washington: President Biden should end his candidacy for a second term and release his delegates to the Democratic National Convention, he said July 8. He added that this should happen as soon as possible to allow an alternative to be chosen. 11. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey: I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country, Sherill said in a July 9 statement. Thats why I am asking that he declare that he wont run for reelection. 12. Pat Ryan of New York: Joe Biden is a patriot but is no longer the best candidate to defeat Trump, he said in a July 10 statement. For the good of our country, I am asking Joe Biden to step aside to deliver on his promise to be a bridge to a new generation of leaders. 13. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon: It is a painful and difficult conclusion but there is no question in my mind that we will all be better served if the president steps aside as the Democratic nominee and manages a transition under his terms, he said in a July 10 statement. 14. Hillary Scholten of Michigan: President Biden has served his country well, but for the sake of our democracy, he must pass the torch to a new candidate for the 2024 election, Scholten said in a July 11 statement. 15. Brad Schneider of Illinois: In a July 11 statement, Schneider said it is time for Biden to heroically pass the torch to a new generation of leadership to guide us to the future he has enabled and empowered us to pursue. 16. Ed Case of Hawaii: Difficult times and realities require difficult decisions, Case said in a July 11 statement. This is one of those times, realities and decisions. I do not believe President Biden should continue his candidacy for re-election as President. 17. Greg Stanton of Arizona: I was one of President Bidens earliest supporters in 2020, he said in a July 11 statement. However the stakes in this election could not be higher. For our countrys sake, it is time for the President to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders. 18. Jim Himes of Connecticut: Biden is a remarkable leader of unparalleled public service, undeniable achievement, and unconditional patriotism, he said on July 11. It is because of those traits that I hope President Biden will step away from the presidential campaign. 19. Scott Peters of California: Today I ask President Biden to withdraw from the presidential campaign, he said on July 11. The stakes are high, and we are on a losing course. We must find a candidate from our deep bench of talent who can defeat Donald Trump. 20. Eric Sorensen of Illinois: In 2020, Joe Biden ran for President with the purpose of putting country over party, he said in a July 11 statement. Today, I am asking him to do that again. I am hopeful President Biden will step aside in his campaign for President. 21. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington: The crisis of confidence in the Presidents leadership needs to come to an end, she said on July 11. The President should do what he knows is right for the country and put the national interest first. 22. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado: Please pass the torch to one of our many capable Democratic leaders so we have the best chance to defeat Donald Trump, she said in a July 12 statement. 23. Mike Levin of California: I have deep respect for President Bidens five plus decades of public service and incredible appreciation for the work weve done together, Levin said in a July 12 statement. But I believe the time has come for President Biden to pass the torch. 24. Adam Schiff of California: While the choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Bidens alone, I believe it is time for him to pass the torch, he said July 17. 25. Jim Costa of California: President Biden has been an incredible President, he said in a July 18 statement. But for the good of the country, I think it is time for the President to pass the torch to the next generation to carry on the legacy he has started. 26. Zoe Lofgren of California: Your candidacy is on a trajectory to lose the WH and potentially impact crucial House and Senate races down ballot, she wrote in a July 18 letter to Biden. I urge you to step aside from our Partys nomination. 27. Greg Landsman of Ohio: It is time for President Biden to step aside and allow us to nominate a new leader who can reliably and consistently make the case against Donald Trump and make the case for the future of America, Landsman said in a July 19 statement. 28. Sean Casten of Illinois: It is with a heavy heart and much personal reflection that I am therefore calling on Joe Biden to pass the torch to a new generation, Casten said in a July 19 op-ed. 29. Jared Huffman of California: Mr. President, with great admiration for you personally, sincere respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership it is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders, he said in a July 19 joint statement. 30. Marc Veasey of Texas: Mr. President, with great admiration for you personally, sincere respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership it is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders, he said in a July 19 joint statement. 31. Chuy Garcia of Illinois: Mr. President, with great admiration for you personally, sincere respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership it is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders, he said in a July 19 joint statement. 32. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin: Mr. President, with great admiration for you personally, sincere respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership it is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders, he said in a July 19 joint statement. 33. Betty McCollum of Minnesota: I am calling upon President Biden to release his delegates and empower Vice President Harris to step forward, McCollum said in a July 19 statement. She suggested Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as a potential running mate for Harris. 34. Kathy Castor of Florida: I think its an exciting time to possibly pass the torch, she said on July 19, also plugging Harris to take his spot. Kamala Harris is a fighter and I have full confidence in her. 35. Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky: Biden genuinely cares about our country, McGarvey said in a July 19 statement. Thats why there is no joy in the recognition he should not be our nominee in November. 36. Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico: I believe too many of our fundamental freedoms ... are at risk under a Trump presidency and President Biden should step aside to give Democrats the best opportunity to win this November, he said in a July 19 statement. By Jarrett Renshaw and Stephanie Kelly (Reuters) -Several of U.S. President Joe Biden's reelection campaign fundraisers are on hold, multiple Democratic sources involved in the events told Reuters on Friday, even as the Democratic Party planned to accelerate his nomination and he vowed to continue in the 2024 race. Biden had planned to raise money in Austin, Denver and California next week, but these plans have been shelved, at least for now, the sources said. The president tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday but said Friday he would return to the campaign trail next week. Biden's campaign said his fundraisers would go ahead as planned. "Reuters' sourcing is incorrect, and we look forward to a robust fundraising schedule," campaign spokesman Kevin Munoz said on Friday. A source familiar with the situation said former late-night comic David Letterman would headline a fundraiser for Biden at the home of Hawaii Governor Josh Green in about 10 days, a sign of forward movement for Biden. A number of big donors are closing their checkbooks amid questions about whether Biden should remain at the top of Democratic Party ticket, the sources said, using their financial clout to tell Biden to drop out of the Nov. 5 race, potentially in favor of Vice President Kamala Harris. The campaign hoped to raise some $50 million in big-dollar donations in July for the Biden Victory fund but was on track for less than half that figure as of Friday, according to two sources familiar with the fundraising efforts. "There are a lot of donors who have said they won't put another dime in this race. The question is if Biden stays in the race, will they come back?" said one major East Coast campaign financier. Biden raised $28 million in one night in June at a Hollywood fundraiser that was hosted by the actor George Clooney, who later urged Biden to end his campaign. Harris will talk to major donors on Friday at the request of advisers to the president, according to a source familiar with the plan. Fundraising from megadonors was expected to drop from June to July due to many of these people taking vacations, a campaign official told Reuters on Friday. "This narrative that high-dollar fundraising has dried up is wrong," the official said. The official noted that the campaign has 10 campaign fundraisers on the schedule for this month. More than one in 10 congressional Democrats have now publicly called on the incumbent to drop out following a disastrous June debate against Republican Donald Trump that raised questions about Biden's ability to win or to carry out his duties for another four years. NOMINATING PROCESS MOVES FORWARD The official party process to nominate Biden is advancing. The Democratic National Convention Rules Committee met on Friday to outline a virtual voting process to bring forward the official nomination of the 81-year-old before the party's in-person convention starts Aug. 19 in Chicago. Officials argued an early nomination is needed to more easily comply with state election laws or risk being left off the November ballot. They're not risks that we as a party can or should take, Dana Remus, Biden's former White House counsel, told the committee. For a party already divided over Biden, with fresh calls on Friday from Democrats in Congress to leave, the early virtual vote is another point of controversy. Critics argue it is a means of pushing Biden through early as the party's official nominee. Others, including DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, say it is necessary to deal with an Ohio law that could have kept Biden's name off ballots in the state if he wasn't nominated by Aug. 7, prior to the convention in Chicago. A member of the rules committee asked whether it was possible that another candidate could challenge Biden in a virtual vote. Leah Daughtry, the committee's co-chair, said any challenger would need the "verified support of hundreds of delegates." "Such a challenge has never happened over the past half century of competitive primaries," Daughtry said. It was unclear how the nominating process would unfold if Biden were to abandon his reelection bid. The committee is expected to meet again next week to finalize the plan. Biden has been isolating since he tested positive for COVID this week and was believed to be taking calls to step aside seriously. Several Democratic officials think an exit is a matter of time, Reuters reported on Thursday. The writing is on the wall, said a Democratic donor on Friday. Biden has insisted for weeks that he would stay in the race despite calls from heavyweights in his party to cede his position. Trump, 78, accepted the Republican Party's nomination this week in Milwaukee, speaking before a rapt audience on Thursday. Some Democrats have begun advertising against Biden. Pass the Torch, a group that wants Biden to step down, has launched a TV ad to air in Washington and Rehoboth, Delaware, where Biden frequently vacations, and features Democratic voters from Pennsylvania urging Biden to "pass the torch." (Reporting by Stephanie Kelly, Jarrett Renshaw, Jeff Mason and Nandita Bose; editing by Deepa Babington, Heather Timmons, Alistair Bell, Cynthia Osterman and Diane Craft) Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) has joined the growing list of congressional Democrats calling on President Biden to step aside and allow someone else to run. In a brief statement, Costa became the second Democrat to call on the president to exit the race on Thursday alone. Costa said Biden has been an incredible president who led the country after the COVID-19 pandemic, but that its time for him to pass the torch. I am proud of the work we have done to pass monumental legislation that is leading to the first real investments in our communities in decades, he said in the statement, obtained by The Hill. But for the good of the country, I think it is time for the President to pass the torch to the next generation to carry on the legacy he started. Costa, 72, joined other Democrats arguing that the 81-year-old presidents poor debate performance highlighted his inability to beat former President Trump in the election and serve another four years if reelected. The California Democrat said he thinks Democrats should unite and deliver their strongest team to the American people in this election. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), also called on Biden to step aside. In a statement Thursday, Tester said he does not think the president should seek reelection. He became the second Senate Democrat to make that call. Several prominent Democrats have both suggested and explicitly asked Biden to withdraw from the race after his debate sparked panic in the party. Many are sticking with Biden, who insists he is staying in the race. All eyes are now on the president, as the decision to stay in remains his to make but the calls for him to pass the torch continue. 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. Democratic U.S. senator from New Mexico calls on Biden to drop out Sen. Martin Heinrich said the choice to withdraw is President Bidens alone, but he believes its in the countrys best interests for him to step aside. (Photo by Megan Gleason / Source NM) New Mexicos senior senator is calling on President Joe Biden to pass the torch to give Democrats a better chance of defeating former President Donald Trump in November. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich is the third Senate Democrat to publicly call on Biden to step aside as Democrats presidential nominee, following Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Peter Welch of Vermont. A handful of House Democrats are also beseeching Biden to get out of the race, including four more on Friday. Heinrich, in a statement Friday morning, praised Biden for his successes leading the country and long career in public service. However, this moment in our nations history calls for a focus that is bigger than any one person. The return of Donald Trump to the White House poses an existential danger to our democracy. We must defeat him in November, and we need a candidate who can do that. Heinrich said the choice to withdraw is President Bidens alone, but he believes its in the countrys best interests for him to step aside. By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nations greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy, Heinrich said. Biden, so far, has adamantly refused calls for him to step aside, though the New York Times reported this week he may be softening on that view. This story is republished from Source New Mexico which, like the Kentucky Lantern, is part of the nonprofit States Newsroom network. Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver is the heavy favorite to win election to the late Rep Donald Payne's seat in November. (Sophie NIeto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor) Democratic officials on Thursday chose Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver to take the late Rep. Donald Payne Jr.s place on Novembers ballot in the 10th Congressional District. McIver won 337 of the 426 votes cast at the Democratic convention in the Essex County Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology in Newark, nearly 80%. McIver, who will face Republican Carmen Bucco in the fall, is the heavy favorite to win in this heavily Democratic district, which includes towns in Essex, Hudson, and Union counties. Im just super excited to be over this second hump. Its been a very, very long process, McIver said. The district will see two elections in the next four months, one on Sept. 18 to determine who will serve out the remainder of Paynes term, which expires on Jan. 3, and one on Nov. 5, when voters will decide who succeeds Payne when the new Congress convenes. McIvers landslide victory comes on the heels of winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday to challenge Bucco in the Sept. 18 special election. McIver beat out six other candidates vying for the spot on Novembers ballot, including Linden Mayor Derek Armstead, Hudson County Commissioner Jerry Walker, former Payne staffer Shana Melius, and former Assemblyman Craig Stanley. Armstead nabbed 43 votes, Walker won 18, Stanley finished with 13, and Melius won 5. Teacher John Flora received six votes and community college professor Sheila Montague won four votes. Payne died at age 65 in April. His death came too late for his name to be taken off the ballot for Junes primary, which he won posthumously, so Democratic officials in the districts three counties had to meet Thursday to choose his replacement. A moment of silence was held before the vote in honor of Payne. Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) said Paynes successor will have enormous shoes to fill. McIver called this one of the longest processes of my political life. Despite it all, Im just totally, humbly, grateful and thankful for this opportunity to serve and looking forward to pushing to September 18, she said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Amid a generally positive week for European markets, with Germany's DAX index climbing 1.48%, investors are turning their attention to potential opportunities within undervalued stocks. In this context, identifying stocks that trade below their intrinsic value could be particularly compelling, especially when considering the broader market's upward trajectory and current economic indicators. Top 10 Undervalued Stocks Based On Cash Flows In Germany Name Current Price Fair Value (Est) Discount (Est) Kontron (XTRA:SANT) 19.79 30.69 35.5% Stabilus (XTRA:STM) 44.80 79.98 44% technotrans (XTRA:TTR1) 17.50 29.27 40.2% SAP (XTRA:SAP) 180.58 282.01 36% Stratec (XTRA:SBS) 42.00 81.77 48.6% SBF (DB:CY1K) 2.90 5.71 49.3% CHAPTERS Group (XTRA:CHG) 24.40 46.31 47.3% MTU Aero Engines (XTRA:MTX) 245.90 420.24 41.5% R. STAHL (XTRA:RSL2) 18.20 28.97 37.2% Your Family Entertainment (DB:RTV) 2.56 4.54 43.6% Click here to see the full list of 26 stocks from our Undervalued German Stocks Based On Cash Flows screener. Let's uncover some gems from our specialized screener. Overview: Adidas AG is a global company that designs, develops, produces, and markets athletic and sports lifestyle products across various regions, with a market capitalization of approximately 41.57 billion. Operations: The company generates revenue from several geographical segments, with 5.16 billion from North America, 3.20 billion from Greater China, and 2.31 billion from Latin America. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 33.5% Adidas AG, priced at 232.8, is considered undervalued by 33.5% against a fair value estimate of 350.16 based on discounted cash flow analysis. Recently returning to profitability, the company posted a significant turnaround with Q1 sales rising to 5.46 billion from 5.27 billion year-over-year and net income reaching 170 million compared to a loss previously. Forecasted annual earnings growth is robust at 41%, outpacing the German market's 18.9%. Revenue growth projections stand at 8% annually, also above the national average of 5.2%. XTRA:ADS Discounted Cash Flow as at Jul 2024 Overview: MTU Aero Engines AG operates in the development, manufacture, marketing, and maintenance of commercial and military aircraft engines and industrial gas turbines globally, with a market capitalization of approximately 13.24 billion. Operations: The company's revenue is divided into two main segments: the Commercial Maintenance Business (MRO) generates 4.35 billion, and the Commercial and Military Engine Business (OEM) contributes 1.27 billion. Story continues Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 41.5% MTU Aero Engines, trading at 245.9, is significantly undervalued by 41.5% relative to its fair value of 420.24, per discounted cash flow metrics. Poised for profitability within three years, MTX anticipates robust earnings growth of 34.94% annually. Recent financials reveal a slight dip in net income from 134 million to 126 million year-over-year despite an increase in sales from 1.54 billion to 1.65 billion in Q1 2024, underscoring potential recovery and growth dynamics against a backdrop of operational challenges. XTRA:MTX Discounted Cash Flow as at Jul 2024 Overview: Stabilus SE operates globally, manufacturing and selling gas springs, dampers, vibration isolation products, and electric tailgate equipment with a market cap of approximately 1.11 billion. Operations: Stabilus generates revenue primarily from three geographical segments: 548.37 million from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, 465.72 million from the Americas, and 293.73 million from the Asia-Pacific region. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 44% Stabilus SE, priced at 44.8, is significantly undervalued with a fair value of 79.98 based on discounted cash flow analysis, indicating a potential undervaluation by 44%. Despite recent adjustments to its fiscal year 2024 revenue forecasts down to between 1.3 billion and 1.35 billion from previous higher estimates due to weaker demand in key segments, the company's earnings are expected to grow substantially at 20.5% annually over the next three years, outpacing the German market growth rate of 18.9%. However, it faces challenges such as a high debt level and declining profit margins year-over-year from 9.8% to 6%. XTRA:STM Discounted Cash Flow as at Jul 2024 Taking Advantage Investigate our full lineup of 26 Undervalued German Stocks Based On Cash Flows right here. Are any of these part of your asset mix? Tap into the analytical power of Simply Wall St's portfolio to get a 360-degree view on how they're shaping up. Discover a world of investment opportunities with Simply Wall St's free app and access unparalleled stock analysis across all markets. Ready To Venture Into Other Investment Styles? This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include XTRA:ADS XTRA:MTX and XTRA:STM. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com The News Democrats woke up on Thursday morning in a post-Biden world, already looking ahead to what they saw as a likely exit that would pave the way for a new nominee. Thank him for his service and pivot to MAGA, a senior House Democratic aide said. Kadia, Joseph and Benjy's view As more and more conveniently timed leaks appeared indicating everyone from Nancy Pelosi to Chuck Schumer to Hakeem Jeffries had urged Biden to drop out, the writing appeared to be on the wall even if Joe Biden has shown no public sign of reading it. Some Democrats have fantasized that Biden would announce the decision right before or after Donald Trumps nomination speech in order to steal the news cycle. The question is already turning to what comes next. In conversations with Democratic elected officials, staffers, and strategists the early conventional wisdom was that Vice President Kamala Harris would eventually step into his role atop the ticket. Whether that would be through a direct endorsement by Biden and key party leaders, or a brief pseudo-primary against other candidates, shes still seen as the likeliest replacement even as some Democrats argue that an outsider likely one of several governors might give them a better chance to reset the race. Its not clear anybody else could generate the name ID quickly enough to run a real campaign because no ones ever heard of any of those people, one top Democratic strategist told Semafor. They added there were huge, huge, huge logistical and financial hurdles that would have to be overcome to stand up a campaign around someone who was not currently on the ticket. Speaking at a virtual Politico event on Thursday, Washington Rep. Adam Smith said I support Kamala Harris as the nominee, but that she should also earn it against other candidates in an open convention. Whoever won, the bar for improvement sounded low. Number one, you know she is a more articulate campaigner. She will be able to deliver this message more effectively, he said. And number two, nobody is questioning her health. But all of the talk of next steps was still speculation the environment was moving so fast that it seemed hard to keep up. This is uncharted waters, John Lawrence, a former chief of staff to Nancy Pelosi said. In the meantime, if theres a final push to rescue Biden coming, theres little sign of it now as reports emerge that the presidents campaign and inner circle are growing more resigned to his fate. Room for Disagreement Even the most senior Democrats are uncertain what will happen. Crucial decisions both whether he will depart; and if so, on what conditions rest with the president and theres little visibility into his thinking right now. And while the early conventional wisdom among Democrats is that Harris will be the nominee, the lesson of this month is that absolutely anything can happen. Politico reported that Democrats concerned about her candidacy have been circulating a polling memo by BlueLabs arguing that alternative candidates will have a better shot. A range of other names have circulated, including red and purple-state governors like Kentuckys Andy Beshear and North Carolinas Roy Cooper, as well as the governors of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and California. DENVER (KDVR) Three Denver police officers have been cleared of criminal charges after they shot a person who was standing in traffic on Broadway last month and moved toward two of them with a hunting knife. The shooting happened on June 16, and according to an investigation by Denver District Attorney Beth McCanns office, the officers were justified in their use of force. Download the FOX31 App: Breaking news alerts & Pinpoint Weather The 52-year-old victim, whose legal name was Miguel Tapia, was standing in the intersection of Broadway and Lawrence Street for more than 40 minutes, according to the DA. The DA explained that the suspect presented as female at the time of the incident. During all conversations cited in the report, Tapia spoke in Spanish. Tapia allegedly told police to use force and threatened officers. When Tapia pulled out a hunting knife and moved toward officers, two Tasers were fired and hit Tapia, but the DA said that they had no effect. An officer was heard on previously released body-worn camera footage yelling shoot her. The two officers who fired their Tasers plus a third officer on the scene then fired their handguns. According to the DA, 12 shots were fired in a three-second span. Tapia was hit by multiple gunshots and died at the scene. The severity of the threat, coupled with how rapidly Tapia was attacking, meant that time was of the essence and that it was necessary to use a degree of force in defense that was immediately effective. I find it objectively reasonable for the officers to believe that deadly force was necessary, and that a lesser degree of force would have been inadequate to safely defend against Tapias actions, McCann said in a letter explaining her decision to Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox DA McCann will hold a virtual community meeting about her decision on Aug. 14, a letter from her office said. Details on how to attend will be shared in the future. 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. DENVER (KDVR) Wastewater will soon be analyzed for answers about the increased fentanyl seizures and fentanyl overdoses in Colorado. The Denver Department of Health and Environment, with support from Opioid Abatement Settlement Funding, is partnering with Biobot Analytics in a wastewater testing program. They will be testing for high-risk substances like fentanyl. What happens to drugs confiscated by law enforcement in Colorado? Law enforcement in Colorado has been finding more and more fentanyl in recent years. The Rocky Mountain DEA seized more than twice as much fentanyl in 2023 compared to 2022. This year, fentanyl seizures are on pace to break the record again. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid and said it is linked to the increasing amount of fatal overdoses in the Mile High City. Wastewater samples from Metro Water Revocerys Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility will be tested. The results will reveal city-wide public health insights, which DDPHE said will help with targeted interventions, resource allocation, and evidence-based strategies for prevention and harm reduction. Not only will the testing detect fentanyl and other substances within the Denver sewer shed, but DDPHE said it will show just how much the population is consuming such substances. As the overdose death rate declines nationally, Colorados continues to rise We are committed to finding innovative solutions to address complex public health challenges, DDPHE executive director Karin McGowan said. This partnership will allow us to capture and analyze data that has the potential to drive positive outcomes in the fight against the opioid epidemic in Denver. Ultimately, DDPHE said the data-driven approach will help support Denvers overdose prevention efforts by detecting the presence of fentanyl, its adulterations, and related substances to better anticipate spikes in use within the 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 FOX31 Denver. Dept. of Ed. holds first cell phone-free education meeting and more Virginia headlines The state Capitol. (Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) Virginia Department of Education holds first cell phone free education meeting.Fox 5 Suffolk family warns parents to check for ticks after daughters tick paralysis diagnosis.WAVY Virginia man indicted for exploiting girl, flying to Minnesota to try and meet her, DOJ says.CBS News Virginia health department warns against swimming in James River around Richmond after sewage release.Axios Richmond Rare white crow rescued after dive bombed by other crows in Virginia.Washington Post SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) Two Mason County deputies and a state conservation officer are being praised for their quick work to help rescue a young bald eagle that had reportedly been hit by a vehicle. WATCH: Deputies, DNR officer rescue injured bald eagle The Mason County Sheriffs Office posted a dashboard camera video of the rescue to its Facebook page Thursday evening. It shows Deputy Ken Baum approach the injured bird on the side of the road and wrap it in a blanket. A short time later, a Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officer arrives and uses thick animal-handling gloves to help pick up the bird. The eagle was taken to a rehabilitation center where they expect the bird to make a full recovery. Back from the brink: Michigans bald eagle population soaring once again The sheriffs office highlighted the overwhelming symbolism in a small act of sympathy. Take note (of) K9 Deputy Baum, a retired sergeant major in the United States Marine Corps, using an American icon blanket, Harley Davidson, for another American icon of freedom, the bald eagle, the post read. 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. GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) An investigation is underway after one person was injured in a shooting early Friday morning in Greenville County. The Greenville County Sheriffs Office said deputies were called before 1:30 a.m. to the Baymont Inn and Suites at 31 Old Country Road. Deputies said the shooting occurred outside of the establishment. One person sustained a gunshot wound. The victim is expected to recover from their injuries according to deputies. The sheriffs office said investigators are working to determine what events led to the shooting. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Greenville at 23-CRIME. 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 WSPA 7NEWS. Two people in custody after deputy pursuit in Clarksville CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Montgomery County Sheriffs Office was involved in a pursuit Friday afternoon that resulted in the apprehension of two suspects on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard and College Street. The sheriffs office said they had been investigating a stolen vehicle at the B&L Market on College Street. When they tried to make contact with the driver, a fight broke out and shots were fired by the deputy. The suspect then fled on Wilma Rudolph Boulevard. READ MORE | Latest headlines from Clarksville and Montgomery County The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) said that the reasons for the confrontation between the deputy and the driver are under investigation. A passenger reportedly exited the vehicle while it was still in motion shortly thereafter. A statement from the TBI said that the passenger had been shot. A deputy took that passenger into custody while the suspect vehicle fled back down College Street. Later, another law enforcement officer was able to stop the suspect vehicle at a third location. The TBI added that the driver of the suspect vehicle had also been shot. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Both suspects were taken into custody and taken to area hospitals, though their current conditions are not known at this time. The deputy involved in the shooting incident was not injured, according to the sheriffs office. The Montgomery County Sheriffs Office said that the investigation is active. No additional details have been released. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. 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. UPDATE: Des Moines city leaders on Friday made changes to a proposed ordinance to ban camping in public areas, which will come before the City Council at a work session and special meeting Monday morning. The changes, which were republished on the city's website, are as follows: The proposed fine for violating the camping ban ordinance was reduced from $120 to $50. Violations are misdemeanors and don't include jail time. Campers found in violation of the ordinance will be offered one-time transportation to a shelter location or will be given directions to a shelter. Those who refuse the shelter and refuse to vacate the public property would be considered in violation of the ordinance. A camper may not be penalized if there is no shelter space in the city. Community service may be ordered if a person cannot afford to pay a fine. ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Des Moines is looking to ban camping and reduce the number of days people have to remove their belongings from public spaces. Proposed ordinances that take what city leaders call a "harder-line" approach to addressing homelessness would end Des Moines' complaint-based system of dealing with homeless campsites. City staff would be empowered to remove and clean them up on their own initiative. City Council member Chris Coleman, chair of the Homeless Coordinating Council, said the policies are meant to increase the city's effectiveness in getting people off the street and into programs to better their lives. "And I know it's hard to live on the streets," Coleman said. "It's not easy. It's not healthy, a lot of times it's not safe. But we have too many people (who feel like) that's a better situation than moving into one of our shelters, and that's a problem. "And so we need to improve our shelters and make it not quite so easy to live on the streets. We want it to be easier to live where there are services and programs that can build their lives better." The proposed changes drew criticism from one council member, Josh Mandelbaum, and multiple Polk County-based homeless service providers, who said the county lacks alternatives, including enough shelter space and affordable housing options. Other Des Moines City Council members did not immediately respond to the Des Moines Register for comment Friday. On Saturday, ACLU of Iowa sent the council a letter calling on members to reject the proposed changes and instead focus on better access to housing and services. The letter also asks the council not to waive further reading of the ordinance changes, thus allowing more time for public discussion. The proposed changes follow the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling that people experiencing homelessness can be arrested and fined for sleeping in public spaces. The 6-3 decision, the most significant from the court on homelessness in decades, overturned a lower court's ruling that enforcing camping bans when shelter space is unavailable is cruel and unusual punishment. More: Des Moines may get more 'assertive' after US Supreme Court lets cities ban homeless camps It comes amid a more than 12% increase in homelessness to a total of more than 650,000 people in the U.S. in 2023, representing the largest unhoused population since the U.S. Department of Urban Planning and Development began tracking it in 2007. Coleman said unsheltered people are becoming more visible and more concerning to Des Moines residents. The latest figures from a semiannual point-in-time count in Polk County, conducted over a 24-hour period in January, showed 715 people experiencing homelessness an 11% jump from the previous year. Coleman said Des Moines is at a "tipping point" that, once passed, could result in a situation like those in some larger cities, where homeless populations are "out of control." Also, he said, a small percentage of people who are homeless are "disregarding our property, shunning our rules, and disrespecting our people." "And we have to be very serious about sounding the alarm that it's important to act. To do more, fund more, provide more and hold people accountable more than ever," he said. "Or the tipping point will happen." The proposals will come before the City Council on Monday in an added work session and special council meeting following a continuation of last week's council meeting, which was postponed as a tornado swept through the Des Moines metro. The ordinances would go into effect 14 days after approval, Des Moines Assistant City Manager Malcolm Hankins said. This embedded content is not available in your region. What would a changed Des Moines ordinance on camp cleanups include? Hankins said the city's proposed ordinance changes have two distinct elements. This first involves altering the city's current encroachment policy, which says structures, tents or shelter items left untended on public property can be removed and disposed of under City Code. Under the current rules, encroachment cleanups are primarily prompted by complaints from community members. The owners of the items have 10 days to remove their belongings before the city's Neighborhood Inspections Division a department whose duties include overseeing condemned buildings and junk abatement clears the site. Should the proposed ordinance pass, the city wouldn't need to wait for a complaint. Instead, a team of city staff such as police officers and public works employees would likely take action proactively depending on resources, Hankins said. The city also would reduce the time owners have to remove their items to three days. Any order still could be appealed within those three days. After three days, city staff would remove any property remaining. People's items of value would be stored by the city without charge for up to 30 days, Hankins said. "I think this is a place where the city could improve by storing personal possessions rather than discarding" them, Coleman said. More: How much has Des Moines spent on clearing and cleaning up homeless camps in 2024? The second proposed change is an ordinance that prohibits people from camping in public spaces, including sidewalks, streets, alleys, parks and under bridges. People found occupying a campsite in a public space would have 24 hours to clean it up. After that, the city could remove the campsite and personal items. As with encroachment cleanups, belongings of value would be stored for 30 days. People who violate the rule could be fined up to $120, the proposed ordinance states. Hankins said the camping rules wouldn't apply to designated campsites in city parks or during special events or other times when the city authorizes camping. He said, ideally, the ordinances would prompt people to clean up their campsites so that the city wouldn't have to. The city will continue to hold off on notices and camp cleanups when the National Weather Service forecasts wind chill below 10 degrees over 48 hours, as well as during the winter and summer point-in-time counts. More: Polk County response to homelessness 'significantly' short of community need, study shows Council member also wants to break down barriers to shelter use Coleman said the city is simultaneously working to remove common barriers to accessing shelter, such as concerns over storage of belongings, separation of people from their pets, and lack of transportation. In addition to providing 30-day storage, the city is working to formalize partnerships with organizations such as the Animal Rescue League of Iowa to host pets and work more closely with local service providers and shelter operators to connect with people who are camping in public spaces. Some service providers already get a heads-up from the city about encroachment complaints, allowing the providers to link up with people experiencing homelessness before the cleanup occurs. "Breaking down the obstacles (to) going to the shelter is more important to me than the ordinance," Coleman said. "So we gotta do both sides of the coin at the same time." He said he expects pushback on the ordinance, adding that community feedback is important to consider. But he said there needs to be a call to action, which means challenging service providers to step up and showing "tough love" to those who are experiencing homelessness. "This is about helping people. And we are not helping people when we let them perpetually live on our streets and in our woods," Coleman said. "We can be a better community on that. But it takes both a carrot and a stick, and we need to be good at both of those things." An encampent along Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in downtown Des Moines on July 3. Service providers express concerns, cite lack of housing options Angie Arthur, executive director of Homeward, Polk County's homelessness planning organization, said she understands the concern about people who are homeless sleeping outside, but says the metro lacks enough resources such as shelter space and affordable housing units. She pointed to a study published in early 2024 that revealed Polk County needs about three times the funding it currently gives to housing, emergency shelter and other resources for people experiencing homelessness. "So that becomes a challenge to be able to move from sheltered or unsheltered to a permanent housing when there's that significant gap," Arthur said. For every 100 "extremely low-income households" looking for housing, there are 26 available, Arthur said. "We can ask our service providers to do more," she said. "However, we need to have the investment in the community by the community, by our local governments, by the state government, and I would say even the federal government, to support the work that they do." She added the organization's concern is that fines could become a long-term barrier to housing should the ordinances pass. More: Why do some Des Moines homeless people avoid shelter? A new study finds out, plus other takeaways Anawim Housing CEO Cynthia Latcham said Friday there are not enough housing-first resources to serve the most vulnerable population, which is the most successful evidence-based practice to support people leaving "long-term, outside homelessness." For service providers, the proposed ordinance is a "gut punch because we are working to solve this issue without enough resources, so it's very disheartening," Latcham said. "And at the same time, we operate under research and evidence-based practices and so we know that fining people will have adverse consequences and that not everyone will be able to or will be accepted into the shelters." Since there's not enough space within shelters, and shelters are not equipped to accept everyone who's outside, it begs the question: "Where do these folks go to?" she asked. Hope Ministries Chief Development Officer Kathy Coady said on Friday that homelessness is a community concern and it's good that the city is paying attention to the issue. Coady said the agency will have to get a better understanding of what impact the ordinances would have should they pass. She also said that logistics such as how the city will work with shelter operators and secure personal storage will need to be "further fleshed out." "We certainly also want to have empathy and consideration for our residents who are currently experiencing homelessness and to provide them safe and dignified options and recognize there are options that exist within the community. And, you know, we look forward to continuing to cooperate with the city and other service providers so that we can continue to impact that," she said. Coady added that Bethel Mission, a 110-bed shelter for men, occasionally accommodates more than maximum capacity when needed, rather than turning people away. The agency is working to fill a gap for women and children with a new center at 3800 E. Douglas Ave. with 50 short-term and 50 long-term beds. Hope Ministries is also undertaking a project that could convert a former children's group at 1301 Kenyon Ave. into affordable housing for recently homeless men. Coincidentally, a vote on whether to approve a request to rezone the property will be picked up Monday morning from the council agenda last week, Coady said. More: Neighbors rally against plans for group home for men on Des Moines' south side Mandelbaum called the proposed policy change process "abysmal," criticizing the city for letting service providers know about the proposal the same day it went live on the city's website and not allowing extensive council deliberation and public comment. He added it appears the proposals "will not house another person but they will criminalize and create more barriers for people getting housing." In a statement issued Saturday, Mark Stringer, ACLU of Iowa executive director, said the Supreme Court's recent ruling "doesn't mean it's open season on taking action to harass people with no other options." "Just because someone doesn't have housing doesn't mean that they don't have constitutional rights," Stringer said. "These include constitutional protections of due process, free speech, and others. It's particularly heartless that the city is also considering fining people who are homeless $120." Stringer encouraged the council to focus on "real solutions to the problem of homelessness not just endlessly punishing and moving people who are homeless out of sight. These include better shelter capacity and options." Asked about pushback to the proposed policy, Coleman said: "I get very offended when, you know, people want to say that we're trying to criminalize homelessness. We are not," he said. "But we do have to have regulations and rules about people's behavior, and it's really important to me that we stress the difference." Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines looks to implement 'harder-line' approach on homelessness A man accused of being a Detroit-area graffiti artist has beaten the charges against him. A judge on Thursday dismissed six felony counts of malicious destruction of property against Bryan Herrin, of Hazel Park, who Wayne County prosecutors alleged was responsible for spraying faces of the character from Beavis and Butt-Head throughout Detroit. The charge is punishable by up to four years in prison. Judge Ronald Giles, of 36th District Court, cited insufficient evidence at the preliminary exam for the case to proceed. What appears to be the work of Detroit graffiti artist, who goes by the name of BVIS, was sprayed on concrete construction materials and was spotted near the 696 service drive in Pleasant Ridge on Friday, June 14, 2024. The Beavis graffiti appeared throughout the city for years on construction materials, dumpsters and freeway underpasses. Herrin was arrested in early June, two months after an unnamed man Metro Times reported to be behind the drawings told the alternative weekly that he sprayed about 20 faces per night, having been inspired by watching the Mike Judge show as a child and relating to the characters' inability to attract women. I mean, really, like, the whole series was just them trying to score, and that never happening, the man who Metro Times reported writes under the moniker BVIS said. And its like, I can relate to that real-life frustration. Court records show Herrin is in his late 30s. He was arrested following a search of his home, the Detroit Police Department previously told the Free Press. A spokesman declined to say whether his capture stemmed from the interview with Metro Times. The Wayne County Prosecutors Office blamed the dismissal on the judges determination that certain documents and witness testimony were inadmissible. A spokeswoman said the office is deciding whether to appeal the courts ruling. Herrins attorney, David Rudoi, applauded the dismissal. We respect the mayor and the people of the city of Detroit considering this issue a high priority, however, Mr. Herrin was innocent of the crimes alleged against him," Rudoi said. Graffiti removal has been a priority for the city of Detroit since Mayor Mike Duggan took office, when he established a task force to identify and prosecute artists and began spending millions to paint over their pieces. Duggan's crackdown dates back to the early 2000s, when, as county prosecutor, he jailed two out-of-town artists for 60 days for spraying an abandoned Detroit building and threatened to put a tagger painting turtles in prison, Deadline Detroit has reported. These guys go around, much like a dog marking his territory and urinating on fire hydrants, he said at a press conference on the effort, Deadline Detroit reported. City attorney Douglas Baker declined to comment on the specific case, but said "more generally, its dismissal does not deter us in the least from investigating and seeking to hold accountable those who deface and injure the property of others." Violet Ikonomova is an investigative reporter at the Free Press focused on government and police accountability in Detroit. Contact her at vikonomova@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit judge dismisses case against alleged Beavis graffiti artist Did the Deputy Accused of Killing Black Woman Who Called 911 Refuse Her Aid That Could've Saved Her Life? Sonya Massey, 36. - Photo: Facebook When Sonya Massey, 36, called police on July 6 to report a possible intruder in her Springfield, Ill. home, she was expecting help from the officers sent to protect her. Instead, Masseys fate was allegedly sealed by those same officers. In response to Masseys July 6 911 call, two deputies were sent to her house. After searching the area, the deputies reported gunfire around 1:21 a.m., saying a woman had been hit. The deputies immediately administered first aid until EMS arrived, thepress release stated. However, a petition from prosecutors suggests that Grayson did not render aid to Massey and discouraged his partner from doing so, according to NBC News. Massey was pronounced dead after being taken to St. Johns Hospital. According to a court document obtained by CNN, a dispute over a pot of hot water between Massey and the deputies led to Deputy Sean Grayson, 30, drawing and shooting his gun three times at Massey, hitting her once in the head. The document also alleges at some point during the dispute, Massey apologized with her hands up. An state-led investigation into the July 6 incident did not support a finding thatGrayson was justified in his use of deadly force, said John Milhiser, the states attorney for the county. Grayson was terminated and officially indicted on charges including first-degree murder, aggravated battery with firearm, and official misconduct. Ex-deputy Sean Grayson, 30, charged with murder of Black woman. - Screenshot: Facebook A Sangamon County Sheriffs Office press release stated it is clear that the deputy did not act as trained or in accordance with our standards. The statement went on to say Graysons actions were not a reflection of law enforcement. It continued: Good law enforcement officers stand with our community in condemning actions that undermine the trust and safety we strive to uphold. In times like these, it is crucial for leadership across all sides and spectrums to come together to heal our community. Body camera footage from the incident is scheduled to be released in full to the public on July 22. A funeral service for Massey, a single mother of two, is also scheduled for July 19, according to the Illinois Times. Following Masseys killing, several protests have erupted across the country. Black Lives Matter protesters are calling for transparency from law enforcement and policy change after Masseys murder. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker spoke out saying My heart breaks for Sonyas children, for her family and friends and for all who knew and loved her, and I am enraged that another innocent black woman had her life taken from her at the hands of a police officer. Following the media attention, Ben Crump, the well-known civil rights attorney, is said to be representing Masseys family. Grayson has pleaded not guilty on all charges. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You are here: Business Investigating authorities will conduct the anti-dumping probe into certain pork and pig by-products imported from the European Union (EU) through sampling, said China's Ministry of Commerce on Thursday. Given the large number of EU exporters and Chinese domestic producers involved, a full investigation would overburden the investigating authorities and prevent the timely completion of the investigation, said the ministry in a statement. China launched the anti-dumping investigation on June 17 this year. The probe will look into certain pork and pig by-products originating from the EU from Jan. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2023. It will also investigate any damage done to related Chinese industries from Jan. 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2023. Initial sampling result showed that the top three EU exporters in terms of export volume within the investigation period are selected and required to fill in a questionnaire within the prescribed time, namely Danish Crown A/S, VION Boxtel B.V., LITERA MEAT S.L.U., according to the statement. As for the investigation on damage done to Chinese industries, 24 Chinese companies are selected to fill in a questionnaire, the statement said. The sampled Chinese companies slaughtered 44.78 million pigs in total last year, accounting for 6.16 percent of the country's total pig output, according to the statement. The probe is expected to end before June 17, 2025, but may be extended for half a year under special circumstances. A home merchandise store in Fairview Heights will soon become Gabes department store. Jacob Maslanka, store manager for Old Time Pottery at 10785 Lincoln Trail in Fairview Heights, confirmed by phone that the location will transition to a Gabes store. He said the store is currently holding an inventory reduction sale with discounts of up to 40% off all merchandise. Gabes (Gabriel Brothers Inc.) acquired Tennessee-based Old Time Pottery in April 2023, which at that time included 38 stores in 11 states, according to an April 19, 2023, press release from Gabes. The combined companies will strategically expand their complimentary footprints to 169 stores, operating in 20 states, with the support of six distribution centers, and will serve an expanded customer base throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Southeast, stated the release. Fairview Heights Land Use and Development Director Dallas Alley said that Gabes recently applied for work permits to make minor changes to the building interior. A timeline for the store transition was not immediately available. An inquiry requesting more information was sent to the Gabes media relations team. A Gabes store is also located in St. Charles, Missouri. About Old Time Pottery Old Time Pottery opened Saturday, Oct. 1, 2005, at 10785 Lincoln Trail, in a former Target store. The store offers home decor, dinnerware, bedding, outdoor furnishings and more. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For more information, call 618-398-0165 or visit oldtimepottery.com. About Gabes Gabes was founded in Morgantown, West Virginia, in 1961, and is a leading off-price retailer offering top brands and more for less, according to the stores website. Gabes products include mens, womens and childrens clothing, home decor, groceries and more. The nearest store is located at 1355 Bass Pro Drive in St. Charles, Missouri. For more info about Gabes, visit gabesstores.com. How to get a discount at the North Carolina Zoo if you live in Randolph County How to get a discount at the North Carolina Zoo if you live in Randolph County RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) The North Carolina Zoo continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year and is showing its gratitude to the county it calls home. People who live in Randolph County will be offered a discount to get into the zoo for just $5 starting Aug. 5 to Aug. 31. Take a trip to the NC Zoo with Zoo Filez! It was the residents of Randolph County that really lobbied to get the North Carolina Zoo to come here in the heart of Randolph County, said Diane Villa, of the NC Zoo. So as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary, we wanted to thank all of the residents of Randolph County. Additionally, people using the discount can apply it to up to three guests who live outside of the county. 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 FOX8 WGHP. While working at Disneyland last summer, Cyn Carranza lived in her car with her dog and showered on resort property. As recently as this spring, the 39-year-old custodian scrubbed, waxed and buffed floors inside the theme park from 11:45 p.m. to 7:55 a.m. before working a 9 a.m.-to-2 p.m. shift at a nearby Goodwill and struggling to stay awake on the freeway. Carranza, who now resides with her boyfriend in Santa Ana, has been employed by Disney for nearly six years. She makes the minimum wage for hospitality workers in Anaheim, $19.90 an hour. "It's so expensive here," Carranza said. "I was homeless because I had three jobs, and I still couldn't afford any place to live." Carranza is among roughly 9,500 workers at Disneyland who are eligible to participate this week in a strike authorization vote as they continue to bargain with Disney for higher wages and improved working conditions. Results of the vote are expected to be announced Saturday. If the authorization passes, union leaders will have the option to call a strike in the event that they are unable to negotiate a new contract deal with Disney. "We're not ungrateful," Carranza said. "We just wish that they would make it easier for us to be there that they would consider us. ... The union is moving closer to striking because this is all we got. We gotta come together and let them know." Read more: Disneyland union files charges against Disney in Mickey button dispute The Master Services Council an alliance of labor unions representing custodians, ride operators, candy makers, merchandise clerks and other employees at the Anaheim theme park scheduled the strike vote last week. Disneyland employees haven't staged a major walkout since 1984. That work stoppage lasted 22 days. The Disneyland employee contract terminated June 16, while the California Adventure and Downtown Disney agreements are set to expire Sept. 30. "It's the first time in 40 years, and also it's a coalition of unions, so it's a potential for being a huge strike," said Victor Narro, project director and labor studies professor at the UCLA Labor Center. "Post-pandemic, [the tourism] industry has recuperated, is thriving in significant ways. But working conditions ... have not improved at all." A strike authorization vote "is not unusual as part of the negotiations process and does not indicate a strike is imminent or underway," company spokesperson Jessica Good said in a statement posted on the Disneyland website. "We have a long-standing history of successful negotiations with the Master Services Council with our next meeting scheduled for July 22. We remain focused on reaching an agreement on a new contract that is fair and equitable for our cast members." The website also notes that all Disneyland Resort parks and hotels "will remain open and ready to welcome guests if any number" of employees walk off the job. Disneyland Resort employees rally outside the main entrance to Disneyland in Anaheim. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Tensions escalated in June when the unions filed unfair labor practice charges against the company with the National Labor Relations Board for allegedly threatening to discipline hundreds of employees who wore union buttons depicting Mickey Mouse's raised fist to work. The Master Services Council maintains that wearing the pins is a protected form of union activity and that Disney cannot legally take action against staffers for doing so. Disney contends that the buttons violate the employee dress code and that only "a handful" of repeat incidents have led to disciplinary action, starting with a verbal warning. Read more: 'The fairy dust fades away': Why the people who play Disneyland's costumed characters are unionizing Disneyland Resort employees have affixed the buttons to their uniforms in a show of solidarity amid their contract negotiations with the company, which began in late April. Some 14,000 workers at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney are seeking wage increases to keep up with the cost of living in Southern California and reward senior employees, as well as stronger safety measures and changes to Disney's attendance policy. On Wednesday, more than 400 Disneyland Resort staffers rallied outside the main entrance to Disneyland with picket signs bearing phrases such as, "Disney, don't be the villain" and "Mickey would want fair pay." "With todays rally, we continue to be focused on the wellbeing of our guests and cast members," Good said in a statement posted on the Disneyland website. "We remain committed to ... reaching an agreement with Master Services that focuses on what matters most to cast members, positions Disneyland Resort for growth and job creation and enables us to continue delivering incredible guest experiences." Disneyland Resort employees rally outside the main entrance to Disneyland in Anaheim. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) A key tactic in the unions' playbook has been engaging with resort guests. This month, workers distributed the forbidden Mickey buttons to park patrons and encouraged them to sign a petition endorsing the unions' campaign. The petition has amassed more than 10,000 signatures, according to the Master Services Council. "In this industry .... tourists can be a major source of support for the union to put pressure on the employer," Narro said. "I think that's an excellent strategy." Ellie Gonzalez, a custodian at California Adventure, said she gets "a lot of compliments" on her union button from guests who approach her with "love and respect." "They love my button, and they know what it means," Gonzalez said. "I'm so appreciative and thankful for that." Read more: Disneyland costumed character employees vote to unionize Gonzalez and other workers have expressed frustration with Disneyland Resort management for moving forward with a $1.9-billion expansion while park staffers are seeking higher pay. "I'm pregnant with twins, so finances is definitely a stressful point for me," Gonzalez said. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Democratic National Committee's Rules Committee on Friday made the case for proceeding with President Joe Biden's virtual nomination while also outlining next steps in the process and how virtual roll call voting would work. Crucially, the Rules Committee did not take any votes, but just discussed the various proposals it plans to rubber-stamp at its next meeting, which it said will be held by Friday, July 26. A proposal for the virtual nomination still says the roll call will happen the first week of August. DNC Chair Jamie Harrison briefly acknowledged accumulating worry around the process of a virtual roll call at the top of the meeting and emphasized, despite some Democrats grumbling, that the party plans on going ahead with a virtual roll call, not one done in-person. PHOTO: Jaime Harrison, chair of the Democratic National Committee, speaks during the DNC summer meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, Sept. 8, 2022. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images) MORE: Biden says hes returning to campaign trail next week as calls grow for him to step aside The virtual voting will start no earlier than Aug. 1 and should be wrapped by Aug. 7, Democrats said. The firm start date can be set only once the DNC passes the current rules package. The presidential and vice-presidential acceptance speeches would still be in-person Democrats critical of the move to proceed with the virtual nomination say that Biden, who is under intense pressure to drop out of the race by virtually every rank of the party, would be confirmed as the official nominee without any real opportunity for opposition when delegates are together in at the DNC convention, set to begin in Chicago Aug. 19. Reiterating that the DNC is following the process decided on in May, Harrison said, "No part of this process is rushed. The timeline for the virtual roll call process remains on schedule and unchanged. from when the DNC made that decision back in May, and voted to ratify in mid-June. PHOTO: President Joe Biden walks down the steps of Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, July 17, 2024. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) MORE: Former DNC chairs push back on calls to delay party's virtual Biden nomination Harrison also maintained Biden would be on the top of the ticket as the result of this plan. "Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, will be reelected because of you. Because of you, we can look forward to nominating our president through a virtual roll call and celebrating with fanfare together in Chicago alongside all of our delegates who are supporting the Biden Harris ticket," he said. The proposal to move forward with the virtual nomination of Biden ahead of Democrats' in-person convention comes because of a ballot-access conflict in Ohio that was eventually corrected. In April, Ohio's secretary of state alerted Democrats that the state's ballot certification deadline would come after the party's convention in August -- meaning Biden wouldn't be the official nominee by their cutoff and thus was ineligible. The Ohio legislature later rectified the issue, passing legislation that extended their deadline and allowed Biden's qualification. Still, the DNC argued that GOP-controlled Ohio leaders are acting in bad faith and that Biden's qualification is not assured. "We will not let extremism in Ohio corrupt the democratic process. This election comes down to nothing less than saving our democracy from a man who has said that he wants to be a dictator on day one. So we certainly aren't going to tempt fate by inviting challenges to policing the Democratic ticket on the ballot throughout this country," stressed Harrison. A spokesperson for Secretary of State Frank LaRose's office told ABC News, "The issue is resolved in Ohio, and Democrat proxies know that and should stop trying to scapegoat Ohio for their own party's disfunction. Remember, they only ran into an issue with the deadline in the first place by scheduling their convention after the well-established deadline under Ohio law. Now that their candidate is clearly floundering, they blame Republicans." DNC readies to move forward with virtual roll call Biden nomination despite concerns originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Former president Donald Trump will be campaigning in Charlotte a week after he was officially named the Republican nominee for Novembers presidential election. Trump will be in Charlotte on Wednesday at Bojangles Coliseum. The rally starts at 6 p.m. but doors open at 2 p.m. Traffic delays will be likely throughout the city on Wednesday before and after the rally. Trump was last in Charlotte when he attended the Coca-Cola 600 in late May. Wednesdays event is one of the first rallies Trump is hosting since an attempted assassination during a rally in Pennsylvania last weekend. You can sign up to get tickets to the rally at this link. (VIDEO: RNC Night 4: Donald Trump, Hulk Hogan and Annette Albright speak) Longtime CNN commentator Lou Dobbs, left, speaks with Bill O'Reilly during taping a segment for Fox News channel's "The O'Reilly Factor," in New York, Monday, Nov. 16, 2009. | Kathy Willens Former President Donald Trump announced the death of Lou Dobbs on Truth Social this afternoon, calling the former CNN and Fox broadcaster a friend, and truly incredible Journalist, Reporter, and Talent. The announcement was also made on the X account of Dobbs in a statement that said, Its with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of the Great Lou Dobbs Lou was a fighter till the very end, fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country. The post asked for prayers for Dobbs wife, children and grandchildren. The cause of death has not been made public, nor is it clear when Dobbs, who was 78, died. John Fawcett has recently been filling in for Dobbs on his iHeartRadio podcast, The Great America Show. In his post on Truth Social, Trump went on to say that Dobbs understood the World, and what was happening, better than others. Lou was unique in so many ways, and loved our Country. Our warmest condolences to his wonderful wife, Debi, and family. He will be greatly missed! Very sad news. Lou Dobbs was an exceptionally kind, generous, gracious, wonderful man in an industry that rewards none of those qualities. Yet he remained as kind as ever to the end. What a patriot. pic.twitter.com/hVGAhUjyfx Sean Davis (@seanmdav) July 18, 2024 In its announcement of Dobbs death, The Wall Street Journal called Dobbs, a pioneering financial news journalist who later in his career became more known for his conservative politics and fervent support of former President Donald Trump. Dobbs was also known for advocating for stricter immigration policies and for questioning where Barack Obama was born. Several news outlets including CNN, NBC and The New York Times called Dobbs a Trump booster in headlines announcing the broadcasters passing. Dobbs was among the first anchors on CNN after the network launched in 1980 and became famous for his popular Moneyline business show. Per The Associated Press, He left CNN in 2009 to help media mogul Rupert Murdoch launch Fox Business. When he joined Fox, he said he considered himself the underdog. A few years later his show was highly rated and he was a key figure on the right-leaning network. Lou Dobbs Tonight was canceled in 2021, after Fox became embroiled in defamation lawsuits and Dobbs was named a defendant. According to The Wall Street Journal, Fox News Media on Thursday issued a statement through a spokesperson that said, Lou helped pioneer cable news into a successful and influential industry. We are immensely grateful for his many contributions and send our heartfelt condolences to his family. Donald Trump holding rally in Charlotte as part of post-convention swing state tour Former President Donald Trump will campaign in Charlotte next week, days after he was officially nominated at the Republican National Convention and survived an assassination attempt. Trump will hold a rally at the Bojangles Coliseum at 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to a Friday announcement by his campaign. Doors will open at 2 p.m. Members of the public can request up to two tickets online. Trump and his newly-minted running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, are scheduled to hold rallies across multiple battleground states in the next week, including Michigan, Ohio and Virginia. Both Trump and President Joe Bidens campaigns have focused on North Carolina, where Trump posted his slimmest margin of victory in 2020 among states he won. North Carolina is considered a key swing state in November. The Republican nominee was last in the Charlotte area on Memorial Day, when he attended the Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. He officially accepted the Republican nomination Thursday, where he reflected on the Saturday shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania that injured him and two others and killed a spectator. The convention featured multiple speakers from the Tar Heel State, including Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, evangelist Franklin Graham and former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board candidate Annette Albright. Trump has maintained a consistent lead in the polls in North Carolina. VANCOUVER, BC, July 19, 2024 /CNW/ - First Nordic Metals Corp. ("FNM" or the "Company") (TSXV: FNM) (OTCQB: FNMCF) (FRA: HEG0) is pleased to announce that it will host an X (formerly Twitter) Spaces session on Monday July 22, 2024, at 4pm ET, with a host of industry experts to discuss recent company developments and answer investor questions. First Nordic Metals (CNW Group/First Nordic Metals Corp.) First Nordic Metals President & CEO Taj Singh and Chief Development Officer Adam Cegielski will be joined by a panel of experts, discussing our portfolio of projects in Sweden and Finland, key relevant topics in the precious metals sector, recent company news, and more. Investors can access the audio-only X Spaces session "FNM.V & Expert Panel talk Recent Updates, Industry News & More" at the following link: https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1lDGLldARDMGm. Investors are encouraged to submit their questions to the company by emailing info@firstnordicmetals.com. ABOUT FIRST NORDIC METALS The Company's flagship asset is the Barsele gold project, located in Sweden and in a joint venture with senior gold producer Agnico Eagle Mines Limited. Immediately surrounding the Barsele project, FNM is the 100%-owner of a district-scale license position of close to 100,000 hectares on Gold Line Belt. Additionally, in northern Finland FNM is the 100%-owner of a district-scale position covering the entire Oijarvi Greenstone Belt. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Taj Singh, M.Eng, P.Eng, CPA President & CEO, Director Follow First Nordic Metals: Twitter: @fnmetals | Youtube: @firstnordicmetalscorp | LinkedIn: @firstnordicmetals Facebook: @FirstNordicMetals | Instagram: @firstnordicmetals Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains "forwardlooking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to statements relating to the terms and closing of the Transaction, receipt of TSXV approval of the Transaction and the exploration and results thereof of the Project and the Company's other properties in the Gold Line Belt. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating Story continues SOURCE First Nordic Metals Corp. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2024/19/c9205.html Former President Donald Trump told Wisconsinites Thursday they should be proud the GOP had descended on Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, quipping those gathered there should remember the millions spent this week when the November election rolls around. By the way, Wisconsin, we are spending over $250 million here, creating jobs and other economic development all over the place, so I hope you will remember this in November and give us your vote, Trump said during his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination. I am trying to buy your vote, Ill be honest about that, he added. And I promise we will make Wisconsin great again. Trump lost the swing state to Joe Biden by less than 1% in 2020, and it will be a critical prize in the upcoming election. His campaign avoided a potential PR debacle after it was initially reported the former president wasnt actually planning to stay in the state during the RNC, and would instead commute in from one of his properties in Chicago. He also sparked controversy after reportedly calling Milwaukee a horrible city during a closed-door meeting. Donald Trump: "Wisconsin, we are spending over $250 million here creating jobs and other economic development all over the place. So I hope you will remember this in November and give us your vote. I am trying to buy your vote. I'll be honest about that." pic.twitter.com/1WyyPit96L CBS News (@CBSNews) July 19, 2024 While Trump was in office, the government funneled billions of dollars in subsidies to farmers in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election, the New York Times reported. At the time, Trump was criticized for using the funds to appeal to his rural base and his Agriculture secretary was dinged for improperly using his role to help Trumps reelection campaign. The Times also notes while the sum spent at the RNC may be huge, the Biden administration recently worked to secure a $3.3 billion investment for a Microsoft AI datacenter in Racine, Wisconsin. That initiative is expected to created thousands of short-term and permanent jobs. Trump spoke for more than an hour and a half to close out the RNC Thursday night. While he called for unity at times, much of his speech devolved into the typical themes of his campaign rallies, as he attacked his political enemies and spread fear about migrants along the southern border. Related... Donald Trump likes to talk. The 45th president at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee gave the longest nomination acceptance speech of either major political party in the modern era, according to Bloomberg. Trump spoke for 93 minutes and passed his own 2016 record. Those not accustomed to watching Trump speak for this long like he does at rallies, vented their frustration on social media. Here are the best reactions: Programming note: The Daily Show will be off next week, but we'll return on July 29th, right around when Trump finishes this speech The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) July 19, 2024 Trumps endless rambling speech is a reminder that both of Americas parties have nominated declining old men. Edward Luce (@EdwardGLuce) July 19, 2024 We are 30 minutes into Trump's primetime speech and he's doing acknowledgements and rambling. Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) July 19, 2024 Some have walked out of Trumps speech into Fiserv Forum hallways pic.twitter.com/UPgBz0GB9E Rachel Hale (@rachelleighhale) July 19, 2024 Me getting ready for work when Trumps speech ends at 6 am: pic.twitter.com/BovMk4EG7X Prison Mitch (@MidnightMitch) July 19, 2024 Ive left the hall. People in the upper seats were grimacing in pain from sitting so long. Women wrapped to stay warm. Heads in phones. After a moving start, Trump had lost the crowd w a repetitive, slow, and rambling speech. pic.twitter.com/CqViMUC01E Kevin Baron (@DefenseBaron) July 19, 2024 This whole speech is like... patiently listening to your rambling grandpa who is old and so no one wants to interrupt him, but you're slowly edging your way to the door while smiling and nodding. Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) July 19, 2024 Trump's speech is going on so long he's about to accept the Best Actress Oscar for Mrs. Miniver. Frank Conniff (@FrankConniff) July 19, 2024 Im standing 10 feet from the stage, in a sea of diehards, and some are getting restless. Checking phones, stealing glances at the teleprompter, whispering about when it will be over. pic.twitter.com/7Y7qDfH5fs Tim Alberta (@TimAlberta) July 19, 2024 All you who think this Trump speech is too long clearly never grew up in a Baptist church Joel Berry (@JoelWBerry) July 19, 2024 Had to go out and feed the meter. Is the speech over?!? David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) July 19, 2024 "This speech should probably be shorter." - Martin Scorsese J-L Cauvin - Philly 8/15 (@JLCauvin) July 19, 2024 This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Donald Trump's convention speech is longest in history. Twitter reacts At Donald Trumps raucous campaign rallies, many of his followers are proud to say theyve supported him since the very beginning. They mean the moment he famously rode down the escalator at Trump Tower in June 2015 to announce he was running for president -- the first time. PHOTO: In this June 16, 2015, file photo, Donald Trump rides an escalator to a press event to announce his candidacy for the U.S. presidency at Trump Tower in New York. (Christopher Gregory/Getty Images, FILE) MORE: Trump to give RNC keynote, says he'll stress 'unity' after assassination attempt Ever since, Trump has experienced many ups and downs on the way to Milwaukee from his surprise victory over Hillary Clinton in November 2016 to his first impeachment in 2019, to the infamous mugshot taken at Georgia's Fulton County Jail after his indictment for alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. His extraordinary political career reached a peak on Saturday night at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, with the image of him defiantly pumping his fist, blood streaming down his face from his injured ear after surviving an assassination attempt. PHOTO: Donald J. Trump Jr. speaks during the Republican National Convention, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) MORE: RNC 2024 Day 4 updates: Trump to bring killed firefighter's gear with him on stage Just two days later, the businessman-turned-politician brought his party together for a slick and orderly 2024 Republican National Convention. But the road on Trumps 10-year political journey has been anything but smooth. In fact, when he kicked off his first presidential bid in 2015, the "Apprentice" star and real estate mogul was considered an outsider and an underdog, competing against some of the biggest names in the Republican establishment former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz -- who already had backing by a slew of major GOP figures and well-funded super PACs. Trump quickly attracted Republican votes once he officially became the nominee summer 2016, but still, his victory in November 2016 against Democratic rival was a surprise to those paying attention to election forecasts of a Hillary Clinton victory. PHOTO: In this Dec. 22, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media after signing a tax-overhaul bill into law in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C. (Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE) His presidency got off to a rough start as well special counsel Robert Mueller within months of Trump taking office launching an investigation into his and his campaigns possible role in Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. After a two-year probe, Mueller and his team made no conclusion on possible obstruction of justice by Trump, but during the course of the investigation indicted 34 individuals and three Russian businesses on charges ranging from computer hacking to conspiracy and financial crimes and brought seven guilty pleas and five prison sentences for some top Trump lieutenants. And before the Mueller investigation even concluded, a phone call between Trump and then newly elected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy -- during which Trump allegedly pressured the Ukrainian leader to work with his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani to investigate Trumps then possible 2020 rival Joe Biden opened another floodgate of congressional investigations, eventually leading to Trump becoming only the third president in U.S. history to be impeached. The Democratic-majority House voted 230-197 to remove him from office, only for the Republican-majority Senate to acquit him. PHOTO: In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, President Donald Trump speaks to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House in Washington, D.C. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images, FILE) Then, two years later just days before he was set to leave the White House after serving as president for four years he became the first U.S. president to be impeached a second time -- for his alleged role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. It was a culmination of Trump and his allies months-long attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election, from allegedly making false and baseless claims about election fraud and filing dozens of lawsuits to challenge the results, to allegations of pressuring other Republican officials at federal and state levels like then-Vice President Mike Pence and Georgia Secretary of State Brian Raffensperger to overturn the results. For Trump, Jan. 6 resulted in a mass exodus of major Republican donors, and his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results also eventually led to two criminal indictments in the midst of his 2024 campaign one federal case brought forth by special counsel Jack Smith in Washington, D.C., and a Georgia state case brought forth by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. With his 2024 presidential bid was already off to a rough start, Trump becoming the first U.S. president to be indicted in the New York hush money payment case just months after he announced his reelection campaign. PHOTO: Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures on Day 3 of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, July 17, 2024. (Justin Lane/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock) Then, just six months before Election Day, he become the first U.S. president to become a convicted felon, found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the case. Some Republican voters and swing voters view Trumps legal battles and chaos as a baggage -- but for most Trump supporters, theyve served as a boost for their loyalty, the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee even claiming to have raised $53 million in just 24 hours after his conviction in the hush money payment case. PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump arrives for the final day of the Republican National Convention, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (Evan Vucci/AP) While battling four criminal indictments and other legal challenges, a seemingly invincible Trump easily defeated a slew of GOP primary challengers, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, becoming the partys presumptive nominee soon after Super Tuesday. After months of divisive campaign rallies and calls for retribution, as he prepared to deliver his formal acceptance speech as the GOP's presidential nominee, Trump, saying the assassination attempt had changed him, said he would seek to bring the country together through a message of unity, as the Biden campaign and the Democratic Partys disarray deepened. Donald Trump's long and winding road to a 3rd presidential nomination at RNC originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Today, Twitch unbanned Donald Trumps official channel. The Amazon-owned video game streaming site reversed the ban due to Trumps status as the official Republican nominee in 2024's presidential election, following the partys convention earlier this week. On June 29, 2020, the then-current President of the United States Twitch account was temporarily banned over hateful conduct. However, on January 7, 2021, after the violent riot perpetrated in DC, Twitch made the ban indefinite, claiming it did this to prevent Trump from using the streaming service to incite further violence. However, after three years, five months, and four weeks, Trumps official Twitter account is unbanned. On July 19, as first reported by esports journalist Rod Slasher Breslau, Twitch decided to reinstate Trumps official account. Breslau shared this statement from Twitch on Twitter explaining the reversal of the ban: We reinstated former President Trumps channel. We believe there is value in hearing from Presidential nominees directly, when possible. Trump is now the official Republican nominee for US president. When he was banned in June 2020, Twitch cited two instances of hateful rhetoric shared on his official streaming channel. One incident included the infamous moment during a 2016 rally, which was re-broadcast on the channel, where Trump called Mexican immigrants rapists. Listening to Trumps recent speeches, not much has changed, with the former President still spouting off hateful comments, easily refutable lies, and other nonsense nearly every time he speaks. But I guess that doesnt matter anymore for Twitch. Kotaku has reached out to Twitch about Trumps return to the platform. Twitch also told Breslau that Trump will have to play by the rules if he wants to avoid another suspension. Twitch doesnt have a public figure policy, meaning all channels are equally subject to our guidelines, regardless of whether the channel belongs to a public figure, said Twitch. Donald Trump, who recently survived an attempted assassination last week in Pennsylvania, has yet to update his Twitch channel. It currently still shows his old Vice President, Mike Pence, on the homepage. . For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. There is perhaps good reason to be skeptical of legislation that comes packaged in a campy acronym. I am willing to make an exception today. Sen. Gary Peters (DMich.) last week introduced a bill to prohibit the federal government from deeming an individual ineligible for employment or for a security clearance based solely on past marijuana use. The legislation is named the Dismantling Outdated Obstacles and Barriers to Individual Employment Act of 2024, otherwise known as the DOOBIE Act. Heh. Peters' proposal seeks to bring federal law up to date with President Joe Biden's 2021 guidance instructing the Office of Personnel Management not to deny someone's employment application simply because they previously used cannabis. The drug is now legal recreationally in 24 states and permitted as medicine in an additional 14 states. In May, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proposed reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule I substancewhere it sits alongside heroin, meth, and crack cocaineto Schedule III. "As we work to build a highly skilled federal workforce, it's crucial that the federal government modernizes its hiring practices to reflect evolving laws and societal norms," Peters said in a statement. "My bill will take the commonsense step to align federal statutes with existing agency guidance and ensure that talented individuals are not automatically disqualified from service solely due to past marijuana use. By providing this much-needed clarity for agencies and applicants, we will ensure that the federal government can recruit and retain the best and brightest to serve our nation." Peters' legislation pertains only to past cannabis consumption and would technically not apply to an individual who currently uses the drug, as it remains illegal under federal law. You should probably not follow my lead then and try edibles for the first time while in the Netherlands on a work trip with NATO, for which I had a security clearance. Oops! (I can confirm I did not compromise our national or global security.) Federal agencies would still be able to consider an individual's past cannabis use when evaluating their application; it just should not be the determining factor precipitating an automatic denial, according to the proposal. Under Biden's recent guidance, agencies may still take into account how recently someone indulged in marijuana, for example, or how frequently they've done so. The bill comes as attitudes toward draconian ramifications for past drug use have continued to soften across the political aisle. President Joe Biden in 2022 issued a blanket pardon for low-level marijuana offenders, an act of clemency he expanded late last year. Former President Donald Trump, for his part, signed the FIRST STEP Act in 2018, shortening prison sentences for thousands of people, the majority of whom were drug offenders. And last July, Reps. Jamie Raskin (DMd.) and Nancy Mace (RS.C.) introduced a bill similar to Peters' in the House, titled the Cannabis Users' Restoration of Eligibility Act, or the CURE Act. The acronym needs work. The post The DOOBIE Act Would Limit Government Discrimination Against People Who Have Smoked Weed appeared first on Reason.com. Dozens of Nobel laureates call on Belarus leader Lukashenko to release all political prisoners Dozens of Nobel prize winners have urged Belaruss authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko to release all political prisoners currently detained by his regime. The 58 Nobel laureates, including Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich, have signed an open letter urging Lukashenko to agree to a political amnesty after 18 seriously ill activists were released this month. The Belarusian human rights group Viasna counts almost 1,400 political prisoners, including its Nobel Peace Prize-winning founder Ales Bialiatski. Many of Belarus' most prominent opposition figures are behind bars while others fled abroad as authorities cracked down severely on opponents as protests gripped the country in 2020. But only one well-known figure was among the 18 prisoners whom Lukashenko allowed to be freed earlier this month. The violent crackdown followed an election that the opposition and Western governments said he had heavily rigged. Since then, more than 35,000 people have been arrested, with allegations of beatings in custody, while dozens of independent news organisations and rights groups have been shut down. A close ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin, Lukashenko has ruled Belarus for three decades. Dozens of Nobel prize winners have urged Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to release 1,400 political prisoners (AP) It is unacceptable to subject the people of your country to severe trials and harsh conditions solely for their beliefs. Every person has the right to their opinion and deserves respect for their individuality, the letter, addressed to Lukashenko said. You have a unique opportunity to turn the page on the past and enter history not only as an uncompromising ruler but also as a political leader who has shown wisdom and compassion, responsible to your people and their future. Those imprisoned include journalists, scientists, doctors, workers, public figures and human rights activists. Ales Bialiatski, the head of Belarusian Vyasna rights group, sits in a defendant's cage during a court session in Minsk, Belarus, on 5 January 2023 (BelTA) The 58 signatories include literature prize winners Svetlana Alexievich of Belarus, J.M. Coetzee, Herta Muller, and peace prize laureates Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Oscar Arias and Jody Williams. The list includes more than 40 winners in science and economics. We, the undersigned Nobel laureates, welcome the adoption of the amnesty law and the first steps towards the release of severely ill prisoners in Belarus, the letter continued. We urge Alexander Lukashenko to show humanity and compassion by freeing all citizens recognized by human rights defenders as political prisoners. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country of 9.5 million since the 2020 crackdown. In May, Belarusian authorities announced raids and the seizure of property belonging to 104 opposition activists who have left. The authorities launched a criminal probe supposedly relating to charges of forming an extremist group and discrediting Belarus, criminal offences that can result in prison terms of up to seven years. New Delhi At least 28 people have been killed and hundreds injured in the latest wave of violent clashes between student protesters and police across Bangladesh, local media have reported. Authorities blocked phone and internet services across the country late this week in a bid to quash the unrest as police fire tear gas and rubber bullets at the demonstrators. "Mobile internet has been temporarily suspended due to various rumors and the unstable situation created... on social media," Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the country's deputy information and technology minister told reporters. Police have also banned all public gatherings and processions in the capital city of Dhaka, indefinitely. What is happening now in Bangladesh? The country's Prothom Alo newspaper said at least 19 people were killed Thursday alone, the deadliest day of clashes yet. Another national newspaper, the Daily Star, reported the same death toll, which would bring the total number of fatalities this week to 25, according to the country's media. The Bangladeshi government and police have not released any casualty figures. Anti-job quota supporters clash with police and Awami League supporters in the Rampura area in Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 18, 2024. / Credit: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS Thousands of protesters attacked the headquarters of the state broadcaster, Bangladesh Television (BTV), in Dhaka on Thursday, setting the building and parked cars on fire. A day earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared on the network appealing for peace. BTV and other news networks went off the air on Friday. Hasina's government has reached out to protest leaders to engage in talks, and federal Law Minister Anisul Huq told reporters Thursday that the government had appointed him and Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury to lead the conversations, but the protesters have rejected the offer of a dialogue. "The government has killed so many people in a day that we cannot join any discussions in the current circumstances," protest leader Nahid Iqbal told the regional Bengali service of CBS News' partner network BBC. "The Prime Minister is asking for an end to the violence with one hand whilst, with the other hand, attacking students using pro-ruling party groups and the police," another protester, Aleem Khan, told the BBC. What are the Bangladesh protests about? Young people, many of them college students, started protesting in early July against a job reservations system they see as unfairly benefiting ruling politicians and their families. At first it was largely peaceful sit-ins, blocking roads and railways, but the clashes with police have ramped up since Tuesday. The protests started at Dhaka University but spread quickly to other educational institutions in the capital and beyond, especially after pro-ruling party groups entered the Dhaka campus and attacked protesting students. Earlier in the week, the government ordered schools and universities to close indefinitely as police tried to quash the unrest. The protesters are demanding changes to a system that reserves 30% of high-ranking government jobs for relatives of veterans of the country's 1971 war for independence. They argue that the job reservation system is discriminatory and has been exploited to benefit people close to Prime Minister Hasina and other politicians of her Bangladesh Awami League. Protesters are demanding job recruitment based on merit. A police officer is beaten by a mob during clashes between anti-job quota supporters, police and Awami League supporters at the Rampura area of Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 18, 2024. / Credit: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/REUTERS Hasina's government had scrapped the job reservation system in 2018, but a High Court decision reinstated it last month. The government appealed against the verdict and the Supreme Court suspended the High Court order, pending a government appeal scheduled for Aug. 7. The country-wide agitation is the biggest crisis Hasina, 76, has faced since her re-election for a fourth term this year. Anger against the job quotas has been fueled by high unemployment rates among young Bangladeshis, who make up nearly a fifth of the country's population of about 170 million. Biden administration condemns violence U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller urged the Bangladeshi government to "uphold individuals' rights to protest peacefully." "The freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are essential building blocks of any thriving democracy, and we condemn any violence against peaceful protesters," Miller said Thursday. The U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh urged American citizens in the country on Wednesday to "practice vigilance and reconsider their travel plans, especially to areas around public universities avoid demonstrations and exercise caution in the vicinity of any large gatherings." Rights group Amnesty International accused Bangladesh's police of using unlawful force against the protesters. "Bangladeshi authorities must fully respect people's right to freedom of peaceful assembly in line with its commitments under international law and its own Constitution and protect peaceful protesters from further harm," Taqbir Huda, Amnesty International's South Asia researcher, said in a statement. What to know as Social Security recipients have to update their online accounts Melania Trump arrives at 2024 Republican National Convention Can Biden return to campaign trail amid COVID infection, calls to drop out? In a scene one might expect to see in a movie, a man trying to escape his involvement in a car wreck on the Bay Bridge between Oakland and San Francisco Thursday climbed onto the railing and jumped, the California Highway Patrol said. The man had been involved in a two-car crash on eastbound Interstate 80 around 2 p.m., said CHP spokesperson Mark Andrews. The man, described as between 20 and 30 years old, climbed onto the bridge railing and plunged into the water below, where he began backstroking toward the west portion of the bridge, the CHP said. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued the man around 2:45 p.m. Andrews said it was "definitely unusual" for a driver to jump off a bridge after a collision and he'd never seen it happen before. The driver suffered broken ribs from the impact with the water and was being evaluated at a hospital. Authorities did not disclose whether the man was arrested. 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. Driver going 107 mph stopped on Hwy 240. More Hanford 500 commuters being ticketed Troopers stopped a dozen drivers, including one going 107 mph, during the busy Hanford commute Wednesday morning. Washington State Patrol troopers were looking for reckless drivers on the Hanford highway section of Highway 240, near the turnoff to the Richland landfill, Trooper Chris Thorson told the Tri-City Herald. Troopers stopped 12 drivers in all. Four were driving dangerously, he said. The extra WSP patrols began after Hanford employees complained about their morning commute to jobs at the nuclear reservation being plagued with people driving dangerously, Thorson said. A liaison from the Hanford site reached out to Washington State Patrol about those concerns. The morning commute is often jokingly referred to as the Hanford 500. People have complained about drivers speeding, passing unsafely and other reckless driving. While the traffic to the site through Richland is heavy in the mornings, the stretch of Highway 240, commonly called the bypass highway, has three lanes so that others can avoid reckless drivers. But once the highway narrows to two lanes northwest of the Horn Rapids Golf Course, drivers who are speeding and weaving through traffic make it more dangerous, Thorson said. The problem is that there is only the one lane for passing, he said. They have to go into the eastbound lanes. Thorson said it appears the primary offenders are workers traveling to work at Hanford. Troopers plan more emphasis patrols along that stretch of highway in the future, Thorson said. Fashion company Hugo Boss is significantly expanding its presence in the heart of Europe with the opening of its new BOSS flagship store in Dusseldorf, Germany. The store contains 1,000m of sales space spread over two floors and will display the BOSS brand for men and women. The retailers newly developed smart fitting room will be integrated into eight of its 17 fitting rooms. The solution offers customers digital access to extensive product information, including material and care instructions as well as alternative sizes available. Equipped with RFID [radio frequency identification], items in the changing rooms are immediately recognised and displayed on a screen. Customers can use an application on the screen to request additional items or help from the sales team for personal advice without leaving the changing room. BOSS is also strengthening its personalisation options, decorating selected products with patches featuring the city of Dusseldorf directly on site. The personalised item can then be purchased in-store. There is also an exclusive VIP and made-to-measure area that can be separated from the sales area by a sliding glass door. Hospitality concepts include a champagne bar on the upper floor and a bar on the first floor. Dusseldorf follows the design approach of other BOSS flagship stores in major cities such as London, Dubai and Tokyo, showcasing a facade made of natural stone and a central curved staircase. Hugo Boss deputy CEO and chief sales officer Oliver Timm commented: "Today more than ever, our stores are points of experience where we can offer a unique experience and individualised services to our customers. In April 2024, the retailer agreed to divest its Russian business to its wholesale partner, JSC Stockmann. "Hugo Boss commits to Europe with new flagship store in Dusseldorf" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) An Iranian-made drone sent by Yemens Houthi rebels struck Tel Aviv on Friday, leaving one person dead and at least 10 wounded in the groups first lethal strike into Israel. The aerial strike rumbled through the center of the city near the U.S. Embassy, causing shrapnel to rain down and spreading shards of glass over a large radius. The hit in Israels biggest city was startling because the drone appeared to have crossed much of the country through the multilayered air defenses that have intercepted almost all of the drones and rockets that Yemens Houthis have been launching toward Israel since the Gaza war began. Most have failed even to reach Israels southernmost city, Eilat, on the Red Sea some 270 kilometers (160 miles) south of Tel Aviv. The Israeli military said it was investigating what went wrong. Chief spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the drone was detected by air defenses, but an error occurred and there was no interception. We are investigating the entire chain, he said. Another military official blamed human error. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing. The spokesman for the Houthis, Yahya Saree, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement published on the social media platform X. He said it was in retaliation for the Israel-Hamas war and had hit one of the groups many targets. Israels military identified the drone as an Iranian Samad-3 upgraded to travel long distances and said it was believed to have come from Yemen. The drone hit at around 3:10 a.m., blowing out windows and damaging cars throughout a coastal neighborhood of Tel Aviv and reverberating as far as nearby cities. The military said it had not determined if it exploded in the air or directly struck buildings. Footage verified by the AP shows the low-flying drone arriving at Tel Avivs shoreline and then heading into the city, moments before an explosion lights up the night sky. In one building, the Sajiv family swept up the shattered glass of their apartments balcony door. Limor Sajiv said they were woken by the sound of a blast. We had no idea what it was. I mean, we heard missiles before we heard things, this was different, really, really loud, he said. People thronged to the area as police helicopters hovered overhead. For many, it reaffirmed feelings of disillusionment with the militarys handling of the war since October. Yossi Nevi, a retired evacuee from Kiryat Shmona, said he was shaken awake in the hotel he lives in. Hearing it was human error, Nevi said, made him lose all trust in the army, not that I had much after the past nine months. Eldad Namdar, who owns a camera store next to the intersection where the drone is believed to have exploded, said he hopes the war ends soon, but he also wants it to be concluded in a way that secures his future. I dont want this to happen again in six months, I want them to finish this situation until the end, he said. The U.S. State Department said there was no damage to the U.S. Embassy or any of its staff members. The Houthi strike hit hours after Israels military confirmed one of its airstrikes had killed a Hezbollah commander and other militants in southern Lebanon. Israel has so far not made attacks on the Houthis, allowing its allies instead to take the lead as it focuses its efforts on the war in Gaza and ongoing fighting with Hezbollah. The attack also comes days before Netanyahu is to travel to Washington and address Congress. The Houthis have routinely claimed responsibility for hitting targets in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Analysts and Western intelligence services have long accused Iran of arming the group, a claim that Tehran denies. In recent years, U.S. naval forces have intercepted a number of ships packed with rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and missile parts en route from Iran to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The Houthis maintain that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom. However, many have little or no connection to the war. Fridays drone strike on Tel Aviv could resurface fears about the war in Gaza becoming a regionwide conflagration. Such fears run counter to renewed hopes that Israel signaling its operation underway in Rafah is nearing its finish could foster an environment more conducive to negotiations as international mediators continue to push for a cease-fire. The deal under discussion would halt fighting and free about 120 Israeli hostages held by the militant group in Gaza. Israel remains divided over striking a deal, with some wanting the government to take the necessary steps to free the hostages and others, including far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, disavowing the idea. On Thursday, Ben-Gvir visited Jerusalems most sensitive holy site to pray for the return of Israeli hostages, he said, without a reckless deal, without surrendering. Israels air defense system has intercepted thousands of projectiles throughout the war, including Hamas rocket fire from Gaza. But officials warn the systems are not 100% effective and appear to have struggled against small and hard-to-detect attack drones. Like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis are backed by Israels archenemy, Iran. Israel for the most part also has avoided direct confrontations with Iran throughout the war. Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel during a single incident in April in response to Israels alleged assassination of a pair of Iranian generals in Syria at the time. The war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, has killed more than 38,600 people, according to the territorys Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count. The war has created a humanitarian catastrophe in the coastal Palestinian territory, displaced most of its 2.3 million population and triggered widespread hunger. Hamas October attack killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and militants took about 250 hostage. About 120 remain in captivity, with about a third of them believed to be dead, according to Israeli authorities. 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 WRBL. Valerie Nettles, right, has never stopped trying to keep Damien in the public consciousness and has even written a book about his vanishing - BBC | Solent News/Shutterstock When Valerie Nettles son Damien went missing on a night out in Cowes aged 16, in 1996, it was and remains a bewildering mystery. Within days, Nettles saw her missing sons face plastered across newspapers and on TV as she lobbied the police to take action. But within a year, the media attention just gradually dropped off, she says. There is no way to tell which of the 170,000 people reported missing in the UK each year will capture the public imagination. Damien has been missing for nearly 28 years, and his family have never found out what happened that night. The families of Jay Slater, who was found dead in Tenerife this week, and Jack OSullivan, who went missing in Bristol in March, will in time, like Nettles have to learn to cope after the flurry of initial attention has faded. What happens when the cameras stop clicking, the search teams head home, and it feels like the world has moved on? If theres any sense of respite from the media frenzy, its surely tempered by the knowledge that life will never be the same again and that dropping out of the headlines will make finding answers much harder. Teenager Jay Slater's disappearance led to widespread media coverage - pixel Its like dropping off the edge of a cliff I felt desolate, Nettles says. Its the only word I can think of. Because all of a sudden, this child that I hold so dear, he fell out of the interest of the media and the police. You feel deserted by everybody that might be able to help there are no words that can explain how frightening that is. While his case has never technically been closed, it remains a mothball cold case. The police have pretty much washed their hands of it. You know, theres only so much they can do, she says. With the advent of social media in the early 2000s, Nettles took matters into her own hands, creating first a Myspace, then a Facebook page to keep raising the profile of Damiens case. Back then we didnt have social media [as we do today], so it was much harder to obtain publicity on your own. I think I just fuelled myself to do it because nobody else was doing it. We tried to keep him in the public eye. Nettles eventually succeeded in reigniting a campaign to find out what happened to Damien, and his disappearance has become one of the most famous cold cases in UK history. She has stopped at nothing to get her sons name in headlines and has even written a book about his vanishing, The Boy Who Disappeared. Nettles says that when someone initially goes missing: Theres a buzz, and people are interested, and coming over. And then suddenly, people stop coming round. Youre left on your own, and its very difficult to obtain any publicity at that point, really. People were really kind, very supportive. But they obviously have to go back to their lives. Catherine OSullivan, whose 23 year-old son Jack was last seen four months ago, has experienced the same. Im still stuck on the 2nd of March. Im not going forward, but the rest of the world is, she says. Unlike Slaters family, who have understandably resented the media intrusion into their sons case, OSullivan feels Jacks disappearance has not garnered enough publicity. His case was picked up by regional and national press but has not had widespread coverage on the scale of the Jay Slater case. Avon and Somerset Police say they have issued multiple appeals to the public and media for information. Jack O'Sullivan went missing in Bristol in March of this year - Avon and Somerset Police It wasnt this sort of sensational story that other missing people have had we didnt particularly ask for the media to get involved, but we were in this awful situation where the police led us to believe Jack had just gone on a night out and had some misadventure, she says. [But] its our only power to try and keep the attention alive we feel theres a lot more to it than that. But media coverage is a double-edged sword for the families of missing persons. While it generates publicity which can help their case, it also throws them into the public domain. When the circus descends, its all-consuming, 24 hours a day says Charlie Hedges, a former police sergeant who has worked on some of the most high-profile cases in the UK. Different families deal with it in different ways. Some dont really want to get involved, and they try to avoid the sort of intense media presence. Others find themselves drawn into it when youre in that spotlight, having to constantly answer questions and read about you and your case, its just so different from what most people experience in their lives. More recent high-profile cases, such as that of Nicola Bulley, who went missing in St Michaels on Wyre, Lancashire, last year, have been beset by feverish speculation on social media and ghoulish conspiracy theories. A friend of Bulleys told the BBC that the vile theories that spread online about the familys private life were incredibly hurtful. These online theories bled into real life when dozens of amateur sleuths descended on her village. An inquest concluded Bulley, a 45-year-old mortgage adviser and mother-of-two, had fallen into the river and drowned. Speaking at the inquest, her family said: We encourage people to look at the facts to ignore any amateur views and opinions and be mindful of the impact that words bring. More recently still, within days of Slaters disappearance in Tenerife, more than 50 Facebook groups had been set up dedicated to discussing theories and often unsubstantiated rumours about his case. His mother, Debbie Duncan, dismissed the online speculation as vile and distressing, and said these theories are hindering the people trying to help us in their investigations. Spanish police say it is likely 19-year-old Jay Slater fell into a rocky area following a night out in Tenerife - pixel8000 Dave Grimstead, director of the charity Locate International for long-term missing people, says the frenzied conjecture that swirls around such cases can be extremely harmful to relatives desperate for information about their loved one. Weve had cases where psychics have contacted families and talked about distressing scenes they claim to have seen, he says. We need to find a way to have more responsible reporting around cases because theres always a family behind it. Online speculation about a missing persons whereabouts or personal life can be hugely damaging, agrees Hedges. A family in that situation is clutching at straws to try and find out whats happening to the person whos gone missing and will follow anything that [gives them] hope. Some of the things that are said online are just so offensive and unpleasant. The damage it does to families Ive seen them go from being absolutely stable, normal decent people, to being completely broken by the experience. Not just from losing the person, but from all that additional rumour and chatter. Karen Shalev, director of the Centre for Missing Person Studies at Portsmouth University, says that even when the excessive attention surrounding a missing person dies down, families are often left with an uncomfortable level of publicity. The tabloid press is one thing, but with the spread of social media, this effect has become even more intense. The [traditional] media are bound by certain guidelines, she says. With social media, its totally open and [can be] horrendous. She has known families to move away or even change their names to escape the scrutiny. 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. Children eat porridge prepared at a feeding center in Mudzi, Zimbabwe, on July 2, 2024. In Zimbabwe, an El Nino-induced drought is affecting millions of people, and children are most at risk. (AP Photo/Aaron Ufumeli) MUDZI, Zimbabwe (AP) Its Tuesday morning, and 5-year-old Talent should be in school. Instead, he's foraging for the fruit that his family is counting on for food now that crops have withered in the heat. Blame the El Nino phenomenon that altered weather worldwide for over a year, or the larger problem of climate change that's bearing down on the African continent, the region most vulnerable to it. The boy's grandmother, Winnie Chihota, knows she's watching part of a generation slip away. For many in Zimbabwes rural northeastern Mudzi district, crops mean survival. When they fail, the future can, too. No income means no way to pay the $25 for school fees or for school uniforms. Two of Chihota's own children are at risk of leaving school. Little Talent never had a chance to start. No crops also mean nothing for the children to eat for lunch even if they do make it to class. One child fainted recently at the school due to hunger, Chihota said, as she sorted through the fruit that Talent and other children brought home. The fruit will be dried for future meals. Many families now only eat one solid meal of corn or sorghum a day. Children are the most at risk after El Nino, a naturally occurring climatic phenomenon, caused some of the hottest days in decades in parts of southern and eastern Africa. It also caused some of the worst flooding in memory. It destroyed many of the tiny farm plots that keep families going. More than 60% of Zimbabwes population of around 15 million reside in rural areas where agriculture is the major source of food and income. The immediate concern is hunger. In Zimbabwe, 580,000 children are at risk of malnutrition, according to the United Nations children's agency, as the effects of El Nino worsen a humanitarian crisis of economic hardship and outbreaks of diseases such as cholera. The larger problem is the children's education. School has become a luxury. Children drop out to work. Teenage girls are forced to skip class because there is not enough water to wash during their periods, or because they must stay home to babysit their siblings as parents go out in search of work. Some girls are forced to marry to ease financial burdens, according to the U.N humanitarian agency. The crisis is overshadowed by others in places like Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, humanitarian organizations say, meaning that funding from donors can be hard to come by. There should be a sense of urgency, said Yves Willemot, UNICEF spokesman for Zimbabwe. The drought puts the education of close to 2 million children at risk in Zimbabwe, with some dropping out of school for good and others forced to miss class, the U.N. humanitarian agency has said. More than 45,000 children dropped out of school during the previous El Nino in the 2015-2016 farming season, 3,000 more than the annual average, it said. The government is still collating figures for this latest El Nino. Regional countries also devastated by weather extremes face similar challenges. In Malawi, hit by a vicious cycle of floods and drought in the past three years, fewer children are attending class. At some schools, half the pupils are usually absent, according to a report in May by local and international humanitarian organizations including the Malawi-based Youth Net and Counselling. Families must choose between feeding or sending children to school, the report said. Volunteer teachers are no longer reporting at some schools further deteriorating the quality of education." Neighboring Zambia is using a school feeding program targeting over 2 million children to boost school attendance. Zimbabwe recently launched a similar program amid concerns about increased absenteeism and dropout rates caused by the drought, said Taungana Ndoro, the director of communications and advocacy in the education ministry. The assurance of at least one decent hot meal per day has been a strong incentive for families to prioritize sending their children to school, he said. It might be too late for many who drop out, especially girls, said Nyaradzo Mashayamombe, an activist and founder of Tag a Life, an organization whose #everychildinschool campaign is pushing to end school fees for children from poor families. When drought hits like this, the immediate defense is marriage. The mere offer of a way out, an escape, can be very luring to a girl or even the parents, she said, adding that many end up trapped with older, abusive husbands. There is no way out, she said. It takes away their potential, their dreams are cut short, and the poverty cycle continues. ___ The Associated Press receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Duchesne County and Uintah County have been placed under Stage 1 fire restrictions due to critical weather and extremely dry vegetation conditions, according to the Department of Natural Resources Utah Fire Info page. Due to current and forecasted weather conditions coupled with the extremely dry vegetation conditions in northeastern Utah, the State Forester, in consultation with the county commission of the affected county, has determined that measures must be taken to prevent the ignition of forest and rangeland fires, a fire restriction order from the DNRs Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands states. Fire danger is extreme. The restriction order applies to all unincorporated private and state lands within Duchesne County and Uintah County. This order reportedly does not affect private lands within incorporated towns or city limits. Kanarraville man killed after what shooter alleges was an attempted sexual assault Here is a list of prohibited acts under a Stage 1 fire restriction order: No open fires of any kind except within established public facilities in improved campgrounds, picnic areas. -OR- In permanently constructed fire pits at private homes where running water is present. No smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle, trailer or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area that is paved or free from dry vegetation. No fireworks, tracer ammunition or other pyrotechnic devices including exploding targets. No cutting, welding or grinding metal in areas of dry vegetation. No operating a motorcycle, chainsaw, ATV, or other small internal combustion engine without an approved and working spark arrestor. The order will be effective as of Friday, July 19. Violating any of the acts listed above is punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Additionally, Summit County is being placed under a firework restriction order, meaning the discharge or use of any kind of fireworks, tracer ammunition, or other pyrotechnic devices, including exploding targets, is prohibited. This order is also effective July 19. The majority of Utah is currently under a fire restriction of some kind, with most areas under Stage 1 fire restrictions. Here is a map of restrictions, provided by Utah Fire Info. The 2024 wildfire season thus far has seen 563 total fires, with 39,985 acres burned, according to Utah Fire Info. For more information, visit the Utah Fire Info website 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 ABC4 Utah. During the RNC in Milwaukee, Trump pays respect to firefighter killed at his rally During his highly anticipated speech at the Republican National Convention, former President Donald Trump paid respect to the man who was fatally shot at his rally Saturday. Corey Comperatore, 50, was the former fire chief of Buffalo Township. His helmet and uniform with the word Buffalo affixed to it were placed on stage as Trump arrived to give his speech. The former president kissed Comperatores helmet prior to calling for a moment of silence. Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump kisses the uniform of the man killed at Saturday during a rally before delivering his nomination acceptance speech during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The jacket had a spelling error however, but his family acknowledges they knew about the spelling error. His last name is instead spelled Compertore on the jacket. Comperatore's family told ABC News that they gave the jacket to Trump's people for tonight. It matches the jacket that was shown outside the Pennsylvania firehouse following his death. Comperatore worked as a project and tooling engineer, was an Army reservist and spent many years as a volunteer firefighter after serving as chief, according to his obituary. According to the U.S. Secret Service, he was shot and killed at a Trump rally last week after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on Trump and the crowd, injuring the former president and two others. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Trump pays respect to firefighter killed at his rally during the RNC A Dutch volleyball player allowed to compete at the Olympics despite raping a 12-year-old British girl has chosen to stay away from the athletes village in Paris. Steven van de Velde, sentenced in 2016 to four years in prison, is said to have sought alternative accommodation while he competes as he attempts to keep a low profile. Despite his criminal record in the UK, Van de Velde arrived in Paris with the full support of the Dutch Volleyball Federation. German outlet Bild had been first to report he was going against athlete tradition by staying away from the village. His partner in the beach volleyball team, Matthew Immers, is understood to be staying in the village, however, and will front media duties after matches. Van de Velde qualified for the Olympics, which begin next week, eight years after being told by a judge that his hopes of representing the Netherlands was a shattered dream. In March 2016, he admitted three counts of rape against a child he had met on Facebook. He had flown from the Netherlands to the UK in August 2014, when he was 19, to meet his victim. Judge Francis Sheridan told him: Prior to coming to this country you were training as a potential Olympian. Your hopes of representing your country now lie as a shattered dream. Yet Van de Velde, who was released after serving just 12 months at a Dutch prison, was allowed to rehabilitate his Olympic career, last month sealing his spot in the national pair at the Paris Games alongside Immers. On sentencing at Aylesbury Crown Court after being extradited from his homeland, his own defence lawyer, Linda Strudwick, said of the verdict: The headlines say it all: A sex monster. Its plainly a career end for him. It has proved anything but, with Van de Velde, now 29, re-establishing his credentials in beach volleyball to such an extent that he and Immers are the 11th-ranked team in the world. 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. Supplies of dissolved oxygen in bodies of water across the globe are dwindling rapidly, and scientists say it's one of the greatest risks to Earth's life support system. Just as atmospheric oxygen is vital for animals like ourselves, dissolved oxygen (DO) in water is essential for healthy aquatic ecosystems, whether freshwater or marine. With billions of people relying on marine and freshwater habitats for food and income, it's concerning these ecosystems' oxygen has been substantially and rapidly declining. A team of scientists is proposing that aquatic deoxygenation be added to the list of 'planetary boundaries', which in its latest form describes nine domains that impose thresholds "within which humanity can continue to develop and thrive for generations to come." So far, the planetary boundaries are climate change, ocean acidification, stratospheric ozone depletion, interference with the global phosphorus and nitrogen cycles, rate of biodiversity loss, global freshwater use, land-system change, aerosol loading, and chemical pollution. (Azote/Stockholm Resilience Centre/CC BY-NC-ND 3.0/Richardson et al., 2023) A team led by freshwater ecologist Kevin Rose from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the US is concerned that this list overlooks one of the Earth's most important limits. "The observed deoxygenation of the Earth's freshwater and marine ecosystems represents an additional planetary boundary process," the authors write, "that is critical to the integrity of Earth's ecological and social systems, and both regulates and responds to ongoing changes in other planetary boundary processes. "Relevant, critical oxygen thresholds are being approached at rates comparable to other planetary boundary processes." The concentration of dissolved oxygen in water drops for a number of reasons. Warmer waters can't hold as much dissolved oxygen, for instance, and with greenhouse gas emissions continuing to raise air and water temperatures above their long-term averages, surface waters are becoming less able to hold on to this vital element. Dissolved oxygen can also be depleted by aquatic life faster than it is replenished by the ecosystem's producers. Algal blooms and bacterial booms triggered by an influx of organic matter and nutrients in the form of agricultural and domestic fertilizers, sewage, and industrial waste, quickly soak up available dissolved oxygen. In the worst cases, the oxygen becomes so depleted that the microbes suffocate and die, often taking larger species with them. Populations of microbe that don't rely on oxygen then feed on the bounty of dead organic material, growing to a density that reduces light and limits photosynthesis to trap the entire water body in a vicious, suffocating cycle called eutrophication. Aquatic deoxygenation is also driven by an increase in the density difference between layers in the water column. This increase can be attributed to surface waters warming faster than deeper waters and melting ice decreasing surface salinity in the oceans. The more distinctly defined those layers are, the less movement there is between those layers of the water column, which the vertical strata of underwater life relies upon. These density fluctuations power the movement of oxygenated surface water into the deep, and without this temperature-powered freight, ventilation in the lower depths of aquatic environments grinds to a halt. All this has wrought havoc on aquatic ecosystems, many of which our own species rely on for our own food, water, incomes, and wellbeing. The paper's authors call for a concerted, global effort to monitor and research deoxygenation of the 'blue' parts of our planet, along with policy efforts to prevent rapid deoxygenation and the associated challenges we are already beginning to face. "Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient runoff and organic carbon inputs (for example, raw sewage loading) would slow or potentially reverse deoxygenation," they write. "The expansion of the planetary boundaries framework to include deoxygenation as a boundary [will help] to focus those efforts." This paper was published as a Perspective in Nature Ecology & Evolution. Related News Home improvement retailer IKEA Canada has partnered with Cleo to deploy a smart charging management platform for its electric commercial fleets. The home furnishing retailer selected Cleo's smart charging management platform for six of its locations in Canada. The initiative is part of IKEA's endeavour to decarbonise its customer fulfilment operations and expand its network of charging stations across the country. As part of the turnkey contract, Cleo will oversee the selection, installation and deployment of charging infrastructure at the IKEA Beauharnois distribution centre. This includes 15 fast-charge stations and a power unit connected to a dedicated service entrance. The company has also commissioned four charging stations at IKEA Quebec. This is Cleo's first venture outside Quebec, with the platform set to be deployed across Ontario at IKEA stores in Burlington, Mississauga, North York and Vaughan, and in British Columbia at IKEA Richmond. Cleo's solution is designed to manage all charging activities, enhancing the reliability of the charging operation while minimising energy costs. Cleo CEO Jeff Desruisseaux said: Were particularly proud to support a key international player like IKEA in its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint in Canada. IKEA supports its partners in their efforts to electrify their fleets, facilitating the decarbonisation of the transport of its goods. In addition to our shared values and commitment to a sustainable energy transition, this collaboration is symbolic in that it allows Cleo to expand its smart platform outside Quebec and bring the expertise and talent of its team to Ontario and British Columbia. IKEA's move to equip its stores and distribution centres with charging stations is a strategic step towards promoting the use of zero-emission delivery vehicles. The retailer aims to significantly minimise its greenhouse gas and for its partners by 2025. IKEA Canada fulfilment sourcing head Crystal Rasa stated: "By partnering with Cleo, we're taking an important step toward achieving our climate-positive sustainability goals. Cleo's expertise allows us to deploy innovative charging solutions, accelerate access to our partners in multiple locations across Canada and reduce the risks associated with such major infrastructure projects." In April 2024, IKEA Canada announced substantial price reductions on 800 products. "IKEA Canada picks Cleo for smart charging infrastructure for EV fleets " was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. Story continues The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. President Joe Biden has done little since his awful debate showing of June 27 to reassure his fellow Democrats, let alone the country, that hes fit to serve another four years in the toughest job on earth. There have been a few stronger moments, most notably Bidens news conference following the NATO gathering in Washington that displayed his facility with geopolitics. But, on the whole, the Biden campaigns sporadic efforts to portray a vigorous candidate able to go toe-to-toe with an ascendant Donald Trump have been underwhelming, to say the least. Were now three weeks after what history is likely to record as the most disastrous presidential debate performance in U.S. history (and, yes, we include Richard Nixon in 1960 in that assessment), and moderate Democratic lawmakers arent any less panicked now than they were on that Black Friday for the party. There still is intraparty discussion, paused only for a few days following Saturdays shocking attempt on Trumps life, about replacing Biden at the top of the ticket. So how do the Democratic National Committee and the Biden campaign respond? By planning to secure the faltering 81-year-olds nomination via a remote delegate vote weeks before Democrats gather in Chicago. The original plan to do so was a response to a strange situation in Ohio (a state, by the way, that Biden is nearly sure to lose) in which Biden might have been kept off the ballot due to arcane timing issues. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and state lawmakers quickly passed a law to ensure Ohio voters could choose the Democratic nominee. But Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison intends to go through with the early delegate vote anyway, an obvious ploy to maintain better control, lock in Bidens nomination and force the naysayers to back off. (On Wednesday morning, in response to anger from moderate Dems still pushing Biden to step aside, the DNC announced it would delay the virtual vote by a few days.) The desperation is palpable. Team Biden keeps believing that if only fellow Democrats would fall in line behind the president, the election would become a referendum on Trump and his chaotic single term in office, as well as his encouragement of the appalling events of Jan. 6. What the Biden campaign should realize by now is that their strategy wont work, at least not the way they envisioned. Biden is one of the most unpopular incumbents to seek reelection in decades, vying only with fellow Democrat Jimmy Carter for that distinction. Concerns that Biden is too old to continue as president predated the debate and now are solidified. More than three-quarters of Americans think hes too old for the job; well over half of Democrats believe that as well. This election is at least as much a referendum on Biden as it is on Trump. Biden in a recent interview with BET News, when asked why he didnt stick to his original plan to serve only one term and allow the younger generation to run, said, I didnt anticipate things getting so divided. Its true that division and partisanship remain alarmingly intense and that the country desperately needs a leader who can identify issues on which red and blue America can agree and then tackle them. The irony here, though, is that if theres one thing on which most Americans can agree, its that Biden is too old to run for a second term. Poll after poll tells us so. If Bidens intransigence were affecting only the Democratic Party, wed be tempted to say the ensuing losses in November simply will be what the feckless party deserves. History is littered with tales featuring lack of courage and predictably bad outcomes. But the nation has a stake, too, in a functional Democratic Party. Biden has demonstrated that hes incapable at this stage of his life to cogently argue the Democrats positions on issues. Other than declaring Trump a menace to democracy a tack thats become far harder to pursue zealously after last weekend Biden struggles mightily to prosecute the case on abortion, immigration, taxation, the economy, climate change and a host of other vital concerns to the country. If he continues his campaign, who believes voters who havent made up their minds will be given well-articulated Democratic positions on issues that matter most? As a result of Bidens frailty and poor communication abilities, as well as the ongoing intraparty drama over whether he should continue, the Trump campaign spends nearly all its time and money playing offense, with little in the way of pushback from the other side. For example, does a 10% tariff on all foreign goods, as Trump has proposed, make economic sense? Economists overwhelmingly say no, but Trumps opponent has had little to say. If he did say anything about the issue, who other than the most partisan Democrats is confident the response would be forceful and intelligible? Likewise, Trump and other Republicans have pledged to fire thousands of federal bureaucrats and replace them with loyalists. Theres no shortage of deep state conspiracists who cheer those declarations, but wheres the defense of the civil service from the presumptive nominee of the other party? This page is on record that Biden should allow a younger Democrat to run in his place. Nothing weve seen in the past three weeks has changed our view. At the very least, the DNC owes it to the doubters an AP/NORC poll conducted from July 11 to 15 found that 65% of Democrats wanted Biden to throw in the towel, including 75% of those under the age of 45 to give Democrats until the convention to choose a nominee. Other than propping up a teetering candidate whose candidacy is unwanted by the majority of his own party, theres no excuse at this point not to allow delegates to vote in person in Chicago. ______ OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) A 35-year-old doctor from Edmond was found guilty by a federal jury for stealing several controlled substances from an OKC-based hospital. John William Nedza. Photo courtesy Oklahoma Medical Board. According to the U.S. Western District Court of Oklahoma, Dr. John Nedza was convicted on 18 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by deceit or subterfuge on July 11. Nedza was accused of using his position as a contract anesthesiologist to divert controlled substances, including fentanyl, ketamine, dilaudid and midazolam, from an OKC-based hospital by claiming the drugs were for patient surgeries. Oklahoma County DA refiles charges against three defendants released from mental health facilities The court says Nedza did this on at least six occasions in March 2022. He would then claim to dispose of the drugs for the nonexistent surgeries and keep them for personal purposes. Nedza faces up to four years for each count, with a total possible sentence of 72 years in federal prison. 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. El Paso man sentenced to 15 years in prison for selling fentanyl causing fatal overdose A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration photo of a plastic bag containing hundreds of fentanyl-laced pills. An El Paso man was sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison after a person he sold fentanyl to overdosed on the deadly drug, authorities said. Michael Joseph Cuccaro, 22, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison on a count of distribution of a controlled substance causing death, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas officials said. Cuccaro also was sentenced to three years of supervised release after he serves his prison term. U.S. Senior Judge David Briones handed down the sentence at the Albert Armendariz Sr. Federal Courthouse in Downtown El Paso. More: El Paso women, San Antonio man sentenced to federal prison in deadly fentanyl cases Cuccaro was convicted of selling counterfeit M-30 oxycodone pills containing fentanyl Dec. 11, 2022, to a purchaser, who is not named in court documents. The purchaser consumed the pills and died from fentanyl poisoning, officials said. He was indicted by a federal grand jury Sept. 6, 2023 in a two-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance causing death or serious bodily injury. Cuccaro pleaded guilty April 24 to the distribution charge. The possession charge was dismissed as part of a plea agreement, court records show. Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso man sentenced to federal prison for deadly Fentanyl drug deal Washington State Patrol is investigations a fatal crash involving a semi that killed a pedestrian Thursday morning in Pierce County. The crash happened southeast of Roy around 7:20 a.m. on eastbound State Route 702 near 40th Avenue South. A 79-year-old woman was walking on the shoulder when she attempted to cross SR 702 and was struck by the semi. The driver of the semi was not injuries and is cooperating with WSP. Detectives are working to determine if there were any contributing factors to the crash. Rhode Island Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, left, a North Providence Democrat, collected the most validated nomination form signatures to support his reelection bid of any state legislative candidate. Ruggerio, who faces a primary challenger, is shown entering the Senate Chamber on the last night of the 2024 legislative session on June 13, 2024. (Will Steinfeld/Rhode Island Current) Rhode Island House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi has an unobstructed path to victory in the November election, after a would-be Republican challenger failed to turn in the required 50 signatures of district voters needed to make the November ballot. Dana James Traversie, a Warwick Republican whose campaign website describes himself as a hacker with zero political experience, had initially signaled his intent to run against Shekarchi but did not appear to gather any signatures, according to the Rhode Island Department of State Elections Division portal. Traversie initially challenged Shekarchi in 2022, losing the general election race by a 20 percentage point margin. Traversie in an interview Friday morning said he decided not to run in order to devote time and energy to helping Republican challengers in other state legislative races. Obviously going up against the Speaker of the House isnt easy, Traversie said. I can put a ton of energy into that race and most likely lose. There are other races, based on my estimation, where I can offer more support and there is a chance. Traversie also said he plans to start raising money now in the hopes of mounting a more competitive campaign against Shekarchi in 2026. Candidates for local, federal, and state office had 10 days in early July to gather signatures of registered voters the amount depends on the office they are seeking and turn them in to local boards of canvassers, who in turn reviewed the papers against voter registration files and other documents before submitting a certified, final signature count for each candidate to the state, due by 4 p.m. Thursday. Results were made available online later that night. Its not unusual for the signature gathering process to winnow the field, particularly for first-time or lesser known candidates. Indeed, none of the 11 dropouts from state legislative races based on final signature certifications are incumbent lawmakers. In three cases, including Traversie, the failure to turn in signatures means a sitting legislative incumbent now faces no primary or general election challenger; Sen. Tiara Mack, a Providence Democrat, and Rep. Stephen Casey, a Woonsocket Democrat, initially faced challenges by unaffiliated candidates but those contenders also did not turn in signatures. In several other races, matchups remain, but the dropouts have eliminated a potential primary, or at least reduced the number of contenders. What was a six-way Democratic primary to replace the open seat vacated by Sen. Josh Miller of Cranston now features five contenders, with Chris Lanen dropping out of the race. Meanwhile, Rep. Enrique Sanchez of Providence now faces only two challengers in the Democratic primary, after a third, Leslie Bunnell, did not turn in any signatures. Candidates for state and federal office still have until 4 p.m. Friday to withdraw. Objections to state and federal candidates nomination papers can also be submitted through 4 p.m. Friday. Suspicions of signature fraud, which later resulted in two people being criminally charged, clouded the signature gathering and review process during last years special Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District. But this year, review of hundreds of local, state and federal candidate signature papers appears to have avoided the same scandal. No local boards of canvassers have notified the Rhode Island Board of Elections about suspicious signatures on candidates nomination papers, Chris Hunter, a BOE spokesperson, said in an email Friday morning. The threshold for making the ballot is much lower for state office than for Congress; state representative candidates had to submit at least 50 signatures of registered district voters, while Senate hopefuls had to turn in 100. That didnt dampen Senate President Dominick Ruggerios quest for collecting the state Senate leader turned in 275 valid signatures in his reelection bid, the highest of any state legislative candidate. Contenders for either of Rhode Islands two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, meanwhile, had to turn in at least 500 valid signatures. Incumbent Reps. Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo easily cleared that threshold. Magaziners Republican challenger in the 2nd Congressional District, Steven Corvi, met the signature requirement. Amo will face one Republican challenger, Allen Waters, who previously ran as a Democrat for the seat during the 2023 special primary election, and unaffiliated candidate CD Reynolds. Two other Democrats who signaled their intent to run against Amo, Jeffrey Lemire and Eddy Medrano, fell short of the signature requirement. Unaffiliated contender Ronald Omar Zapanta, withdrew. U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who turned in more than twice the 1,000 signatures required to make the ballot, will face one Democratic primary opponent: Michael Costa. Meanwhile, Republican Patricia Morgan, who served as a West Warwick state representative for the last four years, will battle Republican Raymond McKay in the primary, based on final, certified signature results. Two independent candidates in the U.S. Senate race, Joseph Lusi and Joel Reyes, did not turn in any signatures. The Rhode Island Board of Elections is scheduled to pick polling places for the Sept. 5 primary and hear any objections to candidates signature papers at a meeting at 2 p.m. Monday. The primary is Sept. 10, with a Nov. 5 general election. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX FILE PHOTO: Eli Lilly logo is shown on one of their offices in San Diego By Andrew Silver SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Eli Lilly said in a social media post Friday its weight loss drug tirzepatide had received approval from Chinese regulators, further intensifying competition with its Danish rival Novo Nordisk in the key Asian market. Shares of the drugmaker rose 1.6% to $862.39 in midday trading. Novo's weight loss drug Wegovy won approval from China, the world's second-largest economy and the country estimated to hold the highest number of overweight or obese people, in June in a move that sent its share price soaring. A spokesperson for Eli Lilly did not immediately respond to a request for comment on when its own drug's sales would begin in China or how many doses would be supplied. Tirzepatide is the active ingredient in the U.S. firm's diabetes drug Mounjaro, also approved in China, and weight-loss drug Zepbound. Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are racing to increase production in a weight-loss market estimated to reach at least $100 billion globally by the end of the decade. Both companies' obesity treatments belong to a class of drugs originally developed for diabetes known as GLP-1 agonists. GLP-1 drugs have been shown to help patients lose on average as much as 20% of their weight, fuelling unparalleled demand. ($1 = 6.8673 Danish crowns) (Reporting by Andrew Silver; Writing by Miyoung Kim; Additional reporting by Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Mark Potter) TrumpX Now that multi-hyphenate billionaire Elon Musk has fully outed himself as a Trump fanboy, it didn't take long for his online echo chamber X-formerly-Twitter to turn into a MAGA-infested enclave. In a new and beyond-parody move, the social media network has now added unremovable Trump 2024 hashtags on top of the trending list, campaign ads on the Explore tab, and cascading American flags when you click one of the hashtags. Twitter also likely violated copyright by ripping off a post-assassination-attempt photo owned by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci and turning it into a "hashmoji," as The Verge reports. It's a depressing state of affairs, highlighting a complete reversal of social media companies' previous attempts to keep themselves out of political matters not that they've had much success in that strategy. Instead of trying to provide a "digital town square" for all, as Musk promised prior to his acquisition of Twitter in 2022, he's now fully leaned into using the platform to promote his own polarizing worldview. In short, Musk has given up on impartiality and the latest move bookends his years-long descent into right-wing nutcase conspiracy theories, racist tendencies, and generalized bigotry, all of which have found a place to flourish on the platform once known as Twitter. Full MAGA Earlier this week, news emerged that Musk was donating as much as $45 million a month to a pro-Trump super PAC run by Silicon Valley conservatives. In a tweet, he congratulated Trump's recently announced running mate Republican senator JD Vance, calling it an "excellent decision." And now by turning Twitter-formerly-X into an unofficial and incredibly gaudy Trump campaign platform, Musk is nailing the coffin shut. While the social media network was never anywhere near perfect, Musk has extraordinarily damaged it by essentially giving up on content moderation and allowing hate speech to flourish. The numbers paint a clear picture: X is bleeding users as people are looking for greener and less bot- and racism-infested pastures. The company has also greatly struggled with plummeting advertising revenue, largely driven by Musk's appalling behavior and mismanagement. As always, it's unclear why Musk has thrown his full weight behind a convicted felon and former reality TV host. Besides, the two have rarely seen eye to eye. In 2020, for instance, Musk called Trump a "stone cold loser." And in 2022, Trump called Musk's Twitter acquisition a "rotten" deal and accused him of being "another bullshit artist." Is it a matter of ideological alignment or is Musk simply chasing profits over everything else, with the mercurial CEO hellbent on dismantling the US government bit by bit from the inside out? Given his track record so far, it's likely a mix of both. More on Twitter: Elon Musk Demands "Criminal Prosecution" of People Who Won't Give Him Money The European Union and Serbia on Friday sealed a landmark agreement to cooperate on the establishment of a critical lithium mine, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Belgrade to sign the pact despite opposition from environmental activists. Scholz, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic signed a strategic partnership worth several billion euros for the extraction of lithium in north-western Serbia. The mineral, which is essential in the production of renewable batteries, has in recent decades become one of the world's most sought-after natural resources, with Serbia's Jadar valley believed to hold Europe's largest reserves. Environmentalists have voiced concerns that the mine could contaminate vital water sources and impact local communities, but Scholz said the project would meet the "highest standards" of environmental protection. "We will support this and will do our part to ensure that [environmental standards] are implemented," Scholz said. Sefcovic described the signing of the pact as a "historic day," which could further deepen Serbia's ties with the EU. The country has had official candidate status for the union since 2012, but relations have soured in recent years due to Vucic's authoritarian turn and his friendly relations with Moscow and Beijing. Vucic also praised the agreement, calling it a "turning point and a quantum leap into the future." Reducing Europe's dependency on China Scholz sees the agreement with Serbia as a chance to reduce Europe's dependence on China as a source of critical raw materials. The German chancellor arrived in Belgrade late on Thursday after attending a European Political Community summit in the United Kingdom. He was greeted by Vucic at the airport after his plane was escorted by Serbian fighter jets. For Belgrade, meanwhile, the partnership could help to position the Serbian economy as a key pillar of Europe's green transition, bringing revenue, investment and jobs. According to Vucic, the pact could be worth up to 6 billion ($6.5 billion). Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has estimated that the region could produce up to 58,000 tons of lithium per year. The figure would be enough to build 1.1 million electric vehicles, according to Serbian media reports, corresponding to around 17% of total European production. Car manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis are already negotiating a stake in the project with Rio Tinto. The deal could represent a blow for China, which was reportedly interested in Serbia's lithium deposits. President Xi Jinping visited Belgrade in May. Opposition from local activists The lithium project has proved highly controversial across Serbia. Opposition politician Aleksandar Jovanovic Cuta, who has led a number of environmental protests in Serbia, called the agreement a "death sentence" for the region. Activists had planned a demonstration in front of the presidential palace in Belgrade during the ceremony, but the area was cordoned off. The German chancellor's office has argued that involving German companies is the best way to ensure the mine is environmentally friendly. The mine has also faced legal hurdles, with Serbia's Constitutional Court recently overturning a temporary ban on the development of the project. Critics have questioned the independence of the court, arguing that Vucic's government has used it to ride roughshod over environmental protections. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L), walks alongside Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic, on a virtual street to a summit on critical raw materials. Michael Kappeler/dpa German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L), walks alongside Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic, to a summit on critical raw materials. Michael Kappeler/dpa The ILO programme, which will also include support for the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, is scheduled to run from 2026 to 2030, and underscores both parties' commitment to improving labour conditions and promoting social justice in Uzbekistan. At a high-level meeting with Uzbek officials, the ILO director-general commended Uzbekistan's advances in labour rights and expressed support for its continuing reforms. Uzbekistan recently celebrated the first anniversary of a landmark labour agreement in its textile and garment industry. The agreement, with the ILOs Better Work programme and the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan (FTUU), has led to notable improvements in working conditions and enhanced the country's position in the global apparel market. "In 2013 Uzbekistan agreed to cooperate with the ILO to eliminate forced labour and child labour during the cotton harvest. Today, for the ILO and for other countries, Uzbekistan has become a role model. We stand ready to continue to support you in implementing your ambitious reforms, director-general Gilbert F. Houngbo said during the high-level conference on advancing social justice that he attended during his visit. Houngbo also announced a new partnership between the ILO, Uzbek constituents and the Government of Germany to support the reform of labour inspection services. The director-general congratulated Uzbekistan on its recent election to the ILO Governing Body, the first time in the history of the country. In May Uzbekistan's cotton sector, which was cleared of state-level forced labour in 2021, was asked to investigate an alleged attack on a human rights activist during a trip to meet cotton farmers. "ILO announces new labour rights programme for Uzbekistan" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Russia convicts US journalist of spying in a trial widely seen as politically motivated Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich stands listening to the verdict in a glass cage of a courtroom inside the building of "Palace of justice," in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on Friday, July 19, 2024. A Russian court convicted Gershkovich on espionage charges that his employer and the U.S. have rejected as fabricated. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison after a secretive and rapid trial in the country's highly politicized legal system. (AP Photo) YEKATERINBURG, Russia (AP) Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was convicted Friday of espionage and sentenced to 16 years in a maximum-security prison on charges that his employer and the U.S. government have rejected as fabricated. The swift conclusion of the secretive trial in Russias highly politicized legal system could potentially clear the way for a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. Gershkovich, his head shaved and looking thin in a dark T-shirt, was calm as he stood in a glass defendants cage in the Sverdlovsk Regional Court. He listened impassively to the verdict but gave an occasional smile. When Judge Andrei Mineyev asked him if he had any questions about the verdict, he replied No, your honor. After Mineyev read the verdict, someone in the courtroom shouted, Evan, we love you! Closing arguments took place behind closed doors where Gershkovich did not admit any guilt, according to the courts press service. Prosecutors requested an 18-year sentence, but the judge opted for a shorter term. U.S. President Joe Biden said after the conviction that Gershkovich was targeted by the Russian government because he is a journalist and an American. We are pushing hard for Evans release and will continue to do so, he said in a statement. As I have long said and as the U.N. also concluded, there is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime. Almar Latour, CEO of Dow Jones and publisher of The Wall Street Journal, and Editor in Chief Emma Tucker called it a disgraceful, sham conviction. "Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist," they said in a statement. We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evans release and to support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until hes released. This must end now. Latour later told The Associated Press in an interview it was deeply disconcerting to see Gershkovich in a defendants cage with a shaved head and the more emaciated look, but he added: We do believe that hes otherwise healthy. Commenting on the unusually swift trial, he said, It just goes to show that in an autocracy and a regime like this, trials can move at any speed, with an invisible hand deciding that. It further underscores the fake nature of these charges, he added. Gershkovich, 32, was arrested March 29, 2023, while on a reporting trip to the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. Authorities claimed, without offering any evidence, that he was gathering secret information for the U.S. He has been behind bars since his arrest, time that will be counted as part of his sentence. Most of that was in Moscows notorious Lefortovo Prison a czarist-era lockup used during Josef Stalins purges, when executions were carried out in its basement. He was transferred to Yekaterinburg for the trial. Gershkovich was the first U.S. journalist arrested on espionage charges since Nicholas Daniloff in 1986, at the height of the Cold War. Foreign journalists in Russia were shocked by Gershkovichs arrest, even though the country has enacted increasingly repressive laws on freedom of speech after sending troops into Ukraine. Unlike the trial's opening June 26 in Yekaterinburg and previous hearings in Moscow where reporters could see Gershkovich briefly before proceedings began, there was no access to the courtroom Thursday when the trial resumed. Media were allowed in Friday for the verdict. Espionage and treason cases are typically shrouded in secrecy. Russian courts convict more than 99% of defendants, and prosecutors can appeal sentences that they regard as too lenient. The U.S. State Department has declared Gershkovich wrongfully detained, committing it to assertively seek his release. Asked Friday about a possible prisoner swap involving Gershkovich, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Moscow and Washingtons special services are discussing an exchange. Russia has previously signaled a possible swap, but said a verdict must come first. Even after a verdict, a deal could take months or years. U.S. officials offered to swap Gershkovich last year but it was rejected by Russia, and they have not made public any possible deals since then. State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel on Thursday declined to discuss negotiations about an exchange. President Vladimir Putin hinted earlier this year he would be open to swapping Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing of a Georgian citizen of Chechen descent. Speaking to reporters after the verdict, prosecutor Mikael Ozdoyev said Gershkovich was accused of gathering secret information about production and repair of military equipment at Uralvagonzavod, an industrial plant about 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Yekaterinburg that manufactures tanks. Ozdoyev repeated the claim that Gershkovich was acting on instructions from the CIA. U.S. officials have dismissed this as bogus. Evan has never been employed by the United States government. Evan is not a spy, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said last month. Russias interpretation of what constitutes high crimes like espionage and treason is broad, with authorities often going after people who share publicly available information with foreigners and accusing them of divulging state secrets. U.N. human rights experts said this month that Russia violated international law by jailing Gershkovich and should release him immediately. Arrests of Americans are increasingly common in Russia, with nine U.S. citizens known to be detained there as tensions between the two countries have escalated over fighting in Ukraine. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield accused Moscow of treating human beings as bargaining chips. She singled out Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan, 53, a corporate security director from Michigan, who is serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted on spying charges that he and the U.S. denied. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that when it comes to Gershkovich, Whelan and other Americans wrongfully detained in Russia and elsewhere, were working quite literally every day. Were working it as we speak, and were not going to stop until we get Evan home, Paul home, till we get others home, Blinken said at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. Since sending troops to Ukraine, Russian authorities have detained several U.S. nationals and other Westerners. In his statement, Biden said that since the very first day of my administration, I have had no higher priority than seeking the release and safe return of Evan, Paul Whelan and all Americans wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad. The son of Soviet emigres who settled in New Jersey, Gershkovich was fluent in Russian and moved to the country in 2017 to work for The Moscow Times newspaper before being hired by the Journal in 2022. Gershkovich had over a dozen closed hearings on extending his pretrial detention or appeals for his release. He was brought to the courthouse in handcuffs and appeared smiling for the many cameras before the hearings began. These gave his family, friends and U.S. officials a glimpse of him, and it was a break from his otherwise monotonous prison routine. But his mother, Ella Milman, said they also were a painful reminder that he is not with us. Friends say that while he was in Lefortovo, Gershkovich was not allowed phone calls and was allowed out of his cell for only an hour a day to exercise. He usually spent the rest of his time reading books in English and Russian and writing letters to friends and family. He relied on his sense of humor to get through the days, according to those close to him. As he marked his second year in captivity in March, Milman said he was telling people not to freak out, but she admitted the strain for friends and family was taking a toll. Representatives of Ukraine's state energy grid operator, Ukrenergo, and the KfW Development Bank signed an agreement worth 100 million euros (nearly $110 million) for energy projects, Ukrenergo announced on July 19. "The European Commission has authorized the KfW to allocate funds from the EU's special budget program, Ukraine Investment Facility, to Ukrenergo and to ensure the financing and implementation of a number of priority energy projects," the statement read. The German state-owned KfW Development Bank will provide funds for modernizing high-voltage substations in Ukraine's western regions and developing interconnectors bridging Ukraine with continental Europe's power system. The funds will also be used to repair and restore equipment destroyed or damaged by Russian attacks, enhance the protection of Ukrenergo's substations, and purchase and deliver new equipment. Since the start of Russia's full-scale war in February 2022, Ukrenergo has received international assistance worth 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion), with 324 million euros ($353 million) raised with KfW's support, according to the statement. In recent months, Russia has intensified its attacks against Ukraine's critical infrastructure in a renewed assault against the country's energy grid. Following a wave of mass Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the Energy Ministry has estimated the damage to the country's power grid at more than $1 billion, according to Minister Herman Halushchenko. Due to dwindling energy supplies caused by Russian attacks, Ukraine's largest privately-owned energy provider, DTEK, has warned that Ukrainians may only have electricity for 6-7 hours per day in the upcoming winter. In a "worst-case" scenario in which Ukraine is unable to repair damaged energy facilities and prevent future attacks, Ukrainians could experience up to 20 hours of blackouts a day, DTEK Executive Director Dmytro Sakharuk told the Kyiv Independent in an interview in June. Read also: Energy situation should improve after July 20, Shmyhal says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The European Commission is assessing a draft law that proposes controversial changes to Ukraine's criminal code, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna told Interfax Ukraine on July 19. Draft law no. 11340 proposes to amend Ukraine's Criminal Code, specifically regarding proceedings on crimes related to corruption and plea agreements. If passed, the law would allow courts to enter into a plea agreement with someone charged with a corruption-related offense, whereby the punishment may involve a fine that would reimburse the damages caused by embezzlement, for example. According to the draft law, the fine can range from Hr 204,000 ($5,000) to Hr 204 million ($58,000), depending on the severity of the crime. Stefanishyna told Interfax Ukraine that the draft law should improve the effectiveness of plea agreements in line with global practices. "Plea deals are a very common practice worldwide. This practice already exists in Ukraine. However, the current mechanism is ineffective, as noted in the evaluations of international experts," Stefanishyna said. The draft law was passed by parliament in the first reading on July 18 despite risks pointed out by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor (SAP) and parliament's Anti-Corruption Committee, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak noted. The Anti-Corruption Committee said that the law contains a "corruption-inducing factor." Zelezniak said that the adoption of the law is a requirement of the EU's Ukraine Facility, but the law was "written in such a bad way by the Government, specifically by the Justice Ministry, and clearly not under normal consultation with colleagues from international partners." Ukrainian blogger Ihor Lachenkov argued that the law "will allow top corrupt officials to buy themselves out of punishment for corruption simply by paying any amount of damage, even without exposing accomplices." Lachenkov detailed the issues with the law in an Instagram post on July 18, providing the example of an official caught embezzling Hr 3.4 million ($82,000) while in charge of building fortifications. "He'll be able to legally pay a part of the kickback...and that's it, he's free," Lachenkov said. The post has been liked over 125,000 times. Read also: European Commission snubs Hungarys presidency over Orbans rogue diplomacy Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. EU calls on Russia to admit responsibility for downing of MH17 over Ukraine The Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) issued a statement on July 18 demanding Russia admit its responsibility for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014. The Council's statement comes one day after the 10th anniversary of the plane's destruction on July 17, 2014. The flight was downed by a Russian Russian Buk surface-to-air missile over eastern Ukraine, killing 298 people. "The European Union reiterates its call on the Russian Federation to accept its responsibility in this tragedy and to cooperate fully in serving justice," the statement said. The District Court of The Hague in November 2022 sentenced in absentia two Russian nationals and one Ukrainian national to life imprisonment for their involvement in the downing of flight MH17. A fourth defendant, also a Russian national, was acquitted on the grounds of insufficient evidence connecting him to the crime. According to the Council, the Court's verdict "makes it abundantly clear" that the missile "belonged beyond doubt to the armed forces of the Russian Federation." "No Russian disinformation operation can distract from these basic facts, established by a court of law," the statement read. Russia denied responsibility for the downing, and none of those deemed responsible have ever been brought to justice. President Volodymyr Zelensky commemorated the anniversary of the tragedy in a statement on July 17. "It's been 10 years since Russian murderers shot down the MH17 passenger plane in the skies over Ukraine," he said. "The whole world witnessed then who came to wage war against Ukraine and that Russian evil is a threat not only to us but to all." Read also: The downing of MH17, and Russias responsibility Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. EU says it will soon receive 1.4bn in proceeds from frozen Russian assets to procure weapons for Ukraine The European Union anticipates that the European Peace Facility will receive the first tranche of 1.4 billion from frozen Russian assets in the coming weeks. These funds will be allocated for military purchases for Ukraine. Source: Interfax-Ukraine news agency, citing a senior EU official speaking to journalists on condition of anonymity, as reported by European Pravda Details: The source said the EU expects to receive 1.4 billion in the next two weeks, which will be transferred to the European Peace Facility. The official added that their priorities were ammunition, air defence systems, and procurement within Ukraine itself, particularly from Ukrainian manufacturers. The source also expects that at the upcoming meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday, 22 July, ministers from several countries will urge Hungary to lift its veto blocking the 6.2 billion previously approved for the European Peace Facility. Background: Earlier, Josep Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, confirmed that the European Peace Facility would receive 1.4 billion in July from Russian assets and another 1 billion by the end of the year. Last month, the EU approved the use of this fund and the extraordinary profits from the taxation of frozen Russian assets despite Hungary's opposition. Support UP or become our patron! (Bloomberg) -- The European Union will receive this month the first tranche of profits generated by sanctioned Russian Central Bank assets that are destined to boost Ukraine and its military. Most Read from Bloomberg Euroclear, the Belgium-based clearing house, said in a statement on Friday that it will make a first payment of 1.55 billion ($1.7 billion) following the EUs implementation of legislation allowing the bloc to apply a windfall tax to the profits generated by the immobilized assets. The EU has agreed to use the bulk of the funds to provide Ukraine with weapons and to support the countrys defense, with the first transfer of aid expected later this month. Euroclears financial results for the first half of this year show that 173 billion worth of sanctioned assets are held through the clearing house as of June. The funds have so far earned about 3.4 billion since they were immobilized, although profits generated before Feb. 15 will be retained by the clearing house as a buffer to handle current and future risks, such as litigation. The EU and the Group of Seven agreed last month to frontload the profits that will be made by the blocked funds over time with the aim of providing Ukraine with about $50 billion dollars in loans this year. G-7 nations and the EU aim to give out loans to Ukraine that will be repaid using the profits generated by the roughly $280 billion of blocked funds, most of which are held in Europe. Allies are currently working through the mechanics of how each will implement the plan. That arrangement, which would structure loans roughly based on the size of each participants economy, would replace the current EU scheme. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Europe faces a hostile Russia and the prospect of an isolationist US. Unity is more crucial than ever Just hours before the black SUVs carrying dozens of European leaders crunched across the gravel of Blenheim Palace on Thursday, Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance put the USs foreign partners on notice. Together we will make our allies share in the burden of securing world peace, he said at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. No more free rides for nations that betray the generosity of the American taxpayer. That wasnt even the most strident rhetoric weve heard from the junior senator from Ohio, who voted against the US supplemental aid package for Ukraine that passed in April. In February, he told the Munich Security Conference the American security blanket has allowed European security to atrophy, arguing that in a world where munitions manufacturing is limited, the only option for Ukraine is a negotiated settlement. Vance was echoing the GOPs presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has long criticized NATO and accused partners in the security alliance of failing to pay their fair share. The former president has also hinted at paring back military aid to Ukraine and claimed that he could have the war settled through negotiation in 24 hours if reelected. And yet the mood among European leaders arriving in the rolling Oxfordshire countryside is one of resignation, and resolve. I think whoever wins the US race it will be more America first, Belgiums Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told CNN. And I think the only answer to that is Europe needs to stand on its own legs what we see in the Republican convention confirms that. Finlands President Alexander Stubb, the head of one of NATOs newest members, has read Vances book, Hillbilly Elegy, describing it as very good. On the isolationist leanings of a Trump-Vance ticket, he is circumspect. Am I worried? No. Because the United States wants to remain a superpower, he told CNN. Sen. JD Vance speaks on the third night of the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, July 17, in Milwaukee. - Will Lanzoni/CNN Is there a rebalancing going on? Yes. Europe needs to take care of its defense more. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen argues Europe stepping up its commitment to its own security has nothing to do with the US. We have to be more capable of defending ourselves, with a more and more aggressive Russia, not only when it comes to Ukraine, she told CNN. Its every day now that weve seen hybrid attacks, cyber attacks, disinformation. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, just two weeks into the job, was hoping the Thursday summit involving 42 European heads of state or government would be a strong show of unity, a signal to Russia of our resolve. And yet one EU leader has signaled something quite different to Russia. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has never supported military aid to Ukraine, chose the first week of his rotating EU presidency this month to visit President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, on what he called a peace mission. The visit was about fulfilling his Christian duty Orban told CNN on Thursday. I try to do my best to convince everybody that peace is better than a war its not easy to convince them. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, reelected Thursday to another five-year term, called the trip an appeasement mission. Speaking at the meeting at Blenheim Palace, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was blunt. Preserving European unity is critical to a long-lasting peace, he said. But if someone in Europe tries to resolve issues behind others backs if someone wants to make some trips to the capital of war then why should we consider such a person? The EU and NATO can address all their issues without this one individual. Europe did manage a show of unity, but one that faces mounting tests, including the prospect of a new US administration that may pull its support for Ukraine, and an increasingly active Ukraine-skeptic in its midst. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Europe has shown it's less afraid of calling Putin's bluff than the US and getting Ukraine what it needs to fight Russia Europe has been noticeably bolder at helping Ukraine than the US despite Russia's threats. It has taken the lead in giving Ukraine advanced weaponry and the freedom to use them. One expert described a pattern where Europeans lead and "the US eventually comes along." Ukraine's European partners have frequently been first to call Russian President Vladimir Putin's bluff, acting before the US to take bolder steps to support Kyiv even in the face of Russian threats. Russia has repeatedly threatened retaliation if Ukraine gets big-ticket weaponry or permissions to strike into Russia. These threats are serious, with Russia routinely rattling the nuclear saber. European countries, though regularly still on delayed timetables, tend to move forward regardless and do so first, with the US only later giving Ukraine the same tools and opportunities. George Barros, a Russia analyst at the US-based Institute for the Study of War think tank, told BI that Ukraine's European partners are typically the first to do what the US says it won't do, allowing Ukraine to then "do the thing that Washington was terrified of doing." If Ukraine succeeds and Russia doesn't retaliate, the US then realizes that "this is actually something that can be done," he said. Europe is leading The United States is considered a strong partner nation, and it has been the largest single-nation contributor of security assistance to Ukraine. It has provided weapons that have tremendously aided Ukraine's fight, such as Javelin anti-tank missiles, M777 Howitzers, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), and critical Patriot air defense systems, among others. But as a larger block of nations, the European continent has made a much larger financial contribution than the US. Many European countries have also given more as a proportion of their GDP than the US has. American President Joe Biden acknowledged in May that "Europe has spent more money in taking on Russia." For European partners, though, perhaps the biggest thing is that Russian rhetoric and the risk of escalation do not appear to have deterred them the way it has the United States from sending the weapons Ukraine wants most. The dozens of US-made F-16s now promised to Ukraine are coming not from the US, but from European countries specifically Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium after Washington, under mounting pressure from Ukraine and European allies, gave permission for the jets to be sent. It contributed to the training of Ukrainian pilots, but the US isn't providing fighter aircraft. Beyond the provision of F-16s by some European nations, other countries in Europe have promised other types of aircraft to Ukraine. For instance, Sweden has offered a surveillance aircraft while France has promised to send Mirage fighters. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy walks past an F-16 fighter jet in the Netherlands in August 2023. AP Photo/Peter Dejong In early 2023, France became the first Western country to promise to send Ukraine Western armored combat vehicles. The US promise to send Bradleys followed the French assurance it would send the AMX-10 RC fighting vehicle. For heavier armor, the UK was the first country to offer Ukraine Western main battle tanks, agreeing to it in January 2023 after months of Ukrainian pleading for Western tanks. The US announced it would do so later that month, knowing they would take far longer than the UK ones to arrive. US Abrams arrived much later, after Ukraine's big summer 2023 counteroffensive had already largely failed. And Europe has been first on other big items on Ukraine's wishlist. For instance, while the US worried about the risk of escalation even as pressure grew at home and abroad for it to send Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), the UK became the first country to provide Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles. It gave Kyiv Storm Shadows in May 2023. Davis Ellison, an analyst at The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies, told BI these weapons were long seen as "extremely escalatory" because of their range, yet the UK opted to send them anyway, with France following with the same missile from its arsenal, which Paris calls the SCALP-EG. An Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) during live-fire testing. White Sands Missile Range/John Hamilton Only after Russia didn't escalate as it threatened "against anyone or anywhere outside of Ukraine" did the US send long-range ATACMS missiles months later, Ellison said. And when it did at last send the missiles, only a limited number were sent, giving Ukraine enough for really just one strike on a Russian airbase. It would be a while before Kyiv received more. European countries have also led in letting Ukraine use Western weapons to hit military targets in Russia. More and more European countries came forward earlier this year to allow Ukraine to do this, but the US stayed a holdout. The US gave Ukraine permission in May but restricted strikes to the border area near Kharkiv, where Russia was on the offensive. Additionally, it has kept some restrictions in place that its European allies have not stopping Ukraine from using long-range missiles to hit military targets deep inside Russia. Outside of weaponry, some European countries, like France, have outlined scenarios that would lead them to put their own troops in Ukraine, and Poland is now considering downing Russian missiles over Ukrainian airspace. Europe is concerned about how reliable an ally the US will be if former President Donald Trump, who has criticized both NATO and Ukraine aid, is re-elected. European countries increased their support when Republicans blocked aid to Ukraine for six months late last year, and the alliance is now moving forward with a new initiative to take greater control over help for Ukraine in case the US can't be relied on. Making bold moves The different experts BI spoke with pointed to Germany as an outlier among Europe's larger militaries, as it has often required immense pressure to persuade it to send much-needed weapons. But they said France, the UK, and countries that border Russia are among the boldest ones when it comes to helping Ukraine. Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and a current defense strategy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told BI "the UK and France and many of the Eastern European countries are forward-leaning and putting pressure on the US." "You've seen this pattern where the Europeans are leaning forward and the US eventually comes along." Many of the Western nations that border Russia are the ones giving Ukraine the most help by share of their GDP. Some have given Ukraine all they have of a certain weapons type, not citing the concerns that Western European countries and the US have shared about needing to keep their arsenals well stocked. They're all in, characterizing Ukraine's fight as a shield keeping Russia at bay and off their doorstep. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in Zhytomyr, Ukraine. AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko Barros said the UK has been a leader on multiple big-ticket items and had "actually broken the taboo and the seal" in some cases. But there are still hangups, and some European countries want partner support for Ukraine to go much further. They say Ukraine should get the support it needs to fight Russia on the battlefield and that the West needs to deter Russia by showing that support for Ukraine cannot be eroded. They say there should be no red lines. Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte told BI earlier this year that Ukraine's international partners need to go beyond the "red lines" they have set for themselves, saying that "Putin laughs at our red lines." Barros said that the delays while countries debate what to offer to Ukraine are "very frustrating" because of the "lost time and lives." He said that "with many of these capabilities sooner, the Ukrainians would be in a much better place." But, instead, the US in particular has been "very timid." A woman looks at her apartment building heavily damaged by a Russian missile strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, in January 2024. REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi It's always a process. He characterized the US allowing some strikes into Russia as "doing the right thing," something which "six months ago seemed absolutely incredible and unthinkable." "We get there," he said, "but it's a little too little too late." Calling Putin's bluff Europe's forwardness comes despite the fact that it is largely seen as more vulnerable than the US would be if Russia were to decide to retaliate given its proximity. Many countries border Russia, and they may be Russia's first choice in an attack. They are actively boosting their militaries and border defenses in case Russia goes ahead with such a move. But proximity may also explain the boldness. Philip Ingram, a former British Army intelligence and security officer, said countries closest to Russia "understand the threat" they understand Russia's power and what could happen to them if Russia took over Ukraine. Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal visit the town of Borodianka in Ukraine's Kyiv region. Ukrainian Governmental Press Service/Handout via REUTERS Many nations on the continent warn Russia may attack one of them if it's not defeated in Ukraine. Europe also understands Russia better, Barros said. "I know Europe's not a monolith, but in general, they're closer to Russia," he said. "They understand Russia a little bit better than the people we have in Washington. And they understand you can actually call the bluffs." But, he continued, the US is "across the ocean. It's difficult for a lot of our people to be grounded in reality." A different situation for the US Ellison said Russia may see US actions as inherently more escalatory as it has portrayed the US as its rival for so long, outlining the "persistent concern that if the US really, really doubles and triples down on some areas that it could be perceived as being very escalatory." He said there's a belief in the US that European actions are "perceived as less escalatory" than American moves. He said the US may sometimes urge European allies to take steps first, "to sort of gauge the Russian reaction and then after that make decisions about whether or not they're going to provide similar capabilities." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Joe Biden in June 2024. Anadolu via Getty Images Ingram said that being first may also be a harder political sell in the US. He said that for most Americans, "if you ask them to name five European countries, they probably wouldn't be able to do it." Hence, lawmakers worry there will be backlash over billions of dollars being sent to what many view as "this little European country." Building on that, there is a deeper political trend among elements of the right in the US. There are factions within the modern Republican party that hold negative views of US alliances and oppose investments externally, favoring a more inward-facing America First foreign policy agenda. The GOP, for instance, set off a political standoff in Congress late last year that ultimately delayed aid to Ukraine for months while trying to force the Biden administration's hand on border security. That there is an upcoming US election makes some of these concerns more immediate. Former president Donald Trump has made disconcerting comments on the NATO alliance, as well as continued support for Ukraine. Likewise, his new running mate, JD Vance, has said that he does "not think that it is in America's interest to continue to fund an effectively never-ending war in Ukraine." A Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office employee is holding a fragment of a Russian munition in a residential area after the Russian glide bomb attack in Kharkiv in July 2024. Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images Other experts, however, continue to see escalation being the greater deterrence to US action. Barros described the White House as being "so incredibly paralyzed by fear of escalation that every half step is debated fiercely as being a step too far." "I think we're overly cautious," he said. He agreed the US should avoid war with Russia, but he said there are many more steps the US could take without risking direct war. He argued that "the risk tolerance that the White House has is extremely, extremely low." He described US lawmakers as being victims of "Russian informational warfare" and warned that the West not giving Ukraine strong support is what Putin wants. Putin intends to win by assuming the West will abandon Ukraine. If that happens, he doesn't need to dominate on the battlefield. Putin thinks "he doesn't have to have the most sophisticated capabilities," Barros said. His plan is that he "doesn't have to outmaneuver the Ukrainians practically or operationally or have military geniuses running his campaign. It's just: Eventually, the West will get tired and abandon Ukraine, and it'll lose that way." Read the original article on Business Insider In the past year, the Indian market has shown robust growth with a 45% increase, despite remaining flat over the last week. In this context, companies with high insider ownership that are poised for up to 27% earnings growth stand out as particularly compelling opportunities for investors seeking alignment with management's interests in growing markets. Top 10 Growth Companies With High Insider Ownership In India Name Insider Ownership Earnings Growth Archean Chemical Industries (NSEI:ACI) 22.9% 28.9% Pitti Engineering (BSE:513519) 30.3% 28.0% Kirloskar Pneumatic (BSE:505283) 30.6% 29.8% Shivalik Bimetal Controls (BSE:513097) 19.5% 28.7% Jupiter Wagons (NSEI:JWL) 10.8% 27.2% Rajratan Global Wire (BSE:517522) 19.8% 33.5% Dixon Technologies (India) (NSEI:DIXON) 24.9% 34.5% Paisalo Digital (BSE:532900) 16.3% 23.8% JNK India (NSEI:JNKINDIA) 23.8% 31.8% Aether Industries (NSEI:AETHER) 31.1% 40.9% Click here to see the full list of 83 stocks from our Fast Growing Indian Companies With High Insider Ownership screener. Here's a peek at a few of the choices from the screener. Simply Wall St Growth Rating: Overview: Info Edge (India) Limited is an online classifieds company focusing on recruitment, matrimony, real estate, and education services both in India and globally, with a market capitalization of approximately 894.35 billion. Operations: The company generates revenue through segments including Recruitment Solutions at 18.80 billion and 99acres for Real Estate at 3.51 billion. Insider Ownership: 37.9% Earnings Growth Forecast: 24.1% p.a. Info Edge (India) Limited has shown a robust growth trajectory with its earnings forecasted to increase by 24.1% annually, outpacing the Indian market's expected growth. Despite a historically unstable dividend record, insider transactions over the past quarter suggest confidence from within, as insiders have predominantly purchased shares. However, it's crucial to note that while revenue is growing faster than the market at 12.1% annually, this rate does not meet the high-growth benchmark of 20% per year. Additionally, recent executive resignations could signal internal challenges needing careful monitoring by investors. NSEI:NAUKRI Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Jul 2024 Simply Wall St Growth Rating: Overview: Persistent Systems Limited, with a market cap of 71.92 billion, engages in providing software products, services, and technology solutions across India, North America, and other global markets. Story continues Operations: The company generates revenue from three primary segments: Healthcare & Life Sciences (20.88 billion), Software, Hi-Tech and Emerging Industries (45.95 billion), and Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) at 31.39 billion. Insider Ownership: 34.3% Earnings Growth Forecast: 18.1% p.a. Persistent Systems Limited, a key player in the Indian IT sector, reported a substantial increase in quarterly earnings with net income rising to INR 3,064.15 million from INR 2,287.68 million year-over-year. Despite this growth and high insider ownership signaling strong internal confidence, the company's revenue growth forecast at 13.5% annually lags behind the high-growth benchmark of 20%. Additionally, recent changes in dividends and executive roles indicate potential shifts in strategy or focus that could impact future performance. NSEI:PERSISTENT Ownership Breakdown as at Jul 2024 Simply Wall St Growth Rating: Overview: Sonata Software Limited offers information technology services and solutions across India, the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia, with a market capitalization of approximately 192.72 billion. Operations: The company generates revenue primarily through two segments: products, which contribute 61.29 billion, and services, accounting for 24.84 billion. Insider Ownership: 37.9% Earnings Growth Forecast: 27.4% p.a. Sonata Software, while experiencing a volatile share price recently, has shown promising financial trends. The company's earnings are expected to grow 27.4% annually, outpacing the Indian market projection of 15.9%. However, profit margins have dipped from last year, and the dividend track record remains unstable. Insider activity has been mixed with significant selling but no substantial buying in the past three months. Despite these challenges, revenue growth forecasts remain above market expectations at 12.7% annually. NSEI:SONATSOFTW Ownership Breakdown as at Jul 2024 Where To Now? Explore the 83 names from our Fast Growing Indian Companies With High Insider Ownership screener here. Hold shares in these firms? Setup your portfolio in Simply Wall St to seamlessly track your investments and receive personalized updates on your portfolio's performance. Elevate your portfolio with Simply Wall St, the ultimate app for investors seeking global market coverage. Ready To Venture Into Other Investment Styles? This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.The analysis only considers stock directly held by insiders. It does not include indirectly owned stock through other vehicles such as corporate and/or trust entities. All forecast revenue and earnings growth rates quoted are in terms of annualised (per annum) growth rates over 1-3 years. Companies discussed in this article include NSEI:NAUKRI NSEI:PERSISTENT and NSEI:SONATSOFTW. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, Chairman of the Management Board of Ukrenergo, a Ukrainian national power company, and Lorenz Gessner, Head of the KfW Representative Office in Ukraine, have signed an agreement worth 100 million. Source: European Pravda with reference to the press service of Ukrenergo Details: The European Commission has authorised KfW to allocate funds from the EU's special budget programme, Ukraine Investment Facility, to Ukrenergo. The allocated funds will be used: For the modernisation of high-voltage substations in the western oblasts of Ukraine and the development of interconnectors connecting Ukraine with the power system of continental Europe For repair and recovery of equipment destroyed or damaged by Russian attacks at high-voltage substations, as well as procurement and delivery of new equipment; For measures to strengthen the physical protection of Ukrenergos substations. This grant is the second phase of the targeted programme Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Ukraine's Electricity Transmission Infrastructure. Background: On 11 June, Ukrenergo signed a 15 million agreement with KfW on the first phase of the programme during the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin. Estonia has decided to donate equipment from Narva power plants to Ukraine. Lithuanian company Ignitis Gamyba is donating equipment from the Vilnius Third Combined Heat and Power Plant to Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was sentenced Friday to 16 years in prison, according to Russian state media. Gershkovich was sentenced in a closed-door trial in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in a case the U.S., press freedom groups and his employer have all called a sham trial with fabricated charges. Earlier Friday, Gershkovich pleaded not guilty to espionage charges. Russian prosecutors originally requested an 18-year sentence for the reporter, Russian state-run media reported. The sentencing was quickly condemned by Gershkovichs employers, Wall Street Journal Publisher Almar Latour and Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker. This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist, they said in a joint statement. We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evans release and to support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until hes released. This must end now. Gershkovichs trial in the Sverdlovsk Regional Court was moved up to this week from an initial Aug. 13 date after the request from his defense team. Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 in Yekaterinburg, accused of collecting state secrets on the Russian military on behalf of the U.S. government, and he became the first American journalist to be detained in Russia since the Cold War. Its not clear how the conviction and sentencing will affect ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Russia on a potential prisoner swap. The Kremlin has acknowledged ongoing dialogue, as has Washington, but the talks dont appear to have made any progress in recent months. Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated in a February interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that he would be open to a prisoner swap, and there is speculation that Moscow wants the return of Vadim Krasikov, who is serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing of a Georgian citizen who fought against Russia in Chechnya. The U.S. is likely to make a renewed push for Gershkovichs release after his sentencing. But Gershkovich is not the only American held in Russia, with former Marine Paul Whelan detained since 2018. And a Russian American journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Alsu Kurmasheva, has been detained since last October. Gershkovichs secretive trial had spurred widespread condemnation in the West, but in Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed to have irrefutable proof that Gershkovich did engage in spying activities. The use of journalists for intelligence purposes, at least in the Anglo-Saxon tradition, is completely natural, he said this week, according to Russian state-run media outlet TASS. Such contacts do exist, and it has nothing to do with attacks on journalism. The U.S. Embassy in Russia said that Russian authorities failed to present evidence of a crime or justify Evans continued detention. Like Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned for more than five and a half years, Evan remains resilient despite the circumstances, the embassy wrote on the social platform X this week. The United States remains committed to freeing both Evan and Paul and returning them to their families. People are not bargaining chips. Updated at 8:58 a.m. EDT 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 Anne Arundel County Circuit Courthouse in Annapolis. Photo by Bryan P. Sears. Former Anne Arundel County Register of Wills Erica Griswold was sentenced Wednesday to two years of supervised probation for keeping and cashing a $6,645 check that had been sent to her office to pay estate taxes. Anne Arundel Circuit Court Judge Stacy McCormack also imposed a term of 18 months in prison, but suspended the sentence, according to a statement from the Office of State Prosecutor. At a plea hearing in June, prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 18 months suspended jail time, three years of supervised probation and 50 hours of community service. The maximum sentence for misconduct in office, a misdemeanor, is anything not cruel or unusual. Ms. Griswold betrayed the public trust and abused the power of her office for her personal gain, Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III said in a prepared statement after Griswolds sentencing. Our agency will continue to seek to hold government officials who commit such transgressions accountable for their illegal actions. The register of wills office is a state agency responsible for overseeing estates and ensuring proper taxes are collected. Tax payments to the office are typically made out to either the office or in the name of the register of wills. Griswold pleaded guilty in June to misconduct in office for taking a check that was intended to pay estate taxes and instead cashing it for her personal use. Former Anne Arundel County Register of Wills Erica Griswold. Photo courtesy maryland.gov. Griswold, who was elected in November 2022, was charged in January 2024 with three counts related to the inheritance tax payment. The charges included misconduct in office; theft by a fiduciary; and theft of more than $1,500 and less than $25,000. The charges stemmed from an incident in June 2023 when an employee asked Griswold about a $6,645 estate payment check that had arrived at the registers office without an invoice. Griswold had been in office less than a year at the time. Instead of trying to direct the payment to the right account, prosecutors say Griswold lied and told the employee she had been expecting the check. She took it and, six days later, she cashed the check at Chase Bank on Forest Drive in Annapolis and kept the cash for her personal use, according to a statement of facts in her case. She was found out when the person who sent the check contacted the registers office asking why he was still getting invoices for the inheritance tax after the check had been cashed. Prosecutors said employees approached Griswold about the check and urged her over the next several months to repay it, with one even offering to help her do so, but she refused. Griswold finally repaid the $6,645 on Feb. 23, 2024, months after she had been made aware of the misdirected check and almost a month after she was indicted in the case. Griswold pleaded guilty on June 4 to misconduct in office. In a statement posted by WBAL, she extended her sincere apologies to my constituents, my colleagues, my staff, and my family. Within a week of her guilty plea, the register of wills office was declared vacant by Anne Arundel Circuit Court officials who tapped longtime register of wills office employee Jasmine M. Jackson to fill the vacancy. The post Ex-Anne Arundel register of wills gets suspended sentence in misconduct case appeared first on Maryland Matters. Ex-DA wants current DA for Archer, Clay and Montague counties thrown out of office A former 97th Judicial District attorney has filed a petition to have the current DA removed from office. Tim Cole, who served as DA from 1992 to 2006, wants Casey Hall thrown out of office because she has been indicted for theft. Hall was free Friday from the Montague County Jail on $5,000 bail, according to online jail records. Cole contends in 2022, Hall requested two vouchers from the state for $9,166.67 each to pay to an investigator in her office. He claims Hall endorsed the checks and deposited the money into her personal account. Ninety-seventh District Attorney Casey Hall discusses her cases in 2023 in her office at the Montague County Courthouse. Cole claims in his petition to that Hall should be removed on the grounds of incompetency and/or official misconduct. He also asks that she be temporarily removed from office pending a judges decision on his petition. Cole filed a petition to remove Hall from elected office Wednesday in Montague County District Court. It is a civil case. Hall was indicted by a Montague County grand jury on July 9, booked into jail and released the same day on $5,000 bail. She was charged with theft of $2,500 or more but less than $30,000 from Montague County, according to the indictment. The state jail felony is punishable by 180 days to two years behind bars and a fine up to $10,000. Tim Cole Hall denied guilt and said in a statement, I am deeply saddened and shocked by the indictment that came down today against me. An indictment is not a conviction. I am confident that the truth will prevail in my favor. Anyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Hall lost her bid for re-election in the March 5 Republican Primary to Henrietta attorney Katie Woods Boggeman, who has no competition in the November general election.. Cole lists his residence as Montague County, which is one of three counties included in the 97th Judicial District Montague, Clay and Archer. During his terms as DA, he successfully prosecuted several high-profile murder cases but resigned after pleading guilty to a drunk driving charge in Oklahoma in 2006. Since then he has worked in private practice, taught in law school and has worked as assistant district attorney in both Montague and Wise counties, according to previous TRN stories. More: Local district attorney denies charge against her in grand jury indictment More: Date set for third effort to try Joshua Fulbright for 2-year-old's death This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Ex-DA wants DA for Montague, Clay, Archer counties thrown out of office A migrant rests on the sand after arriving in a fiber boat at Las Burras beach in San Agustin A migrant rests on the sand after arriving in a fiber boat at Las Burras beach in San Agustin By Borja Suarez SAN BARTOLOME DE TIRAJANA, Spain (Reuters) - Dozens of exhausted migrants arrived in a wooden boat on a beach in Spain's Canary Islands early on Friday amid a sharp rise in perilous crossings from Africa, with emergency personnel and a few stunned beachgoers rushing to help. The boat carrying 64 people made it to the Las Burras beach on the island of Gran Canaria by its own means, authorities said. Eleven migrants were taken to hospitals, some by helicopter as four were in critical condition. The number of migrants arriving irregularly by sea to the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean soared by 160% between January and July 15 from a year ago, totalling almost 20,000 people, according to Spain's interior ministry. Overall arrivals by sea to Spain, including across the mainland, grew by 88% to around 25,300 people. After reaching the beach lined with hotels, many of the migrants lay on the sand, looking frail and exhausted. One lay flat and almost motionless. Many struggled to walk. Emergency personnel handed the migrants yellow foil blankets, while some were placed on stretchers. A police officer held a baby in his arms as he stood next to a woman being attended by medics. Beachgoers, including children, looked on, while one tourist handed her water bottle to a migrant. The route from Africa to the Canary Islands is the fastest-growing migration route in Europe, with irregular crossings up 303% from January to May from a year ago, according to the latest data from European border control agency Frontex. Another boat, carrying 145 migrants, was rescued on Friday near Gran Canaria, authorities said. (Reporting by Borja Suarez; writing by Joan Faus, editing by Andrei Khalip and Rod Nickel) The Submerged Archaeological Park of Baia, located off the coast of Naples, continues to reveal ancient Roman splendors. Archaeological crews working underwater discovered and restored an ancient marble floor from a Roman villa lost to the sea. Volcanic activity along the coastline submerged ancient cities, which explorers are still discovering underwater. Finding remnants of ancient Rome lost to time near the Naples coast doesnt require shovels or pickaxes. Instead, explorers are strapping on scuba gear to dive far beneath the ocean surface to look for the submerged remains of the Roman empire. And the latest find, discovered in the Gulf of Naples, includes a restoration of a roughly 2,700-square-foot marble floor built toward the end of the Roman Empire as a reception room for a traditional villa in the city of Baia. Baia, in the Phlegraean Fields off the coast of Naples, was once a holiday getaway for ancient Romans. Near both commercial and military ports like Capo Miseno and Portus Julius, respectively, the area thrived with activity. But then the Earth moved (well, there were military conflicts too, but thats not relevant to the underwater history). Credited to the volcanic volatility in the area, portions of the coast started sinking, taking with it ancient Roman ruins of imperial baths, statues, mosaics, and, of course, marble floors. The Archaeological Marine Park of Baia now protects eight underwater sites, popular for scuba diving, with some even close enough to the surface for snorkelers to enjoy. The Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park, in a Facebook post, said that the marble floor restorationundertaken by Naumacos Underwater Archaeology and the CSR Restauro Beni Culturalioffered a very complicated new challenge due to the extreme fragmentation of the remains and their large extent. With thousands of marble slabs assembled to create an intricate geometry, the floor produces a stunning underwater scene. Campi Flegrei (or Phlegraean Fields), from the Greek meaning burning Earth, signifies an area of volcanic activity that lowered the ground slowly in human terms, but quickly in geological timing. According to the archaeological park, both the changes in the volume of a magma chamber close to the surface or the changes in heat that affect the volume of water contained in the porous subsoil can cause the phenomenon, called bradyseism. This phenomenon caused the ancient coastal strip to sink, submerging entire towns, including the commercial city of Pozzuoli, the commercial and military ports near Miseno, and the residential enclave Baia. The first findings in the area of archaeological record took place in the 1920s, but the primary underwater survey wasnt launched in the waters until the 1960s, helping draft the initial archaeological map of the submerged city of Baia. Explorers found a paved road flanked by buildings just 20 feet underwater, along with a shrine to the emperor Claudius. Concrete pillars were located about 1,300 feet from the coast, leading to the identification of the ancient coastline. Restoration projects have started and stopped continually since the 1960s. The latest find offers up an example of an incredibly expensive and challenging task when first undertaken, thanks to the number of painted marble pieces forming the expansive entryway. It wasnt a story of pure marble extravagance when it was originally created, though, as the Campi Flegrei Archaeological Park says they believe that the sharpened squares, each with inscribed circles, were made from second-hand marble. Still, theres nothing subpar about this find centuries later. You Might Also Like NEW YORK (PIX11) Have you ever noticed how some street signs in New York City are green while others are brown and some are blue? For instance, Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan is marked by a blue sign, while uptown it might be brown. Similarly, Lexington Avenue in Midtown is blue but turns green in the 50s. This variation can be observed in many other parts of the city, each with unique significance. More Local News These color-coded signs all serve a purpose. The NYC DOT designed them to provide valuable information or indicate a message, organization, or memorandum for residents and visitors alike. Why are there different-colored signs in various parts of the city? The colors are not randomly assigned; they hold significant historical and cultural meanings that reflect each areas unique character. The color-coded signs all serve a purpose, according to the New York City Department of Transportation. What do they mean? Green Green signs are the standard sign throughout the city, a spokesperson for the NYC DOT said. The street signs at Broadway and West 46th Street near Times Square in Manhattan, New York (Photo by Matthew I. Euzarraga for PIX11 News) Brown A street sign refers to Christopher Street in the district of Greenwich Village. (Photo by Christina Horsten/Picture Alliance via Getty Images) Streets in Greenwich Village such as Greenwich Avenue, Christopher Street, and Bleecker Street are all brown. This color designation identifies these areas as historic districts and scenic landmarks. There are more than 38,000 landmark properties in New York City, most of which are located in 158 historic districts and historic district extensions in all five boroughs, the Landmarks Preservation Commissions website said. The total number of protected sites includes 1,464 individual landmarks, 123 interior landmarks, and 12 scenic landmarks. More Manhattan News Blue A street sign for East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan. (Photo by Matthew I. Euzarraga for PIX11 News) Those working in Midtown Manhattan from 31st to 26th streets and on Park to Tenth avenues might be familiar with blue street signs with white lettering. According to the DOT, the 34th Street and Grand Central Partnership business improvement districts all have blue signs. Black A view of the Wall Street street sign with the New York Stock Exchange in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images) Like New Yorkers working in Midtown who are familiar with blue street signs, people working in Lower Manhattan might be familiar with its distinctive black street signs, such as those on Wall Street and Water Street. The black street signs represent the Downtown Alliance business improvement district. The Downtown Alliances $20 million streetscape program gave lower Broadway a sophisticated look that is at once contemporary and classic, a statement on the organizations website said. The old green-and-white street signs have been replaced with elegant black-and-white signs. These signs contain the street name and range of address numbers on each block and feature photo images representing iconic Lower Manhattan landmarks. Honorary or double-street signs An honorary street for FDNY EMT Yadira Arroyo in the Bronx. Arroyo, a 14-year veteran of the FDNY, was tragically killed in the line of duty (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office) New Yorkers may also notice red and blue co-naming signs paired with a standard-color green street sign throughout the five boroughs. In the Bronx, for example, under Boston Road, a red sign with white lettering reads Emergency Medical Technician Yadira Arroyo EMS Station 26. These red street signs pay tribute to fallen FDNY members. A blue sign with a name indicates a fallen NYPD first responder, a spokesperson for the DOT 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. 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. A surge of gang violence in Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince has prompted more migrants to flee the country, but neighboring countries have responded by forcing most of them to return home. Photo by Spike Call, U.S. Navy/UPI July 19 (UPI) -- At least 40 people were killed in a fiery explosion on a boat leaving Haiti, authorities said Friday. The boat carrying over 80 migrants displaced by gang violence left Haiti on Wednesday and was bound for Turks and Caicos, according to the International Organization for Migration. The Miami Herald reported the passengers were engaging in a Vodou ritual onboard the boat to ensure they remained safe and undetected on the dangerous journey. As the vessel navigated the Haitian coast, some candles used in the ritual ignited two gas containers on the boat, setting off the lethal explosion. Forty-one survivors were rescued by the Haitian Coast Guard, and at least 11 were hospitalized. Turks and Caicos, a British territory about 155 miles from Haiti, is a popular American tourist destination but also a common refuge for Haitians fleeing their country who don't want to risk the longer, riskier voyage to the Florida coast. Gregoire Goodstein, IOM's chief of mission in Haiti, blamed Wednesday's fatal tragedy on Haiti's destabilization and the lack of "safe and legal pathways for migration." "Haiti's socioeconomic situation is in agony," Goodstein said in a statement. "The extreme violence over the past months has only brought Haitians to resort to desperate measures even more." Haiti for several months has been embroiled in a surge of gang violence that has turned the capital city of Port Au Prince into a war zone and ultimately led to the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Recent developments have rekindled hope of peace returning to the country, such as the appointment of new Prime Minister Garry Conille. A Kenyan-led United Nations Security Council mission also has begun operations in Port-au-Prince to clear out the insurgent gangs. The crisis, meanwhile, has caused an increase in migrant activity. Most of the people fleeing the chaos, though, have been forcibly returned to Haiti by neighboring countries, according to the IOM. More than 86,000 migrants have been repatriated this year, the IOM said. Forced returns jumped by 46% in March amid a surge in gang violence. The majority of returns were from the Dominican Republic, with which Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola. Turks and Caicos reported interdicting 865 undocumented migrants at sea so far this year. The island chain also said it interdicted 4,016 migrants last year. Invest $50K in Enterprise Products Partners LP to Become a Dividend Millionaire Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Billionaire investors like Warren Buffet have built their wealth by focusing on dividend stocks, which offer a blend of stable income, high growth, and safety. One dividend aristocrat that fits this bill is Enterprise Products Partners LP (NYSE:EPD). The total net worth of these five entrepreneurs is $223 billion they all believe in one company where you can lend money to companies at 7-9% APY. Company Overview Enterprise Products Partners LP is a leading American midstream natural gas and crude oil pipeline company, boasting a market cap of $64 billion as of July 2024. This large-cap stock is favored by institutional investors, with top hedge funds owning approximately 26% of its shares. The company is currently offering a forward dividend yield of 7.09%, significantly higher than the industry average of 4.38% and the S&P 500's average of 1.3%. Dividend Performance EPD has a long history of paying increasing quarterly dividends, consistently raising its payouts since 1998. Over the last decade, it has achieved an annual dividend growth rate of 3.90%. The company maintains a high payout ratio of 80%, compared to the industry average of 40%, but its strong financial position supports the sustainability of these dividends. A key factor in this stability is EPDs business model, with at least 60% of its revenue coming from long-term fixed-fee contracts, providing a buffer against economic downturns. Recent Developments and Projects As of mid-2024, Enterprise Products Partners has $7.1 billion worth of projects under construction, including a major natural gas processing plant. These new ventures are expected to drive growth and enhance earnings. The companys recession-proof model and substantial project pipeline position it well for future success as long as demand for natural gas remains strong. Analyst Ratings and Stock Performance Recent analyst ratings highlight the positive outlook for EPD. Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, and Truist Securities released their ratings on June 15, 2024, May 22, 2024, and May 10, 2024, respectively. They have set an average price target of $34.50, indicating a potential upside of 19.3% from the current price. This suggests significant growth potential in addition to its already attractive dividend yield. Investor alert: Triple-net properties can put a check in your pocket every quartera cant-miss opportunity for accredited investors. Investment Projection To project how an investment in EPD could grow to over $1 million, let's consider starting with $50,000 and adding $500 monthly increments. Assuming the current dividend yield holds steady and using a projected stock price growth rate of 6% per year, here's how the investment could grow over time: Story continues Year Shares Owned Initially Starting Stock Price Year-End Dividend (After Taxes) Final Balance (After Taxes) 2024 1,449 $34.50 $2,493 $52,993 2025 1,517 $36.57 $2,775 $62,768 2026 1,591 $38.76 $3,084 $73,109 2027 1,670 $41.08 $3,422 $84,081 2028 1,755 $43.55 $3,791 $95,752 2029 1,846 $46.16 $4,193 $108,194 2030 1,943 $48.93 $4,630 $121,483 2031 2,047 $51.87 $5,105 $135,699 2032 2,157 $54.98 $5,620 $150,927 2033 2,274 $58.28 $6,179 $167,259 2034 2,398 $61.78 $6,785 $184,785 Investor Sentiment Recent data indicates a growing interest in EPD among individual investors, with increased trading volumes observed in the past months. This reflects confidence in the company's ability to sustain and grow its dividend payments. Conclusion Enterprise Products Partners LP presents a compelling case for dividend investors with its high yield, consistent dividend growth, and strong financial health. By investing $50,000 and consistently adding $500 monthly, investors could see substantial growth over time, potentially reaching the millionaire milestone. However, no investment is without risk. While this stalwart has weathered major downturns with ease before, there is always the possibility that the energy industrys future may shift in another direction. In this present moment, Enterprise Products Partners LP delivers reliable income with the potential for future growth. Disclosure: This story was previously published on Benzinga and has been updated. There Are Better High-Yield Opportunities The current high-interest-rate environment has created an incredible opportunity for income-seeking investors to earn massive yields, but not through dividend stocks... Certain private market real estate investments are giving retail investors the opportunity to capitalize on these high-yield opportunities and Benzinga has identified some of the most attractive options for you to consider. For instance, Basecamp Alpine Notes offers a target APY of 9% with a term of only three months, making it a powerful short-term cash management tool with incredible flexibility. EquityMultiple has issued 61 Alpine Notes Series and has met all payment and funding obligations with no missed or late interest payments. With a low minimum investment of just $1,000, Basecamp Alpine Notes makes it easier than ever to start building a high-yield portfolio. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take advantage of high-yield investments while rates are high. Check out Benzinga's favorite high-yield offerings. 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. This article Invest $50K in Enterprise Products Partners LP to Become a Dividend Millionaire originally appeared on Benzinga.com Explosion in Tel Aviv kills one, injures eight, rescue service says An Israeli policewoman searches the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. The injured have been taken to hospital, the rescue service Magen David Adom wrote on social media platform X. Surrounding buildings were reportedly damaged. The cause of the explosion was initially unclear. Unconfirmed media reports suggested the blast might have been the result of a drone attack. The Israeli military said it is investigating the incident. A man carrying a baby stands at the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa An Israeli policeman searches the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa An Israeli policewoman searches the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa House Majority Whip Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, questions officials from the Administrative Office of the Courts about the VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) system during a meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary, July 18, 2024 in Frankfort. (LRC Public Information) A House Republican leader on Thursday criticized the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) for a three-year lapse in automatic notifications to Kentucky crime victims about their court cases. Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, the House majority whip, said the AOC should have requested the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to relaunch these notifications through Victim Information and Notification Everyday, commonly called VINE, during this years session of the General Assembly. We would have funded it, he said during a meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary. This is something very important to us. I think weve made that pretty clear last year. Kentucky currently enjoys a record general fund surplus. The situation, Nemes said, is extremely frustrating as he criticized the courts recalcitrance. Katie Comstock, AOC Katie Comstock, the executive director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, told Nemes that we only have so much bandwidth and so much requests during the budget cycle. She pointed to the budget priorities that were funded in the new two-year state budget maintenance for rundown courthouses, pay increases and mental health courts. I would love to say that I have unlimited budget requests when I come to you all and have priorities, she said. I dont. Fixing the expensive problem VINE was created largely in response to the killing of Kentuckian Mary Byron on her 21st birthday in 1993 by a former boyfriend. She thought he was still in jail on charges of raping, assaulting and stalking her. Her family had asked to be notified of his release but was not. VINE launched in 1996, allowing victims and others to sign up to be alerted when an offender is being released from custody and when protective orders are served or expire. Victims receive notifications via automated text, email or calls. VINE is still providing notifications when offenders are released from custody. But in 2021 it stopped sending notifications of court dates when the AOC stopped sharing that information because of security concerns. AOC officials had begun to have concerns about the potential monetization and protection of our court data, Comstock testified. She later said we have no evidence that that was happening. At that time AOC stopped sharing victim data with Appriss, which operates VINE. The system is registration-based, meaning to get notifications one needs to sign up for them, said Alexis Williams, the branch manager at the Department of Corrections Victim Services Branch. Prosecutors currently inform crime victims of court updates, be it by email, letters or phone calls. VINE still sends notifications when an offender is being released from incarceration. VINE relies on comprehensive data from the state to provide timely and accurate notifications, said Jarrod Carnahan, the vice president of Government and Victim Services at Appriss. Data elements often include case numbers, court dates, event types, courtroom notifications, and defendant identification information. I want to emphatically reiterate that our organization does not retain search history or engage in any unauthorized use of registered or victim information, Carnahan said. The only use of registered data is in the instance we are legally required to provide it or if it is within the provisions of the VINE service. Since appearing before a legislative committee last September and being scolded for the delay in notifications by lawmakers, the parties came back to the table to discuss solutions, Comstock said. Appriss has proposed a solution that addressed those data concerns from 2021, Comstock said, but it will cost. They now want us to finance the cost of the notification platform to the tune of $500,000 for a one time implementation fee and $360,000 for a service fee for the first 12 months with annual service fees increasing after that, she told lawmakers. That proposed cost far exceeds any cost we currently undertake for comparable services. And, she said: we dont have the funds appropriated in our base budget to pay for the service. Another potential solution is to revamp the existing court text notification system for this purpose, which would cost money but not as much. Another hurdle: the court system would need to collect victims contact information for the notifications to work. Currently, we dont have victim emails and phone numbers to send them notifications and collecting victim information hasnt thus far been a function of the court system, Comstock said. Meg Savage, the chief legal officer of ZeroV (formerly known as the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence), said she hopes lawmakers can find a solution soon to make notifications effective, efficient and reliable. At a point in survivors lives when so much is already uncertain and overwhelming, removing the stress of uncertainty about when they need to be in court will be a great benefit, reducing unneeded trips to the courthouse or multiple calls to and from prosecutors offices, Savage said. A well-functioning notification system will hopefully make an already stress-filled process just a little bit easier for all victims of crime in the Commonwealth. Not acceptable At the end of the day, this is now three years the court system has decided to stop notifying our people, Nemes said. Its their responsibility to do it and theyre not doing it. Carnahan with Appriss said the notifications could be up and running within 45 days if they were to get access to the needed data immediately. AOC could not meet its end of it within that time frame, Comstock with AOC said, because they would need to make changes to their system. Nemes suggested the committee bring back the court system for updates every two months until the issue is resolved. The next meeting is Aug. 23. I want to be very clear that its not acceptable, Nemes said. It hasnt been acceptable for a long time and it needs to be resolved. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Friday announced that its Enforcement and Removal Operations team in Boston arrested an unlawfully present Brazilian fugitive wanted by authorities in his home country for charges of theft with a firearm and corruption of minors. Deportation officers from ERO Boston apprehended the 27-year-old Brazilian man near his home in Milford on July 15, according to ICE. The mans name wasnt made public and federal officials blurred out his face in an image shared with a news release. This Brazilian fugitive attempted to flee justice in his home country and hide out in Massachusetts, ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons said in a statement. Thanks to the efforts of our officers, he will have to face justice in his home country. ERO Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing such egregious noncitizen threats from our New England communities. ICE said the man entered the United States without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by U.S. immigration authorities. ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States. 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 Fact Check: No, a Grindr Executive Didn't Say the RNC Is the 'Dating App's Super Bowl' Claim: A Grindr executive said in mid-July 2024 that the Republican National Convention was "basically Grindrs Super Bowl." Rating: Rating: Labeled Satire On July 15, 2024, the X account The Halfway Post claimed an executive of Grindr said the Republican National Convention was the gay dating application's "Super Bowl." BREAKING: An executive of the gay dating app Grindr says the Republican National Convention is basically Grindrs Super Bowl. The Halfway Post (@HalfwayPost) July 16, 2024 The post had amassed more than 51.1 million views at the time of this writing. X users replying to the post appeared to believe the claim, with one stating: "It's always been this way. They hit up male escorts, too." Another wrote: "No doubt. Many Republican men are narcissistic and closeted gay while they act like they can't stand gay men. They hate themselves. I am a conservative woman, and this has been true in my experience with them." However, this item was not a factual recounting of real-life events. The claim originated from the X account The Halfway Post, which described its output as satirical in nature, as follows: Halfway true comedy and satire by @DashMacIntyre. I don't report the facts, I improve them. On his X account, Dash MacIntyre described himself as a comedian who published "satirical Dada news." MacIntyre also ran a website for The Halfway Post, where he was described as "a comedian, satirist, and poet from St. Louis" on the homepage. The "about" page on The Halfway Post's site said MacIntyre: ... created The Halfway Post in 2017 to publish halfway real Dada news and satire, and wrote enough about Donald Trump to publish his first book Satire In The Trump Years: The Best Of The Halfway Post available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. He is currently compiling a forthcoming Satire In The Biden Years. An article from Raw Story stated former congressman George Santos shared the claim on X. Here's the video Santos posted on the social media platform: It's unclear whether or not Santos based his claim on The Halfway Post's X post, but we've reached out to see if he has other evidence, although we've found no other statements or quotes on the subject other than the post in question. The article from Raw Story also referenced a video of an individual going through the dating app's feed at the RNC, which was in shared response to The Halfway Post. Snopes previously debunked another satirical claim by The Halfway Post when it said a MAGA (Make America Great Again) supporter accidentally burned down their own home while trying to set fire to a Pride flag. For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor. Sources: "About The Halfway Post." The Halfway Post, 23 May 2017, https://halfwaypost.com/about/. "Grindr Superbowl": Gay Ex-Lawmaker Exposes RNC amid Spike in Reported App Outages - Raw Story. https://www.rawstory.com/grindr-2668764731/. Accessed 18 July 2024. Hardinges, Nick. "MAGA Supporter Accidentally Burned Down Home While Setting Fire to Pride Flag?" Snopes, 14 June 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/maga-burns-house-pride/. Fact Check: Yes, the Trump Rally Shooting Victim's Name Was Misspelled on Jacket Honoring Him at RNC. Here's Why Claim: Shooting victim Corey Comperatores name was misspelled on a jacket brought onstage at the Republican National Convention, as former U.S. President Donald Trump honored him. Rating: Rating: True Context: According to Comperatore's fire company, the jacket was intentionally misspelled long before the RNC as there was not enough space on the uniform for all the letters. On July 18, 2024, at the Republican National Convention, former U.S. President Donald Trump honored Corey Comperatore, a firefighter who was killed in the assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally days earlier. Also on the RNC stage alongside Trump was a firefighter jacket with Comperatore's name on it and a helmet, which Trump kissed before asking for a moment of silence. Photographs of the moment Trump stood next to the jacket went viral, with many people online stating Comperatore's name had been misspelled. The jacket appeared to be missing an "A," so his name appeared as "Compertore." OMG!!! The ridiculous prop that they used to politicize the actual murder that took place this weekend actually spelled the firefighters name wrong. They didn't even care enough to check. It is Comperatore. pic.twitter.com/Wppng6GOTF Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) July 19, 2024 Based on photographic and video evidence from that night, we found the jacket was indeed misspelled. However, the misspelling was not due to an error on Trump's or the RNC's part. Trump said this was Comperatore's original firefighter jacket, brought from the Buffalo Township Fire Company where he served as fire chief. According to the fire company it had been intentionally misspelled long before as there was not enough space on the jacket for all the letters in Comperatore's name. We thus rate this claim as "True" but with necessary context. Photographs on Getty Images and YouTube footage of Trump's RNC speech confirmed the misspelling on the jacket. The Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department, where Comperatore worked as a firefighter, posted a picture of his uniform on its Facebook page. The jacket carried the same misspelling. https://www.facebook.com/BuffaloTwpFireGunBash/posts/pfbid02wLKhw95EamTRgCtYGdrUKKJZUD4AuyWpNJJvBAnrHpyApvQ1996qfdvTdzs5p2TWl We reached out to the department to learn more about whether the spelling was intentional, and whether it was indeed Comperatore's original uniform on the stage. The fire department confirmed to CBS News that the misspelling was intentional because there was not enough space on the coat for all the letters in his name. Trump said in his speech that Comperatore's fire department sent his helmet and outfit to the RNC. Comperatore was fatally shot when a gunman attempted to assassinate Trump at a campaign rally a few days before the RNC. Trump's ear was struck by a bullet, and two other men were wounded in the shooting. When paying tribute to Comperatore, Trump said, "He was incredible, he was a highly respected former fire chief. He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect [his family] from flying bullets. He went right over the top of them and was hit. What a fine man he was." Sources: "Former President Donald Trump Kisses the Buffalo Township Volunteer..." Getty Images, 19 July 2024, https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/former-president-donald-trump-kisses-the-buffalo-township-news-photo/2162002077." target="blank">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/former-president-donald-trump-kisses-the-buffalo-township-news-photo/2162002077.">https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/former-president-donald-trump-kisses-the-buffalo-township-news-photo/2162002077. Accessed 19 July 2024. Inc, Redmond Funeral Home. "Corey Comperatore Obituary | July 13, 2024 | Freeport, PA." Corey Comperatore Obituary | July 13, 2024 | Freeport, PA, https://www.redmondfuneralhomeinc.com/obituary/Corey-Comperatore. Accessed 19 July 2024. Tanyos, Faris. Trump Pays Tribute to Pennsylvania Firefighter Killed in Rally Shooting - CBS News. 18 July 2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-tribute-pennsylvania-firefighter-corey-comperatore-killed-rally/." target="blank">https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-tribute-pennsylvania-firefighter-corey-comperatore-killed-rally/.">https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-tribute-pennsylvania-firefighter-corey-comperatore-killed-rally/. Accessed 19 July 2024. "Thousands Gather at Banquet Hall to Celebrate Life of Former Fire Chief Killed at Trump Rally." AP News, 18 July 2024, https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-fatal-shooting-corey-comperatore-8c09711e88a56432424ef3f980321ed2." target="blank">https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-fatal-shooting-corey-comperatore-8c09711e88a56432424ef3f980321ed2.">https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-fatal-shooting-corey-comperatore-8c09711e88a56432424ef3f980321ed2. Accessed 19 July 2024. "Trump Honors Rally Shooting Victim Corey Comperatore with Moment of Silence at RNC." ABC News, 2024. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HadkcyTakTA." target="blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HadkcyTakTA.">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HadkcyTakTA. Accessed 19 July 2024. "Trump Honors Firefighter Corey Comperatore Killed During Assassination Attempt In Remarks To RNC." Forbes, 2024. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FU-ckIG9V4." target="blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FU-ckIG9V4.">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FU-ckIG9V4. Accessed 19 July 2024. Factbox-Who is Evan Gershkovich and what does Russia accuse him of? (Reuters) - A Russian court is due to pass a verdict on Friday in the closed-door trial of U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich on spy charges. WHO IS GERSHKOVICH? Hired by the Wall Street Journal shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Gershkovich had been reporting on Russia for more than five years at the time of his arrest last year. The 32-year-old is a fluent Russian-speaker, the son of emigres who left the Soviet Union for the United States during the Cold War. WHEN WAS HE ARRESTED AND WHAT IS HE ACCUSED OF? Gershkovich was arrested on March 29, 2023 while dining in a steakhouse in the city of Yekaterinburg, about 1,400 km (900 miles) east of Moscow. He was transferred to the capital, where he was held until last month in Lefortovo, a prison used by the FSB security service and its predecessor, the Soviet KGB, for suspects accused of spying or other grave crimes. Prosecutors allege that he was gathering information on the orders of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency about a Russian company that makes tanks for the war in Ukraine. In court, Gershkovich denied the charges. Prosecutors asked for a sentence of 18 years. WHAT DO THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA SAY ABOUT THE CASE? President Joe Biden has called Russia's treatment of Gershkovich "totally illegal". The United States accuses Russia of using Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, another American jailed for spying in Russia in 2020, as bargaining chips. It has designated both as wrongfully detained, effectively saying that the charges against them are bogus and the cases are political. The Wall Street Journal says Gershkovich was just doing his job as a reporter accredited by Russia's Foreign Ministry to report on the country. It says the trial proceedings are a sham. The Kremlin says Gershkovich was "caught red-handed", but Russia has yet to publish any evidence to support that. It says his case is a matter for the court. HOW HAS THE TRIAL BEEN CONDUCTED? The trial began on June 26 in Yekaterinburg, the city where Gershkovich was arrested. Journalists were allowed to film him before the start but not to attend the hearings, which were held behind closed doors on the grounds that the case involves state secrets. Gershkovich's lawyers are prevented by non-disclosure agreements from talking to journalists about the trial. Friday's hearing was only the third in the case, which has moved ahead with unexpected speed. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE TRIAL? Russia and the U.S. have a history of conducting prisoner swaps, but Moscow said soon after Gershkovich's arrest that any such deal in his case could only take place after a verdict was reached. President Vladimir Putin has said he is open to a trade involving Gershkovich and that contacts with the United States have taken place, but that these must remain secret. (Reporting by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Protest against an Israeli Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to begin drafting ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students to the military, in Bnei Brak JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Israeli military is set to issue call-up notices to 1,000 members of the Ultra Orthodox Haredi community on Sunday in the latest step in a long-running and divisive battle over conscripting young seminary students into the army. The move follows a Supreme Court ruling last month that ordered the defence ministry to end the longstanding exemption from military service for the Haredi community. The exemption, in place for decades and which over the years has exempted an increasingly large number of people, has become a heated topic in Israel with the military embroiled in a war in Gaza and an escalating conflict on its border with Lebanon. The issue risks destablizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, which includes two religious parties deeply opposed to conscripting young Orthdox men into the military. WHAT LIES BEHIND THE RULING? The exemptions offered to the ultra-Orthodox Haredi community date back to the early days of the state of Israel in 1948 when its first prime minister, the socialist David Ben-Gurion, exempted about 400 students from military service so they could devote themselves to religious study. In so doing, Ben-Gurion hoped to keep alive sacred knowledge and traditions almost wiped out in the Holocaust. Since then, the exemptions have become an increasing headache as the fast-growing community has expanded to make up more than 13% of Israel's population, a proportion expected to reach around a third within 40 years due to a high birth rate. The Haredi resistance to joining the military is based around their strong sense of religious identity, which many families fear risks being weakened by army service. Some Haredi men do serve in the army but most do not, which many secular Israelis feel exacerbates social divisions. Often living in heavily Orthodox neighbourhoods and devoting their lives to religious study, many Haredi men do not work for money but live off donations, state benefits and the often paltry wages of their wives, many of whom do work. For mainstream Israelis, whose taxes subsidise the Haredim and who are themselves obliged to serve in the military, the exemptions have long bred resentment, and this has grown since the start of the war in Gaza in October. Many Israelis regard the war against Hamas as an existential battle for the future of the country, and some 300,000 reservists joined up to fight at the start of the war in October. Opinion polls indicate very broad public support for removing the exemptions on the Haredi draft. The increasingly heavy exchanges of fire between Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah militia and Israel's military across the border has fuelled the debate. WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR NETANYAHU? For Netanyahu the stakes are high. While public opinion has tended to favour removing the exemptions, his government includes two Haredi parties whose departure could trigger new elections, which opinion polls indicate he would lose. In the past, two ultra-Orthodox parties in Netanyahu's coalition, United Torah Judaism and Shas, have vowed to fight any effort to end the exemption. Some inside Netanyahu's Likud party have shown unease or opposition to the exemption, including Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, an ex-general and a senior member of Likud party. Gallant voted against a bill which would see a gradual entry into the military of some ultra-Orthodox Jews, rather than an immediate and complete end to the exemption. WHAT HAPPENS NOW? The bill on conscription, which has already passed in a first reading, is continuing to work its way through parliament. If it is approved after that process - which could see some amendments - that may defuse any immediate crisis. If the bill flounders and the ruling holds, it could put extra strains on the Netanyahu's coalition, potentially pushing the nation towards an election if the coalition collapses. (Reporting by James Mackenzie; Editing by Andrew hEAVENS) Deputy Ryan Hendrix was killed in the line of duty in 2020. He was honored with a bridge being named after him at a July 18, 2024 ceremony. Nearly four years after he was shot and killed in the line of duty, Henderson County Sheriffs Deputy Ryan Hendrix was honored with a bridge named after him at a July 18 ceremony at the Henderson County Sheriff's Office. The bridge that runs over Interstate 26 on Four Seasons Boulevard will be named the Deputy Ryan P. Hendrix Bridge. According to previous Times-News reporting, Hendrix was one of three officers who responded to a robbery call on Sept. 10, 2020. The suspect, identified as Robert Ray Doss Jr., made a rapid movement and fired at Hendrix. The two other deputies present shot back at Doss, who died at the scene. Hendrix was 34 years old and was the father to two young children. Hendrixs mother, Heidi Hendrix, said the bridge naming is a great honor for her son. His father, Don Hendrix, said he is proud and humble. This is a great honor for him and for people in the future, Don Hendrix said. When they pass the sign, you can Google the sign and who the person was and what theyve done. From left, NCDOT Board Member Chuck McGrady, U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, Don Hendrix, Heidi Hendrix, Henderson County Council member Jennifer Hensley and Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin spoke at the bridge naming ceremony for Deputy Ryan Hendrix. At the July 18 ceremony, Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin spoke of Hendrixs character. I have memories of his larger than life, wide-open personality, his ability to lift the spirits of those around him, memories of his drive to be the best, Griffin said. The bridge is a monument of a great man. U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards said he had mixed emotions when it came to the ceremony. Its a very happy time that we get together, that we have this opportunity to commemorate and celebrate a very sad occasion, Edwards said. What an honor it is to be here amongst all the heroes we have serving in law enforcement every single day, taking the same risks Deputy Hendrix did that day. In the years since his death, Hendrix has been honored in other ways across Henderson County, in addition to bridge being named after him, according to previous Times-News reporting. In October 2020, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners voted to rename the Henderson County Sheriffs Office in honor of Hendrix. On May 14, 2021 the building was renamed the Deputy Ryan P. Hendrix Law Enforcement Center. In November 2021, Hendrixs parents, Don and Heidi Hendrix, were formally given his service weapon at a Board of Commissioners meeting. The Fraternal Order of Police also presented the parents with the medal of Supreme Sacrifice. Last August, commissioners approved a resolution in support of naming the bridge after Hendrix, after a suggestion from Griffin. In February of this year, the North Carolina Department of Transportation approved the resolution. Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin speaks at a ceremony dedicating a bridge to Deputy Ryan Hendrix July 18. Hendrix was born in 1985 in Asheville and graduated from Hendersonville Christian School in 2004. He then enlisted in the United State Marine Corps where he graduated as a lance corporal in 2005. Hendrix served five years in the Marine reserves and volunteered to serve a tour in Iraq in 2006. He joined the Henderson County Sheriffs Office in June 2012 as a detention officer, rising through the ranks to become a patrol detective. According to a resolution announcing the name of the bridge, Hendrix was also an organ donor and helped countless strangers after his death. More: Answer Man: When will Blue Ridge Parkway new bridge open and old one be torn down? More: Marijuana legal in Western NC for 2 weeks but US House member still trying to stop it Karrigan Monk is the reporter for Black Mountain News and Hendersonville Times-News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kmonk@blackmountainnews.com. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Henderson County's Hendrix honored with NCDOT bridge A rally and march held at Red Arrow Park for Dvontaye Mitchell and Sam Shorte. (Photo | Isiah Holmes) Local activists gathered in Milwaukees Red Arrow Park Thursday evening, as they did at the start of the Republican National Convention (RNC), to rally and march. But this time instead of protesting they were mourning. Holding signs and accompanying grieving families, the group chanted the names of Dvontaye Mitchell and Sam Sharpe. Mitchell died after being held down by security guards at Milwaukees Hyatt Hotel on June 30. Sharpe, who lived unhoused in a local park, was fatally shot Tuesday by Columbus, Ohio, police who were deployed to provide security for the RNC. Family members of both men shared their experiences and questions with a large group of media at Red Arrow Park. As they spoke, dozens of law enforcement officers watched from inside the park, across the street at City Hall, and from helicopters and drones that hovered overhead. A rally and march held at Red Arrow Park for Dvontaye Mitchell and Sam Shorte. (Photo | Isiah Holmes) Its been two and a half weeks now since Dvontayes murder, said Latrisa Giles, Mitchells first cousin, at the rally. I want everybody to know that initially they tried to sweep this under the rug. News outlets have reported that video shows security guards at the Hyatt kneeling on Mitchells back and neck, with one guard striking Mitchell in the head with an object. When police arrived, Mitchell was already unresponsive. Giles said that the police had been called because Mitchell was allegedly causing a disturbance. They beat the hell out of him until he died, said Giles. He was begging for his life. No arrests have been made in the case, she said. Weve been pushing, and weve been pushing hard, said Giles, and began to hear from police only after pressure from the family and media. Mitchells cousin remembers him as a fun, caring, loving person who always had a smile on his face and l loved to cook. Dvontaye could turn scraps into a gourmet meal. You know, he was just an overall cheery person, Giles told Wisconsin Examiner, noting that he was self-sufficient and always working. She learned about Mitchells death through a text from her aunt just before bed. I quick ran over to her house because she doesnt stay that far from me, and its just still a shock, Giles said. The family said that initially they were told that the case wasnt being investigated as a criminal matter. After the family began to protest they received word that charges had been referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney. Since then, the family has been told that they need to wait until after an autopsy. A rally and march held at Red Arrow Park for Dvontaye Mitchell and Sam Shorte. (Photo | Isiah Holmes) Its justits wild and crazy because my cousin was killed by all those employees at the Hyatt and nobody has been arrested, Giles said. Several members of Mitchells family spoke at the rally, including cousins and siblings. They were also joined by the family members of Sam Sharpe.. Sharpe lived in an encampment of unhoused people in King Park. The officers saw a fight between two men and immediately drew their guns, running toward them while yelling commands. About 14 seconds after the officers first saw the fight, Sharpe was dead. The Greenfield Police Department is investigating the shooting through the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, which is responsible for investigating fatal officer-involved shootings. But Sharpes family said that as of the rally, they have yet to hear from any investigators. Yall not going to make him out to be a knife wielding criminal because thats not who he was, said Angelique Sharpe. The streets know him, the police do not. Yall dont get to tell the story and tell the narrative, were gonna tell it. That narrative stops today! Sam was not that guy! At the rally, Sharpes family said that he lived with multiple sclerosis, mobility issues, and lesions on his brain. Sharpe was vulnerable in the park. He told his family that some men in the park had taken to beating and threatening him, which led Sharpe to acquire a couple knives to defend himself. A rally and march held at Red Arrow Park for Dvontaye Mitchell and Sam Shorte. (Photo | Isiah Holmes) Katrina Games, Sharpes aunt, said that he had been invited to come home instead of sleeping in the park. He said, Well my dog is there, and he loved that dog, said Games. He loved animals so he went down to get the dog. Games said Sharpe tried to tell the police about being threatened and beaten, but nothing was done. He went down to get his dog, and the guy that he was fighting started antagonizing him knowing that he really couldnt walk, said Games. So he was so angry because they was trying to mess with his tent, mess with his dog, mess with him. He just got tired of it. He wanted to be on his own with his M.S. He didnt want us to feel like we had to take care of him and burden him. He told us all that God told him to go and help in that community. And thats what he did. Sharpe struggled when he was younger, but Games said hed lived for over 13 years with no police confrontations. His family believes that when police yelled for Sharpe to stop, he couldnt catch his balance or turn due to his difficulty on foot . He doesnt walk well, he can barely go up three flights of stairs, said Games. Sharpes family say that officers fired 27 rounds at the man. If he was someone else, if he was a different race and I hate to bring race into it because I have all races in my family but you wouldnt have killed him like that, you wouldnt have shot him like that, said Games, who called his death just horrible. On Tuesday, the day of the shooting, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said that five officers fired their weapons. Sharpes family wonders why the officers didnt use a taser, or some other method to break up the fight. An officer films a protest during the march and rally for Sam Sharpe and Dyvontaye Mitchell. (Photo | Isiah Holmes) Sharpe was the eighth person shot by Columbus, Ohio, police officers so far this year, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Activists, elected officials, and other city residents have also asked why the officers were more than a mile outside of the RNCs security zone. You ran up on him and you shot him, you didnt even give him a chance to stop, said Games. Other members of Sharpes family spoke during the rally as well. Afterward, the group turned the rally into a march past City Hall and across the river towards the Hyatt Hotel where Mitchell was killed. As the march neared the hotel, dozens of state troopers, police officers and other law enforcement gathered outside the security perimeters black gates or blocked nearby streets. In front of the Hyatt itself, dozens of other officers stood watch as the marchers chanted. Video of Sharpes shooting circulated online the same day it occurred. Among those videos was body camera footage, released by the Columbus Police Department, but edited to freeze at the moment the shots were fired. Families who have lost loved ones in police shootings or deaths at the jail or at local police districts have fought for more transparent video release policies in Milwaukee. After the police reform movement of 2020, activists from the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression drew up a proposed policy that would require the release of video of officer-involved shootings within 15 days of the incident and allow the family to view it within 48 hours. Shortly after the policy was adopted by the citys Fire and Police Commission, however, a lawsuit filed by the Milwaukee Police Association blocked it from being implemented . Police officials argued that the policy would hamper officer-involved shooting investigations. Even without the lawsuit, the new policy had also been suspended during the RNC. On Wednesday, the Alliance learned that the police association had dropped its lawsuit, allowing the video release policy to fully take effect. With the Sharpe shooting, as well as another non-fatal shooting by officers Wednesday night, clearing the way to reinstate the policy comes at a critical time. Aurelia Caja, co-chair of Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, told Wisconsin Examiner that the police association said the lawsuit wasnt worth it to the union. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported a statement by police union President Andrew Wagner that the lawsuit had become fruitless, to pursue. Wanger said that Chief Norman can enforce whatever policy he wants, and that he supports the video policy. Caja believes that the lawsuit was an act of political repression to hold it up in a court case for a year, she told Wisconsin Examiner. It prevented any sort of policy release during that time from taking into effect. Noting that the shooting occurred right after the lawsuit blocking the video release policy was dropped, Caja said that now is the time to put the new policy to the test. While the Wednesday night shooting is being investigated by Milwaukees homicide unit, Sharpes shooting is essentially being investigated by a neighboring police department. That practice does not satisfy the Milwaukee Alliance. We never trust police departments to investigate themselves internally, but we also dont trust the police to investigate themselves externally, said Caja. Whether its Greenfield, Columbus, Milwaukee, theyre all one in the same, and we know that this is not an unbiased review of what happened. So while we do think it is important to have an outside investigation, it should not be coming from another police department. It shouldnt be coming from anyone involved in the police department. The Alliance advocates for community control of the police, which would include an elected civilian police accountability council. Such a council would handle the discipline, hiring, firing, and budget of the police department. It would be community members like myself, like the family members, like so many other people here that have been fighting for less police funding and more oversight, who would be able to put those things into effect, said Caja. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A rally and march held at Red Arrow Park for Dvontaye Mitchell and Sam Shorte. (Photo | Isiah Holmes) Local activists gathered in Milwaukees Red Arrow Park Thursday evening, as they did at the start of the Republican National Convention (RNC), to rally and march. But this time, instead of protesting, they were mourning. Holding signs and accompanying grieving families, the group chanted the names of Dvontaye Mitchell and Sam Sharpe. Mitchell died after being held down by security guards at Milwaukees Hyatt Hotel on June 30. Sharpe, who lived unhoused in a local park, was fatally shot Tuesday by Columbus, Ohio, police who were deployed to provide security for the RNC. Family members of both men shared their experiences and questions with a large group of media at Red Arrow Park. As they spoke, dozens of law enforcement officers watched from inside the park, across the street at City Hall, and from helicopters and drones that hovered overhead. Its been two and a half weeks now since Dvontayes murder, said Latrisa Giles, Mitchells first cousin, at the rally. I want everybody to know that initially they tried to sweep this under the rug. News outlets have reported that video shows security guards at the Hyatt kneeling on Mitchells back and neck, with one guard striking Mitchell in the head with an object. When police arrived, Mitchell was already unresponsive. Giles said that the police had been called because Mitchell was allegedly causing a disturbance. They beat the hell out of him until he died, said Giles. He was begging for his life. No arrests have been made in the case, she said. Weve been pushing, and weve been pushing hard, said Giles, and began to hear from police only after pressure from the family and media. Mitchells cousin remembers him as a fun, caring, loving person who always had a smile on his face and l loved to cook. Dvontaye could turn scraps into a gourmet meal. You know, he was just an overall cheery person, Giles told Wisconsin Examiner, noting that he was self-sufficient and always working. She learned about Mitchells death through a text from her aunt just before bed. I quick ran over to her house because she doesnt stay that far from me, and its just still a shock, Giles said. The family said that initially they were told that the case wasnt being investigated as a criminal matter. After the family began to protest they received word that charges had been referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney. Since then, the family has been told that they need to wait until after an autopsy. Its justits wild and crazy because my cousin was killed by all those employees at the Hyatt and nobody has been arrested, Giles said. Several members of Mitchells family spoke at the rally, including cousins and siblings. They were also joined by the family members of Sam Sharpe.. Sharpe lived in an encampment of unhoused people in King Park. The officers saw a fight between two men and immediately drew their guns, running toward them while yelling commands. About 14 seconds after the officers first saw the fight, Sharpe was dead. The Greenfield Police Department is investigating the shooting through the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, which is responsible for investigating fatal officer-involved shootings. But Sharpes family said that as of the rally, they have yet to hear from any investigators. Yall not going to make him out to be a knife wielding criminal because thats not who he was, said Angelique Sharpe. The streets know him, the police do not. Yall dont get to tell the story and tell the narrative, were gonna tell it. That narrative stops today! Sam was not that guy! At the rally, Sharpes family said that he lived with multiple sclerosis, mobility issues, and lesions on his brain. Sharpe was vulnerable in the park. He told his family that some men in the park had taken to beating and threatening him, which led Sharpe to acquire a couple knives to defend himself. Katrina Games, Sharpes aunt, said that he had been invited to come home instead of sleeping in the park. He said, Well my dog is there, and he loved that dog, said Games. He loved animals so he went down to get the dog. Games said Sharpe tried to tell the police about being threatened and beaten, but nothing was done. He went down to get his dog, and the guy that he was fighting started antagonizing him knowing that he really couldnt walk, said Games. So he was so angry because they was trying to mess with his tent, mess with his dog, mess with him. He just got tired of it. He wanted to be on his own with his M.S. He didnt want us to feel like we had to take care of him and burden him. He told us all that God told him to go and help in that community. And thats what he did. Sharpe struggled when he was younger, but Games said hed lived for over 13 years with no police confrontations. His family believes that when police yelled for Sharpe to stop, he couldnt catch his balance or turn due to his difficulty on foot . He doesnt walk well, he can barely go up three flights of stairs, said Games. Sharpes family say that officers fired 27 rounds at the man. If he was someone else, if he was a different race and I hate to bring race into it because I have all races in my family but you wouldnt have killed him like that, you wouldnt have shot him like that, said Games, who called his death just horrible. On Tuesday, the day of the shooting, Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said that five officers fired their weapons. Sharpes family wonders why the officers didnt use a taser, or some other method to break up the fight. Sharpe was the eighth person shot by Columbus, Ohio, police officers so far this year, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Activists, elected officials, and other city residents have also asked why the officers were more than a mile outside of the RNCs security zone. You ran up on him and you shot him, you didnt even give him a chance to stop, said Games. Other members of Sharpes family spoke during the rally as well. Afterward, the group turned the rally into a march past City Hall and across the river towards the Hyatt Hotel where Mitchell was killed. As the march neared the hotel, dozens of state troopers, police officers and other law enforcement gathered outside the security perimeters black gates or blocked nearby streets. In front of the Hyatt itself, dozens of other officers stood watch as the marchers chanted. Video of Sharpes shooting circulated online the same day it occurred. Among those videos was body camera footage, released by the Columbus Police Department, but edited to freeze at the moment the shots were fired. Families who have lost loved ones in police shootings or deaths at the jail or at local police districts have fought for more transparent video release policies in Milwaukee. After the police reform movement of 2020, activists from the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression drew up a proposed policy that would require the release of video of officer-involved shootings within 15 days of the incident and allow the family to view it within 48 hours. Shortly after the policy was adopted by the citys Fire and Police Commission, however, a lawsuit filed by the Milwaukee Police Association blocked it from being implemented . Police officials argued that the policy would hamper officer-involved shooting investigations. Even without the lawsuit, the new policy had also been suspended during the RNC. On Wednesday, the Alliance learned that the police association had dropped its lawsuit, allowing the video release policy to fully take effect. With the Sharpe shooting, as well as another non-fatal shooting by officers Wednesday night, clearing the way to reinstate the policy comes at a critical time. Aurelia Caja, co-chair of Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, told Wisconsin Examiner that the police association said the lawsuit wasnt worth it to the union. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported a statement by police union President Andrew Wagner that the lawsuit had become fruitless, to pursue. Wanger said that Chief Norman can enforce whatever policy he wants, and that he supports the video policy. Caja believes that the lawsuit was an act of political repression to hold it up in a court case for a year, she told Wisconsin Examiner. It prevented any sort of policy release during that time from taking into effect. Noting that the shooting occurred right after the lawsuit blocking the video release policy was dropped, Caja said that now is the time to put the new policy to the test. While the Wednesday night shooting is being investigated by Milwaukees homicide unit, Sharpes shooting is essentially being investigated by a neighboring police department. That practice does not satisfy the Milwaukee Alliance. We never trust police departments to investigate themselves internally, but we also dont trust the police to investigate themselves externally, said Caja. Whether its Greenfield, Columbus, Milwaukee, theyre all one in the same, and we know that this is not an unbiased review of what happened. So while we do think it is important to have an outside investigation, it should not be coming from another police department. It shouldnt be coming from anyone involved in the police department. The Alliance advocates for community control of the police, which would include an elected civilian police accountability council. Such a council would handle the discipline, hiring, firing, and budget of the police department. It would be community members like myself, like the family members, like so many other people here that have been fighting for less police funding and more oversight, who would be able to put those things into effect, said Caja. Wisconsin Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Wisconsin Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Ruth Conniff for questions: info@wisconsinexaminer.com. Follow Wisconsin Examiner on Facebook and X. AndreyKrav/iStock, Michael M. Santiago/Getty, Tyler Le/BI Nvidia plans to reveal examples of how its end customers make money on AI chips, Goldman Sachs says. The reveal is set to come in Nvidia's earnings call, and it could silence AI skeptics. Goldman Sachs expects Nvidia to once again beat earnings estimates when it reports in late August. Nvidia is set to silence AI critics when it announces its second-quarter earnings results in late August. That's according to a Monday note from Goldman Sachs, which details takeaways from a recent meeting with Nvidia's chief financial officer, Colette Kress. There are growing worries that for all the hundreds of billions of dollars being spent on Nvidia's AI chips, there's little to show from it in the form of profits and revenue for Nvidia's customers. "End-user companies and their investors will soon look for revenue to justify the $500 billion already spent," Bank of America said in a note earlier this week. "No one denies the computing power. But after one last frenzied rally around the latest chips, investors may come to doubt the near-term economics." But according to Goldman Sachs, Kress said Nvidia is planning to highlight the profits its end users are generating from the growing use of its AI-enabled GPU chips. "In order to assist investors in appreciating customers' ROI profiles, Ms. Kress noted that, similar to how they shared data from Meta on their most recent earnings call, they intend to provide ROI metrics from customers on its next earnings call as it aims to instill confidence in investors," Goldman Sachs said. On its latest earnings call, Nvidia said that for every $1 spent on its HGX H200 servers, an API provider serving Meta's Llama 3 tokens could generate $7 in revenue over four years. Other takeaways from Goldman's conversation with Kress include the expected revenue ramp of Nvidia's next-generation Blackwell GPU chips. Goldman expects revenue from the Blackwell chip to be limited in Nvidia's third quarter, "followed by a more significant ramp in FY4Q (January) and FY1Q (April)." "Ms. Kress also stated that inputs such as data center facility space, power, and cooling all concerns often raised by investors as it pertains to customers' ability to build out large-scale data centers are unlikely to derail the growth trajectory of the company for the foreseeable future," Goldman Sachs said. Overall, Goldman Sachs said it was confident Nvidia would deliver a positive earnings surprise leading to positive EPS revisions when it reports results next month. Story continues "We reiterate our Buy rating on NVDA as the meeting reinforced our belief in the sustainability of the ongoing Gen AI spending cycle as well as Nvidia's ability to maintaining its leadership position through consistent and rapid innovation across Compute, Networking and Software," Goldman Sachs said. The bank reiterated its $135 price target for Nvidia, which represents potential upside of 14% from current levels. Read the original article on Business Insider It had been 10 months since Samuel Sharpe Jr. spent every night in a warm bed with a roof over his head. The choice was deliberate. Sharpe, 43, wanted to live among Milwaukee's unhoused population and bring to them what he felt his newfound belief in God and the Bible had brought to him. He wanted to give them hope. "He had stated to me that he wanted to live among them to let them know there was a light at the end of the tunnel," Robert Camacho told the Journal Sentinel. "They didnt have to be hopeless." Camacho, a street pastor who ministers to roughly 4,500 of the city's men and women who call the streets home, was by Sharpe's side during his transformation. Over a two-year period, they read and studied the Bible together. The higher power in the Bible goes by many names God, Jesus Christ, Jehovah, Yahweh, the Messiah. Jehovah was the name he identified with most. He wore a hat with the name Jehovah on it. He had it tattooed on his chest. Soon, "everyone was calling him that," Camacho said. Samuel Sharpe Jr. On Tuesday, Camacho went to the tent encampment near North 14th and West Vliet streets. The area is home to roughly 70 unhoused people. As he'd done dozens of times before, Camacho was looking for Sharpe to read the Bible. Instead, he found him with with a knife in each hand, pointing them toward another man who lived in the encampment. Camacho then watched as five out-of-state officers from Columbus, Ohio, shot Sharpe, who died at the scene. "He was pretty even-tempered," Camacho said. "But he had a lapse in judgment when he was fussing with the other man." The officers are among the 4,000 non-Milwaukee law enforcement officers who arrived in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention to assist in security, traffic and public safety through Friday. Body camera footage released by Columbus police show Sharpe was still armed with the knives, and lunging toward the other man, at the time of the shooting. The situation unfolded rapidly, with 15 seconds passing from when officers first noticed he was armed with a knife to when they fired shots. More: 2 Ohio officers had prior use-of-force investigations, but experts say recent fatal shooting likely lawful Angelique Sharpe, Sam's sister, said her brother had multiple sclerosis, a degenerative muscle disease that impacted his mobility. "If the police had known that, they would have known he wasn't lunging forward. He was stumbling," Angelique told the Journal Sentinel. "Everyone that knew him knew he walked like he was drunk. He stumbled because of the multiple sclerosis." Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman strongly defended the out-of-state officers in the shooting at a Tuesday press conference. "Someone's life was in danger," he said. "These officers who are not from this area took upon themselves to act to save someone's life today." The Milwaukee Area Investigative Team, led by the Greenfield Police Department, is investigating the fatal shooting. Sharpe's death immediately sparked outrage, with many residents and some officials asking why the officers were roughly a mile from the Republican National Convention's security zone unaccompanied by a Milwaukee police officer. Angelique questions why the situation between the other man and her brother could not have been solved using de-escalation techniques. "What's legal and what's moral isn't always the same," said Angelique, a program manager with the Wisconsin Minority Business Development Agency. "People have created ways, protocols, to not have a moral compass about stuff." Sharpe remembered as someone who'd 'give you everything he had' Angelique Sharpe, sister of Samuel Sharpe Jr., holds her brothers Bible after a rally at Red Arrow Park on Thursday in Milwaukee. Sharpe was shot and killed Tuesday by out-of-state officers who saw him confronting a man with knives in each hand. Angelique described her brother as a Bible-loving, people-loving, and compassionate unsheltered person. She clutched her brother's Bible close to her chest while speaking during a rally Thursday at Red Arrow Park. Pages of the Bible were rabbit-earned. Nearly each page had passages circled and notes scribbled in the margins. "He had it memorized," she said. Angelique said she can't cite the Bible passage, but she remembers her brother telling her the Bible said that God is impartial. He only sees the heart of people. For some reason, she said, that passage always stuck with her. "I guess that's why we aren't God. Because in this world, not enough people see other people's heart," she said. Like Camacho, she recalled how Sam told the family he wanted "all of the houseless people to know that Jehovah loved them and hadn't forgotten about them." He told the family he was "moving in as a neighbor to pray with them, help however he could," despite the fact their mother had renovated the basement of her home for him to live. She said he would come to see the family often, to rest, eat meals and visit. She visited him at the encampment, too. "We were part of his life," she said. "But living on his own, living with his other unhoused, unsheltered brothers and sisters ... that's what he wanted to do." Anyone who knew him knew he loved his dog, Ices. The dog was removed from the scene and led to a cage inside a Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission van shortly after Sharpe was shot and killed. "She was like his child," Camacho said of Ices. Camacho said he would bring water and ice for Ices in a cooler. And he knew Sharpe preferred Orange Fanta and Tahitian Treat Fruit Punch. "It was a running joke between us," Camacho said. "I'd bring him those drinks. I knew he preferred them over water." Eddie Johnson, 55, is a volunteer at the MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary. He became homeless about a month ago. Jehovah gave him his first tent, he said. "He was a beautiful person," Johnson said. "He'd give you anything he had." Shelly Sarasin and Eva Welch, the founders and directors of Street Angels, a mobile outreach nonprofit that provides food, water and showers to the unhoused, first met Jehovah in April. Sarasin said she last saw Jehovah on Monday when he came to use one of the mobile shower units. A memorial shrine for Samuel Sharpe Jr. is seen near at the scene of a officer-involved shooting near the intersection of North 14th and West Vliet streets in Milwaukee. Members of the Columbus, Ohio, police department, who were in Milwaukee to provide security for the Republican National Convention, shot and killed Sharpe on Tuesday afternoon. Welch said that he was always grateful and polite and like others mentioned he loved his dog and treated her like his daughter. As he was leaving Monday, he kept saying "I love you guys," Sarasin said. We might be the last people he said that to." On Tuesday, Father Mike Bertram gave Sharpe a sack containing some fruit, crackers and granola bars. Bertram is ministry director for Capuchin Community Services, which runs the St. Ben's Community Meal, a nightly meal for the homeless and hungry. The program serves about 150 people for dinner each night. Potential disruptions from the Republican National Convention prompted volunteers there to also hand out snacks before serving meals later in the evening. "I told him, 'You may need this,'" Bertram recalled. Bertram and Sharpe waved to each other as Sharpe headed out the door. That was around lunchtime. By 2 p.m., Sharpe would be dead. Samuel Sharpe Jr. and his dog, Ices Those who knew Sharpe are left wondering if his death could have been prevented and question the worth the community places on its unhoused residents. Camacho and Sarasin stressed his humanity of those living with Sharpe in the encampment. When people camp together, they become a community," Sarasin said. "They become a family." For Camacho, Jehovah as he called Sharpe became someone who "brought a spark to his day." He sought him out whenever he visited the encampment near King Park. "His death is difficult to bear," he said. "It was hard to fall asleep last night." 'It needs to stop': Families of men killed in Milwaukee come together for rally Angelique Sharpe, sister of Samuel Sharpe Jr., holds her brothers Bible as she speaks to the press after a rally at Red Arrow Park on Thursday in Milwaukee. At Red Arrow Park on Thursday, Angelique and her aunt, Katrina Games, stood alongside members of D'Vontaye Mitchell's family in front of over 150 supporters gathered to mourn Sharpe and Mitchell. Mitchell was killed June 30 after four security guards at the Hyatt held him facedown on pavement. The guards have been fired and charges have been referred to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office, but no arrests have been made. The park itself was significant. Its where in 2014, Dontre Hamilton was killed by a police officer who woke him from a nap on a bench. Since then, Hamiltons family has repeatedly shown up at rallies and vigils for others whove been killed by police, including Sharpe. Among signs bearing their loved ones' names, the families marched to the Hyatt, where Mitchell was killed by four security guards. Maria Hamilton (center), mother of Dontre Hamilton, speaks during at a vigil for Samuel Sharpe Jr., held by the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, on Tuesday at King Park in Milwaukee. As they walked through the streets of downtown Milwaukee bordering the Republican National Convention, the group alternated between chanting Mitchells name and Sharpes name. Back at Red Arrow, Nayisha Mitchell said she would keep fighting for justice for her brother and for Sharpe, and asked more people to join them. This could have been your brother, your father, your uncle, your cousin, she said. We need to fight together. Games echoed her call. We come from different places, different homes, different families, Games said. It needs to stop." Reporters Sophie Carson and Chris Ramirez contributed to this story. Jessica Van Egeren is a general assignment reporter with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. She can be reached at jvanegeren@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Samuel Sharpe Jr. found purpose among Milwaukee's unsheltered A cruise ship is pictured on the ocean. An Oklahoma family had the trip of a nightmare when they were left behind by their cruise ship in Alaska. | Adobe.com An Oklahoma family had the trip of a nightmare when they were left behind by their cruise ship in Alaska. Cailyn Gault, one of the family members left behind, told KJRH about the experience. Were still looking into it, we havent forgotten about you and I was like, no we feel like you pretty much forgot about us when you left us in port and told us to go figure it out, she said. The nightmare vacation According to KJRH, the familys trip started out as a family reunion on board the Norwegian Encore, a ship thats operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. For the group of 16 people, the trip reportedly cost roughly $30,000. Nine family members disembarked in Ketchikan, Alaska, to watch a show. When they attempted to board a bus to get back to the ship, they were told it was full and they needed to wait for the next one. Even though the family had tickets, the bus never came back. We see the chaos getting onto the buses. We go to get on the bus and one of the attendees is like The bus is full, and you know you got to wait for the next bus, Joshua Gault told KJRH. The family also said that the ticket attendant wasnt checking tickets, which meant that people from another ship could take their seats. The family called a van to take them back to port, but by then, it was too late. The ship had left with their belongings on board, including medication and passports. You know, it was a nightmare. Six kids on board, minor children, and a 78-year-old mother-in-law, all on medication. We all had to quit cold turkey medication these last few days because it was all on the cruise ship, Gault said to KJRH. The family couldnt catch up with the ship at its next port in Canada, per Local 12. The consequence was a nearly $9,000 charge, about $971 per person. The Gaults told KJRH that the family had to pay for everything to get home, including hotels, flights and food. During the hassle, their credit cards were charged the $9,000 fee. You know, Norwegian treating this like it was a customer service issue rather than it was an emergency is, I think, the worst part about it, he said. Additionally, members of the family caught COVID-19, leaving them beaten down and unhealthy, according to Gault. Per KJRH, the cruise line released a statement on what happened at 8 p.m. on July 16: We will be reimbursing the family for all of the out-of-pocket expenses they incurred over these two days, as a result of missing the ship in Ketchikan, including meals, accommodations, etc. Reimbursements will be processed once receipts for these expenses are provided to us. Additionally, we have already initiated the process to refund the family for the fee imposed by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, as a result of the guests not visiting a foreign port prior to returning to the U.S., as required when an itinerary originates from the U.S. in accordance with the Passenger Vessel Services Act. The statement continues, In addition, these guests will be receiving a pro-rated refund for the two cruise days they missed. As a gesture of goodwill, the company will also be providing each of the nine guests with a Future Cruse Credit in the form of a 20 percent discount of their cruise fare that can be used towards their next voyage. A cruise vacation through Alaska turned into a travel nightmare for one Oklahoma family who got stranded without their belongings after a mishap with a local excursion caused them to miss their ship's boarding window. The Gault family, including six young kids and a 78-year-old grandmother, are now safely back home from Ketchikan. They had disembarked from the Norwegian Encore on Friday, July 12 to see a lumberjack show that they booked through the cruise line. "When you talk about cruise nightmares this is the definition of it," Joshua Gault told "Good Morning America" of the incident. VIDEO: Family speaks out after being left behind in Alaska by cruise line (ABCNews.com) He said when they tried to get back to the ship, the local tour operator had told them to wait for the next bus. But that bus never arrived. The family said they called the local port agent who rushed them to the ship, only to see it already pulling away from the dock with their belongings, including some of their passports. "I was in shock, like utterly shocked," he said, recalling thinking at the time, "Are they really doing this right now?" The Gaults said they quickly reached out to Norwegian. His wife, Cailyn Gault, told "GMA" that "the people that I was speaking with were so empathetic, they were apologetic they're like, what do you need?" The family said they had to cover the cost of their own food and hotel and find their own way back to Oklahoma a journey that included sleeping on airport floors. "It was completely overwhelming," Cailyn Gault said. The family said they estimate the unplanned change cost them more than $21,000 just to get home, which included nearly $9,000 in customs fees for missing a stop in Canada. They said Norwegian is working with them to make it right. "I think we are on a right path as far as both agreeing that something bad really happened here," Joshua Gault said. A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line told ABC News in an emailed statement that the company "will be reimbursing the family for all of the out-of-pocket expenses they incurred over these two days, as a result of missing the ship in Ketchikan, including meals, accommodations, etc. Reimbursements will be processed once receipts for these expenses are provided to us." PHOTO: The Norwegian Encore is docked at downtown Juneau, Alaska, Oct. 18, 2022. (Becky Bohrer/AP) NCL said it has "initiated the process to refund the family for the fee imposed by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, as a result of the guests not visiting a foreign port prior to returning to the U.S., as required when an itinerary originates from the U.S. in accordance with the Passenger Vessel Services Act." Additionally, the cruise line representative told ABC News that "these guests will be receiving a pro-rated refund for the two cruise days they missed." "As a gesture of goodwill, the company will also be providing each of the nine guests with a Future Cruse Credit in the form of a 20% discount of their cruise fare that can be used towards their next voyage," the spokesperson said. Experts say if you leave your cruise ship for an excursion, always bring a government-issued photo ID and the name and number of the port agent, who is the best person to help travelers who may run into trouble. "The port agent is the cruise line's representative in that port," Stewart Chiron, founder of The Cruise Guy, said. "In this case, contacting the port agent was the best move because they would be able to contact the ship." Family speaks out after getting stranded in Alaska mid-cruise originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com Loved ones are searching for a Southern California teenager who disappeared. Alison Jillian Chao, 15, was last seen on July 16, according to the Monterey Park Police Department. She left her home on the 200 block of North Ynez Avenue at around 5:32 p.m. that night. She rode her bike and was headed to a family members home in San Gabriel but never arrived at the destination. Chao is described as an Asian female standing around 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 96 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes. The missing teen left her home wearing a purple T-shirt, black shorts and dark shoes. She was riding on a blue mountain bike and carrying a black backpack. Missing teen Alison Jillian Chao, 15, was last seen on July 16, 2024. (Monterey Park Police Department) Loved ones have not heard from her since her disappearance and are concerned for her well-being. Anyone who may have spotted the girl or knows her whereabouts is asked to call Monterey Park Police at 626-573-1311. 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. Reform UKs leader is no fan of our first-past-the-post electoral system. And, after this months election result, that is hardly surprising. Whilst Nigel Farage did get elected to the Commons on his eighth time of asking, his partys tally of five MPs is roughly 85 less than a proportional system would have awarded it. The result of the election overall was grossly unfair. Labour won over 63 per cent of Commons seats on less than 34 per cent of the vote; Reform won over four million votes, the Liberal Democrats received just shy of 600,000 fewer votes but, with their tally of 72, won 14 times more seats. Ulsters Democratic Unionists won as many seats as Reform on less than five per cent of their vote. In addition, a plausible case can be made to argue that Brexit only came about because Tony Blair introduced proportional representation for the European elections. This was part of Blairs plan in his early days as prime minister to heal the rift in progressive politics between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. He had been hoping to bring Paddy Ashdowns party into a coalition government, but his thumping majority made this impossible. He also could not make good on his 1997 manifesto pledge to hold a referendum on PR for Westminster elections, but he could offer the bauble of electoral reform for the hitherto inconsequential European elections. This change allowed Ukip to win three seats in the 1999 European elections; one of the trio heading to Strasbourg was Farage. This small bridgehead allowed what was not then called the Brexit cause to gain the oxygen of publicity and, perhaps as importantly, public funding for its parliamentary offices. As Farage is the first to acknowledge, from this the future success of Ukip was built. When David Cameron pledged the Conservatives to support an In/Out referendum on EU membership with his Bloomberg speech in January 2013, the threat of Ukip loomed large. To what extent this was the prime motivator, or whether it was the rebellion of 81 Conservative MPs voting for a referendum in October 2011, can be endlessly debated. But it is hard to argue a referendum would have taken place without the rise of Ukip, and it is difficult to see how Ukip could have risen without PR for European elections. The fact that Farage is a fan of proportional reputation is thus hardly a surprise. But Ursula von der Leyens reelection as president of the European Commission by the European Parliament yesterday shows why it would be disastrous for Britain. The election of the Commission president follows on from the quinquennial European elections, most recently held this June. Federalist politicians have done their best to claim these elections are how Europes peoples can choose their collective leadership. This is clearly nonsense. Electors throughout Europe vote in these elections on domestic issues for their domestic parties; only a small fraction of voters will know which pan-European parties their domestic choice is aligned with. The alphabet soup of groups in the European Parliament remains a closed book to the vast majority of normal voters. But nevertheless, the federalists claim that the elections give the Continents central leadership their democratic mandate. If we accept their argument, Ms von der Leyen should certainly not have been reelected. The narrative of this Junes elections was that the centre and Left received a bloody nose and the insurgent parties of the Right, i.e. those very much opposed to the von der Leyen agenda, had their best ever result. The parliamentary groups that declared their backing for von der Leyen yesterday her own nominally centre-Right European Peoples Party (EPP), the Socialists and the centrists of Renew did not do well in Junes elections. The result was so-so or standstill for the EPP, poor for the Socialists and truly terrible for Renew. Europe (as much as one can meaningfully say it voted collectively for anything) emphatically did not vote for five years of more of the same; those national parties most opposed to the status quo did best. Yet five more years of more of the same is precisely what they have now been served up, via backroom deals. If Farage has his wish and some form of proportional representation is introduced in the UK, a similar outcome might well beckon. Britain then might too be fated to unending centrist governments cobbled together by parties that had not won a resounding victory. It is true that the Faragists would almost certainly have a stronger voice but in all likelihood it would be permanently consigned to the Opposition benches. Farage spent over twenty years in the European Parliament; he should have learnt by now that crying out in the wilderness against the assembled, ranked hordes resolutely opposed to your agenda might be great fun, but it is not really where you want to be. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The Oregon State Hospital in Salem is overseen by the Oregon Health Authority. (Michael Romanos/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Oregon State Hospital will resume in-person visits for some patients on Monday after suspending them in May after a patient died of a suspected fentanyl overdose. Officials at the state-run psychiatric facility suspended in-person visits between patients and their family and friends so the hospital could retool its visiting policies, with an eye toward preventing visitors from passing drugs or other contraband on to patients. The hospital has nearly 700 patients between its main campus in Salem and a smaller satellite campus in Junction City. For now, the hospital is opening up in-person visits to patients who no longer require a higher hospital level of care and are in secure residential treatment facility units. This is because these patients have lower safety and security risks, hospital officials said in their announcement. Find out more For more information about visiting guidelines at Oregon State Hospital, go here. The restoration of in-person visits will apply to 157 patients, or about 23% of the hospitals population of 688 patients. Another 531 patients are in the higher hospital level of care and waiting for visits to resume. Larry Bingham, a spokesperson for the hospital, declined to say when in-person visits may return for the rest of the hospital population. We recognize how important it is for patients to maintain healthy connections with their support system, and we are continuing to work on a plan to reopen visitation to other patients, he said in an email to the Capital Chronicle. Video visitation remains an option for all patients. Visitors will now be screened with a handheld metal detector and asked to turn out their pockets. They can no longer wear or bring coats into the visitation area, the hospital said. Visitors and patients can embrace at the start and end of the visit but not touch each other at other points. Patients wont be allowed access to any items visitors bring, including baby blankets and bottles. After the patient died of a fatal overdose on May 24, federal inspectors found that hospital staff failed to check on him hourly. The patient was last observed alive four and a half hours before staff found him unresponsive in his room. In response, the hospital enacted new procedures to regularly check on sleeping patients. But problems elsewhere have persisted. At least two patients last week tested positive in preliminary tests for illicit drugs that hospital officials believe arrived through the mail. The hospital has held the mail for those patients and ordered random drug tests to see how widespread the problem is. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A federal lawsuit filed Thursday alleges Dakota County jail employees left a 22-year-old Farmington man in a padded cell naked and covered in his own feces, blood, urine and vomit for nearly 20 hours while his mental and physical health deteriorated to the point he was hospitalized in critical condition. Caleb Duffy was arrested by Hastings police on suspicion of domestic assault shortly after 6:30 p.m. July 4, 2022. Duffy, who has mental illness and diabetes, was removed from the cell two days later and taken to Regions Hospital. Duffy was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis and kept intubated and sedated for five days. He spent nearly two weeks in intensive care before being transferred to the hospitals psychiatry unit. His hospital bills totaled more than $220,000. Brian Duffy, Calebs father and limited legal guardian, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court that names as defendants Dakota County and 10 of its corrections staff, as well as the jails medical provider, Advanced Correctional Healthcare Inc., and three of its employees. It alleges two counts of negligence and violations of the Eighth and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution either maliciously or with reckless disregard. This case involves a shocking lack of care by the defendant corrections and jail medical staff, Ryan Vettleson, an attorney at Storms Dworak, which is representing Duffys family, said in a statement. No person should be subjected to such willful indifference. The lawsuit alleges Duffys obvious and severe symptoms he displayed of a medical emergency were repeatedly ignored. Jail video surveillance shows Duffy in a psychotic state in a padded cell, naked and rolling around in his own feces, blood, urine and vomit, the lawsuit says. Duffy injured himself severely by repeatedly hitting his head against an unpadded area of the cell. Mr. Duffys plight was so severe that it is extremely difficult to watch any of it on video, but the video goes on for hours on end and the individuals present at the time did nothing, Vettleson said. Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko and a Dakota County spokeswoman both said they cannot comment on pending litigation. Know that the safety and care of our detainees have always been and continue to be top priorities in our jail, Leko said in a statement, adding that the Dakota County Attorneys Office is representing the county and employees named in the claim. Father informed jail Prior to the incident, Duffy was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, autism anxiety, major depressive disorder, ADHD and Type I diabetes, the lawsuit says. He previously had been hospitalized several times for diabetic ketoacidosis and mental health crisis intervention. He was civilly committed for mental illness in January 2021, a commitment that was continued six months later and remains in effect, court records show. The lawsuit claims that Duffys father called the jail repeatedly starting around 9 p.m. July 4 to inform staff that his son was a vulnerable adult with mental illness and diabetes and in need of his medication and hospitalization. However, jail staff took no action to get Duffy his insulin until around 5:35 a.m. July 5, when a deputy saw him pacing in the holding cell and yelling that he was dying. After Duffy told the deputy that he had diabetes and needed his blood sugar checked, it was found to be dangerously high, the lawsuit continues. About a half-hour later, Duffy was seen by a nurse from Advanced Correctional Healthcare, a Tennessee-based private corporation licensed to do business in Minnesota. The nurse administered Duffy 14 units of fast-acting insulin. Duffys father met with a different nurse around 8:10 a.m. July 5, giving her his sons medical history information. He returned around 10:45 a.m. with Duffys prescribed medication: insulin and Gabapentin, an anticonvulsant medication that is used off-label to treat anxiety. Gabapentin withdrawal symptoms can appear in 12 hours and can include anxiety, pain, agitation, disorientation, confusion, combativeness, hallucinations and paranoid delusions, the lawsuit says. However, jail medical staff never administered Gabapentin to or initiated a withdrawal protocol for Duffy, demonstrating deliberate indifference to Duffys serious medical needs and medical negligence, the lawsuit alleges. Ill just hit my head Duffy refused the fast-acting insulin around noon on July 5. A nurse reported that Duffy acknowledged understanding the ramifications of refusing his insulin, and then he sat down and started slamming the back of his head against the cement and said, Ill just hit my head until I die,' the lawsuit says. Duffy was put on suicide watch, meaning corrections staff were required to perform well-being checks on him at least every 15 minutes. About three hours later, Duffy stripped off his gown and began vomiting and ramming his head into the walls of his padded cell. A deputy noted that Duffy was screaming that he needs a doctor. Surveillance video shows that although Duffy had urinated and defecated in his cell and repeatedly vomited, a nurse who administered insulin noted no distress or other concerns with him, the lawsuit claims. Duffy remained in his cell for the next 19 hours as his psychosis and physical health worsened, according to the lawsuit. Between 6 a.m. and around 8:30 a.m. the next day, Duffy hit his head on the cells walls or floor 22 times. At one point, he hit his head against a metal grate so hard it caused a bleeding wound. A nurse arrived at Duffys cell at about 8:45 a.m. and noted some blood on walls, floor and drain, the lawsuit says. She entered the cell with two deputies and took his blood sugar, which was so high the machine could not register it. The nurse left the cell to call an ambulance, but watched him on video surveillance and saw him repeatedly sit up and fall backwards, hitting his head on the ground, leaving a bloody mark each time, the lawsuit continues. At approximately 9 a.m., Duffy was carried out of the cell and loaded into an ambulance. Related Articles The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a grant to the state of Kansas to provide $62.6 million toward replacement of the 18th Street bridge over the Kansas River in Kansas City, Kansas. The existing bridge was built in 1959, repaired numerous times and experts believe it to be near the end of its useful life. (Submitted) The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a grant to the state of Kansas to provide $62.6 million toward replacement of the 18th Street bridge over the Kansas River in Kansas City, Kansas. The existing bridge was built in 1959, repaired numerous times and experts believe it to be near the end of its useful life. (Submitted) TOPEKA The mayor of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, welcomed a $62.6 million federal grant for replace the aging 18th Street Bridge over the Kansas River. Bridge infrastructure represents the lifeblood of transportation arterial connections that make a city and community work, thrive and grow, said Mayor Tyrone Garner. We pledge to work diligently with our federal and state partners to make this bridge project successful, and we are committed to strengthening our partnerships to address other critical bridge needs within our community. The 18th Street bridge is part of U.S. 69 and an important vehicle link for Kansas City neighborhoods. Built in 1959, Kansas Department of Transportation determined repairs to the bridge were no longer cost-effective. The grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to KDOT allowed the replacement project to proceed. Inspections triggered a decision to temporary closure of the bridge from April to December 2018 for extensive repairs of corrosion and cracking. Currently, the bridge has four 12-foot lanes with narrow shoulders of two to three feet in width. Plans for the new bridge call for implementation of modern design standards with 10-foot exterior shoulders and 6-foot interior shoulders in addition of the four 12-foot lanes. Aesthetically, the replacement bridge would have a stone pattern consistent with the Lewis and Clark Viaduct connecting Kansas City, Kansas, to Kansas City, Missouri. The 18th Street project would provide accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians at both ends of the bridge. The health of our transportation infrastructure is vital to the safety of all who travel on Kansas roads, bridges and highways, said Gov. Laura Kelly. The 18th Street bridge has been a critical connection for decades. The existing schedule has construction starting in 2025 with the bridge closed to traffic throughout the estimated 24-month project. The award to KDOT was part of $5 billion in bridge project awards funneled through the Federal Highway Administrations competitive bridge investment program. The latest round of grants served to finance reconstruction, repair and restoration using American-made materials of 13 nationally significant bridges in 16 states. The federal program allocated minimum grant awards of $50 million and maximum awards of 50% of total eligible project costs. For too long America let bridges fall into disrepair, which left people less safe, disrupted our supply chains, and cost people time and money but now the Biden-Harris Administration is changing that with the biggest investment in our bridges since the Eisenhower era, said Pete Buttigieg, secretary of the federal transportation department. He said there were 3,000 fewer bridges in poor condition than when Biden took office nearly four years ago. Key Insights OC Oerlikon's estimated fair value is CHF9.06 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Current share price of CHF4.96 suggests OC Oerlikon is potentially 45% undervalued The CHF4.60 analyst price target for OERL is 49% less than our estimate of fair value How far off is OC Oerlikon Corporation AG (VTX:OERL) 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. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. Check out our latest analysis for OC Oerlikon Crunching The Numbers We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 Levered FCF (CHF, Millions) CHF144.4m CHF170.2m CHF188.2m CHF202.3m CHF213.0m CHF221.0m CHF227.0m CHF231.4m CHF234.6m CHF237.1m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ 10.61% Est @ 7.48% Est @ 5.29% Est @ 3.76% Est @ 2.69% Est @ 1.94% Est @ 1.42% Est @ 1.05% Present Value (CHF, Millions) Discounted @ 7.5% CHF134 CHF147 CHF151 CHF151 CHF148 CHF143 CHF137 CHF129 CHF122 CHF115 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = CHF1.4b After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (0.2%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 7.5%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2034 (1 + g) (r g) = CHF237m (1 + 0.2%) (7.5% 0.2%) = CHF3.2b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= CHF3.2b ( 1 + 7.5%)10= CHF1.6b The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is CHF2.9b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of CHF5.0, the company appears quite undervalued at a 45% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. dcf Important Assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at OC Oerlikon as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.5%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.595. 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 OC Oerlikon Strength No major strengths identified for OERL. Weakness Earnings declined over the past year. Interest payments on debt are not well covered. Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Machinery market. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the Swiss market. Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%. Threat Debt is not well covered by operating cash flow. Dividends are not covered by earnings and cashflows. Annual revenue is 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. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. 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. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. Can we work out why the company is trading at a discount to intrinsic value? For OC Oerlikon, we've put together three further items you should consider: Risks: For instance, we've identified 4 warning signs for OC Oerlikon (2 are significant) you should be aware of. Future Earnings: How does OERL's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. 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 this screenshot from a streamed court hearing, Attorney Thekla Hansen-Young (bottom right) speaks in front of a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on July 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (Screenshot) In this screenshot from a streamed court hearing, Attorney Thekla Hansen-Young (bottom right) speaks in front of a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on July 18, 2024, in San Francisco. (Screenshot) In closely watched oral arguments on Thursday, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals indicated that it is unlikely to grant an environmental groups petition for an order that could halt at least temporarily a valuable Southeast Alaska king salmon fishery. In May 2023, a judge in the U.S. District Court covering western Washington issued an order stating that federal officials were allowing Alaska fishermen to harvest king salmon at rates that harmed an endangered population of killer whales in Puget Sound. That order could have halted Southeast Alaskas troll king salmon fishery, critical for residents in the region, but the 9th Circuit stayed the lower courts ruling, putting it on hold. The Washington-based Wild Fish Conservancy, which brought the initial lawsuit, is seeking to lift the hold and thus stop the fishery. The state of Alaska, the Alaska Trollers Association and a coalition of environmental, tribal and other groups are all seeking to keep the hold in place, as is the National Marine Fisheries Service, the lead defendant. As legal matters proceed, the federal government is rewriting the fisheries rules that were the subject of the lawsuit, and a new version of the rules is expected by November. Attorney Thekla Hansen-Young, representing the National Marine Fisheries in court on Thursday, said that it is undisputed that whales are not going to go extinct in the next four months. On the other side, if the stay were to be lifted, that would irreparably harm Southeast Alaska communities because there would be considerable uncertainty about how they could continue to fish. Judges Milan Smith, Mark Bennett and Anthony Johnson appeared sympathetic to that line of thought and skeptical of the idea that they should lift the hold before the new rules are released. Speaking to attorney Brian Knutsen of the Wild Fish Conservancy, Bennett said documents submitted to the court indicate a lot of uncertainty about whether whales will be helped by a halt to fishing. Meanwhile, closing some of the fisheries is absolutely going to cause harm to inhabitants of Alaska and their various subsistence and cultural practices, he said. I find it very difficult to come out on your side, given the uncertainty about the numbers, but convince me why I should be less troubled, Bennett told Knutsen. Knutsen responded that theres also a significant amount of speculation with respect to the economic impacts, suggesting that Alaskans might switch to fishing different kinds of fish if barred from catching kings. Knutsen said the Conservancy doesnt believe based on prior experience with other federal issues that NMFS will complete the new rules by November. We think, if there may be delays, that the benefit of the doubt should be given to the (whale) species and not to the hopes the gambling that NOAA will get legal and new documents out, he said. In response to those concerns, the judges asked Hansen-Young if she could assure them that the November timeline will hold. She said that it could commit, barring unforeseen circumstances. After that comment, one of the judges asked whether Hansen-Young would approve of an order that halts fishing if the federal government fails to meet that November timeline. She initially said she wouldnt agree to such a broad grant of relief to plaintiffs, but when asked whether she would approve of the 9th Circuit issuing more limited instructions in case of a missed deadline, she said that the government would not object, so long as any instruction to the district court would be post-December 1. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST The Biden administration's attempt to remake the federal student loan program has experienced a major setback. On Thursday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit blocked the SAVE plan, an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan that would have dramatically reduced the amount student loan borrowers were required to pay back before receiving forgiveness. While a pair of federal judges struck down parts of the program in June, Thursday's decision completely blocks the program. In 2022, Biden announced a plan to forgive up to $20,000 in federal student loans for borrowers earning less than $125,000 and couples earning less than $250,000. However, the plan was swiftly blocked in federal court and eventually halted by the Supreme Court. But even if Biden couldn't enact blanket student loan forgiveness, many of his administration's other changes to the federal student loan program went unchanged. These reformsmost notable among them, the introduction of the SAVE planrapidly increased the amount of loan forgiveness offered to borrowers. Under the REPAYE plan, the most popular IDR plan in use before Biden's changes, borrowers' monthly payments were set at 10 percent of their discretionary income, calculated as earnings above 150 percent of the federal poverty level. Borrowers then received forgiveness after 20 years of on-time payments (or 25 years for graduate borrowers). Under the SAVE plan, borrowers were only required to pay 5 percent of their discretionary income, now defined as earnings above 225 percent of the poverty rate. Borrowers would only have to make 10 years of payments before forgiveness if the balance is less than $12,000. In all, these changes are estimated to have contributed $145 billion to the 2024 budget deficit alone. So far, Republican-led states have mounted two separate lawsuits challenging the SAVE plan, arguing the plan is an illegal exercise of executive spending. In June, federal judges based in Kansas and Missouri released injunctions collectively blocking the Biden administration from forgiving more loans under the SAVE plan and slashing borrowers' monthly payments. On Thursday, the remaining provisions of the plan were also blocked by the 8th Circuit. Following the ruling, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said that the department would place all borrowers enrolled in the SAVE plan in an "interest-free forbearance while our Administration continues to vigorously defend the SAVE Plan in court." For now, the future of the SAVE plan looks bleakand for good reason. One analysis predicted that the plan would cost taxpayers almost $500 billion over the next decade. The post Federal Court Blocks Biden's Income-Based Student Loan Forgiveness Plan appeared first on Reason.com. NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) A federal judge in Florence is set to resolve the yearslong legal dispute between a North Myrtle Beach rental business and the city a decision that could reshape the citys economy. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Dawson III is expected to rule soon in the legal battle between Cherry Grove Beach Gear and the city, according to court records. In July 2022, Derek and Jacqueline Calhoun sued North Myrtle Beach over its long-standing ordinance giving the city or authorized franchisees exclusive rights to set up rental equipment on its shores. Cherry-Grove-Beach-Gear-complaintDownload The Calhouns, who launched their business in 2020, have said in court theyve twice asked city leaders for a franchise so they can continue operations but were denied both times. Their initial 20-page motion accused North Myrtle Beach of violating antitrust laws. The citys actions intentionally and flagrantly targeted Plaintiffs by enacting an amendment to North Myrtle Beach City Ordinance 5-24 in order to render Plaintiffs lawful and existing business practices unlawful, without establishing any amortization period during which Plaintiffs could recover their business investment, the lawsuit reads. The lawsuit claims the citys actions were positive, aggressive, illegitimate, unlawful, unreasonable, and taken without constitutional, statutory, or regulatory authority. The business owners are also suing for defamation, libel and slander, saying that the city is damaging the business reputation by publishing statements about the company, according to the lawsuit. The city has restricted private commerce on its sands since 1981 when council members first required vendors to obtain a franchise agreement. The law was most recently updated in 2010 when authorized hours and rules for the placement and size of shading devices and removal of equipment were added. City attorneys have repeatedly pointed to a 25-year-old section of state law giving coastal communities broad powers to adopt ordinances regulating beach safety, including granting franchise agreements. It has existed since long before Plaintiffs started doing business in 2019. Other beach equipment companies comply with the law by delivering items to where their customers are staying. But Plaintiffs dont like the law, so they refuse to comply with it, city attorneys wrote in an August 22 response to the suit. And they have turned their ongoing violations of the law into a marketing tactic, gleefully announcing each citation on social media under the hashtag #outlawbeachlife and asking people to chip in for the fines they are deliberately incurring. North-Myrtle-Beach-responseDownload The city makes between $1.5 million to $3 million in revenue annually from beach rentals, which is used to offset tax increases and pay for beach safety initiatives, officials say. Marilyn Hatley, North Myrtle Beachs five-term mayor, said at a July 2022 city council meeting that the franchise agreements were an additional source of revenue since a percentage of their sales flow back to the city. North Myrtle Beach owns and maintains roughly 2,800 beach chairs and 1,500 umbrellas that are set up by municipal employees trained on proper installation, its attorneys said in a November filing. Other entities including Hilton Head Island, Isle of Palms, Horry County and Myrtle Beach all have similar regulations in place that restrict private companies from setting up equipment on public beaches. In September 2022, a federal judge denied Cherry Grove Beach Gears request for a preliminary injunction to bar the city from enforcing its ordinance, saying the company failed to show that it would likely succeed in the lawsuit. The city in December then asked for the entire case to be dismissed. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. Customers may be waiting a little longer for incoming FedEx packages due to a global tech outage. On Friday, FedEx initiated contingency plans to alleviate some of the impacts caused by "a global IT outage experienced by a third party software vendor." However, the company said commitment deliveries scheduled for Friday, July 19, may be delayed, according to a service alert from the company. FedEx is recommending customers continue to check the service alerts webpage for updates. Additional information regarding the shipment status and tracking can be found on the company's website and its FedEx Delivery manager portal. According to the service alert, delayed shipments caused by the outage will not be eligible for refund or credit. FedEx representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding how the outage has impacted the company, including flights and operations at its hub at Memphis International Airport. FedEx's service alert did not specify if its service disruption was related to the Microsoft-CrowdStrike outage, although it is believed to be. On Thursday, CrowdStrike, announced a recent round of updates in its Microsoft Windows operating system caused an outage. The company's software is used by dozens of Fortune 500 companies. FEDEX NEWS: FedEx pilots' contract dispute carries on: Where things stand and how we got here The outage impacted a wide variety of tech and companies including personal laptops, banks, media companies and airlines. On Friday morning, Memphis International Airport (MEM) announced several flights have been grounded, with one cancellation. On Friday morning, MEM delayed 20 departing flights and 25 arrivals have been delayed. The airlines impacted include American Airlines, Delta, Spirit and United. Allegiant was not affected by the outage. Neil Strebig is a journalist with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at neil.strebig@commercialappeal.com, 901-426-0679 or via X/Twitter, @neilStrebig. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: FedEx warns of possible delivery delays due to IT outage Financial District locals are raging against plans to open a safe haven homeless shelter in their lower Manhattan neighborhood just 50 feet away from a city-funded site housing migrants. But the FiDi West Neighborhood Association appears to be fighting a losing battle, as shelter operators said during a Community Board 1 meeting Wednesday evening that the 84-bed coed facility the first traditional shelter for New Yorkers in the community district would be opening as planned in late July or August. The neighborhood group, created 18 months ago to address the planned shelter at 105 Washington St., argues its proximity to nearby schools and parks will exacerbate safety concerns spurred by the humanitarian emergency relief center for migrants at 99 Washington St., according to an online petition. Financial District locals raging against plans to open an 84-bed coed safe haven shelter located 50 feet from an existing migrant shelter known to cops have lost their bid. Helayne Seidman NY Post composite The quality of life issues as a result of the migrant shelter has been exponential loitering, drug use, sales of goods up and down Rector Street, one member of the neighborhood association, who did not want to be named, told The Post. These are very very narrow streets broken off from the south of [the] World Trade Center. Its a little armpit of the city. The online petition created in April and signed by over 1,200 people urged thorough criminal background checks, an 11 p.m. curfew, a safety protocol inked by police and local officials, as well as a reduced bed count of 50, among other amendments to the plans. Criminal background checks should include a sex offender registry scrub, the petition reads. While the 105 Washington St. shelter has been in the works for years, residents said claims that the operators, the Center for Urban Community Services, listened to community concerns were false. They ticked a box, they did community outreach and its just a false statement, a FiDi West Neighborhood Association member said. A person exiting a school bus is greeted by a caretaker outside migrant intake center at 99 Washington Street on July 18, 2024 in New York City. Michael Nigro The reality is you have two shelters opening 15 feet from each other and both shelter operators are not accountable for anything that happens outside of their premises. A May 29 update to the petition alleges city agencies like the NYC Department of Social Services have completely ignored and rejected any attempt of a conversation. We notified the community about this location in 2021 if not earlier, a DSS spokesperson told The Post in a series of emails. This community district has no traditional shelters for long-term New Yorkers, so we look forward to bringing this vital resource to the community, the DSS spokesperson added. As we have always done, we will continue to maintain open lines of communication with the community and remain committed to ongoing engagement as we work collaboratively to support our neighbors in need. Any hope of a compromise fizzled out Wednesday night during the community boards Quality of Life, Health, Housing & Human Services Committee attended by about 30 neighborhood residents where shelter officials deemed the plans as set in stone. While the 105 Washington St. plans have been in the works for years, residents told The Post the initial plans presented were starkly different from what is about to open. Helayne Seidman Safe Haven shelters are low-threshold shelters with less rules and regulations for street homeless adults, according to city documents. Michael Nigro Curfews and other demands brought forth by the neighborhood association wont be enforced but there will be quiet hours starting at 10 p.m. and a good neighbor policy, which discourages loitering and all sorts of other things that reflect poorly on themselves, said Hadaryah Morgan, CEO and General Counsel at Center for Urban Community Services. Having a curfew where people have to be inside the site is definitely something that doesnt work well for the Safe Haven model, he said. So we havent changed that. Safe Haven shelters are low-threshold shelters with less rules and regulations for street homeless adults who may be resistant to accepting services like traditional shelters, according to city documents. The planned shelter will provide primary care, nursing, psychiatric, security and consultation services to residents. Since the start of the Adams administration, DSS has placed more than 2,100 New Yorkers residing at safe havens and stabilization beds into subsidized permanent housing, an agency spokesperson said. The Center for Urban Community Services currently operates over two dozen transitional and permanent supportive housing sites across New York City. Michael Nigro Nearby schools include Leman Preparatory School, P.S. 150 and the High School of Economics and Finance, as well as West Thames playground, Zuccotti Park and Liberty Park. Similar plans to create a long-term shelter for single men at 41-43 Beekman St. has sparked outrage among locals; that facility is due to begin construction this summer and open in late 2025. Plans to build a 60-bed shelter at 320 Pearl St. with a rooftop smoking section has also stirred controversy in lower Manhattan, The Post previously reported. The Center for Urban Community Services currently operates over two dozen transitional and permanent supportive housing sites across New York City. Its really tight, one local told The Post. Theyre mostly delightful, pleasant, happy to be here mostly, but its just a lot of people on that corner. Helayne Seidman Capt. Joel Rosenthal, commanding officer of the NYPDs 1st precinct, who was present at the Wednesday meeting, said cops have responded to noise and quality of life complaints from the migrant shelter at 99 Washington St., and will continue to respond for every call once the new shelter opens. If were there and we see it, we will obviously address it, Rosenthal said. Other than that 311, 911 are your friends. Addressing quality of life and safety concerns, Morgan said Urban Community Services will investigate all the complaints we get. A May 29 update to the petition alleges city agencies like the NYC Department of Social Services have completely ignored and rejected any attempt of a conversation. Michael Nigro If this is our client and they are engaged in such repeated conduct which are not abiding by the policy and rules We will work with DHS to have that person removed and placed in a different location, facility or type of environment, Morgan added. Neighborhood resident Shelley, who declined to provide her last name, told The Post most locals are pro-shelter and want to aid vulnerable populations but 105 Washington St. isnt the right place to do it. Its really tight, Shelley told The Post. Theyre mostly delightful, pleasant, happy to be here mostly, but its just a lot of people on that corner. Pretending like its not going to cause issues is extreme gaslighting, another local told The Post. This has been going on for years. And its been very quiet and underhanded. Fighting for his own reelection, Democrat U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana urges Biden not to run U.S. Sen. Jon Tester talks with President Joe Biden at the White House in 2022 (Photo via Getty Images). Montanas senior U.S. senator and only Democratic member of the states congressional delegation is calling on President Joe Biden, also a Democrat, to not seek reelection in November. Tester is only the second Democrat in the Senate to make the call on the Biden candidacy, but other media report that former President Barack Obama, U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, have visited with Biden recently, privately asking him to reconsider his decision to stay in the race. Montanans have put their trust in me to do what is right, and it is a responsibility I take seriously. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong, Tester said. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term. Only Vermonts Sen. Peter Welch, a fellow Democrat in the Senate, has publicly called for Biden not to seek re-election. Tester said that Biden should continue to finish out his current term, which ends in January 2025, despite some calls from pundits and politicians for him to exit early in order to give Vice President Kamala Harris better exposure. Tester supports an open nominating process to select a nominee from the Democratic Party. On Wednesday, Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California who is running for a U.S. Senate seat there, also called on Biden to not seek re-election, becoming one of the most prominent members of the House Democrats to call for him to step aside. Schiff is perhaps best known as one of the chief members on the January 6th committee. Tester is running for re-election this November to keep his Senate seat against political neophyte Tim Sheehy, a Bozeman Republican businessman and former soldier, hand-picked by Montanas other senator, Steve Daines, who leads the Republican effort to flip the United States Senate back to GOP control. Despite what many polls and analysts consider a tight race in Montana, which has swung to the right in recent elections, Tester has a track record of winning close competitions. In fact, former President Donald J. Trump came to Montana on three different occasions during Testers last re-election bid, something that could have doomed other Democrats in red states. However, Tester remains one of the few politicians to survive such a frontal political assault. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Biden cancelled a speaking event in Las Vegas when he was diagnosed with COVID-19. It is the second time Biden has gotten COVID-19, and video of the president walking gingerly up the stairs of Air Force One was aired on television and social media. The positive COVID test came on the heels of several notable gaffes and other problems, most prominently, a disastrous television debate on CNN on June 27 in which Biden appeared rattled and at times was hard to follow. That began what became a growing chorus of people calling on the 81-year-old president to step aside. Like almost every member of Congress, Tester was asked about his opinion of Bidens chances of success after the debate, to which he replied that the president has got to prove to the American people including me that hes up to the job for another four years, according to media reports. Even after the debate, the polls showed little change, possibly suggesting an entrenched electorate. A National Public Radio/Marist/PBS News poll that was released last week shows Biden and Trump in a statistical tie in nationwide results. Biden deciding not to seek another term would trigger states to lean on their own laws for what happens to replace a presidential candidate on the ballot. Those procedures widely vary state-by-state. This story is republished from the Daily Montanan which, like the Kentucky Lantern is part of the nonprofit States Newsroom, network. A large fire in downtown Los Angeles raged for hours Friday morning, damaging multiple buildings as 170 firefighters battled the blaze. The fire at 683 S. Kohler St. was reported just after 2 a.m. and wasnt knocked down until about 7:20 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a series of alerts. Capt. Cody Weireter said what began in an outside storage area spread to five buildings, four commercial and one vacant apartment building. Two of those buildings were completely destroyed, the LAFD said. LAFD robot Weireter said firefighters also used a robot to attack deep-seated pockets of fire in areas that were too dangerous for human firefighters. One firefighter suffered a minor injury to their knee, KTLAs Erin Myers reports. Fire officials later said that the firefighter was in fair condition. 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. Firefighters pay tribute to chief killed by Trump shooter at funeral Hundreds of people in the small town of Cabot, Pennsylvania gathered on Friday to pay tribute to Corey Comperatore, the retired volunteer fire chief who was shot and killed by a gunman at a Trump rally last weekend. Firefighters honored Comperatore, loading his casket draped with an American flag onto a firetruck to be driven from Cabot Methodist Church. Members of the community lined the streets waving American flags and holding posters, mourning the loss of a local hero. The former president, who suffered an ear injury during the shooting, was not in attendance. Comperatores casket was draped with the American flag (REUTERS) It is unclear why but a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press said it was due to Secret Service concerns. The Independent has asked the Trump campaign for more information. Trump did honor Comperatore during his speech at the RNC on Thursday evening. He displayed Comperatores firefighter gear on stage and kissed his helmet at one point. Comperatore, center, was a former volunteer chief firefighter in Buffalo Township, Pennsylvania (Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Dept via REUTERS) "He was incredible, he was a highly respected former fire chief," Trump said. The former president said Comperatore lost his life selflessly by shielding his family from bullets during the rally. Trump also reportedly called Helen Comperatore, the widow of Corey, to offer his condolences. Donald Trump kisses Comperatores turnout coat and helmet on stage during his speech at the RNC (REUTERS) Comperatore, 50, worked as a project and tooling engineer but spent many years as a volunteer firefighter and served as chief. Family, friends, neighbors and other members of his local community remembered him fondly as a kind-hearted man who was always willing to help others. Comperatore was shot during the Trump rally on Saturday by a 20-year-old gunman who opened fire on the attendees and the former president. A girl holds a placard as people wait for a procession of emergency vehicles transporting the coffin (REUTERS) Two other people were wounded, both of whom are in serious but stable condition, according to the AP. A public viewing was held for the retired fire chief on Thursday at a banquet hall in Freeport. Hundreds of mourners paid their respects, all while law enforcement provided tight security at the event. A private funeral for Comperatore was held on Friday. On July 17, a kitten was stuck in a car muffler, and a crew of firefighters helped rescue the little one. The felines owner brought them to the Howell Area Fire Department to ask for assistance from the fire officials. The kitty had managed to sneak into the car muffler. This led to their head being trapped and them being unable to escape their predicament. Curious orange kitten gets stuck in car muffler, Howell firefighters help rescue tiny feline On Wednesday, an orange feline was brought to the Howell Area Fire Department. The owner needed the firefighters help rescuing the kitten from a car muffler. The officials quickly got to work, as the kittys head was tightly lodged in the opening. Unfortunately, the head was entirely trapped inside the muffler. They believe the feline got too curious and was planning to investigate the muffler but ended up getting stuck instead. According to People, the firefighters had to cut away pieces carefully from the opening to ensure it was wide enough for the kitty to get out of their predicament. One of the officials constantly petted the little one to calm them, making the rescue much easier. Once the firefighters were sure there was enough room, they pulled the kitten out of the car muffler, hoping to finally rescue the little one. When the feline escaped the ordeal, their neck and ears were covered with grease. Once saved, the kitty was free to return home with their owner. However, the hard-to-remove grease will need a good cleaning session. The officials noted that the kitten and the car muffler belonged to the individual who brought them in. Both are in excellent condition and need some love before they are back to normal. The family returned to their barn with their muffler, and the Howell Area Fire Department was more than happy to assist with the kitty rescue. The post Firefighters Rescue Kitten Stuck in Car Muffler in Michigan appeared first on CatTime. Measles vaccine being given at a free clinic Saturday at Falls Community Health after a case was diagnosed in Sioux Falls, Jan 24, 2015. The first case of measles in South Dakota in nine years was reported Thursday by the state Department of Health. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause health complications, especially in children younger than 5 years old. The case was found in a Pennington County adult who traveled internationally and tested positive at Monument Health in Rapid City this month. The patient could have exposed people at the Black Hills Urgent Care from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on July 9 and the Monument Health Rapid City Emergency Department waiting room from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. on July 12, the Department of Health said. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease and spreads through the air when an infected individual coughs or sneezes, said Dr. Joshua Clayton, state epidemiologist, in a news release Thursday. Individuals who have not been fully immunized with two doses of measles vaccine have an increased risk of infection if they have contact with an infected person. The measles vaccine is typically given to children between 12 and 15 months old, with the second dose given at 4 to 6 years old. Two measles shots usually produce lifelong immunity, according to the news release. The last time a measles case was reported in South Dakota was in January 2015, when there was an outbreak of 13 cases in the Mitchell area and one case in an unvaccinated Sioux Falls 10-year-old. Aside from an unvaccinated child younger than 5 years old contracting measles in Mitchell in December 2014, South Dakota hadnt had a measles case since 1997. Measles appears in two stages. First, the patient may have a runny nose, cough, slight fever and reddened eyes sensitive to light. Second, on the third to seventh day, the patient has a temperature of 103-105 degrees Fahrenheit and a red, blotchy rash beginning on their face and spreading across their body. The rash lasts up to a week. Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination rates have been on the decline in the United States for over a decade after the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. More than 160 cases have been reported nationwide so far in 2024, with 53% of cases hospitalized. Over 60% of cases in children younger than 5 years old have been hospitalized so far this year. South Dakotas MMR vaccination rate among kindergarteners decreased from 96.8% during the 2009-2010 school year to 92.5% during the 2022-2023 school year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. That is below the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotions goal of 95%, which establishes herd immunity. Children entering school or an early childhood program in South Dakota must have received, or be in the process of receiving, two doses of the MMR vaccine and some other vaccines. Exemptions are available if a licensed physician says it would endanger the childs life or health, or if the childs religious doctrine opposes immunization. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: First SD measles case in nine years appears in Rapid City A Ryanair passenger plane is parked at Cologne/Bonn Airport. Thomas Banneyer/dpa Irish low-cost airline Ryanair Holdings plc said on Friday that it has won its case against Dutch-based travel website Booking.com in a US court. The Delaware District Court unanimously ruled in favour of Ryanair's claims that Booking.com had violated the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, causing loss to Ryanair, the airline said. The jury also ruled that Booking.com had done so knowingly with "intent to defraud," and that Ryanair had suffered economic harm as a result of Booking.com's unlawful screenscraping activity, Ryanair said. In the ruling, the jury also dismissed all Booking.com's counterclaims against Ryanair, which included claims for defamation, unfair competition, and deceptive trade practices, Ryanair said. Ryanair's chief executive Michael O'Leary stated that the ruling found in favour of Ryanair, proving that Booking.com had illegally "scraped" Ryanair's website, and did so with an intention to defraud both Ryanair and ordinary consumers, which was in breach of the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. O'Leary said: "We expect that this ruling will end the internet piracy and overcharging perpetrated on both airlines and other travel companies and consumers by the unlawful activity of OTA [online travel agency] Pirates like Booking.com. "This ruling is a great victory for low fare air travel, and it's a great win for the travelling public as well." The app of the travel portal Booking.com is shown on a smartphone. Fabian Sommer/dpa (Getty Images) LINCOLN U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer and former President Donald Trump hold sizable statewide leads this summer, according to a Fischer campaign poll shared this week with the Examiner. Fischer held a 26-point edge in the poll of 698 likely Nebraska voters by Torchlight Strategies, a conservative pollster. The survey of landline and cell phone users, taken July 8-11, listed a 3.7% margin of error. Half of respondents 50% indicated support for Fischer. Nearly a quarter 24% preferred nonpartisan union leader Dan Osborn. About 16% of those surveyed were undecided. Osborns campaign is gathering signatures to appear on the fall ballot. It plans to turn in the signatures Aug. 19, a spokesman said last week. His campaign had no immediate comment on the poll. Osborn outraised Fischer in the second quarter, $1.04 million to Fischers $679,000. But she holds the cash advantage, with $3 million in cash on hand compared to his $650,000. A third candidate in the race, Kerry Eddy of the Legal Marijuana NOW Party, raised far less, $17,765, and had $7,800 in cash on hand. The poll showed Eddy drawing about 9% support. No Democrat in the race No Democrat is running in the race after Osborn wooed the Nebraska Democratic Party before the primary and then declined to seek the partys endorsement the day after the primary. The poll indicates Democrats have less decisively flocked to Osborn than to a standard Democrat. And he remains relatively unknown by most of those surveyed. More than 75% of the Nebraskans surveyed had no opinion of Osborn, didnt know who he was or declined to share an opinion of him. Fischer was known to all but 14% of those polled. Osborns campaign has said the race is closer than indicated by the Fischer poll. The campaign has pointed to a Public Policy Polling survey from May that indicated Fischer led 37%-33%, with a 3.7% margin of error. An internal Fischer poll at about this time in her 2018 race against Democratic State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln showed Fischer leading by 10 percentage points, her campaign said. A quick look Senate race (statewide) Fischer 50% Osborn: 24% Eddy: 9% Undecided: 17% Presidential race (statewide) Trump 52% Biden 33% Someone Else: 11% Undecided: 4% Presidential race (2nd District) Trump 42% Biden 42% Someone else 12% 2nd District House race Bacon 46% Vargas 43% Undecided: 11% Source: Fischer campaign poll by Torchlight Strategies Fischer, in a statement, said she has visited all 93 counties, has campaign chairs in every county and has built a door-knocking operation that will help her turn out her voters this November. These milestones are a testament to the widespread support we have across Nebraska, and our commitment to earn each and every vote, she said in the statement. A peek at 2nd District presidential Political observers expected Fischer and Trump to lead in polling, given the nearly 2-to-1 registration advantage that Republicans hold over Democrats statewide. The Fischer poll indicated Trump holds a 52%-33% statewide lead over President Joe Biden, who has been dogged in recent days by speculation over his future in the race. They did not include Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the survey. The poll also dug a deeper into the one slice of Nebraska thats drawing national attention, the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District, where Trump and Biden were tied at 42%. In the 2nd District, the poll sampled about 300 people on the presidential race, Torchlight co-founder John Rogers said. Thats enough to get a good idea about both candidates support. That polling result could spell trouble for Biden, given that the presumptive Democratic nominee won the 2nd Districts stray Electoral College vote in 2020 by 6 percentage points. Nebraska and Maine are the only two states that award an Electoral College vote to the general election winner in each congressional district. Nebraskas 2nd District backed Biden in 2020, Trump in 2016, Mitt Romney in 2012 and former President Barack Obama in 2008, sending each a single electoral vote. Gov. Jim Pillen has said he would like to call a special session to switch the state to winner-take-all this year. Maine lawmakers have said theyll match that in the Democratic-leaning state if Nebraska does. Poll also peeked at Bacon-Vargas House race The poll also surveyed the 2nd District House race between Republican incumbent Rep. Don Bacon and State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha. The poll indicated Bacon leading by 3 percentage points, 46%-43%, with 11% undecided, which is within the 6.3% margin of error of that smaller slice of the statewide survey. The latest snapshot echoes the candidates first match-up in 2022. Bacon beat Vargas by 3 percentage points that year. This time, Vargas has an edge over Bacon in cash on hand, with $2.5 million to Bacons $2.2 million, but both have more than they did in July 2022. Vargas raised $1.36 million in the second quarter. Bacon raised $970,000 for his campaign. Both expect millions in outside spending on the race from local and national groups. The Vargas campaign this spring shared a poll that showed them leading narrowly as well, within the margin of error. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST A fix has been deployed, says firm at center of global IT outage A massive IT outage caused major disruption across numerous industries late on Thursday and into Friday, with airlines, retail, banking, health care systems, and even broadcasters among those affected. It later emerged that the outage was due to a defective software update rolled out by Texas-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike for its Microsoft Windows hosts. In a post on social media at 5:45 a.m. ET on Friday, CrowdStrike chief George Kurtz said his company is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. He added that this is not a security incident or cyberattack. Kurtz said the issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed. He went on: We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers. Microsoft first acknowledged the problem at around 8 p.m. ET on Thursday with a post on social media saying: Were investigating an issue impacting users ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services. Overnight, it became clear that the issue was affecting multiple services around the world. In the U.S., major airlines including Delta, United, and American Airlines had flights grounded, with international carriers also affected. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it is closely monitoring the IT outage, adding that several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops until the issue is resolved. Australias Sydney Airport was among those with flight displays showing the dreaded blue screen of death. Tech billionaire Elon Musk described it as the the biggest IT fail ever. Biggest IT fail ever Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 19, 2024 At 6:45 a.m. ET on Friday, Microsoft said in a social media post that the underlying cause has been fixed, but added that residual impact is continuing to affect some Microsoft 365 apps and services. Microsofts massive presence in the IT sector exposes it to global events like this. Last year, for example, widespread disruption impacted its Azure cloud computing platform, along with tools such as the Outlook email and OneDrive file-sharing apps. The company put it down to distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, a malicious act that attempts to knock out a server or network by overwhelming it with incoming internet traffic. A flamingo in Rhode Island? Birders reporting 'unmistakable' find in Little Compton. What to know. Even a flamingo knows that Rhode Island is, to borrow the state's new tourism marketing slogan, "all that" in the summer time. In a very unusual event, birders are reporting spotting an America Flamingo at Briggs Marsh in Little Compton. "Unmistakable. Large pink wading bird with long neck and black tail feathers, curved bill that is white and black ... We observed it wading and foraging for about 1.5-2 hrs in the marsh after initial sighting," a birder documented in eBird, a citizen science app managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Rhode Island Audubon Society confirmed the sighting. "Audubon staff believe the one spotted in RI is most likely the same bird that was visiting Cape Cod," Audubon spokeswoman Hope Foley said in an email. More: Your guide to summer birding in Rhode Island: Where to go and what to see What is a flamingo doing in Rhode Island and Massachusetts? Cape birder Mary Jo Foti photographed an American flamingo at Chapin Beach in Dennis on July 15. Over the past two months, there have been repeated sightings of a flamingo on Cape Cod. Mark Faherty, science coordinator for the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, told The Cape Cod Time he believes the flamingo may be one of a group of birds that were scattered across the country after Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida in the summer of 2023. Flamingos were seen in at least 14 states, including North Carolina, Ohio, Missouri and Wisconsin, perhaps blown north by the powerful storm's winds. The bird was first seen on June 2, and has been delighting birders when they catch a glimpse. Avid Cape birder Mary Jo Foti, trips coordinator for the Cape Cod Bird Club, told the Cape Cod Times by email that she saw the American flamingo at Chapin Beach in Dennis earlier this week. 'My heart stopped for a beat' Another flamingo sighting at Cape Cod beach. See the photos Foti also provided a wonderful narrative of her encounter: "I couldnt have been in a nicer place. I turned to scan the northern edge of the flat once more and the American Flamingo had simply materialized," she wrote to the Times in an email. "I never even saw it fly in. I think my heart stopped for a beat. The flamingo continued to move farther out with the receding tide line but fortunately, a handful of birders were able to get there before it disappeared into the shimmer." Has there ever been a flamingo in Rhode Island before? The Rhode Island Audubon Society didn't have information on hand about if there have been flamingos spotted in the Ocean State before. But, there has been at least one other wild flamingo that made it to New England. In August 1964, the New York Times reported that a flamingo was spotted in Niantic, Connecticut. It was extraordinary to see one this far from its natural habitat of the West Indies and Bahamas, Roger Tory Peterson told the New York Times. However, one was reported earlier this summer at the Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge north of Atlantic City. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island birders spot a flamingo in Little Compton in ultra rare sighting FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) Travelers across the U.S. are experiencing delays and cancellations after a massive global technology outage that occurred late last night. The outage linked to Microsoft systems has caused many frustrated travelers to rearrange their plans. Airlines, businesses, and banks are affected as the cyber outage causes huge disruption. Nancy Moore was planning on heading to Missouri last night, but to her surprise, her flight was delayed. Oh, we got here around 8:30 p.m. to check in, cause were supposed to be here two hours before, and were still here, said Nancy Moore. Other travelers like Ricardo Aguilar say there was limited information as to why flights were changing. Aguilar, traveling to Guadalajara, Mexico, got to the airport at 11 p.m. Everything was working fine my flight was delayed and I was just like waiting normally but then eventually things just went crazy and nobody knows when theyre going out nobody knows where the flight even is there are a lot of people up there just waiting and sleeping and stuff like that, said Ricardo Aguilar. Juan Carlos Ruiz, a Fresno native says he flies out of Fresno Yosemite International every year but has never experienced anything like this before. They had us waiting for hours and hours, uh, on a big line that started forming and we got here, uh, almost four hours in advance to our flight time and they put us in a line, you know, once I got in, it was kind of weird because Id never seen it before, said Juan Carlos Ruiz. Vikkie Calderon, public information officer for Fresno Yosemite International, says there were dozens of flights that were delayed and canceled, and to continue checking in with your airline for an update. Passengers should again contact or keep in touch with their airline for their flight status before coming to the airport and if they are planning to come to the airport to plan for extra time, extra time for check-in, extra time to check in with their airline in case they have a connection somewhere that may be affected by that earlier technology issue. While there are some flights that are departing, it is uncertain when all operations will be completely back to normal. 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. Flights delayed, canceled at Boise Airport following CrowdStrike outage. What to know Nearly 30 flights in or out of Boise Airport were delayed Friday, while another nine were canceled, as overnight Microsoft outages caused multiple airlines to ground flights. Over 33,000 planes worldwide were either delayed or canceled Friday because of the outage, caused when a technology glitch related to Microsofts cloud services occurred, according to NBC News. Delta, United and American Airlines are the three leading airlines impacted. Heres what to know about the outage and what to do if your flight is affected. Why is there a Microsoft outage? The technology glitch originated from cybersecurity company CloudStrike, which provides services and software to some of the largest companies in the world that run on Microsoft, NBC News reported. The outage caused problems for not only airlines but also information displays, log-in systems, retailers, and even banks and broadcasting networks, according to the New York Times. Microsoft posted on the social media platform X Friday morning that all Microsoft apps and services had recovered, but users are still reporting issues. We've completed our mitigation actions and our telemetry indicates all previously impacted Microsoft 365 apps and services have recovered. We're entering a period of monitoring to ensure impact is fully resolved. For more information, see MO821132 within the admin center. Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) July 19, 2024 How is the Boise Airport affected? As of 10:30 a.m. Friday, Boise Airport spokesperson Shawna Samuelson told the Idaho Statesman that five departing flights had been canceled and there were quite a few delays. The flight-tracking website FlightAware showed 17 delays and nine cancellations for flights coming in and out of the Boise Airport. Samuelson said systems have returned online, reducing delays as planes get the clearance to take off. I cant speak on behalf of the airlines, but I think for the most part, they have their systems rebooted, and its operating as expected, Samuelson said. Now it is just that theyre absorbing the impacts of what happened earlier this morning. What to do if your flight is impacted Travelers impacted by the outage will have to work with their airline directly to solve any issues. Passengers should definitely always check directly with your airline for your flight status, Samuelson said. Thats where youll get the most up-to-date information. And they also need to work with their airlines if they are displaced by the impacts of this outage. Delta, United and American Airlines have all offered travel waivers for customers affected by the outage. The waiver allows customers to rebook their flights, and the rebooking fees and fair difference will be waived. Each airline may offer different deals and dates you need to rebook by. You can check information about each airlines waiver at the links below: A global outage in technology systems Friday morning has caused flights at Kansas City International Airport to be delayed and canceled, the airport announced on social media. Just before 10 a.m., 4% of flights scheduled to depart MCI were canceled and 15% have been delayed, according to FlightAware. MCI is open this morning and several of our airline partners are working through a technology issue that is impacting flight operations, the airport said on X. Flying today? Please be in touch with your airline. The U.S. Department of Transportation said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, that it is monitoring technical issues affecting airlines. It also said passengers affected can check controllable delays at FlightRights.gov for customer compensation. We are continuing to monitor technical issues impacting airlines. If you're a passenger experiencing a travel delay or cancellation, you have https://t.co/EHOVpjmR22 as a tool to navigate what your airline's responsibilities are to meet your needs as a passenger. U.S. Department of Transportation (@USDOT) July 19, 2024 The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement it is closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines. Several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops until the issue is resolved. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said the issue believed to be behind the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack, the Associated Press reported. The outage is affecting businesses, hospitals, banks and other operations across the globe, the AP reported. Some flights disrupted but Maine government systems not impacted by global IT glitch Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. (Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems are just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that scrambled business operations for many globally Friday morning. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.govwebsite to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. There have been no disruptions to State of Maine systems or services, as of Friday morning, according to Maines Office of Information Technology. MaineIT said it will continue to monitor the systems throughout the day. However, several flights at the Portland International Jetport were canceled or delayed because of the outage. Just after 11 a.m., the Jetports website said American, Delta and United airlines are resuming some operations. Two Sun Country Airlines flights were canceled and only some Breeze Airways flights are operating. JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines flights are operating. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. AnnMarie Hilton contributed to this story. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Starting in July 2028, Florida will adopt the NextGen bar exam after the Florida Supreme Court approved the recommendation from the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, according to the National Conference of Bar Examiners. Currently, Florida has a two-day bar exam with one day focused on Florida law and the other focused on the Multistate Bar Examination. With the new, day one and part of day two will be made up of the NextGen bar exam and a Florida law component. The Florida Bar made its recommendation after years of studying the Florida Bar examination. During a study from 2019 to 2022, more than 21,000 Florida attorneys gave their opinions on the skills and knowledge new Florida lawyers need to begin their practice. The board also consulted with deans and representatives from every Florida law school before making the recommendation. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] We received a very positive response from the law schools, Michele Gavagni, Executive Director of the FBBE, said in a news release. With the discontinuation of the MBE [in 2028], the overwhelming majority of Florida law schools support the decision to adopt the NextGen exam as a component of the Florida Bar Examination. The subjects to be tested were developed through a multi-year, nationwide legal practice analysis. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. MILWAUKEE He is on the floor of the Republican National Convention, but Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis has his eyes back on Florida, and hurricane season. Forecasters are predicting an extremely active season. Patronis is convinced it's not a question of if but when a storm's going to hit the state. Like other Florida officials, he has asked the state's 22 million-plus residents to have a plan and prepare ahead of an approaching yellow cone. The state's consumers have been suffering through a different form of tempest in recent years sharp increases in premiums and policy cancellations. In some cases, Patronis counsels, those frustrated by spiraling property insurance costs might benefit from asking their agents to shop around for a more favorable policy. "If that insurance agent can't get you a good deal, then you'll need to call another insurance agent, because different insurance agents have different carriers in their portfolios that they can write from," he said. Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis talks with attendees at the 2024 Republican National Convention on Thursday, July 18, in Milwaukee. Patronis believes another answer is expansion of the My Safe Florida Home program. This month, another $200 million was allocated to fund grants to reimburse property owners up to $10,000 for replacing roofs as well as installing storm-resistant doors and windows. But, in a nod to the program's popularity, state officials announced on Wednesday that funding is already exhausted less than a month after re-opening on July 1. Patronis cited figures from Security First, an insurance company in Volusia County, indicating that the average participant in My Safe Florida Home has seen a 39.6% reduction in rates because they have hardened their home and it's less likely to be susceptible to storm damage. The program makes sense on all levels, not least of which is that he said it "empowers the consumer to invest in their homes" and reap savings on insurance premiums. He said the state has stopped advertising the My Safe Florida Home program because it's been so successful that word of mouth from people who've benefited from it "is all it takes" to promote it. "We don't have to advocate for the program because the customer has come to us," he added. Patronis said another round of financing is a moral imperative because Florida's public coffers profit plenty from storms. For example, he said, the state pocketed $1.4 billion in non-typical sales-tax revenues because of Hurricane Ian. "I feel like we, as a state, we're morally obligated to turn that money back over to the taxpayers as relief," he said. More: 6 things to know about insurance after Hurricane Beryl kicked storm season into high gear He also cautioned Floridians people to beware of scams and fraudsters and turn away strangers knocking on their doors offering help with a claim but in reality they are seeking to "siphon off your resources." "If it sounds too good to be true, it always is," he said. "The predators that come out of a storm, they're the worst of the worst." In Milwaukee, Patronis also mulls his next political step Politics, though, swirl around him. As he spoke to a Palm Beach Post reporter, Texas Gov. Greg Abbot was on stage doing a mic check by reading Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. A candidate for the secretary of state post is giving an interview to a Canadian broadcast network. And delegates from all matter of states are coming up to take selfies with the stage where Donald Trump will accept the Republican nomination on Thursday. Patronis, who is expected to seek the governor's office in 2026, said it would be "the honor of a lifetime to be the governor of Florida." "My wife and my kids are big cheerleaders. They want me to do it," he said. Patronis said he'd do the CFO job "forever" if not for term limits. He said he is proud of his record. "The state of Florida is in the best fiscal health it's ever been in the history of the state," he said, adding laws have also been altered to protect residents from fraud, waste and abuse. "I just hope I have the opportunity to continue serving." He added: "I don't think this is the last time you'll see Jimmy Patronis in public office. I just don't what it will be yet. Governor has a nice ring to it." Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Patronis: Florida 'morally obligated' to keep funding My Safe Florida Home China's supportive policies and ongoing quality upgrades in foreign trade are set to bolster economic growth throughout the year despite lingering external challenges, market watchers and business leaders said on Thursday. They added that the accelerated cultivation of new quality productive forces, the expansion of tech-intensive green product industries and cross-border e-commerce businesses, and the fast-growing intermediate goods trade will help Chinese companies better compete with their global rivals. They made the comments as the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China vowed to further deepen reform, including in the trade sector, and continue to expand opening-up. According to a communique released on Thursday after the conclusion of the session, which started on Monday, China will "steadily expand opening-up, deepen foreign trade structural reform, further reform the management systems for inward and outward investment, improve planning for regional opening-up, and refine the mechanisms for high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative". Zhao Fujun, a foreign trade researcher at the Beijing-based Development Research Center of the State Council, said that in recent years, protectionist moves, geopolitical rivalries and intense competition have pushed domestic manufacturers to upgrade the technical content of their products. Many of them have also invested in new plants and warehouses in countries like Hungary and Vietnam to enhance competitiveness and mitigate risks, said Matthias Loebich, partner and leader for international business at BearingPoint, a European consultancy with more than 10,000 employees in 70 countries and regions. China set a record for foreign trade in the first half of the year, achieving a year-on-year increase of 6.1 percent, reaching 21.17 trillion yuan ($2.92 trillion), data from the General Administration of Customs showed. As developed countries are shifting from services spending to increased demand for goods, China's exports will continue to grow in the second half, said Mao Zhenhua, co-director of the Institute of Economic Research at Renmin University of China in Beijing. Mao said that the upward global trend in technology will also benefit exports of China's high value-added products. Upbeat about the Chinese market, United States-based logistics services provider FedEx launched two new cargo flights to the US from Qingdao, Shandong province, and Xiamen, Fujian province, in late June. "This is a proactive move to meet the growing demand of China's foreign trade and to deepen cooperation with the local market," said Koh Poh-Yian, senior vice-president of FedEx. Yu Xiangrong, Citigroup's chief economist for China, warned that in the long term, the recovery of developed economies remains uncertain, and trade policies in the US may become even more unpredictable after the 2024 US general election. The emulation of US policies in Europe could further increase fluctuations in external demand, Yu said. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has a surprising message for disgruntled clients: keep the complaints coming. The Wall Street Titan recently said that he welcomes criticisms because they help open his eyes and ears to what thousands of his other customers are probably experiencing. I always tell a client, When you complain to us, youre doing us a favor. If were torturing you, were probably torturing another 10,000 or 100,000 people, Dimon revealed in LinkedIns This is Working video series last week. Its why, he insisted, that leaders cant do their job from their corner office. Leaders have to get out, he added. They have to get out all the time. They have to be curious, ask a million questions. Dimon offers no sympathy for leaders who claim to be too in demand to leave their desks: Any business leader who cant get out [because] theyre too busy, theyre making a huge mistake. Change with the world or stagnate Having led JPMorgan since 2006, Dimon is acutely aware of how customers' needs and wants change over timeand that leaders who dont remain on the pulse of what that means for their business get left behind. Just look at Blockbusters ex-CEO, whos still plagued as the guy that failed to keep up with technology after passing up the opportunity to acquire Netflix. It's amazing how many times I see people don't have realistic assessments going on, Dimon said. If you don't have an accurate assessment of the real world out there, what's changing, what they're doing, you know, what the ideas are, you will eventually fail. The chief of Americas biggest bank added that bureaucracy can get in the way of moving fast and breaking things like a Silicon Valley startup. I've always thought bureaucracy leads to politics, leads to stasis, leads to death, the 68-year-old warned. The antidote to that is that you're open-minded to everything. Always learning, always curious. 'Learn and Be Curious' Dimons antidote to stagnating is a leaf out of Jeff Bezos bookthe Amazon founder famously penned 16 leadership principles for the tech giants employees to follow, one of them being Learn and Be Curious. Even the companys current CEO, Andy Jassy, agrees that being eager to learn is what has separated those around him who have grown their careers substantially versus those that stayed stagnant. You have to be ravenous and hungry to find ways to learn, the 56-year-old Amazon veteran recently said in a company YouTube video. The second you think theres little left for you to learn is the second that you are unwinding as an individual and as a learning professional. Story continues Barack Obamas former speechwriter, Aneesh Raman, echoed that ambitious workers should forgo titles completely to focus on skills developmentuntil they reach 35 years old, at least. This is the time to find out what youre excited about, what youre good at, and what you want to get better at, Raman said. Even outside of the corporate world, 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer credited his success to constantly improving his technique, studying his opponents, and learning new ways to beat them. I didnt get where I got on pure talent alone. I got there by trying to outwork my opponents, he added. Most of the time, its not about having a gift. Its about having grit. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis endorsed several school board candidates including one from Sarasota in a Friday afternoon post on X, a social media platform formally known as Twitter. The governor endorsed current Sarasota County School Board Chairwoman Karen Rose in her reelection bid against Liz Barker, a local mother and former school psychologist. DeSantis previously endorsed fellow school board members Bridget Ziegler, Tim Enos and Robyn Marinelli as a part of their "ZEM" ticket in 2022 that flipped the school board from a 3-2 liberal-leaning majority to a 4-1 conservative majority. Rose has also garnered endorsements from the Sarasota County Republican Party, Florida Rep. Fiona McFarland, Florida Rep. James Buchanan, Florida Sen. Joe Gruters and Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman. She was also listed on a Moms for Liberty page that said she pledged to support the fundamental rights of parents. Rose did not respond to a request for comment regarding the endorsement. In a Facebook post, Rose wrote that she was honored to be included in the governor's list of candidates. "Governor DeSantis has done an excellent job protecting our children and improving education here in Florida," Rose wrote. "And I'm appreciative that he mentioned my focus on ensuring student success, protecting parental rights and curriculum transparency." Before winning election to the School Board, she worked for more than 30 years as a teacher, principal and executive director of middle schools in Sarasota County. During her first four-year term, Rose notably pushed for a change in leadership making a motion to fire former superintendent Brennan Asplen despite outcry from a group of parents and teachers to keep him. Rose then advocated for Terry Connor to be the district's current superintendent, a vote both she, Marinelli and Tom Edwards affirmed in a split 3-2 vote. In Connor's first year as the district's leader, Sarasota saw a seven percentage-point bump in reading scores. Karen Rose, District 2. Karen Rose Sarasota County School Board members. Photographed Tuesday May 21, 2024. Rose also faced criticism from a vocal group of School Board activists for pushing the district to re-draw its board member district lines despite having just done so in 2021 following the census. The chairwoman's opponents charge her with bringing politics into the board a statement she's vehemently denied and thrown back at her critics. "For the first time in my history in this school district you are using this chamber and public comment to run political campaigns for School Board seats and misleading the public with misinformation that holds zero evidence," Rose said at a meeting July 16. Her goals, as laid out on her campaign website, state she wants to see Sarasota Schools ranked as the top district in the state, keep campuses safe and secure, ensure systems to grow academic excellence, embed accountability in the budgeting process, and prepare every graduate for college or a career. Follow Herald-Tribune Education Reporter Steven Walker on Twitter at @swalker_7. He can be reached at sbwalker@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Ron DeSantis backs reelection Sarasota School Board Chair Karen Rose The advocates behind Floridas pro-choice Amendment 4 cleared a huge hurdle in April when the notoriously conservative state Supreme Court approved the measure for the November ballot. Many were relieved at the time believing that the biggest obstacle was behind them but after this week, its clear theyre not out of the woods just yet. A Florida administrative committee decided earlier this week on a financial impact statement that must appear alongside Amendment 4 on ballots. Over the course of three meetings, including a 12-hour debate on Monday, the Florida Financial Impact Estimating Conference crafted a statement riddled with misinformation that will be printed next to the amendment seeking to restore abortion access until around 24 weeks in the state. The supposedly nonpartisan FIEC crafts fiscal statements to appear next to any citizen-led measure that makes it on the ballot. The panel is usually made up of a Florida House staffer, a Florida Senate staffer, a representative from the governors office and the states chief economist. But state House Speaker Paul Renner (R) replaced the House staffer with an economist from the Heritage Foundation, the ultra-conservative think tank behind Project 2025. Abortion rights advocates who fought for the ballot measure believe the FIEC statement includes inaccurate information that was written to intentionally mislead voters. Read the statement in full below: The proposed amendment would result in significantly more abortions and fewer live births per year in Florida. The increase in abortions could be even greater if the amendment invalidates laws requiring parental consent before minors undergo abortions and those ensuring only licensed physicians perform abortions. There is also uncertainty about whether the amendment will require the state to subsidize abortions with public funds. Litigation to resolve those and other uncertainties will result in additional costs to the state government and state courts that will negatively impact the state budget. An increase in abortions may negatively affect the growth of state and local revenues over time. Because the fiscal impact of increased abortions on state and local revenues and costs cannot be estimated with precision, the total impact of the proposed amendment is indeterminate. The statement speculates on the costs created by possible future litigation, even though doing so directly conflicts with standards set by the Florida Supreme Court. The statement also inaccurately says that Florida may have to subsidize abortions with public funds and that an increase in abortions may negatively affect the growth of state and local revenues. The move is a dirty trick to mislead voters, Lauren Brenzel, the campaign director for Floridians Protecting Freedom, the coalition behind the states pro-choice amendment, said in a press statement. The fact that you would have to appoint political operatives to whats supposed to be a bureaucratic commission shows how afraid you are of having the peoples voices heard, Brenzel told HuffPost later by phone. This is about the dismantling of whats supposed to be a non-biased process for political aims. Amy Baker, the FIECs chief economist who has worked for the state for decades, was the lone dissenter. Several times during Mondays meeting, Baker voiced her concerns that the panel had strayed from its nonpartisan mission. State Rep. Anna Eskamani (D) pointed out that Baker has only dissented on a fiscal statement once or twice before. It means that the chief economist wasnt comfortable supporting this language, Eskamani, who worked at Planned Parenthood for six years before being elected to the Florida House, told HuffPost. If shes not gonna put her stamp of approval on this, then it speaks to the intention of this language. Amendment 4 needs to get 60% of approval from voters for it to pass and restore abortion access until fetal viability. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and the states Republican supermajority passed a 15-week abortion ban after Roe v. Wade fell in the summer of 2022. Despite the restriction, the Sunshine State was still a critical safe haven for abortion access in the South where nearly all surrounding states have near-total abortion bans. In May, a six-week abortion ban went into effect, crippling access in Florida and the majority of the Southeast. Abortion rights amendments have been extremely successful in both red and blue states since the fall of Roe in 2022. In response, anti-abortion advocates and lawmakers across the country have used normal administrative steps like Floridas fiscal impact statement to confuse voters about pro-choice amendments. Last year, Ohio Republicans crafted and approved a misleading summary statement for the states pro-choice amendment. Similar to Floridas fiscal statement, Ohios summary did not change the meaning or intent of the constitutional amendment but was created by anti-choice lawmakers to confuse voters. The Ohio abortion rights amendment passed last November, restoring access until fetal viability. This process has never been weaponized like this before, Brenzel said. I think it shows how scared our opposition is of this initiative. Florida Planned Parenthood PAC endorses five in Senate races and 51 in the House The Florida Planned Parenthood PAC has announced endorsements in 2024 state legislative races. (Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images) The Florida Planned Parenthood PAC announced its first round of endorsements for the state Legislature Monday, saying those candidates would fight attacks on Floridians reproductive freedom. For the Florida Democratic Party, which the GOP outnumbers by more than 956,000 registered voters, support for the abortion-rights amendment could translate to overall support for its candidates. The Democrats have been focusing on the issue, calling out Republican enactment of abortion bans. In choosing whom to endorse, the committee said it relied on demonstrated commitment to protecting reproductive health, gender-affirming care, and sex education, according to a press release. This is poised to be one of the most consequential elections in the history of our decades-long fight to defend reproductive freedom, and the results will determine Floridas health care landscape for generations to come, PAC director Laura Goodhue wrote. We look forward to sending this powerful group of health care champions to Tallahassee and finally putting a stop to the dangerous, anti-scientific agenda that has been forced upon us. The five endorsed candidates for the Senate are three incumbents (Tracie Davis of Duval County, Geraldine Thompson of Orange County, and Jason Pizzo of Broward and Miami-Dade counties); Sylvain Dore, a doctor running for District 9, which includes Gainesville, Ocala, and Cedar Key; and former Florida House Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, who is running unopposed in Orange Countys District 17. For the Florida House, the PAC is endorsing nearly all the Democratic incumbents, except those running unopposed and Michael Gottlieb of Broward County and Kimberly Daniels of Duval County. Daniels sided with Republicans during this legislative session on banning community ID cards used by immigrants and requiring the Florida Department of Health to create a pregnancy resources website that wouldnt include information about abortion. She has also pushed to put prayer back in school. The PAC only considered endorsing candidates who filled out a questionnaire, a spokesperson wrote in an email to Florida Phoenix. Broward County Rep. Daryl Campbell was omitted from the list posted online but he did receive an endorsement. Planned Parenthood also stayed out of races with crowded Democratic primaries with the first round of endorsements. Luiz V. Loureiro, executive director of the Fulbright Commission Brazil, said he is excited about the Fulbright partnership with Florida Polytechnic University. Florida Polytechnic University has signed an agreement with the Fulbright Commission Brazil to foster educational opportunities, the school announced. The Lakeland university signed a memorandum of understanding, which will yield a new academic collaboration, enabling Brazilian researchers and scholars to conduct research at Florida Poly, working with its students and faculty, according to a news release. Florida Poly has established partnerships with Fulbright organizations in Portugal, Finland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Australia, Luxembourg and Belgium, the release said. Our vision is to establish a journey of excellence through impactful bilateral relationships that help drive the states economic engine and serve as a gateway to Latin America, Florida Poly President Devin Stephenson said in the news release. This partnership with Fulbright Brazil not only attracts intellectual capital for applied research and innovation, but also solidifies our commitment to building prestigious international collaborations that benefit our students, faculty, and the global community. Artificial intelligence Polk County Sheriff's Office creates new lab with Florida Poly The international Fulbright Program, led by the U.S. Department of State, works with more than 160 nations to increase educational and cultural exchanges to study, learn, and pursue academic and professional projects. Since its creation in 1946, the program has created learning pathways for more than 400,000 scholars, the release said. I am absolutely thrilled about this collaboration which will provide an outstanding research opportunities, while strengthening the bonds between Florida Poly and esteemed Brazilian institutions, Luiz V. Loureiro, executive director of the Fulbright Commission Brazil, said in the release. This partnership has boundless potential for incredible success and long-lasting impact. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland's Florida Polytechnic signs Fulbright agreement with Brazil Ask a lifelong Floridian how the states wilderness is faring, and theyll likely tell you that beautiful and wild places are disappearing all too fast. As development, pollution, climate change and more threats mount, they wonder: Can enough nature be saved to keep Floridas wild heart beating? Living in Florida is like being at the front lines of the battle for conservation, says Mason Gravley, host of Florida Uncut, a new conservation podcast based in Palmetto near Tampa Bay. Its thrilling, but the stakes are very high. Despite what must sometimes feel like insurmountable odds, Floridas conservationists arent giving up the fight. Generations of conservation groundwork have led to an impressive legacy of nearly one-third of state lands protected. Its progress that the latest wave of environmentally-conscious Floridians are eager to build on. Including Gravley. Now hes on a mission to highlight the inspiring stories and tenacity of the Florida conservation movement the best way he knows how by striking up simple conversations and sharing them with the world. Called back to Florida Gravley is from Polk Countys Frostproof. Tall and lean with a prominent red beard and a slight Southern twang, youd be safe to call him the outdoorsy type. From cross-country bike treks to a record-breaking paddleboard trip across Lake Okeechobee, Gravley has found the outdoors to be a boundless source of fun and challenge. He and his wife Emily moved away and spent nearly a decade in Colorado, where they enjoyed exploring the mountains and wide open spaces of the American West. But then Florida lured them back. I missed home, my family and the water, Gravley said. They relocated to Palmetto in 2020. By day, Gravley works for non-alcoholic beer maker Athletic Brewing as Lead Adventurer a marketing job that includes producing a podcast for the company. Hes also hosted another show, The Adventure Sports Podcast, since 2015, where hes been able to hone his interview skills by talking to athletes and adventurers from around the world. On weekends, you might spot him at Emerson Point Preserve with his two sons, ages 5 and 3, hiking, fishing or kayaking. Or maybe youve seen him at a Manatee County Commission meeting. Earlier this year, he was among those who spoke in favor of expanding Emerson Point during public comment, a move that commissioners eventually approved. He recently became the chairman of the countys Environmental Lands Management and Acquisition Committee. The all-volunteer group helps the county prioritize which lands it should target for conservation. Now Gravley hopes to inspire others to get involved in preserving nature. Palmetto man launches Florida conservation podcast Gravley prefers to listen to his news. But he noticed there wasnt a source for audio storytelling about Floridas many bold conservation efforts. I realized a lot of people havent had a chance to tell their story in an audio format, Gravley said. So last year, Gravley decided to do his part for conservation by launching Florida Uncut. The podcast debuted in September, and its now 17 episodes in. The roughly hour-long chats with environmental experts and advocates dive into issues around the state, including conservation struggles and triumphs. They also explore the joy of spending time outdoors in Floridas unique landscapes. Mason Gravley of Palmetto hosts Florida Uncut, a podcast that explores the states conservation movement as it tries to save wilderness and outdoors from development. Show features all-stars of Florida conservation Gravley says he seeks out the all-stars of Floridas environmental movement as guests. For the first episode, he chatted up Jim Strickland, a Manatee County rancher turned conservation advocate who promotes land easements. Easements have proven an effective way to stop the rapid spread of concrete. Other guests so far have included wildlife photographers, writers, documentary filmmakers, a hobbyist trash collector, biologists, land managers and more. Its so fun to share conservation through this medium, Gravley said. Environmental issues can sometimes be complicated or dry. But Gravley manages to keep the tone of the show fun and conversational while juicing his guests for helpful info, eye-opening insights and amusing stories. I try to ask questions as a regular Floridian would ask, Gravley said. Recent guests praise podcast Journalist, author and commentator on all things Florida Craig Pittman was a recent guest on the show, where he and Gravley discussed the Florida panthers fate, the magic of manatees and the willy-nilly destruction of Floridas wetlands. Hes a good interviewer. He asks good questions, Pittman said in an interview with the Bradenton Herald. Pittman would know. He also hosts a podcast called Welcome to Florida that examines the weird, whacky and wonderful aspects of the Sunshine State. Its a really good way to tell stories and introduce things that people might not know about or might take for granted, Pittman says of the podcasts power. They sort of cast a spell and capture your attention. And according to Pittman, conservation is one cause that every Floridian should care about. Its crucial for our future, Pittman said. Pittman also commended Gravleys efforts to highlight conservation victories. Give people some positive news from time to time, and theyll pay attention to all the other stuff, Pittman said. Florida Uncuts most recent guest echoed that thought. To get conservation done, you need to inspire people, said Joshua Daskin, an ecologist and Director of Conservation at Central Floridas Archbold Biological Station whose research has helped shape plans for the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Since starting the show last year, Gravley says his talks with conservationists have already changed his perspective and given him more hope for wild Floridas future. But theres also a big sense of responsibility. Were at the end of this story more than at the beginning, Gravley said. People have understood for a long time that something is special about Florida. We are not coming up with some new idea here. We are closing the book of this long history of conservation work here in Florida, and we are going to write the final chapters. We are going to decide if the land thats left on the chopping block will get saved or paved. How to listen to Florida Uncut podcast You can find Florida Uncut, which is free to enjoy, at RedCircle.com/shows/florida-uncut and on streaming platforms. Recently, I sat down to chat about Myakkas Magic, Friends of Myakka River and my gradual pivot into a career Mason... Posted by Miriinthewild on Monday, November 20, 2023 Mason Gravley of Palmetto hosts Florida Uncut, a podcast that explores the states conservation movement as it tries to save wilderness and outdoors from development. Friday's wave of global IT outages, which affected CrowdStrike customers who use Windows products, has led to more than 1,100 flight cancelations and hundreds of delays in the U.S., leaving travelers to navigate uncharted next steps as major airlines deploy workarounds and slowly come back online. With interim efforts underway at American Airlines, United and Delta, Nick Ewen, a travel expert and senior editorial director of The Points Guy, told ABC News that there's a potential lengthier domino effect as they get back to fully operational. "There may be knock-on effects with the impacted airlines throughout the day and even into the weekend," he said. "This is because planes and crew members get stranded when a flight is cancelled, and if that plane and/or crew are scheduled to operate two more flights later in the day, and then another four the next day, all of those are at risk of being disrupted." Tips to navigate flight, travel delays and reimbursements this weekend amid CrowdStrike outages PHOTO: Thomas and Narissa Rahn and their children Jaidon, left, and Jaxon, of El Paso, Texas, wait in line at the Delta terminal after their flight was cancelled, July 19, 2024, at Logan International Airport in Boston. (Michael Dwyer/AP) For anyone traveling this weekend, Ewen suggested people "make sure they're proactively keeping an eye on their flights to learn about delays or cancellations as soon as possible." "Download your airline's app, which may allow you to track where your inbound plane is coming from. If not, an app like FlightRadar24 allows you to see the registration number of the plane scheduled to operate your flight," he said. "If you're waiting to depart from New York in two hours and your plane is still sitting in Texas, you're not leaving on time -- even if the airline's system is saying your flight is on schedule." For anyone experiencing significant delays, especially if it forces travelers to stay overnight at an airport, Ewen said to "inquire with your airline about hotel and food vouchers." PHOTO: American Airline's International flights passengers line up to check in during a global technical outage at Miami International airport in Miami, July 19, 2024. (Cristobal Herrera/EPA/Shutterstock) "If they are unable -- or unwilling -- to provide them, investigate any trip delay protection you may have on the credit card you used for the flight," he added. "In some cases, you may be eligible for reimbursement for extra expenses incurred -- though you'd still need to submit a claim with the benefits provider. So save your receipts." Airline refund rules explained amid CrowdStrike outages Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp, a claims management company, echoed Ewen's advice for travelers to retain receipts for any incurred expenses during the delays, telling ABC News "it's crucial for passengers to understand their rights and know their options during disruptions." PHOTO: Flight boards show delayed or canceled flights at Minneapolis/St. Paul International airport after software issues delayed flights globally, July 19, 2024, in Minneapolis. (Adam Bettcher/AP) "Although this incident is beyond the control of airlines and airports, passengers still have certain rights under U.S. Department of Transportation regulations," he said. "The passengers are entitled to assistance from the airline. This can include rebooking on the next available flight and, in some cases, meal vouchers and accommodation if the delay extends overnight." Pawliszyn said that later this year, there will be some updated rules in place. "The new refund rules apply when the airline has rescheduled the flight for either an earlier or later time with a margin of 3-4 hours, depending on whether it is a domestic or international flight," he explained. "When this happens, if the passenger rejects the reschedule, the passenger has a right to obtain a cash refund as opposed to a voucher. " He added that the new rules "will not apply until after the summer." Flying amid CrowdStrike outage: What to expect next and tips to navigate travel chaos originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com Edgar Moran/Unsplash A global Microsoft outage disrupted IT systems around the world on Friday, canceling over a thousand US flights and delaying hundreds more. As a result, major US airlines including American Airlines, United, and Delta requested global ground stops on all flights Friday morning, per the FAA. As of 11 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, there were 1,692 canceled flights from US origins, out of 3,861 flights cancelled globally, according to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company. The outage was linked to a CrowdStrike update for Microsoft Windows hosts. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said Friday morning on X. While some airlines have resumed normal operations, travelers should expect additional delays and cancelations throughout Friday and even into the weekend. It will take these airlines a couple of days to reset their schedulesprobably into Sunday. If you're traveling today or tomorrow, there is a risk for both delays and cancellations," Mike Arnot, an airline industry analyst, tells Conde Nast Traveler. "Planes aren't where they are supposed to be, and already today there are more than 1,000 flights canceled. The airlines will try to stem the impact on flights later in the day the best they can, and that means proactively canceling flights as early as they can to minimize disruption to customers and crew alike. Even if your flight wasn't disrupted by the Microsoft outage, all passengers traveling Friday should plan for longer wait times at the airport, including at check-in and boarding, as hundreds of fliers attempt to rebook their flights. Airlines affected by Microsoft outage Airlines including United, Delta, and American Airlines are waiving change fees for passengers whose flights were impacted by the outage at certain airports. In these circumstances, it's crucial for passengers to understand their rights and know their options during disruptions," says Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp, an air passenger rights company. Although this incident is beyond the control of airlines and airports, passengers still have certain rights under US Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. Passengers, especially those who are dealing with overnight delays or cancellations, should retain all boarding passes and receipts for any expenses incurred during the delay, such as food, drink, and accommodation, to facilitate any potential reimbursement claims, Pawliszyn suggests. Below, see the US airlines affected by the Microsoft outage and the reimbursement policies currently being offered to passengers. United As of 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, United Airlines canceled 221 flights and delayed an additional 434 more, according to FlightAware, a flight-tracking website. The airline has resumed some flights but expects schedule disruptions to continue throughout Friday, United said in a statement shared with Traveler. United is waiving change fees and fare differences for customers whose flights were disrupted by the outageas long as the new flight is a United flight departing between July 18, 2024 and July 25, 2024. Tickets must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked. Delta Delta was one of the airlines most impacted by the Microsoft outage, with 449 flights canceled and 575 more delayed on Friday morning, per FlightAware. It has since resumed some flight departures, and expects additional delays and cancelations through Friday. Delta has issued a travel waiver for all customers who have booked flights departing Friday, July 19, the airline said in a travel alert. "The fare difference for customers will be waived when rebooked travel occurs on or before July 24, in the same cabin of service as originally booked. If travel is rebooked after July 24, any difference in fare between the original ticket and the new ticket will be collected at the time of booking. American American airlines has canceled 307 flights and delayed an additional 418 more as of Friday morning, according to FlightAware. As of 5 a.m. ET, we were able to safely reestablish our operation, the airline said in a travel alert. We expect there will be impact to our flight schedule today, including delays and cancellations. American will notify customers whose flight plans are affected via the American Airlines app or text message. Passengers whose flights were impacted by the outage can rebook without fees, or cancel and receive a refund. Frontier Low-cost carrier Frontier has been slightly impacted by the outage, with 48 flights canceled and 33 delayed as of Friday morning, per FlightAware. If your flight was delayed by more than 180 minutes, or cancelled, the airline is allowing passengers to be rebooked on the next available Frontier flight at no extra chargeor you can cancel your flight for a full refund. Sun Country Sun Country, an ultra-low cost airline based in Minneapolis, has canceled 54 flights so far on Friday (representing approximately 46% of their scheduled flights for the day), according to data from Cirium. For customers at the airport experiencing cancellations, we cannot rebook you at this time at the ticket counter, via phone, or online while our systems continue to be down. Once the third-party systems come back online we can assist you," the airline said in a statement Friday morning. This is a developing story and will be updated with more information. Originally Appeared on Conde Nast Traveler The Latest Travel News and Advice Food vendor, 76, dies after being scalded by 150F shower at hotel during work trip Alex Chronis, 76, died in 2022 after he was burned by water that was about 150 degrees while taking a shower in a Kentucky hotel. His family has been awarded $2m in a wrongful death lawsuit (Dignity Memorial) The family of a Tennessee man who died after being burned in 150-degree fahrenheit shower water was awarded $2m in a wrongful death lawsuit last week. According to The Knoxville News Sentinel, Alex Chronis, 76, was visiting the Cincinnati, Ohio, region in November 2021 for work as a food vendor when he was scalded by the water while taking a shower at the Econo Lodge in Erlanger, Kentucky. Court documents obtained by the newspaper show that the water was more than 150 degrees at the time. Water at that temperature can cause third-degree burns within seconds. Two people pulled Chronis out of the shower after hearing him scream. The man attempted to use nonprescription medicine to treat his injuries and went to a local festival where he worked selling food. He later went to the emergency room at Miami Valley Hospital but checked out against medical advice to go back to work. He returned to the hospital within the next couple of days and stayed for five months. Treatment included surgical grafting for burn wounds and other medical issues. Alex Chronis, 76, died in 2022 after he was burned by water that was about 150 degrees while taking a shower in a Kentucky hotel. His family has been awarded $2m in a wrongful death lawsuit (Dignity Memorial) In April 2022, he stabilized and was transferred to a rehabilitation center in Knoxville, but his condition did not improve. He was later taken to a hospital where he died. In Kenton County, Kentucky, a jury determined that the hotels owner, Sanjay Patel, failed to exercise ordinary care in inspecting and maintaining the hotel room in a reasonably safe condition for the use of their guests. The judgment, which was filed July 3, included $1.3m for medical expenses, $250,000 for pain and suffering, $16,000 for funeral costs, and $500,000 for punitive damages, the outlet reported. Company Logo Dublin, July 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Kenya Construction and Infrastructure Projects Market Report" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Kenya is the seventh-largest economy in Africa, with an estimated GDP of US$113 billion. It is the fourth-largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. The country is working towards becoming an upper-middle-income economy under its Vision 2030 development program. President William Ruto's administration is in charge of delivering the vision's fourth medium-term plan which covers the 2023-27 period and has been estimated at US$121 billion, including US$58.5 billion to be spent on infrastructure. Kenya's infrastructure investment plans span all the core construction sectors, including transport, power, water, health, housing, and tourism. Key Report Highlights Kenya's development expenditure budget for the 2024/25 financial year amounts to about US$5.5 billion. One of the key challenges facing the Ruto administration is addressing Kenya's chronic shortage of affordable housing, with demand estimated at more than 200,000 units a year. The private sector is being called upon to help deliver the country's housing programme, and there is an open call for rapid building construction technologies. Another priority for the government is attracting investment to grow the tourism, sports, meetings, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE), and medical travel sub-sectors. This is aimed at increasing the tourism industry's GDP contribution from 14% to 50% over the next decade. In the power sector, where demand is growing by 5% each year, Kenya Electricity Generating Company is moving ahead with plans to develop 82.5MW of solar and 100MW of wind capacity, while also expanding its geothermal and hydro resources, investing in battery energy storage, developing a green energy park and exploring hydrogen opportunities. It has been estimated that US$7.6 billion of investment is needed in the water and sanitation sector in order to achieve universal access by 2030. Kenya National Highways Authority aims to construct 2,349km of roads and develop a 50-year national trunk road master plan by 2027. The US$3.6 billion Nairobi-Mombasa Expressway project is one of dozens of PPP projects moving forward in Kenya. Unique Value offered by the report Informed Decision-Making: Gain comprehensive insights into the policies, investments, and opportunities that will shape the future of Kenya's construction market. Stay Competitive: Equip yourself with the latest intelligence and strategic guidance to stay ahead of the competition. Maximize Your ROI: The insights and data in this report are designed to help you make highly profitable investment decisions. Investment Guidance: Identify lucrative investment opportunities and mitigate risks. Regulatory Clarity: Navigate the complex regulatory landscape with ease. Story continues The Kenya Construction and Infrastructure Market Report 2024 is your go-to guide for navigating the evolving landscape of Kenya's construction sector. Unlock the potential of this vibrant market and stay ahead with the most reliable and comprehensive analysis available. Key Topics Covered: 1 Executive summary 2 Country Overview 3 Economic Overview 3.1 Vision 2030 3.2 MTPIV 4 Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) 4.1 PPP Directorate 4.2 PPP projects 4.3 Privatisation programme 5 Key Government Clients 6 Transport - Ports 6.1 Third-party port management 6.2 Shimoni fishing port 6.3 Kisumu Port 6.4 Other ports 6.5 Dongo Kundu SEZ 7 Transport - Rail 7.1 SGR railway 7.2 MGR railway 7.3 Nairobi Commuter Railway 7.4 Mombasa Commuter Railway 7.5 LAPSSET Corridor 7.6 Regulatory reform 7.7 Railway cities 7.7.1 Nairobi Railway City 7.7.2 Eldoret Railway City 7.7.3 Kisumu Lakefront City 8 Transport - Airports 8.1 Jomo Kenyatta International Airport 8.2 Kisumu International airport 8.3 Eldoret International Airport 8.4 Domestic airports 9 Transport - Roads 9.1 Kenya National Highways Authority 9.2 Kenya Urban Roads Authority 9.3 Kenya Rural Roads Authority 10 Power 10.1 Kenya Electricity Generating Company 10.2 IPPs 10.3 Geothermal Development Company 10.4 Kenya Power And Lighting Company 10.5 Kenya Electricity Transmission Company 10.6 Interconnections 10.7 Rural Electrification And Renewable Energy Corporation 10.8 Nuclear energy 10.9 Hydrogen 10.10 Energy transition 10.11 Other projects 11 Water 11.1 Athi Water Works Development Agency 11.2 Tana Water Works Development Agency 11.3 Lake Victoria South Water Works Development Agency 11.4 Central Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency 11.5 Other WWDAs 11.6 Water PPPs 12 Social Infrastructure - Healthcare 13 Social Infrastructure - Education 14 Social Infrastructure - Affordable Housing 15 Tourism and Real Estate 15.1 Tourism 15.2 Stadiums 15.3 Real estate 15.3.1 Commercial real estate 15.3.1.1 Tatu City SEZ 15.3.1.2 Konza Technopolis 15.3.2 Residential real estate 16 Doing Business In Kenya 16.1 Business registration 16.1.1 Registration as a contractor 16.2 Permits and Licences 16.3 Public procurement 16.4 Construction costs 16.5 Recruitment and training 16.6 Dispute resolution 16.7 Health and safety 17 Industry Associations For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3l0je1 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. CONTACT: CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) A former Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office deputy accused of pulling a gun on two men while off duty is fighting to have some evidence in the case suppressed. Michael Borrecco is accused of pulling a gun on two men at a Circle K on Osuna while drunk earlier this year. Man sentenced for shooting Border Patrol agent in New Mexico His attorney filed new motions asking for information on the two men, including their criminal history, an officers lapel video, and some witness interviews to be withheld from the trial. They said that the information was not made available to them in a timely manner. A hearing on the motion is set for later this month. Borrecco is facing two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Former first lady Melania Trump makes a rare appearance on the Republican convention's last night Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is joined on stage by former first lady Melania Trump at the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump were at the Republican National Convention Thursday, making a rare appearance in support of former President Donald Trump's third bid for president. The former first lady and the former president's eldest daughter have largely steered clear of the campaign trail this year, a contrast with Trump's 2016 and 2020 campaigns when both played a larger role. Neither gave speeches. Melania Trump's presence helps the Republican Party show widespread unity, a theme that emerged prominently after the attempt on Trumps life last weekend. A day after the attack, Melania issued a statement calling on Americans to ascend above hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence. Campaigns often use spouses and families to humanize a candidate, but with Melania Trump taking a backseat this year, that job fell to other speakers, who painted a sympathetic portrait of Trump by sharing anecdotes of warm interactions between him and their children. Trump's 17-year-old granddaughter, Kai Trump, called him just a normal grandfather. Trumps family, minus Melania, entered the arena after Trump signed paperwork formally accepting the GOP nomination. They went to the family box and stood throughout a boisterous speech by the wrestler Hulk Hogan. Melania entered later, smiling and waving to the crowd as she walked alone into the arena and up a flight of stairs to take her seat next to vice presidential nominee JD Vance. She wore a red skirt suit as Beethovens Symphony No. 9 played. "On this journey, I am deeply honored to be joined by my amazing wife, Melania," Trump said to extended applause. And Melania, thank you very much. He said she did something really beautiful when she wrote her statement pleading for unity after the shooting. Melania Trump later joined Trump on stage, startling him as she walked up behind him after his 93-minute speech, then whispered in his ear. The rest of the Trump family joined and balloons fell from the ceiling, an iconic tradition of political conventions. Some of Trump's younger grandchildren, big smiles on their faces, batted balloons with their hands and feet. As the family lingered on stage for 20 minutes, Melania Trump stood by Trump's side being quietly affectionate, touching her husband's arm at times and sometimes chatting with Vance and his wife, Usha Vance. Trumps two oldest sons, Donald Trump Jr., and Eric Trump, both spoke to delegates this week, as did their partners, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Lara Trump, respectively. Daughter Tiffany Trump and her husband, Michael Boulos, were at the convention but did not speak. The president's youngest child, 18-year-old Barron Trump, did not appear at the convention. He declined an invitation to be a Florida delegate. Melania Trump has skipped key moments of her husband's campaign, including rallies and primary-night victory parties. She did not join him in court as he faced trial over hush money payments to a porn star or for his remarks responding to the guilty verdict. Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, held senior roles on Donald Trump's White House staff but did not attend Trump's 2022 announcement that he planned another presidential campaign. "While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena, Ivanka Trump said in a statement at the time. Cooper reported from Phoenix. Former Hillsdale sergeant accused of assaulting inmate bound over for trial GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A former sergeant with the Hillsdale County Sheriffs Department has been bound over for trial on multiple felony charges for allegedly assaulting an inmate. The Michigan Attorney Generals Office announced this week that 43-year-old Ronald Leggitt, of Marshall, has waived his preliminary examination and will head to trial in the 1st Judicial Circuit Court in Hillsdale County. Leggitt faces seven felony charges, including six counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of misconduct in office. The charges stem from an incident that allegedly took place on Dec. 16, 2021, at the Hillsdale County jail where Leggitt was serving as a supervisor. Sign up for the News 8 daily newsletter According to the AGs Office, a woman was arrested, had resisted officers during the booking process, and continued to exhibit resistant and disruptive behavior. However, prosecutors say Leggitt took measures too far. Over the course of 80 minutes, Leggitt allegedly sprayed the inmate six times with pepper spray, several times just inches away from the womans face. Prosecutors say during five of the six alleged assaults, the inmate was secured in a restraint chair, including cuffs on her ankles and wrists and a chest restraint. Law enforcement officers have an obligation to protect the physical safety of those within their custody, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in March when the charges were first announced. When their conduct stoops to criminality, we must take such allegations very seriously. My department prioritizes matters of public integrity and will continue to hold those who violate the rule of law accountable. Slain Hillsdale County deputy remembered as American hero Each assault charge carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison. The misconduct in office charge is a five-year felony. A trial date has yet to be set. 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. Frank Denning, who spent more than a decade leading the Johnson County Sheriffs Department, is endorsing Sheriff Calvin Haydens Republican challenger a stunning vote of no-confidence from Haydens immediate predecessor. Denning, the sheriff from 2005 through early 2017, threw his support behind Doug Bedford, a former Navy SEAL and Johnson County undersheriff under Hayden. Denning didnt directly criticize Hayden but made clear that he believes the current sheriff has lost the publics trust. Doug Bedford will answer to all the people of Johnson County and restore the faith in the office of Sheriff, Denning wrote in a letter. The citizens of Johnson County will be represented by a Sheriff, who is professional and will carry out the duties of the office. Bedford said in a statement that he was honored by Dennings endorsement. The endorsement comes less than three weeks before the Aug. 6 primary election. Hayden and Bedford have been locked in a competitive race, with Haydens detractors alleging he has mismanaged the department and sullied the agency with a futile investigation into the countys elections thats produced no fraud and led to no criminal charges. Hayden in turn has warned voters that changing sheriffs would be too much of a risk in uncertain times. He has also suggested that voters should support him because of former President Donald Trump. President Trump faces a monumental challenge and needs honorable, experienced men and women of integrity in law enforcement to support him and keep our country safe, Hayden wrote in a social media post on Thursday that included a photo of him with Trump. Dennings law enforcement career spanned four decades. Johnson County completed a significant jail expansion and built communications and laboratory facilities during his tenure. Earlier this month, Hayden announced he was pausing his elections investigation. False conspiracy theories surrounding the integrity of Johnson Countys elections have taken root, fueled in part by Haydens investigation, which he has promoted repeatedly in front of conservative audiences. Hayden still plans to participate in an event in late July in Shawnee called Unveiling the Data that appears set to focus on elections. The Johnson County investigation appeared centered on Konnech, an election software company that has called the investigation baseless. Los Angeles County agreed to pay $5 million to Konnech CEO Eugene Yu, who sued over civil rights violations after he was arrested there in 2022 on accusations that he illegally stored poll worker data in China. The case was dropped a few weeks later, with the district attorney citing potential bias in the investigation. Johnson County had used Konnechs software to help manage election workers; the program had nothing to do with voting or voting information. The county stopped using the software in 2022. Roger Hallam (R) with four other Just Stop Oil activists - they have have received jail terms Lord Falconer, the former Labour justice secretary, has said he is uncomfortable with the heavy prison sentences handed out to Just Stop Oil activists, while Left-wing MPs demanded Sir Keir Starmer repeal the Conservatives protest laws. Roger Hallam, a founder of Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion, was given a record five-year prison sentence after a judge said he had crossed the line from concerned campaigner to fanatic. Four other eco-activists were each jailed for four years after they were also found guilty of conspiring to block traffic as part of a Just Stop Oil campaign on the M25, over four days of disruption in Nov 2022. However, Lord Falconer, who was lord chancellor and solicitor general under Tony Blair, said he felt very uncomfortable about the sentences. Lord Falconer was justice secretary from 2003 to 2007 - Hannah McKay/PA He said: I am not criticising the judge because I am sure the judge is going with whatever the sentencing guidelines are. But these are people who are not violent criminals. They cause enormous irritation to a large number of people. However, to be sentencing people to four and five years in prison for that is maybe an indication as to why the prisons are so full. Maybe prison was appropriate, I dont dispute that but for that length of time, I feel uncomfortable at that. But there can be an appeal. Brutally unjust Left-wing Labour MPs also criticised the sentences. John McDonnell, shadow chancellor when Jeremy Corbyn was leader, said the sentences were brutally unjust. He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: Post Office destroys lives, water companies pollute our rivers, CCRC leaves innocent people to rot in prison, Covid ministers incompetence costs thousands of lives, but nobody is punished. Stop traffic on M25 and get five years in prison.This is brutally unjust. Just Stop Oil protesters blocking a petrol station on the M25 in 2022 - PA Richard Burgon, shadow justice secretary under Jeremy Corbyn, added he was deeply alarmed by the sentences handed to climate activists today over peaceful protests. Signalling he would confront Sir Keir over the issue, Mr Burgon added: Ill be raising this and our draconian anti-protest laws in Parliament. Clive Lewis, the Labour MP for Norwich South, said: It is said dissent is the foundation of liberty. And yet the travesty of justice that took place today at Southwark Crown Court speaks to a democracy that is in danger of forgetting that at its peril. We must not be numb to how extreme the sentences handed out today to peaceful protesters are, and how this marks an acceleration in Britains democratic decline. These are the longest ever sentences handed out for participation in peaceful, non-violent action. Mr Lewis added: The last Conservative government was one of the most authoritarian we have ever seen in this country. It changed the law to deny defendants the right to use as a defence their concern about the climate crisis and in so doing to speak truth to power... Our current government must not only undo the damage the last one did to our democracy, but it must also strengthen and protection [sic] our democracy with new laws and institutions that protect it in the knowledge that authoritarian governments may follow them [in] the years to come. Pathetic protests However, Luke Pollard, the Armed Forces minister, appeared to reject calls for any change in the law as he backed the judges sentences. He told LBC: What Just Stop Oil have done has been ridiculous. Their protests have been pathetic... Im glad that theres now been a strong message sent to them, and anyone thinking about that type of disruptive protest in the future, that therell be serious consequences if they go down that path. Downing Street indicated that there would be no change in the protest laws for the time being. Asked if Sir Keir would look again at the protest laws, a spokesman said: I dont have any updates for you on that. No 10 also declined to give a view on the sentences, saying: The Prime Minister thinks that judgments and sentencing [are] rightly a matter for independent judges. They have all the facts and evidence before them and its not for politicians to interfere in such decisions. The five convicted Just Stop Oil protesters are consulting lawyers over a possible appeal against sentence and conviction. Supporters believe it is likely they will appeal. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Former Lafourche Parish teacher sentenced after being found guilty of sexually abusing student LAFOURCHE PARISH, La. (WGNO) A former Lafourche Parish art teacher, who was found guilty of sexually abusing a student, has been sentenced. According to the Office of District Attorney Kristine Russell, Ralph Cheramie Jr. had been awaiting the July 18 sentencing since his conviction at the end of a three-day trial in May. New Orleans men arrested in separate child pornography investigations The district attorneys office reported that Cheramie had sexually abused a minor while teaching at a middle school in 2009. Russels office stated that the victim initially reported the abuse to school administrators, but little action was taken after an internal investigation, and law enforcement was uninvolved at that time. As an adult, the victim reportedly decided to come forward directly to law enforcement. According to the district attorneys office, a second victim testified against him during the trial, and the two testimonies served to demonstrate a pattern and method of grooming young students for sexual purposes. Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office responds to video of deputy allegedly fighting women On Thursday, a judge sentenced Cheramie to 40 years for sexual molestation of a juvenile, 40 years for sexual battery when the victim is under 13 and 10 years for indecent behavior with a juvenile under 13. These sentences are to be served concurrently with one another. According to the district attorneys office, Additional charges are pending against Cheramie in connection with another victim. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts 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 WGNO. Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele: GOP needs the biggest political enema it has ever seen MILWAUKEE On a quiet street just two blocks from the Donald Trump-inspired euphoria inside the Republican National Convention, a small group of the disaffected were mourning a party they once knew, now long gone. Marylands former Republican Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, the star attraction at the gathering of anti-Trump conservatives, had strong words for his party, which he said needs the biggest political enema it has ever seen. And the only way they get it is if we give it to them, Steele said Wednesday night as the GOP convention raged nearby. The only way we give it to them is by our vote. That vote, he said, must be unambiguously for Democratic President Joe Biden. I know its a lift. Joe Biden got COVID oh, my God, here we go. But you know what? Joe Biden could be in his underwear sitting in the corner drooling with COVID and Id still vote for him, he said, drawing laughs and applause from most of the crowd. Steele served under Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich from 2003 to 2007. He went on to serve one term as RNC chairman from 2009 to 2011 and is now a political commentator on MSNBC. He also was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Maryland in 2006, when Democratic U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin defeated him to win for the first time. With Cardin now retiring and former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan hoping to take his seat, Hogan faces the challenge of keeping Trump voters while at the same time rejecting Trump, and winning over Democratic voters in a year when Maryland is all but certain to go for Biden by wide margins. Steele said in an interview with The Baltimore Sun that he thinks Hogan can absolutely win alongside Biden. I would encourage that, he said with a smile. Split that ticket! His remarks during the event were hosted by Principles First, a group that paints itself in the mold of Republicans before Trump took over the party with his new brand of populism nearly a decade ago. About 75 people attended the event at the historic site of the first Pabst Brewery here. Not all of the speakers said they quite had the stomach to vote for Biden, as Steele suggested they do. Some said theyd effectively held their nose as they voted for Trump twice before and indicated they would do so again. But all of them begrudged the direction of the party under Trumps leadership, a direction they said isnt going away anytime soon with Trumps third presidential nomination and, polls say, decent chances at success in November. George Conway, the commentator and fierce Trump critic, appeared with Steele and called the former president a narcissistic sociopath. He pulled out of his own bag two posters that detailed what he said were the criteria for narcissistic personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder, and then proceeded to run through the list. Thats why hes dangerous, Conway said. Thats why we have to take everything he says and does and assume the worst. Other speakers included conservative political commentator Charlie Sykes and former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh of Illinois, who emphatically called himself a Tea Party Republican whose party is gone. Were going somewhere else, Walsh said. We have to defeat this dictator. _____ When Shlomo Danzinger won an upset victory to become the mayor of Surfside in March 2022, nine months after the collapse of Champlain Towers South that killed 98 people and forever changed the small beach town, he vowed to work amicably with his colleagues to try to unify a reeling community and its divided government. It quickly became clear that wouldnt be an easy task. Warring factions on the town commission had trouble finding common ground. And Danzinger, a 45-year-old Toronto native who had moved to Surfside from New York a decade earlier, was often in the thick of the controversy over issues such as his opposition to flying an LGBTQ Pride flag at the towns community center, an overseas trip he took to meet with the new developer of the condo collapse site, and his questioning of a rival commissioners ability to speak English. In March, Danzinger, Surfsides first Orthodox Jewish mayor, was narrowly voted out of office and unseated by his predecessor, Charles Burkett. Now, Danzinger is looking to make a big leap in his young political career. In April, weeks after losing his reelection bid in Surfside, he filed to run for mayor of Miami-Dade County, entering a crowded field of candidates hoping to oust Democrat Daniella Levine Cava. The election is Aug. 20 and will be followed by a November runoff between the top two finishers if no one gets more than 50% of the vote. Danzinger declined an interview request for this story but gave written responses to questions from the Miami Herald. I am dedicated to being a representative who listens to and advocates for all people, fostering unity and creating an environment where everyone feels empowered and represented, he said when asked about his remark to the rival commissioner, who is bilingual, and how he would represent Miami-Dades diverse communities. Addressing the Pride flag controversy, Danzinger told the Herald that displaying any non-governmental flag only serves to alienate and divide our diverse communities. Still, he said, I believe in celebrating our diversity, and that includes the many cultures that call our county home. Shlomo Danzinger poses in front of Surfside Town Hall on March 23, 2022, one week after he was elected as the towns mayor. As a Republican seeking a nonpartisan seat, Danzinger will need to distinguish himself in a Republican-heavy field of seven candidates that includes Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid and Alexander Otaola, the conservative host of a Spanish-language YouTube show. He faces an uphill battle. According to campaign finance reports, Danzinger had raised less than $12,000 and spent less than $3,000 as of last week. Levine Cavas reelection campaign, meanwhile, has raised over $1.3 million. Otaola has reported more than $268,000 in contributions, and Cid has brought in more than $177,000. Still, Danzinger told the Miami Herald that, as the eldest of 12 siblings, he is a natural-born leader who is ready for the job. Before entering politics, Danzinger worked in tech and design as the director of user experience for JPay, an IT and financial services company that works in the American prison system. More recently, Danzinger has been an entrepreneur, running a company with his brother that sells electric standing desks and has sought to develop products including a non-lethal police weapon and a weighted beach blanket. Danzinger told the Herald that he is confident that my skills and experience are a great fit for this administrative role. My background in technology and government, combined with my management and entrepreneurial experience, translates directly to the needs of this position, Danzinger said. Additionally, I believe my calm and thoughtful approach to problem-solving will be an asset in addressing the challenges we face in Miami-Dade and help us build a stronger future. Former Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger speaks during a town commission meeting on March 12, 2024, at Surfside Town Hall. While touting his record on local issues, including the lowering of Surfsides millage rate and his partnerships with state leaders to secure funding for infrastructure projects, Danzinger has also positioned himself as a supporter of former President Donald Trump. He told the Herald he voted for Trump in each of the past two presidential elections and planned to do so again in November and said he would be greatly honored to earn Trumps endorsement. Earlier this week, Danzinger addressed the attempted assassination of Trump in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, writing: Are the people trying to hold President Trump responsible for #January6Insurrection also going to hold @CNN & the #LeftWingMedia accountable for the assassination attempt on @realDonaldTrump? Praying for the safety & health of @realDonaldTrump, his family, and our nation. Are the people trying to hold President Trump responsible for "#January6Insurrection" also going to hold @CNN & the #LeftWingMedia accountable for the assassination attempt on @realDonaldTrump? Praying for the safety & health of @realDonaldTrump, his family, and our nation pic.twitter.com/fzYOX4GH8N Shlomo Danzinger (@ShlomoDanzinger) July 14, 2024 In September, Danzinger was one of 25 sitting mayors to endorse Levine Cava for reelection. But he rescinded that endorsement after filing to run against her, telling Levine Cava in a letter that recent events and actions have left me profoundly disappointed in your leadership. He criticized Levine Cavas handling of the Champlain Towers collapse aftermath, a period that brought tensions between the county and the town. Danzinger told the Herald that, as the mayor of a town of about 5,500 residents, he and other municipal leaders encountered a county mayor in Levine Cava who was unresponsive to the needs of her municipalities. He says that frustration led to his decision to run against her. My goal is to open a line of communication and foster cooperation, ensuring that the county provides the necessary resources to address the unique needs of our diverse communities, Danzinger said. Danzinger has vowed to reduce spending in the countys $12 billion budget while seeking to lower taxes and address soaring insurance rates. He has criticized Levine Cava, who is Jewish, for not taking a resolute and unequivocal stance against antisemitism following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, despite Levine Cava making various statements after the attacks condemning antisemitism and expressing her support for Israel. Danzingers campaign website also takes aim at Levine Cava for participating in a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020 after the killing of George Floyd. In spite of the State of Florida standing as a beacon for law and order, Miami-Dade Countys mayor Daniella Levine Cava bends the knee in a gesture of protest against Law Enforcement and the justice system, a symbol that invites anarchy and disorder to our community, the campaign website says. Shlomo Danzinger celebrates at Surfside Town Hall after winning the mayoral election on March 15, 2022. As the mayor of Surfside, Danzinger frequently clashed with residents who saw him as too development-friendly and unwilling to protect the towns charm. But Danzinger held a different view, saying he embraced growth that was necessary to move the town forward. That put him at odds with some of Surfsides most vocal activists a battle that Danzinger seemed to embrace during his two years in office. Ultimately, my city is very divided in the sense that weve grown so much in the last couple of years, Danzinger said Wednesday during an interview with the Herald Editorial Board. The same people that bought their house for $40,000 thats now worth $2 million still want to maintain what it was. But thats an impossibility, and thats really what it comes down to. Miami-Dade voters have until Aug. 8 to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the Aug. 20 primary election. Early voting begins Aug. 5. This embedded content is not available in your region. Former Ohio University student imprisoned for stealing nearly $180,000 from fraternity ATHENS, Ohio (WCMH) A former Ohio University student will spend the next five years in prison after being sentenced for theft and fraud. According to the Athens County Prosecutors Office, Matthew Streeter, 29, a former OU student, pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated theft and telecommunications fraud, both third degree felonies. Columbus plans new courthouse building Downtown Court documents stated that between July 9, 2018 and November 4, 2022, Streeter, a former member and a volunteer treasurer for the Delta Upsilon Fraternity Alumni Housing Corporation, diverted the organizations money for his own expenses. The prosecutors office said Streeter completed 182 unauthorized transactions over a four-year period. This embedded content is not available in your region. The total amount of funds stolen was listed at $179,863.95. Streeter, who faced up to six years in prison, asked the court to place him on a period of community control. A judge sentenced him to five years in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the full amount of money stolen. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. ST. LOUIS The 4th and final night of the Republican National Convention was very much about showing Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, in a different light after he was wounded by gunfire in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Mr. Trump accepted the partys nomination, delivering a reworked speech with an eye toward unity. He recounted the entire incident from his perspective, when a snipers bullet hit his ear, narrowly missing his head. What happens if Biden drops out of presidential race? People talked about him much differently in the build-up to his speech. Being cheesy was a good thing on the final night of Republicans bash in Wisconsin. Sometimes he has those cheesy moments where he hugs the flag, said Republican Congressman Eric Burlison of Southwest Missouri. There are certain things about him that sometimes you might see as cheesy. The more I see it, the more I find it endearing. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Missouris U.S. Senator, Eric Schmitt, of St. Louis County, was among those greeting the former President as he entered the convention. Schmitt had a seat near the Trump familys box in the arena. Donald Trump is not only a fighter, ladies and gentlemen. He is a good man, former SBA Administrator Linda McMahon told the crowd. Could it be that the king of glory, the Lord God, strong and mighty, the God who is mighty in battle, protected Donald Trump because he wants to use him for such a time as this? bellowed Lorenzo Sewell, a church pastor from Detroit. Former First Lady Melania Trump made her first appearance, entering without introduction and taking a seat with the Trump family after her husband had apparently headed for the stage in advance of the speech. CrowdStrike: Global technology outage He later called out to her, calling her his amazing wife. She stood for a standing ovation. We rise together or we fall apart, he said. I am running to be president of all of America, not half of America. There is no victory in winning for half of America. So, tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for President of the United States. Later, he kissed the firefighters uniform of Corey Comperatore, the volunteer fireman who was killed by the snipers gunfire at the rally. 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. Kevin O'Leary Says He Moved From 'Taxachusetts' To Florida Because He Couldn't Afford To Live In Boston Anymore Kevin OLeary, the well-known investor and Shark Tank star, recently spoke about the growing challenges of home affordability and rising costs during an appearance on Maria Bartiromos Wall Street. OLeary didnt hold back in sharing his thoughts on why he moved from Massachusetts to Florida and what he sees as major financial hurdles facing Americans today. Don't Miss: Discussing tax policies, OLeary warned about the potential fallout from high tax rates, like Frances proposed 90% income tax. He compared this to similar policies in the U.S., saying these could make wealthy individuals move to states with lower taxes. He shared his personal experience, saying, I left Taxachusetts, and I moved to Florida, and most of my neighbors where I live are from my hometown Boston. We cannot afford to live there anymore. During the interview, Bartiromo emphasized another important issue the steep rise in home prices and the corresponding increase in down payment requirements. You can say goodbye to a 20% down payment, she said, pointing out that now, you will need roughly 35% down before taking on the mortgage. Data shows existing home prices jumped 5.8% from last year, the highest number ever recorded. Adding to the burden of high home prices, mortgage rates have also spiked dramatically. OLeary noted, Mortgage rates have gone from 3.75% to over 7% in the last 24 months. That is a problem. This jump means homeowners pay much more each month, making it difficult for average earners to keep up. See Also: Will the surge continue or decline on real estate prices? People are finding out about risk-free real estate investing that lets you cash out whenever you want. The conversation also touched on the troubles faced by homeowners in high-risk states like California and Florida. Major insurers are either hiking rates or leaving these markets due to natural disasters and regulatory issues. OLeary called California a dumpster fire for business, citing high taxes, regulatory policies, and environmental issues as major problems. He added, If [insurance companies] can't make money, they won't insure you. OLeary also shared some practical tips for people planning for retirement. He stressed the importance of saving regularly, suggesting that people put aside 10-12% of their salary throughout their careers: Just save between 10 and 12% of your average salary of $68,000 a year during your career, and youll end up with a million and a half in the bank. The market generally gives you around 5% for cash or 8% for equities, and you do a blend of that, and you can live forever as long as you dont buy stuff you dont need. Story continues Trending: This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to become a landlord in just 10 minutes, and you only need $100. He specifically recommended against unnecessary spending and encouraged people to be mindful of their buying habits, saying, Go in your closet, how many sneakers don't you wear, how many jeans do you not put on, how many T-shirts have you never worn? It's about two-thirds of the clothing. In a previous interview, OLeary had some other advice about unnecessary spending, saying its such a waste of money to buy expensive coffee that costs $2.50 to purchase but about 18 cents to make. I drink coffee, one cup every morning. It costs about 18 cents to make it, and I invest the rest. Hes also not a big fan of spending too much on eating out. He thinks spending $15 on sandwiches makes no sense for something that costs 99 cents at home. You know, you go to work, you spend 15 bucks on a sandwich. What are you an idiot? he said in a TikTok video. Read Next: How do billionaires pay less in income tax than you? Tax deferring is their number one strategy . This investment company boasts a 35.14% internal rate of return (IRR) for its realized projects, allowing accredited investors to earn passive returns and avoid the headaches of being a landlord. "ACTIVE INVESTORS' SECRET WEAPON" Supercharge Your Stock Market Game with the #1 "news & everything else" trading tool: Benzinga Pro - Click here to start Your 14-Day Trial Now! Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Kevin O'Leary Says He Moved From 'Taxachusetts' To Florida Because He Couldn't Afford To Live In Boston Anymore originally appeared on Benzinga.com 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. WASHINGTON After an assassination attempt on Donald Trump by a sniper on Saturday, he stood tall, gave three fist pumps and yelled "Fight, Fight, Fight!" to the crowd before being moved off the stage by his protective detail. The instantly iconic image struck many supporters as heroic, and it was admiringly referenced by speakers at the Republican National Convention. There's even a Trump-affiliated $299 commemorative sneaker showing his raised fist, bloody face and the words "Fight, Fight, Fight" underneath. But Trump's extra few minutes on stage were a serious operational failure by the Secret Service that further endangered the lives of the presidential candidate and the agents protecting him, former Secret Service agents and other experts said. The standard protocol is to keep the "protectee" in this case Trump bent over at the waist, with his head down and his body fully surrounded by agents as he is whisked off the stage, to prevent additional shots from hitting him, according to multiple former Secret Service agents. It was absolutely terrible coverage trying to get him out, said former Secret Service Director John Magaw, who has scrutinized every frame of the videos. It should have been faster, said A.T. Smith, the deputy director of the Secret Service from 2012 to 2015. The agency is already buffeted by questions about how a sniper was able to climb atop the roof from which he shot the former president, and why it didn't locate him sooner after reports of a man behaving suspiciously. Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump is assisted by the Secret Service after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Former officials say they are not questioning the bravery and integrity of the agents who were there that day, but that the protective detail's performance after the shots were fired did not follow well-established procedures. Current and former Secret Service officials conceded that the best plans often go awry in the tumult of the moment, especially when the person being protected does something unexpected. And that's what happened after Thomas Matthew Crooks began shooting, winging Trump's right ear and killing one person in the crowd and wounding two others. Some things did go according to plan. Trump initially dropped down and received immediate help from agents, in keeping with protocol. A rooftop counter-sniper killed Crooks with a single shot. Agents on the ground dove on top of Trump and kept him down on the stage while checking for wounds. But a USA TODAY analysis of available video, and interviews with experts and current and former Secret Service officials, raised questions about Secret Service actions in the minutes that followed. 'Bend him over, and bums rush him' Some former agency officials said the agents in Trump's protective detail appeared to break with protocol during what's known as the "extraction" process, the critically important effort to evacuate their protectee from follow-on attacks by anyone who might be working with the initial would-be assassin. That kind of one-two punch is so common, including cases where an initial shooter is only a distraction from a more lethal attack, that it's a central part of the training for agents and the protectees themselves, they say. Smith and other former officials said Secret Service agents are supposed to do whatever is necessary, including a punch to the gut or backwards yank on the belt, to make their protectee double over so their head and torso are enveloped by a phalanx of agents who have pledged to take a bullet for them. Secret Service legend has it that when he was shot in a 1981 assassination attempt, President Ronald Reagan reportedly thought the pain in his ribs was from an agent trying to get him down, not from a bullet fired at close range. In Trumps case, after agents raised him up and circled around him as they are trained to do, Trump can be heard saying four separate times, "Let me get my shoes." Then when they began moving him, Trump appears to stop in his tracks again, looks out into the crowd and, to growing cheers, begins raising his fist and mouthing "Fight" three times. The Secret Service training protocols, when they practice this and they have mock assassination attempts, the idea is for the (protective) detail leader or an agent to be able to wrap his hand around the midsection of the protectee and bend him over, and bums rush him to either a secure area or into the vehicle idling nearby, said Smith, who also headed training for the agency during part of his 29-year career. That's in a perfect world, and that's what happens in training scenarios, Smith, who now runs his own global security consulting firm, told USA TODAY. Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump with his bloodied face is assisted by the Secret Service as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid But Smith, like other current and former Secret Service officials, was loathe to criticize the agents, saying they acted heroically in a chaotic environment with a large and momentarily uncooperative protectee in Donald Trump. "It's kind of like what Mike Tyson said: Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the head, Smith said. I would agree with that it goes against protocol, former Secret Service presidential protective detail veteran Keith Gessner, now with Crisis24 PSG, said about the agents inability to keep Trump bent down, out of sight and moving fast to safety. But, Gessner added, I thought the agents performed as trained and as best they could under the circumstances. There will always be a heightened level of anxiety and confusion. Agents in the wrong position and a bad exit route But there were other complications too, according to USA TODAYs video analysis and interviews. Trump lay on the ground for an extended period of time while agents figured out what to do. Once they got Trump on his feet, the protective circle of agents the last line of defense against a potential second shooter at times had a gaping hole in it that also exposed Trumps head and body. One reason for that was because one of the agents was much shorter than Trump, said Magaw, the former agency director who also headed FEMA and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Making things worse, Magaw said: When they started to move him, they didn't get around him properly, the big ones should have been off on both sides, the smaller (agent) up front because they were turning to the left, and the two bigger guys in back, but they screwed that up. And at least one of the agents also exacerbated that vulnerability for Trump by bending down, twice, to retrieve their sunglasses. That left his body exposed from the waist up, Magaw said. As for the agent's sunglasses, If you lose something, you don't pick it up. Some former Secret Service officials also said the evacuation route essentially made Trump a sitting duck. Thats because it was a narrow set of stairs off to the side of the stage instead of a wide exit ramp, preferably out the back, so he could be made to disappear quickly. The stairway was only about a fourth as wide as it should be, because you have to be able to get your cover agents and the protectee down those steps all at one time, Magaw said. My reaction, as soon as I saw it, before anything happened, was that youve got to have a ramp, and it's got to be wider. BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump is whisked away by Secret Service after shots rang out at a campaign rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump slumped and injuries were visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) Publicly posted videos show that some agents had to jump off the stage to greet Trump at the bottom of the stairs. Others had to break up their protective circle around him in order to get to him down. And then there was how Trump reacted. 'He doesn't dictate what happens' Smith, the former deputy Secret Service director, said the protectees are given specific instructions, and go through training, on how to get down, stay down and do exactly as they are told. President-elect Barack Obama spent more than five hours at the Secret Service's training academy while Smith headed it, he said, going through various emergency scenarios so he would know what to do. All the additional stopping, the fist-pumping, the Ive got to get my shoes, you're not only placing yourself at risk, you're placing those agents at risk as well, said Michael Duffy, a former federal law enforcement agent and founder of the global security firm Solutions Group International that has U.S. government contracts. At the end of the day, this is a life-threatening situation and he doesn't dictate what happens," Duffy said of Trump. "It's a security-related matter and those security professionals dictate what happens. He has to go with the program now, he's not in charge anymore. Trump grateful to his Secret Service protectors After the shooting, Trump thanked the Secret Service. In his RNC acceptance speech Thursday, he called the agents "great people" who "put themselves in peril" to protect him. Sensing the rally crowd's concern after the shooting, Trump told the RNC audience in Milwaukee, "I wanted to do something to let them know I was okay. I raised my right arm, looked at the thousands and thousands of people that were breathlessly waiting and started shouting Fight, fight fight!" His campaign spokesman declined to answer questions about the shooting, including whether the Secret Service or Trump himself did anything to delay his evacuation and put him in potential further jeopardy if it turned out there were additional assailants. Are you apologizing and making excuses for the assassin? Because that's disgusting if you are, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a text. More: What went wrong? How did Secret Service allow shooter to get so close to Trump? Probes looking into all aspects of this The FBI has said it believes Crooks acted alone, but experts said it is virtually impossible to definitely conclude that in the moments after a shooting. Anthony Guglielmi, the Secret Service spokesman, told USA TODAY that "there is an independent review panel that's going to look at all aspects of this" including the evacuation process. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage by U.S. Secret Service agents after being grazed by a bullet during a rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter is dead after injuring former U.S. President Donald Trump, killing one audience member and injuring another in the shooting. Amy Westercamp of the United States Secret Service Association, a support group for agents, said she could not respond to questions about whether agents did anything wrong, referring questions to the Secret Service. "We do not comment as an Association on issues related to policy, procedures or operations undertaken by the United States Secret Service," she said. Video and audio of the event show that the agents on stage encircled Trump and waited to move him until they heard via radio that the shooter, later identified as Crooks, had been killed by their counter-sniper, Magaw and other former agency officials said. The videos also show the heavily armed Hawkeye counter assault team was in place to eliminate threats before Trump was evacuated. Smith cautioned against criticizing the agents, or Trump, for what they did in the moments after the shooting, when adrenaline is pumping and chaos is rampant. The Secret Service can try and do what it's supposed to do and then the human factor comes into play, Smith said. I mean, I understand, the former president's intentions by doing what he did, and they were obviously successful for him. But in terms of that being necessarily textbook, no, it would have been better to move quicker. The agents were acutely aware of Trumps vulnerability while on stage, Smith said: One agent kept putting his arm and hands up and things like that. So, you know, they were obviously self-aware even then, that to some degree, they're still vulnerable, and they were doing the best they could with that. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump's evacuation too slow after shooting, former Secret Service say A former Seminole County Sheriffs Office employee whose charges in an agency sex sting were dropped spoke out for the first time Friday, saying there was no truth to the allegations against him. Speaking alongside his lawyer and fiancee, Leroy Green told reporters he was getting ready to exercise May 9 at Liberty Park in Lake Mary when deputies arrested him for indecent exposure and soliciting prostitution. According to an affidavit, Green, 35, met with undercover deputies at the park after exchanging messages on an online hook-up app. The affidavit notes Green was not identified as having sent deputies messages until later. One deputy further claimed Green, who has since resigned from the Sheriffs Office as a youth-intervention specialist, asked for oral sex when approached at his driver-side window. Green denied the claims made in the affidavit. Donations for dummies. A guide to political payoffs in Florida | Commentary It is very unfortunate to have been betrayed and to have lost faith and trust in a law enforcement agency that I gave so much of my life to, 12-plus years to be exact, said Green, adding his resignation from the agency was not an admission of guilt. He further said, This investigation lacked evidence and the allegations were based on inaccurate, false and misleading information. To this day, I am still unsure what the motives were, but what I do know is that I was a victim of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. When asked for comment by the Orlando Sentinel, a Sheriffs Office spokesperson said, We are going to let the report speak for itself. Nearly a month after his arrest, a Brevard-Seminole State Attorneys Office spokesperson announced prosecutors had dropped the charges, saying the available evidence could not support accusations against Green. Phillip Arroyo, Greens lawyer, called on Sheriff Dennis Lemma to take corrective action against deputies involved in the sting operation. Court records indicate two other people, including a now-former University of Central Florida trustee whose charges have also been dropped, were arrested as part of the operation. The other suspect, also represented by Arroyo, still faces trial. I hope that when we open that channel of dialogue with Sheriff Lemma, were better informed of any corrective action, but Im not going to hold my breath, Arroyo said. As a defense attorney, weve had cases dropped and the allegations are unfounded and no action is taken against the officers. Thats the nature of the beast. The agency has said the deputies involved with Greens arrest have not been investigated for potential wrongdoing after the case against him fell apart. Arroyo said Green is in the process of getting a different attorney to explore a possible lawsuit. A former employee embezzled around $300,000 from a Tuscaloosa church, according to the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. Kristen Marie Battocletti, 35, was charged this week with one count of wire fraud at U.S. District Court in Birmingham. Battocletti formerly served as an administrative assistant at St. Francis of Assisi University Parish, which is at 811 Fifth Ave. in Tuscaloosa. St. Francis is part of the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham. More: 4 charged in Kaulton Road shooting in Tuscaloosa that left homes hit by bullets Prosecutors say Battocletti's scheme to defraud the church took place from April to October 2023. Battocletti is accused of stealing the money and using it to buy more than $220,000 in TikTok coins, while using the rest of the $300,000 to pay personal expenses. She used the TikTok coins to pay content creators on the social media app, prosecutors say. Battocletti has agreed to plead guilty to the wire fraud charge, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples. The U.S. District Court will set a later date for Battocletti to formally enter her guilty plea. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison with three years of supervised release, along with a $250,000 fine. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant United States Attorney Edward J. Canter is prosecuting. Reach Ken Roberts at ken.roberts@tuscaloosanews.com. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Scheme defrauds Tuscaloosa church of $300,000; former employee charged Editor's note: The story was updated with comments by President Volodymyr Zelensky. An unidentified person opened fire on Iryna Farion, a far-right Ukrainian former lawmaker and linguist, in the city of Lviv on July 19, Ukrainian officials reported. A 60-year-old woman was hospitalized with a gunshot injury to the head, according to Ukraine's National Police. Her condition is "extremely serious," the prosecutors said. While police did not disclose her name, Lviv Oblast Governor Maksym Kozytskyi wrote, that the victim was Iryna Farion. Law enforcement officers are seeking to identify and detain the attacker. President Volodymyr Zelensky was briefed about the situation by the interior minister and the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). "Obviously, any violence deserves to be condemned and anyone responsible for this attack must be held fully accountable," Zelensky said. Iryna Farion, who is known for her controversial statements on the use of the Russian language in Ukraine, entered the ultranationalist party Svoboda in 2005 and served as a member of the parliament between 2012 and 2014. She was reinstated in June 2024 as a professor at the Ukrainian language department at Lviv Polytechnic University shortly after being fired. Farion sparked outrage when she said on Nov. 6 that she couldn't call Ukrainian soldiers Ukrainians if they speak Russian. The scandal around Farion's statements escalated after she allegedly received a message of support from Maksym Hlebov, a pro-Ukrainian student living in occupied Crimea. She published the email on her social media, after which received harsh criticism. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said in November 2023 that Farion is under criminal investigation both for her statements about Russian-speaking soldiers and for leaking the message from Hlebov. Read also: Kazakh opposition activist dies in Kyiv after assassination attempt Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Former Ukrainian lawmaker and linguist Iryna Farion died in Lviv on July 19, hours after being attacked, Lviv Oblast Governor Maksym Kozytskyi said. An unidentified man opened fire on Farion, 60, in the street in the city of Lviv at around 7:30 p.m. earlier the same day and fled. Law enforcement officers are seeking to identify and detain the attacker. The reports of Farion's death came shortly after she was operated on in the hospital. Farion was in a coma. "Unfortunately, despite all the doctors' efforts, they failed to save Iryna Farion," Kozytskyi wrote on Telegram. President Volodymyr Zelensky was briefed about the assassination and said that "anyone responsible for this attack must be held fully accountable." Iryna Farion, who is known for her controversial statements on the use of the Russian language in Ukraine, entered the ultranationalist party Svoboda in 2005 and served as a member of the parliament between 2012 and 2014. She was reinstated in June 2024 as a professor at the Ukrainian language department at Lviv Polytechnic University shortly after being fired. Farion sparked outrage when she said on Nov. 6 that she couldn't call Ukrainian soldiers Ukrainians if they speak Russian. The scandal around Farion's statements escalated after she allegedly received a message of support from Maksym Hlebov, a pro-Ukrainian student living in occupied Crimea. She published the email on her social media, after which received harsh criticism. Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said in November 2023 that Farion was under criminal investigation both for her statements about Russian-speaking soldiers and for leaking the message from Hlebov. Read also: Who was Iryna Farion, the nationalist professor-politician assassinated in Lviv? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson gets honor of making motion to adjourn RNC After former President Donald Trump gave his long-awaited acceptance speech, and once thousands of red, white and blue balloons dropped onto delegates below, there was one final step to close out the Republican National Convention. That was making the final motion to adjourn. And Trump's campaign extended the honor to former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, a fixture in Wisconsin politics for decades. Though many delegates had started leaving Fiserv Forum, the camera panned to Thompson standing with the Wisconsin delegation. Thompson moved to adjourn, Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley adopted it and the convention was officially over. Thompson thanked Wisconsin (and) the great city of Milwaukee for a great convention and acknowledged former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Wisconsin GOP Chair Brian Schimming. Thank you, all of you, for coming, and drive safely home, he ended. Thompson was one of Wisconsin's 41 delegates at the convention. He was elected governor four times serving from 1987 to 2001 making Thompson the longest-serving governor in state history. Thompson was the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during President George W. Bush's first term. He led the University of Wisconsin System between 2020 and 2022, guiding the state's public university system through much of the COVID-19 pandemic. More: Far from being a placeholder, Tommy Thompson is steering the UW System through a tough stretch with ideas, persuasion, upbeat attitude In an interview Thursday afternoon on Wisconsin Media Row, Thompson described himself as a "cheerleader" for Wisconsin. "Everybody says I cheer too much, I don't think so," he said. "I'm so happy to have a convention here. I've been going to these for 48 years. I was here when Abraham Lincoln was nominated not really," Thompson joked. "It's a great opportunity and it's been a great convention." This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tommy Thompson gets honor of making motion to adjourn RNC's final day Jessi Silva inspects desks used at the Blackwell School in what is now the Blackwell School Museum in Marfa. Silva attended the school during a period of segregation of Mexican Americans from whites in the Texas educational system. The Biden administration on Wednesday formally established a formerly segregated school for Mexican American students in Marfa as the country's newest national park, making it the third National Historic Site to document the experiences of Latino Americans before the Civil Rights Movement. Open from 1909 to 1965, the Blackwell School is one of the last remaining Mexican schools" in the U.S. Teachers used to forbid first through eighth grade students of Mexican descent to speak their native language, punishing them with a wooden paddle if they slipped up, the El Paso Times reported. In 1954, first graders were instructed to "bury Mr. Spanish" in a mock funeral. The school, which operated under the doctrine of "separate but equal" education, exemplifies the racism and cultural disparities that dominated the United States during the period of de facto segregation from 1889 to 1965, according to the National Park Service. The 1909 adobe schoolhouse and 1927 classroom building have been designated a National Historic Site since 2022, when President Joe Biden signed the Blackwell School National Historic Site Act. The bipartisan legislation was authored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and supported by U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, and Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif. Thousands of students of Mexican descent attended the segregated Blackwell School before Marfa schools were integrated in 1965. For decades, young Texans of Latino descent were forced to receive a segregated education from their white peers at the Blackwell School in Marfa, Texas, which still stands today as a symbol of how far our nation has come, Cornyn said in a news release Wednesday. I am proud to see the Blackwell School finally established as a National Park after years of hard work with my Congressional colleagues, which will allow all Americans to learn from our past and honor the progress we have made as a nation. The recognition is the fruit of years of effort by former Blackwell students, who formed a coalition to save the school from planned sale or demolition in 2006, the El Paso Times reported. The Blackwell School Alliance then oversaw the site's restoration. Members of the alliance had lobbied Congress and local officials for years to recognize the site, according to USA TODAY. Photos of schoolchildren who attended the Blackwell School adorn the museum. "Were deeply grateful for all who have contributed their time and talents to this grassroots effort over the last two decades especially our alumni, whose experiences will forever serve as the foundation for telling this story," Blackwell School Alliance President Daniel Hernandez said in a statement to the American-Statesman. "Were eager to continue working with the National Park Service and other partners to support the sites development and interpretation in service of advancing a more complete account of American history. The alliance and the National Park Service will work together to provide visitor services. The Blackwell School Alliance, National Parks Conservation Association, National Park Foundation, Marfa school district and city of Marfa have all contributed to the site's historic designation, the National Park Service said in a news release. The two other national parks that commemorate Latino American experiences before the Civil Rights Movement are the Cesar Chavez National Monument in California and the Chamizal National Memorial in El Paso. The Blackwell School is one of the last remaining Mexican schools" in the U.S. This is Mrs. Shannon's class in 1959. "A complete history of America must include everyones story, National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said in a news release. "The designation of the Blackwell School National Historic Site is an important step in telling a more diverse and inclusive history of the Mexican American experience in our country." The Blackwell School is the seventh national park unit designated under the Biden administration, with others including the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Illinois and Mississippi and the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park in Kansas. More: A beginners guide to visiting Marfa Students gather for a photo on the playground in 1947. Students were paddled for speaking Spanish at the school. The Blackwell School opened in 1909 and closed in 1965, when Marfa schools were integrated. The school, which operated under the doctrine of "separate but equal" education, exemplifies the racism and cultural disparities that dominated the United States during the period of de facto segregation from 1889 to 1965, according to the National Park Service. Lionel Salgado, who helped organize alumni to preserve the structure of the school, holds one of his report cards, which is now part of a museum exhibit. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Biden administration establishes new national park in Marfa, Texas DENVER (KDVR) A month-and-a-half-long investigation by the Fort Collins Police Services led to the arrest of a 60-year-old Aurora man Thursday for alleged internet-based sexual exploitation of a child. Roger Leon Estergaard was arrested Thursday on the investigation of three felonies: Internet sexual exploitation of a child Internet luring of a child Attempted sexual assault of a child Fort Collins detectives said they identified Estergaard as a potential threat after he engaged inappropriately with an underage online persona. After multiple online conservations, Estergaard reportedly traveled to Fort Collins to meet with the child he was talking to online. Man wanted for alleged attempt to film woman in Boulder fitting room Police said Estergaard believed he was contacting an underage girl for sexual acts. When he arrived at the meeting location, the SWAT unit and Criminal Impact Unit arrested Estergaard. It takes an extensive amount of patience and thorough investigation to pursue leads and orchestrate an arrest like this, said FCPS Assistant Chief Kristy Volesky, who leads the FCPS Criminal Investigations Division, in a release. There is great satisfaction when we can report to the community, we have removed this kind of contemplated and planned predatory sexual behavior. Fort Collins Police Services is offering parents resources to maintain candid conversations with their children about safe online practices and how to report predation attempts here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. Fort Worth US Rep. Marc Veasey: President Joe Biden should step aside as nominee U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey on Friday joined a growing number of U.S. congressional representatives calling on President Joe Biden to step aside as the Democratic candidate for president in 2024. Veasey, a Fort Worth Democrat, and three other Democratic members of Congress said that they have great administration for Biden but that widespread public concerns about his age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign in a joint statement shared on X by reporters with Punchbowl News. We believe the most responsible and patriotic thing you can do in this moment is to step aside as our nominee while continuing to lead our party from the White House, the statement from Veasey, Rep. Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin. A spokesperson for Veasey did not immediately return a request for comment. NEW: 4 more Dems come out against Biden!!! pic.twitter.com/JEoMkmXXWY John Bresnahan (@bresreports) July 19, 2024 This is a developing story. Check back for updates. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Pressure is mounting from critics of a planned drug use deflection center who say it lacks good planning and transparency. The deflection center, which is being championed by Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, has gotten pushback from not only Buckman Neighborhood residents but also fellow county commissioners. Lawsuit claims Eugene plasma donation center banned gay man for sexual history The idea is to open the deflection center so that people caught with small amounts of hard drugs can choose to seek treatment instead of going to jail. Thats why the center is set to open on Sept. 1, the same day the law that allows the drug treatment option, HB 4002, goes into effect. That law will also reintroduce criminal penalties for drug possession in Oregon. However, the $25 million deflection center, located off of Southeast Sandy Boulevard and 500 feet from a preschool, wont even offer sobering services until 2025. This building, the temporary site, doesnt have services. And we dont even have services to refer people to, said Multnomah County Commissioner Sharon Meieran. This is not the Countys plan, its the Chairs plan to date, added Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards. Arrests made, warrants served at illicit massage businesses in Newberg Chair Vega Pedersons deflection center plan was drafted with Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt, Portland Police Chief Bob Day and others. But the Phase 1 of the plan shows the site wont accept heavily intoxicated people nor will it offer sobering services at first. Phase 2 of the plan, which wont be introduced until next year, will add 24-hour sobering services and medication to combat addiction. The county is still working out what engagement is required outside of merely screening the people referred to the center. I expect that the commission would be voting on what constitutes deflection. And that actually includes real expectations or requirements of those who are voluntarily choosing to be deflected versus being arrested, said Commissioner Brim-Edwards. Commissioners concerns voiced during a Multnomah County Board Meeting on Thursday echoed sentiments expressed at a meeting between commissioners and the Buckman Neighborhood Association on Wednesday night. Appeals court upholds MAX attacker Jeremy Christians convictions Commissioner Brim-Edwards said during Thursdays meeting that the county failed to make the community aware of a public comment opportunity amid next weeks vote on renovation funding for the center. The legislature gave the county a very sizable amount of money to stand up deflection system and sobering services. And the Commission needs to act with urgency and get it right, Brim-Edwards said. Chair Vega Pederson acknowledged the communication error as a simple oversight, saying her team sent a public comment notice to community members in an email Thursday morning. The upcoming board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 25. 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. Selcuk Acar / Anadolu / Getty Images Times Square digital billboards in New York, New York, show a Windows error message after a CrowdStrike update caused a global outage. Key Takeaways After a CrowdStrike update caused a global tech outage Friday, analysts said the event could have lasting implications for the company and the big tech industry. Jefferies analysts said that the outage could affect CrowdStrike's financials due to expenses associated with remedying the issues and damage its reputation. Citi analysts said the scale of disruptions caused by the outage may also push regulators to examine the big tech ecosystem. After a CrowdStrike (CRWD) update caused an outage affecting businesses and governments across the world Friday, analysts said there could be lasting implications for the company and the big tech industry. A defective update by the cybersecurity company disrupted Microsoft (MSFT) platforms, impacting organizations ranging from airlines to the London Stock Exchange. The news sent CrowdStrike shares tumbling Friday, while Microsoft shares were little changed. Outage Could Hit CrowdStrike's Bottom Line and Reputation, But Microsoft May Come Out Unscathed The outage could negatively affect CrowdStrike through expenses associated with remedying the situation and damage to its reputation. Jefferies analysts said that while it's too early to know the exact implications of the outage on the company's financials, the timing is not working in CrowdStrike's favor. The outage happened in the last two weeks of the quarter when the analysts said "a large portion of business is done," raising the likelihood it could weigh down results. The analysts said that there could be an "expense burden" for the cybersecurity company as it works to appease impacted customers, which will likely mean "credits, discounting or additional free products" affecting margins. While the analysts highlighted that it's important that the outage was not related to a security issue and that CrowdStrike was transparent with its immediate response, they did say the incident could cause reputational damage that might deter customers and lead CrowdStrike to miss out on potential deals. While Microsoft was tied to the outage through disruptions to its systems, Jefferies analysts said the impact of the tech giant will likely be "minimal." Microsoft is "working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online," CEO Satya Nadella said in an X post Friday. Scale of Disruptions Could Draw Regulatory Scrutiny The scale of the outage also underlined the danger of consolidation within the tech industry where a few big players have a massive influence on the market, analysts said, and suggested it could draw attention from regulators to examine vulnerabilities in the ecosystem. Story continues "Given the scope of the outage and scale of economic disruption, we expect fresh, louder debates on the limits of vendor consolidation (systemic risk) both across the IT stack and especially cybersecurity," Citi analysts said. The analysts noted the "outage will garner more political/regulatory attention" as "software vendors have clearly become so large and so interconnected where events like these are plainly showcasing their influence on the greater economic system." Read the original article on Investopedia. Former President Trump smiles Monday at the Republican National Convention as he is cheered by his running mate, J.D. Vance, right. His sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric cheer in the background. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) As former President Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination he laid out his vision for running the country. He painted a dire picture of the state of the U.S. and outlined a range of actions he planned to take. But his comments Thursday night were marked with myriad false and misleading information that distorted the facts aboutimmigration, the U.S. economy and his previous accomplishments. Here are the facts: Immigration TRUMP: The greatest invasion in history is taking place right here in our country they are coming in from every corner of the Earth, not just from South America, but from Africa, Asia and the Middle East theyre coming from everywhere, and this administration does nothing to stop them. They are coming from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums, and terrorists at levels never seen before. THE FACTS: Trump spent much of his address discussing immigration and the mass influx of migrants into the U.S., repeating several false and misleading claims, including that it has caused a crime surge. He cited recent high-profile and heinous crimes allegedly committed by people in the country illegally as proof. But the suggestion there has been a spike in violent crime nationally as a result of the influx is not supported by facts. Read more: Republicans say Biden's America is awash in immigrant-driven crime. What do the data say? FBI statistics do not separate out crimes by the immigration status of the assailant, nor is there any evidence of a rise in crime perpetrated by migrants, either along the U.S.-Mexico border or in cities seeing the greatest influx of migrants, like New York. In fact, national statistics show violent crime is on the way down. Studies have found that people living in the country illegally are less likely than native-born Americans to have been arrested for violent, drug and property crimes. A 2020 study published by the National Academy of Sciences found considerably lower felony arrest rates among people in the United States illegally than legal immigrants or native-born citizens. There is also no evidence to support that other countries are sending their murderers, drug dealers and other criminals to the U.S. Economy TRUMP: We had the greatest economy in the history of the world. THE FACTS: Thats far from accurate. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a massive recession during his presidency. The government borrowed $3.1 trillion in 2020 to stabilize the economy, and Trump left the White House with fewer jobs than when he entered. But even if you take out issues caused by the pandemic, economic growth averaged 2.67% during Trumps first three years, which is pretty solid. But its nowhere near the 4% averaged during Bill Clintons two terms from 1993 to 2001, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In fact, growth has been stronger so far under President Biden than under Trump. Trump did have the unemployment rate get as low as 3.5% before the pandemic, but the labor force participation rate for people 25 to 54 the core of the U.S. working population was higher under Clinton. The participation rate has also been higher under Biden than Trump. Afghanistan TRUMP, on the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan: We also left behind $85 billion worth of military equipment. THE FACTS: Those numbers are significantly inflated, according to reports from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, which oversees American taxpayer money spent on the conflict. The $85-billion figure resembles a number from a July 30 quarterly report from SIGAR, which outlined that the U.S. has invested about $83 billion to build, train and equip Afghan security forces since 2001. Yet that funding included troop pay, training, operations and infrastructure along with equipment and transportation over two decades, according to SIGAR reports and Dan Grazier, a defense policy analyst at the Project on Government Oversight. We did spend well over $80 billion in assistance to the Afghan security forces, Grazier told the AP in August 2021. But thats not all equipment costs. In fact, only about $18 billion of that sum went toward equipping Afghan forces between 2002 and 2018, a June 2019 SIGAR report showed. Another estimate from a 2017 Government Accountability Office report found that about 29% of dollars spent on Afghan security forces between 2005 and 2016 funded equipment and transportation. The transportation funding included gear as well as contracted pilots and airplanes for transporting officials to meetings. If that percentage held for the entire two-decade period, it would mean the U.S. has spent about $24 billion on equipment and transportation for Afghan forces since 2001. Read more: Column: Trump's speech was a dud. What does that mean for his campaign? But even if that were true, much of the military equipment would be obsolete after years of use, according to Grazier. Plus, American troops have previously scrapped unwanted gear and, prior to the withdrawal, disabled dozens of Humvees and aircraft so they couldnt be used again, according to Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command. Though no one knows the exact value of the U.S.-supplied Afghan equipment the Taliban has secured, Pentagon officials have confirmed it is significant. Hostages held by Hamas MIKE POMPEO, secretary of State under Trump, on Americans held hostage in the Gaza Strip by Hamas: President Biden wont even talk about the fact that Americans are still being held there by the Iranian regime. THE FACTS: Biden has spoken multiple times about the Americans who were among the 240 people taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7. Eight Americans are reportedly still in captivity, including three who were killed. For example, three days after the attack that started the Israel-Hamas war, Biden said, We now know that American citizens are among those being held by Hamas. Soon after, on Oct. 20, he said, As I told the families of Americans being held captive by Hamas, were pursuing every avenue to bring their loved ones home. Biden released a statement on Jan. 14 that described the day as a devastating and tragic milestone 100 days of captivity for the more than 100 innocent people, including as many as 6 Americans, who are still held being hostage by Hamas in Gaza. More recently, on April 27, he wrote in a post on his official Facebook page: I will not rest until every hostage, like Abigail, ripped from their families and held by Hamas is back in the arms of their loved ones. They have my word. Their families have my word. Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox three times per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. (Bloomberg) -- Frances National Assembly reran a vote to elect its new vice presidents Friday after more than the allowed number of ballots was cast, assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet said. Most Read from Bloomberg The evidence of ballot-box stuffing 10 extra votes were discovered by the official tellers follows Frances early parliamentary election that ended July 7 with a redrawing of the political map and fragmented power in parliament. Im flabbergasted, Socialist Party lawmaker Guillaume Garot, first elected to the 577-seat assembly in 2007, told broadcaster LCP. He said its the first time hed witnessed such an irregularity and I hope it is the last one. Socialist lawmaker Jerome Guedj called for an investigation. Unlike regular votes that are conducted electronically, elections of top parliamentary officers in France require each lawmaker to cast a physical ballot. After the first ballot, Braun-Pivet herself just elected on Thursday said she received a unanimous opinion from the tellers who tallied the votes and said, Were going to have to rerun the vote. President Emmanuel Macron last month dissolved parliament and called an early legislative election, throwing France into political chaos and fragmenting the lower house into three primary groups without enough seats to govern on their own. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) One of South Carolinas oldest slave cemeteries could remain undisturbed from future development, thanks to a collaboration between Francis Marion University and an area preservation group. I am overjoyed that we have come together to show respect for the souls that once walked this earth, just as we are today, Vivian Guyton, vice president of the Roseville Plantation Slave and Freedmans Cemetery Committee, said in a statement. Guytons great-grandmother Minverva Cato Brockington was a Roseville Plantation slave. We live in a time when it is easy to use history as a divisive tool. However, I believe that if we have a genuine commitment to the betterment of all society, then we can study history with toward better understanding people, Guyton said. Located in a wooded area just mile from the main plantation house off Old Williston Road in Florence, historians estimate more than 250 have been buried there between 1770 and the 1970s. A committee made up of slave and freedmens descendants, current property owners and a genealogist are working with FMU to protect the parcel. Among those laid to rest at Roseville Plantations cemetery is 98-year-old Old Father Adam Brockington, who died in 1854. The plantation which at one point encompassed 1,200 acres was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. In 2021, News13 attended the sites 250th anniversary attended by descendants both of its owners and the enslaved people who worked the land. Rick Wilson, president of the cemetery preservation group, said it hopes to work with nearby churches and other organizations to best honor those interred. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. Charlotte evangelist Franklin Graham prayed for former President Donald Trump and for unity in the wake of the recent attempt on Trumps life during an address to the Republican National Convention on Thursday. Speaking to convention-goers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after professional wrestler Hulk Hogan and before Trump himself, Graham offered a moment of reflection, praying for the leaders of our nation, whether theyre Republican, Democrat or Independent. Our nation is in trouble. Were divided politically, racially, economically, with millions of people seeking refuge and hope in our dry and thirsty land, youre the only one who can fix the complexity of the problems that we face today, he said. Graham is president of the Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, named for his late father, Billy Graham. He also leads the Boone-based Samaritans Purse, an international crisis-response organization. He expressed condolences to the family of Corey Comperatore, who was shot and killed by a man accused of trying to assassinate Trump at a Saturday rally in Pennsylvania. I cannot explain why God would save one life and allow another one to be taken. I dont have the answer for that, he said. Graham said during his remarks he was speaking as a private citizen. He praised Trump for appointing conservative judges during his presidency and for his administrations work to help get American pastor Andrew Brunson freed from a Turkish prison in 2018. Im grateful and thankful for what he did as the 45th president of the United States, and I know that as the 47th president, he will keep his word to the American people to make America great once again, Graham said. His appearance on the final night of the convention wrapped up a slate of speakers and events with plenty of North Carolina connections. Both the Trump and Biden campaigns are looking to carry the swing state, where Trump posted his slimmest margin of victory in 2020. Annette Albright NC speakers at Republican National Convention Annette Albright, who ran for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board multiple times, also spoke Thursday. During her 2023 campaign for an at-large seat on the CMS board a nonpartisan election Albright and two other candidates faced accusations from a progressive group for having ties to the Republican Party of Mecklenburg County. Both Albright and the MeckGOP have denied those allegations. But since the election, Albright has been a vocal critic of Democrats on social media. Asked whether speaking at the Republican convention would affirm those past claims made against her, Albright told The Charlotte Observer last week she has to go where I am respected and where I am appreciated and where Im wanted. On Thursday, she said shes registering as a Republican and planning to vote for Trump because shes in favor of school choice and more discipline in schools. Albright said she witnessed a full-blown riot and many violent altercations while working in Charlotte schools. She sued CMS for wrongful termination after she was fired after a 2016 video circulated of her being attacked by students at Harding High School. The suit was settled in 2018. It didnt take long for me to realize that public schools are a part of the problem, she told the convention. U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, who represents North Carolinas 9th District and chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, helped kick off Thursdays events with a push for Republicans to keep their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee in this years governor race, spoke on the first night of the convention. His Monday speech differed from the fiery, often controversial speeches he gives at extreme-right churches and focused on his background. And a group of fraternity members from UNC-Chapel Hill who held up the American flag during a pro-Palestinian campus protest appeared at the convention Wednesday. Video of the incident went viral, and the group received more than $500,000 in donations that were used to throw a Labor Day party, The News & Observer reported previously. NC Democrats respond to RNC As the GOP rallied in Wisconsin, Democrats have continued to campaign in North Carolina. Vice President Kamala Harris was in Fayetteville Thursday, her second visit to the state in as many weeks. And Democrats, including state party Chairwoman Anderson Clayton, gathered in Charlotte Tuesday, saying Trumps newly minted running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, has extreme views and wont stand up to the Republican nominee. The party has invested more than $1.2 million in the state so far this election cycle, the Democratic National Committee said in a statement Tuesday. But Trump has maintained a consistent lead in the polls in North Carolina. Clayton said Tuesday the state party is committed to its plan to focus on voter outreach, including going door-to-door to talk to residents and encouraging voter registration. Were making sure that we are having folks out every single weekend, she said. McClatchy reporters Danielle Battaglia, Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan and Korie Dean contributed. Charlotte evangelist Franklin Graham prayed for former President Donald Trump and for unity in the wake of the recent attempt on Trumps life during an address to the Republican National Convention on Thursday. Speaking to convention-goers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after professional wrestler Hulk Hogan and before Trump himself, Graham offered a moment of reflection, praying for the leaders of our nation, whether theyre Republican, Democrat or Independent. Our nation is in trouble. Were divided politically, racially, economically, with millions of people seeking refuge and hope in our dry and thirsty land, youre the only one who can fix the complexity of the problems that we face today, he said. Graham is president of the Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, named for his late father, Billy Graham. He also leads the Boone-based Samaritans Purse, an international crisis-response organization. He expressed condolences to the family of Corey Comperatore, who was shot and killed by a man accused of trying to assassinate Trump at a Saturday rally in Pennsylvania. I cannot explain why God would save one life and allow another one to be taken. I dont have the answer for that, he said. Franklin Graham, President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Graham said during his remarks he was speaking as a private citizen. He praised Trump for appointing conservative judges during his presidency and for his administrations work to help get American pastor Andrew Brunson freed from a Turkish prison in 2018. Im grateful and thankful for what he did as the 45th president of the United States, and I know that as the 47th president, he will keep his word to the American people to make America great once again, Graham said. His appearance on the final night of the convention wrapped up a slate of speakers and events with plenty of North Carolina connections. Both the Trump and Biden campaigns are looking to carry the swing state, where Trump posted his slimmest margin of victory in 2020. Annette Albright, North Carolina school teacher and former corrections officer, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. NC speakers at Republican National Convention Annette Albright, who ran for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board multiple times, also spoke Thursday. During her 2023 campaign for an at-large seat on the CMS board a nonpartisan election Albright and two other candidates faced accusations from a progressive group for having ties to the Republican Party of Mecklenburg County. Both Albright and the MeckGOP have denied those allegations. But since the election, Albright has been a vocal critic of Democrats on social media. Asked whether speaking at the Republican convention would affirm those past claims made against her, Albright told The Charlotte Observer last week she has to go where I am respected and where I am appreciated and where Im wanted. On Thursday, she said shes registering as a Republican and planning to vote for Trump because shes in favor of school choice and more discipline in schools. Albright said she witnessed a full-blown riot and many violent altercations while working in Charlotte schools. She sued CMS for wrongful termination after she was fired after a 2016 video circulated of her being attacked by students at Harding High School. The suit was settled in 2018. It didnt take long for me to realize that public schools are a part of the problem, she told the convention. U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, who represents North Carolinas 9th District and chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, helped kick off Thursdays events with a push for Republicans to keep their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the Republican nominee in this years governor race, spoke on the first night of the convention. His Monday speech differed from the fiery, often controversial speeches he gives at extreme-right churches and focused on his background. And a group of fraternity members from UNC-Chapel Hill who held up the American flag during a pro-Palestinian campus protest appeared at the convention Wednesday. Video of the incident went viral, and the group received more than $500,000 in donations that were used to throw a Labor Day party, The News & Observer reported previously. Franklin Graham, President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. NC Democrats respond to RNC As the GOP rallied in Wisconsin, Democrats have continued to campaign in North Carolina. Vice President Kamala Harris was in Fayetteville Thursday, her second visit to the state in as many weeks. And Democrats, including state party Chairwoman Anderson Clayton, gathered in Charlotte Tuesday, saying Trumps newly minted running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, has extreme views and wont stand up to the Republican nominee. The party has invested more than $1.2 million in the state so far this election cycle, the Democratic National Committee said in a statement Tuesday. But Trump has maintained a consistent lead in the polls in North Carolina. Clayton said Tuesday the state party is committed to its plan to focus on voter outreach, including going door-to-door to talk to residents and encouraging voter registration. Were making sure that we are having folks out every single weekend, she said. McClatchy reporters Danielle Battaglia, Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan and Korie Dean contributed. 'Frantic Phone Calls' and Lots of 'Waiting': Inside the Biden Campaign as Democrats Push for New Nominee (Exclusive) Everyone believes privately he needs to go, a Democratic Party source tells PEOPLE about Joe Bidens candidacy. But hes a stubborn guy Andrew Harnik/Getty President Joe Biden speaks at the White House on July 1, 2024 Joe Biden's floundering campaign for a second term is leading to "endless frantic phone calls across the party" about the president dropping out, according to a Democratic Party source. Reports have been surfacing for weeks saying that powerful Democrats are privately urging Biden to abandon his reelection bid. Many of those conversations have begun spilling into public view, as calls for him to step aside grow louder by the day. Everyone believes privately he needs to go," the source claims of Biden's campaign staffers. "But hes a stubborn guy, so most people are waiting. They will believe it when they see it. Related: Why Powerful Democrat Adam Schiff Is Joining the Call for Biden to Step Aside: Our Nation Is at a Crossroads The source adds that, within the campaign, people are comparing the situation to dealing with an aging parent: Ever try taking a car away from your elderly parent? Thats literally whats happening right now." When reached for comment, a Biden campaign spokesperson denied the source's claims and directed PEOPLE to the July 19 broadcast of Morning Joe, in which campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillon refuted that Biden is considering an exit from the race. Related: George Clooney Urges His Friend Joe Biden to Save Democracy by Exiting 2024 Race: One Battle He Cannot Win Andrew Harnik/Getty President Joe Biden speaks during a trilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos on April 11, 2024 During her Morning Joe appearance, O'Malley Dillon said that Biden is "absolutely" still in the race and that he's "more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump." "You've heard him say that time and time again, and I think we saw on display last night [at the Republican National Convention] exactly why, because Donald Trump is not going to offer anything new to the American people," O'Malley Dillon said. "[Trump is] the same person he was in 2020. He's the same person he was on the debate stage. He's the same person that is about himself and not about the American people." "...And we believe on this campaign we are built for the close election that we are in, and we see the path forward," she added. "The president is the leader of our campaign and of the country, and he is clearly in our impression and what we've built and in our engagement with voters, he's the best person to take on Donald Trump and prosecute that case and present his vision versus what we saw last night." Related: Republican National Convention: Read the Full Recap After being asked to address Democratic leaders' public calls to let other potential candidates challenge Trump, O'Malley Dillon acknowledged that its been "a tough several weeks for the campaign" and that "the American people know the president is older." "Yes, of course we have a lot of work to do to make sure we are reassuring the American people that, yes, he's old, and he can do the job and he can win. I think that's really fundamentally what we're built for as a campaign," she said. "This entire campaign has been built for how close this race is going to be. It was close in 2020. It's going to be close in 2024." Related: Kamala Harris Would Outperform Joe Biden in 2024 Matchup Against Donald Trump: New Poll Arturo Holmes/Getty Vice President Kamala Harris speaks onstage during the 2024 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture Since the June 27 presidential debate in Atlanta, during which Biden had a weak performance against Trump, a growing chorus of influential Democrats have expressed their concerns about the campaign both in public and behind closed doors. A CNN poll conducted by SSRS after the debate suggested that Vice President Kamala Harris could have a stronger lead over Trump than Biden would. An AP-NORC poll released on Wednesday, July 17, revealed that two-third of Democrats and 77% of independents want Biden to drop out. Related: Joe Biden Says Only the Lord Almighty Could Make Him Drop Out of the 2024 Presidential Race Speaking with BET in an interview excerpted by The New York Times, Biden said he would consider dropping out if he "had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, 'You got this problem and that problem.' " Biden was also asked at an earlier press conference if he would step aside if polling showed Harris, 59, had a better chance in the election. "No, unless they come back and say, 'There's no way you can win,' " he said, adding, "no poll's saying that." In a statement released on July 17, the White House revealed that Biden tested positive for COVID-19 after a Las Vegas event and would be "returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) The ongoing technology disruptions that have been impacting airlines, hospitals, and small businesses on a global scale have also been felt in Fresno County. In an update sent shortly after 11 a.m. on Friday, Fresno County officials confirm that they have been impacted, initially putting 400 of Fresno Countys servers out of action but all are operating as normal again. Additionally, at least 3,500 computers were impacted requiring each to be manually rebooted in what was described as a time-consuming process. In a further update at 5 p.m., Fresno County officials said that over 70% of the countys computers have been manually rebooted with over 700 still requiring the update and manual reboot to make them operational again. Officials add that work will continue through the weekend to get the remaining systems operational. Fresno County staff are prioritizing fixing systems in emergency services, the Fresno County Sheriffs Office and jails, the Juvenile Justice Center, the Hall of Records, and Child Welfare Services, to ensure those systems are operational. However, due to the time needed to bring back all Fresno County systems, officials say some departments may not be able to respond quickly. Fresno County officials add that no information about employees or residents has been released due to this incident. 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. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Some Frontier Airlines flights are being delayed after a system outage Thursday night. Frontier, which offers discounted trips across the country says theyre experiencing a Microsoft outage. This has led to impacts with booking, check-in, access to boarding passes and flight times. Qatar Airways flight diverted to Charlotte We appreciate your patience, the airline said in a social media post. A Frontier flight that was scheduled to depart Charlotte Douglas for Denver, Colorado, at 8:50 p.m. has yet to take off and has a midnight estimated departure time. If your flight was impacted, customers can request a refund here. The outage comes after a day full of delays at CLT due to severe weather. Minnesota-based Sun Country also is affected by the Microsoft 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 Queen City News. MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) A fund has been set up to assist with medical expenses for a Madison County Sheriffs detective who was injured in a crash on Wednesday. Detective Josh Moseley sustained multiple injuries when he was involved in a wreck while working traffic control on I-565 around 9:13 p.m. The Madison County Sheriffs Office says Moseley has undergone several surgeries since, and he is currently receiving treatment in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at Huntsville Hospital. Memorial service set for 2-year-old girl pulled from pool in Arab The Rocket City Federal Credit Union has set up a Detective Josh Moseley Fund account to help assist with his recovery. All donations will be used to help with Moseleys medical expenses and other related costs. The credit union is located at 2200 Clinton Ave West, Huntsville, AL 35805. Moseley was transported to Huntsville Hospital after the crash that HEMSIs Don Webster said happened just east of Slaughter Road. Madison County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) Spokesperson Brent Patterson the driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash was not hurt. The Madison County Sheriffs Office would like to express its gratitude to the community for their outpouring of support and concern for Detective Moseleys well-being. We sincerely appreciate the many assistance offers and are committed to being there for him and his family during this challenging time, MCSO said in a release. The sheriffs office said it will continue to provide updates on Moseleys condition and will be in close contact with him and his family throughout the recovery process. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Former president Donald Trump said supporters had raised more $6 million for the families of the victims in the deadly shooting at Pennsylvania rally at the final night of the Republican National Convention. In his first speech since the assassination attempt, the GOP nominee said Florida attorney Dan Newlin gave a $1 million check to support the victims. The Saturday shooting that grazed Trump's right ear also killed former fire chief Corey Comperatore and critically injured two other spectators. "I told them, I said, well, I'm going to be sending you a lot of money, but it can't compensate. They all said the same thing: 'You're right, sir, we appreciate so much what you're doing, but nothing can take the place of Corey,'" Trump said. Trump informed the the crowd that the two other victims, 74-year-old James Copenhaver and 57-year-old David Dutch, have been recovering and are "going to be okay." Trump rally shooting fundraiser: Funds raised for Corey Comperatore family, Trump rally shooting victims over $6 million Trump kisses Corey's helmet on stage The former president then held a moment of silence for the Pennsylvania man as his firefighter uniform appeared on stage alongside him. Trump then proceeded to kiss Comperatore's helmet to honor him. "Corey, unfortunately, we have to use the past tense. He was incredible. He was a highly respected former fire chief, respected by everybody," Trump said. "He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets, he went right over the top of them and was hit. What a fine man he was." The GoFundMe for those "wounded or killed" from the shooting says it was "President Trump authorized" is organized by Meredith O'Rourke, who is also Trump's top finance person. The GoFundMe's initial goal was to raise $1 million, but it has far surpassed that goal, with more than 50,000 donors contributing more than $4 million in the first 48 hours after the shooting. Comperatore had two daughters The gunman, identified Sunday by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by law enforcement officials moments after he opened fire. Comperatore, from Sarver, Pennsylvania, had two daughters and was an avid Trump supporter. "Yesterday time stopped," Allyson Comperatore, his daughter, said on Facebook. "And when it started again my family and I started living a real-life nightmare." The two others seriously injured in the shooting were said to be stable condition a day after the shooting and Trump said Thursday they were continuing to progress in their recovery. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fundraiser for Comperatore, Trump rally shooting victims tops $6M How can FWISD fix reading crisis when its leaders dont seem to understand it? | Opinion How much time do you want for your progress? This is my favorite quote from the brilliant James Baldwin, and I think of it often in my role as an early literacy advocate in Fort Worth. I was reminded of this quote recently as I attended the Fort Worth ISD boards June 25 meeting, at which Superintendent Angelica Ramsey presented the districts results on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR tests. A students ability to read at grade level by the end of third grade is an important predictor of future success in life, and it is at the end of third grade that the public gets its first glimpse of how successfully our schools are teaching our students to read. This years STAAR testing revealed that only 30% of FWISD third-graders are meeting the goal. Even more disturbing is that this has been the case in our district for more than a decade, never varying by more than a few percentage points, under the leadership of three different superintendents and several school board trustees. How is it that our trustees, those whom we elect to oversee the education of tens of thousands of children, find this situation to be acceptable? This meeting provided some clues. From third through eighth grade, STAAR reading scores for FWISD students are significantly lower than the state average, a 13 percentage-point gap in third grade that grows to a 32-point gap by eighth grade. This striking difference in performance was never mentioned during the meeting. Instead, Dr. Ramsey presented a comparison of changes in scores from 2023 to 2024, highlighting when the FWISD outperformed the state. For example, according to Dr Ramsey, the district outperformed the state when the percent of FWISD third-graders meeting grade level in reading remained the same (30%-30%), but the state average went 49% to 46%. She touted a statistically insignificant change and implied it was meaningful. When 70% of third-graders are not able to read at grade level, should we even be mentioning a 3 percentage-point change between the districts results and the states? AMyiah Maurice, 10, follows along with Kristi Jones, a fourth-grade reading and language arts teacher, as she reads Treasure Island to her class at South Hi Mount Elementary in Fort Worth on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. That 70% statistic means that nearly 3,000 students will go to fourth-grade this year unprepared to do grade-level work. This happens year after year after year. Was this discussed? No. Another clue regarding our trustees tolerance of our appalling reading outcomes was revealed in the question-and-answer session. Anael Luebanos, an eight-year veteran of the board, asked Dr. Ramsey how to determine the share of students in the STAAR did not meet category, since those specific numbers were not presented. The question and response made clear that neither our superintendent nor an experienced trustee knew how to interpret the most important assessment of the performance of our schools and our district. If we dont understand our data, we cannot react to it appropriately. Finally, there is an apparent willingness to blame the students and their families. We know that when they get to us our students are already behind, Ramsey said, despite having just presented data showing that our kindergarten students are at exactly the national average on a standardized test. When discussing our low STAAR scores, she said to keep in mind that this isnt similar districts to us, right, this is all districts from across the state, implying that we should only be compared with other large urban districts. Why would we think it is unfair for the FWISD to be compared to all districts? Should we have lower expectations for our students? If so, based on which factors? There are solutions to the challenge of teaching every student to read. The first step must be to have a frank, clear-eyed acceptance of our history and where we stand currently. Trustees should insist on reports that are straightforward and meaningful, without sugar-coating or obfuscation. Accountability testing is meaningless if no one is held to account. Nothing in education is more important than teaching our children how to read. We must do better. How much time do you want for your progress? Our students are waiting. Robert Rogers is a Fort Worth physician, a Reading Partners tutor, and president of The Reading League Texas, which advocates for improved reading instruction in the state. . Robert Rogers Do you have an opinion on this topic? Tell us! We love to hear from Texans with opinions on the news and to publish those views in the Opinion section. Letters should be no more than 150 words. Writers should submit letters only once every 30 days. Include your name, address (including city of residence), phone number and email address, so we can contact you if we have questions. You can submit a letter to the editor two ways: Email letters@star-telegram.com (preferred). Fill out this online form. Please note: Letters will be edited for style and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed. The best letters are focused on one topic. Gang member arrested in Seattle for domestic violence, gun possession Seattle police arrested a gang member on Sunday afternoon in the Central District following a domestic violence incident, recovering a stolen firearm in the process. Patrol officers responded to a domestic violence report in the 1900 block of 30th Avenue South on July 14. They found a 31-year-old woman with recent injuries who reported being assaulted multiple times and threatened with a gun. During the investigation, police located the suspect near 23rd Avenue and South Jackson Street. The suspect ran away, leading officers on a multiple-block foot chase. Officers eventually caught up to and arrested the suspect for domestic violence harassment, domestic violence assault, obstructing a public officer, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a stolen firearm. The firearm, believed to belong to the suspect, was also seized as evidence. The suspect, a 26-year-old man and validated member of the Union Street Hustlers gang, was booked into King County Jail with a bail set at $100,000. The felony Domestic Violence Unit detectives are leading the investigation. In the immediate aftermath of former President Donald Trumps 93-minute acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Democratic U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia of California emerged as a prominent voice of opposition. Appearing on MSNBC after midnight on Friday morning, Garcia delivered a comprehensive critique of Trumps address, which he characterized as both bizarre and rambling, laden with falsehoods and dangerous rhetoric. Trumps speech, delivered with his signature blend of hyperbole and grievance, offered a familiar litany of promises and complaints. He began with a dramatic recounting of an assassination attempt at a Saturday rally in Pennsylvania , describing in vivid detail how he was nearly killed. The assassins bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life, Trump recounted, weaving a tale that included a large chart displayed behind him, which he claimed saved his life by prompting him to turn his head at the crucial moment. Trumps speech included sweeping declarations about his vision for Americas future, vowing to launch a new era of safety, prosperity, and freedom for citizens of every race, religion, color, and creed. However, these lofty promises were juxtaposed with harsh attacks on immigrants and other marginalized groups. Trumps rhetoric was particularly incendiary when discussing immigration. The invasion at our southern border nobodys ever seen anything like it, he declared. Trump vowed to launch the largest deportation operation in the history of our country, a statement that elicited applause from his audience but raised alarms among his critics. He claimed, We have an illegal immigration crisis, and its taking place right now, as we sit here in this beautiful arena. Its a massive invasion at our southern border that has spread misery, crime, poverty, disease, and destruction to communities all across our land. Related: Rep. Robert Garcia calls out Trump crime family in House speech Garcia did not hold back in his assessment of Trumps narrative. This was one of his most anti-immigrant speeches that Donald Trump has actually made, Garcia said, pointing to Trumps incendiary rhetoric about mass deportation camps and a slur against Latino people. Garcia warned that as crazy and rambling and maybe dull as that speech was, he was also very clear about empowering those parts of his Project 2025 that are the most dangerous to immigrants and working people. Project 2025 is the Republican plan, written by former Trump administration officials, that would reshape American life as it exists now, stripping out of society efforts for diversity and inclusion, eliminating the Department of Education and other federal agencies, and installing Trump loyalists into the apolitical expert federal workforce. Trumps speech was not just a parade of past grievances and future promises; it was also rife with falsehoods. He boasted about his administrations accomplishments and downplayed the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that he had led the country positively during that time. Just on the pandemic alone should disqualify that man from being anything in this country, let alone the president of the United States, Garcia, whose parents died during the height of the pandemic, said. The former presidents address also targeted the LGBTQ + community, continuing a familiar theme among Republicans. We will keep men out of womens sports, Trump proclaimed, aligning himself with efforts to bar transgender women from participating in sports. Trump painted a picture of an administration that would roll back protections for marginalized groups. Garcia highlighted the inconsistency and danger in Trumps positions. He labeled Trump a complete and total liar and a conman, criticizing the former president for elevating the architects of Project 2025 during his speech while simultaneously denying knowledge of the initiative. Garcia also attacked Trumps handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, recalling Trumps infamous suggestion to inject bleach and his opposition to vaccination. Just on the pandemic alone should disqualify that man from being anything in this country, let alone the president of the United States, Garcia reiterated. In a particularly poignant exchange, MSNBC host Michael Steele challenged Garcia on the perceived lack of confidence among Democrats in their ability to defeat Trump. Steele noted the narrative suggesting the party cannot win with its current ticket. Democrats are holding their breath, expecting a decision soon about President Joe Bidens decision on whether to step aside and allow somebody else to challenge Trump in November. Garcia responded with a call to unity and confidence, pointing to Bidens previous victory over Trump as evidence of Bidens capability. We have at the top of our ticket a man who has served his country honorably, with strength and courage, Garcia said. Joe Biden is the nominee of our party. He is the president of the United States, and he, with Vice President Kamala Harris , are going to defeat Donald Trump. He urged Democrats to rally behind the Biden-Harris ticket, stressing the importance of daily campaigning and outreach. We need to ensure that people know what Donald Trump actually stands for, Garcia stated, calling for a concerted effort by the press to inform the public about Trumps true intentions and the potential impact of his policies. As a party and as Democrats, we have to at this point unify and not just unify, but be confident that we can beat Donald Trump. And Im hopeful that tonight, not just America, but our party, our leadership, our volunteers on the ground can realize that yes, we can defeat Donald Trump, Garcia concluded. FILE - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp delivers the State of the State speech Jan. 11, 2024, in Atlanta. The Democratic Party of Georgia sued the Republican Kemp, Thursday, July 18, 2024, seeking to overturn a state law that allows some groups to raise and spend unlimited campaign contributions. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File) ATLANTA (AP) Georgia Democrats are suing to overturn the ability of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and others to raise unlimited political contributions and spend them on behalf of any political cause. The Democratic Party of Georgia on Thursday filed suit against the governor in federal court in Atlanta. The lawsuit asks a judge to declare that a 2021 law that created leadership committees is unconstitutional because it unfairly gives unlimited fundraising powers to some people but not others. The party is asking a judge for a preliminary injunction to freeze fundraising and spending under the law while the suit moves toward trial. That could limit the ability of Kemp and others to raise and spend money on legislative races this fall. Kemp has pledged his leadership committee will raise and spend $1.5 million to support some Republican legislative incumbents and seek to defeat some Democratic incumbents. While Democrats say they don't expect to win enough seats to control the 180-member state House, they're aiming to cut into the Republicans' current 102-78 majority. Right now, legislative candidates are limited to raising $3,300 apiece for a primary and general election from contributors, and $1,800 apiece for runoffs after the primary and general. That means candidates can raise between $3,300 and $10,200 depending on how many elections are held. But leadership committees can raise and spend unlimited sums on behalf of any candidate, coordinating directly with the candidate's campaign. They can also raise money while the state legislature is in session, while traditional candidate committees must turn away contributions during that time. The 2021 law allows the governor and lieutenant governor, opposing major party nominees, and Democratic and Republican caucuses in both the state House and Senate to form leadership committees. Jen Jordan, a former state senator who lost a 2022 race for attorney general, said the law really benefits Republicans in power, saying it adds steroids to the advantages of incumbency. The measure was widely seen as aimed at helping Kemp get reelected without having to rely on the state Republican Party. Kemp has had rocky relations with the party apparatus, in part because he and Donald Trump have feuded. Kemp's Georgians First Leadership Committee raised $43.6 million to support his 2022 reelection campaign, although Democrat Stacey Abrams, who lost to Kemp by a healthy margin, actually outraised Kemp, in part because of money raised by Abrams' own leadership committee. But state law requires losing party nominees like Abrams to shut down their leadership committees after their loss. Kemp and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a fellow Republican, were allowed to keep raising money, and could transfer those contributions to other political committees. Kemp has raised $8.7 million since 2022 and has transferred $1 million to a federal political action committee he created. He could transfer more money to a federal committee if he chooses to run for senator in 2026, or to the committee of the next Republican nominee for governor. That could be Jones, who could also transfer cash from his lieutenant governor committee to a committee backing a run for governor. You cant have a system or a scheme set up where really you have one set of candidates that are able to circumvent the system in terms of any restrictions on contributions and giving and also expenditures, said Jordan, a lawyer handling the suit for the Democratic Party. Cody Hall, a spokesperson for Kemp's political organization, declined comment, saying lawyers were still reviewing the suit. The law has faced earlier challenges from Abrams and from former U.S. Sen. David Perdue, who lost badly to Kemp in a 2022 Republican primary challenge. In those cases a federal judge temporarily crimped Kemp's ability to raise and spend money from the leadership committee but didn't overturn the law. Jordan said this lawsuit is different, arguing that the measure violates party members' First Amendment rights of free speech and free association under the U.S. Constitution and their 14th Amendment rights to be treated equally. "If you have one side that is allowed to collect unlimited amounts of money in order to influence political campaigns while the other side is handcuffed, the U.S. Supreme Court has been very clear that violates free speech and association rights of anyone who doesnt share or have the same ability to do that," Jordan said. A man in Georgia has been indicted on federal charges for making threats to injure FBI Director Christopher Wray and others, the U.S. attorneys office in Georgia said Thursday. John Woodbury, 34, of Roswell, Ga., has been identified as the man who posted online on June 7 threatening violence against Wray. In his message on 4chan, Woodbury said, Lets show them what a [expletive] Nazi []. Its time to burn these [expletive] down and hang them from trees. Hit them where it [expletive] hurts. Hit Chris at his home. Make his family fear stepping one foot outside their [expletive] door. Woodbury was arrested and arraigned Thursday. He was indicted by a federal grand jury July 9. Sending threats to physically harm a public official in an attempt to thwart the administration of justice is a criminal offense, U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan said in a statement. Director Wray and other law enforcement officials work tirelessly to safeguard our freedoms and to protect our citizens from harm. Threats against such public servants, who have dedicated themselves to enforcing our criminal laws, is especially heinous. The FBI is investigating the case, the release said. The arrest comes at a time of increased concern about threats to public officials. Former President Trump was grazed by a bullet Saturday after there was an assassination attempt against him at his rally in Pennsylvania. According to data from 2023, threats against public officials were on the rise last year, and experts expressed concern that the trend will worsen. 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. A Georgia man has been charged for issuing death threats against FBI Director Christopher Wray. John Woodbury, 34, was arrested Thursday on two felony charges for allegedly posting threats online last year urging violence against Wray. Woodbury faces one charge of allegedly making threats by interstate communication and another for threatening a federal law enforcement officer. According to the U. S. Attorneys Office in Atlanta, Woodbury, of Roswell, Georgia, wrote a series of violent messages laced with profanity threatening to kidnap, assault and murder Wray. It's time to burn and hang them from trees, Woodbury allegedly wrote on 4chan.org, according to a grand jury indictment filed last week. Hit Chris at his home. Make his family fear stepping one foot outside their god damn door." The indictment alleges that Woodburys messages were posted on June 7, 2023, around the time of Donald Trumps indictment for hoarding classified documents from the White House at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. At the time of the alleged posts, news reports were swirling that Trumps indictment was imminent. On June 9, 2023, the indictment was unsealed and Trump was charged with 37 felonies. Woodburys arrest comes as the FBI is investigating Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, in the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last week. The attack on Trump is the latest in a long spate of political violence and threats against public officials. Last month, Timothy Muller, 43, was arrested and charged for allegedly threatening to murder an FBI agent. The special agent received both violent messages and phone calls. You can steal another election and the guns will come out, and well hunt you, he said in one voicemail, referencing his support for Trump. Referring to Woodburys case, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan called threats against public servants heinous. Sending threats to physically harm a public official in an attempt to thwart the administration of justice is a criminal offense, Buchanan said in a statement. Threats against such public servants, who have dedicated themselves to enforcing our criminal laws, is especially heinous. Our office will remain steadfast in helping to ensure that public officials are able to carry out their duties free from fear or intimidation. Woodbury was charged by a federal grand jury on July 9. He appeared in federal court in Atlanta Thursday and pleaded not guilty to both counts, court records show. Woodbury was released on an unsecured bond of $10,000. The court ordered monitoring for Woodburys electronic devices and instructed him to avoid all contact with Wray and his family. Rico Krieger, a German citizen, was sentenced to death in Belarus after being charged with six crimes, including for being a "mercenary" and engaging in "espionage". Source: Vyasna Human Rights Center and the Belarusian service of Radio Liberty, as reported by European Pravda Details: According to Vyasna, 30-year-old Krieger was arrested in November 2023, and the proceedings against him took place in June at the Minsk Regional Court. The verdict was issued on 24 June. Krieger was found guilty of "triggering an explosion in order to influence the decision-making of the authorities, intimidating the population, destabilising public order (an act of terrorism) committed by a person who had previously committed crimes under Art. 295.4 of the Criminal Code, organised by a group". The court did not provide any comments, while state departments and news outlets did not report any arrests based on such allegations. According to Vyasna's information, Krieger was previously a medic with the German Red Cross. In Belarus, he was immediately charged under six articles: mercenary work, espionage, terrorism, creation of an extremist formation, deliberate disabling of vehicles or railways, and illegal actions in relation to firearms, ammunition and explosives. The Krieger case purportedly involves the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment, a group of Belarusian opposition volunteers, which was formed to fight Russians in Ukraine, and more specifically its structural brigade named Western. This was Belarus' first court to hear charges of "mercenary work", while Belarusians seeking to join Ukraine's defence forces are tried under a different law involvement in an armed formation on another state's territory. Human rights activists are unsure whether the ruling is being appealed or whether it has gone into effect. The German Embassy responded to Radio Liberty's request for comment, stating that it was aware of Krieger's case and offered him consular services, but could not provide further information. The German Foreign Ministry acknowledged to DW that it was aware of the situation. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy in Minsk provide consular services to the victim and actively represent his interests," the German Foreign Ministry stated, adding that Germany considers death penalty an unacceptable form of punishment. Earlier last week, Belarusian leader Lukashenko authorised visa-free travel for 35 "unfriendly" European countries. Meanwhile, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have prohibited the entry of vehicles bearing Belarusian registration numbers. Support UP or become our patron! Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock speaks in the Meistersaal of the Potsdam Chamber of Crafts on the topic "Job-Turbo - Arriving in the Labor Market". Soeren Stache/dpa German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock described the Russian court decision on Friday to sentence US reporter Evan Gershkovich to 16 years for allegedly spying as "politically motivated." "Journalism is not a crime and the truth cannot be locked away," Baerbock wrote on X. She said the conviction showed that Russian President Vladimir Putin "is afraid of the power of facts." She called the sentence "part of Putin's war propaganda." The Russian judiciary sentenced Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, following a closed-door trial on charges of espionage. Gershkovich, the newspaper and the US government rejected the charge as having no basis in fact. A general view of destruction following a Russian missile attack on the Okhmatdyt National Specialized Childrens Hospital. -/Ukrinform/dpa Germany has provided an additional 4 million ($4.4 million) in emergency aid for the children's hospital damaged in a recent Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian capital Kiev. "We are giving four million very quickly as immediate emergency aid, and then we will provide 10 million for the reconstruction of the hospital," German Ambassador Martin Jager told journalists at a site visit to the damaged Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital on Friday. Germany's Development Minister Svenja Schulze had already announced the 10 million for the reconstruction of the hospital in the middle of the week. Jager said that the emergency aid would be used for medicines and other urgently needed items, including in the hospitals that have taken in patients from the damaged children's hospital. The general director of the children's hospital, Volodymyr Zhovnir, estimated the damage caused by the missile strike to medical equipment alone at the equivalent of almost 9 million. "We want to cover this need through sponsors who are willing to buy this equipment in the quality and quantity that the hospital needs," he said. The other funds provided will be used to repair the damage. Russia attacked Kiev with missiles just over a week and a half ago. One missile hit the grounds of Okhmatdyt, the country's largest children's hospital, damaging several buildings. A doctor and a hospital visitor were killed. Dozens of people, including children, were injured. The attack was strongly condemned internationally. Moscow denied carrying out the attack. Since February 2022, Ukraine has been defending itself, with Western help, against a full-scale Russian invasion. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L), speaks at a press conference next to Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia, after a summit on critical raw materials. Michael Kappeler/dpa German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Friday, with the two leaders signing an agreement for the European Union and Serbia to cooperate on establishing a critical lithium mine. Scholz, Vucic and European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic sealed a strategic partnership worth several billion euros for the extraction of lithium in north-western Serbia. The mineral, which is essential in the production of renewable batteries, has in recent decades become one of the world's most sought-after natural resources, with Serbia's Jadar valley believed to hold Europe's largest reserves. Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has estimated that the region could produce up to 58,000 tons of lithium per year. The figure would be enough to build 1.1 million electric vehicles, according to Serbian media reports, corresponding to around 17% of total European production. Car manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis are already negotiating a stake in the project with Rio Tinto. The two companies were also set to sign a letter of intent on cooperation with the Serbian government on Friday. Scholz arrived in Belgrade late on Thursday after attending a European Political Community summit in the United Kingdom. He was greeted by Vucic at the airport after his plane was escorted by Serbian fighter jets. The German chancellor sees the agreement with Serbia as a chance to reduce Europe's dependence on China as a source of critical raw materials. For Belgrade, the partnership could help to position the Serbian economy as a key pillar of Europe's green transition, bringing revenue, investment and jobs. It could also improve the country's ties with the European Union, which have somewhat soured in recent years despite Serbia's official status as a candidate to join the union. However, the project has proved highly controversial, with environmental activists arguing the mine could contaminate water sources and impact the local community. The German chancellor's office has argued that involving German companies is the best way to ensure the mine is environmentally friendly. The mine has also faced legal hurdles, with Serbia's Constitutional Court recently overturning a temporary ban on the development of the project. Critics have questioned the independence of the court, arguing that Vucic's government has used it to ride roughshod over environmental protections. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (3rd L) speaks alongside Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia, during a summit on critical raw materials. Michael Kappeler/dpa German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L), walks next to Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia and Maros Sefcovic, EU Vice President during a summit on critical raw materials. Michael Kappeler/dpa Aero17 / Getty Images/iStockphoto When saving for retirement, where you choose to put your money has an impact on the future taxes youll pay. Chad Kennedy, partner and financial planner at Lighthouse Financial, said the goal of tax planning is to reduce the amount of taxes you pay throughout your entire life, rather than trying to reduce your tax burden in a single year. Read More: Im Planning My Retirement: 5 Expenses I Wish I Had Cut Sooner Check Out: The Surprising Way You Can Get Guaranteed Retirement Income for Life By utilizing various types of investment accounts, you will be able to significantly reduce your tax burden across your entire lifetime, he said. There are three types of investment accounts: pre-tax, after-tax and tax-free accounts. Ideally, a person should seek to accumulate their assets in a balance across all the types. This ensures that you are benefiting from the tax advantages of each. Most importantly, it will give you control over how you are taxed in retirement. Heres expert advice on how to mix your retirement accounts to avoid future taxes. Retirement Planning: Whether you're planning for retirement, dealing with a significant life event or simply looking to make smarter financial decisions, a financial advisor can offer the expertise and guidance you need. Here are some compelling reasons why you should consider a financial advisor -- even if you're not wealthy. What To Consider When Mixing Retirement Accounts When the goal is to reduce the tax burden, you want to focus on pre-tax contributions into an employer plan, whether it is a 401(k)/403(b)/457 or any other employer-based plan, said Joseph Favorito, CFP and founder and managing partner of Landmark Wealth Management LLC. Contributions to these plans reduce your adjusted gross income (AGI), which not only lowers your tax liability but in some cases reduces the AGI enough to allow for additional contributions into other accounts such as a Roth IRA. Find Out: Im Retired and Regret My Frugal Retirement Heres Why How To Combine Roth IRAs and Traditional IRAs To Maximize Tax Benefits The contribution to an IRA is a combined annual cap of $7,000 annually ($8,000 if over age 50), Favorito said. This can be divided up so that a portion can go in each. Whether or not you should use both or one versus the other depends on your tax status for that year. As an example, if you participate in an employer plan such as a 401(k), most of the time you will not be eligible for the tax deduction on the traditional IRA, which makes the Roth more attractive. It is case by case. Story continues How 401(k) Accounts Benefit a Tax-Efficient Retirement Strategy The 401(k) is vital in bringing down the AGI, which can then potentially allow a Roth contribution, as well as aid in other tax strategies, Favorito explained. The income limits to contributing to a Roth are based on your AGI. How Health Savings Accounts Can Be Utilized for Tax Reduction Favorito said HSA accounts serve as hybrids between traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs, when used for medical expenses. The contributions are deductible, and the money comes out tax free, he said. However, if you dont need the money for medical expenses, once you turn 59 , the accumulated dollars are treated as a traditional IRA for tax purposes. If not used for medical expenses, the withdrawals are taxable, but you still kept the deduction on the contributions by reducing your AGI each year you contributed. For those that are maxed out on their employer 401(k) plan, the HSA account can be an added savings. It works better if you can utilize those dollars towards medical expenses. However, it is still valuable as an added savings tool if you dont need it for medical costs. Benefits of Incorporating Taxable Brokerage Accounts If you plan to retire early, then access to a traditional retirement plan can pose problems due to the rules around penalty-free withdrawals only after 59, Favorito said. There are ways around this, such as the 72T withdrawal strategy. However, you will have restrictions. By saving a certain amount in taxable investment accounts, you can use them as a source of income to bridge the gap to penalty-free IRA/401(k) withdrawals. If you are efficient with managing a taxable brokerage account, you can minimize the tax liability over the years through proper tax loss harvesting techniques. How To Balance Contributions Between Tax-Deferred and Taxable Accounts Favorito said balancing contributions between tax-deferred and taxable accounts very much depends on your current tax bracket and the need for liquidity. Taxable accounts pass through an estate at death more favorably with the step up in basis rules, he explained. However, tax-deferred accounts permit more wealth accumulation when you are younger. Its wise to maximize an employer plan, especially if there is an employer matching contribution. However, when there are other goals in addition to retirement, such as buying a home or a car, its often wise to save independently of a tax-qualified account. Common Mistakes When Managing Multiple Retirement Accounts Favorito said one common mistake is when you work more than one job or switch employers mid-year. This can lead to overcontributing due to the fact that the two payroll departments are unaware of how much was contributed at the other location, he explained. Favorito pointed out that another common mistake is in the investment allocation. By having many accounts scattered, you often end up with an investment allocation that is not a cohesive strategy, he said. Its important to look at the totality of all of your investments, rather than looking at it on an account-by-account approach. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Im a Financial Planner: Heres How To Mix Your Retirement Accounts To Avoid Future Taxes German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (2nd L), walks next to Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia , Milos Vucevic, Prime Minister of Serbia, (R) and Maros Sefcovic, Executive Vice President of the European Commission during a summit on critical raw materials. Michael Kappeler/dpa German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is due to meet Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade on Friday, with the two leaders set to sign an agreement to cooperate on establishing a critical lithium mine. Scholz, Vucic and European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic are to seal a strategic partnership to mine lithium in north-western Serbia, along with Australian mining giant Rio Tinto. Lithium, which is essential in the production of renewable batteries, has in recent decades become one of the world's most sought-after natural resources. Serbia's Jadar valley is believed to hold Europe's largest reserves of the valuable mineral. Rio Tinto has estimated that the mine could produce up to 58,000 tons of lithium per year. The figure would be enough to build 1.1 million electric vehicles, according to Serbian media reports, corresponding to around 17% of total European production. Car manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis are already negotiating a stake in the project with Rio Tinto. The two companies are also set to sign a letter of intent on cooperation with the Serbian government on Friday. Scholz arrived in Belgrade late on Thursday after attending a European Political Community summit in the United Kingdom. He was greeted by Vucic at the airport after his plane was escorted by Serbian fighter jets. The German chancellor sees the agreement with Serbia as a chance to reduce Europe's dependence on China as a source of critical raw materials. For Belgrade, the partnership could help to position the Serbian economy as a key pillar of Europe's green transition, bringing revenue, investment and jobs. It could also improve the country's ties with the European Union, which have somewhat soured in recent years despite Serbia's official status as a candidate to join the union. However, the project has proved highly controversial, with environmental activists arguing the mine could contaminate water sources and impact the local community. The German chancellor's office has argued that involving German companies is the best way to ensure the mine is environmentally friendly. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L) stands next to Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia, during a summit on critical raw materials. Michael Kappeler/dpa German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L), walks alongside Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic, to a summit on critical raw materials. Michael Kappeler/dpa Major IT outages were reported around the world Friday as vital systems including airports, banks, health services, and broadcasters were hit with disruption. All flights from Delta, United, and American Airlines were grounded in the morning due to a communication issue, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. American Airlines, which says it was able to get its operations safely re-established as of 5 a.m. ET, cited a technical issue with cybersecurity company CrowdStrike impacting multiple carriers, according to ABC News. Disaster for Trump as Truth Social Crashes at Critical SOTU Moment Delta says it has resumed some flight departures but expects additional delays and cancellations Friday. United similarly said some of its flights are resuming but many customers traveling Friday may experience delays. CrowdStrike, which is used by businesses around the globe to secure Microsoft Windows computers and servers, released a support note early Friday acknowledging a so-called Blue Screen of Death(BSOD) issue when Windows machines were booted up, according to The Verge. We have widespread reports of BSODs on Windows hosts, occurring on multiple sensor versions, the note reportedly read. Problems werent just reported in the U.S. In Australia, Melbourne Airport said it was experiencing a global technology issue affecting check-in procedures for some of its airlines. The travel chaos was also reported in Europe, with airports in Berlin and the U.K. caught up in the snafu. London Gatwick Airport said it was being affected by the global Microsoft issues. Asian airlines were affected. But the problems spread beyond the travel sector. Sky News was unable to broadcast live TV in the U.K. and Australia, while CapitecSouth Africas largest bank by customer numberssaid it too was experiencing nationwide service issues. Banks in New Zealand and Australia were also hit and the London Stock Exchange said it was investigating a third-party global technical issue which was affecting its news service, though it said the exchange itself remained operating normally. Mass General Brigham, the largest hospital group in Massachusetts, canceled all non-emergency surgeries and hospital visits as its clinical systemsincluding those for patient health records and schedulingbecame inaccessible. At least two hospitals in Germany similarly canceled non-emergency surgeries, according to the BBC. Local healthcare centers in the U.K. reported issues with a system used for booking appointments and storing patient records. Israels Health Ministry said its own hospitals were also being affected by a malfunction with software. Alaskas 911 and non-emergency call centers are not working correctly across the State of Alaska, according to a post on the Alaska State Troopers Facebook page. It blamed a nationwide technology-related outage for the problem. Earlier today, a CrowdStrike update was responsible for bringing down a number of IT systems globally, a Microsoft spokesperson told The Daily Beast in a statement. We are actively supporting customers to assist in their recovery. CrowdStrike separately told The Daily Beast in a statement it is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted, the statement continued. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers, the statement added. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Editors Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, together with the solutions. Rolexs Perpetual Planet Initiative has partnered with CNN to drive awareness and education around key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action. A giant dark-brown millipede, not documented for 126 years, has been recorded in Makira Natural Park, home to the largest and most intact forest in Madagascar. It is one of 21 lost species rediscovered by Re:wild during an expedition to the African island in September last year, the results of which have just been published. The conservation organization aims to locate species that have not been seen and recorded for a minimum of 10 years, hoping that by removing data deficiencies it will be able to help prevent species extinction. Christina Biggs, lost species officer for Re:wild, spotted the giant millipede crawling over her boot outside her tent one morning. I filmed it for a while because I thought it was cool, having no clue that it was an actual lost species, she told CNN in an email. It wasnt until Dmitry Telnov, a beetle specialist with the Natural History Museum in London, sent material to a German colleague specializing in Madagascan myriapods, that we found out it hadnt been documented since 1897. The longest specimen of the species (scientific name: Spirostreptus sculptus) observed was a gigantic female measuring 27.5 centimeters (10.8 inches). The team was surprised to discover that despite a lack of scientific records, the millipede was in fact fairly common across the rainforest. There are so many reasons why a species might not have been documented in over a decade, or (are) lost by our definition. Disease, pollution, catastrophic weather, human-wildlife conflict. But sometimes its simply because people havent looked for it or are less interested because its not fuzzy and cute, said Biggs. A new species of spider was discovered during Makira expedition. - John C. Mittermeier/American Bird Conservancy Among the other 20 species rediscovered were jumping spiders, ant-like flower beetles and three species of fish. The team also documented new species that had never previously been recorded in Makira, such as the zebra spider. Brogan Pett, director of the SpiDiverse working group at the Biodiversity Inventory for Conservation (BINCO) and doctoral candidate at the University of Exeter, in the UK, made the discovery after spotting a hanging egg sac in the entrance of a small cave. I immediately recognized them as something special, he said in a press release. Pendulous egg sacs is one of the characteristics of the family of zebra spiders this new species belongs to. I crawled a short way inside the cave and saw a few adult spiders guarding egg sacs they were quite large spiders and it was remarkable that they had gone unrecognized for so long. Searching for lost species Biggs explains that in the search for lost species, Re:wild usually focuses on finding one or two species on a single expedition. But due to the high density of biodiversity in Madagascar, they took a different approach, with a team of 30 scientists from different universities and conservation groups specializing in a range of species. However, some of the species they went looking for were not rediscovered, such as the Masoala fork-marked lemur, Calumma vatososa, a large chameleon, and the dusky tetraka, a small yellow songbird. unknown content item - Biggs fears that this could mean that some species are extinct. The country has faced extensive deforestation, with one 2023 study estimating that Madagascar has lost 80% of its natural areas. While Makira is relatively intact, the team saw evidence of illegal mining, homesteading and rice paddies in the protected area, said Biggs. It also detected several invasive species, such as mosquitofish, black rats and land snails, that can be a threat to native wildlife. We know that the larger a species is and the longer it has gone undetected, the higher the likelihood of extinction. So were worried about the fork-marked lemur and the Fito leaf chameleon, she said. The two species were last documented in 2004 and 2006 respectively, whereas the dusty tetraka was spotted by the Re:wild team in 2022 and 2023 in two other locations in Madagascar, so they are confident the species exists but have been unable to confirm Makira as a habitat. Biggs cautioned that the results were from one survey in very rainy conditions and that much more work is needed to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that the last individuals have died. The organization and its partners will continue expeditions on the island to gather further data. Effective conservation and protection efforts begin with understanding which species are present and where they are located, said Merlijn Jocque, a researcher at BINCO, in a press release. Often, this critical information is lacking, making it difficult to prioritize and implement effective conservation actions within limited resources. Biggs hopes that by identifying some of the 4,300 species globally that have not been documented in a decade or more, they will be able to aid conservation efforts for vulnerable species and prevent extinctions. You cant save what you dont know is there, she said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems are just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that has scrambled business operations for many globally Friday morning. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. (This is a developing story) SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Ezra Acayan | Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems are just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that has scrambled business operations for many globally Friday morning. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m., Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. Effects from the global IT outage Friday continued to be felt throughout the day, especially by government systems and transportation hubs. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, also closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. Around 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said. Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again. Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. | Ezra Acayan/Getty Images Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems are just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that has scrambled business operations for many globally Friday morning. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. Effects from the global IT outage Friday continued to be felt throughout the day, especially by government systems and transportation hubs. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, also closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. Around 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said.Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again, it continued. Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024, in Manila, Philippines Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. (Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems were just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that scrambled business operations for many globally on Friday. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. Effects from the global IT outage Friday continued to be felt throughout the day, especially by government systems and transportation hubs. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, also closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. Around 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said. Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again, it continued. MANILA, PHILIPPINES - JULY 19: Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems were just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that scrambled business operations for many globally on Friday. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. Effects from the global IT outage Friday continued to be felt throughout the day, especially by government systems and transportation hubs. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, also closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. Around 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said. Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again, it continued. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems are just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that has scrambled business operations for many globally Friday morning. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. Effects from the global IT outage Friday continued to be felt throughout the day, especially by government systems and transportation hubs. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported.The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, also closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. Around 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said. Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again, it continued. Updated at 4:18 p.m. with additional comment from Crowdstrike and news on the impacts. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST MANILA, PHILIPPINES - JULY 19: Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including canceled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems are just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that scrambled business operations for many globally Friday. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. At Hector International Airport in Fargo, North Dakotas busiest airport, Executive Director Shawn Dobberstein reported that Allegiant flights from Nashville, Orlando and Las Vegas did not depart for Fargo because of the outage. Some other arrivals and departures were delayed Friday morning. Dobberstein said that the flight system would hopefully be caught up by Saturday morning. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. Effects from the global IT outage Friday continued to be felt throughout the day, especially by government systems and transportation hubs. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, also closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. Around 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said. Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again, it continued. This report has been updated with additional information from CrowdStrike, other sources. The North Dakota Monitor contributed to this report. The Microsoft Windows outage that affected foreign businesses and luxury hotels in China on Friday left the country's key infrastructure, from airlines to banks, largely unaffected, according to industry sources and social media posts. As of 6pm local time, there have been no reports in mainland China of infrastructure breakdowns, while many airports in the Asia-Pacific region, from Hong Kong to Australia, were hit with disruptions. The international airports in Beijing and Shanghai were operating normally, according to their websites. At the same time, the Windows error that resulted in a bluescreen on computers became a hot topic on Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo, as many foreign business offices across the country were affected by the breakdown. 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. Travelers queue at check-in counters for Hong Kong Express Airways at Hong Kong International Airport on Friday, after a worldwide systems outage. Photo: Bloomberg alt=Travelers queue at check-in counters for Hong Kong Express Airways at Hong Kong International Airport on Friday, after a worldwide systems outage. Photo: Bloomberg> A Shanghai-based staffer from a foreign company told the Post that her office started to experience computer crashes early Friday afternoon, and that almost everyone was affected. This employee's laptop display was stuck on a blue screen with the message, "Recovery. It looks like Windows didn't load correctly." The company's information technology support then instructed everyone to shut down their computers, wait for further instructions and use mobile apps for instant messaging. The employee's accounting work was subsequently delayed by the outage. "This month's [financial] report will be late," according to the staffer. An employee from another foreign firm also reported experiencing blue screens around 1pm. While some of the employees could later restart their computers, they still could not access the company's website, which displayed a "502 Bad Gateway" error. The company told staff that "global IT support has activated the highest level of response to address the issue", according to the employee. On Xiaohongshu, an Instagram-like Chinese social media platform, multiple users complained about the difficulty in checking into international franchise hotels such as Sheraton, Marriott and Hyatt in Chinese cities. Story continues As China's public services largely remained unaffected, Microsoft's China website and social media channels did not issue any emergency notices. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday. China's relative immunity to the outage showed the country's reduced reliance on foreign service providers such as Microsoft and the antivirus company CrowdStrike. In recent years, China has been rolling out a campaign across its government departments and key infrastructure operators to replace foreign hardware and systems with domestic ones. The logo of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on a smartphone, arranged in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, July 19, 2024. Photo: Bloomberg alt=The logo of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike on a smartphone, arranged in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, July 19, 2024. Photo: Bloomberg> The outages were caused by a software update from cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike, which hit Windows-based systems worldwide. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz confirmed on Friday morning local time via the social media platform X that his company was working to resolve the problem. The minimal impact of the Microsoft outage in China has proved that the country has made progress in achieving its goal of "safe and controllable" computing systems, according to one Chinese government employee. On Weibo, Chinese netizens joked that Microsoft "has given them a half-day off". One commenter said that "our company just switched to new computers with the HarmonyOS system, so we can't join in your celebration". 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. Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally. (Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) Editors note: This story has been updated with additional developments and response from CrowdStrike. Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems are just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that scrambled business operations for many globally on Friday. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies including Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. Effects from the global IT outage Friday continued to be felt throughout the day, especially by government systems and transportation hubs. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. About 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said. Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again, it continued. A significant Microsoft outage on July 19, 2024 impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. This photo shows flight delays on a flight information board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Jan. 11, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems are just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that has scrambled business operations for many globally Friday morning. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. As of 1:30 p.m., 44 flights into or out of Rhode Island International T.F. Green Airport in Warwick were delayed, according to FlightAware. Five flights were canceled. Despite the tech issues, T.F. Green is still fully operational, said spokesperson John Goodman. However, we advise that travelers check with their airline regarding arrivals and departures, Goodman said in a statement. The TSA checkpoint at the airport is open as are all airport parking and concessions. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. Breeze Airways Vice President Marketing Angela Vargo told Rhode Island Current crews at T.F. Green are using physical copies of manifests and boarding passes to check guests aboard their flights. We have not canceled flights and we do not intend to do so, she said. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee assured the public that the states 911 system remained fully operational. However, the states Division of Motor Vehicles delayed the opening of its registry offices until noon because of the global IT disruption. Some State computer systems have been impacted by the worldwide IT outage this is not the result of a cyberattack. Rhode Islands 911 system is fully operational. Please be aware that some State services may temporarily have longer wait times while we resolve the issue. Governor Dan McKee (@GovDanMcKee) July 19, 2024 McKees press secretary, Olivia DaRocha, said the governors office has remained in close contact with the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, which so far has not seen the need to fully activate the Emergency Operations Center; it is operating at a monitoring status. Our team at EMA has been conducting direct outreach to all local EMAs to check for issues or concerns in their community, DaRocha said via email. Effects felt throughout the day At Lifespan, the largest health care system in Rhode Island, downtime introduced by the bug led to possible delays and appointment changes for nonessential procedures, said spokesperson Jessica Wharton in an emailed statement Friday morning. But by 4 p.m., Wharton wrote back with an update: The situation has been contained and our hospitals are performing all procedures and surgeries. CVS stores and pharmacies were operating normally as of late Friday morning, said Tara Burke, a company spokesperson, in an emailed statement. But Quest Diagnostics, a national laboratory services company with four locations in Rhode Island, was operating with reduced capacity, which meant longer wait times for some patients, said Jillian Flanagan, a company spokesperson. Customer service teams were unavailable as of Friday afternoon, Flanagan added. Companies and agencies that dont use Windows were immune to the outages. Rhode Islands government IT is managed by the Enterprise Technology Strategy and Services Office, although the level of IT uniformity across different offices is unclear. Brian Tardiff, Rhode Islands chief information officer, did not respond to a request for comment Friday. Christina OReilly, the spokesperson for HealthSource RI, confirmed in an email that state employees at the health insurance marketplace use a suite of software curated by the enterprise technology office. The software suite includes CrowdStrike, which led to some staff members laptops getting affected but only if they were left powered overnight, when the faulty update was released and downloaded automatically. None of our customer-facing operations were interrupted, OReilly said. In separate emails to Rhode Island Current, spokespeople for Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College and University of Rhode Island all said their systems were unaffected by the CrowdStrike chaos. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, also closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. Around 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said. Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again, it continued. With contributions by Rhode Island Current reporters Christopher Shea and Alexander Castro. This story was updated Friday afternoon to reflect effects felt throughout the day. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including canceled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travelers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Ezra Acayan / Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems were just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that scrambled business operations for many globally on Friday. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. Effects from the global IT outage Friday continued to be felt throughout the day, especially by government systems and transportation hubs. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, also closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. Around 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said. Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again, it continued. IT glitch caused delays in flights, business operations in Virginia and across the globe A significant Microsoft outage on July 19, 2024 impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. This photo shows flight delays on a flight information board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Jan. 11, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems were just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that scrambled business operations for many globally on Friday. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows likely experienced a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue was due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue had been identified and that the company had been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines were able to resume operation of their digital systems, others found analogue solutions. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. The major tech snafu reverberated throughout Virginia, where 30% of Fridays flights at Richmond International Airport were canceled or delayed. At Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia, multiple airlines reported system outages that are impacting flight operations, according to a tweet posted on the airports X account Friday. Metros website and some internal services were down Friday morning, as well as the MetroAccess call center. Various hospitals, businesses and emergency services across the commonwealth were also impacted. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin released a statement on Friday morning that said the state assessed how the tech outages were unfolding in Virginia and found that government administrative functions are experiencing disruptions, and we are coordinating with local, regional and federal authorities and private sector critical infrastructure partners in order to reestablish normal operations. The governor asked the public to be patient amid delays as officials work to resolve the problems. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. Effects from the global IT outage Friday continued to be felt throughout the day, especially by government systems and transportation hubs. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, also closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. Around 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said. Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again, it continued. Virginia Mercury Editor Samantha Willis contributed to this story. Long queues of passengers form at the check-in counters at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, amid a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem, on July 19, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images) Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems were just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that scrambled business operations for many globally on Friday. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a blue screen of death or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike said its Falcon Sensor software was causing Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, Reuters reported. CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz released a statement early Friday morning on X, saying that the incident was not a security concern or a cyberattack. He added that the issue has been identified and that the company has been deploying a fix. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website, Kurtz said. The bug was causing major delays and cancellations at airports across the globe. Flight tracking data site FlightAware noted nearly 24,000 delays and 2,300 cancellations globally by 9:30 a.m. Friday. While some airlines have been able to resume operation of their digital systems, others are finding analogue solutions in the meantime. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was monitoring the situation and suggested those experiencing travel delays and cancellations to use its FlightRights.gov website to help navigate their delays in travel. Some states 911 and non-emergency lines were experiencing issues, including Alaska, Virginia and New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy released a statement early Friday morning saying that the state had activated its State Emergency Operations Center in response to the disruptions and has provided guidance to other agencies about how to work through the situation. We are also engaging county and local governments, 911 call centers, and utilities to assess the impact and offer our assistance., he said. Microsoft released a trouble shooting guide on X early Friday morning. By 10 a.m. Friday, some global companies were seeing relief in their outages. Downdetector, which tracks real-time outages, showed companies like Visa, Zoom, UPS and Southwest Airlines gaining more normal operations than they were experiencing in the early morning hours. Speaking to the hosts of Today this morning, Kurtz said he was deeply sorry for the impact weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected. He said some customers have been able to reboot and are seeing progress getting online, and that trend will likely continue throughout the day. Effects from the global IT outage Friday continued to be felt throughout the day, especially by government systems and transportation hubs. Courts in Massachusetts and New York experienced disrupted service, as court transcription recording systems were not operational in some Massachusetts courthouses, the Associated Press reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety, which runs its drivers license offices, also closed their offices for the day, with no current estimate on when they will reopen. Around 4 p.m. EST, Kurtz released more statements on X, reiterating that the outage was not a security breach. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, he said. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on. Kurtz said the company is working on a technical update and root cause analysis that they will share with customers, and shared a letter that was sent to customers and partners. We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that youre engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates, it said. Nothing is more important to me than the trust and confidence that our customers and partners have put into CrowdStrike. As we resolve this incident, you have my commitment to provide full transparency on how this occurred and steps were taking to prevent anything like this from happening again, it continued. NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) Worldwide technology problems on Friday, July 19 are causing a strain on several daily operations, affecting many in Louisiana. The global technology outage grounded flights, knocked banks offline and media outlets off air after a faulty software update disrupted companies and services around the world and highlighted their dependence on just a handful of providers. Armed and dangerous rape suspect accused of skipping trial in Tangipahoa Parish The trouble with the update issued by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and affecting computers running Microsoft Windows was not a security incident or cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike, which said a fix was on the way. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry posted on X about the outage, saying We are aware of the Microsoft outage issue, and we are in contact with all Louisiana departments to ensure everyone is still able to properly do their job and address any essential issues. We look forward to this being quickly resolved. Flights In Louisiana, hundreds of passengers are facing flights delays at the Louis Armstrong International Airport. Airlines, including American, United and Delta, are among those who have been impacted. A global technology issue is impacting several airlines across the world today, and many airlines at Louis Armstrong International Airport are experiencing delays as a result. Each airline is making decisions about their flight operations based on their individual impacts. Passengers are advised to check directly with their airlines for the most up-to-date information and be prepared for possibly longer wait times. Some concessions in the terminal are also impacted by the outage. The concessions operators are working to get systems up and running again so they may resume service as soon as possible. Louis Armstrong International Airport New Orleans best-known streetcar is back on track at Marigny Opera House Office of Motor Vehicles The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles posted on X that due to the outage, services like refreshing licenses, adding a license, ordering duplicates/renewals and previously linked credentials are not available at this time. Additionally, customers who had appointments scheduled for Friday are asked to reschedule. Cleco Clecos outage map and parts of its MyAccount platform are down. For immediate assistance, call Clecos Customer Service line at 1-800-622-6537 or 1-855-656-1919. LCMC Health The health organization released a statement that read, We want to assure our patients, families and community members that we are addressing this issue with the utmost urgency and commitment. As of now, most of the network outage has been resolved. Our dedicated teams are working diligently to deploy on-site resources and fully restore operations at the affected locations. Plaquemines Parish The parish announced on Facebook that all of its government computer systems are down. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts 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 WGNO. A global outage in IT systems affected Sense Bank, one of Ukraine's largest banks, and Vodafone Ukraine on the morning of July 19. News emerged early on July 19 that airports were facing issues with their IT systems, leading to to delays to flights from cities such as Berlin, Sydney, and Edinburgh. The problem appeared to spread to other systems, with Sky News in the U.K. unable to broadcast live, while the Polish port of Gdansk requested carriers not to head to the port terminal until the issues were solved. A problem with the cybersecurity software Crowdstrike, used on Microsoft systems, is thought to be the cause of the outages. Sense Bank, one of Ukraine's largest banks, reported that its app was not functioning on the morning of July 19 due to an "unplanned technical outage." The bank announced at 11 a.m. local time that "the cause of the incident is the global IT failure related to the interaction of Crowdstrike antivirus and Windows," but the issue has been "successfully resolved" and the app is working as usual. Vodafone Ukraine reported that "some Vodafone subscribers in all regions of Ukraine experienced difficulties in receiving services" during the morning "due to the failure in the work of global information systems." IT specialists "quickly responded to the situation," and from 9:20 a.m. local time the service was gradually restored, the company said. Nova Poshta, Ukraine's largest private parcel delivery company, also reported at 9:20 a.m. that there was a "technical failure in the operation of the customer service system due to some software updates." An hour later, the company announced that "all client systems and services have been restored." Nova Poshta did not provide further details on the cause of the outage. Read also: Ukraine Business Roundup Will Ukraine reach a deal on its debt? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. People who needed government services faced unexpected challenges Friday due to a global IT outage that impacted several state agencies, including the Department of Revenue. Channel 2s Audrey Washington went to the Georgia Department of Revenue office in Chamblee, where many individuals attempting to file taxes or apply for licenses had no luck. Washington said she watched person after person walk inside the Department of Revenue only to walk right back out. They told her the computer system is down. Tina Collins, a resident who went to the Chamblee office to apply for a liquor license for her business, shared her frustration. How are they going to fix this? When are they going to fix this? Collins said. This was a big inconvenience. Jim Cline, an accountant, also found himself unable to complete his tax work. RELATED STORIES: I told them I wanted to drop a tax credit off and they said they couldnt accept it because the system is down, Cline said. I dropped it in the drop box over there outside the security area. Washington attempted to access the Department of Revenues website to renew a tag or cancel a car registration, but the screen went blank. The same thing occurred on the MARTA website, though the transit company confirmed that rail and bus services were not affected by the outage. As for Collins, she had no choice but to wait for the issue to be resolved. I really needed the paperwork, but Ill be waiting to hear when its going to happen, she said. In Fulton County, the Tax Commissioners office was also affected, though county representatives reported that most other services remain operational. RELATED NEWS: A global IT outage caused by a glitch in Microsofts cloud computing services grounded thousands of flights worldwide Friday morning, disrupting the flow of air cargo and potentially throwing a wrench in freight movement across sea and land. The big three domestic airlinesAmerican Airlines, Delta and Unitedpaused their global flight schedules for multiple hours, while cargo handling operations at global airlines such as Air France-KLM and Lufthansa were also disrupted. More from Sourcing Journal Delta and United have resumed some flights, while American says the airline was able to safely reestablish our operation. The airlines expect more delays and cancellations throughout Friday. According to aviation analytics provider Cirium, 3,343 flights had been cancelled globally as of 10 a.m. EST. Air cargo supply chains were already under significant pressure prior to the IT failure as demand far accelerates supplyan indicator that the fallout from the outage will take days or even weeks to fully resolve, according to Niall van de Wouw, chief airfreight officer at Xeneta. Global air cargo demand in June increased by 13 percent year over year, Xeneta says, but air freight capacity has increased by a much lesser 3 percent in the same period. Available capacity in the market is already limited so airlines are going to struggle to move cargo tomorrow that should have been moved today, said van de Wouw in a statement. These incidents can take three times as long to resolve as the length of time they last, but that is very much dependent on the scale of the IT failure and the market conditions at the time it occurs. Aside from the concerns for air cargo, some major global ports saw a brief impact. A representative at the Port of Los Angeles told Sourcing Journal that one container terminal at the port was affected by the outage overnight. That terminal is now fully operational and all trucks in the queue have been processed into the terminal, the spokesperson said. At the Port of Long Beach, four terminals experienced computer issues overnight, but were able to resolve the problems with minimal disruptions, a representative said. All marine terminals are open and operating, with cargo operations commencing normally this morning. Port Houstons two container terminalsBarbours Cut and Bayportboth closed Friday morning for multiple hours, before reopening again at 9:25 a.m. local time. At the U.K.s largest port, the Port of Felixstowe, truckers initially could not gain access. The port gave an update that haulage and rail operations have since recommenced, with the port working up to full capacity as soon as possible. While some operators have been able to resume operations following the outages, it remains unclear how long it will take local ocean and air cargo operators to clear the backlog that accumulated due to the technical issues, according to a note from Everstream Analytics. Localized increases in port and airport congestion as well as cargo processing delays at these facilities should be anticipated in the coming days as well. FedEx has experienced disruptions throughout its networks due to the outage and has activated contingency plans to mitigate impacts. The logistics giant says potential delays are possible for package deliveries with a delivery commitment of July 19, 2024. UPS sang a similar tune, saying that while its network is operating and delivering in all areas, that there is a potential for delivery delays. Like FedEx, contingency plans are in place to help ensure that shipments arrive at their final destinations as quickly as possible. North American railroads have seen less of an impact than their cohorts across the global supply chain, with BNSF, Canadian National and CSX all saying there was no indication that their systems or operations have been impacted by the outage. One railroad, Union Pacific, said the software outage has had varying levels of impact across its network. The company said it has had to implement backup protocols so they can communicate with teams and dispatchers. The railroad says it is experiencing some processing delays in customer shipments as we address targeted areas impacted on our network. The incident, which affected Microsoft Windows devices, was attributed to a faulty software update at cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. The glitch also knocked banks and hospital systems offline, and caused technology outages for many businesses, while some media broadcasts could not air. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz wrote on LinkedIn that the event was not a security incident or cyberattack, and he told NBC that the company has since resolved the issue. Millennials' Secret to Homeownership: 25 Bargain Cities Where You Could Live the Good Life Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Its no secret that buying a home is still out of reach for many millennials. According to Realtor.com, the median home price across the U.S. is $438k, but its much higher in popular areas like California, Seattle, or New York: $787,000, $800,000, and $825,000, respectively. Don't Miss: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it? Rory McIlroys mansion in Florida is worth $22 million today, doubling from 2017 heres how to get started investing in real estate with just $100. For a 10% down payment, the average first-time homebuyer could take more than 10 years to save the needed funds. And by that time, prices will be even higher. What if we told you there are cities with beautiful parks, interesting museums, great restaurants, and other amenities where the average home price hovers around $200k? It seems too good to be true, but they do exist. According to a report by the Dayton Convention & Visitors Bureau, the top 25 cities for homeownership arent on the coasts. Most are clustered in the Midwestern states, from north to south. But before you close the page, check out the tremendous value they have to offer. Number 25 on the list is Dayton, Ohio, known for its leadership in industries from water management to health care to IT. Its also the birthplace of aviation. The city is known for its rivers, parks, recreational activities, restaurants, and concert venues. Trending: Unlock the hidden potential of commercial real estate This platform allows individuals to invest in commercial real estate offering a 12% target yield It has excellent schools, less traffic than larger cities, and a low cost of living compared to the national average. Not convinced? According to Zillow, the average home price is just $151,092, nearly one-third of the national average. Dayton residents spend an average of 24% of their income on living expenses, giving them more savings and vacations. Two Ohio cities make the list, with Toledo ranked #19. Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Alabama all have two cities on the list. Indiana wins with three cities: Fort Wayne takes the #1 spot, with South Bend at #18 and Indianapolis at #21. The other states with a single city on the list are Iowa, Louisiana, Arkansas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Kansas. Hickory, North Carolina, lands at #6. Before you think of hillbillies and run for the hills, take a minute to consider what Hickory offers. Its just 60 miles from Charlotte and is known as the furniture manufacturing capital of the US. You can find gorgeous furniture at outlet prices, so your new home will be beautifully furnished. Story continues See Also: Will the surge continue or decline on real estate prices? People are finding out about risk-free real estate investing that lets you cash out whenever you want. Hickory is in the Blue Ridge Mountains and boasts outdoor adventures, from the mountains to lakes, delicious restaurants, interesting concerts, and more. Plus, Charlotte is just a short drive away. The median household income is $63,531, higher than the national average. Better yet, the average Hickory resident spends 22.5% of their income on living expenses. As per Zillow, average home prices in Hickory are $288k, about 35% less than the national average. And if youre looking for the best city to buy a home, Indianapolis takes the number one spot. Its known for the Indiana Speedway, childrens museum, zoo, central canal, river park, cultural trails, and other outdoor adventures. Zillow reports that the median household income is $71,507, but residents spend less than 20% on living expenses. The average home price is $233k, almost half the national average. Not convinced you could withstand Midwest winters? Consider cities in Texas, Alabama, or even (milder) North Carolina. If you crave a bigger city, Lexington, Omaha, Tulsa, and Kansas City all made the list. Heres the full list: Fort Wayne, Indiana Huntsville, Alabama Wichita, Kansas Springfield, Missouri Davenport, Iowa Hickory, North Carolina Montgomery, Alabama Green Bay, Wisconsin Little Rock, Arkansas Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Lexington, Kentucky Lafayette, Louisiana Omaha, Nebraska Brownsville, Texas Lincoln, Nebraska Peoria, Illinois Louisville, Kentucky South Bend, Indiana Toledo, Ohio Rockford, Illinois Indianapolis, Indiana McAllen, Texas Kansas City, Missouri Tulsa, Oklahoma Dayton, Ohio While the middle states were once called the "flyover states," theyve grown over the last 30 years. You can get anything except an ocean in the middle states, and with the Great Lakes, theyve nearly got an ocean, too. These 25 cities offer all the coasts have, plus the ability to save for retirement, contribute to a 529 plan for your kids college education, and even afford a house. The American dream isnt dead; its living in the Midwest. Looking For Higher-Yield Opportunities? The current high-interest-rate environment has created an incredible opportunity for income-seeking investors to earn massive yields, but not through dividend stocks... Certain private market real estate investments are giving retail investors the opportunity to capitalize on these high-yield opportunities and Benzinga has identified some of the most attractive options for you to consider. For instance, the Ascent Income Fund from EquityMultiple targets stable income from senior commercial real estate debt positions and has a historical distribution yield of 12.1% backed by real assets. With payment priority and flexible liquidity options, the Ascent Income Fund is a cornerstone investment vehicle for income-focused investors. First-time investors with EquityMultiple can now invest in the Ascent Income Fund with a reduced minimum of just $5,000. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take advantage of high-yield investments while rates are high. Check out Benzinga's favorite high-yield offerings. This article Millennials' Secret to Homeownership: 25 Bargain Cities Where You Could Live the Good Life originally appeared on Benzinga.com The city of Amarillo announced that its in-person utility billing operation was among systems impacted by Friday's massive global IT disruption. Due to the IT outage, the Amarillo Utility Billing Department is currently not able to process in-person payments for water bills, according to a city news release. The city said customers are still able to pay by phone or through the online portal PayAMA. The night drop-box at City Hall is also available. The PayAMA site is www.amarillo.gov/departments/utility-billing/pay . The PayAMA site also includes at live chat option, which is also available, the city said. The city's Utility Billing Department can be reached by phone at (806) 378-3030 or by email at waterbill@amarillo.gov The Utility Billing Department will work with customers during this global IT outage to address any issues, said city Utility Billing Manager Jennifer Gonzalez. Customers are welcome to contact us with any questions or if any additional information is needed. According to USA TODAY, flights, public transit systems and operations at banks and hospitals across the world were among systems affected by Friday's IT incident, which a cybersecurity firm blamed on a faulty update. The U.S. firm, CrowdStrike, said one of its recent content updates had a defect that impacted Microsoft's Windows Operating System, adding the incident was "not a security incident or cyberattack." The outage also led to Driver License Offices being closed across the state of Texas on Friday, the Texas Department of Public Safety said. Banks impacted by the outage included Bank of America, Capital One, Chase and Wells Fargo, according to the Austin American-Statesman, citing monitoring app Downdetector. A handful of Friday's flights listed on the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport website said they were delayed, with four arrivals and two departures showing schedule changes as of 12:30 p.m. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Global IT outage impacts Amarillo's utility billing system How is global tech outage affecting Sacramento airport? Hospitals? Heres what we know A global technology outage on Friday morning temporarily grounded flights at Sacramento International Airport and closed local government offices, officials said. Some medical care facilities in the Sacramento area were also affected. A faulty software update issued by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected customers running Microsoft Windows, The Associated Press reported, knocking media outlets offline, disrupting hospitals and government agencies and forcing airlines around the world to cancel or delay flights. Crowdstrike said the outage was not a hacking incident or cyberattack, the Associated Press said, adding that a fix was reportedly on the way. Heres how the outage has affected the Sacramento area. Sacramento airport sees canceled flights due to tech outage Sacramento International Airport saw some canceled flights early Friday morning due to the worldwide tech outage, according to Scott Johnston, Sacramento County Department of Airports spokesman. He said the airlines are working to get those passengers rerouted. As of about 7 a.m. Friday, Johnston said, all airlines even those that were affected minorly by the outage were back online. We are fully operational, Johnston said. We are back to normal operations. He advised travelers to check directly with their airlines to make sure there havent been delays or cancellations. You can also check your flight status online via the airports website. Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento is among the local medical facilities operated by Dignity Health. How have computer issues affected local hospitals? In a statement on Friday morning, Dignity Health said some of its medical facilities across the Greater Sacramento region were affected by the outage. We continue to provide safe, high-quality care to our patients and thank everyone for their patience as our teams take immediate action to restore any impacted systems, Dignity Health said in a statement Friday morning. The health care company said patients will be contacted directly if their appointments are affected. Dignity Health operates six hospitals in the Sacramento area, including Mercy General Hospital and Methodist Hospital of Sacramento, as well as other medical facilities. The CrowdStrike outage also affected some systems at facilities run by Kaiser Permanente, which has a number of hospitals, clinics and urgent care facilities in the capital region. In a statement Friday morning, Kaiser Permanente Northern California said it activated its national command center at 4:30 a.m. Friday to address this incident, evaluate the impacts to our care operations, computer systems and servers, and coordinate recovery as needed. In some situations, we have activated backup systems to support both continuous patient care and to secure access to medical records, Kaiser Permanente said, adding that all of its hospitals and medical offices remain open for care and service. No surgeries were canceled at UC Davis Medical Center on Friday due to the outage, hospital spokesperson Liam Connolly said, and patient care continued uninterrupted. We are in the business of disaster preparedness, and we have plans for how to ensure patients receive care in all kinds of situations, Connolly said. We are open and conducting business as usual. Sacramento County offices closed As of Friday morning, some Sacramento County government offices are closed due to the IT outage. In a post on X, county officials said the Tax Collection and Business Licensing public counters at 700 H St. were closed, as of 9 a.m. Friday. Also shut were the countys Building Permit Centers at Goethe Road and 827 Seventh St. and the Coroners Office public counters. UPDATE: In addition to the closure below, the County's Building Permit Centers at Goethe Road and 827 7th Street and the Coroner's public counters are currently closed. https://t.co/0cbedBmvAS Sacramento County (@SacCountyCA) July 19, 2024 DMV offers limited services The California Department of Motor Vehicles was offering limited services at its offices on Friday as the result of the outage, according to the agencys Office of Public Affairs. Our online services and kiosks are not impacted, and customers are encouraged to use those service channels to complete transactions, the DMV said in an email to The Sacramento Bee. What about banks? Golden 1 Credit Union, which has branches and ATMs across Sacramento, said it was aware of the issue. Our services, including ATMs and mobile and online banking, are fully available, Chad Carrington, Golden 1 Credit Union senior vice president and chief Information officer, told The Bee. We are working diligently to assess any potential impacts as the day continues. We are grateful to our team for their hard work to ensure we can serve our members and community, Carrington said. Downdetector, a real-time outage monitor, reported Friday that it had received outage reports for Chase and Bank of America. Red Hawk Casino experiences outages Red Hawk Casino in Placerville experienced a short period of outages Friday morning, casino spokeswoman Emily Cady said. As of around 11:30 a.m., all systems were running without any issues, she said, adding guests can expect a seamless experience as usual. 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. NEW YORK (PIX11) Air travelers were met with the blue screen of terror at airports across New York City and New Jersey Friday morning. The global technology outage as announced by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike grounded dozens of flights out of Newark Liberty Airport, John F. Kennedy Airport, and LaGuardia Airport. Flights are still canceled and delayed into Saturday morning at national airports across the United States. More Local News Delta and United Airlines saw the most cancellations and delays, as multiple airlines issued ground stops nationwide. Flights out of American Airlines are still severely delayed, according to FlightAware. Cancelled Nationwide Delta 405 United Airlines 247 Delayed Nationwide Delta 397 United Airlines 249 American Airlines 285 Delta assured they would keep customers updated with text messages regarding their flights and also advised travelers to check the app for any updates, according to a statement to PIX11. Meanwhile United said they would resume some flights but expect disruptions to continue throughout Friday. To help travelers, theyre issuing waivers for customers to change their travel plans through the United app and online. Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work 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 PIX11. A global technology outage is grounding flights and disrupting communication in area hospitals and banks on Friday morning after a faulty system update. Here's which Milwaukee area organizations are impacted by the outage. What caused the global outage? The cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike blamed a faulty system update for the disruptions. CrowdStrike said one of its recent content updates had a defect that impacted Microsoft's Windows Operating System and added the incident was "not a security incident or cyberattack." The company's CEO, George Kurtz, apologized for the disruptions in a post on X, noting the issue has been identified and isolated and a fix has been deployed. CrowdStrike is "working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on." Meanwhile, Microsoft said "the underlying cause has been fixed" and impacted Microsoft 365 apps and services have been recovered, though the company continues to monitor the issue. What can Microsoft customers do to fix the problem on their own computer? We're aware of an issue with Windows 365 Cloud PCs caused by a recent update to CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor software. This is being communicated under WP821561 in the admin center. (Cont...) Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) July 19, 2024 Microsoft 365 Status posted on X that customers can restore their Windows 365 Cloud PC to a known good state prior to the release of the update as documented here. What is CrowdStrike? CrowdStrike is a cybersecurity software company created in 2012. According to its website, CrowdStrike has a "cloud-native platform that protects and enables the people, processes and technologies that drive modern enterprise." CrowdStrike posted a statement on X responding to customers affected by the outage: "Today was not a security or cyber incident. Our customers remain fully protected. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on." "As noted earlier, the issue has been identified and a fix has been deployed," the statement said. What flights are delayed and cancelled at Milwaukee Mitchell Airport? Most airlines have restored their systems or put alternative procedures in place as of 9:30 a.m. after the global communication outage, Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport confirmed on Friday morning. Travelers should still be prepared for lingering delays and cancelations. Several U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, issued ground stops for all their flights on Friday due to communication problems, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, USA Today reported. You can search for the status of your flight on Mitchell International Airport's website here. For more detailed information about your flight, you can also visit your airline's website or call its customer service line. Froedtert Health reports disruptions, other Milwaukee area hospitals monitoring outages A Froedtert Health spokesperson confirmed the outages have impacted some systems. "Our teams are following standard procedures to work around the disruptions and continue to care for patients, as we continue to bring our systems back online," said spokesperson Stephanie Burton. Burton said that impacted patients would be notified if their appointments were impacted by the disruptions. Burton added the issue did not appear to be related to any cybersecurity incident. Burton did not immediately respond to a follow-up email asking for specifics on how the disruptions are impacting hospitals and clinics, or which systems were impacted. In a statement, Aurora Health Care did not give specifics on how its hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and the area have been affected. "Like many other organizations, we are closely monitoring the global CrowdStrike outage and are working diligently to minimize disruption to our patients," the statement said. Ascension Wisconsin did not immediately respond to an email Friday seeking information on any impacts to operations and patient care. Bayshore Mall stores still handling sales, but back office work affected Some stores at Bayshore Mall in Glendale were making the best of the outage on Friday. The Lane Bryant retail store was down to one working register, but had more difficulty doing back office work as emails were not going through. Store managers at the Gap and Loft also said their problems rested more their internal platforms rather than handling customer transactions. "I'm not sure what is to come," Loft store manager Anna Duarte said. Users across multiple banks report tech outages on DownDetector DowntownDetector.com reports service outage information and is showing several bank with outages across the country. Bank of America Chase Bank U.S. Bank Wells Fargo Bank Five Nine, with locations across southeastern Wisconsin, also said users are having issues with mobile banking and ATM deposits at Bank Five Nine, according to a spokesperson for Bank Five Nine. Milwaukee County Transit System reports no disruptions during outage Milwaukee County Transit System reported that Friday's service was not affected by the outages. "Buses went out across Milwaukee County without any issues," said spokesperson Anna Schryver. RELATED: Flights canceled, delayed at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport on one of its busiest travel days of the year Katherine Loren, USA Today and USA Today-Network-Florida contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Microsoft, CrowdStrike tech outage hits Milwaukee airport, hospitals Global tech outage: What to know if youre traveling this weekend Unexpected tech outages have been impacting airlines and airports across the world. Major hotel brands have also reported outages. Heres what to know if youre planning to travel this weekend. Whats going on? Widespread IT problems are impacting global travel. Its believed the issue stems, at least in part, from a software update issued by software company CrowdStrike on Microsoft Windows operating systems. The CEO of CrowdStrike said in a statement obtained by CNN early Friday that the IT issue causing a global outage had been identified and a fix had been deployed. Meanwhile, Microsoft said the underlying cause that led to the global outage has been fixed, but added that residual impact is still affecting some services. Airports, airlines and travelers across the globe continue to navigate the fall-out. Which airlines and airports are impacted? United Airlines was among the US carriers reporting problems on July 19. - David J. Phillip/AP US-based carriers American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Allegiant Airlines, SunCountry and Frontier Airlines all reported issues on Friday. American Airlines has since said it has safely reestablished operations, while United resumed some flights Friday morning. Delta Air Lines resumed some flight departures but additional delays and cancellations were expected Friday. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement early Friday that was closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines, adding that several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops until the issue is resolved. The agency provided an update later in the day: Currently FAA operations are not impacted by the global IT issue. We continue to monitor the situation closely. The agency also said the IT issue could continue to affect flights this weekend. Ryanair, Air France and Turkish Airlines also reported issues, while KLM Royal Dutch Airlines said the outages are making flight handling impossible. AirAsia said its core reservation and check-in system have been impacted by the tech issues. Cirium, an aviation analytics company, said there were around 110,000 scheduled commercial flights Friday. By 3 p.m. ET, Cirium said there were more than 5,000 flights canceled globally. Many airports across the globe also logged tech-related issues. Dubai Airport reported issues on Friday morning, but the airport said in a post on X that normal operations had resumed. Passenger William Sikora III told CNN Friday morning that the situation at Philadelphia International Airport is absolutely insane right now in the wake of the disruption. Airports across the US cautioned travelers to expect delays and to check their flight status before going to the airport. In Europe, Londons Gatwick Airport said it is affected by the global Microsoft issues and that passengers may experience delays checking in and going through security. Londons Heathrow Airport said it was working with airport colleagues to minimize the impact and advised passengers to check with their airlines for the latest flight information. Berlin Airport said it is experiencing delays to check-in, while Amsterdams Schiphol Airport stated the impact on its airport is being mapped. Scotlands Edinburgh Airport said the outages mean wait times are longer than usual at the airport. Spains airport authority, AENA, which supervises airports in Madrid, Barcelona and others across the country, said the tech issues could cause delays and that its staff are working to solve the problems. Airports and airlines in Asia and Latin America were also reporting disruptions caused by the IT outage. This is not an exhaustive list, so its best to check the status of any airports youll be transiting through this weekend before you travel. This is also a fast-moving situation heading into Friday night and the weekend, so if youre planning on flying, its best to keep tabs on your chosen airlines social media channels, apps and website for up-to-date information. Check your flight status before you head to the airport, if you can. How long will it take for things to get back to normal? Travel will likely take a while to get back on track, even once the outage is sorted. The stoppage of flights means that thousands of aircraft have been grounded around the world and could be stuck in the wrong airports. Crews have limits on their working hours, so staffing challenges cascade along with flight delays. Getting schedules back on track is a complicated process that can take several days to fully iron out. The best course of action is to monitor your airline for announcements and to know your rights as a consumer. What do I do if my flight is canceled? First off, if you can, check the status of your flight before you leave for the airport. Its better to find out your flight is canceled from the comfort of home or a hotel room and make new arrangements from there, if at all possible. If youre already at the airport, head to the airline help desk. While youre standing in line, its worth phoning the airline help number and trying to contact the company via social media or email. If you are a member of an airline executive club and have access to a special phone number, now is the time to use it. If it looks like the airline wont be able to put you on a flight until the following day, ask for a hotel room or hotel voucher. There are fewer consumer protections for situations outside of airlines control, but its worth requesting. And if your airline seems to be impacted, but another airline is still operable ask about flying with other carriers. When flights are canceled, many airlines have the option of putting you on another carriers flight because they have interline agreements, Lousson Smith, product operations specialist at Going.com, told CNN Travel in our guide to flight cancellations, which you can read here. This means, for example, if Delta is having service interruptions but American is running a flight to your destination, you may be able to get on that flight. If you can plausibly take a train rather than fly for instance, if youre in the UK heading to mainland Europe it could be worth checking last-minute ticket availability. What are my rights as an air traveler? That depends on where youre flying to and from in the US, for example, passengers have the right to a refund for canceled flights, but additional compensation or accommodation for delays or cancellations outside of carriers control is up to each airline. On flights to and from EU countries, the laws are different. If your airport of origin is within the EU or if youre arriving to the EU on an EU airline, youre entitled to a refund for delays longer than five hours and additional compensation for some shorter delays. Wherever youre traveling, its worth familiarizing yourself with the airline terms and conditions associated with your booking. And if you have travel insurance, look up your rights there too. Can I cancel my flight if I no longer want to travel? That all depends on the type of ticket you have, the airline youre flying with and whether you have travel insurance (which is always a good idea). Insurance covers missed departures and connections if your flight is delayed, your company may be able to help change your travel plans, though its unlikely that theyll refund you if your flight is not affected but you no longer want to travel. Check your airline to see if its offering passengers the chance to cancel or change dates. As the situation spirals and airlines reroute passengers on canceled flights, the flexibility may increase. At the time of writing, American Airlines is offering free changes for those due to fly on July 19 through eight major hubs (there are caveats as to rebooking dates). British Airways said it has increased flexibility for customers flying shorthaul routes over the weekend. Delta, United and American all issued waivers for impacted customers Are hotels or rental cars affected? Marriott International says some of its hotel systems have been impacted by the ongoing global IT outage. We are actively working with our vendors to resolve issues that have impacted certain hotel systems. We apologize for any inconvenience that guests may experience, the company said in a statement to CNN Friday afternoon. CNN has reached out to Hilton Hotels for information on outages. One employee at the Hilton Phoenix Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, told CNN that guests had to wait for a bellhop to open their rooms for them because an outage hit the software the hotel uses to make key cards. Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty locations are open, according to a statement from Hertz. We are seeing an increase in volume at our call centers and sustained demand for bookings, reservation modifications and one-way rentals. Some customers might experience longer than anticipated waits, and we are working diligently to get people on the road as quickly as possible, the statement said. Are trains and other public transport systems affected? In the United Kingdom, National Rail reported widespread IT issues across the entire network on Friday. Pictured here: travelers at London's Victoria train station, London on Friday. - Aaron Chown/PA Wire Some train systems are reporting issues related to the tech outage. In the UK, National Rail reported widespread IT issues across the entire network on Friday. National Rail said UK train operators are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, so theres the potential for short-notice train cancellations. In Italy, the transport ministry said Trenitalia and Italo train networks were suspended after systems went offline. Passengers called emergency services and demanded to be let off the trains because of extreme heat, after enduring delays up to 140 minutes. Some trains on rural Italian rail lines have been stopped because of extreme heat. In the United States, trains and buses in Washington, D.C., have been impacted by Fridays outages, according to the US capitals transit authority. In New York, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) customer information systems went temporarily offline Friday morning, according to officials. However the MTA said train and bus service is unaffected. Again, this isnt an exhaustive list. If youre set to travel soon, wherever you are in the world, its worth double checking your individual journey status before you travel. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) A global technology outage impacted airlines, banks, hotels, and media outlets worldwide on July 19 and Salt Lake City was no exception. Due to the impacts of the technology outage, several airlines were forced to ground flights. According to Flight Aware, an online flight tracker, over 40 flights coming to or departing Salt Lake International Airport were canceled as of 7:45 a.m. on Friday. Over 100 more flights were delayed. Delta Airlines flights were the most impacted, according to Flight Aware. Other impacted airlines include Frontier, SkyWest, American Airlines, Southwest, United, and AeroMexico. Sergio Fernandez, a passenger at the Salt Lake International, was traveling from Utah to Dallas, Texas to attend his nephews wedding. Yesterday, when I got to the airport, they told me my flight was canceled but they were going to book me to another flight, explained Fernandez, adding that that flight was also canceled along with another one he was moved to. Fernandez was eventually rebooked to the first flight out of Salt Lake City to Dallas on Friday but when he arrived at the airport, he said he saw chaos. He said passengers who were not fortunate enough to be able to leave the airport and go home were not given a hotel to stay in by the airlines and were only provided a $20 voucher. When I got here this morning, I noticed all the people who were sleeping on the floors in the hallways, said Fernandez. Fernandez told ABC4.com he had to speak to his nephew and originally asked him to delay the wedding by just an hour so he could make it. However, after so many delays, Fernandez resigned to the fact that he wouldnt be able to make it to the wedding. Unfortunately, I think my plans for the wedding are going downhill as fast as they can, said Fernandez. Im just working right now with American just to cancel my flight because Im not going to make it to the wedding and Im supposed to be there. According to the Associated Press, the outage was due to an update done to CrowdStrike, an online cybersecurity tool businesses use to protect themselves from cyberattacks, malware, and viruses. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz took to social media, posting: CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers. George Kurtz, CrowdStrike CEO American Airlines, Allegiant Air, Pacific Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines have since canceled their ground stops and resumed flights, according to the Associated Press. Delta Airlines has said its flights are beginning to resume departures though passengers can expect additional delays and cancelations throughout Friday. In a statement, Delta said it has issued a travel waiver for all customers who have booked flights departing on July 19, allowing customers to manage their own travel changes through delta.com or in the Fly Delta app. The fare difference for customers will be waived when rebooked travel occurs on or before July 24, in the same cabin of service as originally booked, said Delta. The customer will have to pay any fare difference for flights rebooked after July 24. The Salt Lake International Airport encouraged passengers to check with their airlines for possible delays. 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. If God saved Trump from a shooting, what about the man who died? It puzzles me when people make out God to be an idiot. Or worse. Thats pretty much what Donald Trump and many of his supporters including pastors have done following the assassination attempt on Trump. During his speech before the Republican National Convention on Thursday Trump said, I had God on my side. This was echoed again and again. Former Fox News host and Trump devotee Tucker Carlson said, I think it was divine intervention. Was Trump truly 'blessed by the hand of God'? Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said, If you didn't believe in miracles before Saturday, you better be believing right now Our God still saves. Pastor Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Dallas said, What happened yesterday is also a demonstration of the power of almighty God. Failed Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy said, I personally believe that God intervened today, not just on behalf of President Trump but on behalf of our country. Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott said, Trump is truly blessed by the hand of God being able to evade being assassinated. It went on and on. If true, what questions should we ask of Corey Comperatore? Always forgetting the other guy. The shots fired by the clearly disturbed Matthew Thomas Crooks may only have grazed Trumps ear, but they took the life of 50-year-old firefighter Corey Comperatore. A good man. A worthy man. If Trump, as Gov. Abbott said, was blessed by the hand of God, was Comperatore not? If divine intervention saved Trump, as Tucker Carlson said, was Comperatore not worthy of similar relief? If God, as Trump said, was on my side, was the Almighty not on the side of Comperatore? Or is it even worse than that? Are they talking about a God more bumbling than all powerful, capable of saving one man from a bullet but not organized or aware enough to keep the bullets from harming anyone else? I prefer a version of the God I was told about in parochial school. A God who loved and cared about each of us, and who imbues each of us all of us, the good and the bad with free will. A God who loves Donald Trump and Corey Comperatore equally, and who had no part in saving one or allowing the other to be killed. Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com. For more opinions content, please subscribe. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: If Trump was saved by God, why didnt God save Corey Comperatore? Getty Images Anti-LGBTQ+ Republicans are all in for their new vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance, but Vances former Yale classmates and teachers say he used to be a very different man before buying into the MAGA grift the type of person who would even deliver baked goods to a transgender friend recovering from surgery. According to reporting in the New York Times this week, Vances actual record at Yale reveals repeated inconsistencies between the person he once was and the views he now professes. Now a vociferous opponent of modern universities, which he has called expensive day care centers for coddled children, Vance thrived socially and eventually academically at Yale, remembered by some as warm, personable and even charismatic. But his former professors, fellow students, and even roommates say Vance has since abandoned any of the principles he once held to ride Donald Trumps coattails to the White House. Among those criticizing Vances lack of moral rigor is Sofia Nelson, a former classmate and friend of Vance and his wife Usha. Nelson told the Times that they and Vance were previously so close, the Ohio senator delivered home-baked treats to their home while they were recovering from top surgery the sort of thing one might expect from a staunch trans ally, rather than a man who has since referred to queer people as groomers, described gender-affirming surgeries as gruesome, and declared war on far-left gender ideology. For Nelson, the breaking point came when Vance offered vocal support for an Arkansas ban on gender-affirming care in 2021. Trumps VP Pick J.D. Vance Is an Anti-LGBTQ\+ Nightmare The Ohio senator vocally supports anti-trans policies and opposed a law codifying marriage equality. It hurt my feelings when he started saying hateful things about trans people, Nelson told the Times. Josh McLaurin, a Democratic state senator from Georgia and another classmate who said he no longer talks to Vance, pointed to a years-old text message in which Vance wondered whether Trump was a cynical asshole like Nixon or Americas Hitler as evidence that Vance had abandoned any pretext of principles. He realized that the only way that he could realize and give effect to his own anger in politics was to identify with the MAGA movement, McLaurin opined to the Times. (Its almost like the Republican Party itself stands for nothing at all!) Vance himself is not the only one who appears to have thrown out his actual opinions to chase political power. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Hong Kong-based historian and professor Dr. Peter E. Hamilton expressed dismay for Usha Vance, saying he had once befriended her when they were both Yale-China Teaching Fellows in 2007. Usha was a very organized and thoughtful person serious about teaching and making a difference on issues such as womens rights, Hamilton recalled. Painful for me to see her on the RNC stage now. Get the best of whats queer. Sign up for Thems weekly newsletter here. Originally Appeared on them. Republican efforts to win over Black voters during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee may have fallen short as GOP members failed to showcase party diversity and fell back on controversial talking points. Though former President Trump is hoping to siphon Black voter support from Democrats this year, only eight of the speakers at the convention were Black, and seven spoke on the first night, when viewership is often at its lowest. There were no elected Black woman speaking at the convention a stark comparison to the DNC, where Vice President Harris will deliver remarks. This is a miscalculation on behalf of the Republican Party, Mondale Robinson, founder of the Black Male Voter Project, told The Hill. Theres no real outreach to Black people from the Republican National Convention and their efforts to reach us through this performance at the RNC is as tacky as Trumps tan. GOP efforts to speak to Black voters included launching a Black voter outreach initiative the week ahead of the RNC, as well as leaning on Black voices, most notably reality television star and model Amber Rose. In her speech, Rose spoke of finding her people among Trump supporters and realizing that the media had been wrong about Trump. Some prominent Republicans have cheered Roses speech, with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) describing the influencers remarks as heartwarming. I loved her speech. I thought she did a fantastic job, she told The Hill in Milwaukee this week, adding she watched the whole thing. Her inclusion is seen in the GOP as part of a larger push to expand the partys appeal. Were reaching out to nontraditional Republican voters, Washington state Rep. Jim Walsh, a delegate and chair of the states Republican Party, said when asked about Rose being in the conventions speaker lineup. Thats what we did in the district I represent in the legislature in Washington. For 70 years it had been a deep blue district, and we turned it about eight years ago and now its considered a safe red district, and we did that by reaching out to people who you dont think of as stereotypical Republican voters, he said, including single moms, a lot of ethnic minorities and a lot of union households. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) argued on Wednesday that Trump has been key in expanding the partys appeal and helping chip away at critical voting blocs for Democrats, specifically mentioning Black voters. Traditional Democrat voters, Black voters, Asian voters, Hispanic voters, I would argue now liberal Jews, they dont just come to you in this country my grandfathers Democrat Party has gone off the cliff on the left, he said at an event less than a mile from the RNC. They cant support the social agenda. They cant support the economic agenda. It is our job now to go and meet them where they are and to educate them into who we are and why were the better choice, and it started with finding candidates recruiting candidates that looked and sounded more like the districts that they were looking to represent, Emmer said. I think results over the last five years have been incredible, and I would argue to you that this election is going to take it to a whole new level. But some have doubted the impact that efforts like bringing in Rose whom some conservatives have singled out for her past advocacy on womens issues will have on younger and minority voters. At the same, theres also concern over how a focus on diversifying the party may impact its base. I didnt know who she was, and, you know, I get it bringing young people in and widening the tent, but it generally doesnt work, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told The Hill. We better worry about our base, though. Thats what Im more concerned about, he said, adding: Twenty million evangelical Christians decided not to go to the polls last time thats why Joe Bidens in the White House, and so, if we disregard our base, that will hurt us. Robinson, of the Black Male Voter Project, added that Black voters and men in particular arent paying attention to the convention. Black men are not watching these conventions, said Robinson. This is not a convention for Black men. This is not a convention thats going to bring in Black men. Its a convention for Black men who are married to white women to go and make their white friends feel like theyre going to reach Black men. Still, Trump has been campaigning hard for the support of Black male voters as a growing sense of dissatisfaction with the Democratic party spreads throughout the community. Though 64 percent of Black women said they would vote for Biden if the election were held today, according to a new survey from The Cut, this number is significantly lower than the 95 percent who supported him in 2020. Meanwhile, an April Wall Street Journal swing state poll found about 30 percent of Black men said they were either definitely or probably going to vote for Trump. In 2020, Trump garnered about 12 percent support from Black men. While he had originally indicated he was considering Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) as his running mate, that fell apart when Sen. JD Vance was announced as the vice-presidential pick earlier this week. Still, Scott gave an impassioned speech on Monday, calling Trump an American lion. Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) invoked his identity as a Black man in his own speech. Im the great-great-grandson of a slave. Im the son of a retired lieutenant colonel. Im the product of West Point along with my other two siblings. And I risked my life in combat to preserve our nation, Hunt said, adding that Trump is now risking his life for the nation. But using these Black men to speak to voters may not have the impact Republicans want, said Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright. Whats so sad about their quote-unquote Black engagement strategy is the fact that its not even close to speaking to the generational needs and desires and the battles that we have faced from our time here in this country until now, said Seawright. It certainly does not address the fact that many of the battles we are fighting now are a direct result of their extreme measures and extreme policies and extreme politicians who are working day and night to erode away at the progress we made in this country. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. We recently compiled a list of the 15 Most Advanced Countries in Africa in 2024 and in this article, we will talk about the most advanced country in Africa in 2024. Africa: An Overview Africa has faced many challenges, including violent conflicts and harsh weather conditions, which have halted the growth of the region. According to a report by McKinsey, despite having a strong start at the beginning of the millennium, economic challenges are still a major problem in the region. From 2000 to 2010 the real GDP of the region was growing at an average rate of 5.1% annually. However, the growth slowed down to only 3.3% annually, from 2010 till 2019. During this time, the GDP of the region dropped 35%. It has also had a slow per capita income growth rate over the last three decades, averaging at only 1.1%. Almost 60% of the population in Africa is living in poverty. However, the large population of the continent presents an unmatched opportunity for growth. Africa is estimated to have the biggest working-age population by 2040. Simultaneously, it presents an opportunity for business as 250 million people will be added to the consumer class by 2030. The high number of consumers is expected to add $3 trillion in consumer spending. Opportunities for companies include targeting growth centers and innovative value chains. Agriculture is among the most dominant sectors in Africa. However, over the last couple of decades, a shift towards the services sector has been noted. During this period, the employment in the sector surged from 30% to 39%. The sector contributed 56% in 2019 compared to 50% in 2000 to the economic output of the continent. The services sector has been projected to create almost 85 million jobs in Africa by 2030. The newly created job could help cater to the need for employment in a growing population. Financial services, especially the fintech industry, have massive potential for growth in the region. You can also check out the 15 Friendliest Countries in Africa. Fintech Industry: On The Rise The fintech industry is thriving in Africa. According to a report by McKinsey, the fintech companies in Africa had revenues of around $4 billion to $6 billion in 2020. The revenues have been estimated to increase eight times, compared to their current value, by 2025. The average penetration levels of the industry across the continent have been estimated to be between 3 to 5%. Cash is used in 90% of the transactions being carried out in Africa. According to the data from the World Bank, only 49% of the adults in Africa have a bank account. There are many factors contributing to the lack of financial inclusion including high poverty rates and a lack of government documentation required to open an account. Digital financial services remove these hurdles providing fintech companies a huge market to explore. The financial services market is expected to grow 10% annually and reach $230 billion in revenues by 2025. MTN Group Limited (JSE:MTN) is a telecommunication company based in South Africa. The company also has an operational presence in North America and the Middle East. It is currently working in 17 African countries including Cote dIvoire and Rwanda. The company provides a range of services including fintech, cloud services, and device management. MTN MoMo is a fintech platform by the company. The platform offers a myriad of services including mobile wallets and micro-loans. In the first fiscal quarter of 2024, the platform had 65.5 million users spread across 16 markets in Africa. MTN MoMo had 1.2 million active agents. During this period, 4.8 billion transactions were carried out by the platform having a transaction value of $72.3 billion. The platform has 2.2 million active merchants. The remittances during this quarter amounted to $883 million. The presence of this leader in fintech reflects the potential of the industry in Africa. It is also working to improve the innovation landscape in the continent. On May 20, the executives of the company met with prominent African country leaders including Paul Kagame and William Ruto, the presidents of Rwanda and Kenya respectively. The meeting took place at the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali which focused on digital transformation. The discussion included important topics including regulatory harmonization and digital infrastructure investments. The company actively advocates for policies to boost digital infrastructure investment across Africa to foster innovation. The company is also forming meaningful partnerships to further the fintech landscape in the continent. On February 29, the company announced a partnership with Mastercard. The collaboration entails the launch of a prepaid virtual card tailored for MTNs MoMo customers. The card would grant users access to 100 million acceptance points worldwide. The partnership included 13 markets in the region including Cameroon, Cote dIvoire, and Eswatini. The companies are seeking an opportunity in the growing demand for international remittance services in Africa. There are $2 billion in daily processed transactions which is equivalent to 40% of the GDP of Sub-Saharan Africa. International remittances via mobile money wallets are growing rapidly. In 2020, international remittances via mobile money wallets reached $1 billion. The high amount showed a 65% increase compared to the previous year. Africa has a massive potential for growth and advancement with growing industries including fintech. In this context, let's have a look at the most advanced country in Africa. You can also read the 15 Most Advanced Countries in Asia in 2024. The Most Advanced Country in Africa in 2024 Our Methodology To make our list of the most advanced countries in Africa in 2024, we have used the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2023 and R&D Expenditure as a Percentage of GDP as our metrics, sourced from WIPE and the World Bank respectively. The Global Innovation Index ranked 132 countries based on various aspects including their adoption of technology, capacity for innovation, and the country's innovative landscape. We initially sifted through the ranking and separated the top 28 countries in Africa. We then extracted the R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP for each country. The year for the R&D expenditure varied among countries, as the latest data was not available. However, the metric still provides an apt understanding of the countries' inclination towards research and development. The R&D expenditure has been considered the primary metric, and the GII ranking is the secondary metric. The list has been arranged in the ascending order of the primary metric. Note: It is important to note that Zimbabwe has been ranked 15 places among the African countries and 117 in the world in the GII. However, no data is available for the R&D expenditure of the country which led to its exclusion from our list. At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here). The Most Advanced Country in Africa in 2024 1. Rwanda Global Innovation Index 2023: 103 R&D Expenditure as a Percentage of GDP in 2019: 0.76% Rwanda is considered one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa. In 2022, the GDP growth rate was 8.2%. It has the highest R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP, based on the latest available data, among all African countries. It is the most advanced country in Africa in 2024. The startup culture is thriving in Rwanda. In 2023, Rwanda raised $38 million, in Partech which is a global investment firm, in startup funding. The funding exhibited a surge of six times the amount raised in 2022. Government initiatives in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, including infrastructure development, ensuring access to high-speed internet, and reducing regulatory hurdles are creating a nurturing environment for startups. Fintech is one of the most notable sectors in Rwanda. According to a report by the National Bank of Rwanda, the country experienced an increase of 57% in mobile payments from December 2022 to December 2023. Similarly, internet banking surged by 68% during the same period. In March, Rwandas Ministry of Justice won two awards in the inaugural Commonwealth Access to Justice Innovation Awards ceremony. One of the awards was the integrated electronic case management system. The project was launched in 2016 and it aimed to help the judicial processes through automation. The digitization also facilitated information sharing between institutions. Interested to see other advanced countries in Africa? Head over to our free detailed report on the 15 Most Advanced Countries in Africa in 2024. At Insider Monkey, we delve into a variety of topics; however, our expertise lies in identifying the top-performing stocks. Currently, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology stands out as one of the most promising fields. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NVDA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: Analyst Sees a New $25 Billion Opportunity for NVIDIA and Jim Cramer is Recommending These 10 Stocks in June. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published on Insider Monkey. The GOP As We Knew It Is Long Gone And May Never Return A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. A Historic Third Time Last night, Donald Trump (2016, 2020, 2024) joined Richard Nixon (1960, 1968, 1972) as the only three-time presidential nominees in the history of the Republican Party. Once they find a good one, they sure cant let go. TPMs Josh Kovensky watched last nights TV spectacle so you didnt have to: If you cant take much of the melding of low culture and authoritarianism, here are his five takeaways. If youre a glutton for punishment, you have the option of scrolling through his full Hulk Hogan-saturated live blog of the evenings proceedings. Stay strong. Credit where due: Much of the political reporting this week has acknowledged and engaged with the fact that the Republican Party is now fully captive to Donald Trump and his cult of personality to a degree it wasnt in his two prior runs for the White House. Thats an important baseline from which to cover the rest of this campaign and a possible Trump II presidency. What is perhaps less obvious (and Ill admit is speculative) is that the chances of the Republican Party emerging intact after the Trump era have markedly declined. The hope that eventually Republicans of good faith who have battled Trumpism people like Mitt Romney and Liz Cheney would rise to the top again seems more far-fetched than ever. Likewise, the effort to create some sort of permission structure for conservatives to abandon Trump seems like a ship that has sailed. Its not just that the Republican Party will emerge from the Trump era with a brand so badly damaged that it will need to be scrapped, its that there is likely to be little left of it that is recognizable as a political party in a democratic and pluralistic society. Having become so cultish and thoroughly authoritarian, there wont be the pieces to pick up again to reform it and restore it as a pro-democracy party. Trump has wrecked it. But as with so many Trump projects, the bright lights and gold leaf draw the eye away from the structural rot. The GOPs Rejection Of Democracy Requires A Strongman Heather Cox Richardson on the GOP convention and the rot on full display: Paul Manafort walking onto the floor of the Republican National Convention yesterday illustrated that the Republican Party under Trump has become thoroughly corrupted into an authoritarian party aligned with foreign dictators. Messiah Complex Sarah Posner, TPMs go-to expert on the Christian Right, catalogues the renewed effort since Saturdays shooting to cast Donald Trump as beneficiary of divine providence and explains how that fits into the Christian nationalism suffusing the far right. Eating Their Own TPMs Nicole Lafond: Usual Cast Of Far-Right Extremists Goes Into Racist Tailspin Over JD Vances Wife Quote Of The Day Its not over on election day. Its over on inauguration day. Trump campaign senior advisor Chris LaCivita, portending a 2020 redux if Trump loses the election GOP Still Thinks Registering New Voters Is Bad TPMs Khaya Himmelman: The RNC Is Suing Gretchen Whitmer To Make The Swing States Election System Seem Sketch Bidens Support Among Dem Electeds Further Erodes No dramatic movement on the Biden front in the past 24 hours, but what movement there has been was all in the direction of trying to push the president out as the Democratic Party nominee: Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), whose tough reelection campaign is among those most critical for Democratic hopes of holding their Senate majority, publicly called for President Biden to drop his own re-election bid. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) sent President Biden a letter earlier this month and newly obtained by the NYT urging him to withdraw his candidacy. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) continues to keep the pressure on Biden mostly behind the scenes, telling California Democrats and some members of House leadership that she thinks Biden is getting close to deciding to abandon his presidential bid, the WaPo reports. Former President Obama does not appear to be trying to bail Biden out, but rather is expressing his own concerns privately and serving as a sounding board, according to the WaPo. UPDATE: Trump Assassination Attempt Aftermath The Secret Service is encountering criticism from close-protection experts on how long it took for agents to get Donald Trump off the rally stage after shots were fired by a would-be assassin. Top Hill Republicans are demanding the resignation of Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle. ABC News tracks what Thomas Matthew Crooks was doing in the hours leading up to the shooting. Youre Not Gonna Like This Former TPMer Tierney Sneed talks to legal experts about the difficulties that Special Counsel Jack Smith will encounter in trying to remove U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon from the Mar-a-Lago case, even at this late juncture with so many anomalous rulings, delays, and her preferential treatment of Trump. Oh, Rudy Rudy Giuliani is pushing the judge handling his bankruptcy case to the breaking point. Totally On The Up And Up Bloomberg: The US Securities and Exchange Commission sued Patrick Orlando, the former chief executive of the blank-check firm that helped bring Donald Trumps social media company public, for allegedly misleading investors about his firms plans for a merger. Global IT Outage Massive worldwide disruption after a CrowdStrike software update apparently crippled many devices running Microsoft Windows. Bob Newhart, 1929-2024 Bob Newhart was such a boss that not only did he have two long-running sitcoms one in the 1970s and one in the 1980s but when the one in the 1980s ended he styled the final episode as if the entire run of the second show had just been a crazy dream of his character in the first show. How boss a move is that?!? To this day, Newhart is the only comedian to win Grammy Awards for best new artist and album of the year. Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know! The New Mexico Senate on July 18, 2024. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) It was straight to business Thursday as Senate lawmakers took to the floor and presented the merits and concerns they have with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams special session agenda. During the hour-and-a-half debate, it became clear that the rift between Lujan Grisham and top Democratic legislators over the special session remained wide open, even as Republican senators praised the governor and sponsored a slate of bills. In comparison, the House only introduced one piece of legislation. House Bill 1 funds the special session but also puts money towards assisted outpatient pilot programs and provides grants and loans for wildfire response. A mere three hours after the opening gavel, and after passing the HB 1 to the Senate, the House adjourned sine die, usually signaling the close of a session. Legislative rules require that if one chamber remains in session, while the other gavels out, the adjourned body must return every three days as part of procedure. But theres no requirement for them to do legislative work. If the House continues not to convene, there would be no means for the Senates proposed legislation to become law. I havent moved my positions Seventeen senators participating in the special session, just under half of the 42-member body, either announced retirement, or chose not to seek reelection. Most of the bills introduced related to crime, which the governor laid out as the priority in her proclamation. Lujan Grishams agenda garnered praise from Sen. Crystal Diamond Brantley (R-Elephant Butte) and Sen. Craig Brandt (R-Rio Rancho). Sen. Mark Moores (R-Albuquerque), who is not running for reelection and has moved to Las Cruces, said he is proud to sponsor the governors bills, saying theyre a step in the right direction to address crime. I havent moved my positions, but it seems like the governor has moved, and seen and actually is trying to take leadership, he said. Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces) called the lead up to the special session frustrating, saying the governors office continued to change the proposed policy ideas. These proposals have changed month to month, week to week, hour to hour, he said. In the last 24 hours, were seeing new proposals that were never presented, never contemplated for this special session. Cervantes chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee and is poised to review most of the bills introduced in the special session. Cervantes said lawmaking needs to be careful, saying some of the proposals already exist on the books or could have unintended consequences the way they are written now. Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino (D-Albuquerque) urged his colleagues to support additional funding for pilot projects in courts across the state to offer treatments instead of jail time. Ortiz y Pino said the governors statements that the legislature is not addressing crime are untrue, and the problems with a lack of mental health and drug abuse treatment wont be solved with jailing people who cant access it. To say were going to mandate treatment without providing any additional services is a guarantee youre going to have people staying in jail because there is no room for them, Ortiz y Pino said. Sen. Katy Duhigg (D-Albuquerque) said she was concerned the median safety bill, also called the panhandling bill, could inadvertently limit free speech, does not address the real causes of pedestrian deaths and could potentially criminalize other activities, such as the annual Easter pilgrimage to Chimayo. Cities already have the ability to do this if they want to, Duhigg said. We do not need a state law, regulating potentially limiting the public speech on medians and roadways. Another top priority is addressing the damage from the South Fork and Salt fires in the Ruidoso areas, which is further flooding danger from the monsoon rains. More than 850 homes were lost, and others remain imperiled by continued flooding, according to state officials. Sen. William Bill Burt (R-Alamogordo) called on his colleagues to support state funding and relief efforts, saying while no official estimates are out, damages could be between $100 million and $150 million. I am hoping each and every one of you will consider in your heart to help the people of Lincoln, Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs to begin the recovery and healing of the devastation, Burt said. In all, lawmakers introduced 15 bills and one constitutional amendment. Of those, six bills were immediately assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Seven bills were instead sent to the Senate Committees Committee to determine if they are germane to the governors proclamation, then be heard by other committees. As of 4:30 p.m. there were no posted agendas for any Senate committees. Proposed legislation: Senate Bill 5 Amending the states racketeering laws. Senate Bill 6 Making the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death a capital felony Senate Bill 7 Requestings the state offer $119 million in zero-interest loans for public infrastructure damage during the South Fork and Salt fires and subsequent flooding Senate Bill 8 Appropriating $100 million to build a barrier at the New Mexico-Mexico border Senate Bill 9 Changing the definition of harm to self and harm to others in the states commitment procedures Senate Bill 10 Initiation of civil commitment proceedings, changing competency proceedings Senate Bill 11 Unsafe use of public highways and medians act Senate Bill 12 Increasing crimes during an evacuation Senate Bill 13 Exempting law enforcement and a buyer with a valid concealed carry license in another state from certain state gun laws. Senate Bill 14 Changing the sentencing for the crime of selling fentanyl Senate Bill 15 Prohibiting cities and counties from restricting personnel or resources in federal immigration law enforcement Senate Bill 16 Appropriation for cellular and radio towers in Dona Ana, Hidalgo and Luna counties. Senate Bill 17 Requiring reporting from local police departments to the Department of Public safety on crimes, and ballistic information Senate Bill 18 Increasing the prison time to 12 years for the conviction of a felon in possession of a firearm Senate Bill 19 Creating a school safety division in the Department of Public Safety. Finally, Senate Joint Resolution 1, would amend the states constitution to make it harder for people to avoid being held in jail before trial. It would remove the requirement that only judges can revoke bail conditions. It would change the language to remove limits on revoking bail. SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) Governor Glenn Youngkin announced on Tuesday the allocation of over $30 million towards the City of Suffolks Route 460 Road Improvement Project. The $30.1 million in funds from the Transportation Partnership Opportunity Fund (TPOF) will go towards supporting the Port 460 Logistics Center Development in Hampton Roads, which will help with the growth of the Port of Virginia and the economic development of Suffolk. Our investment in the Route 460 Road Improvement Project and Port 460 Logistics Center Development demonstrates our commitment to provide best-in-class infrastructure for Virginians, commerce and prospective business, Governor Youngkin said. Through the power of partnership, were expanding the Ports operations and were accelerating a good growth engine for the Commonwealth. According to Port 460s website, the logistics center will be on an over 500-acre industrial commerce park located along Route 460 and the Route 58 Bypass. The development comes as the recent increase in activity at the Port of Virginia. This is a fantastic project that Im proud to support, Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III said. Providing TPOF finding to improve the connecting transportation network to support economic development and growth is what these funds are intended to do. It supports the continued development of the Port of Virginia, the most efficient container port in North America. As a part of the project, the City of Suffolk is also proposing widening and modernizing a stretch of Route 460, from the Route 58 Bypass to Lake Prince Drive. The total estimated cost of this project is $86.8 million. Continue to check WAVY.com for updates. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Governor declares state of emergency until October in face of monstrous fires ripping through miles of land: 'Growing at a concerning pace' A hot Oregon summer reached a tipping point with multiple wildfires burning last week. Conditions grew so extreme that Oregon Governor Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency that will last until Oct. 1, per a press release from her office. What's happening? "Wildfires are active across Oregon and are growing at a concerning pace. Hot and windy conditions this weekend, including forecasted lightning in some areas, are threatening even larger wildfires," Kotek said in the release. "I am declaring a State of Emergency to access state resources for communities across Oregon as we respond to this year's escalating wildfire season." Oregon's Statesman Journal reported on the crisis, elaborating on the multiple large-scale wildfires that prompted the evacuation warnings and state of emergency. At the time of their reporting, the Cow Valley Fire, the Larch Creek Fire, and the Salt Creek Fire were all burning with a combined area of over 100,000 acres. Other smaller fires had also been cropping up around the state. The state of emergency allows the offices responding to the fires to "utilize personnel and equipment from all state agencies necessary to prevent, fight, and recover from wildfires," the Statesman explained. Two of the three major fires were determined to be human-caused, though no parties had been named. Why is this concerning? The fires are immediately threatening residents, many of whom were given evacuation orders some at Level 1 "be prepared," some at Level 2 "be ready," and some at Level 3 "go now," per the Statesman. Between damage to property and land, as well as resources needed to quell the flames, the costs are extreme. At the time of the reporting, the Larch Creek Fire had already racked up costs of over $6.2 million. Oregon isn't the only place that's been particularly wracked with fires this season. California, British Columbia, New Mexico, and many other places have seen unusually severe fires. Part of the reason for this is that, with the rise of global temperatures, more plant matter such as tall grasses and fallen trees dries up and effectively turns into kindling. Hot winds also carry heat and spread fire more easily. What's being done about this? Other areas in Oregon, which are not currently burning, have issued fire-danger warnings and are urging people to be particularly cautious when making campfires. "I urge all Oregonians to follow the instructions and evacuation levels issued by emergency officials, subscribe to emergency alerts have an evacuation plan, prepare a go-kit, and stay aware of changing conditions," Kotek said in the release. Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Missouri Governor Mike Parson and First Lady Teresa Parson will be traveling abroad from July 22 through July 26. The International Trade Mission will include stops in the United Kingdom, as well as Belgium. The Missouri Governors Office of Communications says that the U.K. and Belgium are at the top of the list of sources for foreign direct investment and are key trade partners for the state of Missouri. The goal of the Trade Mission is to continue building relationships with international figures to promote Missouris capacity for trade. Governor Parson will be meeting with government officials, diplomats and business leaders during the mission. FOX4 Forecast: Fabulous Friday! Trade Missions are the perfect opportunity for us to continue to promote our state as a prime business destination, said Governor Parson. The United Kingdom and Belgium are key trade partners and the home of leading companies already making significant investments in Missouri. We look forward to strengthening existing relationships with businesses while encouraging new partnerships with those considering growing here in the Show-Me-State. $637 million worth of Missouri goods were exported to the U.K. and Belgium in 2023 alone. This shows the crucial importance of international trade and relations in relation to the states economic success. These exported goods mainly include chemicals, machinery, metal products and transportation equipment. 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. The NHS is facing severe disruption to its online booking system - EVETIKD/E+ Cancer patients have had radiotherapy appointments cancelled on Friday morning after a global tech outage hit the NHS. Patients at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation were informed that it was unable to carry out planned radiotherapy treatments because the system it used had been impacted. The hospital has declared a critical incident as it works to fix the issues affecting its services. It is understood other hospitals radiology departments are also affected with scans unable to be read, while appointment booking services and medication prescribing systems are also down. The NHS has already confirmed that GP services have been hit by the issue affecting Microsoft and cyber security firm CrowdStrike. Around 3,700 GP practices are understood to be affected because they use the EMIS Web system about 60 per cent of practices in England. The system is used to book patient appointments and access medical records with patients also unable to view their own records on the NHS app as a result of the outage. Critical incident declared Royal Surrey said it had been forced to declare a critical incident because its system, Varian, that it uses to deliver radiotherapy treatments has been impacted. A spokesman said: This means we are currently unable to deliver our scheduled radiotherapy treatments. We have contacted our patients who were due to have radiotherapy this morning to reschedule appointments while we work to fix these issues. They said they will directly contact patients who are due to have radiotherapy appointments if we are unable to deliver their treatments but urged people to attend unless they hear otherwise. The Christie NHS foundation trust, the largest cancer site in the UK, also said patients undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy are being affected by the outages. The Manchester hospital said all patients should attend appointments unless contacted. Meanwhile, GP appointment booking systems are down following the global tech outage, the NHS has confirmed. Some hospitals are also struggling to access internal systems with appointment booking services and medication prescribing services understood to be affected. Health officials said family doctors were struggling to access systems, with some practices unable to book appointments. The main IT system used by primary care services is understood to have been hit by the problems, which have seen airports, banks and television channels knocked offline. GP surgeries hit by the outage have said the issue will have a big effect. Central Lakes Medical Group in Ambleside wrote on X: https://t.co/7U5tKFzuCn We're impacted by the IT outage. This will have a big effect on us, so apologies in advance for the inconvenience caused, and delays on the phone Central Lakes GP (@centrallakesGP) July 19, 2024 Another post by Pocklington Group Practice in the East Riding of Yorkshire said: Due to ongoing Windows issues affecting IT worldwide, the Practice is currently unable to function as normal. This may result in appointments needing to be cancelled and rearranged. Updates will follow when available. Pocklington Group Practice (@PocklingtonGPs) July 19, 2024 The Wilmslow Health Centre in Cheshire wrote: All practices in the UK using the NHS commissioned GP computer system EMIS are currently without access to their IT systems. This is beyond the control of GP surgeries. Please bear with us until we have our IT systems back online. Wilmslow Health Centre (@WilmslowHealth) July 19, 2024 The surgery added: GP surgeries across the country affected by major IT outage. We anticipate this could last for many hours. Please bear with us during this challenging time. The Church Lane Surgery in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, posted on X that our clinical system has not been working since 7am this morning. We have no access to patient clinical records so are unable to book appointments or provide information This is a national problem and is being worked on as a high priority. Prof Kamila Hawthorne, chairwoman of the Royal College of GPs, said: Our members are telling us that todays outage is causing considerable disruption to GP practice bookings and IT systems practices using EMIS IT systems appear to be particularly affected. Outages like this affect our access to important clinical information about our patients, as well as our ability to book tests, make referrals, and inform the most appropriate treatment plan. GPs and their practice teams will do what they can to minimise the impact on patients, working hard to ensure they still get the care they need wherever possible. We urge all patients to please bear with us and if their issue isnt urgent then to try and wait until the outage has been resolved. One hospital also said patients could expect delays due to its administrative services being affected by the outage. Salisbury District Hospital, in Wiltshire, said: We are suffering some delays at our hospital with our administrative services due to the global IT outage. We ask patients and visitors to please bear with us as we use alternative methods. An NHS source said hospitals would feel the knock-on effect either way if systems they interact with are offline. Patients are also unable to view their own medical records, which are available to view online on the NHS App after the services went down. An NHS England spokesman said of hospital disruption: There are some issues with administrative systems in hospitals that mean staff are having to work manually from paper to manage certain tasks but in the majority of hospitals, care is continuing as normal. NHS cyber attack fallout The global problems have caused many Windows operating systems to shut down. Cyber security engineers examining problems in other sectors have pointed to a problem with Crowdstrike, a piece of antivirus software which appears to cause computers to crash. The health service is still battling the fallout from a cyber attack thought to have been carried out by Russian hackers, which has affected hospitals. More than 7,000 outpatient appointments and over 1,500 elective procedures have been postponed at Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust since the cyber attack on June 3. Health officials said the problems are affecting EMIS Web, the national GP booking system. So far hospitals and 999 services are not thought to have been affected. Solihull Healthcare Partnership in the West Midlands said there is a national issue with EMIS Web. Writing on X, it said: Unfortunately there is a national issue with EMIS Web our clinical computer system. This will affect our ability to book/consult with patients this morning. We will update patients when we can. We apologise for the disruption. Doctors share tips Doctors have been sharing tips online with each other to work around the IT outage affecting the EMIS service. The service impacted is the one that GPs use to access patient medical records. It is thought to be used by more than half of GP surgeries across England. Dr Nikki Kanani, the former NHS director of primary care, said GPs should use a separate system to keep patient notes manually and to upload later, as well as make use other no-networked apps. Tip: Use Tortus if you have it can store all your consults locally and then cut and paste them later, she wrote on X. Others suggested entering business continuity mode and switching off triaging systems. An NHS spokesman said: The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with EMIS, an appointment and patient record system, which is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices. The NHS has long standing measures in place to manage the disruption, including using paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions, and the usual phone systems to contact your GP. There is currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services, so people should use these services as they usually would. Patients should attend appointments unless told otherwise. Only contact your GP if its urgent, and otherwise please use 111 online or call 111. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, urged people to bear with GPs during the disruption. In a post on X, Mr Streeting wrote: This is having a particular impact on GP appointments and electronic prescribing. Please bear with your local GPs if theyre grappling with this on top of normal pressures. My department is working closely with colleagues across Government. Julian Hartley, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospitals, said the outage could result in operations being cancelled. He said the lack of access to GP booking systems also meant A&E departments were likely to be deluged by patients who felt they had nowhere to turn. He told the Telegraph: We are aware obviously of a big impact on primary care. We are also hearing that in some hospitals electronic patient record systems are being affected so that may have led to cancelled operations. Lack of access to GP booking systems is likely to have a knock-on effect with more patients pitching up to A&Es. There are other impacts on some hospitals that we are hearing about - staff allocation software systems that manage rotas have been affected in some areas, which is obviously very difficult, he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. By the grace of Almighty God, Trump cant help but be the same divisive self | Opinion Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan was among those who introduced Donald Trump at Thursday nights Republican National Convention. After tearing off his outer shirt, the Hulkster ended his introduction warning crooked politicians and others: What are you going to do when Donald Trump and all the Trumpamaniancs run wild on you brother? This, after yet another introduction by an ultimate fighting executive and the raucous Kid Rock, set the table for Trumps attempt at humility. He started unusually soft-spoken after surviving the bullet of an assassin just days before. Trump sought to claim the mantle as the candidate who is truly trying to save American democracy with some help from above. I stand before you in this arena, said Trump, only by the grace of Almighty God. Clearly grateful to be alive, Trump ever so briefly offered an olive branch to a divided nation. We rise together or we fall apart. he said. I am running for president for all of America, not half of America. Opinion This was not the fiery speech Trump had planned to deliver. He mentioned Joe Biden perhaps twice, almost by accident and off script. It all seemed to work for a while, this warm and fuzzy Trump, never mind those introductions by various warriors. But then, the old Trump that we have grown to either love or hate came roaring back. He offended Americans who care about climate change. He mocked supporters of Ukraine. He defended lowering taxes for the rich. And as he did, Trump began to lose one curious living room after another. This night in Milwaukee turned out to be no pivot to a different Trump or message. In this historic election, this night merely proved to be a somewhat muted lull in the storm. It was a night for Republicans to understandably celebrate with an energized base after Trumps fact-challenged debate over an aging Biden who proved no match. The tide has turned in Trumps favor. But tides have a way of changing by the day. And nobody knows what comes next. A governor named Pete Wilson, reeling from a first term plagued by natural disasters and economic strife, sought a second term by demonizing undocumented immigrants as a financial drain on California. That message struck a nerve in a 1994 California that was rattled by a historic influx of immigrants, mostly from Mexico. Wilson won a second term and set back the state years by pandering so pathetically to anger. Mid-speech, Trump had worked himself into full spittle as he attacked todays immigrants. This has been part of the Republican playbook before Wilson and Trump rode this hatred to the White House in 2016. They are taking our jobs from our Black population and our Hispanic population and our unions, Trump said. Now with the help of God, Trump is going after votes in battleground states in the crassest manner imaginable. Putting aside the fact that there is no proof that Americans are lining up to pick fruit for piecemeal wages in 100-degree heat, this is not how to unite a country. But that was never what Thursday night in Milwaukee was about. Donald Trump now monopolizes Americas political stage. Biden is holed up in Delaware with his third bout of COVID as more influential Democrats urge him to stop his second bid to beat Trump and maintain the presidency. Trump deserved the undivided attention of the country on this night to see if something new or promising was on the horizon. Instead, as Trump was leading to the crescendo of his originally touching speech, all that could come to his mind was one of the most unspeakable villains in cinematic history, the murderous Hannibal Lecter played by Anthony Hopkins in the 1991 thriller/horror The Silence of the Lambs. It was Trumps way to transition into a discussion about immigration. There is a big part of our country that eats this up. There is another big part of our country that does not and finds it beyond unpresidential. Thursdays speech, in the end, changed nothing. Unity and reconciliation, in the world of Trump, is clearly for sissies. We remain divided more than ever. NCC has signed a partnering agreement with the Liseberg amusement park to oversee the reconstruction of Oceana Water World in Gothenburg, Sweden. The water destination suffered damage due to a fire earlier this year. As investigations into the fire's cause continue, with results anticipated in early 2025, Liseberg has taken steps to bridge finance the project until compensation conditions are clear. Demolition and remediation efforts have been underway since March 2024, led by NCC, to mitigate further damage to the sections of Oceana that remain intact. These efforts are set to carry on through mid-2024, with preliminary completion expected in 2026. Liseberg CEO Andreas Andersen said: With an agreement in place between NCC and Liseberg, we are jointly working towards the reconstruction of Oceana. The water park is preliminarily expected to be completed in 2026, which we are very much looking forward to. In 2020, the two signed a contract for the construction of the water park. The latest contract between NCC and Liseberg, an addition to their existing agreement, is structured into two phases. The initial phase, which starts immediately, includes the design, planning, and preliminary site works necessary before reconstruction can commence. The subsequent phase, which involves the detailed design and actual construction work, will be initiated once Liseberg commissions the second phase. The financial details of this phase will be recorded at that stage. NCC Building Sweden head Niklas Sparw said: NCC and Liseberg have maintained a close dialogue since the fire and this is an important step in moving closer to completing the project that we initiated together. There will now follow a number of months when we will jointly plan and design the reconstruction of Oceana. Earlier this month, NCC, in collaboration with fsbHJEMx, through a partnership agreement, secured a refurbishment project for 259 rental units in the Dommerparken area of Denmark. "NCC partners with Liseberg for Oceana Water World reconstruction in Sweden " was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Green Bay man sentenced to 20 years in prison for dealing fentanyl to teen girl who died of overdose GREEN BAY A 36-year-old Green Bay man was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl pills, one of which killed a 17-year-old girl, in the Green Bay area in 2023. Roosevelt Taylor pleaded guilty in March to knowingly distributing a substance containing fentanyl, resulting in the death of a person. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Taylor distributed counterfeit Percocet "M30" pills in the Green Bay area "for at least several weeks" in 2023. Court records say he dealt the drugs between May 30 and June 21 of that year. Taylor described himself as a "middler," who helped connect buyers with a larger drug distributer, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He purchased the pills he sold to the 17-year-old girl from another Green Bay man, who was sentenced to federal prison in April. The counterfeit pills contained fentanyl, a synthetic opiate of which just 2 milligrams can kill a person, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. According to the DEA's website, seven out of every 10 pills seized by the DEA contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. In 2023, the DEA seized 79.5 million fentanyl pills. What happened? The following information is from court records: In the early morning hours of June 4, 2023, Taylor and the 17-year-old girl messaged on Facebook to arrange a drug buy. Taylor then messaged his supplier, 32-year-old Keenan Denruyter, to purchase 30 pills for $125 12 of which he would sell to the teen for the same price. After the deal was agreed upon, Taylor picked up the teen on Green Bay's west side and drove her to Denruyter's home on the east side of the city. There, Taylor received the pills from Denruyter, and sold 12 of them to the girl. Taylor then dropped the girl off at a nearby residence on Harvey Street, where she went alone into the basement, used the fentanyl pills and died. Officers from the Green Bay Police Department located drug paraphernalia near the teen's body, including a rolled-up dollar bill and tin foil with burn marks. The Brown County Medical Examiner, Dr. Elizabeth A. Douglas, determined the teen died of fentanyl toxicity. At the time of the girl's death, Taylor was on extended supervision for previous convictions of robbery, burglary and delivering heroin, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. What were the sentencing arguments? Taylor's defense attorney requested the 20-year prison sentence the federal mandatory minimum for fentanyl trafficking offenses resulting in death. Prosecutors asked for a higher sentence, of 25 years in prison, court records say. At Taylor's sentencing hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge William C. Griesbach said trafficking fentanyl is equivalent to giving out "poison," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. How much time will Taylor be under court supervision? Griesbach sentenced Taylor to 15 years of supervised release following his time in prison. RELATED: Green Bay man gets 25 years in prison for selling fentanyl-laced pills that led to overdose deaths of 2 teens Who else was sentenced to prison for the drug deals? Denruyter, the man who Taylor obtained the fentanyl pills from, pleaded guilty in January to distributing fentanyl resulting in death, possessing fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm and ammunition while convicted of a felony. Denruyter was involved in another drug deal that also resulted in a death. On July 13, 2023, he sold pills to an 18-year-old Green Bay woman who died the following day. In April, he was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. For the 17-year-old girl's death, Taylor and Denruyter owe a restitution payment totaling $2,425, court records say. Contact Kelli Arseneau at 920-213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @ArseneauKelli. This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Green Bay man sentenced to prison for dealing fentanyl to teen who died (WFRV) A 36-year-old Green Bay man was sentenced to prison after he pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl to a teenager that resulted in death. According to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Roosevelt T. Taylor will spend the next 20 years behind bars for the crime. Manhunt for Oconto County man charged with child sexual assault ends, spotted by Texas citizen Court records show that for the last several weeks in 2023, Taylor repeatedly distributed fake Percocet M30 pills containing fentanyl in the Green Bay area. Taylor described himself as a middler who connected customers to a large drug distributor. In that role, the release says Taylor became responsible for putting hundreds of fake Percocet pills into circulation, not knowing who would ultimately ingest the potentially lethal dose of fentanyl found in about 70% of such pills. During one fentanyl-trafficking offense, Taylor supplied M30 pills to a 17-year-old girl, who used them and died of fentanyl toxicity. At the time, Taylor had a lengthy criminal history, including prior jail and prison sentences, and was on supervision in three separate felony cases for robbery, burglary, and delivery of heroin. At Taylors sentencing, Judge William Griesbach emphasized that trafficking fentanyl is distributing poison. The judge considered nationwide data that seven in ten counterfeit pills tested at DEA Crime Labs contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, that fentanyl is the leading cause of death for 18-to 45-year-olds, and that synthetic opiates like fentanyl cause over 73,000 deaths annually. According to the DEA, illicit fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing the United States. It is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose. Outagamie County reports global technology outage affecting county departments, airport The release says that the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel in Mexico, using chemicals sourced mainly from China, are primarily responsible for most of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in communities across the United States. No additional details were provided. 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. The tiniest of problems occurred shortly after I woke up: When I opened up the Starbucks app, a pop-up informed me that mobile ordering was down. Then another: A sign at my subway stop said that train arrival information is inaccurate, referring to those screens that show that the next N is 2 minutes, or whatever, away. One co-worker lamented that he could not sign into Pokemon Go; another reported troubles with her banking app. In contrast, when I went to buy my lunch at Sweetgreen, I experienced the shortest wait time of my life, possibly because of less mobile-order congestion. The world is, as I write, in the aftermath of a widespread tech meltdown. 911 lines were down. Surgeries were delayed. Where people once relied on screens, they now turned to whiteboards. Flights were canceled. Weve been hearing all about the messes at the airports, Today Show host Hoda Kotb said in a morning broadcast. The mess had come for NBC, too, she revealed. We had those blue screens everywhere. On the air, George Kurtz, the CEO of CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm, explained to Kotb that the issue had been resolved but things were still recovering. The firms software is in global use. The system was sent an update, said Kurtz on the Today Show, and that update had a software bug in it. A little bug interrupted everything from lifesaving help to cups of coffee, shifting the fabric of the world around us. I dont think its too dramatic to put it like that. It felt reminiscent of a time that many of us had been warned aboutthe first moments of the new millennium. It is as though the Y2K apocalypse has finally arrived, 24 and a half years later than expected, Matteo Wong at the Atlantic wrote, noting that todays issue was likely the largest IT failure in history. For the zoomers: Before Y2K referred to a renewed interest in trucker hats and low-rise jeans, it was what we called the supposedly impending meltdown of software systems around the world. (The abbreviation was first typed out in 1995 in an Internet discussion group of computer geeks exploring the millennium bug long before most people were surfing the World Wide Web, Slate reported at the time.) The computers were on course to interpret 00 as 1900. Wired dubbed 1998 The Year We Noticed Y2K, observing that every technology reporter seemed to be handing in the same assignment: a Y2K survivalist story, complete with lurid descriptions of 500-gallon propane tanks and gleaming Bushmaster AR-15 battle rifles. (The magazine noted that there was the issue of the bug itself, and then the twin issue of the panic.) In just the U.S., some $100 billion (in 1999 dollars!) was spent to fix things. In hindsight, its all too easy for it to seem kind of ridiculous. It appears today thatjust as in 2000the world did not end. CrowdStrikes CEO told Kotb that, for many customers of the companys software, good old rebooting would do the trick. It feels, on the ground, like Y2K lite. But it is hard to know what the full ramifications of today will be, given that they involved medical and travel services. Surely there are a lot of people who are having very complex days, at best. The New York Times, keeping track of the ongoing consequences in a live blog, calls today a stunning example of the global economys fragile dependence on certain software, and the cascading effect it can have when things go wrong. What will it feel like if and when things really do collapse? Will stockpiled food come in handy, or will it be a series of issues that are merely annoying, and then suddenly, for some people, life-threatening? This is an incredibly powerful illustration of our global digital vulnerabilities and the fragility of core internet infrastructure, Ciaran Martin, the former head of the U.K.s National Cyber Security Center, told Wired on Friday morning. Perhaps its also a warning. This growing Nashville suburb could soon get a new emergency room to serve patients needs Depending on the time of day and traffic, residents of the fast-growing Nashville suburb White House currently drive between 20 to 30 minutes to get to the nearest emergency room, but that could soon change. Tristar Hendersonville Medical Center announced Wednesday that it intends to build a new, freestanding emergency room in White House to "enhance health care access and critical emergency services" in an area where population increased over 23% in the last four years. Since 2000, White House's population doubled from about 7,200 to 16,100 people. Before the HCA Healthcare-operated hospital can officially start the project, the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission must grant TriStar a certificate of need, affirming that a freestanding emergency room is necessary in White House, which is about 20 miles north of Nashville. A rendering shows the proposed TriStar White House freestanding emergency room. The state's certificate-of-need process exists to regulate the growth of health care providers in Tennessee. Since 1973, certificate-of-need laws have been in place in Tennessee, but earlier this year, Gov. Bill Lee signed into law a bill removing the requirement for hospitals to obtain certificates of need prior to implementing freestanding emergency rooms that meet certain qualifications. However, the law will not go into effect until 2025. We are proud to be the hospital of choice for the residents of White House and surrounding communities, and we look forward to bringing our care closer to home, TriStar Hendersonville CEO Justin Coury said in a statement. This new freestanding emergency room will ensure that residents can access high-quality emergency care much faster which can save lives. The proposed freestanding ER in White House includes 11 exam rooms, a trauma room, an imaging department and a nursing station. Should the hospital system get approval from the state to build the ER, it will be equipped to treat emergencies like heart attacks, strokes and broken bones. Still, patients who require surgery or other more serious medical attention would need to be relocated to a full-size hospital. Hadley Hitson covers trending business, dining and health care for The Tennessean. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to The Tennessean. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville suburb White House to soon get new, freestanding ER GUILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) The owner of a Guilford business pled guilty to tax charges on Thursday. Man arrested in Meriden after search of property with violent past Michelle Ann Gilson, 38, co-owned and co-operated B&M Package Solutions, Inc. and formerly owned and operated Epic Empirez, Inc.. In court, Gilson admitted she did not pay the withheld employee taxes as well as the employers share of FICA taxes for multiple quarters from 2017 to 2022. As a result, Gilson has agreed to pay approximately $1,407,831 in restitution to the IRS. She faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years for her crimes and is set to be sentenced in October. 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 WTNH.com. Gwinnett men tied to phishing scheme linked to more than $440,000 in stolen funds A nationwide email scheme that targeted businesses across the country by using phishing emails to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars has been tied to two Gwinnett County men, according to police. The Gwinnett County District Attorneys Office secured an 18-count indictment against Winston Dougan and Mikhail Keize on Wednesday after a lengthy 2-year investigation into the two men. In October 2022, police say Dougan attempted to cash a fake check with fake identification at a bank near Lawrenceville. Police were called and arrested Dougan, and then later arrested Keize. Over the course of the lengthy investigation, and with the help of Dougans cell phone seized during his arrest, police were able to link more than $440,000 in stolen dollars to the two men. Eight victims across six states were targeted in 2022 with phishing emails that appeared as if they were from financial institutions requesting sensitive information, according to police. TRENDING STORIES: When the victim clicks on the link and provides that information, their email now becomes compromised and their banking becomes compromised, Cpl. Juan Madiedo said. In August 2022, Richard Baron was at a Ventura County, California bank when he received a notification that someone was trying to cash a check in his name from a bank in Georgia. We couldnt figure out why and how, he said. Baron said because he was already at a bank location, he was able to stop the transaction and report it to local authorities who eventually collaborated with Gwinnett County Police. We didnt lose the money, but we did get to assist and prosecute, he said. Investigators believe Dougan and Keize are part of a larger operation targeting businesses through fraudulent emails. Despite the prevalence of phishing scams, its not always possible for authorities to track down whos behind them. These breaks dont typically happen, Madiedo said. Thats why we need the public to please exercise caution when opening email and transferring money. A judge granted bond for both suspects last year and they remain out on bond until trial. IN OTHER NEWS: The New Hampshire 911 server system has been fully restored and emergency calls to 911 are being processed normally as news of a widespread technology outage broke Friday morning. The exact cause of this mornings interruption remains under investigation and state officials are aware of information technology outages reported nationwide, the state Division of Emergency Services said in a statement around 6 a.m. Friday. The Division will continue to monitor operations and has backup systems on standby, state officials said. Residents and visitors are reminded to only call or text 911 if experiencing an emergency. Just after 1 a.m. on Friday, New Hampshire 911 telecommunicators reported that they could see incoming 911 calls on their computer systems, but they were unable to answer those calls. Calls that were initially unable to be answered by telecommunicators were quickly returned to ensure 911 callers received the help they needed, officials said. Backup processes were immediately implemented. As of 3:30 a.m., calls and texts to 911 were being received normally on the New Hampshire 911 backup system, which remains fully operational. As a reminder, 911 should only be dialed in the event of an emergency, and residents and visitors are asked not to make test calls, state officials said. A global technology outage grounded flights, knocked banks and hospital systems offline and media outlets off air on Friday in a massive disruption that affected companies and services around the world, The Associated Press reported. 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 A branch of the Lancang River, Qinghai province, July 17, 2024. [Photo by Xu Xiaoxuan/China.org.cn] "This joint survey on the source of the Lancang River aims to help the five Mekong countries better understand the development and ecological conservation efforts China has made along the river. After all, seeing is believing," noted Cheng Dongsheng, director of the Training and Information Department of the Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Center, during the joint survey by the six Lancang-Mekong countries which began Monday in northwestern China's Qinghai province. The Mekong River, known as the Lancang River in China, is a vital waterway flowing through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The six countries launched the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation mechanism in 2016, and the Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Center was established in 2017 under this framework. "The Lancang-Mekong River Basin is among the regions most significantly impacted by climate change, and is frequently threatened by both droughts and floods, which substantially affect the lives and economic development of local residents," Cheng told China.org.cn in an exclusive interview. "Therefore, comprehensive flood and drought control cooperation across the entire basin is vital." However, some misunderstandings persist in the Mekong countries, influenced by certain Western media narratives regarding China's activities along the Lancang River. Some reports claim that dams built by China affect navigation and water quality, and cause droughts. For instance, the Mekong Dam Monitor platform led by U.S. think tank the Stimson Center released inaccurate hydrological data regarding the Mekong Basin, creating a misleading "water narrative war." In reality, the hydropower stations operating on the Lancang River do not consume water, but instead scientifically regulate river runoff. Cheng explained that these hydropower stations store water to reduce discharge during the flood season and then increase discharge during the dry season. This regulation raises water levels in the Mekong River during the dry season and alleviates flood control pressure during the flood season, thereby improving the livelihoods of people in the region. "For example, under natural conditions, the water flow downstream during the dry season could be as low as 300-400 cubic meters per second, but with the regulation of water facilities, the flow can reach 1,500 cubic meters per second," Cheng said. Lancang-Mekong water resources cooperation has yielded significant results beyond flood and drought control. Since 2017, the Chinese government has helped implement over 50 livelihood demonstration projects for the Mekong countries, encompassing rural water supply safety, small basin comprehensive management, dam safety monitoring, and personnel training. These projects have delivered tangible benefits to residents. For instance, the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Project, funded by the Chinese government, has built more than 60 rural water supply safety demonstration sites in Mekong countries, ensuring safe drinking water for more than 10,000 locals. This project was included in the list of practical cooperation deliverables during the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2023. Lancang-Mekong hydropower cooperation has also enhanced people's well-being. "The economic and social development of the Lancang-Mekong countries requires substantial energy. Countries such as Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia face energy shortages to some extent," Cheng said, adding that hydropower development can greatly alleviate these shortages. Cheng emphasized the importance of balancing water resources development with ecological conservation. Qinghai is home to the Sanjiangyuan area, which is the source of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers. Since the Sanjiangyuan National Park was established in 2021, 1,950,000 mu (13,000 hectares) of degraded grassland has been restored, and 110,000 mu of land has undergone desertification control. The Tibetan antelope population has grown from less than 20,000 to over 70,000 . Additionally, the six Lancang-Mekong countries are jointly enhancing the Lancang-Mekong Water Resources Cooperation Information Sharing Platform. Since 2002, the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources has regularly provided the Mekong River Commission Secretariat with hydrological data for the Lancang-Mekong River during the flood season. Since November 2020, it has also been providing year-round hydrological information. The evaluation on the implementation of the five-year action plan on Lancang-Mekong water resources cooperation (2018-2022) was released last year, which was highly commended by the six Lancang-Mekong countries. These countries agreed that collaboration and mutual benefit, openness and inclusiveness, and balanced development and conservation are of great importance. Looking ahead, water resources cooperation in the Lancang-Mekong region will continue under the framework of the new five-year action plan (2023-2027), focusing on water resources protection and green development, climate change response, water infrastructure development, rural water supply and livelihood improvement, energy security, and cross-border river information sharing. "Lancang-Mekong water resources cooperation is a win-win endeavor, and each country plays an indispensable role," Cheng concluded. The Netherlands-based semiconductor gear manufacturing startup Nearfield Instruments has successfully concluded a 135m ($147m) Series-C funding round. The company plans to utilise this investment to expand its product portfolio as well increase production capacity. The funding round, which was oversubscribed, attracted major investors including American venture capital company Walden Catalyst and Singaporean investment company Temasek. Asset manager M&G Investments also participated in the funding round as a co-investor through its Catalyst strategy. The round also saw participation from current investors Invest-NL, Innovation Industries, and ING. Established in 2016 as a spin-off from the Netherlands research institute TNO, Nearfield has been at the forefront of addressing metrology and inspection challenges in the semiconductor industry. The company's nanometrology solutions are designed for advanced 3D memory and logic devices, offering in-line, non-destructive process control. Nearfield said its QUADRA 3D metrology system provides high-throughput, non-destructive, and high-resolution metrology capabilities. This system is already validated and in use for high-volume manufacturing by some of the major chip manufacturers. With a workforce of 170 employees and offices in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, and Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Nearfield is strategically positioned to serve prominent customers, such as Samsung Electronics. Nearfield Instruments co-founder and CEO Dr Hamed Sadeghian said: We are thrilled that Nearfields QUADRA 3D metrology system has been fully integrated into the first major high-volume semiconductor manufacturing fab. This milestone solidifies our pioneering role in advancing critical metrology for leading-edge nodes. With significant contributions from investment leaders, we are well positioned to meet the growing demand for Metrology and Inspection in the coming decade. This funding will enable us to ramp up production capacity, expand our product portfolio, and strengthen our position as a key player in the semiconductor equipment industry. The company's growth is anticipated to contribute significantly to the Netherlands semiconductor manufacturing industry's projected global revenue of $1trn by 2029. "Nearfield Instruments secures 135m funding " was originally created and published by Verdict, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. HAMPTON Financial support for violence interruption groups, mentorship programs, and a focus on root causes of violence are among the solutions local leaders said theyve used to reduce gun violence in Hampton Roads. U.S. Sen. Mark Warner met with local elected officials, first responders and activists at a community center Friday to discuss solutions to the deadly problem, which he called a cancer. He noted 76 homicides in the region so far in 2024. The region reported 205 killings last year 189 of them by gun. Hampton Commonwealths Attorney Anton Bell said a few years ago, the citys crime rate was pretty high and that the city developed a strategic plan to reduce gun violence by addressing root causes. We first discovered that the crime that was taking place, for the most part, were committed by a limited number of actors, Bell said. And the crime took place in pockets within our city. And as a result of that, we addressed the root issues that created criminality, such as poverty, such as things that go on in the home, the type of issues that are not spoken of. He said if these root causes are not addressed in the home, violence will erupt in the streets. Bell said Hampton has seen a 71% decrease in homicides over the past year and that shootings have gone down 56% over the last five years. Latiesha Handie, the executive director for Hamptons Office of Youth and Young Adult Opportunities, shared the success of the citys Hopeful Hampton initiative which aims to reduce gun violence among teens and young adults by pairing them with mentors. She spoke of one young man, a former gang member who managed to turn his life around after he received help in unaddressed trauma, conflict resolution and mental health support. Related Articles Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones said the city has invested about $5 million in 36 violence-interrupting organizations over the past three years. Jones said his goal is to reduce gun violence by 15% annually. To accomplish that, the city will continue to invest in programs and individuals doing the work to prevent gun violence and soon launch a new office whose main purpose is to prevent gun violence. Various speakers highlighted the need for sustained financial commitment toward gun violence prevention groups and nonprofits, stricter gun control laws, mental health resources, and investments in youth and local nonprofits. Warner used the roundtable as an opportunity to highlight his Virginia Plan to Reduce Gun Violence, which would enact several of Virginias gun safety laws at the federal level. He also condemned political violence following last weeks assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. This is the worst failure from Secret Service, probably since the attempted assassination of President Reagan, Warner said after the roundtable. Warner said the situation may again be a case of someone having access to a weapon of war that had mental health issues. Warner, who has supported the banning of assault weapons, also said that if the shooter had a knife instead of an AR-15, the near-assassination wouldnt have happened. How much more of this kind of violence do we have to see before we say This doesnt happen in other nations, and it shouldnt in America, Warner said. Josh Janney, joshua.janney@virginiamedia.com What will to happen to the Siegfried and Roy statue now that the Mirage is closed? LAS VEGAS (KLAS) As the Mirage closed its doors for the final time earlier in the week, many locals and tourists alike may be wondering what is going to happen to some of the iconic statues and signs from the property. Hard Rock International announced Friday it would be donating several artifacts, including the Siegfried and Roy tiger statue, from the Mirage Hotel and Casino to the Neon Museum. According to a release by the company, pieces of the iconic Strip property will live on within the Neon Museum, a Las Vegas non-profit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs. RELATED: Neon Museum announces relocation, expansion plans in Las Vegas Arts District Hard Rock is very pleased to contribute The Mirage artifacts to The Neon Museum, Joe Lupo, President of Mirage Hotel and Casino, said. This iconic property that transformed the Las Vegas Strip can be remembered forever and we appreciate them preserving one of our citys greatest treasures. Working with the PENTA Building Group, the general contractor currently slated for most of the demolition of The Mirage and the construction of the new Hard Rock International Hotel & Casino, and the PENTA CARES Foundation, three artifacts from the property will be taken to the museum. Sculpture of Siegfried & Roy with a giant white tiger at The Mirage (The Neon Museum) The Mirage hotel entrance arch sign, which has welcomed guests in from Las Vegas Boulevard for the past 34 years. (The Neon Museum) Mirage neon sign that sat in The Mirages Volcano Lagoon (The Neon Museum) The Neon Museum will receive the following artifacts: A 17-foot-tall sculpture of Siegfried & Roy with a giant white tiger, which was dedicated on October 27, 1993 from then-owner and hotel founder Steve Wynn. The 30-foot-tall Mirage hotel entrance arch sign, which has welcomed guests in from Las Vegas Boulevard for the past 34 years. The 27-foot-long Mirage neon sign that sat in The Mirages Volcano Lagoon. The Volcano entertained visitors four times nightly while the volcano blasted fire, smoke, water and light. The release stated additional statues and pieces will be donated to the museum after the propertys public art auction in September. Hard Rock International bought The Mirage, which first opened its doors on Nov. 22, 1989, from MGM Resorts International for $1.075 billion, a deal announced in late 2021 that received final approval in December 2022. The company has intentions to reimagine the hotel, including the construction of a nearly 700-foot tall guitar-shaped guest room tower where the current volcano and lagoon stand, by mid to late 2027, according to Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen. RELATED: Why is The Mirage closing its doors? The new resort already achieved another milestone. The Florida-based Seminole Tribe owns Hard Rock International making it the first Native American-owned casino on the Las Vegas Strip. According to Aaron Berger, the Executive Director of The Neon Museum, museum staff first met with Hard Rock leadership to discuss preservation of the pieces in July 2023. Due to the generosity and collaborative spirit of Hard Rock and PENTA & PENTA CARES, these tremendous artifacts representing The Mirage and Siegfried & Roy will be protected and live on in the Museums collection, Berger said. Future generations will be able to learn about the oasis in the desert and how it changed hospitality design in Las Vegas and the world. 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. There was a summer kitchen, a single bedroom, and a little hallway and behind the wall lived the pigs and goats, said Maryna Baliasnykova, an internally displaced Ukrainian. She described the accommodation her family was given by local authorities in western Ukraine after evacuation. Baliasnykova, her husband, and their two children, aged six and three, fled Bakhmut, an eastern Ukrainian city devastated by fighting and now occupied by Russian troops, in May 2022. Since then, they have changed three temporary homes across Ukraine due to poor living conditions and other issues, eventually settling in a house in Kyiv Oblast gifted to them by the non-governmental organization Base UA. There are currently nearly 5 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ukraine, 3.6 million of whom left their homes during Russias full-scale war, according to the Social Policy Ministry, and others during the initial Russian invasion that started in 2014. Many, like Baliasnykova, depend on nongovernmental organizations for essential assistance, which the state often cannot provide promptly due to resource limitations or bureaucracy. A girl sitting near bags and waiting for the bus in Lviv, Ukraine, on Aug. 23, 2022. (Katya Moskalyuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images) Experts told the Kyiv Independent that the most critical issues for IDPs include the lack of proper and affordable housing, financial instability, difficulties in finding employment, and deteriorating mental health. Due to the insufficient support, some IDPs eventually return to their front-line or even occupied settlements, again facing the direct threats of the war. They also often share their post-evacuation hardships with relatives and friends still in dangerous areas, influencing their decisions about whether to evacuate. This issue has become especially pertinent in recent months as Russia has been advancing in the east, forcing more people to flee their homes. Moscow will likely continue pushing across the front lines, setting the stage for further internal and external migration. Accommodation Temporary accommodation for evacuees is provided by local authorities, NGOs, and volunteers in host communities. IDPs are mostly placed in dormitories, renovated educational or medical facilities, unused houses, or modular towns. Living conditions vary significantly from region to region, as unified standards for temporary accommodation were only approved by the government in September 2023, the East-SOS NGO told the Kyiv Independent. It has been evacuating residents from front-line areas since 2014, when Russia first invaded seizing the Crimean Peninsula and starting a war in the eastern Donbas region. In a comment for the Kyiv Independent, the Reintegration Ministry said that as of late April living conditions in 38.6% of places of temporary residence for IDPs were brought in line with the requirements. The process will continue until the end of the year, the ministry added. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty wrote, citing data from the Reintegration Ministry, that as of early 2024, the state had provided housing for 54,610 internally displaced persons, while 22,474 places were vacant. According to the Reintegration Ministry, the gap between the number of IDPs and the provided accommodation could be explained by the fact that not all IDPs seek state support in housing and the number includes only temporary accommodation, which is just one of several instruments of state assistance to IDPs. Most of the vacant places are in small settlements, explained Viktoriia Zolotukhina, executive director of the NGO Group of Influence, which monitors human rights violations and helps develop state policy on IDPs. Many IDPs are reluctant to move to these areas due to the lack of jobs and social infrastructure, she said. "This includes kindergartens, schools, medical facilities, pharmacies Providing a person with just a bed is not enough. Temporary placement often lasts months or even years, and without proper infrastructure, it's simply wrong to place people in such areas," Zolotukhina added. Many IDPs stay in temporary accommodation for extended periods partly due to a severe shortage of permanent housing, according to Oleksandra Sakharuk, co-founder of the Ne Sami (Not Alone in Ukrainian) NGO, which assists people from front-line settlements with evacuation and resettlement. "If we are doing mandatory evacuation, we as a society must create housing for them. It is crucial that this housing be permanent to avoid retraumatizing people (by making them move again) and to help them feel that it's their own space," she told the Kyiv Independent. "In addition to being permanent, the accommodation must be of good quality, which we are seriously lacking right now." Baliasnykova, whose family now enjoys having a whole house to themselves, said, "It's much easier to adapt when you are not in someone else's house when you realize that no one will kick you out, no one will bother you." People seen at a gym converted for accommodation for refugees due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Lviv, Ukraine on March 20, 2022. (Mykola Tys/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Forcedly displaced children from Melitopol, who lost their homes due to the Russian invasion, attend a bag-making workshop as they visit the house of St. Nicholas at the Klymentii Sheptytsky Museum of Folk Architecture and Life, in Lviv, Ukraine, on Dec. 5, 2023. (Olena Znak/Anadolu via Getty Images) The Ukrainian government is still developing a state-level strategy to build more permanent housing for IDPs, according to Zolotukhina. Local authorities have been implementing such projects, often funded by international donors, on their initiative. But, she added, there is no communication between communities to share and scale best practices. These issues force many IDPs to rent housing, which consumes a large portion of their income. Some landlords are hesitant to rent to IDPs, fearing they might return home soon or be unable to pay consistently. To improve the housing situation, the government is compensating utility payments for landlords who host IDPs for free and developing a mechanism of housing rental subsidies so that IDPs pay no more than 20-30% of their family income for rent. Jobs and financial stability The issues of housing and employment are closely linked, said Zolotukhina. Financial stability allows a person to maintain a certain standard of living, including housing. On the other hand, without housing, its difficult for them to find a job because basic needs must be met first. We see this dilemma when an IDP has to choose between living in a village or small town where housing is free or cheap, but there are no job opportunities, and moving to larger cities with more vacancies but higher housing costs, she added. Another challenge arises when individuals from industrial regions like Donbas or agricultural areas like Kherson Oblast move to places with different economic focuses, rendering their skills less relevant. The government is providing tax reimbursements for employers who hire IDPs and the State Employment Service offers free retraining courses for those seeking new qualifications. However, these efforts are insufficient to significantly increase employment levels among IDPs, according to Zolotukhina. The Ministry of Social Policy said in January that only 40% of working-age IDPs were employed. To encourage job-seeking, the ministry limited the number of people eligible for social support payments starting March 1. Internally displaced people walk in a modular housing complex donated by the Polish government as humanitarian aid for the temporary accommodation of evacuees in Lviv, Ukraine on Feb. 9, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP via Getty Images) Previously, each adult IDP received Hr 2,000 (around $50) monthly, and each child received Hr 3,000 ($75) from the state. Over half of the IDPs surveyed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Ukraine in November-December 2023 reported a lack of funds and financial support. Living on our pension is impossible. Even with IDP payments, its still not enough, said Nina Krasovska, a retired woman who fled Velyki Prokhody village in Kharkiv Oblast during the latest Russian offensive with her husband and daughter, who has a disability. Medical assistance is not available to us. Its difficult to buy food, especially meat. The child (her granddaughter) is growing up and needs new clothes, added Krasovska, whose family now resides in the city of Kharkiv. The Reintegration Ministry said that it was developing a separate strategy to increase employment levels among IDPs that should be approved by the end of the year. Mental health An equally major challenge for integrating IDPs into host communities is their deteriorated psychological state after enduring constant bombardment, Russian occupation, and the loss of loved ones and homes. "We often hear from humanitarian organizations and authorities that some IDPs do not want to work and adapt; they just want to receive social payments Yes, there is a certain percentage of such people, as in any other country, but often a person's reluctance to work is confused with the fact that they are under stress," said Zolotukhina. "Some can experience this stress for a month, others for years. Not understanding this, people often mistake it for laziness or unwillingness (to work)." The World Health Organization (WHO) expects that about 9.6 million people in Ukraine "may have a mental health condition" due to the impact of Russia's war. Almost 30% of IDPs in partially occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast identified psychological support as their most urgent need, according to the IOM Ukraine report. The government implements regional programs of socio-psychological assistance while many Ukrainian and international NGOs also provide psychological support to IDPs, but the country's mental health system struggles to meet the increasing demand amid shortages of qualified personnel. Xenia (who did not want to provide her last name) comforts her baby Alexander while they rest at a temporary refugee center set up at the main train station in Lviv, Ukraine, on March 31, 2022. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) "We are all mentally ill," said Krasovska, whose village was heavily impacted by Russian glide bomb attacks, destroying her family home. "These air bombs scared me a lot. Everything turns into crumbs. The earth is burning." Krasovskas daughter, with a disability, developed a chronic cough because of the extreme stress. Despite having sleepless nights due to almost daily Russian air strikes on Kharkiv, Krasovska said she doesnt want to leave the city for safer parts of Ukraine because she would rather stay closer to home and her other daughter, who lives in Kharkiv. This is Krasovskas second displacement. In the early days of the full-scale war, her village was temporarily occupied, and her family had to evacuate through Russia. She returned to Velyki Prokhody then and hopes to return again. However, Krasovska fears she will not have the strength to rebuild her house yet another time. "Every day begins with checking Telegram (news channels) to see if the shelling has ended (in her village), if our troops have gone on the offensive, she said. This is no life." Note from the author: This is Dinara Khalilova, I wrote this piece for you. The displacement of millions of Ukrainians is a horrible consequence of Russias war. But, unfortunately, it is only one of many aspects of the full-scale invasion that will be affecting Ukrainian society for years to come. We aim to provide you with a bigger picture, but for that, we need your support. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. MANDEL NGAN/Getty Images What happens now that Joe Biden has officially dropped out of the presidential race? Is Kamala Harris poised to be our first woman president? Heres what we know. Top Democrats have been calling on President Joe Biden, 81, to step down as the Democratic nominee for president following his disastrous performance in the first presidential debate on June 27. Some of these Democrats (Maryland representative Jamie Raskin, California representative Adam Schiff) have done so publicly. Others (Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Barack Obama) reportedly did so in private. On July 21, they got their wish. In a statement posted to X.com, Biden announced that he is officially taking himself out of the presidential race. It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President, and while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term, Biden told the American people, in part. He followed up his post by offering his full support to Vice President Kamala Harris, telling democrats its time to come together and beat Trump. However, just because Harris is Bidens top choice for the democratic presidential nominee, its not a done deal. Heres what you need to know. What happens at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) now that Joe Biden has dropped out? Though he is the incumbent, Joe Biden was not technically the Democratic nominee for president. He was supposed to be confirmed by the delegates at the Democratic Convention, which is scheduled to begin on August 19 in Chicago. (Fun fact: The last time Chicago hosted the DNC, in 1996, was also the last time there was a convention without a nominee already decided, called a brokered convention.) Every year, delegates representing their party from each state gather at the convention to formally nominate the person who won their states primary election. But if the person who won the primary steps down In that case, the 3,900 delegates meet at the convention to discuss who to nominate instead of Biden. If one person wins a majority of these delegates, that person becomes the nominee, per NBC News. And there is good reason to believe that that person will be Kamala Harris. For one thing, per Axios, she has access to Bidens $91 million war chest of campaign funds that would be more difficult to transfer to a nominee who is not part of the Biden Administration. Which brings us to another point: Harris, as part of the Biden Administration, can argue that primary voters already did vote for her as their second choice candidate by voting for her on the Biden-Harris ticket. News Joe Biden Endorses Kamala Harris as the 2024 Democratic Nominee for President The President of the United States has called off his reelection campaign. What if no one wins a majority of the 3,900 delegates at the convention? In that case, per NPR, the superdelegates join the original 3,900 delegates and all vote on a nominee until one person gets a majority. Rounds of voting will continue until there is one clear majority winner. These superdelegates might include governors, members of congress, and former presidents. If not Kamala Harris, then who? Names being bandied about include several governors. Californias Gavin Newsom, Michigans Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois J.B. Pritzker, and Pennsylvanias Josh Shapiro are all Democratic governors who have big DNC support. If the point is to avoid absolute chaos at the DNC, the easiest and most logical choice remains the vice president. But then again, if the post-Donald Trump era of politics has taught us anything, its to expect chaos at all times. Originally Appeared on Glamour What happens if President Biden drops out of the race? Heres what could happen next The Democratic National Convention is just weeks away and President Biden is still expected to accept the nomination. But as pressure mounts for him to step aside, the process of choosing another Democratic nominee isnt as simple as removing President Biden from the top of the ticket. >>RELATED: President Joe Biden tests positive for COVID-19 while campaigning in Las Vegas, has mild symptoms His primary and caucus wins earlier this year secured him the support of nearly 3,900 delegates. The DNC says hes the only person who qualifies for the nomination and its rules state that delegates should follow their states voters preferences. But during his most recent press conference on July 11, President Biden said delegates are free to do whatever they want. If all of a sudden, I showed up at the convention and everybody said we want somebody else - thats the Democratic process. Its not going to happen, said the President. But what happens if President Biden drops out before the convention? Political science professor Casey Burgat said there are several possible scenarios. We havent seen this play out in a long time and Democratic politics or Republican politics for that matter, said Casey Burgat, assistant professor at George Washington University. >> Dozens of cats seized from local animal sanctuary; director facing charges Burgat said while Vice President Kamala Harris is already on the ticket, she wont automatically become the next presidential nominee. Delegates could choose her or anyone else. She was not on the ballot, it was only a singular person, you were voting for a presidential nominee, and then that authority to pick the running mate goes to the president and (is) confirmed by that convention, said Burgat. Burgat said delegates will make the case for a nominee and then vote. And the first one to a majority will be the presumptive nominee, or in fact, the official nominee heading into November, he said. The Biden campaign said President Biden is staying in the race. President Biden released a statement Friday saying he looks forward to getting back on the campaign trail making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America. >> 22-year-old man arrested in connection to Dayton shooting Many of his events were canceled this week after President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. Theres a separate process if President Biden were to step down after accepting the nomination next month. In that case, Burgat said the Democratic National Party would consult with Democratic congressional and gubernatorial leaders to select a new nominee. So if were thinking this is a backroom deal right now headed into Chicago if President Biden drops out, it will literally be party elders selecting their nominee without any sort of down-ballot approval process from voters or even delegates, said Burgat. Biden-Harris Campaign Chair Jen O'Malley Dillon: Every person believes we have to defeat Donald Trump. We are united in that. We know how high the stakes are. We saw that on stage last night in Trump's speech at the Republican National Convention. There's a clear contrast between pic.twitter.com/YFZNyVgBJp Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) July 19, 2024 Harvey Weinstein appears for a pretrial hearing in Manhattan criminal court, Friday, July 19, 2024, in New York. The former Hollywood movie mogul appeared Friday ahead of a planned retrial on rape and sexual assault charges. (Adam Gray/Pool Photo via AP) NEW YORK (AP) A judge on Friday tentatively scheduled Harvey Weinstein's planned retrial on rape and sexual assault charges to begin on Nov. 12. Weinstein wore an American flag pin on his jacket during a brief court appearance in Manhattan that was delayed by more than 90 minutes due to a disruption that affected computers around the world, according to Judge Curtis Farber. Besides the setting of the trial date, the hearing addressed issues related to evidence in the case against the former Hollywood movie mogul, particularly information from phones that will be reviewed by a former judge to determine whether materials were relevant to the case and should be turned over to defense lawyers. At a hearing last week, prosecutors said they anticipated a November retrial. They told Farber that they were still actively pursuing new claims against Weinstein, though they conceded that they hadn't yet brought any findings to a grand jury. Weinstein denies that he sexually assaulted anyone. His lawyers told Farber that they'd prefer an earlier trial date. He is anxious to go to trial and prove his innocence, one of Weinstein's attorneys, Diana Fabi Samson, said outside the courthouse. Weinstein, 72, is jailed on Rikers Island. One of his attorneys, Arthur Aidala, has complained that Weinstein hasnt been getting proper care in jail for diabetes, macular degeneration and fluid in his lungs and heart. Aidala was not in court on Friday, but another Weinstein attorney, John Esposito, told reporters that during a sidebar conversation with the judge, the defense again brought up Weinstein's medical issues. Farber said he would assist to the extent that he could to ensure that Weinstein is properly cared for, Esposito said. Esposito said the preference would be for Weinstein to be moved back to Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital, where he could receive proper medical attention so he's in a good physical and mental state of mind for trial. He was treated at Bellevue for several days after he was brought to New York City hours after the state's highest court threw out his 2020 conviction earlier this year. The appeals court wrote that the original trial judge unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations that werent part of the case. He remains jailed in part because he was sentenced to 16 years in prison in California after he was convicted in a rape case in Los Angeles in 2022. In an appeal filed there last month, his lawyers argued he didnt get a fair trial. Esposito said Friday that he doesn't expect the appeal in the California case to be decided for at least another year. Weinstein's New York conviction had been considered a landmark in the #MeToo movement, an era that began in 2017 amid numerous allegations of sexual misconduct against the once powerful studio boss behind Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love." In New York, Weinstein had been convicted of rape in the third degree for an attack on an aspiring actress and of forcing himself on a TV and film production assistant in 2006. He has denied any wrongdoing. Prosecutors have said one of the accusers in that case, Jessica Mann, is prepared to testify against Weinstein again. Gloria Allred, a lawyer for the second accuser, Mimi Haley, said last week that her client hadn't yet decided whether to participate in the retrial. The Associated Press does not generally identify people alleging sexual assault unless they consent to be named, as Haley and Mann did. UPDATED, 2:15 PM: A Manhattan judge today set a tentative start date of the rape retrial of convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein. With the disgraced former movie mogul in the courtroom briefly, Judge Curtis Farber penciled in November 12 but said he was open to earlier trial date depending on how quickly prosecutors move through the grand jury. Prosecutors told Farber that they still after going through allegations from women who have come forward since Weinsteins conviction was overturned on appeal in April. Read details of the case below. More from Deadline PREVIOUSLY, May 1: We believe in this case, and we will be retrying this case, prosecutors in Harvey Weinsteins New York rape case told a judge today in the first hearing since the much-accused producers 2020 conviction was overturned last week. It was a strong case in 2020 and it remains a strong case in 2024, added Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg. Weinstein was sitting in the courtroom as the officials from the Manhattan District Attorneys office announced their intention to take the case back to a jury. The trial could begin as quickly as September, if room can be found on the court calendar. We are happy to hear that the prosecutors want a speedy trial, Weinstein chief attorney Arthur Aidala told the court as he once again proclaimed his clients innocence. Its a new trial, its a new day his life is on the line. Charged and arrested for rape in May 2018 after revelations by the New York Times in late 2017 detailing decades of abuse and alleged assaults by Weinstein, the defendant was convicted in February 2020 on first-degree sexual assault and third-degree rape after allegations by two women, Mimi Haley and Jessica Mann. While not handling the case directly, Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg himself was in attendance Wednesday in Judge Curtis Farbers court, as was attorney Gloria Allred, who represents Haley and Mann. In fact, Mann was brought directly into todays proceedings when Assistant D.A. Blumberg, who is the head of the offices Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Bureau, pointed to her in the courtroom. Shes here today to show shes not backing down the defendant may have power and privilege but she has the truth. Good afternoon Mr. Weinstein, said Judge Farber as the wheelchair bound producer was brought into the courtroom around 11:23 a.m. PT. Almost seconds after his client was seated at the defense table, lead lawyer Aidala addressed the court with objections to photos being taken in the courtroom. Despite all the lead-up, todays hearing was over in less than 20 minutes. Weinstein did not speak once during the session. The next hearing in the case has been set now for May 29. Weinstein is expected to be present. Harvey Weinstein looks on during a preliminary hearing inside the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York (Credit: AFP via Getty Images) Under medical supervision at Bellevue Hospital since the weekend, a blue-suited Weinstein was wheeled into the Manhattan court building around 10:15 am PT. Looking gaunter than he did at his 2022 LA trial, Weinsteins blazer still had the price tag on it as he was brought in surrounded by heavily armed police. By the time Weinstein arrived in the courtroom proper, the price tag on his sleeve had been removed. Announced less than a day after New York states Appeals Court in a 4-3 vote overturned 72-year old Weinsteins 2020 sex crimes conviction which resulted in sex offender status and 23-year sentence, the intention of todays hearing was to release Weinstein from his conviction of four years ago. Coming off long delayed oral arguments in February, the Appeals Court agreed with Weinsteins lawyers in last weeks order. At the heart of overturning the conviction was a determination, led by Judge Jenny Rivera writing for the majority, that the inclusion of Prior Bad Acts testimony by now ex-Justice James Burke from a number of women on uncharged assault and abuse accusations was prejudicial in the 2020 trial. With a new trial ordered by the Empire States highest court, the hearing in Judge Farbers courtroom also re-arraigned Weinstein on the sex crimes charges for which he was originally arrested in 2018. Still, due to his 2022 conviction on sex crimes in the City of Angels and sentencing to 16 years behind bars, Weinstein will not be released after Wednesdays hearing. Instead, having been moved from the medium security Mohawk Correctional Facility in upstate New York late last week, the ailing Oscar-winning producer will be returned to Bellevue, at least in the short term. In preparation for a new trial, Weinstein will likely remain in NYC to be close to his core legal team of Aidala and Diana Sampson. As was the case in the immediate aftermath of his sentencing four years ago and ever so briefly last week, Weinstein could be transferred to the notorious Rikers Island as the wheels of justice grind on. There is no expectation in the short term that Weinstein will be sent out to LA to serve his West Coast sentencing. Insiders at LA County District Attorney George Gascons office tell Deadline there is no need for such a transfer right now. In that vein, even before todays hearing, Manhattan District Attorney Braggs office strongly indicated they wanted to take the case to a new trial We will do everything in our power to retry this case, and remain steadfast in our commitment to survivors of sexual assault, the D.A.s office said on April 25, and reiterated on April 26. Also on April 26, Haley said at an LA press conference in Allreds office that she was sick to her stomach upon learning of Weinsteins conviction being overturned by the New York Appeals Court. Coming forward just over seven years ago to say she was raped by Weinstein in his SoHo apartment in 2006, Haley was a major witness at the 2020 trial. Whether she will be a witness in a second NYC Weinstein trial is unknown right now. I definitely dont want to actually go through that again, the Allred-represented Haley said in an LA press conference late last week. But for the sake of keeping going and doing the right thing, because it is what happened, I would consider it, she went on to say. Attorney Gloria Allred outside a Manhattan criminal courtroom before Harvey Weinsteins hearing today in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) The presence of Allred at todays hearing implies that Haley may be very seriously considering taking the stand again at a second NYC Weinstein trial. The circus atmosphere and high security that has enveloped the Manhattan Criminal Courts building in recent weeks due to Donald Trumps so-called hush money trial was greatly diminished. Wednesdays have been a dark day for the DA-prosecuted case over whether the $130,000 the former Celebrity Apprentice host paid to porn star Stormy Daniels to bury the news of their alleged affair just before the 2016 election. Hence, Trump and his army of lawyers were nowhere to be seen. In addition to the New York criminal case heading for a new trial and an appeal of his LA conviction, Weinstein has a plethora of civil cases pending against him for alleged attacks and rapes over the past 30 years. Erik Pedersen contributed to this report. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. NEW YORK A Manhattan judge tentatively set a trial date for Manhattan prosecutors do-over against Harvey Weinstein on rape and sexual assault charges. State Supreme Court Justice Curtis Farber on Friday estimated jury selection would begin on Nov. 12, and the final pretrial conference would proceed the week before. Weinsteins lawyers said they wanted the trial to begin in September. I want both sides to start planning ahead, Farber said, adding he wanted no interruptions. Wearing thick-framed black glasses, a navy suit, and an American flag pin, Weinstein, 72, was expressionless at the brief hearing scheduled to address a sealed motion regarding evidence, which was delayed due to worldwide tech outages, according to Farber. The jailed moviemaker high-fived his PR man Juda Engelmayer when he was brought into the courtroom in a wheelchair carrying a brown folder. The Manhattan district attorneys office in May said it would retry Weinstein after the Court of Appeals overturned the fallen movie moguls 2020 rape and sexual assault conviction in April. The stunning opinion found the trial court judge erred in allowing testimony by three women at the landmark trial about uncharged allegations of sexual violence. Following his New York trial, at which a jury found him guilty of forcibly performing oral sex on Miriam Haley, a former production assistant, in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, an aspiring actress, in 2013, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison. Weinstein was then tried in Los Angeles on separate charges, leading to his second conviction in December 2022 for rape and sexual assault and an additional 16-year sentence. His successful appeal in New York had no bearing on his California conviction, which he is also appealing. At a hearing last week, the DAs office said they may bring a superseding indictment, including new charges relating to victims unprepared to go through the legal process the last time. However, they have not yet presented evidence to a grand jury. Mann is expected to take the stand at the retrial, according to prosecutors; Haleys lawyer, Gloria Allred, has said she has not yet made up her mind. Weinstein denies all allegations. The once prolific movie producers attorneys want him to wait for his retrial at Bellevue Hospital instead of Rikers Island, where he was initially transferred after the high court ruling overturning his first conviction. His lawyers say he is suffering from serious medical issues that are affecting his ability to participate in preparing his defense and that he requires a higher level of care than is available at the troubled jail complex. Outside the courthouse, Weinsteins lawyer, Diana Fabi Samson, said the Pulp Fiction producer is ready to go before a jury now. Unfortunately, we dont have the power to make that happen. The DAs office has made clear they are not ready to go to trial, they will not be ready in September, Samson said. (Weinstein) is anxious to go to trial and prove his innocence. Physically, he is not well, and that is certainly affecting his mental state. ______ Harvey Weinsteins rape and sexual assault retrial is scheduled to start on Nov. 12. The development comes three months after the disgraced Hollywood producers initial New York 2020 convictions were overturned in April. On Friday, Weinstein appeared briefly in a Manhattan courtroom and was seen using a wheelchair, wearing a suit and sporting black framed glasses and an American flag pin. Judge Curtis Farber also slotted jury selection for the retrial to start in November, with the discovery stage set for September. Following his courtroom visit, during which involved parties discussed evidence in the case, Weinsteins team spoke to reporters outside. On behalf of his client, Weinsteins attorney Diana Fabi Samson said Weinstein is anxious to go to trial and prove his innocence. Physically, he is not well, and that has affected his mental state, per People. The longtime movie producer has denied ever sexually assaulting anyone. On April 25, four years after Weinstein was found guilty of criminal sex acts, including third-degree rape, the movie producers conviction was overturned after the New York State Court of Appeals found that the trial judge who handled his case erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts, allowing information to be presented that prejudiced the jury because the accusations werent part of the charges against him. Weinstein, 72, had served about four years of his original 23-year sentence. The trial and Weinsteins judgement became the highest-profile case during the #MeToo era. Regardless of the New York city case outcome, Weinstein will remain in prison due to his separate California conviction. The post Harvey Weinstein Rape and Sexual Assault Retrial Set for November appeared first on TheWrap. Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein is expected to be retried on sex crimes charges on November 12. Weinstein, 72, appeared for a hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday as prosecutors prepare to retry him following the reversal of his 2020 rape conviction earlier this year. The judge said on Friday that he was open to an earlier trial date in Septemberm depending on how long the grand jury process takes. The ex-producers attorneys said they want to move as soon as possible. Last week, prosecutors accused Weinstein of raping more women than those who were part of his earlier prosecution. He was found guilty of rape charges in February 2020 but his conviction was overturned in April. More alleged victims came forward after the conviction was overturned. Prosecutors told the judge, Curtis Farber, that theyre still reviewing those claims, and plan to present the story of at least one of the alleged victims to a grand jury, ABC News reported. Weinstein, who was initially sentenced to 23 years in prison, has denied all claims of sexual crimes against him. His legal team has shared their doubts regarding any new alleged victims. Former film producer Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court on July 19, 2024 in New York City. A new trial date has been set for November 12 for sex crimes charges (Getty Images) In April, a New York Court of Appeals ruled that the previous trial judge had erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes. The court added that the testimony served no material non-propensity purpose and that it showed Weinstein in a highly prejudicial light. The appeals court found that Weinstein didnt get a fair trial because the judge allowed testimony from witnesses that Weinstein hadnt been formally charged with assaulting. The office of the Manhattan District Attorney said earlier this year that it would put Weinstein on trial again if alleged victims were willing to share their stories. Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg said last week: We believe the defendant forcibly raped and sexually abused women in Manhattan that fall within the statute of limitations. She added: There were women in 2020 who were not ready to proceed with the legal process. They are now ready. The new accusers have not been named and prosecutors are looking to protect some evidence from public view as they work to get a new grand jury indictment, Reuters reported. On Friday, Judge Farber said he would appoint a special magistrate to oversee any disagreements in the discovery process as the parties look through fresh evidence ahead of the new trial. The allegations against Harvey Weinstein launched the #MeToo movement in 2017, which saw women across society come forward with their experiences of sexual harassment and assault. Harvey Weinstein's Lawyer Says Disgraced Producer 'Is Not Well,' as Judge Sets Trial Date New York prosecutors will retry Harvey Weinstein after his 2020 rape and sexual assault convictions were overturned in April Scott Heins/Getty Harvey Weinstein leaving a New York City Criminal Court in December 2019 Disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein made a brief appearance in a Manhattan courtroom on Friday, July 19, as New York prosecutors pursue a retrial against him after his 2020 rape and sexual assault convictions were overturned. In court, Judge Curtis Farber said jury selection in Weinstein's retrial will begin Nov. 12. Weinstein, 72, wore black framed glasses, a suit and a blue tie in court and gave a high-five to his public relations representative, Juda Engelmayer, upon walking into the courthouse. After the brief appearance, which concerned a judicial hearing officer going over discovery material, Weinstein's attorney, Diana Fabi Samson, addressed reporters outside the courthouse. He is anxious to go to trial and prove his innocence. Physically, he is not well, and that has affected his mental state," Samson said. Related: First Harvey Weinstein Accuser Ashley Judd Calls His N.Y. Conviction Overturn 'Unfair to Survivors' Weinstein had appeared in court on Tuesday, July 9, when Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg said prosecutors are investigating claims from new accusers against Weinstein, but said they aren't ready to bring those claims to a grand jury. "We spoke to several individuals who claimed Weinstein raped them in Manhattan," Blumberg said at the July 9 hearing. She said the claims fall within the statute of limitations. Weinsteins lawyer Arthur Aidala pushed back against the claims, further demanding a more specific timeline for the case. Related: First Harvey Weinstein Accuser Ashley Judd Calls His N.Y. Conviction Overturn 'Unfair to Survivors' 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. Weinsteins series of court appearances comes just months after the New York Court of Appeals overturned his 2020 convictions for first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree rape in late April. Allegations initially surfaced against him in 2017 following a bombshell expose by the New York Times and The New Yorker, sparking the #MeToo movement, encouraging survivors of sexual assault especially by high-profile men in both Hollywood and the overall media industry to come forward. More than 80 women have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Weinstein, who abused the women by wielding the power of his status in the industry. Weinstein currently remains incarcerated following his 2022 conviction of rape in Los Angeles, where he was sentenced to 16 years in prison in 2023. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) Several mosquito trap samples collected by the Hays County Health Department (HCHD) tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the department. Rainfall within the Central Texas area leads to an increase in standing water, which provides ideal breeding grounds for mosquitos, said Eric Vangaasbeek, chief environmental health specialist at HCHD. Williamson County resident tests positive for West Nile virus The department said the samples were collected in the 78676 ZIP code, which covers Wimberley and Woodcreek, and the positive samples were collected from two sites July 11. These are the first reported West Nile Virus-positive IDs of the 2024 season in Hays County. There were no positive West Nile virus mosquito pools during the 2023 season, HCHD said. Symptoms of West Nile Virus infection can include: Fever Headache body aches joint pain vomiting diarrhea skin rash on the torso of the body swollen lymph nodes Additional symptoms for individuals 50 and older and/or with compromised immune systems include: stiffness disorientation coma tremors vision loss paralysis death (in extremely rare cases) The key to preventing West Nile Virus is to minimize the number of mosquitoes in areas where people live, work and play, HCHD said. Health officials strongly encourage everyone to remain vigilant about protecting themselves from mosquito bites and preventing mosquito breeding on their properties. The county said it would also continue to conduct mosquito pool traps and health surveillance for the health and safety of its residents. 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. Livingstone College in North Carolina received another $1 million donation. Its the seventh donation of this amount to be given in just seven months by an anonymous donor. It marks the most significant monetary gift received by the HBCU in its history, according to Black Enterprise. The first donation was made during the schools fall 2023 homecoming celebration. Meanwhile, the second was announced during Livingstones 145th Founders Day program in February, according to WCNC. The unrestricted donations will help with renovations and new equipment for students. The school hopes these investments will help boost recruitment and overall retention. We have to roll up our sleeves and make the business case for supporting a private HBCU, so thats what were doing, Livingstone College President Anthony J. Davis said in June, according to Queen City News. When you think about it though buildings and grounds become recruiting and retention tools. The news comes as Davis spearheads a $30 million campus revitalization project to be completed in five phases. Phase one is underway and will prioritize new residence halls and a cafeteria. New infrastructure is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. Livingstone College has also launched a biomanufacturing training program as part of the Biden Build Back Better Initiative, which aims to help underrepresented populations in North Carolina, according to The Herald. The HBCU received $1 million in laboratory equipment as part of the initiative. In 1879, Livingstone College was founded as Zion Wesley Institute with the purpose of training ministers in the Cabarrus County town of Concord, North Carolin. Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport sleep in a jetway for a delayed United Airlines flight to Dulles International Airport due to a widespread global outage early Friday, July 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Stefanie Dazio/Associated Press) Airlines, banks, healthcare systems, government agencies and other industries across California scrambled to recover Friday from the effects of a widespread global technology outage. Roughly 100 flights had been canceled by midmorning Friday at Los Angeles International Airport, and even more were delayed. Overnight, travelers facing long delays and cancellations were resigned to trying to get some sleep on the airport's well-trodden carpeted floor. Some used their luggage as pillows. At some California hospitals, staff said the outage prevented them from accessing patient charts. Starbucks faced major disruption to its mobile ordering service throughout the day Friday, meaning caffeine seekers had to place their orders in person at stores, resulting in longer-than-typical lines. Some locations closed for the day. Some government agencies reduced services. Travelers at other California airports were facing issues similar to LAX's. The chaos stemmed from a faulty update sent by CrowdStrike, a Texas cybersecurity company whose software is widely used, that interfered with the core functions of computers running Microsoft Windows. This caused Microsofts infamous blue screen of death to pop up and convey a message along the lines of, Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. The outage was not a security incident or a cyberattack, CrowdStrike said. The company's chief executive, George Kurtz, said Friday morning that a fix had been made. "We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on," Kurtz wrote on X. Meanwhile, the defect rippled across technology worldwide. There were reports that some airports were beginning to restart service, but it was unclear when operations would return to normal. The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services wrote on X that officials are "closely monitoring the global software outage." "Initial reports indicate minor state system outages," the office wrote. "However, all 911, public safety communications and critical infrastructure is functioning as expected." LAX first started to see glitches late Thursday. The outages were initially limited to Frontier Airlines and a few other carriers and were caused partially by a software issue with Navitaire, a boarding pass printing system. The issue grew as more and more airlines began to face the same problems. Delta, American and United airlines were also affected. A representative for LAX emphasized that the issues facing the airport did not affect flight safety. When a patch of code that caused the problem was fixed in CrowdStrike, the airport started to see airlines come back online, but it is still facing many more delays and cancellations than usual. On Friday, LAX had more than 70 cancellations before 7 a.m., compared with 14 all day on Wednesday. An hour later that number had swelled to 100 cancellations and 188 delays. At San Francisco International Airport, the numbers were similar. There were 16 cancellations on Wednesday compared with more than 70 Friday morning. More than 8,800 flights were delayed and more than 2,600 had been canceled across the United States, according to data provided by FlightAware. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was in touch with leadership at Los Angeles World Airports who were "working actively to resolve travel issues," said Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for the mayor. "Travelers at LAX and other regional airports should plan ahead for potential delays," he said. Frustration among airline employees and passengers was widespread at the airport. Some tried to sleep on a luggage conveyor belt before an airport employee shouted for them to get up. "It was terrible. It is terrible," said Elissa Moore, 29. "Cause we're still going through it." Shortly before 6 a.m., a Delta representative took to the intercom to tell passengers that the airport was still allowing planes to land, but that for the time being, all outbound flights were grounded. He advised travelers who are from L.A. to go home and check for updates on the companys app or website. He added that the companys system was completely shut down and that the resulting crippling of flight operations was worse than 9/11. Passengers reported waits of up to two hours to get through security into Terminal 2, as many people whose flights were canceled were instructed to retrieve their baggage before trying to rebook their flight. Passengers whose flights had been canceled stood sullenly in line to rebook but could not complete that task either because of the outages. One video showed a woman at LAX hugging a Delta employee as she cried. Outside were dozens of planes on the tarmac with nowhere to go. Gabrielle Watson, an L.A. DJ and music producer, arrived at LAX on Thursday night to catch her 11:59 p.m. United Airlines flight to Chicago with a connection to Columbus, Ohio, so she could play a set Friday at the Secret Dreams Festival. Watson knew there were problems immediately when she got to her gate and saw the blue screens displayed. Still, her flight boarded and she remained on the plane for hours as delays ravaged the airport. After about three hours, passengers deplaned and Watson went home, realizing she was not going to make her connecting flight in Chicago. Her flight was canceled about five hours after its scheduled departure time. "There were a lot of upset people," she said. "They were spread around on floors everywhere trying to be comfortable waiting for information. It was very stressful and a bit dark." Some observers have argued the incident demonstrates the risk of having one potential point of failure affecting millions of computers. At the very least the disruption shows the need for better software in crucial systems, some experts say. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that although new technology has brought major benefits to efficiency and safety, they also have specific vulnerabilities that must be addressed. "These are the kinds of disruptions that nobody wants to experience, and we'll be pressing airlines and the software community on what they're doing to get ahead of this for the next time," he said. The effects of the outage went beyond aviation. Within the Providence healthcare system, IT teams worked overnight to restore functionality in electronic health records. The healthcare company noted that other clinical applications and workstations were still not up and running as of Friday afternoon. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center said it was also experiencing fallout from the software outage, though the hospital remained open Friday. "We are actively working to address the issue and minimize any impacts," the hospital said in a statement. "We thank our patients and our staff for their flexibility during this unexpected event." The outage even upended people's coffee fix. "We continue to welcome and serve customers in the vast majority of our stores and drive-thrus and are doing everything we can to bring all systems online as quickly as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience," said Jaci Anderson, a spokesperson for Starbucks. The California Department of Motor Vehicles was forced to scale back services at offices statewide. Online services and kiosks were not affected by the outage, according to the agency. People in California's jails were unable to make or receive phone calls because of the outage. The software update affected ViaPath, the communication technology used in jails, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. It is not clear when the system will be up and running. "CDCR understands how important it is for incarcerated people to stay connected with their loved ones and is diligently working to resolve this matter," a spokesperson told The Times. The Los Angeles County Superior Court system was forced to postpone cases in which litigants were scheduled to appear remotely Friday. The court said in a statement it is "rapidly working to reestablish connectivity." A terminal at the Port of Los Angeles and four terminals at the Port of Long Beach were also temporarily affected by the outage overnight. But the ports were operating normally Friday, officials said. KGO-TV, the ABC affiliate in San Francisco, couldn't go on air as scheduled for its 11 p.m. newscast. Instead anchors delivered the day's top headlines via Facebook live. Times staff writers Joseph Serna, Ruben Vives, Libor Jany, David Zahniser, Jon Healey and Sandra McDonald and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The search operation for a Robinson R44II helicopter, which disappeared after an emergency beacon went off in the Aldansky District, is underway in Russias Yakutia. Source: Radio Liberty's Russian Service Details: Radio Liberty reports that the East Siberian Transport Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation has been informed of the incident. At the same time, SakhaDay outlet reports, the pilot and three Russias Federal Security Service officers are on board. Quote: "On the night of 19 July, 80 kilometres from the village of Chagda, the Robinson helicopter's Ecospas emergency beacon went off. The helicopter was carrying out an unregistered flight in the Aldansky District. There is no contact with the crew." Employees of the Yakutsk Regional Search and Rescue Base started the search from Magan Airport near Yakutsk. The distance to the beacon that went off is about 440 kilometres. Polar Airlines aircraft are involved in the search. Support UP or become our patron! Here's how the global Microsoft outage may, or may not, impact you Were you impacted by Friday's global Microsoft outage along with airports and businesses across New York? Here's what to know about how the global tech outage may affect you. Who is impacted by the global Microsoft outage Users have, for instance, encountered a blue screen on computers and are unable to use them. But the issue is reported to have largely affected businesses, services organizations, banks, and agencies. U.S. cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said its software update affected the Microsoft Windows operating system. The problem has led to grounded flights and disrupted transit services, medical facilities, 911 call centers, financial transactions, and more. Lower Hudson Valley: Widespread Microsoft outage causes backups at Westchester County Airport CrowdStrike's website said computers that were turned on after 12:27 a.m. (5:27 UTC) should not be affected because they would not have received the update that is believe to have caused the issue. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed. George Kurtz, CrowdStrikes chief executive, said on X, formerly known as Twitter. A Mashable article suggested Downdetector as a place to find out which things are affected. The article also said a companys systems administrator typically maintains the CrowdStrike software, so someone who is dealing with an issue should report it to the system administrator. The problem has not affected Mac- or Linux-based computers, according to CrowdStrike. Should you trust security updates after Microsoft outage? Jake Moore, a global cybersecurity advisor with ESET, said by email that the issue "is affecting businesses and in particular those that have set their devices to automatically update their security patches. This is common procedure and usually very safe to do so around the world for Windows machines." While the Microsoft outage has not resulted in any known security breaches, there are things you can do to prevent them from happening. Using two- or multi-factor authentication on your devices and social media profiles can add an extra layer of protection. Other recommendations include using passwords that are 12 characters or longer (and do not reuse the same password for more than one website or account.) Be sure to use secure payment methods and shop trusted websites. Log out of accounts when you're done using them, and don't click on suspicious links or attachments from unknown sources. Moore added that consumers "shouldnt lose faith (after the outage) and in fact, people should continue to trust updates as they come packed with multiple ways to protect computers from known vulnerabilities. "Criminals constantly look to take advantage of known problems so once a third party provider is aware of the problem, they act fast and it is important that it is patched and deployed to all those affected quickly." Contributing: USA TODAY This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Microsoft outage continues: What New Yorkers need to know "My hero": Hulk Hogan to speak at RNC ahead of Trump Hulk Hogan, the '80s wrestler whose racist remarks tanked an already-dwindling career, is set to take the stage at the Republican National Convention ahead of former President Donald Trumps remarks. The WWE personality took to Fox News to voice his support and explain his endorsement of the former president. I got tired of remaining silent, Hogan said. When they took a shot at my hero, Donald Trump, I realized I couldnt be silent anymore. I had to step up, I had to be a real American. Hulk Hogan on Fox News describes Trump as "my hero" pic.twitter.com/xac4ZYVdk9 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 18, 2024 Hogans remarks will come ahead of Trumps partially pre-written speech, which he reportedly updated after a shooting attempt on his life. Hogan went on a racist tirade, unleashed in 2015 by a leaked explicit video, which led the WWE to sever all ties with the Hall-of-Famer, a move they reversed in 2018. Hogan joins the roster of C-listers, including Amber Rose, Dana White, and Russel Brand, in speaking at the convention, as Trump seeks to fill in the gaps with unconventional endorsements. In a May rally, Trump accepted an endorsement from a pair of rappers indicted in a murder plot. Additionally, influencers Jake and Logan Paul publicly backed the president. Hialeah police shoot and kill man they say was armed and extremely aggressive Hialeah police officers shot and killed a man they say was armed Friday morning. The shooting happened around 7 a.m. in the 500 block of West 53rd Street, said Officer Scarlett Hernandez, a Hialeah Police Department spokeswoman. Officers went to the house to respond to a violent dispute, Hernandez said in a statement. When they got there, they encountered an armed male and shot him, Hernandez said. Steadman Stahl, the president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, the police officers union, told the Herald the man had a gun and pointed it at the responding officers, noting he was extremely aggressive. The uniformed officers had no other choice but to shoot, Stahl said. He ignored numerous commands to drop the gun. Hialeah, July 19, 2024 - Hialeah Police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement work the scene at West 53rd Street and Fifth Avenue in Hialeah, Florida, where Hialeah police shot and killed a man who they say was armed and involved in a domestic dispute. Stahl said three officers were involved. No officer relishes having to take a life, Stahl said. Police have not identified the man. As is protocol with all police shootings, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating. The agency declined to comment when reached by the Herald. A highly unusual ruling to dismiss a case against 2 White nationalists is put on hold by a federal appeals court Editors Note: (7/18/24) Since this story was published in February, a federal appeals court reversed a lower court judges dismissal of the case against Robert Rundo and Robert Boman clearing the way for the continued prosecution of two White nationalists suspected of inciting violence at political rallies. After a federal judge made the rare decision to dismiss a criminal case against two White nationalists suspected of inciting violence at political rallies, an appeals court on Thursday put the ruling on hold and one of the men was re-arrested. The appeals court stay came after the highly unusual ruling of US District Court Judge Cormac Carney to dismiss the case against Robert Rundo and Robert Boman, saying they were being selectively prosecuted while far left groups werent. The two men were under indictment for conspiracy, riots, and aiding and abetting. Rundo, who was released after the ruling, was taken back into custody by federal agents, a law enforcement official involved in the investigation told CNN Thursday. Rundo was believed to have traveled to the US-Mexico border after his release, a law enforcement source told CNN. The Justice Department obtained a warrant to take him back into custody, saying he was an extremely serious flight risk. Rundo will now remain in custody while the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals considers motions involving his release, according to court records. Court records show Rundos attorneys had signaled their intention to possibly request Carneys intervention yet again in the matter involving their client, but in the new order the higher court blocked Carney and other judges from any further action while they consider the matter. No lower court may order h is release absent further order of this Court, the Ninth Circuit commanded in their order. Rundo and Boman were allegedly members of the Rise Above Movement, RAM, which Carney described as a group of far-right, white supremacist nationalists, who attended several rallies and protests during which they engaged in violent acts. They were both indicted under the federal Anti-Riot Act referred to by Carney as a-once-rarely-used criminal statute. The men are believed to have recruited and given combat training to like-minded members, then incited violence at political rallies in Huntington Beach and Berkeley, California, and in Charlottesville, Virginia. Beginning around March 2017, (Rundo and Boman) agreed to riot at political rallies and organized demonstrations, where they would assault individuals they believed were associated with Antifa and related far-left groups, Carney wrote. The defense presented a motion to dismiss the case, saying the men were the victims of selective prosecution. It is not uncommon for a defendant to raise selective prosecution as a defense but it is extraordinarily uncommon for that defense to succeed because the defendant has to prove that other similarity positioned people were not prosecuted, said CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig. But Carney took exception to what he viewed as an imbalance by federal prosecutors in charging White nationalists with crimes under the Anti-Riot Act, but in his view not similarly charging far left agitators. The government cannot prosecute RAM members such as Defendants while ignoring the violence of members of Antifa and related far-left groups because RAM engaged in what the government and many believe is more offensive speech, wrote Carney. By many accounts, members of Antifa and related far-left groups engaged in worse conduct and in fact instigated much of the violence that broke out at these otherwise constitutionally protected rallies to silence the protected speech of the supporters of President Trump, Carney wrote, adding he viewed prosecuting far right rioters while ignoring far left instigators as constitutionally impermissible. Such selective prosecution leaves the troubling impression that the government believes speech on the left more deserving of protection than speech on the right, wrote Carney. Following widespread civil unrest in the country in 2020, federal prosecutors did bring more than 200 cases against individuals alleged to have engaged in violence during protests after the police killing of George Floyd. Some cases were for riot-related crimes and others for lesser offenses usually handled by local authorities, not federal prosecutors. At the time, then-Attorney General William Barr urged federal prosecutors to get tougher in bringing more cases, including exploring using a rarely used sedition law, but some federal prosecutors were taken aback by the notion of charging protestors with violating a law that makes it a crime to conspire to overthrow the government. Barr frequently lashed out at leftist groups, including publicly decrying Antifa, but despite his threats to go after the group, the Justice Department under his leadership did not bring widespread charges against so-called Antifa members an amalgamation of individuals holding various views, which, unlike various neo-Nazi and White supremacist groups, has no formal leadership structure or membership. Attorneys for both Rundo and Boman did not respond to CNNs multiple requests for comment on the recent court action. Judge Carney is no stranger to controversial rulings. Late last year, he blocked parts of a California law that would have banned carrying concealed weapons in a multitude of public places. And in 2014, he deemed Californias death penalty unconstitutional, calling the administration of the states system dysfunctional. Carney was once the chief judge of the Central District of California, but stepped down after making a racially insensitive remark about a top administrative official at the court, according to the Los Angeles Times. CNNs Sara Sidner and Evan Perez contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Im Brian Gordon, tech reporter for The News & Observer, and this is Open Source, a weekly newsletter on business, labor and technology in North Carolina. Fidelity Investments opened its first North Carolina location in 1992 with a seven-person office near Duke Universitys main campus. Its first major local headcount bump then came in 2006 when the financial services firm received state incentives to build a 268-acre campus in Research Triangle Park and hire 2,000 employees. Throughout 2021, Fidelity added another 2,500 positions to its RTP site as online banking services surged during the pandemic. Within the past two-and-a-half years, the Boston-based company has grown its North Carolina staff by 50% more to around 8,300 total workers. Most are based at the RTP campus. According to a North Carolina Department of Commerce database, Fidelity is now Durham Countys second biggest employer after only Duke University. In an email to the N&O, Fidelitys head of talent, Kirsten Kuykendoll, said approximately half the companys North Carolina employees hold technologist roles representing almost every technology business unit in the company including digital platforms and emerging technology. She credited Fidelitys strong business results in recent years for the workforce investments. Open Source A privately owned company, Fidelity would not say what percent of its North Carolina staff are based in RTP, though it acknowledged most work in the Triangle. As youll read below, a lot of our reporting goes tracking the North Carolina jobs projects that may or may not achieve lofty initial promises. VinFast. Boom Supersonic. Apple. But the Triangle is also defined by companies that are here. And as much as any other, Fidelity is here. VinFast wont open until 2028 (or possibly...) Imagine the state wanted to buy your property to build a road connecting a major highway to a future factory site. Regardless of how you might feel about that, now picture that promised factory keeps getting delayed. By a year. Then three years. And the unproven company committed to opening the factory doesnt seem to view it as a current priority. If you had decided to sell your property after negotiating, you might feel one type of way. But what if the government had acquired your land against your wishes through eminent domain? That is what has occurred around the promised VinFast electric vehicle site in southeastern Chatham County. To date, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has purchased four houses in the vicinity through negotiations and obtained another two businesses and a church through eminent domain. Story continues Last week, VinFast announced it wouldnt open its Chatham factory until 2028 as it focuses on projects in Asia. Its 1,765-acre site southwest of Raleigh will remain flat and empty for some time. So far, North Carolina has paid out $95.7 million toward the VinFast project. This includes $51.7 million that reimbursed VinFast its site preparation costs. North Carolina has the right to claw back this upfront site cost reimbursement if VinFast defaults on its economic incentive deal. I wonder how straightforward the clawback process actually is, but can cross that bridge if we come to it. The state Department of Transportation has spent $28.4 million around the site. And the department said this week it is continuing to negotiate with other surrounding property owners to acquire more land. If VinFast never builds on the site, the state may still value improving the road between the land and U.S. 1 to entice a future occupant (or occupants.) But property owners who have pushed against giving up their land for the project may find cold comfort in any long-term plan. Construction is underway at the site of VinFasts electric vehicle assembly plant in Moncure on Friday, April 12, 2024 Clearing my cache HI-CHEW is a chewy, fruity, individually wrapped Japanese candy thats getting increasingly popular in the United States. Locally, its produced at a factory on the Orange County side of Mebane, and the company behind the brand plans to build a second facility next door, promising more jobs and candy. Unlike U.S. presidential candidates, board directors for most S&P 500 companies have ages at which they must step aside. But several major North Carolina employers Cisco , Bank of America , Wells Fargo , and Truist among them have in recent years relaxed their retirement rules. This trend has resulted in older boards. Are are these boards more experienced or, perhaps, more complacent? Or both? The medical device company Nipro Medical Corporation announced plans to invest $397.8 million and create 232 jobs at a future plant in Greenville. It would be the companys first in North America. Hi-Chew is a fruit-flavored, chewable candy similar to Starburst. National Tech Happenings Meta is exploring a 5% stake in the Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica to grow its smart glasses partnership. A handful of tech billionaires, including Elon Musk , are backing the Trump/Vance ticket in dollars and words. PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel previously donated $15 million to support J.D. Vances Ohio Senate campaign. U.S. online sales hit a record $14.2 billion during Amazons 48-hour Prime Day event this week. Amazon said Prime Day 2024 was its most successful ever, though the company didnt share its figures. Thanks for reading! Enjoy Triangle tech news? Subscribe to Open Source, The News & Observer's weekly newsletter, and look for it in your inbox every Friday morning. Sign up here. WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) Hurricane Valley Fire & Rescue crews conducted a rescue of a man who fell ill with heat exhaustion while hiking in Washington County Thursday afternoon. At around 12:35 p.m. on July 18, rescue crews responded to the area of Peters Leap a section of the first road connecting Cedar City and St. George, which crosses a ravine located just north of Pintura. This grass can go weeks without water and Utah just approved it Rescue personnel learned that an elderly man was out hiking and had become unable to continue due to the heat, according to a release from Hurricane Valley Fire & Rescue. Crews hiked approximately a quarter of a mile from the nearest road to reach the patient and initiated patient care. Authorities said that due to the mans remote location, a Dept. of Public Safety helicopter was called to the scene and the man was hoisted out. He was then taken via ambulance to the hospital for heat exhaustion. This incident demonstrated excellent inter-agency collaboration and response, the release states. Washington County Search and Rescue, LifeFlight, and Utah DPS all responded to 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. Nearly four years after an appeals court threw out his first sentence for being too lenient, a suburban Chicago man was resentenced Friday to 27 years in prison for plotting to detonate a car bomb outside a bar in downtown Chicago in what turned out to be an FBI terrorism sting. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennellys sentence adds more than a decade to Adel Daouds original 16-year term, and means hell likely not be eligible for release until 2035. It also puts an end barring further appeals to a high-profile terrorism case that has lingered at the Dirksen Courthouse since September 2012, when the then-17-year-old Daoud was arrested while trying to detonate what he thought was a bomb outside the Cactus Bar & Grill, intending to kill scores of people in the name of jihad. In addition to terrorism charges stemming from the bomb plot, Daoud pleaded guilty to separate indictments accusing him of soliciting the murder of the undercover FBI agent at the center of the sting operation and attacking a fellow inmate with a jailhouse shank while awaiting trial in 2015. It was an unusual deal known as an Alford plea, where the defendant admits guilt to the specific charge but not to the alleged underlying conduct. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman sentenced Daoud in 2019 to 16 years in prison, far less than the 40 years requested by prosecutors. But the the 7th Circuit U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that ruling a year later, saying the judge paid only lip service to the seriousness of the crime and overplayed the defendants immaturity at the time the FBI caught him in the sting. Daoud, now 30, has been held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago since the case was sent back to Kennelly for resentencing. In addition to the 27-year sentence, Kennelly ordered him to serve the rest of his life on supervised release once his time in prison is done. Daoud, of Hillside, had just turned 17 when he came under FBI scrutiny in 2011 while exchanging messages online about his hatred of the U.S. government and his desire to die a martyr. FBI analysts posing as terrorists eventually got Daoud to meet with an undercover agent, who was purportedly their cousin interested in waging jihad. Over several months, Daoud and the agent met a few times in the Chicago area to discuss potential targets for an attack, including movie theaters, a suburban mall and military recruiting centers, prosecutors alleged. Daouds handwritten notes he brought to one meeting made reference to a big bomb. In one meeting in Villa Park in August 2012, Daoud allegedly told the agent he wanted to maximize the carnage so he would feel like he accomplished something. If its only like five, 10 people, Im not gonna feel that good, Daoud said in a recording that was played at his sentencing hearing. I wanted something thats massive. I want something thats gonna make it in the news like tonight. Daoud was arrested in an alley across from the Cactus Bar & Grill on Sept. 14, 2012, after he twice pressed the detonator to what he thought was a 1,000-pound car bomb hed parked outside the crowded pub. Two months after his arrest, Daoud was being held at the Kankakee County Jail when he offered to pay $20,000 to his cellmate to have fellow street gang members track down and murder the agent whod deceived him, saying that all spies must die, according to prosecutors. In May 2015, Daoud attacked a fellow inmate at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, using a toothbrush hed fashioned into a shank to slash the victim while he slept in his cell, prosecutors said. Daoud was allegedly angry the inmate had previously drawn a picture of the Prophet Muhammad, which Daoud considered an insult to his religion. In early hearings on the charges, Daoud was prone to frequent outbursts in court and once accused Coleman of being a reptilian overlord. The judge eventually found Daoud mentally unfit for trial and sent him to a federal facility for treatment. A year later, he was found to be rehabilitated. In issuing her sentence in May 2019, Coleman chided both sides for infusing their arguments through the years with hyperbole and hysteria and said it was clear in many of the recorded conversations that Daoud was an immature young man who was easily egged on by the undercover agent. (Daoud) continued to do what teenage boys do, which is to talk big, Coleman said. He clearly stated he did not know how to build a bomb. But the 7th Circuit said in its opinion that Coleman had given short shrift to Daouds intentions. Not only was Daoud undeterred when the FBI offered him opportunities to call off the bombing, but the possibility of mass casualties excited and motivated (him), the opinion stated. In its 26-page opinion, the appellate court wrote that Coleman sterilized Daouds offense conduct in ways that cannot be reconciled with the facts. The appellate panel wrote it was particularly puzzled by Colemans general emphasis on Daouds awkwardness, goofiness and impressionability, saying the record did not reflect that those character traits played a major role in his crimes. We do not see how social ineptitude could excuse repeated violent criminal behavior that reflected an extraordinary disregard for human life, Judge Amy St. Eve wrote in the opinion, which was joined by Judges Kenneth Ripple and Michael Brennan. Daouds attorney at the time, Thomas Anthony Durkin, told the Tribune the appellate courts opinion was wrongheaded and slapped away the sound discretion of a good judge with an intimate knowledge of the defendant. In hindsight we should have tried these cases so the public could have seen the callousness and absurdity of the governments tactics, Durkin wrote at the time. Daoud represented himself at his resentencing. jmeisner@chicagotribune.com History of violence in Bangladesh, a country born out of war NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Deadly protests by thousands of students in Bangladesh against quotas in government jobs has brought focus to a history of violence in a country born out of a war between India and Pakistan in 1971 in which nearly 3 million people were killed. Its founding father and first prime minister Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was assassinated in 1975 in a military coup which brought in a long period of military rule. Though democracy was restored slowly by 1990, the country of nearly 170 million people has been rocked by sporadic periods of sectarian or political violence in recent years. 2009 Unhappy with their wages and living conditions, revolting border guards killed more than 70 people in the capital Dhaka, most of whom were army officers. The "mutiny", as it was called, which had spread to nearly a dozen towns, ended after six days as the angry guards surrendered following a series of discussions. 2013 The year saw about 100 people being killed in political violence under the Awami League party's rule, which is led by Sheikh Hasina, daughter of first prime minister Rehman. But elections announced in November, and the hanging of a Islamic leader Abdul Quader Mollah, leader of the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party for crimes during the 1971 war, resulted in nearly 100 more deaths. 2016 Twenty hostages, most of whom were foreigners, were killed in an attack claimed by the Islamic State militant group. The militants attacked an upmarket restaurant in Dhaka's diplomatic area, resulting in a 12-hour standoff, until it was stormed by the security forces. The dead included nationals of Italy, Japan, the United States and India. It came after months of attacks on people advocating a liberal lifestyle in the country. 2021 Extremists in Muslim-majority Bangladesh target minority Hindus. In October at least six people were killed and their houses destroyed in one of the worst instances of communal violence in the country in over a decade. Earlier Hindu temples were attacked as violence spread with thousands of hardline Islamist group members protesting a visit by neighbouring India's Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to mark the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's nationhood. 2024 Hasina returned to power in an election boycotted by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) which accused the Awami League of trying to legitimise sham elections. Attacks on poll booths and train arson killed four people during this time. In July, more than two dozen people are killed as security forces clamp down on thousands of students protesting against quotas in government jobs. (Reporting by Krishn Kaushik in New Delhi, Editing by Angus MacSwan) Gov. Eric Holcomb, pictured at the Indiana Global Economic Summit in May, will make an official visit to Australia and Singapore this month. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Gov. Eric Holcomb will be taking another international economic development trip this summer this time to Australia and Singapore. The trip will be Holcombs 24th as governor and first official visit to the countries of Australia and Singapore and will have a focus on advanced manufacturing, defense and energy. Travel costs are covered by private donations to the Indiana Economic Development Foundation. Holcomb, First Lady Janet Holcomb and David Rosenberg Indianas Secretary of Commerce will leave for Australia from Indianapolis on Saturday, July 20 and return from Singapore on July 30. The trio will be joined by other representatives from the Indianan Economic Development Corporation. Indiana is celebrating win after win thanks to our strategic focus on cultivating a globally minded, future economy, said Holcomb in a release. Australia and Singapore both represent significant partnership opportunities due to their strengths in bolstering innovation, attracting and developing talent and cultivating growth in critical sectors. I look forward to taking Indianas message across the Pacific and working to foster new opportunities for our businesses and our residents. Indianas imports and exports tally $1.8 billion with Australia and $944 million with Singapore. Indiana has 32 Australian business establishments, including C&R Racing, CSL Plasma, Everstream, Pratt Paper, Sales Pond and Tronics. Indiana has two Singaporean-owned businesses. Hoosier companies CAI, Eli Lilly and Company and Zimmer Biomet operate in both Australia and Singapore. The Australian leg of the trip will include meetings with American and Australian government officials, including New South Wales Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty and U.S. Consul General in Sydney Christine Elder. The group will attend a roundtable discussion at the U.S. Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Holcomb and Rosenberg will also meet with Australian businesses like Rux Energy, a technology company with a focus on hydrogen storage. Another portion of the trip will include meetings with government officials in Victoria, including a roundtable hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce and IFM Investors, a Melbourne-based company that has invested in the Indiana Toll Road. After roughly a week in Australia, the delegation will go to Singapore to meet with more government officials and representatives of Enterprise Singapore the governments enterprise development office. The agency will host another roundtable open to business leaders and pitch Indiana as a competitive destination. The Hoosiers State is home to more than 1,050 foreign-owned business establishments that span 40 countries and territories, according to the press release. These companies committed to investing $20.49 billion in 2023, more than double their 2022 investment and 71% of total committed capital investments in 2023. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX (Bloomberg) -- Hong Kongs reputation in Washington is too poor to anticipate any easing of policy pressure, the American Chamber of Commerce in the financial hub said after a visit to the US capital. Most Read from Bloomberg Given Hong Kongs position between China and the US, the overall US sentiment towards Hong Kong is quite negative, and US-Hong Kong relations are unlikely to improve any time soon, the organization said in a report released this week. AmCham said its Chairman Geoff Siebengartner led a 10-person delegation to meet with congressmen, senior government officials and policy experts, among others, earlier this month. Hong Kong authorities sweeping crackdown on dissent following 2019 pro-democracy protests has prompted criticism from Western governments, with the US removing some preferential treatment previously afforded to the former British colony owing to its special status as a semi-autonomous part of China. Washington has also sanctioned a number of officials it accused of undermining freedoms in the former British colony and updated its travel advisory to warn Americans of the risk of traveling to the city after Beijing imposed a national security law. Washingtons highest priority is to see a robust implementation of the One Country, Two Systems principle, according to the report, referring to the citys governing framework after it returned to Chinese rule in 1997. A recently enacted national security law known as Article 23 was of particular concern, it added. It is doubtful that there will be tangible changes in US policy towards Hong Kong, the business chamber wrote. AmCham said the delegation reflected the views of its members during the meetings. It shared its latest survey of business sentiment showing that a large majority of US companies arent leaving Hong Kong, still have confidence in the rule of law and see it as an excellent place to do business. Still its members are not seeking to expand and dont feel optimistic about the future, mainly due to the geopolitical situation, it noted. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Dozens of frustrated, tired and angry travelers stranded at Los Angeles International Airport overnight spent all morning Friday desperately seeking help, underscoring the myriad of disruptions caused by a tech outage that upended air travel around the globe. Theyre not going to do much, a Spirit Airlines worker warned the would-be passengers shortly before 8 a.m. He asked if anyones flight from Thursday had been canceled and advised that the best bet is to get your refund online. Among those who spoke to the worker for guidance was Eli Osei, 20. He had a flight scheduled for 11:49 p.m. Thursday. The flight first got pushed back to 12:10 a.m., then to 12:57 am. Then the communication stopped and then it got canceled, Osei said as he stood with two suitcases piled on his luggage cart. The United Airlines counter on Friday, following a global technology outage affected LAX. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) Osei said he put those two suitcases together and tried to sleep on them, but got only about 40 minutes of shut-eye before an airline announcement woke him. There was nothing that could be done. Which makes a lot of sense, Osei said, noting that it was a software issue. It seems like no one really has any answers. You cant blame anyone. No blame inside the airport, perhaps. But there was already much finger-pointing. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said that the issue believed to be behind the outage was not a security incident or a cyberattack. The company said the problem occurred when it deployed a faulty update to computers running Microsoft Windows. Osei had been in L.A. for an internship and was unable to go back to the Airbnb where he was staying here. A new guest had already taken his place. I dont really know what Im going to do, he said. I imagine I could be here for a while. Jessica and Jason Schwarze and son, Kaleb Maddox, rest on the floor at the United Airlines terminal after their flight to Sydney, Australia was canceled Thursday night. They are waiting for a 9:45 p.m. flight to Melbourne then to Sydney to catch a cruise. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) There were early signs things may not be right when LAX's ticket scanner experienced issues, said Jason Schwarze, 42. Then he and his family spent an hour sitting on the runway Thursday night waiting to depart for Australia before their flight was ultimately canceled. They unloaded everyone, said heres your bag, good luck, he said. He, his wife and 17-year-old son slept on the floor of the airport's check-in area because all the nearby hotels they checked were booked. Others who planned to depart Friday morning were met with equally bad news. Haley Daniels had her solo trip to Maui lined up for her 29th birthday, with an Airbnb and rental cars reserved and a meditation wellness session scheduled. But after her fifth hour in the Delta rebooking line, she was only halfway to the front and was losing hope. Bryce Burrows was closer to the front and said he'd been in line for nine hours Friday. Traveling from Australia with his 13-year-old son, Toren, the 53-year-old father's patience with the airlines was wearing thin, which he said did not provide food and water to travelers until news cameras showed up. I dont care about the chips and the water I can find a bloody water machine, he said. Weve been here for hours. The pair, on their way back to Australia after a trip to Orlando, Fla., for a space camp, had gotten little information from the airline since their Thursday night flight was canceled, he said. After an overnight stay on the airport floor, someone finally alerted the father and son to the booking line, where theyve spent much of Friday. Despite the chaos, Toren, who was off school for break and vacation, wasnt too upset by the delay. Delta passengers wait in line to re-book their flights on Friday, after LAX was affected by a global technology outage. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) I am not disappointed to miss a day of school, he said smiling. Another person whose trip home was interrupted was Iyanah Cheatham, 21. Cheatham had planned to head home to Columbus, Ohio, for her dads 60th birthday on Friday. But her early morning flight was canceled, with no update on when she could rebook. I wont be able to make it, she said. Im really bummed, to be honest. She thought about booking a new flight but last-minute tickets cost upwards of $700, she said. Instead, she headed home to Burbank. Read more: From LAX to hospitals to Starbucks, global tech outage brings chaos and frustration On the lower, arrival level at LAX, luggage was stacked up at the baggage claim area. Weary travelers slumped in chairs and information kiosks were flooded with people asking questions. Naval officer Jade Noble, 27, flew into LAX on Friday morning from San Diego for a connecting flight to Honolulu before deploying to Guam. But her connection to Hawaii was canceled and wont be rescheduled for another five to seven days, she was told, pushing back the start of her first deployment. Unclaimed luggage stacks up at Terminal 7 at LAX. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times) I dont know how its going to be, checking in a week or two later, she said about possibly missing the start date for her orders. A friend was driving up to take her back to San Diego while she waits for a new flight. The only silver lining, she said, is getting extra time with loved ones. Syeda S., 35, who declined to give her full name, got to LAX at 7 p.m Thursday for a red-eye to Washington, D.C., with her two young kids. She had packed enough to keep them fed and comfortable for an overnight flight but not for a 15-hour stay at the airport. At 2 a.m. she said her kids and others waiting for flights in the terminal were cranky and hungry. An airport employee delivered boxes of food to those waiting since vendors were closed. By Friday morning, her 3-year-old daughter had developed a fever and her 2-year-old fussed as his sister slept in their mother's arms. Syeda said she was frustrated that the airport wasnt more prepared for this sort of possibility. We dont know whats going on, she said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A Massachusetts congressman who describes President Joe Biden as a mentor and friend says that Biden should step down. In an op-ed in The Boston Globe Friday, Representative Seth Moulton recounted how Biden appeared to not recognize him at an event last month. Moulton came clean about the troubling interaction after previously calling for Biden to step down July 4. I saw him in a small group at Normandy for the eightieth anniversary of D-Day. For the first time, he didnt seem to recognize me, wrote Moulton. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. On Friday, nine more lawmakers publicly called on Biden to drop out, including, notably, the first member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Marc Veasey. But Moulton isnt just a random House Democrat. The politician from Massachusetts 6th congressional district said his previous relationship with Biden was warm, with breakfasts, phone calls, and smiles from across the hall. I have treasured him as a mentor and friend, wrote Moulton. Moulton warned that the change he has seen both interpersonally with Biden and on the national debate stage calls for action from his fellow politicians. The harsh reality is that all the characteristics that have made Biden an irrepressible forcethe energy, the vitality, the sharp, scrappy witare flickering. In order for Democrats to win the election, Moulton said, Biden must go. Just as Republicans need to find the courage to speak out against Trump, my fellow Democrats need to find the courage to speak the truth about President Biden before its too late. The Houthis struck deep into Israel with an Iranian-made attack drone likely upgraded for longer-range strikes, IDF says A Houthi drone struck central Tel Aviv on Friday, killing one person in the Israeli city. The IDF said the drone used in the attack was likely a Samad-3 modified with an extended range. The rare strike marked the Iran-backed rebels' first lethal attack inside Israel. The Houthi-launched drone that struck a building in Israel on Friday, killing one person and injuring several more, appears to have been modified for extended-range strikes, the Israeli military said. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the rare attack on Tel Aviv early Friday morning local time, which marked their first lethal attack in Israel. The Iran-backed rebels said that they carried out a "specific military operation" with a new attack drone that is undetectable by radars and can effectively sneak past air-defense systems. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, said an initial assessment suggests the system used in the attack was an Iranian-made Samad-3 one-way attack drone with an extended range. He said the drone was launched from Yemen and crossed into Israeli territory from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea. In video footage from Friday's attack, the unmanned aircraft can be seen crossing over a beach in Tel Aviv and striking a building, causing a large explosion. The attack occurred near the US Embassy branch office, although it's unclear if that was the intended target. The resulting blast shattered windows and sent shrapnel falling into the streets. Very clear footage of a kamikaze UAV fired by Yemens Houthis targeting Tel Aviv overnight, near the United States Embassy Office. pic.twitter.com/nvMTna32YJ Clash Report (@clashreport) July 19, 2024 According to a February 2024 report by the US Defense Intelligence Agency, the Samad family of drones has a maximum range of just over 1,200 miles, which technically allows them to reach the bottom half of Israel. The Houthis have launched dozens of drones from Yemen, although a majority have been intercepted before they could reach Israeli territory, Hagari said. He added that the IDF is investigating this latest incident to determine why the Samad-3 was not identified as a threat and shot down before it reached Tel Aviv. "Today and in the coming days, we will conduct a situational assessment in order to examine the incident, understand exactly where the threat was launched from, what the necessary defensive responses are, and what the necessary operational responses are against those who threaten the State of Israel," Hagari said. A Samad-3 drone aircraft flies at an unidentified location in Yemen in this still image taken from a video released by the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV on July 9, 2019. AL-MASIRAH TV via REUTERS TV Looking at the available information, Fabian Hinz, a research fellow for defense and military analysis at the International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank, said that "it's possible" that the drone used in the Tel Aviv attack is a "slightly more capable" Samad variant. He wrote in commentary on social media that "for the Houthis, increasing the UAV range would be quite attractive as it would allow them to strike targets further away, fly routes evading enemy defenses and attack from unexpected angles." The Houthi said their drone strike was carried out in support of Palestinians in Gaza, the same rationale for their ongoing attacks on merchant shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The rebels have spent months launching one-way attack drones and anti-ship missiles into the waterways, often forcing US Navy and allied warships to intercept the threats. Investigators examine what, according to a police spokesperson, seems to be part of an aerial device, at the site of an explosion in Tel Aviv on July 19, 2024. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes Israel has yet to strike the Houthis directly in Yemen. The US and UK militaries, however, have carried out several rounds of joint strikes targeting rebel facilities there, and American forces have carried out a number of unilateral strikes. Beyond the Houthis, Iran also provides military and financial support to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Friday's attack took place hours after Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon and raises long-standing fears that the devastating Gaza war could escalate further into a broader regional conflict. Read the original article on Business Insider A mourner walks across the parking lot to Laube Hall in Freeport, Pennsylvania, where the calling hours for Corey Comperatore took place Thursday. Comperatore died shielding his family from a would-be assassin's bullets that were aimed at former President Donald Trump during a rally Saturday. Luke Bondra, 42, never met Corey Comperatore. Still, he drove 30 minutes from New Kensington, Pennsylvania, to pay his respects to the man who died shielding his family from a would-be assassin's bullets that were aimed at former President Donald Trump during a rally Saturday. Bondra and his grade school-aged daughter were also at the Saturday rally in Butler, roughly 100 yards from the sniper team that killed the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks. "I heard a 'pop pop pop' and hit the ground," he said. "I'm still shaken. My daughter was scared." He was one of hundreds of people who drove minutes or hours to offer condolences to Comperatore's family and friends at the Laube Hall memorial service Thursday set in the wooded Freeport Community Park. Police departments, emergency medical services and fire departments from around Pennsylvania were also present. Local law enforcement dotted the community park, directing traffic to and from the parking lot outside Laube Hall. A team of snipers were seen atop a utility building near the memorial and on Laube Hall. A Pennsylvania state trooper sniper keeps an eye on the perimeter at the Laube Hall in Freeport, Pennsylvania, during the calling hours for Corey Comperatore Thursday. Comperatore family issues statement Comperatore's family released a statement Thursday describing the 50-year-old father and husband as a loving and caring man who put his family and faith above all else. He worked as a volunteer firefighter for the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department and was a local leader and former fire chief. "Our family is finding comfort and peace through the heartfelt messages of encouragement from people around the world, through the support of our church and community, and most of all, through the strength of God," they said. "We thank the countless people who have prayed for us throughout the past week." Visitation was 'quiet' and 'respectful' The 40-year-old Justin Strycharz drove five hours from Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania, to attend the visitation. Although he never knew Comperatore, he said he felt it was important to show his support. He described the scene inside Laube Hall as "very quiet and respectful." The memorial featured dozens of photos of Comperatore as people who knew him shared stories. Strycharz said he was disappointed with security at the Saturday rally where Comperatore was killed. "I was already upset about what happened before I knew who died," Strycharz said after leaving the visitation. "This was a tragedy that shouldn't have happened." Strycharz identifies as an Independent, voting for Gary Johnson in 2016 and Andrew Yang in 2020. But the assassination attempt, he said, solidified his support of Trump. "I will definitely vote for him in November," he said. Cousin, childhood friend attend memorial Dan Beazley from Detroit, Michigan, walks through the parking lot pulling a cross at Laube Hall in Pennsylvania, where the calling hours for Corey Comperatore took place Thursday. The 50-year-old father died shielding his family from shots aimed at former Donald Trump during a rally Saturday. Cindy Villella, 58, walked with her husband up a shaded hill toward Laube Hall, where her cousin Helen Comperatore greeted mourners and well-wishers alongside her family and friends. They had just driven 35 minutes from Plum, Pennsylvania, and hoped to meet with family members they hadn't seen since the last holiday gathering. "We wanted to offer our condolences," she said. Villella and her husband did not attend the Trump rally, but when a friend told her about the shooting, she later turned on the news and saw her cousin. "I turned on the TV and said, 'Oh my God, that's my cousin,'" she recalled. "The family, we are still in shock." Hours later, Ryan Smith walked up the road to the hall. Corey Comperatore was his childhood friend, he said. "I met him when I was 4 years old. We had no brothers, so we were very close," Smith said. "He was my hero." He said seeing Comperatore's family will be like seeing his second family. He grew up with Comperatore's sisters. Comperatore's mother was his second mother, he said. An unidentified family walks towards the calling hours for Corey Comperatore at Laube Hall in Freeport Park where the calling hours took place Thursday, July 18th in Freeport Pennsylvania. Comperatore died shielding his family from a would-be assassin's bullets that were aimed at former President Donald Trump during a rally Saturday. Members of the Saxonburg Burrough Fire Department depart from the calling hours of Corey Comperatore held at Laube Hall in Freeport Park in Freeport Pennsylvania. Comperatore died shielding his family from a would-be assassin's bullets that were aimed at former President Donald Trump during a rally Saturday. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Friends, family honor Corey Comperatore during memorial service Hungary blocked a joint statement by EU member states on the Israeli parliament's rejection of the establishment of a Palestinian state, according to a senior EU official on Friday. As a result, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell was only able to release a statement on his own behalf criticizing the move by the Knesset. Borrell said the EU "deplores the resolution passed by the Knesset" and reiterates the bloc's commitment to a two-state solution as the only sustainable solution to the Middle-East conflict. Hungary has blocked other joint EU statements before. It was unclear why Hungary prevented a declaration on behalf of all EU countries on this occasion. Diplomats noted that Budapest has very good relations with Israel as a possible reason. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has cultivated friendly relations with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for decades. Orban's government has also already announced that any arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Netanyahu would not be executed on its territory. In May, ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan applied for arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant as well as three leaders of the Palestinian Islamic militant organization Hamas for alleged crimes against humanity. The court must now decide on these applications. (Reuters) - ChatGPT maker OpenAI is in discussion with chip designers, including Broadcom, about developing a new artificial intelligence chip, the Information reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. OpenAI is exploring the idea of making AI chips on its own to overcome the shortage of expensive graphic processing units that it relies on to develop AI models such as ChatGPT, GPT-4, and DALL-E3. The Microsoft-backed company is hiring former Google employees who produced the online search giant's own AI chip, the tensor processing unit, and has decided to develop an AI server chip, the report added, citing three people who have been involved. "OpenAI is having ongoing conversations with industry and government stakeholders about increasing access to the infrastructure needed to ensure AI's benefits are widely accessible," a spokesperson for OpenAI told the Information. Bloomberg News reported earlier this year that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has plans to raise billions of dollars for setting up a network of factories to manufacture semiconductors with chipmakers Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co and Samsung Electronics as potential partners. (Reporting by Priyanka.G in Bengaluru; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi) The receiver station of the Druzhba oil pipeline between Hungary and Russia is seen at the Hungarian MOL Group's Danube Refinery in Szazhalombatta BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Ukraine's decision to halt the transit of oil from Russia's Lukoil threatens the long-term security of supply for Slovakia and Hungary, Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told a news briefing on Friday. Slovakia and Hungary said on Wednesday they had stopped receiving oil from Lukoil after Ukraine imposed a ban on the transit of oil from the company last month. "We have been able to stabilise the situation with temporary solutions, but these will not be enough even for the near future," Szijjarto said. "Ukrainian authorities showed willingness to find a solution to the situation, but these attempts have faded since," he added. Russia continues to supply natural gas and oil to landlocked Hungary and Slovakia via Ukraine despite the war, through the Druzhba pipeline's southern spur. Ukraine's ban does not affect other Russian oil exporters whose oil was still allowed through Ukraine, Slovakian oil transporter Transpetrol said on Thursday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Lukoil's disrupted oil transit via Ukraine a "crisis" for buyers, but said there was little scope for talks with the Ukrainian transit firms as the decision had been political. (Reporting by Boldizsar Gyori; editing by Alan Charlish and Jason Neely) BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday that former U.S. President Donald Trump and Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico were both attacked for their "anti-war views". Fico was hit by four bullets in an assassination attempt in mid-May while Trump, the Republican party's nominee for the November presidential vote, survived a July 13 shooting. Both are allies of Orban, a right-wing nationalist in power since 2010. "All these attacks are against anti-war, pro-peace politicians," Orban said in an interview with state-owned Kossuth radio station. "Pro-war forces are so stirred up, tense, abetted and organised that they are trying to clean out the pro-peace forces from the stage, from the centre of political life." The Hungarian prime minister, who went on a self-styled Ukraine "peace mission" earlier this month that included a meeting with Trump, said that the former president survived the attack because "God has plans with him" to advance peace. Orban's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said that Hungary sees a potential Trump second term as a "chance for peace" in Ukraine. Orban said that he spoke to Trump for two hours during their meeting in Florida on July 11. Friday's interview was the first time Orban talked about the meeting in detail. He said they discussed several topics including economics and that his team was assisting Trump's aides with policies. "We have a very good relationship with those who work behind the president on writing his economic and foreign policy agendas," Orban said. "I could say that we take part in the process of this agenda setting, there are a few topic such as family policy and stopping migration where we are highly regarded." (Reporting by Anita Komuves; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne) Hunter Biden is trying to pull a Trump card and have his criminal conviction on gun charges thrown out and another case of tax evasion dismissed, citing a recent controversial ruling that declared special counsels to be unconstitutional. Special counsel David Weiss secured Bidens conviction in Delaware federal court last month on charges that he lied about his illegal drug use when buying a gun. Weiss is also pursuing the tax case against Biden, in which he has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial in September, USA Today reported. In a legal filing, Biden's attorneys citing a ruling by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who dismissed special counsel Jack Smiths classified documents case against Donald Trump this week after affirming the former presidents claims that Smith's appointment and funding violated the Constitution, USA Today reported. President Joe Bidens son maintains that Cannons ruling is reason enough to dismiss special counsel Weisss cases against him, NBC News reported. Based on these new legal developments, Mr. Biden moves to dismiss the indictment brought against him because the Special Counsel who initiated this prosecution was appointed in violation of the Appointments Clause as well, the filing reads. The Attorney General relied upon the exact same authority to appoint the Special Counsel in both the Trump and Biden matters, and both appointments are invalid for the same reason. Related video: Hunter Biden indicted on federal gun charges WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Bidens son, Hunter, asked federal judges on Thursday to dismiss tax and gun cases against him, citing a ruling in Florida this week that threw out a separate prosecution of former President Donald Trump. The requests in federal court in Delaware and California underscore the potential ramifications of U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannons dismissal Monday of the classified documents case against Trump and the possibility that it could unsettle the legal landscape surrounding Justice Department special counsels. Both Hunter Biden and Trump were prosecuted by special counsels appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland. In dismissing the Trump case, Cannon ruled that the appointment of the special counsel who prosecuted Trump, Jack Smith, violated the Constitution because he was appointed directly to the position by Garland instead of being nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Smiths team has said the Justice Department followed long-establishment precedent for instance, the Trump-era appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Russian election interference was upheld by courts and has appealed Cannons dismissal to a federal appeals court in Atlanta. FILE Hunter Biden arrives at federal court with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, June 11, 2024, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File) In a pair of filings Thursday, lawyers for Hunter Biden said the same logic should apply in his cases and should result in the dismissal of a pending tax prosecution in Los Angeles currently set for trial in September and a separate firearm case in Delaware, in which Hunter Biden was convicted in June of three felony charges. Hunter Bidens team had raised similar arguments before, unsuccessfully, but they say theres now good reason to reconsider them. Both of Hunter Bidens cases are being overseen by judges nominated by Trump. Cannon, the judge who threw out Trumps case, was also nominated by the former Republican president. Based on these new legal developments, Mr. Biden moves to dismiss the indictment brought against him because the Special Counsel who initiated this prosecution was appointed in violation of the Appointments Clause as well, Hunter Bidens lawyers wrote. They also cited an opinion this month by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that questioned the propriety of a special counsel appointment. The Attorney General relied upon the exact same authority to appoint the Special Counsel in both the Trump and Biden matters, and both appointments are invalid for the same reason, the lawyers added. Smith and the special counsel who prosecuted Hunter Biden, David Weiss, are different in that Smith was hired from outside the Justice Department while Weiss was working as the U.S. Attorney in Delaware at the time of his appointment. In her ruling, Cannon noted that a special counsels powers are arguably broader than a traditional United States Attorney, as he is permitted to exercise his investigatory powers across multiple districts within the same investigation. Hunter Bidens lawyers pointed out Thursday that thats exactly what happened in his case, as Weiss in his role as special counsel filed cases against Biden in California and Delaware and separately brought charges against a former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens. Mere U.S. Attorneys do not have that power. Given that Congress requires a U.S. Attorney to be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, it makes no sense to assume that Congress would allow the Attorney General to unilaterally appoint someone as Special Counsel with equal or greater power than a U.S. Attorney, Hunter Bidens lawyers wrote. That is what has been attempted here. Jurors found Hunter Biden guilty in June of lying about his drug use in 2018 on a federal form to buy a firearm that he had for about 11 days. The trial put a spotlight on a dark period in Hunter Bidens life during which he became addicted to crack cocaine after the 2015 death of his brother, Beau. He has said hes been sober since 2019. Hunter Biden faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced in the gun case by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika, though as a first-time offender he would not get anywhere near the maximum, and theres no guarantee the judge would send him to prison. She has not set a sentencing date. The tax case centers on at least $1.4 million in taxes prosecutors say he failed to pay over four years. The back taxes have since been paid. The long-running federal investigation into the presidents son had looked ready to wrap up with a plea deal last year, but the agreement imploded after a judge raised questions about it. Hunter Biden was subsequently indicted in both cases. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. This aerial photo taken July 18, 2024, shows Redfish Lake and smoke from the Bench Lake Fire. (Courtesy of interagency InciWeb report) More than 300 firefighters continued to fight the Bench Lake Fire burning in Idahos Sawtooth National Forest, achieving 8% containment on Friday as the fire grew to more than 2,000 acres, fire officials said. The fire started July 11 and is burning near Redfish Lake and the iconic Redfish Lake Lodge near the town of Stanley. Crews have used pumps and hoses to water Redfish Lake Lodge and other structures in the area, according to the Great Basin team four public information offices interagency InciWeb report on the fire. Sawtooth National Recreation Area officials have issued emergency closures for the Redfish Lake Recreation Complex, including the lodge, trails, campgrounds and roads in the vicinity. In an update posted Friday morning, fire officials said the firefighters efforts were paying off. Altogether, 346 firefighters, six helicopters, 14 engines and two scooper planes were fighting the Bench Lake Fire. Fire restrictions issued for Grangeville Interagency land managers will implement fire restrictions beginning Saturday for the Grangeville Fire Restrictions Area in north central Idaho, according to a press release. Fire wardens and management Officers from the Nez Perce Tribe, Idaho Department of Lands, Bureau of Land Management, Clearwater-Potlatch Timber Protection Association, and the Forest Service have collectively decided to implement the restrictions due to excessive temperatures and dry conditions. Structure protection efforts at Redfish Lake Lodge and adjacent facilities are proving successful, the Great Basin team four public information office wrote. Pumps and hoses continue to spray water increasing the relative humidity, making it harder for any fire embers to ignite adjacent fuels. Crews near upper Bench Lakes have made substantial progress building containment lines in the extremely rugged terrain. The Times-News reported on Wednesday that it may take a major rain storm or snowfall to completely put out the fire. Thats according to Sawtooth National Recreation Area Ranger Kirk Flannigan, who addressed the impacts of the fire in front of almost 200 people gathered at a town hall meeting in Stanley, according to the Times News. The cause of the Bench Lake Fire remained under investigation as of Friday. Once again this year, more Idaho fires have been caused by people than lighting, according to the Idaho Department of Lands fire division. Crews achieve 10% containment of Texas Fire burning east of Kendrick, Idaho Crews fighting the Texas Fire that is burning east of Kendrick in Latah County reported achieving 10% containment of the fire, fire officials said Friday morning. The human-caused fire started July 15. As of Friday morning, 175 firefighters were fighting the Texas Fire, according to a news release issued Friday by the Idaho Department of Lands. On Wednesday, the Lewiston Tribune reported that four structures have burned in the fire and others have been threatened since the fire ignited. As of early Friday afternoon, Level 3 evacuation status was still in effect for the Cedar Creek Canyon Area. For the latest evacuation statues for the Texas Fire, visit the Latah County Sheriffs Offices Facebook page. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Farmworkers work in an onion field in the Treasure Valley Los trabajadores agricolas trabajan en un campo de cebollas en Treasure Valley. (Cortesia de la Alianza de Recursos para Inmigrantes de Idaho) Para leer este articulo en espanol, haga clic aqui. The Idaho Immigrant Resource Alliance is continuing its annual Heat and Smoke Relief Fund to help farmworkers deal with extreme weather conditions. Founded in 2021, the fund helps agricultural workers in southern Idaho by giving them essential supplies and support during the summer. The alliance has raised around $35,000 over the years through donations and gathered hundreds of items for local farmworkers, according to a press release from the alliance. This year, the nonprofit aims to raise $10,000 and collect essential items like water, coolers, sunscreen, hats, long sleeve shirts, electrolyte drinks and more to help farmworkers deal with extreme weather conditions, according to the release. Samantha Guerrero, co-founder of the nonprofit, said protecting farmworkers is urgent. In the state of Idaho, we currently do not have any protections, and we really havent seen the initiative to do so, Guerrero said. Most farm groups are legally not given breaks or shade. With temperatures rising to 110 degrees, it makes it really dangerous for farmworkers to be working in those conditions. To address these challenges, the resource alliance has been collecting and distributing cooling bandanas, water and other essential items. This year, the fund has been renamed in honor of community leader J.J. Saldana, an Idaho Latino rights advocate who died in September. J.J. was an amazing leader and a big supporter of protecting farmworkers. Naming the fund after him is our way of honoring his legacy, Guerrero said. Who are Idaho farmworkers, and what do they face? The demographics of Idahos farm workforce are diverse, comprising mostly Latinos and Hispanics, including many undocumented workers and those on H-2A visas, she said. We see a mix of ages and genders, but its predominantly a male-dominated field, Guerrero said. Many workers are also young students or come from families of farmworkers. Guerrero said asthma rates are high among farmworkers, and they are at higher risk of other illnesses because of their work. When workers arent getting the breaks that they need in order to consume enough water to stay hydrated in the fields they are also at a high risk for having kidney disease, Guerrero said. Guerrero said that this years fundraising strategy involves asking community leaders and setting up collection sites for donations. For more information on how to support or donate to the Heat and Smoke Relief fund, visit the fundraising page or drop off supplies at one of their drop-off locations Were halfway to our $10,000 goal and hope to reach it by the end of the month, she said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, farmworkers were having a difficult time accessing supplies, by the time they were out of work stores were closed or supplies had run out, she said. The pandemic initially sparked a sense of urgency and community donations were high, she said. Although support has fluctuated, we continue to see community support, which is why weve kept this fundraiser going. Farmworker advocacy group partners with Boise State for research The Idaho Immigrant Resource Alliance has partnered with Boise State University to understand the effects of heat stress and pesticides on farmworkers. We need to continue to have research to prove and show that policy is affecting those on the front lines and to show the impact of these conditions, Guerrero said. Researchers from Boise State Universitys School of Public Service and Department of Sociology conducted a study during the pesticide spray season from April to July 2022. They found 10 pesticide biomarkers in over 80% of urine samples collected from 62 farmworkers comprised of 30 men and 32 women. Biomarkers are signals in the body like in blood and other fluids that show if someone has been exposed to pesticides. The study found that men and women had similar levels of pesticide concentration, but women worked significantly fewer hours, wore similar or greater levels of personal protective equipment and were slightly more likely to report suffering from immediate pesticide poisoning. The researchers also found that men had different views on risks, control and safety behaviors compared to women, who wear more protective gear. Farmworkers often wear many layers, including long sleeves, gloves, bandanas, hats and boots to protect themselves from sun exposure and pesticides, Guerrero said Imagine working in 110-degree heat with all these layers; its a lot of stress on the body. Where to drop off supplies across southern Idaho Community Council Caldwell 317 Happy Day Blvd., Suite 180 Caldwell, ID 83607 Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday Super Nutrition 1306 Second St. S. Nampa, ID Hours: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Saturdays Idaho Hispanic Foundation 315 Stampede Drive Nampa, ID 83687 Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday Indigenous Idaho Alliance 812 W. Franklin St. Boise, ID 83702 Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, or use the box in the lobby to drop off Community Council 1349 S. Holmes Ave. Idaho Falls, ID 83404 Phone: 208-524-0980 Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday Community Council 1139 Falls Ave. E., Suite B Twin Falls, ID 83301 Phone: 208-734-3336 Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday Community Council 437 E. 13th St. Burley, ID 83318 Phone: 208-878-1171 Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday Community Council 420 W. Bridge St. Blackfoot, ID 83221 Phone: 208-785-6390 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX FILE - In this photo made from body camera footage and released by the Twin Falls, Idaho, Police Department, Skylar Meade, right, is arrested in Twin Falls on Thursday, March 21, 2024. An Idaho inmate who slipped state custody at a Boise hospital after the corrections officers guarding him were violently attacked is expected to be sentenced for escape Friday morning. (Twin Falls Police Department via AP, File) BOISE, Idaho (AP) An Idaho inmate was sentenced Friday to life in prison for escaping state custody at a Boise hospital after the corrections officers guarding him were violently attacked. Skylar Meade pleaded guilty to the escape and to sentencing enhancement for being a persistent violator and for causing bodily injury during the crime earlier this year. Fourth District Judge Nancy Baskin also sentenced him to another five years for possession of a controlled substance and having contraband in a prison. Meade must serve 35 years for those charges before he can be considered for parole. The case began in the early morning hours of March 20 after the Idaho Department of Correction brought Meade to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center for treatment of self-inflicted injuries. As correctional officers prepared to take Meade back to the prison around 2 a.m., an accomplice outside the hospital began shooting, prosecutors say. Nicholas Umphenour shot two of the correctional officers, prosecutors say. A third officer was shot and injured when a fellow police officer mistook him for the shooter and opened fire. All three of the officers survived their injuries. Meade and Umphenour fled the scene, investigators said, first driving several hours to north-central Idaho before heading back to the southern half of the state, where they were arrested roughly 36 hours after the hospital attack. Police described both men as white supremacist gang members who had been incarcerated at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in Kuna, at times housed in the same unit. At the time of the escape, Meade, 31, was serving a 20-year sentence for shooting at a sheriff's sergeant during a high-speed chase. Umphenour was released in January after serving time on charges of grand theft and unlawful possession of a weapon. Umphenour is charged with three counts of aggravated battery on law enforcement officers, using a firearm during a crime and aiding and abetting escape, all felonies. He stood silent when asked to enter a plea to those charges in May and the judge subsequently entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. He is scheduled to stand trial on those charges in October. Both men also were indicted in June in Nez Perce County on murder charges in connection with the death of 83-year-old James Mauney of Juliaetta, Idaho. The Idaho State Police said Mauneys remains were found near Leland, Idaho. State police are still investigating the death of another man in the area that they say may be connected to the case. Neither Meade's nor Umphenour's defense attorneys immediately responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press. ___ Associated Press writer Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed to this report. Illinois Man Says He Was Fired From Trucking Company For Not Cutting His Dreadlocks Despite White Employees Being Allowed To Have Long Hair Illinois Man Says He Was Fired From Trucking Company For Not Cutting His Dreadlocks Despite White Employees Being Allowed To Have Long Hair | Photo: Getty Images Drew Harvey, 26, of Crete, Illinois, was a recent hire at an Iowa trucking company, and he alleges that he was fired for refusing to cut off his dreadlocks. According to the Des Moines Register, Harvey traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, for his new role with TMC Transportation. He began training on June 23, but he alleges that he was wrongfully terminated the following day due to his hairstyle. I was one of the top performers I was thinking my instructor might be giving me a little bit of praise for doing a good job, Harvey told the newspaper outlet. I was getting ready to walk into the classroom and he stopped me and said, You need to go talk to HR before stepping into the classroom.' Harvey spoke with the vice president of HR about the issue, and Harvey claims he was given one option: to cut off his hair or lose his job. He said he suggested various alternatives after the company allegedly expressed concern that his hair would prevent him from wearing the required hard hat properly. This is Drew Harvey, from Chicago, just moved to Des Moines for a trucking job at TMC Transportation. About two weeks in, he says he was let go because he refused to cut his dreadlocks. Tonight on @weareiowa5news at 5 and 6 p.m., Drew's sharing more on the moment he lost his job. pic.twitter.com/OvxyOQirYV Connor ONeal (@Connorsoneal) July 4, 2024 Ive seen multiple people of my skin color and my different hair types conduct their job more than efficiently with a hard hat, Harvey said, emphasizing that his suggested way of wrapping his locs made the hat feel more secure. Harvey said that his hair held both cultural and emotional significance to him. Being an African American, and just understanding where my people are from, our hair is very deeply tied to our spirituality as well as our moral beliefs, he explained. I have not cut my hair since the day my father passed away four years ago. My dad would braid it up for me. The 26-year-old filed a civil rights complaint against the company for discrimination and hired Ben Lynch, a civil rights attorney in Clive, the night after his termination from TMC, according to the Des Moines Register. TMC has faced allegations of racial discrimination in the past, according to reports from former employees. KCCI reported that in 2021, Damon Mitchell was employed by the company to obtain his commercial driving license when he was allegedly terminated due to his dreadlocks. I didnt fail out of school, I didnt do anything wrong. I was high spirits, I had high hopes and I went there ready to give this company everything that I had, with the best of my ability. And my hair did not have an influence on my job performance, Mitchell told KCCI. Mitchell had relocated from Texas to obtain his CDL license and claimed he received similar complaints to Harveys, including issues with his hard hat fitting due to his hair. He said he refused to cut his dreadlocks and was allegedly terminated for that. According to Atlanta Black Star, he filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and signed a non-disparagement agreement with TMC, which prohibits him and his attorney from discussing the case. Meanwhile, Harvey included several photos in his complaint showing white employees with long hair who allegedly retained their positions. Lynch commented that such treatment of African American workers should not be occurring in todays workplaces. I dont know why this is happening in 2024, Lynch said, per the DesMoines Register. Drew (Harvey) is the nicest guy in the world. He should be exactly who you want at your company. Harvey said he hopes Black people will not continue to be the targets of these types of outdated practices. I dont want this to continuously be a problem for people of my skin color and ethnicity, he said. We should not be subjected to these types of discriminatory claims. By Louis van Boxel-Woolf and Bartosz Dabrowski (Reuters) -European liftmakers Schindler and Kone posted second-quarter order intake above expectations on Friday, but warned China's construction slowdown was weighing on new installations. Schindler's order intake was 2.98 billion Swiss francs ($3.35 billion) in the second quarter, down 0.4% from a year earlier in local currencies, but just ahead of analysts' forecast of 2.95 billion francs in a poll compiled by Vara. Kone's order intake grew 3.6% in local currencies to 2.33 billion euros ($2.54 billion), surpassing analysts' forecast by about 3%, based on Vara consensus. Schindler said the volume of new installations in China fell between 5% and 10% in the quarter compared to last year, while Kone said the 11.1% fall in second-quarter sales for its new buildings business was mostly due to its performance in China. Chinese construction starts fell by nearly 24% in the first half of 2024, signalling further tough conditions for the companies' installation businesses. Both Schindler and Kone said, however, that their renovation and maintenance businesses would continue to grow across the world, including China. "New construction in China is indeed coming down, but there are 1.3 million elevators in China that need modernisation," Kone CEO Philippe Delorme said during a media call. "By 2030 there will be 3.2 million," he added. Out of the two, Schindler is less exposed to China. About 15% of its revenue came from China last year, versus 30% for Kone, according to estimates from Jefferies analysts. Although Schindler confirmed its outlook for the year, it also warned that new installations in the Asia-Pacific region without China, which includes India, would be worse than it had expected. Urbanising India is a key growth market for the pair. Growing sales in India and Southeast Asia have helped Kone offset some of the weakness in China. Kone narrowed the range of its guidance, saying it expects sales growth in constant currencies of between 0% and 4%, down from its previous 0% to 5% forecast. ($1 = 0.8889 Swiss francs) ($1 = 0.9187 euros) (Reporting by Louis van Boxel-Woolf and Bartosz Dabrowski in Gdansk; editing by Milla Nissi) I'm a software engineer stranded in the IT-outage airport chaos. CrowdStrike broke a cardinal rule of software development, and I can't believe the fallout. Ahmed Al Sharif works in software engineering and consumer electronics and previously worked for Meta. The CTO found himself caught up in the outage-induced travel chaos on Friday. He said CrowdStrike broke a cardinal rule for developers, and the fallout has been eye-opening. This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Ahmed Al Sharif, 32, the CTO of Sandsoft, a game developer. Al Sharif was stranded at Barcelona airport amid the IT outage disrupting travel and other services. The following has been edited for length and clarity. I've worked in tech for close to two decades. I've been a software engineer and startup founder, and have worked for large companies like Electronic Arts and Meta. I was supposed to be flying from Barcelona-El Prat Airport to London Heathrow on business at 11 a.m. local time. I was surprised to arrive and find the flights shuttered. I was also surprised to learn there had been significant malfunctions across multiple Windows-based systems at the airport. It took some digging to find out that it was a global event. Even as an engineer, the outage has been strange to witness. I didn't believe there was this much dependency on a single piece of third-party software or that pushing an update irresponsibly would cause this much havoc. I realized the IT outage was happening after I arrived to chaos at the airport I left for the airport at 8 a.m. Before I got there, there were some early signs of something being wrong. I couldn't log in to my online banking app, and things were a bit slow when I logged into my Outlook-based email, but I chalked it up to my hotel WiFi. When I got to the airport at around 8:20 a.m., it was packed. The queues were endless. Several check-in desks displayed blue screens, and no one was being processed. I realized something bigger was happening. I couldn't understand where to queue, and when I asked an airport advisor, they said there was no point queuing now because there was a problem with the ticketing, booking, and reservation systems. I asked if our airport was the only one affected, and they told me that it was happening everywhere. That's when my furious Googling began. I realized that the issue was with CrowdStrike, and it was happening globally. Check-in was congested at Barcelona-El Prat Airport. Ahmed Al Sharif Disruptions at the airport continued throughout the day Over the course of the day, baggage-drop machines, vending machines, and most display boards at the airport weren't working. Check-ins were being done manually. Before I was given a handwritten paper ticket, I had to prove I had booked a flight for that day by showing staff my emails as proof of payment. Anyone with checked luggage had to bring it to the gate, and airport staff were throwing it into the cargo hold by hand. Al Sharif's handwritten boarding pass. Ahmed Al Sharif My own flight has been delayed by six hours, and I'm still in the airport as we're speaking. It's been annoying and inconvenient, but thankfully, the company is covering my travel, and they understand the situation is out of my control. I've spoken to people waiting in the airport for 11 hours. People seem pretty frustrated. I was surprised to learn about CrowdStrike's dominance on Microsoft devices During my delay, I've been trying to understand the situation more. It's quite intriguing and reveals that we've taken for granted how interconnected our world is and how dependent we are. I was surprised to learn that the cascading failures were caused by an update CrowdStrike pushed early Friday morning. CrowdStrike is well-known in the cybersecurity industry, but until today, I don't think anyone was aware of its dominance as a platform on Windows. It didn't cross my mind that a third-party solution could cause this much damage to Windows-based machines. One of the cardinal rules of software development is that you typically don't want to push a fix later in the week or on a Friday. You'll have less support trying to fix any issues and the weekend is gone. It feels like cardinal rules were broken. However, CrowdStrike might have evidence to suggest that this is a freak accident, so I don't think it's fair to point fingers too much. I've seen people comment on this situation about diversification and companies not relying on just one or two providers. I don't think that's realistic. Windows is commonly used. In any free market economy, the best-performing and most suitable product will dominate the market. We need more stringent reviewing and a better understanding of the tools we use on critical infrastructure. The impact here was so big because it affected infrastructure like airports, railway stations, and hospitals. It's going to cost the economy a lot. Had there been more due diligence or even government regulation, I don't think this would have happened. I'd expect that after this, government authorities will expect widely used platforms like CrowdStrike to notify them before they push changes like this. Technology will shape our future, so we need to consider how we regulate it We haven't seen the full impact of this outage, and it's definitely put into perspective how the little devices we keep in our pockets dictate the rhythms of our lives. I don't think anyone really understood the true scope and presence of CrowdStrike before Friday. I still see our future becoming increasingly automated. There will probably be many more situations like this, especially as our society pushes toward more automation. I still think technology is a good thing, but it's made me want to get my bills in the post now and then. It usually takes a horizon event like this for lessons to be learned. I don't think technology is intrinsically good or evil; it depends on how it's used and regulated. Correction: July 20, 2024 An earlier version of the story misstated how long Al Sharif had worked in tech. He has worked in tech roles for close to two decades, including as a teenager, not "decades," as originally stated. Read the original article on Business Insider I'm a New Zealander. Here are 8 foods everyone should try when they visit. I'm a New Zealander. Here are 8 foods everyone should try when they visit. I was born in New Zealand and love eating the country's classic foods each time I visit my family. I grew up eating custard squares and marmite on toast, which can be difficult to find in the US. Feijoas and hokey-pokey ice cream are very popular in New Zealand. I was born in New Zealand but have lived in the US for the last 12 years. I miss a lot of the dishes native to my home country, so I love to eat those hard-to-get foods each time I return to New Zealand to visit family. With thousands of people visiting the country each year, I always like to give tourists recommendations on the best things to eat while in my homeland. After all, it can be hard to figure out which foods are worth trying, and what dishes are truly unique to the country. Here are eight foods I think anyone visiting New Zealand has to try at least once. Feijoas are one of my favorite fruits. Feijoas are a tangy, somewhat sweet fruit. Katie Joll The feijoa (pronounced fee-jo-ah) isn't native to New Zealand but came to the country from South America in the early 1900s. The fruit, known as pineapple guava in some parts of the world, falls off trees all over New Zealand during autumn. There's usually so much of it that it's common for Kiwis to leave free boxes of the fruit at their gates to share. The taste of a feijoa is hard to describe I'd say it's sort of tangy, musky, and sweet, with a gritty, jelly-like texture. I eat them by cutting them in half and scooping the flesh with a spoon. When not in season, I've seen feijoas used in ice cream, juices, and cakes. Marinated mussels are delicious and less oily than the ones I've found in the US. I tried mussels in a lime-and-coriander marinade on my most recent visit to New Zealand. Katie Joll New Zealand is an island nation, so it's not hard to find delicious seafood. When I return to my home country, I crave marinated mussels. I've found them in almost every New Zealand supermarket, cooked and sealed in a marinade I recently purchased a lime-and-coriander-flavored variety. The mussels I've seen in US stores are usually tiny and prepared in oil, but these are large and flavorful almost refreshing by comparison. Custard squares are a classic dessert. Custard squares can range from simple to pretty fancy. Katie Joll A few countries have their own name for this dessert the Aussies have the vanilla slice, and New Zealanders have the custard square. In its simplest form, this dessert features thickened custard served between layers of puff pastry with vanilla icing on top. It's a classic treat in most bakeries, but every custard-square fan has a favorite vendor they swear by. Meat pies are a seriously delicious handheld snack. There are several varieties of meat pies, from lamb to steak. agcreations/Getty Images Single-serve, typically handheld hot meat pies date back to the 1860s in New Zealand. It's a staple in Kiwi cuisine and can be found almost anywhere, from bakeries to gas stations and dairies (small convenience stores). The modern meat pie has evolved to include a range of flavors. Bakers can even submit their unique entries to the New Zealand Bakels Supreme Pie Awards each year. I'm a fan of the classic steak-and-cheese variety. However, I'm also partial to newer incarnations, such as lamb-and-kumara (sweet potato) meat pies. Fish and chips is a wildly popular dish in New Zealand. I like the combination of salty fries and battered fish. Katie Joll Fish and chips have long been an established part of New Zealand cuisine. It came to the country along with 19th-century British settlers. I've found fish-and-chip shops in almost every New Zealand town I've visited. I like to have it with Watties tomato sauce, another long-standing Kiwi favorite. Marmite on toast is a great snack. I like to spread marmite on toast with butter, which is a traditional way to serve the food. Katie Joll The British version of Marmite first hit New Zealand shores in 1910, but by the 1930s, health-food company Sanitarium, which held the rights to sell the spread, had created its own Kiwi recipe. Marmite is a concoction of salt and yeast, spices, and vegetable extracts. It has a unique, strong taste, and Marmite rookies should avoid spreading it thickly. The traditional way to serve it is smeared on hot buttered toast. Raspberry buns are the perfect not-too-sweet treat. My daughter is also a fan of raspberry buns. Katie Joll Raspberry buns, which I've seen in countless New Zealand bakeries, are a simple treat: a sweet, soft bun topped with raspberry icing. They sometimes come with raspberry jam or cream in the middle, though I prefer a plain bun. The secret to a great raspberry bun is a fresh, not-too-sweet pastry. It gives me a hit of sugar without being overwhelming. Kiwis love their ice cream, especially the hokey-pokey flavor. Hokey-pokey ice cream is made with pieces of honeycomb toffee. Jill Ferry/Getty Images New Zealanders are among the biggest ice cream consumers in the world, and the local makers sure know their creamy desserts. The dairy industry in New Zealand is known for high-quality products, with ice cream being no exception. The hokey-pokey flavor consists of vanilla ice cream mixed with honeycomb-toffee, or hokey-pokey, pieces. I recommend visitors check out a neighborhood dairy for scooped ice-cream cones or head to my long-standing favorite shop, Rush Munro's. Read the original article on Business Insider Marylands new director of rural economic strategy is scheduled to start the role this month in the states Department of Commerce, taking on a portfolio that includes 15 counties across the state. During a July 17 interview at the State House in Annapolis, Del. Carl Anderton Jr., R-Wicomico, cited his love of home and conversations with Gov. Wes Moore as reasons why he is resigning his seat of nine years in the Maryland General Assembly to join the administration of the Democratic governor and Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller. When he talked to me about the focus he wanted to make in the rural sections of the state, the ones that, historically, we always have a feeling that were kind of left behind, he said, all of our conversations have been wanting to find ways to have more of a presence in those areas, and so they asked me if Id be interested in doing this, and I love my home, so it was a no-brainer. In this file photo, Maryland State Representative Carl Anderton presents Library Director Susan Upole with a Maryland Flag that was flown over the State House in Annapolis during the Dedication of the Delmar Public Library on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. The new role, however, will likely take Anderton, who has spent his political career in elected roles on the Lower Shore, far away from Delmar, which he once called the most incredible place to call home. During an interview in the Governors Reception Room after a Board of Public Works meeting in Annapolis this month, Anderton said in his new role that hed work with 15 counties. (Maryland has 23 total counties.) Asked to specify, he cited the nine counties on the Shore, two in Southern Maryland, three counties in Western Maryland (Washington, Allegany, Garrett), and Harford County. Its a lot more traveling, but its an opportunity to really glean from other parts of the state things theyre doing that are well, and then sharing them, the former mayor of Delmar said. More: Moore-Miller administration adds Republican lawmaker from the Eastern Shore State's new director of rural economic strategy to work with 15 counties The Republican joins the Democratic administration, which has sponsored 26 bills, all passed into law with votes from members of both parties, over the past two General Assembly sessions. Anderton co-sponsored over 60 percent of those bills, providing Moores legislation a bipartisan start. Earlier this month, Anderton sent Maryland House of Delegates Speaker Adrienne Jones, D-Baltimore County, a letter of resignation. Anderton is scheduled to transition to the appointed role on July 24 after nearly two decades serving in elected office. He started in elected office during a stint on the Delmar Town Commission in the early 2000s. A RECAP: Anderton on upset 38B Delegate win: 'It's surreal' His start in the newly created Department of Commerce role comes not long after one poverty metric (the Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, also known as the ALICE, measure) identified two rural counties as ranking among the top three of the states poorest. On the Lower Shore, Somerset County ranked first, according to the metric, and Western Marylands Allegany County ranked third. We look forward to leveraging Carls wealth of experience and relationships across our state to direct our efforts and support economic development, job creation, and growth in our rural communities, said state Department of Commerce Secretary Kevin Anderson, in a press release. More: Crisfield receives $36 million federal grant to mitigate flooding in city's southern part As for his soon-to-be old seat in the House? Current law states that the governor must make an appointment to fill an empty seat in the Maryland General Assembly within thirty days after the occurrence of the vacancy. Dwight A. Weingarten is an investigative reporter, covering the Maryland State House and state issues. He can be reached at dweingarten@gannett.com or on Twitter at @DwightWeingart2. This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Marylands incoming director of rural economic strategy talks new role SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Hey there, Utah! Increasing moisture across the state today will lead to a higher risk of flash flooding in southern Utah. A probable risk now exists for Zion National Park, the San Rafael Swell, Lake Powell and Grand Staircase. Other popular spots in South Central Utah have a possible risk, but either way, its not safe to be in low-lying areas like slot canyons on a day like today. Temperatures remain above average statewide with most areas trending 5 degrees above average. This grass can go weeks without water and Utah just approved it High pressure remains the main player in our weather story, with the ridge slowly shifting westward into Friday. As such, Friday will likely see similar conditions to today, with the flash flood threat continuing over southern Utah. The chance of daily showers and thunderstorms across southern Utah will continue through the weekend with drier air slowly moving into northern Utah. The main concerns with thunderstorms over southern Utah continue to be lightning, gusty winds and potential flash flooding. Daytime highs will continue to trend roughly 5 degrees above seasonal averages. Little changes to the weather pattern are expected early next week. Daytime highs will remain above average over the weekend and into early next week, with triple-digit heat persisting. Lower Washington County will feel the brunt of this excessive heat, with St. George potentially seeing lows around 80, which has led to an excessive heat watch issued for that area Saturday morning through Sunday evening. Daytime highs will likely reach up to 111, roughly 10 degrees above seasonal averages. This watch will likely evolve into a warning and could be expanded to include other parts of Southern Utah. Stay tuned! Bottom line?! A surge of moisture around our high-pressure ridge will bring more isolated to scattered showers to the state Thursday, increasing flash flood potential in southern Utah. Well give you the latest updates in our 4Warn Weather forecast both on-air and online, we are Good4Utah! 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. MILWAUKEE Waking up Friday morning after spending the week attending the Republican National Convention, Chad Chism said the tune of "Back Home Again in Indiana" was playing in his head as he packed up his hotel room. Chism, an alternate delegate for Indiana's Congressional District 4, said after having the chance to hear former President Donald Trump give his nomination acceptance speech, he is hopeful for the future as he heads home. "Last night there was overall excitement that you could feel," Chism said. "But there is a general feeling of thankfulness, too, after that failed assassination attempt." Chism said one of the moments in Trump's speech he found to be the most effective was the beginning, where Trump took a moment to acknowledge the shooting just days beforehand. "In the beginning when he spoke about the assassination attempt, he said he would only talk about it once, and that was powerful for me," Chism said. "We could feel the overall concern from him and the thankfulness in his speech." With 120 speakers scheduled throughout the week at the RNC, Chism said despite how busy the convention was, he felt it was very well put together, noting that the entire week stuck directly to the planned schedule. But three speakers he felt particularly moved by included state Sen. Jim Banks, 98-year-old WWII veteran Sgt. William Pekrul, and Kai Trump. Chism said he was proud of a strong presence for Indiana at the RNC, noting Indiana's section was positioned directly behind Florida's, which was first up against the stage, down on the convention floor. "We had a great presence there. I love Indiana, so anytime our sate has the spotlight, it's so good to see," Chism said. "After this week, I am excited for our future. I am hopeful, and I want to see our country to continue its progress forward and be an affordable, strong and safe place for our children and the generations after them." Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal and Courier. She can be reached via email at jellison@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ellison_writes. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette delegate says he's hopeful after Republican convention This article was originally published in Indiana Capital Chronicle. New state standardized test results show stagnant progress among Hoosier students in grades 3-8, signaling a continued struggle to reverse widespread learning loss following the COVID-19 pandemic. New ILEARN scores show 41% of Indiana students who were tested earlier this spring were at or above proficiency standards in English and language arts (ELA), according to new data released Wednesday by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). Thats on par with the year prior, when 40.7% of students were proficient. The percentage of students at or above proficiency standards in math, on the other hand, saw a slight decrease from 40.9% in 2023 to 40.7% in the most recent school year. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Data released by IDOE reported 30.8% of Hoosier students passed both the math and English sections of ILEARN. Thats slightly up from last years spring test results, which showed that 30.6% earned dual passing scores. Nearly 493,000 students sat for both exams this spring. While many grades have seen increases in both ELA and math proficiency over the past three years, we must continue to keep our foot on the gas pedal to ensure all students have a solid academic foundation in order to maximize their future opportunities, Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner said in a statement. A number of key tactics have been put in place to support educators, parents, families and students. It is essential that our local schools and parents/families continue to work together and stay laser-focused on improving student learning in ELA, as well as math. Test results breakdowns ILEARN scores continue to trail behind 2019 results, when 47.9% of Hoosiers in grades 3-8 earned passing scores on the English portion of the ILEARN, and 47.8% did so in math. That year, 37.1% of students were proficient in both sections. But due to instruction changes spurred by COVID-19 and disruption of 2020 assessments, state officials use the 2021 ILEARN results to represent the current Indiana baseline. When using that baseline, ELA proficiency has increased across most grade levels; third graders decreased 0.1%; fourth graders increased 2.2%; fifth graders increased 0.8%; sixth graders increased 1.2%; seventh graders increased 0.7%; and eighth graders increased 1.3%. Source: Indiana Department of Education. Note: ILEARN was not administered in 2020 IDOE officials emphasized that many students who were in third grade in 2024 received instruction in either a fully or partially virtual setting during kindergarten due to the pandemic, which likely contributed to decreased student success. The 2024 statewide ILEARN results show a slight increase in English proficiency across most grade levels compared to 2023. The highest year-to-year increases were in grade four, up 1.5%, and grade seven, up 2.3%. Proficiency in those grades is the highest since the pandemic, according to IDOE. Since the 2021 baseline, math proficiency has additionally increased across all grade levels. But compared to 2023, the latest ILEARN results in math proficiency decreased across the board except in grade seven, which had a 1% increase in 2024. ILEARN was first implemented in 2019 to replace the ISTEP exam for students from third to eighth grade. The exam measures proficiency in various subjects starting in third grade, but the main focus is on English/language arts and mathematics. All schools test in-person and electronically, unless an accommodation requires a paper assessment. With federal permission, the assessment was not given in 2020 due to pandemic-related school closures. A look at certain student populations Since 2023, Black students had the highest percentage point increase in English 1.2% and also saw an 8% increase in math proficiency. The 2024 results show 20.9% of Black students scored proficient on the ILEARN in English, and 17% in math. About 11.7% of Black students earned passing scores on both portions of the test in 2024, according to the latest numbers. Compared to the 2021 baseline, Black students have seen a 3.5% increase in English proficiency and a 5.4% increase in math. Graphic from Indiana Department of Education presentation Jenner called the data notable, given that its not as common to see such continued improvements. Rather, she said, education officials expect to see more ups and downs year over year. Even so, Scott Bess, head of the Purdue Polytechnic High School in Indianapolis and member of the state education board, cautioned that more rapid improvements are needed. While its great that our Black students have shown progress, our English language learners have shown progress, the bar was really, really low, right? Bess said. If we keep on that trajectory, Im going to be in a home before we get to any kind of acceptable results, Bess continued. Graphic from Indiana Department of Education presentation Among other student populations, proficiency in both English and math decreased slightly for Hispanic students. Students in special education and students receiving free or reduced price meals, meanwhile, had slight gains in both English and math from 2023 to 2024. English learners who were identified in 2023 as needing continued targeted support in English have since had a 0.8% increase. IDOE officials said additional targeted support is still needed in math, though, given a 0.3% decrease on that section of the ILEARN. Total English proficiency on the ILEARN among English learners this spring was recorded at 13.8%, and math proficiency at 17.6%. Changes on the horizon The new results come amid an ongoing undertaking to redesign the ILEARN assessment and allow an option for schools to divvy up portions of the exam across the academic year. The assessment plan includes what state education officials call flexible checkpoints for schools to administer ILEARN preparation tests in English and math before the typical end-of-year summative tests. A dozen other states already have similar models. The redesigned assessment will have three checkpoints and a shortened summative assessment at the end of the school year. Checkpoints will consist of 20 to 25 questions and hone in on four to six state standards. The exams are designed to be administered to students about every three months, but local schools and districts can speed up testing if they wish. Checkpoints wont be punitive; if a student does not master a particular standard, theyll receive additional intervention and instruction before having a retest option. So far, 72% of schools across Indiana have opted-in to participate in a pilot of ILEARN checkpoints during the upcoming 2024-25 school year, according to IDOE. The overall system will take effect during the 2025-26 school year. Jenner and other education officials reiterated on Wednesday that the new checkpoints will provide improved, real-time student data that can be used to better target supports for students throughout the year rather than waiting until the end of the year for results, when it may be too late for teachers to provide support. Also upcoming are changes to the states IREAD tests, which gauges students foundational reading skills. Earlier this year, state lawmakers approved a separate requirement for schools to administer the statewide IREAD test in second grade a year earlier than current requirements. Local educators must direct new, targeted support to at-risk students and those struggling to pass the literacy exam. But if, after three tries, a third grader cant meet the IREAD standard, legislators want school districts to hold them back. Those changes take effect in the upcoming 2024-25 school year. Data from 2023 showed one in five Hoosier third graders were not reading proficiently. Jenner said IREAD exam results from the most recent academic year are expected to be made public next month. Indiana Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Indiana Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com. Follow Indiana Capital Chronicle on Facebook and X. New data released by the Indiana Department of Education shows that only about 24% of Hoosier students who took the SAT during the 2023-24 school year earned college-ready scores on both the reading and math portions. (Getty Images) Only a quarter of Hoosier highschoolers who took the SAT during the last academic year earned college-ready scores in both reading and math, according to newly-released results. More than 80,000 high school students, primarily juniors, took the test in 2023-24. Of those, about 24% of students met the readiness benchmark on both subject portions, according to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). Thats a 4.4% decrease compared to last year, continuing a two-year downward trend. The new test results were released Wednesday and discussed by the State Board of Education (SBOE). State law requires IDOE to administer a national college entrance exam to high school students before graduation. Scores on the decline The SAT includes math, reading and writing sections. The assessment, administered by the College Board, scores students as At College-Ready, Approaching College-Ready, or Below College-Ready, depending on their performance. A student who scores Approaching with one more year remaining in high school is expected to be at At College-Ready by graduation. Students who score at or above the benchmark have a 75% chance of earning at least a C in their first semester of credit-bearing college courses in that subject area, IDOE officials said. Almost 52% of high school students met the assessments reading and writing benchmarks, alone, which is about the same as last year. Just 25.2% of Indiana students showed college-readiness in math 5.5% lower than in 2022-23 and 7.7% lower than in 2021-22, according to IDOE. In the most recent school year, 22.1% of students were Approaching college-readiness, and 52.7% were below the readiness benchmark. A new SAT IDOE officials emphasized that the College Board is seeing a decrease in scores nationally, including in Indiana. When we initially saw our data and heard from schools, there was a bit of concern because of the SAT scores, said Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner. But there were some assessment shifts which caused the mean score nationwide to go down, and in Indiana. In 2023-2024, College Board changed the test design, which can often impact assessment scores. The SATs switch to an adaptive assessment means questions provided to individual students become more or less difficult, depending on how they perform from one stage of the exam to the next. The new SAT is now shorter, has fewer items and shorter reading passages, takes less time to complete, and permits calculator use throughout, according to the College Board. Hoosier students who are chronically absent meaning they missed at least 18 days, or 10% of the school year scored substantially lower on the SAT. Only 17.5% of those who were chronically absent showed college-readiness on the SAT in 2023-24 compared to 41.1% who earned the benchmark and were not chronically absent. The latest Indiana data shows that about 40% of students statewide missed 10 or more school days during the 2022-23 academic year, and nearly one in five were chronically absent. Jenner said Wednesday the results underscore the urgency behind the states ongoing work to rethink and redesign the states high school experience. We have work to do. We know that were going to continue to roll up our sleeves as educators and keep working hard, and also partner with our parents and families, Jenner said. It has to be a partnership. We can maximize learning the most we know this as educators, plus the parents and families, partnering for the child. State board member B.J. Watts additionally said that the SAT college-readiness data is likely skewed, given that it does not consider students who dont plan to pursue higher education after high school but are required to take the exam anyway. I think its important for us to remember now, every single student is taking this test. Theres probably some students that are not college bound dont want to be college bound that may not take this test as seriously as others, Watts said. I dont want us to lose sight of that were forcing students to take a test that they have zero interest in those numbers may be a little skewed by those students that, truly, this test has no value to them. Changes coming to high school requirements While many colleges have opted to make standardized tests optional, most still use PSAT, SAT and ACT scores to make admissions decisions. Many scholarships and merit organizations additionally use the exams to award students money for college. Currently, Indiana officials are undertaking a major redesign of the states high school graduation requirements, including proposed diploma changes. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Paramount to the new plan, according to state officials, is maximized flexibility for students to personalize learning pathways and experiences, including with college courses taken while still in high school, as well as the ability to count internships, apprenticeships, military experience and other work-based learning toward their graduation requirements. As laid out in the proposal, earning college-readiness marks on the SAT or ACT could count towards requirements in the future Indiana GPS Diploma a more flexible, personalized version of the current Core 40 diploma. Nothing proposed has been set in stone yet, however the rulemaking process to finalize the diploma model is expected to continue for a couple more months. Before the state board takes a final vote which is anticipated in September additional rounds of public comment and changes to improve the overall plan are underway. By law, board members must give their stamp of approval by December. The requirements would then take effect with the Class of 2029. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva testifies under oath about deputy gangs in front of the county's Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) A multi-year criminal investigation under former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva into the agency's inspector general a probe that a legal advisor for the county called "not legally viable" was based largely on unfounded accusations that state and federal prosecutors repeatedly turned down, documents reviewed by The Times show. Villanueva long used the case to try to discredit the county watchdog, regularly referring to Inspector General Max Huntsman as a felony suspect and asking county officials to remove him from the job at least twice . At one point, Villanueva cited the probe as part of the justification to lock Huntsman out of department databases. But in May prosecutors with the state Department of Justice quietly notified the Sheriffs Department in a memo that they would not file criminal charges in the investigation launched in 2019. The department has never fully explained the allegations against Huntsman and four other people named as suspects. But an 80-page Sheriff's Department report recently reviewed by The Times part of a more than 300-page investigative case file shows investigators relentlessly pursued a probe focused on supposedly stolen records and document leaks. Inspector General Max Huntsman listens to former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva's testimony. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) The criminal investigation began soon after Villanueva took office, when his transition team noticed "abnormalities" while reviewing personnel records, according to the report. In early 2019, the sheriff's chief of staff asked internal criminal investigators to look into it, and in 2021 the department sent the case file to state prosecutors. One prong of the investigation focused on Huntsman's concerns that some personnel files, including Villanuevas, were being kept secret from oversight officials. The department eventually agreed to turn them over, only to investigate Huntsman for obtaining them, the report shows. The investigation also included allegations that oversight officials, as well as the former LASD constitutional policing advisor, Diana Teran, stole records of Villanueva and his top associates. Oversight officials have said they were entitled to access confidential personnel files as part of their jobs, and there is no evidence in the report that any of the files, downloaded in 2018, were leaked to the press or improperly used. The meandering report likens the alleged theft of Sheriffs Department personnel records to pilfering from a McDonald's charitable donation box or stealing the recipe for Coca-Cola. In some instances, the report points to the number or frequency of downloads as evidence of wrongdoing. In one case, an oversight official's decision to search eight files in one day is framed as a possible criminal violation. Read more: Top advisor to D.A. Gascon charged with illegal use of deputies' confidential records Because of the unusual nature of the case, at one point lawyers for the county sought an outside legal opinion. Retired federal prosecutor Lawrence Middleton warned them in 2020 that the department could be putting its employees in jeopardy by pursuing a criminal investigation that, in my view, is not legally viable." The last time the department decided to investigate its investigators, Middleton continued, it did not end well for the department. That was an apparent reference to a decade-old scandal in which Sheriff Lee Baca and other top officials were convicted in a scheme to obstruct an FBI investigation of abuses in county jails. The Sheriff's Department dismissed Middleton's legal opinion, characterizing it in its report as a clear and unambiguous threat" against those doing the investigating. The department recently confirmed that its investigation is now closed and said there was no additional information to release. "Our current administration operates distinctively from its predecessor," the department wrote in an emailed statement. "Actions taken in prior administrations do not reflect our current policies or practices." In an emailed response Thursday, Villanueva said, "we never presented the case to feds or the state, merely asked for their assistance." He did not respond to specific questions, accused a reporter of a crime and said lawyers for the county had been "trying to obstruct the case at every step." The state Department of Justice said it was "unable to comment on investigations, closed or open." *** Peace officer personnel records historically have been tightly protected from disclosure under state law and department policy. But a long-standing written agreement between the department and the Office of Inspector General permits oversight officials to review certain confidential files as part of their duties, which include monitoring deputy disciplinary cases, shootings and jail conditions. In the fall of 2018, Office of Inspector General attorney Bita Shasty noticed that a case file shed seen before seemed to have vanished. She emailed Teran then at the Sheriffs Department to ask if she remembered the case or knew why the file wouldnt show up. It's really weird, Shasty wrote. I am trying to see if you tried to pull up the case if it will come up for you. Please let me know. About 20 minutes later, Teran explained that the file might not be visible if it had been marked private for a sensitive investigation. If it is private to IAB [internal affairs] it is so others in the department can't pull it up, she wrote, but I am sure they are good with OIG having [a] copy." The following day, the report said, a higher-ranking oversight official spoke with LASD Internal Affairs Bureau Capt. Josie Woolum about the hidden files. Woolum later emailed her assistant to recap the conversation, explaining that shed told the Office of Inspector General there were 54 Private to IAB files and that there was no formal process to decide which ones would be marked private. Any executive, or I, can decide to do so for a number of business reasons, she wrote. A day later, Huntsman sent a letter to then-Sheriff Jim McDonnell to say he hadnt known the department could obscure such files from oversight officials. He said he understood that the agreement signed years earlier gave oversight officials complete access to department personnel records, and that hiding files was contrary to the intent of the agreement. "I request that you provide the Office of the Inspector General complete and full access, he added. For the next few weeks, officials went back and forth about the files. Finally, in late November 2018, the report says, Huntsman emailed Teran and his No. 2, Dan Baker, about the records. "Diana has permission from the sheriff (McDonnell) to give us the files we seek, he wrote. Please provide her a hard drive so she can download them. Teran responded: "Just to be clear, I was only authorized to provide the files in closed cases, not pending. Citing unspecified various laws, the report alleges that even as sheriff, McDonnell didnt have the authority to allow the sharing of those files. At one point, the report says that when investigators tried to interview McDonnell, he invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. Elsewhere, the report says that it wasnt clear if he invoked that right or simply didnt want to cooperate. McDonnell whose administration had long been a target of Villanueva's criticism declined to comment. In early December 2018 after several weeks of emails, calls and meetings between oversight and sheriff's officials Woolum sent the files to Baker. Even though the department had ultimately turned over the records willingly, the report alleges that Woolum had been duped, but didn't provide any evidence of that. In an interview Thursday, Woolum said "there's no way I would've been duped." "If I provided any information to OIG or any other outside entity, it would've been within the normal scope of business, or it would have been at the direction of someone above me," she added. She didn't remember specific details about the exchange of files, but said she was never interviewed by the detective, Mark Lillienfeld, at the time. "That is a huge piece that is missing," she said. "It's basic investigation 101. He missed a great opportunity to get the facts." In an emailed statement this week, the department said that under Sheriff Robert Luna, oversight officials have full access to the agency's personnel database, including files marked private. *** At that point, McDonnell was no longer sheriff; Villanueva had been sworn into office two days earlier. In the weeks before he took the helm of the Sheriffs Department, some officials including Huntsman had begun to worry the new sheriff would destroy or alter records. That concern was exacerbated when Villanuevas incoming chief of staff requested that Chief Alicia Ault who oversaw the departments professional standards division reinstate a fired deputy and alter his disciplinary record . Ault said in a deposition in a civil case that she was told he wanted it done before Villanueva took office so it would appear to have been done by McDonnells administration. Ault quit over what she described at the time as a highly unethical demand. Read more: L.A. County sheriffs top watchdog is under investigation by the L.A. County sheriff Our reason for getting those files was, in part, to be sure the Sheriffs Dept. complied with the law, Huntsman told The Times this month. We were concerned that there might be an attempt to alter government records, and we wanted to obtain a copy so that we would be able to provide proof to anybody later. In 2018, department officials created a secret audit tool that would allow them to track who accessed personnel files including outside oversight officials. Over the next 11 months, the sheriff's report says, that auditing tool showed that Office of Inspector General officials downloaded an extraordinary number of items 1,500 from the departments database of personnel files. Huntsman said that number was not surprising because that was precisely our job. According to the report, Shasty accessed the files of nine current or former sheriffs officials on Nov. 28, 2018. In the following days, she reviewed more files, and on Dec. 1, she downloaded dozens of cases involving people Villanueva was planning to promote or rehire. Shasty downloaded or accessed some of those same personnel files again on Jan. 2. This engendered suspicion among Sheriff's Department investigators, according to their report. There was no reasonable or legitimate explanation for Shasty to query certain files because she had looked them up a month earlier, the report said. In another instance, the report states that none of the people whose files Shasty accessed was under any type of investigation at the time, making it a violation of the memorandum of agreement to access them, as well as a violation of California government code and likely California bar ethics rules. Shasty declined to comment. The report doesnt present any clear allegations that the records Shasty accessed were misused or leaked. Teran, meanwhile, downloaded dozens of case files on at least three separate occasions, including on June 5, 2018, the day of the primary election, and Dec. 2, 2018, her last day working for the Sheriffs Department, according to the report. The report equates the file downloads to the theft of trade secrets, arguing that the economic value to news reporters who obtained them would be incalculable. If disclosed or published contrary to law, for a non-legitimate purpose, (to sell newspapers or gain viewers to a website or broadcast) these files and the information they contain could cause irreparable harm, to not only the subject whose personnel file was breached but victims, witnesses, informants, and other stakeholders in the criminal justice system, the report says. The report presents no evidence that any of the downloads was shared with the media or improperly made public. Even though California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta eventually rejected the case the Sheriffs Department sent him, this year he charged Teran in a separate case featuring similar allegations. His office says the two are unrelated. In the new case, Bonta has alleged that after Teran left the Sheriffs Department and began working for the L.A. County district attorneys office, she illegally used confidential records of about 11 sheriffs deputies when she flagged their names for inclusion in a database of problem officers. Terans attorney, James Spertus, has said that his client did nothing wrong and that the records in question were already public in existing court filings. *** After Villanueva took office, his transition team started reviewing personnel records to decide which deputies to rehire and noticed the "abnormalities" leading to the investigation and allegations that Teran had downloaded confidential personnel records. Sheriff's Department investigators tried to figure out whether any had been leaked to the media by going through more than 2,500 emails. The report says they found none of the emails contained unlawfully obtained data. In April 2019, the department brought its findings to the FBI and the state attorney generals office. Federal and state officials concluded no crimes had been committed and told sheriffs officials they wouldnt take on the investigation. Still, Villanueva's investigators pressed ahead. By August, the internal criminal investigators handling the case had terminated their inquiry and the matter was turned over to veteran department homicide investigator Lillienfeld who had been rehired out of retirement and became a key member of a new public corruption unit that critics said targeted the sheriffs political enemies. But Lillienfeld had a fraught history with the department. In 2018, after he had retired and begun working for the district attorney's office, sheriff's officials banned him from all county lockups because he was caught on camera posing as a deputy and sneaking into Mens Central Jail. The Times first reported the story in October 2019 , as Lillienfelds investigation began ramping up. This week, he did not respond to a request for comment from The Times. At some point the investigation expanded beyond its initial line of inquiry into Terans downloads and began probing other questions both about the Private to IAB files and about a list of problem deputies leaked to a Los Angeles Times reporter. Meanwhile, Villanueva said publicly that he had recused himself from the matter and had put Undersheriff Tim Murakami in charge of the case. In August 2019, Murakami announced the investigation in a letter to the Board of Supervisors. Despite the FBIs prior lack of interest in the case, Lillienfeld and his lieutenant met for two hours in October 2019 with FBI officials and then-federal prosecutor Brandon Fox to press their case against Teran, Huntsman and others. After hearing the allegations, Fox told investigators he felt there were clearly no violations of federal law presented" and asked the detectives if they wanted a declination letter from his office, according to a supplemental report in the case file. The sheriffs investigators declined, saying in the report they weren't seeking an opinion but instead advising the FBI in case agents wanted to take over the investigation, and ensuring there was no conflict. Then in March 2020, lawyers for the county got the opinion from Middleton. He wrote that the perception that the investigation was aimed at intimidating and obstructing the Office of Inspector General's probe into the department will only grow stronger if the investigation continues even after the Department has been advised that there likely are no viable criminal charges. The following month, Murakami complained to the U.S. Department of Justice about the perceived threat from Middleton. He said he would shut down the investigation if it was hampering any work the FBI or Department of Justice was doing. In a response, then-U.S. Atty. Nicola Hanna said Middleton was retired and did not speak for his office. I unfortunately cannot provide you with an advisory opinion as to whether any member of your Department is violating obstruction of justice laws in carrying out the investigation you describe, Hanna continued. That October, Lillienfeld and another lieutenant met with a special agent in charge at the FBI, according to another report in the case file. The pair wanted to team up or hand off all their materials to the FBI. The FBI agent declined the offers. The following year, in November 2021, the department again sent the case to Bontas office, describing it as a long-term criminal inquiry that began in 2017 and had established ample evidence of unlawful conduct including theft, burglary, receiving stolen property and other crimes. Despite the previous lack of interest, in early 2022 Bontas office responded with a short letter agreeing to review the case. This year state prosecutors formally declined to file charges, according to a three-sentence letter reviewed by The Times from Chief Assistant Atty. Gen. Lance Winters to Sheriff Robert Luna. We have completed our review, and we have declined to file any charges, Winters wrote. Its unclear why it took Bontas office more than two years to reject it. In an emailed statement early Thursday, the state Department of Justice said only that it did a "thorough investigation" and ultimately "found insufficient evidence to warrant criminal charges." *** Its highly unusual for law enforcement officials to openly discuss ongoing corruption probes, especially before there are charges filed. But throughout his term as sheriff, Villanueva trumpeted details of the case, even though he claimed hed recused himself. People got caught with their hands in the cookie jar, he said in September 2020 on Facebook Live. It turns out I was one of 22 employees, where their files were illegally accessed and downloaded. When you illegally access them, that's a misdemeanor crime. When you download them, and remove them, then it becomes a felony. This happened 2,400 times. He went on to say: These files, as they were downloaded, they started appearing in the media. Gee, I wonder how. The long-running investigation, he said, has just led to a lot, and they keep discovering more, they keep investigating more. And I'm not even part of that process, definitely not, I have recused myself. Read more: L.A. County sheriff's unit accused of targeting political enemies, vocal critics Lillienfeld left the department after Luna took office in late 2022. The department has declined to answer specific questions about the probe, noting that the investigation took place under a prior administration and officials turned the matter over to the state in 2021. To Huntsman, its been disappointing to see a department that was once so eager to publicly flaunt the case against him now so tight-lipped about its conclusion. When the AG told LASD they wouldnt be prosecuting the inspector general, LASD kept it a secret, he said. In fact, Huntsman added, he has never officially been informed by the department or the attorney general's office that he's no longer a criminal suspect. 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. Inside the U.S. Coast Guards Aleutian encounter with Chinas military and what it means The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball, right, and a Japanese naval training vessel travel near the island of Unalaska in 2021. The Kimball intercepted a group of Chinese military vessels operating near the Aleutian Islands on July 6 and 7. (U.S. Coast Guard photo) The Chinese warships werent showing up on civilian radar. But the American commercial fishing fleet could still tell that something strange was happening in the Aleutian Islands on July 6 and 7. Crew on the fishing vessels picked out a U.S. Coast Guard cutter, the Kimball, steaming through the area at 21 knots, or nearly 25 miles an hour. It turned out the Kimball was in hot pursuit of four Chinese ships, including a destroyer and a guided-missile cruiser. When the Coast Guard cutter intercepted the Chinese vessels, someone onboard called out on Channel 16, the international frequency used for urgent safety and distress messages. This is the China Navy Task Group, they said, according to a Coast Guard account shared with a member of Alaskas congressional delegation. I noticed you are close to us; please maintain safe distance to avoid collision. The Kimball and an American HC-130 Hercules plane shadowed the Chinese vessels for more than 12 hours as they transited the Aleutians, at one point warning them of unprofessional behavior after detecting a possible drone, according to the Coast Guard account. The July 6 and 7 events, publicly disclosed in a Wednesday press release by the Coast Guard, were the latest in a series of U.S. encounters with Russian and Chinese vessels in the Aleutians and the Bering Sea in the past few years. Experts say they expect to see more such incidents as nations angle for advantage in the increasingly ice-free Arctic region and as China and Russia probe U.S. military infrastructure that could figure into a conflict over Taiwan or other areas of the Pacific. The tilt to the Pacific is real and the tilt to the Pacific that affects Alaskans is real, said Mead Treadwell, a former Alaska lieutenant governor whos worked in Arctic policy and business for decades. You can say its tensions, or you can say its a fact of life. The Coast Guard initially released a short statement to Northern Journal saying the agency was aware of the Chinese vessels and that they operated in accordance with international rules and norms. In its subsequent press release, the Coast Guard said the Chinese group was moving through international waters within Americas exclusive economic zone an area that extends 200 miles offshore in which the U.S. maintains sole rights to natural resources like fish. The vessels stated purpose, the release said, was freedom of navigation operations an assertion of navigational rights and freedoms that the U.S. also makes in disputed waters close to China. We met presence with presence to ensure there were no disruptions to U.S. interests in the maritime environment around Alaska, the release quoted Rear Adm. Megan Dean, the Coast Guards Alaska district commander, as saying. While the Coast Guard appeared to downplay the incident, it left some local Aleutian officials unsettled along with participants in the fishing industry. Theres great concern from this community, said Vince Tutiakoff Sr., mayor of the Aleutian fishing hub of Unalaska, some 200 miles east of where the Chinese vessels were spotted. Were going to see more and more of this unless there is a presence. When are they going to get active military, Navy, out here in Unalaska and west to make sure that our fishing fleet is safe? Officials with the fishing companies whose factory vessels observed the Chinese ships shared details of the encounter but declined to be identified, citing the events political sensitivity. Brent Paine, who leads an industry trade group called United Catcher Boats, described a pucker factor for fishing crews that run into foreign military vessels. Paine recounted a 2020 incident where U.S. fishing boats in the Bering Sea were ordered out of an area by a flotilla of Russian military vessels conducting large-scale drills, with a submarine and dozens of warships and planes. Last year, 11 Russian and Chinese vessels conducted a joint patrol near the Aleutians, with U.S. destroyers and sub-hunting aircraft trailing them. People are nervous, Paine said. We just want to know that the U.S. government is very well aware that these ships are there and it would be nice to know, if they know, why theyre there. That question why Chinese and Russian assets are increasingly traveling through the Aleutians and the Bering Sea is on the minds of other observers, too, including Treadwell, the former lieutenant governor. Are they simply flying the flag here, because we fly the flag there? Treadwell said, referring to U.S. naval exercises near China. Are they preparing, learning what our response would be if they came in? In a phone interview, Republican U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan said he thinks the Chinese activity fits into the broader context of the increasing importance of the Arctic for resources, for fisheries, for transportation routes for energy. Last summer, experts said they observed increasing Russian oil cargos being shipped to China through the Bering Strait, a trend they described as a result of the war in Ukraine and increasingly ice-free conditions in Arctic waters. Sullivan said hes pushing the military to more quickly share information to the public when foreign assets appear off Alaska and to respond with their own ships and aircraft more swiftly and firmly in the same way they would if Chinese or Russian vessels showed up off the East Coast. Dispatching the Kimball and the HC-130 Hercules on July 6 and 7, Sullivan added, was a decent response. But he also described how he continued to push for a stronger Arctic military presence in a meeting with a top Coast Guard official this week. The Arctic is really strategic territory, he said. And we need the same assets and responses that youd get if this were off Boston or New York City. Nathaniel Herz welcomes tips at natherz@gmail.com or (907) 793-0312. This article was originally published in Northern Journal, a newsletter from Herz. Subscribe at this link. Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com. Follow Alaska Beacon on Facebook and X. Thousands of people who have prepaid for treatments such as tattoo removal and lip filler have been left in the lurch - Ian Davidson /Alamy Live News The SK:N Group, one of the countrys largest plastic surgery clinics, has gone bust. Employees said they were blindsided by the announcement, with clinics still taking bookings the day before it shut. Thousands of people who have prepaid for treatments from tattoo removal and lip filler to breast augmentation may not be able to get their money back. Patients with treatments booked in or those halfway through treatment plans are awaiting answers about whether they will be left out of pocket. Here, Telegraph Money explains what has gone wrong and what patients can do about it. What has happened? The SK:N Group, which also owns the Harley Medical Group, Skinbrands, The Skin Experts and ABC Medical, told customers on Thursday that it had ceased trading as of July 17. The chain, which was founded in 1990, had more than 70 clinics across the country, including 17 in London, and employed more than 450 consultants, doctors, nurses and medical practitioners. Most will have lost their jobs as a result of the closure. It had been trying to attract extra investment but did not raise enough money. Currently it is unclear how SK:N will handle cancelled appointments and refunds. What does it mean for my treatment? Any booked treatments will be cancelled. Patients should look elsewhere for further appointments and may need to pay for new treatment at other clinics. Some may need to travel further afield in order to continue their treatment. Dr Raj Thethi, of the Yorkshire Skin Centre, said: Its really sad for the patients as continuity of care grinds to a halt. He said that his clinic was offering discounted rates for patients who had already started a course of treatments. Other clinics have said that they will put similar measures in place for affected customers. Patient-centred care must always be the centre focus and for the sake of continuity we are offering these patients a discounted rate to continue with their courses of treatment to help at this troubling time, he added. Where can I find more information from SK:N? The companys website is no longer live or taking bookings. It displays this message: We are doing all we can to address the concerns of those affected. We will be contacting all clients still awaiting test results as soon as possible. All further updates will be provided on this website as and when available. Updates were also posted on the companys social media pages. More information about SK:N is available on Companies House, which is the register of all the businesses operating in the UK. Information about the administrators, who were appointed on Thursday, can be found on the gov.uk website. Story continues How can I get my money back? The easiest way to get money back, for those who paid any of the bill with credit cards, is by raising a claim with the card provider. Paying by credit card for goods and services worth between 100 and 30,000 provides consumers with protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. This means that patients can go to their card provider to demand their money back. Provide all the relevant information, including any receipts or invoices, and details of the cost. Be explicit about what you are asking for, and mention the Section 75 rules, for example: Im making a claim under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. Some customers will be able to raise a claim through their credit card companys website or app. Those who paid by debit card, which are not covered by Section 75 rules, can raise a chargeback claim. This must be done within 120 days of the transaction and can be done by writing to the relevant card provider. Helen Dewdney, a consumer rights expert, said affected clients should use Section 75 first if possible as chargebacks are a voluntary scheme and are not enshrined in law. She warned against cancelling direct debit payments as it can negatively impact your credit score. She said: Unfortunately you will still have to carry on paying, but do contact your bank to explain the situation and see what they advise for your individual situation. As administrators have been appointed, affected patients can register themselves as creditors against the company by emailing official receiver Joseph Sullivan at skn-hmg@insolvency.gov.uk with a proof of debt form, which can be found on the Government website. Customers can also register as creditors on the gov.uk website. There is no guarantee that there will be refunds. 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. Russia may give anti-ship missiles to the Houthis, who carried out their first lethal strike on Israel today. Russia might arm Yemens Houthi rebels with advanced anti-ship missiles in response to Ukraines use of American weapons on its territory, U.S. intelligence agencies are warning, according to The Wall Street Journal. The news comes as Israel is threatening to strike Yemen in response to a deadly drone attack on Tel Aviv Friday morning, the first lethal Houthi strike on Israel. As a result of the new intelligence about a potential Russia-Houthi arms transfer, the White House has launched a confidential push to try to stop Moscow from delivering the missiles to the Iranian-backed Houthis, the publication reported. The militants have been attacking shipping in the Red Sea region for eight months claiming solidarity with Palestinians who have been under siege by Israel since the surprise Hamas incursion on Oct. 7. You can see one recent Houthi missile attack in the video below. This is how Ukrainian-owned, Polish-operated M/V Verbena cargo ship looks like after Houthi attacks. Two cruise missiles launched by Yemens Houthis struck the ship in the Gulf of Aden, severely injuring one of the crew. pic.twitter.com/UOOmyhGG1u Clash Report (@clashreport) June 15, 2024 Intelligence about the potential weapons transfer comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned last month that he might send very long-range weapons to regions to use against Western targets. That statement was in response to the U.S. policy toward Ukraine, which includes allowing the use of long-range weapons just over the border in Russia. Moscow already has several arms sharing agreements with the Houthis sponsors in Tehran. The Houthis already possess a robust anti-ship arsenal, which you can read about here. While most of their missile attacks on vessels have missed the mark, several ships have been damaged and a couple have been sunk outright. New such weapons from Russia would increase their ability to hit sea-going targets. Russia has a wide range of anti-ship missiles it could offer, from subsonic to supersonic types which could threaten U.S. Navy vessels directly. Hezbollah, another Iranian proxy, is thought to have received a handful of Yakhonts, the export version of the supersonic P-800 Oniks anti-ship missile, which poses a serious threat to U.S. and allied warships. P-800 Oniks. Russian MoD There is growing concern in the U.S. military about the lack of success against the Houthis despite an international effort. Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, commander of U.S. Central Command, recently advised in a classified letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that military operations in the region are failing to deter Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and that a broader approach is needed, the Journal reported, citing U.S. officials. A diplomatic effort by the Biden administration to keep Russia from transferring missiles to Yemen involves using a third country to try to persuade Putin not to join Iran in providing weapons to the Houthis, according to the publication, citing U.S. officials who declined to identify the country. In response to the ongoing attacks in the Red Sea region, the U.S. Navy in October began fighting back against the Houthis in what became its most intense warfare at sea in decades. Yet the threat persists. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) fires a Standard Missile (SM) 2 to defeat a combination of Houthi missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in the Red Sea, Oct. 19, 2023. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Lau) RED SEA (Oct. 19, 2023) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) fires a Standard Missile (SM) 2 to defeat a combination of Houthi missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in the Red Sea, Oct. 19, 2023. Carney is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Lau) Ships assigned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhowers carrier strike group (IKECSG) alone fired 155 Standard-series missiles and 135 Tomahawk cruise missiles in operations against the Houthis during a recently concluded nine-month deployment. Aircraft from the strike group launched another 60 air-to-air missiles and 420 air-to-surface munitions in the course of their operations in and around the Red Sea. Collectively, the IKECSG used its various weapons to destroy a bevy of Houthi aerial drones, missiles, uncrewed surface vessels and undersea vehicles, and different kinds of targets ashore. There have also been attacks by U.S. Air Force land-based manned and unmanned aircraft. Several other nations have contributed to attacks on Houthi assets in Yemen as well as against their missiles, air and sea drones launched against shipping. There are also two international task forces created to protect shipping, the U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardian and the European-led Operation Aspides. Highlighting the growing and as-yet undeterred rebel groups threat to the region, Tel Aviv is recovering after a deadly Houthi drone attack that killed at least one and injured at least 10 on Friday morning. It was the first time the Houthis carried out a lethal strike on Israel. Israel claimed the attack, which entered Israeli airspace from the Red Sea, was targeting the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, near where the drone actually struck. Very clear footage of a kamikaze UAV fired by Yemens Houthis targeting Tel Aviv overnight, near the United States Embassy Office. pic.twitter.com/nvMTna32YJ Clash Report (@clashreport) July 19, 2024 It has been confirmed that tonight's explosion in Tel Aviv was from a drone attack targeting the US Consulate (the Embassy is in Jerusalem). In the first video, you can hear the sound of an engine before the explosion. The white building on the left is the Consulate. Its pic.twitter.com/VXIrKOsU91 Sacha Roytman (@SachaRoytman) July 19, 2024 The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged that the drone evaded air defenses and said an investigation into why is now underway. Israels defense systems apparently picked up the drone but failed to register it as a threat, Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters, according to The New York Times. Despite Israels vaunted integrated air defense system, no air-raid sirens were activated to warn civilians of the attack, the publication reported. You can read more about that system in our deep dive here. We are investigating why we did not identify it, attack it and intercept it, Hagari said. Israel has downed a number of its own drones too. That underscores serious challenges that air defense forces in the U.S. military also face in telling friendly and hostile drones apart as drones, as well as loitering munitions, become ever more ubiquitous even in operations involving very small units. You can read more about that here. The Houthis claim the drone was named Jaffa, after the Arabic name for what eventually became Tel Aviv. It was capable of bypassing interceptor systems and being unable to be detected by radars, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree stated on Twitter. The Houthis, however, make repeated spurious claims. " ". " " . 19_07_2024 pic.twitter.com/ntxv7pjL3j Ameen Hayyan (@ameenhayan) July 19, 2024 Hagari disputed the suggestion that the Houthis created a stealth drone, saying instead it was a variant of the Iranian Samad-3, adapted for long-distance flight. He denied it had capabilities that enabled it to evade Israeli surveillance. Open source visual evidence compiled by Fabian Hinz, a research fellow on defense and military analysis for The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), pointed to a Samad-3 In a Twitter thread, Hinz displayed several pictures of the drones engine and other components that match that drone. The wing has a high aspect ratio and features relatively small ailerons. One can also see that what we are dealing with is a pretty big UAV. Again, very reminiscent of the Sammad versions we have seen. 6/9 pic.twitter.com/AzfY1LOY6P Fabian Hinz (@fab_hinz) July 19, 2024 Regardless of what kind of drone it was, the fact that it traveled some 1,200 miles over the Red Sea from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen to Israel where it killed a man marks a new and phase in the tumult embroiling the Middle East. Google Earth image Israeli officials are now considering a strike against the Houthis in Yemen. It should not be ruled out that the response will be on Yemeni soil, Israeli officials said, according to the Israeli Ynet media outlet. That is sparking concerns of wider regional conflict as Israel is already battling Hamas in Gaza and may soon launch an invasion into Lebanon after repeated cross-border missile, rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah. As we reported earlier, Iran attacked Israel in April and it is conceivable they could again if their proxies in Lebanon and Yemen come under intense fire. Meanwhile, Russia could be looking to add another dangerous new dimension to the conflict, and in doing so, escalating tensions with the U.S., which have so far played out mostly in Ukraine. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone How an international IT outage is affecting Middle GA governments & other entities Several government agencies, hospitals, stores and gas stations across Middle Georgia were disrupted by an international IT outage Friday. Some operations were shut down or slightly impacted after an error with a software update from Texas-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike interacted with Microsoft Windows, according to George Kurtz, the IT firms president and CEO. This is not a security incident or cyber attack, Kurtz said in an X post at 5:45 a.m. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. The outages effect around Bibb, Peach, Houston counties Macon-Bibb County government was slightly affected, but the issue was resolved, according to Chris Floore, the countys chief communications officer. The outage temporarily shut down an internal cloud, from the county court system, but there wasnt a public-facing aspect of it, Floore told The Telegraph. Right now, IT is still kind of going through everything and double checking, just to make sure, but we have not really seen any public impact on the consolidating government side, Floore told The Telegraph. An aspect of the Bibb County Sheriffs Office was also slightly impacted, according to Sgt. Christopher Williams, the offices public information officer. The outage has had an affect with our (Georgia Crime Information Center) database but this has not ceased the functionality of our daily operations here at the Bibb County Sheriffs Office, Williams said. The Warner Robins local government has not been impacted at all by the outage, Mandy Stella, the citys public information officer said. Tabitha Clark, the City of Perrys communications director, said she was not made aware of any impacts to its government system either. Impacts on healthcare systems The issue prevented data on medical emergencies in Warner Robins and Perry from being relayed to the state for several hours, according to Eden Tomberlin, communications manager of Houston Healthcare system. The Georgia Emergency Medical Services Information System appears to have been the only application impacted, Tomberlin said. The outage prevented data transmission from our Emergency Medical Services to the state for approximately seven hours. Some non-emergency procedures were rescheduled under Atrium Health Navicent as a result of the technology fault, according to Amy Leigh Womack, the hospitals communications manager. We are diligently addressing full recovery as this outage has impacted some of our clinical applications, Womack said. If any non-emergency or elective procedures need to be rescheduled, these patients are being contacted directly. Womack said the hospital was monitoring the global outage and focused on minimizing disruption to our patients. Servers within other local entities were shut down including Georgia departments of Driver Services, Revenue, Human Services and the Bibb County Tax Office. Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security said on X around 11 a.m. it was working with our partners to restore full functionality. Pharmacies, airports CVS Pharmacy and Circle K cannot take digital or card payments, and are only accepting cash. The Middle Georgia Regional Airport was not affected by any tech issues, according to Floore. Piedmont Healthcare and Warner Robins Police Department have not responded to emails or phone calls about whether they were impacted by the outage. This story will be updated as more information becomes available. An internet company expanding into the Midlands hit several water mains, flooded a neighborhood and caused a sinkhole in someones driveway last week in the course of laying new fiber-optic cable. Lumos, a North Carolina-based fiber-optic internet company promising internet built for the future has been expanding into the Columbia area since last fall, but the installation of new cable has caused problems across the city. The companys work caused four water main breaks in the Sandhills area last week, and a separate water main break in the Meadowlark area earlier this month, Columbia Water confirmed. Those water main breaks led to flooding and significant damage in the Springhurst neighborhood off North Springs Road. Lumos confirmed there had been three water main breaks in the Springhurst neighborhood, which is in the Sandhills area, all due to lines being unmarked or mismarked. Columbia Water is responsible for marking those lines. A Columbia Water official confirmed that three of the five water main breaks caused by Lumos work were due to lines not being marked or the markings being inaccurate. We are surging additional City assets to match our marking efforts with the pace with which Lumos is working and we are meeting regularly with Lumos representatives to coordinate on timelines to minimize disruptions, Columbia Water spokesperson Benjamin Wildt said. Lumos will conduct a supplementary review to support the city in locating water and gas lines using ground penetrating radar in future construction areas, a statement from Lumos added. But this is not the first time Lumos work has led to damage in Columbia-area neighborhoods. Last fall, Lumos started leaving palm-sized cards in Columbia neighborhoods announcing that utility work would begin soon, bringing the fastest 100% Fiber Optic Internet to your neighborhood. Were all about speed, so well be out of your way as soon as possible. Soon after, residents across Columbia started seeing damage uncommon for typical utility work, according to city officials. In November, Lumos work caused half a dozen gas leaks in the Elmwood Park neighborhood, and at least two major water main breaks in other parts of the city. Residents in Elmwood Park had to be temporarily evacuated from their homes in response to the gas leaks. Columbia-Richland Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins said in November that its not uncommon for leaks to happen when utility work is being performed. Not every gas line in the city is properly marked. But he said the fire department had never experienced a situation in which one company caused so many leaks in such a short time frame. Following the November incidents, Lumos was barred from working in Columbia for several months after the Columbia-Richland fire department issued a stop work order against the company. That order has since been lifted. Weve met with them and were satisfied with what theyre going to be doing, Jenkins said regarding the companys plans to avoid hitting gas lines in the future. Jack Heape, president of the Springhurst homeowners association, said he hasnt seen a utility cause this level of damage, or any significant damage, in the six years hes lived in the neighborhood. On July 12, the Springhurst neighborhood was without water for three to four hours after Lumos and its contractor broke several water mains. Hitting one water main also created a sprawling sinkhole in a residents driveway. The city of Columbia hired a contractor to repair the driveway, and Heape said those repairs are complete. A fiber optic internet company, Lumos, has been expanding into the Midlands. They were previously barred from working in Columbia after causing gas leaks and water main breaks. Their work has resumed, and has led to five water main breaks in the Columbia area in July. Heape said he would like to see someone from Columbia Water or Richland County supervise Lumos work in the future. A fiber optic internet company, Lumos, has been expanding into the Midlands. They were previously barred from working in Columbia after causing gas leaks and water main breaks. Their work has resumed, and has led to five water main breaks in the Columbia area in July. Heapes concerns are two-fold. Hes concerned about the damage to his neighborhood, but he also said residents didnt receive adequate communication about what the work would entail and when it would begin. I walk out of my house at 7 in the morning and theres two guys digging up my front yard, Heape said. Lumos had left placards in residents yards, but Heape said there was no indication of when the work would actually begin. He recalls seeing and speaking to utility workers who were marking gas and electric lines weeks before Lumos crews arrived, but he said by the time the crews arrived, the markings had faded and were no longer visible. Lumos announced last fall that it had received the proper franchise agreements with Columbia, West Columbia and Irmo to start laying 1,200 miles of fiber-optic cable between Richland and Lexington counties. The company promised to invest $100 million between the two counties, while expanding high-speed internet access to many unserved and underserved residents and (providing) an added boost to economic development in the area, the company declared in a press release Sept. 27. A spokesperson for the city of Cayce previously told The State that Cayce had also experienced a few minor water line breaks resulting from Lumos work, but nothing to the degree that occurred in Columbia. Lumos is active in North Carolina and Virginia, in addition to expanding into South Carolina. The company has also announced a $100 million investment in Greenville County. Lumos crews are roughly 10% finished with their planned work in the Columbia area, affecting roughly 8,000 homes, according to the company. Crews will be in the Dentsville and Greenview areas next. Activists of All India Democratic Students' Organisation (AIDSO) shout slogans in solidarity with protesting students in Bangladesh, at a protest gathering in New Delhi, India, Friday, July 19, 2024. (AP Photo) DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas government late Friday announced a nationwide curfew across Bangladesh and ordered the deployment of military forces to maintain order following days of deadly clashes over the allocation of government jobs. The announcement was made by Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of the ruling Awami League party, and came after police and security officials fired on protesters earlier Friday and banned all gatherings in the capital. Several people were killed, media reports said. Quader said the military was deployed to help the civilian administration keep order. The protests, which began weeks ago but escalated sharply this week, represent the biggest challenge to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina since she won a fourth consecutive term in office after elections in January. Main opposition groups boycotted those polls. There were varying reports of the number of people killed Friday, with Independent Television reporting 17 dead and Somoy TV reporting 30. An Associated Press reporter saw 23 bodies at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, but it was not immediately clear whether they had all died on Friday. A death toll of 22 people was reported on Thursday, in what had so far been the bloodiest day of demonstrations, according to local media, as protesting students attempted to impose a complete shutdown of the country. Authorities could not be reached immediately to confirm figures for the deaths. The chaos has highlighted cracks in Bangladeshs governance and economy and the frustration of young graduates who face a lack of good jobs. The government has deployed police and paramilitary forces across the capital to lock down campuses and break up protests. On Wednesday, universities including the country's largest suspended classes and closed dormitories, and on Friday police in Dhaka said they were banning all gatherings and demonstrations in the capital. An Associated Press reporter saw border guard officials fire at a crowd of more than 1,000 protesters who had gathered outside the head office of state-run Bangladesh Television, which was attacked and set on fire by protesters the previous day. The border guards shot at the crowd with rifles and sound grenades, while police officers fired tear gas and rubber bullets. Bullets littered the streets, which were also marked by smears of blood. Internet services and mobile data were widely disrupted on Thursday night and remained down on Friday in the capital, Dhaka. Social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp were also not loading. It coincided with a widespread internet outage on Friday that disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world, but the disruptions in Bangladesh were substantially greater than seen elsewhere. A statement from the countrys Telecommunication Regulatory Commission said they were unable to ensure service after their data center was attacked Thursday by demonstrators, who set fire to some equipment. The Associated Press was not able to independently verify this. Student protesters said they will extend their calls to impose a shutdown on Friday as well, and urged mosques across the country to hold funeral prayers for those who have been killed. Major universities have said they will close their doors until tensions ease. The protesters are demanding an end to a quota system that reserves up to 30% of government jobs for relatives of veterans who fought in Bangladeshs war of independence in 1971 against Pakistan. They argue the system is discriminatory and benefits supporters of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose Awami League party led the independence movement, and they want it replaced with a merit-based system. But Hasina has defended the quota system, saying that veterans deserve the highest respect for their contributions to the war regardless of their political affiliation. The Bangladeshi leader is credited for bringing stable growth to Bangladesh, but rising inflation thanks in part to the global upheaval sparked by the war in Ukraine has triggered labor unrest and dissatisfaction with the government. Even though job opportunities have grown in some parts of the private sector, many people prefer government jobs because they are seen as more stable and lucrative. But there arent enough to go around each year, some 400,000 graduates compete for around 3,000 jobs in the civil service exam. What is unfolding in Bangladesh is deeply unsettling for a generation that only asked for a fair opportunity in public service recruitment," said Saad Hammadi, a freedom of speech advocate with the Canada-based Balsillie School of International Affairs. "That a peaceful protest against a state policy would slip into the peak of lawlessness shows the governments lack of farsightedness and inefficient policy governance, Hammadi said. The internet shutdown makes matters worse. Local news sites are inaccessible, and people in the country are left incommunicado with the rest of the world all in the pretext of conducting sweeping operations by the state that have often resulted in serious human rights violations, he added in an email. Bangladesh has previously shut down internet services in areas affected by protests, using it as a measure to suppress dissent by opposition parties. Internet watchdog Access Now said it recorded three shutdowns in the country in 2023 - all of which overlapped with opposition rallies and were limited in scope to one city or district. That came after six shutdowns in 2022. CIVICUS, a nonprofit that tracks civic freedoms around the world, last year downgraded Bangladesh to closed, the worst rating that it could assign, along with China and Venezuela, following a crackdown on the countrys opposition members and supporters ahead of its national election. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party has backed the protesting students and vowed to organize its own demonstrations, and many of their supporters have joined in the students' demonstrations. On Friday, police fired tear gas at a few hundred BNP supporters, and arrested senior BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. The Awami League and the BNP have often accused each other of fueling political chaos and violence, most recently ahead of the country's national election, which was marred by a crackdown on several opposition figures while Hasina's government accused the party of attempting to disrupt the vote. Hasinas government had earlier halted the job quotas following mass student protests in 2018, but last month, Bangladeshs High Court nullified that decision and reinstated the quotas after relatives of the 1971 veterans filed petitions, triggering the latest demonstrations. The Supreme Court has suspended that ruling pending an appeal hearing, and said in a statement it will take up the issue on Sunday. On Wednesday, Hasina urged protesters in a televised address to wait with patience for the court verdict, saying that she believes they will get justice and "will not be disappointed. ___ Pathi reported from New Delhi, India. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The global technology outage that halted flights, banks, TV stations, and computer systems, is affecting many local Michigan places. Heres a list of places that are currently affected by the cyber outage: Lansing Police Department Some LPD services are affected by a national IT outage. 911 lines are working. Our downtown PD Records will be closed until services are restored. The Michigan Department of Treasury The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Michigan DTMB Meijer- located in Charlott Michigan employee said the opening was delayed 1 1/2 hours Friday morning but is now open At least one Speedway gas station in Lansing is closed and its because of the outage, according to an employee UIA phone services are down. Lansing airport seemingly unaffected by Microsoft outage If you know of any local businesses or organizations that were or are being affected by the outage, please email us at newstips@wlns.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 WLNS 6 News. Interstate 27 south of Plainview runs through much of the Panhandle. Some residents in Lubbock see it as a dividing line that separates certain communities into industrial zones. Credit: Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribune LUBBOCK For more than 30 years, Interstate 27 has connected Lubbock in the South Plains to Amarillo in the northern Panhandle. The concrete structure has stood as a key transportation method for residents, businesses and people driving through the area. And yet, some see it as a lasting reminder of segregation, and a physical barrier that has isolated the east and north sides from the rest of Lubbock. Neighborhoods with majority Black and Hispanic residents are stuffed away, surrounded by industrial zoning and factories releasing emissions into the air. People who call the area home say its behind a wall a signal for people to stop while they can. Anything behind a wall has a negative connotation to it, said Robert Baxter, a Lubbock native. But were humans on the other side of that. Not the boogeyman or just criminals. There are kids, elderly people, families, business owners behind that wall. East Lubbock advocates are working on a seemingly never-ending mission stitching their neighborhoods back into Lubbocks fabric. As the city grows, communities behind the interstate have been left behind. While the city adds grocery stores to nearly every corner west of I-27, residents on the east side have one supermarket to get fresh food in the area. A few gas stations and corner markets sparsely placed have less fresh, but convenient, options. While crews actively work on repairing streets in the city, East Lubbock roads remain unpaved in some areas. Businesses have closed and not been replaced, leaving empty, decrepit buildings. There isnt an emergency room in sight for the vulnerable neighborhoods. The interstate has cemented their conditions, and advocates say its a problem thats nearly impossible to dismantle. Lubbock is not the only city facing this issue. The construction of the national highway infrastructure in the U.S. deepened segregation for communities of color nationwide. Karen Wolf at the University of Washingtons Infrastructure Planning and Management program, said the nations history of highways is not pretty. These highways cut through neighborhoods and separated them, said Wolf, interim academic director for the program. It was traditionally communities of color or poor neighborhoods, and in some cases, those communities were destroyed. Segregation was deeply-seeded in big cities and quaint towns alike cities like Lubbock that are now booming and seeing a ripple effect from mistakes of the past. Fixing the problem, however, can be a costly and complicated process. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden announced $3.3 billion in 41 states to reconnect and rebuild communities that were divided by transportation infrastructure. Nearly $235 million was awarded to six projects in Texas. The projects awarded funds include efforts in Austin to reconnect East Austin to downtown, a project by the Harris County Toll Road Authority to redesign Westpark Tollway and bridge the Alief community back in, a transportation feasibility study in El Paso, a study focusing on equitable solutions to fix disadvantages caused by Interstate 37 to San Antonios east side, a project dedicated to walkability and climate-resiliency for two Houston neighborhoods, and construction on pedestrian caps in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The issue remains unresolved in Lubbock, nearly a year after a group of residents filed a federal civil rights complaint against the city for its zoning policies. Residents are still in an uphill battle on their mission toward environmental justice and fair zoning laws. Meanwhile, advocates worry that if city leaders dont do something about it now, East Lubbock will suffer more as the city grows away from it. Industrial zoning isolates community Baxter, who is Black, said living in Lubbock has always been rough for Black and Hispanic residents. When he was growing up, his friends were told by their parents to not go past I-27. As an adult, he advocates for the north and east sides as they are left behind in favor of shiny, new developments on the other side of town. Other parts of the city have businesses, nice homes are being built, ones with brick, Baxter said. In North and East Lubbock, we have matchbox houses. We want to have brick, too. More than 100 years ago, the Lubbock City Council approved an ordinance that forced Black residents to the east side of town. The ordinance said Black people could not own property or live in other areas of the city, unless they were servants, and would be fined every day they were in violation. The council then created an industrial zone around them. The ordinance was repealed in 2006, but in reality, little has changed, residents say. With few good paying jobs and amenities on the east side, it's difficult to live. And few can afford to move. A Texas Tribune analysis of U.S. Census data shows roughly 24% of the population in East Lubbock is impoverished, which is higher than the 19% rate for the city overall. These communities are disconnected from economic drivers, the job market, retail, all the benefits coming to our city, said Joshua Shankles, president of Lubbock Compact, a local advocacy group. Wolf at the University of Washington said industrial zoning attracts industries that come with big buildings and parking lots, and they cause noise and air pollution, which is a concern for residents in Lubbock. According to the North and East Lubbock Coalitions complaint, 57% of Lubbocks Black residents and 38% of its Hispanic residents live within one mile of the industrial zone. By comparison, only 17% of white residents live within the same proximity. The industrial buildings have contributed to public perception of the community on the east side. Earlier this year, the city held a public meeting to discuss a new solid waste transfer station on the southwest side of town. Residents were against the location, citing health impacts and property values the same concerns people in East Lubbock have described for years. One resident said to put it on the east side because its pretty trashy and to leave the nicer areas alone. Industrial zoning can isolate a community, Wolf said. It creates chasms you cant walk through it, buses cant really go there. It disrupts natural travel patterns for communities. Wolf said highways are important for faster travel and hauling heavy freight. However, she said the highways were built without recognition to the communities they are in, and sometimes, in spite of them. The most important piece now is to make sure that any new segments don't bisect communities or isolate more neighborhoods, Wolf said. Advocates and residents alike have been determined to improve East Lubbock for decades, but it has not been an easy task. City leaders, Shankles said, have failed to recognize there is inequity. Its difficult for people to even hear criticism of anything in Lubbock, they think its an insult or personal assault, Shankles said. Its more difficult to be receptive to new ideas than to say Lets just keep doing what weve been doing. A resistance to change has been seen over decades as residents and activists alike have advocated for better conditions in East Lubbock. Baxter, who sits on the citys Urban Renewal Agency and Neighborhood Redevelopment Commission, wants to be an example for future generations to be active in the community. But, he still admits its hard talking about a pressing issue with no resolution in sight. You get tired trying to show someone its a problem, Baxter said. Its been a problem for decades. People before me talked about it, now I am, and its like no one is listening. False hopes Natalie Miller was excited to move back to Lubbock in 2013. Her hometown was set for a boom in growth and development. Her excitement waned as she made her way to East Lubbock, where she grew up. Conditions here got worse, Miller said. Growing up, you dont understand the history behind the conditions here. You start to ask those questions as an adult. Miller joined other residents as they advocated for better conditions, and called for two practices to be added to Lubbocks development code. The first was amortization, a process that allows the city to rezone property and prevent businesses from practicing operations that are a nuisance or health hazard after zoning laws have changed. Residents want this used to keep industrial practices away from their homes. The other method is down zoning, which allows the city to change the zoning of an area to a less intensive use, such as going from a commercial land to residential. Residents want this because it would stop new industrial businesses from moving in. For advocates, seeking either option has been a long road full of empty promises. At the end of 2022, the North and East Lubbock Coalition, a group of residents, began emailing city leaders about the impact of its zoning laws. The citys development code would be reviewed soon, and they wanted to get ahead of the discussion. When the city council passed the code without significant changes, the group filed a federal civil rights complaint last summer against the city with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The council later organized a committee to study the use of amortization and down zoning, and the extent and negative effect of abandoned industrial properties on nearby residents. The committee included industry executives who managed companies near the neighborhoods in question. None of the residents who petitioned Lubbock for the changes were part of the committee. Its one of those situations where they give us this to say they did something, Miller said of the committees creation. In January, the committee recommended the city analyze Lubbocks zoning map to fix areas that need to be rezoned. The committee was against adapting an amortization policy in the citys code, because the process exists in state law. The committee never answered the question about the negative impact on nearby residents. The city council later accepted the findings without the answer. Theyre not willing to address the issues of how we got here, Miller said. We need to talk about that in order to get to the core of our concerns and fix this. Adam Pirtle, a lawyer with Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas representing the coalition, said down zoning is a good first step. However, he said theres more to do. Theyre not looking at existing facilities that are operating, that are industrial and causing problems for residents, Pirtle said. Theyre shying away from that. Theres other ways Lubbock could improve the situation, including changing the notification process. Currently, Pirtle said, when an industrial business applies to rezone a property, people who live within 400 yards get notified. Pirtle said emailing residents would be easier for the public to get this information. Pirtle also pointed to the environmental commission in Dallas. The group advises the city council on environmental matters and has brought residents affected by industrial facilities to Texas Commission on Environmental Quality public hearings. Federal review ongoing Residents are now back to square one. According to Pirtle, the HUDs Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity office in Washington, D.C. is reviewing the North and East Lubbock Coalition's complaint. The coalition is hoping the HUD will make the city remedy the zoning policies for both districts. In the meantime, Pirtle said, his clients are willing to meet with the city at any time to work toward a solution. Baxter said changing the zoning in North and East Lubbock, so its not surrounded by industrial buildings near I-27, would help them flourish. As is, he said, zoning is a monster that has hindered the communitys ability to bring in new businesses or housing developments. No one wants to put up a restaurant or a set of brick condos near a toxic release site, Baxter said. Baxter also said more members of the community need to get involved, including being placed on city boards that review zoning requests. Miller will continue showing up to meetings and pushing for the city to change. What they have right now a few Dollar General-type stores, unpaved roads, and no pharmacies leaves Miller frustrated. It makes me feel as if we are neglected, Miller said. Just as we have been over the last 80 to 100 years here. Wolf said reconnecting communities that were separated by infrastructure is possible albeit, expensive. City leaders also have to be willing to learn from past mistakes, and work with the people who are directly affected. It needs to be done with meaningful involvement from the community members from the very beginning, Wolf said. You have to work with them, you have to listen to them, and you have to understand whats important to them. In an email from a spokesperson, City Manager Jarrett Atkinson said he does not believe I-27 has had an impact on zoning laws. Mayor Mark McBrayer declined to be interviewed by the Tribune for this story. The HUD is expected to have an answer to the complaint this year. Big news: director and screenwriter Richard Linklater; NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher; U.S. Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-California; and Luci Baines Johnson will take the stage at The Texas Tribune Festival, Sept. 57 in downtown Austin. Buy tickets today! Correction, July 19, 2024 at 11:01 a.m. : A previous version of this article incorrectly reported there are no health care clinics in East Lubbock. There is one. (KRON) An intruder entered a Redwood City high school and attempted to pull a student out of his classroom on Thursday, the Redwood City Police Department said. The school was placed on lockdown as officers tried to find the suspect. Staff at Sequoia High School said that at about 2 p.m. a suspicious person entered a classroom and attempted to pull a boy out of the room. A teacher intervened, and the suspect fled. 16-year-old shot and killed in Vallejo Wednesday night As he was leaving the scene, the man said he had a gun and warned people not to touch him. The school was put on lockdown as officers searched for him. Officers found the man walking out of a building on the west side of campus, police said. The long, cylindrical object he was carrying was found to be an umbrella. The suspect, later identified as 24-year-old Trey Duus, resisted arrest, causing officers to use less-lethal force. He was hospitalized with minor injuries and will later be booked into jail. Officers later discovered that Duus punched a hole in a bathroom wall and stole a printer cartridge as he rampaged through the school on his way out. He will be booked into jail for attempted kidnapping, burglary, child endangerment, obstructing officers, vandalism, and trespassing on school grounds. 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. After conducting more than 200 interviews and combing through his phone and internet search history, federal investigators have pieced together an early portrait of the man who sought to assassinate former President Donald Trump: Thomas Matthew Crooks was an intelligent, unassuming loner, who expressed an interest in guns and was far from outspoken about politics. But the emerging profile of Crooks nearly a week after the shooting has left authorities puzzled about a motive for his assault and has had investigators speculating that his intentions may have been less politically motivated and more about attacking the highest-profile target near him. The investigation remains in its early stages, officials caution. Still, in some ways, Crooks seems similar to the dozens of other young men whove wreaked havoc across the US with high-powered assault-style rifles in recent years. He had few close friends, he would often go shooting at a local firing range, and he didnt seem to display strongly held views that would suggest a politically driven assassination, according to CNN interviews with law enforcement and a review of notes from a briefing to Congress. In addition to the former president, Crooks had searched online about President Joe Biden and had photos on his phone of other prominent figures from both parties. He searched for the location of Trumps rally as well as the upcoming Democratic National Convention, the briefing notes say, and discovered that Trump planned to appear just an hours drive away from his home in the Pittsburgh suburbs. That suggests Crooks may have been looking to carry out a high-profile shooting, and the Trump events proximity and timing offered the most accessible opportunity, federal officials have speculated. Even though he didnt get his primary target, the shooter was successful in a lot of ways because he got closer to doing something no one has done in decades, one federal official told CNN, referring to the assassination of a presidential candidate. It remains unclear if Crooks intended to carry out a much larger attack and started with Trump because that was the way to gain the most notoriety. Crooks had also searched for information on another recent mass shooter who shot and killed four classmates at a Michigan high school in 2021. The web searches about that shooter, Ethan Crumbley, are consistent with what law enforcement officials have seen in other mass shooters who research people they wish to emulate, in part, as a way to form their own idea of how to do something bigger, the federal official said. A yearbook photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks. - Obtained by CNN But there are also significant differences between Crooks behavior and that of a typical mass shooter. On the day of the attack, Crooks appeared to have been specifically targeting Trump not aiming at the crowds in an attempt to kill as many people as possible. While he had an improvised explosive in the trunk of his car, its not clear if he planned to set it off to kill people or as a distraction. Kathleen Puckett, a former FBI behavioral analyst who worked on the case of the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, said that Crooks also appeared to have less firepower than many mass shooters, who often carry multiple weapons and wear body armor. It didnt look to me like he was ready for an assault, Puckett said, while noting the limits of publicly available information. It looked to me like he was taking a window that he saw a vulnerability in where he felt that he was unobserved to the extent he could get off some critical shots. In addition, unlike other mass shooters who often leave behind writings to explain their attacks, authorities have thus far recovered few clues, in Crooks bedroom or online. That is frustrating experts who are trying to piece together his mindset and raising comparisons with Stephen Paddock, the gunman who killed 60 people in Las Vegas in 2017. Nearly seven years after Americas deadliest mass shooting, investigators still do not know why Paddock pulled the trigger. Like the Las Vegas massacre, this may be a situation where the more we know, the less we understand about the exact reason why, said Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and a CNN national security analyst. Crooks family members told investigators he did not openly discuss politics, and evidence recovered at his home shed no further light on his political values or ideology, according to a readout shared with CNN that details a briefing that FBI and US Secret Service officials gave lawmakers Wednesday. Mary Ellen OToole, a former FBI profiler, said that based on the evidence assembled so far, she thought that Trumps rally was very appealing to Crooks in part because it fell in his backyard. This gave him incredible attention and catapulted him to a point where I think thats why he chose this, she speculated. Still, Puckett called lone offenders who largely remain invisible before attacks one of the prickliest problems out there for law enforcement, and warned against a rush to find simple answers about Crooks motive. Whatever his story turns out to be, its not going to be simplistic, I dont think its going to be more complicated, Puckett said. You dont want the simplistic version. You want every detail you can find. CNNs Scott Glover, Allison Gordon and Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com (Getty Images) The Iowa panel charged with ensuring transparency in government is being sued for allegedly violating the states Open Meetings Law. Briana Reha of Polk County is suing the Iowa Public Information Board and its members for the manner in which they approved a pay raise for the boards executive director, Erika Eckley. The lawsuit alleges that on June 25, the board posted an agenda for its June 27 board meeting. Nine minutes into the meeting, Monica McHugh, the board chairman, proposed an increase to Eckleys salary as a topic for board deliberation and action. After briefly discussing the matter, the board approved a 6% salary increase for Eckley by unanimous vote, bringing her total annual salary to $103,307.60. The video of the board meeting indicates the board was informed that anything above 6% would exceed the allowable salary range for the position. Eckley was appointed to the job in March 2023. The lawsuit alleges the board did not include on its agenda a salary increase as a topic of board discussion or as an action item for the board. The agenda and the related board materials contained no reference to a possible salary increase and only indicated that the board chairman would make comments pertaining to Eckleys evaluation. That notice did not sufficiently apprise the public and give full opportunity for public knowledge and participation on the issue of the proposed salary increase, the lawsuit claims. The lawsuit seeks a court finding that the board violated the states Open Meetings Law and asks that the court void the salary increase and issue an injunction ordering the board to refrain from any future violations. Eckley declined to comment on the lawsuit and referred all questions to the office of Iowas attorney general. The attorney generals spokesperson was at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, according to the office staff, and she could not be reached for comment. The Iowa Public Information Board is a nine-member panel appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate for the stated purpose of fielding complaints about local and state boards, commissions and councils compliance with Iowas Open Meetings Law and Open Records Law. In 2018, Iowas Office of Ombudsman issued a report on the board called No Model for Transparency. The report was critical of the manner in which the board handled complaints and of the manner in which it responded to the ombudsmans inquiries on two issues. We conclude that IPIBs board violated at least two of the laws they are charged with enforcing, the report stated, concluding the board acted illegally when it voted on matters without publicly explaining what it was voting on. As part the ombudsmans investigation into that matter, the office had asked for, and eventually subpoenaed, tapes of the boards relevant closed-door meetings. The board refused to turn over the tapes, and the ombudsmans office opted not to pursue the issue in court. This article first appeared in the Iowa Capital Dispatch, a sister site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network. (Photo illustration by Laura Rosina/Getty Images) Though the waiting period has lifted on the Iowa law banning most abortions after six weeks, the date when the law will begin enforcement has not yet been decided. Before the abortion ban can go into effect, the Iowa Supreme Court must first consider the Planned Parenthood of the Heartlands petition for a rehearing of its suit challenging the law. It was filed alongside the ACLU of Iowa, the Emma Goldman Clinic, and Dr. Sarah Traxler. The filing asks the state Supreme Court to reconsider the 4-3 June decision to lift a temporary injunction on the so-called fetal heartbeat law and set a new, lower legal standard for judging the constitutionality of abortion laws in Iowa. Legal experts say rehearing requests are not often taken up. But the Iowa Supreme Court has to dismiss or otherwise respond to the request before the district court can proceed with lifting the injunction and allowing enforcement of the law to begin. At a virtual status conference Friday, District Court Judge Jeffrey Farrell spoke with attorneys representing Planned Parenthood and the state of Iowa about how to proceed, assuming the court does not rehear the case. Peter Im, staff attorney at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, asked Farrell to give a few days notice before lifting the injunction if the Iowa Supreme Court does not take up the case, in order to give patients and providers who could be impacted by the law time to plan ahead and ensure they are in compliance. We have a concern about a lack of notice, potentially causing medical issues for patients, Im said. And we also certainly wouldnt want any docketing delays to cause any notice concerns, because although we could certainly inform our clients, this ruling could also affect hospitals and medical providers throughout the state and particularly people treating patients in emergency situations. The 2023 law would ban most abortions after cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo something that can happen as early as six weeks of pregnancy. The measure contains exceptions for cases of rape and incest when reported in specified time frames, and when an abortion is necessary to save the life of the mother. Ruth Richardson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said Wednesday the law would ban an estimated 97% to 98% of abortions currently performed in Iowa. Abortion is currently legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy until the injunction is lifted. The judge said Friday that there will likely be a delay before this happens, as the Supreme Court needs to send the case back to district court, and he will respond after the clerks office notifies him the case is ready. I dont think the Supreme Court expects me to drop everything Im doing at the moment to dissolve it right then, Farrell said. Further court proceeding involving the law are also expected, as Im said Planned Parenthood is considering challenging the Iowa Board of Medicines rules on the abortion ban. Im said the organization has asked the Iowa Supreme Court for guidance on joining this claim with the current lawsuit, or presenting it as separate litigation. Eric Wessan, the Iowa solicitor general, said the states position is that the Iowa Supreme Court decision would mean the court can resolve the case by addressing Planned Parenthoods constitutional arguments before trial. The decision found that state abortion laws should be subject to the rational basis test, and that courts should assess a laws constitutionality by determining if the state had a legitimate reason to enact it. Wessan said that while district court looks at setting a trial date, the state is asking that time be included for a summary judgement of the case a final decision to resolve a lawsuit before trial by assessing the law and challenges using the rational basis review. The state believes that summary judgment could be sufficient to deal with these claims on the current law, he said. Slash stamp duty for pensioners to boost housing market, say economists Rachel Reeves should slash stamp duty for pensioners to boost the housing market, economists have urged. Exempting pensioners, or so-called last-time buyers, from the levy on home purchases would encourage downsizing and free up larger properties for families, according to the Policy Exchange. Roger Bootle and James Vitali, economists at the think tank and the reports authors, said older homeowners are often prevented from downsizing because of stamp duty costs eating into the inheritance they hope to leave their children. Stamp duty has become particularly painful as property values have spiralled in recent years. This is because the rate charged rises with prices. A downsizer buying a property for 500,000 faces a stamp duty charge of 12,500, rising to 41,250 for someone buying a 1m home. However, the economists said the tax would require careful controls to ensure it applied to genuine last-time buyers, rather than people who intend to move again but pocket the tax break in the meantime. A stamp duty holiday introduced during the pandemic sent transactions soaring, rising from no more than 100,000 per month in the year before Covid to a peak of more than 200,000 in June 2021, the month before the tax break was cut back. The report said: If people who benefited from this concession subsequently bought another property, then they would have to pay full duty on not only their new purchase but also the previous one which had carried the stamp duty concession. If this stamp duty wrinkle were introduced it would have to be carefully managed. Suppose somebody bought a family house at age 30 and declared that this was their last house purchase and so should be exempt from stamp duty. This would act as a deterrent to downsizing later in life. In practice this objection could be overcome by stipulating that the special treatment for last-time buyers only applied to people over a certain age, say 60 or 65. The Government is currently short of cash, limiting its room for manoeuvre on tax cuts. However, Mr Vitali said the tax break could even be a benefit for government finances, as it would stimulate more purchases in the housing market overall. If you make targeted cuts to stamp duty, the increased transactions might have a fiscally neutral or beneficial effect to the Treasury, he said. We would like to scrap stamp duty in its entirety, but in the fiscally constrained context the Labour government currently faces, this is a more targeted way to get a more efficient allocation of the housing stock. Stamp duty usually raises around 13bn per year for the Exchequer, but in 2022, when the market was fired up by the temporary tax cut, buyers paid a total of 17.5bn. Story continues A Treasury spokesman said: Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) continues to be an important source of revenue, and for most of those looking to downsize the SDLT paid will be small and, in many cases, will be lower than the estate agents fee. The tax cut is part of a wider set of proposals to overhaul the housing market to boost construction levels. The Policy Exchange said the UK has only increased the total number of homes by 34pc since 1983, compared to more than 50pc in France and almost two-thirds in Spain. As a result of a failure to build, house prices have risen by more than 400pc since 1970 in Britain, far above the 171pc rise in France, the think tank said. The report also proposed cutting down the green belt to focus protections on Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and allowing construction on the rest. Hospitals and prisons should be given more priority as nationally significant projects, the report said, while councils should also receive extra bonuses from central government when more homes are built in their areas. 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. Iowa's strict new abortion ban won't take effect quite yet after Planned Parenthood of the Heartland asked the Iowa Supreme Court to reconsider whether the law is constitutional. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled June 28 that the six-week "fetal heartbeat" abortion ban, passed during a 2023 special session and challenged in court by Planned Parenthood, is constitutional. A lower court judge had temporarily blocked the law, which has exceptions for rape, incest or danger to the mother's life, before it took effect, and the Supreme Court ruled that injunction should be lifted. Under Iowa court rules, it takes at least three weeks to formally return a lawsuit to the district court after an appeal, meaning Friday was the earliest the injunction could have been lifted. But the ban will remain in place for now after Planned Parenthood last week filed a petition for the Supreme Court to rehear the case. More: 6-week abortion ban can take effect, Iowa Supreme Court rules In a status conference held over Zoom Friday, Judge Jeffrey Farrell asked the parties how they'd like him to proceed if and when the Supreme Court returns jurisdiction to him. Planned Parenthood attorney Peter Im asked that, assuming the Supreme Court's decision remains unchanged, Farrell consider lifting the injunction with at least a few days' delay to prevent patients with medical needs from being caught unaware. Farrell said that there will likely be some delay, depending on when the Supreme Court sends the case back to him and when the clerk's office notifies him that it's ready. "I dont think the Supreme Court expects me to drop everything Im doing at the moment to dissolve it right then," Farrell said, adding that he believes Im's request for a few days' lead time is reasonable. Abortion remains legal up to 20 weeks in Iowa as long as the injunction remains in place. Planned Parenthood told the Register it has appointments scheduled into next week, anticipating the injunction will remain in effect at least that long. Lawsuit isn't over despite Supreme Court decision The Supreme Court ruled that there is not a "substantive due process" right to abortion access, which is one of three arguments Planned Parenthood had raised in its lawsuit. The organization also argued the law violated the Iowa Constitution's equal protection and "inalienable rights" guarantees, but neither the district judge nor the Supreme Court has yet ruled on those issues. Im also said Friday that Planned Parenthood is considering challenging the Iowa Board of Medicine's rules adopted to implement the 2023 heartbeat law, and that it is asking the Supreme Court for guidance on whether that claim can be joined with the ongoing lawsuit. "We want to avoid at any cost-duplicative litigation," he said. Timeline: How Iowa's abortion laws have changed over the decades Farrell said once the Supreme Court is done with the case, he'll look to schedule the case for trial on the remaining issues. Solicitor General Eric Wessan, representing the state, said he believes the court should be able to resolve the case before trial, as all three of Planned Parenthood's constitutional claims will use the same "rational basis" legal standard. "The Iowa Supreme Court clearly said this law survives rational basis review," he said. "Three claims were brought, each claim comes with rational basis, and the state believes summary judgment should be sufficient to resolve Planned Parenthood's suit. 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: Planned Parenthood challenges Iowas six-week abortion ban Insights from Axios, The New York Times, and the Arms Control Association The News Iran is capable of producing fissile material a key component in nuclear weapons within one or two weeks, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday, a development he blamed on President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018. Instead of being at least a year away from having the breakout capacity of producing fissile material for a nuclear weapon, [Iran] is now probably one or two weeks away from doing that, Blinken told the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. He clarified that the nation has yet to build a weapon that could use the fissile material, which is estimated to take at least a year. His comments came a month after the Biden administration privately expressed concerns about suspicious Iranian research and development activities that could be used to produce a nuclear weapon, according to Axios. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. Top officials drop insistence that nuclear program is wholly peaceful Source: The New York Times For the first time, top Iranian officials have dropped the ritual assurances that Iran has only peaceful uses in mind for its nuclear program, The New York Times reported, with one close to the supreme leader saying the nation would reconsider its nuclear doctrine if it faced an existential threat. The shift underscores Irans recently cemented role as a threshold nuclear state one that approaches the line of building a weapon but does not cross it. But foreign officials disagree on what that means: Iran could be planning to remain on the cusp of nuclear weapons viability, or it could be preparing to take the final step. Officials worry Iran will use US political turmoil as cover for nuclear developments Source: Axios With the US engulfed in political chaos, officials fear that Irans recent research and development around its nuclear program could be part of a covert Iranian effort to use the period around the US presidential election to make progress toward nuclear weaponization, Axios reported. Those concerns led US and Israeli intelligence communities to probe whether Tehran has changed its nuclear policy. The country assured Washington it has not, and US officials said they have no evidence that Iran is nearing a testable nuclear device. New president might have space to maneuver on nukes Sources: Arms Control Association, The Tehran Times, The BBC Its not clear how much influence Irans new president-elect, reformist Masoud Pezeshkian, will have on nuclear policy, though he campaigned to reduce sanctions to improve Irans economy. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the one who truly wields power, especially on security matters. However, the Arms Control Association noted that there may be some political space in Tehran for Pezeshkian to maneuver on the nuclear front. Any movement to curtail the nations nuclear program would be welcomed by the US. But in an op-ed in the Tehran Times, Pezeshkian said Iran cannot be pressured into rolling back its nuclear activities, and accused the US of deliberately escalating hostilities by withdrawing from the nuclear deal, urging Washington to learn from past miscalculations and adjust its policy accordingly. The top United Nations court said Friday that Israels settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem are unlawful and that Israel must end its presence in occupied Palestinian territory. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) opinion determined for the first time that Israels annexation and settlement of Palestinian territory violated a prohibition of acquiring territory by force, and that it violates international law. The Court reaffirms that the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law, the ICJ said in the opinion. The ICJ said Israel was annexing land in Palestinian territory under policies and practices are designed to remain in place indefinitely and to create irreversible effects on the ground. Specifically, the court found that the transfer of Israeli settlers to the West Bank and East Jerusalem is contrary to the sixth paragraph of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states that an occupying power must not transfer its own civilian population into a territory it holds. The court also said Israel violated the Geneva Convention by extending its legal authority to Israeli settlers but imposing a harsher military law on Palestinians; by forcible evictions, extensive house demolitions and restrictions on residence and movement of Palestinians; and by a systematic failure to address violence against Palestinians in the territories, along with other discriminatory practices. It is a wrongful act of a continuing character which has been brought about by Israels violations, through its policies and practices, of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force and the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, the court said. Consequently, Israel has an obligation to bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible, the ICJ added, also calling for Israel to issue reparations for the wrongdoing, including by returning land and property. The ICJ ruling is an advisory opinion and not a binding order. But it puts more pressure on Israel, which is waging a war against Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza that has sparked widespread concern over the more than 38,000 Gazans who have been killed in nearly 10 months of fighting. The ICJ also calls for all states to not assist Israel in any way with its occupation of Palestinian territories. Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza in a 1967 war. Israel returned Gaza to the rule of Palestinians in 2005 but continues to have authority over the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where Palestinians live. Israel has been accused of violating international law by encroaching into Palestinian territory through the expansion of Israeli settlements, an issue that even Israels most ardent ally, the U.S., has called the nation out on. It has also come under pressure for a harsh rule over the Palestinian people in occupied territories. The United Nations said over the spring that the size of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem increased dramatically from November 2022 to October 2023, with more than 24,000 housing units being added in that period. The ICJ case was brought before the court after a 2022 request from the United Nations General Assembly to seek an opinion from the court on the impact of Israeli settlements and occupation in Palestinian territory. The court heard from some 52 countries, including the state of Palestine, on the issue, the largest bloc of nations in one case since the ICJ was founded in 1945. Oral arguments were made in February. Israel has often accused the United Nations of being biased and unfair. It did not present arguments at the ICJ case but submitted written arguments. After the opinion, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on the social platform X that the Jewish people are not conquerors in their own land neither in our eternal capital Jerusalem nor in the land of our ancestors in the West Bank. No false decision in The Hague will distort this historical truth and likewise the legality of Israeli settlement in all the territories of our homeland cannot be disputed, he wrote. The ICJ is also hearing a separate case filed by South Africa over the war in Gaza, with South African officials accusing Israel of genocide. That case may take years to resolve. 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. A drone launched from Yemen struck a building in Tel Aviv, killing at least one person and injuring another eight, according to Israeli officials. A Samad-3 drone launched in Houthi-dominated Yemen overnight hit a building in central Tel Aviv, Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Friday. The Samad-3 drone is Iranian-built and often supplied to Tehrans proxies across the Middle East, including the Houthi rebels in Yemen who have been fighting against U.S. forces in the Red Sea and targeting merchant ships in the waters since Israels war broke out against Hamas on Oct. 7. Dozens of drones have been launched from Yemen over the course of the war, with U.S. forces or Israeli troops intercepting most of them, Hagari told reporters, but during the incident, no alert was activated. We are still thoroughly examining the incident, Hagari said. We are conducting an inquiry into the incident and examining why the [drone] was not identified as a threat and intercepted before it hit. Houthi forces shared a statement on pro-Iranian media channels claiming the strike on Tel Aviv, saying the attack was carried out with a new drone they claimed was capable of bypassing the enemys interception systems and cannot be detected by radar. The Houthis also threatened to continue targeting Tel Aviv, vowing to keep hitting Israel deep into its territory. Israel is fighting a multifront war as the country has come under attack from across the Middle East, though most of the daily fighting is against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both of which are supported by Iran. The U.S. has struggled to deter the Houthis from launching attacks on ships in the Red Sea after directly fighting against them for more than half a year. The Houthis and Hezbollah have said they will only stop fighting if a cease-fire is reached in Gaza. 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. An Israeli delegation taking part in talks to end the war in Gaza decided not to participate in late-stage negotiations this week, frustrating U.S. officials who believe an agreement is close, according to two people familiar with the situation. The delegation chose not to attend despite telling the U.S. earlier that they intended to go, said the people, who were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive diplomacy. No explanation was given by the Israelis, the people said. The Israeli embassy in Washington and the National Security Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier this week, there were conversations in the highest tiers of the U.S. government about dispatching CIA Director Bill Burns to the region to facilitate talks on an agreement to end a war that began when Hamas militants crossed into Israel on Oct. 7 and took about 250 hostages. Fighting has killed an estimated 36,000 Palestinians, including many civilians. The plans to send Burns were not finalized, but the CIA director dropped out of the Aspen Security Forum for reasons that werent publicly explained. The decision by the Israelis though not viewed by the Biden administration as catastrophic to the overall process frustrated U.S. officials who say they are as confident as they have been in recent weeks that they are close to a deal. The framework of the agreement on the table is similar to one outlined by President Joe Biden in May. But over the last several weeks both the Israelis and Hamas have made concessions, said a person familiar with the discussions who was granted anonymity to discuss the negotiations. Its not clear when the participants in the negotiations, who have at various times included the U.S., Israel, Egypt, Qatar and the Palestinians, will meet in person again. (Bloomberg) -- A drone strike killed a man in the heart of Tel Aviv on Friday morning, in an attack claimed by the Yemen-based Houthi militants. Most Read from Bloomberg The Iran-backed group said it targeted Israels commercial capital with a new type of drone difficult for radar to detect and vowed to target the city and other parts of the country again. Israels military said the projectile was probably fired from Yemen and was an Iranian-built Samad 3 drone re-purposed to fly longer distances. If confirmed, it would mark the first deadly attack on Israel by the Houthis, who have been assaulting ships much closer to their home base in recent months. The strike came just before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus trip to Washington, his first outside of Israel since its war against Hamas began in October. Hes due to meet US President Joe Biden on Monday and address Congress two days later. The shekel fell slightly as of 4:30 p.m. Tel Aviv time to head for a third day of losses, while the stock market was shut for the Israeli weekend. It reopens on Sunday. The explosion happened close to Tel Avivs sea front and a US embassy branch, according to Israeli emergency services. The Israeli military said no sirens were activated and declined to comment if the American facility was the intended target. The man who was killed was around 50 and eight people were injured. The attack happened at roughly 3 a.m. local time. Israeli media showed footage of a low flying drone coming into Tel Aviv from the west over the Mediterranean sea. An initial inquiry indicates that the explosion in Tel Aviv was caused by the falling of an aerial target, the Israeli military said. It later said the drone was detected by its defense systems and its investigating why it wasnt shot down. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel will look at reinforcing its air defenses in response to the attack. Drone warfare has exposed a vulnerability in Israels vaunted air defenses. The Iron Dome system which uses interceptors against incoming short-range missiles has been effective against large objects fired by Hamas from Gaza and Hezbollah from Lebanon in recent months. But many smaller drones have been able to slip through. Dozens of drones, primarily those sent by Hezbollah, have evaded the militarys defenses and caused casualties in Israel. The army is testing a laser-based system designed for small projectiles, though it wont be ready before 2025. The Houthis started targeting Israel with drones and missiles shortly after the war in Gaza started. But, at least until now, none of their attacks are thought to have caused significant damage in Israel, with most projectiles being intercepted or failing to reach the country, which lies around 1,900 kilometers (1,180 miles) from Yemen. Israels largely avoided direct retaliation against the Islamist group. The Houthis have caused havoc in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November, attacking commercial and military ships and forcing most Western-linked vessels to avoid the area. Theyve stepped up those naval assaults in the past six weeks. The group says its acting in solidarity with Palestinians and will continue the attacks until theres a cease-fire in Gaza. It is, along with Hamas and Hezbollah, part of Irans axis of resistance anti-US and anti-Israel militias in the Middle East that receive training and funding from Tehran. Since Oct. 7, when Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza, several of those groups have targeted Israel, US bases in region or Western commercial interests. The likes of the US, European Union, UK and India have moved warships to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in an attempt to thwart the Houthi shipping attacks. The US and UK have also been striking Houthi positions in Yemen regularly since January. They say those have degraded the groups military capabilities, though its still able to hit vessels and Iran continues to resupply it. Bezalel Smotrich, Israels far-right finance minister, said the drone strike on Tel Aviv showed the government has to continue the war in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed. In a region where only strength and power are understood, we do not have the privilege of ending the war without a complete victory in all arenas and the removal of the threat posed by them, he said on X. --With assistance from Patrick Sykes and Paul Abelsky. (Adds comment from defense minister.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. We recently compiled a list of the 10 Stocks Targeted by Activist Investors Right Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Alight, Inc. (NYSE:ALIT) stands against the other stocks targeted by activist investors. Activist investors play an important role in deploying various strategies to try and unlock value in stocks they believe are trading below their fair value. By paying millions and even billions of dollars to buy stakes in companies, they accrue significant power and the right to lobby for changes they believe will help bolster share price and shareholder value. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that the top 10 stocks targeted by activist investors right now have also seen their leadership targeted as one of the ways of engineering changes to unlock value. Last year alone, companies faced a record number of activist campaigns as shareholders tried to insert optimum pressure to oust directors of companies struggling amid deteriorating macro conditions. Some activist investors went to the extent of pushing for the sale of businesses whose shares had tumbled significantly. Consequently, there were 252 activist campaigns globally in 2023, a 7% increase from the previous year. The fact that the top 10 stocks targeted by activist investors now also include blue-chip businesses underlines that no one is safe from scrutiny. The significant increase in activist campaigns came from geopolitical instability and economic uncertainty. Nevertheless, activist investors shrugged off these concerns as they showed their resilience in pushing for corporate changes and operational efficiency in the race to unlock shareholder value. Similarly, investors closely watch activist investors' moves in the market as they help shed light on some of the best-undervalued opportunities worth exploring. A report of 550 activist campaigns has already shown that activist investors often outperform the overall market by 6.3% through their campaigns. The report by Alvaro & Marshal clearly shows why it is essential to closely watch activist investors' moves when trying to uncover high-risk reward opportunities in the market. Additionally, activist campaigns focused on operational demands to change how companies operate to generate value often outperform the market by 9.4% on average. The outperformance stems from activist investors installing their preferred directors on the board of directors to try and influence how a company operates in its push to unlock shareholder value. One trend that is becoming increasingly clear is that activist campaigns are becoming increasingly regional and dynamic. With the US equities outperforming the overall market over the past few years, activist investors are increasingly targeting stocks in other underperforming regions. Consequently, the activist investors launched 69 campaigns in Europe last year, focusing on pushing for mergers and acquisitions. Equities in Asia Pacific were not spared either, going by the 44 new campaigns. Story continues While the UK recorded a 71% increase in activist campaigns to 29 campaigns and the US recorded a 20% drop to 109 campaigns in 2024, Canada saw a 171% increase in shareholder activism to 19 campaigns. Nevertheless, US-based activist investors continue to account for the most significant share of global activist campaigns. For instance, three of the busiest US-based activist investors launched 14% of the worldwide activist campaigns. Over the years, activist campaigns have been dominated by high-profile hedge funds, including Icahn Enterprises, Jana Partners and Trian Partners. Elliott Investment Management is one activist hedge fund that stands out when it comes to unlocking value in under two years. The trend is slowly changing, with new, more aggressive funds pushing to make their mark. For instance, more than 40% of campaigns last year were spearheaded by hedge funds for the first time, especially in Europe. The change of guard stems from the barrier of entry being lowered, giving shareholders the ability to launch more campaigns. It is one of the best times to watch the 10 stocks targeted by activist Investors right now, as the campaigns are highly successful. The double-digit returns posted by activist investors in 2023 in one of the most challenging environments amid the high interest rates underscores the effectiveness of some campaigns. For instance, activist investors who pushed for management changes and the streamlining of operations enjoyed an average return of 20.2% in 2023, a significant improvement from an average loss of 16% in 2022. Even as the S&P 500 gained 24%, activist investors like Mason Morfit's ValueAct Capital came out on top, posting a 39% return, while Bill Ackman's Pershing Square holdings delivered a 27% gain. Healthcare-focused hedge fund Caligan Partners posted a 37% gain as Engaged Capital topped the S&P 500 gain with a 29% gain. The activist campaigns were mainly helped by a rising stock market and focused on some of the most prominent stock picks on a roll, like Nvidia for AI and cloud computing powerhouse Salesforce. The campaigns also turned out to be a great success for the activist investors pushing for cost cuts, strategic alternatives, and management changes to navigate the high interest rate environment. In the first half of 2024, activist investors launched a record number of campaigns, 147 of which topped the previous 143 set in 2018. In the second quarter, they launched 86 campaigns, with Elliott Capital emerging as the busiest, launching 11 campaigns and investing $11 billion in the capital in a bid to enhance its influence in its targets The surge in activist campaigns in 2024 threatens to trigger costly boardroom battles as the activist investor pushes for management changes, spin-offs, and outright sales. Our Methodology A closer look at how shareholders push for optimum value shows that activist investors are not planning to go slow anytime soon. Instead, they are ready to push companies harder for changes, including accelerating board changes to unlock value. Consequently, we have compiled a list of the most recent activist campaigns and ranked them based on their recent market capitalization. At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly 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 person viewing their financial progress on a computer, highlighting the financial health offerings of the company. Market Cap: $4.04 Billion Starboard Value Equity Stake: $392.1 Million Alight, Inc. (NYSE:ALIT), a cloud-based integrated ad digital human capital company, has been a big disappointment in 2024. The stock is already down by 12%. Likewise, activist hedge fund Starboard Value LP believes it is time to push for aggressive changes to reinvigorate the services company's fortunes and prospects. Having launched an activist campaign in the company early in the year, the hedge fund has already nominated three independent directors to the board of Alight, Inc. (NYSE:ALIT). The activist investor has already questioned the current CEO, Stephan Scholl, a talented technologist and software expert who is not experienced in matters of benefit to the service company. Overall ALIT ranks 8th on our list of the stocks targeted by activist investors right now. You can visit 10 Stocks Targeted by Activist Investors Right Now to see the other stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of ALIT 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 ALIT but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Countries with the Highest Purchasing Power Parity in the World in 2024 and 10 Very High Yield Dividend Stocks With Upside Potential Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Israeli policemen search the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant vowed to retaliate for the long-range missile from Yemen that hit a central Tel Aviv building, killing one and wounding eight. "The defence establishment is working to immediately strengthen all defense systems, and will settle the score with anyone who harms the State of Israel or directs terror against it, Gallant warned in a statement provided by his office. The Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom said one person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Friday that according to its information the missile originated in Yemen. Yemens Houthi rebels had earlier claimed responsibility for the attack on an "important target" in Tel Aviv in what the Iran-aligned militia says is retaliation for Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip. The Houthi military spokesman Yehya Saree said the operation had been carried out with a new drone named Yafa that is capable of bypassing Israeli interception and radar systems. He claimed in a televised statement that his militia has a "bank of targets" in Israel, and that Tel Aviv is in the cross-hairs. According to the Israeli army, it was a long-range drone that approached from the sea and hit the residential building. A video circulating on the internet shows a drone flying over the beach towards the high-rises in Tel Aviv. Shortly afterwards, a bright flash and the sound of an explosion can be heard. The drone was detected by air surveillance but was not shot down due to human error, the Times of Israel newspaper reported. A military spokeswoman confirmed upon inquiry that there was no air raid alarm when there should have been one. Tel Aviv has largely been spared from drone attacks so far. The site of the explosion could hardly have been more central, situated in the historic heart of the Mediterranean metropolis. The sandy beaches are world-renowned and form a focal point of urban life. Many international hotels line the beach promenade. Since the war started last year, these hotels have also housed people from northern Israel who were evacuated due to rocket fire by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. A man carrying a baby stands at the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa A view of a damaged vehicle at the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Insights from Haaretz, Atlantic Council, Al Jazeera, and Chatham House The News The International Court of Justice said in a landmark opinion Friday that Israels settlement policies in the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem were illegal, and called for its presence to end as rapidly as possible. Its the first time the worlds highest court has made its position clear on a yearslong subject of contention at the United Nations, The New York Times reported. The UN court said Israeli actions in the occupied areas amounted to de-facto annexation, adding that Gaza is also effectively occupied by Israel due to its control over the enclaves borders and restrictions of goods and people. While the courts opinion is only advisory and non-legally binding, it is seen as significantly symbolic. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. The opinion could prove radioactive on the international stage Sources: Haaretz, Al Anadolu, DW, The Associated Press While Israeli lawmakers dismissed the court as antisemitic, some experts believe the ruling could make Western countries like Germany, which are committed to international law, reconsider their economic and defense ties to Israel. Dealing with Israeli practice in the occupied territory might become radioactive in international relations, a law expert told Turkeys state-run outlet Al Anadolu. Another told DW that it could affect national courts and the European Court of Justice, if it meant that occupied East Jerusalem could no longer be incorporated in trade deals between the EU and Israel. The ruling could also strengthen the hand of Palestinian-led boycott and divestment movements, a Hague-based think tank researcher told The Associated Press. Israel has largely enjoyed a free ride in foreign relations Sources: Chatham House, Haaretz Confrontation with international courts shores up support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus base, who are convinced that the world is working to harm Israel, a Chatham House expert wrote earlier this year. A Tel Aviv-based political analyst argued in Haaretz that contrary to the decades-old narrative that Israel is singled out for actions other countries get away with, Israel actually enjoys a free ride in its foreign relations. While Western governments default to imposing sanctions against states perceived to be security threats, Israel has avoided those kinds of official, multilateral sanctions, a Middle East scholar told Haaretz. War in Gaza has distracted from increasing settler violence in the West Bank Sources: Financial Times, Al Jazeera Israeli land seizures in the occupied West Bank reached a 30-year high this year, according to Israeli anti-settlement watchdog Peace Now. While the worlds attention has been on war in Gaza, the West Bank has suffered surging settler violence, increasing military raids, and stifling economic pressures, the Financial Times wrote, further undermining the already limited self-governance of the Palestinian Authority. Statement: "Unlike Mike Pence, (JD) Vance said he would have carried out Trump's plan to overturn the 2020 election." Vice President Kamala Harris said in a campaign video that former President Donald Trumps pick for vice president will be "loyal only to Trump, not to our country." Harris said in the video that the Republican vice presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, will "rubber stamp" Trumps "extreme agenda." She added, "Unlike Mike Pence, Vance said he would have carried out Trump's plan to overturn the 2020 election." After losing the 2020 election, Trump and his allies sought to enlist help from state elected officials, Justice Department officials and then-Vice President Pence to stay in office. Trump allies put forward their own slates of "alternate" electors to sign certificates declaring that Trump had won battleground states that he actually lost. Trump critics have referred to them as "fake electors," and state prosecutors have criminally charged dozens of them. On Jan. 6, 2021, Pence refused to consider Trumps alternate slates of electors. Trumps efforts to overturn his 2020 loss happened before Vance was a senator, so Vance was not in position to vote to accept the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021. He won the U.S. Senate race in 2022. We examined how Vance has addressed this issue in media interviews and found that he hasnt directly said he would have overturned the election. But comments hes made that Congress should have considered multiple slates of electors align with plans by Trump and his allies to have an alternate slate of electors vote for Trump. Vance has also said the 2020 election was "stolen" from Trump. Vance: Multiple slates of electors should have been considered Then-Vice President Mike Pence and then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi prepare to read the final certification of Electoral College votes cast in the November 2020 presidential election on Jan. 7, 2021, during a joint session of Congress in Washington. When Congress meets to certify the election results, the vice president opens the envelopes from each state that contain the results that determine which candidate received that states electoral votes. These results, presented in official certificates, have been signed and sealed. The vice president opens the envelopes and hands them to four members from the House and Senate, who read the results aloud. At the end, the vice president announces the final tally. Pence has said that Trump asked him to overturn the election by returning or rejecting votes cast for Biden. Pence said he had no authority to do that. In a February 2024 interview, ABCs "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos asked Vance how he would have handled the election results if he had been vice president in 2020. Vance said there should have been multiple slates of electors. In 2022, Congress clarified the Electoral Count Act to say the vice presidents role is strictly "ministerial" and binds Congress to accept a single slate of electors from each state. Stephanopoulos asked Vance, "Had you been vice president on Jan. 6, would you have certified the election results?" Vance said he thought there were problems with the 2020 election, including changes in Pennsylvania balloting rules. (In October 2019, Pennsylvanias General Assembly passed Act 77 to permit no-excuse, mail-in voting.) "So, litigating which slate of electors were legitimate I think is fundamentally the political solution to the problems that existed in 2020," Vance said. Stephanopoulos again asked: "Would you have certified the election results had you been vice president?" Vance said, "If I had been vice president, I would have told the states, like Pennsylvania, Georgia and so many others, that we needed to have multiple slates of electors and I think the U.S. Congress should have fought over it from there. That is the legitimate way to deal with an election that a lot of folks, including me, think had a lot of problems in 2020. I think that's what we should have done." Stephanopoulos said to Vance, "So, it's very clear, you would have done what Donald Trump asked you to do there, not what Vice President Mike Pence did." Vance said, "Its not about what Donald Trump asks somebody to do. It's about, what do we do when you have a problem like what happened in 2020? How do you respond to it? How does the political system respond to this?" When Vance ran for U.S. Senate, he told Time magazine in a July 2021 interview that he thought the 2020 election was "unfair." "I think Josh Hawley did the right thing," he said. Hawley, a Republican senator from Missouri, led the Senate charge against Congress accepting Joe Bidens victory a position he kept after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Much of Hawleys argument was based on changes to Pennsylvania mail-in voting. Vance: the 2020 election was stolen from Trump Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and vice presidential nominee JD Vance appear on the first day of the GOP convention last week in Milwaukee. Courts, state election officials (including Georgia Republicans) and Trump administration officials have said that the 2020 election results were legitimate. By contrast, Vance has claimed that people voted illegally "on a large-scale basis." During a Senate primary debate in 2022, Vance said, "I say it all the time: I think the election was stolen from Trump." Weeks before the 2022 midterms, the The Cincinnati Enquirer asked Vance, "Do you believe President Joe Biden was legitimately elected in 2020?" Vance said, "I mean, he's the president, right? He is certainly the legitimate president of the United States. The thing that I've always said here, and I'll repeat to you, is, Was the election in 2020 free and fair; was it aboveboard? My answer is, no, I really don't think that it was." In a June 2024 interview with Ross Douthat, a conservative opinion columnist at The New York Times, Vance said there should have been an effort to provide alternate slates of electors "to force us to have that debate." He also said that "challenging elections and questioning the legitimacy of elections" is part of the democratic process. CNNs Dana Bash asked Vance on May 12 whether he would commit to accepting the 2024 election results. "Certainly, if we have a free and fair election, I will accept the results," Vance said. Bash asked Vance, "Even if Joe Biden wins?" Vance said, "Sure. If it's a free and fair election, I will accept the results, Dana, whoever wins." PolitiFact's ruling Harris said, "Unlike Mike Pence, Vance said he would have carried out Trump's plan to overturn the 2020 election." Vance hasnt said exactly that. But he has said he supported Trumps plan to present Congress with alternate slates of electors on Jan. 6, 2021, that showed Trump winning battleground states he actually had lost. Vances statement showed he supported pursuing a path that would have allowed Congress to challenge Bidens victory. The statement is accurate but needs clarification or additional information. We rate it Mostly True. Our sources Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during the third day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum. The third day of the RNC focused on foreign policy and threats. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: PolitiFact: Would JD Vance have overturned the 2020 election? When J.D. Vance addressed the Republican National Convention Wednesday night, he wasnt just introducing himself to the nation. He was selling a political ideology. To that end, Vance chronicled his hardscrabble upbringing to champion the core tenets of Trumpism. In a 35-minute speech, Vance recounted his childhood in Appalachia, surrounded by societal and economic decay. In Middleton, Ohio, he was raised by his grandmother Mamaw as his mother struggled with addiction. It was a place, he said, that had been cast aside and forgotten by Americas ruling class in Washington. After providing his own narrative biography, Vance offered a vision for rescuing the U.S from inexorable decline: protectionist trade agreements, restrictionist immigration policies, and a withdrawal from overseas entanglements. By tying his life story to an ideological creed, Vance, 39, was making a generational pitch to preserve Donald Trumps brand of right-wing populist nationalism. If this movement of ours is going to succeed, and if this country is going to thrive, our leaders have to remember that America is a nation, he said. Its citizens deserve leaders who put its interests first. Days after Trump survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania, Vance extolled the man who chose him as his running mate, recalling the dramatic moment when Secret Service agents rushed Trump off the stage but Trump stopped to pump his fist in the air and chant Fight to the crowd. Consider the lies they told you about Donald Trump and then look at that photo of him defiantfist in the air, he said. Even in his most perilous moment we were on his mind. Vance called for national unity in the wake of the shooting, echoing a consistent message from Republican officials throughout the convention. We have a big tent on this party, on everything from national security to economic policy, Vance said. But my message to you, my fellow Republicans, is we love this country and we are united to win. Trump campaign officials say that the assassination attempt gives Trump an opportunity to expand his support. After returning from the Butler Memorial Hospital to Bedminster, N.J., Trump rewrote his entire speech, which he will deliver at the convention on Thursday. Instead of attacking President Joe Biden, he plans to reflect on his survival and try to unify the country, according to sources familiar with the process. Many of the speakers throughout the confab in Milwaukee have struck a similar note, including Vance. But when Vance wasnt calling for national unity, he was praising the virtues of nationalism. One of the things that you hear people say sometimes is that America is an idea, he said. But America is not just an idea. It is a group of people with a shared history and a common future. It is, in short, a nation. At one point, Vance pointed to a plot he owns in eastern Kentucky where he plans to be buried. The cemetery holds seven generations of Americans who Vance said fought in wars and built the country. Thats not just an idea, my friends, he said. Thats not just a set of principles. Even though the ideas and the principles are great, that is a homeland. That is our homeland. People will not fight for abstractions, but they will fight for their home. Vance also cited his marriage to his wife Usha, the daughter of Indian immigrants, to validate his support for Trumps draconian immigration proposals, such as building a wall on the southern border and deporting more than 11 million migrants. When we allow newcomers into our American family, he said, we allow them on our terms. Vance ignored his vulnerabilities. He never brought up his conversion from Never Trumper to MAGA faithful. He never mentioned the hot-button issue of abortion; in the past, Vance opposed exceptions for rape and incest but has recently adopted Trumps stance that abortion policies should be left to the states. And he never mentioned election fraud or the 2020 election; he has said he would have refused to certify Bidens victory if he were Vice President at the time. The Trump campaign has bet that they are in the drivers seat of the election and can double down on the core MAGA platform while making a tonal shift to appeal to moderate voters. Given Vances blue-collar roots, they see him as a powerful emissary in the Rust Belt, particularly in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. I promise you this, he said. I will be a Vice President who never forgets where he came from. If Vances convention speech is any indication, the former President also sees him as the future of the America First movement, someone who can keep Trumpism alive after Trump himself exits the scene. Mr. President, Vance said. I will never take for granted the trust you have put in me. Contact us at letters@time.com. Recent reporting in The Kansas City Star and elsewhere on the Democratic primary for Jackson County prosecutor reminded me of an odd statement from one of the candidates about COMBAT spending. COMBAT is an acronym for the Community Backed Anti-Crime Tax, a Jackson County anti-drug and crime prevention fund spending about $25 to $30 million each year raised through a quarter-cent sales tax. Speaking this January, Melesa Johnson said to a largely Black audience: The harsh reality is we cant send white people into the homes full of Black people and expect them to make the same amount of inroads that you or I can make. Lord willing, we will see a day where that is not the reality. Jane Elliot, one of her favorite quotes of mine is that, It only takes one generation to surpass racism. But we are not in that generation. Johnson did not specify who was racist those offering support or those receiving it but she was very clear what she was going to do about it. She continued: We have to get unapologetic about these things and be willing to frustrate and anger some of the organizations that are primarily staffed by white people, and say, Hey, maybe you dont get your funding this year, because theres an organization on the East Side in the middle of the urban core that can do this work better than you. Hard stop. And those are some of the plans I have with COMBAT funds if elected as Jackson County prosecutor. Set aside that such a race-based funding decision is pretty clearly a violation of the 14th Amendment. Even if that werent the case, is awarding public funds based on race really the best approach? I asked COMBAT leaders how they make funding decisions and was told they rely on outside reviewers to alleviate the appearance of bias. The prosecutor then approves those decisions, operating under the Jackson County Compliance Review Office, which oversees equal opportunity standards. After 30 years, youd assume there must be all sorts of data on what works and what doesnt. In 2023, COMBAT funded 75 organizations that provide crime prevention or drug treatment. Are all those programs equally effective? Do some approaches have better outcomes than others? No one wants to just throw money to the wind, right? As it turns out, COMBAT doesnt appear to measure outcomes. The closest it comes is a Community Impact Report, which relies chiefly on anecdotes and testimonials many from people with financial interests in supporting COMBAT. A clue COMBAT doesnt monitor program effectiveness is a note in the report indicating the number of those served by various programs are based on grant application projections. Not only is this relying on self-reporting by those receiving funds, but doing so at the moment they apply, when their plans are the most optimistic and least tested. Consider the DARE anti-drug program. In the 1990s and early 2000s, research made it clear that DARE was ineffective. Yet COMBAT continued giving it money. The DARE organization has since retooled its approach and claims to be seeing success. Thats great if true, but improvement came only by measuring outcomes. Even worse, COMBAT poorly manages its resources. An October 2019 audit of COMBAT commissioned by Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker found that funds were not well accounted for and spent on non-crime related projects. An April 2020 report by Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway was critical of COMBATs recordkeeping. It doesnt appear to have gotten better. There are no meaningful financial documents on COMBATs website; repeated requests for them remain unfulfilled. Its annual reports provide no financial data and are largely pages of press releases. Jackson County taxpayers deserve better. Without measuring and publicizing outcomes, we risk wasting money on ineffective or counterproductive programs. More worrisome, without meaningful data we allow those with possibly ulterior motives to steer contracts based on personal relationships, conflicts of interest, or even an unconstitutional and probably meaningless reliance on race. Patrick Tuohey is co-founder of Better Cities Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on municipal policy solutions. Local Democratic officials have joined the growing chorus of national party leaders who are asking President Joe Biden withdraw his candidacy for reelection. "President Biden has been a very good president and accomplished a lot, especially his domestic agenda restoring the economy and making major investments in infrastructure and green energy, especially in Massachusetts," state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Marlborough, told the Daily News. "(But) I have had concerns for many months, because I knew this was going to be a very nasty race against Donald Trump, and we need a Democratic nominee who is able to fight back that voters have confidence in to continue to lead the country." State Sen. Jamie Eldridge, D-Marlborough, was one of seven state senators to sign a letter seeking President Joe Biden to withdraw from this year's presidential race. 'Good working relationship': U.S. Rep. Clark seeks to secure $5 million for key Framingham project Eldridge was among seven Massachusetts state senators who signed a letter that was released to the public late Thursday night calling for Biden to withdraw from the race. "Most Americans, including the majority of Democrats, now believe that President Biden is not capable of vigorously campaigning and serving as president for another four years," the letter states. "He is unable to effectively prosecute the case against Donald Trump, who represents a grave threat to the future of this country and the world." Concerns about Biden intensified after June 27 debate Concerns about Biden's potential for defeating Trump in a rematch of the 2020 election have been building among Democrats. They intensified after the president's performance during a televised debate on June 27, when he appeared to lose his train of thought and seemed unable to vigorously counter Trump. Biden, who turns 82 in November, is already the oldest president in United States history. His age has been a consistent concern dating back to 2020, when he was the oldest to be elected president by more than four years. The aftermath of the debate has led to slipping polling numbers for Biden, raising the concern not only that Biden will be unable to defeat Trump for a second time, but that other Democrats in competitive races for the U.S. House and Senate may be more vulnerable as well. "I think another Trump term would be deeply traumatic for the whole nation," Eldridge said. "In Massachusetts, you look at our leadership in clean energy, specifically with offshore wind, and President Trump basically suspended the progress of offshore wind through federal action, and that delayed it so that it is only now coming online. "Massachusetts is a very welcoming state, welcoming to immigrants, welcoming to the LGBTQ community, and some of the first actions of President Trump were a ban of immigrants coming from certain Muslim countries." Local Democrats say Biden not vigorous enough to counter Trump National Democrats, including numerous members of Congress, have called on Biden to step down from his candidacy. "This moment in our nation's history calls for a focus that is bigger than any one person," U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, said in a statement on Thursday. "By passing the torch, (Biden) would secure his legacy as one of our nation's greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy." Eldridge added that Biden wasn't responding strongly enough to Trump's talking points. "When people are making decisions on who they're going to vote for, they want to see someone who has an agenda, and what they can do to fight back, to show that the other side doesn't have policies that will help people," Eldridge said. "President Biden was not strongly responding to Trump's allegations, his lies, and that, as a lot of polls show, causes a lot of concerns not only for this person as the nominee, but how is Joe Biden going to manage incredibly challenging problems for the next four years?" State Rep. James Arena-DeRosa, D-Holliston, praised President Joe Biden's work over the past four years but says it's time for him to step aside in favor of a new Democratic nominee. Eldridge's sentiment is shared by state Rep. James Arena-DeRosa, D-Holliston, who praised Biden's work over the first four years of his presidency, but stated it was time for him to step aside. "President Biden has had a remarkable career, and accomplished many great things," Arena-DeRosa told the Daily News. "But the narrative and debate of this fall campaign needs to be about competing visions of America, not defending lingering questions about his health. I hope he does what is best for the country, let's someone else lead the party in this campaign, and focuses his energy on leading the nation for the last six months of a successful presidency." Vice President Kamala Harris would be considered the likely frontrunner to replace Biden, if he were to step aside. Eldridge, though, said he would prefer to see a competitive race during next month's Democratic National Convention to determine who's best possible candidate. "As messy as democracy can be in nominating someone, I do think that if it turns out there is a race between now and the DNC, I think it should be an open convention. I don't think any other candidate should automatically get slated for that position, because that is arguably one of the critiques over the last year, that there was more of a coronation (of Biden as the candidate) instead of a more literal democratic process," Eldridge said. This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Mass. Democrats say Biden should allow for new presidential nominee A Jan. 6 defendant with a long history of ties to white supremacist groups and who appeared to raise a Nazi salute atop the Capitol steps was sentenced Friday to nearly five years in prison for his violent role in the attack. We fought a world war to beat back the Nazis, said U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell as she sentenced South Carolinas Tyler Dykes to 57 months in prison. The defendant thinks theres something attractive about Nazi ideology. Howell also imposed a $20,000 fine. Howell described Dykes case as one of the most egregious she has seen among Jan. 6 defendants. Dykes, a former marine, had previously been arrested for his involvement in the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and had been on a path of escalating violence and adherence to white supremacist extremist views before Jan. 6. On the day of the attack, Dykes ripped down fencing that helped the mob advance to the Capitol, wrenched a riot shield out of the hands of a police officer and then watched as the outnumbered police line guarding the rotunda doors collapsed. Inside the Capitol, Dykes joined a concerted push by a large crowd attempting to breach a police line outside the Senate chamber. His case is among the most glaring examples of extremists who descended on the Capitol that day. The mob featured participants with a mix of ideologies, including some who believed Donald Trumps claim that the election had been stolen, QAnon adherents and racially motivated extremists. Two officers who were at the Capitol doorstep when Dykes snatched a riot shield sat in the courtroom and rewatched a video of the violent scene. I didnt know if I was going to survive the day, one of the officers, identified only as R.R., said as he addressed the court, recalling chants in the crowd to hang Mike Pence and kill Nancy Pelosi. We felt helpless, we were fighting for our democracy. Dykes defense attorneys argued that his relative youth at the time of the Jan. 6 attack he was 23 at the time should result in a lower sentence. But Howell emphasized that Dykes behavior on Jan. 6 was not merely impulsive or influenced by others. He took steps to prepare for violence, covered his face with a gaiter to mask his identity and acted at times like a leader rather than simply a follower, the judge said. Howell also noted that Dykes had appeared to be on a descent into extremism for years, beginning with the Unite the Right Rally, where he was charged for burning an object with the intent to intimidate. While there, Dykes appeared to make the same Nazi salute that he made on Jan. 6, Howell noted. Howell also said that even after Jan. 6, Dykes appeared to prepare for further violent extremism, noting that investigators discovered screenshots on his phone of processes for making explosives. Dykes, for his part, urged Howell to show him mercy and said he had forsaken extremist ideas. I became a part of the mob, Dykes said. I didnt want to hurt anyone, I just wanted to be there. I will never do anything like Jan. 6 ever again. Dykes looked back to apologize to his parents, but not at the officer sitting in front of them. Moments later, he reiterated his support for Trumps election. I stand with President Trump and support him to be the next president of our country, Dykes said. (Bloomberg) -- Listen and follow The Big Take on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Most Read from Bloomberg Republican presidential nominee Donald Trumps pick of Senator JD Vance as his running mate has many in Silicon Valley rejoicing they see the former venture capitalist as one of their own. With Elon Musks commitment of $45 million a month to a super-PAC supporting the Trump campaign, it's the latest sign of Silicon Valley elites embracing the MAGA movement. But the tech world hasnt always embraced Trump. On todays Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Businessweek columnist Max Chafkin joins host David Gura to talk about how we got here and what their support could mean for another Trump term. Here is a lightly edited transcript of the conversation: David Gura: When Donald Trump announced JD Vance as his running mate on Monday, some of the most prominent people in Silicon Valley rejoiced. Chamath Palihapitiya, the CEO of Social Capital and a former Facebook exec, posted on X. A Bestie adjacent as the VP?!?!?! From Delian Asparouhov, a well-known venture capitalist: WE HAVE A FORMER TECH VC IN THE WHITE HOUSE. GREATEST COUNTRY ON EARTH BABY. Theres been some reporting that Elon Musk himself lobbied Trump to choose Vance as his VP. And just a few hours later, news broke of Musks commitment to donating $45 million a month to a Trump super-PAC led by Silicon Valley alums. The next day, Musk tweeted, As a reminder, Doug Leone of Sequoia Capital publicly voiced his support for Trump 6 weeks ago. Silicon Valley has shifted. Its an eye-popping series of developments for anyone who remembers when Elon Musk made his Iron Man cameo, and was seen as the manifestation of Obama era hopes that Silicon Valley innovation could make climate goals a reality. Archival Elon Musk: Ive got an idea for an electric jet. Archival Robert Downey Jr.: You do? Well make it work. Gura: Today, Musk and many of his former PayPal co-founders and other longtime tech leaders have lined up behind Trump. One of them, David Sacks, was even a keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention this week. Archival David Sacks: My friends, we need President Donald J. Trump back in the White House Gura: So how did we get here? What does the sudden infusion of Silicon Valley capital to the Trump campaign mean for the 2024 election? And what might the storied crew of savvy investors expect in return if Trump gets a second term? This is the Big Take, from Bloomberg News. Im David Gura. Max Chafkin: The stereotype that Silicon Valley is liberal is just, it's wrong. Gura: Max Chafkin covers Silicon Valley and its intersections with politics for Bloomberg Businessweek. He also wrote the book on a legendary Silicon Valley figure, The Contrarian: Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley's Pursuit of Power. Chafkin: This is an industry that was founded as defense contractors. Like when you think about like, where Silicon Valley comes from, it comes from tech companies doing business with the military. That's the root of the industry. I think what has changed is that Silicon Valley historically was pretty libertarian. You know, low taxes, limited government intervention, immigration because, the industry has been and will probably continue to be dependent on immigrant labor, to some extent, and many founders come from, from different countries. These are all kind of like basic libertarian values that both parties, Democrat and Republican, have competed for over the years. Gura: Yeah, Max, I remember in 2008, 2009, there was, I think, a warm relationship between Silicon Valley, and a Democratic president, Barack Obama. He even jokingly said he might think of moving to Silicon Valley and becoming a VC as a logical next career step for him when he left the White House. Just remind us what those days were like and sort of the, what the political terrain looked like in Silicon Valley then. Chafkin: So venture capitalists, their thing is, is like, it's not a data business even though they've invested a lot of like data driven companies. It's a vibes business. It's, it's like getting a feeling and, and making a gut decision. And they saw a vibe shift in 2008. They saw the way that Barack Obama was able to marshal these giant crowds and generate a lot of youthful enthusiasm. And also Obama was pretty enthusiastic about Silicon Valley. He saw, you know, the new economy and tech as a way to help the nation's economy grow. And he was very vocal about that. Obama was very supportive of Elon Musk, gave this big loan to Tesla that helped save it, in the wake of the economic crisis, very big on electric cars, very big on alternative energy. And Elon Musk being essentially the savvy operator that he is, embraced that part of his identity and his company's identity. He really framed Tesla during those years as an environmentalist project. Gura: During the 2016 election, many of these tech leaders did not endorse Trump. In fact, about 140 industry executives published an open letter denouncing him. One notable exception was Peter Thiel. Chafkin: Co-founder of PayPal. Co-founder of Palantir and more importantly, a really big deal venture capitalist. His main firm is called Founders Fund. He's also invested in many other venture capital firms and really what's most important about Peter Thiel is that he has this network of kind of like minded technologists, many of whom are very wealthy, many of whom are very powerful. It's called the PayPal Mafia. Gura: It's a name that's kind of shrouded in some mystery here, Max. PayPal Mafia. What is it and who's in it? Chafkin: It refers to the early employees and founders of PayPal, who, you know, got together in the late 90s, took PayPal public, sold it to eBay, got very rich, and then used that money essentially to make other investments. And so it's a group that includes Elon Musk, who was effectively a co-founder of PayPal. Max Levchin, who runs a company called Affirm, David Sacks, who was at the Republican Convention, has become a major donor, Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn, who's a big, Democratic donor. Founders of YouTube, Yelp. You know, it goes on and on. Many of them have stayed in touch. They invest in each other's companies. They help one another. It's not just a business network, it's a political network. In addition to helping one another's companies, advancing a vision of politics as well. Gura: During the 2016 campaign, Peter Thiel made waves by endorsing Donald Trump. Chafkin: First of all, it was shocking because very few business people, not just Silicon Valley people, were enthusiastic about Trump. But also because like Trump's whole thing seemed 180 degrees from the stereotype of Silicon Valley, even the stereotype of like Silicon Valley conservatism, like we're talking about a proud Luddite, a guy who doesn't use email, we're talking about a guy who wants to, have like extreme crackdown on immigration and Peter Thiel, like many very successful people in Silicon Valley, is an immigrant. It just goes on and on, right? He seemed like the very opposite of everything that somebody like Peter Thiel stood for. And even Thiel had talked about that. He'd said like Donald Trump, I'm paraphrasing, is like a symptom of everything that's wrong with New York City. On the other hand, when you sort of look a little deeper, Donald Trump, despite being kind of an odd fit, in terms of his character, sort of an awkward match with many of these technologists, they actually fit in sort of well together. And the reason for that, I'd say, is, so, so Thiel, over the course of his career, his whole thing had been this idea that we as a society had stagnated. It was this idea that big business and government have sort of slowed down and startups, these Silicon Valley companies are the thing that's going to bring us back to that crazy sci-fi future that we once imagined. That was the future of Peter Thiel's boyhood, right? But it's also just kind of another formulation for MAGA. It's a backward looking idea. It's an idea of nostalgia. It is in a weird way, kind of like a Silicon Valley version of what Donald Trump was saying. Donald Trump was saying, we need to get back to the future. We need to make America great again. Gura: You could hear that sentiment during Thiels speech at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Archival Peter Thiel-RNC: When Donald Trump asks us to make America great again, he's not suggesting a return to the past. He's running to lead us back to that bright future. Gura: October 2016. A critical moment for the Trump campaign the Access Hollywood tape is released. Chafkin: At that time, like, every Republican was sort of running away from him, and like, that's when Peter Thiel chose to donate to Donald Trump. He gave a million dollars to a Donald Trump political action committee, and he gave this speech where he kind of explained himself, and the explanation was like, I don't agree with what Donald Trump said. I'm offended by them, but he's the guy. And, and Thiel had this very memorable line, you know, you shouldn't take Trump literally, you should take him seriously. Implication being like, he may be a little different from what you and I want, but he's the guy we need. And like that became the kind of default Thiel position. And I'd say like a position that was sort of adopted by many in the corporate world after Trump got elected and they had to work with him. Gura: Trump is elected and there is this meeting that takes place at Trump Tower. In Manhattan. All these tech executives come, just set the scene for us. What do they talk about at that meeting and, and what does it say to you about the relationship that Donald Trump had with big tech? Chafkin: So Thiel, after the election was named a prominent position on the transition committee. December 14th, 2016, there's this meeting on the 25th floor of Trump Tower. Just to set the stage, glass all around, this big boardroom table, and you have basically, a who's who of Silicon Valley seated with Trump in the middle. You got Trump, Mike Pence is on his right side, Peter Thiel's on his left side, and then going around, it's all the biggies. Archival Wall Street Journal: Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla. I'm Eric Schmidt, Alphabet Google. Im Safra Katz. Im CEO of Oracle Chafkin: Tim Cook on the other side of the table, Larry Page, Jeff Bezos. Eric Trump, Don Jr. So it's like, Silicon Valley has made it to the inner sanctum. Once the cameras are gone, they just snapped into business mode. You know, they were lobbying, they got right down to business and that's essentially the story of the first Trump presidency. Trump didn't follow through with many of these incredibly, aggressive proposals. You know, there was a trade war with China, but Apple won a lot of exemptions. Trump talked, ad nauseam, about how terrible Facebook was and how social media, you need to crack down on social media, but there were all these events at the White House with various, like, fake news, far right bloggers and so on. But nothing actually happened. The stocks of these companies did very well. Trump essentially left these guys alone. Gura: So by the end of Trumps first term, he had a pretty favorable relationship with big tech. But then came January 6th. Trump was kicked off Twitter and Facebook. Thats coming up. Gura: January 6th initially seemed like it would make Trump toxic even to the business-minded execs in Silicon Valley. But as Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Chafkin says Silicon Valley is more often about vibes. And soon, the vibes were back in Trump's favor. And so what happened is, I think, first the Republican party, sort of figured out that Donald Trump was still very popular and that voters were going to be willing to look past January 6th. Thiel also kind of, he never totally distanced himself from Trump, but he sort of went quiet, after the 2020 election, and he started getting active again during the midterm. And these MAGA Republicans did not necessarily have a great general election. Some of them lost. But it was clear that the Republican party was Donald Trump's party. And I think from the midterm to today, the sort of comfort with Trump has grown. Gura: If you look at the list of people who are supporting Donald Trump this time around from Silicon Valley, is there a common thread of grievances that they have with this current administration with President Biden? Chafkin: There's sort of two buckets of grievance with the Biden administration that you hear from Silicon Valley. One bucket is policy. Many of these guys are investors on this list. Many of these guys made enormous investments in various crypto companies and the Biden administration cracked down on crypto to some extent. There've been a bunch of criminal prosecutions of some really prominent crypto figures and also lots and lots of civil actions. As many people in crypto see it, the Biden administration has essentially, You know, gone to war against crypto. A second bucket, antitrust. Because of this kind of slightly more aggressive pose of the FTC, the M&A market has really cooled off because these big tech companies don't feel like they can do, you know, big acquisitions as easily because there's always a risk of antitrust. And so like that has really disrupted the business of many of these venture capitalists. And so, the industry thinks that Biden has been too hard on them. And that's a policy thing, but there's sort of a related thing, which is like character and manner and like how Biden talks about the industry. He has not been as solicitous of these guys. There's a sense that they do not have a president who is accommodating them. Gura: Trump certainly represents a more accommodating President. But they also seem to think theyd have an accommodating vice president. Somebody who could pick up the Republican party mantle in a post-Trump world. Gura: I want to ask you about JD Vance, the junior senator from Ohio, now Donald Trump's running mate. What familiarity does he have with a lot of these people? Chafkin: He met Thiel at a, you know, law school event, while he was at Yale, and then he writes this book, Hillbilly Elegy, which is, you know, a super successful memoir that really struck a nerve, especially it was published in 2016, kind of became a sort of way to understand what was happening with the rise of Trump. Thiel blurbed the book and Thiel hired JD Vance at Mithril, which is one of his other venture capital firms. His time at Mithril was very short. This is not somebody who had a long distinguished career in tech before he went into politics. And then the political story really intensifies in 2021 after Trump lost reelection after January 6th, Thiel takes JD Vance to Mar a Lago to essentially introduce him and, and also help kind of repair some of the damage because JD Vance, when he was promoting hillbilly elegy was super down on Donald Trump. He presented himself not as a Enthusiastic supporter of Trumpism, but kind of as an explainer of Trumpism and a critic of Trumpism. And then most importantly, Thiel gives him a huge chunk of change to get his, um, primary candidacy off the ground. I think without the 15 million that Thiel puts into JD Vance's, um, uh, campaign, You know, we don't have JD Vance, the senator, we don't have JD Vance the vice presidential candidate. Gura: Thiels donation to JD Vance, Elon Musks eye-popping pledge of $45 million a month to a Trump super PAC and now, the Republican ticket, with Trump and Vance. It all raises a question. Gura: Max, there's something kind of inherently transactional, I think, not to be too cynical about political donations, but, you know, if you're, if you're ponying up 45 million a month, one would think that you'd want something in return. What do these leaders in Silicon Valley expect to get or want to get from Donald Trump if he's reelected? Chafkin: They want to be left alone for the most part. Palantir during the Trump years did exceedingly well, got lots and lots of contracts. The government would deny it, that, that there was any reason other than merit for Palantir to get those contracts. But there were a handful of companies that were less well politically regarded that did not get contracts. And Elon Musk is, in addition to an electric car executive, a defense contractor. There are a lot of economists right now in 2024 writing about how terrible Trump's various proposals would be. We saw, you know, earlier this week, the stock market dived because Trump made some comments to Bloomberg Businessweek, um, and, you know, and it has implications for chip companies or whatever. But I think what a lot of these CEOs know, and the Trump supporters know, or at least think they know, is that Trump didn't follow through with many incredibly aggressive proposals. Trump essentially left these guys alone. When you look at who is supporting Trump this time, they see a president who is fairly hands off on tech and, and that's kind of like what they're hoping for again. They don't take the rhetoric literally, you know, just as Thiel suggested. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Was JD Vance ever a Democrat? His Democratic ties may be closer than you think Senator JD Vance, the current vice presidential nominee, claims that he was a different person in 2016. Leading up to the presidential election, Vance publicly called Donald Trump reprehensible, a fraud, and an idiot. In a private Facebook message with a former classmate from Yale Law School, he questioned whether Trump could be Americas Hitler. He defined himself as a staunch Never Trumper who has since changed his mind. But was Vance ever a Democrat? Not exactly but his ties to the Democratic Party might be closer than hed now like to admit. Vance suggested voting for Hillary Clinton in 2016 Trumps new running mate was so anti-Trump in 2016 that he toyed with the idea of voting for the Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton. In an interview with NPRs Terry Gross, Vance expressed his dislike of both the Republican and Democratic nominees. But at the time, the former Marine was more likely to vote for Clinton than Trump despite not sharing her political views. MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 15: Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance appear on the first day of the Republican National Convention.. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) My current plan is to vote either third party or, as I joked to my wife, I might write in my dog because thats about as good as it seems, Vance said. If I feel like Trump has a really good chance of winning, that I might have to hold my nose and vote for Hillary Clinton. Vances family has ties to the Democratic Party Vance grew up in Middletown, Ohio, a working-class community known for its sprawling steel mill. He was primarily raised by his grandparents James and Bonnie Vance whom he affectionately called Papaw and Mamaw. Vance told a Washington Post reporter that his grandparents were classic blue-dog Democrats, union Democrats. His grandmother voted Democrat her entire life, and his grandfather did, except for Ronald Reagan in 1984. In his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, Vance described their political attitudes: All politicians might be crooks, but if there were any exceptions, they were undoubtedly members of Franklin Delano Roosevelts New Deal coalition. The Democratic line in his family extends beyond his grandparents, however. The New York Times reports that Vances wife, Usha Vance, was also a registered Democrat until at least 2014, when the two got married. According to voting records, Vances wife last voted during the 2022 General Election, when she pulled a Republican ballot in Hamilton County, Ohio. Vance has partnered with Democrats on legislation Partnerships among progressives and far-right Republicans in Congress are rare, but Vance has successfully forged some during his relatively short time as an Ohio senator. One of his most ambitious pieces of legislation came from a partnership with Sherrod Brown, a progressive Democratic senator from Ohio. The two came together after a train derailment caused a toxic chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio. POLITICO reports that the pair worked on an expansive railway safety reform bill together, even earning praise from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. When asked about his bipartisan relationships in Congress, Vance said it was possible to get things done across the aisle so long as youre not being a total jerk about it. So, while Vance is certainly not a Democrat, he was raised by them, married one, and works surprisingly well with some party members all interesting for a man now hailed as the future of the Republican Partys MAGA circle. Melissa Cruz is an elections reporting fellow who focuses on voter access issues for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach her at mcruz@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter, at @MelissaWrites22. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Was JD Vance ever a Democrat? His ties to the party, explained Suspected drug deaths fell 26% year-over-year in the first six months of the year as an overdose antidote became more broadly available. (Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images) Overdose deaths in New Jersey dropped precipitously in the first six months of 2024, falling more than a quarter with even steeper drops in some counties, according to preliminary statistics maintained by the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner. The office reported 1,007 suspected drug deaths in the first six months of 2024, down 26% from the 1,366 suspected deaths reported during the same time period in 2023. The drop follows recent moves to expand the availability of naloxone, an opioid overdose antidote often referred to by its brand name, Narcan. While we continue to see too many deaths overall and especially in our communities of color, year over year reductions in suspected and confirmed overdose deaths reflect the collective impact of the Administrations whole-of-government approach, said Nancy Kearny, a Department of Health spokesperson. Drug deaths declined in 17 of the states 21 counties and rose in only three Hunterdon, Cape May, and Somerset while they remained static in Sussex, which reported 16 suspected drug deaths in the first six months of 2024 and 2023. In raw terms, the greatest declines came in Camden County, which reported 70 fewer drug deaths a 39% decrease than it did last year, though drug deaths remained more numerous there than in any other New Jersey county except Essex. We have worked tirelessly to combat this insidious epidemic and to see in real time that our efforts are working is an indescribable feeling, Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli said in a statement. This report shows that curbing overdose is possible through a variety of harm reduction measures, such as making Narcan and medically assisted treatment widely available. Essex saw more moderate declines. Drug deaths there fell from 230 in the first months of 2023 to 182 in the same period this year, a 21% drop. The decline in drug deaths statewide follows an 11% drop in 2023. Somerset County saw the largest increase its drug deaths rose by 87% to 28 while Cape May reported five more suspected drug deaths over the same period in 2023, a 39% increase. In Hunterdon, suspected drug deaths rose by two, a 50% increase over last year. In all three counties, suspected drug deaths are down compared to the first six months of 2022 despite the year-over-year increases. Though almost all deaths reported in the state medical examiners preliminary statistics are later validated, the office only records deaths reviewed by a medical examiner, so some deaths are excluded from preliminary counts. The state reported 3,054 confirmed overdose deaths in 2022, while the medical examiners preliminary count was 2,892. Observers note the change in drug deaths coincided with more harm reduction services. Since weve been moving in that direction, since weve been expanding harm reduction services and decriminalizing paraphernalia, we have started to see that decline, said Marleina Ubel, a senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective, a left-leaning think-tank. New Jersey in January 2023 launched a program that allows residents as young as 14 to obtain naloxone free of charge and without a prescription at participating pharmacies. The program has dispensed nearly 95,000 two-dose naloxone kits through pharmacies since launching, including 28,902 this year, said Tom Hester, a spokesperson for the Department of Human Services, which administers the program. Naloxone saves lives and gives people a second chance and a new opportunity toward recovery. New Jersey has made this life-saving medication available to all free of charge because everyone deserves that opportunity, Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman said. As naloxone has become more widely available, its use by law enforcement and emergency medical services personnel has dipped. Police and medics administered naloxone in 4,154 incidents during the first five months of 2024, down from 5,539 over the same period in 2023, according to a Department of Health website that monitors naloxone doses dispensed by first responders. Naloxone data for June 2024 is not yet available. The website does not include data on naloxone dispensed to universities, libraries, and other public institutions. Such doses number more than 525,000. It would not surprise me at all if naloxone administration was actually the same or even gone up. Its just that the dashboard is not capturing that because it only captures what first responders are using, Ubel said. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Need a new job? About a dozen companies will be at this North Jersey job fair The Jack and Ronnie McGreevey Civic Association will host a job fair for Hudson County residents on July 25 in Jersey City. The event will start at 11 a.m. and will take place on 73 Martin Luther King Drive. It will feature employers from various sectors, including transportation, public safety and education, in a celebration of the regions growing economic opportunities. The job fair aims to connect job seekers, especially those with relevant training or work experience, with potential employers. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance. Find more jobs: These NJ supermarkets are hosting a big job fair this month. Everything you need to know Jack and Ronnie McGreevey Civic Association Founded in 2023 by former Gov. Jim McGreevey, the civic association is named after McGreeveys parents. Its mission is to alleviate unemployment and health pressures for Hudson County residents, while recognizing individuals who have dedicated themselves to community service and professional success. According to a press release, McGreevey hopes the job fair will provide employment opportunities with reputable employers and highlight the hardworking and passionate residents of the county. The list of participating employers includes the Jersey City Police Department, Council for Airport Opportunity, Jersey City PBOA, New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, TSA, Newark Board of Education, PCF, NJ Transit, Primerica, Stop & Shop, Always Home Care, Western Carriers and BAYADA. Interested employers and job seekers can register at mcgreeveycivicassn.com or by scanning the QR code on the event flyer. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Job fair in Jersey City NJ includes TSA, police and more Joe Biden insists he will stay in race despite allies urging him to pass the torch Joe Biden will return to the campaign trail next week, his team has said - Mario Tama/Getty Images North America Joe Biden has insisted he will stay in the presidential election race, despite more allies turning on him and urging him to pass the torch before it is too late. The US president said he was looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail after he recovers from a bout of Covid, criticising Donald Trump and making the case for [his] own record. Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi have privately urged the president to reconsider his run for office, while Democratic leaders in Congress openly warned that he risked losing both branches of Congress and the White House in November. But in a defiant statement, Mr Biden responded: The stakes are high and the choice is clear. Together, we will win. It came after eight more Democrats warned that the perception Mr Biden is too old to serve a second term in the White House is unlikely to change and Kamala Harriss allies prepared her to replace him. Mr Biden had been expected by some Democrats to make a decision about his political future as soon as this weekend, but his team said on Friday that he would battle through the criticism to Novembers election. Jen OMalley Dillon, his campaign chief, said he was absolutely not stepping back. Ms Pelosi, the former House Speaker, is reported to have privately made the case for Mr Biden to stand down and encouraged other Democrats to do the same. Four sitting congressmen released a joint statement on Friday, telling Mr Biden: It is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders. We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardising what should be a winning campaign. These perceptions may not be fair, but they have hardened in the aftermath of last months debate and are now unlikely to change. A third senator joined the calls for him to step aside. Martin Heinrich said that Mr Biden could secure his legacy as one of our nations greatest leaders by choosing to pass the torch. Mr Bidens mental acuity has been one of the biggest concerns among those pushing for his departure. On Friday, Seth Moulton, a Democrat Congressman who called on Mr Biden to drop out of the race earlier this month, said the president did not recognise him at the recent D-Day commemorations in Normany. For the first time, he didnt seem to recognise me. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, he wrote in the Boston Globe on Friday. A new Pass the Torch campaign group is launching an advertising campaign that will air in the breaks of Mr Bidens favourite morning news programme next week, for viewers in his home town of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he is self-isolating with Covid. Mr Biden is reportedly angry about the way in which members of his own party have tried to push him out, after a 52-year career in US politics and a primary election earlier this year that he won virtually unopposed. Ms OMalley Dillon told MSNBC that Mr Biden was absolutely in this race, denying reports that his team was already working on a succession plan. She admitted there had been a slippage of support following his weak performance in the television debate with Trump on June 27 and a campaign to oust him, but said it was a small movement. In an internal note, reported by NBC News, one of Mr Bidens campaign managers said on Friday that voters consistently mention President Bidens age when contacted but that the debate has not hurt support among the voters who will decide this election. However, it was also reported that allies of Ms Harris are preparing a campaign that would be launched if Mr Biden decides to step back and endorse her. Mr Biden has asked his aides to show him polling on whether his vice-president would perform better in swing states, after surveys showed most battleground areas now favour Trump. Other Democrats including Chuck Schumer, the senate majority leader, are plotting a shadow campaign that could run as soon as he decides to go, according to the Wall Street Journal. Some senior Democrats are thought to be waiting until the end of the weekend, and will go public with their concerns about the presidents age and electability if he does not stand down of his own accord. Although Mr Bidens close aides believe he can still win, there is increasing concern on Capitol Hill that if he decides to stand down at next months party convention there will not be enough time for a replacement to build momentum before Nov 5. 07:55 PM BST Blog closed Thats it for todays US blog. Here is a rundown of the main stories: Joe Biden said he is looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail as he defies pressure to quit his run for re-election. A group of Democrats are planning to launch a TV ad urging Joe Biden to step down. The number of Democrats who have called on Joe Biden to quit the race now number 20 in the House of Representatives and two senators. Joe Biden is more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump, his campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillon said. Montana Senator Jon Tester became the second Democrat senator to call on Joe Biden to quit his presidential run. 07:52 PM BST Kamala Harris allies working behind scenes to position her as Bidens replacement Allies of Kamala Harris are said to be working behind the scenes to position the vice president as the best replacement for Joe Biden if he steps down as the Democratic nominee, writes Susie Coen. The uncoordinated effort involves prepping talking points which show Ms Harris is the partys best hope of defeating Donald Trump in November, sources told Politico. The group is quietly preparing to show she is qualified to lead the ticket in her own right rather than simply because it would be remiss to overlook the first female black vice president. It comes as the president, 81, is facing intense pressure to step aside and pass the torch to a younger candidate, following weeks of criticism from members of his party regarding his mental faculties. Read the full story Kamala Harris and her two grand nieces order from Tyra Banks at her new shop, Smize Dream Ice Cream on Friday - Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images 07:39 PM BST Biden fundraisers on hold, sources say, but Democrats push early nomination Several fundraisers planned for Joe Bidens re-election campaign are on hold, multiple Democratic sources involved in the events told Reuters, even as the Democratic Party plans to accelerate his nomination and he vowed to continue in the 2024 race. Mr Biden had planned to raise money in Austin, Denver and California next week, but these plans have been shelved, at least for now, the sources said. The president tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday but said on Friday he would return to the campaign trail next week. A number of big dollar donors are closing their checkbooks amid questions about whether Mr Biden should remain at the top of ticket, using their financial clout to tell Mr Biden to drop out of the race. 07:33 PM BST Biden looking forward to campaigning as he defies pressure to quit Joe Biden said he is looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail as he defies pressure to quit his run for re-election. In a statement he said he wanted to continue exposing the threat Donald Trump poses to the country while making the case for my own record. The stakes are high, and the choice is clear. Together, we will win, he said. Mr Biden has engaged in a tug of war over his political future, with the number of Democrats opposing his bid for the White House again growing on Friday. So far, 28 of the 264 Democrats in Congress have openly called for the 81-year-old to end his campaign, while other senior Democratic leaders have pushed him behind the scenes to do so, according to sources and media reports. Many believe that unless a younger, more electable candidate runs in his place they will be beaten by Trump, who since his assassination attempt has enjoyed a surge in support. Four Democrat congressmen called on Mr Biden to pass the torch on Friday, alongside Martin Heinrich, third senator to add his name to the list. 07:03 PM BST Kamala Harris to address Democratic donors this afternoon, NYT reports Vice President Kamala Harris will address a network of major Democratic donors this afternoon, the New York Times is reporting. According to two sources, the address was called at short notice, with it not yet clear what will be discussed. The Democrat party is currently torn between those who want Mr Biden to stay in the race and those who want him to drop out. 06:43 PM BST All the Democrats who have called on Joe Biden to quit A growing number of Democrats are urging Joe Biden to conclude his bid for re-election and make way for a younger contender after a series of stumbling performances on stage, writes Verity Bowman. Concerns about his recent debate performance have escalated within the party over the past two weeks, drawing criticism from politicians, donors and other insiders. Critics in the House of Representatives and beyond are now adding their voices to those pushing for a reconsideration of Mr Bidens candidacy. Among the most vocal are George Clooney, Disney heiress Abigail Disney and the philanthropist Gideon Stein. Here is the full list 06:32 PM BST Biden takes aim at Trumps dark speech Joe Biden doubled down on his insistence that he will stay in the White House race, despite a growing Democrat revolt that raised speculation he could bow out as soon as this weekend. The stakes are high, and the choice is clear. Together, we will win, he said in a written statement from the Delaware beach home where he is recovering from Covid. Mr Biden vowed to return to the campaign trail next week, and took aim at Donald Trumps dark speech accepting his nomination at the Republican National Convention on Thursday. But his defiance came as six more House Democrats and another senator joined those publicly calling on him to quit Novembers election out of concerns over slipping polls and worries about his health. 06:08 PM BST House minority leader backs Biden Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, has stated that Mr Biden is the Democrats nominee as he branded him one of the most accomplished American presidents in our history. He said he has the vision and track record to make a case to the American people that will result in us being successful in November. .@hakeemjeffries: @JoeBiden "is our nominee." "He's one of the most accomplished American presidents in our history. " "He has the vision and the track record to make a case to the American people that will result in us being successful in November." pic.twitter.com/0dFItAXkMu Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) July 19, 2024 05:53 PM BST New Mexico Democrat Senator calls on Biden to drop out Here is a statement from Martin Heinrich, thanking Mr Biden for his public service and calling on him to stand down. While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden's alone, I believe it is in the best interests of our country for him to step aside. pic.twitter.com/45mSrr9xV2 Martin Heinrich (@MartinHeinrich) July 19, 2024 05:29 PM BST Biden looking forward to getting back on campaign trail next week Joe Biden has said he is looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week. The president is under pressure from sections in his party to quit over doubts he can beat Donald Trump in the November election. On Friday, his campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillon told MSNBC he is more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump. 04:56 PM BST Democrat group to launch TV ad urging Biden to stand down A group of Democrats are planning to launch a TV ad urging Joe Biden to step down. Pass The Torch, a newly-formed super PAC, announced it would be running the ad on MSNBCs Morning Joe show and the networks daytime hours in Washington, DC, and the Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, CNN reported. The ad features several people saying how thankful they are that Mr Biden beat Donald Trump in 2020 but that he had to make room for a nominee who can bring new energy to the party. 04:31 PM BST Jon Tester becomes second Democrat senator to pressure Biden to quit Montana Senator Jon Tester became the second Democrat senator to call on Joe Biden to quit his presidential run. Speaking late on Thursday, he said Biden should not seek reelection to another term. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong, he added. 04:03 PM BST Pictured: Scenes from Thursday nights Republican National Convention Donald Trump basked in the adulation of his fans on the fourth night of the Republican National convention in Milwaukee after surviving a weekend assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally. Trump made a grand entrance into the arena during the program, still wearing a bandage over the ear that was wounded on Saturday, and drawing huge applause. Former US President Donald Trump speaking on Thursday - Al Drago/Bloomberg A 'Fire Joe Biden' sign lies on the ground at the Convention - REUTERS/Andrew Kelly 03:41 PM BST Democrats plot campaign without Joe Biden as candidate Concerns over the Presidents mental health have reached tipping point as senior party figures plan to replace him, writes Verity Bowman. Leading Democrats are plotting a presidential campaign without Joe Biden leading the ticket. The 81-year-old US President is under pressure to step aside and pass the torch to a younger candidate, following weeks of criticism from his own party regarding his mental faculties. Senior Democrats, including Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, have indicated to party donors that they are actively planning their next steps in case Mr Biden decides to drop out, sources close to the matter told The Wall Street Journal. Mr Schumer and former house speaker Nancy Pelosi have reportedly both told Mr Biden that his bid for reelection could endanger the partys electoral chances in both chambers of Congress. Read the full story 03:29 PM BST 20 Democrat congressmen calling on Biden to step down The number of Democrats who have called on Joe Biden to quit the race now number 20 in the House of Representatives and two senators. Jen OMalley Dillon, Mr Bidens former deputy chief of staff, admitted that the campaign had faced a difficult time since he appeared tired and confused in the June 27 debate. Im not here to say that this hasnt been a tough several weeks for the campaign, she told MSNBC. Theres no doubt that it has been, and weve definitely seen some slippage in support, but it has been a small movement. A series of recent polls have shown Mr Biden behind Trump in the 2024 race, including in all key battleground states. 03:14 PM BST Biden committed to beating Trump Joe Biden is more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump, his campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillon said. Speaking to MSNBCs Morning Joe programme, she said: You have heard from the president directly time and again, he is in this race to win, and he is our nominee, and hes going to be our president for a second term. Mr Biden is currently holed up at his beach house in Delaware self-isolating with Covid. Senior Democrats including former president Barack Obama, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi and the partys current leaders in the Senate and House have all reportedly expressed concerns that he will lose the election. 03:07 PM BST Biden returns to the campaign trail next week Joe Biden will return to the campaign trail next week after isolating from mild Covid symptoms, the head of his reelection campaign said on Friday. He is absolutely in it, campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillon told MSNBC in an interview. While Mr Biden takes concerns from some Democrats seriously, he is committed to fighting to win a second term, she said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. Depending on their vantage, Democrats who watched Donald Trumps record-breaking 92-minute acceptance speech on Thursdayand stretching into Fridaycame away with very different verdicts. For those who have been urging President Joe Biden to rethink his own re-nomination for three full weeks, Trumps ominous rhetoric proved the risks the former President poses and why the incumbent should step aside for a stronger captain. For those still working to salvage Bidens bid for a second term, Trump's wildly inconsistent delivery and tone made the task of blocking him seem perhaps doable for the first time in a long while. But a third audiencepopulation, onewas the only one that mattered, and that was Biden himself isolating at his beach house on the Delaware coastline while he recovers from what doctors described as a mild case of Covid-19. And after watching the Trump's meandering hodgepodge of a greatest-hits speech in Milwaukee, Biden still sees himself as the strongest player to boot his predecessor from the field of American politics. The White House declared a lid just after 9:30 a.m., meaning there would be no sightings of Biden in public on Friday, and he would remain at home with no public events. The bunkering continued with no public timeline for his return to Washington, although he says he wants to get back on the campaign trail next week. Biden, aides say, is still working the phones and Zoom rooms with advisers and staff, going about the day-to-day task list of the President, such as facing a global computer meltdown that left U.S. airspace a hellscape on Friday. But Biden is also finding himself increasingly, albeit begrudgingly, open to conversations about his next moves. His family is starting to plot his exit. In that, Democrats mindful of their own fortunes are suddenly less sullen about the slog toward Novembers Election Day. After three full weeks of pummeling, Biden is finally starting to take the hint that no one in his partys institutional ranks wants him to helm the ticket. Even his former boss, Barack Obama, is harboring fears, insiders say. Public and private polls alike are showing Biden a drag on fellow Democrats, although his defenders argue that hes not as much of a clunker as the critics say. For the first time since the debate, Biden is at least testing his own assumptions even as he is disinclined to cede ground to his critics. His weekend in Rehoboth is expected to give him a window to reflect on the information that is reaching him. As the private conversations that started as a rumble have grown into a roar, it still remains Bidens call how to proceed. As Republicans gavel out their convention, the disparity between the comity-soaked Republicans and the chaos-sacked Democrats is glaring. Behind the scenes, Democrats were left in an awkward holding pattern. Bidens top operative, Jen OMalley Dillon, said in a television interview on Friday that Biden was 100% committed to staying atop the ticket. "Absolutely, the President is in this race, she told MSNBCs Morning Joe. Joe Biden is more committed than ever to beat Donald Trump, and we believe on this campaign [that] we are built for the close election that we are in, and we see the path forward." Still, another Biden insider, former two-time chief of staff Ron Klain, acknowledged his boss gets it. I think hes feeling the pressure, Klain told the network. To be clear: the pressure is real. The Democratic National Committee on Friday and again on Sunday was set to revisit the rules and guidelines for the nominating process. Party insiders quietly agreed that theyd delay Bidens official renomination timeline to start after Aug. 1, a slight shift rightward on the calendar. Still, Democrats are moving forward with a plan to have Biden arrive at his nominating convention in Chicago on Aug. 19 as the settled nominee. A repeat of the messy 1968 convention in Chicago was to be avoided at all costs, even if that meant deciding the nomination by GoogleDoc and silencing the protests on social media timelines. Democratic insiders agreed to put off the formality, but not too long. That doesnt mean Democrats of any stripe are exactly happy after the last month. Bidens campaign insisted on an early debate and then the candidate bombed. Bidens clean-up efforts were miserable. His fundraising has all but dried up, with aides bemoaning that theyd be lucky to hit 25% of their major-dollar goal this month. And down-ballot Democratsincluding marquee party insiders like Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, and Hakeem Jeffriesare telling the White House in stage whispers that the partys fortunes were sinking with Bidens poll numbers. He just doesnt get it, says a senior Democratic hand on the Hill. Joe Biden has done so much for this country but he stands to be the undoing of this party. Democrats across the spectrum are trying to discern if Biden understands that being an anchor for his party is not always an asset. Sure, hes keeping the Democratic barge in place, but its not a good place. The inertia is the best case scenario but insiders say the drift is actually benefiting Republicans, who have a narrow majority in the House and are within real striking distance of winning back the Senate. Other Democrats who want Biden to keep fighting looked at Trumps Milwaukee soliloquy as evidence that hes still defeatable if only the media would focus on his precedent-shattering posture rather than Bidens verbal stumbles. Bidens campaign has a simple counter: stop fighting Bidens renomination and the focus moves back to Trump. One common emotion pervaded both Democratic camps, though: theyre all waiting on Biden to either plow forward as the presumptive nominee or to bow out. Biden has been trying to demonstrate the former, but not convincingly enough. In private, Bidens top deputies say hes less headstrong than he was over the July 4 holiday weekend, finally starting to grasp that his choices matter to more than just those who share his surname. By no means does this mean Biden is ready to exit. No, hes still plotting an aggressive travel schedule this month and readying tens of millions in advertising. The money is becoming tougher to come by, but he has a pile of cash that is letting him lap Trump on air by a 25-to-1 margin in some markets. Things are going to be rough for Biden as he tries to quiet the tumult in his own partys ranks but hes found himself running against the conventional wisdom before. And, if things go sideways in a big way, he still controls the levers of his partys nominating machinery; the nod is his until he doesnt want it, and the signs that he may soon be ready to give it up remain fuzzy. Put plainly: Democrats have only one opinion that matters, and that belongs to an embattled Joe Biden who has never been at his best when backed into a corner. Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter. Write to Philip Elliott at philip.elliott@time.com. In a disheartening move that echoes Tractor Supply Companys recent actions of stepping away from Pride events, John Deere, the iconic farm equipment maker, has abandoned its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, effectively turning its back on its Black, LGBTQ +, and women employees and customers. The Tuesday announcement states that the company will no longer support social or cultural awareness events and will audit its training materials to ensure they are free of socially motivated messages. John Deere was founded in Americas heartland nearly 200 years ago by an entrepreneur deeply committed to delivering innovative products to his customers. Were proud of this legacy, and it continues to drive us today, the company said in a statement on social media . To best serve our customers and employees, Deere is always listening to feedback and looking for opportunities to improve. (@) John Deere also said, We will no longer participate in or support external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals, or events. Business Resource Groups will exclusively be focused on professional development, networking, mentoring, and supporting talent recruitment efforts. Auditing all company-mandated training materials and policies to ensure the absence of socially motivated messages, while being in compliance with federal, state, and local laws. Reaffirming within the business that the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification have never been and are not company policy. This retreat comes after weeks of pressure from conservative activists, notably led by Robby Starbuck, who has waged a campaign against what he describes as the woke agenda of corporate America, according to The Washington Post. Following this announcement, Starbuck celebrated the decision on social media, declaring it a victory in the fight against DEI. The backlash was immediate and intense. Eric Bloem, vice president of programs and corporate advocacy at the Human Rights Campaign , condemned John Deeres decision as a direct result of a coordinated attack by far-right extremists on American business. John Boyd Jr., founder of the National Black Farmers Association, called for a boycott and the resignation of Deeres CEO, John C. May. During Pride Month in June, Tractor Supply, another major retailer, announced it would significantly scale back its DEI programs following similar conservative backlash. The Tennessee -based company eliminated DEI roles, retired DEI goals, and ceased sponsoring Pride festivals and voting initiatives. These changes came after a social media campaign led by Starbuck, who accused the company of promoting woke priorities. The fallout from Tractor Supplys decision sparked outrage among civil rights groups and led to calls for boycotts. In our In the Spotlight stories, Herald-Leader journalists bring you continuing coverage of news and events important to our Central Kentucky community. Read more. Story idea? hlcityregion@herald-leader.com. Kentuckys Andy Beshear is on a shortlist of governors being mentioned as possible running mates for Kamala Harris in the event that President Joe Biden withdraws from the 2024 White House race, according to multiple Democrats. Former Congressman John Yarmuth, a Louisville Democrat close to the Beshear family and Democratic Party officials across the country, told the Herald-Leader Thursday Beshear is among a small number of governors being eyed by national Democrats as a No. 2 for Harris if she becomes the presidential nominee. The two other governors most frequently cited alongside Beshear are Pennsylvanias Josh Shapiro and North Carolinas Roy Cooper. Ive heard Andy and Cooper, Yarmuth said. Im sure Shapiro would be considered too. Yarmuth represented Kentuckys 3rd Congressional District from 2007-2023. The district encompassed most of metro Louisville in Jefferson County. The swirling speculation about the future of Biden, Harris and Beshear comes as Donald Trump formally became the 2024 Republican nominee in Milwaukee Thursday night, bolstered by an energized party that appeared further unified following the assassination attempt just days ago. Fasten your seatbelts and get out the bourbon, Yarmuth posted on social media early Friday morning. This may be the most consequential weekend in American political history. Fasten your seatbelts and get out the bourbon. This may be the most consequential weekend in American political history. John Yarmuth (@JohnYarmuth) July 19, 2024 Beleaguered by unsteady public appearances, a flood of bad polls and increased calls for him to leave the ticket, Biden is reportedly seriously weighing whether to withdraw from the 2024 contest and could make a decision within days. If he does drop out, Vice President Harris would most likely ascend as the front-runner to replace him. If you twisted my arm I would say (Biden) should step aside, although there are risks both ways, Yarmuth acknowledged. But the former Louisville congressman said if Biden dropped, it would have to be Harris, who replaced him at the top of the ticket. We cant wait another month, Yarmuth said, referring to the prospect of an open nominating process to conclude at the Democratic National Convention in August. Other national outlets, including The Hill and political commentator Mark Halperins newsletter, also have reported Beshear as a top contender for the No. 2 slot. A Democratic operative in Kentucky, who spoke on background to protect private conversations, confirmed to the Herald-Leader Beshear is aware he is in the running for a place on the 2024 ticket, a scenario considered unfathomable for the second-term red state governor even a month ago. Elaine Kamarck, a Democratic National Committeewoman from Massachusetts also told the Herald-Leader Beshear, Cooper and Shapiro are mentioned by lots of people in the party. A top adviser to Beshear did not respond to a text message seeking comment. Earlier this month, Beshear did not rule out leaving the governorship for national office when questioned about Bidens faltering candidacy. The only way I would ever consider anything other than this job, which I love, is if I felt I could help this commonwealth in special and important ways, Beshear said, responding to a question by the Herald-Leader. Beshear was in Washington last week to raise money for his leadership PAC and hobnob with Democratic lobbyists, who could become future donors. Organizers say the events were planned months in advance, prior to Bidens debate debacle and the mounting calls from Democrats for the president to step aside. If the 46-year-old Beshear managed to be selected for the Democratic ticket, it would set up a match-up with GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance, who also claims deep Kentucky roots. At the Republican National Convention on Thursday night, Vance declared he would be buried on a family plot in eastern Kentucky. Beshears name has been swirling beyond the commonwealth even before he earned a second term by vanquishing Attorney General Daniel Cameron last November. Ten months ago, former North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue said Beshear fit the prototype of a moderate, middle-of-the-road Democrat unbeholden to the far left. I do think he can be vice president, she said. He can be vice president: Could Andy Beshear be a model for national Democrats? (Bloomberg) -- Jon Tester of Montana became the latest Senate Democrat to call on Joe Biden to quit his campaign as fears escalated the president will be unable to defeat Donald Trump in November. Most Read from Bloomberg Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was aware of Testers planned statement and told him to do whatever he thought was best, a person familiar with the situation said. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong, Tester said in a statement posted on X Thursday night. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek reelection to another term. Tester, who was first elected in 2006, is regarded as one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats. He faces Tim Sheehy, a former Navy SEAL and the founder of an aerospace company. Other Senate Democrats in close reelection fights are preparing to join Tester soon, a Senate Democratic aide said. Earlier: Biden Faces Mounting Speculation, Pressure to Drop Bid Trump, who has endorsed Sheehy, easily won the state in 2016 and 2020. Jon Tester voted with Joe Biden 95% of the time, and he is now endorsing California radical Kamala Harris to continue that destructive agenda, Mike Berg, the National Republican Senatorial Committees communications director, said in a tweet on Thursday night. Peter Welch of Vermont became the first Democratic senator to call on Biden to quit the race, while others including Michael Bennet of Colorado have warned he was headed for a potential landslide loss to Trump. Another Colorado senator, John Hickenlooper, told Reuters that evidence is mounting that it would be good for Biden to leave the race. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Key Insights The projected fair value for technotrans is 29.27 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity technotrans is estimated to be 40% undervalued based on current share price of 17.50 When compared to theindustry average discount to fair value of 33%, technotrans' competitors seem to be trading at a lesser discount Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of technotrans SE (ETR:TTR1) as an investment opportunity by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them 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! Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. See our latest analysis for technotrans Is technotrans Fairly Valued? We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 2034 Levered FCF (, Millions) 7.95m 11.4m 11.3m 11.2m 11.2m 11.3m 11.3m 11.4m 11.4m 11.5m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ -0.68% Est @ -0.27% Est @ 0.01% Est @ 0.21% Est @ 0.35% Est @ 0.45% Est @ 0.52% Est @ 0.57% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 6.0% 7.5 10.1 9.5 8.9 8.4 8.0 7.5 7.1 6.8 6.4 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = 80m 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 0.7%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 6.0%. Story continues Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2034 (1 + g) (r g) = 11m (1 + 0.7%) (6.0% 0.7%) = 218m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= 218m ( 1 + 6.0%)10= 122m 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 202m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of 17.5, the company appears quite undervalued at a 40% 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 The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at technotrans as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 6.0%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.152. 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 technotrans Strength Debt is not viewed as a risk. Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows. Weakness Earnings declined over the past year. Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Machinery market. Opportunity Annual earnings are forecast to grow faster than the German market. Trading below our estimate of fair value by more than 20%. Threat No apparent threats visible for TTR1. Looking Ahead: Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. 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. For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. Can we work out why the company is trading at a discount to intrinsic value? For technotrans, there are three further factors you should further examine: Risks: Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for technotrans you should know about. Future Earnings: How does TTR1'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 German 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 Agricultural workers and employers across California will be affected by the eventual outcome of the ongoing dispute over unionizing employees by "card-check." (Max Whittaker / For the Times) After more than a month of deliberation, a Kern County Superior Court judge has sided with Wonderful Co. and issued a preliminary injunction that will temporarily halt a contentious bargaining process between the agricultural giant and the states largest farmworker union. In a ruling issued Thursday, Judge Bernard C. Barmann said Wonderful Co. was likely to prevail in its legal challenge to the states relatively new system for organizing farmworkers and faces irreparable harm if United Farm Workers is allowed to pursue a bargaining agreement on behalf of Wonderfuls nursery workers before the case is decided. The court finds that the public interest weighs in favor of preliminary injunctive relief given the constitutional rights at stake in this matter, Barmann wrote in the 21-page decision. Wonderful has met its burden that a preliminary injunction should issue until the matter may be heard fully on the merits. Wonderful, a $6-billion agricultural powerhouse owned by Stewart and Lynda Resnick, sued the state Agricultural Labor Relations Board in May, challenging the constitutionality of the states so-called card-check system, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in 2022. Under the law, a union can organize farmworkers by inviting them to sign authorization cards at off-site meetings without notifying their employer. Under the old rules, farmworkers voted on union representation by secret ballot at a polling site designated by the state labor board, typically on employer property. Union organizers had pressed for the revised card-check law, contending the secret ballot process typically held at job sites left workers fearful of retaliation from employers. But Wonderful, whose portfolio includes such brands as FIJI Water and POM Wonderful, alleges in its lawsuit that the law deprives employers of due process on multiple fronts, including by forcing a company to enter a collective bargaining agreement even if it has formally appealed ALRB certification of a union vote and presented what it believes is evidence that the voting process was fraudulent. The preliminary injunction marks the latest twist in a tumultuous dispute over the UFWs unionization campaign at Wonderful Nurseries, the nations largest grapevine nursery, located in Wasco. In late February, the UFW filed a petition with the labor board asserting that a majority of the 600-plus farmworkers at the nursery had signed union authorization cards, and asking to be certified as the workers union representative. Within days, Wonderful accused the UFW of having baited the employees into signing the authorization cards under the guise of helping them apply for $600 each in federal relief for farmworkers who labored during the pandemic. The company submitted nearly 150 signed declarations from nursery workers saying they had not understood that by signing the cards they were voting to unionize. The UFW countered that Wonderful had intimidated those workers into making false statements and had brought in a labor consultant with a reputation as a union buster to manipulate their emotions in the weeks after they signed the cards. Read more: Californias wealthiest farm family and scores of their workers accuse UFW of bait and trick The ALRB acknowledged receiving the worker declarations from Wonderful; nonetheless, the boards regional director moved forward three days later to certify the unions petition. She has said in subsequent hearings that she felt she had to move quickly under the timeline in the card-check law, and that she did not think at the time that the statute authorized her to investigate allegations of misconduct. Wonderful Co. appealed the ALRBs certification. Under the card-check laws provisions, the UFWs efforts to bargain with the company on behalf of its nursery workers moved forward, even as Wonderfuls appeal of the certification was working its way through the ALRBs administrative hearing process. The labor board ruled last week that Wonderful must enter mandatory mediation with the union to establish a collective bargaining agreement. In its lawsuit, Wonderful challenges the constitutionality of the card-check system on multiple fronts. The suit alleges that the employers due process rights were violated when the labor board moved to certify the UFWs petition before investigating company allegations that the vote was fraudulent; and more broadly that the card-check system lacks adequate safeguards to ensure a legitimate vote. The company asked that, while its lawsuit moves forward, the judge halt both the unionization effort at its nursery and the ALRBs administrative hearing process on Wonderfuls appeal. In a statement released Thursday evening, Rob Yraceburu, president of Wonderful Nurseries, said the company was gratified by the courts decision to pause the certification process until the constitutionality of the card-check law can be fully and properly considered. In addition, Yraceburu said, farmworkers had been wrongly barred from objecting to a union being forced on them, and this ruling states that Wonderful indeed has the standing to fight to ensure those constitutional rights of farmworkers, including their due process and First Amendment rights, are not violated. Countering that the ruling ignores 89 years of labor law precedent, UFW spokesperson Elizabeth Strater indicated the decision to grant the preliminary injunction would be appealed. There is already a process to address wrongdoing in elections and Wonderful was in the middle of that process. Why does Wonderful want to halt that process and silence workers so their voices are not heard? Strater said. Its very clear Wonderful is determined to use its considerable resources to deny farmworkers their rights. In a May 30 filing, the state had urged the court to deny Wonderfuls request for an injunction. California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, arguing on behalf of the ALRB, said Wonderful had failed to demonstrate that the card-check law was causing irreparable harm or any likelihood of deprivation of its rights. Bonta also argued that the Superior Court lacked jurisdiction in the case. Santiago Avila-Gomez, executive secretary with the ALRB, said Thursday evening that the agency was reviewing the ruling carefully and wouldnt have further comment. The UFW, meanwhile, is pursuing its own legal action against Wonderful. The union has filed a complaint of unfair labor practices with the ALRB, accusing the company of coercing workers into attending captive audience meetings urging them to reject UFW representation. In April, ALRB General Counsel Julia Montgomery issued a complaint, similar to an indictment, alleging Wonderful had committed unfair labor practices by unlawfully helping workers draft declarations to revoke their authorization cards. The company has largely denied the allegations. This article is part of The Times equity reporting initiative, funded by the James Irvine Foundation to explore challenges facing low-income workers and efforts to address Californias economic divide. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A lawsuit filed in federal court more than two years ago by former Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo against the city of Miami; Commissioners Joe Carollo, Manolo Reyes and Alex Diaz de la Portilla; and City Manager Art Noriega can officially move forward. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams denied a motion to dismiss the complaint that was filed in January 2022 by Acevedo, who was fired by city commissioners in 2021. Williams further ruled that Carollo, Reyes, Diaz de la Portilla and Noriega are not entitled to qualified or legislative immunity, doctrines that generally protect public officials from being sued for actions that occurred within the scope of their legislative duties. Williams has not issued a written order on the matter yet but said she anticipates doing so in the coming days. In his civil complaint, Acevedo accused the parties of violating his First Amendment rights and illegally retaliating against him for speaking out against corruption and abuse of power by the City of Miami Commission. He has alleged that his firing was retribution for trying to maintain his independence as police chief. READ MORE: Fired police chief sues Miami, claims commissioners tried to weaponize cops against enemies Acevedo alleged that he had attempted to promote officers who were committed to reform and that he had also tried to investigate officer misconduct and to push back on attempts by certain City of Miami Commissioners to use the men, women, and resources of the MPD to carry out their personal agendas and use the MPD as their puppet. He further alleged that Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla and Reyes targeted him because of his resistance to their efforts to use the MPD to carry out their personal agendas and vendettas. The defendants had previously denied Acevedos allegations. In response to Williams ruling, Thomas Ronzetti, an attorney for Diaz de la Portilla, said Acevedo was fired for a host of reasons presented in an open commission hearing where he didnt put on a single witness or testify on his own behalf. Even if his complaint manages to survive this stage, his claims are meritless and wont ultimately prevail. We are awaiting the courts written ruling and will decide our course of action following that, Ronzetti added. Diaz de la Portilla was suspended from office in September following his arrest on corruption charges. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. A spokeswoman for the city told the Miami Herald: We are awaiting the official written order from Judge Kathleen Williams. Once received, we will assess our next course of action in consultation with the City Attorneys Office. Reyes attorney Jose Quinon said his team will need to analyze the judges written order. Thereafter, well decide the next steps, which may include an appeal of the qualified and legislative immunity issues, Quinon said. Attorneys for Carollo and Noriega did not immediately respond to the Heralds request for comment. Acevedos attorney Marcos Jimenez declined to comment. Acevedos complaint details several examples of alleged illegal and unethical activity by commissioners, saying they attempted to weaponize Miami police officers against their enemies, including: Using police and code enforcement officers to target businesses owned by Bill Fuller, who co-owns the Ball & Chain nightclub in Little Havana and who has feuded with Carollo for years. Interfering in a police internal investigation into a popular sergeant-at-arms who served as a member of Mayor Francis Suarezs security detail. Ordering Acevedo to arrest so-called communist agitators at city events. The suit says they were peaceful protesters. New judge sets ground rules for long-running gang and racketeering case against rapper Young Thug FILE - Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, appears at a hearing, Dec. 22, 2022, in Atlanta. The new judge presiding over the racketeering and gang prosecution of rapper Young Thug and several other defendants said Friday, July 19, 2024, that the trial has gone on for a really long time and she plans to move it forward expeditiously. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File) ATLANTA (AP) The new judge presiding over the racketeering and gang prosecution of rapper Young Thug and several other defendants said Friday she plans to move forward expeditiously with the trial, which has already dragged on for more than a year. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker held a hearing with prosecutors and defense attorneys to understand any pending issues she needed to address and lay down some ground rules. Whitaker received the case after the first judge overseeing it, Chief Judge Ural Glanville, was removed. Two defendants had sought his recusal, citing a meeting the judge held with prosecutors and a state witness. Jury selection began in January 2023 and took nearly 10 months. Opening statements were in November, and the prosecution has been presenting its case since then, calling dozens of witnesses. Whitaker said she was parachuting in and had not been following the case. The case is currently on hold, with jurors due back in August. Whitaker said she plans to start court promptly at 8:45 a.m. She also asked for a realistic witness list from attorneys, including what they expect those witnesses to say. She noted she had the authority to exclude evidence and said she could use it. I need for us to try to be efficient with the jurys time, she said. Young Thug, a Grammy winner whose given name is Jeffery Williams, was charged two years ago in a sprawling indictment accusing him and more than two dozen others of conspiring to violate Georgias anti-racketeering law. He also is charged with gang, drug and gun crimes. He is standing trial with five other people indicted with him. Brian Steel, a lawyer for Young Thug, has said his client is innocent and seeks to clear his name through a fair trial. A year after the US supreme court ended race-conscious admissions in higher education throughout the country, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit claiming that the University of Texas at Austin continued to unlawfully use affirmative action policies. The lawsuit, initially filed in 2020 by Edward Blums legal advocacy group Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), signals a setback to the conservative activists movement. On Monday, the US district judge Robert Pitman ruled that UT Austins revised admission policies are lawful under the US constitutions 14th amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2020, SFFA the same group that successfully challenged race-conscious admissions at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina claimed that at least two of its members had been denied the opportunity to compete for admission to UT-Austin on equal footing with other applicants on the basis of race or ethnicity because of UT-Austins discriminatory admissions policies, according to the lawsuit. The case was dismissed in 2021, but then SFFA appealed. In the meantime, the group filed two similar cases against universities in SFFA v Harvard-UNC, and the resulting ruling on 29 June 2023 in effect struck down affirmative action on US campuses. UT Austin revised its policies to comply with the US supreme court ruling beginning in the fall 2023 admissions cycle, but SFFA argued that the university continued to consider race in its admissions. As part of this new policy, UT Austin has instructed its admissions officers and employees accordingly, and it has also created new processes to train and supervise its admissions officers and employees to ensure that they do not consider race or ethnicity as a factor in the admissions process. Accordingly, UT Austin no longer considers race or ethnicity, Pitman, a Barack Obama-appointed judge, wrote in his decision. It would be nonsensical for the Court to issue an injunction in light of the fact that UT Austin does not currently consider race or ethnicity in the admissions process. Critics of the UT Austin lawsuit saw Mondays ruling as a blow to Blums anti-affirmative action movement. Despite their efforts to extend the supreme courts Harvard ruling and aim to further diminish diversity on campuses, their strategy backfired, David Hinojosa, the director of the Educational Opportunities Project at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a statement. The Lawyers Committee, together with our partners, remain committed to defending students rights, promoting diversity and justice, and ensuring equal opportunities for all qualified students. We are undeterred by Blums attempts to compromise fairness and civil rights. The Beau Rivage has won a civil case against a former VIP guest who wanted $2.5 million in damages after claiming his hand was injured and he was humiliated when security handcuffed him and escorted him across the casino floor. Florida resident Brent Nettles claimed security officers used excessive force when they made the citizens arrest for trespassing because, they said, he was drunk and refused to leave. The jury reached its verdict after three and one-half days at trial in U.S. District Court in Gulfport before Judge Taylor McNeel. Both we and our client are very pleased with the verdict, Beau Rivage attorney Michael Kelly said. We think we had a great judge and a great jury and they reached the right result. Beau Rivage communications director Mary Cracchiolo noted the jury deliberated for less than an hour and credited the resorts legal team, Robert Addison and Kelly, both of Thompson Addison in Madison, with handling the case. Todays verdict and the success the Beau and Thompson Addison have achieved together for many years should be a clear indication that our team will continue to vigorously defend against these meritless cases, she said. Casino guest unable to prove case Nettles had claimed he had a permanent tremor in his left hand because security cuffed him too tightly with plastic ties. He also said that he was falsely imprisoned. Security took the handcuffed Nettles to a holding room and belted him to a bench until Biloxi police arrived. The trespassing charge against him was eventually dismissed. But, as Kelly told the jury, Nettles was unable to produce any medical proof that the handcuffs had caused his hand tremor. Attorneys for the Beau also told the jury the casino had every right to make a citizens arrest after Nettles refused to leave. Nettles tried to convince security that he should be allowed to stay and switch from drinking alcohol to water, but they insisted he go. Surveillance video showed he was about to walk out of the Eight 75 lounge, just off the casino floor, but turned around and headed back toward the bar. Nettles claimed he was returning to pay his bar tab. A regular visitor, Nettles had arrived with his family at Beaus invitation in March 2022. He was drinking at the bar with his wife and parents after losing $5,000 while gambling. MENOMINEE, Mich. (WJMN) The Menominee City Council voted on Monday evening to approve language for an agreement that would aim to end the years of lawsuits over its rules for selling marijuana within city limits, though it seems unlikely all parties will get on board. The deal comes after about seven months of negotiations between plaintiffs Rize and the Fire Station, and the City of Menominee. Let the chips fall where they may: settlement talks stalled as Menominee marijuana lawsuits head toward trial One element that has complicated the talks is the participation of several other local dispensaries in the suit, as intervening defendants on the side of the city. This can happen when a person argues that they or their business could be impacted by the outcome of a lawsuit they werent originally a part of. We plaintiffs have been negotiating in good faith and trying to resolve the case. However two of the Intervening Defendants (not all) did not like our last offer, said Rize Attorney Mike Cox in a message to Local 3. U.P. dispensaries trade blame as dozens of budtenders left jobless The current lawsuit was filed last August in response to the citys decision last summer to get rid of its original limit of only two marijuana business licenses in the citya decision which in itself was in response to years of litigation pursued by several marijuana companies that, unlike Rize and Fire Station, were not awarded the first two permits. Freshman Mayor Casey Hoffman, who indicated months ago that the lawsuits were nearly solved, said the councils passage this new agreement again puts the city close to achieving that goal. We have managed to reach an agreement that I think will be signed by all the marijuana companies, said Hoffman on Wednesday afternoon. It puts Rize and the Fire Station in a position where no matter what happens, Menominee wins. How much U.P. cities are getting for having pot shops in 2023and what some plan to do with it Hoffman said the current agreement was relatively bare-bones, and documents provided by the Mayor corroborate that assessment. In our previous reporting, we shared how Rize and Fire Station may have been willing to drop their suits but were asking for the ability to select a new location for their stores, since theirs were selected with the assumption that the rules only allowing two marijuana shops in the city would not change. The plaintiffs had also asked for an increased zoning barrier around locations like schools, churches, and residential neighborhoodssomething the mayor has said he is in favor of himself. It ended up not being included My hope is that in the future we can still have those 1000-foot buffers, this agreement does not stop the City Council from adopting [them], said Mayor Hoffman. We still have that power and may exercise it in the future. In the approved five-page agreement draft shared by Mayor Hoffman, the most significant portions appear to be a clause commanding the end of the lawsuits against the city, and an agreement that the marijuana shops will pay any legal fees for the city related to what would be the newest settlement agreement. A written statement for public comment submitted by a representative of intervening defendants Lume, Higher Love, Highwire, Nirvana Center and Rocky North expressed support for the proposed agreement. This comprehensive resolution allows the City and all involved parties to move forward without ongoing legal disputes. There is no logical reason the Plaintiffs would not sign [this agreement], as it offers a fair and final resolution for all parties involved, read part of the statement. Local 3 reached out to Rize Attorney Mike Cox for comment on Mondays vote. Our request improperly stated all parties had agreed to the settlement language approved by the City Council on Mondayan error that Cox was quick to point out. There is no deal, Cox said in the message. He went on to say that after the Plaintiffs last offer was unpalatable to two of the other marijuana shops involved in the lawsuit, they secretly (we had no idea), made a proposal to the City Council [Monday] through the Citys attorney. The case cannot be settled without both sides, i.e. us Plaintiffs and the City. The Citys attorney knows this but, I assume, passed it along anyway because they want to vote on anything to pretend the case is over. Cox said the case is not over. We knew that when we filed it that it would be a long process and ultimately decided by the Court of Appeals. We knew nothing about yesterdays stunt. And it is just that, a stunt, said Cox. Court records show all parties are expected to be back in court next week. You can read what council members had to say the night they approved the settlement language in an article from the Eagle Herald. 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 WJMN - UPMatters.com. Juvenile court reduces charge for teen accused of beating girl in north St. Louis County Juvenile court reduces charge for teen accused of beating girl in north St. Louis County ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. The 15-year-old girl charged with beating another girl near Hazelwood East High School has admitted to the assault and is now home with her parents. The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that the juvenile court downgraded her charge from first-degree assault to second-degree assault. She was in juvenile detention for four months. Her lawyer, Greg Smith, says the downgrade was because prosecutors acknowledged the teen acted with sudden passion and the attack was not intentional. The teen will be under court supervision for at least six months and will complete community service. The family of the victim, Kaylee Gain, has not commented on the cases resolution. 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. Juvenile driver dies in head-on collision on Idaho 44. Two other youths hospitalized A juvenile driver died in a crash Thursday evening in Canyon County, according to a news release from the Idaho State Police. The crash occurred at 8:40 p.m. on Idaho 44 at mile marker 8.9, west of Star. A 30-year-old man from Middleton was driving a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado westbound on Idaho 44 when he crossed into the eastbound lanes to pass a semi-truck, according to ISP. The juvenile, who was driving a 2011 Ford Focus with two juvenile passengers, was headed eastbound on Idaho 44 when their vehicle was struck head-on by the driver of the Silverado. No ages were provided for the juveniles. The driver of the Focus died at the scene, while the two passengers were taken by ambulance to a local hospital. The driver of the Silverado was not wearing a seat belt and was also transported by ambulance to a local hospital. The incident remains under investigation by the Idaho State Police. Kaine, at Mexico border, says agents finding more deadly fentanyl before it gets here BROWNSVILLE, Tex. (WAVY) Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said fentanyl coming through the U.S.-Mexico border is not just a crime problem, its a matter of national security. Kaines fact-finding mission to a border crossing at the tip of Texas enabled him to inspect the technology that border agents use to inspect trucks coming in from Mexico. He said thats the vehicle of choice for drug cartels to deliver fentanyl. Ninety percent of fentanyl that comes into the United States comes in through ports of entry in cargo vehicles, Kaine said Friday in a Zoom call with reporters from his hotel room. This is not traffic that is carried in by individuals. Kaine sponsored legislation last year that dedicated more resources to help border agents find the fentanyl before it finds our cities and towns and a key part of it is better tech to screen incoming trucks. Previously: Declaring war on fentanyl Kaine sponsors bill to get military more resources to stop deadly opioid This is very promising technology, Kaine said. It puts a picture up of the vehicle in a control center in what they call adjudicators, enabling agents to see whats in the truck without having to go inside it. Kaine said now, instead of catching 20% percent of contraband coming across as they did 10 years ago agents are now intercepting at least four times that much. What were seeing in Brownsville is sort of the future of interdiction technology, he said, and many other crossings are gonna get where Brownsville is. And less than a mile from where Brownsville is are Mexican drug cartels, known for paying off local officials and law enforcement so they can control the flow of fentanyl into the United States. Kaine calls them transnational criminal organizations and said they are the top priority of the DEA. They are national security threats more than just producers of crime, Kaine said. So we do need to undertake efforts to disrupt them. Kaine said he discovered on his trip to Texas that the cartels are actually beginning to make more money from human trafficking than they are from drug trafficking. Continued cooperation between the militaries of the two countries is also crucial, Kaine said. The U.S. military and the Mexican military have a close working relationship, Kaine said, but they have not put fentanyl interdiction as one of their top priorities. Kaine added that his legislation, co-sponsored by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), requires more engagement between the two armed forces. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. You are here: World Flash Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni (R) meets with China's new ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni said on Wednesday that China is an eternal friend of Cambodia, and the traditional friendship between the two countries will be further deepened as cooperation in various fields will achieve more fruitful results. The monarch made the remarks at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh while accepting the credentials presented by China's new ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin. Sihamoni said that he highly appreciated China's tremendous development achievements and sincerely thanked the Chinese government and people for their long-term valuable support and assistance to Cambodia. He said Cambodia firmly adheres to the one-China policy and supports the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. For his part, Wang said under the joint guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Cambodia relations have entered a new era of building a high-quality, high-level and high-standard community with a shared future. The ambassador added that he will work with Cambodian people from all walks of life to carry forward the baton of China-Cambodia friendship and make every effort to consolidate and deepen China-Cambodia friendship. Wang arrived in Cambodia on July 5 to assume his new office. Canadian oil and gas company Tenaz Energy has announced an agreement to acquire NAM Offshore B.V. (NOBV) for 165m ($179.56m). The deal encompasses the acquisition of nearly all the offshore exploration and production assets of Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM), with the exception of the assets in the Ameland area. NAM is a 50-50 joint venture between ExxonMobil and Shell. Tenaz Energy said the move is set to make it the second-largest operator in the Dutch North Sea. The acquisition includes a portfolio of production and exploration licences covering 2,415km in the Dutch North Sea, with an average water depth of 34m. The assets currently produce approximately 11,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), which is 99% gas and 87% operated by NOBV. Tenaz Energy expects the transaction to add 11,000boepd of production and 53.6 million barrels of oil equivalent of total proved plus probable reserves to its portfolio. The current production from the acquired assets comes from six hubs and two main production areas, with gas processing at the Den Helder Gas Plant. Den Helder processes about half of the gas produced in the Dutch North Sea, with the gas then delivered into the national grid. Upon completion of the deal, Tenaz will also become the operator of all three gas processing trains at Den Helder and the LoCal pipeline. Additionally, Tenaz will hold a 45.6% interest in the JDA LoCal system and interests in the WGT HiCal system. Tenaz president and CEO Anthony Marino said: This acquisition is an important step in our strategy of securing value-enhancing acquisitions that have substantial organic investment opportunities. We welcome NOBVs workforce of highly skilled and experienced professionals who will be critical to the continued success of Tenaz. We are delighted to invest in the revitalisation and sustainability of the Netherlands energy industry, and we look forward to establishing our Dutch headquarters near the existing NOBV office in the Netherlands. "Tenaz Energy to purchase NAM Offshore in Dutch North Sea for 165m " was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Kamala Harris to campaign in Milwaukee, days after end of Republican National Convention Vice President Kamala Harris last campaign in Milwaukee in May. She is scheduled to return Tuesday. Days after the Republican National Convention leaves Milwaukee, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Wisconsin's largest city, a Biden-Harris campaign official told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Harris' campaign trip to Milwaukee on Tuesday her fifth visit to the battleground state this year comes as a growing chorus of Democratic candidates and donors call for President Joe Biden to step aside from the election, following a weak debate performance that raised concerns about the 81-year-old president's ability to lead the ticket. Harris, 59, last visited Milwaukee in May, making the case that the Biden-Harris administration's economic policies have helped Americans and, in particular, addressed disparities that affect Black Americans and business owners. The vice president's Milwaukee trip follows a July 5 stop from Biden in Madison shortly after the troubling debate outing. Biden faces a challenge from Republican former President Donald Trump, 78, in a rematch of the 2020 race. Trump formally accepted the nomination in Milwaukee on Thursday night. Trump's 2016 victory and 2020 loss were both decided by about 20,000 votes in Wisconsin. Biden has made clear repeatedly that he plans to stay in the race. After news Wednesday night that he tested positive for COVID, just hours after saying a medical condition is the only thing that could pull him from the ticket, Republicans' attention at the convention increasingly focused on Harris as his potential replacement. In a letter released Thursday, Biden's physician said the president was experiencing "mild upper respiratory symptoms" and is taking Paxlovid. "He does not have a fever and his vital signs remain normal. He will continue to conduct the business of the American people," wrote Dr. Kevin C. O'Connor. Speculation has centered on Harris replacing Biden at the top of the ticket, but the vice president has remained loyal to Biden throughout the calls for him to end his campaign. The Democratic National Committee is moving ahead with plans to confirm Biden as the party's nominee during a virtual roll-call vote ahead of its convention, set for Aug. 19 to 22, to resolve meeting ballot deadlines of several states. Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kamala Harris to campaign in Milwaukee, days after end of RNC Vice President Kamala Harris will speak with major Democratic donors in a call to discuss what sources described to The New York Times by two sources as urgent, emerging issues related to the 2024 campaign. According to an email reviewed by the Times, Reid Hoffman a venture capitalist and major Democratic donor who endorsed the call wrote to friends and allies that we continue to find ourselves in a rapidly evolving environment [] With the stakes as high as they are this cycle, we have to remain focused on the critical work that needs to be done to protect our democracy, he added. NBC News later reported that Harris had been tapped to attend the call by President Joe Bidens advisers. CNBC reported after the call that Harris emphasized to donors that she and Biden are running together and they intend to defeat Donald Trump. As pressure from lawmakers increases on Biden to suspend his campaign amid concerns about his advanced age and health, the vice president has emerged as a potential natural successor to the Democratic presidential nomination. Multiple prominent Democratic donors have already paused donations following Bidens disastrous debate performance against Trump last month, including Abigail Disney, granddaughter of Disney founder Walt Disney, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, and philanthropist Gideon Stein. On Thursday, Politico reported that allies of the vice president have begun courting potentially disaffected donors particularly female donors. Whats important is that theres a massive show of support for her right away, which shows a signal that were all in for her, the leader of one womens political group told Politico. Even as Biden continues to insist that he will remain the Democratic nominee through the November election, the wheels behind a Harris candidacy may already be in motion. In the aftermath of the Republican National Convention, a new wave of Democratic lawmakers have called on Biden to step aside, these include Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), as well as slew of House Democrats including Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.), and Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.). NBC News reported Friday morning that members of Bidens family have started discussing what a possible exit from the race might look like, but Biden reaffirmed that hes staying in the race in a statement released later in the day. I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trumps Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone, Biden wrote. The stakes are high, and the choice is clear. Together, we will win. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone SACRAMENTO, California No understanding of Vice President Kamala Harris is complete without her California origin story. That backstory has taken on new relevance amid the Democratic Partys extraordinary election-year upheaval. As a growing number of Democrats call on President Joe Biden to step aside, the question of whether Harris could step in, secure the backing of the party and beat Donald Trump is a topic of hot debate. Pressure for Biden to leave the race intensified this week when California Rep. Adam Schiff, a close ally of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said publicly that it was time for the president to pass the torch. The Golden State is where Harris started the trajectory that led to her barrier-breaking election as the nations first Black, Asian American and female vice president. It's where she shaped her political instincts. And it's where she first faced critiques that follow her to this day. Theres the Kamala Harris people think they know and now there's the one they will get to know in an entirely different way, said Brian Brokaw, a former adviser to Harris based in Sacramento. Take it from us, the Californians who have watched Harris career from her early days as San Francisco district attorney and state attorney general: Heres what her formative California tenure tells us about this marquee player on the national stage. 1. Both got an early career boost from a San Francisco kingmaker More so than with any other politician, Harris has risen in parallel with Gov. Gavin Newsom a prominent Biden surrogate and potential future presidential contender down to a shared cast of political supporters. After emerging from the competitive cauldron of San Francisco politics, Harris and Newsom enlisted the same blue-chip California consulting firm in their statewide campaigns, although Harris moved on from the firm now called Bearstar Strategies after her unsuccessful 2020 presidential run. Willie Brown, a former California Assembly speaker and San Francisco mayor whom Harris dated in the mid-1990s, helped Harris and Newsom get footholds in San Francisco politics by placing them on boards. Brown later appointed Newsom to the citys governing board of supervisors. Harris and Newsom have also tapped the same pools of Bay Area wealth. But Newsom has been closer than Harris to area power players like Pelosi and the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. 2. A watershed moment on the death penalty has reverberated throughout her career Harris was only four months into her tenure as San Francisco district attorney her first elected office when Isaac Espinoza, a San Francisco police officer, was fatally shot by a man wielding an AK-47 in 2004. Her handling of his murder case would reverberate throughout her career. Harris said just days after Espinozas death that she would seek a prison sentence of life without parole, but not capital punishment, for his killer. The substance of her remarks was consistent with her opposition to the death penalty, which she made clear during her campaign, and a reflection of how hard it was to successfully get a San Francisco jury to agree to such a sentence. Politically, it was tone deaf delivered before Espinoza had even been buried and while emotions among law enforcement were still raw. The fallout escalated when then-Sen. Feinstein spoke at Espinozas funeral and, with Harris watching from the pews, earned a standing ovation when she called for the death penalty. It was a stinging rebuke for a novice politician one that triggered, in many observers eyes, an overcorrection to excessive caution from then on. The Espinoza case resurfaced in her 2020 presidential bid; the police officers widow appeared on CNN harshly criticizing Harris, and the Trump campaign used it as an oppo hit when she joined the ticket with Biden. It would likely be fodder in a 2024 campaign. 3. Shes not a legislative dealmaker, unlike Biden Biden, a creature of the Senate, basked in his reputation as congressional dealmaker. But Harris, despite her brief tenure as Californias junior senator, has not shown as much gusto for legislative sausage-making. Most notably, when California lawmakers introduced a raft of police accountability measures in the early days of the Black Lives Matter movement, then-Attorney General Harris steered clear of the Capitol debates occurring just blocks from her Sacramento office. Instead, Harris focused primarily on policies she could implement on her own, such as requiring body cameras for her small force of special agents and creating an online criminal justice portal. I saw it as a general reluctance to have an active legislative role, former state Attorney General Bill Lockyer told the Los Angeles Times in August 2019. Harris did champion her own legislative priorities, including an anti-truancy measure in San Francisco that she then pushed as a statewide law. (She took heat for the effort during her presidential campaign as being overly punitive to parents whose children were chronically absent from school). She has also made combating maternal mortality, especially among Black women, a priority both as a senator and vice president. 4. Shes rusty running against Republicans As a California Democrat, Harris has faced little in the way of tough challenges from Republican candidates especially in federal races. When she ran for retiring Sen. Barbara Boxers seat in 2016, the states top-two primary system put Harris up against a fellow Democrat in the general election, whom she beat by more than 20 points. From there, she launched a bid for the presidency that ended during the primary in 2019. Her first race for California attorney general was grueling though it was over 14 years ago and against a candidate who had little in common with todays Trump-dominant GOP. At that time she faced moderate Republican Steve Cooley and, up until a last-minute surge in the polls, was struggling to win over California voters. The race was so close that Cooley didn't concede until more than three weeks after Election Day. She went onto trounce a different Republican opponent in her reelection bid. 5. Her work on student debt started as California AG As California attorney general, Harris took on for-profit colleges that she accused of saddling students with unsustainable debt work that segued into the Biden administrations loan relief efforts. Harris sued Corinthian Colleges in 2013, accusing the chain of preying on disadvantaged prospective students and misleading them about the debt they would incur and the colleges job-placement rates. The case set the stage for Corinthian to shutter its California schools. A decade later, when Biden pushed the largest-ever cancellation of federal student loan debt by moving to absolve Corinthian students of nearly $6 billion owed, he tapped Harris to deliver the news. That relief has moved ahead even though Biden's other efforts to more broadly discharge loans have been tied up in court fights. 6. She took on fossil fuel companies Harris made a habit of suing fossil fuel companies during her time as attorney general, amassing $50 million in settlements from lawsuits against Chevron, BP, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66. Her office also sued Southern California Gas Co. over a methane leak from its Aliso Canyon natural gas facility, notched a $44 million settlement in response to a 2007 oil spill and launched an investigation into Exxon Mobil over allegations it had misled the public about the risks of climate change although she earned criticism for claiming, incorrectly, that she sued the company. And she sued the Obama-Biden administration over an environmental assessment clearing the way for hydraulic fracturing off the coast of California creating a throughline that continued into her 2019 campaign for the presidency. After being named Biden's running mate, she drew attacks from then-President Trump for her stance against fracking. "How do you do that and go into Pennsylvania or Ohio or Oklahoma or the great state of Texas?" Trump said at the time. Harris stance also put her in direct conflict with Biden, who repeated often in 2020 that he had no plans to ban fracking, but instead supported halting new oil and gas permits on federal land. Once tapped for VP, Harris reaffirmed the tickets support for fracking. A ban on the practice could be a difficult task for Harris either way, thanks to a 2005 law that exempted most forms of fracking from EPAs oversight. 7. She's a bicoastal vice president and regularly visits her home in Los Angeles Harris was a Bay Area kid. She grew up in Berkeley, began her prosecutorial career at the Alameda County district attorneys office, and was elected district attorney of San Francisco en route to statewide and then national office. But somewhere during her national ascent, she became something anathema to many Bay Area denizens: an Angeleno. Harris now lives in Los Angeles affluent Brentwood neighborhood, and she frequently travels home to recharge (coupled with official White House business to justify the cross-country treks.) This followed her shocking decision to don a Dodgers cap for debate prep. Whether shes a NorCal loyalist or a SoCal resident, Harris California roots still offer a connection to some of the Democratic Partys deepest pools of cash although the flow may dry up if dissatisfied Hollywood players dont succeed in nudging Biden aside. Kelsey Tamborrino contributed to this report. CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to clarify ongoing legal challenges to the Biden administrations student debt relief agenda. EDITOR'S NOTE: Story has been updated to reflect that President Joe Biden has opted out of the 2024 presidential race. President Joe Biden has withdrawn from the 2024 presidential race and thrown his support to Vice President Kamala Harris. One of the many questions at this time, is will Harris choose as her candidate for vice presiden? No fewer than a dozen options have been floated by various pundits, journalists, political scientists and likely voters. Before Biden bowed out of the race, Daniel Cassino, a professor of government and politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University and the executive director of FDU Poll, said there are three basic strategies for selecting a vice president: pick a politician from a critical swing state, pick someone who balances out the presidential candidate in terms of demographics, region and ideology, or pick a candidate who magnifies the characteristics of the presidential candidate, as former President Donald Trump did with his selection of U.S. Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio. A composite photo of Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, Gretchen Whitmer, and Pete Buttigieg. When it comes to the most common strategy, the balancing strategy, Harris could pick someone older and more liberal, such as U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cassino said. Warren, a Rutgers Law School graduate, was for a brief spell the front-running candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. DNC 2024: When is the Democratic National Convention? Info on when and where If the party wants to double down on Harris with a younger and more moderate Democrat, Cassino mentioned a few relatively well-known personalities. Julian Castro, the secretary of housing and urban development under former President Barack Obama fits the bill. Also in that category is Cory Booker, the U.S. senator from New Jersey. Another would be Pete Buttigieg, the current U.S. transportation secretary and former naval officer who rose to prominence during his campaign for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 presidential election. Story continues below photo gallery. Possible 'swing states' VP candidates for Kamala Harris Finally, there are options from swing states. "There's a perception, but not much data to support it, that a vice presidential candidate could help you win in a swing state," Cassino said. More: What would happen if Biden or Trump drop out of presidential race? Who would run? In that realm, Harris finds several more potential running mates, including the front-runner in Cassino's opinion: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. North Carolina's former attorney general, Cooper was elected governor in 2016 and reelected in 2020. Due to state term limits, he is unable to run this year and would be free to take on another role in 2025. Vice President Kamala Harris stands in the House of Representatives ahead of President Joe Bidens State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on March 7, 2024. Cassino also mentioned U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, a former astronaut born in Orange, Stacey Abrams, a former candidate for Georgia governor, and the "very well-liked governor of Pennsylvania," Josh Shapiro. Shapiro beat a Trump-backed candidate in Doug Mastriano in 2022, has bipartisan support and, like Cooper, has executive experience. However, Shapiro recently took office and party bosses may be loathe to remove him, Cassino said. Notable outliers for Dem VP candidate role Some other names being mentioned seem to have very slim odds, according to Cassino. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been positioning himself as an "emergency candidate" to replace Biden, Cassino said. He debated former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier his year. However, due to the vagaries of Electoral College rules, either he or Harris would likely have to move out of California and establish residency in another state to be paired on the same ticket. Other names that may be eyeing a presidential run and would probably keep themselves out of the running for Harris' potential vice-president are Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Cassino said. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris arrive to speak from the Roosevelt Room of the White House on July 14, 2024. Recent polls for Kamala Harris VP candidates A SurveyUSA/FairVote ranked choice poll in early July found initial first-choice votes for Harris' potential running mate were closely divided among likely Democrats and independent voters in six swing states. Of the 2,050 likely voters polled in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, 20% picked Buttigieg, 19% selected Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and 14% opted for Shapiro. Whitmer, who has been discussed as a potential presidential candidate for the Democrats, is another potential option for the swing state strategy, with Michigan expected to be crucial in the path to the presidency. Biden won the state in 2020 but has been trailing Trump in recent polls. The Harris-Whitmer ticket would be the first all-women ticket in history. Other contenders are Senator Amy Klobuchar, Congressman Jamie Raskin and Pritzker, who each received 5% of the first-choice vote to be paired on the ballot with Harris. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Cooper both garnered 3%, while 4% of voters preferred Harris to run with someone else and 19% were unsure. Flashback: Kamala Harris' inauguration stirred joy, tears for these NJ women. Can she win again? In a ranked choice poll for a Harris running mate, Buttigieg narrowly beat Whitmer 52% to 48%. The poll also found Harris was the clear favorite to replace Joe Biden among likely Democrats and independent voters in those same six swing states. Results showed 37% ranked Harris their first choice to replace Biden and 56% ranked her in their top three. A separate poll conducted this month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found adults have a more favorable opinion of Harris (43%) than both Biden (38%) and Trump (37%). Center officials said 70% of the 1,253 adults polled said Biden should drop out of the race and allow his party to select a different candidate, while 57% said Trump should withdraw. Among Republicans, 26% said Trump should withdraw. Meanwhile, 65% of Democrats polled said Biden should drop out. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Possible VP candidates for Kamala Harris Vice president Kamala Harris is slated to address a network of major Democratic donors on Friday during a call that was scheduled on short notice, The New York Times reported, citing two people invited to the meeting. The call is reportedly endorsed by Reid Hoffman, the LinkedIn co-founder whos among the Democratic Partys biggest givers. Further details about the meeting are scant, but the call comes amid major turmoil in the White House. President Joe Biden is reportedly considering bowing out of the presidential race as early as this weekend, and many have suggested Harris is the natural choice to replace the president on the ticket. Reid Hoffman, among the Democratic Partys biggest donors, is said to have endorsed the meeting. Reuters The vice president and her aides have not addressed Fridays call publicly, and no list of invited donors has been released or reported. While rumors concerning Bidens future have circulated behind the scenes, the president has publicly asserted that he intends to remain in the race and defeat Donald Trump. Thats despite polls suggesting recent flubs, like his debate performance, have hurt Biden significantly in battleground states. Jill Biden is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser in Paris next week thats tied to the start of the Olympic Games. That suggests, at least for now, the president is still intent on raising funds for his re-election bid. Jill Biden has jetted around the country for campaign events for her husband this year. Reuters/Octavio Jones The First Lady will lead the US delegation to the Olympic Games opening ceremony on Friday, a day after the fundraiser. Those hoping for a seat at Thursdays event will have to shell out at least $500 to be a guest. The next tiers require $1,000 to be a qualifier, $3,300 to be a torchbearer, $6,600 to be a bronze, $10,000 to be a silver, and $25,000 to be a gold. That cash may be much-needed. Semafor reported Thursday that Bidens campaign cashflow is drying up, and some top donors are reluctant to keep giving because theyre doubtful of Bidens ability to win in November. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. ATMORE, Ala. (WKRG) Alabama death row inmate Keith Edmund Gavin was executed by lethal injection Thursday night at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. According to a news release from the Alabama Department of Corrections, Gavin was pronounced dead by a physician at 6:32 p.m. Gavin had three visitors and no phone calls on Wednesday, July 17. Blue marlin hits man during fishing trip near Orange Beach: I couldnt believe it On Thursday, July 18, he had four visitors, no phone calls, refused his breakfast meal, accepted his lunch meal, ate snacks, refused his final meal and didnt make any special requests. Gavin was sentenced to death for the 1998 capital murder of William Clinton Clayton Jr. in Cherokee County. Claytons son, Matthew Joseph Clayton, made remarks following the execution as well as ADOC Commissioner John Q. Hamm. No autopsy will be performed on Gavin, an ADOC release said. His remains will be picked up by the attending funeral home. 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. Sights like this barge loaded with coal on the Ohio Rive near Cairo, Illinois, would become more rare under a Biden administration rule that seeks to curb heat-trapping emissions by drastically reducing the burning of coal and gas to produce electricity. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) FRANKFORT A litigator for the Kentucky attorney general disputed the role of carbon dioxide emissions in warming the worlds climate, despite near-total agreement among scientists that the clear gas is a major contributor to warming. Speaking Thursday to state lawmakers, Vic Maddox, counsel on special litigation for Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman, cited the work of two physicists William Happer and Richard Lindzen who insist there is no climate emergency and have long disputed or questioned the scientific consensus on climate change. Maddox pointed to two recent publications an eight-page article from June, published in an open-access archive maintained by Cornell University, and a two-page document from July. According to Maddox, Happer and Lindzen contend that carbon dioxide has become a weak greenhouse gas because of the saturation effect, and that the more carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere the less of a warming effect it has. Maddox was among several witnesses appearing before the legislatures Interim Joint Natural Resources and Energy Committee which was discussing the implications of new federal rules requiring coal-fired power plants and new natural gas-fired power plants to capture 90% of heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions by 2032 if the plants intend to run beyond 2039. As of earlier this year, Kentucky generated more than 70% of its electricity from burning coal according to federal data, an outlier in the country as utilities have transitioned to cheaper alternatives such as natural gas or renewables. Coal is considered to be the dirtiest fossil fuel in terms of carbon dioxide emissions from burning it for electricity. Coleman, along with other Republican state attorneys general and investor-owned utilities in Kentucky, is challenging the rule which he calls a radical green agenda that would only leave Kentucky in the dark. Maddox, in explaining the AGs legal efforts to block the Biden administration rule, said the EPA should consider the physicists conclusions about the role of carbon dioxide emissions. We think the EPA should consider it, and we think that as these cases go forward, there may be an opportunity to present this sort of material to the court for consideration, Maddox said. The question here is is carbon dioxide really an important greenhouse gas at this point? Is it causing the problem that the EPA wants to solve, and will its elimination or reduction actually result in the result that it seeks? Scientists have come to a near universal consensus that the Earths climate is getting warmer mostly because of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels that releases carbon dioxide emissions, those being a primary driver of global warming. Scientists have also refuted the theory, which dates back more than a century, that the atmosphere will warm at a much slower rate because it is already saturated with carbon dioxide. A climate scientist from the University of Washington, who reviewed the eight-page June document from Happer and Lindzen that Maddox cited, criticized the methodology of the document and the small number and quality of references in that document. He also said the document, which he characterized as shoddy work, wasnt a peer-reviewed publication nor had it appeared in a scientific journal. The Cornell archive simply provides people with a place to self-publish, rather similar to some websites, said Thomas Ackerman, a professor emeritus of atmospheric sciences. There is a grain of truth to the absorption saturation argument, but the application here is wrong. It would take a lot of radiative transfer physics to explain that in detail, but, if that argument were true, a lot of us scientists would have figured that out a long time ago. If this were a meaningful paper, it would be peer-reviewed and published, Ackerman said. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a body at the United Nations of the worlds leading climate scientists, in its latest synthesis report found greenhouse gas emissions including carbon dioxide have unequivocally caused global warming with impacts to ecosystems on land and water, increases in extreme heat events and sea level rises likely attributed to climate change. When asked by the Lantern about Happers and Lindzens skepticism about climate change, Maddox didnt directly address the question and claimed that models predicting climate change by the IPCC were inaccurate and so inadequate that they cant predict what has already happened. Maddox referenced a book from Steven Koonin, another physicist who worked in the U.S. Department of Energy under President Barack Obama, in his criticisms of the IPCC. That book has been criticized as misleading, using strawman arguments to attack climate science or falsely asserting that climate science isnt settled. In a 2021 article in National Review, the physicists Lindzen and Happer criticized the Biden administration for signing onto the Paris climate accord and joining in the crusade against a supposed climate emergency. We use the word crusade advisedly, since the frenzy over climate resembles the medieval crusades against foreign infidels and home-grown heretics. There is even a childrens climate crusade. The two physicists in that article insisted there is no climate emergency: Nor will there be one. None of the lurid predictions dangerously accelerating sea-level rise, increasingly extreme weather, more deadly forest fires, unprecedented warming, etc. are any more accurate than the fire-and-brimstone sermons used to stoke fanaticism in medieval crusaders. Last year was the warmest since global records began in 1850 at 1.18 degrees Celsius (2.12 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 20th-century average of 13.9 degrees Celsius (57.0 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The global annual temperature increased at an average rate of 0.06 degrees Celsius (0.11 degrees Fahrenheit) per decade since 1850 and more than three times that rate since 1982, NOAA reports. Rep. Jim Gooch, R-Providence, a co-chair of the interim committee who has previously denied the science of climate change, asked in response to Maddoxs presentation if government leaders were willing to subject citizens to electricity rate increases because of the so-called existential threat of climate change. The leaders in this country are really trying to force us to fuel switch, which would decrease the amount of coal, Gooch said, mentioning that coal-fired power plants were being built abroad while the United States government is rejecting them. Its a real problem. This story was updated with comments from a University of Washington climate scientist. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A Kentucky motel has to pay $2M to the family of a man who died after a 150-degree shower A Kentucky motel has to pay $2M to the family of a man who died after a 150-degree shower A jury awarded $2 million to the family of a man who died from 150-degree shower burns at a Kentucky motel. Most adults will suffer third-degree burns if exposed to 150-degree water for even two seconds. The man sustained third-degree burns and died months after the incident. A jury awarded more than $2 million to the family of a 76-year-old man who died after suffering severe burns from a 150-degree shower at a Kentucky motel. According to local media outlets, the judgment, filed earlier this month, awarded Alex Chronis' estate $1.3 million to cover medical expenses, $250,000 for pain and suffering, $16,000 for funeral costs, and $500,000 for punitive damages. A lawsuit filed in October 2022 in Kentucky's Kenton County Circuit Court shows that the estate initially sought $7 million in damages. According to the lawsuit, the incident occurred on November 19, 2021, a day after Chronis checked into the Econo Lodge motel in Erlanger, Kentucky. Chronis took a shower and, according to the lawsuit, was "almost immediately bombarded with scalding hot water which knocked him to the floor of the shower tub where the water continued to scald him." The lawsuit said the water temperature exceeded 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Chronis sustained third-degree burns from which he never fully recovered, the lawsuit said. Most adults will suffer third-degree burns if exposed to 150-degree water for even two seconds, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. The jury found that Sanjay Patel, the motel owner, failed to exercise "ordinary care" in inspecting and maintaining the motel room in a "reasonably safe condition" for guests, according to Cincinnati's The Enquirer. Patel did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. According to The Enquirer, Chronis initially used nonprescription medicine for his burns, before going to work at a local food festival. He later went to the emergency room and, against medical advice, returned to work, the newspaper said. According to The Enquirer, Chronis returned to the hospital within two days and remained there for around five months. During his hospital stay, he underwent numerous medical procedures, including surgical grafting for his wounds, the newspaper reported. He went to another hospital in June 2022 after a stint in a rehabilitation facility, but ultimately died from his injuries on June 19, 2022, according to the lawsuit. Read the original article on Business Insider American restaurant chain Teriyaki Madness (TMAD) has signed a franchise agreement to open its first location in Lynchburg, Virginia. This is the brand's fifth location in the state and adds to its growing presence, which now includes 150 units across 40 US states. The agreement was signed with new franchisees Lydia and JJ Raval, who are set to leverage their experience in the food industry for TMAD. Bringing more than a decade of franchising experience with Dairy Queen, the Ravals will make a substantial contribution to the success of the new location. Lydia said: We tried almost everything on the menu, and it was clear that this was something special. The quality of the food and the overall experience convinced us that Teriyaki Madness was the right choice for us. JJ added: As franchisees, we appreciate the comprehensive support from the franchisor. From product development to marketing strategies, the team at Teriyaki Madness ensures we have all the tools we need to succeed. This level of support allows us to focus on delivering excellent customer service and growing our business." Teriyaki Madness CEO Michael Haith said: Our full-service support system, from immersive training to ongoing operational assistance, ensures that franchisees like the Ravals are set up for success. We are incredibly excited to welcome Lydia and JJ to the Teriyaki Madness family they'll help us take another important step in our mission to bowl over the whole country with delicious teriyaki. In March 2024, TMAD opened its new restaurant venue in Henderson, Nevada, offering Seattle-style flavoured teriyaki bowls. Located at 1647 W Warm Springs Road, the new TMAD venue is owned by local resident Catherine Loyola. "Teriyaki Madness to open first location in Lynchburg, Virginia" was originally created and published by Verdict Food Service, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Kentuckys Rep. McGarvey joins calls for new nominee as Biden camp vows to stay the course U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey (Kentucky Lantern photo by Arden Barnes) WASHINGTON Kentuckys lone Democrat in the U.S. Congress joined nine of his Democratic colleagues Friday in calling on President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid, the most in a single day since a poor debate performance shook confidence in his ability to win Novembers election. U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville, said Democrats need a nominee who can defeat Donald Trump, flip the House, and protect the Senate. In a statement shared on social media, the first-term congressman said critical issues at stake include the future of the U.S. Supreme Court, health care, climate change and a womans right to choose. Increasing the pressure on Biden to withdraw from the race, the 10 Democrats on Friday the day after former President Donald Trump officially accepted his partys nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee brought the total to 31. In his statement, McGarvey, who represents Kentuckys 3rd Congressional District, praised Biden as an incredibly effective and empathetic leader and highlighted his leadership, particularly on the economy and infrastructure. There has never been any doubt that he genuinely cares about our country, our government, and the people who make it great, McGarvey said. Thats why there is no joy in the recognition (Biden) should not be our nominee in November. But the stakes of this election are too high and we cant risk the focus of the campaign being anything other than Donald Trump, his MAGA extremists, and the mega-wealthy dark money donors who are prepared to destroy our path toward a more perfect union with Trumps Project 2025. We cant allow them to succeed. President Biden is a good man who cares deeply about the American people, McGarvey said. I trust that he will do whats best for the nation, and we will come together as Democrats to move the country forward. While no member of congressional Democratic leadership has publicly called for Biden to step down, several top Democrats who were either involved with handling Trumps impeachment trials or with investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol have raised their concerns, citing the former presidents threat to democracy. California Rep. Adam Schiff, who was the lead impeachment manager in Trumps first impeachment trial, called on Biden to drop out, saying in a statement that he had serious concerns about the presidents ability to win a second term. And Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, stopped short of explicitly calling on Biden to step down, but urged the president to reconsider whether he should remain in the presidential race. Biden remained at home in Delaware with no public events scheduled after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday evening. In an interview on MSNBCs Morning Joe early Friday, Biden campaign co-chair Jen OMalley Dillon said the president remained absolutely in the race, even as a growing number of Democrats voiced unease about his ability to defeat Trump. Absolutely the president is in this race, youve heard him say that time and time again, she said. He is the best person to take on Donald Trump. But reports also surfaced Friday that Vice President Kamala Harris, a potential replacement for Biden if he takes the unprecedented step of withdrawing from a race less than four months from Election Day, was scheduled to speak by phone with top Democratic donors in the afternoon. Harris did not respond to reporters questions at an appearance at a Washington ice cream shop Friday, according to a pool report. And 10 more congressional Democrats, including more senior members than had previously broken ranks with the president, said Friday that Biden should step aside. U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of Illinois wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Jesus Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote a joint open letter to Biden that they posted on social media. The quartet represents important constituencies in the House Democratic Caucus. Veasey is the first member of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, which has been among Bidens staunchest Democratic backers, to join the call for him to step down. He is also a member of the moderate New Democrat Coalition. Pocan is the co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Garcia is a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California also released their own statements. Betty McCollum of Minnesota told the Star Tribune newspaper she wanted Biden step aside and allow Harris to lead the ticket with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. The calls came a day after Sen. Jon Tester, in a difficult reelection race in Montana, said in a statement to the Daily Montanan that Biden should withdraw. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, who was one of few Democrats who called on Biden to step down two weeks ago, expanded on his view in an op-ed Friday. Moulton wrote in the Boston Globe that when he went on a June trip to Normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the president didnt recognize him, despite their decade-long relationship. Of course, that can happen as anyone ages, but as I watched the disastrous debate a few weeks ago, I have to admit that what I saw in Normandy was part of a deeper problem, Moulton wrote. It was a crushing realization, and not because a person I care about had a rough night but because everything is riding on Bidens ability to beat Donald Trump in November. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Kenyan President William Ruto gives an address at the State House in Nairobi, Kenya Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Kenyan President William Ruto said he won't sign into law a finance bill proposing new taxes a day after protesters stormed parliament and several people were shot dead. (AP Photo/Patrick Ngugi) NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday appointed the first 11 members of his Cabinet, retaining six former ministers in the key portfolios of defense and interior. Last week, Ruto dismissed all but one minister and said he would form a broad-based government that would help him address issues that led to monthlong protests. The protests started as calls for legislators to vote against a finance bill that was proposing new taxes and later morphed to calls for the presidents resignation over bad governance. The president on Friday retained the former ministers in interior and defense, but he has yet to appoint a finance minister, under whose area of responsibility the contentious budget falls. The country's public debt has been increasing and Ruto defended the proposed taxes as a way to repay debt and increase internal revenue collection. Demonstrators have been calling for a fresh start accusing the former ministers of incompetence, corruption and displays of opulence amid the high cost of living. The interior ministry, under which the police falls, has been often criticized for the shooting and killings of protesters on June 25 as they stormed parliament. Shortly before the presidents announcement, opposition coalition members on Friday distanced themselves from the proposal to form a broad-based government, calling it a betrayal of the Kenyan people, particularly Gen Zs and millennials, who have been leading the protests calling for change. Opposition figure Kalonzo Musyoka called the Cabinet change cosmetic, saying nothing will change as long as the Ruto administration is in office. He said that any opposition party joining the broad-based government will be doing so as an individual party and not as the opposition coalition. Main opposition leader Raila Odinga wasn't present during the opposition coalition media briefing. Kenyas monthlong protests started on June 18 led by young people who stated they were leaderless and tribeless in their calls for change, accountability and good governance. At least 50 people have died since the protests started and more than 400 others have been injured, according to data from the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. A court on Thursday suspended a ban by police on protests in the capital, Nairobi. 'I kept saying no': Women accuse top Hogsett aide of preying on subordinates for years Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett's right-hand man targeted younger women who worked under him, showering them with praise, poetry and gifts and promising career growth as he pressured them toward intimacy and unwanted sexual encounters, three women told IndyStar. The women accuse Thomas Cook of abusing his power for nearly a decade while serving under the Democratic mayor in a variety of roles, including five years as chief deputy mayor, the No. 2 position in city government. Cook, presented with IndyStar's reporting, did not answer questions on the record or respond to specific allegations. He did send a written statement later. "Dating back a decade, I had consensual relationships that violated a trust placed in me," Cook said in the statement. "At no time did I seek to use my professional position to further those personal relationships. That being said, I understand these situations have raised legitimate concerns and I apologize to all those involved." Hogsett heard complaints about Cook's behavior as far back as 2017, IndyStar found, yet he kept Cook in his inner circle until late last year. Cook repeatedly received the benefit of the doubt over six years and three investigations as he characterized repeated encounters with subordinate employees as consensual. All three investigations concluded Cook, who was married for much of the time period, engaged in inappropriate relationships with employees in subordinate roles, according to a Hogsett administration statement provided to IndyStar. "The City takes any and all allegations of inappropriate workplace conduct extremely seriously," the Hogsett administration said, adding it hired an outside law firm to conduct the investigations. The third-term mayor declined to be interviewed for this story, although the allegations involved Cook's work on Hogsett's campaigns as well as for the city. The administration said it reprimanded and disciplined Cook three times, finally resulting in his resignation from city employment in 2020 and, later, his departure from Hogsett's 2023 mayoral campaign. But two of the women accusing Cook of sexual harassment say Hogsett could have done more to prevent abuse if he had acted sooner and provided safer avenues for employees to report incidents. 'Groomed all day' Lauren Roberts, a deputy campaign manager during Hogsetts first mayoral bid, reported Cook's behavior to the mayor in an email in 2017 and in person in 2019, she told IndyStar. Although the Hogsett administration told IndyStar it investigated Roberts' complaint and disciplined Cook, Roberts said she was not previously aware of an investigation. I tried to blow the whistle years ago, and it was almost more traumatic than what actually happened, Roberts said. Hogsett hosted an Election Day party at a downtown Indianapolis hotel room in November 2014. By the end of that night, Roberts said, she and Cook were the last two people left in the room. Roberts was intoxicated. "I remember lying down in one of (the beds). I was being groomed all day, plied with alcohol. I was very vulnerable," Roberts said. "I know we ended up in the same bed. I know we made out. I don't know how much further it went than that." A few weeks later, Roberts said, Cook told her he loved her while they were walking to a business meeting. Shortly thereafter, Roberts said, she established clear boundaries with Cook. After that, Roberts felt her role on the campaign diminish, she said. "He didn't want me in those rooms, didn't want me on those calls," Roberts said of key campaign meetings. "Had I not set that boundary, had I not stopped giving him the attention he wanted, he probably would have included me." IndyStar typically does not name people who say they have experienced sexual misconduct. Roberts and another woman, Caroline Ellert, agreed to be named. They are among three women who told IndyStar that Cook sexually harassed them. Ellert said Cook sexually assaulted her. Cook has not been charged with a crime. In each case, the women were younger and reported up to Cook, who is now 39. Investigation reaction: Former Hogsett aide Thomas Cook out of a job after women speak out in IndyStar story Mayoral candidate Joe Hogsett waves to the crowd during the Cadillac Barbie IN Pride Parade in downtown Indianapolis on Saturday, June 13, 2015. Pattern of inappropriate relationships In separate interviews, the three women described a consistent pattern of abuse of power by Cook as he managed Hogsett's first mayoral campaign, ascended to chief of staff and then left city employment in 2020 for a private law firm. Cook is now a partner at Bose, McKinney & Evans, where he represents clients that do business with the city. The three women said Cook was their boss when he sexually harassed them. One alleged that Cook engaged in inappropriate behavior as recently as last year. The women shared text messages, emails and letters documenting their experiences with IndyStar. The women also previously told their stories to friends and colleagues, several of whom verified to IndyStar that they heard the women's accounts. Cook promised to help younger women advance their careers in government and Democratic politics. He inundated them with compliments about their intellect, sometimes sending constant, suffocating texts at all hours, said Ellert, who started at the city as a junior-level staffer under Hogsett. He liked to drink with them but preferred solo meetups over groups. On two occasions with different women, they say, he invited them to drinks characterized as group meetups, only for them to discover when they arrived that it would just be the two of them. All three women separately described Cooks conduct as grooming, which is a process of manipulation used by abusers to gain trust with a potential victim and coerce them to agree to the abuse, according to RAINN, a national anti-violence advocacy group. The women said they felt trapped into continuing relationships with Cook due to the power he held over their careers. Remembering how I felt and what it was like working with Thomas feels like a surreal haze, one of the women told IndyStar in a statement. I recall feeling helpless, analyzing texts, messages and body language, searching for clues to explain why I felt trapped. I was too scared to say anything because I feared the consequence of losing my job or my job becoming a living hell. The mayors office acknowledged spending nearly $43,000 on investigations and resulting sanctions surrounding Cooks behavior. Taft attorney Mick Terrell, a Hogsett donor, conducted the investigations. The mayors office said that Cook was first reprimanded in October 2017 and "prohibited from having any romantic relationships with any coworker, subject to immediate discipline, up to and including termination. That sanction was based upon Mr. Cooks inappropriate romantic advances" to Roberts, the campaign staffer. In December 2020, Hogsett accepted Cooks resignation, according to the mayors office, for violating the 2017 reprimand and prohibition as a result of a romantic relationship, first reported in October 2020, that Mr. Cook had with a subordinate coworker. That former employee, who rose to a prominent role in Hogsett's administration, declined comment and is not accusing Cook of sexual misconduct. Both Cook and the woman characterized the relationship as consensual during the investigation, the city said. Daniel Grundmann, a senior lecturer at Indiana University who spent 13 years as human resources director for the city of Bloomington, said relationships between high-ranking leaders and low-level employees should be disallowed "without question." "If there's a power relationship, consent is irrelevant because you're putting the organization at risk," Grundmann said. I look at you and see an equal Ellert, a former employee in the mayors office who started working with Cook when she was an intern, said Cooks attention made her feel important at first. I think youve been underestimated by too many people and sometimes I can look at you and, at least I think, it seems like we are the only two people who get whats really going on, Cook told Ellert, who is nine years younger, in a 2018 text message. And I look at you and see an equal, not a baby. Ellert told IndyStar she had an off-and-on relationship with Cook, which she now describes as abusive, that began in March 2018, while she reported to him. "It felt normal at times," she said. "I know he would say it was a consensual relationship and, for a while, I thought that, too. But I don't think there could ever be a consensual relationship with someone with that magnitude of power and someone who's 23 (years old). There's no scenario where that's fair." At the beginning, he often asked her to go out for drinks. I genuinely thought you were going to allow me to get you drunk so you could tell me what department head job you want in 2 years, he said in another text in 2018. Cook also liked to perform grand gestures. Cook ordered a DVD player to be delivered via Amazon to her apartment in February 2018 after he had lent her two movies. It will be there in the next hour, Cook texted. Open a cheap bottle of wine. My taste in movies will look great by comparison to this day. And dont feel alone. You arent. Later that evening, Cook acknowledged in a text message that he might have crossed a line. Ive never been good at boundaries, to a fault, Cook texted. I sincerely apologize if I crossed one. It wasnt borne (of) anything other than exuberant ignorance. It wont happen again. Two days later, on Valentines Day, Cook placed a poem on Ellert's desk. The valentine of desire is pasted over my heart and we are still not touching, the poem, by author Billy Collins, begins. After their relationship had soured, on one occasion in March 2019, Cook invited Ellert to an Indianapolis bar, The Ball and Biscuit, which she thought was a group meetup. When she arrived, she was surprised to discover he was the only one at the bar. "It looked like I tricked you into being with me," Cook acknowledged in a text message. Im not a predator, he added. Im not tricking you into this. And I shouldnt have tried to meet you secretly. You gave me clear lines. I f----- up by not inviting you the right way. Cook's behavior often resulted in a hostile environment at work, Ellert said. Given that you didnt really look at me today, I assume youre still not wanting me to talk to you and thats really fine, Cook texted her on the night of Hogsetts state of the city speech in 2018. Im going to just focus on being a good coworker, too. On another occasion, in March 2019, Cook approached her in the kitchen during work hours at Marion County Democratic Party headquarters. Afterward, he texted: Im sorry I said anything and if I made you feel cornered in there. It was an incredibly stupid impulse to bring it up. Later that month, Cook sent 68 unanswered text messages in which he demanded more emotional support during an argument. He showed up at Ellert's apartment the next night. He called and asked to be let up, saying he just wanted to talk, according to Ellert. Ill keep my pants on, she recalled Cook saying to her. Thats the only reason I invited him up, she said. But twice that evening he performed sexual acts on her despite her pleas for him to stop, she said. I kept saying no, she said. Cook declined to comment to IndyStar on specific claims made by Ellert. The 'puppet master' Cook is a little-known figure outside Indiana politics and government. But, behind the scenes, Hogsett gave Cook broad discretion to direct his policy and messaging initiatives. Where Hogsett appeared, Cook could often be seen pacing in the background. Cook was "the puppet master behind it all, one accuser told IndyStar. He stood between the mayor and all other employees on campaigns and within city government. Cook also worked for Hogsett when he was U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. Cook's position atop the citys flow chart meant that almost anyone employed within the mayor's administration answered to him one way or another including anyone who might want to report his behavior, or any supervisor or human resources representative who might receive a complaint. On paper, there is a path around the chief of staff. The city's human resources department reports to the mayor via the controller's office. "That's not the way it worked internally," said a former administration official, who requested anonymity out of fear of retribution. "The chief of staff runs everything. Everybody knew that." Cook's looming presence over every facet of Hogsett's campaigns and mayoral administration made it feel impossible to report his behavior, the women told IndyStar. Behavior wasnt properly addressed The women questioned Hogsetts handling of the allegations against Cook. They called for a better system to be put in place for those who report sexual harassment. It kind of feels like over and over again, we had to advocate for ourselves and stand up for ourselves, because there was no one else who was going to do it for us, Ellert said. She said she may have come forward earlier if there was a stronger reporting process in place. I already knew of previous instances of reported behavior that, in my mind, werent properly addressed, she said. If the mayor had acted at that time, it could have prevented what happened to me, what happened to future people, so I definitely hold him accountable to that. When Ellert came forward in September 2023, Hogsett was in the final, frenzied weeks leading up to Election Day. He had brought Cook in to lead the campaign in an unpaid role despite having forced him to resign from the city because of inappropriate relationships there. The mayors office told IndyStar that Hogsett in October 2023 directed Cook to no longer have any association with his reelection campaign, and for his professional services contracts to be discontinued based upon new allegations of inappropriate romantic conduct with a subordinate coworker. That was more than four years after Roberts approached Hogsett in person at Indianapolis City Market to complain about his lack of response to her concerns about Cook. Im not really sure why this process has been so difficult, but Im just really disappointed, frankly, and it wasnt OK, Roberts told Hogsett in January 2019, according to an audio recording obtained by IndyStar. Well, Im sorry about that, Hogsett replied. But I did get your messages. One of the accusers not named initially, Caroline Ellert, has since given IndyStar permission to use her name. Contact Hayleigh Colombo at hcolombo@indystar.com or follow her on X at @hayleighcolombo. Contact James Briggs at 317-444-4732 or james.briggs@indystar.com. Follow him on X and Threads at @JamesEBriggs. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Women accuse top Hogsett aide of preying on subordinates for years (Bloomberg) -- A powerful US senator is looking to speed up the lengthy confirmation process to get Christy Goldsmith Romero approved as chair of the troubled Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Most Read from Bloomberg Senate Banking Chairman Sherrod Brown is planning a committee vote on Goldsmith Romero, a Democratic commissioner on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, as soon as July 25, according to people familiar with the matter. That could conceivably put the nomination on a path for a full Senate vote before the Sept. 2 Labor Day holiday, some of them said. Browns attempt to fast-track the Biden administrations pick makes sense considering the limited time left in the congressional session and the US elections in November. But Republicans are wary of Goldsmith Romeros background, and Brown can no longer count on a vote from fellow Democrat Bob Menendez, also on the Banking Committee, after the New Jersey senator was convicted Tuesday on corruption charges. A spokesperson for the Senate Banking Committee declined to comment. A spokesperson for Browns office didnt respond to requests for comment. Goldsmith Romero would replace Martin Gruenberg, who announced in May he would step down after the Senate approved his successor. Gruenberg was pressured to step aside after an investigation by the Wall Street Journal and subsequent report by a law firm detailed allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination and a toxic workplace at the bank regulator that stretched over decades. During her July 11 confirmation hearing testimony, Goldsmith Romero said she would prioritize a complete overhaul of the FDICs workplace culture, including conducting investigations into the allegations of the report and removing problematic staff. One thing in Goldsmith Romeros favor is that she has twice received unanimous confirmation by the Senate once for the top job at the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program and then for CFTC commissioner. Skeptical Republicans might also be swayed by her testimony at a congressional hearing last week, when she said she was open to considering a reproposal of US bank regulators landmark capital overhaul. Im not looking to get something done fast, she told members of the Banking Committee. Im looking to get something done right. The Senate confirmation process often stretches for months. Goldsmith Romeros confirmation will need simple majorities at the committee and full Senate levels. Any one senator, however, can put a hold on the nomination, tying it up indefinitely. (Updates with testimony in sixth paragraph. An earlier story corrected a reference to Goldsmith Romeros unanimous confirmations.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KSNW) Hutchinson Police Department says they have received multiple reports about a kidnapping scam. Someone has been calling Hutchinson residents, claiming that they have kidnapped their child. They make threats and demand money. The calls have been coming from a number that shows up as 620-344-8910 on Caller ID. Depending on your carrier, it may also be labeled as Potential Spam. Publisher: Documents appear to clear Marion County Record Hutchinson police warn that if you receive a call like this, do not send them any money. Just hang up. They also recommend not answering any phone calls labeled as spam on your caller ID. Police say if you have any questions or want to check the validity of a phone call, you can call the non-emergency number at 620-694-2816 or 911. 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 KSN-TV. The King County Sheriffs Office is investigating a fatal shooting at an apartment complex near Auburn. Deputies responded to the Brookside Village Apartments on 34th Avenue South around 6:30 p.m. Thursday for reports of shots fired. On scene a male victim was found on the ground. CPR was performed, but the male died at the scene. Deputies are looking for witnesses. No arrests have been made. What to know about Evan Gershkovich's conviction for espionage in Russia Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, second left, stands listening to the verdict in a glass cage of a courtroom inside the building of "Palace of justice," in Yekaterinburg, Russia, on Friday, July 19, 2024. A Russian court convicted Gershkovich on espionage charges that his employer and the U.S. have rejected as fabricated. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison after a secretive and rapid trial in the country's highly politicized legal system. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) The trial of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich ended Friday with his conviction on espionage charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government have dismissed as fabricated. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Heres what we know about the secretive process. Where was the trial he ld? It took place in the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in the city of Yekaterinburg, about 880 miles (1,416 kilometers) east of Moscow. That's the city where Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023, while on a reporting trip. What happened in court? The session was closed. Gershkovich was in court for the verdict and stood in the glass defendants' cage wearing a dark colored T-shirt. His head was shaved, just as it was at the start of his trial in June. It is not known whether he chose to shave it or whether he was forced to. Judge Andrei Mineyev said: "The court ruled to find Evan Gershkovich guilty of committing a crime under Article 376 of the Russian Criminal Code, and to sentence him to imprisonment for a term of 16 years to be served in a high-security correctional colony. The judge asked Gershkovich if he understood the verdict and he replied in Russian, Yes, your honor. The judge asked if he had any questions and Gershkovich replied, No, your honor. As the press cameras were leaving court, Gershkovich turned around to wave as a woman shouted out, Evan, we love you! Why is this case significant? Gershkovich, the American-born son of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, is the first Western journalist arrested on espionage charges in post-Soviet Russia. Russian authorities, without presenting evidence, claimed he was gathering secret information for the U.S. The State Department has declared him wrongfully detained, thereby committing the government to assertively seek his release. What do the Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government say? The Journal's publisher, Almar Latour, and Emma Tucker, its top editor, called it a disgraceful, sham conviction, in a statement after the verdict. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until hes released. This must end now, Latour and Tucker said. U.S. President Joe Biden said after the conviction that Gershkovich was targeted by the Russian government because he is a journalist and an American. We are pushing hard for Evans release and will continue to do so, Biden said in a statement. As I have long said and as the U.N. also concluded, there is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime. Why would Russia seek out American journalists? Gershkovichs arrest came about a year after President Vladimir Putin pushed through laws that chilled journalists, criminalizing criticism of Russias war in Ukraine and statements seen as discrediting the military. Foreign journalists largely left the country after the laws passage, but some have trickled back in. There are concerns about whether Russian authorities would target them as animosity between Moscow and Washington grows. What next? After the verdict, Gershkovich was expected to be taken back to the detention facility in Yekaterinburg where he was held during the trial. Both the prosecution and defense have 15 days to appeal the sentence. If theres no appeal, Gershkovich will be transferred back to prison. If there is an appeal, Gershkovich will probably stay in Yekaterinburg until there is another hearing. The process of transferring him can last days or even months, and it may only be clear where Gershkovich will serve his sentence once his lawyers are told that he has arrived at a prison. What about a swap? Although Russia-U.S. relations are at their lowest point since the Cold War, the countries negotiated a swap in 2022 that freed WNBA star Brittney Griner, who had been serving a 9 1/2-year sentence for cannabis possession. Griner was exchanged for arms dealer Viktor Bout, who was imprisoned in the U.S. The countries also traded Marine veteran Trevor Reed, who was serving nine years in Russia for assaulting a police officer, and Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, who was serving a 20 years for conspiring to smuggle cocaine. Putin hinted that he would be open to swapping Gershkovich for Vadim Krasikov, a Russian serving a life sentence in Germany for the 2019 killing in Berlin of a Georgian citizen of Chechen descent. However, Germanys willingness to cooperate is an open question. How soon can we expect an exchange? It could be months or years. Russian officials said a swap can only happen after a verdict, but it depends on when Moscow and Washington reach a deal. Past experiences differ drastically. Griner was exchanged about four months after her verdict. Reed was released in a swap 21 months after his. Whelan, convicted of espionage in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison, is still waiting. Do you know your rights at work? New class aims to teach fair labor practices The City of Atlanta is launching a new education program aimed at teaching Atlanta business owners and residents about their rights and obligations when it comes to fair labor practices. The Labor Rights Education Program is now underway, starting off with a micro-grant initiative to provide the training needed to understand those rights. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Labor Rights Education Program (LREP) initiative reflects the Citys commitment to creating a fair, safe, and inclusive working environment for everyone, Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. This initiative will allow our community to be educated and ensure all business owners and employees understand their rights and are empowered to exercise those rights. City officials said the LREP is meant to provide essential education and awareness about labor regulations, and the responsibilities of businesses with employees. TRENDING STORIES: Through this initiative, the City of Atlanta demonstrates its dedication to fostering a well-informed and equitable workforce. The program is inclusive of both workers and business owners, ensuring that all parties are equipped with the knowledge they need to thrive in a fair and compliant workplace environment, according to the mayors office. So far, $20,000 was awarded to two organizations, Georgia Stand-Up and the Partnership for Southern Equity. Atlanta officials said the organizations were given the funds and are tasked with providing comprehensive education for LREP, as well as operating an awareness campaign for the program. The LREP will include workshops, information sessions and distributing resources for education to both workers and employers about fair labor practices, workplace safety and other issues. The program will run from July to December, according to the city. For more information, curious Atlanta businesses and workers can call the Atlanta Department of Labor and Employment Services at 404-546-3000. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng BANGKOK (Reuters) -A Thai investigation into discounts from China's BYD will continue despite a cash-back programme from its distributor in response to a backlash from consumers who felt they overpaid for their EVs, a senior official said Friday. Thailand, a regional auto assembly and export hub, is BYD's largest overseas market, where it is the top-selling electric vehicle brand. BYD last month opened a factory in Thailand, its first in Southeast Asia. Rever Automotive, BYD's Thailand distributor, this week announced a cash-back programme and discounts at charging stations until March 2025. Existing BYD customers can receive cash back of up to 50,000 baht ($1,382) on their next purchase of the ATTO 3 or BYD Seals models from July 18 to the end of August, Rever said in a Facebook post. But an investigation by Thailand's Consumer Protection Board will continue, with new complaints coming in, now more than 100, said Passakorn Thapmongkol, a senior official at the agency. "We have another meeting next week to so they can explain further," Passakorn told Reuters, outlining discussions between the agency and Rever. Rever, which has a network of over 100 dealerships across Thailand, in a statement said the cash-back campaign was a promotion for old customers and not part of a compensation programme. BYD holds a 20% stake in Rever Automotive. The issue came onto the government's radar this month after Rever made sharp price cuts to its cars, as much as 340,000 baht ($9,400) for some models, triggering complaints from previous buyers of BYD EVs. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin asked BYD CEO Wang Chuanfu to ensure Thai consumers were protected, to which Wang assured the premier its future pricing would be appropriate. Shenzhen-list BYD is part of a wave of Chinese automakers investing more than $1.44 billion to set up new EV factories in Thailand, helped by government subsidies and tax incentives. Pledged investments from other makers include Changan Auto with $285 million. The government aims convert 30% of its 2.5 million vehicle production capacity to be EVs by 2030. ($1 = 36.1900 baht) (Reporting by Chayut Setboonsarng and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty) Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have pointed out that Kremlin officials are expanding the geography of the Russia-proposed so-called "Eurasian security architecture". Source: ISW Details: Kremlin officials are broadening the scope of Russia's proposed "Eurasian security architecture". On 17 July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced at a United Nations press conference that Russia and the People's Republic of China (PRC) are pushing for the creation of this security framework within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This initiative stems from Russian leader Vladimir Putin's proposal for an alternative Eurasian security system, backed by PRC President Xi Jinping on 14 June. Putin has recently emphasised Russia's readiness to engage in discussions about Eurasian security with the SCO and expressed his desire to develop dialogue with ASEAN. Interestingly, Putin has mentioned Vietnam, a country not typically associated with Eurasian political concepts, as part of his proposed security system. Furthermore, Russia appears to consider the Persian Gulf states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) as potential members of this envisioned "Eurasian" security framework. To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 18 July: Ukrainian forces reportedly struck a Russian coast guard base in occupied Crimea on the night of 17 to 18 July. European countries continue to display their commitment to Ukraine and unity in the face of Russian aggression. Rosgvardia made an unprecedented proposal on 17 July to grant Russian Central Bank leadership the right to carry automatic weapons and handguns. Kremlin officials continue to expand the geographic scope of Russia's proposed alternative "Eurasian security architecture". The US continues efforts to build out a partnership with Armenia, sparking critical reactions from Kremlin officials. Russian forces recently marginally advanced along the Kupiansk-Svatove-Kreminna line and near Kharkiv City, Toretsk, Avdiivka and Huliaipole. Russian officials continue efforts to expand the Russian Armed Forces' training capacity and address force generation issues. Support UP or become our patron! Fridays Top Stories Fridays Five Facts [1] Lawmakers stop governors attempt to pass crime bills in special session Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham says shes disappointed after the legislative special session ended within hours and none of her crime bills made it to debate. Democratic lawmakers moved to adjourn, saying crime is a priority, but the session wasnt the way to tackle it. Republican lawmakers applauded the governor for her effort. The legislature did pass one bill, delivering money to Ruidoso and the Mescalero Apache Tribe following wildfires and flooding in the area. [2] Albuquerque police chief will not be criminally charged for causing crash APD is formally reprimanding Chief Harold Medina following his crash that seriously injured another driver. Following an internal affairs investigation, APD announced the chief was issued two letters of reprimand. One for failing to safely operate his vehicle and the second for not turning on his lapel camera after the crash. The department says Medina accepted and signed those letters. [3] Stormier & cooler this weekend Moisture combining with the slight uptick in above-normal high temperatures in the 80s and 90s, will lead to more rain activity as flood watches are in effect through tomorrow morning for portions of The Central Mountains. Storms will initially be slow-moving as they form late this morning around the burn scars of Santa Fe and Ruidoso, but then, a swath of faster-moving storms this afternoon will roar on from the north into most parts of The Rio Grande Valley as the leftover rain activity will eventually make its way into The Pecos River Valley, as well as The Gila National Forest, later this evening [4] Santa Fe City Councilors pass controversial median safety bill Santa Fe City Councilors passed a controversial median safety bill on an 8-1 vote. The bill will ban people from sitting, standing, or lying on medians less than three feet wide. Advocacy groups and residents said the bill will impact the rights of unhoused people. The Santa Fe bill goes into effect in February. [5] Upcoming ABQ BioPark exhibit will let guests into bird habitat The ABQ BioPark will let guests get a closer, more immersive look at their upcoming Australian lorikeet habitat. Visitors will be allowed into the birds home, the same way they are in the butterfly house. They will even be given a cup of nectar to encourage the birds to interact with visitors. The lorikeet exhibit is opening up to the public soon but an exact date has not been set. 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, the lone Democrat representing Kentucky in Congress, on Friday called on President Joe Biden to abandon his re-election campaign. There is no joy in the recognition he should not be our nominee in November, McGarvey wrote in a statement. But the stakes of this election are too high and we cant risk the focus of the campaign being anything other than Donald Trump. McGarvey joins more than 30 House Democrats who have asked the president to step aside in order to elevate a nominee with a better chance of stopping a second Trump term. Three Senate Democrats have also called for Biden to halt his run. Biden is reportedly reevaluating his candidacy as he recovers from a bout of COVID-19, which has sequestered him in his Delaware beach house. McGarveys statement praised Biden as an effective and empathetic leader but emphasized the importance of not only defeating Trump, but flipping the House back into Democratic hands and protecting a narrow Democratic majority in the Senate. Since the June 27 presidential debate, congressional Democrats anxiety has soared that Bidens unpopularity could endanger many of their own seats in November. President Biden is a good man who cares deeply about the American people, McGarvey said in a statement. I trust that he will do whats best for the nation, and we will come together as Democrats to move the country forward. Former Rep. John Yarmuth, who previously held McGarveys seat, told the Herald-Leader Thursday evening he thought Biden should step aside. Yarmuth said a lack of time ahead of the Aug. 19 Democratic National Convention would require Democrats to rally around Vice President Kamala Harris as the replacement 2024 nominee. If were to become the new Democratic nominee, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear would be on the short list to be a potential vice-president, Yarmuth said. John Yarmuth: Gov. Beshear tops potential VP shortlist as Biden weighs 2024 candidacy Biden blunders in face-off with lively Trump: 3 takeaways from the Atlanta debate Max Templer, a 32-year-old leaseholder in Southwark, says it's clear the council isn't managing the energy network properly - Belinda Jiao Five years ago, Southwark Council declared a climate emergency and set 2030 as its target date to be carbon neutral. But now residents have accused the Council of wasting millions of pounds-worth of energy and leaving them to pick up the bill. Dolly Thomas, who bought her leasehold property from the Labour council using Right to Buy, is now paying a 650 service charge every month to the authority a bill bigger than her mortgage. The majority of the monthly charge goes towards heating and hot water costs. Ms Thomas, 51, who works at neighbouring Lambeth Council, said: It feels like Im paying two mortgages. Im so stressed. All I want to do now is move. I asked the council if we could sell it back to them, but they dont have the money to do that. I put it on the private market, but no one is interested because the service charge is so big. Ms Thomas lives in the three-bed flat with her husband who recently had a stroke, her 16-year-old son and her 23-year-old disabled daughter. It is one of 17,000 homes provided with heating and hot water by one of Southwark Councils district heating systems. District heating networks supply hot water from one central heat source to lots of homes. Unlike homes with their own boilers, where owners can pick and choose their energy provider, those in homes connected to a heat network are stuck with one provider and its prices. In the year to March 2023, Southwark burned four times as much gas as its London authority counterparts, according to data published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The council also revealed in its most recent accounts that it spent at least 8.6m more than budgeted for on its heating systems in just one year. Residents connected to its North Peckham District Heating Network now pay 2,570 annually for heating and hot water. In constrast, regulator Ofgem has a price cap of 1,568 for a typical household on a standard energy deal. Dr Jeff Hardy, a senior research fellow at Imperial College London who runs an energy consultancy, was asked to review the residents supposed energy usage which is currently estimated on flat size rather than on meter readings. He said the annual gas consumption looks very high and agreed it was around three times the consumption for an average house. Dr Hardy, who was once Ofgems head of sustainable energy, added: Given the lack of metering and transparency on billing, I question whether it [the councils heat network] meets the (industry) standards on customer service. Max Templer, a 32-year-old leaseholder in Southwark, said: Its like the council has bought an electric car but then left (it) running 24 hours a day. They clearly arent managing it properly. Last year, usage was the highest its ever been. Homeowners on lower incomes are genuinely worried about being made homeless now that mortgage rates have shot up too. Currently, those who receive their energy from a district heat network cannot file a complaint with the Energy Ombudsman. From next year, however, this will change under a government crackdown triggered by an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority more than six years ago. The investigation found that heat network residents were paying too much and receiving a poor-quality service. The Telegraph previously revealed how despite a lack of regulation, successive governments have pushed to install hundreds more heat networks across Britain. Alex Dalman, 37, is another Southwark leaseholder who is worried about selling her flat something she hopes to do in the next year. She said: People dont want flats with 6,000 service charges. When I moved in five years ago, it was 2,000. Living in London feels as though you never get anywhere. Any pay rises go straight to someone else. Lots of new builds are being built with these heat networks too. Developers say its more economical, but its not. Theyre just creating more problems for more people. Any net zero targets this council wants to hit wont happen. Southwark collected nearly 25m in service charges in the year to March 2023, according to a Freedom of Information request submitted by residents. The majority of which was for heating and hot water. Many residents in Southwark Councils buildings are paying annual service charges over 10,000, and some are even paying as much as 12,500, according to the Freedom of Information data obtained by residents. Victor Chamberlain, Liberal Democrat leader of the opposition on the council, said: Since 2016, Southwark has been trying to invest in its housing blocks. But this has incurred huge overspends, in the millions, and some projects were massively over-delayed by months and years in some cases. Its exactly the same as whats happening with this energy issue. Leaseholders have been tenacious in what theyve managed to find out. This is a council that declared a climate emergency five years ago, and yet its needlessly wasting all this energy. A Southwark Council spokesman said: We know that district heating offers better value for residents long-term and offers opportunities for meeting our net zero targets for carbon reduction. The cost of fuel has risen exponentially over the past years, meaning prices are very high... The costs should come down and the heating system offers significant savings over time. 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. Lansing school board responds to concerns there will be no K-8 librarians this year LANSING The Lansing School District Board of Education stressed the importance of school libraries during Thursday's meeting yet also discussed a potential plan for how librarian positions could be reworked. This was the district's first public response regarding concerns that full-time, K-8 librarians would be eliminated this school year. The plan presented Thursday at Eastern High School by staff in the Office of Deputy Superintendent of Schools, recommended that the district remove two certified, full-time librarian positions, and then hire 34 "library assistants." These assistants would be trained by the two remaining K-8 librarians and would allow the libraries to be open all day, including before and after school. The assistant positions would be full-time and come with the same benefits as any other position in the district. The presenters did not explain why they were proposing the possible elimination of the two librarians and hiring of 34 library assistants. It isn't clear how quickly these assistant roles could be filled, if the proposed plan happens. District officials emphasized the existing library spaces and those planned for the new buildings. I think that it is critically important that the public understand that all of our buildings have libraries. We have a physical space that is a library in our current buildings and new buildings. Board President Rachel Willis said. Superintendent Ben Shuldiner waived most of his opening remarks for the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sarah Odneal and several other members of the Office of Deputy Superintendent of Schools to present their proposal regarding possible staffing changes. The presentation was not a formal one to the board, Willis said. The board would have to approve a formal plan before the eliminations and hirings happened. During public comment, parents, teachers and community members expressed frustration with the district over the possible dismissal of K-8 librarians. Concerns have grown since May, when Lansing Schools Education Association President Chuck Alberts said in a newsletter to union members that the administration announced "their intent to eliminate K-8 library positions and move them to create more art, music, PE time slots." On Thursday, over 15 speakers took to the mic with their concerns. The librarian has specific skills or has been trained to teach our kids how to do research," said parent Gaelle Cassin-Ross after the meeting. "The librarian is not just someone checking out books, it's so much more." Cassin-Ross, who is the mother of two children who attend Post Oak Academy, said she was worried an assistant who would need to be trained and didn't already have the skills, would be unfair to both them and the children. "It's not just unfair to the person, who would be set up for failure, but also unfair to my kids who would be learning from someone not up to the task," she said. "I'm not saying the person could not learn the job, but there are already people who have learned the job, so why don't we just stick with them?" Most public school districts in Michigan do not have a certified, full-time librarian. The Center for Educational Performance & Information's 2022-23 staffing data shows that in the Ingham Intermediate School District, only East Lansing, Haslett, Holt, Lansing, Mason and Okemos had at least one certified, full-time librarian. Lansing was unique statewide for having 12 that year. Contact Sarah Atwood at satwood@lsj.com. Follow her on X @sarahmatwood. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Concerns about Lansing's school librarians focus of board meeting Houthi rebels managed to punch through Israels robust air defence system on Thursday in a rare breakthrough using an explosive-laden drone. One man was killed and eight others were wounded when the drone landed in Tel Aviv on Friday morning. Israel is fortified by the Iron Dome, a mostly impenetrable, multi-layered air defence system which is designed to intercept short long-range rockets, ballistic missiles as well as drones. Since Oct 7, it has shot down the vast majority of missiles launched by Hamas and Hezbollah into Israeli territory, leading to few casualties. Fridays incident was marked by a human error, one Israeli military official told The Telegraph, adding that the army took full responsibility for its failure to stop it. Israeli military officials have marked the incident as 'human error' - Getty Images Footage showed the drone approaching Tel Aviv from the Mediterranean and flying over the American consulate before slamming into an apartment building. It is still unclear if the consulate was the target, but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was investigating the details of the attack. First responders from Israels Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency service described the 3.10am attack as a major disturbance and damage caused by the explosion. MDA responders Roee Klein, Yoel Rosenthal and Asher Greider said they found two people who were injured in their home a 37-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman. On the street, next to the building that was hit, they found a 25-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man who were injured from the explosion. Emergency services rushed to help residents affected by the blast on Friday morning - Reuters Investigators are scouring the scene in Tel Aviv - Reuters They were all fully conscious and suffered shrapnel injuries to shoulders and limbs, and one who suffered blast injuries. We provided initial medical treatment and evacuated them to hospital in mild condition. In further searches, a 50 year old male was found unconscious with penetrating injuries. We performed a medical assessment, he showed no signs of life, and shortly thereafter was pronounced deceased, the responders said in a statement. The Houthi strike is the first to hit Tel Aviv. Yoav Gallant, Israels defence minister, said on Friday morning he was reviewing the countrys defences as well as the intelligence and operational activities required against those responsible for the attack. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesman, said the Iranian-made Samad 3 drone was likely fired from Yemen, confirming an earlier statement from the Houthi rebels who claimed responsibility for the attack. Mr Hagari said: The Samad-3 is an Iranian weapon that was likely upgraded to extend its flight range. Iran supports, funds, and arms its proxies in the region, in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, as seen last night. Locals inspect the damage from a suspected drone attack - Getty Images Israel has been fighting a war on multiple fronts since Hamas massacred 1,200 people on Oct 7 and Israel declared war on the terror group in response. Hezbollah has been launching drones, anti-tank missiles and rockets over the Lebanese border in the north while Houthi rebels have fired ballistic missiles and drones at Israel as well as ambushing ships doing business with Israel. Fridays strike on Tel Aviv could resurface fears about the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas expanding into a regionwide conflagration as international mediators continue to push for a ceasefire. The deal under discussion would halt fighting and free about 120 hostages held by the militant group in Gaza. It also raises questions about how effectively Israels air defence system can protect its citizens following Fridays drone attack. The Houthi rebels said the attack was in retaliation for Israels massacre in Gaza and boasted that it had penetrated its interception systems. The Houthis said it has a bank of targets it can attack, including sensitive military sites, and that they will continue to target Israel as long as the war in Gaza continues. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. United Airlines Getty/David McNew A global technology outage disrupted banks, hospitals, airlines, emergency services, and media outlets on Friday, affecting companies and services worldwide, The Associated Press reported. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike the source of the sudden disruption said that the reason for the outage is not a security or cyberattack. Rather, the culprit is a routine software update for Microsoft Windows gone wrong. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts, the company said in a statement, NPR reported. Mac and Linux operating system customers were not affected, the company claimed. Services at airports in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, took a hit as airlines lost access to check-in and booking services, as travelers had to temporarily abandon their summer vacation plans to join long lines at airports. Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines all had to ground flights, NPR reported. News outlets in Australia were pushed off air for hours. Banks in South Africa and New Zealand reported outages to their payment systems, websites and apps. Hospitals had issues with their appointment systems, AP News reported. And in some U.S. states including Alaska and Ohio, 911 phone lines were down. Crashed computer screens displayed it looks like Windows didnt load correctly messages on blue screen which is sometimes called blue screen of death, NPR reported. This is clearly a major black eye for CrowdStrike, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told NPR. Troy Hunt, a known cybersecurity researcher, labeled the technology disruption the largest IT outage in history, CNBC reported. Since the debacle unfolded, CrowdStrikes CEO George Kurtz has said that the company is actively working with customers impacted by a defect fund in a single content update for Windows hosts. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed, he wrote on X. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A man allegedly killed a mother during a sex assault that police said their children witnessed, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators reviewed. A Clark County grand jury indicted Elmer Manzanarez, 39, on Thursday on charges including murder and sexual assault, records said. Police originally arrested Manzanarez in September. Details about his arrest or the case were not publicized until the 8 News Now Investigators reporting Friday. On Sept. 15, 2023, Metro police responded to an apartment near Owens Avenue and Pecos Road in the east valley for a report of a deceased woman. The Clark County coroners office later identified the woman as Yanci Gomez, the mother of Manzanarezs children. According to the indictment, Manzanarez is accused of strangling or beating Gomez during a sexual assault in front of the children in a shared bedroom. Several witnesses told detectives that Manzanarez was allegedly abusive toward Gomez. On the night of Gomezs death, one witness told police Gomez and Manzanarez were fighting. A child living in the home told police they witnessed Manzanarez hit Gomez, telling officers, Mommys dead, according to documents. Documents specifically note several children were present during the incident. The child abuse charges Manzanarez faces also note the childrens presence. Another witness told police they confronted Manzanarez after finding Gomez unresponsive on a bed, documents said. The witness said Manzanarez told them Gomez fell down. In his interview with police, Manzanarez reportedly denied any fighting and that Gomez convulsed during sex, documents said. Police also noted he told them he drinks 20 beers a day, and was not drunk that day after consuming 14. Exact details of when Manzanarez was released were unclear Friday, though records show a judge granted him $100,000 bail pending his Las Vegas Justice Court case. At some point, Manzanarez was released with an ankle monitor, records said. He remained out of custody as of Friday morning with a warrant out for his arrest. Previous court documents spelled Manzanarezs name as Manzanares. At the time of his arrest, Manzanarez faced charges of domestic battery and child abuse, records said. Metro police did not issue a press release at the time, likely because it appears a charge of open murder was added at a later date. 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. As global markets exhibit mixed reactions to recent economic data, with some indices showing resilience amidst unexpected inflation trends, the Swedish stock market presents a unique landscape for investors seeking value. In this context, identifying stocks that appear undervalued relative to their intrinsic estimates becomes particularly compelling, offering potential opportunities in a fluctuating market environment. Top 10 Undervalued Stocks Based On Cash Flows In Sweden Name Current Price Fair Value (Est) Discount (Est) Granges (OM:GRNG) SEK136.10 SEK259.59 47.6% Truecaller (OM:TRUE B) SEK35.40 SEK70.79 50% Nordic Waterproofing Holding (OM:NWG) SEK160.60 SEK313.11 48.7% C-Rad (OM:CRAD B) SEK48.85 SEK95.04 48.6% RaySearch Laboratories (OM:RAY B) SEK139.40 SEK277.33 49.7% Modern Times Group MTG (OM:MTG B) SEK82.40 SEK157.38 47.6% Sinch (OM:SINCH) SEK23.60 SEK43.58 45.8% Tourn International (OM:TOURN) SEK8.00 SEK14.80 45.9% Humble Group (OM:HUMBLE) SEK9.92 SEK18.62 46.7% Bactiguard Holding (OM:BACTI B) SEK70.00 SEK132.65 47.2% Click here to see the full list of 50 stocks from our Undervalued Swedish Stocks Based On Cash Flows screener. We're going to check out a few of the best picks from our screener tool. Overview: Absolent Air Care Group AB specializes in designing, developing, selling, installing, and maintaining air filtration units with a market capitalization of approximately SEK 4.08 billion. Operations: The company generates revenue primarily through two segments: Industrial, which brought in SEK 1.12 billion, and Commercial Kitchen, contributing SEK 289.38 million. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 14.2% Absolent Air Care Group, with a current trading price of SEK 360, is positioned below our calculated fair value of SEK 419.78. This indicates a moderate undervaluation based on discounted cash flows. Recent financial results show an increase in net income and earnings per share compared to the previous year, alongside a dividend hike. Despite this positive performance, revenue growth projections (9.6% annually) and forecasted earnings growth (17% annually) suggest potential yet are not exceedingly high compared to broader market expectations. OM:ABSO Discounted Cash Flow as at Jul 2024 Overview: Sweco AB (publ) is a global provider of architecture and engineering consultancy services, with a market capitalization of approximately SEK 59.71 billion. Operations: Sweco's revenue is generated from various regional segments, with Sweden contributing SEK 8.74 billion, Norway SEK 3.50 billion, Belgium SEK 3.97 billion, Denmark SEK 3.24 billion, Finland SEK 3.67 billion, the Netherlands SEK 3.00 billion, and Germany & Central Europe SEK 2.71 billion. Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 19.2% Sweco, priced at SEK 166, trades below the calculated fair value of SEK 205.43, reflecting a modest undervaluation based on discounted cash flows. The company's return on equity is expected to be strong at 20.4% in three years. While Sweco's revenue growth (6.2% annually) is not rapid, it surpasses the Swedish market average (1.8%). Recent earnings have improved significantly with net income rising to SEK 540 million in Q2 from SEK 357 million year-over-year, alongside securing a substantial contract worth around SEK 400 million with the Swedish Transport Administration for railway expansion projects. OM:SWEC B Discounted Cash Flow as at Jul 2024 Overview: Xvivo Perfusion AB is a medical technology firm based in Sweden, specializing in the development and marketing of machines and solutions for organ assessment and preservation before transplantation, operating globally with a market cap of SEK 16.95 billion. Operations: The company generates revenue primarily through three segments: Services (SEK 83.39 million), Thoracic (SEK 451.49 million), and Abdominal (SEK 163.85 million). Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 25.5% Xvivo Perfusion, with a current price of SEK 538, is considered undervalued against a fair value of SEK 722.14, showing a significant discount based on discounted cash flows. Despite its low forecasted return on equity at 10.5% in three years, the company's earnings and revenue growth projections are robust. Earnings have surged by 344% over the past year and are expected to grow annually by 36.88%. Recent financials confirm strong performance with Q2 net income reaching SEK 27.19 million from SEK 6.89 million year-over-year, supported by sales growth from SEK 154.57 million to SEK 210.35 million in the same period. OM:XVIVO Discounted Cash Flow as at Jul 2024 Key Takeaways Unlock our comprehensive list of 50 Undervalued Swedish Stocks Based On Cash Flows by clicking here. Are any of these part of your asset mix? Tap into the analytical power of Simply Wall St's portfolio to get a 360-degree view on how they're shaping up. Join a community of smart investors by using Simply Wall St. It's free and delivers expert-level analysis on worldwide markets. Ready To Venture Into Other Investment Styles? This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include OM:ABSO OM:SWEC B and OM:XVIVO. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The man accused of causing a crash that killed a mother and her two children earlier this year, who police cited months earlier for driving more than double the speed limit, is back in jail, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned. On Jan. 7, Darryl Smith, 36, allegedly told first responders he had wine and cough syrup before crashing his pickup truck into Rebecca Post and her sons in Henderson, documents said. Henderson Justice Court Judge David Gibson set Smiths bail at $255,000 during a hearing on Jan. 11. Smith posted bond in February. In addition to wearing an alcohol-monitoring bracelet, Gibson ordered Smith not to drive, consume alcohol, or consume cough syrup. Smith appeared in court last week after his bracelet reported a tamper event and alcohol was reported present during [the] tamper event, records said. Records did not detail the allegation further, and the 8 News Now Investigators request Thursday for more information from the court was denied. Rebecca Post, 38, and her two sons Achilles Quintanilla, 6, and Leo Post-Quintanilla, 5. (KLAS) Gibson remanded Smith to jail without bail, adding he was not confident regarding the [alcohol] monitoring, records said. Smith faces three counts of DUI resulting in death and one count of reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm, records showed. In 2008, a Metro police officer cited Smith for DUI. In that case, the officer said Smith admitted to smoking a blunt of marijuana, was speaking with slurred speech and could not stand straight, documents said. In 2009, Smith pleaded guilty, and a judge ordered him to attend DUI school and a victim impact panel. On Feb. 27, 2023, a Las Vegas Metro police officer cited Smith for reckless driving for traveling at speed over double posted speed limit of 25 mph on McLeod Drive near Tompkins Avenue, documents said. The citation indicates Smith was driving the same pickup truck involved in the triple-fatal crash. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for July 25. Last year, the NTSB cited Nevadas failure to address drivers repeated traffic infractions, citing systemic deficiencies, including routine plea agreements that alter of drop violations, inaccurate driver records, failure to accurately track citations and delays in reporting convictions. 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. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) An armed man police said forced a woman into a truck and later led officers on a chase in the northeast Las Vegas valley has been arrested. It happened on Thursday shortly, before 3:30 p.m. in the 4500 block of East Charleston Boulevard near Lamb Boulevard. Las Vegas Metropolitan police started investigating the incident as a kidnapping and stated that it was domestic-related. Officers said they later found the truck, which led to a chase. It ended when the truck caused a crash with another vehicle and then struck a wall of an apartment complex near East Lake Mead Boulevard and North Pecos Road, according to police. The man was then arrested and the female was found safe by police. The two people in the vehicle that were hit by the suspect were taken to the hospital. The incident remains under 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 KLAS. Thanks in large part to the conflict in Ukraine, the now long-standing threat that drones, especially highly maneuverable first-person view (FPV) kamikaze types, pose to tanks and other armored vehicles has fully emerged. The rush is now on to add counter-drone defenses everything from extra guns to electronic warfare jammers, and more to existing and future designs. The War Zone has previously laid out a detailed case for how hard-kill active protection systems could gain an added capability to provide another layer of protection against uncrewed aerial threats. But there is another option that nobody seems to talk about, one that would have unlimited magazine depth and would be very cost-effective. This would be to equip armored vehicles with advanced laser dazzlers to blind optical sensors on lower-end drones, denying them the chance to make their highly precise and deadly attacks. A US Navy sailor aims an LA-9/P, an example of a laser dazzler already in US military service. USN As generally defined, dazzlers are lower-powered lasers designed to have temporary, non-destructive, and reversible effects, unlike high-power laser directed energy weapons. In 1995, an additional protocol was added to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons prohibiting signatories, including the United States, from employing laser weapons specifically designed, as their sole combat function or as one of their combat functions, to cause permanent blindness to unenhanced vision, that is to the naked eye or to the eye with corrective eyesight devices. The protocol also notes blinding as an incidental or collateral effect of the legitimate military employment of laser systems, including laser systems used against optical equipment, is not covered by the prohibition, but admonishes parties to take all feasible precautions to prevent this. As such, various tiers of laser dazzlers are in active military use today, including across the U.S. armed forces, such as the man-portable rifle-like LA-9/P and the ship-mounted Optical Dazzling Interdictor, Navy (ODIN). Many larger designs like ODIN have a stated counter-drone capability already. A slide from a 2023 Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office (JIFCO) briefing detailing laser dazzlers in service across the US military, including the LA-9/P and ODIN. DOD Commercial drones and uncrewed aerial systems produced specifically for military use alike typically use some combination of electro-optical and/or infrared cameras to help with navigation and, in the case of weaponized designs, targeting. The operators of the FPV-type kamikaze drones designed to smash into their targets and detonate, as well as ones configured to drop munitions from above, that are in daily use on both sides of the battlefield in Ukraine, rely solely on those cameras to execute attacks, as can be seen below. A Ukrainian FPV kamikaze drone gracefully lands in the open hatch of a Russian tank. https://t.co/u0ER6mUuiK pic.twitter.com/tAjxwXboGX Special Kherson Cat (@bayraktar_1love) March 30, 2023 A Ukrainian drone from the 79th Air Assault Brigade drops a 40mm HEDP grenade on a Russian UR-77 Meteorit, causing a catastrophic payload explosion. pic.twitter.com/SsaQCKXsNL OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) August 14, 2023 In turn, fully disrupting a drone operators video feed, or even just heavily degrading it, can negate their effectiveness. FPV drones, in particular, can be moving so fast that just a brief loss of situational awareness can lead to them going well off course and/or crashing as a result. This is especially true when making their terminal attack runs. This has already been observed when it comes to the use of radio-frequency jamming to disrupt camera feeds and control links between drones and their controllers. Russian electronics warfare jamming system saves lives. Intercepted video feed from Ukrainian FPV drone trying to attack a Russian soldier on an ATV. But jamming equipment makes the Ukrainian operator lose control in the final moments, and the drone flies off into a tree instead pic.twitter.com/GCOqLxuP5a Fennec_Radar (@RadarFennec) May 31, 2024 In addition, whether a drone is armed or not, being able to blind its cameras impedes its ability to perform reconnaissance and surveillance tasks. As The War Zone wrote back in 2019 after protesters in Chile were spotted using laser pointers against a drone: Just blinding their optics and thus eliminating their reason for being overheadto capture video for various reasonscould be enough to deter some of them from flying in the first place. Tying in a few dazzlers dispersed around a large area into a counter-drone system with detection capabilities could make flying one over a denied area entirely useless in the first place. Many commercial drones also use optical and/or infrared sensors to help determine their general position, remain stable, and otherwise stay safely aloft. As such, blinding those sensors might be able to actually bring down certain uncrewed aerial threats. There are often built-in fail-safes, but these are generally designed to prompt the drone to automatically return to its operator or another known location, which would still cause a complete disruption of any attack or other malign activity. Lasers, as a rule, are sensitive to environmental factors, such as smoke, clouds, rain, or other particles in the air, which can break up a beam and reduce its effectiveness. The power of that beam drops as it propagates through the atmosphere and gets further away from the source, too. For a laser dazzler used for point defense against nearby marauding drones by blinding their optics when looking in the direction of the emitter, these factors would be less of a concern. As was seen years ago in Chile, commercially available hand-held laser pointers have proven to be powerful enough to have disruptive impacts on smaller uncrewed aerial systems, at least at very close ranges. A purpose-built and powerful counter-drone laser dazzler for vehicular use would still be relatively compact and otherwise easy to integrate. Multiple laser dazzlers arrayed around a vehicle or mounted in turrets with wide fields of regard could further increase the effectiveness of such a defensive installation against simultaneous aerial attacks. Laser turret assemblies and tracking gear used defensively on aircraft could be a useful starting place for developing such a system. Leveraging existing directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) technology already in use on airborne platforms, which employ miniature turreted lasers to blind the seekers on incoming infrared-homing missiles via precisely tracking and firing a modulated beam at their seekers, could be a great option. These laser pointer assemblies would have to evolve to be able to direct lasers designed to counter systems in the visual and ideally the infrared spectrum. DIRCM laser assemblies have progressively shrunk in size over the last 20 years. Now they are small and highly effective. (Northrop Grumman) DIRCM systems detect an incoming missile using staring multi-band electro-optical assemblies scattered around the aircraft and then direct the laser turret to engage the seekers of incoming threats. This could potentially be adapted for ground use with drones, but other sensor systems, including radars, could also be used for warning and cueing. The idea of adding dazzler-like systems to armored vehicles is not really new, although they were far less capable or directional in nature than the kinds we are describing in this piece. The Soviet Union developed a defensive system called Shtora-1 in the 1980s that was subsequently fitted to T-80 and T-90-series tanks, and was offered as an option for other vehicles. Shtora-1 prominently featured a pair of emitters designed to pump out pulsed infrared light primarily to disrupt laser designators and laser rangefinders used in conjunction with semi-automatic command to line-of-sight (SACLOS) anti-tank guided missiles. These infrared dazzlers have steadily fallen out of use in the Russian armed forces, though they remain in service elsewhere. Its possible that new, advanced, and highly directional drone dazzlers could also be used to disrupt certain guided missiles, as well as drones. A T-90 tank with the two infrared emitters that are part of its Shtora-1 system on either side of the barrel of its main gun switched on. Nicknamefqoff via Wikimedia #Ukraine: A very rare Russian T-80UK tank is still successfully used by the 93rd Mechanized Brigade of Ukraine after being captured 4 months ago. T-80UK is a commander version of T-80U which has a Shtora-1 APS, thermal sight and navigation system installed. pic.twitter.com/sHtL2yj45T Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) July 14, 2022 BAE Systems currently offers a vehicle-mounted DIRCM system called Terra Raven to provide soft-kill protection, primarily against incoming anti-tank guided missiles. However, company market material, as seen below, indicates that the system could be used against drones, as well. A rendering depicting a Bradley Fighting Vehicle equipped with BAE Systems Terra Raven engaging various threats, including a small drone. BAE Systems A rendering depicting a Bradley Fighting Vehicle equipped with BAE Systems Terra Raven, a soft-kill active protection system with a directional infrared countermeasures system as its effector, engaging various threats, including a small drone. BAE Systems Australia-headquartered Electro Optic Systems (EOS) is also now offering dazzlers as an add-on counter-drone option to some of its existing portfolio of remote weapon systems (RWS) like the Slinger and R800. The Laser Dazzler successfully showcased its ability to degrade, deny, and destroy the electro-optical sensors on typical UAS [uncrewed aerial systems], using a non-lethal, zero-collateral laser, according to a press release EOS put out just yesterday regarding a test of Slinger equipped with this additional capability. Laser light, being a single wavelength and coherent, travels far in a vacuum but disperses over distance in the atmosphere. The Laser Dazzler features bespoke beam-forming and optics engineered to achieve the necessary power density at operational ranges, tailored to specific tactical requirements, that release added. A picture that EOS released, seen below, which is said to show a dazzled drone suggests that the companys laser may also be higher-powered, or at least capable of operating in a more destructive mode, than what is typically considered a dazzler. What EOS describes as a Laser-Dazzled Mavic Mini Drone. EOS In addition, EOSs offerings are also self-contained turreted weapon systems that might not be as readily integrable onto a particular tank or other armored vehicle as a platform-agnostic distributed dazzler array. Such an array might be easier to combine with other existing self-protection capabilities on a particular platform, as well. This embedded content is not available in your region. For instance, small radars tied to existing hard-kill active protection systems or other 360-degree sensor arrays, like missile approach warning sensors typically used in conjunction with aircraft DIRCM systems, could also be used to cue the laser dazzlers to incoming threats. There is also the move to bring augmented reality x-ray vision to armored vehicles, by which crews can wear helmet-mounted displays (HMD) to see through the vehicles hull, including at night. Cameras arrayed around the vehicle provide a stitched spherical video feed very similar to how the F-35s Distributed Aperture System (DAS) works. Like DAS, such a system can also provide targeting information and alert crews to anomalies, threats, or items of interest. Locations of friendly forces and other data-linked info can also be superimposed on the users HMD to greatly enhance situational awareness. Melding both x-ray vision for crews and threat warning systems via a single set of distributed sensor arrays is already in the works for less complex platforms than the F-35. Such a system has been test-flown on the V-280 Valor tilt-rotor aircraft, for instance. The reverse is also happening, taking existing threat warning systems and giving crews X-ray vision capabilities. Merging these capabilities and timing them into countermeasure systems, like laser dazzlers, seems like a very attractive option for armored platforms. Integrating a counter-drone laser dazzler system could be further aided by the use of an open-architecture system to control all of a vehicles defensive capabilities, and potentially other functions. As of at least 2018, Lockheed Martin had been working to develop this exact kind of control architecture for the U.S. Army as part of a program called Modular Active Protection Systems (MAPS). With this in mind, its important to stress that counter-drone laser dazzler would work best as part of a broader layered array of defensive systems. Electronic warfare jammers, hard-kill active protection systems, high-power laser and microwave directed energy weapons, and traditional guns are all likely to be part of the equation when it comes to protecting tanks and other heavy armored vehicles from uncrewed aerial threats going forward. Its also worth noting that increasing advances in autonomous technologies driven by related developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning will present challenges for some counter-drone systems. The potential for dazzlers to help provide another anti-drone defense for tanks and other armored vehicles also raises the possibility of these being used in other contexts on the ground, including by infantry units. The U.S. Marine Corps recently put out a call for information about various possible counter-drone capabilities that individuals could carry, potentially attached to their existing service weapons. Dazzlers small enough to be fitted to standard rifles and carbines are already in U.S. military service as non-lethal systems to signal to, dissuade, or disorient potentially threatening individuals. The B.E. Meyers Glare Recoil shown in the video below is an example of a laser dazzler capable of being attached to standard infantry small arms that is in U.S. military inventory now. Laser dazzler and other future counter-drone capabilities will also be part of larger and more traditional short-range air defense (SHORAD) umbrellas that will have to keep up and maneuver with armored formations. In recent years, there has been a global resurgence of interest in dedicated short-range air defense systems to help protect ground forces broadly from drones, as well as other aerial threats, again at least partially spurred largely by observations of the conflict in Ukraine. Countering drones with a hard-kill SHORAD overlay will also be a key component for defending against these systems. But, perfect is the enemy of the good, and laser dazzlers, especially automated ones, could provide a rapidly deployable, relatively affordable solution for countering the most predatory of lower-end unmanned systems. They could also help provide a defense against anti-tank weapons that use infrared and optical seekers, on top of it. So, they seem to be the lowest-hanging fruit, and one that has been left unpicked, when it comes to dealing with this massive and quickly developing threat. Contact the author: joe@twz.com and tyler@thedrive.com Republican Presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI July 18 (UPI) -- Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination for president Thursday during the final night of the Republican National Convention, marking his first public speech since a failed assassination attempt over the weekend. "We rise together, or we fall a part," he said, looking across the cheering crowd of supporters who spontaneously broke in a chant of "Trump, Trump Trump!" "Tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States," he said. Amid heated debate, escalating campaign rhetoric and mudslinging, Trump has called for unity since the shooting Saturday in rural Pennsylvania and reiterated that Thursday night at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. "I am running to be president for all of America not half of America because there is no victory in winning for half of America," he said. Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump is hugged by his wife, Melania Trump, after speaking at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Thursday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI Before talking about politics, Trump launched into an explanation of what he experienced during the Saturday attack, when 20-year old Thomas Matthew Crooks, a registered Pennsylvania Republican, had crawled onto the roof of a nearby building, toting an assault rifle, and fired off a barrage of shots in the attempt on Trump's life. "You will never hear it from me a second time because it's too painful to tell," Trump said of the events that unfolded at the campaign rally. Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Thursday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI Crooks was killed by snipers within seconds of shooting at the former president, who has been sporting a large, white bandage on his right ear, which he said had been pierced by a bullet in the shooting. "I'm not supposed to be here tonight," Trump said to the crowd, who cheered in response. "Thank you," he said. "But I'm not. And I'll tell you, I stand before you in this arena only the grace of almighty God." Republican Presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI Trump said efforts have raised $6.3 million for the family of Corey Comperatore, a former volunteer fire chief, who was shot while trying to protect his wife and two daughters at the rally when the shooting occurred. In shifting to politics and policy, Trump blamed the Biden administration for turning "incredible success into unparalleled failure." Professional entertainer and wrestler Hulk Hogan arrives to speak at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday. The theme of the final day is Make America Great Again, with former President Donald Trump as the featured speaker. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI Trump criticized President Joe Biden's border policy and said Americans are being squeezed out of the labor force by "illegal aliens," and said "they're taking the jobs from our Black population, our Hispanic population." He said inflation has wiped out the life savings of U.S. citizens and forced the middle class into despair depression. Trump said less that four years ago, "we were a great nation, and we will soon be a great nation again." Professional entertainer and wrestler Hulk Hogan speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Thursday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI Trump said with proper leadership, the problems the country is enduring will be fixed and fixed quickly. He asked voters to support him this year, whether they had done so in the past or not. "I will bring back the American dream," Trump said. "That's what we're going to do. You don't ever hear about the American Dream anymore. With great humility, I am asking you to be excited about the future of our country." Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, stand with other Trump family members at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Thursday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI Prior to Trump's speech, former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan came onstage amid a cheering, raucous crowd, acknowledging a "vibe" that made him feel like he was back in his wrestling days, preparing to win "another world championship." "What I found out was I was in a room full of real Americans, brother," Hogan shouted. "And at the end of the day, with our leader up there, my hero, that gladiator, we're gonna bring America back together, one real American at a time, brother!" Former President Donald Trump arrives at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Thursday. The theme of the final day is Make America Great Once Again. Photo by David Banks/UPI Looking every bit the showman he has always been, Hogan, sporting long dyed blonde hair and mustache, a red stocking hat and sunglasses on his head, Hogan pulled off his blue sport coat to reveal a blue tank top emblazoned with an American flag, as he yelled in protest about Saturday's attempted assassination. "When they took a shot at my hero and they tried to kill the next president of the United States, enough was enough!" Hogan shouted, tearing off the tank top to reveal yet another tank top, and waving his arms. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday, July 18, 2024. The theme of the final day is Make America Great Again, with former President Donald Trump as the featured speaker. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI In the moments before his father was to accept the GOP nomination, Eric Trump, the former president's second eldest son and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, reflected on how close he came to losing his dad in the shooting Saturday, looking at his father while speaking. "Dad, five days ago, Laura, Luke, Carolina and I held our breath as we saw blood pour across your face," he said, referring to his wife and their two children. "By the grace of God, divine intervention and your guardian angels above, you survived," he continued amid cheers of "We love Trump" from the crowd. Delegates hold signs and wave flags at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday. The theme of the final day is Make America Great Again, with former President Donald Trump as the featured speaker. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI Trump -- who awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of doctoring business records to keep an alleged affair from the voting public in 2016 -- is the first convicted felon in U.S. history to be nominated for the presidency by a major political party. Fellow Republicans laid out their support in speeches leading up to Trump's acceptance speech Thursday night. Delegates hold an American flag at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday. The theme of the final day is Make America Great Again. Former President Donald Trump will accept his party's nomination. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI Former conservative talk show host and strident Trump supporter Tucker Carlson told the crowd that the former president is the funniest man he knows and said his policies will focus on America first. He criticized the current administration for failing to solve the opioid crisis and securing the border as well as for continuing to send weapons to Ukraine for its fight for survival against an invading Russia. Melania Trump, wife of former President Donald Trump, arrives at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday, July 18, 2024. The theme of the final day is Make America Great Once Again, with former President Donald Trump as the featured speaker. Photo by Matt Marton/UPI "A middle finger in the face of every American," Carlson said. Florida delegate and Dixie County GOP Chair Javnote Teague, a man with a pronounced southern drawl and sporting a cowboy hat and a blue sport coat, said he supports Trump because he has had the opportunity to compare administration's under Biden and Trump, and asked himself which one was better for his family-owned timber business. Musician Kid Rock performs at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Thursday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI "Rarely do you even see a presidential candidate where you can compare two track records," Teague said. "Here you can." "When we lived up underneath the Trump administration, we had a little bit more prosperity," Teague said of his timber business, adding fuel costs and other expenses associated with running his business are higher now than they were four years ago. Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump kisses the helmet representing firefighter Corey Comperatore who was shot and killed during a Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania, at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Thursday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI Speakers earlier in the night focused on Trump's record during his time as president, with Linda McMahaon, former chair of the Small Business Administration, describing the New York real estate mogul as "a job creator." "Donald Trump is not only a fighter, ladies and gentlemen, he is a good man," she said. A Trump supporter dressed like Uncle Sam outside the RNC in Milwaukee, Wis., on Thursday. The city of Milwaukee is hosting the 2024 Republican Convention. Photo by Paul Beaty/UPI Trump accepted his party's nomination against a backdrop of heightened political rhetoric and ramped-up religious fervor in the public arena. He is facing a president who arguably has been weakened by COVID-19 this week and is facing diminishing support among donors and members of his own party. During his convention speech Thursday, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was critical of Biden while voicing support for his former boss. He said Trump will be president different than the current one in many ways. Eric Trump, son of former President Donald Trump, speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Thursday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI "A president who will not check his watch while he is honoring his fallen brothers and sisters," Pompeo said, referring to a moment when Biden glanced at his wrist during the dignified transfer of the bodies of American soldiers killed in the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. "It was indecent," Pompeo continued. Television personality Tucker Carlson speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on Thursday. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI Pompeo blamed the "very weakness that we saw in Afghanistan" for Russian President Vladimir Putin's "butchery in Ukraine" as he criticized the Biden's administration handling of American's exit from the military conflict in the Middle Eastern country, despite it being the Trump's administration that in February 2020 signed a formal agreement with the Taliban to withdrawal all U.S. troops from the country. Pompeo was also critical of Biden's handling of the current war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and wrongly stated that Biden has refused to talk about hostages being held in Gaza "by the Iranian regime." Pompeo contrasted Biden's record with what he said happened during the Trump administration, which he said took hostages home when Americans were wrongly held. Pompeo cited his trip to North Korea to bring home three American pastors. "We brought them home," Pompeo said. "We brought them home along with dozens of other hostages and we did so without paying one single penny to the terrorists. " Pompeo went to say the U.S.-Mexico border is a "welcome mat for Islamist terrorists, drug dealers, Chinese spies and violent criminals." Amid a few cackles of laughter in the highly revved up crowd, Pompeo said the world "looks to the U.S." as what a free society should look like but that under the Biden administration, it has shown weakness. He made a glancing reference to Biden's age and physical stature, criticized the president for injecting "woke" ideology into the military and censoring free speech. Pompeo also said Biden has weaponized the U.S. justice system against political opponents, and claimed the Biden administration is appeasing terrorists and coddling undocumented immigrants, and added that Biden is not fit for the job of being president. "The truth that we all know and is so dangerous to our nation," he said. "The truth is that Joe Biden can't handle that 3 a.m. phone call. Indeed. He won't take a phone call after about 4 p.m." Pompeo was followed by other speakers in the run up to the Trump acceptance speech. A major internet outage affecting Microsoft is disrupting flights, banks, media outlets and companies across the world, with problems continuing hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. Airlines and airports in the United States, Europe, Australia, India and elsewhere were reporting problems, with some flights grounded. Retail outlets, banks, railway companies and hospitals in several parts of the world were also affected in what appeared to be an unprecedented internet disruption. Charlotte Airport flights stalled, global tech outage impacting CATS, city, state services Heres the Latest: City of Greensboro latest Greensboro Transit Agencies buses are being impacted by the outage. GTA says its experiencing issues with customer service functions, including ticket purchases. Currently, riders may only purchase printed one-ride passes. Multi-ride and unlimited ride passes are unavailable at this time. Additionally, The City of Greensboro states that the citys IT department has repaired over 100 laptops across the city impacted by the outage. Cone Health latest Cone Health confirmed in a statement that they are also dealing with the ramifications of the outage. All scheduled non-emergency surgeries at Cone Health have been postponed and some electronic systems are down forcing staff to use backup procedures such as paper documentation. Emergency services like heart and stroke care are still running. Urgent care and emergency departments are still open as scheduled. Practices are calling scheduled patients whose care is being impacted to inform them of any changes. PTI latest Multiple airlines with services out of Piedmont Triad International Airport such as Delta, American Airlines, Allegiant Air and United Airlines are experiencing delays. The airport itself says that multiple flights have been impacted by the outages and recommends checking with airlines for delays and cancellations. Photos taken of flight lists at PTI show most of the flights being delayed or canceled. FOX8s Sarah Winkelmann spoke to one traveler who drove from Charlotte and is experiencing a four-hour delay as well as another person whose flight has been delayed several times and is now contemplating renting a car to get to her destination due to concerns about her connecting flight. Charlotte Airport latest The FAA issued a ground delay around 8 a.m. at Charlotte Airport and several other airports around the U.S. By 6 a.m., 70-plus canceled flights and around 30 delayed flights were reported coming into Charlotte. 14-plus canceled flights and 10 delayed flights were reported coming out of Charlotte. Those stats are according to Flight Aware. Charlotte Airport said travelers should contact their airline directly but did not provide any other information. American Airlines said that a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. They said that around 5 a.m. they were able to safely re-establish our operation. Delta announced around 6:45 a.m. that they were pausing all global flights until the issue was resolved. The FAA announced Friday morning that theyd be assisting several airlines until the issue is resolved. Several airports including New Yorks Laguardia and Bostons Logan airports are closed. RDU latest Flights grounded at RDU as Microsoft takes blame for major technical outage Microsoft has taken the blame for global technical issues that initially caused a ground stop for Frontier Airlines Thursday night at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. As of Friday morning, the same issues are being felt by Delta and American. On Friday, Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike told the Associated Press that the issues are not a security incident or cyberattack. Instead, CEO George Kurtz said a defect was found in a single content update for Windows hosts. He said, This is not a security incident or cyberattack. Further, Kurtz said the issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion and that they were observing a positive trend in service availability. The global issue has caused issues as far away as Australia where disruptions are not only being experienced by airlines, but also by telecommunications providers, banks, and media broadcasters. Frontier Airlines lifted its ground stop Thursday night after a technical problem left passengers waiting in terminals for hours on Thursday evening, including at RDU. In a released statement, the airline said its flight operations were impacted by a major Microsoft technical outage. Frontier also said it was working with outside vendors to restore normal operations. The airline also said the outage affected other companies and said booking, check-in and access to boarding passes and some flights may be impacted. Frontier customers were left without answers after their flights were canceled. CBS 17 crews captured video of passengers caught in long-standing lines inside Terminal 2 at RDU, as well as dozens of people sitting down on the floor. Later in the night, the airline announced the ground stop had been lifted and its systems are gradually normalizing. We are in the process of resuming flight operations, the statement said. NCDMV experiencing outages NCDOT announced on X that they could not assist customers this morning at Drivers License offices and License Plate agencies as a result of the outage. German regional grocery chain temporarily shut hundreds of stores BERLIN A German regional grocery chain, Tegut, temporarily shut its 340 stores in the country Friday morning as the computer outage affected cash register systems. By early afternoon, more than half of the stores were open again. Banks in South Africa experience service disruptions for several hours CAPE TOWN, South Africa In South Africa, at least two major banks said they experienced service disruptions as customers complained they werent able to make payments using their bank cards at grocery stores and gas stations or use ATMs. Both said they were able to restore services hours later. Southern African regional airline Airlink also reported that its IT network and telephone lines were down because of what it called a global network outage, but said flights werent affected. London Stock Exchange experiencing disruptions, but trading not affected LONDON The London Stock Exchange says it is experiencing disruptions from the technology outage that has created chaos around the globe. The LSE says its regulatory news service was not working Friday morning, but the outage hadnt affected trading. We are currently experiencing a third party technical issue which is impacting some of our services, a London Stock Exchange Group spokesperson said in a statement. The exchange says its trying to resolve the problem as soon as possible. Long lines at many airports around the world, but some systems back online Long queues have formed at many airports around the world as the global internet outage hit check-in procedures for flights although in some locations systems were now back online. Berlins Brandenburg Airport was gradually returning to normal operations, the airport said in a statement, though some airlines had been forced to cancel flights after being hit with the outage from 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT). Passenger handling continued with some restrictions. Departures took place with restrictions. There are still waiting times. Unfortunately, some flights had to be canceled by the airlines. The airports systems have been restarted and we are gradually returning to normal operations, the airport said. German-based airline Eurowings, a budget subsidiary of Lufthansa, says it had to cancel German domestic flights as well as services to and from the U.K. because of disruption to its check-in and boarding processes. It called on people traveling inside Germany to book train tickets and submit them for reimbursement. In South Korea, several low-cost airlines reported problems, triggering delays in passenger boardings at Incheon International Airport, the countrys biggest airport, airport officials said. Jeju Air Co. said it was experiencing problems with ticketing and other services on its website. Air Premia Inc. said key services on its website, such as ticket bookings, cancellations and online check-ins, werent working. The website of Eastar Jet Co. wasnt accessible as of early Friday evening. Incheon airport officials and the countrys Transport Ministry said they were checking details of damages. AirAsia announced on its Thai Facebook page that its reservation and check-in system had been impacted and encouraged passengers to go to airports early as they might face slower check-in and longer lines. In the U.S., United Airlines said that the outage was impacting its computer systems and warned customers of potential flight delays. The carrier said some flights are resuming and it is issuing waivers to make it easier to change travel plans within its website. Cybersecurity company at heart of IT outage says the issue isnt a cyberattack or security incident LONDON The chief executive of the cybersecurity company at the heart of a worldwide Microsoft outage says it is working to fix a defect sent out in a Windows update. This is not a security incident or cyberattack, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz posted on X. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. Kurtz said there was a defect in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts werent affected. The company referred customers to its support portal for updates. Pharmacy chains in Norway report problems with providing prescription medication HELSINKI Two pharmacy chains in Norway said they are having problems providing customers with their prescription medicine and are facing substantial connection delays because of the global network problems. Several branches of the Apotek1 pharmacy have closed across Norway after being affected by IT issues, which also shut down the chains online sales, the Norwegian news agency NTB reported. The Boots drugstore and pharmacy chain also ran into problems delivering products to clients in Norway. Boots said that due to global network problems, you may experience challenges with ordering and possible delays in dispatches, NTB reported. Paris Olympics organizers say some Olympic delegations arrivals have been delayed PARIS Paris Olympics organizers say some Olympic delegations arrivals, as well as the delivery of some uniforms and accreditations, have been delayed because of the outage. The organizers said in a statement that ticketing and the torch relay havent been affected. Our teams have been fully mobilized to ensure the continuity of operations at optimum levels, organizers said. Internet outage causes problems at most doctors offices across England LONDON Britains National Health Service says a global internet outage is causing problems at most doctors offices across England. NHS England said in a statement that the glitch was hitting the appointment and patient record system used across the health service. The state-funded NHS treats the vast majority of people in the U.K. The NHS said the issue was affecting the majority of family doctors practices, but wasnt hitting the 999 number used to call for emergency ambulances. Airlines across the world report disruptions to flights Airlines across the world, from Thailand to Australia, India, the United States and several European countries, reported disruptions to check-in systems and other issues that caused flights to be grounded or delayed. With athletes and spectators from around the world heading to France for the Paris Olympics, the Paris airport authority says its computer systems are not impacted by the global outage, but several airlines and airports elsewhere are. As a result, this situation has an impact on the operations of airlines at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly airports: delays in check-in, delays and temporary suspension of some flights. Our teams are mobilized to orient and assist passengers, the airport authority said in a statement. In the U.S., the FAA said the airlines United, American, Delta and Allegiant had all been grounded. Thailands Suvarnabhumi Airport, a gateway to one of the worlds most visited cities, reported that some airlines were forced to check in passengers manually because of outages to their systems, while in the countrys second largest airport of Don Mueang, Air Asia was also checking passengers in manually. Director of Tourism of Thailand, the countrys tourism authority, told state broadcaster Thai PBS the issue was with Navitaire, an e-commerce platform for air travel, and up to six airports had been affected. In Germany, flights at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport were halted for several hours from Friday morning because of check-in problems, while some flights were canceled. An airport spokeswoman said flights resumed after 10 a.m. Issues were also reported in the busy European hubs of Amsterdam, Zurich and Rome. Baltic container hub in Poland suspends business WARSAW Baltic Hub, a major container hub in the Baltic port of Gdansk, Poland, says its battling problems resulting from the global system outage. Their entry gates are temporarily closed and they have suspended business, the Baltic Hub said in a statement. British broadcaster back on air LONDON Britains Sky News was broadcasting again after the outage knocked it off the air during the morning. The news anchor referred to printed notes as Sky News got back on the air. The broadcaster was able to deliver news online, on its app and website during the broadcast outage. Milans stock exchange index information restored ROME Borsa Italiana, the company that manages Milans stock exchange, said the correct disclosure of the index FTSE MIB has been restored. Earlier Friday, the company had said that the index hadnt been updated, without providing additional information. Israels Cyber Directorate attributes outage to cybersecurity platform Crowdstrike JERUSALEM Israels Cyber Directorate said on Friday that it was among those affected by the global outages, attributing them to a problem with the cybersecurity platform Crowdstrike. The outage also hit the countrys post offices and hospitals, according to the ministries of communication and health. A recording playing on CrowdStrikes customer service line said, CrowdStrike is aware of the reports of crashes on Microsoft ports related to the Falcon sensor. It attributed the problems to one of its products used to block online attacks. It said callers should monitor its customer support portal. 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 FOX8 WGHP. Update 8:35 p.m.: The Osage County, KS Sheriffs Office posted on social media that 28-year-old Shemaiyah Young was located and is safe. LYNDON (KSNT) Police and sheriffs deputies in and around the City of Lyndon are asking for help with finding a missing man who has physical and emotional disabilities. The City of Lyndon posted to social media just after 3 p.m. on Friday, July 19 regarding a missing man. The individual is being identified as 28-year-old Shemaiyah Young. He is 52, weighs about 100 pounds and has brown hair and eyes. There is an increased police presence in the City of Lyndon as law enforcement searches for Young. The Osage County Sheriffs Office also posted to social media, spreading the word about Youngs disappearance. They gave a description about the clothes he was last seen in along with the last time he was spotted. He has physical and emotional disabilities and appears to be much younger than his real age. He was last seen wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans around 10:30 at the Lyndon Jones Park. If you see Shemaiyah, please call 911. Osage County Sheriffs Office social media statement excerpt Drivers license services go down statewide in Kansas due to ongoing global IT issues (Photo Courtesy/Osage County Sheriffs Office) (Photo Courtesy/Osage County Sheriffs Office) For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf 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 KSNT 27 News. A Columbus man is asking for more than $10 million in damages after he says a 2023 vehicle collision left him seriously injured, according to a lawsuit shifted to federal court Friday. Jeffery Watson originally filed suit June 6 with the State Court of Muscogee County against Californian James Butcher, his South Carolina-based employer Awesome Amusements and companys insurer T.H.E Insurance Co. The lawsuit also mentions an unidentified man for being responsible and causing the back-up traffic. According to the suit, Watson was driving his pickup truck eastbound on Interstate 16 and slowed down when he approached traffic. A police vehicle with emergency equipment activated was at the bottom of an exit ramp. Butcher, who was driving a semi-truck behind Watson at a high rate of speed, suddenly smashed into the pickup truck, causing the truck and Watson to suffer damage and injuries, the suit said. According to the collision report filed by the Bryan Sheriffs Department, Butcher admitted that he saw Watsons vehicle and was unable to stop. The lawsuit claims Watson was violently jerked and twisted in his vehicle, resulting in serious injuries to his head, neck, back, shoulder, knee and body as a whole, which resulted in medical care, surgery and treatment that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Watson is requesting a jury hear the case. Awesome Amusements, Butcher and the T.H.E Insurance Company have responded to the suit, asking for its dismissal since they had not been lawfully served by Watson. They also argued that the damages sustained were of Watsons own negligence and that there is no clear and convincing evidence to support the case. WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. First, it was Memphis landing Elon Musks xAI supercomputer. Now West Memphis could be in the running for a massive $3 billion data center that could mean hundreds of new jobs. Recently, West Memphis City Council members talked about possible tax incentives for the technical facility that would possibly be built behind the Coca-Cola Company near Rainer Road. West Memphis, AR pursing $3 billion data center The project by an unnamed company has been cloaked in secrecy for months, but some say it could create as many as 300 new jobs. In the last several years, Crittenden County has really been coming to the top of industry and things, people trying to locate, said Arkansas state Rep. Milton Nicks. I think the state and the city have worked together to put utilities and things in place to make it really attractive. The City of West Memphis is keeping its fingers crossed that its in the running, but also keeping a tight lip on talking about the project because of a non-disclosure agreement. Nicks, whose district includes portions of Crittenden County and Cross County, is speaking out, saying West Memphis would be a good fit. I think if we can land that, it would be a plus. I know it will be for the Shelby County, Memphis area, but it would be a huge success and gift for Crittenden County and surrounding counties, Nicks said. It puts Memphis on the map: Tech expert explains significance of xAI Nicks said, much like the requirements of the Elon Musk xAI supercomputer project in Memphis, the data center would also require heavy water usage and power needs. Power would be supplied by Entergy Arkansas because the projects electrical demands are apparently beyond what West Memphis Utilities can offer. So, we can generate energy. Theres no problem. We can supply the need over in this area and I think thats why it has taken off, Nicks said. Last year, the state even created the Arkansas Data Center Act to help regulate the facilities. MLGW chief shares numbers behind xAI supercomputer in Memphis The unnamed company is still looking at different sites around the country, but many believe West Memphis is a leading contender. Nicks remains optimistic. So do some West Memphis residents. I think that could bring great income into the city. We need it. We need more jobs, especially for the youth, said West Memphis resident Florie Crisp. 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. On Friday 19 July, the US Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on the leaders of the hacking group Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR), which attempted to attack American critical infrastructure. Source: US Department of Treasury, as reported by European Pravda Details: The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on Yuliya Pankratova, the head of the Cyber Army of Russia Reborn, and its main hacker, Denis Degtyarenko. Since 2022, this "cyber army" has conducted "low-impact, unsophisticated DDoS attacks in Ukraine and against governments and companies located in countries that have supported Ukraine," and by the end of 2023, it had targeted industrial control systems of numerous critical infrastructure in the United States and Europe. Quote: "Using various unsophisticated techniques, CARR has been responsible for manipulating industrial control system equipment at water supply, hydroelectric, wastewater, and energy facilities in the U.S. and Europe," the report said. Among the particular incidents of Russian cyber intrusions, the US government cites a software failure in January 2024 that resulted in an overflow of water storage tanks in Texas, as well as interference with an American energy company's dispatch control and data gathering system. There is additional evidence that the Cyber Army of Russia Reborn planned more such operations on the United States. "CARR and its members efforts to target our critical infrastructure represent an unacceptable threat to our citizens and our communities, with potentially dangerous consequences," said Under Secretary of the Treasury Brian Nelson. This is not the first time the United States imposes sanctions against Russian cybercriminals. In May, US, UK and Australia imposed sanctions on Dmitry Khoroshev, the Russian leader of the LockBit hacker gang, which is responsible for the development and distribution of LockBit ransomware. In February, the US Department of Justice charged two Russian nationals, Artur Sungatov and Ivan Kondratiev, also known as Bassterlord, with active involvement in this hacker gang. Support UP or become our patron! Lee County man pleads guilty to first-degree murder in 2022 death of 5-year-old boy, ASP says LEE COUNTY, Ark. Arkansas State Police said a Lee County man has pleaded guilty after a boys body was found under the floor of a home in east Arkansas in 2022. ASP officials said in a Thursday night release that 34-year-old Nathan Bridges pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree battery in the death of a 5-year-old Blu Rolland in Lee County. ASP: Childs body found buried under Lee County home, second child injured According to the release, Bridges was sentenced to 60 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. On Dec. 16, 2022, police said the body of the 5-year-old was found under the floor of his familys home. The Lee County Sheriffs Office then requested assistance from ASPs Criminal Investigation Division. Authorities said they also investigated injuries suffered by a 6-year-old who lived in the home. Officials with the ASP said they later arrested Bridges and 30-year-old Ashley Rolland, the mother of the children. Authorities arrest four suspects in deadly shooting of teen in White County Rolland is facing multiple charges, including capital murder, permitting child abuse, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, endangering the welfare of a minor and battery. Authorities said her case is still awaiting trial in Lee County. 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. Turkey has signed an agreement that will see it granted exclusive rights to explore and produce hydrocarbons in three blocks in Somalia, building upon a relationship that started several months ago. Under the agreement, Turkey will explore each of the blocks, which represent a combined area of 5,000 square kilometres. On Thursday, the Turkish energy and natural resources minister Alparslan Bayraktar attended a ceremony to mark the signing of the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production Agreement held in Istanbul, along with the Somalian petroleum and mineral resources minister, Abdirizak Omar Mohamed. Bayraktar said in a statement that we are "sending the Oruc Reis ship to this region at the end of September, early October. The Turkish research vessel, owned by the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration in Ankara, will carry out research for a few months to identify exploration, drilling and oil discoveries, the minister added. It will carry a 50-person crew along with five support vessels to Somalia, in what Bayraktar described as historic step for both countries. Abdirizak Omar Mohamed said once the production starts, "it will be beneficial for both countries. It will also help the relationship between the two countries as well. In March, Turkey signed the initial cooperation agreement with Somalia pertaining to exploration and development of offshore oil and natural gas. Speaking on social media platform X at the time, Bayraktar said that with "this agreement, we will carry out joint activities to bring the resources of Somalia to the Somali people. We aim to strengthen Turkeys presence in the Horn of Africa with new collaborations in the field of energy. Earlier this week, Turkey also singed a declaration of intent with Niger to cooperate in oil and gas production. The decision was reached after a series of high-level meetings between Turkish and Nigerian officials in Niamey. According to the think tank, Carnegie Europe, Turkey is one of the worlds top energy consumers. Between 2001 and 2021, Turkeys overall energy consumption more than doubled, making it the country with the fastest growing energy demand in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Official government data show that the countrys electricity demand will grow by a further 55% by 2050. In 2021, 84% of Turkeys energy supply was generated from coal, natural gas or oil, signalling an ongoing reliance on fossil fuels. "Turkey signs agreement for oil exploration in Somalia" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Story continues The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Dramatic scenes unfolded on the streets of Leeds on Thursday as rioters clashed with police and set a double-decker bus ablaze. Footage of the events shows rioters overturning and destroying a police car, later throwing bricks at intervening officers. Police say they are still attending the serious disorder incident, confirming no one has been hurt at this stage. A statement from West Yorkshire Police said: We want to make it very clear that the full weight of the law will be brought against those responsible. Residents who have perhaps gathered to observe the incidents are asked to keep away from the disorder while officers manage the incident. A man throws an item onto a fire during unrest in Harehills, Leeds (@robin_singh/Instagram via Reuters) The force believes the events were instigated by a criminal minority intent on disrupting community relations, urging people to avoid social media speculation. An earlier statement from the police on Thursday stated officers attended and found an ongoing disturbance which involved some agency workers and some children. Are you at the scene or wish to share how this impacted you? Email alexander.ross@independent.co.uk Leeds City Councils chief executive Tom Riordan told BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Friday morning that the trigger was a family incident. He said: There was a family incident earlier in the day that police attended and our officials attended that the local community got concerned about and that appeared to be the trigger of concern for the groups of people. I cant go into any detail. It was a family incident and as always in Leeds we have outstanding rated services... it was an incident that was probably misinterpreted, I would say. A police car was overturned as part of the disorder (@robin_singh/Instagram via Reuters) Speaking as the events unfolded, local councillor Mothin Ali addressed the cause of the riots, which he called a travesty. It took an action by social services, he said. That action sparked a gathering of people. He added while the scenes were contained at first, the violence grew more drastic throughout the evening. He added: This sort of thing was just bubbling under the surface. First Bus, the operator who owns the damaged buses, has removed its vehicles from the Harehills area. A spokesperson said: A team from our depot was quickly at the scene to provide support to our drivers and customers. We can confirm that both drivers are unhurt and we have no reports of injuries to passengers. One of our vehicles has been set on fire but was empty as the customers had earlier been transferred to another bus together with the driver. Police say inquiries are still ongoing, and urge anyone with information to come forward using a specially made online service which officers are in the process of setting up. Photo via Getty Images An Arizona congressional delegation introduced bipartisan legislation to ratify and fund the Yavapai-Apache Nations Water Rights Settlement Agreement. The agreement would resolve the tribes water rights claims and bring additional water supplies to the Verde Valley and the tribe. Securing water rights and providing reliable water supplies are essential for the future of Arizona, Democratic U.S. Senator from Arizona, Mark Kelly said in a statement. This settlement is a significant step toward ensuring the Yavapai-Apache Nation and surrounding communities have the resources they need to thrive while also protecting the vital flow of the Verde River, he added. The Yavapai-Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement Act authorizes a little over $1 billion in funding for the tribe to build and maintain essential water infrastructure, including the Cragin-Verde Pipeline and a Surface Water Drinking Plant. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Our legislation provides critical support to strengthen the Yavapai-Apache Nations water future and ensures they have access to clean drinking water and efficient water infrastructure for generations to come, said independent U.S Sen. from Arizona, Kyrsten Sinema. Kelly and Sinema introduced the legislation to the Senate on July 11. Republican Congressman David Schweikert introduced a House version, H.R. 8949, on July 8 that is co-sponsored by Republican U.S. Reps. Debbie Lesko and Juan Ciscomani, along with Congressman Greg Stanton, a Democrat. H.R. 8949 promotes growth for the Yavapai Apache Nation by delivering critical resources, Schweikert said in a statement. The bipartisan bill provides the means to construct infrastructure to water sources, and Im proud to work with my colleagues on this important legislation. As part of the settlement, the Yavapai-Apache Nation will be guaranteed rights to 4,610 acre-feet per year of water, funding for water infrastructure within their community, promotion of water conservation, and protection of the flow of the Verde River. This is a critical milestone, not only for the Yavapai-Apache Nation but also for the future of the Verde River, YAN Chairwoman Tanya Lewis said in a statement. We are proud to have finally reached this moment and appreciate how hard each of the settling parties worked to achieve this comprehensive water rights settlement that will provide water certainty for the Nation and support a healthy Verde River that is cherished by so many people in the Verde Valley and across the state, Lewis added. The Yavapai-Apache Nation has more than 2,500 tribal members from five different tribal communities. Their tribal lands are located in the Verde Valley of Arizona. The Yavapai-Apache Nation Tribal Council approved the Yavapai Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement on June 26. The settlement resolves the tribes longstanding water rights claims in Arizona. The tribe will work with the Salt River Project, the State of Arizona, the Department of the Interior, local communities, and others to reach a final resolution. This resolution will bring more water supplies to the Verde Valley and help maintain the flow of the Verde River. Leslie Meyers, the associate general manager and chief water resources and services executive at the Salt River Project, commended Arizonas congressional delegation for their efforts to introduce this historic agreement. As a result of many years of negotiations, the settlement secures the Yavapai-Apache Nations water rights while facilitating renewable water supplies and cooperative water stewardship opportunities in the Verde Valley, Meyers said in a statement. The new pipeline will deliver water from the C.C. Cragin Reservoir to the Yavapai-Apache Nation and surrounding communities. The bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to plan, design, and construct the pipeline as a part of the Salt River Federal Reclamation Project. The costs relating to litigation settlement in the act include over $731 million for the Cragin-Verde Pipeline Construction, more than $152 million for the Yavapai-Apache Nations Surface Water Drinking Plant and Main Transmission Lines on the tribes land, and $156 million for the water settlement trust fund. Another part of the settlement includes a land exchange with the Forest Service to secure lands contiguous to the Middle Verde Reservation, enhancing community resilience and environmental stewardship. This landmark settlement honors our federal trust responsibility to the Yavapai-Apache Nation and protects the Verde River for generations to come, Stanton said in a statement. Im grateful for the Tribal Council, Salt River Project, and many others that worked tirelessly over 50 years to negotiate this agreement. As part of this settlement, the Yavapai-Apache Nation will waive claims for damages to water rights against existing water users in the Verde River watershed and against the United States. Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, said the state is proud to support the Yavapai-Apache Nation Water Rights Settlement because it will increase water security and sustainability in the Verde Valley. My administration is committed to partnering with Tribes on all water resource matters, including settling outstanding water rights claims, Hobbs said in a statement. The Yavapai-Apache have waited years for this day, and this legislation is proof of their steadfast efforts and advocacy. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST As with many in my generation, I can measure time in memes. On a recent purge of my photos, I found a meme lampooning the race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, who were, at the time, the sitting president and his presumptive opponent. The date in my camera roll: May 2018. I almost couldnt believe my eyes. Is this really how long weve been doing this? Im still young enough that six years feels like a long time. When I first laughed at that meme and tucked it away for future use, I was finishing up my sophomore year in high school. I had just gotten my drivers license. My biggest concern was preparing for the national tournament of my speech and debate league. Today, Im a college graduate, soon moving to my first independent apartment to start law school. My fiancee and I are planning our wedding. And yet the current political moment has a certain Groundhog Day quality to it: Im a different person than I was six years ago, but politics feels eerily the same. For as long as Ive been paying attention, Ive been told to put my support and my vote behind the lesser of two evils. In the conservative Christian circles I grew up inand which I still call my homethat naturally meant voting for Donald Trump. Sure, he was a liar and a narcissist. Sure, he was a philanderer. Sure, his religious ties were transactional at best. But he was the pro-life candidate, who would nominate pro-life judges, and maybe, just maybe, we would see the end of Roe v. Wade in our lifetime. I never quite bought that argument (though the latter part of it turned out to be even truer than its proponents realized). Growing up, the people I respected always told me that the Republican Party was the party of principle and discipline. It was the party of originalism over judicial activism, faith over secularism, and family and country over shrill self-interest. So I watched in dismay and confusion as the party slowly but surely tilted toward Trump and then coalesced around him, someone who seemed closer to Hugh Hefner than William F. Buckley. At 15, I was still green enough to be shocked by the cognitive dissonance on display. Most of my diehard Republican friends were cognizant of Trumps many foibles. But the pull of the lesser of two evils was strong. In large part as a response to the perceived hypocrisy of the right, I went on my own sort of political odyssey in high school. By 2020 I had staked out a moderate-but-enthusiastic center-left position. After being a #YangGang diehard in the primaries, I voted for Joe Biden without much excitement but with conviction that he was the candidate best positioned to stymie a singularly dangerous threat to the institutions of American democracy. The 2020 election and its immediate aftermath seemed to wholly vindicate this decision. Trumps ham-fisted attempt to undermine and overthrow the election, culminating in the climactic episode of January 6, 2021, felt like something out of a #Resistance Lib fever dream. If Trump wanted to prove his critics right, he couldnt have found a better way to do it. However, when President Joe Biden, who ran as the return-to-normality candidate, declared hed run for reelection despite growing signs of mental slippage, the cracks in the foundation started to show. My faith in the Democratic Party wavered, and then broke: How could they be so dishonest about tariffs? Or about the border? Or the Supreme Court? And above all, arent they seeing what the rest of us are seeing about Joe Biden? And when the dam burst on June 27, the night of the first presidential debate, Democrats showed themselves just as capable of sycophantic wagon-circling as the MAGA folks on the other side of the aisle. There is a cruel sort of irony to the fact that each candidate has so clearly sold out on what was at one time the reason to hold-your-nose-and-vote for them. Trump has lost interest (if he ever had it) in a nationwide abortion ban and is determined to keep mifepristone available nationwide. The Republican Party, as well as Trump surrogates arguably led by now-vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance, have dutifully fallen in line, and in doing so have dealt a serious blow to the institutional pro-life movement and its effort to shift the Overton window post-Dobbs. Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, it turns out that the save democracy candidate has spent months systematically concealing health issues that clearly affect his ability to lead the free world. Aided by a media establishment all too willing to turn a blind eye, Biden has left Democrats in the unenviable position of arguing that a shadow Cabinet ruling on behalf of an ineffectual figurehead is somehow the democratic option. Trump and Biden have each become what their respective supporters most feared: a social-conservative-in-name-only on the one hand, and a dishonest, power-hungry demagogue on the other. These dynamics could, on some level, be justified on pragmatic terms. Republicans need to moderate on abortion, lest they lose the election. Biden has no suitable replacement waiting in the wings, even as calls for his withdrawal continue. But these excuses fail to remind us how we got here in the first place. We chose these options, and we chose them because we lacked the courage to try anything better. Republicans didnt have to compromise on abortion until Trumps capriciousness and political toxicity made it inevitable. The Democrats didnt have to run a candidate fundamentally unfit to do the job until Bidens narcissism, aided by opportunists on his staff, made the alternatives untenable. Like the weak servant in the Gospel of Matthew, we have buried our one coin for fear of losing it, and like him, we now risk losing even that small sum as the price for our cowardice. We have spent so long kowtowing that we have let these lesser evils cling to us and ultimately consume us. Though this moment is bleak, it is not without hope. The recent assassination attempt against the former president serves as a stark reminder of the danger of catastrophizing. It has led to renewed calls for unity and a reduction in political vitriol from leaders of both parties. We can hope that the seriousness of the present moment reminds us that our integrity ought not be for sale. After all, the voice that demonizes and dehumanizes the opposition is the exact same one that says, Vote for me, no matter the cost to your own values! Now is the time for voters to reject this impoverished view of leadership, to reassert that character matters and that political compromise must always exist at the service of genuine goods. No political party can hold our votes hostage merely by not being the other guys. Resistance to the temptation of the lesser evil may or may not be futilebut acquiescence to it will certainly be. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. As President Joe Biden recovers from COVID-19 amid an apparent fight within the Democratic Party over his nomination for reelection, the president has received a show of support from a collection of Black women and allies. A letter with 1,400 signatories urges Biden to continue in the race and calls out those seeking to push him off the Democratic ticket. When black women vote in record numbers, democrats win The letter issued Wednesday titled BLACK WOMEN LEADERS AND ALLIES STANDING FIRMLY AND RESOLUTELY FOR PRESIDENT JOSEPH BIDENS PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION expressed support for Biden to stay in the presidential race. The letter notes its signatories strong support for the Biden-Harris campaign, noting the administrations accomplishments and agenda for a second term. The letter also argues that any change to the ticket should have been conducted through the primary campaign, noting that 14 million primary voters supported Biden and Harris in votes this year. The women represented in the letter also remind the party of the power of Black women voters. History also reflects that Black women are the most reliable voting Bloc for democrats, the letter states. When black women vote in record numbers, democrats win The White House, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governorships, state legislatures, mayors races and other local races across the nation. Pushing back against attempt to marginalize the voices of Black voters The letter was signed by several prominent Black women, including former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, the first Black woman ever elected to the Senate, and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Other signees include Democratic strategist and former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile and Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown. Brazile tweeted that she joined over 1,400 Black women in a letter of support for Biden, condemn lack of Democratic unity. I joined over 1,400 Black women in a letter of support for Biden, condemn lack of Democratic unity https://t.co/DEB4VIdHQh Donna Brazile (@donnabrazile) July 18, 2024 Brown tweeted that the women represented in the letter will not respond lightly to any attempt to marginalize the voices of Black voters (also including the 14 million voters in the primary), nor would they allow the elite Dems to step over Vice President Kamala Harris. We will not respond lightly to any attempt to marginalize the voices of Black voters (also including the 14 million voters in the primary) that supported the Biden- Harris ticket nor will we sit on the sidelines and allow the elite Dems step over our @VP. https://t.co/Q7FcnCdOZG LaTosha Brown (@MsLaToshaBrown) July 18, 2024 Divisions within Democratic Party The show of support comes at a critical time for Biden and Harris. Many Democrats, including some members of Congress, have called on the president to step aside as the partys nominee during the three weeks since last months poor showing at the first presidential debate. Top party leaders like Speaker of the House Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have also reportedly expressed their concerns to Biden. Meanwhile, he maintains support from the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and progressives such as New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Biden has looked to Black voters for support as he attempts to turn around his campaign. While he recovers from COVID at home, the next few days and weeks will be crucial for his campaign. The latest show of support from Black women is an important boost for Biden as he fights for his political survival. To the editor: I'm disappointed that The Times lauded Lynda and Stewart Resnick in its L.A. Influential series, ignoring the couples involvement in dealings that wrested control of California's precious water supply away from the public and into the hands of the Resnicks giant agribusiness. It's no wonder they have buckets of money to donate; their bucket is overflowing while others in the Central Valley are dying of thirst. Patrick Nolan, Los Angeles .. To the editor: I was shocked at the absence of union and L.A. County Democratic party leaders in L.A. Influential. State Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, the first female to lead the L.A. County Federation of Labor and Yvonne Wheeler, current president of the group, are at least as influential as Kris Jenner. Mark Gonzales and Mark Ramos lead the L.A. County Democratic Party, which led the charge for Mayor Bass election, thwarting the $100,000,000+ Rick Caruso spent to win. The Times is in love with glitz and money, but for most of the 10,000,000 people who live in L.A., minimum wage increases and healthcare matter more than Pom Wonderful. John Gallogly, Los Angeles .. To the editor: Jonson and Alice Chen, the new generation of leaders at 99 Ranch, were included in The Times L.A. Influential list. It is encouraging to see an ethnic grocery chain getting recognition, as their hard work reflects the accomplishments of many Asian Americans. In that spirit, I suggest they consider offering a 40-hour workweek instead of 36 to all their store employees, not just managers and department heads, as well as provide a few paid vacation days. Many store employees work a six-day workweek, but are denied paid vacation days because they dont work 40 hours. Thanks to the recent amendment by California, they now have five paid sick days a year. While offering paid vacation leave may be costly, it could be the 1% improvement the Chens strive for caring for your workers. Jackie Furman, Yorba Linda This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Letters to the Editor: Our reactions to images of the Trump shooting say a lot about us T-shirts referencing the shooting of former President Trump sold on the boardwalk in Wildwood, N.J., less than 48 hours after the incident. (Wayne Parry / Associated Press) To the editor: In the aftermath of the horrific shooting of Donald Trump, count me among those independent voters who embrace the bipartisan support for his speedy recovery and for condemnation of political violence in any form. But I fear that Republicans and Democrats will resort to campaigning with dueling images of the assassination attempt. That much can be deduced from looking at two photos in the L.A. Times. One accompanies the editorial, showing Trump's face beleaguered and bloodied as several Secret Service agents assist him from where he had fallen after being shot. The other one appeared on Page A6 and shows Trump defiantly raising his fist reflecting his sudden realization of that fraught moment's potential for a campaign-boosting photo-op. My hope is that Democrats won't use the former photo to bolster their criticisms of Trump's hostility toward meaningful gun control laws, and that Republicans won't use the latter photo to convey the supposed divine inevitability of his election. Probably a most unrealistic hope. Rona Dolgin, Los Angeles .. To the editor: While we can all be grateful that the former president was not critically wounded by the shooter, the image of former President Trump rising up "bloodied" and "defiant" sends the wrong message. Most victims of mass shootings are not powerful politicians protected by security details. They are more likely to be concertgoers, religious attendees and schoolchildren and teachers. The majority are unable to rise up, raise a fist and declare "Fight!" for the cameras. Let's be clear what the fight is about once and for all putting an end to this sickening gun violence. Nancy Kern, Los Angeles .. To the editor: Does anyone realize that the Trump show of strength is contrary to the whole purpose of Secret Service agents guarding a past president? The goal is to get the past president out of the line of fire for his own safety. As the agents surrounded and shielded the past president, as they are trained to do, Trump popped up his head and pumped his fist, placing himself and the agents as easy targets for any remaining shots. His instinct for showmanship totally overtook his accountability for safety. Is this really the person we want to be commander in chief? Do we want a leader who prioritizes showmanship over responsibility? Is the image of strength really more important than good judgment? Marvin Gordon, Laguna Beach .. To the editor: Having published a long series of articles and opinion pieces questioning President Biden's cognitive powers, The Times now puts Trump on the front page as a hero. Which of the candidates, Trump or Biden, consistently opposes gun control? Which of the candidates urged his followers to attack Congress on Jan. 6? Which constantly uses defamatory and inflammatory language in his speeches? Which is a convicted felon, found liable for sexual assault, thief of classified documents, a self-confessed would-be dictator? Trump is no hero. If the apparent attempted assassination was an actual attempt by a disaffected registered Republican, then Trump has only himself to blame. And The Times mistakes its mission as an organ of a free press in portraying him as an image of strength. Maureen Sheehy, Van Nuys .. To the editor: What a difference perception makes. As he was surrounded by men trying to save his life at their own risk, I saw a stupid man exposing himself to a potential killer (or killers) several times in order to raise his fist. Erica Ferro, Torrance This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Renters find life less worthwhile than homeowners, according to a government report. Tenants are more likely to report lower levels of happiness and live in poor quality housing compared to those who own their own homes, the annual English Housing Survey found. The survey which examines housing quality in the UK and the impact it has on wellbeing asked more than 11,200 households the question: Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile? and also told them to give a score out of 10, with 0 meaning not at all. The survey found that renters were less likely to agree their life was worthwhile while owner occupiers generally gave higher scores. In addition, private renters were the most likely out of all tenures to live in unsafe properties. More than one in five tenants around one million people lived in dwellings not considered decent under modern housing standards, compared to 13pc for homeowners. A further 572,000 renters lived in homes with potentially life-threatening or Category 1 hazards, while 441,000 lived in damp homes, based on the physical inspection of over 5,500 randomly selected houses. Renters were more likely than homeowners to live in these conditions. For example, 10pc of renters lived in homes with damp, compared to just 2pc of owner occupiers. People in damp homes reported feeling more anxious than those without damp in their property. However, the report also found that renters had lower levels of life satisfaction and happiness than homeowners regardless of whether they lived in a decent or non-decent home. Felicia Odamtten, of think tank the Resolution Foundation, said: The latest English Housing Survey lays bare the poor quality of housing that far too many private renters are forced to contend with. The new government should use legislation and regulation to improve conditions in private rented accommodation, and the introduction of the Decent Homes Standard is a good place to start. The Government has announced plans to apply a Decent Homes Standard to the private rental sector as part of the Renters Reform Bill. For a house to be considered decent, it must meet the minimum statutory standard for housing as assessed using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. This is to ensure properties are free from hazards such as mould, asbestos or water supply problems. Category 1 hazards are those that could cause serious harm such as death or loss of limb. But since it was introduced in 2001, the Decent Homes Standard has only applied to the social rented sector. Despite proposals to extend it to the private sector, for years there has been no legal minimum quality standard to protect tenants, resulting in more people living in poor-quality homes. In 2022-23, 3.5 million households lived in a home that failed to meet the Decent Homes Standard, up 100,000 on the year before. MPs wanted at the beginning of this year that improving home quality in the private rental sector was urgently needed to prevent early death and ease pressure on the NHS. As well as promising to apply the Decent Homes Standard to the private rental sector, Labour pledged to reintroduce plans for a ban on no-fault evictions in the Kings Speech. Ending Section 21 was a Conservative manifesto pledge but it did not reach royal assent before Parliament was dissolved ahead of the general election. Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said the threat of no-fault evictions had deterred tenants from challenging landlords who failed to carry out repairs. She said: Thousands are being trapped in mouldy, cold, and unaffordable homes that leave them feeling hopeless. Many are prevented from speaking out for fear of an unfair eviction, and those who do are often met with silence or find nothing is done. However some experts have warned that Section 21s abolition could leave landlords without the means to evict problem tenants. Nathan Emerson, chief executive of estate agency body Propertymark, said that if there is not adequate provision in the court system the move could be detrimental for both landlords and tenants. 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. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) With tinder-dry grasses creating greater fire risks, Great Basin National Park is working to stop wildfires before they can grow. Lightning storms on Wednesday caused two fires and another false alarm in the park, which contains some of the oldest living organisms on earth bristlecone pines. Great Basin National Park provided these updates Thursday on firefighting efforts: The 0.1-acre Mill Creek Fire was reported in the Mill Creek drainage northeast of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive at 4:33 p.m. on July 17. Three smokejumpers and two engines responded to the blaze, and their efforts contained and controlled the fire this morning. The 0.1-acre Pyramid Peak Fire was reported on the flanks of Pyramid Peak at 7:41 p.m. on July 17. Helicopter reconnaissance and size-up of the fire is scheduled this afternoon. A report of fire near Lehman Flats at 3:32 p.m. on July 17 was investigated by firefighters, who found no active fire. Elsewhere in the state, the 173-acre Leach Fire is currently the largest active fire in the state, located in Elko County near the Utah border. No other fires are more than an acre in size, according to the Nevada Wildfire Information Dashboard. The 17,275-acre Wilder Fire and the 1,100-acre North Creek Fire are both out after starting on the same day, July 7. The last major fire at Great Basin burned 4,700 acres in 2016, leaving one firefighter dead after he was struck by a falling tree as he fought the blaze. There are currently no restrictions on public access in the park. Officials asked the public to respect active firefighting efforts and avoid areas where firefighters are working. While campfires, barbecues, and wood stoves are currently permitted, please use extreme caution with any sources of ignition, and if you choose to have a fire, be sure it is dead out before going to sleep or leaving your campsite, a news release advised. Report smoke or fire by contacting a park ranger or dialing (775) 289-1925. 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. A lightning storm ignited multiple fires in the Sequoia National Forest nearly a week ago. California Interagency Incident Management Team 14 is currently managing four wildfires Acorn, Packsaddle, Trout, and Long. "Each fire presents its own hazards to the firefighters working in the forests harsh terrain," forest service officials stated in a daily fire update. To help ensure crews are safe, four medical teams have been deployed to the fireline and a "rescue-capable" aircraft is on standby, forest service officials said. An evacuation warning has been issued by Tulare County Sheriffs Department for the area north of the Long Fire and south of Kennedy Meadows. Sequoia National Forest lands, roads, trails, and recreation sites around the Trout, Long, and Packsaddle fires are temporarily closed and fire restrictions are in effect. Trout Fire The Trout Fire is northeast of Isabella Lake in the Dome Land Wilderness south of Sherman Pass Road and southwest of Bald Mountain in Tulare County. As of July 19, the fire has burned 10,489 acres and has 0% containment. The U.S. Forest Service reported that recent weather conditions have worked against firefighting efforts. Thunderstorms brought strong outflow winds and lightning to the Trout Fire, but little rain. Long Fire The Long Fire is northeast of Isabella Lake in the Dome Land Wilderness southwest of the Long Valley Campground in Tulare County. As of July 19, the fire has burned 8,661 acres and has 0% containment. The Long Fire continued burning in light vegetation and spread rapidly on July 18. The area continued to experience hot and dry weather unlike the Trout Fire to the north, forest service officials said. Aircraft dropped retardant to slow the fires spread to the north while helicopters supported the firefighters along the southern portion of fire perimeter with water drops, according to U.S. Forest Service. Packsaddle and Acorn fires The Packsaddle Fire is burning north of Isabella Lake, roughly four miles east of Fairview Campground and the Upper Kern River in Tulare County. It burned 47 acres and has 95% containment. The Acorn Fire is southwest of Isabella Lake near Breckenridge Campground in Kern County. It burned five acres and also has 95% containment. Both of these fires remain in a patrol status with crews monitoring the fire perimeter to ensure there is no threat of flare-up or escape, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Weather and air quality The Trout and Long fires could increase in size as the atmosphere becomes increasingly unstable, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Neither the Trout Fire nor Long Fire are expected to see thunderstorms on July 19 but winds remain in the forecast. Winds are predicted to affect the Long Fire in the afternoon with gusts up to 20 miles per hour possible. The warming, drying trend, along with critically low relative humidity levels, is likely to continue through the weekend. Both fires continue to be active, with the Trout Fire being the larger smoke producer of the two. Smoke is expected to increase in Porterville and Springville on July 20, according to the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program. The smoke along the front range of the Sierra Nevada will likely increase starting late July 19 and be slow to leave the following morning. By the morning of July 21, smoke will lessen in the foothill communities but increase in the Owens Valley and northward along Highway 395. This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Firefighters battle four fires in Sequoia National Forest Little Rock methamphetamine ring leader sentenced to over 16 years in federal prison LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A Little Rock man will spend more than 16 years in federal prison for being one of the leaders of a large-scale methamphetamine ring. Brian I. Wilson, 37, along with 36-year-old Adan Mendoza of Dallas, received a 200-month sentence in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Little Rock man given 20 years in federal prison after setting fire to two coffee shops The two had pleaded guilty in March to their part of a 20-count nine-defendant indictment returned by a federal grand jury in 2022. As part of their plea, each man was held responsible for distributing 5-15 kilograms of methamphetamine, which carries a 10-year minimum sentence under federal law. Batesville man arrested after authorities find $1 million in methamphetamine during search Each man was also assigned five years of supervised release after completing their prison term. There is no parole in the federal prison system. The investigation into Wilson began with officials spotting him meeting with Mendoza in Dallas in 2021. Mendoza had been under investigation since 2019, officials said. Lawmakers approve crucial $4 million for Arkansas Drug Task Force During the investigation, investigators said a confidential informant purchased a kilogram of methamphetamine from Wilson on two different occasions. In February 2022, investigators also seized five kilograms of methamphetamine and one kilogram of cocaine from Wilson as he was returning from a trip to Dallas. Sherwood woman sentenced to federal prison on money laundering charges DEA officials said the agency investigated with assistance from the Arkansas State Police, North Little Rock Police Department, Little Rock Police Department, Lonoke County Sheriffs Office and Arkansas Community Correction. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. The outage shut down courts for the day and scrambled flights, but did not appear to hit most state or local agencies hard. Illustration by fotomek/stock.adobe.com. State and local officials in Maryland were responding Friday, like the rest of the nation, to broadbased network problems that developed overnight during a routine update of CrowdStrike software. The company said the problems were caused by a defect found in a content update for Windows Mac and Linux systems were not affected and it assured customers that the outage was not the result of a security breach or a cyberattack. The issue still hobbled airline travel across the country and is affecting some government and private business operations. State courts shut down for the day, but no other parts of state or local government appeared to be dealing with major problems as a result of the outage. Maryland Matters has been following the story as it develops. 5:26 pm, Friday, July 19 Comptrollers office, alerted overnight, gets all systems back by afternoon By Bryan P. Sears Roughly 500 employees in the Office of the Comptroller were also affected by the update-caused outage. In a statement Friday, Comptroller Brooke Liermans office said the agencys internal monitoring system alerted workers overnight to several systems that went offline after the update. The agency opened four sites to assist with repairs for 500 employees who had affected devices. Most systems were restored by 11 a.m. Most users were back online three hours later, and by 2 p.m., all systems at the Office of the Comptroller were back online. No taxpayer or agency data was compromised, according to the statement. 4:07 pm, Friday, July 19 State makes progress toward restoring services, some still down By Bryan P. Sears Some departments continue to experience issues related to the CrowdStrike software update, but agencies have made significant system restoration progress, Gov. Wes Moore (D) said in an afternoon update to his earlier statement. Contractors and health care providers continue to experience problems using Maryland Health Department systems, and Moore said some department-operated facilities, including the Division of Vital Records, were affected. Those problems also affect local vital records offices. The statement also said the department continues to monitor outages at major hospital systems. Moore said the Department of Information Technology is working with affected agencies on work-arounds. We are grateful for the strong and ongoing partnership of county and local governments, critical private and nonprofit operations, and all key stakeholders affected by this global incident. And we appreciate the cooperation and patience of Marylanders as we work together to fully address outages that remain unresolved, Moores statement said. Read his full updated statement here. 3:40 p.m., Friday, July 19 UMMS says full recovery will likely take days By Danielle J. Brown The University of Maryland Medical System is beginning to transition to normal operations. But that could take a few days, UMMS communication staffer Karen Warmkessel said in an email. UMMS was impacted by the global CrowdStrike cyber incident across multiple hospital sites and other locations, requiring member organizations to implement what are known as downtime procedures. These are commonly used alternative processes for recordkeeping and operations that allow us to safely care for patients during any kind of IT disruption, she said. At this time, all UMMS member organizations have started to transition away from downtime procedures to normal operation as we recover from this incident. We anticipate that full recovery will take a few days, but we remain open to care for patient needs at this time. 3:25 pm, Friday, July 19 Baltimore County officials ask for patience By Bryan P. Sears Baltimore County officials continue a full review of each computer system following the outage. Sean Narron, a county spokesperson, said the county opened its Emergency Operations Center around 7:30 a.m. Friday. Were continuing to work and identify problems, 911, emergency operations, core county services, all remain operational, said Naron. We are testing each system one by one to identify any systems that may have continued outages. For example, if we work with a vendor, that vendor might have a service and that service is impacted. Were trying to identify those one at a time, and well be continuing to address these issues. Were asking for patience and encouraging folks to be patient as we work through to identify them in triage, he said. 3:08 pm, Friday, July 19 Hauling permit system service temporarily affected By Bryan P. Sears The outage left many state transportation systems untouched, but it did affect at least one system within the State Highway Administration: After being offline for much of the mornig, the Maryland One hauling permit system was brought back online just before noon Friday. The system allows for the electronic filing of permit requests to haul oversized and overweight vehicles on state-maintained roads and in Baltimore City. Customers enter route and other information into the system, which then calculates the safest route, according to a department spokesperson. 2:39 p.m. Friday, July 19 By Danielle J. Brown Maryland courts to resume operations Monday Bradley Tanner, public information officer with the states court system, said in an email that the Maryland Judiciary has restored all major systems and is presently working on individual desktops. We anticipate all facilities will reopen on Monday, July 22, he wrote. 2:33 pm, Friday, July 19 Howard County restores critical systems By Bryan P. Sears Howard County officials scrambled to restore 911, financial and other systems brought down by the CrowdStrike update. In a statement, Howard County Chief Administrative Officer Brandee Ganze said systems in the county were immediately affected after the cybersecurity company pushed the update just before 1 a.m. Our Department of Technology and Communication Services worked to immediately restore critical systems first, including our 911 operations center, financial systems, and all other high priority systems, Ganz said in the statement. We have secured our internal systems and will continue to evaluate for any potential threats to our environment. Ganz said technicians continue to assist employees that may have encountered system disruptions as a result of this outage. 2:01 p.m. Friday July 19 Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) experiencing minimal impact from outage By Danielle J. Brown John Hopkins Medicine said in a news release that its facilities are open and providing patient care. JHM is aware of the Microsoft and CrowdStrike technology outage and is currently experiencing minimal impact to our normal IT functions, the statement says. JHM has emergency preparedness protocols, including downtime procedures, in place that ensure the health system is able to maintain continuity in our operations and ability to continue to provide safe, high quality care in the event of an outage, like this, it says. 2:00 pm, Friday, July 19 Montgomery County government says it is not affected By Bryan P. Sears Montgomery County government operations appear largely unaffected by the CrowdsStrike outage, according to a county spokesperson. In an email, Montgomery County officials said the county does not utilize CrowdStrike software, and therefore, most County IT systems are unaffected by this issue. However, third-party software solutions that use CrowdStrike may be impacted. 1:42 p.m. Friday, July 19 Board of Nursing website now working By Danielle J. Brown The Board of Nursing comes back online, according to David McCallister with the state health department. 1:40 p.m., Friday, July 19 CrowdStrike continues to work on a fix By Bryan Sears In a statement, CrowdStrike said it continues to work on what it described as a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. That update has caused some Windows users to experience the so-called blue screen of death freeze. Not all Windows users are affected. Mac and Linux systems were also not affected. The company issued an update and a series of suggested workaround steps for systems that continue to experience outages. 1:07 p.m. Friday, July 19 Maryland Health Department, related entities have varying degrees of IT issues By Danielle J. Brown The Maryland Department of Health, providers and contractors are currently experiencing varying degrees of technical issues related to the CrowdStrike platform issue, department spokesperson David McCallister said in a Friday statement. Outages are impacting MDH-operated facilities, including the Maryland Board of Nursing, and our Vital Records department, including local vital records offices. Internet connectivity is not currently available at many of our buildings; however, locations are slowly coming back online, he said. We are working rapidly to assess the situation, address the systems issues, and to work with our healthcare partners to help address any statewide issues they may be experiencing, he said. 12:24 a.m. Friday, July 19 MedStar Health reports it has been largely unaffected By Danielle J. Brown MedStar Health does not use CrowdStrike services and has fortunately not been affected by the outage, according to Marianne Worley, vice president of public relations and communications for MedStar Health. 11:52 a.m. Friday, July 19 Maryland Hospital Association: Some hospitals are seeing some disruptions By Danielle J. Brown The association overseeing Marylands hospitals reported that a number of Maryland hospitals are still seeing some disruptions due to the Microsoft outage. Hospitals across the state are open and operational, however some are cancelling elective procedures, according to the Maryland Hospital Association statement. Issues include problems with access to electronic health records, transcription services, prescription and other cloud-hosted software systems. Many business systems, such as budgeting and care coordination, are also affected, the statement said. 11:20 a.m., Friday, July 19 Moore says state working with county, local governments By Bryan Sears Gov. Wes Moore (D) said the state was working with county and local governments, critical private and nonprofit operations, and all key stakeholders affected by this outage to minimize any disruptions to the Marylanders affected by this global event. His statement did not outline what state agencies had been affected. He said a full review is underway. And after conducting a full review of all state systems, I am confident we know the issues that need our attention, and we will work continually until all systems are back to normal operations, the statement said. The outage disrupted air travel nationwide, and Moore said that while state systems at Baltimore/Washington International Airport are all working as intended specific airlines may have been affected by the incident and travelers should check with individual airlines for updates on any delays or cancellations. Moore added that 911 systems have remained resilient. The governors complete statement can be found here. 11:20 A.M. Friday, July 19 University of Maryland Medical System determining the impacts of outage By Danielle J. Brown Tyler Waldman, media coordinator for the University of Maryland Medical System, said in a written statement that UMMS is in the process of determining the impacts of the global cyber incident across our organization. We can confirm that each of our member organizations have implemented downtime procedures to ensure orderly operations and patient safety, he said in the written statement. 10:16 a.m., Friday, July 19 Air travelers should expect delays, state warns By Bryan Sears The CrowdSource outage is causing widespread flight delays, and state transportation officials urge anyone who is flying today to confirm their travel schedule with their respective airlines. The issue is impacting several airlines that operate at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Travelers are asked to confirm flight status with their airline prior to arriving at the airport, and to be patient and expect delays, according to a statement from the Maryland Department of Transportation. David Broughton, a Transportation spokesperson, said a couple of airlines at BWI are reporting issues. Southwest Airlines, the major carrier at the airport, was not. Broughton said state transportation officials are warning that some might experience longer than normal wait times. The department said police and fire personnel were at the terminal, in case of any passenger emergencies. Airport staff is distributing water for passengers in line. The outage had a minor impact on the states toll facilities, but the department said, Maryland EZPass users may experience longer than normal wait and processing times for toll transactions. 9:51 a.m. Friday, July 19 Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System (MIEMSS) back online By Danielle J. Brown MIEMSS reports that its eMEDS website has been restored. Please be aware that several hospitals are still recovering from this nationwide outage as systems come back online. Current findings indicate that this is not being classified as a cyber or security attack. Our eMEDS data remains secure and uncompromised, according to a MIEMSS email update. 9:25 a.m., Friday, July 19 Lottery operations largely unaffected by outage By Bryan Sears Maryland Lottery officials said they experienced only minor disruptions because of the outage. Seth Elkin, a spokesperson for the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, credited the minimal disruption to the daily schedule that shuts some lottery systems down for several hours overnight. Our terminal system is shut down overnight from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. daily, Elkin said. Its not possible to purchase draw game or Fast Play tickets during those hours, though scratch-off sales are possible, since those tickets are preprinted rather than being generated by the terminal system. As of mid-morning, Elkin said the agency was not experiencing any other problems related to the CrowdStrike outage. The post Live coverage: Maryland grapples with CrowdStrike outages appeared first on Maryland Matters. NEW LONDON, Conn. (WTNH) A New London man was arrested after he ran into the Thames River to avoid police. One arrested during attempted street takeover in Middletown A woman called 911 on Thursday afternoon reporting that she had been assaulted, and provided a description of the suspect. The suspect, Richard Kaczmarczyk, 59, fled the scene as police arrived and ran over train tracks and into the Thames River, temporarily ceasing Amtrak operations. He was surrounded by many mutual aid law enforcement units, including the Coast Guard, for over an hour until he surrendered. Kaczmarczyk was taken into custody and transported to the hospital. It was later discovered that he was wanted on eight active arrest warrants. He was charged with interfering with police, breach of peace and violation of a protective order, as well as five other charges, as a result. 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 WTNH.com. It appears that not everyone at the Republican National Convention was loving Donald Trumps nomination acceptance speech Thursday night. What began as an intense retelling of Trumps attempted assassination at a rally on Saturday gradually devolved into the same meandering, anti-immigration fearmongering Trump has touted throughout his campaign. Dispatches on X, formerly Twitter, from within Milwaukees Fiserv Forum said that Trump had a little trouble holding the crowds attention, as his speech stretched to one hour and 32 minutes, the longest nomination acceptance speech on record. People starting to leave. Loud chattering on fringes of the arena, wrote Edward Luce, an associate editor at the Financial Times, who weighed in a little over an hour into Trumps speech. Trump is boring the audience. Around the same time, The Atlantics Tim Alberta wrote that even in the middle of the crowd, people were growing impatient. Im standing 10 feet from the stage, in a sea of diehards, and some are getting restless. Checking phones, stealing glances at the teleprompter, whispering about when it will be over, he posted. Wajahat Ali, a columnist for The Daily Beast, wrote that there were a lot of concerned faces in the RNC crowd right now. Definitely a different energy from an hour ago. I think some people are going, Uh whats happening, he said. While the energy in the room started high, with a wild appearance from Hulk Hogan and a weird rap performance from Kid Rock, Trump couldnt keep the excitement alive as he worked his way through all the same beats as ever, sounding a bit more subdued than in his typical rants. An LGBTQ bar that has been a mainstay of Cathedral City for over 30 years announced this week it will be closing amid a dispute with the city over code and occupancy issues. The closure of The Barracks also comes months after an allegation that it violated the terms of its state liquor license by hosting lewd conduct. The owner of the business says he plans to relocate the bar to Phoenix and possibly expand to other cities. The Barracks has catered to the LGBTQ leather subculture since it first opened its doors under the name WOLFs inside a sprawling warehouse-like space near Cathedral Citys border with Palm Springs. Its website touts that it is known for its large and boisterous Sunday beer bust parties as well as hosting a variety of themed events. On Wednesday, a statement was posted on The Barracks website and social media pages saying the bar will be closing at the end of business on Sunday, Aug. 4. We want to thank all of you the LGBTQ+ Community for all of your support, love, connections and friendship over these past 31 years, the statement read. It has been our deepest honor and privilege to serve you. The statement also said that the state was set to revoke the bars liquor license the next day, Aug. 5. The website for the California Department of Beverage Control shows that it filed a legal action in June over alleged lewd conduct at The Barracks. A spokesperson for the department confirmed that it received a public complaint regarding the bar that led to an investigation by the department that is still ongoing. He added that no final disciplinary actions have been taken, meaning that it is not accurate that the bars liquor license was to be revoked on Aug. 5. After an inquiry from The Desert Sun, The Barracks responded through its Facebook account saying it had no further comment beyond the social media posting. The closure was announced just a few days after owner Scott Murchison wrote a post on the same Facebook page saying he wanted to clear the air and set some things straight regarding wild rumors that had been circulating about the fate of the bar. He wrote that the city had decreased the bars occupancy and was requiring it to make over $100,000 in upgrades to the bars aging building. Murchison wrote that the bar was negotiating with government officials and had also been exploring opportunities to expand The Barracks to Arizona, Florida and Georgia. He asked the bars fans to stay turned for lots of exciting things coming both in the Coachella Valley and beyond. City Manager Charlie McClendon said it's untrue that the city had decreased the bar's allowed occupancy. He wrote in a statement: "The building has always been designated with a legal occupant load not to exceed 49. When the occupancy exceeded that number, they were operating outside of the authorized occupancy. The City never made them cease operations because of occupancy issues." McClendon added that the city had been working with the business on ways to get its legal occupancy increased to 400, a process that required the business to submit plans by late July and complete improvements by late December. As recently as this week, McClendon wrote, the city had received plans for some of those improvements. He said the city's required improvements to the building, including fire sprinklers, exit signage and "panic hardware" on exit doors, are common measures in larger establishments and that such local requirements are allowed under state building and fire codes. McClendon said he was especially concerned by allegations he'd seen that the city was harassing the business because it's LGBTQ oriented. He pointed to several ways in which the city has shown its support of LGBTQ businesses, residents and customers, including its annual LGBT Days observation and LGBTQ liaisons in both the city manager's office and police department. Film director and playwright Del Shores speaks about the late actor Leslie Jordan while competing in the annual Bed Race and Parade during Cathedral City LGBT Days in 2023. The city's police, fire and code enforcement departments have never entered the bar except in response to a call for service, McClendon added. He said data since July of 2023 shows there were 16 medical aid calls at the business, one code enforcement call over noise and 39 police calls for issues common to a bar or other business, such as noise complaints, thefts and public intoxication. "I am proud to work for Cathedral City, a city which embraces and supports our LGBTQ residents, employees and businesses..." McClendon wrote, adding, "Our greatest hope is that the Barracks is able to work through their issues with California ABC and remain in business. If not, we wish them the best in whatever endeavors they move on to." This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Longtime Cathedral City LGBTQ leather bar The Barracks closing When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Future/All About Space Magazine,Logo_ Hannah Rose Brayshaw-Williams Humans have occupied low Earth orbit (LEO) over the past half century thanks to the Salyut, Skylab, Mir and Tiangong programs and, of course, the International Space Station (ISS). Aside from providing incredible views of Earth , these space stations have proved that humans can live and work in space while bringing unique lessons about microgravity and the cosmos. They have taught us about the challenges of living in microgravity and the fragility of life beyond our planetary cradle. But shifting dynamics in the space industry are set to usher in a new era of private space stations tasked with continuing this legacy. The ISS a decades-long, multinational grand endeavor of cooperation and technological feats is winding down and could be decommissioned around 2030. In turn, private companies including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Planet, Rocket Lab, Virgin Galactic, Axiom Space and Sierra Space are poised to give rise to a new era of commercial space stations . Related: NASA looks to private outposts to build on International Space Station's legacy SEE MORE 25TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURES: Check out a list of Space.com's special 25th anniversary week stories in our hub linked here! "In the short term, commercial space stations are an essential next step to fill the void left by the impending decommissioning of the ISS," said Lauren Andrade, a spokesperson for the Beyond Earth Institute. "Beyond that, commercial space stations offer a flexibility and capital that government-run projects simply do not possess." Blue Origin together with companies such as Redwire, Sierra Space and Boeing is building Orbital Reef , a mixed-use business and science park in LEO. The space station will be a scalable, modular outpost for research, manufacturing, tourism and more. Its main habitat will contain 10 crew cabins. "Commercial space stations open more avenues for both government and private actors to engage in space activities," Andrade told Space.com. Both the scope of activities and the modules themselves will be expanded. Orbital Reef will feature Sierra Space's inflatable Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) habitat , which will be packed into a New Glenn rocket payload fairing but then be expanded once in orbit. Such a design will provide much greater volume than discrete, rigid ISS modules launched by the now-retired NASA space shuttle and Russian launch vehicles. Sierra Space said in 2023 that it aims to launch a pathfinder for LIFE around the end of 2026. That module will have a volume of 10,600 cubic feet 300 cubic meters). The company has also proposed a larger, 49,440-cubic-foot (1,400 cubic m) module. In comparison, the Kibo module, the largest single ISS module, has a volume of 5,474 cubic feet (155 cubic m). As part of the transition to a new generation of space stations, Axiom Space hopes to send its first commercial module to the ISS by 2026. an E-shaped space station with a large solar panel array floats above a blue-and-white Earth Both Axiom Space and Blue Origin have received support for these initiatives from NASA's Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program. The Starlab space station a project involving Nanoracks, Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin also won a NASA award and could come as soon as 2028. The plan is for NASA to be just one of a number of customers, rather than the sole backer. Indeed, another interested party is the European Space Agency, which has signed a memorandum of understanding with Voyager Space and Airbus for Starlab. This illustrates strong early interest, but more and diverse commercial partners will be wanted. Other players include California-based startup Vast, which plans to launch its first private station, Haven-1 , around mid-2025 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Even if there is a gap between the decommissioning of the ISS and commercial stations getting into orbit, the Tiangong space station will ensure there is a continuing presence in space. China's three-module orbital outpost was completed in 2022 and now hosts crews of three astronauts for six months at a time. In addition, the country is already looking at commercial opportunities for Tiangong for example, by expanding the outpost with new modules and hosting commercial and tourism missions . a large T-shaped space station is seen from above with Earth below it Expansion beyond LEO International projects will also expand beyond LEO. Construction on NASA's moon-orbiting Gateway space station will soon begin in lunar orbit as a basis for future moon exploration . The space station will provide a human habitat beyond LEO for the first time and will involve commercial partners. Because Gateway will orbit beyond Earth's protective magnetic field , it will face a range of additional challenges. These include higher levels of radiation, which threaten both electronics and astronauts, as well as a longer journey time, higher launcher demands, and greater communications and power requirements. Artemis 4 , which is currently scheduled for 2028, will be the first mission to send astronauts to Gateway. The astronauts will live and work aboard the Habitable and Logistics Outpost, which is currently slated to launch in 2025, and NASA aims to add a second habitable module before the first crewed mission arrives. a cylindrical spacecraft with two wing-like solar panels approaches a T-shaped space station in the black of space Related stories: NASA's vision of a moon-orbiting space station comes to life in new 3D video Airbus unveils futuristic space station concept (photos) NASA, private companies count on market demand for future space stations after ISS The emergence of commercial space firms and the expansion of our horizons to the moon could see these companies contributing to lunar exploration. Lunar orbit and surface habitats, LEO tech and moon exploration. "As we have seen already with the expansion of the commercial space sector, I believe the future of commercial space stations is one of more flexibility, more rapid advancement," Andrade said, "and, at its core, a step toward breaking down the hurdles that limit human activity in space." The next 25 years promises significant advancements in space exploration, driven by the ingenuity and ambition of private companies. With the right support and levels of engagement and interest, these will be the new orbital homes for research, innovation, business and international cooperation. Global disruptions caused by a faulty software update have had a substantial local effect in Southern California, specifically at Los Angeles International Airport, but officials say local ports have gotten away with just minimal disruptions. In a statement provided to KTLA, Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero said four terminal computers suffered issues related to the outage overnight but theyve since been resolved. Port of Long Beach marine terminals are open and operating as this global technology outage unfolds, with cargo operations commencing normally this morning, the statement reads in part. Data exchange is an important part of 21st century goods movement. Although todays incident appears to be related to a Windows update, the Port monitors activity in the harbor 24 hours a day and approaches these issues through a proactive, multilayered approach that aligns with industry standards and regulations, allowing continual assessment and improvement. There was immense traffic backed up at the port earlier on Friday morning, but a local police officer told KTLAs Gene Kang that stopped traffic was common in that particular area. In a post to X, formerly Twitter, the Port of Los Angeles said it was fully operational as of 9:15 a.m. and all terminals were clear. It wasnt immediately clear if the port suffered massive disruptions previously. As of Friday morning it appeared that the issue was related to a botched software update affecting Microsoft 365 apps and services, according to the Associated Press. Executives said teams were working on a permanent fix. 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. TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) A recently married woman is living her worst nightmare following a crash on Saturday that took the lives of her husband and their dog while on their way to Yosemite, according to a GoFundMe and the California Highway Patrol. The newlywed couple, who were high-school sweethearts, and their dog Sky, were headed to Yosemite National Park from their home in Southern California, according to a post on GoFundMe by a family friend of the couple. 26-year-old Ally Giesen and 26-year-old Marcus Giesen, with their dog Sky. CHP says around 9 a.m. Ricardo Trevino Herrera was driving the couple up Highway 99 and approaching Terra Bella Avenue in Pixley when their Ford Explorer began to drift to the left and onto the dirt shoulder. Herrera tried to correct and steered the pick-up back to the right, but it flipped over across the traffic lanes before finally coming to rest on its roof on a grass embankment. Officers say several witnesses rushed to the scene, helped to upright the Ford, and attempted to remove the passengers. Herrera sustained minor injuries and refused treatment, but his two passengers were transported to Kaweah Health Medical Center in Visalia via ground and air ambulances. Unethical parking tickets hurting Visalias downtown, business owner says The right rear passenger, 26-year-old Ally Giesen, sustained major injuries. According to the GoFundMe, she is in stable condition and is receiving care for a skull fracture, a small but stable brain bleed, and broken and fractured bones in her right arm, wrist, hand, neck, back, and face. The California Highway Patrol says Allys husband, 26-year-old Marcus Giesen, succumbed to his injuries and died hours after arriving at the hospital. According to the GoFundMe, their 2-year-old dog Sky was also killed in the crash. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily news from KSEE24 and CBS47 Neither alcohol nor drugs were a factor in this crash, CHP says. In addition to the heartache of losing her life partner, Ally is facing a long recovery to be made physically whole again. As if the devastating tasks have not been enough to navigate, the process is made more difficult by the fact that Ally is being treated hundreds of miles from her home in Los Angeles. The Fink and Giesen families According to the GoFundMe, Allys and Marcus parents have traveled nearly 2,000 miles from Minnesota to be with her. To view or donate to the GoFundMe, 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 YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. Longtime cable news anchor and political commentator Lou Dobbs has died. He was 78. The former Lou Dobbs Tonight hosts death was announced in a statement shared on his social media accounts on Thursday, July 18. His cause of death was not immediately shared with the public. Lou was a fighter till the very end - fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country, the statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, said. Lous legacy will forever live on as a patriot and a great American. The statement concluded with a request for prayers for Dobbs wife, Debi, as well as for their children and grandchildren. Dobbs reported on politics and business during his decades-long career in journalism. He joined CNN when the network first launched in 1980 and went on to anchor Moneyline during his time there. He later joined FOX Business, where he hosted Lou Dobbs Tonight from 2011 to 2021. Both former employers remembered Dobbs as news of his passing spread on Thursday. Lou was one of the CNN originals, who helped launch and shape the network, a CNN spokesperson said in a statement shared on the networks website. We are saddened to hear about his passing and extend our sincerest condolences to his wife Debi, children and his family. A spokesperson for FOX News Media remembered Dobbs as an incredible business mind with a gift for broadcasting and said he helped pioneer cable news into a successful and influential industry. We are immensely grateful for his many contributions and send our heartfelt condolences to his family, the FOX News Media spokesperson's statement added. Donald Trump, who Dobbs vocally supported, was among the first to spread the news of the broadcast journalists death with a tribute on Truth Social. The former president remembered Dobbs as a friend, and truly incredible Journalist, Reporter, and Talent who understood the World, and what was happening, better than others. Next: Remembering the Stars and Legends We've Lost In 2024 A Louisiana federal judge has said five school systems will have to wait to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms until at least Nov. 15 as the case questioning the constitutionality of the state's new law begins in Middle District Court in Baton Rouge. This summer, Louisiana became the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be posted in every public school and university classroom by Jan. 1, 2025. U.S. District Court Judge John deGravelles's order said he will set a hearing Sept. 30 with a ruling expected by mid-November. The ruling technically impacts only East Baton Rouge, Livingston, Orleans, St. Tammany and Vernon parishes, where parents and civil rights groups sued to block the new law, but the Louisiana Department of Education agreed not to issue its advice, rules and regulations on implementation before Nov. 15. A spokesman for Republican Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill insisted the law that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2025 isn't stalled unless the court rules otherwise. "Specifically, the five defendant school boards and the defendant individuals agreed not to post the Ten Commandments in public schools or promulgate related advice, rules or regulations before Nov. 15," said Lester Duhe', a spokesman for Murrill, said in a statement. "But they and all other Louisiana schools remain subject to the law and its January 2025 compliance deadline. So once again the law is not paused, blocked or halted." Louisiana's new law, drafted by Republican Haughton state Rep. Dodie Horton and signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry, requires the Ten Commandments be displayed on posters at least 11 by 14 inches with large, easily readable font. On Friday Horton told USA Today Network: "I'm confident we will prevail in court." The new law has drawn intense national interest and attention, including from Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who voiced his support last month both on a social media post and during a campaign speech. Has anyone read the Thou shalt not steal? I mean, has anybody read this incredible stuff? Its just incredible, Trump said during a speech at the Faith & Freedom Coalition Conference. They dont want it to go up. Its a crazy world. Horton said the displays aren't advocating for any specific religion, even though they are a key tenet in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. "The Ten Commandments are the plumb line on which all our laws are based," Horton said. But others, including those who have sued to block the law, don't believe it will stand up in court. "The law violates the separation of church and state and is blatantly unconstitutional," The American Civil Liberties Union, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation said in a news release. More: Trump touts Louisiana Ten Commandments law courting Christian voters ahead of Biden debate Greg Hilburn covers Louisiana politics for the USA Today Network. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Louisiana federal judge delays posting Ten Commandments in some schools In a shareholder-friendly move, Union Pacific Corporations (UNP) board of directors approved a dividend hike of 3%, thereby raising its quarterly cash dividend to $1.34 per share ($5.36 annualized) from $1.30 ($5.20 annualized). The raised dividend will be paid out on Sep 30, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Aug 30. The move reflects UNPs intention to utilize free cash to enhance its shareholders returns. Notably, UNP has paid dividends for 125 consecutive years. Jennifer Hamann, executive vice president and chief financial officer, stated, "Union Pacific has a strong track record of delivering cash returns to its shareholders. Were building on that record with a 3% increase in the third quarter, our 18th consecutive year of increased annual dividends per share." Union Pacific Corporation Dividend Yield (TTM) Union Pacific Corporation Dividend Yield (TTM) Union Pacific Corporation dividend-yield-ttm | Union Pacific Corporation Quote Union Pacific has been consistently making efforts to reward its shareholders through dividends and share buybacks, which are encouraging. During 2021, UNP rewarded its shareholders through dividends of $2.800 billion and repurchased shares worth $7.291 billion. In 2022, UNP paid dividends of $3.159 billion and repurchased shares worth $6.282 billion. In 2023, UNP paid dividends of $3.173 billion and repurchased shares worth $705 million. During the first quarter of 2024, UNP paid dividends of $795 million (did not repurchase any shares). Dividend-paying stocks provide a solid income stream and have fewer chances of experiencing wild price swings. Dividend stocks, like UNP, are safe bets for creating wealth, as the payouts generally act as a hedge against economic uncertainty like the current scenario. UNPs managements decision to increase its quarterly dividend payout reflects the companys commitment to boosting shareholder value apart from underlining confidence in its business. We believe such shareholder-friendly initiatives should boost investor confidence and positively impact thisZacks Rank #3 (Hold) companys bottom line. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Notably, shares of UNP have gained 12.1% over the past year compared with 6.7% growth of the industry. Zacks Investment Research Image Source: Zacks Investment Research UNP is not the only player from the Zacks Transportationsector that has rewarded its shareholders with dividend payouts or share buyback programs. To name a few, on Jul 12, 2024, Ryder System, Inc. R board of directors approved a dividend hike of 14.1%, thereby raising its quarterly cash dividend to 81 cents per share ($3.24 annualized) from 71 cents ($2.84 annualized). The raised dividend will be paid out on Sep 20, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Aug 19, 2024. The move reflects Rs intention to utilize free cash to enhance its shareholders returns. Story continues This marks Ryders 192nd consecutive quarterly cash dividend. Notably, Ryder has been making uninterrupted dividend payments for more than 48 years. On Jun 20, 2024, Delta Air Lines DAL management announced a 50% hike in the quarterly dividend payout. This was the first dividend increase announced by DAL since its resumption of quarterly dividend payments last year following the COVID-induced hiatus. The decision reflects DALs shareholder-friendly approach. Financial prosperity owing to strong passenger revenues may have led to the dividend hike. Delta raised its quarterly dividend to 15 cents per share (annualized 60 cents per share), representing an increase of 50% over the previous payout of 10 cents per share (annualized 40 cents per share). The new dividend, which has been approved by the companys board of directors, will be paid on Aug 20, 2024, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Jul 30. On Jun 10, 2024, FedEx Corporation FDXs board of directors approved a dividend hike of 10%, thereby raising its quarterly cash dividend from $1.26 ($5.04 annualized) per share to $1.38 ($5.52 annualized).The raised dividend will be paid out on Jul 9, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Jun 24, 2023. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Union Pacific Corporation (UNP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ryder System, Inc. (R) : Free Stock Analysis Report FedEx Corporation (FDX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (KRON) A San Francisco judge sentenced Bernard Appel, 32, to two years in prison on Friday. The District Attorneys office said Appel was sentenced for committing a series of snatch-and-grabs from two Lululemon stores in the city. Prosecutors allege that from July 10, 2023, through November 19, 2023, Appel consistently used either a large bag or large Lululemon coat turned upside down and inside out to fill with Lululemon leggings and miscellaneous merchandise. How Oakland residents can qualify for a $160 transit debit card After the 32-year-old would fill his bag with merchandise, he would quickly exit the stores without any attempts to pay for the merchandise. Prosecutors said these snatch and grabs were committed in Lululemon stores at San Francisco Centre Mall and Fillmore Street. Mr. Appels conviction and sentence holds him accountable for his brazen crimes Organized retail theft has a profound impact on our neighborhoods and businesses and will not be tolerated or condoned, Jenkins said. Appel has been in custody since January this year. He was sentenced after pleading guilty in court to two counts of organized retail theft with the intent to resell merchandise and two counts of commercial burglary from Lululemon. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to Lululemon. 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. Gubernatorial candidate Phil Lyman listens to proceedings during a court hearing in West Jordan in an effort to obtain Utah Gov. Spencer Cox's signatures, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Pool photo by Rick Egan/The Salt Lake Tribune) State Rep. Phil Lyman continued his effort to inspect election processes and question the legitimacy of incumbent Gov. Spencer Coxs campaign on Thursday, in a busy day that included a State Records Committee meeting in the morning and a court hearing in the afternoon. It was a packed house and with an at-times unruly crowd at the State Records Committee meeting Thursday morning. As Lyman, who lost the GOP gubernatorial primary in June, and his running mate Natalie Clawson heard a motion to deny their petition to see the election signatures, their supporters, many sporting his campaigns maroon T-shirts and Trump campaign attire, booed the committee members. The petition was only indirectly about Cox. Lyman and Clawson had joined a Government Records Access and Management Act appeal filed by resident Michael Clara, who unsuccessfully requested to review the list of signatures submitted in Sen. Don Ipsons name to qualify for the general election ticket in Washington County. But the committee agreed with the county, attributing their denial to an ongoing investigation that could be tainted by the records release. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Though the case was about Ipsons records, Lyman and Clawson said it was about election transparency and verifying the legitimacy of candidates, such as Cox, who won the primary election for the Republican gubernatorial nomination with 54.4% of the vote. I do not believe Spencer Cox got 28,000 valid signatures, Lyman told his followers after the vote in a speech filled with his questions about the election system in Utah. That posture is not without basis, the company that gathered for him also gathered for Don Ipson. They said that Don was good to go. Washington County said not so fast; and ended up rejecting more than a quarter of his signatures. Its never a surprise when his election challenges yield unfavorable results, Lyman added, like when his requests for voter rolls were denied or when his proposals as a House Representative to eliminate by-mail voting failed. He argued theres an establishment, with connections to lobbyists that have an inside track to House and Senate leadership that sits on boards of prominent Utah organizations and signed contracts with the Electronic Registration Information Center, also known as ERIC, the system used by state elections agencies to maintain election integrity. Though there is no evidence that there has been fraud in the election process, Republicans in many states, including Utah, have called to withdraw from ERIC driven by these claims. Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson called ERIC a favorite boogeyman of the radical election deniers, and argued that their claims are not based in fact, and their demands are counterproductive to their rhetoric. Lyman, however, asked to be proven wrong with solid audit processes. Do it, and if you wont do it, then at least disagree better with those who are convinced that Utah elections are corrupted not by the courts, but by the vendors who provide the machines and the software and by the lieutenant governor who enters into illegal contracts, Lyman said. The GRAMA decision The committee agreed with the argument presented by Washington County Attorney Eric Clarke, who said the records were restricted because theres an active investigation on the signatures the county had received from Ipson. I believe the integrity of the investigation, and finding out if there was wrongdoing, and holding people accountable if there is wrongdoing, outweighs the interest of the petitioner, said Ed Biehler, a committee member, when making the motion, prompting sounds of disbelief from Lyman supporters. Some loudly walked out of the room. Remove the names that are under investigation and release the rest, someone yelled from the public before the vote. This has the aroma of mendacity, someone else added. This was a common theme during the meeting. Throughout the discussion, many cheered when Clawson spoke, or booed and yelled questions after comments from the Washington County attorney. State troopers approached the committee members after the vote, standing between them and the members of the public who continued to yell from a distance. Later that afternoon, Lyman told reporters he thought the reaction from his supporters was warranted. I saw people having some frustration, I would not call that heated, he said. I dont believe that was a heated hearing at all. The people of Utah are paying attention, Lyman said. Ipson, Cox, U.S. Senate candidate Brad Wilson and attorney general candidate Derek Browns campaigns used the company Gathering Inc. to complete the signature gathering. When election clerks raised red flags on Ipsons petitions, it drew the eyes of the Lyman campaign to the other candidates who used the services of Gathering Inc. Utah Code establishes that, upon request, clerks should either provide a list of names of individuals who signed the petition, or allow requesters to view, but not take copies or images of the list, with the exception of signatures classified as private. The public is losing faith in our election system due to the lack of transparency, Clawson told the committee on behalf of the Lyman-Clawson campaign. If a candidate gets access to the primary ballot by putting in signatures, the public is to be provided a list of names and addresses upon the request and permitted to keep the actual signatures. Clawson argued that the publics interest in transparency outweighed Washington Countys reason to keep the information private. She added that as a candidate, she was entitled to all voting data, including classified and private information but excluding drivers license information, Social Security numbers and email addresses. Judge taking Lymans request under advisement A few hours after the records committee meeting, Lyman appeared at the 3rd District Court in West Jordan, where his attorneys argued their case for a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order forcing election officials to hand over unredacted signature packets that the Cox campaign submitted to get on the primary ballot. Let us know what you think... Earlier this month, the Lyman campaign sued Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, Ryan Cowley, the elections director who works under Henderson, and Mallory Underwood, office administrator for the lieutenant governor. The lawsuit is an attempt to get hold of the signature packets submitted by the Cox campaign, which includes the signature, name, address and other information of each of the thousands of registered Republicans who signed on to help the current governor get on the ballot. The lawsuit also asks the court for the signature packets from Brad Wilson and Derek Browns campaign Wilson lost his bid for U.S. Senate, while Brown won the GOP primary for attorney general. For about over an hour, 3rd District Judge Stephen Nelson heard Lymans attorney argue why the request is rooted in public trust and transparency and a rebuttal from the attorney representing Utah, who claimed the lawsuit risked violating voter privacy without providing evidence of irregularity in the signature gathering process. Utah law allows candidates two avenues to get on the ballot they can seek nomination by GOP delegates at the Utah Republican Partys convention, or they can collect enough signatures from eligible primary voters. The argument from Douglas Farr, Lymans attorney, hinged on the fact that Cox used Gathering Inc. to collect signatures. The company that gathered signatures for a campaign in Washington County thats under investigation is the same company that gathered signatures statewide for the Cox/Henderson campaign, said Farr, suggesting that as they were going door-to-door, the contractors for Gathering Inc. may have overlapped collecting signatures for both Ipson and Cox. The public, Farr said, has an interest in ensuring the signature gathering process utilized by the Cox/Henderson campaign was done fairly. If they are able to obtain the packets, Farr said they will then inspect them to ensure there were no irregularities. Farr, in response to a question from the judge, said he was being intentionally vague because he didnt want to speculate on what could happen if they do get the packets but said theres potential they could try to get Lyman back on the ballot for the general election. Lance Sorenson, the attorney representing Utah, said Lymans legal challenge was an attempt to call the integrity of the electoral process into question without providing evidence of misconduct. Theres no evidence whatsoever of any irregularity in the signature gathering for the three candidates, Sorenson said, adding that there is no evidence that the candidates should not be on the ballot. If there was evidence, Sorenson said the Lyman campaign should have filed their records request months ago the Cox campaign was prepared to continue gathering signatures if courts or elections officials identified any issues, he said. They shouldve brought their concerns up well before the primary ballot was certified, Sorenson said. Sorenson also argued against releasing the packets over privacy concerns some of the voters who signed on to get Cox on the ballot chose to keep their information private and it should stay that way, he told the judge. When voters elect to keep their information private, they are expecting it to be private, Sorenson said. They may want anonymity for various reasons. Thats a public interest. Ultimately, Nelson took the matter under advisement. He said hell issue an order in the coming days. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST (Bloomberg) -- President Emmanuel Macrons political group struck a power-sharing deal with center-right lawmakers in Frances National Assembly, the latest indication he may try to cobble together a centrist coalition government that excludes radical parties on the left and right. Most Read from Bloomberg The accord will pave the way for the conservative Republican Right lawmaker, Veronique Louwagie, to chair the powerful finance committee in the lower house, according to people familiar with the agreement. A vote to elect her to the post is scheduled for Saturday. This deal between two groups that are traditionally rivals helped secure the reelection of Yael Braun-Pivet of Macrons pro-business Ensemble group as president of the National Assembly Thursday night, according to Violette Spillebout, a lawmaker who is also from Macrons party. In an interview with BFM TV Friday, Spillebout praised the head of the Republican Right in the assembly, Laurent Wauquiez, for strictly respecting the agreement to secure Braun-Pivets win. Macrons shock decision last month to dissolve parliament threw France into political chaos, and fragmented the lower house into three primary groups the left-wing New Popular Front, which holds the most seats and includes the radical France Unbowed and the center-left Socialists; the centrist Ensemble that is second; and Marine Le Pens far-right National Rally in third. No group holds enough seats to govern on its own, putting the country in the unprecedented situation of having to rely on several parties across the ideological spectrum to form a new government. The agreement between Macrons Ensemble and the Republican Right would also allow for a sharing of other important jobs in the board of the lower house, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Each group would get a vice president position. Elections for these jobs were ongoing Friday night. The finance committee, which traditionally goes to an opposition party, has a key role in the adoption of the French budget and also oversees government spending. Details of the agreement have been laid out in discussions between Wauquiez and the head of Macrons group, former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. While registered as an opposition party in parliament, Republican Right the fifth-strongest faction in the assembly has joined forces with Macrons bloc to face down lawmakers from both ends of the political spectrum. But since the far right came in third in the recent snap election, the target became the left, which won the most seats in the election. Top jobs in the lower house arent directly related to the appointment of a prime minister or the formation of a government, though they could give an indication about which coalitions are able to unite behind a single candidate in sufficient numbers. Macron is constitutionally empowered to pick a new prime minister and its been accepted practice to appoint someone from the biggest group in the National Assembly. As a counterweight, lawmakers can call for confidence votes in the government. This means choosing a premier with broad enough appeal to stay in place and build majorities on a case-by-case basis to pass legislation. Macron has called for all parties that support the European Union and the rule of law to come together to form a government, in an effort to form a mainstream alliance that would exclude both the far right and the far-left France Unbowed party. This approach would allow Macrons government to continue, even though it would be in a weakened form. Macron has asked Attal to stay on as head of a caretaker government with limited powers. The deal also grants Republicans some relevance after mounting defeats in the ballot box in recent years. Existential internal discussions in the party that was founded by general Charles de Gaulle and had Nicolas Sarkozy and Jacques Chirac as presidents got worse after its head, Eric Ciotti, rallied behind Le Pens far right in this years election. --With assistance from Tom Fevrier. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Madison County Commission gets $400K for new trail MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) The Madison County Commission has received a $400,000 grant to construct a multi-use trail. The commission was one of six to receive a grant to help their communities improve outdoor recreational opportunities. Owens Cross Roads man pleads guilty to conspiracy to export goods to Iran The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) administered the grants, which were made possible thanks to funds from the Federal Highway Administrations Recreational Trials Program. According to ADECA, the grant will allow the commission to construct a 10-foot wide, 4,750-foot long multi-use asphalt trail along an abandoned railroad bed between Smokey Hill Court and County Lake Road in Madison County. These projects will benefit people of all ages and provide them with even more reasons to enjoy Alabamas outdoors, Gov. Ivey said. I am pleased to award these grants that will increase recreation opportunities for many residents while making these communities better places to live. The six grants total $1.4 million in funds to help the local projects. Madison County is the only county government to receive a grant. The other five recipients include projects in Abbeville, Hueytown, Hurtsboro, Lowndesboro and New Site. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. MILAN (AP) Venice city officials said Friday that the day-tripper tax netted 2.4 million euros ($2.6 million) during a test phase this summer, and that decisions on how to proceed would be made in the fall after a full analysis of the data. According to the city, the 5-euro tax was paid 485,062 times over the 29 test days, mostly weekends and holidays, from April 25 to July 14. The final numbers included paper access tickets sold to bus tours, cruise ships and some tour operators, accounting for about 1,000 entrances on each of the test days. Italians accounted for 60% of visitors to the ticket website in the period, followed by U.S., German and French citizens, ranging from 6.5% to 4% of the totals. City officials have indicated that the system, where day-trippers pay an entrance fee, would be extended next year, and doubled to 10 euros, at least on some days, but did not make any immediate announcements. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said that the city would consider adjusting the fee based on if the tax is paid in advance, or at the last minute. He defended the tourist tax from critics, who called it a failure for allegedly not deterring arrivals, as envisioned. We listened to citizens, to associations, to thousands of people, but in the end, there were no alternative solutions to ours, Brugnaro said. We thought to take this road of the controls, which were light enough, not invasive. Visitors not staying in lodging in the city were required to download a QR code showing they had paid the tax; officials said that the average length of the transaction was 2 minutes. Hotel guests, who pay a lodging tax, were exempt, as were people living in the Veneto region, visitors under 14, and those visiting relatives, among others. Venice has long been grappling with overtourism, with estimates of 25 million to 30 million annual arrivals of both day-trippers and overnight guests roughly confirmed by cell phone data tracked from a Smart Control Room since 2020, according to city officials. The day-tripper tax, delayed by the pandemic, was heralded by UNESCO member states when they decided against a recommendation to place the city on its list of world heritage sites in danger. The city had escaped inclusion on the list two years earlier when it imposed a cruise ship ban down the Giudecca canal and through St. Marks Basin. The citys top tourist official, Simone Venturini, said the entrance fee marked a cultural revolution. For the first time in the world, a city has an instrument that allows to finally have clear data, and not just approximate estimates, not longer interpretations of data, but exact data of people entering and leaving the city, he said. Story continues ___ This story has been corrected to show that Italians accounted for 60% of visitors to the ticket website, not 60% of visitors to Venice. MAGA donors are pouring money to a Democrat in this Latino congressional district. Why? Why are Trump supporters spending big to elect Democrat Yassamin Ansari to Congress in a heavily Latino district? That question changes the tenor and perhaps the voters' attention and minds in the primary contest between Ansari and Raquel Teran. Both women tout progressive agendas that include support for abortion access and workers rights, and both have the background to prove it. Their styles, approach to governing and how they got here, though, couldnt be more stark. The 32-year-old Ansari is the daughter of Iranian immigrants. She won a Phoenix City Council seat three years ago and quickly catapulted into the role of vice mayor, with the smooth talk that often comes from Ivy league training. The 47-year-old Teran grew up in the border city of Douglas and came out of the grassroots fight against Arizonas repressive anti-immigrant laws of the mid-2000s and has stuck to that kind of activism ever since. Shes a former state legislator and one-time Arizona Democratic Party chair. Given their similar platforms, how are voters in Congressional District 3 to decide who fills the vacancy of Ruben Gallego? Finger-pointing over $1.36 million spent backing Ansari Follow the money and the motive behind it, said Teran, who rallied supporters for a press conference on Wednesday to decry a whopping $1.36 million in last-minute spending to boost Ansari. Indeed, the political action committee doing the spending is Protect Progress, a pro-crypto PAC bankrolled in part by those who also back Donald Trump. Its a blatant attempt by MAGA extremists to meddle in a Democratic primary and boost Yassamin Ansari, Teran said, adding that her opponent has already taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from other MAGA extremist donors. That, expectedly, prompted finger-wagging with the Ansari campaign accusing Teran of lodging false, negative attacks out of desperation. Ansaris camp contended that outside expenditures are backing Terans bid to the tune of $1.5 million. Plus, they said in a statement, Teran accepted money from one of Kari Lake's closest advisers and aggressively pursued support from the same organization she condemned today. They meant Stan Barnes who donated $1,000 to Teran but who also has distanced himself from Lake. The attacks and counteroffensives aren't helpful for voters. Lets instead take a look at whos behind the big money backing each of them. Protect Progress wants lawmakers friendly to crypto industry Protect Progress and its affiliates have reportedly spent millions of dollars targeting lawmakers who want to regulate cryptocurrency and is spending millions more to elect lawmakers friendly to the industry. Why do cryptocurrency insiders want Ansari specifically? She isnt saying, other than that Teran aggressively pursued support from the same organization she now condemns. This whole thing feels like a whiplash, and it deserves some attention. I happen to live in Congressional District 3, which stretches across parts of Phoenix including south Phoenix, Laveen and Maryvale and Glendale. Phoenix pediatrician Duane Wooten is also running in the July 30 Democratic primary but hes a long shot. Democrat Ruben Gallego has represented the district since 2015 after longtime Congressman Ed Pastor retired. Gallego, a staunch critic of Trump and his anti-immigrant penchant, is vacating the seat to run for U.S. Senate. Until now, I've felt OK with either Ansari or Teran. But the money pouring in to sway the election should give voters pause they need to consider the motives of the wealthy business leaders backing Ansari and the mostly progressive groups behind Teran. Its true that candidates have no control over outside expenditures. But believe me, nobody spends that kind of money without expecting something in return. Its hard to believe cryptocurrency is top of mind of residents in a district where annual household median income is roughly $60,000 and affordable housing is in short supply, among other basic needs. So, the question remains. Why does a PAC and affiliates that also support Trump see in Ansari? This isnt the first time Ansari faces claims that she comes right out of MAGA. In 2021, a flier sent to voters in her Phoenix City Council runoff portrayed her as a MAGA candidate. She immediately took to social media to denounce it and told voters not to be fooled by the mailer. As a lifelong Democrat, Im outraged and disgusted by this slanderous attack, she wrote on social media then. PLEASE let your friends/family know that this is entirely untrue. At the time, I felt the attack was unfair and wrote about it. Ansari doesnt appear as eager and as forceful this time to explain to voters and evidently is OK on taking the money to reach the next stepping stone in her political career. What money says about Ansari and Teran Beyond outside expenditures, Ansaris donors include Hushang Ansary, an oil businessman who gave her $6,600 and also donated at least $700,000 to a Trump PAC. In 2021, he was convicted on fraud charges. Other donors include American Airlines exec Parker Douglas and former Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, according to campaign reports. Contrastingly, outside groups backing Teran, to the tune of $1.5 million, include the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, ProgressNow AZ and Working Families PAC. To be sure, its common for donors to contribute to both Democrats and Republicans. But we live in fraught times, and we shouldnt leave anything to chance. Money does influence elections. It pays for mailers, television commercials, and targeted digital ads to sway voters. And we might see more big money spent on this district. The Democratic Majority for Israel PAC dropped $250,000 this week backing Ansari. The choice then is between two progressives with different styles. But whos bankrolling their candidacy might tell us more about whose interest they might protect while in Congress. Elvia Diaz is editorial page editor for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Reach her at 602-444-8606 or elvia.diaz@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, (formerly Twitter), @elviadiaz1. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pro-crypto PAC that gave to Trump are meddling in this Democratic race Spanish police on Friday announced the takedown of a major network transporting Latin American cocaine into Europe by boat in an international operation involving 50 arrests across eight countries. The investigation was started by police in Spain and Britain in June 2020 but quickly expanded, drawing in forces from 11 different countries and backed by Europol, Europe's policing agency, a Spanish police statement said. In total, they confiscated 1.5 tons of cocaine and seized eight vessels used for shifting their product from Latin American and Caribbean nations to Spain. Europol released a video showing authorities opening bricks of cocaine on one of the ships as well as officers raiding properties, making arrests, and finding drugs, cash and firearms. The narcotics were shipped from loading points in Brazil, Colombia, Guayana, Trinidad and Tobago, Santa Lucia, Barbados and Panama to Spanish ports in the Canary Islands, the southern region of Andalusia and the eastern city of Valencia The leader, who was arrested in Norway, is a veteran drug smuggler known as "The Professor," the statement said. Europol said Friday it had previously designated the leader as a "high value target." He has had "more than 20 years" in the business, winning him the "full confidence of the Colombian and Mexican drug cartels" with whom he coordinated the shipments, it added. The network also included members of the so-called "Balkans' cartel" who were "living the high life" in Spain's southern Costa del Sol, the statement said. But there was also a spiritual element, police said. "The criminal organization would appeal to a santero (witchdoctor) to receive his blessing and for the success of its cocaine transportation operations between Latin America and Europe," it said. Seeking a santero's blessing is a key element of Santeria, an Afro-Cuban belief system that fuses African religions with Catholicism and which is very popular in Latin America. Of the detainees, 26 were arrested in Spain, among them 16 Norwegians -- one of whom was a former bank robber, who also targeted armored cash-in-transit vehicles and had spent 15 years behind bars for violence. Spanish police announced the takedown of a major network transporting Latin American cocaine into Europe by boat in an international operation involving 50 arrests across eight countries. / Credit: Europol The other 24 suspected gang members were arrested in Bulgaria, Colombia, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and the UK. Most of the arrests took place on June 24, Europol said. In Spain, one of the main gateways into Europe for Latin American cocaine, police regularly raid drug smugglers, with the last major raid in June involving eight tons of cocaine with 40 arrests. After that sting, Europol released a nearly 10-minute video, showing K-9 dogs and officers finding bags of suspected drugs as well as multiple suspects being detained. The new bust followed other major drug seizures this week, involving cocaine shipments headed for Europe. On Tuesday ,authorities in Paraguay announced Tuesday the largest cocaine seizure in the country's history, after officials were surprised to find more than 4 tons of the drug stashed inside a shipment of sugar bound for Belgium. The day before that, authorities in Ecuador said they found more than six tons of cocaine hidden in a banana shipment headed to Germany. Shooter's father called police before Trump assassination attempt What to know about the Microsoft outage Melania Trump arrives at 2024 Republican National Convention EAST VILLAGE, Manhattan (PIX11) Police are searching for a man accused of forcibly touching a woman while she walked her dog on Saturday, according to officials. More Local News The 65-year-old victim was walking her dog near 11 East Eighth St. when a man grabbed her without permission over her clothes around 5:30 p.m., according to police. Police described the suspect as being around 5 foot 9 inches in height. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). 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. URBANA, Ill (WCIA) The man accused of killing a Champaign bar manager outside his workplace has been found not guilty by reason of insanity. Fidele Tshimanga was tried from the bench on Friday by Judge Matthew Lee on charges that included first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm, burglary and armed robbery. In a trial that lasted less than an hour, Lee found that the prosecution had submitted evidence that would have found Tshimanga guilty of killing Brandon Hardway, the general manager of Pour Bros. Taproom, during a smoke break at his workplace. He was exactly where he was supposed to be. He was where he worked, among people who love and respect him doing what he was supposed to do, Lee said. And you came along, and you shot him in the back, because what? He didnt give you a cigarette, you took that as disrespect and now hes no longer here. Former Sangamon Co. deputy arraigned, new details revealed in Sonya Masseys death But expert opinions from two doctors indicated that Tshimanga suffered from mood disorders, paranoia and severe delusions. Lee found that Tshimanga did not appreciate the criminality of his actions and for that reason, he found Tshimanga not guilty by reason of insanity. Under the law, you cannot be held criminally responsible because of your mental illness, Lee said. But on the other hand, what we cant do is just say, Well, youre not guilty. Good luck to you, send you on your way and hope it doesnt happen again. Tshimanga will remain in custody until he can be transferred to a facility operated by the Illinois Department of Human Services to receive treatment for his conditions. Lee said Tshimanga will spend an indefinite amount of time there, possibly the rest of his life, which would have been the maximum sentence had he been found fit to be convicted. The exact details of Tshimangas time in treatment will be set on Sept. 25 at 3 p.m. Coroner names Decatur teen killed in shooting overnight The charges against Tshimanga stem from a series of incidents that started in November of 2023 and ended with the deadly shooting in February of this year. Tshimanga was accused of stealing a gun out of a car in Savoy and then using it in what was considered an armed robbery. Prosecutors said that on Feb. 5, Tshimanga followed a woman and her children off an MTD bus, showed them the gun and then smashed her phone on the ground, all after they said she ignored his attempts to talk to her. Three days later, Tshimanga was accused of shooting Hardway outside Pour Bros. He remained in critical condition for nine days before dying on Feb. 17. Tshimanga was arrested immediately after the shooting and is said to have admitted to stealing the gun and using it in the robbery and shooting. Tshimanga was found fit to stand trial on April 30 by Judge Randy Rosenbaum, but Judge Matthew Lee found that Tshimangas mental illness meant he could not be convicted. Hardways wife, Erin, provided the following statement to WCIA, speaking in favor of Lees ruling: I would like to express my gratitude to everyone involved in bringing this case closer to a swift resolution. While no outcome can bring Brandon back or erase the anguish that will forever linger in my heart, I agree with and support todays court verdict. True justice is not only about punishment but also about preventing further tragedies. It is my hope that the decision made today will ensure the safety of our community as well as address the mental health needs of the individual responsible. Erin Hardway 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 WCIA.com. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A man was arrested and charged Monday for allegedly masturbating in the electronics department of a Lockport Walmart, according to New York State Police. Around 9:20 p.m. on July 15, troopers responded to the Walmart on South Transit Road in Lockport for reports of a male viewing inappropriate videos. It is alleged that 45-year-old Keith G. Dobucki was viewing pornographic material on a display phone and masturbating while sitting in an electric scooter, according to police. He was arrested and transported to State Police Lockport for processing. As a result, he was issued an appearance ticket to appear in Lockport Court in August. Latest Local News Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. 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 News 4 Buffalo. A California man accused of attempting to murder Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh two years ago appears headed for trial after protracted plea negotiations failed to yield a deal, a court filing from prosecutors Friday said. Nicholas Roske was arrested near Kavanaughs suburban Maryland home in the early morning hours on June 8, 2022, while allegedly carrying a Glock pistol, a tactical knife, two magazines of ammunition, pepper spray, a hammer, a screwdriver, a crow bar, duct tape and soft-soled boots that can be used to move quietly. According to court records, Roske told police he wanted to kill Kavanaugh because he was angry over a forthcoming Supreme Court decision on abortion rights and rulings limiting gun control. A federal grand jury in Maryland later indicted him on a charge of attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice. Roske, of Simi Valley, California, has been in custody since his arrest and was ordered by a judge to undergo a mental health evaluation. Prosecutors and defense lawyers have been discussing a potential plea deal in the case for more than a year, but in a report to the court earlier this month, lawyers from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland said they would seek a trial date if no deal was reached by this week. On Friday, prosecutors informed U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte that the talks had failed to reach agreement and asked him to take steps to set a trial. As of this date, the parties have not been able to agree upon the terms for a pretrial resolution of this case, prosecutor Kathleen Gavin wrote in a report to the court. Accordingly, the government requests a scheduling conference to set dates for pretrial motions and trial. Counsel for the defendant has advised that he joins in this request. Roske was able to get within feet of Kavanaugh's home despite ramped up security by U.S. Marshals following protests that broke out after POLITICO's exclusive report the previous month on a draft Supreme Court opinion overturning the right to abortion. Police reports indicate Roske got out of a taxi with a bag after midnight in front of Kavanaugh's residence, but was not immediately interrogated by the deputy marshals standing guard on his lawn. Roske later called 911 at the urging of his sister and told police of his plans, according to the police reports. He was arrested a short time later in a driveway near Kavanaugh's home. MABEN, WV (WVNS) A man was arrested and charged with First-Degree Murder in Wyoming County after shooting a woman with a shotgun. According to a criminal complaint, troopers with the West Virginia State Police responded to a house in the Maben area of Wyoming County around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 18, 2024 due to reports of a shooting. Mercer County man sentenced for fentanyl crime The criminal complaint, as well as information from the West Virginia State Police, stated that 62-year-old Timothy Bennett called Wyoming County 911 and said that he shot his girlfriend, 72-year-old Brenda Tilley, of Maben, in the face. Bennett was still on the phone with dispatchers at the time when troopers arrived on scene and he was told to leave the house with empty hands. Bennett was taken into custody without issue by troopers once he was outside. When troopers entered the house, they found that Bennetts girlfriend was dead from her injuries. Inmate pleads guilty to possessing a weapon at FCI McDowell According to Bennett, he was arguing with his girlfriend and when they went to separate rooms, he ended up in a room with a shotgun. He then went and shot his girlfriend, and told troopers that he was mad enough that he shot her a second time. Bennett was then arrested and taken to the Jesse Detachment of the West Virginia State 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 WVNS. LENOIR, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Three people were arrested for various charges following an investigation into the sale and distribution of methamphetamines within the city limits of Lenior and Caldwell County. Investigators with the City of Lenoir Police Department, Caldwell County Sheriffs Office ICE Unit and the NC State Bureau of Investigation concluded that Zachery George Stephenson, 28 of Lenoir was a distributor of methamphetamine within the community. Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area >> Latest stories here On July 16, investigators witnessed Stephenson driving a 2024 Chevrolet passenger car on Warren Place in Lenoir while having a suspended drivers license. Officers conducted a traffic stop, but as they began to approach the vehicle, Stephenson began to flee. After driving a short distance, Stephenson crashed into a small utility trailer. Immediately after, Stephenson and two additional passengers in the vehicle fled on foot. Following a short pursuit, Stephenson and the other passengers, identified as Devin Levi Johnson, 40 and Victoria Eden Hennessee, 35, were taken into custody without further incident. A probable cause search of the vehicle resulted in officers finding 411.2 grams of meth, drug paraphernalia and $1,626. The narcotics seized had a street value of $61,650 according to North Carolina Drug Guidelines. Zachery George Stephenson was arrested and charged with the following: Trafficking in methamphetamine by possession Trafficking in methamphetamine by transportation Possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver Maintain a vehicle for the sale of a controlled substance Possessing drug paraphernalia Resisting a public officer Hit and run Failure to report accident Driving while license revoked Reckless driving to endanger Devin Levi Johnson was arrested and charged with two counts of felony probation violation and was issued a $4,500 secured bond. Victoria Eden Hennessee was arrested and charged with resisting a public officer. Anyone with additional information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the City of Lenoir Police Department at 828-757-2100. 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. Man confronted by swarm of teens after he allegedly offered to pay 15-year-old for sex SANDY, Utah (KTVX) A Utah man faces felony charges after he allegedly offered to pay a minor $700 for sex and was confronted by over 20 teens at a Sandy mall. According to court documents, Bryce Stephen Ray, 49, of West Haven used Snapchat to talk with a 15-year-old high school student. During their conversation, Ray reportedly never shared his real name but did send a picture of himself through the app. Wanted man arrested after falling through apartment ceiling in New York Ray later offered the victim money in exchange for sex so she could buy clothes. Despite the teen telling Ray she was a minor, the two agreed to meet at the Shops at South Town Mall in Sandy. On Monday, July 9, a Sandy Police Department officer responded to the mall after getting reports of a group of teenagers confronting a man. When the officer arrived, he reported finding approximately 20 teenagers yelling at an older man, identified as Ray, calling him a pedophile. According to the Sandy Police Department, Ray had a check for $360 on him and had agreed with the teen to send her another $350 through CashApp. Ray was charged with one count of enticing a minor and one count of sexual solicitation of a child, both second-degree felonies. Ray had his initial hearing on Tuesday, July 16 where he was appointed a defense attorney. A detention hearing was scheduled for Monday, July 22. Ray is currently being held without bail, pending the detention hearing. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. BEIJING/BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen's CEO discussed free and fair trade, the global economy and technology in meetings with China's industry and commerce ministers on Friday, according to statements by ministries and VW. "The global economic development was one of the central issues. Free and fair trade between open markets is of utmost importance in this phase of major challenges," Blume said in a written statement. The European Union and China are in tense negotiations over tariffs proposed by the European Commission on China-made EVs, with China opening up tit-for-tat investigations into other goods while also urging the EU to drop its measures. Germany's car industry, including Volkswagen, has vocally opposed the tariffs, fearing retaliation in one of their biggest markets. China welcomed VW to deepen its foothold in China, according to the ministry statement. The two sides also spoke about framework conditions for technologies like autonomous driving and artificial intelligence, the statements said. Germany and China last month signed a declaration of intent on how to discuss cross-border data transfers with the view of enabling carmakers to transfer data to Germany, a contentious issue because of security concerns in Europe and restrictions on foreign firms in China. (Reporting by Victoria Waldersee and Beijing newsroom, editing by Thomas Seythal) Man Dies After Saving Two Boys Who Were Drowning in New Jersey River: 'The Glue That Held His Family Together' Pablo Hernando Cruz, 49, rescued the boys, ages 8 and 12, out of the Great Egg Harbor River on Wednesday, July 17 6abc Philadelphia/YouTube Weymouth Furnace Park in Hamilton Township, NJ. A man who rescued two boys from drowning in a New Jersey river on Wednesday, July 18, has died per an Atlantic County press release. Pablo Hernando Cruz, 49, rescued the 8-year-old and 12-year-old who were swimming in a prohibited spot in the Great Egg Harbor River, which runs through Weymouth Furnace in Hamilton Township. Neither of the children has been publicly identified, nor has any possible relationship with Cruz been established. Cruz brought both boys to safety but was then swept under the water before he disappeared. He was found shortly after by first responders and bystanders and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to Fox 29 Philadelphia. The 12-year-old was treated for injuries at a nearby hospital before being released. The 8-year-old was transferred to the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, but no further details about his condition have been released. Gofundme Related: Pregnant Minnesota Mom Saves Little Boy from Drowning as She Was Teaching Her Own Son How to Float Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson issued a statement on Thursday: Our thoughts and prayers are with their families. This is a beautiful park that is enjoyed by many for canoeing, kayaking, picnics, and barbeques, but the water is deep and can be dangerous for swimmers, which is why we prohibit swimming." Levinson concluded by urging visitors to heed the warnings, noting that Signs are posted throughout the park in both English and Spanish. We dont want any family to have to deal with this type of tragedy. The park closed after the tragic incident and will remain closed on Friday, July 19. It is expected to reopen on Saturday, July 20, per Atlantic County press release. Alamy Weymouth Furnace Park in Hamilton Township, NJ. Father and son Paul and Hunter Horsey, who were at the scene afterward, told Fox 29 Philadelphia that there is a part of the river that drops from 5 feet to 12 feet, and that is likely where the incident occurred. Paul noted that other people at the river said, He actually pushed the kids to where they could reach him. Adding, Yeah, he saved them, and then he went under. He probably couldn't get back to the shallower water. Related: Ex-NFL Star Peyton Hillis Says He 'Should Make a 100% Recovery' After Nearly Drowning Saving His Kids Hernandezs brother-in-law, Joe Pagliuca, created a GoFundMe page to raise money for Hernandezs wife and two daughters, one of whom is pregnant. Pablo was an amazing father, husband, and cook... man, could he cook! Pagliuca wrote of Hernandez. No one worked harder than Pablo and his number one priority was always providing for his family. Pagliuca explained that in 2017, when Hernandezs pre-teen daughter was diagnosed with cancer, he sacrificed his career to ensure he would always be by her side, revealing, He took on the role of caretaker and as always proved to be the glue that held his family together. 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. Pagliuca also spoke to ABC 6 Philadelphia and paid tribute to his late family member. "Here's an ordinary man living an ordinary life, who managed to save two children and allow them now to grow up to live full lives and have families, and sacrificed his own in the process." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A man linked to the thefts of thousands of vape pens, as well as guns and marijuana products, was sentenced this week to a minimum of 18 months in prison. When he was arrested last year, Kevin H. Nguyen admitted to peddling stolen merchandise and buying stolen guns, court records show. Police carted the stolen items from his residence at a mobile home park in Kent Countys Gaines Township. The haul included more than 2,000 Breeze vape pens and hundreds of marijuana products, court records show. Police recover thousands of stolen vape pens, marijuana products Nguyen told Kent County Sheriffs Office detectives that he was aware the products he was selling were stolen, court records show. He was charged with several felonies, including three weapons offenses and receiving and concealing stolen property. He entered guilty pleas to three of the charges and the others were dismissed. A Kent County judge this week sentenced Nguyen to 1.5 to five years in prison. He remains in the Kent County jail, awaiting transfer to custody of the Michigan Department of Corrections. After his October arrest, Nguyen told Kent County detectives he knew the items were stolen from dispensaries because the individuals he would purchase them from were in jail, according to court records. Federal prosecutors cracking down on gun violence this summer Detectives seized eight handguns, two of which were stolen. One handgun had a switch attached, essentially modifying it to a machine gun. Three additional switches were located during the search, according to court documents. Kevin also admitted to detectives during his interview that he was aware the firearms were stolen when he purchased them. 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. FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A Baltimore man was sentenced Wednesday to spend multiple consecutive life sentences for his role in a 2016 triple murder in Franklin County. Christopher Van Johnson, 36, will serve seven consecutive life sentences along with 10, 20 and 30-year terms on charges of companion robbery, firearms and conspiracy by United States District Judge Christopher Conner, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced. Three people were found by Pennsylvania State Police after they were zipped-tied, shot execution-style, and then set on fire inside a barn along Welsh Run Road in Mercersburg in June 2016. Two of the victims were found dead but one was rushed to York Hospital where he later died, the release states. In total, there were 14 other people charged in a case that took seven years for authorities to investigate. Evidence presented by prosecutors in a previous guilty plea in 2019 showed that the female victim who was aiding federal authorities in the drug trafficking case, was in a relationship with two other co-defendants, the DOJ said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Morning Weather When it was discovered that the woman was helping authorities, they planned for her murder and hired a Baltimore-based gang to head to the property and kill her the DOJ said. The gang was promised that they could take $20,000 that was supposed to be in a safe inside the barn along with any drugs and firearms they could find. No money was ever found on the property. Several others individuals were also charged as a result of the investigation: Devin Dickerson, age 31, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and crack cocaine and was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment; Torey White, age 32, Waynesboro, PA, was convicted by a federal jury in May of 2023 of three counts of first-degree murder and his case is on appeal; Michael Buck, age 30, Hagerstown, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and is awaiting sentencing; Nicholas Preddy, age 29, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to attempting to kill a witness and was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment; Johnnie Jenkins-Armstrong, age 22, Baltimore, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to life imprisonment; Terrance Lawson, age 31, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness; Tyrone Armstrong, age 30, Baltimore, sentenced to time served for attempting to intimidate a witness; Kenyatta Corbett, age 41, Hagerstown and Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and to being an accomplice to the use of a firearm during Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to life imprisonment; Mark Johnson, 35, Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to obstructing the grand jurys investigation and was sentenced to 110 months imprisonment; Llesenia Woodard, 46, Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty to providing false testimony to the grand jury investigating the murders and is awaiting sentencing; Kevin Coles, age 36, of New York, NY and Hagerstown, Maryland, was found guilty in April 2022 of multiple crimes, including murder for hire, robbery, and drug trafficking, and was sentenced to multiple consecutive life sentences; Yolanda Diaz, 31, Hagerstown, Md, indicted on multiple counts of perjury and obstruction of justice based upon her testimony at the Coles trial, recently pled guilty before Judge Conner and is awaiting sentencing; Joshua Davis, age 30, pled guilty to participating in the conspiracy to locate and kill an individual believed to be cooperating with federal authorities in the investigation of the triple murders and was sentenced to serve 100 months imprisonment. The following federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation: Drug Enforcement Administration Harrisburg Resident Office; Pennsylvania State Police, Chambersburg; Pennsylvania State Police, Troop H; Franklin County Drug Task Force; Franklin County Adult Probation; Pennsylvania State Probation and Parole; Hagerstown Police Department, Criminal Investigation Division; Drug Enforcement Administration, Hagerstown Resident Office; Washington County Narcotics Task Force; Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office, Strike Force Group 1; Maryland State Police Homicide Unit; Baltimore Police Department Narcotics, Fugitive, And Homicide Units; Baltimore County Police Department Narcotics and Gang Unit; Federal Bureau of Investigation Evidence Management Unit, Quantico, VA; US Marshals Service Harrisburg, PA and Phoenix, AZ; Franklin County District Attorneys Office; United States Attorneys Office, District Of Maryland; and the Washington County States Attorneys Office. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. Watch a previous report on this case in the video player above. DELAWARE COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) A second man accused in a fatal shooting during an auto store robbery in August 2023 has pleaded guilty to murder and other charges. Darius Wynn, 28, of Columbus, pleaded guilty Thursday to murder, aggravated robbery, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, and two firearm specifications. Columbus police arrest alleged shooter in attempted revenge murder Wynn, along with Zackeyis S. Davis and Anthony Blakely, were charged in a robbery of an AutoZone store on Sancus Boulevard near Polaris Fashion Place that left a customer, 43-year-old Alejandro Fajardo-Torres dead. Police said Fajardo-Torres attempted to stop the robbery. Wynn, Davis, and Blakely were allegedly part of a suspected enterprise in which the committed multiple, targeted robberies against AutoZone stores and other businesses in Delaware and Franklin counties between May 14 and Sept. 13, 2023. Wynn will be sentenced on Aug. 28 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 41 years. Columbus police arrest alleged shooter in attempted revenge murder In June, Davis was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years for an aggravated murder charge and 10 to 15 years in prison for an attempted murder charge, which stemmed from a separate incident that left another man paralyzed. He was also given three years in prison for each charge due to the firearm specifications. All sentences will be served consecutively. In May, Blakely rejected a plea deal and is scheduled to go on trial on Aug. 20. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A man who claimed self-defense for a May shooting outside a WeGo bus station has been charged by a federal grand jury on a related offense. Kenneth Dewayne Johnson, 31, of Nashville, was indicted for the unlawful possession of ammunition related to the May 16 shooting. Previously, he was charged by federal criminal complaint, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Convicted felon arrested for shooting at WeGo building According to the indictment, a Metro Nashville police officer was in the area of the downtown bus station when the shooting occurred and soon saw a man holding a pistol and running away from the area. The man, later identified as Johnson, threw the pistol to the ground after being chased by the officer and was shortly arrested. Officers recovered the pistol, which was loaded with five rounds of ammunition, and a high-capacity magazine, which contained 49 rounds, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a release. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Metro Nashville Police Department. We are appreciative for the quick action of law enforcement in this matter, WeGo said in a statement to News 2. We will continue to work with the Metro Nashville Police Department to provide a safe and secure service for the 800,000 riders a month who depend on WeGo. 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. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A man charged with killing a motorcyclist in Grand Rapids last summer was fatally shot in Wisconsin, prompting his criminal case to be dismissed. Atem Peter Mathiang, 19, had a hearing scheduled this week in Kent County Circuit Court on a felony charge of reckless driving causing death. He was accused of striking a motorcyclist on the citys southwest side and then fleeing. Motorcyclist killed in crash in Grand Rapids Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said the felony case was dismissed after his office received word that Mathiang was gunned down on July 2 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. According to Oshkosh police, officers responded to a report of a body in the street. A male victim was pronounced dead at the scene. A July 3 news release from Oshkosh police indicated that a person of interest was arrested. A news report from Wisconsin indicated that Mathiang was there visiting relatives when he was shot. A kind soul: Family, friends remember man killed in crash Mathiang was charged in early December with reckless driving causing death, a 15-year felony, for a fatal crash that happened Aug. 26, 2023. Police said Mathiangs vehicle struck a motorcycle in the area of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and B Street SW. Police say the motorcyclist, 21-year-old Jared Gossage, of Wyoming, died on scene. The vehicle took off, according to Grand Rapids police. After coordinating with the Michigan State Police helicopter, police say they found the driver and one of the three passengers. 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. Man pleads guilty to murder in 5-year-old boys death, two years after body found under floor of Arkansas home MEMPHIS, Tenn. An Arkansas man pleaded guilty to the murder of a 5-year-old boy whose body was found underneath the floor of a home in 2022. Nathan Bridges, 34, pleaded guilty Monday to First-Degree Murder and First-Degree Battery, Arkansas State Police said Thursday. Childs body found buried in Arkansas home The body of Blu Rolland was found Dec. 16, 2022, the day he would have turned 6, underneath the floor of his familys home in Moro, near Marianna in Lee County. Investigators believed he may have been there for some time. Bridges was arrested along with Ashley Rolland, 30, the mother of Blue Rolland, and a 6-year-old girl who also lived in the home. The girl was taken to a hospital in stable condition, police said at the time. Rolland is still awaiting trial in Lee County on charges of Capital Murder, Permitting Child Abuse, Abuse of a Corpse, Tampering with Physical Evidence, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor, and Battery. 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. Our experience in the past has shown that when someone is wedged between canyon walls, time is of the essence, Sheriff Tyson Huntington said Emery County Sheriff's Office/Facebook The rock walls in Utah Rescuers arrived in the nick of time to save a man from a scary situation that occurred when he found himself stuck in the walls of Zero Gravity Slot Canyon in Emery County, Utah . In a release posted to Facebook, Sheriff Tyson Huntington of the Emery County Sheriffs Office recounted the harrowing ordeal that his team responded to in order to free a man who was wedged in between the very narrow walls of the canyon on July 15 at 10:30 p.m. local time. Our experience in the past has shown that when someone is wedged between canyon walls, time is of the essence, Huntington said. Per the release, authorities arrived at the scene just after midnight. In order to successfully free the man from the canyon as quickly as possible, Sheriff Huntington explained that Search and Rescue (SAR) members had to construct a special rope system to remove him. Emery County Sheriff's Office/Facebook Authorities on the scene SAR members had to get rigged up and actually drop below the victim to help him be loosened from the canyon walls, the sheriff said, adding that "while the SAR members were on the ropes and below the victim, the remaining SAR members were above them running the rope system, which is a serious amount of work." Representatives from the Emery County Search and Rescue and the Emery County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment. 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. Related: 3 Teens Among Group of Hikers Rescued from N.H. Mountain Trail, Officials Say: 'Dangerous Decision' The man was hiking with two others who were also in need of assistance after being trapped in the Zero Gravity slot canyon, the sheriff's office confirmed. In addition to the SAR team, the Department of Public Safety also got involved in the rescue efforts and deployed one helicopter with a pilot and a two-man task force to help as needed. Huntington added, "DPS personnel helped with running the rope system, which was a great help to the SAR members." Eventually, "the main victim was rescued as well as two others," Huntington said. The sheriff added, "The rescue was a success and all victims were saved and were able to avoid serious injury. Our victims were extremely grateful for the services they received." Emery County Sheriff's Office/Facebook Authorities on the scene Related: Hiker Rescued 12 Hours After His Knee Got Stuck in Crack of Cliff According to the sheriff's office, the rescue took several hours, with Huntington stating in the release that crews did not return home until after 6:30 a.m. local time. Huntington also acknowledged the skilled members of the SAR team for the successful rescue, stating in the release, If it wasnt for the SAR Team and their abilities, the outcome may have been quite unfavorable." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Watch a previous report on the July 2021 killing in the video player above. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A Plain City man will spend the rest of his life in prison for what Columbus police called a particularly brutal murder in July 2021. Timothy B. Kendrick, 36, of Plain City, pleaded guilty to aggravated murder in June, and was given life in prison without the possibility of parole on Thursday. Boy, 2, shot in east Columbus drive-by, on the mend Columbus police said Kendrick killed Drew Mendelbaum, 30, on July 16, 2021, by means of striking, kicking, and cutting about (the victims) head and neck area repeatedly, then lighting the victim on fire. Mendelbaums body was found a day later on the 4600 block of Sawmill Road, with police saying Kendrick dumped the body there. Police said they were able to tie Kendrick to the killing through a video. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Editors Note: The video above is previous coverage on this story. CLEVELAND (WJW) A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for a Cleveland murder and 13 aggravated robberies. Roderick Coleman was arrested in November 2022 for a string of violent crimes. 12-year-old girl charged with murder, accused of suffocating 8-year-old cousin in bed According to prosecutors, Coleman participated in a drive-by shooting in October 2021 that killed a bystander, 33-year-old Maurice Barber. It happened near East 123rd Street and Fairport Avenue. Prosecutors said they linked Coleman and several other suspects to the murder. Coleman was also connected by video evidence to armed carjackings between September 2022 and November 2022 in at least four Northeast Ohio communities. Arrested with Coleman last year were Andre Lovett, Tanell Matthews-Vance, Ronald Gonzalez, Keanu Green and two underage teenagers. Roderick Coleman and the Superior Boys wreaked absolute havoc on our county, Prosecutor Michael OMalley said in a press release. Throughout their violent crime spree, someone lost their life and multiple people were traumatized. Our county is a much safer place with this violent predator behind bars. Flight delays, other issues in NE Ohio in tech outage Coleman pleaded guilty to the following charges: One count of engaging In A pattern of corrupt activity One count of participating in a criminal gang One count of involuntary manslaughter 14 counts of aggravated robbery Five counts of receiving stolen property Two counts of kidnapping One count of tampering with evidence He was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Close up of woman hand using smartphone to check the balance of her digital online wallet A global tech meltdown on Friday paralysed parts of banks, the NHS and global transport systems. School children were sent home on the last day of term and businesses were forced to accept just cash as electronic payment systems went down. Worldwide disruption was thought to have been caused by just one botched software update carried out by cyber company Cloudstrike a business valued at more than $80bn (62bn) responsible for developing critical cyber security software used by thousands of businesses. While its CEO later insisted the issue had been resolved, confirming it was not down to any form of attack, it came too late for those holiday makers and travellers stuck in queues around the globe and businesses that have lost out on trade. Now cyber security experts believe the IT outage could be just the tip of the iceberg. Blackouts are predicted to become more commonplace as a result of an over-reliance on cloud infrastructure, which has seen banks allow third-party companies to store customer data. There are fears that the industry has left itself vulnerable to security breaches on an atomic scale. Banks came through largely unscathed from the IT meltdown, which paralysed global transport systems, but they remain vulnerable to attacks and blackouts - Alan Peebles A host of high street and challenger banks including Lloyds, HSBC, NatWest and Monzo now rely on cloud services from firms such as Google, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure to store big pools of data. UK banks were widely unaffected by the outage on Friday, although banks in Australia and New Zealand reported customers were unable to make transactions or access online accounts. The Bank of England (BoE) warned in December that the increased reliance on a concentration of cloud servers could pose a risk to the UKs financial stability should the technology fail or be disrupted. Tayo Dada, head of cyber security at private investigation firm Conflict International, said Fridays outage was a prelude to things to come. Whats happened today is just the tip of the iceberg, literally the tip, he said. Banks are now heavily reliant on cloud software, so theyre dependent on other companies to run their operations. That can be great when everything is interconnected for ease of access, but when it goes wrong, it can go seriously wrong like today. The fact that banks and other services so heavily rely on third parties has put us in a position of being heavily exposed. One thing can go wrong and theres massive disruption and billions of pounds is lost. Cybercrime is now the biggest crime by volume in the UK, costing the economy an estimated 27 billion a year. Mr Dada said cloud servers have a target on their back because they cater for so many major clients. Story continues Rogue nations could just target one organisation and bring down loads of others, he said Hackers are realising that if they go against the few that serve the many clients, they can kill more than one bird with a stone. Because of this, the attacks are going to be less but more critical. There will be less outages but when they do occur, itll be atomic. The BoE ran a consultation on cloud server regulation, alongside the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The survey ran until March this year and results are yet to be published. Graeme Stewart, of cyber security firm Check Point, said financial services were facing increased threats. The number of attacks is going up and up all the time, he said. Ive been doing it for 25 years and Ive never seen it like this. Check Point data shows that the average UK firm in the finance sector has faced more than 890 attacks per week over the past six months. The rise in attacks and predicted outages in the financial sector have sparked calls for people to ensure they are never cashless. In 2022, just 14pc of payments were made using cash while a decade ago the figure was 54pc. In recent years, the Swedish agency for civil contingency handed out leaflets to every household informing them of the value of storing emergency cash at home. Official guidance from the United States government also advises residents to keep a small amount of cash at home in a safe place. Mark Jones, of law firm Payne Hicks Beach, said: Were reliant on technology for more or less everything now so when it doesnt work the consequences can be quite catastrophic. I suppose nothing is risk-free but customers need to understand the risks that online mobile banking presents. Identity theft, phishing, malware, unauthorised transactions, card details being accessed there are lots of things that can happen. How to protect yourself While customers cannot prevent a cloud server from malfunctioning or being hacked, they can protect their individual banking accounts. Customers are advised to use biometrics to bolster security on their banking apps. Fingerprint identification and facial recognition software has been increasingly rolled out by providers in recent years. Mr Stewart, of Check Point, said: You absolutely should be making sure those things are enabled. I know it feels inconvenient having to do the extra step, but you should absolutely always do it. Ive got it on every single app I use. Consumer group Which? last year found that receiving a one-time passcode by SMS to validate banking access was the least secure way to authenticate customers because criminals were increasingly intercepting such texts. The consumer group instead awarded top marks to banks that asked customers to use a card-reader to confirm payments. Mr Stewart also said customers should not save their card details on websites for future purchases. It seems great as you can buy things with just a click, but its not worth it, he said. Anything that exposes you, even in the slightest, you should try and avoid. I also wouldnt encourage anyone to use a Wi-Fi network that they dont know for banking. Its also best practice when closing a banking app on your phone, to always log out rather than just swiping the app to close it. In some cases like NatWest, youre automatically logged out when you leave the app, but with others it can still running in the background. Your phone should fundamentally be safe, but in this day and age, suspicion is absolutely the right approach. Suspicion is your friend. 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. Man who tried killing Cobb County police officer arrested in SC after hours-long standoff A Cobb County man accused of trying to shoot a police officer and runaway has been caught in South Carolina. The incident happened Tuesday. Investigators said Julio Figueroa had fled from police after attempting to kill an officer. The Richland County Sheriffs Office in South Carolina was notified on Wednesday that investigators believed he was in the area. Detectives said Figueroa had taken a Greyhound bus to Richland County and was staying with family there. Richland Countys Special Response Team and Fugitive Task Force went to the home around 3 p.m. on Tuesday. Figueroa refused to come out. Deputies were able to get a woman and two young children out of the home safely, but Figueroa remained holed up in the house for another two hours. TRENDING STORIES: After refusing to talk with negotiators, deputies used chemical munitions on the home and Figueroa surrendered. He faces charges of aggravated assault of an officer with a weapon, burglary 1st degree, possession of a firearm by a felon, obstruction felony, possession of burglary tools, and loiter/prowl in Cobb County. Deputies took Figueroa to a nearby hospital to be checked out and was then taken to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in Richland County where he is awaiting extradition back to Cobb County. IN OTHER NEWS: DENVER (KDVR) Boulder police are searching for a man who is accused of trying to film a woman in a Pearl Street fitting room on Wednesday. According to the Boulder Police Department, the business is located in the 900 block of Pearl Street, near the Pearl Street Mall. Police said the report was made around 1:30 p.m. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Employees told officers they tried to confront the suspect as he tried to leave the dressing area, but he ran away. Officers searched numerous locations and clothing stores on Wednesday, but did not locate the suspect. Officers described the suspect as a male with short hair wearing a black cap. Police said he is about 5 feet, 7 inches tall and was dressed in a black shirt and green board shorts while carrying a gray messenger bag. Anyone with information about the suspects identity is asked to call Officer James Baddley by calling the Boulder dispatch at 303-441-3333 and reference case 24-7003. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The Oregon Department of Forestry has published a draft of its new wildfire hazards map, which identifies the areas of the state most threatened by wildfires. The Oregon Department of Forestry rescinded a previous version of the map in 2022 after numerous complaints from the public. The previous map, which pointed out properties that had the highest wildfire risk in Oregon, stated that roughly 8%, or 120,276 of the tax lots across the state, were in high-risk or extreme-risk areas. Residents can use the new map to inspect the wildfire threat in their area by clicking on a specific location or entering an address. Mount Hoods Timberline Lodge, for example, which is owned by the U.S. Forest Service, has a more severe wildfire hazard designation than 96.15% of properties in Oregon, according to the map. People living, dumping on Oregons public lands overwhelming Bureau of Land Management Oregon State University Wildfire Research Scientist Andy McEvoy said that the map is not yet finalized. The ODF is accepting public input about the new map system until Aug. 18. The maps wont become final until we receive input from counties on potential local anomalies, administrative rules are adopted by the Board of Forestry, and we evaluate input from the public, McEvoy said. The latest draft reflects input provided by the public and other government agencies in 2022. The changes to the new map include: Adjustments for hay and pasture lands Adjustments for northwest Oregon forest fuels Changes based on draft rules to include irrigation of agricultural crops as a mitigating factor in wildfire hazard assessments FILE A trike stands near the burnt remains of a building destroyed by a wildfire near the Lake Detroit Market in Detroit, Ore., Sept. 11, 2020. A jury verdict that found power company PacifiCorp liable for devastating wildfires in Oregon in 2020 is highlighting the legal and financial risks utilities face if they fail to take proper precautions for climate change. (Mark Ylen/Albany Democrat-Herald via AP, File) Pilot Rock Fire prompts Level 3 Go Now evacuations near Pendleton Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said that, among other things, threatened residents can improve defensible space around their homes and properties to better prepare for wildfires. No matter where you live, the simple actions you take to limit where an ember can land and catch fire can make all the difference, saving your home and protecting your community, Ruiz-Temple said. Andrew Stolfi, the director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, said that the finalized map will be used to set new standards for the areas deemed at risk. Home-hardening standards are extremely important because they help reduce the risk of ignition to the most vulnerable parts of a home by the embers of a wildfire, Stolfi said. Once the map is finalized, we will then initiate rulemaking to adopt the home hardening standards, which will be followed by a six-month, phase-in period for education and outreach. Any changes in building standards will not apply to existing homes, Stolfi said. The changes will strictly reflect new construction, major additions and things like roof or siding replacement if homes are in a high wildfire hazard zone and the maps wildland-urban interface. The final version of the map will reflect rules as they are adopted by the Board of Forestry. The ODF stated that the purpose of the wildfire hazard map is to: Educate Oregon residents and property owners about the level of hazard where they live. Assist in prioritizing fire adaptation and mitigation resources for the most vulnerable locations. Identify where defensible space standards and home hardening codes will apply. 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. Representatives of West Bay Marina are set to get feedback next week on a proposal to redevelop the site, according to city of Olympia information. The existing marina is out of date and is not composed of environmentally friendly materials, the project narrative reads. The project consists of installation of new piers, ramps, pilings, and float systems with up-to-date environmental standards in a new configuration. The narrative also states that the creosote-treated pilings will be removed and replaced with galvanized steel. The total proposed square footage is 49,891 square feet of grated floats, 1,552 square feet of grated piers and ramps, and 187 galvanized steel piling, the narrative reads. All covered moorage will be removed, and the overall square footage will be reduced by 2,053 square feet. The boat houses are not part of the project, according to marina officials. Some might be removed once the marina is upgraded; however, they are privately owned by residents that rent moorage space at the marina and not related to this project. The meeting with the citys Site Plan Review Committee is set for 9 a.m. July 24. Other business happenings The Tumwater location of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, known for popularizing Hawaiian-style cuisine, is participating in the fourth annual National Spam Musubi Day on Thursday, Aug. 8, the company announced. What is musubi? It looks a bit like sushi, but instead of fish it is Spam on rice, wrapped in nori seaweed. L&L is offering customers the chance to get free Spam musubi at the Tumwater location, redeemable through the L&L mobile app. To redeem the free Spam musubi, customers must download the L&L app on the Apple Store or Google Play site, click on the free Spam musubi coupon, and download it to their cart. The offer is available while supplies last. For a full tutorial on how to download the app, go to hawaiianbarbecue.com. The fourth annual National Spam Musubi Day coincides with the one year anniversary of the Lahaina wildfires. In observance of the date, L&L will match donations to the Maui Strong Fund up to $10,000. From Aug. 1-8, customers can donate through the L&L website or mobile app. L&I Hawaiian BBQ in Tumwater, Wa. July 18, 2024 Grocery Outlet Bargain Market has opened a store in Elma. The store off Eagle Drive has helped create 30 new jobs in the community and will provide savings on name-brand merchandise for local consumers. Through my collaboration with Grocery Outlet, I have the opportunity to expand my business, generate employment opportunities in Elma, and, most importantly, contribute to the betterment of the local community, said store operator Shannon Browning in a statement. Grocery Outlet also has locations in Olympia, Lacey and Yelm. The new store is at 10 Eagle Drive Elma, WA 98541. Its open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m daily. The new Grocery Outlet in Elma. In an effort to ease the financial burden for families heading into another school year, Verizon Wireless retail locations, including in Olympia, will be giving away hundreds of backpacks at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 28. Any leftover backpacks at the School Rocks Backpack Giveaway events will be donated to local schools of each stores choice. The Olympia store location is at 1204 Cooper Point Rd SW Suite 100. People news Washington State Employees Credit Union has hired two new vice presidents for the Olympia-based credit union. The two hires are Aaron Collier and Shawn Dunn. Collier has been hired as the VP of Information Technology. He will oversee enterprise architecture, IT infrastructure, business process automation and software engineering. In his previous role, he served as the Chief Information Officer for Redwood Credit Union. Before that, he worked at WSECU as the Director of IT Infrastructure for 13 years. Dunn has been hired as the VP of Data and Analytics. He will oversee the credit unions data science, engineering and architecture teams. He previously served as the VP of Business Intelligence for Arrowhead Credit Union. Both Redwood and Arrowhead credit unions are based in California. Downtown toy store OK, craft brewer move may be the end, and Water St. wellness biz opens Long-awaited downtown restaurant among multiple biz openings this week Downtown gets new restaurant and new bakery, but another restaurant is set to close If you know of a retailer, restaurant, coffee shop or other business that is opening, closing, expanding, remodeling, or changing its focus, send an email to reporter Rolf Boone at rboone@theolympian.com. The U.S. Census Bureau recently released new data. (Getty Images) Marion County, Indianas most populous county, became majority non-white between 2020 and 2023, according to recently released U.S. Census Bureau data. The consolidated city-county recorded a net loss of about 8,000 residents over that period. It gained about 7,000 Black, 5,000 Hispanic and 3,900 Asian residents but lost nearly 200 Native Americans. Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, speaks at an interim committee meeting on Oct. 10, 2023. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) I welcome diversity to my district, and I would hope that everybody would embrace that as well, said Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis. She represents a very diverse district on the northwest side of Indianapolis. Pryor, who is a member of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, anticipates more racial and ethnic diversity in the countys representation at the Statehouse, as well as growth in non-white voting power. Marion County also lost about 23,000 white residents. Recently deceased senior residents may account for some of the losses, per an X thread by urban analyst Aaron Renn. Others may have moved. This kind of movement, slowly, does have an effect, said Aaron Dusso, a political science professor at Indiana University in Indianapolis. He said that residents may consider politics in choosing where to live. Marion County, for example, is a Democratic stronghold, but it has lost population as largely Republican neighboring counties have grown. One thing this could suggest is that people are moving to places where they feel their politics are more aligned, Dusso said. Aaron Dusso. Although Marion County maintains a Democratic governor and a supermajority in the City-County Council, Pryor said theres room for all in the sprawling metropolis. I certainly dont want us to lose any residents of Marion County, she said. Theres a place for all races in Marion County. Demographic changes could also present opportunities to Republicans looking to make inroads with Black, Hispanic and other non-white voters. Its not terribly surprising, because, you know, being conservative isnt just for white people, said Dusso, who noted that Black and Hispanic voters are often religious, a trait that is correlated with conservatism. Whats interesting about these polls, though, is that a lot of the gains that theyre seeing is really among the younger people, Dusso remarked. While Marion County has by far the most residents of any Hoosier County with nearly double the population of the next-most populous county its losses could impact its influence in the Statehouse. It always diminishes the influence of that core city, Dusso said. But he also noted that, should the losses continue, Marion County could be easier to gerrymander. Gerrymandering is manipulation of political boundaries intended to benefit a specific party or constituency. Its common in red and blue states alike. Right now, the state is gerrymandered by packing, Dusso said. You just pack all the Democratic votes into Marion County and then the northwest corner. You give up two congressional seats and however many state legislature seats you need to, and then you take everything else. But lawmakers could, in redrawing electoral districts, crack Marion County more instead. That gerrymandering strategy dilutes a specific constituencys votes by carving up a district and doling out the slices to districts with an opposite political lean. Quite frankly, I wouldnt want a bunch of our districts to have overlap with two or three counties, where it ends up diluting the votes of people in Marion County, Pryor said. Tim Henderson of States Newsrooms Stateline contributed reporting. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg thought Donald Trump was badass when he raised his fist after a bullet grazed his ear. Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things Ive ever seen in my life, Zuckerberg said in an interview with Bloomberg Thursday. On some level as an American, its like hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight, said Zuckerberg, I think that thats why a lot of people like the guy. The executive did not go so far as to endorse Trump outright, stating that he will not endorse either candidate and plans on not playing a significant role in the election. Still, Zuckerberg calling Trumps behavior inspiring is a new low given how the former president has attacked him over the years. Just earlier this month, Trump openly threatened to jail Zuckerberg, writing on Truth Social, We will pursue Election Fraudsters at levels never seen before, and they will be sent to prison for long periods of time. We already know who you are. DONT DO IT! ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful! That wasnt even the first time that Trump has called for Zuckerberg to be criminally charged. Truth Social itself was born out of Trumps frustration with CEOs like Zuckerberg, and he blamed anti-conservative bias for why his Facebook posts were flagged as misinformation. Following the January 6 insurrection, Trump was suspended from Facebook and Instagram for two years. At the time, Zuckerberg said that Trump was trying to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power. Now in 2024, it seems like Zuckerberg is giving Trump the go-ahead. Meta has already limited political content, and Zuckerberg told Bloomberg, I think youre going to see our services play less of a role in this election than they have in the past. Trump has previously said he didnt appreciate Zuckerberg sucking up to him. Last week, the weirdohes a weirdoMark Zuckerberg came to the White House, kissed my ass all night, Trump said at a rally in 2022. As Trump and Elon Musk continue to cozy up, perhaps frenemy Zuckerberg doesnt want to be left out of the action. Or perhaps hes just trying to save himself from getting thrown in jail. CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) A gymnastics and dance center in Chambersburg was broken into early Thursday morning. According to a Facebook post, an intruder wearing all white and what appears to be a gas mask covering their face, broke into the gym at Wilson School of Gymnastics and Dance, located at 91 Brim Boulevard. The suspect, who is about 6 to 6.5 feet tall, was caught on camera breaking into the building before 1:30 a.m., according to the post. State Police chase Franklin County motorcyclist through local yards Break-in at Wilson School of Gymnastics and Dance, photos from their Facebook No one was hurt during the break-in, however the post did not state whether or not anything was taken. State Police are investigating, and an inquiry was left for them Friday. PSP has done a complete sweep of our building there is absolutely no reason to believe anyone is in harm or that this will happen again, the dance schools post reads. We keep the safety of our students, families, and staff our #1 priority! Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania Wilson School of Gymnastics and Dance allows children, starting at 17 months old, to partake in gymnastics and even holds camps throughout the summer. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Wilson School of Gymnastics and Dance by emailing them at Tumble@wsgd.net, or State Police at Chambersburg at (717) 264-5161. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) Three and a half years after an arson incident razed their courthouse, Mason County officials and residents celebrated the revival and reopening of the historic structure on Saturday, July 13. According to the Texas Historical Commission, 750 people flooded the courthouses lawn to watch as former County Judge Jerry Bearden conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony, signifying that the building had fully risen from the ashes. The fire was started overnight in early February 2021 and engulfed the courthouse in flames, causing severe damage to the structure. The arsonist has since been captured, tried, found guilty and sentenced to 75 years in prison. RELATED: Mason County Courthouse arsonist sentenced to 75 years In 2021, tragedy struck this cornerstone of Mason County. Watching it as it was engulfed in flames was a shocking blow, Commissioner Garrett Donnelly, secretary of the Texas Historical Commission, said. But in the face of that devastation, your community did not falter. Everyone stepped up, and you united and resolved to rebuild and restore. Shortly before the fire, Mason County received a grant from the Texas Historical Commission for a restoration project that was nearly underway. Afterward, lawmakers in the Texas Legislature swiftly committed $6 million from the states General Revenue fund to aid in the courthouses restoration with the help of Rep. Andrew Murr (R-Junction) and Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock). Across Texas, we see communities dedicated to preserving their heritage through historic preservation, Donnelly said. Mason Countys focus on keeping its history anchored right here in this courthouse is truly commendable. You rallied to bring this courthouse back to life. U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz wrote letters to Mason County, with each letter read by a staff member at the event. Cruzs representative also presented the county with an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol at his request in honor of the occasion. Other speakers at the ceremony included Scott Zesch, a Mason County historian and chair of the Mason County Historical Commission; Curtis Donaldson, vice president of the Friends of the Mason County Courthouse; and Dave Stauch, senior principal of CPM Texas. Following the ceremony, the county held an open house at the courthouse, allowing residents to walk through the building and view the restored landmark. A photo taken in relation to the Mason County Courthouses reopening ceremony held on July 19, 2024, following the restoration project that occurred after the structure was burned in February 2021. A photo taken in relation to the Mason County Courthouses reopening ceremony held on July 19, 2024, following the restoration project that occurred after the structure was burned in February 2021. A photo taken in relation to the Mason County Courthouses reopening ceremony held on July 19, 2024, following the restoration project that occurred after the structure was burned in February 2021. A photo taken in relation to the Mason County Courthouses reopening ceremony held on July 19, 2024, following the restoration project that occurred after the structure was burned in February 2021. A photo taken in relation to the Mason County Courthouses reopening ceremony held on July 19, 2024, following the restoration project that occurred after the structure was burned in February 2021. As per THS, several organizations collaborated to ensure the success of the project, including Architexas, the architectural firm for the project; CPM Texas, the project manager; and Stoddard General Contractors. Other contractors for the job included Gerloff Company, Inc. for selective demolition; Patriot Erectors, which provided the structural steel trusses; Heather and Little Ltd., which restored the cupola; Hull Millwork, which restored the windows and millwork; and Curtis Hunt Restorations, Inc., which restored the masonry. 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 ConchoValleyHomepage.com. Flash This file photo taken on March 24, 2021 shows General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) and then Vietnamese President Nguyen Phu Trong delivering a report at the opening session of the 11th session of the 14th National Assembly (NA) of Vietnam in Hanoi, Vietnam. Nguyen Phu Trong passed away at the age of 80, Vietnam News Agency reported on Friday. (VNA via Xinhua) Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, passed away at the age of 80, Vietnam News Agency reported on Friday. We recently compiled a list of the 10 Stocks Targeted by Activist Investors Right Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) stands against the other stocks targeted by activist investors. Activist investors play an important role in deploying various strategies to try and unlock value in stocks they believe are trading below their fair value. By paying millions and even billions of dollars to buy stakes in companies, they accrue significant power and the right to lobby for changes they believe will help bolster share price and shareholder value. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that the top 10 stocks targeted by activist investors right now have also seen their leadership targeted as one of the ways of engineering changes to unlock value. Last year alone, companies faced a record number of activist campaigns as shareholders tried to insert optimum pressure to oust directors of companies struggling amid deteriorating macro conditions. Some activist investors went to the extent of pushing for the sale of businesses whose shares had tumbled significantly. Consequently, there were 252 activist campaigns globally in 2023, a 7% increase from the previous year. The fact that the top 10 stocks targeted by activist investors now also include blue-chip businesses underlines that no one is safe from scrutiny. The significant increase in activist campaigns came from geopolitical instability and economic uncertainty. Nevertheless, activist investors shrugged off these concerns as they showed their resilience in pushing for corporate changes and operational efficiency in the race to unlock shareholder value. Similarly, investors closely watch activist investors' moves in the market as they help shed light on some of the best-undervalued opportunities worth exploring. A report of 550 activist campaigns has already shown that activist investors often outperform the overall market by 6.3% through their campaigns. The report by Alvaro & Marshal clearly shows why it is essential to closely watch activist investors' moves when trying to uncover high-risk reward opportunities in the market. Additionally, activist campaigns focused on operational demands to change how companies operate to generate value often outperform the market by 9.4% on average. The outperformance stems from activist investors installing their preferred directors on the board of directors to try and influence how a company operates in its push to unlock shareholder value. One trend that is becoming increasingly clear is that activist campaigns are becoming increasingly regional and dynamic. With the US equities outperforming the overall market over the past few years, activist investors are increasingly targeting stocks in other underperforming regions. Consequently, the activist investors launched 69 campaigns in Europe last year, focusing on pushing for mergers and acquisitions. Equities in Asia Pacific were not spared either, going by the 44 new campaigns. Story continues While the UK recorded a 71% increase in activist campaigns to 29 campaigns and the US recorded a 20% drop to 109 campaigns in 2024, Canada saw a 171% increase in shareholder activism to 19 campaigns. Nevertheless, US-based activist investors continue to account for the most significant share of global activist campaigns. For instance, three of the busiest US-based activist investors launched 14% of the worldwide activist campaigns. Over the years, activist campaigns have been dominated by high-profile hedge funds, including Icahn Enterprises, Jana Partners and Trian Partners. Elliott Investment Management is one activist hedge fund that stands out when it comes to unlocking value in under two years. The trend is slowly changing, with new, more aggressive funds pushing to make their mark. For instance, more than 40% of campaigns last year were spearheaded by hedge funds for the first time, especially in Europe. The change of guard stems from the barrier of entry being lowered, giving shareholders the ability to launch more campaigns. It is one of the best times to watch the 10 stocks targeted by activist Investors right now, as the campaigns are highly successful. The double-digit returns posted by activist investors in 2023 in one of the most challenging environments amid the high interest rates underscores the effectiveness of some campaigns. For instance, activist investors who pushed for management changes and the streamlining of operations enjoyed an average return of 20.2% in 2023, a significant improvement from an average loss of 16% in 2022. Even as the S&P 500 gained 24%, activist investors like Mason Morfit's ValueAct Capital came out on top, posting a 39% return, while Bill Ackman's Pershing Square holdings delivered a 27% gain. Healthcare-focused hedge fund Caligan Partners posted a 37% gain as Engaged Capital topped the S&P 500 gain with a 29% gain. The activist campaigns were mainly helped by a rising stock market and focused on some of the most prominent stock picks on a roll, like Nvidia for AI and cloud computing powerhouse Salesforce. The campaigns also turned out to be a great success for the activist investors pushing for cost cuts, strategic alternatives, and management changes to navigate the high interest rate environment. In the first half of 2024, activist investors launched a record number of campaigns, 147 of which topped the previous 143 set in 2018. In the second quarter, they launched 86 campaigns, with Elliott Capital emerging as the busiest, launching 11 campaigns and investing $11 billion in the capital in a bid to enhance its influence in its targets The surge in activist campaigns in 2024 threatens to trigger costly boardroom battles as the activist investor pushes for management changes, spin-offs, and outright sales. Our Methodology A closer look at how shareholders push for optimum value shows that activist investors are not planning to go slow anytime soon. Instead, they are ready to push companies harder for changes, including accelerating board changes to unlock value. Consequently, we have compiled a list of the most recent activist campaigns and ranked them based on their recent market capitalization. At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly 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 commercial Boeing 737 aircraft flying in the sky with the well-known SWABIZ logo on it. Elliott Management at the Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) Market Cap: $16.27 Billion Elliott Investment's Equity Stake: $1.9 Billion Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) has been a big disappointment, losing more than 50% of market value over the past three years. The stock dropped by 21% in 2023 as the S&P 500 gained 24%. The underperformance has caught the attention of Elliott Investment Management, making Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) one of the 10 stocks targeted by activist Investors right now. The activist hedge fund believes it is high time CEO Bob Jordan and Chairman Gary Kelly resigned, having confirmed a $1.9 billion stake in Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV). Consequently, it is pushing for management changes and business reviews to revitalize its growth metrics. While Elliott is one of the most prominent investors with an 11% stake, Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) has received support from Artisan Partners in its campaign to unlock value through management changes. Overall LUV ranks 6th on our list of the stocks targeted by activist investors right now. You can visit 10 Stocks Targeted by Activist Investors Right Now to see the other stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of LUV 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 LUV but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Countries with the Highest Purchasing Power Parity in the World in 2024 and 10 Very High Yield Dividend Stocks With Upside Potential. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. A widespread computer outage is disrupting operations for airports, airlines, banks, businesses, hospitals, and government agencies worldwide. Its linked to one of our regions largest tech companies -- Microsoft. It all involves an issue that blocked access to Microsoft 365 apps and services, The Associated Press reported. KIRO 7 reached out to a Microsoft spokesperson, who said, Earlier today, a CrowdStrike update was responsible for bringing down a number of IT systems globally. We are actively supporting customers to assist in their recovery. According to the spokesperson, the company does not believe this outage is related to the July 18 Azure outage that impacted a subset of Azure customers, and that issue has fully recovered. THE HIGHLIGHTS CrowdStrike update impacting Windows systems caused outage. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. Not a security incident or cyber attack. Airlines, hospital systems, banks, and emergency operations all feeling the effects. Issues are being resolved and impacted systems are recovering, CrowdStrike CEO says. Problems are continuing hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. Airlines in the United States, Europe, Australia, and India were reporting problems, with some flights grounded. Retail outlets, banks, railway companies, and hospitals in several parts of the world were also affected by what appeared to be an unprecedented internet disruption. All the disruptions at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and around the region and world, link back to the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said that it was a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyber attack. The FAA said the airlines United, American, Delta, and Allegiant had all been grounded. Frontier was also affected. We have since heard that American and Frontier have restored their operations and that Delta and United are restarting their operations. Earlier this morning, a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. As of 5:00 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience. americanair (@AmericanAir) July 19, 2024 Sea-Tac Airport did confirm that they are experiencing issues with the Fly SEA app, along with flight and baggage information on terminal screens. As of 5:20 a.m., there were 35 cancellations and 33 delays into or out of Sea-Tac, but by 7:30 a.m., delays had risen to 65 and cancellations to 45, according to FlightAware. A global IT outage is impacting systems for some airlines that fly from SEA. Travelers, please check with your airline for the latest flight information and give yourself extra time arriving to the airport. pic.twitter.com/DtVJuZxbq9 Seattle-Tacoma Intl. Airport (@flySEA) July 19, 2024 Social media videos from Sea-Tac show dozens of people stranded at the gates, and the US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg posted on social media that they are monitoring the flight cancellation and delay issue. We are monitoring technical issues at Frontier Airlines leading to cancellations and delays across their network. Our department will hold Frontier, and all airlines, to their responsibilities to meet the needs of passengers.Visit https://t.co/fNoKsjoNQV to know your rights. Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) July 19, 2024 Also on social media, Microsoft 365 status -- an arm of its customer service group -- posted that its outages started around 6 a.m. Eastern time. The FAA said it made the decision along with consultation from the airlines to ground some of them -- United, Allegiant, Delta, and American due to communication issues. All of a sudden, the pilot came over and said theres been an issue with the network, they had to reboot, and it could be a short delay then he came back on 10 minutes later and he said the delay was going to be lengthier than expected, said passenger Scott Sanders, who was stuck at Sea-Tac Airport Thursday night. We thought it was our own plane and that was it, and then we realized this was more than that and started seeing on our devices that this was a national issue. Some local hospitals were affected, including Seattle Childrens and UW Medicine. A statement from a Seattle Childrens spokesperson said, in part: Our urgent care centers remain open but all our clinics, including Odessa Brown Childrens Clinic, regional clinics, and ambulatory clinics, are closed on Friday, July 19. We are contacting patients and families to reschedule certain appointments and surgeries. UW Medicine said it had been affected but was now fully operational. Seattle Childrens information technology (IT) systems are down. All of our outpatient clinics are closed on Friday, July 19. pic.twitter.com/XJSqHkvYRT Seattle Children's (@seattlechildren) July 19, 2024 President briefed Update 6:47 a.m. July 19: President Joe Bien has been briefed on the outage, The New York Times reported. Several governmental cybersecurity experts are already meeting at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado. Administration officials are in touch with CrowdStrike and impacted entities. His team is engaged across the interagency to get sector-by-sector updates throughout the day and is standing by to provide assistance as needed. The FAA is keeping a close eye on the impacts of the outage. The FAA is closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines. Several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops until the issue is resolved. Monitor https://t.co/smgdqJN3td for updates. The FAA (@FAANews) July 19, 2024 We're aware of reports of a systems outage causing disruptions in service, including 911. Were working closely with other federal agencies to provide assistance and determine the extent of these service disruptions. The FCC (@FCC) July 19, 2024 MILWAUKEE The long-running feud between former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) hit the road this week, putting a spotlight on the tensions still percolating through the House GOP conference as the Republican Party pushes a message of unity. McCarthy who was ousted from the top job in a historic fashion last year, then resigned from his seat and Gaetz made their way to Milwaukee for the coronation of former President Trump, a trip that reunited the two foes and reopened old wounds from last years chaotic Speakership saga. The drama unfolded when Gaetz, who spearheaded the successful effort to remove McCarthy from the top job, approached the California Republican on the Republican National Convention floor as he was doing an interview on Tuesday and taunted him about his presence at the function. What night are you speaking? Gaetz facetiously asked McCarthy. Are you speaking tonight? If you took that stage, you would get booed off of it, he added. You would get booed off the stage. McCarthy ignored Gaetz during the episode but has railed against the Florida Republican since, bringing attention to the ongoing House Ethics Committee investigation probing allegations that Gaetz had a sexual relationship with an underage girl, which the lawmaker has vigorously denied. I dont know what he was on. But I hope he gets the help that he needs, McCarthy said at the convention center in Milwaukee. But more importantly, I hope the girls get the justice they deserve. The sentiment, to be sure, is not new for McCarthy and Gaetz; the two men for months have had an acrimonious relationship, which hit a fever pitch when the Florida Republican spearheaded the successful effort to oust the then-Speaker. But the episode at the convention underscores the tensions that remain in the House GOP conference at a moment Republicans are pushing a message of unity ahead of the November elections an eyesore the party would prefer to ignore. Im not gonna say anything negative about Gaetz but hes got a way of drawing the spotlight to himself when if its not on him, and frankly thats not helpful, said Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.). We fight for what we want but we need to win elections in order to enact the policies that we want. The old saying, you get more bees with honey than vinegar, he added. Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) called Gaetzs interaction inappropriate. Matt Gaetz needs to show more maturity, he said. He should conduct himself with some dignity that reflects the House of Representatives. Kevin McCarthy was a great Speaker of the House, he did a great job. I resent the fact of what Gaetz and others did to him. Tubby did not need to physically held back he pulled a Hold me back bro move to look like a tough guy because he is in fact, is a little b, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), a Gaetz critic, wrote on the social platform X. The latest McCarthy-Gaetz episode unfolded during the RNC, where Republicans from across the country including many of those serving on Capitol Hill convened to showcase an image of unity ahead of the November elections. Trump, in his speech on the final night of the event, urged the party to rise above past differences, and the event featured remarks from two of the ex-presidents primary opponents, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.). But that picture was undermined at least for a moment during the McCarthy-Gaetz drama, which put a spotlight on the friction that remains in the GOP. Some Republicans, however, brushed off the conflict, arguing that despite their differences, the two men have a key similarity: Theyre both backing Trump. Youre gonna have stuff happen all the time. Im not really concerned about that, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) said from the RNC convention floor. The big thing that Im concerned about, whether its Matt or Kevin, theyre both unified behind Donald Trump and the mission in front of us is making sure hes the next president Other stuff going on between the two of them, theyll figure that out, theyre both big boys. Well move on. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, echoed that sentiment, telling reporters I bet you that Matt Gaetz and Kevin McCarthy vote for the same guy for president, so thats what I call unity. I saw two people that didnt get along with each other. It was an individual conflict, not a broader conflict between groups or anything, Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) said. Its really, Matt and Kevin dont like each other. The confab came more than nine months after Gaetz forced a vote on ousting McCarthy from the Speakership, which was successful after seven GOP lawmakers and all Democrats joined him in the effort. Two months later, McCarthy announced he would depart Congress at the end of the year, putting a bookend on his more than 15-year tenure in the House. But as McCarthys ouster moves farther away in the rearview mirror, the tensions between the two men have only grown. Gaetz, for one, has continued to highlight his successful removal effort, writing on X that he 86d McCarthy, writing that Better days are ahead for the Republican Party and facetiously endorsing the California Republican to be the RNC chair because the position doesnt make any policy decisions or negotiate against Democrats. McCarthy, meanwhile, backed Gaetzs GOP primary opponent and has continued to accuse the Florida Republican of spearheading his ouster effort out of frustration that McCarthy did not stop an Ethics Committee investigation into him, a charge the former Speaker has denied. Some say Gaetzs frustration with McCarthy which was on full display on the RNC floor is warranted. Asked if it was wrong for Gaetz to approach McCarthy in such a manner, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), who also voted to oust the California Republican, responded no. Kevins spending $900,000 every two weeks, I think, on Matts campaign attacking him, Burchett continued. So no, I dont. He wants to play in the big boy league, politics is a contact sport. Burchett was one of at least three Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy and was present at the convention, joining Gaetz and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) in that category. But they werent the only three GOP lawmakers on the California Republicans mind. Asked about his involvement in Gaetzs primary, McCarthy pivoted the conversation to Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who also voted to oust him from the Speakership. McCarthy backed Goods primary challenger, John McGuire, funneling the Republican thousands of dollars from his Majority Committee PAC. McGuire bested Good by 0.6 percentage points, according to Decision Desk HQ, but Good requested a recount. The best thing that I had last night, it was really good, John McGuire was here, McCarthy said. We took pictures. Asked about Good requesting a recount in the Virginia primary race, McCarthy knocked his former colleague. Take more of his money, thats alright, he said. Hell lose again. Aris Folley contributed. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Damages remain visible in the McCook Lake community on July 3, 2024, after a massive flood hit the area on June 23. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) Damages remain visible in the McCook Lake community on July 3, 2024, after a massive flood hit the area on June 23. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) When a record-high surge of water flowed down the Big Sioux River toward the southeast corner of South Dakota last month, local and state authorities activated a flood mitigation plan from 1976. It saved North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes from disaster. But their neighbors in McCook Lake suffered a graphic reminder of how different their community is today than it was 48 years ago. Back when there were a few little cabins on the lake that you could replace for $20 apiece, and now there are little McMansions, said Jay Gilbertson, geologist and manager of the East Dakota Water Development District, based in Brookings. He said its time for an update. Most definitely. The idea that a plan drawn up back then would still be applied today is kind of silly. Utilizing the existing plan, local and state authorities plugged the area under an Interstate 29 overpass with a sandbag-and-clay levee, to tie in with permanent levees that protect North Sioux City. The system diverted water toward McCook Lake, as intended. But there was more water than anybody had ever seen before. Instead of causing a manageable rise in the lake, floodwaters slammed into dozens of homes, destroying around 30 of them and carving giant gouges in the land on the lakes north shore. Fortunately, nobody was killed. Union County Emergency Management Director Jason Westcott said officials thought the plan would work as it had in the past. Now he says something needs to change. Were having a bad flood every four or five years, he said. Our rivers are changing and us humans are doing something to them. Map of southeastern South Dakota. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight. Map data from OpenStreetMap) Some researchers and scientists say the changes are due to a greater frequency of severe rainfall and shifts in land use. And they say mitigation plans have not kept up. Theres no question about it, said Carter Johnson, distinguished professor emeritus of ecology at South Dakota State University. Mitigation plans, building standards and regulations are based on the 20th century data, which made sense, but were changing. Mark Sweeney, an environmental science professor at the University of South Dakota, shares those concerns. Flood mitigation plans should never be considered static, Sweeney said. River channels are in a constant state of change, meaning flood hazards are likely to change, especially over decades. The recent flooding began when three days of heavy rainfall inundated southeast South Dakota, southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa. The McCook Lake community did not anticipate the volume of water that overwhelmed some of their homes on June 23, according to Dirk Lohry, president of the McCook Lake Association. But in hindsight, the disaster looks like another step in a progression of more frequent, more severe floods affecting the area during the past 15 years. Im 1,000 years old, Lohry said. I have now lived through two once-every-500-year floods. Damages remain visible in the McCook Lake community on July 3, 2024, after a massive flood hit the area on June 23. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) A changing environment Warning signs have been accumulating in recent years about changing river flows in eastern South Dakota. A U.S. Geological Survey report found a 298% increase in streamflow for the James River near Scotland, for example. The report says increases are linked to higher precipitation, urban development, tile drains used under farm fields, and grassland-to-cropland conversion. The report found a hydrologically unique trend in the eastern Dakotas that is not being observed anywhere else in the conterminous United States. Specifically, streams in the eastern Dakotas have experienced the greatest increases in streamflow during the last 60 years in comparison to any other USGS gaged stream in the United States. When North Sioux City developed its flood mitigation plan almost five decades ago, the highest recorded flow rate of the Big Sioux River in the city was 77,500 cubic feet per second, according to a North Sioux City official who spoke during a July 1 city council meeting. The flow during the recent flooding overwhelmed stream gauges, reaching what some city officials estimated to be 170,000 cubic feet per second. Severe floods across the Midwest are becoming more common, mostly due to a greater frequency of severe rainfall, said Jonathan Remo, a geologist at Southern Illinois University. He said the once-every-500-year title given to some floods is a probability based on historical data. But were now seeing an unprecedented frequency of major precipitation events, Remo said. Something has fundamentally changed, and its related, in part, to climate change. Around the globe, large amounts of heat-trapping greenhouse gases are being emitted into the atmosphere. Warmer air holds more moisture, which, when it condenses, results in more intense precipitation. The state climatologist at South Dakota State University, Laura Edwards, has been saying for years that South Dakotas climate is becoming wetter during wet cycles and drier during dry cycles, translating to more severe droughts and floods. Carter Johnson, also of SDSU, has studied climate change for decades and said, Were seeing changes at rates that have never been observed before. He said South Dakota can fund better preparation and mitigation for natural disasters, or spend more on recovery. Taxpayers are paying for it either way, he said. Insurance rates will continue to go up, natural disasters will continue to happen, and emergency response and cleanup is not cheap. Land-use changes USDs Sweeney said climate change is the biggest concern for the future, but added that changes to the landscape, like urban sprawl, are also contributing to worsening floods. He said water that would normally soak into the ground like a sponge, slowing its flow rate, now hits asphalt and runs right off. We have known for a long time that runoff from asphalt is faster than from grassland, Sweeney said. Drain tile perforated pipe installed under cropland to drain excess moisture is another factor. When drain tile systems are installed, water that would otherwise accumulate in a field before absorbing into the ground or evaporating is instead channeled into ditches, creeks and rivers. Personally, I think tile drains are a slow-motion experiment we are playing, Sweeney said. A 2014 study in Ohio found that tile drainage significantly contributed to the amount of water discharged in the watershed. In Iowa, 2016 research indicated that tile drainage significantly alters streamflow, contributing 30% more water to the observed streams during precipitation events. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Converting grasslands to cropland can also make flooding worse. Meghann Jarchow, a USD professor of sustainability and grassland specialist, referenced a study showing grassland holds more water than cropland, with or without cropland drainage systems. Prairies have a thick layer of plant material that soaks up rain, which leads to less water draining away. Weve changed so many things in our environment, she said. Policies need to keep up. Between 2008 and 2016, nearly 5 million acres of grassland were converted to cropland across 12 Midwestern states including South Dakota primarily for corn and soybean production, according to a 2021 study. Thats the equivalent of about five Rhode Islands. Solutions For the residents of McCook Lake, one priority is clear: They want assurance that their homes will not be sacrificed again. Theyve got to change that plan, Dirk Lohry said. A McCook Lake area homes garage on July 3, 2024, after a massive flood on June 23. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) McCook Lake residents called on North Sioux City officials to change the current mitigation plan during a July 1 meeting, suggesting a large ditch be built to direct water to nearby Mud Lake which does not have a community surrounding it rather than McCook Lake. Jay Gilbertson thinks its time those once-every-however-many years estimates get updated, partly because of how those odds drive design standards for infrastructure like waste management systems and dams. You might have to make a system able to handle a once every 50-year event based on historical records, Gilbertson said. But 50 might not be 50, it might be 30. He said those adjustments could help ensure dams and levees are being built for the environment of the 21st century and beyond, not the 20th. Federal agencies and state and local governments are all responsible for updating design standards to reflect current climate data. Zoning laws could also be updated to illustrate flood zones more accurately, Gilbertson said, restricting development in high-risk areas, and ensuring adequate park and wetland space to help absorb floodwaters. In 2020, State Climatologist Laura Edwards wrote about increased flood risks in South Dakota, highlighting how many properties are at greater risk than currently indicated by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood plain maps. Multiple McCook Lake residents told South Dakota Searchlight they do not have flood insurance, because of the expense and because theyre not in an area designated by FEMA as requiring it. Sweeney said the accuracy of flood plain maps is critical, as are local government decisions about what development, if any, is allowed. We will never be able to eliminate flood hazards as long as the government allows people to build in flood plains, Sweeney said. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST THEODORE Ala. (WKRG) A Mobile County Public Schools spokesperson has not provided supporting documents to prove an estimate she made on behalf of MCPSS to replace two cooling towers at Theodore High School. 1 person killed in Gulf Shores Parkway crash: GSPD MCPSS spokesperson Rena Philips told WKRG on Monday that it would cost $600,000 to replace two cooling towers that have been down for nearly a year. Its a number that WKRG went on the record with. The cooling towers, according to School Board Member Johnny Hatcher, malfunctioned when a fan busted out the top of the tower. Hatcher said the breakdown caused the school to lose A/C for about a week until a temporary cooling unit arrived. I dont want these children in here, sweating and trying to work in an unfit environment, Hatcher said. My children go here. I dont want my children to be involved in that. Hatcher said Philipss estimate just isnt accurate. When WKRG asked Hatcher to prove his claim, he sent two vendor quotes within one hour of the request. The first vendor quote, by Delta Cooling Towers Inc., totaled $144,503. The second vendor quote, by Hydro Technologies, showed that replacing the current towers with what Hatcher said is the same make and model, would cost $256,314. Both quotes provided by Hatcher were significantly less than Philipss $600,000 estimate she made on behalf of the school system. On Monday, WKRG asked Philips to provide any supporting documents to back up her estimate, which she did not do. I dont know why she wouldnt be able to provide it, Hatcher said. I mean, she spoke on it. She should be able to provide it. Mobile Alabama Power lineman reacts to aggressive Houston residents For the past 10 months, Hatcher said the school system has been paying about $15,000 per month for the temporary cooling tower. Hatcher said the temporary tower cost the school system $10,000 to set up and will cost them $10,000 to remove. All of it is funded with taxpayer dollars. Furthermore, Hatcher said the temporary cooling tower failed on Tuesday. He estimated the repairs to cost somewhere between $10,000 to $15,000. So far, Hatcher said the school system has spent at least $170,000 on the temporary cooling tower. For that amount, Hatcher said the school system could have replaced the two towers. I dont have to stand by numbers, Hatcher said. Theyre in black and white. Philips said the school system must abide by state bid laws to make the replacements. She was right about that, pursuant to a state law that required certain expenditures of city and county school boards are subject to competitive bidding. Expenditures for labor, services, or work, and the purchase or lease of materials, supplies, equipment, or other personal property involving $15,000 or more are subject to competitive bidding. [16-13B-1, et.al.] Hatcher said the school system can file an emergency order to get the project done quicker and cheaper with a process called self-performance. It would require the school system to act as its own general contractor. That would save us every bit of 30%-40% on these projects, Hatcher said. According to Hatcher, the school system could file an emergency order because of the hazards students could be exposed to with no A/C in the Summer months. Those in the school dont just face heat when the cooling towers fail, but with enough time, Hatcher said mold could begin to grow inside the vents. So, it does constitute an emergency order, Hatcher said. In the meantime, Hatcher said the school does have A/C as long as the temporary cooling tower is functional. UPDATE: Brush fire currently isolated to woods in Bon Secour Wildlife Refuge WKRG is willing to publish any supporting documents Philps can provide to back up her $600,000 estimate. Since Monday, WKRGs questions regarding that estimate have gone unanswered. 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. Nonemergency surgeries, procedures and medical visits were canceled or suspended at multiple hospitals across the country Friday amid a global software outage that has kept health care workers from accessing medical records, prescriptions, scheduling, and other electronic tools and documents. Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, the states largest, said it has canceled all previously scheduled non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and medical visits due to the outage linked to the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. The outage is said to have primarily affected computers using the CrowdStrike software with Microsofts Windows operating system. The hospital said in a statement that its clinics and emergency departments remain open to patients with urgent health concerns, and we continue to care for all patients currently receiving care in our hospitals. Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston said it was canceling all previously scheduled non-urgent surgeries, procedures and medical visits due to the outage Friday. Boston Globe via Getty Images Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania also said that it is canceling and will reschedule some appointments Friday due to the outage. The medical system said in a statement that it is making every effort to contact patients whose appointments need to be canceled. Even crucial appointments were reportedly being canceled at some facilities, however. In Kentucky, a 73-year-old mans daughter told The Associated Press that his emergency open heart surgery at Baptist Hospital in Paducah was abruptly canceled early Friday due to the system outage. Its an emergency surgery, so if anything happens, it would be as a result of not having the surgery this morning, said Alison Baulos. A representative for Baptist Health confirmed to HuffPost in a statement that it is experiencing disruptions tied to the CrowdStrike incident and that it has canceled some non-emergency procedures as a result. They declined to comment on that specific heart surgery case, however. Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania also said that it is canceling and will reschedule some appointments Friday due to the outage. aimintang via Getty Images Many hospitals and medical centers appeared to be operating as usual or recovering after earlier disruptions. Texas Harris Health System, which is the states largest public primary care health network, canceled all outpatient clinic appointments and elective hospital procedures for several hours on Friday before resuming normal operations, though with some services still offline, it said in a statement. Hospital visitation and patient information were among some of the services suspended at some of its facilities due to the outage. Other major hospitals and health care systems said they are working through the disruptions with minimal to no impacts on patients. This included the Mount Sinai Health System in New York, which said in a public statement late Friday morning that all of its appointments remain planned unless you hear from us. We will notify you if your non-urgent appointment or procedure needs to be rescheduled due to the global technology outage, it said. Dartmouth Health, which runs a system of hospitals, clinics and health care services across New Hampshire and Vermont, also told HuffPost late Friday afternoon that it is seeing limited operational disruptions, after earlier reporting a widespread outage of multiple systems. The primary impacts included limited access to medication-dispensing machines in several hospitals and access to some computers. There have been minimal appointment cancelations as a result of the outage, a spokesperson said in a statement. Heres a list of other major health care systems and hospitals that HuffPost has heard from as of early Friday afternoon: HCA Healthcare, the nations largest health system, said it has not been directly impacted by CrowdStrikes technology issue and we are working with our vendors to understand any issues they may be facing. CommonSpirit Health, which operates 140 hospitals, said some of its facilities have been affected and that patients are being contacted if their appointments are affected. Trinity Health, which operates a network of 101 hospitals, said only a small percentage of its servers have been affected. The majority of the technical issues have been remediated, and there has been no impact to patient safety. The Veterans Health Administration said there has been no known impact on health care operations from the outage. VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes encouraged any veteran needing support, including those impacted by challenges at non-VA health care facilities, to call 1-800-MYVA411 or visit their local VA medical center for assistance. Baptist Health Systems hospitals in San Antonio and New Braunfels, Texas, have not been impacted and are operating normally, according to a spokesperson. Jackson Health System in Miami said it has not been substantially impacted and that patient care has not been affected in any of our hospitals. Related... Donald Trump, with a bandage on his ear from an assassination attempt foiled at his rally on Saturday, speaks at the RNC after accepting the 2024 Republican nomination for president (Getty Images) Donald Trumps campaign spent the better part of four days promising a changed Trump a more solemn, thoughtful man, whose politics were forever altered by a would-be assassins bullet. That image was shattered over 93 minutes on Thursday night. The ex-president spoke to delegates on the final night of the 2024 Republican National Convention as he accepted his partys nomination for president for a third time. His speech, which trailed off the prepared remarks on the teleprompter at multiple points, was somehow both monotonous as he waffled on the promised call for unity and angry. As Americans, we are bound together by things that are shared we rise together or we fall apart. I am running to be president for all of America. Not half, Trump said, shortly after coming onstage. That was roughly the end of the olive branches for the evening. The rest of the speech revolved around the enemies who have been in his sights since he first announced a run for president in 2015. On the list: Democrats, who he accused of using the pandemic to cheat by expanding mail-in voter eligibility. Immigrants, too, received the same kind of targeting as they were subjected to in his first-ever campaign speech, when he called them killers and rapists. In El Salvador, murders are down by 70 per cent. Why are they down? Now [president Nayib Bukele] would have you convinced that its because hes trained murderers to be wonderful people. No. Theyre down because theyre sending their murderers to the United States of America, the ex-president claimed last night. Donald Trump and wife Melania kiss onstage following the end of his nomination speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention on Thursday (Reuters) He has frequently made this assertion, that Central and South American countries are sending migrants, including alleged criminals, to the US. Theres no evidence thats ever been true. The image of unity wasnt the only one Trump publicly played with then abandoned on Thursday. Just a day after his vice presidential nominee JD Vance projected his own veneer of pro-labor sentiment on the RNC stage, vowing to take on Wall Street and corporate greed, and two days after the president of the international Teamsters union became the first such organized labor leader to speak at the RNC, Trump took a broad swipe at another union, the United Auto Workers. Vance had joined its members on a picket line just last year. The United Auto Workers ought to be ashamed for allowing this to happen, Trump said, referring to auto plants owned by American companies being set up overseas. [T]he leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately, and every single auto worker union and non-union should be voting for Donald Trump, because were going to bring back car manufacturing, and were going to bring it back fast, he added. Camera footage of the crowd during Trumps rambling, hour-and-a-half-long speech showed delegates growing visibly tired by the end, with some checking their phones and zoning out. Reacting to the speech as it ended, a former adviser to Obama said the bizarre, boring speech was the first good thing to happen to Democrats in weeks. Megan Thee Stallion is giving back to the senior citizens in her hometown of Houston following the city being hit by Hurricane Beryl. On Thursday (July 18), Megs Pete and Thomas Foundation announced its partnership with Bread of Life Inc. to create an Emergency Power Program, which provides generators to senior citizens in times of power outages caused by natural disasters. Its been painful to watch the elderly population in Houston suffer without electricity during these devastating storms, the Grammy-winner stated in a press release. Thats why we wanted to partner with Bread of Life to take a strategic approach to this problem and secure generators to help protect our senior citizens. We need to do our part to provide our elders with the best resources possible to withstand future emergencies. In an aerial view, residential neighborhoods without power are shown beyond lit highways on July 12, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Hurricane Beryl disrupted the Caribbean and Gulf Coast of the United States earlier this month, reportedly killing at least 52 people and causing more than $6 billion in damages. The hurricane left 2.7 million people in the Houston area without power for hours, and with the scorching Houston heat, there were six heat-related deaths. We want to expand our support of the most vulnerable people in the city, and Hurricane Beryl, the derecho and other storms have highlighted that our seniors are in dire need of assistance, Bread of Life founder Rudy Rasmus stated. Through our partnership with Megan Thee Stallion and her Pete and Thomas Foundation, we hope to provide generators to senior personal care homes this hurricane season. They added, Our goal is to provide generators to our most vulnerable seniors ahead of storms or other events that knock out power so there is no interruption in service. A vehicle is left abandoned in floodwater on a highway after Hurricane Beryl swept through the area on July 08, 2024 in Houston, Texas. Bread of Life is a Houston-based nonprofit organization that provides resources and support to Houstons most vulnerable citizens. Megs Pete and Thomas Foundation named after her deceased parents was founded in 2022 as a way to uplift and assist women, children, senior citizens and other underserved communities. For more information on ways to get involved with both organizations and for recent updates, visit the Pete and Thomas Foundations official website and Bread of Life here. More from VIBE.com Megan Thee Stallion attends the 2024 Planned Parenthood Of Greater New York Gala on April 16, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images) The goal of the program is to ensure senior citizens have access to electricity during natural disasters. Megan Thee Stallion is giving back to her hometown of Houston with the launch of a new program. The rappers Pete and Thomas Foundation is partnering with Bread of Life Inc. to launch the Emergency Power Program, which will provide generators to senior citizens in Houston. The goal of the program is to ensure senior citizens have access to electricity during natural disasters. Its been painful to watch the elderly population in Houston suffer without electricity during these devastating storms, Megan said in a press release per Us Weekly. Thats why we wanted to partner with Bread of Life to take a strategic approach to this problem and secure generators to help protect our senior citizens. We need to do our part to provide our elders with the best resources possible to withstand future emergencies. Megan Thee Stallion, shown performing on May 24, in Napa, California, is offering emergency power help to senior citizens in her hometown of Houston through her foundation. (Photo by Dana Jacobs/FilmMagic) The announcement comes after Hurricane Beryl touched down in the Caribbean and in parts of the United States, with reports of over 2.5 million Houston customers losing power for days, according to KHOU 11. At least six people between the ages of 50 and 78 suffered heat-related deaths due to lack of power in sweltering heat, the news outlet reported. Although the storm dissipated over a week ago, thousands are still without power, according to the press release. Recommended Stories We want to expand our support of the most vulnerable people in the city, and Hurricane Beryl, the derecho and other storms have highlighted that our seniors are in dire need of assistance, Bread of Life founder Rudy Rasmus said. Through our partnership with Megan Thee Stallion and her Pete and Thomas Foundation, we hope to provide generators to senior personal care homes this hurricane season. Our goal is to provide generators to our most vulnerable seniors ahead of storms or other events that knock out power so there is no interruption in service. Megan founded the Pete and Thomas Foundation, which is named after her parents, in 2022. The organization aims to uplift and assist women, children, senior citizens and other underserved communities, according to its website. More must-reads: Megan Thee Stallion to provide free generators to seniors in her hometown of Houston Texas native Megan Thee Stallion is looking to provide generators for senior citizens across Houston and prepare them for future natural disasters. After Hurricane Beryl hit Texas and left 2 million people without power, the Houston hottie wanted to help her city. Here is how she plans to do so. Megan Thee Stallion launches Emergency Power Program The artist who's real name is Megan Pete is partnering with Bread of Life, Inc. to launch the Emergency Power Program through her Pete and Thomas Foundation. The organizations will provide generators for elderly residents throughout Houston and grant them the ability to utilize electricity during natural disasters. "It's been painful to watch the elderly population in Houston suffer without electricity during these devastating storms, she said in a statement. That's why we wanted to partner with Bread of Life to take a strategic approach to this problem and secure generators to help protect our senior citizens. We need to do our part to provide our elders with the best resources possible to withstand future emergencies. Power outages in Texas: What to know before, during and after your power goes out CenterPoint Energy power outage tracker Earlier this week, more than 200,000 CenterPoint Energy customers were still without power and struggled with the heat one week after Hurricane Beryl swept through southeast Texas. CenterPoint Energy, the Houston-area utility that maintains the infrastructure for more than 2.8 million customers across Texas, said it has restored power faster than in recent storms. The energy company said power would be fully restored by Friday, according to the company's tracker. More: What's safe to eat and what should be thrown out after power outage? Here's a list. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Megan Thee Stallion to provide emergency generators to Texas seniors Meghan McCain doesnt believe the president really has COVID-19, and is looking forward to the great book about the amount of lies that were told to the American public about President Bidens health. Earlier this week, just hours after saying the only way hed withdraw from the campaign for his re-election was if he had a medical condition, it was announced that the president tested positive for COVID and would be canceling his Las Vegas keynote speech to self-isolate. On the latest episode of her podcast Citizen McCain, the late senator John McCains daughter and ex-The View host went on a rant about Bidens COVID news, calling it an egregious lie at a level weve never seen in politics. She also expressed her belief that the announcement might just be an excuse for him to step down gracefully. In a previous episode following the latest presidential debate, McCain compared Bidens performance to her fathers condition as his health deteriorated due to brain cancer. I know what cognitive decline looks like in one way or another. I think any caregiver for an aging parent knows thatand to me, I felt saddened and uncomfortable and then very scared during the debate, she said at the time. Meghan McCain Compares Biden to Her Father: I Know What Cognitive Decline Looks Like McCain has become a frequent source of low blows at the president, despite Bidens long friendship with her father and the viral moment they shared together on The View, during which Biden comforted her as she cried over her fathers illness. Shed repeatedly thanked him for his actions during the taping and praised his compassion for years, at one point calling him one of the truly decent and compassionate men in all of American politics, before turning on him. We are very close to Biden stepping down, she said this week on the podcast. I dont even know if at this point I believe President Biden has COVID. I think there is a trust deficit with the American public, certainly with me and the Biden administrations candidness and transparency regarding Bidens health. I dont know if I believe he actually has COVID. McCain moved on to other topics for a bit, including slamming Trumps VP pick J.D. Vance as being too inexperienced, and calling the latest RNC the funeral of traditional conservatism, before circling back to Biden. I think the reason why President Biden and his team are in the predicament that they are in is because they lied egregiously at a level of maleficence weve never seen, she concluded. The View: If Biden Gave Trumps RNC Speech Hed Be Hospitalized Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. We recently compiled a list of the 10 Stocks Targeted by Activist Investors Right Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE:WOLF) stands against the other stocks targeted by activist investors. Activist investors play an important role in deploying various strategies to try and unlock value in stocks they believe are trading below their fair value. By paying millions and even billions of dollars to buy stakes in companies, they accrue significant power and the right to lobby for changes they believe will help bolster share price and shareholder value. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that the top 10 stocks targeted by activist investors right now have also seen their leadership targeted as one of the ways of engineering changes to unlock value. Last year alone, companies faced a record number of activist campaigns as shareholders tried to insert optimum pressure to oust directors of companies struggling amid deteriorating macro conditions. Some activist investors went to the extent of pushing for the sale of businesses whose shares had tumbled significantly. Consequently, there were 252 activist campaigns globally in 2023, a 7% increase from the previous year. The fact that the top 10 stocks targeted by activist investors now also include blue-chip businesses underlines that no one is safe from scrutiny. The significant increase in activist campaigns came from geopolitical instability and economic uncertainty. Nevertheless, activist investors shrugged off these concerns as they showed their resilience in pushing for corporate changes and operational efficiency in the race to unlock shareholder value. Similarly, investors closely watch activist investors' moves in the market as they help shed light on some of the best-undervalued opportunities worth exploring. A report of 550 activist campaigns has already shown that activist investors often outperform the overall market by 6.3% through their campaigns. The report by Alvaro & Marshal clearly shows why it is essential to closely watch activist investors' moves when trying to uncover high-risk reward opportunities in the market. Additionally, activist campaigns focused on operational demands to change how companies operate to generate value often outperform the market by 9.4% on average. The outperformance stems from activist investors installing their preferred directors on the board of directors to try and influence how a company operates in its push to unlock shareholder value. One trend that is becoming increasingly clear is that activist campaigns are becoming increasingly regional and dynamic. With the US equities outperforming the overall market over the past few years, activist investors are increasingly targeting stocks in other underperforming regions. Consequently, the activist investors launched 69 campaigns in Europe last year, focusing on pushing for mergers and acquisitions. Equities in Asia Pacific were not spared either, going by the 44 new campaigns. Story continues While the UK recorded a 71% increase in activist campaigns to 29 campaigns and the US recorded a 20% drop to 109 campaigns in 2024, Canada saw a 171% increase in shareholder activism to 19 campaigns. Nevertheless, US-based activist investors continue to account for the most significant share of global activist campaigns. For instance, three of the busiest US-based activist investors launched 14% of the worldwide activist campaigns. Over the years, activist campaigns have been dominated by high-profile hedge funds, including Icahn Enterprises, Jana Partners and Trian Partners. Elliott Investment Management is one activist hedge fund that stands out when it comes to unlocking value in under two years. The trend is slowly changing, with new, more aggressive funds pushing to make their mark. For instance, more than 40% of campaigns last year were spearheaded by hedge funds for the first time, especially in Europe. The change of guard stems from the barrier of entry being lowered, giving shareholders the ability to launch more campaigns. It is one of the best times to watch the 10 stocks targeted by activist Investors right now, as the campaigns are highly successful. The double-digit returns posted by activist investors in 2023 in one of the most challenging environments amid the high interest rates underscores the effectiveness of some campaigns. For instance, activist investors who pushed for management changes and the streamlining of operations enjoyed an average return of 20.2% in 2023, a significant improvement from an average loss of 16% in 2022. Even as the S&P 500 gained 24%, activist investors like Mason Morfit's ValueAct Capital came out on top, posting a 39% return, while Bill Ackman's Pershing Square holdings delivered a 27% gain. Healthcare-focused hedge fund Caligan Partners posted a 37% gain as Engaged Capital topped the S&P 500 gain with a 29% gain. The activist campaigns were mainly helped by a rising stock market and focused on some of the most prominent stock picks on a roll, like Nvidia for AI and cloud computing powerhouse Salesforce. The campaigns also turned out to be a great success for the activist investors pushing for cost cuts, strategic alternatives, and management changes to navigate the high interest rate environment. In the first half of 2024, activist investors launched a record number of campaigns, 147 of which topped the previous 143 set in 2018. In the second quarter, they launched 86 campaigns, with Elliott Capital emerging as the busiest, launching 11 campaigns and investing $11 billion in the capital in a bid to enhance its influence in its targets The surge in activist campaigns in 2024 threatens to trigger costly boardroom battles as the activist investor pushes for management changes, spin-offs, and outright sales. Our Methodology A closer look at how shareholders push for optimum value shows that activist investors are not planning to go slow anytime soon. Instead, they are ready to push companies harder for changes, including accelerating board changes to unlock value. Consequently, we have compiled a list of the most recent activist campaigns and ranked them based on their recent market capitalization. At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly 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 worker assembling metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) on a conveyer belt. Jana Partners at the Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE:WOLF) Market Cap: 3.04 Billion Jana Partners' Equity Stake: $35.6 Million Wolfspeed, a leading producer of silicon carbide, is one of the 10 stocks targeted by activist investors right now after going down by 46% in 2024 and losing more than 60% in market value over the past 12 months. The stock has caught the attention of activist hedge fund Jana Partners, which has taken note of its negative 61% shareholder return over the past ten years despite having a competitive advantage as a market leader. The activist investor acquired stakes worth $35.6 million in the company late last year. The activist investor is pushing the company to prioritize executing its Mohawk Valley and Siler City projects and focus on generating acceptable returns on capital. Additionally, Jana Partners wants the board to consider a potential sale of the company to unlock value. Overall WOLF ranks 9th on our list of the stocks targeted by activist investors right now. You can visit 10 Stocks Targeted by Activist Investors Right Now to see the other stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of WOLF 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 WOLF but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Countries with the Highest Purchasing Power Parity in the World in 2024 and 10 Very High Yield Dividend Stocks With Upside Potential Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Meghan McCain, who once called President Joe Biden a truly decent politician, is sharing her personal theories about his health and political future, as he recovers from a COVID-19 infection. In a Friday episode of her Citizen McCain podcast, the former The View cohost unpacked recent developments surrounding calls to oust the president from the race, including his diagnosis with COVID. Biden tested positive on Wednesday for the virus, canceling a campaign event that evening and self-isolating in his Delaware home. But McCain, whose father, John McCain, was a long-time colleague of then-Senator Joe Biden, isn't buying it. I dont even know if at this point I believe President Biden has COVID. I think there is a trust deficit with the American public, certainly with me, and the Biden administrations candidness and transparency regarding Bidens health, the podcaster said, explaining her theory on the presidents motives. I dontI don't know if I believe he actually has COVID. It may just be an excuse for him to step down gracefully. McCain added that her instincts, sources, [and] friends told her that Bidens days are numbered as the candidate, with her guest, Ben Ferguson, speculating that Biden was only staying in the race to protect his son Hunter. McCains comments towards the president the candidate who didnt slam her father as a war hero who was captured hinged on Americans supposed doubt in his health. I think the reason why President Biden and his team are in the predicament that they are in is because they lied egregiously at a level of maleficence weve never seen, she said. Melania Trump was greeted with rapturous applause as she made her entrance on the final night of the Republican National Convention, and offered her husband a brief peck on the cheek as he concluded his mammoth acceptance speech. The former first lady was pictured standing behind Trump as he signed paperwork to accept his third nomination for the GOP presidential candidate on Thursday, alongside his newly selected running mate for 2024, JD Vance. Vances wife, Usha Vance, stood with Melania, as well as the presidents daughter Ivanka, and son Eric. The former first lady was not mentioned on the list of speakers at the RNC for Thursday, but later made her official entrance to the convention floor to lilting classical music. The former first lady offered her husband a brief peck on the cheek as he concluded his mammoth acceptance speech on Thursday night at the convention (REUTERS) Melania joined her husband and his family, as well as Trumps newly selected running mate JD Vance (Getty Images) Wearing a red suit, Melania smiled and waved to supporters, before joining her husband and Vance in the box as the appplause continued. In his acceptance speech the longest in RNC history Trump directed crowds towards Melania, saying: On this journey, I am deeply honored to be joined by my amazing wife, Melania. To cheers, he continued: Melania, thank you very much. You also did something really beautiful, a letter to America, calling for national unity. Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump is joined on stage by his wife Melania and other members of his family (REUTERS) As he concluded his remarks after almost two hours, the former first lady returned to the stage to join her husband offering him a small kiss on the cheek. The pair held hands as they were joined by members of the Trump family as thousands of red, white and blue balloons fell. In his speech former president thanked his entire family: Don, Kimberly, Ivanka and Jared, Eric and Lara, Tiffany and Michael, Barron, we love our Barron. Barron did not appear to be in the box alongside his other family members, nor on the stage later. Melania took center stage as the 2024 RNC came to its conclusion and thousands of red, white and blue balloons fell (REUTERS) Melania Trump made an entrance to rapturous applause on the final night of the Republican National Convention (REUTERS) The 18-year-old recently made his entrance onto the political scene at a rally at Trumps Doral golf resort in Miami, Florida. Echoing his fathers showmanship the teenager waved to crowds and pumped his fists, prompting Trump to joke that he was more popular than his other sons. Back in Milwaukee, Trump paid tribute to his 10 wonderful grandchildren. You saw a few of them up there on my lap before, he said. Speculation about Melanias whereabouts have swirled for days as other members of the Trump familywere pictured on the convention floor, and in the box with the former president Wearing a red suit, Melania smiled and waved to supporters, before joing her husband and JD Vance in the box (REUTERS) Trump was pictured spending time with Luke and Carolina the children of Lara and Eric Trump ahead of his speech (AP) The former president was also pictured dancing alongside his young grandchildren Spencer and Chloe, the children of Don Jr. He also spent time with Luke and Carolina the children of Lara and Eric Trump. Melanias entrance in Milwaukee marks her first major political appearance with Trump since he announced his 2024 campaign almost two years ago. The former first lady has remained largely out of the spotlight so far as Trumps campaign to return to the White House continued apace (AFP via Getty Images) Sources told Politico that the former first lady was deeply shaken by the shocking assassination attempt. Shortly following the incident on Saturday during a campaign rally in Butler Pennsylvania, she released a statement in which she described the would-be assassin as a monster. Melania entered the convention hall on Thursday night ahead of Trumps speech and was met with rapturous applause (REUTERS) When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband, Melania wrote. To the families of the innocent victims who are now suffering from this heinous act, I humbly offer my sincerest sympathy. Your need to summon your inner strength for such a terrible reason saddens me. Ahead of his speech, Trump was pictured dancing alongside his young grandchildren Spencer and Chloe, the children of Donald Jr (REUTERS) Jared Kushner, former White House senior adviser, Ivanka Trump, former White House senior adviser, and Tiffany Trump were all present on the final night of the RNC (AP) A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald's passion - his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration. The core facets of my husband's life his human side were buried below the political machine. Donald, the generous and caring man who I have been with through the best of times and the worst of times. Melania has not remained completely out of politics, having headlined two fundraisers for the Log Cabin Republicans, a pro-LGBTQ+ rights Republican organization in spring. The former first lady was pictured standing behind Trump, along with Ivanka Trump as he signed paperwork to officially accept the Republican nomination for presidential candidate (AP) Both were held at Trump properties Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower and were closed to the press. However, Melania has not held any public campaign events or accompanied Trump at events out on the trail beyond a few private fundraisers and voting in Floridas primary. Donald Jr, his fiancee Kimberly Guilfoyle, and now Eric Trump have all made speeches to supporters of the former president in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Former first lady Melania Trump was in attendance for the final night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She waved at delegates as she made her way across the convention floor to the family box, to much applause. This marks her first appearance at the RNC this week and her first time joining former President Donald Trump at a major campaign event this election cycle. PHOTO: Former first lady Melania Trump arrives on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (Leon Neal/Getty Images) PHOTO: As Melania Trump watches, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump signs paperwork to officially accept the nomination during the final day of the Republican National Convention, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (Evan Vucci/AP) MORE: Melania Trump expected to attend Republican National Convention: Sources Melania Trump has rarely joined Donald Trump on the campaign trail this election cycle, occasionally appearing at closed-door fundraisers and other private events at Trumps private residences in Palm Beach or New York. Melania Trump has been focused on supporting the conservative LGBTQ organization Log Cabin Republicans -- headlining a fundraiser for the group at Trump Tower in New York earlier this month, where she helped raise $1.4 million, according to Bill White, one of the co-hosts and a longtime friend of Trump. PHOTO: Former First Lady Melania Trump waves next to Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance during the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, July 18, 2024. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) That was her second fundraiser for Log Cabin Republicans this year, after she headlined a similar fundraiser at Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club in April. So far this year, she's helped raise nearly $5 million for Log Cabin Republicans, which will be used for outreach initiatives for swing state voters -- with a focus on suburban women, and gay and lesbian conservatives in those battleground states, White previously told ABC News. ABC News' Soo Rin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report. Melania Trump attends final night of RNC originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Former first lady Melania Trump had a grand entrance at the 2024 Republican National Convention on Thursday, walking out to classical music as the crowd applauded. But she broke decades of tradition by heading straight to her seat. The nominees spouse has spoken at the event for the past 30 years, something former first lady Barbara Bush started in 1992. Donald Trumps wife spoke at the 2016 and 2020 conventions, with her first speech garnering headlines thanks to portions that were plagiarized from a 2008 speech by former first lady Michelle Obama. Melania Trump has been largely absent from the public eye recently, despite her husbands ongoing headline-making events, from his presidential campaign to his hush money trial. As Melania Trump watches, Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump signs paperwork to officially accept the nomination during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on Thursday in Milwaukee. via Associated Press Melania Trump was photographed Thursday afternoon at the RNC, including during a photo op as her husband signed the official documents to become the GOP nominee for president. For the first three days of the convention, she did not make an appearance in the VIP box. In his speech accepting the GOP nomination, Donald Trump took a moment to acknowledge his amazing wife, Melania and praise the lengthy statement she put out after he was shot in an attempted assassination during a rally in Pennsylvania. As the former first lady wrote, A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donalds passion his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration. Melania, thank you very much, you also did something really beautiful, a letter to America calling for national unity, and it really took the Republican Party by surprise, I will tell you, it was beautiful, Trump said. In fact, some very serious people said we should take that letter and put it as part of the Republican platform. That would be an honor, right? For more of the latest updates on the 2024 election, go here. Metro Atlanta mother who left for trip days ago found dead at MARTA station Atlanta police are investigating the death of a metro Atlanta woman. Officers responded to the West End MARTA station at 680 Lee Street SW at approximately 5:39 pm on Friday to reports of an unresponsive person. Officers found a woman later identified as Chanell Crosby, 35. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] She was later pronounced deceased. Crosbys family reported her missing to police on Sunday, July 14. Police said Crosby left her home with her boyfriend Jamal Harvey on Sunday to go to Macon. That was the last time they heard from her. According to a family member, Harvey spoke to Crosbys friends but claimed to not know where she was. He said he left her in middle Georgia but didnt say where. Though her body was discovered on MARTA property, Atlanta police will lead the investigation into her death. Anyone with information about her death is urged to call the Crime Stoppers Atlanta Tip Line at 404-577-8477 or visit www.StopCrimeAtl.org. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said that quick action led to the apprehension of a suspect wanted for a carjacking on Lafayette Street. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts Police said that a woman was waiting to have brake work done on her car at Luckys Custom Wheels & Tires when 27-year-old Cedric Taylor approached her on foot and began to punch her and demand money. Taylor then pulled the woman from her Kia Forte; she ran into the business for help. MNPD added that the business owner then ran to her car and, with the womans permission, broke the drivers side window before forcing Taylor out through the passenger side. That business owner, alongside someone police described as a good Samaritan, then detained Taylor until authorities arrived. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The woman was taken to an area hospital for treatment to minor injuries on her face and arm. Taylor was charged with carjacking. 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. UPDATE In an update on Friday afternoon, Delta announced that all of its flights were resumed after vendor technology issues impacted flights. The airline said it issued a travel waiver. To check the status of an itinerary click here. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Flights and the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) were impacted Friday morning after a widespread Microsoft outage left several systems offline around the world. This comes after Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion on Thursday night. This left Microsoft users nationwide including banks, flights, and companies services to be unavailable. Widespread disruptions were not the result of security incident or cyberattack: CrowdStrike Around 5 a.m., Metro posted on X that its services were delayed after computer systems went down across the globe. However, Metro stations opened on time and are running on schedule. Metro said travelers can expect delays on the 74, 52, F6, T18, and W4 bus routes, but this was not related to the outage. As of Friday morning, the WMATAs website and call center were still down. Customers and passengers headed to the airport can also expect to see delays as the outage continues to impact several systems. Airports are encouraging travelers to check the status of their flights before they arrive. At the Reagan National Airport (DCA), numerous airlines canceled our delayed flights forcing passengers to be added to wait lists and given waivers. Our family flight is 6:45 [a.m.]. And then when we came here, we got information from the airline, American Airlines, that all the flights is canceled because of the computerized and so on and so on. And then they help us to put on the waiting list, Rachmad Poetranto, told DC News Now at the airport. American Airlines shared in a post on X that it was able to restore its services, however, several flights are continuing to be delayed. On X, United Airlines shared that some of its flights are starting to resume and it is working to restore its systems. Delta shared that all of its flights were paused and the airline is working on a vendor technology issue. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the department is monitoring technical issues leading to these cancellations and delays. Our department will hold Frontier, and all airlines, to their responsibilities to meet the needs of passengers., said Buttigieg in a post on X. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shared that it is closely monitoring technical issues that are impacting IT systems at U.S. Airlines. Microsoft said the outage is under investigation and is working to mitigate the problem. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) A new webpage created by the New Mexico Department of Justice looks to educate families on social media safety. The Internet Safety webpage offers parents and teens resources, including social media privacy guides and information on Take It Down, a free service to stop the online sharing of explicit images or videos of minors. The page also features an experience form where parents and teens can share their past or current issues with social media platforms. The submitted experiences will help with a larger campaign that is expected to be announced later this summer, according to the New Mexico Department of Justice. Man arrested in Tucumcari for allegedly shooting at vehicle with kids, adults inside As technology continues to advance and more of our daily lives are shared online, its important that we take steps to protect our children, our families, and our communities, said Attorney General Raul Torrez in a news release. The Internet Safety Page was created to be a valuable resource for everyone, and the New Mexico Department of Justice is dedicated to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens in the digital world. The launch of the webpage comes after Torrez filed a lawsuit against Meta and Mark Zuckerberg alleging his company has failed to protect young users on its social media platforms from sexual exploitation. In May, a New Mexico judge granted Zuckerbergs request to be dropped from a lawsuit. 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is holding two public meetings on the State Wildlife Action Plan for New Mexico (SWAP). Free well water testing event in Luna County The SWAP looks at Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) and identifies their threats, habitats and actions that can be taken to reduce the threats and help with conservation. The 10-year SWAP review and revision was started in 2023 and is due to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by October 2025. The meetings will give an update on the SWAP review and revision process and allow for public comment. The meetings can be attended in person or virtually via Zoom. Upcoming meetings: 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. (Bloomberg) -- Mexicos government is preparing a preliminary report with arguments to declare that Vulcan Materials Co.s Calica mine is located in a protected natural area, signaling a potential expropriation of its land. Most Read from Bloomberg The report will be evaluated during 30 days by governments of the state of Quintana Roo, where the mine is located, as well social organizations, indigenous communities and universities, the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. Such as decision would support more than 1,600 species of animals and plants in the Yucatan Peninsula forests, the ministry said. Although the release does not specifically mention the mine, the ministrys press office confirmed the property is located on the land that will be considered. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, has been sparring with the US construction firm for months. AMLO said last week his government would seek a definitive closure of the mine through legal means after doing everything to reach a deal to purchase it. He had previously said he could also declare the land where it is located as a protected natural area. Vulcan Materials said in May it received an offer from Mexicos government that substantially undervalues its property. According to AMLO, the administration offered to purchase the firms Caribbean coast assets for $2 billion. The plant was closed by the government over alleged environmental damage, preventing the US construction firm from extracting limestone at the site it has owned for decades. The Alabama-based company has sought protection from the Joe Biden administration from what it saw as the threat of a government takeover. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) stands against the other financial stocks. The financial services industry in the US is poised for a dynamic and challenging year ahead, shaped by a confluence of economic, technological, and regulatory factors. The global economy is anticipated to grow modestly, with advanced economies like the US expecting around 1.4% growth. This is influenced by ongoing geopolitical tensions, climate-related disruptions, and persistently high inflation rates. These macroeconomic conditions are expected to significantly impact the operations and profitability of financial institutions. High interest rates have been a double-edged sword for the industry. While they have led to substantial increases in net interest income, particularly for larger banks, they have also driven up funding costs, especially for smaller and regional banks, squeezing their margins. According to Deloitte, the Federal Reserve's monetary policy will be crucial, with expectations that rates will remain elevated initially but may decrease later in the year. This will necessitate careful management of the balance between deposit rates and lending rates to sustain profitability. Economic uncertainty and the potential for slower growth have prompted banks to increase their loan loss provisions as a precautionary measure to cover potential defaults. This trend is expected to persist, reflecting a cautious approach to managing credit risk amidst economic volatility and increased regulatory scrutiny. Concurrently, the financial services sector is experiencing significant technological shifts. Advances in AI and generative AI are set to transform various aspects of the industry, from retail investing and fraud detection to insurance offerings. However, these advancements also introduce new risks, such as heightened fraud potential and the need for robust cybersecurity measures. On the regulatory front, changes are becoming more stringent, particularly around climate-related disclosures and sustainability. Financial institutions are required to adapt to these new regulations aimed at enhancing transparency and effectively managing climate risks. These regulatory changes, coupled with technological advancements, are forcing financial institutions to innovate and evolve their business models and strategies. Overall, banks and financial institutions must remain agile and proactive, navigating these multifaceted challenges to maintain profitability and drive growth in 2024. This will involve balancing the benefits and risks of high interest rates, managing loan loss provisions prudently, leveraging technological advancements, and complying with evolving regulatory requirements. Story continues In a recent development, major U.S. banks withstood a hypothetical 40% decline in commercial real estate values in the U.S. Federal Reserve's annual health test, which alleviated concerns about the banking sector amid rising interest rates. With increasing risks in the commercial real estate (CRE) sector, investors were keenly observing the Fed's stress tests to gauge the exposure of American lenders at a time when pandemic-era work patterns have left office towers largely vacant, pushing vacancy rates to a historic high of 20%. Chris Marinac, head of research at Janney Montgomery Scott, commented, In many ways, there should be a sense of relief that banks can endure a severe crisis. However, this doesnt mean the Fed believes commercial real estate is in the clear. We are still in the early stages of this credit cycle. The Fed's stress tests evaluate banks' balance sheets against a hypothetical severe economic downturn, including a 36% drop in U.S. home prices, a 55% plunge in equity prices, and an unemployment rate of 10%, reported Reuters. Results of the stress test released recently showed that banks could continue lending to households and businesses in the event of a severe global recession and indicated the capital needed to be deemed healthy and to determine how much they can return to shareholders through dividends and buybacks. The 31 large banks tested demonstrated they had enough capital to absorb nearly $685 billion in losses. This test comes over a year after the collapse of mid-sized lenders like Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic, which sparked criticism that the Fed had underestimated banks' vulnerabilities to rising interest rates, previously assuming rates would fall during a severe recession. Commercial office space is a significant concern, with $929 billion of the $4.7 trillion in outstanding commercial mortgages maturing in 2024, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. This approaching maturity wall occurs amid declining property values and reduced rental income. Analysts foresee a challenging period for CRE, with banks still having "considerable concentration risks," according to Moody's Ratings. Of the banks tested, Goldman Sachs had the highest projected loan loss for commercial real estate at 15.9%, followed by RBC USA (15.8%), Capital One (14.6%), and Northern Trust (13%). One critique from analysts is that the Fed's stress test did not include regional banks, which hold most of the CRE loans and are less regulated than their larger counterparts. Over the coming months, senior leaders in the financial services industry anticipate a challenging landscape marked by high interest rates, increased regulatory scrutiny, and persistent inflation concerns. While these trends are familiar to industry veterans, many younger employees have not encountered such conditions before. According to Deloitte, leaders will need to guide their teams through uncertainty, focusing on navigating near-term challenges and identifying potential opportunities. Looking ahead, rapid technological advancementsincluding generative AI, cloud migration, heightened fraud and cyber risks, and the convergence of industries through embedded financewill demand unprecedented agility from financial services leaders. Adapting to these changes will require creating new strategic pathways to align with evolving market dynamics. Throughout history, the financial services sector has often driven progress by helping organizations and individuals navigate economic and societal shifts. By the end of this decade, 2024 may be recognized as a pivotal year when the future began to materialize in tangible ways. Investing now in innovative products and services that foster positive outcomes could position firms for sustained competitive advantage in the years ahead. Our Methodology We leveraged Insider Monkeys comprehensive database of 920 prominent hedge funds to identify the top 10 financial stocks with the highest level of hedge fund investment as of Q1 2024. These stocks are listed in order of increasing hedge fund ownership, providing insight into the most popular financial stocks among elite investors. A group of business people discussing plans around a boardroom table adorned with a financial services company logo. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 112 Topping our list of 10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds is JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM). In recent development on June 25, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) has attracted over $15 billion in assets from affluent clients for its growing tax strategy business. This move underscores the bank's efforts to expand its market presence and compete effectively with rivals such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley. On June 21, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) revealed its expansion plans in South Florida, highlighting the region's strategic importance for the bank. It announced the opening of a 13,000-square-foot office in West Palm Beach. This expansion is projected to stimulate approximately $151 million in additional economic activity for South Florida and create around 380 local construction jobs annually during the building phase. In the first quarter of 2024, the number of hedge funds with positions in JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) rose to 112 from 103, according to Insider Monkeys database, which tracks 920 hedge funds. The combined value of these holdings is approximately $8.41 billion. During this period, Ken Fishers Fisher Asset Management became the largest shareholder among these hedge funds. Carillon Eagle Growth & Income Fund stated the following regarding JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) in its first quarter 2024 investor letter: JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) contributed positively to performance following solid financial results and positive guidance for the remainder of 2024. Moreover, growing chatter around rising capital markets activity likely contributed to the stocks strong performance relative to other banks. Recall that JPMorgan has a robust capital markets franchise. Overall JPM ranks 1st on our list of the best financial stocks to buy. You can visit 10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds to see the other financial stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of JPM 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 JPM 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. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) Multiple law enforcement personnel are being recognized for their contributions to help alleviate the nations drug epidemic. A New Mexico officer made the list. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) has released a list of officials and agencies recognized for their work to fight against criminal networks and drug trafficking. The honorees were dignified for their achievements at the United States Interdiction Coordinator Awards. Since Day One, President Biden has taken historic action and made historic investments to support law enforcement and drug-related crime prevention as part of his whole-of-society effort to address the overdose epidemic, said ONDCP Director Dr. Rahul Gupta. Im proud to honor the heroic efforts of these law enforcement leaders today who are working tirelessly around the clock to prevent deadly drugs from reaching our communities and hurting vulnerable Americans. The Biden-Harris Administration is grateful for their steadfast partnership, and will continue to support life-saving law enforcement efforts to reduce overdoses, deprive drug traffickers of their profits, and keep Americans safe. Oh my Gosh; its a bubble bath!: Fountain in Old Town overflows with soapsuds ONDCP recognized New Mexico State Police Officer Julian Armijo for highway interdictions after an incident in September 2023. Armijo was conducting a traffic stop when he noticed indicators of criminal activity, which provoked a probable cause search. He reportedly found 10.5 kilograms of fentanyl pills. The driver was charged for possession. The investigation also uncovered details in the murder of Froylan Villegas, an 11-year-old boy. Villegas was outside of Isotopes Park in a vehicle with his cousin, Tatiana Villegas, when he was shot and killed. His cousin was also injured. Other categories recognized include: Special recognition, maritime interdiction, land interdiction, international investigations, illicit finance, emerging threats, domestic investigations, and cyber investigations. Officials with the Biden-Harris Administration said they have been addressing the overdose epidemic through law enforcement funding. To learn about the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, click here. Read about how the White House is funding law enforcement to tackle these issues by clicking 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. Miamis major airport is getting an upgrade with a new building expected to help meet the airports growing international commerce demands. The Miami-Dade County Commission approved a lease agreement with Miami Gateway Partners, LLC, to build a four-story cargo facility that would increase Miami International Airports storage capacity by 2 million tons, bringing its total capacity to about 4.5 million tons. Under the deal, Miami Gateway, as tenant and developer, will put in a minimum of $400 million for the 11.9- acre parcel of land. The lease is for 40 years and over that time, the firm will pay at least $512 million in rent and other revenue to the countys aviation department. The commission approved the deal on July 16. The planned facility, scheduled to open in 2029 and located at 1701 NW 63rd Ave., is expected to yield 2,500 permanent jobs after construction, and 8,500 temporary jobs during the five years of design and construction, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and District 7 Commissioner Raquel Regalado said in a statement. The plans also call for 60 percent of the design and construction firms involved in the project to be headquartered in Miami-Dade. And those firms have to hire registered small businesses during all phases of the project. This is great news for our community and our economy, said Levine Cava. MIA is our largest economic engine. Ralph Cutie, director and chief executive officer of MIA, described the project as one of the many historic investments being made at MIA to modernize and transform every facet of our operations. This agreement comes as cargo commerce at MIA is booming. In 2023 it set a new record, with 2.78 million tons of cargo moving through the airport, about 1% more than the prior year. Most of that, about 2.2 million tons, were international goods. In 2023, Chilean airline LATAM began cargo routes between Miami and Brasilia and increased its Miami-Florianopolis service from two to three weekly flights. Its betting big on the Magic City. Our biggest cargo market is Miami, said Martin St. George, chief commercial officer for LATAM, during an interview last year with the Herald. And DHL Express started shipping from Miami to Argentina in September. It flies cargo six days a week between MIA and Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires. Each DHL flight between Miami and Buenos Aires can carry up to 52 tons, or 104,000 pounds, of cargo. After landing in Buenos Aires, the planes go on to Santiago, Chile, before returning to MIA. That addition came after the firm launched direct service from Miami to Brazil in 2022, tapping into growing business and commerce between the United States and Latin America. Colombian airline Avianca has eight freighters, Airbus330s, operating out of MIA to Latin America and calls MIA its headquarters for cargo. In May, ahead of Mothers Day, Avianca said it transported more than 400 million flower stems, about 18,000 tons of cargo, from Colombia and Ecuador to the United States. About 95 percent passed through MIA. And suddenly it was everywhere. At the July 13 Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, shots rang out, an assassins bullet grazed the right ear of former U.S. President Donald Trump and photographers covering the event captured what they could of the chaotic aftermath. Secret Service agents hustled a stunned Trump onto the outdoor stage floor, shielding him from what might follow. Then, after the shooter down transmission, up came the candidate, back on his feet, fist in the air, American flag behind him, clear blue sky above it all. Barely heard over the commotion, he called out fight! three times, giving his supporters and the cameras something to remember. Associated Press photojournalist Evan Vuccis image of that moment hit the news wires. Within hours, minutes, even, a confluence of political agreement emerged across right, left and center. This photo, that defiance, that flag and that fist in the air could cement the elections outcome. News images made under terrifying circumstances enter the world, and while the photographer may have a hunch about how theyll be used for political or commercial purposes later, its too late. Its out of the bag. But what transforms some photos into icons well use that word once, and cautiously, as with any iconic-adjacent word while more complex images from the same, recent, tragic event take a back seat? What can we find in other photographs made under extreme pressure that day, or other days in our history, Sept. 11, 2001, included, revealing different light and shadows of the same story? I talked with Tribune senior visual editor Marianne Mather, who, like many newspaper photo editors Saturday, chose Vuccis Trump rally photo for prominent online and print display. She has worked in Chicago as both photojournalist and photo editor. When I saw that image, she told me, I knew it could change the course of the election. But thats out of our hands. Our conversation has been edited for clarity and length. Q: Why that photo above the others? A: Action, reaction, motion and emotion those are the four elements you want in a photo. The photos that came out of what happened at the rally have all four. Theyre so impactful. But the fist pump into the air is the photo. Q: Why? A: It shows so much of what we, as Americans, prize, even with the blood dripping down Trumps face. Hes down, but he gets up again. As a culture, we value these things. Its an affirming image. Regardless of how itll be used by other people, for whatever purposes, its a solid, well-shot news photo. Q: Is the photo itself inescapably political, do you think? A: Well, yes and no. The event was inescapably political. It was a Trump rally, so were already in a political arena. As a photo editor, Im always thinking: If my mother wasnt there, what would I show her so that she understood what happened? Thats what were trying to do. Can images become politicized by others later? Yes. They can, and they will. Q: Vuccis photograph relates to another massively popular image: Raising the Flag at Ground Zero, taken by Thomas E. Franklin, who was a staff photographer at The Record. Resilience, framed by tragedy. A: It speaks to what Americans love most about our country, I think. Getting back up in the fight, in the face of adversity. The firefighters, hit so hard that day, raising the flag up. Its a moment in time, showing what America is made of. Q: Thats how millions of people seem to be interpreting last weekends signature image. A: Right. When you have a photo capturing a mood or a feeling of much of the entire country, thats hard to deny. But we do have to remember this: Its just one moment. There are other moments, captured before and after that one. Anna Monkeymakers photo (for Getty) is just remarkable, showing former President Trump as photographed through the legs of a Secret Service man. Theyre all over him, trying to protect him. Its a quieter moment a behind-the-scenes look thats pure storytelling. But this photo will never resonate as much with people because it doesnt show what we love to see. Q: Its a really complex and ambiguous image, but it still manages to humanize the person dominating it, from an alarmingly close perspective. A: I agree. A really great photo. That private moment, what Anna shot, is a quiet image. Evans is louder, and people resonate more easily with louder. Q: You could say the same about a less well-known photograph taken at Ground Zero on 9/11, Lori Grinkers The Firemen and the Flag. In a 2022 episode of the PBS series The Bigger Picture, Fred Ritchin, dean emeritus of the International Center of Photography, says that the best-known Sept. 11 photo, Franklins, was like a victory We won! Its OK. Well be OK. In Grinkers photo, the perspectives higher, gazing down on the firefighters, and you see more of the devastation. Ritchin calls it a probing interrogation of the event. But not an uplifting image. A: Also, the flags already raised in that photo, which is truly beautiful. Its so well-composed. What you dont get is the action of doing something, the actual raising of the flag, the way Franklins photo does. All the symbolic elements of the Sept. 11 photo we remember, the men looking up, the raised faces, the action of doing something about what just happened all that plays into a photos meaning, and impact. Q: One last question about the images of what happened last weekend. If no one image can tell the whole story, if youre picking which ones to publish, how do you make the call? A: Its a struggle sometimes. When I edited the photos on July 13 I saw the image of the fist raised, and you just knew what would happen if you put it out into the world. Evan Vucci and (photographer Doug Mills), they got the money shot, and they risked their lives to capture that moment of history. Those show part of the story, of what happened. But there are other photos. I hope people take the time to see those, too, to get a true, well-rounded picture of that day. Before and after the fist-pump. _____ LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Michele Fiore, who is accused of misusing donations meant to create a memorial for fallen police, entered a not guilty plea during her initial arraignment in a Las Vegas federal court Friday. A grand jury indicted Fiore for four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The allegations date back to when Fiore was a Las Vegas City councilwoman in 2019, according to a criminal indictment. Prosecutors alleged that Fiore raised money for a police memorial for Las Vegas Metro police officers Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo who were killed in the line of duty in 2014, but then spent $70,000 in donations on her rent, bills, and daughters wedding. Michele Fiore addresses federal indictment accusing her of wire fraud for misusing charity donations Dahoud Askar, a trial attorney with the Public Integrity Section at the Department of Justice, told U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts that the case was not complex. Albergts noted that he did not believe Fiore was a danger to the community or a flight risk and issued a personal recognizance bond, meaning Fiore did not have to post any bail money to remain out of custody. Albergts also prohibited Fiore from reaching out to witnesses in the case who are not family members. Fiores two daughters were by her side as she left the courthouse Friday, along with defense attorney Michael Sanft. An indictment is merely an accusation and these allegations are repugnant, Fiore told reporters after leaving court. This indictment is a direct attack on my character. I look forward to learning the specifics of the accusations against me and addressing these horrible allegations head-on. I am tired of the shadow game others have played for the past decade. When asked about the allegations, Fiore asked two reporters if they liked their jobs. Fiore later said, I gave my statement. Its an open case. I have to be very cautious on what I say. Fiore also said she wanted no continuances in the case. Fiore is currently a Justice of the Peace in Pahrump, Nevada. Her next court date is September 9. A trial is scheduled for September 24. Fiore said she was concerned about action from the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline and received a notice while walking into the courthouse. The 8 News Now Investigators reached out to the commission to find out more Friday afternoon and their response is provided below. The Commission has been made aware of the federal indictment against Judge Fiore as set forth in recent news coverage. Pursuant to law, however, the Commission is prohibited from commenting any further regarding this matter. 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. A major technology outage causing global disruption of flights, banks and transit systems is also impacting Michigan hospital systems. The software glitch caused some disruptions at Corewell Health, Michigans largest health system, which includes 21 hospitals across much of the lower peninsula along with the insurance provider Priority Health. Some procedures and appointments could be delayed for patients. "Many of our computers and systems are affected by the current global technology issue," said Corewell, which was created when the former Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health systems combined in 2022. Corewell offered assurance that "our teams are assessing the situation and working together to care for our patients" and "our hospitals and emergency rooms are open. Stuck at the airport? What to know about airline refunds, policies The software problem, which resulted in such widespread problems that it appeared to be a cyberattack, also reportedly caused Microsoft Windows to crash and, for some customers, display a blue screen, which frustrated computer users sometimes call a "Blue Screen of Death." The update that triggered the fiasco was to a product connected to Austin-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, Reuters news reported. The cybersecurity firm said it was aware of the problem, which also appeared to interfere with Microsofts Windows Operating System, but, Microsoft had said, had been corrected. The University of Michigan Health system which includes the Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan Medical Center campus along with U-M Health Sparrow in mid-Michigan also reported tech disruptions, spokeswoman Mary Masson said. She released a statement Friday morning that attributed tech issues to the software glitch, adding "there may be delays in trying to connect with our services," but said "operations are continuing, and we are not canceling procedures or appointments at this time." Detroit-based Henry Ford Health acknowledged problems connected to the CrowdStrike update: "Like so many, we are experiencing some disruptions due to a global technology outage. Our team continues to work diligently to restore all of our systems. We are able to continue to care for our patients." Trinity Health spokesperson Bobby Maldonado said the Livonia-based organization was made aware of issues with some workstations and applications with Windows-based devices running CrowdStrike early Friday morning. As soon as the issue was identified, updates were halted and standard protocols to restore service and communicate with colleagues were implemented. We expect a quick resolution to any issues across our health care system. The Free Press asked for details from Corewell, University of Michigan Health, Henry Ford Health and Trinity Health about which parts of hospital operations were affected, which procedures and appointments were likely to be delayed and how long it might be before the disruption is resolved, but didnt get an immediate response. A spokesperson for the Detroit Medical Center, a for-profit eight-hospital health system based in Detroit, told the Free Press its practices were unaffected. The global outage also grounded flights at Detroit Metro Airport, impacted systems at Comerica Bank, closed Henry Ford College and slowed bridge and tunnel traffic between Detroit and Windsor. Frank Witsil contributed. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Microsoft outage: Michigan hospitals scramble to fix systems A massive technology outage has hit computer systems globally affecting airlines, hospitals, health care providers, 911 call centers, banks and other businesses. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company founded in 2011, owns more than 10 different security and IT tools and, according to the companys website, is involved with almost 300 of the Fortune 500 companies, six out of the top 10 health care providers, eight of the top 10 financial services firms and eight of the top 10 technology firms. President Biden was briefed on the outage and his team has been in touch with CrowdStrike, according to a White House press release Friday morning. Biden is expected to receive sector-by-sector updates, and the Department of Homeland Security is working to fully assess and address system outages. What exactly is the problem? Devices using Windows Client and Windows Server that automatically installed a CrowdStrike security update Friday morning are stuck in a restarting state. This restarting state is more colloquially referred to as the blue screen of death (BSOD), which locks users out of their computers. Something super weird happening right now: just been called by several totally different media outlets in the last few minutes, all with Windows machines suddenly BSoDing (Blue Screen of Death). Anyone else seen this? Seems to be entering recovery mode: pic.twitter.com/DxdLyA9BLA Troy Hunt (@troyhunt) July 19, 2024 What caused this? Two issues with Microsoft systems happened back-to-back. On Thursday, some Microsoft clients in the central United States reported having issues with its cloud service, Azure, which resulted in several airlines briefly grounding all flights. On Friday, a flawed security update by CrowdStrike affected even more Windows users. It is not clear whether Microsofts initial issue with Azure was related to the crashes caused by the CrowdStrike update. George Kurtz, CrowdStrikes chief executive, issued a statement Friday morning clarifying that it is not a security incident or cyberattack and that the issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed. "Were deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this, including our company," Kurtz said in an interview on NBCs Today. Why is the CrowdStrike outage taking so long to fix? Microsoft, in a post on X early morning Friday, said that while the underlying cause has been fixed, the residual impact is continuing to affect some Microsoft 365 apps and services. Lukasz Olejnik, an independent cybersecurity consultant, told the New York Times that the problem is that resolving the issue requires a manual reboot for each device affected. For the large-scale companies and industries that are impacted, there isnt a way to automate the reboot each individual device affected has to be addressed. There is a workaround, but it requires manually tampering with Windows systems files in recovery mode, Olejnik told the outlet. Such practice is in general not advised ordinarily, as mistakes may cause other problems. Therefore these companies need to figure out how to deploy large numbers of professionals to go through and update each of their devices one by one. This IT outage is a stark reminder of how dependent we are on technology and many other things that happen behind the scenes that most of us are unaware of. Modern society and the many comforts we enjoy is a fragile thing. Every day, we need to be grateful for what we have. Adam Robinson, MBA (@AdamRobinsonMBA) July 19, 2024 Who is affected by the CrowdStrike outage? Hospitals Several major hospitals throughout the U.S. have had to cancel all non-urgent visits due to disruptions from the outages. Mass General Brigham, a nonprofit that operates one of the largest hospital systems in Massachusetts, said in a post on X that it was dedicating every available resource to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. James Bore, a managing director of a cybersecurity consulting firm, told the Associated Press, There are going to be deaths because of this. Its inevitable. Airports Airports across the globe have reported issues with international and domestic flights. South Koreas largest airport, Incheon International Airport, is dealing with delays across a lot of low-cost airlines because of issues with ticketing and other services. In Germany, all flights at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport were temporarily suspended, although some departures started to resume around 10 a.m. CET. Dutch airline KLM also announced it was affected and that operations would be suspended until further notice. Switzerlands largest airport in Zurich announced that planes were not allowed to land this morning. In the United States, more than 26,000 flights were delayed and more than 2,000 flights were canceled because of the outage. By noon ET, the United Airlines ground stop was lifted. 12-hour timelapse of American Airlines, Delta, and United plane traffic after what was likely the biggest IT outage in history forced a nationwide ground stop of the three airlines. pic.twitter.com/wwcQeiEtVe Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 19, 2024 911 call centers Several emergency 911 call centers were disrupted throughout the U.S. including in Phoenix and across the entire state of Alaska although some cities and states have reported improvement throughout the morning. Courts The New York Times reported that court systems were temporarily closed today because of the outage. The entire Maryland judiciary system announced this morning that it would only be open for "emergency matters." In Kansas, some courts have opted to use paper filings and manual processes for filings as they wait for a solution. Schools The outage also impacted computers on college campuses, where summer school classes are still in session. The University of Rochester, the University of Alabama, Rutgers University and the University of Kentucky are some of the few institutions that reported campus computers were subject to the CrowdStrike outage. PowerSchool, which makes one of the most widely used information systems for K-12 grading and student enrollment across the U.S., also reported being affected by the outage. Banks TD Bank, the 10th largest in the U.S., confirmed that it was impacted by the outage and said it was working to restore all online banking systems. Bank of America, Visa, JPMorgan Chase, Charles Schwab and Zelle were also affected. The London Stock Exchanges news service stopped working, and Pakistans JS Bank told customers that it was facing technical issues. Bloomberg reported that Deutsche Bank said its research portal was impacted, and S&P Global Market Intelligence also said it was experiencing service issues across numerous S&P Global Platforms, including Securities Finance products. However, forecasting firm Capital Economics told the AP that while the outage is still happening, it does not anticipate a major macroeconomic or financial market impact at this stage. Public transportation For the most part, public transit in major cities has been able to keep buses and trains running on time. However, the outage does seem to have impacted ticketing systems and other tech sectors, such as train times. In an interview with CNBC, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said there was no indication of an impact to most systems within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Paris Olympics The Paris Olympics, which kick off next week on July 26, said that its IT services had been affected although mostly regarding uniform deliveries and accreditations. Its ticketing system and preparation of venues are continuing normally, the organization said in a press release. Microsoft outage delays flights in Des Moines. What to know about flight issues today. A global cyber outage has resulted in multiple airlines delaying or grounding flights Friday morning. This includes flights at the Des Moines International Airport. Air passengers around the world faced delays, cancellations and problems checking in as airports and airlines were caught up in a massive IT outage. When did flight delay issues start in Des Moines? The Des Moines Airport Authority became aware of the issue around midnight. Des Moines Airport systems are up and running again. They were down for about an hour, according to Sarah Hoodjer Communications and Air Service Development manager. Des Moines International Airport is unable to determine which airline systems are running or down because they are separate from the airport's systems. Why are flights delayed? Several U.S. carriers, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines, issued ground stops for all their flights early on Friday due to communication problems, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. There were more than 500 flights canceled and more than 1,100 delays as of 5 a.m. CT, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement on X that it's "closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines" and that several airlines "have requested FAA assistance with ground stops until the issue is resolved." What airlines are delaying and canceling flights? American Airlines acknowledged the technology issue that impacted carriers via a post on X around 3 a.m. Friday morning. Around 4 a.m. Central time, American Airlines said operations were re-established and apologized for any inconvenience it caused. United also acknowledged the cyber outage resulting in delays around 5:30 a.m. "A third-party outage is impacting computer systems, including at United and many other organizations worldwide," according to a post from United Airlines. "As we work to fully restore these systems, some flights are resuming. Many customers traveling today may experience delays." Delta resumed some flights, according to the airline's social media. Delta has resumed some flights after a vendor technology issue impacting airlines and businesses globally. Weve issued a travel waiver and customers can monitor and manage their itineraries on https://t.co/oAYy2BBlGo or the Fly Delta app. For more info: https://t.co/GSbpUNpU9d Delta (@Delta) July 19, 2024 Southwest was also impacted but operations were up by 5 a.m. making minimal disruptions Friday, Hoodjer said. What flights are delayed or canceled in Des Moines? As of 10:45 Friday morning, around eight outbound flights were delayed and four flights were canceled. Three canceled flights are all from Delta, with one flight each to Atlanta, Detroit and Minneapolis canceled. Delta has also canceled flights from those cities to Des Moines. United also canceled one route between Des Moines and Chicago. Some additional flights may be delayed or canceled, as not all airlines' flight tracking data is updating. "There were at least six canceled flights on airlines out of Des Moines this morning, and many delays," Hoodjer told the Register. "We cant confirm numbers because we dont have full information coming to us from the airlines at this time. It seems they are still having some issues, so our information is not up to date." How to check if my flight is delayed The Des Moines International Airport has a website page that monitors scheduled flights and their status. Your individual airline's website and app should also provide updates. You may need to check multiple sources to find updated information from your airline. Some airlines have also created waiver forms for customers to report issues and proactively rearrange their travel. The waivers can be found by visiting the airlines' social media accounts or websites. What has caused the cyber outage? The cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike confirmed that an update had a defect in it that impacted Microsoft's Windows operating system, resulting in outages for media companies, banks, medical facilities and telecom firms around the world, according to USA TODAY. The cyber outage is not the result of a security breach, according to a post on X from CrowdStrike's CEO George Kurtz. "The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed," Kurtz said. "We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure theyre communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers." Iowa state government systems impacted by Microsoft outage. Some state government systems and employee devices have been impacted. The state of Iowa uses CrowdStrike for malware and virus protection, according to a news release from the governor's office. After the security center identified a CrowdStrike error in the early hours of Friday, the team applied multiple fixes to limit the outage to approximately 1,400 servers and 3,300 workstations. This is less than 20% of all devices across the executive branch. IT staff for the state are working to restore all systems and devices. The system is expected to be fully restored sometime over the weekend. Reporting contributed by USA TODAY'S Kim Hjelmgaard and Christopher Cann. Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Microsoft outage hits airlines in Des Moines, departures delayed Microsoft has reportedly laid off a team devoted to diversity, equity and inclusion after pouring millions of dollars into the initiative becoming the latest major company to ditch the woke policy. The Big Tech giant disbanded the DEI team at the beginning of the month due to changing business needs, according to a July 1 email obtained by Business Insider. It is unclear how many employees were affected. The decision was a further sign that companies are pulling back on diversity-based initiatives that were put in place following the 2020 death of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protest campaigns. In June 2020, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella pledged to double the number of black employees at the company by 2025. AP Last year, Google and Meta reduced the scope of their DEI programs and cut staff as part of restructuring and layoffs at both companies, according to CNBC. On Tuesday, tractor giant John Deere announced it will scuttle nearly all its DEI polices in favor of a quality-based workplace. That followed a decision last month by farm chain retailer Tractor Supply to axe all DEI goals and positions. Zoom, Snap, Tesla, DoorDash, Lyft, Home Depot and Wayfair have also downsized their DEI teams. Overall, DEI-related job postings declined by 44% by mid-2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Microsoft had pledged to invest $150 million into its DEI push, which involved doubling the number of black and Hispanic leaders by 2025. As we move forward, our D&I commitments remain unchanged, Microsoft spokesperson Jeff Jones told The Post. Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering and we are holding firm on our expectations, prioritizing accountability, and continuing to focus on this work. Microsoft has laid off its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) team, according to a report. REUTERS Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering and we are holding firm on our expectations, prioritizing accountability, and continuing to focus on this work. Nonetheless, Microsofts July 1 email was met with blowback from an unnamed DEI team leader at the company. The worker fired off a missive to thousands of fellow employees the same day, lamenting the fact that true systems-change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020, according to BI. Microsoft was among scores of blue-chip companies that sought to bolster their work forces by hiring from a more diverse pool of candidate in the wake of the May 2020 police-involved death of Floyd, a black man who died while being arrested by Minneapolis police. Floyds death ignited nationwide riots and demonstrations as well as demands for corporate America to diversify the ranks of its employees. A month after Floyds death, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella pledged to double the number of African-American managers, senior individual contributors and senior leaders in the US by 2025. Microsoft and other companies created DEI-focused teams in the wake of Black Lives Matter demonstrations following the May 2020 death of George Floyd. AP At the time, Nadella declined to specify the number of black managers employed by Microsoft. Last fall, Microsoft released its annual Diversity & Inclusion Report. According to the Redmond, Wash.-based company, it has bolstered its share of women employees by 0.5% from 2022 to 2023. In total, Microsoft, which employs 221,000 people worldwide, said women comprise 31.2% of all employees globally a 3.6% increase since 2019. The Windows maker said that black employees represent 6.7% of its global workforce up 2.2% from 2019, while Hispanic employees comprise 8% of the companys workforce. NEW YORK (AP) A faulty software update caused technological havoc worldwide on Friday, grounding flights, knocking down some financial companies and news outlets, and disrupting hospitals, small businesses and government offices. The breadth of the outages highlighted the fragility of a digitized world dependent on just a few providers for key computing services. The trouble was sparked by an update issued by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and only affected its customers running Microsoft Windows, the worlds most popular operating system for personal computers. It was not the result of hacking or a cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike, which apologized and said a fix was on the way. Businesses and governments worldwide experienced hourslong disruptions their computer monitors glowing blue with error messages and they scrambled to deal with the fallout. CrowdStrikes CEO said some of their systems will require time-consuming manual fixes. Thousands of flights were canceled and tens of thousands were delayed, leading to long lines at airports in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America. Airlines lost access to check-in and booking services in the heart of the summer travel season. By late afternoon Eastern time, the worst appeared to be over, though there were still lingering cancellations and delays do to the cascading effect of the disruption. Several local TV stations in the U.S. were prevented from airing the news early Friday, and some state and local governments reported problems at courts, motor vehicles departments, unemployment agencies, emergency call centers and other offices, but as the day progressed many of the systems were getting back to normal. Affected hospitals had problems with appointment systems, forcing them to suspend patient visits and cancel some surgeries. Alison Baulos said her 73-year-old fathers heart surgery in Paducah, Kentucky, was canceled Friday morning because of the tech outage, leaving her family scared and worried. It does really make you just realize how much we rely on technology and how scary it is, Baulos said in an interview. She said her father was waiting at Baptist Hospital to find out what will happen next. A phone message left with the hospital was not immediately returned. American Express said it temporarily had some difficulties processing transactions, while TD Bank responded to online complaints by saying it was working to restore customers ability to access their accounts. Elsewhere, people experienced minor inconveniences, including trouble ordering ahead at Starbucks, causing long lines to form at some of the coffee chains stores. In New York Citys Times Square, right before 12:30 a.m., the blue recovery screens popping up on laptops appeared on several giant electronic billboards. A few were dark Friday afternoon. A disturbing reminder of vulnerability Cyber expert James Bore said real harm would be caused. All of these systems are running the same software, Bore said. Weve made all of these tools so widespread that when things inevitably go wrong and they will, as weve seen they go wrong at a huge scale. The head of Germanys IT security agency, Claudia Plattner, said we cant expect a very quick solution. A forecast for when exactly all systems will be up and running is difficult, but it wont be hours, she added. CrowdStrike said in a recording on its customer service line that the problem was related to the Falcon sensor, referring to one of its products used to block online attacks. The company says it has 29,000 customers. In an interview on NBCs Today Show, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz apologized, saying the company was deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this, including our companies. We know what the issue is and are working to fix it, Kurtz said. However, he noted it could take some time for certain customers, especially those lacking in-house expertise. While CrowdStrikes update was automated, the fix requires hands-on work such as deleting corrupted files, which could take some customers days or longer, said Forrester analyst Allie Mellen. Given that CrowdStrike has a ton of customers, a ton of Fortune 500 customers, and they have likely millions of (computers) under management, this causes a bigger issue, Mellen said. It is going to be a long and arduous process. Ann Johnson, corporate vice president and deputy chief information security officer at Microsoft, said late Friday afternoon that at this point in time, I would say that customers are receiving or have received the necessary information they need and are getting the support they need understanding its a very major issue. She said Microsofts primary focus is getting customers back online, but could not estimate how long this might take. In Alaska, the states court system returned to functionality after repairs that took 12 hours to complete, according to spokesperson Rebecca Koford. In Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds said the states critical technology systems were up and running again by mid-afternoon. Shares of CrowdStrike, which is based in Austin, Texas, ended Friday trading down more than 11%. Microsofts stock price fell less than 1%. Though the outages impact could be felt far and wide, the forecasting firm Capital Economics said it was likely to have little impact on the world economy. Cybersecurity experts said those affected by the outage also needed to be wary of bad actors reaching out claiming they can help. Attackers will definitely prey on organizations as a result of this, said Gartner analyst Eric Grenier. In a letter to customers posted on CrowdStrikes website, Kurtz said the outage did not affect its Falcon systems or its security scanning. Air travel delayed everywhere Most airlines attributed the problems to their booking systems. Thousands of flights were affected in the U.S. alone, though by late morning on the East Coast airlines said they were beginning to mitigate problems and resume some service. Unclogging the system takes time, though. At Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, Sarah Schafer was delayed getting to her cousins 50th birthday party in Florida. She had been waiting for almost three hours with no indication of when her flight would be rebooked. I seem calm, said Schafer, who was using a cane because of ankle injury. But my angry side might come out. Airlines and railways in the U.K. experienced long wait times. And airports across Europe suspended landings or halted takeoffs for several hours due to difficulties in checking in passengers. Saskia Oettinghaus, a member of the German Olympic diving team, was among those stuck at the Berlin Airport. We are on our way to Paris for the Olympic Games and now we are at a standstill here for the time being, Oettinghaus said. In Cancun, Mexico, the main tourist destination in the Caribbean coast, the state government said there were 24 cancellations and 100 delayed flights. Some travelers tried to liven up the long waits by singing the traditional Mexican song, Cielito Lindo, while a band that was also stranded was playing in the Cancun airport. Broadcasters go dark, surgeries delayed, blue screens of death In Australia, national news outlets including ABC and Sky News Australia were unable to broadcast for hours. Some news anchors went on-air from dark offices, in front of computers showing blue error screens. In the U.S., KSHB-TV in Kansas City, Missouri, aired Scripps News instead of local news until about 5:35 a.m., the stations said on its website. Other local stations owned by Scripps reported similar problems, though Scripps spokesman Michael Perry said early Friday that 90% of stations were able to air local news. Hospitals in different countries also reported problems. Britains National Health Service said the outage caused problems at most doctors offices because appointment and patient-record systems were affected. At Mass General Brigham, the largest health care system in Massachusetts, all scheduled non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and medical visits were canceled Friday because of the outage, according to a spokesperson. Some international shipping was disrupted, too. A major container hub in the Baltic port of Gdansk, Poland, said it was battling problems. And at the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, marine terminals were affected, although the outage didnt cause significant disruptions. ___ This version corrects the spelling of the last name of the spokesperson of the Alaska Court System to Koford. ___ Kurtenbach reported from Bangkok, McHugh from Frankfurt, Graham-McLay from Wellington, New Zealand, Hadero from New York and Ortutay from Oakland, California. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed. We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) stands against the other financial stocks. The financial services industry in the US is poised for a dynamic and challenging year ahead, shaped by a confluence of economic, technological, and regulatory factors. The global economy is anticipated to grow modestly, with advanced economies like the US expecting around 1.4% growth. This is influenced by ongoing geopolitical tensions, climate-related disruptions, and persistently high inflation rates. These macroeconomic conditions are expected to significantly impact the operations and profitability of financial institutions. High interest rates have been a double-edged sword for the industry. While they have led to substantial increases in net interest income, particularly for larger banks, they have also driven up funding costs, especially for smaller and regional banks, squeezing their margins. According to Deloitte, the Federal Reserve's monetary policy will be crucial, with expectations that rates will remain elevated initially but may decrease later in the year. This will necessitate careful management of the balance between deposit rates and lending rates to sustain profitability. Economic uncertainty and the potential for slower growth have prompted banks to increase their loan loss provisions as a precautionary measure to cover potential defaults. This trend is expected to persist, reflecting a cautious approach to managing credit risk amidst economic volatility and increased regulatory scrutiny. Concurrently, the financial services sector is experiencing significant technological shifts. Advances in AI and generative AI are set to transform various aspects of the industry, from retail investing and fraud detection to insurance offerings. However, these advancements also introduce new risks, such as heightened fraud potential and the need for robust cybersecurity measures. On the regulatory front, changes are becoming more stringent, particularly around climate-related disclosures and sustainability. Financial institutions are required to adapt to these new regulations aimed at enhancing transparency and effectively managing climate risks. These regulatory changes, coupled with technological advancements, are forcing financial institutions to innovate and evolve their business models and strategies. Overall, banks and financial institutions must remain agile and proactive, navigating these multifaceted challenges to maintain profitability and drive growth in 2024. This will involve balancing the benefits and risks of high interest rates, managing loan loss provisions prudently, leveraging technological advancements, and complying with evolving regulatory requirements. Story continues In a recent development, major U.S. banks withstood a hypothetical 40% decline in commercial real estate values in the U.S. Federal Reserve's annual health test, which alleviated concerns about the banking sector amid rising interest rates. With increasing risks in the commercial real estate (CRE) sector, investors were keenly observing the Fed's stress tests to gauge the exposure of American lenders at a time when pandemic-era work patterns have left office towers largely vacant, pushing vacancy rates to a historic high of 20%. Chris Marinac, head of research at Janney Montgomery Scott, commented, In many ways, there should be a sense of relief that banks can endure a severe crisis. However, this doesnt mean the Fed believes commercial real estate is in the clear. We are still in the early stages of this credit cycle. The Fed's stress tests evaluate banks' balance sheets against a hypothetical severe economic downturn, including a 36% drop in U.S. home prices, a 55% plunge in equity prices, and an unemployment rate of 10%, reported Reuters. Results of the stress test released recently showed that banks could continue lending to households and businesses in the event of a severe global recession and indicated the capital needed to be deemed healthy and to determine how much they can return to shareholders through dividends and buybacks. The 31 large banks tested demonstrated they had enough capital to absorb nearly $685 billion in losses. This test comes over a year after the collapse of mid-sized lenders like Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic, which sparked criticism that the Fed had underestimated banks' vulnerabilities to rising interest rates, previously assuming rates would fall during a severe recession. Commercial office space is a significant concern, with $929 billion of the $4.7 trillion in outstanding commercial mortgages maturing in 2024, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. This approaching maturity wall occurs amid declining property values and reduced rental income. Analysts foresee a challenging period for CRE, with banks still having "considerable concentration risks," according to Moody's Ratings. Of the banks tested, Goldman Sachs had the highest projected loan loss for commercial real estate at 15.9%, followed by RBC USA (15.8%), Capital One (14.6%), and Northern Trust (13%). One critique from analysts is that the Fed's stress test did not include regional banks, which hold most of the CRE loans and are less regulated than their larger counterparts. Over the coming months, senior leaders in the financial services industry anticipate a challenging landscape marked by high interest rates, increased regulatory scrutiny, and persistent inflation concerns. While these trends are familiar to industry veterans, many younger employees have not encountered such conditions before. According to Deloitte, leaders will need to guide their teams through uncertainty, focusing on navigating near-term challenges and identifying potential opportunities. Looking ahead, rapid technological advancementsincluding generative AI, cloud migration, heightened fraud and cyber risks, and the convergence of industries through embedded financewill demand unprecedented agility from financial services leaders. Adapting to these changes will require creating new strategic pathways to align with evolving market dynamics. Throughout history, the financial services sector has often driven progress by helping organizations and individuals navigate economic and societal shifts. By the end of this decade, 2024 may be recognized as a pivotal year when the future began to materialize in tangible ways. Investing now in innovative products and services that foster positive outcomes could position firms for sustained competitive advantage in the years ahead. Our Methodology We leveraged Insider Monkeys comprehensive database of 920 prominent hedge funds to identify the top 10 financial stocks with the highest level of hedge fund investment as of Q1 2024. These stocks are listed in order of increasing hedge fund ownership, providing insight into the most popular financial stocks among elite investors. A group of analysts studying data on a large monitor. S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 97 S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) ranks second on our list of 10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds. During Q1, 2024 the count of hedge funds holding positions in S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) rose to 97 from 82 in the prior quarter, as reported by Insider Monkeys database encompassing 920 hedge funds. These holdings collectively amount to around $9.57 billion. Chris Hohn's TCI Fund Management emerged as the leading shareholder among these hedge funds during this timeframe. On April 18, Stifel analyst Shlomo Rosenbaum reiterated a "Buy" rating for S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) but lowered the price target from $460 to $442. The London Stock Exchange Group and S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) are reportedly among the contenders interested in acquiring data provider Preqin, reported Reuters. The owners of Preqin, which specializes in private equity industry data, are exploring options that include a potential full sale of the business. Goldman Sachs is advising on the sale process, which is currently in its second round. Analysts involved estimate that the sale could fetch over $2 billion, although specifics remain confidential. Baron Durable Advantage Fund stated the following regarding S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) in its first quarter 2024 investor letter: Shares of rating agency and data provider S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) declined 3.1% during the quarter after the company provided financial guidance that missed Street expectations. While S&P guided to solid organic revenue growth of 7% to 9% and EPS growth of 9% to 11%, projected margin expansion fell short of investor estimates, which underestimated the correlation between improving top-line trends and variable employee comp (which is rising as a result). We are not concerned with this short-term dynamic that is the outcome of improving business fundamentals. S&P reported solid results for the most recent quarter, with 11% organic revenue growth, 23% EPS growth, and broad-based strength across the companys business segments. Ratings growth was especially robust as debt issuance rebounded amid improving market conditions. Positive momentum has continued into 2024, with 66% issuance growth in January and February. We continue to own the stock due to the companys durable growth characteristics and significant competitive advantages. Overall SPGI ranks 2nd on our list of the best financial stocks to buy. You can visit 10 Best Financial Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds to see the other financial stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of SPGI 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 SPGI 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. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The Michigan State Police hosted a highway dedication ceremony Friday to honor a local state police officer who lost his life in the line of duty. Trooper Caleb H. Starr was struck by a drunk driver on Grand River Ave. in Boston Township in Ionia County on July 10, 2020. Starr was 33 years old. A courtesy photo of Trooper Caleb H. Starr. The stretch on US-127 between the Cedar St. exit and the I-96 interchange in Ingham County will be dedicated as Trooper Starr Memorial Highway. The Michigan State Police say Starr was a native of Mason and graduated from the 135th Trooper Recruit School after joining the MSP in September 2018. 6 News will have more coverage of the event later in the day. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. When Middle Tennessee schools start the new year NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) With summer flying by, parents and students across Tennessee will soon be heading back to the classroom for the 2024-2025 school year. Most schools in Tennessee resume classes in August, but a few return in late July, meaning the summer is quickly winding down. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts Here are when most Middle Tennessee school districts will welcome students back. July 31 Open House (abbreviated day) Aug. 2 School begins Aug. 1 First day Aug. 2 First day for students Aug. 2 Abbreviated day for students Aug. 5 First full day for students Aug. 2 Half day for students (10 a.m. dismissal) Aug. 5 First full day | Check out more lists and rankings from across Tennessee Aug. 2 Half day for students Aug. 5 First full day Aug. 2 Registration Day 8-10 a.m. Aug. 6 First day Aug. 5 First day for students Aug. 5 First full day for students Aug. 5 Half day for grades 1-12 Aug. 6 First full day for grades 1-12 Aug. 6-7 First full day for grades 1-12; Half day for Pre-K and K Aug. 8 First full day for all students Aug. 6 Half day for students Aug. 7 Orientation day for students (2 hours) Aug. 8 First full day for students Aug. 7 First day of school for grades 1-9 (10:45 a.m. dismissal) Aug. 8 First full day of school for grades 1-12 Aug. 7 Half day for students Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Aug. 7 First full day Aug. 7 First full day of school Aug. 7 Half day for grades 1-8 Aug. 8 First full day for grades 1-8 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. At a pro-Israel event in Milwaukee on Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson described his plans to target Democratic lawmakers who protest Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus upcoming speech to Congress. Theres a number of Democrats in the House who have said they are going to boycott the event, and then some others are gonna protest, said Johnson. Were gonna have extra sergeants at arms on the floor, and if anybody gets out of hand the Speaker of the House will bang the gavel. Were gonna arrest people if we have to do it. Were gonna get the message out. According to PBS, Johnson was the one to initially lead the charge to invite Netanyahu, after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the Israeli leader as an obstacle to peace due to his handling of the war on Gaza. A number of Democrats are considering objecting to the upcoming speech. Several intend to boycott it, including Representatives Jim Clyburn, Pramila Jayapal, Greg Casar, and Loyd Doggett. Justifying his stance, Doggett pointed to Netanyahus encouragement of the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza and the resultant loss of lives that should never have happened. He said of Netanyahu, He has not prioritized the hostages; he ought to be doing that instead of coming here. Others have considered different forms of protest. According to Axios, an unnamed House Democrat has said some of his colleagues plan on going and disrupting the speech. Wisconsin Representative Mark Pocan suggested dressing in a certain way or sitting togetherbut specified that he will not be going MTG. On X (formerly Twitter), progressive political analyst Omar Baddar said that Johnsons promise to meet protest with a heavy hand revealed a double standard, as Republicans have heckled State of the Union addresses by Obama and Biden in the past without consequence. The Intercepts Prem Thakker contrasted Johnsons remarks with those of Trump in his RNC speech Thursday: We should not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement. Millions may not be paid on time after global IT outage Those whose payday is next week could face delays after outage creates processing backlog - Grant Faint/The Image Bank Unreleased Millions of workers risk their wages going unpaid because of Fridays global systems outage, the body representing payroll professionals has warned. Depending on how long issues last, the IT failure could have serious implications for businesses, especially those that pay staff on a weekly basis according to the Global Payroll Association. Melanie Pizzey, the industry bodys chief executive, said: Weve been contacted by numerous clients already today who have been unable to access their payroll software due to the Microsoft outage and others who have been urged to log out with immediate effect. Depending on the length of this outage, it could have very serious implications for businesses across the nation, particularly those who process payroll on a weekly basis. Furthermore, we could see a backlog with regard to processing payrolls for the coming month end which may delay employees from receiving their monthly wage. She added payroll staff would be required to work overtime to overcome the technical issues. Some 4.3 million people in Britain are paid weekly, making up around 15pc of the working population, according to jobs site Indeed. Payroll systems usually need to be notified of any issues two days ahead of a designated payday in order for them to be resolved in time to meet the deadline, experts said. This means that anyone who is expecting to receive their wages today is likely to get paid without any issues, but those whose payday is next week may face delays. On Friday companies and systems across the world were hit by an IT outage thought to have been caused by a flawed global software update by security company CrowdStrike. George Kurts, the chief executive of CrowdStrike, said that the bug which caused the IT meltdown has been resolved but conceded there was an impact on businesses. The outage resulted in some pupils being sent home from school on the last day of term, broadcasters being unable to report the news and supermarkets and pubs being unable to accept card payments. GP surgeries said they were unable to access patient records or book appointments, with the NHS advising the sick only to contact their doctor if their ailment was urgent. Travellers also faced chaos with major airports including Gatwick and Edinburgh reporting significant delays. While experts say it will be hard to put a figure on the impact of the outage, Professor Alan Woodward at Surrey University said the widespread disruption would have profound impacts and could drag on for days. Professor Woodward said: When the ransomware known as NotPetya hit for example Maersk, it cost that one company billions on its balance sheet. 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. Missing 18-year-old from Sacramento found in Portland; 25-year-old she was with arrested Isabel Gallego, who went missing from Sacramento earlier this year at age 17, has been found after police in Portland, Oregon, took the man she was allegedly with into custody. The Sacramento Police Department made the announcement Thursday night just after 8 p.m. and offered few details about Gallegos condition or how she was found. Police in a social media post said, in part, that she was located safely and plans are being set to reunite her with her family. Gallego, now 18, was reported missing in April. Police said at the time that she was believed to be with Kyree Jackson, 25. Mike Benner, a spokesperson for the Portland Police Bureau, said in an email that Gallego was found Thursday in Southeast Portland. Benner said after being offered resources by the police bureau, Gallego left the scene with another individual she was with. It was unclear if that person was connected to the missing person case. The Portland Police Bureau located Kyree and arrested him for his warrant, the post by Sacramento police said. UPDATE: @PortlandPolice located Kyree and arrested him for his warrant. Isabel was located safely and plans are being set to reunite her with her family. https://t.co/w3bueAkBin Sacramento Police Department (@SacPolice) July 19, 2024 Multnomah County jail records show Jacksons booking was completed just after 9 p.m. Booking logs show he faces three felony charges of being a fugitive. In a separate case, Jackson was charged with felony possession of a firearm as well as unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a loaded firearm in public, both misdemeanors. Police have not disclosed how his arrest was connected to Gallegos disappearance or discovery. Two warrants in Sacramento County indicate Jackson was wanted for felony charges of illegal possession of a firearm and theft of a motor vehicle. According to Sacramento police spokesperson Anthony Gamble, Jackson also has warrants in Sacramento County for endangering the life of a minor and pandering a person for prostitution. Gallego, a high school senior in an independent study program at the time, had last been seen by her parents the night of April 19. Her mother, Julie Gallego, said the teen left her phone in her room and only had a backpack with her. In an interview with The Sacramento Bee, Julie Gallego described Isabel as very creative and that she frequently changed hair colors; it was reportedly green when she went missing. Isabel was also active in Sacramentos punk rock scene, her mother said. This was just not in her plan, Julie Gallego told The Bee. Sacramento Superior Court records indicate Jackson skipped out pretrial proceedings in his criminal case and that he had tampered with his court-issued ankle-monitoring device, rendering it disabled. Julie Gallego said her daughter met Jackson about two weeks before she went missing and that the teens friends knew Jackson as a pimp. The mother also said her daughter is very trusting of people, which she said was probably her downfall. After Isabel Gallego left Sacramento, she was reportedly tracked to Portland before being spotted in Seattle, according to police. She was considered at-risk due to her age, and Sacramento Police Department spokesperson Officer Anthony Gamble said investigators believed her to be a victim of human trafficking. Missing Florida siblings believed to be in danger, authorities say Missing Florida siblings believed to be in danger, authorities say TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A pair of siblings from Florida are missing and believed to be in danger. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a Missing Child Alert for Caden Barber Jr., 7, and Marina Barber, 9, on Friday. The children were last seen in the area of the 100 block of Melody Lane in Crawfordville, which is south of Tallahassee. They may be in the Wake County, North Carolina area. Tiffany Carroll, Caden Barber Jr., Marina Barber (FDLE) Caden and Marina may be in the company of Tiffany Carroll, who is described as a 58 white woman with brown hair and blue eyes. Caden is 43 tall and 100 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Marina is 411 tall and 100 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. The group is believed to be traveling in a 2014 gray Toyota Camry with a North Carolina license plate and a tag number of VDY6102. The Franklin County Sheriffs Office believes the children are in danger. Anyone who sees them should call 911. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. The body of a man found on the cliffs below Point Fermin Park in San Pedro last week has been identified as a 95-year-old man reported missing the same day, authorities announced. Family and friends, as well as the Los Angeles Police Department, asked for the publics help on July 11 in locating Walter Curtis Wolfe, who had last been seen on July 8 around the 800 block of North Malgren Avenue. Earlier in the day, the 95-year-olds vehicle was spotted five miles away at Point Fermin in the 800 block of West Paseo Del Mar, where he was known to enjoy walks. Just before 5 p.m. on July 11, crews with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to Point Fermin Park on reports of a deceased person near the bottom of the cliffs, an LAFD news release stated. Walter Curtis Wolfe Firefighters assisted police and investigators with the L.A. County Medical Examiner in the recovery operation by deploying a helicopter to hoist the victims body off the cliffs. Crews then safely landed near the Korean Bell and transferred his body over for an investigation. So far, authorities have not released any information on how the 95-year-old might have ended up on the cliffs, nor have they said if his death is being investigated as a homicide. No further details about the tragic incident have been 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 KTLA. The rural Mississippi jail that was the site of an escape involving two murder suspects earlier this month was having surveillance camera issues at the time, ABC News has learned. "The DVR system responsible for recording surveillance footage has been out of operation for several weeks," Claiborne County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Christy Sykes told ABC News by email. "I must clarify that there is no actual video footage of the escape itself." MORE: 'Catch Us If You Can': Inside the manhunt for an inmate and his alleged prison guard lover The escape occurred around 2:20 a.m. on July 5 at the Claiborne County Detention Center in Port Gibson, located around an hour drive southwest from Jackson. Jackson-based ABC affiliate WAPT reported at the time that Dezarrious Johnson, 18, and Tyrekennel Collins, 24, were being held on murder charges from other Mississippi counties. They were taken back into custody the next day at an abandoned home. "Our investigations have revealed that the escape did occur through the ceiling and then outside the wall, but these conclusions were drawn from physical evidence and witness statements rather than from video recordings," Sykes said. "Our surveillance had not been accessible for a few weeks." PHOTO: In these booking photos released by the Claiborne County Sheriff Department, Tyrekennel Collins and Dezarrious Johnson are shown. (Claiborne County Sheriff Department) The lack of surveillance footage was disclosed after ABC News filed a request under the Mississippi Public Records Act seeking recordings of the escape. Sykes has not yet responded to questions asking when the camera issues began and whether they have since been resolved. Mississippi jail where murder suspects escaped had been experiencing surveillance camera issues for weeks originally appeared on abcnews.go.com When computers and tech systems around the world went down Friday, snarling airports, closing Social Security offices and limiting jail operations, many people had one question: How on earth could this happen in 2024? A software update from a single cybersecurity company, US-based CrowdStrike, was the root cause of the chaos, underlining the fragility of the global economy and its dependence on computer systems to which relatively few people give a passing thought. [M]ost people believe that when the end of the world comes, it will be AI taking over some kind of nuclear power plant and shutting down electricity, Costin Raiu, a longtime cybersecurity researcher, quipped to CNN. While in reality, its more likely to be some kind of a little bit of code in a botched update, causing a cascade reaction in interdependent cloud systems. Software updates are a critical function in society to keep computers protected from hackers. But the update process itself is crucial to get right and to safeguard from tampering. An inherent and some say misplaced trust in that process was punctured on Friday. CrowdStrike is everywhere Numerous Fortune 500 companies use CrowdStrikes cybersecurity software to detect and block hacking threats. Computers running Microsoft Windows one of the most popular software programs in the world crashed because of the faulty way a code update issued by CrowdStrike is interacting with Windows. CrowdStrike, a multibillion-dollar firm, has expanded its footprint around the world in its more than decade of doing business. Many more businesses and governments are now protected from cyberthreats because of this, but the dominance of a handful of firms in the anti-virus and threat-detection marketplace creates its own risks, according to experts. We trust cybersecurity providers widely but without diversity; weve created fragility in our technology ecosystem, Munish Walther-Puri, the former director of cyber risk for the city of New York, told CNN. Winning in the marketplace can aggregate risk, and then we all consumers and companies alike bear the costs, Walther-Puri said. CNN has requested comment from CrowdStrike. How to prevent this from happening again The wide swathe of critical infrastructure providers affected by the outage is also likely to raise fresh questions among US officials and corporate executives about whether new policy tools are needed to avoid catastrophe in the future. Anne Neuberger, a senior White House tech and cybersecurity official, spoke of the risks of consolidation in the tech supply chain when asked about the IT outage on Friday. Story continues We need to really think about our digital resilience not just in the systems we run but in the globally connected security systems, the risks of consolidation, how we deal with that consolidation and how we ensure that if an incident does occur it can be contained and we can recover quickly, Neuberger said at the Aspen Security Forum in response to a question about the IT outage. The chaotic scenario that played out Friday did not involve a malicious actor, but government officials around the world will likely be gaming out what might have been. The infamous hack of the US government using SolarWinds software in 2020, which US officials blamed on Russia, came through a tampered software update. That hack was not nearly as disruptive but another alleged Russian hack in 2017 caused billions of dollars in damage to the global economy because malicious code spread like wildfire. The CrowdStrike episode demonstrates the serious damage that could be inflicted by a malicious adversary if they were so minded, Tobias Feakin, a former ambassador for cybersecurity and critical technology in the Australian foreign ministry, told CNN. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Mississippi can continue to impose a lifetime ban on voting for people convicted of certain felonies, including some non-violent felonies, the full panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday. The opinion of the full panel reverses an August 2023 ruling by a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit finding the lifetime ban unconstitutional because it inflicted cruel and unusual punishment. The full panel said a lifetime ban on voting was not punishment, but served as a nonpenal, regulatory purpose. The majority opinion was written by Edith Jones, an appointee of Republican Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. She was joined by 12 members of the Court in finding that the section of the Mississippi Constitution imposing the lifetime ban was not in violation of the U.S. Constitution. Two of those 12, including one Democratic appointee, Irma Ramirez, agreed with the results, but did not sign on to Jones opinion. Six members of the Court, all Democratic appointees, said Mississippis lifetime ban unconstitutional. Their dissenting opinion was written by James L. Dennis. Voting is the lifeblood of our democracy and the deprivation of the right to vote saps citizens of the ability to have a say in how and by whom they are governed, Dennis wrote. Permanent denial of the franchise, then, is an exceptionally severe penalty, constituting nothing short of the denial of the democratic core of American citizenship. But the majority said the framers of the Constitution in banning cruel and unusual punishment were looking to ensure laws were not passed permitting punishment such as gibbeting (hanging), burning at the stake, embowelling, beheading and quartering. Jones wrote that those wishing to end Mississippis lifetime voting ban for people convicted of certain felonies should do the hard work of persuading your fellow citizens the law should be changed. If the lifetime ban is repealed it should be done by the Legislature and not by judicial fiat, she wrote. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in past cases that a lifetime ban on voting for people convicted of certain felonies was not unconstitutional. But a minority of the 5th Circuit pointed out that the Supreme Court in past instances has changed its mind and found certain punishments, such as the execution of minors, cruel and unusual punishment after states began to ban such action. When the Supreme Court found a lifetime ban on voting constitutional, 27 states imposed such punishments, Dennis wrote. But now, he pointed out 39 states did not impose such a ban. Mississippi is one of only two states, Dennis wrote for the minority, to impose a lifetime ban for people convicted for the first time of non-violent felonies. It is likely the 5th Circuit ruling will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The lawsuit was filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and others on behalf of Mississippians who have lost their voting rights. The office of Attorney General Lynn Fitch opposed the lawsuit on behalf of the state. The framers at the time admitted they placed the lifetime ban in the Mississippi Constitution as a tool to keep Black people from voting. Those crimes placed in the Constitution for the ban are bribery, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, perjury, forgery, embezzlement, bigamy and burglary. Under the original language of the constitution, a person could be convicted of cattle rustling and lose the right to vote, but those convicted of murder or rape would still be able to vote even while incarcerated. Murder and rape have since been added as disenfranchising offenses. The lifetime ban was challenged in an earlier lawsuit on the grounds it was imposed to deny the vote to Black Mississippians. The 5th Circuit rejected that argument and the Supreme Court refused to hear the case. ST. LOUIS A Missouri family is urgently asking the public for assistance with finding their missing family member, Echo Michelle Lloyd, who disappeared on May 14, 2020. She has not been seen or heard from in more than four years. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol poster, Lloyd was last seen at 30617 Stag Drive, Edwards, Missouri, on May 14, 2020. However, a spokesperson for Echos family stated that she was last sighted in Warsaw, Missouri. Please ensure its noted that she was last seen at Walmart & Dollar General in Warsaw, Missouri, not Climax Springs. Our family spoke with the cashier who saw her on 5/10/2020, the spokesperson said. The most recent update in the case came on March 27, 2024, when Benton County Sheriff Erick Knox made a public statement, affirming that Echos case has never left the Sheriffs Offices thoughts. CrowdStrike: Global technology outage For those unfamiliar with the case, on May 15, 2020, at 11:37 am, a report was received regarding a potential missing person, Knox explained in a press release. A deputy was dispatched to Stag Drive in Edwards, Missouri, where they met Echo Lloyds daughter, who reported not having seen her mother in two weeks. Despite extensive searches across water bodies, land, and caves, and with assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrols Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC), who took over the case shortly after it was reported to the Sheriffs Office, there remains no concrete evidence regarding Echos whereabouts. The DDCC continues to actively investigate all tips and leads received. Three weeks ago, the Camden County Sheriffs Office provided a lead that was pursued by DDCC involving K9 units and a forensic team, but unfortunately, no significant breakthrough was made in Echos case, Sheriff Knox disclosed. All leads, regardless of how small or vague, are diligently followed up by the DDCC. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News The family has established a Facebook page dedicated to finding Echo, titled Bring Echo Home. I havent done updates in a while its been extremely tough the more time that goes by. [I am] trying to muster up the emotional strength to get back on there and post more often, the spokesperson said. Echo Lloyd, aged 48, is described as having brown hair and brown eyes, standing at five feet, four inches tall, and weighing between 100 and 110 pounds. She has a tattoo on her forearm with the phrase Let it Be accompanied by birds, and on her wrist, she has the names of her four children: Kelsey, Kace, Kaitlyn, and Kylie, tattooed on her arm. What happens if Biden drops out of presidential race? If you have any information, please contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 573-751-3452, the Missing Persons Clearinghouse at 866-362-6422, or Benton County Central Dispatch at 660-438-9555. Sheriff Knox also said, My door is always open. Somebody knows something, please come forward and give Echos family and loved ones the peace they deserve. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. A Missouri law adopted in 2022 requires that all public school elementary students get reading instruction that has proved highly likely to be effective" (Getty Images). If you drop into an elementary reading lesson, you might see kids learning about the long U sound, building their vocabulary or practicing how to read aloud without sounding like robots. And if you visit Kansas City Public Schools this fall, you should see all students in the same grade learning the same thing. After all, a push is underway in KCPS to standardize reading lessons and anchor them in evidence about how students learn best. Around the state, schools are retraining thousands of teachers, replacing outdated reading lessons and identifying students who need extra help. Missouri is the latest in a string of states to put money and the force of law behind an effort to teach more kids to read. The strategy hinges on the idea that some teaching methods werent working very well. Kids struggled to read, though they were capable of learning. Research often known as the science of reading pointed to a better way, but wasnt always heeded. Teachers that are coming into the profession just dont have that science of reading background from universities, said Connie Moore, director of elementary curriculum at KCPS. Evidence-based teacher training is assisting those brand new teachers, even veteran teachers, that have students come with reading deficiencies or specific needs around reading, she said. Were getting students to read on grade level, because thats the ultimate goal. Missouri law changes A Missouri law adopted in 2022 requires that all public school elementary students get reading instruction that has proved highly likely to be effective. That means the teaching techniques must have been studied by looking at the outcome for large numbers of students, and that they include five key components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Previously, science of reading proponents say, many students werent getting enough phonics instruction. Most kids need to be explicitly taught about sounds, how they relate to letters and how to use that knowledge to decode words. Meanwhile, students were learning strategies that many now see as damaging things like using pictures and context to guess words rather than sounding them out. What a student learned in class could be the luck of the draw, said Megan Mitchell, a K-5 English language arts curriculum coordinator at KCPS. One teacher might spend most of their time on foundational phonics skills while another might focus on comprehension, she said. But students need systematic instruction in all five areas. Teachers also need to know how to work with students who need extra help. Before, I may have heard the (students) error, but just didnt really have a concrete way to understand where that was coming from, Moore said. Whats going on that is causing this student to make this error, and how can I work with them to correct it? The law is meant to push schools toward proven strategies. Changes include standards for educating new teachers. The law also gives the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education power to recommend curriculum, offer more teacher training and closely track how well young students can read. Students who dont score well on reading tests are supposed to receive intensive help. But putting new education laws into action can be harder than getting them passed, said Torree Pederson, the president and CEO of Aligned, a nonprofit coalition of business leaders pushing for education reform. Youre handing it off to an agency thats already stretched and asking them to do more, she said. Its not an easy task to retrain all the teachers in Missouri. Implementing the law The state doesnt have the power to mandate curriculum or teacher training, but it is nudging districts in a certain direction. With $25 million in state dollars and $35 million in federal relief money, the state education department is willing to pay for specific intensive reading training for at least 15,000 teachers. The training, called LETRS and pronounced letters, emphasizes the science of reading and the five reading components Missouri law supports. It can take up to 168 hours over the course of at least two years. The state also offers grants to replace old curriculum with evidence-based materials. Schools that dont qualify for the grants can use the states list of recommended materials as a guide. About 11,000 teachers have at least started the training under the states current program. Heather Knight, the states literacy coordinator, said several thousand more have been trained since 2021 through other state or local programs. The state originally targeted K-3 and preschool teachers, but opened the training up to fourth and fifth grade teachers as well. More than 480 of the roughly 550 school districts and charter schools in Missouri are participating. But even districts that appreciate LETRS training arent embracing it at the same pace. KCPS has required the training for early elementary teachers, reading specialists and others, seeing it as a way to comply with the law on evidence-based instruction, Moore said. Practically all teachers in those groups have at least started the training. North Kansas City Public Schools took a slower, more cautious approach, said instructional coordinator Lisa Friesen. The training is now encouraged but not required for most teachers, Friesen said. About a third of elementary teachers have registered. Some of the lessons from LETRS have made their way into the districts reading curriculum, which is designed in-house and updated yearly. Momentum to change Mitchell, the KCPS curriculum coordinator, thinks it was about four years ago when she started to hear about the science of reading. The news came through research for her job, but also from a science of reading Facebook group and from American Public Media podcast Sold a Story, which has helped influence public opinion and inform a wider audience about reading research. Although much of the research on reading is old, theres new momentum behind evidence-based teaching. But Missouri is far from the first to try it. A 2013 law gets credit for the Mississippi miracle, where that states reading scores dramatically increased. All school districts saw improvement, though gains werent even. Several other Deep South states have seen notable gains as well. And Florida, whose 2002 reading legislation inspired Mississippis, has among the best reading scores. In early 2024, Education Week reported that 37 states and the District of Columbia had passed reading legislation in the past decade, most within the past five years, and 17 of them within 2023 alone. A January 2024 policy analysis from ExcelInEd, a nonprofit founded by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, shows nearly all states have adopted some reading policies. Missouri now checks most of the think tanks boxes. Those lists dont include Kansas latest literacy law, which Gov. Laura Kelly signed in April. New curriculum Companies that produce curriculum and other classroom resources are taking note. Education company Learning A-Z knew schools would be looking for materials based on the science of reading, in part because of state law changes, President Aaron Ingold said. So the company, which had focused on supplemental resources, recently got into creating a comprehensive curriculum called Foundations A-Z. Its on Missouris list of recommended resources. Learning A-Z has changed some of its thinking, Ingold said. It no longer includes cueing, an out-of-favor strategy that encourages children to look at context such as pictures and sentence structure to figure out words rather than sounding them out. Instead, the program includes more phonics instruction and books known as decodables that contain words and spelling patterns students have learned. Moore said the science of reading is an example of how research doesnt always trickle down to us in a timely manner. But with training and curriculum companies on board, and the expectation that teachers will see gains in the classroom, she thinks its more than a passing fad. I dont think its something thats going to come and go in education, she said. This article first appeared on Beacon: Missouri and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Missouri woman freed from prison after serving 43 years for a murder she did not commit A woman who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for more than 43 years walked out the doors of a Missouri prison Friday evening. Sandra Sandy Hemme, 64, was freed after a judge found her innocent in a 1980 murder. Her prison term marks the longest known wrongful conviction of a woman in U.S. history, according to information from the National Registry of Exonerations. Hemme was released from Chillicothe Correctional Center, about 90 minutes northeast of Kansas City. Hemmes release had been expected since June 14 when Livingston County Circuit Judge Ryan Horsman issued an 118-page order saying she is innocent in the Nov. 12, 1980, murder of Patricia Jeschke in St. Joseph. Buchanan County prosecutors were to decide if they will re-try Hemme or dismiss the charges. But Prosecutor Michelle Davidson has not publicly announced a decision and has not responded to requests for comment about the case. On July 9, Horsman issued an order for Hemmes release. The Missouri Attorney Generals Office called the warden and prevented her release, though no stay was in place. The Missouri Attorney Generals Office fought Hemmes innocence case and then her release, filing motions in Livingston County and with the Western District Court of Appeals and the Missouri Supreme Court. On Thursday, the high court overruled the AGs motion to stay her release. During a heated hearing on Friday, Horsman threatened to hold officials with the AGs office in contempt if they further prevented her release. I would suggest, counsel, you never do that again, Horsman told Assistant Attorney General Andrew Clarke regarding their calls to the warden, adding that it was wrong, absolutely wrong. Horsman said if Hemme was not released by 6 p.m. Friday, he expected anyone with the AGs office who was involved as well as Attorney General Andrew Bailey to appear in his courtroom at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Killer believed to be a cop Officers interviewed Hemme several times while she was a psychiatric patient. She was convicted on statements she made to police, though many were contradictory. No forensic evidence linked Hemme to the murder and she did not have a motive. Evidence directly ties a former St. Joseph Police Department officer to the crime, Horsman wrote in the June judgment. Michael Holman was questioned once as a suspect, but never arrested in Jeschkes death. He died in 2015. Holmans truck was seen in the area the day of the murder, his alibi could not be corroborated and he used Jeschkes credit card after he said he found it in a purse in a ditch. A pair of gold horseshoe-shaped earrings identified by Jeschkes father was also found in Holmans possession. Horsman said a report about the earrings was never turned over to Hemmes defense attorney. Three FBI reports on forensic evidence were also not disclosed. Information about Holmans criminal conduct in the months before and after the murder was also withheld. The nondisclosure of that evidence resulted in a trial that was fundamentally unfair, resulting in a verdict unworthy of confidence, Horsmans order said. Hemme joins a growing list of people in the Kansas City region who were wrongfully convicted and freed, including Ricky Kidd, Keith Carnes, Lamonte McIntyre and Olin Pete Coones. Kevin Strickland, who was released in 2021 also spent 43 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. A mother in California was left heartbroken after a scammer apparently got access to her Carnival Cruise Line account and cancelled a Mothers Day trip she hoped to take with her family. Brittany Paine had taken out a loan to cover the $900 tickets for her and her family to take a cruise to Ensenada, Mexico, over the Mothers Day holiday, but was crushed when she found out that her booking was cancelled and her cabin rebooked. I was in tears. I said, Please, this is Mothers Day weekend with my kids, she told NBC4 Los Angeles. It seems a call she made a few days before her trip ultimately doomed her vacation. According to Paine, she called what she believed was a Carnival representative to discuss a cabin upgrade. While they were talking, the alleged representative told her that she had an unpaid deck fee of $294, and that she would be barred from boarding if she didnt make a payment. The M.S. Carnival Valor, owned by Carnival Cruise Lines, docked at Mahogany Bay on the Caribbean island of Roatan (Getty Images) She paid the fee, but became suspicious and called the company back at a different number. When she spoke to that Carnival representative, they told her the company would not have charged her a deck fee and that the other individual she talked to had likely scammed her. Paine disputed the charges with her bank, but that wasnt the end of her problems. She then received an email from Carnival stating that her cruise had been cancelled. She believes the scammer may have used the information she provided including her booking number to access her account and cancel her trip. By the time Paine was able to explain what happened to Carnival, her cabin had been rebooked, and her Mothers Day cruise was ruined. To come up with $900 for a trip for my kids, it was only feasible by making payments and taking out a loan. So it was a lot of money for me, she told NBC4. Carnival reportedly told Paine that due to her late cancellation she was not eligible for a refund. After the broadcaster reached out to Carnival, the company relented and refunded her the $900, but it still left her without a vacation for her and her family. The company couldnt say exactly what happened or how Paines account was hacked. Nobody is safe from these scams. And they get better and better, she told the outlet. Paine is now planning to take another cruise with her children later this summer, this time with a wary eye toward potential scammers. She isn't the only traveler to be taken advantage of by predators online; another couple had their $15,000 Carnival vacation cancelled just two days before their cruise after they accidentally shared their booking number on social media. Two days before Tiffany Banks family was supposed to embark on their Carnival Celebration voyage, the mom of four from Kentucky received the devastating news that they were no longer registered. Banks, her husband, and their children were meant to fly to Florida the next day to set sail on the trip, which she claims to have paid in full. However, after Banks accidentally shared their booking information online in a post counting down the days to the trip, someone supposedly canceled their reservation. Banks took to social media to document her fight with Carnival over the booking mishap, revealing after days of discussions that the company had offered her $10,404 in credit towards her next cruise, so long as she posted on social media saying they'd resolved the conflict. She refused the credit and said she'd never book with Carnival again. Colleen McDaniel, the editor in chief of Cruise Critic, told NBC4 that travelers should avoid posting their vacation details on social media as the information can be used to scam or prank them. Moms for Liberty, an unknown group 4 years ago, flexes its influence at the RNC Moms for Liberty didnt exist during the last presidential race. But at this years Republican National Convention, members of the parental rights group flocked to Milwaukee as delegates, guests and town hall hosts. They see the group as a rising force in the Republican Party. Four years ago, I couldn't have told you who the governor of Wisconsin was and here I am as a delegate at the Republican National Convention, said Moms for Liberty Ozaukee County Vice Chair Amber Schroeder. It's going to be the women that get somebody elected next. Throughout RNC week in Milwaukee, parental rights activists laid out lofty goals for the Trump administration: abolishing the federal Department of Education, rolling back Title IX expansions and curbing gender-affirming care. More: Go inside a training by Moms for Liberty and Leadership Institute for conservatives looking for control of Wisconsin school boards Parental rights is the biggest issue that needs to be safeguarded in the next presidential administration, said co-founder Tiffany Justice, who founded Moms for Liberty in Florida with former school board members Tina Descovich and Bridget Ziegler. Florida Governor Ron Desantis, center, is presented "The Sword of Liberty" by Moms for Liberty co-founders Tiffany Justice, left, Tina Descovich, second from right and executive director of program outreach Marie Rogerson, far right, during the first Moms for Liberty National Summit on Thursday, July 15, 2022 in Tampa, Fla. Moms for Liberty did not provide estimates on how many of its members were present at the RNC, but at least five Wisconsin delegates attending an event Tuesday were part of the group. Four years after its founding, Moms for Liberty has 130,000 members and 300 chapters across 48 states. They demonstrated influence within the GOP when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Congressman Byron Donalds, Sen. Ron Johnson and Vivek Ramaswamy joined them on stage for a town hall during RNC People, frankly, want the government to leave them alone, Sanders said to courses of yes! and cheers in the audience. They want government out of their schools out of their homes, out of their business out of their community. Moms for Libertys rise within the Republican Party Since its founding during the height of the pandemic in 2021, Moms for Liberty has become a central player in the polarizing conservation over how race, gender and sexuality should be taught in school. Its fight to ban books and remove lessons on race and gender attracted harsh criticism from civil rights groups. It has been designated as an extremist organization by the Southern Poverty Law Center. More: What groups have sought book bans in Wisconsin schools? Here are four to know. After more than half of the 500 school board candidates Moms for Liberty endorsed won school board races in 2022 76% of whom were first-time candidates GOP leaders took notice. That effect was reflected in statewide races that centered parental rights in their campaigns, most notably the 2021 election success of Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who mobilized suburban voters around COVID-19 restrictions, critical race theory and transgender policies in schools. After his victory speech, Youngkin thanked mama bears for their help. U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, R-Indiana said the win showed that Republicans can and must become the party of parents. That influence is evident in the updated Republican Party platform, in which parental rights was mentioned four times. Terms like CRT, gender indoctrination and universal school choice were also added. I don't think in 2016 we really quite knew where we were as a country and whether people understood what fundamental parental rights were, Justice said, crediting COVID-19 for launching the issue into the spotlight. Suburban women hold powerful votes in battleground states like Michigan and Wisconsin, and women make up a key part of the Democratic Partys voter base. Polling shows suburban women are more likely to identify as pro-choice and cast a majority of their votes for Biden in 2020. Even as Republicans struggle with division on abortion, they see parental rights as an issue that can unify the party and make inroads with suburban women. It's not as polarizing a topic as abortion is, so this is something people can rally around and really get behind, Schroeder said. The conservative GOP candidates are realizing that they need us to keep their elections going and that this movement is growing bigger and bigger and bigger, and they want to take advantage of that. Ron DeSantis speaks during Moms for Liberty's Town Hall on Tuesday Moms for Liberty wants to avoid 'sacrificing children at the altar of progressivism' Florida, the state that gave rise to Moms for Libertys home base, provides a test model for policies the group would like enacted on a federal level. DeSantis during his term as governor enacted sweeping educational changes, from a "Parental Rights in Education" bill that curbed classroom discussion on gender identity dubbed "Don't Say Gay" by critics and sexual orientation to his Stop WOKE Act that restricted lessons and training on diversity. He approved massive school voucher expansion, banned gender-affirming care for minors and overhauled the progressive practices of New College. Critics of the DeSantis measures decried them as hurtful for LGBTQ children and confusing for educators. It used to be that you would send your kid to school and they would learn math and science and stuff, and maybe not everything was perfect, but you didnt have to worry about your kid going into kindergarten and being told that they should change their gender, DeSantis said during the RNC. We put the kibosh on that in Florida. That call was echoed throughout the week in Milwaukee. Panelists during the Heritage Foundations policy fest on Monday admonished teachers unions and called for a stop to indoctrination of children and degradation of American culture. Heritage Foundation Senior Legal Fellow Sarah Parshall Perry said the first thing shed like to see Trump do in office is revoke all guidance from Bidens executive action that expanded federal anti-discrimination statutes. She'd like to see the protections for transgender individuals removed, as well as the Title IX expansions that added a new recognition of LGBTQ+ athletes. From that first pebble, we see an avalanche of gender identity and orthodoxy in every system in America, Perry said of the executive order. That is the primary responsibility I think of the next administration is to make sure that they don't sacrifice children on the altar of woke progressivism. LGBTQ+ experts say the Biden administrations expansion of LGBTQ+ protections and gender-affirming care has helped combat harassment and discrimination. A report last year from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said transgender youth are more likely than their peers to experience poor mental health from bullying, exclusion and a lack of support from adults than their peers. More: Young people are hurting, but they're also learning healthy coping strategies Asked about the rights of parents to transgender children, Justice said theres no such thing as a transgender child and called gender-affirming care abuse. She compared a child wanting gender-affirming surgery to her son telling her he wants to be a pirate and would like a doctor to poke his eye out. Of the 1.6 million transgender people in the United States, nearly 1 in 5 are ages 13-17. Biden-Harris Principal Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks said calls to roll back protections "pose a grave risk. We're not going to vilify young adults who are going through experiences in their lives or just being who they are, Fulks said. It's not something that we stand for on the Democratic side. That Moms for Liberty partnered with the Heritage Foundation isnt a surprise. Its 922-page policy blueprint, Project 2025, calls to eliminate the federal Department of Education, remove trans women from sports, and ban critical race theory and gender ideology from curricula in every public school in the country. Justice said the department serves no purpose right now except to force toxic ideology into our schools. The federal Department of Education establishes policy, programs and federal assistance for education. One of its significant roles is to enact policies on federal financial aid and how that is distributed. Notably absent during an RNC panel discussion this week was discussion of banning books or critical race theory, topics that have repeatedly gotten the group in hot water. There was also no mention of former co-founder Ziegler's involvement in a sex scandal that pushed her husband, the chairman of the Florida Republican Party, out of office. Nor of their subpar performance during 2023 school board races, when fewer than one-third of school board candidates with the groups endorsement won election. The group's unified fight ahead reflects its broader aims within the GOP as it seeks to move beyond school board races into positions of higher office and implement policy in their state legislatures. Scarlett Johnson "We're running for Assembly, we're going to run for Senate," said Moms for Liberty Ozaukee County Chair Scarlett Johnson. "It's not just school board now." As much as Moms for Liberty needs Republicans in that fight, they say the GOP needs them more. "They're not chasing us," Johnson said. "It is that we are getting involved and working together mutually." This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Moms for Liberty flexes its influence on school issues at RNC FILE - Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, left, testifies during a House Committee on Homeland Security hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 10, 2024. Montana's top political cop on Thursday, July 18, said he found no evidence that Knudsen violated Montana campaign finance laws in recruiting a primary challenger so he could raise more campaign cash. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File) HELENA, Mont. (AP) Montanas elections enforcer said he found no evidence that the state's attorney general violated campaign finance rules by inviting another Republican to run against him so he could raise more money for his reelection campaign. Sheila Hogan, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party, filed complaints against Attorney General Austin Knudsen and his primary challenger, Logan Olson, after both men acknowledged Knudsen urged Olson to run against him. Knudsen has said he recruited Olson because our campaign laws are ridiculous." Olson told the Daniels County Leader that he supported Knudsen's candidacy and was running so Knudsen could raise more money. The campaign contribution limit for the attorney generals race in Montana is $790 by law, but candidates can receive twice that from individuals if they have a primary opponent. In the last three decades, both Democratic and Republican candidates have had token primary challengers, Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus found, but no complaints have been filed and the Legislature has not moved to change the law. The difference between the situation here, and those using the loophole now and in previous campaigns, is that the Attorney General has rather brazenly and publicly discussed doing what others have quietly done for years," Gallus wrote in his decision Thursday. Jake Eaton, senior campaign adviser for Knudsen, said in a statement Friday the case had been brought to its rightful close. Such political stunts have no place in Montana politics," Eaton said. Hogan said she disagreed with Gallus' decision to dismiss the case. She said in a statement that Knudsen and Olson clearly schemed to violate Montanas election laws, which is consistent with the corrupt and unethical behavior Knudsen continues to demonstrate as Attorney General. Knudsen is facing 41 counts of professional misconduct on allegations his office tried to undermine the Montana Supreme Court while defending a challenge to a state law about judicial nominations. The case is scheduled to be heard in October. Hogan's complaint argued Knudsen was wrong to accept campaign donations for both the primary and general elections before he had a primary challenger. But Gallus said there is no law that says candidates cannot accept contributions before they have an opponent. He said other candidates have done the same and returned excess donations if they did not end up with a contested primary. Hogan's complaint also argued Olson was not a good faith candidate, which under state law would mean he did not have an intent to seek the office or had been offered a bribe to run. Gallus said that would be an issue for the courts. There is simply no evidence whatsoever in the complaint or on the record here that shows a payment or promise of valuable consideration was provided by Attorney General Knudsen, or a surrogate of his campaign, to Mr. Olson, Gallus added. Olson also said he was genuinely seeking the office, the decision stated. Knudsen beat Olson 82% to 18% in the June primary and will face Democratic candidate Ben Alke in the general election. Gallus did find one issue with Olson's run. A third party Republican operative Chuck Denowh paid Olson's filing fee of just over $1,500. Olson reported the payment as a campaign debt rather than a contribution or a loan, which would have been capped at the $790 limit for the primary, Gallus said. Denowh donated the maximum of $1,580 to Knudsen's campaign. Gallus said he would normally turn the campaign finance case against Olson over to his local county attorney for prosecution, but since Olson is the Daniels County attorney, Gallus said he will negotiate a fine with Olson. Olson did not immediately respond to a phone message Friday seeking comment. Judge Mike Menahan listens to arguments. (Keila Szpaller/The Daily Montanan) Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen and Attorney General Austin Knudsen are asking the state Supreme Court to throw out a district courts order that restored the way signatures are counted for three Constitutional ballot initiatives that will like be before voters in 2024. One initiative would ask voters to make abortion a Constitutionally protected right, and the other two would change the way elections are won. The state is arguing a Lewis and Clark County District Court judge made numerous mistakes, the situation is an emergency, and the state Supreme Court should immediately take the reins and allow the orderly counting of petition signatures to proceed according to Montana law. A couple of groups supporting the initiatives, Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights and Montanans for Election Reform, argued Tuesday the Secretary of State unlawfully changed the rules midstream and without public notice to no longer count inactive voters toward the minimum number of signatures needed to place initiatives on the ballot. They asked Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike Menahan to order the Secretary of State to return to the status quo, in place for 27 years, and confirm that an inactive voter is still a qualified elector who can legally sign a petition. People listed as inactive are legally registered to vote but are identified as having had an address change or not having voted in a couple of years. One way they can become active is by voting. In court the same day, Menahan agreed with proponents of the ballot measures. He said he wanted to be minimally involved, but had the duty to preserve the right of Montanans to participate in their government by signing petitions. The Secretary of State argued the change took place in response to a question posed to the agency, and the new interpretation, based partly on a new law and readings of numerous statutes together, supported the change. Menahan disagreed. The troubling component here is that the process was underway, Menahan said. Menahan asked the lawyers from supporters of the initiatives and the Secretary of States Office to draft an order that ironed out the details to ensure signatures from inactive voters would be counted, whether they had been rejected by counties or screened out by the Secretary of States reprogrammed database. In its petition filed Thursday, the Secretary of State made note of the judges request the parties draft the proposed temporary restraining order. The District Court informed the parties it intended to enter a (temporary restraining order), but did not know how to draft the TRO, and therefore required the parties to confer to create a proposed order, despite Defendants strong opposition to the motion, the petition said. The District Court issued the TRO by the end of the day. But in the request the Montana Supreme Court take over the case, the Secretary of State, represented by Knudsen, said Menahan erred numerous ways in issuing that restraining order the return to the status quo. The Courts TRO contains a number of serious mistakes of law that improperly interfere with election processes and the statutes governing those processes, argued the state. Jacobsen, a Republican, argued the judge improperly found inactive voters can sign petitions; meddled with statutory deadlines despite no formal request from proponents of the measures; wrongly involved counties when they arent parties to the lawsuit; and rather than simply halt an action, required specific conduct from the Secretary of State, far outside the bounds of a restraining order. Urgency and emergency factors exist because the statutory deadlines for the review and certification of petition signatures must be followed and are quickly approaching, the petition said. FILE - In this photo provided by NASA, astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin poses for a photograph beside the U.S. flag deployed on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969. (Neil Armstrong/NASA via AP, File) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) The cosmos is providing a full moon for the 55th anniversary of the first lunar landing this weekend, and plenty of other events honor Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrins giant leap. Aldrin, 94, the last surviving member of the Apollo 11 crew, headlines a gala at the San Diego Air and Space Museum on Saturday night. He'll be joined by astronaut Charlie Duke, who was the voice inside Mission Control for the July 20, 1969 moon landing. Museum President Jim Kidrick couldnt resist throwing a bash 55 years to the day of one of the most historic moments in not only the history of America, but in the history of the world. Cant make it to San Diego, Cape Canaveral or Houston? There are plenty of other ways to celebrate the moon landing, including the new film Fly Me to the Moon, a light-hearted lookback starring Scarlett Johansson. And you can explore all things Apollo 11 on a special website by the Smithsonian Institutions National Air and Space Museum. If nothing else, soak in the full moon Saturday night into Sunday morning. Heres a rundown of some Apollo 11 tributes: The Eagle has landed NASAs Kennedy Space Center is holding a moon fest at its tourist stop, just a few miles from where the Saturn V rocket thundered away with Armstrong, Aldrin and Michael Collins on July 16, 1969. Houston's Johnson Space Center, home to Mission Control, is also getting into the act. Four days after they left Earth, Armstrong and Aldrin, in their lunar module, Eagle, settled onto the Sea of Tranquility at 4:17 p.m. Eastern with barely any fuel remaining. Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed, Armstrong radioed from 240,000 miles (386,000 kilometers) away. "No moment united the country quite like when the Eagle landed, as all of planet Earth watched from below, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Friday in an anniversary message. 'One small step' "Thats one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind, Armstrong proclaimed as he became the first person to step on the moon. Armstrong grew up in northwestern Ohio's Wapakoneta, now home to the Armstrong Air and Space Museum. The museum's tribute Saturday begins with a pair of Run to the Moon races. followed by model rocket launches and wind tunnel demos. John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, hailed from New Concord on the opposite side of the state, some 150 miles (240 kilometers) away. The John and Annie Glenn Museum will be open there Saturday for your astronaut fix. Magnificent desolation Aldrin followed Armstrong outside on the moon, uttering Magnificent desolation. They spent just over two hours treading the dusty surface, before returning to their lunar module and blasting off to link back up with Collins, the command module pilot who had remained in lunar orbit. Armstrong's spacesuit for the moonshot was restored in time for the 50th anniversary in 2019. It's on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, along with their return capsule. Aldrin and Collins spacesuits from Apollo 11 are also part of the Smithsonian collection and currently in storage. Collins died in 2021, less than a year after the 50th anniversary; Armstrong died in 2012. Splashdown! The capsule holding Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins dubbed Columbia splashed down in the Pacific on July 24, 1969. They were recovered by the USS Hornet, a Navy aircraft carrier that repeated the job for Apollo 12 four months later. The Hornet is now part of a museum in Alameda, California, with a splashdown party planned aboard the ship on Saturday. Some of the original recovery crew will be there. The Apollo 11 astronauts immediately went into quarantine aboard the Hornet and, along with 48 pounds (22 kilograms) of moon rocks and soil, remained off-limits for weeks as they were moved to Houston. Scientists feared the astronauts might have brought back moon germs. Most of the rocks remain locked up inside a restricted lab at Houston's Johnson Space Center. The Apollo program landed 12 astronauts on the moon from 1969 through 1972. Next up: Apollo's twin NASA aims to send four astronauts around the moon next year part of a new moon program named Artemis after Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology. The SLS rocket for that flyaround short for Space Launch System is due at Kennedy Space Center next week. It's arriving by barge from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. This core stage will get a pair of strap-on boosters at Kennedy before blasting off in September 2025 at the earliest with three U.S. astronauts and one Canadian. None of them will land on the moon; that will come on a following mission with another crew no earlier than 2026. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. A Prosser area woman has been charged after at least six more dogs were brought onto her troubled property since Benton County settled a $1.6 million dog attack claim. She is also facing a civil lawsuit by the victims and a resident living in an RV on the property is facing a slew of felony charges. Donna Faye Ziegler was charged with illegally running a kennel after years of code enforcement tickets, dangerous dog declarations, arrests on her property for stolen goods and repeated dog attacks. There were only three dogs left on her property in December when Benton County settled the claim with neighbors who were seriously injured by a pack of pit bulls from her Old Inland Empire Highway property. By May there were at least nine dogs on the property and they were again trying to attack neighbors, according to court documents. Law enforcement and code enforcement have been called out to an Old Inland Empire Highway home dozens of times over the past four years for aggressive dogs, suspected puppy mills, junk, debris and stolen cars and trailers. Recently neighbors who were mauled by the property owners dogs won a $1.6 million settlement from Benton County. Frequent dog attacks Benton County code enforcement has been ticketing Ziegler since 2019 about the number of dogs on the property, as well as rundown RVs with people illegally living in them and unsightly debris. At one point local rescue groups helped Benton County remove up to 50 dogs from the property. But soon after that, her daughter and her daughters boyfriend moved in, bringing with them a pack of pit bulls that began terrorizing the neighborhood, attacking animals and chasing neighbors. It came to a head in April 2022 when Christin Gregerson and her then 15-year-old son Hunter were attacked in their front yard. Their injuries were so severe that doctors thought they might have to amputate Christins arm. As was often the case at the property, residents hid or took the dogs away before law enforcement could arrive. Only three of the dogs were removed at that time and it took more than a year before the remaining pit bulls were removed after separate calls of near attacks. Criminal charges against Zieglers daughter Melanie Daniels and Darrell Wynn were dropped after they both died before the cases went to trial. Earlier this month a resident living in one of the RVs was arrested for threatening to shoot a neighbor after his dog got loose and tried to attack the neighbor on his own property. Wesley Adam McCoy, 37, remains in the Benton County jail on suspicion of four felony counts of felon in possession of a firearm and one misdemeanor count of using a weapon to threaten or intimidate, according to jail records. Donna Zieglers Old Inland Empire Highway property. New charges New court documents show that this was actually at least the third since December that deputies or code enforcement had been to the property. Jeff Aultman, Benton Countys assistant chief deputy prosecutor, told the Herald in an email that a warrant has been issued for Ziegler after she failed to appear in court on charges related to a March incident. Aultman couldnt comment on specifics in the ongoing case, but said the county is limited in what type of penalties they can levy. The county has repeatedly ticketed Ziegler for code enforcement violations and executed search warrants and made arrests when deputies have spotted suspected stolen property. Ziegler was issued a new warning in February about the number of dogs on the property, and then when two pit bulls got loose a month later and were being aggressive toward neighbors and trying to attack their animals, the county was able to take action. The county is as frustrated as others in the community with this property owners repeated violations, Aultman said in the email. Ziegler was charged with illegally operating a kennel, which also covers a property owner having more than four dogs without a permit. Deputies found at least nine dogs were on the property at that point the two running loose, three in an RV and four in the house. Ziegler could face jail time and fines for both the illegal kennel charge and failure to appear. The county cannot place a lien on the property for criminal fines, only for restitution. That means any victims restitution the Gregersons might have won from the charges against Daniels and Wynn could have forced a property sale, but any fines Benton County levies against Ziegler could not. While a civil lawsuit in Washington cannot take someones home, a large enough award for damages to the Gregersons could trigger a bank sale for part of the settlement. For Immediate Releases Chicago, IL July 19, 2024 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: NVIDIA Corp. NVDA, Meta Platforms, Inc. META, Amgen Inc. AMGN and Galaxy Gaming, Inc. GLXZ. Here are highlights from Fridays Analyst Blog: Q2 Earnings Season Scorecard, Outlook and Analyst Reports for NVIDIA, Meta & More The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features a real-time update on the Q2 earnings season, the July Economic Outlook monthly and new research reports on 16 major stocks, including NVIDIA Corp., Meta Platforms, Inc. and Amgen Inc., as well as a micro-cap stock Galaxy Gaming, Inc. The Zacks microcap research is unique as our research content on these small and under-the-radar companies is the only research of its type in the country. These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today. You can see all of todays research reports here >>> The July Economic Outlook John Blank, our Chief Economist, discusses the evolving economic landscape and what that means for Fed policy in the July Economic Outlook report. You can see John's report here >>>To Cut, or Not to Cut - That is the Question Q2 Earnings Season Scorecard Including this morning's releases from the likes of D.R. Horton, Abott, Keycorp and others, we now have Q2 results from 61 S&P 500 members or 12.2% of the index's total membership. Total earnings for these 61 index members are up +7.5% from the same period last year on +4.9% higher revenues, with 82% beating EPS estimates and 55.7% beating revenue estimates. The 82% EPS beats percentage for this group of 61 index members compared to 77% in 2024 Q1, 80.3% in 2023 Q4 and the average for the preceding 20 quarters (5 years) of 79.6%. The 55.7% revenue beats percentage for this group of companies compares to 63.9% in the preceding period and 20-quarter low of 60.7%. In other words, companies appear to be struggling to beat consensus revenue estimates at this stage in the Q2 reporting cycle. Looking at Q2 as a whole, combining the actuals from the 61 companies with estimates for the still-to-come companies, total S&P 500 earnings are on track to be up +8.8% from the same period last year on +4.8% higher revenues. For a more detailed look at the Q2 earnings season and evolving expectations for the coming periods, please check out our weekly Earnings Trends report here >>>Q2 Earnings Season Starts Positively Story continues NVIDIA shares have outperformed the Zacks Semiconductor - General industry over the past year (+157.4% vs. +115.3%). The company is benefiting from the strong growth of artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance and accelerated computing. The data center end-market business is benefiting from the growing demand for generative AI and large language models using graphic processing units (GPUs) based on NVIDIA Hopper and Ampere architectures. A surge in hyperscale demand and higher sell-ins to partners across the Gaming and ProViz end markets following the normalization of channel inventory are acting as tailwinds. Collaborations with Mercedes-Benz and Audi are likely to advance its presence in the autonomous vehicles and other automotive electronics space. However, its near-term prospects are likely to be hurt by softening IT spending amid macroeconomic headwinds. (You can read the full research report on NVIDIA here >>>) Shares of Meta Platforms have outperformed the Zacks Internet - Software industry over the past year (+48.5% vs. +14.0%). The company is benefiting from steady user growth across all regions, particularly Asia Pacific. Increased engagement for its offerings like Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Facebook has been a major growth driver. It is leveraging AI to recommend Reels content, which is driving traffic on Instagram and Facebook. Its innovative portfolio, which includes Threads, Reels, Llama 2, Ray-Ban Meta smart glass, and mixed reality device Quest 3 is likely to aid prospects. AI-recommended content now comprises more than 50% of the content people see on Instagram. Threads have more than 175 million monthly actives. Meta now expects to invest significantly more over the next few years in developing more advanced models and the largest AI services in the world. However, monetization of these AI services will take considerable time, which is a concern. (You can read the full research report on Meta Platforms here >>>) Amgen shares have outperformed the Zacks Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry over the past year (+45.4% vs. -4.4%). The company expects strong sales growth of products like Tezspire, Evenity, Repatha, Prolia and Tavneos to offset declining revenues from oncology biosimilars and legacy established products such as Enbrel in 2024. The addition of Horizons rare disease drugs should further boost revenue growth. Amgen also has some key pipeline assets in obesity and inflammation, which are indications that can have a large market opportunity. Several key pipeline data readouts are expected in 2024, including from the obesity program, MariTide. However, increased pricing headwinds and competitive pressure are hurting sales of many products, including some biosimilars. Weakness in some key brands like Otezla and Lumakras create potential revenue headwinds. Estimates have gone down ahead of Q2 earnings releases. (You can read the full research report on Amgen here >>>) Shares of Galaxy Gaming have underperformed the Zacks Gaming industry over the past year (-46.1% vs. +5.0%). This microcap company with market capitalization of $35.69 million is witnessing high debt levels, reliance on key customers, regulatory risks, intense competition, economic cycle vulnerability and integration risks as well as challenges posing from new acquisitions. Nevertheless, Galaxy Gaming's revenues for first-quarter 2024 grew 7.8% year over year to $8 million, driven by the success of EZ Baccarat and GOS product installations. EBITDA of $3 million, with a margin of 37.5%, highlights strong operational efficiency. The 10-year extension with Evolution Gaming and EZ Baccarat expansion solidifies the market position. Innovations like GOS 2.0 and global expansion, with operations in 30 countries and 5,146 table installations, enhance growth prospects. Financial stability is demonstrated with a 4.8% cash increase to $17.5 million and a net leverage ratio of 3.8x. High customer satisfaction and a 91.7% recurring revenue model reduce financial risk. (You can read the full research report on Galaxy Gaming here >>>) Why Havent You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks? Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.0 average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +44.9%, +48.4% and +55.2% per year. Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation. See Stocks Free >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Amgen Inc. (AMGN) : Free Stock Analysis Report NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Galaxy Gaming Inc. (GLXZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research More electricity generation expected in August than in July, says Ukrainian energy company chairman More generation of electricity is expected in Ukraine in August than in July, according to the maintenance schedule for power units and power plants. Source: Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, Chairman of the Management Board of Ukrenergo, the national energy company, in an interview with Suspilne, Ukraine's public broadcaster Quote: "The first thing we need to do is to put the attacks behind us. Secondly, we have a schedule for the power units and various types of power plants coming back online after repairs," Kudrytskyi said. He also said much will depend on whether the heat wave will subside in the country. "This affects both our consumption and imports from Europe, as they are also facing electricity shortages. For example, a couple of weeks ago, there was a blackout in four Balkan countries," Kudrytskyi emphasised. He added that if the heat drops in Ukraine and Europe, it will allow for more electricity imports from Europe. Asked whether it was possible to expect power outages to stop before September, Kudrytskyi noted that there are various scenarios. "We are working based on the worst-case scenarios. If the heat subsides and there are no intense and successful attacks by the Russians, the reduction in the duration of outages will be more noticeable. However, the overall trend will be leaning towards improvement," the company's chairman reported. He said the weather can change the consumption rate by 15-20%. For Ukraine's power system, a 15% difference between one day and another is very significant. Background: A reduction in the load on the power system and, consequently, its stabilisation is expected in the near future as the heat subsides. Energoatom, Ukraine's state nuclear energy regulator, has connected another power unit with a capacity of 1000 MW to Ukraines power grid ahead of schedule after reloading nuclear fuel and conducting scheduled equipment maintenance. Support UP or become our patron! More record-breaking heat to scorch Boise. Heres how hot itll get, when relief could arrive Every summer, the West experiences a typical pattern: a high-pressure system sits south of Idaho over the Four Corners region and creates hot weather in the Boise area. The system sits there for a few weeks and moves on, resulting in lower temperatures. Thats what happened with Idaho earlier this summer. A high-pressure system settled over the Four Corners in late June, bringing 100-degree temperatures to Boise in time for July 4. In most years, that system would have moved on by now and given us some relief. But not this summer. The forecast highs in Boise over the next few days include 105 on Saturday, 106 on Sunday, 107 on Monday, 104 on Tuesday and 105 on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Heres what to know about another hot stretch in Boise. Record-breaking heat expected for Boise Boise has already broken two records this summer, and the City of Trees will likely break a third next week. Earlier this summer, Boise broke the record for most consecutive days with a high temperature over 105 degrees (five) and simultaneously broke the record for most consecutive days over 103 degrees (five). ICYMI: Boise, ID has already made it on the charts from the hot temps we've been experiencing so far, with several weeks of summer left to go! The consecutive day stats (first graphic) are since records began in 1875 (thru 7/17/24), which makes them pretty significant. #IDwx pic.twitter.com/HSnfgqmtf1 NWS Boise (@NWSBoise) July 19, 2024 Now, theres a good chance that Boise could break its record for most consecutive days of at least 100 degrees. Friday marked the fourth straight day that the temperature has exceeded 100 degrees, and based on forecasts, that streak will reach at least 10 days. The Weather Service has Boise peaking over 100 degrees at least through Thursday, which is also the lowest forecast high at 101 degrees. The record is nine straight days, set on four occasions, including in July 2023. I think were pretty confident well be above 100 degrees, Weather Service meteorologist Josh Smith told the Statesman regarding temperatures for the next week. The forecast high temperature of 107 degrees on Monday could also tie or break a daily record. The record temperature for July 22, set in 2003, is 108 degrees. Dangerous heat leading to deaths, illness The Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning through Tuesday, warning of extreme heat that will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare told the Idaho Statesman it had recorded three heat-related deaths in 2024, all of which were people over the age of 60. St. Lukes spokesperson Christine Myron told the Statesman that the St. Lukes Meridian emergency department had seen 20 patients with heat-related illnesses between June 16 and July 13. A Saint Alphonsus doctor told the Statesman that the hospital has seen many patients suffering from dehydration and other heat-related illnesses this summer. Our recommendation pay extra attention to hydration status, stay out of as much direct sunlight as possible, and make sure youre staying cool by not overly exerting yourself in the middle of the day, Dr. Nick Kroll, assistant medical director for emergency medicine at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, said via email. Is there an end to 100-degree days in sight? The Weather Services forecast only goes as far as Thursday, but Smith said he expects temperatures to start dropping slightly come next weekend. Smith said that a low-pressure system from the Pacific Ocean is pushing its way inland, which will force out the high-pressure system and help cool temperatures. That low pressure thats approaching the coast is going to come through the Pacific Northwest. And that should cool us down, Smith said. Now, when I say cool us down, it may bring us back to normal, maybe a degree below normal. But it will be at least below 100. Boises average late-July temperature is 94 degrees, so Treasure Valley residents can hope for slightly cooler temperatures soon. Reporter Carolyn Komatsoulis contributed. More than 35 congressional Democrats have now called on Biden to end his reelection bid A wave of congressional Democrats have called on President Biden to drop his 2024 campaign. They add to the pressure he faces as he seeks to reassure his party that he is ready to take on former President Donald Trump in November. More than 35 congressional Democrats have now called for Biden to step aside in what would be an unprecedented decision, while a number of other party leaders have voiced various concerns about his candidacy. Biden, meanwhile, has shown no signs of backing down after a highly criticized debate performance last month reinforced questions about his age and fitness for office. The president said he simply had a "bad night," and he has since held rallies and a series of media interviews in an attempt to showcase his viability on the campaign trail. Here are the Democrats who have spoken out. Check back here, as this article will be continually updated. Rep. Joe Manchin, July 21 The Democratic-turned-Independent Senator from West Virginia, and chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said on ABC's This Week it was time for Biden to "pass the torch to a new generation." Rep. Mark Takano, July 20 While Takano acknowledged Biden's accomplishments in a statement shared on X, the Democratic Congressman from California called on the president to "pass the torch" to Kamala Harris. Rep. Betty McCollum, July 19 The Democratic lawmaker from Minnesota released a statement Friday calling on Biden to "release his delegates and empower Vice President Harris to step forward to become the Democratic nominee for president." Sen. Sherrod Brown, July 19 In a statement released Friday evening, Brown of Ohio became the latest Senator to come out in favor of Biden exiting the race. "I think the President should end his campaign," he said. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, July 19 McGarvey, a Democratic representative from Kentucky, emphasized the need to "defeat Donald Trump, flip the House, and protect the Senate" in a statement shared on X. "There is no joy in the recognition he should not be our nominee in November," McGarvey wrote. "But the stakes of this election are too high." Rep. Gabe Vasquez, July 19 The New Mexico representative shared a statement complimenting Biden's career but ultimately called for the president to "step aside to give Democrats the best opportunity to win this November." Regardless of who our nominee is, my number one job will be to take care of the people of my district and continue bringing results home to New Mexico. pic.twitter.com/NKDGsa2mEt Gabe Vasquez (@Gabe_NM) July 19, 2024 Rep. Greg Landsman, July 19 Landsman, a representative from Ohio, posted a thread on X partly inspired by former President Donald Trump's speech at the Republican National Convention the night before. "To allow Trump to become president and control all three branches of government puts our democracy and freedoms at great risk," Landsman wrote. "It is time for President Biden to step aside and allow us to nominate a new leader who can reliably and consistently make the case against Donald Trump." Reps. Jared Huffman, Marc Veasey, Mark Pocan and Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, July 19 In a joint statement, the four representatives from California, Texas, Wisconsin and Illinois, respectively wrote, "We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign." "We believe the most responsible and patriotic thing you can do in this moment is to step aside as our nominee while continuing to lead our party from the White House," the letter concluded. Rep. Sean Casten, July 19 In an op-ed for the Chicago Tribune, the Illinois representative wrote that "with a heavy heart" he is calling on Biden to leave the race and "pass the torch to a new generation." Sen. Martin Heinrich, July 19 Heinrich, of New Mexico, became the third Democratic Senator to ask Biden to step aside, issuing a statement the morning after the final day of the Republican National Convention. "While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden's alone, I believe it is in the best interests of our country for him to step aside," Heinrich wrote. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, July 18 Lofgren, a representative from California and one of the members of the Jan. 6 select committee, issued a statement praising Biden's achievements as president but also asking him to step aside. "As I am aware that you have been provided data indicating that you in all likelihood will lose the race for President, I will not go through it," she wrote. "Your candidacy is on a trajectory to lose the White House and potentially impact crucial House and Senate races down the ballot." Lofgren added that, should Biden ultimately be confirmed as the Democratic nominee, she would "do everything I can to promote your candidacy." Rep. Jim Costa, July 18 The day after Rep. Adam Schiff called Biden to exit the race, Costa, a fellow California Democrat, said in a statement he thought "it is time for the President to pass the torch to the next generation to carry on the legacy he started." Sen. Jon Tester, July 18 Jon Tester, Montana's senior senator, has asked Biden to drop out of the race in a statement given to the Daily Montanan. Montanans have put their trust in me to do what is right, and it is a responsibility I take seriously. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong, Tester said. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek reelection to another term. Rep. Adam Schiff, July 17 The California Democrat told the Los Angeles Times that the "choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden's alone," but Biden should "pass the torch" and "secure his legacy of leadership" by allowing another Democrat to step forward to challenge Trump. Schiff is running for the Senate seat that was long held by Dianne Feinstein. Rep. Mike Levin, July 12 Levin released a statement that he was "concerned about President Biden's performance in the recent debate." "It is time to move forward. With a new leader. Together," he concluded. Democrat Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) flips stance, joins fellow San Diego Dem congressman Rep. Scott Peters, calling for President Biden to pull out of the 2024 Presidential race. @10News #capolitics pic.twitter.com/rHr1hH2r3t Spencer Soicher ABC 10News (@spencersoicher) July 12, 2024 Rep. Brittany Pettersen, July 12 The Colorado congresswoman said that she is "joining the growing number of people" to ask Biden to "pass the torch to one of our many capable Democratic leaders." Rep. Eric Sorensen, July 11 Sorensen, an Illinois congressman, was the third House Democrat to speak out shortly after the president's NATO news conference. My statement on the presidential race. pic.twitter.com/bmjlp06psd Eric Sorensen (@ERICSORENSEN) July 12, 2024 Rep. Scott Peters, July 11 The California lawmaker also issued his statement after Biden's press conference. Today I ask President Biden to withdraw from the presidential campaign. The stakes are high, and we are on a losing course. My conscience requires me to speak up and put loyalty to the country and to democracy ahead of my great affection for, and loyalty to, the President and those around him, Peters said in a statement. We must find a candidate from our deep bench of talent who can defeat Donald Trump. Rep. Jim Himes, July 11 Himes, a Connecticut Democrat, called on Biden to exit the race as the president was wrapping up his highly anticipated NATO news conference Thursday. Joe Bidens record of public service is unrivaled. His accomplishments are immense. His legacy as a great president is secure. He must not risk that legacy, those accomplishments and American democracy to soldier on in the face of the horrors promised by Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/FMMrTK8pb8 Jim Himes (@jahimes) July 12, 2024 Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, July 11 In an email to a local Oregon outlet, Gluesenkamp Perez, a Washington state representative, wrote, "Like most people I represent in Southwest Washington, I doubt the President's judgement about his health, his fitness to do the job, and whether he is the one making important decisions about our country, rather than unelected advisors. "The crisis of confidence in the Presidents leadership needs to come to an end," she added. "The President should do what he knows is right for the country and put the national interest first." Rep. Greg Stanton, July 11 The Arizona congressman reiterated themes from other representatives asking Biden to step down some extremely similar to what Rep. Brad Schneider said earlier in the day including that "the stakes in this election could not be higher" and "it is time for the President to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders." "The Democratic Party must have a nominee who can effectively make the case against Trump," Stanton wrote. "For the sake of American democracy, ... I believe it is time for the President to step aside as our nominee." I was one of President Biden's earliest supporters in 2020, and I'm proud of the progress we've made for Arizona. However the stakes in this election could not be higher. For our country's sake, it is time for the President to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders. pic.twitter.com/KSX1jd0O6m Greg Stanton (@gregstantonaz) July 11, 2024 Rep. Ed Case, July 11 "My guidepost is what is the best way forward for our country," the Hawaii congressman said in a statement. "I do not believe President Biden should continue his candidacy for re-election as President." Rep. Brad Schneider, July 11 Schneider's statement described how Biden "has the opportunity to secure his legacy" by leaving the race. "The stakes in this election could not be higher," the Illinois Democrat wrote. "I love President Biden. I am forever grateful for his leadership and service to our nation. The time has come, however, for President Biden to heroically pass the torch to a new generation of leadership." Just in: Illinois Democrat Rep. Brad Schneider issues a lengthy statement calling for Joe Biden to step aside for a new generation of leadership. pic.twitter.com/woFeil6mct Ben Szalinski (@BenSzalinski) July 11, 2024 Rep. Hillary Scholten, July 11 Scholten, who flipped her district in Michigan in 2022, issued a statement on X that Biden should step aside from the presidential race and allow a new leader to step up. However, she added that should Biden stay in the race, she would "respect" the decision and will still vote for him, as a clear and necessary alternative to Donald Trump." President Biden has served his country well, but for the sake of our democracy, he must pass the torch to a new candidate for the 2024 election. pic.twitter.com/derEO1kl3f Hillary Scholten (@HillaryScholten) July 11, 2024 Sen. Peter Welch, July 10 In an op-ed in the Washington Post, Welch, of Vermont, became the first U.S. senator to call for Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race. I understand why President Biden wants to run. He saved us from Donald Trump once and wants to do it again. But he needs to reassess whether he is the best candidate to do so. In my view, he is not," Welch wrote. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, July 10 Blumenauer, of Oregon, became the ninth House Democrat to call for Biden to exit the presidential race. "It is a painful and difficult conclusion but there is no question in my mind that we will all be better served if the president steps aside as the Democratic nominee and manages a transition under his terms," Blumenauer said in a statement, according to Politico. "He has earned that right." Rep. Pat Ryan, July 10 Ryan told the New York Times that he felt Biden should step aside "for the good of the country." "I'd be doing a grave disservice if I said he was the best candidate to serve this fall," the New York Democrat said. "For the good of our country, for my two young kids, I'm asking Joe Biden to step aside in the upcoming election and deliver on the promise to be a bridge to a new generation of leaders." Rep. Mikie Sherrill, July 9 In a statement posted on X, Sherrill shared that because she knows "Biden cares deeply about the future of our country," he should "declare he won't run for reelection" and "help us through a process toward a new nominee." Sherrill added that her concerns lie with the "threat" of Trump returning to the White House. "The stakes are too high," the New Jersey Democrat wrote. "I realize this is hard, but we have done hard things in pursuit of democracy since the founding of this nation. It is time to do so again." I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country. That's why I am asking that he declare that he won't run for reelection. My full statement: pic.twitter.com/rR2rmZ1ewN Mikie Sherrill (@MikieSherrill) July 9, 2024 Rep. Adam Smith, July 8 Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, told CNN on July 8 that he agreed Biden should end his candidacy and that Vice President Kamala Harris "would be a much better, stronger candidate." He also issued a similar statement on his official site. "The president's performance in the debate was alarming to watch and the American people have made it clear they no longer see him as a credible candidate to serve four more years as president," Smith said. "Since the debate, the president has not seriously addressed these concerns. "This is unacceptable. The stakes are simply too high. Donald Trump and MAGA extremism pose an existential threat to our nation, and we need to be in the strongest possible position to win in this election." Smith did add that if Biden stays in the race, he will support him. "If he gets the nomination, I'm all in," Smith said. Rep. Angie Craig, July 6 Craig, a Democrat who represents Minnesota's second congressional district, issued a statement hours after the ABC interview, for Biden to step aside in the 2024 race. While noting her respect for Biden's "decades of service," Craig said "given what I saw and heard from the President during last week's debate in Atlanta, coupled with the lack of a forceful response from the President himself following that debate, I do not believe that the President can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump. "This is not a decision I've come to lightly, but there is simply too much at stake to risk a second Donald Trump presidency," she added, before calling on Biden to drop out of the race and "allow for a new generation of leaders to step forward." "There is only a small window left to make sure we have a candidate best equipped to make the case and win," Craig said. Rep. Mike Quigley, July 5 Quigley, an Illinois Democrat, became the fourth House Democrat to call on Biden to exit the presidential race. "Mr. President, your legacy is set," he said on MSNBC. "We owe you the greatest debt of gratitude. The only thing that you can do now to cement that for all time and prevent utter catastrophe is to step down and let someone else do this." Quigley affirmed his decision in comments following Biden's ABC News interview Friday. The Illinois representative had previously publicly expressed reservations about Biden continuing his campaign, urging the president to "appreciate at this time just how much it impacts not just his race, but all the other races that are coming in November." Rep. Seth Moulton, July 4 Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat and Iraq war vet, became the third House Democrat to call on Biden to step aside. He did so in an interview with Boston radio station WBUR. "President Biden has done enormous service to our country, but now is the time for him to follow in one of our founding fathers, George Washington's footsteps and step aside to let new leaders rise up and run against Donald Trump," Moulton told WBUR. Moulton said the mechanism for choosing a new candidate was "yet to be determined" and could include "some sort of primary process" or that Vice President Kamala Harris could emerge as the presidential nominee. On Wednesday, Moulton had released a statement that had stopped short of calling for Biden to exit, but had recommended "all viable options" be on the table. Rep. Raul Grijalva, July 3 Grijalva became the second House Democrat to call on Biden to drop out. In an interview, he said, "If hes the candidate, Im going to support him, but I think that this is an opportunity to look elsewhere." "What he needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat," the Arizona Democrat continued, "and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, July 2 Doggett was the first Democrat in office to directly call for Biden to drop out. In a statement, which circulated on X, Doggett, of Texas, said Bidens debate performance did not reassure voters and Biden failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments and expose Trumps lies. Following Biden's ABC News interview Friday, Doggett said the "need" for Biden to step aside was growing more urgent every day. Maybe it's not surprising that the home to Harvard University tops the list of most educated states in the U.S. joe daniel price / Getty Images There are multiple ways to determine the most educated states in the U.S.: Is it the state with the highest percentage of high school diploma holders? The best public schools? The one with the most people who hold graduate degrees? Do you weigh all forms of graduate school education equally when curricula vary so much between MBA, MFA and PhD programs? It's complicated, to say the least. After much research, we found WalletHub to have the most balanced and comprehensive comparison of education quality and attainment in the United States. Here are the highlights. Top 10 Most Educated States in 2024 Educational attainment is the highest level of education that a person has completed. WalletHub evaluated this, along with the quality of education, across 20 different metrics. Each metric was scored on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 being the "most educated." These metrics included: the determined quality of the public school system public high school graduation rate college graduation rates, the highest level of education completed by all adults in the population The states were ranked according to the weighted average of the scores across these metrics to determine the most educated states. 1. Massachusetts Massachusetts ranks as the most educated state in the nation (following closely behind the District of Columbia, which doesn't count as a state). Home to several of the top universities including Harvard and MIT 43.7 percent of the state's population have earned a bachelor's degree. Massachusetts is the top-rated state for educational attainment and also has the highest university quality. The state has the fourth-highest median household income at $86,725, while the median household income in its city of Dover is $250,000. However, despite high education and wealth, the state has consistently had relatively high poverty and unemployment rates (5.4 percent long-term average). 2. Maryland Maryland is the second-most educated state in the country. Maryland ranks first for quality of education, so children in the state get a head start with their elementary education in the public school system. As for educational attainment, 91.1 percent of residents have completed at least high school, and 40.2 percent of the population holds bachelor's degrees. With high rankings for quality of education and educational attainment, the state sees a correlation in median household income: At $94,384, Maryland has the highest median household income in the country. 3. Connecticut Connecticut is the third-most educated state, ranking fourth for educational attainment and fifth for quality of education. Connecticut also has the third-highest percentage of graduate degree holders (17 percent). 4. Colorado Colorado ranked second overall in educational attainment. The state has the highest percentage of residents with an associate's degree (30.2 percent) and the second-highest percentage of residents with a bachelor's degree (39.4 percent). Interestingly, the state ranks the third-lowest in average university quality. 5. Vermont As the fifth-most educated state, Vermont ranks fifth for educational attainment and ninth for quality of education. 93 percent of the population have graduated high school, and 38 percent hold bachelor's degrees. 6. New Jersey New Jersey is the sixth-most educated state, ranking fourth in quality of education and tenth for educational attainment. 43.1 percent of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher. The state has the fifth-highest median household income at $85,239. 7. Virginia Virginia is a strong seventh for the most educated state, placing seventh for educational attainment and seventh for quality of education. 8. New Hampshire New Hampshire is the eighth-most educated state and has the second-highest percentage of high school graduates (94.1 percent). New Hampshire has had a consistently low rate of unemployment, hovering around 2.3 percent, and has the lowest poverty rate in the nation at 5.3 percent. Additionally, the state's median household income is $88,235, the third-highest among U.S. states. 9. Minnesota Minnesota is the ninth-most educated state, with 93.61 percent of the population having earned their high school diploma, ranking eighth in educational attainment. Minnesota is also the home base for many Fortune 500 companies which provide many job opportunities within the state. 10. Washington Washington state is the tenth-most educated state in the country. It ranks ninth for educational attainment and third for associate's degree holders. 10 Least Educated States in 2024 The least educated states, or the ten states that scored the lowest in the ranking, are: West Virginia Mississippi Arkansas Louisiana Kentucky Nevada Oklahoma Alabama Indiana New Mexico These states often face challenges such as lower high school graduation rates, limited access to higher education and fewer opportunities for advanced degrees. By focusing on targeted educational reforms, such as increasing funding for schools, improving teacher training, and expanding access to early childhood education, these states have the potential to enhance their rankings in terms of educational achievement. Investing in these areas can lead to higher graduation rates, greater numbers of students pursuing at least an associate's degree, and a more robust pathway to graduate and professional degrees. Addressing these educational challenges not only holds the promise of elevating the overall educational level within these states but also contributes to long-term economic growth and development for their populations. Why Education Matters The quality of education can vary widely across the United States, as state governments are responsible for setting their own education standards. Most states require K-12 education for citizens, which is typically five years old to 18 years old. Children can attend public school, private school, homeschool or use accommodations for special needs. Within the public school system, states typically conduct standardized testing each year from kindergarten through 12th grade. Many state constitutions or statutes claim that public education is essential to the preservation of rights and liberties of the people and a requirement to maintain a government by the people. Education is just as important for communities and our broader society as it is for personal benefit and fulfillment. Although there is no guarantee for success, there is a strong correlation between higher levels of completed education and a higher lifetime earning potential. A good education can help populations secure a better future, as they can make informed decisions to meet their career goals and have lower chances of facing periods of sustained unemployment. Defining Educational Attainment and Quality Metrics Secondary Education Standards and Scores Secondary education (high school) standards and scores are key indicators of school quality and effectiveness. National assessments play an important role in evaluating these standards, providing a benchmark for comparing test scores among schools and districts. These assessments help gauge the average quality of education delivered to students, highlighting areas for improvement and success. However, achieving high test scores is not solely the result of individual student performance; it is also significantly influenced by organizational leadership. Effective leadership ensures that schools maintain educational standards and allocate resources efficiently, ultimately fostering an environment where both students and educators can excel. So, while national assessments reflect test scores and overall school quality, they also underscore the importance of strategic organizational leadership in enhancing educational outcomes. Percentage of Citizens Earning a High School Diploma In the United States, the percentage of citizens earning a high school diploma reflects significant trends in access to education. Currently, 90 percent of the nation's population over the age of 25 are high school diploma holders, which underscores a level of success of the education system in providing foundational academic credentials. Tracking graduation rates and the percentage of high school diploma holders offers valuable insights into the educational progress of states and the country as a whole. Percentage of Citizens with a Graduate or Professional Degree The percentage of citizens in the U.S. with a graduate or professional degree is a key indicator of accessibility to higher education and the value placed on advanced academic qualifications. While 34 percent of the population holds at least a bachelor's degree, the number of individuals pursuing an associate's degree or higher reflects a growing trend toward advanced education. We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor. Now That's a Relief Have you ever cringed hearing a parent talk to their baby in an exaggerated, high-pitched "baby talk" voice? Or been unable to stop yourself from using slow, silly baby talk with the little kids in your life? "Baby talk" had previously gotten a bad reputation, as it was considered a way to hinder language development (or if nothing else, annoying). However, baby talk, or "parentese" as linguists and speech-language pathologists now call it, is a natural way for humans to learn the fundamentals of language. The notable accentuation of the dips and rises in speech with parentese helps toddlers make sense of long streams of sound. Now you can enjoy baby talk guilt-free, knowing you are actually promoting social engagement and helping develop lifelong language skills! Original article: The Most Educated States in 2024 Copyright 2024 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company Steven Craig Johnson, a fugitive who escaped a prison work group in 1994, shown in 1990s (left) and in July 2024. An Oregon fugitive who escaped a prison work group 30 years ago was arrested Tuesday in Macon, Georgia. Steven Craig Johnson, 70, was arrested by a regional fugitive task force of the U.S. Marshals Service at about 2 p.m. at an apartment complex where he had been living under the alias of William Cox since 2011, according to a news release. Johnson, who the Oregon Department of Corrections classified as one of its "most wanted fugitives," fled from a prison work group in 1994. He was serving a prison sentence at the Mill Creek Correctional Facility in Salem for sexual abuse and attempted sodomy. A 2019 wanted poster from the ODOC described Johnson as a "pedophile" who "presents a high probability of victimizing pre-teen boys." It also cautioned that he "should not be allowed contact with children." The U.S. Marshals Service took on the case in 2015 at the request of the ODOC. New investigative technology generated new leads in the case in 2024. An investigation found that Johnson had stolen the identity of a child who died in Texas in 1962, according to the release. Johnson was able to obtain a copy of the child's birth certificate, a Social Security number in Texas and a driver's license in Georgia. Johnson entered ODOC custody in 1989 and had served just over five years when he fled his work group, according to the ODOC. He has about 11 years remaining in his sentence. The ODOC reviews all escaped inmates to determine the threat based on the level of felony charges and time remaining on their sentences. Those with the highest degrees of crimes are identified as most critical to return to custody and listed as "most wanted." The ODOC has apprehended 38 fugitives since 2012 and has six escapees, including Johnson, on its "most wanted" list. Johnson is being held at Bibb County Jail and awaiting extradition back to Oregon. Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at ifunk@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @isabeldfunk This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon fugitive Steven Craig Johnson arrested after 30 years GARLAND, Utah (ABC4) A mother and her children safely escaped their vehicle and walked half a mile to find help after a rollover crash landed them in a northern Utah canal. According to Captain Javier Munoz with the Garland Fire Department, a mother was driving with her two children Thursday afternoon when their vehicle rolled into a canal in Garland. While the cause of the rollover crash is still under investigation, authorities believe she was run off the road by another driver who clipped her vehicle, sending it rolling into the waterway. The mother told authorities she doesnt remember all the details of the vehicle escape as she was focused on saving her children. She said she was able to unbuckle herself and her two children, extract them from the vehicle, and safely exit the canal. This grass can go weeks without water and Utah just approved it A mother and her children did not receive any serious injuries after their vehicle rolled into a canal in northern Utah. (Credit: Garland Fire Department) A mother and her children did not receive any serious injuries after their vehicle rolled into a canal in northern Utah. (Credit: Garland Fire Department) They then walked about half a mile in search of a way to call emergency services, according to Munoz. Dispatch was contacted around 12:45 p.m. and responded to the familys location. The crash victims were all assessed by paramedics and it was determined that they were not seriously hurt and were released at the scene. Munoz said hazmat crews are now working on reducing the fuel leakage from the wrecked vehicle as the waterway is used for agricultural purposes. They currently have containment booms set up in the water to collect any fuel escaping from the vehicle. He says the hazmat efforts could last several days. A tow truck company will also be arriving to remove the vehicle from the canal. The Garland Fire Department shared photos of the rollover crash on social media, saying the family escaped serious injuries thanks to their seat belts. Munoz reiterated this, saying that wearing seatbelts is the key to keeping you and your loved ones safe. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. An employee walks across the bridge from parking to SpaceX in Hawthorne. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) When Elon Musk decided to start a rocket company two decades ago, he headed down Interstate 5 and the 405 and didn't stop until he reached the South Bay, the center of the region's aerospace industry, hard hit by a drop in defense spending after the Cold War. There, the Silicon Valley entrepreneur, flush with cash from the sale of PayPal, founded Space Exploration Technologies in 2002 and defied skeptics, building his startup into a $210-billion giant and fueling a revitalization of the shrunken industry. This week, the Hawthorne company's future in the region was thrown into doubt when Musk posted on X that he planned to move SpaceX's headquarters to the outskirts of Brownsville, Texas, where it is developing its massive Starship rocket for planned trips to the moon and, someday, Mars. It's unclear what the fallout will be locally. SpaceX hasn't commented on how many jobs will be affected by the relocation, and industry observers say it's likely the company will maintain significant manufacturing operations in Los Angeles County, where it employed about 6,000 people in 2023, according to an annual survey by the Los Angeles Business Journal. But the relocation is undoubtedly a loss to the region's revived space industry. A leader in the space economy "SpaceX has been one of the pillars of the Southern California new space economy," said Kevin Klowden, the Milken Institute's executive director of MI Finance. The move "is significant symbolically in that it shows Southern California isn't indispensable in an industry where it clearly is a leader." The aerospace industry was pioneered in L.A. County, with the first rockets set off in the Arroyo Seco near Caltech in the 1930s the humble origins of what was to become the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a leader first in rocket and satellite development and later in interplanetary spacecraft. Douglas Aircraft, Lockheed, Northrop and other companies built hundreds of thousands of planes during World War II and maintained defense work here. In Downey, North American Aviation built the command module of the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed astronauts on the moon. Rockwell International built the space shuttles in Downey and Palmdale. Read more: Elon Musk's growing empire is fueled by $4.9 billion in government subsidies The massive defense spending cuts after the collapse of the Soviet Union devastated the industry, dropping employment in the county from about 130,000 in 1990 to less than half that a decade later but with its heritage, talent pool and world-class universities, the region was a logical place for SpaceX to set up shop. A new, smaller, Southern California aerospace economy has since developed, building on the remaining operations of legacy companies and technological advancements even as other centers have emerged, such as Kent, Wash., where Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space company is located. Virgin Galactic, the space tourism company founded by British billionaire Richard Branson in 2004, is based in Tustin and has its design and manufacturing operations in Mojave, where it also performs test flights. Its commercial operations are in New Mexico. Rocket Lab, a maker of lightweight rockets that launch small satellites, moved its headquarters to Long Beach just three years ago. People walk on a pier beneath the contrail from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base on April 1 in San Clemente. (Mario Tama / Getty Images) And former SpaceX employees have founded dozens of startups. Crunchbase, which tracks venture capital and startups, tallies more than 50. Local ones include Relativity Space, a Long Beach maker of reusable rockets; Varda Space Industries, an El Segundo company developing drugs in low-Earth orbit; and L.A. telemetry startup Sift, which raised $7.5 million in venture funding last year. "SpaceX isn't unique, but it's the star," said Klowden, noting the "ecosystem" that has sprung up around it." While Musk's declaration Tuesday was prompted by a public policy dispute Gov. Gavin Newsoms decision to sign a bill prohibiting school districts from mandating that teachers notify parents about a student's change in gender identity Musk has long complained about the state's regulatory environment and has a history of tangling with government officials. He moved Tesla's headquarters from Palo Alto to Austin, Texas, in 2021 after Alameda County ordered the company in 2020 to halt production amid the COVID pandemic. Separately, the billionaire noted crime concerns in also tweeting Tuesday that he plans to move X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, from San Francisco to Austin. Klowden said he believed Musk has been considering the idea of moving SpaceX, though it's still unclear exactly whether Musk plans to transfer a handful of executives, additional employees or all of the operations, which is not seen as likely. Neither Musk nor SpaceX has offered clarification. The company did not respond to requests for comment. City officials were also grappling with the announcement. We understand that business decisions are driven by a variety of factors, and we remain committed to fostering a thriving business environment in Hawthorne, Alex Vargas, the city's mayor, said in a statement. He added: "[W]e want to reassure our workforce and community that the city of Hawthorne is taking proactive steps to mitigate the impact of SpaceX's potential relocation." Much of the skepticism regarding Musk's SpaceX tweet revolves around how the Tesla move was carried out. The electric vehicle maker produces its Model Y SUV and new Cybertruck in Austin but still operates a factory in Fremont, where it makes multiple models. Last year, Tesla said it was opening a new global engineering headquarters in Palo Alto previously occupied by the headquarters of Hewlett-Packard. A flight to Texas? But some familiar with the company think the headquarters relocation announcement could presage a larger presence in Texas. Tim Buzza, a former SpaceX vice president, said that while the company builds its workhorse Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsules that service the International Space Station in Hawthorne, the company's future is the massive Starship rocket being developed at the Brownsville facility called Starbase on the Gulf of Mexico. "The center for the next level of execution for SpaceX is Starbase. The direction and the momentum of the company is already moving to Texas," said Buzza, who was one of the first five employees at SpaceX, worked there for 12 years and remains in contact with many at the company. SpaceX is seeking approval to launch 90 rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base by 2026, a sharp increase from its previous plans for the Santa Barbara County military base. Buzza said the launches are important for the Starlink satellite broadband network SpaceX is building, since they put the satellites into a polar orbit, complementing Florida launches that put them in an equatorial orbit. However, the Starship rocket taller and more powerful than the Saturn 5 that launched Apollo astronauts to the moon could launch many more satellites than the Falcon 9. SpaceX has opened a new Starlink factory outside Austin, and last month Starship completed its fourth test flight from Starbase, dubbed its "Gateway to Mars." The company has been building its operations at Starbase and this month asked the Federal Aviation Administration for permission for up to 25 annual launches of Starship and its Super Heavy rocket, a more powerful derivative of its Falcon 9. The company operates an engine testing facility in McGregor, Texas. Klowden questioned the company's ability to move or attract large numbers of workers to the Brownsville area, at least in the immediate future, given the lack of housing and other infrastructure. But Buzza said SpaceX overcame many of the same issues in McGregor. He doesn't think Musk would move Falcon 9 production or the Dragon capsule program from Hawthorne, because both may be phased out over time. Read more: Rocket used to carry astronauts fails on uncrewed satellite mission Still, even the loss of SpaceX's executive operations to Texas would be a blow to Los Angeles and the Golden State, which have suffered a humiliating series of corporate defections over the last few decades. L.A.-area companies that have moved headquarters elsewhere include Lockheed, Northrop Grumman and more recently Aecom, a global engineering firm. Software giant Oracle left Redwood City in Silicon Valley for Austin in 2020 (and has since announced a move to Nashville). "Whenever any company announces that they might or they will leave the region, it is not good for us. We definitely need to do a much better job in terms of business retention," said Stephen Cheung, chief executive of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. However, he said the region's aerospace economy is still robust and has shown an ability to evolve. After the bankruptcy last year of Branson's separate Virgin Orbit rocket company, Rocket Lab acquired the defunct company's former Long Beach headquarters, he noted. That move mirrors SpaceX's evolution. Its first location in L.A. County was in El Segundo, but as it grew it moved in 2007 into an old Northrop site in Hawthorne that had been converted into a factory for the production of Boeing 747 fuselages. Aerospace Corp., an El Segundo federally funded nonprofit that provides scientific and technical support to the aerospace industry, announced in March that it was moving its executive offices to Virginia but simultaneously announced it was investing $100 million in its local campus. The region is still home too for major defense work. Northrop Grumman is building the new B-21 digital bomber in Palmdale, which is slated to replace the B-2 stealth bomber it built decades ago in Pico Rivera. The high desert city also is home to Lockheed Martin's famed "Skunk Works," a secretive, cutting-edge military research and development facility. Klowden said that for some SpaceX workers a move to South Texas could be a no-go, and he expects other aerospace companies will attempt poach its workers. Indeed, Orange County asteroid mining company Astroforge Inc. said it was hiring in a reply to Musks SpaceX tweet. Earlier this week, workers streaming in and out of SpaceX's Hawthorne complex declined to speak to a Times reporter. However, a salesman for SpaceX vendor GF Machining Solutions who asked his name not be used, said he hopes Musk was not serious about relocating the headquarters to Texas. Well, I wouldnt want that to happen, because Ive lived in California all my life and I would lose that account if SpaceX moved, the Corona resident said. Im not moving to Texas. Times staff writer Ashley Ahn and Bloomberg News contributed to this report. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Memphis Police Department announced Friday that they have selected an interim Assistant Chief of Administrative Services and Investigative Services. Deputy Chief Sharonda Hampton is now filling in as an interim position, the announcement says. Assistant chief no longer with Memphis Police after Georgia residency controversy This comes after the former Assistant Memphis Police Chief Shawn Jones left the department earlier this month. Jones received backlash from city council members who labeled him a part-time crime fighter after MPD confirmed he was still a resident of the state of Georgia. City leaders strike back at part-time police official with Georgia address As of July 8, Jones is no longer with the city, Mayor Paul Young and Interim Chief C.J. Davis said. We believe that hes done great work for the city but its time for him to move on, Young 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 WREG.com. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) D.C. police have released the names of the two men who were killed in a quadruple shooting, near a daycare, that left a toddler hurt on Thursday in Southeast. Police identified the two victims as 29-year-old Lamont Street of Capitol Heights, Md., and 50-year-old Jermaine Proctor of Southeast. DC police officer, 2 women hurt in shooting after basketball game in Southwest around 11:20 a.m. officers were called to the 2200 block of Alabama Avenue, Southeast after hearing gunshots. There, police found four victims who had been shot. Street and Proctor died at the scene. Crime scene tape up after deadly shooting in Southeast on July 18. (Randi Bass/ DC News Now) Police said another man and a 2-year-old girl were taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Police identify woman found dead near woods in Manassas after shooting According to MPD, detectives learned that multiple people got out of a vehicle and started shooting. The young girl was hit while going on a morning walk with daycare workers, officials said. Anyone with information is asked to call 202-727-9099. Police said they are offering rewards of up to $25,000 for each victim to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest and conviction. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. How much could multi-million dollar payout from Valhalla crash verdict hurt the MTA? Metro-North faces a judgment of hundreds of millions of dollars following a jury verdict Tuesday that found the railroad's negligence largely to blame for the deadliest accident in its history, a 2015 crash in Valhalla that killed five passengers and the driver whose SUV got stuck on the tracks. The jury verdict in state Supreme Court in Westchester followed a seven-week civil trial that highlighted Metro-Norths alleged missteps ahead of the Feb. 3, 2015 crash of the northbound Harlem Line train. With the liability issues resolved, a separate trial will decide how much the families of the dead and injured passengers, as well as the estate of SUV driver Ellen Brody, are due. And, according to court papers filed in recent weeks, those claims could far exceed $200 million. That cost could fall to an already burdened Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which took a financial hit just a month ago when a much-anticipated congestion pricing plan, meant to fill the MTA's coffers with toll revenue from Manhattan drivers, was scrapped by Gov. Kathy Hochul at the last minute. While Metro-North has said it will appeal this verdict, the question remains: Will potential payouts related to this verdict deepen the MTA's fiscal troubles? Metro-North trial verdict: Metro-North primarily responsible for fiery 2015 Valhalla crash that killed 6, jury finds Crash deaths carry heavy economic, emotional losses for families Two passengers killed in the first car high achievers with their best earning years ahead had the potential to earn more than $100 million each over the course of their careers, according to experts hired by the families. Joseph Nadol, a 42-year-old financial analyst from Ossining, could have earned between $86 million and $120 million depending on when he retired, according to court papers filed by his estates attorneys last month. From top left, Ellen Brody, Walter Liedtke, Eric Vandercar, Joseph Nadol, Robert Brinks and Aditya Tomar. Experts estimate Robert Dirks, a 36-year-old computational scientist from Chappaqua, could have earned between roughly $48 million and $108 million depending on which career track he chose to pursue. Theyre superstars within their fields, said Ben Rubinowitz, the attorney who argued the case for their estates. Beyond the economic loss is the absence of a father in the lives of young children, Rubinowitz said. Nadol was a father of three and Dirks a father of two. Its nothing but a world of hurt, Rubinowitz said. This is something that has really changed their lives around. Engineer: Engineer in Metro-North crash that killed 6: 'I have to relive this every day of my life' Verdict: How responsible was Metro-North for deadly crash? The six-person jury, split evenly between men and women, found Metro-North negligent for the decision by its former engineer, Steven Smalls, to sound the trains horn rather than hit the brakes as soon as he spotted a black, shiny reflection ahead at the Commerce Street crossing. Testimony at the trial revealed Smalls allowed the trains speed to increase to 59 mph after the sighting. And the jury agreed with attorneys for the dead and injured passengers that a third rail which pierced the trains first car, killing the five passengers, was poorly designed and maintained. The jury found Metro-North 71% liable for the accident and Brody, a mother of three from Edgemont, responsible for the rest. Brodys estate, represented by her husband Alan, is seeking compensation for their three daughters. Decision: Final seconds of deadly Metro-North Valhalla crash raise questions about engineer's actions In assessing the estates claims against the railroad, the jury found Metro-North responsible for 63% of the liability and Brody the remainder. Smalls, who retired from Metro-North after the crash, declined to comment after the verdict was delivered Tuesday. In 2019, he reached a $1 million settlement with Metro-North after filing a lawsuit over his injuries. He said he chose to sound the horn instead of engaging the emergency brakes because he feared passengers could be hurt. Three seconds before the crash, he engaged the brakes. Steven Smalls, who was operating the Metro-North train that crashed into an SUV in a 2015 crash in Valhalla, leaves the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains July 16, 2024 after a jury found that Smalls, Metro-North, and Ellen Brody, the driver of the SUV, all shared blame for the crash in which Brody and five passengers on the train were killed. The train crashed into Brodys Mercedes SUV, which was pushed into the third rail, lifting it up and into the trains first car, according to the families attorneys. Attorney Philip Russotti, who represents Brodys estate, told jurors Metro-North did not have proper signage alerting motorists they were approaching a crossing and had not analyzed its own data showing there was a safety issue at the crossing. Incredibly, nothing has changed in the nine years since the accident, Russotti said. Rail: On 4th anniversary of Valhalla Metro-North crash, third rail is focus of litigation What does this mean for Metro-North's budget going forward? Metro-North declined to speculate on what impact a payout could have on the railroads budget. Its likely that in the coming weeks, Metro-Norths attorneys will ask a judge to set aside the verdict. The MTA and Metro-North disagree with the jurys verdict and intend to explore all available legal options including appeal, Metro-North spokesman Aaron Donovan said. It is therefore premature to speculate on what, if any, financial impact a future damages verdict may have on Metro-North operations. Health care workers in scrubs board a northbound Metro-North train from the Fordham Station in the Bronx, Feb. 8, 2024. In the past, when questioned about legal settlements in other accidents, Donovan has said the railroad works with risk managers and commercial insurance carriers to minimize the budgetary impacts of legal costs. Donovan declined to comment on whether insurance will cover any payouts from the Valhalla crash. After Tuesdays verdict, Rubinowitz suggested a settlement is possible. "We're always interested in a settlement, provided they come up with the appropriate number, he said. If they don't, there's no way in the world we would settle this case. We are waiting to hear from them." A date for the second trial has not been set. Congestion pricing's hit to the MTA With congestion pricing paused, what's MTA's plan B to fund upgrades? Here's what we know The verdict arrived as Metro-Norths parent agency, the MTA, is trying to figure out how to replace some $1 billion in annual revenue expected from a congestion pricing plan that would have charged tolls for drivers who enter Manhattans Central Business District. Last month, Hochul decided to shelve that plan, which was supposed to pay for upgrades on MTAs subways, buses and commuter rails. Thomas C. Zambito is a reporter on The USA Today Network's New York State Team. He can be reached at tzambito@lohud.com. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: After Valhalla NY crash can MTA handle a multi-million dollar payout? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attended an extraordinary meeting in London today (19 July), where Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his cabinet strategised fresh measures to disrupt Russias shadow fleet. I wont allow Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers, and the dirty money it generates, to flow freely through European waters and put our security at risk, Starmer said. The Ukrainian premier became the first foreign leader to visit Downing Street since Starmers Labour Party won the UK elections on 4 July and the first foreign leader to address cabinet in person since US President Bill Clinton visited Tony Blair in 1997. Yesterday (18 July), the UK placed sanctions on eleven more oil tankers. Three are believed to be part of the shadow fleet, while eight are owned by Russias state-run oil tanker business, Sovcomflot PJSC, according to the UKs updated sanctions list. https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1813934886652346734 The sanctions follow a day of intense discussions in Oxfordshire, where Starmer and Zelensky were joined by French President Emmanual Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and more than 40 other European premiers who all reportedly agreed to a crackdown on the shadow fleet. Zelensky also visited Lancaster House, home to the UKs Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), where he met representatives of UK defence companies. The UK confirmed support of $3bn a year for Ukraines war effort, as well as a new package of ammunition, anti-armour missiles and artillery guns. https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1814041631324332062 The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said deals such as an agreement with BAE Systems to maintain and repair UK-supplied weapons in Ukraine and an arrangement with Sheffield Forgemasters to support the repair and overhaul of Ukrainian vehicles would help both Ukrainian and British armed forces secure the equipment they needed. Russias money-spinning, sanctions-dodging shadow fleet Russias shadow fleet is made up of around 600 vessels and represents approximately 10% of the global wet cargo fleet, according to a Downing Street statement released late last night (18 July). The shadow fleet carries approximately 1.7 million barrels of oil each day, generating significant funds to fuel Russias war machine. Some vessels are also alleged to double as Russian listening stations, Downing Street said, while others transport arms to Moscow. https://twitter.com/FCDOGovUK/status/1814194424387092930 The name shadow fleet (or dark fleet) comes from the practice of going dark intentionally disabling a ships automatic identification system (AIS). Story continues While not technically illegal, deactivating an AIS is strongly associated with underhand motives as it allows ships to move untracked. There has been a marked step-up in rhetoric and plans to crack down on the shadow fleet recently, even as tangible action remains limited. Last month, Denmarks Foreign Ministry said naval authorities would begin targeting the fleet carrying sanctioned Russian oil through the Baltic Sea and Danish Straits. European governments including Denmark's are also concerned that these tankers, which are often old and insured outside of Western nations, could be damaging the local environment. Most lack oil spill insurance, according to the Kyiv School of Economics. "Zelensky attends UK extraordinary cabinet meeting on Russias shadow fleet" was originally created and published by Energy Monitor, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. WEST HAVEN, Utah (ABC4) Multiple reports of possible child abuse were filed to the Utah Division of Child and Family Services by Weber School District before a 12-year-old boy in West Haven was found dead. Weber School District said in a statement that the boy, only identified by his age, was a student at an elementary school within the district during the 2022-23 school year. At the start of the last school year, a guardian had withdrawn the boy from the public school, opting instead to homeschool the child. This essentially ended our contact with the student and terminated any authority the district had related to their education, the Weber School District said. BACKGROUND: Parents, brother arrested for child abuse following Utah 12-year-olds death During the boys enrollment in the school district, officials said school employees filed the reports related to suspected abuse and neglect of the 12-year-old. The school district could not provide additional information due to an ongoing investigation into the boys death. Three members of the boys family his father, stepmother, and biological brother were all taken into custody as suspects in the ongoing investigation. They face charges of child abuse homicide and aggravated child abuse. The death of any student can have a profound effect on those who knew them and who were involved in their education, School officials said in a statement, adding there would be support such as counselors and therapists available to teachers and employees who need them. ABC4.com has reached out to the Utah Division of Child and Family Services and is currently awaiting a response. 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. MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) A bicyclist involved in a hit-and-run crash died in Murfreesboro Thursday evening. The crash happened in the 2900 block of South Rutherford Boulevard around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. The identity of the 30-year-old man riding the bike is being withheld until family is notified, authorities added. READ MORE | Latest headlines from Murfreesboro and Rutherford County The Murfreesboro Police Department initially described the crash as serious, adding that the road was temporarily closed between Billy Boulevard and Haven Drive in both directions. A Friday press release from the department said that the driver involved in the crash, 41-year-old Isaiah Isom, initially fled the scene in a 2011 Buick Enclave. Shortly after the incident, two women drove the vehicle back to the scene of the crime and one woman claimed that she had been driving. That story was later determined to be false, according to Murfreesboro Police. The two women were later interviewed by investigators and their involvement will be presented to the Rutherford County District Attorneys Office. When investigators visited Isom at his residence, he initially denied his involvement in the crash. However, later, he admitted that he had been involved. Isom has been charged with leaving a scene involving a death or serious bodily injury and driving on a revoked license due to a previous DUI. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Between January 1 and June 30, Rutherford County saw eight crashes involving cyclists, according to data from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. One of those crashes was fatal. Isom is currently being held at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on an $8,000 bond. His next court date has been scheduled for August 19. Murfreesboro Police instructed anyone who saw the crash to contact Officer Corey Smelser by email. 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. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who promised to financially support Shasta County in its failed effort to hand-count election ballots, now finds himself in legal trouble once again over financial issues in Minnesota. Lindell faces an eviction lawsuit against his company over its alleged failure to pay nearly $450,000 rent for June and July at a warehouse in Shakopee, Minnesota, according to the Associated Press. Lindell told a local television station, WCCO-TV that, "We have this resolved." Lindell was pulled into Shasta County politics last year when Supervisor Kevin Crye visited the pillow salesman and consulted with him about terminating the county's contract with Dominion Voting Systems and transitioning to a hand-count method of tabulating ballots. My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell speaks before President Donald Trump's campaign appearance Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2020, at the La Crosse County Fairgrounds in West Salem. Crye said in February 2023 that he emailed Lindell and that he spoke to the MyPillow CEO numerous times, including flying to Minneapolis to visit with him. Crye charged the county $1,393 for the cost of that trip. Crye said Lindell sent him an email providing him an example of how a hand-count system could work, should the county go that route. Lindell has been a staunch supporter of former President Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was rigged. I have sent you the best hand-counting paper-ballot system that you can use. Also, Ive provided you the United States law that documents what you can do for the handicap without machines, Crye said reading aloud at a Board of Supervisors meeting an email he said he received from Lindell. In the email, Lindell went on to offer financial and legal support if the county were to be sued over dropping the Dominion Voting Systems, which counts ballots electronically: As I promised, if you have any pushback, including lawsuits against you or your county, I will provide all of the resources necessary, including financial and legal for this fight. While the supervisors approved spending more than $1 million to move to hand-counting ballots, the elections office continues to use machines to tally votes. Responding to the county's efforts to hand-count, the California Legislature last year outlawed manual tabulation in elections with more than 1,000 registered voters. But Lindell, who announced last year that he was out of money, has recently run into his own legal issues. In March, ABC News reported that a judge evicted MyPillow from another building in Shakopee over the company's alleged failure to pay four months rent. Lindell also faces a billion-dollar defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems over his claims that the company played a role in Trump's loss in that election. Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today! This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: MyPillow CEO, who promised to help Shasta, faces eviction Judges find the provision of water is a government service and not a contract, barring claims of breach. (Photo by New Jersey Monitor) New Jersey residents cannot sue public water suppliers for breach of contract when the utilities supply contaminated water, a panel of appellate judges ruled Friday. The three-judge panels decision unifies decades of divergent case law that, at first, considered municipal and county water suppliers as parties to a contract with their residents but later found water distribution is a government service that is shielded from some civil liabilities. Considering both the developing caselaw and the current pertinent statutes, we conclude that running water is not a commercial product but rather a public resource held in trust for residents, the ruling says. The judges ruled the structure of the County and Municipal Water Supply Act does not reflect a contractual relationship, noting it allows public water suppliers to set rates unilaterally and lacks any description of a contractual relationship between a government and its residents. The 1989 law allows municipalities and counties to levy liens on unpaid water bills, a fact the judges said shows the relationship between a public water supplier and their customer is not commercial in nature. Earlier decisions that predate the Water Supply Act allowed breach of contract claims against governments, but the judges noted such decisions were non-existent after its signing. We deem it especially significant that no judicial precedent issued since the adoption of the WSA has characterized a water service dispute involving municipalities and residents as a contract dispute, they wrote. The decision in the consolidated appeal upholds a trial court ruling in one case but reverses it in another. In both underlying class action cases, residents sued their towns after the municipalities reported their water systems contained more perfluorononanoic acid than allowed by state law. That acid is a chemical that can harm the liver and reproductive and immune systems and stunt development. In both cases, plaintiffs sought economic damages, alleging the municipalities Gloucester City and Brooklawn made a contractual breach by selling them contaminated water and continuing to do so after they learned of the contamination. Though the judge in the Gloucester City case rejected plaintiffs arguments that water metering distinguished drinking water services from other governmental functions, the Brooklawn judge found the Water Supply Act and the Tort Claims Act which allows civil suits against governments in limited circumstances were silent on whether governments and residents had a contractual relationship. Lewis Adler, who represented the plaintiffs, did not return a request for comment. Many years before Susan Kilrain became a U.S. Navy TA-4J Skyhawk flight instructor and the second female NASA astronaut to pilot a space shuttle, her dad supported her youthful dreams during an era when groundbreaking women had to forge new paths in the space and aviation industries. "At a time when women were doing traditionally 'women things' back in the early '60s, I went into my kitchen and told my father that I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up," Kilrain recalled during a "Women in Space: Stories from Trailblazers" panel discussion last month at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. "And whatever stroke of magic he had, he didn't say, 'Girls can't be astronauts,' or, 'You're not smart enough,' or any of those things. He said, 'You can be anything you want to be.' And he was my biggest cheerleader all the way through," Kilrain said. NASA astronaut Susan Kilrain became the second female shuttle pilot when she flew aboard space shuttle Columbia in April 1997. Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule in Florida "Every child on this planet should have somebody in their corner that tells them they can be whatever it is they want to be," she said, sparking applause. In that vein, NASA officials will conduct a Friday ribbon-cutting ceremony at Johnson Space Center in Houston to rename Building 12 the Dorothy Vaughan Center in Honor of the Women of Apollo. Labeled "a legendary human computer" by NASA, Vaughan became the agency's first African-American manager. She was assigned to a segregated all-black group of female mathematicians, who were originally required to use separate dining and bathroom facilities at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory. She headed the unit from 1949 to 1958, during the Jim Crow era. NASA honoring 'Hidden Figures' math hero NASA "human computers" Mary Jackson, Katherine Coleman Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan from the Apollo era were portrayed in the 2016 hit movie "Hidden Figures." Vaughan was portrayed by Octavia Spencer in the 2016 movie "Hidden Figures," garnering Spencer an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Allison Schroeder, a Melbourne High graduate, co-wrote that screenplay. The film also garnered Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. After 1958, Vaughan joined NASA's new Analysis and Computation Division, where she became an expert FORTRAN programmer in "a racially and gender integrated group on the frontier of electronic computing," per her NASA biography. "Vaughans personal commitment and determination during the Apollo missions advanced the agencys current diverse workforce and leadership particularly at Johnson as human computers transitioned from Langley Research Center in Virginia to Houston, supporting Mission Control from Building 12," a NASA press release said. "She was a steadfast advocate for the women who worked as human computers, and for all the individuals under her leadership," she said. Friday's building-renaming event takes place on the eve of the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. She was Christa McAuliffe's 'Teacher in Space' backup Former NASA shuttle astronaut Barbara Morgan delivers a keynote speech June 26 during the Space Port Area Conference for Educators sponsored by the Astronaut Memorial Foundation at the Kennedy Center Visitor Complex. Behind her is a framed portrait of Christa McAuliffe, who lost her life in the Challenger explosion. In July 1985, NASA officials selected Barbara Morgan as Christa McAuliffe's backup for NASA's Teacher in Space Project, which was organized to launch the first educator into space. Morgan spent months training with McAuliffe and the rest of the Challenger crew at Johnson Space Center. But McAuliffe and the crew lost their lives in the Challenger explosion in January 1986. Twenty-one years later, Morgan flew into orbit as a mission specialist on shuttle Endeavour during STS-118 in August 2007. She served as educator, loadmaster, shuttle and station robotic arm operator, and flight deck crewmember for entry and landing, according to her NASA biography. "When I was growing up, girls could grow up to become teachers, nurses, secretaries and moms," Morgan told the crowd during a "Women in Space: Stories from Trailblazers" panel. However, when Morgan was a little kid, she said she became fascinated watching NASA's Apollo moon program "but it wasn't something that girls did, so it didn't even occur to me that that might be something I could do." Her opinion changed years later while teaching elementary school in McCall, Idaho. And she joined a sprawling field of more than 11,000 applicants vying for the Teacher in Space Program. "As teachers, we're always looking at ways to tear down those four walls of the classroom, bring your students out to the world, and bring the world to your students. So, a whole bunch of us applied for that program. I was very lucky," Morgan said. For the latest news from KSC Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, visit floridatoday.com/space. Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: NASA honors 'Hidden Figures' hero Dorothy Vaughan, female astronauts Ukraines National Guard aircraft continue to strike the Russians accurately: among the targets destroyed this week are Russian company strongpoints, shelters, and clusters of manpower. Source: Colonel Mykola Urshalovych, Acting Head of the Department of Planning of the Chief Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine (NGU), as reported by NGUs press office Quote: "The National Guard's aircraft continue to destroy the enemy. Over the week, 30 combat sorties were conducted to inflict damage on the enemy, targeting enemy personnel 23 times. Six strongpoints and 14 places used for shelter and evacuation of enemy personnel were hit." Details: Additionally, Urshalovych said the National Guard's unmanned aircraft conducted 19 sorties for reconnaissance and detection of Russian equipment. As a result, on the Lyman and Kherson fronts, two self-propelled artillery systems, two tanks, nine guns, four armoured combat vehicles, and 42 units of equipment were identified. Artillery units of Ukraines defence forces targeted the detected positions. Support UP or become our patron! UPDATE: Severe Thunderstorm Warning in effect until 4:15 p.m. At 3:31, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Stuarts Draft to near Cornwall, moving southeast at 65 mph. HAZARD: 60 mph wind gusts SOURCE: Radar indicated. IMPACT: Damaging winds will cause some trees and large branches to fall. This could injure those outdoors, as well as damage homes and vehicles. Roadways may become blocked by downed trees. Localized power outages are possible. Unsecured light objects may become projectiles. Locations impacted include: Staunton, Waynesboro, Stuarts Draft, Crozet, Sherando, Wintergreen, Montebello, Afton, Fishersville, Lyndhurst, Nellysford, Ivy, Greenville, Middlebrook, Hermitage, Yancey Mills, Tyro, Jonesboro, Afton Mountain, and Massies Mill. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS: For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch in effect until 10:15 p.m. Wednesday for Staunton, Augusta County and Waynesboro. The watch is in effect for 31 counties in Virginia. The main hazard is damaging wind gusts. The animated map below shows recent activity. Refresh the story to see the latest version. A hazardous weather outlook is also in effect for portions of eastern West Virginia, northern and central Virginia, and central and western Maryland. A heat advisory is in effect for the entire outlook area aside from Hampshire, Hardy, Augusta and Nelson counties until 8 p.m. this evening. National Weather Service forecast for Staunton Wednesday Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 93. Southwest wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Wednesday night Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1 a.m. Some of the storms could be severe. Patchy fog after 3 a.m. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. West wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Thursday Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 10 a.m. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. North wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Thursday night Scattered thunderstorms, mainly before 7 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. North wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Friday night A chance of showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Saturday A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Saturday Night Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Sunday A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Sunday night A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Chance of precipitation is 30%. Monday A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Monday night A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Tuesday Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Tuesday night Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Wednesday Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. Your guide to Augusta County Fair fun More: Police arrest Staunton man amid accusations he sexually assaulted child More: Virginia psychologist surrenders license after years of fighting with patient This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: National Weather Service severe thunderstorm warning, watch Virginia The Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Fitzgerald it participating in the biennial RIMPAC exercise with a new addition to its arsenal, stealthy Naval Strike Missiles. The U.S. Navys Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Fitzgerald is taking part in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise off Hawaii with a unique modification: Naval Strike Missile (NSM) anti-ship cruise missiles in place of its RGM-84 Harpoons. The stealthy NSM has been growing in popularity within the U.S. military, in ship and ground-launched forms, as well as with foreign navies, for years now. Certain subclasses of Arleigh Burke destroyers are also in the process of receiving various other upgrades, some of which involve radical physical changes to support new radars and electronic warfare systems. Naval News was first to spot the USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) sporting its new NSM launchers after the destroyers arrival at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii for RIMPAC 2024, which kicked off on June 27. It is unknown when the ship swapped out its Harpoons for the new missiles and details about the integration are limited. The War Zone has reached out to the Navy for more information. The USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), in front, along with another Arleigh Burke class destroyer, the USS Carl M. Levin (DDG-120), moored at Pearl Harbor on July 3, 2024. Fitzgeralds new NSM launchers are visible just to the right of the ships aft Mk 41 Vertical Launch System array. USN At the time of writing, Fitzgerald is the only one of the Navys 73 Arleigh Burke destroyers known to have gotten NSMs. The entire Arleigh Burke class fleet includes examples of three main subclasses (Flights I, II, and III), as well as several Flight II subvariants. The service just recently took delivery of another Arleigh Burke, the future USS John Basilone, a Flight IIA Technology Insertion type, but that ship has yet to be formally commissioned into service. Only Flight I and baseline Flight II Arleigh Burkes are armed with Harpoon. Fitzgerald is an early Flight I version. So far, Fitzgerald has only been observed with a pair of missile canisters loaded on one of its two NSM launchers at the aft end of the ship. The launchers can hold up to four missiles each at a time. The destroyers previous Harpoon anti-ship missile installation also included two four-round launchers. A close-up of Fitzgeralds NSM launchers as seen in the July 3 picture showing two missile canisters loaded onto one of them. USN A picture from a live-fire exercise in 2015 showing USS Fitzgerald launching a Harpoon anti-ship missile from one if its two four-round launchers. USN Developed by Norways Kongsberg Defense, NSM is a stealthy design that features GPS-assisted inertial navigation system (INS) guidance and an imaging infrared seeker, using the former to get to a general target area before switching over to the latter for terminal engagement of the target. The seeker is passive and therefore is immune to radiofrequency electronic warfare jamming. The guidance package also gives the missile a second land-attack capability against fixed target coordinates. You can learn more about NSM and its capabilities here. A Naval Strike Missile shortly after launch. A booster rocket that falls away soon after the missile is fired is still seen attached to the rear of the missile. Kongsberg Defense Harpoon is a non-stealthy design that relies on an active radar seeker in the terminal phase of flight. The Navy is in the process of upgrading at least a portion of its stockpile of these missiles to the Block II+ standard, which adds a new GPS-assisted INS guidance capability and a two-way data link so the missile can receive new targeting data or even be retasked completely in flight. Block II+ Harpoons also have increased reliability and survivability and enhanced resistance to electronic countermeasures compared to their predecessors, according to an official fact sheet. NSM, which has a greater stated range, but also a smaller warhead than Harpoon, could offer a relatively low-effort capability boost for the Navys Arleigh Burke class destroyers. NSM would offer an additional stand-off strike capability in a tier below that of the Tomahawk cruise missile, as well. The Navy is separately working to increase its capacity to use Tomahawks in the anti-ship role. Swapping Harpoons for NSMs could present logistical and other benefits as the Norwegian missile becomes more widely used within the U.S. military and among allies and partners. The Navy continues to push ahead with plans to integrate NSMs onto its existing Independence and Freedom class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and the missiles are set to be part of the armament package on the services future Constellation class frigates. The Navy has explored adding NSM to other vessels, including amphibious warfare ships, in the past as a way to bolster its total surface-launched strike capacity. The service is expecting to see a notable drop in total missile launch capacity among its surface warship and submarine fleets in the near future due to the impending retirement of its Ticonderoga class cruisers and Ohio class guided missile submarines. This is something that continues to be of great concern, especially given the major delays with the Constellation class. Congress has now directed the Navy to explore alternative options to expand its ability to launch anti-ship and other strikes from the sea. The U.S. Marine Corps is also fielding a ground-based NSM system that makes use of a remotely-operated mobile launcher derived from the 44 Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). Raytheon, in cooperation with Kongsberg, has been working to ramp up U.S.-based production of NSMs. Naval News has reported the possibility that all remaining Flight I Arleigh Burkes, the oldest ships in the class, could get NSMs in the future. The Navy explicitly denied having any such plans in a statement to that outlet back in 2021. A review of the servies 2025 Fiscal Year budget proposal, released back in March, does not appear to show any mention of a broader effort to integrate NSM onto any of these destroyers. RIMPAC 2024 does present an ideal opportunity for at least a proof-of-concept test of an NSM-armed Arleigh Burke, which could inform future decisions. U.S. and foreign warships, as well as aircraft and other assets, will work together to sink the ex-USS Tarawa, a decommissioned amphibious assault ship, as part of this years iteration of the exercise. This is already set to be a particularly notable event given Tarawas size and overall construction, as The War Zone previously reported. The Navy has fired an NSM in a sinking exercise (SINKEX) before, with the Independence class LCS USS Gabrielle Giffords having launched one of the missiles at the ex-USS Ford, decommissioned Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate, in 2019. Former USS Tarawa (LHA-1) Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship towed by USNS Grasp from Pearl Harbor to be used as a target for #RIMPAC2024 July 16, 2024 #usstarawa #lha1 #sinkex pic.twitter.com/sw0DueF5PC Ed Schaefer (@ES12071207) July 16, 2024 The Navy does have other major upgrade plans for the Arleigh Burke class. A quartet of Flight IIA types are in various stages of receiving new radars, electronic warfare suites, and other improvements that require massive modifications to the ships main superstructure that completely change its outward appearance, as you can read more about here. All Arleigh Burke class destroyers are also set to see their Mk 15 Phalanx Close-in Weapon Systems (CIWS) replaced with one of two types of launchers loaded with RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM). Some ships in this class are already armed with RAMs. The addition of stealthy NSMs may now be on the horizon for other Arleigh Burkes beyond the USS Fitzgerald. Contact the author: joe@twz.com A federal jury convicted an officer in the Navy Reserves last week for his involvement in a bribery scheme to provide unknown Afghan nationals visas to the United States. Cmdr. Jeromy Pittmann, 53, a civil engineer corps officer who deployed to Afghanistan in 2014 and 2015 with NATO Special Operations Command, received thousands of dollars for drafting, submitting, and falsely verifying bogus letters of recommendation for Afghan nationals seeking a Special Immigrant Visa that would allow them to live in the U.S., according to the Department of Justice. The State Department issues a limited number of Special Immigrant Visas to Afghans who assisted U.S. troops and diplomats during the War in Afghanistan and served as translators. In more than 20 letters, Pittmann claimed that he personally knew and oversaw the Afghan national visa applicants, and asserted they had served as interpreters for the U.S. military and NATO troops. These letters also claimed that these applicants lives were endangered by the Taliban, and affirmed his belief that they were not a national security threat to the U.S. Navy officer charged with taking bribes to provide Afghan refugees with visas In reality, Pittmann did not know the applicants and had no basis for recommending them for SIVs, the Department of Justice said in a news release. In exchange, Pittmann received several thousands of dollars in bribes. To avoid detection, Pittmann received the bribe money through an intermediary and created false invoices purporting to show that he was receiving the money for legitimate work unrelated to his military service, the Department of Justice said. Pittmann commissioned in 2003, and is a civil engineer corps officer, according to service records obtained by Navy Times. Pittman first appeared in federal court in March 2022 on charges of accepting bribes and conspiring to commit visa fraud. Court documents alleged Pittmann worked with an unnamed co-conspirator in Kabul who solicited Pittmanns assistance back in February 2018. The documents indicate Pittmann and the co-conspirator met during Pittmanns deployment to Afghanistan in 2014 and 2015. The money was wired to Pittmann through a Bank of America account in Hayward, California, and to an account with USAA in Pensacola, Fla., under the label family support, according to court documents. I got it today. Thank you and thank your friend for sending it, Pittmann said in an email after receiving a payment in 2018, according to court documents. I just wish the money would keep coming. Ha. Maybe one day we will get a business started. It would be nice to pay off my debts. Pittmann ultimately was convicted of conspiracy to commit bribery and false writing, bribery, false writing, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering, the Justice Department said. Pittmanns sentencing is slated for Oct. 21, and he faces up to 45 years behind bars. In 2020, 13 Mexican visa holders left their hometowns to pick blueberries and blackberries in southeastern North Carolina. This week, a settlement awarded them a total of $150,000 in response to a human trafficking lawsuit. The farms and the contractors who brought the workers to the U.S. withheld thousands of dollars they were owed, threatened them with deportation if they fled and sexually assaulted one woman, the federal lawsuit alleged. The lawsuit is just one of several alleging misuse of foreign workers with H-2A visas in North Carolina in recent years, a 2023 investigation by The Charlotte Observer and the Raleigh News & Observer found. Issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, H-2A visas allow agricultural workers, mostly from Mexico, to temporarily enter the U.S. The program requires that the farms fund the workers transportation, pay them $15.81 an hour (the current rate) and provide clean housing while workers remain in the country up to 10 months at a time. Many North Carolina farms rely on visa holders to fill jobs local residents wont take. And most farms deliver on their promises. But that didnt happen according to the case against farm labor contractors Valentino Lopez, Jr. and Gilberto Beto Lopez, brothers who sent the 13 workers to Hannah Forrest Blueberries and Ronnie Carter Farms, both in Sampson County. Nothing that was promised was ever fulfilled, one of the farm workers, Jose Cruz Martinez-Morales, said in a statement. I was totally deceived. They had made promises, and they failed to deliver on them. In my personal experience, I was afraid. A seasonal farm worker dumps a bucket of freshly picked cucumbers into a bin. The federal H-2A visa program brings agricultural workers to the U.S. to help grow and harvest crops. After travel costs and paying as much as $5,200 in illegal fees to make their way to North Carolina, the 13 H-2A visa holders were left in debt and at the mercy of farm labor contractors, the 2022 lawsuit stated. The workers were promised $12.67 an hour the required federal rate for H-2A visa holders at the time. Some were paid less than $7.25, the minimum wage, the lawsuit stated. The contractors threatened to deport anyone who fled, the suit said. And in one instance, a contractor pulled a knife and sexually assaulted a worker who he said did not pay her recruitment fee, the lawsuit said. The woman escaped two weeks later, leaving the camp in the middle of the night. As many as eight other workers would also run from the camp, the lawsuit said. With this case, my coworkers and I put ourselves in danger, said Marisol Florencio-Gutierrez, another plaintiff. And, with the news of these settlements, other workers can also see that they can defend themselves and that they do not just have to do what their employer tells them to. Long hours, little pay The Observer and N&Os reporting last year found that only four states, Florida, California, Georgia and Washington, had requested more H-2A workers than the 88,000 North Carolina asked for since mid-2019. Migrants harvest crops, run farm equipment and drive heavy machinery, often under the blazing North Carolina sun. Sometimes theyre housed in rundown shacks with broken windows and no running water or air conditioning, according to lawsuits. Reporters found nine federal lawsuits filed since 2017 including the one against the Lopez brothers and Sampson County farms that alleged abuse within the H-2A visa program. Many alleged patterns of abuse outlined in the case against the brothers. Farm labor contractors, third parties between growers and workers, search poor Mexican towns for workers interested in earning substantially more on U.S. farms. Contractors illegally force some workers to pay hundreds or thousands in fees and travel costs to North Carolina, in some cases not delivering on promises that theyll be reimbursed. Some workers are made to work longer hours for minimum wage. Others are given fewer work hours than they were promised. Contractors or farm owners sometimes take workers documentation, preventing migrants from leaving. Some make them work second jobs. Some physically or sexually abuse the visa holders, the lawsuits allege. Seasonal farm workers pick strawberries in Raleigh. Only four states requested more H-2A visas than North Carolina in recent years. Our office has seen a marked increase in cases involving human trafficking in agriculture, particularly in eastern North Carolina, in recent years, said Aaron Jacobson, supervising attorney for Legal Aid of North Carolina, a nonprofit law firm. In 2019, researchers with the U.S. Department of Justice interviewed 400 migrant workers in North Carolina, most of whom held H-2A visas. About a quarter of them had faced some type of employment abuse, such as intimidation. Nearly 18% said they were trafficked to other jobs at other locations and about 5% said the amount of work available was different than was promised, the study found. Banned from the H-2A program Valentino Lopez violated federal H-2A program rules before the this weeks settlement, records show. In 2023, the U.S. Department of Labors Wage and Hour Division fined the Valentino Lopez more than $62,500 in civil penalties and recovered more than $58,000 in wages owed to 72 H-2A visa holders, according to the Department of Labor. Between 2020 and 2021, Valentino Lopez failed to pay migrants transportation costs, didnt pay them for a few weeks of work and charged them up to $8,000 in illegal fees, the DOL investigation found. Workers in the H-2A program come to the U.S. legally to help agricultural employers meet seasonal demands and earn good wages to help support their families at home, Wage and Hour Division District Director Richard Blaylock said at the time. Valentino Lopez chose to exploit and intimidate dozens of workers and charge fees illegally, and now has been held accountable. The Valentino Lopez is no longer allowed to participate in the H-2A program, according to DOL records. Hannah Forrest Blueberries and Ronnie Carter Farms, meanwhile, must create and distribute a sexual harassment policy, hang workers rights posters at their camps, prohibit the confiscation of workers passports and better supervise how contractors reimburse workers for fees and travel costs, according to a Legal Aid press release. A message left for Hannah Forrest Blueberries was not returned. Ronnie Carter Farms and an attorney for the Lopez brothers could not be reached. (WJBF) We are continuing to following developments after several airlines worldwide began seeing major disruptions due to a huge Microsoft and Crowdstrike outage. The widespread Microsoft outage is disrupting flights with American and Delta, Allegiant Air, Pacific Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines, as well as banks, media outlets and companies around the world. The outage is also impacting Visa, Amazon and ADT Security. Closer to home at Augusta Regional Airport, almost all flights have been grounded. An airport spokesperson tells us this will likely have a ripple effect throughout the day. Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) still showing effects of the global ground stop. AGS continues to be in direct contact with Delta and American Airlines, which service AGS. As of 8:02 a.m., American Airlines began their flight recovery. All American Arline flights for July 19th are showing delays currently. All Delta flights through AGS are still showing cancelled through 1:50 p.m. today, however, we encourage all passengers to contact their airline directly for the most up-to-date flight information. Hours prior to it happening, Microsoft said it was fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. MORE ON WJBF: Widespread disruptions were not the result of security incident or cyberattack: CrowdStrike Columbia Metropolitan Airport tells us, CAE and its airline partners United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines are closely monitoring the current global IT outage impacting air travel. As of right now, passengers flying out of CAE this morning are able to check in, however flights are grounded until further notice. Passengers are encouraged to stay updated on possible delays through their airlines mobile app. We will provide more information on our social channels as additional details are made available. The Atlanta Airport has stated, ATL is actively addressing the current incident affecting various industries globally. Working closely with partners, ATL is focused on minimizing operational disruptions. Travelers are advised to stay informed through ATLs social media channels for updates. The FAA has issued the following statement: The FAA is closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines. Several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops until the issue is resolved. We continue to work closely with airlines as they work to resume normal operations. Ground stops and delays will be intermittent at various airports as the airlines work through residual technology issues. Contact the airlines for more information. Currently FAA operations are not impacted by the global IT issue. We continue to monitor the situation closely. 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 WJBF. Nearly 18 million viewers tuned in for third night of RNC, Nielsen data shows Nielsen estimates nearly 18 million viewers tuned in to the third night of the Republican National Convention, the company said in a Thursday release. The RNC is taking place in Milwaukee this week. On Wednesday, speakers such as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance praised former President Donald Trump while making the case for why he should be the next president. In 2020, the third day of the RNC saw approximately 17.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen. The fourth and final night of the convention is usually the most watched. Trump is scheduled to close out the convention with his acceptance speech Thursday. RNC 2024 live updates: When is Donald Trump's speech? Can I livestream the RNC? Looking back at previous RNC and DNC ratings For convention audiences, Nielsen also issues ratings based on the percentage of television-owning households that tuned in. The household rating for the third night of the 2024 RNC was 10.6, according to Thursday's release. Here is how that compares to 2020's nightly ratings, when in-person events were scaled back or canceled due to the pandemic: 2020 RNC 2020 RNC Day 4 - 14.7 2020 RNC Day 3 - 11.0 2020 RNC Day 2 - 12.2 2020 RNC Day 1 - 10.7 2020 DNC 2020 DNC Day 4 - 15.6 2020 DNC Day 3 - 14.6 2020 DNC Day 2 - 12.6 2020 DNC Day 1 - 12.7 How to watch the RNC USA TODAY is streaming the RNC. Watch it live here: The RNC will conclude on Thursday, when Trump is expected to speak. Other speakers are still being finalized. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: RNC ratings show nearly 18 million viewers watched on Night 3: Nielsen Serving a life sentence for a murder he did not commit, Jofama Coleman studiously avoided calendars. It was just too upsetting to contemplate the passage of months and then years deprived of freedom and separated from his young daughter. One way I was able to get through the time, I actually didnt even think about the days. Every day was the same, he said, recalling stretches when his birthday passed without his notice. On Thursday, Coleman sat in the front row of a Sacramento hearing room as the official tally of his time behind bars was read out: 6,481 days. The state Victim Compensation Board then voted to translate those nearly 18 years into a payout to Coleman of $907,340, under a law that provides exonerees with $140 for each day of wrongful incarceration. Read more: She binged true crime on Netflix. Then she helped free two men from prison My situation either makes you bitter or better, a smiling Coleman told the board, adding, although I went through some very tough times, I think I ultimately triumphed. Two other men were also approved for compensation at Thursdays hearing. Ronald Velasquez Jr. and Abraham Villalobos were erroneously convicted in the 2000 killing of a teenager in Downey. The man believed to be the real killer was slain the year after the murder, information that surfaced in a re-investigation of the case in recent years. Both men were declared factually innocent in a March hearing in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Velasquez, who spent 23 years in prison, was awarded $1.2 million, while Villalobos, who spent more than 15 years in prison, will receive $788,060. He was deported to Mexico after his release. His attorney, Joseph Trigilio, of the Loyola Law School Project for the Innocent, said at the hearing, This brings him some measure of justice. Velasquez said in an interview that he was grateful for the money, but added, Is it fair? Its not giving me back family members I lost, the time I lost with my family, all the things I missed. The exonerated do not have to pay state or federal taxes on the compensation. It also does not bar them from pursuing civil suits against law enforcement for mishandling the investigations. Coleman was convicted of the 2003 drive-by shooting of a teenager in South L.A. As The Times chronicled earlier this year, he labored for years in the prison library in Corcoran to prove his innocence and later got assistance from a volunteer, a schoolteacher from Topanga Canyon. Their work led to the exonerations of both Coleman and another man convicted in the murder, Abel Soto. Read more: Men cleared of murder after 2 decades; ex-detective with 'absolute belief' worked to free them The board previously awarded Soto $909,720. Coleman, 41, was incarcerated for 19 years, but he did not receive payment for the entire period because he was also serving time for an unrelated assault charge. He is enrolled at UC Riverside with plans to become an attorney for the wrongfully convicted. His daughter, Jocelyne, born after his arrest, is also a college student. He said he hopes to use the money to support her, buy a home and replace the breakdown-prone 1988 Corvette hes been driving since his release. While appreciative of the compensation, which is not available in many states, Coleman said, it doesnt measure up for sure. I lost a great deal, you know? And, I mean, I still kind of have to live with the pain of what I went through. 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. Nearly 5,000 workers evacuated from Russian-occupied nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, minister says Around 5,000 workers were rescued from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said on July 19 during a press conference. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe's largest nuclear power station, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022. Its position near the front line has led to heightened nuclear safety risks throughout Russia's full-scale war. All evacuated employees were the workers of Ukraine's nuclear energy agency, Energoatom, according to Halushchenko. Halushchenko also brought up that since February 2024, Russian forces have banned access to the plant for those employees who remained in the occupied territory. "This is the personnel that we plan to attract to complete the construction of Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant units," he added. In April, Energoatom started building reactor units 5 and 6 at the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant using U.S. technology that would help prevent power outages in case of Russian attacks. After the reactor units 5 and 6 are built and units 3 and 4 are put into operation, the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant's power generating capacity will exceed the one of the Zaporizhzhia plant, according to Energoatom The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on July 11 demanding that Russia withdraw from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and restore full control of the facility to Ukraine. The resolution also condemns Russia for failing to implement safety protocols set out by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and calls on Moscow to allow IAEA inspectors full access to the plant's facilities. Read also: Energoatom: Workers restore power connection to Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant after potential blackout warning Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. SUTTON PLACE, Manhattan (PIX11) The end of an era on 57th street. Nearys Irish Restaurant in Sutton Place is closing Friday night after 57 years in business. The Neary family decided to sell the three-story building to two brothers and restaurateurs. The original owner, Jimmy Neary, died in October 2021. He immigrated to New York from Ireland in the 1950s, opened the restaurant in 1967 and bought the building in 1986. More Local News Long-time employee Mary OConnor told PIX11 News that Jimmy Neary is the true American immigration story. Came from Ireland, no education, no formal education, with very little money in his pocket, and ended up buying a building and being one of our most successful restaurateurs in New York City, she said. Jimmys daughter, Una Neary, told PIX11 News it wasnt an easy decision to sell. I love the fact that they were brothers, and there was a family connection, and they wanted a restaurant, which was very important to me. It was a very big decision, it was bittersweet, it wasnt easy, but it was the right decision, and we also wanted to go out on top, Neary said. The restaurants walls are lined with photos of famous patrons, including former President Bill Clinton, Astronaut John Glenn, members of the Kennedy family and former Mayor Mike Bloomberg. More Manhattan News Bloomberg stopped by the restaurant Thursday night to greet the Neary family. Bloomberg told PIX11 News that he had been a customer for nearly 40 years. Jimmy was a wonderful guy, and his daughters are great. Cities go through this, theres a lot of new restaurants being started, 40 years from now, people will say the same thing, he said. While the awning of 358 East 57th Street will change, the corner of 57th Street and First Avenue will still bear the name Jimmy Neary Way. Neary family friend James Breslin told PIX11 News he hopes people Google Nearys names for years to come and learn a bit about New York City History. Its not goodbye; we are moving on, Breslin 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. Neighbor Allegedly Killed Teacher And Her Former Partner In 2 Shootings On Same Street A 30-year-old Canadian man was arrested in the fatal shootings of his neighbors, a former couple who were killed in separate incidents on the same street in Oshawa, Ontario, authorities announced on Sunday. Mark Gordon was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Patrick Montgomery, 42, and Andrieana Montgomery, 42, according to an announcement by Durham Regional Police. Patrick and Andrieana Montgomery, both 42, were shot to death in different houses on the same street in Oshawa, Ontario. GoFundMe Patrick Montgomery was found injured on July 13 after police responded to a neighborhood in Oshawa, near Toronto, and attempted to take him to a hospital, according to a separate release. He died before he arrived there. Police who were still at the scene received information that led them to a second home on the same street, where they found Andrieana Montgomery dead with a gunshot wound, according to the release. Adam Karam-Benton, who lives on the street, told Global News he saw Gordon sitting on the curb just minutes after six to eight gunshots had rung out. As he was asking Gordon about the shots, police vehicles began to arrive, and Gordon put up his hands and said It was me, according to Karam-Benton. Authorities have said the motive behind the shootings is still under investigation, and that Gordon knew both of the victims. Friends told the Toronto Star that the couple had separated and lived at separate addresses in the neighborhood to co-parent their two sons. Gordon rented the basement apartment in the home that Andrieana Montgomery rented, and he lived there with his partner and young child, the Star reported. Mike Modeste, a close friend of the victims, described them as devoted teachers who cared deeply for their students in a GoFundMe launched to raise money for their children. Patrick Montgomery was a left-winger for the Oshwa Generals from 1999 to 2002. He later became a teacher at All Saints Catholic Secondary School in Whitby, according to the Star. Andrieana Montgomery was an arts and music teacher at Bowmanville High School. A spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney General in Ontario told HuffPost in an email that Gordon is expected to appear in court on Monday. Related... LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has joined 20 other AGs in an amicus brief, supporting an Oregon law that requires drug manufacturers to be transparent about pricing. The amicus brief defends Oregons House Bill 4005, passed into state law in 2018, which requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to report certain information about new prescription drugs, as well as historical information about the pricing of existing medications. The amicus brief reports that under HB 4005, manufacturers have to report certain information about drugs when there is an increase in the drugs Wholesale Acquisition Cost. They must report the following: The net increase in drug cost The factors contributing to the increase Direct costs incurred by the manufacturer Sales revenue and profits from the drug The 10 highest prices paid by other countries for the drug in the preceding calendar year Since that time, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA), which represents some of the nations largest drug manufacturers, has filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Oregon, challenging the constitutionality of House Bill 4005. PhRMA-v.-Stolfi-Amicus-BriefDownload The district court ruled, in part, in favor of PhRMA. The state of Oregon then appealed to the federal Ninth Circuit Court. Soaring drug prices have become a public health and accessibility issue in recent years, advocates and researchers say. A Gallup-West Health National Healthcare Study from 2019 indicates that more than 13% of U.S. adultsabout 34 million peoplesaid they know at least one friend or family member who had died in the last five years because they couldnt pay for the medical treatment that they needed. Nessel and the other attorneys general are now filing the amicus brief in Pharmaceutical Res. & Manufacturers of Am. v. Stolfi, defending Oregon HB 4005. [Our states] share a substantial interest in protecting the health and well-being of our residents and protecting access to affordable prescription drugs, the AGs said in the amicus brief. Without such access, residents medical conditions worsen, health outcomes decline and even death can occur. Sixteen states have adopted price transparency laws similar to Oregon HB 4005, the AGs said in the brief. The other 20 attorneys general represent the District of Columbia and 19 states: California, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. SOPA Images/Getty Images This story was written by one of Teen Vogue's 2024 Student Correspondents, a team of college students covering the election cycle from key battleground states. As many Republican-controlled states move to pass new restrictions on abortion access, pro-choice advocates want to take this issue directly to voters in the November elections. In states from Florida to Arizona, residents may have the opportunity to weigh in on ballot measures to protect reproductive rights. Nevada, a purple state that will be crucial to determining control of Congress and the White House, already has strong abortion rights. Thanks to a 1973 law, which was reaffirmed in 1990, abortions are permitted through the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, or later if necessary to protect the health of the pregnant person. But a coalition of progressive organizations and residents is working to enshrine these rights in the state constitution. Nevadans For Reproductive Freedom officially qualified for the ballot in early June, with officials verifying more than 127,000 signatures far exceeding the 102,000 required. Lindsey Harmon, president of Nevadans For Reproductive Freedom, caught up with Teen Vogue via Zoom to talk about how voters can take back control over reproductive rights in their states. This conversation has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity. Teen Vogue: Why is Nevadans For Reproductive Freedom taking the approach to enshrine abortion rights in Nevadas constitution? Lindsey Harmon: Since the Dobbs decision [overturning Roe v Wade], states like Nevada where we had statutory protections for abortion access we're doubling down. We want to make it very difficult for the opposition to amend that. That's why we're seeking a constitutional amendment. Also, because these are related to basic fundamental human rights, we believe that they belong in the constitution. [For a] state like Nevada, it's incredibly important that we protect these rights, as we border states [with strict abortion restrictions] like Idaho and Utah and Arizona, and we want to make sure that Nevada remains a safe place for [all of those] patients to access abortion. TV: Your organization is also striving to cement birth control, vasectomies, postpartum care, and IVF into the state constitution as well, right? LH: That was part of the initial version of the language that was rejected in district court and then appealed to the Supreme Court. So while we believe all of those things do belong under the definition of reproductive freedom, and would love to protect all of those in the [state] constitution, we have actually moved forward with this much narrower version due to timing constraints. Our current initiative that we are gathering signatures on and that will appear on the ballot in 2024 only protects abortion access, not those ancillary items. We do hope that in the legislative session in 2025, we can pursue legislative action that will also seek to protect things like birth control and miscarriage management in the state of Nevada. TV: What efforts did Nevadans For Reproductive Freedom take to obtain signatures? LH: We have been working diligently. We have petition initiatives, gatherers out in the field and all of those congressional districts talking to the public, talking to folks who care about this issue, and making sure that everyone has an opportunity to sign that petition. Because people really care about it, especially voters in a state like Nevada. We look for places that have a lot of voters and a lot of high-density locals that participate, but it kind of changes all the time. TV: Is your organization also coordinating with other states on reproductive rights? And if so, how are you going about it? LH: For the most part as a coalition, we are working predominantly in our state because we know Nevada voters better than anyone else. And we are working diligently as folks who live and work in the state to get this initiative passed. TV: Wild West Fund Nevada recently posted about how they will help Arizona women receive abortions in Nevada. Are you working on any similar efforts? LH: Wild West Fund Nevada is an important partner of ours, especially in a state where we are seeing a lot of patients who are coming in from out of state to seek care at the health centers in Nevada. Wild West Fund Nevada does an important job, where they're bridging the gap for folks as they need to pay for travel costs and childcare costs and all of these terrible costs that are being imposed by their home states. TV: How are young people mobilizing around this effort? LH: I think voters, especially young voters, are really excited to take a stance on this issue. Not only are we turning out those folks who always vote, but I think we're looking to young people who have never voted before, who are registering to vote just so that they can take a position on this. We see a lot of folks who are really excited about it. Especially young voters and BIPOC voters Obviously, we have a presence on campuses. We've been gathering signatures at all the campuses, both in northern and southern Nevada. We also have a lot of clubs and organizations on campuses that are deeply involved in this issue. We're really excited to engage them in the campaign phase of this which will start as soon as we qualify. TV: What is the overarching goal of enshrining reproductive freedoms not only for Nevada but also for the country as a whole? LH: As a purple state and as a state that is incredibly diverse, [Nevada] plays a large role in the electoral landscape. We expect to set a standard that we hope other states can follow and or collaborate across state lines. Nevada plays an important role [and is] central to conversations about what abortion means in an electoral landscape. And we're proud to play that role. And we hope that other states will feel empowered and emboldened to pursue constitutional amendments as needed. Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want to read more Teen Vogue abortion coverage? I never thought Id live to see it: Veterans honored at WTRCs Hospice of the Big Country thank you dinner ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) Fellowship and reverence filled the West Texas Rehabs Hospice of the Big Country boardroom Thursday evening. The organization opened its doors once more to local Veterans for its annual We Honor Veterans thank-you dinner. Director of Hospice Services Angie Lane shared that this night is a way for WTRC to show just a modicum of thanks to the service men and women who have given so much of themselves. It was a spectacular night. There were so many Veterans here. We have a debt we will never pay to these folks. We just want to say thank you, Lane said. Hospice of the Big Country honors all veterans at 2023 appreciation dinner Veterans of every branch spanning the decades showed up to sit with each other and break bread. The evening started with the Dyess Honor Guard presenting the flag and the singing of the national anthem. Following that, a POW/MIA or Missing Man table was set as a tribute to those who never returned. The attendees were then served dinner, and lively conversations filled the room. My favorite part about this night is watching the Veterans come together and laugh and remember, Lane said. Were a million dollar post: Abilene VFW recognized for community involvement At one table, KTAB/KRBC met with U.S. Army Reserve Veteran Charlie Bowen. He expressed his gratitude toward the hosts and remarked on the importance of remembering those in the reserves, as well as the employers who hire them and enable them to be deployed without worrying about their jobs back home. Dyess Honor Guard setting the POW/MIA Missing man table Its great to get to see where everybody came from and where they served When it comes to crunch time, were all one big family, Bowen said. At that same table was Bowens dinner guest and newfound acquaintance, John Penns. Penns is a Veteran of the Vietnam War, having served in the country from 1967 through 1969. During that time, he served as a Platoon Sergeant and witnessed one of the largest and bloodiest campaigns of the war, the TET offensive. I got wounded at Ho Chi Minh trail. Thats why I got the purple heart I always say I went there as a young boy, but I came back as a man, Penns told KTAB/KRBC. One of the best things we can do for Veterans: KTAB/KRBC volunteers at Abilene Veterans Cemetery Before his service, Penns said the colleges that would take him were full up, and he, like many people he knew, was not welcome at the whites-only schools during segregation. This and the ongoing draft left him with few, if any, choices as to his future. So me and a group of guys went to the recruiter and said, well, well just go ahead and volunteer. And he said no, we already had yall names. Yall did the right thing, said Penns. After all he experienced, Penns recalls a somber return back to the States. He spoke of coming home as a time they had all longed for but one he now remembers as bittersweet. Vietnam Veteran John Penns I seen my brothers on their knees kissing the ground because you know we made it. But no one greeted us; they really acted like they hated us, Penns said. Time to start remembering: Abilene man spends years researching, tells 650 local Veterans stories Nights like this one and the expressions of gratitude that he and his fellow Veterans receive from others mean a lot to Penns. He mentioned that on several occasions, he had been informed that his dinner bill was taken care of, although the kind soul who paid for it never revealed their identity. I didnt think Id live to see it like it is now, but I did, said Penns. His presence, along with so many others, was a welcome sight for the West Texas Rehab and Hospice staff. The organization holds a dinner every year that is open to all Veterans. Penns said he hopes to attend next year, and Lane added that she hopes to see him there as well. 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 KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. Weeks before an initial state hearing to lobby for his law license to be reinstated, former Dodge County Attorney Oliver J. Glass was arrested for suspicion of DUI, second degree, on July 6 on U.S. Highway 77 near Lincoln. Kent Frobish, assistant counsel for discipline for the State of Nebraska Judicial System Counsel for Discipline, said the July 24 initial hearing has been cancelled so Glass current legal conundrum can be resolved. It has been cancelled as they try to reset his case. I have not seen any of the most recent arrest reports, Frobish said. Clarence Mock called me when he heard from Glass, who told him he had been charged with a crime in Lancaster County. Mock, who has been Glass attorney for two prior DUI charges as well as his federal court case that resulted in a nine-month prison sentence, did not respond to a message seeking comment on Thursday, July 18. Frobish had filed official charges against Glass in relation to his license to practice law in Nebraska on March 7, 2024, that he said were a result of various criminal charges that Glass was found guilty of both state and federal. Although Glass is seeking to have his license to practice law reinstated, Frobish said the hearings could eventually result in him losing the license for life or have his current suspension lengthened. Officials: Glass admitted drinking alcohol at wedding According to U.S. District Court of Nebraska document provided to the Tribune, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper saw Glass on the side of U.S. Highway 77 in Lancaster County standing by his motor vehicle. The court filing stated that Glass is in violation of Special Condition a which states, You must not purchase or possess, use, distribute, or administer any alcohol, just the same as any other narcotic or controlled substance. According to the filing, On July 5, 2024, Oliver Glass drank alcohol at a wedding. He was arrested for driving under the influence in the morning hours of July 6, 2024, as detailed in Allegation No. 1. On July 6, 2024, Mr. Glass admitted to the undersigned officer that he had consumed alcohol. The Tribune contacted the Nebraska State Patrol headquarters to verify the report in the federal court filing, and NSP Public Relations Director Cody Thomas confirmed that a state trooper had arrested Glass. At approximately 1:30 a.m. on July 6, a trooper was on patrol on Highway 77 in Lincoln near the Rosa Parks Way interchange. The trooper came across a Jeep Compass parked on the shoulder with a damaged tire, Thomas said in an email. The trooper stopped to offer assistance. During the encounter the trooper detected signs that the driver was impaired, Thomas said The driver, Oliver Glass, 49, of Fremont, was arrested for driving under the influence and was lodged in Lancaster County Jail. According to both a court filing by federal probation officers and a sergeant with the Lancaster County Jail in Lincoln, Glass subsequently was reported to have tested at an alleged .154 blood alcohol level. After his arrest, Glass was transported to the Lancaster County Jail, where according to jail Sgt. Darrick Manning he was booked into custody at 2:08 a.m., July 6. Glass posted $250 10% of his $2,500 bond and was released at 9:51 a.m. on July 6. Effort to get law license reinstated now stalled Glass, now 49, is seeking to have his license to practice law reinstated, and he was scheduled to have his first hearing before a state commission on July 24 in Lincoln, Mock confirmed to the Tribune in a June interview. That hearing is now cancelled and has not been rescheduled. After his initial legal troubles, Glass had his license to practice law suspended in late February 2021, weeks before he resigned his job as Dodge County attorney on March 1, 2021. He later served more than seven months at U.S. Penitentiary Leavenworth, in Leavenworth, Kansas, before being released in October 2023. In a June interview, Glass attorney told the Tribune his client had maintained sobriety for several years. I can tell you that Oliver Glass has been for the last, oh, Id say, three years now, religiously attending all of the various functions and treatment that he has felt were necessary, and he has been successful in maintaining sobriety, Mock stated in the June interview. The arrest is Glass third for alleged DUI. Glass pleaded no contest on Aug. 17, 2020, to a misdemeanor charge of DUI breathalyzer .08 or greater, first offense, and was sentenced to 15 months of probation and 60 days of drivers license revocation. On May 3, 2021, Glass was found guilty of misdemeanor DUI alcohol second offense, and he was sentenced to two days in county jail, 18 months of probation and another 60-day revocation of his drivers license. He also served more than seven months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of civil rights conspiracy. Glass had pleaded guilty to the lesser charge in November after he originally faced two federal felony counts of cyberstalking. Glass was first elected as county attorney in 2011. He was accused of a litany of allegations in relation to claims he harassed and cyber stalked Nathan Schany, an Iowa man who was reportedly having a sexual relationship with Glass estranged wife, Katie Glass, in 2020. After a federal investigation that saw FBI agents conducting surveillance of Glass and months of court hearings, Glass took a plea deal from the U.S. Department of Justice in late 2022, which led to his guilty plea and eventual federal prison sentence. The longtime county attorney was accused of coordinating the stalking and harassment campaign in alleged collaboration with several unnamed law enforcement officials in Dodge County, including officials with both the Fremont Police Department and the Dodge County Sheriffs Office, according to court documents. No one from either agency was ever charged in the case. No official charges have been entered into the Lancaster County Court online records system as of July 18, and Frobish said he has not seen any official charging documents related to Glass July 6 arrest. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong meets with then US Secretary of State Pompeo. Vietnam's powerful Communist Party boss Nguyen Phu Trong dies aged 80. ---/US Department of State/dpa Nguyen Phu Trong, the chair of Vietnams Communist Party, has died aged 80 after suffering from ill health, including strokes, the government said. Trong died "due to old age and serious illness" at the 108 Central Military Hospital in Hanoi on Friday, the statement read. Trong, the head of Vietnams single-party political system, had helmed the Communist Party since 2011. Rumours about his deteriorating health had been swirling for days, and he had rarely been seen in public this year since suffering a health scare in January. He last appeared in public on June 20 as he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a state visit to Vietnam. His reign as general secretary was the longest since Le Duan took control following the death of revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh in 1969, making him one of Vietnams most powerful politicians in decades. On Thursday, the party announced that Trong needed to focus on medical treatment and that President To Lam would take over his party duties. Maeve Boothby-O'Neill died aged 27 in October 2021, with her parents saying the NHS has no way to treat myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) A lack of NHS treatment for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is set to be interrogated at an inquest into the death of a 27-year-old woman, who died after being discharged from hospital. Maeve Boothby-ONeill died in October 2021, after battling myalgic encephalomyelitis also referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) for more than half her life, until she was no longer able to eat or drink. She faced barriers to receiving proper care right up until her death as she tried to convince doctors her illness was real which her parents say also caused delays in her receiving end-of-life care. A long-awaited government delivery plan to improve NHS services has been beset by delays since being unveiled by Sajid Javid two years and three health secretaries ago. It is thought Boothby-ONeill developed ME after a viral infection left her feeling constantly exhausted at the age of 12 but it took five more years for it to be given a name. Her condition drastically deteriorated in the months leading up to her death, which saw her admitted to Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital three times she rejected a fourth admission, feeling there was no prospect of treatment. Sarah Boothby, Maeve's mum, believes her daughter's death could have been avoided The hospitals medical director admitted at a pre-inquest hearing that action is needed at the highest level to improve care for patients with ME because of a lack of services and specialists nationally. Dr Anthony Hemsley said: There is a lack of a commissioned specialist service for severe/very severe ME/CFS both locally, regionally and nationally. This gap in service has also been confirmed by the local Integrated Care Board. In order to rectify this situation, action is required at the highest level. ME/CFS is recognised by the NHS as a chronic long-term condition and symptoms include extreme tiredness and fatigue, sleep problems, brain fog, memory issues and difficulty concentrating. But there is no specific test to diagnose it and treatments are limited to energy management and therapy. The two-week inquest is set to look at the care she received at the hospital in the lead-up to her death, delays in palliative care and the wider lack of understanding in the medical community of ME as experts, a cross-party group of MPs and Boothby-ONeills parents all call for change. A poorly understood condition Boothby-ONeills father, Sean ONeill, a journalist at The Times, is calling for a change in medical culture after his daughters condition was dismissed by doctors as not being a real illness. The inquest, which begins in Exeter on Monday, could become one of very few to recognise ME as a cause of death. Speaking ahead of the inquest, Mr ONeill said: On a personal level I am dreading this inquest preparing for it has already revived painful memories of Maeves suffering and death three years ago. I can only hope that it will result in some shift in the understanding of ME which remains a poorly understood, poorly researched and poorly treated condition. He said there were signs of change among MPs after a debate at the start of May before Parliament was dissolved for the general election had politicians from right across the political spectrum spoke with one voice about the way constituents with ME were stigmatised, belittled and dismissed by doctors. One of the things that has always puzzled me is why so many doctors are wedded to the idea that ME is not a real illness, that its all in the patients head, Mr ONeill continued. I hope the inquest will show that ME is very real, that it can be fatal and that there must be a change in medical culture, medical education and NHS provision to recognise that. Boothby-ONeill was a writer and had started work on a series of fiction novels set in Dartmoor but she was never able to finish them. A statement she wrote about her illness before her death will also form part of the inquest. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: Our deepest sympathies are with Maeves family and friends in this tragic case. This Government will ensure that patients receive the care they deserve. We are committed to improving the care and support for people with ME/CFS. We recognise how devastating the symptoms of ME/CFS can be, and the significant impact they can have on patients and their families. 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. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Niagara Falls woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with a 2023 incident that left four people injured, according to the Niagara County District Attorneys Office. Shawnquilla Armstrong, 32, intentionally drove her Chevrolet SUV into a group of people on Sept. 17 on Pierce Avenue in Niagara Falls, according to police. Four people were injured, two of which were transported to ECMC for serious but non-life-threatening leg injuries. The tire of her SUV came within inches of running over one individuals head, said Niagara County District Attorney Brian Seaman in a news release. It was by sheer luck that nobody was killed. Armstrong was convicted on two counts of first-degree attempted assault. She was sentenced to serve five years for each count. Latest Local News Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. 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 News 4 Buffalo. (Bloomberg) -- Nippon Steel Corp. has hired former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to help complete a proposed purchase of United States Steel Corp., a deal facing bipartisan opposition from Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Most Read from Bloomberg Pompeo, who served as the top American diplomat under Trump, will be an adviser to the Japanese company for its $14.1 billion purchase, according to people familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the move. The deals fate is unclear as it undergoes a national security review and faces opposition by the United Steelworkers union. Nippon Steel confirmed the move in a written statement, praising Pompeos record. Pompeo said the US should expand its manufacturing base by partnering with allies in a statement also provided by the company. Im proud to be working on behalf of a deal that provides the best path forward to not only revitalize an iconic American company, but also to strengthen American supply chains and protect American jobs, he said. Listen and follow The Big Take DC on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts US Steel shares reversed declines on the news, climbing as high as 1.5% before paring some gains. The stock closed Friday at $38.18 in New York. Nippon Steel has positioned the deal as a potential counterweight to China, arguing that its purchase of US Steel would give Nippon Steel sufficient scale to compete with Chinese counterparts seeking to dominate the market. Pompeo isnt the only Trump adviser working to help Nippon Steel promote the deal. Stephen Moore, who Trump consulted as he was drafting his signature tax cuts and later nominated to serve as a governor of the Federal Reserve, released a report last week arguing that a deal would benefit American workers and the steel industry as a whole. Jack Doyle, the Pennsylvania communications director for the Biden campaign, said in a statement on Friday that the state lost more than 275,000 jobs under Donald Trump, so its no surprise to see one of Trumps top allies is now working to ship our steel jobs overseas. The headquarters of US Steel is in Pittsburgh. Pompeo, who spoke at this weeks Republican National Convention, is a contender to return to a potential second Trump administration should the GOP nominee win in November. He didnt mention the deal, but did discuss China. Under President Trump, the Chinese Communist Party, which to this day presents the greatest threat to our nation from outside of our country, we confronted it like never before, he said. Bipartisan Opposition The Nippon Steel bid offered at a premium well above the current trading price faces bipartisan headwinds. Biden opposes it and has said US Steel will remain American-owned, guaranteed, but has so far not blocked it. Trump said in January that he would block it instantaneously but hes steered clear since. However, Ohio Senator JD Vance who Trump selected this week as his running mate has been a prominent opponent of the deal. Vance has called on Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to block the deal, saying Nippon Steels allegiances clearly lie with a foreign state and whose record in the United States is deeply flawed. The $55-per-share purchase was announced in December. Nippon Steel has continued to pursue the acquisition, despite political blow-back, and has delayed its initial timeline for completing the transaction. Nippon Steels Vice Chairman and Executive Vice President Takahiro Mori has said the company would like to complete the deal as soon as possible, but that it might have a better chance after the election when the unions political leverage will disappear. (Updates with Biden campaign statement, in eighth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. No charges for New Hanover detectives in shooting death of suspect at traffic stop Three New Hanover County Sheriff's Office detectives who discharged their firearms in a fatal shooting at the intersection of S. Kerr Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard will not face charges following an investigation. Steven Ryan Todd, who was suspected of having stolen property and eluding law enforcement among other offenses, was located via traffic stop in Wilmington on June 13 around 11 p.m. Considered armed and dangerous, the suspect did not comply with commands and looked to reach for a weapon. Detectives perceived a threat and opened fire on Todd. A search in the truck revealed a loaded handgun, as well as a loaded shotgun in the truck bed's toolbox. Previous Coverage: Suspect dies during officer-involved shooting in Wilmington Previous Coverage: 911 calls offer more details in officer-involved fatal shooting in Wilmington "The picture that emerges from reviewing all of the evidence in this case is clear: Todds actionsthreatened the lives of the multiple deputies and any citizens in that area," District Attorney Ben David said via news release on Friday. "Detectives acted appropriately under the law when they used deadly force to protect themselves and those around them." Around 1:30 p.m. on June 13, a Wilmington resident reported that his Ford F-150 truck, 24-foot boat, double axel trailer, and two firearms were stolen out of his fenced backyard on Rogersville Road, Wilmington, Assistant District Attorney Jason Smith said at a news conference on Friday. A moped left behind at the scene, registered to Todd, allowed officers with the Wilmington Police Department to identify a suspect in the larceny. Around 7 p.m. that same day, an off-duty detective, identified by Smith as Detective Shingleton, observed the stolen boat at the Dram Tree Park boat ramp at 602 Surry St. in Wilmington. After calling 911 dispatch to report the boat, Shingleton noticed a vehicle matching the description of the stolen truck backed into a parking space on the property, with the suspect standing nearby. Wilmington police officers responded to the scene, Smith said. Shingleton identified himself as law enforcement and confronted Todd as he was driving away. Todd attempted to hit Shingleton twice as he attempted to flee the scene. Previous Coverage: Incident report provides more details in theft investigation that led to fatal shooting District Attorney Ben David, Assistant District Attorney Jason Smith, and State Bureau of Investigation Agent Anthony Sampogna held a press conference Friday morning to discuss details of an investigation into a fatal officer-involved shooting in June, 2024. Wilmington police officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Smith said. Todd did not comply and fled in his vehicle down South Front Street, Carolina Beach Road, and onto Shipyard Boulevard, reaching speeds of approximately 110 miles per hour. Police called off the pursuit due to concerns of safety for the public and involved officers. Felony arrest warrants, including charges of assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing to elude arrest, assault on a government official, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle, Smith said. A "be on the lookout" warning for Todd was issued to local law enforcement. Around 11 p.m., detectives located Todd near the intersection of South Kerr Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard, Smith said. Four vehicles with six detectives responded to the scene. As Todd's vehicle entered the intersection of Wilshire and South Kerr, a New Hanover County Sheriff's Office detective, identified by Smith as Detective Shearl, tried to immobilize the vehicle by running into the left rear side of the truck. A detective, identified by Smith as Detective Atkins, exited his vehicle and approached Todd's truck on foot. The collision between Shearl and Todd's vehicle caused Todd's truck to spin 180 degrees, Smith said. Todd put his vehicle in reverse and backed onto a small embankment near the parking lot of the Harris Teeter grocery store. All side curtain airbags in Todd's vehicle deployed, Smith said. Three detectives, identified by Smith as Detective Tello Detective Naughten, and Detective Hill, approached Todd's vehicle on foot and drew their firearms. Detective Hill heard the engine of Todd's vehicle reving as he approached. The detectives issued multiple verbal commands for Todd to show his hands, Smith said. Looking inside of the vehicle from the rear passenger side door, with a partially obstructed view due to the deployed airbags, Atkins saw Todd "moving in a manner that suggested he was reaching for something." Tello, Naughten, and Hill, positioned at the front of the vehicle, issued verbal commands for Todd to show his hands, Smith said. Todd did not comply and "kept bending over to his right and back as though he was searching or reaching for something in the front passenger area or in the rear passenger area of the vehicle." "After Todd failed to heed commands and continued to reach for something all three detectives, that being detectives Naughten, Hill, and Tello believed their lives were in danger and opened fire," Smith said. Tello was armed with a FMP9 9mm short-barreled rifle and Naughten and Hill were armed with 9mm Glock 45 handguns, according to the statement of facts released by the New Hanover County District Attorney's Office. A total of 51 shots were fired and Todd was struck 28 times. Atkins and Tello performed CPR on Todd until EMS arrived on scene, however, Todd died as a result of his injuries. "These detectives were fully justified at that point in using deadly force," David said at Friday's press conference. "A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed the stolen Glock 9 handgun was on the floorboard of the rear passenger area, the same area that Todd had be groping around for." This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: New Hanover deputies not charged in shooting death at traffic stop There is no one to blame but myself: Bakersfield man admits responsibility for killing his baby BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Gregory Higgins and his wife welcomed a new baby into the world in 2021. His daughter who had Down syndrome lived 7 weeks before Higgins broke her skull. I accept full responsibility, Higgins said in court Thursday, struggling with emotion as he read a lengthy statement, much of it focused on his renewed dedication to Christianity. There is no one to blame but myself, he said. Gregory Higgins at his sentencing July 18 expressed sorrow and regret over killing his 7-week-old daughter. On Thursday, the 37-year-old Higgins was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to murder. Bakersfield woman celebrates 104 years of life Several people spoke before sentencing of the terrible impact of his actions. Misty Higgins, the babys mother, expressed heartbreak over her daughters death, and of witnessing the grief of the two young sons she has with Higgins. Defense attorney David A. Torres stands next to Gregory Higgins as Higgins is sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. Her marriage dissolved and she lost her home. She had to fight to clear her name before regaining custody of her sons. Turning to her faith, she resolved not to become mired in bitterness. She decided to forgive. By leaning on Gods grace and mercy, I have found a peace that surpasses understanding, Misty Higgins said. Judge Eric Bradshaw sentenced admitted baby killer Gregory Higgins to a life term in prison. Police were dispatched on Sept. 15, 2021, to a report of a baby not breathing at a home on Waterbury Drive in northwest Bakersfield. The infant was rushed to a hospital, where doctors found skull fractures and bleeding on her brain, police said in court filings. She died at the hospital days later. Gregory Higgins told police he was home alone with the baby while his wife and sons went to McDonalds. He said he picked up his daughter after she started fussing in her bassinet. The baby gasped and stopped breathing, Higgins said according to court documents. After performing CPR for two minutes he called 911 and received further instructions as emergency responders were dispatched, he said. Later, Higgins told police he bumped the babys head on a glass table a month earlier while removing her from the bassinet, leaving her with what he called a minor injury, according to the documents. Last month, against his attorneys advice, Higgins pleaded guilty to a charge of second-degree murder. Defense lawyer David A. Torres said at the time of the guilty plea that Higgins wanted to spare his family from going through the ordeal of a trial. Higgins is and has been remorseful for his conduct, Torres said. On Thursday, Higgins said hes had plenty of time to reflect on his actions while sitting in jail. I was incredibly blessed with a lovely wife and three beautiful children, and I threw it all away, 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 KGET 17. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) It is under a month until the first day of school and so far no school districts have said they will obey the recent mandate from State School Superintendent Ryan Walters to have a Bible in every class. | READ RECENT STORY > Report: Norman Public Schools will not follow Walters attempted Bible mandate > Wednesday in a back-to-school letter Moore Public Schools announced that they will obey the current regulations for academic standards which include not having a Bible in every class. Effective immediately, all Oklahoma schools are required to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support into the curriculum across specified grade levels, the June 27 memorandum from Walters said. Making teachers teach from the Bible is excessive, and its asking our teachers to do something intimate. Thats why it feels like its crossing a line because faith traditions are intimate, personal, and important to each of us. And its all different and individual eyes asking teachers to teach from a context they might not be familiar with or uncomfortable with because there are lines and places asking way too much, said Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck. Rev. Dr. Fleck is a leader at the Oklahoma Faith Network and has been majorly outspoken since the announced mandate from Superintendent Ryan Walters. I would urge our state superintendent to focus on the education of the children in Oklahoma. We are near the bottom in public education, and this is not how we will improve our childrens outcomes, said Rev. Dr. Fleck. Teaching any specific religious doctrine or practice is not a part of the current standards, the district wrote in the letter. Later Thursday afternoon Bixby Public Schools posted on their website and stated that they will follow the current academic regulations as well. | READ MORE > Oklahoma teacher and local reverend express concerns about Ryan Walters Bible mandate > His (Walters) statement seems to be a tacit acknowledgment that his directive may not pass constitutional muster, wrote the district on its website. Moore and Bixby are the latest districts that came out and said they will not follow the mandate. KFOR reached out to others and heard back from Oklahoma City Public School District who said, Teams are evaluating this new directive while also carefully considering its implications for OKCPS. OKCPS joined Mustang Public Schools Thursday and responded to KFOR when asked if they are mandating a Bible in every classroom. Both districts agreed that they wanted OSDE to explain how to follow the mandate while also not breaking state regulations or laws. So KFOR asked the Spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) Dan Isett to respond to Moore and Bixby having said they wont do it. | BE INFORMED > Can OSDE mandate schools teach the Bible, Supt. announces new requirement > KFOR also asked what directives are there for how schools implement this without breaking state regulations. Anyone that Ive worked with has heard me talk about the rise of Christian nationalism for a while now. I think what were seeing at this moment is a turning point where its not being hidden anymore, its just bluntly being said, said Rev. Dr. Fleck. Christianity is not about power and authority. Its about taking care of one another, uplifting the poor, and standing alongside your neighbor. KFOR also asked what would happen to districts that dont follow the directive. Oklahoma students will be taught history and that includes the influence of the Bible as a founding document. Any school violating the standards will have swift action taken to get them back on track. Several Oklahoma school districts have shown more concern about keeping porn in schools rather than teaching actual history. They may not like it, but they will do it. Supt. Ryan Walters, OSDE According to the academic standards currently in place a Bible is not mandated in the classroom. It is still unclear also if the rule collides with the recent Supreme Court decision leaving book mandates up to the local school districts instead of the State Department of Education. With under a month left until school starts, it is also still unclear what swift action will come to districts that dont obey the mandate among many other questions. In response to the school districts who have said they arent putting a Bible in every classroom, Rev. Dr. Fleck said, I would respond that with support. You know, thats thats something that I cant support enough. The line being drawn that is were not going to teach religious doctrine. What we need to understand, though, is where is that line. Where does historical context become religious doctrine? 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. Jonas Gahr Stre, Prime Minister of Norway, does not anticipate that any US president would stop supporting Ukraine or abandon NATO commitments. Source: Stre in an interview for Bloomberg, as reported by European Pravda Details: Stre made this statement amid growing concern in Europe about a decrease in US support for Ukraine after former US president Donald Trump chose Senator J.D. Vance, who has opposed all such aid, as his vice presidential candidate. Commenting on the idea that Trumps administration could end support for Ukraine, Stre said he did not agree with this prediction. "When you really go into it and you study it and you have responsibility, you will see what is at stake. The idea that you will be all in or all out, I think thats a bit too simplistic," Stre stated. He noted that Europe "has to do more" on defence spending and contributing to regional defence plans. "NATO is a great benefit to all members. I dont see any American president wanting to renounce that. We have to demonstrate to the US and to others the value of this partnership," Stre said. Famously, Trump has often boasted that if he were elected president, he would be able to negotiate a peaceful settlement between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours. But he has refused many times to explain publicly how he would do it. The media have reported that Trump is said to be determined to push Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia to end the war. J.D. Vance, whom Trump has chosen as his running mate, is sceptical about further support for Ukraine and has made it clear in earlier statements that he does not consider Russia a serious threat to Europe. Support UP or become our patron! HUDSONVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) A group of Ottawa County Republican candidates held an event Friday designed to push back against the conservative political action group known as Ottawa Impact. The event was a response to a resolution passed in June by the Ottawa County Republican Party Executive Committee. Organizers of Fridays event described the executive committee as Ottawa Impact-dominated. The Ottawa County GOP committees June resolution is directed toward a recently-formed group called Conservative Ottawa PAC that has endorsed its own candidates different than those endorsed by the county GOP ahead of the August primary. Any organization or group working against the strongest, most conservative Republican candidates is working to weaken the party in Ottawa County which ultimately hurts the citizens of Ottawa County, the Ottawa County GOP resolution reads. It denounce(d) and condemn(ed) Conservative Ottawa PAC as opposition to the Republican Party in Ottawa County and called for the candidates endorsed by Conservative Ottawa to stop running as Republicans, listing 12 of them by name. At Fridays event, several Republican candidates rejected the resolution, saying voters should be the ones to decide who their leaders will be. The candidates said they consider themselves traditional Republicans. We called the conference to respond to and reject their outrageous and hypocritical assertion that we Republican candidates who reject the Ottawa Impact brand of being a Republican to withdraw from this campaign, John Teeples, a Republican candidate for the District 7 seat on the county commission, said. First, know this. We will not withdraw. By state law, Michigan has an open primary where voters choose the eventual nominees. For the sake of the party, party officials never took sides in contested primaries. By tradition, candidates would have it out and voters would decide who best represents the interests of hardworking families in Ottawa County. And when the primary is done, the party unites and supports the eventual nominees, said Jim Barry, a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat on the county commission. However, the Ottawa County bosses think voters cant be trusted to decide who can best represent their own interests. Both Barry and Teeples were named in the resolution. Candidates who spoke at Fridays event also said that the actions of one minority group should not dictate the practices of all local Republicans. 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. The Dodge County GOP Central Committee met June 26 at The Door in downtown Fremont. Scott Eveland, Dodge County Republican Chair, called the meeting to order. Roll call was taken with all county central committee members present. The Committee received a request for endorsement from State Legislative District 15 candidate Roxie Kracl. The motion to endorse Kracl was approved unanimously. The Committee received a request for endorsement from Lisa Schonhoff, candidate for District 3, Nebraska State School Board. The motion to endorse Schonhoff was approved unanimously. Chairman Eveland requested authorization for the chair and County GOP Treasurer Barb Shelton to spend as needed on specific campaign materials to help their Republican candidates. The motion was approved 4-1. Vice-chair Spencer Wilson reminded the committee of the boundary change for its Legislative District 15 which now includes part of Douglas County, namely Valley and the surrounding area. Despite widespread GOP claims of rampant noncitizen voter fraud, federal law bans those without citizenship from voting in presidential elections. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Marcela Rosas immigrated to Southern California from the Mexican state of Michoacan more than a decade ago in search of the American dream. She imagined a life with a house for her three children, educational opportunities and the ability to have a say in her community. There's one cornerstone of American life that Rosas, 52, hasn't been able to access: voting. Without the ability to elect local leaders, Rosas says she feels powerless to push for change that might improve her family's quality of life, citing issues like rising housing costs and local taxes. "If I had the opportunity to vote I could choose the people I want to represent me people who understand my needs and my issues," she said. "Without the right to vote I feel segregated from my community." Rosas is one of thousands living in Santa Ana who could have the chance to vote in local elections by 2028 if city voters in November pass a ballot measure granting noncitizens limited voting power. The measure has drawn intense opposition from locals and organizations who assert that voting is a privilege that should be granted only to citizens. The battle in Santa Ana comes as former President Trump, now the official GOP presidential nominee, and other Republicans nationwide continue to raise the specter of immigrants voting illegally in the United States to alter the outcome of election results in favor of Democrats despite robust election surveillance laws and decades of studies that dispute claims of rampant voter fraud. The issue has come up repeatedly during this week's Republican National Convention, more recently by former presidential candidate and current Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said on Tuesday that a fundamental GOP party value is "we believe you need to be a citizen in order to vote." Noncitizens range from individuals who are permanent residents in the United States to those who are undocumented. It can include those who have work permits, are refugees or are here under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. Depending on the jurisdiction, there are at times certain criteria a noncitizen must meet to be able to vote in local elections. During a news conference in May, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said without evidence that widespread noncitizen voter fraud was "unprecedented and a clear and present danger to the integrity of our election system." "Even if you weren't concerned about the drop boxes and the ballot harvesting of mail-in ballots in 2020 you definitely should be concerned that illegal aliens might be voting in 2024," he said. The Republican-led House passed a bill this month to require proof of citizenship for voter registration, even though federal law already bans noncitizens from voting in presidential elections. Those who break the law and register to vote without citizenship status in federal elections can face imprisonment or deportation. Even so, federal law doesn't restrict states from setting their own local and statewide election rules, which could include allowing noncitizens to vote in limited local elections, like school board or city council races. Read more: Noncitizen voting, already illegal in federal elections, becomes centerpiece of 2024 GOP messaging Fewer than two dozen cities have approved local laws that grant voting authority to noncitizens, according to Ron Hayduk, a political science professor at San Francisco State University who has studied and written books about noncitizen voting rights. No state allows noncitizens to vote in statewide elections. The majority of those cities are in Vermont and Maryland. A handful of jurisdictions in Massachusetts have also passed local noncitizen voting ordinances, though they remain inactive without state approval, Hayduk said. New York City passed a noncitizen voting law in 2021 that a New York judge then struck down as unconstitutional. A federal judge in March rejected a challenge to a Washington, D.C., law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections. In California, San Francisco became the first city to grant noncitizens some voting rights via a 2016 ballot measure called Proposition N. The measure, which went into effect in 2018, granted parents of school children the chance to vote in school board races. Oakland voters approved a similar ballot measure in 2022, though the law has not been enacted. In November, Santa Ana could become the third city that grants noncitizens eligiblity to cast ballots in municipal elections. The ballot measure differs from San Francisco and Oakland's laws, granting noncitizens voting rights in local elections for mayor, council members and ballot measures. Proponents say allowing noncitizens to vote is about parity and giving those who pay taxes and contribute to a community a say in their local government. In Santa Ana, which has a population of more than 310,000, there are about 5,600 Vietnamese residents and 64,000 Latinos who are not U.S. citizens, according to Tracy La, the co-founder and executive director of VietRISE. "There's a lot of people worrying about the state of our democracy in this country and whether democracy is under attack, but for us what we really care about is how can it be a true democracy if there are so many people in our community that can't actually vote," La said. The rules around who can vote and for what race vary across the country, Hayduk said. Some are limited to school board races, while others apply more generally to citywide elections. Some local jurisdictions require voters to be legal permanent residents or have work permits, while others allow any noncitizen to cast a ballot. But the idea by Trump and other Republicans that immigrants are voting carte blanche and that Democrats are using those ballots to sway elections is a myth that has been "roundly debunked by study after study," Hayduk said. Not only are national and statewide election laws extremely stringent, experts say, but immigrants have a lot to lose putting their names on government records. Read more: Many O.C. residents deny Trump election results, potentially swaying key races, poll finds Many states, like California, allow charter cities to create their own election regulations to enfranchise noncitizen voters, Joshua Douglas, a law professor at the University of Kentucky who has studied local voting rights under state constitutions, explained in an email to The Times. "Doing so does not violate the U.S. Constitution as there's nothing in the Constitution that forbids the practice, and it does not violate the state constitution in states with state constitutional language that sets a floor for voter eligibility," he said, adding that it often boils down to whether state constitutional language authorizes "every citizen" to vote, or "only a citizen." A wave of states in recent years have passed constitutional amendments to make it explicit that only citizens can vote, and several others, including Kentucky and North Carolina, will put the question before voters on November's ballot. Even in states that allow the practice, there are typically restrictions around how and when noncitizens gain access to the ballot. To vote in San Francisco school board races, noncitizen voters have to prove they are of legal voting age, a resident of the city and that they are the parent, guardian or caregiver of a school-age child. San Francisco City Atty. David Chiu, who played an instrumental role in getting the ballot measure passed first as a civil rights lawyer and later during his tenure in the state Assembly, said the law is critical to ensuring all parents "have a say in the direction of their childrens' education, regardless of citizenship." Chiu said there are strict rules governing how noncitizens vote in San Francisco to ensure the program fully protects election integrity. Noncitizen voters receive special ballots that only include school board candidates, and they have to reenroll in the program after every election. "I am not aware of a single incident of a noncitizen casting an illegal ballot in San Francisco," Chiu said. "These (voter fraud) claims are simply not based in reality...and I would also say they misunderstand the operational aspects of current voting programs that protect election integrity." Chiu later defended Proposition N as city attorney against a lawsuit filed by a conservative legal group seeking to block the law. A San Francisco Superior Court judge initially ruled the law had violated the state Constitution, before an appeals court overturned that decision and allowed the program to continue. The ruling also applied to Oakland's law, which faced a similar legal challenge. Attorney and conservative pundit James Lacy, who led the lawsuits in San Francisco and Oakland, filed another lawsuit in May challenging language used in Santa Ana's ballot measure. "If we possess anything important in our citizenship, it's the ability to vote and to participate in the body politic of our localities in our nation," Lacy said. "When a noncitizen is allowed to vote, it diminishes the value of citizenship. It dilutes the vote of all citizens." Read more: Inside the far-right plan to use civil rights law to disrupt the 2024 election The impact of the noncitizen voting laws remains unclear. In 2018, only 65 noncitizen residents registered to vote in San Francisco's school board election, and 59 turned in ballots, according to the city's Department of Elections. Those numbers dropped to 36 registered voters in 2020, with 31 ballots cast. When three San Francisco school board were removed from office in a February 2022 recall election, registered noncitizen voters swelled to 328, and 235 people voted. Registration numbers dropped dramatically for another election that fall. Noncitizen ballots in the last four school board elections accounted for a fraction of the more than 1.3 million total votes cast. Up until 1926, noncitizen voting was commonplace in most states, Hayduk said. Citizenship mattered less than other societal markers of success, such as race, gender and class, meaning white male landowners, regardless of citizenship status, usually had access to the ballot box. "This idea that the vote is eternal, it's always been fixed, is incorrect," he said. "It's evolving. Democracy is evolving." 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. North Little Rock asking for the publics help in catching copper wire thieves NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The city of North Little Rock is asking for the publics help in catching copper thieves. A Thursday release from the city said it is currently offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the thieves arrest. Officials said copper thefts have already caused thousands of dollars in damage, predominantly in the downtown area. Thefts of charging cables pose yet another obstacle to appeal of electric vehicles Officials said the damage comes from thieves stealing what amounts to a few dollars worth of copper, as thieves were stealing mostly from street lights in the downtown area. A city spokesperson said the methods the thieves are using to gather the wire were very unsafe. Areas already targeted include Dickey Stephens Park, the RV Park at Burns Park, Riverfront Drive behind the seawall, 4th and Palm Street, 7th and Cedar Street and Washington Ave & Main Street. AT&T offers $5,000 for information that leads to a conviction in Jefferson County copper thefts Anyone with information is asked to call the North Little Rock Police tip line at 501-680-8439. 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. A North Texas mom who pleaded guilty in January to poisoning her child with Benadryl to fake a seizure disorder was arrested Wednesday on bond violation charges, according to a Tarrant County arrest warrant. This marks the second time this year shes been arrested for allegedly violating the conditions of her bond. Since July 2022, Jesika Lynn Jones, 32, of Krum, was ordered by a Tarrant County judge as part of her bond to refrain from having contact with any child under the age of 17. She was first arrested on July 13, 2022, on a charge of injury to a child causing bodily injury. In 2022, Jones admitted to the Tarrant County Sheriffs Office that she gave her 4-year-old daughter Benadryl more times than I should have and took her to Cook Childrens Medical Center in Fort Worth, claiming she had a seizure disorder, according to an arrest warrant. In September 2022, she faced additional charges of injury to a child and endangerment to a child. That warrant says she poisoned her children with medications like Clonidine and Benadryl to induce seizures and make it appear as if the children were epileptic. An ex-partner who used to live with Jones told authorities her behavior was indicative of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a condition in which a caretaker often a mother fakes symptoms in someone else usually a child. According to the latest warrant, authorities said Jones made contact multiple times with the daughter of a man who she had recently been in a romantic relationship with. Alleged violations of her bond conditions In an interview on Wednesday, a man told the Tarrant County Sheriffs Office that he met Jones several weeks ago on a dating site and met her in person at a community pool on July 11 in Krum. It was there where Jones came into contact with the mans daughter and she formed an immediate attachment to the child, the warrant says. Jones was alone with the child for at least five minutes when the man left the two unattended, according to the warrant. In the interview, the man said he was unaware of Jones criminal charges and she had never discussed the matter with him. Jones also accompanied the man to his daughters doctor appointment Monday, where the child was getting her tonsils out. Jones had been with the girl inside his home, as well, the warrant says. She told the man that she worked as a trauma nurse at John Peter Smith Hospital, according to the warrant. More top stories from our newsroom: 2 women kidnapped, robbed at gunpoint at Trinity Trails Microsoft tech outage causes flight delays, other problems Tarrant County cuts ties with juvenile offender program [Get our breaking news alerts.] She had lied multiple times before about being a nurse, according to a Tarrant County sheriffs detective. In other instances, Jones previously wrote on Facebook stating she was a nurse. She also used the social media website to say she was a mother of multiple children with epilepsy, according to court documents. After the child had her tonsils taken out, the mans mother observed Jones giving the girl liquid medication, according to the warrant. Jones asked the mans mother if she could take the child with her on a trip to Florida in August, even if the girls father could not go, the warrant says. Jones also lied to her most recent partner about her two children, saying they had epilepsy and that they were with their father for the summer, according to the warrant. She said she had primary custody of the children and would get her children back in August, the warrant states. She has not had custody of her children since her arrest in 2022, according to the Sheriffs Office. Jones has been out on bond since March 2024, when she was first arrested on a charge of violating the conditions of her bond. The March arrest warrant states that Jones lied to another man she dated in 2022 to 2023, also telling him that her children had epilepsy. Additionally, the man was unaware of her arrest and criminal history. When he did confront Jones about the injury to a child charge, she minimized the events of her arrest, the warrant reads. In one instance, Jones acted strangely and told the man she had to leave and return to Fort Worth when he brought his three children home with him to meet her, according to the warrant. She was with his three boys for at least five to 15 minutes before she left his home, the documents state. This was not the only time she was alone with them, according to the warrant. When the man took one of his sons to a dentist appointment, Jones medicated another one of the children, the warrant says. Jones told the same lies about being a nurse to the mans ex-wife the mother of his children and another woman he had a child with, the warrant says. The man did not learn about Jones criminal history until the Tarrant County sheriffs detective informed him in March 2023. Ms. Jones has been allowed to remain on bond pending a sentencing hearing even though she continually violates bond conditions without a bond revocation hearing being sought, Detective Michael Weber wrote in the warrant issued Wednesday. Tarrant County court records show Jones will be sentenced on Aug. 9. The hearing has been postponed twice this year. Ms Jones will be a continued threat to the children of the Dallas/Fort Worth area if again allowed to bond out after pleading guilty to injury to a child - serious bodily injury, Weber wrote in the warrant. Court records showed Jones was in custody at the Denton County Jail on Friday. (FOX40.COM) A man from Northern California was arrested after deputies and officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife found over 1,000 illegally grown marijuana plants, which are estimated to be worth between $250,000 and $400,000, across three grow houses in Calaveras County. The Calaveras County Sheriffs Office said the man, a 32-year-old from Modesto, was cited for multiple charges related to the operation. Deputies said they also discovered numerous violations for pollution, littering, and water diversion near the grow houses. Video Above: How much money do states make on marijuana sales? On July 11, around 8:30 a.m., deputies worked with the CDFW to execute a search warrant on Lakeview Road in Valley Springs. Over 2,000 lbs of illegal cannabis grow waste found in Northern Californias largest state park The Calaveras County Sheriffs Office handed the warrant over to their Marijuana Enforcement Team and the unit began combing through the three houses to get rid of the illegal marijuana, locating about 1,008 actively growing plants. The estimated street value of the eradicated plants ranges from $252,000 to $403,200, the sheriffs office said. The CDFWs biologists were on site to handle the other environmental violations, the sheriffs office added. Other agencies that supported the sheriffs office in disrupting the illegal marijuana operation were Homeland Security Investigations and Calaveras County Code Compliance. The Calaveras County Sheriffs Office is committed to its efforts to combat illegal marijuana cultivation and the associated crimes. To report any illegal marijuana activities, please call the Calaveras County Sheriffs Office tip line at 209-754-6870, the agency 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 FOX40. Northern Ky. lawyer indicted, accused of stealing money from estates of women who had died An attorney from Campbell County has been indicted after being accused of stealing from the estates of two women who died. Jennifer Zaccheus-Miller, 40, was indicted on two felony counts of theft by unlawful taking or disposition over $10,000 but under $1 million, the Kentucky attorney generals office announced Friday. A Campbell County grand jury indicted Zaccheus-Miller Thursday, according to the AGs office. Zaccheus-Miller, of the California community, is scheduled to be arraigned in Campbell Circuit Court July 30, court records show. She was admitted to the Kentucky Bar Association in 2018, according to the associations website. Cincinnati television station WXIX reported in May that Zaccheus-Miller was reported missing after she didnt show up for a court appearance, but she was later found by Kentucky State Police near Red River Gorge in Powell County and arrested. In one case, Zaccheus-Miller was acting as an executor of an estate and allegedly took $26,000 from it that she was not entitled to, according to television station WLWT. Not capable: 7 Massachusetts state senators urge President Biden to withdraw from 2024 race President Joe Biden coasted through this years primaries with members of his party united around him. But with the nominating convention scheduled for one month from Friday in Chicago, support for Biden is fragmenting and hes hearing from more and more elected Democrats that they want him to exit this years presidential contest. President Bidens campaign chair acknowledges support slippage but says hes staying in the race Selecting a new Democratic presidential nominee will inject badly needed excitement and grassroots energy into the party and its voters, especially young people, seven Massachusetts state senators wrote in a statement released at 9:55 p.m. Thursday, as Republicans united around former President Donald Trump and he accepted his third consecutive nomination for president at the GOP convention in Milwaukee. The statement was issued by Sens. Jo Comerford of Northampton, Jamie Eldridge of Marlborough, Paul Feeney of Foxborough, Pat Jehlen of Somerville, John Keenan of Quincy, Jason Lewis of Winchester, and Michael Moore of Millbury. Lewis has previously called for Biden to withdraw, citing his performance in a debate with Trump, which Gov. Maura Healey at the time called tough to watch. The senators cited polling results and Bidens stamina and effectiveness as among the reasons he should withdraw. Most Americans, including the majority of Democrats, now believe that President Biden is not capable of vigorously campaigning and serving as president for another four years, they wrote. He is unable to effectively prosecute the case against Donald Trump, who represents a grave threat to the future of this country and the world. They continued: President Biden has consistently lagged behind Donald Trump in national and battleground state polls for months, and now reliable polls are even showing competitive races in blue states like Virginia and Minnesota. A growing number of Democratic congressional leaders are deeply concerned that if President Biden remains at the top of the ticket, MAGA Republicans will control the presidency and both houses of Congress. This would be catastrophic for Massachusetts and our entire nation. The statement did not mention Vice President Kamala Harris or otherwise recommend an alternative candidate, but the senators said that choosing someone at the Aug. 19-22 convention would give that candidate plenty of time to launch and execute a winning campaign before the Nov. 5 election. That approach would likely pose a challenge for state election officials charged with presenting ballots to the voters. Biden, who beat Trump in 2020 to knock him out of the Oval Office, acknowledged the concerns about his own debate performance but defended his abilities during a June 29 campaign reception in East Hampton, New York. I would not be running again if I didnt believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job, Biden said at the reception. I know 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 heres what I also know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job. And I know how to get things done. And I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get kicked down, you get back up. And were back up. During an interview with the News Service this week, Secretary of State William Galvin discussed Bidens pledged convention delegates and the challenge of selecting a new presidential nominee this late in the election process. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW 'Not what Milwaukee is about': People seek out events unaffiliated with RNC Chloe Longmire, owner and founder of Chase My Creations, at the Great Milwaukee Block Party makers' market on July 18. Two miles south of the Republican National Convention, Milwaukee residents trickled into The Cooperage for an event offering a break from the nonstop politics taking over downtown. More than a dozen local artists and business owners set up booths with their merchandise, while a DJ spun music for the attendees. The free event was hosted by the Great MKE Block Party, which has been producing events to connect the Milwaukee community in acts of joyful rebellion during the week of the RNC, according to the groups social media. Vendor Liz Koetting, who co-edits a quarterly zine titled This Is A Zine for Queer Professionals, said shes been seeking out events and spaces unaffiliated with the RNC throughout the week. Apprehensions about the event have brought her circle of LGBTQ+ Milwaukeeans closer together, she said. People in my community are stressed about people who vote against our rights coming into our city, Koetting said. It makes the city feel like not a safe space. Devin Billingslea, a volunteer with the Great MKE Block Party, said the group curated over 50 events during the past week, including drag shows, karaoke, markets and fashion shows, with the ultimate goal of providing Milwaukeeans a safe, joyful place to escape the intensity of the convention. Two attendees, cousins Kylie and Maureen McFadden, said they've been avoiding downtown and the RNC. They showed up to bring business to a part of town they love, knowing that most around the city aren't getting the increased business promised by local officials. Alicia Clark sells laser cut jewelry and sun catchers as Lux Candela Studio. They weaved between a number of vendor booths set up, including Alicia Clark's booth, selling laser cut jewelry and sun catchers under the brand Lux Candela Studio. Clark said she plans to donate a portion of her proceeds to Street Angels, a local group that supports Milwaukee Countys unhoused population. Shes received enough donations to contribute $22 to the organization for every purchase at her station. The events of Tuesday when five police officers from Ohio shot and killed a man living in a tent encampment near downtown are fresh in her mind. Because the unhoused population has been so affected by the RNC in so many ways, between displacements and disconnection from resources, I thought they could use some extra help this week," she said. Abstract art vendors Sue McVey and her wife Tracy Apps participated in the Coalition to March on the RNC's protest earlier in the week, particularly in support of the Palestinian people, LGBTQ+ communities and abortion rights. "I really love the joyful rebellion because everything is really heavy right now," Apps said. Abstract art vendor Sue McVey was draped in a Palestinian flag. At The Cooperage, McVey was clad in a dress showcasing the Palestinian flag. Chloe Longmire, owner and founder of Chase My Creations, also said she sought out RNC counter-programming in the spirit of protest, since she was out of town during larger protests earlier this week. Longmires business creates social justice apparel with slogans like Pro Roe AF and Take a Hike Racists. I know how unsafe and unsettled a lot of people, especially Black people, feel with the RNC being in town, Longmire said. But the RNC is not what Milwaukee is about. Being anti-racist, speaking up for marginalized groups this is what Milwaukee is all about. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee residents seek out events unaffiliated with RNC FILE - Law enforcement officers work at the campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is empty and littered with debris Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. On Friday, July 19, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming a law enforcement sniper assigned to Trumps rally says the head of the Secret Service ordered him not to shoot the suspect accused of attempting to assassinate Trump.(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out." ___ Online posts falsely claim a sharpshooter was told not to fire on the suspect in Trump shooting CLAIM: A law enforcement sniper assigned to former President Donald Trumps rally Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, says the head of the Secret Service ordered him not to shoot the suspect accused of attempting to assassinate Trump. THE FACTS: Snipers killed the suspected shooter moments after he opened fire on the former president, bloodying Trumps ear, killing one rally attendee and injuring two. The Secret Service and the Butler Police Department said they have no agents, officers or employees with the name of the person claiming to be the sharpshooter. Following Saturdays attempt on Trumps life, a poster on the online message board 4chan wrote that they were a sniper assigned to the rally, and that they can be seen in a photo of two law enforcement officers on the roof at the rally. My name is Jonathan Willis, the poster wrote. I came here to inform the public that I had the assassin in my sights for at least 3 minutes, but the head of the secret service refused to give the order to take out the perp. 100% the top brass prevented me from killing the assassin before he took the shots at president Trump, the post claimed. But there is no agent or officer by the name of Jonathan Willis working for the Secret Service or the Butler police, and no internet records of such an officer could be located. A spokesman for the Secret Service said snipers are trained and instructed to act whenever they see a threat, and do not await instructions before taking a shot to neutralize a suspect. He said he couldnt discuss the specifics of agency communication or the details of the ongoing investigation but said the post was false. Witnesses at the rally alerted law enforcement to the suspect, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, after they saw him perched atop a nearby roof. A local law enforcement officer climbed to the roof and found Crooks, who pointed the rifle at the officer. The officer retreated down the ladder, and the gunman quickly fired toward Trump, officials said. Thats when U.S. Secret Service gunmen shot him. - Associated Press writer David Klepper in Washington contributed this report. ___ Trump falsely claims babies can be seen to change radically after vaccination " CLAIM: A vaccination that is like 38 different vaccines and it looks like its meant for a horse" is being given to babies, making them start to change radically, former President and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in a phone call to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. THE FACTS: There are no 38-disease shots. Babies or toddlers may get four or five vaccinations during a check-up to protect them against dangerous and deadly diseases. The American Academy of Pediatricians is adamant that a handful of vaccines does not overwhelm a healthy tots immune system. After all, babies immune systems are strong enough to handle the huge number of everyday germs they encounter. In an excerpt of a recent conversation between Trump and Kennedy posted online, Trump suggested vaccines given to children to protect them from disease are harmful. He also exaggerated the number of vaccines given to children and he falsely claimed they lead to sudden, visible changes. A vaccination that is like 38 different vaccines and it looks like its meant for a horse, not a, you know, 10-pound or 20-pound baby and then you see the baby all of a sudden starting to change radically. Ive seen it too many times. And then you hear that it doesnt have an impact, right? Trump said in the call. Childhood vaccines train youngsters bodies to recognize and fight off viruses and bacteria they havent yet been exposed to diseases that tend to be especially dangerous at young ages. Theyre approved for use only after rigorous testing for safety and effectiveness. Then they get more scrutiny as each year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the pediatrics group review the childhood immunization schedule which shots to give at which age. Full protection generally requires more than one dose and delaying a shot can leave a child at risk of getting sick before theyre back on track. Vaccines prevent an estimated 3.5 million to 5 million deaths every year, according to the World Health Organization, nearly eliminating many once-common diseases in regions where vaccines are easily accessible. Common combination vaccines fight a few diseases in one jab measles, mumps and rubella, the MMR shot, or diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis or whooping cough, called DTaP. Multiple vaccinations are given together only if that, too, has been proven safe, whether its separate shots in one visit or the three-in-one combo. ___ A photo that appears to show Trumps ear with no damage after the attempted assassination is actually from 2022 CLAIM: A photo taken on Monday shows former President Donald Trump with no damage to his right ear, contrary to reports that it was injured in an attempted assassination on Saturday. THE FACTS: False. The photo was taken on Sept. 17, 2022, at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, for then-U.S. Senate candidate JD Vance. Trump appeared at the Republican National Convention Monday night with a large, white bandage on his right ear. Myriad photos show his ear bloodied after a shooter opened fire at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, over the weekend. THE FACTS: Social media users are sharing the old photo as new, with some falsely presenting it as evidence that Trump was not injured by the gunfire. The top part of his ear grew back, reads one X post from Monday night that had received approximately 40,000 likes and 14,700 shares as of Thursday. (Yes. This is from today) Another X post from Monday night states: This image of Trump was taken today. There is absolutely nothing wrong with his ear, and it has zero damage, FROM A BULLET. Everything about Trump is a con or a grift. It received approximately 26,000 likes and 8,700 shares. But the photo was taken nearly two years ago. It is from a Sept. 17, 2022, rally in Youngstown, Ohio, for Vance during his Senate campaign. The image appeared in multiple articles published around that time. Trump chose Vance, now a U.S. senator, as his running mate on Monday. The version spreading online is cropped to show only Trump and is zoomed in to show the former presidents ear more clearly. In the original, Vance can be seen speaking at a podium while Trump stands behind him. Trump appeared at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Monday night with a large, white bandage on his right ear. Numerous photos from the aftermath of the shooting show the same ear bloodied. Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old nursing-home employee from suburban Pittsburgh, fired multiple shots at Trump with an AR-style rifle from a nearby roof at a rally for the Republican nominee on Saturday. He was killed by Secret Service personnel, officials said. The attempted assassination left Trump and two other men wounded. Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old fire chief, was killed while protecting his family. The FBI said it was investigating the attack as a potential act of domestic terrorism, but has not identified a clear ideological motive, The Associated Press has reported. - Associated Press writer Melissa Goldin in New York contributed this report. ___ No, Starbucks was not a sponsor of the Republican National Convention CLAIM: Starbucks is sponsoring the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. THE FACTS: Starbucks is providing coffee and other beverages to first responders at five RNC venues through a partnership with the Milwaukee 2024 Host Committee, according to a spokesperson for the company. It is not providing a cash sponsorship of any kind. The company has a similar partnership planned with the Chicago 2024 Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention in August, the spokesperson said. Both host committees are nonpartisan, nonprofit entities that serve as liaisons between the Republican or Democratic National Committee, respectively, as well as each conventions host city and state. Social media users are claiming that Starbucks, known for taking strong positions in support of progressive political issues, is sponsoring the RNC. After years of identifying as a progressive employer, Starbucks is now sponsoring the Republican National Convention, read one X post that had received approximately 13,000 likes and more than 5,800 shares as of Wednesday. Another X post, with approximately 6,000 likes and more than 1,300 shares simply stated: Starbucks sponsoring the RNC is wild. Both posts had been deleted as of Thursday. Many users have also called for a boycott of the company in response to the alleged sponsorship, often along with the hashtag #BoycottStarbucks. But Starbucks is not providing the RNC with a cash sponsorship of any kind, Jaci Anderson, a spokesperson for the company, told The Associated Press. Rather, it is providing coffee at five RNC venues to first responders who are working at the RNC in an official capacity. That includes groups such as EMTs, firefighters and the National Guard. Starbucks has partnered with the Milwaukee 2024 Host Committee not the Republican National Committee to deliver this service. The latter is a partisan committee that organizes and runs the convention, while the former acts as a nonpartisan liaison between the city of Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin and the Republican National Committee. Responsibilities of the host committee include signing contracts, securing venues and working with local leaders to prepare Milwaukee to host the convention, according to its website. The Federal Election Commission describes the primary purpose of a host committee as the encouragement of commerce in the convention city and the projection of a favorable image of the city to convention attendees. In contrast, it states that a convention committee represents a political party in making arrangements for that partys convention to nominate a candidate for the office of President and Vice President. Anderson added that Starbucks has a similar partnership planned with the Chicago 2024 Host Committee, as opposed to the Democratic National Committee, for the Democratic National Convention next month. In addition to first responders, this partnership will also provide coffee and other beverages to volunteers. Our support of first responders and volunteers at the conventions is an extension of our ongoing commitment to the communities where we operate which includes Milwaukee and Chicago, she wrote. - Melissa Goldin ___ Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck Video above: Sneaky alligator caught hiding under shopping cart at Publix TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Alligators and bears, oh my! A few days after the North Port Police Department warned residents to stay vigilant due to a black bear sighting, authorities are now urging homeowners to be mindful of wandering gators. The reminder comes after a 7-foot alligator moseyed on up into a garage in the Gran Paradiso neighborhood. Notice anything odd? the police department said. Its Florida and its that time of the year. Be sure to be cautious around your property & dont leave doors open. Never know what could come in or what could get out! Photo courtesy of the North Port Police Department The gator was found lounging between a step stool and a bicycle. The FWC shared the following tips to ensure Floridians and visitors safety around alligators: Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator. If someone is concerned about an alligator, they should call the FWCs Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-392-4286. Keep pets on a leash and away from the waters edge. Only swim in designated swimming areas during daylight hours without your pet as alligators are most active between dusk and dawn. Never feed an alligator it is illegal and dangerous. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. NVs total number of jobs grew in June, but so did unemployment (Photo: Ronda Churchill/Nevada Current) Nevada saw job growth in June, but the state also saw a slight increase in unemployment. On Thursday, the Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) announced that while the Nevada labor force grew by about 2,300 in June, unemployment in Nevada also increased to 5.2%. Similar to national trends, this months report for Nevada shows ongoing employment growth and a slight increase in the states unemployment rate, said David Schmidt, DETRs chief economist, in a statement. The rise of unemployment is the result of a decrease in jobs across several sectors. Government, for example, saw a decrease of 1,500 jobs over June, and Professional and Business Services saw a decrease of 1,400. However, a gain of about 3,500 jobs in the Leisure and Hospitality industry, and growth in the construction sector, counteracted many of those losses. Construction employment rose significantly, growing by more than 11% over the year while wholesale and retail trade each were down by about 1%, Schmidt said. Most of the June job losses were centered in the Las Vegas metro area, which experienced a decrease equivalent to 2,000 jobs in June. Nevadas capital, Carson City, also saw a decrease of about 100 jobs. Meanwhile, the Reno metro area saw an increase of 600 jobs. The rise in unemployment is a reverse of job gains made in May, when Nevadas oft-held title as the state with the worst unemployment rate in the nation was snatched by Californias 5.3% unemployment rate. National state comparisons unemployment comparisons for June are not yet available. Still, Nevada has seen steady monthly job growth since pandemic closures helped Nevada go from having its lowest recorded unemployment rate of 3.6% in February 2020 to having the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 30%. Hourly wages rose at a slightly faster pace this month while average hours worked held steady. Overall, trends in the labor market remained largely stable in June, Schmidt said. Nevada had the nations third highest over-the-year employment growth for the month of May at 3.3%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ahead of Nevada were Alaska and South Carolina, both at 3.5%. The rise in unemployment also led to an increase in unemployment claims in the state. Unemployment insurance claims filed in Nevada rose by 6.8%, from 10,924 in May to 11,663 in June. The state also saw an increase of 16.3% in the number of weeks unemployment was claimed. However, the total number of weeks paid out slightly decreased from 79,325 to 79,036, a difference of 289 weeks. China provides action plans for global development: experts Xinhua) 08:29, July 19, 2024 CAIRO, July 18 (Xinhua) -- China, as a responsible major country and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has provided action plans for world peace and development, including the Middle East issue, Egyptian experts have said. The experts made the remarks at a seminar on "China and Middle East Peace" in Cairo on Tuesday, which was held by the Egyptian think tank Global Forum for Future Studies (GFFS) and attended by Egyptian government officials, party leaders, and former politicians. The initiatives proposed by China in recent years are aimed at achieving common development and peace among countries in the world, said Tariq Naseer, secretary-general of Egypt's Homat Al Watan Party and chairman of GFFS. China's new development philosophy could help regional countries and people achieve development to deal with crises, Naseer stressed. Noha Hader, a senior official for East Asian affairs at the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign, Emigration and Expatriates' Affairs, said that China has always been committed to achieving development in the Middle East and improving people's well-being, which has laid a solid foundation for regional peace and stability. Egypt is willing to work with China to resolve various crises in the Middle East, achieve peace, and stop war, she added. "Development is an indispensable factor in achieving peace. Without development, there is no way to talk about peace and stability in the Middle East," said Mohammed al-Orabi, former Egyptian foreign minister. Al-Orabi, also chairman of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, added that China has played a very important role in promoting development, and Middle Eastern countries need to learn from China's wisdom and solutions. For his part, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang reiterated China's position and proposition on the Middle East issue, calling for an immediate ceasefire to prevent the expansion of conflicts and effective implementation of the "two-state solution" to promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) The announcement landed with a thud in two rural communities in upstate New York. After months of deliberation, state officials had picked the latest targets in a cascade of prison closures since 2011: Sullivan Correctional Facility in the Catskills and Great Meadow Correctional Facility in the Adirondacks. Both will close in November after the inmates are moved to other facilities and workers are offered transfers to other sites. The state could have closed as many as five, so the impact was smaller than it might have been. But that was no consolation when the news hit on Thursday. Both affected communities had relied on the prisons for decades as valued employers with hundreds of good-paying jobs in sparsely populated areas where such opportunities are scarce. "I cannot overstate the impact this closure will have on the town of Fallsburg," town Supervisor Michael Bensimon said of the Sullivan Correctional closing in an interview on Friday. He lamented that state officials had given local leaders no chance to scrutinize how they reached their decision and argue against it. And he said alerting the prison's 371 employees 90 days before the closing left them too little to time to decide whether to uproot their families, especially those with children that would have to change schools, Bensimon said. "Those guards, those staff members are intrinsically part of our community," he said. NY prison closures follow plunge in incarcerated population Prison towns across the state have reacted in similar ways with each wave of closures, which began after New York repealed harsh drug sentencing rules from the 1970s and the number of offenders behind bars went into a nose dive. Seven prisons shut their doors in 2011. Another four followed in 2014. Six more closed in 2022. The closing of the two maximum-security facilities identified on Thursday will lower the state prison total to 42, down from a peak of 71 in the 1990s. In the meantime, the total prison population has dropped by 57% from its peak of 72,649 in 1999, and now stands at 32,465. State officials say they considered proximity to other prisons in choosing their latest two closures. And both, it turns out, have medium-security prisons right next to them: Sullivan is paired with Woodbourne Correctional Facility, and Great Meadow is next to Washington Correctional Facility. The neighboring prisons may offer easy transfers for at least some employees. But not nearly enough, argues Dan Stec, the state senator for the area near Lake George where Great Meadow is located. He points out the prison employs 650, but only 50 jobs are available at nearby Washington Correctional. (The state cited a lower staffing number of 559 at Great Meadow.) "That means that nearly 600 jobs and families are likely leaving our community," Stec said in a statement, part of a barrage of angry reactions from Republican lawmakers. "This is a devastating social and economic blow to the area." In this 2018 file photo, Gov. Andrew M.Cuomo tours the Great Meadow Correctional Facility in Comstock, Washington County. In March 2020, the prison's inmates began producing hand sanitizer there amid a coronavirus outbreak. Why is NY closing prisons? The closures are explained partly as a cost-saving measure for taxpayers. Fewer inmates means fewer total beds are needed, enabling the state to close prisons they no longer need. As a result, the state saves $442 million a year on the 24 sites it closed from 2011 to 2022, the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision estimated last year. How much more could be saved from the two latest closures is unclear; a DOCCS spokesman didn't respond to that question on Friday. Also driving the closures was a national problem: dire staffing shortages in prisons and jails. State officials say they're grappling with vacant positions by consolidating workers in fewer buildings. Last round: NY is closing 6 prisons Thursday. What will it mean for local economies? "Across the country, correctional agencies continue to struggle to meet staffing demands, and the Department is no exception, despite new and aggressive recruitment efforts," the DOCCS statement on Thursday read. "The closure of the two facilities will help ensure the safe and efficient operation of the system by utilizing staff more effectively, and operating programs in a safe manner." The state budget approved by lawmakers in April authorized the state to close up to five prisons, as Gov. Kathy Hochul had requested. In announcing Thursday that they chose only two, state officials said others may follow "if we do not see an increase in recruitment." Inmates at the Great Meadow Correctional Facility who work for Corcraft make cleaning solutions and vehicle maintenance chemicals. The union representing state correction officers blasted the closure decision, calling it a short-sighted solution and saying it could put officers at risk. Plunging staff counts and rising inmate numbers in the last year already "has led to increased attacks on staff and created unsafe working conditions," the union said "The State of New York needs to take bold and creative action to fix the staffing issue that is creating low morale and pushing members to their limits," said Chris Summers, president of the New York City Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association. What will become of the NY prisons? Once they close in November, Sullivan Correctional and Great Meadow will join a growing inventory of empty prisons on the state's hands, many situated on sprawling tracts of vacant land. Two years ago, a special advisory commission empaneled by the state issued a report recommending ways to redevelop 12 of those properties. Those redevelopment visions have since aligned with one of Hochul's top priorities: speeding housing construction across the state. High hopes: From prison to pot hub: How Warwick turned a closed prison into a business campus Hochul has vowed to used state-owned properties, including closed prisons, to aid that push. And in June, she announced plans to give the former Downstate Correction Facility in Dutchess County one of six prisons to close in 2022 to a developer to build a giant apartment complex with up to 1,300 units on 80 acres. No plans have been announced for selling or redeveloping Sullivan Correctional and Great Meadow. Once the two prisons close, DOCCS will work with two other state agencies Empire State Development and the Office of General Services to determine their future use. Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal News and USA Today Network. Reach him at cmckenna@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: 2 more NY prisons closing in rural areas. How many have closed so far? This article was originally published in Chalkbeat. New York City, the nations largest school system, is considering a plan to ban cellphones in its roughly 1,600 schools starting in February, according to several principals briefed on the possible policy. Schools would have to come up with their own policies, principals told Chalkbeat, whether they collect devices at the start of the day or have students carry their phones in Yondr pouches, cloth cases for phones that are locked with a magnet from morning to dismissal. Even though such systems can be pricey, school leaders dont expect to receive extra money in their budgets, principals said, according to the plans shared with them. The principals spoke on the condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to speak to the media. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter When asked to confirm the preliminary plans, Department of Education spokesperson Nathaniel Styer wrote, No decisions have been made yet! For collecting phones, schools might need to buy cubbies or other storage equipment, plus they need staffing. (Some school leaders have wanted to steer clear of collecting phones, worried about liability issues for lost devices.) Yondr pouches cost about $25 to $30 per student, with pricing varying depending on school size, a company spokesperson previously told Chalkbeat. Related Exclusive: Sales Skyrocket for Phone Pouch Company as In-School Bans Spread Schools Chancellor David Banks has been talking with principals across the five boroughs about cellphones, and said that they overwhelmingly want a citywide policy. Gov. Kathy Hochul is also planning to announce a statewide school cellphone policy this year. School leaders have been able to set their own cellphone policies since 2015, when former Mayor Bill de Blasio lifted the school cellphone ban largely due to equity issues: Students in schools with metal detectors, which largely serve low-income families, were forced to pay local businesses $1 a day or more to store their phones before they entered school. Nearly 10 years ago, however, cellphones were not as ubiquitous, especially for younger kids, and teens werent glued to social media apps like Instagram and TikTok. They didnt have easy-to-hide AirPods. And their parents werent calling their kids as often. Related NYC Parents Sound Off About Plan to Ban Cellphones in Schools As a result, the citys schools have a patchwork of policies that many teachers say are difficult to enforce. Educators at schools where phones are already collected or put in pouches say those systems are not foolproof, but they at least appreciate the clear message to students. At schools with a cellphone ban on paper, teachers say the onus is on them to enforce, and enforcement can vary classroom to classroom, leading to confusion among students. A growing chorus of educators, experts, and politicians have been raising the alarm more recently about the negative impacts of cellphones on youth mental health and how they take away from learning time. A growing number of school districts are banning cellphones, including Los Angeles, the nations second largest district, which has until January to implement a new policy. One principal voiced concern about New York Citys possible February timeline, worried that starting a major new policy midyear could prove challenging to implement. But this principal also said there wasnt enough time to implement a ban by September. The amount of money it takes to successfully collect, secure, and distribute around 700 phones every day is staggering, a school administrator said in response to a Chalkbeat survey about cellphones. Before this school collected phones, the administrator said, teachers were consumed with battles over keeping phones from disrupting class time. Administrators were spending an inordinate amount of time responding to cellphone issues. Student conflicts that the school previously could have mediated were instead being inflamed by social media. But the administrator warned that students addictive connections to their devices could create conflict when they are forced to surrender or get back their phones each day. The system requires a coordinated approach and an empathetic staff who can de-escalate charged emotions. Deborah Alexander, a parent leader who sits on the Citywide Council for High Schools, said her parent board recently met with Education Department officials, and she shared her views against a cellphone ban. She understands why parents are in favor of a ban in theory, but she fears that enacting a ban will prove problematic. Many schools already ban phones, she said, and the remedy on the books to confiscate a students device would be the same with a citywide ban. (Several educators told Chalkbeat they are told not to touch students devices.) Alexander wondered whether schools would have the staffing to collect and hand out, or pouch and unlock, phones as kids come and go throughout the day. She asked who will pay for lost or broken phones. She fears that equity issues might arise at schools with affluent PTAs that can make up for budget gaps created by cellphone policy costs. She asked about exceptions: phones used to monitor health conditions or as translation devices, for instance. Parents might be surprised, she said, when their children have to arrive at school half an hour earlier and leave half an hour later because of cellphone storage or pouches. Kids will be that much more glued to phones the second they walk out of school, Alexander wrote in an email. And when they walk in, according to tons of teens Ive spoken to, theyll be reminded that they cant be trusted; that theyre guilty before theyve done anything wrong, much like when they enter schools through metal detectors. This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. Not a cyberattack: NYC services not affected by global Microsoft outage NEW YORK (PIX11) A worldwide Microsoft outage has left flights grounded and people unable to access their banks Friday morning, but New York City emergency services are running smoothly, officials said. This is not a cyberattack, Mayor Eric Adams said. The outage happened when cybersecurity software Crowdstrike sent out an update that inadvertently sent systems offline. New York City officials were aware of the outage at around 12:40 a.m. and convened 20 minutes later to assess the impact and minimize damage. Adams and other city officials said that emergency operations, like 911, and hospitals werent impacted by the outage. MTA services were running as usual. Everything is running as expected, officials said. The FDNY wasnt experiencing any significant operational impacts, but dispatchers and field units communicated over department radios, officials said. Port Authority also wasnt affected by the outage, but many airlines experienced delays and cancellations. Air travelers are advised NOT to head to the airport unless their flight status is confirmed. Check the FAA site for updated airport status such as delay or cancellation numbers. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Commuters were also unable to check for their train or bus status in New York City. The MTA announced on X that some customer services were temporarily offline due to the outage. Some MTA customer information systems are temporarily offline due to a worldwide technical outage. Train and bus service is unaffected. Please listen for announcements in your station, on your train, or on your bus. MTA on X Some traveling into the city from New Jersey werent able to buy a train ticket. Some ticket vending machines were down, according to NJ Transit. The agency said it wouldnt deny service to anyone unable to buy a ticket Friday morning. Arrival information, station announcements and platform signs were all offline for those taking the LIRR. Train service wasnt affected, the agency wrote on X. Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. 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. Occupant of vehicle shoots at another vehicle in traffic, DMPD investigating DES MOINES, Iowa The Des Moines Police Department is investigating a shooting incident where an individual inside a vehicle allegedly shot at another vehicle in traffic Thursday evening. At around 7 p.m. officers responded to a report of a shooting near the intersection of East 30th Street and Maple Street. According to police, the caller claimed that a person in a vehicle fired shots at another vehicle in traffic. No injuries were reported. Horse pulling carriage along Court Ave. found 500 pounds underweight, now receiving care at ARL Officers located a vehicle believed to have been involved in the shooting along Dean Ave. near the State Fairgrounds. Police said multiple people have been detained and there is no ongoing danger to the public. The investigation into the shooting is 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 who13.com. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division charged a man with voluntary manslaughter earlier this week, after an inmate was killed in late March. SLED charged Jordan Scott Tilson with voluntary manslaughter on July 16, in connection to the death of Michael McMahan. Officials ruled McMahans death a homicide after an autopsy found that he died from a head injury consistent with being assaulted by someone, the coroner said. According to warrants, Tilson allegedly struck McMahan with a closed fist on the right side of the head, causing the 24-year-old to fall and hit his head on a steel hand rail. McMahan died in the early morning hours on March 29 at the Oconee County Detention Center. Tilson will remain incarcerated at the Oconee County Detention Center. SLED added that the case will be prosecuted by the 10th Circuit Solicitors Office. 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 WSPA 7NEWS. Satellite imagery shows curious activity, including a cluster of crane barges, at a prominent shipyard in China over a period of several days in June 2024. Satellite imagery shows unusual activity last month, including the sudden appearance of four crane barges, at a shipyard in China that builds submarines and other naval vessels, which might potentially be a sign of an accident of some kind. Tom Shugart, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) think tank and a retired U.S. Navy submarine warfare officer, was first to notice the goings-on at the Wuchang Shipyard. This yard, which is part of the state-owned China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), is situated along a stretch of the Yangtze River just outside the city of Wuhan. It was fully relocated from a site within Wuhan proper to its current location sometime between 2021 and 2022. A satellite image taken on June 15, 2024, showing a cluster of four crane barges and other unusual activity at Wuchang Shipyard. PHOTOS 2024 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION An older image from 29 May shows nothing unusual a presumably new-construction Yuan-class submarine (Type 039 variant) in the usual spot where newly-launched boats are fitted out, Shugart wrote in a series of posts on X. Another view of the Wuchang Shipyard on May 29, showing a submarine moored in the same general location where the crane barges appeared some two weeks later. PHOTOS 2024 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION The Type 039A series boats, also known in the West as the Yuan class, are some of the most modern diesel-electric types in service today with the Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and versions are also offered for export. Wuchang is predominantly associated with the construction of variants of the Type 039A. The shipyard also builds various kinds of surface warships and supports other naval developmental work, including past testing of an electromagnetic railgun. It produces commercial vessels, as well. A stock picture of a Type 039A or Yuan class submarine. via USN I acquired an [satellite] image [from Planet Labs] from June 13th. In the image, there appears to be what look like crane barges clustered aroundsomethingnear where the submarine was earlier, Shugart continued. Also, the floating pier where the submarine was moored appears to have been offset a bit. More recently I acquired an image from June 13th. In the image, there appears to be what look like crane barges clustered aroundsomethingnear where the submarine was earlier. Also, the floating pier where the submarine was moored appears to have been offset a bit. pic.twitter.com/u9FPtoCAio Tom Shugart (@tshugart3) July 16, 2024 Not satisfied with the clarity of that image, I waited a few days and got this one from 15 June, which is much better. It does appear that the crane barges were working on something black that is roughly submarine-sized and -shaped. pic.twitter.com/8viEexpPMd Tom Shugart (@tshugart3) July 16, 2024 The War Zone reached out to Shugart who gave us permission to write an article based on his research and he told us he unfortunately had nothing else to add beyond what he had posted on X. A satellite image taken in September 2022 offering a general look at the current location of the Wuchang Shipyard outside of Wuhan, China. Google Earth A further review of imagery available from Planet Labs shows the cluster of four crane barges in place at least from June 12 through June 17. The submarine that had been in the berth in May is absent during those dates, but it is not clear when exactly it was last seen. By the first week of July, the barges are gone and activity at Wuchang appears to have returned to normal. What the cranes might be working on is not readily discernable. Shugart himself has noted that what initially drew his attention was a shadow cast by one of the cranes. Whether there is anything else below that shadow is not clear. What may be additional smaller boats or barges, or something else in the water, which might also be what the cranes are working on, are visible directly above. A closer look at the crane barges in the June 15 satellite image. The floating boom is also visible to the right. PHOTOS 2024 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION An even more up-close look at the shadow cast by the crane at the left, as well as the objects in the water directly above it. PHOTOS 2024 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION Regardless, the sudden appearance of a quartet of crane barges arrayed around the same general area where a submarine had been previously, with the space in between them roughly the length of a Type 039A, plus the presence of a floating boom, is unusual and raises questions about the possibility of some kind of incident. Floating cranes can be used to help right or otherwise stabilize vessels that have capsized or might be at risk of doing so, as well as to move debris. Booms are often used to help contain oil and other hazardous fluid leaks. A potential accident at one of Chinas more prominent shipyards, especially one involved in the production of new submarines, could be significant. Questions have been raised in the past about safety and quality control practices in Chinese naval shipbuilding, which is often observed progressing very rapidly, even when it comes to large and/or complex vessels. Theyre [China] a communist country, they dont have rules by which they abide by, Secretary of the U.S. Navy Carlos Del Toro told members of Congress at a hearing last year. They use slave labor in building their ships. Del Toro at that time was responding to concerned questions about U.S. shipbuilding capacity, or lack thereof. In recent years, the Navy itself has sounded the alarm about the Chinese government being exponentially more capable of building submarines and other warships than the United States, as you can read more about here. A briefing slide from circa the early 2020s from the US Navys Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) that provides details about Chinas exponential advantage in shipbuilding capacity over the United States. USN USN Whether more details about what might have happened at Wuchang in June emerge remains to be seen. Chinese authorities are notoriously tight-lipped about accidents and other incidents at important state-run facilities even when there is the potential for regional or global ramifications. The possibility of a more mundane explanation for the presence of the crane barges cannot be ruled out at this time, as well. Whatever the case, the activity seen at the Wuchang Shipyard last month is curious. Contact the author: joe@twz.com COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A bipartisan Ohio bill to urge observing daylight saving time permanently has taken another step forward at the Statehouse after passing the House last year. Concurrent Resolution 7 was considered in a Senate General Government Committee hearing late last month, marking the first time the bill has been debated at the Statehouse since the legislation passed the House in December. If enacted, the resolution would urge the U.S. Congress to pass the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill to transition to perpetual daylight saving nationwide. Licking County locals speak out against wastewater treatment proposal Reps. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) and Bob Peterson (R-Sabina), the bills primary sponsors, argued during the June hearing that the U.S. no longer needs the biannual tradition of changing clocks. The lawmakers pointed to various studies that say moving clocks forward in the spring and back in the fall causes a number of work, school, safety and sleep-related issues. Continuing to change the time results in a higher number of cardiac issues and strokes and prolonged seasonal depression, Creech said. A recent study revealed that sleep loss, even for as little as one hour, can decrease a childs quality of life, showing significant negative impacts on the childrens physical well-being as well as their ability to cope with the school environment. One study said adult workers on average sleep 40 minutes less, have 5.7% more workplace injuries, and lose 67.6% more work days because of injuries the day following the spring shift than on other days. Another, after researching 21 years of fatal accidents in the U.S., found a significant increase in accidents on the Monday following the spring forward and another increase on the Sunday after the fall back. However, Jay Pea, president of the nonprofit Save Standard Time, said in a previous hearing last year that daylight saving would delay Ohios sunrise past 8 a.m. for more than four months, sometimes as late as 9:06 a.m., and noted Ohio rejected an effort in 1974 to enact daylight saving permanently. Rather, Pea advocates for extending standard time to the entire year. Pickerington schools seek community feedback on daily schedule Permanent standard time would protect start times for schoolchildren and essential workers by letting most sleep naturally past dawn year-round. Its benefits to circadian health would improve immunity, longevity, mood, alertness, and performance in school, sports, and work, Pea said. Standard time is the natural clock, set to the sun. Creech and Peterson noted, while daylight saving was instituted during World War I to conserve power, a 2008 Australian study found adjusting clocks twice a year does not reduce electricity consumption after all. Rather, researchers found the time change only caused a shift in demand consistent with activity patterns that are tied to the clock rather than sunrise and sunset. Changing clocks twice a year did not save any power at all, nor did it lead to behavioral change as people do not adjust their schedules based on outdoor lighting, Peterson said. Instead, those researchers found that modern schedules are fixed to clocks, not the sun. The lawmakers resolution notes an effort to enact daylight saving in Ohio would be curtailed until federal law changes. Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, states can change to standard time but not daylight saving, which requires a change to federal law to transition to perpetual daylight saving. 3 witnesses testify in fourth day of gender-affirming care trial Passing the Sunshine Protection Act would mean later sunsets in the winter, but also later sunrises. For example, the sun rises around 7:15 a.m. and sets around 4:30 p.m. on the first day of winter in New York. The Sunshine Protection Act would change sunrise to 8:15 a.m. and sunset to 5:30 p.m. While many other states have also hinted at permanently observing daylight saving, states like New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennessee want to observe standard time. Six in 10 Americans, 61%, would do away with the nations twice-a-year time change while a little over one-third, 35%, want to keep the current practice, according to a Monmouth University poll. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Ohio has goats descended from a rare royal English breed. Here's what to know Ohio is full of farms with dozens of animals. Now, suddenly, Ohio has a farm with descendants from a rare goat breed that was imported from England in the 1990s. Golden Guernsey goats are a rare breed from England. King Charles III bestowed the royal title on them, calling them the Royal Golden Guernsey goats on Tuesday, according to AP. This title brings more awareness to the rare breed as they are considered an at-risk species. Heres more about these goats and the Ohio farm helping to breed a close relative of the Golden Guernsey. Are Ohio's Guernsey goats now royal goats because of King Charles III? Not quite. Ohio's Guernsey goats aren't officially royal, but they're not far off. Genuine Golden Guernsey goats aren't able to be imported to the United States. That hasn't stopped Everyday Acres in Granville, Ohio (east of Columbus near Newark), from providing Ohioans the next-best thing. We are not kidding (pun intended). Where to find Guernsey goats in Ohio Maria Moss, owner of Everyday Acres, confirmed to the Dispatch that her farm has several British Guernsey goats. In the U.S., that's typically as close as you can get to Golden Guernsey goats. Everyday Acres raises laying hens and British Guernsey Goats on a pasture-based system, according to their website. Since 2016, it has produced rare livestock breeds on 6.5 acres of farmland, including British Guernsey Goats descended from purebred Golden Guernsey goats. Several goats in the Everyday Acres' herd are registered with the British Goat Society. How are Guernsey goats bred to be close to Royal Golden Guernsey goats? There are a small number of Golden Guernseys in the U.S. bred from embryos imported in 1996, according to Guernsey Goat Breeders of America. Only a few have been alive since. There are three different kinds of Guernsey Goats: Purebred Golden Guernsey (GG) bucks British Guernsey (BG) bucks Herd Brook 2 (HB2) bucks American breeders can introduce the Golden Guernsey genetics into a lineage with alpine-type dairy does and semen from a purebred or British Guernsey sires through careful selective breeding, also called a breeding up program. A few generations later, domestic Guernsey goats will become British Guernseys with seventh-eighths Golden Guernsey genetics, the GGBOA states on its breeding up page. Later, domestic Guernseys can refine their genetics to be considered full British Guernseys with a predominance of Golden Guernsey genes and traits. What are Golden Guernsey goats? The Golden Guernsey goat is a rare, yet remarkable, breed from the island of Guernsey in the English Channel. These goats are considered at risk on the rare breeds watchlist but can be bred using their purebred semen. These goats produce good milk, are known to be very friendly, and are ideal for homesteading and cottage industry dairy production. Guernsey Goats are typically of golden color, in all shades, ranging from very pale cream to deep russet or bronze. Their ears are usually erect and set low, their noses are straight or dished, and their hair flows are short or long, and can look like a skirt or curtain. Are Guernsey goats still being imported from England? No. Strict animal regulations in the U.S. no longer allow for Guernsey goats to be imported. However, semen can be imported to be used for breeding. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What England's royal decree has to go with Ohio's goat population MILWAUKEE - Ohio Republicans eyeing the governor's mansion were unified on one point this week: The 2024 election isn't about 2026. But it also didn't hurt to spend several days in Wisconsin rubbing shoulders with their fellow Republicans and in one case, getting the spotlight on a national stage. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, Attorney General Dave Yost and Treasurer Robert Sprague are angling for the chance to replace Gov. Mike DeWine in January 2027. DeWine can't run for reelection because he's term limited, meaning Ohio could see a spirited Republican primary once the election cycle heats up. More: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine navigates changing GOP at Republican convention In Milwaukee, all three Republican statewide officeholders played key roles at the convention. Yost and Sprague both hosted Ohio delegation breakfasts at a posh resort near Lake Geneva. On the opening day of the convention, Yost saddled up to a piano and performed a spoof of "Old Time Rock & Roll" mocking Democrats. The attorney general also offered delegates a deck of cards with prominent Ohio Republicans symbolizing the king, queen and jack. The biggest platform went to Husted. Former President Donald Trump's team asked him to give the nomination speech for Ohio Sen. JD Vance, whom Trump selected as his running mate. Before a huge crowd of Republicans, Husted touted Vance's Ohio roots and cast him as someone who will represent the country with "moral courage, strength and honor." Days later, he demurred when asked how that elevated his own political career. "I like to play my role," Husted said. "I play the role of lieutenant governor, being a leading spokesperson for the party in Ohio and articulating a vision that is great for America and great for our state. If political benefit accrues to me as a result of being a leader now for the 2026 election cycle, then that's great, all the better, but I'm just focused on the here and now." Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted introduces Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, as Republican Vice Presidential running mate during the first day of the Republican National Convention. Ohio governor hopefuls keep message on 2024 Yost and Sprague offered the same message: Republicans most focus on their efforts to reelect Trump and oust Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown from the U.S. Senate. "This is the national convention, not the state convention," Yost said. "While all of these people are important in Republican circles and it's good to be with them, many of them are my friends from a long time ago my focus is really on building the party to win this year's election. There'll be plenty of time going forward." Yost did make one plug for himself: He said his life experience, including his time as an "ink-stained wretch" i.e., a journalist qualifies him for the job. Even still, he used a Husted pint glass from the delegation's grab bag to drink a Coke in his hotel room. Always cool to check out the delegation swag at the RNC enjoying an icy cold Coke in an ever-popular pint glass, courtesy of our Lieutenant Governor @JonHusted pic.twitter.com/k7zR2vWmaO Attorney General Dave Yost (@DaveYostOH) July 14, 2024 Sprague, for his part, said he's definitely considering a run for governor. But he didn't want to put the cart before the horse. "This week for me is just about supporting the president, supporting JD Vance and making sure that we're all on the same page," Sprague said. "We really do have a unique opportunity to turn this country around. And not only is the future of our country at stake, quite frankly, the future of the world is at stake." Vance's vice-presidential nomination raised speculation about who would fill his Senate seat if Republicans win the White House in November. Gov. Mike DeWine would appoint someone to fill the seat until a special election is held in 2026, and some speculated that he could thin the field of governor candidates. But DeWine hasn't said who he's considering for the role. Husted, too, cautioned Republicans against getting ahead of themselves. "We need to finish this game," he said. "We need to run through the tape. We need to win in November. And we should not feel like victory is inevitable because Joe Biden and the national media and coastal elites will pull out every stop that they can to try to defeat Donald Trump." Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Republicans eyeing governor lay groundwork for 2026 at RNC John Carter was sentenced to three years in prison for involuntary manslaughter in the 2011 death and missing persons case surrounding Katelyn Markham in 2011 miami valley jail;Facebook John Carter and Katelyn Markham. An Ohio man has been sentenced to three years in prison for involuntary manslaughter in the death of his fiancee who went missing over 13 years ago. On Thursday, July 18, John Carter, 36, was sentenced to three years the maximum prison term possible for involuntary manslaughter in Butler County for the death of his fiancee Katelyn Markham, who he first reported missing in 2011, according to the Associated Press, WKRC, the Cincinnati Enquirer and several other local outlets. Carter was originally charged with two counts of murder in March 2023 after his initial arrest, but eventually pleaded guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge in June after accepting a plea deal, just weeks before his murder trial was set to begin, the Enquirer reported. Facebook Katelyn Markham. The Enquirer added that Markham's family and friends sat in the front row during the court proceedings, donning butterfly pins in solidarity with the 22-year-old art student. Carter declined to make remarks at the sentencing. "Not a day goes by that I do not think of Katelyn," her father Dave Markham said during the proceedings, per the newspaper. "I do not feel three years is justice, not for Katelyn; not for her sister; not for me, her friends or the entire community that has ached and grieved alongside us." Markham, then 22, was last seen on Aug. 13, 2011, at her home in Fairfield, Ohio, the Associated Press reported. She was just weeks away from graduating from the Art Institute of Ohio-Cincinnati and was planning to move Colorado with Carter before her death, according to the outlet. 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. Before her death, Carter was the last known person to see Markham alive and called 911 to report her missing after she didn't show up for work, several outlets reported. Several of her belongings, including her keys, purse and wallet were gone from her apartment, but her phone was gone and the GPS location data was turned off. After a long search in which Carter was heavily involved Markham's remains were found in April 2013 at a dump site in Cedar Grove, Ind., around 30 miles west of her home, the outlets reported. Markham's death was ruled a homicide, but the cause of death has never been determined. A forensic anthropology report conducted after her remains were found indicated that they may have been moved from where they were first left, the Enquirer reported. Related: An Ohio Art Student Mysteriously Vanished 12 Years Ago. Her Fiance Was Just Charged with Murder Butler County prosecutors said Carter killed his fiancee by using "physical violence and by force." According to AP, however, Carter has never explained how or why he killed Markham. According to WKRC, prosecutor Mike Gmoser said he spoke with one person who wrote a witness statement for Carter. That person alleged that Carter only pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter to avoid a harsh sentence and still says he is innocent. "It's not over and no, it's not closure, but it's a start of something else to come," Dave Markham said, per the Enquirer. "I still do not know the whole story," he added. "Even if [Carter] writes a confession in prison, he's gonna have to be more convincing than he's been the past 13 years." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman joined a growing chorus of Democratic politicians Friday when he called on President Joe Biden to drop his bid for reelection. Landsman, a Cincinnati Democrat, praised Biden for beating his Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, in 2020 and said he has served the country well during the past four years as president. But he said he no longer believes Biden is the right candidate to carry on that legacy. "It is time for President Biden to step aside and allow us to nominate a new leader who can reliably and consistently make the case against Donald Trump and make the case for the future of America," Landsman said. Landsman joined more than two dozen of his fellow Democratic House members and a handful of senators in calling for Biden to leave the race. Pressure on the president has been growing since a disastrous debate performance against Trump last month, which was followed by a series of other stumbles in interviews and press conferences. Biden, 81, has resisted calls to step down for weeks, vowing to stay in the race. But the drumbeat against his candidacy is growing louder. Leading Democrats worry he can't convince voters he's up to the job for another four years and that polls show him losing support in crucial swing states. Democrats like Landsman, who represents Ohio's 1st Congressional District, fear a big loss by Biden in November could hurt their chances to win in hotly contested areas. In 2022, Landsman beat Republican incumbent Steve Chabot 53% to 47% in one of the state's closest congressional races. Ohio Democrats: Early virtual Biden nomination avoids ballot deadline confusion, lawsuits In a statement Friday, Landsman made his case for replacing Biden on the ticket. He credited the president with pushing legislation that helped working people and put the nation on the right course after four chaotic years under Trump. "I respect Joe Biden. He saved democracy in 2020," Landsman said. "He cares deeply about our country." Greg Landsman speaks to President Joe Biden at his election night party at the Queen City Exchange after winning the 1st Congressional District seat on Nov. 8, 2022. But he said the threat posed by Trump, which Landsman said includes the potential rise of "fascism and authoritarianism" in the United States, is too great to risk on Biden's troubled candidacy. "While Trump's ego would never have allowed him to step aside and do what's right for the country, I have faith that President Biden will put our country first," Landsman said. "There is too much on the line, and we have to be able to make the case to the American people about the change we need and the country we all deserve." Landsman's announcement comes about a week after he hinted he was concerned about Biden's candidacy and was considering calling on him to get out of the race. It also comes days after the Republican National Convention, during which Trump formally named Ohio Sen. JD Vance, who lives in Landsman's congressional district, as his running mate. Landsman is an outspoken critic of Trump, arguing he is unfit for office after two impeachments and a conviction on dozens of felony charges related to hush money payments to a porn star. "Most Americans are ready to move on from the politics of grievance, and they have deep and legitimate concerns that Mr. Trump will upend our democracy," Landsman said. His statement Friday suggested the focus on Biden's age in recent weeks makes it difficult for the president to make the best case against Trump. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Rep. Greg Landsman calls on Joe Biden to step aside WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 25: Student loan borrowers stage a rally in front of The White House to celebrate President Biden cancelling student debt and to begin the fight to cancel any remaining debt on August 25, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for We the 45m) An Ohio group is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to keep to previous decisions in which a Biden administration student loan forgiveness program was struck down. In a July amicus or friend of the court brief, the conservative think-tank The Buckeye Institute criticized the newest student loan forgiveness plan as unconstitutional and crossing congressional lines. The group supports reversing an appellate court decision that allowed the Biden administrations Saving on Valuable Education (SAVE) program to continue as a challenge to it moves through the courts. Despite the clear congressional limitations on when and how student loan borrowers may obtain forgiveness or cancellation of their direct loans, the Department (of Education) has fabricated a new student loan forgiveness program without Congress approval, the institute wrote in its brief, joined by the National Taxpayers Union Foundation and the Kansas Justice Institute. The Buckeye Institute argues that those who obtain a student loan are contractually bound to repay their loans, and know the impact a defaulted loan can have on a credit score, among other risks. Officials attempting to forgive the loans through the Revised Pay-As-You-Earn (REPAYE) plan also know those loans must be paid back, one way or another, the group said in its brief. While some may applaud the presidents and the (education) secretarys generous giveaway of Treasury assets, the REPAYE plan does not legally relieve the borrowers of their duty to pay and does not excuse the government from its duty to collect the outstanding loans, the institute and its companion groups wrote. This is not the first time the Ohio group has jumped into the debate over student loan forgiveness. The institute filed its own lawsuit against a previous program for student loan forgiveness in 2022, and entered amicus briefs on the topic in appellate court cases and high court cases alike, such as Biden v. Nebraska. In the Biden v. Nebraska case, the U.S. Supreme Courts 6-3 majority ruled states in the lawsuit had the right to challenge the presidents previous attempt at student loan forgiveness, and that the case should go back to the lower court. That plan invoked 2003s Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act (HEROES) as the source of authority to cancel the debts of 20 million student loan borrowers amounting to $430 billion in forgiven balances and lowering the debt amounts for another 23 million Americans. The plan allows the U.S. Secretary of Education to change or waive requirements on student financial assistance for individuals who are serving in active duty military, are on National Guard duty, are residing in a declared disaster area or suffering direct economic hardship as a direct result of a war or other military operation or national emergency, according to the language of the law. The law also allows the education secretary to grant waivers that ensure affected individuals who have received student financial assistance are not placed in a worse position financially in relation to that financial assistance because of their status, among other authorizations for waivers. The nations highest court agreed with those who sued the Biden administration over the plan, saying the HEROES Act does not authorize the loan cancellation plan. We hold today that the Act allows the Secretary to waive or modify existing statutory or regulatory provisions applicable to financial assistance programs under the Education Act, not to rewrite that statute from the ground up, wrote Chief Justice John Roberts in the opinion of the majority. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST OKCPD warns of Facebook scam using name of fallen officer OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) The Oklahoma City Police Department is warning residents of a scam on Facebook regarding a fallen OKCPD officer. Authorities say they were made aware of the scam regarding a Facebook group that is asking for donations in the name of officer Greyson Fox. The group page provides several links for donations and a funeral service live stream that OKCPD advises not to click on. RELATED STORY: Oklahoma City Police officers body found in Lake Stanley Draper Facebook scam asking for donations regarding fallen OKCPD officer Officer Greyson Fox tragically passed away on July 1 when his body was found in Lake Stanley Draper after authorities were called for a reported possible drowning. OKCPD says they have reported the page to Facebook. 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. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) The Oklahoma County District Attorney has refiled charges against three men who were previously charged with first degree murder then deemed incompetent to stand trial, following their release from inpatient mental health facilities. John Paul Washington, Fred Hardeman and Daniel Green all had their charges dismissed after being found incompetent, and were sent to the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services for treatment. Washington faces one count of first degree murder and one count of first degree rape, Hardeman faces one count of first degree murder, and Green faces four counts of first degree murder. OKC man set to be released after family of four shot and killed in 2013 These are very dangerous men with significant mental health conditions, said Vicki Zemp Behenna, Oklahoma County District Attorney. They cannot be released back to society for the safety of our community. When notified by ODMHSAS that Washington, Hardeman and Green were restored and set to be released from involuntary commitment, we immediately refiled charges and warrants for their arrest were issued. Due to the danger they pose to society, each defendant will be transferred from their current treatment facility directly to the Oklahoma County Detention Center. According to the DAs Office, the mental health statute in Oklahoma says that once ODMHSAS determines a defendant is ready to be discharged, the District Attorney will refile charges because of their threat to society. Charges were refiled by the DAs Office on July 15. Bond has been set at $10,000,000 for each of the three defendants. 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. MULDROW, Okla. (KNWA/KFTA) An Oklahoma man has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison on child pornography charges, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office Eastern District of Oklahoma. Michael Shawn Chandler, 51, of Muldrow, was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for one count of receipt of certain material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of certain material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor. Chandler was arrested in Spring 2023 on a warrant issued by the Cherokee Nation Tribal Court. The release said when he was arrested, he was in possession of multiple cell phones that stored more than 40 images and videos of child porn he knowingly received from the internet. Oklahoma man gets life in prison for fatally stabbing person 20 times He was indicted on August 9, 2023, and pleaded guilty on December 21, 2023. This case is an excellent example of the interagency cooperation taking place in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Wilson said in the release. Thanks to the collaborative work of local, Tribal, and federal law enforcement agents and prosecutors, Chandler was identified and successfully prosecuted for his role in perpetuating the victimization of children subjected to sexual exploitation and abuse. The charges came from an investigation done by the Sequoyah County Sheriffs Office, the Muldrow Police Department, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and the FBI. Chandler will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshals pending transportation to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence, according to the release. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24. Oklahoma state superintendent went from excited to disgusted over standards he helped create State Superintendent Ryan Walters pledged to overhaul Oklahoma's academic standards for social studies, saying residents are 'disgusted' with the state of history education. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Bob Blackburn can still picture the room where he helped decide how Oklahoma students would learn their history. Six years ago, the then-executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society sat at the head of a table with five other members of a committee spearheading the next state academic standards for social studies education. To his right was Ryan Walters, at the time a history teacher at McAlester High School. Though he was much younger than others at the table, when Walters spoke, people listened, Blackburn recalled. By the time they finished drafting the standards in early 2019, the committee was happy with the result, Blackburn said. He described the standards as having a more comprehensive view of Oklahomas past than ever before, including more details on Native American history and a requirement that schools teach about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Walters at the time said he was very pleased with the drafting process and excited about the finished product, according to a letter he issued at the time, which Oklahoma Voice obtained. I believe that educators will find the new standards to be very helpful in understanding the expectations for their classes, he wrote. But Walters, now the states top education official, has begun to paint an ominous picture of the standards he helped create. He gathered a group of right-wing voices, most of whom live out of state, to carry out a complete overhaul of the social studies standards in 2025, promising a more pro-America and pro-Bible revision. In a recent interview on a conservative radio show, Walters claimed left-wing forces have turned the public school system into a Marxist indoctrination factory, even in red states. Oklahomas next social studies standards will reverse that trend, he said. Were going to find the best minds from around the country to come in here and help us develop out that story of America, Walters told American Family Radio. We want our kids to be able to truly understand it. We dont want any of our history censored from our kids. The academic standards that Walters and his committee create is more important than the next election, Blackburn said. Their standards, if approved by the GOP-dominated state Legislature, will decide how the next generation of Oklahomans are taught history and government for the ensuing six years. It also will influence the social studies textbooks their schools could adopt. It should not be a political process, Blackburn said. It should be an educational process with people experienced in writing curriculum and understanding how its taught in the classroom. But, getting people who will be a champion for certain ideology, to me, is dangerous. Social studies schooling has undergone fundamental shift nationwide State standards for each subject are reviewed every six years, and social studies is next on the list. Oklahomans are disgusted with young peoples poor history and civics knowledge and lack of love for America, Walters said. In a statement through his communications office, Walters said he sent the letter of support for the 2019 standards while believing teachers would use the Bible to make sure our students had a solid understanding of American history and culture. He claimed President Joe Biden, teachers unions and their enablers have since pushed the Bible out of schools. Im proud to bring it back, Walters said. The standards have not changed since they were adopted. Over the past decade, social studies education experienced a fundamental shift toward prioritizing critical thinking, student inquiry and translating learning into action, said Lawrence Paska, executive director of the National Council for the Social Studies. NCSS is a professional organization focused on social studies education. In the classroom, that shift looks like teaching students how to think for themselves and how to apply what theyve learned to the real world, Paska said. Oklahoma law makes similar requirements that students develop critical thinking skills and be prepared for active citizenship. States also sought to be more inclusive of diverse historical perspectives in their social studies standards, Paska said, but that trend has gone in the opposite direction since 2020, when states started passing laws to exclude divisive concepts from schools. Oklahoma followed suit in 2021 with House Bill 1775, which prohibited certain race and gender topics from K-12 and college classrooms. The political attention on social studies has made educators across the country fearful of teaching the subject, said NCSS president Jenny Morgan, a middle school social studies teacher in Wisconsin. Social studies is not an easy topic to teach anyway, but in a politicized environment, it gets even worse, Morgan said. Walters aims for new standards to reinforce Bible order Now, an emphasis on religion in schools has come to the forefront. Louisiana recently required every public school classroom to display the Ten Commandments. On June 27, Walters ordered all Oklahoma school districts to incorporate the Bible into their social studies curriculum. The intent, he said, is for every classroom in the state to teach biblical stories and their influence on historical figures. The next social studies standards will bolster the effort to bring Bibles back into schools, he pledged. Walters enlisted conservative media personalities and Republican policy advocates to develop standards emphasizing American exceptionalism. The group is distinctly different from the all-Oklahoman committee he and Blackburn served on years ago. PragerU founder Dennis Prager, radio host Steve Deace, and Heritage Foundation president and Project 2025 leader Kevin Roberts are among the national conservative voices on the committee. Only three of the 10 members have lived in Oklahoma. More than 75 residents of the state, most of whom are public school educators, are also involved in updating the state standards, Walters said. None of them have been identified. Developing the states academic standards traditionally has been done exclusively by teachers and experts living in Oklahoma, lists of past committee members show. Leaning on in-state educators and experts, not outside special-interest groups, is considered the national best practice for developing academic standards, according to the NCSS. These are the people who teach social studies on a daily basis, have a deep knowledge of the state and understand local laws, said Paska, the NCSS executive director. After they create an initial draft, the public also should get to weigh in, he said. Politicizing what should be a non-partisan process, he said, produces ineffective standards and creates a risk of indoctrination. They wont achieve your goals, Paska said. And frankly, were concerned that they might hurt the educational environment of your state more than help. Politics were very much not part of past standards development, former committee member says Oklahoma standards are usually developed with three committees: an executive committee that leads the process, a committee that writes the standards and a drafting committee that gives feedback. The 2019 executive committee, which included Walters, chose the members of the other two panels while also helping with writing and revising. Amy Curran, who sat on the social studies drafting committee in 2019, said the participating members brought a variety of perspectives and expertise into the same room, all representing communities throughout Oklahoma. Civics was Currans wheelhouse. At the time, she was the regional director of Generation Citizen, an organization that teaches civic engagement to public high school students. She now works with other nonprofits. The committees robust discussions ended with a set of standards that were a good representation of Oklahoma while leaving room for schools to teach social studies in a way that aligns with their local community values, Curran said. But it seems like the process will be different this time based on who Walters has chosen to involve, she said. My concerns around the way thats happening now is it feels like its being driven less by the people who are in the communities and more by political ideology, which was very much not the process that I experienced, Curran said. Curran questioned how individuals from out of state would have a depth of knowledge about the communities where Oklahoma students live a question she imagines would worry Oklahomans and their state lawmakers. Democratic legislators already have voiced their frustration. In a series of statements, House Democrats called Walters changes a dangerous politicization of our academic process and further evidence of an extremist political agenda. No objections have surfaced from the state Legislatures Republican leaders. Incoming House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, declined to comment until further information is available. The state Senates president pro tem designate, Sen. Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, didnt take a stance, saying hes been focused on the recent Senate leadership election. Senate Republicans chose Paxton as their next caucus leader on Monday, though they will take another vote in November. I do get lots of constituent calls both in support and concern for what Superintendent Walters does, Paxton said after the Republican caucus vote. I look forward to going and meeting with him and talking a little bit more in detail. The Legislature will have the final say on whether to approve the new academic standards. First, the proposed standards must pass a vote by the Oklahoma State Board of Education, which has voted uniformly with Walters since he took office. School districts, legal experts push back on Bible memo Requiring schools to teach from the Bible, though, could face an uncertain legal future. The Center for Education Law, an Oklahoma City-based firm, predicted Walters order will end up in court if his administration tries to enforce it. The firm represented Edmond Public Schools in a successful legal challenge against the Oklahoma State Department of Education earlier this year when the agency tried to force Edmond high schools to remove certain books from their libraries. State law assigns control over curriculum to local schools, not the state Department of Education, the law firm wrote in a letter to districts. While state standards lay out the topics schools must teach, local districts decide how to teach them. Any attempt by the state to direct a local schools curriculum is without legal authority and invalid under Oklahoma law, the firm wrote. Norman Public Schools already has said it doesnt plan to change its curriculum or mandate Bibles in its classrooms. Superintendents of the Moore and Bixby school districts wrote recent letters acknowledging that teaching about the role of religion in historical and cultural contexts is part of the state standards, but teaching a specific religious doctrine is not. Both districts say they permit students to bring religious texts to school. Therefore, we affirm our decision to keep our current (Bixby Public Schools) curriculum unchanged, providing continuity and stability for our students and staff, Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller wrote. Meanwhile, Walters recent moves have been gaining attention on a local and national scale. He celebrated his recent directives in interviews on national conservative talk shows and during a church service with Pastors for Trump founder Jackson Lahmeyer. Lahmeyer, known for espousing far-right views, hailed Walters as a hero at his Tulsa church for the effort to bring Bibles into public schools. Courage is contagious, Lahmeyer said during the church service. Nobody wants to be the pioneer. Now because hes the pioneer, guess what will happen? Other states will follow suit because there was a man who had the courage to do the right thing. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Oklahoma woman cant be tried for legal use of marijuana while pregnant, court rules The Oklahoma Judicial Center is the headquarters of the Oklahoma Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals. (Photo by Carmen Forman/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY A Kay County woman cannot be tried for child neglect for using medical marijuana with a license while pregnant, the states Court of Criminal Appeals ruled. Thursdays 3-2 decision was written by Presiding Judge Scott Rowland, who suggested the Legislature address the issue. Amanda Camp Aguilar, 34, was charged with one count of felony child neglect in Kay County for exposing her unborn child to controlled dangerous substances, marijuana, in utero. Aguilar filed a motion to quash or toss out the charge. District Judge Lee Turner agreed. The state appealed. Drugs listed in schedules II through V have a potential for abuse, but some have medical value and can be prescribed, the opinion said. Schedule I drugs have a potential for abuse, but no legitimate medical value and historically could not be prescribed, the opinion said. This clear distinction between Schedule I versus all other Schedules was blurred when Oklahoma enacted its medical marijuana laws, leaving marijuana in Schedule I but creating a licensing procedure authorizing lawful possession and use, the opinion said. While every other Schedule I drug is likely illegal, medical marijuana may or may not be, depending on whether the user has a license, the opinion said. It is undisputed that Aguilar had one, the opinion said. A pregnant woman who exposes her unborn child to methamphetamine could be convicted of child neglect, the opinion said. But an expectant mothers licensed possession and use of medical marijuana would not trigger an automatic finding of neglect because as to her, marijuana is not an illegal drug, the opinion said. For us to find that Aguilars use, fully authorized by her medical marijuana card, became illegal due to her pregnancy, would require us to rewrite the statutes in a way we simply do not think is appropriate for courts to do, the opinion said. In his dissent, Judge Gary Lumpkin said the majoritys analysis is devoid of common sense as the drug is still an illegal and unlawful drug. Only Appellee had a permit to use it, not her baby. Judge David B. Lewis also dissented. Appellee is not charged with using marijuana under her state-issued license, which is no crime; but rather with conduct exceeding the bounds of her personal license by exposing an unborn child to marijuana, Lewis wrote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST A total of two federal judges in Colorado have now taken the rare step of calling for Congress to roll back the U.S. Supreme Court's broad limitations on suing federal officials for money when they violate plaintiffs' constitutional rights. Once defiant, Biden is now 'soul searching' about dropping out of race By Jeff Mason, Steve Holland and Nandita Bose REHOBOTH BEACH, Delaware/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden is taking calls to step aside as the Democratic presidential candidate seriously and multiple Democratic officials think an exit is a matter of time, according to sources familiar with the matter. "His soul searching is actually happening, I know that for a fact," said one of the sources, who requested anonymity. "He's thinking about this very seriously." Biden, 81, has faced increasing pressure from heavyweights in his party to cede his position at the top of the ticket after a shoddy debate performance against former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, raised fears about his age and ability to win in November. The president has pushed back defiantly against those calls, arguing that he has won millions of votes in primary races over the last several months and is Democratic voters' choice. As recently as Wednesday, he vowed "I am all in" the 2024 race. Another of the sources, a Democratic congressional aide, said the writing appeared to be on the wall for the president after lawmakers including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reportedly urged him to drop out of the race. "It feels like it's a matter of ... when, not if," the aide said. Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, a close Biden ally, told CNN on Thursday that Biden will be "resting and reflecting" this weekend as he recovers from COVID-19. He has been asking for information on polling data and weighs seriously the input of those he trusts and admires, Coons said, adding he thinks Biden is the best candidate to run in 2024. Biden is convalescing at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He had no public events on Thursday after concluding a trip to the political swing state of Nevada on Wednesday. Biden's campaign is focusing on three out of seven battleground states after the debate, a narrow path to victory, but it has rejected suggestions that he is ready to step aside. "He is not wavering on anything. The president has made his decision," deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said in Milwaukee, where the Republican convention is taking place. "Joe Biden has said he is running for president of the United States. Our campaign is moving forward." Another source, a Biden campaign official, said the opposite. "Yes, it's over. Just a matter of time." Democratic Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado said he believed that Biden was working toward a decision on whether to stay in the presidential race and would opt for what is good for the country. "Joe Biden has always put the country first. He's done what's best for America...I think he'll keep doing so," Hickenlooper told Reuters late Wednesday, adding there are indications it would be best for the U.S. if he stepped aside. Former House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi backed Representative Adam Schiff's call for Biden to step aside, a top White House source with direct knowledge of the matter said. But a source close to Pelosi - one of the most influential members of Biden's Democratic Party - said that Schiff did not consult with Pelosi before making his concerns public. (Reporting by Jeff Mason, Steve Holland and Nandita Bose; Editing by Heather Timmons, Alistair Bell and Deepa Babington) If President Joe Biden decides to bow out of the presidential race, which now seems like a growing possibility, there will need to be a new candidate and one of the top non-Kamala Harris choices for the job just happens to have been a prominent NASA astronaut. As Politico reports, ex-astronaut and current Senator Mark Kelly is being considered as one of the top contenders for the role should Harris not helm the ticket. Kelly was highlighted in a widely-circulated polling memo by an outfit called BlueLabs Analytics, Politico reports, outperforming Biden in a range of swing states. And his story is about as American as apple pie, which as The Daily Beast notes makes him a particularly compelling pick for a Democratic party in crisis. Raised by ex-cops in New Jersey with his twin, Scott Kelly, the junior senator from Arizona ended up as a NASA astronaut by first enlisting in the Navy and working his way up through the ranks. He and his twin were both selected as Space Shuttle pilots in 1996, and later enrolled in a NASA study with his brother to see how space radiation affects genes. Kelly ended up retiring in 2011 when his wife, then-congresswoman Gabby Giffords, was shot and nearly killed at a rally in Arizona. Over the ensuing decade, Kelly co-founded a now-infamous Tuscon company that makes the kind of high-altitude balloons that freaked everyone out last year, began campaigning for gun control alongside his wife, and eventually won a seat in the Senate in 2020. He's also become something of a character in the spaceflight community for outspoken remarks and bombastic stunts like the time he admitted to trying to smuggle a gorilla suit onto the ISS to prank his twin, except that the SpaceX shuttle it was on blew up as well as emerging as a fierce advocate for science. While Scott is the far more outspoken of the Kellys, Mark has always seemed to be the more studious of the two. As such and because he's, you know, a straight white man from a swing state the Arizona senator seems like as good a candidate pick as one can find in this race. Plus, it would admittedly be hilarious to watch an ex-astronaut debate Donald Trump. More on politics: Former Congressman Says the RNC Is the "Grindr Super Bowl" The News Every day for the past three weeks since Joe Bidens debate performance in Atlanta, polls have shown more and more bad news for Biden all of it amplified and darkened by professional election forecasters, who show the presidents odds of reelection growing ever longer. All except for one: 538. Even as polls roll in showing Biden consistently trailing former President Donald Trump in state and national polls, ABC News election forecaster the original, name brand in the business continues to give the current president about a 50% chance of winning. 538s election forecasting model showed Bidens odds improving since his debate performance last month. While a coin-flip election wouldnt normally be something to celebrate, ABCs forecast far more heavily based on fundamentals like the economy and Bidens incumbency, than on overtly political inputs like polling has become a last beacon of hope for Biden allies, who have clung to it as a sign that the media is overstating Bidens weaknesses following his debate performance and rocky media cleanup tour. Earlier this week, former White House chief of staff Ron Klain shared a screenshot of the forecast, mocking journalists and skeptics. But I thought he had no path according to donors and the electeds following the donors? he wrote. And 538s iconic brand and outlier status have intensified a running battle on X between the sites founder, Nate Silver, and its current leader, G Elliot Morris. This year is the first major election since ABC News decided not to renew Silvers contract. In 2023, ABC not only parted ways with Silver and much of the 538 staff, but it also brought in Morris, who had clashed with Silver during the 2020 election over their competing election models. Maxs view I reached out to ABC News and Morris, its Editorial Director of Data Analytics, with two basic questions: Why was the networks model more favorable to Biden than other election forecasters? And what did the network think about how the model was being touted by Biden allies intent on keeping him in the race? Though the network insisted it stands by its model, ABC News was not willing to make anyone available to speak on the record to answer this question. It did provide a well-placed source willing to answer questions off the record, and later agreed to share some of the answers from that conversation on background anonymously provided that we got approval of which unnamed quotes to run an unusual arrangement, but one we reluctantly agreed to, identifying the person we spoke to as a well-placed source. The enforced anonymity was particularly surprising because Morris has widely discussed and defended his model on X, and because the forecasting business relies on shared, public data. But television networks are cautious by nature, and ABC finds itself in a strange position: Way out on a limb. That is not, by the way, to say that Morris is wrong. Sometimes, outlying predictions prove correct, and longshots pay off big. If youre trying to predict an election, you have to do two things: pick the factors that matter and then assess how much those matter, the well-placed source said. Theres room for disagreements within that step. That adds uncertainty about how the model is going to perform in the future. Very reasonable differences can lead to different results because the future is so uncertain. Silver, in a recent post on his new Silver Bulletin, made the same point more sharply: At best, all its really saying is that Biden will probably win because hes an incumbent, he wrote. At worst, it might be buggy. (Silver also called Morriss attempts to explain elements of his model jargony, and sniped that he claims to be too busy to provide a longer explanation. The well-placed source at ABC News said the differences between the current 538 model and others such as Silvers model and the Economists came down to several factors. 538s election forecast model is a prediction of election data based primarily on economic growth, polarization, the presidents approval rating, and, importantly, whether an incumbent is running for reelection. Those fundamentals give Biden a 3-point lead in the current model for two main reasons, according to the well-placed source: The 538 model more heavily weighs incumbency. The 538 model is suspicious of state polls further out from the election. We treat the polls with a lot more skepticism, said the well-placed source .We include a higher amount of potential polling bias, which pushes us back down towards 50/50, at least right now. I specifically wanted to ask Morris about other 2024 election forecast models because of his firsthand knowledge of some of the rival models. As a former senior data journalist at the Economist, he helped build its election forecast model. Yet the current Economist model shows Trump with a 75% chance of winning the election in November. I asked the well-placed source why the Economist model which Morris helped build showed such different results, but the answer was not among those approved by ABC News. I also asked about what the well-placed source thought of personal rivalries between Morris, Silver, and other former 538 staff who have been at times critical of his model, but the answer was not among those selected to be shared attributed to the source. The best answer I could get was that a well-placed source said that 538 tested various models, but ultimately settled on the current model because it produced the best results historically when tested against previous elections. Ultimately, the source said the primary difference was the distrust the model has in current polls. The final source of bias in the polls is they just might change between now and November. We think that theres just more volatility in the campaign than these other forecasters. We are four months away from the election. Historically polls move around by about 7-8 percentage points on average based on historical average between now and Election Day. Biden is down 3 points in the tipping points states. Biden is up three in our model nationally. So its no surprise to me that if the model saw that information it would say Hey, theres a lot of uncertainty here, they said. As for how 538 felt about Biden allies taking a rosy view of 538s results, the answer from the well-placed source was also not permitted to be shared. Despite his models relatively positive results for Biden, Morris personal commentary has been less forgiving. Even the bull case for Biden is pretty bearish, he wrote on X on July 11, while also accusing Biden and his supporters of hand-waving away the polling. On Wednesday evening, Morris deleted a tweet in which he expressed skepticism of the Democratic National Committees since-abandoned push to certify Biden as the nominee before the convention next month. Still, on Twitter, Morris publicly pointed out that even the worst forecasts for Biden right now still give him a 1-in-4 chance of winning. Notable The Morris-Silver feud heated up in 2020. Silver accused Morris of having been far too certain far too early in the race due to overconfidence in their ability to discern from past elections what was likely to happen in this one. Morris responded that he didnt have contempt for the guy. Silver subsequently blocked Morris on Twitter. Silver spoke to Mixed Signals last month about his own new model. OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) The St. Landry District Attorneys office confirmed Monday that the charge against an Opelousas man accused of livestock theft was dismissed. Original: An Opelousas man has been arrested after allegedly selling livestock that did not belong to him, officials said. Inspectors with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestrys Livestock Brand Commission arrested Ray A. Dunbar, 51, of Opelousas, and charged him with theft of livestock. LBC investigators said, Dunbar was in possession of one head of livestock in April that allegedly belonged to a St. Landry Parish producer. Dunbar allegedly sold the livestock without the permission and/or authorization of the producer. Dunbar failed to return the livestock to the producer within the 10-day window after a letter demand demanding its return was sent, according to LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain. The fraudulent conduct, practices, or representations derived from the sale of livestock is a violation of the theft of livestock statute and is punishable by law, Strain said. LDAF and the Livestock Brand Commission continue to uphold the law when violations occur. The livestock involved, which has an estimated value of $5,000, was recovered and returned to the producer. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Dunbars bond was not set at the time of the arrest. If convicted, he faces possible fines and jail time. St. Landry Parish investigators assisted the Livestock Brand Commission in this investigation. The Livestock Brand Commission maintains a 24-hour Crimestoppers hotline at (800) 558-9741 for the public to report thefts or other agriculture-related crimes. Latest news Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. Cough It Up OpenAI apparently wasn't satisfied with using the entire internet to train ChatGPT. The Microsoft-backed startup now wants to see all the notes from reporters at the New York Times whose articles were allegedly fed to the chatbot, as part of the discovery process in the newspaper's lawsuit against OpenAI. OpenAI needs to see these notes, its lawyers argue, to assess the newspaper's copyright claims. This is an "unprecedented" ploy, reports Bloomberg, that more than anything seems designed to waste everyone's time and empty the Gray Lady's coffers with exorbitant legal costs. "New York Times has a limited budget to spend on a case like this, because, win or lose, these issues are not core to its business," Doug Lichtman, a law professor at UCLA, told Bloomberg. For OpenAI, "this is a bet-the-company fight," he added. "That imbalance means that OpenAI might want to run up the bill and thereby force the Times to settle, depriving the court of its opportunity to address these important copyright questions." Copyright Bluff As it stands, OpenAI wants the NYT to dredge up the "notes, interview memos, records of materials cited" and other files for some 10 million articles a century's worth of reporting, the newspaper claims, which would take years to go through. OpenAI's argument is this: if the NYT is going to cry copyright infringement, then the newspaper must show that its stories are copyrightable in the first place. And for that to happen, OpenAI needs to see the reporters' notes to prove that the newspaper's stories are original. The scheme also has troubling implications for legal protections for reporters, or specifically reporter's privilege, which allows them to operate with some degree of secrecy to protect confidential sources. "Courts protect press freedom by prohibiting litigants from abusively seeking the disclosure of reporting materials that are wholly irrelevant," Ian Crosby, lead counsel for the NYT, told Bloomberg. "This request is pure retaliation against a news organization for asserting its well-established intellectual property rights." Bad Omen At the very least, it's unlikely that the scope of the request doesn't get knocked down by a judge. It's an unprecedented request for a reason. IP attorney Jason Bloom told Bloomberg that news articles are considered "obviously" copyrightable, and proving they aren't would be an uphill battle. But for OpenAI, it's probably more about sending a message: that the NYT has poked a bear with near-endless legal resources for a dragged-out fight. "Indeed, given the wildly improper scope of this request," the NYT argued in the filing, as quoted by Bloomberg, "one has to wonder if a chilling effect is what OpenAI, who appears to have stolen from millions of content creators, is hoping for." More on AI: Whistleblowers Say OpenAI Broke Promise to Rigorously Test AI for Danger Before Releasing (COLORADO SPRINGS) Operation Homefront is holding its annual Back-to-School Brigade during which they will distribute 30,000 backpacks to military families nationwide. On Saturday, July 20, backpacks with essential school supplies will be distributed to 400 local military children. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, families in Colorado Springs with two children require two adults to work full-time for more than $30/hour. For military families, where the spouse unemployment rate remains above 20% and the service members income is capped by rank and time in service, buying kids back-to-school supplies can become an unmanageable burden. Operation Homefronts Back-to-School Brigade program has been going since 2008, and they expect to give out their 580,000th backpack this year. All told, they have saved families $60 million in back-to-school expenses and have ensured that military kids will have the necessary resources to succeed in the classroom. For more information, visit OperationHomeFront.org. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. I know the exact moment when Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to launch his full-scale invasion of Ukraine: Oct. 1, 2021. It was the day the opera "Vyshyvanyi: The King of Ukraine" premiered in Kharkiv. I was at the event and vividly recall all the details. The premiere proved to be a cultural shock for Kharkiv and resonated across Ukraine. The air filled with premonition, a sense that something monumental was about to unfold, though no one could articulate it precisely. Words swirled on the tip of the tongue; they were tender yet pregnant with meaning, like champagne bubbles teasing the palate at a post-performance reception. As we would soon discover, these words heralded the end of an era and the onset of a great war. Beyond the walls of the enchanting castle, where refined society had gathered for a festive ball, the overture of a terrifying storm was unfolding. What made this event extraordinary? Firstly, the protagonists persona: Wilhelm von Habsburg, a descendant of the Austrian throne, known in Ukrainian history as Vasyl Vyshyvanyi. While quite well-known among intellectual circles in Ukraine, his popularity and fame as a one-time contender for the Ukrainian throne are largely confined to specific regions due to obvious historical reasons. Read also: Opinion: Landmark case could bring justice for Vinnytsia victims and transform international law In other words, if an opera about Vyshyvanyi were staged in Lviv, it would surprise far fewer people. Even in Kyiv, it would prompt a bewildered raise of the eyebrow and a few clarifying questions (despite Vyshyvanyis connection to Kyiv: it was here, in Lukianivska prison, that the archdukes life was cut short after he had endured abuse by the Soviet secret services). Yet, the opera about Vyshyvanyi in Kharkiv was something completely alien. It was shocking to hear a story about a descendant of the Austro-Hungarian throne, a Ukrainian patriot who fought for the Ukrainian Peoples Republic, and a publicly gay figure in Kharkiv. Equally shocking was the modernist, complex music composed for the opera by contemporary Ukrainian composer Alla Zahaykevych. The opera was directed by, perhaps, Ukraines finest director, Rostyslav Derzhypilsky, with the libretto penned by Serhiy Zhadan. Picture this audacious, even defiant opera staged in an unattractive Soviet-era theater building. It felt as though massive, unseen tectonic plates were colliding and grinding beneath the surface, striving to align and form a new structure, a new foundation. Perhaps this is reminiscent of how modernist art was perceived in the atmosphere of bourgeois Vienna (did anyone then realize that the collision of these two realities would lead to World War II?) Serhii Zhadan in front of "Vyshyvanyi: The King of Ukraine" billboard in an undated photo. (Vyshyvanyi: The King of Ukraine/Facebook) Another crucial aspect to consider is the financial backing behind the production. The opera was financed by Vsevolod Kozhemiako, a prominent businessman who is listed in Forbes and hails from Kharkiv. His wife, Oleksandra Sayenko, served as the driving force behind the entire project. Its noteworthy that following the onset of Russias full-scale invasion, Vsevolod emerged as the wealthiest Ukrainian to enlist in the Defense Forces. Eventually, he founded and led the entire combat brigade known as Khartia (which, according to one interpretation, stands for Kharkiv + art + i ia (in Ukrainian, and I)). In 2022, there were plans to tour this opera abroad. Even then, there was an understanding that while in the east we were fighting for our independence in the trenches, in the west we needed to reclaim our sovereignty through university classrooms and theater boxes. Now, with all this information in hand, lets take a panoramic view of this extraordinary event. Picture a high-profile cultural gathering dedicated to a remarkably unconventional historical figure: a pure Habsburg, an impassioned Ukrainian, and an openly gay individual. All of this unfolding in Kharkiv, a city situated on the Russian border, once touted as the first capital by the Bolsheviks in the occupied part of Ukraine a century ago; Kharkiv, which, throughout the 30 years of Ukrainian independence, predominantly supported pro-Russian parties; a city tarnished by the signing of the so-called Kharkiv Pact between Yanukovych and Medvedev, a move that facilitated the insidious encroachment of Ukraine from within. The production was made possible by private funding, yet the opera took place in a state theater, serving as an example of a public-private partnership. In other words, in its 30th year of independence, Ukraine has finally matured enough to allow new, honest, non-oligarchic Ukrainian businesses to finance significant cultural events in collaboration with the state, transcending traditional templates and expectations. Read also: Opinion: We cant lose sight of nuclear nonproliferation It is important to note that staging an opera from scratch is not akin to something like creating a poem. It is no wonder opera was considered an imperial art: it involves numerous individuals, processes, talent, resources, and institutional capacity that only stable and affluent structures could manage. One can almost envision this scenario within the walls of the Kremlin, perhaps even in the form of a comic book: Putin, seated at his desk, confronted by a large poster advertising the Vyshyvanyi opera in Kharkiv. His expression contorted with rage, a vein pulsating on his temple, teeth grinding in frustration. How could this be? We disposed of him, well wipe him out in the shithouse, and yet here he returns to Kharkiv! This state must be eradicated, for its most hostile tendencies have encroached upon the Russian border, threatening to engulf and overwhelm us! Of course, this depiction is purely metaphorical and a product of artistic imagination. However, within it lies a rational kernel: an event of such magnitude, quality, and expressive power was obviously not justification for invasion. Symbolically, it underscored how Ukraine had transformed over 30 yearsgrowing stronger, wealthier, more developed, and modernon its journey toward embracing the European idea throughout the country. My train journey from Uzhhorod to Kharkiv lasted over a day, a staggering 26 hours spent in a sleeper car, gazing out the window, engrossed in a voluminous book, and occasionally drifting off to sleep. This route is one of the longest direct railroad lines in the country, bridging the far west and northeast of Ukraine. In February and March 2022, tens of thousands of Kharkiv residents relied on this route to flee the city amid the chaos of war, seeking refuge in safer regions. The 26-hour train ride serves as a poignant illustration of Ukraine's vastness, while the leisurely pace of the railroad mirrors the gradual movement of ideas and the pace of reforms in our independent state. Read also: Opinion: Could Ukraine survive a JD Vance vice presidency? Border, Belgorod, Russia! Leaving now! this resounding cry greeted me in front of the station square in Kharkiv on Oct. 1, 2021. It was heartening to see no queue of newcomers awaiting this call. Yet, it was equally surprising to realize that on this very morning, I had arrived at a region bordering Russia to immerse myself in a Central European context that Friday marked the premiere of the opera Vyshyvanyi: The King of Ukraine in Kharkiv. The title itself encapsulated a dialogue of two contexts: Vyshyvanyi (embroidered in Ukrainian) symbolizing traditional Ukrainian realities, and King of Ukraine representing our European aspirationsa dream of a royalist European scenario amid the tumult of Ukrainian history. Thus, right from the doorstep, Kharkiv was met with reminders of its proximity to Russia, urging and inviting people to seize the unique opportunity to cross over to Belgorod, from where missiles and shells would rain down on Kharkiv just months later. However, few were inclined to board this minibus, as economic and trade ties had long dwindled, and Russia's technological stagnation offered no prospects for an optimistic future. Something old died, and something new began to stir in Kharkiv and eastern Ukraine as a whole. This new phenomenon heralded the emergence of Central Europe a practice of Central Europeanism spanning various facets of life. From everyday routines intertwined with European supply logistics and quality standards to the cultivation of a fresh civic dignity and rights consciousness within a democratic framework, alongside a distinct sense of geopolitical solidarity advocating caution toward large and powerful entities such as empires, all contributed to this transformative shift. It can be argued that in the 30th year of independence, a new concept of Central Europe was born in eastern Ukraine and eastern Europe, just as it slumbered on the historical territories flanking the eastern reaches of the European Union. These werent mutually exclusive, antagonistic notions; rather, after protracted and exhaustive debates on Central Europe, we overlooked its fundamental attributes mobility, dynamism, and, in a positive sense, contagiousness. While we once believed Central Europe to be eternally fixed, it gradually advanced eastward, akin to an aged train. Read also: The Counteroffensive: A JD Vance vice presidency would be a disaster for Ukraine Our primary misjudgment lay in a geographical misconception: the assumption that Central Europe was confined to the conventional boundaries of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. Here, small nations harbored a pervasive fear of their neighbors, cloaked in a poignant poetic melancholy set to the graceful strains of the Viennese waltz. Despite their tumultuous histories and occasional outbreaks of animosity, these nations shared profound cultural bonds, culinary traditions, and, as one writer eloquently observed, the similar look of their train stations. What is more, their mentalities, political legacies, and systemic challenges on the path to Westernization mirrored one another. In essence, Central Europe was a locked concept that was simplistically put on a geographical map in the form of the old boundaries of the impotent Visegrad Four. The mistake in many years of discussions lay in confining the concept, forgetting that ideas know no borders and can freely traverse, infecting more adherents along the way. This was evident, for instance, in Slovenia and, even more so, in Croatia, which sought to shed the disliked Balkan stereotype and embraced their Central European identity. Likewise, this concept proved to be a lifeline for Romania, seeking refuge from the East in a more prestigious and European club. Similarly, this idea found its way to Ukraine. Initially, it found footing in the geographically and historically confined territory of the former Austro-Hungarian regions, terminating at the Zbruch River. However, it later permeated numerous minds and hearts, extending to Kyiv and central Ukraine during the Orange Revolution, and eventually reaching the eastern borders. Of course, many adherents of this idea may not explicitly identify as supporters of Central Europe, as its the essence rather than the label that matters. So, what defines the essence of Central Europe, and how has it undergone a revival, especially in the wake of the predatory Russian invasion. "Vyshyvanyi: The King of Ukraine" opera in an undated photo. (Vyshyvanyi: The King of Ukraine/Facebook) The potency of this idea is most evident when it is projected toward the future rather than dwelling on the past. Indeed, when we scrutinize history and cherry-pick facts to bolster our arguments, Central Europe may appear barren, irrelevant, stagnant, and dead. For how else can we justify the relevance of the Austro-Hungarian legacy today? The majority of the nations once under the Habsburg crown are now members of the European Union a pinnacle of unification unparalleled in the continents history. The EU surpasses the golden age of imperial Austria and its most benevolent emperor in terms of democracy, human rights, prosperity, and economic development. Central European states now partake in political, security, and economic unions, affording them a sense of relaxation and detachment from global concerns. Furthermore, they bear their own scars and traumas, which often translate into assertions, ostentatious discontent, and demands directed at others. The situation changes dramatically when we shift our focus from the past to the future. It is the trajectory towards the future that imbues the idea of Central Europe with its life-sustaining, vitalistic significance and vigor. Before the outbreak of World War II, this idea was anxiously born, evolving into a dream of a confederation of small nations united in their ability to collectively resist the pressures exerted by great hegemonic powers and occupiers. Preceding World War II, Central Europe found itself sandwiched between the formidable German Reich and the Soviet Union, and it was the shared experience of perennial threats that shaped the political aspirations of its leading figures, resulting in both commendable and calamitous decisions. Read also: Opinion: Ukraines volunteer hacker army is pioneering a new era of cyber warfare Following World War II, Central Europe underwent a transformation into a hybrid Warsaw Pact. And it was this forward-thinking approach that enabled Central European intellectuals to envisage and ultimately construct a free Central Europe following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Moor has done his duty, the Moor can go. After 1991, the idea of Central Europe materialized, gradually diminishing in significance. Amid the turmoil of World War III, the concept of Central Europe became indispensable for Ukraine, turning into its existential interest and a clear vector for the future. What made this idea so alluring that it captured the minds and dreams of millions of Ukrainians, much like it had previously for Czechs, Hungarians, Slovaks, Poles, and other Central, Eastern, Southern, and Northern Europeans? Fundamentally, the core of this idea lies in the concept of equality. The collective mindset of Central European peoples has been shaped by numerous traumas, national tragedies, and defeats spanning centuries. Over the past few centuries, this painful experience has been associated with larger and more powerful neighbors with imperial and colonizing ambitions. From time to time, these powers engaged in conflict with each other, turning the lands of Central Europe into battlefields. On other occasions, they brokered agreements, often to the detriment of and without the consent of Central European peoples. This is how the concept of equality became ingrained at the heart of the Central European idea. The very course of history created the conditions for all the colonized peoples of Central Europe. After enduring numerous humiliations and navigating the arduous paths of national revival, they envisioned a reality where they would stand as equals among equals where no external force dictates, mandates, or makes decisions on their behalf. Read also: The Counteroffensive: What the Trump shooting could mean for Ukraine The driving force behind the Central European idea has long been fearthe existential threat of being erased from the world map through absorption by neighboring imperial powers. This fear, soothed by the welfare of the common European project and lulled by the NATO defense umbrella, reignited again after the beginning of Russia's hybrid and later full-scale aggression against independent Ukraine. The genocidal nature of this war has brought to the forefront the worst fears of Europeans who once naively believed that after the bloody lessons of World War II, mass atrocities and extermination were forever in the past. The absence of a fair tribunal for the crimes of communist regimes has resurrected unpunished evils, which, in 2022, shed all pretenses and took on the most bizarre forms. The engine of fear underscores the primary necessity of the Central European idea: solidarity. The realization that it is futile to confront stronger and more numerous enemies alone compels Central Europeans to unite, seek a cooperation framework, and strengthen solidarity. When they do not, Central Europeans often face defeat and collapse. However, during safer periods of history, when fear diminishes and apathy sets in, the Central European idea quickly deteriorates. It becomes marginalized, transforming from a clear plan of action for the future into a mere metaphor from the art world. In this state, it becomes a subject of mockery for intellectuals perceived as disconnected from reality. So, we have defined the Central European idea as a forward-looking aspiration for equality among peoples, achievable only through collective solidarity and often realized during times of threats (which persist continuously, though people may sometimes forget about it). The main question remains: where is this ephemeral and ideal Central Europe located? Which countries and peoples are its constituents, and who is not allowed to join the club? Read also: Opinion: What to make of the new Russia-North Korea alliance In my view, the answer to this question does not lie in geography. The term Center has often prompted us to reach for a compass and ruler, to scrutinize maps, yet its essence resides at the very core of the idea. The essence of the European idea revolves precisely around equality and solidarity, endeavors to balance powers across the continent to foster a safer existence for all. A stable security framework lays the groundwork for sustainable development, prosperity, and, consequently, the fortification of democracy, respect for minorities and the vulnerable, and equal opportunities for all. We have expended considerable effort in pinpointing the Center when our quest should have been for Europe itself. Central Europe is the geographical locus where European ideals and values are being fought for. This was exemplified by Kyivs symbolic ascension to the capital of Europe in December 2013 marking the first occasion in history when the European Unions flags were raised on barricades. No permission was required, for the idea belongs to no one; it is expected everyone can adopt it primarily on an intellectual, but at times, even in a primal, military context. The ideals of equality and solidarity in confronting existential threats are not confined to Central Europe; they are quintessentially European, originating in Western Europe and later migrating to Central European regions, defined conceptually to distinguish themselves from Eastern Europe. Now, these ideals are advancing further eastward, even onto the battlefields of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. (The migration of these ideas is a captivating process; one might argue there's a constant exchange within Europe, but in reality, these ideas are dynamic. When they wane in France and Germany, they flourish in the Czech Republic and Hungary; when they gain prominence in Ukraine, they may recede in Poland or Slovakia). But enough with metaphors. To me, Central Europe embodies a battleground where individuals strive to uphold values central to the purest European ideal the very essence of Europe itself. We speak of principles such as equality, solidarity, fundamental human rights, and the establishment of a system of checks and balances for all, irrespective of size or strength. On a continent marked by a dense tapestry of diverse interests and forces, an idea emerged on how to coexist without infringing upon others' rights, thereby safeguarding one's own existence. This is the core idea of Europe, the Central European idea. No matter how audacious it may appear, even amidst profound conflict, this idea persists in its eastward trajectory. It spreads like a contagion to those individuals whom we might presently wish to forget or despise, whom we emotionally deny the right to a European identity. The idea evolves according to its own principles, beyond our control. Nevertheless, the truth endures: it advances steadfastly, pushing forward, probing crevices and overcoming obstacles, pressing ever deeper eastward. At present, it encounters resistance, halted by Russian tanks and bombs, yet it will prevail, as it always has, surmounting every obstacle in its path. I earnestly anticipate the day when Ukrainians witness the Central European idea bubbling and struggling for survival beyond our country's borders. I hope for us to be spectators rather than protagonists in this struggle to empathize, support, and marvel, while keeping the unfolding tragedy on stage separate from our own lives. Much like I did in Kharkiv on Oct. 1, 2021, during the premiere of an opera depicting the tragic life of Vasyl Vyshyvanyi. Little did I know then that within five months, the empire would seek to extinguish millions of Ukrainian lives, akin to the assassination of the Austrian archduke. We were unaware that coordinates for future missile strikes were being entered into launchpads. Unbeknownst to us, on February 24, 2022, a great war erupted one that could potentially escalate into World War III if Europe fails to recognize that this battle is not merely for the east or the center, but for Europe itself. Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. Submit an Opinion Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. People walk in the main lobby of the Conference Center during the morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Sunday, April 7, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Recently, a friend of mine sarcastically asked me whether there were any members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints among the Democrats in the Utah State Legislature. The question did not surprise me. Many Latter-day Saints cannot imagine that someone could be a Democrat and a member of the same church they belong to, even active in the faith. Recently, I supervised a project that conducted oral interviews with politicians who are affiliated with the church. The politicians were not just from Utah; they also included Church members in other states as well as other nations. Within the United States, they included both Republicans and Democrats. The Democrats we interviewed shared their views on the role of their faith in their public service. Three of the Democrats shared their conversion stories and the prayer and meditation that led to their eventual baptisms into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some discussed how they became involved in politics because of their religious experiences. Former Rep. Ben McAdams explained that his conversion to a public service career came first while he was a missionary in Brazil. Karen Hale, a former Utah state senator, said that she was inspired to run for office by a Salt Lake Tribune interview given by Elder Marlin Jensen, a General Authority Seventy, in 1998. Their approach to their public service was often attributed to the churchs teachings. Utah state Rep. Brian King attributed his position against gambling to his religious beliefs. Hale said she learned from King Benjamins sermon in the Book of Mormon when he asserted: Are we not all beggars? She concluded that we can work together to find ways that we can meet the needs of all of our brothers and sisters. McAdams said he learned as a full-time missionary about the importance of appreciating differing perspectives and attempting to find common ground. Similarly, King said that gospel teachings led him to not hate others who disagree with him. Some of my very best friends are folks on the other side of the aisle at the legislature, King related. Some Democrats have been instrumental in helping the churchs mission. For example, many Latter-day Saints enjoy visiting Martins Cove, a historic site for the church. In 1856, a handcart company headed to Utah was caught in a winter storm there and rescued by a group of Utahns. Church leaders wanted the state of Wyoming to sell the site of the rescue to the church and asked Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada for his help in getting an agreement. Reid enlisted the support of a Republican senator from Wyoming, and the church was able to buy the property. Reid also intervened on multiple occasions to help the church obtain international visas for Latter-Day Saint missionaries. Former Rep. Dick Swett of New Hampshire also assisted the church in Denmark while he was U.S. ambassador to that country. Audience members listen to the closing song of the morning session of the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Sunday, April 7, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Reid also did individual missionary work among his fellow senators. A former Republican U.S. senator from South Dakota was introduced to the church by Reid, who gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon. The senator later joined the church. Republicans who were interviewed for this project expressed similar sentiments, but they are not accused by members of their own faith of not being faithful. Nor do people question whether they could possibly be members in the first place. Moises Denis, who served in the Nevada Assembly, summed up these Democratic legislators approaches: So for me, the gospel is the way I live my life, and so all the things that I do are centered around that. The church has taught me to serve. So, I answered my friend that, yes, there were Latter-day Saints, even active ones, among the legislators in the Utah Legislature. And there are others in various parts of government throughout the nation. It is time for Church members to stop assuming someone cannot be a Democrat and a Latter-day Saint. Richard Davis is the author of Faith and Politics. An oft-abused law prevents a lot of home construction in California and drives up the cost of each new home by hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press) Latinos in California face significant disparities in income, homeownership and education compared with their counterparts in other states with substantial Latino populations such as Texas and Florida. Our states housing crisis is a big part of the explanation, and one cause of the crisis is the perversion of a well-intentioned 1970 law, the California Environmental Quality Act, known as CEQA. It has evolved into the most potent legal tactic to stifle housing development, contributing to high costs and limited affordability. Even when a proposed development can overcome the legal barriers, the homes finally approved are unaffordable to working families because a complex web of regulatory environmental mandates and fees add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of each new home or apartment. Read more: Opinion: Newsom says California's anti-housing environmental law is 'broken.' So why won't he fix it? This is an obstacle to upward mobility for all Californians, especially young people which in this state means especially Latinos, who are 40% of the population and make up more than half of residents under 18. CEQA needs to be reformed to put the American dream back within reach for young Californians. The value of homeownership is profound, providing both housing and the long-term stability of being part of a neighborhood and school community, not to mention generational wealth and a nest egg. However, California is a hard place to achieve that dream. In 2022, only 46% of Latino households here owned their homes, compared with 51% nationwide. Rates were 59% in Texas, 55% in Florida and more than 70% in New Mexico. Read more: Editorial: CEQA is too easily weaponized to block housing and slow environmental progress With median California home prices soaring past $900,000 in April , Californias housing policy choices have made homeownership a distant dream for most younger residents and for most hard-working Latino families, many of whom do not inherit wealth from their parents home equity and who are not on a path to pass along appreciated home equity to their children. CEQA, intended as a progressive environmental policy, now clearly undermines the economic potential of Californias Latino population. This process began in the 1970s, when a largely white, upper-class environmentalist movement emerged as a dominant political force. CEQA was enacted to minimize environmental harm from public works projects such infrastructure, but a 1972 court ruling expanded it to cover home building. After thousands of subsequent CEQA lawsuits, it now even applies to home remodeling. This law has strayed far from its intended purpose and needs to be reined in. Virtually anyone even those with no direct interest in the project or the environment can sue to block housing for any reason. Cases can be filed anonymously. Sometimes one real estate company even sues to block anothers project for competitive reasons. The state governments Little Hoover Commission has urged the Legislature to exempt all infill housing from CEQA, which would allow more homes to be built on underutilized lots in areas that already have many homes. The commission also called for an end to anonymous CEQA lawsuits, a ban on lawsuits filed for non-environmental reasons, and the clarification and expedition of the CEQA process. Although Californias Legislature has enacted almost 200 laws since 2017 intended to boost housing supplies and reduce bureaucratic costs and delays, lawmakers have not reined in CEQA abuse. They also never authorized most of CEQAs judicial mission creep. In its current interpretation, the law has come to be biased against changes to private views, against temporary construction noise during daytime hours and against common urban species such as seagulls and robins. Housing policies designed to overcome these CEQA obstacles, such as prioritizing infill high-density housing near transit, are economically infeasible in almost all of California while more affordable homes, in areas where Latino homeownership is actually increasing, continue to be pummeled by anti-development advocates . The upside-down mindset of current environmental policy ends up being anti-people and anti-environment. The California Air Resources Board, whose policies are enforced via CEQA, counts jobs and people who move out of a city or county as greenhouse gas emission reductions even when these jobs and people relocate to states and even countries with far more lax environmental standards. Californias lost jobs and population would most likely increase global greenhouse gas emissions. So much for Californias climate change leadership. Agencies and advocates promoting this de-growth agenda through CEQA share the no growth dogma of the environmentalists of the 1970s, which then and now really means no growth of those people. The intention is racist, and the effect is racist. The housing crisis hits Black and Latino Californians hardest, as even CARB and the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst Office now expressly acknowledge. California cannot address its housing and homelessness crisis without building millions of new homes that are actually affordable to Californias working families and doing so much faster, without the counterproductive legal barriers that add delays and costs. CEQA reform is key to this. A good start would be an immediate moratorium on CEQA lawsuits based on any theory not expressly authorized by a statute or regulation. The governor simply needs to direct agencies, and urge the courts, to follow the law and reject those claims. Todays far more diverse Legislature ought to be able to do more as well, serving all Californians better than the sea of white male leaders and judges who have for so long been captured by NIMBY environmentalists. Its time we admit the failures of CEQAs expansion and start making the policy changes needed to restore the American dream of homeownership for a younger, more diverse California. Soledad Ursua is an elected board member of the Venice Neighborhood Council. Jennifer Hernandez is a partner at the law firm Holland & Knight. Ursua is the lead author of, and Hernandez is a contributor to, the recent report El Futuro es Latino . If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Until the last part of the last day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, the event could not have gone much better for Republicans. Then came Donald Trumps speech. If Fidel Castro were alive today, he would have told Trump that its dragging on a bit long. That was the view from a trenchantly anti-Biden, conservative publication, National Review. After four days of an expertly choreographed and at times brilliant productionthe presence of the Gold Star families on Wednesday was a devastating political hit on Bidenthe wheels, as they do with Trump, came off. He was the worst part of his own convention. Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Republican National Convention on July 18. Jeenah Moon/Reuters It wasnt just the length of the speech. Yes, it was long (at a record-breaking 93 minutes), but it was also rambling, chaotic and, after some perfunctory remarks about uniting the nation, he went on to sow the usual seeds of division and grievance. Worst of all, he committed the cardinal sin of being boring. (Also, can we all now put aside the absolute nonsense that was peddled about a new, transformed Trump in the hours after Saturday's shooting? It always looked like disingenuous, political bullshit. Turns out it was.) Last night was, as many have pointed out, a tale of two speechesthe opening, scripted remarks, and then frequent forays where he veered wildly from the teleprompter into a stream of consciousness. Ones heart went out to the teleprompter. On center stage, it had prepared all week for its big moment in the spotlightand then was casually cast aside, ignored and eclipsed by the wayward ego that is Donald Trump. Maybe expectations were set too high. Trump was touted all week as the headline act that would close the event on a high. He was paraded like a heavyweight boxer about to enter the ring. The knockout would come Thursday. Only it didnt. Trump ended up getting in his own way. The ground had been prepared by his team: Expect New Trump. A changed man. A call to unity. On Monday, the man himself told The Washington Examiner that instead of a planned humdinger of a speech, he would rewrite his convention remarks to focus on unity and togetherness. He understands theres a moment, Chris LaCivita, Trumps campaign manager, told an audience in Milwaukee this week, If theres one person I know whos capable of meeting the moment its him. Only it wasnt. Wheres Barron? Trumps Son Misses RNC After Rally Debut In a piece entitled Why Did Trump Give Such A Bad Speech, a writer for The American Conservative noted, Trump filibustered his own nomination Thursday night. This was not a unity speech, although unity did get passing attention: I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America. Even those opening remarks, and the ones recounting his survival from Saturdays assassination attempt, were delivered in a strange, subdued, low-key tone. As one observer, writing from the convention center for the Atlantic, said, The details were bracing, but the delivery was oddly laboredas if Trump was speaking in a foreign language that he hadnt quite mastered. Once those remarks were dispatched, Trump veered wildly off course. And therein lies the challenge for campaign co-managers LaCivita and Susan Wiles. While this has been the most disciplined of campaigns, they are dealing with the most undisciplined of candidates. To date the two veteran Republicans have managed a brilliant campaign: They reined in Trump for the first debate, successfully re-marketed Trump 2.0 after the shooting, and then produced a successful RNC. Until the closing act. Their biggest asset, it turns out, is also their largest liability. But, luckily for them, none of this may matter much. How many people, outside of political junkies and hardline Republicans, will have sat through the 93 minutes? As Jim Geraghty, writing in National Review, put it: The good news for Republicans is that the best part was at the start, and probably Americans on the east coast turned it off and went to bed, and everywhere else in the country, when they got bored, they tuned it out. The digital campaign team will have been splicing 20 or 30 second edits for consumption by normal people on social media. There may just be enough moments for them to get four or five of them. Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Republican National Convention on July 18. Mike Segar/Reuters And, despite his stumbles on closing night, the RNC remained a totemic victory for Trump and his remaking of the Republican party. Molly Ball, writing in the Wall Street Journal, was correct in describing the transformation witnessed in Republican politics this week. This new GOP has a new philosophy. The convention lineup testified to the obsolescence of the country-club Republican Party. Monday night featured speeches from Amber Rose, a biracial face-tattooed adult-content creator and rapper; David Sacks, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist who said Biden provokedyes, provokedthe Russians to invade Ukraine with talk of NATO expansion; and Teamsters head Sean OBrien, who decried greedy corporations and the Chamber of Commerce. But perhaps the greatest takeaway from last night, while watching a seriously underwhelming Trump, was the realization that (lost a little in the haze of the last three weeks since Biden's disastrous debate) this should, and could, be a close election. As former George W. Bush speechwriter and avowed Never Trumper, David Frum, said after watching Trump's speech, This Crew is Totally Beatable. But beatable by Biden? As elections analyst David Wasserman posted on X during the speech, Someone is going to have to win the 2024 election despite their best efforts not to. But the very best tweet of the night? Kudos to Philip Klein who had to sit through it for National Review and posted, I could have been halfway through Barry Lyndon by now. Only halfway? Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. After Donald Trump was shot on Saturday, the FBI found a small drone in the gunmans vehicle, about the size as the ones the Secret Services Counter-Surveillance Unit (CSU) sometimes deploys. Among the big questions in the wake of the shooting: Why did the CSU not deploy one of their own at the rally? They certainly could have, a senior law enforcement source who has often worked with active Secret Service agents told the Daily Beast. Due to manpower constraints, the Secret Service is dependent on local law enforcement to secure the outer perimeter at such events. And Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger has said that the Secret Service was told by police there that it could not secure the building that the gunman subsequently used as his perch. But a single agent with a drone could have kept an eagles eye on the entire area with particular focus on the roofwhose slant initially concealed the gunman from a Secret Service counter-sniper team (CST). Blood is seen in the bleachers at a campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images Maybe the Secret Services drone folks had been at the NATO Summit in New York at the end of last week and were in transit to the Republican convention in Milwaukee at the time of the rally. Or maybe the agency as administered by the famously bean-counting Director Kimberly Cheatle does not allocate drone coverage to candidates who have not yet been formally nominated. The Secret Service has so far been silent on the subject and did not respond to a query from the Daily Beast. But what everybody should be saying including Cheatle and members of congress and everybody else with a voiceis that the Secret Service needs many more agents. At present, there are roughly 4,000. Sources with knowledge of the agency tell the Daily Beast that there should be at least 2,000 more. There is a particular need now, as the agency is entering a retirement bubble as a result of a hiring surge after 9/11 that is now leading to a boom in departures. It also comes just as the countrys political climate is becoming increasingly volatile and guns are easier to get than ever. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images Members of Congress in both parties should take a break from casting blame at each other and pass the funding needed to increase the number of agents by at least 50 percent in time to begin hiring those who will protect whoever wins the next electionand all the elections that follow. Without question, there was a major security failure on Saturday. And now that the Republican convention has ended, Cheatle should resign before the Democrats convene their own. And while she can be held responsible for a woefully inadequate security plan, it is not a secret that the Secret Service needs many more agentsand there remains no reasonable excuse for not having deployed a drone on Saturday. Even the gunman had one in his vehicle. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Listen to this full episode of The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Stitcher. Donald Trump started out strong at the Republican National Convention on Thursday as he spoke for the first time since the attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend. And while The New Abnormal co-host Andy Levy admits the former president was intriguing for a good solid maybe 10 minutes [though] he eventually just pivoted back to the hits. You know, it sucked, Levy said of the speech. I dont think this speech moves the needle one way or the other. He went back into the Trump surrealism part of what were used to. Subscribe to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Overcast. Then, senior reporter for New York magazine, Sarah Jones, joins the show to spill on Trump vice presidential pick J.D. Vances appearance at an event in Washington, D.C., called the National Conservatism Conference. Jones explains how the crowd lapped up Vances comments, which I think is interesting because I dont consider him a particularly charismatic speaker or figure, but it was very much his crowd and he was comfortable there. This Is the Most Extreme Presidential Ticket in Modern American History Plus! Veronica Riccobene, a reporter at The Lever, explains her recent piece uncovering more about VanceJ.D. Vance Wants Police To Track People Who Have Abortionsand why it should be scary to all of us. Listen to this full episode of The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Stitcher. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he would continue his "peace mission" despite criticism from the European Union. Source: Orbans statement in an interview with state radio, as cited by Bloomberg, reports European Pravda Details: Orban said that he would continue reporting on his meetings only after they occur exactly the way he did with his uncoordinated trips to Russia and China. He also believes that a peacekeeping mission is necessary to stop the spread of war. In his opinion, it is not necessary to communicate with the warring sides, but to tell them "that the whole world wants peace because this war is harming everyone" and that "[other] countries are waiting for peace talks to begin". Orban is also convinced that Europe will change its stance: "It's just very difficult to get out of the trenches they are in. But I am sure everything will change no later than the day of the US presidential election. It shouldn't be a panic and rash turnaround." Background: MEPs have approved a resolution in support of Ukraine, in which, among other things, they condemned the uncoordinated foreign policy actions by the Hungarian PM. Earlier, the European Commission decided to reduce the level of representation at informal meetings of the EU Council during the Hungarian presidency to show dissatisfaction with Viktor Orban's uncoordinated foreign policy steps. Several member states have taken a similar step. At the same time, the European Commission says that it cannot legally deprive Hungary of the EU Council presidency, but it can boycott it. Support UP or become our patron! Orban will continue his so-called 'peace mission' after criticism from EU, Bloomberg says Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will continue what he called a "peace mission" despite criticism from the European Union, Bloomberg reported on July 19. Shortly after Hungary took over the rotating presidency on July 1, Orban met leaders of Ukraine, Moscow, China, Turkey, and U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump. Orban's rogue diplomatic efforts, namely his meetings with Russian and Chinese leaders Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping under the EU presidency logo, drew ire across the EU. Brussels stressed that despite Hungary's ongoing chairmanship of the Council of the EU, the trips have not represented the bloc. During an interview on state radio, Orban said that the EU needs to join China and the U.S. in light of potential Trump's return to power to press Russia and Ukraine to start peace negotiations, Bloomberg reported. Orban said he will give updates on his future meetings only after they happen, as it was with his visits to Moscow and Beijing. The summaries of Orban's recent trips were published on his website, containing 10 points. In his conclusions, Orban claimed that the war between Ukraine and Russia will escalate, and the warring states "will not seek a way out of the war without external intervention." He also mentioned that the EU will bear the financial burden of helping Ukraine if Trump wins the U.S. presidential elections. Orban added that Trump will not launch any peace initiatives before the U.S. election, but if he wins, he will be ready to "act as a peace mediator immediately," even before the inauguration. The Hungarian prime minister also suggests the EU to begin high-level talks with China at the next peace summit, restore diplomatic ties with Russia, and launch a "coordinated political offensive against the Global South, whose favor has been lost because of the EU's position on the war in Ukraine." European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on July 18 called Orban's efforts an "appeasement mission," while the Hungarian prime minister called her "naive." The European Commission on July 15 announced that it will reduce its participation in informal meetings planned by Hungary during its EU presidency following Orban's "peace mission." The commission will also skip the traditional visit of its commissioners to the country holding the presidency. Read also: Orban pitches peace proposal to EU after Kyiv, Moscow trips Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he will continue his self-styled peace mission despite criticism from the European Union that he overstepped his nations role as the holder of the blocs rotating presidency. Most Read from Bloomberg The EU needs to join China and, assuming Donald Trumps return to power, the United States to press Russia and Ukraine to start peace negotiations, Orban said in a state radio interview on Friday. Since Hungary took over the largely administrative EU role on July 1, Orban has used it to elevate his own profile in international diplomacy, meeting with leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump. Orban said hell continue to give updates about his meetings only after they happen, as was the case with his uncoordinated trips to Russia and China. Newly re-elected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday called Orbans efforts an appeasement mission. The Hungarian leader on Friday called von der Leyen naive. The European Commission said on Monday that it will downgrade its participation in informal meetings planned by Hungary during its EU presidency, following Orbans diplomatic forays to Moscow and Beijing. The commission will also skip the traditional visit of its commissioners to the country holding the presidency. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. The site of Washington County's planned Center for Addictions Triage and Treatment in HIllsboro. The center, when finished, will aid the county's new diversion programs that offer treatment instead of jail to people in addiction. (Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle) The site of Washington County's planned Center for Addictions Triage and Treatment in HIllsboro. The center, when finished, will aid the county's new diversion programs that offer treatment instead of jail to people in addiction. (Ben Botkin/Oregon Capital Chronicle) HILLSBORO Oregon counties are mapping out new diversion programs to combat the states fentanyl crisis, an undertaking facing short- and long-term challenges to make it a success. In Washington County, Oregons second most populous, officials plan to start the new program on Sept. 1, when House Bill 4002 takes effect and puts in place a new misdemeanor penalty for drug possession. Earlier this year, the Legislature passed the bill, which recriminalizes possession of small amounts of drugs and gives counties state funding to set up programs to guide people into recovery instead of jails. But county officials say the state funding does not pay for enough outreach workers to respond countywide every time police interact with a person with illicit drugs. And after meeting with Washington County officials and recovery advocates on Thursday, U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas agrees that more is necessary both funding and tools to increase the behavioral health workforce. Salinas, D-Oregon, said shes impressed with the countys plans to reach people. I think thats great, she said. But once they want to scale up, you dont want to see something succeed and not be able to then get in there and actually make it more robust. Thats my fear. I will want them to go when theyre ready to go. Washington County District Attorney Kevin Barton said the countys plan is well-organized, with officials starting to work on it in April before the Legislature passed House Bill 4002. In 2019, the county started to plan a new addiction triage and treatment center, which will have locations in Hillsboro and Beaverton when the facilities open. Washington County, which has about 600,000 people, will receive $1.34 million for its new deflection program. But officials said they would need millions more to build and run the diversion programs in the best way possible. As it stands now, the gap in funding will lead to inconsistent experiences for drug users. In some cases, the police officer will do a warm handoff on the scene, which entails introducing the person to an outreach worker, also called a peer support specialist. In other cases, that wont be able to happen because of a lack of money to fund the peer workers necessary for the entire county. Instead, a person will receive a citation and information about the deflection programs. Barton said the warm handoff approach is the best at shepherding drug users toward recovery and he would like it to be used in every contact between police and drug users. I would love to do that everywhere in Washington County, he said in an interview with the Capital Chronicle. The Legislature, when they provided deflection money to different counties, they did not give enough money to Washington County. The Legislature allocated about $18.5 million total for counties to start deflection programs, including paying for staff and other administrative tasks. The programs are optional, and 23 of Oregons 36 counties have confirmed they will participate. Multnomah County, Oregons largest, will receive nearly $4 million, while rural counties receive a minimum of $150,000. Barton said Washington County should have received closer to $3 million, considering its population is about three-quarters the size of Multnomah County. Thats why we cant start the warm handoff approach everywhere because we just dont have the funds to do it, Barton said. But were going to approach the Legislature this coming session and tell them we need some more. Housing needs high The money for counties is part of a broader array of $211 million in state funding lawmakers allocated this session for addiction treatment, court programs and recovery and supportive housing and residential facilities. Deena Feldes is executive director of Transcending Hope, a nonprofit that provides supportive housing to people across the Portland tri-county region, including in Washington County where it has about 100 beds. Supportive staff help anchor people in recovery, by listening and giving advice when they are tempted to stray. But they cant meet the demand, with people on waitlists because theres not enough housing, Feldes said. Im optimistic about outcomes as long as were creating more treatment and more housing and more services because we dont have enough right now, Feldes said. Hopefully all the funding is going to come through and be dispersed because we all know that Oregon is short of support systems for the people that are going to be accessing services. Federal efforts Besides money, Oregon also needs enough professionals to provide treatment and other services for people in addiction, Salinas said. Many dont have contact with providers or even police officers. A new Portland State University study found Oregon police officers in 2016 made drug possession arrests for only about 7% of the population that needs addiction treatment. This means police officers alone will not be the driving force behind the diversion programs, which also need peer support specialists who can do outreach, housing agencies and treatment providers. On the federal level, Salinas said she is looking for ways to fund peer support specialists and eliminate barriers so more of them can enter the profession. Peer workers, or navigators, are people who have overcome addiction and other challenges and can relate to people considering recovery. In February, Salinas introduced a bill in Congress that would require the federal government to recommend national procedures to train, certify and supervise peer workers, with flexibility for states. Salinas visit in Washington County was one of five planned with counties in her district to discuss addiction treatment programs. Salinas also has met with officials in Marion, Polk and Clackamas counties and has a meeting planned for Yamhill County. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Eugene-area agencies and businesses felt the impact Friday of a global tech outage that impacted major companies worldwide. The outage, which began late Thursday night, affected airlines, banks, government offices and other operations, causing system outages that sometimes took hours to address. Reportedly, the outage was linked to Crowdstrike, a cybersecurity firm that claims to be used by 298 of the Fortune 500 companies. Its website also states it is used by six of the top 10 health care providers. The company reported that one of its recent content updates had a defect that impacted Microsoft's Windows Operating System, adding the incident was "not a security incident or cyberattack." The company's CEO, George Kurtz, apologized for the disruptions in a post on X, noting the issue has been identified and isolated and a fix has been deployed. CrowdStrike is "working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on." Meanwhile, Microsoft said "the underlying cause has been fixed" and impacted Microsoft 365 apps and services were recovered, though the company continues to monitor the issue. Eugene/Springfield hospitals affected Eugene area hospitals were affected late Thursday night. PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield, one of Oregon's busiest hospitals, canceled all elective surgeries Friday although managers said emergency surgeries would continue as needed. "PeaceHealth, along with organizations worldwide, has been impacted by the CrowdStrike outage," PeaceHealth stated via email. "We are assessing the impact on our hospitals, clinics and facilities. We continue to make progress to restore our systems to full functionality. "PeaceHealth actively prepares for contingencies and is able to maintain critical patient care and access. We recognize the important role we serve in our communities and prioritize our ability to meet that need." One EUG flight canceled, several delayed One flight was canceled and several more delayed at the Eugene Airport on Friday. Eugene Airport Director Cathryn Stephens told the Register-Guard that one flight was canceled. According to monitors in the airport, this was Allegiant flight 3821, Eugene to Austin at 10:48 a.m. Several flights were delayed. Stephens described most of the delays as "not extreme" but there were exceptions. The longest delay is Delta flight 3708 from Eugene to Salt Lake City, which was scheduled to depart at 6 a.m. but was delayed to 1 p.m. The airport appeared to have avoided the types of impacts seen elsewhere. Across the U.S., thousands of flights were canceled Friday morning. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were among those who grounded flights less than an hour after Microsoft said it resolved a cloud-services-related outage that impacted several low-cost carriers. Eugene Springfield 9-1-1 Dispatch 'prepared for situations like this' 911 dispatchers and call takers in Eugene and Springfield used backup plans to keep services running. If there is one thing we have, it is contingency plans, said Janel Klews, spokesperson for the Eugene Springfield Fire Department in a statement. Technology makes us more efficient, but we have a responsibility to our community to be fully functional even without it. According to Klews, the Department works closely with Central Lane 9-1-1 to keep paper-based backup systems and information available for tracking calls and units in the field to continue service as smoothly as possible. Just like staff did before computers were made a part of their system, units carry map books and notepads so that crew captains or medic staff members not driving can take notes on call details. There is never a condition in which we are able to stop because a system goes offline, Klews said. If radios go down, we use landline or cell phones. If computers go down, dispatch uses paper medical protocols, maps, and call cards. Eugene Police Department Capt. Roy Wright said all emergency services were back up and operational as of 5 a.m. Friday. Officers responded to priority calls for service with a pen and pad in hand and were aided by Google Maps while their network was not operational. Portland issues emergency declaration Eugene Airport passengers wait by the baggage carousel while an advertising carousel was down because of issues caused Friday by a widespread outage on Microsoft systems. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler issued an emergency declaration Friday over the tech outage, with a statement noting the outages are affecting city servers, employee computers and emergency communications. Meanwhile, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management increased its state activation level from "normal" to "partial," citing the tech outage. A post on X says a "partial" activation is for incidents that require "significant monitoring or resources," with additional emergency operations staffing from other agencies, functions and supporting organizations. What is CrowdStrike? CrowdStrike is a popular cybersecurity software company created in 2012 by CEO George Kurtz, along with Dmitri Alperovitch and Gregg Marston. According to its website, CrowdStrike has the "world's most advanced cloud-native platform that protects and enables the people, processes and technologies that drive modern enterprise." Alperovitch, CrowdStrike's former Chief Technology Officer, is a member of the Biden administration's Homeland Security Advisory Council, which is meant to provide advice and expertise to support decision-making "across the spectrum of homeland security operations." What caused the CrowdStrike outage? According to an alert sent by CrowdStrike to its clients and reviewed by Reuters, the company's "Falcon Sensor" software caused Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen, known informally as the "Blue Screen of Death." Kurtz said "there was an issue with a Falcon content update for Windows Hosts" but customers remain fully protected, according to Kurtz's post on X. Impact on the economy The outage isnt expected to have any effect on the broader economy unless it persists for days. At this point, the IT outage is more a nuisance than an economic event, says Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moodys Analytics. If it drags on into early next week, the economic damage will begin to mount. If the outage is limited to a day or two, canceled flights can be rebooked and banking transactions can be completed later. There is plenty of time for activity to be recovered over the remainder of the month, says Jonathan Miller, senior U.S. economist at Barclays. Register-Guard reporters Miranda Cyr, Haleigh Kochanski and Alan Torres and USA TODAY contributed to this article. This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene impacts of Crowdstrike outage on Microsoft systems Measles has six cases of measles, the most since 2019. Measles has six cases of measles, the most since 2019. (iStock/Getty Images Plus) After only one measles case in Oregon last year, it now has six and could very well have more in the next few weeks. The outbreak comes amid others also involving a preventable disease pertussis or whooping cough which has infected more than 350 people in just over a dozen counties this year. The measles outbreak the biggest in Oregon since 2019 is centered in Marion County and emerged in mid-June, when the Oregon Health Authority announced that an unvaccinated adult and child in the same household became sick. They live in Clackamas County, but Oregon Health Authority officials said they were infected in Marion County. County officials announced a separate case involving an unvaccinated child at the same time. Within the past week, Marion County health officials said three more unvaccinated children have been infected. Melissa Gable, a county spokeswoman, said the cases involve children in separate households between the ages of 4 to 14 years old. Our communicable disease team is actively investigating all cases but currently there are no known connections between them, Gable said. That means others could be infected or that more cases could emerge, state officials said. I think we expect we will see more measles cases due to the infectiousness of the disease but we certainly hope we dont, said Jonathan Modie, a spokesman for the Oregon Health Authority. The whooping cough outbreaks might not be over, either, health officials said. Modie said there have been 12 outbreaks in Lane, Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Deschutes, Jefferson, Josephine, Marion, Linn, Columbia, Hood River, Benton and Yamhill counties in descending order based on the number of cases, with more than 130 in Lane County. Both diseases spread through the air when an infected individual coughs or sneezes, with measles particles able to stay airborne for two hours, making it especially infectious. It can cause a fever, cough, runny nose or red eyes and is usually associated with a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. It also can cause more severe symptoms, including ear infections, pneumonia, and, in rare instances, swelling of the brain. Whooping cough spreads much the same way and is also associated with a cough, often violent and associated with a whooping sound, that can last for weeks or months. Other symptoms include sneezing, a running nose, fever and watery eyes. People are contagious with whooping cough when they have cold-like symptoms and can remain so up to three weeks after they start coughing. Patients with measles are contagious for four days before a rash appears and up to four days afterward. Both diseases are preventable with vaccines. For whooping cough, doctors recommend five doses of the DTaP, or diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, for children and one for preteens. Full vaccination is about 85% effective in preventing disease while the measles vaccine is even more effective 97%. Officials recommend two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella or MMR vaccine, first between when children are 12 to 15 months old and the second starting at 4 years though 6. People are considered immune to measles if they were born before 1957 before the widespread use of the vaccine, have been vaccinated or have been infected. With widespread vaccine campaigns, the World Health Organization declared the disease eradicated in the U.S. in 2000. But it has reemerged, with people bringing the disease in from abroad and an increasing number of parents not getting their kids vaccinated. Oregon has required children entering kindergarten since 1998 to have two doses of the measles-containing vaccine, though parents can opt-out by obtaining a medical or nonmedical exemption. Measles vaccination is also required for children attending child care facilities and for students in post-secondary colleges or universities. There are currently measles outbreaks in 24 states, including Oregon, in the West, Midwest, East Coast and South, with nearly 170 people infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the latest Oregon wildfire updates, see this story. At least 17 large wildfires and numerous small blazes are burning across Oregon, bringing evacuation orders in every part of the state, following more than 1,000 lightning strikes earlier in the week. More than 100 fires were ignited by the lightning strikes Tuesday and Wednesday, and given historically hot and dry conditions, many have grown. Additional lightning strikes forecast for Saturday night could complicate firefighting efforts statewide. The Pacific Northwest already had 6,000 firefighters working in the field and has become the top priority nationally. As critical fire conditions continue this week, multiple agencies are working in concert to protect our state, Gov. Tina Kotek said. The governor said in a news conference on Friday the state is facing a long wildfire season. Here's the latest updates on wildfires burning across the state. The Trail Fire is burning at Diamond Lake and Mount Thielsen in southern Oregon. Forecast: Wildfire danger extremely high, only expected to grow with additional lightning Oregon's wildfire danger was at almost record levels Friday and was likely to stay there into the weekend, said John Saltenberger, fire weather meteorologist for the Northwest Coordination Center. "We're in the 97% percentile for fire danger," he said. "The forest is ripe for any ignition, be it lightning or human-caused." The bad news is additional dry lightning was forecast Saturday night into Sunday across western Oregon, but the most of the strikes were expected in southwest Oregon. Saltenberger said he didn't expect it to be as many strikes as the Tuesday storm maybe a few hundred but that it would likely bring additional ignitions. The silver lining is that once the storm passes, temperatures were forecast to be moderate. "Fire danger is going to stay near record values Friday-Saturday-Sunday, but then we'll see a pattern change with temperatures dropping cooler and with more humidity," he said. "That works in our favor." Level 3 evacuation orders issued for Lemolo Fire The Douglas County Sheriff's Office on Saturday night issued level 3 "go now" and level 2 "be ready" evacuation orders for the Lemolo Fire. The fire was reported to be at least 179 acres. Level 3 evacuations were issued for: Bunker Hill Campground Lemolo KOA Campground Poole Creek Campground/Boat Ramp Kelsay Valley Campground The North Umpqua Trail between USFS 2612 Road and Windigo Pass intersection, west to North Umpqua Trail as it intersects with USFS 2612 Road. This includes all areas on north and northeast side of Lemolo Lake, according to the sheriff's office. Level 2 evacuation orders have been issued for: East Lemolo Campground USFS 2614 Road south of Inlet Campground, including Kelsay Valley, Pumice Flat and Elbow Butte areas. An evacuation map can be found at www.dcso.com/evacuations Find more info at the Diamond Complex Fire Information Facebook page. Red Flag warning issued for southern Oregon Saturday night A red flag warning has been issued across the length of southwest Oregon due to concern of lightning Saturday night into Sunday morning. "Given the prolonged stretch of very hot and very dry conditions, lightning efficiency will be high to very high for fire starts. Additionally, gusty outflow winds will allow for new and existing fires to grow rapidly out of control," NWS Medford wrote in the alert. Fire teams have been pre-positioned in advance of the storm with the goal of putting out as many fire starts as possible. Burn ban issued for Linn County A burn ban was issued Saturday for Albany, Lebanon, Sweet Home, Scio, Tangent, Brownsville, Halsey-Shedd and Harrisburg due to extreme weather conditions. A Red Flag warning is also in effect due to dry weather, hot temperatures and the threat of lightning. The Linn County Fire Defense Board is prohibiting open flames, including campfires, fire pits and warming fires. Gas grills are permitted during the ban, according to a news release from the Lebanon Fire District. People are asked to use power equipment like mowers, weed trimmers, welders and grinders during the cooler early part of the day and to have water available when using gas-powered equipment. Willamette National Forest issues closure order for Moss Mountain Fire An emergency closure order was issued Saturday night for the Moss Mountain Fire in the Middle Fork Ranger District by Willamette National Forest. The fire was started by lightning on Thursday and is 70 acres, according to a news release from Willamette National Forest. It is located at 23S 5E S18 and adjacent to the Diamond Peak Wilderness. According to the release, the fire is burning in heavy old growth timber in steep terrain near Moss Mountain. Closed trails include: Bear Mountain #3602, Blue Lake #3645, Corrigan Lake #3654, Diamond Lake #3699, Hemlock Butte #3620, Pacific Crest Emigrant Pass #2000, Pinto Mountain #3684, Pioneer Gulch #3630, Pool Creek #4228, Rockpile #3632 and Vivian Lake #3662. Closed trailheads include: Bear Mountain Trailhead, Blue Lake Trailhead, Corrigan Lake Trailhead, Diamond Peak Trailhead, Hemlock Butte Trailhead, Pacific Crest Emigrant Pass Trailhead, Pioneer Gulch Trailhead, Pinto Mountain Trailhead, Pool Creek Trailhead, Rockpile Trailhead and Vivian Lake Trailhead. For the full list of recreation sites and roads in the Moss Mountain Fire, go to: fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices Willamette National Forest issues closure order for Tire Mountain Fire An emergency closure order for the Tire Mountain Fire in the Middle Fork Ranger District was issued Saturday afternoon by Willamette National Forest. The closure order is for public and firefighter safety. Tire Mountain Fire was reported Wednesday and is an estimated 3-4 miles from Oakridge and Westfir, according to a news release from Willamette National Forest. The fire is located at 19S 2E S12 near 1912 Forest Service Road system and Tire Mountain trail. It has caused the closure of the Tire Mountain Trail system. The closure area includes: Tire Mountain Trailhead (Trail No. 3485), continuing along the length of the Tire Mountain Trail, and ending at the junction of trail numbers 3485 and 3450 for the Alpine Trail; FSR Road 1911-000 beyond the intersection with Alpine Trailhead #3; the section of the 1911-000 used to access the Alpine Trail is unaffected. For the full list of recreation sites and roads in the Tire Mountain Fire closure area, go to: fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices BLM closes public lands due to wildfires southeast of Cottage Grove Bureau of Land Management public lands southeast of Cottage Grove are closed due to wildfires in the areas of Sharps Creek and Clark Creek. "The closure is for public and firefighter safety, and to allow fire suppression crews to continue to safely respond to the incident," according to a Saturday news release from the BLM Northwest Oregon District. The closure area includes: The Sharps Creek Campground and BLM-managed public lands southeast of the town of Dorena, surrounding Sharps Creek Road (County Road 2460 / BLM Road No. 23-1-12) and Clark Creek Road (BLM Road No. 23-1-13). It includes BLM lands in Township 22S, Range 1W, and Township 23S, Range 1W, Sections 1-3, 11-14, 22-24, 26-27, 33-34. These areas are closed to the public and for activities including hiking, mining, hunting and camping. BLM said Sharps Creek Road and Clark Creek Road are open to residents in the closure area. For more info and a map, go to: blm.gov/orwafire. 27 confirmed fires on the Umpqua National Forest Seven of the 27 fires on the Umpqua National Forest are 100% contained as of Friday evening. "The region is feeling a shortage of resources," a news release said. "These new fires are being staffed based on the values that are at risk." Aviation resources have been impacted by wildfire smoke. Current size of fires in the Umpqua National Forest as of Saturday morning: Pig Iron Fire: 4 acres Lemolo Fire: 250 acres Shadow Fire: 8 acres Adam Mountain Fire: 60 acres Horse Heaven Creek Fire: 50 acres Lost Bucket Fire: 30 acres Watson Fire: 10 acres Jack Saddle Fire: 5 acres at 30% containment Beaver/Reynolds Butte Fire: 18 acres Trep Fire: 20 acres Mineral Fire: 15 acres Brodie Fire: 28 acres Steelhead Fire: 40 acres Pine Bench Fire: 773 acres. Air resources were requested but unable to fly due to smoke. Fires that are 100% contained: Bald Ridge Fire, Spring Fire, White Creek Fire, Puddin Fire, Tucker Fire, Donegan Fire, and Cultus Fire. Middle Fork Fire in Crater Lake National Park jumps to 261 acres The Middle Fork Fire burning northwest of Crater Lake reached 261 acres by Friday morning. Fire crews were engaging the blaze. It was not clear what impact the fire is having on Crater Lake National Park, and the park remained open. Willamette National Forest issues closure due to Chalk and Pyramid Fire Effective Saturday, the Willamette National Forest has issued closure in the Middle Fork Ranger District for the Chalk Fire. East of Saddleblanket Mountain, the lighting sparked fire has grown to 110 acres since first reported on Wednesday. Closed recreation sites and campgrounds include North Fork Segment #2 Trailhead and Trail 1912 and 1919. Closures in the Willamette National Forest due to Chalk Fire. The Willamette National Forest has also issued closures due to the 300-acre Pyramid Fire in the Sweet Home Ranger District. The fire was first reported on Wednesday and has brought a level 3 "go now" for a large area of the Sweet Home Ranger District. Closures in the Willamette National Forest due to the Pyramid Fire. Highway Closures due to Jackpine Fire The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office has closed Highway 31 north and southbound due to the 180-acre Jackpine Fire. A lever 2 "be set" evacuation has been issued west of Highway 97 to the Deschutes County line south of Masten Road. Find current evacuation areas at: deschutes.org/emergency Plume of smoke from Jackpine Fire. Oregon State Fire Marshal sends resources to Durkee Fire in Baker County On Friday, the Oregon State Fire Marshal sent structural protection resources in the form of firefighters and equipment to fight the now 15,577-acre fire in Eastern Oregon. The fire was first reported on Wednesday and sparked by lightning strikes. The fire has brought level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations around Baker County. An evacuation map can be found at bit.ly/3YaNUJ0 Pyramid Fire grows to 60 acres, brings large level 3 evacuation to Tombstone Pass area east of Sweet Home, south of Detroit The Pyramid Fire grew to at least 60 acres by Friday morning east of Sweet Home in the Tombstone Pass area north of Highway 20 and south of Detroit near Santiam Junction. In response, Linn County Sheriff Michelle Duncan issued a level 3 "go now" evacuation order for a large area of the Sweet Home Ranger District that mostly includes hiking trails and campgrounds in the Old Cascades region. The evacuation was coordinated with the U.S. Forest Service, and a closure of the area was likely. "Sheriff Duncan wants everyone to know that the large evacuation area is necessary to give wildfire response teams enough space to safely travel and fight the fire. The fire itself is much smaller than the evacuation area," a news release said. No residential structures were in jeopardy of the fire. View a map of the closure area at tinyurl.com/LinnCoFireMap. The Pyramid Fire has brought a level 3 evacuation order to the Old Cascades area of trails near Tombstone Pass east of Sweet Home. Oregon has already burned more acres than all of 2023 and almost 2022 Oregon has burned a whopping 434,821 acres in 30 large wildfires already this season, in addition to issuing 88 evacuation orders and warnings. The acres burned this season is already more than all of last year and almost more than all of 2022. This graph shows the number of acres burned over the years, with 2024 including data through July 19. Watch Oregon lightning storm in real time This video, created by Dakota Smith (@weatherdak on X), shows Tuesday's lightning storm rolling across Oregon and illustrates why so many fires have ignited. A shortwave trough moved over the PNW between Tues. & Wed. T-storms linked to this system produced over 1,000 lightning strikes in Oregon & Washington. Unfortunately, lightning ignited new wildfires. Thanks to @weatherdak at Colorado State for providing this satellite imagery. pic.twitter.com/hWnJSzUyNC Jeff Forgeron (@WeatherJefe) July 18, 2024 Oakridge evacuation warnings downgraded to level 1 The area east of High Prairie Road milepost 5.5, including Dead Mountain, Mountain View, Huckleberry and High Prairie Loop has been downgraded to level 1 "be ready," as of Friday afternoon. The northern part of Oakridge remained on level 1 and 2 evacuation warnings Friday morning. In the McKenzie Corridor, the Ore Fire burning near Blue River is at 534 acres as of Saturday afternoon. Here are more details on fires burning in Willamette National Forest east of Salem and Eugene. The High Prairie Fire, listed at 10 acres, brought a level 2 and level 1 evacuation warnings north of Oakridge. The latest evacuation map can be seen at bit.ly/4bPids2. Another fire, the McKinley Fire, is also north of Oakridge and estimated at 3 acres. Air quality in Eugene and Oakridge degrades A fisherman tries his luck on a smoke shrouded Dorena Lake south east of Cottage Grove as smoke from nearby wildfires hangs in the Willamette Valley Friday, July 18, 2024. The air quality in Eugene and Oakridge has degraded from the growing amount of wildfire on Friday morning. Eugene is now averaging at moderate air quality, which means, air quality is acceptable. However, there may be risk for some people. Oakridge was degraded to "Unhealthy for Sensitive groups." The Air Quality Index can be found here, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Suppression efforts continue on Ore Fire The Ore fire, burning 7 miles northeast of Blue River, has reached 500 acres as of Saturday morning. Increased fire activity on Friday led to resources withdrawing along the fire line due to safety concerns. Northwest Critical Incident Management Team 10 took command of the fire Friday evening. Rugged terrain of the Cascades and hot dry weather pose difficulties for crews battling the flames. "Fire personnel will be working with heavy equipment along FS Road 15 and 1509," the news release said. "Fire managers ask the public to drive defensively while crews diligently work to complete suppression efforts along the road." Ore Fire reaches 440 acres in McKenzie Corridor, Blue River Reservoir campgrounds, trails closed Willamette National Forest issued a closure order around much of Blue River Reservoir due to the 440-acre Ore Fire located north of Rainbow in the McKenzie River corridor. The closure included the following sites: Buck Mountain Trail, Tidbits South and West Trail, Gold Hill Trail, Mona Campground, Lookout Campground, and Saddle Dam Boat Launch. A full map and breakdown of the closure can be found at bit.ly/4f2uzQi. A map of the closure around Blue River Reservoir due to the Ore Fire. Level 3 evacuation orders remain for Wickiup Reservoir area in Central Oregon The Round Mountain and Wickiup fires on Deschutes National Forest reached a combined 250 acres by Friday morning, according to Central Oregon Fire Info. Level 2 and 3 evacuation orders were issued around Wickiup Reservoir. Both fires were expected to remain active given the hot temperatures, although fire crews were making some progress, COFI said. Evacuation maps can be found at bit.ly/3Wr3y1B. Cluster of fires southeast of Dorena There were cluster of fires burning southeast of Cottage Drove and Dorena, including the Lane 1 Fire (250 acres), Adam Mountain Fire (60 acres) and a few others. The impact was unclear. Evacuation warnings for North Umpqua area due to Boulder Fire/Pine Bench fires near Toketee Falls A level 2 "be set" evacuation warning was issued due to the Boulder Flat/Pine Bench Fire east of Roseburg and Glide in the North Umpqua Canyon near Toketee Falls. The evacuation was for homes in the Slide Creek area downstream to the Soda Springs area due to a fire near Soda Springs and Pine Bench in Toketee. The fire was listed at roughly 250 acres Friday morning. A map of the evacuation area can be found here: bit.ly/4dc3qsB. Rogue River fires mostly snuffed out In a bit of good news, fire crews reported keeping the wildfires ignited in the famed Rogue River Canyon small and they appeared to be under control, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry. Fire crews hiked into rugged terrain, and hot shots dropped into the canyon, to keep one of Oregon's most popular rafting rivers open. Fire restrictions in place for Willamette and Siuslaw national forests, majority of places in Oregon The majority of Oregon's national and state forests outlawed campfires, except in campgrounds. Willamette National Forest and Siuslaw national forests, to the east and west of the Willamette Valley, implemented fire restrictions this week. Fire restrictions prohibit all campfires, charcoal or briquette fires, pellet fires or other open fires outside of designated campgrounds. Building, maintaining or using a fire, campfire or stove was still permitted in designated metal campfire rings or grills in designated recreational sites. Restrictions for smoking, off-highway vehicles and chainsaws in campgrounds were also in effect. Restrictions and updates to restrictions as they change can be found at fs.usda.gov/main/willamette/fire. Deteriorating air quality east of the Cascades Air quality was moderate to poor east of the Cascades Friday morning, with numerous fires burning across the state's east side. Bend's air quality was "moderate" while Burns was at "unhealthy," according to air quality metrics from around the state. Oregon's west side was in decent shape and that appears likely to remain in place Friday. An air quality map can be found at aqi.oregon.gov/ Gov. Tina Kotek invokes Conflagration Act for fires in Umatilla County Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for a series of fires in Umatilla County near Pilot Rock late Wednesday night. The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing its Green Incident Management Team to protect homes in the area. The Pilot Rock Fire is the largest of the blazes at 10,000 acres but there are a number of other fires in the area as well, including the NF Owens Fire at 952 acres. "Significant lightning storms moved through Umatilla County Wednesday afternoon and have kept local fire agencies busy responding to wildfires. Gusty winds and dry conditions caused some of these fires to grow exponentially and threaten life and property," a news release said. Oregon State Fire Marshal requests aid from California to fight Falls Fire The Oregon State Fire Marshal requested help from California to protect life and property against the growing Falls Fire in Harney County on Friday morning. California Governor's Office of Emergency Services provided three strike teams with 15 fire engines and 80 firefighters from nine different counties to provide structural protection. A huge thanks to California Governor's Office of Emergency Services for sending these resources, the news release said. The OSFM has strong relationships with our neighboring states. We're always ready to help when each other is in need. The Falls Fire in Grant and Harney counties about 13.5 miles north of Burns reached 110,674 acres by Friday morning and was at 5% containment. Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuation orders remained in place in Grant and Harney counties. The Harney County Sheriffs evacuation map can be found at bit.ly/4d1XvX2 for the most accurate evacuation notices. Ten residences and 13 "other" structures were destroyed in the early stages of the fire, according to Oregon State Fire Marshal structure teams. This fire forced the closure of several areas in the Malheur National Forest. Emigrant Creek Campground, Falls Campground, Yellowjacket Campground and Delintment Lake Campground were all closed. Larch Creek Fire appears to slow, containment increased The Larch Creek Fire grew rapidly in Wasco County to an estimated at 84,00 acres and 40% containment as of Friday morning. Firefighters had fully lined the perimeter. Wasco County Sheriff's Office lifted some evacuation orders and reopened Pine Hollow Reservoir and asked the public, "to recreate safely and stay aware of current fire evacuation orders. All evacuations will remain in place today and re-evaluated tonight at 6 p.m." Evacuation orders at levels 1, 2 and 3 remained in place. An evacuation map can be found at bit.ly/4bPdmae. Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 16 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. Urness is the author of Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon and Hiking Southern Oregon. He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on X at @ZachsORoutdoors. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon wildfires: 17 large fires bring evacuations statewide Its no secret that Sacramentos City Council is predominantly moderate. Its most progressive member, District 4 council member Katie Valenzuela, was recently voted out of office in repudiation of her politics thanks to a redistricting effort. And some advocates wonder if business interests have way too much influence on elected council members. On Thursday, one advocate took that feeling to the next level by filing an ethics complaint against the district director of one of Sacramentos more business-friendly council members. Opinion Organize Sacramento Executive Director Tamie Dramer has felt for a while that business leaders were in the ear of council members. Sometimes, she said, they will even repeat business talking points word for word. Despite her best efforts, Dramer felt that fix was in whenever she lobbied city hall. Then she noticed something odd in an old public notice. Dramer filed an ethics complaint with the Sacramento City Ethics Commission alleging that Dennis Rogers, the District Director for Councilmember Rick Jennings, failed to disclose work for the North State Building Industry Association. The heart of Dramers ethics complaint is a Notice of Public Hearing from the Central Valley Regional Water Board in June 2023, where Rogers is listed as receiving a copy of the notice as a representative of the North State Building Association. Such an affiliation would be extremely unethical, and the complaint alleges that Rogers has not disclosed this alleged work on his annual disclosure forms, known as a Form 700. We just keep running up against the city manager and other loggerheads, Dramer said. When drafts come before the city council all their talking points keep coming out of the council members mouths. I used to work with Housing Sacramento, and back then (Rogers) was the lead lobbyist for the Building Association, Dramer said. Then, when Jennings became councilmember, (Rogers) was his director. During the rent stabilization ordinance, I remember him being outside on the phone with people saying, No no, dont worry, were going to kill it and thinking I wonder if hes still with the Building Association? However, both Rogers and the NSBIA deny the allegations and both stated that he has not worked for the NSBIA since 2014, when he left to work for the Sacramento Metro Chamber Association. He soon after became the District Director for Council member Jennings, a position hes held for nearly a decade. The Central Valley Regional Water Board directed questions to the State Water Board, who did not return a request for comment. Im extraordinarily surprised, Rogers told me. I worked for the Building Industry Association for nine years as an employee, then I worked for the Metro Chamber (as the Director of Governmental Affairs) and then I came to work for Rick (Jennings). Rogers says hes now in the process of getting his name removed from the list, which he told me he signed up for while he was still working at NSBIA. Its possible that the addition of his name was a simple clerical error, but how has Jennings District Director been included on a list of builders lobbyists for nearly a decade without anyone noticing? I would not have noticed as I am not following that item any more, Rogers wrote to me in an email. As far as the NSBIA, (Im) not sure. The agenda items would be infrequent as the request was for only the Sac Regional San(itation) discharge permit. I am not sure how many times over the last decade or so it actually was noticed. President and CEO of NSBIA Tim Murphy wholeheartedly denied the allegations that Rogers is a lobbyist for his association. Dennis Rogers is not a paid employee or consultant of the North State Building Industry Association and does not represent it in any official or nonofficial capacity. The NSBIA has been in contact with Rogers only in a professional context, he said. From an organization standpoint, as we do outreach on pending regulations, we speak with the mayor and all council members and their staff, Murphy said. There has been contact between us and Mr. Rogers just as there has been contact between us and Mayor Darrell Steinberg and (City Manager Howard) Chan and dozens of other people who work at the city of Sacramento. If Dramers allegations are considered serious enough for the Ethics Commission to take up, there will be a formal hearing where Rogers will need to explain in front of the commissioners why his name has been associated with a powerful builders lobby. Its unlikely to go anywhere though, unless Dramer or someone else can come up with hard proof much more than a clerical error that Rogers has been acting improperly. Hundreds of people were trapped in lines, sitting on floors and crowded into waiting areas Friday at Orlando International Airport as a global tech outage canceled flights in and out of the city. Melbourne Beach resident Brandon Campbell was headed to Costa Rica with his two young daughters, Rory and Bali, for their first surf trip when he got obviously disappointing news that their flight on Spirit Airlines was canceled. They told us the systems down, we cant reschedule you and well email you when we can, Campbell said. Were going home, theres no way theyre going to be able to get us on today. Campbell, who for a time sat on the floor with his daughters and other passengers whose travel plans had been disrupted, said he was trying not to get upset about the delayed start to the familys two-week vacation. Its out of our control. The outages were the result of a faulty update delivered by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike which provides software to dozens of companies nationwide on computers running Microsoft Windows. The problem impacted airlines around the world. Sixty-five flights at OIA were canceled Friday and 74 were delayed in or out of the airport, according to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. Review: Royal Caribbean Utopia of the Seas embraces nonstop party from Port Canaveral The airport itself felt only minimal impacts from the outages, the authority said in a statement. Our team is working closely with our airline partners to assist their customers with passenger movement and convenience in the terminal. Spirt Airways is the airports second-biggest carrier based on passengers. Its counter area in Terminal A was packed in the morning with people trying to speak with airline representatives about the status of their flights. Delays and cancellations were also reported by American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines, among others. Michigan resident Dezra Lloyd said she was waiting for a connecting Spirit flight, also to Costa Rica, for her birthday when she found out it was canceled. Im just rolling with it, Lloyd said as she sat on her suitcase and checked her phone. This is my birthday trip so Im a little sad, but what can you do? I just want to go home at this point though. Id rather celebrate at home. Maryland resident Skailah Roebuck was crouched on the ground, inches away from an electrical outlet, charging several phones after her flight to Baltimore was delayed. Headed home after a weeklong cruise, Roebuck said things happen for a reason but she was eager for a quick resolution. I dont know whats going on, but they need to get it fixed immediately, she said. I feel like Im a very understanding person, but Im really ready to go home so they need to get it fixed and get it together. Alissa Gary and Rich Pope of the Sentinel staff contributed to this story. Fact checked by Nick BlackmerFact checked by Nick Blackmer Key Takeaways OTC nasal sprays, such as saline and gel-based options, may reduce the duration of upper respiratory infections and lower the need for antibiotics, a new study shows. In the study of nearly 14,000 adults, those using nasal sprays recovered faster and missed fewer workdays compared to those who didn't use the sprays. More research is needed before nasal sprays can be officially recommended as a standard treatment for upper respiratory infections. New research suggests over-the-counter (OTC) nasal sprays may help reduce the overuse of antibiotics for upper respiratory infections. The study, published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine, analyzed data from nearly 14,000 adults. It found that common OTC nasal sprays, such as saline and gel-based spray, reduced the number of sick days by about 20%from eight days to six and a half. As a result, the patients were less likely to ask for antibiotics. For the study, the researchers divided participants at risk for respiratory infections into one of three groups. One group used Vicks First Defence gel-based nasal spray, which traps and neutralizes viruses in the nose. The second group used a saline nasal spray designed to help reduce viral levels behind the nose. The third group was given an online resource that encouraged physical activity and promoted stress management. While all of the groups cut antibiotic use by about 26% to 35%, those who used nasal sprays recovered faster than the stress management group. Researchers also found that people in the spray groups experienced a 20% reduction in lost workdays due to illness, compared to about 1% in the stress management group. Related: Antibiotics for Upper Respiratory Infections This study focused on people who are more likely to experience complications from infections. Due to their health history, they commonly still get antibiotics for most uncomplicated respiratory infections, said lead study author Paul Little, MBBS, professor of Primary Care Research at the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. We hypothesized that if people had something that worked for managing their illnesses their symptoms, they would be less likely to ask for and use antibiotics, Little said. Antibiotic alternatives can help improve peoples symptoms while saving them money, but also lower the risk of antibiotic resistance and other health issues that can arise from overuse, according to Michael Yong, MD, an otolaryngologist and neurorhinologist at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA. "[Most] upper respiratory tract infections are viral in nature, Yong said. They dont need an antibiotic to take care of it. Related: U.S. Updates Antibiotic Resistance Plan: Here's What's New Will Nasal Sprays Become the Standard Treatment for Upper Respiratory Infections? Currently, there's no official guideline that recommends using a nasal spray to speed up healing from an upper respiratory infection. I dont think we are there yet. This study needs to be repeated, said Alfred F. Tallia, MD, MPH, professor and chair of family medicine and community health at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Although there's no official recommendation, there's a "relative lack of harm" in using nasal sprays, Tallia added. Its a good idea to start with a saline spray when youre sick, which many doctors recommend anyway, Stokes Peebles, MD, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told Verywell. It will be cheaper, and there are no potential side effects." However, Peebles said hes not overwhelmed with the new studys findings. The difference between six and a half and eight days of an illness, when symptoms already tend to be more mild, is not much, he added. Barbara Bawer, MD, a family medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Verywell that more studies are needed, especially to understand risk reduction with consistent use of the spray, since this study did mention most people did not use it six times per day as asked. Related: Nasal Sprays Types and How to Use Them When to See a Doctor for an Upper Respiratory Infection While using a nasal spray may speed up healing when you have an upper respiratory infection, there are clear signs of when you should seek medical care. If your symptoms are not getting better and you have persistent fever, or you have underlying conditions like asthma or immunosuppression, its a good idea to seek a professional assessment, Tallia said. Little said that its never very clear-cut when people may need antibiotics, but recommends calling a doctor if you symptoms are getting worse or have lasted 10 or more days. Read Next: Nasal Corticosteroid Spray vs. Oral Antihistamine: Which Is Better? What This Means For You If youre prone to developing upper respiratory infections, talk to your doctor about an effective prevention strategy for you. It may include using a saline rinse or gel-based spray, but its best to consult with a medical professional first. Read the original article on Verywell Health. Numerous people wait in front of a dark display board at the capital's BER airport, where air traffic has been halted owing to technical issues. Christoph Soeder/dpa No planes were taking off or landing at Berlin's airport, while some departures were affected in Hamburg on Friday morning, due to IT outages. Similar failures were being reported across the world, affecting airlines and airports, media outlets, banks and telecommunication companies in countries including Spain, Australia, India and Britain. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration has reportedly stopped flights by major airlines United, American and Delta. The European budget airlines Ryanair said it has also had its operations disrupted. A spokeswoman for Berlin Brandenburg Airport said there "are delays in handling due to a technical fault" and that flight operations would be suspended until 10 am (0800 GMT). Local broadcaster RBB reported there was a server failure, but the spokeswoman would not confirm this. At Hamburg Airport, four airlines were suffering from tech failures at A spokeswoman said the airlines were Eurowings, Ryanair, Vueling and Turkish Airlines. She said the airlines were issuing tickets manually. IT outage wreaks havoc on airlines, broadcasters and firms worldwide Screengrab of the message on the Sky News channel. Sky News has been knocked off air online amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks. On Friday morning, a statement on their online page, YouTube and TV channel says: "We apologise for the interruption to this broadcast. "We hope to restore the transmission of Sky News shortly." Sky News/PA Media/dpa Computer issues were causing major disruption worldwide on Friday, affecting airlines and airports, media outlets, banks and telecommunications companies. Airports from Berlin and Zurich to New Delhi and Sydney were among those reporting various degrees of service disruptions, believed to be linked to an update from IT security company CrowdStrike. "This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed," CrowdStrike boss George Kurtz posted on social media platform X. A spokesperson for software giant Microsoft said the company was "aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform." "We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming," the statement added. Airports report major disruption Passengers across the world have been asked to check the status of their flights, with many airlines reporting difficulties with check-in. In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration has stopped flights by major airlines United, American and Delta. The European budget airlines Ryanair and Eurowings both have also had their operations disrupted, although German carrier Lufthansa said it was only "slightly" impacted. Dutch airline KLM said the outage made "flight handling impossible" and was largely suspending its operations. Zurich Airport said it would restrict landings, although arriving flights that have already taken off were still able to land. Turkey's national flag carrier Turkish Airlines said it was "currently experiencing problems with ticketing, check-in, and reservation processes" in a post on social media platform X. At Sydney Airport, passengers were told they could not check in luggage, with domestic and international flights affected. In India, boarding passes were being filled out manually as check-in was disrupted at New Delhi's main airport. Contingency plans were also in place at Heathrow Airport in London, the airport said, with Gatwick Airport also warning against delays. Broadcasters, healthcare sector also affected The global IT outage has caused difficulties across a wide range of sectors on Friday. In the UK, broadcaster Sky News was knocked off the air for hours, while several television channels in France were also affected. Australian radio stations were reportedly broadcasting music via CDs and USB sticks after computer systems went down. Emergency services were hit in Denmark, with the Copenhagen fire department reporting problems with receiving automatic fire alarm warnings. The healthcare sector has also been affected. In northern Germany, the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein said it was cancelling all planned operations at its facilities in the cities of Kiel and Lubeck. Australian banks were also said to be struggling to deal with the IT outage. In response, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened an emergency meeting. "Check-in closed" is written on a display board at the BER airport, amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks. Christoph Soeder/dpa Numerous travelers wait in Terminal 1 for check-in, amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks Bodo Marks/dpa The White House has lashed out at the wrongful conviction of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who was sentenced to 16 years in Russian prison on Friday after being accused of spying. The Wall Street Journal reporter will be sent to a high-security penal colony following a trial the US called a sham. The verdict was widely expected as acquittals in Russian espionage trials are incredibly rare. President Joe Biden said in a statement on Friday that Gershkovich had committed no crime and that he was targeted by the Russian government because he is a journalist and an American. We are pushing hard for Evans release and will continue to do so, he added. As I have long said and as the UN also concluded, there is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime. He went on to say that Evan has endured his ordeal with remarkable strength. US journalist Evan Gershkovich, accused of espionage, gestures inside a glass defendants' cage during the verdict announcement at the Sverdlovsk Regional Court in Yekaterinburg on July 19 (AFP via Getty Images) The publisher of The Wall Street Journal, Almar Latour, and the papers editor in chief, Emma Tucker, said in a statement: This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist. We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evans release and to support his family, they added. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until hes released. This must end now. The Russian authorities have failed to publicly share any evidence to back up their claims that Gershkovich is guilty of espionage. Both the US government and his employer have repeatedly rejected the allegations. A spokesperson for the Russian court said on Friday that the reporter did not admit guilt. Russian prosecutors approved an indictment in June that falsely claimed that Gershkovich was working for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gathering information about a Russian defense contractor. The court then moved up the hearings by almost a month, speeding up the process of convicting him. Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have indicated a willingness to include the journalist in a possible prisoner exchange, the Journal noted. Im leaving that question without an answer, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said when asked about a prisoner exchange, Russian state media reported. He added: There is a charge of espionage, so this is a very, very sensitive area. Evan Gershkovich stands listening to the verdict in a glass cage. The Kremlin has indicated that they may be interested in a prisoner exchange (AP) The 32-year-old Gershkovich has been in Russian prison since March 2023 following his detention by the Federal Security Service while he was reporting in Yekaterinburg, located about 900 miles east of Moscow. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on X: The sentencing of @WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich is despicable and only serves to underscore Russias utter contempt for media freedom. Journalism should not be a crime. Gershkovich must be released immediately. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy added: He is a journalist, works for a respected news outlet, and was accredited by the Russian state to work in Russia. He should be released immediately. The Moscow Bureau chief for the Financial Times, Max Seddon, called the charges absurd and added that Russia rushed through the trial and didnt bother presenting public evidence. It may be a prelude to an exchange. Free Evan! Wall Street Journal reporter Alexander Osipovich wrote that Gershkovichs head has been shaved in compliance with Russian prison rules. With a growing number of my WSJ colleagues, I have shaved my head in solidarity. My colleague Evan Gershkovich was back in court today for his sham trial on bogus espionage charges. His head has been shaved in compliance with Russian prison rules. With a growing number of my WSJ colleagues, I have shaved my head in solidarity. #IStandWithEvan pic.twitter.com/lu4TiFwikK Alexander Osipovich (@aosipovich) July 18, 2024 German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the conviction reveals Putins fear of the power of facts and that the truth cannot be locked away. The verdict is politically motivated and part of Putins war propaganda, she said. Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar wrote that the verdict is beyond the pale. This is yet another egregious assault on independent media and democracy from Vladimir Putin, she added. Michigan congresswoman Haley Stevens called for the release of her constituent Paul Whelan, an American who has been detained in Russia since late December 2018. Whelan, a former marine, was also accused of spying and received a 16-year sentence in June 2020. Evan Gershkovichs sentencing to 16 years in prison is yet another gross perversion of justice by Putins lawless regime, Stevens wrote on X. This was a sham trial for bogus charges. Evan is a journalist, not a spy. Its long past time to bring Evan, my constituent Paul Whelan, and all wrongfully detained Americans home. BIRMINGHAM, Ala (WHNT) An Owens Cross Roads man has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to export U.S. goods to Iran in violation of trade sanctions against the country. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday that Ray Hunt, 70, of Owens Cross Roads has pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to export U.S. origin goods to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Fired sheriffs deputy accused of inappropriate sexual conduct with minors, arrested According to the DOJ in May of 2014, Hunt registered Vega Tools LLC with the Alabama Secretary of State as a business to purchase and resale energy sector equipment. Justice officials said he operated the business to buy, receive and ship U.S., goods from locations in Madison County. The DOJ said beginning in at least 2015 Hunt conspired with two Iranian companies to illegally export U.S.-manufactured industrial equipment to Iran. The department said Hunt used several deceptive practices to hide these exports including using third-party transshipment companies from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and routing payments through UAE banks. Authorities said Hunt also lied to shipping companies about the value of the exports to avoid filing electronic export information to U.S. authorities. He also lied to suppliers and shippers saying the products were meant for customers in UAE and Turkey. The DOJ said Hunt also lied to customs officials upon a return from a March 2020 trip to Iran. Hunt faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. Signs posted at the spillway between Lake Worth and West Palm Beach in October 2021 warn of blue-green algae that was found in water being discharged into the Lake Worth Lagoon. Three years after being warned not to drink the tap water because a toxin produced by blue-green algae was discovered in the town's water supply, Palm Beach residents were cautioned once again Thursday about the safety of their water. A late-afternoon alert posted to the town's website warned that recent samples collected from the city of West Palm Beach's water treatment process as part of "regular and routine testing" exceeded compliance for turbidity (cloudiness) units. The town receives its drinking water from the city of West Palm Beach under a contract that expires in 2029. Related: 'A very serious decision': Palm Beach weighs options for water contract with West Palm According to the town, turbidity does not cause health effects, but those with severely compromised immune systems, have an infant, are pregnant, or are elderly may be at increased risk and should seek advice from their health-care providers about drinking the water. For more information, residents are asked to contact the West Palm Beach Public Utilities Laboratory manager by calling 561-822-2269. Residents also are urged to review West Palm Beach's entire public notification regarding this matter. West Palm Beach has been conducting an annual chlorine disinfection flush of its water treatment plant and drinking water system since July 5. The flush involves switching from the current chloramine disinfection to free-chlorine disinfection, and is expected to run through July 26, according to the town. Palm Beach officials continue to consider a choice of providers to supply water to the island once the town's current agreement with West Palm Beach ends. After reviewing six options provided by environmental consultant Kimley-Horn in 2022, the town narrowed its list to two: continuing the current water-supply contract with West Palm Beach and collaborating on a membrane-technology upgrade at its treatment plant; and contracting with the city of Lake Worth Beach to provide water. During an address to the Palm Beach Civic Association in April, Mayor Danielle Moore said both options have advantages and disadvantages, and the council plans to carefully weigh all of them. "The city of West Palm Beach does not yet have the membrane technology that I think our residents demand," she said. "Lake Worth Beach does have that availability, but has infrastructure issues that would be very disruptive to the town. So the council is going to have to work long and hard to continue to study the issue and figure out which is the best." Council member Lew Crampton said Friday he and his colleagues would consider current water safety issues as they deliberate on selecting a new water provider. "The council is going to be insisting upon a technology that hopefully will not result in the creation of that kind of turbidity, because it's RO (reverse osmosis) technology," he said. "As a matter of how the facility is operated, we do have to be concerned about it. But there was notice, and the matter is being taken care of. I'm still confident that we can work something out either with West Palm Beach or with Lake Worth Beach in the months to come." Council President Bobbie Lindsay said both of the town's finalists are capable of delivering a state-of-the-art, full membrane-based water filtration system that can remove contaminants at the molecular level to deliver safe, toxin-free, drinking water to residents, businesses and visitors. "Our residents expect to turn on the faucet and drink good-tasting, contaminant-free drinking water," she said. In new comments Friday, Moore said she was heartened that Palm Beach officials were notified immediately of the testing results, which was in sharp contrast to what occurred three years ago. West Palm Beach officials took eight days to notify their counterparts in Palm Beach and South Palm Beach that the dangerous toxin cylindrospermopsin had been discovered in the city's water supply. "We were notified rather quickly, which goes to show the really wonderful, much improved communication between the town of Palm Beach and the city of West Palm Beach," said Moore, who wrote a letter to West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James in May 2021 to express her concerns with the lack of communication between the two municipalities regarding its water supply. "That is a plus. The town worked very hard, and so did the city of West Palm Beach, to make sure that we have clear and open communication regarding things like that." Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Concerns about water supply safety spark warning to Palm Beach residents FILE PHOTO: Taliban walk in front of a military airplane a day after the U.S. troops withdrawal from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A commission created by Congress to conduct an independent review of the 20-year U.S. war in Afghanistan held its first public hearing on Friday, pledging to be "unflinching" in examining how and why key decisions were made and who made them. But, while accountability "is centrally important, our focus is less on assigning credit or blame ... than on extracting and applying its lessons" for future conflicts, said co-chair Colin Jackson. The panel's first public hearing came just over a month before the third anniversary of the chaotic final U.S. troop withdrawal that ended America's longest war as the Taliban seized Kabul. Some 800,000 U.S. servicemembers served in Afghanistan following the U.S.-led invasion triggered by the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the United States by Afghanistan-based al Qaeda. During the war, 2,238 U.S. servicemembers died and nearly 21,000 were wounded. Independent estimates put the number of Afghan security forces and civilians killed at more than 100,000. The 16-member commission, which was set up more than two years ago but began work less than a year ago, is to deliver its report by August 2026. Jackson, a former Pentagon official who served as a civilian adviser to the U.S. military in Afghanistan, noted that it was the first time that Congress has "called for a comprehensive in-depth study of an American war". "This will mean taking a hard look at ... what we did right and what we did wrong," he told the hearing at the headquarters of the Veterans of Foreign War, an advocacy group. "We need to ask hard questions, especially probing the key decisions in the war, how they were made, and why," he continued. "We will be unflinching in pursuit of answers." The first witness, former U.S. Ambassador Ronald Neumann, urged an examination of how policy decisions were implemented. A Vietnam War veteran, Neumann said "almost no valid lessons were carried" from that conflict to Afghanistan. Such lessons included doing away with short tours for top officers, which he said stunt the transfer of knowledge to successors and are "the institutional equivalent of a frontal lobotomy." (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Frances Kerry) "This image infuriates me in ways that I cannot express deeply enough," responded Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter was killed in a school shooting Joe Raedle/Getty People wear "bandages" on their ears as they watch on the third day of the Republican National Convention Parents of some of the teenagers killed in the 2018 Parkland high school shooting are speaking out after attendees at the Republican National Convention wore fake bandages over their ears to mimic the injury Donald Trump sustained in a July 13 assassination attempt. Fred Guttenberg's daughter, Jaime, was 14 years old when she was killed during the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on Feb. 14, 2018. Manuel Oliver's 17-year-old son, Joaquin, was killed in the same incident. Guttenberg and Oliver simultaneously posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, July 18, responding to photos of RNC attendees cheerfully wearing fake bandages over their right ears to mirror the bandage that Trump wore to cover his injury. "This image infuriates me in ways that I cannot express deeply enough. My daughter while running into a stairwell at her school for safety was unlucky by 1 second. Trump was lucky by one second," Guttenberg wrote on X in a post that included a photo from the RNC. "To mock my loss from AR 15-gun violence is disgusting beyond all measure." Related: Donald Trumps Ear Injury Did Not Require Stitches, Son Says: Greatest Earache Hes Ever Had Joe Raedle/Getty eople wear "bandages" on their ears as they watch on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024 Guttenberg pointed out that two rally-goers were severely injured during the assassination attempt and one person was killed. "As a reminder, someone also died in this shooting that they are mocking and two were critically injured," Guttenberg's post continued. "I have ignored all of the conspiracy theories this week about this shooting and how it happened. Looking now at the way Trump and this crowd are milking this in a staged and produced way does lead me to wonder." 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. Taimy Alvarez/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Fred Guttenberg, activist against gun violence Oliver's post on X on Thursday included the same photo, which featured three RNC attendees wearing fake white bandages over their right ears. One woman in the photo covered her ear by tucking a napkin underneath the edge of her "Make America Great Again" hat. "So, apparently, surviving a shooting with a minor scratch costume is the new joke, even when someone died after the shooting," Oliver's post on X read. "This is America dumb, idiotic, and selfish. Why don't you start mimicking Joaquin's Parkland injuries? That would be more realistic." Trump, 78, previously described his ear injury the cause of which has not yet been confirmed as feeling "like the worlds largest mosquito." For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. Pass the torch: Costa calls for Biden to drop out of presidential race Pass the torch: Costa calls for Biden to drop out of presidential race FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) Fresno-area Congressman Jim Costa has joined the ranks of those calling for President Biden to drop out of the Presidential race, issuing his own statement on Thursday. In a public statement, Costa commended President Bidens work throughout the past four years. Rep. Adam Schiff calls on Biden to drop out President Biden has been an incredible President who has led the country back to strength after the pandemic, Costa said. But for the good of the country, I think it is time for the President to pass the torch to the next generation to carry on the legacy he has started. Costa says Democrats need to unite and deliver their strongest team in the coming election, for the sake of the American people. 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. "Pass the torch": Progressive and moderate Democrats join forces in asking Biden to go Democrats from California, Wisconsin, Texas and Illinois joined forces Friday to write a joint letter to President Joe Biden asking him to step down from the presidential race and pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders. The representatives acknowledge Bidens accomplishments, noting his decades of public service and patriotic leadership. However, they argue that the best chance to defeat Donald Trump and save our democracy would be to let someone else finish the job. The lawmakers Jared Huffman, D-Calif., Marc Veasey, D-Texas, Chuy Garcia, D-Ill., and Mark Pocan, D-Wis. wrote that the widespread concerns regarding the presidents age and health are indeed warranted and worth taking seriously. They argue that, fairly or not, Biden will not be able to assuage concerns. We believe the most responsible and patriotic thing you can do in this moment is to step aside as our nominee while continuing to lead our party from the White House, the letter states. The union of these lawmakers is notable. Veasey, a moderate, is the first member of the Congressional Black Caucus to ask Biden to drop out of the race. Garcia, Huffman and Pocan are considered progressives, with the latter having previously served as co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., also issued a statement Friday urging Biden not to run for reelection, KOB News reported. The senator praised Biden for being one of the most accomplished presidents in modern history, and complimented him for his years of public service and leadership, but said it was time to go for the good of the country. The return of Donald Trump to the White House poses an existential danger to our democracy. We must defeat him in November, and we need a candidate who can do that, Heinrich wrote. Also Friday, Rep. Zoe Lofrgren, D-Calif., an ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., added her name to the list of 20-plus Democrats publicly calling on Biden to drop out. In a letter addressed to Biden, she asked Biden to "allow another Democratic candidate to compete." If he decides not to, Lofgren said she would still support his candidacy. "Unfortunately," she added, "I greatly doubt the outcome will be positive and our country will pay a dreadful price for that." Passenger stranded overnight by the global IT outage said his airline offered him $10.70 in vouchers Passenger stranded overnight by the global IT outage said his airline offered him $10.70 in vouchers Flights across the globe were grounded in an outage that ravaged Windows computers. One was Jordan van den Lamb, who spoke to Business Insider from Australia. Jetstar offered him vouchers worth 16 Australian dollars $10.70 when he was stuck hundreds of miles from home. A massive IT outage hit flights and travel hard on Friday, leaving one passenger with very little to show for his trip to the airport. Jordan van den Lamb was planning on catching a flight Friday with Australia's low-cost airline Jetstar. When that fell through, he was left holding vouchers worth a bit less than $11. He was supposed to travel to Melbourne from Hobart on the island of Tasmania, an easy 75-minute hop. But the flight was grounded as IT problems with the CrowdStrike security software roiled networks around the world. Van den Lamb told Business Insider his flight was first delayed, then said to be back on track, then canceled. By way of compensation, van den Lamb said that Jetstar offered each passenger two vouchers worth 8 Australian dollars, for a total of 16 Australian dollars, or around $10.70. He was left stuck on Tasmania overnight, with no way home. Unlike with many international flights, domestic Australian carriers have no obligation to find hotels for passengers left stranded. So van den Lamb just had his vouchers, which he said offered no change if the purchase was less than the voucher amount. "There are only two food places in the Hobart terminal, so we mainly got burrito bowls," he said. Jetstar's 8 AUD vouchers have been irking travelers for as long as 17 years, per a report in the Sydney Morning Herald dating back to 2007. "I'm not personally too fussed about the amount $16 in an airport can get you maybe one beer; they should perhaps have considered two beers as a treat," said van den Lamb, who said he found his own accommodation and would wait for more news. Jetstar told Business Insider in a statement that all flights were canceled until 2 a.m. local time on Saturday, July 20. "The IT outage is impacting multiple Jetstar systems, including the system we use to contact customers and we sincerely apologise for the frustration this is causing. "Our teams are working on recovery options and we will contact customers with updates as soon as our systems are back online. If you're due to travel today or tomorrow, but no longer wish to travel, we're offering free moves (+7 days from date of travel) or voucher refunds," read the statement. Airlines across the world have been hit by the outage, with passengers stuck at airports for hours. Read the original article on Business Insider A worldwide Microsoft outage caused delays and cancellations for travelers Friday at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field, and drivers license offices were closed across the state. According to the flight tracker website FlightAware, close to 90 flights had been canceled as of 8 a.m. and nearly 140 delayed at DFW Airport. By 11:30 a.m., nearly 120 cancellations had been reported and 400 flights delayed at DFW Airport. Shortly before 2 p.m. the numbers had climbed to nearly 140 cancellations and over 500 delayed flights. DFW Airport officials said on X shortly after 7 a.m. that they expected significant delays and cancellations throughout the day. We ask customers to verify your flight status with your airline prior to heading to the airport, the post said. Longer lines are possible so allow extra time. Due to the global technology issues impacting multiple airlines, we anticipate significant delays and cancellations throughout the day. We ask customers to verify your flight status with your airline prior to heading to the airport. Longer lines are possible so allow extra time. DFW Airport (@DFWAirport) July 19, 2024 Flights going out of Dallas Love Field were also impacted. Airport officials recommended passengers check their flight status before heading to the airport. Please check your flight status with your airline before coming to DAL and follow @FAANews for more updates about this mornings global IT outage: https://t.co/n07EbfMe9k Dallas Love Field Airport (@DallasLoveField) July 19, 2024 Multiple airlines have been affected by the tech outages. American Airlines posted on X that they were able to safely re-establish their operations as of 5 a.m. ET. Earlier this morning, a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. As of 5:00 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience. americanair (@AmericanAir) July 19, 2024 The Texas Department of Public Safety announced on X that drivers license offices across the state were closed due to a technical issue, and there was no estimate on when they will reopen. CLOSURE NOTICE: DPS Driver License Offices (DLOs) across the state are currently closed due to a technical issue. Customers with appointments should have been notified. Our IT teams are working diligently on a fix, however there is no current estimate on when DLOs will pic.twitter.com/tiQuWE7SUy Texas DPS (@TxDPS) July 19, 2024 A spokesperson for Cook Childrens Healthcare System said the hospital systems patient care wont be affected by the tech issues. We have emergency IT response teams on-site across the system and we are doing everything possible to ensure there is no interruption to patient care nor delays or inconveniences to families, the spokesperson said in a statement Friday morning. Texas Health Resources told the Star-Telegram that they havent been impacted. A spokesperson for the Fort Worth Police Department said they arent aware of 911 calls being affected by the outage. A MedStar spokesperson said the system that allows the ambulance service to access dispatch and electrocardiogram monitor information was affected, but they are still able to use it because of an offline option. Otherwise, all other systems were a go for us throughout this outage, the MedStar spokesperson said. Local Social Security offices are closed Friday due to the IT outage, the administration announced on X. Some online services were also unavailable. Due to a worldwide IT outage, local Social Security offices are closed to the public today. Some online services are unavailable and you can expect longer wait times on national 800 number. We appreciate your patience while we work to restore services:https://t.co/252oCmuKuI Social Security (@SocialSecurity) July 19, 2024 The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has also been impacted, and some services and systems arent available, the agency said on social media Friday. They were working to restore service as soon as possible. Friday, July 19, 2024: The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has been impacted by the global technology outage. Many department systems and services are unavailable at this time. We are working to restore all services as soon as possible. Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (@TxDMV) July 19, 2024 The outage, which has affected Microsoft users worldwide, was caused by a defect in a content update for Windows offered by the Austin-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on X that the issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. Kurtz wrote that the incident was not a security breach or cyberattack. Our customers remain fully protected, he said. We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024 More top stories from our newsroom: 2 women kidnapped, robbed at gunpoint at Trinity Trails Microsoft tech outage causes flight delays, other problems Tarrant County cuts ties with juvenile offender program [Get our breaking news alerts.] Climb mountains? No, counterfeiters will have to move mountains to get past Patagonias watchful eye. The outdoor apparel brand filed a lawsuit Monday claiming that several companies had engaged in an import scheme with the intention to distribute and sell fake Patagonia items to consumers. More from Sourcing Journal The defendants named in the complaint are two California companies, Eastern Express LLC and Eastern Logistic Company, as well as those companies registered agent, Guangyong Zhu, and a Chinese company called Zhejiang Jiyue Import & Export Co. Ltd. In its complaint, Patagonia alleges the companies and Zhu infringed on its copyright and trademarks by manufacturing, importing and selling counterfeit goods. According to the complaint, Eastern Express imports and ships counterfeit Patagonia products, some of which have been seized by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, while Eastern Logistic participates in the importation and distribution of the counterfeit Patagonia products and Zhejiang Jiyue exports counterfeit Patagonia products, including those seized by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Patagonia says it received notification of CBPs alleged counterfeit seizure in November of last year, which resulted in the confiscation of 150 items. The company argues the alleged counterfeits are visually identical to and compete with goods sold by Patagonia, and the parties respective goods are sold through similar and overlapping channels of trade. However, the complaint goes on to say, the quality of the counterfeits goods is vastly inferior to the companys authentic products. The company alleges the defendants Patagonias complaint alleges that the defendants have committed eight different copyright and trademark-related offenses, both under federal law and under California law. Because of the defendants alleged actions, Patagonia seeks both a temporary injunction and a permanent injunction. The temporary injunction would prevent the defendants from copying or using Patagonias trademarks and copyright while the legal action is pending, and a permanent injunction would restrain the defendants from manufacturing, producing, sourcing, selling, advertising, distributing or promoting items that bear or resemble Patagonias trademarks. The company has also requested that a judge prevent the defendants from registering any trademark that is similar to or could be confused with Patagonias trademarks. Though protecting its intellectual property seems to be high on its list of priorities, the California-based company also wants a judge to force the defendants to hand over all the Patagonia counterfeits they allegedly have possession of, including patches and tags, and seeks monetary damages. The new lawsuit adds to a number of legal battles Patagonia is fightingthough in several cases, the company continues to play defense. Last week, a consumer accused the company of privacy invasion because of its use of a third-party AI platform called Talkdesk, and in May, an Arizona consumer filed a class action that accused it of using pixels embedded in marketing materials to track consumer data without consent. Earlier this year, Patagonia settled a separate counterfeit lawsuit with Nordstrom, which initially alleged that the company was selling fake items in its Nordstrom Rack stores without permission. Patagonia did not return Sourcing Journals request for comment. UPDATE, 4:27 p.m.: The victim in this crash has been identified as a male in his late 50s. He was reportedly riding a bicycle at the time of the collision. Officers arrived to the scene within a minute of the call being dispatched, but due to injuries sustained by the bicyclist, he had already passed away, a release from Tooele Police states. Southbound traffic reportedly was closed for around two and a half hours while officers investigated the crash. The road has since reopened. This is still an active investigation in its early stages, police said. We extend our deepest condolences to the victim of this accident. No further information is available at this time. ORIGINAL STORY: TOOELE, Utah (ABC4) A pedestrian was struck and killed by a dump truck in Tooele Friday afternoon, according to Tooele Police. The crash occurred at 975 North Main Street at around 1:20 p.m. on July 19, according to Cpl. Colbey Bentley, Tooele PD. While details are limited at this time, the pedestrian was killed in the crash. No other injuries reportedly occurred. Renowned composer John Williams pens letter to Salt Lake City in effort to save Abravanel Hall The driver of the dump truck remained on scene and is cooperating with police. SR-36 in the southbound direction is currently closed. Northbound is experiencing delays, police said. The cause of the crash is under investigation at this time. This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post 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 ABC4 Utah. In the past, if a family lived in Penn Hills, whether your kid attended the district schools or a charter school, they all rode on the same school bus. Now, the district will outsource several routes to cut costs, forcing some students to catch PRT buses to get to class. Sixth grader Matthew Priester will have to catch three PRT buses to school and three PRT buses back home this upcoming school year now that his bus route was cut. On Wednesday, Penn Hills School District announced plans to reconfigure its bus routes. The district says the move will save more than $400,000 but will eliminate certain bus routes for students like Matthew, who attends the Environmental Charter School in the East End neighborhood. He would have to take a bus off of Mount Carmel road, get off in either Shadyside or East Liberty and take a bus from that general area to Highland Park, Scott Priester said. A more than 40 minute commute. And he isnt alone. The district will also cut the following routes: LIFE Male STEAM Academy Westinghouse Arts Academy Charter School Propel Andrew Street High School Propel Braddock Hills Environmental Charter School Why am I paying taxes when Im not getting the use of my tax dollars? Steve Clarey said. Clareys daughters attend Propel Braddock Hills. He and his wife opted to send their girls to the charter school after Penn Hills School District was deemed low-performing. He says at the time they were assured that wouldnt have an impact on transportation. My wife lost her job two years ago, two school years ago, due to transportation in Penn Hills, not supplying a bus half the time and never calling or calling and canceling, Carey said. The district told Channel 11 News that they did an evaluation of all of their 93 routes and deemed these cuts to be the most cost-efficient. They also said they put safety first and will not change routes for any elementary students. But the parents we spoke with say they would have liked to have been a part of the decision process. The district is encouraging parents to visit their website for more details and say that they plan to send out more information at the beginning of August. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Man robbed, pepper sprayed at Downtown bus stop as community calls for even more patrols Picklesburgh 2024: What you need to know before heading downtown for a weekend of fermented fun Fire that damaged several businesses at Westmoreland County shopping center ruled accidental VIDEO: Demolition of old Fort Pitt Brewery buildings underway DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) State House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) has introduced a resolution to form a Select Committee to probe the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. According to Rep. Cutler, House Resolution 501 would form a House Select Committee to investigate the actions and response of state and local law enforcement relating to the July 13 assassination attempt against the former president. The bipartisan Select Committee would be comprised of three Republicans and three Democrats tasked with investigating how state and local law enforcement planned, responded, and coordinated with federal agencies at the Trump campaign event in Butler County. One Pennsylvanian died and two were critically wounded as an assassin nearly took the life of a former president and the nominee of a major political party in the upcoming election. We must ask the questions of why and what we can do to prevent this from happening in the future, Rep. Cutler said. Additionally, this Select Committee would identify any operational changes needed by state and local law enforcement to provide security and support in major events. Rep. Cutler says the select committee would work with state and local agency partners to identify how best practices can be updated, implemented, and successfully deployed across law enforcement entities. The purpose of this committee is not to assign blame, but rather give state and local law enforcement a voice so we can collectively identify what happened and learn to improve upon current practices, Cutler added. Government is charged with protecting the health, safety and welfare of the citizens. As more high-profile events are coming to the Commonwealth in the coming months, we must use this undeniable tragedy to learn from our current practices, understand how we can get better, and take the necessary steps to ensure this does not happen in Pennsylvania again. abc27 news will keep you updated as more information becomes available. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. UPDATE: Pennsylvania State Police said she has been found. __________________________________________ Previous coverage: Pennsylvania State Police are looking for a missing and endangered 9-year-old girl from Braddock. Lena Pham was last seen in the area of the 200 block of 3rd Street at around 10 p.m. Thursday. Lena is described as being 4 feet, 8 inches tall and 70 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a white t-shirt with black lettering, black shorts and sandals. Police believe Lena may be at special risk of harm or injury. Lena may be in a black sedan, unknown make or model, with her mother, Trang Dang, police said. Anyone with information on Lenas whereabouts is asked to contact police immediately by calling 911 or state police in Pittsburgh at 412-299-1607. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Man robbed, pepper sprayed at Downtown bus stop as community calls for even more patrols Picklesburgh 2024: What you need to know before heading downtown for a weekend of fermented fun Fire that damaged several businesses at Westmoreland County shopping center ruled accidental VIDEO: Demolition of old Fort Pitt Brewery buildings underway DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts (Bloomberg) -- More people than ever are vying for one of the most dangerous political posts in Latin America: president of Peru. Most Read from Bloomberg A record 54 parties have filed paperwork to participate in presidential elections in 2026, according to elections tribunal JNE, in a country where every leader elected over the last three decades has been impeached, imprisoned or sought in criminal investigations. The sheer number more than the 18 hopefuls who ran in 2021 and the 10 who ran in in 2016 raises the risk that candidates with very little popular support may face off in a second-round election, fueling uncertainty in a country where perennial political instability has finally begun to hurt the economy. There has never been anything like this, said Fernando Tuesta, a professor of political science at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru who led a government commission that redesigned the countrys electoral rules in 2019. The outlook is not very promising. All of Perus living former presidents elected since 1990 have either been jailed or detained. Last year, three former presidents were detained at the same time in a facility specifically built for disgraced leaders. Current President Dina Boluarte is facing an approval rating of just 5%, while navigating criminal investigations that range from illegal enrichment to genocide and surviving multiple impeachment motions. Peruvian law does not allow presidents to run for consecutive terms, so Boluarte will not appear on the ballot in 2026. Splintered Votes Peru has all but a handful of established political parties, with most groups being created before each electoral cycle and then disappearing shortly after. The countrys system is also unusual in Latin America for making candidates register so far in advance. According to Tuesta, the deadline has never been so early. Recent legal changes are part of whats turbocharging the number of parties hoping to run this time around, which can lead to a volatile result. Ahead of last weeks deadline for candidates to register with a party to qualify for the 2026 election, a record 31 parties completed their paperwork while another 23 applications are pending. When Tuesta led an electoral reform commission in 2019, the idea was to make it easier for parties to register but weed them out through open primaries inspired by Argentinas political system. That way, there would be fewer presidential candidates to choose from on the actual ballot. It was supposed to be like an obstacles race, Tuesta said. But Congress has since made changes to that reform, in practice eliminating the open primaries but leaving the lower threshold for party registration. Peruvian elections usually go to a runoff between the top two candidates, and in 2021, the votes were already splintered: The top two candidates won just 32% of all votes, down from 61% in 2016 when there were fewer candidates. The fear is that with so many hopefuls potentially vying for office in 2026, the two most popular candidates could receive an even smaller share of the vote. This level of fragmentation will encourage opportunists while lowering the bar for candidates to reach a run-off vote, said Nicholas Watson, managing director of political consultancy Teneo in a note to clients. Either scenario could worsen political uncertainty. Heating Up Electoral records indicate that a few of Perus disgraced ex-leaders may run again. Former President Alberto Fujimori sentenced for human rights violations before being released on a presidential pardon is planning to run, according to his daughter. While Fujimoris sentence bars him from running, congress could change the law to make him eligible. Former Presidents Pedro Castillo and Alejandro Toledo are both in jail but havent been sentenced, so they are eligible to run. Both have recently registered with new political parties, records show. Former President Martin Vizcarra has been barred from running for the presidency again by congress, but he is appealing that decision. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Pet stores opening stirs anguish in Bedford, but owner says puppy mills claim is false Some Bedford residents are upset over the citys decision to allow a pet store that they say gets its dogs from puppy mills, but the business said the animals come from ethical breeders. During recent City Council meetings, residents questioned why Bedford allowed the Pettito Puppy Store at 2112 Harwood Road to operate, arguing it is better to adopt animals from overcrowded shelters. But mayor Dan Cogan said the citys hands are tied because of a new state law that regulates city governments can and cannot do when it comes to regulating zoning and businesses. This is our city. We should be the ones the decide what goes here, Cogan said. Cogan was referring to HB 2127, which prohibits cities from passing or overturning existing rules that go beyond state laws. Sarah Fuqua, who lives in Bedford, started a petition on change.org urging Bedford to support humane pet store legislation that will be introduced in the 2025 legislative session The bill requires that pet stores sell dogs and cats from animal shelters and rescue groups and not puppy mills. The Texas Humane Legislation Network is spearheading the effort, and stated on its website that pet stores often sell animals from out-of-state puppy mills and work through a middle man or distributor. When I first heard about this I said I have to do something, Fuqua said. Fuqua said she has worked for an animal shelter and a veterinary clinic, and said reputable breeders would let people come to their homes to see the conditions and to gather information on the puppies before going forward with purchasing one. There is so much to consider that it should not be an impulse decision, she said. Some Texas cities including Fort Worth, Euless and Dallas have ordinances prohibiting selling dogs from puppy mills that were adopted before the state law took effect, but Bedford does not have an ordinance. But Marty Delgado, operations manager of Pettito, with locations in Plano, Oklahoma and Bedford, said the business works with reputable breeders. I know its a controversial niche Delgado said. We value transparency over anything else. Delgado said she works with breeders from Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas who have been in business for 20 to 30 years and they often provide one litter of puppies a year, she said. We are dog lovers here, Delgado said. She said the employees work with customers to make sure they understand the responsibilities of the emotional and financial investment when it comes to owning a puppy. Delgado encouraged people to visit the store and to ask questions. She said it is important for people who are considering owning a puppy to have as much information as possible, such as the history of the dogs parents. Joe and Connie Stout, who live in neighboring Colleyville but still own property in Bedford, also urged officials to support the humane pet store bill. The animal shelters in the Dallas/Fort Worth area are overcrowded, and shelters have a difficult time finding people willing to adopt the animals, Connie Stout said. Cara Gustafson, communications consultant for the Texas Humane Legislation Network said Texas has made great strides with passing animal welfare laws over the years, and now, legislators need to pass the humane pet store bill since cities that dont have ordinances in place already cant stop the stores from opening in their communities. Legislators cant run away from this problem anymore because in a sense, Texas own laws have caused this, she said. She described how puppy stores open in cities without laws prohibiting them. Animal shelters in the area are inundated with dogs, Stout said, and the puppy stores add to the overcrowding, she said Cogan said during the July 9 council meeting that he will talk to state representatives about the need for the humane pet stores bill before the next legislative session. It really angers me that people down in Austin took away the opportunity for us to regulate things in our own city. Theyve taken away our authority to do whats best for our community, Cogan said. Businesses argued that a patchwork of existing regulations made it difficult to conduct business in Texas. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.) at the Mackinac Policy Conference, May 30, 2024 | Anna Liz Nichols U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.) has been living on the edge since 2020 and not because of his annual motorcycle tour of Michigan. Four years ago, he won a nailbiter race for reelection against now-U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Twp.) at the same time that Republicans were falsely claiming that there was mass voter fraud in Michigan. President Joe Biden defeated then-President Donald Trump by more than 154,000 votes. Peters then was named chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) for the 2022 cycle, which was thought to be a thankless task, as both the U.S. Senate map and history favored Republicans that year. But despite the Democrats holding the White House and Biden posting dismal approval ratings, the party added a seat to score a 51-49 majority. The second-term senator is back in the saddle at the DSCC for this election, but its been a rough few weeks for Democrats since Bidens widely criticized debate performance has sparked concerns about his age and health. Since then, over two dozen members of Congress have called for him to drop out and several leaders, like U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), have reportedly had private conversations with Biden telling him he cant win. Peters has stood by Biden, saying last week that he absolutely thinks the president can defeat Trump again. I believe President Biden can win, said Peters. And I believe that well be able to hold the Senate majority, and I think we also have a good shot of expanding it. But the political fallout has hit Michigan, with the Cook Political Report downgrading Democrats chances in holding the seat left open by retiring by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) from Lean Democrat to Tossup. Trump has endorsed former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) for the seat. Other Republicans running in the Aug. 6 primary are former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (I-Cascade Twp.), Dr. Sherry ODonnell and businessman Sandy Pensler. Democrats are set to nominate either U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) or actor Hill Harper. Nonetheless, Peters is maintaining his optimism. Michigan will always be competitive, he told the Advance this week. As DSCC chair, I have made significant investments in the state already and will continue through the election. We will win Michigan. But theres been even more uncertainty in the 2024 election, with the shooting at Trumps Pennsylvania rally last weekend, which left he and two others injured and one man dead. As chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Peters announced this week hes launching an investigation into the assassination attempt, saying the panel is focused on getting all of the facts about the security failures that allowed the attacker to carry out this heinous act of violence. There is no place for political violence in our nation, and Saturdays shocking attack should never have been allowed to happen, said Peters. Michigan will always be competitive. As DSCC chair, I have made significant investments in the state already and will continue through the election. We will win Michigan. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.) The Michigan Advance sat down with Peters at the Mackinac Policy Conference in late May about Bidens poll numbers in Michigan, the Michigan U.S. Senate race and how abortion will impact the 2024 election compared to 2022. Peters also discussed the Israel-Hamas war, problems with the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Supreme Court and more. The following are excerpts from that interview: Michigan Advance: So what do Democrats have to do to keep the Senate this year? Peters: Basically, were going to use the same strategy that we used last cycle when I ran the DSCC [Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee] last cycle, if you recall. And no one thought we could hold the majority, much less expand it, having the party in power in White House historically, it was against you. But what we ended up doing was something that hadnt been done since 1934. What was the mechanism there? It was first that we had clear contrast between candidates. Candidates really matter in the Senate race, and we were able to paint the kind of clear contrast that voters could make a decision over. But just having a better candidate youve followed politics a long time the best candidate doesnt necessarily win. You also have to run a really good campaign, and if you dont run a good campaign, youre not going to win. And we ran really good campaigns. One thing we did at the DSCC that had not been done before, and something I felt very strongly about, was that we invested substantially in the ground campaign to actually turn out our voters. All of our races, by definition, were battlegrounds and they were going to be close. And so close races in my mind are determined by especially in a midterm by identifying who wants to vote for you and making sure that they get there. In fact, for the first time in history for the DSCC, we spent more money on the ground than we did on TV or media. Thats never been done before, and were going to do it again this time. And its the same thing: Candidate quality matters. Some of the same dynamics we had a couple dynamics going on last cycle. We had usually the most extreme Republican candidate would come out of a Republican primary, especially if it was a contentious primary, and that would allow us to have a clear contrast. Or Republicans recruited wealthy folks who they thought could fund their own races, but they tended to have very tenuous contact with the state that they were running it. .And those same things are happening this year. Obviously all the issues are real important in these contests, but you should never underestimate in these Senate races that voters are not just making the decision using their head, theyre using their gut. Whats their feel? Can you trust this person? Are they really going to stand up for me and have any idea of what my life is about as theyre making decisions? Michigan Advance: I know that Michigans Senate race usually doesnt make the top list of competitive races, but do you think that it could be a sleeper race for Republicans? How concerned are you? Peters: Michigan is a competitive state, by definition, as a battleground state. So I expect this to be a very close race. When you say it doesnt top our list, its because Montana and Ohio are really hard places for us to hold. [Editors Note: Both U.S. Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) have called on Biden to withdraw.] Here, the numbers will be close. I certainly remind folks around the country that Michigans results that we had last cycle where we have to remember it happened because of Prop 3 [the abortion rights ballot initiative]. Prop 3 was really the difference-maker. We had, as you know, massive turnout for Prop 3. We had the highest turnout of 18 to 30 year olds in the country. It was the top vote-getter everybody else, Democrats were helped because of Prop 3. So were going to regress to the mean, which is Michigan is a competitive state. I remember when I first ran in 2014 for the Senate, and I would have people say, Well, Gary, youre in a blue state. You should be fine. I go, Well and youll appreciate this because you were there I said, Well, we have a Republican governor [Rick Snyder]; a Republican secretary of state [Ruth Johnson]. We have a Republican attorney general [Bill Schuette]. We have a Republican state House and a Republican Senate. What part is blue? Thats Michigan. Our Democratic candidate will have to paint a very clear contrast with whoever emerges from the Republican primary. And I think thats going to be fairly easy to do. And then its about running a good campaign and making sure you turn out your voters. Michigan Advance: You mentioned Prop 3, and I know that you shared your personal abortion story. Do you think that abortion will be a top issue, because it does seem to have fallen down the list this time around? Peters: It depends somewhat on the state. So one of our top states [for Senate races] is Arizona, and we have an abortion proposition in Florida, as well. Florida is a pickup opportunity that we believe we have a shot at. So I think in those states, its going to have a real big impact. Michigan, its still going to be still on the ballot because you still have positions that candidates have. And if [GOP former U.S. Rep.] Mike Rogers, for example, were to be the nominee, he was a co-sponsor and a leader on bills that wouldve effectively outlawed IVF and vitro fertilization, hes going to try to run from that, but you cant run from your record. Its going to be very clear as to how out of step he is with the majority of people in Michigan. Itll still be a driving factor. Michigan Advance: Is there any concern about a level of complacency in blue states like Michigan? Because we did protect abortion in our constitution, and people arent necessarily connecting what might happen with a Republican presidency or this Supreme Court where they could even overrule state law? Peters: Yeah. And thats exactly right. You can have a national ban and a lot of Republicans are talking about doing that. And so its our job in the campaign to make sure that people realize youre not out of the woods yet, this is an ongoing battle, and one that you have to stay vigilant, or we could lose even more ground. In places even like Michigan, youre not safe. And fundamentally, too, is that a woman should be able to make choices for her health and reproductive freedom regardless of what state she lives in. Its still very much on the ballot. Michigan Advance: Why do you think that President Trump is leading President Biden in most Michigan polls right now? Peters: Obviously, its complicated and if you look at some of the polling results, one is that if you just ask people a poll about who you support, you do get Donald Trump up a little bit. But if you ask that same question to people who are likely voters, these are people who have actually voted recently, President Bidens up a little bit. So this is a battleground state, so its already going to be tight, but that shows you why ground campaigns are so important and actually getting your voters out. But the fact is, I would rather be up with likely voters than just folks in general, because its only actual voters that determine the election. Michigan Advance: Do you think that President Biden could lose Michigan over the Israel-Hamas war? Peters: Im confident hes going to win. Hell be able to win. Theres just such a clear contrast between Joe Biden and Donald Trump that voters in Michigan are going to make a decision who they want to be the president for the next four years. And its going to be clear that he will win. And certainly if any people who are concerned, and rightly so Im concerned about innocent Palestinians who are caught in the middle of the war. But Donald Trumps record when it comes to Arab-American, Muslim-American communities, and the statements he has made about Gaza should be pretty clear that he would not be on the side of those who are concerned about the people in Gaza. Michigan Advance: But Im sure youve spoken with Arab-American leaders, and theyre very upset. And there is the Abandon Biden movement. But you dont feel like its significant enough that it could cost Biden the state? Peters: I dont think itll cost the state, but its something we should all take very seriously. So I dont mean to diminish it in any way. Im certainly hopeful that we will see a ceasefire before election time, and it will look a lot better. I know President Biden is working aggressively to achieve that end. And hes certainly the person to achieve that end. It wouldnt be Donald Trump. It would be only Joe Bidens ability to do that. And Im hoping he will be successful before election time. And then wed be talking about something very different in two or three months from now. Michigan Advance: Have you talked with any Jewish leaders about their concerns about rising antisemitism? Peters: Oh, yes. Oh my God. Yeah, Ive heard it here from several of them. Michigan Advance: Can you talk to me a little bit about what theyre seeing out there and what they would like to see change? Peters: Well, they feel that the rhetoric is very harmful the anti-Israel rhetoric that people are using. And as one person described it, to the common person, when they hear Israel, they hear Jew. So when youre attacking Israel, its attacking the Jewish people, as well, in the minds of a lot of people. And you cant separate it, according to their view. And so they feel that there are threats to them and it could lead to violence, unfortunately. Certainly, theyre fearful of their sons and daughters who are in college or in universities right now. Ive talked to many students who also feel threatened on campus and dont feel safe on campus. And so certainly people have the right to protest. But in that protest, you should not violate the rights of other individuals who have a right to go to school and have a right to get an education and have a right to feel safe on campus. Michigan Advance: U.S. Rep. Tlaib (D-Detroit) has been a long-time critic of Israel and was censured by Congress and a move that was opposed by most Democrats. Do you think that she has gone too far in her rhetoric? Peters: I would say I wouldve said things differently than what she would say, and I would just hope any member of Congress. So this is not just to Congresswoman Tlaib, that every member of Congress, especially on this issue, is so emotional for so many people, that you need to be extremely careful in the words that you use because they can be very, very hurtful. Michigan Advance: Has this been a discussion amongst the congressional delegation about the Israel-Hamas war? Because it has been somewhat divisive in the Democratic Party. Peters: Well, weve discussed it in the Senate. I havent talked with the House members. Michigan Advance: Does the delegation still meet at all or has that fallen away? Peters: We do, but its not a regular thing. It kind of depends on an issue, and its usually always an issue thats Michigan-facing. Like we talked about here the Selfridge Air National Guard Base, the Great Lakes, the Soo Locks. Michigan Advance: The stuff you can agree on. Peters: Yeah. All the things we can agree on. Lets get together and figure out how we can accomplish our goals. Michigan Advance: Do you expect that there will be any movement on immigration before the election? Peters: No, I wouldnt expect that. The bill that I was referencing was really more about border security than immigration, although it had immigration aspects in there because of the asylum rules and things. But because of that, its not Its just too polarized. And we know that former President Trump said he doesnt want to do anything on that because it could help Biden. Michigan Advance: I know youve talked a lot about the need for civility and bipartisanship. Do you feel like this Supreme Court has crossed the line into becoming a partisan institution with some of the rulings on abortion and voting rights that weve seen in the last couple of years? Peters: Yeah, I think they have. Theyre losing some of their legitimacy as a result of those decisions that you have. And part of it is the process, the hyperpartisan process of confirming judges where you see the Republicans would not even take up a nominee from a Democratic president. Michigan Advance: Youre referring to after Justice [Antonin] Scalia died when [Barack] Obama was president in 2016? Peters: Right. And then the strictly partisan votes there was a time in the not so distant past where Supreme Court justices would get 70, 80 votes. And now theyre strictly party-line. And so the judges that are getting through that process have passed a variety of litmus tests that are based on politics and not based on sound constitutional law. Michigan Advance: I know youve been working to push back on some of the changes for the Postal Service, and I know you had some success with the Iron Mountain Processing Center. But theres been a lot of anger about what Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has been doing over the years. And the biggest argument that I hear from progressive activists is they just want him removed. So can you talk about that issue and the obstacles? Peters: Well, the process is that he works for the Board of Governors. He doesnt work for the Congress. He doesnt work for the president. So the president cant fire him. The Congress, we cant fire him. I dont know if we can impeach him. You just cant do that. Its quasi-independent, governed by the Board of Governors. The president nominates, and we confirm the Board of Governors, but its up to them to make that decision. And its usually a bipartisan kind of vote. Michigan Advance: How concerned are you about the issues that we experienced in 2020 with mail-in voting and delays? Here in Michigan, obviously, weve seen mail-in voting explode [since the passage of voting rights reforms in Proposal 3 of 2018]. Peters: Yeah, Im very concerned about that. And thats why I asked the postmaster general to pause the changes. Now, let me preface this by saying the Postal Service needs reforms. They need to do things differently. The business has changed dramatically over the years. Were not sending as many letters, first-class letters, for example. And were sending a whole lot more packages. So all of that requires changes in processes. Its going to require a lot of thoughtful decision-making as to how you make the Postal Service more efficient. But while I say that, they should not sacrifice service while theyre doing that. Because it makes no sense to me, or any business for that matter, to say were going to actually harm service to our customers and expect our business to grow. That usually doesnt happen. Weve got to maintain the service. And particularly in rural areas. So in Iron Mountain you had a processing center that processes primarily U.P. mail. And yet with the change that [DeJoy] was proposing, that means all mail from the U.P. would first have to go to Wisconsin before it came back to the U.P. And so youre mailing something from Marquette to Munising, its going to go to Wisconsin before it gets to Munising. And thats not easy in the best of times, but just imagine the Michigan U.P. winter. Its going to not work. And thats why I asked for the pause and said we need to have an advisory opinion from the Postal Regulatory Commission, the PRC. And the Postal Regulatory Commission oversees the Postal Service. So you got the Board of Governors, you got these two bodies. And you can request, and the Postmaster General can request, an advisory opinion from the PRC. They would review the plan and then give advice. And usually itll just kind of spell out what are the pluses and minuses of that. Postmaster General DeJoy has said that he is going to ask for that advisory committee. Im not sure the scope of it. Ive pushed him to try to be as broad in scope as possible. And I will tell you, Ive actually talked to every member of the Board of Governors and asked them to do the same, and they seem to be very open to do that. But were going to wait to see how they rule. But Ive been certainly weighing in with the Board of Governors directly on that issue. And what started it is, I had a postal hearing because theyve made some of these changes. The two most notable were in Richmond, Va., and Atlanta, Ga. And in both of those cases, we saw the on-time delivery drop dramatically. It got worse. And not only did the delivery times take longer, but also the costs were higher. So thats like the worst of all worlds. So less service and more cost. [But DeJoy is] convinced that in the long run its going to work. And Im like, OK, Im a data guy. Youre a data guy. Hes a business guy. So right now it isnt. But why dont we pause and see if you actually can fix that? And then when lessons learned, then you start doing it in other places around the country. Thats a long answer to your question, but thats where we are. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE An environmental engineering team and the University of California, Riverside (UCR) has discovered a bacterial species that can destroy certain types of PFAS chemicals commonly found in waterproofing agents for outerwear and footwear. Often referred to as forever chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances have carbon-fluorine chemical bonds that are tough to break, contributing to their propensity to stick around when released into the environment. PFAS have contaminated water sources across the globe, endangering the ecology and surrounding communities. More from Sourcing Journal But researchers may have hit on the key to dismantling PFAS compounds. Microorganisms belonging to the genus Acetobacterium, which are commonly found in wastewater environments, can sever the bonds between carbon and fluorine and disassemble the chemical structures, the team reported this week in the Science Advances journal. This is the first discovery of a bacterium that can do reductive defluorination of PFAS structures, Yujie Men, associate professor at UCRs Bourns College of Engineering in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, told UCRs public information office. Men, one of the studys authors, stressed that the bacteria were only found to be effective on unsaturated PFAS compounds, which feature double carbon-to-carbon bonds in their chemical structures. But the research team also pinpointed the specific enzymes (proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions) within the bacteria that facilitate the pulling apart off the carbon-fluoride bonds. That essential discovery may allow bioengineers to improve the enzymes over time so they demonstrate effectiveness on other PFAS compounds. If we can understand the mechanism, maybe we can find similar enzymes based on the identified molecular traits and screen out more effective ones, said Men. Also, if we can design some new enzyme or alter this known enzyme based on the mechanistic understanding, we could be able to make it more efficient and work with a broader range of PFAS molecules. The groups research builds upon a paper Men wrote in 2023 which identified other microorganisms with the capacity to cleave the chlorine-chlorine bond in chlorinated PFAS compounds. She said the latest discovery expands the types of PFAS that can be destroyed using biological measures by a large margin. The use of bacteria to destroy PFAS compounds is both efficacious and cost-effective, the groups research showed. Microorganisms can break apart the compounds before water reaches wells in a process that involves injecting them into groundwater with nutrients to boost their proliferation, rather than treating water afterwards through industrial means. The discovery comes at a critical time; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently imposed the first-ever federal PFAS restrictions for tap water, which will restrict certain PFAS chemicals to four parts-per-trillion in Americas drinking water. California, Maine, Massachusetts and Minnesota have passed their own legislation banning the sale or distribution of products like carpets, rugs, fabric treatments, upholstered furniture and textiles using PFAS. According to the EPA, PFAS compounds reached widespread use in the 1940s when companies began to heavily leverage their ability to resist water, oil and dirt. Over the decades, theyve been deployed liberally in stain and water repellents for carpets, upholstery, clothing and other textiles. The chemicals have been linked to cancers and other ailments, and researchers recently discovered evidence that they can be absorbed through the skina fact that was long disputed. Photos show the chaos behind the global IT outage that's impacting retailers, flights, and hospitals Photos show the chaos behind the global IT outage that's impacting retailers, flights, and hospitals A major global IT outage is disrupting flights, retailers, and media outlets among other businesses. It emerged after Microsoft reported problems with its online services. Here are photos showing the effects of the huge IT outage worldwide. Major airlines, banks, hospitals, and retailers are experiencing widespread disruptions linked to an IT outage after Microsoft reported problems with its online services, linked to an issue at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Here are photos showing how the outage is affecting people and businesses worldwide. Airlines, including United, Delta, and American, issued ground stops on Friday. Passengers wait at Barajas Airport in Madrid following the IT outage on Friday. ELENA RODRIGUEZ/Reuters European airlines Ryanair and KLM are also among those to be impacted by the outage. Edinburgh Airport in the UK and Berlin Airport in Germany have warned of delays. Changi Aiport in Singapore one of the world's busiest airports said it was manually checking in the passengers of some airlines. Lines of people at Terminal 1 in Singapore's Changi Airport on July 19, 2024. Aditi Bharade / Business Insider A spokesperson for Singapore's Changi Airport told BI: "Due to a global outage affecting IT systems of many organizations, the check-in process for some airlines at Changi Airport is being managed manually." This included the "issuance of boarding passes," the spokesperson said. Whiteboards are being used at Changi Airports Terminal 1. A whiteboard displaying flight information in Terminal 1 of Singapore's Changi Airport. Aditi Bharade Local media reports also showed long lines at Changi Airport's check-in counters. Major UK airports have reported issues, with some warning of delays and disruption. The flight check-in board at Stansted Airport shows "Please Wait" messages next to most of the scheduled flights. Reem Makhoul/Business Insider Major UK airports, Heathrow, Gatwick, and Luton, have all been affected. A passenger at Luton airport, near London, shared photos of big lines. Long lines at Luton Airport, near London, on July 19, 2024, as airlines and other companies reeled from a mass IT outage. Nick Xydias At Luton Airport, near London, Nick Xydias told Business Insider he was stuck waiting for a Wizz Air flight to Larnaca, Cyprus. "It's my birthday, and we'd booked a romantic trip with my wife. She'd got a new dress and everything," he told Business Insider from a winding and frustrated line of passengers on Friday morning. Luton staff later wrote on X that some flights were affected but that the airport was still operating. Xydias's flight was later canceled. Passengers flying with Ryanair at Stansted Airport in the UK face long lines. Lines for Ryanair at Stansted Airport. Reem Makhoul / Business Insider Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, warned of "disruption across the network due to a Global 3rd party IT outage which is out of our control" and is advising passengers to head to the airport early. The issue is impacting airports globally, such as Hong Kong International Airport and Delhi International Airport in India. Hong Kong Express Airways passengers line up at counters in Hong Kong International Airport amid system outages disrupting the airline's operations. Tyrone Siu/Reuters A passenger at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad wrote on X that he had been issued a hand-written boarding pass by Indian airline IndiGo. Business Insider was unable to verify his account. However, IndiGo confirmed on X that its booking, check-in, and access to boarding cards process was impacted by the outage. Grocery stores, retailers, and fast-food giants have also been impacted. A sign notifies customers of a temporary closure due to IT issues at a Liquorland store in Canberra, Australia. Reuters Australian grocery store chain Woolworths told BI that some stores had "been impacted as a result of the global IT issue." However, all but six stores were open, while some had fewer checkouts functioning. A banner on Woolworths' website as of Friday said that it's "experiencing intermittent technical difficulties instore and online." A spokesperson for UK grocery store chain Morrisons told BI that the chain was experiencing payment issues in some stores. Some checkout lanes at major retailers are out of use. AAP via REUTERS Social media users said Waitrose, an upmarket UK grocery store chain, was only taking cash payments because card machines weren't working. News outlets were also affected by the outage. Sky News briefly went off air. Jack Taylor/Getty Images Sky News has been showing archive footage and briefly displayed an error message. The news site appears to be up and running at the time of writing. Read the original article on Business Insider Above: Tony Shins July 17 report for KUSI on security measures for San Diego Pride. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) San Diego Pride is reflecting on and celebrating the past with this years parade and festival, as it marks the 50th anniversary of the first gay pride march in Americas Finest City. Featuring the theme Making History Now, pride organizers have sought to honor the rich history within San Diegos LGBTQ+ community as it fought for visibility and civil rights. While much of the focus is on trailblazers work cultivating the gay pride movement locally, San Diego has also played a key role in advancing the pride movement on the worlds stage. Pride celebrations as they are known today trace back to a demonstration in 1970, marking the first anniversary of a days-long uprising sparked by a violent police raid at New Yorks Stonewall Inn. San Diego Pride: Everything you need to know from parking to road closures The raid, which is referred to as the Stonewall Rebellion or Riots, was a watershed moment for a community who for years had to keep their true identity or orientation hidden out of fear. The Stonewall Riots had a rippling effect throughout the country, and the world really, Nicole Verdes, managing director with the Lambda Archives, explained to FOX 5/KUSI. Certainly there was a ripple effect that had an impact here in San Diego. In the year after the rebellion, San Diego State University students founded a local chapter of the Gay Liberation Front, an activist group described by historians as the incubator of the newly-invigorated movement pushing for LGBTQ+ rights. The San Diego chapter of the Gay Liberation Front held protests and Gay-Ins, demonstrations against local law enforcement policing LGBTQ+ peoples lives. During this time, members of the organization also became involved in the broader civil rights movement sweeping the country. Two leaders of the chapter, Stephen Bell and Jess Jessop, were among those who helped co-author the 1972 Gay Rights Platform in the United States, which was a guiding document for the movement, at the first-ever convention on gay rights held in Chicago. After a few years, these demonstrations evolved into unpermitted marches. One of these unpermitted marches in 1974 is credited as being the citys inaugural gay pride parade, despite San Diegos first official Gay Pride Day having been held the year after. Most of the marches were organized by ad hoc committees, according to San Diego Pride. That is until one community member, Doug Moore, founded the first local pride organization, The Lesbian and Gay Men Pride Alliance, which served the community for two years. Tragedy and triumphs: The nonprofit safeguarding San Diegos LGBTQ+ history He also created its successor, the nonprofit Lambda Pride. A prolific collector of items from these early pride celebrations, Moore was similarly involved in creating the extensive collections of local LGBTQ+ history now housed in the Lambda Archives. However, one of the lesser known, but just as significant contributions Moore made to San Diego Pride was helping to bring local voices to the forefront of work aimed at unifying grassroots pride movements in other areas. Around 1981, as pride organizing continued to gain steam across the globe, Moore began to catalog local pride organizations outside of San Diego. This record became critical when pride coordinators Rick Turner and Marsha Levine, of San Francisco and Boston respectively, sought to create a network for other leaders in this space, offering discussion and resources on shared obstacles. Then called the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Pride Coordinators, the first meeting of the network was in Boston in 1982, with representatives from six pride organizations across the U.S. including San Diego. Another meeting was held the year after in Americas Finest City. Now called InterPride, the networks reach has become international, holding annual conferences at destinations all over the globe for over 300 member organizations spanning 60 countries. It was even granted Consultative Status at the United Nations in June of 2023. [Moore] was instrumental in our local pride movement, but he was also instrumental in having San Diego take its seat at the table, if you will, with international pride organizers, Verdes said. That was a local individual who saw that there was a benefit to connecting with prides all around the world and all around the country to make it a bigger movement. These origins still have a physical connection with San Diego: The Lambda Archives houses many artifacts from the early days of InterPride, including its original bylaws, buttons from pride events held by its member organizers and other ephemera gathered by Moore. Nicole Verdes adjusts the Doug Moore Pride jacket. The jacket, which features buttons from dozens of Pride events, is housed at the Lambda Archives in San Diego's University Heights neighborhood. The Lambda Archives is San Diego's sole history center dedicated to local LGBTQ+ history. (FOX 5/KUSI) City leaders honor 50 years of LGBTQ+ Pride in San Diego, kick off celebrations According to Verdes, the Doug Moore Pride Papers collection is the largest and most extensive in its care. The spirit of Moores efforts has similarly shaped the philanthropic work San Diego Pride continues to engage in to this day, Fernando Lopez, former executive director of the nonprofit, said ahead of the 2020 World Pride Forum. San Diego should be really proud of the fact that our voices as queer San Diegans were in that room when those conversations were happening in the years following Stonewall to be a bigger part of this movement, Verdes said. The San Diego Pride Parade is set to take place Saturday, July 20 at 10 a.m. It will be followed by the two-day Pride Festival, held at Balboa Parks Marston Point. 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 Aljamal family was widely respected in Gazas Nuseirat camp. They were known as pious and prominent members of the community. While people knew they had connections to Hamas, neighbors say no one could have guessed how deep those links truly went. When Israeli forces stormed the Aljamals building on June 8 they found Almog Meir Jan, Andrey Kozlov and Shlomi Ziv, hostages who had been captured from the Nova music festival on October 7, cowering in a darkened room. The experience of the three men alongside that of Noa Argamani who was held in another house nearby, belonging to the Abu Nar family echoes testimony from previously released hostages. They describe being confined among the civilian population, rather than in Hamas vast tunnel network under Gaza. In the aftermath of last months rescue, neighbors in Nuseirat, a refugee camp in central Gaza, told CNN they were shocked to learn that Ahmed Aljamal, a physician, and his family had kept hostages in their midst. Had we known, had he told us, we would have taken safety precautions, hide or move to somewhere else, one neighbor, Abu Muhammad El Tahrawi, said. Dr. Aljamal, 74, was a general practitioner and also led the call to prayer at the local mosque, waking early every day to get there before dawn. Ahmed Aljamal was a physician and worked at the local mosque according to neighbors. Three Israeli hostages were rescued from his familys building on June 8. - Dr Fadel Naim/X He was a pious man, neighbor Abdelrahman El Tahrawi said. He leads the prayer, then he goes back to his home. He didnt mix with people, didnt complain about other people, and no one complained about him. He was a man who minded his own business. Dr. Aljamals son Abdallah, 36, was a freelance journalist who most recently wrote for the US-based Palestine Chronicle, for which he filed regular dispatches on the war in Gaza. Neighbors told CNN it was no secret that the family had links to Hamas. We were worried about the Aljamal house. They are with Hamas, said a neighbor and family acquaintance. Abdallah had served as a spokesman for Gazas Ministry of Labor as recently as 2022, a position entrusted only to Hamas members, according to political analysts. He also showed his support for the group on social media. On Facebook, he posted pictures of his young son dressed in the fatigues of Hamas armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, and on October 7 openly praised the groups attack on Israel. In a 2022 video post, Abdallah commended the Hamas operation to kidnap Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was held in Gaza between 2006 and 2011, and proclaimed: Brothers, all of us are prepared to die for the resistance. Abdallah Aljamal is seen in an image posted on Facebook. - Abdallah Aljamal/Facebook Public support for Hamas as a political movement in Gaza has ranged from 34 to 42% over the past seven months, according to polls by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research. Polling in Gaza faces multiple challenges, including population displacement, peoples reluctance to criticize Hamas publicly and the risks to personal safety in war time. The true level of support for Hamas may be lower, according to Dr. Mkhaimar Abusada, associate professor of Political Science at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, who is now based in the Egyptian capital of Cairo. A higher proportion of Gazans are more broadly supportive of armed resistance, the polling suggests, despite more than nine months of war that has obliterated the strip. Civil defense teams and locals investigate the rubble after the Israeli operation in Nuseirat camp, Gaza, on June 8, 2024. - Ashraf Amra/Anadolu/Getty Images Some people who were not affiliated with Hamas or other Palestinian militant groups took part in the October 7 incursion into southern Israel, streaming through the border fence after it was breached by fighters some stealing from Israeli communities and others taking hostages back into Gaza. At least 1,200 people were killed and some 250 people in total were taken from Israel into the strip, according to Israeli authorities. A senior Hamas official last month told CNN the group does not know how many hostages are still alive, suggesting it may not have full oversight of their whereabouts. Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz told an Israeli TV channel that Israel knows to a very close number how many hostages remain alive. Despite the level of support in Gaza for Hamas, which has governed the territory since 2007, far fewer people would be accepted into the trusted inner circles of the Islamist movement. Hostages being held by civilians under the direction of Hamas is unlikely unless they have very strong ties to and are well trusted by the group, according to Abusada. Hamas only trusts Hamas when it comes to those very sensitive issues such as Israeli hostages, he said. There may be other reasons why Hamas chose to house hostages in civilian homes, however. Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, said that approach fits Hamas strategy to get Israel bogged down in the urban centers of Gaza and push them into a counterinsurgency that cannot end, which is the perpetual war Hamas says it wants. Andrey Kozlov is seen in a hospital after his rescue on June 8, 2024. - IDF spokesperson Creative punishment The three hostages who were held in the Aljamal family building were kept there for around six months, according to Andrey Kozlov, who spoke last week to CNN. Kozlov described physical and psychological abuse he received at the hands of his guards. One in particular, he said, was a big fan of creative punishment who on one occasion forced him to spend two days on a mattress without moving or talking as a penalty for standing near an open window, and on another occasion covered him with blankets in the summer heat for washing his hands with drinking water. I was trying to breathe through the space between the mattress and blankets, he said. During that time the hostages could hear the family, including children, going about their daily lives on the floor below, according to Aviram Meir, the uncle of Almog Meir Jan. In the weeks before Israels hostage raid, the Aljamal family had been continuing as usual, outwardly at least, and Abdallahs most recent article for the Palestine Chronicle was published just the day before. Then, on the morning of June 8, Israeli forces stormed Nuseirat. Zainab Aljamal, Abdallahs sister, who was in the family house at the time of the raid, wrote a Facebook post that day describing what happened. The Israeli soldiers entered and shot Abdallahs wife Fatima first, before killing Ahmed and Abdallah, she wrote. Zainab hid with Abdallahs children under a bed, according to the now-deleted Facebook post which was shared with CNN by independent open-source researcher Thomas Bordeaux. Zainab said in the post that the family had been waiting for the moment they would be killed by Israeli forces. Since the start of the war, we have been waiting for this moment. We did not know how it would come and in what horrific way it would happen, but we were aware that it would inevitably come. As the three hostages were rescued from the Aljamal house, around 200 meters (650 feet) away Israeli forces carried out a simultaneous raid on a second apartment block which was home to the Abu Nar family, according to Israeli officials to retrieve Argamani. Argamani had become one of the most recognized Israeli hostages when widely circulated footage showed her being hoisted onto the back of a motorcycle and driven away from the Nova music festival on October 7 as her partner was seized and made to walk with his hands behind his back. Less is known about Argamanis captors. Her family members told Israeli media she had been held by a relatively well-off family who made Argamani wash dishes for the household, reportedly telling her she was lucky to be held by them as other hostages were experiencing much worse. In a video released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that shows Argamanis rescue, troops are seen inside an apartment on the upper floor of a building, passing a small kitchen. The Israeli Prime Ministers Office told CNN she was held by the Abu Nar family but did not provide further details. According to unofficial lists of those killed circulated on Arabic-language media and social media, Mohamed Ahmad Abu Nar died alongside his wife and child in Israels Nuseirat operation last month. Three relatives of Abu Nar also posted on social media announcing he had been killed by Israeli forces that day. CNN cannot independently confirm whether Abu Nar was involved in holding Argamani and his relatives have not responded to requests for comment. A normal man Neighbors of the Abu Nar house in Nuseirat told CNN they saw Israeli special forces enter and leave the building without much of a fight. Bilal Mazhar, a 16-year-old student, said his window was opposite the window of the apartment in which Argamani was being held, just half a meter away, but he never saw any sign of her presence until Israeli forces brought her out. They pulled her out normally and no one intervened, and there was no shooting at them, Mazhar said. Mohamed Ahmad Abu Nar seemed to share very little online about his life, and local people were reluctant to share many details about the Abu Nar family, but they did express surprise and concern that a hostage had been held in their midst. He had young children at home, said Khalil Al-Kahlot, a civil servant in Gaza. No one would expect him to hold a hostage like this, in homes and among people. Noa Argamani, a rescued hostage, embraces her father, Yakov Argamani, after her rescue from central Gaza by Israeli forces on June 8, 2024. - Israeli Army/Handout/Reuters Al-Kahlot, who told CNN hed been in Nuseirat for the past four months, said Mohamed Ahmed was ordinary and a normal man, adding that he had never suspected he was affiliated with Hamas. They are people in Hamas, but we did not know that, said another neighbor of the Abu Nar family. If we had known there was something there, no one would have stayed in the area. After Israeli forces evacuated the hostages, airstrikes hit both of the buildings they were rescued from and now only rubble remains at each site. More than 270 Palestinians were killed in Nuseirat on June 8, according to Gaza health ministry officials, which doesnt distinguish between militants and civilians, and hundreds more were injured. Israel puts the number of deaths at under 100. CNN cannot independently confirm the figures. Many locals questioned why so many Palestinians had to die for the Israeli forces to rescue just four hostages. Al-Kahlot said: People died because they were freeing her, and no one was looking at us. CNN is not identifying some interviewees for their own security. CNNs Bianna Golodryga, Eugenia Yosef and Gianluca Mezzofiore contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Vice President Kamala Harris told supporters gathered at her campaign event in Fayetteville, North Carolina, that the convention speech delivered this week by Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, this week was a compelling story and it was not the full story, The New York Times reported. Harris wasted no time in addressing the brass tacks, condemning former President Donald Trump and his pick for vice president, claiming they will undermine the middle class and eviscerate the rights of women and minorities. In her first campaign appearance since Vance formally accepted his position on the Republican ticket, Harris took direct aim what she described as an extremist agenda. Frankly, whats very compelling is what he didnt talk about on that stage. He did not talk about Project 2025, their 900-page blueprint for a second Trump term. He did not talk about it because their plans are extreme, and they are divisive, she said of Vance, PBS News reported. President Biden, Harris said, is someone who will fight for the common people, noting that he comes from a middle-class background in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and he has never forgotten where he came from. The vice president warned against the dangers of a Trump-Vance administration for reproductive rights, social programs, as well as health care and education policies pursued by the the Biden-Harris administration. She also critiqued Republican claims that they are genuinely in favor of "unit." In recent days, theyve been trying to portray themselves as the party of unity, Harris said. If you claim to stand for unity, you need to do more than just use the word. You cannot claim you stand for unity if you are pushing an agenda that deprives whole groups of Americans of basic freedoms, opportunity, and dignity." Representatives of the Coordination Council for members of the Belarusian opposition attend a news conference in Minsk By Alan Charlish WARSAW (Reuters) - Prosecutors in Poland are investigating a crime targeting leading Belarusian opposition figure Pavel Latushka under sections of the penal code covering homicide and the activities of foreign intelligence networks. National Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Przemyslaw Nowak told Reuters in an email that an investigation was being conducted together with officers from Poland's Internal Security Agency based in the central city of Lodz. He declined to give specific details of the events being investigated. According to a letter from prosecutors to Latushka seen by Reuters, the investigation falls under sections of the penal code which cover inciting others to commit a crime, the activities of foreign intelligence agencies and homicide. The investigation into a crime against Latushka, a deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, comes at a time of heightened fears for the safety of Belarusian and Russian opposition figures after an attack on Leonid Volkov, an exiled aide to late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Volkov suffered injuries from hammer blows in the attack on March 12 outside his home in Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital. Two Poles were detained following the attack. Latushka told Reuters in a written statement that he frequently received threats. "In the last six months, evidence has mounted of a significant escalation in threats against me and other pro-democracy activists," he said. "Recently, we have also recorded an intensification of attempts to put pressure on specific members of our team... by individuals posing as KGB officers; they use methods of bribery, blackmail, and threats of reprisals against relatives and friends of our team members." Poland says that it has become a target for attempts by Russian and Belarusian intelligence services to destabilise the country. In May, a Polish judge with access to military secrets, who asked for asylum in Belarus, was charged with espionage. The Belarusian embassy in Warsaw did not respond to an emailed request for comment. The Russian embassy in Warsaw has previously dismissed claims that its secret services are attempting to destabilise Poland as "conspiracy theories". A former ambassador and culture minister, Latushka supported protests against 2020 presidential elections in Belarus that opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko say were rigged. In 2023 a Belarusian court sentenced him in absentia to 18 years in prison. Latushka said he had received information that two attempts on his life had been foiled this year. He did not reveal the source of this information and Reuters was unable to independently verify it. (Reporting by Alan Charlish; Additional reporting by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk; Editing by Peter Graff) Pawe Zalewski, Poland's Deputy Minister of National Defence, says Warsaw is not involved in recruiting Ukrainians for the Ukrainian Legion, which will undergo training on Polish soil. Source: Zalewski on Polish Radio, as reported by European Pravda Details: Zalewski noted that the bilateral security agreement that provides for the training of the Ukrainian Legion in Poland does not impose any additional obligations on Warsaw. After all, the legion is a voluntary formation. "The Polish state is not involved in this process because it cannot, pursuant to the law. Therefore, recruitment will take place with the help of Ukrainian consular offices," he said. The official added that volunteers joining the legion will be "enlisted into the Ukrainian Armed Forces following Ukrainian regulations at Ukrainian consular offices" and will "receive basic training on Polish soil, conducted by the Polish Armed Forces". "Responsibilities regarding equipment will be distinctly divided between what the Polish side provides and what the Ukrainian side ensures," Zalewski explained. After the training, the soldiers from the Ukrainian Legion will be sent to Ukraine, "where, in accordance with Ukrainian law and in line with the tasks they will receive, they will serve on the front line". "They will have the right to come back because it is also important that after their military service, they can come back to the place which they left, to the place where they left their families," the Polish official stressed. Background: The Ukraine-Poland security agreement provides for the creation of the Ukrainian Legion, which Ukrainians abroad will be able to join and receive training on a voluntary basis. The Ukraine-Poland agreement also envisages the development of a mechanism to shoot down Russian missiles and drones flying towards Polish territory within Ukraine's airspace. Support UP or become our patron! PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) A woman was shot on Navajo Trail in Portsmouth Thursday evening, police said. Around 6:45 p.m., Portsmouth Police responded to a call for a shooting in the 100 block of Navajo Trail. When officers arrived, they found a woman suffering from what police said was a non-fatal gunshot wound. The woman was taken to a local hospital. Police said this is an open investigation. If you have any information about this case, you can submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, downloading the P3 tips app to a mobile device, or visiting www.P3tips.com and submitting a tip. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. A 2-year-old girl who went missing in Canton for nearly 12 hours on Thursday was found hiding in a closet inside her home, Canton Police said in a social media post on Friday afternoon. Police were called to the 500 block of Custer Place in Canton around 7:52 a.m. Thursday morning on a report that 2-year-old Chloe Russell was missing. Russell was said to have been missing since around 6:30 a.m. Thursday. Background: Missing 2-year-old Canton girl has been found, 'expected to be fine' Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Illinois State Police and the FBI engaged in an hours-long search for Russell that included the use of thermal imaging technology, police dogs, airplanes and drones. None of them were effective in finding Russell however as it turns out the 2-year-old was in an upstairs closet of her home. She was taken to a local hospital and found to be in good health. The main thing here is that Chloe was found safely and is in good health, Canton Police Chief Mike Eveland said in a news release. Yesterday morning, at 7:52 a.m., Canton Police were called to the 500 block of Custer Place on a report of a missing... Posted by City of Canton Police Department - Illinois on Friday, July 19, 2024 When police first arrived at the home Thursday morning, they searched the house along with Chloe's family and were unable to locate her. Later, members of the Canton Fire Department used thermal imaging technology in the home to try and locate the girl, also to no avail. Police expanded the search to include the surrounding area and brought in other agencies and a trove of technology and resources to search for the 2-year-old. Early Thursday evening, crime scene technicians from the Illinois State Police searched the home and found Russell in an upstairs closet. This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Police release details of search for Canton 2-year-old girl found safe in closet Police have arrested a suspect in the fatal stabbing of a Bronx man who was a bystander following a minor fender bender. Clement Boateng, 36, was charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon in the July 2 slaying of Ronald Gomez-Mesa, according to police. Gomez-Mesa, 29, was part of a group of onlookers who took sides after the crash outside Randys Deli and Grocery on W. Tremont Ave. and Phelan Place in Morris Heights around 4:30 p.m., the Daily News previously reported. A woman involved in the crash called her boyfriend to the scene for help; he lived just feet away from the crash scene, according to witnesses and police. The wild caught-on-camera clash shows the irate boyfriend later identified as Boateng confronting the crowd, which began heckling him when he got into the face of the young male driver involved in the crash with his girlfriend. After Boateng assaulted a moped rider watching the chaotic scene, he ran over to Gomez-Mesa and tried to grab something from his hands, the surveillance video obtained by the News show. Gomez-Mesa immediately took on a fighting stance, and Boateng chased him into the street and off camera. The men eventually met about a half block from the deli, where Boateng allegedly stabbed Gomez-Mesa in the chest outside a daycare center on Phelan Place. Medics rushed Gomez-Mesa to Saint Barnabas Hospital, but he could not be saved. Gomez-Mesa had a 3-year-old daughter and was taking defensive driving classes as he worked to become a TLC driver, his devastated sister said after the slaying. Boatengs arraignment was pending in Bronx Criminal Court late Thursday. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) While the Republicans are showing a united front, Democrats are divided. Several are calling on President Joe Biden to step aside because they are concerned about his health and mental fitness. Despite a COVID-19 diagnosis, Biden says he is not going anywhere. KSNs political analyst says if he does, Democrats already know who they want to replace him. I think there is a growing national consensus behind the vice president as the likely replacement for Joe Biden, said KSN Political Analyst Jeffrey Jarman. What happens if Biden drops out of presidential race? Some expect the bid to shift to Vice President Kamala Harris, but political analysts say either candidate will face an uphill battle. The challenge she, and frankly any other candidate, will face right now is how to unify the party and move forward with a very small window to try to beat Donald Trump in the fall because theyve given themselves the smallest possible window to do that, said Jarman. Jarman says the Democrats big challenge will be getting everyone on the same page with less than four months until the election. Democrats at the highest levels are pushing for Biden to reconsider his election bid. Representative Adam Schiff is the highest-profile Democrat to publicly call on Biden to drop his bid, and Montanas Jon Tester is the second Democratic senator to do so. The Associated Press even reported that Representative Nancy Peloci and former President Barack Obama expressed concerns about Biden privately. Here are the Democrats who could replace Biden on the ticket The Biden for President campaign called an all-staff meeting Friday. I think the real challenge is for Biden to make a quick decision so that the party can determine how it wants to go forward in selecting a new nominee. There is very little time, but we are also in a moment where all the attention will be focused on the two nominees. Its certainly not too late if the democrats want to make a change, said Jarman. The Democratic National Party is planning to have a virtual vote on Aug. 7 before the DNC starts on Aug. 19. 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 KSN-TV. FILE - Shown is the Pennsylvania Capitol building, Dec. 8, 2015, at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. Months before Donald Trump's assassination attempt, some Pennsylvania lawmakers had proposed to outlaw the type of rifle used in the shooting. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) Months before an armed man took aim at Donald Trump at a presidential campaign rally in rural Pennsylvania, some state lawmakers had proposed to outlaw the type of rifle used in the assassination attempt. The legislation stalled without coming to a vote, but that was no surprise. Politically divided Pennsylvania has been at a standstill for years on gun policy, lacking enough support to either strengthen or relax existing firearm laws. That's unlikely to change as a result of the shooting at Trump's rally, which killed an attendee, seriously injured two others and wounded the ear of the Republican presidential nominee. Sadly, well probably be stuck with our similar gun laws, which are not strong enough, said Democratic state Rep. Ben Sanchez, the sponsor of several gun-control measures, including one to outlaw certain semiautomatic firearms. Legislatures in more than half the states have passed new gun laws this year, nearly matching the count from the previous year, according to an Associated Press review. That's brought more restrictions in Democratic-led states, such as longer waiting periods to purchase guns in Maine and New Mexico and a prohibition on selling ammunition to those younger than 21 in Hawaii. In Republican-led states, those new laws generally have fortified gun rights, including new allowances for adults to carry concealed guns without permits in Louisiana and South Carolina. Numerous GOP-led states also have passed prohibitions on the use of special gun store tracking codes for credit card purchases. But political divisions often thwart gun legislation in Pennsylvania. One exception came in October 2018, when then-Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf signed a bill passed by the Republican-led House and Senate requiring people convicted of domestic violence or subject to final restraining orders to surrender their guns within 24 hours. A few weeks later, a fatal mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue put Pennsylvania back in the spotlight. The General Assembly responded by creating a five-year, $5 million grant program to fund security improvements for houses of worship and other nonprofit organizations that could be targets of hate crimes. But there's been little bipartisan agreement since then. In 2021, Wolf vetoed a Republican-backed bill to allow people to carry concealed guns without a permit. The next year, he vetoed another GOP-backed bill that would have allowed lawsuits against local governments that regulate the ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of guns in violation of a state ban on such local ordinances. But Wolf wasn't the only one blocking bills. House Republicans used a procedural move in 2022 to block a Democratic bill that would have prevented people younger than 21 from possessing certain semiautomatic weapons. Republicans completely changed the bill to instead allow anyone to carry concealed guns. It did not ultimately become law. In the November 2022 elections, Democrats won a one-seat majority in the Pennsylvania House and soon began advancing various gun-control measures. The House passed bills last year to expand background checks for gun sales and allow judges to order the removal of guns at the request of police or family members from people who are deemed to pose risks to themselves or others. This year, the House passed a bill to ban "ghost guns," which lack serial numbers. But all three measures stalled in the Republican-led state Senate. Three other measures failed in close House votes. They include bills that would have banned trigger devices causing guns to fire rapidly, required gun sales to be reported electronically to the State Police, and required gun owners to report lost or stolen weapons within 72 hours. Sanchez's bill outlawing what it describes as assault weapons advanced out of a House committee in January but has gone no further. Though the bill had an exception for guns that are already legally owned, Sanchez said the intent was to ban the type of AR-15-style rifle that authorities say was used by the 20-year-old man who shot Trump. After the shooting, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry called on lawmakers in Pennsylvania, other states and Congress to create assault weapons bans. When one of the most secure and protected individuals on the planet a former United States President is not immune from dangers presented by the prevalence and accessibility of high-capacity, long-range assault weapons, we must react and reexamine our collective indifference to addressing this issue, Henry told the AP. Ten states and the District of Columbia already have laws generally prohibiting the sale, transfer or manufacture of what they describe as assault weapons, though their definitions vary. But it's politically difficult in to pass such bans because the AR-15 has become a symbol of freedom to ardent gun-rights supporters, said Adam Garber, executive director of the gun violence prevention group CeaseFirePA. Trump didn't mention gun policies while recounting his shooting during a speech at the Republican National Convention. But some Trump supporters said they remain wary of efforts to further restrict guns. I feel like the gun laws we have in place are pretty good," said Michele Tomsik, a nurse who attended Trump's rally with her 15-year-old daughter and crouched to the ground with others when the shots rang out. The shooter used a gun that authorities said had been legally purchased by his father and had searched online for information about major depressive disorder, though investigators haven't determined whether he was actually diagnosed. Tomsik said she wants more state resources devoted to mental health care, though she said the shooting also raises some questions about guns. "Why do you have an AR? Where did that come from? How did he get it and why? Tomsik said rhetorically. But I do worry that if we start retracting back everything like that, then they take away more and more and more Second Amendment rights. Research is largely inconclusive about the effectiveness of state assault weapon bans, said Rosanna Smart, co-director of the RAND Gun Policy in America Initiative, which released an analysis earlier this week. The RAND report said there's better research on other gun policies. It cited supportive evidence that safe gun-storage laws reduce firearm injuries and deaths among youth; higher minimum age requirements for gun purchases can reduce suicides among young people; and increased firearm homicides are associated with looser concealed-carry laws and stand-your-ground self-defense laws. High-profile incidents such as the assassination attempt against Trump often spur renewed discussion about gun policies and mass shootings, Smart said. It's going to be really, really difficult to know what types of gun policies are going to be effective in reducing their occurrence, she said. "But they offer opportunities to kind of step back and reconsider the state and federal legal landscapes around guns. Watch the Digital Desk with political scientist Benjamin Melusky, Ph.D. in the video player. NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) On the final night of the Republican National Convention (RNC), Americans heard former President Donald Trump speak for the first time since the attempted assassination. Your Local Election Headquarters on WAVY.com Political expert Ben Melusky, Ph.D. from Old Dominion University is sharing his analysis of the the RNC, Trumps speech and calls for Biden to exit the race. He discussed the latest in political news at the Digital Desk. Watch the livestream in the video player on this page. Leading up to Trumps speech reports circulated that he was rewriting his speech and it would have a more unifying tone following the assassination attempt. Rebranding Trump, former president recalls shooting details but avoids policy details: RNC Takeaways I think for the first 20-25 minutes of his speech he did exactly what both his campaign and what kind of the rumors candied about were saying, said Melusky. We saw a much softer Trump. We saw one more introspective and reflective on the events of the weekend. Melusky said there were powerful moments, speaking to the victims of the events of Saturday. Theres going to be a picture that I think will go down in history of him going over to the firefighters uniform from the individual killed on Saturday and respecting it and giving it a kiss, said Melusky. After the recounting of last weekend, Melusky said there was a shift. I think we shifted back to more of a standard campaign Trump that we saw out on the campaign trail, maybe not always sticking to the script, ad-libbing, said Melusky. Melusky gave his analysis on the change in tone. I very much think that was purposeful and it very much reflect the tenor of the campaign going forward, said Melusky. Who was the speech geared towards? Melusky said it wasnt so much focused on expansion of the electorate. I think this was very much more about reaching out to part of his base that might be the low propensity voters, the ones that might sit on the couch and might stay in on election day, said Melusky. Melusky said already there is a general look towards the electoral college and what votes you need to win the Presidential election. If you put this into context of where we are in the race, you look at pretty much any larger news network, large polling firms, there projecting out to 270, right, how many electoral votes you need to win the presidency, said Melusky. For Trump, who is ahead in the polls, in terms of what he needs to do, Melusky said he needs to get about 46-47% of the vote, especially when thinking of how third-party candidates will play in the upcoming election. Thats basically, bring out your base, said Melusky. This week, more senior Democratic leaders have called for Biden to exit the race. There have been conflicting reports about what will happen. Melusky said there is a lot of smoke, and nothing definite. There have been various reports the past week of what might happen. I think Biden has to take a little bit of a step back and take everything in context, said Melusky. Hes looked at, at least some of the reporting weve heard, is that hes looked at polling data and said, look, Im still running neck and neck in some places, polling is just a snapshot of right now, things can get turned around really quickly. Following the Digital Desk with Melusky, Biden released a statement on Trumps RNC speech and said I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week. Biden pushes party unity as he resists calls to step aside, says hell return to campaign next week Earlier this week, Melusky joined the Digital Desk to discuss the assassination attempt and the start to the RNC. Watch the conversation in the video player below. Political Expert on Trump, Republican National Convention Poll data released just yesterday by Emerson College/ The Hill shared how Virginians feel about the country, the Commonwealth and the upcoming election. Click here to see 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 WAVY.com. The Air Force Academy is adding more leadership training to help cadets as they take on numerous responsibilities, following a report last year that found older cadets were not sufficiently equipped for their roles causing unhealthy power dynamics. Last year's report recommended the school make adjustments to its system for training freshmen to help stop instances of mistreatment and hazing. A rise is sexual assault cases led to a visit by Pentagon officials and the evaluation. In a presentation Brig. Gen. Gavin Marks, commandant of cadets, made to the Board of Visitors on Wednesday, he said a 2022 survey and the last year's report sparked the changes. The board can ask the academy about morale, discipline, climate, curriculum and other topics. "We needed to adjust the culture of the cadet wing, specific to how we go about training cadets," he said. Cadets fill numerous leadership roles, such as teaching younger cadets how to parachute and leading summer basic training. The training was on-going this week in Jacks Valley, an area at the academy where cadets push themselves to their physical limits and learn practical skills, such as firing pistols. "We have always expected our cadets to gain more responsibilities and with those responsibilities come additional privileges. ... What we havent necessarily done as well as we should is provide the necessary curriculum, the necessary education to back stop our expectations," Marks said. As part of the training changes, the academy is no longer going to focus on just the freshmen's recognition in the spring, an event where they become full members of the cadet wing. "Everyone trainings will be rigorous, everyone will be held to account for meeting military training objectives," Marks said. "And we want to celebrate everyone and promote everyone to that next level, assuming they accomplish their objectives." Sign Up for free: Military Brief Your weekly local update on local military news and events, sent straight to your inbox. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Success! Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. View all of our newsletters. The academy is starting classes to help cadets learn to be supervisors as they become sophomores, team leaders as they become juniors and commanders as seniors, he said. They will have classes built into their week and they will be assessed during culminating exercises, he said, during the presentation. Traditionally cadets face their toughest year as freshmen with a heavy course load and required physical training. At the start, incoming freshmen, known as basic cadets, face some tough physical challenges during summer training, such as the assault course where cadets are in constant motion, high stepping in place with mock M-16s in hand, while waiting to climb a wall and overcome other obstacles. The cadets spend a day on the course and 10 days total out in the field learning practical skills, such as finding and wrapping bullet wounds. For example, Cadet Alex Wood was helping to run a training introduced in recent years focused on setting up and learning to defend a forward operating base that's likely to be attacked. This year, the older cadets are staging attacks on the base at all the entry points, so all 140 cadets participating each day can practice their defensive skills, ahead of possible conflict with China or Russia. "Its important we simulate the stress, simulate the procedures now," Wood explained, saying the exposure will ensure future officers don't freeze up later. Next year, older cadets and other leaders may extend a few practices associated with setting up a field base through the whole training. For example cadets may have to patrol the living quarters every night, said Cadet Hannah Plewe, the basic cadet training cadet group commander. Some of the changes to summer basic training have been informed by recent visits to basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, where enlisted airmen learn to live in deployed environments, she said. In addition to new leadership training, Marks said, he is adding life skills training because young academy graduates he has spoken to felt more than prepared to be officers, but were not prepared for life off campus. So, the academy also plans to add education around life skills such as moving, budgeting and investing, according to Marks' presentation. The Commissioner of Political Practices office. (Commissioner of Political Practices) Calling it the worst-kept secret in Montana politics, Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus said that a dispute between the executive director of Montana Democratic Party and Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen was the first time either party challenged what has been a 30-year legal loophole, exploited by both parties. In a 51-page analysis, Gallus said that governors and lawmakers from both parties have had more than ample opportunity to close the loophole, but havent. Moreover, the commissioner, Montanas top political cop, said that its not the role of his office to create new law. To that end, he dismissed Sheila Hogans complaint against Knudsen and part of the complaint against Knudsens Republican challenger, Logan Olson, who is also the Daniels County Attorney. Neither the Montana Democratic Party not Knudsens campaign responded to requests for comment prior to publication. The complaint alleged that Knudsen had recruited Olson, who was subsequently found not to meet the requirements for candidacy of attorney general in a separate-but-related matter. Everyone, including Knudsen and Olson, seem to agree that Knudsen got Olson to run against him in the primary election only as a means of raising more money for his re-election campaign. Knudsen is seeking a second term as Montanas attorney general. During several public appearances Knudsen had said that hed recruited Olson to run, and that Olson was not running a real campaign. Olson confirmed as much to the Daniels County Leader newspaper. Knudsen said hed recruited Olson because Montanas campaign finance laws were silly. However, in his position as attorney general, Montana is the chief law enforcement officer in the state. I am in full support of Austin Knudsen as attorney general, Olson told the Daniels County Leader on March 28. Unfortunately our campaign finance laws are broken. For Austin to have an adversary in the primary race is advantageous for him in his bid for re-election. As such, I made the decision to file against Austin in an effort to support him. In Gallus ruling, he found that while Knudsens words were brash, they were nonetheless a case of stating a practice that has been well documented by the very political records the Commissioners office maintains. In other words, Knudsen said the quiet part out loud. The difference between the situation here, and those using the loophole now and in previous campaigns, is that the Attorney General has rather brazenly and publicly discussed doing what others have quietly done for years. Others are quietly doing it right now, Gallus said. In looking at reports readily available to me, there are numerous instances where, in the words of (Hogan), this purported scheme was employed. The approach is systematically and universally employed by Republicans and Democrats alike, and both Republican and Democratic legislatures have done nothing to stop it. Gallus, in his ruling, traces a history of Montanas primary election fund-raising laws and determines that many candidates from both political parties have entered the race as a sort of straw candidate meant to provide nominal opposition to allow candidates to fundraise larger amounts. Gallus buttresses his position by recounting that many primary candidates seem to have filed to run, then reported little in the way of fundraising or campaign expenditures, calling into question whether they really intended to run. (Knudsen and Olson) assert a rather rudimentary approach in their response that their activity is allowed because Montana laws are ridiculous and silly. This stems from their perception that this provision has never been enforced in the manner that (Hogan) asserts that it should, Gallus said. To avoid continued ridicule of the law or an appearance that I condone it, I must take a more scholarly approach During the course of these proceedings and over COPPs history of nearly 50 years, we have never directly addressed the issues presented here. Gallus said that for the past 30 years since the laws were first enacted, both political parties seemed to exploit what has become a loophole: If a primary candidate is challenged, they can essentially raise double the amount of money. What differentiates this particular case, Gallus said, is that one party, the Democrats, has challenged the other, Republicans, for doing so. Gallus said that the practice, established during the course of decades, has created an amount of certainty and predictability, which all politicians need in order to conduct robust campaigns. In his ruling, Gallus said changing the rules, without any notice, would be unfair: How COPP employs its authority with respect to any statute creates a pattern and practice upon which a regulatory atmosphere or expectations exists. Regulated individuals, in this case, candidates, rely on these patterns and practices to govern their own behavior with respect to the statute. In essence, the manner in which a statute is enforced provides notice to candidates as to how they should conduct themselves and their affairs. Quintessentially, this is the issue the respondents highlight when they rather crassly describe the laws as ridiculous or silly. Admittedly, there is no actual written policy established here, but one can extrapolate that the enforcement approach allowed a continuation of known facts and circumstances that created a regulatory atmosphere that (Knudsen and Olson) were obviously aware of, and (they) are not alone in this assessment. If zero or very limited campaign activity involving contributions or expenditures is the standard, the campaign landscape over the course of the 30-year history of this particular provision is riddled with violations. In his ruling, Gallus presented the difficult challenge that this particular case raises, especially with limited power of enforcement his office has, and a historic pattern established by both political parties. I am not inclined to determine that the present situation is different merely because (Knudsen and Olson) were more open about it. In essence, that would allow the activity to continue, but only so long as it continued quietly or in secrecy. Nothing is more repugnant to the purpose of campaign finance laws than that, Gallus wrote. Campaign finance law operates to promote transparency over secrecy, and the only real difference here between (Knudsen and Olson) and those employing the exact same tactics, was that other candidates were much more clever and quiet regarding their affairs. I cannot ignore the fact that this is the worst kept secret in all of Montanas campaign finance laws. It is without peers in that regard. However, the commissioner said that governors and legislatures from both parties have had ample opportunity to change the law, but havent. Furthermore, the decades-long practice has gone on, largely unchallenged, creating a certain expectation for candidates, including an acceptance of those who appear to be straw-candidates. Gallus wrote that while some states, like New Hampshire, have laws against straw candidates, the term or concept is not found in Montana law. Originally, Hogan had asked the commissioner to remove Olson from the ballot because the Democrats asserted that the Daniels County Attorney was not properly qualified to run for attorney general because he hadnt been practicing law long enough, something that Gallus later agreed with. However, in his ruling, Gallus said that removing any candidate was not in the power of the Commissioner of Political Practices, but reserved for the judicial branch. This can only occur when the judge is convinced that the person seeks nomination by any political party for mercenary or venal consideration or motive, and that a persons candidacy is not in good faith, Gallus wrote. The district court action must obviously occur prior to the preparation of the ballotsThe complaint was never submitted to a district court, and it was not submitted to COPP until May 8. Gallus notes that certification for the statewide ballot occurred on March 21. Separate penalty While Gallus dismissed most of the complaint against Knudsen and Olson, he did find one notable violation. Longtime conservative political operative Chuck Denowh offered to pay Olsons $1,508.76 filing fee for attorney general. While that is not against the law, Gallus found that the expense should have been recorded as an in-kind donation or a loan, and therefore, an expense. However, because Olson did not record it as a loan or expense, it must be treated as a donation. An individual donation, by law, is capped at $790. Therefore, the remaining balance of $718.76 must be treated as a violation. Normally, Gallus said hed refer such a violation to the county attorney where the resident lives, but since that would mean Olson would have to prosecute himself, Gallus took the rare action of enforcement, as allowed by Montana law. In his ruling, Gallus said that he would negotiate a fine in the amount of the excess, or prosecute Olson under the power of Montana state law for the amount of $4,525 triple the amount of Olsons filing fee, which is a penalty set by Montana law. Decision_Hogan-v-Knudsen-and-Olson (1) Political shift in the Carolinas as GOP surges post RNC, but thats not the whole story, experts say Political shift in the Carolinas as GOP surges post RNC, but thats not the whole story, experts say CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) There seems to have been a shift on the political front in the last few weeks, and it hasnt gone unnoticed by political scientists and strategists in the Carolinas. With this weeks Republican National Convention, and the headlines surrounding it, the headlines have been objectively more positive for the GOP, compared with headlines surrounding what has been coming out of the Democratic Party. However, Democratic strategists said that does not tell the full story of what is happening. Bidens anger spills out as Democrats weigh his future They are our nominees until either one of them says otherwise, said Democratic strategist Antjuan Seawright. When you hear all this conversation, its on K Street, and when you hear it on our street or Main Street, its a totally different conversation. Seawright acknowledged the headlines since the Presidential debate have not been great for Democrats, but said that President Joe Biden still had more substance to his answers than former President Donald Trump. It was better than the former President because there were 19 or so lies, said Seawright. What happens if Biden drops out of presidential race? Dr. Susan Roberts, a political science professor at Davidson College, however, noted the reality of the current situation for Carolina voters. Trump leads in all seven of the swing states, Roberts said. And its not just the popular vote, its by Electoral College. Dr. Roberts said she has been examining the shifts in the electorate, some of which she said were expected, while others have become more telling. Published reports have indicated top Democratic leaders, including former President Barack Obama, have asked Biden to reconsider his re-election bid. Even though everyone will say, We love Joe Biden, Joe Biden is a decent man, people are making the connection between election and governing, and people are thinking of it in the same breath, said Roberts. Biden fights COVID and calls to step aside The current election forecast from Nexstar sister publication The Hill shows that former President Donald Trump has a 56% chance of winning the November election. Seawright noted there is still time for those numbers to stabilize. This rollercoaster ride happens every two to four years when theres an election, said Seawright. Its certainly a snapshot of the time, but not a reflection of the time. Queen City News reached out to other Democratic lawmakers and political party leaders for their reaction. The people that were contacted were either not available, or told us that for now, they had no comment. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Population decline in Pa. is happening faster than expected. How is the state dealing with it? This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our north-central Pa. newsletter, Talk of the Town, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown. HARRISBURG Pennsylvania lawmakers hope a new commission created to encourage people to live in rural areas can stem the population decline happening in those parts of the state, which federal data show is outpacing predictions. The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, an agency overseen by the state legislature, released 30-year population projections last fall that forecast a 5.8% decline in rural counties. But after reviewing new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the states experts said last week that the decline is happening more rapidly. Federal estimates show that Pennsylvania had 3.36 million rural residents in 2023. Thats a 0.7% decrease from 2020, the center said in its analysis. To address the expected losses and help with long-term planning, state lawmakers established the Rural Population Revitalization Commission in June. The legislation creating the commission received bipartisan support and was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro. The 15-member commission is the brainchild of lawmakers on the Center for Rural Pennsylvanias Board of Directors, who wanted a formal way to pitch solutions to population decline alongside data. We felt that there was a missing piece, state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski (D., Luzerne) told Spotlight PA. After you have all the research, what are the solutions? What kinds of steps do we have to take in order to address those concerns? Thats where the commission comes in. The center funds research, awards grants and collects data on Pennsylvanias rural communities. However, the agency doesnt make direct policy recommendations. State Sen. Gene Yaw (R., Lycoming), who chairs the centers board, said this boundary lets the center stay impartial while providing data. Kyle Kopko, the centers executive director, told Spotlight PA the agency is a fact-finding entity for rural policies, but said the commission will focus solely on population change. In addition to doing fact-finding work, they are also supposed to make recommendations in terms of proposed legislation, regulatory change, even best practices, he said. And I think thats a feature that is not really in the purview of the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. When the center released its population projections last year, Kopko urged policymakers to use the information to address population loss sooner rather than later. In the months since, rural leaders have stressed that limited access to jobs, housing, health care and other essentials has made it hard to attract new and younger people to these communities, which tend to have older residents. The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, which will have two representatives on the commission, welcomed the new entity. The creation of this commission enables the center to thoroughly evaluate rural community needs, incorporating the essential insights of local government representatives, which counties greatly value, John Buffone, a CCAP spokesperson, told Spotlight PA. Members of the voluntary commission have yet to be finalized. Some representatives will come from the state House and Senate, while others will be selected by organizations with knowledge of rural communities and their challenges. Within the first two years of its operation, the commission is expected to release a report that outlines its recommendations. The document will focus on helping rural areas attract and retain people, and include strategies to adjust to population changes. But Kopko, who will head the commission until members elect a new chair, hopes the body will release some initial suggestions for long-term planning in the first year. Not everyone is convinced another commission is the answer to addressing population loss. Eric Epstein, co-founder of the nonpartisan good-government group Rock the Capital, said shrinking population is a statewide issue. The more efficient and cost-effective solution would be for the Center for Rural Pennsylvania to recommend policy based on research it already supports, he said. Im under the impression that the rural communities are aggressively represented by their elected officials, Epstein told Spotlight PA. If we create this kind of commission for rural areas, do we have to create a similar commission for urban areas? The fiscal note attached to the bill estimated the commission would cost $133,500 annually, mainly to fund a staff position. Kopko said that role is unlikely, due to budgetary constraints. The commission is funded through the center, which did not receive more money in the recently passed state budget. Any decisions about hiring additional staff would require board approval, he said. Yaw, however, doesnt believe the commission duplicates the centers existing work. Instead, he believes it addresses a specific problem experienced differently throughout Pennsylvania. SUPPORT THIS JOURNALISM and help us reinvigorate local news in north-central Pennsylvania at spotlightpa.org/donate/statecollege. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability and public-service journalism that gets results. FORT PIERCE A Port St. Lucie man died Wednesday following a vehicle crash on South U.S. 1, a Fort Pierce Police spokesperson said Friday. Police about 4:32 p.m. Wednesday went to the incident in the 3200 block of South U.S. 1, said April Lee, police spokesperson. She said the crash happened as a Toyota Corolla traveled south on South U.S. 1 and made a left turn. The Toyota turned in front of a Hyundai Sonata northbound on U.S. 1, and the crash occurred, Lee said. The passenger of the Toyota, a 40-year-old Port St. Lucie man, was taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce where he died, Lee said. The Toyota driver wasnt hurt, Lee said. That name of the man who died was not immediately released. The driver and passenger of the Hyundai were taken to Lawnwood in stable condition. Police continue to investigating the crash. Those with information are asked to contact Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 800-273-TIPS or Officer Nicholas McWilliams at 772-618-3086 or nmcwilliams@fppd.org. 'A great guy': Body of 44-year-old Port St. Lucie man recovered at McCarty Ranch Preserve New details in Martin County slaying: Accused accessory after Martin County homicide tracked to Alabama, arrested Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Deadly crash on U.S. 1 in Fort Pierce under investigation A postal worker was fatally shot in front of a residence in Chicago on Friday, officials said. PHOTO: At the letter carrier's union building, the flag is flying at half-staff for Octavia Redmond, who was loved by people on her route and who will remember her for her generosity and smile. (Octavia Redmond/Facebook) The National Association of Letter Carriers identified the postal worker as 48-year-old Octavia Redmond. She had been a letter carrier for five years, the group said. "NALC (National Association of Letter Carriers) is heartbroken by the murder of Octavia Redmond, our sister from Chicago, IL Branch 11," read a statement from the NALC released on Friday. "Today, Sister Redmond was shot multiple times on her route and was taken to the hospital, where she died. The perpetrator is still at large." Redmond was in front of a residence when "an unknown male offender approached" her and fired shots before fleeing in vehicle, Chicago Police Department Office of Communications said in a statement on Saturday The shooting occurred on the city's South Side in the West Pullman neighborhood around 11:38 a.m. CT, according to police. PHOTO: Police respond to the scene where a postal worker was fatally shot in Chicago, July 19, 2024. (WLS) MORE: Over 100 shot, 19 fatally, in Chicago over long Fourth of July weekend The victim sustained "multiple gunshot wounds" and was transported to an area hospital, where she died, police said. No one is in custody in connection with the shooting, police said. PHOTO: Police respond to the scene where a postal worker was fatally shot in Chicago, July 19, 2024. (WLS) The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chicago Division is offering a reward up to $250,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects. REWARDPostal Inspectors are offering a reward up to $250,000 for info leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) responsible for the homicide of a #USPS letter carrier today near 12156 S Harvard, #Chicago. Call us at 877-876-2455. #USPIS pic.twitter.com/vkCPHjVg4v USPIS - Chicago (@USPIS_CHI) July 19, 2024 "Like me, the members of NALC are outraged by this senseless act of violence that took an innocent womans life. For far too long, violent crime against letter carriers has been on the rise. Shockingly, now it is not uncommon for letter carriers to be targeted, assaulted, and even murdered. This is completely unacceptable, and we need immediate change," read the NALC statement. "Every American deserves to go to work without fear and return home safely to their families. We will not stop fighting until this is a reality for all letter carriers." Postal worker fatally shot in front of Chicago residence: Officials originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Pregnant woman fatally shot in KC was going to be a great mother, family says Chestina Gaskin was the kind of woman who never met a stranger. She treated everyone as if they was an extension of her family, Gaskins sister, DeAirra Switzer, said. She was just a kind person. Gaskin, 23, was fatally shot during an alleged domestic dispute at the Emerson Manor Apartments in Kansas City on June 26. She was six months pregnant at the time of her death, according to a GoFundMe for Gaskins funeral expenses. Just her being a mother, we just knew she was going to ace that, Switzer said. She was going to be a great mother. And she was really excited. Thats all she kinda would talk about and we were happy for her. Gaskin, a Kansas City native, previously worked for several local daycares and volunteered at local church programs where she worked with children, Switzer said. Switzer said their extended family knew Gaskin would have been a great mother because she doted on Switzers children and her own younger sister. Gaskins family said the woman was excited to be a mother. She previously worked in several local day cares and at local churches. Travon Oliver, a 22-year-old also from Kansas City, is accused of fatally shooting Gaskin. Police believe the two were previously in a relationship. She would want us to forgive [Oliver] and she would want us to progress, Switzer said. Thats another thing about her, she did not hold a grudge. Oliver was known to Gaskins family, and they were shocked to learn he was the suspect in her death. Shocked is an understatement, Switzer said. We just really wish she would have reached out. Switzer alluded to possible abuse in the relationship, and said a lot of things have come out about Gaskin and Olivers relationship after her death. She said Gaskin did not like a lot of drama and thought she was trying to handle the situation on her own. And unfortunately, she wasnt able to keep a lid on it. It just bubbled over, and here we are, Switzer said. Gaskins death marked the 100th homicide in the Kansas City metro in 2024. Switzer described her sister as a kind woman who loved gospel music, the colors burgundy and purple, nature and practicing cosmetology. Gaskin had recently graduated from Transformed Barber & Cosmetology Academy, and was excited to pursue her long-time dream of becoming a hairstylist, Switzer said. When Gaskin was a child, she used to walk around with a mannequin head doll so she could style its hair, Switzer said. Even that as a little girl, you know, she [was always] just into beautifying things and loving on things, Switzer said. Gaskin dreamed of one day owning her own salon, and possibly her own franchise. She always just was like, I want to be bigger than Kansas City and just be known in the hair industry, Switzer said. That was her true passion. Switzer said Gaskins passions were her priorities and she spent a lot of time perfecting her craft. Before attending cosmetology school, Gaskin graduated from Northeast High School, where she received good grades and was loved by staff members, her sister said. She kept so many connections with her former teachers and principals and things like that and everyone just loved her, Switzer said. I have not really ran across anyone that was like, Chestina was a problem for them or anything like that. Gaskin graduated from Northeast High School before attending Transformed Barber & Cosmetology Academy. She kept in contact with various teachers and principals at the high school after she graduated. Switzer described Gaskin as someone who would go the extra mile to get along with people. And it was just all love with her, Switzer said. It was just genuine, genuine love. Gaskins death has left a hole in her familys lives, her sister said. Its just such a deep, deep gaping hole and we honestly kind of dont even know where to go now that shes gone, Switzer said. She was the glue, she was the laughter, she was the joy. Gaskins funeral will be held Sunday, according to the GoFundMe. I know bad things happen to good people all the time, but its just like she was such a joy, said her sister. The Stars Ilana Arougheti contributed to this reporting. Editor's note: This story contains information about an alleged suicide. If you or anyone you know could be struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) any time day or night or chat online; The Veterans Crisis Line and Military Crisis Line, 1-800-273-8255, press 1; or the Crisis Text Line provides free confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week via text message to people in crisis when they text "HELLO" to 741741. Preliminary autopsy results shed some light on the deaths of a man and woman found deceased earlier this month in south Taylor County. Initial statements from the Taylor County Sheriff's Office on July 10 were that two bodies were found, but "no foul play" was suspected. The Reporter-News filed an open records request Wednesday for the preliminary autopsy reports and received the initial reports Thursday from the court clerk for the Precinct 3 justice of the peace. The well-worn Texas seal on the side of the deputy's vehicle. Suella Barnes Martin, 79, was pronounced dead July 9 by Judge Earl Donnell, who is the Precinct 3 justice of the peace. Her cause of death was a gunshot wound, and the manner of death was homicide, according to a medical examiner's report. Tim Jake Martin, 70, was also pronounced dead July 9 from a gunshot wound, according to a medical examiner's report. His manner of death was suicide. Awaiting full results Donnell confirmed in a phone interview Thursday that he was called on July 9 to pronounce time of death for two bodies found in south Taylor County. Donnell said a family member had been staying with Tim and Suella Martin at the time in their home off County Road 254 in south Taylor County. The unnamed family member found them deceased and subsequently called the authorities. Donnell said he was called by dispatchers to pronounce their time of death. He then ordered two autopsies. The preliminary autopsy reports came back July 11. Donnell said the full autopsy report is not yet complete, and he does not want to speculate on the manner of Suella's death. 'No foul play' On July 10, the Reporter-News contacted the Taylor County Sheriff's Office for a comment on the discovery of the bodies. "This is an ongoing investigation, no foul play is suspected," Lt. Mardi Hargis with the Taylor County Sheriff's Office said in an email. In addition, Sheriff Ricky Bishop said in an interview that he wanted to assure citizens "there is no danger to the public." But he declined to release how the two people died or where exactly they were found. Seven days later, the Abilene Police Department discovered a possible murder-suicide in the city in the early morning hours of July 17 and put out a press-release that day. Police suspect Narsiso Alamilla, 47, and Baby Costancio, 49, died Wednesday in a murder-suicide, according to the statement. They were in a dating relationship. Initial report of the deceased Questions surround two dead bodies found in Taylor County Abilene's murder-suicide Police investigate possible murder-suicide This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Preliminary autopsy reports shed light on deaths in Taylor County WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Bidens campaign is insisting anew that he is not stepping aside as he faces the stark reality that many Democrats at the highest levels want him to consider how stepping aside from the 2024 election to make way for a new nominee atop the ticket could be the partys best chance of preventing widespread losses in November. Isolated as he battles a COVID-19 infection at his beach house in Delaware, Bidens already small circle of confidants before his debate fumbling has downsized further. The president, who has insisted he can beat Republican Donald Trump, is with family and relying on a few longtime aides as he weighs whether to bow to the mounting pressure to drop out. Biden campaign chair Jen OMalley Dillion acknowledged slippage in support for the president, but insisted he is absolutely remaining in the race and that the campaign sees multiple paths to beating Trump. We have a lot of work to do to reassure the American people that yes hes old, but he can win, she told MSNBCs Morning Joe show. But she said voters concerned about Bidens fitness to lead arent switching to vote for Trump. They have questions, but they are staying with Joe Biden, she added. At the same time, the Democratic National Committee s rulemaking arm expects to meet Friday, pressing ahead with plans for a virtual roll call before Aug. 7 to nominate the presidential pick, ahead of the partys convention later in the month in Chicago. President Biden deserves the respect to have important family conversations with members of the caucus and colleagues in the House and Senate and Democratic leadership and not be battling leaks and press statements, Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, Bidens closest friend in Congress and his campaign co-chair, told The Associated Press. Its a pivotal few days for the president and his party: Trump has wrapped up an enthusiastic Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. And Democrats, racing time, are considering the extraordinary possibility of Biden stepping aside for a new presidential nominee before their own convention. Amid the turmoil, a majority of Democrats think Vice President Kamala Harris would make a good president herself. A poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 6 in 10 Democrats believe Harris would do a good job in the top slot. About 2 in 10 Democrats dont believe she would, and another 2 in 10 say they dont know enough to say. Democrats at the highest levels have been making a critical push for Biden to rethink his election bid, with former President Barack Obama expressing concerns to allies and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi privately telling Biden the party could lose the ability to seize control of the House if he doesnt step away from the 2024 race. Late Thursday, Montana Sen. Jon Tester became the second Democrat in the chamber and now among nearly two dozen in Congress calling on him to bow out, saying, Biden should not seek reelection to another term. Campaign officials said Biden was even more committed to staying in the race even as the calls for him to go mounted. And senior West Wing aides have had no internal discussions or conversations with the president about Biden dropping out. But there is also time to reconsider. Biden has been told the campaign is having trouble raising money, and key Democrats see an opportunity as he is away from the campaign for a few days to encourage his exit. Among his Cabinet, some are resigned to the likelihood of him losing in November. The reporting in this story is based in part on information from almost a dozen people who insisted on anonymity to discuss sensitive private deliberations. The Washington Post first reported on Obamas involvement. Biden, 81, tested positive for COVID-19 while traveling in Las Vegas earlier this week and is experiencing mild symptoms including general malaise from the infection, the White House said. The president himself, in a radio interview taped just before he tested positive, dismissed the idea it was too late for him to recover politically, telling Univisions Luis Sandoval that many people dont focus on the November election until September. All the talk about whos leading and where and how, is kind of, you know everything so far between Trump and me has been basically even, he said in an excerpt of the interview released Thursday. But in Congress, Democratic lawmakers have begun having private conversations about lining up behind Harris as an alternative. One lawmaker said Bidens own advisers are unable to reach a unanimous recommendation about what he should do. More in Congress are considering joining the others who have called for Biden to drop out. Some prefer an open process for choosing a new presidential nominee. Its clear the issue wont go away, said Vermont Sen. Peter Welch, the other Senate Democrat who has publicly said Biden should exit the race. Welch said the current state of party angst with lawmakers panicking and donors revolting was not sustainable. However, influential Democrats including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries are sending signals of strong concern. To be sure, many want Biden to stay in the race. But among Democrats nationwide, nearly two-thirds say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll. That sharply undercuts Bidens post-debate claim that average Democrats are still with him. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW If a presidential nominee drops out, what happens to states ballots? A voter fills out their ballot at a polling location at Bedford High School in January in Bedford, New Hampshire. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) (This image cannot be republished unless you have a Getty subscription.) This special report was written with contributions from States Newsrooms 39 state news bureaus. WASHINGTON The Electoral College could help Democrats avoid a complicated situation in the event President Joe Biden withdraws from the race after his name is printed on ballots. States Newsroom reporters and editors in the networks 39 states explored how a presidential candidate could be replaced on ballots should the nominee drop out or become unable to continue their campaign following the party conventions. While there were wildly varying answers, and some states wont even contemplate the possibility, numerous officials pointed to the Electoral College process. How that process works is often not well understood. When U.S. voters head to the polls the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November, they technically vote for electors, not the candidate. Those electors then vote for a presidential candidate based on the results of the popular vote in that state, or in certain congressional districts. The Electoral College is the reason on election night, maps show the race based on 270 electoral votes, not the countdown to one of the candidates winning the popular vote. The somewhat complicated process made headlines eight years ago when Donald Trump won the Electoral College but not the popular vote and again four years ago when Trump allies sent slates of fake electors to Congress in an attempt to push aside the official results. This year, with Democrats increasingly uneasy about Bidens age and mental state following his debate performance, the system could provide a safety net of sorts in the event Biden withdraws after he becomes the partys official nominee: The electors could potentially vote for someone else, presumably another Democrat. In Louisiana, for example, Deputy Secretary of State for Communications Joel Watson Jr., said the nominees for president and vice president are not the candidates who are elected on November 5th, the people running for presidential elector are. Iowa Secretary of State spokesperson Ashley Hunt noted that how electors vote in December is not governed by the states election statute, aside from signing a pledge when appointed to those positions by their party. All of that of course would be subject to any legal action required by courts to the contrary, Hunt said. Legal tangle Election experts warn that it is nearly certain lawsuits would proliferate if a presidential candidate drops out late in the campaign, and the outcome very likely would be in the hands of the courts rather than state election officials. Emory Law professor Alicia Hughes said during an interview with States Newsroom that such a scenario would be a complicated mess with an unpredictable outcome that very likely could end up at the steps of a very conservative United States Supreme Court. With unequivocal certainty, Hughes said, lawsuits would be filed in both state and federal courts to challenge the process, potentially leading to very different rulings in state, federal district and federal appeals courts. What usually happens when you have situations where there are conflicts between state laws and the application of federal law by state courts . is the Supreme Court grants cert, and they will take these things up as a matter of judicial review, Hughes said. And given the importance of dates that we have fixed by our Constitution with our 20th and 25th Amendments, dealing with the dates of certifications and different things that are required to take place for us to get a president inaugurated on January 20 it would be expedited, Hughes added. Faithless electors There have been several calls for overhauling or eliminating the Electoral College in the past couple of decades, especially after President George W. Bush and Trump were elected without winning the popular vote in 2000 and 2016, respectively. The Electoral College includes 538 possible votes from electors, who are often loyal to their party. Those people then meet in their states in December to vote for a presidential candidate. Congress will certify the results on Jan. 6, 2025. But the United States has some history of so-called faithless electors, who simply dont cast their Electoral College vote for the candidate that voters in their state or congressional district chose. The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service points out in a report that: Political parties select elector candidates with the expectation that those electors will support the partys presidential nominee. However, the Constitution and federal law do not address whether electors votes are bound to particular state-level or party loyalties. This raises the question of what would happen with electors in the fall of 2024 if Biden has given up on his reelection bid and whether they could shift to an alternate candidate. Some states have fined electors who cast ballots for a different candidate and the Supreme Court has upheld that practice, but each state differs and some electors could simply accept the fine. The National Conference of State Legislators writes in a brief on the Electoral College that generally electors are selected by the political party for their party loyalty, and many are party leaders who are unlikely to vote for anyone other than their partys candidate. Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming all have laws addressing faithless electors, according to NCSL. Wild, wild west Hughes said in the remaining states theres not that obligation as an elector. So that makes it the wild, wild west, she said. But then the question becomes what are the repercussions if electors vote for another candidate. Even in states with penalties for faithless electors, a conviction would only result in a misdemeanor and the fines dont typically exceed $2,000, she said. So people really dont have a heavy incentive, even in those states and the District of Columbia to go along with the popular vote of your state, Hughes said. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission writes in a report on the Electoral College that faithless electors are rare and have never decided the outcome of an election, but they are worrisome in this time of close electoral margins. The other weakness of the Electoral College system is the amount of time it takes to complete the process and the death or resignation of a president-elect, the report states. The report goes on to note that (c)onstitutional scholars believe that electors are free to vote for any candidate they wish once they are appointed. However, faithless electors are unlikely because the political parties submit the names of their own electors, and those coveted spots are reserved for party loyalists who are unlikely to defect. Confusion seen Heritage Oversight Project oversight counsel Max Matheu said switching out a partys nominee within 45 days ahead of the election, after military and overseas ballots go out, could create confusion among voters and possibly among the electors as well. It would also be a different process in each state. If Biden wants to withdraw under the DNC rules, thats fine 33 states defer to DNC rules on substitution and nomination, Matheu said. It probably would be a nothingburger in those states. But there are other states, like Wisconsin, that have mental incapacity issues that have to be essentially asserted to the Secretary of State to say, Hey, heres why this candidate is no longer going to be the nominee, he said. That would bring up 25th Amendment issues about Biden continuing to serve as president, he said. Should Biden withdraw as the candidate after state deadlines have passed and after ballots are printed, Matheu said, there would very likely be lawsuits filed in state and federal courts. The reason why this is all kind of a patchwork, and theres a lot of confusion, even among the experts, is that its 50 different states, Matheu said. So its not going to be a clear-cut issue one way or the other. The possibility of swapping another candidate in for Biden gets much more complicated the closer the country gets to election day, he said. I think thats why theres so much interest right now in whether or not hes going to pull out earlier rather than later, Matheu said. Because its much easier for him to do it now. The view from the states Because presidential elections are administered by the states, there are varying deadlines for when the national parties have to certify their presidential nominee, when that person could withdraw and when electors are chosen. Here is what would happen in Oklahoma Any presidential candidate that drops out of the race after the state prints its ballots will still have their name appear on Election Day, according to Misha Mohr, spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Election Board. The Democratic and Republican political parties have until Aug. 21 to certify who they want named as their candidates for president and vice president. The state is also required to send military and overseas voters their ballots at least 45 days before the election. One other thing I might add I think its often forgotten that voters are actually electing the presidential electors of their choice during the General Election not the presidential candidate, Mohr said. Contributions from: Alabama Reflector senior reporter Ralph Chapoco, Alaska Beacon Editor Andrew Kitchenman, Arizona Mirror Editor Jim Small, Arkansas Advocate Editor Sonny Albarado, Colorado Newsline Editor Quentin Young, Georgia Recorder reporter Stanley Dunlap, Idaho Capital Sun Editor Christina Lords, Indiana Capital Chronicle Editor Niki Kelly, Iowa Capital Dispatch Editor Kathie Obradovich, Kansas Reflector Editor Sherman Smith, Kentucky Lantern Editor Jamie Lucke, Louisiana Illuminator Editor Greg LaRose, Maine Morning Star senior reporter Eesha Pendharkar, Michigan Advance senior reporter Jon King, Minnesota Reformer Editor J. Patrick Coolican, States Newsroom National Editor Adam Kealoha Causey, Daily Montanan Editor Darrell Ehrlick, Nebraska Examiner Editor Cate Folsom, Nevada Current Deputy Editor April Corbin Girnus, New Hampshire Bulletin Editor Dana Wormald, New Jersey Monitor Editor Terrence T. McDonald, Source New Mexico Editor Shaun Griswold, North Carolina Newsline investigative reporter Lynn Bonner, North Dakota Monitor Editor Amy Dalrymple, Ohio Capital Journal reporter Nick Evans, Oklahoma Voice senior reporter Barbara Hoberock, Oregon Capital Chronicle Editor Lynne Terry, Pennsylvania Capital-Star Editor Kim Lyons, Rhode Island Current Editor Janine L. Weisman, South Carolina Daily Gazette Editor Seanna Adcox, South Dakota Searchlight Editor Seth Tupper, Tennessee Lookout Editor J. Holly McCall, Utah News Dispatch senior reporter Katie McKellar, The Virginia Mercury Editor Samantha Willis, Washington State Standard Editor Bill Lucia, West Virginia Watch Editor Leann Ray and Wisconsin Examiner Editor Ruth Conniff. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE A federal judge on Thursday concluded three civic organizations failed to provide evidence that the leaders of an "election integrity" effort illegally intimidated Colorado voters through a door-to-door canvassing project to search for election fraud in the wake of the 2020 presidential race. After three days of testimony, U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney granted the motion to end the case after noting both sides seemingly wanted to litigate matters beyond the narrow question she had to decide. "It is not about the Jan. 6 insurrection or the history of voter intimidation in this country. It is not about the defendants' collective belief about election fraud. It's not about the security or lack of security of elections in Colorado," said Sweeney, an appointee of President Joe Biden. "It is certainly not about who is paying for this litigation for any party. Those are sideshows and I was trying to reel those sideshows in." The plaintiff groups the Colorado Montana Wyoming State Area Conference of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Colorado, and Mi Familia Vota sued the founders of U.S. Election Integrity Plan (USEIP), which was an organized effort following the 2020 election to visit voters at more than 9,400 homes to inquire about their registrations and past voting behavior. The defendants characterized the canvassing effort as "the equivalent to a high school civics project," but the plaintiffs maintained the purpose was not benign. They pointed to USEIP's "playbook," published in August 2021 at the tail end of the door-knocking project, which claimed "they stole our election" and warned about "the destruction of the greatest nation in the history of earth." Sweeney found nothing intimidating about the documents USEIP produced. "Does the manual provide hyperbole or false information? Maybe. But that is not the question before this court," she said. Testimony established the three defendants Shawn Smith, Ashley Epp and Holly Kasun were "core members" of USEIP. Smith said publicly that those who are adjudicated of election fraud "deserve to hang" and Epp testified that "the enemy is those involved in election fraud." There has been no documented existence of widespread election fraud following the 2020 election. Media reports about USEIP's 2021 canvassing effort depicted volunteers as planning to take pictures of voters' homes and in some cases carrying weapons. Beth Hendrix, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Colorado, testified her organization was prompted to file suit largely due to those reports. However, Sweeney explained in her ruling how the plaintiffs' case fell apart due to insufficient evidence. She could not find the defendants liable for voter intimidation based on media articles, she noted, and the trial featured the absence of any voter claiming USEIP's canvassers threatened them. Featured Local Savings The plaintiffs' key witness, Grand Junction resident Yvette Roberts, spoke about two canvassers with homemade badges coming to her home in June 2021 to ask how many people lived in her house and how she cast her ballot. She said she felt intimidated and asked the canvassers to leave, which they did. Sweeney said she originally green-lit the matter for trial in 2023 because she relied on Roberts' written declaration that USEIP was responsible for sending the canvassers. But on cross-examination, Roberts admitted she did not know whether the canvassers were affiliated with USEIP. Sweeney also called out the plaintiffs for attempting on the second day of trial to reframe the narrative to allege elections workers were actually the intimidated parties. "Plaintiffs attempted to broaden the theory of the case midstream. I did not allow that," she said. Sweeney noted that other cases involving voter intimidation contained circumstances unlike the USEIP initiative following people into polling places or surveilling drop boxes, for example, which did result in judicial intervention. "The court has no doubt that voter intimidation efforts ... occurred in this country and continue to occur in this country. But the court cannot conclude defendants were part of that effort without sufficient evidence," she said. "There was no evidence of voter intimidation, but simply a risk of voter intimidation. This court will not act on risk that was proven unfounded." "We are disappointed in this ruling and are exploring all appeal options," said attorney Courtney Hostetler of Free Speech For People, an out-of-state advocacy group that helped bring the lawsuit. Kasun called the ruling a "COMPLETE and TOTAL VINDICATION" on her X account. The case is Colorado Montana Wyoming State Area Conference of the NAACP et al. v. Smith et al. Photo via Getty Images The group behind a ballot measure that would overhaul Arizonas election laws is suing lawmakers for approving a description of the measure that the group says only serves to mislead and confuse voters. Sarah Smallhouse, chairman of the Make Elections Fair Arizona Act campaign, said that lawmakers refused to make the changes to the description requested by her campaign because it would benefit them to preserve the status quo. Its unsurprising that none of the 14 legislators on the Council agreed to adopt our proposed changes to clarify their analysis and describe the most important elements of the initiative first, she said, in an emailed statement announcing the lawsuits filing in Maricopa County Superior Court on Wednesday. As the beneficiaries of the current electoral process we are proposing to change, the Council each have an inherent conflict of interest. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Earlier this month the Make Elections Fair Arizona Act turned in hundreds of thousands more signatures than necessary to qualify for the November ballot, and while the verification process is not yet complete, the initiative is widely expected to go before voters in the fall. If it passes, partisan primaries would be eliminated, with every candidate eligible for an office, regardless of their political affiliation, placed on the same ballot. And all voters, whether or not they belong to the same party, would be able to choose their favorites without the need for separate ballots. Races once regarded as safe bets for either political party would likely see new competition and upended expectations. But before Arizonans get a chance to consider the act in November, election officials must first send out voter information pamphlets. State lawmakers are in charge of crafting and approving the descriptions of each ballot proposal included in that pamphlet. And backers of the Make Elections Fair Act say that lawmakers violated Arizona law by greenlighting a summary of the act that could turn voters away. On July 8, a legislative panel made up of eight Republicans and six Democrats OKd a summary of the Make Elections Fair Arizona Act that, in its first paragraph, highlighted its use of ranked choice voting. The proposition would amend the Arizona Constitution to: 1. Allow for the use of voter rankings at all elections held in this state to determine which candidate received the highest number of legal votes, reads the description written by the legislative council and approved by lawmakers. Ranked choice voting is a system under which voters number their preferred candidates from most to least favorite. The candidate who wins the majority of the vote wins the election. But if no one candidate is the clear winner, then the one with the least amount of votes is dropped and the second choices of the losing candidates supporters are tallied in a process of elimination until a winner is determined. The campaign behind the Make Elections Fair Arizona Act originally sought to enshrine RCV in the state constitution, but it was later refocused after a voter survey from Arizona State University found overwhelming support for amending primary elections and limited approval for ranked choice voting. The initiative still allows for RCV in Arizonas general elections, but it doesnt require its use, and it leaves it up to the state legislature and the governor to decide whether to adopt the system and to what degree. Under the acts guidelines, if an office can only be held by one person, as in the case of the governor or the state attorney general, a minimum of two candidates and a maximum of five should be allowed to advance to the general election. For offices in which voters select more than one candidate, such as for the Arizona House of Representatives where two candidates represent each district between four and seven candidates should move forward from the primary to the general election. Lawmakers and the governor are given the final say in how many candidates are considered by voters in the general election. Rather than requiring a number of candidates that would mandate the use of RCV in the general election, the act instead offers state leaders the opportunity to expand the candidate roster. Attorneys for the campaign behind the Make Elections Fair Act argue that starting its description by asserting that it allows RCV in every election in the state is misleading, and hides the initiatives purpose, which is to open up primary elections. By beginning with the changes the Initiative permits regarding the use of voter rankings, the adopted analysis improperly amplifies those permitted changes and improperly understates the Initiatives required changes to the primary-election procedures, reads the brief. And, attorneys added, the courts have long held that the order of appearance of candidates on a ballot matters, because the names that appear at the top have the most advantage. The court should apply the same principle in this case, they argued, and recognize that the choice to reference RCV first was misleading and it will give voters an erroneous impression of the act. The same primacy effect would obtain here, where the item at the top of Legislative Councils ballot analysis voter rankings would attract voters attention to the exclusion of items lower on the list, reads the lawsuit. The adopted analysis thus will tend to mislead voters into believing that the Initiatives primary focus is on voter rankings, when it is not. Attorneys also pointed out that GOP lawmakers referred their own proposal to the November ballot prohibiting the use of RCV that serves as a direct competitor. In the end, attorneys wrote, approving a summary of the act that mischaracterizes its purpose violates state law. Arizona law mandates that lawmakers put together impartial summaries of ballot proposals. And the courts have further clarified that inflammatory language or descriptions that appear to advocate against a ballot proposal are unlawful. The decision to amplify voter rankings over the mandated changes to primary elections has no rational basis, and Legislative Council offered none, attorneys wrote. This choice resulted in a biased analysis that buries the primary-election reforms the Initiative requires. But Senate President Warren Petersen, a Gilbert Republican, rebutted that the description was the result of a non-partisan process. It was drafted by the non-partisan and unbiased Legislative Council, he said, in an emailed statement. The Legislative Council is chaired by Republican Speaker of the House Ben Toma, and its panel is made up of both Republican and Democratic lawmakers. Council staff members provide non-partisan bill drafting and research, but the final versions of bills and legislation are decided by lawmakers on the panel, which is majority Republican. The lawsuit asks the court to block the description from ever making it into the publicity pamphlet sent to voters and order that lawmakers reconvene to approve a more impartial summary. Attorneys for the campaign also request the reimbursement of legal fees if the court finds in their favor. The challenge against the Make Elections Fair Arizona Acts description in the voter information pamphlet isnt the only lawsuit lawmakers are facing. Last week, backers of the Arizona for Abortion Access Act took GOP legislative leaders to court over an unlawfully partisan description of the abortion rights ballot measure. Republican lawmakers included the phrase unborn human being in the acts summary, and critics argued doing so introduced partisan interests, in clear violation of the impartiality standard set in state law. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Protests, speeches and city life: Images from the RNC in Milwaukee The Republican National Convention has come and gone, bringing with it celeb sightings, speeches upon speeches, protests, quiet streets and patriotic garb. Things started earlier than expected, with former President Donald Trump arriving in Milwaukee on Sunday, just a day after his attempted assassination at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The convention officially got underway Monday with Trump announcing JD Vance as his vice presidential running mate. Tuesday's convention was marred by a shooting. Columbus, Ohio, police officers, who were in Milwaukee to help with the RNC, shot and killed Samuel Sharpe Jr. less than a mile from the convention perimeter. Wednesday and Thursday continued with convention proceedings, growing traffic to local business and active protests in the city and culminated in Trump's record-breaking acceptance speech. Catch up with our daily coverage through images below. Setup began for RNC last week Trump arrived in Milwaukee Sunday, a day after his attempted assassination RNC officially begins Monday Photos from RNC Tuesday Photos from RNC Wednesday Photos from RNC Thursday, when Trump delivers his nomination speech This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Protests, speeches and city life: Images from the RNC in Milwaukee Psychic woman to spend over 10 years in prison for extortion scheme WASHINGTON (DC News Now) How was a 35-year-old woman in New York able to convince a Maryland man to embezzle more than $4 million from his Washington, D.C. employer? By telling the love of his life she was a psychic. Gina Rita Russell, 35, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison on Thursday for masterminding an elaborate fraud, extortion and money laundering scheme. The U.S. Attorneys Office (USAO) said the scheme started in Manhattan in 2009 when Russell performed a psychic reading on a woman. Though Russell had no psychic powers, she convinced the New York woman that she did and told the woman that bad things would happen unless the woman raised large sums of money for Russell and her family, a USAO press release read. Sterling woman sentenced to 12 years for trafficking drugs, giving felons firearms Russell convinced the woman to lie to her father, claiming she needed money for therapy, extensive sleep studies and university classes. After giving his daughter enormous sums of money, he eventually stopped providing her financial assistance. Out of a financial means, the woman was convinced to earn more money through sex work. She advertised sensual massage services online and, through one of her ads, met a Maryland man. The man fell in love with and proposed to her, even though he was already married and had children. Russell and the New York woman conspired with Robert Evans, Tony John Evans, Corry Blue Evans and Archie Kaslov to extort money and gold bars from him. As a result, he embezzled more than $4 million from his D.C. employer between January and March of 2017. Evans impersonated a mobster during calls with the Maryland man, asking him if he needed to remind him where his children went to school. Russell also dictated threatening texts and told the New York woman how to interact with the Maryland man. 11 new red light cameras to be placed around Arlington The Maryland man converted his embezzled funds to cash and gold bars, which he delivered to various New York locations. He thought the funds were going to mobsters, when they really went to members of the Russell-Evans-Kaslov family, the USAO said. Russell pleaded guilty to the scheme in 2019 and was originally scheduled for sentencing in May 2024. That is, until prosecutors learned she had engaged in a similar scheme in Los Angeles. While in California, Russell convinced a woman that she had psychic powers and defrauded the womans father out of money, then persuaded her to turn to sex work for more funds. Russell was ordered to spend the next 10 years and five months in prison and pay $4,217,542.86 in restitution. Following her time in prison, she will serve three years of supervised release. Get the scoop on National Ice Cream Day in the DMV Her co-conspirators received the following sentences: 35-year-old Tony John Evans pleaded guilty to interference with interstate commerce by extortion and was sentenced to five years in prison; 37-year-old Robert Evans pleaded guilty to interference with interstate commerce by extortion and was sentenced to five years in prison; 31-year-old Cory Blue Evans pleaded guilty to bank fraud and was sentenced to nearly three and a half years in prison; 57-year-old Archie Kaslov pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison; 55-year-old Candy Evans pleaded guilty to tampering with a witness by corrupt persuasion or misleading conduct and was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. 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. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) The owner of the Marion County Record says court documents appear to clear the newspaper of wrongdoing. Officers raided the newspapers offices and the home of the publisher, Eric Meyer, on Aug. 11, 2023. They seized equipment and personal cell phones. Gideon Cody, who was police chief then, said he was investigating whether the newspaper committed identity theft or other crimes in accessing a local restaurant owners state driving record. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation have been looking into any potentially illegal acts by the officers or others. A CBI spokesperson told KSN he anticipates the report will be completed soon. Former reporter settles with police chief who led Marion newspaper raid In the meantime, Meyer wrote in the newspaper this week that evidence has been made available through the discovery process for the lawsuit hes filed against the City of Marion, law enforcement, and local officials. Meyer says court documents point to an email from a KBI agent to the general counsel for the Kansas Department of Revenue asking, Is it a violation of the law for someone to access anothers Kansas drivers license information via the state KDOR public website? According to Meyer, the departments counsel responded, No. During the police raid at the Meyer home, 98-year-old Joan Meyer became visibly upset at the officers. Her son, Eric Meyer, said officers were warned she might die from the stress. She died 24 hours later. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett has been assigned as a special prosecutor in the case. In May, he said he would not comment until the investigation was complete. MORE Latest Updates Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. Puppy reunited with family after armed robbery in San Jose Puppy reunited with family after armed robbery in San Jose (KRON) A furry friend was returned to his caregivers after being stolen in an armed robbery, according to the San Jose Police Department. The armed robbery occurred at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. A couple was with their four-month-old Shih Tzu puppy when they were robbed at gunpoint for their dog. Photo: San Jose Police Department Photo: San Jose Police Department The husband bought the wife the puppy after a traumatic event occurred as a gift, police said. San Jose police officers conducted a preliminary investigation that identified the suspects vehicle. Officers located the vehicle and conducted a felony stop. According to SJPD, officers found a firearm and two loaded magazines. The puppys owners identified the driver as the assailant. A search of the suspects home also yielded two AR-style rifles and the Shih Tzu puppy. The pup was returned to its humans. 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. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) Fridays global cyber outage prompted people across the DMV to wake up to disruptions with banking systems, flight delays, logging in to work-related virtual meetings and more. Airline passengers in particular felt the brunt of the outage. A six-hour delay was cited by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for flights from Reagan National and Dulles International Airports to Atlanta a major hub for connections. Metro services, flights impacted as global Microsoft outage hits DMV My daughter and my wife are upset of course because they just worry about what should I do if the flight [is] delayed and delayed, so its going to be another one day probably stay in the airport, said Rachmad Poetranto at Reagan National. Thats what they worry. The outage comes one day after TSA recorded its third busiest day in its 22-year history. The figurative blue screen of death could be seen across the world as Microsoft users were blocked from using their systems after an antivirus software company called CrowdStrike said a system update caused the problem. A blue screen of death is displayed instead of flight information at Chicago OHare International Airport after a software glitch caused widespread outages as reported by airlines around the world, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) So, why such a wide impact? Scott White, a cybersecurity professor at George Washington University said, We have a monopoly in terms of Microsoft. Its global. A Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employee in Alexandria diverted would-be customers because of the outage. The department announced Friday morning on X that all in-person and online business was closed until problems could be resolved. One customer, Alexander Owens, said the closure put a damper in my day. Widespread disruptions were not the result of security incident or cyberattack: CrowdStrike He told the DMV employee that the business should get rid of its tech and go back to paper and pencil. Latrice Coleman said she went to the DMV to get the new REAL ID Drivers License before learning of its closure. Her concerns about Microsoft system issues lingered past Friday, however. I have a flight Tuesday, she said. So hopefully everything is fixed by then. Shortly before 2 p.m., the DMV said 73 of their 76 in-person locations reopened Chesterfield, Henrico and Charlottesville remained closed. Maryland officials announced the closure of their court systems early Friday morning. All Maryland courts, offices, and facilities will be closed to the public today but will remain open for emergency matters. All clerks offices are closed, a press release read. As of now, things are still unclear about what comes next. Theyre [CrowdStrike] going to audit to see the trail of what was done with that fix initially with the update. How was it analyzed? Theyre gonna spend a little bit more time. Who are the decision-making authorities? White suggested. 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. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A Qatar Airways flight from Doha, Qatar, to Atlanta, Georgia, was diverted to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), according to flight data from FlightAware and flightradar24. Data shows the flight took off just before 8 a.m. local time, 1 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Around 3:30 p.m. EST, the aircraft began circling near Athens, Ga., leaving the area around 15 minutes later. Another day, another diversion. Welcome back to #CLTairport @QatarAirways! Shout to Ray Herron for always being camera ready! pic.twitter.com/zv536OyhuH CLT Airport (@CLTAirport) July 18, 2024 The flight looped near Brevard, N.C., and eventually landed in Charlotte around 4:30 p.m. EST. In total, the flight took about 15 hours. It was scheduled to leave CLT bound for Atlanta around 5:30 p.m. However, the flight was one of several forced to stay in Charlotte during bad weather. The flight data showed the Qatar Airways plane moving to different areas of the airport until 6 p.m. when it was disconnected from the radar. There is no word on when the flight will depart. Officials have not said what caused the diversion, but weather radar showed heavy storms in the Atlanta area at the time of the incident. Hamad International Airport in Doha is the hub for Qatar Airways which flies to 170 destinations on 5 continents. Charlotte is not one of those destinations. Queen City News has reached out to Qatar Airways for more information. 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. When Colorado voters approved Healthy School Meals for All two years ago, organizers behind the ballot initiative estimated the program would cost $115 million in its first year. The actual costs significantly exceeded that $166 million leaving state lawmakers scrambling with the financial fallout. I dont know why the costs have gotten so out of control, said state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton, who serves on both the legislature's appropriations and Joint Budget Committee. The latter drafts the state government's annual spending plan. They need to figure out how to get these costs in line with the funding, the legislator said. Given the actual cost of the program, supporters are seriously considering whether to put another ballot measure before voters to ask for more money. Approved by 55% of voters in 2022, the program mandates regardless of income free breakfast and lunch for public school students beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. Hunger Free Colorado, one of the organizations behind the voter-approved measure, had anticipated 60,000 schoolchildren would participate in the program, which wildly undershot the real number. Roughly 184,000 students ate a free breakfast and 435,000 students ate a free lunch across the state daily, said Brehan Riley, executive director of the School Nutrition Unit at Colorado Department of Education. Those numbers, Riley said, represent a 40% increase in participation in breakfast and a 34% increase in lunch. Riley noted these participation numbers were even higher than what was seen during the pandemic when meals were free for all. All 190 eligible school food authorities in Colorado opted into the program during the 2023-2024 school year, Riley said. "Healthy School Meals for All" also envisioned upgrades to school kitchens, increased cafeteria staff wages and grants for schools to purchase local produce. To pay for the meals, the program increased taxes on households earning more than $300,000 in adjusted gross income per year. The Joint Budget Committee agreed temporarily to bridge the funding gap through next school year. Im willing to help them out because they messed this up this year, Kirkmeyer said. Its not supposed to be funded with general funds. The budget committee decided to cover the $56 million shortfall for next school year with the state education fund, meaning they will take money away from public education. The National School Lunch Program is a federal assistance meal program that accounts for roughly 40% of all school-age children in the U.S. and which was signed into law during the Truman administration. In Colorado, roughly 41% of public-school students in 2019 were eligible for either free or reduced-priced school meals under the National School Lunch Program, according to the Colorado Department of Education. Advocates often pointed to research suggesting that free school meals provides many benefits for school-age children, including improved attendance and concentration, as well as increased academic performance. A 2021 report by the Brookings Institution, for example, found improved math performance, particularly among Hispanic students, as well as a reduction in suspensions among some students. The goal is to ensure that children aren't hungry while trying to learn at school, advocates said. Featured Local Savings Healthy School Meals for All was intended to fill a gap in free meal eligibility, said Marc Jacobson, CEO of Hunger Free Colorado, one of the organizations behind the 2022 voter-approved initiative. Its really been a godsend for a lot of parents around the state, Jacobson said. The way Jacobson sees it, the new program is a victim of its own success. It (participation) was significantly higher than we projected, Jacobson said. I doubt itll go down. He expects a continued gap between revenue and costs. Its really a key component of the education system for our students, Jacobson said. Jacobson added: We hope that we can sustain the revenue going forward to provide free school meals for all. What sets the program apart is that free meals are offered to all students, regardless of their income levels. During the campaign in 2022, both sides of the debate used that point to argue their sides. Opponents said the state should not pay to feed children who can afford to purchase a meal at school or bring food from home, and the program would mean permanently spending state resources for a program that not all students needs. Supporters said the measure would remove a "source of shame and embarrassment for students who receive free meals" by making free food available to everybody. Voters may yet see those arguments revived soon. Hunger Free Colorado is weighing whether to put a second ballot measure before voters. And there appears to be support for it. Jacobson cited a Keating Research poll in February of 500 registered Colorado voters that found 62% of voters would support a second ballot measure to raise an additional $75 million to fully fund and expand the program. Lawmakers have expressed both support for the will of voters and frustration when they approve spending programs, despite caution by experts about their financial viability. This is another program that voters passed with an identified fund source that has also come up short, state Rep. Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, chair of the Joint Budget Committee, said in March, when lawmakers were grappling with how to pay for the tens of millions of dollars in unanticipated expenses. There were tons and tons of analyses that were done that said this is not penciling out, the math doesn't work, and nobody listened, state Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada, also said in March. In an interview with The Denver Gazette, Kirkmeyer signaled that lawmakers' decision to cover the $56 million shortfall won't happen again. Were not going to continue to put general funds into this, Kirkmeyer said. They need to stay within the amount they receive from the ballot measure. More than two years after shots rang out at then-mayoral candidate Craig Greenbergs campaign office in Butchertown, 23-year-old Quintez Brown pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges in connection with the shooting. Brown a well-known activist at the time of the incident and a former Courier Journal editorial intern has been in custody since federal charges were filed in April 2022. His defense switched his plea after months of speculation that his attorneys would use an insanity defense at trial. As part of the plea agreement, federal prosecutors have proposed a sentence between 180 to 217 months or 15 to 18 years. Sentencing will take place Oct. 21. Brown potentially faced between 10 years and life in prison on the charges of interference with federally protected activities along with use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, with no option for parole. At the plea change hearing, Brown's defense team told U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Beaton they have also worked on a proposed plea agreement with state prosecutors for a concurrent sentence of 10 years for his state court charges. I respect our legal system and accept this result," Greenberg said in a statement following the guilty plea. "Im relieved the other victims and all of our families wont have to relive that horrific experience during a trial. Violence has no place in our political world. As a fortunate survivor, I will continue to work with strong resolve to end gun violence in our city and country. Thank you to the dedicated public servants in the US Attorneys office, FBI, LMPD and other agencies who work every day to make our city and country safer. Here's what to know about the high-profile 2022 shooting: The 2022 shooting at Craig Greenberg's campaign office Quintez Brown Brown was arrested Feb. 14, 2022, shortly after police say he used a 9mm Glock to fire shots into Greenberg's campaign office in the Butchertown Market on Story Avenue. None of the five people inside were injured, but one shot tore through Greenbergs sweater. A photo of the torn sweater later was used in a campaign ad where Greenberg, who would win the Democratic primary months later and take office in 2023, promoted his public safety plan. To prosecutors, the image illustrated just how close the then-candidate had come to catastrophe. Greenberg said the sweater was torn after one bullet came so close that it grazed my sweater and shirt at a press conference in the aftermath of the shooting. But in a past motion, Brown's defense team called for testimony suggesting attribution of the hole in (Greenbergs) sweater to a bullet to be barred from a potential trial, as his lawyers argued no evidence supported that theory. At the hearing, Brown said he committed the shooting because Greenberg was campaigning for mayor of Louisville. As part of the plea agreement, his federal charges do not include an admission of intent to kill by Brown. Why was Brown charged at the federal level? Sen. Mitch McConnell, shown in January 2022, was vocally critical after shooting suspect Quintez Brown was allowed to be released on bail that February. Brown was taken into federal custody that April. Brown's initial arrest drew national attention when he was released on bail and put on home incarceration two nights after the shooting. The Louisville Community Bail Fund, a charitable bail fund, paid the required 10% of Brown's $100,000 bond to secure his release. The release drew criticism from Greenberg, along with officials including Metro Councilman Anthony Piagentini and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who on the floor of the Senate, described the move as "the radical left (bailing) their comrade out of jail." Defense attorney Rob Eggert pushed back later that day, arguing his client's arrest came "at the prompting of Sen. Mitch McConnell" and accusing the U.S. Attorney's Office of failing to take such action following the 2020 killing of Breonna Taylor by LMPD, which sparked protests that lasted through the year and eventually led to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation. Brown was indicted in federal court, with the government successfully moving for him to be detained pending trial. Craig Greenberg, then a candidate for Louisville mayor, spoke on Feb. 14, 2022, hours after being shot at inside his campaign office. What about Quintez Brown's state trial? Brown has also been charged in Jefferson Circuit Court with one count of attempted murder and four counts of first-degree wanton endangerment in connection with the shooting. He initially pleaded not guilty. However, Brown's defense attorneys say they have worked out a proposed plea agreement with state prosecutors that would see Brown serving a concurrent sentence of 10 years. That case's next pretrial hearing is currently set for Oct. 16. What were the concerns about Brown's mental evaluation? Prior to Brown's change in plea, his defense and federal prosecutors battled over whether mental health evaluations conducted on Brown with a psychiatrist retained by the defense should be admissible as evidence. The two interviews, which are sealed, took place in November 2022 and November 2023 with psychiatrist Bhushan Agharkar. Brown's attorneys said his testimony in the two sessions supports an "insanity" and "diminished capacity" defense, which argues the defendant's mental state did not allow them to make effective decisions. But in a pair of relatively lengthy motions, prosecutors believe the interviews, in which Brown described his alleged intent to the psychiatrist, would enable the defendant to "tell his own story without having to testify" and be subject to cross-examination, and could "serve as a conduit for inadmissible hearsay." In the interviews, the filings say, Brown gave his account of the shooting and the events that led up to it. Prosecutors say Brown told the psychiatrist he had gone to Greenberg's office "with another intent," but "impulsively and without aiming fired a gun into the office. Agharkar diagnosed him with Bipolar Disorder, Type I, with Psychotic features, and Marijuana Use Disorder, in remission in a controlled environment" and said Brown was driven by a belief that the incident would "make the world 'pay attention.'" At Friday's hearing, Brown said he was competent and capable of fully understanding and accepting the terms of his plea agreement. Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@courier-journal.com. Reach reporter Rachel Smith at rksmith@courierjournal.com or @RachelSmithNews on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Craig Greenberg shooting: Quintez Brown pleads guilty in federal case Covering the final night of the RNC on Thursday, Rachel Maddow had a bleak summation of just what it the Republican Party has done by selecting Donald Trump as its nominee. Republicans are going to nominate a felon who tried to overthrow the US government by force Maddow said, accurately. They have decided that force was justified, and that they they, in no way, shape or form, are suggesting that they wont do it again. The Republican Party is this time planning overtly, in advance, that there is not going to be a normal certification of the election this year, she said also. You can watch the whole commentary here right now: Maddow started the commentary by talking plainly about Trumps many crimes, his multiple felony convictions, and the context for those crimes and convictions we know youre familiar with them so wont repeat them at length here. Maddow then noted how unusual Trump is, not only his low character but also how he left office in 2021 leaving in his wake the worst incidents of political violence the country has ever seen in a presidential transition. The only time we havent had a peaceful transition of power from one president to the next, arguably, ever, arguably since the Civil War. She then argued that the deeply unpopular policies and the outright revocation of peoples rights that the Trumps Supreme Court has imposed on the country, as well as openly plotting even worse things to come via entities like Project 2025, is a wild record that Republicans are attempting to return to power on. But here we are. They are nominating a felon, one who left office in a storm of violence that, among other things, injured dozens of police officers, violence for which hundreds of his supporters have pled guilty or been convicted of serious crimes, she said. Maddow then recounted how the RNC this week featured speeches by multiple Trump accomplices, including fake electors who are currently under indictment, and literal convicted felons. And then, lamenting that in the wake of the Jan. 6 attack, it did not seem at the time like we had any lack of clarity as a country as to whether or not it would be a good thing or a bad thing for our country if Trump had succeeded, Maddow argued that the real danger now is that his running mate, JD Vance, was specifically picked because he has publicly said had he been Vice President on Jan. 6 2021, he would have refused to certify the election. We have been slowly boiling in this reality for long enough that it is possible to lose sight of just how radical this moment actually is, Maddow continued. But Republicans are going to nominate a felon who tried to overthrow the US government by force. Despite all the people who have gone to prison for it, they have decided that force was justified and that they they, in no way, shape or form, are suggesting that they wont do it again Its the plan, the Republican Party is this time planning overtly in advance that there is not going to be a normal certification of the election this year. They have laid the groundwork already and are implementing efforts already to have Republican county and state officials refuse to certify election results from the get go. She also noted a New York Times story over the weekend detailing plans by Trump allies to illegally prevent the election from being properly counted if Trump loses. Heres where we are. The first time the Republican Party chose Donald Trump as their nominee for president, he won the presidential election. His presidency is viewed by historians as the worst presidency in the history of the United States. He was impeached twice. The second time they chose him as their partys nominee for president. He lost the general election, and it ended in a silent, failed effort to retain power by force. Now they are choosing him again with whatever you call the opposite of regret for how it worked out the last time, and with an all but explicit promise to do it again. The post Rachel Maddow: With Trump, the GOP Has Nominated a Felon Who Tried to Overthrow the US Government | Video appeared first on TheWrap. Florida-born singer and rapper Sean Kingston and his mother appeared in a federal court this week to face wire fraud charges stemming from what authorities say was their involvement in a scheme to defraud sellers of high-end specialty vehicles, jewelry and other items. Authorities arrested Kingston, 34, and Janice Turner, 61, following a raid of their home west of Fort Lauderdale in May. The two were each formally charged by a Miami grand jury with five counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, the U.S. Attorney's Office said on Friday. Each count carries a potential sentence of 20 years in prison. Kingston, whose real name is Kiesean Anderson, is a Jamaican-American music artist who was born in Miami. He is known for his May 2007 song Beautiful Girls, which became a summer anthem, staying at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. Celebrity news: Who is Kai Trump? What we know about Trumps oldest grandchild who lives in Florida Kingston, his mother fraudulently obtained more then $1 million worth of property, authorities allege According to allegations in the indictment, the mother and son unjustly enriched themselves by falsely representing that they had executed bank wire or other monetary payment transfers as payment for vehicles, jewelry, and other goods purchased by the defendants, when in fact no such bank wire or other monetary payment transfers occurred. Kingston and Turner either retained or attempted to retain vehicles, jewelry and other goods despite non-payment. Through the execution of this scheme, they obtained in excess of $1 million in property, federal prosecutors said. Sean Kingston performs at SunFest in West Palm Beach on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The Jamaican-American rap star was born in Miami and has long counted Southwest Ranches in Broward County as his home. In May, a SWAT team raided the home that Kingston rents in a neighborhood within the South Florida town of Southwest Ranches that is home to several rich families and celebrities. They arrested Turner there. Kingston himself was taken into custody in California, where he was at the time. People love negative energy! Kingston briefly posted on his Instagram following his arrest. I am good, and so is my mother! My lawyers are handling everything as we speak. Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: South Florida rapper Sean Kingston, mother face federal fraud charges Read The Petition From Former National Security Officials Asking Biden To Stand Down 56 foreign policy experts who have publicly supported President Joe Biden sent him a letter on Friday saying he should step down as the Democratic Partys presidential candidate for the good of the country. With the deepest appreciation for your many decades of inspired leadership, we strongly believe that ongoing concerns surrounding your continued candidacy and the growing likelihood of an electoral college victory for Donald Trump put your national security accomplishments and our country and your legacy at an unacceptable level of risk, reads the message. HuffPost first revealed the text of the letter on Thursday evening. Donald Trumps vision, approach, and expressed intentions concerning our nations security are in fundamental conflict with the values and principles for which you have stood ... We strongly believe that now is the time to pass the mantle of leadership and we respectfully urge you to do so, the message continues. The message cites Bidens accomplishments abroad in Europe, Asia and the Americas and on international challenges like climate change. The signatories include several former high-ranking foreign policy officials, like former national security adviser Tony Lake, and several officials who have worked under Biden, like former Pentagon official Rosa Brooks and Afghanistan expert Barnett Rubin. The lead organizers of the letter are Eric Schwartz and John Shattuck, two former senior officials at the State Department, according to the distributed copy viewed by HuffPost. Shattuck was also an ambassador, and Schwartz served at the White House National Security Council. The petition was circulated Thursday morning and by that evening had attracted several dozen signatures, including those of prominent former national security officials, a source familiar with the letter told HuffPost. The development comes amid an uptick in skepticism of Bidens candidacy among elected Democratic officials, and amid polls suggesting he is trailing his Republican rival, former President Donald Trump. Additionally, a group of former aides on Thursday released an open letter asking Biden to exit the race, as USA Today reported. The Bulwark first revealed the existence of the petition from former national security staffers. The president often treats his experience working on global affairs as a former chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, then as vice president, and finally as commander in chief as a major selling point. According to Puck News, Biden argued in a Saturday call with Democratic lawmakers: Name me a foreign leader who thinks Im not the most effective leader in the world on foreign policy. Related... Shayla Davis, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation and part of the Superintendent's Student Cabinet, speaks before tribal educators at the 10th annual Indian Education Summit at the North Dakota Capitol in Bismarck on July 19, 2024. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor) North Dakota tribal schools need better support especially when it comes to serving low-income students, Shayla Davis, a member of Superintendent Kirsten Baeslers Student Cabinet, told a crowd of tribal educators Friday. There should be no gaps in education, Davis, a 2023 graduate of Devils Lake High School and member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, said. Davis and other advocates for Native education gathered at the North Dakota Capitol on Thursday and Friday for the Department of Public Instructions 10th annual Indian Education Summit. The two-day conference which included speeches, presentations and breakout sessions drew about 200 attendees, according to the Department of Public Instruction. The goal is to strengthen tribal education in North Dakota, according to the agencys website. For Davis, that means giving all students the opportunities they need to succeed. She said she could name more than 50 teachers that positively impacted her. But not all Native students in North Dakota have been as lucky, she said. I realized the socioeconomic challenges that were keeping other students just miles away from the same important educational opportunities we receive at Devils Lake High School the same opportunities that truly made me the person that I am today, Davis said. She encouraged schools to find creative ways to serve students in need. She pointed to a Cass County nonprofit started in 2019 that created a school food and supply pantry for students. I believe that this can be done in tribal schools, Davis said. Davis also urged teachers to provide more opportunities for education on tribal history and culture. We must know who we are and where we come from, she said. Teachers and administrators that work in Native communities had similar feedback for the state, Ellie Shockley, a researcher for the North Dakota University System, said at a Friday breakout session. Shockley worked with the Department of Public Instructions Indian and Multicultural Education Office to conduct the states 2023 survey on Native student needs. The survey was taken by teachers and administrators at 35 North Dakota public schools with high Native populations, Shockley said. Overall, schools reported making an effort to engage with Native communities and to integrate tribal culture into the classroom, but still felt there was still considerable room for improvement. A number of respondents advocated for adding classes that enhance understanding of Native American culture, Shockley said. She said the responses also highlighted issues faced by Native students, like school attendance and poverty. One bright spot is that respondents agree that Native American language instruction is commonly incorporated into daily and weekly activities, Shockley said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Schools seemed to be less familiar with state resources related to Native education, however. The survey found just 50% of teachers and 72% of administrators were aware of the Department of Public Instructions Native American Essential Understandings project. The project, launched in 2015, works with Native elders to develop educational resources on Native history and culture in North Dakota. The results also indicate schools may be struggling to implement a new requirement for K-12 schools to teach Native history adopted by the state Legislature in 2021. Shockley said just 75% of teachers and 89% of administrators were aware of the legislation. Much fewer 57% of teachers and 67% of administrators said they were aware of educational resources published by the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction related to the bill. In a separate presentation, representatives from the Department of Public Instruction shared updates about an ongoing project to update a series of five 90s-era textbooks on the history of North Dakota tribes. Four of the textbooks focus on the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and Spirit Lake Nation, respectively. Another provides an introduction to the history of North Dakota Tribes. The series was authored by representatives of the tribes and published by the state roughly 30 years ago. Lucy Fredericks, director of Indian and Multicultural Education for the Department of Public Instruction, is leading the effort to reprint the books in partnership with groups including the Indian Education Coalition, United Tribes Technical College, North Dakota State University and the University of North Dakota. The Indian Education Coalition is currently working on making revisions to the textbooks, as well as writing about 30 pages of new material detailing the last three decades of each tribes history, Fredericks said. She said the books will be free to teachers and schools across the state. This definitely will be authentic, because its coming exactly from the tribes, she said. The project is funded by a grant through the federal CARES Act, said Fredericks. The original textbooks did not include a history of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. Nick Asbury of the Department of Public Instruction said the agency would be open to adding another textbook dedicated to the tribe. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Recent Mass. shark sightings: Map shows great whites off South Shore, North Shore Great white sharks are beginning to swim north of Cape Cod and the Islands. There were 16 confirmed great white sightings in the water off Massachusetts this week, with two coming off the South Shore and one on the North Shore, according to the Chatham-based Atlantic White Shark Conservancys Sharktivity app. The Conservancys real-time shark activity map showed the South Shore sightings east of Nantasket Beach in Hull. The North Shore sighting was east of Plum Island in Newburyport. In addition to great white sightings, predations involving dead seals and sharks feeding on a whale carcass have also been reported by Sharktivity users. The maps menu tools allow users to filter shark sightings as recent as 48 hours, over the last 30 days, or between a custom date range. The icons on the map indicate the following: Red alert icon : A white shark sighting is confirmed close to a public beach Blue shark fin icon : A confirmed white shark sighting Orange shark fin icon : An unconfirmed white shark sighting Yellow icon : A receiver that detects white sharks tagged with acoustic tags and transmits the data in real-time Purple icon : A real-time detection of a shark tagged with an acoustic tag that is less than an hour old Orange icon : Detections of sharks tagged with acoustic transmitters Green icon: The sharks dorsal fin breaks the surface and the tag transmits to overhead satellites The Sharktivity app, which is available to download on iPhone and Android, tracks sightings fed by researchers, safety officials, and users who upload photos for confirmation. John Chisholm, adjunct scientist at New England Aquarium, recently told Boston 25 they are expecting more sharks this year as the seal population continues to grow. No matter where youre going into the water, whether thats Cape Cod or Gloucester or Plymouth, you need to be shark smart, Chisholm cautioned beachgoers. While the last shark attack in Massachusetts was in 2020, the growing numbers of seals and sharks should make beachgoers more alert, Chisholm advised. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Remember That ATL-area Judge Who Allegedly Attacked A Cop? Well, She Insists On Her Innocence and Brought Receipts Former probate judge Christina Peterson is not backing down after she claims she was falsely arrested for assaulting an officer while at a nightclub last month. Peterson was set to appear for a hearing related to the June incident, but according to Fox News, the hearing was canceled and theres no word of when it will be rescheduled. Nevertheless, Peterson is maintaining her innocence, and she is using her platform to not only share her truth but also to expose an alleged plot to remove her and several other Black officials in Douglas, County Georgia. In a recent Instagram post, Peterson shared a clip from her interview with Atlanta rapper Young Joc stating currently 4 Black electeds have pending felonies with 3 awaiting trial in August 2024, 1 was removed from office, 2 were suspended, and 1 was investigated by special grand jury. Peterson went on to write These are not bad elected officials; these are bad actors in the community who are not happy with the duly elected black leadership. Apparently, the judge believes there is an ongoing plot to rid her county of Black officials, and this attack includes framing her for assaulting a police officer. Peterson was arrested on June 20 and charged with willful obstruction of law enforcement officers by use of threats or violence and simple battery against a police officer. According to the original police report obtained by Fox 5, the Douglas County judge allegedly hit an officer on the head early Thursday morning at Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge. The report claimed the judge appeared to be under the influence and refused to identify herself to officials. Following her release from jail, Peterson called her arrest a setup and insisted she was trying to help a woman who was being attacked by men when she accidentally hit the officer. Peterson alleges she has bruises, [a] black eye, [and a] swollen knee from the incident. Two witnesses have come forward in Petersons defense, speaking at a press conference. Peterson also posted footage which shows a different angle from the night of the alleged incident. In the video, you can see a man and woman get into a physical altercation followed by multiple women trying to break up the fight. The idea that a good Samaritan, who was helping a woman that was being viciously attacked [Alexandria Love], could be arrested and the man, who was viciously attacking the woman did not get arrested speaks to other issues that will be addressed at a later time, Marvin Arrington Jr., the lawyer representing Peterson, said. According to Arrington, Peterson and Love are both victims and should have been treated a such. He called out the Atlanta Police Department (APD) saying there are inconsistencies in the officers statements. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And the prize for the crackpot conspiracy theory of the day goes to state Rep. Alexander Kolodin. Give this Scottsdale lawyer a tinfoil cowboy hat. Kolodin is likely not the first member of the Arizona Legislature to embrace his inner kook given the makeup of our illustrious Legislature but hes certainly the boldest. During an interview Wednesday with reporter Amy Goodman for left-leaning Democracy Now!, the first-term legislator let loose with the crazy at the Republican National Convention. Kolodin was expounding on his opinion of Nikki Haley (poison within the blood of the Republican Party") when Goodman asked his opinion about what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, the day Trump supporters stormed the nations Capitol to try to stop certification of the 2020 presidential vote. 'You literally tried to shoot our president, right?' Thats when he asked for whom she worked. Oooooh , he said, when she told him. I think that you guys have lost your privileges to talk about Jan. 6th after you tried to assassinate our president. Ill leave it at that, Kolodin said. Excuse me? Goodman asked. You guys. You Democrats have lost your privileges to go on and on and on I know who Democracy Now! is to go on and on and on and on about. Jan. 6 when you literally tried to shoot our president, right? Kolodin replied. First, you tried to throw him in jail. Then you called him a fascist. Then you literally tried to strip Secret Service protection from him and then you tried to use the deep state to kill the guy. So yeah, youve lost your privileges to talk about Jan. 6. How Kolodin drew his conclusion, God only knows The investigation into how 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks came to be on that roof just outside Trumps Butler, Penn., campaign rally, armed with the assault-style rifle so popular with mass shooters, is massive and it is ongoing. The FBI has cracked into the shooters cellphone, scoured his computer, home and car, and interviewed more than 100 people, but no motive has been announced. Unless maybe Kolodin divined the plot by consulting his Ouija board? One might think that a licensed attorney would await actual evidence before shooting off his mouth and looking how shall I put this? like a lunatic. Then again, this is Rep. Kolodin. He has a history of subscribing to crackpot theories Hes the election lawyer who worked with Sidney Powell to file Arizonas now-infamous kraken lawsuit in which they claimed massive fraud in Arizonas 2020 the election. It was tossed out of court by a federal judge who noted that gossip and innuendo cannot be a substitute for earnest pleadings and procedure in federal court. Kolodin was placed on probation by the State Bar of Arizona late last year after state regulators found four of his elections lawsuits violated rules for attorneys. As part of a settlement, he has to take classes on attorney ethics. And lest you forget, Kolodin also is the lawmaker who distinguished himself in March by flaming the late Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day OConnor as he voted against a bill to honor her with a statue inside the U.S. Capitol. We cannot allow the distinguished members of this body to have to suffer walking by such an undistinguished jurist when they enter here in the morning, he sneered, apparently having not even read the two-page resolution to know that the statue would not have been at the Arizona Capitol. The biggest shock is not that Kolodin is tossing grenades when all of America is trying to grasp what has happened in and to our country. The biggest shock is that Scottsdale, a district considered fairly moderate by Republican standards, is likely going to reelect this guy. He and seatmate, Rep. Joseph Chaplik, are unchallenged in the July 30 Republican primary. Theyll face Democrat Richard Corles in the Nov. 5 general election. Kolodin doubles down on claim of assassination plot Lest you think Kolodin has had second thoughts about his unhinged rant, think again. When Republican political strategist Tyler Montague called him out Thursday on social media, asking why he wouldnt await facts before accusing Democrats of trying to murder the former and likely future president, Kolodin doubled down on the delirium. C'mon man, you aren't credulous enough to believe that a 20 year old with no training managed to get on the nearest roof to the President and point a rifle at him for two minutes right in the open without that being an inside job, Kolodin wrote. I believe the government has enormous capacity for incompetence, Montague replied. That's the beginning and end of the story as far as government involvement goes. No freaking way that was a coordinated attempt. That's crazy talk. It will be interesting to see if anyone worked him. Kolodin clapped back: Youre telling me the same government that tried to kill Castro with an exploding cigar and also tried to send Trump to jail right before the general election wouldn't *dare* try to take a crack at him? I find that implausible. You know what else seems implausible? That this guy is represents Scottsdale. Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale legislator goes all-in on 'inside job' in shooting of Trump Thousands of "All Black Lives Matter" demonstrators march to West Hollywood to denounce racial injustice and support LGBTQ rights in the summer of 2020. The Human Rights Campaign on Friday released a report that detailed the "stark contrast" in federal LGBTQ+ protections under President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI July 19 (UPI) -- The Human Rights Campaign on Friday released a report that detailed the "stark contrast" in federal LGBTQ+ protections under President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. The report details the effects both presidents had on federal agencies during their presidencies and how those decisions affected LGBTQ+ people. For example, agencies under Trump lifted many regulations that affirmed legal protections for LGBTQ+ people and stopped accepting civil rights complaints based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Comparatively, under the Biden administration, many agencies worked to uphold the Supreme Court's ruling that LGBTQ+ people are protected from discrimination under the same rules that prohibit discrimination based on sex. "The analysis makes clear what we have seen across the country," Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson said in a statement. "Actions have consequences. Time and again, the Trump administration ushered in policies and positions that did damage to LGBTQ+ lives. "Meanwhile, in their first term, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken steps to make our lives better. Federal agencies take actions that impact nearly every aspect of our lives. And Americans deserve a government that steps up to defend freedom and equality for all." The report also analyzed federal policies around data collection, promoting inclusive policies and providing services and resources to LGBTQ+ people. Agencies under Trump worked to stop data collection on LGBTQ+ people, which the HRC said is vital to ensuring housing providers, schools, employers and other entities are complying with civil-rights laws. The Biden administration, however, tasked agencies with renewing questions relevant to LGBTQ+ people on surveys and forms and to begin researching ways to better include them in federal data collection. Trump's administrative appointees eliminated existing references to LGBTQ+ people in their agencies' nondiscrimination policies and also failed to fill positions meant to advocate for LGBTQ+ equity. Biden's appointees then worked to restore references to LGBTQ+ people in nondiscrimination policies and filled several government positions intended to advocate for them. The report noted areas the Biden administration could have done better and expressed hope that a second Biden term would continue to bolster LGBTQ+ protections. While agencies under the Biden administration reopened access to many government-funded programs that excluded LGBTQ+ people under the Trump administration, certain federal resources, such as access to HIV prevention medication and gender-affirming care for transgender veterans, remain out of reach. "As we approach this inflection point in our history, it is critical that voters understand the vastly different ways in which a second Biden or Trump Administration could affect the lives and well-being of LGBTQ+ people," the report stated. A global technology outage disrupting banks, flights and media outlets worldwide affected also Colorado agencies and Colorado Springs travelers. The outage began overnight Friday when an update bug caused problems to cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, according to CEO George Kurtz. The company's Microsoft Windows operating system was hit. The bug affected users of Microsoft Windows, but it didn't occur on every Microsoft Windows system. Crowdstrike said the issue behind the outage was not believed to be a security incident or cybersecurity attack, the Associated Press reported. According to Colorado Springs officials, operations were disrupted at Municipal Court, the Police Department and the state Department of Motor Vehicles. According to its website, the DMV experienced outages including driver's license and ID services, call centers and express kiosks. Featured Local Savings Several flights at the Colorado Springs Airport were delayed. "Normal flight operations have resumed after this mornings nationwide outage," Colorado Springs Airport spokesperson Dana Shield said on Friday. According to Shield, the airport did not shut down, and everything was operational by mid-morning Friday. Meanwhile, Denver International Airport also was affected. Flight tracking website FlightAware was showing fewer than 100 DIA flights canceled or delayed early Friday. Colorado Springs Municipal Court officials said that anyone needing to reschedule a court appearance was asked to call 719-385-5928 and leave a message. Additionally, the Colorado Springs police and fire department's 911 Emergency Communications Center was on a priority dispatch and accident alert status Friday morning. Systems were back to normal by 1:30 p.m., according to police spokesperson Ira Cronin. STILL FROM VIDEO: Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear talks to Courier Journal reporters Olivia Evans and Connor Giffin about the investments Kentucky has seen in the area of electric vehicles. Multiple reports indicate Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear is a serious candidate to be the Democratic nominee for vice president should President Joe Biden withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. A report from The Hill, a media outlet that covers the federal government, cited "well-connected Democratic Party insiders" who said Beshear is in the running to be Kamala Harris' vice presidential pick should she become the nominee along with Sen. Mark Kelly from Arizona and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. Biden may announce his withdrawal "soon after the Republican National Convention concludes in Milwaukee," according to The Hill's reporting. The Republican convention ends Thursday night. UPDATE: Joe Biden drops out of 2024 race amid growing pressure from top Democrats Another report from journalist Mark Halperin, who also serves as a commentator for the conservative outlet Newsmax, cited "multiple sources" stating Beshear, along with Pennslyvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, are being vetted to be Harris' running mate in a race against Donald Trump and JD Vance. The reports come as recent polling from AP-NORC Center shows seven in 10 adults including 65% of Democrats want Biden to withdraw from the race, according to previous reporting from USA TODAY. A growing number of congressional Democrats, as well as those in state government positions, have called on Biden to withdraw from the race. Beshear for VP? Submit your letter to the editor here What have Kentucky Democrats said about Biden? Beshear and Democratic Congressman Morgan McGarvey, who represents Louisville, have not called on Biden to resign. In the days following the June 27 debate with Trump, Beshear called on Biden to discuss his health with the public. I said that our president is known for being a straight talker, telling the American people the truth, and my recommendation was that he have an open conversation with the public about the status of his health, Beshear told reporters in Louisville. In a previous statement to The Courier Journal, McGarvey said members of his party are in "serious conversations" about how to proceed with Biden's candidacy. What has Beshear said about spot on presidential ticket? While Beshear has remained a vocal supporter of Biden following the recent debate, he appears to be keeping his options open despite being tight-lipped on his aspirations, The Courier Journal reported. He told reporters he would only consider putting his name on a presidential ticket if he could help the commonwealth even more through some other opportunity. Since January, Beshear has traveled to out-of-state Democratic fundraisers at least five times, while launching a PAC to support Democrats in red and purple states. Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@gannett.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Reports: Andy Beshear contender for VP nod should Biden exit race MILWAUKEE As thousands of Republican Party faithful gathered inside Fiserv Forum Wednesday night, a few dozen people met inside a wood-paneled tavern hall just a few blocks away to discuss what, exactly, it means to be faithful to a political ideology. Is it fealty to a candidate? Commitment to voting a straight-party ticket? For the group meeting inside the historic Pabst Brewery, it means sticking to certain conservative principles. They gathered in support of Principles First, a center-right organization that emerged in 2019 as an alternative to the Conservative Political Action Conference. In Milwaukee this week, it was one of the few friendly rooms for anti-Trump Republicans and conservatives, a group of voters set adrift in the current political landscape as former President Donald Trump has emerged as an identity as much as a candidate for the mainline GOP. The mood in the room was a sharp departure from the jubilant rally ongoing down the street, where a reverent relief after the assassination attempt has mixed with open glee over a potential Democratic ticket meltdown. The gathering of "political orphans," as conservative talk radio host Charlie Sykes deemed the tavern, was decidedly less upbeat. "The Republican Party is sick," Heath Mayo, a New York lawyer and the group's founder, said inside the historic Pabst Brewery. "It's been led astray by populist demagogues, and it has abandoned its principles." A small, if vocal, group of conservatives first began coalescing around a never-Trump message in 2016 as Republican elected officials, policymakers and thought leaders who found Trumpism anathema to the party and discordant with conservative policies. But as Trump ascended not just to the White House but to a position of power within the GOP that demands near-total loyalty, vocal opponents on the right have dwindled, along with options for reluctant voters. There are still never-Trump conservatives, but there arent many never-Trump Republicans, especially if youre an office holder, said Andrew Pieper, a political science professor at Kennesaw State University who edited a collection of essays from political scientists tracking never-Trump Republican officials ahead of the former presidents 2020 reelection campaign. At some point, you had to make a choice: Do you want to continue working in Republican politics or not? Most of the people who did eventually decided they had to jump on the bandwagon," Pieper said. The voters who chose not to follow that bandwagon feel left in the dust, like Cass Davey, a 27-year-old who traveled four hours to the Principles First event with friend Jayci Mondell. Both women say they now consider themselves independents, though Mondell is ready to vote Democratic over Trump. Davey applauds Republicans such as former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, one of the few Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for incitement of insurrection, but appeared at times enraged and exhausted by the current state of the Republican Party playing out down the street. Instead of being country first, Republicans are focused solely on party, regardless of the fact that Trump is not focused on the well-being of Americans, Davey said. Brittany Martinez, a Republican strategist and one-time communications director for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, nows feels "politically homeless," disconnected from the party she's devoted a career to. She wants to be hopeful about the future of the party, but the options ahead are slim. Former Arkansa Governor Asa Hutchinson sits alone in the the stands ahead of the start of the third day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum. The third day of the RNC featured a feature on foreign policy and threats. "I'm Republican, I won't be a Democrat, I don't want to be an independent," Martinez said. Inside the RNC, some delegates said there is still a home in the current Republican Party for those resistant to Trump. Theres always room for them in the Republican Party, Oz Sultan, a New York delegate, said. "Look, youre never going to agree 100% with 100% of what a candidate or a politician says or brings forward as policy." Other Republicans are less welcoming. At an Indiana delegation breakfast on Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Jim Banks told fellow Hoosiers they must hold accountable the states top Republicans who have said they wont support Trumps 2024 campaign. This is no time for wimpy Republicans, he later said in his speech Tuesday night. It was a thinly veiled reference to Indiana Sen. Todd Young and former Vice President Mike Pence, who lost favor with Trump Republicans after Pence denied Trumps request to block the certification of the 2020 election results on Jan. 6, something Pence insists he never had the authority to do. Some Jan. 6 rioters called for Pence's head, and he had to be rushed for safety. Pence has refused to endorse Trump and was among several prominent Republicans who didnt make the trip to Milwaukee this week. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who once challenged Trump in the primary and said last year hed refuse to vote for a convicted felon, did show up in Milwaukee. But after Saturdays assassination attempt, Hutchinson struck a conciliatory tone regarding Trumps call for unity. "I said it, and I meant it," he said of his pledge to not vote for Trump. "But a lot has changed since that moment." The party this week has, in fact, unified, namely around Trumps singular hold on Republicans' message and figureheads. Anti-Trump challengers such as former Gov. Nikki Haley have either bent the knee or avoided the raucous, celebratory convention that has featured almost no notable disputes or platform disagreements. Kristin Combs, the lone RNC-credentialed delegate at the Principles First meeting, said she was interested in the message behind Principles First. A staunch Haley supporter, she'd watched the governor pledge not to endorse Trump if she lost the primary, and then watched from Milwaukee as Haley offered her "strong endorsement" of Trump from the Fiserv stage. Nikki Haley, former ambassador to the United Nations, delivers remarks during the second day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. "I'm a Republican. I have been a Republican long before Trump, I will be a Republican long after Trump," Combs said, acknowledging she feels it is an "inevitability" candidates have to get on board with the GOP ticket if they want a future in politics. When asked if she's willing to vote for Trump, she closed her eyes and grimaced, but nodded. The Republican ticket is her priority. For Mayo, attracting voters like Combs seems to be a goal of the ongoing events he and other volunteers continue to put on around the country to drum up grassroots support among conservatives, even if they have little leverage to wield in the current climate. "If you abandon our principles, you cannot count on our votes simply because you are a Republican," Mayo said. "That is the only way to hold elected leaders accountable in a constitutional republic. You have to be willing to do that, or they're going to take you for granted." This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Anti-Trump conservatives search for political home outside RNC Republicans are already working on their messaging around Vice President Kamala Harris before Joe Biden steps aside. ((Photo by Chris duMond/Getty Images)) The Republican National Convention is officially in the books. Ostensibly, much of the setpieces throughout the convention were meant to attack President Joe Biden, who remains the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, even if Democrats are increasingly trying to shove him out. On Thursday, ahead of former president Donald Trumps speech, Montana Senator Jon Tester, the most vulnerable swing-state Democrat whose state voted for Trump by double digits, said Biden needed to leave. And on Friday, Senator Martin Heinrich, a Democrat from New Mexico, also said Biden needs to go. That is a stunning rebuke, given that Biden treated Tester with respect, even inviting him to the Oval Office when Barack Obama refused to do the same. But Heinrich is from a state that is now endangered because of Bidens weak performance at the top of the ticket. Biden re-election campaign chairwoman Jen OMalley Dillon, for her part insisted on Morning Joe on Friday morning that Biden is not leaving the race. Meanwhile, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive vanguard, warned on an Instagram Live that the same forces who want to boot Biden also want to kick out Vice President Kamala Harris. But throughout the four days in Milwaukee, Republicans seemed to sense that Biden might be on the out and that Harris might replace him at the top of the ticket. And they were already preparing the talking points. Even the speeches seemed to pivot ever so slightly as time went on. When Harris ran for the Democratic nomination for president, many progressives sneered at her record as a prosecutor, calling her a cop. Conversely, Republicans sought to label her as weak on crime, citing her quote about reimagining how we do public safety in America. On Wednesday evening, the RNC featured a speech that criticized Biden on one of his most controversial missteps: the US exit from Afghanistan that led to death of 13 US servicemembers. During that moment, Charlie Kirk, the head of Turning Point USA who has become Trumps liaison to younger voters, muttered on the convention floor about how Republicans were criticizing a candidate who wouldnt be on the ticket in November. If its Kamala, were ready to pivot, he told The Independent. If its Gretchen Whitmer or Gavin Newsom, were ready to roll. Were unified, theyre not, and good luck figuring out whos going to run. Multiple Republicans echoed that sentiment throughout the week. Representative Mike Lawler of New York, a freshman Republican who won a district that voted for Biden in 2020 and whom Biden has praised in the past, told The Independent that Harris would have to answer for Bidens agenda. Right now, when you look at the dynamics in swing districts across New York, President Trump is up and part of the reason is is not so much about Joe Biden, but the policies, Lawler said. So regardless of what the Democrats try to do, it doesn't change the policies and Kamala Harris owns those policies. She was part of this administration. Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota opined that Democrats are in a no-win situation. If its not Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party unravels, Cramer told The Independent. If it is Kamala Harris, she has to defend the same record. Cramer also cited the fact that Harriss presidential campaign did not go the way she wanted. Quite honestly, once the presidential spotlight gets turned on Kamala Harris, well all be reminded why she got exactly the same number of votes as I did: zero, he added. Kellyanne Conway, Trumps former counsellor and campaign manager, said essentially the same thing. The Democrats would position this because this is what they like to do they will position this as historic, you have a chance to make history, she said, of the idea of Democrats putting Harris forward as presidential nominee. Conway then speculated that Harris could pick a running mate like Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro to take the Keystone state off the map. But all of this remains hypothetical. Biden appears defiant, even as multiple news reports circulate about his exit. His campaign released an ad on Friday lambasting the media that appeared almost Trumpish in its tone: Same old Trump, same old media. Its clear that Republicans would have a far easier time running against Biden than the younger Harris. Polling alone can tell us that. But they are planning for all contingencies. They are already dredging everything up from her past in order to be prepared for the eventuality. If she does take on the torch, certainly expect them to make hay out of the fact that Harris was tasked with handling migration at the US-Mexico border by Biden. On that issue, public opinion is firmly on the side of Republicans. It turns out, contrary to what shes fond of saying, Harris might not be able to be unburdened by what has been. -Andrew Feinberg contributed reporting. MILWAUKEEThe Republican Party late Thursday concluded perhaps its most unified convention in nearly a half-century, sidelining years of bitter infighting over the direction of the GOP and providing freshly minted presidential nominee Donald Trump a critical boost as the next phase of the 2024 campaign begins. In interviews on a buoyant convention floor, Republican delegatessome who have attended the partys quadrennial presidential nomination proceedings since the 1960s and 1970stold The Dispatch key factors produced a gathering that, atypically, appeared free of discontent. Atop that list is the failed attempt to assassinate Trump that delegates say invigorated them with extra purpose and resolve. Delegates also were quick to credit Trumps command of the GOP, truly unrivaled for the first time, and the discipline and organization of his campaign. Weve never had a convention this unified. Ronald Reagans conventions werent this unified, said Charlie Gerow, a Pennsylvania delegate attending his 12th convention. Gerow hasnt missed a Republican convention since his first in 1976, when he traveled to Kansas City to serve as a delegate for Reagan, who unsuccessfully challenged President Gerald Ford for the nomination. The historically unusual aspect of this general election contestpitting two presidents against each otheralso appears to be fueling Republican unity. With any new candidate, a sense of the unknown, or distrust, can generate pockets of opposition at a convention, with skeptical delegates concerned about the nominees agenda. But in Trumps case, Republican delegates feel like they know exactly what theyre getting. So delegates are not only particularly motivated to oust President Joe Biden, but uniformly enthusiastic about the prospect of his predecessor returning to power. The desperation and hunger to replace Biden with Trump cannot be overstated, explained California delegate Shawn Steel. And now after the assassination [attempt] its gone [to a] much higher level. Steel, attending his ninth Republican convention, began showing up in 1964, to observe the nomination of Barry Goldwater in San Francisco. Joe Biden has unified us more than anyone, Texas delegate Donnie Wisenbaker said. We realize that weve got to quit the infighting, quit bickering with each other, be like Ronald Reagan wasif you agree with [me] 80 percent of the time, youre my friend. Wisenbakers first convention was 2016, which featured a raucous revolt on the floor in Cleveland as a group of delegates organized in an ultimately failed attempt to deny Trump the nomination. Trumps effectiveness at driving foes out of the party, a deliberate effort nearly a decade in the makingor making it clear they were unwelcome at his third consecutive nomination conventionno doubt helped initiate the unity on display in Milwaukee. Had the former president embraced big-tent politics and accepted the inclusion of Reaganites who disagree with him, some objections to his leadership or agenda might have emerged this week, consistent with the divisiveness still plaguing Republicans in Congress and elsewhere. Trumps nomination acceptance speech to the 43rd Republican National Convention, which he promised would be a paean to national unity, was at times just that. The discord and division in our society must be healed. We must heal it quickly. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart, Trump said from the stage inside downtown Milwaukees Fiserv Forum arena. I am running to be president for ALL of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America. This election should be about the issues facing our country and how to make America successful, safe, free, and great again, Trump continued. In an age when our politics too often divide us, now is the time to remember that we are all fellow citizenswe are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. At other times, the roughly 90-minute address offered the sort of combative politics Trump is known for, such as when the 45th president referred to his 2020 loss to Biden: They used COVID to cheat. Trumps focus on unity, if only for one week, was bolstered by his eleventh-hour decision to invite 2024 GOP primary rivals to address the convention. And unlike Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in 2016, both Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. and ex-U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley offered full-throated endorsements of the nominee. Rebellion, upheaval, and lamentation have been predictable qualities of convention life for Republicans over the years. Eight years ago it was the Reagan wing of the party disappointed over the elevation of Trump. In 2012, forces aligned with the libertarian-minded Ron Paul felt mistreated by nominee Mitt Romney, a chamber-of-commerce-style Republican. In 2008, the Republican base was broadly unenthusiastic about nominee John McCain, despite his status as a war hero. All the way back in 1992, conservative populist Pat Buchanan delivered a defiant speech to the convention that almost completely overshadowed the nominee, President George H.W. Bush. This week in Milwaukee, if you listened closely enough, you could hear Reagan-era Republicans complain about vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance. The freshman Ohio senators economic and foreign policy populism does not mesh with the free market internationalism of pre-Trump era Republicans. But there were no signs of disquiet on the convention floor among delegates. Nor was there widespread grumbling about changes Trump made to a Republican Party platform that relaxed opposition to abortion. And that relative silence was striking. Shontelle Blair, a delegate from Iowa attending her first convention, believes opposition to Trump was absent from the hall because even past Republican skeptics of the former president are finally looking past his provocative rhetoric and behavior and focusing on issues. People are tired of the high pricesthe high energy [prices]working two and three jobs, she said. They might have not liked the tweetsI dont think people, maybe, so much, liked the rhetoric. But his policies worked. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. MILWAUKEE (AP) The last time Republicans gathered for a full convention, they were plagued by internal division and fear. Morale was near rock bottom. And the party's presidential nominee showed little desire, or capacity, to add new voters to his political coalition. What a difference eight years make. The Republican officials, strategists and activists who packed Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention this week expressed a collective confidence at levels not seen in decades. Boos and infighting marred Donald Trump's first convention in 2016, but this one was defined by overwhelming displays of unity as GOP leaders Trump skeptics among them reveled in what most view as an all but certain victory come November. Trump's survival after nearly being assassinated at a Pennsylvania rally over the weekend, they said, was the last piece to bring everyone together in spite of the former president's extraordinary personal and political baggage. It feels like 1980, said a smiling New York GOP Chair Ed Cox on the convention's red-carpeted floor this week, referring to Ronald Reagan's landslide presidential victory. Cox pointed to a sense of inevitability building around Trump and the GOP. We finally came completely together. For Democrats, it is the worst of times. Back in Washington, the party intensified a public and private lobbying effort to force President Joe Biden to drop out of the race after his disastrous debate against Trump last month. Donors, elected officials and leaders within Biden's own campaign believe he cannot win. And an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll indicated that the vast majority of Democratic voters have lost confidence in Biden's ability to govern and want him to step aside before it is too late to stop Trump. Only about a third of Democrats believe Biden is more capable than Trump of winning in November, according to the poll, which also found that nearly two-thirds of Democrats say Biden should withdraw from the presidential race and let his party nominate a different candidate. By contrast, about 7 in 10 Republicans say Trump is more capable of winning the election. Almost no Republicans think Biden is more capable of winning. The doubters include Black Democrats, who make up the backbone of Bidens political coalition. Only about half of Black Democrats think Biden is better able to win, according to the poll. Many Democrats now privately expect or perhaps hope that someone other than Biden will be on stage to accept the partys nomination when the Democratic National Convention begins in Chicago in a month. Hours before Trump's triumphant convention speech on Thursday, a top Biden campaign official repeatedly pushed back against a flurry of new questions about whether the president is going to step aside. "I do not want to be rude, but I dont know how many more times I can answer that, Quentin Fulks, principal deputy manager of Bidens reelection campaign, told a news conference in Milwaukee when asked whether the president's commitment to his reelection may be softening. There are no plans being made to replace Biden on the ballot. There's still plenty of time for surprises Election Day is 109 days away. The first early votes will be cast in just eight weeks. And recent elections suggest that the conventional wisdom is often wrong. Some national polls do show a close race, though others suggest Trump with a lead. Some state polls have contained warning signs for Biden, too, including a recent New York Times/Siena poll that suggested a competitive race in Virginia, a state Republicans last won 20 years ago. But history is littered with examples of stunning political upsets, including Trump's own 2016 election against Democrat Hillary Clinton. Every time you start to get confident, pick up an article about Tom Dewey, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told a convention luncheon this week, referring to a Republican challenger who was favored against a struggling Democratic president in 1948. Tom Dewey was picking his Cabinet ... in mid-September because the election was over, Gingrich said. Republicans were totally confident. And Harry Truman won. Trump also enters the general election with huge liabilities. He is the first major party nominee to be found liable of sexual abuse in a civil trial. In May, he was convicted of 34 felonies for trying to hide hush money payments to a former porn actor during the 2016 election. Rioters loyal to Trump swarmed the U.S. Capitol less than four years ago, inspired by his lies about the election he lost to Biden. In the vast majority of his public appearances in the years since, Trump has spread the same lies about election fraud that triggered the insurrection and he has laid the foundation for similar calls if he does not win in November. Politically, he takes credit for the Supreme Courts reversal of Roe v. Wade, which has led to a crush of unpopular abortion restrictions across the nation, even as he tries to distance himself from Republican calls for a national abortion ban. And Democrats have spent months linking him to the maximalist ideas of the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, staffed by many of his allies and former aides, which has proposed firing tens of thousands of government workers and imposing sweeping changes across American life. Trump's campaign is eying longtime Democratic states But dozens of Republicans interviewed at the convention this week pointed to a rare confluence of events from a judge Trump appointed dismissing the classified documents case against him in Florida, to Biden's struggles, to the failed July 13 assassination attempt that give them supreme confidence. Republican National Committee member Henry Barbour, who did not support Trump in the recent primary, predicted that Trump is poised to become the first Republican in 20 years to win the popular vote. I didnt vote for Trump in the primary. I voted for Nikki Haley. But I am moved by him talking about his desire to bring the country together, Barbour said. Going through a near-death experience, and Ive done it, it really tends to focus the mind. Matt Mowers, a strategist who worked on Trumps first political campaign, said that Trumps worst day in the 2024 campaign, politically speaking, is better than his best day during that 2016 campaign. And Trump pollster and senior adviser Tony Fabrizio said Trump now has more than two dozen realistic paths to clinch the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. The most likely, he said, comes by adding Georgia and Pennsylvania to the states Trump carried in 2020. But Fabrizio also pointed to legitimate opportunities to compete in Democratic-leaning Minnesota and Virginia and even Democratic strongholds like New Mexico, New Jersey and Maine. The more they are in denial about the situation, the better it is for us, Fabrizio said. ___ Associated Press writers Thomas Beaumont in Milwaukee and Will Weissert in Washington contributed. ___ Follow the AP's coverage of the 2024 election at https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024. Unverified reporting from Newsmax commentator Mark Halperin set the far-right network ablaze Thursday night with word that President Joe Biden would step aside before the weekend, but would not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris while doing so. In a bid to understand just how this would be received, Newsmax turned to a curious person to speak on behalf of the Black community: Don Trump Jr.s fiancee, Kimberly Guilfoyle. And I mean, recent polling shows, I mean, we have Kamala looking worse than Joe Biden in these swing states, prompted Newsmax host Rob Schmidt. If they do that, how are Black women going to respond when you try to subvert the woman on the screen? Well, theyre going to be very unhappy, Guilfoyle said, completely speculating. I mean, Joe Biden chose her because he said she was the best person to serve as vice president of the United States. But to pass over her is going to be a huge problem, probably with African-American Black voters, Black women voters, all of the above. It wasnt Guilfoyles only flub of the convention. Speaking before the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, Guilfoyle blatantly lied about the quality of the jobs market when Donald Trump left office. She also suggested that she recently spoke to the centenarian veterans who fought in World War II about the unrecognizable nature of the U.S. while conveniently forgetting that it was fascismnot communismthat America fought in the war. The soon-to-be Trump was also caught in an unfortunate visual gaffe just inches behind Trumps head on Thursday night when she was caught aggressively grabbing her crotch on live television. The News MILWAUKEE For four joyful days here, Republicans celebrated. Their party had instantly rallied behind the ticket of Donald Trump and JD Vance. Democrats were melting down, panicking about Joe Biden, trying to convince him to abandon his campaign. By Thursday afternoon, delegates were fretting that he might. If you replace Biden with anybody, itll be harder, said Wes Nakagiri, a Michigan delegate who arrived to the Fiserv Forum dressed up as the 81-year old president a Biden mask, a hospital gown, and an inflatable walker. Hes so bad! Strictly from a selfish standpoint, I hope he stays in. It was a dizzying split-screen. Trump, the survivor of a failed assassination attempt, spent a week being prayed for and cheered for by energized Republicans. Hulk Hogan ripped off a tank top to reveal a Trump-Vance shirt, pledging to make Trumpamania run wild again! Delegates recited the names of service members killed during the evacuation of Afghanistan, and chanted fight, fight, fight, as Trump had, after a bullet aimed at his head had grazed and wounded his right ear. A somber ex-president began his third acceptance speech retelling that story, steps away from gear belonging to the firefighter killed at the rally. Democrats spent the week leaking damaging stories about Biden, working to replace the president with a younger and, hopefully, more electable ticket. As rumors swirled, Republicans wondered how theyd handle the switch. Biden was uniquely weak, they said. But any Democrat would have to own his record. Its not about his state of mind, said former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, asked how his party would adjust, if it didnt get to run against Biden. Its not about age or dementia, or anything like that. Its about policy. Know More Republicans hadnt held a convention like this in 20 years unified behind one candidate, every set piece going to plan, no distractions, celebrity guests on script. Biden was treated alternately as a joke, and a threat, a stumblebum (the Barney Fife of border security) whose carelessness was killing thousands of Americans. But as the week wound down, they contemplated an election against a new Democratic ticket, without all of Bidens weaknesses. They expected it to be led by Vice President Kamala Harris unpopular, but not as tongue-tied or feeble as Biden. By Wednesday night, when Biden was diagnosed with COVID-19, a candidate swap was easier to imagine. I sent a text to the powers that be you better make your speech about Kamala, Turning Point USA president Charlie Kirk told Semafor. I think shell help with the Democrat base, but hurt with traditional, Republican, suburban voters. Shortly after the first presidential debate, many within Trumps orbit were indeed not convinced Biden would ever step aside: The president, they noted, was stubborn, and Democrats had already picked him. Now, that mindset is shifting along with the rest of the political world. One person close to the campaign told Semafor that Trumps senior team has worked with him to prepare for any scenario. We are ready, this person said. According to other Trump allies, Harris would be especially easy to define. She is the gaslighter-in-chief specific to Oh, hes fine. Oh, hes in great shape, Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita said during a Politico-CNN Grill event on Thursday, previewing a potential attack line in a campaign against Harris. The border tsar? said LaCivita, using a nickname Republicans gave Harris after Biden tasked her with talking to Mexican and Central American leaders about stopping illegal border-crossings. Please! Id love it. The convention ended with no clarity on the Democratic crisis, which encouraged Republicans. Missouri Attorney General Jay Ashcroft, a candidate for governor, said that Democrats would appear to be election deniers if they dumped Biden after every primary was over. The Democrats are continually projecting their failings on the opposite party, he said. Matt Schlapp, the president of CPAC, joked that Democrats were so panicked about facing Trump that they might pick a nominee in a tofu-filled room, far away from voters. Davids view Trump closed out the RNC with what strategists had promised all week: A more somber speech, with multiple calls for unity, and a fair amount of unscripted filler. It was the long, languorous, acoustic version of a set usually played on fuzzed-out monitors. The convention portrayed America as endangered and impoverished by his successor. Clips of Biden stumbling and stammering had played on convention screens all week, but Trump didnt talk much about him, or about Harris. What did that mean for Democrats? They talk more openly every day about Bidens inability to beat Trump, which they attribute to his age, and not the partys four-year record. Trump took the chance to reintroduce himself as a misunderstood, lied-about savior. That message could work against any Democratic nominee; nostalgia for the Trump years had put him in a strong position even before Bidens disastrous Atlanta debate. But Republicans clearly want Biden to stay in the race, draw the starkest contrast, and lose. Notable Bidens supporters have been encouraged by a model from the site FiveThirtyEight that shows him with even odds against Trump. Semafors Max Tani looks into why its so much more bullish on Biden than other forecasting models. Republicans have not been as good at marketing the success that has come out of this conservative movement as we should, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said. (Baylor Spears | Wisconsin Examiner) U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, speaking to other Black delegates at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, wanted to reassure them of one thing they are not alone. As African-American conservatives, sometimes its easy to feel like youre the only one here, Scott said at a Wednesday event dedicated to honoring the Black delegates at the RNC. You are not alone. There are thousands, if not millions all around the country who believe like we believe, pray like we believe, do what we know that needs to be done. If we keep doing, the people will follow. It came the day after Scott, who is the only Black Republican in the Senate, took the stage of the RNC to declare that America is not a racist country in a passionate speech in support of former President Donald Trump. Amber Rose, a biracial model and rapper, also said on stage that former President Donald Trump isnt racist and called Republicans my people. That message is representative of Republicans efforts throughout the week to expand their efforts to find Black voters who may agree with them on social and economic issues and get them to vote for Republicans this year. Black voters have represented a reliable base of support for Democrats for decades. According to a recent report from Pew Research Center, 83% of Black voters in the U.S. are Democrats or lean Democratic, while 12% align with Republicans. In a swing state like Wisconsin, the efforts to win more Black voters could be particularly impactful. Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, who built a broad umbrella of support that helped him win four terms in office, said the party hasnt done enough to reach voters in Milwaukee and Madison, including those in Black communities. Thompson said that he has always gone out of his way to connect with Black voters, and the effort is part of the reason that he was able to win Milwaukee County three times. When I first ran, I used to get out into the Black churches, Thompson said on Tuesday. According to a 2017 report from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Thompson didnt sweep primarily Black voting wards when he ran, but he did significantly outpace Republicans who have been on ballots in other years. You cant govern unless you win, Thompson said, noting that if the party can cut down the number of votes going to Democrats, Republicans could win. That means we have to go into Madison, go into Milwaukee, get those votes. Milwaukee County is where nearly 60% of the states Black population resides. Republican leaders habitually treat the city of Milwaukee as a punching bag, withholding state funds and attacking Milwaukee in the state Legislature (Trump continued that tradition, calling Milwaukee a horrible city ahead of the RNC). The Wisconsin GOP also has a recent history of attempting to suppress the votes of Black Milwaukee residents, including through voter ID laws and targeted ads meant to discourage voting. Wisconsins Republican delegation to the RNC turned to Scott this week and to other Black Republicans to explore ways the party can reach Black voters in the swing state. Ben Carson, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Trump administration and a neurosurgeon, spoke to the Wisconsin delegation Tuesday, in a speech that accused public schools of trying to indoctrinate children on gender issues and undermining the traditional family. During his speech, Carson also criticized people who are trying to denigrate the nations founding fathers by saying they were horrible people because they owned slaves. Slavery was terrible, dont get me wrong but are we unique in having slavery? Carson said. No. Minnesota state Rep. Walter Hudson, another Black Republican who attended the Wisconsin delegation breakfast on Tuesday, said conservative social messages resonate with some Black voters. Hudson said its important from an electoral standpoint for the party to expand its support because it doesnt hurt to have more people voting Republican. But more than this, he said that its important from a cultural perspective that Republicans have something to offer and something of value to the Black community. Hudson recalled attending a two-hour church service on the northside of Minneapolis. The message of the sermon, he said, was conservative as hell. It was family, manhood, responsibility, getting your life right, testimony from people who [said] I was once in these streets gang banging and doing drugs and then I found Jesus and now Im mentoring youth, Hudson said. Hudson said winning over voters requires the correct approach. Ive been around long enough to see different iterations of this minority outreach, Hudson said, while gesturing air quotes. It has not been well conceived of in the past because they were approaching it from the wrong attitude. They were approaching it from that prescriptive attitude of were gonna go in there and tell them what they should think. He said that includes the mentality that Black people need advice like, If fathers would just stay home with their kids and If they would just get jobs. Hudson grew up apolitical in a family of Jehovahs Witnesses, and said he had his political awakening in high school when he started listening to Rush Limbaugh who hed heard was provocative and funny. The radio host, who died in 2021, was known for insulting liberals and pushing of American conservatism towards the populist right, leading to the rise of Trump. None of the things he was saying fit the exaggeration of how it was described. What he was saying was, in fact, in line with my own kind of personal values, and the way Id been raised, and thats kind of when I realized that I was conservative, Hudson said. Hudson said he tries to approach voters with a similar curiosity to see where commonalities may lie, and that this is the approach that Republicans need to adopt. We need to go to the Black community with what our existing coalition thinks, take the risk of being inquisitive and asking the question, Well what is it that you actually value? How are you actually being failed? What kind of policies would help you? Hudson said. What youll discover is opportunities to create kind of a Venn diagram where you might be able to find some crossover and if you can find that crossover, that becomes the link in the chain that can pull people along. Beyond social conservatism, economic policies are something that could prove a point of connection. Scott of South Carolina visited the WisGOP Black Community Center an office space on the corner of N. Dr. MLK Jr. Drive and E. North Ave. in Milwaukee that was established in 2021 to discuss economic opportunities created by the Republican party. He was joined on a panel by Milwaukee Alderman Russell W. Stamper II, developer Kaylan Haywood Sr., Republican Party of Wisconsin Executive Committee member Will Martin and RPW vice chairman Gerard Randall. One of those successes, he said, came from the Economic Opportunity Zones program that was established by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was signed into law under Trump. Scott said the goal was not to invest government funding into these areas, but rather to provide a framework using federal tax incentives to encourage private parties to invest in economically disadvantaged communities. There are 120 designated Opportunity Zones across Wisconsin. The goal isnt simply to lift African Americans out of poverty. The goal is to lift all people out of poverty, Scott said. It just so happens that disproportionately those are African-American communities. Republicans have not been as good at marketing the success that has come out of this conservative movement as we should, Scott said. One of the messages that he thinks needs to be delivered is that the country currently has the most inclusive economy that hes seen in his lifetime. Scott launched the Great Opportunity PAC with the goal of sharing that message to Black voters. Whether Republicans efforts to win more Black voters will be successful is yet to be seen. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, a DNC Biden delegate, told the Examiner he has doubts about the extent to which the WIGOP Community Center is connected to the community its in. I mean, go talk to those neighbors. I guarantee they would say that that is not necessarily a community center because they probably have never been into it themselves, Crowley said. GOP centers that aim to reach communities of color havent always been successful in Milwaukee. One that was dedicated to outreach to Latino communities closed in 2022, though the party has since announced that it plans to open another one in August. When it comes to courting Black voters in Milwaukee, Crowley also said bringing in Scott is not going to be the way to do it. Especially when Sen. Tim Scott comes to Milwaukee during the convention [and] says something along the lines that racism doesnt exist in America, while forgetting that hes in probably one of the most segregated communities in the entire country, Crowley continued. I know that there are, not just Democrats, but Republicans who happen to be Black who would say not so fast. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Riverside County health inspectors closed down one Rancho Mirage restaurant due to rodent droppings and overflowing sewage, while two Indio spots were downgraded to "B" grades, according to inspection reports. Several rat droppings were found inside a fryer at Catalan Mediterranean Restaurant in Rancho Mirage, along with sewage overflowing from the floor sink, leading to its closure. The eatery will be able to reopen once both issues have been cleaned up/repaired. Additionally, Macario's Grill and Soul of Mexico in Indio scored "B" grades during their inspections due to improper hot and cold food holding temperatures, issues with handwashing, lack of food separation and other issues. Both will have an opportunity to raise their scores when they're revisited by health inspectors. Lulu California Bistro in Palm Springs was closed earlier in the week due to a cockroach infestation. The restaurant was reopened Thursday when inspectors revisited the facility and did not observe any live vermin activity. This article does not include the usual roundup of all restaurants that received "A" grades when they were visited by inspectors on July 5 through 11. The Riverside County Department of Environmental Health is in the process of transferring previous restaurant inspection reports from its old database to a new one. As a result, new reports have not been uploaded to the website since June 11. Instead, the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health will be sending weekly inspection reports to The Desert Sun until the restaurant grading site is working properly. These reports will pertain only to restaurants that were downgraded or closed by health inspectors. Major violations pose an imminent risk to public health and warrant the immediate closure of a food facility or immediate correction, while minor violations do not pose an imminent public health risk, but do warrant correction. Facility closure Catalan Mediterranean Restaurant, 70-026 Highway 111, Rancho Mirage Major violation: Observed 20-30 rodent droppings inside the fryer at the cook line Major violation: Observed sewage overflowing from the floor sink within the facility "Facility closed" sign posted and a reinspection has been scheduled for July 18 or when the county is contacted for a reinspection (It has not been confirmed if facility has been reinspected as of Friday afternoon) 'B' grades Macario's Grill, 82-347 Highway 111, Suite B, Indio Minor violations include : Issues with handwashing (observed food handling employee rinse hands at the cook line hand washing sink, with gloves still on his hands; observed employee dip his hands into the three-compartment sink sanitizer solution instead of washing hands); paper towel dispensers empty at two handwashing sinks; oyster tags prior to April 4 and after May 31 to be missing; multiple dead crickets inside multiple floor sinks around the facility; lack of food separation and possible contamination (a piece of wrapped candy stored inside the ice bin at the soda machine; cut avocado and onions stored with whole avocado, tomato and jalapeno pepper); utensils and equipment in need of repairs and cleaning; several wet, soiled towels on counter spaces around the kitchen; and others "B" card posted and a reinspection date of July 25 has been set Soul of Mexico, 44-100 Jefferson St., Suite E502, Indio Minor violations include: Improper hot and cold food holding temperatures (cooked chicken measuring 45 degrees; multiple metal containers of raw beef measuring 48 degrees; two metal containers of raw chicken measuring 47-52 degrees; multiple containers of raw fish and other seafood); multiple flies (both live and dead) were observed inside the uncooked rice bin; sauce squeeze bottles stored inside the cut onions and bell peppers metal insert in the flip top cooler and bins of chips stored uncovered underneath the steam table; raw fish stored in grocery bag inside chest freezer, large sack of onions stored directly on the floor outside of the walk-in cooler and clutter in various food storage areas; utensils and equipment in need of repairs and cleaning; drain pipes need repairs; and others "B" card posted and a reinspection date of July 19 has been set Facility reopening Lulu California Bistro, 200 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs The restaurant was previously closed on Tuesday due to a cockroach infestation. During a reinspection on Thursday, no live cockroach activity was observed within the facility Minor violations during reinspection: Lack of food separation and possible contamination (raw calamari stored on a shelf above ready-to-eat roast in walk-in refrigerator; cases of foods stored on the floor in the walk-in freezer); utensils and equipment in need of repairs "Facility Closed" sign removed and "A" card posted Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Rancho Mirage eatery closed due to rat droppings, sewage AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) The Richmond County School System (RCSS) is reminding parents and guardians of registration as the new school year approaches next month. The first day of school for Richmond County elementary schools is Monday, August 5. Middle, K-8, magnet and high schools begin Tuesday, August 6. Marcus Allen, assistant superintendent of Support Services, said the school system is looking forward to welcoming new families and helping them prepare. With the first day of school coming up, we encourage parents and guardians to register early so our educators and staff can prepare to receive students, he said. ALSO ON WJBF: 2024 Back-to-school/school supply giveaway events According to the school system, there are limited openings available in the pre-kindergarten program for Blythe, Lamar-Milledge and Jenkins-White Elementary schools. Families of new or transferring student can register online. Staff will be available at schools from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays through July 26 to answer questions about the registration process. Onsite registration at the schools begin July 31 from 8:30 a.m. 3:30 p.m. Parents and guardians needing to register online can visit the Richmond County Board of Education website online 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 WJBF. Clamour is building for Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race. Barack Obama is reportedly the latest senior Democrat to give voice to what many will have been saying for months: that Biden is too frail, physically and mentally, to fight an election, let alone do the worlds most important job for another four years. As clear a decision as it might be those not in politics, encouraging him to stand down is easier said than done. Whilst the UK PM can lose a confidence vote, the US Constitution means you cannot remove a sitting president without recourse to the 25th Amendment. Biden has been a senator since he was 30. After working his whole life to be president, it is understandable that he would be reluctant to give up the gig, especially in the face of such a brash opponent as Donald Trump. Most political exits, in the US and elsewhere, come after an obvious calamity, usually an election defeat. There was no question about Rishi Sunaks course of action after Labours landslide win earlier this month, even if the exact mechanics of him being replaced still remain up in the air. Just as it was no surprise to see David Cameron at the lectern outside Number 10 the morning after the Brexit vote. Where it is less clear is when there is no catastrophe, just a gradual shift in mood. British politics has provided several examples in recent years. For Tony Blair, it was opposition to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Theresa May was undone by her inability to get her Brexit bill through. For Boris Johnson, it was the Chris Pincher scandal rounding off frustration over Partygate. Depending on who you ask, Liz Truss was done for by her eccentric mini-budget which spooked the markets, or a left-wing conspiracy of bond traders and the Bank of England. This week, the Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething resigned only four months after taking the job having become embroiled in controversy over a 200,000 campaign donation from a man convicted of environmental offences. He went down fighting, saying: I regret that the burden of proof is no longer an important commodity in the language of our politics. In each instance, the mood had slowly turned on the leaders, making it impossible for them to govern. But not all are alike. Johnson left with a defiant Hasta la vista, making it clear he thought he disagreed with the outcome. For May, it was a case of running out of road. Theresa May's tearfully resigned in 2019 after struggling to get her Brexit deal through - Getty By the time Theresa resigned she still had a mandate to continue because she had won a confidence vote, which ought to have protected her for the rest of that year, says Paul Harrison, her former press secretary. But when its clear that you dont have the confidence of your party, mistakes get magnified. The ebbing away of individual bits of support seems more significant than it would otherwise. Rumblings of discontent become more important. Its hard to measure, but from the inside you get a sense of something gaining popular momentum. Its visceral. As an adviser, a lot depends on the mood of the principal, he adds. In Theresas case, there was a consensus that we had tried the things that were available to try. I imagine its more difficult if the principal wants to continue at all costs. Then, if youre an adviser and you dont agree, that puts you in a difficult position. But in our case there was a fairly settled view that we had run out of road. Its like a herd movement, says a senior advisor to another recent Prime Minister. Once the herd has moved, the herd has moved. Deep down, the leader knows theres nothing you can do to reverse it. In a way, as the closest advisors you can be quite slow on the uptake. Its vibes-based politics. But in my experience the exit has always been pushed by outside forces. Because to a certain extent your job is to keep the leaders sane. Leaders need a slightly delusional team to keep them standing. Theyre politicians, they know theyre time is up, but they have to give a speech so your job is to keep them up. People often forget the human element. The whole world thinks Biden is not going to run, and that man still has to go out there and pretend like he is. Perhaps the most famous Prime Ministerial resignation was Margaret Thatchers. She was forced out by her party, despite not having been defeated in a general election. Charles Moore, her biographer, says the manner in which she was forced out left a strong sense of injustice. Thatcher's decade long premiership resulted in her own party rejecting her - Daily Mirror The great difficulty in her mind about this was What have I done wrong? Ive won every election Ive fought for you, three of them, and Ive even won the first round of the election youre trying to get me out of, he says. She got more votes in the first round than Michael Heseltine, just not quite enough to avoid the second ballot. In her mind, it was a case of: What more do you want from me? Im not old, Im not ill and its not as if you have a successor lined up for me. Youre telling me [I should go] but why should I? That was very strong psychologically. I met her not long afterwards when she was starting on her memoirs and I asked her what she would call them. She said Undefeated. It was literally true. It was a very difficult thing to overcome in a person like her. She felt people had been very disloyal. She was always unreconciled to it. A great many people felt that her time should be drawing to a close, he adds. Eleven and a half years was long enough and she had become unpopular. But they felt she should lose in a fair fight, which means a general election. She would have been shattered to lose but she would have seen it as fair. You cant argue with the voters. On her tenth anniversary in office Dennis did advise her to go. She said she would but didnt. His advice was wise, I think. The great counterexample to all this is Donald Trump. As with the general rules of politics, the conventions around resignation seem not to apply to him. While Biden faces mounting pressure from his own ranks, Trump, with independent wealth and an enormous base of passionate fans, seems able to toy with his opponents at will. Trump is an anomaly, says Alex Holder, director of the documentary Unprecedented, about the 2020 American presidential election. If Trump was in the same position as Biden is now, I dont see a scenario in which he ever acquiesces. With Biden, it seems that he will go. Another thing he has that other politicians dont have is that Trump could destroy the Republican party. In Britain, the Conservative Party is still bigger than Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak or even Boris Johnson. At the time of writing, it seems likely that Biden will stand aside. Whether that helps the Democrats win the election is another matter. If Trump is re-elected, we must not expect any graceful resignations. Last time, he refused to stand down even after he lost. 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. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The Ridgecrest Police Department is investigating a multiple-vehicle crash, police believe alcohol was a factor in the crash. Officers were dispatched to the intersection of North China Lake Boulevard and West Reeves Avenue for the crash on July 18 just before 6 p.m. Prior to the officers arrival, the suspect fled the scene but was apprehended by officers. Police say several subjects were taken to the hospital with injuries. Their current condition is not immediately known. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17. People arrive at Fiserv Forum for the Republican National Convention Thursday in Milwaukee. Paul Sancya via Associated Press A clip of white college students mocking a Black woman was included in a video montage praising anti-woke college students at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday. The original video, which was filmed at a pro-Palestinian protest at the University of Mississippi, went viral this spring. In it, a white male counterprotester mocks a Black woman by making monkey sounds, while others gesture and yell in her direction. The clip included in the montage did not show anyone making obscene or racist gestures but was easily recognizable as being from the high-profile incident, which was widely condemned. Not all college students have gone woke. They should be celebrated, the narrator says in the RNC video. Neither the Trump campaign nor a spokesperson for the RNC responded to HuffPosts request for comment. University chancellor Glenn Boyce said in a statement at the time that the students actions displayed hostility and racist overtones. As a public institution, we are committed to supporting the rights of our students, faculty, and employees to express their views in a respectful manner and to assemble peacefully as guaranteed by the First Amendment, he said. However, some individuals at the demonstration acted in ways that conflict with our universitys values. One of the students was kicked out of his fraternity following the incident, Mississippi Free Press reported. The university also launched a conduct investigation into an unnamed student after the protest, according to Time. Biden campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika told HuffPost that the video shown at the RNC pushed further division. Donald Trump promised unity at his convention. Instead, he delivered bigotry, division, and straight-up racism that turned dog whistles into bullhorns, Chitika said. The video elevated by Trump and his RNC is beneath the office of the President, and its proof that their empty pandering to voters of color is nothing more than lip service to paper over decades of racism. UAW President Shawn Fain (L) and former President Donald Trump (R) | Photos by Anna Liz Nichols and Ashley Murray Former President Donald Trump used his acceptance speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee to call for the firing of United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain. The leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately, said Trump, as he formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination. And every single auto worker, union and non-union, should be voting for Donald Trump. While Fain has yet to personally respond to Trumps statement, his union was quick to respond on social media. @realDonaldTrump is a scab and a billionaire and thats who he represents. We know which side were on. Not his, stated the post. Trumps antagonism toward Fain is nothing new, nor Fains dismissal of Trump as looking out for working-class people. Donald Trump is a scab, Fain said to loud applause and whistling at the UAWs biannual political conference in Washington, D.C. in January when the UAW officially endorsed President Joe Biden. 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, said Fain. The call for Fains firing came three days after Teamsters President Sean OBrien addressed the convention and called Trump, appearing publicly for the first time since an assassination attempt, one tough S.O.B while also urging Republicans opposed to organized labor to rethink their stance. Trumps call for Fains firing followed his claim that China was planning to sell vehicles in the United States after being assembled in Mexico. The United Auto Workers ought to be ashamed for allowing this to happen, said Trump, although how the UAW could control one foreign nation building cars in another foreign nation wasnt clear. While it is true that Chinese companies have been building cars in Mexico with the intention of selling them in the U.S., they have been unsuccessful in doing so, especially with a 25% tariff instituted during the Trump administration, which was increased to 100% by Biden in May. Trump also continued to claim the Biden administration has instituted electric vehicle mandates, a theme echoed earlier in the week by former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) when he spoke to the convention. Rogers is running for U.S. Senate. The GOP talking point refers to Environmental Protection Agency targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions by mid-century that factored in anticipated increases in electric vehicles. As the demand for EVs has fallen off, the Biden administration has adjusted its forecast for EV transition, with no actual mandate. Fain, meanwhile, gained momentum for the American labor movement when he secured record-breaking new contracts last fall with General Motors, Ford and Stellantis (a.k.a. the Detroit Three). The UAW then followed that up with a $40 million commitment in February to organize non-union automobile and electric vehicle battery workers over the next two years, which Fain described for Michigan Advance at the time as a generation-defining moment. That effort has had mixed results. The UAW won a historic victory in April when Volkswagen workers in Tennessee became the first southern autoworkers outside of the Detroit Three to join the union. That was tempered in May when workers at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Alabama voted against the union. Fain is also dealing with an independent UAW monitor as the union is under federal oversight investigating both he and Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock amid a leadership shakeup. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE Clement Boateng, 36 - a gangbanger who lives down the block from the scene of the senseless July 2 murder of Ronald Gomez Mesa, 29 - was picked up around 10 a.m. by the NYPD's Warrants Squad and charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon, police said. The road-raging, gangbanger who allegedly stabbed a Bronx dad to death was arrested Thursday, cops said leaving the victims grieving family calling for the alleged killer to be locked up. Clement Boateng, 36 who lives down the block from the scene of the July 2 murder of Ronald Gomez-Mesa, 29 was picked up around 10 a.m. by the NYPDs Warrants Squad and charged with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon, police said. Were relieved they found the killer but we want justice, Gomez-Mesas sister, Ronaysi Gomez, 25, told The Post in an exclusive phone interview. We dont want him out of prison. He cant be let out. A killer cant be out on the street or he could kill again. Boateng who is affiliated with the River Park Towers gang has four prior arrests, the most recent of which is from Sept. 22, 2016 for charges including criminal possession of a weapon, cops and sources said. The bust came just a day after loved ones buried Gomez-Mesa in his native Dominican Republic, his second home, his sister said. Family photo obtained by NY Post His latest bust for the road-rage slaying came just a day after loved ones buried Gomez-Mesa in his native Dominican Republic, his second home, Ronaysi said. It was hard laying Ronald to rest, Ronaysi said of her brother, whose daughter, Rosalia, turns 3 next week. We still dont believe hes gone. No one can believe it, not his friends or family. My mom is still devastated. This is hard for her. Ronald was the child who looked most like her. They were practically twins. Gomez-Mesas family is relieved they found the killer but we want justice, according to his sister. Family photo obtained by NY Post The broad-daylight violence erupted after a man and a woman got in a small car accident outside Jason Deli and Grocery on West Tremont Avenue and Phelan Place, according to law enforcement sources. The woman phoned a male friend, who showed up at the scene and randomly began attacking witnesses after someone threw something at him. The thrower took off on a moped, according to surveillance video. The irate attacker lunged at two men sitting nearby including Gomez-Mesa. Boateng, 36, allegedly attacked Gomez-Mesa an innocent bystander during a road rage brawl, cops and sources said. Courtesy of Rafael Castillo Gomez-Mesa defended himself, throwing punches and chasing the maniac down the street, according to the video and his sister. But he couldnt ward off Boateng, who stabbed him in the chest in front of a day care center on Phelan Place, cops said. Medics rushed Gomez-Mesa who lives about a half-mile from the scene to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, cops said. Gomez-Mesa recently passed his TLC drivers license test, an accomplishment he hoped would help him provide for his toddler daughter. Jack Morphet/NY Post Gomez-Mesa, who was one of seven kids, moved to the US when he was 16, according to his sister. He carved out a life in Morris Heights, where he lived with his parents, Ronaysi and her children. About a week before he was killed, Gomez-Mesa passed his TLC drivers license test an accomplishment he had hoped would help him provide for Rosalia, Ronaysi said. Robbery Suspect Arrested After Livestreaming Police Chase with His Infant Daughter in the Backseat As a father, you just can't put yourself in that position," South Los Angeles Deputy Tony Lomedico said Getty A robbery suspect has been arrested after leading police on a high-speed pursuit while his infant child was also in the vehicle. A 21-year-old man, identified by Fox Los Angeles as Daiyaan Henderson, is now in police custody, the news station reported on Thursday, July 18. According to the outlet and NBC Los Angeles, the incident followed an armed robbery involving three men in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, July 17. After driving through Hawthorne, two of the individuals were arrested in South Los Angeles, but Henderson reportedly stole a Kia sedan and continued to evade authorities. Getty car theft stock image Today, our deputies from South Los Angeles Sheriff Station and Marina Del Rey Sheriff Station were led on a high-speed pursuit by an armed robbery suspect throughout Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said via Facebook. Unbeknownst to the deputies in pursuit, the suspect was driving recklessly with his girlfriend and 2-month-old baby inside the vehicle, their statement continued. In addition to police helicopters monitoring the pursuit, the activity inside the car was also documented as Henderson live-streamed while driving. His girlfriend was heard in the footage pleading with him to stop the vehicle. Getty Police Siren stock image Pull over and put your hands up, the woman begged off-camera in a video obtained by Fox LA. My baby is in the car, Daiyaan! The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department added that after learning of the dire situation, deputies ensured the utmost care and consideration while maintaining their officer safety in the highly tense situation. Related: 4 Florida Teens Killed After Crashing Into Pole During High-Speed Police Chase In a press conference held after the arrest, South Los Angeles Deputy Tony Lomedico said Henderson was driving like a mad man. The chase ended when the driver encountered a dead end in Culver City on Shedd Terrace and Wrightcrest Drive. Lomedico continued, In situations like these, the bad guys use the baby as a shield. And its a great moment of cowardice, that when you witness it, you kinda it pumps the brakes on everything. As a father, you just can't put yourself in that position. getty baby in car seat stock image South Los Angeles Deputy Adriana Martinez was seen in footage holding and gently rocking the baby after the chase and spoke to reporters as well. I saw she was just crying, so I just wanted to soothe her, the deputy said at the press conference. She added that she wanted to make sure the 2-month-old was okay, and checked to see if she needed any kind of medical attention. 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. We are proud of these deputies, who went from chasing an armed violent suspect to cradling a small child within mere moments and without hesitation, the sheriff's department said. The mother of the infant was not arrested after authorities determined she was the victim of a kidnapping. Henderson is reportedly being held without bail. He was booked on charges of felony evading and seven felony warrants, including kidnapping, carjacking, armed robbery and ex-felon in possession of a firearm, Fox LA NBC LA said, citing jail records. Semaj Lopez, 24, and 19-year-old Michael Smith were identified as the other men involved in the Beverly Hills robbery. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Archaeologists found stone carvings from ancient times during a diving expedition near Aswan, Egypt. | Credit: Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities During a diving expedition in the Nile River, archaeologists in Egypt discovered rock carvings featuring depictions of several ancient Egyptian pharaohs, along with hieroglyphic inscriptions. A joint French-Egyptian team found the carvings underwater south of Aswan in an area that was flooded when the Aswan High Dam was built between 1960 and 1970. Prior to the flooding, there was a large effort led by UNESCO to record and move as many archaeological remains as possible from the area. However, many artifacts could not be relocated in time and were soon submerged by the construction project. Aswan was important for the ancient Egyptians because at times it was near the country's southern border and a number of important temples are located nearby. These include Abu Simbel , a site that has four colossal statues of Ramesses II (lived 1303 to 1213 B.C.) each about 69 feet (21 meters) tall. Aswan is also home to the Philae temple complex, where the last Egyptian hieroglyphic inscription was written in A.D. 394. The team's work aims to identify and record surviving inscriptions and carvings that are now underwater, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said in a translated statement . To do that, team members are diving down to the remains and recording them using photography, video and photogrammetry, a technique that involves taking dozens of photos of an object that can later be used to create a digital 3D model of it. Related: 13 treasures the ancient Egyptians buried with their dead, and what they mean The recently found depictions of pharaohs include those of Amenhotep III (reigned circa 1390 to 1352 B.C.), Thutmose IV (reigned circa 1400 to 1390 B.C.), Psamtik II (reigned circa 595 to 589 B.C.) and Apries (reigned circa 589 to 570 B.C.) rulers from dynasties 18 and 26, ministry officials wrote in the statement. The statement had little information on what the inscriptions say or what the carvings look like, but it noted that they are well preserved. More remains will likely be found as the team's work continues. Image 1 of 2 An underwater photo showing rock carvings with curved, loopy shapes Image 2 of 2 A scuba diver swims next to a wall with carvings RELATED STORIES 4,300-year-old Egyptian tomb with stunning wall paintings was burial place of priestess and royal official Ancient Egyptian 'office workers' had terrible posture just like us, disfigured skeletons reveal 'Exceptional' discovery reveals more than 30 ancient Egyptian tombs built into hillside Live Science contacted scientists not involved with the research to get their thoughts on the carvings. Jitse Dijkstra , a classics and religious studies professor at the University of Ottawa, said the finds are interesting but more information is needed to know their significance. William Carruthers , a lecturer in the School of Philosophical, Historical and Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Essex in the U.K., said the finds show that more remains survived the flooding than UNESCO thought was possible when the organization carried out the salvage campaign in the 1960s and 1970s. Alejandro Jimenez-Serrano , an archaeologist who leads excavations at a necropolis near Aswan and a professor of Egyptology and Near Eastern Archaeology at the University of Jaen in Spain, told Live Science that Aswan was an important quarry site for granite and it is possible that the newly found remains were intended for transport to another part of Egypt. Alternatively, they could have been part of temples near Aswan. Live Science also attempted to reach archaeologists involved with the work, but they did not respond by the time of publication. ROCKFORD, Mich. (WOOD) Concerned residents came together at Rockford High School Thursday for a townhall about the recent discovery of PFAS affecting dozens of home in the Rockford area. Those residents are demanding answers. Years have gone by since Wolverine Worldwides tannery waste dumps allowed PFAS, a man-made class of chemicals linked to certain cancers, to enter private drinking wells. Thursdays townhall came after an investigation done by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy detected PFAS in dozens of private wells East of Rockford, in Courtland and Cannon townships. A map showing areas where PFAS was detected. (July 17, 2024) Red and yellow dots on a map released by EGLE are among the areas impacted by PFAS in wells in the Rockford area. Those dots show 59 tested homes with some level of PFAS with 24 of those having levels that exceed the states safety limits. This information left many residents still questioning how this could happen. Helen Fiser does not remember a life without PFAS. We live with PFAS everyday of our lives, Fiser said. We all suffer from illnesses; I have more teeth broken off in my mouth than I can count with both hands. They are rotted they are rotted away at the gums. We have animals that have died. Study finds high PFAS blood levels around old Wolverine Worldwide dump site Fiser also demanded someone be the voice for the voiceless. There just doesnt seem to be any voice for the legal system. There is no voice for the people, she added. I am leery of the EPA, I am leery of EGLE. It is kind of like having the fox watch the hen house. I dont trust our test and I guess if I dont want to trust the tests that are coming out, itll be my burden to find a laboratory thatll test it. Gail Mancewicz came to the townhall representing Concerned Citizens for Responsible Remediation, a citizen led advocacy group that has worked to find answers about the PFAS contaminations. She said she just wants to help educate people about the dangers of this chemical. PFAS is a forever chemical and its pervasive and it doesnt go away and its linked to many types of cancers that no one should be exposed to, Mancewicz said. Its life and death. I have nieces with cancers and I dont want anyone else to get cancer. New PFAS discovery near Rockford prompts Thursday townhall Some, like Fiser, want more advocacy. EGLE said that its next steps will be to continue collecting water samples in the area. We are going to keep sampling until we are finding the boundaries of our area, Leah Gies with the EGLEs Remediation and Redevelopment Division said. We want to make sure we are sampling everyone that needs to be sampled and then as far as Wolverines next steps goes, they are doing some additional ground water sampling to test further out in areas where they are finding concentrations of PFAS. While EGLE said PFAS will likely never go away, its main goal is protecting those that might be impacted. Anyone that the state is testing, if they have a detection or an exceedance of PFAS, anyone above zero is getting a filter free from state and local health departments, thats really important. If you are outside of our sampling area, we would encourage you to test your own well if you can, Gies added. If youre unsure whether youre affected by PFAS, more information an be found on the states Michigan PFAS Action Response 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 WOODTV.com. Students walk on campus at the University of Maine Orono. (UMaine photo) Schools in Maine must continue to abide by state law that prohibits discrimination based on sex and sexual orientation, despite a federal court ruling this week temporarily blocking Title IX rule changes that sought to offer such protections, according to the Maine Attorney Generals Office. After the U.S. Department of Education released its final rule for Title IX in April, aimed to protect LGBTQ+ students by extending the definition of sex discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identity, twenty-six GOP-led states sued President Joe Bidens administration over the changes. While Maine was not among these states, a federal court ruling in Kansas on Wednesday blocked the application of the rule to schools whose students or their parents are members of the advocacy groups that did join that case, which includes three K-12 schools and two colleges in Maine. The 42-page list of schools that the injunction applies to includes Narraguagus High School in Harrington, Thornton Academy in Saco and Winthrop High School, as well as the University of Maine and Bowdoin College. Maines anti-discrimination law, the Maine Human Rights Act, already prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex and sexual orientation, which includes gender identity and expression as specified in statute. This law is enforced by the quasi-independent state agency the Maine Human Rights Commission. While the five Maine schools are barred from enforcing the new Title IX regulations, they must comply with Maine law and regulations, and they may have their own policies in place that they can apply or enforce that are substantively similar to the new Title IX regulations, Danna Hayes, special assistant to Maine Attorney General Aaaron Frey, told Maine Morning Star. In the injunction issued Wednesday, the court stated nothing in this order limits the ability of any school to adopt or follow its own policies, or otherwise comply with applicable state or local laws or rules regarding the subjects addressed herein. Instead, the court went on to explain, the order simply prohibits Defendants from demanding compliance with the Final Rule by the schools affected by this order, or imposing any consequences for such schools failure to comply with the Final Rule. Frey supports the Title IX regulations, Hayes said, because they help ensure equal access to educational opportunities. Hayes also noted that Frey joined other attorneys general in a 2022 letter to the Education Department supporting the rules when they were first proposed. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST A global technology outage impacting airline flights, banking and hospitals appears to have had a minimal impact on Colorado. While some hospitals elsewhere have reported disruptions, local health care systems appear to have largely sidestepped the issue. Officials from both UCHealth and Children's Hospital Colorado reported no issues Friday. Denver Health, the city's safety net, has not responded to a Denver Gazette inquiry. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company, had a software update malfunction today that has impacted airline flights, banking and hospitals. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts, the company said in a statement Friday. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. Featured Local Savings The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. Denver International Airport officials warned passengers early Friday to check with their carriers before heading out to the airport. Flightaware was showing less than 100 DIA flights canceled or delayed early Friday. The Regional Transportation District reported via X about 6:30 a.m. Friday: "D Line suspended between i-25/Broadway and Union Station due to a communications failure. ... Expect significant delays on light rial lines." Shuttle busses are in place between Littleton/Mineral, and I-25/Broadway, according to RTD. This story is developing. MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) A somber run with an important message was held at the Connecticut State Police Academy in Meriden on Friday. Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier was killed on Interstate 84 in Southington during a traffic stop on May 30. Morgan Blann, a member of Running 4 Heroes from New Jersey, a national youth group, came to run a mile in Pelletiers honor as they do for all first responders who give the ultimate sacrifice. Fallen Connecticut State Police troopers name engraved on memorial in Meriden To help honor them, as well as to help support their family members who are currently grieving, Blann said. It just means so much to be able to give them that comfort. Pelletiers widow, Dominique, joined several local first responders in the run. Definitely feeling inspired, also running along with his wife made me a little bit prouder, Patrick Forde, a member of the DOC canine team, said. And obviously, the little girl just having the heart and being so young and just having to do this was inspiring to me. Funeral held for Connecticut State Police Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier Its nothing short of moving, is what it really comes down to, Connecticut State Police Sgt. Luke Davis said. To show how much people in the community actually care about the work that law enforcement does in public service. Morgan said she hopes to be a K9 officer like Pelletier someday. On Friday, in the shadow of his name on the state law enforcement memorial, she said her mission for now is to make sure we never forget. I just want people to understand just how much they do and how much they sacrifice every single day for us. 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 WTNH.com. Russia did not decrease intensity of its attacks despite armament supplies to Ukraine Estonian intelligence Colonel Ants Kiviselg, Head of the Military Intelligence Centre of Estonia, has stated that Russia maintains the intensity of attacks in the combat zone in Ukraine despite suffering considerable losses and gradual supply of Western armament to Kyiv. Source: the ERR portal, as reported by European Pravda Details: Kiviselg stated that the delivery of new equipment, provided by the West, to the combat zone in Ukraine did not decrease the intensity of Russian attacks. "Even though more and more of the weapons supplied by the West are gradually being delivered to the combat zone, the quantity of attacks by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation remains the same as in previous weeks. An average quantity of attacks per day is from 130 to 140," he said. Kiviselg added that Russian forces did not lack personnel so far, and good weather helps them advance, even though these advances are insignificant. "Regardless of this, the Russian Federation has not carried out a single attack using armoured vehicles. Russian forces were not able to attack with armoured vehicle units but managed to achieve tactical progress in Donetsk Oblast," Kiviselg noted. He stressed that over the last few months the Russians have been losing 1,000 soldiers per day on average. The Pentagon and the representatives of US intelligence estimate that at the moment Russia does not have enough personnel to capture much of Ukrainian territory within the next few months. Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, shares this point of view but warns that Moscow is still capable of advancing slightly in Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! Russia sentences American journalist to 16 years in prison on "espionage" charges A Russian court in the city of Yekaterinburg has sentenced Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison following a closed-door trial on "espionage" charges. Source: Radio Liberty Details: The prosecution had requested an 18-year prison sentence for Gershkovich. Radio Liberty noted that Gershkovich is the first American journalist to be charged with espionage in Russia since the Soviet era. Russian investigators claimed that the American journalist had been collecting intelligence about Uralvagonzavod, which manufactures and repairs military equipment, on behalf of the US Central Intelligence Agency. However, they did not present public evidence of espionage. Gershkovich spent 15 months in pre-trial detention and did not plead guilty. US officials and The Wall Street Journal termed the case a fabrication. The US Department of State has designated Gershkovich as "unlawfully detained". Background: On 27 June, Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich's trial over "espionage" began in the Sverdlovsk Oblast Court of Yekaterinburg. The hearing was being held behind closed doors. Support UP or become our patron! Former U.S. paratrooper and musician Michael Travis Leake has been sentenced to 13 years in Russian prison on drug charges, a Moscow court's press service said on July 18. Leake, who was a frontman of the Moscow-based band Lovi Noch, was detained in June 2023 over suspicions that he was "organizing a drug dealing business involving young people." The American national was sentenced alongside another defendant, Veronika Grabanchuk, who was also convicted on drug charges and sent to prison for eight years. Her relationship with Leake is not immediately clear. Leake, 52, denied the charges. He has lived in Russia for many years, working as an English teacher and rock musician. Sign up for our newsletter WTF is wrong with Russia? Sign up The man is only one of many other U.S. nationals detained or jailed in Russia, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg in late March 2023 on espionage charges while working on a story about the Wagner mercenary group's recruiting methods. Both he and the U.S. government denounced Russia's accusations. The journalist had been in pre-trial detention in Russia for more than a year before his trial began in Yekaterinburg on June 26. The verdict is expected later on July 19. Read also: Jailed US reporter Gershkovich to be tried for espionage in Russia Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A Russian court on July 19 sentenced Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in jail on what are widely viewed as trumped-up charges of espionage. The sentence slightly under the 18 years prosecutors had asked for will be served in a maximum security penal colony. Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg in late March 2023 while working on a story about the Wagner mercenary group's recruiting methods, as well as Russian citizens' views on the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government have denied all the charges against Gershkovich and have called them politically motivated. During the trial, the 32-year-old pleaded not guilty. The journalist has been in pre-trial detention in Russia for more than a year on espionage charges. His trial began in Yekaterinburg on June 26. U.N. human rights advocates have said Russia violated international law by imprisoning Gershkovich and should release him "immediately." In June, the Russian Prosecutor General's office accused Gershkovich of "gathering secret information" on orders from the CIA regarding a military equipment plant located 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Yekaterinburg. Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal, and the U.S. government deny that he was a spy. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed on July 17 that there is "irrefutable evidence" that Gershkovich is guilty and claimed that the U.S. and U.K. have a long history of recruiting journalists as spies. At a U.N. news conference, Lavrov said that Gershkovich's case is unrelated to any "attacks on journalism," according to the Associated Press. "I would like to assure you that, just as much as you do, we are in favor of journalism and freedom of speech," Lavrov said. Russia's descent into totalitarianism under President Vladimir Putin accelerated after the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with harsh crackdowns on independent media and free speech. Read also: A very big Russia problem NATO commander warns of post-Ukraine war threat to US and Europe Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A picture made available by the Wall Street Journal, shows Evan Gershkovich, a US citizen and WSJ reporter, who was detained by Russia's secret service FSB for alleged espionage. The Wall Street Journal/dpa A Russian court has sentenced US journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison, Russian news agencies report from the court in Yekaterinburg. The prosecution had asked for 18 years for the Wall Street Journal reporter who was convicted of espionage - a charge he, his newspaper and the US government deny. The trial took place behind closed doors. Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023. He was convicted of gathering information on the Uralvagonzavod defence equipment factory in Nizhny Tagil, which lies 130 kilometres to the north of Yekaterinburg, on behalf of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Like many Western journalists, Gershkovich had worked and researched in Russia with accreditation from the Foreign Ministry in Moscow. The Kremlin said recently talks were under way regarding an exchange of Russian prisoners held in the US for Gershkovich's freedom. The detention of US citizens in Russia often leads to fraught negotiations between Moscow and Washington. Evan Gershkovich, Wall Street Journal reporter, has been sentenced to 16 years in a Russian penal colony after being convicted of spying in a behind-closed-doors trial dismissed as a sham. The verdict was announced after three days of hearings, which Western leaders condemned as a despicable mockery of justice. Shaven-headed Mr Gershkovich, 32, who was the first Western reporter to be jailed on espionage charges since the end of the Cold War, showed no emotion when the judge handed down the sentence. Standing in a glass box, he crossed his arms and said nothing as the verdict was given. Joe Biden, US president, angrily condemned the verdict, saying: As I have long said and as the UN also concluded, there is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime. We will continue to stand strong for press freedom in Russia and worldwide and stand against all those who seek to attack the press or target journalists. Disgraceful, sham conviction The Wall Street Journal also voiced its fury at the courts ruling. Almar Latour, the chief executive of Dow Jones and publisher, and Emma Tucker, editor in chief, said: This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist. We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evans release and to support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until he is released. This must end now. Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, also called for Mr Gershkovichs immediate release, saying: The sentencing of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is despicable and only serves to underscore Russias contempt for media freedom. Journalism should not be a crime. Mr Gershkovich was accused of gathering secret information on behalf of the CIA about tank maker Uralvagonzavod in the Sverdlovsk region when he was arrested. The journalist, who had been accredited by Russias foreign ministry, had been on a reporting trip to Yekaterinburg in the Urals at the time. He has been held in Moscows fearsome Lefortovo jail since his arrest in March last year, where he relied on friends to send him vegetables to supplement his meagre diet and exercise was limited to an hour-long walk in the prison yard. His detention heightened fears among foreign journalists operating in Russia, with several media organisations withdrawing its staff from the country. Prosecutors had asked the judge to impose an 18-year term on the Russian-speaking journalist. Under Russian law, both sides have 15 days to appeal against the courts decision. Prisoner-swap speculation For months there has been speculation the Kremlin wants to use the journalist for a prisoner swap, with Russia seeking the release of Vadim Krasikov, who is serving a life sentence in Germany. Vladimir Putin hinted at negotiations for a swap in March in an interview with Tucker Carlson, the conservative US broadcaster. The Russian president said the country would be willing to exchange the journalist for a patriot, understood to be Krasikov, who was jailed for for the 2019 murder of Zelimkhan Khangoshvili, a Chechen separatist. Earlier this week Sergey Lavrov, Russias foreign minister, said talks on an exchange had been taking place. At the same time he insisted he had irrefutable evidence that Mr Gershkovich had been spying. Last month, his deputy Sergei Ryabkov said the Kremlin had been waiting for Washington to respond to its offer for a prisoner swap. Silver lining in verdict Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russia and a senior research associate of the Royal United Services Institute in London, said the formal sentencing was a necessary stage in any potential swap. If looking for silver lining in Evan Gershkovichs terrible case, given that the Russians will only do prisoner exchanges after conviction, the unholy speed with which he was tried and given this monstrous 16-year sentence means that whether or not an exchange deal is imminent and I do think that this was the main goal, with intimidating foreign journalists a secondary one it at least means it is now possible, he said. However, on Friday the Kremlin declined to comment on the possibility of an exchange. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman, said Ill leave your question unanswered, when questioned on the subject. Donald Trump has said Putin will immediately return Mr Gershkovich to the US if he is re-elected. Trump wrote on Truth Social in May: Evan Gershkovich, the reporter from The Wall Street Journal, who is being held by Russia, will be released almost immediately after the election, but definitely before I assume office. He will be home, safe, and with his family. Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, will do that for me, but not for anyone else, and we will be paying nothing! The remarks led to speculation that Putin would offer Mr Gershkovich in exchange for a drawdown of US support for Ukraine, or greater pressure for peace negotiations on its terms. Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State said an effort to bring Mr Gershkovich would be part of a process. Depending on what the other side is looking for, they will reach their own conclusions. I dont think it is dependent on elections in the United States or anywhere else. 03:36 PM BST Todays live coverage has ended. Heres a roundup of the days events: Ukraine claims to have downed a Russian Su-25 jet UK to provide Ukraine with 2bn boost to its defence industry Evan Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in sham espionage trial Russia claimed to have captured another village in Ukraines east Starmer promised Zelensky unshakeable support Zelensky addressed the UK Cabinet in historic speech Russian commander shot by his own men, says soldier Zelensky: Poland to speed up delivery of F-16s Ukraine loses more than 1,000 men in battle for single village Trump is expected to call Zelensky 03:29 PM BST Ukraine claims to have downed a Russian Su-25 fighter jet Ukrainian forces claimed to have shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jet in the Donetsk region on Friday. Our anti-aircraft guns shot down a Russian Su-25 in Donetsk region, Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Forces said on Telegram, adding that the supersonic jet was trying to fire at the positions of units of the Defense Forces. Thanks to the accuracy, skill and professionalism of our anti-aircraft fighters, today the Russian aviation has decreased by one combat aircraft, they added. Here we go again! Ukrainian warriors shot down another russian Su-25 jet in the Donetsk region. Great work! pic.twitter.com/CrWX7Sg1YR Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) July 19, 2024 03:14 PM BST UK to provide 2bn loan for Ukraines defence industry The UK has signed an agreement to loan Ukraine 2 billion for its defence industry. The document hopes to pave the way for Ukrainian-British projects that will concentrate on the supply, repair and partial production of air defence systems, armoured vehicles and ammunition. The agreement stipulates that UK suppliers can enter into loan agreements and contracts with Ukraine amounting to 2 billion, with the possibility of increasing this amount in the future, President Zelenskys office said. Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's minister of defense, and John Healey, UK's Defence Minister, sign the loan agreement in front of Volodymyr Zelensky and Keir Starmer - No 10 Downing Street 02:42 PM BST Watch: Evan Gershkovich reacts to his guilty verdict in sham trial Footage has shown the moment Evan Gershkovich reacts after a Russian court sentenced him to 16 years in jail on charges of espionage, which he strongly denies. Standing with his head held high and flashing a quick smile, the US journalist listened inside a glass cage as the guilty verdict was rapidly read out in under four minutes at the closed-door hearing. Asked by the judge if he had any questions, he replied no in Russian. 02:27 PM BST Russia claims capture of another village in east Ukraine Russias army claimed on Friday that it had captured another village in eastern Ukraines Donetsk region, where Ukraine is struggling to hold the line against an endless Russian onslaught. Russias defence ministry said its troops had liberated the village of Yurivka, a tiny settlement around 20 miles north of the regional capital, also called Donetsk. Yurivka is the third village Russia has claimed to have taken this week. Ukraine admitted it had retreated from the village of Urozhaine, 93 miles southeast of Yurivka, on Thursday, while also confirming its forces had withdrawn from Krynky in southern Kherson after a gruelling battle that cost Kyiv 1,000 troops. 01:58 PM BST Who are the other Americans jailed in Russia? Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is one of at least a half dozen Americans convicted and jailed by Russian courts in recent years. Here is a list of the most prominent cases: Paul Whelan Paul Whelan, 54, a former US marine, was arrested in 2018 and later handed a 16-year-sentence for espionage, which he denies. Washington has designated him as wrongfully detained. Michael Travis Leake After Mr Gershkovich, Mr Leake is the American most recently convicted in Russia. The musician and former US paratrooper was sentenced to 13 years in prison for drug smuggling on Thursday after his his arrest in June 2023. Robert Romanov Woodland Robert Woodland was working as an English teacher when he was arrested on charges of attempting to sell drugs. He was sentenced on July 4 to 12 and a half years in prison after partially admitting guilt. Marc Fogel A schoolteacher and former employee of the US Embassy in Moscow, Marc Fogel is serving a 14-year sentence for drug smuggling after he was detained at a Moscow airport in 2021 with 17 grams of marijuana in his luggage which he said were for medical reasons. Gordon Black An active duty US staff sergeant based in South Korea, Gordon Black was detained in May in Russias far east on suspicion of stealing money from his Russian girlfriend. A court in June found Mr Black guilty of stealing 10,000 roubles (88) from the woman and threatening to kill her, sentencing him to three years and nine months in prison. Robert Gilman Robert Gilman, a former US marine, began serving a four-and-a-half-year sentence later reduced to three-and-a-half in October 2022 after he attacked a police officer while drunk. He told the court he did not remember the incident. Prosecutors in June charged him with four additional assault charges. Eugene Spector Currently serving a three and a half year sentence for bribery, Eugene Spector, who was born in Russia and then moved to the US, was charged in August 2023 with espionage. Mr Spector, who served as chairman of a cancer-curing drug company, pleaded guilty to helping bribe an assistant to a former deputy prime minister of Russia. It was not clear how he pleaded to the espionage charge. David Barnes David Barnes was sentenced by a Russian court in February 2024 to 21 years on charges of abusing his two sons in the US. He had been involved in a custody dispute with his Russian ex-wife. The allegations had previously been investigated in Texas, where authorities found no grounds to charge him 01:46 PM BST Pictured: Evan Gershkovich in court as he is sentenced to 16 years Evan Gershkovich stands inside a glass cage as he is sentenced to 16 years on charges of 'espionage' - AP The WSJ reporter strongly denies the allegations and the US has designated him as wrongfully detained - Reuters 01:41 PM BST Watch: Zelensky tells UK it has power to steer this war towards its end Volodymyr Zelensky has shared footage of his address at Downing Street, a moment that Keir Starmer hailed as very special. Today, I addressed the UK Cabinet and emphasized that London has the decision-making power to steer this war towards its end. And it will be the right conclusionjust and fair, Mr Zelensky wrote on X. He added: It is very symbolic and important for all Ukrainians that we have such strong support and trust from the UK. Sir Keir promised Britains unshakeable support and said the UK was united in our Parliament in supporting Kyiv for as long as possible in a bilateral meeting between the two leaders. Today, I addressed the UK Cabinet and emphasized that London has the decision-making power to steer this war towards its end. And it will be the right conclusionjust and fair. pic.twitter.com/jXtnuC82LN Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) July 19, 2024 01:26 PM BST Russian commander shot by own men, says soldier The commander of a Russian unit fighting in Ukraine was shot dead and left riddled with holes by his own men, according to a phone call intercepted by Ukraines military intelligence (HUR). Our commander was killed, a good commander, he took pity on everyone. Eleven bullet wounds, a soldier told his father in the recording published by HUR on Telegram. Asked who shot him, the soldier said: The officers said they shot him, and that was it. No questions. Eleven bullet wounds. He was riddled with holes. The father responded saying they dont spare anyone there, as he accused Russian troops on the frontlines of being lawless. Thats why Im telling you not to fight, he pleaded. It comes amid reports of growing discontent among Russian ranks as ill-equipped, under-trained and maimed troops are thrown into meat wave assaults as part of Moscows relentless onslaught in Ukraines east. Russia is sending injured soldiers back to the frontline to fight in 'meat wave' assaults - Telegram 01:08 PM BST Zelensky: Poland to speed up delivery of F-16s Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, said on Friday that Poland had agreed to speed up the delivery of F-16 jets to Ukraine following his talks with Donald Tusk, Polands prime minister. Today we have a positive decision from the Polish government on a specific issue, which will allow Ukraine to receive F-16 jets sooner, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, without providing additional details. It follows Mr Zelenskys earlier comments on Friday morning when he asked his Western partners why it was taking so long to deliver the jets to Ukraine. Its been 18 months and the planes have not reached us, he complained. Yesterday, I met with Polish Prime Minister @DonaldTusk at the European political community summit in the United Kingdom to discuss strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities. And today, we have a positive decision from the Polish government on a specific issue, which will Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) July 19, 2024 12:57 PM BST Ukraine loses more than 1,000 men in battle for single village More than 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers are feared to have been killed during a symbolic battle for a single village on the left bank of the Dnipro River. The perilous months-long fight to establish a bridgehead in Krynky, a southern Kherson fishing village, has been described as a suicide mission for soldiers but is seen by commanders as crucial as for pinning down Russian forces in the area. An investigation by Slidstvo, the Kyiv-based news website, found that at least 262 soldiers had died and 778 were still missing after nine months of struggling to maintain a foothold in the settlement. Ukrainian marines were sent on a daring raid across the Dnipro, the river that bisects the country, in late October last year, in an attempt to establish a bridgehead in Russian-held territory. Read the full story here. A rotation of Ukrainian soldiers returning from their positions in the village of Krynky after crossing the Dnipro river in April - Getty Images Europe 12:49 PM BST Dozens of Indians seek help to be discharged from Russian army About 50 Indian nationals have asked their government for help to be discharged from the Russian military, Indias foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday. Earlier this month, Russia had promised to discharge the Indians falsely induced to join its army in the war against Ukraine after Narendra Modi, Indias prime minister, raised the issue with Vladimir Putin during his visit to Moscow this month. 12:10 PM BST Pictured: Zelenskys historic address to Cabinet Volodymyr Zelensky making a historic address to the UK Cabinet today - PA It is the first time since 1997 that a foreign leader has spoken at a Cabinet meeting President Zelensky asked Sir Keir Starmer to 'show your leadership' as he appealed for permission to strike Russian targets with Western weapons 11:57 AM BST Kremlin declines to comment on possible prisoner swap for Gershkovich The Kremlin on Friday declined to comment on the possibility of a prisoner swap with the US involving Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter whose trial on charges of espionage was due to conclude imminently. A Russian court unexpectedly said on Friday it would pronounce its verdict at 1pm UK time after state prosecutors demanded an 18-year sentence for Mr Gershkovich. When asked by Reuters if an exchange deal involving Mr Gershkovich was possible, Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, said: Ill leave your question unanswered. 11:55 AM BST Zelensky appeals to Cabinet for permission to strike inside Russia Volodymyr Zelensky asked Sir Keir Starmer to show your leadership as he appealed for permission to strike Russian targets with Western weapons in a historic address to the UK Cabinet. The Ukrainian president urged the British Government to help with Kyivs long-range capability as he became the first foreign leader to address the meeting of senior UK ministers in person since 1997. We are still missing the main answer to this question, Mr Zelensky told the meeting on Friday morning. Ukraine has said lifting restrictions on western resources - including British Storm Shadow missiles - to strike into Russian territory is key to strengthening its defence and securing its frontline position in the war. The UK Government had signalled that it was ultimately a matter for Kyiv how it chooses to deploy weapons, as long as international law is upheld. 11:30 AM BST Trump to call Zelensky Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky have scheduled a phone call for today, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The call would mark their first conversation since the former US president left the White House in 2021 and comes amid growing concern that Trump will curb support for Kyiv if he wins the election in November. CNN also reported on Thursday that there have been discussions for some time about the right time for the Republican nominee and the Ukrainian leader to talk. Mr Zelensky said on Thursday while attending the European Political Community UK summit that Trump returning to the White House would be hard work, but we are hard workers. Referring to the position JD Vance, Trumps pick for vice-president, has taken on Ukraine, he told the BBC: Maybe he really doesnt care, but we have to work with the United States. Donald Trump speaks to Volodymyr Zelensky at a meeting in New York in September 2019, the last time they met - AFP 11:07 AM BST Russian court fines Google over false information A Russian court fined Google 4 million roubles (35,000) on Friday for its failure to delete what the court called false information, the TASS news agency reported. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Russia has repeatedly clashed with foreign technology companies over content, censorship, data and local representation in a simmering dispute that intensified after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. 11:05 AM BST Who is Evan Gershkovich and what was he arrested for? A Russian court is due to pass a verdict on Friday in the closed-door trial of US reporter Evan Gershkovich who has been charged with espionage. But who is the first Western journalist to be detained for alleged spying since the Cold War? Hired by the Wall Street Journal shortly before Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Mr Gershkovich had been reporting on Russia for more than five years at the time of his arrest last year. The 32-year-old is a fluent Russian-speaker, the son of emigres who left the Soviet Union for the US during the Cold War. What was he accused of? Mr Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023 while on a reporting trip to the city of Yekaterinburg, 900 miles east of Moscow. He has since been held in Moscows Lefortovo prison. Prosecutors allege that he was gathering secret information on orders from the CIA about a factory producing tanks to be used in the war in Ukraine - charges that Mr Gershkovich, his employers and Washington vehemently deny. Prosecutors have asked for a sentence of 18 years. What does the US and Russia say? President Joe Biden has called Russias treatment of Mr Gershkovich totally illegal. The US has designated him as wrongfully detained, said the charges are bogus and accused Russia of using the reporter as a political prisoner. The Wall Street Journal says Gershkovich was just doing his job as a reporter accredited by Russias Foreign Ministry to report on the country. It has said the trial proceedings are a sham. The Kremlin says Gershkovich was caught red-handed, but Russia has yet to publish any evidence to support their allegations and has held his trial in secret. US reporter Evan Gershkovich stands in a glass cage in a courtroom in Yekaterinburg on June 26 - AP Crowds of journalists gather outside the closed-door hearing of Evan Gershkovich as a verdict is expected today - Shutterstock 10:48 AM BST Ukrainian drone hits Russian monastery A Ukrainian drone struck a monastery in Russias Kursk region on Friday, killing one person, the regional governor Alexei Smirnov said. A 60-year-old male parishioner is believed to have died after a drone fired eight projectiles at the St. Nicholas Belogorsky Monastery in Gornal, a village near the Ukrainian border, according to Russian media reports. There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities. Like other Russian border regions, Kursk comes under frequent attack from Kyivs forces. On Tuesday, a Ukrainian drone strike on a factory producing electrical devices in the town of Korenevo caused a major fire. 10:21 AM BST Zelensky: Addressing UK Cabinet is a privilege In a bilateral meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the UK for its unity with, and backing for, Kyiv and said we feel this support. Mr Zelensky said he wanted to discuss strong decisions in the war in Ukraine. Thank you for the invitation for the privilege for me to be here, he said. Thanks for this unity. We feel this support and your strong decisions... helped us to defend freedom and democracy in Ukraine and helped very much Ukrainian people. He added: I also want to discuss with you today also strong decisions we can have in this war [to] help us. Volodymyr Zelensky arrives at Downing Street to meet with Keir Starmer and address Cabinet - Geoff Pugh/The Telegraph 10:18 AM BST Pictured: Zelensky and Starmer hold talks at Downing Street Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky hold talks in 10 Downing Street this morning - Reuters President Zelensky thanked the UK for its steadfast support as they discussed the war in Ukraine - Reuters 10:14 AM BST Russian prosecutor seeks 18-year sentence for US journalist Gershkovich Russian prosecutors at the trial of US journalist Evan Gershkovich on Friday requested that he be jailed for 18 years on charges of spying, Russian news agencies reported. A verdict will be passed on the Wall Street Journal reporter within hours, the agencies said. Mr Gershkovich, his newspaper and the US government all reject the accusations and have referred to him as a political prisoner. The judge retired to the deliberation room to decide the verdict. The verdict will be announced today at 5pm [1pm UK time], the court press secretary said. The sentence requested by prosecutors was two years short of the maximum 20 years prescribed under Russian law for espionage. 09:49 AM BST Ukraine plans to build fleet of new war robots Ukraine is raising funds to build a new fleet of terrestrial robotic platforms that will roam the battlefield, delivering weapons, helping the wounded and firing guns. The new machines will be designed to act as mobile machine gun posts, logistics devices, tow trucks, minelayers and deminers as well as self-destructive robots. They will fight alongside people and for people. The first robots are already proving their effectiveness on the battlefield. And we hope there will be more of them soon, said a spokesman for United24, the Ukrainian fundraising platform behind the initiative. Mykhailo Fedorov, minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, added: People donate robots fight. Robotics will save the lives of our defenders: they will deliver ammunition to positions, attack enemy, demine territories and evacuate wounded. First fundraising for UGVs: a new initiative from @U24_gov_ua. People donate robots fight. Robotics will save the lives of our defenders: they will deliver ammunition to positions, attack enemy, demine territories and evacuate wounded. pic.twitter.com/plqN2Hu1fC Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) May 23, 2024 09:31 AM BST Zelensky praises UK support for Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has praised the UK for its steadfast support for Ukraine as he met representatives of British defence companies. The United Kingdom was the first country in Europe to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, tanks, and long-range weapons, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday evening. His comments came during a trip to the UK, his third since Russias full-scale invasion, as he prepared to address Keir Starmers new Cabinet on Friday and discuss strong decisions over the war in Ukraine in a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister. I had an important meeting with representatives of British defense companies. We discussed joint defense production, with a primary focus on ammunition, air defense systems, artillery, armored vehicles, and drones. The United Kingdom was the first country in Europe to provide pic.twitter.com/NEgetr3BC3 Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) July 18, 2024 09:05 AM BST UK signals go-ahead for Storm Shadows strikes inside Russia The UK intends to allow Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles for defensive strikes on targets in Russia, John Healey, the Defence Secretary, said. Were providing weapons to Ukraine for their defence of their sovereign country. And that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia. But that must be done by the Ukrainians, it must be done within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law, he told BBC Radio 4. It comes after sustained calls from Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, to lift restrictions on the use of Western-supplied long-range missiles to strike inside Russia. Asked whether Mr Zelensky can hit locations from which Russian missiles are launched, the Cabinet minister said these are complex questions and that he would not discuss the details of those sorts of things in public. 08:44 AM BST UK to provide military aid for Ukraine for rest of decade The UK will provide military aid funding to Ukraine for every year for the rest of the decade, John Healey, the Defence Secretary, said. If we take the starting point that the defence of the UK starts in Ukraine and if Putin wins in Ukraine he will not stop there, then we must stand with Ukraine, were determined to do that, he told Times Radio. And it isnt just that. Weve stepped up extra support in these first two weeks in Government. Weve also confirmed the commitment of extra military aid funding this year and for every year for the rest of the decade. As long as it takes. He added: When Keir Starmer said Britain will continue our steadfast support for Ukraine he meant it. 08:40 AM BST Pictured: Starmer gets hands-on with Zelensky and Europes leaders 08:26 AM BST UK to spearhead crackdown on Russias shadow fleet Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, is expected to tell President Zelensky on Friday that the UK will go further to place a greater stranglehold on Vladimir Putins war machine. In an effort led by the UK, 44 European countries and the EU agreed to work together to tackle the use of illegitimate vessels that threaten waterways, on Thursday at the European Political Community summit. The shadow fleet is made up of around 600 vessels and represents approximately 10 per cent of the global wet cargo fleet, Downing Street said in a statement. It added: It carries approximately 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, according to the UK, generating significant funds to fuel Russias war machine. Some of the ships are also alleged to double as Russian listening stations, while others are believed to be transporting weaponry to Russia. A cargo ship is towed towards a port in the Gulf of Finland during sunrise in Saint Petersburg, Russia on July 16 - Reuters 08:15 AM BST Zelensky to be first foreign leader to address Cabinet since 1997 President Zelensky will be hosted by the Prime Minister at an unprecedented meeting of the Cabinet. The Ukrainian leader, who will be the first official visitor to Downing Street during Sir Keirs tenure, is expected to brief the new Cabinet about the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine and the need to ramp up Europes defence industrial base to outpace the Russian threat. The last foreign leader to address the Cabinet in person was Bill Clinton, the US president, in 1997. Mr Zelensky is also set to sign a 3.5bn defence export finance deal with Sir Keir. President Zelensky will be hosted at Downing Street on Friday as he addresses Sir Keir's new Cabinet - Shutterstock 07:58 AM BST Zelensky: Where are the F-16s? President Volodymyr Zelensky once again thanked his western allies for their pledges to supply F-16 fighter jets, but questioned why they still had not arrived. Its been 18 months and the planes have not reached us, Mr Zelensky complained to the BBC. The planes, he said, were essential to help Ukrainians resist Russias aerial dominance, protecting his cities and civilians and unblock the skies. The Ukrainian leader confirmed this week that the first batch of the F-16s should arrive in Ukraine by this summer, with the second due to arrive by the end of the year. Ukraine has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of dozens of F-16s pledged to Ukraine by its Western partners since Russia invaded in February 2022 - Reuters 07:54 AM BST Germany convicts couple for smuggling thousands of drone parts to Russia A German court has convicted a German-Russian couple for smuggling thousands of drone components to Russia in violation of EU sanctions. The regional court in the southern city of Stuttgart found that the male defendant, 59, headed two companies between January 2020 and May 2023 that delivered 120,000 components to Russia. He was sentenced to six years and nine months in jail, while his 53-year-old partner and accomplice was given a suspended sentence of a year and nine months. 07:54 AM BST Welcome to todays live coverage We are bringing you all the latest updates from the war in Ukraine. 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. Cubans continue to arrive in Russia to join its forces to fight against Ukraine despite the Cuban government's attempts to clamp down on recruitment, Bloomberg reported on July 19, citing its undisclosed source. Russia has been recruiting foreigners from such countries as Nepal, Somalia, India, Cuba, and others to fight in Ukraine from the very beginning of the full-scale invasion. Russian forces have been trying to boost military enlistment at home and abroad as the need to replenish the troops has become more acute. Between 462,000 and 728,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, injured, or captured in the invasion of Ukraine by mid-June, The Economist reported in July. Cuban volunteers join the Russian armed forces through informal channels, and the total number involved in Russia's war in Ukraine is "likely in the low hundreds," the source said. Generous payments offered by the Russian military are luring Cubans to join the war as the Caribbean country struggles with power outages and food shortages amid an economic crisis that has sparked mass migration and street protests, Bloomberg said. Some Cubans are also attracted to the possibility of obtaining a Russian passport after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree in January allowing foreigners to become Russian citizens in exchange for military service. Cuba and Russia, two allies since the start of the Cold War, have reciprocal visa-free travel between the countries, as well as direct flights between Havana and Moscow. In March, Russia sent crude oil tankers to Cuba to help mitigate the economic downturn, and last month, a group of naval ships docked in Havana for a planned visit. Read also: Russia begins paying families of Indians killed fighting in Ukraine, BBC reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Aftermath of Russian attack on Mykolaiv on 19 July. Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine Russian forces have launched an airstrike on a residential area in the city of Mykolaiv, claiming the lives of three civilians. 24 more people were injured, including four children. Source: Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych on Telegram; State Emergency Service of Ukraine; Vitalii Kim, Head of Mykolaiv Oblast Military Administration Details: At 16:42, Ukraine's Air Force reported a threat of airstrikes in the southeast. Half an hour later, the Ukrainian military noted that a missile had been launched on Mykolaiv Oblast, stressing that "Mykolaiv should take cover immediately". At 17:17, Sienkevych said an explosion had been heard in Mykolaiv. He later reported that a missile had hit a residential area. Kim said ambulances were on the way to the scene. The mayor of Mykolaiv later reported: "Sadly, a civilian has been killed." Later, the Mykolaiv mayor added that "three people, including a child, are known to have been killed" in the attack. Sienkevych said that as of 21:54, 14 victims had been identified, including 4 children. According to Ukraine's State Emergency Service, three persons (including one child) were killed in Mykolaiv as of 21:20. Fifteen people were also hurt (including four children, eight of whom were hospitalised). In addition, eight apartment buildings and a kindergarten were damaged. Kim reported at 07:18 on 20 July that the number of injured has risen to 24. Quote from Kim: "[A total of] 24 people have been injured, including four children. Medical assistance has been provided on an outpatient basis to nine adults and two children. Currently, two adults and two children are in medical facilities. The blast wave and debris have damaged nine apartment buildings, a kindergarten and cars." This news has been updated since publication. Support UP or become our patron! An early morning Russian attack on a residential building in Chuhuiv in Kharkiv Oblast injured nine people, including a 14-year-old boy, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on July 19. Chuhuiv, which had a population of around 30,000 in 2022, is situated around 20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of the city of Kharkiv. The attack took place at around 4 a.m. local time, when Russian forces "hit a residential building in the central part of the city twice," Syniehubov said. Among the nine people injured was a 14-year-old boy, whose condition is stable, Syniehubov said. Seven of those who were injured were hospitalized with shrapnel wounds. According to Syniehubov, the attack destroyed nine cars, damaged multiple residential buildings, and damaged an administrative building. Read also: Zelensky: Lifting ban on strikes on Russian territory did not lead to escalation Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day killed at least seven civilians and injured at least 25, including children, regional authorities reported early on July 19. In Donetsk Oblast, five people were killed and seven injured over the past day, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin. Three civilians were killed in Hrodivka and two in Pleshchiivka, while three were injured in Myrnohrad, two in Velyka Novosilka, one in Zalizne, and one in the Mykolaivka village, the governor said. Russia launched an attack against the Kharkiv Oblast town of Chuhuiv early in the morning on July 19, injuring nine people, including a 14-year-old child, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. According to Syniehubov, the attack destroyed nine cars, damaged multiple residential buildings, and damaged an administrative building. In Kherson Oblast, two people were killed and eight injured, including a child, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. A television tower, a mobile dispensary, high-rise buildings, houses, gas pipelines, and other property were damaged. One of the two fatalities occurred on the morning of July 19, when a Russian attack killed a 72-year-old woman in the town of Bilozerka. In Sumy Oblast, a woman was injured during a Russian drone attack against the Nova Sloboda community overnight on July 19, the regional military administration reported. Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts also came under attack, but no casualties were reported. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian aerial, naval drones attack Russian base in Crimea, source says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Two medical workers were injured in Kherson Oblast on July 19 after a Russian drone dropped explosives on their vehicle, the regional military administration said. A 32-year-old paramedic and a 63-year-old driver suffered contusions, blast injuries, and brain injuries, the statement read. Both victims are being provided medical attention and are in a condition of moderate severity. The administration did not specify the location of the attack. Medical workers and facilities have been repeatedly targeted by Russian forces throughout the full-scale war. Between the outbreak of the full-scale war and April 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) has documented 1,682 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine, resulting in 128 deaths and 288 injuries among medical personnel and patients. According to the WHO, ambulance workers and other health transport personnel face especially high risks, being three times as likely to be injured or killed compared to other healthcare workers. Most recently, a Russian missile directly hit Okhmatdyt in Kyiv, the country's largest children's medical center, in a mass strike against the country on July 8. Read also: Hard work underway to reopen Kyiv childrens hospital hit by Russian missile Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian military delegation is in North Korea to help implement agreements reached by Putin, says Kremlin MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian military delegation is in North Korea to work on implementing agreements reached during President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to Pyongyang, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday. The delegation, headed by Russian Deputy Defence Minister Alexei Krivoruchko, arrived in Pyongyang on July 19, North Korea's state news agency KCNA reported and held talks with Kim Jong-un. Russia and North Korea signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" pact on June 19 2024 during Putin's visit to Pyongyang. The pact includes a clause on mutual defence in case of aggression against one of the countries, Putin said after signing the document. "Work is underway, including in implementing the agreements reached during President Putin's recent official visit to Pyongyang," Peskov told reporters on a conference call when asked about the Russian military delegation's visit. "It was a rich, informative and productive visit, and now the two sides are working to implement the agreements that were reached. Our delegation's trip occurred as part of those agreements." (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Editing by Andrew Osborn) Russian missile attack on Mykolaiv injures at least 14, kills 3, including child Editor's note: This is a developing story. Russian forces attacked the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv with a missile on July 19, killing at least three people, including a child, and injuring 14, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych said. Explosions were reported after an air raid alert went off in the region, the Ukrainian Air Force reported. A residential part of the city came under attack, Sienkevych said. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia hit a playground, damaging nearby high-rise buildings. A 12-year-old boy, an elderly woman and a man were killed, the Prosecutor General's Office said. Four children are reportedly among the injured. "Russia proves every day with its terror that pressure on it is not enough. This destruction of life must be stopped," Zelensky said. "New solutions are needed to support our defense. Russia must feel the power of the world." Mykolaiv Oblast and other southern regions regularly suffer Russian attacks. The city of Mykolaiv lies roughly 60 kilometers (37 miles) northwest of the front line in Kherson Oblast. Read also: Russian attacks against Ukraine kill 7, injure 25 over past day Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A picture made available by the Wall Street Journal, shows Evan Gershkovich, a US citizen and WSJ reporter, who was detained by Russia's secret service FSB for alleged espionage. The Wall Street Journal/dpa Russian prosecutors are demanding an 18-year prison term for US journalist Evan Gershkovich, the Interfax news agency reported on Friday, as the espionage trial of the Wall Street Journal reporter entered its final phase. The prosecution considers the allegations made in the closed-door proceedings, which opened in Yekaterinburg on June 26, to have been proven beyond a doubt. A guilty verdict - considered a certainty - could come later on Friday. Press freedom advocates, media outlets around the globe, and the US government have condemned Russia's prosecution of Gershkovich as a sham and demanded his release. Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023. He is accused of gathering information on the Uralvagonzavod defence equipment factory in Nizhny Tagil in central Russia on behalf of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker issued a statement at the start of the trial describing the proceedings in the Ural Mountains city as "shameful and illegitimate." A picture made available by the Wall Street Journal, shows Evan Gershkovich, a US citizen and WSJ reporter, who was detained by Russia's secret service FSB for alleged espionage. The Wall Street Journal/dpa Russian prosecutors are demanding an 18-year prison term for US journalist Evan Gershkovich, the Interfax news agency reported on Friday, as the espionage trial of the Wall Street Journal reporter entered its final phase. The prosecution considers the allegations made in the closed-door proceedings, which opened in the central Russian city of Yekaterinburg on June 26, to have been proven beyond a doubt. A guilty verdict - considered a certainty - is expected later on Friday. Press freedom advocates, media outlets around the globe, and the US government have condemned Russia's prosecution of Gershkovich as a sham and demanded his release. The 32-year-old reporter was arrested in March 2023. He is accused of gathering information on the Uralvagonzavod defence equipment factory in Nizhny Tagil, which lies 130 kilometres to the north of Yekaterinburg, on behalf of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker issued a statement at the start of the trial describing the proceedings in the Ural Mountains city as "shameful and illegitimate." Like many Western journalists, Gershkovich worked and researched in Russia with accreditation from the Foreign Ministry in Moscow. He spent most of his pre-trial detention, which lasted for more than a year, in a Moscow prison. He repeatedly appealed against the extension of his detention without success. Gershkovich's arrest is being seen as a warning to foreign correspondents still working in Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Paradoxically, however, his likely conviction could speed up his return to the United States. The Kremlin recently said talks were under way regarding an exchange of Russian prisoners held in the US for Gershkovich's freedom. Under Russian judicial practice, however, a conviction is usually necessary before a prisoner exchange can take place. A picture made available by the Wall Street Journal, shows Evan Gershkovich, a US citizen and WSJ reporter, who was detained by Russia's secret service FSB for alleged espionage. The Wall Street Journal/dpa The espionage trial of Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter jailed in Russia, enters its final phase on Friday as the court began hearing closing arguments. The prosecution considers the allegations made in the closed-door proceedings, which opened in Yekaterinburg on June 26, to have been proven beyond a doubt. Russian media said 32-year-old Gershkovich faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He and his employer deny the charges. Press freedom advocates, media outlets around the globe, and the US government have also condemned Russia's prosecution of Gershkovich as a sham and demanded his release. It was not clear when the judgement would be handed down, but court watchers said a guilty verdict - which is considered a certainty - and sentence were possible as soon as Friday. A court spokesman had said on Thursday, which was the trial's second day, that the presentation of the prosecution's evidence and witness testimony had been carried out and concluded. Gershkovich was arrested in March 2023. He is accused of gathering information on the Uralvagonzavod defence equipment factory in Nizhny Tagil, which lies 130 kilometres to the north of Yekaterinburg, on behalf of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Wall Street Journal editor-in-chief Emma Tucker issued a statement at the start of trial describing the proceedings in the Ural Mountains city as "shameful and illegitimate." Like many Western journalists, Gershkovich had worked and researched in Russia with accreditation from the Foreign Ministry in Moscow. The Kremlin said recently talks were under way regarding an exchange of Russian prisoners held in the US for Gershkovich's freedom. The detention of US citizens in Russia often leads to fraught negotiations between Moscow and Washington. Russian forces attacked the border area of Sumy Oblast seven times on the night of 18-19 July and on Friday morning. A civilian woman was injured when a Russian drone dropped explosives. Source: Sumy Oblast Military Administration Quote: "The Russians targeted the border areas and settlements of Sumy Oblast seven times at night and in the morning. Sixteen explosions have been recorded. Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, Nova Sloboda, Shalyhyne, Esman, and Druzhba hromadas have been bombarded. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] In Nova Sloboda hromada, one explosive device was dropped from a UAV (one explosion), leaving one civilian (a woman) injured. In addition, there was a strike with the use of one First-Person View (FPV) drone (one explosion)." Details: The Russians dropped a mine on the territory of Druzhba hromada. Esman hromada was targeted by one FPV drone (one explosion). Russian forces deployed mortars to attack Bilopillia hromada (five explosions). The Russians dropped five mines on the territory of Shalyhyne hromada. A Russian helicopter fired two rockets on Krasnopillia hromada (two explosions). Support UP or become our patron! On 13 July, a Ukrainian citizen's body was discovered on Moldovan territory near the Ukrainian border (Chernivtsi Oblast). Almost a week later, Russian news agencies and propagandists were actively disseminating information that the man had been killed by gunfire fired by Ukrainian border guards. Ukraine's State Border Guard Service stated that Russians are disseminating disinformation. Source: Andrii Demchenko, the spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda Quote: "Pro-Russian resources and Russian media are currently actively disseminating false and provocative material, claiming that a man who illegally entered Moldova died from Ukrainian border guards bullets. This material is false, provocative, and was distributed to defame Ukrainian State Border Guard Service representatives and destabilise the situation in our state. On 13 July, representatives of the Republic of Moldova's border police received information that on Moldovan territory, opposite the Sokyriany section of the Chernivtsi border detachment, a few hundred metres from the state border, a local resident discovered the body of a man who showed no signs of life. There were no signs of a violent death." Details: The spokesperson mentioned that several Moldovan news agencies reported on the discovery of the human body back then. Demchenko also stated that Moldova and Ukraine held a meeting of border guard representatives. At the meeting, it was noted that the individual was a Ukrainian citizen. Moldovan representatives assured the Ukrainian side that they will be informed about the cause of the man's death after the appropriate examinations are carried out. Support UP or become our patron! Russian forces are deploying small infantry groups without armour, utilising motorbikes near the village of Mala Tokmachka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on the Orikhove front. Source: Dmytro Lykhovii, spokesperson for the Tavriia Operational Strategic Group, during the national joint 24/7 newscast on 19 July Quote: "I would like to focus separately on the events near the village of Mala Tokmachka, where the enemy is using tactics (interesting to some, but generally familiar)... they are launching attacks with small infantry groups without using armoured vehicles, but on motorcycles." Details: Lykhovii noted that the Russians launched four attacks in the area over the past 24 hours, two of which involved the use of several motorcycles. Ukrainian troops destroyed three Russian motorcycles in one of these assault attempts, killing the riders. Support UP or become our patron! Russians resorted to torture and used electric shock: Ukraine liberates 12 more children from Russian occupation Ukraine has liberated 12 children from the temporarily Russian-occupied territories of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts. Source: Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner, reported that the children are now in Ukraine-controlled territory Details: The commissioner noted that the children's relatives told him that the Russians forced them to obtain Russian citizenship in the occupied territories, as people there cannot use social services or seek medical care without it. "Doctors don't even accept children with congenital disorders who need thorough care. However, parents are proposed to send their children for 'rehabilitation', which is often deportation or forced displacement. It was the feeling of disempowerment, limitation and awareness of what the future holds for children that prompted the families to leave for the [Ukrainian] government-controlled territory," Dmytro Lubinets said. Children who have been liberated and their families are now safe Photo: Dmytro Lubinets In addition, some children were forced to attend Russian schools. The Russians promoted the idea of the "Russian world" during the lessons. [The "Russian world" is the general idea of the superiority of Russian Orthodoxy, culture, language, etc., widely promoted by pro-Kremlin figures ed.] The children and their families shared what they went through during the occupation. "The Russians on the temporarily occupied territories detain, beat, use electric shocks, exert psychological pressure on adults and interrogate children without their parents presence and torture them as well. They also regularly conduct groundless searches in the homes of local residents," Lubinets stressed. All of them are now safe. At the Child Rights Protection Centre, a team of specialists spoke with them and documented the crimes committed by the Russians that they had to endure. Dmytro Lubinets once again emphasises that if a child goes missing, you should contact the National Police of Ukraine by calling 102. If you are sure that the child is in the temporarily occupied territories or has been taken to Russia, you should inform the Human Rights Commissioner's Office. You can do this in the following ways: if you are in Ukraine, call the hotline at 0 800 50 17 20; if you are abroad 044 299 74 08; send an email to hotline@ombudsman.gov.ua. Background: Eight Ukrainian children aged 7 to 17 have recently been liberated from the Russian-occupied territories. Support UP or become our patron! Ryan Serhant, who's sold $10 billion in real estate over 16 years, swears by his '1,000-minute rule' Ryan Serhant poses at the headquarters of his namesake brokerage in Manhattan. Crystal Cox/Insider In his early real estate career, Ryan Serhant was overwhelmed by the requirement to be his own boss. He said he uses a tool he invented called the "1,000-minute rule" to manage his time effectively. It helps him block out times in his workday for both shorter- and longer-term goals. When Ryan Serhant started his career in 2008, he had a daunting realization: Real-estate agents are entirely on their own. Unlike in the corporate world, where a boss might dictate your schedule, agents are responsible for structuring their own days to find new clients, hunt down leads, and close deals. "There's no boss, there's no mentor," Serhant recalled to Business Insider. "You eat what you kill." The high-stakes environment crystallized for Serhant exactly what he needed to prioritize: his time. As his career progressed earning $10 billion in sales over 16 years as an agent, opening his namesake brokerage, and listing the most expensive apartment in New York City, among other achievements Serhant developed a north-star strategy: the 1,000-minute rule. As Serhant sees it, everyone is given 24 hours, or 1,440 minutes, in a day. About 440 of those minutes (7.5 hours) are taken up by eating, sleeping, and family time. The remaining 1,000 minutes are the waking time each day anyone can apply to advancing their career and achieving their goals. "The 1,000-minute rule helps me stay quick in my decision tree," Serhant explained. He broke down how it works. View each day as a time bank, with a fresh $1,000 deposit With 1,000 minutes at his disposal each day, Serhant views his day in 15-minute chunks. Those segments are then stacked to best meet Serhant's short-term goals, like business he needs to attend to for the upkeep of his firm, as well as long-term goals. Running your own business, Serhant explained, involves both big ambitions, like his desire to become New York's top brokerage, and quick tasks. "You always have to make small decisions, like, 'Do I eat now or do I eat later?'" Serhant told BI. Serhant. Crystal Cox/Business Insider But critically, Serhant said it's important not to get too caught up in the small chunks of time. Serhant sets major goals for his business at the beginning of the year, like a certain sales volume for his brokerage, and estimates the number of hours it will take to achieve those goals, he explained on his YouTube channel. When it comes to allotting his time each day, he ties the 15-minute chunks back to those top-line goals. The key premise of the 1,000 minutes is not to let any one obstacle derail your day. Serhant likes to compare minutes to dollars. When something goes wrong, like a meeting that went nowhere or a showing that didn't result in a deal, he doesn't waste the whole day ruminating on the disappointment. "If someone ruins $15, you're not throwing out $985, that's stupid," he explained. Similarly, if someone asks for an hour of Serhant's time, he thinks about its value in his overall day. "Like, that's 60 Ryan dollars, you know?" he said. The 1,000-minute rule can be grueling and rewarding The biggest downside to the 1,000-minute rule is its inflexibility, Serhant told BI. "Sometimes it is nice to have an hour-long conversation with somebody and not be as beholden to your calendar," he said. "Maybe one day I'll get there." Serhant opened the headquarters of his brokerage, in Manhattan's Soho neighborhood, in 2021. Courtesy of Netflix. But for now, it's important for the star broker to stay on the grind. Serhant predicts that as young people embrace freelancing and earn multiple income streams, the 1,000-minute rule could help deal with the time-management challenges required to be your own boss. Serhant hopes up-and-comers see the 1,000-minute rule as "a path towards greater honesty and authenticity about what you really want in life and where you want to be in one, three, and five years from now." Read the original article on Business Insider (FOX40.COM) The Sacramento Police Department has arrested two men from Sacramento after they were identified as those responsible for a fatal shooting in the Greenhaven neighborhood on April 29. Police said 24-year-old Taquez Foster-Worsham of Sacramento and 28-year-old Jamar Anderson of Sacramento were arrested on July 10 and July 17, respectively. Both men are facing robbery and homicide charges. On April 29, around 3 a.m., Sacramento police officers said they were recalled to Riverside Boulevard after it was reported that a man had been shot. Upon arrival, officers found a man with at least one gunshot wound, attempted to provide medical aid, and the man was taken to the hospital. Man fatally shot near the Pocket neighborhood, Sacramento police say While in the hospital, medical staff reported that he had died from his injuries. Police didnt state where Foster-Worsham was arrested, but did say that Anderson was arrested in Indio, about 25 miles southeast of Palm Springs in Southern California. Our investigators have been relentless in helping the family in this case find justice, Sacramento police 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 FOX40. SAG-AFTRA has defeated a series of lawsuits over its COVID safety guidelines outlining terms to return to work, which for a time mandated vaccination against the virus. Dorian Kingi, a stuntman with credits on dozens of films who declined to get vaccinated due to his faith and other science, political and philosophical reasoning, brought in Los Angeles Superior Court in December one of 40 lawsuits against SAG-AFTRA challenging the agreement, implemented in September 2020. For nearly three years, it allowed studios to require union members to be vaccinated and get tested for the virus, as well as mask and quarantine in certain circumstances. He and others alleged that they faced difficulties getting work because they were discriminated against for not being vaccinated. More from The Hollywood Reporter The thrust of the lawsuits was that the negotiation and implementation of the return-to-work agreement violated the SAG-AFTRAs constitution, as well as its collective bargaining and membership agreements. Among the complaints was that the union failed to adequately represent the interests of every member despite its duty to represent them fairly and equally. But U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton, in an order issued on Thursday evening, dismissed the lawsuits. She found that the breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and negligence claims, among others, are blocked by a federal law protecting unions from alleged violations of state law based on labor contracts. And while the other claims dont explicitly invoke SAG-AFTRAs duty to fairly represent members, the court concluded that the allegations are also inextricably linked with that duty and derives from the exact same contracts that support the alleged breach of contract. The performers, Staton said, failed to point to conduct from the union that was independently wrongful. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA National executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said, We look forward to continuing to expand our members work opportunities and acknowledge the hard work and dedication of those who helped make sets safe enough to return the industry to work during the unprecedented challenge presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. After months of negotiation, Hollywoods top studios and unions in September 2020 reached a deal to resume production, which required virus testing, safety training and paid sick leave, among other things. They were later updated to require vaccination, which was met by opposition by some members who opposed the blanket mandate. Some actors, including General Hospitals Ingo Rademacher and 911s Rockmond Dunbar, sued studios after they were denied exemptions and subsequently terminated. The return-to-work agreement expired in May 2023, ending vaccine mandates on new productions. This embedded content is not available in your region. Best of The Hollywood Reporter The public is getting its first video look at the San Diego Zoo's new pair of pandas, just ahead of their first chance to see the pandas in person. Zoo officials on Friday released a video of the pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, playing in Panda Ridge, their home at the San Diego Zoo. Officials also announced that the pandas, who arrived to the zoo from China in June, will make their public debut on Thursday, Aug. 8. PHOTO: The panda pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo from China will make their public debut on Aug. 8, 2024. (San Diego Zoo) "We are delighted to introduce Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to our San Diego Zoo community," Paul Baribault, president and CEO of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, said in a statement. "Our newest residents will bring joy to our visitors and symbolize the enduring spirt of international conservation efforts." PHOTO: The panda pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo from China will make their public debut on Aug. 8, 2024. (San Diego Zoo) The pandas are the first to enter the United States in over two decades, according to the San Diego Zoo. PHOTO: The panda pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo from China will make their public debut on Aug. 8, 2024. (San Diego Zoo) Yun Chuan is an almost 5-year-old male and is identifiable by his "long, pointy nose," according to zoo officials. PHOTO: The panda pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo from China will make their public debut on Aug. 8, 2024. (San Diego Zoo) Xin Bao is a nearly 4-year-old female identifiable by her "large, round face and big, fluffy ears." Adorable pandas arrive to the US from China Starting Aug. 8, visitors to the San Diego Zoo may see the pandas in person by obtaining a complimentary Giant Panda Timed Ticket, by waiting in the standby line to view the pandas or by reserving a 60-minute walking tour, called Early Morning with Pandas. San Diego Zoo releases 1st video of pandas from China originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) In April, the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners fell victim to a sophisticated business email compromise scam, transferring hundreds of thousands of dollars to a fraudulent account. According to a news release from the Santa Rosa County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, over $629,000 has been returned to the county. Gulf Coast impacts from the worldwide Microsoft outage (List) According to Tim Weekley with the Santa Rosa County Clerks office, $852,983.06 was sent to the fraudulent account. The release said Milton police are investigating the scam with the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office. A person of interest has been identified in another state and law enforcement is seeking to make contact with them at this time, the release said. The county clerk of court is tightening its procedures, reportedly working with PaymentWorks to enhance their payment security measures. News 5 has learned that PaymentWorks will soon be responsible for all vendor verification before payment and will reimburse the county clerk of court and board of commissioners for up to $2 million per transaction. Blue marlin hits man during fishing trip near Orange Beach: I couldnt believe it The release said Santa Rosa County Clerk Don Spencer tightened vendor payment methods, including stopping all electronic payments and only using check payments for a period. With the recent cybersecurity attacks involving Ascension Sacred Heart, the City of Pensacola, the First Judicial Circuit of Florida, and this particular vendor, its clear that criminals are looking to victimize non-profits, governmental agencies, and those who do business with them, Spencer said. Partnering with PaymentWorks gives us an extra layer of protection when making electronic payments. It also protects the countys vendors from the kind of fraud that occurred. This investigation is ongoing. News 5 will provide updates as more information becomes available. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5. The Sasse resignation: Mixed emotions and wondering what might have been Thursday's announcement that University of Florida President Ben Sasse will resign effective July 31 left students with mixed emotions. Sasse, who has served as UF's 13th president since November 2022, is stepping down to focus on his family amid ongoing health challenges faced by his wife, Melissa. Sasses presidency began with high expectations. A former U.S. senator with a strong background in education, he brought a vision to advance UF nationally and internationally. Under his leadership, the university made significant strides in various academic and research initiatives. However, some of his policies, his short tenure, and his sudden departure have unsettled some students. Matthew Flores, a 19-year-old finance major at UF, was among those surprised by the news. "The news just kind of shocked me because he's only been in office for like two years, give or take. It was just shocking," Flores said on Friday. He had anticipated a more extended period with Sasse at the helm, envisioning a shared journey through his college years. "We were kind of joining UF together, and the next four years, we'd be together. So I was excited," Flores said. Despite his initial excitement, Flores felt disconnected from Sasse's presidency. "I wasn't really aware of his presidency. So maybe that's something I felt could have been more prominent, more like what he's doing for the students versus just being a figurehead," he reflected. Flores isn't the only one left wondering what might have been. Beyond Gainesville, many people were waiting to see what effect Sasse might have on higher education in America. "Ben Sasse Came to U. of Florida to Reshape Higher Ed. He Stepped Down Before He Got the Chance," was a headline Friday in the Chronicle of Higher Education. In a statement posted Friday on X, Florida State University President Richard McCullough praised Sasse's effect in Florida, even in a relatively short time as UF president. "Ben Sasse has been a visionary leader for the University of Florida and a great partner to FSU and other stakeholders in the state," he wrote. Daniela Lopez, a 21-year-old women's studies major at UF, used an expletive on Friday to express her disdain for Sasse's presidency. Despite her strong feelings about Sasse's departure, Lopez sympathized with his family. "I can only wish the best to his wife. Dealing with medical stuff, especially in this country, I would know, is horrifying, trying to get through all of that," Lopez said on Friday. The first story: Ben Sasse will resign as UF president effective July 31 Late Thursday, UF Student Body President John Brinkman issued a statement expressing support and solidarity. It is with deep sadness to hear about the recent announcement concerning Melissas health. We are wishing the best for President Sasse and his family, and I fully support his commitment to prioritizing his family and their wellbeing during this difficult time," he said in prepared remarks provided to The Sun. "President Sasse has been a great leader, guiding our university to new heights and we are so thankful for all his contributions. I am hopeful about the future of the University of Florida and the selection of a new University President. Let us come together as a community to offer our support and best wishes to President Sasse and his family. Jim Ross contributed to this article This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: University of Florida reactions after Ben Sasse announces resignation U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman spoke with Northwest Arkansas business owners affected by tornadoes during a roundtable discussion on July 18, 2024 at the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate) When Daniel Sanchezs family discovered the damage a tornado caused their small business in May, he said it was the first time hed ever seen his father cry. That really hurt, all the hard work hes put in, Sanchez said. Tortilleria La Popular a tortilla factory, bakery and restaurant has been a fixture in Rogers for 16 years. But severe weather over Memorial Day weekend halted operations after the family was left with inventory loss and broken equipment due to rain leaking through a damaged roof. Sanchez said it was his parents American dream to open a small business and they put a lot of hard work into it. It was very devastating for them, watching them go through it, but were a faithful family, and we believe that things happen for a reason and we know that God has a plan for us, he said. Jamie, Estella and Daniel Sanchez The Sanchezes were part of a group of about a dozen Northwest Arkansas business owners who participated in a roundtable discussion Thursday at the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce with U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, who spent the day in the region at the request of U.S. Rep. Steve Womack. SBA needs to be there for the long-term, and we will be, Guzman said. The United States hit a record of more than 28 $1-billion natural disasters last year, breaking the previous record of 22 set about two years prior, Guzman said. In the 1980s thered be a disaster of that scale about every four months, now its every few weeks, she said. As a result of President Joe Bidens executive order to transform federal customer experience, Guzman said SBA has worked to streamline its services, in part by investing heavily in technology. Previously, it could take 100 days to process loan applications. Now thats down to 12 days and sometimes 24 to 48 hours if its a simple application and a smaller amount, she said. Following Bidens approval of a major disaster declaration on May 31, the SBA began offering low-interest federal disaster loans to Arkansans affected by more than a dozen tornadoes and several storms. Businesses and nonprofits can borrow up to $2 million to aid in the repair or replacement of damaged real estate, equipment, inventory and other business assets. Tortilleria La Popular SBA also offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Up to $500,000 in disaster loans are available to homeowners to help repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters can borrow up to $100,000 for personal property, including vehicles. To date, SBA has received 534 applications and approved 156 worth nearly $13 million, agency officials said Thursday. SBA is seeing an approval rate of more than 60%, which Guzman described as a good performance. While business owners at Thursdays discussion said the SBAs assistance is welcome, they also noted theyre facing a number of challenges in starting over. Ozark Axe House owner Patrick Stewart lost everything when the building housing his downtown Rogers business was completely wiped out by Mays tornadoes. The rising cost of materials and rent will make it difficult to find something comparable, he said. I think thats the hardest part is comparatively to three, four, five years ago whenever somebody opened their business, youll never be able to touch what you did it for then, he said. Womack, who served as the mayor of Rogers for 12 years before being elected to Congress, said that while it wasnt cheap to begin with, the economic vitality thats led to widespread growth in Northwest Arkansas has resulted in increased costs. It just puts an additional burden on these small businesses, and as these renters have said, theres just not a place available for a lot of businesses to be able to relocate to, Womack said. U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman As Arkansans continue to work on recovery efforts, Guzman said shes proud SBA programs have transformed to increase limits as well as ensure a 12-month period when no interest accrues and the loan is deferred so that businesses and individuals can recover. Additionally, she said the deadline for physical disaster assistance has been extended to Aug. 28 and the deadline for economic injury loans is not until next March. Our small businesses have been so resilient over the last few years having overcome and dealt with COVID and that disruption and now dealing with natural disasters, she said. Weve seen an uptick across the country over the last few years and we want those small businesses to use our free advisory networks, use all of the SBA products to be able to figure out that pathway forward. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services has added two men to the agencys Most Wanted List after the pair slipped their court-ordered electronic monitoring devices and went AWOL, the agency announced Friday. Ennis Laval Jackson, of Charleston County, and Anthony Propst, of Richland County, were under PPPs supervision following criminal convictions when they absconded roughly a week ago, agency spokeswoman Anita Dantzler said. There is no evidence to suggest that the men are together or connected, she said. At the time the men removed their electronic monitoring devices, Jackson was on probation for a third-degree burglary conviction. Propst, a convicted child sex offender, had been enrolled in a supervised re-entry program following his release from prison for violation of a Jessies Law electronic monitoring provision, Dantzler said. In such cases, PPP is notified immediately that a GPS monitor has been cut, and the agent assigned to the offender travels to the persons last known address and the location of the discarded monitor to search for the fugitive. If the offender isnt picked up right away, PPP adds the person to the agencys Most Wanted List, Dantzler said. There are currently eight men, including Jackson and Propst, on PPPs list. Anyone with knowledge of either mans whereabouts is asked to call 1-888-761-6175 and provide as much information as possible. All information shared with authorities is kept confidential. A South Carolina man who helped lead a mob during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot been sentenced to 57 months nearly five years in prison for attacking police. Tyler Dykes, of Bluffton, 26, received the sentence Friday morning from U.S. Judge Beryl Howell in in Washington. It is one of the stiffest sentences to date handed down to any of the 27 South Carolina defendants arrested so far in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot by supporters of former President Donald Trump. Approximately 20 have so far pled guilty; other cases are pending. Prosecutors had sought 63 months in prison. Dykes attorneys, William Nettles IV and Edmund Neyle, had asked for 24 months. Nettles is the chief federal public defender in South Carolina. Neyle is a lawyer in his office. Dykes who at the time of the Jan. 6 riot was 21 and in the U.S. Marine Corps violently wrenched a police riot shield out of the hands of officers defending the Capitol and twice used the shield to push his way through police lines during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, an unprecedented attack that interrupted certification of the Electoral College vote, prosecutor Samantha Miller wrote in a 43-page sentencing memo to the judge. In 2017, Dykes had carried a lit torch and performed the Nazi salute with the torchbearers at the white supremacist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., and was charged with burning an object with the intent to intimidate, convicted and served time, Miller wrote. The aggression on Jan. 6 by Dykes who at 6-foot-4 towered over most police forced officers to retreat and helped rioters break through police lines outside the Capitol and force their way into the building, Miller wrote. Before the riot, Dykes frequented various Telegram channels, discussed allegations of voter fraud and various extremist sentiments, Miller wrote. Some of the groups also promoted violence related to Jan. 6, 2021 and advocated violent government overthrow. These discussions included quotations from Hitler and messages including, The time for peace has passed. Hail holy terror. Hail chaos, the postings said. Dykes user names on Telegram were Rogerup and Nocturnal Wolf, and he saved to his cellphone a symbol known as Wolfsangel, which appears similar to a swastika, and is commonly known to be a logo for neo-Nazis in the United States and Europe, the prosecutor wrote. One photo of Dykes inside the Capitol appears to show him giving the Nazi salute, the prosecutor wrote. Dykes came to Washington on Jan. 6 with two friends, and they attended then-President Trumps Stop the Steal rally before the riot. The two friends did not join Dykes in the mobs Capitol rampage, the prosecutor said. Dykes was an enthusiastic Trump supporter. Dykes self-identified as a loyal Trump supporter, who followed politics more than the average citizen. He claimed the election was fraudulent, in large part because then-President Trump said so, the prosecutor wrote. Despite Tumps assertions, no one has produced credible evidence of voting fraud in any state sufficient to overturn the 2020 election, according to former Attorney General William Barr and some 60 court cases. When interviewed by law enforcement, Dykes explanation for his conduct, especially the more violent conduct, was that it was a hyper environment and he became adrenalized, the prosecutor wrote. The defense view Tyler is a young man who made incredibly poor decisions on Jan. 6, 2021, his defense lawyers wrote. He knows his actions were egregious... unjustifiable, illegal, indefensible and intolerable, they wrote. Tyler was adopted and has various talents, including an ear for music. He plays trumpet and he has won major awards. A straight-A student and and Eagle Scout at North Lincoln High School in Denver, NC, about 25 miles north of downtown Charlotte, he got into Cornell University, an Ivy League school in New York. But he stumbled his freshman year, left Cornell and joined the Marines, his lawyers wrote. In Bluffton, in recent years, Dykes started his own business, Technology King of the Low Country, which helped elderly retirees with computer problems. When news of his arrest on Jan. 6 charges surfaced, Dykes life and business cratered, his lawyers wrote. Friends deserted him, his church asked him to go elsewhere, his customer base dried up and media companies refused to let him advertise. Of Tylers 15 closest friends, all but three abandoned him, defense lawyers wrote. They estimated his business losses at $150,000. It will take years of endless work before he regains the trust of his friends and community, defense lawyers wrote. Tyler hates his involvement in the Capitol riot, his lawyers wrote. He takes complete responsibility for his actions. He apologizes to the U.S. Capitol police, the Metropolitan police, to his country and to the court, they wrote. But the prosecutor showed little mercy. Dykess family history and education provided him with ample opportunity to succeed and make lawful choices. Dykes has had supportive family, a good education, financial stability, and no significant health issues; his crimes were not crimes driven by poverty, neglect, or abuse, she wrote. Despite his advantages, Dykess criminal and other history demonstrate an affinity for violence and, in particular, ideologically-motivated violence.... He was discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps under other than honorable conditions for participating in prohibited activities, namely, participating in extremist behavior, the prosecutor wrote. He had a troubling fixation with militarization, weapons, violence, and racism, she wrote. During the Capitol breach on Jan. 6, rioters injured more than 100 police officers and caused $2.9 million worth of damage. The cases of nearly all of the more than 1,450 people arrested so far in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot are being handled by judges in Washington. It is the largest investigation in the history of the Department of Justice. The FBI is investigating.. The investigation is still ongoing. It took a 36-year-old woman 30 minutes to feed $15,000 in $20, $50 and $100 bills spilling from her purse into a bitcoin ATM tucked in the corner of a Shell convenience store on Tryon Road. After withdrawing more money from a Raleigh branch of the Navy Federal Credit Union, she returned, stuffing $9,100 more into the same machine. She did it after people claiming to work for the credit union and the U.S. government told her someone had hacked her Facebook account, gained access to her financial information and was trying to buy child pornography with her money. That put her and her husband at high risk of arrest, they warned. When she finished feeding cash into the ATM, at first she felt relieved that she had saved her husband and herself from the shame of federal agents wrongly handcuffing them in front of their kid and neighbors. But while driving home to Guilford County, her suspicions grew. She texted the person who over hours walked her through how to deposit her money which was supposed to cancel out the pornography payment and prove they werent involved. She begged for evidence that he wasnt a fraud. Wow I believe you took everything I have. Our whole life. she wrote when no response came. Please just give me some of it back. As cryptocurrency ATMs become more common in Raleigh and everywhere else, scammers use them more often to steal money. Its a growing problem, and the loss is staggering, said FBI Special Agent James Kaylor, who supervises white collar crimes investigations in the Raleigh area. In Raleigh, police have seized money 31 times from local crypto ATMs since September 2023 alone while investigating such thefts. The department holds $285,389 in cash seized from the ATMs in evidence, according to court documents. And theres more drama. Very recently, a Raleigh prosecutor was in court trying to resist demands from ATM operators that they return money to them, not scam victims. At least one operator is expected to get its money back. Protection is the best prevention. Read News & Observer reporting on how to avoid cryptocurrency scams here. Police warrants detail local scams Nine search warrants from Raleigh police investigations reviewed by The News & Observer show that crypto-ATM spoofer scams target people of all ages. Victims in the investigations ranged in age from 26 to 85. Scammers connect with their prey in many different ways, the records show. Some victims were willing to detail what happened on the condition that their names not be published due to their embarrassment of getting tricked. The N&O agreed to do so after confirming their stories in court documents. The Guilford County woman who lost $25,000 called in May a phone number she found on the internet while looking for help after getting locked out of her Facebook account. The scammers were smooth, she said, as they gained access to her phone and obtained private bank account details they used to convince her they were authentic. They even recreated the welcoming message of Navy Federal Credit Union, which she heard over when scammers connected her to the bank. Its a very sophisticated network where these folks have playbooks, said Kaylor, the FBI agent. In two cases described in Raleigh police warrants, people posing as Wake Sheriffs Office employees alerted strangers that they faced arrest for missing jury duty. One scammer, claiming he was a Wake deputy, told a 72-year-old he could either pay $2,900 or spend 48 hours in jail, according to court documents. In another case, a woman thought she was calling Netflix after an alert popped up on her television. Fraudsters claiming to be from the Federal Trade Commission convinced her that she needed to move her money from her bank to keep it safe after her account had been hacked, according to court documents. People are also taken in by romance scams and ruses where people say that a relative is in jail, even sometimes using AI to imitate family members voices crying for help, law enforcement officials said. Not your typical ATM For decades, scammers, sometimes working in call centers in other countries, have used ploys to steal peoples money, convincing them to part with their cash through the mail, bank transfers or gift-card purchases Crypto ATM operated by companies such as Coinhub and Bitcoin Depot are some of their latest tools. They are spots where people can legitimately convert U.S. dollars into bitcoin and other virtual assets, which get stored in legal electronic wallets. But unlike regulated financial institutions, such as banks and credit card companies, the accounts are not insured by the FDIC. Scammers often falsely promise that those wallets are safe havens for peoples money during the fake crises they spin up. Once converted and deposited during the scams, the currency is moved from wallet to wallet through exchanges, or digital brokers. Sometimes it gets lost amid exchange platforms based in countries that dont cooperate with U.S. criminal investigations, Kaylor said. At that point, its a black hole, Kaylor said. Its so out of character for me A 26-year-old Wake County residents journey into that darkness occurred in April after she answered her phone on a day she was expecting legitimate calls. A person on the other end convinced her that U.S. custom agents found a package with drugs addressed to her home. Using a pirated Raleigh Police Department phone number, a series of individuals convinced her they were legit. They claimed her identity was stolen and there was a warrant for her arrest. But she could safeguard her money and prove she wasnt responsible by depositing money in a government bitcoin account, they promised. Dont hang up or tell anyone about the warrant, they warned her. If she did, they would be obliged to turn her in immediately. The woman, a young mother who isnt familiar with the criminal justice system, immediately worried about what would happen to her family if she faced drug charges. She wrote her husband a brief note before she dashed off to make three trips to her bank and deposit more than $30,000 into a bitcoin machine at Tobacco and Gifts shop off Avent Ferry Road in Raleigh. A scammer stayed on the phone as she traveled from spot to spot, advising her how to navigate withdrawing money by not looking suspicious, even telling her to hide her phone but to stay connected. When she returned home, the spell broke. When she searched the internet and found descriptions of scams imitating U.S. marshals, she was devastated. The woman knew not to give money to random people, she said, but the callers had convinced her that they were from the government, acknowledging now how ridiculous that might sound. If you told anybody that I know that this has happened, like, they would just be blown away. Its so out of character for me to fall for something like this, she said. Tough-to-crack crimes Raleigh police havent had any success finding or arresting these scammers, said Senior Raleigh Detective Christopher Gay. But they have landed search warrants and seized cash deposited by people who alert them after being ripped off. The money is evidence from the polices point of view. But ATM operators see it differently. Wake County Judge Graham Shirley recently heard arguments involving four 2023 complaints where police obtained warrants and confiscated $38,000 from at least four crypto ATMs, but the judges decision will give direction on how the additional cases will be handled. Prosecutors say the money is evidence that should be returned to the victims. In a decision Friday, Shirley ordered Raleigh police to return $12,700 to Bitcoin Depot. The company not the woman scammed into exchanging dollars for crypto was its lawful owner when police seized it, the judge wrote. The Currency was not stolen by Bitcoin Depot but was exchanged in an arms length transaction between the Victim and Bitcoin Depot for the purchase of the Cryptocurrency, Shirley wrote, adding that the law doesnt authorize using Bitcoin Depots cash for restitution. In their court filings, Bitcoin Depot, Bitstop and Express BTM stressed that they were not involved in the scams. And that the deposited money, used to purchase cryptocurrency, is rightfully theirs. They noted that they aggressively warn people about scams. Officials from LSGT, also known as Coinhub ATM, pointed out that before an 85-year old deposited $10,000 into a bitcoin machine in a Cary Cool Mart convenience store, she ignored warnings spelled out in capital letters across the units screen. BE CAREFUL OF SCAMS and ONLY SEND BITCOIN TO YOUR OWN WALLET THAT ONLY YOU CONTROL, ALL SALES ARE FINAL, BITCOIN TRANSACTIONS ARE IRREVERSIBLE, it warns. The woman acknowledged the scam disclaimer by pressing a green OK button on the screen to continue, the court filings note. She then fed the orange and black machine five deposits of about $2,000 using five different phone numbers as instructed, which allowed her to avoid providing social security and government identification. Her ordeal started after an alert appeared on her iPad screen that read: access to this PC has been blocked and she needed to call Apple support, the documents say. When she called a fake number from the fake alert, she was told that a hacker was watching child pornography on her iPad and stole $30,000 from her account. But he could help her reclaim her money if she listened to him, the scammer told her, according to court documents. Coinhub has no way to know that the customer was a potential target of a scam, their attorneys argued in court documents. But such warnings have not stopped multiple people from being taken advantage of at the ATMs, Wake County district attorney Freeman stressed. Prosecutors liken the situation to pawn shops, whose owners assume certain risks in their business model and are out the money if it turns out items were stolen, she said. Other states are more aggressive than North Carolina are when it comes to forcing these ATM operators to take more responsibility, Freeman notes. She pointed to New York and California, which have set up licensing regimes and require companies operating the ATMs to be insured for money lost when customers were fraud victims. It would be very helpful if state legislators would clarify the laws to clearly say companies need to be licensed by the North Carolina banking commission. And to require them to pay for insurance to protect their losses when innocent people get tricked, she said. News & Observer reporter William Tong contributed to this reporting. Virginia Bridges covers criminal justice in the Triangle and across North Carolina for The News & Observer. Her work is produced with financial support from the nonprofit The Just Trust. The N&O maintains full editorial control of its journalism. EDITORS NOTE: This story was updated to include a new court ruling in favor of crypto ATM operator Bitcoin Depot. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced plans to intensify efforts against Russia's oil "shadow fleet." Source: European Pravda, citing Scholz, following the European Political Community summit, as reported by Handelsblatt The German Chancellor noted that Russia is trying to export oil to fund its war against Ukraine. Scholz emphasised that the old tankers Russia uses for transporting oil pose a risk to maritime safety, as well as to the seas and the environment. Quote: "The EU has already responded with sanctions. Now we want to join forces in a global coalition to put an end to this shadow fleet," he added. Background: On 24 June, the EU Council announced new anti-Russian sanctions targeting tankers belonging to Russia's oil "shadow fleet." Earlier, the EU expressed concern about environmental risks to the Mediterranean Sea due to tankers bypassing sanctions. Support UP or become our patron! German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected the idea of allies downing Russian drones and missiles in Ukrainian airspace, the dpa news agency reported on July 18. Speaking at a European Political Community (EPC) meeting in the U.K., Scholz said that Kyiv's request for NATO allies to intercept Russian weapons flying over Ukraine is "out of the question." The German chancellor said he saw a consensus on the issue among other partners, adding that the "U.S. is also very clear on this." Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg voiced a similar sentiment. "NATO will support Ukraine, and we have now increased our support...But NATO's policy is unchanged we will not be involved in this conflict," Stoltenberg said last week. "So we support Ukraine in the destruction of Russian aircraft, but NATO will not be directly involved," he added. The only NATO country to openly consider the idea was Poland, Ukraine's western neighbor that saw Russian missiles briefly enter its airspace on several occasions. Although a bilateral security treaty signed between Poland and Ukraine on July 8 envisaged "a mechanism" for intercepting Russian missiles and drones, no definitive decision has been taken so far. Warsaw said that an agreement within NATO is necessary for such a step. President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed to the Western partners to help protect Ukrainian airspace the same way they did when Iran launched a wave of drones and missiles against Israel in April. "By defending Israel, the free world demonstrated that unity (among allies) is not only possible but 100% effective," Zelensky said. "The allies' decisive actions prevented the success of terrorism and loss of infrastructure and forced the aggressor to cool down. The same can be done to defend Ukraine from terrorism, and Ukraine, just like Israel, is not a NATO member." Scholz also objected to lifting restrictions on Ukrainian strikes deep within Russian territory with Western-supplied arms, another step that Kyiv called for. Germany and the U.S. have permitted such attacks only just across the Ukrainian-Russian border to disrupt Russian offensive operations. Read also: Zelensky: Lifting ban on strikes on Russian territory did not lead to escalation Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has responded to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's call for Western allies to down Russian missiles and drones over Ukraine, stating that this is out of the question. Source: European Pravda with reference to DW Details: Scholz also stated that he was not ready to lift restrictions on the use of Western-supplied weapons for striking targets on Russian territory. Quote from the German Chancellor in response to whether he agrees with other NATO countries regarding Zelenskyy's calls: "I see the following consensus such measures are out of the question. The US is also very clear on this." Details: Zelenskyy urged Western partners at the summit to enhance Ukraine's air defence and remove restrictions on using Western-supplied weapons for strikes on Russian targets. He also mentioned that partners had helped Israel repel a large-scale combined attack from Iran in April and emphasised that missiles and drones are not "carriers of state sovereignty", thus requiring collective will to destroy them. Background: US President Joe Biden, after giving Ukraine limited permission to deploy American weapons to hit Russian territory, expressed resistance to US weapons being used to strike deep into Russian territory. Meanwhile, Ukraine wishes to expand the scope of this authorisation. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasised that Ukraine should have the right to strike Russian territory, as this is provided for by the right to self-defence. Support UP or become our patron! While Florida voters will largely turn out in November for the presidential election and proposed Constitutional amendments, Duval County residents also have the chance to make their priorities known in local races in August. From School Board to contested Florida Senate primaries, a slew of races will be on Duval ballots. Heres what to know ahead of the election: See who's running: Voting in August could fill 4 seats on the Duval County School Board. School closures: To plan feeder patterns for Jacksonville schools, administrators figured in these closings Ways to vote in the Aug. 20 primary election Vote by mail: The deadline to request your vote by mail ballot is Aug. 8. Requests can be made in person, by mail, fax, phone call to 904-255-8683 or through electronic ballot request on the elections office website. Early voting: Aug. 5 to Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at any polling place. Find a list of early voting sites on the elections office website. Vote on election day: Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 20 at your specific designated polling place which you can find through the Duval County Precinct Finder tool. What races can I vote in? The exact races you are eligible to vote in can be seen on your sample ballot, available through the Supervisor of Elections website. By inputting your name and birth date, you can also see whether your registration is up to date, your registered political party and in-person polling place. Races include the odd numbered school board districts in a year when school choice and potential school closures have prompted outcry among residents. Because of the changes made during redistricting last year, you may be in a different district in this election. There are two Democratic primaries for state House District 13 and 14. The District 13 race pits incumbent Angie Nixon against Brenda Priestly-Jackson, a former Jacksonville City Council member. The District 14 race includes incumbent Kimberly Davis against Lloyd Caulker and Therese Wakefield-Gamble. Incumbent John Rutherford will face Mara Macie in the race for U.S. House District 5. In the courts, there is a race for Circuit Court 4th Judicial Group 34 between Nancy Cleaveland and Ashley Wells Cox and a race for Duval County Judge Group 9 between Andrew Bonderud, Marcus Isom, Shayla E. Lee and Matthew Lufrano. How do I find out if Im registered to vote? You can check your voter registration through the Florida Department of States website by entering your first and last name and date of birth. If you need to register, you can do so online with your Florida drivers license and the last four digits of your Social Security number. You must be registered under your current Duval County address by July 22 to vote in the August primary. When and where can I vote early? Early voting begins Aug. 5 and ends Aug. 18. During this period, you can vote at any of the early polling locations listed on the Supervisor of Elections website. What is the deadline to get my mail-in ballot? When do I have to turn it in? Voters have until 5 p.m. on Aug. 8 to request a mail-in ballot. Requests can be made online, by phone or in person by providing your name, address, Florida Drivers License, identification number or the last four digits of your social security number. To return the ballot by mail, the Supervisor of Elections office recommends planning at least one week for it to reach the office. But, it can also be taken to any of the early voting sites during the applicable period. On election day, voters can also turn it into the primary office by 7 p.m. to be counted. What do I need to bring to vote? You must bring a current and signed photo identification card in order to vote. Below is a list of acceptable forms provided by the Duval County elections website: Florida driver license Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway, Safety and Motor Vehicles United States passport Debit or credit card Military identification Student identification Retirement center identification Neighborhood association identification Public assistance identification Veteran health identification card issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs A license to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued pursuant to s. 790.06, F.S. Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or municipality This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Duval County voter registration guide for august primary elections FL A search warrant shows that police found guns and ammunition in the home of one of the suspects accused of a deadly shooting spree that happened on July 9 in east Charlotte. In the video at the top of this webpage, Channel 9 learns exactly what was listed in those warrants. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: VIDEO: 9 Investigates: Charlotte shooting spree suspect ordered to be deported in 2022 A Seattle police officer has been fired over the dehumanizing laughter and cruel comments he made after the 2023 death of an Indian graduate student who was struck by a police vehicle, the police chief says. Seattle interim Police Chief Sue Rahr terminated former officer Daniel Auderer on Wednesday and justified her decision to the department in an internal email, attaching the departments disciplinary action report alongside it. There is no doubt that the named officers cruel comments and callous laughter about the tragic death caused deep pain to Ms. Kandulas family, but also immeasurable damage to the public trust of police in the Seattle community, across the nation, and around the world, Rahr wrote in the internal memo, noting many in the community said Auderers dehumanizing laughter heard on video was more outrageous and disturbing even than Kandulas death. It is my duty as the leader of this organization to uphold the high standards necessary to maintain public trust, Rahr wrote. For me to allow the officer to remain on our force would only bring further dishonor to the entire department. On January 23, 2023, Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old graduate student from Andhra Pradesh, India, was fatally struck by Seattle Police Officer Kevin Daves police patrol vehicle while she on a crosswalk. Eight months after the incident, police released body-worn police camera footage that captured a phone conversation in which Auderer, the day after he was sent to the scene to examine if the officer whose vehicle hit her had been impaired, can be heard laughing, saying Kandulas life had limited value. But she is dead, Auderer says on the body-worn camera footage, apparently in response to the person on the phone. No, its a regular person, Auderer then says. Moments later, he replies: Yeah, just write a check and laughs. Yeah, $11,000. She was 26 anyway, he adds, mistaking Kandulas age. She had limited value. CNN has reached out to Auderer for comment but did not immediately receive a response. The videos release last year sparked outrage across the nation, especially within the South Asian diaspora inspiring rallies, meetings with elected officials and online petitions demanding justice for Kandula. It also grabbed the attention of onscreen celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar and Lilly Singh, who posted online about her death. Auderer, who is also vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, intended the comment as a mockery of lawyers, he wrote in an August 8 letter to the citys Office of Police Accountability released by the Seattle Police Officers Guild. I was imitating what a lawyer tasked with negotiating the case would be saying and being sarcastic to express that they shouldnt be coming up with crazy arguments to minimize the payment. CNN has reached out to the Seattle Police Officers Guild for comment. I believe the impact of his actions is so devastating that it cannot be mitigated by his intent to keep his conversation private, Rahr wrote in her email to the police department. The hurt his words have inflicted on Ms. Kandulas family cannot be erased. The actions (of) this individual police officer have brought shame on the Seattle Police Department and our entire profession, making the job of every police officer more difficult, she continued. The body-worn camera footage was provided to the King County Prosecutors Office as part of the fatality case, according to Rahr. The office announced in February it would not file criminal charges against Dave whose patrol vehicle struck Kandula saying it lacks sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Kevin Dave was impaired by drugs or alcohol, driving in a reckless manner, or driving with disregard for the safety of others. The citys Office of Police Accountability recommended in January that Auderer be terminated following an investigation that found the officer violated the departments standards and duties policy and bias-free policing policy, a spokesperson told CNN. Kandula was from the Kurnool District in Andhra Pradesh and spoke Telugu, the president of the Telugu Association of North America, Niranjan Srungavarapu, previously told CNN. The group helped return her remains to India in January, he said. She had come to the United States in 2021 to pursue a masters degree in information systems in the College of Engineering at Northeastern Universitys Seattle campus, according to the school. She would have graduated in December. Jaahnavi, a young soul full of dreams and hopes, came to the United States with the aspiration to pursue her masters degree and be a beacon of support for her family, the association said in a statement to its Seattle community and members. Her future was a shining light, cruelly extinguished. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A second Democratic senator just called on Biden to not seek a second term A second Democratic senator just called on Biden to not seek a second term Montana's Sen. Jon Tester is the second Democratic senator telling President Biden to quit the race. "I've never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong," the senator said. He joins the rising chorus of voices in the party urging Biden to drop out. Montana's Sen. Jon Tester has just become the second Democratic senator who has called on President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign. In a Thursday evening statement on X, Tester said that when he worked with Biden, he had "never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong." "And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term," Tester said. Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont was the first Democratic senator to call for Biden to drop out of the race against former President Donald Trump. Welch wrote an opinion column in The Washington Post on July 10, saying: "We cannot unsee President Biden's disastrous debate performance." Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who told Biden in private on Saturday to withdraw from the race, was told about Tester's statement before it went public, according to Axios. The media outlet reported that Schumer told Tester to do what he thought was best. At least 20 House Democrats have publicly asked Biden to step aside. Tester's statement comes as some top Democrats privately believe that they are close to convincing Biden to quit the race as he remains isolated after testing positive for COVID-19. Multiple reports have said that Biden, who has publicly maintained that he is the best man to run for the top ticket, has privately been more receptive to the idea of dropping out. Rep. Nancy Pelosi told House Democrats that Biden may be close to ending his campaign soon, three anonymous Democratic sources told The Washington Post on Thursday. And The New York Times, citing several people close to the president, said in a Thursday report that Biden has started accepting the idea that he might not win the election. Representatives for Tester did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours. Read the original article on Business Insider As speculation swirls around whether Vice President Kamala Harris could replace President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket, second gentleman Doug Emhoff will visit Arizona Friday to campaign and catch the beginning of the WNBA All-Star Weekend. Emhoff returns to battleground Arizona at a time when the Biden campaign and his role within it are in flux. The president faces serious pressure to end his reelection bid from major figures in the party, including former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In Arizona, two Democratic members of Congress have called on Biden to step aside and a third said Biden "needs to prove" that he's up for the job. Biden supporters brushed off questions about his political future during a news conference ahead of Trumps address Thursday evening to the Republican National Convention. But some 2,300 miles away from Biden's field office in Tempe, Washington was swirling with speculation about whether the president's campaign would last the weekend. Arent the second family great? said Wes Gullett, a Republican who is supporting Biden and served as state director to the late Sen. John McCain. Gullett said Biden is a good man who will make the right decision about his candidacy. Its up to him, Gullett said. Biden has insisted he will stay in the race, but Democrats fear the embattled president is letting his chance of winning Arizona slip away after a narrow victory in the state in 2020. A new Emerson College poll released on Thursday showed Biden 10 percentage points behind former President Donald Trump in Arizona when third-party candidates are factored into the race. He is not wavering on anything. The president has made his decision. I dont want to be rude, but I dont know how many more times we can answer that. Joe Biden has said he is running for president of the United States, Biden deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said at a news conference in Milwaukee on Thursday. There are no plans being made to replace President Biden on the ballot. Losing ground: Democrats worry Arizona may slip away from an embattled Joe Biden The Biden campaign expects the 2024 election to be a margin of error race in all the battleground states, Fulks added, and said that the campaign is focusing on staffing up and opening offices in those crucial locations. Thats exactly why Emhoff is coming to Arizona this week, Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo said. We are a battleground state. You're going to see a number of high-profile elected officials like the second gentleman continue to come to Arizona, and its a constant reminder of whats at stake, Gallardo said. Thats what its about. Its whats at stake, what happens if Donald Trump wins? During his visit to Arizona on Friday, Emhoff will meet with Black leaders in Scottsdale to emphasize the dangers of Donald Trumps and MAGA Republicans Project 2025 agenda and whats at stake for Black Arizonans this presidential election. Attendees will include Georgia Rep. Nikema Williams, Arizona Black Chamber of Commerce Vice Chair Ryan Garlington, Phoenix City Councilor Kesha Hodge Washington and Arizona Coalition for Change Executive Director Sena Mohammed. After that, Emhoff will mark the opening of the Biden-Harris campaigns 12th field office in Phoenix alongside Mayor Kate Gallego. Several Arizona elected officials will be on hand, including state Sen. Christine Marsh, state Rep. Judy Schwiebert and Phoenix Board of Supervisors candidate Daniel Valenzuela. Kamala Harris: A familiar face in battleground Arizona as Biden political drama unfolds The second gentleman will then head to Tempe to promote Biden administration efforts to improve public transportation and tour the Valley Metro Streetcar Line. Rounding out his visit, Emhoff will attend the WNBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest at the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix. Although Emhoffs trip comes at a particularly fraught time for the Biden campaign, Arizona Education Association President Marisol Garcia said everyday Arizonans arent worried about the drama unfolding in Washington. Plus, voters are used to seeing Harris and Emhoff in the state, she added. The vice president has been to Arizona six times since she took office and Emhoff came to Phoenix just a few months ago. They are not focused on this when, if, how, what if drama, Garcia said. The vice president has been here, theyve been investing in this state for months. This is not new. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Doug Emhoff to visit Arizona as Biden campaign uncertainty continues A boy died after being found unresponsive in a Riverside County community spa on Monday, becoming the countys second young child to drown in a pool this month. According to the Riverside University Health System, a 4-year-old boy from western Riverside County was found in a community spa on Monday. He later died at a local hospital. No other details were immediately made available, including the boys identity, city of residence and the location of the community pool. Such a tragedy serves as a reminder of how important it is to be careful when around water, said Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Geoffrey Leung. From a bathtub to a hotel pool or the ocean, all water poses a risk, especially for children. Providing close, constant supervision is the only way to ensure they are safe. KTLA meteorologist Henry DiCarlo rescues injured owl The death is the second death by drowning in the county in the last two weeks. On July 6, a 5-year-old boy drowned in a backyard pool in Riverside. According to the Press Enterprise, that boy was identified as Ivan Sanchez. The newspaper reported that he was wearing a floatation device when he died at a pool party, a death that was described as a tragic, accidental drowning by Officer Ryan Railsback, a Riverside Police Department spokesman. As temperatures ramp up around Southern California, Leung offered the following tips for adults when supervising children at the pool: Designate a water watcher: If children are in or around water, a capable adult should always maintain close, constant attention. Take swim lessons: Enroll in swim lessons or survival float classes. First 5 Riverside County partners with several organizations across the region to offer free or low-cost swimming lessons. Read the rules: Pay attention to posted signs and follow the rules of the pool. Use the buddy system: Always swim with someone else, regardless of age or skill. Get CPR certified: CPR saves lives. Getting certified through the American Red Cross is low-cost, easy and available to ages 9 years and older. Stay sober: Avoid consuming alcohol and other substances when in and around water. 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. Secret Service boosts and rethinks security for first Trump-Vance rally and campaign The US Secret Service is scrambling to increase security ahead of former President Donald Trumps first campaign rally since the failed assassination attempt on his life last week, sources familiar with the planning told CNN. The security around Trumps future rallies and events is being entirely rethought, including where they should be held whether indoors or in more secure outdoor locations. Outdoor events for Trump like the one in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was nearly assassinated, will likely be severely limited, sources said, if not entirely done away with. The ramp up in security reflects several new assessments by law enforcement since Saturdays shooting, officials familiar with the assessments told CNN, including concern about a possible copycat incident and others who may be inspired to carry out another attack after seeing the previous one narrowly fail. Multiple people familiar with the planning for this weekends rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at an indoor arena said that both Secret Service and local law enforcement have recently increased the number of officers who will work on securing the event. During a board of commissioners meeting on Thursday, Kent County, Michigan, Undersheriff Bryan Muir said the sheriffs office was given a last-minute request from the Secret Service for 50 to 60 officers from the department to help with security for the rally. We assist the Secret Service, a spokesperson for the sheriffs office told CNN, adding that the Secret Service was leading all security planning for the rally. We just provide assistance. The security apparatus around Trump has entirely changed in recent days, people familiar with the matter have told CNN, including through local law enforcement. An example of this increased security occurred late Thursday night and into Friday morning, when a New Jersey law enforcement helicopter circled the Newark airport dozens of times until Trumps plane arrived and he was secured in his motorcade following his speech at the Republican National Convention. Security around Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence has also changed in recent days, with new road closures announced by the Palm Beach Police Department on Thursday which will last through the 2024 election. Due to enhanced security measures involving Mar a Lago and U.S. Secret Service-protected persons, South Ocean Boulevard will be closed to through traffic, the department said, adding that the closure around Mar-a-Lago would be in effect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, until the November general election at a minimum. One source familiar with the security planning said the shooting will prompt numerous exercises between local and federal law enforcement agencies on how to handle large events, exercises that have been reduced since the Covid-19 pandemic. The source said the lack of these exercises have resulted in security gaps, including communication breakdowns between law enforcement partners. The source added that after-action reports, like those coming from last Saturdays shooting, immediately change the way security is handled at similar future events, including how exits and entrances are protected, widening the buffer zone, and other public safety measures. Saturdays rally in Grand Rapids will be the first official campaign rally with both Trump and Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance. Asked if Michigan State Police would be involved in security for Saturdays rally, director of communications Shanon Banner told CNN the department doesnt discuss security procedures. The Secret Service is responsible for the security planning for presidential visits, but we stand ready to assist them with whatever they need, Banner wrote in an email. The Secret Service would not comment on security planning for the rally or Trump. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Security near former President Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., is being heightened following a recent assassination attempt, according to a city alert. On Saturday, July 20, 2024, due to enhanced security measures involving Mar a Lago and U.S. Secret Service-protected persons, South Ocean Boulevard will be closed to through traffic starting at approximately 4 p.m., Palm Beach said in the alert on its website Thursday. This closure will be in effect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, until the November general election at a minimum. It will involve the area from Woodbridge Road to South Ocean Boulevard at the traffic circle where Southern Boulevard and South Ocean Boulevard connect, the alert continued. In a statement emailed to The Hill, a spokesperson for the U.S. Secret Service said, The safety and security of our protectees is the U.S. Secret Services top priority. Out of concern for operational security, the Secret Service does not discuss the means and methods used for our protective operations, the spokesperson continued. Trump faced an assassination attempt against him at a rally in Butler, Pa., last weekend. A bullet grazed the former presidents ear in the shooting, and he has been seen recently sporting a bandage over that ear. We have been providing security with the Secret Service all along, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said in a Thursday GulfLive.com report. We are in contact with them and upon President Trumps return to Florida, we will ramp up security to where we need to be were very good at doing what were doing. 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. Chuck Fowler returns to Alexandria Council seat with no opposition; see other races here Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry and Shreveport artist William Joyce on Monday unveiled Joyce's artwork at the Old Governor's Mansion that will be featured on the state's 2024 I Voted stickers. One Alexandria City Council member returned to office Friday at the end of candidate qualifying when no one else signed up to run for his seat. Chuck Fowler will retain his District 5 seat, but some of his fellow council members weren't so lucky. Qualifying ended in Rapides Parish and across the state Friday afternoon for the Tuesday, Nov. 5 elections. Election info The deadline to register to vote either by mail or in person is Monday, Oct. 7. For those who want to register online through the Louisiana Secretary of State's GeauxVote online system, the deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 15. Early voting will be held between Oct. 18-29, with the exception of Sundays, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Friday, Nov. 1 by 4:30 p.m., unless you are in the military or voting from overseas. You can request one from your parish registrar of voters or from the state office through its Voter Portal. The deadline for registrars to receive absentee ballots is Monday, Nov. 4 by 4:30 p.m., unless you are in the military or voting from overseas. Polls will open on Election Day at 6 a.m. and remain open until 8 p.m. Rapides homicide updates: Ball woman pleads guilty in fire death, plus more cases Ready for school? Check Rapides open house dates, supply lists here Here's the Rapides list, which will be updated through the close of qualifying. To view candidates in other elections who have qualified, visit the Louisiana Secretary of State's website. Rapides Parish Police Jury, District D Christopher "Chris" Caffery, no party Randy Harris, Democrat Ernest P. Nelson, Democrat Justice of the Peace, Ward 4, 2nd Justice Court Michael Hanks, Republican Raymond Rollins, Republican Glenmora chief of police Johnny Wade Fitt, independent Tebo Onishea, no party Alexandria City Council, at-large seat Jules Green, Democrat Lee Rubin, independent Tracye Snow, independent Alexandria City Council, District 1 Derrick Alexander, Democrat Malcolm Larvadain, Democrat Reddex Washington, Democrat Alexandria City Council, District 3 Steven "Uncle Willie" Chark, Democrat Cynthia Perry, Democrat Alexandria City Council, District 5 Chuck Fowler, Republican This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: See list of who qualified for Rapides Parish races in Nov. 5 election Sen. Martin Heinrich said the choice to withdraw is President Bidens alone, but he believes its in the countrys best interests for him to step aside. (Photo by Megan Gleason / Source NM) Update on July 18 at 1:51 p.m.: This story has been updated to include comments from Bidens campaign manager Friday on a morning talk show. New Mexicos senior senator is calling on President Joe Biden to pass the torch to give Democrats a better chance of defeating former President Donald Trump in November. Heinrich is the third Democratic United States senator to publicly call on Biden to step down, following Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Peter Welch of Vermont. A handful of House Democrats are also beseeching Biden to get out of the race, including four more on Friday. Heinrich, in his statement Friday morning his office provided to Source New Mexico, praised Biden for his successes leading the country and long career in public service. However, this moment in our nations history calls for a focus that is bigger than any one person. The return of Donald Trump to the White House poses an existential danger to our democracy. We must defeat him in November, and we need a candidate who can do that. Heinrich said the choice to withdraw is President Bidens alone, but he believes its in the countrys best interests for him to step aside. By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nations greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy, Heinrich said. Biden, so far, has adamantly refused calls for him to step aside. This morning, his campaign manager, Jen OMalley Dillon, went on the Morning Joe talk show to echo that stance. Absolutely the president is in this race. You have heard him say that time and time again. And I think we saw on display last night exactly why, she said, referring to Trumps address at the Republican National Convention. However, the New York Times reported this week he may be softening on that view, citing several unnamed sources close to him. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester talks with President Joe Biden at the White House in 2022 (Photo via Getty Images). Montanas senior U.S. senator and only Democratic member of the Congressional delegation is calling on President Joe Biden, also a Democrat, to not seek re-election in November. Tester is only the second Democrat in the Senate to make the call on the Biden candidacy, but other media report that former President Barack Obama, U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, have visited with Biden recently, privately asking him to reconsider his decision to stay in the race. Montanans have put their trust in me to do what is right, and it is a responsibility I take seriously. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong, Tester said. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term. Only Vermonts Sen. Peter Welch, a fellow Democrat in the Senate, has publicly called for Biden not to seek re-election. Tester said that Biden should continue to finish out his current term, which ends in January 2025, despite some calls from pundits and politicians for him to exit early in order to give Vice President Kamala Harris better exposure. Tester supports an open nominating process to select a nominee from the Democratic Party. On Wednesday, Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California who is running for a U.S. Senate seat there, also called on Biden to not seek re-election, becoming one of the most prominent members of the House Democrats to call for him to step aside. Schiff is perhaps best known as one of the chief members on the January 6th committee. Tester is running for re-election this November to keep his Senate seat against political neophyte Tim Sheehy, a Bozeman Republican businessman and former soldier, hand-picked by Montanas other senator, Steve Daines, who leads the Republican effort to flip the United States Senate back to GOP control. Despite what many polls and analysts consider a tight race in Montana, which has swung to the right in recent elections, Tester has a track record of winning close competitions. In fact, former President Donald J. Trump came to Montana on three different occasions during Testers last re-election bid, something that could have doomed other Democrats in red states. However, Tester remains one of the few politicians to survive such a frontal political assault. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Biden cancelled a speaking event in Las Vegas when he was diagnosed with COVID-19. It is the second time Biden has gotten COVID-19, and video of the president walking gingerly up the stairs of Air Force One was aired on television and social media. The positive COVID test came on the heels of several notable gaffes and other problems, most prominently, a disastrous television debate on CNN on June 27 in which Biden appeared rattled and at times was hard to follow. That began what became a growing chorus of people calling on the 81-year-old president to step aside. Like almost every member of Congress, Tester was asked about his opinion of Bidens chances of success after the debate, to which he replied that the president has got to prove to the American people including me that hes up to the job for another four years, according to media reports. Even after the debate, the polls showed little change, possibly suggesting an entrenched electorate. A National Public Radio/Marist/PBS News poll that was released last week shows Biden and Trump in a statistical tie in nationwide results. Biden deciding not to seek another term would trigger states to lean on their own laws for what happens to replace a presidential candidate on the ballot. Those procedures widely vary state-by-state. The CEO of Steward Health Care System, which runs several Florida hospitals and is in the midst of Chapter 11 bankruptcy, may have to testify before Congress over the healthcare system, which is also under federal investigation for possible corruption. Two U.S. senators, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Ed Markey of Massachusetts, are planning to ask the Senates Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, which Sanders chairs, to vote next week on whether to subpeona Dr. Ralph de la Torre, CEO and founder of Steward Health Care System, which owns hospitals across the country and in Florida, as part of its own probe into the healthcare giants finances. Time and time again we have invited Dr. de la Torre to come before Congress to testify about the financial mismanagement at Steward that led to one of the largest health care bankruptcies in our nations history. And time and time again, he has arrogantly refused, the senators said in a joint statement Thursday. Enough is enough. It is time for Dr. de la Torre to get off of his yacht and explain to Congress how much he has gained financially while bankrupting the hospitals he manages. Steward Health Care, considered to be the largest physician-owned healthcare network in the U.S, with 31 hospitals in the country, including five in South Florida, filed for bankruptcy protections under Chapter 11 in May with $9 billion in debt. READ MORE: Why a healthcare giant has slowed care at a Miami hospital, and where it leaves patients The senate committees subpoena plans come as federal prosecutors are investigating Steward Health for possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits U.S. citizens and companies from committing bribery and other corruption overseas in order to obtain or retain business. A similar criminal investigation is happening overseas in Malta, an island in Southern Europe, where Steward managed some state-run hospitals. Steward Health last week told the Herald that it was cooperating with an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. It also stated: As a matter of policy, Steward will have no further comment on this investigation as it remains ongoing. The Miami Herald has contacted Steward Health about the senate healths committees subpoena plans. They declined to comment. The CEO of Steward Health Care is the poster child for the type of outrageous corporate greed that permeates through our health care system. It's time for this CEO to get off his $40 million yacht and explain how much he's gained financially while bankrupting Steward Health Care. pic.twitter.com/8tgqiyLaTP Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 18, 2024 The healthcare giant is in the process of trying to sell its national physician group (the initial sale to Optum fell through) and all of its hospitals to thin out debt, including Palmetto General Hospital in Hialeah, Coral Gables Hospital, Hialeah Hospital, North Shore Medical Center in North Miami-Dade and Florida Medical Center in Lauderdale Lakes. Its other Florida hospitals are Melbourne Regional Medical Center, Rockledge Regional Medical Center and Sebastian River Medical. Scrutiny over Steward Healths operations and its CEO has grown throughout the bankruptcy process. Recent court filings show that the healthcare giant paid nine of its executives more than $1 million each a year before the company declared bankruptcy, with de la Torres salary topping $3.7 million, according to the Boston Globe. Stewards CEO has also faced scrutiny for his lavish lifestyle while his healthcare empire sunk. READ NEXT: See how much a giant hospital company owes 30 creditors, including Florida taxpayers The U.S. senators, in their joint statement, went so far as to call de la Torre the poster child for the type of outrageous corporate greed that is permeating through our for-profit health care system. The CEO has two yachts, a Dallas mansion and two luxury private jets, though he has previously denied allegations, in emails to the Globe, that he allowed Stewards community hospitals to whither to support his lifestyle. Meanwhile, Stewards hospitals are languishing. At its hospitals, doctors and nurses have long complained about lack of supplies and broken equipment. In South Florida, North Shore Medical Center, which has seen cutbacks and layoffs this year, is ground zero of Stewards financial crisis. Earlier this year, the North Miami-Dade hospital, 1100 NW 95th St., closed its critical but costly labor and delivery, neonatal, and behavioral health units to try and stop its financial bleeding. In March, another blow for patients: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ordered North Shore to stop performing mammograms and notify patients that they might have received inaccurate results after a review found images taken in the past two years did not meet standards. READ MORE: Is your mammogram wrong? Miami hospital ordered by FDA to halt service over concerns 360 High School, at 182 Thurbers Ave., Providence, will close but students can have a say in the new name for the unified school that will be established in the same building under a settlement reached in a federal class action suit filed by parents of students against the Providence Public School District, Providence School Board, the Rhode Island Department of Education and the state education commissioner. (Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current) A legal saga over the now-shuttered 360 High School in Providence has reached a settlement in the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island. Litigation couldnt stop the loss of 360 High School as a distinct entity, but aspects of the schools environment will continue in a newly unified school in the same building, thanks to a settlement finalized Thursday by Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. The two student bodies sharing the Thurbers Avenue school complex the Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex and the former 360 students can even work together to decide on a name for their newly combined school. (The settlement clarifies, however, that only the Providence City Council can change the name of the actual school building, which is technically William B. Cooley High School.) Were hoping that weve moved the situation closer to a merger, said Jennifer Wood, executive director of Rhode Island Center for Justice and an attorney who represented the families of 360 High School students It speaks volumes that the settlement agreement refers to it as a unified school. The students in the fall will have an opportunity, both student bodies coming together, to determine whether and what they would like to name their school going forward. Thats just one rather symbolic gesture, but rather important to us. Unemployed teachers who worked at 360 High School in the 2023-2024 school year will have the opportunity to reapply for a position at the unified school, according to the settlement. The Rhode Island Department of Education, Providence Public School District and the plaintiffs together announced Wednesday evening that they had mutually reached the agreement. The Rhode Island Department of Education and Providence Public Schools will continue to work closely with students, families, staff, and community partners to foster a school community at the new, unified school, that promotes academic excellence and offers a welcoming and supportive learning environment where all students can thrive, Wednesdays joint announcement stated. In April, four 360 High School parents filed the class action suit, Mezon v. Providence Public School Department. The parents and their children all speak Spanish, so the suit alleged that the high schools impending closure announced to the surprise of students and families in February would violate federal access laws for the schools many multilingual learners, which comprised more than half the student body. I am glad that we were able to have our voices heard. I will stay actively involved in my sons education at the unified school, said Ysaura Mezon, the lead plaintiff, in a statement. Providence public schools are under state control, and education officials from both the state and the school district called the closure a merger, since 360 would be fused into the Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex in the same building on Thurbers Avenue. Originally, the merged school was going to be called the Juanita Sanchez Life Sciences Institute. The federal Every Student Succeeds Act can push underperforming public schools into a process known as redesign, in which a school can be closed, made into a charter or private school, or see fundamental changes to its structure. Juanita Sanchez was already engaged in a redesign process approved by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education in July 2023. The settlement ensures the unified school will be consistent with that makeover while preserving certain elements that 360 High School parents and students appreciated. The settlement, Wood said, is really a statement of prioritiesthat are most valuable or precious [students and families], that they were hoping to be continued and protected in a unified school. City and state education officials maintain they did not violate any of the plaintiffs rights under the agreement. We have every reason to believe that all these commitments have been made in good faith, and then everything will be completely fulfilled and implemented, Wood said. And having a blueprint for that is really great. Some amenities provided by the settlements blueprint include: Thirty minutes of student advisory time every other school day, on topics like team building, advising and post-graduation plans. An emphasis on restorative justice practices, which were highlighted in 360 High Schools institutional structure and are meant to maintain a safe school environment as well as teach conflict resolution skills. An individual learning plan for each student that meets state and New England Association of Schools and Colleges standards. Interpretation and translation services for students and their families a major sticking point in the original suit. Certainly, there are students and their families who are very sad that the school as they knew it in the past will no longer be open next year. Wood said. In a perfect world, their desired outcome was to remain at 360 High School next year, with the administrators, faculty and staff that theyre familiar with since they entered the school. But with the lawsuit filed only months before the end of the school year, Wood acknowledged time was a constraint. Federal litigation does not move that fast, Wood said, and as summer vacation was about to begin, both parties agreed to ask the court if mediation would be an option. The ensuing conversations were very productive, Wood said, and she was grateful that the court helped both defendants and plaintiffs come to a resolution that wasnt exactly what any party wanted, honestly. But thats how settlements are developed, is that theres compromise and you decide on what the key priorities are, Wood said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Tampa Bay airports were impacted by a global computer outage on Friday morning. The Associated Press reported that a widespread Microsoft outage was disrupting flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world. Here is how Tampa Bay area airports were affected: Tampa International Airport Some flights were grounded for hours at the Tampa airport. Flight operations resumed at 10:30 a.m., according to an announcement by airport officials. Passengers are asked to check directly with their airlines for the status of individual flights. Isabella Halderman and her family got to the airport at 9:40 a.m. for their 11:30 a.m. flight. We came and our delta apps werent loading. And so I talked to my grandmother on the phone, and she told me that the internet was down. So I thought maybe that was the reason but we came here and we looked at our gate, and it was canceled. So we had no clue till we were here, Halderman said. There were long lines on the ticketing floor of the airport. Some people sat and waited to find out about their flights. Tomenuel Banks was heading to Texas before his flight was cancelled. I was going to see guy I aint seen in 30 years, Banks said. They (airline) can let me go home and give me my money back. St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport The airports departures and arrivals page shows over two dozen cancelled Allegiant flights. All Allegiant flights departing from and arriving at PIE before 2 p.m. are canceled for today, an airport social media post read. These flights will not be rebooked. All flights at PIE after 2 p.m. are still scheduled. In a statement, Allegiant apologized to customers and said the airline may be forced to cancel additional flights today. Sarasota Bradenton International Airport The airports arrivals and departures board shows several delays and cancellations. In a social media post, airport officials told fliers to check with their airlines for delays and cancellations. What happened? Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion and that they were observing a positive trend in service availability. The Federal Aviation Administration said United, America, Delta and Allegiant flights were grounded due to the outage. CrowdStrike that is impacting multiple carriers. American is working with CrowdStrike to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience, American Airlines said in a statement. As of 5 a.m., the airline said it has been able to safely re-establish its operation. United Airlines said flights that are already airborne are continuing to their destination. A third-party software outage impacted computer systems worldwide, including at United. We are resuming some flights but expect schedule disruptions to continue throughout Friday. We have issued a waiver to make it easier for customers to change their travel plans via United.com or the United app, a United spokesperson said. Delta said its flights are paused due to a vendor technology issue. Any customers whose flights are impacted will be notified by Delta via the Fly Delta app and text message. Customers should use the Fly Delta app for updates. We apologize for the inconvenience as our teams work through this issue. Reports indicated that other airlines may also be impacted, a Delta spokesperson said. TPA officials said the airport was fully operational at 10:30 a.m. Isnt it wild that were this dependent on technology and that the entire world is now attorneys because of one update? Like how is that even possible? Jules Smoak said. Her 3 p.m. flight to Atlanta was delayed to 6 p.m. By just one update. Somebody made one little mistake. And now look at us, Smoak said. The AP reported that an X user posted a screenshot of an alert from Crowdstrike that said the company was aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to its Falcon Sensor platform. CrowdStrike told the AP that the issue believed to be behind the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack and that a fix was on the way. The company said the problem occurred when it deployed a faulty update to computers running Microsoft Windows. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. The Franklin County Commissioners recently announced that Mary K. Seville has been named the director of Franklin County's Department of Emergency Services (DES). As DES director, Seville will administer and direct the emergency management agency, hazardous materials program and the 911 communications center to coordinate safety activities and programs within the county. Seville stepped up to interim DES director when Larry "Glenn" Holloway stepped down from the role earlier this year. "Mary K. has demonstrated time and again that she has the knowledge, fortitude and poise to take the helm of our department of emergency services," said Franklin County Commissioner Chairman Dean Horst. "We couldn't be happier or more excited to have someone as capable and respected as Mary K. in this role." Mary K. Seville, Franklin County Department of Emergency Services Director Seville joined Franklin County's DES in July 2020 as its planning coordinator. In addition to updating the county's emergency operations and hazard mitigation plans, she created distribution management and COVID-19 mass vaccination plans and assisted in establishing and managing a community vaccination center. In 2022, Seville became the assistant director. In this role, she assisted in the day-to-day operations of the department and supervised all daily activities of the county's emergency management program. She also served as the county's deputy emergency management coordinator and worked closely with both local municipalities and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, among other responsibilities. On multiple occasions, Seville has been recognized for her contributions to county operations. She was named employee of the month in May 2021 and October 2023, received the county's 2021 SERVICE Value Award for Visibility, and was named the 2023 Employee of the Year. Prior to joining Franklin County, Seville served as the planning and mapping director in Fulton County for 22 years. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in geography from Shippensburg University in 1997. "It is my pleasure to continue working with the great staff at DES and the emergency services community," said Seville. "I would like to thank everyone who has helped me along the way, and I am very grateful for this opportunity." Franklin County's DES provides a comprehensive emergency management system for the county and coordinates activities through five phases of emergency/disaster that can be natural, man-made, terrorist, hazardous material, chemical or technological in nature. DES handles all aspects of call receipt and processing for fire, emergency management services and law enforcement agencies with the exception of the Pennsylvania State Police Chambersburg Barracks to 22 municipalities in Franklin County. Franklin County rolls outcrisis intervention program for employees This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Seville named director of Franklin County DES GREENWOOD, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) A Hackett sex offender accused of sexually assaulting a minor at a Greenwood daycare has pleaded not guilty, according to court documents. Jamie Speaks, 55 (Courtesy: Sebastian County Detention Center) Jamie Speaks, 55, was arrested by Greenwood police on July 11 on a second-degree sexual assault charge. The Arkansas Crime Information Centers Sex Offender Registry database shows Speaks is a level two sex offender. A probable cause affidavit filed on July 8 said GPD received a report from the parents of a 16-year-old on May 26, 2022, about a sexual assault. The victim reportedly disclosed to a counselor she was sexually abused by Speaks when she was around two years old at a daycare. She told interviewers that Speaks would come into the daycare she attended while his wife worked in the kitchen. Greenwood police arrest sex offender accused of sexually assaulting minor at daycare Speaks would allegedly take her by the hand into the bathroom where he would sexually abuse her. The girl said she had never told anyone about the abuse until she was in counseling at age 16. Before he was arrested, Speaks was named in two civil lawsuits against Miss Tinas Preschool in Greenwood that were filed in December 2023 and January 2024. Click here to read more about the lawsuits that featured Speaks. Speaks is being held in the Sebastian County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond. His trial date is set for December 12. He has been ordered to have no contact with the victim or her family and is prohibited from going to the victims residence, school or place of employment. Speaks is also ordered to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18. 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. SF must refund the police, Salesforce CEO Benioff says SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff believes San Francisco should refund the police, he said on X Thursday. Salesforce is the largest private employer in San Francisco. Benioff fired off a long tweet on Thursday morning about the importance of keeping the San Francisco Police Department fully staffed and funded. Whats the deal with the pro-Trump emojis on X? San Francisco must REFUND the Police not continue to DEFUND the Police. Our Police need to be empowered now not this new terrible decision to end pretext stops. Our SFPD and Sheriffs are the absolute key to a safe and clean San Francisco every day, he said in part. After the Defund The Police movement gained popularity in 2020, San Francisco Mayor London Breed redirected $120 million of law enforcement funding to the citys Black community. However, Breeds latest budget plan includes funding to add 200 new officers to SFPD by the end of the year. Benioff said SFPD must return to more than 2,000 officers. He said that number had fallen below 1,400, though SFPDs website says it currently has 1,862 sworn officers. Benioff listed several other items hed like to see the city accomplish. The bullet points below are his exact words: San Francisco Police Academy must be expanded for hiring surge. All laws must be fully enforced. Police must be fully funded. The DAs office must prosecute to the fullest level of the law. Return Safety to retail business and residential properties NOW. Police officers need to be enabled to protect assigned districts and rewarded & measured for their effectiveness. Metrics for effectiveness need to be clearly defined and transparent. Benioff has been outspoken about public safety in San Francisco in the past. Before the 2023 Dreamforce conference, he threatened to pull the conference from the city if attendees were not kept safe. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4. Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso revealed his odiousness again when he used a reprehensible slur to criticize a political opponent. (Courtesy of Clark Township) If you had asked me two weeks ago whether I could think any less of Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso, I would have thought the idea impossible. This is, after all, the guy who was caught on tape using racial slurs and excoriating all women in law enforcement as disasters. He denied saying any of this until audio recordings proved it, then issued a lame apology in a video that is no longer available. But the mayor wasnt done offending people yet. Jackie Roman and Riley Yates over at NJ Advance Media reported earlier this month that during a recent Clark council meeting, Sal didnt like one of the speakers, so he called him a f*cking r*tard. He muttered it, but he muttered it into a microphone. If you know me personally, you know the use of this slur is a particularly sore point for me because one of my sisters has Down syndrome. I grew up at a time when it was far more common to hear children and even adults use the word frequently, and it always made me cringe to hear friends and classmates bandy it about. Luckily, times have largely changed. Thomas Baffuto, the executive director of the Arc of New Jersey, reminded me that his organizations name used to have the word in it. But people with intellectual and developmental disabilities advocated for a change because it so offended them. They dont want to be called the r-word and were going to stand alongside them and fight this whenever it comes up, he said. And it still comes up, alas. Not just from frat boy comedians like Matt Rife who cant think of any other way to get people to laugh, but also from our alleged leaders. Former Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York used it on Fox News to mock a former colleague. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia used it in a video, then defended herself after being confronted by a constituent who has a son with Down syndrome and autism. You can actually look it up in the dictionary, there is a definition that means stupid, Greene told him. Ive never seen any proof Greene has opened a dictionary, but if so, which one is she using? I just looked the word up and not only is there no alternate definition meaning stupid, theres also a warning that the word is considered offensive. Whats particularly odious about this specific slur is it targets a community that has a lot of members who dont have the means to stand up for themselves. But not all of them. Kayla McKeon is the first registered lobbyist with Down syndrome, and in that role she has met with some of the most powerful people in the nation (people with far more power than Sal). I asked her what she thinks of the word. It is derogatory and extremely offensive, she said. McKeon works with the National Down Syndrome Society, which is working to get the slur eliminated from federal statutes and the Washington, D.C., code (that happened here in 2010 when Chris Christie was governor). If only she could eliminate the slur from the mouths of our local officials. I emailed Sal to see if he would chat. He did not respond. He didnt deny using the word when he spoke to NJ Advance Media, but he said if he did use it, I dont think this was done with malice. What other way is there to use it? The mayor is seeking reelection this year. Apparently his various uttered slurs and criminal charges! dont matter to Republican voters there: He ran unopposed in last months primary, and hell probably win in November, too. Pity poor Clark. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX She took on Neo Nazis and hate groups. Nashville Council Member Zulfat Suara is a boss Theres something poetic about a Black Muslim woman wearing traditional Nigerian garb taking on hate-spewing white supremacist groups at city hall. A dozen men who formed part of an organization called Whites Against Replacement came to disrupt Tuesdays Metro Council meeting, intending to spread their bile during the public comment period. At-Large Council Member Zulfat Suara was not having it. This council and Nashville Government condemn all forms of hate, and that when you come for one of us, you are coming for all of us, and we continue to stand together as Nashville, said Suara, who was leading the meeting at that time as council president pro tempore Tuesday. Right on. The public was cleared from the council chambers, and while normally I would balk at this decision, there was an intended incitement to violence, which is not protected under the First Amendment. A photo shared on social media shows District 30 Council Member Sandra Sepulveda, the first Latina on the body, being held back by colleague District 25 Council Member Jeff Preptit, who is the son of Haitian immigrants, angrily confronting these men who loathe their very existence. Biggest flex of the night goes to @SandraForNash she fought Nazis AND dropped the HARDEST album cover of ALL time. Martin Cherry with a Pulitzer Prize winning photo @nashvillebanner pic.twitter.com/Vv81qmhout Delishia Danielle Porterfield (@DelishiaForNash) July 17, 2024 Vigil for James Lawson and John Lewis added urgency Suara reminded the public about the lessons of the late Rev. James Lawson and his pupil, the late Congressman John Lewis of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, who employed non-violence to confront oppression and hate and avoided giving unneeded attention to groups like these. Council member Zulfat Suara condemns racist and antisemitic displays in Nashville during the Metro Council meeting at Historic Metro Courthouse in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, July 16, 2024. They confronted elected officials and desegrated lunch counters. Lewis was arrested multiple times and Lawson was expelled from Vanderbilt Divinity School. Today, both Lewis and Lawson are lionized with streets and institutions, including a high school and an institute at Vanderbilt, bearing their names. Since the start of the year, masked Neo Nazi and hate groups have come three times to Nashville to march with flags, shields and slogans denouncing Jews and immigrants among other marginalized groups. Freedom of speech is protected. We can still shame the neo-Nazis marching in Nashville. White Replacement Theory is a dangerous concept that has led to violence, including the massacre of 23 people by a killer targeting Latinos at a Walmart in El Paso in 2019. On Wednesday, organizers held a vigil honoring Lawson, who died in 2024, and Lewis, who died in 2020, at Public Square in front of Diane Nash Plaza, named for another civil rights hero. Suara and others repeated the themes of unity and confronting hatred. The hate groups stayed away this time. Nashville is more diverse than Tennessee and U.S. Nashville has positioned itself as a city welcoming to visitors, strangers and immigrants, aka New Americans. A pivotal moment in Nashvilles history was the rejection at the ballot box in 2009 of a measure limited government business to English only. Nashville has become an international city and is not heterogenous by any means. Here is the population breakdown, according to the U.S. Census: White (non-Hispanic): 53.3% Black: 24.6% Latino: 14% Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 4% Another race: 8% Two or more races: 7.57% Native American: 0.56% Households where a language other than English is spoken: 16.75% White people make up 61% of Tennessees population and 59% of the overall U.S. population. By comparison, Nashville is more diverse and demographic data from the NashvilleNext planning document show the city is expected to be majority minority by 2040. Council member Suara has long embraced pluralism I first met Council Member Suara when she was a leader of the American Muslim Advisory Council at an event at the Islamic Center of Nashville. This was years prior to her election to the council in 2019. Councilmember Zulfat Suara speaks during a vigil honoring Rev. James Lawson and Congressman John Lewis at Diane Nash Plaza in Nashville , Tenn., Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Tennessees Muslim community has faced hateful political rhetoric and desecration and burning of mosques. Suara went out of her way to be welcoming and has been one of the faces of the areas Muslim community, leading celebrations for John Lewis and Diane Nash and speaking at rallies including the 2016 vigil at Public Square honoring the nearly 50 victims of the massacre at Pulse, an Orlando gay club. The killer identified as Muslim and she sought to show solidarity with LGBTQ residents. This year, she worked with District 19 Council Member Jacob Kupin, a board member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville, on a proposed resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and an end to hate and bigotry, including antisemitism and Islamophobia. For now, that measure has been deferred until further notice. Suara knows what it feels like to be a target of hatred and bigotry, but she has maintained her discipline as a devotee of nonviolence. Nashville is better off for it. When she confronted hatemongers at Metro Council chambers, she was not just speaking for her community, but for the entire city. That courage should embolden all of us to denounce hatred and work to build a more peaceful and just Nashville going forward. David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee. He is an editorial board member of The Tennessean. He hosts the Tennessee Voices videocast and curates the Tennessee Voices and Latino Tennessee Voices newsletters. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or find him on X at @davidplazas. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Council Member Zulfat Suara is a hero taking on Neo Nazis A Shinola hotel, music venue may replace the old CSX warehouse in downtown Indianapolis A $300 million development project will house an upscale Shinola hotel and 4,000-seat live entertainment venue at the long-blighted corner of Pennsylvania and Georgia Streets in downtown Indianapolis. Boxcar Development LLC, an investment group led by Indiana Pacers owner Herb Simon and the rest of the Simon family, submitted the preliminary proposal to demolish and redevelop the vacant CSX building at 230 S. Pennsylvania St., a former railroad servicing warehouse. The development would be only the second luxury Shinola hotel brand. Boxcar Development LLC announced development plans for a 13-story Shinola hotel and a 4,000-seat live music venue at the corner of Georgia and Pennsylvania streets on July 18, 2024. Boxcar has already signed a letter of intent for a 13-story, 170-room hotel and a Shinola retail store with brand owner Bedrock Manufacturing and Sage Hospitality Group, which operates the original Shinola hotel in Detroit. "Shinola brings an upscale vibe that is both retro and modern at the same time," Phil Bayt, an Ice Miller LLP attorney who represents Boxcar, told IndyStar. "It will be a unique blend of bringing the interest in a consumer product into a hotel." Indianapolis-based Ratio Architects will lead the hotel design. Developers considered a second tower designated for apartments, Bayt said, but Live Nation expressed interest in a downtown live music center, and Boxcar decided to go in a different direction. Bayt said the plans for apartments were never finalized. Indiana Avenue development: 12-story building will go up despite lingering height concerns Boxcar is finalizing details on an agreement for the 4,000-seat music venue with Live Nation, a news release from the investment group said. Populus, the company that designed the Las Vegas Sphere, will design the venue. Designers will construct the project to be "complimentary to and reminiscent of the historic Warehouse District in which much of the project will sit," the release said. The development will incorporate retail space on the ground floor, a two-floor parking garage and a pedestrian skybridge over Pennsylvania Street to connect to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Herb Simon as MLS owner?: 'He'd be a wonderful addition,' Indy mayor says Since the project is located within the Wholesale District, the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission must approve proposals. The plan will be available for public review in late July and go before the commission Aug. 7. If approved, demolition of the CSX building would begin near the end of 2024 with construction wrapping up in 2027, the release said. Alysa Guffey covers retail growth and development for IndyStar. Contact her at amguffey@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Shinola hotel, music venue may replace downtown Indy CSX warehouse Family, friends and community attend a candlelight vigil for Corey Comperatore, the former fire chief shot and killed at a weekend rally for former President Donald Trump, Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa. | Eric Gay When Lacey Welch goes into a restaurant, she never sits with her back to the door. If she sees a police officer, she notices whether hes paying attention to anything or anyone in particular. Welch, 34, will tell you she went back to her Soda Springs, Idaho, hometown because shes more at ease there. Big cities make her somewhat nervous now. Shes happy to be somewhere shes comfortable opening her window on a hot night or leaving her car unlocked while she runs an errand. She moved back in 2021 after living in Las Vegas, where she and her mom and sister attended the Route 91 concert featuring Jason Aldean that ended abruptly with a massacre in 2017. A gunman killed 60 people and wounded more than 400. Welch and her family still go to concerts and other public events. But her sense of safety was shattered, perhaps forever. Still, shes just not willing to let bad guys win. In this Monday, Oct. 16, 2017, file photo, people visit a makeshift memorial for victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas. Fifty-eight crosses were planted in front of the sign for the 58 people killed when a 64-year-old man unleashed withering gunfire toward the Route 91 Harvest music festival before killing himself. | John Locher Thats a sentiment she shares with Cindy Maudsley, of Bountiful, Utah, who was 15 in 1999 when two fellow students killed 13 and wounded 21 more at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. A quarter-century later, she admits shes not over it. Certain smells, sights, events trigger a flood of memories. When she goes out with her husband and five kids, ages 3 to 15, she scans her surroundings and thinks about how to keep them and herself safe should something happen. Shes the first to say that even if you have a plan, how youd actually react is something you learn in real time as an event unfolds. But she tries to shrink her unease until its manageable and she can go on with her life. It doesnt stop me from sending my kids to school or going to a movie, she said this week. I try to live more with faith than in fear, but the traumas always there. You have to learn to focus on not worrying about everything. In this April 28, 1999, file photo, a woman stands among 15 crosses posted on a hill above Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., in remembrance of the 15 people who died during a school shooting on April 20. | Eric Gay In the wake of the recent attempted assassination of Donald Trump, former president and 2024 GOP presidential nominee, and killing of bystander Corey Comperatore at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, one wonders how people who were there react to such a trauma. And whether mass events, from the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks to shootings at grocery stores, concerts, a movie theater and schools have impacted even people who werent there more than they realize. What does trauma do to a person? Is there a normal and when does life reclaim it? Deseret News asked both mental health experts and people who survived horrifying events. Heres what they told us. Reacting to trauma When asked what trauma people carry forward from a mass shooting or similar event, Sheldon Solomon responded wryly that anyone who could answer that question would be celebrating their Nobel Prize on a beach somewhere. People are very different. Still, it is fair to say that any event of this nature is going this is to common sense masquerading as psychological insight to raise existential concerns more specifically about death. And some of those concerns are quite conscious, and some are quite unconscious, said Solomon, professor of psychology at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, and holder of a presidential citation from the American Psychological Association. His research includes the effects of the uniquely human awareness of death on behavior. Hes also an American Psychological Society fellow. Research suggests humans are fundamentally motivated to skirt the concept of death and also basically yearn to perceive themselves as persons of value in a world of meaning. So they choose the versions of reality that let them feel that way, he said. When they experience physical or psychological threats or have direct contact with death, some will avoid whats associated, so folks might skip political rallies after the shooting in Butler or not fly after Sept 11, 2001. They choose rational defenses to minimize the prospect of future death. Other people, whether theyre aware of it or not, cling more tenaciously to their preexisting world views, Solomon said. So religious people become more religious and folks attached to highly charismatic leaders become more attached. He predicts Trump will pick up supporters and lose very few. Another clump of folks by virtue of prior experiences or the magnitude of the danger that they perceive to themselves or some combination are literally psycho-dynamically shattered by those kinds of events, he said. They exhibit post-traumatic stress reactions. How trauma affects people boils down to lots of ways. I think what one could say for sure is that these kinds of events, be they environmental or political or economic, all raise these kinds of existential concerns that result in a variety of reactions depending upon individuals, their current circumstance and their prior beliefs, Solomon said. The crowd reacts as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024. | Gene J. Puskar That could have been me Susan Silk, a clinical psychologist in Detroit, Michigan, is part of the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Team. They go out to disasters of all kinds to help those impacted. A shooting at a movie theater or at a concert creates a near-universal kind of dread, because nearly everyone can see themselves in such a venue. Thats a factor in how people respond: whether they can picture themselves there. For a while, people working in mental health and related businesses didnt think news reports and repeated images of a shooting or similar event could traumatize people unless they were there. Many have changed their mind, recognizing it might increase our collective sense of vulnerability and identification with trauma and its victims, Silk said. Collectively, we tend to think that could have been me, she said. Hearing narratives of people who were there also makes it more real. Whatever trauma we have had in our lives, we attach it to that. People who have been injured or scared or experienced a traffic pileup or ice storm, for instance, may better identify with others tragedy because they, too, have survived situations where they felt they didnt have any control, Silk said. Trauma is worse for you if it happens to you most of the time, said Fran Walfish, a Beverly Hills family psychotherapist and author of The Self-Aware Parent. But it can be as traumatizing and sometimes worse to witness it. Walfish said reactions vary based on personality differences, ego strength how much stress a person can handle in their moral, biological, physiological constitution and personal experiences with trauma. The first thing that happens is shock, because feelings and emotions from experiencing or witnessing trauma are too big to process all at once, she said. Walfish thinks when Trump waved his fist, He was moving forward but clearly had not taken in the enormity of what had happened. Released from the hospital, he was surrounded by family. Walfish said staying connected to your support system is her first suggestion for processing such an event. This is a photo of the Butler Farm Show, site of a Trump campaign rally that was taken on Monday July 15, 2024 in Butler, Pa. On Saturday July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump was wounded during an assassination attempt while speaking at the rally. | Gene J. Puskar Unfairness of judging reactions Watch a TV drama or visit a real courtroom and you might see people talking about how someone reacted to tragedy. Convictions and exonerations have been built on others assessment of ones demeanor. Experts like Silk and Solomon say its a poor way to judge. As Silk notes, reactions can be aroused or numbed. In the former, someone might run around being distraught. In the latter, someone might hardly visibly react. She remembers a court case involving children who died when a car, driven by their father, crashed. Police were suspicious because he didnt seem distraught enough. It made them think it was deliberate. The man was more likely in shock. Nor are people hardwired to act a certain way in a terrible event. Some folks are paralyzed with fear and others become hyper-agitated. Later, the post-traumatic stress type of individual becomes hyper-vigilant and super sensitive to any physical stimulus that reminds them of the precipitating event, Solomon said. There are likely even folks who simply carry on with their routine. That was a downer. But were in Vegas. Lets go to the buffet. Lest anyone judge those folks, he adds, for some that may serve as a viable compensatory reaction to restore a sense of psychological equanimity. Solomon said judgments are demonstrably skewed by existential concerns. He and colleagues once did an experiment with municipal court judges in Arizona. They subtly reminded some that they were going to die and with others they did not. Judges with death on their minds were far more punitive, though they all said they didnt even notice theyd been asked about dying and no way did that impact them. The experiment was later replicated with strong controls, the result unchanged. When they did a similar experiment but had people think about terrible nonlethal events, the effect was not the same. The reaction of people who live through an event depends on them. After Sept. 11, some folks that like gambling gambled more. Those who liked watching TV watched TV more. We know that in response to existential anxieties, securely attached people become more committed to their significant others. All we could say with confidence is that people who are threatened, either consciously or not, by concerns about death will behave in ways to boost their sense of meaning and value, Solomon said. Thats visible in people who run toward danger and also in those who run away, he said, amplifying our preexisting tendencies. While its hard not to sound judgmental, he adds, both people are needed. It seems obvious that the helpful and courageous are important for a highly social creature like humans for our mutual welfare. But he notes that the apprehensive, very danger-averse are also needed: It turns out that they have a greater awareness of external threats. They are valuable canaries in the coal mine. We dont want to fall into the trap of thinking theres only one adequate response, Solomon said. Yet no one is safe from criticism when people are judging reactions. If someone seems too upset, whatever that is, some view it like stolen valor, Silk said, like theyre reacting in ways that call attention to themselves when they didnt suffer enough to earn it. Those who dont react visibly appear to be callous. Who knows internally how theyre processing that or how well theyll sleep at night, she said. Sometimes the persons themselves dont truly know how theyre affected. Silk suggests everyone practice benevolence and figure people are doing the best they can with an abnormal situation. Signs of distress are just as varied and may not be recognized as related to the traumatic event. Parents sometimes try to jostle their children out of distressed emotions because they make the adult uncomfortable. Theyre used to fixing things; when they cant, they try to make it go away. Its not a good approach. Its fine for a parent to say I am here and I love you and I am going to take care of you and things will get better. Its wrong to say youre not really scared. When a child is expressing hurt or scared, Silk warns, make sure the reassurance is not about easing parental discomfort. Let children grieve. But with traumatic mass events, Silk says to limit their exposure. Dont have it running over and over on TV. Megan Murphy, at right in hat, embraces Cara Knoedler as Kenneth Wright wipes his eyes on the first anniversary of the mass shooting, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018, in Las Vegas. Behind them is the site of the shooting. | John Locher Traumatized though you werent there You can also be traumatized at a distance; you dont have to be there, Solomon said. He cowrote a book about Sept. 11, In the Wake of 9/11: The Psychology of Terror. Unless you live in southern Manhattan, which was in very close proximity to the planes flying into the buildings, you were just as affected by watching it on TV if you lived in Montana or Alaska than if you lived at the top of Manhattan. So these events are existentially impactful, even to folks that didnt happen to be there. Especially when the average individual has probably seen a replay, he said. Most American adults have probably seen replays of the near assassination of Trump over and over. And already, Americans were marinating in existential anxieties every day. ... The weather and the political divisiveness and the economic instability are just really impinging upon us in ways that were mostly unaware of, but are all demonstrably connected to that anxiety. Walfish agreed you neednt be near such tragedies to feel fear. On Saturday, folks watched on TV as people in the rally crowd were scrambling to get under the grandstands and some didnt fit. It was scary, she said. Could that happen to me? Moving forward Jon Lane was a teacher who disarmed a student shooter in the Frontier Middle School shooting in 1996 in Moses Lake, Washington. A teacher and two students were killed; others were held hostage. Any shooting that happens brings back a sadness to think that a family, a neighborhood, a community will go through profound grief from a senseless act and will miss a loved one, Lane said by email. I am especially upset when a young person is the victim. I know there are mentally ill, angry people who choose to do harm to others, it happens too often and we havent come up with ways to prevent these shootings. I know that the media needs to report on these incidents but wonder if this leads to copycats and further incidents. We can point to violence in media, breakdown of the family, drugs, mental illness and even declining attendance/involvement in some type of a faith community. Lane added that so many people make good choices and have a positive impact in their community and I choose to focus on the good in the world. I think I am doing OK and I have an amazing family that inspires me for the future. After the concert massacre, Welch had eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR, therapy for over a year, which helped a ton. But she still takes note of security screening methods at concerts and other venues. When she hears of other shootings, she wonders how everyone there is doing. She knows you dont have to be hit by gunfire to be hurt and in lots of ways. Before the concert, shed read about a tragedy and empathize. I didnt feel it to the core like I do now. Every year, she and her mom and sister say theyll go to a Jason Aldean concert. Somehow, they have never managed it. Maudsley feels like times passage helps, but isnt a cure. Maybe its like taking an aspirin for joint pain. It eases it, but the pain comes back. She thinks shes gone through all the emotional stages one might expect, including anger and resentment. Forgiveness was when she was able to let go of the pain and stop thinking about Columbine every day. Forgiveness doesnt mean its OK it happened and someone gets a pass. I havent moved on, but I can move forward, be productive and honor what I went through and remember the victims and all the people impacted by it. People who lost their lives. You never forget about it. You dont get over it. But you move forward and live your best way possible, she said. Maudsley said she still has nightmares; healing is a lifelong process. She takes a few steps forward and then something like the shooting at the political rally happens and she has to take a step back and let herself feel her emotions. Sometimes, she reads about the events; sometimes she avoids it. She never reads survivor stories from school shootings; they put her back in Columbine. But she does read the victims names and look at their photos as a way to honor them. A boy looks through the fence at the Columbine High School tennis courts in Littleton, Colo., April 24, 1999. | Eric Gay Dealing with the trauma Walfish offers advice for dealing with this kind of trauma: Stay connected to your support group. Talking is the glue that holds people together. Find healthy activities that offer a way to express what youre feeling. Singing is a way to expel sounds along the same pathway as crying or screaming in anger. Move your body in gentle ways. Eat balanced, healthy meals. Do your best to keep a regular sleep routine, with the same bed and awake time. Practice mindfulness techniques. Join a support group. Therapy may be helpful. I say sometimes because with this kind of trauma, group therapy may be more indicated and therapeutic. It takes the stigma off that somethings wrong with the way I am dealing with this. Dont let your kids see you fall apart. It accelerates their sense of not being safe. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) A shoplifting duo from Bunnell, Fla., were arrested Thursday after they stole more than $850 worth of items from a Winn-Dixie, according to the Flagler County Sheriffs Office. Willie London, Jr., 41 dropped Michele Sofia, 38, off at the grocery store on Wednesday, located on Flagler Plaza Drive, where officials said she filled a shopping cart and walked out without paying. 12-year-old girl charged with murder, accused of suffocating 8-year-old cousin in bed Surveillance footage captured Sofia doing a loop around the parking lot before heading back to Londons vehicle to load the car. Later, deputies said London entered the Winn-Dixie, and loaded a shopping cart, before abandoning the cart to ask an employee about a missing EBT card. At one point, London left the store and came back with Sofia, to find the cart near the customer service desk. Sofia, again, took the cart and walked out with the items without paying, according to the sheriffs office. The same vehicle then pulled around and picked up London from the store. Treasury Department warns anti-woke Florida banking law is a national security risk Authorities said the stolen items totaled $857.01, as the first cart had $366.34 worth of merchandise and the second had $490.67. London and Sofia were found in a tent behind a home on South Church Street where they were arrested. London was arrested for two counts of violating probation, obstruction without violence, and retail theft over $750. He is being held on a $3,500 bond. Sofia was arrested for grand theft of $750-$5,000 and violating probation and is being held on a $2,500 bond. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. A Rochester police officer came under fire during a traffic stop in Rochester on Thursday. At approximately 3:10 p.m., an officer from the Rochester Police Department's Traffic Enforcement Unit was conducting a traffic stop near the intersection of Smith Street and Grape Street. While sitting inside his marked patrol vehicle with emergency lights on, a suspect discharged multiple rounds from a handgun, according to Rochester police. The suspect, positioned south of the officer on Grape Street, struck the patrol vehicle at least twice. The officer was unharmed, but "shaken up," said Rochester Police Chief David Smith. Responding officers established a perimeter in the area and apprehended a suspect, Smith said. A handgun was also recovered during the search. No further information was immediately released. The investigation is ongoing. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Shots fired at Rochester NY police car during traffic stop Senate President Pro Tem. Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) and other House and Senate Democrats hold a news conference following the close of a special session, in Santa Fe, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Photo by Eddie Moore / Albuquerque Journal) The special session is a wrap after five hours. The New Mexico Senate gaveled out just before 5 p.m. Thursday in a 25-13 vote mostly along party lines, as Republicans objected to the sessions end. This first special session of the 56th Legislature could have been handled in an email, said Sen. Cliff Pirtle (R-Roswell) of the unanimous vote on wildfire relief. Republicans introduced 15 bills and one constitutional amendment on the Senate floor, many of them related to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams special session crime-focused agenda, including announcements yesterday to toughen penalties for fentanyl distribution and an overhaul of racketeering laws. The governor first signaled she wanted a special session on public safety back in February, when the 30-day session ended without a few of her key priorities getting a hearing. Since then, she and lawmakers have gone back and forth, ultimately unable to reach consensus on her agenda and culminating in an anticlimactic special session. Sen. Mark Moores (R-Albuquerque), who sponsored the governors legislation, said he was disappointed in the Legislature and floated that the governor might want more Republicans in the body to pass her agenda. Even though I opposed this governor, she was right on this issue and I stood up for her on these bills, Moores said. The adjournment followed the unanimous passage of House Bill 1, which would offer $100 million in relief to the Ruidoso area following the South Fork and Salt fires, and another $3 million for the Administrative Office of the Court pilot projects for outpatient treatment programs. Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces), Chair of the House Appropriations Finance Committee touted the fire response package as a nimble and necessary piece of funding that responds in real time to the unfolding disaster caused by the South Fork and Salt fires. Also, Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) said the bill addresses the governors desire for action, and asked her not to use her line-item veto power to remove the pilot project money. This is a first step toward rebuilding the collaborative relationship between the three branches of government, Wirth said. The House moved quickly Thursday to introduce and pass the bill and adjourned sine die earlier in the day. It sailed through a committee and then appeared back on the House floor around 2:45 p.m. House lawmakers passed the bill 57-7, with seven Republicans voting no. The lopsided vote occurred after House Speaker Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque) quickly quashed an effort by Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo) to add an amendment that promised to crack down on fentanyl crossing the states southern border. Martinez deemed the amendment not germane, and the House moved on to the vote. The seven House Republicans who voted against HB1: John Block (Alamogordo) Candy Spence Ezzell (Roswell) Jared Hembree (Roswell) Alan Martinez (Rio Rancho) Rod Montoya (Farmington) Randall Pettigrew (Lovington) Larry Scott (Hobbs) The governor opted against holding a news conference after the abrupt end to the session. Instead, her office issued a fiery statement calling Thursday one of the most disappointing days of my career. The public should be outraged, she said. My promise to you is that I will not stop fighting to protect you and your families. At a press conference after both chambers adjourned sine die, Democratic leaders said the bill represents a step in the right direction. Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) said while the bill lawmakers passed doesnt focus on crime the way we will need to in January, and it doesnt focus on the issues that we will continue to work on and get to consensus on. Martinez said the pilot project funding is inspired by the concepts the governor raised. From that vantage point, in my opinion, we did move the ball considerably further than its ever been moved on these issues, he said. Lujan Grisham said lawmakers walked away from their most important responsibility: keeping New Mexicans safe. But it is noteworthy that a majority of Republicans would have passed many or all of these bills they were blocked, she said. House Minority Leader Rod Montoya (R-Farminton) told Source New Mexico that Democrats concerns about optics prevented them from making meaningful changes. Frankly, the governor is right. The public is crying out under what is increasing and unbearable crime, especially in Albuquerque, Montoya said. A recent report from the Legislative Finance Committee found that violent crime in Bernalillo County, where Albuquerque sits, has flattened since 2017. The current violent crime rate is three times the national per capita rate, according to the report. Nayomi Valdez, director of public policy at the ACLU of New Mexico, praised lawmakers for doing more work than they were supposed to do in the lead-up to the session. Martinez said they worked on the governors proposals for hundreds of hours. When it became clear the governors proposals were not going to change, ACLU-NM and what ultimately grew to 45 other groups released a letter asking her to cancel the special session. As crazy as it sounds, I think we just saw democracy happen, and its a messy process, Valdez said after lawmakers largely ignored the governors agenda. Many legislators thanked us for the letter. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Authorities arrested six individuals in connection to a 2023 shooting at a house party that left two people dead and injured several others. Justin Alba, 25, of Peabody, and Lynn residents Darwin Batista, 20, Yefferson Vallecillo Cambar, 22, Carlos Ramirez Corniel, 16, Leonardo Espinoza, 15, and Abel Severino Reyes, 21, are all being charged with two counts of murder, according to the Essex County District Attorneys Office. Alba, Batista, Vallecillo Cambar, and Severino Reyes are also being charged with one count of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and four counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. On September 2, 2023 at 2:20 a.m., a house party at 189 Essex Street turned violent when the six suspects allegedly shot and killed 21-year-old Jandriel Heredia of Revere and 25-year-old Abraham Diaz in a drive-by shooting. Five others were also injured in the shooting. Police do not believe it was a random act of violence. Second victim dies after Saturday morning shooting at Lynn house party The double homicide that occurred last year was incredibly tragic, Lynn Mayor Jared C. Nicholson said. While nothing will replace the loss of Abraham Diaz and Jandriel Heredia or change how many lives were forever impacted by such heinous acts of violence, these charges are a meaningful step for the families as well as our entire community, which continues to deserve and demand peace. Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker thanked the community as well as several law enforcement agencies for their diligent work on the case. When gun violence threatens our communities and our neighborhoods, Tucker said, we will continue to work together to protect the families and individuals we serve in Essex County, and to bring to justice those that commit any and all violent crimes. In the hours following this attack, we pledged to pursue and bring to justice those who committed these horrific crimes, Lynn Chief of Police Chris Reddy said. I want to express my gratitude for the dedicated and determined efforts by members of the Lynn Police, the Massachusetts State Police, the Office of District Attorney Paul Tucker, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that resulted in the arrests of these individuals. 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 The next generation of fighter aircraft could bring greater speed, range and ability to penetrate deep into enemy airspace and it might even feature a revolutionary new type of engine, experts and retired U.S. Air Force officer say. The aviation world has seen five generations of fighters, ranging from the subsonic F-86 Sabre after World War II to the current, stealthy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Now, militaries around the world are working on jets they believe will represent technological leaps significant enough to qualify as sixth-generation aircraft. And while the precise definition of a sixth-generation aircraft isnt set in stone yet, experts agree on some common attributes, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Clint Hinote told Defense News. The Air Forces effort to build a sixth-gen fighter family of systems is known as Next Generation Air Dominance, or NGAD, and experts say the platform will be asked to do a lot of things. You want it to be fast, you want it to fly high, said Hinote, who was the Air Forces former deputy chief of staff for strategy, integration and requirements. You want it to fly a long way. You want it to be as stealthy as possible not only in radar frequency [but also] in the infrared spectrum as well. Hinote and Heather Penney, a retired F-16 pilot and senior resident fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, said speed, stealth and range will be among the most crucial elements of a sixth-generation fighter particularly if it is needed to cross long distances in the Pacific and enter Chinese-controlled airspace. Range and the ability to penetrate will be absolutely critical for sixth-generation aircraft, especially given that were looking at the Pacific theater and China as our primary pacing threat, Penney said. Fifth-generation aircraft such as the F-22 and F-35 were conceived at a time when the United States military still had a Europe and NATO-focused mindset, Hinote said. The [F-35] requirements were basically developed right after the Cold War, Hinote said. Its a short-range fighter. That makes total sense in NATO, where youve got hundreds of runways everywhere to operate off of. It makes no sense in the Pacific, where the situation is much different [and] you only have a few runways to operate off of. It needs to be able to communicate without giving its position away, Hinote said, and it must be able to carry larger payloads than fifth-generation aircraft carry today. That allows you to get to a position in the battlespace and the airspace where you can enforce your will through the use of force, if necessary, the concept of air superiority, Hinote said. A B-21 Raider conducts flight testing, which includes ground testing, taxiing, and flying operations, at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The B-21 will interoperate with our allies and partners to deliver on our enduring commitment to provide flexible strike options for coalition operations that defend us against common threats. (Courtesy photo) And the ability to maintain a plane without damaging its stealth coating will be crucial, Penney said. Early versions of stealth technology on aircraft such as the F-117A Nighthawk and B-2 Spirit bomber were delicate and difficult to maintain, she said. Stealth has made considerable leaps forward over the years to be more practical and reliable, Penney said, and a sixth-gen fighters stealth capabilities also need to take another step forward to be maintainable and provide better performance. Hinote and Penney said the next generation of aircraft must both take in large amounts of detailed data and fuse it in a way that sorts out the battlespace. A sixth-gen aircraft should be able to not only have those advanced sensors, not just forward looking, but side and aft, looking across [multiple] phenomena such as radar, infrared and other frequencies, Penney said. And the Air Force wants NGAD to team up with AI-operated drone wingmen known as collaborative combat aircraft, or CCA, as part of the family of systems concept. CCAs could carry out strike missions, jam enemy radars, conduct recon, or even serve as decoys. The Air Force has so far planned for NGAD to have a new type of propulsion system known as an adaptive engine, which can shift to different, more efficient configurations depending on the flying situation. Pratt & Whitney and General Electric Aerospace are each developing their own adaptive engines as part of the Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion program. An adaptive engine, however, would be very expensive, Hinote said. And with serious budget crunches prompting the Air Force to reconsider its plans and designs for NGAD, the service is considering whether to scale down its engine to bring NGADs price down. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said in a June interview with Defense News that making NGADs engine smaller and less complex is an option being considered. But better dogfighting ability would likely not be on the wish list for sixth-generation fighters, Hinote said. He does not expect those aircraft to have advancements in slow-speed maneuverability or an emphasis on cannons that would allow fighters to go toe-to-toe in relatively close quarters. The F-22 can get a high [angle of attack] in ways weve never seen, Hinote said. The Sukhoi Su-57, same thing. I dont think its relevant for enforcing air superiority in the Pacific. The Defense Department does not keep a hard-and-fast taxonomy of aircraft generations. But in 2017, a spokesman at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia took a crack at it. In his column, Jeffrey Hood of the 633rd Air Base Wings public affairs office said the first generation of fighter jets that emerged following World War II took advantage of novel jet technology and swept wings, as opposed to the perpendicular wings that were previously standard. But those fighters, such as the F-86 Sabre, were limited to sub-sonic speeds and machine guns. All that changed after Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in 1947. This opened the door to a second generation of jets, such as the F-104 Starfighter, that could break Mach 1 and even Mach 2, and carry on-board radar and air-to-air missiles, Hood wrote. The third generation which included the Vietnam-era F-4 Phantom incorporated advanced radars and better guided missiles that could engage enemies beyond visual range. After that came the F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and F-18 Hornet fourth-generation fighters that can maneuver at high G-forces, use digital data links to share information, track multiple targets, and strike surface targets using lasers or GPS guidance. In a 2016 study published by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, now-retired Gen. Jeff Harrigian said fifth-generation fighters such as the F-22 and F-35 include stealth, improved self-defense, sensing, and jamming abilities, integrated avionics, and more. And depending on ones perspective, the first sixth-generation aircraft could already be flying. Northrop Grumman has touted its B-21 Raider bomber as the first sixth-gen aircraft. In an interview with Defense News before the B-21s 2022 rollout, a Northrop official said the bombers cutting edge stealth, use of open systems architecture, and use of advanced networking and data sharing technologies to connect sensors to shooters across multiple domains make it the first of the sixth-gen systems. Those abilities are probably enough for the B-21 to qualify as a sixth-generation aircraft, Penney said, though she said its high levels of classification make it hard for outside observers to gauge whether it lives up to the hype. Hinote looks at Northrops claims with a bit more skepticism and thinks its more of a marketing angle, but notes these generational definitions are largely matters of opinion. If they want to call it sixth-generation, sure, Hinote said. I dont necessarily believe that the stealth characteristics and the open architecture of the B-21 automatically makes it a generational change in what weve got. Its an incremental step, its a good step, Im glad that were doing it, but its probably not so big that its truly generational. Sky News went off the air briefly on Friday morning amid a global IT outage, which also disrupted flights around the world and train services in the U.K. According to the BBC, the disruptions appear to be linked to a software update that went awry for cybersecurity company Crowdstrikes anti-virus software, which has affected many of Microsofts Windows devices. In a statement to the BBC, Microsoft blamed third-party software, but did not name the platform. More from Variety Were aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform. We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming, a Microsoft spokesperson told the BBC. Crowdstrike then issued a statement of its own, saying that it is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. In a statement on X, Sky News chairman David Rhodes said that the network had not been able to broadcast live TV this morning, currently telling viewers that we apologize for the interruption. Much of our news report is still available online, and we are working hard to restore all services. Sky News broadcast was restored around 9 a.m. U.K. time, but without full capabilities, Rhodes said on X. At 9:52 a.m. local time, it was restored fully. In regards to air travel, the BBC reports that airports in New Zealand, Japan, India, Amsterdams Schipol, Hong Kong, Australia, Edinburgh, Berlin and more have experienced technical difficulties. In the U.S., United, Delta and American airlines have issued a global ground stop on all of their flights. Flights that are currently in the air have been given the green light to continue, but no other flights will depart. Reuters reported that the Paris Olympics IT systems have also been affected, but that they have a back-up plan in place should it be needed. Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern railway services in the U.K. also posted on social media that they are experiencing widespread IT issues that they warned passengers could disrupt their travel plans. According to the BBC, technical issues are also being reported within the NHS GP system in the U.K., preventing patients from booking new appointments. The popular coffee chain Gails has also reported that it is unable to take any in-store payments. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Slow down: Leesburg soon might have cameras monitoring those school speed zones The Leesburg City Commission is mulling a proposed Article VII ordinance, "School Zone Speed Enforcement," Chapter 21, "providing for purpose, intent and definitions" of establishing a school zone speed enforcement program and authorizing the use of speed detection systems within the city. In other words: Speed-enforcement cameras may be installed at school zones. The proposed ordinance will be discussed during the city commission meeting at 5:30 p.m. July 22. The first school cameras for speed enforcement in the entire state of Florida were installed in Eustis in February. The city commissioners are deciding on how to implement requirements and the designation of school zones enforced, administrative procedures, severability (a provision that allows the remainder of the legislation's or contract's terms to remain effective, even if one or more of its other terms or provisions are found to be unenforceable or illegal) and an effective date. "This mirrors Eustis' agreement?" Commissioner Mike Pederson asked during the July 8 commission meeting's first reading of the ordinance. "That is correct," City Attorney Grant Watson responded. In Eustis, the first city in Florida to implement the school zone camera enforcement program, devices are installed at the city's public elementary schools, and the devices identify speeders exceeding 10 mph above the speed limit by photographing license plates. As in Eustis, Leesburg's speed-detection cameras would only be operational during school hours. If the ordinance passes, the devices are scheduled to be implemented before the school year starts. Drivers caught speeding more than 10 mph over the limit would get a warning for the first 30 days the devices are in use. "There'll be multiple signs in all directions," Commissioner Alan Reisman assured. Tickets start as a civil citation that costs $100 in Eustis. If the citation is not paid in 30 days, it becomes a moving traffic violation that will cost $164. The devices are installed at elementary schools only. The initial $100 fines would be the same, confirmed Leesburg Police Chief Joe Iozzi. More: Demand for school crossing safety and speed cameras fuel debate at Lake commission meeting Altumint, the company contracted by Eustis for its enforcement program, has been contracted for Leesburg, confirmed Iozzi. "Although we are still working through the approval process, and considering some logistical concerns, our ultimate intent is to enhance student safety in and around our Leesburg schools," Iozzi told the Daily Commercial. "This project will serve as an additional layer of protection for all students, faculty, staff and visitors." Iozzi added that the city is "tentatively planning" a media day on Aug. 8 that will provide further specifics. At the July 8 commission meeting, Pederson asked a common question related to camera devices: What if the driver is not the owner of the vehicle. Will the owner be cited? "There is an affidavit process for someone who is the registered owner to send in and swear that they weren't the one driving the car that they had lent it to someone else and kind of rat out the other person to try and get out of it," Watson explained. "But just to make that point, there is a process for a registered owner not driving, at least to be able to challenge it." Back in February, Eustis Police Chief Craig Capri explained to the Daily Commercial that school zone cameras differ from red-light cameras in how they are funded. Red-light cameras have been characterized as "cash cows" for local governments, he said. The Altumint speed enforcement program is 100 percent violator-funded with no cost to taxpayers, the company said in a press statement. "When I was in Daytona, we had a red-light cameras and it was sold as a money maker," Capri said. But "we're here to stop people speeding in school zones, to protect our kids, our, our staff and faculty and control speed." This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Speeders may be caught on camera in some Leesburg school zones A look at the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. (Jane Norman/States Newsroom) Thousands of Republicans, from a presidential candidate to grassroots party members, began assembling in Milwaukee on July 15, 2024, for that quadrennial political ritual, the party convention. Political history curators from the Smithsonians National Museum of American History were there, too. Theyre self-described scavengers of the physical objects that make up political campaign history, from candidate buttons to signs, banners and anything else that can enter the Smithsonians campaign collection which dates back to George Washington in order to make sense of our moment to people wondering what we were all thinking, as curator Jon Grinspan put it. Grinspan was joined by curators Claire Jerry and Lisa Kathleen Graddy in an interview with The Conversations politics editor, Naomi Schalit. They will report back to Conversation readers during the convention about their progress. Schalit: What do political history curators do? Lisa Kathleen Graddy: We try to document, through material culture, Americans relationship with their democracy, with their government, how they are affected by it, how they affect it, and how they interact with it. Material culture is all of the ephemera and the products that people make and use to express their opinions about politics. Claire Jerry: We go into the field so we can watch people in real time working and interacting with these objects. But we also want to place that in a historical context. Obviously none of us were able to watch anyone do that in 1860 or 1896, but by watching how people do it today, we can go back and reinterpret the objects that we collected from the past. Jon Grinspan: We try to explain the past to the present and the present to the future. Were trying to draw from our really broad, deep history of democracy to make some sense of the present. Schalit: What are some notable items in your collection? Graddy: One of my favorite objects is a banner from Thomas Jeffersons 1801 inauguration. It has a portrait of Thomas Jefferson, and an eagle is holding one of two ribbons above his head. And the ribbons say, T. Jefferson, President of the United States, John Adams is no more. A brown linen banner with a painting of a man surrounded by an oval and an eagle above him. The election of 1800 was an ugly, bitterly fought election that tore apart two friends Jefferson and Adams and pitted parties against each other. But its also one of the moments when we knew democracy would work. The losing side left, the winning side came in, and the response was, well meet you again in four years and well try it again. Its one of the things that I look at that reminds me that weve been in bad places before, and weve worked through them. Jerry: I often follow Lisa Kathleen telling that beautiful story and warming everybodys hearts by telling stories about the more ridiculous and goofy things that happen in campaigns. And one of my favorite objects in the museum is the 1896 soap babies. They are 4-inch-long infants shaped out of soap that were produced by soap companies to promote both William McKinley, the Republican nominee, and William Jennings Bryan, the Democratic nominee. They came in little boxes with tags that said, My pas for free silver! My dad will vote the gold standard! Because, of course, nothing says economic policy like a 4-inch naked baby made out of soap. They of course had nothing to do with economic policy. Voters apparently hated them because they thought they looked too much like babies in coffins. A waxy infant-shaped soap in a box that says 'My Papa will vote for BRYAN.' But I like to talk about them because I love to talk about how technology has influenced what we collect over the years and what we use in campaigns. This was all about soap manufacturers saying, look at the new, cool things we can make out of soap. Grinspan: We have two blue umbrellas. One is kind of a demure 1950s umbrella from Dwight Eisenhowers campaign that says, I like Ike all over. And we have a blue umbrella from the 2016 campaign, used by Bernie Sanders protesters outside of the Democratic convention. It has Sanders name scrawled all over it. Its really loud in just the writing. And even if you didnt know how to read, even if you didnt know who Eisenhower and Sanders were, these objects speak materially to tell you something about their era. Schalit: What are you going to look for at the convention? Grinspan: Obviously were going to look for materials about a former president whos running for the second time, about the relationship between the campaign and the party, and the party and the grassroots or anonymous campaigners. But I really dont think its a good idea to go out there with a checklist. A lot of collecting is spontaneous. You see an object that just captures a moment or expresses something really striking or speaks to other items in our collection in a way that is ineffable or beyond words. Schalit: How do you go about collecting when youre at one of these events? Graddy: We scavenge. We trawl through the place and pick things up, from signs that are left to signs theyre handing out. But we are also, um, extremely polite. I dont want to say were stalkers, but we observe people. We spot the thing that we think were interested in and we walk up ever so nicely with a handshake and a business card and say, Hi, Im Lisa Kathleen Graddy. Im a curator at the Smithsonian Institution. I really like your hat. Would you like to talk about maybe becoming a part of the national narrative at the museum on the Mall? Schalit: Whats the craziest thing youve had to carry back from a political event? Graddy: The standards at conventions, the big columnlike signs that give the states name, are very popular souvenirs. Convention organizers assume they will go missing throughout the convention, and they have more of them. We frequently try to get the standard of the candidates state. We were very lucky that, while there was no getting the New York standard at the Republican convention in 2016, Jon and I talked to the delegations from Indiana and Colorado who decided that they would hold on to theirs and guard them for us. The last night of the convention, the delegations all signed them and Jon and I walked out of the convention with two standards. Heading to our car, they were getting a little heavy, so we actually got into a pedicab. Somewhere in the world there are cellphone pictures of us sitting in a pedicab with these two delegation standards, driving down the road in Cleveland. Schalit: Claire, you recently went to the Libertarian convention. What did you find there? A black button with a stylized porcupine on it. Jerry: The Libertarian convention felt much more like a historic convention, in the sense that they dont have a candidate already designated, and they also dont run as a team, so you have separate groups of people running for vice president and president. All of those candidates have tables in a vendor area with buttons and flyers and books theyve written and lanyards, all of which I picked up. One of the things we do is pick up whats available to anybody whos attending the convention. I was interested to see that the Libertarians have an official symbol, which is a very elegant torch. But they also have an animal. We are all accustomed to red, white and blue elephants and donkeys. I was less accustomed to yellow and gold porcupines, which is the Libertarian symbol. Seeing people wearing porcupine-themed clothing and handing out porcupine buttons was a lot of fun. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Artemis 2 backup astronaut Andre Douglas poses with his spacesuit during a fit check, posted on July 12, 2024. | Credit: Andre Douglas/NASA/X An astronaut assigned to back up a historic moon mission was seeing orange last week. NASA astronaut Andre Douglas, recently named backup for the Artemis 2 round-the-moon flight scheduled for 2025, finished a standard spacesuit fit check in the agency's orange outfit. Then he posted how it looked in different positions on X, formerly Twitter. "Excited for a suit fit check in preparation for Artemis 2 back up mission," Douglas wrote on Friday (July 12), alongside pictures of him grinning inside the spacesuit. Douglas is serving as backup for the three U.S. astronauts on the flight: commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch. (Another mission specialist, Jeremy Hansen, is backed up by fellow Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jenni Gibbons.) Artemis 2 will be the first moon mission with astronauts on board since the landing of Apollo 17 in 1972. It will also feature the diverse and international nature of the Artemis program and the Artemis Accords under which dozens of space agencies are participating, although only a subset have committed to providing lunar hardware in exchange for astronaut seats and science. Related: NASA announces Artemis 2 moon mission backup astronaut Andre Douglas will support 2025 lunar liftoff astronaut andre douglas smiling while standing up in an orange spacesuit, in an office filled with moon posters If the prime crew flies as planned, Koch will be the first woman to leave low Earth orbit, while Glover will be the first Black astronaut and Hansen the first non-American to do so. Similarly diverse crews are planned for future missions of the Artemis program, which plans to land astronauts on the moon as soon as 2025 with Artemis 3. Douglas was named to the mission last month following a career in the U.S. Coast Guard and also the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (APL), where he served on spacecraft missions such as the asteroid-slamming Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART). He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021 and passed his basic training in March 2024. Weeks later, Douglas performed moonwalking simulations using spacesuit prototypes at the San Francisco Volcanic Field near Flagstaff, Arizona. an astronaut sitting down on a chair with a technician trying to put on a shoe and a bulky spacesuit legging. the astronaut is laughing RELATED STORIES: NASA astronauts practice 'moonwalking' in the Arizona desert (photos) Helping build instrument for Japanese Mars mission 'a favorite time' for new NASA astronaut (exclusive) NASA graduates new astronaut class as it begins recruiting for more Artemis 2 was initially set for a December 2024 launch, but that launch was delayed by nine months for additional examination and testing of several spacecraft systems, including the heat shield. Three prime crew members (Koch was not available) told Space.com in May that, as a developmental mission, Artemis 2 was not expected to keep to a schedule. Rather, the mission changes scope and direction as new things are learned. "When you build a new vehicle, it doesn't matter how many requirements you set and how many qualification programs you set," Wiseman, a former U.S. Navy test pilot who has experience with developmental programs in aerospace, said at the time. "When human hands are trying to put together an incredibly complex and powerful machine," he added, "it is going to manifest in some issues. And there are going to be things you learn as you go all the way up to launch." Snipers saw Trump gunman on roof 20 minutes before shooting, FBI investigates shooter's 2 cellphones. Here are the latest new developments in the attempted assassination. Trump is helped off the stage by Secret Service agents at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) Days after former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally, the FBI is still trying to figure out what pushed a Pennsylvania man to try to kill the newly minted Republican nominee. The shooting at Trumps rally in Butler, Pa., on Saturday left Trumps ear bloodied after a bullet whizzed by just missing his head. It left attendee Corey Comperature dead, and two others wounded. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has been under fire for the events that allowed a gunman to get so close to Trump. Cheatle reportedly met with Trump at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Tuesday to brief him on the attack. The FBI and the Secret Service briefed Congressional lawmakers this week with additional details about the shooter and the events leading up to the assassination attempt. Heres what we know: Authorities have discovered that Crooks had two cellphones: one that was recovered at the scene and another found at his home, which had 27 contacts in it. The FBI is trying to locate those contacts so they can interview those people, Fox News reported. Investigators also found that Crookss cellphone and other devices contained the following: An image of a Michigan mass shooter whose parents were convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the case. A screenshot of a livestream of the rally in Butler. Searches for images of Trump and President Biden. Search for dates of Trumps rally in Butler. Visited websites with information on how to make explosives. Search for dates of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Downloaded images of other political figures, like Trumps former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and Fulton County, Ga., District Attorney Fani Willis, who brought charges against Trump in the states election subversion case. None of the images were accompanied by any threatening messages, law enforcement sources briefed on the Wednesday call told CNN. Investigators also reportedly found 14 firearms, additional explosives, a bulletproof vest and a drone. Authorities say the phone search history didnt indicate any particular political views held by Crooks, but FBI Director Christopher Wray cautioned in the briefing the investigation was still in its early stages. Secret Service spotted the gunman 20 minutes before he opened fire Aerial photo of the site of the July 13 Trump campaign rally, shown Monday in Butler, Pa. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) About an hour and two minutes before the shooting took place, Crooks was identified as a person of interest, according to law enforcement officials and Congressional members briefed by the FBI and Secret Service on Wednesday, ABC News reported. Twenty minutes before the gunman fired shots, Crooks was spotted on the roof by Secret Service snipers who flagged him as suspicious, lawmakers who were on Wednesdays briefing call said. Trump took the stage to speak at his campaign rally at 6:02 p.m. on Saturday, then 10 minutes later, the gunman fired shots. It took about 26 seconds for Secret Service counter-snipers to neutralize the gunman after he fired his first shot, law enforcement officials said. Lawmakers are now outraged with the Secret Service after learning that the former president was allowed to take the stage even after a potentially dangerous person was flagged by law enforcement. Republican senators berated Cheatle at the RNC Wednesday night, demanding that the agency provide answers into its lapse in security at Saturdays rally, or that Cheatle resign. The American people deserve answers from the Secret Service. pic.twitter.com/PNFF11v00Q Marsha Blackburn (@VoteMarsha) July 18, 2024 Multiple people briefed by the FBI Wednesday told CBS News that the Secret Service didnt stop Trump from taking the stage after they learned of a suspicious person because they only knew the flagged person had a rangefinder and not a weapon. Steam gaming platform account believed to be fake Earlier Thursday it was reported that an online account in Crookss name on the gaming platform Steam had posted a message foreshadowing the Trump rally shooting. The message, which read, July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds is now believed to be fake, according to multiple news outlets. Hearings scheduled for next week While several investigations are underway related to Trumps attempted assassination, there are at least three public House hearings scheduled on Capitol Hill next week. The House Oversight and Accountability Committee has subpoenaed the Secret Service director to testify on Monday. The House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday, and the FBI director is expected to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, according to the New York Times. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The Socorro Independent School District (SISD) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning, July 19 to celebrate 25 new electric school buses and charging stations that will be launched for the 2024-2025 school year. SISD was one of the only 13 Texas school districts, and the only one in Region 19, to receive U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus Funding in October 2022, according to a news release sent by the district. The district received over $9 million to build charging infrastructure and replace 25 school buses with new electric models. SISD is the first district in the region to introduce electric school buses to contribute to a cleaner environment for students, staff and the community, read the news release. SISD said the buses will serve around 1,500 students in various areas of the district. The buses will help with zero emissions in heavily congested areas. By switching from diesel gas to electric power, the district anticipates financial savings with an estimated 60 percent reduction in fuel and operational costs per bus, according to the news release. GA Architecture designed and Keystone Contractors and Engineers constructed the charging infrastructure. The district acquired the electric buses through A-Z Bus Sales. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, Texas 16th Congressional District, was a key proponent in SISDs application for the EPA funding, read the news release. El Paso Electric also was an integral partner in supporting the districts inclusion of the electric buses to the fleet and the implementation of the charging stations. 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. Sons Dream Came True for His 11th Birthday When He Went on Fishing Trip with His Dad. Now, They're Missing The pair have since been identified as Constantin Leahu and his 11-year-old son Andrei Greg Vaughn /VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images US Coast Guard buoy and ship at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon A father was celebrating his son's 11th birthday in Oregon last weekend when both went missing after the boat they were on capsized. The Coast Guard said on X (formerly known as Twitter) that authorities responded to a call about a capsized 26-foot boat off the Columbia River Bar on July 13 at 10:30 a.m. local time. Three of the five members aboard the boat were located, although one man who was rescued died at a local hospital, according to FOX affiliate KPTV. Additionally, two people, identified as a 54-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy, remained missing. The next day, the agency announced on X that it had suspended the search for the missing father and son that morning, "pending further developments." PEOPLE has reached out to the Coast Guard's Seattle office. Related: Missing Student May Have Accidentally Fallen into Manhole, Police Say, as They Reveal New Details of Finding Body The pair have since been identified as Constantin Leahu and his son Andrei, according to KPTV. Florentin Agoston said in a GoFundMe fundraiser that Constantin "left behind" wife Elena Venera and their four daughters, Anamaria, Daria, Elizabeth and Melanie. Over $77,000 has been raised as of Friday, July 19, to "help secure the familys immediate and future needs, medical bills, and other expenses," per the campaign. Friend Irina Negrean said Constantin was an avid fisherman who took his son along with him on the fishing trip near Astoria for the first time because of his birthday, KPTV reported. Andrei had wished to go with him for so long, so this was a dream come true to be out on a fishing boat with his dad, Negrean said, adding that the boy's birthday cake was "still in the fridge." "It is just a monumental loss, Negrean said. Related: 16 People Missing Off Fla. Coast as U.S. Coast Guard Calls Off One Search and Launches Another Andrei the "second oldest" of the children was "incredibly bright, funny, and a social butterfly" who was "beloved anywhere he went," per the fundraiser. "He loved his sisters openly and sincerely, helped often in church, and always had a mischievous twinkle in his eye." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Columbia River Bar has earned a local reputation for being difficult to navigate, per Oregon State Parks, which notes that it has earned the nickname "Graveyard of the Pacific." Officials have also reported that nearly 2,000 ships have sunk in this area since 1792. I dont think we have a lot of hope to find them alive at this point and so were trying to figure out the next steps, said Negrean, per KPTV. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. That new VP Just a reminder that the reason Donald Trump needs a new vice presidential candidate is that his supporters tried to kill the last one. Doesnt add up The RNC is trying to portray Donald Trump as a law & order candidate. He is a convicted felon who has been charged with numerous indictments. Even MAGA followers will have to give pause on that one. Would you hire him? Youre telling me the Democrats cant find anybody better to run for president than a man who full-on bombed his job interview on national television? Maybe do something? I couldnt help a burst of laughter at the article that said Thomas Crooks looked suspicious at the Donald Trump campaign rally an hour before the show. Look who got it right A Washington Post Opinions columnist just wrote viewers of Fox News understood the presidents condition better than our audiences, which ought to be a wake-up call for us Many writers have recently complained about FOX News, but this quote also applies to CNN, MSNBC, et al. Little late The Democrats had four years to come up with a better plan than an 81-year-old President Biden, who seems to have no idea what he is doing. And if the old man hasnt dropped out by now, exactly how are they going to get rid of him? Divine intervention Look at the photo by White House Press Corps photographer Doug Mills of the attempted assassination of former President Trump. Zoom in right above his left shoulder and you will see a bullet flying in the air passing his head. This was actually the second bullet fired at him. This was no less than divine intervention that we arent mourning a dead former president today. Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com. Prison protection People are free to agree or disagree with whatever they want, but at least please get the facts right. Rep. Bennie Thomsons bill says if someone goes to prison, Secret Service protection ceases and the prison guards become responsible for protecting the person. So if Donald Trump, or anyone else, goes to prison, they dont get protected by both Secret Service and prison guards. I for one agree with that. To me, thats managing taxpayers dollars. Exit ramp? President Biden says hell only exit the race if he has a health problem and almost immediately it is announced he has contracted COVID? Thats some timing. Make it make sense The timeline in the attempted assassination of Donald Trump doesnt work. Rallygoers saw the shooter and pointed him out minutes before. The Secret Service did absolutely nothing. Could have been anybody Good luck on trying to find a motive for the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. He has alienated just about every sub-group in America, including some of his past supporters. Violence Donald Trump consistently advocated violence against his perceived enemies. He exacerbated the Jan. 6 rebellion that called for the Vice President Pence to be hanged. His violence-baiting rhetoric has backfired. Just in time to energize the Republican convention. Seems like a scam Like many, Im sure, my mailbox is filled daily with charitable solicitations for donations. Thats fine, but lately there is a disturbing trend: Some generous benefactors will double your donation if sent by a certain date. Isnt this what scammers do? Vague promises with short deadlines? If the generous benefactor is identified, I would consider it. But an unknown, blind-box benefactor? Ask them to do a pre-match instead. If you reach a certain goal, you get the matching funds. $2 million for what? The state auditor needs to tell his tech people to do what private business does: Simply tell state departments to cut their budgets accordingly and reward the department heads who cut the most, to reach the $250 million waste figure. Changed mind J.D. Vance, Donald Trumps running mate called Trump Americas Hitler. He also talked about his followers being on cultural heroin. Now he has changed his mind? Read his book, Hillbilly Elegy. You cant make this stuff up. Mr. Do-nothing Donald Trump was in office for four years, and he did not follow through on even one of his promises. I was excited about a beautiful new health care system that was going to be cheap and one of the best in the world. Trump never even made a pretend attempt to do this. Health care just got more expensive and less comprehensive. Then, President Biden made an executive decision to cap the out-of-control price of insulin to $35. This was a huge accomplishment of Bidens, and I can guarantee you that Trump will abolish this cap, because he did nothing to stop the escalation of the price of insulin in the first place when he was president. Wheres that wall? Donald Trump said he would build the wall and make Mexico pay for it. Didnt happen. What happened was women and children were detained in cages, and children separated from their parents. COVID kills COVID is on the rise again,. says the Sound Off author. COVID-19 has been the No. 3 killer in the United States, after cancer and heart disease, for a long time. The writer mentions covering ones cough and frequent handwashing, but fails to mention the most fundamental self-protection: wear a mask. Not OK any longer? Im old enough to remember Donald Trump, and a slew of other Republicans, joking about the attempted killing of Nancy Pelosis husband. I guess were not allowed to joke about things like that when the shoe is on the other foot. Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com. Action News Jax Ben Becker has learned from sources that the mayors office discussed in the past few months taking over the troubled Jacksonville Housing Authority. Sources say at least one high-level member of the mayors administration pitched the idea of dissolving the agency and the city absorbing its responsibilities, although there are legal questions if that is possible. Action News Jax has reported since 2023 on numerous Jacksonville inspector general investigations, resignations, and firings at the agency, plus an ongoing audit by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This comes as the agency just last week received a $2.3 million jobs grant from U.S. HUD for the second time in four years. Richard Monocchio, principal deputy assistant secretary U.S. HUD, Washington D.C., presented the check at a ceremony at the Brentwood Community Center. I also want to congratulate JHA acting CEO Vanessa Dunn, said a beaming Mayor Donna Deegan to the audience. Yet, Deegans presence was unwelcomed by one JHA source who noted that former CEO Dwayne Alexander blamed the mayors office for pushing him out in January. Becker posted on X one day before the Brentwood event, that a source told him Mayor trying to make it look like she got this done, not JHA. Dont know why mayor is even there, we didnt invite her. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Deegan is responsible for appointing JHA board members. A spokesperson for the mayors office pushed back on that assertion on X, by claiming the mayor was invited to the event by HUD, and then ensued on a back and forth targeting Beckers source. A spokesperson for the mayors office pushed back on that assertion on X, by claiming the mayor was invited to the event by HUD, and then ensued on a back and forth targeting Beckers source. A spokesperson for the mayors office pushed back on that assertion on X, by claiming the mayor was invited to the event by HUD, and then ensued on a back and forth targeting Beckers source. Deegan was not at the event when Becker arrived, but the mayors office said in a statement there has not been any formal discussions of taking over the agency. When Becker asked if there had been informal ones, the spokesperson said a community member brought up the idea. When Becker asked who they are and when it happened, the spokesperson declined, only saying Were not going to comment further on an idea that were not considering. We have concerns about how its been run [JHA], Monocchio told Becker. We are going to fix the issues that were found. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Becker asked if that included the city taking over the housing authority. Is that legally possible? asked Becker. Im not going to address that, said Monocchio. Dunn says a takeover is unlikely, despite what the mayors office may have discussed. HUD would have to sign off on that of course and because we are a special district it may actually require action from the governor as well, said Dunn. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. A single candle is placed on July 18, 2024 to pray for the family of Robert Jeffries, who died from a shooting on June 30, 2024, and the community grieving from the effects of gun violence in South Bend. SOUTH BEND Six people stood around a lone candle on a grassy yard between homes just south of Proper Apartments where Robert Jeffries was shot. He later died from his injuries at the hospital. They specifically stood in a circle with no beginning and no end as one, as a community. Its a way to bring some unity to a sad situation, Michael Elliot, who led the groups vigil on July 19, said. None of the attendees of the On Site Prayer Ministry knew Jeffries personally, but as they gather regularly to pray for the community and the families left behind, they were familiar with stories like his a person dead from gun violence. They read his obituary aloud, thinking of his family left behind his mother who looked so young, Cecilia Edwards-Brown commented after attending his funeral last week, and his unborn daughter, Royalty Denise Keora Jeffries according to his obituary, who would grow up without her father. They chuckled after reading that Jeffries loved nachos, bringing some levity to the group. "His smile alone made you want to smile," his obituary said. He'll be missed, the obituary said, continuing saying "his legacy is not defined by the way he died but by the imprint he left on the hearts of all since birth with love, laughter, hugs and wet kisses." Michael Elliot leads the On Site Prayer Ministry group in a response reading from Psalm 23 on July 18, 2024 during a vigil for Robert Jeffries who died from a shooting on June 30, 2024. On June 30, officers were called to the 200 block of Rue Flambeau just before 1 a.m. responding to multiple shooting victims, police reported. Jeffries was one of three victims. He later died at the hospital from his injuries, police said. South Bend Police said on July 19 there are no updates to share publicly at this time. People come and go, people die, we all know that," Elliot said. "But to have a life snuffed out tragically like this especially someone whos young and should have the rest of their whole life ahead of them, we gather to commemorate the lives lost to violence and we gather as a community." He spoke of the affects through the community as a person dies. Whenever someone is murdered like this, it sends a ripple throughout the entire community, Elliot said. Its like throwing a rock in a pond. The ripples dont just touch the deceased or the immediate family, it ripples out and touches the neighbors, co-workers and friends. It stands far beyond one person, he said. City and police discuss trend of young gun violence victims South Bend Police Operations Division Chief Dan Skibins, Mayor of South Bend James Mueller and Chief of Police Scott Ruszkowski discuss the quarter 2 Public Safety Update for South Bend on July 18, 2024 at the South Bend Police Department. June 2024 had three fatal shootings in contrast to three non-fatal shootings in June 2023 according to the Police Transparency Hub. Elliot spoke about the "ongoing problem" of gun violence affecting South Bend's youth. Jeffries was 20 years old, but the other two victims in the shooting were both teenagers, 16 and 17 years old males, police reported. Part of it is that a lot of young people feel like they have to carry just to protect themself, Elliot said. Theyre concerned that if they dont, someone else will be, and that if they get into an altercation, they better have a gun. Additionally, he said, another factor contributing to death by gun violence is that more and more people dont have any self-control. Mayor James Mueller spoke on the matter at the quarterly public safety update on June 18, saying its a trend thats been occurring for years, not just locally, but nationally where kids, younger and younger are getting access to firearms. He called it a disturbing trend. This has unfortunately become part of our culture where guns are readily available and where kids have access to them," Mueller said. He said the trend is difficult to get on top of, but more so difficult in Indiana "where were not able to take common sense measures to restrict that. You imagine kids resolving fights. Kids fight all the time, Mueller said. The last thing they need is a gun to resolve it. Chief of Police Scott Ruszkowski added that based on what hes read and conversations hes had with supervisors and detectives, every single one involves emotion. Not being able to control emotions and the only relief is to fire a bullet at someone, makes no sense to me, nor has it for the last 37 years that Ive been here, he said. Ripples of peace South Bend's On Site Prayer Ministry gathers near Prosper Apartments on July 18, 2024 to honor the life of Robert Jeffries who died from a shooting on June 30. The group wasnt surprised Jeffries family didnt attend the vigil Thursday, agreeing that sometimes its hard for the family. Edwards-Brown, who attended Jeffries service as a representative of Mamas Against Violence, said Jeffries was trying to get his life on track. This person counted in this community, Edwards-Brown said. She attends the vigils to pray for the community something she said Jeffries' mother valued as well. His mom believed in praying for those who had been lost by homicide and that it would be somewhat of a healing peace for the family, she said. Carl Hetler prayed for the community living near Prosper Apartments, where continuing violence has taken place. We want to re-establish ripples of peace in this place, Hetler said. For people who feel scared or intimidated to even come out of their homes, when a group of strangers come and pray for peace are present in places where there has been violence, it helps reestablish that there can be safe places where people can gather and be outside. Email Tribune staff writer Camille Sarabia at csarabia@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: City, police and public discuss "disturbing" youth gun violence trend These South Carolinians owed more than $120,000 in student loans. Now their debt is forgiven. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona, left, and U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., heard from student loan forgiveness beneficiaries in South Carolina Thursday, July 18, 2024, at Denmark Technical College in rural South Carolina. (Jessica Holdman/SC Daily Gazette) DENMARK As a federal appeals court dealt a second blow to the Biden administrations student loan forgiveness efforts, South Carolinians who benefited from the presidents expansions of an existing program talked about being freed from debt they expected to pay on for the rest of their lives. The action Thursday by the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked President Joe Bidens Saving on a Valuable Education plan, which restructures payments based on a borrowers income and family size, then forgives balances after a certain number of years. Still, nearly 48,000 South Carolinians have gotten their debts reduced or wiped out through other aid efforts, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Statewide, about 750,000 South Carolinians had some amount of student loan debt in 2021, according to the latest data available from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. At Denmark Technical College, as part of a multi-day U.S. Department of Education tour of historically Black colleges and universities, U.S. Secretary Miguel Cardona and Congressman Jim Clyburn heard from six of them. No more sleepless nights Angelia Jackson was studying at Claflin University when she got pregnant with her now-adult daughter, forcing her to drop out and go to work to be able to support her child. She returned to school years later, first for her bachelors degree and then her masters. She attended Limestone Colleges satellite campus in Kingstree while also working for Williamsburg County government. So, I was working and going to school at night trying to put my child through school, Jackson said. Now, shes a teacher at Hemingway Elementary. But the education it took to get her there had her taking out $75,000 in student loans. Jacksons husband is a country preacher, and money got tight at times. Shed apply for forbearance, putting repayment requirements on pause, but the interest continued to accumulate. Her debt ultimately ballooned to $128,000. I kept getting letters in the mail, emails, phone calls at 7 in the morning, Jackson said. She owed $1,200 a month. How can I pay that and still have a mortgage, a car payment, water bill, light bill, put food on the table, you know, just essentials of life? Jackson said. Its kind of hard sometimes, but anyway, we do what we have to do to make it work. Then Jackson got the letter shed been waiting for. Her loans had been forgiven. I started yelling, howling, streaming. I ran around my house six times. My neighbors thought something was wrong with me. Then when I told them, they rejoiced with me, she said. I dont have to have sleepless nights anymore. Im not stressed out anymore, Jackson added. Finally forgiven Marlon Fox, a North Charleston chiropractor, and his wife Debbie finished their undergraduate degrees in the mid-1980s debt free. But then it was time for chiropractic school. The Friday before classes started, Debbie found out she was pregnant. That left just Marlon Fox continuing his education. He took out $60,000 in student loans over three years, the only debt the couple had. Within six months of graduation, in 1988, he was paying it back $1,000 a month. Then you run into things in life that you dont expect to happen, Fox said. Fox and his wife paid to put their three children through college, taking on their loans as well as his. Then, in 1997, Foxs father had a stroke. His mother died six years later, and he became his fathers only caregiver. In 2000 is when I was falling behind on my school loans, Fox said. I was able to keep them up. but a lot of times I was only paying the minimum payment. At the same time, the federal government was privatizing student loans. Somehow, he said, records of his earlier payments went missing. At that point, I was under such stress, I would have entered into an agreement with the devil, Fox said. At times it felt like I did, but I kept trying to do the best I could. Because of the lost records, Fox said he isnt sure how it came to happen, but until October of last year, when his loans were forgiven, he still owed twice the $60,000 he initially borrowed, even after making $200,000 total in payments over more than three decades. A month later, in November 2023, he received a $56,800 refund, which he used to pay off the remaining $50,000 of his childrens loans and donated the rest to his church. All those years, I thought theres no way Ill ever be able to retire, said Fox, now 66. I probably still wont but at least I have that opportunity now that I can start saving towards. Lawsuits continue In total, four different debt-relief programs enacted by the Biden Administration have collectively eliminated more than $2.6 billion worth of South Carolinians student loans, according to the federal education agency. Thats an average of more than $55,000 per person. The programs have been the target of lawsuits filed by GOP-led states. That includes South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who joined with other Republican attorneys general to get the first loan forgiveness program thrown out as an unconstitutional overreach of the presidents authority. In a June ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the administrations initial student loan forgiveness plan that would have canceled up to $20,000 in loans for 43 million people total nationwide. The plan was estimated to cost $400 billion, adding to the national deficit, according to the Congressional Budget Office. A coalition of Republican attorneys general, including Wilson, sued again March 28 to challenge the SAVE program that the appeals court paused Thursday. Let these Republicans that are suing me talk to some of these folks that I spoke to today who said their loan payments were $1,000 a month. Because of the SAVE program, it went down to $500 a month, Cardona told reporters in Denmark. They could pay their groceries. Theyre not going to go into default, and maybe, they have a little bit leftover to help their children go to college. Because the court paused the program, those payments will immediately jump back up. The program that Jackson and Fox benefited from is aimed at public-sector workers, such as teachers, as well as people in the health care industry. Congress created the program in 2007 but it has been plagued with problems. Before Biden took office, just 7,000 people had received debt relief, according to the White House. Jackson and Fox are among beneficiaries of the Biden administrations expansion of that existing program. Increased flexibility included allowing people who had deferred on their loans to still qualify for forgiveness. The president Thursday announced a second round of loan forgiveness under the program, totaling $1.2 billion for 35,000 people who have made 10 years worth of monthly payments on their loans while working in a qualifying public-sector or non-profit job. In late August 2023, Max Buetow, president and CEO of CoxHealth, helped announce the creation of The Alliance for Healthcare Education. The Alliance for Healthcare Education approved its first affiliate partner, welcoming Evangel University to the effort aimed at addressing workforce shortages in southwest Missouri. In a 40-minute meeting Thursday at Cox North, the board of the alliance approved its inaugural affiliate agreement but members hinted other talks were in the works. Our founding partners have already set a national precedent with this innovative collaboration," said Shallina Goodnight, executive director of the Alliance, in a Thursday news release. "By integrating Evangel, we are taking a bold step to broaden our impact, enhancing our ability to fulfill our mission to prepare tomorrow's workforce and become the largest producer of health care professionals in the region. The alliance launched nearly a year ago as a partnership between CoxHealth, Missouri State University, Ozarks Technical Community College and Springfield Public Schools. "This is an example of why we are bringing the alliance together. We are rethinking the way we can create more seamless educational pathways, not just for those in the alliance but for a lot of community members as well," said Max Buetow, president and CEO of CoxHealth. "This is a great place to start." Buetow said Thursday that he hoped the Evangel affiliation will be the "first of many of these announcements in the coming months." Under the terms of the agreement, Evangel students will be able to access the combined resources of the alliance including instruction by Missouri State as they pursue dual bachelor's degrees in nursing and health care starting with the 2025-26 year. Evangel will pay up to $687 per credit hour for tuition and course fees, with $250 of that amount going to the alliance. Evangel would also pay a learning system fee of $3,686 per student, per academic year. Each student will also pay $837 in out-of-pocket fees for uniforms, supplies, and a background check. In exchange, Evangel will gain access to the same services, activities and collaborative options as the founding partners. Mike Rakes The link to practical and relevant training, as well as future employment opportunities that an affiliation with the Alliance provides, is invaluable for our students, said Evangel President Mike Rakes, in the release. This partnership enhances our educational offerings and provides our students with a high-quality education, hands-on nursing training, and an open door to a future career. Evangel students will complete prerequisite and general education courses on the Evangel campus and gain nursing-specific training at the alliance's facility on the Cox North campus. Evangel brings a pool of talented and committed students, and MSU brings an elite program with a strong track record of success to this Alliance partnership, said Michael Tenneson, professor and chair of Evangel's Natural & Applied Sciences Department, in a release. The beneficiaries of this partnership will be not only our students, but even more importantly, the people they will serve. OTC Chancellor Hal Higdon said he hopes the option will eventually be available to more education affiliates and students in "every school district within our region" that wants to have access. "I was just with Evangel folks this morning. They were very excited," Higdon said at the board meeting. "Drury was there too and I mentioned we'd like to see them next." Funding, next steps for alliance In an update Thursday, the alliance reported the founding members collectively contributed nearly $700,000 and very little had been spent as of June 30. Goodnight noted there were enough funds to cover operational costs for the coming year and with work ramping up on the operational side, a new staff member will be added to help. This was the first board meeting since Gov. Mike Parson signed a budget for the 2025 fiscal year that included $15 million for the alliance. "This is a sizeable gift. This is a game-changer gift," said Rob Fulp, chair of the alliance board. The alliance will eventually take over space within the Cox College footprint inside of the Cox North campus. The funding will be used to renovate nearly 30,000 square feet of additional hospital space for the alliance. It will build upon existing health care training programs at MSU and OTC and provide space for more high school students to explore health care careers and start taking courses toward certifications and degrees. Shallina Goodnight has been named the executive director of the Alliance for Healthcare Education. "This gives us a big jump forward in terms of what we want to create and in serving the community in the way we want to serve them," Goodnight said. The alliance has been attending community meetings and is participating with the Greater Ozarks Cooperative School Districts, a group that shares training, best practices and innovative programs in the region. "Those community touch points are important as we try to increase brand awareness and get the community involved in what we are doing, not just by going to them but also bringing people inside these walls as well," Goodnight said. "Some of them, in their first time here are pleasantly surprised at how gorgeous this facility is." Cox College's 'teach out' plan As the alliance grows, it will eventually take over the space at Cox North occupied by the private Cox College, which is part of CoxHealth. Amy Townsend, who became president of Cox College this summer, provided an update Thursday on how the college is working with the Higher Learning Commission on a plan to serve existing students. At some point in the future, Cox College will cease to exist or issue degrees in its name. The alliance, which will leverage training available by Missouri State and OTC, aims to expand training and provide it in a more cost-effective way. "They have expressed a lot of confidence in our seamless transition," she said. "They feel like we have a good plan in place for the close-out." Townsend said the last "admissions cycle" will be this fall for students starting in January. The last cohort of students will graduate in May 2028. "We'll be graduating some programs out prior to that," she said. Townsend added: "We've been working on some plans for reorganization of the college to spread duties so as people are transitioning to new opportunities, it's not such a big loss. That has really been the focus of the summer. We're also working to ensure key people stay at the college until the end so students don't feel the transition so much." This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Evangel University joins alliance to educate health care workers When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: SpaceX NASA will perform its own re-authorization of SpaceX's Falcon 9 before the rocket launches its next astronaut crew or cargo mission, the agency confirmed Wednesday (July 17). Falcon 9 experienced a rare failure during an engine burn of SpaceX rocket's second stage, due to an oxygen leak, during a launch on Thursday (July 11). A mandatory mishap investigation is ongoing. SpaceX, however, asked the Federal Aviation Administration Monday (July 15) to allow for future launches under a "public safety determination", meaning the launch posed no risk to public safety. On SpaceX's near-term launch manifest is NASA 's next International Space Station astronaut rotation. Called Crew-9, it is slated to send four astronauts to the ISS as early as mid-August. But NASA program manager Dana Weigel said the agency will have "its own process that's outside of what the FAA does" even if the administration rules in favor of SpaceX's request. "The FAA has got to finish their work and authorize SpaceX for launches [first]," she told Space.com in a livestreamed ISS briefing on Wednesday (July 17). While noting there are differences in how Falcon 9 is configured for satellites and for humans, NASA nevertheless will "take a close look" independently of the FAA. Weigel added that supplies of food, water and other consumables on the ISS "are in good shape" for about the next four months. Another major supplier of cargo, Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft, also uses Falcon 9 and is expected to lift off on Aug. 3, however. That launch is supposed to bring hardware to address an ailing urine processor on the ISS, Weigel said. "I am tracking critical components that I'd like to get on board pretty soon," she noted. In an emailed statement, a NASA public affairs officer told Space.com that SpaceX is working along alongside the agency to re-authorize Falcon 9 for ISS flights. "Crew safety and mission assurance are top priorities for NASA. SpaceX has kept the agency informed as it works closely with the Federal Aviation Administration throughout the investigation, including the implementation of any corrective actions necessary ahead of future agency missions," the statement reads. "NASA and its partners also will implement the standard flight readiness review process to ensure we fly our crew missions as safely as possible." Related: SpaceX wants to resume Falcon 9 rocket launches while FAA completes investigation a tall black cylinder stands upright on the deck of a barge at sea SpaceX has sent eight NASA-led astronaut crews to the ISS, along with three short-term missions for Axiom Space . All of these ride aboard Crew Dragon , which uses a human-rated variant of Falcon 9. Falcon 9 is the world's most popular launching vehicle and has only failed twice in 366 launches across 14 years, according to SpaceX figures. It also launches cargo missions to the ISS, satellites for NASA and the national military, and numerous other missions. RELATED STORIES: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket suffers failure during Starlink satellite launch (video) FAA investigating SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket failure Rare SpaceX rocket failure shows exactly why NASA wants 2 commercial options to fly astronauts to ISS SpaceX emphasized it is working closely with NASA through the investigation. "I'm grateful that we have this framework to work through, when you experience events like this," Sarah Walker, SpaceX's director of Dragon mission management, said in the same press conference. "This is our top company priority right now," she added. The process with NASA is "not just to figure out the specific cause of the issue that was observed, but the right actions to prevent it going forward [and] how it might be related to any other system," she added. SpaceX's near-term launch obligations include bringing the private Polaris Dawn crew to space aboard Falcon 9; that mission, paid for by billionaire Jared Isaacman, is supposed to fly July 31. Walker said it is too early to predict the schedule as things stand, but pledged SpaceX would share information "if there's any impact in near-term launch dates." "We know," she added, "how to step through the stages of this process. It's a joint investigation board between our government customers and the FAA and SpaceX chief engineers, so more to come there." ST. LOUIS A Spanish Lake, Missouri, man was charged Wednesday for shooting two people during an attempted robbery at a McDonalds this past April. According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the shooting happened on April 8 near the intersection of Natural Bridge Avenue and North Kingshighway Boulevard in the Penrose neighborhood. Police said James T. Poe, 46, approached two people in the McDonalds and threatened to rob and shoot them. One victim went and sat at a table. The other victim slowly walked back toward the table, with Poe following him. CrowdStrike: Global technology outage The victim standing in front of Poe discreetly took out a firearm. Meanwhile, Poe removed a gun from his waistband and pulled the slider back. The armed victim, believing Poe was about to shoot, turned and fired at Poe. Police said Poe shot both victims and fled but was eventually arrested. Police said the incident was recorded on security video. The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Poe with two counts of first-degree assault, and two counts of armed criminal action, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. Poe remains jailed without bond. Hes due in court for a detention hearing on July 25. Poe has a prior felony conviction in 2001 for delivery of a controlled substance. 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. Speaker Mike Johnson admits he wont be happy to allow Democratic states to keep abortion rights House Speaker Mike Johnson has rejected the notion that the Republican platform on abortion means that the party is happy for Democratic states to give wide access to abortion. I don't think that's what it means at all, he said when asked about abortion access in blue states by Politico on Thursday. I think it's a recognition of the reality of the politics of the country. Johnson continued: No one who believes in the sanctity of life or calls himself a pro-lifer is comfortable with where some of these blue states are going almost unlimited abortion access all the way to the end ... to the moment of birth. The Republican National Committee platform is not explicitly endorsing a federal ban on abortion, instead leaving the decision to the states. The platform invokes the 14th Amendment to suggest that fetuses are guaranteed rights and supports a ban on late-term abortion - which is not a medical term. An RNC committee adopted a draft platform that states: Republicans will protect and defend a vote of the people, from within the states, on the issue of life. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson on July 17 at the RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Hes a staunch opponent of abortion rights (Getty Images) A landmark Supreme Court decision in June 2022 overturned Roe v Wade, which enshrined a constitutional right to abortion care. The decision effectively left the legality of abortions up to individual states. We proudly stand for families and Life, the RNC platform states. We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied Life or Liberty without Due Process, and that the States are, therefore, free to pass Laws protecting those Rights. That stance, leaving the decision to the states, brings the platform in line with GOP nominee Donald Trumps stance on abortion. Trump has often bragged about appointing the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe but also shared his concerns about the implications that strict abortion bans, and attacks on fertility treatments like IVF, may have on the election results in November. Convention delegates expressed their support for the platform and leaving the decision to the states earlier this week. At Hillcrest High School, a Safe Space sticker was on display in December 2023. Under new guidelines, stickers like this will not be permitted in favor of district-issued ones. In response to lingering questions, Springfield Public Schools notified employees Friday of new guidelines outlining the display of Safe Space stickers on district property. The district has long permitted the voluntary placement of the stickers and will continue. However, only district-issued Safe Space stickers will be allowed, which do not include the name, logo or insignia of an outside group. All others must be removed, according to the Friday message. Employees will be required to complete special training before displaying the sticker. They will only be allowed on the outside of classroom and office doors, either on the frame or glass panel. "Creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone who enters the doors of our school is our focus at SPS. One way SPS supports this work is through the voluntary placement of district-approved Safe Space stickers," the district wrote in the message. "While all educators want to reassure students that their classrooms are safe spaces, displaying a sticker indicates that a team member is both willing and equipped to assist students in crisis." The appropriateness of Safe Space stickers has repeatedly been questioned in recent years, in Springfield and beyond, because they are often distributed by allies as a way to show support for LGBTQ students, employees and others. The Safe Space term has been used to indicate that a teacher, school, college campus or student body will not tolerate harassment, violence or hate speech against others including marginalized groups. The term has also been mocked as coddling students or stifling personal freedoms. Safe Space stickers have been banned by certain districts in Missouri and across the U.S. while other districts, including Springfield, have permitted their use. Three board members raise concerns For more than two years, members of the Springfield school board have repeatedly raised questions about the district's allowance of Safe Space stickers, and other signage. Questions have been asked by board members Kelly Byrne and Maryam Mohammadkhani. Member Steve Makoski has been outspoken about his concerns in meetings and in appearances on local talk radio shows. Board emails previously obtained by the News-Leader show Mohammadkhani has been asking about the stickers since May 2021, shortly after she was first elected. "We need teachers who concentrate on academics, rather than focus on ideology rampant in some English classes across the district that has gone unchecked by site principals," she wrote in later emails. "How long do you think it will take to weed out the administrators and teachers who feel the need to sticker up our walls with safe space insignia implying that we have unsafe spaces in our building?" A year ago, the board opted not to act on a request to issue a statement of support for LGBTQ students and staff. As part of that meeting, board members Byrne, Makoski and Mohammadkhani called for Safe Space stickers to also be removed from school buildings. "SPS should remove itself from any potential social or political indoctrination. It is not our job to take a stance on students' sexual attractions or identities. That is between them and their parents or guardians. Our job is education," Byrne said in June 2023. "I don't believe it is appropriate for district employees or district facilities to display Pride flags, or Safe Space stickers or any similar virtue-signaling items. Students should not be urged or signaled to that certain adults or rooms are safe to have private conversations about matters of a sexual nature." The new Springfield schoolboard poses for a photo before the April 9, 2024 meeting. From left: members Steve Makoski, Judy Brunner, Danielle Kincaid, Susan Provance, Superintendent Grenita Lathan, members Shurita Thomas-Tate, Maryam Mohammadkhani and Kelly Byrne. This spring, ahead of a hotly contested school board race, Makoski took photos of Safe Space stickers and other signs and posters at Central High School. They were used by the Christians Uniting for Political Action to campaign for three of the board candidates, including Mohammadkhani. Makoski said he took the photos while volunteering at the school because he wanted evidence of what employees displayed on school walls and doors. "First off, I don't approve of them, No. 1," he said at the time. "They have no place or no business in our school so I just took pictures of them because I wanted to utilize them for whatever, if I ever have a presentation." More: Makoski urges adults, SPS board to lead children 'down the moral path' on gender identity Pride flag removal prompted questions In August 2022, employees at Kickapoo High School were required to remove any Pride flags and the district sent an email to all teachers and staff that outlined the requirements of board policy. It stated, in part: Case law and board policy allow the district to protect classroom space as a "limited open forum" and ensure conduct and speech focuses on educational purposes only. Items displayed on classroom walls should directly serve an instructional purpose; Personal items displayed on desks or work spaces for personal use are acceptable as long as they do not disrupt the instructional environment. This includes laptop stickers, lanyards and apparel; Items prominently displayed on the walls of a classroom, office, meeting space or other public standard are held to a different standard. At the time, and again recently, the district referred to Safe Space stickers as the "appropriate method for staff who choose to acknowledge their classroom as a place for students to seek assistance." In a June 17 email obtained by the News-Leader through a Sunshine Law request, the district gave the board a heads-up about the guidance that went to employees Friday. The email was from Superintendent Grenita Lathan. In it, she noted that in response to concerns raised by Byrne and Mohammadkhani, the district was taking steps to provide clarity. Superintendent Grenita Lathan at an open forum in October 2023. She took questions from parents on a wide range of topics. The details outlined to the board in the mid-June email were reflected in the Friday message to employees. It noted, among other things, that the district cannot control how employees adorn their personal property such as book bags or lunch boxes as long as they are not violating district policy or the law. Stephen Hall, chief communications officer, said the message sought to address the "perceived lack of consistency or understanding of how they're being used and what the purpose is." "One of the concerns is that the Safe Space stickers that are currently being used across the district are not as uniform as they should be," Hall said. The existing stickers were distributed by local groups and the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network a national nonprofit group known as GLSEN that works to support LGBTQ students and combat bullying or harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Hall said the district-issued Safe Space stickers will not be affiliated with an outside group. Any previous stickers will be removed before school starts Aug. 19. Asked what the approved stickers look like, Hall said the proposed design is black letters on a white background with a colorful border. He said they will say "Safe Space." "There are a lot of resources we provide to make sure our students are safe in our buildings," Hall said, referring to anti-bullying curriculum, Mental Health First Aid and other options. "This is just another way to communicate that if you need someone to talk to, there is someone here that can get you the support you need, whatever the situation." In the Friday message, the district explained training required of employees who plan to display the sticker will set the expectations for engaging with students on sensitive topics, such as listening and referring them to resources including counseling. Springfield Public Schools sent the message Friday about Safe Space stickers. The guidance was issued weeks ahead of the start of the 2024-25 school year and the back-to-school employee rally, like the one shown here in mid-August 2023. For example, a teacher or staff member may direct students to a school nurse or counselor. Students may then be linked with a mobile food pantry, the PTA Clothing Bank or other district-affiliated resources. The training will also spell out what not to do. The district will clarify the purpose of a Safe Space sticker as part of the 2024-25 Student Handbook, which will be printed and distributed. Parents will be asked to read and sign. The handbook will include this explanation: "While every SPS classroom is intended to be a safe space for all students, some staff may choose to display the district-provided Safe Space sticker on the outside of their classroom or office door. This sticker indicates that the staff person has been trained and is available to connect students to resources in a time of need." More: How to watch Springfield school board meetings, sign up for public comment In a short interview, Lathan said the district spent a lot of time reviewing what was in place and how to approach this issue, including talking to different employees and community groups. She said schools are full of caring adults and the Safe Space sticker adds an extra layer. "These people have agreed to participate in training and they've agreed that they will be willing to connect students to resources," she said. The National Safe Places initiative The district's revised approach to the Safe Space stickers has characteristics in common with the separate National Safe Places initiative, which exists in many U.S. communities including Springfield. The national initiative designates specific schools, fire stations, libraries and other youth-friendly spots as Safe Place locations which, in turn, display the yellow and black sign that reads "Safe Place." A young person in crisis who sees the sign and needs immediate help or safety can contact the employee in a Safe Place, who has been trained to call a licensed agency to quickly connect a youth to pre-approved resources. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield school board changes rules for use of Safe Space stickers The need to close part of a downtown street is forcing Raleigh to play defense in its plan to move and expand the Red Hat Amphitheater. Closing a block of South Street should have been a perfunctory action taken by the Raleigh City Council later this year. Its been in the plan since city and county leaders agreed to spend millions to move the 14-year-old amphitheater a block over to expand the Raleigh Convention Center. But the news caught some residents, including those in downtown neighborhoods Boylan Heights and Heritage Park, by surprise. That prompted Raleigh to talk to state transportation officials about the possibility of rerouting the street and to hold a community block party July 20, in part to get residents to warm up to the idea. City staff says the street has to close to allow the outdoor music venue to grow and continue to be an economic driver for downtown and the city. Fans are dazzled by musical Chappell Roan during her concert at Red Hat Amphitheater in Downtown Raleigh, Wednesday night, June 12, 2024. Raleigh Amphitheater Red Hat Amphitheater, originally called the Raleigh Amphitheater, was built in 2010 as part of a number of public investments downtown, led by former Mayor Charles Meeker. Those investments included the reopening of Fayetteville Street to vehicle traffic, the opening of the convention center and renovations to downtowns public plazas. It became Red Hat Amphitheater in 2012 after the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission nixed a plan to call it the Bud Light Amphitheater. In its 14 years in downtown, its hosted more than 400 performers, including 51 concerts this season. The city estimates Red Hat generated $17.5 million in economic impact from 26 shows in 2023. The plan to move the amphitheater to make way for the convention-center expansion has been in the works for years, but was put on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. City and county leaders agreed last year to spend money generated by tourism to renovate and expand the convention center to where Red Hat is now and expand Red Hat by moving it over a block. Red Hat is one of those things thats really, really important to our downtown business community, Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said. If you think about it, 51 events, right, thats bringing them food sales, retail sales and bar sales. And a lot of them have said if it wasnt for Red Hat, we wouldnt be in business. The expansion would let the amphitheater grow from nearly 6,000 seats to 7,000 seats, expand the loading dock and backstage areas and increase the amount of concessions sold. A rendering of what the proposed Valley Theater, an outdoor music venue at Dix Park, looks like in the city parks master plan. Dix Park Amphitheater Mayoral candidate Janet Cowell, the CEO of the Dix Park Conservancy, recently wrote to some City Council members worried about the partial closure of South Street and how it would affect connections between downtown and Dix Park. I want you to know about absence of public input, the general opinion that this is short-sighted and counter to everything the city believes in and values when folks do hear about it, and the potential for long-term damage to southern downtown on top of past urban renewal damage, Cowell said in a June email. And some residents have wondered if a reference to an outdoor amphitheater at Dix Park could or should impact the plans at Red Hat. The parks master plan divides the 308-acre park into sections including The Valley. where the steam plant and railroad lines sit today. The plan calls for an elevated pedestrian connection called The Trestle, overlooking a proposed 7,000 seat outdoor amphitheater. The bowl-like topography of the Valley makes it ideally suited for large group events, ranging from outdoor yoga classes to school graduation ceremonies to movie screenings to concerts and music festivals, according to the master plan. An amphitheater would accommodate such programs and give the landscape a focus. The master plan specifically mentions the Dix Park amphitheater as a potential alternative to Downtowns Red Hat Amphitheater, which is not anticipated to be a permanent facility. But Baldwin said a lot has changed since 2019, and they have the Dreamville festival as a test for live music in the park. How it is now is perfect, with the big lawn and theyve worked it out really well, she said. We get a lot of complaints from the neighborhoods during Dreamville. The question I have to ask myself is, do the neighborhoods really want to have Dix Park activated with 50-plus concerts in a given year? And would that be more disruptive? Its my guess, yes, but we are looking at all of that. Bill King, president and CEO of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, was on the master plan committee and is a big fan of Dix Park. An amphitheater in the park replacing ours, you would lose that economic impact. I think it would more resemble the experience of going to Koka Booth (in Cary), which is you drive out there, you park in the parking lot, you tailgate and you go home. So I think we would have a diminished economic impact from moving out there. A loss for downtown Crank Arm Brewing is a block away from the outdoor music venue, and, on a show day, can see business double or triple. In the summertime, its crucial, said co-owner Adam Eckhardt. Its slower with a lot of people out of town, headed to the beach or lake. Its imperative for us and other members of the downtown business economy to have Red Hat shows. He considered the Red Hat expansion a done deal when city and county leaders agreed to use the tourism money on the amphitheater and other projects. If the option is now well, Red Hat either goes one block south or it goes somewhere else, a mile or more away from you, then I say you just closed my business, Eckhardt said. Youve severely handicapped myself and a number of other business owners, if not the entirety of business owners downtown. And it wouldnt just be a loss for downtown, but the city as a whole, King said. I dont think Raleigh would be a winner in that. I think the winner would be Koka Booth and Cary would get more shows. And I think youd see an neighboring jurisdiction build a replacement to Red Hat, whether thats in Durham or somewhere else. He pointed to Durhams gain when it built the Durham Performing Arts Center in 2008. We lost Broadway shows 20 years ago, and its given that facility an advantage that ours doesnt have anymore, he said. I think wed be making a mistake. So I understand. I dont love closing the street. And I am interested in making sure that we have good connectivity. But I dont think we can let the amphitheater leave downtown. According to a memo from city staff to the Raleigh City Council, its likely Koka Booth wouldnt be able to absorb the number of shows since it already has a full calendar. In the absence of Red Hat, representatives from Live Nation, the Citys booking partner, have indicated that many touring shows would likely travel from Wilmington (Greenfield Lake Amphitheater) to Charlotte (PNC Music Pavilion) skipping the Raleigh region entirely as there would be no other venue in the region with the ability to accommodate the volume of dates and capacity needs for these concerts. Photo courtesy of Stanley Campbell's Facebook page The Democratic Black Caucus of Florida, an organization representing Black members of the party, on Friday endorsed Stanley Campbell for U.S. Senate ahead of next months primary election. That show of support came a few weeks after the military veteran and tech entrepreneur received backing from the Florida AFL-CIO, giving him momentum in his race against former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who has received the endorsements from dozens of elected officials and progressive organizations throughout the state. Campbell said Friday that his candidacy is for real, despite what he says are the heavy handed tactics employed by the Florida Democratic Party establishment in favor of Murcasel-Powell, specifically referring to how she was allowed to speak at a campaign event with President Joe Biden in Tampa in April while he was not. That was even double-handed, Campbell said on WMNF-88.5 FM on Friday (on a show co-hosted by this reporter). A spokesperson for the party said that the Tampa event was handled by the Biden for Florida team, and that the state party had no involvement in the speakers lineup. The Biden-Harris for Florida campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Campbell also was upset that Mucarsel-Powell was allowed to speak at the partys Leadership Blue Event in May in prime time, while he was not. The next week you get down to the Democratic convention, and they dont even recognize my wife, who is the senior most person in the room, he said. She is with the Biden-Harris administration and they didnt recognize her, and they clearly didnt recognize me. Campbells wife is Cheryl Campbell, who works for the Biden administration as assistant secretary for administration in the Department of Health and Human Services. Dispute over exposure Party officials said that they had coordinated with the Campbell campaign to allow Ms. Campbell to deliver a lighting talk on behalf of her husband earlier that Saturday, after Stanley Campbell was late to that event. The Campbell campaign says it wasnt exactly like that. They contend that while Mucarsel-Powell was allowed to speak during the evening event attended by hundreds of party members, elected officials, local party chairs, volunteers, activists, and donors, Campbell was only invited to speak during a morning session to a much smaller group of people. When he was unavailable to make that morning event, FDP officials gave Ms. Campbell the opportunity to speak. During the bigger evening event, Mucarsel-Powell was given 10 minutes to address the crowd, but party officials never acknowledged the Campbells, his campaign said. Party officials did invite Campbell to attend the appearance of Dr. Jill Biden in Tampa earlier this month. Weve seen something like an olive branch in the last couple of weeks, which is greatly appreciated, because until now it has felt like a concerted effort to keep Mr. Campbell from having the same or equitable exposure to Democratic voters as his opponent has had, said Campbell campaign manager Millie Raphael. Campbell defeated Mucarsel-Powell on Thursday night at the Pine Hills Greater Orlando Hob Nob & Straw Poll event. We beat her by 2-1 even though shes got the party behind her, which means she had [former U.S Rep.] Val Demings endorsement, he said. No polling Whether Campbell is gaining against Murcasel-Powell or even leading is unknown, because theres been no significant public polling between the two Senate Democratic candidates ahead of the Aug. 20 primary. There has been a slew of public polling pitting Murcasel-Powell vs. Rick Scott, the Republican incumbent who is expected to easily win his primary race next month. The most recent survey from Florida Atlantic University showed Murcasel-Powell down just 2 percentage points to Scott, 45%-43%. Thats the closest of any major poll conducted between those two candidates. The RealClearPolitics average of all public polling in the race has Scott up by an average of nearly 6 percentage points. Army veteran Rod Joseph and former state legislator Brian Rush round out the Democratic field of candidates in the August 20 primary election. The Iowa Board of Mortuary Science oversees funeral directors in the state of Iowa. (Photo by Philippe Lissac /GOPDONG/Getty Images) State licensing officials have fined a former funeral director $500 for allegedly sending unauthorized photos and videos of dead bodies to children and adults and for providing a fake fingerprint of a decedent to the individuals family. Earlier this year, the Iowa Board of Mortuary Science charged former funeral director Jennifer Spiekermeier of Iowa City with unethical conduct and with knowingly misrepresenting information to a prospective buyer of funeral merchandise or services. According to the board, Spiekermeier distributed unauthorized photos and videos of deceased individuals to both adults and minors, and also had a minor accompany her and observe her while she embalmed a body. The board also alleged Spiekermeier substituted her own fingerprint when a family requested a necklace of a decedent an apparent reference to some funeral homes practice of providing families with a decedents fingerprint so it can be incorporated into memorial jewelry. The board and Spiekermeier recently agreed to a settlement in the case. Under the terms of the settlement, Spiekermeier must surrender her funeral directors license, which expired more than a year ago, and pay a $500 civil penalty. The board has not disclosed where or when any of the alleged actions took place, or the context in which the alleged photos and videos were taken and distributed. However, the filing number of the boards complaint against Spiekermeier suggests its investigation was launched in 2022, and state workforce records indicate Spiekermeier was employed by the Texas-based chain SCI Iowa Funeral Services in 2020. In a written statement that SCI attributed to one of its locations, Weerts Funeral Home of Davenport, the company said Spiekermeier is not currently working at any of the companys funeral homes. Spiekermeier declined to comment on the matter earlier this year, saying it was her understanding from the board that none of this was going to be made public. State lawmakers are calling for a thorough investigation into the Florida Department of Health hack after 9 Investigates confirmed Tuesday more than 40,000 files were stolen and leaked on the dark web. Hacker group RansomHub published the files nearly two weeks ago. They include very sensitive records like HIV test results, doctors notes, mammograms, birth certificates, among other files. 9 Investigates spoke to some patients who say they have not been notified by the state. Read: 9 Investigates confirms stolen Florida patient data published to dark web Lawmakers we spoke to say this needs to be addressed immediately. Complete disappointment and embarrassment for the state of Florida to allow this to happen, said Rep. Anna Eskamani. Eskamani says she asked the Department when patients will be notified if their information was compromised but has received little information. Shes now calling for a legislative investigation into the cyber-attack and the departments handling of it. This is a complete failure on many levels, and we owe it to the people of Florida to provide them with a direct response, Eskamani said. Read: Florida Department of Health confirms it was targeted by criminal hacking group The Department released a statement to us last Friday, saying in part that affected parties will be notified once the department completes a comprehensive assessment. We asked the department Thursday morning how long that assessment would take and for a timeline for when patients would be notified. But the department said it had no further comment. It doesnt give me confidence that the State Department of Health is going to be notifying these individuals quickly. What is the state going to do to support those individuals that were impacted?, said State Senator-Elect Carlos Guillermo-Smith. He says notifying Floridians timely is crucial, especially when their information is in the hands of cybercriminals. Read: Hackers claim massive data heist of Florida Health Department system They already tried to blackmail the state of Florida, but how else can this data be weaponized against Floridians. It certainly is a fear that I have, Smith said. Smith and Eskamani say they fear with the cyberattack and the Departments lack of transparency will cause many to hesitate to seek treatment at health departmentsor avoid treatment completely. They say the level of privacy and protection you would expect with a healthcare provider has been broken with the Florida Department of Health hack. Again, the Department did not respond to our questions on Thursday but said last week that they are still trying to understand the extent of this attack. You can read the DOHs full statement from July 12 below: The Florida Department of Health (Department) is working diligently with law enforcement and all relevant stakeholders in responding to one of multiple attacks perpetrated by criminal hacking organizations against several states in a nationwide and worldwide trend of cybersecurity attacks targeting health care organizations. The majority of Department systems and services remain operational with no disruptions. In an effort to protect the private data of Floridians, certain systems were proactively brought offline to strengthen security measures and bolster monitoring. The Department remains engaged in protecting data as the scope and extent of this attack is fully understood. Any affected parties will be notified as a comprehensive assessment of the situation is completed. We encourage all FDOH healthcare providers to stay attentive to alerts from the Department and follow those best practices disseminated to secure data. This incident has also been referred to FDLE for investigation, and criminal activity will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. STERLING, Va. (DC News Now) A woman from Sterling was sentenced to 12 years in prison for trafficking drugs and helping a felon purchase firearms. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) said that Kaitlyn Marie Hammond, her husband Carrington Hammond and a co-conspirator Mohamed Amine Haddou received frequent and large shipments of drugs through USPS, UPS, and FedEx from suppliers Aaron Mitchell and Iram Leyva in Arizona from at least June 2022 until August 2023. Police had records of 19 of these packages. FCPD said that Mitchell and Leyva sent an average of two packages each month. Each package contained 10,000 to 20,000 counterfeit pills with fentanyl and one to two kilograms of cocaine. FCPD said that one package received in July of 2023 had 50,000 fentanyl pills in it. Southeast shooting leaves 2 dead, 2 hurt including child, DC police investigating FCPD said that the trio redistributed these drugs including cocaine, powdered fentanyl and counterfeit pills including fentanyl throughout Virginia. On Aug. 10, 2023, federal officers searched an apartment in Alexandria and found 2.2 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 50,000 counterfeit pills made of fentanyl, 1.7 kilograms of cocaine and 2.5 kilograms of marijuana. Authorities also found a loaded assault weapon that Kaitlyn Hammond had purchased. FCPD said that at that time, Kaitlyn Hammond was sharing the apartment with Haddow. Carrington Hammond was incarcerated. She had a concealed carry permit that allowed her to buy multiple guns in one day. FCPD said she bought numerous firearms that she and Carrington Hammond used throughout the conspiracy. Carrington Hammond was also a convicted felon with pending drug and firearms charges in Maryland. He was not allowed to legally own a gun or any ammunition, but Kaitlyn Hammond still purchased weapons for him. Driver killed in two-car crash in Loudoun County Police said that Kaitlyn and Carrington Hammond also sold some of these guns for profit. FCPD said that some of those weapons were later recovered in connection with criminal activity or from individuals prohibited from possessing them. Police said that Kaitlyn Hammond also attempted to intimidate another witness and keep them from talking to law enforcement in the time between the search and her arrest. Carrington Hammond pled guilty in October to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Haddou, Mitchell and Leyva pled guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl. They were sentenced to 10, 14 and 15 years in prison, respectively. Kaitlyn Hammond was sentenced on Wednesday to 12 years in prison for her charges. 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. MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 16: Gov. Bill Lee used his speech at the Republican National Convention to compare school vouchers to the civil rights struggle. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 16: Gov. Bill Lee used his speech at the Republican National Convention to compare school vouchers to the civil rights struggle. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) If Gov. Bill Lee thinks school choice (code for private-school vouchers) is the civil rights issue of our time, hes clearly never experienced discrimination. Desperate to pass the linch-pin bill of his administration, Lee took to the stage this week at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee claiming President Joe Biden attacked parental rights and Republican governors fought back for a parents right to choose their own childs education. And, to think, we might have heard this speech in Nashville if the Metro Council had gone after the event. President Trump was right when he said that school choice is the civil rights issue of our time, sai d Lee, who leads the Republican Governors Association. That comes from the same person who discussed shooting protesters at the White House, then backed people who stormed the Capitol Jan. 6 to stop the peaceful transition of power. Products of privilege are hardly the ones to decide the greatest civil rights questions of our day. Their families never felt the horror of lynchings, police dogs or even the subtle rejection of a country club board. In short, former President Donald Trump and Gov. Lee wouldnt know a civil right if it jumped up and bit em in the butt. A lifetime of privilege leads to this sort of nonsense. If you told Thurgood Marshall he had to argue this instead of school desegregation hed probably show you the door. House Speaker Cameron Sexton, formerly an opponent of private-school vouchers, chimed in with his own inspirational words afterward, saying, I completely agree with both the Governor and @realDonaldTrump when they say school choice is the civil rights issue of our time. We will make it happen here in Tennessee! Ah, the shifting sands of time, but these are the days of our lives. House District 45 candidate Alison Beale, a Democrat, took Lee and Sexton to task, saying theyve been trying to tank public schools and keep the state near the bottom nationally for funding and teacher pay to make your privatization scam look more attractive? Except you didnt even do that well because you couldnt pass vouchers with a SUPERMAJORITY. Lee and other Republican leaders should be congratulated for adding more than $1 billion to K-12 funding. Better late than never. But they also want to spend hundreds of millions to enroll students in private schools, which will slowly but surely siphon money from public schools. Youve been working to tank our public schools and keep TN in the bottom for funding and teacher payto make your privatization scam look more attractive? Except you didnt even do that well because you couldnt pass vouchers with a SUPERMAJORITY. https://t.co/MQ0chSHPaL Alison Beale (@AlisonBforTN) July 17, 2024 Before leaping, maybe they should take a look at Arizona, where the state is facing a $1.4 billion budget shortfall, largely because of its voucher program. Maybe our lawmakers are wiser than we think, although theyre usually pretty good at feeling the political winds. Even with several expensive carrots such as more funding for long-sought teacher benefits and school construction money, the Republican-controlled House and Senate couldnt reach a deal this year on vouchers. Both groups claimed the ultimate goal of school choice, but their failed talks and ensuing hand-wringing were just a ruse to avoid voting on the governors bill right before an election in which theyd get hammered at home. But back to this tone-deaf Lee comment. The Senate Democratic Caucus issued a statement Wednesday saying the governors assertion is misleading and deeply offensive. Tennessee has a proud history of leading in the fight for civil rights from the lunch counter sit-ins and Freedom Rides to school integration and labor rights. To label a policy that promotes segregation and inequality as a civil rights issue is a grave disservice to the legacy of those who fought for justice in our state, their statement says. The late Rep. John Lewis, for whom the street in front of the Cordell Hull Building is named, participated in those lunch counter sit-ins, just three blocks from the Capitol, as people spat on him and others who had the gall to ask for service at whites only restaurants such as Woolworths. Jews aren't the only targets for neo-Nazi groups like the two that have appeared in Nashville over the last two weeks. (Photo: John Partipilo) Scenes from those events are hard to stomach, about as sickening as the recent Nazi rallies in downtown Nashville. Lee criticized those incidents recently and spoke against anti-Semitism. But Jews arent the only targets for Nazis. Anyone with a basic understanding of right and wrong knows that these modern-day KKKers are a threat to all American society. Products of privilege are hardly the ones to decide the greatest civil rights questions of our day. Their families never felt the horror of lynchings, police dogs or even the subtle rejection of a country club board. Nor are the black robes in Washington, D.C., who wine and dine all over the world at the invitation of the elite, then make legal decisions based on political favoritism. If Tennessee lawmakers want to experiment with private-school vouchers, they already have a program in Metro Nashville, Shelby County and Hamilton County schools, one questionably approved by a loaded Tennessee Supreme Court. Maybe they should see how well that works before gambling the state budget on a full-blown universal deal. But whatever course they take, dont call private-school vouchers a civil rights issue. Thats a slap in the face to people such as Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King Jr., Emmett Till and many others who lost their lives in a real civil rights disaster. Education or intimidation? Its a bit corn-fusing, to say the least. For the past few years, some Republican lawmakers have tried to close primary elections, claiming Democrats are sticking their noses where they dont belong, trying to sway the vote. The best they could do, though, was pass a bill in 2019 requiring people to select a statewide political party affiliation when registering to vote and stating those who fail to do so wont be eligible to vote in primaries. The League of Women Voters and a group of plaintiffs challenged the law and refiled their suit in May after a federal judge dismissed the first complaint for lack of standing. Now comes the Williamson County Republican Party with a mailer to people who voted as Republicans in the March presidential primary election telling them its a violation of state law and punishable as a crime for a person to vote in a political partys primary without being a bona fide member of or affiliated with that political party, or to declare allegiance to that party without the intent to affiliate with that party. A postcard sent by the Williamson. County Republican Party before the August 2024 primary has been labeled a "voter intimidation tactic." (Photo: Submitted) Part of the problem is that the mailer makes it appear this is the state law verbatim. It is not. Instead, its a combo platter not quite as good as a Captain Ds fish and shrimp plate of unclear state laws designed to put a question mark in peoples minds. Critics say the mailer belongs in the trash, even though the Williamson County GOP claims it is just trying to educate voters. State Rep. Sam Whitson, a Franklin Republican whos stepping away from the Legislature, says he had several friends contact him worried about the mailer. I told them we have an open primary system in this state and if they get any pushback from voting, call me and Ill go down there and take care of it, Whitson says. He contends the mailers intent is to make sure theres no crossover voting in this election but notes voters dont have to belong to a party to cast a primary ballot over the next two weeks. Gabe Hart, a columnist for the Lookout and plaintiff in the case, calls the Williamson mailers a case of voter intimidation. Doug Kufner, spokesman for the Secretary of States Office, reportedly said independent voters wouldnt participate in Republican or Democratic primaries, based on the legal description. Instead, independents would wait until after primaries are over and vote in the general election, Kufner said. Williamson County Republican Party Chairman Tracy Miller defends them, saying the mailer was a good faith effort to raise awareness of this issue and help educate the community about the law as it pertains to crossover voting as a tactic to help or hurt a candidate that one does not actually support, according to a NewsChannel5 report. Did anyone really expect him to say they made a mistake? No, because they had every intention of misleading voters, and it worked. Part of the problem is the lack of a mechanism to enforce the anti-cross-over law. Thus the confusion. But if this move kept just one person from the polls, thats a form of disenfranchisement. They ought to be penalized, not those who want to cast a ballot. Nevermind The Tennessee Secretary of States Office is opting against booting 14,375 people off the voting rolls for failing to respond to letters requesting proof of citizenship. The office sent that letter out three weeks ago putting a scare into folks, then followed up with a semi-apology letter. Thousands of people who received the letter were put on the list after Department of Safety and Homeland Security data showed they werent citizens when they initially applied for drivers licenses or some other state ID several years ago. The American Civil Liberties Union threatened to sue the state, claiming it violated the National Voter Registration Act, Voting Rights Act and 14th and 15th amendments and saying state officials wrongfully went after naturalized citizens in a discriminatory manner. The letter in question. (Submitted) Elections Coordinator Mark Goins told the Associated Press the first letter only gave people the option to update their records and didnt threaten to remove them from the rolls. Surely theyre not admitting a boneheaded move. That would be so unlike Goins and Secretary of State Tre Hargett, who says he only wants to ensure registered voters are U.S. citizens. Speaking of voting, other than human bondage, its been through some of the greatest civil rights violations in American history. Maybe the governor should concentrate on voting rights instead of risking the state budget to prop up private schools. Descendants of those who ran into poll taxes, literacy tests and outright prohibitions through American history could tell him the story. But he probably wouldnt hear much about it in Williamson County. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WASHINGTON (DC News Now) A dog that was reported stolen on Saturday was reunited with its owner, police said Friday. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said that the victim left her dog and her purse in a car in the 1900 block of M St. SE just before 1 p.m. on Saturday. When she returned, both her dog and her purse were missing. Pictures of Theo, a 2-year-old Shih Tzu who was reported stolen. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Police Department MPD provided an update on Friday that said that the dog a 2-year-old Shih Tzu named Theo had been found and reunited with his owner. DC police search for dog stolen out of car in Southeast Police did not say whether any arrests had been made, but they did identify a person of interest. MPD said the persons vehicle is a black Hyundai Elantra with tinted windows and chrome rims. It was last seen with Georgia tags DAA7179. (Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Police Department) Police asked that anyone with any information call (202) 727-9099 or text 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. FILE - Gen. Aung San, then leader of the Myanmar government, arrives at 10 Downing Street, the residence and office of Britain's Prime Minister, in London, on Jan. 13, 1947. Myanmars military government held a wreath-laying ceremony in the countrys largest city Friday July 19, 2024 to mark the anniversary of the assassination of the countrys fallen independence heroes, including Gen. Aung San, the father of the countrys ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. (AP Photo, File) BANGKOK (AP) Myanmars military government held a wreath-laying ceremony in the countrys largest city Friday to mark the anniversary of the assassination of the countrys fallen independence heroes, including Gen. Aung San, the father of the countrys ousted leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. Neither Suu Kyi, who is imprisoned, nor Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the current head of the army-led government, attended this years main ceremony at the Martyrs Mausoleum near the foot of the towering Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Min Aung Hlaing led the armys 2021 seizure of power from Suu Kyis elected government. Aung San, who led the independence struggle against Britain, was 32 years old when he was gunned down along with six Cabinet ministers and two other officials 77 years ago. He is considered the architect of Myanmars independence from Britain, which was achieved less than six months after his death. A political rival, former Prime Minister U Saw, was tried and hanged for plotting the attack. The anniversary of his death has been an important day in Myanmars calendar for years, but the main ceremony at the mausoleum has had a lower profile since the 2021 military takeover. The highest-ranking officials present at Fridays ceremony were Gen. Maung Maung Aye, chief of the combined armed forces and Mahn Nyein Maung and Hmu Htan, all members of the military's ruling council. Suu Kyis estranged older brother, Aung San Oo, laid a wreath in front of their fathers tomb with a flag flying at half-staff. In Yangon, neighborhoods heard wailing sirens and car horns bellowed out for one minute at 10:37 a.m., the time of the 1947 attack. Scattered rallies by the pro-democracy and the members of armed resistance forces were also held in several cities across the country to commemorate the death of the independence heroes. Suu Kyi, who led a decades-long struggle against military rule, was detained when the army took over in 2021, and is currently serving a 27-year prison term on what are widely regarded as charges that were contrived to keep her from political activity. She has not been seen in public since her arrest. The 2021 military takeover was met with widespread nonviolent protests. But after peaceful demonstrations were put down with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms, and large parts of the country are now embroiled in conflict. The military is now estimated to control less than half the country, but is holding on tenaciously to much of central Myanmar, including the capital, Naypyidaw, which was recently targeted by small rocket and bomb attacks. The army has justified holding absolute power through a state of emergency it declared after its takeover, which must be renewed every six months, with the latest expiring at the end of July. The renewal may face procedural issues this time because Acting President Myint Swe, who usually executes it, is ailing. This raises the question of whether he will be able to hold the National Defense and Security Council meeting to carry it out, and if not, who could legally act in his absence. A report in the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar on Friday said that Myint Swe, 73, was suffering from neurological disorders and peripheral neuropathy disease. It said he has been receiving medical treatment since early this year and still can not do normal daily activities, including eating food. Myint Swe became acting president after the 2021 military takeover when President Win Myint was arrested along with Suu Kyi. Myint Swe, a member of a pro-military party, took over the presidency because he was First Vice President. The move, whose legitimacy was questioned by legal experts, allowed the council to be convened to declare a state of emergency and hand over power to Min Aung Hlaing Strong and Loving' Calif. Girl, 6, in ICU After Being Mauled by 2 Pit Bulls Scarlett Corona underwent reconstructive surgeries and faces months of rehabilitation, her family says GoFundMe Scarlett Corona A 6-year-old California girl is fighting for her life after being mauled by two pit bulls last weekend. Scarlett Corona was at her grandmothers house in Ontario when she was attacked by two pit bulls, Valerie Hernandez, the girl's cousin, and Starr Aranda, the girl's mother, wrote in a GoFundMe. Scarlett was playing outside of her grandmothers house when the dogs attacked her, NBC 4 reports. Aranda was on her way to dinner when she was told that Scarlett had been attacked by the dogs, she told NBC 4. I didnt know what kind of condition, I just knew, Aranda told NBC 4. They said, Get to the hospital. Your baby girl got bit by a dog. The attack left Scarlett with a severed main artery in her leg, cuts on both legs and at least three bites to her back, Aranda told NBC 4. Scarlett was flown to a childrens trauma center and is now undergoing various surgical procedures that will be followed by months of therapy and treatments, the GoFundMe says. The oldest of four children, Scarlett is so full of life, very strong and loving, the GoFundMe says. She helps her mommy and daddy so much as the big sister. We ask for prayers as they go through this traumatic experience. Your kindness, prayers and generosity mean the world to our family and any donation will be appreciated beyond words," the fundraiser states. 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. On July 18, Hernandez updated the GoFundMe, writing that Scarlett has proven to be a fighter and is staying strong," adding that the girl had an operation to reconstruct her ear and another to repair the artery on her left leg. "We remain strong for my warrior princess while she battles the odds" the fundraiser reads. The Ontario Police Department is investigating the attack, NBC 4 reports. It is unclear who owns the dogs and if charges are pending. The Ontario Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE request for information. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. From Mexico through Central America and the Andes, U.S. policymakers are wrestling with challenges critical to their prosperity and security. However, the Dominican Republic is quietly transforming itself and emerging as a leading friend of the United States as it tackles poverty and corruption. Give credit to democratic leader Luis Abinader, who will begin a second term next month after a sweeping victory primarily fueled by the creation of a boom in tourism and exports and the promotion of social inclusion by tackling poverty and corruption. President Abinaders track record has also won bipartisan acclaim in Washingtonnot just for what he does but also for how he does it. For example, in the days after he won reelection with 57.4% of the votes and his party achieved massive majorities in both houses of the Dominican Congress, Abinader committed to seeking a dialogue with opposition parties and civil society on the pace and priorities of his reform agenda. Abinader also pledged to seek constitutional reform ensuring the independence of the national prosecutorthe Ministerio Publico. The prosecutors team is headed by a respected jurist appointed by Abinader in 2020. The jurist has empowered an anticorruption unit to root out corruption committed by current or former officials, regardless of their political affiliation. The Dominican people understand Abinaders strategy, which is to bolster the rule of law and fight corruption, which will attract foreign investment, empower free enterprise, create jobs, and build a more equitable society. According to the 2023 Capacity to Combat Corruption Index, produced by the Americas Society/Council of the Americas, the DR recorded the best improvement in Latin America, rising to 5th place among the 15 countries ratedup from 13th place in the 2020 rankings. But much of what the Dominican people have accomplished is at risk due to political, economic and social instability in neighboring Haiti. The DR already bears the cost of schooling and health care for many thousands of Haitian migrants, even as it works to control a 250-mile border. Smart fencing, surveillance technology, and personnel have tamped down the smuggling of weapons and drugs and the exploitive trafficking in people. Meanwhile, the recent hopeful deployment of a UN-sponsored police mission is a move toward political stability. The Dominican economy is projected to grow by 5.4% in 2024, according to the International Monetary Fundthe fastest growth rate of any Latin American country. Overall, foreign direct investment reached $4 billion in 2022 and will approach $6 billion by 2028. The Dominican private sector and public officials are retooling their economy to be a trusted partner with the U.S. nearshoring strategy to build secure and stable supply chains in microchips, biomedical products, and advanced manufacturing. Aiming to capitalize on impressive economic gains already achieved by the Dominican people, earlier this month, President Abinader committed his government to do everything necessary to double the countrys economy by 2036. Under Abinaders anti-drug and security team, the Dominican Republic is becoming a much more vigilant and reliable partner in the fight against illicit narcotics. In bipartisan legislation, the U.S. Congress has recognized the Dominican Republic as a key ally in the Americas, [that] plays a central role in building more secure supply chains integrated with the U.S. market and in fighting corruption and drug trafficking. In a spending bill signed by President Biden in March, Congress applauded the effectiveness of Dominican counternarcotics and anticorruption efforts and appropriated additional U.S. funds to bolster these programs. Still, at least one-fourth of the record 10 million tourists who visited the DR last year were from the U.S. This, coupled with robust trade, manufacturing, and security partnerships, is a vital partnership for both the DR and the U.S. Lincoln Diaz-Balart is a former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1993-2011). Roger Noriega was U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States. Both authors are registered with the U.S. Department of Justice as advisors to Dominican President Luis Abinader. Students from Belle Isle program build their own boat. Now they look to sail it Eight middle school students returned to Belle Isle this summer for another year of sailing lessons. But a few months ago, before they hit the water, those students learned a new lesson: how to build a boat. The Detroit Community Sailing Center launched a pilot program this year that gave students an opportunity to learn how to build a sailboat. In May, they completed 80% of the boat's foundation. On Monday, after having a month off from the project, they put the finishing touches on the boat. On Tuesday afternoon, they attempted to sail it. With their parents and instructors gathered on the dock to watch, the students pulled their sailboat into the water and took turns successfully sailing their boat. "I'm proud of them," Harry Jones, president of the Detroit Sailing Community Center, said to one of the parents. "They built the boat." A hands-on workshop Brother Ari and Eli Boyce, 14 and 13, of Detroit, have sailed with the Detroit Community Sailing Center's Challenge the Wind youth program for three years and welcomed the opportunity to learn how to build a boat. "The experience was really fun," Eli Boyce said. "It really got easier over time, like learning how to use the tools. And it really helped that it was a really hands-on experience, it wasn't really like they showed you it and they just did it." Learning a new set of skills can come with challenges. From left, Kendrick Walker, 12 of Southfield, and Eli Boyce, 13 of Farmington Hills, work at securing the sail of a sailboat at the Belle Isle Boat House in Detroit on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. "The hardest part for me, I think, was when we were cutting and like trying to make the shapes of the boat, it's a lot of back and forth with saws and tools and stuff," Ari Boyce said. "And I think that's the hardest part for me, just like, trying to carve out and get the right shape of the boat and different pieces together and all that." Eli said he struggled most with conversions. "The hardest part for me was probably the measuring portion of it because, when we were building the boat, instead of using like normal inches, like feet and stuff, we had to use millimeters and it was a rough change for me," Eli Boyce said. After learning about the pilot program from an email, Laura Thomas, 47 of Grosse Pointe, thought it would be a great project for her 13-year-old son Logan, who already had some experience in woodworking. "He really enjoyed making something that was something you could actually use and take out on the water and everything. And that experience of creating something that you can go out and utilize was something he really enjoyed." Future of the program Jones said the boat building workshop could be the foundation for a year-round curriculum around sailing, so students aren't just involved in the summer. "For the past couple of years, we've been looking to expand the educational component, STEM component of our program," Jones said. "And we tried some of the conventional things that other sailing organizations are doing. And it was fine, but it wasn't capturing us emotionally." The boat building workshop, a partnership between the Detroit Community Sailing Center and the Detroit River Stories Lab out of the University of Michigan, is an attempt to try something more innovative and grow its STEM offerings. With little to no wind on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, middle school students from around Metro Detroit are pulled through the Detroit River near the Belle Isle Boat House in Detroit. The kids spent all of May and part of June building a sailboat, learning to sail along with boat safety by Harry Jones, president of Detroit Community Sailing Center and other adults who helped teach and supervise them. Jones first joined the center in 2011, and has served as director of the program for 10 years. When he first arrived, he said that the program "had fallen in disrepair." People had left the organization and there were only two boats to teach sailing. Today, Detroit Community Sailing has drawn donations in dollars and in vessels. The nonprofit has 40 sailboats, and 100 youths and adults learned how to sail there last year. The organization has operated out of the Belle Isle Boathouse since 2018. The building now faces an uncertain future, as the state considers demolishing the aging structure in need of renovations. Jones said that the Detroit Community Sailing Center "got some reassurance from the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) that we'll be able to continue to program there regardless of what happens," but understands that all could change, and are looking at other locations should they have to move. "Hopefully, we won't have to," Jones said, "but we know the reality is that we better have an option if we want to keep the program alive." 'And here we are ...' In May, the students completed 80% of the boat's foundation as part of the first phase of the project. On Monday, they reunited to begin the second phase. They finalized the boat's design details and installed the last pieces of equipment. Jones said that this boat will be added to the organization's fleet and is looking forward to building more in the future. The workshop has inspired Ari and Eli to learn more about boats and pursue STEM-based hobbies, and it has brought them closer to their uncle, who has his own motor boat. "I think that being part of the program helped me understand our uncle's boat a little bit more and like, help talk to him about the boat, and what the boat's doing and what direction the wind is coming from and stuff like that," Eli Boyce said. "It's helped me bond with him, definitely." Middle school students from around Metro Detroit pull up onto a floating dock a sail boat they were on at the Detroit River near the Belle Isle Boat House in Detroit on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The kids spent all of May and part of June building a sailboat, learning to sail along with boat safety by Harry Jones, president of Detroit Community Sailing Center and other adults who helped teach and supervise them. Their mother, Kenya Lowe, said that she has seen her children's confidence grow since they first joined Detroit Community Sailing Center in 2021. "Ari and Eli were very shy but the instructors in the program made them feel comfortable and safe," Lowe, 47, of Farmington Hills, said. "Everyone in the program made the learning experience fun and adventurous. So after that summer, Ari and Eli wanted to come back. And here we are, year (three)." Looking back, Lowe said that program offered her children, "so much more" than she expected. "It's absolutely worth it to put your child in this program. You will see so much growth and calmness," Lowe said. "It is such a beautiful feeling to sit outside Belle Isle and watch your child sail a boat on their own. It feels good to know they are confident in their ability to manage a boat." Eric Guzman covers youth sports culture at the Free Press as a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support this work at bit.ly/freepRFA. Contact Eric Guzman: eguzman@freepress.com; 313-222-1850. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @EricGuzman90. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Students build their own boat and plan to sail on Detroit River The 2024 Republican convention had the feel of something we might have seen in 1980. Although it lacked the eloquence of Ronald Reagan, the message was the same: after three and a half years of Democrats in the White House, America is worse off. Inflation is making our country unaffordable, energy prices are high and interest rates threaten to cripple our economy. Even Make America Great Again was a call back to the 1980 Republican platform, which asked, With Gods help, let us now, together, make America great again; let us now, together, make a new beginning. So, it somehow seemed appropriate that Day 4 of the convention featured the most popular wrestler of the 80s: Hulk Hogan. Matt Wylie Where the GOP platform lacked vision, the convention fully capitalized on the opportunity to tell an unfiltered story of an America ready to fulfill its promise when Republicans win in November. Everyday Americans shared their struggles to make ends meet and their fight to survive in the Biden-Harris economy. Victims of crime and Gold Star families shared stories of heartbreak, loss and neglect. Former supporters of President Joe Biden described how Democrats betrayed them and neglected poor minority communities. The GOP successfully pitched itself to minorities and blue-collar workers. They asked suburban women many of whom feel Biden is not fit for office to take a second look at GOP policies and look past their differences with Trump. These stories were powerful and were happening under the shadow of the attempted assassination of Trump. Biden was already in trouble. But, the image of Trump, fist raised, blood on his face, saying fight, stood in stark contrast to the frail, confused Biden that America saw at the June 27 debate. As Biden became more politically isolated and calls grew for him to exit the race, there was little Democrats could do to counter-program the message Americans saw at the GOP convention. It was a great week for Republicans, with one big exception. While rallying under a flag of unity, it was sad to see childish Republicans boo Sen. Mitch McConnell (who is the reason Trump was able to appoint three Supreme Court justices) and former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley (who won a sizable GOP support in the presidential primary). Senseless tribalism is how we lose elections. If Republicans want to be a party that attracts new voters and wins elections for decades to come, we must be a party big enough to open its doors to everyone who believes in freedom and the unlimited potential of America. Thats the message we heard from Sen. Marco Rubio when he picked up Reagans mantle and reminded us that we are all descendants of ordinary people who achieved extraordinary things. When Trumps running mate JD Vance a man who came from humble beginnings took the stage to accept the Republican nomination to be vice president, we saw the realization of the promise of America and were reminded that we live in one of a few countries where his story can happen. For voters who may have tuned in for the first time to see if the assassination attempt changed Trump, they saw him deliver a speech although a rambling mess filled with a promise to bring back the American dream and a commitment to launch a new era of safety, prosperity and freedom. That is the message of the Republican Party I know. Its also a message that wins elections. In 1980, Reagan united Republicans and built a coalition of working-class Americans and disaffected Democrats. The GOP should do the same in 2024. Matt Wylie is a S.C. based Republican political strategist with over 25 years of experience on federal, state and local campaigns. After months of taking bids, the Sundance Film Festival has narrowed its search for a possible new home beginning in 2027 to to six contenders. One of five far-flung cities across the nation could be the new setting for the Robert Redford-founded indie festival, or Sundance could stay in its long-time home in Utah under a new deal, it was revealed Friday. Along with the united Utah bid of Park City and Salt Lake City, the final contenders for a revitalized Sundance are Atlanta, GA, Boulder, CO, Cincinnati, OH, Louisville, KY, and Santa Fe, NM. A civic leader in one of the possible new homes for the festival told Deadline today that his city intends to blow Sundances mind with what we have here, and why they should move here. As various jurisdictions in a divided America enact restrictive laws and regulations during this election year, Sundance brass are putting a distinct emphasis on key values of inclusion, equity, caring for the environment and a commitment to culture and independent film in particular in their deliberations. More from Deadline A final decision on whether Sundance will be moving after the 2026 festival is expected any time from the fall to the end of the 2025 event, though some inside Sundance are pushing to get the news out sooner rather than later. Under the current contract, the 2025 and 2026 festivals will be held in Park City, with screenings in SLC and other Utah locales. News that the Peach State metropolis and New Mexicos capital could become Sundances new stomping ground were exclusively reported by Deadline as far back as last summer. Last month, after we unveiled the 15 cities that had summited proposals, Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock exclusively spoke with Deadline about his desire that the folks at Sundance have the clarity of perspective to recognize that it would be in their best interest to bring the festival to Georgia. Sen. Raphael Warnock Of course, even with the obvious need for Park City to grow to meet the evolving needs of a 21st century Sundance, the Hollywood South hub of Atlanta and the other four candidates must overcome the possible hometown advantage of Utah. Coming in with a self-titled unified Two Cities, One Experience bid, the Beehive State has been widely seen as the one to beat almost since Sundance announced in April that it was taking proposals on a move after a rocky last few years. Two Cities, One Experience leverages what has worked for the last 40 years with our dedicated funding assistance, our amazing volunteers, and of course this world-class venue we call home, Park City Mayor Nann Worel told Deadline today. From the beginning, this has been an all-hands-on-deck approach to keep Sundance in Utah and that is reflected in this exciting new vision. Seeing a bit of drop from previous pre-pandemic years, the 2023 SFF brought in more than $118 million to Utahs GNP, according to the most recent data. Getting more specific, and not counting the prestige and massive media presence, Sundance that year delivered $12.3 million in tax revenue to the state coffers, $96 million in spending by out-of-state visitors, and $63 million in wages. While the likes of Boulder have said that they would inject $2 million into the fest if they were to win the bid, the Utah effort is based to some degree on the long-established tax breaks and infrastructure the state has provided Sundance for decades. Looking for maximum bang for their buck, the new Utah bid also offers what officials are terming a restructuring of their present $4 million the festival receives directly from government sources and the $2 million in cash and in-kind support that comes from donors, both individual and corporate. With all that in mind, the Sundance Institute selection committee is planning site visits to all contenders in the coming weeks to further explore the possibilities of hosting the Festival, according to organizers. A bit of a state secret, that committee is said to include Sundance board member Amy Redford, recently installed CEO Amanda Kelso, and Festival Director and Director of Public Programming Eugene Hernandez. Getting to six finalists was a difficult decision, Hernandez said today. Each of these cities has a vibrant creative ecosystem, either expanding or established, and has enabled creativity to flourish in their cities through their support of the arts, he added. These cities understand our ethos, are aligned with our key values, and have shown us interesting possibilities for partnership with our Festival for our artists, audiences, and all who want to be a part of the Sundance Film Festival and that makes us want to see more. Still, plan to book your tickets for Utah for next year as the 2025 Sundance Film Festival will be lighting up screens in Park City and Salt Lake City from January 23-February 2. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Sunny Hostin declared that its President Joe Bidens decision on whether he steps aside from his 2024 bid, as she blasted reports about Democrats private meetings discussing concerns over his reelection chances. It seems to me that these behind the scenes meetings that should be private are being leaked intentionally to sort of force his hand, said The View co-host on Thursday. I think thats disrespectful to the president. I think its disrespectful to the office. Hostin added that Americans have a binary choice in November: an existential threat to democracy on one side and Biden on the other, the latter of whom has her vote. He has Vice President [Kamala] Harris right next to him, who is ready to step into the role of president God forbid something happened to Joe Biden, Hostin said. So I still think, Democrats, instead of throwing Joe Biden under the bus, need to start talking more about the Republican program, which is [Project] 2025. Hostins remarks arrive after top party leaders including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) met with the president in the last week to discuss the concerns surrounding his candidacy among Democrats. ABC reported Wednesday that Schumer urged the president to step aside on Saturday and another source told HuffPost that neither the Senate majority leader nor Jeffries told the president to leave the race. The View co-host Sara Haines told Hostin that she believes leading Democrats wouldnt make conversations public if they didnt feel they needed that pressure campaign to help them with decisions on Bidens 2024 bid. Related... Superintendent of Macon charter school loses job after board votes her out. What we know The governing board of Cirrus Academy Charter School is now in search of a new school director. After serving five years as CEO and superintendent of the state charter school, Gail Fowler has been released from her leadership role as of July 18, 2024. To the parents of the scholars at Cirrus Academy, thank you first of all for having faith in a struggling school that was not supposed to make it. We know that it was a struggle from 2016 when Cirrus Academy first opened, Fowler said in a YouTube video released Friday morning. Barry Williams has been appointed Cirrus Academys Interim Head of School during the transition period, according to a statement released by the school via email Friday afternoon. Williams served as the Head of School and Director of Operations at Atlanta Unbound Academy. Board members approved Fowlers termination 5-1 on Thursday evening following an hours-long Zoom meeting. Board treasurer Nathan Lewis opposed the decision to remove Fowler. The decision between Fowler and the school board was mutual, according to the schools statement. The leadership change marks the end of Fowlers impactful tenure since the schools inception in 2016, the statement continues. Why was Cirrus Academy superintendent terminated? In the video, Fowler elaborated on the schools longtime initial experience of financial troubles, academic underachievement and operational concerns regarding an insufficient number of certified teachers. Fowler did not elaborate on why she was terminated in the video, but she listed accolades the school accomplished under her leadership. Cirrus Academy is the only accredited charter school in Bibb County, she added. Shirlynn Kelly, the chair of Cirrus board, said on Thursday evening that the board will put out a search request for a permanent school leader. She expressed confidence in the leadership transition, according to the schools statement. We are grateful for Dr. Fowlers leadership and the strong foundation she has built at Cirrus Academy, Kelly said. As we move forward, we are excited to welcome Mr. Williams as Interim Head of School and are confident that his experience and dedication will support our mission to provide an exceptional educational experience for our students. Our commitment to academic excellence and fostering a nurturing environment remains steadfast. The school board is actively searching for a permanent principal to ensure a seamless transition by the end of October, the statement said. The State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia authorizes the school. Corrections & Clarifications: The protester who police said shot Paul Franco is a plaintiff in a 2021 lawsuit against Maricopa County and Phoenix involving arrests against George Floyd protesters in 2020. Which lawsuit she was involved in was incorrect in a previous version of the article. No arrests have been made two weeks after a Fourth of July clash between pro-Palestinian protesters and those who confronted them turned deadly. Rumsey Salman, a 34-year-old pro-Palestinian protester and Phoenix resident, was stabbed in the chest following a confrontation that escalated to violence after a demonstration at Steele Indian School Park. The stabbing just missed his heart and lungs, he said. Salman was confronted by what he described as a trio of people as the protesters walked from the park after the protest. Among the trio was 51-year-old Paul Franco, who soon after was shot and killed near Central and Minnezona avenues by a protester who proclaimed self-defense. The confrontation between the protesters and those who confronted them moved from a sidewalk to an apartment complex parking lot, from words being tossed to eggs being flung, and finally to weapons being drawn. Salman and Franco's girlfriend have both said they do not understand why no arrests have been made. The case remains under investigation by Phoenix police. Police on Tuesday told The Republic there were no updates to the case and that decisions on charges would be made at the investigations conclusion. On Thursday, police said they had no updates to provide and new information on the case would be disclosed via news release. Police have not yet responded to a Tuesday request from The Republic for video surveillance footage used in the investigation. Rumsey Salman holds a Palestinian flag and a sign with Lynndsie as the group chants during a Free Palestine protest at the corner of Scottsdale Road and Greenway-Hayden Loop on March 22, 2024. "I don't even know if they're looking for him," Salman said about the man who stabbed him. He was interviewed by The Arizona Republic on Tuesday. Franco's girlfriend, Stephanie Renteria, appeared Monday in a televised interview with 12 News, displaying bruises to her arm and face that she said came from protesters who attacked the couple. Renteria said she wanted the woman who shot Franco to be charged in his death. "People can just come into your property and claim self-defense ... it's scary," Renteria told 12 News. "I want some kind of justice." Franco was a father of two adult children, including 29-year-old Paul Franco Jr., who spoke with The Republic on Wednesday. Father and son worked together at the dad's manufacturing company and had talked over the phone on the day he died. His father mentioned he was planning on watching Independence Day fireworks that evening. "He was a very loving father," Paul Franco Jr. said. "You could just tell that he genuinely cared about the welfare of other people." The Arizona Republic is not naming the woman who police said shot Franco because she had not been charged. She is a plaintiff in a 2021 lawsuit against Maricopa County and Phoenix that alleges collusion between the district attorney's office and police to wrongfully prosecute Black Lives Matter protesters. Attorney Steve Benedetto is representing her in the lawsuit and criminal investigation, he told The Republic. Rumsey Salman waves a Palestinian flag with Lynndsie (center) and her son (right) as they cross the street during a Free Palestine protest at the corner of Scottsdale Road and Greenway-Hayden Loop on March 22, 2024. Salman credits shooter with saving his life According to Salmans account, Franco, who was accompanied by a woman and another man, confronted Salman and his group as they walked to their parked vehicles. Salman said he was carrying a Palestinian flag while the group of several people held pro-Palestinian signs after their protest. Initially, Salman said, he tried to counter Francos "not true" opinion about their beliefs. "I just tried to push back a little bit on it. He just wouldn't have it. And it was just one of those hateful dudes that just assumes because you're pro-Palestine that you're pro-terrorism." He said Franco and the woman started yelling at the protesters, "Hope you die slowly." At that point, Salman said he tried to defuse the situation; he said he had smelled alcohol on Francos breath before he tried walking away. Police officers showed up and instructed Franco and his companions to walk toward Steele Indian School Park and told the protesters to head to their vehicles, Salman said. The day after the shooting, police stated in a "corrected" news release that officers had responded at 8:45 p.m. after hearing gunfire. An earlier version of the news release stated officers had responded to a call at 8:45 p.m. about a fight breaking out. Once Salmans group made it to the parking lot, he said Franco and his two companions approached them again. The trio started tossing eggs at them, striking a child, according to Salman. Salman's car was parked at a parking lot next to the apartment complex and facing a wall separating the lot from the complex, he said. After the egg tossing, Salman said he walked to the apartment complex from the adjacent parking lot and approached Franco to "defuse the situation." He said as he restrained Franco from continuing to punch a woman from the protesting group with his closed fist, the other man from the confrontational trio stabbed him, Salman said. "I didn't even see him coming," Salman said of the man who stabbed him. "When I really became aware of his presence, is when I had a knife in my chest." Rumsey Salman holds up a peace sign as he brings group members to gather to a Free Palestine protest at the corner of Scottsdale Road and Greenway-Hayden Loop on March 22, 2024. After Salman was stabbed a wound that was an inch deep and an inch in length and his shirt was soaked in blood, Franco began beating on him, he said. According to Salman, Franco was armed and stood over him. Sometime after that, Franco was fatally shot. Police have not publicly disclosed whether Franco was armed. However, ABC15 obtained cellphone video of the violent altercation that shows Franco brandishing what appears to be a firearm. While the shooting was not captured on video, popping noises could be heard. Salman on Wednesday told The Republic that he credits the woman who shot Franco for saving his life. "I was not able to escape until I heard gunshots," Salman said. "I really could not see what was going on at that time trying to survive, make sure I don't die. And I heard gunshots going off, so I didn't know what happened," he said. Franco's girlfriend shares her account with TV outlet Renteria told 12 News that an argument between Franco and the protesters escalated when she and Franco returned to his apartment about a block away from the park, with the two throwing eggs at the protesting group. Protesters followed the couple into the apartment complex by jumping a wall and threw rocks at the couple before the shooting happened, Renteria told the TV news outlet. Paul Franco lived in the apartment complex where he died outside. Renteria did not reside with him, his son Paul Jr. said. This was not Salman's first altercation since protesting Salman has family in the West Bank and is former Arizona House Rep. Athena Salman's younger brother. He had, by the Fourth of July, completed 191 consecutive days of pro-Palestinian protests, he said. As of May 13, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry updated its breakdown of the total fatalities to around 35,000 since Oct. 7. He lamented being forced to suspend attending the protests because of the stabbing. Still, Salman said he was grateful to be alive. "I was lucky enough it didnt penetrate the chest cavity" and did not hit arteries or organs, he said of the stabbing, adding that he expects to return to his regular work as a painter. Police spoke with Salman when he was at the hospital, which he was released from that same night, he said. Police confiscated Salmans phone, which he said has video of his interaction with Franco and an image of the gray- or white-haired man who stabbed him, he said. Police have not reached out to him since, Salman mentioned. Salman shared with The Republic in early April how he has been repeatedly harassed and robbed during daily Phoenix-area protests decrying the mass deaths of children in the Israel-Hamas war. Salman previously told The Republic that he has reported to police that he has had a Palestinian flag stolen from him three times, and he has faced death threats, expletives and has been accused of being a terrorist and of being antisemitic. Phoenix police at the time confirmed they were investigating the robbery of his flags. On Tuesday, he expressed skepticism about police ultimately arresting the man who stabbed him. "But judging by the way the police handle all my cases They're not willing to protect me. So, honestly, I don't have faith in the Phoenix Police Department right now," Salman said. Reach breaking news reporter Jose R. Gonzalez at jose.gonzalez@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter: @jrgzztx. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Survivors upset Phoenix police haven't made arrests in deadly fight Susan Sarandon Doesnt Know Who Shell Support for President, But Thinks Joe Biden Should Drop Out Susan Sarandon, the Academy Award winning actress, does not think that President Joe Biden can win his bid for reelection against former president Donald Trump and that the incumbent president should step down from his partys ticket. Yes, she said enthusiastically when asked Wednesday evening if the president should withdraw. Obviously there are a lot of people within the party who feel the same way. More from Variety I dont think the dust has settled on our choices she told Variety on Thursday night at the New York premiere for The Fabulous Four, a summer comedy starring Sarandon alongside Sheryl Lee Ralph, Megan Mullally and Bette Midler. I think its obvious [why he should step down], she continued. Way before the age thing came into play, hundreds of thousands of uncommitted voters in swing states, because of the war in Gaza, put his possible election in jeopardy. Sarandon joins a number of Hollywood Democratic players who have called for President Biden to step down, most notably George Clooney, who penned an op-ed in The New York Times earlier this month calling for the president to withdraw. Like Clooney, Sarandon is a known advocate and player in Democratic politics. Over the years, her political presence has shadowed her acting career and, as of late, usurped it. Sarandon was an early and vocal supporter of Bernie Sanders, for whom she campaigned widely in 2016. When Sanders did not win the Democratic nomination, Sarandon endorsed Green Party candidate Jill Stein over Hillary Clinton. Clinton later cited in her 2017 memoir that Sarandons endorsement of Stein was a blow to her campaign in key swing states. In November, 2023, Sarandon was dropped by United Talent Agency after she spoke at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York. In her speech, Sarandon said that fearful Jewish Americans were getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country. Sarandon remains an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights, wearing a pro-Palestinian button on the red carpet Thursday evening. At the premiere, she said her support for the Palestinian cause in Gazaand disapproval of the Biden administrations handling of the waralready alienated her from the current Democratic ticket. For me, more than the state of the race, is the fact that Im paying for a genocide, and for me thats a very important issue, she told Variety. When asked, Sarandon said that she did not have a candidate she planned to support for the 2024 presidential election. As for the film Sarandon was there to promote, Sarandon said she was happy to be part of a light-hearted summer comedy. I always have fun, she said. It celebrates friendships, and women and forgivenessits also just silly, she said of the film, directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse. We had a good time. I dont think we expected it to be a big social commentary. Im also always looking for an opportunity to work with women. They usually dont put more than two women in a film. Sheryl Lee Ralph. On the red carpet, she was joined by cast-member (and recent Emmy nominee) Ralph, who had a different spin to offer. Were in full absolute chaos, and for me, this is the summer movie you didnt know you needed. This is the one to bring you calm, she said. If this were a scene in any political drama, Ralph continued, commenting on our political environment, people would have said that would never happen in this country, and we are not those people. Thats what they would have said. You could not script it. Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Man accused of assaulting new mom in Brentwood released on bond A man who was arrested after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman who was walking with a newborn baby earlier this week has been released on bond. On Thursday, police confirmed that a suspect, later identified as 26-year-old Abraham Shily, was arrested in connection with the attack, which happened Tuesday on the 900 block of South Gretna Green Way in Brentwood. But his time in custody was short-lived, with jail records showing he was released from custody that same day after posting $50,000 bond. A man believed to be responsible for attacking a women with her newborn in Brentwood on July 16, 2024. (KTLA) A man believed to be responsible for attacking a women with her newborn in Brentwood on July 16, 2024. (KTLA) A man believed to be responsible for attacking a women with her newborn in Brentwood on July 16, 2024. (KTLA) Multiple KTLA tipsters have reported that Shiley has been allowed to return to his mothers home in the same neighborhood where the alleged attack occurred. Carmina Lu, the mother who has come forward as the victim of the attack, described her harrowing experience to KTLAs Carlos Saucedo. It was really awful, Lu said. I just would never expect anything like this to happen, especially one month after giving birth to a beautiful baby. Lu said her shirtless attacker came up from behind her, grabbed her around the hips and began sexually assaulting her. As she fought him off, he purportedly swung at her, hitting her in the face and leaving behind cuts and bruises that remained visible days later. Brentwood sexual assault Brentwood sexual assault The ordeal came to an end after neighbors, hearing the womans screams, rushed to help and scared off her attacker. Lus 4-week-old baby was not injured in the attack. The mother said her sense of security near her own home has been altered for the worse, telling KTLA that she wants to be able to simply walk in her own neighborhood and feel safe about it. I dont think Im going to feel that for a while, she said. Her alleged attackers release from custody likely complicates that issue further. The terms of Shileys release were not immediately clear, but he is tentatively scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 8, jail records show. The investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information is urged to contact the Los Angeles Police Department. 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. County Judge Tim OHare leads the swearing in of the three newly elected Tarrant Appraisal District board members on July 1, 2024. The county judge endorsed all three of the new board members who won their election in May. The campaign promises made by the three newly elected members of the Tarrant Appraisal District board are already on the agenda. An updated version of the agenda for the July 22 Board of Directors meeting includes items on the frequency of appraisals, setting a 5% cap on annual increases to residential taxable values and possibly freezing residential property values for tax year 2025. Three new board members, the first elected representatives after a new law created the positions, campaigned on lowering the Legislatures 10% cap to 5%. The cap on homesteads is designed to protect homeowners from big tax increases at a time of soaring property values. All three of the newly elected board members were endorsed by Tarrant County Judge Tim OHare. The second campaign promise from the trio was to move the yearly appraisal values to every three years instead. An earlier version of the agenda included discussion and possible vote on potential caps on certain property types but did not state the 5% threshold. Texas Tax Code sets the cap at 10%. A proposed tax relief bill in 2023 included a 5% cap, but lawmakers ultimately decided to cut school taxes and increase the homestead exemption for school district taxes. I try to avoid weighing in on policy as that is an issue for the board and legislature, my role is to follow the laws and policies as adopted, Chief Appraiser Joe Don Bobbitt said in an email Wednesday following the publication of an initial story on the agenda items. Before the election of the new board member in May, Bobbitt told the Star-Telegram that state law prohibited the board from capping or limiting appraised values at 5%. When the Texas House considered a 5% cap as part of a tax relief package, experts told the Texas Tribune that local governments and school districts could raise their tax rates to offset the lower property values. The meeting will take place July 22 at the Arlington ISD administration building, 690 E. Lamar Blvd. The appraisal district sets property appraisals and administers exemptions for tax purposes. Thousands of supporters chanted fight, fight, fight and pumped their fists Thursday night as Donald Trump basked in the love of the new Republican Party he built and that hails him as a superhero touched by God. States away, Joe Biden sat isolated and sick in his Delaware beach house as the party he led to victory just four years ago turned on the 81-year-old president and the possibility grew that a humiliating final chapter may be opening in a storied political life. Trump and Biden have been locked in a bitter political clash ever since Biden vowed to launch a battle for the soul of the nation when White supremacists marched through Charlottesville, Virginia, seven years ago. Their fates diverged sharply Thursday. Trump accepted the nomination of a united party convinced its cruising to victory in November, while Democrats splintered, with some fearing that their president could lead them to a landslide defeat after a cataclysmic debate performance sent his reelection campaign into freefall three weeks ago. Trump spoke on the last night of the Republican National Convention at the end of a week that he might not have lived to see after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt the second stunning twist in three weeks in a suddenly transformed election campaign. Just a few short days ago, my journey with you nearly ended, we know that, Trump said. And yet here we are tonight, all gathered together, talking about the future promise and a total renewal of a thing we love very much, its called America, he declared. We live in a world of miracles. As the former president wistfully told the story of the horrific moment he came under attack in a Pennsylvania park on Saturday, he displayed rare vulnerability and reflection. Im not supposed to be here tonight, Trump told the crowd, which broke into a spontaneous chant of yes you are, yes you are! The eyes of people high in the stands of the Milwaukee Bucks arena glistened with tears as Trump described how he heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit him really, really hard on (his) right ear. He survived, he said, because he had God on (his) side. Trumps aides overpromised All week, Republicans have carved a narrative of an iron man of destiny who would drag a wounded America up off the dirt, just as he rose bloodied from his brush with death and held up a fist of defiance. But Trumps aides promised their candidate had also changed in the aftermath of a shooting that wounded him in the right ear and would respond to his new lease on life with a message of national reconciliation and unity. And early in his remarks, Trump did reach for a vision of national renewal. The discord and division in our society must be healed. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart. But the new Trump lasted just a few minutes before the old version returned. Soon, the ex-president was ranting about weaponized justice, claiming falsely that foreign nations were sending people from their mental asylums over the US border and accusing Democrats of cheating in elections. The ex-president then tried to recreate the dystopian atmosphere of his searing 2016 convention speech though the comparison with the intense night in Cleveland eight years ago served to underscore that Trump is eight years older and not quite the ferocious rhetorical force he once was. In the end, it was the same old speech full of untruths and rhetoric that alienates moderates that has left Trump deeply unpopular with half of America. The once and possibly future president painted a nostalgic and idealized vision of his term and accused Biden of driving into a ditch a country he himself left deeply divided and economically diminished. And he warned that perceived weakness abroad had created great danger. Our planet is teetering on the edge of World War III and this will be a war like no other, said Trump. Clashing political messages On a night dedicated to unity, the divisiveness of Trumps warm-up acts undercut the message, hinting at the hardline authoritarian undercurrent of the Make America Great Again movement that might characterize the second term of a former president who thinks he is entitled to unchecked power. Wrestler Hulk Hogan painted Trump in the light of a developing third-world dictator wielding unaccountable power. All you criminals, all you low-lives, all you scumbags what you gonna do when Donald Trump and all the Trumpamaniacs run wild on you brother? Hogan roared. In an election that could be won by invigorating the Republican base with the help of new MAGA favorite JD Vance as his vice presidential nominee Trumps stark speech may serve its function. But it was hard to see how it would please swing voters and its tedious length, at 1 hour 32 minutes, stretched well past primetime. And for the Americans wondering how to pay for health care, how to afford a house or to send their kids to college, Trump offered no new details of what hed actually do in a second term. Trumps low-energy delivery in the vast arena was far less compelling that many of his campaign rallies, and it represented the most undisciplined, off-script moments of the entire convention. To be fair, he just survived an assassination attempt. But at times, in an election that is increasingly turning on the vulnerabilities of Bidens age, Trump looked every bit of his 78 years and his rambling remarks could serve to embolden Democrats who believe that a more vigorous candidate on their side could thwart the ex-presidents hopes of becoming only the second defeated one-term president to return to office. Still, in an age of social media and viral moments, it may not matter much that Trump went on so long. The most striking moments of the night the ex-presidents grand entrance against a huge backdrop of lights reading Trump, his scripted recollections of the assassination attempt and video of the ex-president huddled with his grandchildren in his box may be all that most Americans remember and represented valuable imagery for a campaign that is already ahead. But there was also plenty for Democrats to fault and work with. And combined with Bidens troubles, the second half of the speech may have served best to illustrate one of the defining characteristics of the election: Americans are deeply unimpressed with either option. Bidens campaign tips into deepening crisis The speech followed a day of extraordinary developments in Bidens ailing reelection campaign, which has foundered since his faltering debate performance that validated the concerns of millions of voters who doubt hes fully fit to serve a second term that would end when he is 86. Compounding his political woes, Biden this week has been forced to retreat to his beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, with a case of Covid-19, at a moment when many senior-ranking White House and campaign officials have come to believe the president must abandon his campaign for a second term. The next 72 hours are big, one Democratic governor in close touch with party officials relayed to aides on Thursday. This cant go on much longer. People see and feel the walls closing in, one senior Democrat said, CNN also reported. Another top Democrat close to the White House described Biden as having become exceptionally insulated and isolated since the CNN debate in Atlanta on June 27. In a critical sign of the partys down-ballot concerns, Montana Sen. Jon Tester, who faces the toughest reelection of any incumbent, became the latest senior Democrat to say Biden should step aside. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term. Biden has argued that hes still the best Democratic hope to beat Trump and, on the evidence of a keynote convention address on Thursday, the ex-president indeed looks beatable. But increasingly, events suggest that the mission may be entrusted to another, yet-to-be identified Democrat. This story has been updated with additional details. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Taylor Caseys loved ones are keeping hope alive a month after the Chicago woman disappeared in the Bahamas Its been a month since anyone reported seeing Taylor Casey. She was last spotted near Paradise Island in the Bahamas on June 19. Still, her loved ones are making sure she is being seen by publicly campaigning for her safe return. Chicagoan Casey is described by friends and family as someone who defies boundaries and definitions, and a person everyone notices when she enters a room. When members of her community gathered July 11 to mark Caseys 42nd birthday, plead with Bahamian police to keep searching for her and ask federal agencies to provide assistance, the event included balloons, snacks, games and bubbles. One reason support for finding Casey has been so monumental is that she is an amazing, amazing friend, said Jacqueline Boyd, Caseys close friend and chosen family member for 17 years. Anybody that has been in a room with her is really, really devastated right now, personally impacted and motivated to action, Boyd told CNN. And it is fully a reflection of how Taylor shows up for us. Casey is an artist, a hairstylist, an Air Force veteran, a community worker and a woman of faith, Boyd said. She was born in south suburban Harvey, Illinois, and most recently lived in Rogers Park in Chicago. Casey had worked at the Chicago Freedom School as a program manager developing youth programs and had done some work with Howard Brown Health in HIV testing and prevention, her close friend Emily Williams told CNN. Taylors favorite things are flowers and gardens and just peace, said her mother, Colette Seymore. Taylor is a very gentle spirit. Taylor just loves people, loves to help people, cares about people, cares about justice (and) fairness. Love is an action, Seymore said. Its not just a word and Taylor was good for that (and) showing you that she loved you. Seymore told CNN she and Casey have outings together to carnivals and restaurants and go on nature walks. She recounts a time she didnt know Casey had stopped by her house until Seymore got a call. She called me and said, Mom, look outside your door. And I looked outside my door, and it was one little flower, Seymore said. Taylor had come and planted a flower on the side of my side door. Casey was getting a yoga instructor certification at Sivananda Ashram Yoga when she went missing. She was last seen at the ashram and was reported missing when she didnt show up for morning classes on June 20. Nature, especially the beach, was Caseys place of peace, and why her circle was so excited to see her go to the ashram, said Williams. Taylor had been looking forward to it for a long time, and it seemed really idyllic. Williams said she wishes we could have been there to protect Taylor. Police found her phone in the water near a boating dock on June 24, but have been unable to access its contents, authorities said. Investigators in the Bahamas asked American authorities for help unlocking the phone, but they also had no luck, Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander said at a news conference. Its unclear where the Royal Bahamas Police Force investigation stands. CNN has reached out to the Bahamian police for comment and has received no response. According to Seymore and Williams, they have received minimal updates from authorities. However, they thanked the staff for US senators from Illinois for keeping in contact with them. Caseys family were told to expect an update last week from the Bahamian authorities but have not heard back, according to Williams and Seymore. A July 14 statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Consul General of the Bahamas notes the Royal Bahamas Police Force is cooperating with the family and conducting a full and thorough investigation, which remains open. We want to receive these updates about the full investigation that theyre doing and the thorough work that (theyre) doing. We want to hear that. The fact of the matter is that we havent heard that from them. So, I think that thats telling, Williams told CNN. This, for us, is about finding Taylor. Its not about anything else, she continued. Everything that we have talked about (and) everything that we have shared has been with the intention of finding Taylor. A complex identity Casey is described as a fixture of Chicagos transgender community, in a news release shared July 10 on a social media account dedicated to finding her. Taylors disappearance has sent shockwaves through Chicagos LGBTQ+ community, the release read. Jacqueline Boyd says she and Taylor Casey would talk on the phone often -- up to three times a week. - Courtesy Jacqueline Boyd The first week or so after Caseys disappearance, Boyd said, was filled with confusion and shock. Yet, the first order of business was to make sure there was a thorough investigation. Caseys loved ones chose to wait until widely sharing Caseys gender identity in connection with her case. Amid the devastation and initial communication with authorities, Boyd said family and friends asked themselves: How can we talk about the person we love so much whose gender is more complex than most people can understand and do that lovingly? They decided that during shock and grief (was) not the time, Boyd said. I cant even express to folks who are not part of the community how frequently we lose our women (and) how frequently our Black trans women are just gone, usually due to some form of violence or something really, really unfortunate happening, Boyd told CNN. Youre really hoping against hope that theres some other reason why this persons gone. So, protecting her privacy (and) protecting her ability to speak for herself about her own gender that she never wanted on a national stage for me, that was top priority. Boyd said Caseys gender is more to her than just that of a transgender woman, adding how others understand their own gender is deeply personal. While Taylor is a Black trans woman, there are worlds within that that are not a neat compartmentalization, Boyd said, explaining that Caseys views are more gender expansive. Many close to Casey believe her gender identity has impacted the investigation. For a missing young White woman, Williams says, there is much media coverage and resources. Taylor is just as deserving (of that), she told CNN. Casey is not a person that just gives up Apart from Caseys return, Boyd hopes the ongoing investigation will lead to getting involvement and assistance from federal authorities. That way family and friends can know every stone has been turned over, she said. The US State Department is aware of reports of a missing US citizen in the Bahamas, a spokesperson told CNN but declined to comment on Caseys case specifically. When a US citizen is missing, the department works with local authorities and communicates with families openly, the spokesperson said. When asked for comment, the FBI referred CNN to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Taylor Casey and Emily Williams ran into each other on the L train in Chicago over 15 years ago after being introduced through a mutual friend. It was then that Williams scheduled a hair appointment with Casey saying it was "one of the best haircuts I had ever received." The two went on to be close friends that talked about life, goals, work and relationships. - Colette Seymore For Seymore, every day gets harder. When somebody dies, the longer it is (and) as time goes by, it gets easier. Not really easier, but it gets easier, she said. But this is not getting easier for me I wake up every morning just so sad. She does have hope and believes Casey is alive, added Seymore. It also puts a smile on (her) face when she thinks of all the community work her daughter has done. I hope that people take this opportunity to have a different conversation about how we see each other and understand each others identities, Boyd said. Thats my other hope; that Taylor is honored from a place of letting people be curious, nuanced and open to seeing people as a whole person, not just one identity. Williams takes solace in the fact that Casey is strong mentally and physically. I believe that its those things that are keeping her alive and that would give us the best chance of finding her and bringing her home, she said. Taylor doesnt give up. Taylor is not a person that just gives up, Seymore told CNN. Seymore also hopes to get the financial resources to hire a lawyer and a private investigator since the people over in the Bahamas are not doing all that they can to find my child, so we need help. Taylor is somebody who we all keep looking for this is not going to drop. Chicago is a city of workers and organizers, and we are ready to do absolutely everything we can to find her, and she deserves that. She deserves that from our country, Boyd said. CNNs Sara Smart and Christina Zdanowicz contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) captured a bear cub with help from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo after monitoring it for several weeks. According to an X post from CPW, the cub had been repeatedly spotted without its mother. The post also says that a bear cub without its mother has a small chance of surviving the winter. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo kept the public away to keep the bear calm while it was sedated and provided a boom lift to get the bear from high in a tree. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo veterinarians also provided a health assessment of the cub. The cub will be taken to a rehabilitation center and be released back into the wild this winter. Read more about the process here. Tape is stretched in front of a school in Wedel, after a teacher has been stabbed on the grounds of an adult education center. Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa A teacher was stabbed outside an adult education centre near Hamburg in northern Germany on Friday. A police spokesman told dpa that the 67-year-old man was critically injured in the attack. Two suspects were arrested on the grounds of the centre. They are two brothers in their early 20s, the police spokesman said. The background to the offence is still unclear, but it is being assumed that the victim and perpetrators knew each other. The police spokesman would not confirm or deny the possibility that the suspects were students at the centre. A police helicopter was used to support the manhunt. Police officers cordoned off the school building and grounds in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Tape is stretched in front of a school in Wedel, after a teacher has been stabbed on the grounds of an adult education center. Katharina Heinemann/dpa Police officers stand near a school parking lot in Wedel, after a teacher has been stabbed on the grounds of an adult education center. Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa A global technical system outage affected airline operations beginning Thursday, leading to some flight delays and cancellations at airports nationwide, including Ontario International Airport. By Friday morning, more airlines had been affected as well as banks, supermarkets, companies, hospitals, emergency services and the London Stock Exchange, according to multiple news outlets, including Business insider, which later dubbed the incident the "largest IT outage in history." Ontario International Airport officials said Friday that the global IT system outage affecting multiple airlines may cause disruptions for travelers, who should check with their airline for status updates. DownDectector, a website that tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon, the Associated Press reported Friday. News outlets reported that telecommunications providers and media broadcasters were also disrupted as they lost access to computer systems, NBC reported. Visitors and workers at Green Valley Ranch resort-casino in Henderson Nevada reported an outage Thursday night. Staff members had to cash out players manually, which lead to long wait times, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Windows supported machines are reportedly failing to boot, with unconfirmed reports suggesting the problem is rooted with the software of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, Forbes reported. Thursday's technical problem Frontier Airlines on Thursday issued a ground stop due to a technical problem that left passengers waiting in terminals nationwide, the airline stated. A global technical system outage affected airline operations on Thursday, leading to some flight delays and cancellations at airports nationwide, including Ontario International Airport. The grounding of Frontier Airlines' planes was lifted after the technical outage, the Federal Aviation Administration reported Thursday night. The FAA said the ground stop was canceled about 10:30 p.m. EST, ABC reported. But airline problems persisted as American Airlines, Delta and United asked the Federal Aviation Administration for a global ground stoppage on all flights, according to an alert by the administration on Friday morning. The FAA is telling air traffic controllers to tell airborne pilots that airlines are currently experiencing communication issues. Meanwhile, flights in the air will stay in the air, but no American, United or Delta flights will take off, ABC reported. Ontario International Airport Ontario International Airport spokesman Steve Lambert told the Daily Press on Thursday night that the flight disruption at his airport was only a Frontier issue," which affected no other airline. By Friday, the IT glitch spread to other airlines. Photographer Brandy Carlos took to X on Thursday evening to share her sadness because she could not fly out of the Ontario International Airport due to all the airlines, except for Delta, being down with no flights at the airport. Frontier issued a statement Thursday saying, Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted. We appreciate your patience. Sun Country Airlines took to X to say, One of our information vendors is experiencing a global outage affecting multiple airlines. As a result, some of our services are temporarily unavailable. We are working with the third party to resolve this issue as quickly as possible and appreciate your patience. Sun Country Airlines does not fly out of Ontario, according to Lambert. Roberto Contreras of Victorville told the Daily Press that his Thursday night flight was also delayed. I am so sad I cant fly out because all the airlines accept for delta are down and there are no flights that are doable this whole thing is screwed up at Ontario airport right now. #cryinginside pic.twitter.com/VLWl5xQaTc FirePhotoGirl (@FirePhotoGirl) July 19, 2024 As of 7 p.m. on Thursday, two flights at Ontario International Airport had been canceled and 62 were delayed, according to FlightAware. Flightrader24 posted to X that flights airborne on Thursday evening numbered 15 compared to 57 on Wednesday night. San Bernardino Superior Court San Bernardino Superior Court officials late Friday morning took to social media to announce that the global outage affecting Microsoft systems had impacted court operations. All districts are open and operating, however, the disruption is causing significant delays and interruptions in daily functions, court officials stated. Additionally, court staff was working to resolve these issues quickly. Contingency plans are being implemented to minimize disruptions and to ensure operations continue. Further updates on court operations will be shared at sb-court-org. Microsoft's cloud issue The Arizona Republic reported that an outage affecting Microsoft's cloud computing platform, Azure, hampered airlines' operations. Multiple users reached out to Azure's support account on X, @AzureSupport, for answers. The account issued this statement in response to user complaints: "Hi, thank you for reaching out. We are aware that some of you are experiencing issues at the moment. Our team is looking into it and working on a resolution." Just 15 Frontier flights airborne this evening, compared to 57 same time last night. https://t.co/gafKXzQNUE pic.twitter.com/AauC2tBO6N Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) July 19, 2024 Most of the flights canceled Thursday evening at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport were Frontier flights. FlightAware counted seven canceled and 14 delayed Frontier flights at Sky Harbor. The websites for Sun Country Airlines and Allegiant Air were not working Thursday evening, citing the Azure outage. Sun Country and Allegiant each had one flight delay out of Sky Harbor on Thursday. Frontier's website was working, though it displayed the message, "Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. We appreciate your patience." Reach out to your airline if your flight was disrupted. Check your flight status before heading to the airport. The Arizona Republic contributed to this story. This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available. Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Technical glitch disrupts flights; Ontario Airport affected Hampton Roads was no exception Friday as a global technology outage affected countless digital operations nationwide including flights, media broadcasts and hospital operations. Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike reported the issue behind the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack. The company said the problem occurred when it deployed a faulty update to computers running Microsoft Windows. Flights at Norfolk International Airport were facing major delays, according to FlightView, a website that tracks flights and airports across the United States. The tracker reported that more than half of departing flights were delayed as of 7:40 a.m. Friday. By 9:45 a.m., the airport said airline systems were coming back online, but the mornings outage would affect flights throughout the day. About 20 flights were canceled Friday morning. Kellie Bryant arrived in Norfolk about 4:30 a.m. from Smithfield with daughters Ashley and Katelyn to catch a connecting flight to Washington. Their final destination was Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic for a girls beach trip. (Something was wrong) when we walked downstairs and realized how long the line was for checking baggage, Katelyn said. We waited three hours, got up (to the desk) and we couldnt even check in. We tried to reach United, and they were not helping us at all, so we just missed our flight because we couldnt check in. After several hours of delays and confusion, the Bryants will now fly out of Raleigh on Saturday. The outage also affected communications for inmates at Hampton Roads jails. The Norfolk and Virginia Beach sheriffs offices posted around midday Friday that their inmates were unable to make or receive phone calls. WTKR News 3, a reporting partner of The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press, also reported issues as a result of the outage. According to a post to X the outage prevented the station from going live Friday morning, and in-house engineers worked to resolve issues for viewers. For Dominion Energy, customer service call centers also were affected. Customers can still use the Dominion app and website to report outages, manage their accounts and pay bills. The Norfolk Tides asked fans to use the teams website to buy tickets, or to pay in cash at the box office. U.S. Sen. Mark Warner told reporters Friday afternoon that legislators need to establish minimum standards for cybersecurity across key sectors of the economy primarily in health care, where he said were desperately behind to prevent enemies from exploiting these vulnerabilities. He said intelligence officials have described the incident as a mistake stemming from a software patch to resolve a vulnerability in Microsofts software. I need to know from CrowdStrike why they didnt test this patch in a real-life experiment before they sent it out to all the systems, Warner said. Now again, this was a mistake, but it still cost potentially millions if not billions of dollars when we fully build in all the costs of shutting down airports shutting down systems, it shows how vulnerable we are. National security now is no longer who has the most tanks and guns, it is things like cyber security, he continued. This has to be part of our national security plan. Staff writers Colin Warren-Kicks, Josh Janney and Gavin Stone contributed to this story. Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com Teen charged with killing another teen in OKC OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) A 13-year-old girl was shot and killed and another teen is charged in connection to her death. Police say earlier this week, 13-year-old Amoni Young was found shot and later died at the hospital. It started around 1:40 a.m. on Monday. Police got a call to a shooting off NW 118th Street. When they got there, they found Young shot in the front yard. 13-year-old shot, killed Monday in NW Oklahoma City She was transported to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries, Lt. Jeff Cooper with the Oklahoma City Police Department said in an interview on scene early Monday morning. A 15-year old boy is now facing a murder charge in her death. The judge overseeing the case has sealed the documents, but KFOR has confirmed the teenager was denied bond and is 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Teen girl dead after attempted robbery of a man and woman near Phoenix apartment complex A 16-year-old girl was killed after she was shot outside an apartment complex in south Phoenix, officials announced on Thursday evening. Two other individuals were later treated for gunshot wounds in connection to the same shooting, police said. The shooting happened near Seventh Avenue and Alta Vista Road just before 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the Phoenix Police Department. Officers arrived and found a woman with a gunshot wound. First responders rushed her to the hospital where she died from her injuries. Authorities later identified her as 16-year-old Yadira Duarte Rodriguez. Later Wednesday evening, two additional victims, a man and woman, drove to a nearby hospital with gunshot wounds that weren't life-threatening. The man and woman provided information that linked them to the shooting on Alta Vista Road, authorities said. Investigators with the Phoenix Police Department believe the man and woman arrived at the apartment complex in a car to meet Rodriguez. Rodriguez got into the car and pulled out a firearm, attempting to rob them, police said. The woman then fought with Rodriguez over the gun. During the struggle, the man grabbed the gun and shot Rodriguez, police said. During the shooting, the man and woman were struck with gunfire. The man and woman pulled Rodriguez from the vehicle and drove away, police said. The investigation remained active as detectives continued to process evidence found at the scene. Both the man and woman were released after detectives consulted with the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. A charging decision will be made once the investigation is complete, police said. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Teen girl killed in shooting after an attempted robbery in Phoenix Teen who had been missing from Sacramento since April located in Portland, police say (FOX40.COM) A 17-year-old girl who had been missing since April 19 was located on July 18 by the Portland Police Department. Around 8:13 p.m., the Sacramento Police Department said the teen was located safely and plans are being set to reunite her with her family. Missing Sacramento teen: 13-year-old girl found Sacramento police added that the person she was with was subsequently arrested after being located by Portland police officers. The Sacramento Police Department put out the missing person notice for the 17-year-old girl on June 4, saying they learned that after leaving Sacramento, she spent several days in Portland, Oregon, before arriving in Seattle, Washington. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40. Teen Sought Help Moments Before Her Boyfriend Allegedly Ran Her Over With His Truck A Connecticut man turned himself in last week after state troopers accused him of running over his 17-year-old girlfriend with his truck last year, authorities announced Monday. Cooper Anderson Ouellette, 19, is charged with manslaughter and delivery of alcohol to a minor in the death of his girlfriend, who died in May 2023 after being hit by his truck, according to an arrest warrant shared by authorities. The victims name was redacted in the document, but reports from local Fox affiliate WTIC-TV identified her as high school junior Sophie Ringquist, 17. Sophie Grace Ringquist via Ahern Funeral Home, Inc Sophie Grace Ringquist via Ahern Funeral Home, Inc Using evidence collected from Oullettes cell phone, vehicle data, witness statements, photos and videos, the warrant describes the intense moments thought to have led up to Ringquists death. The night of the incident, Ringquist and Oullette were at a party together. Witnesses at the party told authorities that the couple were arguing throughout the night and said Ouelette had kicked Ringquist with his boot and shoved her to the side of his truck, according to the warrant. One witness told police that Ringquist called multiple people to try and get a ride home, according to the warrant. The witness said that she saw Ouellette getting mad at Ringquist for calling others for a ride and that he grabbed Ringquists phone out of her hand. Another witness told police that they received a call from Ringquist, stating that Ouellette was drunk and was following her around the party, according to the warrant. Ringquist and Ouellette left the party together. Oullette was driving erratically, and pulled over at one point to record Ringquist with his phone, according to the warrant. The video depicted Ringquist inside Ouelletes moving truck as she attempted to get out, according to the warrant. Ouellete then accelerated and she was knocked to the ground. Police said Ringquist gasped for air and sobbed as the video ended, according to the warrant. She texted a friend, Im scared, before getting back into the vehicle. Ouellete continued to drive erratically in Ringquists neighborhood and drove past her home without dropping her off, according to the warrant. She then took two photos of her face from inside the vehicle, which showed her crying with a bloody nose. Police said one of these photos was sent to a close friend. The vehicle would continue to pass Ringquists home a second time without dropping her off, but this time, she was separated from the truck and fell onto a nearby road, according to the warrant. Police said that Ouellette accelerated when Ringquist was outside the truck this time, crushing her with one of the tires, according to the warrant. Ouellette then went to Ringquists home, but allegedly moved her body into the passenger seat before driving her to her home. Her family rushed her to the hospital, where she died less than an hour later, according to the warrant. Ringquists family is now speaking out against domestic violence following the teens death. We implore anyone who has been a victim of or witness to domestic violence to stand up for the victim and report it to the police, the Ringquist family said in a statement shared with WTIC. We would like to thank all friends, family, and people Sophie had an impact on for their continued prayers as we negotiate this part of the process in our continued search for truth and justice for Sophie. Ouellette is scheduled to be arraigned on July 29. His attorney did not immediately respond to a HuffPost request for comment. Need help? In the U.S., call 1-866-331-9474 or text loveis to 22522 for the National Dating Abuse Helpline. Related... Authorities in one Southern California city say teenagers on e-bikes are terrorizing the community, including shooting people with airsoft guns. Attention parents, we need your help, read a social media message from the Orange County Sheriffs Departments Lake Forest office on Thursday. We are all about having fun this summer, but when the fun starts to endanger life and property, thats where we need to step in. Deputies say teens have been recklessly riding electric motorcycles and e-bikes around Foothill Ranch Towne Centre, vandalizing property and assaulting customers and businesses with airsoft weapons. Lake Forest e-motorcycles seized The incidents have prompted deputies to increase patrols, and a photo shared on Instagram shows two electric motorcycles they recently seized. As a reminder, e-motorcycles such as Sur-ron, Talaria, 79 Bike, RAWR Mantis, Stark, etc., are for off-highway use only and are not street legal, the sheriffs department said. Any criminal behavior will be investigated as such, and we will continue to address unsafe e-motorcycle and e-bike concerns through education and enforcement. Incidents involving teens on electric bikes have spiked in Southern California this summer. E-bike riders in SoCal torment crowd with fireworks The Lake Forest alert comes a month after nearby Huntington Beach approved a series of new restrictions on their use due to increased complaints and injuries, city officials said. Further north, a group of at least a dozen e-bikers sent visitors at the Hermosa Beach Pier scrambling when they launched illegal fireworks into a crowd. 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. Amber Govan, founder of the Little Rock nonprofit Carter's Crew, signs paperwork to accept more than $200,000 in opioid settlement funds. She is joined by Jahquette Davis and Jericka Brown, who are also involved with the nonprofit. (Courtesy of Amber Govan) Amber Govan often can be found inside an unassuming building off 12th Street in Little Rock working with students during after-school programs or consulting federal agencies on community violence intervention through her nonprofit, Carters Crew. Carters Crew helps teens in Central Arkansas who have been in the justice system or live in crime-heavy neighborhoods; it stems from Govans personal experience of being considered at-risk in her own life. With $200,000 in settlement funds from the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership, the nonprofit will add opioid prevention education to its repertoire. We want to be a one-stop shop for everything that families need, as much as possible, Govan said. Part of our process is that families, not just the teens but the whole family, go through an intake [process] and identify areas they need assistance with. Substance abuse is a major one, right behind mental health. More than 108,000 people in the United States died of a drug overdose in 2023, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The same data shows Arkansas had 572 drug overdose deaths in 2023, though the figure could change as the data is finalized. Carters Crew will use the settlement funds to hire a peer recovery specialist, substance abuse educator and a case manager tasked with mitigating risk factors for misuse among teens. Staff will manage a program that will run four 12-week sessions annually, followed by nine months of follow-up for each participant, Govan said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The program mimics a 12-step program and participants will be referred for outside assistance, such as inpatient services or medication management, when necessary, Govan said. The settlement funds will also help staff develop an online opioid prevention curriculum, which Govan said will be the first of its kind in Arkansas for the demographic. Content will include 30-minute videos led by other young people and quizzes to test participants knowledge along the way. They will receive certificates upon completion, and Govan said shes currently working to have court judges accept them as part of the conditions for teens who are completing substance abuse programs. The program is similar to one used for medical professionals at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Govan said. Along with creating new programs, Govan also hopes the funding will help break down a stigma among different communities. In the Black community, people are afraid to bring up the topic of, Im struggling with being addicted to prescription pills, or whatever it may be, Govan said. For uswe want families to understand that there are more people out there who are like you, who need this assistance as well. Its not a bad thing. Its just something we need to provide services for. Breaking down that stigma will hopefully help people feel more comfortable self identifying and letting any agency or healthcare provider know they need help, Govan said. Available funding The funding for Carters Crew is part of $26 billion in opioid settlement funds to be distributed nationwide. Of that total, Arkansas is set to receive $216 million over 18 years. The Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership was created in 2022 using city and county settlement funds. The initiative works to distribute funds to projects aimed at abating the opioid epidemic through prevention, treatment and recovery. Kirk Lane, director of the initiative, said staff look for several features of a project when considering funding, including heart, innovation, location and prevention efforts. For Carters Crew, Lane said he was intrigued by the nonprofit receiving referrals from the juvenile courts. We look for the heart first, he said. If people are looking at the money as money, thats not the direction were wanting to go. Every Arkansas county has at least one active program funded by the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership, according to its website. The announcement from Carters Crew increased the funded projects in Pulaski County to nine, joining the Pulaski County Sheriffs Office, the Crisis Stabilization Unit at UAMS, the Natural State Recovery Center and others. [Carters Crew] was one of the ones that we weeded through, Lane said. They were providing something different that the state was doing, was in a county that had a tremendous overdose situation and it was empowering young people that came from strong problem areas. Meeting the needs in every Arkansas county is one of Lanes goals, and he said funding a project in a county that has fewer active programs may be prioritized if it has met the requirements. Funding opportunities are ongoing, and the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership doesnt have a deadline for organizations to submit applications. Funding proposals must follow a list of guidelines, including evidence-based strategies to abate the opioid epidemic and signatures from the county judge and mayor where the program will take place. Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde and Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. pledged their support for Carters Crew. After an organization has been awarded funding, the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership conducts regular check-ins over the course of five years to ensure the goals are being met. The initiative collects quarterly data specific to the milestones of each program and completes an annual review. If money was distributed to an organization and not used toward abating the opioid crisis, that amount is returned to the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership. So far, approximately $1 million has been returned, Lane said. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST This article was originally published in Tennessee Lookout. (This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters) At the Halfway Market in Franklin, Tennessee, where locals come for a good hamburger and friendly conversation, Republican Brian Beathard works the crowd as a candidate for a high-profile legislative seat ahead of a pivotal session on the future of the states education system. By most standards, Beathard should be a shoo-in to replace departing state Rep. Sam Whitson, a four-term Republican lawmaker whos retiring this year. Beathard (pronounced BETH-ard) has served on the Williamson County Commission since 2010 and, as its current chairman, has a record of advocating for government efficiency, competence, and conservatism in a predominantly Republican community. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Hes been endorsed by top local leaders, including Whitson, three mayors, and a retired sheriff. And hes the only one of three Republican candidates for the District 65 seat who has continuously lived and worked for more than 25 years in the affluent suburban county south of Nashville. But when Republican Gov. Bill Lee handed out endorsements in key statehouse primary races last month, Beathard got bypassed because of his stance on a single issue: private school vouchers. Lee is betting big on a policy in which hes had major victories during his nearly six years in office, but has still fallen short of his ultimate goal: taxpayer funding for private school tuition for any Tennessee student who wants it including those from middle-class and wealthy families all under the banner of school choice. The governors universal voucher proposal stalled in the legislature this spring, even with a GOP supermajority. Now, in anticipation of a do-over, Lee is taking the unusual step of using his bully pulpit to endorse certain Republican candidates over others. A proponent of local control, Beathard like Whitson opposes the governors plan, especially for Williamson County, home to two of the states top-performing public school districts. Our schools are our oceanfront property, so we should take a hard pause on anything that could negatively affect our students, our schools, our property values, or our ability to attract business, Beathard said of Williamson County, where such big companies as Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Mars Petcare, and Tractor Supply Co. have their U.S. headquarters. The governor, who also is from Williamson County and graduated from a public high school in Franklin, instead is backing real estate investor and attorney Lee Reeves, who moved to Tennessee five years ago from Texas. Reeves, who serves on a local zoning appeals board, supports school vouchers, as does candidate Michelle Foreman, a former member of the states Republican executive committee. Whoever wins the three-way Republican primary on Aug. 1 is likely to succeed Whitson. And Lee is eager to replace voucher opponents like Whitson with supporters to achieve his top policy priority Governor is taking a risk by wading into contested primaries After his universal voucher proposal collapsed in committees over Republican disagreements about the specifics, the governor pledged to vet GOP legislative candidates this election year based on his school choice agenda. Ive said a lot of times I get engaged in elections, and I get engaged in candidates, he told reporters in May, promising to understand who I can be most supportive and most helpful to. Hes following the playbook of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who successfully used school choice as a litmus test to remove anti-voucher Republican candidates from races, enabling Iowa to pass universal vouchers in 2023 and positioning Texas for a potentially similar outcome next year. But if Lees endorsees lose their primary races to candidates like Beathard, the governor may find it even harder to push his education agenda through the legislature in 2025 as he enters his last two years in office, accelerating his lame duck status. The governor already put his reputation on the line to get vouchers through this spring and it didnt work, so now hes playing hardball, said John Geer, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University. But hes also taking a risk, Geer continued. If some of these candidates who didnt get his endorsement survive, theyll be even more entrenched against vouchers. According to Beathard, Lee and members of his staff didnt speak personally with him about his position before announcing which candidates he was backing. A small-business owner who supported Lees campaign for governor, Beathard is not completely opposed to vouchers, but wants local officials to be able to make the final call a deference that wasnt part of Lees 2019 education savings account law that imposed vouchers on Memphis and Nashville over the opposition of most local officials. My ears are open if there were a local option so Williamson County can opt out and counties that need that policy can opt in, Beathard said. Pro-voucher interests have the governors ear Lees endorsements in his home county, as well as a handful of other state legislative races, generally mirror those announced earlier by Americans for Prosperity, a pro-voucher group affiliated with Kansas billionaire Charles Kochs conservative advocacy network. We plan to put the full weight of our grassroots efforts behind each of our policy champions, said Tori Venable, the groups Tennessee leader, when rolling out several slates of endorsements in May. A large amount of money is also coming into the state from pro-voucher interests. The American Federation for Children launched a Super PAC for the 2024 elections cycle with at least $10 million to support pro-voucher candidates in state legislative races nationwide. If youre a candidate or lawmaker who opposes school choice and freedom in education, youre a target. If youre a champion for parents, well be your shield, said Tommy Schultz, the groups national CEO and its former spokesperson in Tennessee. Thats just one of the concerns of Whitson, the departing state representative. The governors endorsement in District 65 opens the door for dark money from out of state to get into this campaign, simply so our governor can try to secure one more vote for his voucher program, Whitson said. Another voucher vote likely would be close in Tennessees House Lee, who cruised to victory in two elections after campaigning to give parents more education choices for their children, appeared to have enough Senate votes to pass a statewide voucher plan this year, but couldnt rally the Houses GOP supermajority to do the same. His 2019 proposal to create a voucher program for Tennessees two biggest urban areas squeaked through the legislature after then-House Speaker Glen Casada held the voting board open for 38 minutes to convince Rep. Jason Zachary, of Knoxville, to change from no to yes. That controversial parliamentary maneuver remains a source of bitterness on both sides of the aisle, according to Whitson. Theres still a lot of fallout from that vote, Whitson said. But ethically and morally, I consider my no vote on that day to be the best vote I ever cast. Supporters say universal vouchers would put all Tennessee parents in charge of their childrens education by making private schools a more affordable option. Critics like Whitson say the policy would destabilize public education, bust the states budget, and further segregate schools by race, income, and students with disabilities, setting the stage for discrimination lawsuits against the state and various participating private schools. A lot of Republicans feel like the governor is putting us in a bad position with his voucher plan, Whitson said. And many are also disappointed at his tactic of injecting himself in the primary races. Scott Golden, who chairs the state Republican Party, said Lee has been talking about his passion for school choice since he first ran for governor eight years ago. Lee also has a right, he said, to campaign for issues that are important to him. We see it all the time on the national level. Elected officials are free to make their voices heard during an election cycle, just like anybody else, Golden said. Hendrell Remus, who chairs the Tennessee Democratic Party, has a different take. The governor is willing to tear his Republican caucus to shreds in order to pass one item on his agenda, Remus said. But I think voters will step up and reject the candidates who Gov. Lee is trying to prop up. Its an opportunity for Democrats. Its unclear how the governors endorsements will play out this election year. Results of voter polls on vouchers vary wildly in Tennessee. But for Lucetta Mannion, a Republican voter in Williamson County, Lees backing of a pro-voucher candidate helped to bring the issue to her attention and steered her toward Beathards camp. Ive done my research, said Mannion, whose five grandchildren have attended local public schools. Our schools are excellent, and I see no reason to have a voucher system for our children. If Brian wins, it will be one more vote in the legislature against it. (Marta Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.) Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com. Follow Tennessee Lookout on Facebook and X. Rep. Mary Bradfield was born and raised in a small farming community in Iowa. After graduating high school, she began her college career at Iowa State University. After marrying her high school sweetheart and moving to Kansas, she finished her education degree at Kansas State University. Her husband, Dennis, was a career Army soldier, and they had the opportunity to live in several different locations. When her family settled in Colorado Springs, they knew Colorado was their forever home. Mary worked for many years for our Colorado Springs school district. After several years, Mary began helping friends with their campaigns, which led to her running for the Colorado State Legislature. The owner of an immersive haunted attraction in Tennessee was arrested Friday on domestic assault charges. An arrest affidavit shows Russ McKamey was taken into custody around 4 a.m. Friday at his Stephenson Road home in Summertown. Police say McKamey physically assaulted a woman they say was his girlfriend, according to a Lawrence County arrest affidavit. The Tennessean does not name victims of domestic assault. More: McKamey Manor Hulu documentary: 5 things we learned from controversial Tennessee haunted house McKamey is scheduled for an initial court appearance at 9 a.m. on Aug. 6, in Lawrence County General Sessions Court. He posted a $1,000 bond and was ordered to have no contact with the victim. McKamey owns McKamey Manor, a haunted attraction he operates from his Summertown home. The Hulu original documentary Monster Inside: America's Most Extreme Haunted House, looked at three people who signed up for McKamey's brand of horror and believed he took things too far. The documentary spurred an investigation by Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who sent a letter to McKamey sharing concerns about his "business practices" in operating the "extreme haunted attraction." In the letter, Assistant Tennessee Attorney General Kristine Knowles sent to McKamey Manor on Halloween, she expressed concern over the haunted attraction's business practices. Knowles said in the letter that McKamey Manor either does not offer or honor participants' wishes to stop during the haunted tour, referencing the Hulu documentary and McKamey's comments in it, or more specifically, "We're known for no quitting and no safe wording." The state's letter also details a second concern, noting that tour participants do not have access to a waiver that describes the risks involved before they sign up. "Former participants describe the adrenaline and pressure they felt when reviewing the waiver at the start of the tour," the letter reads. "One interviewee on the Hulu documentary said they had 'too much excitement going through my veins at the time,' and if the waiver would have said that, 'a man is going to come out of the woods and murder you during this event, I would've signed it.'" The state is also questioning whether a $20,000 prize, offered to those who complete the tour, actually exists. It may be impossible to win, the letter says. McKamey has been asked in the past if anyone has ever won the challenge. "Of course not, and they never will, because it's so mentally and physically challenging, but it will be the most exciting thing you've ever done," reads his response, as noted in the letter. The attraction owner filed a lawsuit against the Tennessee Attorney General's office seeking a court order to ensure he would not have to testify in a state investigation he believed to be politically motivated. In April, McKamey filed an $8.4 million lawsuit against Hulu and multiple defendants that included a production company and a participant in a documentary about the popular Tennessee haunted attraction, which premiered last October. The haunted attraction relocated from California to Sumertown in 2017 after it was shut down there due to public outcry, Knowles pointed out in the letter. Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at cshoup@gannett.com and on X @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to www.tennessean.com. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Shown on Hulu, Tennessee McKamey Manor owner facing domestic assault Tester becomes second Senate Democrat to call for Biden to step aside Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), who is locked in a tight reelection bid, on Thursday became the second Senate Democrat to call for President Biden to withdraw from the presidential race. Montanans have put their trust in me to do what is right, and it is a responsibility I take seriously. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong, Tester said in a statement. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term. The Daily Montanan first reported the news. Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) was the first Senate Democrat to call on Biden to exit the race. Tester is vying for a fourth term in Montana as one of two Senate Democrats running for reelection in a state Donald Trump handily won in 2020. The Montana Democrat is running against Republican Tim Sheehy, and the nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates Testers seat a toss up. Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.), who hails from a safe Democratic district, also called on the president to exit the race in his own statement on Thursday. President Biden has been an incredible President who has led this country back to strength after the Pandemic. I am proud of the work we have done to pass monumental legislation that is leading to the first real investments in our communities in decades, he said. But for the good of the country, I think it is time for the President to pass the torch to the next generation to carry on the legacy he started, he continued. Democrats need to unite and deliver their strongest team to the American people in this election. During an interview with MSNBC on Thursday, Biden-Harris campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond pushed back against Testers remarks, saying that while he liked the Montana Democrat, he was wrong. Look, I like Senator Tester, I think hes one of our great fighters in the Democratic Party. But on this I will tell you, I think hes wrong. And I think that we should be focused on reelecting the president and the vice president, and our senators and our congresspeople should be running their race to get reelected, Richmond said. Theres a lifetime between now and Election Day. And if we focus on what we should, well come out on top. Both the president and his campaign have remained adamant that the president is running for reelection even as speculation has swirled over his next moves, even taking to the platform X to push back against reporting by different news outlets over the matter. Still, Testers statement in particular is the latest blow though not surprising to Biden, who is struggled to quell dissatisfaction and worries from within his party over his candidacy following his June 27 debate performance. Close to a dozen House Democrats have called on the president to exit the race, and now, two Senate Democrats. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), who is running for California Senate and is widely expected to win in November, also notably called on Biden to leave the race this week. All eyes are now turning to Biden as Democrats wait to see how the president forges onward. Updated: 10:56 p.m. ET 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. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) on Thursday became the second Senate Democrat to publicly urge President Joe Biden to step down as the partys presidential nominee. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and Ive never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong, Tester, who is facing perhaps the toughest reelection bid of any Democratic senator this year, said in a statement posted to X. And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek reelection to another term, he said. Tester is considered one of if not the most vulnerable Senate Democratic incumbent up for reelection this fall. His statement comes amid an increasingly public effort by Democrats to get Biden to withdraw from the race over growing concerns about ability to beat former President Donald Trump and the possibility he could drag other endangered Democrats along with him. Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) is the only other Senate Democrat who has publicly urged Biden to step down from the race. But other top Democrats have privately raised their concerns to Biden directly and his campaign team. Senate Democrats had a heated discussion with a trio of campaign officials during a meeting on Capitol Hill last week. Tester who had previously raised concerns about Bidens ability to win in November did not attend that lunch. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have each privately raised concerns to Biden in recent conversations about Democrats ability to win if he stays at the top of the ticket. House Democrats, in particular, are worried that he will sink their ability to win back the majority which could be their only foothold in power come January if Republicans flip the Senate, as expected, and if Trump wins the White House. Tester gave Schumer a heads up on his call for Biden to drop out, a person with knowledge of the situation told POLITICO. Schumer told Tester to do what he thought was right, the person added. Biden and his campaign team have maintained that the president isn't reconsidering his decision to run. "I talk to the president every day, like I said. He is not wavering on anything. The president has made his decision," Quentin Fulks, Biden's principal deputy campaign manager said Thursday morning at a press conference in Milwaukee, the site of the Republican convention. "I dont want to be rude but I do not know how many more times we can answer that. Joe Biden has said he is running for president of the United States." Shortly before Testers statement, Rep. Jim Costa of California became the 20th House Democrat to call on Biden to end his campaign, in addition to the two senators. Texas is getting hotter. Are you doing enough to help Fort Worth save water? The top three conservation issues in Texas are water, water and water, proclaimed former Texas Parks and Wildlife executive director Robert Cook in the early 2000s. Ensuing years of searing droughts, parched reservoirs and rampant wildfires proved Cooks prediction prescient. The states ballooning population and intensifying weather patterns promise to only worsen the strain. In recent years, increasing population and economic development in north central Texas have led to growing demands for water supplies, reads the opening section of Fort Worths latest water conservation plan, unveiled in April. Local and less expensive sources of water supply are already developed and additional supplies to meet future demands will be expensive and difficult to secure. The plan detailed the policies and pledges the city had undertaken to expand its water sources and preserve its existing ones. Fort Worth officials and some state environmental organizations celebrate Cowtowns steady progress on water conservation. Other experts say Fort Worth residents still use too much, faulting the city government, in part, for doing too little to change their habits. Gulping gallons Fort Worth lapped up just under 155 gallons of water per capita each day in 2023. Single-family homes guzzled just over half of all the water the city consumed. City leaders hope to reach the 150 mark by 2029, when updates for its next conservation plan are due. Cowtown consumed roughly 151 gallons of water per day in 2019; the conservation strategy it drew up that year aspired to slash water use to 140 gallons by 2024. Most big Texas cities use substantially less. Austin, San Antonio, and Houston in 2022 consumed 134, 121 and 124 gallons per capita. Dallas gulped 180 gallons that year. Its really pretty striking, Todd Votteler, the principal of Collaborative Water Resolution LLC, a Texas water dispute mediation firm, said of Fort Worths comparatively high water usage. That really surprised me, that it was that high. Fort Worths clear, if modest, upswing in water use since 2019 and the comparative frugality of its peers would seem to signal a regression. But the data can be difficult to take at face value, city and state officials say. Officials from the Texas Water Development Board, the states water planning agency, described total gallons per capita per day as a statistic with limitations in a 2012 report outlining its water use measurement methodologies. Different cities have different climates, layouts, and industries, they explained. Total gallons per capita alone, which tallies water use across almost all sectors of city life, risks paving over nuances and leading to dubious comparisons in efficiency. A small town with lots of agricultural land but a sound water system, for instance, may record higher per capita rates than a larger town with a leaky system or less ample supply but less water-demanding industries. (Skeptics of this explanation counter that water utilities for Texas major metropolises feed little to no agricultural land, and the per capita measurements, however broad, still offer a valuable comparative tool.) Fort Worths Water Department, meanwhile, boiled down the recent uptick in consumption to pandemic-era shifts in water habits and improved measurement capacity. Improved metering has resulted in reduced apparent loss related to metering inaccuracies and under registering of water use, city water conservation manager Micah Reed wrote to the Star-Telegram. Second, since the pandemic, more people are working from home. If someone lived in Fort Worth but worked in another community, their daytime water use is now registering in Fort Worth. Water use see-sawed in some other big Texas cities during that time fame. Austin used 13 gallons per capita more each day in 2022 than they did in 2019; San Antonios water use eeked up six gallons over the same period. Short term reversals shouldnt overcast longer term progress, Reed added. Fort Worths per capita measurements hovered around 200 in the early 2000s, he said. Education campaigns, digitized water use surveillance, and stricter lawn irrigation restrictions have since dragged consumption down into the 150s. Water loss the share leaked, miscounted or used by unauthorized customers has also steadily, if stubbornly, fallen. Water Next Steps? Existing policies likely wont be enough to ride the next wave of conservation challenges, experts note. Developers are churning out subdivisions with water-hungry lawns to accommodate the ceaseless influx of new residents. Supplying the water to keep them green will require finding and connecting new water sources (a costly and lengthy undertaking) or further regulating the use of existing ones. Outdoor watering is a really good place to target to reduce gallons per capita per day water use, said Jennifer Walker, senior director of the National Wildlife Foundations Texas Coast and Water Program. And its not to say, like, you know, Fort Worth, or any city that does this would not continue to have nice lawns and landscapes. Its just that were a lot smarter about how we will irrigate our landscapes. Reed, Fort Worths conservation manager, says the city regularly monitors residential water meters through its MyH2O program for potential irrigation violations and notifies overusers. Should pesky texts from city bureaucrats or the threat of fines not prove effective enough at curbing waste, Fort Worth officials may weigh another, time-tested policy: making water use more expensive. Fort Worths residential rate has four tiers and is designed to send a pricing signal to customers the more water you use, the more you will pay for it, Reed noted. We examined how our residential rate tiers compared to those in other cities and found most other large cities in Texas send a much stronger pricing signal than Fort Worth. Findings and fixing leaky water mains is an ordeal of its own. Cast iron pipes 20% of the citys distribution system accounts for 85% to 90% of main line breaks, according to Reed. By prioritizing and accelerating the replacement of cast iron water lines, the Utility will realize a triple benefit of improving reliability, reducing customer outages, and reducing water loss associated with main breaks and leaks, he said. AUSTIN (Nexstar) The technology outage that affected companies, agencies and airlines globally Friday morning caused disruptions to Texas state agencies overseeing infrastructure, safety and transportation. Agencies affected by global tech outage from Austin-based cybersecurity company The faulty software update issued by Austin-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike also grounded flights, knocked banks offline and media outlets off air worldwide, according to reporting from the Associated Press. CrowdStrikes Founder and CEO George Kurtz released a statement regarding the outage. I want to sincerely apologize directly to all of you for todays outage. All of CrowdStrike understands the gravity and impact of the situation. We quickly identified the issue and deployed a fix, allowing us to focus diligently on restoring customer systems as our highest priority. The outage was caused by a defect found in a Falcon content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This was not a cyberattack. We are working closely with impacted customers and partners to ensure that all systems are restored, so you can deliver the services your customers rely on. Kurtz said in part Kurtz emphasized that the outage was not a result of a cyberattack infiltrating CrowdStrikes system. Our mission is wide, were here to make sure that every customer is fully recovered, Kurtz said. And were not going to relent until we get every customer back to where they were. And we continue to protect them and keep the bad guys out of their systems. What state agencies have been impacted? The Texas Secretary of State reported on X Friday morning that several of its systems are down. They said they are working to get them back up. The Texas Department of Public Safety also announced on X that its Drivers License Offices are affected by the outage. The post detailed that all DLOs will be closed on Friday until they can resolve the issue, but there is no current estimate on when exactly they will be back open. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles also reported closures on Friday in a post on X. TxDMV said they were affected by the global CrowdStrike outages and that several of its systems and services were unavailable during that time. The Texas Military Department told Nexstar that they have not been affected by the outage because they primarily use Starlink, a satellite internet subsidiary of SpaceX owned by Elon Musk. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) told Nexstar that none of its public-facing systems have been affected by the CrowdStrike outage. TxDOT did not specify whether its internal systems were affected. The Railroad Commission of Texas told Nexstar that they experienced a temporary system interruption this morning due to the global CrowdStrike outage but many of those have now been restored. The Commission has not received reports of the outage causing a significant impact on energy operations. The Public Utility Commission of Texas posted on X that its website has been affected by the CrowdStrike outage. They reported that they are working to restore the platform. The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) told Nexstar that the CrowdStrike software glitch on Friday affected its IT systems and employee laptops, primarily impacting filing and reporting access. Despite this, gatehouses, security, surveillance, and body cameras remained functional, and daily operations with youth in residence were unaffected. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) experienced similar complications from the outages with disruptions to internal-facing systems. TDCJ told Nexstar the outage had little impact on the agencys key operations and, where necessary, it is implementing continuity of operations plans. CrowdStrike, an Austin-based company, issued a faulty software update Friday morning, which affects all Microsoft 365 platforms. As of February 2024, over 72% of Desktop PC owners use the Windows operating system, according to Statista. 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. FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) The Central California Food Bank is celebrating 32 years and Bank of America is triple matching donations to up to $30,000. Focusing on ending hunger, the regions largest non-profit organization serves over 300,000 people who are in need. Chanel Ruiz-Mendez, the Director of Development for the Central California Food Bank says from Thursday, July 18 through Friday, July 19, for every dollar donated, Bank of America will be adding two more dollars. We could provide up to four meals and over the next two days that multiplies to 12 meals. Thank you to Bank of America, Ruiz-Mendez said. Ruiz-Mendez says the food bank lacks donations in the summer and the summertime can be difficult for hungry families. You know, during the school year, kids are getting breakfast and lunch and sometimes an after-school snack. But during the summer when theyre home, thats just more mouths to feed and so expensive to fill the pantries these days, Ruiz-Mendez said. The money raised goes towards the Groceries2Go program, a feeding program that allows people with an appointment to pick up food and have it delivered right to their car. It really just helps put food on the table and kind of fill that, you know, food budget that a lot of people have, Ruiz-Mendez said. To make an online donation, 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 YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47. The third person arrested in connection with a Columbus fraud investigation involving Navy Federal Credit Union pleaded not guilty in Recorders Court Thursday. Curtis Davis is charged with forgery third-degree and theft by deception, according to police. He appeared before Judge David Ranieri to enter his plea. Davis role is just one part of a growing investigation into Navy Federal Credit Union that involves hundreds of thousands of dollars, investigators say. Sgt. Jane Edenfield with the Columbus Police Department Financial Crimes Unit said theres several hundred thousand dollars in actual loss from those who have been arrested, pushing $1.5 million in exposure in those cases. The investigation is ongoing. Steven Verrett, a former employee of Navy Federal Credit Union, was the first to be arrested in this fraud investigation in May on multiple charges, the Ledger-Enquirer previously reported. Demetrius Redding was arrested earlier this month and charged with four counts of third-degree forgery and four counts of criminal attempt of theft by deception, according to the Ledger-Enquirer. On Thursday, Detective Christy Edenfield with the Columbus Police Department testified about Davis alleged involvement in the case based on bank records and video footage. She testified Davis case involves more than $122,000. Part of the investigation involved two checks deposited into an account belonging to Christopher Upshaw, Edenfield said. Upshaw is currently incarcerated in federal prison, according to police. Christy Edenfield testified multiple withdrawals were made on Dec. 23, 2023, and Jan. 13 from Upshaws account after the checks had been deposited and cleared. Christy Edenfield said the cash withdrawals on Dec. 23 were two for $10,000 and one for $20,000 and a cashiers check in the amount of $31,160.52. There were also withdrawals from Upshaws account on Jan. 13, including $10,000 cash and three cashiers checks in the amount of $10,000 each, Christy Edenfield said. Christy Edenfield testified that video footage from JPMorganChase shows that one of the $10,000 cashiers checks from January was deposited into an account belonging to Davis. Footage also shows Davis was present for one of two deposits into Upshaws account. Davis pulled out a check from his pocket and deposited it into the ATM at Navy Federal Credit Union with Verrett present with the card for Upshaws account, according to Christy Edenfields testimony. Ranieri found probable cause in Davis case and bound the case over to Superior Court. Ranieri ordered that Davis be held without bond. Jane Edenfield told the Ledger-Enquirer that she expects more arrests to come in the course of the investigation. Its kind of like climbing the rungs of a ladder, were one step further, Jane Edenfield said after the hearing Thursday. It feels good. Thomas Matthew Crooks final cellphone search was for porn before shooting Trump, report says Thomas Matthew Crooks final internet search on his cellphone before opening fire on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump last Saturday was reportedly for pornography, according to the Daily Beast. A senior law enforcement source told the outlet that online skin flicks were the last thing the 20-year-old gunman viewed before unleashing a hail of fire that killed one bystander and seriously wounded two others at a western Pennsylvania rally. Crooks apparent target suffered a wounded ear. Its unclear what kind of porn Crooks allegedly viewed. The Daily Beasts insider said its not unusual for people who commit these types of heinous acts to have an interest in explicit and often extreme material. Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza allegedly had an interest in pedophilia and possessed compact discs containing pornographic images. Investigators reportedly learned about Crooks final search for porn after the FBIs Operational Technology Division in Quantico, Virginia, examined the suspects encrypted Samsung cellphone. Crooks phone also contained text messages from his parents who were trying to find out his whereabouts on the afternoon before his apparent assassination attempt on the 78-year-old Republican Party leader. The gunman lived with his folks in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, roughly 50 miles from the event space where the rally was held. The source said Crooks parents thought he had taken an AR-15 style rifle to a local shooting range where he was a member. ABC News reported Thursday it appeared that Crooks had posted an ominous warning that he might do something drastic on a gamers message board before he shot at Trump, but CBS News sources said the message appeared to be a fake. While Trump escaped the attempt on his life, Pennsylvania volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed in the deadly violence. A private funeral was held Friday near his hometown of Sarver. The 50-year-old victim reportedly died shielding his family from bullets believed to have been fired from Crooks rifle. Despite an exhaustive investigation, the FBI has not yet established a clear motive for the shooting. Merri Cambo, left, of Saxonburg, Pa., and her friend, Jane Wesolosky, of Buffalo, Pa., react as the funeral procession for Corey Comperatore passes by, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Sarver, Pa. Comperatore, a former fire chief, was shot and killed while attending a weekend rally for former President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) CABOT, Pa. (AP) The keen of bagpipes, a three-volley gun salute and a bugle sounding taps pierced the air of a small Pennsylvania town on Friday as hundreds gathered to honor an ex-fire chief who was shot and killed at a rally for former President Donald Trump. Following funeral services for Corey Comperatore, large crowds of mourners waiting outside fell silent as his American flag-draped casket emerged from Cabot Methodist Church. Firefighters ceremoniously removed the flag and presented it to his wife, Helen, before loading the casket onto a fire truck adorned with black bunting. Three firefighters stood sentry on the back of the truck, trailed by more than 100 other emergency vehicles from fire departments across the region as it rolled slowly toward Comperatore's hometown of Freeport, where he was to be laid to rest. A sharpshooter team mounted on a nearby rooftop served as a reminder of last weekend's bloodshed. Officials have said that Comperatore spent his final moments shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire at Trumps rally last Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump, who suffered an ear injury in the shooting but was not seriously hurt, did not attend the funeral because of Secret Service concerns, according to a person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly. Annette Locke, a member of the West Deer Township Volunteer Fire Department, stood across the road from the church and lightly touched her heart as she spoke about the horrific toll from the totally senseless" shooting. He was with his family on a beautiful sunny day, and now hes gone, Locke said. Joe and Jen Brose stood at the edge of their driveway with their three young boys, all dressed in T-shirts celebrating the USA, watching the long procession, which took a full half-hour to pass. The community comes together at times like this, Joe Brose said. I thought it was very heartwarming, it was very humbling to see it, said Jen Brose, whose sister had attended the Trump rally. Trump honored Comperatore during his speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. He displayed Comperatore's firefighting gear on the convention stage, kissing his helmet and heralding the ex-chief as an unbelievable person. Mike Drane, who lives near the church where the funeral was held, said he was overwhelmed by Trumps tribute. Trump knew that that bullet was for him, not for Corey, Drane said. Nancy Macurdy, who lives across the street from the church, was away camping when the shooting happened but wanted to be back home for the funeral. Were a very close community here, she said. A woman who was inside the church for the funeral service said Comperatores wife and daughters delivered testimonies, and the churchs pastor read a eulogy written by one of Comperatores siblings. The woman, who declined to be quoted by name, said she did not recognize any politicians or Trump representatives among the crowd, which included country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. The service was closed to the news media. In nearby Sarver, the town where Comperatore lived, families took the day off from work or changed other plans to gather along the community's main artery. Bands of young boys stood by the roadway, signaling for trucks to honk their horns. Five-year-old Ryder Presutti, dressed in a red firefighter's outfit, waved a small American flag as the fire trucks passed by. Others congregated at Andys House of Cars or Cabot Archery to await the funeral procession. Outside the Dollar General store, at least a dozen SUVs were lined up tailgate style, with their trunks open. One resident expressed her feelings with a front yard sign made of giant black letters that read, American Hero Corey Comperatore. Its a very heartbreaking situation, said Daneene Wimer, 44, of Evans City, near where the shooting took place. She and her sisters came with their families to honor somebody who put their life in their hands for their family. I will definitely be shedding tears (when the procession passes), she said. Comperatore, 50, worked as a project and tooling engineer, was an Army reservist and spent many years as a volunteer firefighter after serving as chief, according to his obituary. He and his family attended the Cabot Methodist Church, where their pastor, Jonathan Fehl, presided over the funeral. On Thursday, thousands of mourners filed into a banquet hall to pay their respects to Comperatore and his family. Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday at a vigil for him at an auto racing track. Guests at Thursday's visitation for Comperatore saw a slideshow of photos from his life his wedding, a recent 50th birthday party, time with his daughters, firefighting, fishing, and palling around with his Dobermans. Also on display was a framed copy of a note to Comperatores wife signed by Trump and former first lady Melania Trump. "Corey will forever be remembered as a True American Hero, the Trumps wrote. A statement issued Thursday by Comperatore's family described him as a beloved father and husband, and a friend to so many throughout the Butler region. "Our family is finding comfort and peace through the heartfelt messages of encouragement from people around the world, through the support of our church and community, and most of all through the strength of God," the statement said. Two other people were wounded at Trump's rally: David Dutch, 57, of New Kensington, and James Copenhaver, 74, of Moon Township. As of Wednesday night, both had been upgraded to serious but stable condition, according to a spokesperson with Allegheny Health Network. ___ The third paragraph has been edited to reflect that it was unclear if Comperatore was to be buried. This story also has been edited to clarify that at least a dozen SUVs were lined up outside Dollar General. Three people suspected of participating in an attempted bank robbery were arrested Thursday shortly after fleeing the scene without any money, according to the Palm Springs Police Department. At around 5:10 p.m., police received a report of an apparent armed robbery taking place in the 1700 block of North Sunrise Way in Palm Springs. Police didn't identify the bank, but the only one in that block is a Wells Fargo branch. The suspect threatened to shoot the teller if he did not receive money, but then fled the bank without any money into a waiting vehicle, according to a news release released by the department. Local police used a license plate reader to identify the vehicle and shared the information with nearby law enforcement agencies. Roughly two minutes after the call went out, Riverside County sheriff's deputies located the vehicle in Palm Desert. In the area of Monterey Avenue and Ramon Road in Thousand Palms, Palm Springs officers and sheriff's deputies collaborated to conduct a traffic stop. A man apparently holding a firearm fled the vehicle when it was stopped. However, deputies caught and arrested him without incident, police say. The firearm was determined to be a replica. A man and woman in the car were also arrested, according to the news release. Police say no one was injured and no money was reported missing. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Three arrested after attempted robbery at Palm Springs bank Missouri woman who served 43 years in prison is free after her murder conviction was overturned FILE - This undated booking photo provided by the Missouri Department of Corrections shows Sandra Hemme. A ruling by the Missouri Supreme Court on Thursday, July 18, 2024, has opened the way for Hemme, whose murder conviction was overturned, to be released from prison after serving 43 years. (Missouri Department of Corrections via AP, File) CHILLICOTHE, Mo. (AP) A woman whose murder conviction was overturned after she served 43 years of a life sentence was released Friday, despite attempts in the last month by Missouris attorney general to keep her behind bars. Sandra Hemme, 64, left a prison in Chillicothe, hours after a judge threatened to hold the attorney generals office in contempt if they continued to fight against her release. She reunited with her family at a nearby park, where she hugged her sister, daughter and granddaughter. You were just a baby when your mom sent me a picture of you, she said. You looked just like your mamma when you were little and you still look like her. Her granddaughter laughed. I get that a lot. Hemme had been the longest-held wrongly incarcerated woman known in the U.S., according to her legal team at the Innocence Project. The judge originally ruled on June 14 that Hemmes attorneys had established clear and convincing evidence of actual innocence and he overturned her conviction. But Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey fought her release in the courts. It was too easy to convict an innocent person and way harder than it should have been to get her out, even to the point of court orders being ignored, her attorney Sean OBrien said. It shouldnt be this hard to free an innocent person. During a court hearing Friday, Judge Ryan Horsman said that if Hemme wasnt released within hours, Bailey himself would have to appear in court Tuesday morning. He threatened to hold the attorney general's office in contempt. He also scolded Baileys office for calling the warden and telling prison officials not to release Hemme after he ordered her to be freed in her own recognizance. I would suggest you never do that, Horsman said, adding: To call someone and tell them to disregard a court order is wrong. Hemme declined to address reporters after she was released. O'Brien said she was going straight to the side of her father, who was hospitalized with kidney failure and recently moved to palliative care. This has been a long time coming," he said of her release. O'Brien said previously that delays had caused their family irreparable harm and emotional distress. There are still struggles ahead. Shes going to need help, he said, noting she wont be eligible for social security because she has been incarcerated for so long. Over the last month, a circuit judge, an appellate court and the Missouri Supreme Court all agreed Hemme should be released, but she was still held behind bars, leaving her lawyers and legal experts puzzled. Ive never seen it, said Michael Wolff, a former Missouri Supreme Court judge and professor and dean emeritus of Saint Louis University Law School. Once the courts have spoken, the courts should be obeyed. The lone holdup to freedom came from the attorney general, who filed court motions seeking to force her to serve additional years for decades-old prison assault cases. The warden at the Chillicothe Correctional Center initially declined to let Hemme go, based on Bailey's actions. Horsman ruled on June 14 that the totality of the evidence supports a finding of actual innocence. A state appeals court ruled on July 8 that Hemme should be set free while it continued to review the case. The next day, July 9, Horsman ruled Hemme should be released to go home with her sister. The Missouri Supreme Court on Thursday declined to undo the lower court rulings that allowed her to be released on her own recognizance and placed with her sister and brother-in-law. Bailey, a Republican facing opposition in the Aug. 6 primary election, responded with another request late Thursday, asking the Circuit Court to reconsider. Hemme was serving a life sentence at the Chillicothe Correctional Center for the 1980 stabbing death of library worker Patricia Jeschke in St. Joseph, Missouri. Hemme's immediate freedom was complicated by sentences she received for crimes committed while behind bars. She received a 10-year sentence in 1996 for attacking a prison worker with a razor blade, and a two-year sentence in 1984 for offering to commit violence. Bailey had argued that Hemme represents a safety risk to herself and others and that she should start serving those sentences now. Her attorneys countered that keeping her incarcerated any longer would be a draconian outcome. Some legal experts agreed. Peter Joy, a law professor at the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, said the effort to keep Hemme in prison was a shock to the conscience of any decent human being, since evidence strongly suggests she didnt commit the crime. Bailey's office did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Friday. Bailey, who was appointed attorney general after Eric Schmitt was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022, has a history of opposing overturning convictions, even when local prosecutors cite evidence of actual innocence. Horsman, after an extensive review, concluded in June that Hemme was heavily sedated and in a malleable mental state when investigators repeatedly questioned her in a psychiatric hospital after the killing. Her attorneys described her ultimate confession as often monosyllabic responses to leading questions. Other than the confession, no evidence linked her to the crime, her trial prosecutor said. The St. Joseph Police Department, meanwhile, ignored evidence pointing to Michael Holman a fellow officer, who died in 2015 and the prosecution wasnt told about FBI results that could have cleared Hemme, so it was never disclosed before her trials, the judge found. Evidence presented to Horsman showed that Holmans pickup truck was seen outside Jeschkes apartment, that he tried to use her credit card, and that her earrings were found in his home. Horsman, in his report, called Hemme the victim of a manifest injustice. __ Salter reported from O'Fallon, Missouri. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Three men were caught on camera casing a Soulsville church and leaving with a giant TV. The break-in happened early Monday morning at Church of The Risen Christ on Mississippi Boulevard. Purple food truck stolen from outside West Memphis home Police said one of the burglars acted as a lookout while the other two broke into the church and took an 80-inch Hisense television off the wall. Police said the suspects are between the ages of 20 and 30. MPD said this is an ongoing investigation, and no arrests have been made. If you recognize the suspect or have information that can help investigators, contact Crump General Investigations Bureau at 901-636-4793 or Crimestoppers at 901-528-CASH. 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. Temperatures are expected to reach dangerous highs in the greater Los Angeles area this Friday through Saturday as another heat wave grips the Southland. Southern California valleys, mountains and deserts will experience the highest extremes with temperatures in the triple digits in the lower mountains and interior and between 95 and 105 in coastal valleys, according to the National Weather Service. Those temperatures could remain in place in the mountains and interior regions through next Wednesday or Thursday. Temperatures will likely dip slightly by then in the coastal valleys, officials said. Several heat warnings, watches and advisories have been issued for much of Southern California. Health officials warn of a high risk of heat illnesses, particularly for sensitive populations such as elderly, children and those without access to air conditioning. Residents are urged to make plans to stay cool and hydrated and avoid spending too much time outdoors. With those rising temperatures also come the possibility of dry thunderstorms, NWS says. Meteorologists say theres a 5-15% chance of thunderstorms forming from now to Sunday. Most rain will evaporate before ever hitting the ground, but NWS says thunderstorms could bring some brief heavy rain to the mountains. Heat warnings, watches and advisories are shown in Southern California for the weekend of July 19, 2024. Overall, the high heat, low humidity and risk of thunderstorms, in conjunction with what are expected to be gusty winds, will create ideal conditions for wildfires to ignite and grow quickly. While a Red Flag warning has not yet been issued, there is a slight chance one could be put in place in the driest and windiest areas of L.A. County. Off the coast, the NWS is warning about the possibility of strong rip currents and elevated surf through next week. Beachgoers are urged to only swim in areas where lifeguards are present and avoid walking along jetties or other rocks near the waters edge. Seas are expected to be rough and choppy with gusty winds presenting possible challengers for boaters. Dense fog is also expected in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. The National Weather Service is urging Californians to stay up to date with the latest weather conditions by checking local forecasts or visiting the NWS Los Angeles website. Those with questions or weather reports can call 805-988-6626. 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. "A ticket we can win on": Jeffries backs Biden despite private urges to quit House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries the top Democrat in the House backed the Biden-Harris presidential ticket in a recent radio interview. President Biden, as I've said repeatedly, is our nominee, Jeffries said in an interview with WNYCs Brian Lehrer. He is one of the most accomplished American presidents in our history and he has the vision, I believe the ability, the capacity, and the track record to make a case to the American people that will result in us being successful in November. Jeffries, who privately urged Biden to step aside earlier this week citing polling challenges, has since backed down. The ticket that exists right now is a ticket that we can win on, the minority leader told Lehrer. There, of course, is work to be done. And that, in fact, is the case because we are an evenly divided country. Jeffries joins representatives including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in publicly backing the president amidst friendly fire on his campaign. The New York congresswoman took to Instagram Live to slam her colleagues who took private stances against Bidens candidacy without a backup plan. Other House Democrats have vehemently pushed back on the efforts to oust Biden, while just over 30 of the 213 members of the caucus have voiced their opposition to the candidate after his widely panned debate performance. According to the White House, Biden told Jeffries during the pairs conversation that he wouldnt leave the race. The president told both leaders he is the nominee of the party. He plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families, Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement to the Washington Post. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article referred to Jeffries as "reversing course." The headline has been edited to better reflect his lack of public calls against President Biden's candidacy. ASPEN, Colorado In a place where politics typically takes a back seat to global security and where President Joe Biden generally gets high marks a consensus has emerged on his candidacy: Its time to call it quits. Senior current and former officials, diplomats and lawmakers at the Aspen Security Forum have concluded that Bidens refusal to step aside is a threat to the U.S. and its allies. Its time for him to move on, said one former U.S. intelligence official, who like others was granted anonymity to speak candidly about the matter. Its time, said a current U.S. official at the annual event in the Rockies. Its over. The starkness of the message, even in a place where many hold a dim view of Donald Trumps chaotic administration and his transactional foreign policy, is a striking barometer of Bidens political fortunes. The reaction to the Biden situation comes amid reports that Democrats in Washington believe the president will likely leave. Top democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill have for days behind the scenes tried to push Biden out, saying he can no longer win. Many people here, some with direct connections to the Oval Office, agree. They say hes likely going to lose. Some at the event questioned why its taken this long for the president to step aside and allow someone else to run against Trump, who is expected to formally accept the nomination Thursday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The idea that they think keeping him on is democratic is wild to me, said a former senior U.S. official, referring to the Democratic Party. It doesnt make sense. Its contradictory. If he wanted to save democracy which he did then hed realize that what hes doing isnt helping. Attendees stressed that theres a need for a steady leader to fend off Russia in Ukraine, manage a delicate balance with China and keep U.S. borders secure. White House officials maintained that Biden is that person. "On every issue that is of critical importance of the world ... foreign leaders have been turning to him as they always have. And when I speak to our most important allies and leaders, they have all expressed his confidence in his ability to do the job today," said Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser to Biden working on Middle East issues. But at Aspen, some were already starting to come up with a victory scenario for Vice President Kamala Harris. Kamala could win. Theres a real pathway there. Kamala could win back Gaza voters, said a U.S. official following the campaign. Aspen is not a political conference. It is filled with policy wonks and tech nerds. But many of the people here have either served in government or are deeply connected to it. The Biden administration did send a cadre of officials to attend, including some from the White House. They are among a select group of people here who likely have close knowledge of the feeling inside the walls of the White House and the current discourse inside the DNC. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del) is one of those people a staunch Biden ally and one of his loudest supporters in Aspen. The president deserves the respect of having conversations about our path forward constructively and privately and in a way that allows us as a Democratic caucus to come together in support of our nominee, who I believe will be Joe Biden, he said. Coons was approached by multiple reporters Thursday, inquiring about if Biden was leaning toward leaving. One of the other Democratic representatives here, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) refused to answer reporters' questions. Others, however, here are clearly nervous about what a second Trump presidency means for national security policy. The Trump campaign has made it clear where it stands on only a few issues, including the border, China and Ukraine. Trumps vice president pick, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), has infamously said of Ukraine that he doesnt care what happens there. On the border, Trump has promised to cut back on the number of people the U.S. allows into the country. And hes said he will raise tariffs on Chinese goods. The Ukraine plan has current and former defense officials including those from Europe alarmed at how even a partial defunding of Kyivs war effort could lead to Russian advancement in other parts of Europe. The war in Ukraine is existential. It's existential, not even because Putin has not changed any of his original goals, which are not limited to Ukraine only, but to the fundamental reshaping of the European security order, said Jonatan Vseviov, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia in a panel Thursday. It's existential because at the end of this war, whether we want it or not, those most basic of international norms will be reshaped. The results matter. On Trumps plan to raise tariffs on goods from China, the attendees steeped in the tech world see it as a plan that will ultimately hurt their ability to do business with Beijing. Its also bad for consumers, Googles Eric Schmidt said Tuesday. This would ultimately result in higher costs for those of you who shop at Walmart and those of you who shop at everywhere else, he said. On most other policy discussions, including intelligence, transnational crime and space, attendees said they did not have a clear idea of what Trump planned to do and thats what worried them. Its the chaos of the former administration that is worrying, one former U.S. official said. Its never clear whats going to happen or how things will change. And that consistency matters with allies. But there was also another undercurrent among many in the crowd here, which is largely Democratic or moderate Republican: that theyd ultimately still vote for Biden or even an inanimate object instead of Trump. Id give money to a wet mop if it was running against Trump, one Democratic national security official said. Alex Ward contributed to this report. Debris collects in a catch basin on the U.S. side of the border in San Ysidro, Calif. When it rains, trash and raw sewage flow through the Tijuana River Valley to the Pacific Ocean. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) The amount of contaminated water laced with raw sewage that is flowing across the U.S.-Mexico border into San Diego County exceeded 44 billion gallons in 2023, the most on record in the last quarter-century, according to a new report. And this years volumes could surpass all records should the region get more damaging rainstorms. As of June, the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission, or IBWC, has recorded 33.55 billion gallons of polluted water flows in the Tijuana River, which makes its way into the river valley and the Pacific Ocean. Thats enough water to fill more than 50,000 Olympic swimming pools. The flows carry stormwater, groundwater and raw sewage to the ocean. Rainstorms in the past couple of years have brought staggering amounts of that polluted stew over the border into San Diego County, flooding some South Bay roads where people have had to be rescued, extending beach closures, and bringing sedimentation and trash to the Tijuana River Valley. A Jan. 22 storm filled a north levee near the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant with more than 1,100 tons of debris. The cleanup job was finished in late May. The data were presented Wednesday during an IBWC Citizens Forum meeting, where agency officials gave updates on wastewater infrastructure projects on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border that are expected to reduce the amount of untreated wastewater in the river. Theres a lot of moving pieces that were monitoring and managing in order to address these trans-boundary flows and right now theres a lot of catch-up work that needs to be done, said Commissioner Maria-Elena Giner, who heads the U.S. section of the binational agency. On the U.S. side, the IBWC is focused on repairing and expanding the South Bay plant. The 1997 facility has not been properly maintained for decades and does not comply with its Clean Water Act discharge permit. But it should reach compliance by next month, officials said. To get there, several parts that have been inoperable for years are being repaired or replaced. For example, all five of the plants primary sedimentation tanks, which remove solids from wastewater, had been out of commission since March 2023. Two are now running and a third is expected to come online next week, said Morgan Rogers, the plants area operations manager. A minimum of three is required for its permit and all five should be operational by September. The facility also has most of its influent pumps running again, after Tropical Storm Hilary broke five of six. It had no spares. These pumps, costing about $500,000 each, serve as the entryway into the facilitys treatment process. Four new pumps have been ordered, three of which will be spares, said Rogers. We were down to one pump because of all the excessive flow and trash and sediment that came through, he said. This is critical. We almost shut the plant down. The August storm also took out all four of the Hollister Pump Stations pumps in an area where several horse properties are located. All pumps have been replaced, but the facility is still experiencing malfunctions. Last month, a pressure relief valve on a surge tank stuck open, causing hundreds of thousands of gallons of wastewater to spill onto the street. The station remains out of service while the agency works to replace the tank. At the same time, the agency is trying to double the South Bay plants capacity as part of a major plan to reduce cross-border pollution. The IBWC expects to award a construction contract sometime next month. Even with more than $400 million Congress has allocated to the agency to date, officials estimate a shortage of about $200 million for the expansion project. On the south side of the border, the Mexican military is rebuilding a crippled sewage treatment plant in Baja California that has discharged 40 million gallons of wastewater per day into the ocean. Mexican officials said the plant will be ready by the end of September or early October. We think thats pretty aggressive, said Rogers. Hopefully, were on schedule. Well see some improvement in the water quality in the ocean down south. Mexico is also working on rehabilitating an international collector pipeline. Though its purpose is to transport wastewater to the South Bay plant, its several fractures and leaks contribute to polluted flows in the Tijuana River. And to allow construction work on the pipeline to proceed, a Mexican pumping station must be shut down, typically resulting in tens of millions of gallons per day of extra wastewater into the South Bay plant or the Tijuana River channel. Construction on the pipeline should be completed this summer, officials said. The juggling act of fixing long-standing malfunctions and repairing new ones has many South County residents and environmentalists questioning when theyll find relief from pollution, which has compromised public health, the environment and the economy on both sides of the border. San Diego Coastkeeper Executive Director Phillip Musegaas is among them. He attended Wednesdays Citizens Forum. Were appalled, he said. This is outrageous that weve had this little progress over this amount of time despite the large infusion of federal funding that weve seen over $400 million in the past three years. We need to see more progress. Coastkeeper and the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation are suing the binational agency over water quality permit violations for discharging pollutants such as fecal bacteria, contaminated sediment, heavy metals, and toxic chemicals into the ocean. On the federal side, San Diegos congressional delegation is pushing to add more funds from various agencies and departments to cover the South Bay plant costs. Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) is also working to secure hazard pay for Border Patrol agents working in polluted waters. And the state Legislature is considering a bill from Sen. Steve Padilla (D-Chula Vista) that would require multinational companies doing business in California to reduce their wastewater discharges or face penalties. Murga writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. 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. It really is simple, isnt it? If we allow Extinction Rebellion activists to break the law with impunity, purely on the grounds that they believe passionately in their cause, we give a green light to any protester with any cause to act with the same impunity and the same result. Worse, we actively encourage them to do so. After all, which campaigner isnt dedicated to his or her beliefs? Thats why we should welcome the prison sentences handed down to Extinction Rebellion founder, Roger Hallam, and his co-conspirators. Not because we believe Britains jail system, which is falling apart before our eyes, is in any way perfect. But because we must send the clearest message that while democracy depends upon free speech and the right to protest, it also depends upon the law. Take lockdown. I was among the fiercest critics of that diabolical policy, which Baroness Hallett politely demolished in yesterdays inquiry report. Lockdown was, I believe, the biggest policy mistake in my lifetime, causing untold human suffering. But I obeyed its ghastly measures and chose to protest lawfully. That, surely, is how it must work. Hallam and his friends took no such approach. Whereas the Suffragettes campaigned for greater democracy, Hallam and co attempted to bypass it. So, they blocked traffic on the M25, Britains busiest artery, causing four days of disruption, an estimated 1 million of damages and 50,000 hours of delays. They stopped cancer patients getting to appointments, left a police officer with severe injuries, and caused numerous folk to miss work, hospital operations, exams, flights and funerals. They didnt just cause inconvenience, but misery. Who drives along the M25 unless they have to? No one. If you or I blocked that motorway in the name of our cause, wed expect to be jailed. Hallam and co should expect nothing less. As the judge said: You have appointed yourselves as sole arbiters of what should be done about climate change. In other words, he might have added, you considered yourself above the law. That, whatever the justice of their movement, is unacceptable. There is a clear line between making yourself heard and turning yourself into a nasty, dangerous nuisance. It is entirely possible to succeed in your aims through passionate, clever yet law-abiding campaigning. Gay marriage is an example. The abolition of smoking in pubs is another. Brexit, like it or not, is another. But once we allow campaigners to achieve their ends though law-breaking, we open the door to lawlessness by anyone with any cause. Did camera-destroying anti-Ulez protesters take inspiration from Hallam and his friends? This would be the logical consequence, though Hallam might not like the connection. It would also be the obvious result of protesters outside court waving banners stating: Jurors have an absolute right to acquit a defendant according to their conscience. No, jurors have the absolute responsibility to make decisions according to the law of the land. A five-year jail term is a stiff punishment for a non-violent crime, even if Hallam is out after two and a half. I dont envy his time in our prison system. But if it encourages others to obey the law, respect democracy and achieve their ends peacefully, then it must be welcomed. 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. This time-lapse map shows US air traffic slowing to a near-standstill after the massive IT outage This time-lapse map shows US air traffic slowing to a near-standstill after the massive IT outage Air travel in the US is snarled after a global IT outage. A map shows air traffic grinding nearly to a halt during a normally busy early morning period. Major US airlines were resuming flights Friday after grounding planes because of the IT issue. Friday's IT outage caused widespread disruptions after Microsoft reported problems with its online services, linked to an issue at cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. But it had one of its most dramatic effects on US commercial flights. A time-lapse map shared by Colin McCarthy on X, formerly known as Twitter, using flight tracking website Flightradar24.com shows flights grinding to a halt overnight in the US. 12-hour timelapse of American Airlines, Delta, and United plane traffic after what was likely the biggest IT outage in history forced a nationwide ground stop of the three airlines. pic.twitter.com/wwcQeiEtVe Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 19, 2024 The map appears to start around UTC 00:00 on Friday or 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday and shows air traffic for Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines flights slowing down late into the night. Business Insider verified the map using Flightradar24's playback feature. But as the sun rises and time reaches UTC 12:00 or 8 a.m. ET on Friday air traffic for the three major US airlines doesn't pick up. Early mornings on weekdays tend to be busy travel times at US airports. US flight cancellations started early Friday morning, according to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Airlines had canceled nearly 1,700 flights or 6.3% of their scheduled US service for the day as of 11 a.m. ET, Cirium reported. That number had grown from about 500 cancellations at 6 a.m. ET. Thirty-seven percent of US flights on Friday departed after a delay of at least 30 minutes, Cirium also said. Delta, United, and American all issued ground stops for their flights early on Friday. American and Delta have started lifting the stop orders, allowing some flights to take to the skies. The map from McCarthy and Flightradar24 appears to show a pickup in departures near 8 a.m. ET. United and American warned pilots in the air that the IT glitch was affecting communication between their aircraft and people on the ground, including air traffic control and the airlines themselves. The IT problem, which has affected everything from banks to hospitals, affected flights worldwide. Passengers in airports from the UK to Thailand waited to learn whether their flights would depart, with airport and airline staff directing passengers to check Google, not airport monitors, for the status of their flight or issuing hand-written boarding passes. The CrowdStrike update that led to the problems affected devices that use Microsoft's Windows operating system. Read the original article on Business Insider Colorado Springs residents can expect sunny skies today with a high near 85. Morning fog is possible, but the National Weather Service expects that to clear by 7 a.m. This is a live view of the northeast Pikes Peak Camera, catching the sun rising. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) U.S. Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both representing Oregon, are signaling that their support for President Joe Biden staying in the campaign against Donald Trump is waning. This is in light of a new Emerson College poll released this week showing Trump is leading Biden nationally and in seven swing states. Wyden previously voiced support for Biden staying in the race. Wyden said on July 10 that the incumbent Democratic nominee had a bad night when it comes to the perceived poor debate performance against Trump last month that initially unleashed calls among some Democrats and celebrities for Biden to drop out. Where to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride in Portland this weekend However, following the assassination attempt on Trump this past weekend, Biden getting COVID this week and the new poll, Wyden has seemingly softened on the possibility of Biden stepping down, as previously reported by KVAL-TV in Eugene and Willamette Week. In a statement to KOIN 6 News, Wyden said defeating Trump should be the top priority but that it was ultimately still Bidens choice to remain in the race or not. The top priority has got to be defeating Donald Trump. President Biden has access to resources like polling, and my hope is hell listen to people who are experts in that resource so we can make sure we achieve that top priority, Wyden said. This is the presidents choice, and he should make sure we do anything and everything to defeat Donald Trump. Earlier this month, Merkley used an elaborate metaphor involving a train crossing a broken bridge to seemingly signal he would be open to Biden stepping aside for another Democratic nominee to take his place after the debate performance raised significant issues. But in a statement to KOIN 6 News on Friday, Merkley made those concerns much more explicit, saying Biden should step down if he fails to quickly demonstrate his ability to lead the ticket. Like Wyden, Merkley said the choice of Biden stepping aside or not ultimately rests with him. No president in my lifetime has done more than Joe Biden. Hes achieved historic successes in investing in manufacturing, green energy, and infrastructure, improving our security, and repairing relationships around the world, Merkley said. We are now, however, looking to the future and an election that is less than four months away. The question of whether Biden will be the Democratic nominee rests in Bidens hands, but serious concerns have been raised that merit serious consideration. Time is running out. He either has to quickly demonstrate his ability to lead the ticket by engaging with voters in unscripted settings and laying out a powerful agenda. Or, he needs to step down and facilitate a transition to sustain the values and programs hes championed. Activist Ammon Bundy declares bankruptcy This comes after U.S. Democratic Representative Earl Blumenauer became the first member of Oregons congressional delegation to straight-up call for Biden to step aside last week. While he lauded Bidens performance as president, Blumenauer said its necessary for him to make the painful and difficult decision to not be the Democratic presidential nominee. The Emerson College poll showed support for Trump from voters has essentially stayed the same since the assassination attempt while support for Biden has dipped by two points. 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. Tennessee election officials have clarified that more than 14,000 registered voters who were sent letters demanding proof of citizenship last month will not be removed from voter rolls if they don't respond. The June 13 letter, sent weeks before early voting in the Aug. 1 primary began, outlined penalties for voting illegally, and did not specify whether voters would be removed if they failed to provide evidence of their U.S. citizenship. Tennessee's Division of Elections has repeatedly declined to answer questions about the letters in recent weeks, citing potential legal threat. Officials sent a follow up letter to recipients on Tuesday clarifying that people will not be removed from voter rolls if they choose not respond to the June 13 letter something his office declined to clarify in any public statement in the weeks since the initial letters were sent. "The June 13 letter gave people the option to update their records. It did not threaten to remove a person from the voter list if a person does not respond to the June 13 letter," Tennessee Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins wrote. "No one will be removed from a voting list for not responding to the June 13 letter." So far, the Division of Elections has received evidence of U.S. citizenship from 3,193 people to whom letters were sent, spokesperson Doug Kufner told The Tennessean in an email. A total of 307 people have responded to the letter requesting to be removed from Tennessee voter rolls. Voters who responded with proof of citizenship received a letter from Goins encouraging them to vote in the Aug. 1 and Nov. 5 elections, according to a copy of the response letter provided to The Tennessean by the Division of Elections. Goins explained in the follow up letter that "correct and updated voting records are important to maintaining the integrity of our elections in Tennessee," but that "most responses to the June 13 letter have been positive." According to ZIP code data provided by the Tennessee Secretary of State's office, letters were sent to voters in nearly 500 of Tennessee's 620 ZIP codes. About a dozen letters were sent to voters in ZIP codes outside the state. More letters were sent to voters in the ZIP code 37013, in the Antioch neighborhood in Southeast Nashville, than any other ZIP code, with 1,253 letters sent there. Another 645 letters went to 37211, another area in Southeast Nashville. Goins accused non-governmental organizations of creating "confusion about the contents and purpose" of the June 13 letter, and emphasized the importance of voting legally. More: TN voters receiving citizenship letters call move an intimidation tactic: A gut punch "I encourage all of Tennessees eligible US citizens to register to vote and participate in Tennessee elections," Goins wrote. "If a non-US citizen votes in a Tennessee election, however, it is a crime that carries significant penalties. I thought it prudent to let any non-US citizen improperly registered to vote know this and remove himself or herself from the voter rolls." Some Tennesseans who received the letters said they felt the letters were an intimidation tactic and felt their citizenship was being questioned by the state. The ACLU of Tennessee also expressed outrage over the letters, as did other immigrant rights organizations. Vivian Jones covers state government and politics at The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com or on X at @Vivian_E_Jones. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee citizenship letters: Voters won't be purged for no response Top 10 most wanted fugitive may be in the Tampa area, FBI says Top 10 most wanted fugitive may be in the Tampa area, FBI says TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) The FBI is trying to track down a Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitive who may be in Tampa. Donald Eugene Fields II is wanted for the alleged sex trafficking of at least one child in Missouri between approximately 2013 and 2017. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 8 on Your Side It is alleged that he did knowingly attempt to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, obtain, maintain, patronize, and solicit a person whom he believed was under the age of l8 years and would be caused to engage in a commercial sex act. Often times the subjects when theyre on the run, they tend to go to places that theyre more familiar with, that they feel safe with their surroundings and since he is familiar with Tampa and he has a history of spending time there, said Christopher Crocker, acting special agent in charge of FBI St. Louis Field Office. It was important for us to spread the word awareness for people to be on the lookout for him. DeSantis: Abortion, marijuana amendments will make Florida more blue and mess up the state Fields faced several charges out of Franklin County, Missouri, from 2011 through 2017, including statutory rape and child molestation. Now the FBI believes Fields could be hiding in Tampa Bay. He was known to vacation and he also co-own property there several years ago, Crocker said. Crocker said Fields has previously worked cash jobs, including as a tree-trimmer, or a used car dealer. Hes known to visit casinos. Fields also has a tribal print tattoo on his right shoulder. Hes been known to travel with Jennifer Isgriggs who is his girlfriend, Crocker said. Shes also wanted here for failure to pay child support, which is a state felony. Isgriggs is 30 years old and goes by the name Jennifer Fields. The warrant for Isgriggs was issued in October 2021. As the FBI works to track down Fields, hes been placed on the Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. I think its important to understand the FBIs commitment to working these crimes against children and its a huge priority, Crocker said. Its a big problem in the country right now and people like Donald Eugene Fields are going to be held accountable through our hard work to make sure we can protect the victims. if you see Donald Eugene Fields, call authorities immediately and do not engage as he is considered armed and dangerous. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to his arrest. If you have any information concerning this person, please contact the FBIs Toll-Free tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Top Democrats believe they may be close to convincing Biden to drop out Top Democrats, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, believe they may be close to convincing President Joe Biden to end his 2024 campaign, according to reports. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images In public, President Joe Biden has so far shot down calls to end his campaign for a new nominee. But top Democrats reportedly believe Biden is privately becoming more receptive to the idea. Rep. Nancy Pelosi told House Democrats that Biden can be persuaded soon, per WaPo. Top Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi, believe they may be close to convincing President Joe Biden to end his campaign amid growing fears that the incumbent cannot serve a second term, according to multiple reports. In public, Biden has repeatedly shot down calls to drop out of the race, arguing that he remains the best candidate to beat presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump. But in private, top Democratic leaders believe the president is becoming more receptive to the idea, according to multiple reports. Pelosi, a key Biden ally, told some House Democrats that Biden could be convinced soon to end his campaign, three Democratic officials familiar with the former House speaker's conversations told The Washington Post. Biden is currently in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. A spokesperson for Pelosi's office did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. "Speaker Pelosi respects the confidentiality of her meetings and conversations with the president of the United States," a spokesperson for Pelosi told the Washington Post. As the calls for Biden's campaign suspension increase, some top Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have even told major donors that contingency plans are being made in the event Biden drops out of the race, sources familiar with the discussion told The Wall Street Journal. Schumer's spokesperson told the Journal that many have approached the senator about their ideas but he has not acted upon any of them. The declining confidence in Biden's prospects also may have reached the president's cabinet as some members privately discussed amongst themselves whether Biden's closest advisors should confront the president about his campaign, a source told Bloomberg. The private talks included discussions on Biden's health and his ability to beat Trump, according to the Bloomberg report. Four unnamed sources close to Biden told The New York Times that the president has started to accept the idea of his waning electoral chances. One source told the Times that "reality is setting in" and that Biden's endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris sometime soon would not come as a surprise. However, another one of the four sources cautioned the newspaper that Biden has yet to make a decision. Meanwhile, a source close to Biden told CNN that the president remains unconvinced about dropping out. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates declined to comment and referred BI's inquiry to the Biden campaign. "The President is his party's nominee, having won 14 million votes during the Democratic primary. He's running for reelection, and that will not change until he wins reelection," TJ Ducklo, a Biden campaign spokesperson, said in a statement to BI. Read the original article on Business Insider Republicans at the RNC signaled support for unions. Here's why experts are skeptical. At the Republican National Convention this week, Teamsters President Sean O'Brien delivered the type of full-throated union advocacy that one would not expect at a gathering of top conservative officials. "We are not beholden to anyone or any party," O'Brien, whose union boasts 1.3 million members, told the audience in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "We want to know one thing: What are you doing to help American workers?" The next day, vice presidential nominee JD Vance, a Republican senator from Ohio, indicated a second-term Trump administration would lend such a hand to labor. "We need a leader who's not in the pocket of big business but answers to the working man, union and non-union alike," Vance said. Labor experts who spoke to ABC News expressed deep skepticism about the Republican gestures of support for unions. The pro-labor message comes at a time when Republicans are eager to win over working-class voters, experts noted, saying the sentiment belies the party's record of policy positions that make it harder for workers to form unions and secure union contracts. MORE: Republicans at RNC blame Biden for inflation. Economists say it's misleading During his first term in office, Donald Trump weakened enforcement of federal labor regulations and appointed Supreme Court justices who issued rulings that limited union activity and worker protections, the experts said. "Right now, both parties are in selling mode," Lynne Vincent, a professor of industrial and labor relations at Syracuse University, told ABC News. "I'm hesitant to give any power to those words, without serious commitment to policies that would support labor." In a statement to ABC News, the Trump campaign said the former president would improve the financial conditions of union workers, especially in the auto industry. "Union workers and all the nation's working families are paying the price for Crooked Joe Biden's failed economic policies. Joe Biden's radical electric vehicle mandate will destroy the livelihoods of countless U.S. autoworkers while sending the U.S. auto industry to China. President Trump will reverse Joe Biden's extreme electric vehicle mandate on Day One and save the U.S. auto industry for generations to come," Trump campaign National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The Trump campaign has proposed an escalation of its tariff policy as a means of protecting U.S. businesses, thereby ensuring a robust job market and a bolstered domestic manufacturing industry. "Trump wants jobs here in America. He wants things made in America," Stephen Moore, who served as an economic adviser to Trump, previously told ABC News. Some Republicans have pointed to the selection of Vance as indication of a shift in the party, placing a priority on Vance's oft-expressed views critical of large corporations and sympathetic toward workers. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., an ally of Vance, walked the picket line with members of the United Auto Workers during a strike last year. Earlier this month the Republican Party platform released vows to "protect American workers." The party must "return to its roots as the Party of Industry, Manufacturing, Infrastructure, and Workers," the platform added. It does not mention the word "union." Vance exemplifies a focus on symbolism over substance characteristic of Republican gestures in support of union workers, some experts said. The AFL-CIO, the nation's largest labor federation, gave Vance a 0% rating on its scorecard ranking elected officials' voting record for union-related issues. Hawley carries a rating of 11%, the AFL-CIO says. "The selection of Vance as vice president did disturb the traditional corporate community that is at the core of the Republican Party," Erik Loomis, a labor professor at the University of Rhode Island and author of "A History of America in 10 Strikes," told ABC News. "But at the same time, neither Vance nor Hawley have supported a specific kind of legislation that helps labor unions." In response to ABC News' request for comment, a press representative for Hawley pointed to an op-ed this week in which he backs bipartisan labor law reform. "Thousands of Americans have voted to unionize in elections but can never get a contract done, often due to corporate tricks," Hawley wrote in Compact. "How can we let that stand?" ABC News has reached out to Vance's office for comment. PHOTO: President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Sean O'Brien speaks on stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) The speech from O'Brien drew praise from some labor leaders and criticism from many others. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, lauded O'Brien in a post on X. "Glad that he savaged big business for their greed," Weingarten said. Among the critics was John Palmer, vice president at large of the Teamsters. "It is unconscionable for any Labor leader to lend an air of legitimacy to a candidate and a political party, neither of which can be said to have done or can be expected to do, anything to improve the lives of the workers we are pledged to represent," Palmer wrote in a column for the Las Vegas Sun. O'Brien did not immediately respond to a request for comment. When asked about O'Brien's speech, Rebecca Pringle, president of the 3-million member National Education Association, told ABC News: "It's everyone's right to speak their mind and for their organization." MORE: Momentum grows for interest rate cuts in 2024. Experts explain why. Pringle added there should be no illusions about the Republican Party's posture toward organized labor. "What we have experienced with Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans is that they don't care about workers and they don't support unions," she said. Still, polling shows a large minority of union workers support Trump. Union households prefer Biden to Trump by a margin of 50-41, an NBC News survey in February found. The labor embrace from some speakers at the RNC this week could help Trump and his allies increase that support, some experts said. "They're trying to expand their white working-class base," Harry Katz, a professor of collective bargaining at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, told ABC News. "They're not idiots." Republicans at the RNC signaled support for unions. Here's why experts are skeptical. originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Ashley Murray | States Newsroom) MILWAUKEE A top Trump campaign official said Thursday that the 2024 presidential race will not be over until Inauguration Day, rather than after Election Day on Nov. 5 when voters across the nation go to the polls to cast their ballots and a result normally is projected. The assertion from Chris LaCivita at a Politico event is notable given former President Donald Trumps refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden, and the ensuing violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. It is also significant given that the U.S. Department of Justice alleges after Election Day in 2020, Trump co-conspired with lawyers and election officials in seven states to produce false slates of electors. According to the indictment, those slates were intended to be delivered to Vice President Mike Pence during the routine certification in a joint session of Congress in early January following presidential elections. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody, LaCivita, Trumps co-campaign manager, told Politicos Jonathan Martin during a lengthy interview open to press and attendees, and livestreamed, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump did not attend Bidens inauguration, and he and many Republican lawmakers continue to repeat false claims that he won. LaCivita interrupted with his comment when Martin was in the middle of asking about the prospects for Democrats on Election Day. Its also possible that Donald Trump can lose, Martin followed up. LaCivita said the campaign will remain focused on the issues. A few moments later Martin asked LaCivita if he thinks its politically wise for Trump to continue campaigning on pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters. I always find it amazing that you guys are the ones that bring it up, LaCivita said, referring to the press. Thats not true, Martin replied. Ive been in a lot of interviews where its the first question you guys ask, LaCivita said. What were talking about right now are the issues that matter, Social Security, protecting Social Security and Medicare, closing the border. I mean we have so much to talk about and thats where our focus is. In a perfect Chris LaCivita world [Trump] would never say the words Jan. 6 hostages again, Martin followed up. LaCivita immediately responded and repeated: Social Security, Medicaid, closing the border, deportation yeah I said it all of those things. In March, Trump told reporters he was open to cutting Social Security and other entitlement programs as a way to address the national debt. Election fraud falsely claimed Trump repeated false claims of election fraud in the months following the 2020 election and lost numerous court challenges in states that he insisted he won. The fight erupted in political violence on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol Police with improvised weapons and the goal of stopping Congress from certifying the election results. The historic criminal indictment of a former sitting U.S. president handed up from a federal grand jury in August 2023 charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding, among other felony counts. Trump has successfully delayed the federal election subversion case as he appealed his motion to dismiss based on president criminal immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices on July 1 ruled in a 6-3 decision that former presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, and sparked major questions over what type of evidence can be used in any such prosecution. How do you utilize an assassination attempt? Reaction to the attempted assassination against Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has evolved over the RNCs first three days. Its gone from initial concerns about political violence to rallying around the event as a symbol of how Trump Strong can reshape America, as Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday night. Trump supporters wore fake bandages on their ears at the RNC as a political symbol, much like the red Make America Great Again hat. The energy or the emotion that you feel when something like that happens, how do you utilize it? How do you utilize it to get to where you need to be? LaCivita said. How do you utilize it to win an election or how do you utilize it to bring the country together? Martin followed up. I think its both, LaCivita said. The co-campaign manager sidestepped a question about whether Trump will make an effort during his RNC speech to tell supporters not to believe conspiracy theories circulating online that the shooting was a Democratic plot. Martin asked if LaCivita agreed that Trump tamping down accusations against his opposing political party would be good for the country. LaCivita said the campaign is planning Trumps speech to be forward focused. I mean look, there are not enough facts, and its not just up to us to talk about the facts resulting around what happened, LaCivita said as he added to the chorus of criticism of the U.S. Secret Service and calling on its head to resign. Hours after the shooting Saturday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio announced Monday at the RNC as Trumps vice presidential pick wrote on social media that today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps assassination attempt, he wrote. Project 2025 a pain in the ass for Trump Of the themes permeating the RNC, the major conservative Project 2025 has dogged Trumps campaign in a way that LaCivita described as a pain in the ass. The 922-page document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation roadmaps a presidential transition and plan to overhaul government administrations, to lobby Congress for national abortion restrictions and restoration of the American family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children. The organization held an all-day policy fest five blocks from the RNC convention hall Monday. Trump denies any connection to the project, despite former Trump administration officials identifying their previous positions in the project materials. A CNN analysis found that 140 who previously worked for Trump helped on Project 2025. LaCivita said any claim that Trump is connected to the project is utter bullst. They do not speak for the campaign. Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) MILWAUKEE A top Trump campaign official said Thursday that the 2024 presidential race will not be over until Inauguration Day, rather than after Election Day on Nov. 5 when voters across the nation go to the polls to cast their ballots and a result normally is projected. The assertion from Chris LaCivita at a Politico event is notable given former President Donald Trumps refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden, and the ensuing violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. It is also significant given that the U.S. Department of Justice alleges after Election Day in 2020, Trump co-conspired with lawyers and election officials in seven states to produce false slates of electors. According to the indictment, those slates were intended to be delivered to Vice President Mike Pence during the routine certification in a joint session of Congress in early January following presidential elections. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody, LaCivita, Trumps co-campaign manager, told Politicos Jonathan Martin during a lengthy interview open to press and attendees, and livestreamed, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump did not attend Bidens inauguration, and he and many Republican lawmakers continue to repeat false claims that he won. LaCivita interrupted with his comment when Martin was in the middle of asking about the prospects for Democrats on Election Day. Its also possible that Donald Trump can lose, Martin followed up. LaCivita said the campaign will remain focused on the issues. A few moments later Martin asked LaCivita if he thinks its politically wise for Trump to continue campaigning on pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters. I always find it amazing that you guys are the ones that bring it up, LaCivita said, referring to the press. Thats not true, Martin replied. Ive been in a lot of interviews where its the first question you guys ask, LaCivita said. What were talking about right now are the issues that matter, Social Security, protecting Social Security and Medicare, closing the border. I mean we have so much to talk about and thats where our focus is. In a perfect Chris LaCivita world (Trump) would never say the words Jan. 6 hostages again, Martin followed up. LaCivita immediately responded and repeated: Social Security, Medicaid, closing the border, deportation yeah I said it all of those things. In March, Trump told reporters he was open to cutting Social Security and other entitlement programs as a way to address the national debt. Election fraud falsely claimed Trump repeated false claims of election fraud in the months following the 2020 election and lost numerous court challenges in states that he insisted he won. The fight erupted in political violence on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol Police with improvised weapons and the goal of stopping Congress from certifying the election results. The historic criminal indictment of a former sitting U.S. president handed up from a federal grand jury in August 2023 charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding, among other felony counts. Trump has successfully delayed the federal election subversion case as he appealed his motion to dismiss based on president criminal immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices on July 1 ruled in a 6-3 decision that former presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, and sparked major questions over what type of evidence can be used in any such prosecution. How do you utilize an assassination attempt? Reaction to the attempted assassination against Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has evolved over the RNCs first three days. Its gone from initial concerns about political violence to rallying around the event as a symbol of how Trump Strong can reshape America, as Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday night. Trump supporters wore fake bandages on their ears at the RNC as a political symbol, much like the red Make America Great Again hat. The energy or the emotion that you feel when something like that happens, how do you utilize it? How do you utilize it to get to where you need to be? LaCivita said. How do you utilize it to win an election or how do you utilize it to bring the country together? Martin followed up. I think its both, LaCivita said. The co-campaign manager sidestepped a question about whether Trump will make an effort during his RNC speech to tell supporters not to believe conspiracy theories circulating online that the shooting was a Democratic plot. Martin asked if LaCivita agreed that Trump tamping down accusations against his opposing political party would be good for the country. LaCivita said the campaign is planning Trumps speech to be forward focused. I mean look, there are not enough facts, and its not just up to us to talk about the facts resulting around what happened, LaCivita said as he added to the chorus of criticism of the U.S. Secret Service and calling on its head to resign. Hours after the shooting Saturday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio announced Monday at the RNC as Trumps vice presidential pick wrote on social media that today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps assassination attempt, he wrote. Project 2025 a pain in the ass for Trump Of the themes permeating the RNC, the major conservative Project 2025 has dogged Trumps campaign in a way that LaCivita described as a pain in the ass. The 922-page document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation roadmaps a presidential transition and plan to overhaul government administrations, to lobby Congress for national abortion restrictions and restoration of the American family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children. The organization held an all-day policy fest five blocks from the RNC convention hall Monday. Trump denies any connection to the project, despite former Trump administration officials identifying their previous positions in the project materials. A CNN analysis found that 140 who previously worked for Trump helped on Project 2025. LaCivita said any claim that Trump is connected to the project is utter bullst. They do not speak for the campaign. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Ashley Murray / States Newsroom) MILWAUKEE A top Trump campaign official said Thursday that the 2024 presidential race will not be over until Inauguration Day, rather than after Election Day on Nov. 5 when voters across the nation go to the polls to cast their ballots and a result normally is projected. The assertion from Chris LaCivita at a Politico event is notable given former President Donald Trumps refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden, and the ensuing violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. It is also significant given that the U.S. Department of Justice alleges after Election Day in 2020, Trump co-conspired with lawyers and election officials in seven states to produce false slates of electors. According to the indictment, those slates were intended to be delivered to Vice President Mike Pence during the routine certification in a joint session of Congress in early January following presidential elections. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody, LaCivita, Trumps co-campaign manager, told Politicos Jonathan Martin during a lengthy interview open to press and attendees, and livestreamed, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump did not attend Bidens inauguration, and he and many Republican lawmakers continue to repeat false claims that he won. LaCivita interrupted with his comment when Martin was in the middle of asking about the prospects for Democrats on Election Day. Its also possible that Donald Trump can lose, Martin followed up. LaCivita said the campaign will remain focused on the issues. A few moments later Martin asked LaCivita if he thinks its politically wise for Trump to continue campaigning on pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters. I always find it amazing that you guys are the ones that bring it up, LaCivita said, referring to the press. Thats not true, Martin replied. Ive been in a lot of interviews where its the first question you guys ask, LaCivita said. What were talking about right now are the issues that matter, Social Security, protecting Social Security and Medicare, closing the border. I mean we have so much to talk about and thats where our focus is. In a perfect Chris LaCivita world (Trump) would never say the words Jan. 6 hostages again, Martin followed up. LaCivita immediately responded and repeated: Social Security, Medicaid, closing the border, deportation yeah I said it all of those things. In March, Trump told reporters he was open to cutting Social Security and other entitlement programs as a way to address the national debt. Election fraud falsely claimed Trump repeated false claims of election fraud in the months following the 2020 election and lost numerous court challenges in states that he insisted he won. The fight erupted in political violence on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol Police with improvised weapons and the goal of stopping Congress from certifying the election results. The historic criminal indictment of a former sitting U.S. president handed up from a federal grand jury in August 2023 charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding, among other felony counts. Trump has successfully delayed the federal election subversion case as he appealed his motion to dismiss based on president criminal immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices on July 1 ruled in a 6-3 decision that former presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, and sparked major questions over what type of evidence can be used in any such prosecution. How do you utilize an assassination attempt? Reaction to the attempted assassination against Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has evolved over the RNCs first three days. Its gone from initial concerns about political violence to rallying around the event as a symbol of how Trump Strong can reshape America, as Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday night. Trump supporters wore fake bandages on their ears at the RNC as a political symbol, much like the red Make America Great Again hat. The energy or the emotion that you feel when something like that happens, how do you utilize it? How do you utilize it to get to where you need to be? LaCivita said. How do you utilize it to win an election or how do you utilize it to bring the country together? Martin followed up. I think its both, LaCivita said. The co-campaign manager sidestepped a question about whether Trump will make an effort during his RNC speech to tell supporters not to believe conspiracy theories circulating online that the shooting was a Democratic plot. Martin asked if LaCivita agreed that Trump tamping down accusations against his opposing political party would be good for the country. LaCivita said the campaign is planning Trumps speech to be forward focused. I mean look, there are not enough facts, and its not just up to us to talk about the facts resulting around what happened, LaCivita said as he added to the chorus of criticism of the U.S. Secret Service and calling on its head to resign. Hours after the shooting Saturday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio announced Monday at the RNC as Trumps vice presidential pick wrote on social media that today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps assassination attempt, he wrote. Project 2025 a pain in the ass for Trump Of the themes permeating the RNC, the major conservative Project 2025 has dogged Trumps campaign in a way that LaCivita described as a pain in the ass. The 922-page document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation roadmaps a presidential transition and plan to overhaul government administrations, to lobby Congress for national abortion restrictions and restoration of the American family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children. The organization held an all-day policy fest five blocks from the RNC convention hall Monday. Trump denies any connection to the project, despite former Trump administration officials identifying their previous positions in the project materials. A CNN analysis found that 140 who previously worked for Trump helped on Project 2025. LaCivita said any claim that Trump is connected to the project is utter bullst. They do not speak for the campaign. Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) MILWAUKEE A top Trump campaign official said Thursday that the 2024 presidential race will not be over until Inauguration Day, rather than after Election Day on Nov. 5 when voters across the nation go to the polls to cast their ballots and a result normally is projected. The assertion from Chris LaCivita at a Politico event is notable given former President Donald Trumps refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden, and the ensuing violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. It is also significant given that the U.S. Department of Justice alleges after Election Day in 2020, Trump co-conspired with lawyers and election officials in seven states to produce false slates of electors. According to the indictment, those slates were intended to be delivered to Vice President Mike Pence during the routine certification in a joint session of Congress in early January following presidential elections. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody, LaCivita, Trumps co-campaign manager, told Politicos Jonathan Martin during a lengthy interview open to press and attendees, and livestreamed, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump did not attend Bidens inauguration, and he and many Republican lawmakers continue to repeat false claims that he won. LaCivita interrupted with his comment when Martin was in the middle of asking about the prospects for Democrats on Election Day. Its also possible that Donald Trump can lose, Martin followed up. LaCivita said the campaign will remain focused on the issues. A few moments later Martin asked LaCivita if he thinks its politically wise for Trump to continue campaigning on pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters. I always find it amazing that you guys are the ones that bring it up, LaCivita said, referring to the press. Thats not true, Martin replied. Ive been in a lot of interviews where its the first question you guys ask, LaCivita said. What were talking about right now are the issues that matter, Social Security, protecting Social Security and Medicare, closing the border. I mean we have so much to talk about and thats where our focus is. In a perfect Chris LaCivita world (Trump) would never say the words Jan. 6 hostages again, Martin followed up. LaCivita immediately responded and repeated: Social Security, Medicaid, closing the border, deportation yeah I said it all of those things. In March, Trump told reporters he was open to cutting Social Security and other entitlement programs as a way to address the national debt. Election fraud falsely claimed Trump repeated false claims of election fraud in the months following the 2020 election and lost numerous court challenges in states that he insisted he won. The fight erupted in political violence on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol Police with improvised weapons and the goal of stopping Congress from certifying the election results. The historic criminal indictment of a former sitting U.S. president handed up from a federal grand jury in August 2023 charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding, among other felony counts. Trump has successfully delayed the federal election subversion case as he appealed his motion to dismiss based on president criminal immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices on July 1 ruled in a 6-3 decision that former presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, and sparked major questions over what type of evidence can be used in any such prosecution. How do you utilize an assassination attempt? Reaction to the attempted assassination against Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has evolved over the RNCs first three days. Its gone from initial concerns about political violence to rallying around the event as a symbol of how Trump Strong can reshape America, as Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday night. Trump supporters wore fake bandages on their ears at the RNC as a political symbol, much like the red Make America Great Again hat. The energy or the emotion that you feel when something like that happens, how do you utilize it? How do you utilize it to get to where you need to be? LaCivita said. How do you utilize it to win an election or how do you utilize it to bring the country together? Martin followed up. I think its both, LaCivita said. The co-campaign manager sidestepped a question about whether Trump will make an effort during his RNC speech to tell supporters not to believe conspiracy theories circulating online that the shooting was a Democratic plot. Martin asked if LaCivita agreed that Trump tamping down accusations against his opposing political party would be good for the country. LaCivita said the campaign is planning Trumps speech to be forward focused. I mean look, there are not enough facts, and its not just up to us to talk about the facts resulting around what happened, LaCivita said as he added to the chorus of criticism of the U.S. Secret Service and calling on its head to resign. Hours after the shooting Saturday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio announced Monday at the RNC as Trumps vice presidential pick wrote on social media that today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps assassination attempt, he wrote. Project 2025 a pain in the ass for Trump Of the themes permeating the RNC, the major conservative Project 2025 has dogged Trumps campaign in a way that LaCivita described as a pain in the ass. The 922-page document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation roadmaps a presidential transition and plan to overhaul government administrations, to lobby Congress for national abortion restrictions and restoration of the American family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children. The organization held an all-day policy fest five blocks from the RNC convention hall Monday. Trump denies any connection to the project, despite former Trump administration officials identifying their previous positions in the project materials. A CNN analysis found that 140 who previously worked for Trump helped on Project 2025. LaCivita said any claim that Trump is connected to the project is utter bullst. They do not speak for the campaign. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) MILWAUKEE A top Trump campaign official said Thursday that the 2024 presidential race will not be over until Inauguration Day, rather than after Election Day on Nov. 5 when voters across the nation go to the polls to cast their ballots and a result normally is projected. The assertion from Chris LaCivita at a Politico event is notable given former President Donald Trumps refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden, and the ensuing violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. It is also significant given that the U.S. Department of Justice alleges after Election Day in 2020, Trump co-conspired with lawyers and election officials in seven states to produce false slates of electors. According to the indictment, those slates were intended to be delivered to Vice President Mike Pence during the routine certification in a joint session of Congress in early January following presidential elections. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody, LaCivita, Trumps co-campaign manager, told Politicos Jonathan Martin during a lengthy interview open to press and attendees, and livestreamed, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump did not attend Bidens inauguration, and he and many Republican lawmakers continue to repeat false claims that he won. LaCivita interrupted with his comment when Martin was in the middle of asking about the prospects for Democrats on Election Day. Its also possible that Donald Trump can lose, Martin followed up. LaCivita said the campaign will remain focused on the issues. A few moments later Martin asked LaCivita if he thinks its politically wise for Trump to continue campaigning on pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters. I always find it amazing that you guys are the ones that bring it up, LaCivita said, referring to the press. Thats not true, Martin replied. Ive been in a lot of interviews where its the first question you guys ask, LaCivita said. What were talking about right now are the issues that matter, Social Security, protecting Social Security and Medicare, closing the border. I mean we have so much to talk about and thats where our focus is. In a perfect Chris LaCivita world (Trump) would never say the words Jan. 6 hostages again, Martin followed up. LaCivita immediately responded and repeated: Social Security, Medicaid, closing the border, deportation yeah I said it all of those things. In March, Trump told reporters he was open to cutting Social Security and other entitlement programs as a way to address the national debt. Election fraud falsely claimed Trump repeated false claims of election fraud in the months following the 2020 election and lost numerous court challenges in states that he insisted he won. The fight erupted in political violence on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol Police with improvised weapons and the goal of stopping Congress from certifying the election results. The historic criminal indictment of a former sitting U.S. president handed up from a federal grand jury in August 2023 charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding, among other felony counts. Trump has successfully delayed the federal election subversion case as he appealed his motion to dismiss based on president criminal immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices on July 1 ruled in a 6-3 decision that former presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, and sparked major questions over what type of evidence can be used in any such prosecution. How do you utilize an assassination attempt? Reaction to the attempted assassination against Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has evolved over the RNCs first three days. Its gone from initial concerns about political violence to rallying around the event as a symbol of how Trump Strong can reshape America, as Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday night. Trump supporters wore fake bandages on their ears at the RNC as a political symbol, much like the red Make America Great Again hat. The energy or the emotion that you feel when something like that happens, how do you utilize it? How do you utilize it to get to where you need to be? LaCivita said. How do you utilize it to win an election or how do you utilize it to bring the country together? Martin followed up. I think its both, LaCivita said. The co-campaign manager sidestepped a question about whether Trump will make an effort during his RNC speech to tell supporters not to believe conspiracy theories circulating online that the shooting was a Democratic plot. Martin asked if LaCivita agreed that Trump tamping down accusations against his opposing political party would be good for the country. LaCivita said the campaign is planning Trumps speech to be forward focused. I mean look, there are not enough facts, and its not just up to us to talk about the facts resulting around what happened, LaCivita said as he added to the chorus of criticism of the U.S. Secret Service and calling on its head to resign. Hours after the shooting Saturday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio announced Monday at the RNC as Trumps vice presidential pick wrote on social media that today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps assassination attempt, he wrote. Project 2025 a pain in the ass for Trump Of the themes permeating the RNC, the major conservative Project 2025 has dogged Trumps campaign in a way that LaCivita described as a pain in the ass. The 922-page document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation roadmaps a presidential transition and plan to overhaul government administrations, to lobby Congress for national abortion restrictions and restoration of the American family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children. The organization held an all-day policy fest five blocks from the RNC convention hall Monday. Trump denies any connection to the project, despite former Trump administration officials identifying their previous positions in the project materials. A CNN analysis found that 140 who previously worked for Trump helped on Project 2025. LaCivita said any claim that Trump is connected to the project is utter bullst. They do not speak for the campaign. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) MILWAUKEE A top Trump campaign official said Thursday that the 2024 presidential race will not be over until Inauguration Day, rather than after Election Day on Nov. 5 when voters across the nation go to the polls to cast their ballots and a result normally is projected. The assertion from Chris LaCivita at a Politico event is notable given former President Donald Trumps refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden, and the ensuing violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. It is also significant given that the U.S. Department of Justice alleges after Election Day in 2020, Trump co-conspired with lawyers and election officials in seven states to produce false slates of electors. According to the indictment, those slates were intended to be delivered to Vice President Mike Pence during the routine certification in a joint session of Congress in early January following presidential elections. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody, LaCivita, Trumps co-campaign manager, told Politicos Jonathan Martin during a lengthy interview open to press and attendees, and livestreamed, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump did not attend Bidens inauguration, and he and many Republican lawmakers continue to repeat false claims that he won. LaCivita interrupted with his comment when Martin was in the middle of asking about the prospects for Democrats on Election Day. Its also possible that Donald Trump can lose, Martin followed up. LaCivita said the campaign will remain focused on the issues. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody. Chris LaCivita, Trump campaign advisor A few moments later Martin asked LaCivita if he thinks its politically wise for Trump to continue campaigning on pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters. I always find it amazing that you guys are the ones that bring it up, LaCivita said, referring to the press. Thats not true, Martin replied. Ive been in a lot of interviews where its the first question you guys ask, LaCivita said. What were talking about right now are the issues that matter, Social Security, protecting Social Security and Medicare, closing the border. I mean we have so much to talk about and thats where our focus is. In a perfect Chris LaCivita world (Trump) would never say the words Jan. 6 hostages again, Martin followed up. LaCivita immediately responded and repeated: Social Security, Medicaid, closing the border, deportation yeah I said it all of those things. In March, Trump told reporters he was open to cutting Social Security and other entitlement programs as a way to address the national debt. Election fraud falsely claimed Trump repeated false claims of election fraud in the months following the 2020 election and lost numerous court challenges in states that he insisted he won. The fight erupted in political violence on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol Police with improvised weapons and the goal of stopping Congress from certifying the election results. The historic criminal indictment of a former sitting U.S. president handed up from a federal grand jury in August 2023 charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding, among other felony counts. Trump has successfully delayed the federal election subversion case as he appealed his motion to dismiss based on president criminal immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices on July 1 ruled in a 6-3 decision that former presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, and sparked major questions over what type of evidence can be used in any such prosecution. How do you utilize an assassination attempt? Reaction to the attempted assassination against Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has evolved over the RNCs first three days. Its gone from initial concerns about political violence to rallying around the event as a symbol of how Trump Strong can reshape America, as Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday night. Trump supporters wore fake bandages on their ears at the RNC as a political symbol, much like the red Make America Great Again hat. The energy or the emotion that you feel when something like that happens, how do you utilize it? How do you utilize it to get to where you need to be? LaCivita said. How do you utilize it to win an election or how do you utilize it to bring the country together? Martin followed up. I think its both, LaCivita said. The co-campaign manager sidestepped a question about whether Trump will make an effort during his RNC speech to tell supporters not to believe conspiracy theories circulating online that the shooting was a Democratic plot. Martin asked if LaCivita agreed that Trump tamping down accusations against his opposing political party would be good for the country. LaCivita said the campaign is planning Trumps speech to be forward focused. I mean look, there are not enough facts, and its not just up to us to talk about the facts resulting around what happened, LaCivita said as he added to the chorus of criticism of the U.S. Secret Service and calling on its head to resign. Hours after the shooting Saturday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio announced Monday at the RNC as Trumps vice presidential pick wrote on social media that today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps assassination attempt, he wrote. Project 2025 a pain in the ass for Trump Of the themes permeating the RNC, the major conservative Project 2025 has dogged Trumps campaign in a way that LaCivita described as a pain in the ass. The 922-page document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation roadmaps a presidential transition and plan to overhaul government administrations, to lobby Congress for national abortion restrictions and restoration of the American family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children. The organization held an all-day policy fest five blocks from the RNC convention hall Monday. Trump denies any connection to the project, despite former Trump administration officials identifying their previous positions in the project materials. A CNN analysis found that 140 who previously worked for Trump helped on Project 2025. LaCivita said any claim that Trump is connected to the project is utter bullst. They do not speak for the campaign. Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) MILWAUKEE A top Trump campaign official said Thursday that the 2024 presidential race will not be over until Inauguration Day, rather than after Election Day on Nov. 5 when voters across the nation go to the polls to cast their ballots and a result normally is projected. The assertion from Chris LaCivita at a Politico event is notable given former President Donald Trumps refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden, and the ensuing violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. It is also significant given that the U.S. Department of Justice alleges after Election Day in 2020, Trump co-conspired with lawyers and election officials in seven states to produce false slates of electors. According to the indictment, those slates were intended to be delivered to Vice President Mike Pence during the routine certification in a joint session of Congress in early January following presidential elections. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody, LaCivita, Trumps co-campaign manager, told Politicos Jonathan Martin during a lengthy interview open to press and attendees, and livestreamed, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump did not attend Bidens inauguration, and he and many Republican lawmakers continue to repeat false claims that he won. LaCivita interrupted with his comment when Martin was in the middle of asking about the prospects for Democrats on Election Day. Its also possible that Donald Trump can lose, Martin followed up. LaCivita said the campaign will remain focused on the issues. A few moments later Martin asked LaCivita if he thinks its politically wise for Trump to continue campaigning on pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters. I always find it amazing that you guys are the ones that bring it up, LaCivita said, referring to the press. Thats not true, Martin replied. Ive been in a lot of interviews where its the first question you guys ask, LaCivita said. What were talking about right now are the issues that matter, Social Security, protecting Social Security and Medicare, closing the border. I mean we have so much to talk about and thats where our focus is. In a perfect Chris LaCivita world (Trump) would never say the words Jan. 6 hostages again, Martin followed up. LaCivita immediately responded and repeated: Social Security, Medicaid, closing the border, deportation yeah I said it all of those things. In March, Trump told reporters he was open to cutting Social Security and other entitlement programs as a way to address the national debt. Election fraud falsely claimed Trump repeated false claims of election fraud in the months following the 2020 election and lost numerous court challenges in states that he insisted he won. The fight erupted in political violence on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol Police with improvised weapons and the goal of stopping Congress from certifying the election results. The historic criminal indictment of a former sitting U.S. president handed up from a federal grand jury in August 2023 charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding, among other felony counts. Trump has successfully delayed the federal election subversion case as he appealed his motion to dismiss based on president criminal immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices on July 1 ruled in a 6-3 decision that former presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, and sparked major questions over what type of evidence can be used in any such prosecution. How do you utilize an assassination attempt? Reaction to the attempted assassination against Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has evolved over the RNCs first three days. Its gone from initial concerns about political violence to rallying around the event as a symbol of how Trump Strong can reshape America, as Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday night. Trump supporters wore fake bandages on their ears at the RNC as a political symbol, much like the red Make America Great Again hat. The energy or the emotion that you feel when something like that happens, how do you utilize it? How do you utilize it to get to where you need to be? LaCivita said. How do you utilize it to win an election or how do you utilize it to bring the country together? Martin followed up. I think its both, LaCivita said. The co-campaign manager sidestepped a question about whether Trump will make an effort during his RNC speech to tell supporters not to believe conspiracy theories circulating online that the shooting was a Democratic plot. Martin asked if LaCivita agreed that Trump tamping down accusations against his opposing political party would be good for the country. LaCivita said the campaign is planning Trumps speech to be forward focused. I mean look, there are not enough facts, and its not just up to us to talk about the facts resulting around what happened, LaCivita said as he added to the chorus of criticism of the U.S. Secret Service and calling on its head to resign. Hours after the shooting Saturday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio announced Monday at the RNC as Trumps vice presidential pick wrote on social media that today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps assassination attempt, he wrote. Project 2025 a pain in the ass for Trump Of the themes permeating the RNC, the major conservative Project 2025 has dogged Trumps campaign in a way that LaCivita described as a pain in the ass. The 922-page document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation roadmaps a presidential transition and plan to overhaul government administrations, to lobby Congress for national abortion restrictions and restoration of the American family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children. The organization held an all-day policy fest five blocks from the RNC convention hall Monday. Trump denies any connection to the project, despite former Trump administration officials identifying their previous positions in the project materials. A CNN analysis found that 140 who previously worked for Trump helped on Project 2025. LaCivita said any claim that Trump is connected to the project is utter bullst. They do not speak for the campaign. Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) MILWAUKEE A top Trump campaign official said Thursday that the 2024 presidential race will not be over until Inauguration Day, rather than after Election Day on Nov. 5 when voters across the nation go to the polls to cast their ballots and a result normally is projected. The assertion from Chris LaCivita at a Politico event is notable given former President Donald Trumps refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden, and the ensuing violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. It is also significant given that the U.S. Department of Justice alleges after Election Day in 2020, Trump co-conspired with lawyers and election officials in seven states to produce false slates of electors. According to the indictment, those slates were intended to be delivered to Vice President Mike Pence during the routine certification in a joint session of Congress in early January following presidential elections. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody, LaCivita, Trumps co-campaign manager, told Politicos Jonathan Martin during a lengthy interview open to press and attendees, and livestreamed, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Trump did not attend Bidens inauguration, and he and many Republican lawmakers continue to repeat false claims that he won. LaCivita interrupted with his comment when Martin was in the middle of asking about the prospects for Democrats on Election Day. Its also possible that Donald Trump can lose, Martin followed up. LaCivita said the campaign will remain focused on the issues. A few moments later Martin asked LaCivita if he thinks its politically wise for Trump to continue campaigning on pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters. I always find it amazing that you guys are the ones that bring it up, LaCivita said, referring to the press. Thats not true, Martin replied. Ive been in a lot of interviews where its the first question you guys ask, LaCivita said. What were talking about right now are the issues that matter, Social Security, protecting Social Security and Medicare, closing the border. I mean we have so much to talk about and thats where our focus is. In a perfect Chris LaCivita world (Trump) would never say the words Jan. 6 hostages again, Martin followed up. LaCivita immediately responded and repeated: Social Security, Medicaid, closing the border, deportation yeah I said it all of those things. In March, Trump told reporters he was open to cutting Social Security and other entitlement programs as a way to address the national debt. Election fraud falsely claimed Trump repeated false claims of election fraud in the months following the 2020 election and lost numerous court challenges in states that he insisted he won. The fight erupted in political violence on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol Police with improvised weapons and the goal of stopping Congress from certifying the election results. The historic criminal indictment of a former sitting U.S. president handed up from a federal grand jury in August 2023 charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding, among other felony counts. Trump has successfully delayed the federal election subversion case as he appealed his motion to dismiss based on president criminal immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices on July 1 ruled in a 6-3 decision that former presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, and sparked major questions over what type of evidence can be used in any such prosecution. How do you utilize an assassination attempt? Reaction to the attempted assassination against Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has evolved over the RNCs first three days. Its gone from initial concerns about political violence to rallying around the event as a symbol of how Trump Strong can reshape America, as Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday night. Trump supporters wore fake bandages on their ears at the RNC as a political symbol, much like the red Make America Great Again hat. The energy or the emotion that you feel when something like that happens, how do you utilize it? How do you utilize it to get to where you need to be? LaCivita said. How do you utilize it to win an election or how do you utilize it to bring the country together? Martin followed up. I think its both, LaCivita said. The co-campaign manager sidestepped a question about whether Trump will make an effort during his RNC speech to tell supporters not to believe conspiracy theories circulating online that the shooting was a Democratic plot. Martin asked if LaCivita agreed that Trump tamping down accusations against his opposing political party would be good for the country. LaCivita said the campaign is planning Trumps speech to be forward focused. I mean look, there are not enough facts, and its not just up to us to talk about the facts resulting around what happened, LaCivita said as he added to the chorus of criticism of the U.S. Secret Service and calling on its head to resign. Hours after the shooting Saturday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio announced Monday at the RNC as Trumps vice presidential pick wrote on social media that today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps assassination attempt, he wrote. Project 2025 a pain in the ass for Trump Of the themes permeating the RNC, the major conservative Project 2025 has dogged Trumps campaign in a way that LaCivita described as a pain in the ass. The 922-page document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation roadmaps a presidential transition and plan to overhaul government administrations, to lobby Congress for national abortion restrictions and restoration of the American family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children. The organization held an all-day policy fest five blocks from the RNC convention hall Monday. Trump denies any connection to the project, despite former Trump administration officials identifying their previous positions in the project materials. A CNN analysis found that 140 who previously worked for Trump helped on Project 2025. LaCivita said any claim that Trump is connected to the project is utter bullst. They do not speak for the campaign. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participates in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Chris LaCivita, former President Donald Trumps 2024 co-campaign manager, participated in a lengthy interview with Politico at the Turner House near the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) MILWAUKEE A top Trump campaign official said Thursday that the 2024 presidential race will not be over until Inauguration Day, rather than after Election Day on Nov. 5 when voters across the nation go to the polls to cast their ballots and a result normally is projected. The assertion from Chris LaCivita at a Politico event is notable given former President Donald Trumps refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden, and the ensuing violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. It is also significant given that the U.S. Department of Justice alleges after Election Day in 2020, Trump co-conspired with lawyers and election officials in seven states to produce false slates of electors. According to the indictment, those slates were intended to be delivered to Vice President Mike Pence during the routine certification in a joint session of Congress in early January following presidential elections. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody, LaCivita, Trumps co-campaign manager, told Politicos Jonathan Martin during a lengthy interview open to press and attendees, and livestreamed, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump did not attend Bidens inauguration, and he and many Republican lawmakers continue to repeat false claims that he won. LaCivita interrupted with his comment when Martin was in the middle of asking about the prospects for Democrats on Election Day. Its also possible that Donald Trump can lose, Martin followed up. LaCivita said the campaign will remain focused on the issues. A few moments later Martin asked LaCivita if he thinks its politically wise for Trump to continue campaigning on pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters. I always find it amazing that you guys are the ones that bring it up, LaCivita said, referring to the press. Thats not true, Martin replied. Ive been in a lot of interviews where its the first question you guys ask, LaCivita said. What were talking about right now are the issues that matter, Social Security, protecting Social Security and Medicare, closing the border. I mean we have so much to talk about and thats where our focus is. In a perfect Chris LaCivita world (Trump) would never say the words Jan. 6 hostages again, Martin followed up. LaCivita immediately responded and repeated: Social Security, Medicaid, closing the border, deportation yeah I said it all of those things. In March, Trump told reporters he was open to cutting Social Security and other entitlement programs as a way to address the national debt. Election fraud falsely claimed Trump repeated false claims of election fraud in the months following the 2020 election and lost numerous court challenges in states that he insisted he won. The fight erupted in political violence on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol Police with improvised weapons and the goal of stopping Congress from certifying the election results. The historic criminal indictment of a former sitting U.S. president handed up from a federal grand jury in August 2023 charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding, among other felony counts. Trump has successfully delayed the federal election subversion case as he appealed his motion to dismiss based on president criminal immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices on July 1 ruled in a 6-3 decision that former presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, and sparked major questions over what type of evidence can be used in any such prosecution. How do you utilize an assassination attempt? Reaction to the attempted assassination against Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has evolved over the RNCs first three days. Its gone from initial concerns about political violence to rallying around the event as a symbol of how Trump Strong can reshape America, as Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday night. Trump supporters wore fake bandages on their ears at the RNC as a political symbol, much like the red Make America Great Again hat. The energy or the emotion that you feel when something like that happens, how do you utilize it? How do you utilize it to get to where you need to be? LaCivita said. How do you utilize it to win an election or how do you utilize it to bring the country together? Martin followed up. I think its both, LaCivita said. The co-campaign manager sidestepped a question about whether Trump will make an effort during his RNC speech to tell supporters not to believe conspiracy theories circulating online that the shooting was a Democratic plot. Martin asked if LaCivita agreed that Trump tamping down accusations against his opposing political party would be good for the country. LaCivita said the campaign is planning Trumps speech to be forward focused. I mean look, there are not enough facts, and its not just up to us to talk about the facts resulting around what happened, LaCivita said as he added to the chorus of criticism of the U.S. Secret Service and calling on its head to resign. Hours after the shooting Saturday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio announced Monday at the RNC as Trumps vice presidential pick wrote on social media that today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps assassination attempt, he wrote. SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST. DONATE Project 2025 a pain in the ass for Trump Of the themes permeating the RNC, the major conservative Project 2025 has dogged Trumps campaign in a way that LaCivita described as a pain in the ass. The 922-page document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation roadmaps a presidential transition and plan to overhaul government administrations, to lobby Congress for national abortion restrictions and restoration of the American family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children. The organization held an all-day policy fest five blocks from the RNC convention hall Monday. Trump denies any connection to the project, despite former Trump administration officials identifying their previous positions in the project materials. A CNN analysis found that 140 who previously worked for Trump helped on Project 2025. LaCivita said any claim that Trump is connected to the project is utter bullst. They do not speak for the campaign. The highest court of the United Nations will on Friday deliver their opinion on the legality of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. The opinion is not legally binding. But if the 15 highest UN judges in The Hague find that Israel is violating international law, it will add to the international political pressure on Israel. Interest in the issue is immense: a record 52 states have submitted arguments to the court in The Hague. In 2022, the UN General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice to determine the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the territories - long before the start of the Israel-Hamas war that erupted last October. Israel seized control of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel left Gaza in 2005 but continues to control coastal territory's land and sea borders, as well as its airspace. The number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, which lies between the Israeli heartland and Jordan, has meanwhile risen to around half a million. Including East Jerusalem, the figure is as high as 700,000. This will be the court's second non-binding legal opinion on Israel's occupation policy. Twenty years ago, in July 2004, the judges declared that the barrier built by Israel along the West Bank violated international law and should be torn down. Israel have not complied. In 2016, the UN Security Council described West Bank settlements as a violation of international law and called on Israel to stop all settlement activities. Israel has nevertheless pressed ahead with the expansion of settlements. Friday's legal opinion is independent of the proceedings that South Africa brought against Israel before the court in 2023. In that case, South Africa accuses Israel of genocide for its attacks on the Gaza Strip. Israel rejects the accusation. Israeli army vehicles are seen during a raid in the Nur Shams camp for Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank. Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Palestinian foreign policy advisor Riad Malki and other members of the legal team take their seats before judges enter the International Court of Justice, or World Court, in The Hague, Netherlands, Friday July 19, 2024, where the United Nations top court is delivering a nonbinding advisory opinion Friday on the legality of Israel's 57-year occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state, a ruling that could have more effect on international opinion than it will on Israeli policies. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis) THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) The top United Nations court said Friday that Israels presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is unlawful and called on it to end, and for settlement construction to stop immediately, issuing an unprecedented, sweeping condemnation of Israels rule over the lands it captured 57 years ago. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly denounced the nonbinding opinion issued by the 15-judge panel of the International Court of Justice, saying the territories are part of the Jewish people's historic homeland. But the resounding breadth of the decision could impact international opinion and fuel moves for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. The judges pointed to a wide list of policies, including the building and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, use of the area's natural resources, the annexation and imposition of permanent control over lands and discriminatory policies against Palestinians, all of which it said violated international law. The court said Israel had no right to sovereignty in the territories, was violating international laws against acquiring territory by force and was impeding Palestinians' right to self-determination. It said other nations were obliged not to render aid or assistance in maintaining Israels presence in the territories. It said Israel must end settlement construction immediately and that existing settlements must be removed, according to a summary of the more than 80-page opinion read out by court President Nawaf Salam. Israels abuse of its status as the occupying power renders its presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful, the court said, saying its presence must be ended as rapidly as possible. The court's opinion, sought by the U.N. General Assembly after a Palestinian request, came against the backdrop of Israels devastating military assault on Gaza, which was triggered by the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7. In a separate case, the International Court of Justice is considering a South African claim that Israels campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, a claim that Israel vehemently denies. The court said the General Assembly and Security Council where staunch Israeli ally the United States holds a veto should consider the precise modalities to end Israel's presence in the territories. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will promptly transmit the advisory opinion to the 193-member world body and it is for the General Assembly to decide how to proceed in the matter, U.N. deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said. The secretary-general reiterates his call for Israel and the Palestinians to engage on the long-delayed political path towards ending the occupation and resolving the conflict in line with international law, relevant U.N. resolutions and bilateral agreements, the spokesperson said. Guterres also stressed that a two-state solution is the only viable path to seeing Israel and a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security, Haq said. Israel, which normally considers the United Nations and international tribunals as unfair and biased, didn't send a legal team to the hearings. Instead, it submitted written comments, saying that the questions put to the court are prejudiced and fail to address Israeli security concerns. Israeli officials have said the court's intervention could undermine the peace process, which has been stagnant for more than a decade. The Jewish people are not conquerors in their own land not in our eternal capital Jerusalem and not in the land of our ancestors in Judea and Samaria, Netanyahu said in a statement issued by his office, using the biblical terms for the West Bank. No false decision in The Hague will distort this historical truth and likewise the legality of Israeli settlement in all the territories of our homeland cannot be contested. Speaking outside the court, Riad Malki, an adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, called the opinion a watershed moment for Palestine, for justice and for international law. He said other nations must now uphold the clear obligations" outlined by the court. "No actions of any kind to support Israels illegal occupation. Hamas welcomed the court's decision and said in a statement that serious steps on the ground need to be taken in response. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three areas for an independent state. Israel considers the West Bank to be disputed territory, the future of which should be decided in negotiations, while it has moved populations there in settlements to solidify its hold. It has annexed east Jerusalem in a move that isn't internationally recognized, while it withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but maintained a blockade of the territory after Hamas took power in 2007. The international community generally considers all three areas to be occupied territory. The courts decision strikes at the heart of the ambiguity of Israels administration of the territories. Israel hasn't annexed the West Bank though settler groups have pressed it to do so but it calls it part of its homeland and has effectively treated it as an extension of the nation. Along with the settlements, it has appropriated large swaths of the territory as state lands. At the same time, Netanyahus government has repeatedly rejected the creation of any Palestinian state. Abbas Palestinian Authority has been restricted to control over divided enclaves scattered around the West Bank. The Palestinians presented arguments at hearings in February, along with 49 other nations and three international organizations. In the hearings, Malki accused Israel of apartheid and urged the United Nations top court to declare that Israels occupation of lands sought by the Palestinians is illegal and must end immediately and unconditionally for any hope for a two-state future to survive. Erwin van Veen, a senior research fellow at the Clingendael think tank in The Hague, said before the decision that a ruling that Israels policies breach international law would isolate Israel further internationally, at least from a legal point of view. He said such a ruling would remove "any kind of legal, political, philosophical underpinning of the Israeli expansion project. It could also increase the number of countries that recognize a Palestinian state, in particular in the Western world, following the recent example of Spain, Norway and Ireland, he said. It's not the first time the ICJ has been asked to give its legal opinion on Israeli policies. Two decades ago, the court ruled that Israels West Bank separation barrier was contrary to international law. Israel boycotted those proceedings, saying they were politically motivated. Israel says the barrier is a security measure. Palestinians say the structure amounts to a massive land grab, because it frequently dips into the West Bank. The court said that Israel's construction of settlements in the West Bank violated international laws prohibiting countries from moving their population into territories they occupy. Israel has built well over 100 settlements, according to the anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now. The West Bank settler population has grown by more than 15% in the past five years to more than 500,000 Israelis, according to a pro-settler group. Their residents are Israeli citizens governed by domestic law and served by government ministries, services, banks and other businesses effectively integrating them into Israel. Israel also has annexed east Jerusalem and considers the entire city to be its capital. An additional 200,000 Israelis live in settlements built in east Jerusalem that Israel considers to be neighborhoods of its capital. Palestinian residents of the city face systematic discrimination, making it difficult for them to build new homes or expand existing ones. The international community considers all settlements to be illegal or obstacles to peace since they are built on lands sought by the Palestinians for their state. Netanyahus hard-line government is dominated by settlers and their political supporters. Netanyahu has given his Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, a former settler leader, unprecedented authority over settlement policy. Smotrich has used this position to cement Israels control over the West Bank by pushing forward plans to build more settlement homes and to legalize outposts. ___ Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer contributed from the United Nations. Total of 130 combat clashes occur on battlefield in Ukraine during day, with hottest situation on Pokrovsk and Toretsk fronts A total of 130 combat clashes have been recorded on the front line over the past day, with Russian forces being most active on the Pokrovsk and Toretsk fronts. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 08:00 on 19 July Quote: "According to updated information, the enemy launched three missile strikes, using four missiles, and 73 airstrikes, using 101 guided bombs, on Ukrainian positions and settlements. [The enemy] also fired 4,675 times, including 139 attacks from multiple-launch rocket systems." Details: Ukraine's Air Force and Rocket Forces and Artillery struck 16 clusters of Russian personnel and military equipment, two command posts, two air defence systems, four radar stations and electronic warfare stations belonging to the Russians at night. On the Kharkiv front, the Russians continued offensive and assault operations. A total of 12 combat clashes occurred, all near the settlements of Hlyboke and Vovchansk. The Russians actively used bomber aircraft for strikes. On the Kupiansk front, 11 attacks occurred over the past day. Ukraines defence forces repelled all Russian assault actions near the settlements of Synkivka, Stelmakhivka and Berestove. On the Lyman front, Ukrainian troops stopped 14 Russian attacks near the settlements of Makiivka, Nevske, Torske and Terny. On the Siversk front, Ukraines defence forces repelled five Russian assault actions. The Russians tried to advance near the settlements of Pereizne, Spirne and Vyimka. On the Kramatorsk front, Ukrainian soldiers stopped six Russian attempts to break through Ukrainian defences. The Russians, supported by aircraft, concentrated their main efforts near the city of Chasiv Yar. On the Pokrovsk front, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 27 Russians assaults and attacks near the settlements of Vozdvyzhenka, Novoselivka Persha, Novooleksandrivka, Prohres, Umanske and Yasnobrodivka, where the Russians, supported by aircraft, tried to push Ukrainian units from their positions. On the Kurakhove front, Ukraines defence forces stopped Russian attacks near the settlements of Krasnohorivka and Paraskoviivka, where the Russians tried to break through Ukrainian defences 15 times. On the Orikhiv front, six combat clashes occurred near the settlements of Mala Tokmachka and Novoandriivka. The Russians did not succeed. On the Prydniprovske front, the Russians continue to try to push Ukraines defence forces units from their positions. Ukrainian forces repelled three Russian assaults. Support UP or become our patron! Landfills in Bethlehem, Conway, Lebanon and Rochester cited for mismanaging liquid pollution and other infractions. (Getty Images) Litter in and around the landfill. Waste outside of the permitted area. Releases of liquid pollution. Failure to file mandatory reports. These are some of the issues found at four of the states active landfills, documented by letters of deficiency sent by the Department of Environmental Services from January to June. Many of the problems centered around the management of leachate, the trash juice created when rainfall mixes with waste that can be highly toxic. One of those facilities, a subsidiary of the Vermont-based Casella Waste Systems, failed hundreds of times to keep leachate to its required levels and to file mandatory reports, data, and investigations with the state, according to a June letter from DES. That same company is trying to overcome local opposition to build a landfill half a mile from a lake in the tiny North Country town of Dalton, about a 20-minute drive from Bethlehem, the 2,500-person town that houses its current landfill, North Country Environmental Services. Other landfills that have received letters this year include ones in Rochester, run by Waste Management New Hampshire; Conway, run by the town; and Lebanon, operated by the city. Jeff Weld, a Casella spokesperson, told the Bulletin the issues outlined by DES are unacceptable and that Casella would conduct a significant investigation into their root causes. He said, too, that the issues are not representative of the companys expectations for operational excellence, but that they posed no potential harm to people or the environment. We have immediately implemented several operational improvements to diminish the production of leachate at the site, Weld said, while also increasing the number of wastewater treatment and hauling contractors available to help manage the sites wastewater. Spokespeople for the landfills in Rochester and Lebanon said the issues had been addressed. A representative of the Conway landfill did not respond to requests for comment. Casella has been the subject of public scrutiny amid its yearslong battle to build a new landfill in Dalton. It has also been criticized before for its management of the Bethlehem facility. In 2021, 154,000 gallons of leachate overflowed at the facility in what may have been the largest spill in state history. Weld said the company believed the spill did not extend beyond a surface water detention pond at the landfill. In 2022, Casella paid $50,000 in the settlement of a federal Clean Water Act lawsuit brought by environmental groups that alleged the landfill was polluting the Ammonoosuc River, which borders the facility. The company maintains it did nothing unlawful. The DES letter, sent in June, laid out issues ranging back to last summer. Please be aware that leachate storage on the liner in the depths and at the frequency suggested by the currently available data is a significant issue, DES wrote to the facility. When this occurs, it is NCESs responsibility to identify and resolve the issue as quickly as possible. That quote stood out to Amy Manzelli, an attorney from BCM Environmental & Land Law who represents North Country Alliance for Balance Change, a group that opposes the Dalton landfill and advocates on solid waste issues. When the department explicitly editorializes on an issue, she said, identifying it as a, quote, significant issue, end quote, that really jumps out at you as a red flag that this is an unusually important, significant issue. Problems abound A letter of deficiency is the medium level of enforcement action that DES can take, Manzelli explained. The ones received by at least four landfills this year laid out a collection of issues. The landfill in Lebanon, operated by the city, had leachate breakouts in 13 areas, including five releases beyond the facility and into the environment, according to a letter DES sent in April. The facility did not immediately notify DES, as required, and at least some of the issues were not handled in a timely manner, the letter said. DES also observed large quantities of litter in and outside the footprint of the landfill. A 2023 review of the facility, which DES said it received in March, found it was placing waste outside of its permitted vertical limits. Christopher Kilmer, the assistant public works director for Lebanon, said the city has worked to address the violations. Weve worked diligently with New Hampshire DES to return to a level of compliance, which we have done ahead of time, Kilmer said. In Rochester, a landfill run by Waste Management of New Hampshire had at least 13 leachate discharges between the end of December 2022 and late April of this year, according to a May letter from DES. The number of incidents within that time period represents an ongoing operational issue at the Facility, DES wrote. In three site visits since December 2022, the facility was found to be non-compliant on all three occasions with requirements to cover waste, at a minimum, at the end of each operating day, according to DES. DES also noted it had not been notified, as required, about elevated levels of leachate at the facility. Garrett Trierweiler, the companys public affairs director, said in an email that Waste Management has complied with all the requirements of the action plan as stated and will work with DES on any future issues. In January, a landfill in Conway received an amended letter of deficiency for not yet addressing a problem first identified in August 2022 and for additional issues discovered in an October site visit. The lingering issue that had not been addressed was failing to properly restrict access to the facility; in the recent site visit, DES staff saw that the main gate was open before the operator arrived to open the facility for the day. DES also observed uncovered and improperly covered waste at the landfill. The facility was also landfilling liquid waste, which is prohibited, according to the letter. It also failed to make necessary reports around leachate. In a February response to DES, the town said the unauthorized waste would no longer be disposed at the facility until it can pass the testing requirements. It also confirmed the gate would be closed when the facility was not open and that it would report the leachate figures as required. Andrew Smith, the towns public works director, could not be reached for comment. The Titanic In Bethlehem, Casella racked up hundreds of violations largely by repeating the same infractions over and over again. In its letter, DES said the facility has not operated in a manner that controls the production of leachate to the greatest extent practicable, the standard required by state regulations. In fact, it produced and, therefore, had to pump out millions of more gallons of leachate in recent months than it did as recently as the start of last year. Pumps take leachate off of the liner, where it travels through pipes and into a storage tank before getting trucked off the facility to be treated, said Weld, the Casella spokesperson. These systems are redundant, he said, to prevent leachate from leaking into the environment: dual liners, pipes inside of pipes, and tanks inside of secondary tanks. From the second half of 2021 to the first half of 2023, the landfills pumped out up to 2.8 million gallons of leachate per quarter. That skyrocketed from the second half of 2023 to the beginning of this year, with the amount of leachate ranging up to 5.2 million gallons per quarter. Landfills are also required to have systems in place that will prevent more than 12 inches of leachate from being stored on the liner, said Leah McKenna, administrator of the DES Solid Waste Management Bureau. On 450 occasions between July 2023 and June of this year, the Bethlehem facility failed to keep leachate to that required level. In one recent instance, that level was 116.42 inches, or almost 10 times higher than the required maximum. The facility is supposed to keep leachate below that level even up to the 25-year, 24-hour storm events, according to the letter. Precipitation data included in the [facilitys] quarterly reports, DES wrote, indicate that there were no storm events that exceeded the 25-year/24-hour storm. The landfill also failed to file reports and investigative reports when leachate flowed into its collection system at rates that were supposed to trigger such notifications to the state. Those exceedances occurred 726 times. McKenna, the DES official, said Casella had submitted the items the department requested in response to its letter. Not all of those documents had yet been made publicly available through the departments online system as of Thursday morning, though McKenna said they would be soon. McKenna said she could not comment on any potential open enforcement actions, but DES wrote to the facilities that failure to comply with the letters may result in a formal administrative action. Andrea Bryant is a retired school teacher of 35 years who lives on 32 acres of land abutting a state park and forest and about a mile from the landfill. I should be in just silence and pureness, she said. And Im not. The smells and noises from the landfill travel to her home. The sounds wake her up by 7 a.m. most days. And many times, she said, shes been pushed into the house by a wave of stench. Its destroyed my life, she said, and divided her town in the process of building and expanding. Bryant wasnt surprised by the letter from the state outlining the hundreds of violations. The company does what they want to do, she said. She said she was pleased to see the list of violations, because its about time that theyre held accountable. Bryant and others who opposed expanding the landfill long suspected problems would arise. We used to call it the Titanic, she said. UPDATE: Top-heavy crane tips over along I-182 in Pasco. Its staying in the median for now People heading east on Interstate 182 should watch for delays after a crane flipped over in the median on Friday morning. The crane from a Western Washington company was moving construction materials on the interstate near Road 100 about 8:10 a.m. when it tipped over, Trooper Chris Thorson told the Tri-City Herald. No one was hurt when it collapsed, and it didnt block traffic. However, getting the equipment upright will take another crane. Thorson said that will mean closing two lanes of eastbound highway traffic. Its not clear when that will happen. The crane was expected to show up Friday about noon, but hadnt arrived yet, he said. Its expected to take at least an hour to fix the fallen crane once the other equipment arrives. Rep. Tamara St. John, R-Sisseton, speaks on the state House floor on Jan. 16, 2024. St. John sponsored a successful bill during the session to create an Indian Child Welfare Advisory Council. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) The newly created Indian Child Welfare Advisory Council held its first meeting Thursday to discuss South Dakotas foster care process and how to improve communication and collaboration between the state and tribal governments. The Legislature and Gov. Kristi Noem approved legislation earlier this year establishing the advisory council to address the overrepresentation of Native American children in the states foster care system. A 2023 joint investigation by South Dakota Searchlight and the Argus Leader found that Native American children accounted for nearly 74% of foster children in the system at the end of fiscal year 2023, despite making up 13% of the states child population. However, only two tribal representatives from the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate and Lower Brule Sioux Tribe attended the first meeting. There are nine tribal nations in South Dakota. Department of Social Services Secretary Matt Althoff told council members he was sad there wasnt full representation by tribal nations. He said feedback about how to improve work between his department and tribes is imperative to penetrate through barriers tribal members face regarding child abuse and neglect. Low attendance due to scheduling conflicts & lack of communication, ICWA offices say The department resisted the effort to create the advisory council during the legislative session. Sisseton Republican Rep. Tamara St. John, a tribal member who introduced the advisory council bill, said she was disappointed by the low representation at the first meeting, though she attributed it to the friction between tribes and the South Dakota government. The Lost Children Read The Lost Children, a series exploring the causes, effects and potential solutions to the decades-long overrepresentation of Native American children in South Dakotas foster care system. Representatives of all nine tribal governments have voted to ban Noem from their reservations because of her claim that tribal leaders are benefiting from drug cartel activity, and because of her statement that Native American children dont have any hope due to economic, educational and cultural struggles on reservations. Its going to take some time to develop a certain level of trust to be able to move forward in a productive way, St. John said. Tribal governments have offices that administer the federal Indian Child Welfare Act. Some ICWA directors could not attend the council meeting because of scheduling conflicts. Representatives with the Oglala Sioux Tribe were in San Diego at the Capacity Building Center for Tribes Summer Gathering, and the ICWA director for the Yankton Sioux Tribe was in North Dakota for the states annual Indian Child Welfare and Wellness Conference. Employees with the ICWA offices for Oglala and Yankton Sioux tribes said they were not aware of the advisory council meeting until this week, since state communication about the meeting went through the president or chairmans office rather than their department. Heather Patton, an ICWA technician with OST, said she tried attending the meeting virtually but had technical difficulties. The council is required to meet at least once a year. There is not a set time for its next meeting. DSS announces new initiatives, including kinship program Krista Young, director of the Center for Prevention of Child Maltreatment at the University of South Dakota, presented to the council about the organizations mission and initiatives. She also talked about the impacts that risk factors (such as poverty) and adverse childhood experiences (such as parental substance abuse or food insecurity) can have on children, and the benefits of strengthening cultural ties for Native American children who experience child abuse and maltreatment. We want to treat child maltreatment as a public health priority, Young said. Pamela Bennett, the division director of South Dakota Child Protection Services, presented to the advisory council about the South Dakota child welfare process and system, as well as initiatives within the Department of Social Services to improve child welfare in the state. New initiatives include implementing federally funded Family First Prevention Services and developing materials to approve more Native American foster families in South Dakota. The Family First approach funds prevention services addressing child abuse and neglect at its root, including substance abuse treatment for parents, mental health services and parenting classes. South Dakota is one of the last four states to create a plan, which has yet to be finalized and approved by the federal government. South Dakota Department of Social Services presentation analyzes the reasons for Child Protection Service involvement and child removal in South Dakota. (Courtesy of DSS) The department also plans to create a kinship licensing program. Thats a really important, attainable goal, Althoff told council members. Research shows that when children have to be removed from their homes, prioritizing kinship care (being placed with relatives or close family friends) can improve academic, behavioral and mental health outcomes, and allow the child to stay within their culture and community, according to Child Trends, a research organization focused on child welfare. Currently, South Dakota kinship caregivers who accept a child into their home after being removed from their parents dont receive the same amount of resources and support as foster parents, unless they become licensed foster parents themselves. Licensing brings a higher monthly payment to caregivers, helping them cover the cost of the educational, social and medical needs of the children in their care. That process and training is intensive, time consuming, and potentially unrelated to the kins situation since they are already familiar with the child. Four percent of South Dakota children in foster care were placed in kinship care between 2021 and 2023, according to data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Of the thousands of instances when Child Protection Services became involved with families during fiscal year 2024, families were able to remain together 28% of the time after implementing a safety plan, Bennett said. What we know is when parents and children can be together and both go through those changes and processes and see that behavior change at the same time, we tend to see better outcomes, Bennett said. Members of the council serve two-year terms and include representatives appointed by each of the nine tribes within South Dakota, a representative for the Department of Social Services, and a legislative representative from the Senate and House of Representatives. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) The San Angelo Police Department has given a citizen a life-saving award after he helped save a juvenile from taking their life. The award was given to citizen Samuel Duran at a press conference hosted by the SAPD and the San Angelo Police Officers Coalition during the afternoon hours of July 19 According to SAPD Chief Travis Griffith, Duran was traveling to his church for a Bible study at approximately 7 p.m. on a Tuesday in May 2024 when he encountered a juvenile who was preparing to jump off the side of a bridge. Duran instructed nearby citizens to call 911 before crossing through traffic and attempting to negotiate with the juvenile. Duran then subdued the juvenile before they could jump off the rail, holding them down with assistance from other bystanders and preventing the individual from taking their own life. Mason County courthouse rededicated following 2021 arson I think it just exemplifies San Angelo, Griffith said. Samuel said he didnt feel that special. I think it 100% is that special when you can recognize something and be able to really spring into action. Duran was presented with a plaque and challenge coin by the SAPOC to commemorate his efforts. Before accepting the awards, Duran took the time to thank God, the SAPD and the City of San Angelo. I just want to give God the glory and honor because He allowed me to be there, and thats what really matters, Duran said. I didnt expect this, but I thank God, and I thank the City of San Angelo and especially I thank yall for doing this. Concluding the ceremony, Griffith reiterated on Durans character. This is a true hero, right here, Griffith said. To watch the full press conference, 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 ConchoValleyHomepage.com. Former President Trump will deliver his big speech Thursday night to accept the GOP presidential nomination. While foreign policy is unlikely to be a major part of his speech, his push for more isolationism is likely to come up. Trumps selection of Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), a critic of U.S. aid to Ukraine, has reignited conversations at the RNC surrounding the partys diminishing support for allies. Vance, in a Wednesday speech, echoed Trump when he said allies must pay up with regards to defense spending, to earn the U.S.s backing. We will make sure our allies share in the burden of securing world peace, he said. No more free rides for nations that betray the generosity of the American taxpayer. Trump has threatened to not defend allies that dont pay enough in defense spending, which has remained a tense topic between the U.S. and European allies in NATO. Still, a record number of NATO allies 23 have now reached NATOs defense spending target 2 percent of a nations gross domestic product (GDP). Trump has also vowed to end the war in Ukraine before he takes office, spurring concerns that he may cede territory to Russia in return for a fragile peace. Vance has previously called for the U.S. to halt aid to Kyiv. Trump also sparked new concerns this week on the other side of the world when he said Taiwan should have to pay for its defense. Were no different than an insurance company, he said of U.S. support for Taiwan. Taiwanese officials quickly reacted to Trump, saying they could step up their share of defense spending but also reiterating their commitment to strengthening defense. In the future, Taiwan will continue to work with the United States, Kuoyu Chiao, the deputy head of the North America department in Taiwans Foreign Ministry, said Thursday. Backing Taiwan, which is under threat from China, has bipartisan support on Capitol Hill. But Trumps comments indicate how much the former president is remaking the GOPs foreign policy under his America First principle. Nikki Haley, who unsuccessfully challenged Trump in the primary and pushed for Reagan-esque policies to support allies like Ukraine, gave her full support for the former president at the RNC this week. Former President Trump walks onstage for his nomination acceptance speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) Former President Trump formally accepted the Republican presidential nomination for a third time Thursday night, capping a momentous six days in which he survived an assassination attempt, selected a running mate and made nightly appearances before adulatory crowds and speakers at the partys national convention. Trump began his speech in a more subdued tone than normal, with occasional flashes of his usual bombastic energy. But it soon turned menacing, as he painted a dark vision of an America that needed to be restored. Much of the speech which ran 92 minutes was dominated by him retelling and processing the story of Saturdays attempted assassination, saying itd be the only time hed recount the incident because its too painful to tell. Trump appeared inside Milwaukees Fiserv Forum with a white bandage covering his ear, which was clipped when he was fired upon by a 20-year-old gunman during a campaign rally in Butler, Pa. The assassination attempt that was millimeters away from being successful cemented the partys unity behind its presidential candidate. Read more: Photos: Trump, Vance and all the Republican National Convention fanfare If I had not moved my head at that very last instant, the assassins bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be here tonight. We would not be together, Trump said. Im not supposed to be here tonight, he said. Yes, you are! the crowd chanted back. Trump also held a moment of silence for Corey Comperatore, the retired firefighter killed in Saturdays shooting. A uniform with Comperatores name hung on stage, and at one point Trump walked over and kissed the helmet. Trump attended every night of the convention, watching as Republican allies and former foes including those who ran against him in the primaries such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley sang his praises. Read more: A shocking hour of missed chances to catch gunman before he shot Trump He began his rambling speech with a call for unity, because there is no victory in winning for half of America. Yet it didnt take long for Trump to return to his usual jabs against President Biden, calling him one of the worst presidents in history and adding, Im not going to use the name anymore. Championing his usual immigration rhetoric, he blamed Biden for an invasion at the southern border. We moved them out, and it was a pleasure, he said. They put them in a paddy wagon, they take them back, and they get them out of our country. I will not let these killers and criminals into our country, he added. Numerous studies have shown that immigrants are not linked to high crime rates. He blasted Biden for his decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, calling it the worst humiliation in the history of our country. He claimed, without evidence, that he could stop wars with a telephone call. Trump said that the war in Ukraine would not have happened had he been president, and boasted about having a good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump was the first American president to meet the dictator. The convention formalized the partys platform as well as its presumptive nominees for president and vice president. The new platform , which was approved Monday, outlined party priorities that were markedly different from previous years. It does not call for a nationwide abortion ban and removes language defining marriage as between a man and a woman. The document is a mere 16 pages, dozens of pages shorter than a typical party platform. The week kicked off with Trumps announcement of J.D. Vance , the Ohio senator and Hillbilly Elegy author, as his vice presidential running mate. Vance, who spoke Wednesday, championed his Midwestern background, frequently calling out battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan. With the attempted assassination and running mate announcement, Trump dominated news headlines this week. But Biden, who paused campaigning after Saturdays shooting, came under scrutiny again in recent days as Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Burbank) called for him to step aside, becoming the topmost Democrat to call for replacing the partys presidential nominee. Read more: Beleaguered Biden sits on sidelines with COVID as Trump returns to center stage after shooting Biden announced Wednesday that he would retreat from the campaign trail because he had tested positive for COVID-19. Speculation swirled Thursday that the president was becoming open to the possibility of stepping aside and allowing someone such as Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee. Former First Lady Melania Trump made a rare public appearance , wearing a red suit as she smiled and waved to the crowd. She has refrained from campaigning, though she offered a statement in the hours after her husband was shot Saturday, calling for Americans to ascend above the hate, the vitriol. The conventions concluding night had a pugilistic theme, with the appearance of World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder Linda McMahon, Trumps former administrator of the Small Business Administration; Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White; and retired professional wrestler and actor Hulk Hogan. Whatcha gonna do when Donald Trump and all the Trumpomaniacs run wild on you? roared Hogan, a riff on his catchphrase during his glory days in the ring. Hogan, whose real name is Terry Gene Bollea, later tore open his shirt to reveal a red Trump-Vance muscle shirt. Eric Trump, the presidential nominees son, lauded his father's accomplishments as president and played up Trumps persecuted posture, saying he was ruthlessly silenced, slandered and attacked by a corrupt administration. Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox three times per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Insights from El Faro, journalists Tony Frangie Mawad and Jonathan Blitzer, and Americas Quarterly The News Former US president Donald Trump alternated between jokes and allegations about Venezuela and El Salvador in his speech to the Republican National Convention Thursday, which focused heavily on fighting illegal immigration. In familiar claims, contradicted by local reporting, Trump alleged that crime rates in Venezuela and El Salvador are down because the countries were sending criminals to the US. Caracas, Venezuela, really a dangerous place. But not anymore, because in Venezuela, crime is down 72%, he said. We will have our next Republican convention in Venezuela because it will be safe. Our cities will be so unsafe we will not be able to have it there. While reliable crime numbers are hard to obtain in Venezuela, statistics show violence has been going down but not at the rate Trump claims. Theres also no evidence that the government is curbing crime by shipping criminals abroad. El Salvadors strongman leader Nayib Bukele reduced crime dramatically by imprisoning about 2% of the population, making it the country with the highest prison population rate in the world. In an apparent response to Trumps remarks, Bukele, who has a friendly relationship with the former US president, posted on X: Taking the high road. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. A new Trump mandate could pose a dilemma for Bukele Source: El Faro Bukele has worked hard to craft an image that would appeal to Trump, Salvadoran outlet El Faro argued, but hes also been building a relationship with China, rattling some US conservatives. However, Trumps friendly relationship with Bukele is unlikely to change during a potential second term. Rather, it could present El Salvadors president with a dilemma: Getting easy funding from China or committing to a Washington that will not consider financing a country which lacks natural resources and possesses little geopolitical significance, El Faro wrote. Bukele is known for being an ideological chameleon, the outlet noted, so predicting his next move is difficult. Trumps claim about Venezuela wasnt unexpected, but his dig at El Salvador was bizarre Sources: Venezuelan journalist Tony Frangie Mawad, FactCheck.org, New Yorkers Jonathan Blitzer Trump parroted false claims long perpetuated by US conservatives that Venezuela is exporting its criminals, Venezuelan journalist Tony Frangie Mawad told Semafor. The former president has made similar statements at least three times in speeches and interviews this year, FactCheck.org noted. Violence in the country has gone down in recent years thanks to changes in criminal dynamics, and not government measures, according to local nonprofit Observatorio de Violencia. However, Trumps dig at El Salvador was unexpected: Especially bizarre given the fact that the two had a good relationship during Trumps first term and, more to the point, that conservative Republicans have been celebrating Bukele for his recent crackdown on crime, New Yorker writer Jonathan Blitzer noted on X. Trump 2.0 likely to crack down on illegal crossings from Latin America, while nurturing economic relationships Sources: Americas Quarterly, El Pais Trumps vision for Latin America is one of growth for the whole continent, his former adviser wrote in Americas Quarterly. Trump previously recognized the inextricable link between US national security and mutual economic growth, and a second term may bring a renewed focus on striking mutually beneficial deals with the rest of the region. But when it comes to border control, Trump will likely crack down on illegal crossings and ramp up pressure on Mexico and Latin America to stem the flow of migrants, a professor told El Pais, even as he continues nurturing relationships with some regional leaders hes close to, like Argentinas Javier Milei. The Trump rally shooter searched online for information on the arrest of a Michigan mass shooter and his parents, who were prosecuted in a 2021 high school shooting. He visited websites for how to build explosives. And in the minutes before he fired shots in an attempted assassination of Donald Trump, he screenshotted a picture from a livestream of the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. A week before the shooting, Thomas Matthew Crooks searched online for the date of the Democratic National Convention and where Trump planned to speak, as well as other searches for Trump and President Joe Biden. These details were among those shared by FBI and US Secret Service officials in a Wednesday briefing with lawmakers and by additional people familiar with the investigation. The previously unreported readout documents the scope of the investigation, including an expanded timeline of the would-be assassins actions leading to up his assault and law enforcements failure to prevent it. Investigators remain puzzled about possible motives for Saturdays attempted assassination of the former president, finding little to point to political or ideological intentions for the attack. But the would-be assassins recent trail on the internet has provided investigators with a detailed picture of his possible mindset before the attack. FBI behavioral experts are building a profile of Crooks based on the findings, the FBI told lawmakers. One emerging theory by investigators, based in part on the timing and subjects of his online searches, is that the shooter was looking to carry out a mass shooting and that the Trump events proximity and timing offered the most ready opportunity, according to a US official briefed on the matter. Unlike other mass shooters who often leave behind manifestos or writings to explain their attack, Crooks left behind few clues, in his bedroom or online. Investigators recovered rudimentary explosive devices from his car, along with a bullet-proof vest, additional magazines of the type he used in the attack and a drone, according to the officials who briefed lawmakers Wednesday. At the family home, they also recovered 14 firearms and additional explosives, along with a second cellphone, a laptop and hard drive. Investigators have focused on Crooks online activity in the months and days before the attack. Family members and people he worked with described him as quiet and a loner but havent indicated that he showed any signs of planning an attack. In April, he searched websites for information on major depressive disorder and depressive crisis treatment. On his primary cellphone, investigators found an image of the arrest photo of Ethan Crumbley the student who shot and killed four classmates at a Michigan high school in 2021 along with information about Crumbley and his parents, who were both found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, the first time parents of a school shooter have been prosecuted. Three days after the Trump campaign announced the rally in Butler, a western Pennsylvania town about an hour from Crooks home, Crooks made numerous searches online for well-known political figures and political events. He searched for the date and location of the Democratic National Convention, which takes place in August in Chicago, and for the location of the Trump rally. He also searched for information on Trump, Biden and other major political figures. On the day of the rally, Crooks made several internet searches, including for photos of the location of Trumps speech and for a local gun store not far from his home, where he purchased bullets that day. Investigators have found data showing that Crooks had visited the location of the rally a week before it was to be held. And on the morning of the rally, he visited the farm where the rally was to be held for over an hour. He then went home, and investigators believe he retrieved an AR-15 rifle owned by his father. Crooks father told investigators that he saw his son leave the home with the rifle and believed he was going to a shooting range that the two had frequented. On the day of the rally, his parents attempted to reach out to Crooks to find him. He didnt respond. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak on stage on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party's presidential nomination. The RNC takes place from July 15-18. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) MILWAUKEE Donald Trump in an unusual speech accepting the GOP presidential nomination Thursday at the fourth and final night of the Republican National Convention gave a detailed account about the attempt on his life last weekend when a gunman shot at him during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. I will tell you exactly what happened. And youll never hear it from me a second time because its actually too painful to tell, Trump said in his first public remarks about the shooting that killed one rally goer and injured two others. The gunman was killed by law enforcement at the scene. Turning his head to look at a chart, which was later displayed on multiple screens inside the Fiserv Forum, is what saved his life, Trump said. I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear, Trump recalled. I said to myself, Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet. I moved my hand to my right ear, brought it down, and my hand was covered with blood. Trump said he knew immediately that he was under attack and praised the Secret Service agents for rushing on stage to shield him with their own bodies, calling them great people who took great risk, to applause from the crowd. He thanked the supporters in attendance last weekend for not panicking and stampeding, which can cause injuries and deaths during a mass shooting. Trump in his 90-minute remarks appeared to seriously reflect on how close he came to being killed at one point, commenting that he wasnt sure he was meant to survive the attack. Im not supposed to be here tonight, Trump said, before the crowd began chanting, Yes, you are! I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God, he added. Republicans bestowal of the nomination on Trump at the finale of their convention is significant in that he becomes the first convicted felon to accept a major political partys presidential nod. Trump still faces charges in multiple criminal cases after one of the cases was dropped earlier this week. Divine intervention seen Trumps comments about being saved by God followed days of politicians from throughout the country claiming the bullet only grazing his ear was an act of divine intervention. Pastor Lorenzo Sewell, from Detroit, said earlier in the night that people cant deny the power of God in Trumps life. You cant deny that God protected him, you cannot deny that it was a millimeter miracle that was able to save this mans life, Sewell said. Could it be that Jesus Christ preserved him for such a time as this? Could it be that the King of Glory, the Lord God, strong and mighty, the God who is mighty in battle, protected Donald Trump, because he wants to use him for such a time as this? Sewell added. Tucker Carlson, former Fox News television personality and conservative pundit, said that a lot of people are wondering whats going on following the shooting on Saturday. Something bigger is going on here. I think people who dont even believe in God are starting to think, Well, maybe theres something to this, Carlson said. And Im starting to think its going to be okay, actually. Trump wore a white bandage on his right ear concealing the wound he received last Saturday before Secret Service agents rushed to shield him from bullets. Trump spoke about Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief attending the rally with his family, who was killed in the shooting as well as the two people who were injured. Trump called Comperatore a highly respected fire chief before walking over to his fire jacket and helmet, which had been placed on the stage, and kissing the helmet in a solemn moment. Trump said he spoke with Comperatores wife as well as the two injured people earlier in the day, who were doing very well in recovering from their injuries. The convention then observed a moment of silence for Comperatore. GOP seeks unity as Democrats debate Bidens fate The Republican National Convention and Trumps acceptance speech provided a prime opportunity for the GOP to show unity as Democrats increasingly questioned whether President Joe Biden should formally become their nominee in the weeks ahead. Trump repeatedly criticized Democrats policies and said they were a threat to the countrys future, though he only mentioned Biden once, saying the damage the current president could inflict on the country is unthinkable. If you took the 10 worst presidents in the history of the United States and added them up, they will not have done the damage that Biden has done, Trump said. Voters, he said, must rescue our nation from failed and even incompetent leadership by voting for him and Republicans during Novembers election. This will be the most important election in the history of our country, Trump said. The stakes have never been higher, Biden campaign says Biden-Harris Campaign Chair Jen OMalley Dillon released a written statement rebuking Trumps speech, saying he rambled on for well over an hour. He failed to mention how he had inflicted pain and cruelty on the women of America by overturning Roe v Wade. He failed to mention his plan to take over the civil service and to pardon the January 6th insurrectionists, Dillon wrote. Biden, on the other hand, is running for an America where we defend democracy, not diminish it, she wrote. The stakes have never been higher, Dillon wrote. The choice has never been more clear. President Biden is more determined than ever to defeat Donald Trump and his Project 2025 agenda in November. DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said in a written statement that in Trumps Republican Party, theres only space for unquestioning loyalists who will put him above our democracy, above our freedoms, and above working families. Over the past four days, weve seen speakers endorse a far-right, dangerous vision that would see Americans basic liberties stripped away and replace the rule of law with the rule of Trump, Harrison wrote. No amount of desperate spin can change how unpopular and out of touch their disastrous plans are for the American people. No stain left by Jan. 6 Trumps speech solidified a significant turnaround for the former president, who earned rebukes from many of the partys leaders following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The events of that day, which led to the deaths of police officers and ended the countrys centuries-long peaceful transition of power, would traditionally have been viewed as a black spot by the party that lauds itself as supporting law and order as well as the countrys founding principles. Instead, Trump has succeeded in convincing his supporters that the people convicted for violent acts should be pardoned as political prisoners and the several court cases against him are about his politics and not his actions. Top Trump campaign official Chris LaCivita refused to say earlier Thursday during an event near the RNC whether Trump would continue to campaign on the promise to pardon Jan. 6 defendants, or hostages as he has described them numerous times. Trump said Thursday night that nothing would prevent him from becoming president following Novembers election. Our resolve is unbroken and our purpose is unchanged to deliver a government that serves the American people better than ever before, Trump said. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Nothing will stop me to this vision, because our vision is righteous and our cause is pure, Trump added. No matter what obstacle comes our way, we will not break, we will not bend, we will not back down and I will never stop fighting for you. Trumps loss of the popular vote and the Electoral College four years ago led him to make false claims about election fraud, which never bore fruit. Judges threw out numerous court challenges. Trump faces federal felony charges that he conspired to create false slates of electors in seven states and attempted to obstruct the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. That, however, hasnt stopped Trump from repeating the claim and making it a hallmark of his third run for the Oval Office. Trump reiterated many of those incorrect claims during his speech to applause and cheers from the crowd gathered inside Fiserv Forum. They used COVID to cheat, he said. Trump: We must not criminalize dissent Despite his incessant encouragement of rally chants during the 2016 campaign to lock up former Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, and a willingness to explore jailing his rivals if he wins in November, Trump said we must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement. In addition to the federal 2020 election subversion charges, Trump faces racketeering charges in Georgia, sentencing over a guilty verdict in New York, and federal charges over allegedly stealing and hiding classified government documents after leaving the Oval Office. Federal District Judge Aileen Cannon on Monday dropped the classified documents case on the grounds that the government illegally appointed a special counsel to prosecute it. The Department of Justice has since appealed. The former president reminded the crowd of the major ruling that was handed down from a highly respected federal judge. If the Democrats want to unify our country, they should drop these partisan witch hunts, Trump said. Stop wars with a telephone call Trump said the planet is teetering on the edge of World War Three and he will end every single international crisis that the current administration has created. Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 would have never happened if I was president, he said, repeating the same claim about the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. I tell you this, we want our hostages back and they better be back, Trump said later in the speech about Israeli-American hostages still in Hamas captivity. Trump praised Victor Orban the Hungarian prime minister known for his authoritarian streak which the crowd cheered. He also touted his friendship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. He said the press criticized him for his congeniality with Kim, but its nice to get along with someone who has a lot of nuclear weapons, Trump said. I could stop wars with a telephone call, Trump said, but immediately followed with a promise to build an Iron Dome missile defense system to ensure that no enemy can strike our homeland. Donald Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention on Thursday to accept the GOP nomination and gave a rambling 90-minute speech in which he preached unity while also accusing Democrats of destroying our country. It was his first speech since the rally assassination attempt, but it drew derision from political analysts who called it ridiculously long and disorganized. In many passages, it was also contradictory. Division in our society must be healed, Trump said. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America because there is no victory in winning for half of America. So tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States, he continued. However, later in his address, Trump slammed the Democratic party for ruining the country with failed and even incompetent leadership, targeted witch hunts, and called Nancy Pelosi crazy. Give us your vote. I am trying to buy your vote, the former president continued. I will be honest about that. We must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement, which is whats been happening in our country, likely at a level that nobody has ever seen before, Trump said. In that spirit, the Democrat Party should immediately stop weaponizing, the justice system and labeling their political opponent as an enemy of democracy. Especially since that is not true. In fact, I am the one saving democracy for the people of our country. The former president touted his recent legal win after his classified documents case was thrown out in Florida. If Democrats want to unify our country, they should drop these partisan witch hunts, which I have been going through for approximately eight years, and they should do that without delay and allow an election to proceed that is worthy of our people, Trump continued. Were going to win it anyway. Trump veered away from focusing on Joe Biden, referencing Democrats as a whole instead, a departure from his typical campaign speeches. He did, however, mention the current president once. If you took the 10 worst presidents in the history of the United States and added them up, they would not have done the damage that Biden has done, Trump said. Only going to use the term once, Biden, Im not going to use the name anymore just one time. The damage that hes done to this country is unthinkable. Other times throughout the speech Trump opted to reference Bidens term in office simply as the current administration. The length was oft commented on and criticized or mocked. Even supporters were turned off. I love Trump. I love the enthusiasm. I love what he is talking about. But, this speech is getting a little long-winded. Started out strong, but it's getting long. Evan Kilgore (@EvanAKilgore) July 19, 2024 Trump's speech was, objectively, the single worst convention acceptance speech in modern history. It was a ramblefuck disaster from start to its long-delayed finish, and nothing is going to make it better. You know. I know it. LaCivita and Wiles know it. Utter disaster. Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) July 19, 2024 Trump is saying nothing at all about the problems of the American people, its just a long rambling speech about himself and convention booking logistics. Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) July 19, 2024 NBC News: Some attendees are starting to leave as Trump goes long Some people have started leaving their seats and filing out of the arena as Trumps speech surpasses his records in 2016 and 2020. He has been speaking for more than 80 minutes. https://t.co/A6w1N6MGOg Nicholas Brown (@NicholasABrown_) July 19, 2024 Trump took a large role in crafting the remarks for the convention, as well as curating the lineup of speakers ahead of his address, CNN reported earlier on Thursday. The former president also said that he scrapped his initial speech, initially planned to target the Biden administration, in lieu of a message of unity following his near-death experience. The attempted assassination and the former presidents survival have shaped much of the content of the convention in Milwaukee. Delegates have repeatedly chanted Fight! in unison, referencing Trumps words immediately following the shooting. Im not supposed to be here tonight, Trump said to a crowd that immediately broke out in a Yes you are! chant across the convention floor. I stand before you, in this arena, only by the grace of Almighty God, he added. For the rest of my life, I will be grateful for the love shown by that giant audience of patriots that stood bravely on that fateful evening in Pennsylvania, the former president said. Despite such a heinous attack, we unite this evening, more determined than ever. I am more determined than ever. Additionally, some supporters have arrived to the RNC donning white ear bandages, which Trump has appeared in the convention hall wearing to cover his injury. There is still limited information on the actual injury Trump sustained from the attempt on his life. The fourth and final night of the convention also featured speeches from the former presidents son Eric Trump, pro wrestler, Hulk Hogan, UFC chief executive Dana White, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and Trump lawyer Alina Habba. The RNC this year has a certain sense of unity not present in recent years, with the Republican Party completely rallying behind Trumps candidacy. Former Trump rivals spoke throughout the convention including Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, who both ran against him in the primary race. Trump announced his running mate on Monday, selecting Ohio Sen. JD Vance to join him on the ticket. Vance took the stage on Wednesday, expressing gratitude to Trump and cementing his loyalty to the former president, just years after calling him Americas Hitler. The post Trump Preaches Unity, Accuses Democrats of Destroying Our Country in Rambling, 90-Minute RNC Speech appeared first on TheWrap. Former President Trump has expanded his lead over President Biden in recent polling after last weekends assassination attempt. A survey released Thursday by CBS News found that among likely voters, 52 percent said their choice for president is Trump, while 47 percent said the same about Biden. Trumps numbers increased, up from 50 percent in a July 3 survey, while Biden dropped 1 percent. Biden fared better in battleground states but still trailed Trump. Fifty-one percent of likely voters in battleground states say they choose Trump compared to Bidens 48 percent. Most respondents said the way Trump handled the assassination attempt at his Butler, Pa., rally last Saturday had no change on their vote, but 26 percent said they are more likely to consider voting for Trump after the shooting and 7 percent said they are less likely to consider him. Bidens poor debate performance last month sparked fear among Democrats about his ability to beat Trump in the election and serve another four years if reelected. Calls for him to step aside and let someone else, namely Vice President Harris, run have persisted in the weeks after the debate. The survey found that Trump would also lead if Harris were the nominee, 51 percent to 48 percent. A Morning Consult survey released Thursday also found Trump widened his lead after the shooting. In that poll, 46 percent of respondents said they will vote for Trump while 42 percent said they will support Biden. Additionally, 8 percent said they will cast their ballot for someone else and 5 percent said they dont know. Independent voters leaned toward Trump: 38 percent said they support the former presidents reelection bid compared to 32 percent supporting Bidens. Meanwhile, 18 percent said they will vote for someone else and 12 percent were undecided. The CBS News survey was conducted July 16-18 among 2,247 registered voters and has a margin of error of 2.7 percentage points. The Morning Consult survey was conducted July 15-17 among 9,414 registered voters and has a margin of error of 1 percentage point. 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. Former U.S. President Donald Trump formally accepted the nomination as his party's presidential candidate on July 18 at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee in his first speech since surviving an attempted assassination. A gunman fired at Trump on July 14 during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The bullet grazed Trump's ear, but he was otherwise unharmed. "So tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States," Trump said on the final day of the RNC. This marks Trump's third Republican nomination for president, after winning the 2016 election and losing the 2020 vote to U.S. President Joe Biden. Trump is expected to face Biden again in November, though calls from democratic lawmakers for Biden to step down have increased amid questions about his fitness for office. A potential second Trump presidency has raised concern about ongoing U.S. support for Ukraine. Trump has long criticized U.S. aid to Kyiv, and his sway over the GOP contributed to the months-long deadlock in Congress over supplemental security assistance. President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a BBC interview on July 18 that cooperating with a Trump White House would be "hard work, but we (Ukrainians) are hard workers." On the campaign trail, Trump has repeatedly touted a plan to bring the war to an immediate end if he wins in November. The plan reportedly involves ceding territory to Russia, though Trump has provided minimal details on the specifics of his proposal. Trump will run alongside his vice presidential running mate, Senator JD Vance, who is thought to be an even more outspoken opponent of U.S. support for Ukraine, and has openly endorsed territorial concessions as part of a potential peace deal. Trump was convicted in May on 34 felony counts involving falsified business records related to hush money payments. Read also: As Trumps victory becomes more likely, efforts underway to sway him to Ukraines side Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Donald Trump began the week feeling spiritual after a failed assassination attempt,and publicly stated that he wanted to use his speech at the Republican National Conventionostensibly to accept the partys presidential nominationto unify the country rather than attack his successor, President Joe Biden. So much for that plan. Donald Trump did begin his lengthy, hour-and-a-half-long speech by recounting the shooting that came millimeters from claiming his life in Butler, Pennsylvaniarepeatedly invoking religious imagery in his description of the event. The former president, taking the stage after a series of bombastic performances by professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, musician and right-wing culture warrior Kid Rock, and UFC CEO Dana White, claimed he would only describe his experience once publicly because it is actually too painful to tell. I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear. I said to myself, Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet. I moved my right hand to my ear, I took it down, my hand was covered with blood, he recalled. Absolutely blood all over the place. I immediately knew it was very serious, that we were under attack. In one movement I proceeded to drop to the ground, bullets were continuing to fly, as very brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage. Trump declared that he had God on my side during the ordeal, which claimed the life of one rallygoer and injuries to two others. There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side. I felt that, Trump said. Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after officially accepting the Republican presidential nomination on stage during the fourth day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Joe Raedle/Getty Images I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God, he declared later, in line with how some MAGA leaders have reacted. Watching the reports over the last few days many people say it was a providential moment. It probably was. When I rose, surrounded by Secret Service, the crowd was confused because they thought I was dead, Trump continued. There was great sorrow. I could see that on their faces as I looked out. They do not know that I was looking out they thought it was over. But I see it I wanted to do something to that them know that I was OK. I raised my right arm, looked at the thousands and thousands of people that were breathlessly waiting and started shouting, Fight! Fight! Fight! The unifying message stopped there, with the 2024 Republican nominee quickly pivoting back to a long list of his greatest hits from the campaign trailstarting with an odd promise to end the electric vehicle mandate, despite the fact there is none. He also touted his economic record (before COVID hit the U.S.), and his record of draconian border policiesblasting his successor, President Biden, for rescinding some of those policies. Trump also argued that inflation is currently at its highest level in historydespite it being nowhere near. People stand to applaud former US First Lady Melania Trump (C) during the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images In addition to his policy talk, Trump also reiterated several of his false claims about election fraud in the 2020 election. Since Trumps last appearance at the GOP convention, the 78-year-old has added elements to his biography that had been unprecedented for a major political partys presidential candidate. After being voted out of office, Trump pushed false claims about the election he lost and was indicted for dozens of felonies in four jurisdictionsmany having to do with his effort to remain in power. He then became a convicted felon in New York after a unanimous jury verdict found him guilty of falsifying business records to help his 2016 campaign. Another case, concerning his alleged hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, was dismissed last week in the wake of a monumental Supreme Court decision which declared that U.S. presidents were legally immune for official acts taken while in office. Trump predictably characterized the indictments of him as witch hunts in a lengthy aside. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Trump Gives First Speech Since Assassination Attempt, But Black Twitter Isn't Having It Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Image: Andrew Harnik (Getty Images) While the world watched as former President Donald Trump spoke for the first time since his brush with death at a rally last week, Black folks were ready to clock his lies and call the GOP nominee out on his racially divisive language. On Thursday the fourth day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) Trump accepted the GOP nomination and made history by delivering the longest speech in RNC history breaking a record he set back in 2020. Many hoped the attempt on Trumps life would bring the nation together against political violence. But the 90-minute speech proved nothing was new except the bandage on his ear, which he fashionably sported throughout the days of the convention. The GOP nominee began his speech by pledging to be the president for all of America, not half of America if elected. His sentiments about unity were a change from the usual tone set by the former president, but it didnt last long. Not even 20 minutes into his speech, Trump went on to falsely claim Democrats used COVID-19 to cheat him out of the 2020 election, compared migrants to Hannibal Lecter and verbally attacked too many of his rivals to count. Although supporters of Trump gave his speech outstanding ratings, social media painted a different picture, and Black folks specifically had much to say about what this means for the future of America. Against my better judgment, Im watching Trumps speech at the RNC. Hes recounting his assassination attempt and this man just said bullets continued to fly at him and there was blood pouring everywhere. People thought he was dead This man is truly delusional. NCS (@NicoleCiara__) July 19, 2024 X user @NicoleCiara__ called Trump delusional after he detailed the events leading up to and following the attempt on his life. Immediately following the shooting, many Black people were skeptical saying the attempt was staged or fabricated to garner support. Hell they are talking about Bidens health. Whats happening with Trump? Trump sounds like he has dementia. Hes rambling and all over the place. He cant even stay on script. Hes a disaster. LaTosha Brown (@MsLaToshaBrown) July 19, 2024 You all think Biden's speech was worse than this? Y'all are mad. Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) July 19, 2024 Other users took the time to compare Trumps speech performance to growing concerns about President Joe Bidens health. Many from the Democratic party are calling their nominee drop out of the race citing his old age. Trump poked fun at Biden during his speech, saying the president has done more damage to the nation than the top 10 worst ranked presidents in American history. If Biden ever gave a speech like this crazy Trump speech at the RNC, I would walk to the White House myself and tell him to step down. Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) July 19, 2024 If Biden is watching Trump's speech right now, he better damn sure not drop out. Charles Costen-Sumpter He/Him (@CharlesASumpter) July 19, 2024 Folks were quick to call out Trump for all of the tangents he went on during the speech. Seemingly going completely off script at times, Trumps call for national unity quickly turned into the politically incorrect, divisive speech the former president is known for. Donald Trump just referred to Nancy Pelosi as "crazy Nancy Pelosi" during RNC speech. He just said "discord and division in our society must be healed." Off script, Trump quickly goes back to his norm. Natasha S. Alford (@NatashaSAlford) July 19, 2024 Watching Trump and his speech is not unifying. He's trying to put Black people against Mexicans, and he's trying to break alliances with other foreign countries by playing the blame game. He's uggghhhh. pic.twitter.com/nTWfi6hH26 Chenisa Whitaker (@LadeeNiecee) July 19, 2024 To quote George W. Bush, "This is some weird shit."#RNC2024 Tara Setmayer (@TaraSetmayer) July 19, 2024 With Biden out with COVID-19, as reported by AP News, Trump took full advantage of the opportunity to fire up his supporters and prove to them that he is not only alive but ready to head into the November election. On the other side, Bidens fate is still up in the air as support for his candidacy continues to waver within his own party. If Biden decides to drop out of the race with less than four months until Nov. 4, it will leave an empty seat for the Democratic party with questions about who will take the throne. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In choosing Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump made his campaign strategy clear: boys, boys, boys. White working-class men were key to Trumps victory in 2016, and Bidens ability to peel off some of their support was one reason he won in 2020. Now Trump seems to be doubling down on the strategy of catering to disaffected menmostly white ones, but also Black and Hispanic men and young men. Hes doing so to some degree in policy, promising to close the border to immigrants, whom he paints as physically dangerous to vulnerable white women and economically threatening to the forgotten white men. But Trump is just not much of a policy guy; hes an entertainer and a symbol-maker, equal parts savior and avenger, a man onto whom fans can project all sorts of hopes and inclinations. And as such, his appeal to men is much more about masculine performance and cultural signaling than about expertise, competence, or even a loose plan of action. Which is why Vance, perhaps the least qualified and least experienced vice presidential nominee in decades, may have appealed to Trump. Vance brings no practical skill set to the ticket. Yes, he could pull more money from Silicon Valley billionaires, but he doesnt promise to deliver any key state (Ohio, where Vance is a senator, was already Trumps) or bring along any new demographic (white men are already Trumps). Instead, he supplies youth and vigor, masculine embitterment, and white male rage. (Even at my best, Im a delayed explosion, he wrote in his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy.) And that, Trumps campaign has banked, is enough to win the election. Perhaps its even enough to give the MAGA movement a second life once Trump is gone. MAGA is a movement of both gender traditionalism and cartoonish machismo, rejecting the compassionate conservatism of George W. Bushs evangelical Christianity for the muscular reactionaryism of Jacked Jesus. Trumps sexism and his poor treatment of women in his personal life have been extensively documented; Vance has been outspoken about his particular ire for women who have an insufficient number of children, as well as for mothers who work outside the home. (Vance has three children and, until his candidacy was announced, his wife worked a demanding job at a law firm.) He has complained that childless women have too much power, griping, We are effectively run in this country, via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs, by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that theyve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable too. He has argued that a healthy ruling class must be made up of people with children. And since he has also suggested that mothers shouldnt prioritize working in demanding rolesIf your worldview tells you that its bad for women to become mothers but liberating for them to work 90 hours a week in a cubicle at the New York Times or Goldman Sachs, youve been had, he tweeted just after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wadehe has insinuated, effectively, that the ruling class should be made up of men. These views are, obviously, alienating to a lot of women. But they may be surprisingly appealing to disaffected men who feel that their rightful place at the top of the social, political, economic, and familial hierarchies should be restored. A lot of recent data has, in fact, shown that there is a huge self-defined masculinity gap between Republicans and Democrats, with Republican men much more likely than Democratic ones to say that they are very masculine (54 percent vs. 33 percent), according to a 2022 American Enterprise Institute survey. According to that same survey, Black and Hispanic men look a lot more like Republicans than Democrats when it comes to ideas about their own manliness: 55 percent of Black men and 52 percent of Hispanic men also say they are very masculine. In 2023 a Politico magazine/IPSOS poll of just over 1,000 people found that one of the biggest predictors of support for Trump is a belief that men are besieged by an anti-male culturethat mens roles and masculinity itself are under attack. Trump performs his tough-guy routine for this group of men, who hold tight to their masculine identities. Vance speaks directly to them. In Vances Republican National Convention speech, his first as the VP pick, the Ohio native emphasized this men-first strategy. He stressed that Americans need a leader who answers to the working man. This election isnt about him, he intoned: Its about all of us, and its about who were fighting for. Who is that? He listed off three archetypes: the autoworker in Michigan, the factory worker in Wisconsin, and the energy worker in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Women, of course, are autoworkers, factory workers, and energy workers. But these jobs are heavily coded as blue-collar and male, and its not hard to read between the lines and see that when Vance speaks about the working class, he means exactly what he said early on in his speech: that hes talking about the working man. As for women, well, Vance did say, Our movement is about single moms like mine, who struggled with money and addiction but never gave up. Which is an interesting way to introduce his own mother on the national stage but hardly a familiar, inspiring, or even particularly accurate picture of American women, single moms or not. The women that Vance talked about were all members of his own family. In fact, the only time the word woman showed up in his speech was when he was talking about his grandmother, and the only working woman he referenced was his wife (Usha, an incredible lawyer and a better mom). Men, on the other hand, merited specific mention as tradesmen who had lost their jobs, as the patriots who had signed up for military duty after 9/11, and as the workers a Trump presidency will answer to. Its hard to believe that this wasnt an intentional nod to the people Vance hopes will get behind him. Even before picking Vance, Trump was running way ahead with men. In early July, after his debate against President Joe Biden, Trump saw a surge of male support, with 58 percent of respondents in a New York Times/Siena College poll saying they would vote for him, and just 31 percent backing Biden. Women are not so enthusiastic: Biden retains a lead with female voters, although the margins are not nearly as dramatic. Most polls dont break out support by race and gender combined, but Trump also leads among white voters, 56 percent of whom are supporting hima trend that suggests he has particularly strong backing from white men. And he seems too to be making inroads with men of color. Again, the most recent and reliable polls are not granular enough to break down the preferences of Black and Hispanic men vs. women (or older voters of color vs. younger ones), but voters of color without college degrees are surprisingly split: Biden leads this cohort by just 7 points, with 40 percent supporting Trump. But voters of color without college degrees are more likely to be male than female. In other words: While Black voters are still strongly pro-Biden and Hispanic voters remain more pro-Biden than pro-Trumpand while white voters are much more pro-Trump than any other racial groupthe data suggest that when it comes to Trumps making inroads among voters of color, hell have the best luck with men. Vance has similar strengths. In his 2022 senate race, Vance won 58 percent of male Ohio voters, including 62 percent of married men, 64 percent of white men, and nearly 15 percent of Black men. This, in a traditional campaign sense, makes Vance a poor choice for the vice presidency. If Trump is trying to win over more voters, he has much more room to grow with women. From 2016 to 2020, he increased his support from white women, while Biden gained among white men. This year, though, women have been flocking to Democrats in the wake of abortion bans and other instances of GOP hypermisogyny. Trump himself knows that abortion politics are the GOPs weak spot, which is why he has forced the party to be more deceptive about its opposition to abortion rights in its 2024 platform. But winning back women is apparently a lower priority than emphasizing MAGA masculinity. And elections, after all, are about both turnout and persuasion. In choosing Vance, Trump seems to be betting that he can increase male turnout by fanning the flames of masculine discontent and perhaps persuade some Democrats and independents that they too are better represented by the party of men. Finally, leaning so heavily on masculine power is also a strategy particularly calibrated in opposition to Biden. Trump is by no measure a healthy young man and has rarely received praise (other than from himself) for his mental acuity. But voters really are worried not just about Bidens age but about his stamina and his physical and cognitive abilities. And some may be swayed further still by Vance, whose appeal rests partly in his youth, especially when compared to Biden. (Vance is 39.) Male voters are much more likely than female ones to strongly believe that Biden is simply too old to be president60 percent of them say so, according to Times polling. And just 21 percent say the same of Trump. Putting a much younger man on the ticket reinforces Trumps core message: He and Vance are red-blooded American males, and this is no country for old men. (Vance, for his part, has leaned into the role as well: When the Chinese spy balloon was floating over the U.S., Vance posted a photo of himself on social media pointing a gun at the sky.) Nor, the Trump ticket suggests, is it one for middle-aged women. Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris is much younger than Biden. But shell be 60 by Election Day. Vance will be 40making him, if he and Trump win, one of the youngest vice presidents in American history. In Vance, disgruntled men may see someone who stands up for, and stands in for, their return to greatness. Trumps conservative base may see a man who can carry the MAGA movement for years to come. Whether thats enough to counteract the damage the GOP has done with female voters is a gigantic question. But in choosing Vance, Trump has laid his cards on the table, and hes going all in on the guys. Will Scharf at his campaign kickoff event on Jan. 31, 2023, in St. Louis (photo submitted). It was late August last year when Will Scharf got a call from a South Florida number he didnt recognize. It was a 561 number, and my parents are in that area code, Scharf said. So I assumed it was my dad calling me from a landline or something. As it turns out, it was Donald Trump. Scharf had become close with a number of attorneys in Trumps orbit, and had been making regular media appearances defending the former president as he faced a litany of criminal charges. Id spoken to him before, but never, you know, him calling me from his cell phone. I picked up, and it was just him, Scharf recalled in an interview with The Independent. His legal team was looking to bring on a dedicated appellate team, and the president just called me and asked me if that was something that I was interested in. Scharf and a pair of other Missouri lawyers John Sauer and Michael Talent pitched the (Trump) campaign the way you would pitch any client, and a couple days later, they hired us. And weve been working for the president ever since. His role as one of Trumps lawyers has become a key selling point as he seeks to oust incumbent Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey in the Aug. 6 Republican primary. During a recent campaign event in Springfield, his work for Trump and his full-throated defense of the former presidents record made up the lions share of Scharfs speech. His campaign mailers feature Trumps image and news reports about Scharfs role helping win the presidential immunity case in the U.S. Supreme Court. But Scharf is also running against Jefferson City itself, painting state government as hopelessly corrupt and in the thrall of special interests. And Bailey, who was appointed to the job by Gov. Mike Parson in 2022, is front and center of the corruption, Scharf contends. Jefferson City is an abysmal failure, and if we keep putting the same people back in charge, were going to keep getting more of the same, Scharf said. To his critics, however, Scharfs rhetoric is pure hypocrisy. His bid for attorney general is being bankrolled by out of state billionaires, most notably groups associated with Leonard Leo of the Federalist Society. And Scharfs only foray into state government thus far, critics note, was working for former Gov. Eric Greitens, who was forced to resign from office in 2018 to avoid impeachment and settle a felony charge. Bailey and his supporters have also pilloried Scharf over the fact that he was born in New York and is an Ivy League alumni of Princeton and Harvard. Wall Street Willie is backed by D.C., dark money groups and a Wall Street billionaire, and (he) has no real ties to the State of Missouri, Bailey said in an interview with The Independent. Scharf said Baileys attacks are a sign of desperation. The crux of the issue is that they cant attack my record as a conservative, he said. They cant attack my courtroom successes, and they cant attack my experience. So they basically attack me for where I was born, which I obviously had no control over. And they think thatll stick. I dont think its going to fool Missouri voters. Im proud to be a Missourian by choice. Journey to Missouri Scharf was indeed born in New York, eventually attending the Phillips Academy preparatory school in Andover, Massachusetts, where he graduated in 2004. He went on to graduate from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. At Harvard, Scharf became president of the universitys chapter of the Federalist Society, the influential conservative legal advocacy group involved in almost every high-profile conservative judicial appointment of recent decades. He moved to Missouri after law school in 2011 to clerk for Appeals Court Judge Raymond Gruender, who was appointed to the bench by former President George W. Bush and would later be included on Trumps short list for the U.S. Supreme Court. Within a few months of moving here, I just liked Missouri a lot better than any place Ive lived before, he said. And I decided pretty quickly that this is where I wanted to make my own home. It didnt hurt, Scharf notes, that his arrival in the fall of 2011 coincided with the St. Louis Cardinals run to a World Series. I was working downtown, and they were, like, 11 games back in the NL Central. So Id walk over after work and get a cheap seat in the bleachers, he said. That was really my introduction to St. Louis and the culture. It drew me in almost immediately. He eventually settled into private practice, but was lured into politics when Catherine Hawnaway decided to run for governor in 2016. He volunteered for the campaign, and ended up joining full time. When she lost in the GOP primary, the man that won the nomination Eric Greitens asked him to join his team. Id been a thorn in his side during the primary, Scharf said, and he thought I could do as good a job for him as I had done against him. Greitens would go on to win that fall, and Scharf was named policy director in the governors office. John Lamping, a former Republican state senator who became close with Scharf over the years, said regardless of the scandals that marred Greitens personal life and led to his downfall, the policy wins for conservatives during his time as governor cant be denied. Greitens signed a right to work law, though it was ultimately overturned by a union-organized referendum campaign. He convened a special session to pass anti-abortion legislation. And he derailed the states low-income housing tax credit program that he believed was a giveaway to wealthy developers. And Scharf, Lamping said, was a key reason why. His influence on Gov. Greitens was specific to policy and the possibility of achieving the legislative successes that Greitens wanted to achieve, Lamping said. And on that note, especially with primary voters, his grade would be A+. After Greitens resignation, Scharf moved to Washington, D.C., to work for the advocacy organization Judicial Crisis Network, focused on judicial confirmations and nominations, most notably Justice Brett Kavanaugh. In 2020, he jumped at the chance to return to Missouri to work as an assistant U.S. attorney in St. Louis. I wanted to get back to Missouri, he said. And I always wanted to be a prosecutor. Two years later, when then-Attorney General Eric Schmitt was getting ready to resign to take a seat in the U.S. Senate, Scharf was among the Republicans quietly working behind the scenes to convince the governor to appoint him as a replacement. Parson tapped Bailey instead, and Scharf says he began being approached by friends to run for the office. I thought about it, I prayed on it, I talked to friends about it, Scharf said, then formally launched his challenge of Bailey in January 2023. Culture of corruption There is a deep dissatisfaction with Jefferson City, Scharf said. Everywhere weve gone in the state during the campaign, he said, people are ready for a change. One of Scharfs main lines of attack has been Bailey taking donations from lobbyists and companies whose interests intersect with the attorney generals office. For example, last year the attorney general had to recuse his office from litigation filed by companies accused of operating illegal gambling devices, forcing the state to hire private counsel. The recusal came after Bailey received thousands in contributions from PACs connected to the chief lobbyist for the companies suing the state. Bailey also drew fire over accepting a $50,000 donation from a St. Louis company shortly after filing an amicus brief backing its efforts to move a lead-poisoning lawsuit it was facing out of Missouri. When you look at Jefferson City today, Scharf said, you see a political culture thats deeply in hock to a very narrow set of special interests and lobbyists and political insiders. Scharf vows to use the power of attorney generals office to root out corruption in state government. The power brokers that control most of the elected offices in Jeff City, hes not part of that, Lamping said of Scharf. The people that run Jeff City, they better be very careful, because I think that theyll have somebody paying a lot of attention to them if Will Scharf is elected. Bailey vehemently denies any wrongdoing, arguing Scharfs entire message is undercut by his association with Greitens. Greitens successful 2016 campaign was, like Scharfs, also pegged on the notion that Jefferson City was hopelessly corrupt and could only be fixed by electing a political outsider. But his administration was plagued with accusations of impropriety, mostly stemming from the fountain of anonymous campaign contributions that fueled his political rise. Greitens campaign committee would eventually be hit with one of the largest fines in the history of the Missouri Ethics Commission. Adding to the drama were the scandals emanating from Greitens personal life, including allegations of violent sexual assault that fueled the push for a GOP-dominated General Assembly to impeach him. He avoided being removed from office when he resigned in June 2018 to settle a felony charge in St. Louis surrounding his alleged theft of a donor list from a veterans charity he founded. It shows a real lack of integrity on his part, Bailey said of Scharfs work with Greitens. Scharf said he was only involved in policy during his time with Greitens, and Im proud of our policy accomplishments. Eric Greitens was not the first person to note that our political culture in Jefferson City is broken, Scharf said, and hes obviously not the last. Bailey has also panned the millions in donations that have poured into the PAC supporting Scharf from groups tied to Leonard Leo of the Federalist Society. So far, Scharf has benefited from $3.5 million in donations connected to Leo. According to The New York Times, Leo has helped marshal half a billion dollars in resources over the last decade to bankroll legal, policy and political fights around the country over issues ranging from critical race theory to transgender rights to election law. Scharf has publicly called Leo a dear friend and mentor. Lamping said taking money from someone who has helped create the most conservative Supreme Court in our lifetimes is a pro, not a con. Break from the past In addition to focusing on government corruption, Scharf vows to go after companies behind games that resemble slot machines that have sprung up in convenience stores, truck stops and other locations across the state in recent years. The Missouri Gaming Commission has deemed the machines gambling devices, which are prohibited outside of licensed casinos, and the state highway patrol considers them illegal. Bailey has said the issue should be handled at the local level. Scharf vehemently disagrees. The AGs office has broad authority to enforce Missouri gaming law, Scharf contends, and I think theyre not currently exercising that authority. The machines are illegal. The law needs to be enforced. Its as simple as that. He also promises to stabilize an office he says has suffered massive staff turnover since Bailey took over a problem he argues has led to cases, including low level cases that should be handled easily by the office being farmed out to private counsel. Just this week, for example, a judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by the attorney generals office against a solar company accused of ripping off customers by knowingly using defective components and refusing to repair or properly install their systems. The reason for the dismissal was that no one from the attorney generals office showed up at a hearing on Tuesday. Theyve missed deadlines in numerous cases around the state, Scharf said of Baileys office. Theyve even been called to task for that by judges in any number of cases. Its a real problem, the basic functioning of that office has been compromised by poor management. With Scharfs background and ties to national conservative legal circles, Lamping expects Missouris attorney generals office to be a hot landing spot for some of the nations best lawyers. You will see extraordinary legal minds from all around the country come in, he said, and spend some time working under a Scharf attorney generals office. Ultimately, Scharfs pitch for the job comes down to what voters think about their state government. If youre really happy with the Jefferson City establishment, our campaign is probably not right for you, he said. If you want a break from the past, if you want a government in Jefferson City thats actually focused on representing the interests of the people of Missouri, I think you should give us a strong look. And to avoid any more confusion when the former president calls him, Scharf came up with a solution. Now I have a special ring that goes off when he calls me, Scharf said. The only number in my phone that results in an audible ring is President Trump. Everyone else, I just have the buzzer. Trump mentions war in Ukraine while speaking at Republican convention US presidential candidate Donald Trump has mentioned Ukraine during a speech at the Republican convention, stating that the world is on the brink of World War III, and promised to change the situation. Source: Trumps address; Voice of America Quote: "I will end every single international crisis that the current administration has created, including the horrible war with Russia and Ukraine, which would have never happened if I was president." Details: He also mentioned the war in the Middle East and the conflict looming over Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines and all of Asia. Trump warned that World War III would be terrible due to the weapons now available to humanity. He said these weapons are destructive and time has come for changes. Trump also noted that Russia invaded Georgia, captured Crimea under other US presidents and "under the current administration, Russia is after all of Ukraine". "Under President Trump, Russia took nothing," Trump concluded. Quote: "I could stop wars with a telephone call." Support UP or become our patron! President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Sean OBrien speaks on stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Monday. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) When Teamsters Union president Sean OBrien took the podium the first night of the Republican National Convention this week, he readily acknowledged his participation was unique. I dont care about getting criticized, OBrien said, referring to organized labors long history, with exceptions in the building trades, of endorsing Democrats. Its an honor to be the first Teamster in our 121-year history to address the Republican National Convention. The Teamsters historically are not strangers to endorsing Republicans, however, having in the past backed Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush. OBriens invitation to speak came from Donald Trump. But the gesture is at odds with the former presidents record on labor, which includes three executive orders designed to dilute the power of unions, especially those representing federal workers. Trumps policies have made their way into Project 2025, the playbook designed for a second term, which calls for the decimation of worker rights and suggests calling on Congress to consider whether public-sector unions are appropriate in the first place. The Teamsters and the GOP may not agree on many issues, but a growing group has shown the courage to sit down and consider points of view that arent funded by big money think tanks, OBrien declared, in an apparent swipe at the Heritage Foundation, the big money think tank behind Project 2025. Trump has claimed to know nothing about Project 2025, although scores involved in its creation are former staffers. Russ Vought, author of a chapter on executive branch staffing, is also a member of the Republican partys platform committee. Project 2025s priorities would erode, if not eliminate, collective bargaining rights. Everyone should be concerned about Project 2025s extremist agenda. Its the blueprint for a second Donald Trump presidency, and it would be an absolute disaster, says Michelle Maese, president of SEIU 1107, which represents public employees in Southern Nevada. Their goal isnt to fix our government or our country. Its to break it even more. The manifesto seeks to reclassify civil servants so they may be replaced with political appointees. Experts suggest as many as one million federal jobs could be lost as a result of agency elimination, privatization, budget cuts, and hiring freezes. John Vellardita, president of the Clark County Education Association, which represents 18,000 teachers, characterized the effort as a heavy lift. Its not going to happen, he says. The ideological drive behind that doctrine is to restructure power relationships between unions and employers in the public sector and private sector. Vellardita points to Wisconsin, where former Gov. Scott Walkers 2011 attack on public unions is still being challenged. Last week, a judge ruled parts of the legislation passed under Walkers administration violate the equal protection guarantees of the state Constitution. The law limits collective bargaining for most public employees but exempts public safety workers such as police and firefighters. That was an incredible undertaking by right-wing government at the state level, and it met significant resistance not just by public sector employees, but the populace in general. The state capital was under siege, Vellardita notes. I just dont see it happening. Is the threat there with the ideology behind Project 2025 assuming power at the federal level? Absolutely. The collective power of the teachers Vellardita represents is currently limited by a state law prohibiting public employees from striking. Nevada is already a right-to-work state, meaning employees dont have to pay union dues to work or benefit from collective bargaining. In place of unions, whose politicking and adversarial approach appeals to few, the playbook calls for Congress to enact reforms such as creating non-union employee-involvement organizations, described as a more cooperative model run jointly with management that focuses solely on workplace issues, and allow workers to be represented on corporate boards. Theres a significant imbalance of power between employees and employers that will not be resolved through token participation of a worker on that level, says Bliss Requa-Trautz, executive director of Arriba Las Vegas Worker Center. Worker centers such as Arriba, which assist employees but dont negotiate agreements with employers, could be required to submit financial reports to the federal government, in the same vein as a union, under Project 2025. Some of Project 2025s other provisions would: repeal the federal law requiring prevailing wage pay on federal projects and eliminate project labor agreements; facilitate discrimination against people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and women by rescinding regulations prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in federal agencies; reduce benefits such as unemployment and food stamps by increasing accountability measures and attaching conditions; allow teens who have parental approval to be trained on dangerous machinery, Requa-Trautz finds the provision for relaxing child labor protections especially troubling. There are important restrictions on minors using industrial machinery with lockout and tagout procedures, and current adult employees dont have sufficient training. So why do we think were going to have teens who can safely operate that kind of industrial machinery? The playbook calls on Congress to pass laws in keeping with Project 2025s Christian nationalist goals of promoting traditional families consisting of two married heterosexual adults and their children. Employers who provide benefits for abortion would be required to provide equal or greater benefits for pregnancy, childbirth, and adoption. We must replace woke nonsense with a healthy vision of the role of labor policy in our society, starting with the American family, says Project 2025, which seeks to eliminate regulations supporting diversity, equity and inclusion. Under this managerialist left-wing race and gender ideology, every aspect of labor policy became a vehicle with which to advance race, sex, and other classifications and discriminate against conservative and religious viewpoints on these subjects and others, including pro-life views, says the playbook. Party loyalty Trumps primary overture to union members in Nevada this election cycle has been a pledge to hospitality workers, many of whom belong to Culinary Local 226, that hell eliminate the tax on their tips. Experts contend its likely an empty promise. In 2020, union members favored Pres. Joe Biden over Trump, according to national data. But some construction trades, such as Laborers Union 872 in Las Vegas, have traditionally leaned to the right. Public sector unions, once aligned with Democrats, are loosening their ties at the demand of the rank and file. The teachers union exhibited its independence in 2022 by refusing to endorse either side in Nevadas gubernatorial race. We are not beholden to anyone or any party, says Vellardita of CCEA, whose members are diverse. Partisanship, he says, would breed disunity. Well work with anybody thatll work with us, regardless of their persuasion. Maese and SEIU remain committed to the Democratic ticket. Donald Trump wants to dismantle the Department of Education, further restrict womens reproductive freedoms, make climate change worse and eliminate job protections for thousands of government employees so he can replace them with political hacks who will do whatever he says, Maese asserts. As the head of over 120 unions representing 150,000 members, the Nevada State AFL-CIO strongly opposes Trumps Project 2025 plan to undermine the decades of hard work and representation our membership has tirelessly fought for, says Susie Martinez, executive secretary-treasurer of the Nevada AFL-CIO. As a union we stand committed to defending the rights of working-class members and oppose any policy that undermines their ability to achieve fair wages, representation, and improved working conditions. The Teamsters, despite OBriens appearance at the Republican convention, has yet to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election. There are some parties that stand in active opposition to labor unions, OBrien told Republicans. This too must change. And I want to be clear at the end of the day, the Teamsters are not interested if you have a D, R or an I next to your name. We want to know one thing. What are you doing to help American workers? This story is one in an occasional series on Project 2025 and its potential impact on Nevadans. With former President Donald Trump poised to take a triumphant victory lap at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris took aim at the GOPs far right-wing Project 2025 as a sleeper issue that could play a big role in the coming White House campaign. As Trump prepped for a heros welcome from Republicans after dramatically surviving an assassination attempt, President Joe Bidens top lieutenant slammed Project 2025 as the unpopular and extremist blueprint for a second Trump term. Showing off her prosecutorial chops, Harris denounced Trump and his newly minted vice presidential running mate J.D. Vance for pulling a bait and switch on the American public by claiming they stand for national unity. (Trump) wants to distract attention away from his record and his Project 2025 plan, Harris told a roaring crowd of supporters in Fayetteville, North Carolina. We are not buying it. If you claim you stand for unity, you have to do more than just say the word. Harris, who is relishing her prosecutorial role as an anti-Trump attack dog, ticked off a laundry list of radical right-wing proposals in Project 2025, a 900-page document drawn up by Trump insiders at the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation. The veep said it includes what she framed as a backdoor nationwide ban on abortion in the form of calls to enforce a century-old law that bans sending abortion medication in the mail. Project 2025 also calls for mass deportation of undocumented immigrants and dramatic new tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations. It calls for a wide-ranging transformation of the federal bureaucracy with non-partisan civil servants to be replaced by pro-Trump ideologues with the power to dismantle environmental protections and other rules that protect ordinary Americans from the whims of powerful corporations. The document also accuses liberals of brainwashing generations of American young people with messages supporting diversity and attacking racism. As recently as last month, Project 2025 was little known outside of wonky policy circles. But it has exploded in notoriety and started trending wildly when Hollywood star Taraji P. Henson urged viewers of the recent 2024 BET Awards to look it up. Trump has sought to distance himself from the project, rightly fearing that its specific unpopular proposals could supply ammunition to his Democratic opponents. But he hasnt said what policy prescriptions he objects to. The plan was concocted by several of his top loyalists who served in his first administration. And Trump has been captured on video speaking warmly about the controversial plan. At the RNC in Milwaukee, Trump has said he plans to deliver a call for unity in his first major speech since he narrowly cheated death when an assassin opened fire on him at a campaign rally last weekend. It remained to be seen if he will follow through on his vow to scrap what he said was going to be a red-meat political attack on Biden, whom Trump blames for mishandling the economy and allowing an invasion of migrants across the southern border. Insiders say he was personally tweaking the speech as late as early Thursday evening. Former first lady Melania Trump was expected to make a rare appearance at the convention to cheer on her husband as he launches a third straight presidential run. Trumps coronation amounts to a stunning comeback for a man who many had written off after he lost to Biden in the 2020 race and encouraged a crowd of his extremist supporters to storm the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 in a failed effort to overturn that defeat. He rebuilt his iron grip on the Republican Party and cruised to victory in the GOP primaries, easily besting once-promising rivals like Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. They were forced to eat crow by endorsing him at the convention. He shrugged off four criminal indictments and even his conviction on 34 felony counts in the recent Manhattan hush money trial. Trumps aura of invincibility with his followers was only burnished when he narrowly avoided being killed by a would-be assassin at the rally in western Pennsylvania. He was lightly wounded on the ear and has taken to wearing an oversized bandage, although his campaign refuses to release medical records or details about his treatment. Trump emerges from the RNC as the clear front-runner to beat Biden with polls showing him ahead in all of the battleground states that will likely determine the winner of their rematch for the White House. Biden, meanwhile, is grappling with rising calls from Democratic leaders to quit the race after he stunned voters with a disjointed and often incoherent performance in a debate with Trump last month. If Biden does step down, Harris would be the heavy favorite to take over the mantle of the campaign and become the first Black woman to lead a major party presidential ticket, although she might face some opposition from rival Democrats. Former President Donald Trump claimed that Democrats used the Covid-19 pandemic to cheat during the last presidential election. During his speech Thursday at the Republican National Convention, Trump made a strange claim while talking about a failed deal hed tried to make with Iran, ahead of the 2020 election. Iran was gonna make a deal with us, and then we had that horrible, horrible result that well never let happen again. The election result, were never gonna let that happen again, he said. They used Covid to cheat. Were never gonna let it happen again, Trump insisted, a strange shift in his election denialism. Trump on the 2020 election: "We had that horrible, horrible result that we'll never let happen. The election results, we're never gonna let that happen again." pic.twitter.com/G5EYdBFoO4 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 19, 2024 Of course, Trump has been a broken record when it comes to believing he was cheated out of the White House. Earlier in his speech, Trump remarked that the Biden administration wasnt fierce except for cheating on elections, and a couple of other things. But suggesting that Democrats had taken advantage of the deadly Covid-19 virus is a uniquely untethered claim, though its not totally clear how that would be even possible. Earlier on Thursday, Lara Trump suggested that the former president had learned to embrace mail-in voting, a tactic pushed by Democrats in the previous election for the sake of public health. At the time, Trump heavily (and falsely) criticized the tactic as being rife with fraud. The FBI is investigating the shooting at a Trump campaign rally which killed one attendee and seriously injured two others while bloodying the former president Jeff Swensen/Getty As the investigation into a shooting at a Donald Trump campaign rally continues, investigators are piecing together the activities of the shooter leading up to the attack. Thomas Matthew Crooks, of Bethel Park, Pa., opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, in what the FBI has called an "assassination attempt." The shooting killed one attendee and critically injured two others. The former president was wounded during the attack and was whisked off stage with blood coming from his ear, later saying he'd sustained a gunshot wound. The shooter was immediately shot dead by Secret Service. Related: Eyewitness Describes Terrifying Moment Shots Rang Out at Trump Rally: 'And Then The President Went Down' As the FBI continues its investigation, they are learning details about the shooter, a 20-year-old high-school graduate who worked at a nursing home. Investigators are shedding light on the internet search history of the shooter leading up to the attack. Among other topics, the shooter searched for information about the 2021 high school shooting in Michigan which claimed the lives of four students, CNN reported, citing a briefing by the FBI and US Secret Service. 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. Notably, the Michigan school shooting led to the conviction of the school shooters parents in a case that was the first of its kind. Related: Melania Trump Speaks Out in Emotional Statement After Assassination Attempt: 'Political Games Are Inferior to Love' The FBI said in its Wednesday briefing that the Pennsylvania shooter had specifically looked up the Michigan teen shooter and his parents, per CNN. Crooks' father called police a little after the shooting on Saturday, expressing concern about his sons whereabouts and noting that a rifle was missing from their home, NBC News reported this week, citing unnamed senior officials. It isn't yet clear if the father made the call after hearing about the shooting or without realizing the shooting had taken place. The shooter also searched for information about upcoming events for President Joe Bidens campaign, The New York Times, CBS News and ABC News previously reported. Authorities still have not released a motive behind Saturday's shooting. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People. On Monday, former President Donald Trump chose Ohio U.S. Senator J.D. Vance to be his running mate on the Republican ticket. Now, leaders throughout Indian Country are discussing Vances anti-Indigenous perspectives. In a social media post on October 11, 2021, James David "J.D." Vance chastised Democrat Joe Biden for being the first president of the United States to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day. Indigenous Peoples Day is a fake holiday created to sow division,"Vance wrote. He was seeking the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio at the time. Now in the national spotlight as Trumps running mate, Natives are taking a second look at Vances anti-Indigenous statements. Clara Pratte (Navajo), chair of the DNC Native Caucus, pushed back on Vances comment about Indigenous Peoples Day being a fake holiday. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Indigenous Peoples Day is not a fake holiday created to sow division, its a celebration of tribal nations as well as our relatives from the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders communities. It recognizes our countless contributions to our country and the resilience of our ancestors, said Pratte in a statement to Native News. J.D.Vance, just like Donald Trump, is someone who actively tries to sow division in this country. He wants to pull this nation, including tribal issues, backward, and is a threat to our nation's democracy and the progress that we have made under the Biden-Harris administration. The Urban Native Collective (UNC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting Indigenous Peoples through advocacy, authentic representation, and community support, released a statement about Vances history. Mr. Vances previous statements, which denounce the official acknowledgment of Indigenous Peoples and celebrate figures such as Christopher Columbus, who played a role in the genocide of Native peoples, are concerning to our community. These remarks undermine the inherent rights and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples and perpetuate harmful historical inaccuracies. The UNC emphasized that every individual and leader should respect and acknowledge the truth of Indigenous histories and the ongoing struggles of our communities. Former Navajo Nation Vice President Myron Lizer, a strong supporter of Trump being elected in November, talked with Native News Online at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday. He said he has never met J.D.Vance, but thinks he is wrong on his opinion of Indigenous Peoples Day. When I was vice president, I celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day by putting on my regalia to attend events. If I have a chance, I would tell J.D> he is wrong on this and question him about his stance on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and how it can benefit all including Native Americans, Lizer said. Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (White Earth Ojibwe) is concerned about how Vances views on Indigenous policies will impact Indigenous progress on a national level. and past comments. J.D. Vance has a long record of anti-Indigenous policies and rhetoric. Representation matters, and Vance has demonstrated that neither representation nor Indigenous people will have a voice at his table, Flanagan said in a statement sent to Native News Online on Wednesday. There is no doubt in my mind that if he is elected Vice President, our country will go backwards, not forwards. Vances anti-Indigenous perspectives did not stop at social media. The first bill he introduced as a member of the Senate was the English Language Unity Act. This would establish English as the official language of the U.S.. This, despite the existence of Native languages spoken among more than 500 sovereign tribal nations. Vance also wanted to override tribal sovereignty without consent with the Freedom to Breathe Act. This came after tribes were enforcing their own mask mandates and other COVID-19 aware policies. The bill bars tribes, whose peoples have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, from enacting their own mask mandate laws in schools and in public transit on their lands. He also introduced the Protect Childrens Innocence Act, which wants to stop all healthcare facilities in Indian Country from providing gender affirming treatment and services to young people. There is no differentiation made even when a tribe or tribal organization provides such services at facilities that do not receive federal funds. In addition to his anti-Indigenous rhetoric, Flanagan believes Native Americans should be concerned about Vances past statements about women. I am also equally deeply concerned about Vances beliefs that women should stay in abusive relationships, Flanagan said. When Native women experience violence at 2.5 times more than any other population, it is shameful that Vance would encourage women to endure physical and mental abuse.The rights of Indigenous women are on the ballot this year more than ever before and we have the opportunity to defend them at the ballot box in November. 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 Trump says he had 'very good call' with Ukraine's Zelenskiy, pledges to end war WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he had a "very good call" on Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and pledged to end the war pitting Kyiv against Moscow through negotiations. Zelenskiy also reported his conversation with Trump and expressed thanks for U.S. military assistance. But he made no reference in a post on social media platform X to efforts to end the 28-month-old conflict. Trump has said he will end the war in Ukraine before he even takes office in January should he win the Nov. 5 election. He has also said that had he been in office when the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the war would not have taken place. In his Truth Social post, Trump said that as president he "will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives." "Both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity," Trump said. Though Trump has put forward few tangible policy proposals, he told Reuters in an interview last year that Ukraine might have to cede some territory to reach a peace agreement. In his post, Zelenskiy said he congratulated Trump on becoming the Republican nominee and condemned the assassination attempt on him last week. "I wished him strength and absolute safety in the future," Zelenskiy said. "I noted the vital bipartisan and bicameral American support for protecting our nation's freedom and independence." Ukraine, he said, "will always be grateful to the United States for its help in strengthening our ability to resist Russian terror. Russian attacks on our cities and villages continue every day." Zelenskiy rejects any negotiations with Russia on ending the conflict as long as Russian troops remain in Ukraine. The Ukrainian president has proposed a peace plan, showcased again at a "world summit" last month to which Russia was not invited, that calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops and the restoration of Ukraine's 1991 post-Soviet borders. Russian troops occupy about 20% of Ukrainian territory. Moscow's forces have made incremental gains in the east of the country along the 1,000-km (600-mile) front since capturing the key city of Avdiivka in February. (Reporting by Eric Beech; editing by Costas Pitas, Ron Popeski and Leslie Adler) Trump says he had a 'very good phone call' with Zelenskyy Trump says he had a 'very good phone call' with Zelenskyy Former President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke over the phone on Friday, the two leaders said. Zelenskyy reached out to Trump, according to a source close to the Ukrainian leader and Trump, who said the two had a "very good phone call." Zelenskyy said in a statement on social media that he spoke with Trump to "congratulate him on the Republican nomination and condemn the shocking assassination attempt in Pennsylvania." Zelenskyy, who has been the target of multiple assassination attempts himself, expressed his sympathy and horror at the assassination attempt, the source said. In a statement on social media regarding the call, Trump said Zelenskyy "remarked about the American people coming together in the spirit of Unity during these times" in the wake of the incident. MORE: Trump shooting live updates: Police were tracking suspect 6 minutes before shooting Trump indicated that he will support Ukraine in getting a just peace, more than two years into the country's war with Russia, according to the source. Zelenskky believes Trump is firmly committed to that, the source said. "I appreciate President Zelenskyy for reaching out because I, as your next President of the United States, will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives and devastated countless innocent families," Trump said in his statement on the call. "Both sides will be able to come together and negotiate a deal that ends the violence and paves a path forward to prosperity." Zelenskyy said in his statement that Ukraine "will always be grateful to the United States" for its support in its battle against Russia, and that he agreed with Trump to "discuss at a personal meeting what steps can make peace fair and truly lasting." The call lasted 15 to 20 minutes and was warm and respectful, according to the source. PHOTO: President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the InterContinental Barclay New York hotel during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Sept. 25, 2019. (Evan Vucci/AP) The conversation comes a day after Trump accepted the Republican party's nomination to be its presidential candidate in his third bid for the White House. In his keynote speech, Trump claimed that Russia's attack on Ukraine "would have never happened if I were president." MORE: Fact-checking Donald Trump's RNC speech on immigration, the economy, world affairs and more During the June debate against President Joe Biden, Trump pivoted toward how much money the U.S. has spent on the Russia-Ukraine war when asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin's term. "They're not acceptable but look, this is a war that never should have started," Trump said. On Monday, Zelenskyy told reporters Kyiv will develop relations with the U.S. regardless of the results of the upcoming presidential election. "I think that if Mr. Donald Trump becomes president, then we will work. I am not afraid of it," he said. Friday's conversation comes nearly five years after the call between Trump and Zelenskyy that led to the former president's first impeachment in 2019. The then-Democratically controlled House voted to impeach Trump on two articles of impeachment, one for abuse of power and one for obstruction of justice, over allegations that Trump held up military aid for Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy to investigate his political rivals in the July 2019 call. Following a three-week trial, the then-Republican-controlled Senate acquitted Trump with just one Republican -- Mitt Romney of Utah -- voting to convict. Trump says he had a 'very good phone call' with Zelenskyy originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Trump shooter may have scoped out rally site SIX days before attack as search history for Ethan Crumbley revealed Donald Trumps would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks appears to have scoped out the site of the former presidents campaign rally six days before he went to the Butler, Pennsylania, event and opened fire, according to a report. The FBI provided an update on the shooting investigation to Senate and House lawmakers on Wednesday, revealing new details about the 20-year-old gunmans actions prior to the shooting. Sources told CNN that Crooks online search history revealed he had looked up information on Ethan Crumbley, the school shooter who killed four students at Oxford High School in Michigan in 2021. A screenshot of Crumbleys arrest photo was also found on Crooks personal cellphone, the outlet reported. The gunman had also looked up instructions for making simple bombs and for information about the Democratic National Convention. In April, three months before the assassination attempt, Crooks also looked up information about major depressive disorders and depressive crisis treatment. Geolocation data taken from Crooks' cellphone also indicated placed him near the scene of the rally site nearly a week before the event, the New York Times reported indicating he may have staked out the site in preparation. Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old who tried to assassinate Donald Trump on July 13, may have been scoping out potential vantage points near the Butler Farm Show grounds almost a week before his attack, according to a new FBI report (AP) One day before the shooting, Crooks is believed to have visited a gun range. He also bought a ladder from a Home Depot that day, though officials do not believe he used it to climb to the location where he opened fire. He also purchased rounds at a nearby gun story, Allegheny Arms and Gun Works. Crooks told his boss at the nursing home where he worked that he needed the day off on July 13 to do something important, officials familiar with the investigation told the New York Times. Trump was speaking at the Butler Farm Show on July 13 when Crooks, prone on top of the roof of a nearby warehouse, fired several shots at the former president. Two rallygoers were injured, one was killed, and Trump was struck in the ear. Crooks was shot dead by Secret Service snipers. Following his death, investigators searched Crooks and his car. Inside the vehicle, they reportedly found a bulletproof vest, several magazines for his rifle, and a makeshift explosive device. The FBI also reportedly told lawmakers that the Secret Service had omitted the warehouses north of Trumps stage including the one used by Crooks from its security zone. Investigators are still searching for a clear motive for the shooting. Voter records show Crooks was a registered Republican, but there is said to be no evidence to indicate his political beliefs motivated his attack. One theory investigators are reportedly considering is that Trump was more a target of convenience than a specific ideological target. The last search Thomas Crooks made on his cellphone before attempting to assassinate Donald Trump was for pornography, a senior law enforcement source has told The Daily Beast. The source, who asked not to be named, said the FBIs Operational Technology Division in Quantico, Va., made the discovery when it finally gained access to 20-year-old Crooks encrypted Samsung phone. Initial attempts at the Pittsburgh field office to crack open the Android device failed, and it was taken to Quantico on an FBI plane. The only other recent activity on the phone were texts from his parents asking where he was. The source says the parents thought their son had taken the AR-style rifle and gone to the shooting range where he sometimes practiced. The FBI recovered Crooks phone from his body, along with four rifle magazines and a remote control capable of detonating the explosives found in his car. He was on the roof (top) when he fired at Trump, who was on the red carpet covering the stage. Carlos Osorio/Reuters The texts began around 1 p.m. and continued throughout the afternoon. By 6 p.m. he was dead, the source said. According to the source, the FBI has largely completed its examination of the phone and is now at work on the gunmans laptop and a number of hard drives that were recovered from his bedroom. The agents hope to find clues as to why someone with no clear political motivation or a known psychiatric disorder clambered on a rooftop at a Trump rally in Butler, Pa. with an assault rifle and attempted to kill Trump. Crooks shots only grazed the former president, but wounded two rally attendees, one fatally, before the would-be assassin was killed by a Secret Service counter sniper team. The former president said during his speech to the Republican National Convention on Thursday that the Secret Service used a single bullet to kill Crooks. Trump, wearing a bandage over his wounded ear, spoke about being shot at during his Republican National Convention speech Thursday. He disclosed Crooks was killed by a single bullet. Mike Segar/Reuters Along with four rifle magazines beside Crooks body, agents found a remote control capable of detonating explosives discovered in his vehicle. The discovery of searches for pornography did not surprise law enforcement. Its not unusual, the source said, noting that Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooter Adam Lanza had images of child abuse on his phone, and that numerous al Qaeda suspects have been found to have searched for extreme pornography along with tracts for Islamist purity. But it will add to the picture FBI profilers are building of Crooks, who lived with his parents 40 miles from the Trump rally venue. He had graduated community college and was working in a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center near his home. Other reporting has revealed that he searched for both Trump and for Joe Biden. He also looked for information on the Democratic National Convention and members of the British royal family. Early Friday, CNN reported that he searched for information about Ethan Crumbley, the mass shooter who murdered four students at his Michigan high school in 2021. Crooks also searched for information about the prosecution of Crumbleys parents, CNN reported. They were both sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison for not securing the handgun that he used to commit the mass shooting. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. 'I'm not supposed to be here tonight', Trump said on stage - Shutterstock Donald Trump ascended the stage at the Republican National Convention in a manner befitting a prize fighter, or his former life as a TV star. The GOP nominee is an American bad--s and a fighter, his warm-up acts former wrestler Hulk Hogan, musician Kid Rock, and son Eric Trump had just told the crowd. But as he began his acceptance speech, he adopted another persona: Trump the sombre statesman. The 78-year-old showcased a rare vulnerability as he recounted his last appearance on a stage. An assassins bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life, he said. So many people have asked me what happened. Obliging the crowd, he said: You will never hear [it] from me a second time because its actually too painful to tell. The crowd was silent and rapt. Some had tears in their eyes as he spoke in a near whisper. Im not supposed to be here tonight, he told them, still marvelling at his brush with death. Trump recounted the 'painful' attempt on his life - Getty Images His appearance here in Milwaukee, he said, was only by the grace of Almighty God. If there was a divine inference to be drawn from the events of last Saturday, Trump wanted Americans to know it infused his political future, too. Standing against the backdrop of a lit-up White House, he said it was with faith and devotion that I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States. The incendiary language and angry rhetoric were missing. Trump the conciliator was speaking not to the party faithful standing before him, but those watching at home. And he wanted them to know he was running to be president for all of America, not half of America. It was with great humility, he said, that he was asking for the backing of voters, whether you have supported me in the past or not. Trumps return to the White House hinges on the backing of not just the disenchanted Rust Belt voters who powered his 2016 bid, but winning back the suburban Republican and independent voters who rejected his divisive presidency in 2020. It was to them he made his promise that, man or woman, black or white: I extend to you a hand of loyalty and of friendship. Trump on stage with Melania Trump, JD Vance and his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance - AP With Joe Bidens re-election bid on life support, the diagnosis perhaps terminal, Trump spent little time dwelling on his Democratic opponent. Im not going to use the name anymore just one time, he said. It was around then that his restraint cracked. Teleprompter Trump gave way to freewheeling rally Trump. America, he said, was a nation in decline, its borders overrun by a massive invasion, and the world on the brink of World War Three. Resurrecting old grievances, he claimed his political opponents were cheating on elections. The humility was gone, and the boastful hyperbole and ad-libbing was back as he presented himself as the salve to all ailments. In a second Trump term, he promised, crime would come down, inflation would be gone, along with every international crisis facing the world to boot. The script was familiar to those who follow Trumps large-scale rallies, but to the uninitiated, and perhaps the unlucky soul managing the teleprompter, it was a series of confusing tangents. Democrats, depressed by the chaos and uncertainty engulfing their candidates bid, may have been reminded of Trumps own flaws. It was red meat for the Republican base gathered before him, but even their attention wandered during the more than 90-minute speech. More than one GOP delegate was overheard complaining the address was too long. Trump had beaten his own previous record for the longest acceptance speech in television history. It was, in fact, more like two speeches. One focused on unity and conciliation, the other on resentment and partisan attacks. Those watching on TV may have been left wondering which to believe: Trump the disciplined unifier, or the agitator? 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. Trump speech calls for unity. So GOP is now cool with wokeness and drag queens, right? I have fantastic news for liberals, for people in the LGBTQ+ community, for folks who consider themselves woke, for Democratic lawmakers and government officials and media members, one and all. Former President Donald Trump accepted the presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night and, in doing so, told the nation he is a man of unity! In an age when our politics too often divide us, now is the time to remember that we are all fellow citizens we are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all, said the man who has routinely referred to Americans he doesnt like as vermin or enemies of the people. Great news! Donald Trump now accepts all Americans! Donald Trump speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. To every citizen, Trump who was recently convicted of 34 felonies in a case that revolved around hush money payments to an adult film star said, I extend to you a hand of loyalty and of friendship. Thank you, Mr. Trump! As the head of the GOP, Im sure you and your running mate, JD Vance, will now make sure every Republican is kind and welcoming to those they may disagree with. (They may want to start with some of Trump's far-right extremist fans, who upon learning of Vance's wife's Indian heritage launched racist online attacks against her.) Whether its drag queens, transgender kids hoping their identities can be respected by teachers using their preferred pronouns, people who run diversity, equity and inclusion programs all, I assume, will receive a hand of loyalty and friendship. Don't worry. The new Trump is going to spread the love! A second Trump term will, apparently, be a veritable hug fest. Trump said in his speech: The discord and division in our society must be healed. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart. I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America. Questions on Trump's health: Why don't we know more about Trump's health after assassination attempt? This is fantastic, and Im thrilled to hear the man who denied the result of the 2020 presidential election and fomented a violent attack on our nations Capitol talking about healing our society. Seriously, this is great news. Surely, Trump will now get his whole party to accept woke people I assume he and the rest of his party will immediately be acknowledging the results of the last presidential election, apologizing to the public servants who volunteer as election workers and have been unfairly besmirched while also reassuring all Americans that our elections are both fair and secure. After all, we rise together, right? Because Trump is now running to be president for all of America, hell want to swiftly apologize to former President Barack Obama, whom he wrongly and racist-ly accused of not being born in America. And he might also want to apologize to Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi for referring to her, in his speech about unity, as "Crazy Nancy Pelosi." And while he's at it, he could apologize for making fun of her husband getting attacked and almost killed by a man with a hammer. RNC analysis: Trump acceptance speech at RNC tried to show voters a changed man. It didn't last long. The new Trump will, I'm sure, do away with all anti-LGTBQ+ laws Donald Trump appears on stage during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Hell want to talk to Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and get them to wipe away the anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and book bans that have been implemented in recent years. And hell need to make sure people in his party stop saying things like radical gender ideology, woke mind virus, groomer and globalist. Because, after all, there is no victory in winning for half of America. Trumps change in tone from his usual vitriolic self is abundantly welcome and, Im sure, 100% authentic. We'll see that proven out as his call for unity and bridging the political divide trickles down throughout a political party that has grown increasingly disrespectful of people who dont conform to their faith or world views. 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. How about immigrants? Will Trump bring his unity to them as well? And Im sure this divide-bridging and unification will also apply to Americas rich immigrant community, which Trump spoke about in his speech by saying that immigrants are coming from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums, and terrorists at levels never seen before and they have caused America to become a dumping ground for the world. Hmmm. OK, that doesnt sound particularly unifying. Delegates and attendees gather during the third day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Jul 17, 2024. In fact, hes talking about rounding up millions of undocumented immigrants and putting them in deportation camps, which would break up countless families across the country and invariably remove many people whove been in America, contributing to the economy, for years. Well, Im sure this new, reformed Donald Trump, the one who presented himself to America as a great healer of our nations wounds, will figure out a way to make everything work so were all happy and unified. I mean, theres no way the whole thing was just a load of crap, right? Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter, @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk 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: Trump speech offers good news, woke Democrats! GOP now accepts you Newly anointed and reborn GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump heads to a rally in Michigan on Saturday, embodying what his apostles are calling the most pivotal American political figure since Abraham Lincoln. Donald Trump is now recognized as the most important figure in American politics since the Civil War, a high-ranking GOP strategist told The Daily Beast late Friday over a celebratory martini at an upscale bar across the street from the convention arena in Milwaukee. As the former presidents most devoted foot soldiers began pouring into the bar after the staff performed a ritual of whipped cream espresso shots to dial in for the rush, the mood turned from jubilant to downright grandiose. Boozed-up Trump power players boasted that the election was locked up. They were unfazed that the acceptance speech veered off the rails for the last half hour, when the former president abandoned the teleprompter, pouncing on illegal aliens, among other random topics, and his political adversaries. Were going to get to the bottom of it, Trump said of finding a cure for cancer and Alzheimers in one of his confusing off-prompter riffs. You remember this gentleman that I dont want to mention, other than one time I had to, because when you say the 10 worst, I had to do it. I didnt want anybody to be confused. Just minutes after Trumps more than 90-minute unity treatise turned full-on ramble, some of MAGAs biggest stars gathered, including Trumps controversial British counterpart, Nigel Farage, who ordered a Tanqueray and tonic at 11:26 p.m. (It would take several more minutes for the bartender to adjust the tonic fountain to British standards.) Fifteen minutes later, as Farage was mobbed by adoring American fans, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) rolled up with an outfit changehaving ditched her black dress for a pair of golden sequin pants and black party top. Three minutes after that, top Trump adviser Jason Miller strolled through the security perimeter with a Cheshire cat grin on his face. Im probably going to bed, Miller told The Daily Beast. After a few drinks to celebrate. A GOP strategist who requested anonymity to speak candidly in the company of other MAGA bigwigs, grew more confident with each sip of a martini. I dont see a scenario where Trump doesnt win by a significant margin, the Republican said, adding that Democrats should let him win because of what they described as Trumps newfound iconic status following last Saturdays assassination attempt. A Capitol Hill aide in attendance gushed that the convention production showed in every way that it couldve why President Trump is the leader of the party and why the party is unified around him. None were willing to entertain in the moment of their revelry the prospect of yet another shakeup in the racewith Vice President Kamala Harris potentially poised to enter the fray as the new presumptive Democratic nominee. Earlier that night, Trump co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita told The Daily Beast the campaigns strategy wont change if Biden bows out, but he teased a fresh line of attack on the Democrats launching a coup if they follow through on convincing the president to step aside. Trumps running-mate pick of Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) also energized some of the most hardcore high-profile Trumpers heading into the dog days of summer. Laura Loomer, the anti-Muslim activist and right-wing gonzo influencer who almost got hired by the Trump campaign this cyclebut for her myriad past controversies over Islamophobic and other bigoted remarkstold The Daily Beast following Vances speech that even seemingly little things could pad the partys margin in November. J.D. lost a lot of weight, she said as Fleetwood Macs Dont Stop Thinking About Tomorrow blared over the arena sound system. That will help with suburban women. Seemingly nobody in either the convention hall or nearby watering holes could be convinced theres any chance Trump will lose in November. Just write this one off, the martini-swilling GOP strategist advised Democrats, adding Trump has just gone to the next level. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Trumps triumph, a unified GOP, Biden questions: Where does the race go from here? | Opinion They said it would be a different Donald Trump, and it was. On Thursday night, accepting the nomination of his party and awash in the cheers of a convention crowd, the 45th president made his case to America in a bid to become the 47th. The week of joy, unity and energy at the Republican convention in Milwaukee was very nearly a week of stunning tragedy. Instead of lifting Trump toward November victory, the party would have had to scramble to replace him amid dark days of funeral plans. Donald Trump speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. But there was an inch of difference between Trumps death and his triumphant acceptance speech, which featured a tone that seemed wrapped in the galvanizing effect of life-changing good fortune. Trump asserts that God protected him, and he has a lot of company in that belief. But whatever the convictions of Americans who have witnessed this miraculous week, the convention and its nominee seemed changed by its impact. Delegates said their usual energy, based on issues and political aspirations, was joined with an abiding sense that something far larger was at hand. The convention featured speakers of various races, prayers of various faiths, and cultural moments that transcended the usual GOP flavor. On a night featuring the exhortations of Hulk Hogan and the raucous rapping of Kid Rock, Trump was only perhaps the third loudest presence onstage. His usual boisterous tone was tempered by his brush with death, evidenced by the long minutes he spent at the beginning of his speech recounting moment by moment the experience of taking a bullet. July 18, 2024; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump looks at the uniform of former fire fighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed at the Butler rally, before delivering his nomination acceptance speech during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Mandatory Credit: Mike De Sisti-USA TODAY He then paid tribute to the hero who did not survive the day. Before the speech, the firefighters jacket and helmet of Corey Comperatore was rolled out on a stand at the side of the stage. Trump described how this husband and father died shielding his family as the bullets flew. He then walked to the display, placed his hands on the shoulders of the jacket and kissed the helmet. There is no comparable moment in the history of Americas political conventions. But there is no moment to compare with the overall drama we now face. Our last president seeks to become our next president. Our current president is being hounded from office by power brokers in his own party, accompanied by the laments of many of his own voters. The success of the Republican convention, coupled with Democratic disarray, paints a picture of Trumps likely return to the White House, perhaps in a landslide. But if the GOP is smart, it will realize that months of news cycles lie ahead, any one of which could change the landscape. If Vice President Kamala Harris replaces Joe Biden as their partys nominee, with a chance of becoming the first female president, she will be harder to beat than todays confident Republicans might think. Her ponderous word salads and spotty achievements are touted only by people who dont plan to vote for her anyway. If she is on the ballot against Trump, the media culture that has turned on Biden will offer her up as Joan of Arc. Daily invocations of the history within our grasp will cloud much of the focus on the comparative records of the Biden/Harris and Trump years. In his acceptance speech, Trump took broad aim at the record of his opponents, stoking nostalgia for his term, with its lower prices and stabler world. He has said he will make that case no matter who the Democratic nominee may be. The coming days will reveal who Trump will run against. His familiar brashness will probably soon return, as will the familiar smears from desperate opponents who will dust off their Hitler smears after a few days of pretending to lower the temperature. Donald Trump appears on stage during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The national shock of the assassination attempt will soon blend into the shifting narratives of events that will unfold in August, September and October. Ultimately we will return to the rhythms of back-and-forth on topics like world trouble spots, the economy and borders. On Thursday night, Trump displayed the chart comparing border incursions that had been on the big screen at the Pennsylvania rally. Turning his head to refer to it at the fateful moment on Saturday, the bullet whizzed against his ear instead of into his brain. Last time I put up that chart, I didnt really get to look at it, he quipped. Without that chart, I wouldnt be here today. Trump is unmistakably here today, planning a 15-week climb to return to the White House. Joe Biden is here, in the race for another day, but for how many more? A Republican convention of uncommon harmony will now be followed by a Democrat gathering in Chicago next month sure to feature discord, uncertainty, maybe even chaos inside and outside the arena. But that doesnt mean the election is won or lost in the summer. If there is any lesson of this year, perhaps this era, it is that things can change, and fast. Mark Davis hosts a morning radio show in Dallas-Fort Worth on 660-AM and at 660amtheanswer.com. Follow him on X: @markdavis . Mark Davis Do you have an opinion on this topic? Tell us! We love to hear from Texans with opinions on the news and to publish those views in the Opinion section. Letters should be no more than 150 words. Writers should submit letters only once every 30 days. Include your name, address (including city of residence), phone number and email address, so we can contact you if we have questions. You can submit a letter to the editor two ways: Email letters@star-telegram.com (preferred). Fill out this online form. Please note: Letters will be edited for style and clarity. Publication is not guaranteed. The best letters are focused on one topic. (Bloomberg) -- As he accepted the Republican presidential nomination Thursday night, Donald Trump led delegates at the partys Milwaukee convention in raucous chants for the US to drill, baby, drill, underscoring his commitment to domestic oil development. Most Read from Bloomberg While its a message that resonates strongly with Trumps GOP base, it belies the reality in the boardrooms of the countrys top oil producers, where executives have shown little appetite to dramatically boost output. Instead, theyve embraced strict fiscal discipline and a focus on shareholder returns, chastened by huge losses from collapsing energy prices during the pandemic. Trumps operating thesis appears to be open it and they will drill, but its not clear companies will go along, said Kevin Book, managing director at ClearView Energy Partners LLC. Much depends on global supply and demand balances and investor appetite not new access from Washington Book said. Since the Covid crash, drill, baby, drill has been up against earn, baby, earn. If elected, Trump could repeal many of Bidens policies meant to encourage a pivot from fossil fuels, replacing them with new regulations that foster oil demand and lower the costs of development. Trump has repeatedly vowed to end what he calls the EV mandate, referring to federal vehicle pollution standards that are so strict they effectively compel automakers to boost sales of electric models at the expense of conventional-gasoline powered cars. Furthermore, under Trump, the Interior Department could write robust new plans for selling oil and gas leases on federal lands, the Environmental Protection Agency could ease a Biden-era rule stifling methane emissions from oil and gas wells, and the Energy Department could dial back efficiency standards that pare fuel demand. While there arent many meaningful restrictions on drilling for Trump to undo, a new administration could help stoke demand, said Benjamin Salisbury, director of research at Height Capital Markets. The biggest impact of a change in administration is likely to be on the demand side with EV incentives and fuel economy standards getting reconsidered, he said. Despite the impact of the pandemic, US oil production increased under both Trump and President Joe Biden. The nation is the worlds biggest crude supplier as well as a significant exporter. But that growth could slow. The world is amply supplied with crude right now and OPEC has extended production cuts to support prices. US oil companies have told investors they plan to grow output moderately. Overall, theyre focusing on improving efficiencies in the field and returning money to shareholders. Halliburton Co., the oil services giant and a useful proxy for US shale producer activity, said Friday it expects sales in North America to fall this year. Harold Hamm, an oil billionaire and Trump confidant, told Bloomberg Television that the industry is already producing everything we can. The domestic oil sectors relationship with the current president has ranged from uneasy to openly hostile over the past four years, as Biden imposed policies meant to encourage emission-free energy. Those measures include regulations and incentives encouraging electric vehicle sales as well as new limits on oil development across federal land. Bidens Interior Department adopted the leanest-ever US plan for selling offshore oil leases and signaled it would sharply reduce what acreage is up for grab in the auctions, while also barring drilling across more than half of the US governments mammoth petroleum reserve in Alaska. There is a complex of rules that put a lot of burden on the oil and gas industry with the sense that it will eventually be shut down, said Jim Lucier, managing director at Capital Alpha Partners, a research group in Washington. In contrast, he said, Trump is signaling policy changes that would lift that sense of inevitability, that sense of inevitable termination. Analysts stress its important to take Trumps words figuratively, not literally. In this case, Trumps promise to drill, baby, drill is a kind of shorthand for unrestricted energy development, according to Lucier. Where Biden campaigned on a promise to end offshore drilling and essentially wind down the oil industry, Trump is signaling an opportunity for unchecked growth. That alone could entice more capital flows to oil projects following years where industry leaders blamed signals and policies in Washington for discouraging lending by banks and other fossil fuel investment. Trump on Thursday championed riches from oil drilling, casting energy development as a potential economic boon for the country. We are a nation that has the opportunity to make an absolute fortune with its energy, he said in his acceptance speech. Soon, he said, we will be energy dominant and supply not only ourselves, but we will supply the rest of the world. His promises dovetail with the Republican partys platform that calls for an end to market-distorting restrictions on oil, natural gas and coal and making the country energy dominant, leading to lower energy prices. However, its not clear if such an outcome would be sustainable. Bringing down energy prices below pandemic-driven lows levels that drove dozens of oil companies into bankruptcy would likely inspire another retreat from drilling and development. --With assistance from Mitchell Ferman and David Wethe. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Trump vows to run as president for all as he accepts nomination Former US President and 2024 Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. Trump has vowed to run "to be president for all of America" as he took to the stage at the Republican National Convention, in what was his first public speech following the failed attempt on his life. Dominic Gwinn/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Donald Trump has vowed to run "to be president for all of America" as he took to the stage at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, in what was his first public speech following the failed attempt on his life. "I stand before you this evening with a message of confidence, strength, and hope," Trump told an ecstatic crowd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "Four months from now, we will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country." "Together, we will launch a new era of safety, prosperity and freedom for citizens of every race, religion, colour and creed," Trump said. "I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America." Trump, 78, formally accepted his party's nomination as the presidential candidate for the November 5 elections, where he is set to face off against incumbent Joe Biden. He is set to run together with vice presidential candidate JD Vance, a senator from Ohio who is some 40 years younger than Trump, a rising star within the Republican Party and a former fierce critic who has since wholeheartedly embraced Trump. Trump's official nomination as the Republican presidential candidate came just two days after the failed attempt on his life. At a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, a shooter was able to climb to an elevated position with an assault rifle and fire a number of shots at Trump, wounding him in the ear while one spectator was killed. Trump, left bleeding, struck a defiant tone as he pumped his fist while being whisked off the stage. In his much-anticipated address on Thursday, Trump devoted large parts of the speech to retelling Saturday's events from his perspective. "It was a warm, beautiful day in the early evening in Butler township in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," he began. "I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear," Trump said, adding he immediately realized he had been grazed by a bullet. "I'm not supposed to be here tonight," Trump said. "I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God." He also asked the audience to observe a moment of silence in memory of the volunteer firefighter who was killed in the attack on July 13. The shooting upended what had already been a tumultuous campaign season, dominated by Trump's criminal trials and concerns about the candidates' age. Biden, 81, has come under immense pressure to withdraw from the race after a disastrous debate performance in June super-charged existing fears about his mental acuity. He is currently isolated at his private residence in Delaware after testing positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday. Former US President and 2024 Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. Trump has vowed to run "to be president for all of America" as he took to the stage at the Republican National Convention, in what was his first public speech following the failed attempt on his life. Dominic Gwinn/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Former President Donald Trump helped negotiate the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, ending America's longest foreign war. But now he believes that the United States should have kept its largest base in Afghanistan to help in a future conflict against China. During this week's Republican National Convention, speaker after speaker has tried to transform "America First" from a slogan against overseas entanglements into a cry for more aggressive military force. And the gambit seems to have succeeded. A day after Trump's running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (ROhio), condemned the war in Afghanistan as a failure, Trump himself called for using Afghanistan as a springboard to future conflicts. "They also gave up Bagram [Airfield], one of the biggest bases anywhere in the world, the longest runways, most powerful, hardened, thickened runways. We gave it up," he said on Thursday night. "I liked it not because of Afghanistan. I liked it because of China. It's one hour away from where China makes their nuclear weapons." China is known to have nuclear facilities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, a province bordering Afghanistan, although the facilities themselves are around 1,000 miles away from the border. Like all politicians, Trump wants to have his cake and eat it too. He also bragged at the convention that there were no Taliban attacks on American troops after he made a deal to withdraw the U.S. military from Afghanistan. But it's hard to see how the United States could have held onto Bagram without resuming the war. Trump's speech appears to be mixing up two criticisms of the Biden administration's withdrawal. Before the withdrawal, some hawks in Congress argued that Afghanistan was strategically valuable to China and that it would therefore be a mistake to give up America's military presence there. After the withdrawal, other members of Congress questioned why the U.S. military evacuated forces only through Kabul International Airport rather than using the larger Bagram Airfield. The Biden administration insists that it could not have evacuated people through Bagram Airfield safely. "Retaining Bagram would have required putting as many as 5,000 U.S. troops in harm's way, just to operate and defend it," Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at a September 2021 congressional hearing. "It would have contributed little to the mission that we had been assigned: to protect and defend our embassy some 30 miles away. That distance from Kabul also rendered Bagram of little value in the evacuation." Austin added that "staying at Bagrameven for counterterrorism purposesmeant staying at war in Afghanistan." As for using Afghanistan as a cudgel against China, the idea was promoted by Rep. Mike Waltz (RFla.) in the months before the withdrawal. "By abandoning Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, we will no longer have a U.S. airfield in a country that borders China," he wrote in a May 2021 op-ed for the Military Times, adding that the airfield would be useful in a war against Iran too. Waltz also said that "American intelligence resources" based in Bagram could support Uyghur resistance to the Chinese government, comparing it to the U.S. support for Afghan and other Muslim rebels against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. "This campaign caused the Soviet military to divert divisions away from Eastern Europe to the Caucasus and Central Asia," Waltz wrote. Ironically, that part of Waltz's argument highlighted exactly why holding onto Bagram would have been dangerous. The United States would be more like the Soviet Union in this scenario, pulling its forces away from the most important fronts to defend isolated outposts in hostile territory. In a war with China or Iran, the U.S. presence at Bagram would make it a lot easier for those countries to hit Americans than the other way around. Many Republicans have tried to thread the needle, arguing that the withdrawal from Afghanistan was the right decision and criticizing Biden's execution of it. But Trump now seems to be under the sway of a different idea: that we should have kept troops in Afghanistan after all. The post Trump Wishes Americans Stayed in Afghanistan To Fight China appeared first on Reason.com. For all the mocking of Donald Trump's Fidel Castrolike exhortations at the Republican National Convention (RNC) last night (and he did go on way too long), his endless monologue threw down a gauntlet to Joe Biden and the Democrats in a deep and profound way that will difficult to top, whether or not Scranton Joe gets the boot before or after Chicago. Suddenly, vanquishing the memories of the 1968 Democratic National Convention (DNC) being disrupted by violent far-left protesters is a secondary concern for the Dems assembling in the Windy City in August. It's impossible not to compare last night's RNC finale ultimo to the presidential pageantry in Mike Judge's Idiocracy, and laugh all you want. Trump 2.0 doesn't give a fuck and neither do the people around him. Mock the endless acceptance speech all you wantat times he seemed like late-life Bette Davis accepting a Golden Globe and settling scores with Joan Crawford from 50 years backbut he and the Republicans had a great night. And even when he was just making shit up (illegal immigrants have somehow stolen 107 percent of all jobs!) and every time he invoked pre-COVID, pre-Biden America, you could sense people all over the country nodding along, at least a little bit. Biden and Trump are not so different when it comes to policy and outcomes (how great was it in the recent presidential debate when Trump jeered Biden for not repealing Trump's own tariffs?), but over the past year at least, the world seems to have gone completely off its rocker, and having a president who seems more infirm than The Simpsons' Mr. Burns is too much to bear. Never popular to begin with, Biden had started to hit the skids even before the debate revealed what all but Hunter and Jill Biden had conceded: The president's brain is, if not missing, working about as well as the internet on his beloved Amtrak Acela. Political speeches and spectacles are more about style than substance. Barack Obama was known as a good orator, but who remembers any truly great turns of phrases he uttered? He hit the right poses and had the right tonalitiesthat's what we remember, not the specifics. And the big finish of last night90 minutes of Trumpian stream of consciousnessdrove home the message that here is a guy and a team ready to win. Especially compared to the sad-sack convention in 2016, when Scott Baio was about the biggest celebrity in attendance and nobody exited figuring Trump could beat Hillary Clinton. Trump's overly long, overbearing presence at the end of an incredibly well-produced, high-energy, big-volume spectacle last night demonstrates that he is still indisputably king of the castle. It was nothing less than an incredible flex that shows he can riff, rhetorically dominate, and keep the audience captive in a way that is frustrating, sure, but never in question. Like Lyndon B. Johnson holding cabinet meetings in the john, the longer it goes on, the more uncomfortable it becomes, but nobody dares to head for the exits before the big guy flushes and leaves first. The Donald was never really more like Succession's Logan Roy than he was last night, lurching from megalomaniacal thanks-be-to-God for saving him from an assassin's bullet to uncharacteristically commemorating other people's sacrifices to thanking all of his paid employees and family members for doing such a good job for him. Part billionaire, part Mob boss, the effect of his going on for so long was to remind everyone in the arena, at home, and in the country that he is in charge. Walk out before he's done speaking and you can kiss your job, your family, and your friends goodbye. He strategically snuck in more than a few rude barbs at his enemies, both personal (Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi) and generic (illegal immigrants) to signal that post-assassination-attempt Trump is not fully reborn. He's not Pope John Paul II forgiving Mehmet Ali Agca, or even pre-surgery Ronald Reagan joking that his doctors better not be Democrats. Trump is still like that other very stable genius from Queens, Seinfeld's Frank Costanza, whose every seemingly pacific incantation of "Serenity now!" brings him one step closer to an eventual Vesuvius-level emotional eruption. Trump is almost as old as Biden and is nowhere close to the slick-speaking bon vivant who used to show up on Howard Stern or pro-wrestling events. Yet his endless speech means nobody questions whether Trump has his marbles or the stamina to go four more years. Indeed, the worry among his opponents is that he is vibrant enough to actually get things done that escaped him the first go-around. And to his credit, he surrounded himself unapologetically with younger, energetic allies (the loathsome J.D. Vance) and resuscitated middle-aged trash talkers (Kid Rock) who don't hesitate to project confidence, righteousness, and inevitability. Unlike in 2016, they're not hesitating. They're also not proactively whining about stolen elections. Indeed, they're already planning on who they will deport, literally and figuratively. I'm not a Trumpist, and there are many things about his victory, especially if it comes with a GOP congressional majority, that deeply worry me. Make all the President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho jokes you want, but give this utterly impossible figurethat hair; the raccoon makeup; the failed, sad-sack businesses selling steaks and bottled water and real estate; the inability to say two true statements consecutivelyhis due. He put on a hell of a show not in spite of an overly long final soliloquy but because of it. Simply standing on his own two feet for a couple of hours while ranting, raving, joking, and raising his comically small fists was enough to raise the bar for Joe Biden and the Democrats in a way that virtually nobody saw coming even a few months ago. The post Trump's Acceptance Speech Was Too Longand Very Effective appeared first on Reason.com. Donald Trump's campaign will attack the Democrats for conducting a coup if Joe Biden quits the presidential race, the GOP campaign co-chair told The Daily Beast on Thursday. The former president's campaign for president will try to throw the charge leveled at him over the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection back in Democrats faces, Chris LaCivita told The Daily Beast in an exclusive interview at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Heres whats fascinating about it, LaCivita said as he mingled on the convention floor in Milwaukee. You are watching a coup. Literally. In front of your eyes. LaCivita, the architect with Susie Wiles of Trumps 2024 campaign, offered the first insight into how Republicans will deal with a new Democratic candidate as Biden appeared increasingly likely to accede to calls to step aside. The attack as a coup plotter will be matched with a playbook that continues to attack Bidens record especially if Biden is succeeded by his vice president, Kamala Harris. The campaign will run the same strategy if Harris takes over, he said. Biden has already given Republicans too much fodder, he acknowledged. They will also demand that Biden step down as president if he wont run. That would give them extra ammunition to attack Harris as a sitting president who benefited from a coup. Its Joe Biden, he added, even if the nominee will not, in fact, be Joe Biden, should he step aside. You cant say youre cognitively impaired and not able to run for president and then continue to be president, LaCivita said, repeating a message the campaign and its surrogates have been banging like a drum. If youre going to step down as a candidate for president because of cognitive reasons, then you have to step down as president. Its a notable escalation from LaCivitas assessment earlier in the day when he told Politico that Biden potentially bowing out was tantamount to the Democrats deposing a sitting president. LaCivita claimed the campaign intends to remain civil and refrain from personal attacks on Harris should she become the replacement nominee. (Remember, they are the party of unity now.) No nicknames, no memes, nothing but business. I don't know what slang we use other than language that's built around our budget and our message, LaCivita said with a light chuckle. But Kamala, if it's Kamala Harris, it doesn't matter. LaCivita sounded like a Republican who has at least begun to entertain the idea of being coconut-pilled, ready for a post-Biden campaign. (Coconut pilled has become a reference to Harris inexplicably using an anecdote about coconut trees in speeches.) When asked by The Daily Beast how the campaign would respond to the Democratic argument for Biden staying in officethat he would be an elder statesman putting country over party, able to govern but not able to withstand the rigors of campaigning for the jobthe top Trump officials inner Virginian came out to play. That dog dont hunt, he said before walking toward the direction of the Trump VIP booth. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. July 18, 2024; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Tucker Carlson speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Political commentator Tucker Carlson took the podium at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday to say that GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump is anything but selfish The former Fox News anchor shared a conversation he had with Trump after the Saturday assassination attempt at the Pennsylvania rally, when the former president told Carlson he was amazed that the crowd did not run. "The first thing I thought was well, of course, they didn't run. His courage gave them heart. A leader's courage gives courage to his people," Carlson said. "The second thing I thought was, 'This is the selfish guy I've been hearing about for nine years?'" Carlson was a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump on his Fox News show "Tucker Carlson Tonight," which he hosted for several years before his contract was terminated in 2023. His recent history with Trump has been more complicated: texts revealed as part of defamation suit filed against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems over reporting following 2020 presidential election showed Carlson criticizing the former president. However, Carlson told WABC he explained the texts to Trump, and they currently appear to be getting along. The Republican National Convention is in Milwaukee through Thursday where former President Donald Trump on Thursday will formally accept the partys nomination for the 2024 Election. USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network have more than 60 journalists on the ground in Milwaukee and you can follow along with our live blog for updates throughout the day. More: RNC 2024 live updates: Trump expected to reveal VP pick in the wake of stunning shooting What to know about Tucker Carlson Who he is: American conservative political commentator who was the host of "Tucker Carlson Tonight," a popular conservative talk show on Fox News, from 2016 until his contract was terminated in 2023. He now has his own streaming service, the Tucker Carlson Network. What role he plays: Conservative commentator Key quote: "Everything else about Trump aside, he actually cares because he's interested in the people who live here because that's his job. A father's job [and] his duty is to his family. An officer's duty is to his men. A president's duty is to his citizens, and he seems to be the only one who thinks that." When and where is the Republican National Convention? The Republicans' convention will take place over four days, from July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, will be the main venue for the RNC. There also will be events at the nearby University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center. More: When is the 2024 RNC? Full week schedule, dates, times, where to watch and livestream How can you watch the event and stay up-to-date on convention news? USA TODAY is streaming the RNC from start to finish, and you can watch it here starting Monday, July 15: Updates from the RNC will be available at gopconvention2024.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tucker Carlson's speech at the RNC Thursday night: Watch MILWAUKEE In 2021, Tucker Carlson, then the most-watched host on Fox News, made his feelings plain about former President Donald Trump. I hate him passionately, Carlson wrote in a text message. But on Thursday evening when Carlson, no longer at Fox News, stepped into the spotlight at the Republican National Convention, to some of the biggest cheers of the convention so far, he struck a much different tone. When he stood up after being shot in the face, bloodied, and put his hand up, I thought at that moment that this was a transformation, Carlson told the crowd, referring to the attempted assassination of Trump last weekend in Butler, Pennsylvania. This was no longer just a man. ... He was no longer just a political partys nominee for president, or a future president. This was the leader of a nation. Whether Carlson underwent a genuine change of heart, or decided to hitch his wagon to the 2024 GOP presidential nominee out of craven opportunism, he is poised to wield tremendous influence over a second Trump administration. When Trump wearing a bandage over his ear to protect the wound he suffered from a would-be assassins bullet made a surprise visit to the convention on Monday, he waved at his adoring fans before making a beeline for Carlson, who was sitting in the stands, to shake his hand. Trump then walked a couple of seats over to greet his new running mate, Sen. JD Vance a man whom Carlson told Trump to choose as the vice presidential nominee. The scene may have offered a preview of Trumps inner circle if he is to win a second term: Vance, a bearded millennial authoritarian, and Carlson, who has spent the past few years producing ugly propaganda. Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump greets Tucker Carlson on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Andrew Harnik via Getty Images Mere hours before taking the stage at the RNC, Carlson posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) of him conducting a friendly, softball interview with Mike Cernovich, the Pizzagate conspiracist who once said date rape isnt real. The video was produced for the Tucker Carlson Network, the digital media company he founded after being pushed out of Fox News amid a $787.5 million defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, a company Carlson frequently and falsely blamed for stealing the 2020 election for President Joe Biden. On his new network, Carlson has routinely conducted sympathetic interviews with extreme figures, including philosopher Alexander Dugin, an outright fascist with extensive ties to American white supremacists who is often described as the brain behind Russian President Vladimir Putin. Earlier this year, Carlson interviewed Putin himself, laughing along with the suspected war criminal as he held forth on Russian history. The same month as the Putin interview, Carlson sat down with Lydia Brimelow, a leader of the white supremacist organization VDare. The pair talked, per the episode description, about how mass immigration is completely destroying our country. Carlson did not challenge Brimelow during the interview, which received 18 million views on X, with the help of a retweet from the platforms owner, billionaire Elon Musk. Brimelows VDare is a hub for propaganda about the Great Replacement, a conspiracy theory that is one of Carlsons favorite subjects. The Great Replacement, in Carlsons rendering, is the idea that Democrats support lax border enforcement in order to replace white American voters with voters of other races, who would supposedly be more likely to vote for Democrats. Its a conspiracy theory often found in the genocidal screeds of white supremacist mass shooters, but which Carlson nevertheless frequently promoted to his millions of viewers while on Fox News. Per a New York Times analysis, Carlson promoted the Great Replacement in over 400 episodes of his show, often describing non-white immigration as an invasion. While at Fox News, and as a host on the networks digital channel Fox Nation, Carlson was also a frequent booster of conspiracy theories about the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, often casting the rioters as American patriots being persecuted by a tyrannical government. He produced a whole docuseries, called Patriot Purge, on the topic for Fox Nation; it was co-directed by Scooter Downey, a filmmaker who previously made films for white supremacists. Some of the talking heads and rioters depicted in the docuseries were white supremacists, though they were never described as such. Carlson was ultimately pushed out of Fox News as the network grappled with Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit. During the course of discovery in that lawsuit, Carlsons text messages about Trump were made public, including the one in which he wrote, I hate him passionately. We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights, Carlson wrote another time, after Trump was no longer in the White House, adding: I truly cant wait. Reflecting on Trumps time as president, Carlson wrote in another text message: Were all pretending weve got a lot to show for it, because admitting what a disaster its been is too tough to digest. But come on. There really isnt an upside to Trump. Publicly at the time, Carlson was still boosting Trump, just as he did Thursday evening in Milwaukee. Carlson appeared to deliver his remarks extemporaneously, fawning over Trump for more than 10 minutes, eventually even suggesting that God may have saved Trump from the would-be assassins bullet so that he could lead America into a glorious new future. Whats happened over the past month, since the debate, and particularly since Saturday in Butler, I think a lot of people were like, What is this? Carlson said. This doesnt look like politics. Something bigger is going on. I think even people who dont believe in God are beginning to think, Well, maybe theres something to this actually. And Im starting to think, its gonna be OK. Tucker Carlson made a primetime return to Fox News tonight with his speech at the Republican National Convention, but the ex-host was nowhere to be seen on his old homes of CNN and MSNBC. Taking the stage at the GOP shindig to the introduction of Journalist, author and American citizen, Carlson opened his remarks sounding very unlike a former bow tie-wearing conservative. Ive been to many conventions, he told the delegates in Milwaukee after spending the past three days palling around with the Trumps and sitting in their VIP box. Ive never been to a more fun convention. Ive never been to a convention with better vibes. More from Deadline Venturing into the occasional aside and with no teleprompter, Carlson then delivered a full-throated seal of approval to Donald Trump and VP nominee J.D. Vance to the enthusiastic and one-time Mass Deportations Now sign-holding crowd. On the last night of the RNC and just hours before Trump takes the stage in his first remarks since the July 13 assassination attempt, Carlson talked to the audience of divine intervention for the former president surviving the shooting at a rally in Butler, PA. God is among us right now, I think thats enough, Carlson said leaving the stage to cheers. That was Tucker Carlson, you may remember him from the eight oclock hour here, quipped Carlsons FNC time slot replacement Jesse Watters when the Tucker Carlson Network founders less than 15-minute speech was over. On a night that will see UFC boss Dana White, Hulk Hogan and Kid Rock before the GOP faithful as warm-ups for Trump, the BBC also ran Carlsons time at the lectern. However, as their hosts and pundits centered on Joe Bidens increasingly shaky hold on the Democratic nomination and the expectation the end might be nigh, CNN and MSNBC didnt spend one second on Carlsons speech. While the Warner Bros Discovery owned CNN showed nothing of Carlson, the Manhattan studio-based Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes did at least show a glimpse of Carlson taking the stage over their shoulder on a wide shot on the LED screen live feed from Wisconsin. Following Carlson, MSNBC still stayed on their hosts in the 9 pm ET hour. CNN did show the remarks from the RNC stage of former teacher Annette Albright. Before joining Fox in 2009 as a contributor and becoming a host in 2013, Daily Caller founder Carlson was at CNN from 2000 2005, PBS (for real) from 2004 2005 and had his own Tucker show on MSNBC from 2005 2008. Hours before Carlsons highly rated FNC show was set to air on April 24, 2023, the brass of the Rupert Murdoch-owned outlet announced that the host would no longer be a presence at the channel, to put it nicely. The move came just a few days after Fox paid out to Dominion Voting Systems $787.5 million on the first day of trial to settle defamation claims over false 2020 election claims. In the months leading up to the trial, scathing internal correspondence from Carlson and other Fox hosts attacking Trump, the company, the very notion of the Stop the Steal movement and sinking ratings were made public to everyones great embarrassment. Among that material was Carlson texting his show staff of Trump: I hate him passionately. That seemed to be long forgotten today. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Former FOX News host Tucker Carlson said Donald Trump is a changed man after he survived an assassination attempt Saturday during his remarks at The Republican National Convention Thursday. Carlson joined several convention speakers attempting to humanize Trump and attribute his survival Saturday to divine intervention. He applauded Trumps behavior in the week following the shooting, saying he turned down an opportunity to inflame the nation other politicians would have taken. The TV personality said he called Trump hours after being shot, and that the former president did not talk about himself but said he was impressed by those attending the rally who remained calm. This is the selfish guy Ive been hearing about for nine years? Really? Not a word about himself, Carlson said. Everything was different after that moment. Everything. This convention is different. The nation is different. The world is different. Donald Trump is different. More: RNC 2024 live updates: Mike Pompeo takes the stage; Donald Trump set to accept nomination Trump famously got his news from FOX News and Carlsons high-profile talk show while in office. The pair have maintained a friendship over the years, and Carlson claimed the shooting transformed Trump. In that moment, Donald Trump, months before the presidential election, became the leader of this nation, Carlson said. I think it changed him. Carlson also alluded to his past false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump while seeming to take jabs at President Joe Biden. You could take, I dont know, a mannequin, a dead person, and make him president, Carlson said. Theoretically possible. With enough cheating, that could happen. July 18, 2024; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Tucker Carlson speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. FOX News parted ways with Carlson in 2023 following a nine-figure settlement with Dominion Voting Systems, which sued the company over Carlsons on-air comments about the 2020 election. Soon after, Carlson founded his own streaming network to broadcast to his audience, and in February, he interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin. The former presidents son, Donald Trump, Jr., revealed this week that if his father had not tapped Ohio Senator JD Vance to join him on the Republican ticket this November, he hoped he would have chosen Carlson. Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @rachelbarber_ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tucker Carlson praises 'changed' Trump at RNC after shooting FILE - Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, May 31, 2024. A Tunisian court on Friday sentenced presidential candidate Lotfi Mraihi to eight months in prison and banned him from contesting election for life in the latest move to stifle opponents of President Kais Saied in the upcoming October election. (Tingshu Wang/Pool Photo via AP, File) Tunisia's President Kais Saied said Friday that he will run for a second term, making a long-expected announcement while many of his potential opponents languish in prison on charges their attorneys have described as politicized. The announcement about Saied's candidacy in the October election was published on the presidency's Facebook page after a busy week during which critics of Saied and his government have continued to face arrest, gag orders and other restrictions. The repressive measures have raised fears about the trajectory of the North African nation 13 years after protestors toppled its longtime dictator in the first of the regional uprisings that later became known as the Arab Spring. Saied, a 66-year-old former law professor, rose to power in 2019, capitalizing on anger against politicians who failed to fulfill the promises of the revolution and make Tunisia more economically prosperous. Two years after winning election, Saied sacked the prime minister, suspended Tunisia's parliament and had the constitution rewritten to consolidate his own power. Tunisia has since imprisoned dozens of his critics from business and political spheres, including Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of the political party Ennahda that ascended to power after last decades revolution. FILE - Tunisian President Kais Saied attends a signing ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Friday, May 31, 2024. A Tunisian court on Friday sentenced presidential candidate Lotfi Mraihi to eight months in prison and banned him from contesting election for life in the latest move to stifle opponents of President Kais Saied in the upcoming October election. (Tingshu Wang/Pool Photo via AP, File) TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) A Tunisian court on Friday sentenced a presidential candidate Lotfi Mraihi to eight months in prison and banned him from contesting elections for life, in the latest move to stifle opponents of President Kais Saied in the upcoming October election which critics call a sham. The court found Mraihi guilty of vote-buying during the 2019 election, adding him to the list of government critics prosecuted for alleged wrongdoing in that contest. The charge is the latest to face Mraihi, the 65-year-old president of the Republican Peoples Union, a nationalist opposition party. He also faces money laundering charges, which he denies. And in January, he was charged under an anti-fake news statute that authorities have used to target those critical of Saied. Mraihis lawyer Omar Ben Ismael told The Associated Press that he planned to appeal Fridays verdict, which would give Mraihi an opening to remain a presidential candidate and challenge Saied. Tunisias election authority confirmed Friday that a representative for Mraihi had pulled the signature-gathering paperwork presidential candidates need to submit to appear on the ballot. Mraihi is the latest of a wave of candidates to face charges ahead of the election, which opposition members have criticized as a sham due to the increasingly authoritarian political conditions in Tunisia. However, he is the only candidate thus far to have a court ban him for life from contesting elections. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Prosecutors disclosed more evidence Thursday that they say implicates Duane Keffe D Davis in the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. Davis, 61, is accused of orchestrating the murder. He has remained in custody on $750,000 bail since his September arrest. Last month, a judge denied releasing Davis after another man posted his bond, saying she was concerned the bond was a de facto contract for future interviews. Davis has publicly said he was sitting in the front passenger seat of the car, which pulled up side-by-side to Shakurs before the shooting near the Las Vegas Strip. Marion Suge Knight, the then-head of Death Row Records, was driving the car with Shakur in the passenger seat. Knight was injured in the shooting. The shooting on Sept. 7, 1996, at the intersection of Flamingo Road and Koval Lane, a block off the Las Vegas Strip. In the hours before the murder, Shakurs group reportedly attacked Orlando Anderson, a member of a rival gang and Davis nephew. Davis, Anderson and two other men were in the shooters car, Davis has publicly claimed, and prosecutors said. Davis attorney, Carl Arnold, previously told the 8 News Now Investigators that his client was lying when making public statements about Shakurs murder and that Davis should not be trusted. In new evidence revealed in documents filed Thursday, prosecutors said they confirmed Davis wife made a hotel reservation in her name at the time of the shooting. Previously, lawyers for Davis said there was no evidence placing him in the valley. As part of the Los Angeles Police Departments investigation into the death of Christopher The Notorious B.I.G. Wallace, officials offered Davis a proffer, which Davis believed gave him immunity in the Las Vegas case. In 2009, Davis became a confidential informant for a task force created to investigate Wallaces death, prosecutors said. [Davis] denied any involvement in that murder, however, volunteered his knowledge about the murder of Tupac Shakur, documents said. Thereafter, on Dec. 18, 2008, he provided a recorded version of events similar to his other re-countings of the murder, all of which was consistent with the known evidence from the early investigation. Davis also provided an LVMPD homicide detective a statement in 2009, prosecutors said, where he attempted to elude responsibility for the murder of Shakur. During the interview, Davis admitted to being in Las Vegas at the time of the Tyson fight, prosecutors said. During the interview, Davis also told the detective about how he secured a firearm he said his nephew used to shoot Knight and Shakur, documents said. Las Vegas Metro police arrested Davis on Sept. 29, 2023, near his Henderson home. The day before, a grand jury indicted him on a charge of murder with a deadly weapon with a gang enhancement. Davis trial was scheduled to begin in November. A judge will hear arguments next week to determine once again if Davis should be released on house arrest pending trial. 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. CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA) Two people have been arrested in Charleston in connection to a mans drug-induced death earlier this summer. Officials with the Charleston Police Department said on social media that on May 26, officers responded to a report of an unresponsive man in the area of 13th Street and Olive Avenue. The man they found could not be saved, and it was later confirmed that he died from toxic effects of fentanyl. Man accused of killing Pour Bros. manger not guilty by insanity Following further investigation, Charleston Police identified Josiah Vingara as having a role in the mans death. Court records indicate that a warrant was filed for his arrest on June 17, charging him with drug induced homicide. He was arrested the following day. Vingara has remined in custody at the Coles County Jail since his arrest, as he was denied pre-trial release. On Wednesday, he appeared in court for a pretrial hearing and the court found probable cause to move forward with the case. Vingara pleaded not guilty and requested a trial by jury. Another pre-trial hearing was scheduled for Aug. 8 with the trial set for Sept. 30. He will continue to remain in custody. Former Sangamon Co. deputy arraigned, new details revealed in Sonya Masseys death In addition, Charleston Police said their investigation resulted in the arrest of another 20-year-old, Samara Johnson, for obstruction of justice. Officials said she tried to conceal or destroy evidence. Johnson was arrested on June 24 and released from jail the following day. A status hearing for her case is scheduled for Monday. 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 WCIA.com. A row of energy transmission towers carries electricity along a highway outside of LaPlace, on July 1, 2024. (Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) A Republican freshman state senator running for a seat on the Louisiana Public Service Commission has coaxed support from two of his former GOP legislative colleagues. Instead of running against him, as they said they would, theyve opted to sit the race out and endorse him instead. Former state Reps. Barry Ivey of Central and Scott McKnight of Baton Rouge said Friday they had chosen not to qualify for the District 2 PSC race and are throwing their support behind Sen. J.P. Coussan of Lafayette. All three served in the Louisiana House of Representatives up until last year. Coussan, who works in the real estate field, will face Julie Quinn, a Republican lawyer who held a Louisiana Senate seat from 2005 to 2012, and Nick Laborde, a Democrat human resources consultant. Theyre seeking to replace Dr. Craig Greene, a Baton Rouge Republican who decided not to seek re-election. Greene is widely seen as a moderate on the five-member on the Public Service Commission who has often cast the deciding vote among two Republicans and two Democrats. After qualifying for the Nov. 5 race Thursday, Coussan said he was running to be your next conservative watchdog in the utility space. The politics of the PSC are nuanced because theres different market players that come from all different walks of life, different political philosophies, Coussan said. At the end of the day, you know, were looking for reliable and affordable energy. His business-friendly outlook would result in more affordable utility bills for household customers because companies also want to see the lowest prices for power, he said. Quinn qualified for the election Wednesday and described herself as a fiscal conservative. She lived in Metairie when she held a state Senate seat and now resides in Baton Rouge. Quinn said she wants to make sure utility rates continue to stay affordable, particularly in light of the insurance crisis that is already driving up housing costs. Im not a fan, obviously, as a fiscal conservative, of taxing the consumer on everything and passing along everything, Quinn said. When asked about her views on renewable energy, Quinn said she likes the concept of renewable energy, but that she also thinks renewable energy sources such as solar power are being pushed at an unattainable rate. We have to maintain our support for our traditional energy sources. Make sure they can afford to continue to function, she said. Laborde, who will turn 30 before Election Day, is making his first foray into politics. An Avoyelles Parish native who now lives in Baton Rouge, he is the great nephew of the late Raymond Laborde, the former mayor of Marksville who also held a seat in the Louisiana Legislature for 20 years. Raymond Laborde was also commissioner of administration during the final term of Gov. Edwin Edwards. The state prison in Avoyelles bears his name. In a conversation with reporters Thursday after he signed up to run, Nick Laborde pledged not to accept campaign contributions from any of the companies he would regulate. In any other place on Earth, if you paid an official to do what you wanted, thatd be called a bribe. But in Louisiana, we just say thats business as usual, and I think the Public Service Commission especially can be very susceptible to that. Asked whether he would forgo campaign donations from PSC-regulated businesses, Coussan said when those checks come in, Ill make that determination. He also stressed that votes during his nine years in the Legislature were not influenced by any of his donors. Quinn didnt respond to attempts to learn her stance on campaign contributions from regulated businesses. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST Piper Hutchinson contributed to this report. Correction: This report was updated to correct Nick Labordes age. Two NY state prisons holding nearly 1K inmates to close later this year sparking outrage Two upstate prisons holding nearly 1,000 inmates will be shuttered in a few months, correction officials confirmed Thursday drawing outrage from critics who blame Democrat soft-on-crime policies for the closures. The Great Meadow Correctional facility in Washington County and Sullivan Correctional Facility in Sullivan County both maximum security prisons will close on Nov. 6, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said. The inmates will be transferred to the states remaining 13 other maximum security prisons in the state, a spokesman for DOCCS said. Great Meadow will close Nov. 6. Albany Times Union via Getty Ima The department left the door open for more prison closures. It is allowed to close up to five facilities under a provision of the state budget passed earlier this year. The closure announcements drew quick condemnation from correction officers and Republican lawmakers. The governor has a funny way of showing shes from Upstate New York, state Sen. Jake Ashby (R-Washington), whose district includes one of the lockups said in a statement. Closing Great Meadows is a job-killing, community-devastating disaster that flies in the face of real statistics and can only be justified by misleading ones. State Sen. Peter Oberacker (R-Otsego), who represents Sullivan Correctional Facility, said: If changes need to be made to our correctional system, then it should come with sound planning on how to fix it, adequate notice to all those affected, and a plan to help mitigate any negative economic impact on employees and communities. More than 900 staff members at the two closing prisons will have the opportunity to transfer to other facilities, the DOCCS said. But the union representing correction officers blasted that premise arguing that many staffers will choose to retire or find other jobs rather than uproot their families. New York has named two correctional facilities that will close later this year, with more possible. WRGB Redistributing staff through prison closures will accomplish the same thing it has always accomplished: a short term staffing boost to a handful of facilities with little to no long term relief, New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association President Chris Summers wrote in a statement. The State of New York needs to take bold and creative action to fix the staffing issue that is creating low morale and pushing members to their limits, Summers said. Closing prisons and expecting different results certainly is not bold and creative, it is shortsighted. Summers also chided Democrats for pushing to stop solitary confinement and to increase programs offered in prisons while not working to boost the staffing required to run them. According to DOCCS, New Yorks prison population has rapidly declined since 1999 when roughly 73,000 people were behind state bars. As of Thursday, DOCCS says that number is at around 33,000. If we do not see an increase in recruitment, it may be necessary to consider additional closures within the fiscal year, DOCCS wrote in a statement. Gov. Kathy Hochuls office didnt respond to request for comment. Two women arrested on suspicion of murder in Idaho campground homicide The Canyon County Sheriffs Office has arrested two Nevada women in the death of a man at the Martin Landing campground last Friday. Travis Haywood Calumpit, 37, of Parma, died from a gunshot wound. Police arrested Melissa Calumpit, 35, and Rosalie Morris, 59, on suspicion of first-degree murder. Both are from Battle Mountain, Nevada. Their charges do not yet appear in the states court records system. Court records show that Melissa petitioned for divorce from Travis in 2018. A verified GoFundMe for Travis indicated that he had three children. The investigation is ongoing, according to the Canyon County Sheriffs Office. Martin Landing is near the confluence of the Boise, Owyhee and Snake rivers. Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su made a stop in Fort Valley on Friday to celebrate Blue Bird bus factory workers approving their first union-negotiated labor contract. Workers approved the contract in May, about a year after they first voted to be represented by the United Steelworkers union. The contract lasts three years and provides more than 1,500 covered workers with at least a 12% raise, with some of the lowest-paid workers receiving raises of at least 40%. The contract also ensures that the company will contribute to a retirement plan for workers, share profits and improve health and safety in the factory. The Biden administration kept close tabs on the negotiations because the Blue Bird bus factory is one of the auto manufacturers benefiting from increased funding for the clean energy industry. Su was involved in the contract negotiations, she said during Fridays event. The contracts signing is a major victory for the Biden administration, which has set its sights on investing in union jobs in the Souths growing clean energy industry. To the Blue Bird workers, you all did it, Su said. Who says workers in the South cant unionize? They havent met all of you. Federal government invests in Blue Bird bus factory The Blue Bird bus factory and warehouse is the largest employer in Fort Valley. Surrounded by rolling hills and peach groves, its low-slung industrial buildings encircled by shiny, new yellow school buses stand out. It has also stood out to the federal government, which has given it a financial windfall through a slew of federal investments aimed at expanding electric buses. Earlier this month, the factory announced the U.S. Department of Energy is giving it $80 million to convert old diesel bus manufacturing facilities into plants to build electric vehicles. Manufacturers in other states, including Illinois and Pennsylvania, are set to receive money for similar projects. It isnt the first time the federal government has made it rain for the factory. In May 2023, Blue Bird announced it would receive around $1 billion from the federal government over five years in the form of contracts to manufacture electric school buses for districts across the nation. While the investments were a financial lifeline for the school bus company, which had been struggling after demand decreased due to districts going remote during the COVID-19 pandemic, workers worried they wouldnt see any of the benefits. The week former Blue Bird CEO Matthew Stevenson told shareholders the news in a quarterly earnings call, workers voted 697-435 to unionize and affiliate with the United Steelworkers. Union will make waves far beyond Fort Valley The new contract is not only historic for Blue Bird workers, but marks a big step for labor organizing in the Deep South, a region that has traditionally been unfriendly to such efforts. Every state in the Deep South had union membership rates below the national average of about 10% in 2023, according to numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Every state in the South is also a right-to-work state, meaning workers in unionized workplaces can opt out of membership and dues. Critics of right-to-work laws say they weaken union power and make it harder for workers to bargain for fair wages and hours and workplace safety. The union contract was negotiated in under a year a major victory, given that companies and unions can take years to reach an agreement. But it didnt come without struggle. Shortly after workers voted to unionize, Stevenson resigned as CEO. USW and employees also claim that management tried to engage in illegal union-busting tactics. Among the claims were that management followed employees to an off-site lunch location where they were meeting organizers and surveilled them, interrogated employees about support for the union, threatened workers with plant closure if they unionized during a mass meeting and threatened to freeze benefits during the bargaining process. Labor organizers and newly-unionized Blue Bird employees at Fridays event emphasized their hope that the new contract will inspire other workers around the South to follow their lead in spite of the challenges. When workers come together in a union, we win a voice to fight for what we deserve, said Dee Thomas, an 11-year employee of Blue Bird and a union member. As a proud member of a union, I am here to say that despite what you may have been told, Georgia is for unions. Blue Bird employee Carolyn Allen wears a Bluebird Workers United t-shirt while celebrating Blue Birds union contract on Friday, July 19, 2024, at the Blue Bird manufacturing plant in Fort Valley, Georgia. Blue Bird electric bus manufacturing workers ratified their first union contract in May, joining United Steelworkers and securing wage increases, safety improvements and more employee benefits. Why is the government so interested in this union? Su said the federal funding has a dual purpose of boosting union jobs in the South and tackling climate change. Biden positioned unions as one of the centerpieces of his 2020 campaign and has continued to emphasize unions on the 2024 campaign trail. At times, Bidens support for climate action has clashed with unions, with the United Auto Workers briefly withholding an endorsement of Biden in May 2023 after it demanded he push for better wages and benefits for workers at EV plants. As part of increasing support for unions and climate action, Su stepped in to assist negotiations at the Blue Bird factory. She said she spent countless hours meeting with different parties, with the goal of quickly forming a union that met workers needs at the plant. When Blue Bird workers, union organizers and the company announced they had reached an agreement in May, Biden publicly congratulated them. Thomas was even invited to the White House to talk about her organizing efforts with the president. During her remarks, as she stood among workers and union organizers in the muggy Georgia heat, Su emphasized that this victory shows that these issues can be balanced. Fort Valley, cities across this country, Georgia, and states across this country have been battling two crises: the crisis of climate change and the crisis of not having enough good jobs that allow people to live a decent life, Su said. U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan speaks to the press in his district office in Madison, Wisconsin | Wisconsin Examiner photo On Friday, Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan became the first member of Congress from Wisconsin to call on President Joe Biden to suspend his presidential campaign. Pocan released a joint message with three other House Democrats calling for President Joe Biden to step out of the 2024 race. Together with Democratic U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Mark Veasey of Texas, who is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and Chuy Garcia of Illinois, Pocan wrote, Mr. President, with great admiration for you personally, sincere respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership, and deep appreciation for everything we have accomplished together during your presidency, it is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders. Despite Bidens accomplishments over the past four years, Pocan and his colleagues wrote, we must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign. These perceptions may not be fair, but they have hardened in the aftermath of last months debate and are now unlikely to change. Praising a deep and talented bench of young leaders, led by Kamala Harris, Pocan and the other Democrats wrote that passing the torch would reinvigorate the race and infuse Democrats with enthusiasm and momentum heading into our convention next month. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio calls on President Joe Biden to end reelection campaign Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown has become the latest Senate Democrat to call for President Joe Biden to end his reelection campaign, just weeks before the Democratic National Convention. Brown faces a tough reelection bid against Republican businessman Bernie Moreno in a state where voters have picked former President Donald Trump twice. Brown had said little about Biden's political future since the disastrous debate performance that reinforced Democrats' worst fears about the president's age and political future. But that changed Friday when Brown joined fellow Democratic members of Congress calling for Biden to drop out of the race. "Over the last few weeks, I've heard from Ohioans on important issues, such as how to continue to grow jobs in our state, give law enforcement the resources to crack down on fentanyl, protect Social Security and Medicare from cuts, and prevent the ongoing efforts to impose a national abortion ban," Brown said in a statement. "These are the issues Ohioans care about and it is my job to keep fighting for them. "I agree with the many Ohioans who have reached out to me. At this critical time, our full attention must return to these important issues. I think the president should end his campaign." In response, Moreno called on Biden to resign the presidency and asked Brown to join him. "If Joe Biden is unfit to run, he is unfit to serve," Moreno said in a statement. "Make no mistake, Brown was fully aware of Joe Biden's mental decline, covered it up, and used Biden as a vessel to pass the most liberal agenda in American history." Brown believes Biden should serve out the rest of his term and will not weigh in on who should be the Democratic nominee instead, according to his campaign. Moreno had criticized Brown for largely staying silent as other high-profile Democrats have called on Biden to call it quits. Ohio Democrats: Early virtual Biden nomination avoids ballot deadline confusion, lawsuits "I'm not a pundit," Brown told reporters earlier this month, adding that Ohioans had legitimate questions about Biden and he would keep listening. Brown is the fourth Senate Democrat to call for the president to abandon his effort to seek their party's nomination. Sens. Peter Welch of Vermont, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Jon Tester of Montana previously called on Biden to step down. U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, of Cincinnati, also said Friday that it was time for Biden to step aside. Biden is facing increasing pressure from donors and fellow Democrats to drop out of the presidential race. Democrats are poised to select a presidential nominee in a virtual roll call vote in early August in part to ensure Biden made the Ohio ballot. But that date has not yet been set. The statements come just two days after Ohio's other U.S. senator, JD Vance, accepted the Republican Party's nomination for vice president during its national convention in Milwaukee. USA TODAY NETWORK Ohio Bureau reporter Haley BeMiller contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown calls on President Joe Biden to end campaign Subscribe to HuffPosts true crime newsletter, Suspicious Circumstances, to get captivating cases, unsolved mysteries and courtroom drama delivered straight to your inbox every week. Sign up here. The killing of a decorated U.S. Army soldier in May remains unsolved, and the mystery has deepened after an autopsy report revealed disturbing details about her death. Private First Class Katia Duenas Aguilar, a 23-year-old native of the Dallas suburb of Mesquite, Texas, was found dead just after 8:30 p.m. on May 18 in her apartment in Clarksville, Tennessee, about seven miles from Fort Campbell, the Army base where she was stationed. In the months since, no suspect has been named, no motive identified and no arrests made. Her family and authorities have pleaded for anyone with information to come forward, and police have released few details publicly because of the active and ongoing investigation. But earlier this month, an autopsy report provided new insight into her brutal killing. The Montgomery County medical examiner determined that Duenas Aguilar suffered 68 stab wounds to her neck and upper body, the Leaf Chronicle reported, and found her cause of death to be homicide due to sharp force injuries of the neck. She had 55 stab wounds and 13 incised wounds, mostly on her neck, the autopsy found. A toxicology report said that on the day she died, Duenas Aguilar had a blood alcohol level of 0.161. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, which can be used as a date rape drug or taken recreationally, was also found in her system. Duenas Aguilar was married to her second husband at the time of her death, Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Tony Hoefler confirmed to HuffPost. She had a 4-year-old son. Friends and family described Duenas Aguilar as a devoted mother. She was just an amazing mother. She loved [her son] so much, her friend Jae Mitchell, who had been stationed with her at Fort Campbell, told the Dallas-area Fox affiliate KDFW. It was unclear whether Duenas Aguilar was living with her husband at the time of her death, but Clarksville Police Department spokesperson Scott Beaubien told HuffPost she had custody of her son. The child is now in the custody of his biological father, Beaubien added, whom Hoefler said is Duenas Aguilars first husband. Private First Class Katia Duenas Aguilar, a soldier assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was found dead in her apartment near the Army installation on May 18. An autopsy found that she had suffered nearly 70 stab wounds. U.S. Army via AP Duenas Aguilar enlisted in the Army in 2018 as an information technology specialist, according to The Dallas Morning News and a LinkedIn account under her name. After completing basic training, she reported to Fort Campbell, which straddles the Kentucky-Tennessee state line, as a member of the 101st Airborne Division Combat Aviation Brigade. While Duenas Aguilar was a soldier who could be deployed at any time, her primary job was to provide technical support for computer and network issues in the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Campbell, Hoefler explained. She was taking steps to reenlist in the Army, he said. Duenas Aguilar earned two Army Achievement Medals, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon during her five years of service, according to Military.com. She was buried with honors in Mesquite on May 31. Honoring the fallen is one of our most sacred responsibilities, the 101st brigade said on its Facebook page before the funeral. Pfc. Duenas Aguilar served with honor and distinction and we wish to honor her in return. A female mariachi band performed the sorrowful ballad Amor Eterno, The Dallas Morning News reported. How I wish that you lived, that your eyes had never closed and to be looking at them. Eternal and unforgettable love, the women sang in Spanish. In the days following Duenas Aguilars killing, her mother and her 19-year-old sister, Cecilia Ruiz Aguilar, spoke with local ABC affiliate WFAA about their shock and grief. Were holding on because were her voice right now. Shes no longer here to tell us anything, Ruiz Aguilar said. The truth will come out, her mother said. To the person who did this to my daughter, I say: My daughter wasnt a bad person. Why? The League of United Latin American Citizens offered a reward of $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Her mother added $30,000 to the fund, for a combined reward of $55,000, the Latino civil rights organization announced on its website on May 25. LULAC and Duenas Aguilars family said her death is a grim reminder of the murder of 20-year-old Vanessa Guillen, who was killed by a fellow soldier at Fort Hood, the Texas Army base where she was stationed. (The base was renamed in May 2023 to Fort Cavazos.) The tragedy of Katia Duenas-Aguilar echoes the painful memories of other fallen soldiers, such as U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen, whose murder in 2020 at Fort Hood, Texas, sparked national outrage and led to significant policy changes aimed at protecting service members from violence and abuse while in the military, LULAC said in a statement. Guillens body was found in July 2020, three months after she was first declared missing. The soldier who was accused of bludgeoning her to death with a hammer killed himself after he was identified as a suspect. His girlfriend was sentenced to 30 years in prison after she admitted to helping him mutilate and dispose of Guillens body. Guillens family accused her killer of sexually harassing her, sparking a national movement by women who shared their experiences of sexual harassment and assault on military bases under the hashtag #IamVanessaGuillen. Twenty-one officers were disciplined in connection to Guillens death, and then-U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said that patterns of violence against women in the military were a direct result of leadership failures. Investigators have not said whether they believe Duenas Aguilar was a victim of sexual harassment or sexual assault. Although she was not killed on the Army base, special agents from Fort Campbells Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division are working in conjunction with homicide detectives with the Clarksville Police Department. It just doesnt make sense, Mitchell, Duenas Aguilars friend and fellow soldier, told Fox 4. I really and truthfully thought she was in a safe environment. Authorities are seeking the publics help and have urged anyone with information or video footage to contact Detective Isabella Hofinga at (931) 648-0656, ext. 5720. To remain anonymous, people with tips can call the Clarksville Montgomery County Crime Stoppers Tipsline at (931) 645-8477, or submit them online at P3tips.com/591. At a news conference on May 25, Duenas Aguilars mother pleaded for more information about her daughters killing, the Leaf Chronicle reported. My daughter is dead, and no one is going to stop it, Carmen Aguilar said. Help me get justice for her and those who passed away. I never thought Id be living this, and now I am. Need help? Visit RAINNs National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Centers website. Related... The Treasury under Secretary Janet Yellen has again imposed sanctions targeting a facilitator of the Houthi rebels in Yemen. File Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI July 18 (UPI) -- The United Staes has imposed additional sanctions targeting a Yemen facilitator of the Houthi rebels, as the Biden administration continues to tighten its financial vises on the Iran-backed militia that has been attacking shipping vessels amid Israel's war in Gaza. The Houthis have attacked more than 50 commercial vessels transiting through the Red Sea since Nov. 19 when its forces, embolden by Israel's war against Iran proxy militia Hamas, began executing a maritime trade blockade in the region, claiming solidarity with the Palestinian people. Amid the blockade, the Biden administration has repeatedly targeted the network of Sa'id al-Jamal with sanctions to weaken the Houthi's hold on the Red Sea, accusing the Iran-based financier of generating tens of millions in dollars for the rebels by shipping Iranian commodities, including oil. On Thursday, the Treasury sanctioned Mohammad Roslan Bin Ahmad, 55, and Zhuang Liang, 46, as well as three firms and several vessels for being complicit in al-Jamal's illicit network. "These actions aim to disrupt the network run by U.S.-designated facilitator Sa'id al-Jamal that is financing the Houthis and their destructive activities in the region," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement. "Today's targets form part of a multifaceted illicit operations network, ranging from clients and facilitators to insurance providers, vessels, and ship management firms. We will continue to use all available tools to disrupt funding streams that enable the Houthis to continue their destabilizing activity in the region." Bin Ahmad, a dual citizen of Malaysia and Singapore, was hit for providing al-Jamal's network with management and brokering services, including negotiating shipments to Malaysia and vessels to trade illicit Russian and Venezuelan goods, the Treasury said. Zhuang was blacklisted on accusations of money laundering and conducting other finance schemes for al-Jamal's network. The Chinese native is also accused of assisting al-Jamal's business partner, Houthi-affiliate Abdi Nasir Ali Mahamud, in circumventing sanctions. Al-Jamal was previously designated by the United States, along with other Western democracies, as was Mahamud. Several vessels were also identified by the Treasury over their involvement with al-Jamal as were firms that were his clients and provided his shipping vessels with insurance. Sanctions generally freeze all assets in the name of those designated while prohibiting them access to the U.S. financial system and barring U.S. persons form doing business with them. Birth control pills. (Getty Images) The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences will provide contraceptives, prenatal health care and reproductive health education to women in 14 rural Arkansas counties in an effort to prevent unintended pregnancies and to improve access to womens health care, the university announced in a news release Thursday. By providing contraceptive services in those counties Ashley, Carroll, Little River, Lee, Madison, Miller, Ouachita, Phillips, Newton, Sebastian, Sevier, St. Francis, Union and Washington UAMS aims to eliminate barriers women may currently experience when trying to receive contraception, such as transportation, costs and language and cultural barriers, the news release states. The project will be funded by a $431,000 grant from an anonymous donor, said David Wise, spokesperson for the UAMS Northwest Regional Campus in Fayetteville. The UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation will employ mobile health units to bring reproductive care and education to areas of the state where those resources are limited, the news release states. Mobile health units are vehicles with the equipment to provide health care services, including screenings and vaccinations; UAMS used these tools for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations during the coronavirus pandemic. Women living in rural communities face a lot of challenges when trying to receive the contraceptive method of their choice, Kelly Conroy, senior director of Community Programs at the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation, said in the news release. Their local clinics may not offer a full range of contraception methods, or they may not be available on-site. UAMS hosted a panel in February in which medical professionals agreed that the maternal health landscape in Arkansas needs improvement. Arkansas has the nations highest maternal mortality rate and the third highest infant mortality rate, according to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement. Arkansas received an overall ranking of 47 and ranked last in maternity care providers per 100,000 women ages 15 to 44 with a rate of 52.1, according to the 2024 State Scorecard on Womens Health and Reproductive Care, published this week. The national average is 78.9 providers per 100,000 women. Only 35 hospitals in Arkansas have labor and delivery units, and four units have closed since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. Additionally, more than 60% of Arkansas women dont return to their healthcare provider for their six-week postpartum visit, the UAMS news release states. Arkansas also had almost double the national rate of teenage pregnancy in 2022, and the vast majority of teen pregnancies were unplanned due to a lack of adequate sex education and access to reliable contraception, according to Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. Both teenagers and adults will have access to UAMS rural contraceptive and reproductive healthcare initiative, Wise said. AACF Executive Director Keesa Smith-Brantley praised the initiative in a statement Thursday. Our state continues to have one of the highest rates of unintended pregnancies, which we know cause significant financial strain on families, Smith-Brantley said. In addition, with so many Arkansas counties having limited access to gynecological services, forward-thinking steps like this will help provide women with both the reproductive health education and access to care critically needed for women to make their best plans for the future. The mobile health unit program encourages people to sign up before visiting, mostly to ensure we have their contraceptive of choice available for their visit, but will also see people without appointments depending on availability, Wise said. The mobile health units will have a variety of birth control options, including pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs), the latter of which is also referred to as long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). Additionally, UAMS also will train nearly 50 of its family medicine residents on LARC insertion and how to initiate conversations with their patients regarding their reproductive health goals, the news release states. The Arkansas Legislature passed a law in 2023 that requires Medicaid to cover LARC for postpartum mothers. UAMS has been able to cover LARC via grant funding since 2021, Wise said. Another 2023 bill would have extended postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months after birth, but it did not advance. Arkansas is the only state with no plans to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage, according to KFF. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Secretary of Human Services Kristi Putnam said in March that this expansion would be redundant and duplicative since the state has other insurance coverage options for postpartum low-income Arkansans. Sanders signed an executive order creating a committee, which includes some cabinet officials, that will formulate a comprehensive statewide strategic health plan aimed at connecting more Arkansas women with healthcare providers before, during and after pregnancy, among other things. Five counties with high rates of pregnant Arkansans receiving no maternal health care at all Phillips, Crittenden, Scott, Garland and Polk will be the focus of a state-run pilot program, created by Sanders executive order, to increase access to maternal health care and coverage. The United Auto Workers slammed former President Trump after he called for the unions president, Shawn Fain, to be fired for letting carmakers build factories abroad, during his Thursday evening speech at the Republican National Convention. Trump accused China of making cars in Mexico to sell in the United States, no tax, no anything, during his more than 90-minute acceptance speech. The United Auto Workers ought to be ashamed for allowing this to happen, and the leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately and every single autoworker, union and nonunion, should be voting for Donald Trump, because were going to bring back car manufacturing and were going to bring it back fast, Trump said. The union took to the social platform X soon after to post its rebuttal. @realDonaldTrump is a scab and a billionaire and thats who he represents. We know which side were on. Not his, the UAW wrote. The UAW endorsed President Biden in January, as both candidates vied for the support of major unions ahead of the 2024 election. The endorsement followed Bidens historic visit to the picket line in Michigan during the six-week UAW strike against three major automakers last fall, a first for a sitting president. Fain said during his January endorsement that Biden heard the call, and he stood up and he showed up, and called Trump a scab and a billionaire who stands against everything we stand for as a union. A few days later, Trump took to Truth Social to rip Fain as a STIFF helping sell the automobile industry right into the big, powerful hands of China. Get rid of this dope & vote for DJT. I will bring the Automobile Industry back to our Country, he wrote. While the UAW and Fain have made their distaste for the former president clear, another union president took the stage at the Republican National Convention for the first time in its 121-year history. Sean OBrien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, called Trump one tough SOB. The union has not endorsed either candidate, and OBrien said that if Republicans want that unions endorsement, there must be changes, as there are still members of the GOP who stand in active opposition to labor unions. I want to be clear. At the end of the day, the Teamsters are not interested if you have an R, D, or I next to your name. We want to know one thing: What are you doing to help American workers? OBrien 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. Uber is offering $1,000 to 175 people in the United States and Canada who sign up for their new challenge and give up their cars for an entire month. Axios reported the challenge is set to begin on July 22 and run through Aug. 25. During this time, those chosen to participate in the program have to pick from a list of alternative transportation modes. Some of the choices include walking, using a Lime e-bike or e-scooter, rideshare, and public transit. Uber is calling this challenge the One Less Car trial. With the costs of car ownership soaring to unprecedented heights, Uber is running this program to study what works in helping people live what it refers to as a "car-light lifestyle." Uber has partnered with the Behavioural Insights Team to process the results of this eco-friendly initiative. Part of the deal for participants is that they agree to document their experience throughout the five-week-long trial. The results from a similar challenge Uber ran in 2023 in Australia were encouraging, showing that walking was the most common substitute for car use. If consumers could use alternate transportation more frequently or even give up the need for a car altogether, the savings per year could be in the thousands. According to AAA, the average monthly cost of "owning and operating a new vehicle" in 2023 was $1,015. Not only could a decrease in car dependency benefit consumers' bank accounts, but it would also lower toxic pollution from the millions of cars that hit the road every day. Making life more affordable and the air around us cleaner helps everyone move toward a brighter, safer future. Other corporations are taking action in the name of sustainability as well. PepsiCo is expanding its electric vehicle fleet. REI and Intuit have teamed up to launch a solar farm. Target started a successful program to recycle old car seats and reduce waste. These are just a few examples of the many big organizations that are making an impact and inspiring change with new eco-friendly initiatives. "We're out to show that it's possible to make the switch to a car-light lifestyle, saving both money and emissions, while contributing to more livable cities," Adam Gromis, Uber's global head of sustainability policy, wrote. Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. UF President Ben Sasse suddenly announced he was resigning. Here's what else we know. Late Thursday night University of Florida President Ben Sasse made an unexpected announcement that he would be stepping down from his position, effective at the end of this month. Here's what we know so far about the situation: Ben Sasse, University of Florida president, speaks during his inauguration on Nov. 2, 2023 at the University of Florida Auditorium in Gainesville, Florida. Why is Ben Sasse leaving? Sasse cited his wife's recent diagnosis with epilepsy as his reason for stepping down. He said that his priorities needed to be focused on the needs of his family as well as on being a husband and father, which he said is difficult to do while also handling the responsibility of being UF president. In a post on X, Sasse said Melissa suffered an aneurysm and a series of strokes in 2007 but "made an incredible comeback." However, her diagnosis of epilepsy in recent months has caused her to struggle with "a new batch of memory issues," and after much discussion the decision was made that Sasse would step down. Is there any other reason? Neither UF nor Sasse has disclosed any other reason for his resignation. When does this take effect? His resignation is effective July 31. University President Ben Sasse mingles with University of Florida students and community members after the Lighting of the Holiday Gator at the University of Florida on Nov. 30, 2023. Were there any signs? There were no mentions of Sasse resigning and this came as an unexpected shock to many. Who will take over in the meantime? This is still unknown. The Independent Florida Alligator reported that Kent Fuchs, UF president before Sasse, is expected to serve as interim president. However, nothing released by UF states this and the university has not made any further comment. Who will become the next UF president? This is also still unknown. A UF News release said "the board (of trustees) will work quickly and thoughtfully to announce an interim president and lay the foundation for the search for a new president." When contacted by The Sun, UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldan said the school has no information to add at this time. Will Sasse still be around? Yes. According to his post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Sasse will stick around campus as president emeritus and professor, continuing to teach classes. More Ben Sasse coverage: Here's how social media is reacting to Ben Sasse's surprise resignation as UF president When was this initiated? Sasse's post on X said that he asked UF Board of Trustees Chairman Mori Hosseini and the board on Thursday to initiate a search for a new president. How long has Ben Sasse been UF president? Sasse's tenure was formally announced in October 2022 and his (what was supposed to be five-year) term began in February 2023. What is known about his family? Sasse and his wife, Melissa, have two college-age daughters and a son who is just turning 13. They live in the Dasburg House on UF campus, where a project to build a $300,000 pool was started after he moved in. The Sun and Fresh Take Florida previously reported that university Spokesman Steve Orlando, said Sasse did not ask for the pool to be built and provided no input over its design. There were plans to build a pool at the Dasburg House while former President Kent Fuchs lived there, but these plans were stalled. Fuchs and his wife were involved and requested the pool to have certain features, The Sun previously reported. What will the search process for a new president be like? Senate Bill 520, which remains in effect, allowed UF to conduct most of the prior nationwide search behind closed doors without following Floridas open meetings and public records laws. Since this law is still in effect, it is possible the next search process will be similar. This caused much controversy when Sasse was chosen as sole finalists, as many students, faculty and staff believed there was a lack of transparency in the search. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: UF President Ben Sasse resigning. What we know so far: Danville authorities are searching for a suspect in a Wednesday night robbery of Pizza Hut on Riverside Drive that ended with the culprit crashing a stolen vehicle. It was at about 7:45 p.m. when police responded to the eatery. A 42-year-old woman told officers she was robbed at gunpoint of vehicle and personal items while sitting the parking lot awaiting her order, a news release reported. The suspect, who police said was a Black man with light complexion wearing all black and a face covering had a handgun. He left in the unidentified vehicle heading east on Riverside Drive. "The driver accelerated quickly and crashed near the intersection of Lockett Drive while making a turn off South Main Street," police wrote in the release. "The suspect then fled the scene on foot into a wooded area." No one was hurt during the robbery. Police asked nearby businesses with video footage to reach out to the department. Anyone who has information is asked to contact the Danville Police Department by calling patrol at 434-799-6510 option 4; investigations at 434-799-6508 option 1, and option 1 again; 911; or Crime Stoppers at 434-793-0000. In addition, residents may approach any officer they see, use social media, email crimetips@danvilleva.gov or use the crime tips app CARE. The University of Georgia is spending millions on security upgrades that students will see this fall. UGA previously announced some of the security changes following the murder of Laken Riley. The Augusta University nursing student was murdered while jogging on the UGA campus in February. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] This week, university officials announced $7.3 million worth of upgrades like new signs, perimeter fencing and enhanced lighting in high-traffic areas. There is no higher priority at the University of Georgia than the safety and security of our campus community, said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. We continually evaluate our safety programs in close collaboration with our partners. Our ongoing investments are strengthening virtually all aspects of campus security. The university said more lighting has been added near the residence halls with high foot traffic. Officials are also converting 400 lights to LED technology for brighter lighting at night. A new Campus Safety Ambassadors program will escort students across campus during the evening hours. The university said the program funding is part of a 20% increase in the UGA campus police budget. The university has focused on continuing to recruit and retain police personnel who are exceptional. In that spirit, UGAs compensation for police is among the best in the state, said P. Daniel Silk, UGA associate vice president for public safety. Extra security will be in place at the Miller Learning Center, UGA libraries, the Tate Student Center and Ramsey Student Center where students are usually seen at night. Officials are also limiting evening hours at the main and science libraries to UGA students, faculty and staff only. RELATED STORIES: The United Kingdom and Ukraine have signed an intergovernmental agreement regarding official loan support for the development of Ukrainian defence capabilities. Source: the document has been signed in the presence of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov and UK Defence Secretary John Healey, as reported by the Ukrainian President's Office Details: The agreement will reportedly allow the launch of Ukraine-UK projects. These include the supply, repair, and partial production of air defence systems, armoured vehicles, and ammunition. "The agreement stipulates that UK suppliers can enter into loan agreements and contracts with Ukraine amounting to 2 billion, with the possibility of increasing this amount in the future," the President's Office noted. As a result, by 2026, Ukraine's defence forces are expected to receive air defence systems, radar and surveillance equipment and to acquire technology for and partially master the production of barrels, spare parts, and components for artillery systems and Western-style armoured vehicles. "Due to the urgent need for rapid capability development and the high costs of defence projects, Ukraine is currently unable to finance them from its state budget. The loan repayment period is 15 years," the President's Office explained. Support UP or become our patron! UK's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer holds a press conference on the sidelines of the European Political Community Summit in Blenheim Palace. Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/dpa UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the 16-year sentence handed down on Friday to US reporter Evan Gershkovich for allegedly spying as "despicable" and called for the 32-year-old reporter to be "released immediately." The sentence "only serves to underscore Russia's utter contempt for media freedom," Starmer said on X. "Journalism should not be a crime." The Russian judiciary sentenced Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter, following a closed-door trial on charges of espionage. Gershkovich, the newspaper and the US government have condemned the charge, saying it is untrue. UK will double down on support for Ukraine, PM promises Zelenskyy Stock photo: Office of the President of Ukraine UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has promised that his country will "double down" on its support for Ukraine. Source: Starmer cited by The Guardian, as reported by European Pravda Details: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, attended an emergency Cabinet meeting on 19 July. The members of the UK government greeted Zelenskyy with a standing ovation. He became the first foreign leader to address the Cabinet in person since 1997. Starmer called Zelenskyys visit to Downing Street "a real piece of history". "This is a very, very important meeting for us and youre very welcome here. It is a real pleasure and a privilege to be able to welcome you to Downing Street this morning. This is a real piece of history," he said. Starmer said Ukraine had the UKs "unshakeable support" and that Russias aggression was "unforgivable and cannot go unpunished". He said the UK would "double down" on backing Ukraine and confirmed he had accepted this morning an invitation to visit Ukraine again in the future. Background: Earlier, King Charles III welcomed Zelenskyy to Blenheim Palace, on the sidelines of the summit of the European Political Community. Zelenskyys first meeting with Keir Starmer, the UKs new Prime Minister, was held on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington last week. Support UP or become our patron! (Bloomberg) -- The UK will resume funding to the United Nations Palestinian aid agency, UNRWA, as part of Prime Minister Keir Starmers first intervention on the conflict in Gaza since winning a landslide UK election this month. Most Read from Bloomberg Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe and it is aid agencies who ensure UK support reaches civilians on the ground, Foreign Secretary David Lammy told the House of Commons on Friday. No other agency can deliver aid at the scale needed. It will be vital for future reconstruction and it provides critical services to Palestinian refugees in the region. The UKs previous Conservative administration had suspended funding to UNRWA along with some other nations over allegations that some of the agencys employees were involved in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Lammy said he remains appalled by the allegations but that UNRWA had strengthened its vetting. The UK will provide 21 million ($27 million) in new funds, he said. The move comes after Labours election victory was tempered by some shock losses, including two members of Starmers top team, as the party hemorrhaged votes to candidates who campaigned over Gaza. The premiers stance angered some voters demanding a more full-throated call for a ceasefire. The early step to restore UNRWA funding shows Labour is keen to win back those votes in areas the party would typically expect to win comfortably. In his statement, Lammy said he had used a visit to Israel to urge leaders to end the fighting and allow more aid into Gaza. Britain wants an immediate ceasefire. The fighting must stop, the hostages must be released, much much more aid must enter Gaza, Lammy told members of Parliament. Israel promised a flood of aid back in April but imposes impossible and unacceptable restrictions. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Today, further to the usual military and political updates, off the back of the Blenheim summit we assess the breaking news that Britain has granted the use of Storm Shadows on Russian soil. Plus, we consider a new report as to why the Ukrainian counter-offensive failed, and the significance of a British soldier fighting for Moscow. Listen to Ukraine: the Latest, The Telegraphs daily podcast, using the audio player at the top of this article or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app. War in Ukraine is reshaping our world. Every weekday The Telegraphs top journalists analyse the invasion from all angles - military, humanitarian, political, economic, historical - and tell you what you need to know to stay updated. With over 70 million listens, our Ukraine: The Latest podcast is your go-to source for all the latest analysis, live reaction and correspondents reporting on the ground. We have been broadcasting ever since the full-scale invasion began. Ukraine: The Latests regular contributors are: David Knowles David is Head of Audio Development at The Telegraph, where he has worked for over three years. He has reported from across Ukraine during the full-scale invasion. Dominic Nicholls Dom is Associate Editor (Defence) at The Telegraph, having joined in 2018. He previously served for 23 years in the British Army, in tank and helicopter units. He had operational deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland. Francis Dearnley Francis is Assistant Comment Editor at The Telegraph. Prior to working as a journalist, he was chief of staff to the Chair of the Prime Ministers Policy Board at the Houses of Parliament in London. He studied History at Cambridge University and on the podcast explores how the past shines a light on the latest diplomatic, political, and strategic developments. They are also regularly joined by Telegraph reporters and correspondents around the world, including Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent), James Kilner, (Foreign Correspondent and Editor of the Central Asia & the South Caucasus Bulletin), Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent), Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Correspondent), Colin Freeman (Foreign Correspondent), Danielle Sheridan (Defence Editor), and Tony Diver (US Editor). Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The U.K. and Ukraine signed an agreement that provides credit support for the development of Ukraine's defense industry, Ukraine's Presidential Office announced on July 19. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov signed the agreement in London with U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey in the presence of President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. According to the Presidential Office, the agreement will support the partial production of air defense systems, armored vehicles, and ammunition in Ukraine. "Due to the need for rapid development of capabilities and the high cost of defense projects, Ukraine cannot currently finance them from its state budget," the Presidential Office said. The text stipulates that British suppliers will be able to conclude credit agreements and contracts with Ukraine for up to 2 billion pounds ($2.6 billion). The agreement will "fire up both the U.K.'s and Ukraine's defense industrial bases and increase military hardware and weaponry production," the British government said ahead of the signing on July 18. Zelensky arrived in the U.K. on July 18 to attend the European Political Community summit, held at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. Upon arrival, he immediately met Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's former commander-in-chief and recently appointed ambassador to the U.K. Later in the day, Zelensky signed 10-year bilateral security agreements with Czechia and Slovenia and met with King Charles III. The new agreement follows an agreement signed in April between the U.K. and Ukraine to encourage defense industry cooperation and support joint projects between British and Ukrainian companies. The agreement was signed in Kyiv during the U.K.'s largest-ever trade mission to Ukraine. A delegation of 29 British defense companies was present at the signing, together with representatives from 70 Ukrainian defense companies. During the trade mission, BAE Systems also signed an agreement with the U.K. government for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul services in Ukraine of the L119 light gun, a 105 mm howitzer. As well as the L119, Ukraine's military uses 17 different types of weapons and equipment made by BAE Systems, such as Challenger tanks and Bradley armored vehicles. BAE Systems opened an office in Ukraine in August 2023 to help launch the domestic production of weapons like the L119 in partnership with Ukrainian manufacturers. Read also: Zelensky addresses UK Cabinet, urges Starmer to show leadership on long-range strikes Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Police in England arrested a teenager in connection with a global cyber online crime group that targeted several companies, including MGM Resorts, according to the FBI office in Las Vegas. West Midlands police arrested a 17-year-old boy from Walsall, a town in West Midlands, England, on Thursday, July 18, the bureau posted on X Friday morning. The arrest was made by officers from the Regional Organised Crime Unit for the West Midlands (ROCUWM) and the National Crime Agency in coordination with the FBI, according to West Midlands police. Officers took the suspect, who was not named, into custody on suspicion of blackmail and computer misuse act offenses. He was released on bail while West Midlands police continued its investigation. Officers recovered evidence that they said included several digital devices that will be forensically examined. The suspects arrest is part of a global investigation into a large-scale cyber hacking community that targeted major companies, including MGM Resorts. These cyber groups have targeted well-known organizations with ransomware and they have successfully targeted multiple victims around the world taking from them significant amounts of money, Detective Inspector Hinesh Mehta, cyber crime unit manager at ROCUWM, said in a West Midland Police release. On Sept. 11, 2023, a cybersecurity issue affected some of the systems for MGM Resorts International. The company shut down some of its systems to help protect the companys data. Nearly ten days later, MGM Resorts posted on social media stating that all operations returned to normal. We know first-hand the damage these criminals can do and the importance of working with law enforcement to fight back, a spokesperson from MGM Resorts said in the release. By voluntarily shutting down our systems, refusing to pay a ransom and working with law enforcement on their investigation and response, the message to criminals was clear: its not worth it. 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. Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft in the Pokrovsk sector of the front in Donetsk Oblast, the Khortytsia group of forces said on July 19. The plane was downed by anti-aircraft guns of the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade as it was attempting to fire at Ukrainian positions, the statement read. The Soviet-designed Su-25, nicknamed "Frogfoot" by NATO, is a heavily armored ground-attack aircraft. It has seen extensive use by both sides in Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. Ukraine's General Staff said earlier on July 19 that Russia had lost 361 planes during the full-scale invasion, not counting the Su-25 downed later the same day. The area near Pokrovsk, a town less than 50 kilometers (around 30 miles) northwest of occupied Donetsk, has become one of the hottest parts of the front. Khortytsia's spokesperson, Nazar Voloshyn, said earlier today on national television that the number of Russian attacks in the area decreased somewhat over the past few days but heavy battles continue. Read also: F-16s are on their way to Ukraine heres how they can help fight Russia Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine loses more than 1,000 men in battle for single village Ukrainian servicemen board a boat on the shore of Dnipro river at the front line near Kherson - AP More than 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers are feared to have been killed during a symbolic battle for a single village on the left bank of the Dnipro River. The perilous months-long fight to establish a bridgehead in the village of Krynky, a southern Kherson fishing village, has been described as a suicide mission for soldiers, in an operation seen by commanders as crucial as for pinning down Russian forces in the area. An investigation by Slidstvo, the Kyiv-based news website, found that at least 262 soldiers had died and 778 are still missing after nine months of struggling to maintain a foothold in the settlement. Ukrainian marines were sent on a daring raid across the Dnipro, the river that bisects the country, in late October last year, in an attempt to establish a bridgehead in Russian-held territory. The cross-river incursion was made possible after Russian forces were forced to retreat from the city of Kherson in November 2022. Ukrainian officials insisted the mission could open a new front in the war but observers and analysts cast doubt. Marines crossed to the left bank on small dinghies with limited supplies, forced to fight on foot with the only long-range support coming from artillery and rocket launchers on the opposite side of the river. Despite the initial successes in seizing Krynky and three other tiny riverside settlements, Ukraines forces slowly lost their grip on the area, unable to make any significant headway into the Russian-controlled area of the Kherson region. The longer the Ukrainian operation went on, the more Russian reinforcements were brought in to end it. Moscow grew its ranks from some 64,000 last autumn to 120,000 by this month, according to the Kyiv Independent. Finally, Russian forces have appeared to overwhelm the Ukrainian marines in the area. Ukrainian military officials have acknowledged their positions in Krynky had been completely destroyed, but denied wider reports the countrys forces have been withdrawn from the area. The cross-river raid was widely seen as a desperate effort by Ukrainian politicians to demonstrate to Kyivs Western backers that its forces could make progress at the backend of the failed counter-offensive in the summer of 2023. Soldiers taking part in the incursion, which requires a 30 to 60-minute boat journey through open water under the fire of Russian drones, have previously described it as being tossed like a piece of meat to the wolves. And if they arent killed before reaching the riverbank the conditions only worsened for the Ukrainian marines. There were Russians to the right and left of us, and Russians in front of us. Behind us, there was water. There was nowhere to fall back to. Vasyl, a soldier from Ukraines 37th marine brigade, told Slidstvo. Ukraines Krynky commander sacked He spent 72 days in Krynky between Dec 2 2023 and Valentines Day this year. If we had a wounded soldier, we immediately reported it so that a boat could come at night. Many boats couldnt come, it happened that guys were lying with their limbs severed for 10 days, and the boats couldnt come to us, he added. The operation in Krynky had been commanded by General Yuriy Sodol, who was sacked last month following allegations that his tactics had killed more Ukrainian soldiers than any Russian general. Ukraine rarely makes public its casualty figures, but the Slidstvo report has triggered wide-scale anger among Ukrainians and prompted allegations that commanders are reckless with the lives of their men. Unconfirmed open-source reports claim that Ukraine had lost 58 pieces of equipment in the mission compared to Russias 271. But Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Ukrainian military expert, argued that the operation in the tiny fishing village had helped save lives elsewhere by preventing Russian troops from fighting in other offensive missions. Each life that was lost there, saved dozens of other lives on other fronts, he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Ukraine war latest: Ukraine aims to end 'hot stage' of war by end of 2024, Zelensky says Key developments on July 19: Ukraine aims to end 'hot stage' of war by end of 2024, Zelensky says UK signs agreement to support Ukraine's domestic arms industry Ukraine's military intelligence rules out 'powerful Russian offensives' in new directions 'A very big Russia problem' NATO commander warns of post-Ukraine war threat to US and Europe 'It's been 18 months' and F-16s have not yet arrived, Zelensky says Ukraine downs Russian Su-25 warplane in Donetsk Oblast With the support of partners, Ukraine could try to end the hot stage of the war with Russia by the end of the year, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the BBC on July 18. "I believe that if we are united and follow, for example, the format of the peace summit, we can end the hot stage of the war. We can try to do it by the end of this year," Zelensky said. While promising that such a "plan will be ready," the president did not disclose any practical details on what it could entail. Russia was not invited to the global peace summit held in Switzerland in June, but Kyiv said it wants to invite a Russian representative to a follow-up conference. Ukraine hopes to present Moscow with a peace plan developed jointly by the summit participants. The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected participating in the second summit. The world must exert pressure on Russia and force it to consider a diplomatic settlement, the president said. "It doesn't mean that all territories are won back by force. I think the power of diplomacy can help," Zelensky said, adding that weakening Russia on the battlefield would give Ukraine a more advantageous position in negotiations. "By putting pressure on Russia, I think it is possible to agree to a diplomatic settlement." Kyiv and Moscow have not led direct negotiations since unsuccessful talks in early 2022. Read also: With Krynky lost, what did the perilous operation accomplish? Speaking a day ahead of the Switzerland summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that as a condition for peace negotiations, Ukraine must fully withdraw from four partially occupied oblasts that Moscow illegally annexed in 2022. Kyiv rejected this demand. In turn, the Kremlin has rejected Ukraine's key condition in Zelensky's 10-point peace formula on the full withdrawal of Russian forces. The Republican nominee in the U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump, has repeatedly pledged to end the war within 24 hours, which could, according to some reports, include forcing Ukraine to cede territory. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country is considered the most Kremlin-friendly EU and NATO member, met Trump as part of his self-styled "peace mission" in Florida, claiming that the U.S. politician would quickly demand that Ukraine hold peace talks with Russia if he is reelected. Commenting on Trump's potential return to the White House, Zelensky said that dealing with him would be "hard work, but we (Ukrainians) are hard workers." Trump has criticized aid for Ukraine in the past, and his sway over the Republican Party contributed to delays in U.S. assistance earlier this year. UK signs agreement to support Ukraine's domestic arms industry The U.K. and Ukraine signed an agreement that provides credit support for the development of Ukraine's defense industry, Ukraine's Presidential Office announced on July 19. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov signed the agreement in London with U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey in the presence of President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. According to the Presidential Office, the agreement will support the partial production of air defense systems, armored vehicles, and ammunition in Ukraine. "Due to the need for rapid development of capabilities and the high cost of defense projects, Ukraine cannot currently finance them from its state budget," the Presidential Office said. The text stipulates that British suppliers will be able to conclude credit agreements and contracts with Ukraine for up to 2 billion pounds ($2.6 billion). The agreement will "fire up both the U.K.'s and Ukraine's defense industrial bases and increase military hardware and weaponry production," the British government said ahead of the signing on July 18. Zelensky arrived in the U.K. on July 18 to attend the European Political Community summit, held at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. Upon arrival, he immediately met Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's former commander-in-chief and recently appointed ambassador to the U.K. Later in the day, Zelensky signed 10-year bilateral security agreements with Czechia and Slovenia and met with King Charles III. The new agreement follows an agreement signed in April between the U.K. and Ukraine to encourage defense industry cooperation and support joint projects between British and Ukrainian companies. The agreement was signed in Kyiv during the U.K.'s largest-ever trade mission to Ukraine. A delegation of 29 British defense companies was present at the signing, together with representatives from 70 Ukrainian defense companies. During the trade mission, BAE Systems also signed an agreement with the U.K. government for the maintenance, repair, and overhaul services in Ukraine of the L119 light gun, a 105 mm howitzer. As well as the L119, Ukraine's military uses 17 different types of weapons and equipment made by BAE Systems, such as Challenger tanks and Bradley armored vehicles. BAE Systems opened an office in Ukraine in August 2023 to help launch the domestic production of weapons like the L119 in partnership with Ukrainian manufacturers. Read also: Opinion: Ukraine is racing to ramp up domestic defense production Ukraine's military intelligence rules out 'powerful Russian offensives' in new directions Russian troops continue to push along almost the entire front line, but new "powerful offensives" are unlikely, Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov reported on July 19 during a national television broadcast. According to Yusov, Ukrainian forces repelled the attacks during Russia's short-lived offensive in Kharkiv Oblast, which began on May 10 and also impacted the situation in Sumy Oblast in the northeast. "The key target is the Ukrainian Donbas," Yusov said, adding that "the most heroic and dramatic events continue to occur there." He noted that while Russian forces remain numerous, there have not been significant changes indicating new powerful offensives in new directions. Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said earlier in an interview with NV news outlet that "there are problems, and they tend to get worse," answering the question about a potential Russian offensive in the northern direction of the front line. However, Budanov declined to specify whether he was referring to Sumy or Chernihiv oblasts or when such an offensive might occur. Subscribe to newsletter War Notes Subscribe "If I start answering that question, we'll provoke panic," he said. "Let's just say that there are problems, and they tend to get worse." "There is no catastrophe, but it's impossible not to see the problems. I've already told someone from the Western press: I won't have much good news this year, unfortunately," Budanov said. President Volodymyr Zelensky later said that Budanov's statement was a "little misunderstood." "He said that he was a little misunderstood," Zelensky said in comments reported by Ukrinform, adding: "That is, we understand that offensives can occur. We are at war with the Russians, and an offensive can occur." After Russia opened a new front in Kharkiv Oblast, its offensive was effectively bogged down in just about two weeks, with Ukrainian forces counterattacking near the border town of Vovchansk. Zelensky said in an interview published on May 25 that Russia's losses during the offensive were eight times higher than those suffered by Ukraine's Armed Forces. The figures could not be independently verified. Read also: Russias advance toward key eastern highway threatens Ukraines grip of Donetsk Oblast 'A very big Russia problem' NATO commander warns of post-Ukraine war threat to US and Europe The U.S. and Europe will have a "very, very big Russia problem" regardless of how the war in Ukraine ends, the supreme allied commander for NATO warned on July 18. Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado, U.S. General Christopher Cavoli said even a Ukrainian victory would only be the beginning of Western attempts to contain Russian aggression. "The outcome on the ground is terribly, terribly important, but we can't be under any illusions. At the end of a conflict in Ukraine, however it concludes, we are going to have a very, very big Russia problem," he said in comments reported by Voice of America (VoA). "We are going to have a situation where Russia is reconstituting its force, is located on the borders of NATO, is led by largely the same people as it is right now, is convinced that we're the adversary, and is very, very angry." Speaking at the same event, the foreign and security policy advisor to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gave another grim assessment, saying that "by the choice of (Vladimir) Putin, we are entering a phase of a long, drawn-out conflict with Russia." "Its bloodiest manifestation, at the moment, is the war in Ukraine. But obviously, it's not the only one," Jens Plotner said. "We have seen hybrid activity across Europe. We have seen hybrid activity in the United States. We have seen Russia reaching out to Africa. We have seen Russia rekindling ties with Tehran or, even worse, Pyongyang. "So, I think all of this is part of the bigger picture, which we need to acknowledge." The warnings come as concerns over the long-term commitment of the U.S. to Ukraine continue to mount. Former U.S. President and Republican nominee Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to end Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine within 24 hours if elected but has not publicly elaborated on how he plans to do so. One plan reportedly involves ceding territory to Russia. Senator J.D. Vance, who was recently chosen as Trump's running mate, is thought to be an even more outspoken opponent of U.S. support for Ukraine and has openly endorsed territorial concessions as part of a potential peace deal. Elsewhere on July 18, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the BBC that NATO allies must prepare for the worst-case scenario of a decade-long war in Ukraine. "The main message is that the stronger the support for Ukraine and the longer we are willing to commit, the sooner this war can end," Stoltenberg told the BBC. "The paradox is that now (Russian) President Putin believes that he can wait us out. So therefore, the war continues." Stoltenberg, whose term as secretary general ends in October, has consistently urged NATO allies to increase defense spending amid risks of fracturing among the alliance. Multiple NATO countries, including Slovakia and Hungary, have questioned NATO's commitment to supporting Ukraine in the war, calling instead for a peace agreement. Read also: Opinion: If not membership, NATO should offer Ukraine security guarantees 'It's been 18 months' and F-16s have not yet arrived, Zelensky says Ukraine is yet to receive the first of the pledged F-16 fighter jets, despite waiting for them for a year and a half, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the BBC on July 18. The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium have pledged close to 80 F-16s under the fighter jet coalition launched in July 2023, with up to 20 expected to arrive this year. Kyiv has been calling for these U.S.-made fourth-generation jets since the very first year of the full-scale war in order to bolster its air fleet, which is otherwise made up of Soviet-made aircraft. Despite promises by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 10 that the first Dutch and Danish F-16s are already on their way, no delivery has been confirmed so far. "It's been 18 months, and the planes have not reached us," Zelensky said in the interview while stressing that he is thankful for the allied support. The president added that the fighter jets could help Ukraine push back against Russian forces and "unblock the skies." Zelensky added that the pledged numbers are not sufficient, as Ukraine requires at least 128 planes to successfully defend itself against Russian aggression. Although some defense experts do not expect F-16s to become game-changers in the war, the jets may strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities and shield the country's population centers from Russia's daily bombardments. Navy Commander Oleksii Neizhpapa said that the upcoming delivery of F-16s to Ukraine will challenge Russia's "full dominance" of the skies over the Black Sea. Denmark and the Netherlands indicated that they would allow Ukraine to strike with F-16s inside Russia, although Copenhagen said that such a move would "depend on the circumstances." Read also: F-16s are on their way to Ukraine heres how they can help fight Russia Ukraine downs Russian Su-25 warplane in Donetsk Oblast Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian Su-25 attack aircraft in the Pokrovsk sector of the front in Donetsk Oblast, the Khortytsia group of forces said on July 19. The plane was downed by anti-aircraft guns of the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade as it was attempting to fire at Ukrainian positions, the statement read. The Soviet-designed Su-25, nicknamed "Frogfoot" by NATO, is a heavily armored ground-attack aircraft. It has seen extensive use by both sides in Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. Ukraine's General Staff said earlier on July 19 that Russia had lost 361 planes during the full-scale invasion, not counting the Su-25 downed later the same day. The area near Pokrovsk, a town less than 50 kilometers (around 30 miles) northwest of occupied Donetsk, has become one of the hottest parts of the front. Khortytsia's spokesperson, Nazar Voloshyn, said earlier today on national television that the number of Russian attacks in the area decreased somewhat over the past few days but heavy battles continue. Read also: The downing of MH17, and Russias responsibility Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian troops continue to push along almost the entire front line, but new "powerful offensives" are unlikely, Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andrii Yusov reported on July 19 during a national television broadcast. According to Yusov, Ukrainian forces repelled the attacks during Russia's short-lived offensive in Kharkiv Oblast, which began on May 10 and also impacted the situation in Sumy Oblast in the northeast. "The key target is the Ukrainian Donbas," Yusov said, adding that "the most heroic and dramatic events continue to occur there." He noted that while Russian forces remain numerous, there have not been significant changes indicating new powerful offensives in new directions. Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said earlier in an interview with NV news outlet that "there are problems, and they tend to get worse," answering the question about a potential Russian offensive in the northern direction of the front line. However, Budanov declined to specify whether he was referring to Sumy or Chernihiv oblasts or when such an offensive might occur. "If I start answering that question, we'll provoke panic," he said. "Let's just say that there are problems, and they tend to get worse." "There is no catastrophe, but it's impossible not to see the problems. I've already told someone from the Western press: I won't have much good news this year, unfortunately," Budanov said. President Volodymyr Zelensky later said that Budanov's statement was a "little misunderstood." "He said that he was a little misunderstood," Zelensky said in comments reported by Ukrinform, adding: "That is, we understand that offensives can occur. We are at war with the Russians, and an offensive can occur." After Russia opened a new front in Kharkiv Oblast, its offensive was effectively bogged down in just about two weeks, with Ukrainian forces counterattacking near the border town of Vovchansk. Zelensky said in an interview published on May 25 that Russia's losses during the offensive were eight times higher than those suffered by Ukraine's Armed Forces. The figures could not be independently verified. Read also: Russias advance toward key eastern highway threatens Ukraines grip of Donetsk Oblast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraines National History Museum is showcasing Ukrainian treasures rescued by Estonia. Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine The National Museum of the History of Ukraine opened the exhibition From Sea to Sea: Merest Mereni on Thursday, 18 July, featuring nearly 300 Ukrainian archaeological artefacts rescued and returned by Estonian law enforcement. The centrepiece of the exhibition consists of 274 archaeological finds that Estonia returned to Ukraine in May of this year. These artefacts cover a millennium of Ukrainian history and include gold and silver jewellery from Scythian and Roman times, mediaeval harness decorations from Khazar horsemen, and coins from Byzantine emperors and North European kings. Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine Quote: "Despite being a small country, Estonia has made the largest contribution to the return of Ukrainian cultural heritage items to date. This amounts to about 300 items, which are rare pieces dating from antiquity and the early Middle Ages," said Fedor Androschuk, Director General of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine. Annely Kolk and Fedor Androschuk. Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine The exhibition curators said the items on display are unique, high-quality museum pieces. For example, a coin of Magnus the Good, King of Norway and Denmark, who was educated at the court of Kyiv Prince Yaroslav the Wise between 1028 and 1035 and was adopted by him has no analogues in Ukrainian museum collections. Exhibition curator Maksym Levada. Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine In addition, the exhibition features the famous Viking sword from the late 10th to early 11th centuries. It was discovered during illegal excavations and later smuggled through Estonia with the intent to sell it in Europe. In 2016, Estonia returned it to Ukraine. The exhibition includes photographs showing the work of Ukrainian experts, including Fedor Androschuk, on the expert report that facilitated the sword's return to Ukraine. The very same Viking sword. Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine Photographs documenting the return journey of the Viking sword to Ukraine. Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine The opening of the exhibition was attended by Annely Kolk, the Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia. She shared that she prays for the preservation of Ukrainian cultural heritage from Russian attacks and expressed admiration for the courage of Ukrainians on behalf of the entire Estonian people. "This exhibition aims to highlight the political, cultural, scientific and historical connections between Estonia and Ukraine. Additionally, it serves as a testament to our shared struggle for freedom and independence and cultural identity, which are deeply understood by both our countries," said Kolk. Annely Kolk, Ambassador of Estonia to Ukraine. Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine Photo: National Museum of the History of Ukraine The exhibition at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine (2 Volodymyrska Street) is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. At the beginning of July, the National Museum of the History of Ukraine opened another unique exhibition titled Treasures of Crimea: Return. It features the Scythian gold rescued from the Russians on the peninsula by international courts. Support UP or become our patron! The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has announced a large-scale special operation aimed at uncovering criminals who embezzled over UAH 138 million (US$3.73 million) allocated for military needs. Law enforcement officers have already conducted 70 searches and have served 30 officials across Ukraine with notices of suspicion. Source: Prosecutor Generals Office on Telegram Quote from the Prosecutor Generals Office: "A large-scale special operation has been carried out to uncover the organisers and participants of criminal schemes involving the embezzlement of budget funds allocated to meet the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The total amount of damage to the state is over UAH 138 million. Officials from housing maintenance units, in cooperation with representatives of commercial entities, have been found involved in the embezzlement of funds in almost all oblasts of Ukraine." Details: It is also reported that some officials have been caught for negligence in their military duties and for illicit enrichment. Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine "Following the investigative actions, 30 individuals have been detained and charged, with 15 of them being part of organised criminal groups. The suspects include three heads of housing maintenance departments in Kharkiv and Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, as well as seven heads of housing maintenance sections in the cities of Kropyvnytskyi, Chernihiv and Lviv, the Prykarpattia region (Ivano-Frankivsk region) and Zhytomyr, Volyn and Luhansk oblasts. Additionally, representatives of commercial entities are among those implicated," the Office of the Prosecutor General emphasised. Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Details:These officials are being accused of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds through inflated pricing during the procurement of fuel wood for defence needs, electricity, natural gas, furniture for the army, and construction work on military infrastructure, among other things. Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine One of the suspects, a regional housing maintenance department head, is accused of illegally acquiring assets worth UAH 11.7 million (US$285,366). These assets include commercial property, land plots, and other assets and belongings, which the suspect had registered in the name of a trusted individual. Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine "During the investigation, law enforcement officials have carried out over 70 searches at the offices of regional housing maintenance units and various businesses throughout Ukraine. The authorities are currently determining the appropriate preventive measures for the suspects. The investigation is still ongoing," the Office of the Prosecutor General summarised. Photo: Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian forces downed Iskander missile heading for Odesa Oblast on 18 July Dmytro Pletenchuk, Head of the Strategic Communications Centre of the Defence Forces of Ukraine's South. Photo: MEDIACENTER.ORG.UA Ukrainian forces downed a Russian Iskander missile heading for Odesa Oblast on 18 July. Source: Dmytro Pletenchuk, Head of the Strategic Communications Centre of the Defence Forces of Ukraine's South Quote: "An Iskander missile that attacked Odesa Oblast yesterday was shot down. A remarkable event. Several previous missiles struck our port infrastructure." Background: On the evening of 18 July, explosions rocked the city of Odesa. Support UP or become our patron! Ukraine's Zelenskyy urges Britain to help it strike deeper inside Russia as he addresses UK Cabinet Britain's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, left, and Defence Secretary John Healey, right, applaud Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after he addressed an extraordinary meeting of the UK Cabinet at 10 Downing Street in London, Friday July 19, 2024. (Richard Pohle/Pool Photo via AP) LONDON (AP) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Britains new government to help Ukrainian forces attack deeper inside Russia to stop deadly missile strikes on his country, as he gave a rare address by a foreign leader to a U.K. Cabinet meeting. Zelenskyy said long-range capability to destroy sites where Russian weapons are concentrated is key to Ukraine's defense. I ask you to show your leadership" in lifting restrictions on Ukraine's use of Western weapons, Zelenskyy told Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Russia has deployed devastating firepower as it pursues a summer offensive in eastern Ukraine, reducing villages to rubble and pushing back Ukrainian troops in places. It has also launched missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, killing dozens and hitting targets including a Kyiv children's hospital. Some of Kyiv's allies are reluctant to let Ukraine use their weapons to strike Russian territory because of concerns that the West could be drawn into direct conflict with Russia. The British government has said it's up to Ukraine how to use missiles supplied by the U.K., as long as international law is upheld. In an interview with the BBC, Zelenskyy said he was seeking clarification about Ukraines ability to use Storm Shadow missiles supplied by Britain against targets in Russia. The Storm Shadow is an air-launched cruise missile with a range of more than 250 kilometers (155 miles). "We need a decision about long-distance weapons, long range, to use it, Zelenskyy said. We need it very much. Theyre targeting our hospitals, schools. We just want to answer exactly to the point where from they target us. U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said Ukraine already has permission to use the missiles against Russia, but the rules for exactly what can be targeted and under what circumstances are complex questions that are the subject of intense negotiations. Were providing weapons to Ukraine for their defense of their sovereign country, and that does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia, but that must be done by the Ukrainians. It must be done within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law, Healey told the BBC. The United States, Ukraine's biggest military backer, recently shifted its position, with the Pentagon saying last month that Ukraine could use longer-range missiles provided by the U.S. to strike targets inside Russia if it is acting in self-defense. Since the beginning of Russias 2022 invasion, the U.S. had maintained a policy of not allowing Ukraine to use the weapons it provided to hit targets inside Russia for fear of further escalation. Zelenskyy received a standing ovation from Starmers government as he entered the Cabinet room at 10 Downing St. The last foreign leader invited to address a Cabinet meeting in person was U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1997. Zelenskyy briefed ministers on the situation in Ukraine and the need for European countries to ramp up defense production in the face of Russian aggression. Zelenskyy said Ukraine had repelled Russian attempts to advance on northeastern Kharkiv, Ukraines second city, showing that we can stop any Russian attempt to expand the war. The Ukrainian army is having a harder time in the eastern Donetsk region, however. That's where a pulverizing Russian onslaught in recent months has forced Kyiv's troops to withdraw from some towns and villages. The latest targets are the mining town of Toretsk and the city of Pokrovsk, where Russia is stepping up its assaults. Ukrainian forces repelled 20 and 27 attacks on those areas respectively over the previous 24 hours, Ukraines General Staff said Friday. That was almost double the number of assaults recorded at other hot spots along the front line, it said. Starmer, whose center-left Labour Party government was elected two weeks ago, is keen to stress that the U.K.'s strong support for Ukraine will continue on his watch. Starmer said the U.K. would double down on support for Ukraine, including with a treaty that aims to help both countries ramp up military production. The U.K. is also giving Ukraine access to 3.5 billion pounds ($4.5 billion) of export financing to purchase weapons. Ukraine is, and always will be, at the heart of this governments agenda, and so it is only fitting that President Zelenskyy will make a historic address to my Cabinet, Starmer said in a statement. Russias incremental gains on the battlefield are nothing compared with the collective international support for Ukraine, or the strength of ties between our people. During a visit to Britain that included a summit of the European Political Community on Thursday, Ukraines president repeated his increasingly urgent calls for more ammunition and weapons and tougher sanctions on Russia. European leaders at the summit agreed to tighten sanctions against a shadow fleet of hundreds of illegitimate and often decrepit ships the West says Russia is using to transport oil and evade sanctions. Leaders expressed support for Ukraine and concern about the direction of the United States on Thursday at the security-focused summit, which was clouded by worries about whether the U.S. will remain a reliable ally if Donald Trump wins a second presidency. ___ Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine How Ukrainian tanks stay alive in a war of drones The Kyiv Independent visited a tank company of Ukraine's 110th Mechanized Brigade serving in one of the most intense parts of the eastern front line. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to Israeli soldiers during a visit to the southern city of Rafah in Gaza. Avi Ohayon/GPO/dpa The UN's top court said on Friday in a non-binding opinion that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories violates international law. The opinion, from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), said Israel's settlement policy means Israel is effectively guilty of annexation. Although not legally binding, the decision is expected to add to the international political pressure on Israel. The decision came from the 15 top UN judges in The Hague, where the court is based. A record 52 states submitted arguments to the court. In 2022, the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ to determine the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the territories - long before the start of the Israel-Hamas war that erupted last October. Israel took control of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967. Israel left Gaza in 2005 but continues to control the coastal territory's land and sea borders, as well as its airspace. The number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, which lies between the Israeli heartland and Jordan, has meanwhile risen to around half a million. Including East Jerusalem, the figure is as high as 700,000. This is the second legal opinion from the court on Israel's occupation policy. Twenty years ago, in July 2004, the judges had already declared that the wall built by Israel in the West Bank violated international law and must therefore be dismantled. Israel did not comply with this ruling. The opinion presented on Friday is separate from another proceeding before the UN court. In 2023, South Africa brought Israel before the court and accused the country of genocide due to the attacks on the Gaza Strip. Israel disputes these allegations. Teenage students of the Holter Museum of Art gave United Way a new look, nine years after their predecessors started the hope-to-be tradition. The previous mural, also painted by Holter teens, featured five diverse faces, meant to represent United Way's service to people of all origins. While beautiful, Executive Director Emily McVey heard lots of confusion over what it represented, with some even confusing the building for a dispensary. The updated mural focuses on United Way's dedication to housing. "To see yourself in your community, and to have proof you're a part of it," Holter Education Director Anna Lund said, "That means so much to teens. They're so proud." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to Israeli soldiers during a visit to the southern city of Rafah in Gaza. Avi Ohayon/GPO/dpa The UN's top court said on Friday in a non-binding opinion that Israel's nearly 60-year occupation of Palestinian territories violates international law and must be ended as soon as possible. Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is illegal, said International Court of Justice (ICJ) President Nawaf Salam. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the opinion and indicated that his country would not comply with it. The opinion said Israel's settlement policy means Israel is effectively guilty of annexation. Although not legally binding, the decision is expected to add to the international political pressure on Israel. The opinion is also likely to fuel the pro-Palestinian protest movement worldwide. The decision came from the 15 top UN judges in The Hague, where the court is based. A record 52 states submitted arguments to the court. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres would pass the decision to the General Assembly, which had requested the court's advice, he said in a statement. "It is for the General Assembly to decide how to proceed in this matter." Guterres reiterated his call for a humanitarian ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages held in Gaza. "The parties must re-engage on the long-delayed political path towards ending the occupation and resolving the conflict in line with international law, relevant UN resolutions and bilateral agreements," he added. Netanyahu calls The Hague decision a mistake Netanyahu wrote on X: "The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land. No mistaken decision in The Hague will alter the historical truth, nor can the legality of Israeli settlements throughout our homeland be challenged." The court described Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories as an "annexation" of large areas. Israel also does nothing to prevent or punish settler violence against Palestinians, the court said, calling for an immediate halt to all new settlements. The court also found that Israel abuses its power as an occupier. Palestinians are forced to leave the land they farm, and access to water is denied, it said. Palestinians call opinion a triumph of justice Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the opinion, calling it " a triumph for justice, affirming that the Israeli occupation is illegal." Abbas called on the international community "to compel Israel, the occupying power, to fully and immediately end its occupation and colonial project without conditions or exceptions," according to a statement from the presidential office in Ramallah. In 2022, the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ to determine the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the territories - long before the start of the Israel-Hamas war that erupted last October. Opinion strengthens pro-Palestinian protest movement Not only will the international pro-Palestinian protest movement feel strengthened in their demands for sanctions or boycotts, but more Western countries may now recognize Palestine as a state. The opinion could also impact Western arms deliveries to Israel. The judges also clearly reminded UN member states of their responsibilities. They must not support the occupation policy or accept the status quo created by Israel. The pressure from Western allies had already increased due to the ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip. The terror attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in October, which resulted in hundreds of deaths, triggered the war. However, tens of thousands of people have now been killed, and the suffering of the population is immense. Occupation dates back to the Six-Day War of 1967 Israel took control of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967. However, the Palestinians claim these areas for a state of their own. The number of Israeli settlers in the West Bank, which lies between the Israeli heartland and Jordan, has meanwhile risen to around half a million. Including East Jerusalem, the figure is as high as 700,000. In 2005, Israel withdrew from Gaza but continues to control its borders by land, sea, and air. The court asserts that Palestinians have a right to self-determination, but this right is being denied by Israel. The judges emphasized that a solution to the conflict must come from the international community. They called on the UN General Assembly and the Security Council to intensify their efforts for a peaceful and lasting resolution. Judges previously issued a legal opinion against Israel This is the second legal opinion from the court on Israel's occupation policy. Twenty years ago, in July 2004, the judges had already declared that the wall built by Israel in the West Bank violated international law and must therefore be dismantled. Israel did not comply with this ruling. The opinion presented on Friday is separate from another proceeding before the UN court. In 2023, South Africa brought Israel before the court and accused the country of genocide due to the attacks on the Gaza Strip. Israel disputes these allegations. In two interim decisions, the court admonished Israel to do everything possible to prevent genocide. FILE - Ales Bialiatski, the head of Belarusian Vyasna rights group, sits in a defendant's cage during a court session in Minsk, Belarus, on Jan. 5, 2023. The wife of Bialiatskian, an imprisoned Belarusian Nobel Peace Prize laureate, said Wednesday July 10, 2024 that the country's authorities are depriving her husband of medicine as his health deteriorates. (Vitaly Pivovarchyk/BelTA Pool Photo via AP, File) TALLINN, Estonia (AP) A United Nations panel of human rights experts called on Belarus to release the Nobel Peace Prize-winning founder of the country's most respected rights group, who has been behind bars for three years. Ales Bialiatski's imprisonment came amid a widespread harsh crackdown on opponents of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko after large and persistent protest demonstrations arose in 2020. The protests were sparked by an election whose allegedly manipulated results gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office. More than 35,000 people were detained in the crackdown, many of them beaten by police, and prominent opposition either fled the country or were sentenced to prison. The Belarusian human rights group Viasna counts about 1,400 political prisoners. Bialiatski, founder of Viasna, was arrested in July 2021 on tax evasion charges, but was then convicted of smuggling and financing activities that violated public order. He was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. The U.N.'s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said in a Thursday statement that "the basis for the arrest and subsequent detention of Mr. Bialiatski was his exercise of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and called for his release. Belarus in recent weeks released about 18 political prisoners who were determined to be seriously ill. "I hope that the calls of the U.N. will be heard in Minsk, since Ales is deprived of necessary medicines and lives every day in inhumane conditions, Bialiatski's wife told The Associated Press. A view of Gaza during sunset, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, near the Israel-Gaza border GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) on Friday warned that "anarchy" was spreading in the Gaza Strip, with rampant looting, unlawful killings and shootings as the population faces an acute humanitarian crisis. Ajith Sunghay, head of OHCHR for Gaza and the West Bank, described unlawful killings and looting in the absence of law enforcement linked to "Israel's dismantling of local capacity to maintain public order and safety in Gaza". "Our office has documented alleged unlawful killings of local police and humanitarian workers, and the strangulation of supplies indispensable to the survival of the civilian population. Anarchy is spreading," said Sunghay, who returned from a visit to Gaza on Thursday. Israel vowed to eradicate Hamas after its militants killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages on Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies. At least 38,848 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's retaliatory offensive since then, Gaza health authorities say. Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for OHCHR, said the conditions in Gaza had "led to the predictable and entirely foreseeable unravelling of the fabric of society in Gaza, setting people against one another in a fight for survival and tearing communities apart." "There is looting, mob justice, extortion of money, family disputes, random shootings, fighting for space and resources, and we see youths armed with sticks manning barricades," he said. (Reporting by Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber; Editing by Peter Graff) Budget-conscious buyers hunting for rock-bottom prices at Temu may be getting more than they bargained for, a recent U.K. news program has found. In The Truth About Temu: Dispatches, Channel 4 reporter Ellie Flynn found dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals in items from a $4 silver effect necklace to a $14 childrens jacket. More from Sourcing Journal Operated by PDD Holding under the auspices of WhaleCo, the Chinese-founded marketplace has gained a massive following over the past two years, with one-quarter of the British population downloading the app and some half a million users worldwide. Temus explosive rise has everything to do with the impossibly cheap prices it offers on everything from swimsuits to electric scooters, which can cost 10-40 percent less than on Shein, even for identical goods. That and the gamification of commercethink discount roulette wheels and countdown timersthat once led GlobalData Retail analyst Neil Saunders to describe it as addictive as sugar. But the Shop Like a Billionaire platform, which did not respond to a request for comment, doesnt manufacture any of the products it advertises. Rather, it depends on an expansive network of third-party sellers from China to supply its immense assortment of goods. A supplier code of conduct requires these sellers to never bring products or packaging to market that may cause harm to Temus customers. The company also professes to have a robust vetting, monitoring and enforcement process that ensures products meet regulatory requirements. When Flynn brought the jacket to a toxicology lab at the University of Reading for testing, the material was rife with antimony at what professor of organic chemistry Laurence Harwood described as unacceptable levels. Though no legislation currently regulates the amount of antimony in clothes, the heavy metal can have very, very bad effects on the body, particularly with the nervous system, over a long period of time, he said. The silver-look necklace, meanwhile, revealed 10 times the amount of lead allowed under British regulations, prompting Harwood to note that children younger than six are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning and that the heavy metal can cause neurological issues in young and old alike. Temu told Channel 4 that its own testing confirmed Harwoods findings and that it has permanently removed the items in question. Its working with the merchants involved, the company said. This isnt the first time Temu has been dinged for hawing products tainted with hazardous chemicals. In April, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said that goods from Temualong with those from AliExpress and Sheinwere contaminated with carcinogens, so much so that half of the 22 products it tested were declared unsuitable for use. A childrens swim cap, for instance, was flagged for concentrations of lead 20 times higher than was permitted in South Korea. And a pair of shoes from Shein contained 428 times the permitted level of phthalates, a class of plasticizers that are known endocrine disruptors. (Shein says that it has strict supplier controls and standards and that it takes product safety very seriously.) De minimis thresholdsa topic being hotly debated in both the United States and Europecould be part of the reason harmful items fall through the cracks. Unlike officially imported products, overseas direct purchase products enter the country without separate safety inspections, creating a de facto safety blind spot, a Seoul city official said. We cannot stand idly by while citizens health is at risk, so we have been announcing the results of our inspections conducted with professional institutions every week. Photo: ncsu.edu UNC System president Peter Hans did not waste any time in appointing the committee that will recommend a replacement for NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson. Randy Woodson Woodson, the longest serving chancellor in the University of North Carolina System, announced on Thursday that he will retire at the end of June of 2025 after 15 years leading the systems largest university. Today, system president Peter Hans appointed a 13-member search advisory committee that will lead the effort to identify a new leader for the Raleigh-based institution. As an announcement posted to the NC State website explains, the membership of the committee will, pursuant to system policy, be comprised of 13 voting members, including representatives of the trustees, faculty, staff, students and alumni. The announcement notes further that The policy also calls for a current or former chancellor of a UNC System institution to serve, as well as members of the UNC Board of Governors and the president or his designee. Peter Hans While the committee will be chaired by NC State Board of Trustees vice chair Ed Stack, it is Hans who will ultimately play the leading role in the replacement process. As NC Newsline reported in March with respect to the search for a permanent chancellor at UNC Chapel Hill and in January with respect to a search at NC Central, not only will Hans serve as a member of the search committee, but system policy affords him the power to play the central role in the selection of final candidates, and ultimately, the final decision. The members of the search committee are: Edwin J. Ed Stack III (92), NC State Board of Trustees vice chair, chair of the search advisory committee Charles Hall, NC State Staff Senate chair, communications manager for electrical and computer engineering Peter Hans, UNC System president Timothy L. Humphrey (96), NC State Board of Trustees secretary Ghazale Johnston (96), NC State Board of Trustees member Allison Markert, NC State student body president, senior majoring in natural resources with a concentration in policy and administration from Charlotte Dr. Harold Martin, chancellor emeritus, North Carolina A&T State University Dr. Herle McGowan, NC State Faculty Senate chair, Department of Statistics J. Alex Mitchell (95), UNC Board of Governors campus liaison Wendy Floyd Murphy, UNC Board of Governors chair David M. Powers (83), NC State Board of Trustees member Dewayne Washington (01), Partner at NSV Development Edward I. Ed Weisiger Jr. (82), NC State Board of Trustees chair Woodsons tenure in Raleigh has been unusually peaceful and trouble-free during an era in which politics and micromanagement by the state legislatures Republican majority have roiled many campuses. This past year, however, has been marred by controversy surrounding Poe Hall a building on campus in which a suspected cancer cluster related to PCB contamination and what some have argued was the universitys inadequate response to protect staff and students. University of Florida fees lawsuit is heading to the Supreme Court Plaintiffs have gone to the state Supreme Court in a class-action lawsuit that alleges the University of Florida charged fees to potential and admitted students that were higher than allowed in law. WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS Paul Rothstein, a Gainesville attorney representing five named plaintiffs, filed a notice this week that is an initial step in asking the Supreme Court to take up the case. The notice came after the 1st District Court of Appeal dismissed a key part of the lawsuit seeking what is known as a declaratory judgment that the universitys Board of Trustees violated state law by charging higher-than-allowed fees and that students were entitled to repayment of the excess amounts, according to the appeals courts April 3 ruling. Read: Woman dies after shooting in Orange County, deputies say A panel of the appeals court said the university was shielded from the claim by sovereign immunity. The lawsuit alleges that UF charged prospective students a non-refundable application fee in excess of the allowed amount of $30 and charged admitted students a preview orientation fee in excess of the allowed amount of $35, the ruling said. Read: Police: Employee killed, customer injured in shooting at Daytona Beach jewelry store The appeals court rejected a request by UF to dismiss allegations of negligent misrepresentation and conversion, which generally involves improperly taking property. Read: IT outage causes nearly 170 flight delays, 60 cancellations at Orlando International Airport Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. University of Florida President and former Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse (R) said Thursday he plans to leave his post at the end of the month, pointing to a family health issue.. After extensive prayer and lots of family tears, I today asked UF Chair Mori Hosseini and our Board of Trustees to initiate a search for a new president of the university, Sasse said in a post on the social platform X. I need to step back for a time and focus more on the needs of my family while we rebuild more stable household systems. Sasse left the Senate in January of last year after he was approved by a school governing body in late 2022 to step into the role of being the universitys next president. As many of you know, my wife Melissa suffered an aneurysm and series of strokes in 2007, Sasse said in his X post. Back then, the docs prepared us for the worst, but in Gods providence she made an incredible comeback. In the years since from Nebraska to DC to Florida she kept our family grounded while I missed too many family dinners, little league games, hugs, and tears. Shes the strongest person I know. Weve battled some nasty seizures the last couple years, but shes always remained a warrior. In recent months, Melissa has been diagnosed with epilepsy and has been struggling with a new batch of memory issues. Its been hard, but weve faced it together, Sasse continued in his post. A lot of late nights, a lot of hard decisions, and a lotta what matters most? conversations. Mori Hosseini, chair of the Board of Trustees for the school, said in an announcement the board thanks Dr. Sasse for his service to the University of Florida. Under his leadership, UF has continued to advance on the national and international stage, benefiting our students, faculty, alumni, community and state. He has left a lasting impact on the university and all of those associated with it. We wish Ben all the best as he steps back to focus on his family, Hosseini 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. University of Florida president Ben Sasse is resigning after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy FILE - U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., listens during a confirmation hearing for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 23, 2022. Sasse, who left office to become the University of Florida president, announced late Thursday, July 18, 2024, that he will leave his job at the university at the end of the month so he can focus on taking care of his family after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) University of Florida president Ben Sasse, a controversial pick almost two years ago when he was named to lead one of the top public universities in the U.S., plans to leave his position to focus on taking care of his family after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy. In a post on the social platform X, the former U.S. senator from Nebraska said Thursday night that after extensive prayer and lots of family tears, he asked university officials that day to start looking for a new president. In a statement, the university said his resignation is effective July 31. I need to step back for a time and focus more on the needs of my family while we rebuild more stable household systems, Sasse said, adding that he would continue to teach at the university in Gainesville, Florida. Sasse's wife, Melissa, who had an aneurysm and a series of strokes in 2007, was recently diagnosed with epilepsy and has been having a new batch of memory issues," he said. Weve battled some nasty seizures the last couple years, but shes always remained a warrior, he said. The couple has two daughters in college, and their youngest child is turning 13, he said. Sasse, a Republican, left the senate last year after being named the 13th president of the university. While in the Senate, he was a prominent critic of former President Donald Trump who joined with a handful of other Republicans to vote in favor of conviction in his impeachment trial after the 2021 Capitol riot. That led to criticism from within Sasse's own party even though he voted with Trump 85% of the time and helped get his three Supreme Court nominees confirmed. Sasse was a controversial pick to head the University of Florida, and he faced vocal opposition from some faculty and students who objected to his stance against same-sex marriage and positions on other LGBTQ issues. Some faculty and students also questioned his qualifications to run such a sprawling school with more than 50,000 students. The university's faculty Senate voted no confidence on an opaque selection process in which Sasse emerged as the sole finalist. Asked Friday to describe Sasse's legacy at the school, Meera Sitharam, chapter president for the union representing the university's faculty said, I don't think he has done very much that was positive. Sasse did little to protect the university's faculty and students from the political meddling of Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration, implied faculty members weren't productive and infringed on students' rights to peacefully protest Israel's response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, she said. A report by the American Association of University Professors released last December said academic freedom and independent governance have been under political and ideological assault in Floridas university system during the tenure of DeSantis. Among other things, the Republican-controlled Legislature last year passed a law that requires a review every five years of tenured professors and forces state universities to be accredited by a different agency each accreditation cycle. Tenured professors traditionally have been given indefinite academic appointments to promote academic freedom, the report said. Earlier this year, the university eliminated diversity, equity and inclusion positions at the school after DeSantis signed a bill last year blocking public colleges and universities from using federal or state funding on diversity programs. The $5 million that had been earmarked for the DEI programs was diverted into a faculty recruitment fund. Earlier this month, the University of Florida kicked out of school some pro-Palestinian protesters who were arrested during an April demonstration, overruling a lighter sentence that had been recommended by hearing bodies who heard testimony and watched police video of the protest. We wish we didnt have to, but the students weighed the costs, made their decisions, and will own the consequences as adults, Sasse said in a May opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal. Were a university, not a daycare. We dont coddle emotions, we wrestle with ideas. The chair of the university's board of trustees, Mori Hosseini, thanked Sasse for his leadership. He has left a lasting impact on the university and all of those associated with it. We wish Ben all the best as he steps back to focus on his family, Hosseini said. Sasse thanked the university for welcoming his family and said he was grateful for the professors and students as well those behind the scenes, like third-shift maintenance crews and the early morning cafeteria workers. We love you. You touched our hearts and made this more than a job you made it our community, Sasse said. Thats why were not going anywhere. ___ Follow Mike Schneider on the social platform X: @MikeSchneiderAP. ___ Slevin reported from Denver. University of Florida President Ben Sasse resigned Thursday amid his wife's epilepsy diagnosis and other serious health issues. File photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI July 19 (UPI) -- University of Florida President Ben Sasse announced his resignation Thursday due to his wife's epilepsy diagnosis and other serious health issues. "In recent months, Melissa has been diagnosed with epilepsy and has been struggling with a new batch of memory issues. It's been hard, but we've faced it together," Sasse wrote on X. "Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights." Melissa Sasse had an aneurysm and a series of strokes in 2007. "We've battled some nasty seizures the last couple years, but she's always remained a warrior," Sasse wrote. He said he had missed "too many family dinners, little league games, hugs, and tears." The University of Florida said in a statement that its Board of Trustees thanks Sasse for his service to the university. "Under his leadership, UF has continued to advance on the national and international stage, benefiting our students, faculty, alumni, community and state," it said. "He has left a lasting impact on the university and all of those associated with it. We wish Ben all the best as he steps back to focus on his family." The university said the board will work quickly and thoughtfully to announce an interim president and then lay the foundation for a search for a new president. Sasse resigned from the U.S. Senate, where he represented Nebraska as a Republican, in January 2023 to become University of Florida president. As he left the senate Sasse said that body had become increasingly beholden to special interest groups, including "social media mobs, advocacy organizations, small-dollar donors and cable hosts." "Each of us knows we should be taking a look in the mirror and acknowledging that lives lived in a politicized echo chamber are unworthy of a place that calls itself a deliberative body, let alone the world's greatest deliberative body," he told his fellow senators at the time. The U.S. is in the final stages of approving nearly $2 billion in security aid to the Indo-Pacific, one part of a broader effort to help countries defend against an increasingly aggressive China. The package includes $1.2 billion for Taipei, $500 million for Manila and around $300 million to spread around other partners, such as Vietnam, parts of South Asia and island nations in the Pacific. The numbers arent yet final, since the administration is still briefing Congress, and lawmakers are allowed input. But the intent is to spend almost all of the $2 billion in Foreign Military Financing or security assistance funded by the U.S. passed for the region this April, said a senior State Department official. To discuss the plans for this aid, which hasnt yet been reported, Defense News spoke with Congressional aides, the State official and other people familiar with the discussions. Several were granted anonymity, either because they werent allowed to speak to the press or because of the sensitivity of the topic. Together, they described a moment of urgency for the U.S. on multiple fronts. The first is to fortify its partners. At the start of the summer, China launched large military drills around Taiwan as a punishment for a presidential address that Beijing considered too pro-independence. Weeks later, members of the Chinese Coast Guard intercepted Filipino ships on their way to resupply a naval outpost and injured eight sailors. The attack toed a red line on what Manila would consider an act of war. Its also part of an effort to strengthen this administrations work in Asia during the last six months of President Joe Bidens first, and perhaps only, term. A bevy of U.S. officials from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs to top members of the National Security Council are visiting the region this week to discuss security ties. Americas Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State will soon follow for meetings in Tokyo and Manila, where they plan to announce the $500 million in aid for the Philippines. The urgency has grown as the [Peoples Republic of China] threat has grown, the State official said. While Foreign Military Financing, or FMF, can take years to deliver, the official said their goal was for aid to arrive within six to 12 months. For Taiwan, the assistance will go to the new administrations porcupine style defense strategy, aimed at making the island harder to invade. This includes training for the Taiwanese military and maritime capabilities, the State official said. Top of the list for the Philippines will be equipment to help defend against Chinas bullying in the South China Sea. The official wouldnt say what specific weapons either nation would purchase, though a Congressional aide said both would likely be for asymmetric systems, which often means missiles, drones or commercial-style arms. Neither the Philippines nor Taiwans embassy in Washington would comment for this story. Pump it up Largely because of threats from China, both Taipei and Manila are rushing to upgrade their militaries. Taiwan is already waiting on the delivery of $19 billion in other American arms it purchased much of it F-16 fighter jets. The Philippines, meanwhile, is bulking its force to take on larger missions, like defending territory rather than countering terrorism. We need to really pump it up as quickly as we can, Jose Romualdez, Manilas ambassador to Washington, told reporters in late June. The $500 million in support is also a huge vote of confidence from the U.S. Last year, the Philippines only received $40 million in such aid, and officials in Washington have before been skeptical that the countrys military is ready for more. There have been longstanding concerns about how much the Philippines can absorb, said Bonnie Glaser, an expert on the region at the German Marshall Fund think tank. A group of U.S. officials traveled to Manila in early June, shortly before the crisis in the South China Sea, where they discussed how the Philippines would spend the money and what support it needed, according to the Congressional aide and State official. Both sides ended up agreeing to different steps. At the same time, America and the Philippines are also agreeing to a shared set of priorities, which the State official said they will likely announce during the summit later in July. This roadmap will help guide Manilas military modernization for the next five to 10 years. The idea is to finish much of this logistical work ahead of time so that the Philippines can move faster once it gets the funding, the official said. Romualdez, the ambassador, wouldnt say whether his country also wanted weapons directly shipped from U.S. stocks, a much faster route. The Pentagon has $1.9 billion to replace any inventories sent to partners in the Pacific, though most of that will go to Taiwan, Americas top priority in the region. The Department of Defense supports the Administrations efforts to utilize the significant funding for the Indo-Pacific region provided in the National Security Supplemental that Congress passed this spring, a Pentagon spokesperson said in a statement, without confirming the aid package. We also welcome continued actions by U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region to invest in their own capabilities, their defense ties with each other and their relationships with the United States. At stake The new administration in Taiwan is only two months into office and trying to reform its military: making exercises less scripted and giving more authority to junior officers, similar to the American system. But theyre doing so as the threat from China continues to evolve, particularly in the gray zone, or military actions that fall short of war. Most of our weapons are aimed at providing munitions so that they can stop the [Peoples Liberation Army] from landing on the beach, said Glaser, at the German Marshall Fund. But thats not helping them to deal with the growing [Chinese] coast guard threat. Nor will more arms sales please Beijing. Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced this week that it was suspending arms control talks with the United States due to objections over American weapons sales to Taiwan, though Glaser said the discussions were cut soon after Taiwans new president spoke in May. Taiwans political leaders are reeling this week after an interview with Bloomberg in which former President Donald Trump said that Taiwan needs to pay America for any military protection. Zack Cooper, an Asia expert at the American Enterprise Institute, saw the comments as an omen. A second Trump administration may keep selling weapons to Taiwan, he said, but isnt likely to fund any with American dollars. This is the beginning of a ramp up for the Philippines but it may be the last significant tranche for Taiwan, Cooper said. And we just started FMF for Taiwan. The administration plans to divide the remaining $300 million in aid for the region among other U.S. partners, according to the congressional aide and State official. Among the goals are to help wean countries off Russian military equipment, help island nations monitor their surrounding waters and perhaps also have others partner with the U.S. to build arms. A small portion will be leftover, but the official expected Congress would approve the vast majority of the FMF funding in around the next two weeks. Both the congressional aide and multiple people familiar with the deliberations said that the administration debated at first whether to use more of the funding to counter Russian arms. While there was always agreement that most of the money should help countries defend against China, the amount slated for the Philippines wasnt always so high. The visit by U.S. officials to Manila in June helped ease those concerns. There was a lot of political pressure within the bureaucracy to support the Philippines, said the congressional aide. That pressure extends to Capitol Hill. This April, a bipartisan pair of senators introduced a bill to give Manila $500 million a year in Foreign Military Financing for the next five years. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, visited the Philippines in late May and later told Defense News that the country should be the second priority for American aid in the region. And just this week, the top Republicans on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees sent a letter to the Biden administration urging a show of support for the Philippines after last months standoff with China. The administration will soon have the FMF aid to show. I cant imagine a partner that needs greater investment in their military modernization than than the Philippines, and a partner that is more willing and able to work with us on this, the State Department official said. They see whats at stake. U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, shown speaking at a 2021 news conference at Fort Bliss, has signed a joint letter asking President Joe Biden to not seek reelection. U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth on Friday became the second House Democrat from Texas and the first member of the Congressional Black Caucus to call on President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race, putting another dent in Biden's armor as he fends off public criticism for his uninspiring debate performance in June. "Mr. President, with great admiration for you personally, sincere respect for your decades of public service and patriotic leadership, and deep appreciation for everything we have accomplished together during your presidency, it is now time for you to pass the torch to a new generation of Democratic leaders," Veasey and Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Chuy Garcia of Illinois and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin wrote in a joint letter to Biden, which was published in a news release Friday. The announcement comes more than two weeks after U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, became the first Democratic Congress member to urge Biden to stand down. Veasey had previously expressed concern about the effect Biden's continued candidacy would have on down-ballot races in comments July 9 to CNN. "We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign," Fridays letter said. "Passing the torch would fundamentally change the trajectory of the campaign. It would reinvigorate the race and infuse Democrats with enthusiasm and momentum heading into our convention next month." While the officials do not explicitly endorse a replacement for Biden at the top of the ticket, the representatives wrote that "Democrats have a deep and talented bench of younger leaders, led by Vice President Kamala Harris." The lawmakers' note urging Biden to withdraw adds to similar calls from more than a dozen other Congress members. However, it puts Veasey at odds with other Texas members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Democratic Reps. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas and Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston have been among Biden's most vocal advocates since support for him began to plummet after his June 27 debate performance against former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee. The Biden campaign is "clear-eyed" about concerns voiced by some Democrats, Biden campaign spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg told the American-Statesman on Friday afternoon. "While the majority of the caucus and the diverse base of the party continues to stand with the President and his historic record of delivering for their communities, were clear-eyed that the urgency and stakes of beating Donald Trump means others feel differently," Ehrenberg said in an email statement. "Unlike Republicans, were a party that accepts and even celebrates differing opinions, but in the end, we will absolutely come together to beat Donald Trump this November." The Hill reported Friday morning that Biden could soon make a major announcement on his "political future," stirring up rumors that the incumbent could be planning to withdraw. His campaign, however, has flatly denied that Biden intends to relinquish his spot in the race. "You have heard from the President directly time and again: He is in this race to win, and he is our nominee, and he's going to be our President for a second term," Biden-Harris campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon said on MSNBC's Morning Joe on Friday. Biden also continues to have the public backing of a majority of House Democrats, some of who have highlighted continued concerns about what a post-primary switch-up could mean. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, one of the most progressive members of Congress, on Thursday night told her Instagram followers that pundits, donors and strategists might be underestimating legal challenges to a convention-day nomination and that the short timeline any new candidate would have to campaign could imperil Democratic chances to keep the White House in November. "I think that is how (Biden) became president, is through a lot of people underestimating his performance with demographics that are not traditionally valued," Ocasio-Cortez said. "And I think that people see where he's weak. They don't often see where he's strong." Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from Biden's reelection campaign. U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at the 115th NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., July 16, 2024. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Democratic US Rep. Marc Veasey calls on Joe Biden to withdraw US DOJ says it has made substantial progress toward final Boeing plea agreement FILE PHOTO: A Boeing 737 Max aircraft during a display at the Farnborough International Airshow, in Farnborough By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday the government has made "substantial progress" toward reaching a final plea agreement with Boeing but does not expect to file the details before July 24. The planemaker on July 7 agreed in principle to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge and pay a fine of $243.6 million after the Justice Department said in May the company had breached a 2021 deferred prosecution agreement. The department plans to file a factual statement supporting its breach determination with the plea deal, which it had initially expected to file by Friday. DOJ said it "will continue to work expeditiously in an effort to file" by July 24. Boeing declined to comment on Thursday. Boeing plans to plead guilty to conspiring to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration after the government said the planemaker knowingly made false representations about key software for the 737 MAX linked to two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor in Texas on Monday set a fast schedule to consider the objections to the plea deal from relatives of those killed in the MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. As part of the deal, Boeing agreed to spend at least $455 million over the next three years to boost safety and compliance programs. Boeing's board will also meet with relatives of those killed in the MAX crashes. The deal also imposes an independent monitor, who will have to publicly file annual progress reports, to oversee the firm's compliance. Boeing will be on probation during the monitor's three-year term. The MAX crashes led to a 20-month grounding of Boeing's best-selling plane and cost the company more than $20 billion. O'Connor previously criticized Boeing, saying in 2023: "Boeing's crime may properly be considered the deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history." A panel blew off a new MAX 9 jet during a Jan. 5 Alaska Airlines flight two days before the 2021 deferred agreement that shielded the company from prosecution expired. Boeing faces a separate ongoing criminal probe into the Alaska Airlines incident, which did not result in any serious injuries, as well as a two-day National Transportation Safety Board hearing next month. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and Jamie Freed) US News and World Reports names local hospital among the best in the nation PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) When you need to go to the hospital, you want to be sure that the one you are going to is a good one. Heat dangers and how to avoid them In that vein, Princeton locals have some reassuring news. WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital is ranked one of the best in the nation according to U.S. News and World Reports ranking based on Medicare and Medicaid data. The report says the hospital is among the top tier of hospitals due to three high performing specialties COPD, knee replacement, and heart failure treatment. The Vice President of Operations at WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital Al Boland told 59News that heart disease and COPD are very common throughout West Virginia as well as the nation. Its important that patients know, for something as those two diseases are locally, that they can stay local and receive the highest quality care within Princeton Community Hospital and not have to travel for those services, said Boland. Many people would be content with just doing a good enough job to get by, but Boland said Princeton Community Hospital will not settle. Were always looking to improve, Boland added. In fact, acute care is always evidence based, so were always looking at the research that comes nationally and is shared so that we can continue to provide the best quality care possible. We continue to explore avenues to continue to improve for diabetes, and even make sure to maintain the quality status that we have for COPD, heart disease, and other ailments that ail this community. WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital hosts nursing students from seven nursing programs Another program that is taking flight is the newly acquired cancer treatment program at the hospital. 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 WVNS. Illinois U.S. Reps. Sean Casten and Jesus Chuy Garcia on Friday added their names to the growing list of Democrats calling for President Joe Biden to step aside and not run for a second term. Casten and Garcia become the fourth and fifth Illinois congressional Democrats to encourage the 81-year-old Biden to abandon his effort to defeat former President Donald Trump in the November election. Trump accepted the Republican presidential nomination Thursday night in Milwaukee. In a submitted opinion piece published online Friday, Casten, a west suburban congressman since 2019, said if the upcoming election was a referendum on performance, promises and character, he thinks Biden would defeat Trump. But politics, like life, isnt fair. And as long as this election is instead litigated over which candidate is more likely to be held accountable for public gaffes and senior moments, I believe that Biden is not only going to lose but is also uniquely incapable of shifting that conversation, Casten wrote. It is with a heavy heart and much personal reflection that I am therefore calling on Biden to pass the torch to a new generation. Casten, of Downers Grove, called on Biden to manage an exit with all the dignity and decency that has guided his half-century of public service and to cement his legacy as the president who saved our democracy in 2020 and handed it off to trusted hands in 2024 who could carry his legacy forward. Garcias call came in a joint statement on social media with U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin. A three-term congressman from Chicagos Southwest Side, Garcias call for a Biden to step aside put him at odds with both fellow progressives and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The Hispanic Caucus political action committee on Friday endorsed Biden. Veasey is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, whose members largely have remained in the presidents camp, while Huffman and Pocan, like Garcia, are members of the Progressive Caucus. Pocan hails from a swing state that will be key to the Democrats ability to retain the White House after the election. We believe the most responsible and patriotic thing you can do in this moment is to step aside as our nominee while continuing to lead our parry from the White House, the congressmen told Biden in their statement. Democrats have a deep and talented bench of younger leaders, led by Vice President (Kamala) Harris, who you have lifted up, empowered, and prepared for this moment. Castens and Garcias statements comes as a number of prominent Democrats, led by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have encouraged Biden to step aside following a disastrous debate performance late last month. In recent days, Biden, who has steadfastly maintained he would continue to run for president, has reportedly become more open to the idea of bowing out of the campaign. Pelosi reportedly told Biden in a recent private conversation that polling showed he could not defeat Trump and that staying in the race could significantly hurt Democrats chances of winning the House and holding its slim lead in the Senate. Casten and Garcia join fellow Illinois Democratic congressmen Mike Quigley of Chicago, Brad Schneider of Highland Park and Eric Sorensen of Moline in calling for Biden to step aside. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly said he is backing Bidens reelection efforts, though he attracted attention Thursday with a comment at an unrelated event in Decatur during which he said the president is apparently going to be our nominee. A statement Pritzker issued after Trumps acceptance speech Thursday made no mention of Biden but said the GOP nominees attacks on the most vulnerable and on the middle class demand that we come together to defeat him in November. In his op-ed, Casten described Trump as a threat to American democracy, describing him as a twice-impeached convicted felon and adjudicated rapist who has promised to be a dictator on day one.' In the conversations Ive had with the folks it is my privilege to represent, there is tremendous fear about this moment. People wonder whether our nation and indeed, our world can survive another Trump administration. They watched womens rights get stripped away by the Supreme Court; saw our enemies praised and our allies alienated; and saw children separated from families, Muslims banned from entering our country and neo-Nazis praised as very fine people,' Casten wrote. They have not forgotten the fear we all felt as for the first time since the War of 1812 the Capitol was attacked and the peaceful transfer of power was disrupted on Jan. 6. And that was before the Supreme Court ruled that presidents cannot be held to account for their actions in the White House. Casten also noted that at the end of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln said he never doubted the nation would prevail because there was always just enough virtue in the republic to save it; sometimes none to spare but still enough to meet the emergency. I have every confidence that informed voters who understand the stakes of this election will prove Lincoln to be right once again. But we need a messenger at the top of the ticket who can make that case, Casten wrote. It breaks my heart to say it, but Biden is no longer up for that job. The US Treasury Department on Friday sanctioned two alleged members of a Russian cybercriminal gang that has claimed responsibility for a slew of hacks against US critical infrastructure providers, including a cyberattack in January that caused a tank at a Texas water facility to overflow. Treasury posted photos of the two alleged hackers Yuliya Vladimirovna Pankratova and Denis Olegovich Degtyarenko unmasking them from the anonymous social media accounts that they tend to hide behind. Pankratova and Degtyarenko are allegedly part of a politically motivated hacking group called Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR) that has claimed credit for a series of cyberattacks against American and European organizations in support of Russia. The string of hacks alarmed US officials because of how easy they were to pull off. The hackers logged into sensitive industrial software system that is supposed to be separated from the public internet. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan appealed to state officials and water authorities to shore up their cyber defenses. The hack in January in the small town of Muleshoe, in north Texas, wasted tens of thousands of gallons of water, according to the Treasury Department. It coincided with at least two other towns in north Texas taking precautionary defensive measures. Sanctions against criminal hackers are increasingly common as the US government tries to deter both politically and financially motivated computer operatives. Among CARRs other claimed targets was a wastewater treatment plant in Indiana. The hackers tend to blend their unsophisticated hacking efforts with psychological operations designed to drum up interests in the group and spread panic among targets. They have, for example, released videos of them purporting to infiltrate water systems set to dramatic music. Russia continues to provide a safe haven to cybercriminals and enable their malicious cyber activities against the United States and its allies and partners, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Friday. While CARRs lack of sophistication and victims responses have thus far prevented any instances of major damage, unauthorized access to critical infrastructure systems poses an elevated risk of harm to the public and can result in devastating humanitarian consequences, Miller said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com US Supreme Court is making it harder to sue - even for conservatives By Andrew Chung (Reuters) - Over its past two terms, the U.S. Supreme Court has put an end to five high-profile and politically sensitive cases emerging from one particular federal appeals court on the same basis, declaring that the litigation should not have been allowed in the first place. In all five cases - involving abortion rights, online free speech, federal student loans, immigration and Native American child welfare - the justices overturned rulings by the staunchly conservative New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals or judges within that circuit. In doing so, the Supreme Court sent a message to the 5th Circuit, which handles appeals from federal courts in the Republican-led states of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, and the entire U.S. judiciary to tighten up on legal standing, a basic requirement all plaintiffs must satisfy to sustain their cases. The doctrine of legal standing can be a powerful gate-keeping tool for the judiciary, requiring plaintiffs to show they have been or will be injured in some non-speculative, concrete way that is traceable to the defendant and can be remedied by the court. The actions by the justices in this area could reduce the tide of bold lawsuits involving contentious political matters, now often mounted in the three states covered by the 5th Circuit because of its reputation for conservatism, according to legal experts. "I don't think there is much question that the Supreme Court has attempted to rebuke the 5th Circuit in an across-the-board way that will make it more difficult for the aggressive judges on the circuit to grant standing in questionable cases," said constitutional law professor Stephen Griffin of Tulane University in New Orleans. The Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority has continued to move American law sharply rightward, this term alone granting broad immunity to Republican former President Donald Trump on his 2020 election subversion charges and dramatically undercutting the power of U.S. regulatory agencies. And yet it appears intent on reinforcing limits on standing, including for conservative plaintiffs and Republican-led states. The recent 5th Circuit cases "have kind of a conservative valence where we certainly might expect the justices to have some sympathy for the underlying substantive claims," said law professor Jonathan Adler of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. "And yet they nonetheless stick to their guns on standing." The 5th Circuit has gained prominence as a favored venue for conservative litigants thanks to its far-reaching rulings against Democratic President Joe Biden's administration. But the Supreme Court has now rejected 5th Circuit decisions allowing lawsuits against a wide array of Biden administration or longstanding federal policies. In June 2023, the justices ruled that Texas and Louisiana lacked the standing to contest Biden's shift in immigration enforcement priorities, that two individual borrowers did not have standing to oppose Biden's plan to cancel student loan debt, and that Texas and other plaintiffs did not have standing to challenge a federal law involving adoption or foster care placements of Native American children. Last month, the justices ruled that anti-abortion groups and doctors did not have standing to try to restrict access to the abortion pill, called mifepristone, and that Republican-led Missouri and other plaintiffs did not have standing in a suit claiming federal officials were coercing tech companies to censor social media users, in particular conservatives. In another major case in 2021, the Supreme Court rejected a bid by Texas and other plaintiffs to invalidate the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, finding that they had no standing despite the 5th Circuit's conclusion otherwise. 'SEEING SOME CHANGE' University of Texas at Austin law professor Tara Leigh Grove noted that in the past it was liberal litigants such as environmental groups that tested the boundaries on standing. "There used to be this assumption that progressives wanted the courts to do a whole lot, and conservatives wanted judicial restraint. And I think we're seeing some change in that," Grove added. The Supreme Court is also signaling that it is rethinking its previous permissiveness in letting states sue, legal experts said, which could rein in a now-common practice of state attorneys general from one party constantly suing over the policies of a president from the opposing party. Adler said that standing doctrine "prevents courts from becoming where we hash out all our policy differences, because ... a lot of the cases it keeps out are cases where litigants are trying to resolve policy disputes in court." Two of the five recent rulings reversing the 5th Circuit on standing - mifepristone and student debt - were unanimous, though the justices were sometimes sharply divided on standing. The social media ruling was authored by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who indicated frustration with the 5th Circuit and the trial judge. Conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch dissented from the decision. The Supreme Court ultimately blocked Biden's debt forgiveness plan in a separate case last year brought by six conservative-leaning states. Liberal Justice Elena Kagan wrote in dissent that the states simply disliked the policy and that the court, in granting the plaintiffs standing, had exceeded its judicial role. "The court acts as though it is an arbiter of political and policy disputes, rather than of cases and controversies," Kagan wrote. Some Supreme Court rulings in the past that denied legal standing of plaintiffs drew criticism from liberals for potentially dissuading individuals, especially racial minorities and the poor, from even attempting to vindicate their rights. That makes the recent rulings concerning 5th Circuit cases stand out all the more. "These are important developments because the 5th Circuit has repeatedly used manufactured cases filed by plaintiffs who have not been legally injured to attempt to move the law in drastically conservative directions," said David Gans, an attorney at the Constitutional Accountability Center liberal legal group. (Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham) He used addiction recovery patients to defraud the government. Now, he's pleaded guilty. PROVIDENCE Michael Brier was on probation after serving time for tax evasion when he began defrauding the government and private health care insurers out of millions of dollars and using people needing drug treatment services to orchestrate his scam. On Thursday, Brier, the owner of Rhode Island-based Recovery Connections Centers of America, Inc., pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare and other insurers while shortchanging patients with substance abuse disorders. Brier, 61, of Newton, Massachusetts, faces between six and ten years in prison if a federal judge accepts his plea agreement. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 6 in U.S. District Court. More: It's election season in Rhode Island once again. These are the storylines to watch. 'Brazen and egregious' fraud against the government In announcing Briers arrest in March 2023, U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha said, the allegations set forth in this case represent one of the most brazen and egregious examples of health care fraud the FBI has seen here in Rhode Island in recent history, Cunha said. Brier ran the agency (with offices in Rhode Island and Massachusetts) from a headquarters on Wickenden Street with the help of a supervisor, Mi Ok Bruining of Warwick. The scheme worked by billing insurance companies for 45-minute counseling sessions for each patient when, in reality, each actually received only a few minutes of attention. Now closed Recovery Connection Centers of America located on Wickenden St. in Providence. Bruining earned the nickname five-minute queen," officials said, for her ability to reduce a patients counseling session to a bare few minutes but bill insurers for a full session. Officials said Bruining trained other workers in how to fraudulently bill. And one former employee was equipped with a bell to ensure the flow of patients moved briskly along. The agency crammed in appointments, billing for more client sessions than could be provided in a 24-hour day. In November, Bruining, a clinical social worker, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. She admitted she and staff under her direction routinely submitted false and fraudulent claims for psychotherapy and counseling services worth more than $3.5 million. She is scheduled to be sentenced in September. The ple Brier was convicted in 2013 of tax evasion and sentenced to 27 months in prison. On Thursday he also admitted he and his agency failed to disclose his criminal conviction on a Medicare application. Under the plea agreement he must pay $3.4 million in restitution and forfeit assets realized as a result of his criminal conduct, including about $1 million, his interest in a beachfront condominium in Caracol Beach Panama, a 2020 Mercedes Benz and a 2019 Lexus RX350. The corporation Recovery Connections Centers of America, Inc. is now in receivership. Contact Tom Mooney at: tmooney@providencejournal.com This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Man who orchestrated 'brazen' addiction recovery fraud pleads guilty Usha Vance steps into the Republican spotlight to wide praise - and a few racist sneers MILWAUKEE Usha Vance has never been one to clamor for the spotlight. She stood by her husbands side as JD Vance received national acclaim for his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, and ran for the U.S. Senate in 2022. He describes her as brilliant, a defender of what she loves, a comforting change from the chaos of his youth. During the third night of the Republican National Convention, Usha Vance took on a new, loftier task: Introducing her husband, and herself, to the country in a primetime speech. That JD and I could meet at all, let alone fall in love and marry, is a testament to this great country, she said. The Vances have been thrust into national prominence this week after Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump named Ohio's junior senator as his running mate. Her national coming out has prompted a largely supportive reception, even as some far-right personalities have circulated racist commentary denigrating her Indian heritage. Republican delegates who saw Usha Vance introduce her husband during the convention Wednesday praised her performance, even if the applause was, at times, muted like when she described how her husband adapted to her vegetarian diet. Wendi Baggaley, a 53-year-old delegate from Minot, North Dakota, said Vances Indian heritage is beautiful and called her a rock star. Oh, my goodness, she's amazing, Baggaley gushed after the speech. She didn't seem nervous or anything. Just delivered just a sweet message, and then he came out and gave her a hug and a kiss kind of like 'you did great, sweetheart.' That was awesome. Usha Chilukuri Vance, Wife of vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, speaks during the third day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum. The third day of the RNC focused on foreign policy and threats. Vance, the daughter of Indian immigrants and a practicing Hindu, grew up in San Diego before moving on to further her education and career. She earned degrees in history at Yale University and the University of Cambridge and later graduated from Yale Law School, where she met JD Vance. Vance had been working as a litigator Munger, Tolles & Olson, but a spokesperson said she chose to leave the firm in the wake of her husbands vice presidential nomination. Its safe to say that neither JD nor I expected to find ourselves in this position, Vance said. But its hard to imagine a more powerful example of the American dream: A boy from Middletown, Ohio, raised by his grandmother through tough times chosen to help lead our country through some of its greatest challenges. In her speech, Usha Vance alluded to her husbands background with a few jokes peppered in about his beard and the movie made from his memoir. Kay Schell, 81, attended the event with her husband, Ray Schell, 83. Both said they thought Usha Vance was lovely. I will say, we will have two of the classiest first and second ladies probably ever in that White House, Kay Schell said. America's made of immigrants. As long as an immigrant is here legally, I think it's great. More: Meet the veep: JD Vance introduces himself as father, author - and MAGA convert The racist comments focusing on Vances heritage have come mostly from the far-right corners of the internet. Jaden McNeil, a far-right activist and founder of America First Students, posted a photo of Vance with his wife and newborn child on social media, for example, saying, Im sure this guy is going to be great on immigration. Other commentators zeroed in on the senators children, panning the ethnic origin of their names: Ewan, Vivek and Maribel. This guy has a non-white wife and a kid named Vivek, Nick Fuentes, a prominent personality on the far right who promotes antisemitic and racist ideas, said on his podcast. This guy is gonna be a defender of white identity? I dont think so. A spokesperson for Vance declined to comment. The comments come as the convention focuses on its unofficial theme of unity. Harmeet Dhillon gives a Sikh prayer on July 19, 2016 during 2016 Republican National Convention. Republicans are also trying to reach out to voters of color and expanding the diversity of voices leading the party, a strategy evident by the decision to highlight diverse speakers such as Amber Rose and Harmeet Dhillon, a prominent Republican lawyer and close Trump ally. But Dhillon, who recited the Ardas, a Sikh prayer, faced backlash from some conservative commentators online who felt the convention should only highlight Christian prayers. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who is also the daughter of immigrants, called on Republicans to be better at welcoming people into the party who have diverse backgrounds in her Tuesday night speech. Nikki Haley, a former South Carolina governor and a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, addresses the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 16, 2024. We must not only be a unified party, she said. We must also expand our party. We are so much better when we are bigger. We are stronger when we welcome people into our party who have different backgrounds and experiences. And right now, we need to be strong to save America. Catherine Ernsky, an alternate delegate from Connecticut, believes Usha Vance will be welcomed by most people in the GOP. The online backlash against Dhillon, for instance, was a stark contrast to the warm embrace delegates gave her at the convention, Ernsky said. The Republican Party is a welcoming party, Ernsky said. Youre always going to get one or two who might say or do something that they shouldn't. Youre going to get the trolls that are saying stuff. Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. She is also covering the 2024 presidential race for USA TODAY as a senior national campaign correspondent. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Usha Vance RNC coming out prompts wide praise, a few racist taunts CHICAGO A United States Postal Service letter carrier was shot and killed Friday in the citys West Pullman neighborhood. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible. At around 11:30 a.m., authorities responded to the 12100 block of South Harvard on the report of a person shot. According to police, first responders rushed the 48-year-old victim to Christ Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. She was identified Friday evening as Octavia Redmond of Chicago, a five-year mail carrier for USPS. The alleged shooter fled in a vehicle westbound on 121st St., police added. No one is in custody. CHI-Div-Carrier-Homicide-RewardDownload Woodrow Davis told WGN News he was outside feeding his dogs when he heard gunfire. I heard the shots, like five to seven, Davis said. It was a lot of shots. Davis recalled encountering the slain postal worker moments before her passing. I literally had just gotten my mail from her because the dogs were in the yard, he said. The next thing you know, police ride by, and we see her truck go past. Man charged after mother found shot to death in North Lawndale kitchen Locals in the area described Redmond as someone who was well-liked. All the neighbors have been talking to me about her all day, Davis added. They say they had been giving her water all day. She really was a good person. As investigators remained on scene, USPIS asked the public to avoid the area. For Davis, the shooting was a reminder of rampant crime in the city. I just wish they would stop this gun violence, he said. For the most part, its really dangerous. I mean its really dangerous. 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. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Randolph woman, hired by the United States Postal Service in 2020, was arrested and charged in connection with the theft of multiple gift cards in 2023, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced Friday. Melissa Olson, 45, was hired by the USPS as a rural carrier associate at the Randolph Post Office. In May 2023, a $200 Visa gift card was found to be stolen by the USPS Office of Inspector General, according to officials. Olson allegedly used the gift card to make purchases at retail locations in the Randolph area, according to an investigation. A complaint found that in June 2023, she also allegedly stole Walmart and Target gift cards from a greeting card sent through the mail. Olson was charged with theft of mail by officer or employee, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 fine. Latest Local News Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. 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 News 4 Buffalo. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox looks toward the stage for the National Governors Associations summer meeting at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City on July 11, 2024. Courtesy of the Utah Governors Office This story first appeared in the Utah News Dispatch. Its been a year since Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox was elected as chairman of the National Governors Association and launched his Disagree Better campaign. At the time, Politico columnist Jonathan Martin pointed out that the NGA, which he described as a once-vital forum for common ground, had appeared to have fallen prey to polarization, noting that of the nations 26 Republican governors, only three showed up to that years summer meeting, including Cox. Cox, Martin reported, used his first speech as the NGAs chairman to beg his fellow governors to turn the NGA into a model of civil debate, saying, If were ever going to find our better angels again, it has to start with us setting the example of how to disagree better. But its hard to do much disagreeing, or have a conversation at all, when nobody is listening: Fewer than a half-dozen governors were still in attendance for his remarks Friday, the sessions closing day, and they were all Democrats, Martin wrote last year. After more than a century of bringing together the nations governors, the NGA long a wellspring of ideas, forum for best practices and platform for innovating policymaking is at grave risk of falling victim to the silos plaguing most every other element of American politics. Though Martin also offered some hope, writing, if any governor can reverse or at least slow this trend, its Cox. Two men stand behind a podium. Now the year is over. Last week, at the NGAs summer meeting in Salt Lake City with big-name speakers including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey Cox closed out his NGA chairmanship. He passed the baton to Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who pledged to continue the Disagree Better work within the NGA while launching his own initiative as chair titled, Lets Get Ready: Educating All Americans for Success. 2024 National Governors Association summer meeting attendees Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Republican (2023-2024 NGA chairman) Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Democrat (2024-2025 NGA chairman) Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Younkin, Republican Delaware Gov. John Carney, Democrat Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, Democrat Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, Democrat Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, Democrat Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, Democrat Maine Gov. Janet Mills, Democrat New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Democrat Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Democrat So how did Cox do? Are enough governors listening to the Disagree Better message? If governor attendance to the summer meeting is any indication, it appears Cox was able to bring along slightly more Republican governors that is, one more than last year. Including himself, four GOP governors attended the conference in person: Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The rest of the 13 total governors who attended, according to what Utah News Dispatch observed and a list verified by the Utah governors office, were Democrats. Overall governor attendance at the summer meeting which is usually not as robustly attended as the NGAs winter meeting was on par with whats expected for summer meetings (roughly 10 to 20 governors out of a total of 55). But impact goes beyond just the governors attendance. When considering total attendees, this summer gathering saw the most attendance in the last five years with over 1,100 registrations, including 60 members of the media, according to the Colorado governors office. And that doesnt include others who tuned in online or have participated in the Disagree Better campaign in some other form or another. When pressed by a reporter during a media scrum July 12 on whether enough governors are listening to his Disagree Better campaign, Cox said hes been pleased with the number of governors that have participated in the effort. Weve had over 20 governors that have participated in Disagree Better, and its split about 50-50, Republicans and Democrats, he said, adding that about 40 governors attended this years winter meeting that had some similar presentations, including two members of the (U.S.) Supreme Court, a conservative member and a liberal member. So we believe its been incredibly, incredibly positive, Cox said, and the feedback weve gotten from governors has also been positive. A man sits at a table and watches a presentation. But during his July 12 speech closing out the two-day event that served as a capstone to his Disagree Better campaign Coxs remarks hinted governor participation in NGA was on his mind and could be better. His comments also indicated NGA isnt immune to the polarization hes been trying to combat and could be threatened because of it. Cox focused much of his speech on urging Americans to focus not so much on tearing down, whether its institutions or people or parties. Building is hard, he said, and its something the U.S. needs more of. We need some architects. We need more builders. And thats exactly what were trying to do. After that speech, for which he was given a rowdy and drawn-out standing ovation, Cox said he had one more thing to say and it was focused on the NGA itself. This institution, of the National Governors Association, please dont tear it down, he said, his voice straining with emotion. Its worth saving. He paused while gathering his composure. Its one of the last organizations on Earth, in this country, that brings people of both parties together to actually get stuff done, he said. And we need that more than ever. Cox acknowledged governors schedules are often already jam-packed with meetings. Look, I know its hard. I know its hard to go to all the meetings, he said, listing off several other acronyms for government organizations. Theres always a reason to make an excuse for the other things. But Im just telling you, we need you. I know you guys are here, but there are a lot of us that arent here. He thanked the governors who did attend, while begging them, Please, please, please, please help me convince our colleagues how important (NGA) is. Cox also said hes confident that under the leadership of Polis, as the NGAs new chair, we will be strong. He then announced the new lineup of NGA leadership, including Stitt as vice chair. (Each year, the organization switches its chairmanship between Republicans and Democrats). After Polis officially accepted the NGA gavel from Cox, Stitt said he and Polis want to continue [Disagree Better]. I think its so important, a conversation that all of us need to have. Polis before presenting his new NGA chairs initiative titled Lets Get Ready: Educating All Americans for Success applauded Cox for taking a new kind of initiative with Disagree Better. Instead of focusing on usual issues like perhaps infrastructure or mental health, he said Cox really broke the mold and said what we need is this kind of moral progress as a nation and about how we can disagree better, the way that governors can play a constructive role in helping to heal this national spirit, learning how to engage in meaningful conversations and disagreements with one another again. Polis said the Disagree Better effort is even more important today than when we began this work, and I know it will live on. Bill McBride, executive director of the NGA, told attendees in an opening speech on July 11 that although NGA chairs initiatives technically last a year, their impact continues. That would certainly be the case with Disagree Better. As a bipartisan organization representing our nations governors, finding common ground is essential to the work of the National Governors Association, he said. In response to a request for further comment on the matter of governor participation and Coxs plea to not tear down the NGA, Polis spokesperson Shelby Wieman said the Colorado governor encourages all governors to participate in the open, meaningful and bipartisan discussions at the (NGA) about the challenges we face, and will continue to make NGA a welcoming space for everyone, no matter their political affiliation. Wieman said the summer meeting was very productive with governors from both parties and across the country joining together to discuss issues facing our country. She noted that the governors met directly with Zelenskyy, spoke with McConaughey about improving discourse, and met with King Abdullah II of Jordan, along with other panel discussions. Hundreds of attendees and thousands more viewed these important conversations, she said. The NGAs public summer meeting discussions were taped and can be viewed on the NGAs website. Disagree Better is more important now than ever for governors and all Americans, Wieman said. Many governors have been engaged in the initiative and it is having an impact on how governors interact with one another and Americans. As chair of the NGA, Governor Polis will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats alike to advance good ideas, no matter where they come from. Quentin Young of Colorado Newsline contributed to this report. Utah News Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a national nonprofit news organization. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Gov. Spencer Cox at his monthly news conference in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 19, 2024. Cox, one of the few Republican governors who had not yet endorsed former President Donald Trump, announced Friday he will both endorse and vote for Trump in Novembers presidential election. | Trent Nelson Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, one of the few Republican governors who had not yet endorsed former President Donald Trump, announced Friday he will both endorse and vote for Trump in Novembers presidential election. During his monthly press conference on Friday morning, Cox said he will do everything I can to help Trump win the election and unify the country. My commitment to him was that I would help him try to lower the temperature in this country, and I sincerely hope from what Ive heard from people around him that hes committed to that, Cox said. Hours before the news conference, the Deseret News first reported Coxs intentions to endorse Trump. According to a letter obtained by the Deseret News, written by Cox on his official Utah letterhead and dated July 14, Cox informed Trump earlier this week of his intent to support the Republican nominee. Cox said Trumps life was spared during Saturdays attempted assassination and pledged his support to Trump being a unifying candidate in the aftermath. Now, Cox wrote, because of that miracle, you have the opportunity to do something that no other person on earth can do right now: unify and save our country. Cox pleaded with Trump to be a Lincoln to bring us together. Just last week, Cox said he didnt plan to vote for Trump. Im not going to vote for either presidential candidate this year, Cox said during an appearance on CNN on July 10. Instead, he said, he planned to write in a candidate. Cox said he did not vote for Trump in 2016 or 2020. In February, Cox said Republicans would be making a huge mistake if they nominated Trump as their presidential nominee. Cox has claimed he is not anti-Trump, only that he has serious issues with some of the former presidents policies and antics. After the Jan. 6 riot, Cox called on Trump to resign, saying it would be good for the nation. Last month, Politico declared Cox the new face of Trump skepticism on the right. Cox will do everything he can to help Trump, he says at conference During his news conference, Cox detailed his thinking on Trump and the 2024 election. The hinge point, he said, was Saturdays assassination attempt on Trump. I spent (Saturday) night distraught, worried about our nation and what wed become and who we are, he said. He spent the next day in contemplation and prayed a lot, and decided to write a letter to Trump detailing his thinking. In the letter, Cox said: I believe in our better angels, Mr. President, and I believe you are capable of being that kind of leader for this troubled nation. It is a huge burden to be placed on any person, Cox continued, but I want you to know that I pledge my support and I know that millions of others will rally to that kind of leadership. Cox expressed sympathy toward the former president in the wake of the attempted assassination. My wife Abby and I watched in disbelief as we saw the images of the attack on your life, he wrote. In that moment you represented the best of America at one of our very worst times. Bloodied but not bowed. Courage literally under fire. Cox noted that Trumps statements after the shooting showed a side of you most of us have not seen, and it gave so many of us tremendous hope for the future of our country. Instead of lashing out with hate and violence, Cox counseled, Trump has the chance to unify and save our country. I fear that America is on the precipice of unmitigated disaster, Cox wrote. We need to turn down the temperature and find ways to come together again before its too late. Cox noted that he and Trump have some differences, and you probably dont like me very much. And thats OK. Im not writing this letter looking for a position in your Cabinet or a role on your team. Instead, Cox is looking for him to do something that people have said is impossible, he wrote: You have a chance to build a coalition of support that our country has not seen since Ronald Reagan. And you dont have to compromise on a single conservative policy in order to do it. By treating President Biden with basic human dignity and respect and by emphasizing unity rather than hate, you will win this election by an historic margin and become one of our nations most transformational leaders. By extending an olive branch to voters who are open to persuasion and ignoring the extremists, you can solidify a legacy as one of the most important presidents in our nations 250-year history. You can make your success, in leading our country to a new era of peace, unity, and prosperity, the greatest way to silence your critics. The letter was sent by Cox to Rock Bordelon and Keith Mark, the two leaders of Hunter Nation, an outdoor recreation and advocacy group that counts Donald Trump Jr. among its board members. The two men were en route to Wisconsin where they hosted an event with Trump Jr. Monday afternoon. Trump Jr. then hand-delivered the letter to his father, according to Don Peay, who learned about the logistics firsthand. Gov. Cox is a great governor, Mark said in a statement. A man of faith, like in Biblical times. We can and are seeing a mighty change of Heart. Hes never said things like he said in the past week On Friday morning, Cox said he has reason to believe Trump has changed and will try to bring the temperature down. People have been trying to ask him to do this for years, and hes never said things like he said in the past week, Cox said, referring to Trumps statements after the assassination attempt and his speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night. According to an individual close to Coxs thinking, the governor planned to watch Trumps speech Thursday and publicize his support for the former president if he felt he sufficiently attempted to unite the country. Shortly after Trumps speech, Cox thanked Trump via a post on X. This is a winning message and one our nation desperately needs right now, he wrote. Utah stands ready to help you heal the division in our nation. Thank you President Trump. This is a winning message and one our nation desperately needs right now. Utah stands ready to help you heal the division in our nation. https://t.co/ESKq11gHQl Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) July 19, 2024 The New York Times mistakenly reported that Cox attended the RNC in Milwaukee as Trumps guest Thursday night. Cox was in Utah. Ive invited Cox for months (to the convention), and wouldve loved for him to be here, Utah GOP chair Rob Axson said Thursday night, shortly after Trumps speech concluded. I welcome an opportunity of unity with him, as well. Hopefully we see that. During the Friday news conference, Cox said disagreeing better the theme of his tenure as chair of the National Governors Association is something he believes in. I preach it, he said. I try to live by it. Im not very good at it. I know that former President Trump isnt very good at it hasnt been for a long time. Thats been one of my biggest struggles, for sure. And yet, theres a willingness to try. And thats all I can ask for and hope for. Cox said his endorsement was based on Trumps apparent willingness to be a unifying candidate. I told him in that letter, If youll do this, I will do everything I can to help and support you. And so thats what Im doing. Cox acknowledged they will likely have disagreements Ive always considered myself a Ronald Reagan conservative, but certainly there are some differences between that in the party, he said and Cox doesnt expect his endorsement to help Trump win. He doesnt need my help to win at all, Cox said. Thats just going to happen. But I do think that I can help and be a voice when it comes to helping to to unify our nation, when it comes to helping to lower the temperature and to reduce political violence. Letter from Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to former President Donald Trump dated July 14, 2024. Letter from Utah Gov. Spencer Cox to former President Donald Trump dated July 14, 2024. CNNs Van Jones on Thursday said the energy at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee was reminiscent of the 2008 Democratic National Convention when Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Partys nomination. The last time I was in a convention that felt like this was Obama 2008, said the former Obama adviser-turned-political commentator. Theres something happening, Jones added. See the clip here: WATCH: CNN's Van Jones says "The last time I was at a convention that felt like this was Obama 2008." pic.twitter.com/5l3NY5JqEY Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) July 19, 2024 Indeed, Republican speakers and attendees have appeared to be in buoyant moods at the political event, which began Monday just two days after former President Donald Trump survived an attempt on his life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Jones earlier in the week described the convention address given by model and television personality Amber Rose as probably the most dangerous speech for the Democratic coalition, calling it a bunker buster. The pundit also called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speech terrible for sounding like ChatGPT for mean people, while Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was incredibly compelling owing to the personal stories she told. Jones has been a vocal supporter of President Joe Biden but expressed his sadness after the disastrous debate performance last month, saying: I love that guy. Thats a good man. He loves his country. Hes doing the best that he can. But he had a test to meet tonight to restore the confidence of the country and of the base. And he failed to do that. Related... Vance to campaign in Virginia as Trump campaign goes on offense Vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) will hold a rally in Virginia next week, as the Trump campaign targets the commonwealth as a place to expand the electoral map with Democrats engulfed in drama. Vance will speak on Monday night in Radford, the Trump campaign announced. Vance is expected to attack the Biden White House over its economic and border policies by citing rising prices for groceries and gas, as well as increased numbers of apprehensions at the southern border. The campaign noted nearly 2,000 Virginians died in 2022 of fentanyl poisoning, something the campaign attributed to the situation at the border though experts say there is little evidence of a link between the deadly drug and illegal immigration. The Virginia event will be Vances second solo rally since joining the GOP ticket. He will campaign earlier Monday in Ohio in what is being billed as a hometown rally, and he will appear in Michigan on Saturday alongside former President Trump. The campaign is sending Vance to Virginia as polling suggests it could be a pick up opportunity in November, despite President Biden beating Trump there in 2020 by 10 percentage points. An Emerson College Polling/The Hill poll released Thursday found that 45 percent of Virginia voters said they support Trump, while 43 percent back Biden and 11 percent said they were undecided. The polls margin of error is plus or minus 3 points. A growing number of Democrats have called on Biden to step aside as the nominee, citing concerns that he cannot beat Trump in November. The president and his campaign have said he is committed to staying in the race. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) (L) and Ohio Republican candidate for US Senate Bernie Moreno listen as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Dayton International Airport on March 16, 2024 in Vandalia, Ohio. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.) Just after a 20-year-old shooter made an attempt on former President Donald Trumps life last Saturday, a host of Republicans rushed to blame Democrats and the media for the shooting. They include Ohio U.S. Senator and vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno. They also include Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia even posted on X that the district attorney of Butler County, Pennsylvania, where the shooting took place, should file criminal charges against President Joe Biden. All rushed to judgment in the hours after the shooting. Some did so even before the shooters identity had been released. Yet four days later, the shooters motives are unknown and even the basics about his politics remain vague. But one fact seems clear. The two most prominent Ohio players in the post-shooting blame game have in the past compared Trump to the most noxious fascist of them all Adolf Hitler. Spokespeople for Vance and Moreno didnt respond to requests for comment on statements the two made about Trump, whom they were against before they were for. On Saturday, just two hours after a 20-year-old took shots at Trump, Vance took to X to blame Biden. Today is not just some isolated incident, he wrote. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps attempted assassination. In February 2016, Vance sent a text message to a former Yale Law School classmate in which he made an even starker comparison about Trump. Vance said hed been going back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical asshole like Nixon who wouldnt be that bad (and might even prove useful) or that hes Americas Hitler. Trump is under federal indictment on charges that he tried to steal an election that he lost, hes called to terminate the Constitution over his loss, hes embraced political violence and police brutality and hes called his political opponents vermin. In saying repeatedly that immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country the former president clearly rhymed with Hitler, who several times used the same metaphor to attack Jews and any other race that he considered inferior to Aryans. Of Jewish men who allow Jewish women to marry Christians, Hitler said, He poisons the blood of others but preserves his own blood unadulterated. It might seem that some of the rhetoric stems from Trumps own words and actions. It might also seem that the rush to blame others for the shooting was really an attempt to bully people from speaking publicly about Trumps anti-democratic conduct. But to Moreno, the GOP challenger to Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, blame for last weeks shooting lies with the media and Democrats. Theyve been calling (Trump) Hitler for eight years, Moreno said in a recording that his campaign posted on X. The shooter is 20 years old. From the time he was 12 years old, theyve been telling him (Trump) is the reincarnation of Adolph Hitler. If you could take a shot at Adolph Hitler in 1935, would you be a good person or a bad person? Thats how (the shooter) viewed it. Thats on them. Its on them, meaning the Democrats, and also on the mainstream media. But on Morenos Twitter account in 2016, Moreno himself comparing Trump to Hitler. In a now deleted post, the future Senate candidate retweeted a poll featuring Trump and Hitler, and he appended a comment. He attacked immigrants, tries to silence the press, & appeals to the darkest part of human nature, it said. Moreno didnt say to which man he was referring. But his use of the present tense is telling, given the fact that Hitler was 70 years dead at that point. Morenos spokeswoman was asked for examples of the press comparing Trump to Hitler for the past eight years. She was also asked whether Moreno worried that blaming press and political opponents for Trumps attempted assassination would paint targets on their backs, given all the armed, unstable people there are. She didnt respond. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST VANDALIA, OHIO - MARCH 16: U.S. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) (L) and Ohio Republican candidate for US Senate Bernie Moreno listen as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Dayton International Airport on March 16, 2024 in Vandalia, Ohio. The rally was hosted by the Buckeye Values PAC. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Just after a 20-year-old shooter made an attempt on former President Donald Trumps life last Saturday, a host of Republicans rushed to blame Democrats and the media for the shooting. They include Ohio U.S. Senator and vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno. They also include Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia even posted on X that the district attorney of Butler County, Pennsylvania, where the shooting took place, should file criminal charges against President Joe Biden. All rushed to judgment in the hours after the shooting. Some did so even before the shooters identity had been released. Yet four days later, the shooters motives are unknown and even the basics about his politics remain vague. But one fact seems clear. The two most prominent Ohio players in the post-shooting blame game have in the past compared Trump to the most noxious fascist of them all Adolph Hitler. Spokespeople for Vance and Moreno didnt respond to requests for comment on statements the two made about Trump, whom they were against before they were for. On Saturday, just two hours after a 20-year-old took shots at Trump, Vance took to X to blame Biden. Today is not just some isolated incident, he wrote. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps attempted assassination. In February 2016, Vance sent a text message to a former Yale Law School classmate in which he made an even starker comparison about Trump. Vance said hed been going back and forth between thinking Trump is a cynical asshole like Nixon who wouldnt be that bad (and might even prove useful) or that hes Americas Hitler. Trump is under federal indictment on charges that he tried to steal an election that he lost, hes called to terminate the Constitution over his loss, hes embraced political violence and police brutality and hes called his political opponents vermin. In saying repeatedly that immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country the former president clearly rhymed with Hitler, who several times used the same metaphor to attack Jews and any other race that he considered inferior to Aryans. Of Jewish men who allow Jewish women to marry Christians, Hitler said, He poisons the blood of others but preserves his own blood unadulterated. It might seem that some of the rhetoric stems from Trumps own words and actions. It might also seem that the rush to blame others for the shooting was really an attempt to bully people from speaking publicly about Trumps anti-democratic conduct. But to Moreno, the GOP challenger to Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, blame for last weeks shooting lies with the media and Democrats. Theyve been calling (Trump) Hitler for eight years, Moreno said in a recording that his campaign posted on X. The shooter is 20 years old. From the time he was 12 years old, theyve been telling him (Trump) is the reincarnation of Adolph Hitler. If you could take a shot at Adolph Hitler in 1935, would you be a good person or a bad person? Thats how (the shooter) viewed it. Thats on them. Its on them, meaning the Democrats, and also on the mainstream media. But on Morenos Twitter account in 2016, Moreno himself comparing Trump to Hitler. In a now deleted post, the future Senate candidate retweeted a poll featuring Trump and Hitler, and he appended a comment. He attacked immigrants, tries to silence the press, & appeals to the darkest part of human nature, it said. Moreno didnt say to which man he was referring. But his use of the present tense is telling, given the fact that Hitler was 70 years dead at that point. Morenos spokeswoman was asked for examples of the press comparing Trump to Hitler for the past eight years. She was also asked whether Moreno worried that blaming press and political opponents for Trumps attempted assassination would paint targets on their backs, given all the armed, unstable people there are. She didnt respond. BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- As the security situation in Haiti has gradually improved, staff from the Office of Commercial Development of China in Haiti have returned to work in the capital, Port-au-Prince, with the assistance of the Haitian authorities, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday. Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks during a press briefing in response to a query on the relevant situation. Lin said that although China and Haiti have not yet established diplomatic relations, the trade development offices in each other's capitals serve as an important channel for communication and exchange between the two sides. At the beginning of this year, due to the worsening security situation in Haiti, many countries temporarily closed their diplomatic and trade missions in Haiti and evacuated their nationals, Lin said. He added that after assisting in the safe evacuation of Chinese citizens in Haiti, the commercial development office temporarily relocated to Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, in April this year. By Vivian Sequera CARACAS (Reuters) - Organizational decisions by Venezuela's electoral authorities from polling station staffing to the lay-out of the ballot - have been made with the intention of confusing voters and creating obstacles to a free presidential election on July 28, say opposition figures and analysts. President Nicolas Maduro is seeking a third term, but opinion polls show him at a 20-point disadvantage to opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, a former ambassador. Maduro, whose 2018 re-election is considered fraudulent by the United States and other countries, has said the Venezuelan electoral system is the world's most transparent and has accused the opposition of planning to cry fraud and sow "chaos and violence." But the opposition and voter advocacy groups say logistical decisions by the National Electoral Council (CNE) could stymie free access to the vote for the country's 21.3 million registered voters. "The intention is very clear and should be roundly rejected: they want to manipulate and twist the desire for change by the vast majority," Andres Caleca, a former CNE official and opposition primary candidate, said last month on X. Of the 15,797 polling stations nationwide, at least 8,000 will have just one ballot box, up from 6,800 locations in the 2018 presidential contest, according to official figures. With more votes being cast at each box, such locations are considered more difficult to monitor for possible fraud, according to regional NGO Electoral Transparency. The use of single boxes can also slow down the voting process and cause longer lines, the opposition has said. About 3.9 million voters are set to cast ballots at single ballot box locations. On social media, some voters have said their polling place has been changed to one in another state, in some cases far from their home. "Electoral engineering is designed like this ... gathering voters in one polling place with one ballot box," said John Magdaleno, head of the Venezuela-based Polity consulting firm. "All autocracies try to alter the terms under which a quote-unquote electoral competition occurs, introducing more uncertainty." "More uncertainty serves the authoritarian regime," he added. The Ministry of Information and the CNE did not respond to requests for comment on issues raised in this article. Maduro has repeatedly denied charges that he is authoritarian. The design of the ballot - which features a photo of each candidate above the logo of the party they are running for - also came under fire when it was released in April. Photos of Maduro, who appears for 13 parties, occupy the entire first line and part of the second, while the other 10 candidates are scattered around the ballot. Gonzalez is set to appear as the candidate for three parties. The opposition has also criticized a rule change by the CNE that only allows election witnesses to carry out their duties at the same polling station where they vote, and says the distribution of credentials for witnesses and polling station staff has been slow. In May, Venezuela revoked an invitation to the European Union to send election observers, citing continued sanctions on the government that it called "coercive." The EU said it regretted the decision. It has called for free and fair elections, but has not commented specifically on individual decisions by the CNE. A European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he was aware of limitations in the electoral process, but would await the outcome of the election. Others, including the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), a UN panel, and the Carter Center, are still set to observe. Meanwhile, Venezuela's 7.7 million-strong diaspora - many of whom have fled the economic turmoil of the Maduro years and may not feel well-disposed to him - is facing its own voting hurdles. Of the 4 million migrants eligible to vote, just 69,200 are registered, according to official figures. The government has said the lack of diplomatic relations with countries like the U.S. and Canada means embassies there are closed. In Colombia and Peru, each home to millions of Venezuelans, the opposition says many people were asked for unnecessary documents to register or consulates were closed. Gonzalez's registration as a candidate was itself fraught - he was added to the ballot at the last minute after primary winner Maria Corina Machado was barred from public office and her original successor was unable to register. (Reporting by Vivian Sequera; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado's security chief has been released from jail a day after he was arrested on charges of gender violence. Security chief Milciades Avila is set to appear in court every 30 days, Machado said in a post on X on Thursday, in which she thanked people for their support and contribution to "reverse this injustice." Avila was detained in the early hours of Wednesday on charges of violence against a group of women who had reportedly tried to attack Machado alongside opposition coalition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez at a food store in Aragua state over the weekend. His arrest came less than two weeks before the July 28 vote, where Gonzalez is polling significantly ahead of President Nicolas Maduro, who is seeking a third term. Venezuela's opposition has repeatedly denounced arrests and other moves by the authorities that they say are meant to harm its election campaign and prevent a fair election. The government denies the allegations. Machado, who resoundingly won the opposition's October primary, was barred by a court from running in the election over alleged fraud, which she denies. Several dozens of her allies have also been detained. Machado's lawyer Omar Mora celebrated the release on social media. "Little by little we will dismantle the reckless and false accusations against you! We will continue working for freedom and the return of justice to Venezuela," he said on X. The election is being closely monitored by the United States, which has tied its lifting of sanctions to Venezuela's implementation of free elections. It re-imposed sanctions in April, saying Maduro had failed to meet commitments. (Reporting by Vivian Sequera; Editing by Anthony Esposito and Stephen Coates) 'A very big Russia problem' NATO commander warns of post-Ukraine war threat to US and Europe The U.S. and Europe will have a "very, very big Russia problem" regardless of how the war in Ukraine ends, the supreme allied commander for NATO warned on July 18. Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado, U.S. General Christopher Cavoli said even a Ukrainian victory would only be the beginning of Western attempts to contain Russian aggression. "The outcome on the ground is terribly, terribly important, but we can't be under any illusions. At the end of a conflict in Ukraine, however it concludes, we are going to have a very, very big Russia problem," he said in comments reported by Voice of America (VoA). "We are going to have a situation where Russia is reconstituting its force, is located on the borders of NATO, is led by largely the same people as it is right now, is convinced that we're the adversary, and is very, very angry." Speaking at the same event, the foreign and security policy advisor to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gave another grim assessment, saying that "by the choice of (Vladimir) Putin, we are entering a phase of a long, drawn-out conflict with Russia." "Its bloodiest manifestation, at the moment, is the war in Ukraine. But obviously, it's not the only one," Jens Plotner said. "We have seen hybrid activity across Europe. We have seen hybrid activity in the United States. We have seen Russia reaching out to Africa. We have seen Russia rekindling ties with Tehran or, even worse, Pyongyang. "So, I think all of this is part of the bigger picture, which we need to acknowledge." Read also: Russian T-90M tank losses hit 100 and it only had 67 to begin with The warnings come as concerns over the long-term commitment of the U.S. to Ukraine continue to mount. Former U.S. President and Republican nominee Donald Trump has repeatedly promised to end Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine within 24 hours if elected but has not publicly elaborated on how he plans to do so. One plan reportedly involves ceding territory to Russia. Senator J.D. Vance, who was recently chosen as Trump's running mate, is thought to be an even more outspoken opponent of U.S. support for Ukraine and has openly endorsed territorial concessions as part of a potential peace deal. Elsewhere on July 18, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told the BBC that NATO allies must prepare for the worst-case scenario of a decade-long war in Ukraine. "The main message is that the stronger the support for Ukraine and the longer we are willing to commit, the sooner this war can end," Stoltenberg told the BBC. "The paradox is that now (Russian) President Putin believes that he can wait us out. So therefore, the war continues." Stoltenberg, whose term as secretary general ends in October, has consistently urged NATO allies to increase defense spending amid risks of fracturing among the alliance. Multiple NATO countries, including Slovakia and Hungary, have questioned NATO's commitment to supporting Ukraine in the war, calling instead for a peace agreement. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Native Vote 2024. KALAMAZOO, Mich. On Wednesday, July 17, Vice President Kamala Harris visited a key battleground state for the upcoming election, Michigan, on behalf of the Biden-Harris campaign. The event took place at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo with the Vice President surrounded by old planes and other aircraft. Wednesday was the Vice President Harris' fourth trip to Michigan this year and seventh since taking office. Harris delivered remarks and participated in a conversation with Olivia Troye, a former Trump-Pence administration national security official, and Amanda Stratton, a Michigan mother and former Republican voter. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Amanda Stratton shared her personal experiences with infertility and miscarriage, highlighting the importance of access to reproductive healthcare. She expressed gratitude for the right to make decisions in consultation with her doctors and emphasized the need to safeguard reproductive healthcare. Olivia Troye, who referred to herself as a recovering Republican, spoke about her experience working in the Trump Administration and emphasized the importance of voting for Biden at the threat of a ban on abortion under the Trump administration. Harris started by greeting the audience and praising U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow for her years of hospitality. Before getting into any campaign talk, the Vice President extended her sympathies to the Trump family and family of the man killed in an attempted assassination at a Trump rally last week. The bottom line is no one should have to fear for the safety of a loved one because they serve in public office, said Harris. Our heart goes out to the family of Corey Comperatore, a true hero who died protecting his family. The Vice President spoke with a campaign slogan banner that read Trust Women behind her. Like Stratton and Troye, she emphasized the importance of having reproductive freedom and the right to choose. The hallmark of any democracy is a strong competition of ideas, policies, and a vision for the future. And just as we must reject political violence, we must also embrace a robust discussion about what is at stake in this election. The surest way to reaffirm the strength of our democracy is by engaging in a vigorous and civil exchange of ideas, said Harris. It is not time to throw up our hands, it is time to roll up our sleeves. 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 By Francesco Guarascio and Phuong Nguyen HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's President To Lam, who has taken on the duties of deceased Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong, is a skilful behind-the-scenes operator long involved in public security who is seen as capable of consolidating power further. Like China, Vietnam is ruled by a communist party but, unlike its neighbour, it has engaged in more collective decision-making with leaders being subject to multiple checks. But if Lam, 67, were to continue to wear both the president and party chief hats, as Xi Jinping does, for some time, the Southeast Asian nation could see a more autocratic style of leadership, according to analysts, diplomats and activists. Some investors would welcome the emergence of a stronger leader who could put an end to over a year of political wrangling, they said. The wrangling has had a negative impact on investment in a country that is home to large manufacturing operations for dozens of top multinationals. Economic and foreign policy are not expected to change substantially, but civil liberties could be further eroded, they warned. "If Lam became the most powerful man in Vietnam without checks and balances it would be bad for Vietnam and erode the norm of democratic centralism," said Carl Thayer, a senior expert on Vietnam at the Australian Defence Force Academy. It is, however, not clear how and when the party would replace Trong with an acting general secretary or a permanent one. Lam could, in theory, continue in both roles until 2026 when all top jobs will be up for grabs for the next five-year term. Trong himself held the two positions for nearly three years until April 2021 after the death of a former president. But Lam may face internal opposition that could even lead to a succession crisis, said Le Hong Hiep and Nguyen Khac Giang from the Singapore-based think tank ISEASYusof Ishak Institute in an article published on Friday. STELLAR RISE The son of a senior police officer, Lam studied security and obtained a PhD in law. He went on to become the minister for public security in 2016, a four-star general and was admitted in 2021 to the Communist Party's Politburo, the most powerful body in the country. His ascent in roughly three months this year from minister to president and now also assuming the party chief's duties only underlines his grip on power, according to experts. His election as president had been seen as a "stepping stone" to the party chief job, they add. Lam also appears to have maintained indirect control over the powerful public security ministry, which is now led by an official who hails from Lam's native province and is seen as close to him. Lam's intense focus on public security is clearly outlined in his 2021 book titled "New Findings on National Security for the 13th Party Congress". "The combination of national security together with economy, culture and foreign affairs is a must in our Party's vision in order to both build and protect socialism at the same time," he wrote. He has been a central figure in the fight against corruption, Trong's signature policy known as "blazing furnace" that has been in place since 2017 and has recently intensified. Since 2023, two of Vietnam's presidents and one chair of parliament have quit over unspecified wrongdoing, with the public security ministry playing a central role in the investigations. Lam's access to intelligence and sensitive information has also meant that he is feared, with Western diplomats often lowering their voices or not naming him when referring to Lam in private meetings. Last year, a noodle vendor was sentenced to five years in prison after posting a video that was considered to be mocking Lam. In the video, the vendor imitated a celebrity chef who fed Lam a gold-encrusted steak at his London restaurant while Vietnam was under COVID-19 lockdowns in 2021. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio and Phuong Nguyen; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong meets with then US Secretary of State Pompeo. Vietnam's powerful Communist Party boss Nguyen Phu Trong dies aged 80. ---/US Department of State/dpa Nguyen Phu Trong, the powerful head of Vietnams Communist Party, has died aged 80 after suffering from ill health, including strokes, the government said. Trong died "due to old age and serious illness" at the 108 Central Military Hospital in Hanoi on Friday, the statement read. Trong, the head of Vietnams single-party political system, had helmed the Communist Party since 2011. Rumours about his deteriorating health had been swirling for days, and he had rarely been seen in public this year since suffering a health scare in January. He last appeared in public on June 20 as he held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a state visit to Vietnam. His reign as general secretary was the longest since Le Duan took control following the death of revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh in 1969, making him one of Vietnams most powerful politicians in decades. During his second and third terms in office, Trong presided over a blazing furnace corruption crackdown that saw numerous high-ranking officials handed lengthy jail terms, as well as the dismissal of former presidents Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Vo Van Thuong, and National Assembly chair Vuong Dinh Hue. Trong first joined the communist party in 1968 before working as a journalist for the Communist Review. Following a long career within the party apparatus, he began a five-year stint as chairman of the National Assembly in 2006. Vietnam is officially led by four "pillars": the general secretary, the president, the prime minister and the chairman of the National Assembly. In the early 1980s, Trong completed a PhD on party-building at the Soviet Academy of Social Sciences in Moscow. A Leninist ideologue, Trong earned a reputation as a modest and respectful figure, and remains popular across Vietnam. On Thursday, the party announced that Trong needed to focus on medical treatment and that President To Lam would take over his party duties. Trong had suffered several strokes since 2019. FILE PHOTO: The 13th national congress of the ruing communist party of Vietnam in Hanoi By Phuong Nguyen and Francesco Guarascio HANOI (Reuters) - Nguyen Phu Trong, the Marxist-Leninist who led Vietnam for more than a decade overseeing rapid economic growth and more recently trod a fine line in elevating ties with both China and the U.S. with his 'bamboo diplomacy', has died. He was 80. For months Trong had appeared frail at public events or missed them outright and on Thursday his duties as party chief were taken over by President To Lam. He died "due to old age and serious illness," the ruling Communist Party said on Friday. Trong became the Communist Party's general secretary in 2011, a position that in one-party authoritarian Vietnam gave him the key levers of power. He also served as Vietnam's president from 2018 to 2020. He cultivated an image of moderation but from 2017 unleashed what many saw as a China-style crackdown on corruption, known as "blazing furnace" that in the past year has had a chilling effect on the economy and at times paralysed public administration. In foreign policy, Trong advocated having "more friends, fewer foes" while being as flexible as bamboo. That stance culminated in a visit by President Joe Biden to Hanoi last September that saw Vietnam lift the United States to its highest diplomatic status alongside China, Russia, India and South Korea. Three months later, ties with Beijing - a major Communist economic partner despite recurring tensions over territorial claims in the South China Sea - were further boosted when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited. Vietnam also hosted Russia's President Vladimir Putin in June and elevated Japan to its highest level of diplomatic status last year. Trong's crackdown on corruption has been long and enduring - leading to arrests or forced resignations of senior officials. "The furnace is heating up, even fresh firewood can be burnt," Trong said months after he launched his signature policy. Critics lambasted the clampdown as politically motivated and rights groups also accused Trong of presiding over an intensified muzzling of dissent that has seen activists, journalists and users of social media imprisoned. But he failed to uproot graft. In late 2022, the country was shaken by its biggest financial fraud to date with the arrest of real-estate tycoon Truong My Lan and a run on deposits of the bank she controlled. Vietnam's central bank has had to embark on a massive rescue to avoid wider panic, costing more than $24 billion. Trong's crackdown led to the dismissal of two of Vietnam's presidents in about a year, the last one in March - developments that unnerved foreign investors who worried the anti-graft campaign had gotten out of hand. HAMMER AND SICKLE Trong's rule solidified in his second five-year term and despite his health issues, he secured a rare third term in 2021, with the party waiving a rule restricting the party chief position to two terms. All in all, he held the party chief position for 13 years, second only to Le Duan, who ruled with an iron fist for 26 years after the death of Vietnam's founding revolutionary Ho Chi Minh. Vietnam continued to flourish under Trong, benefiting from the 1986 "Doi Moi" reforms that transformed it from a war-torn agrarian nation into one of Asia's fastest-growing economies. Vietnam's annual GDP growth averaged 5.8% over the last decade and managed decent growth even during the coronavirus pandemic that crushed economies elsewhere. Born and raised in the suburbs of Hanoi to a farmer couple, Trong was interested in folk literature from a young age, according to a biography. He majored in philology - the study of language and historical texts - at university and one of his first published works was a 1967 review of folk poetry. Studying for two years in the Soviet Union, he went on to gain a PhD in political science, writing his thesis on the Vietnam Communist Party's efforts to strengthen its connection with the masses. In 1991, he became editor-in-chief of the party's Communist Review magazine. Trong's image was that of a man who detested excess, lived in modest state-appointed housing and refused expensive Lunar New Year gifts from friends. Two books - each some 600 pages long and published by the party in 2019 and 2021 respectively, extolled Trong's virtues - efforts that some critics likened to an attempt at building a cult of personality. A poem in the first book describes Trong as "a noble man, sent by the spirits to purify the system," an apparent reference to the corruption crackdown. "Hammer and sickle in hand, he dispels gloom, waiting for the sunshine," it said. Trong was married with a son and a daughter. His children, unlike those of other high-ranking officials, are normal public servants, government officials have said. (Reporting by Phuong Nguyen, Francesco Guarascio, Khanh Vu and James Pearson; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) Vintage photos show what summer on Martha's Vineyard used to look like A couple sits on a beach blanket near Katama Shores Inn in Martha's Vineyard, circa 1960. Eric Bard/Corbis/Getty Images Tourists have flocked to Martha's Vineyard for over 100 years for summer getaways. Originally settled by Native Americans, the island became a wealthy enclave by the 1830s. By the 1950s, Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard was a popular spot for Black families. Nothing screams summer in New England quite like a day trip to the shores of Martha's Vineyard something tourists have been doing for well over 100 years. First inhabited by the Wampanoag people, Martha's Vineyard has been a playground for the ultrawealthy ever since whaling captains began building impressive homes there between 1830 and 1845, The New York Times reported. By the early 1900s, the island was established as a resort destination for wealthy New Englanders, and by the 1950s, Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard had become a popular destination for Black families and residents to live and vacation, according to Britannica. Here's a look at what it used to be like to vacation on Martha's Vineyard. Martha's Vineyard is located off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. An aerial view of Martha's Vineyard. JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images Martha's Vineyard is the sister island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, another playground for the rich and famous. However, "the Vineyard," as it is commonly named, is larger than Nantucket. Located 7 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard is the largest island on Massachusetts' southeastern coast, with a square-mile area of 96 miles, according to a local tourism website. The island grew as a popular beach destination in the 1950s. Martha's Vineyard in the 1950s. Jerry Cooke/Getty Images The Vineyard Gazette reported that in 1959, roughly 30,000 more cars were transported via the ferry from the mainland to the island compared to a decade earlier. Martha's Vineyard was, and still is, a popular beach destination. Martha's Vineyard in the 1950s. Jerry Cooke/Getty Images The island consists of six towns and many beaches, many of which are free and open to the public. There's a rich agricultural history on Martha's Vineyard, from farming to fishing. Martha's Vineyard in the 1950s. Jerry Cooke/Getty Images From the red clay Gay Head Cliffs to the rural towns of Aquinnah, Chilmark, and West Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard provided a respite for families looking to explore the island's natural charms. By the 1960s, Martha's Vineyard was a thriving tourist destination with expansive beaches and restaurants. A couple sits on a beach blanket near Katama Shores Inn in Martha's Vineyard, circa 1960. Eric Bard/Corbis/Getty Images The Vineyard also became a popular "hippie" destination during the Summer of Love and the years following it. Martha's Vineyard Magazine reported that while the Vineyard had already become a popular destination for summer visitors, many "hippie folks" who "washed ashore" a term given to mainlanders who move to one of the New England islands ended up staying long-term. "The hippie 'invasion' was one of the many mass movements onto the Island after the Europeans startled the Wampanoags," journalist Richard C. Skidmore wrote for Martha's Vineyard Magazine in 2008. Tourists mainly got to the island by ferry. Passengers arrive off the ferry in Martha's Vineyard in 1968. Ed Jenner/The Boston Globe/Getty Images The ferry is still a popular way to visit Martha's Vineyard, though you can also fly. Passengers can walk onto the ferry, or pay to drive their cars aboard. In the 1970s, Martha's Vineyard boomed as a tourist destination for Black families. People lounge on the beach at Oak Bluffs in Martha's Vineyard in 1973. Donald C. Preston/The Boston Globe/Getty Images While Martha's Vineyard's overall population is predominantly white, the town of Oak Bluffs has been a popular destination for Black tourists for over 100 years. As reported by Ebony Magazine, Oak Bluffs rose to prominence as a Black tourist destination in 1912 with the opening of the Inn at Shearer Cottage. Owned by Charles Shearer, the son of an enslaved woman, the inn was one of the few options for Black tourists looking to take a summer vacation. The inn thrived, and people kept coming back year after year to Oak Bluffs. It soon grew into a place where lodging for Black families and individuals was plentiful, which was typically rare in major resort towns. By the mid-1950s, Oak Bluffs had become "a full-blown Black resort." A woman wearing a swimsuit knitting as she sits on a deckchair in Martha's Vineyard. Three Lions/Hulton Archive/Getty Images "The days were full. There were berries to pick, a morning's adventure. There were band concerts for an evening's stroll. There were invitations to lemonade and cookies and whist," author Jill Nelson wrote in her book "Finding Martha's Vineyard: African Americans at Home on an Island," according to Britannica. "The Vineyard was an ideal place to figure out who we really were underneath all the other stuff. Here, it was enough that you simply be yourself," Nelson continued. Martha's Vineyard was also a notable Hollywood destination in the 1970s. Susan Backlinie walks on the beach during the production of "Jaws" on Martha's Vineyard in July 1974. Pamela Schall/WWD/Penske Media/Getty Images The iconic cult-classic film "Jaws" was filmed on Martha's Vineyard in the summer of 1974. According to the Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce website, "Jaws" came to be after a writer, Peter Benchley, shared stories about nearby shark attacks with dinner guests at his Nantucket home. Steven Spielberg, who was at the dinner party, was so compelled by the stories that he bought the rights to Benchley's novel, "Jaws," per the chamber of commerce website. Spielberg later chose Martha's Vineyard, the island next to Nantucket, as the film's primary shooting location. Martha's Vineyard also became a playground for the rich and famous. Jerry Mason, Carly Simon, and Peter Simon attend a party in the Hamptons in July 1973. Nick Machalaba/WWD/Penske Media/Getty Images While the Vineyard still attracted day-trippers and families, it grew into a celebrity locale in the 1970s, attracting the likes of Carly Simon and Peter Simon, her brother and photographer, who lived on the island for most of his life, according to his website. Jackie Kennedy also put Martha's Vineyard on the map when she purchased a 340-acre oceanfront property known as Red Gate Farm. Kennedy purchased the land for just $1 million in 1979 and then spent another $3.1 million to build the house. The property was completed in 1981 and became a hangout for the Kennedys. In 2020, the property was put up for sale for $65 million. Martha's Vineyard remains a popular beach destination for people from all walks of life. Martha's Vineyard in the 1950s. Jerry Cooke/Getty Images From the wealthiest celebrities to the humblest day-trippers, Martha's Vineyard remains a place for people to gather, hit the beach, and grab an ice-cream cone though you'll need to contend with crowds and high rental prices if you want to stay overnight. Though some things change, summer in New England will likely always stay the same. Read the original article on Business Insider The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump last Saturday spurred an outpouring of condemnation against political violence from Republicans and Democrats alike. President Joe Biden declared that the shooting at the Pennsylvania rally, which injured Trump and killed one attendee, was contrary to everything we stand for as a nation. Its not America, and we cant allow this to happen, Biden said. But two and a half centuries of American history show that political violence is not newor even uncommon. Although the current moment has yet to reach the heights of some of the nations more violent eras, such as the Civil War or the turmoil of 1968, historians still draw a comparison between 2024 and other times of significant upheaval. Were at a period where weve been before, where theres two sides that are so divided it isnt surprising that theres violence, said Michael Kazin, a history professor at Georgetown University who recently wrote a book on the history of the Democratic Party. He added that each side has convinced themselves that the other side wants to destroy the republic. Indeed, polling by NBC News ahead of the 2022 midterm elections found that members of each party viewed the other as a threat that could destroy America. Even before the assassination attempt, 2024s unrest invited comparisons to 1968. There are some superficial similarities between the two years: a contentious presidential election with a weak Democratic candidate, protests on college campuses pertaining to unpopular wars, and a Democratic convention in Chicago. But the turmoil of 1968 was defined by an increasingly unpopular war in Vietnam that was drafting young Americans and by the assassinations of two prominent political figures, Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. The attempt on Trumps life has only sharpened comparisons between the two years. If you could reduce 68 to one word, its drama. 68 was full of drama, said Luke Nichter, a history professor at Chapman University and the author of a book on that years political upheaval. I think this adds a degree of drama to 2024 that does begin to put it in the category of 68. The late 1960s were also characterized by rising mistrust in the government, which is echoed today in the deep unpopularity of Congress, the Supreme Court, and the two presidential candidates. We are again in the eye of another storm where a critical mass of Americans across the political spectrum have reached a point where theres a nadir of faith in American institutions, Nichter said. However, the fragmentation of the news and the proliferation of disinformation that has accompanied the rise of social media have led to a greater distrust in journalism than existed 50 years ago. Republicans and Democrats of 1968 are also different from their modern counterparts, Kazin argued. The Republican Party was basically a moderate, conservative party at the time, as it had been through most of the twentieth century, and now its been taken over by a hard right that is speaking in populist rhetoric, said Kazin. (The 1964 Republican presidential nominee, Barry Goldwater, was considered such an extreme conservative that he lost the general election in a landslide.) History may not repeat itself, but there are certain patterns that could portend future conflict. Suzanne Mettler, a political science professor at Cornell University, identified key threats to democracy itself present in previous eras of political upheaval: high partisan polarization, conflict over who could be considered a real citizen, economic inequality, and increased concentration of power in the executive. Today, for the first time, we have all four threats present at once, said Mettler, who recently co-authored a book on recurring perils facing democracy. She continued that the current political era has also seen democratic norms undermined, as the Republican Party in particular has questioned the legitimacy of Democrats ability to winmost significantly with Trumps refusal to acknowledge that he lost the 2020 election. Even before then, Trump and his supporters viewed his 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton, as a criminal; chants of Lock her up, referring to Clinton, were common at Trump rallies. Political polarization in the United States has been on the rise for decades, and members of Congress have veered away from the ideological center, particularly on the right. Under these conditions, political violence may not be inevitable, but it is certainly more likely. Although a president or presidential candidate has not faced an assassination attempt since President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981, recent years have seen an increase in violent rhetoric. Since 2010, two members of Congress have been injured in politically motivated shootingsRepresentative Gabrielle Giffords in 2011 and Representative Steve Scalise in 2017and there has been an uptick in threats against lawmakers in the past five years. The attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, was a culmination of this violent rhetoric, with rioters threatening to injure or kill members of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence. Previous eras of political violence have been characterized by backlash to changing demographics and perceived transformations of societal structure. Joanne Freeman, a historian at Yale University who has written a book on political violence in Congress prior to the Civil War, noted that the 1850s were characterized by slaveholders using threats and violence to intimidate others so that they could preserve the institution of slavery. They worried that maybe the demographics of the nation were not going to support them, that they were no longer going to really have the kind of majority power that they used to have, said Freeman. And so there was violence, and ultimately a civil war and an assassination. One century later, support for explicitly racist politicians such as George Wallace characterized the backlash to the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, culminating in the King and Kennedy assassinations. Freeman sees parallels between prior eras of backlash rhetoric and that of Trump, who has frequently employed language imploring followers to take back our country and blaming migrants for crime and economic woes. Speakers at the Republican convention have adopted aggressive language regarding immigrants in particular, with signs declaring Mass Deportation Now common in the hall on Wednesday evening. Tuesday evenings theme was Make America Safe Once Again, with speakers characterizing migrants who enter the country illegally as primarily violent criminals. Trump himself has accused migrants of poisoning the blood of the country. The folks who are in power right now, who know that the demographics are working against themand by this, I mean the Republicans, people on the rightthey can feel the demographics shifting and the public will and public feelings about politics and society shifting, [and] that they are going to be losing some power, Freeman said. So some of them are responding with violence, and thats been interwoven with former President Trumps political message. Trump has frequently incorporated the word fight into his political rhetoric. Hours ahead of the attack on the Capitol, Trump told supporters to fight like hell against the results of the 2020 election. After he was shot at the rally on Saturday, he raised his fist to supporters and mouthed at them to fight, a defiant expression on his bloodied face, even as law enforcement guided him from the stage. At the Republican National Convention this week, supporters echoed that entreaty, chanting, Fight, fight, before Trump appeared onstage Monday evening. Some of Trumps Republican allies, including vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance, have blamed Democrats for encouraging violence against Trump with their rhetoric, prompting politicians to rethink the verbiage they use. Biden on Monday said that he had made a mistake the previous week when he told donors on a private call that he wanted to put a bulls-eye on Trump, comments that some Republicans argued encouraged violence against their nominee. Other Republican leaders, such as Speaker Mike Johnson, have urged for a toning down of heated rhetoric. Any effort by Trump to tone down his rhetoric in his 90-minute nomination acceptance speech on Thursday, as he recounted the assassination attempt and declared that he would do more than represent half the country, was countered by his more typical language demonizing migrants and castigating Democrats. We must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement, Trump said. In that spirit, the Democrat Party should immediately stop weaponizing the justice system and labeling their political opponents as an enemy of democracy, especially since that is not true. In fact, I am the one saving democracy for the people of our country. Little has been revealed about the shooter who targeted Trump, although FBI officials told members of Congress on Wednesday that gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks had searched images of both Trump and Biden, as well as other public figures. He had also looked up the dates of Trumps events and the Democratic National Convention. A motive for the assassination attempt on Trump has yet to emerge. The 20-year-old Crooks used an AR-style semiautomatic rifle, according to law enforcement, similar to the recognizable AR-15 firearm used in several recent mass shootings. The firearm was legally purchased by the gunmans father. Although violence is hardly a unique element of the American experience, said Robert Dallek, a presidential historian who is co-writing a book on political violence in the twentieth century, the current era differs from other periods of upheaval in part because of easy access to weapons such as the AR-15. This is a society that really is, however much we think otherwise, awash in violence, Dallek said. Viral Mexican corrido praises Trump after assassination attempt. Heres what the song says A Mexican song positively representing former President Donald Trump following his attempted assassination has amassed millions of views from Spanish-speakers on social media. The 2-minute, 35-second corrido, or Mexican ballad, posted earlier this week on TikTok describes details of the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, and lauds Trumps bravery. The video has since garnered reposts from social media influencers with millions of followers and even reached politicians. Its release comes as Trump continues to make inroads with Latino voters, according to multiple polls and surveys. Earlier this year, a poll by The New York Times and Siena College showed Trump edging out President Joe Biden among Hispanic voters. Still, the songs vast reach is surprising to experts who cited the genres history and primary consumers. While the song stops short of glorifying Trump, it speaks positively of the Republican candidate, said Juan Carlos Ramirez-Pimienta, a Spanish professor at San Diego State Universitys Imperial Valley campus and a leading expert in the culture of corridos. This corrido is more positive than negative, Ramirez-Pimienta said. I dont think its negative at all. The songs lyrics, written by Pepe Sanchez, retell the events of the July 13 shooting. From far away, he aimed with a rifle to his head, and when he fire him, he hit him in the ear, the song begins. Ramirez-Pimienta said these lyrics are typical of corridos, which often react to spectacular events and is a genre of opportunity. He noted that some corridos were written and performed in the aftermath of President John F. Kennedys shooting. Ramirez-Pimienta also emphasized that the genre has no ideology and comes from the perspective of the writer. Corridos can be very forward-thinking and very conservative, Ramirez-Pimienta said. We have many instances of corridos (that) are really misogynist or racist, and then corridos (that) are very revolutionary. In this case, Ramirez-Pimienta said, the corridos lyrics showcase Trump in a positive way. He referenced the portion of the song that says: Trump is a brave man who has never known fear, because he looked calm and there are many witnesses to that, he didnt back down despite of what happened. As of Thursday, the original TikTok video of the song garnered 3.3 million views. But reposts of the song from Latino social media influencers have increased its reach. Top comments, in English and Spanish, mostly praised Trump and voiced support for his re-election. Emilio Bedolla, who goes by El3milio1 on TikTok, posted a portion of the song that amassed another 1.1 million views. Why does this Trump corrido go hard, Bedolla captioned in the video. Ramirez-Pimienta called the mostly positive support of the Trump corrido surprising. Consumers of corridos are mostly the Mexican American community, and the Mexican community ... and it perceives itself as a community under siege, in a way a disenfranchised community, that sees the corrido as a mechanism of empowerment, Ramirez-Pimienta said. For Trumps Latino supporters, the song was yet another sign of the communitys backing. I knew it was only a matter of time before they wrote a corrido for President Donald Trump, former Republican Congresswoman Mayra Flores Vallejo posted on X. I love our Mexican-American culture. This is not the first time a corrido has been performed about Trump. In 2015, one song described him as crazier than a goat. Legislators met on Thursday and passed bills to repeal changes to a college financial aid program for military veterans families and designate $90 million towards sustaining it for at least the next two years. The Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP) provides education benefits to children and spouses of severely injured or killed veterans. Amid the rising costs of the program in recent years, an effort to downsize it appeared in the state budget that lawmakers passed and Youngkin signed earlier this summer. That move was met with swift pushback from military families, who called for the changes to be reversed. Virginia lawmakers reach deal on military tuition program A point of contention throughout the summer has been who should take the credit or blame for the changes, as lawmakers met several times attempting to resolve matters. Members from both parties have acknowledged a desire to fix what several deemed a mistake, and to study the matter further. Clearly, we did this in the budget and quite a few of us didnt understand the implications, Sen. Richard Stuart, R-King George, said during a Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee meeting earlier in the day. We are trying to fix it. Enter military spouse Kayla Owen, whos prodded lawmakers all summer to protect the program. During public comment at the committee meeting, Owen said that she didnt feel like the days proceedings should be something legislators should pat themselves on the back too much for. While speaking to the committee, she urged lawmakers to stop sneaking contentious or highly controversial legislation through the budget. The statement gave Stuart and Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, pause; they both asked Owen if shed rather they leave and not pass the bill. Both in a rebuttal to Owen and in an interview with media after the committee meeting, Lucas stressed that the changes to the program originally stemmed from the governors administration. Nothing was tucked into my budget, Lucas said. The bill came out of the governors office. So I just want to make sure I cleared that up. Virginia education program cuts for military families spark backlash Curious about details leading up to the now-repealed changes to the program, Owen has sought internal communications from the governors office for insights into how the changes came about in the first place. Despite being a member of a task force Gov. Glenn Youngkin created to study the program and its future sustainability, Owens Freedom of Information Act request was denied. After the legislatures actions, Youngkin signed the bills and said in a statement he and lawmakers took the necessary step to reverse and fully repeal changes to VMSDEP and provided significant new funding for the program. We will continue our work to make Virginia the best place for our military, veterans, first responders and their families to live, work, raise a family, and retire. Beyond the bills passed Thursday to continue funding the program for two years, Virginias Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission will conduct a study and Youngkins task force will analyze the program, as well. Owen said she hopes the situation will encourage lawmakers to stop using the budget to legislate, as changes to VMSDEP done through a standalone bill originally would have been able to undergo a robust committee process. She suggested that the original VMSDEP changes were made under the cloak of darkness. Everybodys blaming each other and its like that Hamilton song Room Where It Happens nobody else is in the room where it happens! With the matter resolved for now, lawmakers will have their eyes on the various groups that are analyzing VMSDEP. As the costs of the program rise, Lucas stressed that lawmakers need to figure out how to make sure it can last for future generations. [The passage of bills on Thursday] will allow us to have a solution while we await results from the JLARC study and other groups to ensure that the program is sustainable in the long term, Lucas said. When the legislature reconvenes for its 2025 session, it could take up adjustments to the program. For Owen, who has spearheaded military families advocacy for keeping the program, she said Thursdays actions are a sigh of relief until January. Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis for questions: info@virginiamercury.com. Follow Virginia Mercury on Facebook and X. Is Visalia logo saga finally over? Council chose a new design, but solicits public comment Visalia has a new logo after a social media outcry two months ago over a minimalist design forced the city council to organize an art contest that drew 87 entries. The council will officially reveal the artist of the winning design and present him/her a $1,500 prize at its Aug. 5 meeting. The council reviewed five logo finalists entries No. 7, 34, 35, 56 and 59 recommended by the logo redesign committee and chose No. 59, in which the iconic Fox Theatre towers over a smaller building and farm land int front of the Sierra Nevada and rising sun. The committee decided on entries No. 7, 34, 35, 56 and 59 at a Monday meeting, and stuck with those five on Wednesday. Public comment will be from July 15 through 5 p.m. on July 26. The council also agreed with the four out of the five-person committee members who recommended offering the artist $1,500 compensation and recognition. The vote was unanimous. Mayor Brian Poochigian expressed concern for the artists safety and privacy with all hate that is out there because of the logo controversy. He would like to give the artist the option first if they want to remain anonymous. The mayor and city manager Leslie Caviglia asked that the public comment process be accelerated, said city spokeswoman Allison M. Mackey. The comment period, which opened on July 12 and closed on July 15, drew 139 emails. The council agreed to reopen the public comment period for the community to give feedback on logo No. 59 by emailing communityfeedback@visalia.city. It ends Friday, July 26 at 5 p.m. The council will review additional public comments, officially unveil the new logo and present the winner with a special recognition at its Aug. 5 meeting. The city has spent $150,000 in two different packages - $75,000 for human resources marketing and rebranding and $75,000 for the city brand refresh that included the minimalist Breaking Through the V logo and 1,500 different assets, said Mackey. Moving forward Councilmember Emmanuel Hernandez Soto said while he hated changing the timeline only because the council has originally given one to the public, I also think that we spent enough time on this. Soto said his picks were entries No. 34 and 59. Entries were assigned a number with the names of the submitters to remain anonymous. At Mondays meeting, Councilmember Steve Nelsen expressed frustration with the time and effort spent on the logo, questioning its urgency and importance compared to other issues like homelessness and water quality. Theres a lot of negativity that comes forward when you move a process like this forward, Nelsen said. Nelsen said if the city had done the process five years ago, there wouldnt have been an outcry on social media, which he felt was created by a few entities. From the first meeting to the most recent, Nelsen said the community showing up to those meeting have decreased, questioning how important is this issue as a community. If we pick one tonight, therell be people stirring the pot and there will be public outcry and we will hear the negativity, Nelsen said. Weve done our due diligence, and Im ready to put this to bed, said councilmember Liz Wynn. Wynn said no matter which logo the council selects, people are going to be angry about it. So, lets just rip off the band aid and get it over with. While Nelsen liked entry No. 56, Wynn liked No. 59 and 34. Vice Mayor Brett Taylor said his pick would be 59 and 56. Poochigian, who liked 59 and 56, said while the city is keeping the legacy logo from 1998, a lot has changed over the years and the city needs to adapt to that change. Volunteers recruited to Ukrainian Legion will have right to return to Poland, official says Warsaw will not be involved in recruiting for the first Ukrainian Legion, and volunteers will be able to return to Poland after completing their service, Pawel Zalewski, Poland's deputy defense minister, told Polskie Radio on July 19. The legion was officially announced as part of the security agreement signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on July 8, which laid out further developments in political, economic, and military cooperation between Ukraine and Poland. Unlike other specific legions in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, such as the Georgian Legion, the Freedom of Russia Legion, and the Belarusian Pahonia Regiment, the legion will be made up of Ukrainians. Recruitment for the Ukrainian Legion will be conducted by Ukrainian consular offices, Zalewski said. The volunteers will be conscripted under Ukraine's legislation and trained in Poland by the country's military, he added. "Responsibilities, in terms of equipment, will be clearly divided between what the Polish side offers and what the Ukrainian side guarantees," Zalewski said. "Several thousand" people have registered to participate in the legion as of July 11, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. He said that Warsaw considered Ukraine's request for military instructors to be sent to Ukraine, but "came to the conclusion that it would be both safer and more effective to train a Ukrainian unit formed of Ukrainians in Poland." Sikorski said in April that forcibly returning men of draft age to Ukraine is "ethically ambiguous" and Ukraine, rather than Poland, will have to "take the initiative" in the process. Read also: Warsaw made positive decision that will help Kyiv get F-16s faster, Zelensky says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The President of the EU Commission is making a power grab to take over Europes defence at the expense of Nato. As part of her re-election pitch this week, Ursula von der Leyen threw her weight behind a European air shield under centralised control. Instead of European nations developing their own air defence projects, while co-operating under a Nato umbrella, Ms von der Leyen is pushing for a true European defence union with herself as generalissimo. To force the pace, she envisages a single market for defence which would centralise EU military procurement enabling the Brussels bureaucracy to largely exclude the UK and US. Under the von der Leyen scheme, all member states would be forced to buy single exclusively EU-built systems, such as the Franco-Italian Samp/T. But Germany is already creating its own air shield, using a combination of American, Israeli and home-grown technologies with British participation. Ironically, when Ms von der Leyen was German defence minister under Angela Merkel, she upheld her countrys right to make its own national defence policies within Nato. At present, under the aegis of Nato, Europe is protected from air attack, mainly by US-built Patriot missile systems positioned on its eastern borderlands. The alliances integrated air defence capability is tried and tested, not least in Ukraine. Nato recently ordered 1,000 new Patriot missiles to replenish its stocks, to be delivered by a joint US-German consortium. All this and much more would be scuppered by the proposed Brussels takeover of defence. Although President von der Leyen (as this civil servant styles herself) claims to be making Europe Trump-proof, her proposed defence union would be no less protectionist than Trump himself. Instead of allowing EU member states to tailor their procurement policies to their own needs, within the framework of Natos overall strategy, a new EU air shield would scrap the Patriots and replace them with potentially less reliable European models that would take many years to develop. To be fair to Ursula von der Leyen, she is right to castigate Europe for doing too little, too late, both to bolster Ukraine against Russian aggression and to defend itself against direct threats. Her own country, Germany, has just announced that it will halve its financial and military support for Ukraine next year, while simultaneously cutting its own defence budget. Both these decisions are justified in the name of fiscal rules, but Berlins military myopia is also driven by pacifist public opinion. While the defence minister Boris Pistorius is rightly calling for a doubling of his budget to 3.5 per cent of GDP, his arguments have failed to sway Chancellor Scholz. Both the ruling centre-Left coalition and the opposition centre-Right Christian Democrats are running scared of rising populist parties that echo Putins anti-Nato rhetoric. In France and elsewhere in the EU, the extremes of Left and Right are adding to pressure from the Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, now President of the EU Council of Ministers, and other pro-Russian EU voices who are calling on the West to impose a Carthaginian peace on Ukraine. Meanwhile in the US, both Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance want to cut off aid to Kyiv. Yet although Ms von der Leyen is a staunch supporter of Ukraine, the effect of her empire-building in Brussels would be to weaken Nato and thereby make it easier for Russia to prevail. The best way to keep US forces in Europe is to reinforce Nato by boosting spending and continuing the tradition of integrated transatlantic defence procurement. Given that the very survival of Nato is now at stake, the last thing we need is to set up a parallel EU military bureaucracy that would exclude American arms contractors. Donald Trump is unlikely to remain committed to Nato as long as half the alliance is still not spending even the 2 per cent minimum. Yet the only ground force that deters the Russians from invading Europe is the US Fifth Corps, based in Germany. If Ursula von der Leyen wants to be remembered as the saviour of Europe, she should be urging its leaders to pay their fair share towards Nato. What nobody needs is a Eurocrat posing as a warrior queen. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. A voter shows identification to an election judge during primary voting on May 3, 2022 in Lordstown, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) A proposed voter identification ballot measure has qualified for the general election in Nevada, organizers announced Friday. The Nevada Secretary of State confirmed that Repair the Votes proposed constitutional amendment passed the signature validation process and will appear before voters this fall. Nevadans will have to approve it in two subsequent general elections 2024 and 2026 before it can go into effect. Under the proposal, voters would be required to present valid photo identification before casting a ballot in person during early voting or on Election Day. Voters casting ballots by mail would have to list either the last four digits of their Nevada drivers license number, the last four digits of their Social Security number, or a number assigned to them by the county they are registered to vote in. Nevada has expanded voter access in recent years, implementing automatic voter registration, universal mail ballots and other policies designed to make it easier for people to participate in elections. But expanded access has been met with unfounded concerns about mass voter fraud and election integrity. We are elated to have met another massive milestone in this process; now it is up to Nevadans, said David Gibbs, chair of Repair The Vote, in a statement, adding that signature validation underscores the strong support from citizens across the Silver State who are committed to protecting the sanctity of our voting system. But the PACs announcement was met with quick criticism. The proposed voter ID measure would dramatically change our voting system and complicate voting for individuals in our communities, said Emily Persaud-Zamora, executive director of Silver State Voices, in a statement. Voter ID laws disproportionately impact voters of color and do nothing to make our elections more secure. Persaud-Zamora cited research finding that 15% of low-income voters lack acceptable forms of photo identification. The proposed voter ID requirement ballot question will appear alongside six other measures already slated to appear on the general election ballot. New voters using Arizona registration forms must prove citizenship, federal court says A federal appeals court handed a victory on Thursday to Republicans who have been fighting to uphold a proof-of-citizenship requirement in state law. Going forward, the ruling applies to people who register to vote in Arizona using the state form and don't provide documents showing they are U.S. citizens. Until now, those voters have been able to register by attesting to citizenship when they sign the state registration form and have been limited to voting only in federal races. That practice will not be allowed, at least not for now, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided. It stayed an injunction issued by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton but left room for an appeal. The panel rejected the Republicans' requests to stay Bolton's injunction on other parts of the election-related bill. Those include a requirement that election officials check registrations from people who do not provide documents proving citizenship against other databases, such as the Social Security Administration's records or records maintained by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The ruling would apply to voter registrations going forward and apparently would not have any effect on voting in the July 30 primary election. Voter registration for this month's election closed July 1. A federal appeals court handed a victory to Republicans who have been fighting to uphold a proof-of-citizenship requirement in state law. Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer made that clear in a social media post after the ruling was published. "As of today, we 15 Arizona county recorders will reject all STATE REGISTRATION FORMS that do not provide documented proof of citizenship," he said in a post on X. He also noted the case is still being litigated. Read the document: Federal appeals court ruling on proof-of-citizenship requirement The "federal-only" voter list has been part of Arizona election law for more than a decade. While Arizona has required proof of citizenship for decades to vote in state and local elections, federal law does not. But the 9th Circuit panel found the request from state GOP legislative leaders and the Republican National Committee met the standard for a stay on the injunction. There are about 35,000 "federal only" voters in Arizona, according to the Secretary of State's Office. Sen. Jake Hoffman, the author of the bill requiring documentary proof of citizenship, called the panel's decision "a great victory for the people of Arizona. Requiring proof of citizenship to vote isnt a partisan issue; its just common sense." He condemned Democrats for being on the wrong side of this issue, charging they want noncitizens meddling in Arizona's elections. Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, hailed the ruling in a post on social media. "This is a victory for election integrity in Arizona," he wrote. "Only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in our elections." He called on Congress to enact laws that would require documentary proof of citizenship. House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Glendale, said he was proud to join Petersen in defending the 2022 laws, which include the proof of citizenship requirement in Thursday's court ruling. The two laws were almost immediately appealed. Civil rights and Latino groups, led by Mi Familia Vota, did not immediately return calls inquiring about their next legal step. Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads as well as on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @maryjpitzl. Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona proof of citizenship law: Court partially lifts injunction A Vodou ceremony aboard a boat filled with desperate Haitian migrants seeking a safe landing ended in tragedy after candles and matches used in the ritual set gasoline-filled drums on fire, setting off an explosion that killed at least 40 people. The tragedy unfolded around 3 a.m. Wednesday off the coast of Labadie in northern Haiti. The boat had initially departed from Fort Saint Michel, a seaside community in the city of Cap-Haitien, near the international airport. After leaving Cap-Haitien the boat made a stop at Picolet, off Labadie, several Haitians told the Miami Herald. The area is considered sacred and before the risky migrant journey, boat captains from Cap-Haitien routinely stop there to seek help from Vodou spirits for a safe and undetected journey. The secret ritual usually involves rum. When they arrived they started pouring rum and wine into the ocean and they lit candles. There were two drums filled with gasoline and they exploded, said Jean-Henry Petit, who is responsible for the Office of Civil Protection for northern Haiti. Petit said some of the survivors blamed the tragedy on the use of wine in the ceremony, which is considered a bad omen because it symbolizes blood . He said there were as many as 80 Haitians onboard, according to survivors. The use of Vodou in clandestine boat voyages is common and often credited for Haitians safe and undetected arrival at their destination. The details of the intricate rituals are a closely held secret. But generally, Vodou faithfuls say the ceremonies can include drumming , chanting and paying homage to the Vodou spirit Agwe, who they believe rules the sea. Sometimes Haitian rum is poured, a citrus-scented cologne named Florida Water is sprayed, and a chicken is sacrificed. The International Organization for Migration, a United Nations agency, said 40 Haitians are presumed to have died at sea and 41 others were rescued. The boat was headed to the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory about 155 miles from Haiti. A popular tourist destination, the island-chain is also popular among Haitians seeking to escape their countrys deadly gang violence and opting not to risk the longer, riskier voyage to the Florida coast. Haitis socioeconomic situation is in agony. The extreme violence over the past months has only brought Haitians to resort to desperate measures even more, Gregoire Goodstein, Haiti chief of mission for the agency. Goodstein said the tragedy highlights the risks faced by children, women and men migrating through irregular routes and underscores the crucial need for safe and legal pathways for migration. A mural in the northern port city of Cap-Haitien warns Haitians about the perils of illegal migration Survivors said that while there were originally 60 people aboard the boat, it took on additional individuals as it was being loaded. The passengers were initially rescued by another boat that had departed from Port-de-Paix in the northwest before Haitian Coast Guard was notified and completed the rescue, Haitian authorities said. At least 11 people were initially hospitalized, but as of Friday, only one person had not yet been discharged. Haitians face a lack of economic opportunities, a collapsing health system and school closures. The lack of prospects, along with the ongoing gang violence and kidnappings that are spreading beyond Port-au-Prince are pushing many to consider fleeing the country. A 2023 research by the organization for migration found that 84% of migrants who had been returned to Haiti had left to seek job opportunities abroad. With visa services suspended by the U.S. embassy, legal migration has become an extremely challenging journey to consider, let alone pursue, the United Nations agency noted, leaving many Haitians to view risky, irregular migration as their only option. After several powerful armed gangs in Port-au-Prince united and began launching coordinated attacks in late February, the Haitian Coast Guard in the north has noted an increase in the number of boat departures. Coast guards from countries in the region, including the United States, The Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Jamaica, have also reported a growing number of boats intercepted at sea carrying Haitians. Late Thursday, the United State Coast Guard and Royal Bahamas Defense Force announced the suspension of a search for 60 Haitian migrants who presumably left The Bahamas bound for Florida. Last year, the Turks and Caicos reported interdicting 4,016 migrants at sea. So far this year 865 undocumented migrants have been interdicted at as of June 25, said Denyse Renne, a spokeswoman with the Royal Turks and Caicos police. Though the island-chain is seeing an overall reduction in undocumented migrants interdicted at sea, U.N data shows that the number of Haitians being returned from the British territory is on the rise. According to the U.N. migration agency, more than 86,000 people have been forcibly returned to Haiti by neighboring countries this year, 13,000 just in March alone. The majority of the returns are from the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. The U.N. migration group is concerned about the high number of forced returns of Haitians during this current period of civil unrest and uncertainty, the agency said. Forced returns must occur in a dignified manner. Many migrants forcibly returned, including unaccompanied and separated children as well as pregnant and nursing women, arrive in Haiti in highly vulnerable conditions, often with few resources. They urgently need humanitarian assistance after facing numerous health and protection concerns during their journeys. BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) Virginia State Police report a 44-year-old man is dead after a shooting involving a trooper on the Blue Ridge Parkway on Thursday, July 18. According to state police, a Virginia State Trooper attempted to stop a motorcycle on Rt. 460 in Botetourt County for reckless driving. The trooper turned on his emergency equipment and lights, and the motorcyclists allegedly refused to stop, beginning a pursuit. The motorcyclist exited Rt. 460 onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and continued north for another six miles to the 97.7 mile marker. State Police say the motorcycle then attempted to exit the Blue Ridge Parkway, crashing into a closed gate on the Bedford side of Black Horse Gap when the motorcyclist allegedly produced a firearm. Three West Va. men facing drug-related charges in Alleghany Co. The trooper discharged his duty weapon and struck the suspect. The 44-year-old suspect, whose identity is unknown at this time, died at the scene. VSP says a passenger on the motorcycle was injured in the crash and taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The trooper was not injured but has been placed on administrative leave until the completion of an investigation. This remains an ongoing investigation. WFXR News will update this story as further information is 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 WFXRtv. Lets agree on one thing technology has vastly improved air travel. New scanners that mean we no longer need to remove liquids, laptops and iPads from our hand luggage have transformed airport security checks. E-gates now speed arriving and departing passengers through immigration. Facial recognition at major hubs is doing away with passport checks altogether. And when was the last time you checked in at a departures desk and got a printed boarding pass? Our mobile phones are far more convenient. But travel companies and travellers can get so used to seamless tech that we take it for granted and forget to make sure it is robust. The great Microsoft meltdown of 2024, as this weeks global IT outage will become known, is a very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the worlds core internet infrastructure and what happens when it fails, says Ciaran Martin, the former head of Britains National Cyber Security Center who is now a professor at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University. The computer problems, caused by a flawed security update for Microsoft users by a US cybersecurity firm called CrowdStrike, affected retailers, hospitals, hotels and rail companies but airlines were particularly badly impacted. Thats partly because the meltdown could not have come at a worse time. This weekend (July 19-21) is the busiest travel period of the year so far with 9,075 flights scheduled to depart UK airports, carrying around 1.5 million passengers. Almost 500 did not take off on Friday. Globally, out of more than 110,000 scheduled commercial flights on Friday, 1,390 were cancelled by noon and more are expected to be called off over the coming days, according to data from global aviation analytics firm Cirium. There are structural reasons why aviation is so vulnerable to IT flameouts. Air travel has more critical moving parts than other forms of transport. The only thing that matters on a road trip is your car and traffic. Railway stations do not have complex baggage handling systems. Airports and airlines operate passenger check in and security; luggage check in, delivery and security; immigration; lounges; transfers to and from aircraft; and road and rail connections 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Each of these services is often run by different operators, using third party IT systems, and if a computer system on any one of them fails, it impacts the rest. Air travel has more critical "moving parts" than other forms of transport - Getty Airlines and airports rely on a complex and tight schedule of take-off and landing slots, run by air traffic control. An IT glitch in an airport control tower that causes a delay of as little as a few minutes can throw off flight schedules for the rest of the day. This is a particular problem at airports that permanently run at near 100 per cent capacity, such as Heathrow. There are more everyday practical problems, too. Many airline staff fly to work, relying on their own or other carriers to get to the airports where they need to start their day. If an IT issue grounds one or several carriers, operators can find themselves short of staff across their network. There are strict safety rules that govern the number of cabin crew that are required to operate a flight. But some analysts say airlines have made themselves more vulnerable than they should be. Most rely on a single global cloud computing operator and a single operating system to run all their operations from reservations to arrivals. Many airlines use Microsofts Azure and 365 systems and have had limited back-up during the outage. What this week has exposed is the large number of airlines, airports, and ground-handling companies that rely on Microsoft Windows hosts and CrowdStrike, says Henry Harteveldt of Atmosphere Research. The fragility of aviation has been demonstrated on a global scale. On Friday, several US carriers including American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta grounded all their flights due to communication problems caused by the Microsoft outage. At Manchester Airport, only a few check-in computers were working, which created long queues in the departures hall. In Edinburgh, passengers using electronic boarding pass scanners were greeted with a server offline message instead of the usual cheery beep and green light. At Berlins Brandenburg Airport, Germanys third busiest, all flights were cancelled from 7am to 10am. About one quarter of the flights departing from Amsterdam Schiphol were delayed. The outage affected airports including Heathrow, Changi in Singapore and Hong Kong - AP At Sydney Airport, passengers were stuck in long lines after information screens went blank. Singapores Changi, Hong Kong International and Delhi airports switched to manual check-in. Some airports and airlines in India and South Korea resorted to issuing hand-written boarding passes. At New Delhi Airports Terminal 3, staff used white-boards to display gate information for flights when electronic monitors faded to black. There is one silver lining to the sorry story, though. British Airways, which has suffered more serious IT meltdowns than any other major airline in the past decade because, as one executive jokes our systems date from the 1860s, appears to be relatively unaffected. It cancelled a handful of flights on Friday, mainly because destination airports were closed, and its website and app had a wobble but that appears to be it for now. After being appointed BAs chief executive four years ago, Sean Doyle, persuaded its parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), to give him the lions share of its 600 million (510 million) investment in IT. Most is going on new, more reliable cloud-based data centres and computer systems to control BAs operations. These appear to be more robust than those used by its global rivals. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. The final internet search of wannabe Trump assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks was for porn, a law enforcement official has told The Daily Beast. The FBIs Operational Technology Division in Quantico, Virginia finally accessed the gunmans encrypted Samsung phone after it was flown on an FBI plane from the Pittsburgh field office where attempts to access its contents failed. A law enforcement official told the outlet that the only other recent activity on the gunmans phone was texts from his parents, asking about his whereabouts. The texts from Crooks parents started at about 1pm and continued during the afternoon, according to the report. They reportedly thought he had gone to the shooting range. Instead, he had taken his fathers AR-style rifle to try to assassinate Donald Trump. The former president was shot in the ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last Saturday but survived the attack. Donald Trump kisses the helmet of former Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department chief Corey Comperatore, who was killed at the former presidents campaign rally in Pennsylvania last Saturday (REUTERS) Rally attendee Corey Comperatore, 50, was shot and killed as he shielded his family from the gunfire. Trump paid tribute to Comperatore in his Thursday night speech at the Republican National Convention, kissing the late fire chiefs helmet. Two other men were injured in the attack. Crooks was killed by a Secret Service sniper, soon after he began shooting. The FBI has mostly finished its review of the phones contents and is now working on the gunmans laptop and several hard drives that were found in his bedroom. No motive for the shooting has been found and Crooks had no known psychiatric disorders. Next to his body, law enforcement found four rifle magazines as well as a remote control which could detonate explosive devices located in his vehicle. This still image taken from a video shows student Thomas Matthew Crooks in the 2022 Bethel Park High School Commencement in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. He searched for information about both Donald Trump and Joe Biden before the shooting (AP) The source told The Daily Beast that the porn discovery was not unusual, adding that Adam Lanza, the Sandy Hook elementary school shooter, had child abuse images on his phone and that a number of al Qaeda suspects have searched for extreme pornography alongside tracts for Islamist purity. Crooks, 20, lived with his parents 40 miles from Butler and had graduated from community college. He was working in a nursing and rehabilitation center. It has been previously reported that Crooks searched for both Trump and President Joe Biden, as well as information about the Democratic National Convention and the British Royal Family. He had also searched for Ethan Crumbley, a mass shooter who killed four students at a Michigan high school in 2021, as well as the prosecution of Crumbleys parents, who were both sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in jail for not safely storing the firearm used in the shooting. For understandable reasons, all eyes have been on Western actions in recent weeks, with the Nato and Blenheim summits marking sizable opportunities for Ukraines allies to bolster their support for Kyiv. Whether they succeeded in that task will be for history to judge. Yet one aspect of our foreign policy that history, surely, will not judge kindly is in our naive approach to China, a country that while the world has been distracted has been increasingly engaging in activities designed to undermine the United States and its allies. In a marked and worrying development, as 32 transatlantic allies gathered in Washington, DC (along with the three Indo-Pacific leaders from New Zealand, Japan and South Korea) China started military drills with Belarus a close ally to, and de facto province of, Russia directly on the Nato border. Belarus has been involved in Russias hybrid war against the West since 2021. It was three years ago when the world first learned about weaponisation of migration, when thousands of illegal immigrants from Africa and Middle East were transported to Belarus and over the Polish border. Since February 2022, Belarus has successfully facilitated Russian troops movement into Ukraine and provided logistical support for the invasion from the north. It has also participated in Russias nuclear saber-rattling by allegedly hosting some of its nuclear arsenal closer to Natos border. What could Chinas joint drills with such an actor be other than serving as a clear signal that its now a party to the war in Europe and has chosen whose side it is on? Concurrently with the drills in Belarus, Chinese Navy conducted maritime exercises in Taiwan Strait, having violated the islands airspace a record number of times. And earlier this week, Russia joined China in live-fire naval exercises in the South China Sea. We tend to forget just how closely intertwined the Chinese and Russian state symbolically and politically. The two powers have conducted numerous military exercises with Russia. Most of the land drills in recent years, the so-called Peace Missions, occurred in either Russia, China or other Shanghai Cooperation Organisation states, aimed at suppressing social uprisings or major insurgencies. Joint Sino-Russian exercises were also conducted in maritime and aerospace, limited predominantly to the Far East, with one exclusion of naval drills in the Baltic Sea in 2017. All this matters because China has kept a perceived impartiality over the war in Ukraine, calling both parties for peace. But while it hasnt been directly sending mass numbers of weapons to Russia (like, for example, Iran or North Korea), China has nonetheless been supplying Russia with critical resources for its war effort in the form of dual use tech, while bankrolling Russias war economy through purchases of oil and gas sanctioned by the West. Japan, a guest at this years Nato Summit, while in talks of opening a Nato liaison office in Tokyo, issued a warning about Chinas escalatory moves in the region. According to Japans recently published Defence White Paper, China plans to double its nuclear arsenal to more than 1,000 warheads by 2030. It also mentions North Korea as a growing risk factor, with attempts to boost its nuclear strike capability and missile range to have the capacity to reach as far as the US. In June, Russia and North Korea signed a mutual defence pledge deal that binds the two countries in any military altercations. This unholy axis is creating extraordinary security threats that will change the world as we know it. European allies on the Eastern flank of Nato, according to sources in their governments, are considering obtaining a shared nuclear arsenal as a deterrent in an increasingly uncertain world, especially with the US becoming more isolationist. This could lead to an unprecedented shift towards wider proliferation as a similar process takes place in the Middle East. As Nato celebrated being the most successful military-political alliance in the worlds history earlier this month, the interconnectedness of global threats and indivisibility of Euro-Atlantic and Indo-pacific security went through every statesmans and womans speech as a thin thread. Natos umbrella can no longer be limited to the North-Atlantic and inviting the four powers of Indo-Pacific Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia shows that understanding. In its final statement, Nato reprimanded China for its expansive behavior and for aiding Russia. But statements need to be followed by actions. Re-establishing peace can only be achieved through the exertion of strength by 32 allies united by a shared vision. This should define the next 75 years of Nato. Aliona Hlivco is Managing Director of the Henry Jackson Society, a trans-Atlantic foreign policy and national security think tank. She is a regular contributor to The Telegraphs daily podcast Ukraine: The Latest, including our most recent episode. With over 85 million downloads, it is considered the most trusted daily source of war news on both sides of the Atlantic. 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. Warsaw made 'positive decision' that will help Kyiv get F-16s faster, Zelensky says The Polish government made a "positive decision" on July 19 that will help speed up the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said without elaborating. Zelensky's statement came a day after his meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the fourth European Political Community summit in the U.K. Poland, a member of a fighter jet coalition for Ukraine founded at the 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius, will not provide F-16s to Kyiv, but promised access to Polish training infrastructure and courses. "And today, we have a positive decision from the Polish government on a specific issue, which will allow Ukraine to receive F-16 jets sooner," Zelensky wrote on X. "I am grateful to Prime Minister Tusk for efficiently following up on our previous agreements. I am grateful to Poland for its strong support for Ukraine." Warsaw has yet to make an official announcement following Zelensky's remarks. Ukraine is expected to receive at least 79 F-16s from the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, and Norway, with up to 20 expected to arrive this year. Kyiv has been calling for these U.S.-made fourth-generation jets since the very first year of the full-scale war in order to bolster its air fleet, which is otherwise made up of Soviet-made aircraft. Despite promises by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on July 10 that the first Dutch and Danish F-16s are already on their way, no delivery has been confirmed so far. Although some defense experts do not expect F-16s to become game-changers in the war, the jets may strengthen Ukraine's air defense capabilities and shield the country's population centers from Russia's daily bombardments. Denmark and the Netherlands indicated that they would allow Ukraine to strike with F-16s inside Russia, although Copenhagen said that such a move would "depend on the circumstances." Warsaw is considering Kyiv's proposal to shoot down Russian missiles flying toward Polish territory while they are still in Ukraine's airspace, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said earlier in July. Read also: Its been 18 months and F-16s have not yet arrived, Zelensky says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Washington State Universitys corpse flower, named Titan VanCoug, is on the verge of a rare third bloom and is expected to bring its pungent aroma thats previously attracted thousands of visitors, WSU announced Thursday. The bloom will mark the plants third odorous emergence in three years, WSU said in a blog announcing the pending bloom, noting the frequency of its flowering is exceedingly rare. According to WSU, Titan VanCoug could be making up for lost time. People living, dumping on Oregons public lands overwhelming Bureau of Land Management WSUs plant was a relative late bloomer; while most corpse flowers flower within 710 years of germination, it took Titan VanCoug 17 years to do so, WSU said. The school added that its more likely that the plant isnt just one, but rather as many as four cohabitating in the same pot. We dont know whats going on under the dirt, said Dawn Freeman, who took over care for Titan in 2020. I was hoping to get in and find out this summer, but because we keep having blooms, so Ive had to wait to ensure Im not disturbing things. Titan VanCoug was first planted in 2002 by Steve Sylvester, an emeritus professor in the College of Arts and Sciences. According to WSU, as the plant grew, it moved from Sylvesters desk to his office floor, then down the hall to accommodate its towering leaf stalks. After a corpse flower germinates, it sprouts a single leaf growing around six inches tall. The leaf stalk dies back every year and after six months of dormancy, a new leaf shoot emerges and grows larger each cycle until it stands upwards of eight feet tall, according to WSU. Oregon man scared after learning he may be infected due to hospital error affecting thousands After several years, a bud emerges, and once bloomed, the odor quickly becomes palpable, the smell often compared to rotting flesh, stinky socks or overpowering garlic, WSU said, noting each plants odor varies depending on the levels of chemical compounds of the plant. Titan VanCoug first bloomed in July 2019, bringing an estimated 20,000 visitors to the Vancouver campus. The next year, the plant went into dormancy before blooming again in 2022. 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. Franklin Graham took the lectern at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday to discuss former President Trump's commitment to religious beliefs. Graham, the head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, is a big name among evangelists and social conservatives. He spoke at Donald Trump's inauguration in 2017. The Republican National Convention is in Milwaukee through Thursday where former President Donald Trump on Thursday will formally accept the partys nomination for the 2024 Election. USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network have more than 60 journalists on the ground in Milwaukee and you can follow along with our live blog for updates throughout the day. RNC 2024 live updates: Steve Witkoff, Tucker Carlson take the stage; Donald Trump set to speak What to know about Franklin Graham Who is he: Son of legendary evangelist Billy Graham and President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the Samaritans Purse What role he plays: Prominent faith leader and Trump supporter Key quote: "When President Trump rose from that platform, he rose with his fist raised in strength, showing America his unshakeable resolve to fight for them and this nation." When and where is the Republican National Convention? The Republicans' convention will take place over four days, from July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, will be the main venue for the RNC. There also will be events at the nearby University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center. How can you watch the event and stay up-to-date on convention news? USA TODAY is streaming the RNC from start to finish, and you can watch it here starting Monday, July 15: Updates from the RNC will be available at gopconvention2024.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Franklin Graham speaks and prays over Trump at RNC: Watch the video Watch NRSC Chairman, US Sen. Steve Daines' speech at the Republican National Convention U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), NRSC Chairman took the podium at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday to discuss what he plans to help president Trump accomplish if he is reelected. The Republican National Convention is in Milwaukee through Thursday where former President Donald Trump on Thursday will formally accept the partys nomination for the 2024 Election. USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network have more than 60 journalists on the ground in Milwaukee and you can follow along with our live blog for updates throughout the day. RNC 2024 live updates: Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump set to attend RNC tonight What to know about Senator Steve Daines Who are they: Steve Daines (R-MT) is a senator of Montana's 114th-118th Districts and was elected in 2015, according to Congress. What role do they play: Republican National Convention speaker. Key quote: "I'm working with President Trump win the Senate Majority and to fire Chuck Schumer." When and where is the Republican National Convention? The Republicans' convention will take place over four days, from July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, will be the main venue for the RNC. There also will be events at the nearby University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center. How can you watch the event and stay up-to-date on convention news? USA TODAY is streaming the RNC from start to finish, and you can watch it here starting Monday, July 15: Updates from the RNC will be available at gopconvention2024.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US Sen. Steve Daines speech at Republican National Convention: Watch Watch US Rep. Richard Hudson's speech at the Republican National Convention U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-9), NRCC Chairman took the podium Thursday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee said a GOP house majority is essential to make former President Donald Trump's second term more efficient than his first. The National Republican Congressional Committee Chair said Trump is the president to bring the nation back to unprecedented American prosperity. The Republican National Convention is in Milwaukee through Thursday where former President Donald Trump on Thursday will formally accept the partys nomination for the 2024 Election. USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network have more than 60 journalists on the ground in Milwaukee and you can follow along with our live blog for updates throughout the day. RNC 2024 live updates: What time does the RNC start? When is Donald Trump giving address? What to know about Rep. Richard Hudson Who are they: Congressman representing North Carolina's 9th congressional district since 2013 What role do they play: Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee Key quote: "If Democrats control the House, they'll block every tax cut, budget, border bill and crime bill that he proposes. They'll hold sham investigations and hearings to bog down his agenda. They'll impeach him for doing his job. But we're not going to let that happen." When and where is the Republican National Convention? The Republicans' convention will take place over four days, from July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, will be the main venue for the RNC. There also will be events at the nearby University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center. How can you watch the event and stay up-to-date on convention news? USA TODAY is streaming the RNC from start to finish, and you can watch it here starting Monday, July 15: Updates from the RNC will be available at gopconvention2024.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: US Rep. Richard Hudson's Republican National Convention speech: Watch FILE - People gather to collect water in Khartoum, Sudan, on May 28, 2023, during a weeklong truce, brokered by the U.S. and the Saudis. A week of indirect talks involving Sudan's warring parties ended in Geneva on Friday, July 19, 2024, the U.N. secretary-general's personal envoy said. He described the discussions as an encouraging initial step in a complex process.(AP Photo/Marwan Ali) BERLIN (AP) A week of indirect talks involving Sudan's warring parties ended in Geneva on Friday, the U.N. secretary-general's personal envoy said. He described the discussions as an encouraging initial step in a complex process. Representatives of the Sudanese army and rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces accepted invitations to meet separately with the envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, who started the talks on July 11. He said in a statement that his team held a total of about 20 sessions with the parties' delegations. Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023 when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to other regions including Darfur. The U.N. says over 14,000 people have been killed and 33,000 injured. Rights activists say the toll could be much higher. The war has also created the worlds largest displacement crisis with over 11 million people forced to flee their homes as well as allegations of rampant sexual violence and possible crimes against humanity. International experts recently warned that 755,000 people are facing famine in the coming months. Talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces broke down at the end of last year. The Geneva talks centered on measures to ensure the distribution of humanitarian aid and to protect civilians across Sudan. Lamamra said he was encouraged by the willingness of the parties to engage with me on these critical matters, as well as by the commitments made to respond to some specific requests we presented to them. He didn't elaborate. The discussions held in Geneva are an encouraging initial step in a longer and complex process, Lamamra said. 'We were able to elevate Milwaukee': Q&A with Mayor Cavalier Johnson following the RNC On the morning after the Republican National Convention concluded, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson wore jeans to City Hall. "It's kind of like you know when you host a big party and you're just ready for everyone to go so you can get back to order and clean things up and all that," he said Friday morning at his office as the barriers around downtown were being dismantled. "I feel kind of like that. I feel good though." The four-day convention had been years in the making and culminated in an intense four days that drew tens of thousands of people and countless media organizations to the Wisconsin's largest city. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson speaks as part of the Republican National Convention fall media walkthrough at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023. The convention will be held July 15-18. - Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel The Democratic mayor and vocal supporter of President Joe Biden had courted the convention at which former President Donald Trump on Thursday night formally accepted the Republican Party's nomination to run for a second term in the White House. From local businesses to policing, here is how Milwaukee's mayor was thinking about the events that took place in the city over the last four days. This interview has been edited for length. How are you reflecting on this week? Johnson: I know there were some hiccups, but overall, I think that we were able to elevate Milwaukee, which is what my primary goal was, to showcase the city to the country and the world. As I said, over this week, we had images of Milwaukee being beamed into living rooms and c-suites across the globe and the thousands of individuals who were here, everyone that I encountered ... with the exception of (U.S. Rep.) Derrick Van Orden, had a good time. This was their first interaction with the state of Wisconsin, and Milwaukee left a great impression. So, I feel good in that when people think about Wisconsin, the first thing they're going to think about is Milwaukee. There were so many elements to this week. There was the business element, there was the politics element. There was just kind of the odd things you see during a convention. There's obviously the police shooting. How would you characterize this week? Johnson: Unprecedented. We had never hosted something so large here before. This was a massive, massive event that, as you're indicating, just spanned the gamut. It was part hospitality, part politics, a big part law enforcement. There are so many things in the mix but in all those spaces, in all those spaces overall, I think that everybody delivered. It was a herculean effort to get this done. So many people that I spoke to said the same thing ... They'd say that Milwaukee in all those spaces shined. The city just shined. What do you make of the business angle? There were businesses that really felt like they didn't have people show up, businesses in Bronzeville, the Third Ward. How do you think about that? Johnson: I think a couple things. There were local businesses that were patronized, that did well, that were part of Convention Fest, let's say, or had some other partnership with the Host Committee and did well. In terms of the other businesses, I think there's an opportunity for us and not just us but I think other cities that host these conventions to do a deep dive and see how we can better direct media or delegates or other visitors to businesses. I think there's an opportunity for us to learn from this, so I'm looking forward to having those conversations and learning. The Coalition to March on the RNC 2024 protest seemed to be fine Monday. Obviously, there was whole lawsuit before that, there was so much attention and then they did the protest but there weren't big issues. Johnson: You're right. We had laid out an opportunity (to demonstrate at locations within the security "footprint") because we thought it was important, and it was part of the (RNC) framework agreement. I think it's important for folks to exercise their First Amendment rights and display their displeasure with the Republican Party, especially their platform or indeed the candidate. I mean, I disagree with those things, too. So, there's alignment there. Although they did not march in the parade route that we had established, there was communication with them and police, and it went off pretty well. So, I do want to give the Coalition some credit there. What have been the major challenges of pulling off a convention like this? It's a been a year and a half in the making. Johnson: I think that obviously security is a big challenge. I mean, that was a lot of work, a lot of coordination between the Milwaukee Police Department, the Secret Service, the local law enforcement agencies from across the country coming in. And Chief (Jeffrey) Norman did a really great job with recruiting those agencies to come in and be assistive here. The fire support that we got as well, there's just the whole security apparatus. I described it as like taking the security apparatus around some institutions in Washington D.C. and picking that up and dropping it in Milwaukee. So, that's a huge undertaking. Jeff Fleming, mayor's spokesperson: There was so much that was unseen as well. The National Guard was here. Nobody saw them but they were ready to go if they were needed. While we're talking about the security zone, what do you think about Pere Marquette Park? It seemed pretty empty after that monthslong back-and-forth. Johnson: Nobody wanted it. Nobody wanted the demonstrations there. The businesses didn't want it there. The RNC itself didn't want it there, and importantly the same group (Coalition to March on the RNC), they didn't want it there either. Alison Dirr can be reached at adirr@jrn.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Q&A with Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson following the RNC I said a couple of weeks ago that if President Biden decided to withdraw from the race it would be awesome if he would do it on the night Donald Trump accepted the GOP nomination. That didn't come to pass last night during the final night of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee but the political media still spent the whole day speculating that it was about to happen, which no doubt irritated Trump almost as much since he always wants to be the center of attention even when his opponents are doing his job for him. It's obviously helpful to Trump that the Democrats are fighting each other over the fate of their presidential candidate just three months from the election. Still, the drama around Biden potentially withdrawing from the race has stepped on Trump's martyr storyline even as he's ostentatiously sporting a bizarrely large bandage on his right ear and cynically playing the sympathy card. But he made up for it with a smarmy opening to his acceptance speech in which he gave a mournful minute-by-minute recitation of the assassination attempt. At one point he indulged in some truly embarrassing schmaltz by kissing the helmet of the fireman who was killed at that rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday. It all just seemed .... weird. One suspects he's been talking about this nonstop since it happened and is still understandably obsessed. You can pinpoint the exact moment America knew his brain was jello pic.twitter.com/AmRC3d2B9Y I Smoked #DropOutDon (@BlackKnight10k) July 19, 2024 That part of the speech was reportedly written by Trump and I think it was evident. He's been dying to share the dramatic story of his allegedly brave reaction to the terrifying experience and this was his chance to take as long as he wanted to do it. (Brushing it off and saying "Honey I forgot to duck," as Reagan did, isn't exactly his style). Unfortunately, he also had to talk about other stuff. It was a major political event after all. And despite the billing of the speech as a call for unity, the rest of it was a flat rendition of his usual rally speech although he did curtail the profanity, eschewed the crude impressions of his political opponents and managed not to insult too many Republicans seeing as it was the RNC and all. If social media is any indication, the speech seemed to shock many observers who have forgotten that Trump lies constantly and is incoherent and ignorant even when he's at his best. And he was certainely not at his best. Despite the long-winded delivery of all his greatest hits going back to 2016, he's definitely lost a step. MSNBC's Chris Hayes astutely described what we all saw last night: "This is not a colossus, this is not the big bad wolf, this is not a vigorous and incredibly deft political communicator. This is an old man in decline who's been doing the same schtick for a very long time and it's really wearing thin." The substance, to the extent there was any, was delusional and frightening. From bragging that when he was president he "could end wars with a phone call" to the endless lies about his accomplishments while in office, he assiduously avoided speaking specifically about 98% of his agenda as laid out in Project 2025 and his own Agenda 47. But he did say one thing that caught my attention and should catch the attention of every American. After admonishing Joe Biden for saying he's a threat to democracy earlier in the speech, Trump said in passing, "we had that horrible, horrible result that we'll never let happen again, the election result, we're never gonna let that happen again." Trump says he is never gonna let Americans vote against him again like they did in 2020 pic.twitter.com/cjDjUnSmmM Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) July 19, 2024 One might think that was just another example of Trump's cognitive decline. But that was actually a very straightforward comment and one that is backed up by ample evidence. The Republicans who are backing Trump (virtually all of them) have a fully developed plan to ensure that if the Democrats win in November, they will contest the results regardless of any evidence of fraud. When Trump says "we're never going to let that happen again" he means we're never going to let the Democrats win again. And he's not talking about getting out the vote. Trump has been quoted repeatedly telling his troops "we don't need votes": We got more votes than anybodys ever had. We need to watch the vote. We need to guard the vote. We need to stop the steal. We dont need votes. We have to stop focus, dont worry about votes. Weve got all the votes. I was in Florida yesterday every house has a Trump sign. Trump, Trump, Trump, Trump. We have to guard the vote. The New York Times took a long look at the Republican plan this week and it's not good news. Trumps allies have followed a two-pronged approach: restricting voting for partisan advantage ahead of Election Day and short-circuiting the process of ratifying the winner afterward, if Mr. Trump loses. The latter strategy involves an ambitious and legally dubious attempt to reimagine decades of settled law dictating how results are officially certified in the weeks before the transfer of power. At the heart of the strategy is a drive to convince voters that the election is about to be stolen, even without evidence. The article quotes numerous GOP officials who say that fair elections are impossible under the current laws so they have set out to challenge and change them in the swing states that are decisive in our bizarre electoral college system. Most concerning is their plan to give local elections officials the power to hold up certification of the vote. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Certification was never a matter of contention before 2020, having always been seen as a largely ceremonial non-partisan part of the process. But Republicans and their allies have decided this is a useful tactic to disqualify results that don't go their way. In some states, like Georgia, they've even empowered right-wing activists who are now members of the election boards to "investigate" voters to determine if the votes are legal. In Nevada, a similar law has already caused chaos in primary elections which are still in limbo due to board members contesting the results. These cases are wending their way into the courts, delaying the certifications. At the RNC this week, Chris LaCivita, Trump's campaign manager, made it clear that they don't plan to accept any loss or concede the race even after the votes are counted: Cool that theyre just telegraphing their intentions straight into the DC press https://t.co/6nwcHUYSRo Jared Holt (@jaredlholt) July 18, 2024 Donald Trump Jr. says it more plainly even than that: MIKE ALLEN: If Trump loses, it'll be why? DON JR: I'd say cheating pic.twitter.com/kM30hmf8XC Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 16, 2024 This is the assault on democracy that the Biden campaign is talking about. It's not just rhetorical. They are literally assaulting the democratic process by changing laws at the local and state levels that will make it possible for them to contest the certification of the election results all the way up until January 6, 2025, and, apparently, beyond. Trump is beatable, as demonstrated by that bizarre performance at the RNC. He is not a well man. It's clear that he and his team know this, which is why they are pulling out all the stops to contest the results of an election that hasn't even happened yet. These are not the actions of a confident campaign. But keep in mind that this now goes way beyond Trump and his massive ego. He's shown the Republicans the weaknesses in the system and they're going to exploit them. As he said, "we're never going to let that happen again." This is a problem that will exist long after 2024 whether Trump gets back into the White House or not. Column: We were promised a 'softer' Donald Trump. What we got was a fully Trumpified Republican Party Former President Trump points to Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump's choice of the populist Vance as his running mate is the most striking evidence that the former president is aiming for a multigenerational MAGA realignment of the GOP. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times) Donald Trump couldn't restrain himself. The former president's aides had promised that his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention would showcase a softer, more conciliatory Trump and, for perhaps 20 minutes, it did. But for viewers who watched the whole 92-minute stem-winder, which devolved into a meandering list of bogus claims and well-worn grievances, the lesson was that there is no New Trump. If anything, this years version of Trump is even Trumpier than before one committed to cementing the populist transformation of the GOP for at least another generation. So the convention in Milwaukee ended with its mission only half accomplished. Political conventions are lumbering anachronisms, but they survive because they serve two purposes. First, they ratify a choice of nominee and unify and inspire party activists. Then they take advantage of free television time to present their message to the uncommitted but persuadable voters they need to win. This week's convention ratified not only Trumps third nomination, but also the lasting triumph of his grievance-based MAGA ideology over the rest of the GOP. It brought skeptical holdouts like former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley back into the Trumpist fold (even though she drew boos) and produced a show of party unity. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who was Trump's chief primary rival, was one of the former foes who fell in line behind the ex-president during the Republican National Convention this week. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) But when it came to a message that might persuade suburban voters, women and others in the center of the electorate that this years Trump is an improvement over previous models, the convention fell short a missed opportunity for a candidate who has never won more than 47% of the popular vote. Read more: 5 takeaways from Trump's Republican convention acceptance speech The first time Trump won the GOP nomination, in 2016, it was a hostile takeover by an insurgent with weak Republican credentials. Dissidents like Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohios then-Gov. John Kasich warned that the New York real estate mogul was taking the party down a path to destruction. The second time, in 2020, Trumps nomination was automatic, the traditional act of a party denominating an incumbent president. This time, the convention made it clear that the old business-dominated, country club Republican Party of Richard M. Nixon, Ronald Reagan and the two George Bushes is long gone. Trump has realigned the parties in a way that wasnt there before, said Geoffrey Kabaservice, author of Rule and Ruin, a history of modern Republicanism. Almost every white working-class voter is going to be a Republican. Almost every college-educated voter is going to be a Democrat a reversal of the norm for more than half a century. That realignment appears likely to last several decades at least. The most striking evidence is the nominees choice of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance for vice president. Read more: Before embracing MAGA, Vance made big money in San Francisco's tech world The 39-year-old populist was the Trumpiest of the three finalists; North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio had roots in the partys pre-Trump establishment. In his convention speech, Vance made it clear that, like Trump, he blames old-style Republicans like the Bushes for the nations ills as much as he blames Democrats. From Iraq to Afghanistan, from the financial crisis to the Great Recession, from open borders to stagnating wages, the people who govern this country have failed and failed again, he said. Vance's selection may have partly reflected electoral strategy: He could help the ticket win white working-class voters in the industrial swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. But it was also a signal of the direction Trump wants the party to take in 2028. Read more: Trump recounts assassination attempt, outlines grim portrait of America in 92-minute acceptance speech Vance is a generational play, not an electoral play, Democratic strategist David Axelrod said. In a second Trump administration, Vance would not act as a restraining influence, as Burgum or Rubio might have, but as an intensifier of Trumps populist instincts. Vance has been more explicit than Trump on his desire to end U.S. aid to Ukraine immediately. I dont really care what happens to Ukraine, one way or the other, he said in 2022. Intriguingly, Vance has broken from GOP orthodoxy and from Trumps positions on several economic issues. He has said he does not think cuts in corporate taxes, a key part of Trumps agenda, are necessary. He has suggested he could support a $20 minimum wage, anathema to most business leaders. Some of the most interesting battles of a second Trump administration could center on those issues. What you have in this ticket is a weird amalgam of plutocratic populism, Kabaservice said. Its incoherent and inconsistent. Its not clear which parts Trump has signed onto. After all, which part of his agenda is most likely to pass? I think the answer is big corporate tax cuts. Read more: More Democrats call on Biden to exit; his team says he is 'absolutely' still in the race Trumps acceptance speech was also a weird amalgam between the kinder, gentler nominee his aides had hoped to showcase and the angry, resentful candidate he has been for most of the last decade. On Thursday morning, daughter-in-law Lara Trump, vice chair of the GOP, promised that the acceptance speech would reveal a bit softer version of the nominee, who she said had been deeply affected by his brush with death after being wounded in a gunman's assassination attempt. But after a long description of the assassination attempt and a brief appeal to national unity We must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement, Trump said he resumed demonizing President Biden and other Democrats, including crazy Nancy Pelosi, accusing them of destroying our country. Trump's definition of unity," it turned out, did not include mutual respect or bipartisan cooperation. It boiled down to accepting his policies and dropping every federal prosecution he faces. If Democrats want to unify our country, they should drop these partisan witch hunts, he said. Most of the address much of which departed from his written text, as Trump usually does was a loop of greatest hits from Trumps stump speeches. It included a torrent of bogus claims, accusations and yet another admiring mention of the "late, great" fictional cannibal, Hannibal Lecter. The only sign of restraint was that this time, he did not use the word vermin to describe his political opponents or promise to prosecute them if he reaches the White House. If he had accomplished the change in tone that his aides sought to broaden his appeal, he might have paved a path for his party to a popular-vote majority and control of the House of Representatives and Senate. But the speech he gave probably kept alive the doubts many voters have about his fitness for office. And he gave Democrats an opening they can exploit but only if they can settle on a nominee of their own. 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. West Blocton man charged with killing wife, four children in Bibb County A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the shooting deaths of his wife and four children Thursday in Bibb County. Police say Brandon Kendrick of West Blocton was charged with five counts of capital murder in connection with the deaths of his 24-year old wife Kelsey Kendrick, a 2-year-old, two 6-year-olds and a 9-year-old. At around 10 p.m., police responded to the 1000 block of Greentree Drive in West Blocton. Investigators said Kendrick was at the scene where his wife and the four children had been fatally shot, according to officials with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. More: Alabama executes Keith Edmund Gavin for 1998 killing at ATM Police say two of the juveniles were Kendricks children and the other two were relatives. Special agents with ALEA's Bureau of investigation assumed control of the investigation. Kendrick has been booked into the Bibb County Jail, where he is being held without bond. No further information was made available and the investigation is ongoing. Once complete, the investigators' findings will be turned over to Alabamas 4th Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office. Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: West Blocton man charged in shooting that killed wife, four children NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) West Nile virus continues to spread this summer, according to the latest data from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. State health officials are blaming the warm weather and high humidity prime conditions for mosquitoes to multiply. Mosquitoes with West Nile virus have been found so far in Bridgeport, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford and Wethersfield. Its expected that the risk for infection will be high through September. No horse or human cases have yet to be reported. To minimize your risk, limit time spent outside between dusk and dawn, use mosquito repellent and wear long clothing. 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 WTNH.com. WESTPORT, Conn. (WTNH) A Westport man who once served as a vice president of a cryptocurrency firm has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $4.4 million from them. Dylan Meissner, 31, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, and faces up to 20 years in prison. He was the vice president of finance at a cryptocurrency research firm in January 2022 when he received a $170,000 loan from the business to try to avoid a substantial loss in certain cryptocurrency investments he had made using his personal funds, according to an announcement from the U.S. Department of Justice. Then, from February 2022 until he was fired in November 2022, he tried to make up for other losses by using the firms funds as his own. He then covered up the fraud by making false entries in business records. In total, he took $4,461,828. Hes been ordered to pay $4,633,424.99 in restitution. He has been released on a $100,000 bond and will be sentenced on Oct. 11 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 WTNH.com. The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) on Friday awarded law enforcement officials and agencies for their work in disrupting the flow of illicit drugs, like fentanyl, into the country. The United States Interdiction Coordinator (USIC) Awards recognized work in areas including cyber investigations, domestic investigations, international investigations, emerging threats, highway interdictions and maritime interdictions. Since Day One, President Biden has taken historic action and made historic investments to support law enforcement and drug-related crime prevention as part of his whole-of-society effort to address the overdose epidemic, ONDCP Director Rahul Gupta said in a statement. Im proud to honor the heroic efforts of these law enforcement leaders today who are working tirelessly around the clock to prevent deadly drugs from reaching our communities and hurting vulnerable Americans, he added. The Biden-Harris Administration is grateful for their steadfast partnership, and will continue to support life-saving law enforcement efforts to reduce overdoses, deprive drug traffickers of their profits, and keep Americans safe. The entities recognized on Friday included the Los Angeles FBI Field Office, the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, DEA Miami Counternarcotic Cyber Investigations Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Coast Guard. These offices conducted investigations targeting darknet drug vendors, dismantled regional drug trafficking operations and disrupted complicit international money brokers picking up illicit funds. Were luck to have you on our team. And the traffickers are really unlucky to be going up against you. And just like Apollo 11 prevailed, we will prevail, Gupta said to the award recipients during the awards ceremony. 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. White nationalist bodybuilders and liberal elites: Heres who JD Vance is following on X Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance looks at his phone as former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media with attorney Todd Blanche as he arrives for court during his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 13, 2024 in New York City. (Getty Images) Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance follows several accounts on X that espouse far-right and white nationalist views, according to an analysis by The Independent. The 39-year-old Ohio senator, who rose to fame with his best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy and was named as Donald Trumps running-mate this week, follows 1,132 people on X, formerly known as Twitter. Among them are two of the most popular figures in the Right Wing Bodybuilders scene an online community in which many share a worldview that combines white nationalist ideas with anti-globalism, weight-lifting and nutrition. One of them is Raw Egg Nationalist, an account that has shared Adolf Hitler memes , quoted Mein Kampf and promoted the Great Replacement conspiracy a theory positing that Western elites are intentionally replacing White populations with migrants to its 200,000 plus followers. Vance also follows Bronze Age Pervert, believed to be run by far-right bodybuilder Costin Alamariu. That account has also promoted the racist Great Replacement theory and eugenic breeding. His self-published book, Bronze Age Mindset is considered a foundational text for the scene, and was said to be circulating among younger members of the Trump White House. He wrote in a 2021 essay: I have said for a long time that I believe in rule by a military caste of men who would be able to guide society toward a morality of eugenics. JD Vance follows two of the most popular figures in the Right Wing Bodybuilders scene. (Screenshot / X) Joshua Farrell-Molloy, an extremism researcher at the Accelerationism Research Consortium, described the two accounts as belonging to a post-alt-right movement that is pretty much at the vanguard of white nationalism. They are one of the main centers of gravity within the contemporary far right in the US, he told The Independent. Since Vance received the nomination on Monday, Molloy said there has been a buzz of excitement in the community, which is sometimes referred to as anon Twitter or Frog Twitter, in reference to the alt-right meme Pepe the Frog. They see him as being one of our guys and some are excited about the idea [that] he has been exposed to their ideas or has at least seen some of their content, he added. Vance has described another controversial figure, political scientist Richard Hanania, as a friend and a really interesting thinker. A HuffPost investigation revealed Hanania as having written for several white nationalist websites under a pseudonym in the early 2010s where he expressed support for eugenics, opposed race-mixing and cited neo-Nazis although Vance continues to follow him on X. Hanania later disavowed the views he expressed while writing under a pseudonym, writing in an essay titled My Journey Out of Extremism last year: I truly sucked back then. Just a couple of months before the publication of the essay, Hanania used his account on X to call for more policing, incarceration, and surveillance of black people. Far-right social media influencer Laura Loomer is also on Vances follow list. Loomer has described herself as a proud Islamophobe . Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump (L), and his vice presidential running mate Senator JD Vance attend the second day of the Republican National Convention. (EPA) Vance also follows podcast host Darryl Cooper, who said that the 2017 Charlottesville Unite The Right rally included a bunch of good people and wrote in a since-deleted tweet that FDR chose the wrong side in WW2, The Atlantic reported . It is not clear how long Vance has followed each account, or if he has ever seen or interacted with any of their posted content, but Cooper congratulated his longtime mutual Vance after he was chosen as the Republican vice presidential candidate. Following a person on X does not imply that the person agrees with the views shared on the account, but a review of Vances follower list does provide some insight into what the potential future vice president sees online. Vances office did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent. Vance notably follows a relatively large number of journalists from liberal institutions, despite spending much of his time railing against the liberal elite. He follows nine journalists from The Atlantic, one of Americas leading establishment liberal magazines, as well as an assortment of New York Times reporters. Vance addressed the Republican National Convention on Wednesday evening as he accepted the partys nomination for vice presidential candidate, sharing the story of growing up poor in Kentucky and Ohio. I will be a vice president who never forgets where he came from, he told the crowd. The Whole World Came To A Halt Thanks To A Single Software Update Americans are waking up this morning to discover that the whole world isnt working properly. Its a crisis that has spread around the planet, grounding flights, shutting down hospital procedures, and causing worldwide travel chaos, and its all because of a single software update by cyber-security firm Crowdstrike. According to Crowdstrike, which is usually the place big companies turn to for help during cyberattacks, an update to their software has caused Microsofts Windows operating system to crash, resulting in the infamous Blue Screen of Death. Given Crowdstrike works with 25,000 businesses, and how integral Windows is to the running of so many of the worlds computers, this error has had monumental consequences. American Airlines grounded all its flights this morning (although as of 6.30 a.m. says theyre beginning to run again), alongside many other airlines around the world. KLM reported that the circumstances made flight handling impossible. At the time of writing, Deltas flights were still all paused. KLMand other airlines and airports have been affected by a global computer outage, making flight handling impossible. We realise that this is very inconvenient for our customers and staff, particularly in the midst of the summer holiday season. Were working hard to resolve the pic.twitter.com/O4gm7u0DIW KLM (@KLM) July 19, 2024 In Australia and Europe, where the outages have had a greater effect due to their days starting hours earlier, hospitals have reported having to cancel operations, while in the UK almost all GP practices had to stop seeing all but the most urgent patients. Captain on my United flight just said we cant take off because a computer system on the plane just crashed. Stuck at the gate Billy Becker (@thenetmonkey) July 19, 2024 Grocery stores found they couldnt take payments, DCs Metro stopped running, entire TV networks were unable to broadcast, and in Alaska, 911 systems broke down. In the last few minutes, Crowdstrike has confirmed that its software appears to be the cause, after many other major firms speculated that this was the case. The company released a statement saying that the defect had been found, and that a fix has been deployed. The firm also made clear that this wasnt a cyberattack. Heres the statement in full: Crowdstrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organisations ensure theyre communicating with Crowdstrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilised to ensure the security and stability of Crowdstrike customers. Crowdstrike CEO George Kurtz spoke to NBCs Today this morning, during which he apologized for the impact that we caused to customers, travelers, to anyone affected by this. He added during the live interview, Its been a long night but we are rebooting systems. So, it could be some time for some systems, that just automatically wont recover. Our mission is to...make sure every customer is fully recovered. The BBC in the UK is also reporting that it wont be as simple as rolling out a patch. Given the issue is causing computers to BSOD, an enormous amount of the fix could involve hands-on rebooting of machines, and Crowdstrike is very widely used. The BBCs correspondent reported, It...appears to be not something that can be fixed with a central command from an IT administrator in a firms HQ. They will need to go and reboot each and every computer affected. Comparisons are being drawn with 2017's WannaCry cyberattacks in terms of the scale of the problems caused, however many places that were affected are reporting that services are resuming as the morning goes on. This will lead to enormous questions in the coming days over how vulnerable the modern internet is to something as simple as a single software update. 2024's internet doesnt represent that of twenty years ago, with three companies now running almost everything: Microsoft, Amazon and Google. When something affects just one of these three, the results are international and catastrophic, as weve seen today. It is 2004, the internet is a decentralised and distributed global network, designed so that no single weak point can take down the whole thing It is 2024, most of the world relies on the same three companies, so one single weak point regularly disables half the worlds systems Andrej (@AndrejNkv) July 19, 2024 However, at least Kotaku is still running. Updated: 07/19/2024, 8:23 a.m. ET: Added information about Crowdstrike CEO George Kurtzs confirmation and apology. . For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Who's sitting next to Donald Trump at the RNC? Jason Aldean, Eric Hovde and more Former President Donald Trump was flanked by some notable names as he took his seat at Fiserv Forum to take in the final night of the Republican National Convention on Thursday night. Among those sitting with Trump was his vice-presidential pick, U.S. Sen. JD Vance and his wife Usha; Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde; and country music star Jason Aldean and his wife, Brittany Aldean. Trump entered the arena well before he was scheduled to formally accept the nomination on the stage later Thursday night, taking a seat in a box above the stage. Republican presidential nominee Donald , nest to Jason Aldean during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Wisconsin U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde sits with Trump on final night of RNC U.S. Senate Candidate Eric Hovde (R-Wisc.) shakes hands with Donald Trump during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Hovde was seated behind Trump and shook the former president's hand when Trump arrived in the box. The multimillionaire banking mogul is running against U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Madison. Jason Aldean, Brittany Aldean, Sen. Ted Cruz and others join Trump in box at RNC Aldean sat directly next to Trump. Aldean will be performing at a party the RNC Host Committee is throwing after the convention ends Thursday night, Reince Priebus, chair of the RNC host committee, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz was seated behind Donald Trump Thursday and next to Hovde. Cruz, Trump's former rival, has struck a very different tone in 2024 compared to 2016, when he refused to endorse Trump and urged people to "vote your conscience." Sam Brown, a U.S. Senate candidate from Nevada, joined Trump and others Thursday in Trump's box, which was wrapped in red and labeled, "Make America Great Once Again." Brown, who previously spoke at the RNC, survived an explosion in Afghanistan. Later in the evening, Trump was also joined after a while by his vice-presidential running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance in addition to Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee and his daughter-in-law. Politicians and others continued to exit and join the box throughout the night. Journal Sentinel reporter Jordyn Noennig contributed to this story. Alison Dirr can be reached at adirr@jrn.com. Mary Spicuzza can be reached at mary.spicuzza@jrn.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Who's sitting next to Donald Trump on the final night of the RNC? Why did some of the UKs worst political rejects like Johnson and Truss spend the week parading about the RNC? Familiar British faces including (L-R) Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, Russell Brand, and Liz Truss have all been pictured at the 2024 Republican National Convention (Getty) Napoleon had the island of Saint Helena, Leon Trotsky had various spots across Turkey, Norway and Mexico. These days political exiles from the UK all appear to end up in a far more desolate place: The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Among the crowds of US political bigwigs, state delegates and zealous supporters of Donald Trump, several familiar British faces have appeared usually with the prefix of former before their job title to rub shoulders with the GOP elite. At the 2024 convention, where Trump officially accepted the Republican presidential nomination and selected JD Vance as his running mate, a rollcall of infamous names from across the pond dropped by to pay their respects. The former UK prime minister and Donald Trump were pictured together at the RNC on Tuesday, with Johnsons trademark disheveledness standing in stark contrast to Trumps polished veneers and white ear bandage. Donald Trump and Boris Johnson at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Ross Kempsell/PA Wire) Great to meet President Trump who is on top form after the shameful attempt on his life, Johnson wrote on X. We discussed Ukraine and I have no doubt that he will be strong and decisive in supporting that country and defending democracy. The former prime minister has kept a relatively low profile in the UK since his less than graceful departure from Number 10 Downing street in July 2022 following a spate of domestic political scandals. He and Trump worked together for just over a year, their respective times in office overlapping from July 2019 to November 2020, and shared an ostensibly cordial relationship. The pair shared certain similarities including famously bizarre hair, a penchant for incendiary rhetoric, and a propensity towards the outrageous. In fact, the former president himself once proudly referred to Johnson as Britain Trump and hailed him as tough and smart. Boris is good. Hes going to do a good job, Trump said in 2019, following Johnsons election as Tory party leader. Trump and Johnson worked together for just over a year, their respective times in office overlapping from July 2019 to November 2020 (Getty Images) This friendly alliance is seemingly going strong, at least according to Johnson. His praise of the former president comes in stark contrast to the endorsement (or lack of) afforded his former Chancellor-turned-rival Rishi Sunak, to whom Johnson offered little support to, ahead of the UK election earlier this month. Another infamous former prime minister, Liz Truss, also made her presence known in Wisconsin. Great to be at @RNC in Milwaukee seeing President Trump get nominated. The leadership the West needs, she posted on X on Monday, following up with a collection of pictures of her signing fan merchandise and meeting Trumps newly selected running mate JD Vance. A true conservative and what America needs, she wrote. Americans may remember Truss as the woman who left office before the shelf-life of a head of lettuce. At just 49 days, hers was the shortest time in office of any previous UK PM, though she has since set her sights on conquering America, making several appearances at GOP events alongside infamous figures as Steve Bannon Trumps currently incarcerated former chief strategist. Earlier this year she appeared at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland where she gave a speech in which she claimed that the deep state had thwarted her plans, and decried the CINOs Conservatives in Name Only and promoted her book, Ten Years To Save The West. Conservatives are now operating in what is a hostile environment and we essentially need a bigger bazooka in order to be able to deliver, Truss said in a 15-minute speech entitled Taking Back Our Parties. Earlier this year Liz Truss appeared at CPAC in Maryland, where she gave a speech in which she claimed that the deep state had thwarted her plans as UK PM (Getty Images) Like Johnson, Truss now has more time on her hands to mingle with the GOP elite, having lost her seat in parliament in the constituency of South West Norfolk, in the UK General Election on July 4. Unlike Johnson, Truss was not gifted the golden goose of a picture with the former president himself at the RNC. Despite dancing in and out of the spotlight in British and European politics, Nigel Farage has remained a regular, and even popular face to the US right. He has appeared multiple times at CPAC and was once hailed by Trump at a rally as one of the most powerful men in Europe. A picture of the pair, standing grinning broadly in front of the golden elevator doors of Trump Tower also previously went viral. However, just how close the two are nowadays is unsure. Speaking to The Independent from the RNC, Farage said he was there because of a friend whos been through a tough time, later making similar comments to UK journalist Emily Maitlis. Farage said hed dropped by to check on his friend Donald Trump after the shooting last weekend (AFP via Getty Images) I had to come, Ive been friendly with Trump all these years, he told her, in an interview for The NewsAgents podcast. Hes just survived an assassination attempt so I thought Id come and say hello. Asked if Trump himself had invited him to come to Wisconsin, Farage hesitated, before admitting it was the people around him that thought it was the right thing that I came it was right that I came... I have friends, I dont know if you do or not, maybe you dont, but when theyre having a tough time its right to go and support them. It is unclear whether Farage and Trump met up during the 2024 RNC. In the run up to Trumps 2020 election, Farage was a regular at rallies: the former president also drew regularly comparisons between Brexit, which Farage had led, and his own election campaign. Russell Brand The comedian and actor Russell Brand was spotted outside the grounds of the RNC on Wednesday morning, after previously telling his sizeable internet following that he was traveling to Milwaukee to interview high profile figures at the convention. Brand reportedly did two stand-up comedy shows earlier in the week and published several videos throughout the week including a sit-down with Eric Trump, the formers presidents son, during which he discussed the assassination attempt on his father. Brand was previously interviewed by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, following multiple accusations of sexual assault that were leveled at him last September (screengrab) Brand has kept a low-profile in the UK ever since multiple allegations of sexual assault against him emerged last September. The actor was accused of rape and emotionally abusing four women between 2006 and 2013 at the height of his fame. Brand has vehemently denied all wrongdoing. Since then, his operations have gone largely online, with videos and livestreams on YouTube and Rumble. He also previously appeared in a sit down interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson a known friend and associate of Trump, in which he said it was very, very painful to be accused of the most appalling crimes. Carlson himself, who was fired abruptly from Fox in April 2023 following the settling of a major defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems, was pictured at the RNC on Wednesday evening. On Thursday, the final night of the Republican National Convention, former President Donald Trump played the hits, describing the criminal cases against him as witch hunts and complaining about crazy Nancy Pelosi and an invasion at the Southern border. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson used his platform at the convention on Tuesday to explain that he left the woke Democratic Party because, supposedly, it was never there for the American people and its loyalty is with the criminals, not with their victims. And on Monday, the first day of the convention, Trump didnt announce just anyone as his running mate. He named a particularly divisive figure: U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, an election denier who has echoed racist conspiracy theories. In the almost week since the assassination attempt on Trump, Republican leaders have rallied around a peculiar message: unity. But their rhetoric rings hollow. Party members have engaged in behavior undermining the contention that theres a desire for togetherness. These empty calls for comity also downplay the political violence and racial tensions that the former president and his allies have inflamed, and smother valid criticism of the party. Its like throwing salt into an open wound, Michelle Mardenborough, a Black civil rights activist from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the founder and executive director of 1 Vote Counts, told Capital B. How dare they? We havent forgotten Jan. 6. Nor will we ever forget. The situation has left some Black Americans wrestling with a profound sense of helplessness. Its like were going back to our ancestors days, Chicago resident Dorothy Holmes told Capital B. We dont know if things are gonna get better or if things are gonna get worse. But right now, its like things are getting worse. Read More: Police Shooting Near RNC Alarms Milwaukees Black Community Mere hours after the shooting, Vance, who in 2016 described Trump as cultural heroin, embraced the very kind of pugnacious messaging that his party supposedly wants to tamp down, and he pointed the finger at those opposed to Trumps antidemocratic impulses. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs, the senator insisted on X. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps attempted assassination. Its this disconnect between rhetoric and reality that makes Kristin Powell, the principal of the Black to the Future Action Fund, skeptical of Republican leaders appeals for consensus. Vance, whos out of my state of Ohio, is at the center of attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and policies that would benefit Black communities, she told Capital B. But you want unity? In June, Vance co-introduced the Dismantle DEI Act to eliminate federal DEI programs and cut off government funding for federal agencies, contractors, and other organizations that have DEI programs. It was just the latest legislative effort by GOP lawmakers since the U.S. Supreme Court eviscerated affirmative action in higher education last year to erode programs designed to address the countrys long and ongoing history of racial inequality. And at a campaign event in April 2022, Vance endorsed the great replacement theory, which claims that racial and ethnic minorities are intentionally seeking to replace white Americans. Its the same racist ideology that a gunman used the following month to defend the murders of 10 shoppers and store employees in a predominantly Black area of Buffalo, New York. Powell put it bluntly, asking, You expect Black Americans to see themselves in the Trump-Vance ticket? A shield for hypocrisy To many Black Americans, Republican leaders chatter about unity feels not simply disingenuous, but also insidious: It insulates the party from legitimate criticism. No one should have to dodge a bullet while theyre on a stage, Cornell William Brooks, the former president and CEO of the NAACP, told Capital B, and it shouldnt matter whether that person is a Democrat or a Republican or something else. But the rhetoric from GOP officials appears to be functioning as something like a smoke screen. How do you call for unity after an incident of political violence via gun violence without saying anything about rampant, daily gun violence? Brooks asked. Children in our schools dont have the benefit of Secret Service protection. Children in our streets dont have the benefit of Secret Service protection. This moment is being used as a shield for hypocrisy and its very dangerous. President Joe Biden has apologized for saying that its time to put Trump in a bullseye days before the shooting, and has urged Americans to cool it with some of the election rhetoric. But no current or former chief executive in our modern era has encouraged political violence like Trump has. He has warned that there will be a bloodbath if he loses the November race. Theres a difference, Brooks underscored. Theres a major difference. Read More: Kimberle Crenshaw: You Cant Outrun the Attack on Racial Equality And what about people who have been the targets of political violence but have never been greeted with an outpouring of support from the GOP? In 2022, testifying to the Jan. 6 committee, two Black former poll workers Shaye Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman described the terror they experienced after Rudy Giuliani, Trumps former lawyer, fabricated lies that the two women had engaged in voter fraud during the 2020 race for the White House. They were inundated with racist messages, including threats of lynching. I wont even introduce myself by my name anymore. I get nervous when I bump into someone I know in the grocery store who says my name, Freeman said. Ive lost my sense of security, all because a group of people starting with [Trump] and his ally Rudy Giuliani decided to scapegoat me and my daughter Shaye, to push their own lies about how the presidential election was stolen. Yet, there was only silence from the GOP. When a call for unity is partisan, racialized, and prioritizes presidents over poll workers, it delegitimizes all the institutions of our democracy, Brooks explained. It makes people feel as if they cant trust political parties. It makes people feel as if they cant trust the election process, because it seems as if some peoples lives matter and other peoples lives dont. Omar Wasow, an assistant professor of political science at the University of California, Berkeley, shared similar sentiments. Theres a deep hypocrisy in Republican leaders pleas for unity when much of the rhetoric on the right is one of excluding people of writing them out of the American story, he told Capital B. Across his career, Trump has regularly described Black Americans and other out-groups in dehumanizing terms. He infamously minimized the 2017 Unite the Right rally, where a white supremacist deliberately slammed his car into a crowd of counter-protesters and killed Heather Heyer, saying that there were very fine people on both sides. But a way forward exists. Calls for unity could be meaningful if they included a genuine commitment to reject violent rhetoric, Wasow argued. Consequently, it will be Trumps [and his allies] actions, not words, that demonstrate whether theres a sincere effort to find common ground. Until that time comes, Mardenborough, the Harrisburg organizer, is more determined than ever to fight for clarity and truth to encourage people to keep their eye on the ball in the aftermath of the shooting. Im sorry that this happened, especially in the great state of Pennsylvania. I dont take it lightly, she said, while adding that Trump isnt all of a sudden an injured saint. We cant fall for the okey-doke. We cant let the rhetoric distract us. We just cant. Staff writer Adam Mahoney contributed to this report. The post Why the GOPs Calls for Unity Feel Hollow to Many Black Americans appeared first on Capital B News. Why the interchange of I-70, I-25 in Denver is called the mousetrap DENVER (KDVR) Neither are among the most complained-about roads in the Denver metro area, but the area where Interstate 70 and Interstate 25 convene is talked about enough among Colorado drivers to have its own name. The area has a history of major incidents, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Why are streets in downtown Denver crooked? History can explain Its the busiest interchange in Colorado, serving hundreds of thousands of travelers daily, according to CDOT. Today, Coloradans often refer to it as the mousetrap. How the mousetrap got its name It started with an interchange that was built in 1951 at 46th Avenue and what would become I-25, according to CDOT. This embedded content is not available in your region. Crews were constructing I-70 in Colorado throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The first part of I-70 to be built in Denver was along the 46th Avenue route from Jackson Street to the junction of I-25. This stretch was constructed from 1961 to 1964, and modifying the interchange was part of that project. Knowing these Denver street name patterns may save you from getting lost In the late 1960s, an airborne traffic reporter called the interchange a mousetrap, describing it as a maze that could trap a mouse, according to CDOT. It was so called because it supposedly looked like a mousetrap from the air, and because it was infamous for trapping vehicles within its network of sharply curving ramps, the CDOT website states. The name stuck and incidents later on would solidify the mousetrap name. The mousetrap torpedo incident Early in the morning on Aug. 1, 1984, a truckload of torpedoes was dumped around the mousetrap. A Navy truck was traveling on I-25 when the driver exited the interstate, apparently driving at too high of a speed, according to CDOT. Why Market Street turns into Walnut Street in downtown Denver The truck crashed and the load ended up dumped under various mousetrap structures. According to a Los Angeles Times archive article, the truck was carrying six Navy torpedoes and slid over 100 feet down the exit ramp. The major interchange was closed for several miles in all directions, for several hours including the rush hour period, according to CDOT. According to the L.A. Times article, it was several hours before the torpedoes were removed. No one was injured, but dozens of people were evacuated. CDOT said the incident garnered worldwide publicity and prompted a realization that the mousetrap could not handle the estimated 300,000 vehicles that traveled through each day. History of the Eisenhower Tunnel: How Colorado built a road under a mountain After that, CDOT made plans to reconstruct the mousetrap as well as the part of I-25 that had opened to traffic in 1951. In 1987, the 44th Avenue bridge over I-25 was replaced, and I-25 was widened. Crews began construction on new I-70 bridges over I-25 in 1989, and the project was completed with a ribbon cutting at the end of 1991. 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. Why is the internet down worldwide? Everything you need to know Microsoft outage: Click here for the latest as internet fails worldwide A massive IT outage has knocked out Windows computers around the world, taking websites, airports and banks offline as engineers scramble to reboot their systems. The problem began early on Friday morning (UK time) as workers found their PCs crashing, showing the so-called blue screen of death and entering recovery mode. While companies across the globe struggle to get online, here is what we know so far about the problem. What has happened and why is Windows down? Hundreds of thousands of computers around the world have suddenly shut down, impacting businesses, transport links and TV broadcasts globally. A software problem with a piece of cyber security technology, called CrowdStrike, appears to be to blame. The specific piece of technology, CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor, is used to protect against hacking threats, but engineers were quick to blame a problem with the system for causing the massive outage. The issue mostly seems to be impacting PCs running on Microsofts Windows 10 software. Travellers at Stansted and airports around the world face long delays and cancellations - Bav Media Who has been affected? An awful lot of people. While we still do not know the full impact of the bug, so far this morning we have seen TV stations, transport links and banks complaining of problems. Sky News was forced to pull its morning breakfast show and replace it with pre-recorded footage. Ryanair has warned on its website to expect major delays at airports around the world. Images on social media showed computers across airports and transport hubs showing the notorious blue screen of death. Users also reported being stuck on airplanes on the runway. The Gatwick Express warned commuters to expect short-notice cancellations across the train network. Shoppers in Australia faced the 'blue screen of death' - AAP/REUTERS Is it a cyber attack? So far, all indications point to a software problem with CrowdStrike, but we know little about its root cause. The technology is designed to protect computers against cyber incidents. As of 8am, CrowdStrike had issued no public update on the origin of the problem. However, on a Reddit forum used by CrowdStrike engineers and cyber experts, users pointed to an update to customers which said: CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor. Symptoms include hosts experiencing a bugcheck\blue screen error related to the Falcon Sensor. What is CrowdStrike and who owns it? CrowdStrike is one of the worlds largest cyber security technology companies valued at over $80bn whose tools are used by businesses around the planet. Its typical technology is known as endpoint detection and response a type of antivirus used to deal with hacking threats. These products are updated regularly to deal with potential new cyber treats and often automatically add new tools to your PC. Troy Hunt, a cyber security expert, added in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that CrowdStrikes tools often have privileged access on PCs, meaning they have broad control over the machines to try to remove threats. However, he added that also means that if something goes wrong with an update, its able to catastrophically nuke your machine. CrowdStrike is publicly listed in New York and owned by technology investors and major funds such as Blackrock. Are the trains running today? Network Rail has warned commuters to expect long delays and cancellations across the rail network as train companies grapple with the impact of todays IT crash. In a post on National Rails website, it warned of a network wide IT issue affecting a number of train operators services this morning. Avanti West Coast, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Great Western Railway, Hull Trains, London Northwestern, Lumo, Northern, Southern, Thameslink, TransPennine and West Midlands were all affected. We are currently experiencing widespread IT issues across our entire network. Our IT teams are actively investigating to determine the root cause of the problem. We are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice cancellations, Thameslink (@TLRailUK) July 19, 2024 There are currently widespread IT issues across the entire network, National Rail said. IT teams are investigating to determine the root cause of the problem. As a result, some train operators are unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, leading to potential short-notice train cancellations. Additional, other key systems including real-time customer information platforms, are also affected. Why was Sky News down? This morning, Sky News viewers might have been expecting the mornings breakfast show. Sky News was unable to broadcast live this morning However, when people tuned in this morning, the typical broadcast was replaced with the error message: We apologise for the interruption to this broadcast. We hope to restore the transmission of Sky News shortly. Presenter Jacquie Beltrao said on Twitter: Were obviously not on air were trying. Skys typical broadcast was replaced by a string of archive videos and pre-recorded news reports. The issue also hit other broadcasters around the world, including Skys international divisions, as well as ABC. 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. Vice President Kamala Harris campaigning in North Carolina. Anadolu via Getty Images To some, it might seem like the moment Vice President Kamala Harris most fervent supporters have long hoped for. Since President Joe Bidens poor performance at the presidential debate earlier this month, a range of voices have come out of the woodwork to insist that Harris should step in for Biden as the partys nominee. As a 2024 DNC delegate, Clinton campaign alumnus and center-left Democrat who would like to see Harris as our first female president I hope she isnt put in that position. Biden has had a historic first term in office, and there are major strategic and structural drawbacks to replacing our democratically selected nominee. More centrally, however, the base of the Democratic Party doesnt trust the broader Biden coalition to support Harris should she become the nominee. Weve watched how the Never Trumpers, purity-politics progressives and media members most vocally calling for this swap have dismissed and disrespected Harris since the 2020 primaries. Before reality set in that the only realistic replacement for Biden would in fact be his vice president, those envisioning a substitute for Biden made clear their intentions to skip over her. Suddenly, those who have ignored and downplayed both Harris historical significance and her real-world impact for four years find it convenient to sing her praises as a mechanism to undermine Biden. They even accuse Harris supporters who are still fully behind Biden remaining as the nominee of being delusional or gaslighters. While Id gladly support either candidate as nominee, we so-called establishment Democrats the core of the party have lived through the racist backlash to President Barack Obama that paved the way for the MAGA movement. We saw firsthand how Bernie bros and the male-dominated media treated the eminently qualified and uniquely prepared Hilary Clinton in 2016. Just months ago we fought back against ludicrous calls from the Never Trump commentary class calling on Biden to replace Harris as his running mate. Ironically, while we get criticized as out of touch for refusing calls for Biden to step aside, in many ways we are the only ones being realistic about the racism and sexism a candidate like Vice President Harris would be up against were she our nominee. After all, against the threat of Trumpism, that was in large part why Biden was such an appealing nominee in 2020. He was viable and practical. During the 2020 primaries, progressives smeared Harris as Kamala the cop, often circulating distorted criticisms of her time as a district attorney. And in 2016, up to 12% of Bernie Sanders primary voters voted for Donald Trump. For those of us who feel at least some part of this was rooted in sexism why wouldnt we expect those voters to treat Harris the same as Clinton? Rightly or wrongly, mainstream Democrats like me assign a healthy chunk of blame for Trumps initial rise to power to our corporate media. Legacy media has repeatedly engaged in blatantly racist and sexist coverage of Harris. Many of those same media voices now insist Harris is the only path forward for Democrats. Having witnessed how the beltway press has dissected Harris, down to coverage of her headphones, youd forgive Harris supporters for being skeptical that these same media figures would give the first Black woman nominee for president a fair shake over the next 4 months. Earlier this year, Bill Kristol, editor of the Never Trump conservative publication The Bulwark, tweeted that VP Harris isnt ready to serve should Biden need to be replaced. Now he tweets out fantastical op-eds about what exactly Biden should say as he announces Harris is taking his spot. In an interview with The Young Turks, former Republican Rep. Joe Walsh also called on Biden to step down and hand it to Kamala Harris. Walsh, 62, who once pushed Trumps racist birther lie and was fired from his radio hosting job for using racial slurs on air, has also now built a prominent following as a Never Trump Republican. Republicans like Kristol and Walsh already took this long to realize the bigotry rife within the GOP a party they helped build and now we are supposed to rely on fickle friends like them to rally behind the first Black woman nominee? The women and people of color who, in large part, form the Democratic Partys base also know exactly what is at stake for people like us this election. The reluctance to endorse the idea of Harris replacing Biden is not a sign of delusion but a reflection of hard-earned political wisdom. We have a keen understanding that racism and sexism are alive and well in America today. Harris, despite her many strengths, would face the same entrenched biases and opposition that have plagued her vice presidency. This is why her most loyal supporters understand that she is more likely to be elected president in the future if the Biden-Harris ticket wins this November. Related... Why have so many stores given up on checks? A customer exits from a Target store on May 18, 2022 in Miami. The retailer stopped accepting checks on July 15, 2024. Expect more retailers to follow. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Can you still use a check to make purchases? In increasing numbers of stores across the U.S., the answer is no. The large retailer Target stopped accepting checks on July 15, 2024. It follows decisions a decade earlier by supermarket chains Whole Foods and Aldi to no longer accept this form of payment. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Target said it was phasing out checks because not many customers use them. Its a fair point: Check usage has fallen dramatically around the world in recent decades. However, as a business school professor who studies how people pay for goods and services, I wonder if Target might have another, unspoken motivation. After all, customers started the switch away from checks years ago. Whats new today is a rise in check fraud. A brief history of checking Checks have been around a long time centuries, in fact. Paper checks are simply directions telling banks how much money to move from one account to another. Today, these directions take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to be carried out. Thats why stores prefer customers pay with debit cards, which act like checks but remove money from an account immediately. Checks were a huge part of the U.S. economy only a few decades ago. The Federal Reserve, the U.S.s central bank, processed 17 billion checks a year back in 2000, compared with 3 billion today. While the Fed doesnt process every check for example, checks written between accounts at the same bank dont go through the Fed system the numbers offer a sense of the overall decline. In 2000, the average American wrote roughly 60 checks cleared by the Fed each year, compared with about nine today. Source: Authors calculations based on Federal Reserve data. Get the data. Created with Datawrapper Until 20 years ago, all checks had to be physically returned to the person writing the check after they were processed so that the writer could make sure the amount they wrote the check for matched what was deducted from their account. Years ago, I paid all my bills by check, and each month, my bank would send a fat envelope which I never opened containing my canceled checks. To physically return all the checks, the government maintained a special fleet of planes that each night flew canceled checks around the country. Then in 2004, a new law allowed banks to send customers pictures of their checks, which eliminated the need to fly them. Who still writes checks in 2024? While the Fed may be processing 80% fewer checks than it was in the early 2000s, its data shows the average person is still writing at least nine checks a year. So who is writing all those checks? The answer includes many people who deny ever writing checks. Let me explain. Many people now use their banks online bill payment service. While many of these payments are done electronically, payments to smaller businesses and individuals are done by the bank writing a check on your behalf. Plus, there are still people who write out checks to landlords, contractors, charities and government agencies. Many people still give checks at weddings, births and other special occasions. Last, many businesses still write checks to other businesses when paying their bills. Why stores dont want checks Given that checks are still being used albeit less often than before why are businesses like Target, Whole Foods and Aldi refusing them? I think an important part of the story is that check fraud is becoming rampant in the U.S. The U.S. Treasury has a dedicated department that fights monetary crimes, called the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCen for short. FinCen gets Suspicious Activity Reports from banks about activities from money laundering to loan fraud. FinCen reports that the number of check fraud cases has exploded since 2020, nearly doubling from 2021 to 2022. One of the biggest places where this fraud occurs are checks written at the cash register. As the Atlanta Fed points out, Anyone with graphics software and a high-quality printer can readily turn out counterfeit checks. Merchants are hit with a double whammy when check fraud occurs. First, they lose the merchandise, which cannot be sold to a legitimate customer. Then, unlike shoplifting, the store is faced with more financial pain because most banks charge both the merchant and the check writer when a counterfeit check is presented. Both sides are charged because the Federal Reserve charges high fees for returning uncollectable checks. Targets most recent annual report mentioned a problem with theft, saying, We continue to experience higher inventory shrink, as a percentage of sales, relative to historical levels. Translated into plain language, this means people are stealing more from Target than they have in the past. The increase in check fraud means Targets recent announcement will likely be repeated soon by other chains. I expect in the future only stores like Costco, which photograph every member and has every customers address on file, will allow checks. Since retailers often raise prices when check fraud happens to cover the losses, curbing check fraud lowers prices and is in the interest of every honest consumer. And for those stores worried about increasing check, debit and credit card fraud, there is a simple answer: Encourage your customers to use cash. Paper money is safe and secure, and once handed over, any retailer knows the transaction is paid. Going old-school with paper money has real benefits. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX If you've tried to order Starbucks through your app today and run into problems, it's not just you. MassLive reports that the mobile ordering feature on the phone app isn't working for all locations. We tested the issue for ourselves and have confirmed -- the app displays an error, stating, "We're sorry for the inconvenience. Mobile ordering is currently unavailable. Please visit one of our stores and place your order with a barista." But the issue goes beyond just Starbucks, and it's not just localized to the United States. Business Insider reports that some McDonald's locations in Japan have temporarily closed due to the inability to run their cash registers and Australian grocery store chain Woolworths has also been affected, effectively shutting down almost all of its locations. The scope of these IT-related outages is large, and the crisis even spans sectors such as the airline industry, hospitals, banks, and more. This widespread disruption boils down to one particular software problem. CrowdStrike, an American cybersecurity technology firm, says the mass outages are related to a software issue caused by an update the company recently released. The malfunction only affects machines running Windows; no Linux or Mac devices have been disrupted. Read more: Kopi Luwak Is A Very Expensive Cup Of Poop Coffee Fixes Are Currently Being Deployed Starbucks iced coffee - Dontree_M/Shutterstock CrowdStrike's CEO, George Kurtz, posted to X this morning stating that the problem has been identified and fixes are on the way. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We... George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024 However, a timeframe to resolve the issue was not announced. The problem is so widespread that government agencies such as the Department of Justice and local state police have been affected. Hackers are already trying to take advantage of the issue by sending out emails with malware attached posing as fake software patches for the CrowdStrike issue. Getting coffee is one thing, but flights and elective surgeries being canceled are another. If you're that desperate to perk up your day with some caffeine, your best bet is to head to a shop with cash in hand today, since there's no telling when this issue will be fixed. And make sure to be extra-nice to your barista or fast food worker; they're probably pretty frazzled. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout. Republicans are barely mentioning abortion at their national convention but among South Carolina delegates, it remains a volatile issue. The party platform says abortion is a matter for states to decide, and the delegates McClatchy reporters have spoken with this week agree with that position. This is the proper approach, said Julie Baker, a cybersecurity expert from Clemson. But delegates also report hearing from being back home that the platform wasnt tough enough. South Carolina state Rep. John McCravy, R-Greenwood, for example, said the platform failed to mention that life begins at conception, among a few other things, which was disappointing for him and others. I was midly disappointed in it. Certainly, I think that the platform was more of a campaign statement than it was a serious philosophical debate product ... like it has been in the past. Certainly I think it could have been stronger on life, McCravy said. My perception is that the platform is meant to address what the nation is feeling, said Becky McLaughlin, a Spartanburg retiree. Let our South Carolina legislature hash it out. We are Southerners. Thats the way it should be, said Mary Ann Taylor, a retired teacher from Charleston. Rep. McCravy was a stark defender for anti-abortion legislation, and the fetal heartbeat act which passed in South Carolina nearly a year ago. He is known for his views on defending life and has repeatedly said he would pass a complete abortion ban if South Carolina could rally the support. A majority of the South Carolina House and Senate supported the fetal heartbeat bill and is overwhelmingly Republican in both chambers. Three Republican women who opposed the states abortion ban were ousted in June primaries. The party platform is in line with presidential nominee Donald Trumps wishes, and few of the speeches this week talk about the issue. While fierce opposition to abortion has been rhetorical and policy staple of GOP conventions since 1980 this year speakers barely mention it. The state delegation, though, heard about the topic Thursday at a breakfast. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., talked at some length about abortion, notably how hes trying to stop wide distribution of the abortion pill. He told McClatchy later that the abortion pill will destroy every pro-life law in the country. Last month the Supreme Court rejected a bit to restrict the use of the abortion drug mifepristone, a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration. We cant have the FDA negate state laws whether you agree with abortion or not you dont want the FDA to override state law, Graham said. Cindy Costa, committeewoman of the South Carolina Republican Party, said she doesnt feel that Republicans have been conflicted about their abortion stance. McCravy was not only disappointed in the platforms stance on abortion, but he also that marriage should be between a man and a woman, he said. The party abandoned its long standing ideal surrounding same-sex marriage in the platform. McCravy said he think sthe platform was engineered by some mid-level delegates, that replaced some old delegates with new ones. Donald Trump is nothing if hes not a pragmatist, and he sees this as the way, his people see this as a way to pragmatically get elected, McCravy said. Those people who are on the fence those those independents, those suburban women, and they want this platform to appeal to them. So I think its, I think its a strategy. Obviously, its a political strategy. Republicans cut the party platform from a 66-page document to 16-pages. In a memo, Trumps campaign managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles sent a memo calling for the party to keep the platform short so that its material couldnt be used as a weapon by Democrats. Vicki Ringer, director of public affairs at Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, said their platform is a piece of paper. The lack of attention on abortion is proof that the party knows its a loosing issue, Ringer said. However, Project 2025 makes very clear that the push will be for national abortion ban, Ringer said. Make no mistake, that banning abortion nationally, is the goal and aim of the entire Republican Party. And if its not, any candidate, any elected who steps out of line on that, will quickly be defeated, as weve seen right here in South Carolina. Ringer said the drawback on abortion is coming from Trump, because first they have to win. She said its a strategy, that they cant talk about banning it now, win first and then talk about it, Ringer said is their strategy. Its a lot of smoke and mirrors, and its a lot of deception. But I think voters will largely see through that, Ringer said. They may hide their abortion status or opinions online and in their speeches and answers to reporters in order to soften the blow and be more appealing to a cross section of voters, but once theyre elected theyre all in on taking away those basic fundamental rights to make your own medical decisions. Cindy Costa, South Carolina Republican national committeewoman, said the abortion was taken out of the platform to soften the edges for people that feel like thats just a bridge too far. That will help them to come over and be with us, Costa said. Its all about that calculation to try and win as many hearts and minds so that you can have the opportunity to lead. You cant lead if you dont win. But make no mistake, she said: I think were a solidly pro-life party. Danielle Battaglia of the (Raleigh) News & Observer Washington Bureau contributed WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) A New York man will have to pay back a Wichita woman after investigators say he scammed her out of $110,000 in a romance scam. The Sedgwick County District Attorneys office says someone claiming to be Victor contacted the 78-year-old Wichita widow on social media in 2020. Victor convinced the woman he needed money to resolve some financial problems so they could eventually be together. The woman sent the man a check for $110,000. The DAs office says the check actually went to 35-year-old Jango Touray of New York City. A financial crimes investigator froze multiple financial accounts connected to Touray. District Attorney Marc Bennett says Touray pleaded guilty earlier this year to the mistreatment of an elder person. Outage impacts Kansas tag offices including Sedgwick County Judge Jeffrey Syrios sentenced Touray to three years probation and ordered him to pay back all the money. So far, the victim has received $38,000. The rest will be paid in payments over the next three years. If Touray fails to pay the rest back, he could serve a 34-month prison sentence. The District Attorneys office warns people to be suspicious of requests for money from people they meet online. Elderly residents who live alone can be especially vulnerable to sophisticated romance scammers that use the internet to find, befriend and defraud their victims, the DAs office 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 KSN-TV. MILWAUKEE When Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, returned to Washington, D.C., following President Joe Biden's universally panned June debate performance, he had "never seen Democrats so despondent." It was to such a degree that LaHood, recollecting to Illinois delegates gathered in Milwaukee on Thursday at the Republican National Convention, said he "thought about hugging one (a Democrat)" before thinking better of it. "But it's nice for a change that the table has been flipped," LaHood said. "And make no mistake about it: Democrats are in a freefall right now in terms of where they're at with the party." It was a view widely shared by Illinois Republicans on the final day of their quadrennial presidential nominating convention. There has been a remarkable level of unity on display as Republicans rallied around former President Donald Trump, who was nominated this week as the party's presidential candidate for a third consecutive election cycle. By contrast, uncertainty remains around Biden's status as the Democratic Party's standard bearer, with just under a month until the party's nominating convention in Chicago. According to multiple news reports, Biden has been urged by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies to drop his bid for reelection amid concerns about his mental and physical abilities. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also ratcheted up pressure on the 81-year-old to consider stepping aside amid polling showing the president behind Trump and dragging Democrats further down the ballot. The Democrats' disarray was the topic for much fodder among Illinois Republicans Thursday morning. Bernie Moreno, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Ohio and guest speaker at the Illinois delegation breakfast, characterized Democrats as in a "full-blown civil war." "We don't even know who President Trump and J.D. Vance are gonna run against," Moreno said, referencing the Democrats' dilemma. "We have no idea." "It could be your governor," Moreno added, a reference to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker that earned him loud groans and a collective "no" from the room. Moreno quipped that he did not want to "ruin" their day, but "figured you were strong enough to hear that kind of news because you have Tammy Duckworth as your senator, drawing laughs. Pritzker, though one of the Biden campaign's top surrogates, is believed to harbor presidential ambitions of his own. And he was included on various shortlists as a candidate who could replace Biden at the top of the ticket or run with Vice President Kamala Harris should she take Biden's place. Pritzker, responding to a question at an unrelated event in Decatur on Thursday, offered tepid support for Biden, saying that he is "supporting the nominee of the Democratic Party. That right now is our president, Joe Biden." He's apparently going to be our nominee he's chosen to be our nominee," Pritzker said. "And so, we've got to win, because the alternative is unacceptable for the country and for the future of our nation." Pritzker added that the country could be "forever" altered if Trump returns to power. LaHood, when asked by reporters, dismissed Pritzker's prospects as a replacement candidate for Biden, saying that if the governor "didn't have a billion dollars, he wouldn't be in office right now." The remark drew cheers from a couple of Republicans watching the group, including outgoing Republican National Committeeman Richard Porter, who is among those being talked about as a 2026 candidate for governor. Pritzker spokesperson Christina Amestoy, in a statement responding to LaHood's comment, said that "(former Gov.) Bruce Rauner proved that money, or an endorsement from Rep. LaHood, is not what wins elections in Illinois. Its a record of delivering for working families and getting the state back on track." Describing this week, Porter said "there's a lot of unity that hasn't been there in a long time." "Everybody checked other options, they kicked the tires and they bought this car," Porter said regarding Trump. "And everybody's excited to have this car. And so I think that's pulled everybody together." LaHood, in an interview with Lee Enterprises earlier this week and repeated in public comments Thursday, called this year's convention "electric." He attributed enthusiasm to "two fundamental things ... that changed the landscape" of the presidential race in the past two weeks: Biden's debate performance and the assassination attempt against Trump. "One-hundred years from now, that picture of President Trump saying 'fight, fight, fight' with blood dripping down his ear will be in our history books," LaHood said. "And his courage, his leadership, his resiliency, his perseverance has helped this convention with the unity aspect of that." "I've never seen so much unity, so much optimism, so much energy in our Republican Party," LaHood later added. "It is palpable every single day." LaHood credited Trump for being much more "focused" and "disciplined" during this campaign, from debate prep to his pick of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate, and with the convention largely being a seamless enterprise. Susan Sweeney, a delegate from the Ninth Congressional District in the northern suburbs of Chicago, said the assassination attempt had a real unifying impact on the race. Sweeney and alternate delegate Robin Hans all week sported matching top hats featuring pictures of Trump and Illinois' favorite son Abraham Lincoln. Some Republican delegates went further by bandaging their right ears in solidarity with Trump following the assassination attempt. Sweeney said the incident, along with other stories shared at the convention, have made people view the former president through a different lens. "I think Donald Trump has been very humanized through this convention," Sweeney said. "People have gotten to know who he is and what he stands for even more than they ever knew him before. And I would venture to guess that many people that are independents and Democrats will have a different, deeper perspective of the man that Donald Trump really is." Susan Sweeney, a Trump delegate from the Chicago suburbs, wearing a top hat in a nod to Illinois favorite son Abraham Lincoln and featuring Trump. #twill pic.twitter.com/4lrPBuALQz Brenden Moore (@brendenmoore13) July 17, 2024 The unity around Trump has largely papered over intraparty divisions that have hampered the state party in recent years. "There's a lot of people in this room that don't like each other," said Illinois delegate Aaron Del Mar, one of the candidates for party chair before bowing out at the 11th hour last week. "I'm telling you that for sure. But we right now are not fighting or arguing with each other." Whether that unity translates to electoral success is another question. Trump remains unpopular in Illinois and is not likely to win here, even though state Republicans remain bullish on his prospects to win the presidency. But some believe the enthusiasm gap between Republicans and Democrats will lead to wins down the ballot. "When their own candidates are saying that (Biden's) gotta go, you know what that tells you? They're looking at the math," Del Mar said. "They're seeing the same polling and swing districts we are. Not that it's bringing out Republican voters, but it's suppressing soft Democrats and independents in the areas that they need to be able to win those districts." "Republicans, like us, don't like us, we're coming to vote," Del Mar added. "That's happening." It may not be enough to "make Illinois red again," as incoming Illinois Republican Party Chair Kathy Salvi promised earlier this week. But Illinois Republicans are leaving Milwaukee energized. Or as Porter put it, with sense of "inevitability" and "mission." "Remember one thing: A party's got to be a party," Porter told delegates. "If it's not fun, nobody wants to do it. And we've had a lot of fun this week. And we have a lot of fun when we stick ourselves together." A faulty software update caused technological havoc worldwide on Friday, grounding flights, knocking down some financial companies and news outlets, and disrupting hospitals, small businesses and government offices. It all started around 3 a.m. Friday. The CEO of the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said the issue happened when it deployed a faulty update to computers running Microsoft Windows, adding it was not a cyberattack. READ MORE: CrowdStrike, Microsoft outage: Flights grounded, business stopped globally But the issue forced American Airlines, Delta, and United some of the largest airlines in the county to issue ground stops. It turned airports like the Charlotte Douglas International Airport into travel nightmares. After announcing around 10 a.m. the outages had been fixed, the airport said passengers should still expect cancellations and delays to continue throughout the day. Waited in that line for two hours and 15 minutes to talk to somebody, just to get to there and tell us it was canceled anyway, said passenger Emily Vogel. There are no other flights out today. Around noon, Channel 9s Almiya White could see the TSA line was still extremely long. By 4 p.m., the Charlotte airport had more than 680 delays and 160 canceled flights, according to FlightAware. They encouraged passengers to contact their airlines directly for the latest flight information. BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers checking their phones at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Flight billboards at check-in desks display BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers queue at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers sitting waiting with piles of luggage at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers queue at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers sitting waiting at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers seated at Suvarnabhumi Airport with piles of luggage as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Grounded airplanes at Suvarnabhumi airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users on on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images) BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Grounded airplanes at Suvarnabhumi airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users on on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images) BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Passengers queue at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images) BANGKOK, THAILAND - JULY 19: Crowds are seen building up at Suvarnabhumi Airport as a global IT disruption caused by a Microsoft outage and a Crowdstrike IT problem combine to affect users on July 19, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. A significant Microsoft outage impacted users globally, leading to widespread disruptions, including cancelled flights and disruptions at retailers globally. Airlines like American Airlines and Southwest Airlines reported difficulties with their systems, which rely on Microsoft services for operations. The outage affected check-in processes and other essential functions, causing frustration among travellers and lines to back up at many affected airports worldwide. (Photo by Mailee Osten-Tan/Getty Images) Passengers crowd the International flights departure terminal of Rome's Fiumicino airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, as many flights have been delayed or cancelled due to the worldwide internet outage. Microsoft says users worldwide may be unable to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services in a widespread outage. The cause, exact nature and scale of the outage was unclear. Microsoft appeared to suggest in its X posts that the situation was improving, but hours later, widespread outages were being reported by airlines around the world. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Travelers wait in Terminal 1 for check-in at Hamburg Airport, in Hamburg, Germany, Friday July 19, 2024 as a widespread Microsoft outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world on Friday. (Bodo Marks/dpa via AP) George Kurtz, co-founder and chief executive officer of Crowdstrike Inc., speaks during the Montgomery Summit in Santa Monica, California, U.S., on Wednesday, March 8, 2017. The summit gathers entrepreneurs, investors, and leading executives to discuss the most important innovations in business and technology. Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Passengers crowd the International flights departure terminal of Rome's Fiumicino airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, as many flights have been delayed or cancelled due to the worldwide internet outage. Microsoft says users worldwide may be unable to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services in a widespread outage. The cause, exact nature and scale of the outage was unclear. Microsoft appeared to suggest in its X posts that the situation was improving, but hours later, widespread outages were being reported by airlines around the world. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Passengers gather near check-in counters at Narita International Airport in Narita, east of Tokyo Friday, July 19, 2024, after a technology outage. A widespread Microsoft outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world on Friday. (Kyodo News via AP) Passengers crowd the International flights departure terminal of Rome's Fiumicino airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, as many flights have been delayed or cancelled due to the worldwide internet outage. Microsoft says users worldwide may be unable to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services in a widespread outage. The cause, exact nature and scale of the outage was unclear. Microsoft appeared to suggest in its X posts that the situation was improving, but hours later, widespread outages were being reported by airlines around the world. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff Photo from: Xavier Hershovitz/Staff A traveler at Los Angeles International Airport sits in a jetway for a delayed United Airlines flight to Dulles International Airport due to a widespread global technology outage disrupting flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Stefanie Dazio) Passengers walk at Victoria train station, in London, amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks, Friday July 19, 2024. (Aaron Chown/PA via AP) This shows a general view of a Great Northern railway train at Hunt's Cross station in Liverpool, England amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks, Friday, July 19, 2024. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP) Commuter disembark a Great Northern railway train at Hunt's Cross station in Liverpool, England, amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks, Friday, July 19, 2024. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP) Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport sleep in a jetway for a delayed United Airlines flight to Dulles International Airport due to a widespread global outage early Friday, July 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Stefanie Dazio) By 5 p.m., the lines were much shorter, but passengers said the airport had been chaos all day. Many said they had exciting plans to look forward to. I was going to be meeting my husbands family for the first time, Vogel said. Were just going to visit her grandparents in New Jersey for a week, Stephanie Olberding said. American Airlines runs 6,700 flights every day, 700 of which come through Charlotte. CrowdStrike: What is it, what happened? Earlier this morning, a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American, they said in a statement. As of 5 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience. A third-party software outage is impacting computer systems worldwide, including at United, said United Airlines in a statement. While we work to restore those systems, we are holding all aircraft at their departure airports. Flights already airborne are continuing to their destinations. Some passengers decided to wait out the disturbance and opted into handwritten boarding passes. We had to stand in a long line to get a handwritten ticket, said Roy and Shanta Spratlan. I was overwhelmed. Just look at that crowd. Just to see everyone waiting in line it was overwhelming. The outage also impacted the computer systems of restaurants inside of the airport. None of the restaurants were taking credit or debit cards. It was cash only. So its been a little chaotic, Olberding said. As passengers try to rebook their flights, some arent confident theyll be able to get a flight this weekend. At one point Friday morning, the airport even told travelers not to even show up unless they had confirmed with their airline that their flight was on schedule. More local impacts The North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles, which includes drivers license offices and license plate agencies, was also affected. The NCDMV said it will reach out to customers individually to reschedule their appointments. According to the agency, the outage also affected some myNCDMV.gov online services. The Charlotte Area Transit System also announced that its website has been impacted by the outage. CATS said while their website is not currently accessible, they are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. The CATS website (https://t.co/0E8HTNRoyY) is impacted by a nationwide outage. At this time our website is not accessible. We are aware of the issue and working to resolve it as quickly as possible. For immediate needs please refer to the CATS-Pass App or call customer pic.twitter.com/FiJzJPVze7 Charlotte Area Transit System (@CATSRideTransit) July 19, 2024 By 1:45 p.m., CATS said it was fixed. The City of Charlottes website was also down. The North Carolina Department of Transportation said it could not assist customers due to the outage. They said their website was also affected. DMV and NCDOT services were back back the evening. The Charlotte Department of Transportation said their web-based systems are also being impacted, but 311 is not. This is a developing story; check wsoctv.com for updates. The Associated Press contributed to this report. VIDEO: Makeover mayhem: Will construction at Charlotte airport ever end? WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) A judge certified drug and gun charges against a Williamsburg vape shop owner to a grand jury Thursday. That development in the case came almost four months after police raided the home and businesses belonging to Islam Sbaih. It was part of an extensive investigation into the sale of illegal marijuana products and sale of nicotine products to minors. Islam Sbaih (Photo courtesy: Williamsburg Police Dept.) Sbaih, who ran Paradise Tobacco & Vape at 1457 Richmond Rd and Alpha Smoke Shop at 226 Monticello Ave, is facing charges of possession of a gun with narcotics, distribution of schedule 1 or 2 drugs, distribution of marijuana and displaying a firearm while selling 1 lb. of marijuana. He appeared in the courtroom for the preliminary hearing with an interpreter translating the proceedings. Hes being represented by former State Senate Majority/Minority leader Tommy Norment, who advocated for a level of marijuana decriminalization while in office. The investigation Court documents show that Williamsburg police began investigating area tobacco stores in July of 2023, after they received complaints that minors were being sold nicotine products, and they found evidence that illegal marijuana products were being sold. According to a sworn police statement, every store they investigated, which included Alpha and Paradise, was found to be out of compliance. In October of 2023, Williamsburg Police were contacted by an investigator with the Henrico County Police Department who had connected a string of drug incidents in his area to Alpha Smoke Shop. [The investigator] advised that a person had purchased behind the counter edible products and later provided them to a younger sibling who shared them with friends, the statement reads. As a result, four juveniles overdosed on the edible products. Law enforcement agencies, including WPD, would continue to investigate the stores for several months, finding that they were selling illegal marijuana products on multiple occasions. A search warrant affidavit related to the investigation notes that an employee of Alpha previously warned an undercover law enforcement officer of the strength and intoxicating effects of marijuana edible products. In late March, they raided the two stores as well as Sbaihs home. Court documents show what they recovered. From Alpha: 124 bottles of Tianeptine (AKA gas station heroin), one pound of marijuana, 15.84 grams of pure THC and two suspected psilocybin chocolate bars. From Paradise: 169 bottles of Tianeptine, 4 ounces of pure THC, 2.5 ounces of marijuana and about 30 9mm and 5.56 rounds. From Sbaihs home in James City County: 89 suspected psilocybin bars, 8.6 ounces of pure THC, 1.26 lbs of marijuana, three rifles, a shotgun, three handguns and $20,000 in cash. Photo courtesy: Williamsburg Police Dept. During the preliminary hearing, Norment sought to remove the guns from the legal equation, confirming that the officer who executed the search warrant, who took the stand, was aware that Sbaihs brother-in-law potentially owned some of the firearms that were stored in his house. He also confirmed that Sbaih told officers he didnt know the combination to the safe in his home, which police eventually broke open, but his wife did. Norment also asked the investigating officer on the stand if he took a quantum leap in connecting the guns they found, which werent at either of the stores, to the distribution of drugs. A possible history of violence During the investigation, police interviewed a contractor who had done work on Sbaihs house and said hed had to stop after receiving deadly threats. He told police Sbaih had asked him to construct a small concrete compartment in his floor to store guns. [The contractor] advised Sbaih told [him] he had killed people in other countries including Mexico; that Sbaih had previously hired a corrupt Mexican police officer to kill a man who had failed to get him his drug supply; that Sbaih knew where [he] and his children lived and that Hed f him up, according to the sworn police statement. The next step in this case is for the grand jury to decide whether or not to send the charges against Sbaih to Circuit Court. WAVY will keep you updated. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) A proposed plan by Williamson County to connect two nearby trail systems through the Vista Oaks neighborhood is causing some neighbors to voice their opinions about the plan. The county held one of three listening sessions on Thursday evening in the neighborhood to talk to neighbors face-to-face about the plans. There are some that are not excited about it, simply because they feel like it would increase added traffic to the neighborhood, Williamson County Parks Director Russell Fishbeck said. There is already an existing trail that cuts through the neighborhood. The county hopes it can use that and upgrade it. A map shows where the proposed trail would cut through the Vista Oaks neighborhood. (Courtesy: Williamson County) We would be looking for a 20-foot easement and construct a 10-foot wide concrete trail on it, added Fishbeck. The roughly two-mile trail would connect Southwest Williamson County Regional Park in Leander to the Brushy Creek Regional Trail in Round Rock. KXAN tried to talk to more than a dozen residents during Thursdays listening session, but none of them wanted to comment on the record. Fishbeck said connecting the trails has always been a long-term goal of the county. The project would be made possible by voter-approved bonds in 2019 and 2023, added Fishbeck. If approved by the homeowners association, the county said construction would begin in about 10 months. It would take another six to eight to finish. Whenever we do any kind of surveys with local communities, or citizens, trails are one of the high-priority requests, said Fishbeck. This falls in line with what residents like and enjoy as well. The county remains hopeful the plan will go ahead. It hopes to address any concerns now rather than later. The next listening sessions are planned as follows: Saturday, July 20, from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, July 23, from 6-8 p.m. Williamson County has a Q&A about the proposed plan available online. KXAN will continue to follow the story and let you know what the HOA ultimately decides. 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. Street vendors gather on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in December 2022 to demonstrate against a Los Angeles city ordinance that created no-vending zones in the city. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times) The city of Los Angeles has settled a lawsuit brought on behalf of street vendors by agreeing to repeal bans on vending near schools and farmers markets and canceling citations issued to vendors for selling in restricted areas, attorneys representing vendors announced Friday. The lawsuit, which was filed in late 2022, alleged city ordinances that established no-vending zones and banned street vendors from working within 500 feet of schools, farmers markets, swap meets and temporary events violated state laws. The bans are gone and the vendors have been vindicated, said Merlin Alvarado, a street vendor and plaintiff in the lawsuit who has been selling fruit and hot dogs on Hollywood Boulevard for 17 years. Alvarado, other vendors and community advocates gathered Friday morning on Hollywood Boulevard with pro bono attorneys who filed the lawsuit to celebrate the settlement. Street vending is one of our citys great traditions and resources and we look forward to being fully recognized for our role as community contributors, she said. In February, the Los Angeles City Council voted to eliminate the no-vending zones, which included high-congestion areas such as the Hollywood Bowl, Crypto.com Arena and Universal Studios. Read more: Council lifts ban on vending near Hollywood Bowl, other popular L.A. locations The settlement agreement builds on that decision by opening more spaces for vendors and guaranteeing a refund for vendors who were ticketed in the no-vending zones, said Doug Smith with Inclusive Action for the City, a plaintiff in the lawsuit. Los Angeles loves street vendors, but historically, our laws have not shown that love, Smith said. That's why this is a really important victory. Although the settlement has been signed by representatives from both sides and filed in court, the City Council and mayor must still formally approve it, according to Public Counsel, one of the firms representing the plaintiffs. In a news release, the plaintiffs said they expect those approvals when the City Council returns from a recess in August. Requests for comment from Mayor Karen Bass were not returned. A representative for City Councilmember Hugo Soto Martinez, who has been an outspoken supporter of vendors, said the council member was unavailable to comment on the settlement. Under the terms of the settlement, vendors who paid no-vending zone citations within the last five years will be refunded and any unpaid citations will be canceled. Many street vendors took the risk of receiving a citation in order to sell in high-traffic areas such as Hollywood Boulevard, said Ruth Monroy, a street vendor of seven years and a plaintiff in the lawsuit. The vendors can now set up in customer-heavy areas without having to worry about violating city law or being fined, she said. The settlement also sends a message to other cities in the state that may have vending restrictions, Smith said. The days of redlining vendors are over and old tools of exclusion are no longer legal, he said. Now other cities in California are on notice that arbitrary vending bans are illegal and they can and will be challenged. Vending within the immediate vicinity of swap meets and farmers markets is still prohibited according to state law, the settlement said. Smith said there is more to be done to create specific policies that will allow street vendors to work while complying with city regulations. We're excited to roll up our sleeves and showcase that policies are better when they're created with the expertise of the communities that are most impacted, he said. The lawsuit doesnt end the work, but it sets us up. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Nearly every flight in the U.S. is grounded right now following a CrowdStrike system update error thats affecting everything from travel to mobile ordering at Starbucks but not Southwest Airlines flights. Southwest is still flying high, unaffected by the outage thats plaguing the world today, and thats apparently because its using Windows 3.1. Yes, Windows 3.1 an operating system that is 32 years old. Southwest, along with UPS and FedEx, havent had any issues with the CrowdStrike outage. In responses to CNN, Delta, American, Spirit, Frontier, United, and Allegiant all said they were having issues, but Southwest told the outlet that its operations are going off without a hitch. Delta, United, American Airlines flights are all grounded right now. The reason Southwest is not affected is because they still run on Windows 3.1.https://t.co/ezFubvKVNA Artem Russakovskii (@ArtemR) July 19, 2024 Some are attributing that to Windows 3.1. Major portions of Southwests systems are reportedly built on Windows 95 and Windows 3.1, which is something the company has come under fire for in the past several years. It should go without saying that Southwest needs to update its system, but in this case, the ancient operating system seems to be doing the airline some favors to avoid a complete Y2K-level apocalypse. If you arent flying Southwest, youre out of luck right now. Airports around the world had their scheduling systems crash in the wake of the CrowdStrike update, sending millions of travelers into a frenzy. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said its working with several airlines on the outage. Thankfully, the FAA itself hasnt been affected. Microsoft, who has been at the center of this fiasco with CrowdStrike, says that the root cause of the issue has been fixed. It could take days before everything is sorted out, though. Microsofts CEO Satya Nadella commented on the issue on X (formerly Twitter), saying, We are aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online. That shows the scale of this problem. Microsoft has outages all the time, but none of them are worth commenting on from the CEO of the company. This is a different beast entirely, affecting millions of servers running on Windows. Southwest seems to have saved itself from any trouble by being woefully late to upgrade. Wisconsin is ranked to have the fifth-fewest workplace accidents in recent study LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) In a recent study by Florida personal injury lawyers Anidjar & Levine, Wisconsin was revealed to have the fifth-fewest workplace accidents in the nation. The study used Google search data to highlight the states that required compnsation and injury lawyers over the past 12 months. This study was on terms related to workplace compensation (such as workers comp attorney and compensation for injured workers). This was based on the findings of ever 100,000 residents. Arkansas reported the lowest average monthly searches per 100,000 residents at 45.42, while Wisconsin came in at 51.78. Colorado came in with the highest average at 179.45. The most searched term in Colorado was workers comp attorney. This suggests workers in Colorado are very proactive when it comes to going after compensation claims than other states. Anidjar & Levine offered advice for those looking to take the first steps after a workplace accident. These include seeking medical care, reporting your injury immediately, following doctors orders, maintaining professionalism, and keeping records. 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 FOX2548 & WIProud. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A dog owner is facing an animal cruelty charge after police say she allowed a friend to swing her Pomeranian in the air by its leash. Tulesia Patterson, 24, was booked in the Shelby County Jail Wednesday and released on her own recognizance on Thursday. Police said the incident happened at The Meadows Apartments in Northeast Memphis and was captured on video. They havent said who made the video, but said it showed a man holding the small Pomeranian above his head and swinging the dog around like a lasso at least four times. They said Patterson could also be seen in the video, and was heard saying, just dont hit him against the wall. Investigators said Patterson made no effort to prevent the mistreatment of her dog. Pattersons dog was seized by Memphis Animal Services and has since been adopted. 12-year-old girl charged with murder, accused of suffocating 8-year-old cousin in bed Police said the man who was seen swinging the dog was not at the residence when they got there. A warrant for cruelty to animals has been issued for his arrest. Patterson is scheduled to appear in court on Friday. 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. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A local woman is accused of stealing a Rolex watch and gold necklace from a guest at a popular hotel on the Las Vegas Strip after the two met and went to the mans room for sex. According to the arrest report, the crime took place at the Bellagio Las Vegas hotel on July 26, 2022, but Maiah Meleschi was not arrested and booked into the Clark County Detention Center until July 3, 2024, after a warrant had been issued for her arrest. Maiah Meleschi faces Grand Larceny, Burglary, and Possession of stolen property. (Credit: LVMPD) The victim, who was visiting Las Vegas, told police he was playing Blackjack in the casino around 5 a.m. when he was approached by the woman who he took to his room for a prostitution-related date and paid her $1,000, court documents said. The man told police he fell asleep and when he awoke around noon the following day he noticed his $85,000 Rolex, a $30,000 gold necklace, and $3,000 in cash were missing from his room. Police reviewed the surveillance video and saw evidence of the two meeting in the casino and walking to the hotel elevators. They also saw a video of Meleschi leaving the casino wearing a large gold chain and a watch, the report stated. Court records show Meleschi has prior arrests for prostitution and trespassing. Police said they were able to locate the pawn shop where Meleschi allegedly sold the necklace for $11,600. There was no mention in the arrest report of the watch or cash being located. She is charged with the following: Grand Larceny Burglary (2 counts) Possessing stolen property Meleschi is scheduled to appear in court on August 8. 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. BERRY HILL, Tenn. (WKRN) A Berry Hill bandit frightened a young restaurant employee during an early morning break-in last week. Around 6:30 a.m. on Friday, July 12, the Berry Hill Police Department said a 22-year-old kitchen worker was preparing the restaurant for the coming day. She was alone, but then a man burst into the kitchen with a metal pry bar. Surveillance footage shows the man wearing a mask and gloves as he moved around the property after arriving in a newer model Ford Fusion Hatchback. Video then shows him trying to open doors and testing windows. Nashville police arrest suspected serial burglar This is around back where all the coolers are at. At one point, youll see him knock on the window, Sgt. Tony Russo explained while watching the footage, which also shows the suspect trying unsuccessfully to shut down a surveillance camera. Interior footage shows the suspect prying open the back kitchen door and then entering the kitchen. Thats him coming in the back door, crow bar in hand. [He] just pried the door open, sets his crow bar down, dont know what hes looking for, Russo described. Once inside, the man encountered the young employee. However, that was not captured on camera. Lawrence County deputies seize credit card skimmers hidden in stores She comes face to face with the guy. They kind of startle each other, Russo said. The video shows the man grabbing his pry bar and clutching the workers purse as he ran out the door. He then drove his car out of the driveway and up the street, going in reverse the entire way. He actually backs all the way down the street, Russo told News 2. [He] never comes forward again. Body camera footage shows Berry Hill officers arriving at the scene. The manager advised the victim to go over to the Sunflower Cafe, so she was not still at that location because it was unsecured, a dispatcher said. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee Police found the restaurant empty, but they eventually found the worker, who was hiding across the street. She was frightened, but not hurt. According to Russo, this encounter could have ended much worse: Who knows what wouldve happened if he had a gun, a weapon, or anything like that? It could have ended differently. Police told News 2 there have been similar burglaries in this community. Once he is caught, the suspect is facing aggravated burglary, felony vandalism, and theft charges, authorities 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 WKRN News 2. SAC COUNTY, Iowa One person was found dead after emergency crews pulled a vehicle from a river in Sac County Friday morning. At around 10:18 a.m. the Sac County Sheriffs Office responded to a report of a vehicle in the North Raccoon River at Hagge Park, south of Sac City. When first responders arrived on scene they found a 2003 Jeep Cherokee overturned in the river. A tow truck was able to remove the Jeep from the water. Arrest made after man in vehicle shoots at another vehicle in traffic, police say The sheriffs office said a 30-year-old female was found dead inside of the Jeep. The female has been identified as Samantha Faylee Trimpe of Breda. Her body was sent to the State Medical Examiners Office for an autopsy to determine her manner and cause of death. According to the sheriffs office, there is no indication of foul play. Evidence at the scene, including tire patterns from the Jeep, dont indicate any sudden braking or direction changes before the vehicle went into the river, the sheriffs office 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 who13.com. Women say contractor scammed them out of thousands MEMPHIS, Tenn. Two women are coming forward and demanding their money back after they say they paid their contractor thousands but ended up with zero results. One woman is set to build a literacy academy and the other a nail tech school. WREG has been digging into this for weeks and found out this contractor not only doesnt have a license, but has been reportedly forging documents to get contracts. Dr. Shayna Wilson showed us the work left undone by her contractor, Audrea Gilliom of AVE Concrete Contractors. I paid for doors there are no doors, Wilson said. I paid for the walls to be skim coated, painted primed, theyre not done. Wilson says right now, she is at her wits end. The long-time educator is trying to undo and rebuild the work left unfinished by Gilliom. She is set to build the Little Learners Literacy Academy for pre-k-aged children off Mount Moriah. With her opening looming and work unfinished, she sent her contractor a demand letter telling Gilliom to return $72,000. Thats just a portion of the $100,000 Wilson says shes paid. Demand-Letter-3Download Dr. Wilson said, I wanted a place where children can come, be safe, learn, grow, and be ready for kindergarten, and here I have this person who just decided Im going to take all of that away in this period of time it hurts. Wilson says even for the work that was done, it wasnt up to Tennesees fire code for schools. Theyre fire doors, so theyre supposed to close on their own and then they dont close, said Wilson. Wilson says she has been dealing with Gilliom for a year, and the work was scheduled to be completed in two months. Right now she says she just wants her money back, but Gilliom hasnt offered to return payment. All of his messages are like, If you dispute it with the bank, then theyll give you your money back,' she said. Its unclear why Gilliom couldnt issue a refund himself, but she claims she did take it up with the bank. Wilson says she was told that, since she signed a check and contract, it couldnt be claimed as fraud. However, she was able to get $24,000 back by reversing a transaction on her credit card she used in one of the transactions for supplies. At this time Wilson is still out $49,000. WREG started digging deeper by first contacting the Tennessee State Board of Contractors. The board shows at least one citation for unlicensed activity. Ave_-Citation-SIGNEDDownload 202305585_Complaint_Received_With_Attachments_20231101_143518Download It doesnt stop there WREG took a look at the contract between Gilliom and Dr. Wilson and then looked up his license number. Thats when we found out through the state that it belonged to another company. That company ended up sending this letter to Wilson saying they are not associated with Gilliom or AVE Concrete Contractors. During WREGs investigation, we also found out this wasnt the first time Gilliom used a license number that wasnt his. He did the same thing with the Black Pearl Nail Academy. At that location we found another contract from Gilliom, but this time with an expired license number from, yet another company. In an email from the TN Board of Contractors, a spokesperson said, I did not find any records in our database for Audrea Gilliom nor for AVE Contractors while the license number #65911 belongs to GS Contractors LLC in Collierville while #26638 belonged to Monroe, N.C. Construction in Greensboro, N.C. which failed to renew their license number. Duryia Caldwell, who owns the Black Pearl Nail Academy, also says her work was never completed. Caldwell showed examples of work that is still not finished at her shop. The top of it is supposed to be sealed and done. You can see in the corners they just put it up there. At first it wasnt even nailed down, she said. Caldwell says right now she is $110,000 in the hole and, while that stings, what hurts more is that she was the one to recommend Gilliom to Dr. Wilson. Only because Mr. Gilliom had done work for me before and has done a beautiful job on two different buildings that I own, were homes that I owned, which those were residential, said Caldwell. She said she first started noticing something was wrong in June of last year, when he gave her the bill. When he said, Okay, you can go ahead and have your grand opening well, during the grand opening, I said, Well, we dont have an occupancy license,' Caldwell said. He was like, Were going to get that done, no problem.' Caldwell showed us pictures to prove that didnt happen. The long-time licensed nail instructor also showed WREG her contract, where she pointed out Gilliom was, at one point, even responsible for securing an occupational license for her. The occupational license is a government-issued permit that allows someone to work in a specific field for compensation. He was supposed to secure it, Caldwell said. Thats whats in the contract. The contractor is supposed to secure the occupancy license, supposed to secure all inspections. Thats the plumbing, mechanical, electrical engineering, all of those. Caldwell has since gotten the certificate of occupancy by working with other contractors, but she says that means dishing out more money. WREG tried to reach out to Gilliom by using the number and address listed on Wilsons and Caldwells contracts, but we received no answer to a callback request. We also checked with the Better Business Bureau and saw AVE Concrete Contractors had an F on its report with multiple complaints, and wasnt accredited. I help people to grow their business, said Caldwell. So not only did you affect my business, you affected that of so many other people that Im trying to help. Caldwell says this experience has left a sour taste, saying she is trying to make a difference for entrepreneurs. The same goes for Dr. Wilson as she tries to complete some of the work herself, saying she still has hope her school will fill the gaps in childcare and literacy as well. Teach one, reach one. said Wilson. I always say that and I think hes kind of broken that for me. Both women have filed police reports against Gilliom. Caldwell said, As far as Im concerned, hes a fraud. Hes a fraud. The state has said since Gilliom is not a licensed contractor, all they can do is send him a citation and a letter. However, they say with the allegations and documents presented he could be charged under Tennessee code, which states any contractor taking money without performing work may be prosecuted by law enforcement as theft. The Tennessee Board of Contractors suggests when dealing with any contractor to make sure and check out its license verification page. They also advise never paying the full amount up front. We will continue to follow up on this situation as it continues to develop. 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. Word of Deliverance hosts back to school event for community GAFFNEY, S.C. (WSPA) Word of Deliverance, located at 3324 Chesnee Highway, in Gaffney, is hosting a Back to School event for the community. Word Of Deliverance received a $2,000 donation from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to help nourish neighbors experiencing hunger. The event is free to the public and will offer games, food, live music, inflatable water slides and school supplies for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The Back to School event will be hosted on August 3 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. Labours right to switch off how could the new plan work for employees? Workers may soon be given the right to switch off outside of office hours (Getty Images) Workers will soon be able to ignore work-related emails and calls outside office hours under new rules to be introduced by the Labour government. Meeting the partys right to switch off campaign pledge, the plan will see workers empowered to disconnect from their jobs outside regular hours, including the right to refuse to take on extra work at the weekends. The plan has received renewed backing from Keir Starmer this week, with the prime ministers deputy spokesperson saying: This is about ensuring people have some time to rest. Good employers understand that for workers to stay motivated and productive they do need to be able to switch off, and a culture presenteeism can be damaging to productivity. The plans are expected to cover workers annual leave, meaning bosses would not be allowed to ask employees to carry out work-related tasks while on holiday. They will come as part of the governments Plan to Make Work Pay, thought to be spearheaded by new deputy prime minister Angela Rayner. Other measures in the package were outlined during the Kings Speech in July. They include banning exploitative zero-hours contracts, ending fire and rehire, and making sick pay available from day one of any job. The new plans are thought to be spearheaded by new deputy prime minister Angela Rayner (PA Wire) Unlike those measures, however, the right to switch off will not be enshrined in law. Instead, it will likely be recommended in the codes of practice for businesses. The Trades Union Congress general secretary Paul Nowak said: No one should be pushed to the brink because of their job. Ever-increasing hours, pace and expectations at work are causing problems up and down the country. This is a recipe for burnt-out Britain. So we welcome these measures to tackle work intensity. Introducing a right to switch off will let workers properly disconnect outside of working hours. The policy is popular among voters, with a recent Savanta poll finding 69 per cent supported the right to switch off outside of working hours. In the UK, there is no currently no official right to disconnect from work, but employers can implement their own policies. Current legislation states that a working week should be no more than 48 hours on average, calculated over a 17-week period. However, if a boss wants to contact their employee outside of these hours, they can. In theory, they can also pressure them to respond or take on additional work without being sanctioned. Labour said the policy will ensure that working from home does not become homes turning into 24/7 offices, adding that it is inspired by models in Ireland and Belgium. The code of practice for employers in Ireland gives workers the right not to be regularly required to perform work duties outside normal hours or to be penalised for refusing to do so. The right to disconnect in Belgium is set in law for all public sector workers and those employed by businesses with at least 20 employees. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner at 10 Downing Street (Ian Vogler/Daily Mirror/PA) (PA Wire) Will Stronge, director of The Autonomy Institute think tank and author of Overtime, said: These kinds of things are really important steps to put boundaries on the working day. There should be much more strict limits to when the working day finishes, given that in today's world of remote work, there is often blurring between work and life: answering 'just one more email' and so on. The conversation around work-life balance is really important in this country. Were seeing a huge health epidemic around overwork, workload stress and anxiety. However, the director also said the effectiveness of the policy will come down to the detail, adding he would like to see a stricter version of the policy like the one that is in place in France. Under French laws, it is illegal for an employer to reprimand a worker for not responding to out-of-hours calls and the offence can carry a fine. British firm Rentokil was fined 60,000 by a French court in 2021 for failing to respect the right to disconnect of an employee based in the country. It was the first fine under the law which came into place in 2016. The statutory workers rights laid out in the Kings Speech are expected to come into place in spring, with the new right to switch off likely to come around the same time. Photo by Getty Images. Rainbow Health, a Minneapolis nonprofit that serves LGBTQ and HIV-affected Minnesotans, abruptly closed its doors Thursday stunning dozens of unionized workers who were told they no longer had a job. SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, the union that represents Rainbow Health workers, said in a release that employees received an email Thursday about an emergency all-staff meeting, after which Rainbow Healths board chair told the workers that the nonprofit was closing immediately. The union, which represents about 60 Rainbow Health employees, said its contract requires 30 days notice of layoffs of unionized workers. The employees, however, found out just hours before Rainbow Health announced it was closing with received no explanation, SEIU said Thursday. We are shocked, saddened and angered by this news, both as staff dedicated to Rainbow Healths mission and even more so for our clients and community, said the Rainbow Health Workers Coordinating Committee the group representing unionized employees in a statement. We are left with many huge questions: How could this massive decision come with no warning? Rainbow Healths CEO resigned just a few days prior to Thursdays announcement, the union said, after a vote of no confidence by the unionized workers. Rainbow Health did not immediately respond to the Reformers voicemail requesting comment. The nonprofit offered case management and mental health services to LGBTQ Minnesotans and was created in 2018 after a merger between the Minnesota AIDS Project and the Rainbow Health Initiative. As we demand answers to these questions from the organizations board of directors, we are united and will keep fighting for our rights as workers and to find ways to ensure continuity of client care for the community members we serve, the Rainbow Health Workers Coordinating Committee said Thursday. Large piles of waste accumulate the tents of the displaced people in the city of Khan Yunis. The United Nations and the World Health Organization has warned of the spread of diseases due to the accumlation of uncollected waste due to the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa The virus responsible for causing polio has been discovered in the Gaza Strip, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The virus was found in six areas at the end of June, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on Friday. "It is important to emphasize that the virus has only been isolated from the environment." No associated infections are known at this time, and no associated cases of paralysis been recorded. WHO is working with local authorities to carry out a risk assessment. One possible response would be an immediate vaccination campaign, the organization said. In view of the destruction of many health facilities in Gaza, the already precarious situation of the population and the difficult hygienic conditions, the chances that diseases can be prevented by vaccination is generally increased. The highly contagious virus has been isolated from sewers, Israeli media including the Ynet website and the Times of Israel reported, citing the Israeli Health Ministry. Parts of the sewage system in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed by the war and open sewage pools have formed in some places. The Israeli Health Ministry has ordered all soldiers deployed in the Gaza Strip to be vaccinated against polio. Soldiers who have already been vaccinated should receive a booster dose. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry warned that viruses found in sewers near refugee tents could trigger a "health catastrophe." Thousands of people are at risk of infection. A Palestinian young man stands amid large piles of waste among the tents of the displaced people in the city of Khan Yunis. The United Nations and the World Health Organization has warned of the spread of diseases due to the accumlation of uncollected waste due to the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa A Palestinian child stands amid large piles of waste among the tents of the displaced people in the city of Khan Yunis. The United Nations and the World Health Organization has warned of the spread of diseases due to the accumlation of uncollected waste due to the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa Ukraine aims to end 'hot stage' of war by end of 2024, Zelensky says Editor's note: The headline and the text were updated with additional quotes by President Volodymyr Zelensky. With the support of partners, Ukraine could try to end the hot stage of the war with Russia by the end of the year, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the BBC on July 18. "I believe that if we are united and follow, for example, the format of the peace summit, we can end the hot stage of the war. We can try to do it by the end of this year," Zelensky said. While promising that such a "plan will be ready," the president did not disclose any practical details on what it could entail. Russia was not invited to the global peace summit held in Switzerland in June, but Kyiv said it wants to invite a Russian representative to a follow-up conference. Ukraine hopes to present Moscow with a peace plan developed jointly by the summit participants. The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected participating in the second summit. The world must exert pressure on Russia and force it to consider a diplomatic settlement, the president said. "It doesn't mean that all territories are won back by force. I think the power of diplomacy can help," Zelensky said, adding that weakening Russia on the battlefield would give Ukraine a more advantageous position in negotiations. "By putting pressure on Russia, I think it is possible to agree to a diplomatic settlement." Kyiv and Moscow have not led direct negotiations since unsuccessful talks in early 2022. Speaking a day ahead of the Switzerland summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that as a condition for peace negotiations, Ukraine must fully withdraw from four partially occupied oblasts that Moscow illegally annexed in 2022. Kyiv rejected this demand. In turn, the Kremlin has rejected Ukraine's key condition in Zelensky's 10-point peace formula on the full withdrawal of Russian forces. The Republican nominee in the U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump, has repeatedly pledged to end the war within 24 hours, which could, according to some reports, include forcing Ukraine to cede territory. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country is considered the most Kremlin-friendly EU and NATO member, met Trump as part of his self-styled "peace mission" in Florida, claiming that the U.S. politician would quickly demand that Ukraine hold peace talks with Russia if he is reelected. Commenting on Trump's potential return to the White House, Zelensky said that dealing with him would be "hard work, but we (Ukrainians) are hard workers." Trump has criticized aid for Ukraine in the past, and his sway over the Republican Party contributed to delays in U.S. assistance earlier this year. Read also: As Trumps victory becomes more likely, efforts underway to sway him to Ukraines side Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. World reboots as global IT outage wreaks havoc on aviation, business An electronic information board in the main building of the University Hospital indicates that it is not working due to a problem with Windows software. For this reason, operations at the UKSH also had to be canceled today. Markus Scholz/dpa Airlines, passengers and businesses across the globe attempted to overcome major disruption on Friday after a massive worldwide IT outage linked to US cybersecurity company CrowdStrike caused unprecedented havoc. Airports from Berlin and Zurich to New Delhi and Sydney were among those thrown into disarray after a bug in a CrowdStrike update affected computers running Microsoft Windows software. "This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed," CrowdStrike boss George Kurtz posted on social media platform X. Kurtz later told US broadcaster NBC: "We fixed it on our end." He added that the company is "deeply sorry" for the difficulties it has caused "to customers, to travellers, to anyone affected by this." A spokesperson for software giant Microsoft said the company was "aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform." Later on Friday, Microsoft suggested that businesses running its Azure cloud computing platform should attempt to reboot their systems, with some reporting up to 15 reboots were required. Airports report major disruption Passengers across the world have faced huge disruptions to their travel plans, with many airlines reporting difficulties with check-in. In the United States, major airlines United, American and Delta have all resumed operations, but warned of delays and cancellations after the Federal Aviation Administration earlier ordered their flights to be grounded. European budget airline Eurowings said on X that it would operate 80% of its scheduled flights, cancelling a number of domestic German services. Dutch carrier KLM said that "limited air traffic" would resume after largely suspending operations earlier on Friday. Zurich Airport, which earlier said it would restrict landings, said at least 100 departures and arrivals have had to be cancelled. Berlin's BER airport was particularly affected, with all flights grounded early on Friday. Operations slowly began returning to normal around midday. Turkey's national flag carrier Turkish Airlines said it was "experiencing problems with ticketing, check-in, and reservation processes" in a post on social media platform X. At Sydney Airport, passengers were told they could not check in luggage, with domestic and international flights affected. In India, boarding passes were being filled out manually as check-in was disrupted at New Delhi's main airport. Contingency plans were also in place at Heathrow Airport in London, the airport said, advising passengers to continue checking the status of their flights. Broadcasters, healthcare sector also affected The global IT outage has caused difficulties across a wide range of sectors on Friday, from media outlets to payments at shops and doctor's offices. In the UK, broadcaster Sky News was back on air after being knocked off the air for hours, while several television channels in France were also affected. Australian radio stations reportedly broadcast music via CDs and USB sticks after computer systems went down. Emergency services were hit in Denmark, with the Copenhagen fire department reporting problems with receiving automatic fire alarm warnings. The healthcare sector has also been affected, with pharmacies and doctor's offices reporting tech and payment problems across Britain. In northern Germany, the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein said it was cancelling all planned operations at its facilities in the cities of Kiel and Lubeck. Australian banks were also said to be struggling to deal with the IT outage. In response, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened an emergency meeting. The global outage is likely to have serious economic consequences, with angry passengers and businesses sure to demand how an update to a largely unknown security company could leave international aviation grounded and IT systems down. Nevertheless, it appears that critical systems across the globe escaped unharmed. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Germany's armed forces were "not affected at the moment." Passengers at London Gatwick Airport, following delays amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks. Ben Bauer/PA Wire/dpa Passengers wait in front of check-in counters at Madrid-Barajas airport, amid reports of widespread IT outages affecting airlines, broadcasters and banks. Diego Radames/EUROPA PRESS/dpa NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) A worldwide Microsoft outage impacted businesses, banks, hospitals, broadcasters and flights Friday morning, including the Norfolk International Airport (ORF). Widespread technology outage disrupts flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world Due to the outage, multiple airlines, including Delta and United, were not taking off, leaving many travelers stuck at the airport waiting for answers. Microsoft outage impacting ORF (WAVY photo) Microsoft outage impacting ORF (WAVY photo) Microsoft outage impacting ORF (WAVY photo) Microsoft outage impacting ORF (WAVY photo) Microsoft outage impacting ORF (WAVY photo) 10 On Your Sides KaMaria Braye was at the airport Friday morning speaking to travelers about the outage. One traveler, Jason Graham, said he was on his way back home to California after welcoming his daughter back home from her deployment on the USS Eisenhower. It hasnt been a good experience leaving this place, Graham said. She came back from the Eisenhower for deployment for nine months. So, yeah, we got to visit her. It was delayed on Wednesday. Twice, then canceled. Then we had to stay. Two days to leave this morning. And I was like, Oh please let me get out of here. And so now it looks like its delayed again for the fourth time. USS Dwight D. Eisenhower returns to Norfolk following 9-month deployment Its just frustrating, and we just hope that it resolves itself soon so we can get to our trip, another traveler Katelyn Bryant said. And I feel bad for people who are going to see their family, so yeah, its not very fun. Bryant said she was trying to get to Mexico. Its overwhelming, Bryant said. Come downstairs and people are everywhere. People are sitting down. People are certainly upset. I just told my mom and my sister that we only needed to get here, you know, an hour and a half ahead of time. Didnt know it needed to be super, super early. One family on their way to a funeral in Tampa said the outage was going to make them miss their connecting flight. In response to the outage, the FAA posted, We continue to work closely with airlines as they work to resume normal operations. Ground stops and delays will be intermittent at various airports as the airlines work through residual technology issues. Contact the airlines for more information. Monitor http://fly.faa.gov. 10 On Your Side reached out to the airlines about the outage. United Airlines released this statement: A third party software outage is impacting computer systems worldwide, including at United. We are resuming some flights but expect schedule disruptions to continue throughout Friday. We have issued a waiver to make it easier for customers to change their travel plans via United.com or the United app. United Airlines media relations As of 6 a.m. on Friday, American Airlines resumed flights at ORF. Delta posted to X about the outage, telling customers to check the Fly Delta app for any updates. Norfolk International Airport posted images to social media, showing its employees handing out water to help keep passengers hydrated. Riverside responded to a request from WAVY and confirmed it was impacted. A spokesperson provided this statement: Around midnight, Crowdstrike, the anti-virus software company ran a worldwide update, which has resulted in mass impacts to businesses. Like so many, Riverside has been affected. To ensure safe patient care continues, we activated our standard downtime protocols around 3 a.m. Our IT team and operational leaders have done an incredible job assessing the impact on our system and continue to actively work to resolve the issue. Patient care is continuing as normal across our system and we encourage all patients to continue to come in for their scheduled care. As this evolves, we will provide updates on our website at riversideonline.com/outageupdates. Thank you for your understanding and patience. Riverside statement Other businesses in our area, such as Amtrak and the Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughters (CHKD) stated the outage has not impacted their operations. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin addressed the global tech outages. He said, As a result of the administrative disturbances, Virginians may experience delays and we ask everyone to remain patient as we work to remedy and reestablish the high standards that Virginians deserve. Microsoft 365 posted to their X account about the outage, saying that users should continue to see gradual relief throughout the day. Continue to check WAVY.com for updates. Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. BALTIMORE A worldwide technology outage brought flights to a near halt at BWI Marshall Airport early Friday morning as government agencies and businesses grappled with technical issues. Though some flights were resuming by around 7 a.m., airport personnel were handing out water later Friday morning to travelers who were still stuck at BWI as airlines worked to restore operations. Meanwhile, emergency management officials and businesses in Maryland, including banks and hospitals, had to run on backup measures as they struggled with IT issues. The technology outage, which knocked bank and hospital systems offline globally, came after a cybersecurity company said it had deployed a faulty update to systems running Microsoft Windows. CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity firm, said a fix was being deployed Friday morning as more firms started reporting issues. The Maryland Department of Emergency Management said that it was meeting with local emergency officials Friday morning throughout the state as the outage impacted critical systems across the globe, including 911 services in some areas. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said in a statement later Friday that he had been fully briefed on the outages, and that his administration was receiving regular updates as they worked with impacted organizations to minimize disruptions. We are closely monitoring outages at major medical systems and state agencies, he said, noting that officials across the state routinely run thorough exercises to prepare for an emergency like this one. The governor said many impacted systems had already come back online midday Friday and that the states transportation systems were working, though specific airlines had been affected. He said the states 911 and first responder systems had remained resilient in light of the outages. Hospitals across the globe are seeing issues with a variety of applications they use including systems that store electronic health records and X-rays as well as medication management software, said Toby Gouker, an officer with the health care cybersecurity firm First Health Advisory. Some hospitals in Maryland were still running on backup systems as they assessed how the outage affected operations. The University of Maryland Medical System as well as LifeBridge Health, which operates Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Northwest Hospital in Randallstown and Carroll Hospital, said they were impacted and running on downtime procedures, while Johns Hopkins Medicine was not. A LifeBridge spokesperson said Friday morning that non-urgent procedures and surgeries at Sinai were being rescheduled, but later in the day stated that those were resuming as the North Baltimore hospital restored some of their systems. Fridays outages caused many hospitals to go back to pen and paper to handle some work as part of their downtime procedures, said Gouker, who First Healths chief security officer for government healthcare. Though recent cyber attacks have prompted medical institutions to establish plans and training for similar events, Fridays outage was dramatically different because of its widespread nature, he said. Its gonna be days, if not weeks before firms can get all of their systems back online as the bug needs to be manually fixed, he said. A statewide system used by emergency medical providers in Maryland to share information was back online Friday morning as hospitals running on downtime procedures started to return to normal activity. Still, other government operations from courts to electronic payments were expected to be scaled back for the rest of the day. The Maryland Judiciary said Friday morning that courts throughout the state would be closed for the rest of the day, except for emergency matters. Carroll Countys local government said that some of its operations would be limited, including online tax payment and permitting sites, and landfill payments would only be taken in cash. Baltimore Countys public library system said there may be a sporadic impact to some services, like public computers and checkout stands. The Social Security Administration said all of its local offices were closed, and some online services were unavailable as well. Banks also struggled with some systems being out, though spokespeople for two of the Baltimore areas larger financial institutions M&T Bank and CFG Bank said they had recovered by noon after outages caused minor delays on some service The outage impacts were felt at a multitude of other businesses throughout the area, as well. A sign on the door of the Starbucks location on Boston Street in Canton told customers that the coffee shop was only taking cash payments. A spokesperson for the Seattle-based coffee chain said the outages had impacted its mobile order features, though customers were still being served at the vast majority of locations as the company works to bring its systems back online. BWI was packed early Friday morning as lines were at a standstill and major airlines grounded flights, citing communication issues. Many gate screens said flights were on time, but a Delta agent said, We cant do anything right now. Tone Smith, of Largo, sat next to luggage after having waited at the airport for more than 10 hours only to have his flight canceled. He arrived Thursday night for a flight to Los Angeles that was supposed to take off before 1 a.m. and kept getting delayed. Now we are here, waiting to figure where were about to go, how were about to get there, he said. I pray everybody makes it to their destination, though, in a timely manner. Three travelers huffed and puffed to their gate just before 5:30 a.m. Friday, pleased to read a message on a screen. On time! one exclaimed. But, they like thousands of fellow would-be airline passengers, were in for a rude awakening. That Delta flight was among many grounded globally due to technology issues. As people sorted through delayed plans, standstill lines stretched throughout the airport while others waited at gates for more information. Gate agents provided some updates, explaining that the issue was affecting the majority of airlines. Southwest Airlines, which has the biggest footprint at BWI, did not appear to be impacted and resumed operations Friday morning with several flights taking off. Twice before 8 a.m., an announcement informed travelers that the Maryland Aviation Administration was aware of an airline cyber outage and stated, there will be delays. Some travelers gave up hope, heading for exits, while others continued to wait around at gates, airport bars, or on the floor next to a power outlet. The Federal Aviation Administration described it as a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines. Several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops until the issue is resolved, the post said. American Airlines posted on social media that as of 5 a.m., it was able to safely re-establish our operation. Around 6:30 a.m., United Airlines posted on social media that some flights are resuming. Passengers at BWI didnt seem to have issues getting through security. A spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administrations Mid-Atlantic Divison said on social media that the agency had not been impacted. BWI recommended in a social media post that travelers check flight status before coming to the airport. _______ The News Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, the first Western reporter to be arrested for espionage in Russia since the end of the Cold War, has been found guilty of spying in what has been widely decried as a sham trial. He was sentenced to 16 years in a high-security penal colony on Friday. This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist, The Wall Street Journals leadership said in a statement. Russian authorities have claimed they have irrefutable evidence that Gershkovich was spying on behalf of the US, but no proof has ever been publicly presented. US officials have called the case ridiculous, and dozens of countries have condemned his detention, too. Know More Western officials believe Russia has been detaining American citizens to use as bargaining chips to be traded for Russians held in the West, such as the hitman Vadim Krasikov, who is serving a life sentence in Germany for the murder of a Chechen dissident. Other Americans being held in Russia include former Marine Paul Whelan, journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, and Marc Fogel, a teacher sentenced to 14 years in a penal colony for drug smuggling. Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed Wednesday that discussions are underway about a possible prisoner exchange for Gershkovich, something Russian officials have insisted would only be possible after his trial ended. The intelligence services of the two countries have been involved in contacts looking into the possibility of an exchange, Lavrov said. WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich sentenced to 16 years in Russian prison on espionage charges. Here's how we got here. A Russian court convicted Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on espionage charges Friday and sentenced him to 16 years in a maximum-security prison. The American journalist, the Journal and the U.S. all deny the espionage charges. The trial proceedings took place behind closed doors in Yekaterinburg, a city about 1,200 miles east of Moscow, where Gershkovich was first apprehended by Russian security agents while he was on a reporting assignment in March 2023. The Journal says Gershkovich was working under accreditation from Russias Foreign Ministry at the time of his arrest. According to a June indictment, the American journalist was accused of gathering secret information on behalf of the CIA regarding a Russian facility that produces and repairs military equipment. At no point during the trial did the prosecution present any evidence publicly to support the espionage charges, the New York Times reports. The expedited and secretive trial could signal a potential prisoner exchange between Moscow and the U.S., the Associated Press reports. This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist," Almar Latour, publisher of the Wall Street Journal, and the paper's Editor in Chief Emma Tucker said in a statement Friday following news of the verdict. "We will continue to do everything possible to press for Evans release and to support his family. Journalism is not a crime, and we will not rest until hes released. This must end now." How has the U.S. responded? President Biden said after Gershkovich was convicted on Friday, "As I have long said and as the UN also concluded, there is no question that Russia is wrongfully detaining Evan. Journalism is not a crime ... Additionally, since the very first day of my Administration, I have had no higher priority than seeking the release and safe return of Evan, Paul Whelan and all Americans wrongfully detained and held hostage abroad. Evan has endured his ordeal with remarkable strength. We will not cease in our efforts to bring him home." On Dec. 5, 2023, the State Department said that the Biden administration made a new offer to secure the release of both Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, another American detained in Russia, but Moscow rejected it. The State Department didnt reveal the details of the offer or why Moscow might have rejected it. Following Putins remarks on Dec. 14, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, We would welcome them engaging seriously with us to obtain the release of Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, but so far we have seen them refuse to take us up on our proposals, and we hope that they will change the way theyve handled this going forward. Who is Evan Gershkovich? Gershkovich at an earlier Moscow court hearing, Oct. 10, 2023. (Evgenia Novozhenina/Reuters) Gershkovich, 32, is a reporter for the Wall Street Journal and was accredited to work as a journalist by the Russian Foreign Ministry, according to the Journal. He was detained by the country's Federal Security Service on March 29, 2023, while on assignment in Yekaterinburg, just a day after he co-authored an article on Russias declining economy following its invasion of Ukraine. At the time Gershkovich was accused of espionage, Russian authorities didn't provided detailed evidence to support the accusation. He is being held in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison, infamous for its harsh conditions. Who is Paul Whelan? Paul Whelan, right, a former U.S. Marine accused of espionage by Russia, June 15, 2020. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP via Getty Images) Whelan, a former U.S. Marine, is a corporate security executive from Michigan who holds U.S., Canadian, British and Irish citizenships. He has been detained by Russian authorities for over five years since Dec. 28, 2018 and was imprisoned on espionage charges for his alleged involvement in an intelligence operation. He, his family and the U.S. have said the allegation is false. Whelan said he was in Moscow to attend a friends wedding. In 2020, Whelan was sentenced to 16 years in a remote prison labor camp in Mordovia, where he has been detained ever since. If I had known that there would be any sort of problem, I would never have come here, Whelan told CNN via phone from the prison camp in December. Whelan also called on President Biden to please use every resource available to secure my release as you would do if your own son had been taken hostage. Whats happening with Whelans case? Back in July 2022, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a proposal was made to Moscow for the release of Whelan and WNBA star Brittney Griner. Griner was released in a prisoner swap in December 2022, but Whelan wasnt part of the deal. Whelan told the BBC last December that he feels like the U.S. has left him behind. "A serious betrayal. It's extremely frustrating," Whelan said. "I know that the U.S. has come up with all sorts of proposals serious proposals but it's not what the Russians are after. So they keep going back and forth. The only problem is, it's my life that's draining away while they do this." Jim Justice welcomes back National Guard members who volunteered for Operation Lone Star in Texas on Sept. 7, 2023. (Office of Gov. Jim Justice | Courtesy photo) The state of West Virginia spent more than $900,000 in 2023 sending a group of volunteers from the West Virginia National Guard to the southern border as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts controversial Operation Lone Star initiative, according to documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act and shared by nonprofit watchdog group American Oversight. The roughly $907,000 expense was used to send 53 members of the Guard, who all volunteered for the mission, to Eagle Pass, Texas for a month-long deployment. Details of what they did on that deployment have been sparse and both the Governors Office and representatives for the West Virginia National Guard have repeatedly denied or ignored requests from West Virginia Watch since August seeking further information. In June 2023 about two months before the Guard members left for the border at Gov. Jim Justices request representatives for the National Guard told WV News the estimated cost of the initiative was $600,000. In a news briefing that same month, Justice said taxpayers would have to bear the cost of the deployment. The documents obtained by American Oversight in September 2023 the same month the troops returned outlined the expenses to total $907,178. Line item details for those expenses, however, were redacted, making it difficult to tell what the money was used for. Representatives for the West Virginia National Guard did not return requests for comment on this article. C.J. Harvey, communications director for Justice, referred questions regarding this cost and the justification for the deployment to a news release from August 2023, when troops were welcomed home by the governor. That press release included no details on the cost for the initiative. It said, broadly, that those deployed were put to work to detect, deter, and interdict transnational criminal activity including human smuggling/trafficking and the flow of illegal narcotics and drugs into the U.S. between official points of entry. During the month-long deployment, according to the release, members of the West Virginia National Guard encountered more than 10,000 migrants attempting to access the United States. According to the Department of Homeland Security, state personnel including National Guard troops are not authorized to process people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, as that falls under federal jurisdiction. An account from one member of the West Virginia National Guard, speaking to MetroNews in August, detailed how members in his unit patrolled the border, but gave no insight to actual responsibilities or duties while there. Reporting from other states where troops were sent on similar missions over the last few years detailed that there was often not much for them to do. They would be assigned busy work, including shoveling horse manure, surveying cameras and filing paperwork. West Virginia was one of at least 14 Republican-run states where governors heeded a request from Abbott to send troops to the border for Operation Lone Star. Though West Virginia has not sent any more troops since the August 2023 deployment, other states are continuing to do so this year, racking up millions in taxpayer dollars for what critics have said is nothing more than political theater in the lead up to a contentious election. The initiative has been wrought with controversy, including allegations of inhumane treatment toward migrants and asylum seekers, civil rights violations and more. Several federal lawsuits have been filed against Abbott and the state of Texas for incidents occurring at the border. Eagle Pass has been a focal point for many of these tensions, where locals have struggled with how to respond to the militarization of their community even as immigration numbers drop to new lows. DONATE: SUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST A view of a damaged building in the area of an explosion as Israeli policemen search the scene. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Yemens Houthi rebels on Friday claimed a drone attack on an "important target" in Tel Aviv in what the Iran-aligned militia says is retaliation for Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip. The Houthi military spokesman Yehya Saree said the operation had been carried out with a new drone named Yafa that is capable of bypassing Israeli interception and radar systems. He claimed in a televised statement that his militia has a "bank of targets" in Israel, and that Tel Aviv is in the cross-hairs. Earlier Friday, the Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom said one person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv. The cause of the explosion was initially unclear. But unconfirmed media reports suggested the blast might have been the result of a drone attack. Houthi militants have also been attacking ships in the Red Sea for months. They say they want to force an end to the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, which followed the unprecedented massacre by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Israel last October. Israeli policemen search the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa A view of a damaged vehicle at the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa A view of a damaged building in the area of an explosion as Israeli policemen search the scene. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa A view of a damaged vehicle at the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa A view of a damaged building in the area of an explosion as Israeli policemen search the scene. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Yemens Houthi rebels on Friday claimed a drone attack on an "important target" in Tel Aviv in what the Iran-aligned militia says is retaliation for Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom said one person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv. The Houthi military spokesman Yehya Saree said the operation had been carried out with a new drone named Yafa that is capable of bypassing Israeli interception and radar systems. He claimed in a televised statement that his militia has a "bank of targets" in Israel, and that Tel Aviv is in the cross-hairs. A long-range drone flew in from the sea and hit the residential building, the Israeli army said. Surrounding buildings were also damaged. The drone was detected by air surveillance, but was not shot down due to a human error, the army said. A military spokeswoman confirmed on enquiry that there had been no air alert. The Times of Israel newspaper, quoting an army spokesman, said the missile should not have been allowed to pierce Israeli air space. Although the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, the Israeli army said it assumed the Houthis were behind it but said this could not be confirmed beyond a reasonable doubt yet. Houthi militants have also been attacking ships in the Red Sea for months. They say they want to force an end to the Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, which followed the unprecedented massacre by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Israel last October. Israeli policemen search the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa A man carrying a baby stands at the scene of an explosion. One person was killed and eight people injured following a loud explosion near a branch of the US embassy in Tel Aviv early on Friday, according to Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa The News Yemens Houthis claimed responsibility for an explosive-laden drone that struck an apartment building in Tel Aviv on Friday morning, killing one man and wounding several others, Reuters reported. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the attack was carried out by a new type of drone capable of bypassing interception systems. Separately, a maritime security firm said a Singapore-flagged ship off the coast of Yemen was hit by projectiles likely fired by the Houthis. The incidents underlined both the militant groups continued capacity despite American and British airstrikes against their forces, as well as the risk of Israels war in Gaza spiraling into a regional conflict. Yes, Indianapolis was hit by CrowdStrike's global Microsoft Windows outage. What we know A global technology outage is disrupting hospitals, banks and companies worldwide Friday morning, and is not sparing Indiana. AES Indiana customers woke up to discover they were unable to pay their bills due to the outage. The cybersecurity company CrowdStrike said the problem arose from a defect found in a single content update for Microsoft Windows. Follow along for updates on how the outage is affecting Hoosiers today: Thus far, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police, Marion County Courts and Probation offices, Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services, IndyGo, Eli Lilly, Kroger, Duke Energy, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office and 911 dispatch centers in Marion, Hamilton, Hancock and Shelby counties have said they are not impacted by the outage. Social Security offices closed because of tech outage The Social Security Administration has announced its local offices will be closed Friday "due to the global Microsoft and Crowdstrike issues." The administration's phone lines remain open at 800-772-1213 and many services are available online at ssa.gov. "We appreciate your patience while we work to restore services as quickly as possible," the administration said. Flight cancellations: The Indianapolis International Airport posted on social media that some airlines have forced a ground stop, meaning flights were not able to take off safely. According to FlightAware, a global flight tracker, 92 delays and 38 cancellations were reported at Indianapolis International as of 5 p.m. Flight statuses at the Indianapolis International Airport as of 9:36 a.m. showed multiple cancellations and delays from Delta and Southwest Airlines. A worldwide technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines has caused some airlines to have a ground stop. Travelers planning to depart from IND today should please check with their airline for updates on flight status before coming to the terminal. Indianapolis International Airport (IND) (@INDairport) July 19, 2024 American Airlines: Earlier this morning, a technical issue with a vendor impacted multiple carriers, including American. As of 5:00 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation. We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience. americanair (@AmericanAir) July 19, 2024 United Airlines: A third-party outage is impacting computer systems, including at United and many other organizations worldwide. As we work to fully restore these systems, some flights are resuming. Many customers traveling today may experience delays. We have issued a waiver to make it easier United Airlines (@united) July 19, 2024 Delta: Delta has resumed some flights after a vendor technology issue impacting airlines and businesses globally. Weve issued a travel waiver and customers can monitor and manage their itineraries on https://t.co/oAYy2BBlGo or the Fly Delta app. For more info: https://t.co/GSbpUNpU9d Delta (@Delta) July 19, 2024 Spirit Airlines: A third-party vendor is experiencing a global technology outage that is impacting Spirits reservations system and flight operations. We apologize to our Guests for the inconvenience. We encourage Guests traveling today, July 19, to check here for updates before going to the pic.twitter.com/hJ3U8QhQr9 Spirit Airlines (@SpiritAirlines) July 19, 2024 Frontier Airlines: The ground stop has been lifted, and our systems are gradually normalizing. We are in the process of resuming flight operations. Frontier Airlines (@FlyFrontier) July 19, 2024 Sun Country Airlines: Sun Country is continuing to experience IT disruptions from the global IT systems outage. If you are traveling today, please watch your emails from Sun County. We are beginning to resume some flights but anticipate additional disruption to continue this morning. https://t.co/Dgrj3SVrWn Sun Country Airlines (@SunCountryAir) July 19, 2024 AES Indiana: 2:45 p.m.: AES Indiana customers are now able to pay bills and the issues with the company's payment vendor have been resolved, according to spokesperson Kelly Young. Young said customers who were unable to make a payment due to the outage will not be penalized. 8:50 a.m.: The power company AES Indiana posted on social media that customers are unable to pay bills due to the technology outage. The post assured customers that they will not apply late fees or disconnect customers for not paying bills due to the disruption. AES Indiana tweeted it was impacted by the CrowdStrike outage that is having global effects on banks, airlines and media. We've been affected by the widespread tech outage impacting companies globally and our customers are unable to pay bills. As a reminder, we're not disconnecting customers for nonpayment and not applying late fees at this time. We'll keep you updated when payments are available. AES Indiana (@AESIndiana) July 19, 2024 Bureau of Motor Vehicles 2:15 p.m.: myBMV is back online, according to the bureau. Customers are encouraged to complete transactions through the online platform when possible, as some BMV kiosks are down. Branches are continuing to restore their systems 8 a.m.: The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles said the office is unable to process transactions. In an update at noon, the system remained offline. Customers can check the bureau's website at in.gov/bmv or social media for updates. Hospitals The major hospital systems in Indianapolis are largely unaffected, except for some third-party health care vendors that may do business with the facilities. Ascension said the health system doesn't use Crowdstrike, but they work with third party vendors that use the software and are offline temporarily. Indiana University Health, Ascension and Community Health Network say patient care is not impacted, but some third-party vendors, like lab services or dictation services, are experiencing problems. However, scheduling and billing are not affected. Franciscan Health says they don't use CrowdStrike and Eskenazi said the system is mostly unaffected. Banks Fifth Third: Some employees had trouble logging into work sites Friday morning, a Fifth Third spokesperson told IndyStar. Impacts for customers and branch networks are minimal while digital operations are not affected. Chase: Customers have reported issues with online account access and payments. Chase said the bank is looking into customer reports. Bank of America: Outages have been reported since 2 a.m. for online banking services, mobile checking deposits and fund transfers. What is Crowdstrike? According to the website, CrowdStrike has redefined security with the worlds most advanced cloud-native platform that protects and enables the people, processes and technologies that drive modern enterprise. Is CrowdStrike down? Yes, CrowdStrike first started receiving reports of issues around 4:55 a.m. ET on Friday, according to DownDetector.com. Is CrowdStrike back? When will CrowdStrike be fixed? No, multiple users are still reporting issues as of 7:39 a.m., according to DownDetector.com. Is there a CrowdStrike fix for local outage? CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz posted on X that a fix has been deployed. CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024 Was CrowdStrike hacked? Was there a cyber attack or security incident? No, this was not a cyberattack and the company was not hacked, CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz said. Who is affected by CrowdStrike global outage? Major airlines, media companies, banks and telecoms firms around the world reported systems outages Friday that were disrupting their operations, according to USA TODAY. What caused the CrowdStike global outage? A defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts, Kurtz said. CrowdStrike outage affects Microsoft users. Are Mac and Linux hosts affected? Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted, Kurtz said. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: CrowdStrike IT outage impacts AES Indiana, BMV, Social Security offices NEW YORK An in with Donald Trump. Culture war cred. Media savvy. An elected official representing a New York City suburb has the trappings of GOP stardom in this political landscape. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman once photographed holding an umbrella over Trump at the Long Island wake of a slain NYPD officer hobnobbed at the Republican National Convention with Trump senior adviser Dan Scavino and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). He also fielded plaudits for his countys ban on transgender athletes that faces legal challenges from the New York Civil Liberties Union and New York State Attorney General Tish James a flex in MAGA world. Weve taken some stands in Nassau County that have gotten national attention, Blakeman said in an interview from convention in Milwaukee. And I think its because people are surprised that in a place like Nassau County, on the border of New York City, people want to get back to American values, conservative values. Blakeman has caught the nations eye, for good or bad, with the law he signed Monday to ban trans woman athletes from competing at county facilities as well as his recent effort to recruit, train and arm a force that he insists is not a militia. And in addition to standing with Trump as his community mourned a fallen first responder in March, Blakeman appeared two months later at a Bronx rally where the presidential candidate lauded him for his central casting looks. He also knows his way around a soundbite. As a result, Blakeman, who flipped his seat as part of a red wave sweeping New York City suburbs in 2022, has enjoyed relatively frequent cable news coverage for a local official. But his critics have roundly condemned his policies as self-serving, fear-mongering and dangerous. Hes grandstanding and trying to be a mini-Trump, New York State Democratic Chair Jay Jacobs said. I dont know if he wants to be in a Trump administration, but hes certainly not dealing with the issues of Nassau County. Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, the Democratic minority leader of the Nassau County Legislature, said she has been pressing for taxpayer cost and other details about the special deputies that Blakeman said would be deployed in the event of an emergency. The idea of putting more guns on the street with someone who is not trained the way that our police are is really ... she began, continuing, Were honestly concerned about somebody getting hurt. And NYCLU attorneys similarly have unanswered questions. Whats the emergency? Where are people being deployed? Whos being trained? Whats the oversight? Whats the liability to the county if somebody deploys use of force inappropriately? NYCLU senior staff attorney Beth Haroules asked. Blakeman, who was a Port Authority commissioner in the wake of 9/11, dismissed the concerns as liberal bellyaching. People are getting all excited about a list in a database of people who would be willing to serve and people who are qualified to serve, he said. There have been 80 applicants, including former law enforcement, and 25 have been trained, he said. (DeRiggi-Whitton said she has learned that the figure is closer to six.) Blakeman also believes he has the legal upper hand in the ban that has the support of politically conservative trans celebrity Caitlyn Jenner, and said, Its a safety issue for women and girls in sports. An earlier iteration, which he issued via executive order in February, was struck down in May by the Nassau County Supreme Court. But the Republican-controlled county legislature passed a new version. The NYCLU alleges state human rights, civil rights and municipal home rule violations. James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud, similarly said the discriminatory and transphobic ban violates state laws. Blakeman, meanwhile, shrugged off speculation that he has designs on higher office. I never rule anything out, he told POLITICO, but Im totally focused on being the best county executive I can be. Nick Reisman contributed to this report. A version of this story first appeared Friday in New York Playbook. Subscribe here. Young entrepreneurs put a face on 911 emergency calls NEW YORK (PIX11) Nationally, there are an estimated 250 million 911 emergency calls each year. Until now dispatchers could only hear their desperate callers. More Local News That is now changing because these three Yale University dropouts are revolutionizing the antiquated 911 system. 26-year-old Michael Chime, 24-year-old Neal Soni and 25-year-old Dylan Gleicher left the academics to create a Manhattan-based company they call prepared. Co-founder and CEO Michael Chime explained, We dropped out of yale because we felt there was a very urgent and important problem that impacts millions of Americans that our technology would address and make the world safe. By utilizing the companys software technology, 911 dispatchers can send a request for a caller to share live video. According to co-founder Neal Soni, In a situation where seconds matter, we show them exactly whats going on. Its very useful is a situation when CPR has to be administered. You can show them how to do it. And its useful in a fire, you can determine how severe it is as fire units race to the scene. NYPD brass talk about NYC safety In a video of a crime scene in Florida, a burglar can be seen running, hiding and finally being cornered by police. Soni noted, we were able to see actually where the burglar was, where he was hiding, and finally being apprehended. The prepared 911 technology was also useful when a volcano erupted in Hawaii. They were able to use prepared technology to get a live video feed up to 911 centers and able to distribute word to people living in the area. With the assist of artificial intelligence technology conversations can be transcribed and translations can be provided instantly in 33 languages. Soni explained, A call came in with the caller shouting fire, fire, fire in Chinese. The dispatcher didnt know Chinese, but because they were using prepared assist they were able to see actual translation in English. NY bill would target reckless driving in private parking lots In three years, these young entrepreneurs have hired 45 employees across the country, raised $35 million, and have contracted nearly 1,000 911 call centers nationally and are attempting to get New York City to sign on to its technology. Michael Chime is proud of the company he and his college buddies created. What motivates me, he said. I wake up each day and see that we are building a tool, a software that saves lives and that what keeps me going. This young company is prepared for the future. It has now partnered with Apple to bring its technology to more people. This fall all recent iPhones will be updated with a direct video link to 911 centers. 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. Young voters weigh in on the 2024 election and if America is on the right track Young voters weigh in on the 2024 election and if America is on the right track Anastasia Esther, a 25-year-old living in Wisconsin, said the prospect of a second Donald Trump presidency and what it could bring to the country is weighing on her every day until November. Esther said she will vote for President Joe Biden, but said it could be characterized as more of a ballot cast against Trump than in enthusiastic support of the sitting president. "My choice to vote for Joe Biden is moved by, unfortunately, mainly the fact that I see nobody else in the main election that I would feel comfortable with voting for," she said. For decades, younger voters were a reliable part of the Democratic coalition, including in the 2020 election. But recent polls suggest Biden's wide advantage with Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 has diminished. Esther, Dylan Liptack and Zeno Wilson -- all Gen Z voters -- sat down with "538 Politics" podcast host Galen Druke at Ma Fischer's diner on the east side of Milwaukee as the Republican National Convention took place to discuss their views on the 2024 election and the state of American politics. Over the course of a half hour, the three discussed everything from Biden's age to the issues facing their generation and their outlook for the future. PHOTO: Gen Z voters speak with 538 Politics podcast host Galen Druke in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (ABC News) On who they're voting for Liptack, a college student, said he will be voting for Trump and is mainly motivated to do so by foreign policy. He said he views Biden's track record on that issue as "largely a failure." "When I look at the state of the world right now, and how it was like four years ago, at least internationally, I'm very heavily motivated to kind of go back to the norm of how things were like four or five years ago," he said. Wilson, also a college student, said he will be supporting Biden because of his "interest in keeping American values" like democracy, and that Trump's viewpoints don't resonate with him at all. "I think that the biggest pro with Biden is we know that he has experience, he's been doing politics for some time, and I know that there is quite a bit of concern regarding his current faculties and its ability to actually serve as president. However, I think that with the experience that he has, and with the people, the good people that are backing him up, he has a solid chance of being able to run our country effectively," Wilson said. PHOTO: Gen Z voters speak with 538 Politics podcast host Galen Druke in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (ABC News) Wilson said he was concerned about Biden's ability to appear in public, and Liptack said he thought Biden's stumbles and age gave America a "weak look." Esther, also a Biden supporter, said she didn't have direct concerns about his faculties but that "unfortunately all the candidates are older than they should be for a 24-hour job. "I agree Joe lacked energy at the debate. But I don't know that I really appreciate Trump's energy either, that riling up a crowd isn't inherently what I look for in a president," Esther. On America's direction Esther and Liptack both said they believe the country is moving in the wrong direction, while Wilson said he had some optimism. "While we are in an age, to be completely frank, where it seems like everything is against us, however, I think that there are parts of our country that are going strong, they're heading in the right direction," Wilson said. Esther said she believed the country was on the wrong track because of "dismantlement of our education system" that she fears has left children less educated. "In the end, it harms all of us. We're not producing as many inventors or people who are going to push this country the way that I think the American initiative was to say we would," she said. "And I'm really frankly, depressed by that, because I want to live in that America that's trying, and what I see is an America that's fighting and not trying to get it back together again." PHOTO: Gen Z voters speak with 538 Politics podcast host Galen Druke in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (ABC News) Liptack said one major reason he was feeling pessimistic about the future was because of the cost of living. "This kind of idea of the American dream, where you kind of graduated college, you leave your parents' house and then you go buy a home or buy an apartment and live by yourself and pull yourself up by your bootstraps, it's very hard for people my age to achieve going forward," he said. On the Israel-Hamas war When asked about what other issues they feel strongly about, all three conversed about the conflict between Israel and Hamas unfolding in Gaza. "I feel very strongly about the situation in the Middle East," said Esther. "I am Jewish, I have friends who have been involved over there. I have deep compassion for both sides. And I feel that both the Biden administration's response and the response I fear a Trump administration would have, neither I think has been or would be successful for resolving that." Liptack said he was in the Middle East when the Oct. 7 terror attack by Hamas took place and that brought a unique viewpoint to the early part of the war. "I found myself kind of agreeing more with how Biden initially responded but over time, as he's kind of changed his policies in the region, I've detached from supporting his agenda," he said. PHOTO: Gen Z voters speak with 538 Politics podcast host Galen Druke in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (ABC News) Wilson said "abuses of human rights" in Gaza and elsewhere around the world are concerning for him, and said he thinks the U.S. could be doing more to help the people in Gaza. Esther said she agreed. "My personal perspective since Oct. 7 has been that the return of the hostages is one of if not the most pertinent issue," she said, adding she believed if hostages were returned, Israel wouldn't be making the "abhorrent militaristic decisions that it is that those are decisions made on a forced hand." Liptack had a different view. "I think the extrication of Hamas as a military and governing body in the Gaza Strip is well within both Israel and America's national interests," he said. "I think Israel as a kind of modern army has been going well and beyond to minimize human casualties." On impact of the 2024 election As a final question, each voter was asked if they think the election will impact their daily life. Liptack said he would look forward to a Trump victory, and with it he hopes a "better economic situation." "Yes," said Esther. "In my heart, I genuinely fear and I'll stand it up as this as a queer Jewish woman, I do fear that if Trump were to win that this country -- not even just because of Project 2025 or just because of things he would do in office -- but because of the temperature it would bring this country to, I don't know if I would be safe to continue even living in this country." Wilson said its important for young people to vote. "And if there is something that we're not fond of, if there's a change that needs to be made, we need to rally together as a generation and as a community to change that so that we can actually benefit ourselves, those around us and the generations to come," he said. Young voters weigh in on the 2024 election and if America is on the right track originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks in Virginia Beach Friday, July 18, 2024 with Virginia Manufacturers Association Brett Vassey sitting to his left. (Charlie Paullin/Virginia Mercury) Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday leaned into his All-of-the-Above energy plan that calls for continued use of natural gas, despite scientists stating human use of fossil fuels is causing climate changes increasingly intense storms. We need more gas. We need more solar and wind and we need nuclear and we are going to lead the nation here and that is going to be a wonderful thing to see, Youngkin said. I get frustrated by people who talk about either-ors. Small minded people, in my mind, constantly drive us into the either-or. We can either do this or do that. I firmly reject that. Youngkins comments came during a speech at the third annual Virginia Energy Summit, sponsored largely by gas companies, in Virginia Beach. Before the event, Youngkins speech was presented to the public as an update to his energy plan, released in October 2022. State law dictates a new plan needs to be released every four years, with updates coming by Oct. 1 in the third year of a governors term. No formal update was provided at Fridays event, but one is expected in the coming weeks. The Governors revision to the 2022 Energy Plan will reiterate the vision he outlined two years ago and chart a path forward for Virginia to meet the unprecedented needs of Virginias power economy, said spokeswoman Macaulay Porter in a statement, while touting the states economic activity. The speech came after Youngkin, previously discussed as a former vice presidential candidate, regained national attention this week by speaking at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its not clear if Youngkin is continuing to pursue any higher office, but in the same time period North Dakota governor, Greg Burgum, has been floated as a potential appointee to an energy position within the administration of Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump, if he were to win. Youngkins support for natural gas is a familiar message, recently shared in Louisiana with a suite of other Republican governors who attacked the energy policy of current Democratic President Joe Biden, who is also the presumed Democratic nominee for president. Biden has reiterated his commitment to the race, despite mounting calls for him to step aside. Youngkin unveiled his first energy plan in 2022, which calls for using natural gas, nuclear and a revaluation of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, the 2020 landmark law that seeks to decarbonize the states electric grid by mid-century. His plan also called for restoring authority to the State Corporation Commission to adjust rates, such as reducing rate adjustment clauses, or the fees tacked on to bills so Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power Company can recover costs for generation sources. Environmental and ratepayer advocates criticized his plan, saying its unrealistic because it incorporated unproven technologies and inaccurately attributed electric bill increases to renewable energy sources that are needed to combat climate change. Legislatively, Youngkins negotiations were instrumental in providing ratepayer protections, and restoring authority to the SCC to set rates as it sees fit, in a bill that Dominion initially introduced to increase its profits. But critics also point to his desire to leave the California clean car standards, which aims to transition drivers to electric vehicles, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a market that requires electricity producers to purchase allowances for each short ton of carbon they emit. The proceeds from those allowances had led to almost $800 million in revenue being returned to the state for flood resiliency and energy efficiency programs. Im a conservationist, said Youngkin, who told the Associated Press in 2022 he thinks climate change is a threat. We have done more investing in our last two-and-a-half years in promoting the long-term interests of the Chesapeake Bay and rivers and streams and air quality in the commonwealth of Virginia than any other administration in the history of the state, in my view. Walton Shepherd, Virginia policy director for the Natural Resources Defense Council, said after the speech that Youngkins refusal to bring even a single practical idea for tackling Virginias catastrophic climate change, and instead doing his best to ensure Virginia does nothing at all about it, is the epitome of narrow minded hyperpartisanship. Lee Francis, deputy director with the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, responded to Youngkins speech by saying Its bold to call people who are working to solve our largest environmental threat climate change small minded. Small minded is pretending this isnt a problem, Francis added. Im glad Youngkin thinks hes a conservationist. Maybe hell start to act like one one of these days. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealands Foreign Minister Winston Peters said there needed to be "more diplomacy, more engagement, more compromise" to resolve the crisis in New Caledonia following sometimes violent protests that have been ongoing since May. Protests have roiled New Caledonia after France voted to approve reforms to allow thousands more French residents who have lived in the territory for 10 years to vote. France sent military to the territory to try to quell the violence. Indigenous Kanaks are protesting because they fear electoral reform will dilute their vote and make it harder for any future referendum on independence to pass, while Paris says the measure is needed to improve democracy. Peters said the situation has reached an impasse, and one not easily navigated given the violence and democratic injuries that have reopened old wounds and created new ones. In New Caledonia, we hope to see more diplomacy, more engagement, more compromise, he said in a speech at the PALM10 summit in Tokyo. The summit is a meeting between member countries of the Pacific Island Forum and the Japanese government. He added the Pacific Islands Forum, which New Caledonia is a member of, needs to find an appropriate mechanism and the best people to help facilitate a resolution. Based on our conversations in Tokyo this week, we are confident that the different actors in Noumea and Paris will see any offer of dialogue, engagement or mediation as an opportunity to access the deep wisdom and experience that exists in the Pacific Islands region, said Peters. Peters' comments follow a statement released by the Melanesian Spearhead Group, which includes Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, on Thursday that said they wanted to play a role in bringing about a conducive environment in New Caledonia for dialogue to resume on the future political status of the non-self-governing territory. The group also raised concerns about the militarization of New Caledonia since the protest began in May and the deportation of some protest leaders to France to face trial. At the same time the group condemned the destruction of property and unnecessary loss of lives that caused damage to the economy. (Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday that Poland had taken a decision that would speed up the deliveries of much-needed F-16 jets to Ukraine, but did not say what it was. Poland, which borders Ukraine and has been a close wartime ally, is not one of the countries that has pledged to supply the jets to Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's office on Zelenskiy's remark. "Today, we have a positive decision from the Polish government on a specific issue, which will allow Ukraine to receive F-16 jets sooner," Zelenskiy said on X without elaborating. Polish news agency PAP reported, citing a source close to the defence ministry, that the decision does not concern Polish F-16 jets, which are staying in Poland, and that it was about logistical issues such as transport of jets from other allies. Kyiv is desperately waiting for deliveries of its first F-16s, which it hopes will enhance its air defence capabilities and help repel regular long-range Russian airstrikes. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the first jets from Denmark and the Netherlands were already en route to Ukraine. (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk; Editing by Gareth Jones and Philippa Fletcher) President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the British government at a Cabinet meeting on July 19, where he asked U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer to "show your leadership" in helping Ukraine conduct long-range strikes inside Russia. Zelensky is the first foreign leader to address the Cabinet in person since U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1997. He is also the first official visitor invited to Downing Street since Keir Starmer was elected prime minister earlier in July. Kyiv could better secure its positions on the front line "if the restriction on Western weapons is lifted," Zelensky said. The U.S. gave permission on June 1 to use American-supplied weapons, including HIMARS rockets, to strike targets in Russia located near the border with Kharkiv Oblast after Russia launched a renewed offensive in the region on May 10. Ukraine is still prohibited from using ATACMS and other long-range U.S.-supplied weapons for strikes deeper inside Russia. The U.K. has provided Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of up to 250 kilometers (150 miles) and have reportedly been used to hit military targets in Russian-occupied Crimea. Read also: Starmer addresses concerns over Europes ability to support Ukraine ahead of US election Starmer said earlier in July that it is up to Ukraine how to use British missiles, but said they should be "used in accordance with international humanitarian law" and "for defensive purposes." U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey repeated this sentiment when asked by the BBC earlier on July 19, saying that the U.K.'s provision of weapons to Kyiv "does not preclude them hitting targets in Russia, but that must be done by the Ukrainians and must be done within the parameters and the bounds of international humanitarian law." Zelensky arrived in the U.K. on July 18 to attend the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. Upon arrival, he immediately met Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's former commander-in-chief and recently appointed ambassador to the U.K. At the summit, Zelensky argued that West's decision to allow Ukraine to hit targets within Russia along the Ukrainian border did not lead to escalations but rather stopped the war from expanding. Zelensky previously said the lifting of restrictions would produce "an instant result" and could advance Ukraine's counteroffensive in Russian-occupied territories. The same day, the U.K. announced sanctions on 11 more tankers that help Russia carry oil to third countries in a crackdown on Russia's shadow fleet, which has been used to circumvent Western sanctions and continue trading Russian oil. According to the U.K. government, the shadow fleet is made up of around 600 vessels and carries approximately 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, the proceeds from which help fund Russia's war in Ukraine. London's call to action against the shadow fleet has been endorsed by the EU and 44 individual European countries, the U.K. government said on July 19. Read also: What happens after evacuation? Ukraines IDPs struggle to adapt amid housing, employment crises Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Zelensky calls on Starmer to show leadership and allow Ukrainian strikes on Russia Volodymyr Zelensky used his historic address to the UK cabinet to urge Sir Keir Starmer to show leadership and let Ukraine use British weapons for strikes deep inside Russia. The Ukrainian president on Friday became the first foreign leader to address the cabinet in person since Bill Clinton in 1997, calling for support for his countrys long-range capability. In his address to the cabinet, Mr Zelensky said that if the restriction on Western weapons is lifted it would help Kyiv to strengthen its defences and secure its frontline positions. Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Keir Starmer to show leadership on the issue (EPA) He said it is possible to destroy areas in Russia where weapons are being concentrated. On the subject of long-range capability, the president said: We are still missing the main answer to this question, as he told the prime minister: I ask you to show your leadership. Mr Zelensky has said the ability to use Western weapons to strike inside Russian territory is important to Ukraines efforts to defend itself against Moscow. The UK government has suggested that the deployment of British missiles is ultimately a matter for Ukraine, as long as international law is upheld. So far, the government has allowed Kyiv to launch British-made Storm Shadow missiles against targets in Crimea and mainland Ukraine, but has banned them from being fired at targets inside Russia. Storm Shadows precision-guided cruise missiles with a firing range of over 250km (155 miles) have been used by the British and French air forces in the Gulf, Iraq and Libya. Starmer previously signalled that the ban on Ukraine using British missiles to strike inside Russia had been lifted (PA Wire) Earlier this month, Sir Keir appeared to signal that the ban had been lifted, saying it is up to Ukraine to decide how to use the missiles as long as the country complies with international law. Downing Street was then forced to insist that government policy had not changed, with officials concerned that the decision could draw the UK into the conflict. Meanwhile, Sir Keir said Mr Zelenskys visit to Downing Street was a real piece of history, after the Ukrainian president was greeted by the cabinet with a standing ovation. This is a very, very important meeting for us, and youre very welcome here, the prime minister said. It is a real pleasure and a privilege to be able to welcome you to Downing Street this morning. This is a real piece of history. He said that the president becoming the first 21st-century foreign leader to address the cabinet in person shows the esteem youre held in ... in this country and around the world. Sir Keir said that Ukraine has Britains unshakeable support and that Russias aggression is unforgivable and cannot go unpunished. He said the UK will double down on its backing for Ukraine, and confirmed that he had accepted an invitation this morning to visit Ukraine again in the future. Following Mr Zelenskys address, ministers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine on all fronts from providing military and financial aid to ensuring that Ukrainians living here are supported and feel Britains central message that the country is united behind them. The cabinet also agreed that the UK takes pride in standing with Ukraine, according to a Downing Street readout of the meeting. It came as officials from the three Baltic nations, each of which shares a border with Russia, told The Independent that now is the time for Britain to move into the leadership role in relation to Europes defence against Vladimir Putin. Speaking on the sidelines of the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday, Frederikas Jansonas, chief adviser to the Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda, said there is a strong need for a nation to step up as the leader on defence while France is reeling from a difficult election and Germany is readying for one next year. When we are talking about Nato or Europe, there are not so many countries that could be leaders, he said. But leadership is strongly needed. In Germany, we have elections coming up. In France, they already had elections, and it is obvious that it will be difficult to form and work with a new government. Other countries have internal issues. So, I think, in this unstable world, Great Britain could and should be the one that takes leadership. His comments were reflected in the words of officials from Estonia and Latvia, two countries that are considered to be part of the first line of Natos defence against Russia beyond Ukraine. An official from Estonia, which currently hosts 900 British military personnel as part of Natos enhanced forward presence initiative, intended to act as a deterrent against Russian attacks, said their country would welcome the British taking a greater leadership role in developing European defence. Asked about the value of the EPC, Aleksis Zoldners, the Latvian prime ministers press secretary, said: Its very good and important that the UK reconfirmed its commitment to European affairs and security. For Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled pro-democracy opposition leader of Belarus, Britains role in defending Europe is vital to defeating the dictatorship in her country as well, and in turn to defeating Putin. Speaking to The Independent in one of the rooms at Blenheim Palace intended for bilateral meetings between leaders, Ms Tsikhanouskaya said that the victories of Ukraine and democratic Belarus are intertwined and that it is vital that Britain should lead from the front on both issues. This new [Labour] government can be leaders of Europe, she said. They already have a strong position regarding Ukraine. And the prime minister and [foreign minister] David Lammy are good friends of Belarus. Defence secretary John Healey said that the UK will provide military aid funding to Ukraine for every year for the rest of the decade. The prime minister met with the Ukrainian leader in Downing Street on Friday (AFP/Getty) If we take the starting point that the defence of the UK starts in Ukraine, and if [Vladimir] Putin wins in Ukraine he will not stop there, then we must stand with Ukraine; were determined to do that, he told Times Radio. And it isnt just that. Weve stepped up extra support in these first two weeks in government. Weve also confirmed the commitment of extra military aid funding this year, and for every year for the rest of the decade. As long as it takes. President Volodymyr Zelensky will address government officials at an "extraordinary meeting" of the U.K. Cabinet on July 19, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on July 18. Zelensky's speech will mark the first time a foreign leader has delivered an in-person address to the U.K. Cabinet since former U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1997. He is also the first official visitor to Downing Street since Starmer took office earlier in July. "Ukraine is, and always will be, at the heart of this government's agenda and so it is only fitting that President Zelensky will make a historic address to my Cabinet," Starmer said. Zelensky will brief Starmer's new Cabinet on ongoing battlefield developments in Ukraine and the need for European countries to outpace Russia in defense production, according to the prime minister's office. "The Prime Minister is expected to tell President Zelensky tomorrow that the U.K. will go further in the coming months to place a greater stranglehold on Putin's war machine," the announcement said. The two leaders are also expected to sign a defense export security treaty. The meeting follows London's announcement of new sanctions targeting Russia's "shadow fleet," vessels used to circumvent Western sanctions and continue trading Russian oil. Zelensky arrived in the U.K. on July 18. He met with Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine's former commander-in-chief and recently appointed ambassador to the U.K., and King Charles. Read also: Zelensky: Lifting ban on strikes on Russian territory did not lead to escalation Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. President Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump, former U.S. president and Republican presidential nominee, held a phone call on July 19, five years after a fateful 2019 phone call between the two led to Trumps first impeachment. President Zelensky announced on Twitter that the two discussed the "vital importance of bipartisan and bicameral" U.S. support for Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader also noted that the leaders agreed to a future "personal" meeting to discuss peace with Russia. "Ukraine will always be grateful to the United States for its help in strengthening our ability to resist Russian terror," Zelensky said. "Russian attacks on our cities and villages continue every day. We agreed with President Trump to discuss at a personal meeting what steps can make peace fair and truly lasting." Zelensky also reportedly congratulated Trump on the Republican nomination and condemned the assassination attempt against the former President earlier this week. Politico later reported that Trump called it a "very good call" and will work to negotiate a peace deal. An anonymous source close to Zelensky also told Politico that the conversation went "exceedingly well." In the backdrop of this most recent phone call is the July 2019 phone exchange during which Trump asked Zelensky to investigate his political rivals one week after withholding U.S. military aid to Kyiv. According to transcripts released of the call, Zelensky told Trump that Ukraine wanted to buy more U.S.-made Javelins to fight Russias war in the east that had been ongoing since 2014. In response, Trump said to Zelensky: "I would like you to do us a favor, though. Trump then told Zelensky he wanted Ukraine to investigate U.S. President Joe Bidens son, Hunter Biden, and work with Trumps personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to investigate Ukraines alleged involvement in the 2016 presidential election, specifically an unfounded claim that Ukraine had broken into a Democratic server. Hunter Biden took a paid seat on the board of Burisma, a controversial Ukrainian gas company, in April 2014, just a month after Russia illegally annexed Crimea. He later resigned from Burisma in April 2019 during his fathers 2020 campaign for president. In an investigation, Russia was found to have been behind the hack of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) back in 2016. Trumps reference to the server in Ukraine was part of a conspiracy, pushed largely by Giuliani, that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that had hacked the DNC. Read also: With a Trump victory more likely, Ukraine launches charm offensive While Trump called it the "perfect call" at the time, White House officials also on the call said they felt the president was asking Zelensky to dig up dirt on a political rival. Trumps request also seemed to be a way to pressure the Zelensky administration at a time when it was waiting for further U.S. aid. A week prior, Trump had ordered his chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, to suspend $400 million in U.S. military aid to Ukraine and had withheld an invitation to the White House. The memory of the phone call and the stain it left on the leaders relationship begs the question of what U.S.-Ukraine relations will look like if Trump secures a second term in office. U.S. aid is critical to Ukraines fight against Russias almost three-year war that aims to destroy Ukraine as an independent nation. Zelensky told the BBC on July 18 that if re-elected, working with Trump would be "hard work, but we (Ukrainians) are hard workers." He also said he is ready to work with whoever is elected U.S. president to defeat Russia. "Maybe he really doesnt care, but we have to work with the United States," he added. Trump accepted the Republican Party's nomination on July 18. His chances to win the presidency are expected to increase following an assassination attempt, and calls for Biden to step out of the race are growing louder amid concerns over his health. The former president has long criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine and, as the presumptive Republican nominee in the 2024 U.S. elections, held sway over the party and contributed to the months-long deadlock in Congress over U.S. aid to Ukraine. Emily Channell-Justice, a program director at Harvard Universitys Ukrainian Research Institute, believes that if elected in November, Trump's first impeachment following the phone call with Zelensky will likely impact how a future Trump administration deals with Ukraine. Being at the center of a giant scandal in that administration, I cant imagine that Trump looks fondly upon President Zelensky, Channell-Justice told the Kyiv Independent. One of Trumps National Security Council staffers who was listening to the infamous 2019 call, Alexander Vindman, told the Kyiv Independent that Trump says what he means when asked how seriously Ukrainians should take the potential return of a Trump White House and what it could mean for Ukraine. Hes not concealing himself at all. Read also: Opinion: Could Ukraine survive a JD Vance vice presidency? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. President Volodymyr Zelensky and former U.S. President Donald Trump are scheduled to speak over the phone on July 19, CNN reported on July 18, citing two sources with knowledge of the planned call. Trump on July 18 accepted the Republican party's nomination to run for president in the 2024 U.S. election. The call would be the first conversation between Zelensky and Trump after Trump left office in 2021. The sources said that plans for a call between Zelensky and Trump have been in the works for some time. One source cautioned that schedules can often change. Zelensky is currently visiting the U.K., and is also expected to address the newly assembled British Cabinet on July 19. Trump's opposition to military aid to Ukraine has raised concerns about ongoing U.S. support for Kyiv if the former president wins a second term. Zelensky said on July 18 that dealing with a Trump administration would be "hard work." During his speech formally accepting the Republican party nomination, Trump repeated his claim that Russia would not have launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine if he had been president at the time. Multiple Democratic lawmakers have called on U.S. President Joe Biden to drop out of the race amid questions over his fitness for office and weak performance against Trump in current polls. Read also: As Trumps victory becomes more likely, efforts underway to sway him to Ukraines side Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Zelenskyy: Russians targeted playground in Mykolaiv, we need new measures to support our defence photos Aftermath of Russain attack on Mykolaiv on 19 July. Photo: Zelenskyy on Twitter (X) President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reacted to the Russian air strike on Mykolaiv on the evening of 19 July, stating that fresh measures were required to bolster Ukrainian air defence. Source: Zelenskyy on Twitter (X) Quote: "A Russian missile strike on Mykolaiv hit a childrens playground near an ordinary residential house. Currently, five people are reported injured, and three people were killed, including a child. My deepest condolences to the families and friends who have lost their loved ones." PHOTO: ZELENSKYY ON FACEBOOK Details: According to Zelenskyy, Russia's daily terror demonstrates that there is not enough pressure on Russia, and that such destruction of life must stop. Photo: Zelenskyy on Facebook "We need new measures to support our defence. Russia must feel the power of the world," he said. Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine Background: On the evening 19 July, Russian forces launched an airstrike on a residential area in the city of Mykolaiv, claiming the lives of three civilians. Support UP or become our patron! Zelenskyy thanks Poland for decision that will speed up F-16 delivery President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the Polish government has made a decision that will speed up the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Source: Zelenskyy on Twitter (X), as reported by European Pravda Details: Zelenskyy noted that at the European Political Community Summit in the UK on 18 July, he met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk "to discuss strengthening Ukraine's defence capabilities". "And today, we have a positive decision from the Polish government on a specific issue, which will allow Ukraine to receive F-16 jets sooner. I am grateful to Prime Minister Tusk for efficiently following up on our previous agreements. I am grateful to Poland for its strong support for Ukraine," he tweeted. Zelenskyy did not specify what decision he was referring to, and the Polish government has not made any public announcement. Polish media suggest that Poland's involvement may be linked to arranging the delivery of the fighter jets to Ukraine or addressing logistical issues. Warsaw is not sending its own F-16s to Ukraine. Background: The leaders of the United States, Denmark and the Netherlands, Joe Biden, Mette Frederiksen and Dick Schoof, who head the Fighter Jet Coalition, announced on 10 July that Ukraine would receive the first F-16s this summer. Bloomberg has reported that Ukraine expects to receive six F-16s from its Western partners this summer and up to 20 aircraft by the end of the year. Support UP or become our patron! CNN has reported that former President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are scheduled to have a phone call on Friday, 19 July, as reported by two sources familiar with the plans. Source: CNN with references to the sources Details: This call will be their first conversation since Trump left the White House and will take place amid European concerns about what Trump's policy on the war in Ukraine will be if he wins the presidential election in November. One of the sources warned that schedules often change. They said discussions about a suitable time for the call between the Republican Party's presidential candidate and the Ukrainian president have been ongoing for some time. Trump has repeatedly claimed that he could settle the war in Ukraine in one day. How he plans to achieve peace is still unclear. Background: The issue of Russia's war in Ukraine was raised during the debate between President Joe Biden and Trump, leading to a verbal clash between the opponents. In addition, Trump said the proposals put forward by Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin as conditions for ending the war against Ukraine waged by Russia were "not acceptable". Support UP or become our patron! Zelenskyy on Trump's possible victory: working with him would be hard work President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he was ready to cooperate with anyone who would be in power in the United States but added that working with Donald Trump would be "hard work". Source: European Pravda, citing an interview with Volodymyr Zelenskyy by the BBC Details: Zelenskyy said that if Trump is re-elected, working with him will be "hard work, but we are hard workers". Quote from Zelenskyy: "Maybe he [Trump ed.] really doesnt understand what goes on in Ukraine, so we have to work with the United States." Background: Zelenskyy has previously stated that his government was ready to cooperate with any political force in the US, specifically the Republican Party, in the event that it comes to power. There have been media reports that Zelenskyy and Trump may have a phone conversation this Friday. Support UP or become our patron! The News Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to show your leadership by pushing other Western countries to lift restrictions on the use of their weapons inside Russia during a meeting with the UK cabinet on Friday. This step would force Russia to seek peace, Zelenskyy said. His in-person cabinet address was the first of any foreign leader since US President Bill Clinton in 1997, the BBC reported. The UK is among several European NATO members such as Germany, France, and Poland to indicate that it will not stop Ukraine from using provided weapons to defend itself, including by striking Russian targets in some cases. The Biden administration has so far resisted calls to lift all restrictions on how American weapons are deployed in Russian territory over fears of escalating the conflict, but some analysts have described this position as a military absurdity that enables Russia to use its border with Ukraine as a safe haven for launching attacks. Zelenskyy urges UK PM to 'show leadership' and lift ban on strikes deep into Russia photo Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for assistance in enabling Ukraine to use Western long-range weapons for strikes deep into Russia. Source: European Pravda, citing Zelenskyy at an extraordinary meeting of the UK Cabinet, as reported by The Guardian Details: Zelenskyy said that lifting the restrictions on the use of Western weapons would help Kyiv strengthen its defence and destroy weapons depots in Russia. Photo: EPA Discussing the issue of long-range weapons, Zelenskyy noted that "we are still missing the main answer to this question." "I ask you to show your leadership [on this matter]," he said to Starmer. He added that the ability to use Western weapons to strike Russian territory is crucial for Ukraine's efforts to defend against Moscow's aggression. The Ukrainian president is visiting an extraordinary meeting of the UK government on Friday. Background: David Lammy, UKs Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, stated that London is considering Ukraine's request to use Storm Shadow cruise missiles against targets deep within Russian territory. He added that coordinated approval from three countries will be required for this. Read more: Storm Shadow strikes on Russia, military aid for Ukraine and Putins unacceptable ideas: An interview with the new UK Foreign Secretary Recently, the UKs new prime minister, Keir Starmer, said that it was Ukraine's cal l on how to use the Storm Shadow missiles provided by the UK, which some pundits have interpreted as permission to use these missiles to hit military targets inside Russia. However, a subsequent statement from Downing Street indicated that the government's policy on Ukraine's use of provided long-range weapons "had not changed." Support UP or become our patron! Zelenskyy: World must put pressure on Russia to bring them to negotiating table Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that the world should put pressure on Russia to come to the negotiating table and discuss the end of the war. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Details: The Ukrainian leader said that the entire world needs to put pressure on Russia to convince it to sit down for negotiations and consider the possibility of ending the war. Quote: "It doesnt mean that all territories are won back by force. I think the power of diplomacy can help." Details: Zelenskyy added that a weakened Russia on the battlefield would put Ukraine in a stronger position at the negotiating table. Quote: "By putting pressure on Russia, I think it is possible to agree to a diplomatic settlement." Details: Zelenskyy also commented on the expected timing of his resignation as president. "not until the war is over," he said. Background: Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) pointed out that Ukraine's demands for a peace plan are justified, while Russia's are a violation of international law. A total of 44% of residents of Ukraine believe that the time for official peace talks between Ukraine and Russia has come, while 35% are convinced that it has not. At the same time, the vast majority of respondents disagree with Russian leader Vladimir Putin's conditions. Support UP or become our patron! History of Abbeville Abbeville historians told 7NEWS the city became official in 1832, but it was first settled in 1758 by the French. That is where it all started. Andrew Pickens was a Revolutionary War General, Andrew Hartsfield, President of the Abbeville County Historical Society and Owner of Pendleton Farms Market said. He was originally from Abbeville, France and thats where Abbeville got its name from. Hartsfield said there are many notable buildings in Abbeville. The Trinity Episcopal Church whose pier was built in one year by an 18-year-old, using no nails, only wooden pegs and the courthouse, just to name a few. Local historians said the area was booming in the 1900s, with an Opera House and the Belmont Hotel next door. There was a lot going on here, Hartsfield said. The hotel was built in 1903 so this whole little area right here there was a lot going on, especially with the Opera House cause you were pulling all the plays in and people traveling. Original hardwood floors and the original show curtain arent the only things special in the Opera House. Another cool feature we have is our trap door on stage and rumor has it that Harry Houdini was here, and he needed that for a trick, Abbeville Opera House and Events Director, Emily Bledsoe, said. It is still operational. We actually used it a couple of years ago for our Wizard of Oz performance. You guessed it, bragging rights dont stop there. One of the cool things about the theatre is we actually have one of the tallest free-standing brick walls in the state of South Carolina, Bledsoe said. City leaders told us the Opera House has over 300 seats with additional private box seats still in use. While some renovations have been made its history has not wavered. You get used to it, then seeing other people come in and experience it for the first time you kind of get to relive that magic all over again like seeing it for the first time through their eyes, Bledsoe said. Behind the Opera House sits the Dendy House. The Dendy house was actually the old arsenal, Hartsfield said. Hartsfield said a professor from Clemson University uncovered its history in just the past few years. Records show the Dendy House was one of three arsenals built in the state during Governor Moultries administration. It stored ammunition until 1836. Another part of the citys history that youll see as you enter are the brick roads. The company that manufactured the brick and that laid all the brick was an African American company and to our records was the first significant black-owned and operated business in Abbeville, probably in Abbeville County, Hartsfield said. The city said Abbevilles rich history makes an impact on everyone who visits and those who call it home. I think thats really special, Bledsoe said. There are so many stories. In the early 1900s, Abbeville was a common stop for big shows traveling from New York to Atlanta. The Opera House still hosts many shows, comedies and music performances. The next show coming up at the Opera House is Nunsense on August 3rd, a musical comedy you wont want to miss. Learn more about our special quests: Dollywood Family Vacation Giveaway You can win 4 tickets to Dollywood! To enter the contest click here. Videos 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 WSPA 7NEWS. Nigeria is one of the key strategic countries for the growth of the Baptist movement, Baptist World Alliance Secretary-General Dr. Elijah Brown announced at the recently concluded BWA Annual Gathering in Lagos. Speaking during the 8-day conference that ended on July 12, Dr. Brown also underscored the significance of Nigeria's largest city in the Baptist church. Lagos, with more than 13 million people, is one of the worlds 20 largest cities and is a strategic center of the Baptist movement, said Dr. Brown. The Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) is the largest member of BWA bringing together over 14,500 churches in Nigeria with a combined membership of 9 million. While emphasizing the significance of Nigerias 220 million population, the president of the NBC Rev. Israel Akanji, said: 1 in every 7 Black people in the world is a Nigerian, and 1 in every 4 people in Africa is a Nigerian. At the Lagos convention, BWA added 13 new member bodies, ten of which are African associations. Conventions from Cape Verde, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe, Congo, Rwanda and DRC joined the Baptist World Alliance. Three associations from the Central Africa Republic - Baptist Fellowship Church, Communion of Evangelist Baptist Churches and the National Association Baptist Churches - were also added to the BWA. President Faustin-Archange Touadera of Central Africa Republic, who serves as a deacon in his local Baptist church, was recognized during the opening ceremony and prayed over by the participants at the Lagos gathering. Stay informed with The Christian Daily Newsletter Sign up African Baptists emphasize Biblical view on marriage At a press briefing during the convention, Rev. Israel Akanji, who also doubles as the president of the All Africa Baptist Fellowship, made it clear where the Baptist Church in Africa stands on the issue of same-sex unions. Akanji said that although the Church loves everyone as a child of God, it would not accept same-sex marriage in Nigeria. We are against it as the Nigerian Baptist Convention because you will be doing something that is against the law of the nation, he said. Nigerians can face up to 16 years in prison if found guilty of homosexual behavior in court. Dr. Brown, who was re-elected for a second 5-year term as the Secretary-General, said the Alliance's beliefs are anchored on the principle that every human is made in the image of God. But he also said, I may not always agree with the choices that other individuals may make, including in their choices related to marriage. The LGBTQ in global Church associations has become a divisive subject especially in Africa where millions of Christians identify as conservative evangelicals. In June, the Methodist Church in Ivory Coast renounced its membership from the United Methodist Church (UMC) after the global association of methodists voted to allow ordination of LGBTQ clergy and gave the go-ahead for its clergy to officiate same-sex weddings. 91 congregations in Kenya and Ethiopia also voted to distance themselves from UMC and joined the Global Methodist Church, a conservative association of ex-UMC pastors and leaders. How the Church in Africa responds to contemporary issues has a bearing on the global church due to the rapid growth of the Church in the continent, said Lausanne Africa Regional Directors, Stephen Mbogo and Esther Chengo, in a commentary on Church Leaders. The Church in Africa has significantly offered authentic expressions of itself that have impacted the global church. The rise of African congregations globally is a key contribution to the global church. By 2025, there will be 55,000 denominations globally, signifying an 11,000 growth within a decade, coming out of Africa and the rest of the majority world, noted Mbogo and Chengo. Persecution, peace-making and serving the communities Akanji also highlighted Christian persecution and the prevailing insecurity in Nigeria as a pressing concern. He acknowledged that the government needs to do more to combat insecurity. It is time for Nigeria to consider a state police which would help the federal police in responding to insecurity issues. Why cant we have state police where Governors can instruct state police to quickly act on threats? pondered Akanji. Akanjis plea to fasten the establishment of State police has been a subject of discussion in Nigeria where kidnapping for ransom, militants and herder-farmer conflicts have caused deaths and displacements in various States in Nigeria. In February 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formed a committee to look into the possibilities of creating a subnational police force to effectively address security challenges. BWA President Rev. Thomas Mackey challenged delegates to focus on making a difference for a better world. Drawing from the theme of the conference - Blessed are the peacemakers - Mackey encouraged Christians to live out their faith in their families, community and country by being peacemakers. Similarly, Brown reminded participants that God has called us to live as people of humility and grace, and when we are given the opportunity to serve in significant roles, let us do so with grace and not by prioritizing our political rhetoric or parties. BWA General Council adopted three resolutions at the Lagos gathering tackling religious nationalism, peace in the Middle East and world hunger. Training new employees in milking procedure always reminds me of the importance of timing in the barn. Whether the barn is a parlor, tie stall, rotary, robot, or some other type of milking facility, timing and consistency is critical to milk letdown. The little things we do during milking time have a profound effect on udder health and milk quality, Christina Petersson-Wolfe shared in a recent Virginia Cooperative Extension Dairy Pipeline article. Specifics of milk procedures may vary from farm to farm. However, the basics of timing should ideally be the same or similar on every farm. While research hasnt indicated that one style or type of teat preparation is exclusively superior to other preparations, there is a good deal of agreement on critical timing benchmarks for procedural success. That starts with the amount of time predip is given to disinfect the teat. Most common teat disinfectant solutions recommend 30 seconds of contact time. Petersson-Wolfe shared that the contact time could take place while manual stimulation is occurring as long as the timing benchmark was observed. It is also important for those that milk to understand the biology of milk letdown. The associate professor explained that oxytocin needs time to reach adequate concentration in the udder. Similarly, maximum letdown effect requires the milker to be attached in a timely manner. What are those times? According to Petersson-Wolfe, a milking unit should be attached between 60 and 90 seconds after first tactile stimulation of the udder. We must ensure that the prep-lag-time has an average length of 90 seconds from start of tactile stimulation. Prep-lag-time is defined as the time from the start of stripping, massaging, or wiping the teats with a towel (whichever comes first) to unit attachment, she detailed. When training new employees or evaluating current milking staffers, Petersson-Wolfe recommends using a stopwatch to check normal lag times. Once you have a routine established, you will need to monitor the process monthly to ensure the timeframes are being met, she suggested. Proper milking procedures will help lower somatic cell count, increase pounds in the tank, and decrease milkout time. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2024 July 15, 2024 (Bloomberg) -- Mark Zuckerberg said that former President Donald Trumps immediate reaction after being shot was badass and inspiring, and helps explain his appeal to voters. Most Read from Bloomberg Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things Ive ever seen in my life, the Meta Platforms Inc. chief executive officer said Thursday during an interview at the companys headquarters in Menlo Park, California. On some level as an American, its like hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight, and I think that thats why a lot of people like the guy. Zuckerberg, 40, declined to endorse Trump or his presumed opponent, President Joe Biden, adding that hes not planning to be involved in the election in any way. Still, his comments add to a growing chorus of Silicon Valley leaders, including Tesla Inc. billionaire Elon Musk and venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, who are warming to the former president, some pledging donations to his campaign. Zuckerberg made the comments during a wide-ranging discussion about the future of AI, social media and more for The Circuit with Emily Chang. The full episode is set to air on Tuesday. Zuckerberg said Meta is making changes that he hopes will mean Facebook is not as much of a flashpoint in elections going forward. The main thing that I hear from people is that they actually want to see less political content on our services because they come to our services to connect with people. Meta is already recommending less political content to its users, he added. I think youre going to see our services play less of a role in this election than they have in the past. Zuckerbergs relationship with Trump has been complicated by Trumps use of Metas products to reach his followers. The former presidents posts have routinely contained misinformation or challenged Metas rules. The company suspended Trump from both Facebook and Instagram for two years in the wake of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. At the time, Zuckerberg posted that Trump was using his account to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power to his elected successor. While the accounts have since been reinstated, Trump indicated he hasnt forgiven Meta or Zuckerberg, and recently suggested that he plans to retaliate. He called Facebook the enemy of the people in March. Earlier this month, Trump also appeared to warn Zuckerberg. All I can say is that if Im elected President, we will pursue Election Fraudsters at levels never seen before, and they will be sent to prison for long periods of time, Trump wrote on Truth Social. We already know who you are. DONT DO IT! ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful! Trump has reversed policy positions in the name of punishing Meta. While he was president, Trump pushed for a ban of the Chinese-owned video app, TikTok. Trump has since changed his stance, arguing in Businessweek that a ban would be too beneficial to Metas business. Zuckerberg said he welcomes competition. Its good, he said on The Circuit. I think were doing pretty well here. Were gaining market share. So I dont know. Theyll go do what they need to do but I think were gonna be fine and were gonna continue doing well in this space either way. When asked if he thought TikTok should be banned, Zuckerberg demurred. Thats above my pay grade, he said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: YouTube - AMD Acer recently filed a list of GPUs it may be preparing to sell in EEC (Eurasian Economic Commission) countries. Among the well-known and established graphics card models, it was quite surprising to see the companys submitted document included non-XT versions of AMDs Radeon RX 7900, 7800, and 7700 discrete GPUs. Both Acers value-focused Nitro and premium-level Predator Bifrost brands are slated to get these new GPUs, delivering a notch-lower performance than their XT counterparts. Please keep in mind that EEC filings do not always precipitate product releases. Aside from the three new non-XT variants of the 7900, 7800, and 7700, the EEC lists nearly all the Radeon RX 7000-series GPUs, including the GRE versions that used to be China only. However, the 7900 XTX is notably missing from the list even in the more expensive Predator Bifrost line. The five member states of the EEC are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. Russia is the biggest member of the commission, but it has been under sanctions by much of the Western world due to its aggression in Ukraine. Thats probably one of the reasons why the most powerful XTX variant of the 7900 isnt included in this list. Aside from that, the EEC could see a couple of Intel GPUs from Acer the A750 and A770 in both standard and overclocked versions. This pretty comprehensive list may mean that gamers and PC enthusiasts in the EEC region would have plenty of Acer brand GPUs to choose from. AMD leaks point to a January 2025 launch for its next-gen RX 8000-series video cards, so there's still quite some time for the 7000-series cards to be the major focus of red team GPU pickers. Looking at the previous generation, AMD released 15 SKUs for the 6000-series Radeon GPUs, including non-XT versions of mid-range GPUs like the 6800 and 6700. Currently, the 7000-series only has seven official distinct SKUs, even after more than a year and a half since it launched. At the time of writing the only non-XT version Radeon 7000-series GPU that is actually available to customers is the AMD Radeon RX 7600. As EEC product filings do not always correlate with actual product releases, Acer could likely be hedging its bets that AMD would somehow release non-XT versions of its top-tier and mid-range graphics cards in this filing. That way, if it does so, Acer could immediately release them in the EEC area without having to go through another round of regulatory red tape. AMD hasnt dropped any hints or leaks if its working on non-XT versions of the 7700, 7800, and 7900. With the massive drop in gaming revenue AMD has seen, it may feel the need to do something to take back the ground Nvidia has gained in recent years. Maybe the company is trying to create more affordable versions of its GPUs, but only time will tell if it will officially launch these non-XT products. But even if they do so, would it be enough for AMD to claw back some gaming market share from team green? A massive Microsoft outage is causing disruption across the world for airlines, banks, and retailers A massive Microsoft outage is causing disruption across the world for airlines, banks, and retailers A mass IT outage is affecting flights, banks, and other organizations around the world. A "defect" in an update for Windows caused the issue, the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said. CrowdStrike and Microsoft said a fix had been deployed but the problems may take time to resolve. Major airlines, banks, and supermarkets are experiencing widespread disruptions connected to a defective update issued by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. American Airlines and United Airlines issued advisories to airborne flights early Friday morning. The carriers said communication was intermittent because of issues with systems that send messages to planes, often from air-traffic control or airline operations. Some passengers were being issued handwritten boarding passes at airports because of the disruption. At London's Heathrow Airport, travelers were advised to check their gate numbers on Google as information screens were not working. Broadcasters and 911 lines are affected, as are grocery stores, retailers, and fast-food giants whose in-store cash registers malfunctioned. As commuters woke up in New York City, they were told train-arrival information for the subway would not be available, though service was unaffected. "The world grinding to a halt because of a global IT meltdown shows the dark side to technology and that relying on computers doesn't always make life easier," Dan Coatsworth, an investment analyst at AJ Bell, said. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on X the company was "actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts," adding: "The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed." In an interview with NBC's "Today," Kurtz apologized for the outage: "We're deeply sorry for the impact that we've caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this." He added that it "could be some time" for systems to recover. Microsoft acknowledged the issue in an X update: "Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions." One cybersecurity expert told Business Insider there was no automatic or remote solution to the problem, meaning "every computer affected has to have some manual interaction." The UK government was due to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the outage later on Friday. Disruption and delays Singapore's Changi Airport said it was manually checking in some passengers, and local media reports showed long lines at check-in counters. A spokesperson told BI: "Due to a global outage affecting IT systems of many organizations, the check-in process for some airlines at Changi Airport is being managed manually." Lines of people at Terminal 1 in Singapore's Changi Airport on Friday. Aditi Bharade / Business Insider At London's Luton Airport, Nick Xydias said he was stuck waiting for a Wizz Air flight to Larnaca, Cyprus. "It's my birthday, and we'd booked a romantic trip with my wife. She'd got a new dress and everything," he told BI from a long line of frustrated passengers. "All the flights are grounded." His flight was later canceled. He also shared these photos: Long lines at Luton Airport, near London, on Friday as airlines and other companies reeled from a mass IT outage. Nick Xydias A traveler at Luton Airport said his birthday plans with his wife were disrupted because of the outage. Nick Xydias In Australia, Melbourne Airport said it was experiencing a "global technology" issue affecting check-in procedures for some airlines. Sydney Airport also reported a global outage for airline operations and terminal services, though flights were still operating. Delhi Airport in India also said it was affected. A passenger at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport wrote on X that he had been issued a handwritten boarding pass. Edinburgh Airport in the UK and Berlin Airport in Germany also warned of delays. Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, said there was "disruption across the network due to a Global 3rd party IT outage which is out of our control" and advised passengers to head to airports early. CrowdStrike issues Many of the affected Windows devices displayed an error message colloquially called the "blue screen of death" that locked users out of their computers. CrowdStrike said a defective update caused the issue. The outage is "one of the most significant of cyber issues of 2024," Omer Grossman of the cybersecurity company CyberArk said in a statement to BI. "The damage to business processes at the global level is dramatic." Correction: July 19, 2024 An earlier version of this story gave the wrong destination airport for a passenger. Nick Xydias was trying to reach Larnaca, Cyprus, not Monaco. Read the original article on Business Insider This will be the largest IT outage in history, bringing Y2K fears to reality, web-security expert says This will be the largest IT outage in history, bringing Y2K fears to reality, web-security expert says A massive IT outage on Friday caused widespread disruption across different sectors worldwide. An expert said the outage, linked to a CrowdStrike update, mirrors Y2K fears that never came true. Air travel, banks, and 911 lines are among some of the many services affected by the global outage. In 1999, the specter of Y2K, or the millennium bug, caused mass, worldwide anxiety about the risks of power, air travel, and stock market outages. Y2K passed with barely a blip, but over two decades later, one web security consultant says those fears have finally been realized, thanks to a massive IT outage on Friday. "This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except it's actually happened this time," Troy Hunt, an Australian web security expert, said in an X post. In another post, Hunt said, "I don't think it's too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history." While Y2K did not ultimately cause the widespread chaos that was feared, Friday's outage arguably has. It has resulted in major disruptions to travel, banks, and supermarkets across the globe, which are still ongoing at the time of writing. On Friday, Microsoft reported problems with its online services linked to an issue with CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm. CrowdStrike admitted that one of its updates was behind the outages. George Kurtz, CrowdStrike's CEO, said the problems were caused by a "defect" in a "content update" for Microsoft Windows. He added that the issue had been "identified, isolated" and that a fix had been deployed. As Business Insider's reporting has documented, 911 lines , banks, and broadcasters are among those affected by the outage. Grocery stores, retailers, and fast-food giants have also experienced malfunctions with their in-store cash registers. And air travel has also been disrupted. In Singapore, Changi Airport, one of the world's busiest airports, said it was manually checking in passengers of some airlines. Several UK airports and international airlines have been impacted, with US airlines like Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines issuing ground stops on Friday. The London Stock Exchange Group's Workspace news and data platform was also affected , preventing news from being published on its website. Malfunctions also hit Norway's central bank . The latest outage highlights the fragility of the world's IT systems and just how dependent modern society is on them. In a comment provided to BI, Dan Coatsworth, an investment analyst at AJ Bell, said: "The world grinding to a halt because of a global IT meltdown shows the dark side to technology and that relying on computers doesn't always make life easier." Read the original article on Business Insider Mass IT outage: here's a list of companies and operations affected A huge global IT outage is disrupting flights, banks, retailers, and media outlets. The widespread disruptions have been linked to an issue with the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Operations affected include airlines in the US and Europe, supermarkets, and some 911 lines. A mass IT outage has hit flights, banks, retailers, and media outlets around the world. The issues appear to be linked to the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Microsoft also acknowledged the issue in an X update early Friday, writing, "Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions." Here are some of the companies and operations affected. Airlines Numerous airlines grounded flights early Friday morning, including the big three US carriers: United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines. In statements, they all cited technology issues. Delta and American had both canceled their ground stops by 7 a.m. ET. A United spokesperson told Business Insider that it was holding all aircraft at their departure airports while it works to restore systems. "Flights already airborne are continuing to their destinations," they added. American has blamed the issues on CrowdStrike, saying they were because of a "technical issue with Crowdstrike that is impacting multiple carriers," according to BBC News. The budget airlines Frontier, Allegiant, and Spirit also issued ground stops which were later canceled. Frontier's was issued on Thursday night. "Flight operations are currently being impacted by a major Microsoft technical outage," it said in a statement. Spirit said it was unable to rebook affected customers because of the outage. Disruption also extended to Europe. The continent's largest airline, Ryanair, advised passengers to arrive early as the outage caused "disruption across the network." KLM also said it had to "largely suspend operations" as the outage made "flight handling impossible." British Airways, Wizz Air, Turkish Airlines, Eurowings, Lufthansa, and Qantas were also among those who said they were affected. 911 lines According to a Facebook post from Alaska State Troopers, emergency lines in the state are also affected. The post said: "Due to a nationwide technology-related outage, many 911 and non-emergency call centers are not working correctly across the State of Alaska." "We appreciate your patience and will update you when we know more," the statement added. Airports The major UK airports Heathrow, Gatwick, and Luton have reported issues, with some warning of delays and disruption. An X post from Gatwick Express, a train service for the airport, said the company was unable to access driver diagrams at certain locations, "leading to potential short-notice cancelations, particularly on the Thameslink and Great Northern networks." A spokesperson for Belfast International Airport confirmed to BI that whiteboards were being used to handwrite flight information before systems were later restored. Whiteboards were also used at Singapore Changi Airport. Hospitals and doctors' surgeries Several hospitals and doctors' practices appear to have been affected by the outage. In the UK, the NHS' EMIS system, which doctors use to book appointments, view patient notes, order prescriptions, and make referrals, appears to be having issues. A spokesperson for the NHS told BI in a statement: "The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with EMIS, an appointment and patient record system, which is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices." They said that long-standing measures were in place to manage disruption and that there was no known impact on 999 or emergency services, so people should use these services as normal. "Patients should attend appointments unless told otherwise and only contact their GP if it's urgent, and otherwise please use 111 online or call 111," they added. Two German hospitals canceled elective operations scheduled for Friday, Reuters reported. NYCT Subway Commuters in New York City and DC may also face delays Friday morning. In an X post, the NYCT subway said: "Train arrival information is unavailable for A/B/C/D/E/F/G/J/M/N/Q/R/Z/Rockaway Park Shuttle/Franklin Av Shuttle due to a worldwide technical outage. Train service is unaffected." The post said the tech outage also impacted Subway officials' ability to see train locations. Broadcasters Sky News also appears to have been hit by the outage. The UK news channel has been showing archive footage and briefly displaying an error message. The news site appears to be up and running at the time of writing. London Stock Exchange The London Stock Exchange's website was also experiencing issues. "RNS news service is currently experiencing a third-party global technical issue, preventing news from being published on www.londonstockexchange.com," the company said in a statement. "Technical teams are working to restore the service. Other services across the group, including London Stock Exchange, continue to operate as normal," it continued. Retailers and fast-food giants Bloomberg reported that McDonald's Japan suspended about a third of its stores in the country on Friday. The issue was with the stores' cash registers, the report said. The grocery-store chain Woolworths told BI that some stores had "been impacted as a result of the global IT issue." All but six stores were open for business, but some had fewer functioning checkouts. Delivery delays FedEx and UPS are warning of delivery delays because of the outage. In a statement on the company's website, FedEx said it was experiencing "substantial disruptions throughout our networks due to a global IT outage experienced by a third-party software vendor." The company said parcels due to be delivered on Friday might face delays. A UPS spokesperson told BI that it continues to operate effectively but there may be some service delays due to third-party outage "impacting some UPS computer systems in the U.S. and Europe." Some US state driver services are down Drivers in some states are unable to access services because of the outage. Georgia's Department of Driver Services posted on X that "due to the global Microsoft/Crowdstrike outage, DDS services are unavailable at this time." Tennessee's Department of Safety and Homeland Security said some Driver Services Centers may not be able to process transactions, according to a post on X. North Carolina's Department of Motor Vehicles driver license and plate agencies are also impacted and unable to assist customers, according to a CNN report. Hotels Bloomberg reported that at the Ocean Park Marriott in Hong Kong, staff were using pen and paper to check guests in and said the outage was affecting their systems globally. Marriott International later told CNN in a statement that "certain hotel systems" have been affected. "We are actively working with our vendors to resolve issues that have impacted certain hotel systems," the company said in a statement to the publication. "We apologize for any inconvenience that guests may experience." Read the original article on Business Insider Get ready to take off into a cleaner future of flying. The world's largest electric vehicle battery maker, CATL, just successfully tested a battery that powers a four-ton electric plane. This groundbreaking development brings us closer to commercial electric aircraft that could significantly cut planet-overheating pollution from aviation, according to Electrek. Gas-powered airplanes are a major source of the pollution causing our Earth to overheat. While flying is often the most time-efficient way to travel, it comes at a steep cost to our environment and health. The airline industry is working hard to find cleaner alternatives, and these new ultra-high density batteries could be a catalyst for revolution. CATL has been collaborating with partners like the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China to develop greener aircraft components, including batteries, engines, and propellers. Its new Condensed Battery boasts an impressive energy density of up to 500 watt-hours per kilogram in a single cell double that of the average electric vehicle. According to CATL, this supercharged battery is "opening up a brand-new electrification scenario of passenger aircraft." CATL's successful test flight of the four-ton electric aircraft powered by this battery marks a major milestone in the journey toward mass electrification of transportation. But it's not stopping there. The company has even bigger plans in the works. CATL expects to unveil an eight-ton electric aircraft for commercial use by 2028, with an impressive range of around 1,200 to 1,800 miles. That's enough to fly from New York City to Denver on a single charge. While electric planes won't be taking over the skies overnight, this breakthrough puts us on the runway toward a future with cleaner air travel options. Fewer dirty fuel-powered planes means less pollution making our planet hotter and our weather more severe. Whenever these eco-friendly electric aircraft become mainstream, you can feel great about choosing them for your travel plans. Not only will you be helping to reduce the pollution that harms our communities' health, but you'll also be part of the climate solution on a large scale. As CATL and other innovators continue working to make flying cleaner and greener, the future of air travel is looking brighter and breezier. Keep your eyes on the skies because a new era of electric aviation is preparing for takeoff. In the meantime, we can all do our part by supporting technologies and policies that help cut pollution and cool down our overheating planet. Every choice counts. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet. The race for state House Position 2 in the new 14th Legislative District has no incumbent, leaving the door open for a new representative. Whoever is elected will represent the Lower Yakima Valley and surrounding area in Olympia. The 14th District was redrawn following the 2020 census, and redrawn again following a successful lawsuit challenging the map based on the Voting Rights Act, arguing that it discriminated against Latinos. The new District 14 covers east Yakima, Sunnyside, Granger, Mabton, Grandview, most of the Yakama Reservation, and stretches out westward to Lyle and eastward into part of Pasco. State Rep. Gina Mosbrucker of Goldendale is the current Position 2 seat holder, but after the redistricting, was moved to District 17. She decided to not seek a sixth term. To find out which district you live in, visit bit.ly/14thdistrictmap. Three candidates are vying for the position 2 seat: Democrat Ana Ruiz Kennedy of Pasco, a business liaison for a community development nonprofit; Republican Deb Manjarrez of Wapato, a farmer and certified public accountant; and Eddie Perez of Union Gap, an independent without party preference and manager of Franks Point S tire shop. Ballots will be sent by mail to registered voters this week for the Aug. 6 primary. Washington has a top-two primary, meaning two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, advance to the general election. The Position 1 seat candidates are Democrat Chelsea Dimas; Republican Andy Kallinen; and Republican Gloria Mendoza. With only two candidates for the Senate seat, both will make on the general election ballot: Republican Sen. Curtis King and Democrat Maria Beltran. The base salary for a state legislator is $61,997. As of Wednesday, Kennedy has raised $66,995, Manjarrez has raised $83,007 and Perez has not reported any campaign contributions, according to the Washington Public Disclosure Commission. The Yakima Herald-Republic spoke with Manjarrez and Perez in person, and with Ruiz Kennedy over Zoom. Interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Answers appear in alphabetical order. Why are you running for this office and why are you the best person to best represent the new 14th District? Kennedy: I am running to give the people in the 14th Legislative District a choice that is qualified, that has leadership experience. Thats why Im running. With the Democratic slate you have Maria Beltran running for the Senate, who lives in east Yakima. You have Chelsea Dimas, who's running for the House seat Position 1, who lives in Sunnyside. And I'm running for the House seat Position 2 in Pasco. So with the three of us, you have a representation, a delegation, that lives in all the areas that encompass the 14th. Manjarrez: I have lived in the 14th District my entire life, down there in Wapato, fourth generation farming family. My husband and I grow apples. We still actually farm a piece of property that's been in my family since the 40s. So my roots are deep there. I've lived there my whole life. And I have a business that I deal with multiple different businesses, small business and individuals. I know uniquely from serving them about how legislation affects them and their businesses and their families. And then of course, I'm 63. You finally get lots of wisdom with years and so I am uniquely qualified for this position in the 14th. Perez: I had to do a lot of discerning on this, running for a leadership position. My goal is to make the people in this 14th District understand that they are a voice of this community. When I first did this, I thought I could make an impact as a third generation Hispanic male in the valley. I think can help those along that are coming along, first generation, second generation, that have come to the valley and have made a big, strong impact as far as population. Me having a solid foundation here, I think that I can show these people here that you can still stand up for everything you believe and I can be the leader to help you along with that. Would you support increases in state funding to education and/or changes to the states funding formulas for K-12 education? Kennedy: The (state) Supreme Court had already issued a mandate on how education should be funded and (the Legislature) has not been able to fund to that level. There are budgetary needs that the Legislature needs to take a look at. We have many school districts that are going through big budget shortfalls and problems, so we need to address that. Manjarrez: We need to look at what are the main purposes of state government and it's education. That's their No. 1 purpose. That's our No. 1 funding, and then public safety, police and fire, and then behind that is infrastructure. We do need to look at the funding and the split between actual teachers and administrative costs of our schools. So yes, it needs to be looked at. Some of our teachers are the highest paid in the country. I agree that teachers need to be paid. I think we need to look at it along with all of the rest of the budget items. Perez: For K through 12, I feel that an adjustment for what we already have in place is probably more proper for what we need to do. Yes, theres a lot of work in that area, but because education is our primary goal, as a state funded program, I feel like if we do stuff in adjusting around, we can make it work. Instead of throwing ourselves into debt or throwing more taxes at the people to fund those things, I think it can be worked on. Theres always a solution. How will you be voting on the three state initiatives on the ballot and why? Background: Three state initiatives will go on the fall ballot after a petition campaign by the conservative group Let's Go Washington. Initiative 2117 would ban carbon tax credit trading and repeal the Climate Commitment Act. Initiative 2124 would allow for employees and self-employed people to be able to opt out of WA Cares, a state long-term care insurance program. Proponents of the program say it's effectively a repeal. Initiative 2109 would repeal the capital gains tax, which is a 7% tax on the sales of stocks and bonds on profits over $250,000. Kennedy: I will be voting no, they would severely damage our budget. (Initiative 2109) would remove funding for education when we already have big budget problems in education. (Initiative 2117) would also take away funding for transportation, which is integral to the economic development in in our state. So I would vote no. Manjarrez: I want to repeal the cap and trade, I want to repeal the capital gains. We don't need the capital gains, its an income tax. There needs to be an opt out of WA Cares. Perez: I would oppose WA Cares, simply because I looked at the program and it looks to me that the tax that they try to put into that, is coming out of everybodys paychecks, but it's not enough funds to make the program actually work. I did notice that they did take some money out of a different budget somewhere and threw it into the WA Cares act. I feel all they did there is make it look good for the people. Its going to run out eventually. I feel like if you let people run their own lives, they would have more money to spend elsewhere. The carbon tax from what Ive read, I think it needs to be repealed. I dont feel thats something we need to do. Capital gains, thats going to be tough. Private industry has their own ability to maintain and police their own funds, and we dont have to have lots of people with their hands in the cookie jar and its not their cookie jar to put their hands in. Would you support changes to Washington state laws dealing with abortion, contraception or in vitro fertilization? Kennedy: I would not advocate for any changes on the laws that we currently have. Manjarrez: There's not going to be any change to those laws in the state of Washington. I see no bills coming down the pike in that area at all. Perez: This is my thought on this whole ordeal. As far as that goes, if a person goes to have a child, whether if its in wedlock or out of wedlock, I dont feel like the state has to fund ... if someone wants to have an abortion. Its not a medical condition its procreation. Its not a disease, its procreation. So I dont think the government needs to fund that. How would you address the housing affordability and homelessness crises as a legislator? Kennedy: That is an issue that I hear at the doors when we are canvassing. The cost of living and housing affordability, which they go hand in hand, those are issues that are top of mind for the voters, especially the people in the 14th. In my work one of our strategic priorities is housing and housing affordability. To tackle this issue, it cannot be done by one entity. It has to be done in combination; we have housing authorities, we have the cities and we have the counties and we have the state and nonprofits. One of the biggest costs for housing is the cost of land and the cost of construction. So there is a role for all these different stakeholders to come to the table so that at the end we increase the number of affordable housing that we have in our communities. Manjarrez: It is not a housing issue, it is a drug and mental health issue for 98% of it. I mean, it just is. We're not helping them just by putting them in a house where they can overdose. They have to be helped and put into long-term treatment, potentially involuntary treatment and then after that they need to go into clean housing it's a very long process to get them back so that they are productive members of society. That's the true help for them now. Government has a real role in affordable housing. We scream affordable housing. We increase the minimum wage, the sales tax is where it's at. Gas costs are the highest in the country and then all of the filing fees that the government at every level want to charge, we are responsible for some of that. So we have the ability to change those at all levels of government. We need to serve the people. The Growth Management Act, there's another one that, I mean, come on. We created that ourselves. Government created it at the state level ourselves. The Growth Management Act needs to get changed. It's one more step of control of our land. Private property rights are basic in the United States of America. It needs to be a local control, thats what it has to be. Growth management cant be the same for Bellevue as it is for Yakima. Perez: I was just talking to some people in the community over the weekend, and it sounds to me that they are really getting tired and fed up over whats going on. If we could have some kind of mental health awareness, because its created by depression, drug use I think if we can find a solution to take care of those issues, people could hopefully can straighten out mentally so they can realize they can actually be a productive part of society and dont have to live that way anymore. As far as helping finance anything like that, I feel like the Yakima Housing Authority has done a really good job as far as building homes for low-income and lower middle class people. Im seeing construction going up lots of places. Ranchers and farmers, theyve always had housing for their employees, even back in the 60s and 70s. They werent the greatest working conditions, but they gave some housing to the farmworkers. If they could modernize the way they build homes or apartments for their employees, so that theyre not living in rugged conditions but in some sort of decent living. Borton Fruit, theyre building homes for the community. Why cant other people follow suit? As a legislator, if I could help fund and get grants for this, I feel like it would work for our community. The 2013 edition of Bite of Seattle at Seattle Center is shown in this file photo. The three-day food and music festival returns to Seattle from Friday to Sunday under new ownership. California-based FoodieLand acquired the festival from Kirkland-based Cheq last winter. (John Lok / The Seattle Times, 2013) Dairy producers can be considered as the first line of defense when keeping their herds free of infection. Instead of reacting to diseases that occur on the farm, Eric Gordon from the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University informed about a proactive approach to prevent disease by educating about biosecurity measures and practices for dairy farms. In an online webinar with the OSU Extension Dairy Working Group, Gordon referenced three key farm areas to enforce biosecurity: farm accessibility, management of cattle, and management of people. Gordon generally recommended providing and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), controlling farm visitors, and restricting the movement of cattle. In terms of managing outside farm contact, Gordon suggested, Develop a line of separation on your operation. By creating a place at the farms entry where companies can deliver their product without having to drive onto the property, farms can limit their contact with any outside sources that may pass along disease. For the larger deliveries that cant be transported by farm employees, Gordon recommended washing vehicle wheels with EPA-registered disinfectants and providing disposable footwear and outerwear for farm visitors. Limiting the movement of cattle to and around the operation helps to reduce the risk of disease as it lowers animal exposure. With new or sick cattle, Gordon recommended isolating them in separate pens, and if possible, with separate caretakers. He also suggested that these animals are milked separately and that afterward, all aspects of the facility are thoroughly sanitized. Deceased animals may transmit sicknesses to live animals. Anything that we can keep off the farm right now . . . helps reduce environmental contamination, Gordon stated. As for pests and wildlife, complete elimination of unwanted animals is difficult, which is why its best to prevent them from arriving on the farm in the first place. By removing created habitats and deceased animals, installing fencing and netting where necessary, and adding decoy scare devices around the farm, there is less chance of passing on disease. Its also crucial to note that any disease is highly transmittable among young livestock. To prevent possibility of any disease, its best to refrain from feeding raw colostrum or milk. Feeding heat-treated colostrum and milk or milk replacer is a safe option that limits disease transmission. Keeping dairy cattle safe and healthy is a top priority and a top responsibility for dairy farmers. The implementation of biosecurity practices on dairy farms ensures that farmers are playing offense, not defense, against any potential disease. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2024 July 15, 2024 The Washington State Supreme Court building, also known as the Temple of Justice, photographed on the Capitol campus in Olympia. (Karen Ducey / The Seattle Times, 2023) The European Political Community will hold its next summit in Hungary, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the closing press conference of the EPC meeting held at Blenheim Palace. The one-day summit was dedicated to the subjects of aid to Ukraine and the fight against illegal migration. Participants in the meeting agreed that the problem of illegal migration should be addressed where the problem was generated, Starmer said, adding that the UK would launch a humanitarian aid programme worth 84 million pounds in Africa and the Middle East. Starmer said the next EPC summit will be held in Hungary later this year, while two summits were planned for 2025, in Albania and Denmark. 'EU Should Not Copy US Dems Foreign Policy' The European Union should not copy the US Democrats' foreign policy, but should strive for a new European approach with strategic autonomy in mind, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said ahead of the European Political Community summit in the UK. In response to a question concerning Hungarys peace mission, Orban said we are progressing well, it is not easy when there is headwind, but for the time being we have made all the planned steps. He said he had made some proposals in the interest of the European approach. I am progressing slowly, but they are thinking about it. I hope I can advance further with the next steps, he added. Commenting on his recent talks aiming to achieve peace in Ukraine, he said he had represented his own position. Commenting on Donald Trump, Orban said he is a man of peace and what we need is peace. Regarding the situation in Georgia, Orban said the country is doing extremely well, and the government is trying to maintain independence and sovereignty amid extremely difficult circumstances. Asked what his message was for Ukraine, Orban said I am with you. Peace is a long way ahead because there are many pro-war countries who think they can annihilate Russians with military force, he said, adding that the conflict had no solution on the battlefield. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here! New Delhi: HCLTech, India's third-largest software exporter is introducing a new policy to link employees' leaves with their in-office attendance. This initiative aims to encourage employees to work from the office at least three days a week. This move comes as companies aim to bring employees back to the office after the Covid pandemic. At HCLTech, employees will need to be in the office for at least three days a week and a minimum of 12 days a month. If they fall short their leaves will be deducted for each day they miss, according to a report by Moneycontrol, citing insiders. (Also Read: HCLTech moved to a hybrid work model earlier this year and asked employees to return to the office three days a week. Now, an employee shared with Moneycontrol that, HR has started communicating this update to some teams from this week onwards over emails and this is already effective. Once our leaves are over, this could lead to loss of pay." According to an HCLTech spokesperson, as reported by the outlet, Our hybrid work policy provides flexibility where people in middle and senior level management follow any 3-days a week work from office arrangement which supports collaboration. All other employees follow the working arrangements as necessary to meet the client commitments and these are planned by the respective managers." Previously, C Vijayakumar, CEO and MD of HCLTech stated that the company had no plans to "link variable compensation with bringing people to the office." This approach differs from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which in April tied its quarterly variable pay to employee attendance. Vijaykumar further added, Return to office continues to increase, and it varies from business line to business line. Some business lines, we're able to comfortably work remotely. And for some business lines, we think getting people back to work is the right strategy,. New Delhi: After a global outage affecting Microsoft's cloud services, airports across India are facing unexpected flight delays. Passengers have taken to social media to share their experiences, posting images of handwritten boarding passes being issued due to the disruption. This unforeseen issue has caused several inconveniences for travellers nationwide. In response to the outage, IndiGo has started using handwritten boarding passes to keep flights running smoothly. Akshay Kothari, a passenger at Hyderabads Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, shared his experience on X (formerly Twitter). The Microsoft / CrowdStrike outage has taken down most airports in India. I got my first hand-written boarding pass today pic.twitter.com/xsdnq1Pgjr Akshay Kothari (@akothari) July 19, 2024 The Microsoft/CrowdStrike outage has taken down most airports in India. I got my first handwritten boarding pass today, he shared a photo of his manually issued boarding pass along with his post. The switch from digital systems sparked a variety of responses on social media. One comment noted, Wow back to pen paper. Another remarked, Sometimes, the old-school way is still the best when technology lets us down. Indigo's Response #6ETravelAdvisory : As systems are impacted globally due to ongoing issues with Microsoft Azure, we kindly request you to refrain from making multiple booking attempts during this time. We are working closely with Microsoft to resolve the issue and appreciate your patience. IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) July 19, 2024 Hi, we're facing a network-wide issue with Microsoft Azure, causing delays at airports. Check-ins may be slower and queues longer. Our Digital team is working with Microsoft to resolve this swiftly. For assistance, please reach out to our on-ground team. Thanks for your patience. IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) July 19, 2024 IndiGo issued a statement addressing the widespread disruption. Our systems across the network are impacted by an ongoing issue with Microsoft Azure, resulting in increased wait times at our contact centres and airports, the airline said. They advised passengers to expect slower check-ins and longer queues and urged those travelling within the next 24 hours to contact them only if necessary. The outage also impacted other airlines, including Air India, Vistara, and SpiceJet, leading to flight cancellations and delays. Response from Government and Industry Indian Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the IT ministry is working with Microsoft to resolve the outage. He stated, "MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage. NIC network is not affected." India described the violent demonstrations in Bangladesh as Dhaka's "internal" affair on Friday, while also acknowledging its vigilance over the situation due to the presence of 15,000 Indians in the country. Bangladesh is currently experiencing intense confrontations as students protest, demanding the government led by Sheikh Hasina to abolish a contentious job quota system. The ongoing clashes, which started several weeks ago, have resulted in approximately 30 fatalities. The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, assured during his weekly media briefing that the safety of the 15,000 Indians, including 8,500 students, is not compromised. The Indian High Commission in Dhaka is actively coordinating with local authorities to ensure the security of Indian students who wish to return. By 8 PM on Friday, a total of 245 Indians, among them 125 students, had returned to India. Additionally, the Indian High Commission aided the repatriation of 13 Nepali students. "There are ongoing protests in Bangladesh, which we consider an internal matter of the country," stated Jaiswal. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is personally overseeing the situation, particularly concerning the safety of Indian nationals. The border crossings between India and BangladeshBenapole-Petrapole, Gede-Darshana, and Akhaura-Agartalawill remain operational to facilitate the return of students and other Indian citizens. In collaboration with the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Bureau of Immigration, the High Commission of India is assisting in the safe return of Indian students from Bangladesh. This week, the escalation of unrest led the Bangladeshi authorities to suspend bus and train services and to close educational institutions nationwide. An advisory has been issued for the Indian community in Bangladesh, focusing on their safety and offering assistance when needed, Jaiswal added. The Indian High Commission has also established round-the-clock helpline numbers for support. "Our High Commission will be providing regular updates. I will also be posting regular updates. I would urge family members to follow us for the latest developments," he said. "We remain committed to providing all possible assistance to our nationals in Bangladesh," Jaiswal said. Total Indian nationals in Bangladesh are estimated to be around 15,000 which included around 8,500 students, he said. "We are aware of the measures taken by the local authorities in view of the protests. Our High Commission remains in touch with local authorities for the safety of our nationals," the spokesperson said. The protesters are demanding withdrawal of a quota system for jobs describing it as "discriminatory". New Delhi: One of the shocking incidents unfolded in West Bengal as the Panchayat of Howrah cut the hair of a woman and paraded her in the village, reportedly as punishment for theft in the Domjur area. Following the incident, the BJP raised questions about the incident occurred. This is not the first time such incidents have occurred in Bengal; just two days ago in Malda, a similar incident took place where a husband and wife were beaten, garlanded with shoes, and paraded around the village. In Today's DNA, Anant Tyagi analysed the 'Taliban-Style Panchayat' in Bengal. Watch Today's Full Episode Here: The video has surfaced from Howrah district, west Bengal, showing a woman having her hair cut haphazardly with scissors. According to reports, this was punishment for theft in the Domjur area, where the woman was first beaten before her hair was cut in front of the village. Police have arrested 7 people in connection with this case. After the police took action in this matter, some villagers were seen protesting against it. Controversial IAS officer Puja Khedkar left Washim on Friday, following the UPSC's initiation of several actions against her, including the filing of a police case for taking the civil services exam under a false identity. "The judiciary will take its course," stated Khedkar, who is accused of abusing her power and privileges during her training in Pune, to the press outside the Washim government rest house, where she had started her duties earlier in the month. "I will return soon," she told the media before departing in a private vehicle for Nagpur. After being reported by Pune district collector Suhas Diwase for misconduct, Khedkar was reassigned from Pune to Washim as an extra assistant collector. The allegations against Khedkar, a member of the 2023 IAS batch, include demanding amenities beyond those she was entitled to as a trainee and taking over the antechamber of a senior official. Known for displaying her status, Khedkar often drove around Pune in her personal luxury Audi car, which she had illegally fitted with a red-blue beacon light, a 'Maharashtra Government' sticker, and a VIP registration number, reportedly with a contractor's assistance. The Union Public Service Commission has served her a show cause notice to cancel her civil services examination-2022 candidacy and bar her from future exams/selections. New Delhi: Amid the violent quota protests in the neighbouring country Bangladesh, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday described the violent protests in Bangladesh as an "internal" matter of that country. "As you are aware, there are ongoing protests in Bangladesh. We see this as an internal matter of the country," he said, PTI reported. Jaiswal further informed that around 15,000 Indians including 8,000 students are currently residing in Bangladesh and they are safe. "We have issued an advisory for Indian nationals, including our students, resident in Bangladesh for their safety and assistance if required. Helpline numbers are activated operating on 24x7 basis for people to reach out," he added. Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs also requested that Indian nationals in Bangladesh follow the advisory issued by the High Commission of India in Dhaka, The advisory stated that the people must avoid local travel and minimize their moments outside the premises due to the protest. In the advisory, MEA stated that the High Commission and Assistant High Commissions will be available on helpline numbers for any assistance required by Indian nationals. In a post on the microblogging site X, the MEA said, "Indian nationals in Bangladesh are requested to follow the advisory issued by the High Commission of India in Dhaka. The High Commission and Assistant High Commissions remain available on helpline numbers for any assistance required by Indian nationals." The statement stated that in view of ongoing violence in Bangladesh, Indian residents are advised to avoid local travel and minimize their movement outside their living premises. The advisory from the Indian Embassy in Dhaka listed helpline phone numbers available for assistance of Indians residing in Bangladesh. Indian nationals in Bangladesh are requested to follow the advisory issued by the High Commission of India in Dhaka. The High Commission and Assistant High Commissions remain available on helpline numbers for any assistance required by Indian nationals. https://t.co/MqNRVvmrJ8 Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) July 19, 2024 "In case of any urgency or need for assistance, please reach out to the High Commission and our Assistant High Commissions at the following 24-hour Emergency numbers: High Commission of India, Dhaka +880-1937400591 (also on WhatsApp) Assistant High Commission of India, Chittagong +880-1814654797/+880-1814654799 (also on WhatsApp) Assistant High Commission of India, Rajshahi +880-1788148696 (also on WhatsApp) Assistant High Commission of India, Sylhet +880-1313076411 (also on WhatsApp) Assistant High Commission of India, Khulna +880-1812817799 (also on WhatsApp)" Security outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi was a heightened precautionary measure due to anticipated protests amid ongoing anti-quota protests in Bangladesh. On Friday morning, Several police personnel were seen outside the Bangladesh High Commission Office. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday for claiming that eight crore new jobs had been generated, accusing him of "rubbing salt into the wounds" of the youth by "telling one lie after another." His attack comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated last week that the creation of eight crore new jobs in the last three to four years has "silenced" those peddling false stories about unemployment. The prime minister stated, citing a recent Reserve Bank of India employment report, that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government prioritized stability and growth, and that small and large investors greeted the NDA's third term with enthusiasm. Taking to X, Kharge said, "Narendra Modi ji, By telling one lie after another on jobs, you are rubbing salt into the wounds of the youth!" "That is why we want to ask you three questions regarding the questionable data of the RBI -- Why is it that you promised 20 crore jobs in 10 years, but took away more than 12 crore jobs? "According to the RBI report, there was an increase of 2.1 crore in employment between 2012 and 2019, but the International Labour Organization (ILO) report says that this increase is only 2 lakh. In fact, the main source of both reports is the government PLFS survey. So what is the truth then," he asked. Is it not true that according to the government PLFS data, the source of the RBI report, 37 per cent of working women are unpaid, Kharge added. In rural areas, this figure is at a horrifying level of 43 per cent, he said. "Is it not true that according to the government's own Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE), the informal manufacturing sector lost 54 lakh jobs in seven years due to the triple impact of demonetisation, flawed GST and Covid-19," the Congress leader asked. "Even if RBI data is to be believed, it is not a matter of joy that people like factory-workers, teachers, small shopkeepers etc., who had gone to their villages due to the pandemic, are having to work as agricultural labourers. The RBI report shows that there are 2.3 crore such people who did not return to their regular jobs between 2019-20 and 2022-23," Kharge said. It is not clear how the RBI arrived at its 202324 numbers, given that it did not reveal the sector-wise breakup, something it did in previous years, the Congress chief said. "Modi ji, stop hiding the promise of providing 2 Crore Jobs per year, by misusing RBI and publishing FAKE reports," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the BJP headquarters in Delhi on Thursday to express his gratitude to the behind-the-scenes party workers. Amid the political turmoil in Uttar Pradesh (UP), Modi's visit has generated significant interest. According to ANI, the Prime Minister thanked the workers for their dedication, particularly during the election period when they took no leave. He praised their hard work and expressed appreciation for their unwavering support over the decades. "Today, Prime Minister Modi came to the BJP HQ to meet our staff, many of who have been working for the party for decades. They have seen the party rise from 2 seats to 303, when we just had one Ambassador car to now a fleet... It was an emotional moment for them to be recognised," said Amit Malviya, in-charge of BJP's National Information & Technology Department and and member of the party's National Executive, in a post on X. UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya's Controversial Remarks This visit came shortly after UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya stated that the 'party organization was bigger than the government', leading many to interpret Modis actions as an endorsement of Mauryas comments. BJP's Report On The Poll Results in UP At a recent meeting of the Uttar Pradesh state executive in Lucknow, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath acknowledged, "When we assume with such confidence that we are winning, we naturally have to pay the price. The opposition, which had lost heart before the election, is now working with renewed vigor." The timing of Modi's visit also coincided with the leak of an internal report from the BJP Uttar Pradesh unit to the central leadership, which detailed the reasons behind the party's loss of seats in the state. The report highlighted issues such as frequent paper leaks and the hiring of contractual workers in government jobs, indirectly pointing to concerns about Chief Minister Yogi's governance. PM Modi's 'Sneh Milan' With Staff In an emotional gathering at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his heartfelt gratitude to longtime staff and party workers during the 'Sneh Milan' event. Modi thanked the BJP staff for their unwavering support and dedication, especially during the recent elections. This included clerks, peons, and office workers who have been with the party for decades. #WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the party workers at BJP headquarters in Delhi pic.twitter.com/Ajp6k3cusr ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2024 During the event, Modi reminisced about his time working in the BJP office and recalled past leaders like Kushabhau Thakre. He personally interacted with the staff, asking about their experiences and inquiring about their families. New Delhi: The CBI Friday arrested a first-year MBBS student of Ranchi's Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for allegedly being part of a 'solver module' working with an engineer who had stolen the NEET-UG question papers, officials said. Surabhi Kumari was taken into custody after two days of detailed questioning by the CBI, the officials said. It is alleged that Kumari was the fifth member of the 'solver module' which was present in Hazaribagh in the morning of May 5, the NEET-UG examination day, to solve the paper stolen by Pankaj Kumar, they said. Pankaj Kumar alias Aditya, a 2017-batch civil engineer from the National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), who allegedly stole the NEET-UG paper from the NTA trunk in Hazaribagh. The CBI has so far arrested 16 persons in connection with the NEET-UG cases taken over by it. The RIMS, an autonomous institute under the Jharkhand government, was approached by the CBI earlier this week for questioning. "The CBI team contacted the hospital management on Wednesday saying they wanted to question her in connection with the NEET paper leak. The management extended full cooperation to the team. On Thursday too, they grilled her and said she will be questioned further," RIMS PRO Rajiv Ranjan told PTI earlier in the day. The official said the parents of the student had contacted the management and were briefed about the situation. On Thursday, the CBI had arrested four MBBS students of AIIMS Patna, all members of the solver module, in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case, they said. They have been sent to CBI custody for four days. According to sources, these five members were tasked to solve the paper so that answer key could be provided to NEET aspirants who had taken services of the gang, they said. The CBI had already arrested Kumar, who stole the paper, and Raju Singh who had helped him in the process. The agency on Thursday also arrested one Surender Sharma, who also helped Kumar in Hazaribagh. Sharma was presented before a special court along with four AIIMS students of the 'solver module', they said. The central probe agency, which is investigating the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam, has lodged six FIRs. The FIR from Bihar pertains to paper leak while the remaining ones from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are regarding impersonation of candidates and cheating. The agency's own FIR on a reference from the Union education ministry pertains to a "comprehensive investigation" into the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024. The NEET-UG is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions. This year, the exam was conducted on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 abroad. More than 23 lakh candidates had appeared for the test. Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday suggested that the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, would be an effective brand ambassador for population control, as he believes a specific community predominantly listens to Congress leaders. CM Sarma also claimed that, based on current trends, Assam is on track to become a Muslim-majority state by 2041. During a press conference, CM Sarma stated, "One could visit a village with a Muslim majority and inquire about the leader they prefer to heed, and the likely response would be Rahul Gandhi, not Himanta Biswa Sarma." "This is why I think the Congress party should actively participate in the country's population control efforts." He referenced census data from Assam over the past decades, noting a significant increase in the Muslim population every ten years,' he added. "Comparing the 2001 and 2011 Census data, there was about a 30 percent increase in the Muslim population in Assam, while the Hindu population increased by only 16 percent. This means the growth rate of the Muslim population was 14-15 percent higher," he explained. He concluded, "If this trend continues, Assam is projected to become a Muslim-majority state by 2041." CM Sarma highlighted that the rise in the Muslim population has been a consistent trend for several decades. "Currently, Muslims constitute 40 percent of Assam's population, whereas in 1951, they accounted for 12 percent," he added. New Delhi: Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday expressed his disappointment over Karnataka's bill which was initiated by his party ruling in the state, which mandates job reservation for Kannadigas in the private sector. Tharoor described this job reservation as "unconstitutional" and "unwise". While criticizing the job reservation bill, he said that according to the Constitution, every citizen has the right to live, work and travel freely across the country. "That was not a wise decision. If every state brings such a law, it would be unconstitutional. According to the Constitution, every citizen has the right to live, work and travel freely in any part of India," Tharoor said, PTI reported. However, Congress MP expressed happiness over the decision of the Siddaramaiah-led government to withhold the bill. The Thiruvananthapuram MP said, "I don't know why Karnataka thought of it, on what basis," adding if such a law were implemented in the state, businesses from Karnataka would likely relocate to neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala. He also said that the Supreme Court had rejected a similar bill when a government in Haryana tried to introduce it. Earlier, the Karnataka state Cabinet cleared the "Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in Industries, Factories, and Other Establishments Bill, 2024" on Monday, mandating private firms to reserve jobs for Kannadigas. Following criticism from the industry, including a caution from tech company NASSCOM that might relocate out of Karnataka, the state government decided to put the bill on hold. Washington: In his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination, Donald Trump called for unity and strong leadership, promising to restore America's former glory, defend national security, and unleash innovation to tackle major challenges. Giving a clarion call to his countrymen to unite, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said that it is time to start expecting and demanding the best leadership in the world, leadership that is bold, dynamic, relentless, and fearless. In his speech to accept the nomination to be the Republican presidential candidate on Thursday, Trump, 78, urged Americans to help him win the race for the White House on November 5. Tonight, I ask for your partnership, for your support, and I am humbly asking for your vote. Every day, I will strive to honour the trust you have placed in me, and I will never let you down," Trump said, nearly a week after he survived an attempt on his life. "To all of the forgotten men and women who have been neglected, abandoned, and left behind, you will be forgotten no longer. We will press forward, and together, we will win, win, win," he said. "I stand before you this evening with a message of confidence, strength, and hope. Four months from now, we will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country," Trump said at the Republican National Convention. Nothing will sway us. Nothing will slow us. And no one will stop us. No matter what dangers come our way, no matter what obstacles lie in our path, we will keep striving toward our shared and glorious destiny and we will not fail. Together, we will save this country, we will restore the Republic, and we will usher in the rich and wonderful tomorrows that our people truly deserve, the former US president said. Trump said he was the first president in modern times to start no new wars. There was peace in Europe and the Middle East. Under President Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under President Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under the current administration, Russia is after all of Ukraine. Under President Trump, Russia took nothing. We defeated 100 per cent of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, something that was going to take five years, and I did it in two months. I stopped the missile launches from North Korea, he said. Iran was weak, broke, and wanted to make a dealthey were not spending money on Hamas, Hezbollah or other carriers of terror, and Iran was never going to have a nuclear weapon. Now, they can have one within 90 days, and they have USD 300 billion dollars to spread terror across the region. "Our opponents inherited a world at peace and turned it into a planet of war. It began to unravel with the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, the worst humiliation in the history of our country. 13 heroic US service members were tragically and needlessly killed, 45 others were horrifically wounded, and $85 billion dollars' worth of military equipment was left behind, along with many American citizens, he said. Trump said, emboldened by that disaster, Russia invaded Ukraine. Israel endured the worst attack in its history. Now China is circling Taiwan, and Russian warships and nuclear submarines are operating 60 miles off our coasts in Cuba, and the media doesn't want to talk about it, he said. And to the entire world, we want our hostages backand they better be back before I assume office, or you will be paying a very big price. With our victory in November, the years of war, weakness and chaos will be over, he said in a stern warning to the adversaries of the United States. We will replenish our military, and build an Iron Dome Missile Defense System to ensure that no enemy can strike our homelandand this great Iron Dome will all be Made in the USA. We will unleash the power of American innovationand as we do, we will soon be on the verge of finding the cures to cancer, Alzheimer's, and many other diseases. We will restore and renovate our nation's once-great cities, making them SAFE, clean, and beautiful againand that includes our nation's capital in Washington D.C. We will be proud of our capital again, he said. America is on the cusp of a new Golden Age, but we must have the courage to seize it, Trump said. Claiming that he faces a security threat from another party worker, BJP MLA Fateh Bahadur Singh has cited the recent assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump. Singh has sought the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath in separate letters that BJP worker Rajiv Ranjan Chaudhary has hired men to kill him. Addressing reporters on Thursday, he said while the chief minister has ensured security protection for him in the last seven to eight years, prominent figures are still attacked and cited the recent attack on former US president Trump. Singh, a seven-time MLA from Campierganj, currently has Y+ category security with 11 personnel, and his security arrangements are periodically reviewed. Singh claimed that Chaudhary has offered a contract of Rs 5 crore to have him killed. Chaudhary, however, has denied the allegations and insisted that instead his life was in danger. "It's not me who wants to kill the MLA, but the MLA wants to have me killed," he said late on Thursday. Chaudhary, is the son of Saroj Devi, a BJP district panchayat member. Police has initiated an investigation after a complaint by Singh. The MLA, who is the son of former Chief Minister Veer Bahadur Singh accused police of inaction during a press briefing on Thursday. He claimed that eleven days ago while he was touring his constituency, he was informed of a plan to assassinate him. Though he initially dismissed the threat, the next day, one of the hired assassins approached him and revealed that a contract of Rs 5 crore was on his life, the Campierganj MLA said. Singh claimed that he reported the matter to the SSP, explaining the entire case at his residence and has informed the chief minister. Despite this, no action has been taken in the last eleven days, he said. On Thursday evening, Gorakhpur DM Krishna Karunesh and SSP Gaurav Grover issued a joint statement on the matter. DM Karunesh assured that investigation was underway after police received Singh's complaint. Several people have already been questioned and all information is being thoroughly checked, he said. SSP Grover added that the investigation has been assigned to SP North and involves different police teams, including the Special Task Force(STF). UP News: The Yogi government has issued an order regarding the Kanwar route across Uttar Pradesh. All shops (hotels, dhabas) along the Kanwar route are now required to display nameplates. It is mandatory to have nameplates of the owner and the operator. This step has been taken in consideration of the Kanwar pilgrims' sentiments. What did the Minister Say? Regarding the directive to place nameplates on food shops along the Kanwar routes in Uttar Pradesh, State Minister Kapil Dev Agarwal stated, "This is not about street vendors. People who carry water from Haridwar and Gomukh travel 250-300 kilometers along the Kanwar route to their destination. We had requested the district administration that most of the dhabas/hotels operating under Hindu deity names are run by people from the Muslim community." He further added, "Kanwariyas visit these shops, eat there, and they sell non-vegetarian food... Meaning the shop is named after Hindu deities, but they sell non-veg. There should be a ban on this, and their identity should be known... We have no objection to anyone selling non-veg... We had only requested that shops named after Hindu deities should not sell non-veg. This is the action taken by the administration in this regard..." Government Directive: The Yogi government has mandated that all shops, including hotels and dhabas, along the Kanwar route in Uttar Pradesh must display nameplates showing the name of the owner and operator. Purpose of the Order: This step has been taken to respect the sentiments of Kanwar pilgrims, who travel long distances carrying water from Haridwar and Gomukh. Minister's Clarification: State Minister Kapil Dev Agarwal clarified that the directive is not about street vendors but focuses on established shops along the Kanwar route. Reason for the Order: Agarwal mentioned that most of the dhabas/hotels operating under Hindu deity names are run by people from the Muslim community. He emphasized that Kanwariyas often visit these shops and consume food there, which sometimes includes non-vegetarian items. Call for Ban on Non-Veg Sales: Agarwal argued that while they do not oppose the sale of non-vegetarian food, shops named after Hindu deities should not sell such items. He called for a ban on this practice and demanded that the identity of shop owners be known. Congress Criticism: Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai criticized the directive, calling it impractical and accusing the government of disrupting social harmony. He demanded the immediate revocation of the order. Naqvi's Initial Opposition: BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had previously raised concerns about the order on social media, warning that overzealous officials' directives could promote untouchability and disrupt communal harmony. Naqvi's Change of Stance: Naqvi later stated that the administrative confusion had been resolved and that there was no need for communal politics over the respect and protection of faith. He emphasized that the order applied to all shopkeepers, irrespective of their religion. Personal Experience: Naqvi shared his personal experience of participating in the Kanwar Yatra, stressing that faith should not be a hostage to intolerance or untouchability. Opposition's Continued Protest: Despite the clarifications, opposition parties continue to protest against the administrative orders, arguing that they could deepen communal divides and affect social cohesion in the state. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine the contours of Article 361 of the Constitution which grants 'blanket immunity' to governors from any kind of criminal prosecution. The top court's order came on a plea of contractual woman employee of West Bengal 'Raj Bhavan' who has alleged molestation by Governor C V Ananda Bose and her wrongful confinement by the officials there. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also issued a notice to the West Bengal government on the plea of the woman and granted her liberty to make also the central government a party. It also sought the assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani in dealing with the constitutional issue. At the outset, senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the woman whose name has been redacted from the judicial records, said, "It cannot be that there is no investigation. Evidence has to be gathered right now. It cannot be deferred indefinitely till the governor demits office." The plea said the immunity granted to the governors under clause 2 of Article 361 cannot bar the investigation and moreover, the time is the essence in such probes. "The petition raises the issue pertaining to the ambit of the protection which is afforded to the governor under clause (2) of Article 361 of the Constitution," the bench said in its order of issuing notice to the state government and others. The Article deals with the protection of President and the governors and its clause 2 reads: "No criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the President, or the Governor of a State, in any court during his term of office." The woman petitioner has also sought directions to frame specific guidelines under which governors enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution. "This court has to decide whether a victim like the petitioner can be rendered remediless, with the only option being to wait for the accused to demit his office, which delay will then be inexplainable during the trial, and render the entire procedure a mere lip service, without any justice to the victim herein," the plea said. The plea has also sought a probe into the case by the West Bengal Police and protection for her and her family along with compensation from the government for her loss of reputation. The contractual woman employee of Raj Bhavan had lodged a complaint with the Kolkata Police alleging that she was molested by Bose in the governor's house on April 24 and May 2. She accused Bose of orchestrating a "ridiculous drama" to deflect attention from his actions, emphasising that he should have provided the CCTV footage from premises to police at the outset of the investigation. Footage from two CCTV cameras positioned at the main (north) gate, from 5.32 pm to 6.41 pm on May 2, was shown to a select group of people and journalists at the Central Marble Hall on the ground floor of Raj Bhavan. In the first footage, the employee, dressed in jeans and a top, was seen hurrying to the police outpost housed within the governor's house amid a significant number of police personnel who were deployed in the premises for the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on that day. The second footage, which lasted for around 10 minutes, showed various vehicles including fire tenders arriving at the north gate of Raj Bhavan and policemen lining up for their regular duties. The victim, however, could not be spotted. In the wake of the controversy, Bose filed a defamation case against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on June 28, a day after she claimed that she had been approached by women saying they were afraid to visit the Raj Bhavan because of the "activities" there. Are you looking to effortlessly transition from desk to dinner with style? Ive got you covered with some fashion hacks that will help you seamlessly go from work mode to a chic evening look without missing a beat. Day-to-Night Outfit Planning: Plan your outfit strategically by choosing versatile pieces that can easily transition from day to night. Opt for a classic blouse or a structured blazer that can be dressed up with statement accessories for the evening. Statement Accessories: Elevate your daytime look by adding bold accessories like statement earrings, a chunky necklace, or a sleek clutch for a touch of glamour. Accessories can instantly transform your outfit from office-appropriate to dinner-ready. Swap Shoes: Swap your work shoes for a pair of stylish heels or dressy flats to instantly elevate your look for the evening. Comfortable yet chic footwear can make a big difference in transitioning your outfit from desk to dinner. Layer with a Stylish Jacket: A stylish jacket or blazer can effortlessly transition your outfit from professional to polished. Opt for a leather jacket, a tailored blazer, or a chic trench coat to add sophistication to your evening ensemble. Add a Pop of colour: Incorporate a pop of colour into your outfit for the evening to make a statement. Whether it's a vibrant blouse, colourful accessories, or bold lipstick, adding a touch of colour can instantly liven up your look for dinner. Versatile Dresses: invest in versatile dresses that can be styled for both work and evening occasions. A classic wrap dress, a sheath dress, or a midi dress can be easily accessorized to suit different settings and dress codes. Effortless Hair and Makeup: Transition your daytime makeup look to evening by adding a bold lip colour, smoky eye makeup, or a touch of highlighter for a more glam look. Opt for a sleek updo or tousled waves to switch up your hairstyle for dinner. Convertible Pieces: Choose convertible pieces like a reversible skirt, a reversible top, or a versatile jumpsuit that can be styled in multiple ways for different occasions. These pieces offer flexibility and ease in transitioning from desk to dinner. Classic Silhouettes: stick to classic silhouettes like pencil shirts, tailored trousers, and structured blouses that exude sophistication and elegance for both work and evening events. Classic pieces can be easily accessorized to suit various occasions. Confidence is Key: Above all, wear your outfit with confidence and poise. No matter what youre wearing, confidence is the best accessory that can elevate any look from desk to dinner effortlessly. With these fashion hacks in mind, you'll be able to seamlessly transition from a day at the office to a stylish evening out with ease. Remember, it's all about creativity, versatility, and a touch of confidence to rock any look from desk to dinner! New Delhi: Phonepe backed Share.Market said that the technical glitch in the App was due to the massive global outage at Microsoft that had impacted services. Share.Market tweeted that services have now been restored, and apologized customers for inconvenience. "We are aware of the technical difficulties some of you experienced accessing our platform today. This disruption was due to a global outage of CrowdStrike, a critical cybersecurity provider used by many organizations, including us. Our services have been restored. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and thank you for your patience and understanding. For any further questions or concerns, please reach out to our customer support team," Share.Market tweeted. We are aware of the technical difficulties some of you experienced accessing our platform today. This disruption was due to a global outage of CrowdStrike, a critical cybersecurity provider used by many organizations, including us. Our services have been restored. We apologize Share.Market (@SharedotMarket) July 19, 2024 Earlier in the day, several people took to twitter, sharing technical error in the App. Meanwhile, Global cybersecurity platform CrowdStrike, that provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to Windows PCs is down, claimed several users from across India, Japan, Canada, Australia and many other countries. Affected users took to X and Reddit to report the outage, BSOD error or Blue Screen of Death on the platform. The outage affected a host of services in banks, supermarkets, airlines and other major companies. In India, Microsoft global outage has impacted check-in services in Mumbai, with airline companies like IndiGo, Akasa, SpiceJet taking to X to inform passengers regarding temporary unavailability of services. New Delhi: As the Microsoft Windows crash created mayhem globally, cyber-security platform CrowdStrike on Friday said it is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. The company said Apple Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. George Kurtz, President and CEO of CrowdStrike, said in a post on X that this is not a security incident or cyberattack. "The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website," he said. The ongoing global outage of the US tech giant Microsoft has affected millions of users across the world, including in India, where airlines and airport services are majorly hit. Millions of Microsoft Windows users are experiencing the "Blue Screen of Death" error that causes their computers to shut down or restart. A Microsoft spokesperson said they are "aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform". "We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming," said Microsoft. New Delhi: The government's cybersecurity agency CERT-In has issued an advisory on the outage of Microsoft Windows owing to CrowdStrike agent 'Falcon Sensor' update. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, informing about the advisory on social media platform X, tweted, CERT-In advisory on the outage of Microsoft. The CERT-In has given it a "Severity Rating and said it outage of Microsoft Windows is due to crowd stike agent Falcon Sensor update. The concerned Windows hosts are experiencing a "Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)" related to Falcon Sensor. "It has been reported that Windows hosts related to Crowd strike agent "Falcon Sensor" are facing outages and getting crashed due to recent update received in the product. The concerned windows hosts are experiencing a "Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)" related to Falcon Sensor," said the cyber security agency Microsoft Windows Global Outage: CERT-In has also suggested steps for customers to mitigate the issue The issues occurred in the latest update of CrowdStrike and the changes have been reverted by the Crowd Strike Team. If hosts are still crashing and unable to stay online to receive the Channel File Changes, the following steps can be used as work around for this issue: - Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment - Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory - Locate the file matching C-00000291*.sys, and delete it. - Boot the host normally. CERT-In has also advised users to check the latest updates from Crowd Strike portal, . The ongoing student protests demanding reforms in the quota system for government jobs in Bangladesh have escalated, resulting in at least 32 deaths and over 2,500 injuries on Thursday. Siege at Bangladesh Television Bhaban Protesters besieged the state-run Bangladesh Television Bhaban in the Rampura area of Dhaka. The unruly mob damaged the front side, torched several parked vehicles, and trapped some staff, including journalists, inside. Violence peaked in the Uttara area of Dhaka, where several private universities are located. The Daily Star reported that clashes between protesters and law enforcers, as well as ruling party men, resulted in 18 fatalities and numerous injuries. Why Are Students Protesting? University students have been rallying for over a week against the reservation system in public sector jobs, which includes quotas for relatives of 1971 war heroes. Protesters have vowed to enforce a 'complete shutdown' nationwide. They are calling for the immediate cancellation of quotas in government jobs, stating that the current system discriminates against meritorious students. Communication Shutdown Authorities have shut down the metro rail and railway services in Dhaka since Thursday afternoon. Additionally, mobile internet networks have been disabled to control the unrest. The websites of Bangladesh police and the Awami Leagues student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, have also been hacked. Deployment of Security Forces Border Guard Bangladesh personnel, riot police, and the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have been deployed across the country to maintain order. Government offices and banks remain open, though attendance is low due to limited public transport. Government Response Law Minister Anisul Huq announced that the government is willing to hold a dialogue with the protesting students. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has tasked him and Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury with facilitating discussions. A judicial investigation committee, led by High Court judge Khondkar Diliruzzaman, has been formed to investigate the violence. Student Group Rejects Government's Offer The protest group Students Against Discrimination has rejected the governments offer, demanding immediate action rather than dialogue. They criticized the prime ministers response as insincere. Supreme Court Hearing Scheduled Prime Minister Hasina addressed the nation, urging students to trust the Supreme Court, which is set to hear the case on August 7. The government plans to petition for an earlier hearing date to expedite the resolution. US President Joe Biden was already navigating growing discontent among fellow Democrats over his presidential bid after recent flubs during debate and media addresses. Now, his recent COVID-19 diagnosis has further raised concerns. Adding to these challenges, former President Barack Obama has expressed doubts, narrowing Biden's path to the presidency even more. According to report by the Washington Post, Barack Obama has told allies in recent days that President Bidens path to victory has greatly diminished and he thinks the president needs to seriously consider the viability of his candidacy, according to multiple people briefed on his thinking, reported the Washington Post. In recent days, Obama has received calls from congressional leaders, Democratic governors, and key donors, during which he has shared their unease about Biden's campaign prospects following his disastrous June 27 debate performance against Donald Trump. Despite listening to these concerns, Obama has maintained that the decision to stay in the race is Biden's alone, according to several anonymous sources cited by the Associated Press. "Whether its President Obama, former President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, I think their most important role, at this point, is helping to ensure that we have a successful November, said Julian Castro, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary under Obama and a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate against Biden, has recently urged Biden to end his current candidacy, reported AP Obama-Biden Relationship Obama and Biden's relationship began as a strategic move when Obama chose the experienced Delaware senator as his vice president in 2008. The two were not close when they were in the Senate, but Obamas choice aimed to ease worries about his limited experience and reassure white Democrats about voting for a Black candidate with less than four years in the Senate. Over time, this practical alliance grew into a genuine partnership and friendship. The Second Peace Summit. What Do Ukrainians Expect from This Summit and How Did They Evaluate the First One? Getty Images Author Tetiana Sylina Editor of the International Politics Department at ZN.UA Only a month has passed since the first Peace Summit in Switzerland, but Volodymyr Zelenskyys team is already actively preparing for the next forum. Returning from the United States of America, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced at a press conference on Monday that in the coming months (July-September) three meetings at the level of ministers and security advisers will be held based on the results of the Swiss Summit. He also confirmed: political leaders on Bankovaya Street plan to hold the second Summit before the presidential elections in the United States of America. And although Ukraines Western partners make it clear that conferences and diplomacy are not the best way to achieve peace, in Kyiv, it seems, they have even greater hopes for the second summit than for the inaugural one. Although, as the first rehearsal of the Peace Summit has already shown, inflated expectations lead to great disappointments. Waiting... The summit in Switzerland did not achieve the three main goals set by Kyiv. In Burgenstock, it was not possible to rally the Global South around the Ukrainian Peace Formula, while the Formula itself did not become the main and only peace plan of the international community to end Russias genocidal war against Ukraine. And, alas, there is still no need to talk about Putins complete isolation (although he is very limited in his contacts with foreign leaders). Many states of the Global South, dependent on both China and the Russian Federation, not only continue to cooperate with Moscow, but are also increasingly vocal about the need to directly involve Russia in discussing ways to end the war in Ukraine. Initiatives for this were even heard from the rostrum of Burgenstock. China, while Ukraine and its partners were preparing the Peace Summit in Switzerland, managed to reshape its 12-point peace plan into a joint with Brazil Peace Plan for the Global South and, together with Russia, began to actively attract supporters to this alternative peacekeeping platform. Putin publicly supported Chinese initiatives that essentially proposed freezing the war, lifting Western sanctions against both the Russian Federation and its accomplices, ending Western military assistance to Ukraine and our countrys refusal to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Prime Minister of Hungary, currently presiding over the European Union, Viktor Orban visited several capitals on a peacekeeping mission promoting Chinese-Russian plans. It is against this background, despite considerable skepticism even from partners = both the closest and most loyal, and the most powerful, but absorbed in their own elections = that Kyiv continues to prepare the second Peace Summit. As part of a large social study that ZN.UA conducted together with the Razumkov Center, we not only asked Ukrainians how they assessed the results of the forum in Switzerland, but also asked them: is it necessary to hold a second Peace Summit, is it worth inviting Russia to it and does it make sense for Ukraine to take part in Chinese peace initiatives. Peace Summit in Switzerland: The First Rehearsal. Does Ukraine Have Time for Follow-up? Peace Summit take-2. Is it necessary to carry it out? From the statements of both representatives of the presidential team and Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself, we can conclude that the second Summit should be decisive: almost stopping the war and bringing long-awaited peace to Ukraine. They started talking about the World Summit 2 in Kyiv even before the opening of the first one apparently, presuming very modest results from the debut. In Burgenstock, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that preparations for the next forum will last months, not years, since we do not have time for long-term work. Why all this work was not done in the year and a half that passed from the promulgation of Volodymyr Zelenskyys Peace Formula to the Peace Summit in Switzerland, and now the decisive forum is being prepared in a hurry, the presidential team does not explain. Although Western partners are transparently hinting to Kyiv that any meeting must be carefully organized, with clearly defined goals and controlled expectations, there is no talk yet of a clear or at least any definition of goals and controllable expectations. Nevertheless, after Burgenstock we asked the Ukrainians: Does Ukraine need to initiate a second Peace Summit? The majority of respondents (61.4%) supported the intentions of the president of their country, answering Yes. (Fig.1). ZN.UA However, before that we asked them another question. Reminding fellow citizens that of the 10 points of President Volodymyr Zelenskyys Peace Formula, only three were submitted to the Burgenstock Summit on food and nuclear security, as well as the exchange of prisoners. We asked them if they believe that this summit has brought Ukraine closer to the end of the war and peace? Almost half of the respondents (47.7%) answered No (Fig. 2). And only a third of respondents (33.9%) said Yes. It was difficult for 18.4% of the social survey participants to decide. The way of thinking of compatriots is sometimes very difficult to understand and explain. Sociologists talk about the ambivalence of Ukrainians. Here, you can compare for yourself. Lets say why half (51.1%) of those who could not decide on the answer to the question Did the Peace Summit in Switzerland bring Ukraine closer to the end of the war and peace? believe that it is necessary to hold a second summit. One can still somehow guess about this: perhaps they do not lose hope of figuring out why these summits are needed. Rehabilitation by Love. Three Stories about Coming Back to Life Why the overwhelming majority (71.5%) of those who saw the end of the war at Burgenstock are in favor of holding a second summit is also quite understandable: they hope to become even closer to peace. But why did 10.9% of Ukrainians from the same number of respondents say no to the option of holding a second Summit? Do they really think that we are already close enough to peace? The reasons for those 20.7% of Ukrainians who are disappointed with the results of the first summit and therefore do not see the point in holding a second one are understandable. But what motivates those 58.1% of our fellow citizens who believe that the summit in Switzerland did not bring Ukraine closer to ending the war, but are in favor of holding another peace forum? Will Hope be the last to die? Do they hope the next summit will be more successful? Perhaps these are questions for social psychologists. But be that as it may, the president has the support of Ukrainian society for holding the second Peace Summit. Is it worth inviting Russia to this summit? And preparations for the Summit are in full swing. In any case, the head of state convinces us of this. The schedule of upcoming meetings to develop action plans, announced by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, is as follows: late July-early August Qatar, energy security; August Turkey, freedom of navigation/food security; September Canada, humanitarian issues of prisoner exchange and return of children. After these three points, if they work, the head of state shared his plans, a complete plan for the implementation of all points (of the Peace Formula. T.S.) will be ready. I set the goal that in November we would have a fully prepared plan. If we implement these three points, if the plan on our part and on the part of our partners is fully prepared, I believe, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, everything will be done. We will be ready to bring the second summit as close as possible. And I think that representatives of the Russian Federation should be there. What do Ukrainians think about Russias participation in world summits? Answering the question: Do you think it was right to not invite Russia to the Peace Summit in Switzerland?, the majority of Ukrainians (60.4%), despite the fact that, unfortunately, it was not possible to achieve complete isolation of Russia, nevertheless they answered Yes. (Fig. 3) A little more than a fifth of respondents (22.3%) do not consider this decision to be correct. Another 17.3% were unable to decide on their answer. As for inviting Russia to the next Peace Summit (if it is held), Ukrainians rejection of such a development of events is noticeably lower than in the previous case. Although there are still more opponents of such a decision than those who agreed with the possible presence of representatives of the aggressor country at the second Peace Summit 42.5% versus 35.6% (Fig. 4). Every fifth Ukrainian (21.9%) found it difficult to decide on the answer to this question. Even at the final press conference in Burgenstock, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said about Russias possible presence at the World Summit 2: This will indicate that they want peace. Their presence there will indicate that they have decided to end the war." What exactly should change and make the Russian leadership want, if not peace, then at least participation in a peace forum initiated by Ukraine? Why will the Russian Federation suddenly agree to consider at it action plans drawn up not in Moscow for the implementation of the points of the Volodymyr Zelenskyys Formula? Or what exactly should at least force the Russians to do this? There were no explanations from the team of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on this matter. Nor was it said what Kyivs actions would be if Russia rejected the invitation to the second Peace Summit. Defense Technologies in Ukraine Position of Venture Investors By the way, the Russian Foreign Ministry already stated last week that Moscow will not participate in such events where there is a conscious disregard for other initiatives to resolve the Ukrainian crisis and called the Ukrainian Peace Formula a dead end and an ultimatum. By other initiatives, one must assume that they mean Russian or, at worst, Chinese. Does Ukraine need a plan developed by China? After Orbans peacekeeping initiative and his several foreign trips, during which the Chinese peace initiatives were in the suitcase of a Hungarian traveling salesman under the peace plan named after himself, the chief diplomat of the European Union, Josep Borrell, clearly laid out all the main points in the position of the European Union: There is no other plan for Europe other than Volodymyr Zelenskyys plan. This is the only plan for us, for Europeans. But, alas, not for the Chinese, Brazilians, Indians, Saudis, South Africans and many other representatives of other continents. Even Switzerland, the hotelier of the first Peace Summit, made it clear at its end that it was not only the Ukrainian peace plan that was on its table. Its Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said that he would discuss the results of the forum with those on whose doors we knocked (with the countries that were absent at it or did not sign its final communique - primarily, apparently, China, Brazil, India). Even on the final day of the Burgenstock Summit, the head of Swiss diplomacy suggested that Russia could conduct parallel negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine, and China could lead these processes. At the same time, Ignazio Cassis noted that Switzerland would welcome alternative efforts to establish peace. China is calmly and systematically, without fuss and unnecessary information noise, creating such an alternative platform for discussing peace initiatives on the Ukrainian crisis. China has long had its own plan and even a joint plan with Brazil, the support group of which has been encouraged to recruit applicants and remains open - mainly from the non-Western world in defiance of the Western one. It is still unknown which of these two camps there will be more peacekeepers in. But Chinese active participation in ending the war in Ukraine, depending on Beijings plans and intentions, can either help us (which is unlikely to happen) or do a lot of harm (which is much more likely). Ukraine and the Russian Federation are just balancing weights on the scales of China in its global confrontation with the United States. The Russian weight for Beijing is still, alas, much heavier than the Ukrainian one. It cannot be completely ruled out that at some stage Ukraine will be invited to take part in a peace conference under the auspices of China. There is a very large part of the world that listens to the voice of Beijing. Therefore, we decided to find out the opinion of Ukrainians on this matter. But although two-thirds of Ukrainians, as the ZN.UA study showed, are fully aware of how important Chinas role is in influencing Russia and, consequently, the Kremlins decision to continue or stop the war with Ukraine, our fellow citizens do not bother to deeply study Beijings position. So, to our question: Do you know the content of Chinas peace initiative, the format of which it agreed with the Russian Federation and proposed to Ukraine? only 7.5% of respondents answered, well known. (Fig.5) Another 39.5% of Ukrainians know something about it. And more than half of the respondents (53%) were completely unaware. But there is nothing to be surprised by this state of affairs, because a year ago, during another social study commissioned by ZN.UA, it turned out that at the time of the survey, in total, more than half of our fellow citizens 56% had no idea about the content of the peace plan of the president of their country. In addition, 28.4% heard about it for the first time from interviewers... However, lack of awareness did not prevent more than half of the respondents from giving a clear answer to the ZN.UA question: Should Ukraine take part in Chinas peace initiative, the format of which it agreed with Russia and proposed to Ukraine? Only 17.4% of respondents answered Yes. (Fig. 6) Those who believe that Ukraine should stay away from Chinese peace initiatives turned out to be significantly more: 40.2% said No. And almost the same number (42.3%) of survey participants honestly chose hard to decide. What Is It Like to Be a Mother in Ukraine? Orban's "letters of happiness" Viktor Orban, either inspired by Hungarys presidency of the European Union, or stimulated by one of his friends (Putin? Xi Jinping? Both?), of course, did not care about the opinion of Ukrainians. As well as the rules and treaties with the European Union. This caused extreme irritation in Brussels and most European capitals. They repeatedly disowned the peacekeeping mission of the Hungarian prime minister, emphasizing that Orban did not have a mandate from the European Union to conduct such diplomacy. And we would not have paid special attention to this head of the diplomatic corps of European politics (as his subordinates call him) if not for his epistolary work. Western media have already detailed the contents of several letters from Orban to the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, in which the Hungarian dove of peace informed his colleagues in the European Union about his negotiations with the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, China and Donald Trump. From them, in particular, we received another confirmation that the Istanbul draft of a peace treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation in the spring of 2022 is still on Putins table and that he is not averse to reviving it. ZN.UA has at its disposal a copy of the first of these letters, dated July 2 and written after Orbans meeting with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It indicates that not only publicly, but also behind closed doors, the top leadership of Ukraine still insists that there is no alternative to the Ukrainian Peace Formula. In the letter, Orban informs his colleagues that Ukraine intends to proceed according to the logic of their Peace Plan and transform the discussions on different peace plans into a single-track process focusing exclusively on the Ukrainian proposal. Orban also notes that in Kyiv they are aware that this process is futile without Chinas participation and that Chinas participation is contingent on Russias engagement. In addition, Orban reports that As regards the outcome of the war, the President of Ukraine is confident. He is convinced that the Russian armed forces will be compelled to call for a general mobilisation in the middle of the next year the latest, which will result in internal destabilisation. According to the Hungarian Prime Minister, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy considers that the Ukrainian forces stable, prepared and able to maintain combat effectiveness even in the long term if Western arm supplies are continuing. And what subsequently surprised Putin very much: according to Orban, Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that that time is on the side of Ukraine and not on the side of Russia. As the head of the Hungarian government, who came to Kyiv with a ceasefire proposal, writes, Volodymyr Zelenskyy considers this possibility as extremely doubtful: His earlier experiences with ceasefires concluded with Russia are rather negative. A ceasefire would carry the risk of a frozen conflict, erode sanctions and undermine the position of Ukraine at the peace negotiations. As the Hungarian visitor testifies, the Ukrainian president did not approve of the limited ceasefire initiative e.g. for a period of 3 weeks or 2 weeks in connection with the Paris Summer Olympics that would allow resumption of hostilities in case of adverse developments. As Orban writes, Volodymyr Zelenskyy considers that a realistic option is that instead of ceasefire certain areas are excluded from military targets in a negotiated way. According to the author of the letter, the President of Ukraine thinks that Russians would be ready to agree on such arrangements as they did in the case of grain corridors. And the next step could be to exclude energy infrastructure. According to Orban himself, the feasibility of such a scenario is questionable. The letter from the Hungarian peacemaker ends with his conclusion that according to his point of view, the chances for the success of establishing peace with European participation are diminishing as the United States of America presidential elections are approaching: A Republican victory carries the risk of a quick agreement between Russia and the United States of America without European involvement. It is also becoming more likely that the United States of America will pass on to Europe the financial burden of supporting Ukraine. This consideration should prompt us to secure a place for Europe at the negotiation table before the presidential elections in the United States of America. In my experience, appropriate European leaders could meaningfully negotiate on this with President Zelenskyy. Honest Conversation with Society: An Exam We Have No Right to Fail Let us recall that in his subsequent letters to the head of the European Council, Orban also called for negotiations with China on a peace conference on Ukraine and the resumption of diplomatic relations with Russia. In addition, he also asked for a political offensive in the Global South, in the eyes of which the European Union had lost respect for its position on the war in Ukraine. In addition, the Hungarian Prime Minister, having returned from overseas, where he met with the ex-President of the United States of America, expressed confidence that Donald Trump after winning the election will not wait for his inauguration, but will immediately be ready to act as a peace negotiator. He has detailed and well-founded plans for this. Echoes of Burgenstock In general, as we see, the peacekeepers popped up from everywhere, like mushrooms after rain. Let us remember here at least the Prime Minister of India. After an unforgettable hug with Putin, Narendra Modi, who, despite even a personal invitation from President Zelensky, did not find the opportunity to honor the Peace Summit in Switzerland with his presence, suddenly announced Indias readiness to provide all possible support for the quick restoration of peace and stability. This way and that, Turkish leader Recep Erdogan, who is trying on the peacemakers wreath, also recently spoke again with his friend Putin (in Astana on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit (SCO) on July 34), announced his readiness to lay the basis for a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine, and then facilitate a peace agreement between them. In this atmosphere of indefatigable, but so far fruitless peacekeeping, one can understand the leadership of Ukraine in its desire to bring discussions on various peace plans into a single track and focus it on the Ukrainian Peace Formula. Its not a fact that for this it is necessary to hold a summit again, but since it is already planned, we think it will be useful for the team of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to get acquainted with how Ukrainians assess the results of the first World Summit, what they consider as the achievements of the Swiss forum and what flaws they saw. Working on mistakes is always useful. The respondents of our study had the opportunity to choose two of the proposed answer options and they said that the greatest achievement of the Peace Summit in Switzerland was that it was possible to hold it at all. These (by the way, confirmed the assessment of ZN.UA) turned out to be more than a fifth of respondents 22.3% (Fig. 7). ZN.UA Almost a fifth of respondents 19.2% did not see any achievements of the Summit at all. It is curious that 12.9% who did not see the achievements of the summit had no information about it at all: straight from the Soviet classics I havent read it, but I condemn it. (Where Ukrainians mainly received information about the Peace Summit in Burgenstock and its results can be found in Fig. 8.) ZN.UA More often than others, Ukrainians named the main achievement of the Summit as attracting attention to Ukraine in the world media (19.9%); the inclusion in the Summit communique of a clause that all prisoners of war should be released through a full exchange (19.1%) and a demonstration by the Russian Federation that many countries around the world support Ukraines peace initiative (19%). The Dead Do Not Resist. How to Respond to Inevitable Defeat of Ukraine Other answer options proposed by ZN.UA were not particularly popular among respondents. Only 13.4% of Ukrainians are impressed by the large number of countries that agreed to take part in the Summit; for the rest, this number (92) probably did not seem so impressive compared to the total number of the members of the United Nations (UN) (193) to speak of it as "victory of Ukrainian diplomacy." The option Inclusion in the Summit communique of a clause according to which the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant should be transferred to the control of Ukraine and operate under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was chosen by only 10.4% of respondents. Perhaps Ukrainians have already become accustomed to the permanent nuclear threat (after all, a year ago, in a poll commissioned by ZN.UA, radiation and nuclear safety was named among the three most important points of President Volodymyr Zelenskyys peace plan by as many as 33% of respondents). Perhaps they dont believe in the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in this process, whose Secretary General Rafael Grossi completely ignored the summit in Burgenstock. By the way, last week the United Nations (UN) General Assembly adopted a resolution with much clearer and stricter wording on the security of Ukraines nuclear facilities than the Peace Summit communique: the resolution demands that the Russian Federation urgently withdraw its military personnel and other unauthorized personnel from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant and immediately returned the station under full Ukrainian control to ensure its technical and physical safety. However, both the Summit communique and all resolutions of the United Nations (UN) on the Russian war against Ukraine taken together - all these documents, alas, do not have the slightest influence on the aggressor, who does not even care about the fundamental provisions of the Charter of the United Nations (UN). The majority of Ukrainians (59%) believe that the most significant drawback of the Peace Summit is that the Summit did not consider ways to stop the war and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine (two answer options could be chosen) (Fig. 9). At the same time, it was quite unexpected that among respondents who believe that the Summit brought Ukraine closer to peace, the percentage who named the above drawback as the most significant is even higher, namely 62.2%. What then is closer to peace for these Ukrainians remains a mystery. Our fellow citizens were also disappointed by the fact that out of the ten points of the Peace Formula of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Summit participants were only interested in food security, nuclear power plant safety and humanitarian issues. A third (32.4%) of respondents noted this option as the biggest disadvantage of the Summit. Only 6.7% of Ukrainians were completely satisfied with the forum held in Switzerland and did not find any flaws. The absence of China at the Summit, as well as the fact that Brazil (present only in observer status), India, Saudi Arabia and other countries that could encourage Russia to peace did not even sign the final document at Burgenstock, a fifth of our fellow citizens (20.2%) consider the Summit to be the greatest drawback. The most common opinion among survey participants about Volodymyr Zelenskyys goal when initiating the summit was to increase support for Ukraine in the world. This answer option was chosen by 29.8% of respondents. (Fig. 10) Another 22.4% of respondents believe that the main thing for the president was to demonstrate to Russia that the majority of countries in the world support his Peace Formula. ZN.UA Those who think that the purpose of the Summit was to open the way to peace negotiations with Russia are only 8.4%. Although the word negotiations is increasingly appearing in the Western media and slips into the comments of local politicians. That is why we devoted a separate part of our social research to it. Only 13.6% of Ukrainians believe that the purpose of the summit was to increase pressure from the world community on Russia. Although this was precisely what numerous representatives on Bankova Street repeatedly emphasized, informing the public about the desired results of the upcoming summit. We really got increased pressure. True, thanks not to the Peace Summit, but to the Group of Seven (G7), the United States of America and the European Union. The decision on the frozen assets of the Russian Federation, new restrictive measures and the expansion of secondary sanctions were made by representatives of the Collective West without reference to the forum in Switzerland. The Global South, despite the efforts of Kyiv and its partners, did not put pressure on Russia. Neither before the Peace Summit, nor after. The bet of political leaders on Bankovaya Street on the Global South did not play a role in forcing Russia to peace and putting Putin in international isolation. Just as the expectation that the Peace Formula of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the summit in Switzerland would become the international mainstream a non-alternative plan to end the war in Ukraine did not materialize. What, then, motivates the political leaders on Bankova Street, rushing to organize a second Peace Summit without achieving any significant successes at the first? Of course, there is a lot of information that we do not know. We do not know the details of the unpublicized meetings between representatives of Kyiv and Moscow, the details of the non-public conditions put forward to each other, the promises and the limits of the possible compromises discussed. But such obvious intensification in the preparation of the second Peace Summit in the absence of significant results from the first raises many questions. It is clear that, observing the ups and downs of the presidential race in the United States of America and fearing that after November 5, the Americans will not have time for Ukrainian problems for a long time, Kyiv may strive to hold this forum before the elections in the United States of America. But why? To do what? What are the prerequisites for the success of a hastily planned event? Especially considering that representatives of Bankova Street, including the president himself, have repeatedly made it clear that the second summit should be decisive. Why, at the three meetings announced for the next two months in Qatar, Turkey and Canada, will only the three points of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyys Peace Formula already discussed in Burgenstock be discussed? Where will the action plans for the remaining seven points of the Ukrainian peace plan, which are much more important for ending the war, come from in the remaining time until November? Who will work on them and where? Why were all these action plans not prepared before the first summit, although working groups for their development had already been created and there was much more time than now before November 5? Again, taking into account the vague and toothless communique of the Swiss summit in relation to the aggressor Russia, which, moreover, was not even signed by all its participants, on which are based the expectations voiced by the Ukrainian authorities that the second summit will be a prologue to the end of the war and a just and lasting peace"? Who, how and with what will force Russia to peace if the leader of the Collective West does not give Ukraine consent to at least strikes on Russian military airfields - even after the aggressors attack on the largest Ukrainian childrens hospital Okhmatdyt, and the leader of the Global South is planning his own peace conference based on a plan providing for the loss of Ukraine not only of territories, but also of sovereignty? What do we not know, but the President of Ukraine knows, who is so confidently intensifying preparations for the second Peace Summit? Ukrainians also have the right to know this. The survey was conducted by the sociological service of the Razumkov Center commissioned by ZN.UA from June 20 to June 28, 2024. During the survey, 2,027 respondents aged 18 years and over were interviewed. The theoretical sampling error does not exceed 2.3%. Share Noticed an error? Please select it with the mouse and press Ctrl+Enter or Submit a bug The Crime Stoppers Program for Rowan County has been dormant since the COVID pandemic, but is now up and running. It is operating under the name Rowan County Crime Stoppers and tips have already begun to pour in, one qualifying for a reward payment so far, according to a news release from the Rowan County Sheriff's Office. The Rowan County Sheriffs Office spear-headed the resurrection of the program, finding willing citizens to form a new board of directors and help organize fundraising. As a nonprofit, Crime Stoppers operates solely off donations and support from local governments but isnt affiliated with any law enforcement agency. They currently serve all agencies in Rowan County, including the sheriffs office and police departments in Salisbury, Kannapolis, Spencer, East Spencer, Rockwell, Granite Quarry-Faith, Cleveland, China Grove and Landis. When a person reports information to Crime Stoppers, either by phone or online, the information is submitted anonymously through an independent program and is sent to the designated law enforcement coordinator. That person reviews the tip and determines who it needs to be sent to for investigation. If a reward is requested and the information is confirmed to be true and assists in the resolution of a case, the tipster could be paid for their tip, all without sharing their information. Lt. Ryan Barkley of the Rowan County Sheriffs Office is currently serving as the law enforcement coordinator for Crime Stoppers and hopes the anonymity entices witnesses to come forward and report information they know. He says the sheriffs office alone has too many cases go unsolved because of fearful witnesses holding back information and hopes that this gives them a safe, easy way to get information to them without being afraid. Tipsters can either call the tip hotline (1-866-639-5245) or report it by computer or mobile device by visiting the website www.rowancrimestoppers.org and selecting Submit a Tip. You can also select View Cold Cases and it will lead you to a list of unsolved cases. Unsolved Rowan murders The sheriffs office hopes that having Crime Stoppers operational again will help bring resolution to unsolved cases, such as murders. The sheriffs office alone has five unsolved murders that Crime Stoppers could be used to help make arrests in. Homicide detectives with the sheriffs office are currently focusing their efforts into these cases, all of which occurred between 2018 and 2023: Mariah Nicole Tuner On June 24, 2018, at around 2:15 a.m., Mariah Nicole Tuner, 27, was shot and killed at her home on North Long Street in Salisbury. The suspect left the scene prior to officers arriving and investigators are looking for any information on the identity of the person or people responsible. April Elesha Whitley On the evening of May 18, 2021, April Elesha Whitley, 33, was shot at a home on Gheen Road. She soon died and investigators are continuing to follow up with leads concerning the shooters identity. David Kenneth Land During the afternoon of July 20, 2022, David Kenneth Land was shot and killed at his home on Poole Road. Michael James Mitchke On the evening of Aug. 21, 2022, Michael James Mitchke, 56, was located inside his burning camper by firefighters. He was later discovered to have gunshot injuries, ruling the death a murder. Otha Kieth Sherrill On July 3, 2023, at around 11:45 p.m., Otha Kieth Sherrill, 49, was shot and killed while driving on Jake Alexander Boulevard near Harrison Road by an assailant in another car. Unsolved Salisbury murders Like the sheriffs office, the Salisbury Police Department also has homicide cases that have yet to be resolved, three of which occurred three years ago. Eunice Anita Vannoy In 2021, Eunice Anita Vannoy, 62, was killed when suspects forced entry into her home on South Jackson Street and shot her. Bobby Eugene Simpson Also, Bobby Eugene Simpson, 63, was found beaten and shot inside a vacant residence located at 713 Grace St., Salisbury. Dante Lamonte Smith And during an armed home invasion on East Bank Street, Dante Lamonte Smith, 34, was shot and killed. Debra Green Brumley Jonathan Brumley Two people were killed during a 2020 homicide. Debra Green Brumley and Jonathan Brumley were stabbed to death at their home on Lincolnton Road. Xavier Nathanel Gibbs Also in 2020, Xavier Nathanel Gibbs, 17, was killed while standing in front of his vehicle on Larel Point Circle when approached by a suspect and shot once. And in 2016, three other homicides have gone unsolved. AYanna Allen AYanna Allen, 7, was killed by gunfire while she was inside a home on Harrel Street and the residence was shot into. April Cora-Lucille Hall April Cora-Lucille Hall, 38, was found murdered by gunfire while outside on West 11th Street. Reggie Jasmond Burke And Reggie Jasmond Burke was found shot to death in a wooded area near Standish Street. For info and reporting crime For a full list of unsolved cases with the Salisbury Police, visit https://salisburync.gov/Government/Police/ColdCases. You can also report crimes directly to the Salisbury Police by going to These cases and others like them are examples of the need for programs like Crime Stoppers. Anyone wishing to submit a tip on a crime can do so by calling the tip hotline (1-866-639-5245) or visiting www.rowancrimestoppers.org and reporting it online. Their personal information will remain confidential, and it could result in a reward. A thrilling movie about revenge and forgiveness made by Christian producers is now available on TV screens for passengers flying on four major international airlines in the Middle East. Called Toxic, the Arabic language movie will help passengers consider the core value of forgiveness, which is at the heart of the gospel, although the film is not expressedly Christian. Toxic uses actors from the Middle East and it is based on true life stories. The main plot concerns a rejected woman oppressed because of her physical appearance, a man witnessing his fathers murder at the hands of religious fanatics and a woman enduring persecution. "Each one realizes revenge cannot heal... forgiveness is the way to overcome the harm done to them," said the films producer, John Adly. The film is now featured in the in-flight playlists for Emirates, Qatar Airways, Saudi Airlines, and Kuwait Airways. Emirates is the national airline of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and operates almost 2,000 flights from Dubai International Airport each week, one of the world's busiest travel hubs. In 2022-23, the airline carried more than 43 million passengers a huge potential audience, according to Maged Mounir, executive director of SAT-7 in Egypt, which served as a main location for the film shoot. "This means many more people will be introduced to the film's message about the power of forgiveness," said Mounir. Toxic represents the first feature film by the SAT-7, which usually runs a Christian satellite television network, and was produced in partnership with the Norwegian Mission Society. The ministry normally broadcasts free-of-charge programs bringing the hope of the gospel on satellite television and online streaming channels in the Middle East and North Africa - a region where 96 percent of people are not Christians. The films producers say they want passengers on the airplane flights to take an interest in other programs broadcast by SAT-7 in local languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Turkish, Tajik and Dari. Typical programs involve TV presenters discussing topical issues such as domestic violence and responding to queries by viewers about Christianity. In March, Christian Daily International interviewed Rami Al Halaseh, Arabic Channels Executive Director of SAT-7, about the challenges of ministering in the Middle East. Halaseh, imploring believers to pray for viewers of the SAT-7 programs, said the focus of the ministry was bringing the message of hope to people living in the region. Our focus is on making God's love visible through our programs, he said. It's unique because it's being done by the people of the region: people from the Middle East speaking to people in the Middle East. SAT-7 was launched in 1996, headquartered in Cyprus, with a mission to make the gospel available to everyone, and support the church in its life, work and witness for Christ. GUEST RESEARCH: New research from Humanforce reveals that close to half of the 500 Australian workers it surveyed have switched jobs in the past year. Despite a sharp increase in living costs, the driving force for 54% of these workers finding a new employer was not higher pay, but the pursuit of better work-life balance and wellbeing. Holly Barnes, Chief People Officer at Humanforce said, "This trend challenges the traditional belief that higher wages are the foremost concern for Australian workers, particularly during economic downturns. Our research findings suggest that workers are instead placing greater value on whether their workplace is a good fit for their overall lifestyle and if it affords them the flexibility they require." With 98% of respondents citing the importance of the overall employee value proposition (EVP) in their decision to move, it's clear that today's employees are looking for more than financial benefits. Today, their focus is much wider, with the most appealing aspects of an EVP being work-life balance initiatives, and career growth & development opportunities. Barnes adds, "For todays workers, a compelling EVP extends well beyond ones salary. It's integral to creating a workplace where employees' personal lives and professional goals are recognised and supporteda strategy that is proving essential for attracting and retaining talent, even in tough economic times." Contrary to expectations that financial pressures would make higher wages the primary focus into the future, many workers are now refocusing on longevity in roles that align with their lifestyle needs. This sentiment was reinforced by 60% of survey participants expressing little to no interest in changing jobs in the next six months. Forty percent of those who had changed roles in the past year reported lower job satisfaction than anticipated, showing there is still a lot of scope for businesses to take greater initiative in supporting employee wellbeing. "Our data indicates that after a few turbulent years where high numbers of employees jumped ship to new employers, there is now a shift towards long-term satisfaction in the workplace, where wellbeing and stability are paramount over quick financial gains," Barnes explains. "Businesses that recognise and act on this by offering a high-quality EVP will set themselves apart as employers of choice." There are four critical areas that an EVP should encompass, including emotional wellness (mental health), social wellness (workplace culture and life outside of work), physical wellness and financial wellness. Many companies are already making concerted efforts to retain their talent, with almost 70% of employees confirming they had received support from their current employers, in a bid to retain them in their roles. The Humanforce research also underscores the vital role HR technologies play in supporting a business EVP. An overwhelming majority of the Australian workers96%said these technology innovations are crucial in creating positive workplace experiences. "Businesses are urged to complement their needs of driving organisational growth, profitability, compliance confidence and productivity, with a genuine focus on its people. Give employees control and flexibility over their working life with easy access to their rosters and payslips. Ensure that they feel heard and really feel part of your company. "Humanforce's HCM suite directly supports the shift towards employee wellbeing and flexible roster-driven work by giving employees the tools to manage their work-life balance. It's about practical autonomy the ability to align work schedules with personal needs. This approach not only meets employees' expectations but also enhances overall job satisfaction, leading to better retention and productivity for businesses," Barnes concluded. Yasushi Naito, Consul-General of Japan in Perth (back row, left), Michael Neimanis, Manager, Critical Minerals Office, Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Australian Government (back row, right), Dr. Shoichiro Watanabe, CTO of Panasonic Energy (front row, center left), and Dr. Robert Hough, Director CSIRO, Mineral Resources (front row, center right) COMPANY NEWS: Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., a Panasonic Group Company, today announced that it has entered into an agreement regarding joint development with Australias national science agency, CSIRO. Future collaboration projects will aim to contribute to a sustainable supply chain for the companys battery business and ensure efficient use of Australias natural resource The agreement covers the development of new nickel laterite processing technologies for recovering nickel, an essential raw material in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries. Through this collaboration, Panasonic Energy and CSIRO are laying the groundwork for the future utilization of Australian nickel laterite resources and the creation of a low-cost, low-environmental-impact raw material and supply chain. The joint development leverages CSIRO's expertise in mineral processing and Panasonic Energy's extensive knowledge of battery materials. The goal is to strengthen Australia's nickel industry and secure high-quality nickel resources to meet the global demands of future battery production. CSIRO excels in industrial technology development and is engaged in a wide range of research areas including agriculture, the environment, information technology, healthcare, materials, manufacturing, minerals, and energy. Leveraging its location in resource-rich Australia, it plays a leading role in in the research and technological development related to minerals. In the current global market, while countries like Indonesia lead in nickel production, Australia boasts the world's second-largest reserves of the mineral. Given its significant lateritic reserves and the growing global demand for lithium-ion batteries, Australia has the potential to become a key player in producing nickel, a crucial cathode material especially for high-capacity batteries, using eco-friendly processes. Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering collaborations like this one with CSIRO, driving advancements in the global lithium-ion battery industry, and ultimately contributing to a more sustainable society. About Panasonic Energy Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., established in April 2022 as part of the Panasonic Group's switch to an operating company system, provides innovative battery technology-based products and solutions globally. Through its automotive lithium-ion batteries, storage battery systems and dry batteries, the company brings safe, reliable, and convenient power to a broad range of business areas, from mobility and social infrastructure to medical and consumer products. Panasonic Energy is committed to contributing to a society that realizes happiness and environmental sustainability, and through its business activities the Company aims to address societal issues while taking the lead on environmental initiatives. For more details, please visit https://www.panasonic.com/global/energy/. About CSIRO CSIRO is Australias national science agency and innovation catalyst. We solve the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Our collaborative research turns science into solutions for clean energy and resources; food security and quality; health and wellbeing; resilient and valuable environments; innovative industries; and a secure Australia and region. CSIRO has one of the largest minerals research and development groups in the world, with a proud track record in delivering innovation and solutions across the mineral resources value chain. CSIRO is working from exploration to processing and beyond, to maximise Australias position as a trusted global supplier of critical minerals and ensure success on the path to Net Zero. For more details, please visit https://www.csiro.au/en/about/people/business-units/mineral-resources. () Iwakuni Port, about a 10-minute drive from MCAS Iwakuni, will be shining bright with no less than 2,000 fireworks on the night of July 20. The display featuring large nishakudama fireworks shells is to wish for sea safety and the prosperity of Iwakuni Town. (Photo courtesy of Miyuki Takiguchi) (Photo courtesy of Miyuki Takiguchi) As you know, fireworks have a centuries-old tradition in Japan, where massive, colorful displays are an iconic symbol of summer and draw hordes of people, many wearing bright summer kimono. They began as a way of warding off bad luck and epidemics. The festivities start at 6:30 p.m. with an opening ceremony and live music. At 7:30 p.m., the ceremony of purification and prayers for the safety of sea travels start with the fireworks following at 8 p.m. Shuttle buses will run between JR Iwakuni Station and the event site during the event from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Dont miss the summer fun! Hours: July 20, 6:30 9 p.m. Location: Iwakuni Port (in front of the Port Building) URL Tel: 0827-23-1055 Yamataka Sakurai Seicha Tea Farm (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi) At the foot of Mt. Fuji, Fujinomiya City in Shizuoka Prefecture offers an impressive view of vast bright green tea fields spreading against the backdrop of the majestic mountain. While touring around the Fuji area, my fellow writers and I stopped to enjoy tea leaf-picking and a facility tour at Yamataka Sakurai Seicha tea farm. We were greeted by owner Yutaka Sakurai and led into a greenhouse to learn how to pick the perfect green tea leaf. The tea bushes in the greenhouse were short, making leave-picking easy. We noticed that there were both light and dark-hued leaves and Sakurai advised us to pick the lighter ones. He said the light green leaves produce a fresher, sweeter tea flavor. According to Sakurai, tea leaves can be harvested four times a year in Shizuoka from April to May, from June to July, around bon season (mid-August) and from September to October. Among the four times, the first harvest around April or May is called shincha (the first tea of the year) and has the best, full-bodied flavor and sweet aroma, Sakurai said. Shizuoka Prefecture is known for its enormous tea production. In 2020, the prefecture produced no less than 25,200 tons of tea, or about 36.1 percent of Japans tea products (69,800 tons). Shizuokas tea is in high demand and often ranked alongside Saitama Prefectures Sayama Tea and Kyoto Prefectures Uji Tea as one of the best. According to Sakurai, Shizuoka is blessed with mild temperatures, clear water and well-drained soil comprised from Fuji lava, making it a suitable place for quality tea. Sakurai said he and his family have been producing quality tea for three generations and more than 70 years. Yamataka Sakurai Seicha Tea Farm (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi) Yamataka Sakurai Seicha Tea Farm (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi) Yamataka Sakurai Seicha Tea Farm (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi) Yamataka Sakurai Seicha Tea Farm (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi) Yamataka Sakurai Seicha Tea Farm (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi) Yamataka Sakurai Seicha Tea Farm (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi) After filling out baskets with fresh tea leaves, we walked through Sakurais tea field and went up a hill overlooking the grounds. Although most of Mt. Fuji was hidden in the clouds, we were able to catch a glimpse of the snowy peak above. Our next stop was to check out the tea production process at the farms factory. Here tea leaves are steamed, dried and crushed before being bagged and sold. Though we didnt process the leaves we picked, we were able to take them home and attempt to complete the production process on a smaller scale with a pan or microwave. Sakurai suggested watching a YouTube video or searching for instructions online to complete the process. After the facility tour, Sakurais wife demonstrated how to brew tea and extract the umami flavors of the farms premium tea leaves. She showed us the proper way to cool down the water and heat the teacups before pouring the water over the tea leaves on a small sieve sitting on the teapot opening. We sampled the tea after brewing once, twice and three times to experience the evolution of flavor. The strength and subtle sweet taste are adjusted with the steeping time and water ratio. When I sampled the changing flavor of the same tea leaves in several pours, I noticed that the first service of tea and the second had a completely different flavor and aroma. The second pour was smoother with a milder aroma compared to the sweet and sour richness of the first brew. Both were wonderful, but I preferred the first brew. The tea farm also has a small shop where you can buy a variety of tea, matcha and tools to brew the perfect cup. You can enjoy tea leaf-picking and tea tasting at Yamataka Sakurai Seicha from April to October. Plan to drop by when you visit Fujinomiya! Yamataka Sakurai Seicha (Tea Farm and Factory) Location: 877 Yamamoto, Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture Hours: 9 a.m. 6 p.m. Tea leaf picking and factory tour: 1,000 yen URL Tel: 0120-37-2238 See more about Japans green tea at Green tea key part of Japanese culture. The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners officially swore in Gray Wilson, an Army veteran and Winston-Salem attorney, Thursday afternoon as a replacement for retiring Commissioner Dave Plyler. In late March, the executive committee of the Forsyth County Republican Party chose Wilson as a District B commissioner to replace Plyler, 85, who was first elected to the county board in 1994. In a letter written in March, Plyler said that he needed to step down after facing health issues. Wilson will serve out the remainder of Pylers term, which ends in December. Wilson is among three Republicans running for full four-year terms representing District B. The others are incumbent commissioners Richard Linville and Gloria Whisenhunt. Two Democrats, Valerie Brockenbrough and Marsie West, are challenging the Republicans. A third Democrat who had filed to run, Kendall Fields, has since withdrawn from the race. Wilson is an Army veteran with decades of experience practicing law in Forsyth County, specifically professional liability disputes in the health care industry. In 2018, he served as the president of the North Carolina State Bar and currently practices at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP. Wilson holds an undergraduate degree from Davison College and a law degree from Duke Universitys School of Law. I think people that know me know that Im not a potted plant, but Im not a bomb thrower either, Wilson said at the swearing-in ceremony. If you practice law for 47 years you learn that there are rational and intelligent ways to arrive at decisions that are for the betterment of the community, and thats what Im dedicated to trying to do in this instance. At a meeting of the executive committee of the Forsyth County GOP in March, Wilson advocated against raising taxes and referenced the record number of homicides in Winston-Salem as a problem that must be solved. Superior Court Judge Eric Morgan administered the oath of office at the swearing-in ceremony, which was held at 2 p.m. in the Forsyth County Government Center in downtown Winston-Salem. Other Forsyth commissioners congratulated Wilson as he sat at the boards dais for his first county briefing. I would be less than authentic if I didnt say I checked around in the community, Commissioner Shai Woodbury said. [I asked] Who is Gray Wilson? And [heard] hes smart, hes fair, and he wants to work with others to get the right thing done for Forsyth County. Mr. Wilson gave me permission to call him by his first name, but I havent determined which one of us is older, so until I do I will still call him Mr. Wilson, Commissioner Richard Linville joked. Wilson thanked Cheryl Wilson, his wife of 22 years, and his daughter Hailey, in his first speech as commissioner. More specifically, he thanked his wife for standing by him in the process of becoming a county commissioner. I did do the dishes this morning and I wanted you to be aware of that, Wilson joked. I did one dish, OK? Cheryl Wilson told the Journal after the ceremony that she was proud of him. His heart is in the right place, Cheryl Wilson said. Hes extremely intelligent and thoughtful. Azerbaijan is guilty of cultural genocide for destroying Christian sites in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and falsely claiming that Armenian religious presence there never existed, according to a report by a legal advocacy group. The European Centre for Law & Justice (ECLJ)s report lists eradication of churches, monasteries, khachkars [cross-stones] and other cultural artifacts that tell of the faith and culture of the Armenian people. Azerbaijan gained control of the majority of Nagorno after the Second Karabakh War, September 2020 to November 2020. Dozens of Armenian Christian heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh were destroyed, damaged, or closed to the public during that period, according to the June report, The Systematic Erasure of Armenian Christian Heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh. There are now 500 sites under Azerbaijans control, with 6,000 Armenian monuments, the report states. Foreign observers are banned from the sites, but satellite surveillance has revealed the destruction. Churches damaged or destroyed, as listed in the report, include Meghretsots Holy Mother of God Church, the seventh-century Vankasar Church in Tigranakert, St. Johns Cathedral of the Mother of God in Stepanaker, and Ghazanchetsots Cathedral in Shushi, defaced with multiple religious symbols removed from the church, including the unique angels on the buildings gate, the domes of the church, and the cathedrals cross. Under the pretense of renovation, the Azerbaijani government vandalized the Surb Sargis Church, built in 1279 in Tsar village of Karvachar, according to the report. Stay informed with The Christian Daily Newsletter Sign up Azerbaijani efforts to restore this church have taken the form of destroying religious symbols and enclosing the area from view via a large iron fence, the report states. Two historic polished stone slabs at the same church site, decorated with Christian artwork and Armenian language inscriptions, were smashed. Thus, this destruction has not only deprived Armenia of a unique piece of its heritage, but it has removed undeniable evidence of the Armenian origins of the church, the report states. Other incidents include the razing of an 18th century church building, St. Sargis of Hadrut in Mokhrenes, in March 2022, and the Azerbaijanis completely cleared the land and have begun building a new structure atop the grounds of the church. St. John the Baptist Church in Shushi revealed signs of Azerbaijani bomb damage in 2020, as shown in satellite imagery earlier this year (April 4), and the building was destroyed, according to the report. Satellite imagery on the same day also showed the desecration of Ghazanchetsots Cemetery in Shushi, with the Azerbaijani government from October 2023 systematically [destroying] the tombstones, which dated back to the 18th and 19th centuries. This cemetery is merely one of many, including the Mets Taher, Sghnakh, Sui Northern, and Yerevan Gates cemeteries, that have been destroyed, according to the report. Other cemeteries and sacred sites either destroyed or damaged include Ghuze Tagh Cemetery near Aknaghbyur, the Koha Sacred place, the cemetery near Vazgenashen, Ghazanchetsots Cemetery and Yerevan Gate cemeteries in Shushi. The ECLJ suspects that the St. Ascension (St. Hambardzum) Church in Berdzor, demolished and removed from the grounds, may become a mosque after Azerbaijan's Public Organization for the Protection of Monuments put forward a redevelopment proposal. Stones from ruined medieval Armenian church buildings and cemeteries were used to build the Zar and Chirag schools in the 1950s, the report states; these included Khachkar ornamental relief relics and inscribed stones that survived destruction by the former Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. The schools were looted and abandoned in the 1990s, but their structures remained intact, serving as a reminder of the enduring heritage of the Armenian Christians in Nagorno-Karabakh, noted the report. Between Oct. 5, 2023, and June 2, 2024, however, Azerbaijan razed both schools to the ground. Another act of destruction saw the removal of the Cross Memorial located on a hill near the city of Stepanakert. As a memorial to Armenian soldiers and a symbol of the nations Christian heritage, the 50-meter high cross had been the second tallest in Europe. Azerbaijani forces took down the cross last September. At the same time, to achieve complete cultural erasure, the report states, Azerbaijan has gone beyond merely destroying Armenian heritage. Azerbaijan is also denying it ever existed. The Azerbaijani government has falsely claimed the Armenian Christian sites are of Caucasian Albanian origin and the Armenians were never native to Nagorno-Karabakh, according to the report. Instead, Azerbaijan claims that when Russia gained control of the region in the 19th century, the great northern power facilitated a large- scale Armenian migration into the South Caucasus, the report states. Upon arriving in the region, Armenian clergy began to co-opt the ancient Caucasian Albanian churches by adding fraudulent Armenian inscriptions and modifying the architecture to appear Armenian. These claims are blatantly false, but they are also malicious, the ECLJ states, accusing the country of a revisionist history that attempts to strip ethnic Armenians, including the natives of Nagorno-Karabakh, of their heritage. It paints the Armenians as nothing more than intruders and pawns in Russias efforts to Christianize the region, the ECLJ states. Furthermore, by denying the Armenians centuries-old presence in Nagorno-Karabakh, the Azerbaijanis attempt to excuse and even justify horrific acts of cultural erasure. An example was the Azerbaijani governments attempts to expel Armenian priests from the Dadivank Monastery under the false claim they had no ties to the Caucasian Albanian site, according to the report. Although the ECLJ welcomed international condemnation of the acts, it is clear the response thus far has been insufficient by other nations, and the destruction and denial of Armenias Christian heritage continues: A new approach must be adopted if the heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh is to be protected from total erasure. We want to express our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of Corey Comperatore. He was killed during the attempted assassination of former President Trump. According to NBC Philadelphia, Comperatore raised two daughters with his high school sweetheart and spent his final moments shielding his family that he loved so much from the gunfire. May he rest in peace. His family is in our prayers. We also want to wish a quick recovery to those who were injured in the assassination attempt, including former president Donald Trump and rally attendees David Dutch and James Copenhaver. And lastly our condolences to all others impacted by this political violence. Violence has absolutely no place in a civilized society. Given how much our democracy and country have been through, we thought on this episode of the Utterly Moderate Podcast we would lighten things up a bit and talk about something that perhaps we all might have some positive feelings about: one of our founding fathers. It is July after all, Americas month of celebrating our independence. In the spirit of July and America and trying to find some positivity right now, on this episode we bring you a replay of our conversation with George Washington University historian Denver Brunsman. He previously joined the show to share his insights on the life and career of George Washington, as well as his general reflections on the study of history and its place in the modern university. Enjoy the conversation and dont forget to sign up for our free email newsletter in one click! Episode Audio: "Air Background Corporate" by REDCVT (Free Music Archive) "Please Listen Carefully" by Jahzzar (Free Music Archive) "Last Dance" by Jahzzar (Free Music Archive) Happy Trails (To You) by the Riders in the Sky (used with artists permission) "Washington Post March" by the U.S. Marine Band (publicly available on YouTube) The National Society for Education Church of England (4,630 schools) & Church in Wales (200 schools) published a draft guidance to stop school bullying and in its 59-page consultation document promotes LGBT+ rights amongst children, regardless of theological objections. Called Flourishing for All: Anti-bullying Guidance for Church of England Schools, the draft has been published this month, July 2024, at the same time as church leaders from 1,300 churches of differing denominations wrote to the new prime minister Sir Keir Starmer voicing angst about plans to stop conversion therapy. The draft school guidance has been published as the Anglican General Synod narrowly voted to support measures to allow same-sex marriages in the Church of Englands buildings, as previously reported by Christian Daily International. In a foreword to the guidance, the Rt Rev. Dr Jonathan Frost, Bishop of Portsmouth, Lead Bishop for Education and Chair of The National Society, said the document sets out the core principles underpinning the Anglican bodys commitment to education. Our hope and prayer is that these resources will be used by schools across the country to enable such flourishing and ensure that each and every child, knowing they are unique and made in the image of God, will find in our schools a safe environment where bullying of any kind is not tolerated. Stay informed with The Christian Daily Newsletter Sign up They should all know themselves to be loved, supported and championed, irrespective of physical appearance, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, academic ability, disability, age or sexual orientation. Flourishing for All helps schools to offer the Christian message of love, joy and the celebration of our humanity without exception or exclusion. The church schools are supported by local Diocesan boards of education. A substantial part of the consultation document outlines policies to support children in assuming LGBT+ identities, regardless of the theological position on sexuality by their church school or local Anglican parish fellowship. Human sexuality and gender identity are currently areas where there is no single opinion or understanding. Members of the school community might hold very different views and there may be tension on this subject in some schools, but this does not mean that matters and questions of sexuality, gender and gender identity should be passed over, the draft document said. Nor does it mean that it is acceptable for homophobic, biphobic or transphobic language or viewpoints to be shared within the school. Rather, schools should ensure they sensitively address LGBT+ matters to create a culture of respect towards pupils who are (or perceived to be) LGBT+. The Anglican guidance opines that a schools worship life and concomitant focus on spiritual growth should reinforce that to be made in the image of God and to be human is to be diverse. Understanding of difference, therefore, is a key element of developing as a holistic spiritual human being. The document also states that schools should embed preventative measures in daily life, to create a welcoming and safe environment where everyone is valued, including those who are LGBT+. The guidance asserts that school leaders should ensure all children are aware of the positive contributions made by LGBT+ public and historic figures, in age appropriate ways. Any negative presentations of LGBT+ people must also be removed from the curriculum, instead replacing these with positive role models and language. The guidance also wants children to be aware of the different types of families at primary school level and different kinds of relationships, including LGBT, in secondary schools. School staff should be trained on LGBT+ topics and terminology. This empowers them to be able to talk confidently with young people who are LGBT+. The guidance advises that healthy relationships should be promoted and this includes sexual health for all students, including young people who are LGBT+, at age appropriate stage. Lastly, the guidance takes the phrase used by Jesus in John 10:10b: I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full but puts it within a context of secondary schools being places of welcome where all can achieve their best in an emotionally safe environment and can grow to have life in all its fullness. Other church leaders worry government might decide 'whether someone has prayed the wrong kind of prayer' The Anglican school guidance has been published around the same time as a large group of church leaders who hold on to biblical views on sexuality wrote to the U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, expressing concerns about the new Labour Governments plans to prevent so-called conversion therapy. We write as Christian ministers to express our concern at the lack of religious literacy in British public life and the unwarranted hostility this can breed towards those in Bible-believing churches like ours, wrote the church leaders. One of the major presenting issues is the way people talk about a legislative ban on so-called conversion therapy. Campaigners often imply that expressing mainstream, traditional Christian beliefs on sexuality or gender identity in pastoral conversations is, inherently, a form of conversion therapy. The leaders were concerned that a conversion therapy ban would include banning gentle, non-coercive prayer and this raised the alarming prospect of police and law courts deciding whether someone has prayed the wrong kind of prayer. Conversations between parents and their children are also at risk from this broad definition of conversion therapy, the letter continued. This would affect gender-critical parents, not just those who are Christian. The church leaders asked for a meeting with the prime minister to discuss their concerns and to explore how we can help fill the religious literacy gap and help the government better understand Christians and their beliefs. One of the signatories was the Revd Graham Nicholls who said the group wanted to support the new government but asked for respect over biblical beliefs in return. We want to be prayerful and supporting of the new Labour Government but have grave concerns about their proposals for a so-called conversion therapy ban. New legislation which will not make any difference to genuine abuse, which is already illegal, but will open the door to spurious accusations to be made against those who want the freedom to live out their Christian faith, and parents and pastors who uphold the Bibles teaching on matters of sexuality and gender. Meanwhile, an email has been circulating to members of the National Education Union (NEU) in the South East of England, seen by Christian Daily International, accusing the prime minister of saying he doesnt want children to be able to learn about the existence of trans people in schools. The email calls on education staff to join Trans Pride Brighton on July 20, a trans rights event in the city of Brighton in East Sussex: We are asking every NEU member in the South East Region to help us form the largest section of Teachers and Support Staff that any Trans Pride demonstration has ever seen, to tell the new Government that we support our trans students and colleagues and we will stand against any crackdowns on their rights. Baptists around the world are paying tribute to a former refugee, later turned respected advocate for migrant rights, Minh Ha Nguyen, after he drowned in the sea off a beach in North Carolina, U.S. on Monday, July 15. The incident happened at 11.26am near near Beach Access #3 (1820 N Shore Drive), Surf City, NC, according to the Surf City Fire Department. Ocean Rescue personnel arrived at the scene to find bystanders already attending to a victim in the water, read a fire department statement. Despite efforts by rescue personnel, the victim did not survive. He was identified as 57-year-old Minh Ha Nguyen of Richmond, Va. The National Weather Service later said there were reports of four rip current rescues recently on the same beach. Nguyen took on various key roles over a 24-year period for the International Mission Board (IMB) serving Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. IMB President Paul Chitwood called Nguyen an incredibly gifted colleague and paid tribute to his hard work for the gospel in the U.S. and around the world, in a statement to Baptist Press. He helped shape our stewardship strategies and our efforts to evangelize the largest cities in the world, but also served our SBC family in ethnic ministry in the U.S. We rejoice in his eternal reward even as we grieve with his family, with hope. Nguyen served as President of the SBC Ethnic Research Networks Core Team and presented a report on BaptistResearch.com at the recent SBC annual meeting. He was also director of gift care and data stewardship for the Ministry Advancement Team and led the Radius Global Cities Network research church outreach ideas for global cities. Stay informed with The Christian Daily Newsletter Sign up The Rev. Alan Cross, an immigrant advocate based in Petaluma Valley Baptist Church, Petaluma, northern California, worked closely with Nguyen after meeting him at a refugee ministry conference several years ago. He told Christian Daily International that the two men immediately hit it off. He had a brilliant mind and capacity to see what God was going around the world in the movement of refugees and migrants, and he had a compassionate heart for both the sojourner and for those who would receive them. I began working with him on multiple projects, including the Global Strategy Forums Migration Sphere, where he became an integral member of our team. Later, he invited me to join his core team of the new Ethnic Research Network of Southern Baptists. The two men often traveled together, presenting at conferences and made plans over the past few years, added Cross. In all of that, I knew Minh Ha as a compassionate and brilliant researcher who had a heart to bring people of all nationalities together to glorify God. He will be greatly missed. The narrative of Nguyens fascinating life story involved a 12,000 mile journey over the years, starting as a young Vietnamese refugee harboring in a packed boat of migrants escaping bullets and storms across the South China sea to the relative safety of Borneo, then later a Bible college in Switzerland where he met wife Corrinne, before reaching his eventual destination in the USA. WTVR CBS 6 published a YouTube video from the IMB after Nguyens death, in which he shared his testimony. Nguyen said his story as a young refugee was about struggle, survival and salvation even amid sufferings, shootings, storms and salvation. Jesus met me as a young boy drifting endlessly in the South China Sea, I was truly lost in more ways than one. I will never forget the smell of the men, women, and children baking under the scorching sun. Over a hundred of us were crammed in a small fishing boat built to carry only a few dozen. Our overloaded boat barely floated above the waves. Nguyen vividly remembered seeing water as far as the eye could see, merging with the clear blue sky. The 12-year-old boy was weary from hunger, my throat parched from thirst. It was unbearable. Workers at an oil platform refused to receive the refugees, giving them food and water and pointing them in the direction of Borneo. The group of migrants sank the boat when they reached the island, so that authorities could not force them back into the sea. Eventually they were granted political asylum and Nguyen went on from there. Gods grace is sufficient and his presence brings me comfort and strength, reflected Nguyen in his video testimony. He goes on the move with me like he did with the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai through the cloud by day and fire by night. When our destination is the kingdom of God, even the wrong boat can still take us there. The Lord is close to his people in exile. He is the refuge for the refugees, He is the asylum for all who seek shelter and protection. In Christ, God is on the move. He made himself poor so that even the poorest could follow after Him. He made himself in migration so that refugees and asylum seekers could be on the move with him. Panda cub's healthy growth celebrated in Guangzhou 08:32, July 19, 2024 By Qiu Quanlin ( Chinadaily.com.cn A female panda cub born on June 18 in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, has grown from 178 grams since birth to 1230 grams as of Thursday, showing healthy conditions. (Photo by Zheng Erqi/chinadaily.com.cn) A grand ceremony was held at a safari park in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on Thursday to celebrate the first month of a female panda cub born to Mengmeng, the eldest of the world's only giant panda triplets. Mengmeng gave birth to the cub at the Guangzhou Chimelong Safari Park on June 18 after a 128-day pregnancy. According to the park's conservation team, the cub has grown from 178 grams to 1,230 grams as of Thursday, indicating healthy conditions. The park held a traditional Cantonese ceremony by distributing red eggs to visitors as a symbol of celebration and good luck. In Chinese folklore, red eggs are considered auspicious and symbolize blessings, happiness, and peace. They are often given during childbirth or after the baby's first month as a blessing from friends and family for a lifetime of peace, happiness, and prosperity. The park will also organize a ceremony at the end of July to celebrate the 10th birthday of the giant panda triplets Mengmeng, Shuaishuai, and Kuku. Zhang Ningxin contributed to this story. A female panda cub born on June 18 in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, has grown from 178 grams since birth to 1230 grams as of Thursday, showing healthy conditions. (Photo by Zheng Erqi/chinadaily.com.cn) A female panda cub born on June 18 in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, has grown from 178 grams since birth to 1230 grams as of Thursday, showing healthy conditions. (Photo by Zheng Erqi/chinadaily.com.cn) A female panda cub born on June 18 in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, has grown from 178 grams since birth to 1230 grams as of Thursday, showing healthy conditions. (Photo by Zheng Erqi/chinadaily.com.cn) A grand ceremony was held at a safari park in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, on Thursday to celebrate the first month of a female panda cub born to Mengmeng, the eldest of the world's only giant panda triplets. (Photo by Zheng Erqi/chinadaily.com.cn) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) On 18 July Costa Ricas national daily Nacion reported that Presidenthad met with five legislative groups to discuss the future of the Crucitas open-pit gold mine in San Carlos, Alajuela province, near the border with Nicaragua. End of preview - This article contains approximately 397 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options Health workers in Ivory Coast have launched the countrys first child vaccination program against malaria. The effort aims to reduce cases of the mosquito-spread disease, which has become one of Africas biggest killers. Officials in the West African nation said the program is designed to cover about 250,000 children under the age of two. The three-shot vaccine was developed by Britains Oxford University. The World Health Organization (WHO) approved the vaccine last October. Research has shown the vaccine to be more than 75 percent effective at preventing severe disease and death during the first year. A second shot, called a booster, aims to extend the protection for at least another year. Indias Serum Institute has already made 25 million doses of the Oxford vaccine. It says it plans to make at least 100 million each year. The cost is $4 per dose. More than 95 percent of the world's estimated 249 million yearly malaria cases and 608,000 deaths happen in Africa. The disease most often affects children under the age of five, as well as pregnant women. Pierre Demba is Ivory Coast's health minister. He told reporters the malaria vaccine launch demonstrates the government's desire to invest in the country's children. "They are the future of our country, he said. Adrian Hill of Oxford University said in a statement that the effort marks the start of a new era in malaria control. He added that he hopes the shot will soon be available to all countries in Africa who want to use it. Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic are among the nations that have already approved the vaccine. Other countries, including Cameroon, have begun widespread vaccination programs. Alice Kanga was one of many mothers who brought children to get vaccinated. She told reporters from The Associated Press, Its really important for the children, for their health." In one poor neighborhood in the city of Abidjan, many women waited with their babies for shots, the French news agency AFP reported. One mother brought her eight-month-old daughter, Awa. Sitting on her mother's knees and held tightly between her arms, the child cried while preparing to receive her first dose. "I'm happy, Awa's mother said with a smile. I have seen all the mothers who have come to be vaccinated against malaria." Officials from the WHO have warned that even with the new vaccination campaign, other measures should continue to be taken to stop disease spread. These include spraying with chemical insect killers and using bed nets for protection. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. ___________________________________________ Words in This Story era - n. a period of time in history that is notable for a particular reason net n. a material made of crossed threads with holes between that is used for capturing or protecting things CrowdStrike founder and CEO George Kurtz, seen here in a file photo, apologized Friday for his companys role in a global tech outage. The company is based in Austin. CrowdStrike An employee walks past rebooting arrivals and departures screens at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Friday. An overnight outage was blamed on a software update that Austin-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike sent to Microsoft computers of its corporate customers, including many airlines. Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press A Crowdstrike office is shown in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Friday. An overnight outage was blamed on a software update that Austin-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike sent to Microsoft computers of its corporate customers. Haven Daley/Associated Press Some Times Square digital billboards in New York City are blank on Friday due to the global information technology outage. Businesses and transport worldwide were affected by a global technology outage that was attributed to a software update issued by CrowdStrike, an Austin-based cybersecurity firm whose software is used by many industries around the world. Adam Gray/Getty Images Screens show a blue error message Friday at a departure floor of LaGuardia Airport in New York City after a faulty CrowdStrike update caused a major internet outage for computers running Microsoft Windows. Yuki Iwamura/Associated Press Appearing visibly shaken, the founder and chief executive of the Austin-based software company behind a global technology outage apologized Friday and vowed to work with customers trying to get their systems back online but couldnt offer a timeline for full recovery. Were deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this, CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz said in an appearance on NBCs Today. The outages began after his company deployed a software update to computers that ended up grounding flights, knocking banks offline and media outlets off the air across the globe. Advertisement Article continues below this ad RELATED: Stock market today: Wall Street is mostly steady as CrowdStrike tumbles following global tech outage It wasnt a cyberattack. It was related to this content update, Kurtz said. On Friday via social media, he said the issue had been identified and a fix deployed. His appearance on Today came after his initial statement about the problem was criticized for lack of contrition. Shares in CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. opened down nearly 15% but bounced back slightly as more details about the meltdown came into focus and impacts of the crash began to ease. But Kurtz said it was still too early to say how long full recovery would take. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It could be some time, he said. Sometimes, some systems wont automatically recover. Were not going to relent until we get every customer back to where they were. Thats because the fix requires boots on the ground to remediate, Gartner analyst Eric Grenier said. The fix is working. Its just a very manual process, and theres no magic key to unlock it, he said. I think that is probably what companies are struggling with the most here. That was the case with the handful of businesses and other organizations in San Antonio that acknowledged problems due to the outage Friday. While they werent shut down, some services and individual offices struggled while personnel worked through the fix. The outage is a major blow for CrowdStrike and its Falcon platform, which is used by airlines, banks, hospitals and other risk-averse organizations around the world to protect their computer systems from hackers and data breaches. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Richard Stiennon, a cybersecurity industry analyst, called it a historic mistake. This is easily the worst faux pas, technical faux pas or glitch of any security software provider ever, said Stiennon, who has tracked the cybersecurity industry for 24 years. CrowdStrike, which was founded in 2011 by Kurtz, provides cloud-based online security solutions. According to Forbes, its software is used by some of the largest players in cloud services, including Amazons AWS. It went public in 2019 and, in 2021, moved its headquarters to Austin from Californias Silicon Valley. Austin was already CrowdStrikes largest U.S. office before the move. It began trading on the Nasdaq exchange five years ago. Last month, CrowdStrike reported revenue jumped 33% in its fiscal first quarter from a year earlier pushing net profit to $42.8 million, up from $491,000 a year ago. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Kurtz is among the worlds most highly compensated CEOs, receiving more than $230 million in total compensation in the past three years. CrowdStrike does business worldwide through software sales and incident response to stop active security breaches and threats. It also helps run cybersecurity investigations for companies and governments. For example, it did the late 2022 investigation into a ransomware attack at Rackspace Technology Inc. in San Antonio and has investigated other area breaches. For over a decade, its tracked North Korean hackers for the U.S. government, it says. The company is perhaps best known for investigating the Russian hack of Democratic National Committee computers during the 2016 U.S. election. It has been at the center of conspiracy theories since 2016, most notably after a White House transcript revealed former President Donald Trump mentioned CrowdStrike in a July 2016 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which led to his first impeachment. CrowdStrike was the first to publicly sound the alarm about Russias interference in the 2016 election and CrowdStrikes assessment was later confirmed by U.S. intelligence agencies. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Shares in the company closed Friday at $304.96, down just more than 11%. Only two of imprisoned former junket boss Alvin Chaus original 36 properties have been sold so far, with the remaining 34 going up for auction later this month at prices roughly half of what they were initially listed for. The first public auction, held in September 2023, aimed to sell 31 parking spaces and five commercial units owned by Chau in Taipa for a combined opening bid of nearly MOP600 million. However, only two commercial units were sold at that time. The upcoming auction scheduled for Oct. 22 will see one parking space listed at MOP1.019 million and 30 others at around MOP1.07 million each. Meanwhile, three remaining commercial buildings will be auctioned with asking prices of approximately MOP49.97 million, MOP66.37 million and MOP159 million. Court records show the slashed prices are a result of the previous auctions failing to attract interested buyers. The auctions purpose is to help offset the almost 25 billion Hong Kong dollar compensation Chau owes the Macau government. This was ordered after he was convicted in 2021 on charges including illegal gambling operations and association with a criminal group, as the former boss of junket operator Suncity Group. Chau, 50, is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence handed down by the Court of Final Appeal earlier this month after he unsuccessfully appealed his conviction and sentence. He maintains his innocence and penned an open letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping last year declaring he did not break the law. The sale of Chaus diminished real estate portfolio is one way authorities are seeking to recoup funds. However, with values now half the originals, it remains doubtful how much the upcoming auction will generate towards his substantial debts and obligations. Victoria Chan Stanley Poon, the managing director of Centaline Property, welcomed Guangzhous recent decision to ease home purchase restrictions for residents of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Poon sees this policy shift as a strategic move that will attract more foreign capital and promote the citys development as a commercial center in the Greater Bay Area. This is a very good policy change, Poon said. The new regulations, introduced by the Guangzhou Municipal Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, allow eligible individuals from the three regions to acquire residential properties located in designated areas without any limitations on the number of properties or size of the units. Previously, the city had imposed strict controls on home purchases, particularly in certain restricted areas. Poon believes this move aligns with Guangzhous aspirations to position itself as a leading commercial hub within the Greater Bay Area, a regional integration initiative that aims to connect the city with Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau, and other cities in the region. Everyone hopes to compete with each other in the Greater Bay Area, he said. If we can get rid of these external restrictions and policies, it will bring benefits to the development of commercial real estate in the whole city. The managing director emphasized that a commercial city like Guangzhou needs to be able to accumulate foreign funds to set up a company, set up a headquarters, or set up a branch company in order to promote business, economic development, and some company activities. By welcoming more investment from the nearby regions, Guangzhou can strengthen its position as a hub for commercial activities and foster a more vibrant business environment. According to the realtor, Guangzhous new policy is following a similar path to Shenzhen, which had previously lifted restrictions on commercial real estate purchases by Hong Kong residents and foreigners. Poon explained that by allowing non-residential property acquisitions, Guangzhou aims to attract more foreign funds and diversify its investor base. He believes this policy change will inject new vitality into the citys commercial real estate sector and enhance overall market liquidity. The designated areas for the relaxed home purchase policies have already been identified by the city authorities, with six districts currently classified as such. This strategic move is seen as a way to attract more investment, especially from the nearby regions of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, which have long been important sources of capital and business activities for Guangzhou. Poon emphasized the historial significance of Guangzhou as an open and welcoming city, known for its early trade links with foreign countries, and has laid the foundation for this policy change. In the early days, Guangzhou was already quite open. To accept some foreign funds, foreign companies, or trade with foreign countries, he said. It was more developed in the early days. However, due to some restrictions, these measures have made it impossible for foreign investment in some commercial real estate in Guangzhou. This time, I believe that the overall policy is to welcome Hong Kong and Macau, or some foreign funds to enter the market. The realty expert believes that the relaxation of home purchase restrictions in Guangzhou reflects the citys aspirations to excel in the Greater Bay Area competition. By removing external barriers and attracting foreign investments, Guangzhou aims to strengthen its position as a commercial hub and foster increased business activities. Centaline is optimistic about the potential opportunities this policy shift will bring to the development of commercial real estate in the city, as the influx of foreign funds can spur the establishment of new companies, headquarters, and branch offices, promoting economic growth and creating a more vibrant business environment. Victoria Chan Chinas ruling Communist Party wrapped up a top-level meeting yesterday by endorsing policies aimed at advancing the countrys technological power and fortifying its national security. A statement released when the four-day meeting ended provided only a broad-brush summary. More details are likely to emerge in the coming days. The current and future period is a critical time for comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation using Chinese-style modernization, the statement said. It said the tasks outlined in the meeting would be completed by 2029, the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. The statement said it is necessary to coordinate development and security, a nod to concern that expanding national security enforcement is weighing on the economy. But it stressed that national security is an important foundation for the steady and long-term development of Chinese-style modernization, noting that the leadership of the party is the fundamental guarantee for achieving that goal. The meeting also endorsed leader Xi Jinpings repeated calls for high-quality development, signaling Beijing will continue to prioritize investing in technologies and encouraging companies to upgrade their equipment and knowhow at a time when China faces tightening restrictions on access to Western advanced technology, such as leading-edge computer chips and artificial intelligence. High quality development is the primary task of building a modern socialist country in an all-round way, the statement said. Foreign investors and markets were watching to see what the party might do to counter the slump in Chinas real estate sector and weak consumer confidence that has hindered Chinas recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic growth slowed to 4.7% on an annual basis in the April to June quarter, as investments in real estate and property sales continued to decline despite a raft of measures aimed at encouraging families to buy housing. Addressing concerns that have weakened consumer confidence, Thursdays statement acknowledged the need to improve basic and bottom-up livelihood, solve the most direct and realistic interests of the people and continuously meet the peoples yearning for a better life. It promised improvements to income distribution, job markets, social security and the medical system, but gave no specifics. Likewise, the statement mentioned the need to address risks in the property market and other threats to the economy, without providing details. Another priority is relieving the financial squeeze on local governments that have built up huge amounts of debt after a crackdown on heavy borrowing by property developers pushed the real estate industry into crisis, cutting off a vital source of tax revenues from sales of land-use rights. The announcement yesterday only alluded in general terms to the need to reform the tax system and better integrate cities and the countryside. Chinese leaders have repeatedly said the country will remain open to foreign investment and improve the business environment, despite ever-extending Communist Party controls over companies, social media, financial regulators and other aspects of life. Yesterdays statement repeatedly reiterated the need for openness and open markets, but also said the party must prevent any ideological risks. The meetings are unlikely to make a major change in policies, Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a commentary. And there still appears to be a tension between policies aimed at boosting economic security and expanding the supply-side of the economy, and those aimed at giving market forces a greater role and rebalancing growth toward consumption, he said. This weeks meetings are the third plenary session of the 205-member party Central Committee, which began a five-year term in 2022. Delayed from last year, third plenums usually set major economic and policy decisions. Past landmark plenums launched China into its ascent as a world manufacturing and financial power in an era of reform and opening up. Details of any policy decisions will come gradually, and probably after the partys powerful Politburo meets later this month. The meeting also dealt with disciplinary actions against some former senior officials. It dismissed former Foreign Minister Qin Gang from the Central Committee and approved investigation reports on three former military officials. Qin was removed as foreign minister about a year ago after only a few months in office. The government has yet to explain why. The reports from the Central Military Commission investigated what the statement called serious violations of discipline and laws by former Defense Minister Li Shangfu and two officials dismissed from the militarys rocket force, former commander Li Yuchao and former chief of staff Sun Jinming. The Defense Ministry said last month that Li, the ex-defense minister, had abused his authority by taking bribes in exchange for granting favors. He was dismissed last year after less than a year in his post. The unexpected dismissals of the new foreign and defense ministers raised questions about party leadership but dont appear to have affected government policy. The statement emphasized the importance of modernizing the military at a time of growing tensions with the United States and Asian neighbors. It called for improving the leadership and management of the military and operations across its different branches. KEN MORITSUGU & ELAINE KURTENBACH, BEIJING, MDT/AP MGM brings excitement to Barra District with Summer Hype mega event series, kicking off the series is the BERTILO Drifts in Barra Giant Inflatable Floating Installation at Navy Yard No.1. Floating on the Lago da Barra, the installation is jointly curated by Italian artist Bertil Butturini and Chinese artist Jingo Li. BERTILO, the pink chubby Italian character, embodies a laid-back and relaxed lifestyle, encouraging everyone to slow down, wander, and uncover the hidden gems of Barra. Alongside adorable pink photo spots in the area, the public installation immerses visitors in a burst of joy throughout the entire summer. Adding to the sweetness is a delightful array of themed delights served by food trucks featuring local food and beverage outlets. Photo-worthy pink eats and drinks, including Pink Chubby Burger Sticks, Pink Chubby Summer Ice Cream, Canal cover-shaped Pink Grills, and Chubby Custard Bun and Drinks await you at the Open Area of Navy Yard No.2. Even the food trucks are wrapped in shades of pink! For those who wish to bring the chill vibes of BERTILO into everyday life, be sure to take home the limited BERTILO merchandise. Time to slow down and BE FAT, BE COOL, BE CHILL together with BERTILO at Barra this summer! South Koreas president yesterday appointed a former North Korean diplomat as a vice minister, the highest-level government job for any of the thousands of North Koreans who have resettled in South Korea. Tae Yongho was a minister of the North Korean Embassy in London when he defected to South Korea in 2016. Tae is the highest-ranking North Korean who has resettled in South Korea in recent years. He has said he did so because he didnt want his children to live miserable lives in North Korea and he fell into despair over leader Kim Jong Uns executions of officials and nuclear ambitions. North Korea called him human scum and accused him of embezzling government money and committing other crimes. President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed Tae secretary general the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council, which gives the president policy advice on peaceful Korean unification. The appointment made Tae the first North Korean defector appointed to a vice-ministerial job in South Korea, among about 34,000 North Koreans who have resettled in South Korea, according to Seouls Unification Ministry. In 2020, Tae was elected to South Koreas parliament. There have been other North Korean defectors who have served as lawmakers in South Korea. Yoons office said in a statement that Tae was the right person for the post because he can utilize his living experience in North Korea and work experiences as a member of South Koreans parliaments committee on foreign policy and unification issues. Most of the defectors left North Korea after a devastating famine in the mid-1990s. Upon arrival in South Korea, North Korean defectors are given citizenships, almost-free apartments, resettlement money and other benefits. But coming from authoritarian, impoverished and nominally socialist North Korea, many experience diverse discrimination and severe difficulties in adjusting to new lives in capitalistic, highly competitive South Korea, according to their interviews and surveys. Yoon promised to provide greater government support to improve the lives of North Korean defectors on the inaugural North Korean Defectors Day on Sunday. Most of the North Korean defectors are women from the Norths poorer northern regions along the a long, porous border with China. But in recent years, the number of North Korean elites to flee to South Korea has steadily increased, according to the Unification Ministry. On Tuesday, South Koreas spy agency said that Ri Il Kyu, a counselor of political affairs at the North Korean Embassy in Cuba, had defected to South Korea last November. HYUNG-JIN KIM, SEOUL, MDT/AP Hays County has confirmed its first positive West Nile virus tests of the year, health officials say. Joao Paulo Burini/Getty Images Hays County has confirmed its first positive West Nile virus tests of the year, county health officials say. The positive tests are from two mosquito pools in the 78676 ZIP code, which includes Wimberley and the surrounding area, county officials say. The test samples were collected on July 11. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hays County had no positive West Nile virus tests in mosquitos last year, county officials say. Texas as a whole has reported 1,051 positive mosquito pool tests this year, according to the Department of State Health Services. The state had 913 positive tests for all of 2023. Rainfall in the past few months has created more favorable conditions for mosquito breeding, said Eric Vangaasbeek, chief environmental health specialist at Hays County Development Services. Rainfall within the Central Texas area leads to an increase in standing water, which provides ideal breeding grounds for mosquitos, Vangaasbeek said. We encourage everyone to take proactive steps to prevent mosquito bites by reducing areas of standing water around their homes and properties. Mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnate or slow-moving water, so residents should eliminate water sources, such as open trash bins, fountains, bird baths, clogged rain gutters or neglected pools or ponds, officials say. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Health officials also urge residents to use insect repellent, wear protective clothing and keep screens on windows and close doors, especially around dusk and dawn when mosquitos are most active. Hays County Development Services and the Hays County Health Department will continue to conduct mosquito pool traps and health surveillance to promote the health and safety of our residents, the county said. West Nile virus is a potentially serious illness that spreads to humans through a bite by an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 80% of people who contract West Nile virus have no symptoms, according to health experts. For those who do develop symptoms, those commonly are fever, headaches, joint pain, body aches, swollen lymph glands, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. A blood test or a spinal fluid sample can confirm whether West Nile virus is the source of the symptoms. Advertisement Article continues below this ad North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a major tourism site being constructed on the countrys eastern coast and discussed steps to open the zone by next year, state media reported yesterday, though the country still blocks visits by most foreign tourists. The Wonsan-Kalma zone is one of Kims most talked-about tourism projects. For years. North Korea has been building luxury hotels and recreational facilities there to create a key attraction for international visitors. But the project reportedly suffered setbacks due to shortages of construction materials as a result of toughened U.N. sanctions and COVID-19 restrictions. Kim toured the Wonsan-Kalma zone with top deputies on Tuesday and discussed preparations for its opening by May 2025 as decided by a ruling party meeting in January, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. A coastal wonderland to be known to the world as the best tourist resort of (North Korea) would be successfully built, Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA. It cited Kim as saying construction has entered its final stages. North Korea has been slowly easing its harsh pandemic-era curbs and entry restrictions as part of its efforts to revive its economy. But it still hasnt reopened its borders to foreign tourists, except for a relatively a small number of Russians who visited earlier this year as ties boomed between the two countries. A return of Chinese travelers would likely provide a much bigger source of revenue as they represented about 90% of international tourists visiting North Korea before the pandemic. In 2019, a record 300,000 foreign tourists visited North Korea, earning the country between $90 million and $150 million, experts say. The U.N.s Food and Agriculture Organization said Wednesday its director-general visited North Korea from July 13 to 16, in the first trip by a U.N. principal since 2019. It said Director-General Qu Dongyus trip was meant to strengthen its partnership with North Korea and address food security and nutrition challenges in the country. It wasnt immediately clear when North Korea will allow the return of international staff of U.N. agencies. North Koreas stringent pandemic curbs included the departure of diplomats and foreign nationals. HYUNG-JIN KIM, SEOUL, MDT/AP A 33-year-old mainland resident has been detained by Macau authorities for his alleged involvement in a large-scale fraud case wherein he is accused of duping a victim out of MOP180,000 through a fraudulent gambling investment scheme. The victimized mainland man told the police that the suspect claimed to be able to win Baccarat with a lose one, buy two method, and offered to sign a guaranteed agreement. The suspect, surnamed Pui, was arrested on July 17 as he was leaving the Macau International Airport. Pui, who is unemployed, allegedly approached the victim, also a mainland resident, through WeChat last October, claiming to be an expert in gambling with a guaranteed winning formula. Pui reportedly persuaded the victim to invest RMB200,000 with the promise of regular returns. At first, the suspect did provide some returns to the victim, but then he began making excuses and eventually stopped paying the victim altogether. According to a police statement, the suspect used the above-mentioned investment and gambling methods to defraud the victims money and used the defrauded money to gamble in the casino. Authorities added that Pui did not have any so-called winning formula or method and lost most of the money given by the victim. The victim reported the case to the Macau authorities on July 13, stating that he had lost contact with Pui and the MOP180,000 he had invested. On July 17, the Macau police successfully intercepted Pui at the Macau International Airport and seized HKD6,000 from the suspect, which they believe is related to the case. The case has now been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office for further investigation. Authorities have warned the public to be cautious of such fraudulent investment schemes, particularly those involving promises of guaranteed gambling profits. Victoria Chan The Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone has unveiled a comprehensive set of policies to support the development of cross-border e-commerce industries, with a particular focus on assisting Macau-funded enterprises. The support measures offer a range of incentives, including subsidies of up to RMB100 million for qualified e-commerce demonstration parks and other e-commerce related activities, to support the coordinated development of Macau and Hengqin. China has established a network of national e-commerce demonstration parks to support the growth of the e-commerce industry. These designated parks receive government subsidies and policy support to develop e-commerce infrastructure, attract e-commerce enterprises and foster innovation. For example, the city of Hangzhou in Zhejiang province has the Alibaba-backed Xiaoshan E-commerce Industrial Park, which provides office space, logistics facilities and training programs for e-commerce startups. Similarly, the Guangzhou E-commerce Industrial Park in Guangdong province offers financial incentives, logistics hubs and shared services to cultivate an e-commerce ecosystem. These demonstration parks help concentrate e-commerce resources, promote the adoption of new technologies, and enable small businesses to leverage the benefits of e-commerce. These new policies are designed to create a thriving cross-border e-commerce ecosystem in the cooperation zone, leveraging Macaus international advantages and its role as a gateway to Portuguese-speaking countries, said a spokesperson from the Hengqin authorities. Under the support measures, demonstration parks can receive one-time subsidies of up to RMB100 million, based on 30% of their fixed asset investment. Growth model parks are eligible for up to RMB20 million in one-time support, based on 20% of their investment. To further strengthen the industry, the policies also provide annual operating subsidies of up to 20 million yuan for leading demonstration parks and RMB5 million for growth parks. In addition to the park-level incentives, the measures aim to improve the live broadcast e-commerce industry chain. Subsidies of up to RMB3 million will be offered for the construction of live broadcast e-commerce bases, and support will be provided to attract leading online live broadcast brokerage agencies and outstanding anchors to the cooperation zone. To cultivate talent, the policies encourage enterprises to collaborate with universities in Macau and mainland China to provide e-commerce training. Macau youth who complete the training and join enterprises in the cooperation zone can receive subsidies of up to RMB4,000. E-commerce industry clusters and leading enterprises with an international competitive edge are regarded as empowering the development of the real economy. Building a cross-border e-commerce demonstration park and promoting e-commerce strategies will enhance the training of e-commerce talents and support the coordinated development of the two regions. Nadia Shaw Chinese investigators suspect construction work sparked a fire that caused 16 deaths in a shopping mall in the southwestern city of Zigong. The fire broke out Wednesday evening and took almost 10 hours to extinguish, state media reported. The 14-story commercial building was evacuated, with 75 people led to safety, according to the official news agency Xinhua. The building houses a department store, offices, restaurants and a movie theater. Social media video posts showed clouds of thick black smoke coming out of windows on the buildings lower levels. Local media said firefighters used several drones to combat the flames. Fire hazards remain a problem in China, which reported 947 fire fatalities up to late May, up 19% from those reported by the same time last year, according to Li Wanfeng, a spokesperson for the National Fire and Rescue Administration. Li said the number of fires in public places such as hotels and restaurants rose 40% over that period, and that the most common causes were leaking gas lines and a failure to follow safety procedures. In January, a fire killed 39 people in a commercial building in the southeastern Chinese province of Jiangxi, caused by unauthorized welding in the basement. In February, another 15 people were killed in a residential building in the eastern city of Nanjing. MDT/AP Japan hosted a summit yesterday with leaders from more than a dozen Pacific island nations, seeking to deepen cooperation and increased support for a rules-based free and open Indo-Pacific amid Chinas growing influence in the region. The Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, or PALM, launched under Japanese initiative in 1997, has become Japans key diplomatic tool to deter Chinas security and economic influence in the region by strengthening its ties with the Pacific Island Forum members, stressing its willingness to stand by them and maintaining unity. In his opening remarks, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he hoped to elevate Japans ties with the Pacific islands to a higher stage and renew its commitment to walk together toward the future. He stressed the importance to join hands to quickly tackle mutual issues such as the climate change. Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, who is co-chairing this years summit, welcomed Japans approach to work with the PIF members as equals to achieve their 2050 strategy for the Blue Pacific, our vision for a region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion, and prosperity. He noted climate resilience and disaster risk management, sustainable management of oceans, economic resilience, ensuring people-centered development and investment in technology and connectivity as key areas for cooperation. Japan also seeks to share with the leaders the importance of maintaining the rules-based, free and open international order in the region, with China in mind but carefully not spelled out. South Pacific island nations have become a focus of security concern among Japan and its ally the United States and their regional partners such as Australia and New Zealand in recent years as Beijing increases its presence in the region where many island nations are economically China-dependent, as with many other countries. Leaders from 18 Pacific Island Forum member nations and regions are expected to adopt a joint statement stating their commitment to work together in areas including maritime security, defense cooperation, climate change and economic development and other key issues at the end of the meeting yesterday. Kishida has been also holding bilateral meetings with the leaders since earlier this week on the sidelines of summit. In his separate meetings Wednesday with several leaders, including Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Niue and Papua New Guinea, Kishida announced Japans support for infrastructure, fishing projects and other areas. MARI YAMAGUCHI, TOKYO, MDT/AP Starting today, over 300,000 Macau and Hong Kong permanent residents will be able to use electronic QR code channels to enter Hong Kong using a new QR code-based electronic entry system. The encrypted QR code can be used to complete automated immigration clearance at Hong Kongs e-channels, without the need to present a physical ID card. This will save those eligible, the hassle of presenting physical documentation. This measure will be important in the context of cooperation between the two regions, namely in increasing the movement of people at border posts, said Chao Wai Ieng, director of the Identification Services Bureau (DSI), in a press conference yesterday. The new measure, jointly launched by the governments of Macau and Hong Kong, will allow eligible Macau permanent residents to generate a unique QR code through the Macao One Account mobile app after updating to the latest version. The new function will be found in the My border crossing section on the home page. This new QR code system will bring a better traveling experience to residents in Hong Kong and Macau using the automated immigration service, said Benson Kwok Joon-fung, Hong Kong Director of Immigration (IDSM). It aligns with the development of the Greater Bay Area as part of the national strategy. The move is the latest in a series of measures aimed at facilitating cross-border movement between the two cities. In 2009, Hong Kong and Macau signed an agreement allowing eligible permanent residents from both sides to enter each others territory using just their ID cards, without having to fill out entry and exit declarations. Since then, nearly 2.5 million Hong Kong residents have registered to use Macaus self-service customs clearance lanes, while over 300,000 Macau residents have signed up for the same service in Hong Kong. The new customs clearance convenience measures will further enhance the quality of immigration services between the two places, said Kwok. According to DSIs Chao, the QR code system was made possible after updating Macao One Account platform and border control systems. He noted that the new system respects personal data protection laws and does not store any sensitive information. The launch of the QR code service is part of the governments broader efforts to promote the development of e-government and digital public services. Over 600,000 Macau residents, or more than 90% of the population, have already registered for the Macao Account platform, which provides access to nearly 400 government services. These measures can create convenient customs clearance conditions for personnel exchanges, economic and trade exchanges between the two places, and the development of Macaus key industries, said Chao. In the future, Hong Kong and Macau will continue studying optimization measures to further improve convenience for residents traveling between the two cities. The automated clearance system has been tested to handle large numbers of users, with clearance times reduced to around two seconds. The launch of the QR code service comes as part of the governments broader push to develop e-government and electronic services. Over 600,000 residents, or 90% of Macaus population, have opened accounts on the governments One Account platform which provides nearly 400 services. The electronic ID card project launched in 2023 has also seen over 350,000 people bind their ID data to mobile apps for use in various scenarios. Nadia Shaw The territory is optimistic that it will surpass its target of 33 million visitors by the end of 2024. This confidence is bolstered by a strong summer travel season and a series of upcoming events and promotions. According to Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, the director of Macaus Government Tourism Office (MGTO), Macau saw an improvement in average daily tourist arrivals in July as compared to June, indicating a positive momentum heading into the second half of the year. The MGTO director expressed confidence in exceeding the 33 million target, though she refrained from estimating figures as high as 35 or 40 million. We think that in the second half of the year, if we take advantage of the good summer vacation momentum and there are more activities held in Macau in the second half of the year, we estimate that it should be possible to exceed 33 million by the end of the year, said Fernandes, who was speaking on the sidelines of the opening of the Sands Shopping Carnival. Fernandes highlighted several initiatives planned for the remainder of 2024, including a large-scale online promotion targeting overseas markets through international media outlets such as CNN and the BBC. Macau will also host its annual fireworks competition and the Macao Light Festival, which is expected to run from early December to mid-February. The official noted that shopping was the main reason for tourists visiting Macau in the first quarter of 2024, making up 48% of the total, with accommodation and dining following closely behind. To further boost tourism, the government is exploring ways to collaborate with tourism companies and small-to-medium enterprises to offer special promotions in December, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of Macaus return to China. Additionally, the MGTO will continue its efforts to promote Macaus entry and exit policies in various mainland Chinese cities. Regarding international markets, Fernandes acknowledged that the recovery of Portuguese-speaking countries has lagged behind the overall rebound in overseas visitors. However, Macau has been actively engaging with the Portuguese travel industry, including hosting their annual association meeting next year and participating in promotional events. When asked about the possibility of reintroducing a tourism tax, the MGTO director reiterated that the previous government-led research concluded it was not recommended, as Macau aims to position itself as a world-class tourism and leisure hub. Instead, the focus is on improving supporting facilities and diversifying tourism elements across different districts to better distribute visitors. Fernandes expressed confidence in exceeding the two million target for international visitor arrivals by the end of 2024. After a lot of work, everyone has seen that the recovery rate of our overseas tourists in the first half of this year is actually quite good, she added. Victoria Chan Police have detained a 28-year-old unemployed Macau resident male in connection with the theft and fraud of goods worth HKD320,000. On July 15, the Judiciary Police received a referral from the Public Security Police Force regarding a theft from a vehicle. The victim, a local man, had parked his private car in a public parking lot in North District on the morning of July 13. When he returned to his car on July 15 at around 9 a.m., he discovered his watch valued at HKD320,000 was missing and suspected it had been stolen. After an investigation, police identified the suspect as Chan, a 28-year-old unemployed resident of Macau. According to the investigation, Chan stole the watch from the parking lot on July 15 and pawned it at a shop in New Port for HKD25,000. He used the money to gamble at a nearby casino, losing everything. He then borrowed money from a friend to redeem the watch and pawned it again, this time at a shop in Central, receiving HKD180,000. He again lost the full amount gambling. Police succeeded in retrieving the watch from the second pawn shop. The shop demanded that the perpetrator be held criminally liable. On July 17 at 1:30 p.m., criminal investigation officers intercepted Chan near the Areia Preta area and brought him in for further questioning. Chen reportedly has a lengthy criminal history. Records show a previous prison sentence for theft at the end of 2020, with his release in June 2023. However, he did not remain out of trouble for long. In September 2023, police arrested Chen again for another theft. Separately, in January and June 2024, Chen was arrested twice more both times for theft from vehicles. In each instance, he was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office. Based on the investigations findings, police believe Chan committed the theft in this case as well. The bureau will transfer the case to the Public Prosecutions Office to press charges of theft and major fraud against Chan. Victoria Chan Macau should prioritize making its streets more pedestrian-friendly, according to a recent survey conducted by the Macau New Chinese Youth Association. The poll found that residents are willing to spend 20 minutes on foot when navigating the city, with 74 % of respondents willing to walk for at least 20 minutes. The survey, which interviewed 769 macau residents between 18 and 44 years old, also revealed that 57 % of respondents are satisfied with the current state of macaus pedestrian walkways, but 60 % believe they should be better connected to bus stations and taxi stands. The associations deputy director, ku heng cheong, emphasized the importance of creating safe, convenient, accessible, and friendly pedestrian routes. He suggested that the government should use the 20-minute walking distance as a basis for developing future. The association recommends that the government create a 20-minute comfortable walking circle by effectively separating pedestrians from vehicles, considering the flow of people, and setting up multiple entrances and exits. To further aid the development of future pedestrian systems, ku underlined the need for walkways to be shielded from the elements, well lit, and connected to public transportation hubs to encourage residents and tourists to use the walkways. The survey also revealed that while 27 % of respondents considered cover as an important feature of a walkway, most (48.4 %) prioritized elevators and escalators, followed by non-slip floors (32.2 %). The findings have significant implications for urban planning in macau as they suggest that the city should focus on creating a comprehensive and user-friendly pedestrian system that integrates public transportation hubs, business districts, and tourist hotspots. Nadia shaw The Public Security Police were alerted to a case of theft when a man reported his clothes and mobile phone stolen while trying on clothes in a store earlier this week. Through surveillance, police authorities apprehended the suspect near the Central District the following day. Upon questioning, the suspect confessed to the crime, revealing that he had overstayed his visa for three months. Stolen items were recovered from the suspects residence, leading to the discovery that a Filipino woman in her 50s had been residing with him since April. She claimed ignorance of his visa overstay, stating they were in a relationship. Related Jasper Scherer covered Texas politics and government for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. He joined the Hearst Austin bureau in 2021 after nearly three years as a City Hall reporter for the Chronicle and a prior stint covering Bexar County for the Express-News. He has also reported on local politics for both papers. A native of San Francisco, he graduated from Northwestern University in 2017 with degrees in journalism and political science, and has interned for the Tampa Bay Times, Washington Post and Fortune magazine. The local weather bureau report warned yesterday of the potential formation of a tropical storm near Macau in the upcoming days. The area of concern is currently a low-pressure system located south of the Philippines, and there is a possibility of it developing as it moves into the South China Sea. Additionally, there is another weather system to the east of the Philippines that could impact the aforementioned system, although there are uncertainties about its evolution. Regardless of whether it intensifies into a more severe storm, there is a chance of heavy rainfall and potential flooding in the coming week if it approaches. Related Maybe youre driving cross-country to visit relatives. Or youre flying to see friends and dont want to arrive empty-handed. Or maybe you just want to take some Wisconsin with you. The Wisconsin State Journal reached out to a handful of local businesses to ask what they would recommend as host or hostess gifts during this busy travel season. Here are their suggestions, filled with hometown pride. Monona Terrace Gift Shop 1 John Nolen Drive mononaterracegiftshop.com Even though its summer, we all know that a big part of Madisons identity is snow. Gift shop manager Lisa Sparks recommends the Monona Terrace and Madison Skyline Musical Snow Globe ($29.95) as an enchanting reminder of the citys four seasons. Or take something to toast the host: The shops Madison Skyline stoneware mugs ($28.95), handcrafted in Neenah, include a design exclusive to Monona Terrace and come in a variety of colors and sizes, from shot glasses to beer steins ($19.95-$34.95). Other picks: Anything Frank Lloyd Wright-themed the shop has plenty to choose from or the Monona Terrace and Madison Skyline Metal Ornament ($21.95), made in America and definitely easy to pack. Anthology 230 State St. Sisters Laura and Sachi Komai own this State Street shop thats popular with both tourists and locals. Much of the inventory at Anthology is designed by local and indie artists, including the sisters themselves. Among their picks for Madison souvenirs: locally designed stickers, affordable and easy to pack, and stickable on everything from water bottles and laptops to car windows and travel journals. And both fun and practical are the Badger market tote bag (designed by Sachi, $19) and the Wisconsin Tree of Life tea towel (by Laura, $19), both printed right on Madisons one-of-a-kind Willy Street. Wisconsin Historical Society 1 S. Pinckney St., Suite 102 (temporary storefront location) Swim the lakes, paddle the lakes or wear the lakes. The WHS shop offers a sheer Madison Lakes scarf ($47) in two colors, sea glass or blue, that maps out a fashion statement. Or take along a handmade Madison Badgertown leather coaster ($10) that not-so-humbly says it like it is: Badgertown, Wisconsin: Home of the finest ideas and people. Not surprisingly, this Wisconsin-based shop has plenty more items that feature, well, guess where? Fromagination 12 S. Carroll St. Consider taking the food that Wisconsin is famous for: cheese. Fromagination stocks travel sizes of cheese ($3.50 to $10) from esteemed local cheesemakers such as Uplands, Roelli and Hooks. Youll also find other local travel companions in a jar or box, from crackers and mustards to gourmet Madison chocolates. Your hosts will relish them all if you can resist devouring them yourself before you reach your destination. Little Luxuries 230 State St. While Little Luxuries carries loads of gifts that say Madison, owner Amy Moore selected two that make the quintessential travel gift: The Dane County Farmers Market Cookbook by Terese Allen ($35), and Madison Ceramic Tile Coasters ($12), designed and created by Leslie Phillips from Orange Pops. Eat, drink and be merry both items are made in Wisconsin. Hatch Art House 1248 Williamson St. What better way to export Madisons creative vibe than with some art? Tammy Schreiter, owner of Hatch Art House, suggests Madison, a 4-inch-by-4-inch encaustic block by Tin Cat Studio ($55) and Capitol, a 5-inch-by-7-inch giclee print ($15) by Madison artist Erin Kessler. Both are unique portraits of a city well loved. Orange Tree Imports 1721 Monroe St. Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired items are big sellers at this longtime gift shop destination. But also at Orange Tree Imports, we love the wooden bike ornaments ($7.95) made for us in nearby Monticello, Wisconsin, says co-owner Carol Orange Schroeder. (Theres a snowflake ornament, too.) Or, for something extra-squishable, pack a Life is good in Madison cotton dish towel ($12.95) in your travel gift bag. Dane County Farmers Market Saturday mornings on Capitol Square Even if some ripe tomatoes or a giant zucchini wont make the trip in your suitcase, youll find plenty of souvenir options at the artisan booths at the top of State Street during the weekly Dane County Farmers Market. There you can buy everything from Madison-inspired T-shirts and tote bags to the imaginative, witty maps of the region by Madison artist Stephen Kennedy. You also can find Kennedy and his Lake Daddy field-trip caps and other swag online at latlong.shop. Why these 9 cities attract the most international travelers Why these 9 cities attract the most international travelers #9. Cancun, Mexico #8. New York City #5. Paris, France #3. Dubai, United Arab Emirates #2. London, England U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, a consistent champion for President Joe Bidens administration, has joined the growing chorus of Democratic lawmakers calling on the 81-year-old president to abandon his presidential run against former President Donald Trump. Pocan, D-Black Earth, has been a familiar face at Bidens several campaign events in the state this year, often greeting the president as he steps off Air Force One and riling up the crowd before Biden takes the stage. But on Friday, less than 12 hours after Trump, 78, concluded his presidential nomination speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Pocan said in a post on X its time to pass the torch. I am so appreciative of what President Joe Biden has gotten done for this country, but having a second Trump presidency is as scary of a thought as I can have, Pocan said. We need to move forward in a way that ensures Trump is never president. Pocan joined fellow Democratic U.S. Reps. Jared Huffman, of California; Marc Veasey, of Texas; and Chuy Garcia, of Illinois, to urge Biden to step down, which the lawmakers said would reinvigorate the race and infuse Democrats with enthusiasm and momentum heading into the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month. I am so appreciative of what President Joe Biden has gotten done for this country, but having a second Trump presidency is as scary of a thought as I can have. We need to move forward in a way that ensures Trump is never president. Its time to pass the torch. pic.twitter.com/sqbGZfmfZU Mark Pocan (@MarkPocan) July 19, 2024 We must defeat Donald Trump to save our democracy, protect our alliances and the rules-based international order, and continue building on the strong foundation you have established over the past four years, the lawmakers wrote. At this point, however, we must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign. Democrats have a deep and talented bench of younger leaders, led by Vice President Kamala Harris, who you have lifted up, empowered, and prepared for this moment, the lawmakers continued. Passing the torch would fundamentally change the trajectory of the campaign. State Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, said in a post on X Friday she will continue to support Biden if hes on the ballot in November but added the president should step aside and allow a new nominee to be selected. In recent weeks, its become clear that Americans have insurmountable concerns about the Presidents ability to campaign with the vigor and focus we need to defeat MAGA, Roys continued. As his path to victory has become vanishingly small, our best path to victory begins with him stepping aside. The Democratic Party has brilliant, energetic, competent leaders, including VP Harris and many others. Biden has been a transformational president a good man & great American. I will enthusiastically vote & campaign for him if hes on the ballot. We cannot risk another term by disgraced, twice-impeached, convicted felon Trump: our freedoms & fragile democracy are on the line. Kelda Roys (AidAccess.org) (@keldahelenroys) July 19, 2024 With a new nominee, Democrats can beat Trump easily, make gains in races across the country, and help repair our democracy while lifting up all Americans, Roys said. Biden, meanwhile, has given no indication he plans to step down from his rematch with Trump in November. Biden beat Trump in Wisconsin by about 21,000 votes in 2020. Other voices Other Wisconsin Democrats, appear to remain behind Biden as he seeks a second term in office. U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, told Spectrum News 1 earlier this month Biden is an amazing president. I will continue to support President Bidens reelection bid, Moore told the outlet. This election is about preserving freedom, progress, equality and democracy, and I will do everything in my power to ensure voters know whats at stake. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who is seeking her third term this fall, hasnt been seen with Biden in the state since January. Speaking with reporters earlier this month, Baldwin said the bottom line is its (Bidens) decision. I have heard a lot of input from voters ... Ive passed those onto the White House, Baldwin continued. Hovde responds Madison business owner Eric Hovde, who is running for Baldwins seat, has repeatedly taken aim at the sitting U.S. senator for not addressing ongoing questions campaign Bidens ability to campaign after his poor debate performance against Trump last month. She has to see the same decline that the rest of the country does, and the fact she refuses to answer questions about his fitness to serve only underscores the fact that she puts her own political career over the interests of Wisconsinites, Hovdes campaign spokesperson Ben Voelkel said in a statement Friday. Hours before the balloons rained down on Trump and his family inside the convention hall Thursday evening, Biden deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks appeared nearby in Milwaukee and insisted repeatedly that Biden would not step aside. I do not want to be rude, but I dont know how many more times I can answer that, Fulks told reporters. There are no plans being made to replace Biden on the ballot. Nearly two-thirds of Democrats nationally say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to an AP-NORC poll released Wednesday. Photos from the last day of the Republican National Convention People wait in long lines at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps People find places to sleep after waiting long hours at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps A woman sleeps against her suitcases after waiting long hours at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps A woman sleeps against her suitcases after waiting long hours at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps People wait in long lines at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps A family from Mexico trying to get home after their vacation waits for word on a new flight after theirs had been cancelled. The family had been at the airport since 6pm the night before. Flights were delayed and canceled due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps A family from Mexico trying to get home after their vacation waits for word on a new flight after theirs had been cancelled. The family had been at the airport since 6pm the night before. Flights were delayed and canceled due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps People find places to sleep after waiting long hours at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps People find places to sleep after waiting long hours at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps People find places to sleep after waiting long hours at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps People wait at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps Liliana Oilmon of Austin plays a game with her son Julian Ray, 5, to keep him occupied after their flight to Guadalajara was canceled. Olimon was disappointed but optimistic. They had already booked a hotel in case they had to stay in San Antonio overnight. Flights were delayed and canceled due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps Liliana Oilmon of Austin plays a game with her son Julian Ray, 5, to keep him occupied after their flight to Guadalajara was canceled. Olimon was disappointed but optimistic. They had already booked a hotel in case they had to stay in San Antonio overnight. Flights were delayed and canceled due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps Liliana Oilmon of Austin plays a game with her son Julian Ray, 5, to keep him occupied after their flight to Guadalajara was canceled. Olimon was disappointed but optimistic. They had already booked a hotel in case they had to stay in San Antonio overnight. Flights were delayed and canceled due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps People wait in long lines at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps A family from Mexico trying to get home after their vacation waits for word on a new flight after theirs had been cancelled. The family had been at the airport since 6pm the night before. Flights were delayed and canceled due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps People wait in long lines at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps People wait in long lines at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps People wait in long lines at the San Antonio Airport after flights were cancelled and delayed due to a global IT shutdown. Jessica Phelps A global technology outage grounded flights worldwide and disrupted the operations of banks, transit systems and emergency services Friday, exposing the vulnerability of worldwide dependence on systems that operate on software from a handful of companies. A single update from Austin cybersecurity company CrowdStrike set off outages for millions of users of Microsoft Windows devices worldwide beginning late Thursday. Mac and Linux hosts were unaffected. This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the worlds core internet infrastructure, said Ciaran Martin, a professor at Oxford Universitys Blavatnik School of Government and former head of Britains National Cyber Security Centre. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In San Antonio, the fallout was a mixed bag. Hundreds of travelers were stranded at San Antonio International Airport, but city and Bexar County operations including 911 emergency response systems were largely unaffected. Some businesses and hospitals were still working to restore their IT systems by early afternoon, and driver's license offices here and across Texas were closed because of the software glitch. At the airport, Friday started with the cancellation of five departing flights. By 2:30 p.m., 19 flights had been canceled, according to flight tracking service FlightAware. An additional 93 were delayed. At Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, 36 flights were canceled and 179 were delayed. They were among more than 4,000 flights canceled across the United States by midafternoon. Nearly 36,000 were delayed. United, American and Delta airlines asked the Federal Aviation Administration early Friday for a global ground stop on all flights, according to an FAA alert. Advertisement Article continues below this ad American later said its flights were taking off again. As of 5 a.m. ET, we have been able to safely re-establish our operation, the airline told CNN. Delta said it had resumed some flights. Among those stranded by the outage was a group of travelers from San Antonios Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. Twenty members of the church were stuck in Rome when their Delta flight back to the U.S. was canceled Friday, said Andrea Melcher, who was part of the group. We were in Italy on a tour and were supposed to board Delta flight 0215 this morning, Melcher, an organizational and media relations specialist for nonprofit organizations, said by email. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The traveling party went to Italy to visit religious sites in Rome, Vatican City, Florence, Pisa, Verona and Venice. We also made a special stop in Padua, where we were able to visit the Basilica of St Anthonythe saint for whom our San Antonio was named, Melcher wrote. On Friday, they found themselves among crowds of disappointed travelers at Romes Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport. Weve been herded into a group waiting for a bus to an unknown hotel not sure how were going to get back to the US yet! Melcher wrote. Among other U.S. carriers, Frontier Airlines said its systems had been affected by the outage and offered refunds to passengers. Other airlines, including Allegiant and Sun Country, reported difficulties with booking, check-in and trip management services online. San Antonio International advised travelers to check the status of departing flights before heading to the airport. Businesses Frost Bank, the largest regional bank headquartered in San Antonio, and University Health System said the outage affected their IT systems. Advertisement Article continues below this ad About 10:15 a.m., Frost said it was continuing to troubleshoot issues. Were still seeing sporadic outages, and systems in some of our locations are affected, but access to many systems has been restored, it said via social media. Earlier, it said the outage also was affecting online and mobile banking. County-owned University's problems began early Friday but were largely resolved within hours. Nearly all University Health IT systems are back up, and we expect them all to be back online shortly, a spokeswoman said Friday morning. All University Health locations remain open, and patients should know that all appointments are proceeding as scheduled. Baptist Health System and Christus Health said their systems were working. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The statewide power grid also was operating "with no reliability issues, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the grid operator, said Friday morning. CPS Energy experienced no outage-related problems, said a spokesperson for the San Antonio electric and gas utility. 911 service In some parts of the country, 911 service was down as a result of the software glitch. If you have an emergency, call the 10-digit number for your local police or fire department, the U.S. Emergency Alert system said in an advisory posted to X. But the San Antonio Police Department said its emergency operations weren't affected. 911 calls are going through to dispatchers as usual, SAPD spokesperson Camelia Juarez said. City spokesman Brian Chasnoff said the outage hadn't tanked any of San Antonio's IT systems. Bexar Countys systems, including the Bexar Metro 911 Network, also were "up and running with no issues," county spokeswoman Monica Ramos said. But there was one exception: The county said in an X post that the tax assessor-collectors office couldnt process vehicle transactions because of an issue with Crowdstrike at the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. The Bexar Appraisal District also experienced connectivity issues this morning and is working to bring our system back online, the property appraiser said in a Facebook post. The agency said staffers would contact residents who had meetings or hearings at the district's office on Friday to reschedule. But the agency's essential systems were back online by early Friday afternoon, according to an appraisal district spokesperson. Comal County officials said some computer systems in county offices were down Friday morning because of the outage. But the countys 911 service and phone system were operating normally, county officials said. We are working to restore services as quickly as possible and will keep you updated, a post on the countys Facebook page read. How it happened The CEO of CrowdStrike alerted the public to his company's major misstep on social media in the early hours of Friday. This is not a security incident or cyberattack, George Kurtz said on X. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. Appearing later on Today, he apologized for the meltdown but said he couldnt provide a timeline for systems to return to normal. It could be some time, Kurtz said. Sometimes, some systems wont automatically recover. Were not going to relent until we get every customer back to where they were. Asked how a software update could trigger such widespread outages, he said the company would have to go back and see what happened. In an alert sent to CrowdStrike clients overnight, the company said its Falcon Sensor software had caused Microsoft Windows to crash and display a blue screen known informally as the Blue Screen of Death. These sorts of things, obviously you try to understand and mitigate them and, in some cases, you have a weird interaction, Kurtz said. Were just trying to sort where that negative reaction was. Microsoft said the underlying cause of the global outage had been fixed as of early Friday morning but the impact of cybersecurity outages was continuing to affect some Office 365 apps and services. The website DownDetector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded outages in services at Visa, security company ADT and Amazon, the Associated Press reported. TUTTLE Not only has extensive vandalism at the Thousand Springs State Park restrooms dealt a blow to state park employees and visitors, but the incident comes with bit of a mystery. Restrooms at both the Malad Gorge and Thousand Springs sites were badly damaged last weekend, with toilets, sinks and urinals smashed and mirrors shattered. The incident at the Thousand Springs location occurred between 5:30 and 7:30 a.m., officials say. A visitor said they used the restrooms at 5:30 a.m. and didnt see any vandalism, but the damage was done when a state parks employee came to the area two hours later. It is unknown when the Malad Gorge restrooms were damaged, said Chelsea Chamber, public information specialist for Idaho State Parks and Recreation. The two sites are about 18 miles apart, so questions linger as to why someone would want to travel that far to damage both facilities. The Idaho State Parks is seeking leads to help identify the culprit(s), but the Gooding County Sheriffs Office reported Thursday that so far they havent received any viable tips. If residents have information, they are urged to contact the Gooding County Sheriffs Office at 208-934-4421 or the park directly at 208-837-4505. Porta-potties now sit at the sites, not an ideal situation during temperatures that reach close to 100 degrees, Chambers said. Chambers said Wednesday that she hopes the restrooms will be re-opened by Saturdays Bronco Wild Fund event at Malad Gorge, although there wont be time to replace the mirrors. The event will include guided tours, free wildflower seed packet giveaways, ranger talks at the Devils Washbowl, a Ford Bronco Drive and coffee. Luckily, many parks employees also have handyman skills, and have been doing their best to make repairs. Five toilets, two sinks and a urinal will likely be replaced, she said. Several people have offered to make donations for the repairs, Chambers said. It might take snowfall to completely snuff out the Bench Lake Fire near Stanley, Sawtooth National Forest officials said Wednesday at a community meeting in Stanley. Sawtooth National Recreation Area Ranger Kirk Flannigan told almost 200 people gathered at the meeting that officials are prioritizing re-opening the popular recreation area near Redfish Lake to the public, knowing how vital it is for the local economy to get back to somewhat of a normal situation. But it could take until a major rain or snow event to completely snuff out the fire which ignited July 11 and forced the closure of the area, officials said. The fire has burned close to 2,000 acres and is 8% contained. Its in rugged terrain thats difficult for firefighters to reach safely. This is going to be on the landscape for quite a while, said Jesse Bender, public information officer. There will likely continue to be some smoke out there until its covered with snow. It doesnt mean the fire will continue to grow in acreage once contained, but some areas havent completely burned, so those areas will continue to smoke, Bender said. Incident commander Steve Shaw said safety comes first when deciding to re-open the lodge and other areas to the public. Shaw said it would be super awkward to allow people back into the area, only to call for another evacuation. Forest Service officials said four helicopters and two aircraft are dumping water from nearby lakes on the fire. The aircraft have dropped over 900,000 gallons of water on the fire, officials say. More than 300 firefighters are combatting the blaze. The fire has become a high priority and has garnered most of the fire officials requested resources, even though other major wildfires are burning in California, Oregon and Washington. Crews continue backburning operations, the Forest Service reported on Thursday. On the south end of the fire, crews made good progress digging handline among the rocky terrain. Initial containment along the lakes edge will enable firefighters to continue safely and effectively constructing a fire line, the Forest Service said. The areas rugged terrain makes firefighting difficult, and the Forest Service is not wanting to put firefighters in dangerous situations, Shaw said. People attending the meeting thanked firefighters for their efforts, but one man was critical of the Forest Service for allowing what he said was a large amount of dead trees which has allowed the area to quickly burn. Flannigan said the Forest Service prioritizes areas where there are homes, and there arent resources available to clean up areas in the backcountry. He also cited the unfortunate crash of a firefighting helicopter when the fire first broke out, which allowed the blaze to get out of hand. Taiheiyo Cement Philippines Inc. (TCPI) inaugurated its P12.8-billion production line in San Fernando, Cebu. The state-of-the-art facility is expected to significantly boost domestic cement production, reducing the Philippines reliance on imports and supporting the governments Build Better More infrastructure program. - Advertisement - Taiheiyos new plant in San Fernando, Cebu will bolster the Philippines cement production by 3 million tons annually, reducing our reliance on imports. This investment aligns perfectly with our governments Build Better More infrastructure program, said Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual who attended the inauguration ceremony. The facility, with an annual production capacity of 3 million tons, features advanced kiln renewal technology that reduces carbon dioxide emissions by at least 10 percent through decreased energy consumption and a lower clinker factor. Beyond the new production line, Taiheiyo Cement invested P8.2 billion in related projects, including a jetty and marine belt conveyor, port area upgrades and a distribution terminal in Luzon. The DTI said Japan is the Philippines second-largest trading partner and third-largest source of foreign investments. Pascual said the government remains focused on creating a conducive investment environment and enhancing the ease of doing business to sustain the countrys robust economic growth. To sustain this momentum, our country is committed to improving our business environment by enhancing the ease of doing business. We are streamlining and digitalizing institutional and regulatory requirements to improve speed and overall ease of doing business, especially for strategic investments, Pascual said. Taiheiyo Cement committed to providing high-quality cement products while minimizing environmental impact. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted a Russian military delegation led by Vice Defence Minister Aleksey Krivoruchko to discuss the importance and necessity of bilateral defence cooperation, state media said Friday. Thursdays meeting in Pyongyang came roughly a month after Russian President Vladimir Putins visit to the North Korean capital, during which the two countries signed a mutual defence agreement that raised hackles in Seoul and Washington. - Advertisement - North Korea and Russia have been allies since the Norths founding after World War II and have drawn even closer since Moscows 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Kim emphasised the need for the countries armies to get united more firmly to dynamically lead the DPRK-Russia relations in the new era and play an important part in defending regional and global peace, the official Korean Central News Agency reported. The United States and its allies have accused North Korea of providing ammunition and missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine, and the treaty has fuelled concerns of more deliveries. After leaving Pyongyang, Putin further fanned the flames by saying he does not rule out sending weapons to North Korea. The North has been under a UN sanctions regime since 2006 over its weapons programmes. DHAKA Police in Bangladeshs capital banned all public rallies on Friday after the deadliest day of ongoing student protests so far saw government buildings torched by demonstrators and the imposition of a nationwide internet blackout. This weeks unrest has killed at least 39 people, including 32 on Thursday, with the toll expected to rise after reports of clashes in nearly half of the countrys 64 districts. - Advertisement - Students took to the streets again on Friday morning ahead of pro-government counter-demonstrations slated to begin after midday prayers in the Muslim-majority nation. Dhakas police force took the drastic step of banning all public gatherings for the day a first since protests began in an effort to forestall another day of violence. Weve banned all rallies, processions and public gatherings in Dhaka today, police chief Habibur Rahman told AFP, adding the move was necessary to ensure public safety. Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Faruk Hossain told AFP that officers had arrested Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, the joint secretary of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He faces hundreds of cases, Hossain said, without giving further details on the reasons for Ahmeds detention. Police in the capital earlier said protesters had torched, vandalised and carried out destructive activities on numerous police and government offices. Among them was the Dhaka headquarters of state broadcaster Bangladesh Television, which remains offline after hundreds of incensed students stormed the premises and set fire to a building. About 100 policemen were injured in the clashes yesterday, Hossain told AFP. Around 50 police booths were burnt. Police fire was the cause of at least two-thirds of deaths reported so far this week, based on descriptions given to AFP by hospital staff. Busy streets around the capital were deserted at daybreak on Friday but showed signs of the previous nights mayhem, with burnt vehicles and bricks thrown by protesters strewn across the roads. Fresh confrontations broke out between police and protesters around Dhaka later in the morning. Hundreds of students blockaded roads in the upscale commercial district of Banani, an AFP correspondent at the scene saw. Witnesses also reported police firing tear gas at several locations around the crowded megacity of 20 million people. At least 26 districts around the country reported clashes on Thursday, broadcaster Independent Television reported. The network said more than 700 people had been wounded throughout the day including 104 police officers and 30 journalists. London-based watchdog Netblocks said Friday that a nation-scale internet shutdown remained in effect. The disruption prevents families from contacting each other and stifles efforts to document human rights violations, it wrote on social media platform X. Near-daily marches this month have called for an end to a quota system that reserves more than half of civil service posts for specific groups, including children of veterans from the countrys 1971 liberation war against Pakistan. Critics say the scheme benefits children of pro-government groups that back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, 76, who has ruled the country since 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January after a vote without genuine opposition. Hasinas government is accused by rights groups of misusing state institutions to entrench its hold on power and stamp out dissent, including by the extrajudicial killing of opposition activists. Her administration this week ordered schools and universities to close indefinitely as police stepped up efforts to bring the deteriorating law and order situation under control. This is an eruption of the simmering discontent of a youth population built over years due to economic and political disenfranchisement, Ali Riaz, a politics professor at Illinois State University, told AFP. The job quotas became the symbol of a system which is rigged and stacked against them by the regime. Students have vowed to continue their campaign despite Hasina giving a national address on the now-offline state broadcaster seeking to calm the unrest. Our first demand is that the prime minister must apologize to us, protester Bidisha Rimjhim, 18, told AFP on Thursday. Secondly, justice must be ensured for our killed brothers, she added. Editors Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Bangladesh wakes to torched government buildings, internet blackout Dubai, United Arab EmiratesThe Trump Organization on Thursday announced a deal to partner with a Saudi developer to build a high-rise tower in the UAE business hub of Dubai, its latest project in the oil-rich Gulf. Trump Tower Dubai will target the Dubai luxury market, real estate developer Dar Global said in a press release, adding that the location and design would be unveiled by the end of the year. - Advertisement - The development will include a Trump hotel and branded residential units, said Dar Global, the international subsidiary of Saudi developer Dar Al Arkan. The announcement came a little over two weeks after Dar Global announced a separate deal with the Trump Organization to build a high-rise tower in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah. It is also developing a Trump hotel and luxury villas in the capital of neighboring Oman, with completion expected in 2028, according to the firms website. Former President Donald Trump entrusted the management of his real estate empire to his sons after taking office in 2017, although he held onto his shares in the Trump Organization. His foreign business dealings prompted critics to sound the alarm about possible conflicts of interest, including in a 2022 Congressional report that found the foreign governments of six countriesthe United Arab Emirates among themspent more than $750,000 at a Trump-owned hotel in Washington while trying to influence his administration in 2017 and 2018. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee in this years presidential election, cultivated close ties with Arab Gulf states during his term, choosing Saudi Arabia for his first foreign trip. We are proud to expand our presence in the region further through the launch of our iconic Trump Tower Dubai, Eric Trump, the former presidents son and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, said in a statement. The unrenewed Philippine-China coast guard hotline MoU is now being replaced by a new Philippine-China hotline reaching all the way to the highest offices of the two governments! WE HAVE seen a de-escalation order emanating from the Little President, i.e. the Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, following the shocking June 17 incident when the Chinese Coast Guard confronted the Philippine Navy Special Operation Group with axes and machetes, boarded and confiscated firearms from the Filipino soldiers. - Advertisement - Bersamin used very tempered words to describe the CCG actions not meant to be accurate but to be calming and even reassuring to the other side the Philippines did want to ease tensions. Although Bersamin was quickly contradicted by the very hawkish, nay, even vulturish, Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro countering the CCG action was an aggressive and illegal use of force stating these in the presence of President Bongbong Marcos during a visit to the wounded navy man involved in the incident. For weeks, there was a stand-off between the two government positions reflected by DFA Sec. Manalo and DND Sec. Teodoro sitting side-by-side at Imee Marcos Senate hearing on the issue. This week, just a few days over a month after the June 17 incident, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the establishment of a crisis hotline between the highest levels of the two governments in case of potential clash situations. This clearly pursues the de-escalation direction and indicates the Philippine government is sticking by the Bersamin line of downplaying conflict and upscaling dialogue and amicable resolution of differences. The very next day after the hotline was announced, the US Proxies went into action. Arch anti-China Lawfare (war using legalistic weaponry) enforcer former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio went forum shopping and was readily welcomed (if not sought after) by the various Salim-Forum Energy and oligarchy linked mainstream media, to say the PH-China hotline is useless and that a hotline had already existed long before but Beijing rarely answered. This was a blatant lie from a former Supreme Court justice. The Chinese side has always been the eager-beaver party to maintain good communications with the Philippines side on all levels. We can cite several examples, one is the recent New Years call from the Chinese embassys defense attache Col. Li to Adm. Alberto Carlos that led to the first de-escalation in the Feb. 4 flawless RORE mission. The Chinese side is always eager to keep dialogue alive and dynamic cultivate improving relations, but the reverse has been true on the Philippines side since Feb. 2023. In August of 2023, PCG spokesman revealed a very telling unspoken initiative from the Philippines side that year. Tarriela revealed that during the visit in January of 2023 of President Bongbong Marcos to President Xi Jinping, one of the MoUs proposed by the Chinese side was the renewal of the Philippines and Chinese coast guard hotline set since 2017. In the words of Tarriela to the Philippine media: This is one of the MoUs proposed by the Chinese Embassy but not renewed. The proponent would not have been the one to decline a renewal. The Chinese Embassy in Manila was thrown into a panic in Feb. 2023 when all calls of the embassy from all levels to all levels of the Philippine government were snubbed. Total silence met even the calls from the ambassadors office to all levels of the Philippine government, and this was shocking to the embassy as PBBM just had one of the warmest welcomes to Beijing accorded by President Xi Jinping to any head-of-state, but a wall of silence followed in February after the Philippines agreed to the US assertive transparency strategy. What followed Feb. 2023 had never been seen before in the 25 years since the BRP Sierra Madre had been deliberately grounded at the Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 when one could count on the fingers of two hands the number of significant clashes between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea. After Feb. 2023, it became almost a weekly confrontation escalating to allegations of military grade laser then to water cannon me incidents, towards an easing in Feb. 2024, then the June 17 incident happened, The unrenewed Philippine-China coast guard hotline MoU is now being replaced by a new Philippine-China hotline reaching all the way to the highest offices of the two governments! We take the DND and the defense establishment hawks are quiet on this hotline revival and only the civilian US Proxies are vituperating against it. Does this mean the riot act has been read to the US Proxies in the government bureaucracy and de-escalation is on its way back to permanence? Its one for Ripleys. TONI&GUY has a long-standing reputation for excellence in hairdressing, known throughout the world for its commitment to quality and consistency. With a team of highly skilled and award-winning hairdressers, it holds the record for the most awards in British Hairdressing history. As a trendsetter in fashion-inspired hair, TONI&GUY participates in major fashion events like Fashion Week and invests heavily in stylist education and training. This ensures top-notch service across its nearly 650 salons in 38 countries. - Advertisement - In the Philippines, TONI&GUY is hosting its inaugural hair show, TONI&GUY WORLD: A Celebration of Global and Local Creativity, on July 29 at The Fifth at Rockwell. This much-anticipated event will feature top talents including Cos Sakkas, Efi Davies, Francesco Fontana, and Bill Watson. Cos Sakkas is a two-time winner of the British Hairdresser of the Year award Founded in 1963 by the Mascolo brothers, TONI&GUY has been a leader in hairdressing innovation. Its strong ties to fashion are reflected in its partnerships with the British Fashion Council and its prominent role in London Fashion Week and The Fashion Awards. The brand supports over 100 fashion shows annually, working with designers like Paul Costello and Mary Katrantzou. The show will highlight the work of Cos Sakkas, TONI&GUYs Global Creative Director and a two-time British Hairdresser of the Year, and Efi Davies, awarded the 2024 Best International Avant-Garde Collection. They will be joined by Francesco Fontana and Bill Watson, promising a night of stunning hair artistry. This event will highlight TONI&GUYs international reputation and the innovative flair of TONI&GUY Philippines. Cherry Reyes, Creative Director for TONI&GUY Philippines, will head the local team, focusing on delivering world-class hairdressing education in Manila. TONI&GUYs Global Creative Director Cos Sakkas (left) will have his work featured in the inaugural hair show Reyes is dedicated to elevating the hairdressing industry in the Philippines by bringing global hairdressing education directly to Manila. In a field where flying abroad for training can be both inaccessible and costly, this show provides a unique opportunity for local talent to experience world-class education right at home. To access this world-class event which champions hairdressing education and training in the Philippines, contact 09178195133. Tickets to the event are priced at P2,500 each. The event is sponsored by Wella Philippines, Brazilian Blowout, and Label M Philippines. Zimbabwes political landscape has been rocked by controversy as the High Court upheld a lower courts decision to deny bail to 79 opposition activists, including Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Jameson Timba. The group was arrested in Harare last month for allegedly holding an unauthorized gathering, sparking outrage among human rights organizations. The activists, charged with intent to promote public violence, have been detained for a month in what Amnesty International calls an arbitrary and baseless imprisonment. The rights group has demanded their immediate release, highlighting concerns about the erosion of civil liberties in Zimbabwe. Defense lawyers have raised alarming allegations of police brutality, claiming some detainees sustained injuries during their arrest. The High Court judge, however, justified the continued detention, arguing that the activists were not randomly assembled on the day of their arrest. The CCC has condemned the courts decision as unjust, asserting that the regime is denying citizens their fundamental right to bail, which is enshrined in the constitution. This case has become a flashpoint in the ongoing struggle between Zimbabwes government and opposition forces. As tensions simmer, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has vowed to explore further legal options to secure the activists release. This development underscores the complex political dynamics at play in Zimbabwe and raises questions about the state of democracy in the country. In a significant turn of events, Kenyas High Court has suspended a police ban on protests in Nairobi, asserting citizens constitutional right to peaceful demonstration. This ruling comes amidst a month-long wave of unrest that has gripped the nation, resulting in at least 50 fatalities since mid-June. The courts decision, characterized as a conservatory order, temporarily halts the enforcement of the ban pending a final ruling scheduled for July 29. This development precedes a planned march to the presidents office, where demonstrators intend to demand his resignation over allegations of poor governance. Kenyas political landscape has been turbulent, with recent protests initially focusing on opposition to a controversial finance bill. The situation escalated dramatically when protesters stormed parliament, prompting a police response that has since been scrutinized for alleged brutality. In response to mounting pressure, President William Ruto has made significant concessions, including the dismissal of nearly his entire Cabinet and a pledge not to sign the contentious finance bill. However, these actions have not fully quelled public discontent. As Nairobi braces for potential further demonstrations, the economic toll of the unrest is becoming apparent. Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura reports losses of approximately 6 billion Kenyan shillings due to the ongoing protests, highlighting the far-reaching implications of this political crisis. Manuel Chang, Mozambiques former finance minister, is standing trial in a Brooklyn federal court over his alleged role in the infamous tuna bond scandal. Charged with bribery, fraud, and money laundering, Chang is accused of abusing his authority to secretly commit Mozambique to massive loans that were subsequently plundered. The scandal, which came to light in 2016, involved $2 billion in hidden debt ostensibly meant to finance a tuna fishing fleet. Prosecutors allege that substantial portions of these loans were diverted to bribes and kickbacks, with Chang himself allegedly receiving $7 million. This financial debacle has had devastating consequences for Mozambiques economy. Once among the worlds fastest-growing economies, the country has seen stagnated growth, currency devaluation, and a loss of foreign investor confidence since the scandal emerged. Changs trial is part of a broader legal aftermath that spans multiple continents. In Mozambique, several individuals, including the son of a former president, have been convicted. The U.S. cases have yielded mixed results, with some defendants pleading guilty while others were acquitted. As the trial unfolds, Changs defense team argues that he signed loan guarantees at his governments behest, denying any personal enrichment. The outcome of this high-profile case could have significant implications for international finance and governmental accountability in developing nations. 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 As the fentanyl crisis ravages communities across the country, toddlers and infants increasingly are becoming unsuspecting victims of an opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin. Adults make up the vast number of fentanyl-related deaths, but public health experts say they are alarmed that more children below the age of 5 are dying or arriving in emergency rooms testing positive for the drug. The number of drug overdoses nationwide has fallen for the first time in years, but the incidences of children overdosing has surged, doctors say, as they are exposed to opioids and drug paraphernalia at home or by accidental ingestion. Although West Virginia has the highest fentanyl-related death rate, California has the most deaths overall, with 6,473 in 2022. Officials nationwide are struggling to come up with solutions to prevent young children from dying. "If you have these children that are left in chaotic homes, in homes that have drugs around, that just increases the risk exponentially, particularly for these little vulnerable kids that explore their world by putting everything in their mouths," said Dr. Emily Rose, co-author of a study about recognizing and treating pediatric and adolescent opioid overdoses. America's Poison Centers, which represents 55 accredited poison control centers in the U.S., reports a dramatic increase in fentanyl exposure in young children nationwide. In 2016, the centers received 10 reports of fentanyl exposure in children under age 6. That number was 539 in 2023. Although fentanyl can be prescribed by doctors in pill or patch form, illegally it is typically smoked, injected or found laced with other drugs as a white powder. Preliminary data from the California Department of Public Health show 11 fentanyl-related deaths occurred in the state in children younger than 5 years old during the first three quarters of 2023, the most recent statistics available. There were 10 deaths for all of 2022 and six fentanyl-related deaths in 2021. In Kern County, the rate of fentanyl-related deaths is higher than the 2022 state average: California had a rate of 0.77 deaths per 100,000 residents, while Kern County had 1.4 deaths, according to the county's annual child death report. Brynn Carrigan, the county's public health director, said she expects the number of 5-year-olds getting sick or dying from fentanyl to be even higher in the coming report, which will be released in October. "I have an idea that there's going to likely be some of our much younger children that are impacted by fentanyl in this next report," Carrigan said. A study published in March in the Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open acknowledged the recent increases in pediatric and adolescent opioid fatalities due to "accidental ingestions, prescription misuse, and household exposure." "Historically, opioid overdose has been associated with adults, but trends show an increasing incidence among pediatric patients," the study says. "Opioids are the most common cause of fatal poisonings in young children and represent a significant public health challenge." Rose is a co-author of the study and an associate professor of clinical emergency medicine at the USC Keck School of Medicine. The drug decreases the ability to breathe, Rose said. An adult can become hypoxic in a matter of minutes, but for a child, it can happen in less than one. Naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose, must be administered quickly. In the last five years, she said, she's seen more young children coming into the hospital with fentanyl overdoses. The youngest patient she treated who tested positive for fentanyl was 2 months old. "It's our duty as a society to protect the most vulnerable group of us," she said. "It's absolutely shocking and horrifying." A bill authored by state Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose) asks the California Department of Public Health to monitor trends of fentanyl-related deaths among those ages 5 and younger and develop guidance to distribute information to local health departments on how to protect children from fentanyl exposure. SB 908, Cortese said, would allow for a multiagency approachsuch as those charged with family services and child welfareon how to navigate situations such as family reunification when a parent has a history of substance abuse. The bill has passed in the state Senate and currently awaits a fiscal review. Cortese said in an interview that the fentanyl overdose death of 3-month-old Phoenix Castro pushed him to introduce the bill. Phoenix and her family lived in San Jose. She died May 13, 2023, from methamphetamine and fentanyl while in her father's care, according to the Santa Clara County district attorney's office. In court, prosecutors said the crime lab found fentanyl on the infant's onesie, including on the snaps, according to the Bay Area News Group. The home she lived in was "littered with opioids," the district attorney's office said. A baby bottle was found next to glass pipes. Her father, David Anthony Castro, is facing a felony count of child endangerment with a special allegation of causing the infant's death and a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Maria Gershenovich. Castro has pleaded not guilty. In November, the Santa Clara County district attorney's office charged two parents with murder after their 18-month-old daughter Winter died from ingesting fentanyl and methamphetamine. The county coroner's office found the toddler's "fentanyl blood concentration" to be more than 14 times the fatal amount. More recently, 1-year-old Justin Bulley died in February from the "effects of fentanyl" while in custody of the Los Angeles County child welfare system, during an approved visit with his mother, according to Justin's father. According to the medical examiner's investigation, there were "several versions" as to what happened, but Justin's mother said she'd been drinking alcohol, and Justin's grandfather had been smoking fentanyl. The grandfather told officials that the child had an "interaction with fentanyl at some point." Cortese said "there's a clock ticking in my head," insisting that officials act fast. "Whatever the state can do to further guide counties on how to avoid the incidences of babies and toddlers showing up in mortuaries over substance abuse exposure," he said, "the state has to do." 2024 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain The largest private company that brokers use to enroll people in Affordable Care Act health plans said it's joining with insurers to thwart unauthorized Obamacare sign-ups and plan switches. HealthSherpa, which has its own sales team, announced the new initiativecalled "Member Defense Network"July 16. It will cut off commissions for unscrupulous insurance brokers believed to be signing up thousands of Americans for health plans they don't need or switching their coverage without express consent. Federal regulators say at least 90,000 Obamacare customers have complained about unauthorized enrollments or plan switches in the first quarter of the year. The changes can leave consumers without access to their preferred doctors and increase their deductibles or saddle them with tax bills. Amy Shepherd of Georgia said that while the carrier of her ACA plan has remained the same, the agent who collects the commission has been switched three timesall people she doesn't know and without her consent. Even worse, she said, are the multiple calls she gets daily, at all hours, from other agents apparently trying to persuade her to switch plans. "These spam calls are stressing me beyond words," said Shepherd, who wants to remain in her current plan and has enlisted the help of a friend, who happens to be an insurance agent, to help. Whether the network would help in situations like Shepherd's remains to be seen. When duplicative enrollments are identified, it will use automation to check whether agents have filed written or recorded consent by the consumer, something they are supposed to do under federal rules. But agents say they are rarely asked to provide those documents by regulators. If there's no valid consent on file, or if an agent is caught submitting fake consents, they're not going to get paid commissions while the situation is investigated, said George Kalogeropoulos, CEO of HealthSherpa. The firm has set up a website separate from its enrollment platform to run the network, and it may spin it off to another organization, he added. HealthSherpa is one of more than a dozen private sector web brokers allowed by federal regulators to directly link to the federal health insurance marketplace, healthcare.gov, to sign people up for ACA coverage. Other web brokers can join the new program, Kalogeropoulos said. But there are already doubts about HealthSherpa's plan. Without all health insurers participating, some agents said, fraudulent enrollment may shift to those remaining outside HealthSherpa's program. At its launch this week, the network included health insurers Ambetter, Molina Healthcare, and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, representing about half the people who selected coverage during the ACA's most recent open-enrollment period, said Kalogeropoulos, and more may follow. Smaller brokerages worry that HealthSherpa's algorithms may incorrectly flag transactions with their customers as suspicious. "This could disrupt the market," said Ronnell Nolan, president of Health Agents for America, a trade group. "This could put good agents out of business." Federal regulators say they are working on several regulatory and technical ways to address unauthorized sign-ups and switches but have released few details. Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services quietly put in place new rules requiring agents to log in to their own ACA enrollment accounts every 12 hours, instead of every 30 days, as a security measure. CMS knows of the network initiative and said it will be required to conform to security and privacy standards. "We expect and encourage all of our partners, including issuers, direct enrollment partners, and agents and brokers, to take steps to detect and prevent fraudulent actions against consumers," said Jeff Wu, deputy director for policy at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, in a written statement. Under HealthSherpa's plan, participating Obamacare insurers will each day submit data on all plan changes and new enrollments. Then the network's software will look for duplicate enrollments or other suspicious patterns across carrierswhich can't currently be done by the private sectorand automatically verify that agents have filed proof of consumer consent. Most situations would be resolved without the need for human intervention, said Kalogeropoulosunless the system discovers fake consent. Those cases would be reported to federal and state regulators. Private sector enrollment sites like HealthSherpa help millions of people legitimately in ACA plans each year. Most brokers use such platforms as an alternative to what they consider the more clunky healthcare.gov site, yet they also complain that the private enrollment websites make fraud too easy. Armed with nothing more than a name, date of birth, and state of residence, unscrupulous insurance agents can switch healthcare.gov customers' insurance plans or change the authorized agent on their policies to collect commissions from insurers. "No other industry works this way," said Arthur Barlow, CEO and president of Utah-based Compass Insurance Advisors. His firm, which includes 500 independent agents, supports the ideas behind HealthSherpa's Member Defense Network, which he called "a step in the right direction to have a third party validate consent." More efforts to address the problem of easy access to healthcare.gov accounts are needed, said Aaron Arenbart, the ACA/Medicare director at DigitalBGA, an Austin, Texas-based firm that assists brokers. He's skeptical that HealthSherpa's network is the answer, however. He'd rather see federal regulators require the private platforms use some form of two-factor authentication before agents can log in to consumers' accounts. "I can't see it working at all," Arenbart said of the network. "A lot of carriers are not even on board." Rogue agents "will just move to those carriers," he said. Kalogeropoulos said that not all the unauthorized enrollments and plan switches are necessarily fraud. Some may be the result of confusion among agents as to whether they represent certain clients, he saidparticularly when agents buy contact information from lead-generating firms that may sell the same names to multiple brokerages. "In the most extreme example, we saw one member submitted 70 times by five different agents," he said. HealthSherpa's new system, he said, would determine which agent had the most valid consent. It's a multistep process that, in some cases, would be decided by which agent can first get a client to complete a third-party identity-proofing process using a driver's license or other official documents. One concern with HealthSherpa's network, Barlow said, is the possibility that some cases won't be resolved automatically, and consumers who are switched may have to remain in new plans while conflicts between agents are adjudicated. Another problem, said Washington, D.C.-based attorney James Napoli, is that the network's solution to check for consent "is one that occurs after the horse has left the barn." Napoli's clients include Nelson's group, Health Agents for America. "The fix ought to be much easier on the front end," he said. "For example, two-factor authentication. There are ways to stop this fraud before it's already occurred." 2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Results of manually annotating 1000 random clinical notes with justice keywords for type of justice-system involvement. Credit: Academic Pediatrics (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2024.05.010 Researcher Samantha Boch has studied the impact of incarceration on child and family health for more than a decade. Her latest research examines the health records and health use of youth with probable personal or familial justice involvement. The challenge was identifying youth who have been impacted by mass incarceration, as most health care systems don't routinely ask about incarceration. Families may not disclose that information due to stigma, fear of child protective services involvement, or judgment. "There are few, if any, large community-level studies about the health of youth affected by incarceration, or their family's incarceration, using medical records, explains Boch, an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing. "Despite high youth family or personal exposure to the criminal legal system, gaps remain in understanding its prevalence and consequences. There are numerous reasons for this, some include a lack of provider awareness, lack of curriculum in provider training, lack of funding for this research and lack of routine sensitive screening for exposure." Boch and her research team searched the electronic medical records for justice-related keywords such as "prison," "jail," "sentenced," "probation," "parole," and others, to determine the impact of incarceration. The researchers used data from Cincinnati Children's Hospital collected over an 11-year period. Their study, published in Academic Pediatrics, found that of the more than 1.7 million records reviewed, 38,263 (or 2.2%) of youth seen between January 2009 and December 2020 likely had a parent incarcerated or faced some type of confinement as a juvenile. But this small percentage was also responsible for a disproportionate number of physical and mental health diagnoses and health care visits at Cincinnati Children's. They were compared against a socio demographically matched sample and the total sample population of children. Nearly 63.3% of all behavioral health inpatient admissions, 23.7% of all hospitalization inpatient days and 45.5% of all foster care visits were attributed to the 2.2% of youth who had documented probable personal or family justice system involvement. The findings complement another study led by Boch, published in 2021 using data from Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Youth with a justice keyword in their record had 1.5 to 16.2 times the prevalence of various physical and mental health disorder groupings studied compared to matched youth. They also had 428.2 more physical health diagnoses and 269.2 more mental health diagnoses per 100 youth than the matched youth (who came from similar backgrounds). According to the study, youth with a justice keyword made up a large proportion of all youth ever diagnosed with health disorders or conditions at Cincinnati Children's from 2009 to 2020. This includes 42.9% of all schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, 42.1% of all bipolar and related disorders, 38.3% of all suicide and self-injury disorders, 24.5% of all trauma and stress related disorders, 44.9% of all shaken baby syndrome cases, 13.9% of all infectious diseases, 12.5% of speech language disorders and 12.8% of all youth pregnancies. Nationally, about 7% of U.S. youth have had a parent incarcerated. Findings at Cincinnati Children's and Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus grossly underestimate the number of youth affected by incarceration or confinement, says Boch. "Our data reflects families who disclosed and health providers who documented," says Boch. "Families who refrain from disclosing or whose information is not documented were not representeda key limitation." This study is an attempt to uncover the size of the impact of mass incarceration on youth health in Cincinnati. Our health care systems and correctional systems clearly overlap and impact the lives of children. "Replication of these findings in other communities would strengthen the growing justification for decarceration efforts and other reforms, especially if we want all U.S. children and families to thrive," says Boch. "We will continue to have health care disparities and lead the world with poor health outcomes if we continue to lead in incarceration." More information: Samantha Boch et al, Pediatric Health and System Impacts of Mass Incarceration, 20092020: A Matched Cohort Study, Academic Pediatrics (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2024.05.010 Journal information: Academic Pediatrics 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: Regional distribution map of study locations. Credit: PLOS Global Public Health (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003488 A comprehensive scoping review led by McMaster University researchers provides the first map of the field of Maternal and Infant Health (MIH) research in Morocco over a span of 22 years, from 2000 to 2022 and suggests a different way to study global health. Ellen Amster, Jason A. Hannah Chair in the History of Medicine at McMaster University and associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine, spearheaded the extensive review published on July 18, 2024 in PLOS Global Health. The review is the first research output of the Morocco-Canada Network in Maternal and Infant Health. "Morocco is celebrated as a global health success story in maternal infant health, meeting World Health Organization and Sustainable Development Goal targets. However, many Moroccans feel the health system is not working. There was a revolt in the north (Hirak Rif) in 2017, doctors have gone on strike, and medical students have refused to sit the exams. There is clearly a difference between official health stats and social reality on the ground," says Amster. In 2018, Amster along with other McMaster researchers traveled to Morocco to create the network with local colleagues and discuss MIH issues in three environments: Rabat, Marrakesh, and the High Atlas Mountains. Canadian researchers gained firsthand experience in the field, interacting with Moroccan women's NGOs, discussing with Moroccan health care professionals the challenges they are experiencing, understanding Muslim women's rights and social status and learning about the health work of local NGOs in the remote rural High Atlas mountains. The Morocco-Canada Network in Maternal and Infant Health was established by Canadian and Moroccan MIH researchers to foster their research collaboration and exchange. The scoping review aimed to map existing knowledge, identify gaps, and explore the "unseen" in MIH research in Morocco. Findings revealed that MIH research focused on well-developed and high income regions, while rural, lower income areasparticularly those where the majority speak Tamazight ("Berber")remained virtually unstudied. Many vulnerable populations also remained invisible to research. "This review will be a resource for Moroccan researchers and policymakers and inform future directions for research, clinical practice, and advocacy," says Amster. "Using interdisciplinary research methods can help bridge gaps within MIH research and inform policy decisions," Amster explains. "Future global health research should also ask who and what are not captured by official statistics. In Morocco, studies should broaden their geographic scope to capture neglected and vulnerable populations." More information: Ellen Amster et al, Mapping maternal and infant health in Morocco: A global scoping review of themes, gaps, and the "unseen" in the published health research literature, 20002022, PLOS Global Public Health (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003488 Journal information: PLOS Global Public Health 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 A new study shows that by combining different chemotherapy drugs, testicular cancer remains highly treatable and often curable, even after first-line treatment fails. . The recent study published in the prestigious Journal of Clinical Oncology was led by Professor Jack Gleeson, Associate Professor at Cancer Research at University College Cork (UCC) and the Medical Oncology Department at Cork University Hospital, and was conducted during his time at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Over 100 patients were followed up over almost 10 years to examine how truly effective this combination of treatment was. The study looked at the response rate from the chemotherapy combination and how long people survived. This study also examined the effectiveness of this combination for patients with what are called unfavorable risk factors. Reassuringly, this treatment combination was shown to be very effective with high response rates (nearly 80%). There was no significant drop off in survival in the longer term, and the regimen was almost equally effective in those with or without unfavorable risk factors. The study confirms prior results and highlights the overall positive long-term outcomes with this chemotherapy combination for men with recurrent testicular cancer. Professor Gleeson encourages men, especially young men, to be proactive about their health. Men should routinely self-examine for unusual masses or lumps in their testicles and not be afraid to get any new lump checked out. "Studies like this one show that chemotherapy combinations are effective in the treatment of testicular cancer. Detecting cancer early significantly increases the chances of successful treatment and recovery," he said. More information: Jack P. Gleeson et al, Paclitaxel, Ifosfamide, and Cisplatin as Initial Salvage Chemotherapy for Germ Cell Tumors: Long-Term Follow-Up and Outcomes for Favorable- and Unfavorable-Risk Disease, Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024). DOI: 10.1200/JCO.23.02542 Journal information: Journal of Clinical Oncology Here's some business news in the Missoula area: The nonprofit Downtown Missoula Partnership says business development in downtown has been robust in the first six months of 2024, with 14 new businesses opening and 14 more that have expanded or relocated within the area. Some of the new ventures include Ritual Yoga at 133 N. Higgins, Out of the Box Cigars at 629 Woody, the Stables restaurant at 235 W. Main and Montana Gift Corral at 117 W. Front. The former Mountain Valley Inn at 420 W. Broadway was recently remodeled into the new LOGE Missoula hotel and the Dog Wash Cafe. Catalyst to Go finally opened at 123 E. Main in May, and Clyde Coffee opened a second location at the Missoula Public Library. Servin Thyme restaurant relocated from 424 N. Higgins to 1256 W. Broadway. Two local food trucks Mexican Moose and Stuffed 406 opened their first brick and mortar store together at 221 W. Broadway. Its been an active first six months in the world of business development, said Charlie Beaton, president of the Downtown Business Improvement District and owner of Big Dipper Ice Cream. Many of our locally owned businesses have worked hard over the last year to put themselves in a position to relocate, expand, or open a second location, despite the cost of goods and services rising over the last year. Downtown Missoula is still a pretty hot market. In the same six months, six businesses closed in the downtown area, including four retail businesses and two restaurants. River Wok and Subway closed on East Broadway, and Lewis and Clark Adventures relocated to both Lolo and Alberton. The Downtown Missoula Partnership has been tracking business activity since 2008 and has seen more than 300 new businesses open their doors in downtown since. Over the last two years, the Partnership has worked closely with the Missoula Economic Partnership and business development director Christine Littig to ensure Missoula-area businesses are supported and connected with needed resources. Its a pleasure working with local business owners and helping them navigate the many decisions they must make, Littig said. Problem solving, expansions, renovations, supply chain issues, labor shortages, and of course access to capital and cash flow projections: These are things business owners deal with on a regular basis. It is also exciting to engage with budding business owners developing their ideas and growing into their first space. There are multiple spaces downtown undergoing renovations, including 301 North Higgins and 130 North Higgins. These newly renovated spaces will bring new businesses to downtown before the end of 2024. The Missoula-based nonprofit Clearwater Credit Union, the second-largest credit union in Montana, announced the launch of a new Clean Energy Certificate of Deposit, making it the first financial institution in Montana to offer such a savings product. Clearwaters 24-Month Clean Energy CD provides depositors with an opportunity to earn market competitive returns while simultaneously making a positive impact with their deposits, the company said. Different from traditional CDs, Clearwater designates the pooled deposits to fund loans for clean energy initiatives that help Montana homeowners and businesses improve energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and help build a thriving clean energy economy. Clearwaters Clean Energy CD aligns with our commitment to protect the environment and preserve Montanas natural resources for future generations, while also empowering more Montanans to embrace clean energy solutions," said Jack Lawson, Clearwater president and CEO. "This CD is ideal for people who want their deposits to have a meaningful impact. In addition to the Clean Energy CD, the program also includes a Solar Loan to finance solar panel installations; an Energy Efficiency Loan to help homeowners improve energy performance and indoor air quality while providing added cooling during summer months; a Clean Energy Mortgage option that offers discounted pricing for utilizing energy efficiency or conservation measures and a Clean Energy Commercial Loan for financing high performance new construction, solar panel installation or energy-efficient retrofits. By Spring 2025, Clearwater will also offer a Clean Energy Advisory service. Free to Clearwater members, this service will help members understand their options for improving the efficiency and comfort of their homes or businesses, get advice in selecting improvements and connect with trusted contractors. Three months after announcing the creation of the regions first and only mobile extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program, Billings Clinic and Community Medical Center completed the first successful patient transport in Montana. ECMO serves as life support for patients whose heart or lungs cant perform their normal functions. This technology provides a bridge to recovery for patients with reversible lung failure, such as respiratory distress due to the flu, pneumonia, drowning or pancreatitis. The goal is to stabilize patients long enough to fix the problem that caused their illness and minimize trauma to lung tissue so they can recover. Billings Clinics Mobile ECMO Team transports this technology and highly trained medical professionals to patients throughout Montana and Wyoming to initiate mobile heart-lung bypass so they can be flown to a higher level of care. In addition to being a medical first for the state of Montana and the region, this is a significant advancement for the care of critically ill patients who would otherwise have no other therapeutic options available, said Bradley Genovese, M.D., Billings Clinic cardiothoracic surgeon and surgical director for the ECMO program. The people of our region deserve the same high-level care no matter where they live, and this is another way we can help to make that a reality. Earlier this month, the Billings Clinic team completed its first off-site mobile ECMO patient air transport to Billings. The patient initially arrived at Community Medical Center in Missoula with severe respiratory failure. Eric Feucht, M.D., a critical care physician at Community, first recognized the urgent need for ECMO but the patient was too unstable to transport. Working with interventional cardiologist Morgan Kellogg, M.D., with the Billings Clinic Heart and Vascular Center at Community, he contacted Billings Clinic to initiate their mobile ECMO team. The team flew to Missoula to initiate ECMO and the Billings Clinic MedFlight air ambulance program safely transported the patient back to Billings. After several days, the patient no longer required the use of ECMO on their care and recovery journey. Having mobile ECMO in Montana is an enormous benefit for patients who have become so sick that transporting them without ECMO would be dangerous, said Dr. Feucht. Prior to having this service available we would have tried to transport the patient out of state if they were stable enough to make the trip. If they were not stable to transport, clinical outcomes often deteriorated. ECMO has been available in a limited number of hospital-based settings throughout the region, but local hospitals have not had the ability to transport unstable patients to a higher level of care. In states like Montana and Wyoming, where the distance between hospitals, communities and trauma centers can stretch hundreds of miles, the ability to deliver and coordinate complex care such as ECMO to where the patient is can mean the difference between life and death. In a surprising turn of events, the Massachusetts Senate announced a new amendment Thursday that would end the 40-year ban on happy hours. State Sen. Julian Cyr proposed an amendment to a $2.8 billion economic development bill to legalize the discounted drink practice, a measure he also pushed with a bill last year that was previously approved in 2022. "It's really crucial that we consider the significant economic boost to the nearly 19,000 restaurants and cafes we have in this Commonwealth, which feed, employ, and foster a sense of community across the state," Cyr told lawmakers Thursday. The legislation allows establishments to sell alcohol at a discounted price if the prices remain constant during the discount period; the discount is announced at least three days in advance, and it occurs before 10 p.m., according to Boston.com. Massachusetts banned Happy Hour back in 1984 to help combat drunken driving. Since then, states like Kansas and Illinois have lifted similar bans and observed a decrease in drunk driving incidents, stated Cyr. "The public health data is showing this is going in the right direction, so this is something that could be a boost to get people back to our downtowns and our main streets," he said. The amendment would permit cities and towns in certain neighborhoods to set their own regulations for happy hour. Cyr, who represents communities on the Cape and Islands, said several dry towns would abstain, while coastal communities may want to take advantage of their seasonal economies. But Cyr isn't just banking on improving the economy; he also believes Massachusetts is due for some "fun." "I hear this is a hard place for creatives and entrepreneurs to create fun," said the senator. "There's a lot of rules and requirements, and regulations. The cost to get in is really high, and I think we've got a bit of work to do in our fun factor." The daily reports for two area fires held steady Thursday, with a third fire burning earlier this week listed as being 100% contained. The Horse Gulch fire northeast of Helena was still listed Thursday to have burned 14,250 acres and is 32% contained, with 550 people assigned to the blaze. Related firefighting costs of the blaze, reported the afternoon of July 9 and believed to be human-caused, total $10.8 million. The Dalton fire 1.5 miles southwest of Lincoln in the Sauerkraut drainage is holding steady at 44 acres, but burning fuels within the fire perimeter, as well as frequent spotting, keeps containment at 0%, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation said. There are 90 resources committed to the Dalton fire, including three hand crews, eight engines, one water tender, two skidgines, two excavators and one dozer, the DNRC said. People are asked to refrain from unnecessary travel in the Bear Gulch, Sauerkraut and Willow Creek areas. And, the Upper Sawmill fire northwest of Helena was reported 100% contained as of 9:07 p.m. Wednesday. It burned about 21 acres, the DNRC said Thursday. There were seven DNRC engines on scene as well as two helicopters, DNRC crews and the assistance of volunteer fire departments from Birdseye, Canyon Creek and Marysville. Three inmates have died in custody at the Cascade County Detention Center since June 29. Leon Laverdure, 51, died on June 29. Julius Lowe, 28, died on July 5. Andrew Swager, 58, died on July 10. Lewis and Clark Sheriff's Office, which provided the coroner in the cases, confirmed the names of the deceased. Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter said in a video posted to social media on Monday that two of the deaths were by suicide while the third was from a drug overdose. Speaking with Montana Free Press, he didn't specify which person died from an overdose, citing the ongoing investigation. He did say that all detention center officers are trained to use naloxone, also known as Narcan, which can reverse opioid drug overdoses. "If you go down in our facility, we Narcan you," Slaughter said. "Multiple times if we have to." All three of the deceased died within days of being booked at the detention center. Laverdure was booked on June 26 three days before he died on drug and traffic charges, according to Slaughter. Swager was booked four days before his death on multiple charges, including criminal endangerment and assaulting a peace officer. Lowe was booked on July 4 on an arson charge related to a fire started at the Grizzly Inn. He died on July 5. Lewis and Clark Sheriff's Office's Sgt. Pat McDuffie said that Laverdure's death was ruled a suicide and that the causes of death of the other two inmates were pending. State criminal investigators will take over the cases, and an internal review within the Cascade County Sheriff's Office is also planned. In his social media video, the sheriff said that jails are "not equipped" to handle people with serious mental health issues. "Sometimes we don't know that people have those types of issues, and we just don't know until they commit that ultimate act," Slaughter said. Slaughter and the county have already been defendants in lawsuits brought by inmates who died in the detention center. In April 2021, Michael Lee Alexander, Jr., died by suicide while in the detention center on a misdemeanor assault charge. A coroner's inquest of the death revealed that Alexander, Jr., was in a cell reserved for inmates having mental health issues. The jail was short-staffed, and officers didn't check on him for nearly three and a half hours before they found him. A jury in an inquest determined that detention staff didn't act with any criminal intent. Alexander Jr.'s estate filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the county in federal court. That case was dismissed in October 2023 with a $550,000 settlement to the family. Another wrongful death lawsuit is ongoing in federal court. The estate of Aleesha Kempa sued after Kempa died by suicide in the detention center in September 2022 while awaiting transfer to the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs. The lawsuit claims that detention staff did not properly screen and monitor Kempa. That case is ongoing. Slaughter said his office was approved on Tuesday for a $3 million grant for mental health diversion services, also referred to as a mobile response unit. The grant is through the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Alluvion Health previously offered the services but stopped last year after state funding ended. Slaughter intends to use that grant money toward a unit at the detention center that can directly monitor inmates with serious mental health needs. Gov. Greg Gianforte announced in January that up to $7.5 million in funding would be available for local mobile crisis response programs as part of a larger behavioral health initiative. ___ This story was originally published by Montana Free Press and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press. A bar in Donald Trump's new home state of Florida is under fire after it poked fun at Saturday's assassination attempt of the former president. The sign outside Harry's Banana Farm in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, read: "How do you miss a head that's that inflated?" in reference to the failed assassination of Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend, according to WPTV-TV. Less than 24 hours after general manager Lou De Stout posted the sign, he took it down. "You know, that sign is meant to be humorous, and I thought it was just another humorous sign but apparently it struck a nerve," De Stout, who said he was exercising his free speech, told the station. "To be honest with you, I (create) the sign and I try to make it timely, topical, humorous and do it [in] 10 words or less," he explained. "I go [with] whatever is the hot topic and as soon as that happened to Trump I knew that's all that everybody was going to be talking to for the next two weeks." The "humorous" sign did not have the reaction he was hoping for, and was instead met with multiple threats of violence, protests and negative Yelp reviews. "After a while, I thought... I can't have my staff being threatened for the things that I do, it's not fair to them," De Stout said. "Some of them are young girls. They have young kids, and it's a great staff here and I didn't want to put them in harm's way." De Stout replaced the controversial sign with, "Yeah, for Trump, so happy for him, you crazy bastards happy." Patrons said Harry's has been known for its provocative signs that take aim at every side. "The sign was a little bit tasteless, but that's how Harry's is," Billy Hart said. "Harry's always does that, they roast both sides, all forms of government every step of it, including council members locally." After becoming Muscatines premier distillery in 2022, Knee High Distillery Co. recently was honored to take home the 2024 Iowa Cream of the Crop best distillery award. Co-owner Jeremy Spratt said the four owners of the distillery had found out they were in the running for the award after they had already been nominated. He said the readers of Ag Update nominate businesses in Iowa for different categories. After learning that the distillery had been nominated, Spratt said one look at the competition, including several well-known names such as Templeton Distillery and Iowa Distilling Company, left little hope among the group of a win. It was open to the public to vote for their favorites, Spratt said. Many of the other competitors were well established in Iowa so we really werent holding our breath on being in the running. Our customers really shone through for us. He said the win showed the distillerys roots a company from Muscatine and a company from Iowa. Spratt said it is great to have a product Iowans enjoy enough that they take time out of their day to vote for it. Winning, he said, makes the team proud to be Iowans and to be in business. During the shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sprat and his wife Kaely and their best friends, Thad and Rachel Burkamper, had been brainstorming a business they could start as a team. At the time, Thad had found a YouTube channel where someone was making vodka. After much experimenting, the team opened in June 2022, taking its name from the saying Knee high by the Fourth of July. Knee High Vodka has been on the shelves of local liquor stores since February 2023. There are nine products now available in the State of Iowa, with several flavored vodkas joining the line. Sprat explained the goal was to not over advertise then not be able deliver, so products have been increasing gradually. There has been steady growth, he said. I cant give specific dates or details, but we are working on whiskey going white whiskey, he said. It will be kind of like a moonshine product. We are hoping to get something like that out before the end of the year. Moving forward, Spratt plans to continue marketing products already available and keeping the quality high. It seems like we did it without trying this year, he said. If we keep doing what we are doling, I think it will be OK. A Mombasa court sentenced a boda boda rider to seven years in prison for retaining Kes.200,000 mistakenly sent to his Mpesa account. Mombasa Senior Resident Magistrate David Odhiambo handed down the sentence after 27-year-old Samuel Mwithiga Wanjiku pleaded guilty to the charges. Detectives charged Wanjiku with intentionally withholding payment delivered erroneously, contrary to Section 35 of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act 2018, following his arrest in Nyandarua. Authorities later transported him to Mombasa for processing, and he appeared before the court on Wednesday. The charges stated that on June 14, 2024, in an unknown area within Kenya, an electronic payment of Sh200,000 was erroneously sent to his Mpesa account, which should have been delivered to Phina Habare Buya. The money had been sent by the complainant from Texas, United States. In his mitigation, Wanjiku explained that after receiving the amount, he informed his family that he had won a lottery. He used the money to buy a motorcycle, open a hair salon for his wife, and gift his mother Kes.50,000. After I received the money, I blocked the sender and bought myself a boda boda since I had been employed by someone else as a rider. When my family inquired about the source of the money, I told them I had won a lottery, he informed the court. He further confessed that he blocked the sender due to frequent calls demanding a refund of the money. According to the Computer and Cyber Crimes Act, 2018, failing to reverse an Mpesa transaction done by mistake attracts a fine of Kes.200,000, a jail term of more than a year, or both. The convict was granted 14 days to appeal his sentence. MyPaperHelp, a popular choice for academic writing assistance, offers services designed to support students with their essays and assignments. Among its lesser-known features is a Citation Generator, a handy tool that simplifies the often tedious process of formatting references. Even if youre not frequently using MyPaperHelps writing services, their Citation Generator is worth exploring. This free tool (with a quick account creation) can save you valuable time and ensure accurate citations in your academic work. While MyPaperHelps offerings are highly regarded, their Citation Generator is particularly useful for students and researchers. Well provide detailed MyPaperHelp reviews below so you can see for yourself. 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Its a top contender in the industry, and your academic journey could benefit greatly from giving it a try. Authorities are still investigating the disturbing discoveries at the Kware dump site in Mukuru slums, where they reported recovering 13 bodies without any bullet wounds, either externally or upon internal examination. Chief Government Pathologist Dr. Johansen Oduor made this announcement on Wednesday, shedding light on the gruesome findings. Dr. Oduor revealed that one of the bodies exhibited head injuries while another showed signs of strangulation. The recovery process has been challenging, with various levels of decomposition complicating the identification and cause of death. Among the nine body bags found, four contained amputated lower limbs, specifically from the knees downwards, comprising two right legs and two left legs. Additionally, three other bodies consisted of female body parts from the waist to the knee. There was also a whole body of a female who we examined and we found that she had a head injury, he said. Additionally, authorities recovered three other bodies, which consisted of female body parts from the waist to the knee. There was an upper trunk from the waist upward, which we assigned the cause of death as strangulation. So this brings them down to a total of nine, Dr Oduor added. Difficulty Ascertaining Cause of Death Most of the bodies displayed varying degrees of decomposition, from mild to severe, making it difficult to ascertain the cause of death for those severely decomposed. For bodies that are severely decomposed, it becomes very difficult to assign a cause of death because of post-mortem artifacts, where many tissues are lost due to decomposition, he explained. Dr. Oduor noted that the bodies had been sawed off at the waist, suggesting this could have occurred post-mortem. One of the female bodies was intact and not decomposed, and the examination revealed head injuries. Another body, consisting only of the upper trunk, was mildly decomposed but showed clear ligature marks on the neck, indicating strangulation. Dr. Oduor mentioned that X-rays of the head and other body parts have been submitted to radiologists for analysis, which may extend the investigative process. Crime Scene Revisit In a related development, a blood-stained hammer, a pair of pliers, two kitchen knives, four pairs of womens shoes, and a gunny bag were among the items police recovered from the house of Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, the prime suspect linked to the murder of 42 women in Kware, Nairobi. Detectives revisited the house of the suspected serial killer on Wednesday, July 17. Accompanied by the suspect, they spent five hours at the scene on Wednesday morning, gathering crucial evidence. The investigative team also recovered a dressing mirror with fingerprints, a mattress, a blood-stained pillow, and a red t-shirt. According to police, Khalusha claimed he met all his victims on the streets. Some were selling airtime in the area, and he targeted them, lured them to his house, raped them, and later killed them. Detectives concluded that his house served as the primary crime scene. Khalusha reportedly told police he killed more than 20 women in 2023 alone, marking his highest number of murders in a single year. The Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board has issued a warning about fake Ozempic Pens circulating in the market following an alert from Interpol. The board explained in a statement that it received an alert from Interpol concerning pens used to treat type 1 and 2 diabetes that had been falsely labeled. Additionally, the board indicated that Ozempic Pens are not registered or authorized for sale in the Kenyan market. Therefore, any products marketed as Ozempic Pens are illegal. An alert from Interpol concerns the falsification of Ozempic Pens (Semaglutide), where Apidra Solostar pens (glulisine) used to treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes have been falsely relabeled as Ozempic (Semaglutide) Pens. Any product marketed as Ozempic Pens is illegal, and the Board cannot ascertain their safety, quality, and effectiveness, the statement read in part. To ensure the falsified pens are not circulating in the market, the board has initiated a rapid response initiative. To safeguard public safety, the Board has initiated a rapid response and heightened surveillance to verify whether the falsified Ozempic (Semaglutide) Pens are presently circulating in the Kenyan market, the statement read. Additionally, Kenyans have been cautioned against purchasing, distributing, or retailing the products. Medical practitioners have also been warned against administering the pen to patients. The Board cautions the public and healthcare professionals against trading, distributing, wholesaling, retailing, issuing, dispensing, using, or administering the falsified Ozempic (Semaglutide) Pens, as such actions are illegal and jeopardize public health and safety. We encourage the public and healthcare professionals to immediately share any information regarding Ozempic Pens with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, the board urged. Azimio leader Raila Odinga has apologized to journalists and his counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka following chaos at an Azimio Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting on Wednesday, July 17. In a statement on Thursday, July 18, Railas spokesperson, Dennis Onyango, conveyed Railas assurance to journalists and leaders affected by the chaos that Azimio would take action. Yesterday (Wednesday), at the end of a long and fruitful deliberation on developments in the country and the position of the opposition parties, youths, some known to the parties and many unknown, invaded the venue and ejected participants. We understand that during the incident, a number of journalists who were invited to cover the ODM-Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party meeting were manhandled, Onyango said. The spokesperson noted that the venue of the meeting had successfully hosted important events at more crucial moments in the country without such incidents. Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga regrets the events of yesterday and takes this early opportunity to offer unreserved apologies to the journalists and fellow leaders caught up in the unfortunate incident. Hon. Odinga assures journalists and fellow leaders that the coalition will review the events, address the security lapses, and ensure that journalists and leaders remain safe and free at all Azimio functions, including those at the same venue, Onyango stated. Kalonzo presser The apology came after a group of goons stormed the coalitions meeting at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation on Wednesday, disrupting the event and assaulting attendees. Chaos erupted when Kalonzo Musyoka stood up to present the meetings resolutions. Odinga had just excused himself for an urgent meeting, leaving Kalonzo Musyoka to read the statement. Upon taking the stage, goons interrupted Kalonzos speech, throwing chairs and ordering everyone to leave, forcing the Wiper leader to halt his press conference. Interestingly, other senior ODM leaders, including Mr. Odingas deputies Hassan Joho and Wycliffe Oparanya, as well as ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna, chairman John Mbadi, director of political affairs Opiyo Wandayi, director of elections Junet Mohamed, and treasurer Timothy Bosire, among others, did not accompany Mr. Musyoka. Senator Richard Onyonka has called on Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) to clarify its involvement in a controversial agreement with Adani Airport Holdings Limited, an Indian firm, to lease Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). Petitioning the Senate Committee on Roads and Transport, Onyonka sought a statement regarding the purported deal with Adani, which would see JKIA operated under a build, operate, and transfer model. In his communication to Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, Onyonka outlined, Reports indicate that KAA entered into an agreement with Adani Commercial, a private entity, to build, operate, and transfer the lease of JKIA. The purpose is to pay a fixed concession fee as will be agreed in the concession agreement. He continued, The arrangement spans 30 years, during which assets developed by Adani through capital investments will transfer to KAA at the end of the concession period. The value of these assets, agreed upon by both parties, will include an 18 percent equity stake for Adani. Onyonkas inquiry underscores his call for transparency and accountability in managing national aviation assets, particularly in the context of the Adani deal. The senator also raised concerns about Adanis authority under the agreement to set charges for airlines and other users at JKIA, calling for detailed disclosure of the contract terms and ownership of Adani Commercial. Additionally, Onyonka urged the Senate committee to provide clarity on the contract involving transaction advisor ALG, including the selection process leading to the award of the contract for developing Kenyas Air Transport Policy. He highlighted a payment of Kes.160 million to ALG and called for transparency in these dealings. Furthermore, Onyonka demanded access to documents from a KAA board meeting held on July 15, 2024, including notices, agendas, minutes, and resolutions. He expressed concern over government plans to allocate free land for city-side development near JKIA, emphasizing potential implications for surrounding land disputes. Furnish the Senate with the notice of meeting, agenda, minutes, and resolution of a board meeting convened by KAA on July 15, 2024, and state the reasons for government plans to avail free land to the company to build a city side development on public land which may lead to land issues in areas surrounding JKIA, Onyonka demanded. A popular YouTuber and social media influencer who films himself engaging in reckless, high-speed driving in New York City has been charged in New Jersey in connection with a string of robberies, police said. Antonio Ginestri, a 19-year-old known online as "Squeeze.benz," was charged Tuesday along with a 16-year-old who was not named due to being a juvenile, the Fairfield Police Department said. According to police, a grey BMW X7 bearing a stolen New Jersey registration was linked to the perpetrators of a burglary at a Speedway Gas Station in Fairfield on Feb. 6. The same vehicle was linked to burglaries in Roseland, Seacaucus, and Hasbrouck Heights after leaving Fairfield that morning. Detectives learned the same BMW and its occupants were wanted for crimes in other New Jersey towns, as well as New York and Connecticut. Ginestri was arrested in New York City in May in an unrelated incident in which he allegedly punched a man in a deli. That investigation revealed his identity as Squeeze.benz, who had been baiting police into chases across the tri-state area for some time, but always wore a full-face helmet in his videos. "Ginestri is a well-known social media influencer," Fairfield Police Public Information Officer Stacy Chiarolanza said in a statement Wednesday. "The basis of his channel is to film himself driving hi-end cars in a reckless manner to entice a police response while wearing a full-face helmet to hide his identity." Police said there were three occupants in the BMW during the Fairfield burglaries, but only two have been identified and charged. Ginestri was charged in with burglary, employing a juvenile in the commission of a crime, theft, and two counts of conspiracy in connection with the crimes committed in Fairfield. He is currently being held in New Jersey's Bergen County Jail on unrelated charges, police said. The juvenile was also charged with burglary, theft and two counts of conspiracy. --with reporting by TMX Social media influencer Francis Gaitho is facing legal action for allegedly spreading false information, particularly concerning the arrest of the prime suspect in the Kware killings by the DCI. The prosecution claims that on July 15, 2024, at approximately 1400 hours, Gaitho deliberately published misleading information through his X social media account from an undisclosed location. Gaitho, who police reportedly sought during an incident involving veteran journalist Macharia Gaitho, is accused of asserting that the DCI provided incorrect details about the Kware dumpsite killings suspect, Collins Jumaisi Khalusha. The X (Twitter) blogger also purportedly posted details about alleged massacres in Githurai and Rongai, alongside reports of missing individuals. Prosecutors argue that Gaitho intended for this information to be accepted and acted upon as true. The charge sheet states, While using his X social media account @FGaitho237 from an unknown location, he knowingly published false information, alleging, The DCI-Kenya have released the names and photo of Collins Jomaisu Khalisia as the so-called serial killer linked to the bodies found at Kware Dumpsites. However, there is no public record of such a name, but cross-referencing the images on the X reveals that his name is Jairus Onkundi, a graduate from Meru University of Science and Technology. Government Propagandists like @ItsMutai and @TheStar Kenya have gone full-throttle running unverified names which dont appear anywhere on social media.' The charge sheet further alleges, Its a desperate move meant to pacify the restless masses who have voted that Ruto must vacate office because he cannot kill us and lead us. The Githurai and Rongai massacres, which are being suppressed by the corrupt mainstream and international that triggered escalated reports of missing persons and not before the protest. At the Milimani senior principal magistrate Robinson Ondiekis court, Francis Gaitho denied the charges and requested lenient bond terms through his legal counsel. Despite arguments that Gaitho posed no flight risk, the Director of Public Prosecutions urged the court to mandate the surrender of Gaithos passport. Ultimately, Gaitho was released on a cash bail of Kes.30,000, with the case set for mention on August 1st. Former President Barack Obama has joined the growing chorus of Democratic voices, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, expressing concerns that President Joe Biden is in danger of losing the 2024 election to Donald Trump, according to reports. Obama has been telling allies that he believes his former running mate's path to victory has shrunk and that Biden, 81, should consider the viability of his candidacy, the Washington Post reported on Thursday. The former president has only spoken to Biden once since his disastrous debate performance June 27 that sparked the flurry of calls to drop out but has been "deeply engaged" in conversations with other Democratic leaders about the president's road ahead, the outlet reported. The report said Obama fears the polls are veering away from Biden and donors are drying up while Trump appears to be on an upswing. Obama has told allies that Biden's accomplishments could be at risk if Trump wins and Republicans control Congress. Trump, 78, survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally Saturday in Butler, Pa., and will formally accept the Republican Party's presidential nomination in a speech Thursday evening at the convention in Milwaukee in which he is expected to get a boost in the polls. Pelosi has reportedly privately informed Biden that if he doesn't step down, Democrats could lose their chance to win control of the House. Other leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, have both warned Biden that any possible gains by Democrats are at risk if he remains atop the ticket. Also Thursday, Axios reported that the president's top aides in the White House, even ones who stuck with him after the debate, are saying "it's now when, not if, Biden announces he's not running." Biden, who tested positive for COVID on Wednesday and is off the campaign trail while he self-isolates at his Delaware home, has been adamant in public about not quitting the race, but privately CNN reports Biden appears to become resigned to his fate. The president continues to press his case, lobbying Democrats in Congress and sitting for numerous national interviews, but the panic inside the Democratic Party is only increasing, CNN said. "The private conversations with the Hill are continuing," a senior Democratic adviser told CNN. "He's being receptive. Not as defiant as he is publicly." "He's gone from saying, 'Kamala can't win,' to 'Do you think Kamala can win?" the adviser said. "It's still unclear where he's going to land but seems to be listening." Quentin Fulks, the principal deputy campaign manager for Biden, said the president is "not wavering on anything." "The president has made his decision. I don't want to be rude, but I don't know how many more times we can answer that," the Washington Post reported. Interview: Ancient Egyptian exhibition in Shanghai boosts cultural, tourism exchanges: Egypt's antiquities official Xinhua) 08:40, July 19, 2024 CAIRO, July 18 (Xinhua) -- The grand exhibition of ancient Egyptian artifacts in Shanghai provides an overview of the ancient Egyptian civilization, marking a new chapter for cultural exchanges between Egypt and China, said Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). The exhibition, "On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt," the largest of its kind held outside Egypt over the past two decades, opened Wednesday in Shanghai, showcasing a total of 788 artifacts, with over 95 percent of them debuted in Asia. "The exhibition is the largest one on ancient Egyptian civilization in China," said Khaled in a recent interview with Xinhua. He added that the unique event, co-hosted by the Shanghai Museum and the SCA, is "a fruit of the close Egyptian-Chinese relations, especially the cultural ties." The Egyptian official recalled that "the two sides held several meetings to discuss arrangement details in a meticulous way" and "coordinated to choose the items for display." According to Khaled, the exhibition unveils the ancient Egyptian civilization from three angles: eternal life, mummification and mummies, and the great kings and their lives. The exhibition features exquisite pieces collected from museums in Cairo, Ismailia, Suez, and Luxor, as well as warehouses in Saqqara necropolis, south of Cairo, including pharaoh statues of Tutankhamun, Amenemhat III, and Ramses II, a complete set of mummy coffins, intricate queen's golden jewelry, and new discoveries of painted coffins, animal mummies and statues from the Saqqara region, according to official introduction. Highlighting "the exhibition will greatly contribute to strengthening people-to-people understandings between Egypt and China," Khaled expressed confidence in the expanding cultural exchanges between the two countries with unique ancient civilizations. Given Shanghai's status as a prominent city and a major transportation hub in China, the SCA head said that studies indicate approximately one million visitors, including individuals from neighboring cities and other nations, are expected to view the Egyptian treasures, which presents a valuable opportunity to attract Chinese tourists to Egypt and investments in the tourism and antiquities sectors. On the sideline of the exhibition, he mentioned, two halls would be allocated to promoting Egypt's attractions. "In cooperation with the Egyptian General Authority for Tourism Activation, national carrier EgyptAir, and some hotels and travel agencies, we are preparing an integrated tourism program for Chinese tourists to visit the archeological sites in Egypt," he said. Describing the ancient artifacts on display as "appetizers," Khaled said, "We always welcome the friendly Chinese people nurtured by an ancient civilization to come and enjoy the splendor of ancient Egyptian civilization in Egypt's museums and archeological sites." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) A plastic surgeon's explainer on Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz's concerning appearance at the Republican National Convention is going TikTok viral. Gaetz took the stage in Milwaukee Wednesday night, reaffirming his loyalty to former President Donald Trump while slamming President Joe Biden in the process. But his seemingly statuesque face unintentionally stole the show, with many people glazing over his speech, and instead, focusing on his bizarre look. On social media, users were quick to call out Gaetz's taut forehead and stout cheeks, accusing him of going overboard with the Botox. Michigan plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn surmised whoever administered the beauty injectable for Gaetz must have missed a few spots. "Botox is often injected in the frontalis muscles in the forehead to reduce horizontal forehead lines. But if you only inject Botox into the center of the forehead and not off to the side, it could cause the eyebrows to arch up, unnaturally," Youn explained in a TikTok video that's garnered nearly 30,000 views since it was posted Thursday. "This could make you look like Cruella de Vil, or in Matt Gaetz's case Beavis, " he quipped, in reference to MTV's Beavis and Butt-Head. Youn isn't the only person to come for the congressman. X user Greta Grace joked, "Matt Gaetz is two white tigers and a life partner from having a Vegas act." "Matt Gaetz (R-Botox)," cracked journalist Peter Hamby. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy spoke with CNN Wednesday night and commented on Gaetz's appearance. "He looks very unhinged. A lot of people have concerns about him, and I'm not sure if he was on something. But I do hope that he gets the help that he needs. More importantly, I hope the young women get the justice they deserve when it comes to him." Gaetz is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over allegations that he engaged in sexual misconduct and illegal drug use. SIU Simmons Law School hosts legal symposium in Belleville by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. In its continuing effort to provide quality outreach programs, the Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School is hosting a free continuing legal education (CLE) symposium in Belleville next month for licensed attorneys in Illinois and Missouri. The Aug. 9 inaugural CLE conference at the Southwestern Illinois Justice and Workforce Development Campus will feature presentations on topics including identifying and assisting human trafficking victims, ethical considerations for prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys, the use of forensics in courtroom settings and interacting with crime survivors without inflicting more stress. The symposium is from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. For lunch considerations, online pre-registration is required. The registration deadline is Aug. 2. The campus is at 2300 W. Main St. in Belleville. Casey Parker, career services director at the SIU Simmons Law School, noted that the law school has had a presence on the Belleville campus since August 2022, with third-year law students participating in the Metro East Criminal Justice Clinic. In addition, SIU Edwardsville recently added programs on the campus, including a forensics program. We wanted to provide our alumni and other attorneys in the Metro East area with a program, and working with SIUE seemed like a perfect fit, Parker said. Speakers will include 20th District Circuit Judge Robert B. Haida; Dana Adams, laboratory director, Illinois State Police in Belleville; Shelly Page, associate professor of law and director of experiential education, SIU Simmons Law School; Drew Buettner, researcher, Center for Crime Science and Violence Prevention, SIU Edwardsville; Tom Spudich, director, Forensic Science Program, SIU Edwardsville, and Katie Wessling and Peggy Tyson, Crime Victim Center, St. Louis. Attorneys in Illinois can earn up to 6 professional development hours credit while attorneys licensed in Missouri can receive up to 7.2 professional development hours. For more information, email Parker at caseyparker@siu.edu. PRNewswire Jakarta [Indonesia]/ Hong Kong, July 19: Meiyume, an ODM and OEM leader in the beauty industry, is excited to announce its upcoming event, "Your Beauty Boost: New Ideas, Your Success," scheduled to take place at their newly enhanced manufacturing plant in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a pivotal gathering for beauty brand professionals, "Your Beauty Boost" will spotlight Meiyume's latest advances in skincare, suncare, hybrid colour, and haircare formulations, born from the insights of the brand's advanced Beauty Intelligence Platform (BIP), affirming Meiyume's dedication to eco-conscious and smart innovation for beauty brands globally. 2024 Innovation Collection: Meiyume will introduce four distinct collections tailored to meet diverse consumer needs in the APAC region: 1. Skintelligent: Specifically designed for sensitive and acne-prone skin, featuring gentle yet effective products fortified with ectoine and centella asiatica for enhanced barrier protection. 2. VersaBella: Embracing skinimalism with a minimalist approach, offering multifunctional skincare solutions enriched with vitamin E and niacinamide. 3. Blue Biotech: Harnessing marine-based actives for sustainable skincare, featuring products like Hydra Gel Moisturizer and Brightening Serum. 4. VitaTress: Targeting scalp health and hair vitality with anti-aging technology and botanical extracts, including Fortifying Shampoo & Conditioner and Gray Away Hair Serum. In line with its ethos, Meiyume will also showcase its smart packaging capabilities and its latest stock packaging collections: Skinfinity, Elements, and Blue. These packaging collections are thoughtfully designed to embody sustainability, user convenience, user engagement, and minimalist elegance. These collections are part of Meiyume's library of stock innovations, each ready for customization and commercialisation. Beauty Intelligence Platform: A cornerstone of Meiyume's strategic approach, the BIP utilizes sophisticated AI to analyze real-time data on product, packaging, and ingredient trends. This data-driven approach ensures their ODM collections align with current APAC market demands, empowering beauty brands to lead in innovation. Empowering Sustainable Success in the Beauty Industry: "Your Beauty Boost: New Ideas, Your Success" is not just an event--it's a pivotal opportunity for beauty brands looking to innovate and excel in a competitive market. With a comprehensive range of services and a steadfast commitment to sustainability, Meiyume stands ready to support brands at every stage of product development, from concept to execution. Meiyume looks forward to welcoming brands to "Your Beauty Boost", where attendees will witness firsthand how Meiyume continues to shape the future of beauty through innovation and sustainability. Interested visitors are invited to contact Meiyume for more information or to RSVP. For media inquiries, please contact: Kenneth ChiaMarketing Managerkennethchia@meiyume.com About Meiyume: Meiyume is a global OEM, ODM, and packaging leader in the beauty industry, providing smart end-to-end solutions that drive success for brands. With a focus on sustainability, innovation, and quality, Meiyume delivers exceptional value to beauty brands, big or small. https://meiyume.com/Jl. Raya Bogor KM 28, Jakarta 13710, Indonesia (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) BusinessWire India Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 19: LTIMindtree [NSE: LTIM, BSE: 540005], a global technology consulting and digital solutions company, today announced a multi-million dollar contract extension with Absa Bank, a leading African financial services group. This reinforces LTIMindtree's position as Absa Bank's trusted strategic technology partner. The extended partnership builds upon a successful 17-year collaboration, where LTIMindtree has been instrumental in driving Absa Bank's digital transformation journey, fostering growth and efficiency. Absa Group Limited, a publicly traded company on the JSE, is one of Africa's largest diversified financial services groups. The company has footprints across 12 African countries, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States. LTIMindtree will act as a one-stop shop for Absa Bank's IT needs, providing comprehensive services to bolster its digital infrastructure. This includes deploying cutting-edge solutions in Digital Transformation, Applied AI, Cloud Acceleration, Data-Driven Decision Making, and Core Banking Modernization. Johnson Idesoh, Group Chief Information and Technology Officer at Absa Group, said, "Adopting modern IT systems and capabilities has always been our priority to ensure exceptional and seamless customer experiences. With a relationship of 17 years, LTIMindtree has delivered tangible business value to our banks, over a protracted period. At the same time, LTIMindtree, through process optimization and the application of advanced technology like Automation and Generative AI, has helped us lower total cost of ownership by 46% over the last 5 years. This ties in with our technology transformation journey. Together, we deliver stable and robust services to our customers in the African continent. We are confident that extending this partnership will enable our business growth even further and assist us to continuously enhance value for our customers, making our banks even more competitive." Sudhir Chaturvedi, President & Executive Board Member, LTIMindtree, said, "We are proud to be a trusted strategic partner for Absa Bank, celebrating over 17 years of successful collaboration. Through this renewal, we will continue to deliver best-in-class core banking solutions, encompassing digital, branch, and payment technologies for Absa's customers. These solutions span multiple markets and focus on increased localization. We are confident that through our deep industry knowledge and advanced data and analytics capabilities, we will continue to accelerate Absa Bank's transformation journey. This will empower them to achieve their strategic goals of becoming a client-centric and technology-first bank." This strengthened partnership solidifies LTIMindtree's leadership in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFS & I) sector. By leveraging its domain expertise, robust technology solutions, industry-specific offerings, and a powerful partner ecosystem, LTIMindtree empowers BFS & I clients to achieve true end-to-end transformation. This includes core modernisation, go-to-market innovation, cloud adoption, data-driven decision-making, and enhanced customer engagement through insightful analytics, personalised marketing, and tailored experiences. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 19: The Ministry of Defence, Government of India, recently welcomed His Excellency, Major General Lukwikila Marcel, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with his distinguished delegation. This visit served as a platform to showcase India's cutting-edge defence capabilities, emphasizing technological advancements and innovative solutions developed by the Indian industry and public sector undertakings. Among the highlights of the visit was a presentation by Ikran Aerospace and Technologies Private Limited (Ikran Aerospace), a leading Indian firm renowned for its expertise in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies tailored for defence applications. Ikran Aerospace introduced its latest offerings in advanced surveillance and combat UAV solutions, including weapon-integrated rotorcrafts. A standout feature presented was the Raaya i2h, a patented fixed-wing UAV known for its exceptional versatility. Capable of covering distances up to 100 km and enduring 6-hour missions with a 5-kg payload, the Raaya i2h garnered significant attention. The UAV's demonstrated applications included: 1. Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Operations: Equipped with day and night cameras, laser range finders, and a communication range of 100 km, the Raaya i2h enables real-time collection and sharing of high-quality images and videos. Integrated AI features enhance target detection, identification, and recognition capabilities. 2. Combat Operations: With provisions for additional payloads and a comprehensive weapons module in its Ground Control Station (GCS) software, the UAV supports target acquisition and delivery of explosives, making it indispensable in conflict zones. 3. Aerial Communication Relay Center: The Raaya i2h showcased groundbreaking capability as an aerial communication relay center. Operating stealthily at 3000 meters altitude, it establishes a robust mesh network connecting up to 80 ground units. This network facilitates seamless, real-time transmission of high-definition aerial video and data, ensuring continuous communication between ground troops and command centers located up to 100 km away. The UAV's advanced capabilities provide a comprehensive overview of operational areas, enhancing situational awareness and operational effectiveness in challenging environments. Additionally, Ikran Aerospace demonstrated its patented weapon-integrated rotorcraft, the SIRIN A1, which showcased features such as integrated camera controls and remote aiming and firing capabilities via GCS software. His Excellency, Major General Lukwikila Marcel, expressed keen interest in the Raaya i2h for its potential applications in surveillance, communication relay, and combat roles, aligning with the strategic interests of the Democratic Republic of Congo's Defence forces. The presentation accentuated Ikran Aerospace's unwavering commitment to delivering sophisticated, multipurpose solutions meticulously engineered to meet the multifaceted challenges of contemporary military operations. For more information, please visit: https://www.ikran.in/ (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel addressed the conference and emphasized the importance of emerging technologies in the state's growth trajectory. In his keynote address, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel underscored the pivotal role of semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and drone technology in driving Gujarat's and India's future development. "Under the guidance of global leader and country's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Gujarat and the entire country is touching new heights of development in almost every sector," Patel stated. He added, "The importance of Semiconductor, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, drone technology has also been focussed on, towards this. In this series, 'Gujarat Semiconnect Conference' is the right job at right time." He highlighted that the conference was timely and vital, aligning with the broader vision of technological advancement and industrial growth. The "Gujarat Semiconnect Conference-2024" was designed to focus on the integration and advancement of key technological sectors. Recognizing the critical role of semiconductors in modern electronics, the conference aimed to foster discussions on semiconductor manufacturing, supply chain improvements, and research & development. The event highlighted the transformative potential of AI and ML across industries, emphasizing their role in enhancing efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness. The conference explored the applications of drone technology in various sectors, including agriculture, surveillance, and infrastructure management, showcasing its potential to revolutionize traditional practices. Chief Minister Patel articulated the importance of these technologies in strengthening Gujarat's position as a leader in technological innovation and industrial growth. He reiterated that the state's alignment with national policies and initiatives under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is driving progress in these critical areas. The conference served as a platform for collaboration between government officials, industry leaders, and technology experts. Discussions focused on how Gujarat can leverage these technologies to boost its economy, create job opportunities, and enhance its global competitiveness. The Gujarat State Electronics Mission played a key role in organizing the event, reflecting the state's commitment to advancing its electronics and technology sectors. The mission aims to support and promote the development of high-tech industries in Gujarat, positioning the state as a hub for technological innovation and growth. (ANI) One rulebreaker who brought a jar of salsa to a public pool in Massachusetts has caused headaches for city officials who say it is costing thousands of dollars to clean up, and for residents who rely on the pool for swim lessons, team practice, fitness and a much-needed break from the heat. The deep pool used for swimming laps at the Rosemary Recreation Complex in Needham, Mass., was closed on Sunday after a jar of salsa shattered, sending shards of glass into the pool, according to an announcement from Needham Park and Recreation. The smaller family pool and splash pad remain open. Massachusetts State Senator Becca Rausch said on Facebook that it could cost up to $20,000 to take care of the problem, which requires draining the pool, pressure washing it, refilling it, rebalancing the chemicals, and testing for bacterial levels. "The entire community suffers both the loss of our pool and in the purse all because one person decided to bring a jar of salsa to the pool," Rausch stated. "Please do not bring glass to the pool. It's not hard to follow this and the other rules. They exist for our collective enjoyment and personal health and safety." City officials said two lap lanes would be made available in the family pool for morning lap swimming, and morning swim lessons would be held in the family pool. Sharks Swim Team practices were canceled until further notice, as were regularly scheduled morning stroke clinics. While the family pool remains open, city officials warned it would be extra crowded for several days. "We understand that this closure may be frustrating for many, as it is for us. We will work as fast as we can while always keeping safety in mind," officials said. Photos shared by the Park and Recreation Department on Tuesday showed workers cleaning the empty pool. --with reporting by TMX SMPL Canberra [Australia], July 19: The University of Newcastle is making an impact with its commitment to supporting international students, with a range of initiatives aimed at easing the financial burden associated with studying overseas. From scholarships to proposing new accommodation options and the affordability of the vibrant city itself, this world Top 200 ranked university [1] is determined to ensure that every student can succeed. Scholarships up to A$48,000*: Understanding the importance of financial support in making education accessible, the University of Newcastle is proud to offer students both affordable tuition fees alongside competitive scholarships to support their studies. Scholarships valued up to A$48,000 (2,648,123.44 INR)** can greatly reduce the cost of tuition, making the University of Newcastle one of the more affordable options to study in Australia. "It's really comforting to know that you don't have to pay your full tuition. I could use that money for my living expenses or other expenses that I have," says Jeny, a Master of Information Technology student from India. Expanding accommodation prospects: Understanding the importance of comfortable and affordable living arrangements, the University of Newcastle has proposed a Newcastle City Campus - Student Accommodation, which will accommodate upward of 450 students and will also feature outdoor communal spaces and ground floor retail options. "We want to make sure this project is designed to provide contemporary, supportive, and comfortable student housing; help address the increasing need for student accommodation in the region; and support our local businesses and community to thrive," University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky, AO, said. The University currently has more than 1,700 on-campus accommodation beds across its Callaghan and Ourimbah campuses and provides initiatives to support students to find somewhere to live. A high return on investment: The University offers exceptional return on investment for its international students as graduates often earn salaries above the national average, which helps students in recouping educational expenses and improving financial stability soon after graduation. An impressive 89.3% of undergraduates and 93.8% of postgraduates secure employment within four months of graduation [2]. "As I was going through my degree I started building my career goals. Therefore, as soon as I was in fourth year of university, I had a target to get an internship in one of the civil engineering fields and I was able to achieve that in no time," Dheeraj a Bachelor of Civil Engineering student from Jalanhar City, India said. This strong employment rate reflects the University's commitment to providing quality, industry-aligned education recognised by employers and the University's strong local and international professional networks. Newcastle: An affordable gem: Nestled on the charming coast of New South Wales, Australia, Newcastle features stunning natural landscapes and renowned spots like the Hunter Valley Wine region, historic Maitland, Lake Macquarie, and Port Stephens. Known for its affordability, the city's cost of living is significantly lower than other major Australian cities--72.8% cheaper than Sydney, 28.2% cheaper than Melbourne, and 20.5% cheaper than Brisbane [3]. This makes Newcastle an ideal destination for international students seeking quality education at a reasonable cost. With a vibrant cultural scene, thriving job market, and welcoming community, Newcastle offers the perfect blend of affordability and opportunity. Every path welcome, every student celebrated: At the heart of these initiatives lies the University of Newcastle's unwavering commitment to inclusivity and diversity. By prioritising international students' needs, the University provides extensive support, including academic, career, religious, and health and wellbeing resources. The careers support team actively assists students in securing part-time work opportunities, strengthening their financial stability and enriching their academic experience. Additionally, students can join over 100 student-run groups, ranging from sporting and academic to social, cultural, and faith-based. Discover endless opportunities, forge lifelong connections, and unlock your full potential at one of Australia's leading universities. References:1 QS World University Rankings 20242 QILT Graduate Outcomes Survey 2020-20223 Prices sourced from Cost-of-Living comparisons at Numbeo 2023 *Scholarship amount is dependent on your length of study, chosen degree and citizenship.** XE Australian Dollar to Indian Rupee conversion -- Last updated May 23, 2024 at 01:53 UTC (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by SMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL New Delhi [India], July 19: In today's fast-paced world, maintaining personal hygiene and care is more crucial than ever. Amidst the myriad of products available, Senzicare stands out as a beacon of innovation, quality, and compassion. Senzicare is not just a doctor-developed brand; it's a movement towards a healthier, more sustainable future in personal care. The Senzicare Philosophy: Beyond Hygiene Senzicare's ethos is built on the belief that personal care goes beyond mere hygiene. It's about fostering well-being, confidence, and empowerment. This philosophy drives Senzicare to develop products that are not only effective but also safe and environmentally friendly. Their dedication to quality and sustainability sets a new standard in the industry, ensuring that each product contributes to a better world. Science and Nature: A Perfect Harmony At the core of Senzicare's success is the harmonious blend of science and nature. Each product is meticulously researched and crafted with input from internationally acclaimed doctors, including urologists and gynecologists. This scientific rigor ensures that every product meets the highest standards of safety and efficacy. Moreover, Senzicare's commitment to using natural ingredients reflects their respect for nature and their dedication to providing gentle yet powerful care solutions. Breaking Taboos: Empowering Through Education One of Senzicare's most admirable missions is breaking the taboos surrounding intimate and personal care. By fostering open conversations and educating the public, Senzicare empowers individuals to take charge of their health and well-being. Their products are not just solutions but catalysts for change, encouraging a more informed and confident approach to personal care. Commitment to Sustainability In an era where environmental concerns are paramount, Senzicare leads by example. Their products are designed with sustainability in mind, from sourcing eco-friendly materials to implementing green manufacturing processes. Senzicare's commitment to reducing environmental impact without compromising on quality is a testament to their forward-thinking approach. Every Senzicare product you use is a step towards a more sustainable and healthier planet. Innovation That Cares Senzicare's dedication to innovation is driven by a genuine desire to improve lives. Their range of intimate hygiene products is a result of years of research and development, ensuring that every product is safe, effective, and refreshing. Senzicare continually seeks to innovate, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in personal care. This relentless pursuit of excellence ensures that you receive the best care, every time. Building a Supportive Community Senzicare understands that their success is rooted in the strength of their community. By fostering collaboration and support, Senzicare builds a network of individuals and professionals who share their vision. This community-driven approach amplifies their impact, creating a collective effort towards better health and hygiene standards. The Senzicare Vision: A Healthier Future Looking ahead, Senzicare's vision is clear: to secure a top position in India's personal, period, and intimate care market by offering sustainable, high-quality innovations. Their unwavering commitment to science-based solutions and breaking societal taboos positions them as leaders in the industry. Senzicare is not just about selling products; it's about driving a movement towards a healthier, more informed, and empowered society. Why Senzicare? Choosing Senzicare means choosing a brand that cares about you and the environment. Their products are crafted with the highest standards, ensuring you receive the best care possible. Senzicare's dedication to sustainability, innovation, and community support sets them apart in the personal care industry. With Senzicare, you're not just investing in a product; you're investing in a healthier future for yourself and the planet. Join the Senzicare Movement As you navigate the complexities of personal care, let Senzicare be your guide. Embrace their innovative, compassionate, and sustainable approach to hygiene. By choosing Senzicare, you're taking a step towards better health, confidence, and a cleaner planet. Join the Senzicare movement today and experience the difference that true care makes. Remember, personal care is more than a routine--it's a journey towards better health and well-being. With Senzicare, that journey is supported by science, driven by compassion, and committed to sustainability. Take the first step with Senzicare and redefine your approach to personal care. For more details, please visit https://senzicare.com/. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) PNN Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], July 19: DP Abhushan Limited (NSE: DPABHUSHAN), a company marking golden legacy of 84 years into Jewellery Industry known for its highest purity & designs standards, transparency & wide range of products portfolio at 8 different geographics in India, announced its financial results for the first quarter (Q1FY25) ended 30th June 2024. Q1FY25 Highlights * Total Revenue was Rs505 Cr. for Q1FY25 compared to Rs471 Cr. in Q1FY24. an increase of 7%* Total Expenditure for Q1FY25 was Rs466 crores, up 5% year-on-year from Rs446 crores in Q1FY24. * EBITDA stood at Rs38 Cr. for Q1FY25 compared to Rs25 Cr. in Q1FY24. a significant increase of 52%. * EBITDA margin expanded to 8% double than previous quarter Q4 FY24* PAT stood at Rs25 Cr. for Q1FY25 compared to Rs16 Cr. in Q1FY24, marking a robust growth of 60% * PAT Margin for Q1FY25 was 5%, an increase of 165 basis points year-on-year from 3% in Q1FY24. Santosh Kataria Managing Director said: "We are delighted to report an outstanding performance for the quarter, highlighted by healthy revenue growth of 7% and an impressive profit increase of 60%. The Bhopal store has emerged as a pivotal revenue driver, achieving an exceptional 18% YoY growth. Ujjain and Indore also contributed significantly, with growth rates of 17% and 12%, respectively. As part of our strategic expansion, we are on track to open three new showrooms in FY25, with ongoing construction in Ratlam, Ajmer, and Neemuch. This expansion aligns with our long-term vision of increasing our total stores from 8 in FY24 to 20 by FY28, thereby enhancing our market reach and accessibility. Looking ahead, our outlook remains positive as we make concerted efforts to bolster our business operations and strategically expand in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat, tapping into emerging markets with growing purchasing power. Our goal is to increase the share of diamond-studded jewellery, which is currently at 6%, by offering high-quality items, especially for wedding wear. By commanding premium making charges, we aim to enhance our gross margins. About D.P. Abhushan Limited D.P. Abhushan Limited, a renowned name in the jewellery sector, has been synonymous with trust and quality since its inception in 1940 under the brand "D.P. Jewellers." Listed in 2017, the Company carries forward an 84-year legacy in Central India, now managed by the 4th generation of the founding family. Renowned for its commitment to purity and transparency, D.P. Abhushan Limited has established itself as one of the most trustworthy and honest jewellery brands. With a rich history dating back to founders Late Shri Pannalalji Kataria and his sons, the Company has flourished into a prominent retail chain featuring branches across Ratlam, Indore, Udaipur, Bhopal, Ujjain, Bhilwara, Kota, and Banswara. D.P. Abhushan offers a diverse range of high-quality products in Gold, Silver, Diamond, and Platinum, catering to various occasions with collections including Wedding, Valentine, Traditional, Flower, Mewar, Dohra, Lightweight, and Trendy Jewellery, alongside an array of Chains, Armlets, Rings, Pendants, and Necklaces (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL New Delhi [India], July 19: In the dynamic world of packaging, Gurez has carved a niche for itself as a leading provider of superior packaging solutions. Celebrating a decade of excellence, this Haryana-based company has expanded its reach across India, delivering high-quality, innovative solutions that meet the diverse needs of its customers. With a commitment to shaping impressions and influencing perceptions, Gurez stands as a testament to the power of effective packaging in today's market. Founded in 2014, Gurez has grown from a small startup into a powerhouse in the packaging industry. Over the past ten years, the company has continuously evolved, embracing the latest technologies and trends to stay ahead of the curve. This commitment to innovation has enabled Gurez to offer a wide range of products that cater to various industries, including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and pet care. "Our journey over the past decade has been nothing short of remarkable," says Mukesh Saini, the CEO of Gurez. "We've always believed in pushing the boundaries of what's possible in packaging, and our success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team." One of Gurez's key strengths is its ability to cater to a diverse market. The company's product range includes everything from flexible packaging and rigid containers to custom-designed solutions that meet the specific needs of its clients. By offering a variety of options, Gurez ensures that its customers can find the perfect packaging solution for their products. Gurez's success can be attributed in part to its strong focus on serving Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Understanding the unique challenges faced by these businesses, Gurez has developed packaging solutions with smaller Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs), making it easier for MSMEs to access high-quality packaging without the need for large investments. Recognizing the growing trend of small businesses wanting to sell on e-commerce platforms, Gurez has launched initiatives to support these entrepreneurs. By offering smaller MOQs, Gurez provides these businesses the flexibility to order packaging solutions that suit their scale and budget. Customers can conveniently place their orders through Gurez's website, ensuring a seamless and efficient process that empowers small businesses to compete in the digital marketplace. "Working with MSMEs has given us valuable insights into their needs and challenges," explains the CEO of Gurez. "By offering solutions with smaller MOQs, we're helping these businesses grow and succeed in a competitive market." Quality is at the heart of everything Gurez does. The company adheres to strict quality control measures at every stage of the production process, ensuring that every product meets the highest standards of excellence. This commitment to quality has earned Gurez a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness, making it a preferred partner for businesses across India. In addition to quality, Gurez is also committed to sustainability. The company recognizes the importance of environmentally friendly packaging solutions and has taken significant steps to reduce its environmental footprint. From using recyclable materials to implementing energy-efficient manufacturing processes, Gurez is dedicated to making a positive impact on the planet. "Our goal is to create packaging solutions that are not only effective but also sustainable," says the CEO of Gurez. "We're constantly exploring new ways to reduce waste and conserve resources, ensuring a better future for generations to come." At Gurez, the belief in shaping impressions and influencing perceptions is more than just a tagline--it's a guiding principle. The company understands that packaging is often the first point of contact between a product and its consumer, and as such, it plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions and driving purchasing decisions. By investing in cutting-edge design and printing technologies, Gurez ensures that its packaging solutions are visually appealing and convey the right message to consumers. Whether it's a sleek, modern design for a high-end cosmetic product or a vibrant, fun design for a pet care item, Gurez's packaging solutions are designed to make a lasting impression. As Gurez celebrates its 10th anniversary, the company is poised for even greater success in the years to come. With a strong foundation built on innovation, quality, and customer-centricity, Gurez is well-positioned to continue leading the way in the packaging industry. "We're excited about the future and the opportunities that lie ahead," says the CEO of Gurez. "We'll continue to push the boundaries of what's possible, delivering exceptional packaging solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers." In conclusion, Gurez's journey over the past decade is a testament to the power of dedication, innovation, and a customer-first approach. As the company looks to the future, it remains committed to delivering superior packaging solutions and pet care products that shape impressions and influence perceptions, one product at a time. For more details, please visit https://gurez.com/. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) NewsVoir New Delhi [India], July 19: The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) today unveiled the bust of Dr Sanjaya Rajaram - One of the world's most influential wheat breeders and World Food Prize Laureate and- at the DialogueNEXT conference, held at CIMMYT, Mexico on 10-11 July 2024. This momentous event featured the launch of the 'Rajaram-DCM Shriram Scholarship,' aimed at fostering the next generation of agricultural scientists while honouring Dr Rajaram's legacy. 'Rajaram-DCM Shriram Scholarship' is a result of a long and fruitful association between CIMMYT and DCM Shriram Ltd reflecting their shared vision to help farmers achieve higher productivity in wheat. The scholarship embodies their joint commitment to nurture the next generation of researchers and foster innovation in agricultural sciences. The unveiling of Dr Rajaram's bust is a tribute to his enduring influence in agriculture and lifelong dedication to improving global food systems. Sanjay Chhabra, Executive Director and Business Head, states, "All of us, at DCM Shriram, are proud of our fruitful association with CIMMYT and with Dr Rajaram. The Wheat Seed Development Program at DCM Shriram is driven by Dr Rajaram's passion and it continues to deliver superior wheat varieties to the Indian farmers." Anand Shriram, Senior Vice President, adds, "We, at DCM Shriram, are extremely delighted to have contributed to building this memorial bust of Dr Rajaram and in setting up the "Rajaram - DCM Shriram Scholarship" to help young scientists upgrade their skills. It will not only offer financial support to outstanding students focused on research and innovation in crop improvement but also inspire aspiring scientists through the profound legacy of Dr Rajaram." (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Following a global outage affecting some services of Microsoft's cloud solutions, airports across India are experiencing unexpected flight delays. Passengers at different airports have shared their experiences on social media, posting images of handwritten boarding passes issued due to the disruption. Suvojit Mukherjee, a passenger at Deoghar Airport in Jharkhand, posted on X, "Today's Microsoft / CrowdStrike outage has grounded most airports in India. Received my first handwritten boarding pass today. A stark reminder of the risks of digital dependency," along with a photo of his manual ticket. "Handwritten Boarding pass as worldwide Microsoft outage today!! Airlines reporting issues across airports and countries," Rachit, another flyer at Biju Patnaik Airport in Odisha posted on X. Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Rammohan Naidu, assured travelers that his Ministry and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are managing the situation with manual methods to minimize disruption. Minister Naidu stated, "I have directed airport authorities and airlines to be compassionate and provide extra seating, water, and food for passengers affected by delays. We understand your concerns and are working tirelessly to ensure your safe and swift travel. Your patience and cooperation are greatly appreciated." Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation along with AAI has implemented manual backup systems to maintain operational continuity. Passengers are advised to cooperate with airport staff during this period of disruption. Aviation Minister Naidu emphasized the Ministry's commitment to minimizing inconvenience and ensuring the well-being of all travelers. Minister Naidu further stressed the importance of maintaining communication with passengers and said, "We have instructed all airlines and airport authorities to keep passengers informed about their flight status and provide necessary assistance." Additional measures include enhanced communication by sending regular updates on flight statuses to passengers, increased support staff, and amenities provision (airports are offering additional seating, water, and food to ensure passenger comfort). After Microsoft reported a disruption in certain cloud services, the central government is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage. Meanwhile, all airlines in India reported that their systems across the network are impacted by the ongoing outage in Microsoft Azure. Flyers were advised to reach out to their respective airlines for information on the flights. Indigo's flight cancellation list showed as many as about 190 flights have been canceled from 15:50 IST today to 05:20 IST Saturday. Here is the link to check the flights that were canceled: [Indigo Flight Cancellations] (https://www.goindigo.in/information/flight-cancellations.html). Microsoft Azure, or just Azure, is the cloud computing platform developed by Microsoft. It offers management, access, and development of applications and services to individuals, companies, and governments. Exact details, including number of flights or passengers affected due to the disruption in services, were not available immediately. Microsoft meanwhile said they were investigating the issue impacting users' ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services. "We're working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion. Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation action," Microsoft said in its latest update. CrowdStrike, the security firm linked to a software update, that caused the outage said that the issue has been isolated and a fix deployed. George Kurtz, President and CEO of CrowdStrike said the cybersecurity company was working with customers on the issues faced by them while giving a reassurance that the issue was "not a security incident or cyberattack." "CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, and isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure they're communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers," Kurtz said. (ANI) Actor Kartik Aaryan has been garnering praise for his performance for 'Chandu Champion' since its release. On the film completing one month, the actor shared Behind the Scene photos of his training along with an appreciation note. Kartik took to his Instagram handle on Wednesday and posted photos from his training session for the film. Flaunting his toned and transformed, Kartik posed with his trainer, who made it also worked hard to made it happen. https://www.instagram.com/p/C9kcV7UNpfG/? The note read, "It's been a month since #ChanduChampion released in cinemas and the love and appreciation keeps pouring in. Will always be grateful to Sajid Sir and Kabir Sir.#Repost @tridevpandey It's been a month since Chandu Champion hit the theaters, and it's still going strong! What a journey it has been! @kartikaaryan's 1.5 years of consistent hard workout and determination to do justice to his character has paid off. This picture shows the result of all his training and effort. It proves that anything is possible if you work hard and train well." As soon as the post was shared, fans chimed in the comment section. One of the users wrote, "Congratulations on the success of "Chandu Champion" running in theatres for over a month! Your hard work and talent have truly paid off. Wishing you continued success!" Another user commented, "Career Best Performance for a reason." Kartik went through an incredible transformation to get into the shape of his character. Recently, he surprised fans with stunning before and after transformation pictures. The 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2' actor took to his Instagram to share his transformation pictures alongside a long caption. "From 39 % body fat to 7 % body fat !! From being an 'insomniac' to turning into a 'fitness enthusiast', it's surely a journey of one and half years to remember for me. The life of the living legend Murlikant Petkar, not only made me a stronger human being but also, further installed the belief that if you can dream it, then you can achieve it... nothing is impossible. Pehle mummy kehti thi, 'beta gym jao' lekin aaj kal haalaat aise hain ki unhe call karke bolna padta hai, 'beta gym se vapas aa jao," read the caption of his post. Directed by Kabir Khan and jointly produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and Kabir Khan, 'Chandu Champion' tells the inspiring tale of a determined athlete. Kartik Aaryan portrays Chandu in this film, which is based on the life of Murlikant Petkar, India's first Paralympic gold medalist in freestyle swimming. Kartik Aaryan portrays Chandu in this film, which is based on the life of Murlikant Petkar, India's first Paralympic gold medalist in freestyle swimming. From fans to critics, members of the film industry and audiences, Kartik has been receiving praise. Meanwhile, Kartik is busy shooting schedule for 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3'. 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3', helmed by Anees Bazmee, promises to be a thrilling addition to the franchise, starring Triptii Dimri alongside Kartik Aaryan. Scheduled for a Diwali 2024 release, the film Vidya Balan's return to the iconic role of Manjulika, originally portrayed in the 2007 blockbuster. (ANI) Actor Channing Tatum shared how he prepared for his role in the upcoming American thriller film 'Blink Twice', which is directed by Zoe Kravitz , as per The Hollywood Reporter. He also opened up about how the character is different from previous ones. He recently opened up about starring in his fiancee Zoe Kravitz's directorial debut. He plays tech billionaire Slater King in the mystery thriller. "It's the first time I've ever played anyone like this," Tatum shared "Every character I play, I usually have some sort of love for or a connection to, " he added. However, it was much different with this character. "I don't think I'll ever tell anybody what I had to create inside my head to play this person," he said, adding, "He's a psychopath." 'Blink Twice' follows Slater, who meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at a fundraising gala and offers her to accompany him and his pals on a dream vacation to his own island. However, when odd things begin to occur on the island, Frida begins to question her reality. Kravitz also shared that the characters being trapped in an unfamiliar place have added more drama to the film. "It was really more about power dynamics," the Batman actress explained. "And trying to create a situation where the characters were isolated. That, in my mind, is the scariest situation you could be in, whether you're trapped in the back of a car, in a closet, or in a dark room at a party. I was trying to find an environment where the characters had to stay and deal with the crumbling of the power dynamics." 'Blink Twice' hits theatres on August 23, according to The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI) Congress is all set to have a big round of meetings today in Mumbai to chart out a strategy for the upcoming assembly polls in Maharashtra. The party has scheduled a meeting of all the senior leaders of the state, which will be chaired by the General Secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, and the AICC Incharge of Maharashtra, Ramesh Chenithalla. In the recent parliamentary elections, Congress emerged as the largest party in the state, with 13 Lok Sabha MPs, and along with Shiv Sena UBT's 9 and the NCP (Pawar)'s 8 MPs, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) won 30 seats out of the total number of 48 constituencies in Maharashtra. According to a top party leader, not only the strategy for the assembly polls but also the party's stand in the alliance will be discussed, as Congress is the largest party in MVA in the Maharashtra Assembly, having 38 MLAs. The other two parties, NCP and Shiv Sena, have seen a split after the last assembly polls and their numbers have reduced, so the party will be discussing the regions, seats and numbers for the polls too, the leader said. The first round of meetings will be held at the Wankhede Stadium Conference Hall in the morning and the second session of the meeting will be held in the party office at Tilak Bhawan post lunch, the leader added. Maharashtra has been a success story in the recent Lok Sabha polls for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), where they have won 30 seats out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Congress wants to have a big share of the Assembly polls and is eyeing the winnable seats in regions like Vidharba, North Maharashtra, and Marathwada, where they have performed well. INDIA bloc left the NDA behind in Western Maharastra as it got 47.8 per cent of the vote while NDA got 43.2 per cent of the total vote polled; in the Vidarbha region, INDIA bloc got 46 per cent of the vote while NDA got 37.10 per cent. In Marathwada, the INDIA bloc got 44.7 per cent and NDA got 29.00 per cent of the total votes polled. (ANI) Air India said that all passengers on its flight AI-183 from New Delhi to San Francisco, which was diverted to Krasnoyarsk International Airport (UNKL) in Russia due to a technical glitch, are safe. According to an Air India statement, flight AI-183 of July 18, operating from Delhi to San Francisco, made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area. Air India flight AI-183, en route from Delhi to San Francisco, made an unscheduled landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (UNKL) in Russia today due to a technical glitch. "The aircraft landed safely at KJA with all 225 passengers and 19 members of the flight crew, who have now disembarked and have been taken to the terminal building for further processing," the statement said "As Air India does not have its own staff at KJA, we are arranging for third-party support to provide all necessary assistance to passengers. Air India is also in liaison with government agencies and regulatory authorities, and we are making arrangements for a ferry flight to KJA to take passengers onwards to San Francisco at the earliest," the statement said. An Air India spokesperson said that "All of us at Air India are concerned about the passengers and staff and are making every effort possible to operate the ferry flight as soon as possible, and to ensure the health, safety, and security of all while they wait. We will share further updates as soon as they are available.". The Boeing 777 aircraft landed safely, and no injuries have been reported among the passengers or crew. Air India is working closely with Russian authorities to ensure the well-being and comfort of all onboard during this unexpected stop. "At Air India, the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew remains our top priority," the Air India spokesperson said. "We are currently assessing the situation and will make arrangements for our passengers to reach their final destination as soon as possible." Passengers have been provided with food, accommodations, and necessary assistance while the airline determines the next steps. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available. The airline has expressed gratitude for the patience and understanding of the passengers and their families during this time. (ANI) A Nevada Republican lawmaker accused of duping donors into contributing tens of thousands of dollars for a statue honoring fallen police officers used the funds to pay for her daughter's wedding, federal authorities allege. Then-Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michelle Fiore vowed the $70,000 raised by constituents would fund a city park memorial for two cops killed in the line of duty in 2014. Instead, authorities allege she siphoned the money into her personal account, not only using it to pay for her daughter's nuptials, but to also pay for political fundraising bills and rent. Fiore, 53, now a Nye County Justice of the Peace, has been charged with four counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to authorities. She faces up to 20 years in prison for each count, if convicted. Addressing the allegations Thursday, Fiore said she was "deeply disappointed" to learn of the accusations through the media. "Anyone who knows me understands that I take immense pride in serving my constituency,both as a former councilwoman in Las Vegas and as a Justice of the Peace in Nye County," she said in a statement, according to KLAS-TV. "I have always approached my duties with utmost integrity and dedication." Fiore said the damning news has "profoundly impacted my life." "All matters shall be brought to light in a court of law, not in the court of public opinion, where I first learned of my own indictment. Now that I have been accused, I eagerly await my opportunity to address these charges in court." Fiore is scheduled to appear in court July 30. According to Bijapur Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Kumar Yadav, "Two DRG soldiers were injured in a pressure IED explosion planted by Naxalites in the forests of Mudvendi village in the Gangaluur police station area." The injured jawans are out of danger, SP Yadav added. (ANI) Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju inaugurated 'Lok Samvardhan Parv' in New Delhi on Thursday. As part of its 100 days programme, the Ministry of Minority Affairs is organising 'Lok Samvardhan Parv' to showcase the schemes, programmes and achievements of the Ministry. It is also highlighting the activities undertaken in convergence with partner organisations and success stories under its various schemes. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Rijiju said, ""The event Lok Samvardhan Parv is organised by the Ministry of Minority Affairs to give a platform to the talented artists supported by various welfare schemes launched by the Minority Ministry. We also provide them with a platform where they can put up their stalls and sell their items... I am happy that we could start this program in the first 100 days of our government. It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of reaching out to each section of society...It is a 10-day festival at the Dilli Haat..." The Minister released a coffee table book on the schemes and achievements of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. Further, a credit plan of the National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC) for extending credit of over Rs 1000 crores to over 2.5 lakh beneficiaries during 2024-25 was also released by the Minister, as per an official statement. It added that the 'Lok Samvardhan Parv' is showcasing schemes and programmes and achievements of the Ministry of Minority Affairs through a poster exhibition. Besides, unique schemes and success stories of state channelizing partners of NMDFC are also exhibited in the 'Lok Samvardhan Parv'. Lok Samvardhan Parv is celebrating and showcasing over 70 exquisite handicraft and handloom products from various states made by 162 artisans belonging to various minority communities. These participants include artisans promoted under various schemes of the Ministry through NIFT, NID and other Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs). Further, the artisans have also been nominated by the respective state Channelising Agencies of NMDFC, the release stated. (ANI) Ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, the AAP Haryana unit president, Sushil Gupta, said that the people of the state want Arvind Kejriwal and are looking for 24-hour electricity and water supply, as in Delhi. Speaking about the preparations for the upcoming assembly polls in the state, Gupta told ANI, "The Aam Aadmi Party is preparing for 90 assembly seats, preparations are going on at every booth. The people of Haryana want Arvind Kejriwal...". Gupta added, "Every person wants Haryana to get 24-hour electricity and water like Delhi and Punjab. Every person should get employment, and drug abuse and crime should be curbed. Haryana needs change..." On Thursday at a press conference, the Aam Aadmi Party announced that it will be contesting the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana on its own. The AAP contested one seat in Haryana in the recent Lok Sabha election in alliance with the Congress. Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday attacked the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, saying that both are two sides of the same coin. He accused them of spreading falsehoods among the people. The chief minister also expressed confidence in the BJP's victory in the state assembly election later this year. "The Aam Aadmi Party and Congress are two sides of the same coin; both lie but this time their lies have been exposed. The BJP government will be formed for the third time in the state," Saini said here. Haryana is one of the eight states that will be holding legislative assembly elections this year. Currently, the state is ruled by a coalition government formed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP). The Haryana Assembly Elections 2024 are expected to take place on or before October 2024, as the current Assembly's tenure is set to end on November 3 this year. However, the election schedule is yet to be announced. (ANI) The people paid their last respects to the mortal remains of Captain Brijesh Thapa, who lost his life in the Doda encounter, at his native place, Lebong, Darjeeling, on Friday. Four Indian Army soldiers, including Captain Brijesh Thapa, were killed in action during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Tuesday. "The last rites of my son will be performed today. People are coming here and showing their love and respect for my son. I feel proud that my son has gained so much love. We are always ready to sacrifice our lives for the nation, and what my son has done is one example," Colonel Bhuwanesh Thapa (retd), father of Captain Brijesh Thapa, told ANI. The last rites of Captain Brijesh Thapa will be performed on Friday at the Ging Lamahatta Crematorium in Lebong, Darjeeling. On July 16, Colonel Bhuwanesh Thapa (retd) remembered his son and expressed his pride in his son's service to the nation and its security. Speaking to ANI, he said that the government is taking action against the terrorists. "I could not believe it when I was informed that he was no more. He always wanted to be in the Indian Army, right from his childhood. He used to wear my Army dress and roam around. Even after he had completed his engineering, he still wanted to join the Army. He cleared the exam in one go and was admitted. I feel proud that my son has done something for the nation and for its security. The only sad part is that we won't be able to meet him again; otherwise, I am happy that he sacrificed his life for his country," he said. Earlier, on July 15, based on specific intelligence inputs, a joint operation by the Indian Army and the JK Police was in progress in the area north of Doda. According to the White Knight Corps, contact with the terrorists was established at about 9 PM, during which a heavy firefight ensued. Four Army soldiers, including an officer, were killed in the ensuing firefight. During the encounter, security forces recovered 30 rounds of the AK-47, one magazine of the AK-47 rifle, and one HE-36 hand grenade. On July 16, LtGen MV Suchindra Kumar, Northern Army Commander, laid a wreath to pay homage to the bravehearts Captain Brijesh Thapa, Naik D Rajesh, Sepoy Bijendra, and Sepoy Ajay Kumar Singh, who laid down their lives in the line of duty to ensure peace in the region while undertaking a counter-terrorist operation in Doda. The White Knight Corps said that the Dhruva Command stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief. (ANI) The Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of the Rajasthan Police has arrested Amarjeet Singh Bishnoi, a partner of gangster Rohit Godara, from Italy. After receiving information from the AGTF, Bishnoi, who carries a bounty of Rs 50,000, was arrested in the Sicily province of Italy, police said. Dinesh MN, Additional Director General (ADG) of Police in Anti Corruption Bureau, Rajasthan, said that on the information of Anti Gangster Task Force (AGTF), Amarjeet Bishnoi has been arrested from the Sicily province of Italy. ADG Dinesh MN said that his team had been tracking Amarjeet Singh for a long time and traced him down to Italy. Following this, the information was shared with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs which ultimately led to his arrest. Amarjeet Singh was living in Italy without any citizenship. He was detained by the Italian police on July 8. Earlier on December 3, 2022, gangsters from the Rohit Godara group shot dead another gangster, Raju Theth. Bishnoi was operating the gang from Italy. In another breakthrough, the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) Punjab in a joint operation with Rajasthan Police and Bathinda Police arrested three associates of Lawrence Bishnoi and USA-based Goldy Brar Gang, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav on Wednesday. Those arrested have been identified as Gurpreet Singh of Bhikhi in Mansa, Maninder Singh alias Munshi of Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda and Harcharanjit Singh of village Bir Khurd in Mansa. All the accused persons have a criminal history with cases pertaining to murder, attempt to murder, Arms Act and NDPS act registered against them. Police teams have also recovered two .32 calibre Pistols along with six cartridges from the possession of arrested accused persons. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that acting on the reliable inputs, AGTF teams under the overall supervision of ADGP Promod Ban along with Police teams from Bathinda apprehended accused Harcharanjit Singh, who was also wanted in attempt to murder case by the Mansa Police, with cooperation of Rajasthan Police. Police teams were headed by AIG Sandeep Goel and led by DSP Rajan Parminder. (ANI) The Lokayukta is raiding the residences of six officials in Bangalore city, two officials in Bangalore Rural District and two officials in Shimoga district and one officer each in Yadagiri and Tumkur. Fifty-four places belonging to officers were raided and records were checked by the Karnataka Lokayukta. The officials who are being raided include Additional Director of Industries and Commerce Department CT Muddu Kumar, Project Director of Yojana Nirdarshakaru Balawanth, Senior Veterinary Officer R Siddappa, Municipal Commissioner of Hebbagodi CMC K Narasimha Murthy, Joint Commissioner of Commercial Tax Ramesh Kumar and several other officials. Earlier last week, the Karnataka Lokayukta conducted statewide raids on government officials in nine districts across Karnataka. Raids by Lokayukta were conducted in 9 districts, including Mandya, Kolar, Belagavi, Mysore and Hassan, in connection with 11 cases registered with the agency. Over 100 Lokayukta sleuths carried out simultaneous raids at 56 locations in connection with the 11 disproportionate asset cases. Earlier, in March, a similar raid involving over 100 officials was conducted across Bengaluru, Bidar, Ramanagara, and Uttara Kannada districts, among others. Another raid at 40 locations was conducted in February of this year. (ANI) Chattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai attended the wreath-laying ceremony on Friday for a Special Task Force jawan Bharat Lal Sahu, who lost his life in the July 17 attack by Naxals in the Tarrem area of Bijapur district. The Chief Minister also offered a tribute to the jawan and carried the mortal remains of the jawan. Talking about the attack, Sai said, "The incident occurred on July 17. An IED blast occurred in Bijapur, which left two of our STF jawans dead and four other jawans injured. The four injured soldiers are now out of danger." Further, he said that the state is working to fight strongly against naxalism and that they will end naxalism, "We have been fighting strongly against naxalism. We will end naxalism in the state soon," the chief minister said. In an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) naxal attack in Bijapur district, two security personnel lost their lives and four others were injured 'On receiving intelligence about the presence of Naxal of Darbha Division, West Bastar Division and Military Company No.2 in the border area between Bijapur, Dantewada and Sukma, teams of STF, DRG, CoBRA and CRPF from the said districts went on in a joint operation on July 16, 2024,' the police said. The deceased jawans have been identified as Constable Bharat Sahu, a resident of Raipur, and Constable Satyer Singh Kange, a resident of Narayanpur. The security personnel who were part of an anti-naxal operation in the district were returning from the search operation when the incident happened. According to the police, additional security forces have been sent to the said area and arrangements have been made for the treatment of the injured STF jawans. Earlier, on July 17, in a significant anti-Naxal operation, security forces launched a major offensive at Wandoli village on the Maharashtra-Chattisgarh border, leading to the deaths of 12 naxals and the recovery of a substantial cache of arms. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that his monthly radio broadcast, 'Mann Ki Baat', for the month of July will air on Sunday, July 28. Taking to X, PM Modi said that he also got numerous inputs for this month's 'Mann Ki Baat' and he is very happy to see several youngsters highlight collective efforts aimed at transforming society. "I've been getting numerous inputs for this month's #MannKiBaat, which will take place on Sunday, the 28th. Happy to see several youngsters in particular highlight collective efforts aimed at transforming our society. You can keep sharing inputs on MyGov, the NaMo App or record your message on 1800-11-7800, " he said. This will be PM Modi's 112th episode in Mann Ki Baat. On Thursday evening, PM Modi also interacted with workers and colleagues of the BJP while attending the Sneh Milan programme at the BJP headquarters in Delhi. "Yesterday evening, I had the privilege of attending the Sneh Milan program organised at the BJP headquarters in Delhi. Interacting with my hardworking and dedicated workers and colleagues serving in the party office filled me with new energy and enthusiasm," Modi said on X. In his last episode of 'Mann Ki Baat', which aired on Sunday, June 30, Prime Minister Modi addressed the nation for the first time since February 2024 due to the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. In that episode, he highlighted the significant role of Sanskrit in ancient Indian knowledge and science. Addressing the milestone of Akashvani's Sanskrit Bulletin completing 50 years of broadcast on June 30. He further spoke about the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign launched on World Environment Day, appealing to citizens and people worldwide to join the tree plantation initiative with their mothers to celebrate both motherhood and the environment. 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. 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 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, and has influenced people towards positive actions. (ANI) Amid heavy and continuous rainfall and reports of landslides in a few areas of the Nilgiri district in Tamil Nadu, the Niligiri district administrator declared holidays in schools on Friday. District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneru declared a holiday for schools in the Ooty, Gudalur, kundha and Pandalu regions of the district as the district has experienced heavy rain for the past five days. She further declared a holiday for schools in four other taluks, including Udkai, Kunta, Kudalur and Bandalur, today. The Nilgiris district has been experiencing heavy rain for the last five days. As a result, landslides have occurred in many places and trees have fallen, affecting the flow of traffic. Authorities have taken notice of the situation and are working in order to clear the roads and have a steady flow of traffic. In Kudalur and Bandalur areas, the people have been greatly affected as floodwater entered the houses in the low-lying areas. The maximum rainfall was recorded in the Avalanchi area at 21 cm in the district, followed by 12.6 cm in the Cherangode region. The Upper Bhawani region has also received 12 cm of rain and the Bandalur region has received 10.4 cm of rain. In the Alluri Seetharamaraju district of Andhra Pradesh, district collector AS Dinesh Kumar has also declared a holiday on Friday for all educational institutions in the district due to the widespread rains. Heavy rainfall has also affected the Kottayam district of Kerala, which has caused distress among the people as most houses are also seen underwater. The western parts of Kottayam, like Thiruvarppu, Illikkal and Pathinarilchira, are waterlogged, with roads submerged underwater. Rain also lashed in parts of Karnataka's Mangaluru city. The India Meteorological Department has also issued an orange alert for very heavy rainfall in an isolated region in the state of Kerala today. (ANI) The Uttar Pradesh Police arrested a man who shot at a woman in Jahangirpur Police Station yesterday. The video of the accused shooting the woman went viral on social media on Wednesday. The accused, identified as Dabangg Munesh, shot the woman in broad daylight because she was unable to repay her husband's loan. Munesh had opened the door of the victim's house and shot her with a pistol. Luckily, the woman narrowly escaped the bullet. The husband of the victim had died a year ago and the accused was constantly pressuring the victim to pay the loan. The viral video also showed the accused bullying the victim. The Circle Officer of Khurja, Varun Kumar, said that a case has been filed and the accused has been taken into arrest. The investigations in the case are currently ongoing. The police also said that the accused had fractured his left hand after he slipped off while escaping. "A case has been filed by the Jahangirpur Police Station and the accused has been taken under arrest. The investigations are on. The accused had fractured his left hand after he slipped while escaping," Kumar said. Earlier, on July 16, two people were apprehended in connection with the murder of a patient inside a ward at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital (GTB) in Delhi. The police had registered a case on July 14 based on the statement of a person, Tarranum Malik. In her statement, Malik said that her brother Riyazzudin was shot by an unknown person in Ward 24 of the GTB Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment. A PCR call was made, and the case was registered. Police had obtained the video footage from the cameras near the ward and the ground-floor cameras, which showed four people entering the hospital's emergency gate. (ANI) Apartheid South African born-and-raised tech mogul Elon Musk posted a widely bashed dig on his own social media platform disparaging a large number of fictional superheroes who are being portrayed by people of color. Muck posted several side-by-side images of once-white superheroes most of them cartoon characters who are now represented by people of color, saying simply: "Wow." Musk is well-known foe of the so-called "woke" perspective that recognizes the value of diversity among human beings and in human culture. He was flamed on social media. "You know [the play] 'Cats' doesn't doesn't star actual cats, right?" asked one critic in response. He raised the possibility that Musk expected China to send out for non-Asian people to portray superheroes who have been represented by whites in the past, pointing out: "You know when they do Shakespeare in China, the actors are Chinese, right?" Why wow? You know when they do Shakespeare in China, the actors are Chinese, right? Non-pluralistic content is going to have a pluralistic interpretation in a pluralistic society. If the perceived superficial quality of the character isnt pertinent to the story told by the Paul C. Jeffries (@PaulJeffries) July 19, 2024 "What is this tweet?" another asked. "Make America white again?" What is this tweet?! Make America white again??!!!! Why should we care about the skin color of fictional characters?! Mehdi Sadaghdar (@ElectroBOOMGuy) July 19, 2024 One post pointed out that Caucasian Tom Cruise crossed races to star in "The Last Samurai," which Musk never complained about. Imagine being triggered by women and people of color portraying superheroes and comic book characters. (@ChidiNwatu) July 18, 2024 Right, theyre even making South Africans look like this now pic.twitter.com/RvHuge4NQ1 Duopoly Destroyer (@realnikohouse) July 18, 2024 There is nothing anyone can say or do to confront this level of gaslighting. Thats the loop were inthe gaslighting paradox of the worlds richest man pretending hes some savior of free speech and the victim of powerful woke forces on his own personal social media platform. Luke Zaleski (@ZaleskiLuke) July 18, 2024 Musk has endorsed Donald Trump for president and is now set to donate as much as $45 million a month to a Super PAC backing Trump according to several reports, although Musk denied the figure. He vowed earlier in the year not to use his fortune to "tip the scale" for any candidate. Emphasising 'Aatmanirbharta and Aatmanirbhar Bharat', Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal AP Singh on Friday asserted that the weapons that the forces are talking about of the future should be developed and manufactured in India, adding that Aatmaribharta is what we are riding on. "We all understand that we, as a nation, face a large number of challenges today. It is from conventional challenges, which are also increasingly becoming more and more aggressive and also unorthodox application of force in the air domain using the sub-conventional weapons that we spoke about," the Air Marshal said. He further said that, as an Indian Air Force, we are engaged with the DRDO, private industry, communications, command and control, and we already have a very robust Air Defence network. "So, it's in this highly dense battlespace, we need to put in place plans to have optimal and innovative utilization of whatever resources we have. At the same time, we need to make sure that we are innovating, we are improving our system by going through upgrades or by going through procurements - whatever is possible. We are putting things in place so that we understand where we are going and whether we can match the challenges that are in the future," he added. He further said that the biggest lesson that we have learned from today's geopolitics is to be self-reliant. "Like they say, there is no permanent enemy or permanent friend. They all have permanent interests. So, Aatmanirbharta and Aatmanirbhar Bharat which we have been talking about are not just buzzwords. It is something that we need to put our heart and soul into and make sure that these technologies that we are talking about, the weapons that we are talking about of the future, are all developed and manufactured in India so that we are not relying on an outside agency who could change its alliance, who could stop the flow of weapons to our country and put us on the mat when the time comes," he said. The Air Marshal said that the nation's defence comes first and foremost and if the Indian Air Force or Indian forces have to ride on this Aatmaribharta. "Aatmaribharta is what we are riding on...But this aatmaribharta cannot be at the cost of the nation's defence. The nation's defence comes first and foremost and if the Indian Air Force or Indian forces have to ride on this aatmaribharta, it is only possible if everyone - from DRDO, to DPSU, to the private industry, holds the hand and takes us to that path and don't let us deviate from that path. Because when it comes to national defence, there will be compulsions to deviate from their path in case we do not get the things that we need or the kind of system and weaponry that is required to survive in today's world," he said. "So, my humble request to each one of us here is that let's put a system in place where we are helping each other out in achieving the overall goal, which is our goal. It is not anybody else's...If we have to defend the nation, it is everybody's job. It is not just the job of a person in uniform," he said. (ANI) The move by the Uttar Pradesh government to enforce the use of ID Cards by all shops in the state that fall along the Kanwar Yatra route has resulted in a political slugfest between the BJP and the opposition. Speaking to ANI, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi emphasised the need for communal harmony. "Confusion had erupted on the basis of a limited administrative guideline. I am happy that the State Government has clarified all communal confusion. As far as devotion, respect, and safety of Kanwar Yatra are concerned, nobody has any objection to it. Nobody should make any attempts to create communal confusion on matters like this. This is good neither for a country nor a religion or humankind," he said. "I have myself taken the Kanwar Yatra many times. There have been several instances where many yatris have complained about the things served. I would say whatever is good, take it, and what is not, ignore it. You can take anything from your choice of place. What matters is respect towards faith and its safety. There should be no politics over it," Naqvi further added. Meanwhile, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Govt. of Uttar Pradesh, Kapil Dev Aggarwal, addressed the issue of food shops on the Kanwar route, clarifying that it is not about every food cart. "Those who carry 'jal' from Haridwar and travel for 250-300 km cross this route to reach their destination. We had urged the district administration that all such people who run their dhaba/hotel after the names of Hindu deities are mostly from the Muslim community. Kanwariyas visit their shops where non-veg is sold. So, if the name of the shop is after a Hindu deity but non-veg is sold there, all such establishments should be prohibited, they should be identified. We have no objection to the sale of non-veg. Kanwariyas would not purchase it. We have only urged that non-veg should not be sold by opening shops after the names of Hindu deities," Aggarwal said. He further added, "So, the administration has acted accordingly. Politicians are giving it a Hindu-Muslim angle. But it is not a Hindu-Muslim matter; it is a matter of social harmony. People can sit and eat wherever they want, but they should have knowledge of where they are sitting." Ajay Rai, Uttar Pradesh Congress chief, criticised the guidelines, calling them impractical and divisive. "This is absolutely impractical. They are trying to impair the sense of brotherhood in society, trying to create distance among people. This should be cancelled immediately. The action should be taken against such officials who have imposed this and should be suspended." Rai stated. The chief priest of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, Acharya Satendra Das, supported the order, highlighting concerns about Muslim-run shops operating under Hindu names and cleanliness issues. "The new order states that Muslim-owned shops should have Muslim names, and Hindu-owned shops should have Hindu names, to clearly identify whether they are Hindu or Muslim. Any objection to this is wrong. Therefore, the decision by Yogi Ji to display whether the owner is Hindu or Muslim is justified. This will make it clear, and there will be no discrimination, as some perceive", Acharya Das affirmed. The Uttar Pradesh State Government clarified on Friday the guidelines regarding nameplates on food shops along the Kanwar route were to ensure the smooth conduct of the Kanwar Yatra, which begins on July 22. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mandated that food and beverage shops along Kanwar routes display the name and identity of the operator/owner to maintain the sanctity of the pilgrims' faith. Additionally, action will be taken against those selling halal-certified products. Earlier on Thursday, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the move likening it to apartheid and Nazi-era practices. Owaisi challenged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to issue a written order, accusing the government of clear discrimination against Muslims. Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav labelled the order as a "social crime" and called for court intervention, questioning the intention behind the government and administration's actions. "What will be known from the name of the person whose name is Guddu, Munna, Chhotu or Fateh? The honourable court should take suo-motto cognizance investigate the intention of the government behind such administration, and take appropriate punitive action. Such orders are social crimes that want to spoil the peaceful environment of harmony," he said in a post on X. On Thursday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to ensure the smooth conduct of the Kanwar Yatra, providing guidelines for water, power, urban development, and energy ministers to maintain peace and security during the event. (ANI) Amidst the ongoing protests in Bangladesh, People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to intervene and ensure the safety of thousands of Kashmiri students in Bangladesh. "As protests and turmoil grip Bangladesh, I urge @DrSJaishankar to urgently intervene and ensure the safety of thousands of Kashmiri students in Bangladesh. Internet services being suspended has only added to the distress of their parents. Immediate steps must be taken to bring them back home," Mufti posted on X. On Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs said "Indian nationals in Bangladesh are requested to follow the advisory issued by the High Commission of India in Dhaka. The High Commission and Assistant High Commissions remain available on helpline numbers for any assistance required by Indian nationals." Meanwhile, security heightened outside the Bangladesh High Commission as a precautionary measure, in anticipation of any protests outside the Commission amid the ongoing anti-quota protests in Bangladesh. The protests have been driven by demands for reform of the country's quota system for civil service jobs, which reserves positions for specific groups, including descendants of those who participated in the 1971 War of Independence against Pakistan. On Thursday, protests intensified as students clashed with law enforcement in various locations across Dhaka. In Merul Badda, near Brac University, demonstrators blocked roads and engaged in violent confrontations with police, resulting in multiple injuries. By late morning, police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd, leading to significant traffic disruptions in the area, Dhaka Tribune reported. Additionally, students obstructed the entrance to the Bashundhara Residential Area on Pragati Sarani and blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Jatrabari, severely affecting public transportation and causing widespread inconvenience. The Mirpur 10 roundabout and surrounding areas also experienced a heavy police presence, with many local markets and shops remaining closed. The protests began in response to perceived police brutality and have evolved into a broader demand for justice for those injured or killed in previous demonstrations, as well as a call for a violence-free campus and rational reform of the quota system, as reported by Dhaka Tribune. The Indian government continues to monitor the situation and advises all citizens in Bangladesh to adhere to the travel advisory and reach out to the High Commission or Assistant High Commissions if they need urgent assistance. (ANI) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken into custody a first-year MBBS student of the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case. The student was interrogated on Wednesday, following which she was taken into custody on Thursday. "The student belonged to the 2023 batch which is a first-year student and she is now under the custody of CBI. They initially approached the administration for some initial information from the student and yesterday they again approached for further investigation in the same and then they proceeded with the custody of the student," Rajiv Ranjan, the RIMS Public Relations Official said. Ranjan said that the CBI had earlier approached the medical institution for more information and the administration is ready to offer its support for the investigation. "The CBI had approached us for further information in this case. The administration will give full support and whatever information is needed will be given to them whenever they approach but till now after the custody, there is no such thing...," he said. On Thursday, the CBI arrested four medical students from AIIMS Patna in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case. As per the CBI sources, the four accused were identified as Karan Jain, Kumar Sanu, Rahul Anand and Chandan Singh used to solve papers for the main accused, Pankaj Singh. All the accused in the case have been sent to four days of CBI custody. The CBI arrested two more people in connection with the case on July 16. The arrested persons were identified as Pankaj Kumar Singh and Raju Singh. They were arrested in Patna and Hazaribagh, respectively. The NEET-UG exam, held on May 5, 2024, has been mired in controversy, with allegations of cheating and impersonation. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the exam, has faced severe criticism, leading to protests and legal actions. The Union Health Ministry has postponed the NEET-PG 2024 examination, with new dates to be announced soon. The NEET-UG examination, conducted by NTA, is the pathway for admissions into MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country. The NEET-UG 2024 was held across 4,750 centres on May 5 and around 24 lakh candidates appeared in it. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and legislators staged a protest at the Gandhi statue of the Karnataka Vidhan Soudha over the Maharishi Valmiki Development Corporation and MUDA 'scams'. The BJP MLAs and MLCs demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the alleged 'scams'. "Congress has looted money from SC-ST and used that money for the elections in Karnataka and Telangana. We are protesting against that... The CM should resign...," BJP leader CT Ravi said speaking to ANI on Friday. In response to this, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the ruling party will be speaking about the scams that took place when the BJP government was in power in the state during the Assembly session. "...When BJP government was there in Karnataka, several scams took place... We will tell this before the Assembly and will bring this on record. More than Rs 300 cr scams have taken place under the BJP government. We will tell this in House that they are the kings of corruption...," Shivakumar said. Speaking about the allegations, he said, "Some inquiries are underway and soon we will book the culprits..." Earlier on Thursday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit out at the BJP asking why the party did not implement any legislation to increase the budgetary allocation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes when they were in power. Siddaramaiah replied to the debate in the House under Rule 69 on the alleged misuse of grants by Valmiki Development Corporation. The alleged corruption case of the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation pertains to the "illegal transfer" of funds from the Maharshi Valmiki ST Corporation, which is charged with implementing welfare programmes for scheduled tribe members. "My reply to the debate in the House under Rule 69 on the misuse of grants by Valmiki Development Corporation. R. Ashok and Vijayendra have asked for my resignation in the Valmiki Corporation case. Former Home Minister Araga Gyanendra said to withdraw the Special Investigation Team. Did you say this about SIT even when you were Home Minister? I want to ask them that," the Chief Minister posted on X. "Chandrasekhar committed suicide on May 26. He belongs to the Bovi community of Tamil Nadu. The opposition party has spoken about Dalit and Dalit a thousand times," he added. The Valmiki case came to light after an official of the corporation died by suicide and left a note containing an allegation of multi-crore corruption in the corporation. The official was identified as Chandrasekaran (45), a resident of the Kenchappa colony in Vinobanagar. He was a superintendent with the MVDC and was posted at its Bengaluru office. In a six-page suicide note recovered by police, Chandrasekaran mentioned the names of three officials and alleged corruption worth crores in the corporation, demanding action against the named officials. (ANI) In a move aimed at maintaining the sanctity of the Kanwar Yatra, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has mandated that all food and beverage shops along the Kanwar routes in Uttar Pradesh must display nameplates with the name and identity of the owner or operator. This decision is part of a broader initiative to ensure the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage, which begins on July 22. The directive, which also includes action against shops selling halal-certified products, has received mixed reactions and has sparked political debate. On Friday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mohsin Raza supported the move, stating, "Kanwar Yatra takes place on a large scale in UP. CM Yogi Adityanath has always been attentive towards the security of the public." "The facilities and management of Kanwar Yatra have always been improved over the last 7 years. This is the 8th year... The government is providing facilities and security. So no one has to hide their name. It also gives a message of harmony... The opposition is trying to oppose the Kanwar Yatra and not this advisory," Raza further added. Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) National General Secretary Trilok Tyagi criticized the directive, saying, "Gandhiji, Chaudhary Charan Singh, and other personalities have spoken about keeping religion and caste behind. Now, politicians are bringing religion and caste forward in politics. I think the action is not correct. Why make someone write their name on street carts? They have the right to work... This tradition is absolutely wrong. It is up to the customer; they can make purchases from wherever they want..." Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Manoj Jha called the directive a "mindless exercise," questioning, "Will they ask the fruits whether they have been grown by a Hindu or Muslim? Will they ask the vegetables who have grown them? This should not be done." Janata Dal-United (JDU) leader KC Tyagi noted, "A Kanwar Yatra bigger than this (in UP) takes place in Bihar. No such order is in effect there. These prohibitions that have been imposed are in violation of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' that the PM speaks of. The order is not in effect in Bihar, Rajasthan, or Jharkhand. It would be good if it is reviewed." BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam dismissed concerns, stating, "The public living in areas for which the orders have been passed have no problem. The Muslims have no problem with it; they welcome the Kanwar yatris. Unfortunately, some people are doing politics on it." Former Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma welcomed the step, emphasizing its role in fostering mutual harmony. "This is a welcome step, and the government has issued this order to increase mutual harmony among people. About 40-50% of people write their owner's name below the shop. I think that this is a better effort under the sense of respect and protection of religious faith given in the constitutional system," Sharma said. "Hindus and Muslims should walk together; people drink water if Muslims offer water in Ramleela, and Hindus welcome them on Eid. There is no objection to this, but the rules of fasts, festivals, and Kanwar Yatra should not be violated. With this intention, this decision is a welcome step," Sharma added. Seers in Ayodhya have also supported the order. Jagatguru Ram Dineshacharya Ji Maharaj stated, "This decision by Chief Minister Adityanath will strengthen Sanatan culture." Similarly, Divakaracharya Ji Maharaj of Leela Bihari Temple called it a "beautiful initiative." The chief priest of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, Acharya Satendra Das, supported the order, citing concerns about Muslim-run shops under Hindu names. "The decision by Yogi Ji to display whether the owner is Hindu or Muslim is justified," Acharya Das affirmed. In Uttarakhand, the Haridwar Police Administration issued similar instructions. Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Padmendra Dobal stated, "We have given general instructions to the hotels, dhabas, restaurants, and hawkers on the Kanwar route that they will write the name of the owner on their shops. If they fail to do so, we will take legal action against them." Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath remains firm on the directive, emphasizing its role in maintaining peace and security during the Kanwar Yatra. Despite the controversy, the Uttar Pradesh State Government reiterates that the guidelines aim to ensure a harmonious environment for pilgrims. (ANI) The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday demanded the immediate withdrawal of criminal cases filed against people for waving Palestinian flags during Muharram processions. CPI(M) in a statement said that it has been reported that cases were filed in Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand under stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) upon complaints made by BJP and VHP leaders for allegedly waving a Palestinian flag during a procession of Muharram. "Most of these states where the cases were filed are governed by the BJP and its allies or under the direct governance of the central government. The BJP-led government claims to support the Palestinian State, but the filing of these cases exposes its true face. It is unable to tolerate Indian people's support to Palestine," CPI (M) said in a statement. The CPI (M) further demanded the withdrawal of these cases and immediate release of all those who are detained or arrested for expressing their support for Palestine. "The central government should unequivocally express its solidarity with Palestine, demand Israel withdraw from all the territories it had occupied and restore the Statehood of Palestine, with pre-1967 borders and East Jerusalem as the capital," CPI (M) added. Notably, India maintains diplomatic relations with Palestine. India's policy towards Palestine has been long-standing and consistent. We have supported a negotiated two State solution, towards establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable State of Palestine within secure and recognized borders, living side by side in peace with Israel, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Moreover, India has strongly condemned the terror attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the loss of civilian lives in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. We have called for restraint and de-escalation and emphasized peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. (ANI) Fisherfolk along with many leaders, staged a protest at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on Friday to demand the immediate release of 74 fishermen who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy this year. The protesters also demanded the release of 170 steamboats and country boats seized by the Lankan Navy. They also appealed for the immediate release of the six fishermen who were arrested by the Lankan Navy and had already been sentenced to 1 year, 2 years and 6 months of imprisonment in the Sri Lankan jail. From 2018 to 2024, the Sri Lankan Navy seized a total of 170 steamboats and country boats belonging to the fishermen of Tamil Nadu. The fisherfolk demanded appropriate compensation from the central government as well as the Tamil Nadu government for any damage found on barges and country boats. The protest was staged by the Fishermen of Rameswaram and the Pampan All Fishermen Federation near the Rameswaram bus station. They further demanded that they should be allowed to fish in the traditional Kachchthivu area without any problem. The protest also saw the presence of local leaders, including Ramanathapuram Assembly Member Katharpatsa Muthuramalingam, Tamil Nadu Aquaculture Association President Gauthaman, Fishermen Congress National President Armstrong, Kanyakumari MP Vijayvasant, Tirunelveli MP Robert Bruce, Congress Legislative Party Leader Rajeskumar, former Mandapam Union Secretary V.C. Kanagarajan, Rameswaram Municipal Chairman Nazarkhan, along with thousands of fishermen, fisherwomen.' On Thursday, July 11, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 13 Indian fishermen and seized three boats near Delft Island in the Palk Bay Sea area of the Indian Ocean early in the morning. In another incident on Monday, July 1, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 26 Indian fishermen and also seized four boats from the Palk Bay Sea area. The fishermen had gone fishing from Pamban in the Rameswaram Island area near the Palk Bay sea area. Commenting on the situation of Indian fishermen being arrested by Sri Lankan authorities, Sri Lanka's State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya said, "This is a persistent problem. But I also think that especially the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the people of Tamil Nadu should realise that the people in the north and east have suffered the most during the war. After 30 years' war, for 30 years they suffered because of the war." (ANI) The Telangana Government has adopted a new policy and moved forward to strengthen the education system in all government schools, according to an official press release. According to the press release, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy instructed Secretary to Education Department Burra Venkatesham to prepare plans to strengthen all government schools in the state within a period of three years. CM Reddy ordered the officials to come up with constructive proposals to open "semi-residential schools" along with "integrated residential schools". The CM asked the Education Department to prepare proposals to provide education up to the 3rd standard in Anganwadi centres on the lines of play schools. According to the press release, "Arrangements should be made to provide educational facilities to all students in their native villages. The CM suggested finalizing a plan to recruit one additional teacher in Anganwadi centres." CM Reddy has planned to establish semi-residential schools to offer education up to the 4th standard. According to the release, transport facilities should be provided for students who study in semi-residential schools. Officials have been asked to seek the opinions of educational experts and prepare plans to take up the pilot project in one or two mandals. According to the official release, CM Reddy directed officials and said, "Apart from the government allocations, utilise CRS funds also to improve the facilities for the students in government schools. Take all necessary measures to provide quality education to the students." Earlier on Thursday, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu released over Rs 6,000 crore into the accounts of farmers under the loan waiver scheme 2024 from the Secretariat in Hyderabad. Speaking on the occasion, Bhatti Vikramarka said that today is a big festival day for farmers in Telangana. It is a day that should be written with golden letters in the nation's history. Whole country is looking at Telangana with wonder for waiving upto Rs 2 lakh loan of farmers at one go. By doing so, Telangana State created a record, he said. No State ever implemented Rs 2 lakh loan waiver for farmers at once in the country and Telangana became a model State in this for the country, he added. The whole Congress Party which already fulfilled five of six guarantees promised in the election manifesto today also kept its word on loan waiver of upto Rs 2 lakhs to farmers. After the bifurcation of the State, though the rich Telangana State was governed by the BRS Party, the KCR government could implement Rs one lakh loan waiver scheme over a period of five years in four instalments. The BRS which came to power in 2018 in fact could not completely implement Rs 1 lakh loan waiver scheme for farmers even in five years, he said. (ANI) Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), under the leadership of President Anbumani Ramadoss, staged a protest on Friday against the DMK government's electricity tariff hike and called the decision "electricity terrorism". PMK leaders held a protest to condemn the state's DMK government over the recent electricity tariff hike. PMK leaders raised slogans against the DMK government. PMK President and Rajya Sabha MP Anbumani Ramadoss, while staging a protest, said, "Just after the Vikravandi by-poll, they have announced the electricity bill tariff hike, which will be applicable from July 1. A total of 33.7 percent tariff has been increased so far under the DMK government multiple times. In the history of Tamil Nadu, no one has ever done this much of an electricity bill tariff hike. This is "electricity terrorism" against the people of Tamil Nadu. In 23 months, 33.7 percent of electricity bill tariffs have been increased." He further accused the ruling party, DMK, of corruption and said, "There is no proper administration in the Tamil Nadu government. There is corruption everywhere, and that's why the government is saying that the electricity board is facing losses." Earlier on Thursday, Desiya Murpoku Dravidar Kazhagam (DMDK) announced that it will conduct a state-wide protest on July 25 against the DMK government in Tamil Nadu, raising many issues. The party said that the protest is against the electricity bill hike, the "non-availability" of essential items in the public distribution system in the state and also against the Karnataka government's refusal to comply with the Cauvery water management authority's direction. Meanwhile, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader Sellur Raju on Thursday slammed the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government for increasing the electricity tariff and said that the MK Stalin-led government has given the electricity tariff hike as a "gift" to the people who voted for the DMK in 40 constituencies in the last parliamentary election. Earlier on July 16, the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO) said that it has been compelled to increase the electricity tariff to cover increasing financial loss. The state power distribution company said that the total financial loss of the Tamil Nadu Power Generation and Distribution Corporation, which was Rs 18.954 crore in 2011-12, increased to Rs 94,312 crore in the last 10 years, TANGEDCO said in a press release. The loan amount of Rs 43,493 crore to Tamil Nadu Power Generation and Distribution Corporation and Power Network Corporation in 2011-12 has increased three times in the last 10 years to Rs 1,59,823 crore till (2021-22). Opposition party leaders like All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary Edappadi Palaniswami and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State President Annamalai condemned the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led Tamil Nadu government for the power tariff hike. (ANI) Mark Zuckerberg said Donald Trump's defiance after surviving an assassination attempt at a campaign rally last weekend was "badass," but he won't go as far as endorsing him. The CEO of Meta Platforms told Bloomberg News that he has no plans to give his backing to either Trump or President Joe Biden. "Seeing Donald Trump get up after getting shot in the face and pump his fist in the air with the American flag is one of the most badass things I've ever seen in my life," Zuckerberg told Bloombert during an interview Thursday. "On some level as an American, it's like hard to not get kind of emotional about that spirit and that fight, and I think that that's why a lot of people like the guy," he said. The tech titan said he is "not planning" to get involved in the 2024 election. Other influential Silicon Valley figures like Tesla's Elon Musk and venture capitalists Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz said they would donate to the former president. Trump was speaking at the rally in Butler, Pa., Saturday afternoon when a gunman opened fire, with one of the bullets grazing his right ear. The former president addressed the attempt on his life for the first time publicly Thursday night as he accepted the Republican Party's presidential nomination, saying he was alive by the "grace of almighty God." The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at that very last instant, the assassin's bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be here tonight. We would not be together," Trump told the crowd at the Republican National Convention. Zuckerberg suspended Trump from Facebook and Instagram for two years after a crowd of pro-Trump supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. 2021. Trump has since been reinstated on the platforms. A doctor whose quick actions helped save the life of an elderly man who suffered a heart attack at the Delhi Airport recently was flooded with appreciation from social media users after a video of her reviving the victim was shared widely online. Dr Priya who administered CPR to the man who was in his 60s who collapsed after suffering a heart attack at Terminal 2 of Delhi Airport said that nobody one could take the place of God but can only work according to his will. She also highlighted that quick administration of CPR saved the man's life. Recounting the events, Dr Priya said, "The first thing is that no one can take the place of God. We are able to do any work only with his signals. We returned from Amarnath Yatra that day and our flight had got delayed... At that time, we were in the food court area. At a nearby stall, there was an elderly man who suddenly fell." She further said, "My husband Dr Ramakant Goyal was also with me. When we reached, a doctor couple were also there. When all four of us examined him, we found him unresponsive. His heartbeat had stopped and there was no pulse at all. We immediately performed CPR and within about five minutes, he turned responsive. His breathing and pulse had started and we continued the CPR..." Dr Priya added that within some time, he became stable and his pulse rate got better. "We had called the airport staff as well. We later checked the patient's pulse and saturation and it was better." The doctor's efforts were lauded by Vasudev Devnani, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in Rajasthan. Devani took to his official X handle and praised Dr Priya for saving the man's life. He said, "Dr Priya, a resident of Jaipur and Senior DMO at Ajmer Railway Hospital, saved the life of an elderly person by giving CPR at Delhi Airport with her intelligence. The elderly person had a heart attack." Devnani said, "Her wisdom and courageous act is going to make all of us aware. Giving CPR within five to six minutes of a heart attack can save the person's life and he can be taken to the hospital on time." CPR, which stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is performed during cardiac arrest when the heart stops beating or beats too ineffectively to circulate blood to the brain and other vital organs. "CPR is a technique that is used when heartbeat stops and blood flow to any part of the body stops, or when blood flow to our brain stops, irreversible damage starts," Dr Priya said noting that CPR administered within a few minutes of a person suffering a heart attack can increase in the chances of reviving patients. (ANI) In continuation of the World Population Day observance, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, held a meeting with public health experts on Friday and highlighted the importance of healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies. The theme of the event was "Reaching the Last Mile for Ensuring Healthy Timing and Spacing between Pregnancies: Issues and Challenges," according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare press release. During the meeting, the Union Minister said, "Adequately spaced pregnancies can significantly enhance maternal and child health outcomes. This reduces health risks and empowers women and families to make informed choices about their reproductive health." She further added that "the government's efforts have resulted in reduction of maternal mortality from over 130 to 97 per one-lakh births." She also emphasized that the government has always been conscious of these issues. "The launch of initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA), Extended PMSMA, identification of High-Risk Pregnancy in PMSMA, Anemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, and the Post-Partum Family Planning Programme (Post-Partum IUCD and Post Abortion IUCD) are some examples of the Government's commitment to the cause," Patel added. The Union Minister also highlighted the efforts taken by states on their own to bring about the involvement of men in family planning. She also underscored the importance of an effective communication strategy. "The task of achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047 cannot be done without empowering our women. Healthy timing and spacing between pregnancies are very important for women's health," she added. Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary and Mission Director (NHM), MoHFW highlighted that India has already achieved a Total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.0 with 31 States/UTs achieving replacement level. However, she pointed out the need for an effective strategy to bring the TFR under replacement level in the five remaining states. Discussions ranged across a myriad of topics impacting family planning services, from equal participation of men and women in family planning and the use of data in family planning to global best practices and their applicability in India. Participants also shared learnings and proposed strategies, future horizons for newer contraceptives, and their experiences with family planning programmes, the press release added. Public Health Experts who were present at the event included Dr Kalpana Apte, Head, Family Planning Association, India; Dr Saswati Das, Sexual and Reproductive Health Specialist, UNFPA India; Dr Chander Shekhar, Professor and Head of the Department of Fertility and Social Demography at the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Mumbai; Ms Moni Sinha Sagar, Division Chief for the Family Health/RMNCHA Division, USAID India; Dr Somesh Kumar, Country Director, Jhpiego India; Professor Sudha Prasad, Director and Chief of Matritava Advanced IVF and Maternity Centre, Gurugram; and Dr S K Sikdar, Ex Advisor (Family Planning and Maternal Health), MoHFW, Government of India. Professor Sudha Prasad, Director and Chief of Matritava Advanced IVF and Maternity Centre, Gurugram shed light on various causes of maternal mortality, nutritional deficiencies due to inadequate spacing between pregnancies, and the importance of spacing between children. She emphasized on the need to provide a full range of contraceptive options to women and couples to reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies. Dr. Kalpana Apte, Head, Family Planning Association, India spoke about traditional gender norms in India and emphasized the need for male participation in family planning as a priority. She also stressed on the need to increase couple communication and male grassroot level support for talking to men on family planning. Moni Sinha Sagar, Division Chief for the Family Health/RMNCHA Division, USAID India underscored the importance of expanding the basket of choices and introducing newer contraceptives like hormonal Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) and vaginal rings. She highlighted that the NFHS-5 data shows accomplishments in a lot of areas, however, challenges remain on high occurrence of teenage pregnancies and use of traditional methods of contraception. All the speakers unanimously voiced that equipping adolescents with accurate and judgment-free information about contraceptive options is essential for enabling informed decision-making and improving accessibility to family planning and reproductive health choices, the press release said. The Union Minister appreciated the experts for their commitment to the cause and noted that by empowering youth, addressing the challenges of equal participation of men and women, increasing couple communication, learning from best practices, taking cues from current and historical trends in family planning data, and expanding the contraceptive basket of choices, we would be able to reach the last mile. She also emphasized that identifying and mapping regions, districts, and blocks with low uptake of family planning services, low demand for modern contraceptives, high unmet needs, and similar state-appropriate criteria, and saturating them with family planning services, enhanced social and behaviour change communication, and involving frontline workers in these efforts can be a possible roadmap to achieve successful desired outcomes. (ANI) BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla on Friday slammed Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi for being "silent" on atrocities against women in Congress-ruled or other INDIA bloc parties-ruled states. "The Congress Party was silent on the Sandeshkhali incident and the Swati Maliwal assault case. Even today, they are silent on the incidents of atrocities against women in Howrah and Telangana," Poonawalla told reporters here. "The Supreme Court came up with an order for women's empowerment. Rahul Gandhi did not welcome that order of the Supreme Court. Just holding the Constitution will not do anything. You should also agree to what's written in it," he added. Bibhav Kumar, an aide of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was accused of physically assaulting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. The Delhi Police on Tuesday filed a charge sheet against Bibhav Kumar in the case in Tis Hazari Court in Delhi. The court was informed that police have invoked Sections 308, 354, 354 B, 506, 509, and 341, IPC and Section 201 of IPC has been added in the charge sheet. The Sandeshkhali incident in TMC-ruled West Bengal pertains to multiple allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court rejected the West Bengal government's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court order directing a CBI probe into allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subhas Sarkar had slammed the ruling Trinamool Congress for approaching the top court to protect people involved in mafia and corruption. "...The West Bengal government approaches the Supreme Court to protect people involved in mafia, corruption ...The Supreme Court gave a decision in the favour of public and victims...The West Bengal government spends money on protecting the people who are working against the public...," Sarkar said speaking to ANI on Friday. A bench of justices in the Supreme Court, BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan, had refused to interfere with the Calcutta HC order, which allowed the CBI to probe into the matter. The court also commented that WB police had done nothing in the matter for months. Justifying the Calcutta HC decision, the top court said that the high court order pertains to all related incidents. However, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi for West Bengal, replied that they have done much work related to the case and there can't be a a blanket direction. However, the apex court was not convinced but made it clear that today's observations in the order shall not influence the trial or future remedies in connection with the case. (ANI) The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Punjab government and others to file a reply to the petition challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's direction to State of Punjab and the Union Territory of Chandigarh to remove protestors from the border of Chandigarh and Mohali YPS Chowk. A bench of Justices BR Gavai, KV Viswanathan, and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh issued notice on the petition and tagged the matter with other similar petitions. The court has sought responses from Arrive Safe Society, Punjab State, the Punjab's Director General of Police, SAS Nagar Mohali's Deputy Commissioner, and SAS Nagar Mohali's Superintendent of Police, among others. The petitioner said, "This Special Leave Petition impugns the order dated April 9, 2024, passed by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana of Judicature at Chandigarh, whereby the High Court directed the respondent, the State of Punjab and the Union Territory of Chandigarh to forcefully remove the protestors (petitioner group) from the site by falsely attributing them to encroaching and obstructing the traffic flow on the Chandigarh and SAS Nagar Mohali despite evidence contrary to it." As an interim relief, the petition has sought an interim stay on the operation of the order dated April 9, 2024 passed by the High Court of Punjab and Haryana. The petition was filed by Kaumi Insaaf Morcha' through an advocate on record Satya Mitra. The petitioner 'Kaumi Insaaf Morcha' represents an unregistered group that has been leading a non-violent and peaceful protest demonstration for over 1.5 years at the border of Chandigarh and Mohali YPS Chowk. The protestors are aggrieved by the respondent, the State of Punjab and the Union of India for not releasing and paying heed to the long-standing demands of the people of Punjab for releasing the Sikh prisoners who have been sentenced to life imprisonment and having completed their prison sentences but continue to languish in jails since over 20 years. For this reason, the unregistered group under the banner of 'Kaumi Insaaf Morcha', comprising of the family members of those in prison and other concerned members of civil society, started a sit-in protest seeking the release of those prisoners and expediting hearings over their premature releases, parole and furloughs, among others. "This longstanding demand for the release of Sikh Political Prisoners have been a sensitive and emotional issue for the people of Punjab. The movement is giving a representation to those demands through a peaceful sit-in that is neither causing any disturbance of public tranquility and nor falls under the reasonable restrictions specified in Article 19(2) of the Indian Constitution," the petition said. The demands of the protestors from the State of Punjab and Union of India are- cases for pre-mature release of Gurdeep Singh Khera (more than 31 years in prison) and Devender Pal Singh Bhullar (more than 26 years in prison) be taken up with the concerned governments for expeditious and positive disposal. It further demanded that the state government and UT administration to sympathetically consider the cases of Lakhwinder Singh (more than 26 years in prison), Gurmeet Singh (more than 26 years in prison), Shamsher Singh (more than 26 years in prison), and Paramjit Singh Bheora (more than 23 years) for pre-mature release in accordance with the law, in view of their good conduct. The petition demanded that the cases for pre-mature release of Gurdeep Singh Khera (more than 31 years in prison) and Devender Pal Singh Bhullar (more than 26 years in prison) be taken up with the concerned Governments for expeditious and positive disposal. For expeditious conclusion of trials of cases against Jagtar Singh Hawara (more than 25 years in prison) and Jagtar Singh Tara (more than 15 years), the petition demanded. It further demanded the transfer of jail from Delhi to Punjab for Jagtar Singh Hawara, who is neither a convict nor an undertrial in Delhi but is illegally kept in Delhi jail while his cases pertain to the state of Punjab. The state government to take up cases for enhancement for punishment for sacrilege cases with the Central government, the petition demanded. It further submitted that the demands of the protestors have been legal and the sit-in protest started only after the respondent governments undertook no effort to acknowledge the demands of the Morcha. The protestor group had initially submitted a detailed memorandum against the unjust and illegal incarceration of Sikh prisoners, who have been languishing in jails after having completed their sentences. (ANI) A Delhi court has ordered the release of a fugitive criminal (FC) accused in the alleged London Pub Rape case of 2017 after the Delhi High Court granted him interim bail for six months. This accused was ordered to be extradited to UK but his extradition was stayed as there is another case pending against him. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Abhishek Kumar of Patiala House Court on Thursday after accepting the bail bond, ordered the release of a fugitive criminal identified as Jose Inacio Cota. Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma granted on July 10 interim bail to Jose Inacio Cota for six months. The High Court took into account the submissions of counsel for the respondent without going further into the merits of the case, as the extradition order has already been challenged by the petitioner in 2023. FC had moved a petition through advocates Arpit Batra and Nihal P Kamat under Section 439 Cr.P.C., read with Section 25 of Extradition Act seeking regular bail in complain complaint case titled as Union of India vs. Jose Inacio Cota. It was argued that FC can't be extradited as a criminal case is pending him in Goa.The counsel for the Central Government submitted that in view of Section 31(d) of the Extradition Act, the extradition is not possible till the criminal case registered at PS Maina Curtorim, Goa in 2021 is not disposed of. Central Government had also filed a response stating that the petitioner/FC may be released on bail, till he has been discharged, whether by acquittal or on expiration of his sentence, in pending criminal case arising out of FIR registered at Police Station Maina Curtorim pending trial in the Court of Civil Judge Junior Division and Judicial Magistrate First Class Margao, Goa, on very strict conditions. The High Court had granted interim bail to Cota petitioner on furnishing a personal bond of Rs one lakh with a similar amount of surety. The High Court had directed petitioner shall surrender his passport. He shall report to the local police station of Goa on every Friday at 05:00 PM. It was also directed that he shall remain within the territory of Goa. He shall not leave the state of Goa without giving intimation to the concerned court at Goa. The petitioner shall not travel abroad without permission of the trial Courts at New Delhi. (ANI) CISF detected a huge quantity of different types of medicines worth Rs 49 lakh at Delhi's IGI Airport on Friday from a passenger bound for Almaty, Kazakhstan. When asked, the passenger could not produce supporting documents. Later, the passenger, along with the detected medicines, was handed over to Customs for further action in the matter, Central Industry Security Force (CISF) said in a press release. The passenger was identified as Khabibullave Abdumutalibjon Khotamjon Ugli. "On July 19, at about 9 am, on the basis of behaviour detection, CISF surveillance and intelligence staff noticed suspicious activities of a foreign passenger at the check-in area in Terminal 3 of IGI Airport. The passenger was later identified as Khabibullave Abdumutalibjon Khotamjon Ugli (Uzbekistan national) bound for Almaty by Air Asthana flight No. KC-908 (STD-1135 hrs). On checking his baggage, consisting of one trolley baggage and two carton boxes, through the X-BIS machine, some doubtful images were noticed," the CISF stated in a press release. Thereafter, the passenger was allowed to complete the check-in formalities and was kept under close watch through physical and electronic measures. After clearing the check-in process and immigration formalities, the passenger was intercepted by CISF surveillance and intelligence staff and brought to the departure customs office. On thorough checking of his check-in baggage in the presence of customs officials, a huge quantity of various types of medicines with an approximate value of Rs 49 lakh were detected. On inquiry, the passenger could not produce supporting documents for carrying such a huge quantity of medicines. Later, the said passenger, along with the detected medicines, were handed over to Customs for further action in the matter. (ANI) Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, inaugurated the National Landslide Forecasting Centre (NLFC) in West Bengal's Kolkata on Friday. He said that the centre aims to provide advanced landslide forecasts, enabling state governments and district administrations to take the necessary precautions. Speaking to ANI, Reddy said, "On the instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this National Landslide Forecasting Centre has been inaugurated today by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). Landslides cause major accidents in different places in the country like Uttarakhand and innocent people lose their lives." He added, "Through this centre, we will be able to tell in advance to the state government, district administration, and NGOs if there is a possibility of a landslide and we can ask them to stay alert and take precautions." The Union Minister said that while landslides cannot be prevented, the loss of lives can be. "Landslides cannot be stopped, but the loss of lives due to the accident can be prevented. Properties can be saved and the state government and district administration can take precautions in the coming days." Earlier in the day, the minister visited the Geological Survey of India campus. The visit commenced at the Central Headquarters (CHQ) campus, where the minister was welcomed by Director General, GSI, Shri Janardan Prasad, according to the press release of the Ministry of Mines. The minister chaired a review meeting to assess the ongoing activities and achievements of GSI. During this meeting, he underscored GSI's pivotal role in baseline data generation, augmenting the mineral resources of the country and policies, particularly focusing on landslides, and congratulated the officers for their tireless efforts in advancing geological studies and mineral exploration, the press release added. GSI has significantly expanded from its initial focus on coal exploration to include mapping rock types, geological structures, and exploring strategic and critical minerals. Notably, the number of exploration programs for critical minerals has increased from 127 last year to 196 out of total number of 450 exploration programmes this year. The successful launch of the National Geoscience Data Repository (NGDR) and the migration of the OCBIS portal to the OCI cloud are testaments to GSI's commitment to innovation and efficiency. (ANI) Jindal Steel clarified on Friday that Dinesh Kumar Saraogi, accused of alleged harassment by a woman passenger during an international flight, has not been the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company since last year. In a statement on Friday, Jindal Steel, said that Saraogi presently serves as the CEO of Vulcan Green Steel in Oman. "Dinesh Kumar Saraogi who is alleged of harassing a woman on the Etihad flight is not a Jindal Steel Executive since last year. He is the CEO of Vulcan Green Steel, Oman and does not have any direct relation with the Listed company Jindal Steel and Power," the statement said. In a post on X on July 19, Ananya Chhaochharia, founder of Paint it Red (an NGO working for menstrual rights), accused Saraogi of sexual assault allegedly during a flight from Calcutta to Abu Dhabi on July 19. She also drew the attention of Jindal Steel founder and BJP MP Naveen Jindal on the matter. Responding to her complaint, Lok Sabha MP Naveen Jindal assured "strictest and necessary" action while directing investigation into the matter. "Thank you for reaching out and speaking up! It takes a lot of courage to do what you did and I want you to know that we have a zero-tolerance policy for such matters. I have asked the team to immediately investigate the matter and thereafter, the strictest and necessary action will be taken," Jindal said in his response to the victim's post threads on X. In her post, Ananya Chhaochharia claimed, "Sharing an incident that happened with me in the flight from Calcutta to Abu Dhabi (transit to Boston). I am very grateful to the staff of @__Etiihad and the Abu Dhabi police for the support they provided me. TW: Sexual Assault." "I was seated next to an industrialist (Dinesh Kr. Saraogi, CEO of Jindal Steel). He must be roughly 65 in age & told me he now lives in Oman but travels frequently. He started chatting me up - very normal conversation about our roots, family etc. He is from Churu in Rajasthan. & both sons are married & settled in the US etc. The conversation moved to what my hobbies are. He asked if I enjoy watching movies & I was like of course. He then proceeds to tell me he has some movie clips on his phone. He whips out his phone and earphones to show me PORN!," she added. She further thanked the Etihad team for being "pro-active" and take action immediately. "He started groping me. I was frozen in shock and scare. I eventually ran off to the washroom and complained to the air staff. Thankfully the Etihad team was very pro-active and took action immediately. They made me sit at their seating area and served me tea & fruits. He kept calling them to ask where I had gone. The staff also informed the cops at Abu Dhabi who were waiting as soon the gates of the aircraft opened. I could not proceed with a complaint because I would have missed my connecting flight to Boston," the post mentioned. "I am working to get this incident out to the founder of Jindal Steel @MPNaveenJindal so that he is aware of the kind of people who are in leadership. I am also afraid of how this molestor must be treating his female employees from a place of power," she further stated. (ANI) Ahead of the upcoming festival season, Jaipur Greater Municipal Corporation Mayor Somya Gurjar said that only those who have a commercial license will get the license for a meat shop, and it will have to be indicated whether it is Jhatka or Halal so that no one's public sentiments are hurt. Mayor Somya Gurjar said, "In the recent Executive Committee meeting, a proposal was passed unanimously by all our members that it is mandatory for the meat shops operating in Jaipur Greater Municipal Corporation to have a commercial license, only those who have a commercial license will get the license for a meat shop. It will also have to be indicated whether it is Jhatka or Halal so that no one's public sentiments are hurt, no one has any kind of confusion." She further said that there should be clarity among people whether the meat is Jhatka or Halal. "So, this is to bring clarity. Because even in our Constitution, everyone has the freedom to eat, there should be clarity in whatever they want to eat. So, keeping in mind the public sentiments, this decision was taken," she added. She further said that a letter has been written to all the public representatives in all 150 wards to find out how many shops are legal and illegal. "To all the public representatives in all 150 wards, a letter has been written to find out how many shops are legal and illegal. Ahead of the upcoming Shravan month, public sentiments should be respected, and places should be kept clean. During festival season, it is my responsibility to ensure cleanliness in holy places," she added. Earlier today, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath mandated that food and beverage shops along Kanwar routes display the name and identity of the operator/owner to maintain the sanctity of the pilgrims' faith. Additionally, action will be taken against those selling halal-certified products. (ANI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday greeted Homer CY Chang, Director General of the Mumbai-based Economic and Cultural Centre of Taiwan in Gandhinagar. Chang expressed a keen interest in strengthening trade relations with Gujarat, particularly in the semiconductor and electronics sectors. Chang, who is also participating in the Gujarat Semiconnect Conference-2024, held a one-to-one meeting with Patel at Mahatma Mandir after the inaugural session of this conference. Chang also expressed his willingness to increase trade relations with Gujarat, especially in the semiconductor and electronics sectors and requested the support of the Government of India and the State Government to attract Taiwanese investors to Gujarat. He also expressed his desire to open a State Office of Taiwan in Gujarat to further strengthen cultural exchanges. Asserting the state government's willingness to increase cooperation with Taiwan, the Gujarat Chief Minister said that the state government wants to take advantage of Taiwan's guidance and expertise in building Semicon City with advanced facilities like Taiwan's Shinsu Science Park in Dholera. The Chief Minister also requested the Taiwan delegation to take advantage of the potential in Dholera and Sanand for the development of high-end electronics industries besides semiconductors. Senior Secretaries including Chief Secretary Rajkumar, Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Pankaj Joshi, Additional Chief Secretary Industries Department S.J. Haider, and Principal Secretary Science Technology Mona Khandhar were present in this courtesy call meeting. The Gujarat Chief Minister also took to his official X handle and posted about his meeting with Homer CY Chang. He said, "Homer CY Chang, Director General of Taiwan's Mumbai-based Economic and Cultural Center arrived in Gandhinagar to participate in the Gujarat Semiconnect Conference." He added further, "Discussed with him on enhancing commercial relations between Gujarat and Taiwan in semiconductor and electronics sector. Outlined the potential in Dholera and Sanand for the development of these sectors. Consulted on the benefits of Taiwan's expertise in the construction of Semicon City, which is taking shape in Dholera." (ANI) Kelly Matthews vows to be in the front row of Wade Wilson's execution. Before he was a convicted double murderer, the ex-girlfriend of the 30-year-old Florida man dubbed the "Deadpool Killer" said they met on the dating app Plenty of Fish in September 2018, and she was immediately intoxicated by his charisma, charm and undeniable good looks. "He was tall, 6-foot-4, and had nice teeth and dimples and tattoos," Matthews, 32, recalled to HNGN in an interview Friday. In the beginning of their 6-month-long whirlwind romance, Matthews said there were never any red flags that indicated he was capable of being a killer. The couple quickly moved in together, regularly went on dates, and she introduced him to her family and friends. It wasn't until February 2019, when their relationship plummeted and Wilson turned into a "psychopath." "He wasn't violent till the end. He had some mental abuse stuff where he would yell and throw stuff, but he didn't put his hands on me till February 2019. He just reached over and started strangling me and biting my face. He choked me, punched me, raped me," she explained. "He held a knife to my neck." In a viral TikTok video, Matthews detailed the brutal assault that happened mere months before Wilson murdered Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, later that year. Before she broke things off, Matthews said she and Wilson were arguing in a parking lot when things turned violently physical. "He busted my lip open. These are the ligature marks on my hands," she explained, pointing to photos of her brutal injuries. "He tied me up with garbage bags that were in the back of my car, cut the circulation off my hands. I literally thought my hands were gonna fall off." "These are the marks from being strangled," she explained. "He bit my chin and my ear." "Things ended after he did that," Matthews admitted. "I drove home and that was it. I never saw him again." Matthews said she filed a police report, but nothing came of it. "The detective said Wade told him I was into that kind of thing," she claimed. "He (the detective) didn't feel like he could do anything for domestic abuse because we weren't dating very long and I could have injured myself." "Had the police done their jobs in my case, he would have been in prison," Matthews said, noting she believes Melton and Ruiz would still be alive. "But they blew it off and didn't pursue him and just let him walk." Wilson's double murder case gained national attention after scores of women noticed he was a "thirst trap," said Matthews. His level of attractiveness inexcusably captivated the hearts of thousands of admirers who recently flooded his inbox with messages and photos, authorities revealed. "Knowing he's a murderer makes me concerned that all these women are willing to send him money and photos and sign petitions to save him," she said. "But I 100% think he deserves to die." While jurors recommended Wilson be put to death for each of the slayings, his fate rests in the hands of Lee County Circuit Court Judge Nicholas Thompson, who is scheduled to announce his decision during Wilson's sentencing hearing August 27. Matthews is hopeful Thompson will order her ex-boyfriend's execution. "You'll get what you deserve," she vowed in a message directed to Wilson. "And, I'll be there." Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday reviewed the functioning of the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), and directed the agencies to increase engagement in the MAC and make it into a cohesive platform, as well as to adopt a whole-of-the government approach towards national security. Shah chaired the high-level meeting here in the national capital with heads of various security and law enforcement agencies, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement. As per the MHA statement, the Home Minister stressed greater synergy between all the agencies to dismantle the terror networks and their supporting eco-system to address the evolving security threat scenario of the country. While reviewing the overall internal security situation in the country and the fight against terrorism; the Home Minister impressed upon all the participants to increase engagement in the MAC and make it into a cohesive platform that brings together all the law enforcement agencies, anti-drug agencies, cyber security and intelligence agencies, for decisive and prompt action. In the discussion focused on the functioning of the MAC of the IB, which plays a crucial role in addressing security challenges across the country, the Home Minister instructed various heads of security agencies from across the country and other intelligence and enforcement agencies to adopt a whole-of-the government approach towards national security. Shah also emphasized, "MAC must continue to work 24X7 as a platform for pro-active and real-time sharing of actionable intelligence amongst various stakeholders, including last-mile responders." During the meeting, the Home Minister also stressed on constituting a team of young, technically proficient and passionate officers drawn from all agencies involved in National Security to dismantle the terror ecosystem utilizing big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning driven analytics and technological advancements. He reiterated that in the face of new and emerging security challenges, we must always be one step ahead in our responses. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the MHA said, "MAC framework poised to undergo a major technical and operational revamp to increase its reach and effectiveness. He exhorted all the stakeholders to bolster these efforts further through prompt responses and aggressive follow-up of shared inputs." The meeting comes in the wake of recent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir within a month, which led to the deaths of several Indian Army personnel as well as innocent people. (ANI) AAP Haryana unit president Sushil Gupta on Friday announced that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal will visit Panchkula on Saturday. "Sunita Kejriwal will launch Arvind Kejriwal's guarantees. The town hall will be organised at 1 pm in Panchkula's Indradhanush Auditorium. Some of the notable figures will come to attend the event. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and Sandeep Pathak will be a part of the event. All the AAP leaders in Haryana will attend the event," said Gupta. He further lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying that they have been cheating on people since the last ten years. Meanwhile, ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, Sushil Gupta, said that the people of the state want Arvind Kejriwal and are looking for 24-hour electricity and water supply, as in Delhi. Speaking about the preparations for the upcoming assembly polls in the state, Gupta told ANI, "The Aam Aadmi Party is preparing for 90 assembly seats, preparations are going on at every booth. The people of Haryana want Arvind Kejriwal...". Gupta added, "Every person wants Haryana to get 24-hour electricity and water like Delhi and Punjab. Every person should get employment, and drug abuse and crime should be curbed. Haryana needs change..." On Thursday at a press conference, the Aam Aadmi Party announced that it will be contesting the upcoming assembly elections in Haryana on its own. The AAP contested one seat in Haryana in the recent Lok Sabha election in alliance with the Congress. Notably, Haryana is one of the eight states that will be holding legislative assembly elections this year. Currently, the state is ruled by a coalition government formed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP). The Haryana Assembly Elections 2024 are expected to take place on or before October 2024, as the current Assembly's tenure is set to end on November 3 this year. However, the election schedule is yet to be announced. (ANI) In a post on X, PM Modi said that he was saddened by the passing away of MS Valiathan, a pioneer in the field of healthcare and medical research. "His contributions have left an indelible mark and benefited countless people. He will be particularly remembered for cost-effective and top-quality innovations," the Prime Minister said in the post. "He was also at the forefront of improving the medical education sector in India. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti," the post further mentioned. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also offered condolences on Valiathan's demise. "Deeply anguished by the passing of Dr. MS Valiathan. He will be forever remembered for his outstanding contributions to healthcare and medical research," Mandaviya said in a post on X. Valiathan, 90, passed away on Wednesday night at Manipal in Karnataka. He pioneered biomedical research in the country and is credited with the development of artificial heart valves, blood bags, oxygenerators, vascular grafts, etc. He served as Professor of Cardiac Surgery at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvananthapuram for 20 years. He led a group which developed a tilting disc heart valve and other cardiovascular devices which are commercially produced. Valiathan was conferred with many national and international honours, including the prestigious "Padma Bhushan". (ANI) Congress MP Deepender Hooda on Friday accused the BJP government in Haryana of betraying people and expressed confidence in his party's victory in the state Assembly election due later this year. "BJP has betrayed the people of Haryana in the last 10 years. I think the Congress party will form the government in Haryana with a huge majority. People have made up their minds," Hooda told ANI. When asked about whether Congress will ally with the Samajwadi Party for the Assembly election, he said that SP has no mass base in Haryana and Congress has no alliance with the party in the state. "The Samajwadi Party has no mass base in Haryana. We have an alliance at the national level but today we have no alliance with the Samajwadi Party at the state level," he said. Hooda said Congress workers are campaigning hard in the state, making people aware of the BJP government's "failures" in the state. He said that the Congress is confident in its victory but does not have overconfidence. Hooda said that in every section of society in the state, support for Congress has increased. Another INDIA bloc party, the Aam Aadmi Party, also announced that they will contest the upcoming Assembly election in the state without having an alliance. The AAP and Congress had a seat-sharing arrangement in the recently held Lok Sabha election. The AAP had contested one Lok Sabha seat in Haryana and in the rest of the seats in the state, it supported Congress. During a press conference that saw the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP MPs Sanjay Singh and Sandeep Pathak in Chandigarh, Mann said that the AAP has decided to contest the Haryana assembly elections with full force. "The Aam Aadmi Party has decided that it will contest the Haryana assembly elections with full force. We have governments in Delhi and Punjab; half of Haryana touches Delhi and half of Haryana touches Punjab. The people of Haryana appealed to us, that's why we came here. Haryana gave a chance to the BJP, Congress and all parties, but everyone looted. Now bring Kejriwal," Mann said. Haryana is one of the eight states that will be holding legislative assembly elections this year. Currently, the state is ruled by a coalition government formed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP). The Haryana Assembly Elections 2024 are expected to take place on or before October 2024, as the current Assembly's tenure is set to end on November 3 this year. However, the election schedule is yet to be announced. (ANI) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that the SIT is already conducting an investigation into the financial irregularities at the Valmiki Corporation, and the government has complete confidence in this investigation. He stated that the opposition is attempting to tarnish the image of the state government and himself. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, he mentioned that the investigation began on the same day the wife of Chandrashekhar, the accounts superintendent of the Valmiki Development Corporation, who committed suicide, filed a complaint. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed on May 31 to investigate the case, comprising four IPS officers. Based on a complaint from Mahesh, an officer of Union Bank of India, a CBI investigation is also underway, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting an investigation on its own initiative. The SIT has already arrested 12 people in connection with the case and seized cash worth Rs34 crores. Additionally, around Rs46 crores transferred to various bank accounts have been frozen. "We are not saying that there were no irregularities in the case. The government is committed to taking appropriate action against those who have committed wrongdoing," Siddaramaiah said. He also pointed out that during the legislative session, opposition party members expressed their views on the matter for over seven hours under Rule 69. Just as opposition parties have the opportunity to express their opinions in a parliamentary system, the government also has the right to state its position. An amount of Rs89.63 crores from the Valmiki Development Corporation was transferred to the MG Road account of Union Bank of India and then to various accounts. Union Bank of India is a nationalized bank under the jurisdiction of the Central Finance Department. The suicide note mentioned the involvement of bank officials. The Minister of Scheduled Tribe Welfare, Nagendra, voluntarily resigned from his position. Siddaramaiah questioned why BJP leaders did not resign during the Bhoomi Development Corporation scam or the Rs47.10 crore irregularity in the Devaraj Urs Truck Terminal scandal during the BJP regime. He also questioned why the ED did not take up those cases on its own initiative. He said that instructions have already been issued to mandatorily deposit the funds of all development corporations into the state treasury and that several guidelines have been implemented by the Finance Department to ensure transparency in financial management. (ANI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting on Friday with the heads of security and law enforcement agencies to review the functioning of the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) of the Intelligence Bureau (IB). IB is responsible for tackling security challenges in the country, in New Delhi. The Union Home Minister, while addressing the meeting, instructed intelligence agencies and their heads to adopt a "whole-of-the-government" approach towards national security. He stressed building greater synergy between all the agencies to dismantle the terror networks and their supporting eco-system, to address the evolving security threat scenario of the country. Stressing the need to increase engagement in MACs, Union Minister Shah further emphasized the need to strengthen the Multi-Agency Centre to fight against terrorism and said to make MAC into a cohesive platform that brings together all the law enforcement agencies, anti-drug agencies, cyber security, and intelligence agencies, for decisive and prompt action. Home Minister emphasized, "MAC has earned the trust of its constituents and it must continue to work 24X7 as a platform for pro-active and real-time sharing of actionable intelligence, amongst various stakeholders, including last-mile responders." During the meeting, the Union Home Minister also stressed on constituting a team of young, technically proficient and passionate officers drawn from all agencies involved in National Security to dismantle the terror ecosystem utilizing Big Data and AI-driven analytics and technological advancements. He reiterated that in the face of new and emerging security challenges, we must always be one step ahead in our responses. Home Minister also informed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the MAC framework was poised to undergo a major technical and operational revamp to increase its reach and effectiveness. He exhorted all the stakeholders to bolster these efforts further through prompt responses and aggressive follow-up of shared inputs. Earlier on Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday directed the agencies, police, and concerned departments under the Central and State governments to adopt "ruthless" approach towards the drug supply chain, emphasizing a commitment to prevent any drugs from entering the country and ensuring that India's borders are not used for drug trafficking. Shah's directives came while chairing the 7th Apex Level Meeting of the Narco-Coordination Center (NCORD) here in the national capital in the presence of chiefs of various central and state agencies belonging to police, Narcotics Control Bureau, National Investigation Agency as well as Central Armed Police Forces. (ANI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached immovable properties spanning 88.29 acres and valued at Rs 300.11 crore belonging to M3M India Infrastructures Private Ltd in connection with an alleged money laundering case, the agency said in a release on Friday. According to the release, the properties attached are in the form of land parcels located in Basharia village in Haryana's Gurugram. ED initiated the investigation on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, based on allegations against Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the then Chief Minister of Haryana, Trilok Chand Gupta, then Director of DTCP, R S Infrastructure Pvt Ltd (RSIPL), and 14 other coloniser companies, the agency said in its release. The alleged case involves cheating various landowners, the public at large, the state of Haryana, and the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), by getting issued notification under section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (LA Act), and subsequently under section 6 of LA Act for the acquisition of lands of respective landowners, which compelled landowners to sell their land to said coloniser companies at a lower price than the prevailing price before the notification under section 4 of LA Act, the agency said. The accused allegedly, fraudulently, and dishonestly obtained Letter of Intents (LOIs) and licences on the notified land, causing loss to the respective landowners, the public at large, and the state of Haryana and HUDA, while wrongfully gaining for themselves, the ED said in its release. ED investigation revealed that RSIPL, a company beneficially owned by Basant Bansal and Roop Bansal, promoters of M3M group, allegedly colluded with the persons mentioned in the FIR and unlawfully got approved licences for land measuring 10.35 acres for establishing a commercial colony, by classifying their case as "a case of extreme hardship" without legal basis. Upon securing licences to establish a commercial colony, the promoters of RSIPL allegedly did not develop a commercial colony, which was a precondition for obtaining the licences. Later on, they reportedly sold the company's shares and assets, including the said licenced land for a staggering sum of Rs 726 crore to Lowe Realty Private Limited, an associated entity of Religare Group, the ED said in its release. This alleged activity of obtaining the licenses illegally has resulted in the generation of Proceeds of Crime (PoC) to the tune of Rs 300.15 crore, which were subsequently allegedly diverted from RSIPL to the promoters of the firm into their bank accounts and to the bank accounts of their family members and subsequently utilized for operational and business expenses of M3M group companies," the federal financial probe agency added in its release. (ANI) "On behalf of the Indian National Congress, I offer my deepest condolences on the passing of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, HE Nguyen Phu Trong. Our profound respects to the departed leader," Kharge said in a post on X. Highlighting the country's relationship with Vietnam, Kharge said, "India has a long-standing cultural and developmental partnership with Vietnam. In this hour of grief, every Indian stands strongly with the Vietnamese people." "The Indian National Congress and the Communist Party of Vietnam share historical roots in their respective struggles for independence. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and supporters," he added. (ANI) The incident happened around 12:30 pm when the wall of a class on the first floor of Shri Narayan School, located in Vadodara's Waghodiya Road area, collapsed, said officials. The fire brigade also reached the spot and inspected it immediately after receiving information about the incident. "Around 12:30 p.m., the incident happened. A loud voice came, after which we rushed to the spot. One student got injured in the head. We immediately rescued all the students. There were only 2-3 students there as it was recess time," said Principal Rupal Shah. "It happened around 12:30 pm. The wall of the entire floor collapsed. Although not many have been injured. The school's building is 14-15 years old. My father also took many kids to the hospital. The school authorities know that the building is weak, yet no action has been taken," said a local Sanskriti Pandya. Sub-Fire Officer Vinod Mohite said that one kid sustained minor injuries. 12-13 bicycles parked near the wall were also damaged. (ANI) The Uttar Pradesh government's directive to food shops on the Kanwar Yatra route to display details of the owner or operator has drawn criticism from the opposition parties as well as several alliance partners of the ruling party, BJP. A statement issued by the Chief Minister's office said that the Chief Minister has mandated all food and beverage shops along the Kanwar route in Uttar Pradesh to display nameplates with the name and identity of the owner or operator. The CMO statement called it a move to maintain "the sanctity" of the Kanwar Yatra, which will begin on July 22 in the state. The directive, which also includes action against shops selling halal-certified products, has stirred a political debate. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra referred to the directive as "an attack against the Constitution." She said that the directive goes against the constitutional dictate that no citizen shall be discriminated against based on caste, religion, language or place of birth. "The divisive order to put up name boards of the owners of carts, kiosks and shops in Uttar Pradesh is an attack on our Constitution, our democracy and our shared heritage," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post on X. "Creating division in society on the basis of caste and religion is a crime against the Constitution. This order should be withdrawn immediately and strict action should be taken against the officials who issued it," she added. Congress leader Harish Rawat said that the practice of untouchability, which was abolished just after the country attained independence, has been brought back in another form. "This is a condemnable decision. Untouchability, abolished just after independence, is being brought back in another form. The governments of UP and Uttarakhand should withdraw this order," Rawat said. "It is not like shopkeepers don't know what the do's and don'ts are during Kanwar Yatra. Sometimes, even onion and garlic are used in Hindu hotels but they tell the customers before serving. This is a great yatra. Everybody welcomes Kanwar Yatris. I have seen Muslim brothers serving water to Hindu Kanwar Yatris. Tomorrow, they might also categorise other things like vegetables and milk by putting labels on them," he added. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati condemned the UP government's directive and referred to it as unconstitutional. "The order by the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to the traders of Kawand Marg to prominently write the full name of the owner and staff on their shops and also to ban the sale of meat for electoral gains is completely unconstitutional," she said in a post on X. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav referred to the order as a "social crime" and called for court intervention as he questioned the intention behind the government and administration's actions. "What will be known from the name of the person whose name is Guddu, Munna, Chhotu or Fateh? The honourable court should take suo-moto cognizance, investigate the intention of the government, and take appropriate punitive action. Such orders are social crimes that want to spoil the peaceful environment of harmony," the SP chief said in a post on X. Former Samajwadi Party MP ST Hasan referred to the directive as "unfortunate." "A message is being given to boycott Muslims and visit Hindu shops. How long will this communal thinking last? It is unfortunate that these kinds of incidents are happening. A gap is being created between the two communities. These kinds of orders should be cancelled," Hasan told ANI on Friday. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi condemned the directive and claimed that it is a violation of Article 17 of the Constitution. "We condemn it because it is a violation of Article 17 of the Constitution, which talks about untouchability. So the Uttar Pradesh government is promoting untouchability. Secondly, ever since the Uttar Pradesh government gave the order, Muslim employees have been removed from all the shops in Muzaffarnagar," Owaisi said. "Will you work for only one community? Where is the Constitution? I challenge Yogi Adityanath to issue a written order if he has the courage," he added. BJP's ally Janata Dal (United) asked the Uttar Pradesh government to review the Muzaffarnagar order or to take the order back. Janata Dal (United) leader KC Tyagi said that the directive violates "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas" initiative advocated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "A Kanwar Yatra bigger than this (in UP) takes place in Bihar. No such order is in effect there. These prohibitions that have been imposed are in violation of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas' that the PM speaks of. The order is not in effect in Bihar, Rajasthan or Jharkhand. It would be good if it were reviewed. This order should be taken back," KC Tyagi told ANI. Another ally of the BJP, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), also criticised the directive and said, "Gandhiji, Chaudhary Charan Singh, and other personalities have spoken about keeping religion and caste behind. Now, politicians are bringing religion and caste forward in politics. I think the action is not correct." "Why make someone write their name on street carts? They have the right to work. This tradition is absolutely wrong. It is up to the customer. They can make purchases from wherever they want," he added. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Manoj Jha called the directive a "mindless exercise" and asked, "Will they ask the fruits whether they have been grown by a Hindu or Muslim? Will they ask the people who have grown the vegetables? This should not be done." Seers in Ayodhya, including the chief priest of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, Acharya Satyendra Das, supported the order. "The decision by Yogi Ji to display whether the owner is Hindu or Muslim is justified," Acharya Das said. Jagatguru Ram Dineshacharya Maharaj stated, "This decision by Chief Minister Adityanath will strengthen Sanatan culture." Divakaracharya Maharaj of Leela Bihari Temple called it a "beautiful initiative." BJP leader Mohsin Raza supported the move, stating, "Kanwar Yatra takes place on a large scale in UP. CM Yogi Adityanath has always been attentive to the security of the public." "The facilities and management of Kanwar Yatra have always been improved over the last 7 years. This is the eighth year. The government is providing facilities and security. So no one has to hide their name. It also conveys a message of harmony. The opposition is trying to oppose the Kanwar Yatra and not this advisory," Raza added. BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam dismissed concerns, stating, "The public living in areas for which the orders have been passed have no problem. The Muslims have no problem with it; they welcome the Kanwar yatris. Unfortunately, some people are doing politics on it." Former Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma welcomed the step and highlighted its role in "fostering mutual harmony." "This is a welcome step, and the government has issued this order to increase mutual harmony among people. About 40-50 per cent of people write their owner's name below the shop. I think that this is a good effort for the sense of respect and protection of religious faith given in the constitutional system," Sharma said. However, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath remained firm on the directive, emphasising its role in maintaining peace and security during the Kanwar Yatra. Despite the controversy, the Uttar Pradesh State Government reiterated that the aim of the guidelines is to ensure a harmonious environment for pilgrims. (ANI) CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells speaks to a reporter about the effort to restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl on Thursday, July 11 at a CenterPoint Energy office in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer CenterPoint's worst power circuits Matt Zdun The electric interconnection to CenterPoint at Calpine Deer Park Energy Center in Deer Park. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer CenterPoint Energy has a grand plan for hardening its electric grid serving Houston. Last year, the for-profit corporation asked the Department of Energy for a $100 million grant to help pay for it. DOE experts were, shall we say, unimpressed. CenterPoint lost out in the competitive grant process created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. While some critics blamed partisan politics for the rejection, anyone who experienced Hurricane Beryl will find the DOEs criticisms eerily familiar to their own. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The application does not adequately lay out the project risks and how those will be managed, one section of the DOEs review of the grant application said. The application is vague on how the community engagement will evolve going forward, the agency observed elsewhere. The application does not adequately describe how economic and industry benefits from grid hardening in these areas besides Houston being a major port city, experts noted. The critiques go on and on. My colleague Claire Hao recently reported that city officials also have serious concerns about CenterPoints resiliency plan. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Department of Energy recognizes that Texas, in general, and Houston, in particular, need help fixing the states unique stand-alone electric grid. The Houston Ship Channel is chock full of refineries and petrochemical plants, and the Port of Houston is among the nations most important. Yet Winter Storm Uri left millions of Texans statewide without electricity in 2021 on one of the coldest nights in decades, and a windstorm knocked out power to parts of Houston in May. The alleged Energy Capital of the World has lost power three times in 2024. The Department of Energy has given Texas more than $90 million in the last three years for the grid. But when it comes to the $10.5 billion set aside for the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships program, applicants need to bring their A-game. A spokeswoman said the agency received more than 300 requests in the first round for five times more money than DOEs budget allowed. City-owned CPS Energy in San Antonio received $30 million for its smart grid program, one of 58 projects across 44 states that had an $8 billion economic impact. DOE invited CenterPoint to try again this year in the second round. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We strongly encourage you to consider applying in subsequent GRIP funding cycles and to incorporate the feedback regarding your applications strengths and weaknesses in any future applications, a cover letter read, signed by DOE contracting officer Jacqulyn Wilson. CenterPoint incorporated the feedback from the DOE and reapplied in April, a statement said. "We focused on further investing in weatherization and resiliency efforts, and using digital modeling intelligence to determine the impact of extreme weather conditions and identify additional areas of vulnerability for hardening efforts," it added. There is still no guarantee CenterPoint will get the money. The Department of Energy has made significant electric grid infrastructure investments, which we continue to responsibly administer funds through a competitive, merit-based application process, DOE spokeswoman Charisma Troiano said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If CenterPoint loses out again, consumers could see bills rise as much as $3 a month to pay for fixing the grid, Hao reported. Free enterprise theory states that when a company has a monopoly, it overcharges for products and services, stops innovating and provides poor customer service. If the company flatters and finances politicians, it can insulate itself from any consequences through what economists call regulatory capture. CenterPoints sclerotic performance in maintaining the grid and submitting subpar grant applications exhibits the hallmarks of a company that has lost its way. CEO Jason Wells is learning that hell hath no fury like a politician answering angry constituent calls about losing power in the heat of a Texas summer. Politicians will always prioritize reelection over protecting their corporate allies, and Wells is in trouble. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick named a bipartisan Senate Select Committee on Hurricane and Tropical Storm Preparedness. Chairman Charles Schwertner will likely schedule a hearing for the ritualistic torture of utility CEOs before the end of the month. Senators will demand that Wells explain how CenterPoint will do better. However, there are no inexpensive answers, and the politicians dont want to hear how CenterPoint will need billions of dollars that it does not have to fix its dilapidated grid. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The India Meteorological Department on Friday issued a Signal 3 port warning at Kalingapatnam, Visakhapatnam, and Kakinada ports in Andhra Pradesh due to low-pressure over the Bay of Bengal. IMD uses an elaborate signal system ranging from 1 to 11, which is hoisted at the ports to warn vessels of a possible cyclonic storm. Signal 3 implies that a depression has formed and could affect the port and that surface winds are likely between 22-27 knots (40-50 kmph). According to the warning, the port is likely to experience squalls. "The well-marked low-pressure area over the northwest and adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal off Odisha and adjoining north Andhra Pradesh coasts has concentrated into a depression today. It lies near latitude 19.2N and longitude 86.2E, about 70 km southeast of Puri (Odisha), 130 km East of Gopalpur (Odisha), 130 km south-southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 240 km east-northeast of Kalingapatnam (Andhra Pradesh)," Srinuvas, MD, Visakhapatnam cyclone warning centre, told ANI. "It is likely to move northwestwards and cross the Odisha coast near Puri as a depression during the early morning hours of tomorrow, July 20. Thereafter, it would move west-northwestwards across Odisha & Chhattisgarh and weaken gradually during the subsequent 24 hours," he added. Several parts of Andhra Pradesh experienced heavy rain on Friday. In the Alluri Seetharamaraju district of Andhra Pradesh, district collector Dinesh Kumar has declared a holiday on Friday for all educational institutions in the district due to the widespread rains. Tamil Nadu and Kerala also experienced heavy rains on Friday. Amid heavy and continuous rainfall and reports of landslides in a few areas of the Nilgiri district in Tamil Nadu, the Niligiri district administrator declared holidays in schools on Friday. District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneru declared a holiday for schools in the Ooty, Gudalur, kundha and Pandalu regions of the district as the district has experienced heavy rain for the past five days. She further declared a holiday for schools in four other taluks, including Udkai, Kunta, Kudalur and Bandalur, today. The Nilgiris district has been experiencing heavy rain for the last five days. As a result, landslides have occurred in many places and trees have fallen, affecting the flow of traffic. Authorities have taken notice of the situation and are working in order to clear the roads and have a steady flow of traffic. Heavy rainfall has also affected the Kottayam district of Kerala, which has caused distress among the people as most houses are also seen underwater. The western parts of Kottayam, like Thiruvarppu, Illikkal and Pathinarilchira, are waterlogged, with roads submerged underwater. Rain also lashed in parts of Karnataka's Mangaluru city. The India Meteorological Department has also issued an orange alert for very heavy rainfall in an isolated region in the state of Kerala today. (ANI) Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Friday attended the Textile Investors' Meet in Bihar and expressed his gratitude to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Minister Nitish Mishra for organising this event. Addressing media, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, "I want to thank the Bihar government, CM Nitish Kumar, and Minister Nitish Mishra for organising this industrial meeting. The facilities they have provided have built trust and faith among industrialists. When a garment industry is set up, it provides employment in the region. After investing Rs 1 crore, around 50-70 people get employed. It's Bihar's fate that, both on the central and state level, there is a government of NDA." Before attending the Textile Investors' Meet in Bihar, speaking with ANI, Giriraj Singh said, "After COVID, the workers of Bihar have created history, as, now, they are exporting textiles from Betiya. After that, the Bihar government made a big industrial hub in Muzaffarpur, where 10,000 people are working. A big bag industry was also set up there. After all these things, the ministry thought to call an 'investors meeting'. The schemes here will support investors. I would appeal to all the exporters to use green energy. PM Modi has the aim of making our country carbon neutral by 2030. Our industry will also contribute to this aim." After meeting, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said, "I went there with a demand for an airport in Begusarai. He also took the matter of law and order into his cognizance. Those who have established 'Jungle Raj' in Bihar are the same people complaining about it now. There is an old saying, "Chor Chori Ke Khilaf Bol Raha Hai," the same thing happening here." Earlier in the day, he also informed about the schedule of the Investors' Meet through his social media handle on X and said that this event is a golden opportunity for new investors to get information about the excellent business potential of the state and the prospects of the textile industry. Taking it to a social media post on X, he wrote, "Bihar Business Connect 2024 - Textile Investor Meet: New colors, new clothes, new possibilities, Bihar has unlimited opportunities and possibilities for the textile sector. This event is a golden opportunity for new investors to get information about the excellent business potential of the state and the prospects of the textile industry. Let us together make Bihar a major manufacturing and export hub of the textile industry, thereby increasing new employment opportunities and moving our state towards strength and prosperity. I am confident that Bihar will fulfill all its resolutions very fast." https://x.com/girirajsinghbjp/status/1814196170933289218 Bihar Business Connect 2024, also known as the Textile Investors' Meet in Bihar, was conducted in Patna, Bihar, on July 19 at around 12.30 pm. The event commenced with welcoming dignitaries and a screening of a film on Bihar's textile Sector. It was followed by a welcome address by Sandeep Poundrik, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Industries in the Bihar Government, and the addresses of Rachna Shah, Secretary of Ministry of Textile of India, Brijesh Mehrotra, Chief Secretary of Bihar, Nitish Mishra, Minister of Industries of Bihar and Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha. (ANI) Congress MLA Satish Sail on Friday urged Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy, DK Shivakumar, to visit the landslide site in Uttara Kannada. The development comes after four people were killed and three others went missing in the landslide that occurred near Shirur village in Ankola Taluk on National Highway 66 on Tuesday. "I have requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and our Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, to visit here. Our district minister has visited here. But I once again request that they come here and resolve this matter," Sail told ANI. Many people in the village were evacuated from the site to care centres. "We are giving them very good food, and I also inquired about their well-being. We will take care of them. This is a disaster. All departments, including the NDRF, SDRF, and Navy, are working. The government is helping in every way," he added. Sail visited care centres where people who have been affected by the landslide are being sheltered. Restoration work is still underway in the area following the landslide. Seven people include four members of a family, Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner Lakshmi Priya told ANI on Wednesday. "There was a major landslide in Shirur in Ankola Talluk. There was a tea stall with five members: a husband, wife, two children and one elderly person. The landslide had happened on the opposite side of the river. There were two houses in which one person was missing," she said. "So these six people and there were gas tankers, of which one driver was suspected to be missing. Of these seven people, we have recovered four bodies. Three people are still missing," DC Priya added. The landslide was triggered by incessant rains. (ANI) A joint team of the Indian Army and Manipur Police acted on specific information about the presence of arms and ammunition in Chanung Top in Manipur's Imphal East District. Indian Army along with Manipur Police launched an extensive search operation from Kangpokpi and Imphal East District. The 72-hour-long operation was conducted with the deployment of Patrol dogs and Explosive Detection Dogs due to the complexity of the terrain. The operation resulted in the recovery of a huge cache of arms and ammunition including thirteen Long Range Mortars, four Burmese Iron Rod, an Improvised Explosive Device, one Modified Grenade Launcher, one G3 Rifle, and six 303 Rifles. One .22 Pistol, a Grenade, 25 locally made Improvised Explosive Devices, 115 rounds of ammunition of various weapons, three magazines of multiple weapons, two Radio Sets and other war-like stores were also found according to officials. The recovered ammunition has been handed over to Manipur Police for further disposal and investigation. (ANI) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said on Friday that 405 Indian students have been safely evacuated from Bangladesh through the Dawki Integrated Check Post amid escalating unrest in the country. "We are aware of the situation in Bangladesh. Lots of students from many parts of the world are studying there, and a lot of students have been affected. As soon as we got the information, we immediately moved into action, and 405 Indian students have been evacuated from Bangladesh through Dawki. Out of them, about 80 from Meghalaya; and rest are from other parts of the country. We also evacuated some students from Nepal, Bhutan, and tourists. The movement is on," Conrad Sangma said. He further said, "We already have nodal officers here in Meghalaya, and we are in touch with the Indian Embassy in Dhaka. The senior IPS officers are directly in touch with us to facilitate any kind of movement that is required. One particular college, Eastern Medical College, where 36 students are stranded (numbers could be up and down) we are in touch with the officials there. He said that until it was sure that the route was cleared, the situation is needed to be observed. "Lots of parents are very concerned about the situation, and I want to share that we are continuously in touch and the situation in and around the college is okay. But en route, there could be some situation, and therefore it is not possible to take a chance. Unless and until we are very sure that the route is also cleared, they can be safely brought to the border, we will have to watch the situation. Those activities are on, and we are hopeful that in the next 24 hours we will assess the situation," he added. He said that everything was being done within its capacity to ensure the safe return of all the citizens. "We are ready from the Tripura side, and we are in touch with the Tripura side and the High Commission in Bangladesh as well. So that we can evacute other students immediately from there. We are doing everything in our power to ensure the safe return of all the citizens. We have made arrangements in Dawki in terms of everything from medical attention to food, transportation, , security. We also have the helpline numbers," he added. The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday directed the Indian nationals in Bangladesh to follow the advisory issued by the High Commission of India in Dhaka, which says they must avoid local travels amid violent quota protests. The MEA advisory stated that the High Commission and Assistant High Commissions will be available on helpline numbers for any assistance required by Indian nationals and also advised them to minimise their movement outside their living premises. In a post on X, the MEA said, "Indian nationals in Bangladesh are requested to follow the advisory issued by the High Commission of India in Dhaka. The High Commission and Assistant High Commissions remain available on helpline numbers for any assistance required by Indian nationals." (ANI) The Hindu Front for Justice has moved the Supreme Court, seeking to vacate stay by the top court restraining to take action on the basis of the report submitted by ASI on the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex dispute. In the application filed through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, the Hindu Front for Justice has sought to vacate the interim order dated April 1, 2024 passed by the top court in the instant petition. Earlier, the mosque committee had filed petition against impugned order dated March 11, 2024 passed by the High Court of Madhya Pradesh at Indore, whereby the application for conducting ASI survey was allowed in respect of the building complex in dispute i.e. Bhojshala or Kamal Maula Mosque to find out the religious character of the building. HFJ, in the fresh application submitted that the present SLP has become infructuous as the Petitioner can file objection to the report of ASI and also raise all the questions being raised in this Petition. HFJ submitted that question of locus standi, maintainability of the Writ Petition and all other matters can be raised and decided by the High Court. Supreme Court refused to stay ASI survey but same time vide order dated April 1 2024 has passed an order restraining to take action on the basis of the report submitted by ASI. The proceeding before the High Court has been virtually stayed as it cannot proceed further with the case, HFJ said. HFJ further submitted that the questions involved in the Writ Petition are required to be decided on merits at the earliest and therefore the interim order dated April 1, 2024 may be vacated so that proceeding in the Writ Petition may take place before the High Court. HFJ further submitted that no useful purpose would be served to continue the interim order dated April 1 2024 and under the facts and circumstances of the case existing on record and in the interest of justice, the interim order dated April 1 maybe vacated. Ealier this week the Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider listing the petition relating Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex dispute. Hindu Front for Justice mentioned the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex matter before a bench of justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti. Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, for HFJ, informed the top court about that ASI has submitted its report to Madhya Pradesh High Court. On April 1, the top court issued notice on the plea challenging the Madhya Pradesh High Court order directing survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex and in the meanwhile it also refused to stay ASI's survey in the disputed sites. In an interim direction, a bench of justices, Hrishikesh Roy and Prashant Kumar Mishra says no action should be taken without its permission on the outcome of the ASI's survey and clarified that no physical excavation should be taken in disputed sites which will change its character. Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society approached the Supreme Court against Madhya Pradesh High Court order directing the Archeological Survey of India to conduct survey in the disputed site "Bhojshala and Kamal Maula Masjid". The Madhya Pradesh High Court had allowed the survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex. Hindus consider Bhojshala, to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi, while Muslims know it as the Kamal Maula Mosque.The high court, in its order, stated, "It is contended on behalf of the petitioners whilst pressing the interlocutory application that survey by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is a statutory duty, which the ASI ought to have performed long back." "Any other study, investigation, or inquiry, which the said five (5) member committee of the ASI feel it is necessary to be undertaken without "destroying, defacing, or destructing the original nature of the whole complex be undertaken, towards ascertaining the true nature and character of the Bhojshala Temple cum Kamal Maula Mosque for arriving at the truth," it added. The order said that the right to worship and perform rituals in the disputed premises shall be considered only after receipt of the aforementioned report from the Expert Committee. "All other issues and submissions relating to the relief as claimed by the petitioners or the right to worship and perform rituals in the disputed premises shall be considered and determined only after receipt of the aforementioned report from the Expert Committee. The issue relating to validity of the wakf created on the disputed complex; that of granting the relief in the writ proceedings or relegating the petitioners to the Civil Suit for claiming those reliefs--will all be determined and adjudicated post the receipt of a report from the Five Member Committee of the ASI as aforementioned," the High Court said. The high court has also ordered the ASI committee to submit the report of the survey within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of the order. The high court has directed to survey with the latest methods and techniques. (ANI) After the Uttarakhand Cabinet on Thursday announced that the government will introduce strict laws to ensure that no trust, temple, or committee is formed in the name of Chardham and other major temples in Uttarakhand, saints from Haridwar welcomed this government decision. Speaking with ANI, one of the saints said, "Various trusts are constituted to make duplicate Chardham temples, Jyotirlingas, and peeths; the Uttarakhand government will bring strict law against this practice. We welcome this decision by the government and conveyed to CM Dhami that there should be a law to avoid such practices. There should be ban on such saints who are also involved in this brokerage and misguide devotees using the name of temples." Another saint said, "We welcome this law. The government has stopped the practice of misguiding devotees in the name of fake trusts, committees, and duplicate temples. There should be no duplicates of the Char Dham Temples of India. Welcoming the decision, another saint stated, "The decision by Uttarakhand's government cabinet to safeguard the authenticity of Char Dham Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri is extremely appreciable. It is the responsibility of the government and saints to manage the dignity of Char Dham, as it is one of the important pilgrimages in our culture. It is also the place where our guru Shankaracharya did his penance, that's why this place is more important. These rules should be strictly imposed." Earlier on Thursday, the Uttarakhand Cabinet under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that the government will introduce strict laws to ensure that no trust, temple, or committee is formed in the name of Chardham and other major temples in Uttarakhand without proper authorization. This development comes in the wake of recent controversy over a Shri Kedarnath Dham Delhi Trust's proposal to build a duplicate Kedarnath temple in Burari region of Delhi. CM Secretary Shailesh Bagauli said, "In the cabinet meeting held this evening under the chairmanship of Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, it was decided that the government will make a provision to bring a strict law so that no trust, temple, or committee is formed in the name of Chardham and major temples of Uttarakhand." (ANI) The decorations were conferred during the second phase of the defense investiture ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Friday. According to a release from the Ministry of Defence, "These decorations--31 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, four Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, two Bar to Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, and 57 AVSMs--have been given to the personnel for distinguished service of exceptional order. The first phase of the ceremony was held on July 5, when President Murmu conferred 10 Kirti Chakras (seven posthumous) and 26 Shaurya Chakras (seven posthumous) on the personnel of the Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces and State/Union Territory Police. The awards were given to the personnel for displaying conspicuous gallantry, indomitable courage, and extreme devotion to duty. (ANI) Stating that America partners with India in a number of key areas, the US has urged New Delhi to support efforts to "realise an enduring and just peace for Ukraine." Asked about India-US ties in light of PM Modi's recent visit to Russia, US State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Thursday (local time), "Broadly, India continues to be a country in which we partner with in a number of key areas and that was clearly on display last summer when we hosted Prime Minister Modi for a State visit." "But, beyond that, in the context of Ukraine and Russia's ongoing aggression and infringement on Ukraine's territorial sovereignty, we continue to ask all partners, including India, to support efforts to realise an enduring and just peace for Ukraine, and we urge Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraine's sovereign territory," he added. PM Modi was on an official visit to Russia from July 8-9 and met Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed disappointment over PM Modi's visit to Russia, which he termed a "devastating blow to peace efforts." During his bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, PM Modi raised the issue of killings of children during conflicts and said it is "heart-wrenching" when innocent children die. The Prime Minister said that everyone who believes in humanity is hurt when there is a loss of lives. Notably, 37 children were killed in a recent missile strike at a children's hospital in Kyiv. "Be it war, conflicts, terror attacks - everyone who believes in humanity is pained when there is loss of lives. But when innocent children are murdered, when we see innocent children dying, it is heart-wrenching. That pain is immense. I also held a detailed discussion with you over this," PM Modi said during the meeting. PM Modi said that there is no solution on the battlefield and added that peace talks do not succeed amid bombs, guns, and bullets. It was PM Modi's first visit to Russia since the war started between Moscow and Kyiv in 2022. India has always advocated "peace and diplomacy" for resolving the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. (ANI) Republican candidate for the North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction election, Michelle Morrow, has said that former US President Donald Trump has "our best interests at heart." She noted that there is so much enthusiasm and hope in Milwaukee, where the four-day Republican National Convention (RNC) is being held. Trump made his first appearance at the RNC on Monday, after the assassination attempt on him in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Asked about the mood in Milkauwee, Morrow said, "There's so much enthusiasm. There's so much hope here in Milwaukee. And I think it's because we have just seen on display for the last four nights that this is America. Every typical American from all walks of life have been on the stage and have been able to tell their story. And we all are concerned about the direction of our country. And we know that President Trump has our best interests at heart." Speaking about the changes that have been witnessed after the assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, she responded, "I think we absolutely unified and recognised that we are at a time that we cannot do anything but join together so that we can get back our country and that we can come back and support President Trump because everyone saw how intensely he loves America and he loves Americans." Trump was on stage at a campaign rally on Saturday when gunshots rang out and Secret Service agents stormed the stage. Hours after the shooting, Trump said that the bullet pierced the upper part of his right ear. One of the rally attendees was killed, while two more were critically injured in the shooting. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The shooter was killed by the Secret Service agents. Asked whether Republicans have unified after the Saturday incident, Michelle Morrow responded, "I really do. I'm hoping it's a new birth, not only for our party but for the entire country." The four-day-long conference included high-profile speakers as well as a primetime speech from presidential candidate Donald Trump. Monday's theme was "Make America wealthy again", Tuesday's was "Make America safe again", Wednesday's was "Make America strong again", and Thursday's is "Make America great once again." She said that Trump respects India's culture and values every leader who puts the needs of their people first. On being asked about Trump having a lot of followers in India and how fellow Republicans think of the appreciation and love Indians have for Trump, Morrow stated, "Well, I think they appreciate because I know President Trump had a really great relationship with your president over there because I think that he respects very much your culture and what you guys are trying to do in order to allow everybody to have a choice as to what their life is going to be like. And so President Trump believes that every leader should put the needs of their people first. And I think he sees that in your president in India." Asked about the Indian heritage of Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance's wife, Michelle Morrow, responded, "Well, I think that we are now seeing that we cannot allow the media any longer to tell us what we should think about one another or what we should think about our leaders because the thing that makes America so wonderful is all of the cultural diversity and the ability that we can have that we come and what we can do share together is being Americans and wanting to be free and wanting to raise our children in a society where they can pursue their dreams and they can reach the highest potential possible." Usha Chilukuri Vance, the wife of JD Vance, brings a wealth of credentials and a deep connection to Indian values and culture. A litigator at a national firm, Usha Vance is the daughter of Indian immigrants and has an impressive academic background. Born Usha Chilukuri, she has carved out a distinguished career in the legal field, having clerked for Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh before Kavanaugh's nomination to the Court. Blake, a delegate from the state of California, said that he supports Donald Trump as he is very strong on border security. He said, "I am a supporter of Donald Trump and the reason I support him is because he is very strong on border security. So the brick suit is a metaphor for a border wall. It's supposed to bring in mind having a strong border because I believe every country has the right to determine who should be able to cross in and be inside the country." Israeli-Americans had gathered outside the Republican National Convention to support Trump. Israeli American women held placards that said, "We are Jews for Trump." An Israeli-American who came to participate in the Republican National Convention said, "The Democratic Party left us a long time ago so we are educating and informing other Jews to understand that they have a home with us and Donald Trump is the best friend to Israel and American Jews." Notably, the conflict in Gaza escalated after the October 7 attack by Hamas, where about 2,500 terrorists breached the border into Israel from the Gaza Strip, leading to casualties and the seizure of hostages. Israel has since characterised its Gaza offensive as targeting Hamas' infrastructure with the goal of eliminating the entire terror group while making efforts to minimise civilian casualties. (ANI) Jonathan Diamond is the business editor at the Houston Chronicle. He can be reached at jonathan.diamond@houstonchronicle.com. Jonathan leads the Chronicle's business coverage and served as deputy business editor from 2019 to 2022. The former West Coast editor of CoStar News in Los Angeles, he was also previously editor of the Los Angeles Business Journal, leading it in 2016 to 16 national and regional journalism awards. Jonathan holds a bachelors degree in journalism from Boston University and a masters in public policy from UCLA. In Bani Naim and Bayt Kahil near Hebron the Israeli forces arrested two wanted terrorists and in addition located and confiscated two guns. In Bayt Liqya near Ramallah and in Kfar Tell near Nablus, four wanted terrorists were arrested, two of whom incited terrorism. Another wanted terrorist was arrested in Nablus. Since the start of the Iron Swords War against Hamas terrorists in Gaza approximately 4,400 wanted terrorists and supporters of terror have been arrested throughout Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley areas, approximately 1,850 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas. (ANI/TPS) Former US President Barack Obama has now joined a bandwagon of those who have voiced their concerns about Joe Biden's campaign to return as the American President. Obama told allies that in recent days, US President Biden's path to victory has greatly diminished, and he thinks the leader needs to seriously consider the viability of his candidacy, the Washington Post reported on Thursday. The report also quotes sources who said that Obama has mentioned in some of his conversations that he is concerned that the polls are moving away from Biden, expanding a wider path of victory for Republican candidate Donald Trump in the November 5 election. This follows a string of Democratic Party leaders estimated to be around 20 calling for Biden, 81, to quit his campaign. CNN reported that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Biden in a private conversation that she was pessimistic about his chances of defeating Trump. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates was cited in the same CNN report as saying that "President Biden is the nominee of the party. He plans to win and looks forward to working with congressional Democrats to pass his 100-day agenda to help working families." Earlier this week, senior House Democrat Adam Schiff of California, who is running for Senate, said that Biden should end his campaign. Schiff said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday that he has "serious concerns" about whether Biden can defeat Republican challenger Trump, the New York Times reported. Previously, as per the NYT, Schiff in a private meeting with donors, said that if Biden remained the party's nominee, Democrats were likely to lose not only the White House but also down-ballot races. His public statement on Wednesday followed the assassination attempt on Trump. Schiff, however, said that he would support the Democratic ticket, even if Biden stayed at the top, but said he believed it would be better for Biden to "pass the torch." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Charles E Schumer have both spoken directly with Biden in the past week, warning about the widely held concerns that his candidacy could hurt the chances for the Democratic Party. Actor George Clooney wrote an op-ed in the New York Times that called on Biden to drop out of the presidential race. Meanwhile, Biden announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and is quarantining in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Biden's principal deputy campaign manager, Quentin Fulks, was cited by the Washington Post on Thursday morning as saying that Biden's campaign was moving ahead. "The president has made his decision. I don't want to be rude, but I don't know how many more times we can answer that," he said. (ANI) Former US President Donald Trump kicked off his Presidential campaign with a rousing speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday night local time. Trump attacked the Democrats for continuously targeting him and his family and said that it was time to focus on making America great again. "Enough with the Subpoenas, Let's Focus on America 'Don and others faced countless subpoenas from Democrats like Nancy Pelosi. They must stop this, as it's harming our country. We need to focus on making America great again, not beating people. We won against impeachments and indictments, but the time wasted is damaging. If that effort went towards helping America, we'd be much stronger," he said. Speaking to the Republican cadre Trump endorsed his running mate and Ohio Senator JD Vance. "Thrilled to have a new friend and partner fighting by my side, the next Vice President of the United States, the current Senator from Ohio - JD Vance and his incredible wife Usha..," said Donald Trump. Earlier on Wednesday, JD Vance, after accepting his vice presidential nomination, called himself a "working-class boy" and said that Donald Trump's policies will take along the voters, who have been left behind. The 39-year-old lawmaker, during his acceptance speech, called on Americans to send Trump back to the White House and introduced himself to voters across the country. "I pledge to every American, no matter your party, that I will give everything I have to serve you and to make this country a place where every dream you have for yourself, your family and your country will be possible. From Iraq to Afghanistan, from the financial crisis to the Great Recession, from open borders to strengthening wages, the people who govern this country have failed and failed again," Vance said. Meanwhile, during his speech, Donald Trump paid tribute to fallen firefighter Corey Comperatore by kissing his helmet during the final day of the Republican National Convention. The crowd erupts in applause, followed by a solemn moment of silence to commemorate his sacrifice. "I also spoke to all three families of these tremendous people. Our love and prayers are with them and always will be. We're never going to forget them. They came for a great rally. They were serious Trumpsters, I want to tell you. They were serious Trumpsters and still are. But Corey, unfortunately, we have to use the past. He was incredible. He was a highly respected former fire chief, respected by everybody. Was accompanied by his wife, Helen, an incredible woman I spoke to today, devastated, and two precious daughters. He lost his life selflessly, acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets. He went right over the top of them and was hit. What a fine man he was," Trump said. "I want to thank the fire department and the family for sending his helmet, his outfit, and it was just something. And they're going to do something very special when they get it. But we did something which cannot match what happened. Not even close. But I am very proud to say that over the past few days, we've raised USD 6.3 million for the families of David, James, and Corey," he further added. Trump while accepting his nomination said that he would be the President for all of America. "I am running to be President for all America, not half of America because there is no victory in winning for half of America. So, tonight with faith and devotion I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States, In 4 months we will have an incredible victory. We will launch a new era of peace and prosperity, for all religions, people and creeds. I will be the president of all of America and not of half of America because there is no victory by half," Trump said. (ANI) Air India said that they have obtained clearance for a relief flight that would take the passengers on its flight AI-183, bound from New Delhi to San Francisco, to Mumbai. The statement added that the passengers are now being provided food and beverages. The Air India flight made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia at around midnight local time. "AI183 of 18 July 2024 operating Delhi to San Francisco had made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia at around midnight local time. Air India's local support was activated to assist passengers, who were required by authorities to remain in the terminal building in the absence of Russian visas," a statement from Air India said. "Food and beverage amenities at the terminal, which were closed for the evening, have now opened and meals are being provided to all passengers. Representatives from the Indian consulate in Moscow have travelled overnight and are working with Russian authorities to allow passengers to move to hotels, which have been on standby throughout the night. Regulatory clearances have been obtained for a relief flight that will depart Mumbai at 1100 hrs IST and ferry the guests out of Krasnoyarsk International Airport later today. Air India regrets the inconvenience to passengers arising from this diversion, which was undertaken in the interest of safety," the statement added. https://x.com/airindia/status/1814166486287876267 Earlier on Thursday night, the Airline said that after the precautionary landing of the aircraft in Russia the Airline was in the process of organising this party support to provide arrangements to the passengers. "Air India flight AI183 of 18 July 2024 operating from Delhi to San Francisco made a precautionary landing at Krasnoyarsk International Airport (KJA) in Russia after the cockpit crew detected a potential issue in the cargo hold area. The aircraft landed safely at KJA with all 225 passengers and 19 members of the flight crew, who have now disembarked and have been taken to the terminal building for further processes. As Air India does not have its own staff at KJA, we are arranging for third-party support to provide all necessary assistance to passengers. Air India is also in liaison with government agencies and regulatory authorities, and we are making arrangements for a ferry flight to KJA to take passengers onwards to San Francisco at the earliest." a statement from Air India said. (ANI) Over a year after he was fired, former Fox News Television host Tucker Carlson's speech at the Republican National Convention in the US was aired on the network's prime time. He told the convention that he believed Donald Trump became "the leader of the nation" after the latter survived an assassination attempt. He stated that the country was different after Trump got shot and that the former US President's survival was "divine intervention." Carlson stepped on stage to roaring audience applause. "Thank you, this is wild," he said. Fox Network had removed him last April after the cable TV network agreed to settle a lawsuit with voting machine manufacturer Dominion over false statements, the network made about the company following the 2020 US presidential election. At the Milwukee Republican rally, Carlson said that after watching a video of the assassination attempt on Trump last week during the latter's Pennsylvania rally, he found that "everything was different." "The more I watched it, the more it struck me that everything was different after that moment. Everything. This convention is different. The nation is different. The world is different. Donald Trump is different," Carlson said. Referring to the shooting incident, Carlson said, "I reached out to Trump within hours of it that night and what he said to me that night, having just been shot in the face, he said not a single word about himself. He said only how amazed he was and how proud he was of the crowd, which didn't run." "You could take a mannequin, a dead person and make them president. I'm just saying, theoretically possible. With enough cheating, that could happen, Carlson said. He also said, "This was no longer a man... this was the leader of a nation." "Donald Trump is different. When he stood up after being shot in the face, bloodied, and put his hand up, I thought at that moment, that was a transformation," the former Fox TV news host said. "In that moment, Donald Trump, months before the presidential election, became the leader of this nation." "I think a lot of people are wondering, what is this? This doesn't look like politics. Something bigger is going on here." "I'm starting to think it's gonna be okay. Actually, I do think that... But I will say this unequivocally and conclusively. God is among us right now, and I think that's enough." Carlson had previously claimed that several prominent Democrat leaders had suggested that US President Joe Biden is "brain-damaged" and it is only a matter of time they remove him from running for the post again. The former Fox TV host who now hosts Tucker on Twitter had taken to his X platform to say that Barack Obama's support to Biden was "disingenuous" and that he has been privately telling Democrats that President Biden "can't win." Meanwhile, Trump today formally accepted the Republican Party's call to run for the White House in 2024. The former US President also spoke of the assassination attempt on him and said that it was God who had saved him on the day at Butler. "Let me begin this evening by expressing my gratitude to the American people for your outpouring of love and support following the assassination attempt at my rally on Saturday. The assassin's bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life," he said. "I will only tell you about the event once, as it is too painful to tell. I felt something very strong, I knew it was a bullet and that we were under attack. I felt safe because I had God by my side. Bullets were flying at us, but I was calm. The public loves me, they didn't run. Brave people. I shouldn't be here tonight. Nothing will stop me in this mission. We will not bend, we will not break, and we will never retreat. I pledge my soul to this nation" Trump said. The former first lady Melania Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump were also seen at the rally. (ANI) Air India on Friday said that their ferry flight from Mumbai to Krasnoyarsk has departed and is expected to reach Krasnoyarsk at 8pm (local time). The airline said that the team is carrying essentials and sufficient food for all passengers. In a post on X, the airline said, "UPDATE #4: FERRY FLIGHT AI1179 TO KRASNOYARSK, RUSSIA. Our ferry flight AI1179 from Mumbai (BOM) to Krasnoyarsk, Russia (KJA) is now airborne and is expected to arrive at KJA at 2000 Hrs (local time) on 19 July 2024. An Air India team, including crew and security personnel, are on board the flight to provide any support that the passengers and staff at KJA may require. The ferry flight is carrying essentials in addition to a sufficient amount of food for all passengers. The aircraft will ferry all passengers and crew out of KJA at the earliest." "We have also set up a dedicated hotline for the family, relatives, and friends of AI183 guests for any information they may require: India - 011 - 69329301 USA - +13177390126 We will share further updates when available," the post added. https://x.com/airindia/status/1814207793102254265 Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Moscow said that an Embassy team of three senior officials and an interpreter is on the ground in Krasnoyarsk to assist the passengers of the Air India flight AI183 which made an emergency landing on Thursday. The statement said that the Indian officials will stay on the ground till the replacement plane arrives and takes all the passengers. Earlier, the airline had said that "Food and beverage amenities at the terminal, which were closed for the evening, have now opened and meals are being provided to all passengers. Representatives from the Indian consulate in Moscow have travelled overnight and are working with Russian authorities to allow passengers to move to hotels, which have been on standby throughout the night. Regulatory clearances have been obtained for a relief flight that will depart Mumbai at 1100 hrs IST and ferry the guests out of Krasnoyarsk International Airport later today. Air India regrets the inconvenience to passengers arising from this diversion, which was undertaken in the interest of safety." (ANI) Global software giant Microsoft said on Friday that an outage in its online services has affected customers across the world, including in India.Microsoft Windows users reported facing 'Blue Screen of Death' errors with many users taking to social media platform X to report about the issue. Meanwhile, cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike told US outlet NBC that it suffered a major outage on Friday impacting businesses globally. The outage resulted from an issue with the latest update, the company said. CrowdStrike is now in the process of rolling back that update globally, it said. As per reports, Windows users are seeing blue screen errors on their screen with their latops or Personal computers getting stuck on restart loop. Major US carriers including Delta, United and American Airlines, have grounded all flights grounded, regardless of destination, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Berlin Airport announced the suspension of all flights. Bloomberg said that London Stock Exchange was reporting "technical glitches." In India, SpiceJet announced via X (formerly Twitter) that it was experiencing technical challenges with its service provider, which affected online services like booking, check-in, and managing bookings. IndiGo tweeted, "Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted." As per a heatmap of India, put out by Downdetector, which detects outages, users in various parts of India reported problems. The National Cyber Security Coordinator of Australia in a post on X stated, "I am aware of a large-scale technical outage affecting a number of companies and services across Australia this afternoon. Our current information is this outage relates to a technical issue with a third-party software platform employed by affected companies." The Redmond, Washington DC headquartered American multinational corporation on Friday said that it was investigating an issue preventing users from accessing its apps and services. On its support website, Microsoft said that "impacted services may include but are not limited to" Microsoft Teams, Viva Engage, Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft 365 admin centre among others. "We're investigating an issue affecting access to multiple Microsoft 365 services. We're working to identify the full impact and will provide more information shortly," the official Microsoft account for updates on certain Microsoft365 service incidents said on X. Low-cost US carriers Frontier Airlines, Allegiant and SunCountry also reported that their operations had been impacted. "The Allegiant website is currently unavailable due to the Microsoft Azure issue," Nevada-based Allegiant said in a statement to CNN. "Due to a global outage at a third party vendor, our booking, check-in, and trip-managing capabilities are temporarily unavailable," SunCountry said on its site as reported by CNN. The US media outlet said that Microsoft on its Azure cloud software status report site, said that around 6 pm ET, the service went down for some customers in the Central US region - "including failures with service management operations and connectivity or availability of services." "Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions. More details can be found within the admin center under MO821132 and http://status.cloud.microsoft," Microsoft took to X to state as users faced issues impacting their ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services. (ANI) Dr Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, the charge d'affaires a.i. and Media Advisor of the Embassy of Palestine in New Delhi announced in a statement that a high-ranking Palestinian delegation will participate in the 46th Intergovernmental Committee for the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage UNESCO, to be held at New Delhi from July 21-31 at the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition and Convention Center (IECC). Jazer added Palestinians will work and request 21 member states of the World Heritage Committee, UNESCO to support the inclusion of the Tell Umm Amer site- the monastery of St. Hilarion in the Gaza Strip on the list of World Heritage in danger. Jazer added in the statement that India's support for the inclusion of this site will be highly appreciated as it demonstrates India's efforts in enhancing the Palestinians' capabilities in protecting their own important heritage and historical sites. The statement added that the state of Palestine seeks, by registering the site, to protect heritage sites in Palestine that are being targeted and systematically destroyed by the Israeli occupation forces. The brutal war in the Gaza Strip affected all cultural buildings and archaeological sites, and provided urgent and long-term measures to preserve the site, the statement said. Palestine also requested India to condemn deliberately targeting the site and the access road. To emphasise the importance of preserving the main features of its Outstanding Universal Value from continuing threats of war, whether threats Natural or human, which contributes to preserving the cultural and historical diversity of the world. Jazer said that the Palestinian delegation will include the Ambassador of Palestine to UNESCO H.E. Monir Anastas, Ambassador of Palestine to India H.E. Adnan Abu Al-hayjaa, Dr Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer counsellor political and media, Ahmed Rajoub, Director General of heritage at the Palestinian Ministry of tourism in Ramallah, Hanan Najjajrah Ministry of tourism in Ramallah. (ANI) India values its strategic autonomy and has its own and different views, while the US Ambassador is entitled to his opinion, the Ministry of External Affairs said while reacting to the recent remarks by envoy Eric Garcetti. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal further said that the comprehensive global strategic partnership between the two nations gives them the space "to agree to disagree" on certain issues, while respecting each other's viewpoints. "India, like many other countries, values its strategic autonomy. The US Ambassador is entitled to his opinion. We also have our own and different views. Our comprehensive global strategic partnership with the US gives us the space to agree to disagree on certain issues, while respecting each other's viewpoints," Jaiswal said in the weekly press briefing on Friday. This comes after envoy Garcetti, in veiled remarks, said that there is no such thing as "strategic autonomy" in times of conflict. His remarks came soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Russia. "I know that India...and I respect that India likes its strategic autonomy, but in times of conflict, there is no such thing as strategic autonomy. We will in crisis moments, need to know each other. I don't care what title we put to it, but we will need to know that we are trusted friends, brothers and sisters, and colleagues in times of need," Garcetti said at an event last week. Further, speaking of India-US relations, the MEA said it is a "comprehensive, strategic, global partnership," and the two countries engage with each other on several aspects of the relationship. "It's a comprehensive, strategic, global partnership. We have a lot of issues to discuss and both sides engage with each other on several aspects of the relationship, and we discuss all issues that are of interest to both parties...It is not our practice to share details of diplomatic conversations," Jaiswal added. PM Modi, who was on an official visit to Moscow recently, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin there and outlined their goals to eliminate non-tariff trade barriers and achieve a mutual trade volume of over USD 100 billion by 2030. The two leaders also decided to continue dialogue on the liberalization of bilateral trade, including the possibility of establishing the EAEU-India Free Trade Area, according to the Leaders' Joint Statement released following the meeting. They also decided to work on developing a bilateral settlement system using national currencies and the consistent introduction of digital financial instruments for mutual settlements. (ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the need for peaceful solutions to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, highlighting the devastating effects of violence on civilians and children during his official visit to Moscow, the Ministry of External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday. Addressing a weekly press briefing, Jaiswal highlighted that the Prime Minister's comments were intended to promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict and avoid further bloodshed. "Prime Minister had gone to Russia to attend the 22nd annual summit between India and Russia. During the occasion, he made it very clear that the solution to any war does not lie on the battlefield," Jaiswal said. "He also made it clear what he thinks about violence and children, innocent people being impacted by violence, and people in general being impacted by violence. So all these issues were made very clear in his press statements when he spoke to the media and to the public at large," the MEA spokesperson said. Further, he also stated that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba today and discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest. "This afternoon, EAM spoke with Foreign Minister of Ukraine to discuss bilateral issues of mutual interest." Earlier, Jaishankar took to social media platform X to post about the telephone call. Jaishankar said the focus of the conversation was to further develop the bilateral relationship. "A good conversation with FM @DmytroKuleba of Ukraine this afternoon. Spoke about further developing our bilateral relationship," he said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia on June 8 describing it as a "devastating blow to peace efforts." During his two-day visit to Russia, Prime Minister Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the latter's house in suburban Moscow. Zelenskyy took to social media platform X to post that on the same day that 37 people, including three children, were killed and 170 others were injured due to Russia's missile strike at the largest children's hospital in Ukraine's capital city, Kyiv. "In Ukraine today, 37 people were killed, three of whom were children, and 170 were injured, including 13 children, as a result of Russia's brutal missile strike. A Russian missile struck the largest children's hospital in Ukraine, targeting young cancer patients. Many were buried under the rubble. It is a huge disappointment and a devastating blow to peace efforts to see the leader of the world's largest democracy hug the world's most bloody criminal in Moscow on such a day," the Ukrainian leader said. The Moscow visit of PM Modi marks his first visit to Russia since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine started in 2022. India has always advocated for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and restore peace. (ANI) A man spreads a large tarp over a home as thunderstorms roll into Forest Cove, Friday, July 12, 2024, in Kingwood. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Kathleen Mastro of Kingwood was one of 4,600 people still without power Friday, 12 days after Hurricane Beryl caused widespread outages in the Houston area. Mastros 6-year-old son suffers from cerebral proliferative angiopathy, a rare brain condition that causes strokes and seizures. Its a condition, she said, thats exacerbated by heat and dehydration. As her home reached temperatures in the 90s, Mastro worried that the heat would trigger an episode for her son, putting his life at risk. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Mastros dont own a generator, she said, and the family had been without air conditioning in a home thats reached temperature in the 90s. We sort of limped through the first week of (the outage) by trying to go out, but by the time we got to the weekend, we had to get out of the house, she said. You can imagine the fear of a parent with a kid who has been in the ICU multiple times in those conditions. The family was forced to spend thousands of dollars on hotels, she said, but they returned to their home Tuesday because CenterPoint had promised the power would be returned that day. It wasnt. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Parke Snavely, another resident of Kingwood who, along with his wife, endured 11 days without power until it was restored Thursday, said he was fed a stream of misinformation from CenterPoint. Chris Weiss helps repair a neighbor's generator after Hurricane Beryl, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Kingwood. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Snavely said CenterPoint failed to communicate accurate information to residents, which caused further frustration. They put out these maps, and then the maps are wrong, he said. They'd send us alerts that said, Youre going to get power Monday, and then another that said, Youre going to get power Tuesday,' then Wednesday, then Thursday. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I think we could do a better job of communicating expectations with our customers, and I personally own that, Wells said. Snavely is no stranger to weather-related power outages he lost power for three weeks after Hurricane Ike in 2008 but he believes that the calamity following Ike correlated to the severity of the storm itself. Beryl was a Category 1 hurricane, while Ike was a Category 2. Snavely blames poor infrastructure maintenance for the outages with Beryl. The same damn power poles keep getting knocked off every time we have high winds, he said. It makes you wonder about maintenance. If they keep falling down, just take care of the poles in advance rather than just waiting for them to fall down. Advertisement Article continues below this ad An electrical worker with PAR Electrical Contractors repairs a power line after Hurricane Beryl, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Kingwood. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Because of the recurring power outages in the Houston area, Snavely was prepared to lose electricity. At first, he said, the outage was tolerable. The Snavelys spent their nights sleeping on their screened-in patio. During the day they would go to their local H-E-B for a quick meal and fresh ice, moving slowly to revel in the air conditioning. By the second week, however, the Snavelys patience wore thin, and CenterPoints failure to follow through with their promises of restoration made the experience all the more exhausting. If were not getting power until Thursday, just say that, he said. Telling us it would be restored, getting our hopes up, and then not having it on was the most frustrating part. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mary St. Julian fans herself as she stands in her mothers home in the Kashmere Gardens neighborhood on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 in Houston. The home has been without power since Hurricane Beryl landed on June 8. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Mastro had harsh words for the CenterPoint executives, whom she feels are out of touch with the suffering of Houstonians still without power. She doubts they understand what it's like to try to breast-feed a 16-month old who is sleepless, screaming and dripping in sweat. Or to worry about needing to rush to a hospital at any moment because the heat caused a 6-year-old to have a dangerous episode. A photograph taken by a Chronicle photographer showing CenterPoint CEO Jason Wells in a room with 70-degree temperatures was insulting to her, Mastro said. CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells speaks to a reporter about the effort to restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at a CenterPoint Energy office in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer They shouldn't be in air-conditioned offices," she said. "They should have to sleep in 90-degree houses just like the rest of us did. Mastro believes CenterPoint should be held financially accountable for the mass outages. We are almost two weeks into having no power or unreliable power, she said. Every family that has been impacted by CenterPoints horrible mismanagement of this relief effort should be thoroughly compensated for the hardship they put us through. Snavely believes that the power outage from Beryl and the May derecho have ominous implications for the near future. We're only at the beginning of hurricane season, he said. In prior Chronicle coverage, Wells defended CenterPoint's actions following the storm, noting that his company restored "1.1 million customers within effectively 48 hours of the storms passing," he said. I understand how frustrating it is to be without power, especially in this heat," Wells said. "I understand what a difficult situation this is for our customers, but I am proud of the progress we have made." A Baloch rights organisation has condemned the Pakistani government's brutal response to an awareness campaign in Khuzdar, where several Baloch individuals were detained for organising the "Baloch Raaji Muchi" (Baloch National Gathering). Reportedly, the Pakistani defence forces conducted raids at the homes of several Baloch individuals, which resulted in people getting severely wounded. In a post on 'X' PAANK mentioned that "We are deeply concerned about reports from Khuzdar, #Balochistan, where Pakistani forces raided a home, injuring men, women, and children. Three women were wounded by gunfire, 6 individuals forcibly disappeared, and property was damaged and looted. In protest, locals blocked the Gresha to Bado Nala road. We call for an immediate investigation into this incident and accountability for human rights violations." https://x.com/paank_bnm/status/1814218670089941060 According to reports, Pakistani forces in the Khuzdar district of Balochistan had detained several young Baloch women over a peaceful pamphlet distribution campaign for the 'Baloch Raaji Muchi' (Baloch National Gathering), a recent report by The Balochistan Post reported. The detentions were conducted by Frontier Corps (FC) personnel and have sparked outrage among activists and rights groups, who accuse the Pakistani state of escalating its repression of Baloch dissent. According to the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), the arrests took place on Khand Road in Khuzdar city as the women were distributing pamphlets promoting the Baloch National Gathering. Among those detained are Saira Baloch, the sister of forcibly disappeared individuals Asif and Rasheed, and Sadia Baloch, the sister of Salman, as reported by The Balochistan Post. In another statement, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) also condemned the same incident in a post on 'X' and stated, "The CTD raided a home in Gresha Kocha area of Khuzdar, this morning. They resorted to extreme violence against innocent Baloch men, women and children. 6 men and 3 women were injured". https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1814238606179103124 The statement further mentioned that, "the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) also destroyed their home and took mobiles, motorcycles and cash. The victims have since blocked Gresha Road in protest. Such episodes of raids and violence have become a norm in Balochistan." Additionally, Baloch rights activist Maharang Baloch in a post on 'X' stated that "I strongly condemn the brutality and atrocities committed by the state forces in Grishag. This morning in Kucho area of Greshag. CTD raided houses and forcibly disappeared many people and injured many people, including women." https://x.com/MahrangBaloch_/status/1814228246579322991 The sattment added, "Those who forcibly disappeared include Shah Jan, son of Saleem, Gohar Din, son of Hirjan, Mahm Jan, son of Lal Bakhsh, Mayar, son of Lal Bakhsh, Muhammad Arif, son of Abdul Rahman, and Munir, son of Sabzo. Among the injured are many people, including the father and mother of the forcibly disappeared Munir. The state forces also took two motorcycles, two lakhs of cash, eight mobiles and other valuables from the houses and destroyed the solar system of the houses by firing. The residents of the area, along with the colleagues of the Baloch Solidarity Committee, have staged a sit-in against this oppression by the state forces. I appeal to human rights organisations to take notice of this incident and to Baloch people to raise their voice against this incident." (ANI) India's new Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, arrived in Paro, Bhutan, on Friday and met with Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay during his two-day official visit. Misri assumed the charge of Foreign Secretary of India on July 15, this year. https://x.com/Indiainbhutan/status/1814295836169474523 In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Bhutan said, "The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level bilateral exchanges and will provide an opportunity for the two sides to review the entire gamut of bilateral ties." https://x.com/Indiainbhutan/status/1814296525201424889 Further, the Embassy also stated that the meeting reaffirmed the strong friendship between India and Bhutan, with Misri assuring the Bhutanese government of India's commitment to strengthening their bilateral ties. "Foreign Secretary @VikramMisri called on @PMBhutan Lyonchhen Dasho Tshering Tobgay," Indian Emabssy said in a post on X. "FS reaffirmed the close bonds of friendship India shares with Bhutan & India's firm commitment to further strengthen India Bhutan ties as per the priorities of the Royal Government and people of Bhutan," the Embassy added Misri will pay an official visit to Bhutan from July 19 to 20, 2024, which will be his first visit abroad after taking over as Foreign Secretary, the Ministry of External Affairs informed in an official release. During the visit, Foreign Secretary Misri will receive an audience with the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. He will call on Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade Lyonpo DN Dhungyel, and meet Foreign Secretary Pema Choden and other senior officials of the Royal Government of Bhutan. The two foreign secretaries will also co-chair the India-Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks ('Plan Talks'). The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan, and underscores the highest priority the Government of India attaches to its 'Neighbourhood First' Policy, the MEA also said. (ANI) Pakistani forces have reportedly abducted an elderly Baloch activist, Rehmatullah Baloch, after his involvement in a protest organised by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) in Quetta. On July 17, security forces raided the Nawakili area of Quetta and detained Rehmatullah Baloch. He had participated in a BYC protest against the detention of Zaheer Baloch, during which police allegedly used excessive force against peaceful demonstrators, according to The Balochistan Post. Social and political activists have condemned the detention, calling for Rehmatullah Baloch's immediate release. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee posted on X and stated, "Comrade Rehmatullah Baloch was forcibly abducted by state agencies last night from Kili Bangulzai Sariab, Quetta. He is a well-known activist and has been part of the recent protest sit-in for Zaheer Baloch. In fact, he arranged for food and water for the women, children, elderly, and youth sitting at the protest. We demand his immediate, safe release. Genocide knows no gender or age. It is being inflicted upon the nation indiscriminately. The entire Baloch nation must speak for the safe release of peaceful activists like Comrade Rehmatullah." https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1813949507266117863 Ongoing protests and sit-ins are being held in various cities of Balochistan against the increasing cases of enforced disappearances and for the recovery of missing persons. Prominent Baloch rights activist Maharang Baloch has urged the Baloch community to gather in Gwadar on July 28 for the Baloch National Gathering (Baloch Raaji Muchi) to demonstrate unity and resilience, as reported by The Balochistan Post. The gathering aims to unite the Baloch community against alleged atrocities by Pakistan, including enforced disappearances, torture, targeted killings, and economic exploitation. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee has been organising awareness campaigns in several parts of Balochistan, such as Sariab and Hudda in Quetta district and Killi Qadirabad in Noshki district, to promote the upcoming gathering. However, an awareness meeting in Khuzdar was held this week. Reports suggest that Pakistani forces detained several young Baloch women involved in distributing pamphlets for the BNG, with the detentions carried out violently by Frontier Corps personnel. Enforced disappearances are a significant issue in Balochistan, with human rights organisations accusing Pakistani forces and intelligence agencies of being responsible. Over 50,000 people are reportedly missing in the region, according to The Balochistan Post. (ANI) https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1814227929607655642 BYC shared some pictures of X, which shows a gathering in the Naal and Khuzdar districts. The BYC members distributed pamphlets and wrote slogans on walls to spread the word about the gathering. In a post on X, BYC said, "Baloch Yakjehti Committee Naal Zone is raising awareness for the Baloch National Gathering on July 28th in Gwadar. Pamphleting and wall chalking were carried out in Naal, Khuzdar. Also, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee team has conducted a corner meeting in Dera Ghazi Khan to raise awareness regarding Baloch Raaji Muchi." "Additionally, BYC Karachi Zone has conducted corner meetings in areas of Khator Malir and distributed pamphlets in Lyari, Baghdadi and Sharafi Goth for the Baloch National Gathering "Baloch Raaji Muchi" on July july in Gwadar," BYC added. Recently, BYC Shaal Zone arranged a local corner meeting to educate the community.At the same time, the BYC Gwadar zone conducted similar meetings throughout various neighbourhoods in Gwadar to raise awareness about the event's significance. In Kech, the BYC Kech Zone actively distributed pamphlets and organised chalk campaigns across different areas to ensure widespread understanding and encourage active participation in the forthcoming event. These initiatives were communicated by BYC via a post on social media platform X. Following this, Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch, speaking on behalf of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee in a video statement, announced plans for a Baloch National Gathering in Gwadar on July 28, 2024. She passionately addressed several critical issues, highlighting the committee's firm opposition to the ongoing Baloch genocide perpetrated by Pakistan. Mahrang pointed out various forms of genocide affecting the Baloch community beyond direct violence, including fatalities from road accidents, illnesses exacerbated by neglect, and drug-related issues among Baloch youth. (ANI) The protests have caused significant traffic congestion, affecting daily life and business activities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The standoff continues as TLP remains firm on its demands. Talks involving government officials, including Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, aimed to resolve the situation without resorting to force, fearing wider chaos across Pakistan. TLP leader Hafiz Saad Rizvi insists on three demands: sending aid to Gaza, declaring Israeli PM Netanyahu a terrorist, and boycotting Israeli products, according to the report. However, the Pakistani government finds these demands "unrealistic," noting the country already does not recognize Israel. Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) is widely acknowledged as a far-right Islamic political party in Pakistan, renowned for its strong advocacy on religious issues, particularly concerning Islam and blasphemy laws. The party's firm anti-Israel stance reflects widespread sentiments within certain sectors of Pakistani society, driven by historical, religious, and political factors. TLP has expanded its influence in Pakistani politics by positioning itself as a "defender of Islam," resonating deeply with conservative and religiously inclined segments of the population. In 2017, TLP orchestrated a major sit-in protest at the Faizabad interchange in Islamabad, demanding stricter enforcement of blasphemy laws and the resignation of the law minister, which paralyzed the capital for weeks. In 2021, clashes erupted between TLP supporters and police in various Pakistani cities following the arrest of their leader, Saad Rizvi, on charges related to provocative speeches. The confrontations resulted in injuries, property damage, and widespread disruption. Over recent years, the party has effectively organized public demonstrations and protests against Israel, consistently framing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within religious and ideological contexts. As tensions persist at the Faizabad interchange, the Pakistani government faces mounting pressure to address these demands amid broader geopolitical complexities and domestic unrest, underscoring the intricate interplay between religion, politics, and international relations in the region. (ANI) Amid protests against job quotas in Bangladesh, 204 Indian students and many other students from Nepal and Bhutan were successfully rescued and brought back to India through Meghalaya, officials said on Friday. The students were brought through Meghalaya's Dawki Integrated Check Post along the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border on Friday. Thomas, Assistant Nodal Officer of the Meghalaya government, said that the students have arrived through the Dawki Integrated Check Post. "Out of 204, 78 students are from Assam, 13 from Meghalaya, 13 from Kashmir and many other students from Nepal and Bhutan also arrived," Thomas told ANI. This comes amid violent protests in Bangladesh against the 'controversial' quota system in government jobs. Reportedly, dozens of protesters have been killed and hundreds remain injured. This has left authorities with no other option but to impose restrictions such as blocking internet and mobile services, and ban on public gatherings. Meanwhile, some Bangladeshi nationals also arrived in India via the Integrated Check post at Akhaura Road, Agartala. Taher Alam, a Bangladeshi national and advocate, said the whole country is disturbed by the protests. "Bangladesh is disturbed by the students' protest. Many of them have been killed, the whole country is shut. People are facing problems in every sector. The government has agreed to sit and discuss with the students. The network is shut down, so we are not getting any further updates," he told ANI. Anik Pal, an Indian student who returned on Friday, said, "Yes, the issue has been intensified in Bangladesh. All the students have come out to protest. Students are demanding to scrap the quota system. I want the problem to be solved very soon. Our demand should be accepted. And the students who have lost their lives must get proper compensation and justice." Meanwhile, the All India Democratic Students' Organisation in Kolkata also staged a protest in Kolkata amid the anti-quota protests in Bangladesh. Several protestors were detained by the police. Earlier in the day, MEA issued an advisory directing Indian nationals in Bangladesh to avoid local travel amid protests. The advisory stated that the High Commission and Assistant High Commissions would be available on helpline numbers for any assistance required by Indian nationals and also advised them to minimise their movement outside their living premises. In New Delhi, security was heightened outside the Bangladesh High Commission as a precautionary measure, in anticipation of any protests outside the Commission amid the ongoing anti-quota protests in Bangladesh. Several police personnel were seen outside the Bangladesh High Commission Office on Friday morning. Earlier in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that all Indian nationals in Bangladesh are safe and New Delhi is in touch with officials there while closely monitoring the situation, said in the wake of ongoing violent protests in the neighbouring country. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in the weekly press briefing that an advisory for Indian nationals has been issued. "As you are aware, there are protests which are happening in Bangladesh. We have around 8500 students and somewhere around 15,000 Indian nationals resident in the country," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. He further said that MEA will keep giving regular updates on the situation. The MEA also urged the family members of Indian nationals there to be in touch with the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh. "We have issued a travel advisory for people to be in touch with the High Commission and for us to render any assistance that they may need. The External Affairs Minister himself is monitoring the situation. The High Commission will be giving regular updates on the situation there. We will also be giving regular updates and we urge all family members of Indian nationals who reside in Bangladesh to be in touch. We remain committed to provide all possible assistance to our nationals," Jaiswal added. (ANI) Amid the student protests in Bangladesh against the government job quota system, which have left dozens dead, the India High Commission in Dhaka is coordinating with local authorities in Bangladesh to provide adequate security to students who are keen on travelling to India, sources said on Friday. The Indian mission, in coordination with BSF and the Bureau of Immigration is facilitating Indian students who are travelling back to India from Bangladesh. "The High Commission of India in Dhaka is coordinating with local authorities in Bangladesh to provide adequate security to students who are keen on travelling to India," sources said. A total of 245 Indian nationals, including 125 Indian nationals and 13 Nepali students, arrived on Friday through the Gede border crossing in West Bengal. To facilitate the return of Indian citizens and students from Bangladesh, the Indian government has identified three border crossings--Benapole-Petrapole, Gede-Darshana, and Akhaura-Agartala - to remain open for travel. "The border crossings between India and Bangladesh: Benapole-Petrapole; Gede-Darshana; and Akhaura-Agartala will remain open for students and Indian nationals to arrive in India," the sources said. Indian nationals in Bangladesh can seek assistance from the High Commission of India in Dhaka and the Assistant High Commissions of India in Bangladesh, which remain available to provide help and support as needed. "The High Commission of India in Dhaka and the Assistant High Commissions of India in Bangladesh remain available for any assistance required by Indian nationals," as per the sources. Earlier in the day, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka issued an urgent advisory for Indian citizens and students in Bangladesh to avoid non-essential travel and minimise movement outside their residences due to the escalating unrest in the country. The advisory comes in response to recent violent clashes between students and police in Dhaka, following the Bangladeshi government's decision to close all public and private universities. The protests have been driven by demands for reform of the country's quota system for civil service jobs, which reserves positions for specific groups, including descendants of those who participated in the 1971 war of independence against Pakistan. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that all Indian nationals in Bangladesh are safe and New Delhi is in touch with officials there while closely monitoring the situation, said in the wake of ongoing violent protests in the neighbouring country. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in the weekly press briefing that an advisory for Indian nationals has been issued. "As you are aware, there are protests which are happening in Bangladesh. We have around 8500 students and somewhere around 15,000 Indian nationals resident in the country," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. He further said that MEA will keep giving regular updates on the situation. The MEA also urged the family members of Indian nationals there to be in touch with the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh. "We have issued a travel advisory for people to be in touch with the High Commission and for us to render any assistance that they may need. The External Affairs Minister himself is monitoring the situation. The High Commission will be giving regular updates on the situation there. We will also be giving regular updates and we urge all family members of Indian nationals who reside in Bangladesh to be in touch. We remain committed to provide all possible assistance to our nationals," Jaiswal added. (ANI) The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) third plenum was concluded this week without producing any relief for the country's ailing real estate sector, as the troubles include dwindling contracted sales, Nikkei Asia reported. These contracted sales are a source of revenue that developers need to raise funds for their projects and, more crucially, pay their mounting debts in the current market. In 2021, the industry's 19 top-listed developers achieved contracted sales of over 100 billion yuan (USD 13.8 billion), according to the current exchange rate. China's Evergrande Group, now facing financial problems, topped the list at the time. But in the first six months of 2024, this 100 billion yuan club is down to just five members, down from 19, all of whom are either owned by or backed by the government. Poly Developments and Holdings Group, which is a government-owned developer with a military background, now has 173 billion yuan in contracted sales. It is followed by China Overseas Land & Investment (COLI), a unit of China State Construction Engineering Corp. (CSCEC), with 148 billion yuan. Both of which are directly owned and controlled by the government of China, the Nikkei Asia report stated. Among the top five, China Vanke in the third position is not considered state-owned, but it is backed by the government, as its top shareholder is Shenzhen Metro, which holds a 27 per cent stake in a local government-controlled entity. The report also claimed that the phenomenon known as guojin mintui, meaning "the state advances as the private sector recedes," is at play in the real estate sector of China. The credibility and stability provided by the state are assisting some companies in one way or another. This is reflected in the funding provided by the state-dominated banking sector and the consumer mindset of depending on the state in times of economic distress. However, with the industry in dire condition for over three years. Now even government-owned or affiliated entities are not immune to losses. Currently, Poly Development is expecting its net profit to drop for the first half by 39 per cent. China Vanke is expecting its first-ever loss since its listing since 1990. Jizhou Dong, head of Chinese property sector research at Nomura, said there has not been any meaningful turnaround in the property sector. "There hasn't been any meaningful turnaround in the property sector, as indicated by shrinking sales and falling prices. It doesn't really matter whether it's a state-owned enterprise or not. The only interest in these guys' mainland property shares is coming from investors who have to allocate a proportion of their assets to property," Nikkei Asia quoted Dong as saying. (ANI) Former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla expressed concerns over the ongoing violent protests in Bangladesh against the quota system in government jobs, and said there is a reasonable amount of "unrest and instability." He further said that there is the possibility of radical elements, Pakistan's ISI and other interests inimical to Bangladesh, being involved in the protests, and the Sheikh Hasina government has to conduct their investigation into the matter. Speaking to ANI, Shringla said, "These demonstrations in Bangladesh, student protests have been going on for the last three, four days. They have taken a number of lives, and there has been a reasonable amount of unrest and instability...Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself has come into the public domain and addressed the citizens to put these matters in perspective, saying we are with you, we agree with what you are saying, but the matter is with the courts, and we will try and get the courts to convene as soon as possible to take a decision." The former foreign secretary said the involvement of the BNP has given a political dimension to the protests. "We are seeing reports of other elements coming into the picture. There are radical elements, such as the Chhatrashibir, which is part of the Jamaat-e-Islami. There is the opposition BNP that has been involved in the protests and demonstrations, which has added a political dimension to this," Shringla said. "There could be other elements that are inimical to Bangladesh's interests like the ISI being involved. I mean, there are reports of that, that whether that's correct or not, the government has to conduct its own investigation to find out. But people are trying to take advantage of the situation," he added. This comes amid violent protests in Bangladesh against the 'controversial' quota system in government jobs. Reportedly, dozens of protesters have been killed and hundreds remain injured. This has left authorities with no other option but to impose restrictions such as blocking internet and mobile services, and banning public gatherings. Former Indian diplomat KP Fabian also reacted to the anti-quota protests in Bangladesh and termed the situation in the country "very serious" and said the government is in "serious trouble." "The situation is very serious. It has many reasons. One is corruption...I mean, 1971, those who died in the liberation struggle, their children. But now, children's children. And there is a shortage of jobs. The economy is in real trouble. And you know how she (Sheikh Hasina) was treated by China. She went there. She cut short the visit. So the situation is serious," Fabian told ANI. He also raised suspicion of a possible ISI involvement behind the unrest and affirmed hope that peace is soon restored in the country. "I understand that the Islamic community, who want an Islamic state, they are active. Then ISI, (Inter-Service Intelligence, Pakistan) they are also active. Now both of them are against her (PM Hasina)," the former diplomat said. "Bangladesh is in serious trouble and the government also is in serious trouble. So all that we can hope is the government will talk to the people who are protesting and there will be peace. Because it's important for Bangladesh, it's important for India also. Our neighbour and there are lots of Indians there, you know. So we want peace," he added. Earlier in the day, MEA issued an advisory directing Indian nationals in Bangladesh to avoid local travel amid protests. The advisory stated that the High Commission and Assistant High Commissions would be available on helpline numbers for any assistance required by Indian nationals and also advised them to minimise their movement outside their living premises. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that all Indian nationals in Bangladesh are safe and New Delhi is in touch with officials there while closely monitoring the situation, said in the wake of ongoing violent protests in the neighbouring country. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in the weekly press briefing that an advisory for Indian nationals has been issued. "As you are aware, there are protests which are happening in Bangladesh. We have around 8500 students and somewhere around 15,000 Indian nationals resident in the country," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. He further said that MEA will keep giving regular updates on the situation. The MEA also urged the family members of Indian nationals there to be in touch with the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh. "We have issued a travel advisory for people to be in touch with the High Commission and for us to render any assistance that they may need. The External Affairs Minister himself is monitoring the situation. The High Commission will be giving regular updates on the situation there. We will also be giving regular updates and we urge all family members of Indian nationals who reside in Bangladesh to be in touch. We remain committed to provide all possible assistance to our nationals," Jaiswal added. (ANI) India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, R Ravindra has called for a crackdown on terror financing, and targeted sanctions on terrorist individuals and entities to counter terrorism effectively. Delivering a statement at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on the Cooperation between the UN and the Regional and Sub-Regional Organisations in the Maintenance of International Peace and Security, Ravindra said that certain nations use terrorism as an instrument of State policy and added that this approach has the potential to affect cooperation in multilateral platforms, including at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). He said, "When we talk about international peace and security, you will agree that terrorism constitutes one of the most serious threats. We must, therefore, shun double standards in our fight against terrorism. Certain countries are using terrorism as an instrument of State policy. Such an approach has the potential to affect cooperation in multilateral platforms including at the SCO." "We must reaffirm our resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and we must crackdown on all forms of support to terrorism, including its financing. There is a need for full implementation of UNSC resolution and targeted sanctions on terrorist individuals and entities to counter terrorism effectively. In this regard, the leaders of SCO agreed in the Astana Declaration adopted on 4 July 2024 that the international community must isolate and expose those countries that harbour terrorists, provide them with safe haven and condone terrorism," he added. He also called for taking proactive steps to prevent the spread of radicalization among the youth. The joint statement on the subject of radicalization issued during India's SCO chairship in 2023 showcases their shared commitment in the fight against radicalization, he said. Highlighting the role of SCO-Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in strengthening cooperation between member states, R Ravindra said, "In the backdrop of increasing regional conflicts with new and complex security challenges, the SCO-Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is playing a significant role in strengthening cooperation among the member states." "We need to further strengthen the role of SCO-RATS in the fight against the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism; and in this regard, the Programme of Cooperation for 2025-27 approved at the Astana Summit is a welcome move. India is also actively contributing to the discussion on setting up a Universal Centre in Tashkent," he added. He noted that Chapter VIII of the UN Charter ascribes a special role to the regional organisations for dealing with matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security. He stated that Article 52 of the UN Charter encourages settlements of disputes through regional arrangements or by regional agencies. R Ravindra stressed that regional and sub-regional organisations have time and again shown how important their role is in the maintenance of international peace and security. Highlighting the security challenges faced by the world, he said, "The world order that we inherited following the 2nd world war has seen complete transformation. Similarly, the threats that members states faced with when United Nations was founded 79 years ago have also changed." "The contemporary security challenges that we, as member states face now, is not limited to territorial or political disputes, but transcend physical or political boundaries. In today's globalised world, terrorism, drug trafficking, transnational crime, climate change, the security implications of new technologies and pandemics are transnational in nature," he added. Calling for concerted actions across borders in dealing with diverse challenges, Ravindra said, "To face such diverse challenges, we need coordinated and concerted actions across borders. We believe that enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and Regional and subregional organizations will be a determinant factor in successful resolution of conflicts." "Today's meeting, focusing on cooperation between the United Nations and CSTO, CIS and SCO are, therefore very timely. In this context, we note the ongoing cooperation between the UN and these organizations based on UNGA resolutions. We also acknowledge the work of UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia. We also note with appreciation that 2024 marks 30th anniversary of CIS becoming an Observer at the UNGA," he added. He stated that India shares deep civilizational ties with the people of Central Asia and the diplomatic ties between India and Central Asia countries, including Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) members have completed 30 years. He further said, "On this occasion, Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi hosted the first ever India-Central Asia Summit in in January 2022. The meeting was attended by three CSTO members, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as well as Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The Summit was symbolic of the importance attached by the leaders of India and the Central Asian countries to a comprehensive and enduring India-Central Asia partnership." He emphasised that India attaches great importance to SCO for peace, security, stability and economic development in the region and spoke about India's successful presidency of SCO in 2022-2023. Ravindra said, "India attaches great importance to SCO for peace, security, stability and economic development in the region. This was evident from India's successful presidency of SCO in 2022-23. India's priorities in SCO are shaped by Prime Minister's vision of a 'SECURE' SCO." "SECURE stands for Security, Economic cooperation, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and environmental protection. India has also consistently advocated respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity for connectivity and infrastructure projects. Recognising the centrality of Central Asia to SCO, India has prioritized interests and aspirations of Central Asia," he added. He stressed that India accords high priority to the consolidation of trust in the security domain within SCO as well as strengthening ties with SCO partners on the basis of equality, respect, and mutual understanding. Speaking about India's assistance to Central Asian region for developmental projects, he said, "In the spirit of our cooperation and support to the Central Asian region, India has offered USD 1 billion Line of Credit for priority developmental projects. India is also providing grant assistance for implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) for furthering socio-economic development in the countries of the region." "We have created India-Central Asia Dialogue platform for strengthening cooperation between India and the Central Asian countries. The signing of contract to develop Chabahar Port in Iran recently, is a testament of our commitment towards realizing the potential of the place as a connectivity hub for Afghanistan and Central Asia," he added. In his remarks, he also underscored that developments in Afghanistan will have wider ramifications for the Central Asia region, particularly the possible growth international terrorism and drug trafficking emanating from the Afghani territory. He reiterated India's support for cooperation between the UN and regional organisations and added that this partnership is inevitable for responding collectively, coherently, and decisively to effectively prevent, manage and resolve violent conflicts and promote peace and development. (ANI) Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee speak to the press after visiting damaged Sinclair Elementary School Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at Timbergrove in Houston. Sinclair also suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Beryl, HISD officials said. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, center, and Francisco Sanchez Jr., associate administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience, visit Sinclair Elementary School with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at Timbergrove in Houston. The group previously surveyed the damaged neighborhood around the school. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, right, meets U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee while visiting Sinclair Elementary School and surveying the neighborhood Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at Timbergrove in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer It's unclear whether a handful of HISD campuses will be repaired in time for the first day of school on Aug. 12, district leaders disclosed this week. Sinclair Elementary, Kelso Elementary, and Cage Elementary/Project Chrysalis Middle School suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Beryl, HISD officials said. "We are doing everything possible to get these campuses ready for the August 12th start of school," the district said in a statement. "Campus leaders will reach out to families at these campuses in the days and weeks to come to share updates on the recovery and to share details about any impacts storm damage will have on the first day of school." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fifty campuses had downed trees and 60 HISD campuses reported some roof or structural damage from the storm. Most schools had only minor damage, according to a district statement provided to the Houston Chronicle Thursday. Kelso and Cage/Project Chrysalis were already in the public eye as campuses highlighted in recent bond proposal presentations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Project Chrysalis Middle and Cage Elementary's shared campus would receive new, permanent structures under the proposed bond, and Project Chrysalis currently operates out of temporary buildings. Photographs of Kelso Elementary were included in the district's South Division presentation as an example of district campus needs, and the school would be rebuilt with an allocated $79 million under the proposed bond. A district official also noted Sinclair Elementary in presentations. Calling Donald Trump's speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC) a "dark vision for the future," US President Joe Biden has vowed to get back on the campaign trail next week to "save democracy," The Hill reported. Notably, Biden has been isolating at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday while he was campaigning in Las Vegas. In a statement, Biden said that Trump's remarks at the RNC on Thursday night focused on his own grievances and had no plans to make life better for working people. "Last night the American people saw the same Donald Trump they rejected four years ago. For over 90 minutes, he focused on his own grievances, with no plan to unite us and no plan to make life better for working people," Biden said on Friday. He insisted that he would again defeat Trump in November amid growing calls for the president to drop out of the race. Calls from Democrat members became louder on Friday, when Senator Martin Heinrich became the third Democratic senator to call for Biden to move aside, and four House Democrats issued a joint statement urging the president to end his reelection bid. In a statement, Biden said, "Donald Trump's dark vision for the future is not who we are as Americans. Together, as a party and as a country, we can and will defeat him at the ballot box," The Hill reported. He further said, "I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trump's Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record and the vision that I have for America: one where we save our democracy, protect our rights and freedoms, and create opportunity for everyone." Biden also said that Trump "avoided mentioning his Project 2025 agenda, but still proudly flaunted the worst of MAGA extremism," echoing the response from his campaign chair, Jen O'Malley Dillon, to the former president's speech at the convention Thursday night. O'Malley Dillon said Trump did not mention Project 2025 even once. The Biden campaign has tried to connect Trump to the controversial conservative policy blueprint from the Heritage Foundation, while Trump and his team have aggressively attempted to distance themselves from it, The Hill reported. Former US President Donald Trump kicked off his Presidential campaign with a rousing speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Thursday night local time. Trump attacked the Democrats for continuously targeting him and his family and said that it was time to focus on making America great again. "Enough with the Subpoenas, Let's Focus on America 'Don and others faced countless subpoenas from Democrats like Nancy Pelosi. They must stop this, as it's harming our country. We need to focus on making America great again, not beating people. We won against impeachments and indictments, but the time wasted is damaging. If that effort went towards helping America, we'd be much stronger," he said. Speaking to the Republican cadre, Trump endorsed his running mate and Senator from Ohio, JD Vance. While accepting his nomination, Trump said that he would be the President for all of America. "I am running to be President for all America, not half of America because there is no victory in winning for half of America. So, tonight with faith and devotion I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States, In 4 months we will have an incredible victory. We will launch a new era of peace and prosperity, for all religions, people and creeds. I will be the president of all of America and not of half of America because there is no victory by half," Trump said. (ANI) In his address at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, suggested he was an opponent of American military interventionism, citing the 2003 Iraq War as a conflict that did not need to happen and declaring that "we will send our kids to war only when we must." That speech and similar comments have been cited by some pundits as evidence of Vance making a clean break from the GOP's more hawkish wing. But these generalized claims, often centered on now-convenient criticism of a war that happened more than 20 years ago paired with opposition to helping Ukraine fight off an invasion today are exposed by Vance's repeated calls for aggressive military force, including bombing campaigns targeting Iran and drug cartels in Mexico. Both during his presidency and after, Donald Trump, who this week picked Vance as his running mate, floated various proposals for bombing and invading Mexico to curb the flow of fentanyl across the border. These plans, quickly shut down by others in his administration, are now being echoed by GOP lawmakers, conservative think tanks and Vance himself, despite the possibility that a destructive war in a neighboring country (and the United States' second largest trade partner) would significantly worsen the ongoing refugee crisis that Republicans have sworn to keep south of the Rio Grande. As Vance said on Meet the Press last year, endorsing an invasion of Mexico: I want to empower the president of the United States, whether thats a Democrat or Republican, to use the power of the U.S. military to go after these drug cartels." Mexican drug cartels are responsible for manufacturing and smuggling much of the fentanyl that enters the United States and causes most drug overdose deaths, killing about 150 people a day. "We have to recognize the Mexican government is being, in a lot of ways, destabilized by the constant flow of fentanyl," Vance continued. Vance and other Republican lawmakers, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have proposed labeling drug cartels as terrorist groups to allow U.S. forces to take aggressive action. Former Mexican President Andres Lopez Obrador, in response to such calls, said in 2022 that his government would not "permit any foreign government to intervene in our territory, much less that a government's armed forces intervene." Mexico's own efforts to suppress the drug trade in the 2000s resulted in 60,000 dead and 230,000 people displaced, many of whom immigrated to the United States. Tens of thousands of others simply disappeared, while the cartels remained in power. The U.S. has previously tried stop the drug trade at its sources in other Latin American countries, including efforts by the Clinton administration to funnel aid into the Colombian government's bloody anti-cocaine crackdown with little results to show for it. Elsewhere in the world, Vance has joined other "America First" Republicans in opposing further aid to Ukraine as it struggles to repel a Russian invasion. "I gotta be honest with you, I don't really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another," he said when Russia launched its ground offensive in February 2022. Both he and Trump support a negotiated peace with Russia, with the former president already speaking with right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban about his plans. On the other hand, Vance is perfectly happy to escalate warfare with Iran, telling Fox News that "a lot of people recognize that we need to do something with Iran not those weak little bombing runs ... If you're going to punch the Iranians, you punch them hard, and that's what [Trump] did when he took out [Iranian general Qassem] Soleimani." Vance has also staked out a hardline pro-Israel stance, supporting billions of dollars of military aid to Israel, proposing to defund colleges where pro-Palestine protests have taken place and urging President Joe Biden not to grant immigration protections to Palestinian refugees, who he called "a population of potentially radicalized individuals. Door County Land Trust agrees to buy Girl Scouts camp. Now it needs to raise the money BAILEYS HARBOR - The Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes and Door County Land Trust have reached an agreement that would see the land trust preserve the property of one of the Scouts' longtime campgrounds on the Peninsula while allowing the Scouts to continue using it. Now, the land trust just needs the money to make it happen. The Door County Land Trust launched a $420,000 fundraiser to complete its agreement to purchase Camp Cuesta in Baileys Harbor from the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes. Seen here is the troop house on the 24-acre property, which abuts the land trust's Kangaroo Lake Preserve. The Scouts agreed to sell their Camp Cuesta in Baileys Harbor to the land trust. The 24-acre camp, which the organization has owned and operated for nearly 50 years, is adjacent to the trusts 281-acre Kangaroo Lake Nature Preserve and has been a destination for local scouts to work on environmental stewardship and outdoor skills. Once the sale is finalized, the land trust will protect and maintain stewardship of the property, as it does for the more than 9,400 acres and 15 featured nature preserves already under its care in Door County. The two sides are working on a usage agreement to keep Camp Cuesta open and accessible to the Girl Scouts. We have mixed emotions about selling Camp Cuesta, but we are excited about the future with the Door County Land Trust, Patti Shafto-Carlson, CEO of Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, said in a press release. Their commitment to preserving and maintaining the property aligns perfectly with our vision and values. This partnership ensures that Camp Cuesta will be a place where Girl Scouts and others can connect with nature, have meaningful outdoor experiences and create lasting memories. Emily Wood, executive director of the land trust, said the trust became interested in the campground when the Scouts announced about a year and a half ago they were looking to sell a number of properties, Camp Cuesta among them, as part of a long-term plan. Speaking to the Advocate, Wood said the trust was interested because the camp abuts its Kangaroo Lake Preserve, and especially because it's a property rich in environmental and wildlife features. She noted the Niagara Escarpment runs through it "Cuesta" is Spanish for a ridge or hill with a slope on one side, like the escarpment there's a mix of open spaces and hardwood forest, and it's a habitat for bald eagles, osprey, waterfowl, migratory birds, various mammals and the rare Hine's emerald dragonfly, one of the most endangered dragonfly species in North America. "It was really just kind of a slam dunk for us as far as (interest in) the property was concerned," Wood said. Wood noted the property also stands alone from other land trust properties because it has amenities specifically, the buildings the Girls Scouts use when camping. The site has what's called the troop house, which has restrooms and a kitchenette, and a screened pavilion that offers some protection from insects for evening and nighttime activities. Taking the long view, Wood said the trust plans to apply for a Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that would allow the property to remain open and free to the public for hiking, exploring and other nature activities. The scouting organization would let the trust know when it wanted to reserve the property for its activities. Short-term is the need to raise the funds to actually buy the property. The land trust needs to raise $420,000 through community donations, hopefully by the end of September, to complete the purchase. It has launched a fundraiser on its website, and one supporter already started a matching gift challenge, matching the first $50,000 in donations dollar-for-dollar through Sept. 30. All who donate during the challenge receive a land protection merit badge, and those who donate $100 or more have the option of receiving a Camp Cuesta tote bag or T-shirt. "I'm really optimistic that a community who's expressed so much love for the property will step forward to protect it," Wood said about the fundraising effort. To donate to the fundraiser, visit doorcountylandtrust.org/campcuesta. The trust's website also has an article with stories from some of the former scouts who camped there. For more on the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, visit gsnwgl.org. Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@gannett.com. MORE: A very heavy piece of Great Lakes shipping history relocates back to Sturgeon Bay MORE: Spencer Milligan's playfulness, love of acting showed through on 'Land of the Lost,' Door County productions FOR MORE DOOR COUNTY NEWS: Check out our website This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Door County Land Trust starts fundraiser to buy local Girl Scouts camp Greece is experiencing its second heatwave of the summer - Izzet Keribar A scorching heatwave has hit Europe, causing forest fires and health warnings as British tourists prepare to go on holiday. Europe is bracing for another season of extreme heat caused by climate change after record-breaking temperatures and 61,000 deaths last year. Blazes broke out in Croatia and Greece, and temperatures in parts of Spain and Italy were predicted to be higher than 40C (104F). The Spanish health ministry issued emergency alerts across the country, where it was predicted to get as hot as 44C in Andalucia, and the first official heatwave was declared on Thursday. Andalucia, Aragon, Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Navarre and Madrid are the regions most at risk. Soaring temperatures have been caused by a blast of hot air from sub-Saharan Africa. According to some reports, Spain could experience its hottest day in 74 years on Saturday. Fires broke out in Greece as temperatures soared - Giannis Papanikos/Shutterstock The heat is killing 3,000 people a year and its going to get worse. But while exposure to extreme heat is going to rise, we can also step up our adaptation to it, Hector Tejero, the Spanish health ministrys head of health and climate change, told media. When it comes to the heat, protect yourself, hydrate yourself, refresh yourself and take care of more vulnerable people. Last week, British holidaymakers were advised to limit trips outside during the hottest part of the day because of a serious risk to health during a spell of extreme heat on the Costa del Sol. Italy put 14 cities under the highest alert, with temperatures expected to climb past 40C, especially in central and southern regions, on Thursday. The countrys health ministry said on Friday it would extend the emergency warning to 17 cities, with the heat expected to last until Sunday. Temperatures of 38C were expected in Sicily on Sunday, but it could feel much warmer because of the humidity. In Palermo, it could feel as hot as 44C. It is expected to be 37C in Rome on Saturday, far hotter than the daily average maximum temperature of 29.3C. The second heatwave of the Greek summer brought forest fires and temperatures of up to 43C on Thursday. Firefighters battled one blaze in a village close to Thessaloniki, and a fire on Kea, an island near Athens, forced the evacuation of two areas. We appeal to the public to be particularly careful as over the next few days there is a very high risk of the outbreak of serious wildfires, said Pavlos Marinakis, a government spokesman. Even one spark can cause a major catastrophe. The government ordered the Acropolis, Greeces biggest tourist draw, to close during the hottest part of the day. Outdoor work was also restricted. Firefighters and water-bombing planes tackled a forest fire that broke out near the popular Croatian coastal resort of Trogir. About 70 firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to houses and a hotel complex. Earlier this week, Croatia reported the highest temperature on the Adriatic Sea. In Dubrovnik, the countrys most popular tourist destination, it was almost 30C. The British Red Cross issued a warning to British tourists to beware of the extreme heat. It mentioned the death of Dr Michael Mosley, the TV presenter, in a heatwave in Greece and studies citing 61,000 deaths across Europe because of the heat last summer. Last year, Europe was gripped by a record-breaking heatwave, blamed on the effects of climate change. William Spencer, climate and first aid product manager at the British Red Cross, said: Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and getting worse because of climate change. Sadly, we have seen cases already this year of the tragic impact high temperatures can have on human life. 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. Vice President Kamala Harris Vice President Kamala Harris spoke in Fayetteville on Thursday and warned in stark terms about what she described as the potential dangers of a second Trump administration. (Photo: Video feed) An upbeat Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a forceful speech in Fayetteville on Thursday, even as President Joe Biden struggles to assuage concerns among Democrats about his fitness and ability to defeat Donald Trump in the fall election. This marks the vice presidents 15th trip to North Carolina, a crucial battleground state where Democrats are intensifying efforts to win. In her address to a crowd of several hundred at Westover High School, Harris laid out a stark choice for the nations future. The question we face is what kind of country do we want to live in, Harris said. Do we want to live in a country of freedom, compassion and rule of law? Or a country of chaos, fear and hate? We each have the power to answer this question. Her visit came a day after President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. The White House said on Thursday that the president is experiencing mild symptoms. At the rally, some expressed concern that it was too late to replace Biden, but after hearing her speech, many felt reassured that Harris could effectively step into his place if necessary. I think she could if she had to step in tomorrow, that she could do the job, said Marvin Keller, a retired veteran and former school counselor. But I am concerned because its so late in the political year, and the election is like 110 days away, that will make a big difference in trying to get whoever will replace President Biden get his face out there and to resonate with the public. Others echoed the same sentiment. Franklin County resident Jesse Goslen, who is running for North Carolina House District 7, said Vice President Kamala Harris speech reassured him that she could take over if President Biden steps down as the Democratic nominee. I think if he does decide to step aside, shes the obvious person to take the reins, said Goslen. I kind of just wanted to see her in person and see how she does. I thought it was a good, I thought she did great, I think she could step up to the plate, if thats what Biden decides. Harriss speech in Fayetteville came as Trump prepared to deliver a speech Thursday at the Republican National Convention, formally accepting the partys nomination. In a statement, the GOP dismissed the Thursday event. Republicans from across the country stand united behind President Trump in Milwaukee, while Democrats in North Carolina dont even know if Kamala Harris will be their partys nominee for Vice President or President, North Carolina GOP spokesman Matt Mercer said. There should be lots of questions for her in Fayetteville today about her partys effort to drive their sitting presidential nominee from the ballot. Harris used part of her talk to criticize GOP vice presidential nominee, Senator J.D. Vance, by linking him to the controversial Heritage Foundation agenda known as Project 2025. He talked about his life story about growing up in southwest Ohio and it was compelling, Harris said of Vances speech at the convention in Milwaukee. What is very telling is what he did not talk about on that stage. He did not talk about Project 2025[a] 900 Page blueprint for a second Trump term. He did not talk about it, because their plans are extreme, and they are divisive. Project 2025 proposes significant overhauls to the federal workforce, an expansion of presidential power, and a range of conservative policy priorities. These include plans for a mass deportation operation, widespread tariffs on imported goods, and revocation of FDA approval for mifepristone, an abortion medication. Though the plan was crafted by a group that included numerous former staffers from his first administration, Trump recently denied any connection to Project 2025, writing on his social media platform Truth Social last week that he knows nothing about the plan. I have no idea who is behind it, Trump wrote. I disagree with some of the things theyre saying and some of the things theyre saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them. How former RI Housing Secretary Pryor used a law firm to funnel some state housing contracts PROVIDENCE In his zeal to quickly address Rhode Island's housing availability crisis, former Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor leapfrogged some of the state's requirements for hiring contractors by funneling at least $252,196 in contracts through Savage Law Partners. Instead of seeking competitive bids or hiring consultants through normal channels, Pryor, who left state government this week, oversaw payments of $634,993 to Savage to provide legal services and, less typically, hire a parade of subcontractors to scope out sites and other work. Because of the nature of this arrangement, the state, and more specifically the Department of Housing, has been unable to readily state how much the "subcontractors" including Sage Environmental Inc., the Peregrine Group and Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) have been paid so far. But, in an unsigned memo obtained by The Journal, the Department of Housing advised state purchasing officials days before Pryor announced he was leaving that it was discontinuing its unorthodox contracting practices and that Savage had been instructed to end its "existing subcontractor arrangements" with Sage and Peregrine. The agency promised to go through required state channels in the future. Then-Housing Secretary Stefan Pryor, left, sits with Gov. Dan McKee at a May 16 RI Housing meeting that Pryor chaired. Why go this route in the first place? This is the explanation of the approach that housing spokeswoman Emily Marshall gave The Journal: "In certain circumstances and often to maintain attorney-client privilege, attorneys can procure services directly, as they do when using experts and other consultants in litigation." In this case, she said Friday, "The department [now] understands that, while Savages subcontractor arrangements related directly to the legal work that Savage was performing on behalf of the department, going forward the department will seek the Department of Administrations approval before such subcontractors are secured." Going deeper: Pryor's unorthodox approach When he announced in late June that he was leaving the top job in the state's housing arena for an unspecified job in the private sector, Pryor pointed with pride to an uptick in new homes permitted on his watch, a 32% increase in available beds for people experiencing homelessness and the 2,600 new homes financed by Rhode Island Housing, "including 2,000 that are 'affordable'." But critics in Rhode Island's housing realm including one or more employees within the relatively new Department of Housing run by Pryor raised red flags behind the scenes over his management style. His approach may have moved some projects along more quickly, but the contracts were not the only issue. The agency also left the first $30 million the legislature earmarked for low-income housing tax credits on the table untouched. Here is what is known so far about the subcontracts and the delayed start of the $30-million-a-year low-income housing tax credit: The contracts In the budget year that ended on June 30, the Department of Housing paid $1,009,993 to the Savage law firm which is one of two law firms the McKee administration has also hired to pursue potential damages from the Washington Bridge contractors. The payment to Savage included a $375,000 "real estate acquisition deposit" for the state's purchase of the former Charlesgate Nursing Center in Providence and unknown payments to the subcontractors. According to a June 21 memo from the Department of Housing to the state purchasing director, Sage and the Peregrine Group were hired by Savage in connection with the state's purchase of Charlesgate for "over $6 million for use as a shelter, and eventually affordable housing." The memo says "SLP recommended that, in the interest of protecting taxpayers, it should conduct standard, rigorous due diligence on the property prior to Housing acquiring it." Sage was then engaged to do the Phase I, Phase II and bore drilling on the property, and Peregrine was brought in to help in the due diligence process "without any cost markup," the memo states. (The closing has not yet taken place.) JLL was hired to "assist with due diligence for site selection and acquisition for homeless shelters,'' which entailed "complex ownership structures, utility requirements, timing considerations, and regulatory and zoning requirements'' on various sites, including state-owned land at the Route 146 on ramp off Douglas Avenue in Providence for a still unoccupied pallet-shelter village. On March 7, a view of the village of pallet shelters to be set up on state land off Victor Street in Providence, a project meant to provide housing to some of Rhode Island's unsheltered population. The memo stated there were several "legal implications" in the creation of the village, including local zoning compliance, building and fire codes, seeking variances, permits and "analyzing plans for satisfaction of requirements such as emergency vehicle ingress and egress and utility access." Savage also hired JLL to assist with "due diligence" on 111 Westminster St., Providence (knownas the Superman building) to "among other things, understand the legal requirements and financial value of two federal programs'' that could be used to convert vacant commercial buildings in a transit area into apartments. JLL provided advice on cost and financing fluctuations so that Savage "could understand the implications, if any, on current or future legal structures of any public investments ... for the developer." According to the memo: "JLL charged an hourly fee that was less than SLPs agreed-to hourly rate, which, in turn, reduced costs to the state." According to an agency rundown, the amounts Savage paid so far to these and other subcontractors doing work for the Department of Housing include: Peter M. Scotti & Associates $13,000 Novogradac & Co. $8,000 Sage Environmental $21,072.68 Peregrine Group $53,696.68 Homeport Inspections of RI $7,746.96 InSite Engineering Services $14,500 Jones Lang LaSalle Americas Inc. $134,179.75 The tax credit In the state budget approved in June 2023, state lawmakers created "a five-year competitively awarded tax credit for housing developments,'' with up to $30 million available each year for developments that also qualified for federal low-income housing tax credits. The problem: The Department of Housing did not post the proposed regulations for the program created until nearly a year later, in May 2024. And while the public comment period is over, the regulations are still winding their way through the state's labyrinthian approval process. Asked why the housing tax credits are not yet available, more than a year after the legislature's final June 15, 2023 budget vote, Department of Housing spokeswoman Emily Marshall confirmed: "No state low-income housing tax credits have been issued to date. "The team is reviewing these comments in line with the rulemaking process," she said. The time lag? "Setting up an effective state LIHTC program requires careful consideration to maximize the impact of this new financing for affordable housing." This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Memo traces how former RI housing official skipped state procurement process A GoFundMe has been launched to help support the family of Montclair Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Ponds, who died on Friday. The fundraiser, started by Tessie Thomas of Montclair and shared on social media by the township's PTA groups, had collected over $60,000 of a $150,000 goal as of Friday afternoon. "Dr. Ponds went above and beyond as Superintendent with a laser sharp focus on every childs success in Montclair. He was a lifelong learner and encouraged everyone around him to be the same. To that end, his wife Jenna is going to start a college fund for the three boys, 10, 12 and 14 and we are supporting with the logistics," the GoFundMe states. Dr. Jonathan C. Ponds There will be a memorial tribute service planned for Ponds on Friday. The ceremony will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at St. Paul's Baptist Church on Elm Street, the district announced on its website. The service will also be livestreamed on the church's website at www.stpaullive.org. Ponds joined Montclair during the COVID-19 pandemic after serving as superintendent in Moonachie for five years. Prior to that, he was principal at Parsons Elementary School in North Brunswick from 2012-15. Ponds earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina, a Master of Education degree from Cambridge College in Massachusetts and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: GoFundMe launched for family of late Montclair superintendent Ponds How Kansas governor is influencing Democratic primaries and what Vic Miller says about it Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is using her Middle of the Road PAC to influence Democratic primary races, despite indicating she wanted to use the political action committee and its money to break the Republican supermajorities in the Statehouse. Kelly's PAC on Thursday endorsed four Democratic legislative candidates in contested primaries, including in one Topeka race. The governor is officially backing Patrick Schmidt over Vic Miller and ShaMecha King Simms. The trio are running for Senate District 19, a new Democrat-leaning district in the area following redistricting. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, seen here at an event earlier this month in Holton, is getting involved with her PAC in Democratic primaries for Statehouse races. Kelly is also backing incumbent Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, in a primary challenge from Rep. Christina Haswood, D-Lawrence; Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, in a challenge from Ephren Taylor III; and Wanda Brownlee Paige over Kimberly DeWitt and Michelle Watley in a primary challenge to incumbent Rep. Marvin Robinson, D-Kansas City, who consistently sided with Republicans on key votes. "Kansans want leaders who will put politics aside and do what's in the best interest of the people they represent like funding our schools, responsibly cutting taxes, and stopping divisive legislation that harms Kansans," Kelly said in a statement from her PAC. "These candidates are uniquely qualified to serve in the Kansas Legislature and I know they will put partisan politics aside to do right by Kansas families. I enthusiastically endorse these four candidates and look forward to working together with them." Why Vic Miller says Laura Kelly opposes him and how her office responds Miller, who is the current House minority leader, previously served in the Senate for the remainder of Kelly's term after she was elected governor in 2018. Miller alleged that Kelly is opposing him because he attempted during last month's special session to amend the compromise tax cut plan that the governor negotiated with Republican leadership. His proposed amendment would have given property tax relief to disabled veterans, but was rejected without a roll call vote. "This is retribution to me offering an amendment to help our totally disabled veterans," Miller said, alleging that Will Lawrence, Kelly's chief of staff, said at the time that Miller would "pay for it." "I wholeheartedly disagree with Vic Miller's assertions," said Lawrence, who is also a senior adviser to the PAC. "I think they're completely false, and he knows it." Lawrence said retribution isn't a word he uses. "It wasn't for any one thing," Lawrence said. "Vic has been around a long time. He has a full body of work that demonstrates that he's out for himself. He is a selfish politician who, whenever he's making a decision, is what's in it for him. It has nothing to do with his constituents." House Minority Leader Vic Miller, D-Topeka, is running for the Senate without the support of Gov. Laura Kelly, whose PAC is fundraising for an opponent. "Vic fully earned this situation himself," said Lawrence, who said Miller's amendment is "just one example of the many things that Vic has done over the years." Miller said Lawrence called a friend of Miller's the night before the PAC publicly announced the endorsement "and told him that's why she (Kelly) was supporting endorsing my opponent, was because of that action that I took to try to take care of totally disabled veterans. And that I find very sad. However, if that's the sword I have to fall on in politics, I'll do it 100 times when it comes to taking care of totally disabled veterans because we cannot do enough to show our appreciation for their service." Lawrence said the governor's office was in communication with Democrats about tax negotiations prior to the special session and knew where Miller stood. "I knew where Vic was at ... in all the meetings I had with him, he never mentioned veterans," Lawrence said, accusing Miller of "playing politics." As for the call, Lawrence said "I did not say it had anything to do with the special session. I said that this year has been a mess. I might've use the word disaster as it relates to working with him, and we've had a lot of challenges with the House caucus that's been because he's not leading or he's leading in the wrong direction." The call was with former Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, who has endorsed Miller in the race. Hensley said that "Will and the governor were upset that Vic offered that veterans amendment to the tax bill." While he said "I don't recall how he couched it," the special session amendment being the reason for endorsing Miller "was pretty much the sum and substance of the conversation." Will Lawrence, seen here at a House Democratic caucus meeting in April, is Gov. Laura Kelly's chief of staff and a senior adviser to her political action committee. Schmidt was only SD19 candidate to do PAC's questionnaire Miller said he would have understood had Kelly endorsed his other primary opponent, King Simms. "I, like the governor or what I thought the governor was I have a high priority on electing women to the Legislature," Miller said. "So I would have understood if that was who she chose to endorse and that was the reason she gave. I want to see more men and women of color in the Legislature because I think they, too, are underrepresented. "And had she chosen to endorse the third person in my race, I would have understood that for that reason." But Miller said he doesn't understand why Kelly endorsed Schmidt, who moved into the district in the past year. Miller said a former Democratic congressman told him that Schmidt, who lost a race for Congress two years ago, "wants to run for Congress again" and the Statehouse seat "would be a good stepping stone." Lawrence said that Schmidt "wants to represent those constituents and do the right thing. He's not in it for himself." He added that Schmidt was the only Democratic candidate for the district who responded to the PAC's questionnaire. Miller said he didn't fill out the questionnaire because it had been communicated to him that the PAC planned to endorse Schmidt. "We really liked ShaMecha," Lawrence said, "and certainly hope that she stays engaged. ... But it's awful hard to endorse someone who doesn't submit a questionnaire. But she also I just don't think is in a strong position to be competitive in that race, and we need to make sure that we have new leadership in that seat. Can't be Vic Miller." A spokesperson for King Simms didn't respond to a request for comment. What do other candidates say about endorsement? Schmidt said he is grateful for Kelly's support. "I think it's great that she recognizes that there are a lot of people eager to get some new leadership in the Legislature and leadership and support that'll stand by her in the priorities she has for the Legislature," Schmidt said. At a candidate forum last weekend featuring the three candidates for the Senate District, Miller accused Schmidt of being too willing to work with Republican leadership. Washburn University political scientist Bob Beatty said the approach may have been a factor in the endorsement. "I did wonder if the differences of Schmidt and Miller's approach to working with Republicans, which he (Miller) expressed in that forum, might be a factor in this endorsement, that the PAC is looking to for someone who will work with Republicans when needed in the next two sessions," Beatty said. Patrick Schmidt, who ran for Congress in 2022, is now running for the Kansas Senate with the endorsement of Gov. Laura Kelly. Schmidt, however, levied the same criticism at Miller in an interview on Thursday. "We need people in the Legislature that are going to be tireless in their support of what the people of 19th district in Kansas want and need and won't compromise with extremist Republicans," Schmidt said. More: Here's how $1M fundraising haul of Laura Kelly's PAC could break supermajority in Kansas Kelly's PAC is fundraising to oppose Vic Miller Lawrence rejected the notion that the PAC getting involved in Democratic primaries is using resources that could be saved for a general election. "I feel very good about our ability to raise funds," Lawrence said, referring to further expenditures as "investments" in the races "to make sure that our preferred candidates are successful." Some of the fundraising is targeted at specific races. "There are a lot of people that are unhappy with Vic Miller," Lawrence said. "So it's not been super complicated to find people who want to invest money to make sure he's not in the Senate." He declined to say how much has been raised to oppose Miller, "but it'll become apparent at a certain point in time." More: With 2024 elections looming, here's how Laura Kelly plans to break up GOP supermajorities Why is Democratic governor getting involved in primaries? Kelly has said she wants to use her PAC to endorse moderates regardless of political party. "When she set up that PAC, it was announced they might even support Republicans," Beatty said. "This was a PAC that, one of their goals was to help Kelly in her last two years and get things done." But another one of its goals is to break Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate. "Those stated goals don't jive," Miller said. "They just don't." "Notwithstanding what the governor did in this regard, I am 100% committed to breaking the Republican supermajority in both the House and the Senate," Miller added. Lawrence said Democrats "need strong incumbents who have a desire to do the right thing and not be overly interested in just playing politics." "We don't expect total alignment," Lawrence said. "We expect that there will sometimes be some internal friction ... but you've got to come from the same common goal of doing the right thing in putting your constituents and the state of Kansas ahead of yourself." He said that was the issue with Miller and Robinson. He said Haley's opponent is "eager and working hard and there probably is a future for him at some point, but he's running against an incumbent that we've had a long working relationship with." He said that was also the case in supporting Francisco over Haswood, though he also noted that Haswood has at times broken with the governor. "All of that I think still serves the purpose of making sure that we have strong incumbents in our Democratic caucuses," Lawrence said. "That is the foundation for making sure we stop bad things from happening when the Republicans are pushing their anti-Kansas agenda." Lawrence acknowledged the political risk of Haswood and Miller winning despite the governor's opposition. He said "we want to have a good working relationship" with Haswood, but "with Vic, the reality is that, what do we have now? There will be no change in our relationship with Vic. ... Vic is who he is, and he's going to do what he feels like. And most of the time it's being disruptive because I think he thoroughly enjoys causing problems or people." The endorsement comes two months after reporters eating lunch at a local chili parlor happened upon Schmidt and Lawrence leaving with other Democratic insiders, including Cory Sheedy, chief of staff for Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa. Sykes earlier this month told The Capital-Journal that she wasn't involved in the Senate District 19 primary. "I am not," Sykes said. "I mean, we offer some services to all of them and I have a fundraiser and all of them are invited to come, but I don't get involved in primaries." Days after the chili parlor meeting, following an event at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, reporters asked Kelly whether she or her PAC were backing Schmidt over Miller. "Right now, we have not done any endorsements of any candidate, regardless of party," Kelly said in May. "It's a little premature for that. So the answer is no." At the time, Kelly didn't know whether her PAC would get involved in Democratic primaries. "We really haven't had those discussions," she said. "I think we will take a look and see if it would be in the best interest of the Legislature and the state of Kansas if we were to get involved. So we'll play it by ear." 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: Laura Kelly's Middle of the Road PAC endorses in Democratic primaries Paraguay carries out largest cocaine bust in its history as 4 tons are found in sugar shipment headed to Europe Authorities in Paraguay seized over 4 tons of cocaine with a market value of around $240 million inside a shipment of sugar that was destined for Belgium, the countrys anti-drug agency Senad said Tuesday. The cocaine bust named Operation Sweetness is the largest in the countrys history and was carried out in capital Asuncions seaport, according to Senad. Senad said that after detecting a suspicious shipment it coordinated with other government agencies to carry out the drug bust, adding that currently more containers are being inspected and that all investigative proceedings are focused on the criminal structure that set in motion the logistics of mobilizing the megaload mainly for the European continent. One person has been detained, a truck driver who allegedly dropped off the drug shipment at the seaport, Senads Minister Jalil Rachid told Paraguayan network ABC. Rachid provided few details into the investigation but said an organized criminal group was likely behind the shipment. Nowadays, drugs dont leave Paraguay, the drugs are confiscated here in our territory, and now the big challenge is to prevent drugs entering Paraguay, clearly the country is not a cocaine producer, Paraguays President Santiago Pena told local media after the drug bust. Pena said the country is used as drug route and obviously this (bust) is going to discourage (traffickers). I think this is a signal sent to organized crime groups to stop using Paraguay, because they will be met with authorities that are determined, the president said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Lou Dobbs, the political commentator who anchored "Lou Dobbs Tonight" on CNN before the show moved to Fox Business, has died at the age of 78. He was born in Childress, Texas, before his family moved to Idaho when he was young. A message posted on Dobbs' social media accounts confirmed his death Thursday. "It's with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of 'the great Lou Dobbs.' Lou was a fighter til the very end fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country," the statement read. "Lou's legacy will forever live on as a patriot and a great American. We ask for your prayers for Lou's wonderful wife Debi, children and grandchildren." People are also reading: Abbott touts Texas border initiatives at Republican National Convention. Here's what he said Lou Dobbs: Cause of death The details of Lou Dobbs' death have not yet been made public. Lou Dobbs on the set of Lou Dobbs Tonight in 2005. The conservative pundit has died. He was 78. Former President Donald Trump, Fox News Media respond to Lou Dobbs' death Former President Donald Trump first announced the news on Truth Social, writing, "The Great Lou Dobbs has just passed away A friend, and truly incredible Journalist, Reporter, and Talent. He understood the World, and what was 'happening,' better than others." "Lou was unique in so many ways, and loved our Country. Our warmest condolences to his wonderful wife, Debi, and family. He will be greatly missed!" Trump wrote hours before he was scheduled to speak at the Republican National Convention and officially accept the Republican presidential nomination. People are also reading: When is the DNC? Everything to know about the 2024 Democratic National Convention In a statement shared with USA TODAY, Fox News Media paid tribute to Dobbs. "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Lou Dobbs," the statement read. "An incredible business mind with a gift for broadcasting, Lou helped pioneer cable news into a successful and influential industry." "We are immensely grateful for his many contributions and send our heartfelt condolences to his family," the statement concluded. Before his death, Dobbs was absent from his iHeartRadio show, "The Great America Show with Lou Dobbs," as well as his live-streamed show, "Lou Dobbs Tonight," for over a week. Lou Dobbs aired live conversation with Trump weeks before his death On July 3, via live-stream, Dobbs spoke with Trump after the Supreme Court issued its ruling on the issue of whether presidents are immune from criminal prosecution. In a 6-3 decision, justices ruled a president's "official" acts are protected from liability, but not the steps he took as a presidential candidate. Trump is accused of trying to steal the 2020 election by spreading lies about election fraud. Remembering Lou Dobbs' career Lou Dobbs, who was one of Trump's most vocal supporters and pushed the "birther" conspiracy theory questioning former President Barrack Obama's citizenship, repeatedly spread false claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. In 2021, Fox Business Network canceled "Lou Dobbs Tonight" following a 10-year run. The announcement came one day after Fox News and three hosts, Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro, were sued for $2.7 billion. At the time, voting technology company Smartmatic claimed that the defendants conspired to spread false claims that the company helped "steal" the presidential election. Fox has since filed a counterclaim in the New York Supreme Court, accusing the company of filing a frivolous lawsuit. Dobbs, who held a degree in economics, was at CNN for over two decades. He started as an anchor for the program "Moneyline" in 1980, and the show was renamed "Lou Dobbs Tonight" in the early 2000s. Dobbs left the cable network in 2009. Since the beginning of this year, "Lou Dobbs Tonight" has been broadcasting on Mike Lindell's online streaming broadcast network FrankSpeech. USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Lou Dobbs dead: Former 'Lou Dobbs Tonight' anchor dies at 78 China's AI model advances effective forecast time of global mid-term weather to 11.25 days 09:45, July 19, 2024 By Zhao Yusha ( Global Times A Chinese artificial intelligence lab has successfully advanced the effective forecast time of global mid-term weather to 11.25 days for the first time. It managed to achieve weather forecasting ranging from severe convective weather that occurs within minutes to 10-year ocean climate prediction. The weather forecast model is called Fengwu, a machine-learning model developed by the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Unlike the traditional physical models that mostly run on supercomputers, Fengwu uses artificial intelligence to analyze the elements provided by atmospheric data assimilation, such as wind speed, temperature, and humidity to predict future weather. Artificial intelligence can utilize past meteorological elements, such as temperature, to make more precise forecasts, explained Ouyang Wanli, a scientist from the Shanghai lab, to the Global Times. Currently, Fengwu has achieved a breakthrough in global medium-term meteorological forecasting, advancing the effective forecast time to 11.25 days for the first time. Moreover, the model has been upgraded and expanded to include modules for severe convective weather forecasting, global medium-term meteorological forecasting, and ocean climate forecasting, the Global Times learned from the Shanghai lab. It can now provide forecasts ranging from minute-level severe convective weather to decade-long ocean climate predictions, covering precipitation, temperature, wind, solar radiation, ocean currents, sea temperature, and other climate and meteorological elements. The forecast of 11.25 days has made Fengwu surpass some of the international equivalents in predicting weather. In November 2023, Google DeepMind released an AI that delivers 10-day weather forecasts with unprecedented accuracy and speed. Moreover, Fengwu has realized weather forecasts from "doorstep" to "the heart of the ocean." It can provide accurate weather forecasts of severe convection weather within one kilometer, and offer accurate weather and ocean activity forecasts for different altitudes and depths of the sea. In recent years, the world has suffered from increasingly frequent climate disasters. More common extreme weather-related disasters have highlighted an urgency for weather forecasts to become more precise. So far, the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory has cooperated with both national and Shanghai's municipal meteorological bureaus to construct severe convective weather forecast models, allowing for precise radar precipitation forecasts every five minutes for the next two hours. Due to its own limitations and the uncertainty of weather, the traditional model of weather forecast still cannot meet the diverse and growing needs of today's users; whilst data-driven AI methods provide very useful tools to bridge this gap, Dai Kan, deputy head of China's National Meteorological Center, told the Global Times in a previous interview. In addition to Fengwu, the Shanghai Academy of Artificial Intelligence for Science (SAIS) and Fudan University unveiled the upgraded model, known as FuXi 2.0, last month. It is the first global large weather model for weather routing, Xinhua News Agency quoted a press release of the university as saying. Fuxi 2.0 has made progress in terms of mid-term weather forecasting models and sub-seasonal models, targeting industries such as new energy, aviation, and maritime transportation. The Chinese government has already started exploring various ways of using artificial intelligence in weather forecasting. In May this year, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) launched a pilot program for AI weather forecasts. AI models participating in the program will use real-time observational data provided by the CMA as input fields to produce weather forecasts for the coming 15 days. The demonstration products include forecasts for high-altitude meteorological elements, surface meteorological elements, typhoon paths, and forecasts for hazardous weather processes. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Passangers wait for an update on the status of their flights after a global information technology outage caused flight delays at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Major airlines, medical facilities, businesses and law enforcement around the world were affected by the massive IT glitch affecting Microsoft cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. The outages are the result of one of its software updates gone wrong. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Kia Ramey, left, tries to find out her options from customer service agent Jasmine Hill after her international flight was delayed when a global information technology outage caused flight delays at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Major airlines, medical facilities, businesses and law enforcement around the world were affected by the massive IT glitch affecting Microsoft cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. The outages are the result of one of its software updates gone wrong. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Six month old Tiffany Crossley, right, brightens up the spirits of Maribel Garcia, Alem and her mother, Daijah Crossley after a global information technology outage caused flight delays at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Major airlines, medical facilities, businesses and law enforcement around the world were affected by the massive IT glitch affecting Microsoft cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. The outages are the result of one of its software updates gone wrong. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Dustin George lays on a bed of luggages as he and his family wait for word on their flight to Detroit after a global information technology outage caused flight delays at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Major airlines, medical facilities, businesses and law enforcement around the world were affected by the massive IT glitch affecting Microsoft cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. The outages are the result of one of its software updates gone wrong. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Valerie Brilanti pets Oliver, a mini Golden Retriever therapy dog, while she waits for the status of her flight to Miami after a global information technology outage caused flight delays at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Major airlines, medical facilities, businesses and law enforcement around the world were affected by the massive IT glitch affecting Microsoft cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. The outages are the result of one of its software updates gone wrong. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer Carols Gomez, left, examines the flight board alongside fellow passenger Carlos Hernandez after a global information technology outage caused flight delays at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Friday, July 19, 2024, in Houston. Major airlines, medical facilities, businesses and law enforcement around the world were affected by the massive IT glitch affecting Microsoft cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. The outages are the result of one of its software updates gone wrong. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer A global IT outage was causing flight delays at Houston airports and led officials to close driver license offices and the Port of Houston Friday morning amid mounting reports of technology-related service disruptions affecting businesses and agencies worldwide. George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports were fully operational Friday morning including parking, TSA and concessions, according to Houston Airports spokesperson Melissa Correa. However, airlines servicing Houston including United Airlines and American Air reported that the outage was affecting system operations. The Barbours Cut and Bayport container terminals and the Texas Department of Public Safety's driver license offices were closed Friday morning. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The outage appeared to be rooted in an issue with the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Officials with the firm said the outage wasn't believed to be the result of a cyberattack. "Were deeply sorry for the impact that weve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this," CrowdStrike CEO and President George Kurtz said on the TODAY Show. Here's what to know Follow along below for live updates on the IT outage from Houston Chronicle reporters. To support our journalism, please consider subscribing to the Chronicle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad United Airlines said late Friday morning that it had resumed flights and is restoring its schedule after the global Crowdstrike outage affected the systems the airline uses for calculating aircraft weight, checking in customers and other airline functions. As we carefully ramp-up our recovery over the course of the day, customers should check their flight status before heading to the airport on Friday, the company said in a statement, adding that customers also have the option to change their travel plans via Uniteds website and app. We know this has been a difficult day for airline customers and we appreciate their patience as we work to safely restore our on-time operation as quickly as possible. - Erica Grieder The Moonwalker statue, also known as Space Cow, stands tall in the Terminal A ticketing area at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The statue found itself partially surrounded on one side by a barricade of bags on Friday morning. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Between the suitcases and the cow were 19-year-old Leanna Nguyen and 18-year-old Kassidy Dao, cousins who were supposed to be flying Spirit to Los Angeles to attend a wedding Saturday. There are eight people in their party, and at one point three of them were sleeping in their makeshift, half-closed area. But that was earlier. Now the two cousins were awake, and in the same situation as earlier: They had no idea if or when theyll be up in the sky. - Peter Warren Advertisement Article continues below this ad The State of Texas website, Texas.gov, is one of the latest casualties in the disruption caused by a CrowdStrike update. The outage has impacted the functionality of several Texas state websites, according to a post on X. Transaction processing and other systems may not be available until a fix is deployed. - John Lomax Advertisement Article continues below this ad The widespread tech outages were reportedly impacting several banks, including at least some bank branches for JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America Friday morning, the Wall Street Journal reported, although it wasnt immediately clear yet if those impacts were being felt in Houston. Representatives from Chase and Bank of America were not immediately available for comment. Other banks and financial institutions reportedly experiencing outages Friday morning included TD Bank, Charles Schwab, Visa, MasterCard, Capital One, Wells Fargo, Square, and others, according to DownDetector, a website that tracks real-time web and telecommunications outages. However, it wasnt immediately clear whether these reported outages were tied to the CloudStrike incident. Sugar Land-based Prosperity Bank said that its operations werent impacted by the outages, but that some of its vendors that provide services to the bank were affected, so it had to devise some workarounds Friday morning. However, a Prosperity Bank spokesperson said all of its customer-facing operations were working properly and available, including branches, ATMs and online services. - Marissa Luck Eight Boy Scouts aged 15 to 17 and three scoutmasters lined up Friday morning waiting to talk with a Delta representative. The group is on their way to Ontario via a layover in Minneapolis for a six-day canoe trip. Their flight out of Houston was delayed by about three hours, which would cause them to miss their next connecting flight. An earlier flight to Minneapolis was also delayed, but to the time their flight was scheduled to depart. They were hoping to get on that flight. Spending the night in Minnesota instead of Canada isnt the end of the world. Theres a 9 a.m. flight they can take Saturday morning. The group wasnt worried. Its a senior group whove almost all traveled together previously. Theyll be alright, two of the scoutmasters said. - Peter Warren Freeport LNG, a massive gas liquefaction plant south of Houston, said Friday that its operations were unaffected by the global tech outage. The company is still working to resume operations at the Freeport-area facility after it powered down ahead of Hurricane Beryls landfall last week. - Amanda Drane The CrowdStrike global outage had "minimal impact" on media partner KTRK-TV, known as ABC 13, according to a senior member of the news operation's management. This comes after reporter and anchor Charly Edsitty said on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the station was also seeing the "blue screens" during the outage early Friday morning. Meteorologist Kevin Roth almost had to go "old school" due to his graphics not working, she wrote. KTRK-TV aired its morning newscasts without any issues and as of Friday, it isn't "experiencing any impacts." - Shakari Briggs and Octavia Johnson Walmart hasn't seen any major impacts to its stores or distribution centers in Houston, a corporate spokesperson said. - Marissa Luck Hines, a global real estate firm based in Houston, said it was not impacted by the outage. Houston Association of Realtors said it also wasn't impacted and its Houston MLS system is operating. - Marissa Luck Academy Sports + Outdoors has not been affected by Fridays global CrowdStrike outage. Academys operating as usual, said a spokesperson for the company. The retailer, headquartered in Katy, saw steady sales over the past two weeks as Houston-area shoppers bought supplies such as grills and coolers to help weather Hurricane Beryl and its aftermath. - Erica Greider Smiles were hard to come by at the check-in area of Terminal A on Friday morning. Resigned faces, blank stares and tired eyes abounded as people were left waiting and waiting. But then came a brief remedy to lift their spirits in the form of two furry friends named Oliver and Clyde. Cindy Chapman and Pat Perez usually dont bring their dogs to IAH on Fridays as part of Houston Airports Volunteer Therapy Dog Program. But the duo, who usually team up and do two-hour shifts together, picked a good day to mix it up. We just showed up and it's like, oh wow, Chapman said. The tag team visited IAH as trained dogs registered with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Clyde, Perezs dog, is a 5-year-old Labradoodle whos been working at the airport for about two years. Oliver is Chapmans 6-year-old mini golden doodle with about a year of experience at the airport. They even have their own trading cards. One little girl burst with glee as she went to pet the dogs. A grown mans lips curved into a bright smile when his eyes spotted the two. A couple stopped by to pet them. It just brings us so much joy, Perez said. - Peter Warren CenterPoint Energy, in a statement, said it and restoration efforts in Houston are unaffected by the CrowdStrike glitch. The global technology outage has not impacted CenterPoint Energys storm restoration efforts, nor has it had an impact on natural gas or electric service to our customers, the company said in a statement. - Dug Begley Tech experts have taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, saying the CrowdStrike outage is the largest the world has faced yet. Troy Hunt, a regional director for Microsoft and creator of haveibeenpwned.com, said the CrowdStrike crashes are like Y2K except it's actually happened this time. "I dont think its too early to call it: this will be the largest IT outage in history," he said. - John Lomax Oil refineries along the Gulf Coast appear to have been unaffected by the outages. A spokesman for Houston-based Citgo, which operates refineries in Corpus Christi and Lake Charles, Louisiana, said its IT systems were operating normally. And an oil lobbyist in Washington said Friday morning they were unaware of any impacts within the sector. - James Osborne A global CrowdStrike technology outage caused several canceled and delayed flights at Houston Airports Friday. Both George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports were fully operational as of Friday morning, officials said. But several airlines have delayed, canceled or grounded flights as a result of technology issues. Affected airlines flying out of Houston Airports include American, Delta and United Airlines. In addition to delayed flights, travelers should expect longer lines in the ticketing lobbies at Houston Airports Friday, spokesperson Melissa Correa said. Several airlines, including Delta, American and United Airlines, are offering solutions for travelers experiencing flights affected by Friday's technology outage. - Caroline Wilburn Although transit operations remain unaffected, as well as scheduling, the global web interruption has impacted the Metropolitan Transit Authoritys Ride Store website. The site, Metro spokesperson Doug Delony said, is down, leaving customers unable to add money or passes to cards or check balances online. - Dug Begley CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on X that the outages affecting Windows systems were not caused by a cyberattack. Kurt said the company understands the breadth and impact of the issue and is working as quickly as they can to resolve it. - John Lomax The Electric Reliability Council of Texas said the states grid is currently unaffected by the outbreak of computer errors caused by a CrowdStrike update. In a post on X, ERCOT said they have not detected any reliability issues for Texas grid. - John Lomax Operations at Houston-area colleges and universities have remained largely unchanged because of the global tech outage. Texas A&M University was an exception, canceling classes Friday. The College Station campus remains open, and essential employees should report to work as normal, according to the university. Dining services were down. Several other universities across Texas have not reported changes to operations. The University of Texas at Austin is fully operational, and San Jacinto Colleges systems were similarly unaffected. University of Houston Downtown is resuming its student orientation and other campus events. Houston Christian Universitys systems are back up after campus logins were down, a university spokesman said. - Samantha Ketterer A spokesperson for Houston ISD said Friday morning the district's Information Technology team is aware of the global outage and the district's systems are functioning normally. "At this time, we are not experiencing any adverse impacts from the event," HISD's statement reads. - Nusaiba Mizan Houston-area H-E-Bs are operating normally Friday despite the global Crowdstrike outage. The situation has not impacted our stores, said a spokesperson for the grocer. All stores are open and operational. - Erica Grieder Union Pacific Railroad reported "some processing delays in customer shipments" as it dealt with targeted impacts from the worldwide Microsoft outage Friday. The company said the outage "has had varying levels of impact across Union Pacific's network" and declined to specify how much the Houston area was affected. Union Pacific's backup protocols allowed continued communication with teams and dispatchers throughout the outage, spokeswoman Robynn Tysver said. On a normal week, about 2,200 trains travel within Houston's rail network, mostly carrying bulk industrial cargo like chemicals, coal, grain, aggregate and coke to and from industrial complexes in the region. Many tracks belong to Union Pacific, which has a local intermodal terminal, while others are owned by BNSF Railway Company and the Port Terminal Railroad Association. BNSF said it was not currently experiencing any impacts from the outage but will continue to monitor the situation. - Rebekah Ward About 18 people from Washington circled the check-in area next to the Spirit desks in prayer. They are scheduled to fly to Honduras on a mission trip. The flight was set to leave in about two hours at 11:30 a.m. The man leading the prayer concludes. Seconds later, a woman announces on an intercom, All flights to Honduras have been canceled. - Peter Warren While the Texas Department of Transportation, like other state agencies, was impacted by the CrowdStrike interruption, none of the impacts are related to traffic information, officials said. Im not aware of any operational or continuity issues, TxDOT spokesperson Raquelle Lewis said. Real-time traffic information from TxDOT and Houston TranStar was still live, as of Friday morning. Metropolitan Transit Authority spokesperson Doug Delony said early Friday bus and rail operations were also unaffected. - Dug Begley Mayor John Whitmire says it doesn't appear Houston Police Department's operations were affected by outage. - Matt deGrood Kinder Morgan, the pipeline giant with headquarters in Houston, said it was not impacted by the outage. - Amanda Drane Markets opened Friday to a bleak outlook for CrowdStrike, the cyber security company behind the wave of software glitches impacting Windows computers across the globe. The companys stock plummeted 10% by 9:45 a.m., dropping its value from $345.10 a share Thursday to $310.95 Friday morning. While it appears the companys value may have avoided a total freefall, it remains unclear how ongoing efforts to deploy a fix will impact its share price. - John Lomax Christina Williams sat in Terminal A baggage claim holding the right leg of her 2-year-old daughter Addie, who was joined by an Eeyore stuffed animal in a stroller. Her husband Nik was upstairs, searching for more information about their flight to Philadelphia. Addie was watching a Daniel Tiger video on YouTube. Christina said it was a last resort on an unexpected and frustrating morning. Their Spirit flight had been scheduled to leave at 8 a.m. When they arrived around 7 a.m., Christina said it was chaos trying to figure out information on their flight. They had checked in but didnt have a boarding pass. They were just going to call it a day and return to their Houston home, she said. "We dont know if well get refunds on our car rental and return flights," Christina said. Nik returned a few minutes later. Their flight to Philly was gone, and soon Christina, Nik, Addie and an Eeyore stuffed animal were too. - Peter Warren A fix has been deployed after a wave of crashes caused by a software error swept the nation, according to CrowdStrike. The company said users still experiencing crashes should refer to their support portal for a workaround solution. "The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website," according to CrowdStrike's blog post. For more information on updates and potential solutions, visit CrowdStrikes blog. - John Lomax Woodlands officials said impacts to the township's systems have been minimal. However, mobile ticketing for the Woodlands Express Park and Ride and the township's trolley tracker apps are not operational. - Claire Partain The state's Public Utility Commissions website is down today after it launched an investigation into CenterPoints Hurricane Beryl response earlier this week. The website was inaccessible because of the global outage, the regulator said on X, formerly known as Twitter. "We apologize for any inconvenience and are working to restore it as quickly as possible," the utility commission wrote. - Amanda Drane Chris McGinniss and his son Dylan didnt know there was a global outage until they got to check in at IAH. They were told flights were grounded, and according to McGinniss, one United employee suggested they hold off checking in and checking their bags. So about two after their 6:40 a.m. flight to Cleveland was set to take off, they were instead at baggage claim in Terminal A with Chris getting messages updating him about different departure times for the flight. It is what it is, Chris said. Nothing we can do about it. - Peter Warren Representatives with Kelsey-Seybold clinic locations in Cypress, Stafford and The Woodlands reported that they were not experiencing outages this morning. - Chevall Pryce Todd Hart and Adam Leon arrived at IAH on Friday morning excited to fly out to Las Vegas to celebrate Harts 34th birthday. Their Spirit flight was scheduled for 7:30 a.m. They were sitting in baggage claim at 8:15 a.m. due to not being able to check in and having no idea if the flight had taken off without them. We didnt know they were having this outage, Hart said. It sucks. - Peter Warren Driver license offices across Texas have temporarily closed due to technical issues tied to the massive outage. Its unclear when offices will reopen. - Shakari Briggs Houston's ports, among the largest in the world, were closed Friday morning due to the global computing outage, Port of Houston officials said. Port officials wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that both their Barbours Cut and Bayport container terminals were shut to shipping traffic but hoped to have the facilities reopened soon. "We are actively working to address the issue and anticipate opening our gates later this morning," they wrote. - James Osborne Harris Health System has canceled most outpatient clinic appointments and elective hospital procedures as a result of the global It outage, hospital officials said. Dialysis services are open at Quentin Mease Health Center. Canceled procedures will be rescheduled when the issues are resolved, officials said. Other Houston hospitals have not been affected by the outage, including Texas Children's Hospital, Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann Health System and MD Anderson Cancer Center. - Julian Gill A global IT outage causing disruptions affecting airports, hospitals and businesses worldwide Friday morning was rooted in an issue with the Texas-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Officials with the firm said the outage wasn't believed to be the result of a cyberattack. - Catherine Dominguez The City of Houston is not experiencing other outages as a result of Microsoft, according to the city's spokesperson Mary Benton. - Octavia Johnson Hobby Airport initially experienced minimal delays, but Correa said that could change if airlines such as Delta and American Air continue struggling with rescheduling flights. With an increased number of passengers in the ticketing lobby, Correa said travelers are encouraged to confirm the status of their flight and arrive at the airport early with ample time to account for potentially longer lines. This comes after airlines servicing Houston including United Airlines and American Air reported that the outage was affecting system operations early Friday morning. The City of Houston also helped to provide support for the airport issues, according to the city's spokesperson Mary Benton. "Houston Airport System has mobilized teams across the airports to apply a manual workaround to solve the issue," according to Chief Information Technology Security Officer Chris Mitchell. - Caroline Wilburn and Dug Begley DATABASE: How Houston airports compare for flight delays and cancellations There were no disruptions to 911 service in the Houston area throughout the evening, according to a supervisor of watch command for the 911 dispatch center of Harris County as of 5:40 a.m. Friday. - Fernando Alfonso III Memorial Hermann said their computers were out for about two hours during the worldwide outage, KHOU11 reported. The outage didn't affect phones or patient care. Computers have been restored as of Friday morning. Houston Methodist was also not affected by the outage, according to a spokesperson. - Octavia Johnson Former President Donald Trump attends his third night of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. A bandage on his right ear covers a wound after a bullet grazed him Saturday night in an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana is to his left. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) MILWAUKEE A top Trump campaign official said Thursday that the 2024 presidential race will not be over until Inauguration Day, rather than after Election Day on Nov. 5 when voters across the nation go to the polls to cast their ballots and a result normally is projected. The assertion from Chris LaCivita at a Politico event is notable given former President Donald Trumps refusal to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, which he lost to President Joe Biden, and the ensuing violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. It is also significant given that the U.S. Department of Justice alleges after Election Day in 2020, Trump co-conspired with lawyers and election officials in seven states to produce false slates of electors. According to the indictment, those slates were intended to be delivered to Vice President Mike Pence during the routine certification in a joint session of Congress in early January following presidential elections. Its not over until he puts his hand on the Bible and takes the oath. Its not over until then. Its not over on Election Day, its over on Inauguration Day, cause I wouldnt put anything past anybody, LaCivita, Trumps co-campaign manager, told Politicos Jonathan Martin during a lengthy interview open to press and attendees, and livestreamed, at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump did not attend Bidens inauguration, and he and many Republican lawmakers continue to repeat false claims that he won. LaCivita interrupted with his comment when Martin was in the middle of asking about the prospects for Democrats on Election Day. Its also possible that Donald Trump can lose, Martin followed up. LaCivita said the campaign will remain focused on the issues. A few moments later Martin asked LaCivita if he thinks its politically wise for Trump to continue campaigning on pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters. I always find it amazing that you guys are the ones that bring it up, LaCivita said, referring to the press. Thats not true, Martin replied. Ive been in a lot of interviews where its the first question you guys ask, LaCivita said. What were talking about right now are the issues that matter, Social Security, protecting Social Security and Medicare, closing the border. I mean we have so much to talk about and thats where our focus is. In a perfect Chris LaCivita world (Trump) would never say the words Jan. 6 hostages again, Martin followed up. LaCivita immediately responded and repeated: Social Security, Medicaid, closing the border, deportation yeah I said it all of those things. In March, Trump told reporters he was open to cutting Social Security and other entitlement programs as a way to address the national debt. Election fraud falsely claimed Trump repeated false claims of election fraud in the months following the 2020 election and lost numerous court challenges in states that he insisted he won. The fight erupted in political violence on Jan. 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol Police with improvised weapons and the goal of stopping Congress from certifying the election results. The historic criminal indictment of a former sitting U.S. president handed up from a federal grand jury in August 2023 charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstructing an official proceeding, among other felony counts. Trump has successfully delayed the federal election subversion case as he appealed his motion to dismiss based on president criminal immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices on July 1 ruled in a 6-3 decision that former presidents enjoy broad immunity for official acts, and sparked major questions over what type of evidence can be used in any such prosecution. How do you utilize an assassination attempt? Reaction to the attempted assassination against Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, has evolved over the RNCs first three days. Its gone from initial concerns about political violence to rallying around the event as a symbol of how Trump Strong can reshape America, as Donald Trump Jr. said Wednesday night. Trump supporters wore fake bandages on their ears at the RNC as a political symbol, much like the red Make America Great Again hat. The energy or the emotion that you feel when something like that happens, how do you utilize it? How do you utilize it to get to where you need to be? LaCivita said. How do you utilize it to win an election or how do you utilize it to bring the country together? Martin followed up. I think its both, LaCivita said. The co-campaign manager sidestepped a question about whether Trump will make an effort during his RNC speech to tell supporters not to believe conspiracy theories circulating online that the shooting was a Democratic plot. Martin asked if LaCivita agreed that Trump tamping down accusations against his opposing political party would be good for the country. LaCivita said the campaign is planning Trumps speech to be forward focused. I mean look, there are not enough facts, and its not just up to us to talk about the facts resulting around what happened, LaCivita said as he added to the chorus of criticism of the U.S. Secret Service and calling on its head to resign. Hours after the shooting Saturday, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio announced Monday at the RNC as Trumps vice presidential pick wrote on social media that today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trumps assassination attempt, he wrote. Project 2025 a pain in the ass for Trump Of the themes permeating the RNC, the major conservative Project 2025 has dogged Trumps campaign in a way that LaCivita described as a pain in the ass. The 922-page document spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation roadmaps a presidential transition and plan to overhaul government administrations, to lobby Congress for national abortion restrictions and restoration of the American family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children. The organization held an all-day policy fest five blocks from the RNC convention hall Monday. Trump denies any connection to the project, despite former Trump administration officials identifying their previous positions in the project materials. A CNN analysis found that 140 who previously worked for Trump helped on Project 2025. LaCivita said any claim that Trump is connected to the project is utter bullst. They do not speak for the campaign. Authorities combing through the online search history of the man who shot former President Donald Trump have reportedly found clues suggesting that he may have had a depressive disorder and that Trump wasnt the only public figure he was keeping his eyes on. Thomas Matthew Crooks had searched major depressive disorder on his electronic devices and looked up dates of Trumps appearances and the Democratic National Convention before opening fire at Saturdays Trump rally in Pennsylvania, The New York Times reported, citing officials with knowledge of the ongoing investigation. In addition to Trump, the 20-year-old shooter who was killed by law enforcement also searched for President Joe Biden and several other political figures, including a British royal whom authorities did not identify. Thomas Crooks is seen in a 2020 high school yearbook photo. The Washington Post via Getty Images In phone conversations with members of Congress on Wednesday, FBI officials said Crooks appeared to be broadly interested in powerful and famous people and that he didnt seem to have any obvious political leanings. He also looked up FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland, according to the Times. Authorities in their call with lawmakers also addressed ominous messages found posted on the gaming website Steam that appeared to foreshadow the shooting. Those messages are believed to be fake, however, law enforcement officials said. July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds, someone posted on the gaming platform, according to Fox News. According to a review of the posters user profile by NBC News, the account that made that comment changed its name to Thomas M. Crooks on Sunday, a day after the shooting. A home believed to be connected to the shooter is pictured in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Investigators are hunting for any clues about what may have driven Thomas Matthew Crooks to try to assassinate Trump. via Associated Press A law enforcement official briefed on the ongoing investigation told The Associated Press that there have not been any meaningful clues found that point to a motive behind the shooting, which killed one man in the crowd. What is known is that Crooks was a registered Republican but had also given $15 to a progressive political action committee in 2021, just as Biden was sworn into office, federal campaign finance reports show. Those who knew the shooter described him to reporters as quiet and intelligent. Some have said Crooks was bullied at school. He didnt have a criminal record. He tried out for his high school rifle team as a freshman but was rejected for poor marksmanship, the AP previously reported. A search of Crooks vehicle parked near the rally uncovered explosive devices connected to a radio receiver unit, suggesting that they could be detonated from a distance, the Times previously reported, citing law enforcement officials. Related... BATON ROUGE U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Thursday that the Iberia Parish Airport Authority is being granted $2 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Delta Regional Authority. The grant will be used to help build a 200,000-square-foot hangar at the Acadiana Regional Airport in New Iberia, among related projects, according to a news release. The new hangar will allow Aviation Exteriors to expand its operations at the airport, creating 200 new, full-time jobs paying between $50,000 and $75,000 each, with benefits. Two hundred people will have new, better-paying jobs, Cassidy said in the release. Theyll learn how to do those jobs at the local community college. They will be able to stay in Louisiana. This happens when communities work together to use the infrastructure bill. As part of the IIJA, the DRA received $150 million to support economic development projects in 252 parishes and counties throughout the South. The $2 million DRA grant to help fund the hangar is part of a $73 million package, with funds from the Federal Aviation Administration, Louisiana Economic Development, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, and other sources. Completion of the hangar is expected in 2027. U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) visits Aviation Exteriors at Acadiana Regional Airport in New Iberia on Thursday. The expansion will allow Aviation Exteriors to double its workforce from 200 employees to about 400, the release said. The company performs heavy maintenance on aircraft and converts passenger planes to cargo planes, along with aircraft painting services. The new hangar will expand the conversion and heavy maintenance services. Most of the new employees will be aircraft maintenance technicians. Aviation Exteriors partners with South Louisiana Community College to train its workers. Cassidy toured a hangar at Acadiana Regional currently being used by Aviation Exteriors, to see how they convert airplanes. He was joined by DRA Chief Administrative Officer Josh McNemar, Iberia Parish President Larry Richard, Aviation Exteriors President Joseph Ng and Iberia Parish Airport Authority Director Moe Songy, among others. Delta Regional Authority is pleased to be a partner in the very important work taking place at the Acadiana Regional Airport, with hopes of creating new opportunities for the people who live and work in, or near, Iberia Parish, Dr. Corey Wiggins, DRA Federal Co-Chairman, said on the release. With our $2 million investment, we look forward to how the hangar expansion project will bolster economic development, create economic diversity and support workforce development across the Acadiana Region. I appreciate all of the work that Senator Cassidy is doing to help bring infrastructure to Iberia Parish, Richard said. The $2 million dollar grant from Delta Regional Authority will go a long way in enhancing the ARA expansion which will include constructing a state-of-the art maintenance repair and overhaul facility, expanding the aircraft apron, upgrading essential infrastructure and creating hundreds of new jobs at the completion of the project. It is an honor for Avex to welcome Senator Cassidy to witness firsthand the aircraft maintenance and conversions we perform, Hernandez said in the release. We greatly appreciate the States support and eagerly anticipate the construction of the new hangar, which we believe will be a catalyst for the growth of the local aviation industry in south Louisiana. The Acadiana Regional Airport and Iberia Parish Airport Authority would like to thank Senator Cassidy and the Delta Regional Authority for their support with the $2,000,000 grant for this tremendous economic development project, Songy said. I would also like to extend our thanks to the Acadiana Planning Commission for their tireless efforts in helping the submission of the grant application. This grant will be instrumental in the construction of a 200,000 square-foot MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) hangar which will bring at least 200 well-paying jobs to the region and will bring a much-needed boost to the economy in the Acadiana area. Senator Cassidys long-standing support of the airport and Acadiana in general is paramount in the economic growth of the region. Later, Cassidy traveled to Rayne to meet with Mayor Chuck Robichaux and other mayors in the region. They discussed how Louisiana can use the IIJA to make improvements to cities and towns throughout Acadiana. Met with Acadiana Mayors, Police Jurors, and Council members. Some are already benefiting from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, Cassidy said in the release. Everyone wants to address real needs in their communities. We are working together to make life better for people in Louisiana. In Acadia Parish alone, more than $58 million has been granted for road projects in the parish, including nearly $55 million for slab repair for the I-10: Jeff Davis PI-I-49 project. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have also been awarded to airports in Crowley and Eunice. Present at the roundtable were mayors from Rayne, Crowley, Duson, Elton, Estherwood, Kaplan, Lake Arthur, Maurice, Vinton and Welsh, as well as members of the Rayne and Crowley city councils and the Acadia Parish Police Jury. Mayor Robichaux welcomed Cassidy as he arrived. I am excited that Senator Cassidy took time out his busy schedule to visit Rayne and allow me to organize an invitation to the mayors of LMA District G to gather for this luncheon to discuss hot topics in the Senate that could affect local municipalities, Robichaux said. The LMA District G participants were pleased with the outcome of the impromptu meeting. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Cassidy announces $2 million grant for Acadiana Regional Airport hangar The General Assembly had one goal as it returned to Richmond on Thursday: restore eligibility for education benefits to military families who have suffered a death or serious disability while on active duty. The assembly accomplished that goal quickly by unanimously adopting a pair of bills Senate Bill 6012 and House Bill 6004 that repeal budget language that restricted eligibility for the tuition waiver program. The bills also provide an additional $90 million that, combined with $40 million already appropriated in the two-year budget, covers the estimated $65 million cost to public colleges and universities that previously had not received state money earmarked for the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program. Senate Finance Chair Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, said her legislation would cover the programs cost while the assembly awaits recommendations from studies by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, a task force appointed by the governor and a Senate Finance work group. It gives me comfort that we will not place the burden of the escalating cost of this program on other students through their tuition charges, she said in introducing the bill to the Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee. The repeal of the restrictions on program eligibility such as requiring recipients to live in Virginia and limiting the benefit to undergraduate education did not appease some military families who remain irate over how the changes, initially proposed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin in legislation, appeared in the budget that took effect on July 1. I believe the battle is far from over, Kayla Owen, co-founder of Friends of VMSDEP, told the finance committee. My main message to Virginians is dont get fooled again. Her remarks prompted Sen. Richard Stuart, R-King George, who was sympathetic to her concerns, to ask, Would you prefer us not to pass the bill today? Lucas, who has become the target of program advocates, reminded them that Youngkin had originated the proposed changes in legislation that Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Orange, then converted to a proposed study that a House committee shelved. Both the Senate and the House of Delegates included the language in the budgets they proposed in February and the compromise they adopted on March 9. It was not put into our budget under the cloak of darkness, Lucas said in comments she repeated on the Senate floor. Locke: Vile and vicious attacks on Lucas Owen and other program advocates challenged the assertion that colleges and universities are passing through the program costs to other students. They also asked for what she called full transparency and accountability for how the institutions use the state funding. Sen. Tara Durant, R-Fredericksburg, said the assembly, and the Senate in particular, had wasted taxpayer money by not resolving the dispute sooner and called the suggestion that the program was costing too much money deeply hurtful to military families, citing state spending on diversity programs and undocumented immigrants. Today, we stood up strong for Virginias veterans and their families, signing a full repeal of the changes to VMSDEP. We will continue our work to make Virginia the best place for our military, veterans, first responders and their families. https://t.co/9Tw9j2DDLa pic.twitter.com/rgjgavdRd8 Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) July 18, 2024 However, after the Senate voted unanimously to adopt the House version of the legislation, two Black senators spoke in defense of Lucas, the first Black senator to lead the finance committee. Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, spoke of the level of disrespect some colleagues had shown her since Youngkin signed the budget that the assembly approved on May 13 with changes to the tuition waiver program. During one hearing on the issue on July 1, one public speaker used a profanity toward Lucas. It wasnt the profanity that didnt sit well with her, Rouse said. It was the silence of her colleagues. Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, also decried what she called vile and vicious attacks on Lucas, and objected to being called anti-veteran for wanting to make changes to the program. Locke said members of her family had served in combat in World War II, the Vietnam War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Several of them were completely disabled during active military duty. A nephew, now living in Georgia who had been stationed in Virginia, qualified for benefits under the program for himself and his family, but she said he chose not to do so. Virginia created the tuition waiver program in 1930 for families of soldiers killed in World War I and expanded over the years to also include those who become 90% or more disabled while on active duty, not necessarily in military combat. This is a promise that Virginia made to the military who lost or risked their lives, said Mitch Rubenstein, state commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who supported repeal of the budget restrictions. Stuart promised families that they will be involved in public review of changes that the different studies recommend to the program. Folks may not like it if changes are made, but they will be part of the process and their voices will be heard in the process, he said on the Senate floor. Skill games not on agenda The assemblys narrow agenda on Thursday was notable for what it didnt include: legislation to legalize electronic skill games in restaurants, convenience stores and truck stops across the state. Earlier in the week, Lucas told the Richmond Times-Dispatch in an interview that she hopes to return in October to consider a compromise, but she said the House isnt ready to deal on the issue. Its not going to do any good for us to return until the House is ready, Lucas said on Wednesday. House Speaker Don Scott Jr., D-Portsmouth, said it makes no sense to act now on skill game legislation, especially after Youngkin vetoed a previous compromise that had passed the chamber by just one vote. Youngkin vetoed Senate Bill 212 the Virginia Small Business Economic Development Act after the assembly rejected his proposed rewrite of the legislation to prevent operation of skill games near schools and churches or within 35 miles of a city that hosts a casino. The House is not ready to deal with it right now, Scott said on Thursday morning. But the speaker said the House would remain in special session after acting on legislation. It will recess instead of adjourning so it can return without the governor calling another special session. That gives us the opportunity to deal with some things, Scott said. Scott said he does not want to waste members time to consider legislation that the House might not support or Youngkin might veto. When Youngkin signed the two-year budget on May 13, he indicated that he was willing to consider a potential legislative compromise on skill games, but spokesman Christian Martinez said Thursday, I am not aware of any conversations at this time. Scott said, I think the governor needs to do a little bit more work with the Senate right now. From the Archives: Colonial Beach Colonial Beach Colonial Beach Colonial Beach Colonial Beach Colonial Beach Colonial Beach Colonial Beach Saitama, Jul 19 (News On Japan) - An explosion in an apartment in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, on Thursday night has been caught on dashcam, scattering debris and injuring three people. At around 8:30 p.m., a 119 emergency call reported an explosion at an apartment in Namiki 2-chome, Kawaguchi City. According to the fire department, at least three people were injured, including a 44-year-old man who was taken to the hospital. The exact condition of the injured is not yet known. Glass fragments over 20 centimeters long were found scattered on a road about 100 meters from the explosion site, causing a temporary disturbance in the area. A nearby resident described the scene: 'All the windows and glass shook violently.' Firefighters and other emergency responders worked through the night at the scene, while police continue to investigate the cause of the explosion. Source: ANN TOKYO, Jul 19 (News On Japan) - The benches under the overpass in Shinjuku Ward, originally intended for three people, now accommodate only one, following the local government's decision to screw poles into the benches in an effort to deter late-night drinkers gathering and making noise. A passerby commented, "It's clear they don't want people sitting here. I don't think the poles were here before." Another said, "It looks hastily made. I wonder what the purpose is." A man who frequently uses the benches while walking to rehabilitate his leg said, "Yes, these benches are helpful. I don't understand why they did this. Many people seem to sit here." Despite the benches being popular, why were they made unusable? Speaking with a ward official revealed the reasoning. The Shinjuku Ward official explained, "We received complaints about nighttime drinking, smoking, and noise. Last September, we installed the poles to limit the number of people. Because it's under an overpass, voices echo, so we needed to control the group sizes." The official added that the decision to install the poles last September was prompted by a record number of complaints. In recent years, efforts to regulate street drinking in areas like Shibuya and Shinjuku have intensified, especially during events like Halloween. Since installing the poles, complaints about noise have significantly decreased. Will such measures continue in the future? The official concluded, "The poles are a temporary measure. We will continue to listen to feedback from the surrounding area and decide what to do with the benches." Source: ANN By Kingsley Omonobi The Narional Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said on Friday that its operatives have intercepted another batch of seven containers bearing one million two hundred and twenty-nine thousand four hundred bottles of codeine syrup worth over nine billion eight hundred and thirty-five million two hundred thousand Naira (N9,835,200,000.00) at the Onne ports. A statement by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy, said, The latest seizure made on Thursday 18th July 2024 is the fourth and last set of such consignments that have been under the watchlist of the Agencys Maritime Special Operations Unit Targeting Team, which worked in partnership with the Port Harcourt Ports Command of the Agency and other security agencies. The agencies included the Nigeria Customs Service for a 100 percent joint examination of the targeted containers. This followed credible intelligence and months of diligent tracking of the consignments from their port of departure. At the joint examination of the containers with other security agencies on Thursday, all seven containers were found bearing a total of 8,774 cartons of codeine-based cough syrup, with 1,229,400 bottles weighing 184,410 kilograms. A breakdown of the shipments that came from India via the Maersk Vigo Vessel shows that the container marked SEKU 6439421 has 875 cartons with 175,000 bottles of codeine weighing 26,250kg. Other items in the container include 70 cartons of chilli cutters and 55 cartons of hyregra tablets weighing 1,100 kg. Another container marked CMAU 9410422 contains 875 cartons of codeine with 175,000 bottles weighing 26,250 kg. Other items in the container include 15 cartons of chilli cutters and 60 cartons of Hyregra tablets weighing 1,200 kg. Also, the container marked TLLU 7595503 has a total of 1,754 cartons of codeine syrup, containing 179,400 bottles weighing 26,910kg. Four other containers marked: TRHU 515117; CMAU 7877125; CMAU 8533700; and CMAU 3882205 contain 175,000 bottles of the same substance each, in addition to other items such as chilli cutters, cartons of Hyregra tablets, and diclofenac used to mask the shipments. It would be recalled that three weeks ago, NDLEA operatives seized six thousand, one hundred and twenty-five (6,125) cartons of codeine syrup containing one million and fifty thousand (1,050,000) bottles of the opioid worth over seven billion three hundred and fifty million naira (N7, 350,000,000.00) in street value at the Port Harcourt Ports complex, Onne, Rivers State. In his response to the latest seizure, Chairman/ Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended all the officers, men and women, of the various formations of the agency that had been working on the targeted containers for months for their diligence, vigilance, and professionalism. He equally praised the support received from other stakeholders at the ports that enabled seamless and successful operations in the course of targeting the shipments. He said the operation, which had inflicted heavy losses on the cartels behind the shipments, has further degraded their capacity and financial base. By Oladipo Abiola The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, revealed on Thursday that President Bola Tinubu offered to increase the new minimum wage to N250,000, but it was rejected by labour. According to Ajaero, Tinubu said he was ready to meet the N250,000 minimum wage demand if the government would be allowed to increase the price of petrol. However, the NLC President said the organized labour, after consulting on the matter, rejected the proposal in order to save Nigerians from further hardship that may follow such a decision. According to him, accepting the N70,000 offer was in the best interest of Nigerians. Accepting N70,000 was the best way to save Nigerians from further hardship, Ajaero said on Channels Televisions Politics Today programme. At last weeks meeting, the President brought a proposal that I will give you guys N250,000 if you allow me to equally increase the pump price of petroleum products and we said, No, we need to go and consult. Today, we went there to tell him, No. The labour movement can make sacrifices without allowing Nigerians to suffer further on the increase in the pump price of petroleum products. Recall the pump price of petrol jumped from N184 in May 2023 when Tinubu declared that subsidy is gone to about N700 at the moment, depending on the part of the country. Naija News earlier reported that on Thursday, President Tinubu and the Organised Labour, agreed to N70,000 as the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers. By Justina Otio The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has presented a list of demands to aid compliance to the new national minimum wage. The group made its demand while commending President Bola Tinubu for increasing the minimum wage from ?30,000 to ?70,000 They stated that the private sector looks forward to President Bola Tinubus promise to assist the sector, among others, for compliance. Recall that Tinubu had promised to find ways to assist the private sector and the sub-nationals to pay the minimum wage. Speaking via a statement, the group Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, urged the private sector to hold onto the Presidents promise to enable the private sector onboard with the agreement. In this regards, I would assume that reference would be made to the demands made by the Organised Private Sector at the concluding stage of the tripartite negotiations. We had intimated the committee with the challenges confronting businesses in the private sector and that there was the need to ameliorate those challenges in order to improve the capacity of our members to pay the minimum wage that we offered. We maintained that those binding constraints may constitute impediments to the full compliance of our members when the minimum wage is signed into law. So, the assumption is that Mr President will give expedite consideration to those challenges and take necessary steps to address them. This will go a long way in onboarding the private sector in the new agreement on the minimum wage, he said. Speaking further, Ajayi-Kadir presented a list of demands to enable the private sector take on payments of the new minimum wage. He said that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) should be exempted from compliance in view of their incapacity and prevailing operational challenges. He added that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should redeem all validly transacted outstanding foreign exchange forwards for companies in the productive sector. Ajayi-Kadir called for the reversal of an increase in electricity tariffs or only 100 per cent increase in electricity tariff for a minimum of 20 hours of supply. He proposed duty exemption on imported conversion kits, government subsidy on procurement of same and a freeze on the introduction of new taxes on businesses for the next five years. We call for a fixed rate of N800 for the assessment of import duty on all production inputs and also advocate a revisit of the recent Financial Reporting Council regulation to curtail its application to private businesses. We also call for the discontinuation of the Price Verification Portal as it is inimical to the smooth operation of businesses and the basis for setting it up no longer exists. We are optimistic that the positive atmosphere created by the recent agreement between government and labour would facilitate speedy consideration and acceptance of aforementioned, he added. Kenyas President William Ruto speaks during a press conference at State House in Nairobi on July 11, 2024. (Photo by Tony KARUMBA / AFP) Kenyas embattled President William Ruto on Friday named a partial new cabinet as he starts a process to form a broad-based government, after a month of widespread and sometimes deadly protests against his administration. In a televised address, Ruto unveiled the names of 11 proposed ministers, after last week sacking almost his entire cabinet as he seeks to contain the worst crisis of his nearly two-year presidency. While the events of the past month have caused tremendous anxiety, concern and uncertainty, the crisis has presented us with a great opportunity, as a nation, to craft a broad-based, and inclusive citizen coalition for national transformation and progress, made up of Kenyans from all walks of life, Ruto said. Consequently, I have started the process of forming a new broad based cabinet to assist in driving the urgently needed and irreversible transformation of our country. He put forward 11 names for cabinet ministers and the attorney general that will go before parliament for approval. However, several of those nominated were members of the previous government, including Kithure Kindiki at the head of the interior ministry, which is in charge of Kenyas under-fire police force. Dogs in their kennels at Harris County Pets Resource Center on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Harris County Pets Resource Center on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Harris County Pets Resource Center on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer A dog in the kennels at Harris County Pets Resource Center on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Harris County Pets Resource Center on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Harris County Pets Resource Center was operating at double capacity this week and homing more than 500 pets some of which were set to be euthanized Friday if not adopted or fostered. The open intake animal shelter, operated by the Veterinary Public Health Division of Harris County Public Health, takes in more than 10,000 animals each year. In June, it had 393 dogs and 238 cats in its care which is well over the shelter's capacity. As a result, two or more dogs may be placed in a kennel at one time. When the shelter is operating above capacity and taking in more animals, director Corey Steele said staff must make the difficult decision to euthanize some pets. To alert the public, an urgent list including the animals at risk of euthanization is released routinely. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rescuing or fostering shelter animals who aren't on the urgent list still benefits those subject to euthanization, Steele said. "If we address the animals that are coming in early, it prevents these lists later on," he said. "I think it's incredibly important to just come and visit any of our pets and adopt any of them no matter how long they've been here." The shelter euthanized 15 animals in May. It may also euthanize animals with untreatable medical conditions or who are deemed to be a safety risk to the public. To promote adoptions, Steele said the shelter is participating in the Bissel Pet Foundation Empty the Shelters event through the end of the month, and waiving all adoption fees. Several other local pet shelters are participating in the event including, the City of Houston BARC Animal Shelter, Houston Humane Society, League City Animal Care and Special Pals Incorporated. Advertisement Article continues below this ad From Aug. 10 to Sept. 10, Steele said the shelter will be participating in the national Clear the Shelters Event where adoptions will be free. The bottom line is that a private entity like Summit cannot be granted the power of eminent domain unless it is a common carrier, the Sierra Club wrote in its Monday reconsideration request. But the evidence showed that Summit is not a common carrier. It will be contracting individually with ethanol plants, not the public generally, and it will own the carbon dioxide, so it will be carrying its own product, not carrying a product for hire. The IUC used a self-designed balancing test that considered a number of factors to determine whether the project benefits the public. That test overwhelmingly favored a permit for Summit, and those who oppose the project say its conclusions were flawed. The group of Republican lawmakers further said the IUCs process precluded input from many people who might be affected by the project, including those who live close enough to the pipeline route to be threatened by a potential pipeline breach but far enough away to not be in the pipelines direct path. Catastrophic pipeline failures have the potential to release a plume of carbon dioxide that, under certain atmospheric conditions, can travel long distances and asphyxiate people and animals. A significant number of Iowans those who are in the kill zone but who are not yet aware of their status have been excluded from even rudimentary due process in the IUCs consideration of the Summit application, the lawmakers wrote. The three-member IUC has 30 days to respond to the requests, after which the groups can take their objections to court. Summit wants to lay about 2,500 miles of pipe in five states to transport the greenhouse gas to North Dakota for underground storage. It has not yet obtained permits in North and South Dakota, which is a requirement for the company to start construction in Iowa. Whether the luck of the Irish was with them or if a divine power intervened, emergency personnel are thankful that no injuries were reported in an explosion that rocked ONeill before sunrise on Monday. Shakari Briggs is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at shakari.briggs@houstonchronicle.com. Before joining the Chronicle in November 2023, she worked for Spectrum News as a digital journalist based in her hometown. Shakari comes to the Houston newsroom with experience in broadcast reporting and producing as a former multimedia journalist and associate producer. The Dallas native has also worked at small to medium-sized newspapers throughout her career. Her reporting on the rise and fall of a shopping mall won an Arkansas Associated Press Managing Editors Contest award. She also earned an Arkansas Press Association award for freelance reporting. Russia and Turkey have recently strengthened their nuclear footprint in Africa, the former by inking a nuclear deal with the Congo and the latter through reported efforts by to acquire some of Nigers uranium assets to support its growing nuclear-power industry. After being involved in several nuclear deals across Africa, Russias state company Rosatom which focuses on nuclear energy, nuclear non-energy goods, and high-tech, has opted to engage in a new arrangement with Congo-Brazzaville. The latest nuclear cooperation deal focuses on the development of hydropower and nuclear energy in the African country. As part of its campaign to intensify its influence in Africa, Rosatom has collaborated with the Republic of Guinea on an ambitious project to build floating nuclear power plants and earlier this year, it has also signed a memorandum of cooperation with Algeria that reportedly focuses on the development of nuclear technology in medicine, the application of research reactors, or the manufacturing of medicines. Meanwhile, Turkeys foreign, defense, and energy ministers travelled to Niger earlier this week to secure access to the nations abundant uranium deposits. This visit comes after Nigers ruling junta announced it decision to revoke mining rights from French and Canadian companies for uranium development. Turkish President Erdogan aims to expand his countrys influence in Africa and defended Nigers decision to halt uranium exports to France, citing the European countrys historical oppression of Niger. The Turkish delegations visit also coincides with Russias efforts to acquire some of Nigers uranium assets. The Sahel country provides about 5% of the worlds uranium resources and is a top 10 provider of the fuel. The newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Thursday (18 July) $108 million in funding for Africa and the Middle East to tackle illegal migration at source, as he seeks to reset the United Kingdoms approach to deal with the problem. Starmer has pledged $108 million to fund health and education initiatives abroad, as well as humanitarian support, to address the reasons people flee their homes in the first place, saying it is a vital part of gripping the migration crisis. While accusing the previous government of Rishi Sunak of a dereliction of duty by failing to fix the problem of illegal migration, the new PM also promised his government will work with European partners to share intelligence data, expertise and put the gangs out of business. Starmer was speaking at the 4th European Political Community (EPC) summit with tackling migration, the war in Ukraine and energy security high on the agenda. The new PM noted that issues in some countries in Africa and the Middle East echo at home [and] the effects play out on our streets, adding that in a dangerous world, we serve no one and solve nothing by turning inward. In an apparent reference to the previous Conservative governments Rwanda deportation scheme, which was scrapped by Labor after winning the election, Starmer stressed that his governments policy does not involve committing taxpayer money to gimmicks, but with practical solutions that are in line with international law. Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: Getty Images Ten days after President Bidens disastrous debate against Donald Trump, Washington congressman Adam Smith called on Biden to drop his reelection campaign. The ranking Democrat on the powerful Armed Services Committee, Smith was one of the most senior members of his party to take that leap. The idea that we are going to slow-walk into fascism because we dont want to hurt somebody that we respects feelings I cannot even begin to tell you how angry that makes me, he said at the time. Since then, efforts to get Biden off the ticket have waxed and waned, but Bidens critics, who include Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, now have momentum. I spoke with Smith on Thursday night about what he thinks will happen next, why he doesnt favor a mini-convention, and how Democrats got into this jam in the first place. Suddenly, the push to get Biden out of the race has gained a lot of momentum. This looks like a coordinated effort among party leaders, including even Barack Obama. Do you think it ends with Biden dropping out? Are you more confident on that point than you were a couple of days ago? Yes, more so than I was a couple of days ago, to be sure. And I think there is a coordinated effort thats happening. I know some of the details, but I dont know all of them. It seems to be where this is headed, but its not 100 percent there yet, is my take. Is Hakeem Jeffries taking the temperature of members, or has the rank and file not been so involved in this? I think the rank and file has been pretty involved. Nancy Pelosi has played a huge role as well because relationships are so key at this point. She has them more so than Hakeem does, but Hakeem has been involved as well. It seemed like a big turning point came when Pelosi went on Morning Joe about a week ago and made those cagey comments about Biden. Did that give people a permission slip to speak out? I think it helped. But to that point, I had been having a lot of private conversations with a lot of people, and Id been worried that all this private stuff wasnt getting us anywhere because part of the message from the Biden campaign team that was determined to keep him in at any cost was If this was such a big problem, how come nobodys saying anything publicly? The timelines are so hard to keep track of, but there had been a shift like three, four days ago in my conversations. I had been talking to people and it was Oh gosh, this is terrible. What are we going to do? And it was frustrating to me because I was like, Well, you could say something. There was a subtle shift where people started trying to argue, Oh, at this point, I just think Joe Bidens probably the best person. And nothing had really changed in those two days except the calculation in the minds of my colleagues that, Okay, if this is inevitable, Ive got to find a way to get on the right side of it. And that worried me. Youre saying they were talking themselves into this reality. Correct. Well, they were talking themselves into it, but also they were accepting it. And I dont mean that in a denigrating sort of way. I mean, frankly, thats what I did two years ago. So I mean, who am I? He who is without sin casts the first stone. I always had my doubts about having someone who was going to be 81 at the time of the election be the head of the ticket. But I talked around, and people with far more power than I were like, Nope, this is what were doing. Been there, done that, if you will, and I think a lot of other people did, too. And then Nancy and others at least gave them a second to go, Okay, maybe we dont have to hold hands and jump off the cliff. So I presume there were a lot of people who agreed with you but werent saying anything publicly. Correct. Were still up to only 23 members of Congress who have actually called for Biden to drop out, even as the momentum has been shifting rapidly in that direction. Why havent more Democrats come out and said it in the past two days? Well, Adam Schiff helped. But No. 1 look, why Ive chosen to get involved and why Im going to stay more involved in the national dialogue is I think I have an approach that is different from some of the political elites in my party and I want to begin to more aggressively advocate for that approach. Theres too much go-along-to-get-along within the Democratic Party. Ive never had the best relationship with Democratic White Houses, and I thought about this a little bit. The thing is, Im helpful. I am. But when I talk to them directly, Im also occasionally critical, and they do not like that. Thats insane to me because Im a congressman too, and I could easily surround myself with people who kiss my ass all day. I dont want that because I want to be stress tested. I want to know what the challenges are. I want to know when Im wrong. But theyre not like that, and that culture, I think, has spread so far that people think its just not worth it to go criticizing the president and get whatever fallout they could get from that. Its a risk-averse approach. I think thats what has kept people quiet. Now, I think a lot of people are thinking, Well, if its going to happen anyway, its a win-win. We get to the result we need, and I dont look like I caused any problems. You were one of the first to say Biden should leave the race. Did you get flak directly from the White House for that? They ignored me. They didnt take me seriously, didnt think I was worth their time. Which is fine. Ive had a few colleagues who have been critical. Some, well, one in particular has criticized me behind the scenes: Why is Adam doing this? Hes hurting the ticket. Bidens our nominee. We should be doing this. But look, Ive never, never been a guy whos that wired into the White House in the first place, so its not like, Oh my gosh, I wont get invited onto Air Force One. Do you think Biden should simply not run for reelection, or should he resign? Simply not run for reelection. He should not resign. Hes capable of doing the job as president. Hes smart, hes got experience, hes got a good team. And the physical stuff its not as demanding if youre not running a campaign at the same time. Youve said in other interviews that you would prefer Kamala Harris to ascend to the top of the ticket. If Biden does drop out, do you think thats the most likely outcome? Yes. Now, Ive also said, going back to my comments about how we need to stress test things a little bit and be critical, that I dont think she should be anointed. I think she should go to the delegates and say, Heres my case, heres why I think I should be the nominee, and then the delegates should decide. Its going to be up to the delegates. Its not up to me. But if you ask me about the options out there, I think shed be the best person and she gives us the strongest chance to win. But I dont believe in all this anointing bullshit. You got to go earn it, and frankly, its just not a good look to make it look like youre putting your thumb on the scale. If youre capable enough, get out there and youll get the votes and everything will be fine. So you dont buy the argument that the mini-primary bake-off approach would be too chaotic with only three months left. Well, dont misunderstand me. I dont support some sort of mini-primary organized structure. There are roughly 4,000 delegates. When Biden says hes not running, those 4,000 delegates are up for grabs. If you think youre the person who should be the Democratic nominee for president, then get on the phone and go make your case to those delegates. Well see who stands up and says theyre going to do it or theyre not going to do it. Its a tough situation if youre somebody not named Kamala Harris and youre interested in doing that how do you start a presidential campaign from absolute scratch with a week or two to go? But I think weve got a ton of talent in the party; then wed have a VP spot thats open, and people can also then have a discussion with the delegates. Kamala, if she does get there, can have the discussion about who among them to pick. Im seeing all these anonymous quotes around about how bleak the mood is in the Democratic caucus about whats going on of course, partly because Bidens unpopularity may affect down-ballot races, or theres an expectation that they will. Do you find the mood among your colleagues to be that dark and pessimistic right now? If Biden turns out to be the nominee, yes. If hes not, hallelujah, theres an opportunity. No, its not a given, and the Republican Party has certainly had some breaks recently, but I think we would have an energized campaign. And lost in all the drama of Bidens situation and the attempted assassination of Donald Trump is that Trump is still Trump. Hes still the guy who tried to overthrow our government. Hes still the guy whos a 34-time convicted felon. Hes still the guy who was found in civil court to have raped a woman. Hes still the guy who is promising massive increases in tariffs that will raise taxes on working people all across this country, while massively cutting taxes for wealthy corporations. Hes still the guy who led us into the gutter during COVID, and the Democratic Party are still the people who let us out. Hes still the guy who lies like most people breathe. There is still a very strong anti-MAGA majority in this country. We simply need to wake em up and go to work. And weve got time. As Jon Stewart pointed out, the British held an election in two months. The French held two elections in one month! And by the way, the elections the French held in one month swung wildly during the course of that month. So theres plenty of time. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Sign Up for the Intelligencer Newsletter Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images Forget about Kendrick Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter the hottest track of the summer is the secret (thus far) tape of Justice Department special counsel Robert Hurs interview of President Joe Biden. Everyone, it seems, is clamoring to hear it: major media outlets, essentially every Republican official on the planet, and plenty of moderates and other interested political observers. Democrats who continue to call on Biden to drop out of the race (with increasing intensity over the past few days) could gather vital support for their cause from the tapes release. Im dying to hear the elusive recording myself. But Attorney General Merrick Garland has refused to make the tape public and hes absolutely right to take this unpopular stand. To paraphrase the Rolling Stones, as performed by the Justice Department: You cant always get what you want, and we dont give a damn what you need. (Not quite as lyrical as the original.) A quick refresher. Back in February, Hur released an explosive report detailing his yearlong investigation of Bidens possession of classified documents. The special counsel concluded that Biden had classified materials in his private home and office after he left the vice-presidency, and he knew it but the evidence didnt quite necessitate or justify a criminal prosecution. Memorably, Hur opined 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. Naturally, Hurs October 2023 interview of Biden became an object of obsession among Republicans bent on showing that Biden has lost a step, or five. The recent frenzy around Bidens mental acuity, sparked by his debate debacle, has exacerbated demand for the Justice Department to disclose the tape. If he does sound like an elderly man with a poor memory, audio of the interview would become accelerant on an already-raging political fire. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson offered no pretext about his motivation: We all know why they dont want to turn over the audio: because it will show exactly what we all saw on the debate stage a couple weeks ago. That is something they want to cover up. Indeed, within days of the reports issuance, two Republican-led House committees subpoenaed the Justice Department for audio of the Biden interview. But Garland refused, citing executive privilege the right outcome, but for a bizarre and incorrect legal reason. Executive privilege has nothing to do with this situation. The privilege covers communications between a president and his advisers, to enable public officials to deliberate candidly and confidentially. If a president and his secretary of State discuss a diplomatic issue, for example, thats subject to executive privilege. But a president, as the subject of a criminal investigation, answering questions from a prosecutor? Theres nothing privileged, executive or otherwise, about that. Garland gave a better and more compelling reason for his refusal during congressional testimony: There have been a series of unprecedented and frankly unfounded attacks on the Justice Department. This request, this effort to use contempt as a method of obtaining our sensitive law enforcement files, is just most recent. This was a shockingly combative response from the chronically banal Garland. Essentially, he told House Republicans to go kick rocks. Indeed, the Justice Department historically has refused to disclose to Congress or other outsiders nonpublic information from its criminal investigations. Imagine the precedent if prosecutors complied with the congressional subpoena here. Whats to stop any interested outsider from sifting through the Justice Departments files to mine for dirt against a political opponent, including in cases that never resulted in criminal charges? Wouldnt subjects and witnesses hesitate to speak candidly if they knew their voices could someday be broadcast to the world? More broadly, for the Justice Department to turn the tapes over would compromise its investigative function and undermine the rights of the subject especially an uncharged subject, like Biden. Prosecutors need to do some things outside of public view to protect the case and the participants. Nonetheless, in March 2024, the Justice Department agreed to an unusual half-measure: release of a verbatim transcript of the Hur-Biden interview, which provided valuable perspective. On one hand, the transcript doesnt exactly read as if Biden has lost his mind; some of his answers are rambling or non-responsive, but the written words dont convey that hes incapacitated or incompetent in the legal sense. But the transcript also exposed astonishing dishonesty by the president. After release of the report, Biden ranted indignantly that Hur had asked about the death of Bidens son, Beau: How in the hell dare he raise that? Biden bellowed. Turns out, Biden himself, not Hur, brought up Beaus death, to place a certain event in temporal context. So the transcript has its worth. But take it from an old-time prosecutor: If youre trying to make an impact on a jury or any audience theres no substitute for the audio. Its far more visceral and memorable to hear words spoken aloud than to read them cold on a page, particularly where the acuity of the interviewee is at issue. Republicans in Congress plainly understand this truth, and the transcript only stoked their appetite to get the Hur-Biden audio. Garland drew a line: Youll get the transcript, but not the tape. Youll be shocked to learn that House Republicans did not graciously accept the attorney generals compromise position. Instead, they held Garland in contempt teeing up the case for potential criminal prosecution by the United States Justice Department. It took all of two days for the Justice Department to formally decline to indict its own agency head for acting on the agencys own formal legal position. (I wonder what that internal deliberation sounded like; I imagine peals of laughter coming from DOJ headquarters.) Quick historical note: Somehow, we managed to go our first 220-plus years as a nation without Congress holding any attorney general in contempt. But in 2012, the Republican-controlled House (with some Democratic support) held Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt for refusing to provide documents relating to the Fast and Furious firearms sting-operation scandal. Then in 2019, the Democratic-controlled House held Attorney General Bill Barr in contempt after he declined to provide documents relating to the administrations effort to add a citizenship question to the census. Neither Holder nor Barr was prosecuted, of course; as discussed above, the Justice Department typically doesnt rush to indict its own top prosecutor. Now Garland joins their ranks, and weve got a three-administration attorney-general contempt streak intact. Congressional Republicans eventually tried to go medieval on Garland, raising a variation of an obscure, century-plus-old practice whereby Congress would use its inherent enforcement power to send out a sergeant-at-arms to arrest and lock up contempt-ees in a mysterious jail facility located somewhere in or near the Capitol. Present-day congressional Republicans werent so unrealistic to try to actually imprison the sitting attorney general in some abandoned cloakroom. Instead, they tried to fine him $10,000 per day. Predictably, that creative effort failed. And now, as a last resort, House Republicans have sued Garland in federal court for the tape. I dont love their chances, though its not inconceivable they succeed. Heaven knows its easy to criticize Garland, and Ive done plenty of that throughout his tenure. As a current member of the media (and of the voting public), Id like to cast scorn on Garland for his decision to withhold the Hur-Biden audio recording. But as a former prosecutor, I applaud him. We probably wont ever hear the tape. And thats for the best. This article also appeared in the free CAFE Brief newsletter. You can find more analysis of law and politics from Elie Honig, Preet Bharara, Joyce Vance, and other CAFE contributors at CAFE.com Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images Donald Trump has fully collapsed the line between real life and Saturday Night Live sketch. On Thursday night, he performed his late great Hannibal Lecter bit during his record-length acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention. Minutes after praising the illegal immigration chart that he credits with saving his life during last weekends assassination attempt, Trump went off on another tangent that was not in his prepared remarks. You know, the press is always on me because I say this, Trump began. Has anyone seen Silence of the Lambs? The late great Hannibal Lecter. Hed love to have you for dinner. Thats insane asylums, theyre emptying out their insane asylums. "The late great Hannibal Lecter" -- drink! pic.twitter.com/2Xh7F9uj7r Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 19, 2024 Trump often rambles about Hannibal Lecter during rallies to vilify immigrants. Somehow, it makes even less sense in context. The general idea is that he wants voters to picture one of the scariest movie villains of all time when they think about migrants. But the reference is wrong in just about every conceivable way. Theres no evidence that foreign countries are emptying their mental institutions into the U.S., as the candidate often claims. Trump seems confused about whether Hannibal Lecter is the name of the character or the actor who played him. Trump has claimed that an unspecified actor who played Lecter is a big MAGA guy, but they all hate him. Trump usually references the late Hannibal Lecter, but the character does not die in any of the book, TV, or film adaptations. And at the end of The Silence of the Lambs, Lecter has escaped from the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane to the Bahamas. So its really a story about the United States foisting its inmates on foreign countries. Its easily one of Trumps most incoherent rally rants, which is really saying something, as hes also taken to rambling about whether hed rather die by shark or electrocution. And now its something that an actual presidential candidate has said onstage during a convention speech. And he appears to be winning! Silence of the Lambs has nothing on the terror of simply living in through the 2024 presidential race! This post has been updated. 25 items in this article 25 items on sale! Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers In this article Tops Dresses Bottoms Athleisure Outerwear Summer-sale season is in full swing. Theres plenty to shop, but one of my favorites is Universal Standards annual online Sample Sale. The brand is known for its size-inclusive range from 00 to 40 and its high-quality basics have formed the backbone of my closet for years. With over 500 pieces marked down, Ive combed through all the sale pages and pulled together a roundup of my favorites, which include my go-to workout bodysuit, lots of summery dresses, and plenty of the brands beloved denim. The sale runs through August 5, but the good stuff goes fast, so fill your cart now. Tops Universal Standard makes some of my absolute favorite basics. From T-shirts to long-sleeve shirts, the quality-to-cost ratio is right on the money, and the pieces Ive worn multiple times a week have held up beautifully over the years. I recommend taking advantage of this sale and stocking up while you can. Dresses Strategist style writer Ambar Pardilla pointed me to the dress section, where shes eyeing a jersey shift and a smocked poplin number. Theres plenty of styles perfect for whatever summer plans you have, whether its a European trip or dreaded in-office days. Bottoms Universal Standard is well loved for its denim, which has just enough stretch to be comfy without sagging or losing its shape. I found plenty of on-sale denim shorts a must for this scorching-hot summer in a variety of washes and cuts. Theres also lots of non-denim pants available, including the Moro Pocket Signature Ponte Pants, which pants-allergic Strategist contributor Maya Kosoff raved about. When I tried them on, I liked them so much I (yes) tweeted about them, she writes. I could already see myself wearing them with a nice top to a meeting or just on a walk to the bagel place down the street on a Sunday. Athleisure If you buy just one thing from the sale, I highly recommend the Next-to-Naked unitard. I own three and wear them everywhere, from workouts to errands to flights. The rest of the Next-to-Naked line is also excellent. However, since its so popular, it was the category I noticed with the most sold-out sizes, so snap up some pieces quickly if you see yours in stock. Outerwear While outerwear might be the last thing on your mind with this heat, who could blame you? buying jackets and coats off-season is the way to go if you want to score a good deal. I am particularly charmed by the classic wool coat and the cornflower-blue suede jacket below, though there arent a ton of sizes left in the latter. I recommend buying now so your winter self will thank you later. get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. A fallen tree on the roof of a home in Meadowcreek Village, a community on their ninth day without power after Hurricane Beryl left thousands without power, is photographed on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer The number of dead after Hurricane Beryl tore through the state earlier this month has risen to nearly two dozen. Fourteen fatalities in Harris County are joined by another five in Galveston County, all of which died from complications related to a lack of electricity, according to the University of Texas Medical Branch. Combined with another three dead in Montgomery County, the total count is now 22. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Category 1 hurricane caused widespread power outages that have led to the deaths of a minimum of seven people in Harris County, according to the most recent update from the Institute of Forensic Sciences, which provides medical examination services for the county. According to the institute, only five of the 14 confirmed deaths in Harris County are attributable to the storm itself, with the other nine dead from accidents trimming trees or heat. All of the victims reported so far in Harris County have been over the age of 50, with the most recent being a 110-year-old-woman who died as a result of extreme heat. The updated count now places Beryl ahead of Hurricane Ike for total fatalities in and around Houston. According to the Harris County Flood Control District, Ike left 11 dead in Harris County, despite making landfall as a more dangerous Category 2 hurricane. Haley Loredo holds a cell phone photo of her children with their grandmother, Maria Loredo, 73, who died after a tree fell on her second story bedroom at their home in the 17400 block of Rustic Canyon Trail during Hurricane Beryl Monday, July 8, 2024, in Spring. The cell phone photo was taken Feb. 10, 2024. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer The damage at a home in the 17400 block of Rustic Canyon Trail is shown where Maria Loredo, 73, died after a tree fell on her second story bedroom during Hurricane Beryl Monday, July 8, 2024, in Spring. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Experts previously told the Chronicle that the public should expect the number of fatalities to rise as authorities continue evaluating the situation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hurricane Beryls deadly path across Texas left many residents without power just before a triple-digit heat index descended on the area. Authorities at the state and local level have repeatedly vowed to investigate CenterPoints response to the blackouts. Thursday, Lt. Gov Dan Patrick announced the creation of a special committee to review utility companies response to the storm. That news came shortly after the Texas Public Utility Commission announced Monday it would be reviewing CenterPoints actions in the aftermath of Beryl. The electric utility companies failure cannot be tolerated, Patrick said in a press release. I am appointing this committee to review what happened and establish why certain electric utility companies appear to have been woefully unprepared for Hurricane Beryl. In an interview, CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells said the company stood by its preparation and process to restore power. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I understand how frustrating it is to be without power, especially in this heat, Wells said. I understand what a difficult situation this is for our customers, but I am proud of the progress we have made. Restoring 1.1 million customers within effectively 48 hours of the storms passing is faster than what many of our peers have seen in the past 10 named storms. This is a list with superb representatives of the genre, the only rule is to not have received the TV or movie adaptation treatment.1991 horror novel from the Northern Irish author, the story follows academic Charles Hillenbrand and his wife Laura. When Charles took his four-year-old daughter Naomi on a shopping trip from Cambridge to London, the girl disappeared in toy shop, and later her mutilated body was discovered. But Naomis spirit seems to not be resting, as a series of murders follow the couple.King's first novel to be set in Florida and in Minnesota. After a horrible work accident where he lost his arm and suffering mental health problems, Edgar Freemantle is encouraged to rent a beach house in Duma Key, Florida, where he starts developing psychic powers through his drawings and somehow his newly awakened powers are linked to a vengeful spirit of the waters.It narrates an expedition to Antarctica in 1930, and what is found there by a group of explorers led by Dr. William Dyer. Dyer details a series of untold events in the hope of deterring another group of explorers who wish to return to the continent. These events include an ancient civilization older than the human race, and realization of Earth's true past told through sculptures and murals. On July 28, 2010, Guillermo del Toro announced he would direct a film adaptation of it, with James Cameron producing. On 2010, del Toro said that the adaptation would not happen at allWritten as an epistolary fiction and metafiction focusing on a fictional documentary film titled the Navidson Record, presented as a story within a story discussed in a handwritten monograph recovered by the primary narrator, Johnny Truant. The narrative makes heavy use of multiperspectivity as Truant's footnotes chronicle his efforts to transcribe the manuscript. While the book is heavily lauded, it is incredible hard to read, with the reader having to constantly be jumping from chapter to chapter to comprehend the story, additionally the format does not lend itself to adaptation.From the pen of Stephen kings son. Old rock star Judas Coyne collects morbid memorabilia, like a witch's confession, a real snuff film and, his most recent acquisition, a dead man's funeral suit. Jude is informed by the dead man's daughter, that his spirit is attached to the suit. The suit arrives in a heart-shaped box, causing odd occurrences to those around him and seeking revenge for certain affront, against Jude.Sources 1 5 Google images and me a little girl with cat ears and whiskers? Sure Jan. Reply Thread Link oh god, she's a scene kid. The cat ears are a headband and the whiskers are drawn on. SHE'S EVEN WEARING THE BOW. Hello Kitty was the first scene kid!! Edited at 2024-07-19 12:11 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link her influence! Reply Parent Thread Link You mean thats not normal? Reply Parent Thread Link So.....Hello Kitty is a furry. Reply Thread Link i rebuke this Reply Parent Thread Link This reminds me of when I would write papers for my Philosophy class about the concept of infinity. Shes a little girl if your definition of cat is is a pet, walks on all fours. Its like Bojack Horseman. They have animal people and then animal animals. Reply Thread Link I guess Bluey would apply to this too? They want pets and their cows and ponies and other animals dont walk on two feet nor speak Reply Parent Thread Link The Goofy -Pluto Dichotomy Reply Parent Thread Link What was that quote in Wicked? There's "animals" and then there's "Animals" with a capital A, lol. Reply Parent Thread Link The thing that really gets me is when the People Animals somehow become other hybrid type animals. Every time the Paw Patrol gang goes down to Atlantis and becomes mer-pups my eye twitches. What are the laws of nature in this world? Reply Parent Thread Link wait, what do her parents look like is one of them human and one of them a cat? Reply Thread Link Mte this has raised more questions than answers. Reply Parent Thread Link Her entire family is?? cats. Are?? English. Edited at 2024-07-19 12:22 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Same creatures, Im afraid. Meet non-cats George and Mary White. Same creatures, Im afraid. Meet non-cats George and Mary White. Reply Parent Thread Link non-cats is cracking me up Reply Parent Thread Link me about to ask why they named their daughter HELLO but her name is Kitty and I knew that I am sleep deprived Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Oh get outta here, that's a damn family of cats. Reply Parent Thread Link ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE CATS Reply Parent Thread Link I knew she was a little girl because I read that somewhere. But I was shocked to learn shes from London. I thought she was Japanese. Reply Thread Link I knew that but still shes a cat and dear daniel is gay anyways I saw him in soho the other night Reply Thread Link Is she not a cat because she doesn't do cat things or is she just a mutated little human living in a post apocalyptic society and that's why one of her friends is a frog? Why name it Hello Kitty then??? Reply Thread Link deja vu didn't they say this a few years ago Reply Thread Link They've been saying this for a long time Reply Parent Thread Link and i guess it just goes in one ear and out the other for the public to keep being surprised by this news Reply Parent Thread Link I just picture the people of Sanrio having breakdowns trying to explain this. "PLEASE. I know she looks like a cat but she is a LITTLE GIRL." Reply Parent Thread Link They've been saying this since I was a baby Gen Xer buying pencil cases at the Sanrio store in Japantown. People just never retain it because it's insane. Reply Parent Thread Link "She weighs three apples and shes five apples tall." twice as tall as a smurf. Reply Thread Link this is the thing that's really bothering me. she weighs less apples than her equivalent apple height, so the mass/density of this supposed human child is less than that of apples. this is not science! Reply Parent Thread Link They've been saying this but it doesn't make sense Anyway she's not a human either bc she's only 5 apples tall Also, what does this mean for her friends? Sanrio says Cinnamroll is a puppy. So does it just depend if they have a family? Reply Thread Link and what about pompompurin? He is definitely a dog Reply Parent Thread Link Technically most of them do have families, although in Cinnamoroll's case it says his parents are a cloud and a sun so uh...maybe he doesn't. Chococat canonically lives in Colorado, which just sent me lmao Reply Parent Thread Link Idk why but this comment is cracking me up rn. Deep Sanrio lore. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Chococat canonically lives in Colorado this legit made me laugh out loud omggg Reply Parent Thread Expand Link COLORADO??? Why Colorado of all places, lmao! The more you know, indeed... Reply Parent Thread Link "kitty white" has unlocked a childhood memory of mine, i think i had a toy or a book (or a sticker/vinyl paper dolls-y book??) with her biography and all of this lol Reply Thread Link Yeah I knew this. We're told like every year but of course people have more important things to be concerned about! But she also owns a cat (Charmmy Kitty) so uh Reply Thread Link She's a fucking cat. Shut up. Reply Thread Link lmaoooo this made me laugh really loud in my quiet office ty Reply Parent Thread Link I'd like Is'ntreal to dissolve and die from the river to the sea Reply Thread Link Can't wait for the state department briefing where Matt is gonna make excuses once again. Hate him and his stupid smirk. edit to add Blinken is talking at some Security Forum today and he said there are two strong opponents to the 2 state solution and guess who he didn't mention Edited at 2024-07-19 03:42 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link It is so fucking wild that Biden and his government continue to say that Hamas is the reason that a ceasefire/overall peace deal isn't happening when Netanyahu and Israeli officials come and say again and again "We're only going to allow a deal if we can finish destroying Hamas" and "We're all voting against a 2 State Solution." Like, that hasn't gotten Israel to change anything they're doing. Maybe it's time to actually start calling Israel out. Reply Parent Thread Link This why people saying "at least Biden is trying with "Israel" is bullshit. It's what people say to make themselves feel better about supporting him. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link it was especially funny when the US was the only country continually voting against ceasefire resolutions in the UN, and then put forth a "ceasefire" that was "Israel keeps genociding, Hamas has to stop for a bit." Reply Parent Thread Link I had to stop watching Miller, his face enrages me. Reply Parent Thread Link I wish this had any kind of real impact or consequence for Israel. The images I've seen this week are horrific. Ten months of hell. Reply Thread Link I saw someone quote their own post about how what was horrific and couldn't continue in Jan and Biden and his government have continued to support the massacre for 7 more months. Reply Parent Thread Link and yet nothing is ever done abt it!!!!!! they've broken every international law and then some for decades and no one cares, it's maddening Reply Thread Link Just remembered Bibi is coming next week to give his big speech in front of congress Great timing guys Reply Thread Link on my birthday no less. RUDE Reply Parent Thread Link there's a huge protest being planned. I can't go, but a bus has been arranged that's leaving from my town straight to DC. Reply Parent Thread Link Same. I wish I could go so bad, but health issues wont allow it. Ill be cheering everyone on in comments sections. Reply Parent Thread Link That's still happening?! American gun culture, do your thing. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I hope Biden gives him COVID. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This flop state. Still, more justification for the obfuscatory Zionists who always argue some sort of high ground. These settlements predated Oct 7 Reply Thread Link Which makes it even more frustrating that the ICJ has only come out with this now, after all these years Reply Parent Thread Link the settlements are disgusting and im not understanding why this took 5 years Reply Thread Link All these "accountability" announcements are just words when no action takes place. At least the boycott is making an impact. https://archive.ph/8wLsP But are they actually going to do something?All these "accountability" announcements are just words when no action takes place.At least the boycott is making an impact. Reply Thread Link the link doesn't work for me. Do you have another one? I'd really like to read about the impact of the boycotts. Reply Parent Thread Link https://archive.ph/8wLsP Hmmm... try it again. It should work. It showed up for me. I hope it comes up! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I can send you screen shots if you still can't. :) Reply Parent Thread Link I watched this in full and would recommend people do the same. It is clear and easy to follow, and really helps emphasise the mountains of evidence of Israel's crimes. I am concerned about whether this will actually mean anything in terms of ending the genocide, though. Israel has made quite clear it does not give a fuck about the ICJ, and the US and UK have done the same. Reply Thread Link The UK is finally restoring funding to UNRWA. The US should too but you know they won't. Reply Thread Link only now??? seriously? Reply Parent Thread Link yeah starmer's zionist supporting government have "done extensive vetting" to make sure UNRWA doesn't have terrorist ties rmfe so they can now restore funding david lammy was just posing for photo ops with genocidaire extrodanaire leader of isnotreal just this week or last iirc Reply Parent Thread Link Meanwhile, in Gaza, the virus that causes polio is being found in sewage samples so there could be a polio outbreak in Gaza soon as the water and sewage infrastructure has been pretty much all destroyed. Statement from the Ministry of Health in Gaza: "The Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip announces that tests were conducted on sewage samples in coordination with UNICEF, and the results showed the presence of the virus that causes poliomyelitis. Detecting the jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) July 18, 2024 It would be nice if there was an actual enforcement mechanism behind this ruling.Meanwhile, in Gaza, the virus that causes polio is being found in sewage samples so there could be a polio outbreak in Gaza soon as the water and sewage infrastructure has been pretty much all destroyed. Reply Thread Link I wouldnt be surprised if theyre leaving viruses on blankets next Reply Parent Thread Link Wouldn't be the first time they've taken inspo from the Native American genocide. Reply Parent Thread Link jfc Reply Parent Thread Link Yep. This genocide is going to have such far reaching consequences. I mean, it already has but it's going to get worse. Reply Parent Thread Link It's mad to see Zionist say this has confirmed there will never be a 2 state solution because it would require "Israel" to give back the land they stole and they can't do that cos people are living there. Like, how is that Palestine's fault? Reply Thread Link It was a much smaller scale (21 settlements vs 144 or so in the West Bank as of 2023), but they went in and forcefully removed all their settlers living in Gaza in 2005. There is precedent that they CAN do it, but that they won't. Reply Parent Thread Link Oh, now they care if a land is inhabited, huh? Reply Parent Thread Link I'm very well-versed in history so I'm aware that people have always acted like monsters when given carte blanche to do so. But seeing not what massacre looks like from the side of the victims and then seeing the laughing, smiling, joking soldiers playing with the toys of the children they've murdered, the jewellery of women they've raped and tortured, the canes of the elderly they've shot in the head, it's just beyond what your mind is capable of conjuring. Reply Thread Link and seeing your elected "good guy" leaders say that this is something a country has the right to do to a country that's never done anything to anyone, and hasn't even been able to exist outside of occupation in the modern era... sickening. Reply Parent Thread Link I have never seen such absolutely inhuman behaviour as I have over these months. And I'm angry at myself for not learning sooner. But truly, every time I think they can't get more depraved I see something proving me wrong. It's sickening. Reply Parent Thread Link the glee is unsettling. they relish in the dehumanization. they are openly sadistic. they relish in killing and denying any drop of dignity to palestinians, dead or alive. it was difficult enough to stomach historical accounts of this kind of brutality, as you mention, but to see it it's something else entirely. i have never been more disgusted. Reply Parent Thread Link it's really gruesomely fascinating watching how a nation becomes radicalized into accepting and cheering for genocide in real time it's happened so many times in the past and people always say, "how could that have happened? how could people have accepted this?" and now we have tiktoks to see exactly how Reply Parent Thread Link we've known this for years, just like we know that nothing will come of this and israel will continue to "ignore" the settlers and their increasing violence against palestinians. as long as the united states continues to support them, the settlers will continue to force themselves into the west bank and attack/alienate the palestinians living there. Reply Thread Link China's largest oil refining company, China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., aka Sinopec, processed 126.69 million metric tons of crude oil or 5.08 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first six months of the current year, good for a mere 0.1% Y/Y increase, the company has reported. That compared with 1.7% output growth in the first quarter, pointing to a sharp slowdown in processing in the second quarter thanks to higher crude prices and lackluster domestic fuel demand. Sinopec reported that total domestic refined fuel sales declined 2.5% year on year to 90.14 million tons, with retail sales falling 4.7% Y/Y to 56.96 million tons. The latest results mark a continuation of weak results the company has been posting recently. Earlier in the year, Sinopec reported a 13% decline in its 2024 profits due to lower oil and gas prices. The company reported FY 2024 net income of 58.3 billion yuan ($8 billion) compared with 66.2 billion yuan posted in 2022 after oil prices declined 17%. Lower oil prices not only lowered the value of Sinopec's drilling output, but also cut its crude costs. Sinopec has seen refining margins shrink due and upstream profits contract while its chemicals business has continued to lose money. Sinopec and many Chinese refiners ramped up fuel production last year as they anticipated booming business following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Related: OPEC+ Panel Not Expected to Propose Changes to Oil Output Policy Sinopec expects its 2024 capital expenditure budget to clock in at 173 billion yuan, slightly below last year's 176.8 billion yuan, mainly due to a scale-back in its chemicals segment. The company is looking to maintain modest growth in both output and processing in the current year, with oil production projected to increase by 1% compared to 2023 levels, while refining throughput is set to increase only 0.8%. Meanwhile, the company expects domestic refined oil product sales to rise 1.6% in the current year compared to a 16% jump in 2023. The country is on track to maintain relatively strong growth, with the International Monetary Fund recently revising China's 2024 economic growth up to 5 percent compared with its 4.6-percent forecast in April after Beijing released half-year economic data on Monday. China's GDP grew 5 percent year on year in the first half of the year, although it moderated to 4.7% in the second quarter. In 2023, the country's GDP grew by 5.2% in real terms, reaching RMB 126.06 trillion (US$17.5 trillion). By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: However, rumors running around the region suggest another possible motive: He was getting too powerful for Assad, who has now solidified his power and has been clearly cleaning house. This Spring, the Katerji conglomerate reportedly revealed it was gearing up to build a massive new industrial complex in Aleppo. An undertaking of this size would further Katerjis influence financially, in terms of his tie-ins to the Syrian military-industrial complex, and among the public, whom he would employ in much larger numbers. His power is a threat to Assad, and Middle Eastern media have hinted Katerji was a highly significant figure for the Syrian regime. Hes the one who cut the deals for Kurdish-controlled oil in the countrys eastern Deir ez-Zor region, which he then supplied to the regime. Hes been doing this for a while, which has led to questions about whether the Israelis were actually behind the strike. There is an argument that he was targeted now because of the escalation of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. An Israeli drone strike this week along the Beirut-Damascus road on Syrias border with Lebanon killed a key Syrian businessman who also serves as the regimes oil supply kingpin. The businessman, prominent Baraa Katerji, a key ally of Syrias Bashar al-Assad, represents one of the highest-profile strikes against a pro-Iranian figure in recent months and also coincides with an escalation of cross-border conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. An Israeli drone strike this week along the Beirut-Damascus road on Syrias border with Lebanon killed a key Syrian businessman who also serves as the regimes oil supply kingpin. The businessman, prominent Baraa Katerji, a key ally of Syrias Bashar al-Assad, represents one of the highest-profile strikes against a pro-Iranian figure in recent months and also coincides with an escalation of cross-border conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Katerji was a highly significant figure for the Syrian regime. Hes the one who cut the deals for Kurdish-controlled oil in the countrys eastern Deir ez-Zor region, which he then supplied to the regime. Hes been doing this for a while, which has led to questions about whether the Israelis were actually behind the strike. There is an argument that he was targeted now because of the escalation of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. However, rumors running around the region suggest another possible motive: He was getting too powerful for Assad, who has now solidified his power and has been clearly cleaning house. This Spring, the Katerji conglomerate reportedly revealed it was gearing up to build a massive new industrial complex in Aleppo. An undertaking of this size would further Katerjis influence financially, in terms of his tie-ins to the Syrian military-industrial complex, and among the public, whom he would employ in much larger numbers. His power is a threat to Assad, and Middle Eastern media have hinted at problems in his relations with Damascus of late. Assads inner circle is being trimmed rather aggressively, and not even his cousin, Rami Makhlouf, has been spared. For the past few years, Assad has systematically targeted Makhloufs assets, stripping them bare to curb his power and influence. All indications so far point to an Israeli drone strike, but Assad wont be sorry to be relieved of Katerji, either. Nor will Washington, which had sanctioned him for links to ISIS. High-profile assassinations continued on Friday, with Israel killing a senior Hezbollah commander in southern Lebanon. Hours later, a missile struck the center of Tel Aviv, with Yemens Houthis claiming the attack. One person was killed in the attackthe point of which was to demonstrate how far Irans proxies can reach. While there is plenty to be bullish about in oil markets today, rising concerns over Chinese demand are weighing on oil prices. Friday, July 19th, 2024 The consistent stream of positive news for oil from the United States, crowned by a largely unexpected 5-million-barrel drop in US crude stocks, has been offset by disappointment in Chinas future outlook. The Third Plenum of Chinas Central Committee barely saw any tangible pledges, with the lack of constructive takeaways reverberating across commodities. With Friday trading disrupted by the global IT outage, ICE Brent is set to close the week around $85 per barrel. Tight Cushing Stocks Widen WTI Backwardation. The premium of front-month US crude futures over the M2 contract widened to its highest since October 2023 this week, as high as $1.60 per barrel, as shrinking stocks in the delivery point of WTI in Cushing fell to their lowest reading in three months. Freeport LNG Cancels Cargoes as Restart Lags. The Freeport LNG export terminal has canceled planned loadings across the third quarter of July as damage from Hurricane Beryl seems to be more impactful than initially thought, with incoming feedgas flows still a fifth of their usual level of 2 BCf per day. Exxon-Chevron Arbitration Hinges on Interpretation of Control. ExxonMobils (NYSE:XOM) legal bid to stop its US peer Chevron (NYSE:CVX) from taking over 30% of the Stabroek block under the $53 billion acquisition of Hess Energy rests on whether the transaction would involve a change of control in the Guyanese subsidiary. Two Tankers Ablaze Off Singapore Coast. Singapores maritime authorities are carrying out a search and rescue operation after reports of two vessels catching fire Friday, possibly indicating that the naphtha-carrying Hafnia Mile and the Iranian oil-carrying Ceres I VLCC tanker have collided in the night. Australias Largest Oil Project Delayed Again. Australias leading upstream firm Santos (ASX:STO) has delayed the Dorado oil project again with an FID now expected for 2025, with the delay potentially linked to a revised project scope which would see peak production lower from the original 100,000 b/d plan. US SAF Capacity Sees Rocket Growth This Year. The EIA predicts that production of sustainable aviation fuel in the United States could rise by a whopping 1400% this year if all announced capacity additions start up on time, increasing from 2,000 b/d last year to 30,000 b/d in 2024. Suez Canal Revenue Plunges as Houthis Attack. The annual revenue of the Suez Canal Authority dropped by almost a quarter in its latest financial year to $7.2 billion as Houthi missile strikes in the Red Sea have prompted most Western shippers to avoid the worlds largest manmade canal. Kinder Morgan Bets on Southeast US Gas Demand. US midstream major Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI) announced a large-scale expansion of its 6,900-mile Southern Natural Gas pipeline, adding 1.2 Bcf/day of capacity to the existing 4.4 Bcf/day, saying rising power demand and LNG exports provide jaw-dropping opportunities. UAE Mulls Construction of Second Nuclear Plant. The United Arab Emirates is considering building a second nuclear plant to meet soaring electricity demand in the country, with rumors suggesting a tender for a four-reactor plant could be announced as soon as this year. Germanium Prices Soar to Records Amidst China Buying. Prices of germanium, a rare metal required for chipmaking, have hit record highs of 13,250 per kg ($1,830/kg) this week amidst market speculation that Beijing is boosting its strategic stockpiles by buying around 100 metric tonnes. Turbine Collapse Sparks US Wind Debate. The Vineyard Wind offshore wind project developed by Denmarks CIP and Avangrid was shut down until further notice after a turbine blade failure caused debris to wash up across the beaches of Nantucket, sending shares of GE Vernova (NYSE:GEV) down almost 10% on Wednesday. Nigerias Onshore Exodus Turns Nasty. French oil major TotalEnergies (NYSE:TTE) sold its minority share in onshore SPDC joint venture project to a largely unknown Maurities-based investor Chappal Energies for $860 million, only months after Shell sold its 30% stake to a Nigerian consortium for $2.4 billion. Lack of Chinese Stimulus Depresses Copper. Three-month copper prices on the London Metal Exchange dropped to their lowest in three months this week, at $9,329 per metric tonne, after Chinas Central Committee meeting this week failed to provide any tangible details on economic stimulus measures. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: - The average period required to take a mine from discovery to production in the US stands at 29 years, only Zambia (34 years) performed worse and almost double that of China, Russia or the Democratic Republic of Congo. - A new S&P Global report has shed light on the damage that regulatory hurdles have been causing to US mining projects, with the United States seeing the second-longest lead time globally for developing a new mine. 2. Losing Out to Nimbler Peers, US Needs to Expedite Mining Approvals - Hampered by the widespread damage from Ukraines drone strikes, Russian refineries reduced their throughput by 4% year-on-year to 5.3 million b/d, but this month's runs have jumped above 5.6 million b/d already. - The value of Russias seaborne oil flows has been trending between $1.6 and $1.7 billion per week, double the readings in the first months of the price cap but also lower than the peak seen in June 2022. - Russias crude production came in at 9.078 million b/d in June as per the countrys Energy Ministry, which is still about 100,000 b/d higher than its assumed OPEC+ target but well below output levels seen in Q1. - Russias crude oil exports have plunged to a 7-month low, averaging only 3.1 million b/d over the past four weeks, coming on the back of the countrys growing OPEC+ compliance and a recovery in domestic refining. 1. Russia Seaborne Oil Exports Plunge on OPEC+ Compliance and Higher Runs - Russias crude oil exports have plunged to a 7-month low, averaging only 3.1 million b/d over the past four weeks, coming on the back of the countrys growing OPEC+ compliance and a recovery in domestic refining. - Russias crude production came in at 9.078 million b/d in June as per the countrys Energy Ministry, which is still about 100,000 b/d higher than its assumed OPEC+ target but well below output levels seen in Q1. - The value of Russias seaborne oil flows has been trending between $1.6 and $1.7 billion per week, double the readings in the first months of the price cap but also lower than the peak seen in June 2022. - Hampered by the widespread damage from Ukraines drone strikes, Russian refineries reduced their throughput by 4% year-on-year to 5.3 million b/d, but this month's runs have jumped above 5.6 million b/d already. 2. Losing Out to Nimbler Peers, US Needs to Expedite Mining Approvals - A new S&P Global report has shed light on the damage that regulatory hurdles have been causing to US mining projects, with the United States seeing the second-longest lead time globally for developing a new mine. - The average period required to take a mine from discovery to production in the US stands at 29 years, only Zambia (34 years) performed worse and almost double that of China, Russia or the Democratic Republic of Congo. - Overall, only three mines have come into production across the United States over the past 20 years, with the backlog of unrealized projects including potential mines that have been in development since 1978. - High levels of litigation have added to the dearth of new US mining success stories, with the Resolution Copper project in Arizona (developed by Rio Tinto and BHP) disputed by Apache Indians and Alaskas Pebble project blocked by the EPA. 3. As Heat Tests Global Power Grids, Investment into Transmission Sits Atop Agenda - As countries across the globe post record high electricity demand numbers, the energy markets attention is increasingly focused on power grids as the roll-out of renewables outpaces the growth in grid connectivity. - According to Bloomberg, the grid expansion cost required to meet global net zero emissions by 2050 would be equivalent to $24.1 trillion as electricity demand is set to double over the next 15 years. - The global power industry also faces a voltage replacement dilemma currently, of the 86 million km of power lines, a whopping 72 million km comes from low-voltage transmission and a mere 6 million km comes from high-voltage ones. - China would be the most exposed when it comes to power grid spending, requiring some $1.2 trillion in investment through 2030, equivalent to 1% of its GDP, followed by the United States which would require around $1 trillion. 4. Defying High Inventories, Europes LNG Appetite Is Still in Place - High natural gas inventories across Europe are capping the upside for LNG prices, with storage in EU countries already being 82% full, however strong power generation demand and a tight supply market are also limiting the downside for gas. - According to Kpler data, Europes imports of LNG have been consistently lower year-over-year in 2024, with June inflows totaling 6.7 million tonnes LNG, down 20% compared to the 8.3 million tonnes in June 2023. - With arbitrage economics from the United States firmly favoring Europe, we should see a notable uptick in US flows to EU countries, also buoyed by the fact that most US LNG exporters can flexibly switch between desired destinations. - Europes benchmark TTF gas futures have been relatively rangebound in July, remaining within the 30-33 per MWh bandwidth that it moved into in late May as Norwegian gas fields started seasonal maintenance. 5. Canadas Sprawling Wildfires Come Within Touching Distance of Oil Sands Sites - Hot and extremely dry conditions have triggered an array of wildfires across Canadas oil-rich Alberta province, with more than 130 blazes burning currently, potentially impacting the countrys crude production. - One of the largest wildfires, named MWF047, has tripled in size to more than 100,000 hectares in just two weeks, prompting Suncor to evacuate non-core staff from its 231,000 b/d Firebag oil sands site. - Some 400,000 b/d of upgrading capacity remains under threat, with Imperial Oil evacuating non-essential personnel from its 275,000 b/d Kearl bitumen project and MEG Energy did the same with its 100,000 b/d Christina Lake plant, without lowering output as of mid-July. - Concerns of potential forced production shutdowns have been exerting a lot of pressure on Canadian oil prices, with the countrys most prominent grade WCS gaining more than $2 per barrel in July vs WTI. 6. Mexicos Oilmen Call for Shale Revolution - As Mexicos crude production continues to decline amidst depleting legacy fields and restricted investment for non-domestic investors, the countrys oil industry is calling on the government not to neglect shale deposits. - According to Mexicos National Hydrocarbons Commission, the country has roughly 113 billion barrels of oil equivalent in prospective resources, of which almost two-thirds are unconventional. - The overwhelming majority of shale deposits have never been assigned to Pemex, nor were they on offer in any of the liberalization plans, and the tenure of President Lopez Obrador was no different; Pemex was instructed to focus on shallow water and conventional onshore fields. - Shale resources might also fuel Mexicos natural gas self-sufficiency as currently Pemex flares around 6% of its production and the uses ample volumes of gas for its needs, leaving Mexicos dependency on foreign (US) gas around 90%. 7. Japan Mobilizes Importers and Refiners to Cope With Jet Fuel Shortages - A sudden tourist boom has led to jet fuel shortages across Japan, as the number of visitors this year is expected to grow 30% year-over-year to 35 million people, lured by the resumption of visa-free travel and a depreciating yen. - The Japanese government has introduced a trifold action plan; comprising short-, medium- and long-term solutions to tackle the dearth of jet fuel as well as lifting the ban on kerosene imports. - Tokyos Narita airport will see the first-ever direct imports of jet fuel from abroad as South Korean refiners are set to capitalize on Japans woes, just as the countrys refiners take time to come out of peak maintenance in July. - The president of the Petroleum Association of Japan, Shunichi Kito, claims that there is no overall shortage of jet fuel but logistical bottlenecks such as lack of lorries, refuelling staff and shuttle vessels limit timely deliveries. The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States rose this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday. The total rig count rose by 2 to 586 this week, compared to 669 rigs this same time last year. The number of oil rigs fell by 1 this week, falling by a single rig in the week prior. Oil rigs now stand at 477down by 53 compared to this time last year. The number of gas rigs rose by 3 this week to 103, a loss of 28 active gas rigs from this time last year. Miscellaneous rigs stayed the same at 6. Meanwhile, U.S. crude oil production rose 1 million bpd to 13.3 million bpd for for the week ending July 12. Current weekly oil production in the United States, according to the EIA, is now on par with the all-time high of 13.3 million bpd. Primary Visions Frac Spread Count, an estimate of the number of crews completing wells that are unfinished, fell in the week ending July 12, from 242 to 238. Drilling activity in the Permian stayed the same this week at 305, a figure that is 28 fewer than this same time last year. The count in the Eagle Ford rose by 1 this week, rising to 49 after falling by 1 rig in the week prior. Rigs in the Eagle Ford are now 8 below where they were this time last year. Oil prices were down sharply on Friday. At 1:10 p.m. ET, the WTI benchmark was trading down $2.13 (-2.57%) on the day at $80.69. The Brent benchmark was trading down $1.99 (-2.34%) on the day at $83.12. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Centrica, the FTSE 100 owner of British Gas, has lost an appeal against HMRC. The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by Centricas investment arm over the treatment of professional services fees. Centrica Overseas Holdings, the energy suppliers investment entity, acquired a Dutch company, Oxxio and its four subsidiaries in July 2005. However, the deal didnt go to plan. Around mid-2009, Centrica decided to sell Oxxio and went on to instruct professional advisers. By March 2011, following a lengthy process, the investment business sold the assets of two Oxxio subsidiaries and the shares in a third subsidiary. Centricas advisors on the deal, Deutsche Bank AG London, Pricewaterhousecoopers (PwC) and De Brauw, racked up fees of 2,529,697 between the time of instruction in 2009 and the final sale in 2011. The investment business went on to claim relief for the 2.5m expenditure in its tax return for the accounting period ending 31 December 2011, but was denied by HMRC. The tax authority denied the claim because this expenditure was not deductible. It argued that it was not an expense of management and that, even if it was, it was capital in nature. The parties went on to fight it out in the courts, with the case going to the Supreme Court. Centrica Overseas Holdings first appealed the HMRC decision to the First-tier Tribunal, which found that most (but not all) of the expenditure was expenses of management, but dismissed the appeal on the basis that the expenditure was not incurred by the company. The investment business then appealed to the Upper Tribunal. The Tribunal allowed the appeal and found that all the expenditures in question were both business management expenses and revenue expenditures and, therefore, deductible. Then HMRC appealed that ruling to the Court of Appeal, which found that the expenditure was a management expense, but allowed HMRCs appeal on the basis that the money was capital in nature and therefore not deductible. It has been established from these cases that the 2.5m expenditure was a management expense. However, Centrica appealed to the Supreme Court only on the question of whether the expenditure was capital in nature. The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed its appeal today, as the Lord Justices held that the expenditure was capital in nature and, therefore, not deductible under the Corporation Tax Act. A HMRC spokesperson said: We welcome the decision, which provides certainty for businesses and ensures this provision operates as Parliament intended. Centrica was approached for a comment. By CityAM More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Sadie Addington, of New Braunfels, eats dinner at the Howard Johnson under candlelight after Hurricane Dolly came ashore north of South Padre Island on Wednesday, July 23, 2008. JERRY LARA/San Antonio Express-News In July, an early season storm moved northwest across the Gulf of Mexico, slamming into Texas as a Category 1 hurricane. Nearly everyone in its path lost power; full restoration took almost 10 days. It wasnt Beryl, but 2008s Hurricane Dolly, another small Category 1 storm that caused lengthy electricity disruptions in South Padre Island and Brownsville. It was a tremendous effort to get customers back in service a little more than a week after the storm hit, AEP Texass president said after the companys 11-county service area was finally restored. CenterPoint Energy, the Houston areas primary utility company, has been blistered for its preparation and response to Hurricane Beryl. The company has lost the faith and trust of Texans, Gov. Greg Abbott wrote to company CEO Jason Wells earlier this week. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Yet on the ground, other local power companies have also struggled to restore power after the surprisingly strong storm passed. It took Jackson Electric Co-op, in Matagorda, almost a week to get the lights back on for its several thousand customers who lost power. About 250,000 of Entergys southeast Texas customers lost power after Beryl barreled through on July 8 barely one-tenth the number of CenterPoints powerless customers. Yet largely outside the glare of the Houston spotlight, Entergys restoration efforts also dragged on, lasting more than a week. Whether CenterPoint failed to properly prepare for the storm and how efficient the companys response was will become clear soon. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Wednesday announced the formation of a special legislative committee to investigate why it took so long to restore power in Houston. The electric utility companies failure cannot be tolerated, especially when it was so obvious a storm was headed toward Texas, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Yet the investigations into the response to Hurricane Beryl are bound to expose other uncomfortable truths: Despite their diminutive-sounding name, not all Category 1 storms are inconsequential. And the vulnerabilities of Texas utility systems laid bare by the storm almost certainly extend beyond a single company. Kimmy Crowson, left, passes the time in the garage of their powerless home with a game of Uno with her children Kia and Kayla after Hurricane Beryl made its way through the Greater Houston area after coming ashore as a Category 1 storm, Monday, July 7, 2024, in Houston. Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer 'Doesnt tell you how bad a storm is' According to the National Weather Service a Category 1 hurricane can cause serious damage. Large branches of trees will snap and shallowly rooted trees may be toppled, the agency warned. Extensive damage to power lines and poles likely will result in power outages that could last a few to several days. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fallen power lines are seen in the East End neighborhood of Houston, days after Hurricane Beryl made landfall, on Thursday, July 11, 2024, in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Over the past 20 years, there have been 17 Category 1 hurricanes that hit the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (Categories can change as a storms wind speed rises and falls so there can be variation on the precise number.) Some resulted in only modest damage and relatively short power outages. Hurricane Nate crashed into Louisiana and Mississippi in October 2017 with 75 mph winds, a Category 1. But the storm weakened quickly, and most local residents had power restored within a day. Others have wreaked serious havoc. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy barely registered as a Category 1 before hitting the East Coast. But the massive storm enveloped two dozen states, causing more than $85 billion in damage, the 4th-most costly US storm. Full power restoration to the 8 million residents who lost it took nearly 2 weeks. Meteorologists and disaster experts say the perception that low-category hurricanes cant produce significant damage stems from a misunderstanding of the hurricane wind scale. Developed a half century ago primarily to predict damage to structures, the 1-through-5 Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale can have little to do with the on-the-ground reality. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its just a shorthand, said Craig Fugate, who oversaw responses to plenty of wild weather as director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the Obama administration and Floridas director of emergency management before that. It doesnt tell you how bad a storm is. The categories describe only wind speed, yet inland rains, coastal surge and tornados spun off from a hurricanes swirling center can also produce significant destruction. A storms pace matters, as well; a relatively weak hurricane that lingers can cause more damage than a strong, fast storm. In 2001, Tropical Storm Allison, whose highest winds didnt even qualify it as a hurricane, devastated Houston by slowly dumping more than 3 feet of rain. When Hurricane Wilma hit Floridas west coast in 2005, it arrived as a Category 3. Yet Fugate said the storm did the bulk of its damage as it weakened into a Category 1 and crawled eastward across the state. Power restoration took weeks, he said. An unidentified man tosses a useless article from the trunk of a submerged car on the Katy Freeway near Shepherd on Saturday. Heavy rains from the remnants of Tropical Storm Allison pounded the city for the fifth consecutive day, causing four deaths in Southeast Texas and widespread, devastating flooding. Andrew Innerarity/Houston Chronicle Which side of a hurricane hits an area can influence the level of destruction, as well, no matter its category. The Houston area absorbed Hurricane Beryls most destructive, dirty east side, where a storms forward movement compounds its wind speed, producing greater damage. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Beryl also spawned more than a dozen tornadoes in Texas, and more in other states. On-the-ground conditions can also determine storm damage, which, in turn, can create more power outages, even in lower-wind events. Trees pre-weakened by drought or other storms southeast Texas had a powerful derecho wind storm in May that killed eight and knocked out power to nearly 1 million become more susceptible to falling onto power lines. A wet spell can loosen soil and grow canopies, which then catch more wind like sails, making it easier for gusts to uproot trees and push them onto power lines. Initial surveys estimated half of Houstons trees were affected by Beryl. Complicating matters is that between storms, residents especially in hot cities such as Houston like their shade, pitting them against utility tree trimmers. In the Houston area, trees that survived Category 2 Hurricane Ike in 2008 had grown big enough to topple in the Category 1 Beryls winds 16 years later, said Jack Swayze, who recently retired after 40 years as an urban forester. This storm was far worse than Ike as far as vegetation, he said. Ive seen many storms in my career, coming from South Florida, and the sustained winds (of Beryl) keeping up that far inland was surprising, Entergy Texas CEO Eli Viamontes, a former Florida Power and Light executive, said during a Public Utility Commission briefing. You combine that fact with the most densely populated area of our service territory, that also happens to be one of the most densely vegetated areas as well, you literally have that perfect combination that has caused the (outage) numbers to certainly seem higher given a Category 1." Serious pole problems In the wake of a storm, communications are crucial, Fugate said. Its not that the power is out; people understand that, he said. Its not knowing how long its going to be out. Theres little disagreement CenterPoints communication with its customers was poor. With the companys online outage tracker out of commission, frustrated Houston residents turned to a map of open and closed Whataburger locations to see where power was on and off. CenterPoint Energy CEO Jason Wells speaks to a reporter about the effort to restore power in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at a CenterPoint Energy office in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer I think we could do a better job of communicating expectations with our customers, and I personally own that, said CEO Wells, who took three days to publicly comment on the storms fallout. But how well the power companies performed relative to how well they should have will be judged both on preparation the hardened condition of their systems and their post-storm response, said Geoff Roberts, a Houston civil engineer who helps compile a regular Texas infrastructure report card. Initial response efforts can be technical determining which parts of the system need attention first and will restore the most power to the most customers most quickly. But after that its primarily a matter of having enough people in trucks fixing poles and wires, Roberts said: It takes a lot of arms and legs. The more consequential question for Texans is the condition the utilities systems were in when Beryl arrived. The vast majority of damage CenterPoints system sustained during the storm appears to be in the distribution system smaller poles and wires that carry electricity from high-voltage transmission lines into neighborhoods, said Otto Lynch, a civil and structural engineer who consults with power companies. You had some serious pole problems, he said. Entergy, which also reported damage to its transmission system, reported losing more than 800 poles and nearly 1,000 crossarms, with about 150 miles of downed wire. CenterPoint said it could not provide damage figures. In its recently filed resiliency plan, CenterPoint has asked to pass onto its customers $100 million in costs over 3 years to replace or shore up 15,000 wooden poles identified as not meeting the companys minimum remaining strength criteria. Whether any of those contributed to the companys extended post-storm outages and, if so, why they werent hardened sooner is certain to be a concern of legislators and regulators. Other Texas utilities have asked regulators to pass on the cost of storm-strengthening their electricity delivery, as well. Regularly inspecting and replacing thousands of poles and wires before they break in a storm is expensive. Canadian crude exported from the U.S. Gulf Coast in June clocked in at 1500,000 barrels per day, only slightly lower than average despite the commissioning of the expanded 590,000 b/d Trans Mountain pipeline (TMX) in May. TMX has the potential to cut shipments from the U.S. Gulf Coast to India, China, and South Korea if more oil from Canada's West Coast heads to Asia. TMX could also displace shipments of some Latin American grades to Asian countries. Vortexa analyst Rohit Rathod has told Reuters that the Gulf Coasts biggest attraction remains the ease of loading very large crude carriers (VLCCs), which can carry up to 2 million barrels of oil, a feature that has helped maintain high levels of Canadian exports from the U.S. Gulf Coast. For instance, Indias Reliance Industries shipped 2 million barrels of Canadian crude via a VLCC in May from Vancouver to its refinery in Jamnagar. In comparison, smaller Aframaxes that typically carry up to 800,000 barrels are limited to loading only about 550,000 barrels at Vancouver due to port draft restrictions. TMX crude exports are expected to clock in at ~350,000-400,000 bpd, and will compete with heavy grades from Latin America and the Middle East. Muyu Xu, a senior crude oil analyst at analytics firm Kpler, has reported that Cold Lake crude is trading AT ~$10 per barrel cheaper than Iraq's Basra Heavy for deliveries to China. "Canada's TMX crude attracts interest from Asian buyers who are keen to secure cheap supplies of heavy grades but do not have access to U.S.-sanctioned Venezuelan crude," XU told Reuters. "It will still take some time for refiners to experiment with and test TMX crude as the first few cargoes have just arrived," she added. China, Japan, and South Korea are in line to receive the first cargoes of oil imports from TMX in September, becoming the first Asian countries to benefit from the expanded pipeline since it became operational in May. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Natural gas production in Egypt, which has seen a massive new gas field come on stream in the Mediterranean in recent years, has plunged to the lowest level in about six years, as the North African country is now importing LNG to meet growing demand. Egypts natural gas production fell in May to the levels last seen in February 2018, according to data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) cited by Bloomberg. Egypt has been exporting LNG to Europe, but it usually halts these exports during the summer months, to meet soaring electricity demand in scorching temperatures as most of its electricity output comes from gas-fired power plants. This year, early summer heat waves have made the situation in the country more difficult, and rolling power cuts have been enacted to conserve energy until contracted LNG cargoes arrive to save the day. At the beginning of the summer in June, Egypt was looking to import in the coming months the highest number of LNG cargoes in years, to help it ease the strain on its grid and industry amid energy shortages that have led to rolling blackouts. In June, Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Co, the state gas company, was seeking to purchase at least 17 LNG cargoes for delivery over the next three months. Egypt, which aims to become a regional gas hub, has been exporting LNG to Europe from its terminals on the Mediterranean with gas from domestic production and from fields offshore Israel. However, Egypt rarely exports LNG in the summer months, due to high domestic power demand in the heat waves. Earlier this year, Egyptian Natural Gas Holding sought to lease a liquefied natural gas import terminal from providers of FLNG units to get ahead of the scorching summer season that routinely triggers power blackouts due to the heavier load. As some LNG cargoes have already arrived, Egypt will halt the power cuts as of July 21, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said earlier this week. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is intensifying its scrutiny of the oil and gas sector, focusing on communications between executives at major firms such as Hess Corp., Occidental Petroleum Corp., and Diamondback Energy Inc. The FTC's investigation seeks to determine if these executives improperly coordinated with OPEC officials, potentially violating U.S. antitrust laws. Investigators are looking for evidence of collusion, particularly discussions about pricing and oil production levels. Such coordination could lead to higher oil prices and less competitive markets, which is illegal under U.S. law. The FTC's current focus on these companies is part of a broader investigation into several mergers within the industry, particularly those involving companies operating in the Permian Basin, North America's most prolific oil field. Recent developments have heightened the stakes. In May, the FTC uncovered hundreds of texts between Pioneer Natural Resources Co. founder Scott Sheffield and OPEC officials, related to market dynamics. These messages were found during the review of Exxon Mobil Corp.'s $63 billion acquisition of Pioneer. The discovery led to conditions on the deal, including Sheffield's exclusion from Exxon's board. Sheffield has denied any wrongdoing, accusing the FTC of unjustly vilifying him. Nevertheless, the agency is now rigorously examining executive communications from other companies, searching for similar evidence of collusion. This investigation coincides with a U.S. Senate budget committee probe into alleged collusion between nearly 20 large oil and gas producers and OPEC. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, echoing the FTC's allegations against Sheffield, has claimed that industry executives have been working with OPEC to constrain production and drive up prices. The Senate has demanded that these companies, including BP, Shell, and ConocoPhillips, provide communications with OPEC officials dating back to January 2020. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russias four-week average seaborne oil exports fell to 3.11 million barrels a day as of July 14, down by almost 600,000 barrels or 17% from their recent peak in April, Bloomberg has reported. The countrys seaborne crude shipments have now sunk to the lowest since January and are likely to remain that way at least to the end of August, thanks to a rebound of domestic refining rates to a six-month high. China and India are likely to feel the export cuts most keenly since they buy more than 80% Russian seaborne crude sales. However, the barrels that have been taken off the market represent a small fraction of their total crude purchases, meaning Chinese and Indian buyers could easily replace them with crude from other markets. The sharp drop in July isnt a one-off event, Viktor Kurilov, senior oil markets analyst at consultant Rystad Energy A/S, has told Bloomberg. Rystad Energy has predicted that Russias seaborne crude flows will remain capped at around 2.7 million barrels a day in July and August but rebound slightly to 2.9 million barrels a day in September when Russian refineries are expected to begin their traditional autumn maintenance. Thats a considerable drop from exports of 3.6 million to 3.7 million barrels per day recorded in April and May as repeated Ukrainian drone attacks disrupted domestic refining. The levels seen in April or May are not to be repeated in 2024, barring large-scale drone attacks that would debilitate even more refineries than the spring strikes, Viktor Katona, lead crude analyst at intelligence firm Kpler, has told Bloomberg. Katona has predicted that Russias seaborne crude supplies will hover near 3 million barrels a day for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, Ukraine has cut oil supplies to Slovakia and Hungary by Russias oil and gas giant Lukoil. Lukoil supplies Russian oil to Europe via the Soviet-built Druzhba pipeline and stands as the last major functioning Russian oil supply route to the continent. The European countries are, however, still receiving oil from other Russian companies. Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Two large oil tankers, including one known to have carried oil from Iran and Venezuela, were on fire near Singapore early on Friday, according to Singaporean authorities which said that all crew on both vessels are accounted for. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it was alerted in the early morning local time on Friday to a fire onboard both a Singapore-flagged tanker, Hafnia Nile, and a Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker, Ceres I, about 55 km (34 miles) northeast of Pedra Branca within Singapores Maritime Search and Rescue Region. Singaporean authorities dispatched a helicopter to assist with evacuating the crews. There were a total of 22 crew onboard Hafnia Nile and 40 crew onboard Ceres I, and all the crew are accounted for, Singapores MPA said. Navigation in the area has not been affected, but authorities are on alert to assist in case of oil spills. According to TankerTrackers.com, Hafnia Nile, a Panamax-sized tanker carrying oil, had knocked into the starboard bow of the empty dark fleet VLCC called CERES I in the international waters of the Riau archipelago on Friday morning, based on the tanker-tracking firms readings of AIS positioning data. The tanker Ceres I is known to have shipped Iranian crude oil and Venezuelan oil to China in recent years, shipping sources told Reuters. Ceres I was most recently known for carrying Iranian oil in March and April, per vessel-tracking data cited by Reuters. The protection and indemnity (P&I) insurer of the tanker, built in 2001, is unknown, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The use of old tankers with unknown insurers is a typical characteristic of the tankers in the so-called dark fleet, or shadow fleet, engaged in trade with Iranian, Venezuelan, and Russian oil to circumvent Western sanctions. Russias shadow fleet has caused more than 50 maritime accidents, insurer Allianz SE said earlier this year. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Oldies Night; 7 p.m. July 19, Bement Country Opry, 201 N. State St., Monticello; $10; doors open at 6 p.m.; dinner served at 5 p.m. All-Ages Drop-In Artmaking Workshop; 12-4 p.m.; July 19, University Galleries, 11 Uptown Circle, Normal; free; Join University Galleries staff for a workshop to learn about stop motion animation; https://go.evvnt.com/2477661-0. Creative Spirits - A Night Out for Parents and Caregivers of Special Needs Kids; 6-8 p.m.; July 19, The Little Art School, 415 N. Main St., Bloomington; 309-830-3983; Enjoy a night out with other parents and caregivers. Share support, tips, and make new friends; https://go.evvnt.com/2490579-0. Independent Drawing Hour; 6-7 p.m.; July 19 and July 26, University Galleries, 11 Uptown Circle, Normal; Join University Galleries education staff for a self-directed hour of drawing inspired by our three current exhibitions: Reflection, Grounds, and Ilse Bing: Doublings. No registration is required; https://go.evvnt.com/2477512-0. Mary Poppins at Community Players Theatre; 7:30-10 p.m.; July 19-20 and July 25-26; 2:30-5 p.m. July 21, Community Players Theatre, 201 Robinhood Lane, Bloomington; 309-663-2121; $10 to $20; https://go.evvnt.com/2475880-0. Roberts Fun Day; 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m. July 20, Roberts Gym, 118 W. Weldon St., Roberts. Illinois LICA Member Appreciation Picnic; 9 a.m. July 20, Feather Prairie Farm, 23335 E 3200 North Road, Dwight. Stanford Good Old Jubilee; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. July 20-21, Stanford, 298 School St.; https://go.evvnt.com/2516932-0. Opening Reception for 2nd Annual "Creating in Community" in Downtown Bloomington; 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; July 20, Mandy Roeing Fine Art, 105 W. Monroe St., Bloomington; 919-413-7897; You are invited to "Creating in Community," an exhibition of paintings by students at Mandy Roeing Fine Art Studio & Gallery. Kite Fest 2024; 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; July 20, Grove Elementary School, 1101 Airport Road, Normal; 309-434-0101; For A Better Tomorrow's biggest fundraising event of the year; join us to Fly a Kite & Lift a Life! Sensory-Friendly Hour; 11 a.m.-noon; July 20, University Galleries, 11 Uptown Circle, Normal; Visit University Galleries before opening hours to enjoy dimmed lighting and a quiet space; https://go.evvnt.com/2477605-0. Hand-Sewing Workshop for Families; 12-2 p.m.; July 20, University Galleries, 11 Uptown Circle, Normal; Free; Art-making workshop inspired by works from University Galleries' collection; https://go.evvnt.com/2477947-0. Children's Concert featuring the Illinois Chamber Music Festival Faculty & Staff at IWU; 2:30-4 p.m.; July 20, 1210 Park St., Bloomington; 309-556-3547; Children's music crafts and activities, educational concert, instrument try-out. Williamson Branch; 6 p.m. July 20, Hopedale Park; bluegrass and gospel; free or love offering accepted. Heartland Jazz Orchestra Free Community Big Band Jazz Concert; 5-6:30 p.m.; July 20, Connie Link Amphitheatre, 621 S. Linden St., Normal; (815) 714-9366; https://go.evvnt.com/2520587-0. Tiki Twins; 6:30-9 p.m.; July 20, PK UnKorked Wine Shop & Tasting Room, 826 N. Ladd St., Pontiac; Live music with no cover charge. Illinois Chamber Music Festival Faculty Concert #4 at Illinois Wesleyan University; 3-4:30 p.m.; July 21, 1210 Park St., Bloomington; 309-556-3547; Geoffrey Dean - Apollonian Riffs: A Musical Odyssey for String Quartet Felix Mendelssohn - Piano Trio in D minor. Midsummer Night's (Day)Dream Community Tour; 2-4 p.m.; July 22, 601 Lutz Road, 601 Lutz Road, Bloomington; (224) 735-4036; Midsummer Night's (Day)Dream Community Tour; https://go.evvnt.com/2483661-0. Tour Historic Ewing Manor; 4-6 p.m.; July 22, Ewing Cultural Center, 48 Sunset Road, Bloomington; 309-438-6333; Ewing Cultural Center is offering free public tours, the last tour leaves at 5:15 pm. Tours take approximately 1 hour. Although the tours are free, donations are appreciated to help with restoration; https://go.evvnt.com/2415080-0. Illinois Chamber Music Festival Faculty & Student Performance: Music for Food Concert; 6:30-8 p.m.; July 22, St. John's Lutheran Church, 1617 E. Emerson St., Bloomington; 309-556-3547; Donations accepted for The Center for Hope Food Pantry. Profit Share Day Benefitting Friends of the Vespasian Warner Public Library at Bobzbay Books; 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; July 23, Bobzbay Books, 419 N. Main St., Bloomington; 309-740-2012; https://go.evvnt.com/2484959-0. Art Galleries Summer Camp; 10 a.m.- July 26, 3 p.m.; July 23, University Galleries, 11 Uptown Circle, Normal; Free; Art-themed summer camp for children ages 10-14; https://go.evvnt.com/2477915-0. Bloomington-Normal Flute Club; 6-7:30 p.m.; July 24, Bloomington-Normal Flute Club, Bloomington; 815-916-5355; The Bloomington-Normal Flute Club is an all-abilities adult flute ensemble led by Rachel Bailey; https://go.evvnt.com/2234195-0. Illinois Chamber Music Festival Faculty Concert #5 at Illinois Wesleyan University; 7:30-9 p.m.; July 24, 1210 Park St., Bloomington; 309-556-3547; W.A. Mozart - Piano Trio in C Major, K. 548 Johannes Brahms - Piano Quartet in A Major. Young at Heart Day at the McLean County Fair; 8:30-11:30 a.m.; July 25, McLean County Fairgrounds, 1106 Interstate Drive, Bloomington; 309-829-2537; Senior Day at the McLean County Fair with free fair admission, food, music, educational booths and door prizes; https://go.evvnt.com/2504064-0. Sips & Sounds, Flute & Marimba Duo - Illinois Symphony Orchestra; 6:30-7:30 p.m.; July 25, Keg Grove Brewing Co., 712 E. Empire St., Bloomington; 217-522-2838; Listen LIVE at our hip happy hour series! Dink, Drinks and Donate - open play pickleball event; 5-8 p.m. July 26, Evergreen Racquet Club Inc, 3203 E. Washington St., Bloomington; 309-834-5294; $30; $30 includes swag, food and drink. Proceeds support Brightpoint's doula program; https://go.evvnt.com/2508722-0. Photos: Danville Dans at Normal Cornbelters 1 Zach Courson 1 070224.JPG Brendan Clarke 1 070224.JPG Chase Mason 1 070224.JPG Chase Mason 2 070224.JPG Chase Mason 3 070224.JPG Eddie Letamendi 1 070224.JPG Graham Mastros 1 070224.JPG Landen Johnson 1 070224.JPG Landen Johnson 2 070224.JPG Landen Johnson 3 070224.JPG Zach Courson 2 070224.JPG Update: Canton police announced just after 6 p.m. Thursday that Chloe Russell had been found. "Chloe has been located alive and will be receiving medical attention but is expected to be fine," the Fulton County law enforcement agency said in a Facebook post. No further information was immediately available. Earlier report: CANTON The Canton Police Department is seeking the public's assistance in locating a toddler. According to post on the department's Facebook page, 2-year-old Chloe Russell was last seen about 6:30 a.m. at her residence in the 500 block of Custer Place in Canton. CPD described Russell as a white girl with dirty blonde hair who weighs approximately 25 pounds. Canton police also requested the general public stay away from the search area to reduce foot and vehicle traffic. The department asked anyone who resides in the Custer Place area to check their property for the missing girl. CPD is working alongside the FBI, Illinois State Police, Fulton County Sheriff's Office, Canton Fire Department and other local police agencies to locate the girl. Any information about her location should be directed to CPD at 309-647-5131. The Commercial Division ( Court 1) of the High Court of Justice has ordered Justmoh Construction limited to comply with the interim arbitral awards by an Arbitral Tribunal which is ordering Justmoh Construction limited to preserve an amount of USD 25, 300,000.00 held in their GCB dollar account in a specified account. The ruling by the court comes at the back of the failure of Justmoh Construction to comply with the order of the Arbitral Tribunal saying the tribunal lacks the substantive jurisdiction over the matter contrary to section 1 and 57 of the ADR Act compelling Ashanti Ports Services Limited to make applications to the High Court. Conversely, Her Ladyship Justice Sheila Minta who presided over the case explained that, in Court Proceedings, all orders made at that time may be interlocutory and it will abide till the final decision, unless it is an interlocutory judgment. She added that in arbitrations, such orders prior to final award may either be partial award or interim awards where Partial Awards are made they abide forever and cannot be changed by the final Award. The Court further explained that where interim awards are made, they are enforceable up to the final Award which may change it. RULING OF THE COURT In her ruling Her Ladyship Justice Sheila Mintah said If Interim Awards are not enforceable, then why make them the first place? In the book, Commercial Arbitration in Ghana- Practice and [Procedure by Bobby Banson Esq at page 269 he states as follows an award delivered by a Tribunal either partial or final is binding on the parties unless steps are taken to set the award aside on stated grounds. Interim Awards are binding and enforceable until the delivery of the final award by the Tribunal, which may confirm, vary or set aside the interim award. I am persuaded by this statement of the law and hereby adopt it. BACKGROUND Ashanti Port Services Limited is seeking An Order for payment of Three Billion, Six- Hundred and Eighty-Three Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty-Five United States Dolars (US$3,683,720,785) being the projected income for the Boankra Integrated Logistics Terminal ( BILT) operations period of 27 years by Ministry of Transport. This was after the Ashanti Ports Services Limited (APSL) filed a notice of arbitration against Ministry of Transport at the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Arbitration and Ghana Arbitration Centre Following the unilateral unlawful termination of the Contract by Ghana Shippers Authority. Following an international bidding process, the Ministry of Transport (MOT), acting through the Ghana Shippers' Authority (GSA), awarded the Concessionaire rights for the development of the Boankra Integrated Logistics Terminal (BILT) Project on a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis to Afum Quality Limited (AQL). The BOT was for 30 years to be managed by the Concessionaire; the first three (3) years for the construction of the BILT Project, and the remaining twenty-seven (27) years for Operations with a projected Profit Margin of Three Billion, Six- Hundred and Eighty- Three Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eighty- Five United States Dollars (US$3,683,720,785). The Concession Agreement, signed on 25th September, 2020, aimed to create a vital infrastructure linking the ports of Tema and Takoradi to the inner parts of Ghana and the landlocked countries of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. After the execution of the Concession Agreement, Ministry of Transport compelled the Ashanti Ports Services Limited to organize a sod-cutting ceremony, prior to fulfilling preconditions necessary for the performance of its obligations under the Concession Agreement, thus putting Ashanti Ports Services Limited to huge financial expenses. Ashanti Ports Services Limited undertook substantial groundwork for the sod- cutting ceremony, including expanding and graveling the road from the entrance of the project site to the Administration Block. According to the notice, Unlawful interferences by MoT commenced when the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), under the directive of the Respondent, sought to acquire shares in APSL. Despite APSL's hesitation, 39% of its shares, valued at Forty-Nine Million United States Dollars (US$49 million) were sold to GPHA. A Share Purchase Agreement or Shareholders Agreement was subsequently executed on 11th September, 2022 between APSL and GPHA, and with an obligation to contribute towards the shares representing the 10% carried interest of GSA. Source: Samson Kwame Nyamekye/ Hello Fm Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Alliance of Drivers, Ghana have urged the public to disregard the announced increment of Transport fares effective Monday, 22nd July 2024. In a statement issued and signed by the General Secretary, George Baafoa Afriyie, he reiterated that the only institution mandated to announce an increment is the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) which has not made any official announcement. Below is the full statement The Alliance of Drivers, Ghana, has sighted publications in the media by concerned drivers, purporting an increase in public transport fare in the country, effective 22nd July 2024, Monday. We wish to inform the general public that there has not been any lorry fare increase from the Ghana Road Transport Coordinating Council (GRTCC) to transport operators. We, therefore, urge the general public to disregard the purported increase from concerned drivers. Any driver group trying to increase the fare without government permission should be treated as thieves. We call on the IGP to arrest concerned drivers and their leaders immediately. Otherwise, we will come out with a naked demonstration against the president. Ghanaians should not take concerned drivers and their leaders seriously. They are stomach politicians working for the opposition party. We, the Alliance of Drivers, Ghana, formerly Drivers for Change, are working truly to save Ghanaians. God bless Ghana. Signed, General Secretary: George Baafoa Owusu Afriyie Source: Naomi Obenewaah/Peace FM Newsroom Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video NPP National Youth Organizer, Salam Mustapha has urged Ghanaian electorates not to sacrifice their lives in the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. Salam Mustapha, contributing to Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show, advised the electorates to conduct themselves within the frontiers of the elections. "We are duty-bound to protect our members as well and protect our ballots. Of course, we work with the security agencies. I don't take away the role of the security of Police; they should come in," he said while cautioning members and supporters of all political parties, particularly the two largest parties - New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress - against engaging in electoral malpractices and violence. Salam called for peace and stability to prevail in the elections saying, "we are going into elections to vote; not to throw bullets...You can't wrap your head around it. It's very disturbing that people die during elections". The NPP youth leader strongly believed the December 7 polls will be in favor of the New Patriotic Party. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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 About four students in every classroom will have a language or attention disorder. While some of these students will have an official diagnosis of developmental language disorder (DLD) or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), others will be "hiding in plain sight". These students may often be in trouble for acting out, underachieving or not attending school. In our new study, we interviewed 59 students with DLD and/or ADHD about their experiences of Year 10 English. This is the only subject all Australian students must do from the first year of schooling to Year 12. And it plays a key role in their success at school and beyond it. Students in our study reported some of their teachers talk too much. Why is this a problem? What can teachers do instead? What are DLD and ADHD? About two students in every classroom of 30 will have DLD. This is a lifelong disorder that affects language comprehension and expression. People with DLD find it more difficult to say what they mean and to understand others. About one or two students per classroom will have ADHD. This can include difficulties with focusing attention, following detailed instructions and self control. It is also possible for students to have both DLD and ADHD. While schools are legally required to remove learning barriers for students with disability, students first need to be identified as needing this support. Research shows students with less visible disabilities, such as DLD and ADHD, are more likely to fly under the radar of schools and so do not get the help they need. Our study As part of a broader project on accessible assessment, in 2022, we recruited more than 200 students from three Queensland public high schools. Through testing, we identified a subgroup of 59 students with likely language and/or attention disorders. The students were all between 13 and 15. About half identified as female and half as male. Students were taught by 26 different teachers. Almost three quarters of students (71%) in the sample had not previously been identified as having difficulty with either language or attention. All 59 students participated in individual interviews, which included questions about their classroom experiences. Do you think some teachers talk too much? Research shows removing unnecessary complexity from classroom teaching is really important when helping students learn, especially if they already have issues with language and information processing. More than two thirds of participants (69%) in our study said some of their teachers talk too much. Eight responded with a forceful "YES!" Importantly, students also described the effect of too much teacher talkincluding when teachers "go off topic"on their ability to sustain focus, attention and engagement. As Gareth explained: "[The] ones that are just like talking and not doing anything, I'll just zone out and don't do anything." (Names have been changed for this article.) Bella noted: "Yes. Uh, uh, my brain leaves the room." Another student, Pippy, told us that once behind, it is difficult to re-engage: "I just think, well, like when my teacher's talking, I, my brain kind of, it gets like really slow, and I have to think back about, "Oh, they just said those words, what do those mean?" And then I'm like, "Okay, I'm catching up." And then she's already like gone all the way down like already explained so much more. I've like missed that 'cause I was trying to focus on what she was just explaining before." What else happens when teachers talk too much? To learn more about the impact of too much teacher talk, we showed students an iPad and asked them to choose which options on the display applied to them. The most popular response was students begin thinking of other things. The next most popular responses were their brain shut down and/or they talked to the person next to them. Although no student selected "I get up to mischief" as a standalone choice, four did select "all of the above." These responses reflect what happens when working memorythe memory system that provides a kind of "mental jotting pad storing information necessary for everyday activities"is overloaded. When this occurs, brains really do "leave the room." What can teachers do instead? There is no precise figure when it comes to the amount a teacher should talk, but a good rule of thumb is around one quarter of the lesson. This allows time for active questioning and feedback, and for the completion of activities. It also reduces student passivity and is less exhausting for the teacher. Just as important as the proportion of teacher talk is how easy it is to understand them. Students in our study said "excellent" teachers used simple words and would "go through" things several times in different ways. They also said excellent teachers did not go too fast and paused to allow students to process what had been said. They would also regularly check in with students during the lesson to see if they understood what they needed to do. Though it might be assumed teachers are already using these simple strategies, our findings suggest otherwise. We asked students about 16 evidenced-based teaching practices that are all needed to support language and information processing. Their responses suggest there is inconsistent or ineffective use of these important practices. For example, nearly three in five students said teachers rarely or only sometimes listed what students needed to do on the board. Almost one in four said their teacher did not consistently check-in with them using verbal prompts to support attention. What can we do now? We know language processing, attention and working memory are particular areas of difficulty for students with DLD and/or ADHD. But these differences do not mean lower academic achievement is a natural or inevitable outcome. Instead, given the prevalence of students in these two groups, it means everyday teaching must be accessible to them. And in doing so, it will also make teaching more accessible to everyone in the classroom. In a previous study in our broader project, we found targeted professional learning can help teachers make their teaching more accessible, including talking less and more simply. Our future research will look at how we help teachers adopt these strategies and reach teachers in regional and remote schools so all students can benefit. 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: CC0 Public Domain A Cranfield University academic has contributed to a new landmark report that says that governments and policy makers must recognize cooling as critical national infrastructure (CNI) if humanity is to build resilience to the impact of climate change. Published on 18 July, the report "The Hot Reality: Living in a +50C World" calls for a radical shift in policy to create more ambitious strategies for delivering cooling, effectively managing energy use and achieving reductions in cooling demand. The Center for Sustainable Cooling, led by the University of Birmingham, produced the report, which warns that governments must accurately assess how much cooling is needed to meet societal, environmental, health, well-being, economic and adaptation goals in a warming world. Global events continue to demonstrate the urgency for action on the issue. In India, long power outages have occurred when cooling demands overloaded the electricity grid in a heat wave, with power consumption in the Punjab increasing by 43%. In Europe, Greece experienced the largest-ever recorded wildfire in Europe in 2023, and this year has shut popular tourist sites and schools due to extreme temperatures. In Saudi Arabia earlier this year hundreds of Hajj pilgrims died in part due to unprecedented heat waves. Already in today's warmer U.K. climate, anecdotal reports suggest that between 30 and 60 stores per large retailer experience whole store cooling system failures within a matter of days when temperatures exceed equipment design boundaries. And an estimated 90% of hospital buildings in England are vulnerable to overheating. Lack of robust cold chains compromise food security Dr. Natalia Falagan, Senior Lecturer in Food Science and Technology at Cranfield University, provided expert advice on the crucial role of temperature in food production, and the postharvest handling of food. Her input to the report also included climate change impacts on food production, availability and affordability, and the management of postharvest cold chains to minimize food loss. Dr. Falagan stated, "An estimated 12% of food produced globally is lost, due to a lack of robust cold chains, compromising our food security. To guarantee safe and nutritious food, we must create more resilient systems. This new report takes a wide-reaching systems approach, bringing together experts in food, refrigeration, logistics and energy to propose solutions to mitigate and adapt to the challenges we face today." Key recommendations for policy makers, industry and academia The report makes several key recommendations for policy makers including: Treating cooling systems as essential to national resilience and planningbacked by funded studies to help ensure they meet future needs. Creating policies that promote fair and equitable cooling solutionsmaking sure cooling systems are environmentally sustainable. Including climate migration in adaptation plans, helping people stay in their communities and making destination areas more resilient. Promoting integration of renewable energy and waste heat recovery in cooling systems for better performance and benefits. Funding national programs to train people in designing, operating, and maintaining advanced and sustainable cooling technologies. The report also recommends a range of actions for academic communities and industry leaders to help ensure that they support governments in meeting cooling needs as part of critical national infrastructure. Compelling evidence for cooling as critical national infrastructure Center for Sustainable Cooling Director and report co-author Toby Peters, Professor of Cold Economy at the University of Birmingham and Heriot-Watt University, stated, "Cooling is already vital to our safety and comfort, health, food security and our economic well-being. Our most pressing goal remains to ensure basic needs are met for all people in a warming world, while living within our natural resource limitations and mitigating future risks to our survival on the planet. "Given both the fast-growing need for cooling and also its impact on our energy systems, we have uncovered compelling evidence for the global recognition of cooling as critical national infrastructure." Critical national infrastructure is defined in the U.K. as facilities which, if compromised, could seriously disrupt essential servicespossibly leading to significant loss of life or casualties. Losing such infrastructure elements could have a major impact on national security, defense, or basic functioning of the country. Dr. Tim Fox, lead author of the report, said "In the absence of a whole-of-government, multi-sector, CNI level approach to policymaking on cooling infrastructure, governments risk failing to lay the foundations for well-adapted, climate-resilient cooling provision. "This will create vulnerability, low national resilience to rising temperatures and more frequent severe heat waves, and risks to services that are vital to the food, health, industrial, digital and economic security of a country and well-being of its citizens. "Services, the integrity of which if compromised, can lead to loss of life and significant economic and social impacts, ultimately leading to a reduced ability of a State to function and potentially societal breakdown. The stakes could not be higher." More information: The Hot Reality: Living in a +50C World, cleancooling.org/news/2084591 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A handful of environmental groups filed a petition July 18 asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to claw back oversight of the disposal of Georgia's toxic coal ash from state regulators, citing concerns over groundwater contamination. Coal ash is a byproduct of burning coal and contains heavy metals like arsenic and mercury. For decades, utilities dumped this waste into unlined ponds where toxic substances leached into groundwater or spilled into waterways during storms. One such disaster on the Dan River in North Carolina in 2014 prompted a series of reforms aimed at limiting coal ash pollution. Since then, Georgia was one of very few states granted permission to oversee its own coal ash disposal program, but it must comply with the minimum federal protections. On multiple occasions since 2022, the EPA has warned Georgia both publicly and privately that it was in danger of running afoul of federal coal ash rules by allowing utilities to cap unlined coal ash ponds with the waste in contact with groundwater. Federal regulations say coal ash ponds must be closed in a manner that controls, minimizes or eliminates contamination of groundwater to the "maximum extent feasible." In many cases, that is done by digging out the waste and moving it to a lined landfill. There are 30 known coal ash ponds in Georgia, 29 of which are owned by Georgia Power at 11 sites across the state. The company plans to close nine of those ponds in place without removing the waste to a lined landfill, according to a recent public filing. Despite the EPA's warnings, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) issued Georgia Power a permit to cap and close an unlined pond at Plant Hammond in Floyd County near Rome. The pond contains more than 1 million tons of coal ash, which is sitting in up to 10 feet of groundwater near the bank of the Coosa River, the conservation groups' petition says. "[...] Georgia Power completed closure before it had even applied for the permit, and the final cover had been installed while the bottom of the waste pit remained submerged in groundwater," the petition says. "EPD had simply rubber stamped that closure." The petition says state regulators are "blatantly" ignoring coal ash disposal standards and calls on the federal government to step in. The appeal was sent by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of itself and Earthjustice, Altamaha Riverkeeper, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Coosa River Basin Initiative, Georgia Interfaith Power & Light, and Sierra Club. "Years have passed while EPA has attempted to convince Georgia EPD to follow the law and protect Georgia's water resources and communities," the petition says. "The time for cooperative inter-agency talks is at an end." Fletcher Sams, executive director of the Altamaha Riverkeeper, one of the petitioners, said people living near coal ash ponds deserved more than "lip service" from the federal government. "Does EPA and this administration have the political will to enforce the law and protect Georgians?" he said. The EPA is reviewing the petition, a spokesperson said in an email. A spokesperson for Georgia EPD said in an email that state regulators and EPA are "continuing to have discussions about EPD's federally delegated [coal ash disposal] program." "EPD is reviewing the recent legal developments relating to [the program] and is committed to ensuring that Georgia's [coal ash disposal] permits are consistent with federal and state regulations and are protective of public health and the environment," the Georgia EPD spokesperson said. Georgia Power issued a statement with similar language, saying state and federal regulators are "continuing discussions on our permit applications, industry developments, and interpretations of the most recent rule." "We will continue to work with EPD to ensure closure plans across our facilities remain in compliance with state and federal rules," the utility said. The petition follows two recent developments that could spell trouble for state regulators and Georgia Power. Earlier this year, the EPA denied a request by Alabama to start a similar program to Georgia's, citing concerns that Alabama has allowed utilities to leave their coal ash sitting in groundwater. Then, in June, a D.C. appeals court dismissed a legal challenge from utilities to the EPA's crackdown on coal ash in groundwater, siding with federal regulators. 2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, speaks during the Republican National Convention Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Paul Sancya/Associated Press Youll have to forgive the Houstonians who didnt tune in to Gov. Greg Abbotts primetime debut at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis. Some may have still been without power. Others were too busy rebuilding a city still beleaguered by a hurricane that hit while our governor was 8,000 miles away promoting our states economic development. As Abbott promised delegates that Donald Trump would put illegal immigrants behind bars, Noe, a 39-year-old Mexican immigrant was driving home to his family after a 12-hour day of grueling work patching up roofs in Conroe. In his 20 years here in Houston, hes seen his fair share of disasters from Katrina, to Harvey, to Beryl. Each time, he gets straight to work, driving for hours from his home in Sugar Land to fix fences, replace roof shingles and clear tree debris. The unrelenting heat is desesperante, maddening, he told a member of this editorial board whose fence he repaired recently. And it makes the job of balancing on leaky roofs, without a harness or a helmet, slow and infernal. But someone has to do it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It would be great if our governor could do his job, especially when it counts the most. It is time to rid our streets of crime and chaos, Abbott said in his RNC speech. It is time to secure our border by returning Donald Trump as president of the United States of America. A gleeful crowd filled with cowboy hats and Mass Deportation Now! signs joined our governor in a first-pumping chant of Send them back! Send them back! Send them back! Abbotts strongman speech, for those who missed it, hit all the tired talking points: he touted his $10 billion border boondoggle to string razor wire and install National Guardsmen at the border, his migrant bussing to Democratic-led cities, and, of course, Trumps miraculous elimination of illegal immigration. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He didnt mention that illegal immigration has just dropped to a three-year low thanks to Mexicos crackdown on northward migration and the Biden administrations controversial move to curtail asylum. He also didnt mention the global pandemic that all but shut down migration at the border for a good part of Trumps administration. But those facts dont matter. What matters is stoking Republicans deepest fears: that under President Joe Biden, weve welcomed rapists, murderers, even terrorists, as Abbott put it, echoing the rhetoric that launched Trumps 2016 campaign. That weve let in the kind of criminals that raped and killed 12-year-old Houstonian Jocelyn Nungaray, he said as the crowd broke into a chorus of boos. Like Abbott, we believe in ensuring that our country has a safe, orderly and secure border. Nungarays death is a horrific tragedy deserving of attention and swift justice. But as weve argued over and over, politicking that distracts and divides Americans will do nothing to fix our border troubles. Only congressional action can do that. And Congress has refused to get its act together to comprehensively patch up the holes that have left our legal immigration system in shambles. As the proud governor of a border state that is home to more than 5 million immigrants, Abbott should be the first to know that criminalizing and deporting every person who crossed into the U.S. illegally would tear apart the very fabric of our communities. Besides it being deeply cruel to separate the 22 million people in mixed-status families across the nation, experts estimate funding the project of mass deportation to be astronomical, easily costing tens of billions of taxpayer dollars. According to a 2016 study, sending those immigrants back would also immediately reduce the nations GDP by 1.4%, and tank cumulative GDP over 10 years by $4.7 trillion. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If Abbott is so concerned about building up the Texas economy so much so that he wouldnt cut his Asia trip short to oversee the messy aftermath of Beryl he might want to look at the $435,000 the state has spent on each migrant encountered since Abbott launched Operation Lone Star, with little to show for it. More importantly, he might want to celebrate, rather than vilify, the hardworking men and women who are out there day after day in triple-digit temperatures and pouring rain getting cities back on their feet after disasters have struck. When Hurricane Harvey hit, undocumented immigrants were some of the most affected and least likely to ask for assistance. Yet, they played a key role in cleaning up the city. A Migration Policy Institute survey of construction day laborers right after the hurricane found that 72% were undocumented. I wish Americans could just put themselves in our shoes, Noe said. Many of us are here to work, and to provide for our families. Were not here to do bad things. Though Noe was able to legalize his immigration status in 2015, he spent over a decade living in the shadows, and works alongside family and friends who remain undocumented. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The fear, he said, never leaves you. Every day that I go to work, I cant shake that feeling, that fear that a police officer will stop and arrest me. Stoking fear whether about immigrants or among them isnt leadership. Neither is demonizing otherwise law-abiding people who are doing the hard work of rebuilding our city. It was a big night for the governor, and the Chronicles Jeremy Wallace later reported that Abbott wiped away a tear when asked if he ever thought hed be speaking on such a big stage, especially after being paralyzed in a tragic accident. His perseverance is inspirational. Anybody can overcome anything and achieve their goals, Abbott said, citing what he believes is a core Texans tenet. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If only he could understand that many migrants and asylum seekers hold that same belief. They will brave razor wire to reach their dreams. But they shouldnt have to. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain When climate change leads the news, it's often down to a hurricane, heat wave or flood. And, judging by our most widely read environment stories over the past decade, extreme weather really is one of the main ways the public (or at least our readers) learns about climate breakdown. The movie "Twisters" is released this week, a remake of the 1996 film with an added "s." Simon Dickinson of the University of Plymouth says the fact Hollywood commissioned a remake is further evidence that "people are fascinated by extreme weather and the devastation it can cause." Dickinson explains there is a deep underlying psychology behind this, beyond people simply wanting to see stuff crash and burn. For him, people are interested in extreme weather and watch movies and videos of hurricanes, tornadoes and so on, "because they connect us to people, places and ideas. Sometimes, this is about being able to visualize concepts we've heard about but never seen with our own eyes." He recently conducted a study examining why people were watching live footage of hurricanes and storms on YouTube: "I found people wanting to see things they'd repeatedly heard reference to, such as the eye of the storm or the exact moment a hurricane made landfall. In one discussion in the comments, people wanted the wind to stop because they were only there to see if they could witness an 'eye.' For these people, videos of extreme moments helped connect what they've been told with what they could see (even if only through a screen)." This will feel familiar to anyone who, like me, has been down a tornado rabbit hole on YouTube to see what the fastest winds on Earth might actually involve. (Check out this particularly harrowing video of a father and daughter surviving a twister in their shelter in Illinois, then emerging outside just 90 seconds later to find their neighborhood in ruins). Surviving an F4 tornado in Washington, Illinois. Climate change is, of course, the main concept that extreme weather helps people visualize. None of us can "see" 1C of warming, but we can all watch small islands being flattened or homes being flooded. In the big picture, it's safe to say a warmer world means more extreme weather. But that "does not mean all extreme weather events are being made stronger or more frequent," says Friederike Otto, a climate scientist and co-founder of the World Weather Attribution project, which investigates to what extent climate change has influenced particular episodes of extreme weather. In 2020, she described how scientists were increasingly able to provide climateweather attribution within the news cycle. These "rapid attribution studies" are important, she writes, "as they provide scientific evidence while the event is still in the news and everyone is still paying attentionnot months later after the academic peer-review process." "To help address [controversy over the lack of peer-review], rapid attribution studies use peer-reviewed methods, make data publicly available, and regularly submit to peer-review journals after the fact. " All this means we can state the links between a given hurricane or heat wave and climate change with more certainty than ever. So are these extreme weather "events" a useful moment to talk about climate change? Joshua Ettinger, a climate communication expert at the University of Oxford, researches how extreme weather can reduce the "psychological distance" associated with climate change. "While climate change can feel abstract and vague," he writes, "extreme weather is something people can experience firsthand." People won't necessarily draw a link between the two, however. Ettinger says that research offers "contrasting results": "Some studies have found that extreme weather events lead to an increased belief that human-driven climate change is occurring and greater support for climate action. Others find no effects or suggest that these effects are only temporary." But you can make a difference, says Ettinger. He points out that simply talking about climate change is a good way to inspire climate action, and that extreme weatherwhether seen on TV or experienced first-handprovides a useful conversation starter. "We can use these moments as opportunities to engage our families, friends and communities in discussions about how climate change may relate to these events, and what we can do about it." He notes a few guidelines for these discussions. When talking to someone about a hurricane, heat wave or flood, "affirm the validity of their emotional responsewhether they are afraid, angry, hopeful or worried. There is no one right way to feel about climate change, so listen to what they have to say and then share your own perspective too." You might be accused of "politicizing" the weather. Ettinger suggests how you can (respectfully) push back against this claim: "This argument is a discourse of climate delay [which tries] to shut down climate discussions and cast doubt on the need to act very quickly. These arguments disingenuously assert that acting on climate is too expensive, too late, or that someone else should take care of itand they are becoming increasingly common. If we shouldn't discuss climate change when extreme weather occurs, then when is the right time? If talking about climate change politicizes the weather, so be it." Outside of work, I try not to rant about climate change too much, and instead gently guide things in that direction. Perhaps you do something similar. These are tough but worthwhile conversations. Dickinson, writing about Twisters, says the big challenge for scientists is to "harness this fascination in a way that stimulates knowledge and behavioral change beyond the small window of the event itself." Hopefully, this newsletter has helped in that regard. 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: An American chestnut tree (in foreground). Credit: American Chestnut Foundation Native trees adapt to the climate and environmental conditions of their area to survive. Researchers in the College of Natural Resources and Environment in collaboration with the American Chestnut Foundation confirmed this by examining the genome of American chestnut trees sampled throughout the Appalachian Mountain range and grouping the samples according to their specific environmental region. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, has the potential to help the foundation restore the American chestnut population and adjust breeding to the changing climate. "To understand historical local adaptation to climate, we sequenced the genomes of many wild chestnut stump sprouts and identified relationships between the genome in these different places and the environment of those places," said Jason Holliday, professor in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation. What the team found, not surprisingly, according to Holliday, was a great deal of genetic adaptation to different environments in chestnut trees. Next, team members divided the Appalachian region into three areas based on similar adaptations of the native treesa group in the North, one in the center, and a third in the South. Fungal blight decimated the American chestnut tree in the early 20th century, killing billions of trees and altering the life cycle of the species native to the Appalachian Mountain region. Because of chronic fungal blight infections, the species is unable to reproduce, migrate, or evolve in response to climate change. The American Chestnut Foundation has spent the last 40 years creating a genetically modified, blight-resistant species, but adaptive diversity has not been a focus until now. "The breeding program at the American Chestnut Foundation used pollen from a variety of places in the range, so one question is, have they captured the adaptive diversity that's present in the wild American chestnut range in a way that would allow them to develop families that are well suited for specific planting locations," said Holliday. Using deep learning software, researchers were able to predict the geographic origins of a particular genome sequence by training this model using trees with known origins. Results showed the foundation was doing a good job producing trees with adaptive diversity, although attention must be paid to not losing this diversity through further breeding for blight resistance. Moving forward, this information, in addition to providing guidance for collecting and conserving more of this diversity from the three regions established by the study, can help the foundation restore specific blight-resistant American chestnut families according to regions in which their genome is best matched. Alex Sandercock, lead author for this paper, was a doctoral student in the genetics, bioinformatics, and computational biology program during the study and an Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Sciences graduate fellow. Jared Westbrook, co-author of the paper and director of science for the American Chestnut Foundation, said Sandercock's work developed feasible targets for how many American chestnut trees should be conserved from each of the three regional populations. "We learned that the American Chestnut Foundation has more work to do to conserve trees from the southernmost American population, which is especially important to conserve because it is the most genetically diverse and it is likely to be the best adapted to the warmer climates of the future," said Westbrook. More information: Alexander M. Sandercock et al, A genome-guided strategy for climate resilience in American chestnut restoration populations, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2403505121 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 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: Saltwater recreational fishing holds cultural significance and is a key economic driver throughout the world. In the United States in 2017, 8.6 million saltwater anglers took 202 million fishing trips generating $73.8 billion in sales impacts, $41.5 billion in value-added impacts, $24.7 billion in income impacts, and supporting 487,000 jobs (NOAA). Credit: Tri Nguyen Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are having a positive spillover effect, producing more "trophy-size" fish just outside of the fully protected areas, and the effect is growing stronger over time. That's according to research led by University of Hawaii at Manoa scientists at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) published in Science Advances. The research provides the first global assessment of the benefits of MPAs. "Trophy-size" refers to fish that are exceptionally long or heavy and are considered a rare, prized catch. "This standardized global assessment illustrates the benefits that MPAs provide for recreational anglers, confirming the effectiveness of MPAs in enhancing fish biomass and local fisheries," says Simone Franceschini, Principal Investigator of the study and a Postdoctoral Researcher at HIMB. "Our study found that MPAs may take more than 20 years to show tangible spillover effects in the adjacent areas, which helps to set realistic expectations about the timeframe over which a marine reserve can be expected to have this type of effect on surrounding fisheries." The Hawaiian archipelago has 13 state and federal MPAs. The state protected areas, called Marine Life Conservation Districts, are managed by the State of Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources. Marine protected areas have been identified as one of the most effective tools for securing marine biodiversity, but until now the global impact of MPAs on local, recreational fisheries has been unclear. This study provides globally-relevant guidance for what management agencies, conservation practitioners, and, importantly, recreational fishers can expect over the long term from the establishment of MPAs. A global map of Marine Protected Areas. Credit: Marine Conservation Institute & Marine Protection Atlas The research builds on the work of Callum Roberts' team of scientists who 20 years ago conducted a study in Florida and discovered that the cumulative number of trophy fish caught near an MPA (within 100 km of its boundary) rises rapidly between 1230 years after MPA establishment. "In this paper, we test whether the results of one of the most well-known studies of MPA impacts on recreational fishers can be replicated at a global scale," explains Elizabeth Madin, co-author of the paper and Associate Professor at HIMB. "We show that, on average, highly-protected marine ecosystems produce tangible, real-world, long-term benefits for recreational fishers, resulting in a win-win situation for nature and people alike. Nonetheless, it's important to realize that not every MPA will have the same spillover effects, and that successful MPAs have been shown to depend on community support, enforcement, and effective fisheries management." The findings of this study hold important implications for the future of MPAs and the global "30x30" marine conservation initiative, which aims to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030. "These results provide evidence-based guidance that can help ensure the successful implementation and long-term support of MPAs worldwide," says co-author John Lynham, who is a Professor of Economics at University of Hawaii at Manoa. "It's intriguing to note that various MPAs around the world, despite their differing sizes and characteristics, have demonstrated a similar positive spillover effect and a similar 'wait time:' roughly 20 years." This graph illustrates the cumulative records of trophy-size fish catches over time in five different Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The open (white) circles represent records within 0100 km from the MPA boundary, while the dark (black) circles represent records between 100200 km from the MPA boundary. The vertical dark-blue dashed lines indicate when fishing protection was implemented within the MPAs. After the MPAs were established, there is a noticeable increase in the number of record-sized fish caught near the MPAs. This is consistent with the MPA providing a spillover of record-sized fish into adjacent, fished areas. Credit: Franceschini et al. and Nancy Hulbirt, SOEST Illustrations, University of Hawaii at Manoa The study also underscores the importance of setting practical expectations about the benefits of marine reserves for local fisheries. While MPAs can lead to substantial increases in the abundance of large fish, these benefits often require decades to materialize. This requires patience and long-term commitment from policymakers and local communities to maintain support for conservation efforts. Nonetheless, as Callum Roberts, lead author of the original 2001 study upon which the current study was built, points out, "Local fishers will see benefits to their catches from spillover of smaller fish long before that spillover becomes detectable in the form of large trophy fish, which take longer to reach record breaking sizes. So, well protected MPAs can help support local livelihoods within a decade of creation." More information: Simone Franceschini, A Global Test of MPA Spillover Benefits to Recreational Fisheries, Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado9783. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ado9783 Journal information: Science Advances 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 A new paper published in Science Advances today finds that life expectancy in India was 2.6 years lower in 2020 than 2019, with women and marginalized social groups suffering the greatest declines. The international study, co-authored by the Department of Sociology and the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science's Dr. Aashish Gupta and Professor Ridhi Kashyap, reveals that life expectancy in India suffered large and unequal declines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, mortality across India was 17% higher in 2020 compared to 2019, implying 1.19 million excess deaths in India. This extrapolated estimate is about eight times higher than the official number of COVID-19 deaths in India, and 1.5 times higher than the World Health Organization's estimates. Kashyap, Professor of Demography and Computational Social Science at the University of Oxford said, "Our findings challenge the view that 2020 was not significant in terms of the mortality impacts and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic in India. While a mortality surge caused by the delta variant in 2021 received more attention, our study reveals significant and unequal mortality increases even earlier on in the pandemic." Using high-quality survey data from 765,180 individuals, the study estimated changes in life expectancy at birth, by sex and social group between 2019 and 2020 in Indiaa country where one-third of global pandemic excess deaths are thought to have occurred. The study found large mortality impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 on younger age groups, women, and marginalized social groups. Marginalized social groups within India experienced greater life expectancy declines than the most privileged social groups. Gupta, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow at the University of Oxford said, "Marginalized groups already had lower life expectancy, and the pandemic further increased the gap between the most privileged Indian social groups, and the most marginalized social groups in India." While high caste Hindu groups experienced a life expectancy decline of 1.3 years, the loss for Muslims was 5.4 years and 4.1 years for Scheduled Tribes. These marginalized caste and religious groups already faced large disadvantages in life expectancydisparities which were only exacerbated by the pandemic. The study also found larger losses among females compared to males among almost all Indian social groups and classes. Women in India experienced life expectancy declines of 3.1 yearsone year more than men who experienced life expectancy losses of 2.1 years. This pattern could be explained by gender inequalities in health care and allocation of resources within households. It also contrasts with the pattern found in high-income countries where excess mortality was higher among men than women during the COVID-19 pandemic. While life expectancy declines in high-income countries were primarily driven by mortality increases in over 60s, mortality increased in almost all age groups in India and most prominently in the youngest and older age groups. Excess mortality in the youngest ages could be explained by children in certain areas being more susceptible to COVID-19 and by indirect effects of the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, including deteriorating economic conditions and disruptions to public health services. Kashyap said, "Using unique demographic and health survey data, our study highlights the importance of focusing on inequality when measuring mortality and shows that pandemics can worsen, rather than equalize, existing disparities. This was particularly noticeable on the role that COVID-19 had in further exacerbating the health impacts of pre-pandemic gender disparities." This study shows the potential for accurately estimating mortalityeven for short periodsusing retrospective mortality information collected in a relatively poor context. It also emphasizes the need for policies that address the underlying social determinants of health to mitigate the impact of future health crises. More information: Aashish Gupta et al, Large and unequal life expectancy declines during the COVID-19 pandemic in India in 2020, Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk2070. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adk2070 Journal information: Science Advances This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A footprint left by one of the astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission is seen in the soft, powdery surface of the moon on July 20, 1969. Credit: NASA via AP, File The cosmos is providing a full moon for the 55th anniversary of the first lunar landing this weekend, and plenty of other events honor Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's giant leap. Aldrin, 94, the last surviving member of the Apollo 11 crew, headlines a gala at the San Diego Air and Space Museum on Saturday night. He'll be joined by astronaut Charlie Duke, who was the voice inside Mission Control for the July 20, 1969 moon landing. Museum President Jim Kidrick couldn't resist throwing a bash "55 years to the day of one of the most historic moments in not only the history of America, but in the history of the world." Can't make it to San Diego, Cape Canaveral or Houston? There are plenty of other ways to celebrate the moon landing, including the new film "Fly Me to the Moon," a light-hearted lookback starring Scarlett Johansson. And you can explore all things Apollo 11 on a special website by the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. If nothing else, soak in the full moon Saturday night into Sunday morning. Here's a rundown of some Apollo 11 tributes: 'The Eagle has landed' NASA's Kennedy Space Center is holding a moon fest at its tourist stop, just a few miles from where the Saturn V rocket thundered away with Armstrong, Aldrin and Michael Collins on July 16, 1969. Houston's Johnson Space Center, home to Mission Control, is also getting into the act. Four days after they left Earth, Armstrong and Aldrin, in their lunar module, Eagle, settled onto the Sea of Tranquility at 4:17 p.m. Eastern with barely any fuel remaining. "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed," Armstrong radioed from 240,000 miles (386,000 kilometers) away. "No moment united the country quite like when the Eagle landed, as all of planet Earth watched from below," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Friday in an anniversary message. In this image from video provided by NASA, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong steps onto the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969. Credit: NASA via AP, File 'One small step' "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," Armstrong proclaimed as he became the first person to step on the moon. Armstrong grew up in northwestern Ohio's Wapakoneta, now home to the Armstrong Air and Space Museum. The museum's tribute Saturday begins with a pair of "Run to the Moon" races. followed by model rocket launches and wind tunnel demos. John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, hailed from New Concord on the opposite side of the state, some 150 miles (240 kilometers) away. The John and Annie Glenn Museum will be open there Saturday for your astronaut fix. 'Magnificent desolation' Aldrin followed Armstrong outside on the moon, uttering "Magnificent desolation." They spent just over two hours treading the dusty surface, before returning to their lunar module and blasting off to link back up with Collins, the command module pilot who had remained in lunar orbit. Armstrong's spacesuit for the moonshot was restored in time for the 50th anniversary in 2019. It's on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, along with their return capsule. Aldrin and Collins' spacesuits from Apollo 11 are also part of the Smithsonian collection and currently in storage. Collins died in 2021, less than a year after the 50th anniversary; Armstrong died in 2012. In this photo provided by NASA, astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin poses for a photograph beside the U.S. flag deployed on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969. Credit: Neil Armstrong/NASA via AP, File The reflections of astronaut Neil Armstrong, the U.S. flag, the lunar module and a television camera are seen in the face mask of astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin when his picture was made by Armstrong as they walked across the surface of the moon, July 20, 1969. Credit: Neil Armstrong/NASA via AP, File In this image from video provided by NASA, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, right, walks across the surface of the moon leaving behind footprints, July 20, 1969. The U.S. flag, planted on the surface by the astronauts, can be seen between Armstrong and the lunar module. Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin is seen closer to the craft. Credit: NASA via AP, File U.S. Air Force Col. Buzz Aldrin, retired, listens to a speaker during a ceremony awarding him with an honorary appointment of Brigadier General at the Los Angeles Air Force Base Friday, May 5, 2023, in El Segundo, Calif. Credit: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File A crowd watches giant television screens in New York's Central Park on July 20, 1969, as the Apollo 11 crew lands on the moon. Credit: AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler, File Splashdown! The capsule holding Armstrong, Aldrin and Collinsdubbed Columbiasplashed down in the Pacific on July 24, 1969. They were recovered by the USS Hornet, a Navy aircraft carrier that repeated the job for Apollo 12 four months later. The Hornet is now part of a museum in Alameda, California, with a splashdown party planned aboard the ship on Saturday. Some of the original recovery crew will be there. The Apollo 11 astronauts immediately went into quarantine aboard the Hornet and, along with 48 pounds (22 kilograms) of moon rocks and soil, remained off-limits for weeks as they were moved to Houston. Scientists feared the astronauts might have brought back moon germs. Most of the rocks remain locked up inside a restricted lab at Houston's Johnson Space Center. The Apollo program landed 12 astronauts on the moon from 1969 through 1972. Next up: Apollo's twin NASA aims to send four astronauts around the moon next yearpart of a new moon program named Artemis after Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology. The SLS rocket for that flyaroundshort for Space Launch Systemis due at Kennedy Space Center next week. It's arriving by barge from NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. This core stage will get a pair of strap-on boosters at Kennedy before blasting off in September 2025at the earliestwith three U.S. astronauts and one Canadian. None of them will land on the moon; that will come on a following mission with another crew no earlier than 2026. 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Baby loggerhead sea turtles' first challenge in life is a wobbly dash across the sand. The baby loggerhead sea turtles emerged from their eggshells and began their first challenge in life: a wobbly dash across the sand to the moonlit waters of Turkey's Mediterranean coastsometimes with a helping hand from volunteers. It is a perilous journey into the unknown for the sea turtles as only about one in 1,000 hatchlings will survive to adulthood. Some 25 years later, the females will return to the beach where they were born to lay their own eggs. Despite grave threats from humans and predators such as birds, crabs and ants, protection measures are bearing fruit on Turkey's southern coast. In Manavgat, a tourist hotspot nestled in the foothills of mountains and prized for its golden sands and stunning waterfall, the number of nests has doubled from last year to 700. A group of volunteers holds vigil around the clock along the 10-kilometer (six-mile) coastline, located east of the local tourism capital of Antalya. It is a major breeding area for the globally endangered loggerheadsalso known as caretta carettawhich are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) red list of threatened species. "Our average estimate this year is around 60,000 eggs; 30,000 of them will become babies; only 30 of them will come back years later" to breed, Seher Akyol, founding president of DEKAFOK marine conservation center, told AFP. Conservationist Seher Akyol, left, and Manavgat Mayor Niyazi Nefi Kara have worked together to protect turtles. Red lights Turkey's southern coast is home to 21 official nesting areaseight of them in Antalya alone. Protection measures have been put in place, such as limiting the use of light and the speed of sea vessels. Many beaches are declared protected areas and are off-limits from 8 pm to 8 am. Manavgat, though, is not one of them, so volunteers have taken on the task of protecting the breeding nests. Akyol's volunteers, including young students from all over Turkey and abroad, mark the nests, framing them with sticks and keeping the eggs protected from sunbathers. At night, they patrol beaches, dig in nests with their bare hands and, donning white gloves, help baby turtles break from their shells and crawl to the sea. Local officials also support volunteer initiatives. Manavgat's mayor, Niyazi Nefi Kara, has placed red lights on roadsides along the coast. Signs that read "Attention! Caretta Nesting Area" dot the beach. Volunteers dig in nests with their bare hands and help baby turtles break from their shells and crawl to the sea. Under the environmental law, anyone who damages sea turtles and their nests can be fined 387,141 liras ($11,700). Kara said his office takes advice from "scientists and environmentalists" on protecting the turtles. "After all, we need to learn how to live in harmony with nature," he said. Akyol added that "people and caretta caretta can live together". Songul Sert, 33, who was picnicking with her family around a wooden table near the beach, said "we do our best so as not to usurp their living space" with help from the signs. Another local, Hasan Gulec, said that previously a lack of signs meant that "nobody knew where they were breeding, so anyone could walk on nests". However, an AFP team saw some hotels along the beach still using the bright white lights that anger environmentalists. Volunteers frame the nests with sticks to protect the eggs from sunbathers. Climate change Loggerheads, whose overall numbers are unknown, can live for up to 80 years. Their weight ranges from 90-180 kilograms (200-400 pounds) and they can reach 1.2 meters (four feet) in length. The small percentage of hatchlings that return to the beach to breed is why "they are endangered and need to be protected," Professor Mehmet Cengiz Deval of Akdeniz University's faculty of fisheries told AFP. Loggerhead sea turtles are found primarily in subtropical and temperate regions of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, and in the Mediterranean Sea. According to IUCN, the Mediterranean loggerhead is considered of "least concern", though the species remains vulnerable globally. Climate change is also a factor that threatens the species. The sex of hatchlings is determined by the temperature of the sand: cooler temperatures produce males and warmer ones produce females. A volunteer helps a baby turtle to emerge from its shell. A group of volunteers holds vigil around the clock along the coastline. High temperatures from July onwards means that "most of the babies are females," Deval said. "If this trend continues, in 30-40 years females will be the majority and there will be no male partners for them to breed. This is the biggest danger." Akyol, who dreams of building a rehabilitation center to treat injured turtles, cannot hide her excitement each time she sends them off to the water. "I cannot forget their last look before meeting with the water," she said. "It's as if they show how grateful they are." 2024 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain In the summer of 2020, wildfire smoke blanketed the city of Portland, Oregon, leading to a prolonged period of poor air quality and health concerns for residents. Subsequently, in 2021 the city experienced a heat wave with temperatures reaching as high as 116 degrees. These events highlighted how the climate crisis has increased the frequency and intensity of wildfires and weather-related emergencies in the western United States. Already, Oregon has seen a big jump in the number of fires from last year. At Portland State University, researchers are working to increase wildfire awareness, prevention and mitigation in the Pacific Northwest. Max Nielsen-Pincus, Cody Evers (Environmental Science and Management), Brianne Suldovsky (Communication) and Jonathan Fink (Geology) are all undertaking this effort from different angles, which fits the complexity of the issue: A variety of stakeholders and interconnected agencies work on wildfire mitigation in local, state, tribal, and national governments. One of the challenges, as associate professor Max Nielsen-Pincus put it, is "building bridges between the different agencies." To this end, Jonathan Fink (volcanologist and professor of geology) started the Cascadia Wildfire and Urban Smoke Working Group in 2019. This informal working group includes researchers, policy experts and technologists from the Pacific Northwest in both the US and Canada. So far, they have held 113 webinars on topics ranging from forest regeneration to the health effects of wildfire smoke. Recordings of the webinars are all publicly available. The group also held an online symposium, "Wildfire Knows No Borders," in the fall of 2020. In the Spring 2024 term, Fink taught a course in the PSU Honors College on wildfire and smoke in the Pacific Northwest. Undergraduate students watched videos from the webinar series and wrote up questions about the videos, then Fink invited the original speakers to join the class to talk about the students' questions. This served to further students' understanding of environmental hazards as well as let them meet with professionals and learn more about careers in science. "Part of this project is getting people to realize that Portland, Seattle and Vancouver are particularly vulnerable to wildfire," Fink said. "Even though we haven't had major fires in the cities, if you look at tree ring data, there are huge fires that basically go through the entire basin and destroy all the trees, every three to six hundred years. Then the forest gets restarted. It's kind of like the big earthquakes that happen here, every two to five hundred years." One of the takeaways from Fink's webinar series is that city and county governments and other agencies need to be prepared for fires coming into the city. That could happen in Portland, Fink said, after an extended summer drought followed by winds blowing from the east, which is what happened in 2020. Public perceptions Brianne Suldovsky, an associate professor of communication at PSU, studies public understanding of science and the environment. She co-authored a paper with Fink and Molly Baer Kramer of PSU's Institute for Sustainable Solutions, surveying Portlanders about their sense of risk associated with wildfires, extreme heat and other climate emergencies. "Extreme heat & public perception in Portland, Oregon: Evidence of a compounding vulnerability effect for climate hazards," published in the open-access journal PLOS Climate, examines extreme heat risk perceptions, emergency response needs, and level of trust in first responders among residents of the Portland metro area. The impetus for the study was the 2021 heat wave in Portland, when residents faced danger from the extreme temperatures and the city needed to communicate what resources were available. "Communicating risks is really complicated, because you have two things happening at once in terms of public perception: the first is whether or not they think a threat is real. Next, if they do believe the danger is real, do they think they can protect themselves against that threat?" Suldovsky said. "And so when we're talking about something like climate change or climate extremes, having people see that there's a risk is one thing, but you also want to make sure they know how to protect themselves, or at least feel like they have the resources to do so." Results of the study show that three vulnerability indicatorspoverty, disability, and racehave a significant compounding effect on public perception. In other words, the more of these vulnerability indicators a person has, the more they anticipate they will be harmed by extreme heat and environmental emergencies. The study also showed that such groups have lower trust in first responders. Firefighters and medical providers were the most trusted first responders across all vulnerability groups. The paper suggests public engagement strategies to communicate risks most effectively. The first recommendation? Increase outreach to vulnerable groups before emergencies happen, to establish lines of communication and anticipate their needs. "The overall goal is to better understand how these vulnerable populations feel and what they're thinking. And then you can cater your engagement strategies toward those beliefs and experiences," Suldovsky said. Adaptation and mitigation Max Nielsen-Pincus is the chair of PSU's Environmental Science and Management (ESM) department and an associate professor in the new School of Earth, Environment, and Society. He has been working with Cody Evers, a research faculty member in ESM, on "Fueling Adaptation: Leveraging Community Capacity to Reduce Wildfire Risk," a project with the US Forest Service that is focused on understanding different local and regional processes for adapting to wildfire in the western United States. "One of the challenges that we have as researchers, and more broadly, is that wildfire risk management doesn't happen in any singular agency. It takes lots of different players to come to the table," Nielsen-Pincus said. The project team is developing case studies and guidelines for successful regional collaboration. Likewise, wildfire researchers from different universities are working together to better understand the impacts of wildfire mitigation. Nielsen-Pincus knows that we'll never stop wildfires from happening completely. While prevention measures are obviously important, so is mitigation. "How can we create a landscape that is better adapted to wildfire so that the impacts are less, and recovery is easier?" Nielsen-Pincus asked, adding that "there are many different strategies for doing this. There's no single silver bullet." One key mitigation effort is prescribed burnsthat is, controlled fires that can help reduce the risk of larger, hotter wildfires. Nielsen-Pincus and Evers are working with colleagues from other universities on a study exploring prescribed fire and the social dynamics of adaptation. FireNet is led by the University of Oregon. "I think a lot of folks recognize that we need a lot more fire on the landscapebut in the right places and the right times of yearto mitigate and minimize those large, uncontrolled wildfires that happen in the wrong places at the wrong times of year," Nielsen-Pincus said. FireNet examines people's attitudes and responses to prescribed fires, and whether and how managers can use successful outcomes of prescribed fire to build public support for more of that mitigation work. "And then we examine how those controlled fires, over time, can change the landscape's potential for large, uncontrolled wildfires. And we're doing that through a big computer model that simulates both space and time," Nielsen-Pincus said. By improving our understanding of and communication around these issuesbetween the different agencies and between those agencies and members of the publicresearchers at PSU and other universities in the Pacific Northwest are working to make our region more resilient in the face of potential future "cascading disasters" such as wildfire, extreme heat, and other climate emergencies. Improving everyone's understanding of the risks, treatments, and most effective strategies will help make sure cities on the West Coast understand what community members need to be prepared and resilient. More information: Brianne Suldovsky et al, Extreme heat & public perception in Portland, Oregon: Evidence of a compounding vulnerability effect for climate hazards, PLOS Climate (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000386 Journal information: PLOS Climate 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: Spatial distribution of projected final restored areas in 2050 across the Atlantic Forest biome under (a) forest code scenario, (b) restoration for biodiversity scenario, (c) restoration for smallholders scenario and (d) maximum restoration scenario. Credit: Environmental Research Letters (2024). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ad5ab2 A new study led by King's College London simulated the effects of various restoration policies to assess their impact on biodiversity and agricultural production. The simulation study highlights that supporting smallholder farmers to restore native vegetation on their land would be necessary to reach the ambitious target of restoring 15 million hectares by 2050with this group currently exempt under Brazil's Native Vegetation Protection Law, also known as the "Forest Code." According to the World Wildlife Fund, the Atlantic Forest once covered more than 350 million acres, but human activity has destroyed almost 90% of it, making it one of the most endangered biomes in the world. Much of what forest is left is highly fragmented. The study, led by Dr. Yara Shennan-Farpon, Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Geography, and published in Environmental Research Letters, compared various restoration policy options and their effects on cropland, pastureland and biodiversity in Brazil, a country whose economy is heavily dependent on agriculture. She said, "Globally, ambitious targets to restore forests are met with the challenge of an increasing demand for land for food production. Our new study simulates different policies to assess their potential to meet such targets for restoring Brazil's Atlantic Forest, a global biodiversity hotspot which has degraded over the years." Researchers from the Oxford University Nature-based Solutions Initiative, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Austria, and the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, were also involved in the work. Dr. Aline Soterroni, Research Fellow in the Nature-based Solutions Initiative at the University of Oxford, added, "Our study considers ambitious native vegetation restoration targets that go beyond current polices by focusing on biodiversity and support for smallholders. "We conclude that ambitious restoration targets for the biome, such as the 15 million hectares set by the Atlantic Forest Pact, can be achieved alongside agricultural expansion if mechanisms specifically designed to support smallholders are created." Their research reinforces that more sustainable and efficient agricultural productionespecially in cattle ranching practiceswill be required to meet large-scale ecosystem restoration goals. The team simulated the effects of implementing Brazil's "Forest Code" on the Atlantic Forest biome between 2020 and 2050. The Forest Code mandates that farms must restore or protect native vegetation to cover 20% of their land in this biome. However, the legislation was amended in 2012 to exempt small landowners from this rule. Simulating restoration policy options Using the Forest Code as the baseline scenario, three other restoration policy scenarios were tested: first, simulating restoration on all farms, including small farms (removing the existing exemption); second, imposing restoration targets based on restoring native vegetation within "biodiversity priority areas"; and third, simulating the most ambitious target of restoring 15 million hectares (Mha) by 2050, as set by the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact. According to the study's modeling approach, the target of restoring these 15 Mha cannot be achieved without the involvement of smallholder farmers and the intensification of cattle ranching practices. The results show that all restoration policy options, including the existing Forest Code, simulated between 2020 and 2050 will require trade-offs for agriculture, biodiversity, and rural livelihoods. The study underscores that the inclusion of smallholders in restoration initiatives, alongside large farms and biodiversity priority areas, is essential for meeting large scale restoration goals such as the ambitious Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact. "This work moves us closer to considering the trade-offs involved in large-scale forest restoration initiatives in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. It's really important that fair solutions are identified for supporting sustainable agricultural development and ensuring smallholders and vulnerable communities also have access to the potential benefits from forest landscape restoration," says Dr. Shennan-Farpon. The researchers used the global economic partial equilibrium land use model (GLOBIOM-Brazil) to assess the impacts of the different restoration scenarios on agricultural production and biodiversity conservation in the Atlantic Forest biome. All modeled restoration scenarios allowed expansion of cropland area, and reduction in agricultural production losses under alternative restoration scenarios is not significant. The results also show pasturelands decrease under all scenarios, while the number of cattle stays similar. Therefore, the authors say, to maximize ecosystem restoration without negatively impacting food production, better cattle ranching practices that lead to intensification will be critical. This would mean increasing the productivity and efficiency of cattle farming operations. More information: Yara Shennan-Farpon et al, Using policy scenarios to assess challenges and opportunities for reaching restoration targets in Brazil's Atlantic Forest, Environmental Research Letters (2024). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ad5ab2 Journal information: Environmental Research Letters 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: Bei Bei, a male giant panda, born in Smithsonian's National Zoo in the U.S. in 2015 and returned to China in 2019, eats bamboo at the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Monday, June 12, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Caroline Chen China's panda diplomacy may have one true winner: the pandas themselves. Decades after Beijing began working with zoos in the U.S. and Europe to protect the species, the number of giant pandas in the wild has risen to 1,900, up from about 1,100 in the 1980s, and they are no longer considered "at risk" of extinction but have been given the safer status of "vulnerable." Americans can take some credit for this accomplishment, because conserving the species is not purely a Chinese undertaking but a global effort where U.S. scientists and researchers have played a critical role. "We carry out scientific and research cooperation with San Diego Zoo and the zoo in Washington in the U.S., as well as European countries. They are more advanced in aspects such as veterinary medicine, genetics and vaccination, and we learn from them," said Zhang Hemin, chief expert at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in the southwestern Chinese city of Ya'an. Zhang spoke to journalists during a recent government-organized media tour at the Ya'an Bifengxia Panda Base, home to 66 pandas that lolled about and chomped on stalks of bamboo in a tranquil setting rich with vegetation. China's giant panda loan program has long been known as a tool of Beijing's soft-power diplomacy, but its conservation significance could have been an important reason Beijing is renewing its cooperation with U.S. zoos and sending new pairs of pandas at a time of otherwise sour relations. This combination photo shows Bei Bei in Dec 14, 2015 at the National Zoo in Washington and Bei Bei in June 12, 2024 at the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, AP Photo/Caroline Chen A pair of pandas that arrived at the San Diego Zoo in June will debut to the public after several weeks of acclimation. Another pair will come to the Smithsonian's National Zoo later this year, and a third pair will settle in the San Francisco Zoo in the near future. Their arrivals herald a new round of giant panda conservation cooperation, after the agreements from the first roundwhich began around 1998ended in recent years. The ongoing difficulties in the U.S.-China relationship fueled worries Beijing was retreating from sending pandas abroad, but President Xi Jinping in November dispelled the worries with an announcement during a U.S. visit last year. It is a brilliant move to soften China's image among Americans but is unlikely to change U.S. policy, said Barbara K. Bodine, a former ambassador who is now a professor in the practice of diplomacy at Georgetown University. Bei Bei, a male giant panda, born in Smithsonian's National Zoo in the U.S. in 2015 and returned to China in 2019, eats bamboo at the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Monday, June 12, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Caroline Chen "If they are to project China not as a big, threatening country, they send several pairs of overstuffed plush toys," she said. "Pandas are cute, fat and fluffy. They sit all day and eat bamboos, then China is kind of this cuddly and fluffy country. It's the best signaling." But "it doesn't change the political discussion one whit," Bodine said. "Public diplomacy can only do so much. It does not change the geopolitical, economic calculations. People don't go home after the zoo to be OK for the U.S. to be flooded with cheap EVs (electric vehicles) from the panda land." Conservation, however, is keeping the two sides working together. Zhang said there are benefits from sending pandas overseas. "Pandas temporarily living abroad raise humans' awareness of preservation, and promote attention to our planet and the protection of biodiversity," Zhang said. "Why isn't it good?" Animal keeper Nicole MacCorkle holds Bei Bei, the National Zoo's newest panda and offspring of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, for members of the media at the National Zoo, Dec. 14, 2015, in Washington. Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File Zhang said pandas sent overseas have been selected for their good genes. "They have very high hereditary values. If they bear offspring, the cubs also will have very high hereditary values," he said. While Western research leads in genetic studies, China excels at feeding and behavioral training, he said. "It's mutually complementary," Zhang said. The ultimate goal, researchers say, is to help the bears return to the wild and survive, and a larger captive-bred panda population is the foundation for that effort. The first giant pandas sent abroad were more gestures of goodwill than conservation pioneers from a Chinese communist government seeking to normalize its relations with the West. Beijing gave a pair of pandasLing-Ling and Hsing-Hsingto the U.S. following President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972 and then other pandas to other countries, including Japan, France, Britain and Germany, over the next decade. Panda Mei Xiang yawns as she rests in her pen on a hot sunny day, June 7, 2007, at the National Zoo in Washington. Credit: AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File When the panda population dwindled in the 1980s, Beijing stopped gifting pandas but turned to more lucrative short-term leasing then longer-term collaboration with foreign zoos on research and breeding. Under this kind of new arrangement, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived at the National Zoo in 2000, with the ultimate goal of saving giant pandas in the wild. Over the 23 years Mei Xiang lived in the U.S. capital, she gave birth to four living cubs: Tai Shan in 2005, Bao Bao in 2013, Bei Bei in 2015, and Xiao Qi Ji in 2020. All have been returned to China. Bei Bei, sent to China in 2019, walked over to a row of lined-up bamboo shoots last month, picked one up with his teeth and sat down to eat it as a cluster of visitors looked on at the Ya'an Bifengxia Panda Base. Staff described the nearly 9-year-old male as sociable. Giant Pandas Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing move around in their enclosure at the National Zoo in Washington in May 6, 1975. Beijing gifted the pair of pandas to the U.S. following President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972 and then to countries such as Japan, France, the U.K., and Germany over the next decade. Credit: AP Photo/Bob Daugherty, File The National Zoo's giant pandas, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, play in their yard in Washington, April 20, 1974. Beijing gifted the pair of pandas to the U.S. following President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972 and then to countries such as Japan, France, the U.K., and Germany over the next decade. Credit: AP Photo/Charles Tasnadi, File Visitors take photos and video of female Giant Panda Xiang Xiang, born in Japan's Ueno Zoo in 2017 and returned to China in 2023, at the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Monday, June 12, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Caroline Chen Female Giant Panda Xiang Xiang, born in Japan's Ueno Zoo in 2017 and returned to China in 2023 enjoys a birthday treat at the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Monday, June 12, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Caroline Chen Male Giant Panda, Mei Sheng born in San Diego Zoo (US) in 2003 and returned to China in 2007, eats bamboo under a hut at the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Monday, June 12, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Caroline Chen Male Giant Panda, Mei Sheng born in San Diego Zoo (US) in 2003 and returned to China in 2007, eats bamboo under a hut at the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Monday, June 12, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Caroline Chen Female Giant Panda Ran Ran positions herself to nurse her cub at the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Monday, June 12, 2024. Credit: AP Photo/Caroline Chen Smithsonian scientists have been working to "unravel the mysteries of panda biology and behavior, gaining crucial insights into their nutritional needs, reproductive habits and genetic diversity," the National Zoo says in its literature on the panda program. Its ecologists have been working with Chinese partners to restore natural habitats for the giant panda, the zoo said. Over the years, it has raised tens of millions of dollars to run the zoo's panda conservation program, including an annual fee of $1 million to the China Wildlife Conservation Association. "The purpose of the fund is stated very clearlyit's scientific and research fund for the preservation of wild giant pandas and their habitats," Zhang said. "They are very clear about this. It's not an income of the Chinese government." Pandas born overseas can face a language barrier when they are sent to China, said Li Xiaoyan, the keeper for Bei Bei and two other bears from abroad. "Some pandas may adapt very quickly and easily upon return, while others need a long time to adjust to a new environment, especially human factors such as language," Li said. "Overseas, foreign languages are spoken. In China it's Chinese that's used, and even Sichuanese and the Ya'an dialect." 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. After Beryl, it wasnt surprising that CenterPoints outage map showed outages concentrated in wooded areas. Above: Downed power lines in Kingwood. Sharon Steinmann The May derecho and Hurricane Beryl caught Houston, Harris Country, the state of Texas and local electric utility CenterPoint Energy off-guard but not by surprise. Everyone knows Houston is vulnerable to extreme storms, and that something must be done to strengthen the system that transmits our power. Our elected leaders and CenterPoint can look to California and Florida for guidance. Policies and regulatory actions worth considering include replacing easily snapped wood utility poles with those made of stronger materials; aggressively trimming vegetation crowding utility lines; burying power lines; and digitizing the grid. It wont be cheap. Its important to know that the states grid manager ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, isnt to blame for the outages in Houston. Generators in the path of Beryl, including the nuclear power plant at the South Texas Project in Matagorda County, kept operating. Houstons grid failure occurred in the last link of the electricity supply chain, local distribution to homes and businesses. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Why? Because roughly 40% of Houstons power lines are above ground and at tree level. Any piece of flying debris can throw a circuit breaker. Any falling tree can take down one or more utility poles. Repairs are tedious, dangerous and must be done by hand. The Houston area isnt unique in losing power in big storms. Hurricane Sandy cut power to more than 8.2 million customers on the East Coast in 2012, with 90% restored within 10 days. Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 storm, swept across South Florida in 1992, destroying the electricity infrastructure and leaving Miami-Dade County without electricity for three weeks. More than a decade later, and after intense hurricane seasons in 2004 and 2005, Floridas Public Service Commission required utilities to move away from using wooden utility poles, to raise wires above the tree line and especially, to trim the trees from lines that remained at tree level. Hurricane-prone Florida has moved away from using wooden utility poles for a reason. Above: On July 11, a downed wooden pole burns from an electrical fire in downtown Houston. Sharon Steinmann After Beryl, it wasnt surprising that CenterPoints map showed outages concentrated in wooded parts of the metro area rather than more urban and industrial areas. The same principle was illustrated in Austin, when an ice storm in February 2023 left some people without power for more than a week. To preserve the tree canopy, Austin city policy had called for not trimming trees. After the outage, the city manager was promptly fired, providing the mayor and City Council a scapegoat for their own bad policy and maintenance priorities. As far back as the early 1990s, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power tried something else to safeguard the grid in an area vulnerable to wildfires, earthquakes and other natural disasters. It digitally mapped all of L.A.s electricity grid expressly for faster restoration after natural disasters. Each lineman carried a tablet that had a photo and routing of each circuit. In the wake of the Rodney King riots, L.A. leadership knew that maintaining a reliable local grid was a public safety issue. The effort paid off in 1994, when the grid was restored within 24 hours following the Northridge earthquake. Advertisement Article continues below this ad California also has bolstered its resiliency by burying some power lines. Its sometimes argued that Houston cant do that in most places because of our propensity to flood, but expense is an even more powerful argument. In California costs ranged from $350 per foot, or $1.85 million per mile, to as much as $1,150 per foot, or $6 million per mile.That is the price of weaving power lines under roads and around water lines, sanitation sewers, storm sewers and natural gas lines. In Houston, the cost would be tens of billions of dollars and that cost would show up in customers electric bills. Clearing trees and vegetation from the lines is the first, best solution. To help CenterPoint and the regulators accomplish this, regulators could set up a public website that allows citizens to submit pictures of trees and vegetation impinging upon wires. If CenterPoint does not clear those areas within, say, 10 days, a fine of $1,000 per day could be instituted, with the reporting citizen receiving 50% of the bounty. Societys fabric starts to break down quickly without electricity to maintain traffic signals, gasoline pumps, food supplies and health care. Public safety is a consideration. (Houstonians have real trouble navigating four-way stops.) And the impact can extend well beyond Houston. Recall that the Northeastern U.S. panicked when the Colonial Pipeline, which carries gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from Houston as far as New York, was offline for a few days because of a ransomware attack. A long-term outage that takes down the Colonial Pipeline, or the Gulf Coast refineries that fill it, is a matter of national security. Ensuring a reliable local grid isnt just CenterPoints job. The regulators who oversee CenterPoint the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the city of Houston and Harris County Commissioners Court have failed also. Going forward, the challenge for these regulators is to balance the benefits of safety and reliability against cost. They must make sure CenterPoint performs. But as extreme weather continues to leave Houstonians sweltering in the dark, doing nothing isnt an option. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. ATLANTIC CITY City Council overrode a mayoral veto Wednesday night, allowing store owners in higher-crime areas to stay open another four hours a day. The ordinance does not take effect immediately, Business Administrator Anthony Swan warned many store owners in the audience after the vote. Swan said the state has 15 days to approve the agenda, and after that there is another 20-day delay. Stores identified by the Police Department as generating more calls for service or in areas that generate a lot of police calls will now be able to open at 6 a.m. and close at midnight. An ordinance passed last year had restricted their hours to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. as a crime prevention method. They had previously been allowed to stay open 24 hours a day. The restrictions came out of residents and police concerns that drug users and sellers were congregating outside the stores and running inside when they saw police. Were not here to hurt anybody, but every business owner here is hurting for eight months now, said Isfand Yar, whose family has owned Alis Grocery on Atlantic Avenue for 30 years. The crime outside is not the business owners responsibility. Many store owners who are overwhelmingly from Southeast Asian ethnic groups had said they could not make a living under such restrictions and would have to close for good. Atlantic City considers longer business hours for stores in high-crime areas Atlantic City Council may give store owners in higher crime areas the ability to stay open longer, after some complained a city ordinance requiring them to close from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. would put them out of business. On Friday, Yar said his familys store has always closed at 11 p.m., but he was there to speak for many other store owners more affected by the loss of longer hours who are not as proficient in English. Ninety to 99% of the owners are Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian ... Muslims. Why is this the target group? Yar said. I tried to talk about it, but they cut me off at three minutes. He also said the city has chosen some businesses to restrict while leaving others open, like the liquor store next to his grocery, Yar said. If you want to make a law, make it for everybody, Yar said. Then wed be satisfied nobody would have a complaint. A large and vocal group of store owners attended the meeting, some getting visibly upset before the vote when they listened to Mayor Marty Small Sr. and Council President Aaron Sporty Randolph express support for greater restrictions on hours. What message are we sending if we clearly fix a problem ... we arent getting those calls now, Small said about a decrease in police calls from stores with restricted hours. At the end of the day, we have a job to do. The Police Department has not released hard data on the effect on police calls, but Chief James Sarkos has said it is his sense that call volume is down around problem stores. I work in the city and am on the street every day. I see all the stores. I see things I dont like Im not going to discuss them up here, said Randolph before the vote. We had meetings and came up with a solution. Judge dismisses suit over early closing for Atlantic City businesses in high-crime areas A judge has dismissed a lawsuit over a new ordinance forcing some businesses in high-crime areas of Atlantic City to close from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. as a public safety measure. Randolph said the ordinance that first restricted hours gave store owners a way to have their hours increased by hiring security guards, installing cameras that could communicate with police headquarters, installing better lighting and removing obstacles from front windows so police could see inside easily. I dont see the compliance, Randolph said. Sarkos said none of the stores has taken the steps to comply. From their point of view it is cost prohibitive, Sarkos said. Two months ago I said if we dont give them more time they are going to be out of business. Already two stores have closed their doors on Pacific Avenue, said 5th Ward Councilman Muhammad Anjum Zia before the vote. They were not able to pay their rents. I ask you to support this ordinance, please. Councilman George Animal Crouch, who represents the 4th Ward, suggested trying the expanded hours but restricting hours again if there is evidence of increased crime. To override Smalls veto of an ordinance passed at the June meeting, council needed a two-thirds vote. Voting for the expanded hours were At-large Councilman George Tibbitt, 2nd Ward Councilwoman LaToya Dunston, 3rd Ward Councilman and Council Vice President Kaleem Shabazz, Crouch, Zia, and 6th Ward Councilman Jesse Kurtz, the lone Republican on council. Voting against expanded hours and in support of Smalls position were At-large Councilmembers Stephanie Marshall and Bruce Weekes, and Randolph. In emergencies, we must focus on what needs to be done at the time. During the Beryl crisis, we needed to do everything possible to support crews on the front line trying to restore power. Danielle Villasana/Getty Images The Houston area is reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, the second major wind storm to hit within the past two months. Residents are frustrated by the loss of electricity and the poor communication from CenterPoint Energy. Government officials are demanding accountability from the company. Why did so many people lose power and why was the response to the damage seemingly late? Meanwhile, CenterPoint repair crews from here and other states are working under trying circumstances to restore power. I remember the loss of electricity from Hurricane Alicia in 1983 and Hurricane Ike in 2008. Of course, Winter Storm Uri in 2021 is an even fresher reminder of losing power. Despite the perception of a slow response to Hurricane Beryl, the restoration of power this time isnt significantly worse than those previous storms, but CenterPoint made a mess of communicating with the public. The companys outage tracker failed, so customers had no confidence in what they were being told. Customers were told to log in to their CenterPoint account to get information, but those accounts are for natural gas, not electricity. Nobody buys electricity from CenterPoint, which adds to the confusion. I served as Harris County judge from 2007 until 2019 a period full of major hurricanes and floods. The major lesson I learned over the years of dealing with emergencies is to focus on what needs to be done at the time. During the Beryl crisis, we needed to do everything possible to support those crews on the front line trying to restore power. And now that the crisis is finally past, its time to look for solutions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While CenterPoint has borne the brunt of criticism, there are others who should have to answer for their actions, or inactions. For example, immediately after Hurricane Ike, points of distribution were set up to distribute ice, water and meals ready to eat. Why werent those set up immediately after Beryl? Nobody seems to be asking about FEMA this time around. Pico's cake case stood empty on July 16, after the restaurant had been without power for a week. Picos is among restaurants joining a class action suit against CenterPoint Energy. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Following the Tax Day and Memorial Day floods in 2016 and the deluge from Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the public suddenly knew more about the risk of flooding than theyd ever wanted to know, and officials at all levels admitted the need for improvements. Both the public and private sector had to honestly assess their shortcomings. Experts from the academic community, industry and government carefully analyzed the issue and developed recommendations to prevent such massive flooding in the future. The voters of Harris County raised their own taxes when they approved a $2.5 billion bond proposal. The community came together to deal with an ongoing threat to our lives and our property. We should get about solving the potential loss of electricity just as we have done with flooding. As the utility responsible for maintaining a resilient system for delivering electricity to our homes and businesses, CenterPoint will have to improve their preparation, response and communication. All levels of government will have to examine their policies and figure out how to pay for the improvements needed. Again, experts from academia, industry and government should be given the task of developing recommendations to minimize future loss of electricity. Property owners will have to accept their responsibility for mitigating risk through actions as simple as trimming trees and installing generators. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Firefighters found one person dead while battling an early morning house fire in Riverdale. Several other occupants had to be sent to hospitals after the fire, according to a news release from the Scott County Sheriffs Office. The fire happened about 1:30 a.m. Friday in the 300 block of Circle Drive, the release states. When they arrived, firefighters found the home fully engulfed in fire. Three people were already outside when fire crews reached the address and firefighters found two other people in the building, the release states. One of the people inside, a woman, officials sent by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. The other, a man, was dead. Two of the three people who got out on their own were also sent to Iowa City for treatment, the release states. The third received treatment, then was released. The news release said that the fire remained under investigation Friday and further details about it and the five people impacted by it were not yet available. Firefighters from Riverdale, LeClaire and Bettendorf fought the fire, the release states. They were assisted by the sheriffs office, Bettendorf police officers, the Iowa State Fire Marshal, Scott County Medic EMS, MedForce, the Scott County Emergency Communications Center and the Scott County Medical Examiner. Photos: Looking back at J.I. Case in the Q-C For the past eight years, the Muscatine Community School District has helped provide its students with a majority of their school supplies, a practice the district is continuing for the 2024-2025 school year. Doing so gives our Muskie families one less thing to worry about heading into the school year," said Tony Loconsole, director of communications and community engagement for the district. The district has budgeted $53,520 or roughly $20 per K-8 student for supplies for the 2024-2025 school year coming from its general fund, Loconsole said. He added that the district also gave all donated supplies sent to its schools to students who needed them. The district is also grateful to our community partners who will donate things like new backpacks, he said. Although a majority of items will be provided, MCSD asks that families still purchase certain items. Families of full-day 4-year-old students will need to purchase a rest mat, and all preschool families can optionally purchase a backpack. All other supplies will be provided. For kindergarten through sixth-grade students, families will need to purchase a backpack (optional), a spiral notebook and a pack of No. 2 pencils, while seventh- and eighth-grade students will need to purchase a backpack (optional), a Trapper Keeper, a spiral notebook and a pack of No. 2 pencils. All other school supplies will be provided in the classroom. As for Muscatine High School students, the district suggests purchasing basic items for students to start the school year such as pens, pencils, notebooks and folders. If teachers require something specific, students will be told this within the first week. Mike Peppers was more than the owner of a mechanics shop called Sgt. Peppers. To just about everyone who knew him, Peppers will always be remembered as the Quad-Cities Santa, and, given the numerous ways he gave back to the community, he may have been the best Santa any community could have. Peppers, who portrayed Santa Claus for more than 50 years, died Monday at his home at the age of 81. His Mass of Christian Burial is being held Friday, July 19. As Santa, Peppers had no peers. Mike would come every year to the Davenport Police Associations Thanksgiving Dinner at the Handicapped Development Center, now known as Empowering Abilities," said Jeff Ashcraft, the organizations president and CEO. The police have been putting on that dinner for more than 35 years, and in all those years, Mike would show up and the place would go up for grabs. It was like the biggest rock star walked into the room. Mike would show up in the Santamobile and the place would go up. It wasnt just because Peppers came dressed in the Santa persona. Ashcraft said it was because Peppers was genuine in his role. He had this energy about him, Ashcraft said. He was generous with his time. He didnt leave anybody out. He didnt hurry people. He spent all the time with people they wanted and he interacted with everyone. The folks we serve, he treated them like they want to be treated, and they want to be treated like the rest of society, he added. Mike not only did that, he sprinkled a little extra Christmas magic in there. Former Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba, who too is 81, remembered Peppers as a "kind-hearted, good guy." They both were in the Jaycees together when Peppers was Santa for the organization. "I helped him deliver toys to needy kids in his custom Santamobile," Gluba said. "He had that big Santa outfit on, and he'd pull up in front of these people's homes and we'd hop out and give them their presents." Some of the children would not have gotten anything for Christmas otherwise, he said. Peppers grew up on the West End, Gluba said, and always held a special regard for the area of town. "As far as I'm concerned, because of Mike's volunteer work and his kindness, he's one of Davenport's leading citizens," Gluba said. In a story published in the Quad-City Times in 2015 showcasing Quad-City residents who served in the military, Peppers said his strongest memories of Vietnam were of the children, which brought tears to his eyes. At age 26, he was married, had just bought a house and was learning the joy of playing Santa Claus to children. Then, he was in the Army, which sent him to Fort Bliss, Texas, for basic training, and in March 1969, sent him to Vietnam for a yearlong tour of duty. That year's experience in the midst of an unpopular war would impact the way Peppers would view and play Santa Claus for the rest of his life. Peppers had been playing Santa Claus for kids when he was with the Davenport Jaycees. His brother, Bob, was president of the organization. Id met this guy named Harvey Mayhill, Mike Peppers said in 2015. He was a first-class Santa. Hed come over and helped the Jaycees, and his wife would help him. He impressed me, and he had this high-dollar suit. I picked up a lot of pointers from him on how to do Santa right. I decided I was going to be like Harvey and do Santa right for the kids. It was a serious thing with Harvey, and I caught on to that right away. But Vietnam put Peppers plans on hold. He was sent to the highlands outside of Pleiku, where as a member of the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, he did his patrols. Pleikus location between Kon Tum in the north, Buon Ma Thuot to the south, and the North Vietnamese Army's bases in Cambodia to the west made it the defensive center of the highland region. Patrols were always dirty, sometimes violent. When back at base, the soldiers shared their food with the children. Peppers played a bit of Santa Claus, and as a sergeant, he took care of his men. I built a grill out of an old barrel on which to cook steaks, Peppers said. The top of the grill was a hood from a truck. The children, he said, were precious. So many of them were homeless. So many of them didnt have any parent as theyd been killed, Peppers said. They had nothing. They always had their hands out begging for food. We had more than we needed, so we gave them some, and if we needed more food, wed go borrow some. Longtime friend Bill Wohlford said Peppers was Mr. Christmas. In his Davenport automotive shop, Peppers had every possible Christmas decoration, from Santa Clauses to Isabel Bloom ornaments to coffee cups to Christmas books and records on display year around. He owned an operated the auto shop on 3rd Street in Davenport for 45 years and along with the Jaycees was active in the Friends of Credit Island, Downtown Davenport Association and River Valley Car Club, his obituary said. He also founded River City Nomad Club. Christmas was his favorite time of year, Wohlford said of Peppers. Hed turn his business green for one day during the St. Patrick Societys Grand Parade but that was it. Christmas trees would go up outside Sgt. Peppers each year as soon as Peppers himself thought it prudent. The windows also would be decorated. Wohlford said Peppers had hundreds of Christmas ornaments always on display in his business. Hes been Santa for so many kids, Wohlford said of Peppers. Theyre the ones who would profit. With a chuckle, Wohlford said that Peppers was a bit jealous when others tried playing Santa. He always said, You cant wear a Santa hat unless youre Santa, Wohlford said. I played in a ukulele band, and each year at Christmas wed don Santa hats." In reflecting on Peppers and the work he performed over the years, Davenport Mayor Mike Matson said Peppers "was a great community servant." Davenport Police Sgt. Eric Gruenhagen said he was fortunate to know Mike Peppers through my 12 years on the Davenport Police Association executive board and beyond. During the annual Thanksgiving Dinner for the people at Empowering Abilities, Gruenhagen said, Peppers "freely gave of himself giving handshakes, high fives and hugs to all that wanted them. He handed out his annual photo and signed autographs to each person. He treated everyone he met with care and concern and like they were special to him. He wouldnt leave until everyone who wanted to see him had the chance to do so. At the annual police Christmas party, he said, Peppers would greet the children and take family pictures will all the families. In December 2006, Peppers allowed Gruenhagen use of the Santamobile to propose to his wife, Maureen. Reenie said yes, and the rest is history, he said. Mike and I would tell that story for years to come. Gruenhagen called Peppers a Quad-Cities treasure. He was a generous, kind man, and I am a better person because I had the opportunity to know him well, Gruenhagen said. I will miss him. Festival of Trees The Iowa law banning most abortions could take effect as early as Friday, and health care and abortion providers are preparing for the drastic shift in the reproductive care permitted in the state. A divided Iowa Supreme Court ruled 4-3 last month to remove an injunction blocking enforcement of a strict abortion restriction. The ACLU of Iowa, Planned Parenthood and the Emma Goldman Clinic in Iowa City had challenged a law passed by Republicans during a special session of the Iowa Legislature in 2023 that will create sweeping restrictions on abortions. Under the new law, a doctor will be prohibited from performing an abortion once cardiac activity can be detected in an embryo or fetus through a transabdominal ultrasound. Cardiac activity typically can be detected at roughly six weeks of pregnancy, which is often before a woman is aware of the pregnancy. The law has limited exceptions that would allow for abortion after fetal cardiac activity is detected, including some cases of rape, incest, fetal abnormality or if the pregnancy is endangering the life of the woman. When will the law take effect? The ACLU of Iowa has asked the Iowa Supreme Court to rehear the case in a last-ditch attempt to keep the law from going into effect. The Supreme Court must respond to that reconsideration request before the lower court can dissolve the temporary injunction that halted Iowas abortion. The court rarely grants such requests, according to legal experts. For now, abortion remains legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks as the case gets sent back to the lower court to dissolve the temporary injunction. The earliest that motion can be made is Friday, but the court could decide to take up the action at a later date, said Peter Im, staff attorney at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The district court judge hearing the case has scheduled a status conference for Friday with attorneys on both sides. Details have not been released on what will be discussed at the status meeting. Im said Wednesday that in addition to the rehearing petition, Planned Parenthood is exploring all legal options to challenge Iowa's abortion ban. I think we really are just committed to leaving no stone unturned in this fight to ensure access, whatever that looks like, Im told reporters during a conference call Wednesday. How will the law impact abortion access in Iowa? Ruth Richardson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, said the organization estimates 97% to 98% of abortions would be banned in Iowa once the law takes effect. An estimated 4,200 abortions took place in Iowa in 2023, which includes medication and surgical abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute. That's an 18% increase from the 3,510 abortions performed in 2020. The majority of abortions in Iowa happen after six weeks of gestation in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than half of the 3,761 abortions reported by known gestational age were performed from seven to 13 weeks gestation, and about 5% at 14 weeks or later, while 44% were obtained at six weeks or earlier. Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Emma Goldman Clinic said their organizations will continue to provide abortion care to some degree once the law goes into effect. Richardson told reporters Wednesday that Planned Parenthood providers in Iowa will continue to legally provide abortion services until embryonic cardiac activity can be detected, with no plans to reduce staffing. Richardson said providers in Iowa also will continue their other services, including providing access to birth control and emergency contraception, annual exams, HIV prevention and cancer screenings. Our teams, our providers there have been just dedicated and committed to ensuring that theyre able to see as many patients as possible for as long as possible, and that commitment has not changed, she said. And Planned Parenthood navigators are prepared to help Iowa patients seek medical services outside Iowa, Richardson said. Since 2018, Planned Parenthood has provided abortions to more than 11,500 Iowans. Surrounding states Richardson said Planned Parenthood is in the process of expanding its health centers in surrounding states, including in Omaha, Neb., and Mankato, Minn. Both states allow for more legal access to abortion. "In the last few weeks, we've really been focused on the patients and the people that are going to be impacted by this," Richardson told reporters Wednesday. "We are standing by ready to help patients receive access to care even if that means traveling out of state." In Omaha, Richardson said the abortion provider is the process of a 9,000-square-foot expansion that will triple the number of patients it can see, going from four exam rooms to 13. In St. Paul, Minn., she said Planned Parenthood has expanded the number of abortion appointments for both medication abortion and procedural abortion. She said patient navigators, who help patients find appointments and resources to pay for expenses related to an abortion, have helped more than 4,000 patients so far since the U.S. Supreme Courts 2022 decision that overturned the 50-year federal right to an abortion guaranteed under Roe v. Wade, Richardson said. And a significant number of those folks have been from Iowa, even before last months Iowa court decision, she said. Richardson also emphasized the impact of the ban on low-income and marginalized communities, particularly Black Iowans, who are at a higher risk of maternal mortality. I just think its important as we have these conversations to continue to lift up the reality that abortion bans do not ban abortions for everyone, she said. They ban abortions for people who dont have the means or the opportunity to travel. And so thats why the work of our patient navigators are so important to break down those barriers, to ensure that people have the funds that they need to travel or the other support that they need in order to get to their appointments. Illinois clinics staff up to avoid increased wait times In the first six months of 2024 alone, Hope Clinic in Granite City, Ill., near St. Louis, saw a 357% increase in the number of Iowans traveling to the clinic for abortion care compared to the first six months in 2023. Of those who traveled to the clinic from Iowa, 90% required some sort of financial support or assistance, co-owner Chelsea Souder said. And we expect that to just continue to grow as new restrictions in Iowa take effect, Souder said. She said the clinic has undergone a 40% staffing increase collectively over the past two years as it builds capacity to help people from other states. Most of our clinics in Illinois are not sitting on long wait times, Souder said. Specifically at Hope Clinic, we can get most patients in within the same week, sometimes within a day or two. Souder said many patients coming to the clinic, including those from Iowa, are confused about abortion laws, leading to fear, trauma and financial burden for those seeking care, particularly women in rural areas. There's a lot of misinformation, and so a lot of folks don't know if what they're doing is legal by crossing state lines and coming in to Illinois and receiving care, she said. So I think there's a lot of fear also involved in people's decision-making and access points. Abortion funds 'carrying the weight' Obstetricians and gynecologists have warned the law will worsen Iowas already weak system of prenatal and maternal health care. Iowa has among the fewest OB-GYNs per capita of any state, and one-third of Iowa counties are considered maternity care deserts according to the March of Dimes. More than 60% of rural Iowa hospitals have no labor and delivery services, according to federal data analyzed by The Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. On average, our patients are traveling one way over 250 miles, Sounder said. And so, really, these restrictions have caused some wait time issues, but primarily the largest hurdle is people trying to rearrange their entire life to get halfway across the country, or even to another state, and be able to take the time off work, figure out child care (and) book a hotel. In 2023, 390 Iowans traveled to Minnesota, 370 traveled to Illinois and 180 traveled to Nebraska to seek abortion care, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Before the 6-week ban, Iowans drove an average of 53 minutes to their nearest clinic, according to the Center for American Progress. It observed that travel time in Indiana increased from 42 minutes to 1 hour and 44 minutes after that states near-total abortion ban took effect, a trend Sounder and others anticipate will happen in Iowa. The decision about whether, when or how to become a parent is one of the most important life decisions that most of us will ever make, Souder said. And I think when someone (makes) a decision to have an abortion, that no one should be standing in their way, especially politicians or courts. She stressed Illinois has a strong network of clinics that are ready and wanting to help patients and have formed strong relationships with clinics and abortion access funds in Iowa and across the Midwest. "Abortion funds are carrying the weight for people to access health care, Sounder said. Providers: Patients scared and confused Leah Vanden Bosch, development and outreach director at the Iowa Abortion Access Fund, said it remains committed to helping Iowans access abortion care and has partnered with the Chicago Abortion Fund to provide financial support to Iowans in need of abortion care. Since 2021, Bosch said the Iowa fund has seen a 27% increase in requests for funding. This year, funding requests are up 7% compared to last year. Bosch and Planned Parenthoods Richardson noted Iowas maternal mortality rate has risen as birthing units close, and is higher in states with more abortion restrictions. And a recent study out of Texas shows that abortion restrictions increase infant mortality. Abortion is essential health care that needs to be accessible to all, Bosch said in a statement to The Gazette. Eleanor Grano, communications manager with the Chicago Abortion Fund, said it was partnered with the Iowa Abortion Access Fund to provide case management support. Over the past two years, Grano said the Chicago fund has fielded support requests from 390 Iowans seeking abortions, a number she expects will rise once Iowas new law takes effect. She said independent abortion clinics like Hope Clinic have not experienced increased wait times for appointments due to proactive hiring and are equipped to manage increased patient volume. They also can triage care to Chicago hospitals for those requiring hospital-based abortion care. The Chicago Abortion Funds Complex Abortion Regional Line for Access (CARLA) program supports patients needing hospital-based abortion care. Patients traveling from out-of-state and requiring hospital-based abortion care receive an average pledge for appointment costs of more than $2,700, with wraparound support such as hotel stays, child care, transportation and medications averaging about $850, Grano said. So because of the bans and confusion that causes, we'll be able to redirect people individually, answer questions, calm fears, and just make sure that they feel supported as they're having to leave the state and any additional barriers that come up, she said. How abortion's legal landscape post-Roe is causing fear and confusion How abortion's legal landscape post-Roe is causing fear and confusion Two grant programs, totaling $13 million, to improve opioid treatment and recovery options in Iowa are open for applications, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Thursday. The grants are part of a $17.5 million investment Reynolds announced in May to increase the availability of opioid use treatment services. The programs are funded by federal American Rescue Plan dollars. Reynolds announced the funding after state lawmakers failed to agree during this year's legislative session on a plan to spend the state's Opioid Settlement Fund, which held over $47 million in May. The battle against substance use disorder is all too familiar for families struggling through the opioid epidemic, Reynolds said. This funding for projects that support prevention, treatment and recovery can provide addicted Iowans a pathway to sobriety and a productive, fulfilling life. The $10 million Iowa Opioid Treatment and Recovery Infrastructure Grant is available for existing opioid treatment and recovery centers to fund improvements to physical infrastructure and expansion. The $3 million Iowa Recovery Housing Fund will provide grants to nonprofits to develop sober recovery housing. The infrastructure grant program is open now through Sept. 30. The housing grant program will be open July 29 to Oct. 31. The remaining $4.5 million in federal funds will be spent on an initiative to reduce opioid prescriptions given by providers, an overdose prevention campaign, and to complete a youth recovery center in Cambridge. Iowa unemployment rate holds steady Iowa's unemployment rate was at 2.8% for the third month in a row in June, according to Iowa Workforce Development. The rate held steady and is below the national unemployment rate, which was 4.1%. The total number of unemployed Iowans dropped to 46,600, a decrease of 300 from May. The total number of working Iowans fell to a little over 1.6 million, the agency said. Despite ongoing economic challenges, Iowas workforce held steady during June as private industries advanced by 1,500 jobs, Beth Townsend, executive director of Iowa Workforce Development, said in a news release. Iowas economy has shown great resilience and employers continue to hire." Secretary of state receives award from national group A poll worker recruitment initiative by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate was recognized by the National Association of Secretaries of State with its annual IDEAS award, Pate's office announced. The award, which stands for Innovation, Dedication, Excellence and Achievement in Service, is granted by the national nonpartisan group for initiatives that advance an area overseen by a secretary of state. The Iowa Secretary of State's Office's program, called "Recruiting the Next Generation of Poll Workers," outlines the office's efforts to hire poll workers in the state. The office began the initiative in 2020 in response to poll worker shortages because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pate's office said the initiatives had helped identify more than 21,000 poll workers since they began. I am thrilled that my colleagues at NASS recognize the important role poll workers play in election integrity," Pate said in a news release. "Poll workers are our secret weapon to keeping Iowa elections safe and secure." DNR investigating manure spill in O'Brien County The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a manure spill that caused a fish kill in O'Brien County. After receiving a report of a fish kill in Mud Creek, the DNR found a Paulina dairy was applying manure in a field. The manure entered a blown out tile that discharged into the creek, the DNR said. The fish kill stretches for several miles, and an investigation is ongoing. While the amount of manure released is unknown, the DNR said it has stopped being released into the creek. The DNR advised downstream water users to avoid using water from Mud Creek. O'Brien County is in northwest Iowa. The county seat, Primghar, is about 70 miles northeast of Sioux City. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced Thursday a former state Department of Social Services employee has been indicted for stealing an estimated $1.8 million in state and federal funds from the departments Child Protection Services. Lonna Carroll, 68, of Algona, Iowa is charged with two felony counts of aggravated grand theft. She was arrested Wednesday in Iowa and is awaiting extradition to South Dakota, according to a press release from the South Dakota Attorney General's Office. Bond has been set at $50,000. Carroll is accused of taking the money while an employee for the departments Child Protection Services program, where she had control of the funds. The thefts occurred between 2010 and 2023. Citizens expect government agencies and employees to safeguard public funds. Based upon our investigation, criminal charges for grand theft have been filed, and an arrest has been made, Jackley said. I appreciate the cooperation of Governor Noem and the Department of Social Services throughout this investigation. The thefts were discovered by the Department of Social Services, Jackley said, and the state Division of Criminal Investigation and Legislative Audit led the investigation. An initial court appearance for Carroll has not yet been scheduled in Hughes County Circuit Court in Pierre. The maximum sentence for count one is 25 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. The maximum sentence for count two is 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. Volunteers of America Northern Rockies will host a symposium about moral injury and complementary healing practices. The symposium, led by Dr. Zachary Moon, will be from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, at Holiday Inn Rapid City Downtown. The symposium will reflect on moral injury from a spiritual and clinical perspective, providing fresh insights into complementary practices for reparative work. Moral injury refers to the psychological, social and spiritual impact of events involving betrayal or transgression of an individuals deeply held moral beliefs and values that occur during high stress situations. Moral injury may be associated with PTSD or depression. Those who attend this symposium will gain a deeper understanding of moral injury and a framework for addressing moral injury with individuals and groups. Moon serves as a professor of theology and psychology at Chicago Theological Seminary. He is the author of four books including Coming Home: Ministry That Matters with Veterans and Military Families, and Warriors between Worlds: Moral Injury and Identities in Crisis. Mayor John Whitmire speaks at a press conference about the recovery effort after Hurricane Beryl on Monday. Whitmire has promised to hold the company accountable, but the city has little power to regulate the company. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Mayor John Whitmire has channeled residents frustrations with CenterPoint Energy into strong rhetoric, promising to hold the company accountable for vast and paralyzing power outages after Hurricane Beryl. Whitmire has personally implored CEO Jason Wells to do a better job in communicating with customers and restoring power, he said. And he has emphasized it is difficult to maintain public safety with the lights out. Im pretty fired up at them, they made my job tougher by not doing their job, Whitmire said Thursday. I can hold CenterPoint accountable by documenting what kind of bind they put the city government in. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hurricane Beryl arrived stronger than anticipated on July 8, leaving more than 2 million people without power at its peak outages that continued for days and in some cases over a week. The mayor has little power to enact meaningful change at City Hall, which has limited power to regulate CenterPoint. The company also has historically had a cozy relationship with state and local leaders. Whitmire is not an exception to that rule; the company employs several of his former staffers from the state Senate, and he once invested hundreds of thousands of campaign dollars in CenterPoints parent company. The city is allowed to reject at least temporarily rate hikes on behalf of customers, but that process usually follows a similar pattern: The city denies the rate hikes, and then the state overrides the decision and allows CenterPoint to proceed. The city rejected a proposed hike as recently as June. They dont have a whole lot of power over CenterPoint, and its one of the challenges in these situations, said Nancy Sims, a veteran lobbyist at City Hall. Their primary leverage is public outcry. They dont have a lot of technical ability to regulate or demand actions of CenterPoint. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The entity responsible for actually regulating the company is the Public Utility Commission, a state body whose members are appointed by GOP Gov. Greg Abbott. Abbott has likewise promised to hold the companys accountable. The commission has launched an investigation into the companys preparedness and response, and the Texas Senate formed a special committee to look into the matter as well. Whitmire said he will testify July 29th at that committees first meeting. That is one part of the mayors strategy to use his bully pulpit as mayor to keep the pressure on, he said. He plans to call company officials back to City Hall for more questioning on July 30. CenterPoint has defended its performance in restoring power while acknowledging residents frustrations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We are committed to working together with state and local government, regulators, and community leaders both to help the Greater Houston area recover from Hurricane Beryl and to improve for the future, the company said in a statement earlier this week. One area potentially ripe for accountability from City Hall is CenterPoints handling of the citys own facilities, including critical infrastructure to power water plants. A frantic email from a city worker at 1 a.m. last Thursday revealed the city was having trouble breaking through to the company to prioritize restoration to those buildings. Its about communications, its about real time information, and they did a really poor job, Whitmire said. CenterPoint has long been known for its ties to City Hall and state leaders. It throws a July 4th party that is widely attended by the citys elected officials, offering air conditioning and a 49th-floor view to watch fireworks from the Houston Club downtown. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Whitmire and people close to the mayor have had ties to CenterPoint over the years. His daughter, Whitney, was a lobbyist for the company in Austin between 2008 and 2021, while Whitmire himself served in the Texas Senate. Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock, the person Whitmire chose to lead the board of Metro, is the companys vice president for utility infrastructure planning and policy. And Gerard Torres, CenterPoints director of Texas state relations, was among the close friends that attended Whitmires private inauguration at midnight Jan. 1. Torres became friends with Whitmire while the former served in the Texas House in the 1990s, Whitmire said. When he was in the state Senate, Whitmire also invested some of his campaign war chest in the CenterPoints stock, purchasing $542,000 worth of shares between 2017 and 2021. In Texas, elected officials can invest money from their campaign accounts, but they cannot use any of that money for personal use. Whitmire said those friendships and ties hold no sway on his plans to help state leaders tighten regulations on the company. And he said he does not personally manage his campaign investments; those decisions are made by professional money managers. He said his campaign no longer holds CenterPoint shares. Advertisement Article continues below this ad First of all, it doesnt affect me at all, Whitmire said. I do not know the executives of CenterPoint like I might have known them 20 years ago Most of their executives, I dont know. But they still, as a senator and a rep, they would be involved in Austin, and that was the nature. I have a different role now I am not personally friends or contacts of current high-ranking CenterPoint executives. Whitmire joined the rest of the Houston delegation in the Texas Senate in approving two laws last year that aided CenterPoint: One allowed for two annual rate increases, instead of one; and another relating to the companys resilience plan. The mayor said he followed the advice of the PUC, which he said brought both bills. And both, he said, passed with little controversy: one unanimously, and the other on a 29-2 vote. A 57-year-old Richmond man who drowned this week while visiting family in Surf City, North Carolina, was a Vietnamese refugee and longtime employee of a Richmond-based Christian missionary society. Minh Ha Nguyen served for 24 years on the International Mission Board, which supports Southern Baptist missionaries. Most recently, he worked as director of gift care and data stewardship for IMBs Ministry Advancement Team. He also served the larger Southern Baptist denomination as president of the Ethnic Research Networks Core Team, which focuses on highlighting ethnic diversity within the Southern Baptist Convention and denomination. Nguyen was from Vietnam and spent much of his early life as a refugee, according to his written testimony provided by the International Mission Board. When he was a child, he wrote, his father was abducted by members of the Vietnamese Communist Party near the border of North and South Vietnam while trying to plant a church. He spent nearly a year in captivity before Nguyens family fled the country when the Communist Party took over the whole country. Nguyen wrote in this account that he grew up a refugee first in Malaysia, then in Switzerland, where he met his wife at a Bible college. In my 12,000-mile journey from Vietnam to Malaysia, Switzerland, and then to the United States, I had found many places to call home and had made many meaningful relationships, Nguyen wrote. But more importantly, I have found a migrant Savior. His callings to follow him gave meaning and purpose to my life on the move. I am so glad to be a part of the global migrant church. Paul Chitwood, president of the International Mission Board, said in a statement: Minh Ha was an incredibly gifted colleague who served for 24 years in key roles with the IMB to support our work and workers around the world. He helped shape our stewardship strategies and our efforts to evangelize the largest cities in the world, but also served our SBC family in ethnic ministry in the U.S. We rejoice in his eternal reward even as we grieve with his family, with hope. According to Surf City EMS, first responders responded to a distressed swimmer call Monday morning, and when they arrived fire and EMS personnel administered advanced life support to try to revive Nguyen. Surf City Fire Department issued a warning the morning of the drowning on Facebook that said, Life-threatening rip currents are possible. Please remember to heed the advice of the local ocean rescue patrol and flag warning system. Conditions can change throughout the day. From the Archives: Scenes from Church Hill